JC candidate watch: Yun still running; Tosado drops out
Contrary to rumors, Michael Yun, president of the Central Avenue Special Improvement District, has not abandoned his bid for the Ward D City Council seat in the upcoming Jersey City municipal election.
“Who said that,” a shocked Yun asked when contacted by the Reporter. “Not me! We are up here campaigning very hard. When I announced that I am running, I planned to take it to the end. And I will be elected.”
The office of the Jersey City Clerk has already had paper absentee ballots and sample ballots printed, according to Deputy City Clerk Sean Gallagher. He explained that once ballots have been printed, candidates can only drop out of a race by court order.
The only candidates who officially dropped out the municipal election are Jesus Tosado, who had been running for Ward B, and Imtiaz Syed, who was running for Ward C.
Esther Wintner, Gerald Meyers, Khemraj “Chico” Ramchal, and Chris Gadsden are the remaining candidates in Ward B.
Incumbent Nidia Lopez, Richard Boggiano, Janet Chevres, and Adela Rohena are the candidates still running for the Ward C seat.
The Jersey City municipal election will take place on Tuesday, May 14.
LCCS to hold spring gala
The Learning Community Charter School (LCCS) will hold its fifth Annual Spring Gala on Friday, April 19 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Beacon’s Art Deco Great Room. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased in advance by emailing Brittin-bleakley@lccsnj.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door the night of the event.
LCCS is a free pre-K through 8th grade public charter school in Jersey City. Each year the school must raise $60,000 to sustain itself.
The annual Spring Gala is an arts event offering attendees a unique opportunity to enjoy jazz music, great food, and sample local wine and beer. Naturally, the event will also offer an opportunity for attendees to purchase original art from some of the area’s finest artists at a fraction of gallery prices. In the past, more than 150 people have attended from the school and the arts, political and educational community. The event is open to families and friends of the school, as well as the general public.
The gala features a silent art auction with works donated by more than a dozen local artists, including Jersey City resident/outsider graffiti artist Fred Vilomar, whose work sells for thousands in galleries. This year, for the first time, an Art Catalog will be released to the public 1 week before the event, showcasing the many art works that will be unveiled live at the event.
This year will showcase music from Language of Music of Jersey City, including Neville L’Green and his group of professional musician instructors. There will be several luxury raffle items including an iPad, Yankee’s tickets, a Pocanos getaway, and a luxury NYC weekend hotel stay at the Benjamin featuring a $300 food gift certificate that can be used at a variety of top NYC eateries.
Gala sponsors include Paul Silverman/Building Neighborhoods, Feeding Our Children, Madame Claude Wine and Madame Claude Restaurant, Hard Grove Café, Stella’s Pizzeria, NJ Beer Co. and BAO Organics.
Bereavement support program at JCMC
On Wednesday, April 17, Jersey City Medical Center will host a bereavement support program for individuals coping with the loss of a loved one. Meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month from 6:30 p.m.to 7:30 p.m. in conference room 5 at the hospital, located at 355 Grand St.
“The program is open to anyone who is grieving the loss of a family member or close friend,” said Nancy Pain, a nurse practitioner who works in the hospital’s palliative care unit. “We suggest, however, that people wait four to six weeks after suffering a loss to give them a better perspective.” Licensed clinical social workers at Jersey City Medical Center who are trained in this role will serve as facilitators with the support group. Anyone who has suffered such a loss can participate, there is no charge and individuals and families can utilize the support for as long as they need it.
“When people are grieving, they very often don’t know where to turn, who to turn to, or what’s appropriate,” said Pain. “Our program is intended to help them cope during this very difficult time. Our experts will be providing support, not therapy.”
For more information call Nancy Pain at (201) 915-2058 or Pam Saporita at (201) 915-2073.
Hudson County CASA recruiting to help foster kids
The Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), a non-profit organization, is currently recruiting volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to insure 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 for those interested will be held on Tuesday, April 16, at 6 p.m. in Room 400 of the Hudson County Administration Building, located 595 Newark Avenue, 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, please call (201) 795-9855, e-mail mgarcia@hudsoncountycasa.org or visit our website at www.hudsoncountycasa.org.