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.

Corzine signs housing bill

In the steamy atmosphere of a tent revival meeting, Gov. Jon Corzine yesterday signed what proponents described as landmark legislation to help develop affordable housing in New Jersey. (Tom Hester, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1216355805319820.xml&coll=1

Turner looks to jump ship in presidential election

Lifelong Democrat Caren Turner doesn’t plan to vote for Democrats out of a sense of nostalgia. In fact, she’s not sure she’s going to vote Democratic in the coming presidential election. (PolitickerNJ)

http://www.politickernj.com/max/21601/hillraiser-turner-considers-mccain-option

Nepotism never pays

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is asking state Superior Court to remove Newark City Councilwoman Dana Rone from office after a state court upheld her conviction in a 2006 traffic stop involving her nephew. (Katie Wang, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1216355719319820.xml&coll=1

Schultz aware of sex-tape scheme

ATLANTIC CITY - City Councilman John Schultz was aware of a scheme to force an opposing councilman out of office through exposure of a sex tape and was present during its editing, according to testimony in a confidential report from the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/185/story/208444.html

Residents weigh in on energy plan

GLASSBORO - Residents got one last chance Thursday to publicly weigh in on Gov. Jon S. Corzine's draft Energy Master Plan before state officials begin finalizing the strategy for meeting New Jersey's long-term energy needs (Trish G. Graber, Gloucester County Times)

http://www.nj.com/news/gloucester/index.ssf?/base/news-3/121637042265760.xml&coll=8

Morris County mayors react to housing bill

Several Morris County mayors expressed disappointment with Gov. Jon S. Corzine's decision to sign legislation on Thursday that prevents municipalities from easing their affordable-housing requirements without building homes. (Michael Scholl, The Daily Record)

http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/COMMUNITIES/807180326/1203

State cuts college aid

Cuts in state aid and rising expenses are driving up costs for college students in Hudson County. (Charles Hack, The Jersey Journal)

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/jerseycity/index.ssf?/base/news-6/1216362334209930.xml&coll=3

Spitzer's call girl stole NJ girl's identity

Ashley Dupre, the Wall Township call girl at the center of the sex scandal that brought down former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, is now being sued for allegedly stealing the identity of another Jersey girl. (Jeff Whelan, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-11/1216355750319820.xml&coll=1

Mayor apologizes to Staten Island

BELMAR — A written mea culpa and a day in Staten Island.

That's how Mayor Kenneth E. Pringle will begin to dispel public outcry against a borough newsletter in which he took aim at "Staten Island girls," "Guidos" and blondes. (Fraidy Reiss, Asbury Park Press)

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS/807180469

Town excited over project approval

The Bayonne City Council approved a project labor agreement Wednesday night, prompting about 50 union workers who attended the meeting to burst into applause. (Megan DeMarco, The Jersey Journal)

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/bayonne/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1216362407209930.xml&coll=3

Did Mom come to daughter's aid?

TRENTON -- The daughter of West Ward Councilwoman Annette Lartigue was pulled over by city police for driving while talking on a cell phone Tuesday and during the traffic stop, the councilwoman got on the phone with one of the patrol officers. (Kevin Shea, Trenton Times)

http://www.nj.com/centraljersey/index.ssf/2008/07/conflict_follows_traffic_stop.html

Presidential campaign hits home

The John McCain-Barack Obama presidential race is turning a pair of ordinary Union County residents into community-based political activists. (Jason Jett, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/union/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1216355714319820.xml&coll=1

State troopers won't be tried

TRENTON - Seven state troopers who were suspended after a woman contended that she was raped at one of their homes will not be charged with a crime, a prosecutor said yesterday. (Associated Press)

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20080718_Troopers_won_t_be_tried_in_rape_case.html

AARP calls for more details on hospital errors

TRENTON — Consumers should be given detailed information on which New Jersey hospitals and health care facilities commit medical mistakes resulting in serious harm or death in order to make educated decisions on where to get treatment, AARP New Jersey said Thursday. (Michael Rispoli, The Courier-Post)

http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS01/807180356/1001/NEWS

Timing of new exam standard questioned

The day after New Jersey's public school teachers and administrators saw the state suddenly raise the bar on state tests, some were a little nervous. (John Mooney, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/education/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1216355785319820.xml&coll=1

Rutgers sees enormous spike in tuition

TRENTON - The cost for in-state students going to New Jersey's largest university is rising again.

An 8.5 percent tuition increase approved by the Rutgers Board of Governors yesterday means a typical undergraduate student will pay roughly $21,500 for tuition, student fees, and room and board in the 2008-09 school year. (Associated Press)

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20080718_Tuition_at_Rutgers_will_jump_8_5_percent_The_unusually_large_hike_reflects_the_state_budget__which_reduces_education_funding_.html

Councilwoman dies following stroke

SEASIDE PARK — Councilwoman Mary "Agnes'' Wierzbowski died this morning, according to borough officials. She was 73. (Chelsea Michaels, Asbury Park Press)

http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080717/NEWS/80717042

Firefighter union chief addresses complaints

PATERSON -- As the new public face of the firefighters union, Michael McGorty takes over his organization's presidency amid controversy surrounding a new contract, a rash of drunken-driving arrests and allegations of racial discrimination within the department. (Alexander MacInnes, Herald News)

http://www.myheraldnews.com/view.html?type=stories&action=detail&sub_id=39548

Farm bond comes to the rescue

The freeholder board stood together behind a $9.85 million bond introduced on Wednesday, a sum to be used for capital improvements and for local farm preservation efforts.  (Randall Clark, The Sunbeam)

http://www.nj.com/news/sunbeam/index.ssf?/base/news-4/121637040365490.xml&coll=9

City center sees reprieve

MILLVILLE -- The Cumberland County Improvement Authority's Board voted Thursday to set aside $60,000 to keep the Holly City Family Center open for 30 days. (Joel Landau, The Daily Journal)

http://www.thedailyjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/NEWS01/807180310

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.