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BAYONNE BRIEFS

Rory Pasquariello, Staff Writer
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BAYONNE BRIEFS

We stand corrected

Two recent columns and one news story that appeared in The Hudson Reporter contained factual errors. The columns and story were about an alleged rape by a campaign worker in Phil Murphy’s gubernatorial campaign.

Katie Brennan has accused Albert J. Alvarez of allegedly raping her in April 2017 in Jersey City after a campaign event. Alvarez has denied the charge, claimed the encounter was consensual, and has not been charged with a crime.

The errors appeared in a news story on Jan. 24 by Al Sullivan and in his columns on Feb. 7 and 14.

The column speculated on Feb. 7, stated as fact on Feb. 14, and amplified on material reported in a Jan. 24 news article – erroneously in all cases – that someone in the office of Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez had communicated with Peter Cammarano, Gov. Murphy’s soon-to-be-chief of staff, about pending charges against Alvarez and, later, that Cammarano had a role in the decision that no charges would be filed.

Testimony by Cammarano before the Legislative Select Oversight Committee indicates this was not true. Another issue raised in the Feb. 7 column – suggesting someone in Suarez’s office kept her in the dark about the case, yet had the political savvy to communicate with the governor’s chief of staff – was based on that error of fact. Cammarano has testified he was not in contact with Suarez or anyone in her office.

His testimony was corroborated by Murphy’s Deputy Chief of Staff Justin Braz, a friend of Brennan, who also testified before the same committee that he told Cammarano about the pending charges based on information from Brennan.

Do you make Great Chili?

Or do you simply love to eat it?  Whether you’re a master chili chef or a connoisseur of this hearty Mexican dish, this is a night you won’t want to miss.  On Friday, March 1 The City of Bayonne, The Bayonne Chamber of Commerce and the Bayonne UEZ are hosting Bayonne’s 2nd Annual Chili Cook-off.

Tickets for the event are $30 per person and include a variety of Mexican cuisine, beer, wine and soda, and of course, chili.  Following the success of last year’s event, the festivities will include music by DJ Mumbles, country line dancing with Albert Fao, salsa lessons by Javier Martinez of Latin Groove Dance Academy, and prop photos by Rocheny Photography.

The event will be held at Marist High School Gymnasium, 1241 Kennedy Boulevard and will start at 6:30 pm.

If you would like to enter your restaurant or organization in the contest, call the Bayonne UEZ at 201-858-6357. To purchase tickets or for information on sponsorship opportunities, visit the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce website, BayonneChamber.org.  A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Bayonne Fire Canteen.

Two arrested in connection with shots fired; one shooting still under investigation

Two shootings over a one-week span on the same midtown block appear to be unrelated. The Bayonne Police Department arrested a 36-year-old Bayonne resident in connection with a shooting on the evening of Feb. 13 in the area of West 18th Street between Avenue C and Kennedy Boulevard. No injuries were reported in the shooting and no gun was recovered. Another shooting on the same block on Feb. 11 that injured a 36-year-old remains under investigation by the detective bureau.

Police arrested a 31-year-old Jersey City resident on Feb. 15 in connection to a Dec. 28 report of shots fired on West 30th Street. Both arrests resulted in weapons charges.

The last couple of weeks have been especially traumatic for that neighborhood. In addition to the two shootings, three houses burned down on Andrew Street between Avenue C and Kennedy Boulevard on Feb. 2, displacing dozens of people.

Reval info sessions

Information sessions on the upcoming citywide property revaluation will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the 4th Street Senior Center on 16 West 4th Street, and on Feb. 25 at Nicholas Oresko School on Avenue E and 24th Street.

A citywide property revaluation has been in the works since 2016 when the Hudson County Board of Taxation ordered Bayonne to conduct its first reval since 1991. The reval was originally ordered to be completed by January of 2019, but the deadline was put back in order to give time for the Bayonne tax assessor’s office to complete new digital and physical tax maps. Now, the reval is set to take place in 2020. In the fall, the Bayonne City Council approved a third-party vendor to conduct the reval.

Lifelong Staten Island resident first driver to cross reopened Bayonne Bridge

The Bayonne Bridge marked another milestone after the “Raise the Roadway” project raised the bridge to allow larger container ships underneath to access NJ ports. Francis Cardamone, a lifelong Port Richmond resident, was the first of the public to drive his car over the recently reopened Bayonne Bridge, now with two 12-foot lanes of traffic in each direction. He was also the first to cross the bridge when it opened one lane in each direction in February of 2017.

“For me it was a matter of civic pride…the bridge has been a part of my existence growing up,” he told Staten Island Advance Media in February of 2017.

Bayonne, France mayor welcomes migrants

In defiance of the French president, the mayor of Bayonne, France made national headlines by sheltering people emigrating from Africa, through Spain and into France. The mayor wants the migrants to pass through, but insists that while they are in Bayonne, they should live “in a condition of dignity,” according to the New York Times. “I don’t think I can do less.”

Unlike Bayonne, NJ, a peninsula far from any border, Bayonne, France is only 22 miles away from Spain. Making matters worse, Italy has clamped down on immigration, leaving many without options other than Spain and France.

Bayonne resident Patrick Bonner has long known Bayonne, France as the “other” Bayonne. He wrote in a feature story in the winter edition of Bayonne: Life on the Peninsula about his vacation to the French basque country.

Murphy tells Amazon NJ is ‘open for business’ for HQ2

New Jersey officials have been “courting” Amazon to set up shop in Newark “for some time” even after the company announced it would launch its second headquarters in Queens and a suburb of Washington, D.C., according to ROI-NJ. “We have reminded the folks there that we are still here,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “And we really never stopped.” Last week, Amazon backed out of the plan to build a second headquarters in Long Island City and said it is not currently looking for another location. Bayonne submitted its own proposal for the former Military Ocean Terminal Base, which did not make it on Amazon’s list of finalists.

Drivers could face new parking taxes in six cities

The NJ Assembly transportation committee approved a bill on Feb. 14 that enables Newark, Jersey City, Edison, Paterson, Elizabeth, and Woodbridge to collect a special 3.5 percent tax on parking fees in order to fund initiatives to “improve pedestrian access to mass transit stations,” according to NJ Spotlight. Republicans criticized the spending alongside bills funding wastewater management and the arts. State sales tax can be imposed on fees charged for “parking, storing or garaging a motor vehicle” with some exclusions, according to the Division of Taxation. Residential parking, employee parking at employer-owned facilities, and all municipal parking, including metered parking, are generally excluded.

How social media can put police in a bind

In the North Jersey edition of The Record, Aberdeen’s new police chief gave advice for posting about (alleged) emergencies on social media: “Be responsible. And if you’re not certain of the facts, then don’t put it out there.” Misinformation wastes resources, he said, as was the case in last year’s investigation into non-credible threats against the Aberdeen school district. Similar threats have disrupted the Somerville and Bayonne school districts in the last year.

New law mandates panic alarms in schools

Gov. Phil Murphy has signed into law a bill that requires public schools to own an active-shooter panic alarm, according to The Record. The bill was introduced after the Newtown shooting, and recently renamed for Alyssa Alhadeff, a former resident of Woodcliff Lake who was killed in the Parkland massacre last February. Each alarm will cost $1,000 to $5,000 to per school, so the total cost for the state’s 2,500 public schools will be between $2.5 million to $12.5 million. Bayonne’s 12 schools may cost between $12,000 and $60,000.

Civil asset forfeiture reform bills clear committee

A package of bills designed to create fairness and transparency in civil asset forfeiture cleared a NJ Assembly committee last week. Assemblyman Nicholas Chiaravalloti, who represents Bayonne and parts of Jersey City, and Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, who represents Jersey City, sponsored the package, along with Lisa Swain and Nancy Pinkin.

One bill would establish a “Fairness in Asset Forfeiture Proceedings Task Force” that would study “the nature, extent and consequences of the lack of legal representation of certain New Jersey residents in asset forfeiture proceedings.”

A second bill would “revise procedures for certain asset forfeiture proceedings and requires criminal conviction for forfeiture of certain seized property.”

“It is not fair if someone is deemed innocent of committing a crime, yet their property said to be related to that crime is taken away from them, never to be returned,” said Chiaravalloti in a press release. “If there was no foul play, it is only right that these individuals have their property returned to them.”

Two more bills urge the NJ Supreme Court to study lowering court fees in civil asset forfeiture cases and to establish forfeiture reporting and transparency requirements.

“Oftentimes, court filing fees cost more than the money seized by law enforcement, and, as a result, many people do no defend their rights to civil action to seek back their seized property,” said McKnight. “It is important to determine if this is the best practice to put in place to encourage our residents to pursue their civil rights.”

The bills come after a recent American Civil Liberties Union-New Jersey (ACLU) report that showed between January and June of 2016, approximately 1,860 civil forfeiture cases initiated by county prosecutors in NJ resulted in the state gaining more than $5.5 million, 234 cars and a home. The report showed that most of the 1,860 cases were in low-income areas and defendants in only 50 of those cases appeared in court to challenge the forfeiture. The report also notes that public defenders are prohibited from representing defendants in civil matters.

Political dynamics

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Political dynamics

The afternoon of Monday, Jan. 1 will bring the swearing in of new Mayor Ravi Bhalla, followed by a City Council reorganization meeting on Jan. 3. Political observers have been wondering who will be the next council president, and whether Bhalla will have to contend with a divided council during his first year, since some of the nine members were his opponents in last month’s election.
In the past, Mayor Dawn Zimmer was often able to push her agenda through, since most of the council members were her supporters. After a heated election during which three council members ran against each other for mayor on Nov. 7, some residents think Bhalla may have a tougher time.
Bhalla ran against current Council President Jen Giattino, who was backed by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher and Councilman Peter Cunningham. Giattino has declined to join Bhalla’s transition team, and Fisher and Cunningham have expressed dismay, in separate letters after the election, about the “ugliness” during the campaigns.
The other former mayoral candidates have joined Bhalla on his transition team – business owner Karen Nason, activist Ronald Bautista, Freeholder Anthony Romano, and Councilman Michael DeFusco. But DeFusco has already criticized some of Bhalla’s moves, and issued a press release criticizing Bhalla’s choosing of lawyer John Allen as his chief of staff. Allen ran as a councilman on Bhalla’s ticket, but lost.
“The council dynamic isn’t very good for the mayor-elect,” said former Councilman Tony Soares, who supported DeFusco in the election. “He is going to have to work with them to cooperate on their agenda over the next two to four years. He wasn’t given a majority.”
Bhalla won 32.7 percent of the votes on Nov. 7, with 41.2 percent of registered voters turning out for the mayoral election.
Soares said he thinks the council will have to try to cooperate, and not work against the new mayor, in order to move Hoboken forward.
“I think Ruben [Ramos] and Michael DeFusco work well [with each other] and Jen [Giattino] and Fisher are together,” he said. “Bhalla has allies on the council with [Councilman Jim] Doyle and [Councilwoman-Elect] Emily Jabbour [who will be sworn in on Jan. 3]. But honestly, now the council is divided and they will all have to try and work together.”
One political insider who wished to remain anonymous said he believed either Councilman Ruben Ramos or Councilman Peter Cunningham will be the next council president, depending on who holds a majority on the council. Rumors have swirled that Councilman Ramos may want the position, but some say Cunningham can draw Fisher, Giattino, and others.

Councilmembers weigh in

In separate interviews, Councilmen Ruben Ramos, Jim Doyle, Michael Russo, and Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher commented on the council dynamic in the new year.
DeFusco, Cunningham, and Giattino did not answer two phone calls for comment by press time.
“Everyone tries to do what’s best for Hoboken at the end of the day,” said Fisher, speaking about the council dynamic come January. “People on the council work well together. In the past we have had 7-2 or 9-0 on most votes, and my guess is that will continue.”
When it came to who might be president Fisher said that it’s a bit early to tell.
“It’s definitely a topic on people’s minds right now,” said Fisher. “But my understanding is it is a bit early.”
Doyle said, “Typically there is a majority and a minority. It is not typically divided into three poles.”
However, he noted, reformers on the council might be fractured after the election.
“While I see disagreements going forward as to approaches, as long as everyone genuinely has Hoboken’s best interests as the overall objective, I am confident we will all work together and be fine,” said Doyle. “I know we are genuinely people who put Hoboken above personal aspirations.”
Councilman Michael Russo said no discussions have started amongst himself and other council members as to who might fill the position of council president during the Jan. 3 reorganization meeting
“There is no real faction in the city that has a majority of the council,” said Russo. “I think Mayor-Elect Bhalla will have to work with individual council members to move the city forward. “
“It’s an interesting time,” said Russo. “I think the truest leaders will emerge among the members of the council by being able to put differences aside and work for the betterment of the city…Right now people are a little upset about the heated election on all sides, but I think eventually when we get down to brass tacks, we will see who gets it done.”
He said he would like to see a president who is fair, rational, and understands that there will be difficult decisions. He added that he would like a president “who won’t bow to political pressure.”
Who fits the bill? He believes all of his council colleagues share those qualities. “I think one more than others, but until I find out if that person it interested, I won’t comment,” he said.
Russo said he believes Bhalla will have some difficulty, “but every mayor does, even when they have a base of support in the majority.”
He said, “Dawn got a lot of things passed, but there were a lot of backroom conversations or off-record conversations with council members [about agenda items] that were just as difficult, whether those people supported her or not.”
Ramos said, “We need to look at every agenda item as 0-0 and work on building a consensus if it’s a good idea. We need to move away from the idea of a council majority or minority.”
“If Mayor-Elect Bhalla has a good idea that I agree with, I’ll try and make it happen. If Councilwoman Fisher has a good idea or I have a good idea, I’ll try and make it happen,” said Ramos. “I work with everyone on issues and that’s what the public expects from us. None of this is personal. There was a lot of negativity during the campaign from different directions, but I don’t anticipate anyone putting hurt feelings or anything else before moving a good idea for Hoboken forward.”
He said he wants the next council president to be an individual who brings people together, who hears ideas, and acts as a conduit between the mayor and the council.
When asked if he wants to be the next council president, he said, “I never count my chickens before they hatch.”
One future agenda item that may prove divisive is the city’s negotiations and proposed agreement with Suez over managing the city’s water and aging infrastructure. The agreement proposed by Zimmer’s administration and backed by Bhalla, caused a lot of debate during the mayoral election, as some council members wanted to try and pursue other providers and questioned an unpaid debt.

Will work with everyone

Bhalla said he will work with everyone on the council for the betterment of Hoboken.
When asked who he thought might be the next council president, he said, “Your guess is as good as mine at this point. “
He said he believes a council president needs to “be diligent with respect to his or her duties and cooperative with the administration to identify opportunities for legislation to move Hoboken forward.”
He said he envisions the role of the council president with not only “running a tight ship” but working with the business administrator, council colleagues, the mayor, and department directors to “identify legislation that’s ripe or ready to be brought before the council as a whole.”
When asked if he believes if the council is divided more than before, he said, “I know the council members are first and foremost committed to advancing the interests of the city of Hoboken. As far as majorities on the council, it’s my hope we can move past divisiveness to see where we can work together on a governmental level. I know each councilmember has their own issues that are important to them so I would like to identify what those priorities are and be helpful in advancing their priorities. I don’t see it as having a majority or control of the council. My concern is about understanding priorities and having a constructive working relationship with the council.”
He said that if a time comes in which one of his priorities is not supported by an individual on the council or a majority, “Then it’s incumbent on me to generate support on the council for that priority to be successful.”
Bhalla said that he thinks that he and the council are united in that they all share a common love for Hoboken.
“In regard to repairing relationships or getting over raw feelings, I think its important to realize it’s in the best interest of the community at large for us to turn the page and look toward the future,” said Bhalla.
Bhalla’s swearing in ceremony will be held on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. The location has yet to be announced. The council reorganization meeting will take place Jan. 3 at City Hall at 7 p.m., according to Deputy City Clerk Jerry Lore.
Officials would not confirm which high-level politicians may be attending the swearing ins, although rumors have swirled about Gov. Elect Phil Murphy attending the Jan. 1 event. Murphy is set to be sworn in on Jan. 16.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

Political dynamics

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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0
Political dynamics

The afternoon of Monday, Jan. 1 will bring the swearing in of new Mayor Ravi Bhalla, followed by a City Council reorganization meeting on Jan. 3. Political observers have been wondering who will be the next council president, and whether Bhalla will have to contend with a divided council during his first year, since some of the nine members were his opponents in last month’s election.
In the past, Mayor Dawn Zimmer was often able to push her agenda through, since most of the council members were her supporters. After a heated election during which three council members ran against each other for mayor on Nov. 7, some residents think Bhalla may have a tougher time.
Bhalla ran against current Council President Jen Giattino, who was backed by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher and Councilman Peter Cunningham. Giattino has declined to join Bhalla’s transition team, and Fisher and Cunningham have expressed dismay, in separate letters after the election, about the “ugliness” during the campaigns.
The other former mayoral candidates have joined Bhalla on his transition team – business owner Karen Nason, activist Ronald Bautista, Freeholder Anthony Romano, and Councilman Michael DeFusco. But DeFusco has already criticized some of Bhalla’s moves, and issued a press release criticizing Bhalla’s choosing of lawyer John Allen as his chief of staff. Allen ran as a councilman on Bhalla’s ticket, but lost.
“The council dynamic isn’t very good for the mayor-elect,” said former Councilman Tony Soares, who supported DeFusco in the election. “He is going to have to work with them to cooperate on their agenda over the next two to four years. He wasn’t given a majority.”
Bhalla won 32.7 percent of the votes on Nov. 7, with 41.2 percent of registered voters turning out for the mayoral election.
Soares said he thinks the council will have to try to cooperate, and not work against the new mayor, in order to move Hoboken forward.
“I think Ruben [Ramos] and Michael DeFusco work well [with each other] and Jen [Giattino] and Fisher are together,” he said. “Bhalla has allies on the council with [Councilman Jim] Doyle and [Councilwoman-Elect] Emily Jabbour [who will be sworn in on Jan. 3]. But honestly, now the council is divided and they will all have to try and work together.”
One political insider who wished to remain anonymous said he believed either Councilman Ruben Ramos or Councilman Peter Cunningham will be the next council president, depending on who holds a majority on the council. Rumors have swirled that Councilman Ramos may want the position, but some say Cunningham can draw Fisher, Giattino, and others.

Councilmembers weigh in

In separate interviews, Councilmen Ruben Ramos, Jim Doyle, Michael Russo, and Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher commented on the council dynamic in the new year.
DeFusco, Cunningham, and Giattino did not answer two phone calls for comment by press time.
“Everyone tries to do what’s best for Hoboken at the end of the day,” said Fisher, speaking about the council dynamic come January. “People on the council work well together. In the past we have had 7-2 or 9-0 on most votes, and my guess is that will continue.”
When it came to who might be president Fisher said that it’s a bit early to tell.
“It’s definitely a topic on people’s minds right now,” said Fisher. “But my understanding is it is a bit early.”
Doyle said, “Typically there is a majority and a minority. It is not typically divided into three poles.”
However, he noted, reformers on the council might be fractured after the election.
“While I see disagreements going forward as to approaches, as long as everyone genuinely has Hoboken’s best interests as the overall objective, I am confident we will all work together and be fine,” said Doyle. “I know we are genuinely people who put Hoboken above personal aspirations.”
Councilman Michael Russo said no discussions have started amongst himself and other council members as to who might fill the position of council president during the Jan. 3 reorganization meeting
“There is no real faction in the city that has a majority of the council,” said Russo. “I think Mayor-Elect Bhalla will have to work with individual council members to move the city forward. “
“It’s an interesting time,” said Russo. “I think the truest leaders will emerge among the members of the council by being able to put differences aside and work for the betterment of the city…Right now people are a little upset about the heated election on all sides, but I think eventually when we get down to brass tacks, we will see who gets it done.”
He said he would like to see a president who is fair, rational, and understands that there will be difficult decisions. He added that he would like a president “who won’t bow to political pressure.”
Who fits the bill? He believes all of his council colleagues share those qualities. “I think one more than others, but until I find out if that person it interested, I won’t comment,” he said.
Russo said he believes Bhalla will have some difficulty, “but every mayor does, even when they have a base of support in the majority.”
He said, “Dawn got a lot of things passed, but there were a lot of backroom conversations or off-record conversations with council members [about agenda items] that were just as difficult, whether those people supported her or not.”
Ramos said, “We need to look at every agenda item as 0-0 and work on building a consensus if it’s a good idea. We need to move away from the idea of a council majority or minority.”
“If Mayor-Elect Bhalla has a good idea that I agree with, I’ll try and make it happen. If Councilwoman Fisher has a good idea or I have a good idea, I’ll try and make it happen,” said Ramos. “I work with everyone on issues and that’s what the public expects from us. None of this is personal. There was a lot of negativity during the campaign from different directions, but I don’t anticipate anyone putting hurt feelings or anything else before moving a good idea for Hoboken forward.”
He said he wants the next council president to be an individual who brings people together, who hears ideas, and acts as a conduit between the mayor and the council.
When asked if he wants to be the next council president, he said, “I never count my chickens before they hatch.”
One future agenda item that may prove divisive is the city’s negotiations and proposed agreement with Suez over managing the city’s water and aging infrastructure. The agreement proposed by Zimmer’s administration and backed by Bhalla, caused a lot of debate during the mayoral election, as some council members wanted to try and pursue other providers and questioned an unpaid debt.

Will work with everyone

Bhalla said he will work with everyone on the council for the betterment of Hoboken.
When asked who he thought might be the next council president, he said, “Your guess is as good as mine at this point. “
He said he believes a council president needs to “be diligent with respect to his or her duties and cooperative with the administration to identify opportunities for legislation to move Hoboken forward.”
He said he envisions the role of the council president with not only “running a tight ship” but working with the business administrator, council colleagues, the mayor, and department directors to “identify legislation that’s ripe or ready to be brought before the council as a whole.”
When asked if he believes if the council is divided more than before, he said, “I know the council members are first and foremost committed to advancing the interests of the city of Hoboken. As far as majorities on the council, it’s my hope we can move past divisiveness to see where we can work together on a governmental level. I know each councilmember has their own issues that are important to them so I would like to identify what those priorities are and be helpful in advancing their priorities. I don’t see it as having a majority or control of the council. My concern is about understanding priorities and having a constructive working relationship with the council.”
He said that if a time comes in which one of his priorities is not supported by an individual on the council or a majority, “Then it’s incumbent on me to generate support on the council for that priority to be successful.”
Bhalla said that he thinks that he and the council are united in that they all share a common love for Hoboken.
“In regard to repairing relationships or getting over raw feelings, I think its important to realize it’s in the best interest of the community at large for us to turn the page and look toward the future,” said Bhalla.
Bhalla’s swearing in ceremony will be held on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. The location has yet to be announced. The council reorganization meeting will take place Jan. 3 at City Hall at 7 p.m., according to Deputy City Clerk Jerry Lore.
Officials would not confirm which high-level politicians may be attending the swearing ins, although rumors have swirled about Gov. Elect Phil Murphy attending the Jan. 1 event. Murphy is set to be sworn in on Jan. 16.

Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.

NORTH BERGEN BRIEFS

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NORTH BERGEN BRIEFS

North Bergen woman seeks missing cockatiel

A North Bergen woman is seeking assistance in finding her missing 16-year-old cockatiel, who escaped from her home Saturday, July 15. According to Ivelisse Diaz, who resides on 45th Street, the bird escaped from his cage on the house’s second floor that morning, flew through the first floor, and then out the back door.

There, according to Diaz, her greyish cockatiel (who has no name) hovered around her backyard for some time as she tried calling him with bird whistles.

Eventually, the bird perched himself on a tree before taking off in the “general direction” of Secaucus, Diaz said. Since then, she has placed numerous flyers around about the bird, whom she views as a family member.

“The death of his mate two weeks ago may have set him off, she said. “He had less to entertain himself with.”

She noticed that shortly before escaping, he was staying near her more often and observing her going out through the back door.

The cockatiel has a distinctive body appearance, per Diaz. He has no feathers from his chest, all the way to his belly button, she said. Anyone with any information is urged to call Diaz at 212-606-1977.

North Bergen man receives 20 years behind bars for beating WNY girlfriend to death

A judge last Monday sentenced a North Bergen man to 20 years behind bars for his West New York girlfriend’s death, according to NJ.com. The victim leaves behind her now-5-year-old daughter.

Jose B. Ayala, 46, pleaded guilty in April to aggravated manslaughter of Zaray Montenegro, 32, NJ.com reports. Hudson County Superior Court Judge Patrick Arre handed down Ayala’s sentence, the outlet said.

According to the story, Montenegro was found in the back of 6109 Adams St. on Oct 9, 2015, around 6:30 p.m.

Officials reportedly pronounced her dead two and a half hours later. She had sustained massive head injuries and was assaulted with an unknown object, NJ.com said. Officers apprehended Ayala in connection on April 22, 2016.

In court, Ayala apologized to Montenegro’s family, the outlet said.

Ayala must serve 17 years of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole, per the article. The judge also sentenced him to 18 months in prison on another charge. He is said to have 450 days jail credit, which will be applied to his sentence.

Free screenings, food, and giveaways at Health Fair on July 29

Everyone is invited to the free 2017 Health Awareness Fair and barbecue on July 29. Come get free health screenings, including cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, glaucoma, breast exams, dental screenings, and certificates for mammograms, pap tests, and prostate exams.

Free hot dogs, hamburgers, and sodas will be available. Giveaways for kids include supplies for back-to-school. There will also be games, face painting, cotton candy, balloons, and more.

The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 29 at the Gospel Tabernacle, 5029 Kennedy Blvd. For more information call (201) 863-1000 or visit www.gospeltab.org.

Guttenberg to hold Night Out Against Crime

Neighborhoods throughout the Town of Guttenberg are invited to join over 38 million people in 16+ thousand communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.

On Tuesday Aug. 1 from 6 to 9 p.m., neighbors throughout Guttenberg and across the nation are asked to lock their doors, turn on their front porch lights and spend the evening outside with neighbors and law enforcement.

Along with the traditional outside lights and front porch vigils, most cities and towns celebrate National Night Out by hosting block parties, festivals, parades, cookouts and other various community events with safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and exhibits.

National Night Out is co-sponsored locally by Mayor Gerald R. Drasheff, Guttenberg Town Council, Guttenberg Police Department, GSL Savings Bank and Guttenberg Arts.

National Project Coordinator Matt Peskin said, “This is a night for our nation to stand together and promote awareness, safety, and neighborhood unity. National Night Out showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement. When law enforcement and the community work closely together, some amazing things can happen.”

Junior Police spend a week learning about Law Enforcement

The largest class ever to participate in North Bergen’s Junior Police Academy – 32 cadets in total – spent a week learning the ins and outs of fighting crime. The cadets, all entering seventh or eighth grade, went through a crash course in law enforcement from July 10 to 14, experiencing everything from fingerprinting to polygraphs to processing a crime scene. Along the way they met and learned from representatives from the North Bergen P.D., the Port Authority P.D., the Hudson County Corrections Department and Sheriff’s Department. They even spent some time with four-footed officers of the K9 division.

The Junior Police Academy is an intensive five-day course designed to operate like an actual police academy. The goal is to educate select North Bergen students in various police procedures and give them a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to succeed in the profession of law enforcement. Cadets have to apply to participate, and include an essay plus a letter of recommendation from a teacher, principal, or vice principal.

The program places strong emphasis on self-respect, respect of others, teamwork, and commitment to goals. This is accomplished through structured events offered in a fun, informative, and interactive manner. The curriculum consists of educational exercises as well as physical training activities. This is the fifth year that North Bergen has held a Junior Police Academy during the summer.

As part of their training this year’s cadets attended a live fire demonstration at the North Bergen firing range and visited the Hudson County Correctional Center, the NBPD headquarters and evidence locker, the municipal court, the 9/11 memorial in New York, and more. Plus they underwent exhausting “boot camp” physical training and drills, and learned defensive tactics.

The week ended with a celebratory day at the municipal pool, where the cadets were congratulated by Mayor Nicholas Sacco, Commissioners Julio Marenco and Hugo Cabrera, and Freeholder Anthony Vainieri. “Officer Joe” Sitty has coordinated and overseen the JPA since 2013, when Police Chief Robert Dowd instituted the program in North Bergen. Student mentors for this year’s class were Samantha Venagas and Noor Attalah from NBHS, Isabella Shibli from High Tech High, and Joseph Gagliardi from County Prep.

Hudson County CASA is seeking volunteers

Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be at Little City Books at 100 Bloomfield St., Hoboken on Tuesday, July 25 at 7 p.m. Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children.

CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives.

They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures.

For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.

New school funding formula passed with state budget

The state legislature and Gov. Chris Christie agreed on a state budget this month that includes a new school funding formula. Christie signed the budget into law early on the morning of July 4, ending the government shutdown that closed state parks and beaches over the holiday and moved Jersey City’s festival from Liberty State Park to Exchange Place.

Statewide, the new formula would increase school funding by $181 million, with $25 million allocated to expand pre-k and kindergarten. Total state aid to public school districts totals over $9 billion, nearly a third of the overall state budget.

The new budget brings funding to more than 300 of New Jersey’s 584 school districts that have been perpetually underfunded since Christie signed the last funding formula law in 2008. Still, despite the additional funding an estimated $2 billion gap remains between what the law required and the amount that was actually allocated.

Despite many Hudson County politicians’ urge for more funding for urban school districts, not all municipalities in the county will benefit. Jersey City would suffer a two percent reduction, or about $8.4 million.

Hoboken would also lose out to the tune of a 7.7 percent decrease, or about $825,000. Weehawken funding would decrease by about the same percentage.

Meanwhile, Bayonne will receive six percent more than Christie’s “Fairness Formula,” which he introduced earlier this year, much to the chagrin of many urban school districts. Bayonne’s total increase amounts to $3.2 million, a partial but much-needed reprieve from the district’s $6 million budget deficit unearthed in November of 2016.

Union City will get a 1.2 percent increase, or $2.1 million. Secaucus will receive a 13.1 percent increase, or $131,132. Guttenberg will also receive a roughly 13 percent increase for roughly $688,000. North Bergen will receive 2.2 percent, or $1.2 million. West New York will receive a 1.2 percent increase, for about $1.5 million. 

JERSEY CITY BRIEFS

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JERSEY CITY BRIEFS

Second teen dies in hit and run

Alexander Rosas-Flores, the second victim in an Oct. 18 hit and run in the area of Terrace Avenue and Leonard Street in Jersey City, was pronounced dead on Oct. 19, officials said.
Rashaun Bell, the alleged driver of the vehicle. Bell, 20, of Jersey City, has been charged with two counts of knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. Bell turned himself in to authorities on Oct. 20.
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said at approximately 2:30 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department received a report of a person struck by a vehicle. Upon arrival, the responding police officers found two male victims.
The first victim, Elionel Jimenez, 15, of Jersey City, was found on the off ramp of Route 1 & 9 and was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 2:40 p.m. The second victim, Rosas-Flores, 16, also from Jersey City, was found near the Route 1 & 9 northbound roadway below the scene of the accident. The victim was treated at the scene before being transported by Emergency Medical Services to Jersey City Medical Center where he continued to receive treatment for his injuries until Thursday afternoon when he was pronounced dead at approximately 12:05 p.m.
The cause and manner of both deaths are pending an investigation by the Medical Examiner.
During the preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the two victims were riding on a bicycle when they were struck by a gold Nissan Maxima with four occupants. The male driver of the vehicle and the three passengers allegedly abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot after it was driven a short distance from the crash scene.
Two of the passengers returned to the scene and were transported by EMS to Christ Hospital where they were treated for minor injuries and released.
The investigation continues and additional charges are expected.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide Unit of the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County Prosecutor’s official website at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/.
All information will be kept confidential.
The Jersey City school district issued a statement on the accident.
“The Jersey City Public Schools community was shocked by the news that two of our students were victims in a horrific car crash,” the statement said.”Both students attended Dickinson High School and our thoughts are with the families of both young men and with their friends and loved ones who are coping with this tragedy. There were no classes for students (Oct. 19) as it was a professional development day but grief counselors will be at the school tomorrow (Oct. 20.)
Dr. Marcia V. Lyles, superintendent said, “We will do all we can to help our community recover from this devastating loss and to support the students and staff at Dickinson as they cope with these events.”
Speaking on behalf of the school board, President Joel Torres said, “The members of the Jersey City Board of Education are deeply saddened to learn about the tragic accident that occurred yesterday resulting in the loss of life of one of our students and severe injuries to a second student. As we await further details, we would like to send our condolences and prayers to the families impacted by the accident.”

Clarification: Wintner no longer head of Civic JC

In an Oct. 15 story called “Tape scandal rolls on,” Esther Wintner, a candidate for city council, was misidentified as the current director of Civic JC.
“While I am proud of the work I did and honored to have served as president of CivicJC, I resigned my position prior to declaring to run for office,” Wintner said.

Correction: misquote in Battle for Ward E

In a story “Battle for Ward E,” candidate Jake Hudnut was misidentified as “James” in the photo caption. The pullquote on page 10 quotes him as saying, “We need to develop in ways that do not attract people who drive.”
“This is not what I said,” Hudnut said. “I said: ‘We can attract people that want to live here, that want to commute into the city, that don’t bring cars with them.’ That is an important distinction because I went on to say that people who currently have cars won’t be getting rid of them anytime soon.”

Woman murdered; husband arrested

Milagros Rodriguez De Morel, 38, of Jersey City, was stabbed to death in her Duncan Avenue apartment on Oct. 18, said Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, and Jose Morel, 59, her husband was arrested by Jersey City Police Officers at the scene. Jersey City police responded to Duncan Avenue at about 2:15 a.m. on the report that a woman had been stabbed.
The cause and manner of death are pending an investigation by the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
Morel has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. Morel, however, has pled not guilty of the charges.
The Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit is actively investigating the case with assistance from the Jersey City Police Department. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at (201) 915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the prosecutor’s official website at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/.
All information will be kept confidential.

Hudson County CASA is seeking volunteers

Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be held at Little City Books at 100 Bloomfield St., Hoboken, on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures. For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.

Opening reception at Panepinto Galleries

Panepinto Galleries has partnered with Spear Street Capital to showcase more than 70 extraordinary works of art in a group exhibition that explores the theme of an artist’s perception of contemporary life.
There will be an opening reception for the new exhibition space at 70 Hudson St. on Tuesday, Oct. 24, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The exhibit called “Through the Eyes on an Artist” highlighting artwork by 56 artists from Jersey City, Hoboken, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx.
For more information go to www.panepintogalleries.com.

Halloween walk and run for epilepsy

Walkers and runners from throughout the Metropolitan Area are stepping out on Oct. 28 to support kids and adults with epilepsy at the 2017 Glow Walk Run at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The event will include a Family Fun Walk, a 5K USATF sanctioned run, music, information vendors, games, activities, food trucks, and a costume catwalk contest. It benefits the Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey.
Registration will begin at 3 p.m., glow walk will start at 4:15 p.m. and the sanctioned 5K will start at 5:30 p.m. All participants are encouraged to dress up in costumes as there will be trick or treating at the rest stops along the walk route.
The Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey sponsors a medication assistance fund, overnight summer camp, school-based education programs, school nurse trainings, a scholarship program, information and referral line, and community education. 2017 To register for the Glow Walk Run go to www.glowwalkrun.org or call (800) 336-5843.

Domestic violence forum comes to St. Peter’s University

The Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor and the Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership invites the public to an empowerment forum on domestic violence titled “Women Standing Against Violence.” This free event is open to the public and will be held at St. Peter’s University, Dinneen Hall, 2641 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 30. Parking is available at 686 Montgomery St. in Jersey City. Light refreshments will be served.
The forum is being held in October to coincide with Domestic Violence Awareness Month and will feature a guest panel that will explore domestic violence issues and how our society can empower people to fight this serious epidemic.
Panelists will feature Margaret Abrams, WomenRising Inc.; Beth Adubato, assistant professor of Criminal Justice at St. Peter’s University; Pamela Johnson, executive director of Jersey City Anti-Violence Coalition Movement; Najma Rana, assistant prosecutor for the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor; Bertha Reels, Sarah’s Daughters Ministries; and Sarah Davis, administrator of the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women. Additional remarks will be made by Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, State Sen. Sandra Cunningham, guest speaker Cathy DeFazio McBride and Tamika McReynolds from the Jersey City Department of Recreation.
For additional information, contact Roua Mohamed at (201) 761-6049 or rmohamed15@saintpeters.edu.

Bayonne Briefs

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$650K grant for construction of ferry terminal

A proposed passenger ferry terminal in Bayonne took another step forward last week when Mayor James Davis and U.S. Representative Albio Sires announced Bayonne as the recipient of a $650,000 U.S. Department of Transportation grant to help with the construction of a terminal on the former Military Ocean Terminal Base (MOTBY).
The award comes after the city agreed in March to lease a piece of land from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for $2 million over 10 years. The site of the potential ferry would be about a half mile east of the 34th Street Light Rail station on the southern shore of the base.
Then in April, the Bayonne City Council issued a request for proposals for a ferry operator. NY Waterway, the only private ferry operator in Hudson County, is the most likely company to respond.
The grant comes from the USDOT Passenger Ferry Grant program (49 U.S.C. 5307(h)), which, according to the USDOT website, “provides competitive funding for projects that support passenger ferry systems in urbanized areas. These funds constitute a core investment in the enhancement and revitalization of public ferry systems in the nation’s urbanized areas.”
Mayor James Davis said in a press release, “Commuter ferry service is a game changer for Bayonne, and this federal grant is another step forward for our city toward a brighter future with millions in new tax revenue and an opportunity for our community to thrive.”

Plans to move Polish JC statue draws criticism from Davis

A member of the Polish senate went on a Polish radio station last week, calling the effort by Jersey City government to move a 34-foot statue at Exchange Place three blocks away “scandalous.” The statue, erected in 1991, is called the “Katyn Memorial,” and depicts a Polish soldier being stabbed in the back. It memorializes 20,000 Polish victims of a 1940 massacre carried out by the Soviet secret police.
Mayor Steven Fulop, in response, called the senator a “known anti-Semite” and stuck to his guns about his decision to move it three blocks west – the location originally designated in 1986 when it was gifted to Jersey City from Poland.
Meanwhile, Mayor James Davis offered Bayonne as a landing spot for the monument. It wouldn’t be the first time Bayonne would adopt a Jersey City monument. The Teardrop Memorial, gifted to the United States by Russia, was originally planned for Jersey City, but it now it stands as one of Bayonne’s greatest destinations.
“As mayor I would be proud to have it at one of our many wonderful parks, maybe at Rutkowski Park which is named in honor of one of Bayonne’s most prominent Polish-American leaders,” Davis said last week.

Demand is high for industrial space in NJ

The square footage of space for which industrial leases were signed in the first quarter of the year dropped in New Jersey by 27 percent, according to the Wall Street Journal. That doesn’t mean that space is sitting vacant. Quite the opposite. The demand for space is exceeding the supply, and as a result rents have increased by nearly 12 percent, according to the real estate services firm JLL.
That trend is no different in Bayonne, where Ports of America recently sold 90 acres of land on the former Military Ocean Terminal Base, currently occupied by 20th Century-era warehouses, to Lincoln Equities Group for the construction of 1.6 million square feet of new industrial warehouses by 2021. What entity will lease the warehouse is unknown, but the buyer said that it expects 2,700 permanent jobs to come from the site.

After years of fighting Christie, state workers to ratify contract

The 32,000 state employees who are members of the Communications Workers of America, who have been working without a contract since 2015, have ratified a new agreement, according to NJ Advance Media. Hundreds of Bayonne residents are CWA union members. The workers will receive two raises of 2 percent each and retroactive bonuses for longevity that had been withheld by the Christie administration. The contract expires in June 2019, and negotiations are under way for the next deal.

Murphy signs bill allowing property taxes as charitable gifts

Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law on Friday legislation that allows NJ homeowners to treat their property taxes as charitable gifts, according to the Associated Press. The Legislature passed the measure after the federal tax overhaul, which puts a $10,000 cap on property tax deductions, was signed by President Donald Trump.
Under New Jersey’s law, school districts and towns may set up charitable funds to which taxpayers can make donations instead of paying property taxes. The federal tax law does not cap the amount of deductions for charitable gifts.

Port Authority police superintendent abruptly retires

Port Authority Police Superintendent Michael Fedorko retired Monday, a move coming at the same time that his department is under investigation over claims that radio host Rush Limbaugh received a police escort, NJ.com reports. Fedorko, 73, had been the Port Authority’s director of public safety since 2009 and was paid more than $220,000 a year. Edward Cetnar will be acting superintendent. The Port Authority’s inspector general has been investigating reports that Limbaugh was given a rush-hour police escort from Newark Liberty International Airport to a charity gala in Manhattan.

Costco officially signs Bayonne lease

RD Management LLC, one of the nation’s largest privately held real-estate development and management organizations, and partner JMF Properties, a NJ development company specializing in transit-oriented projects, urban retail centers, and commercial office parks, announced a lease signing with Costco Wholesale, the anchor at Harbor Pointe Marketplace.
The development partners broke ground recently on Costco Wholesale, which is scheduled to open in fall 2018 and will include a Costco gas station with 18 gas pumps. The retailer will occupy 150,000 square feet of the 240,000-square-foot property. Residential and additional retail developments are also currently underway nearby.
Currently, Costco Wholesale operates 727 warehouses worldwide and employs more than 200,000 people. During the 2016 fiscal year, the company reported total sales of $116.1 billion.

NJ Attorney General creates unit to investigate data privacy

State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced Monday that his office will have a new unit to investigate Facebook and issues related to data privacy. The unit will be involved in enforcement of laws that protect state residents’ online data privacy.

Open call for artworks

Paul Robeson Galleries at Rutgers University – Newark is seeking proposals from artists whose work uses food as a medium or subject matter.
The 2019 Main Gallery, Express Newark exhibition will center on food as a social, political, and bodily phenomenon. Specifically, the exhibition will consider food as a commodity; the relationship between food, death, sex, and the abject; food’s relationship to global economics and geopolitics; food and its likeness as a medium for artistic experimentation; the food chain and the environmental impacts of food production; and food justice.
The exhibition will be on display January – December 2019 and will be accompanied by a catalog. You must be able to loan your work for that period of time.
Apply online at https://form.jotform.com/81145165793158.

‘Hamilton’ actor Christopher Jackson to deliver the HCCC commencement speech

Christopher Jackson, cast member of the Broadway musical “Hamilton,” will deliver the keynote address to the Hudson County Community College Class of 2018 in its 41st annual graduation ceremony.
The college’s commencement ceremonies will take place on Thursday, May 17 at 6 p.m. at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark.

Playing fast and loose with worker classification

Gov. Murphy has issued an executive order— his 25th — to create a task force to investigate employee misclassification. That’s when companies intentionally misrepresent workers, classifying them as independent contractors rather than fulltime employees, so the companies don’t have to pay social security and unemployment insurance, and the like. According to NJ Spotlight, the practice costs the state an estimated $9 million every year.

Jersey City Bike Tour will roll June 3

Registration is now open for the 9th annual Jersey City Ward Tour & Festival. “Bike around JC, then party with all the bikey people,” reads the press release. The tour, which takes 2,000 riders on a 16-mile route through Jersey City’s six wards, starts on Sunday, June 3, at 11 a.m. at City Hall, 280 Grove St.
Protected by rolling street closures implemented by Jersey City police, riders will make a clockwise loop around the city at a manageable pace (10 mph at the front) with several rest breaks, and finish between 1 and 1:30 p.m. on the Hudson River waterfront near the foot of Second Street.
The tour is presented in partnership with Mayor Steven M. Fulop, the Jersey City Municipal Council, and the Office of Cultural Affairs.
The Finish Line Festival follows all afternoon until 5 p.m. in and around Lutze Biergarten, featuring live music, food and drink, an expo with community/nonprofit organizations, and more.
Registration for the tour is required and is free, with a $5 suggested donation to Bike JC. Riders must be age 12 or older, and must wear helmets. Younger children may be carried securely on an adult’s bike. The tour is rain or shine.
Bike JC is a citizen-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocacy organization that aims to make Jersey City streets welcoming for bicyclists by promoting bike-friendly policies, including protected bike lanes, bicycle education, and traffic law enforcement.

Thousands of NJ Hondurans affected by change in immigration status

An estimated 3,700 Hondurans who live in NJ will have to leave the country by January 2020 after the Trump administration removed their “temporary protected status” on Friday, according to NJ Spotlight.
Hondurans were granted the status after Hurricane Mitch devastated their Caribbean nation in 1998, killing more than 7,000 and leaving 1.5 million homeless. Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen of the Department of Homeland Security said conditions in Honduras had improved enough to remove the temporary protected status.

State A.G. asks Weehawken to lift ban on out-of-town residents making right turn

NJ Atty. General Gurbir Grewal’s office recently sent Weehawken a letter, asking the town to not enforce a turning ban against out-of-town motorists until the state Department of Transportation completes a review of the area.
The ban had prohibited nonresidents from making a right turn onto Pleasant Avenue from Hackensack Plank Road, weekdays from 3-7 p.m. The town issued the ban because they say non-residents frequently use the turn as a shortcut to Route 495 and parts west. This, officials argued, caused traffic clogs and upset residents.
The letter requested a sit-down with the town and the state Department of Transportation over the ban. Town officials met with the DOT and gave them a tour of the area, Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner said. The state agency is currently working on a plan to alleviate traffic at the intersection without needing the ban, Turner said.
Until then, officers are holding traffic at the turn until the intersection is clear, instead of enforcing the ban. However, the mayor says that traffic has greatly improved since the restriction, as nonresidents are using other streets to get around. Officers have yet to issue a ticket.
“I think they understand the problem,” Turner said of DOT efforts to fix it.

JERSEYCITY BRIEFS

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Dickinson brawl leaves one stabbing victim

A brawl that apparently involved dozens of students at Dickinson High School on April 6 required the Jersey City police to use pepper spray, police officials said.

The incident happened just after school let out and included other smaller fights as well.

A police officer, alerted to a possible fight planned for after school near Palisades Avenue, saw the students gathering near the corner as fights spilled out into oncoming traffic.

The school district issued a statement on April 6 regarding the event, saying that one student had been stabbed, but had not suffered serious injury.

“The incident did not occur on school property and does not appear to have originated in the school,” the release said. “The Jersey City Police Department responded quickly and is investigating the incident. School staff is working with police in their investigation and in helping ensure student safety. Police have been, and will continue to be, visible and responsive in the area and have been on special patrols each day since the fight.”

School officials said Dickinson High School has been working to develop programs to help address issues in the community that periodically impact on the school and lead to incidents like the one that occurred Monday.

“The school has anti-violence student groups and anti-bullying programs as well as mentoring programs that develop student leadership and provide social, emotional and academic supports. The school is currently developing a program that will help students deal with conflicts constructively and which will also provide support to the larger community. The conflicts amongst students at Dickinson are part of larger issues facing the city as a whole. The District welcomes the opportunity to work with the City Council, the Jersey City Police Department and other concerned residents to help deescalate the violence that is impacting young people across the city.”

Ten percent of future tax abatements to go to schools

Mayor Steven Fulop announced Wednesday that he signed an executive order that will dedicate 10 percent of the revenue from future property tax abatements to the Jersey City public schools, with the revenue being shared through an unrestricted transfer of funds at the end of each calendar year.

“For the past four years, we worked on correcting the fiscal mismanagement and structural deficit that we inherited from past administrations, and were able to deliver four consecutive years of no tax increases and three consecutive credit upgrades,” said Mayor Fulop. “With the city’s fiscal house on solid footing, we believe now is the right time set the standard that tax abated properties contribute to the Board of Education to relieve the burden on all of our city taxpayers.”

“The success of Jersey City can be seen in the growth of our school population, with families staying in Jersey City and educating their children in our public schools,” added Mayor Fulop. 

The administration analyzed a formula from Rutgers University that estimates the number of children expected per each tax abated high rise building, while also taking into account past examples in practice.

Using the high end of that projection, 25 percent of the units would send children to the school system, which is a very high estimate. Using a formula that determines the amount of each abated project’s impact on city services, and factoring in 25 percent of the units using the schools, the city rounded upwards to 10 percent for the revenue to be shared with the public schools.

The executive order also includes revenue on tax abated commercial hotel properties, even though those buildings do not contribute to the school population or add to its operating costs.

Christ Hospital offers Lunch & Learn Program on Lung Disease

CarePoint Health-Christ Hospital will offer a free program about dealing with lung disease as part of its Lunch & Learn Series on Wednesday, April 12 from noon to 1 p.m. at Christ Hospital.

Join health care professionals for a free healthy lunch and learn about ways to manage diseases of the heart and lungs, such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The program will include information about proper nutrition and medications.

Those wishing to attend should register by emailing Holly.Goroff@CarePointHealth.org or Nancy.Aleman@CarePointHealth.org by April 10.

Christ Hospital is located at 176 Palisade Ave., Jersey City.

JCMC 2017 leader in LGBTQ healthcare equality

For the fourth consecutive year, Jersey City Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, has been recognized as a 2017 Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. This designation was reported in the 10th edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), reflecting on a decade of progress in LGBTQ healthcare.

According to a media release from the hospital, “Jersey City Medical Center earned top marks in meeting non-discrimination and training criteria that demonstrate a commitment to equitable, inclusive, and compassionate care for LGBTQ patients and their families, who often face significant challenges in securing the medical care they need and deserve.

“To earn this recognition, RWJUH reached a set of LGBTQ-inclusive benchmarks from the HRC Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index, an annual survey that encourages equal care for the LGBTQ community Americans by evaluating inclusive policies and practices related to patients, visitors and employees.”

A total of 590 healthcare facilities participated in the HEI 2017 survey, during which the HRC Foundation also researched policies at more than 900 non-participating hospitals.

“As part of its commitment to promote LGBTQ health equity and access to care,” the hospital’s statement said, “Jersey City Medical Center has created several policies and programs addressing issues facing this community.”

These include adding gender confirming surgery and hormonal drug therapy to its employee benefits plan; policies to ensure that same sex spouses are entitled to the same benefits as different sex spouses; a gender transitioning policy for any employee who would like to transition their gender, and LGBTQ training during new employee orientation.

The hospital offers an LGBTQ webpage and provides same sex partners/spouses with equal visitation rights and the right to be designated as a medical decision maker. In addition, patients are assigned to a hospital room and use the restroom based on their gender identity. JCMC also has LGBTQ representation on various boards throughout the hospital and has hired an LGBTQ advocate for patients and employees. The medical center is also establishing a community advisory board.

HCCC nursing program graduates rank in state’s top ten

The state Board of Nursing/National Council of State Boards of Nursing posting of pass rates for nursing school graduates who have taken the National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) for the first time has shown that 93.75 percent of graduates of the CarePoint Health School of Nursing at Hudson County Community College passed first time out.

A statement from CarePoint said this places the program in the top 10, both for passing rates among all New Jersey Registered Nursing programs and among all New Jersey associate-degree, Registered Nursing programs.

NCLEX is a standardized test that each state board uses to determine whether or not a graduate is prepared for entry-level nursing. The NCLEX covers categories of patient needs such as: safe, effective care environment; health promotion and maintenance; psychological integrity; and physiological integrity.

The CarePoint/HCCC Nursing Program offers an Associate of Science degree that prepares graduates to be eligible for the state licensure examination required for registered nurses. The college has scheduled an open house on Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the College’s Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk St. Jersey City.

The $25 application fee will be waived for those who apply to the college at the event.

Additional information about the HCCC Open House and the RSVP is available online at www.hccc.edu/openhouse.

St. Joseph’s spring luncheon will be April 23

St. Joseph’s (Jersey City) Rosary Society’s annual spring luncheon will be on Sunday, April 23, 2017 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Liberty House Restaurant, 10 Audrey Zapp Drive, Jersey City. Tickets can be purchased by calling Maryann Greiner at (201) 653-0392 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $40 for an adult and $25 for children under 12. Lunch will include a salad, entree, dessert, soda, coffee and tea.

County accepts grant for injury prevention

The Board of Freeholders at its March 22 meeting authorized the county to apply for and accept a $62,000 grant, if awarded, from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety for the 2018 Hudson County Safe Communities Project, to be administered by the Jersey City Medical Center Barnabas Health.

The purpose of the grant is to partner with other agencies to support the development of injury prevention programs and services leading to a reduction in injuries and deaths resulting from motor vehicle and bicycle accidents.

Christ Hospital Offering Lunch & Learn Program on Lung Disease

CarePoint Health-Christ Hospital is offering a free program about dealing with lung disease as part of its Lunch & Learn Series on Wednesday, April 12 from noon to 1 p.m. at Christ Hospital.

Join health care professionals for a free healthy lunch and learn about ways to manage diseases of the heart and lungs, such as congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The program will include information about proper nutrition and medications.

Those wishing to attend should register by emailing Holly.Goroff@CarePointHealth.org or Nancy.Aleman@CarePointHealth.org by April 10.

Christ Hospital is located at 176 Palisade Ave., Jersey City.

CarePoint Health hospitals recognized

Jersey Magazine and Castle Connolly Group recently named all of the CarePoint Health hospitals among the top ten in the state of New Jersey, according to a press release from CarePoint.

“CarePoint Health is the only system in Hudson County to have all of its hospitals named among the top ten in the state,” said the release.

 CarePoint Health-Bayonne Medical Center was named number two overall in the state among hospitals with fewer than 350 beds and CarePoint Health-Hoboken University Medical Center was named number six in that category. CarePoint Health-Christ Hospital was named number eight among hospitals with more than 350 beds.

 ”We are extremely proud that all CarePoint Health hospitals have been awarded such prestigious honors,” said Jeff Mandler, CEO of CarePoint Health. “We take great pride in providing excellence in healthcare, and to have all of our hospitals named among the top ten in New Jersey illustrates our commitment to providing the best care in the region.”

“These rankings confirm what we see every day in the hospitals—that our physicians put the needs of their patients first and are committed to high quality, coordinated care,” said CarePoint Health Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Nizar Kifaieh. “This recognition is particularly meaningful as it comes from our peers in the physician community.”

CarePoint Health hospitals were also recognized as leaders in the treatment of breast cancer (Bayonne, Christ, Hoboken), prostate cancer (Bayonne, Christ, Hoboken), congestive heart failure (Bayonne, Christ, Hoboken), strokes (Christ, Hoboken), neurological disorders (Hoboken), and hip and knee repairs (Hoboken).

CarePoint Health-Bayonne Medical Center was rated No. 1 in the state for treatment of breast cancer, prostate cancer, and congestive heart failure.

Doctors were invited, directly and through a variety of means, to participate in an online survey that ran November to December 2016. More than 3,000 doctors throughout the state were reached by email and fax, including Castle Connolly-rated top doctors and physicians who participated in the online survey for Inside Jersey’s Top Hospitals 2016 feature.

Quitting the Board of Education

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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Quitting the Board of Education

After two members left recently, the nine-member Hoboken Board of Education hopes to appoint someone new during their next meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

Hoboken Board of Education Trustee Irene Sobolov resigned from her seat on the board in September. That same month, the board appointed local mom Joyce Simons to fill the seat that Elizabeth Walker had left in late July. Walker had only been there since her appointment in January to replace another member.

Both Sobolov and Walker said they were leaving for personal reasons.

Sobolov had served on the Board of Education for the past nine years and was reelected to her position during this past municipal election in November.

According to Sobolov’s resignation letter sent to Board President Thomas Kluepfel, she has “increased family and personal commitments” that now require her full attention.

“In my nine year tenure on the board, I have always strived to commit 100 percent focus to my board service and unfortunately, that is no longer possible,” states the letter. “Although I regret having to vacate my position, I believe it is what is best for my family and the Hoboken BOE to make room for someone with more time to devote to the position.”

The newly appointed trustee would serve for the remainder of her term that expires in January 2020.

The board has three other seats up for election on Nov. 6. Five candidates are running: Patricia Waiters, Ailene McGuirk, and a slate of Thomas Kluepfel, John Madigan, and Malani Cademartori.

As for Simons, she will serve as a trustee for the next three months until the term of Elizabeth Walker expires in January.

Simons a 10-year resident, is a stay-at-home mom whose two children attend Wallace School. She said she wanted to be appointed to the board to support Superintendent Dr. Christine Johnson.

“I felt it was important to stand up and give back,” said Simons. “Even if it’s only for three months.”

To fill the remaining open seat, whose term will run until January 2020, residents may submit a one-page resume and/or a one-page letter expressing their interest and qualifications for the position to board secretary and business administrator William Moffitt by 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 9. Applications can be delivered by hand or mailed to 158 Fourth St. in Hoboken, or emailed to candidates@hoboken.k12.nj.us.

Since the date is after the election, it’s conceivable that a candidate who does not win the race can apply as well.

Segregation concerns

During the Oct. 9 meeting of the board, Union City Resident Courtney Wicks raised several concerns about the district, specifically arguing that there is racial discrimination and that students are not college-ready.

For the last few years, parents have complained that most of the minority population attend one elementary school, while the rest appear “segregated.” This year, the district tried to make sure the incoming kindergarten classes were matched based on location, siblings, and the needs of the student. In February Superintendent Dr. Christine Johnson said that initial school placements have “between a 25 to 30 percent minority footprint range and a 70 to 75 percent non-minority footprint range. And all schools upon initial placement have a 19 to 25 percent economically disadvantaged footprint.”

“Connors Elementary School is the Jim Crow school and the middle and high schools uses classroom segregation and racial tracking,” said Wicks. Johnson denied that there was racial tracking in the school district.

Wicks  said the district is also “cooking the books” on high school graduation rates by “abusing credit recovery and summer school to pass kids along from grade to grade.

“That allegation is false and disrespectful to every student who chooses not to give up and to try again,” said Johnson in an email. “Hoboken High School requires 130 credits to graduate, even though the state requirement is only 120 credits. The progress that we have been made in the area of graduation rates is something that our district is very proud of. We had one student this school year that utilized summer school to graduate in August. The state of New Jersey, as well as school districts across the nation, have implemented many strategies to help students successfully pass classes. Just like in other districts, Hoboken High School provides students with extra help in the form of tutoring.”

Monthly recognitions

During the meeting, the district recognized the students and staff of the month for September. Each student received a certificate from either their principal or Assistant Superintendent Sandra Rodriguez-Gomez.

Second grader Magnus Peterka was a student of the month at Brandt. Sixth grader Serenity Perez was the Calabro student of the month. Second grader Aaron Bishop was the Connors student of the month. At Wallace, second grade student Tyler Smith was the student of the month.

The Hoboken Middle School student of the month was seventh grader Alexa Bracero and the Hoboken High School student of the month was Senior Da Xia Serrano.

The September staff members of the month were Melissa Gerson, a sixth-grade teacher at Connors, and Tatiana Meza, a district-wide ESL teacher.

SIDEBAR

Patricia Waiters hopes to win school board seat 

Local activist and mom Patricia Waiters is running to become a trustee for the Hoboken Board of Education during the Nov. 6 municipal elections. On Oct. 4, the Hoboken Reporter ran the cover story “Meet the candidates” which profiled four candidates, but mistakenly stated Waiters had dropped out of the race based on comments Waiters had made about having been hired as a district security guard. However, Waiters, who started the part-time security guard position last weekend, can still run for Board of Education. If she wins a seat, she must quit the job.

Waiters, a mom and aunt of several district students, said in an interview last week that if she wins a board seat, she’ll quit the $12-per-hour security slot, as thousands of people are counting on her to represent the children.

“I would never take that job over the Board of Education,” said Waiters. “There are 3,000 people who would vote for me. I would not let those people down.”

Waiters said she applied in 2011 for a slot, and only got hired over the summer.

She said that she was frustrated because it “looks like a bribe” not to run, but the administrator who talked to Waiters assured her that interviewing her now was “not political.”

Waiters is running independently for the seat, as is resident Ailene McGuirk. The other three candidates are running as a slate: Incumbent Thomas Kluepfel, incumbent John Madigan, and Malani Cademartori.

The school board consists of nine members who serve three-year terms.

The board oversees the district’s public schools and a $73.6 million budget.

‘People over politics’

Waiters has lived in Hoboken since the late 1960s. She is active in the community and has been on the district’s  Early Childhood Committee for the past three years. She has run unsuccessfully for various positions in town, including freeholder, and school board member.

She has three children, all of whom attended Hoboken public schools. Her youngest son is now a sophomore at Hoboken Charter School. He also had attended Hoboken High School. She also had various nieces and nephews that she cared for who attended Hoboken public schools.

Waiters said she wants to serve on the school board for a number of reasons, including to create and ensure the adherence to local and state policies, as well as help address segregation concerns in the district and ensure equality.

“Number one, I’m a fighter,” she said. “For 10 years I’ve been running for the board. This is me, people need to know I’ve been there 10 years win or lose and I’ll fight for them whether I’m a board member or not.  I know that it’s very important that our kids have equality. I want to focus on policies on the state and local level.”

She said its important that the board has some minority representation and that she will represent all of the children in Hoboken.

Waiters said that four times, seats have become available on the board. She applied each time, and every time the board chose someone else, even though she “is more than qualified. I never miss a board meeting.”

She said minority parents often don’t come to board meetings because of this lack of representation.

“I try to get the parents out to join the committees,” said Waiters. ”They don’t come out and they feel like they’re not wanted, and that their kids don’t count. Around election time, board members come down to the Housing Authority, but then they disappear.”

She said something that distinguishes her from other candidates is her commitment and involvement.

“Even though I don’t have the title, I advocate for every kid with respect to education,” said Waiters. “I’m at every meeting.”

She said her slogan is “people before politics” and that although she is running independently, “I don’t want to run independently. I am willing to work with anyone and everyone.”

She said slates don’t include her because she doesn’t bow to political bosses or have as much financial backing as others.

She said if elected to the board she will address segregation issues and issues of equality through changing school placement and the lottery system as it still leaves room for segregation at both the charter schools and the other district schools.

She noted that most of the African American and Hispanic children are in Connors and Hoboken High School.

She said she would give the power back to the people by moving to allow them to vote on the school budget. Due to the Board of Education’s 2012 decision to move the school election to November, a public vote on the school budget is not required by New Jersey State law. The Board of Education is still required to go out for a budget vote if it exceeds the 2 percent local tax levy.

JERSEY CITY BRIEFS

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JERSEY CITY BRIEFS

Prosecutor seeks help identifying dead infant

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez is asking the public to help identify an infant found dead on the PATH train tracks near Journal Square on April 11.
At about 12:30 p.m., the Port Authority Police Department received a report of suspected human remains being recovered near the train tracks underneath the Tonnelle Avenue Bridge, just off Broadway in Jersey City.
Human remains were found in a suitcase by a Port Authority employee during a routine inspection. A preliminary report by the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office (RMEO) has revealed that the infant was a Hispanic or African-American female, approximately 10-months-old.
The findings as to the cause and manner of death are pending a determination by the RMEO. The Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit is actively investigating this case with the help of the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office and Port Authority Police Department.
Investigators are urging anyone with information about this incident or anyone who remembers seeing something suspicious in this area to contact the Prosecutor’s Homicide Unit at (201) 915- 1345 or leave an anonymous tip on the prosecutor’s website at http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/. All information will be kept confidential.

Hudson County launches online ‘Homeless Services Navigator’

Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise announced that the Hudson County Division of Housing and Community Development has gone live with a new “Homeless Services Navigator” page on the county website, www.hudsoncountynj.org today. The new page may found at this link: http://hudsoncountyhomeless.com.
Residents experiencing or faced with the prospect of homelessness or their friends and families can, with a mobile device, choose “Homeless Services Navigator” from the county’s mobile homepage “Quicklinks,” to see the link to the Homelessness Services Navigator. The same one-click process is available from a desktop computer.
The Homeless Services Navigator offers a wide range of services, including an explanation of how to connect with homeless shelters, and an explanation of eligibility for services. A “Services” tab then provides a list of services with full contact information (phone and email) available for those facing homelessness provided by the Hudson County Alliance to End Homelessness listed in alphabetical order and a map showing where these services are in relation to the person’s current location so they can “navigate” their way to help.
The list of services can be narrowed with an editable checklist with categories like “Domestic Violence Services” or “Emergency Food Assistance” to reduce scrolling. The “Services” page also allows a user to narrow their search by age for, say, appropriate services for teens rather than seniors.
Those concerned about homeless policy matters can find the Twitter feed for both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Interagency Council Homelessness on the navigator main page. A “Downloads” section provides .pdf files with homelessness resource guides for all residents, youth and veterans in Spanish and English that can be printed.
The Homelessness Services Navigator will be updated and expanded regularly as new services and information for those seeking them become available. To learn more about affordable housing and homelessness prevention efforts in Hudson County, contact the Hudson County Division of Housing and Community Development at (201) 369-4520. If you believe an additional resource should be added to Navigator, please email Katelyn Cunningham kcunningham@hcnj.us

City moves ahead with $8.6 million repaving plan and pothole repair

Mayor Steven M. Fulop has announced a multi-million road repair plan for 2018, which will begin with an aggressive pothole fill schedule followed by a major repaving effort citywide. The Department of Public Works (DPW) has deployed additional crews beginning this week in an effort to fill many of the city’s potholes that have been caused by the harsh winter season, a problem that has been exacerbated by the frequent snowfalls and street salting.
“Our crews are working day after day to repair our city streets, focusing on short-term solutions such as pothole filling, as well as large-scale street resurfacing in every ward,” said Mayor Fulop. “We are committed to maintaining the quality of our city’s vast network of roads throughout the year, but continue to look towards spring to focus on an extensive repair of damage caused by winter weather. We are on the ground and ready to get our streets back in shape.”
The city has planned a $500,000 pothole repair program, reflecting an increase in funding that will extend the program until June and increase the efficiency of filling. Two of DPW’s traditional pothole filling machines will be operating on a consistent basis during this time, each with the capacity to put down five tons of asphalt in a day. In addition, the city has contracted the use of ‘Pothole Killer’ machines, which have the capacity to fill 10 tons of asphalt a day with extended hours of operation. All pothole repair machines will be working simultaneously, allowing the city to take an aggressive approach to road repairs.
These repairs have been strategically planned, with trucks beginning on the North and South borders of the city, and working towards Journal Square, and a third truck moving west from the waterfront.
The city will also begin the first of several major road resurfacing projects, which will begin with portions of Bergen Avenue, Duncan Avenue, and Johnston Avenue, several blocks in Journal Square, and the entire stretch of Martin Luther King Drive. These projects will be completed during the next six months and will include paving, intersection improvements, ramp improvements, and general restoration.

Jersey City hosts 3rd Annual ‘Great Jersey City Clean Up’ Event

The Jersey City Department of Public Works and Keep America Beautiful have partnered to host the Great Jersey City Clean Up, the third annual citywide clean up event. The event will be held at various locations citywide from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 28 as part of the city’s Earth Day activities with the hope to mobilize residents, civic organizations, community leaders and elected officials to roll up their sleeves and help clean Jersey City on a single day.
The cleanup will take place in each ward: Ward A: Audubon Park; Ward B: Lincoln Park (Westside and Belmont); Ward C: Journal Square Plaza (By Fountain); Ward D: Riverview Park; Ward E: Enos Jones Park; and Ward F: Arlington Park.
Breakfast will be served for volunteers, as well as giveaways, and information on city agencies. Gloves, litter grabbers, brooms, and dustpans will be provided. However, if an organization already has equipment the city highly recommends it use it.
The city encourages anyone who is interested in learning more to attend a volunteer meeting on April 19 at the Hank Gallo Center in Lincoln Park at 6:30 p.m.
To register please visit https://volunteer.jerseycitynj.gov/opportunities/5043 or call the RRC: (201) 547-4900.

New Jersey Audubon to celebrate 35 years of the ‘World Series of Birding’

Anyone involved in the “World Series of Birding” agrees: It’s an exhilarating way to spend 24 hours.
Great local spots are the Cape May Bird Observatory, Cape May Point State Park, or the NJ Audubon Hoffman Sanctuary in Bernardsville, or Sandy Hook, Armstrong noted. There is also a separate competition for children, from grades 1-5, grades 6-8 and grades 9-12.
For a full list of competitions, and for further information, visit http://worldseriesofbirding.org/.

HCCC to celebrate Earth Day with an urban environment lecture

Hudson County residents and community members are invited to learn about the challenges of healthy living in urban areas at a free lecture and environmental presentation at Hudson County Community College (HCCC). The event, which is being held to coincide with Earth Day, will take place on Thursday, April 19 beginning at 10 a.m. at the Dineen Hull Gallery Atrium located on the top floor at 71 Sip Ave. in Jersey City across the street from the Journal Square PATH Transportation Center.
The event is part of the HCCC Department of Cultural Affairs’ “HCCC Spotlight” series, which highlights HCCC faculty and community members of high achievement, and includes panel discussions, lectures, and a variety of community-minded programs.
The April 19 event will be moderated by HCCC Coordinator of Sociology and Anthropology Dr. Nabil Marshood and will feature a special guest speaker, New York University Professor Dr. Kristen Day, whose research and teaching explore issues of health and well-being in urban environments, with a focus on social justice. Dr. Day, who received her Ph.D. in Architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is active in research on planning and design for physical activity. Her current research examines features of urban environments that are associated with decreased physical activity and increased obesity, and behavioral responses to air pollution in rapidly growing cities in China.
Additionally, HCCC Environmental Studies students will give a presentation about the challenges of gentrification in an urban setting. Gentrification is the controversial process of renovating deteriorating urban neighborhoods for middle class tastes, often coming at the cost of displacing poor and low-income residents. The presentation will be led by HCCC Professor Jamie San Andres.
Following the lecture, those in attendance are invited to visit the Benjamin J. Dineen, III and Dennis C. Hull Gallery, also on the sixth floor, to view James O’Shea’s contemporary deconstructed painted landscapes of Hudson, N.Y., which are on loan from the Carrie Haddad Gallery.
Additional information on this free event may be obtained by phoning the Department of Cultural Affairs at (201) 360-4182 or emailing gallery@hccc.edu.

Jersey City resident to perform in Verismo Opera’s ‘Turandot

The New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera announces bass-baritone Roland Burks of Jersey City will perform the role of Timur in the company’s grand production of Giacomo Puccini’s dramatic fairy tale, “Turandot.”
A resident of Jersey City, Burks is a professional opera singer and teacher, often traveling around the world to perform and teach.
Set in China, the opera will be performed on April 22 at 3 p.m. at the Bergen Performing Arts Center, located at 30 North Van Brunt St. in Englewood.
Burks, who has performed numerous roles in opera, oratorio, musical theater, and concert both in the United States and abroad, has sung with New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, and Pittsburg Opera Theater. He has also performed with the Center for Contemporary Opera in New York City, Phoenix Symphony, Mercury Opera in Edmonton, and many others. Burks has appeared as the lead in Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd,” Frank Maurrant in Weill’s “Street Scene,” Tonio in Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci,” and the Four Villains in Offenbach’s “Tales of Hoffman,” as well as Cesare Angelotti in Verismo Opera’s “Tosca.”
Tickets are on sale at bergenPAC’s box office, located at 30 North Van Brunt St., Englewood, or by calling (201) 227-1030 or toll-free at 1-888-PACSHOW. They may also be purchased online at www.bergenpac.org.

St. Dominic Academy to hold open house

Saint Dominic Academy, Jersey City will host its Spring Open House for those interested in all grades 7-12 on Wednesday, May 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. The event will feature club and athletic demonstrations, including a performance by the award-winning Dominoes, presentations by academic departments and the administration, tours of the school and complete information about the application and admissions process for all grades 7-12, including transfers.
Information will also be available about Summer Enrichment programs for rising 8th and 9th graders (including HSPT Prep) as well as the Summer Rising Leaders Program for girls entering grades 4-7.
It is located in an historic building at 2572 Kennedy Blvd. in Jersey City, on the internet at www.stdominicacad.com, and on Instagram and Twitter both @SaintDomAcademy.

Senate passes minor marriage bill

A bill sponsored by state Senators Nellie Pou, Loretta Weinberg and Sandra Cunningham barring anyone under the age of 18 from marrying in New Jersey was passed by the Senate on April 12. This was a bill previously vetoed by former Gov. Christopher Christie.
The bill, S-427, would bar the issuance of marriage or civil union licenses to all persons under the age of 18 regardless of parental or judicial consent.
Under current law, marriage or civil union licenses may not be issued to minors under the age of 18 unless a parent or guardian consents. If the minor is under the age of 16, a judge of the Superior Court, Chancery Division, must also consent to the marriage or civil union.
The genesis for this legislation was media reports discussing the negative effects of marriage on young women, including a perceived or actual reduction in health, education and economic opportunities.
“This legislation is about preserving basic human rights,” said Sen. Cunningham (D-Hudson). “It may be hard for some to believe that forced marriages are happening in the United States, but they are and they happen far too often for unjust reasons. Our job as lawmakers is to protect all our residents, and that protection doesn’t begin when they turn 18. This is about protecting our young people and not putting them in an environment that could cause undue harm.”

Harborside will hold Jersey City Craft Beer Festival

Harborside will once again host the Jersey City Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, April 21.
The festival will feature an eclectic local assortment of over 150 beer and cider varieties. Guests will enjoy a plethora of craft beer samples paired with live entertainment, food, interactive games and views of the beautiful NYC skyline from Harborside’s Atrium. For tickets for the two available sessions (1 to 4:30 p.m. and 6 to 9:30 p.m.) and additional information on admission go to Jerseycitybeerfest.com.

Bayonne Briefs

Rory Pasquariello, Staff Writer
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Bayonne Briefs

Free Thanksgiving meal at Friendship Baptist Church

Friendship Baptist Church, 41-45 West 20th St., will be serving free Thanksgiving meals on Thursday, November 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friendship Baptist Church of Bayonne has been feeding the surrounding communities for the past few years. To have a free dinner delivered, call the church at (201) 437-3233.

Controlled implosion on MOTBY scheduled for Nov. 30

A water tower and smoke stack at the former Military Ocean Terminal Base (MOTBY) will be demolished on Friday, Nov. 30 at 10 a.m. to make way for the redevelopment of 1.6 million square feet of industrial warehouse space. Lincoln Equities Group purchased 153 acres of property in June for this purpose.

The public will not be permitted inside the security zone, which will surround the demolition site.

Man arrested in connection with report of shot fired

A police investigation into reports of a single shot fired in the area of 19th Street at 11 a.m. on Nov. 8 resulted in the arrest of a 31-year-old Bayonne resident, who was found with a .223 caliber assault rifle and a modified AK-47, and a 30-round magazine in his 19th Street home, according to the Bayonne Police Department.

Trash dispute inquiry finds no wrongdoing

An internal affairs investigation into a complaint that Bayonne police officers allegedly showed up at a man’s home at midnight concerning the placement of his trash cans found no wrongdoing on the officers’ part.

The complaint was filed in September after an argument between two households over when and where garbage should be taken out for pickup. The resident who filed the complaint, Ron Patti, said that officers questioned him about the trash cans and alleged that his neighbor, a police officer, summoned the other officers and that he received a letter in October stating the investigation was complete. The Bayonne Police Department declined to comment.

Bayonne City Council to appoint First Ward Council representative

The Bayonne City Council hopes to call a special meeting before Thanksgiving to appoint a replacement for former First Ward Councilman Tommy Cotter, who resigned after being appointed as Director of Public Works for the city. City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski said that 18 people submitted applications for the position; the council is narrowing down their choices. Many believe the appointment will be Neil Carroll, the grandson of Neil Carroll,former Hudson County Executive and chief of staff for four congressmen in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 1960s to the 1980s.

Hoboken mayor releases study citing Bayonne as top alternative for dry dock

Hoboken’s Mayor Ravi Bhalla said NY Waterway would locate their ferry maintenance and refueling facility at the former Union Dry Dock site on the Hoboken waterfront “over my dead body” during a press conference on Tuesday, Nov. 13.

The press conference was held to publicly release the results of a study that ranks alternative sites for NY Waterway to house their ferry maintenance and refueling operations.

Last November, NY Waterway bought the former Union Dry Dock site along the city’s northern waterfront for $11.5 million. They want to use the site for the repair, refueling, and maintenance of its large commuter ferry fleet, which brings commuters between New York and the New Jersey waterfront. The city has stated that they want the land for public open space.

The engineering study conducted by Boswell Engineering on behalf of the city analyzed 24 sites where the ferry facility could be located.

Of the top five, Union Dry Dock places fourth, following Binghamton Ferry in Edgewater at third place, Bayonne Peninsula in Bayonne at second place, and Hoboken South at the Lackawanna Terminal in downtown Hoboken as the top choice to locate.

Bhalla urged NJ Transit, Gov. Phil Murphy, and NY Waterway to consider the study as NJ Transit conducts their own alternative site analysis, and to work collaboratively with the city.

American Legion Bayonne Post 19 holds coat drive for homeless veterans

This November, the American Legion Bayonne Post 19 will hold its third coat drive for homeless veterans after last year’s drive saw 50 coats donated. Post 19 teamed up with Community Hope, a Parsippany-based nonprofit organization that provides housing and services to the homeless and unsheltered in the state. New Jersey has an estimated 7,000 to 8,000 homeless veterans.

American Legion Post 19 is asking for clean coats for both adults and children. For more information, contact Mike Wilson at American Legion Bayonne Post 19 at (201) 858-9349.

“In the military, we honor a longstanding tradition to never leave a soldier behind and to retrieve our wounded and bring them home,” said Mike Wilson of the American Legion Bayonne Post 19. “We continue this tradition each and every day by supporting and aiding our veterans. Our homeless veterans are our most vulnerable; they have unfortunately fallen through the cracks and are in desperate need of assistance. To have served our country and become homeless is not only unconscionable, it is a national tragedy.”

For more information, contact Mike Wilson at American Legion Bayonne Post 19 at (201) 858-9349.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop changes position on Katyn Statue

Bayonne’s many Polish residents have been watching with interest the fate of the Katyn Statue in Jersey City. In a reversal that has confused a number of members of the Jersey City Council, Mayor Steven Fulop has announced that he will oppose moving the Katyn Memorial from Exchange Place. The monument commemorates the 1940 massacre of some 20,000 Polish citizens by the Soviet Union.

Earlier this year, Fulop supported the plan to move the statue from Exchange Place two blocks south to York Street. But opponents of the plan collected enough signatures on a petition to force the city council to either rescind the ordinance they adopted in June to move the statue, or allow the issue to get put on a ballot for a vote at a special election scheduled for Dec. 13.

The council in September voted to let the public decide.

Fulop has asked the council to reconsider this and to void the ordinance instead.

His decision is tied to a plan to establish a payroll tax in Jersey City as part of an effort to make up for lost state aid to the school district. The district is expected to lose $175 million over the next five years.

If the city allows the Katyn referendum to go to a special election on Dec. 13, by law the city will have to wait until next November to put the payroll tax referendum on the ballot. If the council rescinds its ordinance for moving the statue, the referendum for the payroll tax can be voted on at the Dec. 13 special election instead.

“The mayor did the right thing, being that the state law only allows one referendum in a year and as a result, given the choice between a Katyn Statue park vs. funding the schools forever, the mayor will always side with the schools, even if it means walking away from the statue initiative,” said city spokesperson, Ashley Manz in a statement. “The mayor’s goal is protecting our Jersey City schools and making sure that corporations pay their fair share in support of Jersey City’s children.”

A divided council voted to add the measure to the Nov. 20 meeting agenda. While Councilman Richard Boggiano opposes moving the statue, he said he opposed rescinding the ordinance, fearing Fulop would seek to move the statute at a later date.

PATH allows cellphone service in underground stations

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced on Nov. 6 the start of cellphone service in underground PATH stations. Phased-in connectivity from major cell phone carriers will continue over the course of the rest of the year and into early 2019. As of Nov. 6, AT&T and T-Mobile cellular service is available in PATH’s New York underground stations. The AT&T and T-Mobile cell service will expand to New Jersey’s PATH stations in the next three weeks. Verizon Wireless and Sprint customers will see system-wide cellular service in both New York and New Jersey’s underground PATH stations early next year.

Ruling could erase 20,000 drunk driving convictions

The New Jersey Supreme Court found on Nov. 13 that breathalyzer test results from five counties — leading to as many as 20,667 DWI convictions — are inadmissible as evidence due to pending criminal charges against a state police sergeant, Marc Dennis, according to the Associated Press. The accusations against Dennis called into question any test result involving a machine he handled, including devices used by local police in Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset, and Union counties between 2008 and 2016. The court ordered state authorities to notify anyone whose case involved results from machines that Dennis calibrated, so they have the opportunity to seek to have their convictions vacated.

Deadly adenovirus outbreak infects four more children

Lab testing confirmed that four more children have been infected by adenovirus at the Wanaque Center, a pediatric long-term care facility in Passaic County, according to The Record. The state Health Department confirmed Monday that the viral outbreak has killed 10 young patients. So far 33 patients have been infected, as well as one adult who works there. The first case of the virus was reported Sept. 26, and the most recent was on Friday, Nov. 9.

State officials on Nov. 14 ordered all admissions to cease at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation, where 10 children have died in an adenovirus outbreak. Closing the facility is impractical, the health commissioner has said, because of the risks of moving the ventilator-dependent children and the real possibility that they would spread the infection elsewhere. Two residents were diagnosed as recently as Nov. 12.

Sen. Booker: vets deserve more time to finish college

At Rutgers on Nov. 12, Sen. Cory Booker said he will introduce legislation that will allow veterans more time to finish college. Under the GI Bill, veterans currently have 36 months of in-class time to complete their degrees. Booker’s proposed bill would extend assistance for an additional 15 months for qualified veterans. It also includes measures to make it possible for more veterans to transfer their education benefits to a dependent. He said that he hopes there is enough bipartisan support to pass the bill this year.

For the third time this year, police investigate swastikas

A detective sergeant with the Hillsdale Police Department is working with two “class III” special law enforcement officers to determine who has been etching swastikas at Pascack Valley High School in Bergen County, according to The Record. Three incidents have occurred this year, and the most recent was reported last week. The swastikas were found mostly in boys’ bathrooms and locker rooms and were either scratched into the wall or written in pencil.

NJ to use $7M tobacco tax to fight vaping ‘epidemic’

The state Department of Health announced Nov. 14 it will invest about $7 million from taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products to fund an anti-vaping education campaign directed at teens. About one in five high school students tried an e-cigarette device in the last year. The funding is from a 2017 cigarette tax law. It will support peer-outreach teams in each county, as well as efforts on college campuses and in workplaces.

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