All clear at recycling center
Reports of a radiation leak from a container at a Jersey City recycling facility last week turned out to be due to a malfunctioning detecting device, said officials from Sims Metal Management, which operates the facility.
Scott Miller, chief corporate counsel for Sims, said that a container dropped off at the facility set off a radiation detector, but a check with a handheld device showed no radiation. He said there was no hazardous material leak.
“Per the facility’s standard procedure, the facility ran the container more than once across the scale, which set off the detector’s alarm each time,” he said.
The facility contacted the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection in order to get permission to remove the container.
CarePoint Health reorganizes
CarePoint Health System announced last week a major reorganization of its top staff. They run Hoboken University Medical Center, Christ Hospital in Jersey City, and Bayonne Medical Center.
Among the changes includes the departure of Paul Walker, chief executive officer of Hoboken University Medical Center. Ann Logan, chief nursing officer, will serve as interim operating officer at the hospital.
Peter Kelly, who had served as CEO of Christ Hospital, was named a senior advisor for CarePoint Health External Affairs.
Dr. Mark Spektor will continue to serve as president of Bayonne Medical Center, but has also been named as chief clinical integration officer for CarePoint Health.
Dr. Nizar Kifaieh will become president and chief medical officer at Christ Hospital. Dr. Meika Roberson will become chief medical officer of Hoboken University Medical Center.
Overall about two dozen changes were made to various positions affecting all three hospitals and CarePoint Health operations.
City joins bike rack campaign
Local community organization Sustainable Jersey City has teamed up with the Jersey City mayor’s office, the Jersey City Art School, BikeJC, and the crowd resourcing site ioby.org to launch a five-week JC Bike Rack Campaign aimed at raising $20,000 for the purchase and placement of bike racks throughout Jersey City. The city will also contribute $16,000 toward the bike rack campaign.
The campaign is underway and runs until July 31. The city anticipates purchasing approximately 275 bike racks if fundraising goals are met. Purchase and fabrication of the racks will happen from Aug. 15 until Sept. 10, directly following the fundraising round. All racks will be installed by the end of September.
The unique design of the bike racks was created by a local artist and was selected as the winner of a citywide design competition.
Holy Batman!
On Saturday, June 14, Copa Maribel will display the famous D.A.R.E. Batmobile at the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) on Route 440 in Jersey City. Copa Maribel is a cancer awareness organization that advocates and helps to raise funds for cancer victims. IHOP will donate a portion of their proceeds from the breakfast sales. The donation will benefit Jovi Carabello, a 13 year boy, who is fighting bone cancer. Batman is Jovi’s favorite super hero. Detective Genaro Ortiz Jr. from the Newark Police Department will be dressed as Batman, as he honors Jovi Carabello, and joins the fight against cancer.
The event will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information contact the event coordinators: Gregory Malave (201) 892-5450, or German and Jeanette Fernandez, founders of Copa Maribel, (201) 888-1589.
On-line survey for county Hazard Mitigation Plan
Hudson County is in the process of updating its 2009 Hazard Mitigation Plan to ensure eligibility for future mitigation funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and identify new mitigation initiatives as a result of Hurricane Sandy. This detailed plan addresses a variety of potential hazards that could affect some or all county residents.
“Our county staff, municipal representatives and community liaisons collaborated to create this plan in 2009 and now are working on the required five-year update,” said County OEM Coordinator James Woods. “We’re offering our residents the convenience of an online survey and encourage them to provide input.”
The goal of the HMP update is to save lives and property through the reduction of hazard vulnerability for the community. This is accomplished by identification of projects that can reduce damages from future hazards.
The plan includes a risk assessment and a hazard-mitigation strategy. One of the primary hazards in Hudson County is flooding, but other potential hazards that were analyzed included geological hazards, drought, severe storms (hurricanes), severe winter storms (nor’easters), earthquakes and extreme heat and extreme cold. The study focuses on existing and future buildings, infrastructure and critical facilities that might be impacted.
Communities with an approved HMP may apply for pre-disaster mitigation funding for projects to mitigate risk to both public and private property, such as home elevations and local flood-control measures. Ultimately these projects will reduce vulnerability and enable communities to recover more quickly from disasters.
Additional information about this project, including the citizen survey, can be found at the Hudson County Office of Emergency Management webpage: http://www.hudsoncountynj.org/oem/
Medicine drop off to continue
Hudson County Sheriff Frank X. Schillari announced the success of the “Project Medicine Drop,” a state-wide initiative to remove expired and commonly abused prescription medicines and allow them to be properly disposed of.
This program helps keep prescription drugs from falling into the hands of those who might make them available for abuse, and prevents them from being flushed into the water supply or thrown into the trash where they could contaminate the environment.
The Project Medicine Drop box is a lockable, metal container, resembling a mailbox, and is located in the lobby of the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office at Hudson Plaza, 257 Cornelison Ave., Jersey City. For more information please contact the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office at (201) 915-1300. All calls are kept confidential.