- ‘Untitled Jersey City Project’: During last night’s Emmy Awards, FX premiered the first teaser for a new dramatic series, Untitled Jersey City Project, right now consisting of eight short-form episodes.

- JCFD: Sixty-three new Jersey City firefighters joined the ranks of the JCFD at a standing room only ceremony in New Jersey City University’s Margaret Williams Theatre Friday morning.

- JC Woman Killed in Traffic Accident: A young and popular diner waitress from Jersey City was killed in a traffic accident Saturday morning just after getting off her night shift at the Malibu Diner in Hoboken where she worked.

- Man Found Dead ID’ed: Officials have released the name of a Jersey City man found dead on a Greenville porch Thursday, and the case is listed as suspicious pending the outcome of an autopsy.

- Cop Shoots Dog: A Jersey City police officer shot and killed a pit bull early yesterday morning on Summit Avenue after the dog’s owner released the dog and it charged at the officer.

- JC Man Charged in Bank Robbery: A 26-year-old Jersey City man has been charged with robbing a PNC Bank in Hoboken.

- Police Blotter: A Jersey City woman recently discharged from the Navy was arrested Thursday night after allegedly threatening to kill her two children and her mother; police arrested two Jersey City men Saturday evening with the help of three storekeepers who chased them after the pair robbed their store; a 40-year-old Jersey City woman was pistol-whipped and kicked to the ground during a robbery at Mallory and Williams Avenues while yelling to try to scare away her assailant Saturday evening; and a Kearny man had his pinkie severed during a melee at a school hall early Saturday morning.

- Fires: A woman and a child suffered smoke inhalation after a stove fire at 2248 Kennedy Boulevard on Saturday, while firefighters fought a fire on the first floor of a vacant two-story home at 42 Bartholdi Avenue early Saturday morning.

Today’s Best Bet:

There’s a free screening of the documentary The Imam & The Pastor at St. Peter’s College.

In Statewide News:

- Christie’s Town Halls: A look at the demographics of where Gov. Christie holds town halls as he roams New Jersey shows that while the ZIP codes change, the audience members consistently remain the same. Most are white. Many are senior citizens. And they’re generally watching the governor in towns that are richer, less racially diverse and more friendly to Republicans than the rest of the state.

- Medical Marijuana: Kenneth Cayre was set to become an influential player at one of the state’s new nonprofit medical marijuana centers: a potential landlord, member of the medical advisory board and, through his foundation, a beneficiary. But Cayre was removed from the Compassionate Care Centers of America Foundation, a planned medical marijuana clinic in Central Jersey, last week after the Ledger inquired about his connection to Solomon Dwek, scam artist and the star informant in the massive 2009 sting that led to charges against 46 defendants in New Jersey and New York.

- State Budget: It took two years of scouring through the books, but the state came out $26 million richer Friday after the Christie administration found unused money buried in bank accounts going back to the 1960s. Meanwhile, public workers looking for the cheaper health plans promised after benefit reforms will not have those choices by October’s open enrollments, while their existing “Cadillac” plans threaten double-digit increases in premiums.

- Mobile Farmers Markets: The state Assembly has passed a bill that calls for the state Department of Agriculture to develop a network of mobile farmers markets that will travel to underserved communities and sell fresh produce. The program will include a voucher system that will let low-income residents buy fresh food at a discount.

- Women in the Statehouse: Even though a record number of women are running as Democrats and Republicans for the state legislature this year, their ranks in the Senate and Assembly aren’t likely to change much after election day.

- NJTV: After undergoing heavy criticism during its initial weeks on the air, NJTV, which has replaced New Jersey Network as the state’s public television outlet, is ramping up operations and has hired a veteran anchor for its news show.

- Rutgers: The university will cut the number of freshmen it enrolls for the fall 2012 semester by 4 percent due to overcrowding, meaning that between 200 and 250 applicants who would have gotten into Rutgers will get rejection letters instead.

- End-of-Life Care: New Jersey nursing-home care is less af­fordable and patients are more likely to suffer bedsores or need trips to the hospi­tal than in many other states, according to a new scorecard on long-term care for the elderly and disabled. Meanwhile, the state has a new advisory council that proponents say will help make end-of-life care decisions easier for residents and their families.

- HudCo Judge Sues State Over Pension/Benefit Changes: Calling the state’s new pension and health benefits increases for employees unconstitutional, a Superior Court judge in Hudson County is suing the state in an attempt to get the hikes voided for all judges.

- Prisoner Re-entry Program: As part of a program to reintroduce prisoners nearing their release dates back into society, 10 inmates from the Garden State County Correctional Facility in Mercer County will be spending the next two weeks cleaning up the shoreline at Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

- Working Outdoors in the Heat: The Journal talks to some folks who have to work outside about how they are coping with the heat wave.

- Dog Killed in Argument: A dog was killed by a shotgun blast on a Jersey City street Wednesday night after an argument between the gunman and dog owner.

- Church Turns 100: St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, at the corner of St. Paul’s and Tonnelle avenues in Jersey City, turns 100 this Sunday and will be marking the occasion at its 10:30 mass.

In Statewide News:

- Clean Energy: With hearings scheduled to begin next week on a revamped draft energy master plan, clean energy advocates and a prominent lawmaker yesterday called for increasing New Jersey’s efforts to promote solar power and energy efficiency, rather than scale back those goals.

- State Budget: For the second year in a row, Gov. Christie’s budget cuts will reach into the state’s courthouses to the tune of $25 million, forcing judges and their staffs to tighten their belts and delay plans for modernization.

- Special Education: New Jersey’s oversight of local special education programs — ever a complex and contentious topic — won some praise but also received warnings from federal monitors in a new compliance report.

- 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.

- Union Challenges City-Worker Layoffs: Unions representing Jersey City municipal employees have filed an appeal with the state Civil Service Commission, challenging some 100 layoffs the administration has carried out so far this year.

- Aid for Cities: Gov. Christie has sent lawmakers a pair of bills that would restore $139 million in aid to distressed cities while ensuring more strict oversight of the program. MORE from the Asbury Park Press.

- E-Ticket System: Jersey City may join countless municipalities across the nation that allow residents who receive summonses to pay them online.

- Dehere & the JCPD: When a large fight and gunfire erupted outside ex-NBA player and former Jersey City Board of Education member Terry Dehere’s bar Saturday the former St. Anthony High School star was reportedly uncooperative and police were about to break down the door when he finally came out.

- Noise Complaints at Creative Grove: Dislocations has the latest report of complaints shutting down live music at the Grove Street PATH Plaza.

- Shooting: A 28-year-old Jersey City man was shot in his right hand while standing at Forrest Street and Martin Luther King Drive at about 10 pm Sunday night.

- Crabbing: The state Department of Environmental Protection is renewing efforts to remind residents that blue claw crabbing in the Lower Passaic River and Newark Bay is against the law.

- Prescription Drugs: Five New Jerseyans were sentenced to state prison on Monday as members of a Jersey City-based drug ring that trafficked prescription pain pills.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Soul Finger plays a free outdoor show at Liberty State Park as part of the Summerfest concert series (7 pm), while Cinema, Cinema and Knob Creek play a free gig at Lucky 7′s (8 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Charter Schools: When the Christie administration announced in January that it had approved 23 new charter schools, that number was celebrated as being the largest class of charters yet. Six months later, it turns out only seven of those 23 will be ready to open their doors come September.

- Social Service Orgs Fear More Cuts: As the state continues to grapple with Gov. Christie’s fiscal year 2012 budget, agencies threatened with funding cuts are as confused and uncertain as everyone else about how they will be affected.

- Rutgers Cashes in On Credit Cards: A deal to market credit cards bearing Rutgers University’s name earned $562,637 for New Jersey’s flagship public university last year, according to a recent Federal Reserve survey.

- One New Jersey: A group of Democrats have unveiled an organization called “One New Jersey” in which donors can also give unlimited sums without being subject to state laws governing contributions from public contractors. MORE from Politicker.

- News Corp Scandal & NJ: As a cell phone hacking scandal rages across the Atlantic, allegations that another News Corp subsidiary hacked computers in New Jersey are getting fresh attention.

- Pension Fund: The state will pay $22 million less into the state pension fund this year thanks to the overhaul of employee benefits passed into law last month.

- Pine Beetles: Environmental regulators are stepping up efforts to protect 1 million acres of evergreens from southern pine beetle infestations. They were rare in New Jersey until 10 years ago.

- Aid to Cities: Negotiations between Gov. Christie and legislators on restoring up to $139 million for New Jersey’s neediest cities are likely to begin this week.

- Dead Pedestrian ID’ed: The Jersey City man who died when he was struck by a car and impaled on a fence off Journal Square on Tuesday has reportedly been identified by an attorney retained by his parents in Mumbai.

- Suspects Sought in Dunkin’ Donuts Death: Hudson County authorities are searching for suspects who murdered a 52-year-old man early Tuesday after he had stopped in the parking lot of a Jersey City Dunkin’ Donuts on his way home to Brooklyn from work.

- Richardson to Run for At-Large Seat? Ward F Viola Richardson is considering a run for one of the two At-Large council seats up for grabs this November, according to the Insider. It would be a potential further break from the Healy administration for the councilwoman, as the mayor has already endorsed the two incumbents.

- Shooting: A 20-year-old man shot in the groin early Saturday in Downtown Jersey City was too intoxicated to help the police identify the shooter

- Flags to Fly Half-Staff Today: In honor of the 22-year-old Army soldier with Jersey City ties who was killed last Sunday while on patrol in Afghanistan, the state has ordered that all flags fly at half-staff today.

- Sheriff’s Officers Resuscitate Baby: The quick thinking of two Hudson County sheriff’s officers saved the life of a year-old Jersey City boy who had stopped breathing Wednesday.

Today’s Best Bet:

- Art House Productions teams up with Barcade for a fundraiser in which each drink purchased between 5 and 7:30 pm will benefit the arts group’s upcoming season of performances (5 pm).

In Statewide News:

- State Budget: Democrats in the Legislature have struck out so far trying to undo some of Gov. Christie’s budget cuts for the new fiscal year but pledge to continue taking swings at it during Assembly hearings scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.

- Economic Recovery: The road to economic recovery will be “long and difficult,” according to a Wells Fargo analysis of New Jersey’s economy released Friday.

- Redistricting: John Farmer, a former state attorney general and dean of the Rutgers-Newark Law School, was selected Friday to be the independent, tie-breaking member of a bipartisan commission that will redraw the state’s congressional districts in a year when New Jersey is losing one of its 13 seats.

- Power Plants: A letter to the governor’s office last week opposing new subsidized power plants was signed by 14 “New Jersey” companies, but most were big, national companies, and the two signatories with headquarters in the state said they weren’t familiar with the issue.

- Northeast Corridor: The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed an amended energy and water bill Friday that would divert $1 billion from high-speed rail projects — including electrical upgrades on the busy Northeast Corridor Line in New Jersey — to pay for flood relief along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. But New Jersey’s two Democratic U.S. senators are trying to get the Department of Transportation to obligate the money before Congress gets hold of it.

- Solar Power: There’s been a lot of debate over the future of New Jersey’s growing solar market in recent weeks, but the latest results of a utility-led solar installation program may put to rest concerns that its best days are behind it.

- Sentence Lengthened for Shooting: As a result of an appellate court’s ruling, two years have been added to the sentence of a Jersey City man who was 16 when he fatally shot a Bayonne man.

- Street Renaming: A portion of Linden Avenue near Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City has been renamed for the late mother of Jersey City Deputy City Clerk Sean Gallagher.

- Shootings: A 28-year-old man was shot in the mouth early yesterday morning, and there were reports of multiple gunshots in the vicinity of Arlington Park Wednesday night.

In Statewide News:

- State Budget: Legislative Democrats will begin trying to override Gov. Christie’s line-item budget vetoes next week.

- Bullying: In less than two months, school districts across the state will be operating under some of the strictest anti-bullying policies in the nation. Yet some local school officials say they are still confused about some of the state requirements and are unclear on how some aspects of the policies will be implemented.

- ARC Tunnel: U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Bob Menendez Thursday continued to try to find common ground between the state and federal transportation officials over repayment of some $271 million expended on the now scuttled ARC tunnel.

- Obesity: A new study finds that New Jersey is getting fatter fast, but it’s still among the 10 states with the nation’s lowest obesity rates.

- Downwind Pollution: The Environmental Protection Agency is clamping down on pollution from power plants in 27 states, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania, that contributes to unhealthy air downwind.

- JPMorgan Settlement: Municipal bond issuers in New Jersey will receive $1.3 million in restitution as part of a $92 million multi-state settlement JPMorgan Chase signed yesterday to resolve an alleged municipal bond scheme.

- Cunningham & Christie: State Sen. Sandra Cunningham takes exception to the idea that she’s lying in wait to supply Gov. Christie with a needed Democratic vote at any given time.

- Quidsi Launches New Site: The Jersey City company behind Diapers.com, Soap.com and BeautyBar.com, has launched the pet-product site Wag.com.

- Bank Robberies: Jersey City police are seeking the public’s help in catching two bank robbers.

- Guilty Plea for Robberies, Carjacking: A 41-year-old Newark man charged with the armed robberies of pharmacies in Jersey City and Union City and a carjacking in Jersey City pleaded guilty to the charges yesterday.

- Fire: Fire ripped through two Greenville homes on Stegman Street yesterday morning, destroying them and leaving nine people homeless.

Today’s Best Bets:

- Eugene McKnight kicks off the annual Jazz for Lunch free outdoor music series today at Exchange Place (noon). For the thirsty, both Barcade and the Iron Monkey host special beer nights featuring Brooklyn Brewery and Weyerbacher, respectively (5 and 6 pm, respectively). Statue Cruises hosts its weekly summer Sunset Cocktail Cruise (5:45 pm), and the annual Mt. Carmel Feast gets rolling in Marion (6:30 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Budget Hearings: Democrats who control the state Assembly will hold hearings throughout the summer on the effects of Gov. Christie’s line-item vetoes to struggling cities and social welfare programs.

- Hearings on Energy Plan Too: Fresh from opposing the Governor’s decision to pull out of a regional initiative to combat global warming, Democratic lawmakers plan to hold their own hearing on the Christie administration’s draft Energy Master Plan.

- Education: New Jersey is applying for an up-to $60 million federal Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant, which specifically addresses education in children from birth to age five.

- Affordable Housing: Development of big homes on big lots and zoning that favors businesses over townhouses has stymied efforts to make wealthy towns affordable for low-income residents and helped push New Jersey’s suburban sprawl, a new report concludes.

- State Budget: The Christie administration has secured a $2.25 billion line of credit with JPMorgan Chase to help plug a cash shortfall, leaving some lawmakers puzzled at the timing of the move.

- Cops & Steroids: Citing the need to uphold the public’s faith in law enforcement, Attorney General Paula Dow on Thursday will announce a series of broad reforms meant to stamp out the abuse of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone among New Jersey’s police officers.

- Newark Airport: The Port Authority is studying how to expand capacity at Newark Airport and its two other airports, amid warnings the region could lose billions of dollars in economic opportunity in the coming decade if travelers fly somewhere else.

- Elwell Trial: The federal corruption trial of former Secaucus mayor Dennis Elwell went to the jury yesterday.

- Man Dies After JSQ Fall: An unidentified man who appeared to be homeless fell roughly 20 feet to his death from a narrow ledge at the Journal Square Transportation Center on Friday afternoon.

- 911 Operator Charged with Fraud: A 39-year-old Hudson County 911 operator has been charged with defrauding welfare of nearly $15,000 by using an altered pay stub from an entity she didn’t work for to make her income appear much lower.

Today’s Best Bets:

- The Capital One Bank in Journal Square hosts the Read All About It book fair (11 am), while children’s singer/songwriter Chrissy Roberts kicks off a tour of Jersey City library branches with a performance at the Miller Branch (1 pm). This evening features two very worthy free outdoor options: The Front Bottoms, Wyldlife, Neo Noir and Food Will Win the War play the Groove on Grove concert series (6 pm) and Films in Van Vorst film series hosts a screening of To Kill a Mockingbird (8:30 pm).

In Statewide News:

- The Budget & School Funding: Five days later, and New Jersey’s school districts are still trying to figure out what they’ll be getting in additional state aid — and with what strings attached — from Gov. Chris Christie’s new and presumably final budget.

- NJ’s Financial Situation Gets Worse: The state government’s financial struggles have caused New Jersey to take the greatest tumble among the 50 states as one of the worst states to do business, according to a study by the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

- Flood $: New Jersey will be getting almost $50 million in federal funds to help bolster the state’s long-term flood protections.

- Barnegat Bay Cleanup: The state has been rebuffed in its efforts to secure financial assistance to clean up Barnegat Bay, but federal officials think New Jersey ought to speed up its efforts to stem pollution flowing into the threatened watershed anyway.

- The State Budget & NJ’s Cities: The state’s cities may bear the biggest brunt of the Gov. Christie’s budget cuts.

- School Vouchers: The controversial Opportunity Scholarship Act, which would have created a five-year pilot program providing millions in tax credits for corporations that donate to a voucher fund for low-income students at “chronically failing” public schools in Jersey City and 12 other school districts, was one of a few bills that did not make it through the state legislature during last week’s flurry of activity. The Ledger has more on why.

- Hackensack River: The Hackensack River is still so heavily polluted that oysters placed in the water to help filter out contamination have either died or become deformed.

- Glenn Cunningham: The Journal looks back at the legacy of the former mayor, who was the first black mayor in Jersey City’s history when he began his term just over 10 years ago.

- Golden Door Charter School: Starting in September, the Golden Door Charter School will have a new home at the former St. John the Baptist School and convent buildings at 3044 Kennedy Boulevard.

- Elwell Trial: Closing arguments in the corruption trial of former Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell are scheduled to begin today in federal court, with prosecutors hoping to convince jurors that the ex-mayor took a $10,000 cash bribe from federal informant Solomon Dwek.

- Molestation Charge: A 61-year-old Heights man has been charged with molesting a young girl over a two-year period and police are seeking the public’s help in the ongoing investigation.

- Phil Flood: The son of Hudson County Register Willie Flood has been arrested yet again and police say this time he had more than an ounce of suspected marijuana on him.

Today’s Best Bets:

- LITM hosts the opening reception for the WHERE? group exhibition (7 pm), while The O>Matics and Bird Courage play a free show at Lucky 7′s (8 pm).

In Statewide News:

- Outrage Over the Budget: From around the state, lawmakers, child advocates, mayors and college officials are expressing outrage and disappointment over Gov. Christie’s liberal use of the line-item veto on the budget enacted by the Democratic Legislature. Who else is expressing outrage? Senate President Steve Sweeney, who calls Christie “a bully and a punk.” Meanwhile, nursing homes across the state will see their state and federal funding cut by $75 million under the budget.

- Medical Marijuana: Advocates say they will consider suing the state if Gov. Christie continues to stand in the way of implementing a law that legalizes marijuana for medical use. But they’re not enthusiastic about that possibility.

- Foreclosures: A bill to regulate the “foreclosure rescue” industry overwhelmingly passed both the New Jersey Assembly and Senate last week.

- Horse Racing: Gov. Christie has vetoed a move by the New Jersey Racing Commission to allocate $15 million in state subsidies to bolster horse racing purses.

- City Worker Layoffs: Jersey City carried out a second round of employee layoffs yesterday, with roughly 40 persons in administration being shown the door.

- Gang Criminality Prosecution: Hudson County’s first prosecution under the state Gang Criminality law moved forward yesterday at a hearing in which attorneys for several of about a dozen people charged in four homicides presented arguments to dismiss charges.

- JCFD: Sixty-five firefighter candidates hoping to join the ranks of Jersey City’s bravest began orientation yesterday thanks to an $8.1 million federal grant that will pay their salaries and benefits for two years.

- Elwell Trial: Former Secaucus Mayor Dennis Elwell was subjected to withering cross-examination yesterday as both the prosecutors and defense attorneys wrapped up their cases in his federal corruption trial.

- Fraud Charge: A 54-year-old Jersey City man is among three men indicted on charges they defrauded five freight brokers out of more than $2 million.

In Statewide News:

- State Budget: Gov. Christie has wielded his veto pen to carve out close to a billion dollars — including the bulk of new school aid — from the Democrats’ spending plan approved the day before. He then signed the $29.7 billion state budget for the fiscal year starting today. MORE from the Ledger.

- Medical Marijuana: The U.S. Justice Department won’t give New Jersey an explicit assurance that medical marijuana growers will avoid prosecution. MORE from the Ledger.

- NJN: The public television station signed off yesterday from its Trenton headquarters. As of Friday, 130 people are out of work as the station becomes NJTV and New York-based WNET takes control after a prolonged push by Gov. Chris Christie to get the state out of the public broadcasting business.

- Higher Ed: New data shows that universities in New Jersey are some of the costliest in the nation.

- Nuclear Power: Two nuclear reactors in South Jersey have received 20-year license renewals from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, extending their lifetimes to 2036 and 2040. MORE from NJ Spotlight.