The Jersey City Independent "

- Apparent Murder-Suicide on Storms Avenue: A recently engaged Jersey City couple was found dead in an apparent murder-suicide yesterday morning — and the woman’s 15-year-old son made the bloody discovery.

- Medical Contract at Jail Hits Another Snag: Approval of a new five-year medical services contract at the Hudson County jail stalled once again last night at the Hudson County freeholders’ monthly caucus.

- Funding for ARC Tunnel Close: NJ Transit officials say the federal government is close to officially committing $3 billion for a mass transit tunnel linking Manhattan and New Jersey.

- New Walkway Open at LSP: A newly rehabilitated 1000-foot walkway has opened up along the along the south side of Liberty State Park.

- Hurley & the Hall: Longtime St. Anthony’s basketball coach Bob Hurley is set to be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame this Friday.

- Shopping Spree for Back-to-School: Target teamed up with the Salvation Army yesterday to give 20 children from Jersey City an $80 gift card to spend at the retailer’s 14th Street store during a three-hour shopping spree.

Today’s Best Bets:

- The Feast! Tonight is the first night of the annual Festa Italiana on 6th Street in Downtown Jersey City; the festival runs through Sunday. Tonight’s featured band is The B Street Band, who specialize in Springsteen covers (6 to 11 pm). Over at the Grove Street PATH plaza, the Subway Surfers, WyldLife and Radio Exiles play a free Groove on Grove show (6 pm), and Club H hosts an opening reception for Habib Ayat’s new exhibition, Colors Interaction (6:30 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Christie Will Apply for Federal Education $ After All: Gov. Christie will apply for $268 million in federal education aid passed yesterday by Congress that would provide enough money to save an estimated 3,900 teaching jobs in New Jersey. Earlier in the week, his spokesperson had raised questions about whether or not New Jersey would pursue the funds. MORE from NJ Spotlight.

- Mental Health Law to See Delay: The Christie administration says the state will delay indefinitely implementing a law that would give families a greater say in determining whether their seriously mentally ill loved ones may be ordered to attend outpatient treatment.

- State May Put Unused Bonds to Debt Payments: New Jersey may use $1 billion of unspent general-obligation bond funds to pay down existing debt, under a plan by Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff to reduce state costs.

- Lenders Take Over Xanadu: A group of lenders says it has taken control of the Xanadu retail and entertainment development at the Meadowlands in an effort to steer the stalled project to completion.

- Baykeeper Removes Oyster Beds: The NY/NJ Baykeeper withdrew the last oysters from its experimental reef in the Raritan Bay last night and put them in temporary storage, although the mollusks eventually may be trashed. The DEP in June ordered the Baykeeper project and about a dozen smaller projects removed from polluted coastal waters because it does not have the manpower to patrol them against poachers who would steal and market the tainted oysters.

- Radon in the Water: For more than a decade, state and federal governments have held off in regulating how much radon should be allowed in drinking water. The state Department of Environmental Protection is now analyzing data as it considers its next step.

- North Jersey’s Food Pantries: Food pantries are still seeing increased demand year-over-year, as the recession drags on.

- Pipe-Repairing Technology: A new pipe-repairing technology currently being tested in Somerville could save New Jersey’s water companies millions of dollars.

- The ‘Fork and Screen’ Experience: The new “Fork and Screen” entertainment model, which allows moviegoers to recline in a La-Z-Boy and dine on a three-course menu offering food and even beer, is coming to three AMC Theaters in central New Jersey.

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