Jersey City Democratic Organization to kick off registration drive
On July 3, the Jersey City Democratic Organization (JCDO) kicked off a summer voter registration drive. Over the coming weeks the registration drive will target communities that tend to have low rates of voter registration and low rates of voter participation. The registration drive will be coordinated with Jersey City-based nonprofits, churches, and community groups.
“We want the residents of Jersey City to know that it is important to be involved in government at both the local and national levels, and to take part in the process by exercising [their] right to vote,” Hudson County Freeholder and JCDO Chairman Jeff Dublin said in a statement. “It is important that everyone knows that they can make a difference.”
The right to vote, added Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, is “something too many people take for granted. We are using this Fourth of July holiday to remind everyone that democracy comes with a responsibility, and that responsibility is voting.”
The drive got underway at 11 a.m. in Lincoln Park with participation from Dublin, Healy, Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise, Hudson County Freeholder William O’Dea, County Registrar Pam Gardner, Assemblyman Sean Connors (33rd Dist. – Jersey City), Assemblyman Charles Mainor (31st Dist. – Jersey City), Assemblyman Jason O’Donnell (31st Dist. – Bayonne), and City Council members Michele Massey and Peter Brennan.
Jersey City man shot, killed on July 4
The office of the Hudson County Prosecutor is looking for any information that might lead to the arrest of the assailant or assailants who gunned down a 23-year-old Jersey City man on July 4th.
Jamal Colclough was shot and killed on Independence Day on Ocean Avenue near Bidwell Avenue in front of several witnesses, according to a published report in the local daily newspaper. It is unclear whether Colclough or someone he was with was the intended target.
Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio is asking that anyone who has information that may lead to an arrest contact his office at (201) 915-1345.
Public meeting for chromium cleanup at Metropolis Towers
On Tuesday, July 17 at 6:30 p.m., the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and PPG Industries will hold a meeting at City Hall to discuss the planned chromium contamination cleanup at Metropolis Towers. Land remediation at the two-building downtown development is scheduled to begin sometime this fall.
At the July 17 meeting residents can learn more information about the contamination and planned clean up from NJDEP staff, representatives from PPG, and the court-appointed site monitor who will oversee the process.
July adoption campaign underway at Liberty Humane Society
In honor of Independence Day, the Liberty Humane Society is hosting a “Made in America” adoption promotion through Wednesday, July 18. During the promotion Liberty Humane will offer a 50 percent discount on adoption fees for animals that have been in the shelter for three months or longer. The summer months can be particularly hard on shelters as it is a time when adoptions are slow. However, during the summer months, shelters experience an increase in strays and the number of pet surrenders. Liberty Humane Hopes that the “Made in America” adoption promotion will entice potential pet parents to visit and maybe find their new feline or canine companion.
The Liberty Humane Society is located at 235 Jersey City Blvd. For more information, call (201) 547-4147, ext. 1005.
All of Liberty Humane’s adoptable animals come spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and micro-chipped. In addition, adoptive pet parents receive 30-days free pet insurance.
Free summer entertainment series announced
The city’s Division of Cultural Affairs has announced its schedule for the 2012 Summerfest Concert Series, the annual Jazz for Lunch Music Series, the free concerts at the MLK Hub, and the Summer Dance Fest Series, which all run through the end of August.
Kicking off the summer entertainment lineup are the free concerts at the MLK Hub, which are held every Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. through Aug. 24.
The Summerfest Concerts on the Hudson will bring more than a dozen recording artists to Jersey City and is the longest-running concert series in Jersey City history. The historic concert series, which runs through Aug. 14 and offers shows on Tuesdays and Sundays, dates back to when Liberty State Park was founded and has grown over the years.
The Owen Grundy Pier at Exchange Place will play host to free concerts during the Jazz for Lunch Music Series and the Summer Dance Fest. Co-sponsored by Goldman Sachs, the Jazz for Lunch Music Series features jazz, R&B, and gospel each Thursday from noon until 2 p.m.
Now in its third year, the Summer Dance Fest Series will be held each Thursday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
All events are free and open to the public. For more information on the performance schedule, contact the Division of Cultural Affairs at (201) 547-6921.
Shakespeare in Van Vost Park
The Hudson Shakespeare Company returns to Van Vorst Park on Friday, July 13 at 7 p.m. and Monday, July 16 and 23 at 7 p.m. with “Comedy of Errors.” The company takes the absurd farce from its ancient Greek setting to 1940s New York – with a Looney Tunes edge. “The show’s over the top and frenetic comic pace lends itself to a cartoon-like setting,” said Michael Hagins, the play’s director. “Chase scenes, exaggerated physical comedy, and pies in the face action pepper the play.”