Joan Voss

State Sen. Joseph Coniglio is reportedly the target of a federal corruption investigationIf Joe Coniglio is not going to run for reelection for his state Senate seat, he doesn’t seem to know it.

Coniglio was in full campaign mode last night, attending the Lodi concert of a band called Kenny Vance and the Planotones, which he sponsored along with his Assembly running mates Bob Gordon and Joan Voss. While Bergen County political circles have been abuzz about whether the Bergen County Democratic Organization will ask the 38th district state Senator to drop his re-election bid, Coniglio has not made himself scarce.

“Come on, let me see some smiles,” said Coniglio, who wore a white hat with his name on it as he and his wife passed out paper fans bearing the words “I’m a fan of Senator Joe Coniglio, Assembly Members Bob Gordon, Joan Voss.”

In Fort Lee, Jack Alter will be remembered as a devoted mayor to this two and a half square mile town just across the George Washington Bridge from Manhattan. During his term, he convinced Leona Helmsley to sell a tract of land for Centuria, what officials have said is the biggest development project in the town’s history. He ushered in new police station, a community center, park restoration, and stood up to the Port Authority about the impact the bridge was having on his little town.

But as local officials and politicians reflected on Alter’s term as mayor after his unexpected death this morning, not far from everyone’s minds was that inevitable question: who will take his place?

State Sen. Joseph Coniglio is the target of a federal corruption investigationBergen County Democratic Chairman Joseph Ferriero will push State Senator Joseph Coniglio to drop his bid for re-election, according to sources close to the Bergen Democratic leader. But Ferriero, who paid for a poll earlier this month to test voter reaction to Coniglio as the target of a federal criminal investigation, has not yet told Coniglio that the party will ask him to end his campaign for a third term.

GOVERNOR SIGNS HPV AWARENESS BILL INTO LAW

(TRENTON) - A new state law now requires public schools to provide information to parents of teen-age girls about the sexually transmitted disease Human Papillomavirus (HPV). The law championed by a litany of Assembly Democrats and it was recently signed into law by Governor Corzine.

Bergen County Democratic sources say that Joseph Coniglio won't get to enjoy his presumption of innocence: that if the two-term Senator is indicted -- or if qualified parties feel an indictment is forthcoming -- Democratic County Chairman Joseph Ferriero will ensure his prompt withdrawal from the November Senate race. And several of those sources suggest that the new Senator will be Paramus Mayor James Tedesco, who is closer to party leadership than another contender, Assemblyman Robert Gordon. The excuse to pass over Gordon and Assemblywoman Joan Voss: both received subpoenas as part of the same Christmas Tree budget probe that let to Coniglio being a target of the investigation.

LANDMARK 'STEM CELL RESEARCH BOND ACT'
SIGNED INTO LAW
Measure Authorizes Ballot Question for $450 Million Bond Initiative
To Fund Stem Cell Research Over 10 Years

(WEST ORANGE) - Legislation Assembly members Neil M. Cohen, John F. McKeon, Joan Voss, and Mike Panter sponsored to allow voters to authorize the sale of $450 million in general obligation bonds for the purpose of supporting stem cell research in New Jersey was signed into law by Governor Jon S. Corzine today at the Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation (KMRREC) - one of the state's leading stem cell research and treatment centers.

ASSEMBLY PASSES COHEN/McKEON/VOSS/PANTER 'NEW JERSEY STEM CELL RESEARCH BOND ACT'

Measure Would Authorize a $450 Million Bond Initiative to Fund Stem Cell Research Over 10 Years

(TRENTON) - Legislation Assembly members Neil M. Cohen, John F. McKeon, Joan Voss, and Mike Panter sponsored to authorize the sale of $450 million in general obligation bonds for the purpose of supporting stem cell research in New Jersey passed today in the General Assembly, one day after President Bush used his third presidential veto to stop embryonic stem-cell research at the federal level.

LEGISLATION ALLOWING PORT AUTHORITY
TO OPERATE STEWART AIRPORT SIGNED INTO LAW

(TETERBORO) - Legislation Assembly members Frederick Scalera, Gary S. Schaer, Bob Gordon, and Joan Voss sponsored to help mitigate noise, pollution, and safety concerns at Teterboro Airport was signed into law today by Acting Governor Richard J. Codey.

The Star-Ledger is reporting that subpoenas were served on State Sen. Paul Sarlo, Assemblyman Robert Gordon and Assemblywoman Joan Voss today. Federal prosecutors have reportedly been investigating legislators who have personally profited from state budget items.

Bergen County Republicans have picked their candidates for the 38th district: former Elmwood Park Councilman Robert Colletti will challenge Democratic State Senator Joseph Coniglio, and South Hackensack GOP Municipal Chairwoman Renee Czarnecki, the wife of the former Mayor, and Paramus Republican activist John Driscoll will run for the State Assembly against incumbents Robert Gordon and Joan Voss.