Relay for Life had a lot of support
This year’s Relay for Life event on June 18 was held in memory of Michael Worosila, a five-year-old boy who fought cancer for two years. Relay for Life is done once a year to help raise funds for cancer research.
This year, although economic times are tough, the 84 teams and many businesses who participated were able to attain $102,000 thus far for the American Cancer Society. That is approximately $20,000 more than last year. Each team has until Aug. 31 to finalize their efforts for this year’s relay.
The opening ceremonies kicked off with a warmup by Debbie Lou Fitness to get everyone in shape for the 12-hour walk for a cure. Some of the contributors to this event were the City of Bayonne, who once again waived the fee for the stadium; the Bayonne City Council, who supported the Mission Tent; McCabe Ambulance and Bayonne Medical Center, who sponsored the Survivor Events and Tent; D.J. Russ; Sacalis Florist; Broadway Bagels; Dunkin Donuts; Bayonne ShopRite; Cigna Heathcare; Debbie Lou Fitness; the Bayonne Police and Fire departments; the Bayonne Public Works Dept.; the Veterans Stadium grounds crew; and The Provident Bank. Many restaurants provided food for the Survivor Dinner, including Joseph’s Deli, Little Food Cafe, Mona Lisa Pizza, Chris’ Corner, Chandelier Restaurant, Venice, Judicke’s Bakery, Paulanto Bakery, Antonio & Vincent’s Bakery, Alex & Terry Deli, Altamura Bakery, Melanie’s Deli, Amici’s Restaurant, Broadway Bagels, and Dunkin Donuts.
Soldier’s funeral and wake scheduled for Bayonne and Jersey City
U.S. Army Specialist Rafael A. Nieves Jr., who died while on active duty in Afghanistan last week, will be flown in for a wake and funeral services in Hudson County. Nieves, who grew up in Bayonne, died of wounds suffered when small arms fire and a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle during a mounted patrol in the Afghan province of Paktika on July 10. He was assigned to the First Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment of the Fourth Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky. He was 22 years old. His mother resides in Bayonne.
A wake will be held at Migliaccio Funeral Home at 851 Kennedy Blvd. in Bayonne on Wednesday, July 20, from 3 to 9 p.m. The funeral will be held at St. Aloysius Church, 691 West Side Ave. in Jersey City, at 10 a.m. on July 21.
“On behalf of all Bayonne residents, I express my sympathies to the family, friends, and fellow soldiers of Specialist Rafael Nieves,” said Mayor Mark Smith. “We join them in mourning the death of this brave soldier, and we honor his service to our nation.”
Acting Gov. Kim Guadagno issued Executive Order No. 70, ordering all United States and New Jersey flags lowered to half-staff on July 18 in honor of Specialist Nieves.
Neives attended local schools before moving to Upstate New York to go to high school. He was married with two children.
Nieves is survived by his wife, Sarah A. McKinney; his daughter, Emma Grace Nieves; his son, Rafael A. Nieves III; his father, Rafael A. Nieves Sr.; and his mother, Tina R. Roman of Bayonne.
City settles suit alleging police beating
City Attorney Charles D’Amico said the City of Bayonne has agreed to pay $95,000 in a court settlement to two men who sued the city, alleging members of the Bayonne Police Department had beat and arrested them without probable cause.
Michael Condo and Craig S. DeRocco said that they were assaulted by police as they left Fratelli’s Bar on Broadway in Bayonne on March 18, 2007.
None of the men’s allegations have been proven or disproven in court. The settlement agreement resolution expressly states that the $95,000 payment does not constitute an admission of wrongdoing by Bayonne or any of its officials.
Local doctor named president of the American Osteopathic Association
Martin S. Levine, a resident of Short Hills, N.J., who practices in Bayonne, became the 115th president of the American Osteopathic Association, which represents the nation’s more than 78,000 osteopathic physicians. His patient-centered approach has earned Dr. Levine a place on the Best Doctor listing by New York magazine every year since 1999, and the Best Doctor honor in New Jersey Monthly magazine’s listing four times, including in 2010.
Osteopathic medicine provides all of the benefits of modern medicine, including prescription drugs, surgery, and the use of technology to diagnose disease and evaluate injury. It also offers the added benefit of hands-on diagnosis and treatment through a system of therapy known as osteopathic manipulative medicine. Osteopathic medicine emphasizes helping each person achieve a high level of wellness by focusing on health promotion and disease prevention.