The Jersey City Independent "

- Epps Contract: The Board of Education will not vote on superintendent Charles Epps’ controversial new contract at its meeting tonight after all. The contract must still be approved by the state before coming back to the board; state officials aren’t sure when their review will occur.

- Dual Office Holders: Hudson County’s Nick Sacco and Brian Stack are two of the nine remaining dual office holders in the New Jersey legislature after state Senate president Steve Sweeney announced that he will step down from his job as Gloucester County Freeholder. Dual office holding is no longer allowed but 19 pols were grandfathered in on February 1, 2008.

- Another Man Charged in July Shooting: A 20-year-old Jersey City man has become the second person charged in the July 16 shooting that caused spinal damage to a Jersey City 5-year-old girl who was struck by a stray bullet during a block party at the Montgomery Gardens housing complex

- Another Charge for Alleged JC Bank Robber: The 23-year-old Jersey City man arrested last week for allegedly attempting to rob a Valley National Bank branch in Jersey City has now been charged by Union City police in connection with an attempted bank robbery in that city.

- Comcast Going Digital: Some Comcast subscribers in Jersey City will be making the move from analog to digital cable due to company-wide policy changes.

- Traffic Mess on Tonnelle: A damaged utility pole on Tonnelle Avenue in Jersey City caused traffic delays throughout the day yesterday.

- Pedestrian Safety Near WTC PATH Station: The Port Authority has voted to hire security firm Allied Barton to manage pedestrian movement at Church and Vesey, replacing workers certified by the American Traffic Safety Services Association with ones that have no formal training in pedestrian management. NYC advocacy group Transportation Alternatives says the move will put pedestrians “at an unacceptable risk.”

- Woodlawn Avenue Fire: A one-alarm fire in a three-story wooden frame building at 135 Woodlawn Ave. sent a family of four, including three children, to the hospital for smoke inhalation yesterday morning.

In Statewide News:

- Race to the Top Blame Game: Gov. Christie yesterday acknowledged the state made a clerical error that blew its chance at winning $400 million in federal money for schools, but he blamed Obama administration bureaucrats for not giving New Jersey a chance to correct the mistake. (Read the transcript or listen to the audio here.) Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver has ordered a hearing on the Christie administration’s error, saying “the state, our taxpayers, and most of all our children deserve answers from the administration as to how such an egregious blunder could have been overlooked with so much at stake.” Education Commissioner Bret Schundler asked the federal Education Department if the state can have some of the $75 million the “leftover” Race to the Top money that hasn’t been allocated, but that proposal doesn’t seem to have support in D.C. And lastly, the state’s largest teachers’ union says an earlier draft they saw did not contain the error.

- Is the New Pedestrian Law Confusing? A number of critics, including some law enforcement officials, say New Jersey’s new pedestrian crosswalk law is confusing for a number of reasons. Meanwhile, state data shows fewer pedestrians and cyclists have died on the state’s roads, sidewalks and bicycle paths this year versus 2009, even as the number of drivers and passengers killed has more or less held steady.

- Parents Want More Education Spending: A new poll of the parents of New Jersey high school students finds education as their the top state budget priority, with about 78 percent of parents saying the state should spend more money on education.

- Rainfall May Help Stave Off Drought: With the recent days of rainfall, it appears New Jersey may once again avert a drought emergency this fall, but questions abound whether the state is prepared to deal with its long-term water supply needs.

- Commercial Foreclosures: Lenders and loan servicers continue to foreclose on commercial properties in New Jersey at the same pace as last year, a sign of continuing financial distress, according to second-quarter state foreclosure data.

- Egg Recall & Diners: Diner owners across New Jersey say egg orders continue unabated, even if proprietors feel compelled to prove that their eggs are untainted with letters from their distributors looking to put fears to rest.

- Bone Marrow Donations: Gov. Christie has signed legislation that seeks to increase bone marrow donations in New Jersey — particularly among minority residents.

- New Site Remediation Head: Department of Environmental Protection commissioner Bob Martin has announced that David E. Sweeney will serve as the department’s new Assistant Commissioner for Site Remediation.

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