Morning News Digest: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

With the PolitickerNJ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of New Jersey's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

STATE GOVERNMENT
Obama tells governors he wants their help

PHILADELPHIA - President-elect Barack Obama told a meeting of the nation's governors this morning that he wants their help in designing and enacting an economic recovery plan that could provide "bottom-up" stimulus to the states. (Claire Heininger, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/obama_tells_governors_he_wants.html

Judge backs N.J. on imposing limits on pay for school chiefs

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by New Jersey's school administrators that sought to block new state limits on their employment contracts, ruling that the regulations are in the state's "perfectly legitimate" interests. (John Mooney, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-12/1228282631220180.xml&coll=1

Corzine presses for special ed funding

WASHINGTON — Gov. Jon S. Corzine says he wants the federal government to pay its promised share of special education funding as part of a bigger stimulus bill, and revised his estimate of how big such a measure should be. (Gannett)

http://www.app.com/article/20081202/NEWS/81202063

Fisher interested in agriculture position

Assemblyman Doug Fisher could be New Jersey's next secretary of agriculture.  (Matt Dunn, Gloucester County Times)

http://www.nj.com/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1228281031182150.xml&coll=8

Ex-NJ turnpike employee admits role in money laundering scheme

A former New Jersey Turnpike Authority employee pleaded guilty today to money laundering in connection with a long-running federal loan-sharking sting. (Matthew Reilly, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/12/maplewood_man_pleads_guilty_in.html

GOVERNOR'S RACE
Some county chairs keep gubernatorial options open

With the 2009 gubernatorial field still far from settled, the majority of Republican county chairs PolitickerNJ spoke to today refused to commit absolutely to anyone, though many said they leaned toward Christie. (PolitickerNJ.com)

http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/25844/some-county-chairs-keep-their-gubernatorial-options-open-now

Christie gains support

Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie has not declared his gubernatorial candidacy yet, but without even personally pleading his case to anyone, he has already rolled up the support of several GOP chairmen -- some from heavily Republican counties. (PolitickerNJ.com)

http://www.politickernj.com/matt-friedman/25843/some-county-chairs-let-christie-know-theyre-there-him

ELECTION 2008
Andrews campaign's spending criticized

WASHINGTON - Turns out that Sarah Palin wasn't the only candidate with donor-financed duds. (Associated Press

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20081203_Andrews_campaign_s_spending_criticized.html

HUDSON COUNTY
State honors Clerk's Office

The Hudson County Clerk's Office has received awards from the New Jersey Department of State - one for implementing a computer backup system in the event disaster strikes and the other for having a model staff structure for handling records. (The Jersey Journal)

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-3/1228289143110010.xml&coll=3

MONMOUTH COUNTY
Keady to leave Asbury Park council

ASBURY PARK — City Councilman James Keady said Wednesday he will step down from the council at the end of this month, six months before his four-year term is up, and will not seek re-election. (Nancy Shields, Asbury Park Press)

http://www.app.com/article/20081202/NEWS/81202067

CLOSTER
Superior Court rejects recount plea in Closter

CLOSTER — Democrats on Tuesday lost a second court battle in their effort to chip away at the GOP-ruled Borough Council. (Serdar Tumgoren, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/bergenpolitics/35454544.html

LOCAL JOURNALISM
Gannett eliminates positions at state newspapers

Gannett Co. Inc. has eliminated 206 positions at its six newspapers in New Jersey due to declining advertising revenues and the severe economic downturn afflicting the state and the nation. (Gannett)

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20081203/BUSINESS/812030380/1003

OTHER NEWS
Development plan voted for rail area

WEST WINDSOR -- Years of stop and go progress on a sweeping redevelopment plan for the Princeton Junction train station area took a major leap forward with a narrow 3-2 vote in favor of a proposal with a controversial housing element. (Joyce J. Persico, The Trenton Times)

http://www.nj.com/news/times/index.ssf?/base/news-5/1228280721162060.xml&coll=5

With the PolitickerNJ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of New Jersey's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.