Candlelight vigil in observance of National Gun Violence Day of Action
At press time last week, the city of Jersey City planned to hold a candlelight vigil on Saturday, April 13 with Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy at Jersey City’s New Hope Baptist Church in observance of National Gun Violence Day of Action. The program, which will include a gospel concert, will begin at 7 p.m. at 472-476 Bergen Ave.
“We have been urging congress to adopt the measures that President Obama set forth, including universal background checks, and this candlelight vigil is another opportunity to show our leaders in Washington we stand united in bringing about this change,” Healy said in a prepared statement. “Gun violence is a federal plague that requires a federal cure and the time to act is now.”
Healy, a charter member of Mayors Against Illegal Guns, has long been on record as supporting the reinstatement of the assault weapons bank, background checks for all gun purchases to close the gun show loophole, and a ban on high capacity magazines. Last week he received the endorsement of Boston Mayor Tom Menino, who co-founded Mayors Against Illegal Guns with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Bloomberg previously endorsed Healy’s re-election bid as well.
The debate around gun control has once again been renewed as a result of the shootings in Aurora, Colorado, and Newtown, Connecticut last year.
Informational session at Christ Hospital School of Nursing
The Christ Hospital School of Nursing will on Wednesday, April 24 host an information session at 5 p.m. at the School of Nursing building, at 169 Palisade Ave.
In cooperation with Hudson County Community College, the School of Nursing will offer full-time day and part-time night divisions, as well as an accelerated LPN to RN program.
For questions or further information, contact the Christ Hospital School of Nursing at (201) 795-8360 or visit the website at www.ChristHospital.org.
Hudson County Chamber of Commerce holding healthcare roundtable
The Hudson County Chamber of Commerce announced this week that it will host a roundtable discussion for business owners and leaders interested in learning more about new initiatives designed to rein in the rising cost of healthcare premiums for employers. The event will be held on Wed. April 17 at 8:30 a.m. at the Jersey City Museum, located at 350 Montgomery St.
The goal of the roundtable is to provide businesses an opportunity to learn more about what is driving rising healthcare costs for employers and how local healthcare facilities are working to bring down those costs. The session will be moderated by Nicholas A. Chiaravalloti, Executive Director, Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership.
The panel will feature Joseph Scott, President and CEO, LibertyHealth; Susan Walsh, M.D., Medical Director, Accountable Care Organization, Jersey City Medical Center; Ward Sanders, President, New Jersey Association of Health Plans and Assemblyman Gary Schaer, Deputy Speaker.
“The rising cost of healthcare is of urgent concern for our members,” said Maria Nieves, the Chamber’s President and CEO. “We hope to launch a series of conversations with this event that focuses on how our members and employers generally can begin to control these costs while also continuing to provide quality benefits to their employees.”
“This is an opportunity to shed light on the emerging issues in healthcare not only in Hudson County but nationally as we prepare to implement health care reform,” said Scott. “Understanding the impact of existing models as well as new and innovative delivery models is essential to the viability of the business community in Hudson County. “
To register for this event, which is complimentary for members of the Chamber, visit www.hudsonchamber.org or contact achinni@hudsonchamber.org.
HUD program to partially fund 11 affordable housing homes in Heights
The Jersey City Division of Community Development and Housing will this week break ground on a new affordable housing housing complex at 102 Cambridge Ave. in the Jersey City Heights.
The new development will include 11 units of moderate-income for-sale housing priced at $160,000 for qualified homebuyers. The $3.6 million project is being partially funded with money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME program, the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing. Each year, HOME allocates approximately $2 billion among the states and hundreds of municipalities nationwide.
“This is another example of HOME Program funds making a difference in New Jersey communities,” said HUD Newark Office Director Diane Johnson. “We salute the City of Jersey City, and our partners at New Jersey Community Capital and Franklin Development Group, for helping more New Jersey residents realize the American Dream of homeownership.”
b>North Shore Animal League partners with Liberty Humane Society and Purina ONE for pet adoption
This Sunday, April 14 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the North Shore Animal League America will partner with Jersey City’s Liberty Human Society and Purina ONE for a pet adoption event at the Walmart Supercenter in Bayonne at 500 Bayonne Crossing Way.
In addition to having adoptable shelter dogs, cats, puppies and kittens — also known as Mutt-i-grees –- the event will also offer information on the benefits of adopting shelter pets, behavioral education, and special services available to pet owners at the Liberty Humane Society.
The event is part of North Shore’s Tour for Life. Until the middle of May Tour for Life will travel to 51 cities and 26 states to help place adoptable animals in homes. The tour was conceived by Animal League America – the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization – thirteen years ago and is responsible for placing thousands of pets into loving and permanent homes. Last year, Tour for Life saved the lives of nearly 1,600 animals across the country.
For more information on Tour for Life 2013 visit www.animalleague.org.
City to receive grant from Together New Jersey
Together North Jersey has announced that three projects, including one in Jersey City, will receive funding through its Local Demonstration Project (LDP) Program.
The LDP Program is intended to provide technical assistance to promote sustainable, livable and transit-oriented development.
The Jersey City Housing Authority, in partnership with the City of Jersey City and Bergen Communities United, will receive technical assistance to develop the Montgomery Gardens Sustainable Transportation Plan. This project will focus on the McGinley Square Montgomery Corridor area of Jersey City and will look at creating transportation, pedestrian and bike access improvements.
“This project is fundamentally about access,” said Brian Loughlin, chief architect for the Jersey City Housing Authority. According to Loughlin, the McGinley Square Montgomery Corridor has long been overlooked because of its various challenges and seeming lack of character. “This funding from Together North Jersey will provide an opportunity to connect disparate parts of the neighboring areas through public transportation, walkability, and neighborhood amenities – like pocket parks and bike lanes.”
The Jersey City plan will also look for access improvements that can strengthen regional transportation system, including reducing travel times for riders and commuters, improving reliability, improving safety and security, and increasing ridership capacity.