Friday Morning News Roundup

By • Jul 16th, 2010 • Category: Blog

- Reed Street Shootout, 1 Year Later: The shootout on Reed Street that ultimately took the life of JCPD detective Marc DiNardo was shot a year ago today. The Journal has a series of stories, including an interview with his widow, Mary; a report on the building, which it says remains a “shabby, rundown blemish” and which continues to get heavy police traffic. Meanwhile, Mary DiNardo will speak at a Wednesday event at Liberty State Park encouraging police and firefighters to become organ donors.

- Hit-and-Run Kills Queens Man: A 33-year-old Queens man died after being struck by a vehicle while crossing State Highway 139 at Bevan Street early yesterday morning. Later in the day, Jersey City cops charged a 23-year-old Bergen County man in the incident. When confronted by police about the incident, the suspect reportedly said: “Holy shit! I killed that guy?”

- Undersheriff Drops Lawsuit: Hudson County Undersheriff Frank Schillari is dropping his law suit against Sheriff Juan Perez, who fired Schillari abruptly earlier this year after Schillari announced his intentions to run for Perez’s seat. The two are facing off in the general election for sheriff this November.

- Goldman Agrees to Huge Fine: Goldman Sachs has agreed to pay $550 million to settle civil fraud charges that accused the Wall Street giant of misleading buyers of mortgage-related investments. As part of the deal, Jersey City’s second-largest employer will pay the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) fines of $300 million, while giving rhe rest of the money to those who lost money on their investments. The fine is the largest against a financial company in SEC history.

- Fewer Copters Overheard Soon: The Port Authority grounded its helicopter fleet Thursday, admitting that the $3.7 million it spends every year on security flyovers is a waste of money in tough times. The agency’s two helicopters spend most of their time flying Port Authority cops over airports and bridges to check security twice a day, Monday through Friday. A year-old authority study obtained by the Daily News found 90 percent of the 228 security flights from August 2008 to April 2009 found no unusual activity.

- CASID Wants to Limit Food Trucks: Central Avenue Special Improvement District’s president and Board of Trustees say they want to “dramatically reduce” food truck and ice cream vendor licenses, while prohibiting them from stationing within Special Improvement Districts or other business districts.

- Coptic Group Works with Homeless: A group of Coptic Orthodox young adults known as Jesus Christ for Jersey City, or JC4JC, spend most Sundays doing outreach to the Journal Square-area homeless.

- Synergy’s Mel Gibson Signage Goes Viral: We’re big fans of the quirky signs at Synergy Fitness on Newark Avenue (disclosure: they are written by JCI contributor Joe D’Allegro), and so we were happy to see this week’s Mel Gibson sign make the web rounds yesterday, on prominent national sites like the FAIL blog, Jezebel and Andrew Sullivan’s blog.

- Reality TV: 35-year-old Jersey City native Javis Dortch is one of the bachelors wooing former Apprentice star Omarosa on the TV One series The Ultimate Merger.

- Lane Closures on 1&9: Beginning tonight, the New Jersey Department of Transportation will close a lane in each direction in order to create a new work zone on the western side of Tonnelle Avenue from Spruce Street to just north of the Tonnelle Circle. Once the new work zone is established, Route 1 and 9 will continue to maintain two traffic lanes in each direction.

In Statewide News:

- New Report Tackles Budget Woes: A new report from the New York Federal Reserve Bank finds that New Jersey’s heavy reliance on personal income taxes contributed to revenue shortfalls during the recession. The bank also says the state may have to consider options such as establishing a “rainy day” fund or temporarily raising taxes on high-income household to prepare for the withdrawal of federal stimulus money (we’ve received $10.1 billion in the last two years).

- Gas Line Through Highlands Approved: The Statehouse Commission has approved a deal permitting a controversial natural gas line to run through several state-owned forests and parks in northern New Jersey, but increased the price to $180,000 amid protests over the $45,750 flat-fee the state was supposed get in return on a 24-year lease. MORE here.

- State Orders Oyster Beds Removed: New Jersey environmental officials have issued a notice of violation to the NY/NJ Baykeeper, directing the nonprofit group to pull its experimental oyster beds from contaminated coastal waters.

- Rutgers Approves Tuition Increase: Rutgers University’s Board of Governors have decided to raise undergraduate tuition at the school by 4 percent in September.

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Like what you've read here? Please consider making a donation or becoming a sustaining member. As a grassroots news organization, we rely on community support -- as well as paid advertising -- to survive.

is the founding editor of the Jersey City Independent; he now works for a public-policy nonprofit in Trenton.
Email this author | All posts by