Jersey City Arts & Studio Tour is Oct. 17 – 19
The Jersey City Art & Studio Tour, the largest cultural event in Jersey City, will take place on Oct. 18 and 19 from noon to 6 p.m., with a kickoff reception Friday night Oct. 17. This showcase of Jersey City’s diverse artistic talent includes everything from fine art painting to performance. The event will be hosted in various locations throughout the city.
The free-to-the-public kick off for JCAST 2014 takes place Friday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 10 p.m. with an evening of art, music, and refreshments at the flagship community exhibition space at the historic Lackawanna Center, 629 Grove St. The JCAST serves to showcase the talents of Jersey City’s diverse and burgeoning artistic community with an event weekend packed to the brim with celebrations in every corner of Jersey City.
The JCAST is part of the City of Jersey City’s commitment to continued arts programming for its citizens under Mayor Steven M. Fulop’s vision for further developing Jersey City as an arts and culture mecca.
The Lackawanna Center complex is situated directly outside the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City, 629 Grove St., bordered by Jersey Avenue, Sixteenth Street, Eighteenth Street, and Marin Boulevard, blocks from Hoboken and close to NJ Transit Light Rail and PATH trains.
View participating artists, check out neighborhood maps, and learn more:www.thejcast.com.
Dennis Kelly appointed Chief Executive Officer of CarePoint Health
CarePoint Health, a premier integrated healthcare system that oversees three hospitals in Hudson County, has announced the appointment of Dennis Kelly as chief executive officer. Kelly formerly served as the chief strategy officer of CarePoint Health and is a healthcare veteran who will oversee Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital, Hoboken University Medical Center, CarePoint Health Medical Group, CarePoint Health Research Institute and its affiliated subsidiaries.
“I am extremely honored to assume this role for one of the most innovative healthcare systems in the country,” Kelly said. “I am proud to be a part of an organization that is committed to developing a new care management model for urban populations that puts patients and their community above all else.”
“We are excited to have Dennis assume this important role. He has the experience, the commitment and the leadership qualities to continue to move us forward. During his time as an advisor and as the Chief Strategy Officer of CarePoint, he has demonstrated clear strategic vision and the ability to implement this new model of care,” said Dan Kane, chairman of CarePoint Health. “We believe that under Dennis’ leadership the CarePoint Health System will set a new, higher standard for the entire health care industry.”
Fulop’s chief of staff apologizes for remarks he made as a student
Muhammed Akil, chief of staff to Mayor Steven Fulop, issued an apology on Oct. 7 for a speech he made 20 years ago while he was in college. Akil made the speech at Northwestern University at an African Mind Liberation Conference, which was reported by the school newspaper, The Daily Northwestern.
The remarks included using homophobic language, calling the Pope at the time “the anti-Christ,” and claiming that all white people have “a little Hitler” in them.
As chief of staff for Fulop, Akil is one of the most powerful people in City Hall, and has an annual salary of more than $120,000.
Akil said he regrets that he said back then.
“In response to comments I made 20 years ago, I wish to offer my sincerest apologies to the community,” he said. “These words in no way reflect my current mindset. Over the last two decades, I have matured into a person who knows every human being should be shown the utmost respect. I have learned that words have the power to cause pain and also to heal. As I reflect on the young man who delivered those comments 20 years ago, I am greatly disappointed and realize that fortunately, that is not who I am today.”
Mayor Fulop also responded to the reports.
“Obviously, I don’t agree with the comments made 20 years ago, and personally as the grandson of Holocaust survivors myself, they are offensive,” Fulop said in a statement. “However, I also know people change and grow over time and the comments made 20 years ago is not consistent nor reflective of the person I have known for the last 10 years who has never hesitated to help people in need whether white, black, Jewish, catholic, gay or straight.”
Man dies of gunshot wounds
Verlance Buddington, 21, from Jersey City, was arrested on Oct. 7 for allegedly shooting another man at about 11 a.m. that day near Woodlawn and Ocean avenues. He was charged with criminal attempt of homicide, possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, possession of prohibited weapon or devices and receiving stolen property. The victim of the alleged shooting died on Oct. 8, and the charges against Buddington are expected to be upgraded, according to a city official.
Man charged for allegedly stabbing ex-girlfriend
Michael Humphrey, 43, of Jersey City, has been charged with allegedly stabbing a 53 year old woman believed to have been his former girlfriend. The woman died as a result of her wounds after being rushed to Jersey City Medical Center on Oct. 9.
Hudson County Acting Prosecutor Gaetano T. Gregory said Jersey City police responded at about 3 a.m. on Oct. 9 to the report of a stabbing. They found the woman with multiple stab wounds in a second floor apartment.
Humphrey, who police believe was Ms. Santana’s former boyfriend, was quickly apprehended on Hutton Street and Central Avenue in Jersey City. Police believe Ms. Santana was currently residing with Humphrey at that location.
Humphrey was charged with first degree murder; unlawful possession of a knife and possession of a knife for an unlawful purpose. Bail for Humphrey was set at $500,000, cash or bond.
Hudson County History Fair is Oct. 18
“Where New Jersey City Began,” the Hudson County History Fair, is coming to New Jersey City University Gilligan Student Union Building on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. celebrating the 350th anniversary of New Jersey, featuring exhibits, lectures, films, appraisers, children’s activities.
Among 40 participating groups are Bayonne Historical Society, Bayonne Public Library, Joyce-Herbert VFW Post 226 Veterans Museum. Admission and parking are free.
Murals to decorate Conrail train trestles
The city of Jersey City has executed an agreement with Conrail to paint welcome murals on train trestles throughout the city welcoming residents to neighborhoods, creating signage where none currently exists, and removing graffiti from several historic retaining walls.
“We are excited to expand our mural project to include the train trestles that are located throughout the city and which are viewed by hundreds of thousands of residents and visitors daily,” said Mayor Fulop. “The train trestles for years have been a site of graffiti and we saw this as an opportunity to display the creativity of our arts community while also welcoming residents and visitors to Jersey City.”
The agreement was sought with Conrail in response to requests the mayor received from community groups, in particular, the South Greenville Neighborhood Association, regarding long-standing graffiti that has plagued the Garfield Avenue trestles which greet commuters as they enter and exit Jersey City from Bayonne.
Buoyed by the positive success of the mural program, in which 22 murals have been installed in across the city, the mayor decided to reach out to Conrail and strike a partnership in an effort to clean up the Conrail Trestles that run across Grand Street, Newark Avenue, and Garfield Avenue.
The majority of the murals will be painted by local artist Paws21, who was born in Jersey City and has career spanning two decades. Paws21 recently completed a mural on the corner of Bergen Avenue and Reed Street for the City, as well as the Super Bowl wall on Christopher Columbus last November. Another local artist, Sue One, will begin work on the Grand Street retaining wall to cover up a recent graffiti tag.
The city is still soliciting proposals for the retaining walls on Newark and Pacific Avenues. Work on the trestles and retaining wall is expected to commence shortly. The trestles include those on Grand Street, Garfield Avenue, Pacific Avenue, Montgomery Street, Newark Avenue and Johnston Avenue.
Jersey City Parks Coalition’s 2014 Big Dig becomes a giveaway
National Make a Difference Day will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25. Typically the Jersey City Parks Coalition would be soliciting volunteers to work on the BIG DIG project that since 2011 has planted 136,000 daffodils and tulips in parks, public housing and open spaces throughout the city.
“This year is different,” said Laura Skolar, president of the Coalition, “We are asking our volunteers of previous years and any resident of Jersey City to plant either 25 or 50 daffodils on their own property that the Coalition will provide free of charge. We actually ask for everyone to sign a pledge that says that they will be planted where they can easily seen from the street. That means front lawns and gardens, window boxes or planters. Then in April and May of 2015, all of that wonderful spring color blooming in our public spaces will extend right into the neighborhoods.”
Anyone interested in taking the pledge in the 2014 BIG DIG Giveaway should register at www.jcparks.org and click on the 2014 BIG DIG shovel. Choose either 25 or 50 bulbs with only one offer per address. For groups that would like to do a bigger planting, a bag of 250 daffodils is available for a $100 donation to the Coalition. Sponsorships from $250 to $25,000 for the2014 BIG DIG Giveaway are available by calling (201) 259-1800 and donations towards this and other Coalition planting projects are gratefully accepted by Paypal on the www.jcparks.orgwebsite or by check.
Jersey City to host first annual Jersey City Senior Games
The first annual Jersey City Senior Games for residents age 50 and older will be held Friday, Oct. 24 through Wednesday, Oct. 29 at locations throughout the city.
Throughout the four-day sporting event, senior athletes will compete for Olympic style medals in basketball, track and field, billiards, bocce, line dancing, games of mental strategy, swimming and table tennis, culminating in a closing ceremony to honor top performers on Nov. 9 at City Hall.
“We are excited to host this wonderful sporting event with our seniors,” said Mayor Fulop. “Senior citizens are valuable members of our community and this will be a wonderful opportunity for them to show everyone what they can do. It is also a great way to keep our senior residents physically and socially active.”
Senior citizens planning to participate must call the Jersey City Resident Response Center at (201) 547-4900 for registration details. The registration deadline is Oct. 20.
A schedule of events follows: On Friday, Oct. 24, billiards will be held at Connors Senior Center at 10 a.m. and Collier Senior Center at 1 p.m.; swimming at Pershing Field Pool at noon; and basketball at Middle School No. 7 at 6 to 9 p.m.
On Saturday, Oct. 25, tennis will take place at Lincoln Park at 11 a.m.; track and field at Lincoln Park at 11 a.m.
On Sunday, Oct. 26 bocce ball will be held at Pershing Field at 11 a.m.; table tennis, Pershing Field Community Center at 1 p.m., and games of mental strategy at the Pershing Field Community Center at 1 p.m.
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, line dancing will be held at the Collier Senior Center at 11 a.m. and at the Connors Senior Center at 2 p.m.
The registration deadline is Oct. 20. Please call the Jersey City Resident Response Center at (201) 547-4900 to find out where you can pick up a registration form or have it mailed to you.