JC Museum gets new home

The Jersey City Redevelopment Authority purchased a piece of property previously owned by the Hudson County Schools of Technology that will serve as the new home of the Jersey City Museum.
The former museum site downtown was closed more than six years ago.
The JCRA purchased the property which is next to the Journal Square PATH station for $9 million. Mayor Steven Fulop alluded to the sale at several of the ongoing mayoral debates, saying that it was yet another sign of progress for the city.

Jersey City man charged with murder of a Union City father in Heights

Jose Mojica, 19, of Jersey City, was arrested on Oct. 11 by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit and charged with the murder of Donald McLaughlin III, 37, of Union City, on Oct. 5. Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said Mojica was arrested without incident. Mojica has been also been charged with gun-related charges.
Suarez also credited the Jersey City Police Department and the Union City Police Department for assisting with the investigation.
The Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit continues to actively investigate this case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Hudson County Prosecutor at (201) 915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the official website at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/. All information will be kept confidential.

Jersey City Art & Studio Tour to be held Oct. 14-15

On Oct. 14 and 15, more than 200 art events will take place across the city. The 27th Annual Jersey City Art & Studio Tour (JCAST), which is sponsored by Jersey City’s Department of Cultural Affairs, is expected to draw thousands of residents and visitors to engage with more than 500 artists on their own turf. The events include live art demonstrations and interactive exhibits, live music, art markets, panel discussions, dance performances, curated bus, bike and walking tours of indoor and outdoor art in every neighborhood and much more.
All JCAST events are free and open to the public.
Complimentary shuttle bus service will be available to take tour-goers throughout the city from noon to 6 p.m. both days to ensure that they can view exhibits with ease and comfort. The buses will start at the Mack-Cali Harborside Atrium, 210 Hudson St., Jersey City, with more 30 stops across the city along a northbound and southbound route.
A roster of the more than 160 event spaces and an event schedule will be printed on www.thejcast.com.

State arbitrator sides with city in police contract review

A state arbitrator has sided with Jersey City in a contract dispute with police unions after the city made changes to the contract. This decision could affect whether or not officers will be eligible for raises next year as well as work assignments.
Arbitrator James W. Mastriani ruled against the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association. The city that said the changes were in the best interests of taxpayers.
“We have negotiated successfully with six of the city’s other unions to adopt measures that correct many of the outdated contract provisions and worked productively with the unions for the benefit of their members and the public,” Mayor Steven Fulop said in a press release. He noted that the police union called for the arbitrator.
The decision affects about 700 of the 930 member police force, and the changes could result in a number of officers not receiving raises in 2018 and again in 2020.
Bonus days that allowed officers to swap summer vacation time for days off will be phased out. Longevity pay for incoming rookie officers will be based on a specific dollar amount rather than a percentage of pay as in the past.
The ruling also allows the city to make changes to the way sick time is allocated as well as other administrative items.

Electric car charging stations will open in all six wards

Mayor Steven M. Fulop announced last week that the administration is advancing a plan to install electric car charging stations that will be open to the public in all six wards of the city as part of the Fulop administration’s sustainability agenda.
“We are excited to bring this technology to Jersey City as we know our residents are conscious about reducing our impact on the environment,” said Mayor Fulop. “We also believe that government should lead by example, so we will be looking to transition the city vehicle fleet to electric vehicles and hope this will inspire more residents to do the same.”
The city council voted on Oct. 11 to authorize a resolution requesting proposals for the charging stations. The number of total car charging stations will be determined by the final costs from the bid, however, the administration is planning for a minimum of two car charging stations per ward and a total of 16 stations at the outset, with the potential for growth.
The city is seeking grant funding to help cover the costs of the program.

RWJ Barnabas Health donates $10,000 to Puerto Rican relief fund

RWJBarnabas Health has donated $10,000 to the American Red Cross New Jersey Region for the Hurricane Maria Relief Fund for Puerto Rico, sponsored by Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz and Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka.
Mary Ellen Clyne, president and chief executive officer of Clara Maass Medical Center, presented the check at the ARC fundraising event in Newark at the Flamboyan Manor on Sunday, Oct. 8 hosted by community leaders.
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Rep. Albio Sires also attended. Across the RWJBarnabas Health system, monetary and non-perishable goods, toiletries, and medications continue to be collected and sent to areas that are experiencing devastating destruction.

Blessing of animals

St. John’s Lutheran Church, 155 North St. in Jersey City, will hold “a blessing of the animals,” on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 2 to 3 p.m. The blessing of pets and animals is often celebrated in early October each year in conjunction of the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, who was known for his great love for animals.

Jersey City Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosts workshop for local entrepreneurs

The Jersey City Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host a free workshop to promote the city’s utilization of minority and women-owned businesses and to expand their partnership with city government on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Christa McAuliffe School (P.S. No. 28), 167 Hancock Ave., in Jersey City Heights.
At the session, “Doing Business With Jersey City,” city officials will help attendees understand the public contracts process and other regulations for providing services and products for the city.
Attendees will also learn how to place bids; obtain details on how to register for a Business Registration Certificate; and where to find city contracts. Since the start of the Fulop administration, over 650 new small businesses have opened and 8,000 new jobs have been created. In 2015, the city launched a loan program aimed at securing financing for local businesses and has created the city’s first Office of Small Business.

CarePoint Health hosts talk on managing heart or lung disease

As part of its free Lunch & Learn Series, CarePoint Health-Christ Hospital will host “Managing Heart or Lung Disease” on Tuesday, Oct. 31 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Medical experts will talk about how to better manage congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Dietitians will provide information to help participants understand their nutritional needs.
Instruction on the use of inhalers will also be available.
“Join us for a healthy, delicious, free lunch,” said CarePoint Community Outreach Director Nancy Aleman.
The event will be held at Christ Hospital, 176 Palisade Ave., Jersey City. It is open to all. Those wishing to attend should RSVP by Oct. 24 to holly.goroff@carepointhealth.org or Nancy.aleman@carepointhealth.org.
CarePoint is Jersey City’s local health care provider, offering a full continuum of care to city residents. This comprehensive program often begins with the response of McCabe Ambulance, a CarePoint partner. It continues with treatment from the Christ Hospital Emergency Department, diagnostic departments, and inpatient and outpatient services.

RWJ Barnabas Health donates $10,000 to Puerto Rican relief fund

RWJBarnabas Health has donated $10,000 to the American Red Cross New Jersey Region for the Hurricane Maria Relief Fund for Puerto Rico, sponsored by Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz and Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka.
Mary Ellen Clyne, president and chief executive officer of Clara Maass Medical Center, presented the check at the ARC fundraising event in Newark at the Flamboyan Manor on Sunday, Oct. 8 hosted by community leaders.
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez and Rep. Albio Sires also attended. Across the RWJBarnabas Health system, monetary and non-perishable goods, toiletries, and medications continue to be collected and sent to areas that are experiencing devastating destruction.

Novelist offers one-shot writing class

Do you have a piece of writing, or an idea for a piece of writing (memoir, novel, script), and you need feedback on it or ideas on how to get it published? Now you can learn how in your own back yard. Local novelist (and Reporter editor) Caren Lizzner is doing a one-shot writing (and publishing) class at Little City Books in Hoboken on the evening of Nov. 2, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. It’s open to all stages, ages, and genres – from memoirs to fiction to scripts. The store is just five blocks from the Hoboken train station.
Those who’ve written their story, essay, poem, novel excerpt, or screenplay can bring 1 to 5 double-spaced pages, or those who just want to participate in discussion (auditors) can come and sit in. Space is limited, so register using the link below or go to “events” at littlecitybooks.com.
Lissner’s funny first novel, “Carrie Pilby,” was just turned into a comedy movie starring Jersey City native Nathan Lane, currently on Netflix. She has also published articles, essays, and satire in the New York Times, The Atlantic, Harper’s, McSweeney’s, and National Lampoon.
Lissner has run publishing/writing seminars for adults and teens at the Secaucus Library, in other libraries and bookstores, and as part of a Scholastic Inc. teen program. Find out more at carenlissner.com .
There is a nominal fee for the one-shot program, and it’s lower for those who are just auditing. For more information, click
http://www.littlecitybooks.com/get-it-out-reader or contact Lissner via her website, carenlissner.com .

Electrified public transportation went out of fashion late in the 20th century as gasoline-powered vehicles became prevalent. But activists on Feb. 6 held what they called a “Transit Equity Rally” in Jersey City, seeking to motivate state and local governments to encourage NJ Transit to convert its buses to electric vehicles again.
Local lore claims that the first trolley cars were created in a factory in Secaucus near the turn of the 19th century. Secaucus even named Trolley Park after the electrified trolley that passed through town on its way from Jersey City and Hoboken to inland towns.
The trolley became one of the central means of transportation for a general public that could not afford a car. Power companies like Public Service Gas & Electric purchased right-of-ways, just as NJ Transit has more recently purchased right-of-ways for its light rail system, and an infrastructure of trolley lines criss-crossed the state. From 1916 until World War II, Public Service trolleys transported about 450 million people.
Sounding like the power companies of a century ago, who had people knocking on doors to ask people to get their homes “electrified,” organizers of the Feb. 6 rally sought to return to a time when electric power operated the transportation system, saying with new technological innovations this could be done without the messy string of wires that accompanied the now-ancient technologies when Thomas Edison and other inventors first introduced it.
The rally, organized by Jersey Renews in partnership with the Amalgamated Transit Union, brought together a diverse assembly of speakers to address how electrified public transportation could reduce air pollution, promote healthier communities, create jobs, and address climate change.
“Jersey City stands with Jersey Renews and the Amalgamated Transit Union in their mission to promote the electrification of transportation,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “On a local level, we are actively finding ways to reduce pollution, and I am proud to announce that we are beginning the process of installing electric vehicle charging stations and transitioning our municipal fleet to electric power. Together, we will continue to find ways to reduce our carbon footprint and build cleaner, healthier communities throughout New Jersey.”

Making a point on a state level

The primary reason for the rally, said Nick Sifuentes, executive director for Tri-State Transportation Campaign, was to push NJ Transit to convert to electric vehicles. While many people associate NJ Transit with trains, he said, the agency runs more buses than trains.
“In New Jersey, buses carried almost 160 million passengers in 2016,” he said. “That’s 72 percent more passengers than rail. If you’re a commuter, taking a bus is always more environmentally sound than using a private car, but right now NJ Transit has an aging fleet of diesel buses in need of replacement.”
He said NJ Transit has already purchased a number of new buses, but intends to buy more and these should be electric.
“Electric buses are cost-competitive with traditional buses, thanks to lower maintenance costs and longer life spans,” he said. “If NJ Transit wants to be forward-looking and strive to meet our carbon goals, they’ll invest in electric bus replacements as diesel buses reach the end of their useful lives.”
New Jersey is one of the largest automobile markets in the country, rally organizers said. Light-duty automobiles, like a standard family car, are the dominant source of transportation pollution, but heavy-duty vehicles, typically diesel trucks for industrial or commercial use as well as buses, are also a significant source of emissions.
Local activists said that every traveled mile converted to electric is 70 percent cleaner than a gas-powered mile.
New Jersey has already taken steps to become a leader in electric vehicles, and is the first state to adopt a Clean Cars program through the legislature which includes a Zero Emissions Vehicle program, mandating aggressive growth.
But activists claim additional state investment in electric charging infrastructure and electrified mass transit, like the steps taken by Jersey City, is needed to push New Jersey to the front of the pack on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
“Gasoline-powered vehicles are harmful to our environment and our health, especially in dense urban areas like Jersey City,” said Analilia Mejia, director of New Jersey Working Families Alliance. “Dangerous levels of pollution from cars, trucks, and buses on busy roads and highways make thousands of New Jerseyans sick and cost us millions of dollars in avoidable healthcare expenses. Jersey City’s commitment to electrify their transportation system is a big step toward a cleaner environment , while promoting good paying green jobs for working families. We applaud Mayor Steve Fulop and the Jersey City Council for taking decisive action in promoting renewable energy and a cleaner environment,”
Dan Fatton, executive director of the New Jersey Work Environment Council, said emissions from the transportation sector account for more than 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in New Jersey.
“So it’s critical that the state and other municipalities follow Jersey City’s lead by investing in alternative transportation, especially mass transit,” Fatton said. “The electrification of our bus fleets is just one common sense solution for confronting the climate crisis, with the added benefit of improving the health and safety of workers and community members.”
Fletcher Harper, GreenFaith executive director, Pamela Frank, CEO of ChargEVC, and Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey, all said urban centers are particularly vulnerable to pollution from gasoline and diesel vehicles.
ATU NJ State Council chairman and State Business Agent Ray Greaves said the pollution affects those who work on these vehicles.
“Our drivers spend hours every day driving buses throughout New Jersey and we recognize that converting to electric buses can improve the air quality for them to breathe while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “NJ Transit plans to add 2,500 new vehicles. Pollution puts our employees at risk.”
“Port-adjacent and environmental justice communities like Newark need relief from dirty diesel whether it’s from transit buses or the 14,000 trucks coming in and out of the port every day,” said Amy Goldsmith, New Jersey State Director for Clean Water Action. “Converting diesel powered fleets to electric will not only significantly reduce our carbon footprint, but also the number of children gasping for air while experiencing an asthma attack, emergency visits, and premature death for those most vulnerable to pollution and its harms.”
The group of activists wants to see 330,000 plug-in vehicles by 2025 and more electric charging stations. New Jersey is expected to have 300 such stations by 2020 and as many as 500 by 2025. The group wants building code regulations changed to provide for home charging stations as well. Key to advancement of private vehicles, however, is the state pushing NJ Transit to electrify its fleet as a model for the community.

A national disgrace

Sifuentes said the groups have not yet approached Gov. Phil Murphy with the proposal. But he believes the governor will be sympathetic.
“Gov. Murphy has already expressed support for environmental issues, and he’s committed to the upgrade of New Jersey Transit.”
This comes at a time when Murphy is revamping NJ Transit leadership and has assigned new people to be in charge.
Murphy has called NJ Transit a national disgrace.
“As our infrastructure goes, so goes the state,” he said in a media report in December. “Mass transit is not an option. It’s pass or fail.”
A 2016 report by advocacy group New Jersey for Transit showed serious problems with the agency, but also with the lack of funding under previous administrations.
“Since 2002, New Jersey’s annual investment in maintaining, repairing and expanding its core public transit assets dropped by an inflation-adjusted 19.4 percent, even as ridership as grown by 20.2 percent,” the report said. “The lack of investment in maintaining and improving trains, rails, buses and other transit assets have led to infamous delays and frequent system breakdowns.”
Because the state has failed to adequately fund the system, NJ Transit has been forced to use capital funds for repairs to cover operating costs.
“Since the first time NJ Transit employed this gimmick in 1990, the agency has raided more than $6.5 billion from capital fund,” the report said.
This could have paid for light rail expansion from Hudson County into Bergen County as well as expansion of the Camden system and other projects throughout the state – which have largely been neglected.

Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.

Electrified public transportation went out of fashion late in the 20th century as gasoline-powered vehicles became prevalent. But activists on Feb. 6 held what they called a “Transit Equity Rally” in Jersey City, seeking to motivate state and local governments to encourage NJ Transit to convert its buses to electric vehicles again.
Local lore claims that the first trolley cars were created in a factory in Secaucus near the turn of the 19th century. Secaucus even named Trolley Park after the electrified trolley that passed through town on its way from Jersey City and Hoboken to inland towns.
The trolley became one of the central means of transportation for a general public that could not afford a car. Power companies like Public Service Gas & Electric purchased right-of-ways, just as NJ Transit has more recently purchased right-of-ways for its light rail system, and an infrastructure of trolley lines criss-crossed the state. From 1916 until World War II, Public Service trolleys transported about 450 million people.
Sounding like the power companies of a century ago, who had people knocking on doors to ask people to get their homes “electrified,” organizers of the Feb. 6 rally sought to return to a time when electric power operated the transportation system, saying with new technological innovations this could be done without the messy string of wires that accompanied the now-ancient technologies when Thomas Edison and other inventors first introduced it.
The rally, organized by Jersey Renews in partnership with the Amalgamated Transit Union, brought together a diverse assembly of speakers to address how electrified public transportation could reduce air pollution, promote healthier communities, create jobs, and address climate change.
“Jersey City stands with Jersey Renews and the Amalgamated Transit Union in their mission to promote the electrification of transportation,” said Mayor Steven Fulop. “On a local level, we are actively finding ways to reduce pollution, and I am proud to announce that we are beginning the process of installing electric vehicle charging stations and transitioning our municipal fleet to electric power. Together, we will continue to find ways to reduce our carbon footprint and build cleaner, healthier communities throughout New Jersey.”

Making a point on a state level

The primary reason for the rally, said Nick Sifuentes, executive director for Tri-State Transportation Campaign, was to push NJ Transit to convert to electric vehicles. While many people associate NJ Transit with trains, he said, the agency runs more buses than trains.
“In New Jersey, buses carried almost 160 million passengers in 2016,” he said. “That’s 72 percent more passengers than rail. If you’re a commuter, taking a bus is always more environmentally sound than using a private car, but right now NJ Transit has an aging fleet of diesel buses in need of replacement.”
He said NJ Transit has already purchased a number of new buses, but intends to buy more and these should be electric.
“Electric buses are cost-competitive with traditional buses, thanks to lower maintenance costs and longer life spans,” he said. “If NJ Transit wants to be forward-looking and strive to meet our carbon goals, they’ll invest in electric bus replacements as diesel buses reach the end of their useful lives.”
New Jersey is one of the largest automobile markets in the country, rally organizers said. Light-duty automobiles, like a standard family car, are the dominant source of transportation pollution, but heavy-duty vehicles, typically diesel trucks for industrial or commercial use as well as buses, are also a significant source of emissions.
Local activists said that every traveled mile converted to electric is 70 percent cleaner than a gas-powered mile.
New Jersey has already taken steps to become a leader in electric vehicles, and is the first state to adopt a Clean Cars program through the legislature which includes a Zero Emissions Vehicle program, mandating aggressive growth.
But activists claim additional state investment in electric charging infrastructure and electrified mass transit, like the steps taken by Jersey City, is needed to push New Jersey to the front of the pack on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
“Gasoline-powered vehicles are harmful to our environment and our health, especially in dense urban areas like Jersey City,” said Analilia Mejia, director of New Jersey Working Families Alliance. “Dangerous levels of pollution from cars, trucks, and buses on busy roads and highways make thousands of New Jerseyans sick and cost us millions of dollars in avoidable healthcare expenses. Jersey City’s commitment to electrify their transportation system is a big step toward a cleaner environment , while promoting good paying green jobs for working families. We applaud Mayor Steve Fulop and the Jersey City Council for taking decisive action in promoting renewable energy and a cleaner environment,”
Dan Fatton, executive director of the New Jersey Work Environment Council, said emissions from the transportation sector account for more than 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in New Jersey.
“So it’s critical that the state and other municipalities follow Jersey City’s lead by investing in alternative transportation, especially mass transit,” Fatton said. “The electrification of our bus fleets is just one common sense solution for confronting the climate crisis, with the added benefit of improving the health and safety of workers and community members.”
Fletcher Harper, GreenFaith executive director, Pamela Frank, CEO of ChargEVC, and Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey, all said urban centers are particularly vulnerable to pollution from gasoline and diesel vehicles.
ATU NJ State Council chairman and State Business Agent Ray Greaves said the pollution affects those who work on these vehicles.
“Our drivers spend hours every day driving buses throughout New Jersey and we recognize that converting to electric buses can improve the air quality for them to breathe while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “NJ Transit plans to add 2,500 new vehicles. Pollution puts our employees at risk.”
“Port-adjacent and environmental justice communities like Newark need relief from dirty diesel whether it’s from transit buses or the 14,000 trucks coming in and out of the port every day,” said Amy Goldsmith, New Jersey State Director for Clean Water Action. “Converting diesel powered fleets to electric will not only significantly reduce our carbon footprint, but also the number of children gasping for air while experiencing an asthma attack, emergency visits, and premature death for those most vulnerable to pollution and its harms.”
The group of activists wants to see 330,000 plug-in vehicles by 2025 and more electric charging stations. New Jersey is expected to have 300 such stations by 2020 and as many as 500 by 2025. The group wants building code regulations changed to provide for home charging stations as well. Key to advancement of private vehicles, however, is the state pushing NJ Transit to electrify its fleet as a model for the community.

A national disgrace

Sifuentes said the groups have not yet approached Gov. Phil Murphy with the proposal. But he believes the governor will be sympathetic.
“Gov. Murphy has already expressed support for environmental issues, and he’s committed to the upgrade of New Jersey Transit.”
This comes at a time when Murphy is revamping NJ Transit leadership and has assigned new people to be in charge.
Murphy has called NJ Transit a national disgrace.
“As our infrastructure goes, so goes the state,” he said in a media report in December. “Mass transit is not an option. It’s pass or fail.”
A 2016 report by advocacy group New Jersey for Transit showed serious problems with the agency, but also with the lack of funding under previous administrations.
“Since 2002, New Jersey’s annual investment in maintaining, repairing and expanding its core public transit assets dropped by an inflation-adjusted 19.4 percent, even as ridership as grown by 20.2 percent,” the report said. “The lack of investment in maintaining and improving trains, rails, buses and other transit assets have led to infamous delays and frequent system breakdowns.”
Because the state has failed to adequately fund the system, NJ Transit has been forced to use capital funds for repairs to cover operating costs.
“Since the first time NJ Transit employed this gimmick in 1990, the agency has raided more than $6.5 billion from capital fund,” the report said.
This could have paid for light rail expansion from Hudson County into Bergen County as well as expansion of the Camden system and other projects throughout the state – which have largely been neglected.

Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com.