Feds Accuse Jersey City Man of Pocketing More than $117,000 After Filing False Income Tax Returns: A federal grand jury today indicted a Jersey City man who is accused of pocketing more than $117,000 after he filed false income tax returns.

Former Jersey City State Assemblyman Says Corruption Charges Against him are Part of Effort to Elect Christie Governor: The attorney representing former Jersey City assemblyman and mayoral candidate Lou Manzo argued in court yesterday that corruption charges against Manzo are bogus and was part of a conspiracy to get Republican Gov. Chris Christie elected.

Original Manager Protests Duprees 50th Anniversary Show Tonight in Jersey City, Calling Performers a “Cover Band”: The Duprees will be celebrating the doo-wop group’s 50th anniversary at the Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre in Journal Square tonight. But the original manager of the “You Belong to Me” singers, who formed the group in Jersey City, is calling the current incarnation of the group a fraud and says it has no right to use the name.

The Original Business at Monmouth, Newark and First–V. Fiore’s Deli, Since 1912: Dislocations talks about the history of the Italian Village, specifically regarding delis, and has photos of the original establishment’s facade at the new Studio 17 building, which was revealed during construction.

In Statewide News:

State Senate Readies for Second Try to License Single-Room Surgeries: Sen. Joseph F. Vitale, chairman of the Senate’s health committee, is moving swiftly on a bill that would require all operating rooms to be licensed and inspected by the state Department of Health.

Mixed Reviews for Office of Clean Energy’s Solar Plan: The Office of Clean Energy’s two options for stabilizing the solar sector won mixed reviews at best from some of the state’s utilities, which would be asked to extend programs that helped residents and businesses put solar systems in place through long-term contracts.

New Jersey Pensions Earn 1.7% in 2011 as Real Estate Gains: New Jersey’s pension funds, with about $70 billion of assets, returned 1.7 percent last year as gains from debt, private-equity and real-estate investments tempered losses from global stocks.

Jersey City’s Special City Council Race Candidates Report Spending Nearly $300,000: The 17 candidates in last year’s Jersey City special election to fill two vacancies on the City Council spent nearly $300,000 combined, with the two winning candidates shelling out nearly $100,000 total during the campaign.

Former Jersey City Mayoral Candidate Will Ask for New Corruption Charges to be Tossed: Former state Assemblyman Louis Manzo, a defendant in New Jersey’s largest corruption case, is seeking to have the charges against him dismissed.

Jersey City Man in Stable Condition After Exchanging Fire with Police: The Jersey City felon who was shot four times by police after allegedly opening fire on officers Friday remained hospitalized but in stable condition, officials said Tuesday.

Hudson Freeholders to Study Express Bus Service Between Jersey City and Bayonne: Hudson County is set to take one step closer to connecting Journal Square in Jersey City to Bayonne with an express bus service.

Crime Blotter: Three men posing as repair workers talked their way into a Jersey City home and robbed two residents in their 80s of more than $5,000 in cash and jewelry, police said; A man who flashed a knife during an argument in a Secaucus Road parking lot in Jersey City was forced to flee when the man he was arguing with pulled a machete from his pants; An 82-year-old Jersey City man walking on Clarke Avenue early yesterday morning was attacked from behind, then beaten and robbed by two thugs; Yesterday Jersey City police busted a 33-year-old Newark man they say stole an SUV and then rammed a police cruiser with the vehicle when cops were closing in.

Today’s Best Bets:

One of Jersey City’s newest galleries, WOOLPUNKstudios, hosts an opening reception for Digital Weavings: Works by Pat Lay and Michelle Loughlin (6 pm, free). Meanwhile, there’s a closing reception for ‘Images’ by Eric Schkrutz at Made with Love (7 pm, free).

Uptown Crew presents its bimonthly Open Mic for poetry, music, readings, spoken word, comedy, dance and more (8 pm, $5).

In Statewide News:

Gov. Christie Calls for Restructuring of Research Universities: Governor Christie yesterday outlined a sweeping overhaul of higher education that would create a New Jersey Health Sciences University in Newark to replace UMDNJ, place Newark’s University Hospital under nonprofit management, and fold Rutgers-Camden and its law school into Rowan University to give South Jersey its own research university.

New Jersey gets a D-Plus for Teacher Standards: New Jersey’s report card from a group that seeks to improve standards for educators is dismal: D-plus, 36th in the United States, and making less progress than most states.

New Jersey Ranks Last Place in Business-Climate Rank: The Washington-based Tax Foundation, which advocates for simpler tax codes with lower rates, today released its annual Business Tax Climate Index, which ranks the 50 U.S. states based on how welcoming their tax law is to businesses. New Jersey placed 50th, a position it also held in 2011.

Black New Jersey Leaders to Gov. Christie: Popular Vote is No Way to Achieve Civil Rights: Two of New Jersey’s most influential black leaders, Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Newark Mayor Cory Booker, blasted Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday for proposing gay marriage be put to a popular vote in November.

Court Postpones Oral Arguments in Former Jersey City Assemblyman’s Fight Against Corruption Charges:
In Newark, oral arguments have been postponed to January 26 on motions filed by former Jersey City assemblyman and mayoral candidate Lou Manzo aimed at bolstering his fight to have federal corruption charges dismissed.

International Longshoremen’s Association Rallies Against Automation of Jersey City-Bayonne Port: About 150 members from ILA locals rallied Friday outside Global’s Jersey City offices to protest what they feel is a serious threat to their job security.

Fire Caused by Surge Protector: The second-floor resident of a Montgomery Street home got up around 3:30 am yesterday to make a cup of coffee and noticed the surge protector strip on the floor on fire, causing a one-alarm fire, officials said.

Car Strikes Police Sergeant: A 42-year-old Jersey City police sergeant sustained several broken bones, fractures to a leg, rib, pelvis and foot after he was struck by a car on Communipaw Avenue yesterday morning.

Crime Blotter: A gunman fired at least nine rounds in the area of Wegman Parkway and Ocean Avenue early Sunday, shattering the windows of a second floor apartment and sport utility vehicle, according to Jersey City police reports; A grocery store manager in Jersey City was punched in the face while stopping a man from opening a cash register during an armed robbery Saturday night, police reports said; Jersey City cops nabbed four suspects, seized two guns and discovered dozens of bags of heroin and marijuana during a drug bust Friday night, according to police reports; a Jersey City man was arrested at the Liberty State Park Hudson-Bergen Light Rail stop Thursday night after punching through one of the windows on the light rail train, reports said.

In Statewide News:

New Legislature Out of Step with New Jersey’s Racial, Ethnic Demographics: When the new Legislature takes over Tuesday, it will look very much like the old one — and not much like New Jersey. White males once again will dominate the 120-member Legislature, which will also have lots of 50-somethings and lawyers, according to a Star-Ledger review.

Same-Sex Marriage a Priority for Democrats in Trenton: Democratic leaders in New Jersey are planning to make a bill allowing same-sex marriage the centerpiece of their agenda for 2012, reflecting a key change from two years ago, when a leading Senate Democrat abstained from a vote on the issue.

Despite Critics Concerns Over Drinking Water and Sprawl, Water Quality Bill Poised for OK: The lame-duck legislature is poised to approve a bill today that would once again delay water quality management rules, which advocates argue are crucial to protecting drinking water supplies and preventing sprawl.

Plastic Surgeons Seek Repeal of Tax that Drives Patients Out of State: The tax on facelifts and tummy tucks could be repealed in New Jersey, under legislation being voted on today in Trenton.

Note: This letter was first sent to members of the Jersey City Families for Better Schools group.

I would first like to apologize to members of this group for a delayed response. It is our Christmas and Holiday Season in which I wanted to participate in our neighborhood’s various events before getting to a computer.

I have read with amusement Councilman Steve Fulop’s letter to his former aide about his involvement with the “mysterious” email from Acting Commissioner Chris Cerf. In Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote, “Methinks thou dost protest too much.” This applies to Steve. NO one accuses him of doctoring the letter. The letter was either doctored by BOE President Sterling Waterman or Acting Commissioner Cerf. Of course, if Steve told President Waterman what to do, it would make sense, his “protest” letter.

What is political is Steve’s response. At NO time did I accuse Steve of anything. I merely pointed out that if the commissioner is concerned with the problem, why would he make a reference to Steve? No one is making any insinuations or accusations except the commissioner and President Waterman. Steve MAY have a guilty conscience but I would have never known of his involvement until his letter appeared.

Steve forgets that it is he who was the “organization” candidate for Congress in 2004, long before any candidacy of mine. He was registered to vote just 43 days before he decided to run for United States Congressman while living in our city for a mere 62 days. He ran against Congressman Robert Menendez as the candidate of Mayor Glenn Cunningham and the Jersey City Democratic Organization.

After that, he ran for council twice. He started as a prodigy of former Mayor Gerald McCann, who had him run for two different Downtown neighborhood associations as their president. Once again, this is way before I ever ran for any elected position in our neighborhood.

Now, he wants to claim that I am playing politics! I have been involved with our government and actively involved in our neighborhoods for almost 25 years. In 2007, Steve showed his “loyalty” by endorsing Lou Manzo for State Senate, bypassing candidate Sandra Cunningham, the widow of Mayor Cunningham, who launched Steve’s career. Five years ago, Steve announced that he was going to run for mayor in 2009, and then pulled out after making an agreement with the administration. Now Steve is critical of the Healy Administration once again?

I ran for office twice as an independent candidate in Democratic Primary Elections and once with the JCEA and neighborhood support for our school board. This year, I ran as a State Assembly candidate and as a member of the Democratic Party. I am not upset at anything. I was running for assembly long before any of the new changes with the administration with our schools.

Steve has been councilman for almost 7 years and cannot point at one achievement. His claim to fame is that he got some people to collect a petition for him as his greatest achievement. He got others to do his job. Show me a park he initiated to improve, a senior housing project in his ward, in fact anything in his ward. He is the Downtown Councilman and, except for a limited few, people Downtown rarely see him. He is the champion of being against everything and being for nothing. His latest great achievement is trying to get decals/stickers on city vehicles. This really reduces crime, decreases property taxes, and further educates our children. This is pure genius!

He wants people to forget that he is part of an industry that destroyed our country’s economy. Millions are unemployed and without homes because of Steve and his Wall Street friends. Put a decal/sticker on the city cars and everything wrong with the world will go away according to Steve.

The only involvement that Steve has had with the education of our children over the last 7 years as councilman is that he endorsed 6 school board candidates and attempted to take over our public schools by trying to get his campaign worker Cathy Coyle hired as superintendent of schools. During this tenure, Steve has been to maybe 2 school board meetings and has probably never saw a school event put on by our students. I’m sure that he would need GPS to find either Public School 15 or Middle School 40. And now he claims that he tries to be a “resource” for the city council on school issues? His involvement with children is zero.

After reading Steve’s letter, he describes President Waterman’s involvement in the school system as multiple violations of every ethical code of conduct there is. When I get down to Trenton, I will ask the appropriate legislative authorities to investigate these actions so that our children do not get hurt.

Steve ends his diatribe by stating “there are always going to be people that say NEGATIVE things.” That is in essance Steve’s entire political career summed up by no one else but himself.

Sincerely,

Sean Connors
Jersey City Board Of Education Member
State Assemblyman-Elect

The Big Dig: As part of national Make a Difference Day, young and old participated in the Big Dig on Saturday, an all-out effort to plant 17,000 flowers across Jersey City.

Political Insider: In his weekend column, Augie took on complaints of unfairness in the upcoming Jersey City special election for two At-Large council seats, the ongoing trials and tribulations of former state assemblyman Lou Manzo and the prospect of Formula One racing in North Hudson.

Who Is Ruth Bourdain? JCI contributor Adam Robb tells the Jersey Journal that he is not behind the Beard Award-winning food-humor Twitter feed.

Suicide at Arrest Scene: A Jersey City man facing sex crime charges fatally shot himself in the chest when State Police troopers came to his home Thursday to arrest him in connection with another sexual assault, officials said Friday. Jersey Journal columnist Augie Torres identified the man as the former treasurer of L. Harvey Smith’s ill-fated 2009 mayoral campaign.

Third Street Fire: A garage on Third Street in Jersey City went up in flames early Saturday and a firefighter was sent to the hospital with a knee injury.

Police Talk Down Would-Be Jumper: Jersey City police talked down a 37-year-old Hoboken man who was threatening to jump into the Hudson River Saturday afternoon, according to police reports.

Crime Blotter: A Jersey City man was shot once in each leg while smoking a cigarette Friday night outside BG’s Tavern on Communipaw Avenue. A Jersey City teen was robbed at gunpoint Thursday night by a man who took his bike and rode away on it after finding nothing in the teen’s pockets, officials said. A 28-year-old Camden man stopped for speeding Friday night in Jersey City told police he had just been shot in the head. Armed robbers made away with $1,000 in cash Friday night after clearing out a cash register at a dollar store. A 37-year-old Jersey City woman and her 39-year-old brother, a resident of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., were shot at Friday night by a man connected to the family of the sister’s ex-boyfriend. A 26-year-old Jersey City man was stabbed in the neck, ribs, and arms with a screwdriver during a fight Friday night.

In Statewide News:

Menendez Probe Dropped: In a letter sent to U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s lawyer, the U.S. attorney for the eastern district of Pennsylvania said the corruption probe into Menendez’s relationship with the North Hudson Community Action Corporation, opened in 2006, has been quietly closed.

Christie Pension Overhaul May Not Work: For months, Gov. Chris Christie has told audiences that his historic pension overhaul helped save taxpayers millions and turned around a system in financial free-fall. But a far more sober assessment of the future of the pension system is emerging in bond documents and administration estimates released last week, signaling that New Jersey taxpayers have not escaped the ballooning pension costs that the reform measures promised to control.

Vying for the Assembly Speaker Post: After two years of turmoil, some Democrats in the state Assembly are privately angling for the top leadership positions as Speaker Sheila Oliver’s first term draws to a close.

Christie’s Unfulfilled Campaign Promises to Cities: Nearly two years into his term, Gov. Chris Christie has fulfilled only one of his 11 policy promises for “bringing back New Jersey’s cities” and has not publicly prioritized the others.

School Choice Program Picking Up Steam: With 70 New Jersey school districts now opening their doors to outside students as part of the state’s Interdistrict Public School Choice program, nearly 2,000 students chose to leave their hometowns for their education this fall, according to preliminary figures from the state.

Public Schools Observe Hindu Holiday: On Wednesday, the South Brunswick school district will become the second in the state to close for the Hindu celebration of Diwali.

Controlling Insurance Costs: Health insurance carriers who serve individuals and small businesses in New Jersey may soon have to gain state approval before implementing rate increases.

Analyst Says Government Layoffs Are Necessary: New Jersey will have to continue to take its strong medicine by cutting government jobs while hoping the private sector recovers, an economist for a major forecasting firm said Friday.

Rutgers Nabs Stem Cell Grant: Rutgers University’s Cell and DNA Repository announced Friday that it has received a $1.2 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to study stem cells from people with mental illnesses.

- Manzo Looks to Have Corruption Charges Tossed: The attorney for former Jersey City Assemblyman and failed mayoral candidate Lou Manzo argues in a motion filed in federal court yesterday that all corruption charges against him should be dismissed.

- Heights Killing: The Jersey City man accused of strangling his wife and encasing her body in concrete inside a 55-gallon drum was calm and soft-spoken when he made his first court appearance on murder charges yesterday.

- Parking Authority Protest: Roughly a dozen fed up Heights residents and business owners picketed last night in front of the Jersey City Parking Authority’s headquarters, protesting parking stations they say often don’t work and are aiding a ticket blitz on the part of the authority.

- Stack in Trouble? A committee that oversees ethics in the Legislature has voted to take a look at whether state Sen. Brian Stack improperly used a legislative aide as a spokesman for Union City, where he is also mayor.

- Postal Workers Protest in JSQ: Hundreds of U.S. Postal Service workers rallied in Journal Square yesterday afternoon to support federal legislation they say will put the ailing agency in the black and spare jobs.

- Rape Case: Yesterday’s opening statements made it clear that DNA evidence will play a key role in the trial of a Kearny mechanic facing up to life in prison on charges he raped women in Jersey City, North Bergen and Newark in 2005.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Ensemble Chaconne performs a free afternoon concert as part of the Music@1 Series at NJCU (1 pm), while St. Peter’s College hosts an opening reception for its first-ever group photography show, Through the Lens (6:30 pm). At the Lamp Post, the Hudson County Clerk’s office presents a fundraising night to fight breast cancer from 5:30 to 9 pm; after that, the weekly Tempest Jam Session takes over, with special guest JuneStar.

In Statewide News:

- Christie in Cali: Standing before an exuberant crowd of the conservative elite, Gov. Christie lashed out at President Obama last night at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, sounding every bit like a candidate polishing his stump speech. But when asked later whether he was running for president his answer was artful, not direct — and not what many of the crowd of Republican faithful seemed to want to hear. They groaned at his response. He never said, “Yes I’m running,” and he never said, “No I’m not.”

- School Funding Formula: Lawyers for 16 poor rural districts — virtually all in South Jersey — have gone back to the state appeals court to contend that they, too, are entitled to full funding under the state’s school funding law.

- No Toll Hikes Planned for Turnpike, Parkway: A slow economy and harsh weather drove a drop in toll collections on the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, but the gap won’t be plugged with more tolls, according to Turnpike Authority Chairman James S. Simpson.

- Smart Growth Changes Afoot? The state is thinking about revamping its policies dealing with what projects receive financial incentives to reduce energy use in buildings, a change smart growth advocates fear will lead to further sprawl and loss of open space.

- ‘Sexting’: New Jersey teenagers caught texting sexually explicit photos or posting them online can avoid prosecution under a new law Gov. Christie signed this week.

- Audit Says Port Authority Contracts Lack Oversight: In a rare official rebuke of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from another public agency, an audit by the New York State Comptrollers Office found that the Port Authority lacked documentation to justify hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts for cleaning, trash hauling, maintenance and other miscellaneous services.

- Carjacking Suspected in Dunkin’ Donuts Homicide: Hudson County homicide detectives now believe carjacking was the motive leading to the murder of a Brooklyn man in the parking lot of the Tonnelle Avenue Dunkin’ Donuts the morning of July 12.

- Lou Manzo: Former Jersey City assemblyman Lou Manzo was arraigned in federal court in Newark yesterday, pleading not guilty to three corruption charges.

- St. Peter’s College: Some former nursing students at St. Peter’s College are upset that they weren’t allowed diplomas after not passing a final assessment exam that is a supposed to gauge the test-taker’s ability to the pass the National Council of State Boards’ Licensure Examination.

- Carjacking: Jersey City police chased a carjacked SUV into Newark Monday night, and Newark police arrested two men inside and recovered a handgun.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Singer/songwriter Chrissy Roberts performs her children’s songs this afternoon at the Heights Branch Library (1 pm). It’s going to be hot today, but you may still want to get outside this evening to check out The Thousand Pities, Sonny Honey and WJ & the Sweet Sacrifice at the Groove on Grove concert series (6 pm), or catch a free screening of Inception in Van Vorst Park (8:30 pm). Elsewhere, Port-O Lounge hosts a $45 four-course dinner and wine pairing featuring wines from Spain and Portugal (7 pm), and the Tempest Jam Session is at the Lamp Post (8 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Medical Marijuana: Gov. Christie announced yesterday afternoon that he will no longer stand in the way of New Jersey’s medical marijuana law. MORE from the Asbury Park Press.

- Budget Cuts: An Assembly hearing dissecting the budget cuts made by Gov. Chris Christie provided fresh fodder for partisan bickering Tuesday when a 5-year-old blind youth and his mother testified that he had not received Braille instruction in more than a month.

- One New Jersey: Legislative Democrats are calling on the founders of One New Jersey, a 501(c)(4) launched Monday by a group of Democratic operatives, to open their books and reveal the contributors behind the organization.

- Civil Service Rules: Municipalities hiring from a civil service list have to give a “legitimate” reason for skipping over a candidate in favor of one who placed lower in the test ranking, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

- Proposed Waterfront Access Rule Changes: Dozens of residents and open-space activists from throughout the state who attended a public meeting yesterday in Liberty State Park criticized the Christie administration’s proposed changes to rules governing waterfront access.

- County Budget: Hudson County Board of Freeholders voted unanimously last night to introduce a $281.6 million budget that hikes tax levies in all but one county municipality; under the plan, Jersey City would received a 1.29 percent hike in its county taxes.

- PATH Security Breach: Authorities searched the residence yesterday afternoon of the 20-year-old Bayonne man who was arrested at Exchange Place in Jersey City early Sunday after he walked through the PATH train tunnel from Manhattan.

- Anti-Violence Campaign: The United Youth Council is launching a 15-city statewide tour calling attention to recent violent incidents, and aims to form a coalition of leaders from those urban areas, which include Jersey City.

- Court Rules in Favor of More Time for Shooter: An appellate court has ruled that eight years in prison is not enough for a Jersey City man who was 16 when he fatally shot a Bayonne man and wounded a second victim.

In Statewide News:

- Foreclosures: Foreclosure activity has slowed to a crawl in New Jersey, as lenders work on complying with legal rules.

- First-Ever Higher-Ed Commish: Gov. Christie has named former New Jersey education official Rochelle Hendricks as the state’s first secretary of higher education.

- Energy Needs: The state faces the prospect of brownouts and blackouts if a federal agency does not reverse its decision on a pilot program pushed by New Jersey to develop new power plants, according to brief filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission yesterday.

- Transparency Bill Moves Along: A bipartisan bill that would force New Jersey’s many local authorities, boards and commissions to use websites to become more transparent to public scrutiny cleared a state Senate committee on Thursday.

- Special Needs Housing Fund: Sen. Richard Codey is calling for the state’s Department of Community Affairs to account for how it spent $168 million from the Special Needs Housing Trust Fund.

- Flood Aid: Gov. Christie says the state is appealing the recent FEMA denial of aid to new Jersey townships ravaged by March flooding.

- Horse Racing: Both Meadowlands Racetrack and Monmouth Park will be taken over by private interests as soon as June 1, according to an agreement reached Thursday night after more than 10 hours of negotiations between the Christie administration and leaders of the state’s thoroughbred and standardbred industries.

- Christie on Science & God: Gov. Christie refused to comment when asked if he believes in evolution or the theory of creationism when asked at a press conference yesterday.

- NJCU: Among the graduates from New Jersey City University at yesterday’s commencement was an 84-year-old great-grandmother.

- Corruption: Former Jersey City Assemblyman Lou Manzo and his brother are due in federal court for status conferences today.

Today’s Best Bets:

- The Hudson Artists of NJ group exhibition opens with a reception at City Hall (6:30 pm); NJCU’s Media Arts Department holds its 29th annual Media Arts Showcase of film, video and digital media at the Loew’s (7 pm); and Uptown Crew’s Open Mic is at Moore’s Lounge (8 pm).

In Statewide News:

- School Funding: State Sen. Michael Doherty has announced a plan to increase funding to suburban schools while cutting funding from the neediest districts.

- Pension Changes: With Senate President Stephen Sweeney set to rely on Republican votes to overhaul public employee benefits, the fate of the controversial plan may depend on whether Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver follows his lead.

- NJ Transit: The transportation agency on Wednesday unveiled a new dual-engine locomotive, which can operate using diesel power, or electric power where overhead wires are available, eliminating the need for customers on some NJ Transit rail lines to transfer from one type of train to the other.

- Health Care: At a women’s caucus roundtable yesterday, lawmakers detailed how Gov. Christie’s budget cuts would force poor and working-class women to struggle for even basic healthcare.

- Democratic Convention: Just one day before the Democratic State Convention is set to begin in Atlantic City, a labor dispute has created a logistical nightmare, forcing Democrats to move the event to a hotel half a mile down the boardwalk.

- JCFD Member Wins Golf Tourney: The 39-year-old Jersey City firefighter Kevin McSorley has won the NJSGA Mid-Amateur golf championship.

- Bus Driver Arrested: A Jersey City woman and private school bus driver was arrested Thursday afternoon and charged with driving while intoxicated as she was on her way to pick up developmentally disabled children in Montclair.

In Statewide News:

- Carl Lewis: A federal appeals court has ordered that Olympic track and field star Carl Lewis be included on the ballot for the June Democratic primary.

- Weatherization Program: The state Division of Criminal Justice has opened an investigation into the actions of a nonprofit agency given a lucrative contract to help New Jersey weatherize homes.

- Biz Contributions to Unemployment Fund: An Assembly committee advanced legislation Thursday that would slow a looming increase, as well as future decreases, in taxes paid by businesses into the state’s unemployment fund.

- Tolls: Could border wars break out over New Jersey’s plan to end off-peak discounts for Turnpike drivers who bought their E-ZPass out of state? Some folks seem to think so.

- State Parks: Within the next month or so, the Christie administration is expected to unveil a long-term steady source of funding for New Jersey’s 39 state parks. Environmental groups worry that it will include privatization measures.

- Photographing Children: Some parents are pushing for passage of a state Assembly bill that would make it a third-degree crime to photograph or videotape a child without a parent’s consent.