The Jersey City Independent "

- There Will Be More Time to Comment on Pipeline: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission says the agency will continue to receive public comments on the proposed natural gas pipeline that would run through Jersey City — even after the August 20 end of the “scoping” period. In addition, a spokesperson for the agency points out that the plan is still currently in its preliminary phases, and Spectra will have to submit a formal application, after which there will be another public comment period. The company expects to do that in December. The August 20 deadline has drawn criticism from Mayor Healy, the NY/NJ Baykeeper and the developers of the Newport area.

- Chromium Testing: Tests taken a month ago from 42 residents living near the former PPG Industries plant on Garfield Avenue reportedly show no detectable level of chromium in their blood. Residents will be tested again around December when the most contaminated soils at the site are expected to be fully removed. This is all happening while a federal lawsuit calling for a more stringent cleanup plan continues to move forward.

- Summer Preschool Changes: This fall, the state is cutting back the summer preschool program in New Jersey’s poorest districts, including Jersey City. Only the poorest families will be able to apply for the wraparound services — which include 10-hour school days, health screenings and six weeks of free preschool in the summer — and starting in September parents will have to prove for the first time they either have a job or are in school. The new eligibility requirements are expected to save the state $7 million this year, but officials said the cuts aren’t being made to save money. Instead, they say changes will make the system more equitable.

- 19-Year-Old Shot: A 19-year-old Jersey City man was shot multiple times and critically wounded yesterday morning at the Montgomery Gardens housing complex.

- Bike Rehab Project: The Hudson Transportation Management Association kicked off its new Bike Rehab Program on Monday, teaming with the local nonprofit organization PACO to distribute free bicycles to low-income commuters.

- New HCDO Leadership and JC: Politicker’s Timothy J. Carroll (who recently moved to the news site from the Hoboken Reporter) takes a look at how new Hudson County Democratic Organization leader Mark Smith will handle the leadership void in Jersey City created in the wake of last year’s corruption sweep.

- JC’s NAACP: Earl Morgan says that under the leadership of deputy mayor Kabili Tayari, the local NAACP chapter is “a shadow of its former self.”

- New Smoothie Pushcart: Yesterday was the first day in operation for the Costa Rica Health Smoothies cart, which is being run by a 29-year-old Jersey City man.

- Ribbon Cutting at Gelato Shop: In other food news, the official ribbon cutting for the newly opened Tommy 2 Scoops (177 York St. near Marin Boulevard) is this afternoon at 4:30 pm.

- JSQ Fountain: It is not likely to be fixed anytime soon, according to Department of Public Works Director Rodney Hadley, who says the $20,000 needed to fix the broken pump simply isn’t in the budget.

- Chinese Educators in JC: Four educators from the Nanjing-Langwen School in Nanjing, China visited Sacred Heart School and McNair Academic High School this week as part of their 15-day tour of U.S. schools to seek opportunities for cultural exchange and learn more about the American school system.

- NJCU Taps Two New Coaches: Marc Brown, who was New Jersey City University’s interim head men’s basketball coach for three years, has been appointed to the position in a permanent capacity following a coaching search, and Nansha Kalonji has been named the full-time men’s soccer coach.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Today’s Groove on Grove will be transformed to “Groove on Globe” by Sirelo Entertainment, which will bring live music, DJs, percussion, dance and live painting to the Grove Street PATH Plaza (6 pm). Also on the free outdoor entertainment agenda for tonight is a Films in Van Vorst screening of Invictus (8:30 pm).

In Statewide News:

- State Sued Over Forced Medication: Patient advocates filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday charging that New Jersey psychiatric hospitals routinely medicate patients against their will without a review by an outside arbiter, a practice that is banned in most other states.

- Gas Tax Won’t Rise to Help Transpo Trust Fund: State officials have outlined steps to squeeze the last bit of cash out of the Transportation Trust Fund to finance road, bridge and transit projects next year until it is reauthorized and new revenue sources are found. But Transportation Commissioner James Simpson reiterated that an increase in the state fuel tax — one of the lowest in the nation — is not one of those revenue solutions.

- Family Planning $: As two Democratic state lawmakers initiated a campaign to override Gov. Christie’s veto of $7.5 million for family-planning health centers (which included a PowerPoint “mock diary”), six Republican state senators who previously voted to restore the funding reversed course, most likely ending any hopes of restoring the money.

- State Opera on the Hook for ‘Porgy’ Production: Two months after the New Jersey State Opera’s production of “Porgy and Bess, opera officials owe about $230,000 to a variety of vendors and contracted workers, including the musicians in the orchestra. The union representing them has filed suit with the National Labor Relations Board, seeking all of the $56,000, plus pension benefits, called for in its contract.

- EPA Building New Labs in Edison: The federal Environmental Protection Agency is building new laboratories for its national emergency response unit, headquartered on its sprawling Edison campus.

- New PSE&G Solar Farm: PSE&G has formally unveiled a 1.3 megawatt solar farm under construction on a brownfield in Trenton.

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