Disputes over WWOR staffing levels and representation
Secaucus-based WWOR-TV, owned by Fox Television Stations, is coming under renewed scrutiny by Voice for New Jersey (VNJ), which filed a claim with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) charging that the station has misrepresented its coverage of NJ and falsely reported its number of employees. VNJ claims that the station only employs 69 people in New Jersey while Fox claimed it employs 173 as of an FCC filing in April. VNJ also claims that Fox misrepresented other aspects of the station’s operations and wrongly withheld documents requested by the FCC.
The station’s license is up for renewal and under evaluation by the FCC, a process which has been ongoing since 2007. At the time, VNJ first petitioned to deny the license. The FCC will address the licensing issue over the next coming months.
Secaucus passes away after 40 years of dialysis
Secaucus resident Dorie Heckman died Thursday, July 28 after a long battle with medullary cystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder. She was 55.
First diagnosed with kidney failure at age 14, she was one of the longest survivors of dialysis after over 40 years of treatment. Three kidney transplants failed, including one from her mother. Heckman was dedicated to the improvement of the lives of kidney patients as the president of the Heckman Foundation for Kidney Research. She was also a self-employed investor and previously worked as an aide for Congressman Frank Guarini and the United Way of Hudson County.
Despite her battle with kidney disease throughout her life, Heckman continued to live life to the fullest and enjoyed traveling and going to the theater.
She is survived by her sister, Caroline Addeo and brother, Glenn Heckman; brother-in-law, Felix Addeo; and sister-in-law, Jill Heckman; nephews, Craig Addeo and his wife, Lala, Michael, and Dale Addeo, August and Maureen, Glenn and Kristen, and Keith and Amy Heckman; great-nieces, Tessa Addeo, Shannon, Kaitlin and Carly Heckman; and great-nephew, William Heckman. She was predeceased by her father, Judge August Heckman; her mother, Rosanna; and two brothers, August Jr. and Bernard.
NJMC wetlands study awarded $300K grant
The National Science Foundation has awarded $300,000 to fund a New Jersey Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) multi-year study that will measure the influence of environmental factors on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted by urban, tidal wetlands. The study could lead to marsh enhancements designed to improve air quality, and offset sea level rise and reduce flood events in the Meadowlands District by stemming the release of carbon, methane, nitrous oxide and other harmful greenhouse gases.
The Commission hopes the study’s findings will improve the environment in the Meadowlands and beyond as well as residents’ quality of life, and further the NJMC’s efforts to make the district an even more inviting place to do business. The project, scheduled to begin this fall, will compare emissions at newly created, restored and natural marshes at four sites in Carlstadt, Secaucus, and Lyndhurst.