Ramchal will plead ‘not guilty’ in alleged DWI crash
Even as city officials have released the 911 call from the taxi driver involved in his alleged March 14 collision, Councilman Khemraj “Chico” Ramchal intends to plead not guilty to drunk driving charges, according to Ramchal’s attorney, John Bruno Jr.
The eight-minute call was received by the police at about 12:27 a.m. on March 14, and eventually led to Ramachal’s arrest, as reported in nj.com, after he allegedly collided with a taxi cab near West Side and Communipaw avenues.
“Thank God everyone is okay,” Ramchal told the Hudson Reporter a day after his arrest. “I just made a poor error in judgment by thinking I was okay to drive five blocks home after the event. I will deal with the consequences of my actions.”
Bruno said he believes he has assembled enough facts that will exonerate the councilman.
The issue is currently being investigated by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s office.
Ramchal has stepped down as Jersey City Incinerator Authority commissioner, a position he held since the beginning of the year. Ramchal was driving a JCIA vehicle at the time of the crash. His attorney said his personal vehicle was having mechanical issues, according to published sources.
Census Bureau: Hudson County remains fastest growing county in state
For at least the seventh year running, Hudson County is the fastest-growing county in New Jersey, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual population estimates.
Between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014, the population of Hudson County rose by 0.8 percent or 5,209 people to a new estimated total of 665,491 people.
Hudson County’s leading growth was followed by Bergen County, Middlesex County, Union County, and Ocean County. Bergen County is the most populous county in New Jersey, with 933,572 residents, and grew by 0.7 percent over the 2013-14 period, adding 6,138 people.
Hudson County’s surge is part of a nationwide trend of migration to urban areas. Jersey City saw 3.9 percent population growth between 2010 and 2013, and Mayor Steven Fulop has predicted that it will overtake Newark to become the most populous city in the state by the end of 2016.
Passover seders scheduled
Chabad of Hoboken will host two seders and is also distributing hand-made Shmurah Matzah in honor of the upcoming festival of Passover which begins this year on April 3. For more information please visit www.JewishHoboken.com or call (201) 386-5222.
JC man charged with theft of half million dollars
Evan Kochav, 33, of Jersey City, was indicted on March 23 by a state grand jury on second-degree charges of theft by deception, money laundering and misconduct by a corporate official.
Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said that the Jersey City man allegedly stole over half a million dollars from clients of his investment firm and spent the money on personal expenses, including playing poker at casinos and gambling on poker websites.
Kochav also was charged with four counts of third-degree passing bad checks for allegedly writing four bad checks totaling over $85,000 to a client who questioned what happened to his funds. Kochav was initially investigated by the New Jersey Bureau of Securities, which revoked his registration as a securities agent in October 2014 and assessed a $2 million civil penalty against him and his Red Bank-based firm, White Cedar Group, LLC. The Bureau of Securities referred the case to the Division of Criminal Justice.
Jersey City unemployment continues to drop
According to January statistics released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor on Friday, Jersey City continues a rapid and steep decline in unemployment. The Fulop Administration cited the statistic as proof its aggressive and strategic focus on job creation is working.
Jersey City’s unemployment rate is currently 6.2 percent, down 4.3 percentage points from 10.5 percent when Mayor Steven Fulop took office in June of 2013, the largest decline of city in the region. The administration said the sustained growth in employment is due directly to its efforts to attract residential development and new businesses, creating more than 9,000 thousand jobs ranging from new small businesses to construction jobs to corporate jobs.
“We’ve taken a strategic approach to both attract development and new businesses, recognizing the potential to generate thousands of jobs across a variety of sectors,” said Mayor Fulop. “The jobs we are creating today will offer opportunities for years to come as we implement our vision of providing access to quality employment for all of our residents.”
Make Instruments at Barrow Mansion
Kids Show, featuring build-your-own instruments, will be held at Barrow Mansion, 83 Wayne St., at 3 p.m. The event is free. All ages are welcome. All materials are provided and parents are invited to assist. The event is sponsored by the Barrow Mansion Development Corp.
Congressional Art Competition set for New Jersey’s 10th District
Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) today announced the 2015 Congressional Art Competition. The competition is open to all high school students in New Jersey’s 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Jersey City and Bayonne.
Seventh and eighth graders can participate only if their school is inside a high school. Participating students must go through their school’s art teacher.
The winning student’s work will be displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol for members of Congress, staff, and visitors to see. The winner will also travel to Washington, D.C. to participate in a national ceremony with other winners from around the country.
An awards reception will be held May 4 from 3-5 p.m. at the Newark Museum.
Each submission must be two dimensional, no larger than 28” X 28” X 4,” no more than 15 pounds, original in design, and prepared for hanging. Each student may submit one piece of artwork. For forms or questions call Blake Johnson at (973) 645-3213.
Port Authority to hold transportation summit on May 7
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and its regional partners, including Amtrak, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New Jersey Transit, and the Regional Plan Association, will host a summit on May 7, to focus on the regional challenge of increasing Trans-Hudson transportation capacity. To be held at the newly-opened One World Trade Center, the day-long summit entitled “A Vital Link: Expanding Transportation Capacity Across the Hudson” will bring together leaders in the transportation community to discuss the current state of the infrastructure linking New York and New Jersey, alternatives for increasing capacity to meet future demand, and the numerous financial and regulatory hurdles to be faced in making these plans a reality.
The summit proceedings, which will be available online for public viewing, will feature expert speakers and panel discussions, including public and private sector leaders in transportation policy, finance, and regulation.
West Bergen Library branch closed
The West Bergen Branch, 475 West Side Ave., of the Jersey City Free Public Library was closed on Tuesday, March 24. The storefront branch library has had different problems in the past and library administration, along with city officials, are looking for a suitable replacement space. It is not yet known how long the West Bergen Branch Library will be closed, but appropriate technicians have been brought in to review the problem.
“As always, we know this is an inconvenience for our patrons, but it cannot be avoided,” said Chief Librarian Hussein Odeh. “We will let the public know when our investigation is complete.”