Contents of leaked e-mail draw criticism for JC mayoral candidate Fulop
JERSEY CITY — An e-mail that Jersey City Councilman Steven Fulop wrote last year regarding school board issues, which was leaked and then published in the Jersey City Reporter over the weekend (in the print edition and at hudsonreporter.com), has drawn criticism for the councilman and 2013 mayoral candidate.
To see the item that ran over the weekend, go to hudsonreporter.com and scroll down to the most commented stories.
Over the weekend, Fulop responded to questions about transparency in a Jersey City schools Yahoo group.
His e-mail read, in part: “This is an email from May 2011 (over a year ago) right after the board majority flipped. I actually think it was the last time and this email speaks to my point that if detractors can grasp at straws pointing to May 2011 as the evidence of conspiracy either no other meetings are happening or I am just not inviting anyone. I am sure the conspiracies will say I am meeting with the DOE regularly but as I said before I urge you to OPRA them or me and you can see that is not the case. This is May 2011.
Why the meeting with the state? As I always have said education is the backbone of what I am doing for the next four years and nobody should be surprised that the state is part of the conversation as they have had control of the Jersey City system for 23 years and they pay 2/3 of the budget….”
For much more of his response, see hudsonreporter.com.
Child advocate volunteers wanted
Are you interested in helping children in the foster care system? If so, Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) is currently recruiting volunteers to advocate 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.
CASA and its volunteers speak for children in court, serve as fact finders for the judges, and safeguard the interests of the children while they are in the foster care system.
An information session will be held on Tuesday, July 17 from 6 to 7 p.m. in room 400 of the Hudson County Administration Building located at 595 Newark Ave. in Jersey City.
Hudson County has nearly 700 children in foster care; most have been removed from their homes for abuse or neglect. For further information, call (201) 795-9855, email mgarcia@hudsoncountycasa.org or visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.
Legal Services of N.J. offers free or low cost divorce advice
While the U.S. Census recently reported that New Jersey has the lowest rate of divorce in the nation, experts say one reason is that the cost of a divorce in the Garden State is so relatively high. And for low-income people, as well as many other locals caught in broken marriages or failed civil unions that are beyond repair, the cost of a divorce is an especially daunting barrier.
Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ) has published a brand new version of its popular manual, “Divorce in New Jersey: A Self-Help Guide,” that instructs people – step by step – on how to do their own divorce, especially if the issues are not complicated.
The publication is free for qualified low-income people eligible for Legal Services assistance. All others can secure the print edition of the 275-page manual for $50; the digital edition is $25. Detailed information for ordering online, by mail or by phone is available at www.lsnj.org/divorce. Print editions can be ordered by calling (888) 529-8338. Low-income individuals who believe they qualify for a free copy should call Legal Services’ toll-free, statewide legal hotline at (888) 576-5529.
NHCAC announces registration for new programs
North Hudson Community Action Corporation celebrates National Community Action Month by announcing the beginning of its new programs.
They will offer two semesters of free English as a Second Language classes. The summer semester begins in June, and the fall semester in September. Call (201) 943-2410 for more information or to register.
They will also offer a financial literacy workshop series. Call (201) 866-9320, ext. 213, for more information. Both individual and corporate instruction is available.