George R.R. Martin dives into Bayonne childhood in Rolling Stone interview
George R.R. Martin, the author of “A Song of Fire and Ice,” now adapted into the hit television series “Game of Thrones,” discusses his life growing up in Bayonne in the May 8 issue of Rolling Stone. Martin, 65, grew up with his great-grandmother on 31st Street and Broadway before moving to an apartment building on First Street, near the old Brady’s Dock.
“My mother was a Brady — Irish. I heard a lot from my mother about the heritage of the Bradys, who had been a pretty important family at certain points in Bayonne history,” Martin told Rolling Stone, according to NJ Advance Media.
“To get to my school, I had to walk past the house where my mother had been born, this house that had been our house once. I’ve looked back on that, of course, and in some of my stories there’s this sense of a lost golden age, where there were wonders and marvels undreamed of. Somehow what my mother told me set all that stuff into my imagination.”
Recycling grants awarded in Jersey City and Secaucus
The NJ Department of Environmental Protection awarded $14.3 million in grants to 24 municipalities across 13 counties to enhance recycling efforts based on 2016 recycling performance in those communities. Jersey City received $423,248 and Secaucus received $156,353.
In 2016, NJ generated 9.7 million tons of municipal solid waste, which includes standard household, vegetative and yard waste. The municipal solid waste rate in 2016 is 44 percent, up one percentage point from 2015. The statewide goal for municipal solid waste recycling is 50 percent.
NJ remains above the national average of municipal solid waste recycling rate of 34 percent and was the first state to require statewide recycling in 1987.
Man douses apartment stairway with lighter fluid; does not set fire
The Bayonne Police Department arrested a 32-year-old man in possession of butane lighter fluid after allegedly drenching an apartment hallway and stairway on Jan. 3. Residents of the building on 762 Broadway saw him allegedly writing on the walls in the hallway and called the police. The man was charged with attempted aggravated arson, burglary and criminal mischief, according to police.
Central Jersey child first to die from flu in 2019, state cautions high flu levels across state
The state health department has confirmed that a child in central Jersey has died from the flu. It’s the first fatality this season. The CDC says New Jersey and New York are experiencing high flu activity this year. Some hospitals like St. Mary’s in Passaic are imposing restrictions on anyone presenting flu symptoms. It’s still not too late to get a flu shot, officials say.
According to the state Health Department, NJ is one of only 15 states already reporting high levels of the flu virus this year.
To avoid spreading the virus to others, medical professionals advise staying home while you are sick and up to at least 24 hours after your fever is gone; not visiting people in the hospital; covering your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or sneezing; if you do not have a tissue, cough into your elbow or shoulder; avoiding touching your nose, eyes and mouth; and washing your hands often, especially after coughing or sneezing.
If your child is sick, do not send your child to school or after-school programs until at least 24 hours after fever and symptoms are gone.
3,163 overdose deaths in 2018 breaks record
The state reported recently that drug overdose deaths passed the 3,000-mark in 2018. At 3,163, it’s higher than it’s ever been, and 15 percent more than in 2017. The counties that experienced the worst (highest) rate of growth: Salem (60%, 32 deaths); Passaic (54%, 206 deaths); Cumberland (49%, 113 deaths); Mercer (40%, 148 deaths); and Monmouth (30%, 223 deaths). Hudson County had 187 suspected overdose deaths, its highest since recording 127 in 2016.
Two plaintiffs join Jersey City payroll tax lawsuit
The New Jersey Business & Industry Association and the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce have joined a lawsuit to fight a Jersey City payroll tax that was unanimously passed by the city council in November. The 1-percent tax was first proposed to cover the loss of $175 million in school funding.
“I reject the president’s fear mongering,” Sires says
President Trump “lied to the American people” about the border wall, Rep. Albio Sires tweeted after the president’s Tuesday night Oval Office speech. The recently re-elected Sires is a Cuban immigrant who represents the 8th District, which includes areas of Bayonne. Rep. Tom Malinowski of the 7th District said Trump was “recklessly dishonest.”
Jersey City prisoner re-entry program fires former Gov. Jim McGreevey
The Jersey City Employment and Training Program voted to fire its director, former Democratic Gov. Jim McGreevey. The prisoner re-entry nonprofit did so without comment or explanation. No one has “given me the courtesy of a detailed reason why I am being dismissed,” McGreevey said. McGreevey resigned as governor abruptly in 2004, after coming out as a “gay American.” He is the nation’s first openly gay governor.
More people move out of New Jersey than any other state
According to data collected by United Van Lines, in 2018, more people moved out of New Jersey than from any other state. Illinois was second, followed by Connecticut, New York, and Ohio. Reasons for leaving the Garden State were varied: job change and retirement tied at 34 percent. “Lifestyle” was cited by 17 percent of former New Jerseyans, and “health” was cited by 6 percent.
Law says schools must teach ‘financial literacy’
Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver signed into law a measure (A-1414) that requires all public middle schools (grades six to eight) to teach “financial literacy.” It was supported by lawmakers from both parties, and will go live in September, for the 2019 to 2020 school year. The state Commissioner of Education, Dr. Lamont Repollet, will provide the curriculum.
Farmer feeds Christmas trees to goats
A farmer in Burlington County has been collecting neighbors’ discarded Christmas trees to feed to the 12 goats that live on her farm, according to Philly.com. Last Christmas, the farmer took in 50 trees. One of her goats can gobble down a 14-foot tree in three hours.
Farms across the country use Christmas trees as goat food. A petting zoo in New Era, Michigan, has been requesting trees for years; the owner said blue spruce, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, Scotch pine, and white pine are among the varieties, according to the Associated Press.
Smoking ban takes effect
Starting Jan. 16, New Jersey will begin one of the broadest anti-smoking laws in the country, according to NJ Spotlight. Smoking and vaping in public parks, forests, historic sites, and at any other state-owned property in New Jersey will be subject to fine. Fines could burn bigger holes in pockets that cigarettes; starting at $250 for a first offense, and then up to $1,000. It’s not yet clear who will enforce the ban.
Murphy, Sweeney agree on driver’s license bill
Undocumented immigrants can legally drive in 12 states and D.C., and up to half a million people in New Jersey could be next. According to a survey of 561 voters conducted by an advocacy group, 54 percent support the idea, 29 percent oppose it, and 17 percent are unsure, according to The Record. Gov. Phil Murphy and Senate Pres. Stephen Sweeney support a measure that would issue licenses to undocumented immigrants that are different from those issued to U.S. citizens. The complicated two-licenses measure is working its way through the legislature.
New Jersey doubles security funding for private schools
On Jan. 8, Gov. Phil Murphy signed two bills to increase funding to beef up security at private schools and religious nonprofits, according to The Record. One bill (A4597) will devote $11.3 million to double security funding at private schools, which serve about 150,000 students statewide. Another bill (A3906) expands a security grant program that enables religious nonprofits to buy equipment and hire guards.
Proposed law would allow lawyers to be legal advocates for mistreated and abused animals
We have pet doctors, but not pet lawyers yet. A new bill in the New Jersey State Assembly would allow lawyers and law school students to act as legal advocates for mistreated pets and abused animals in New Jersey. The advocates would monitor cruelty cases, attend court hearings, and make recommendations to judges. The bill sponsor, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano, says her proposal could ensure “animals that are abused get justice,” noting that “far too many animal cruelty cases in New Jersey … end without trial or conviction,” according to The Record.
NJDOT announces Winter Weather Congestion Alert communications campaign
New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti has announced a new communications campaign to help the public make better traveling decisions during winter weather events to improve safety and the department’s ability to clear snow.
New Jersey is the most congested state in the nation; a relatively routine winter weather system can wreak havoc in New Jersey when it occurs between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“In order for NJDOT to clear highways of snow and ice, we need roads free from traffic so our trucks can get through and do their job,” Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. “Our Winter Weather Congestion Alert plan is designed to alert the media and public when forecasted weather may cause congestion, and provide tips on what to do so our crews can get through to keep the roads clear, open, and safe.”
The alerts may provide general tips such as to consider telecommuting if possible or more specific recommendations to avoid certain highways with inclines that are often problematic during a storm, such as I-280 or parts of I-78 in western New Jersey. The media and public will be alerted through press releases, the NJDOT Facebook page, Twitter @NJDOT_info, VMS boards, and www.511nj.org.
NJDOT will encourage people to telecommute, travel before the winter weather starts, and stay put while the winter weather is occurring. Wait a few hours for the storm to subside before heading out. If you are traveling during the winter weather, pull off somewhere safe and wait it out. Always stay clear of plowing and spreading trucks. If they are behind you, let them pass. Do not pass between trucks that are in a plow formation.
NJDOT will be using Variable Message Signs to alert motorists of the campaign. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information.
