Jersey City to combat inequality in awarding city contracts
Mayor Steven Fulop has announced that he will begin implementing a strategic plan to combat inequality in the awarding of city contracts. The plan was approved by the City Council last week, and aims to address the persistent under-representation of women- and minority-owned businesses among the vendors who win public contracts. Some of the actions the mayor plans to take include hiring a Chief Diversity Officer for the city and proactively trying to award more bids to minority- or women-owned local businesses.
“It’s an old and undeniable fact: when it comes to building our towers or fixing our infrastructure or doing the many other thousand things that keep a city humming, women- and minority- owned companies don’t have a fair shot at landing the job. That is wrong,” said Mayor Fulop, “And with the steps outlined in this plan, we will continue to make it right.”
“The goal is a community where everyone has the opportunity to benefit from the city’s growth,” he added, “and we will keep working until that is accomplished.”
The city first commissioned a study on active and passive discrimination in procurement practices in 2007. The report, produced by MGT of America, came to be known as the “Croson Report” and took four years to complete; it concluded that minority and women-owned businesses were often underutilized.
Released in 2011, the previous administration never formally adopted the report and did not implement many of its recommendations. In September 2014, however, Mayor Fulop revived the study when he made it the focus of a strategic planning process aimed at reducing barriers to full economic participation for minority and women-owned businesses in Jersey City. Councilwoman Diane Coleman and the retired judge and former state senator Joseph Charles served as chair and co-chair of the study committee, respectively.
“Over the past year this committee has worked to understand the barriers facing minority and women-owned businesses. We took our time in order to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to address that disparity,” noted Councilwoman Diane Coleman, who chaired the committee that produced the plan. “Now that the City Council has passed a resolution supporting the plan, I and the entire committee are looking forward to expanding access to economic opportunity to all of the city’s residents.”
The strategic plan, adopted by the council in a unanimous vote at the Oct. 14 meeting, includes immediate, near-term, and long-term recommendations.
Court finds Jersey City man guilty of carjacking and other charges
A Hudson County jury on Oct. 19 found Robert M. Warren, 23, of Clendenny Avenue in Jersey City, guilty of carjacking, armed burglary, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a handgun, and other charges.
Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said the charges relate to a crimes committed on June 2, 2014 when he and an accomplice entered an apartment on Cottage Avenue in North Bergen and held several guests at gunpoint in a botched robbery attempt.
At some point, both men ordered a man out of a Mercedes Benz parked nearby. When the driver did not comply, they fired into the vehicle.
His accomplice Gregory Eady was sentenced earlier this year to 75 years in prison for admitting his role in these offenses, as well as using the same gun to shoot and kill two separate victims just one week later on June 9, 2014 in Jersey City. Warren now faces a maximum exposure of 70 years in prison when he is sentenced on Dec. 11.
South Hudson Civic Association sponsors its 30th Annual Halloween Party
The Bill O’Dea South Hudson Civic Association will hold its Annual Halloween Party on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hank Gallo Community Room located in Lincoln Park next to the playground off of Westside Avenue and Harrison Avenue.
Co- sponsors of this event are: Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, County Executive Tom DeGise, Freeholder Chairperson E. Junior Maldonado, State Senator Sandra B. Cunningham, , Assemblyman Raj Mukherji, Councilperson at Large Daniel Rivera, Councilperson at Large Rolando Lavarro Jr., Councilperson at Large Joyce Watterman, Councilman Khemraj “Chico” Ramchal, County Clerk Barbara Netchert, County Register Pamela Gardner, Jersey City Education Association, Nick Chiaravalloti and Angela McKnight.
Party favorites such as hot dogs, juice, candy, comics, and face painting will be provided for free.
To register email the name and number of children that will be attending to WORED1@Yahoo.com or call (201) 332-2014 by Oct. 23, 2014. Children ages newborn to 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
CarePoint receives $350K award for quality and safety
CarePoint Health, a fully integrated healthcare system that provides quality, patient-focused healthcare to Hudson County, received the second half of its quality achievement award from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey’s (BCBSNJ) Hospital Recognition Program, and was awarded nearly $350,000.
Under the program initiated by Horizon BCBSNJ in 2006, which distinguishes hospital excellence based on quality scores earned from the nationally renowned Leapfrog Hospital Recognition Program, CarePoint-Bayonne Medical and CarePoint-Hoboken University Medical Center were cited by Horizon for quality based upon their “A” safety scores as part of the 2014 Leapfrog Hospital Survey. The recognition and financial reward acknowledges Horizon BCBSNJ network hospitals that perform well against key national measures for care quality, patient outcomes, safety, and transparency in reporting.
“We are honored by the recognition of Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield for the high marks received by our CarePoint Hospitals in their quality and safety rankings from among the many hospitals in their insurance network,” said Chief Executive Officer Dennis Kelly. “We will continue to invest in and focus on these vital aspects of healthcare delivery and look forward to maintaining our standing as the region’s premier health care provider.”
“This recognition underscores CarePoint Health’s commitment to high quality of care and patient safety,” said CarePoint Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nizar Kifaieh. “Acknowledgement from such esteemed colleagues is yet another confirmation that our clinicians are among the best when it comes to excellence in patient care.”
Jersey City man sentenced for trafficking endangered turtles
Patrick Elfers, 48, of Jersey City was sentenced on Oct. 20 to five years of probation for conspiring to traffic turtle species designated as threatened under New Jersey state law, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said.
New Jersey’s Endangered and Nongame Species Act prohibits the taking, possession, transportation, exportation or sale of spotted turtles, North American wood turtles and Eastern box turtles, among other species. New Jersey has designated the North American wood turtle as threatened because it is a vulnerable species that could become endangered. The spotted turtle and Eastern box turtle are listed as species of special concern.
Elfers admitted that, from December 2011 through March 2014, he possessed various turtle species, including spotted turtles, North American wood turtles and Eastern box turtles, at his home in Jersey City without the required permits under New Jersey State law. He advertised the turtles on wildlife trade websites to prospective purchasers in New Jersey and elsewhere. Elfers also shipped turtles to purchasers in New York State by tying them in tube socks to restrict their movement and packing them in boxes that were neither designed nor appropriate for the shipment of live animals.
As part of his probationary term, Elfers is prohibited from residing with wildlife of any kind and his computer will be monitored for any online wildlife trade activity. He must also pay a fine of $30,450 for the care and housing of the 40 turtles Elfers forfeited as part of his plea agreement. The mandatory forfeiture included 27 Eastern box turtles, one Florida box turtle, three three-toed box turtles, five Gulf Coast box turtles and four North American wood turtles.
St. Peter’s Prep football team to play in Ireland next year
The St Peter’s Prep High School football team will play a 2016 regular season game in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday, Sept. 2, 2016.
The Marauders will travel overseas to participate in the tournament that is an official event of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, which will be played at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin the following day, September 3, when Georgia Tech takes on Boston College.
Six high school teams from the United States and Mexico have so far committed to play on Irish soil, the others coming from Florida, Georgia and Mexico City. Additional teams will be confirmed in the coming weeks, when details of each school’s opponent and Dublin host venues will also be announced.
The traveling teams will participate in a traditional American Pep Rally and Parade in Ireland’s capital, while also undertaking educational tours during their stay to prepare for the Dublin Friday Night Lights matches. In expanding established Irish-American relations, as many as 3,000 travelers associated with the high school games are expected to visit Dublin.
“Our trip to play in Ireland offers our student athletes, coaching staff, school personnel, alumni and families a unique opportunity to share in a special event,” said Rich Hansen, director of athletics and head football coach. “We are grateful to be able to participate and to provide our school community with a tremendous educational experience beyond the norm. Playing this game abroad provides our players with a life experience beyond the realm of sport, and a platform to experience community service, develop team chemistry and perform in a once in a lifetime venue. It is a great tribute to our program and school community.”
Freeholders seek funds for tuberculosis program
The Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders authorized this week an application for funds and the acceptance of $225,541 from the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services for the Hudson County Ambulatory Tuberculosis Care Program.
The grant will be used to support the staff of the Hudson County Ambulatory Chest Clinic which provides physician and nursing services, Mantoux Tuberculin Testing, X-Ray Testing, dispensing of medications, follow-up and transportation services to residents of Hudson County who may come in contact with incidences of Tuberculosis.
The grant will be for the term of Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2016.
The Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders are providing the necessary resources to assist municipalities of Hudson County dealing with issues pertaining to outpatient tuberculosis clinic services.
Friends of Liberty State Park to hold privatization protest
The Friends of Liberty State Park invite park supporters to join the BIKE RIDE & BANDS against Liberty State Park’s privatization protest on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Park supporters fear the commercialization of the park and privatization by the governor’s office.
The event will be held at the Liberty State Park Historic Train Terminal concourse at 1 Audrey Zapp Dr. in Jersey City.
Attendees will have a chance to bike ride around the park and hear brief remarks about the battle to maintain the park as a public space.
The event will feature The Milwaukees, Karyn Kuhl Band, DEVI, and the Sensational Country Blues Wonders, as well as face painting and food trucks.
For information visit http://bit.ly/BIKERIDEBANDS, www.folsp.com, or call (201)792-1993. Those who attend the event are encouraged to #SaveLSP on social media.
Seminar offers secrets and strategies for selecting the perfect high school
In Hudson County, high school students are routinely traveling out of the area and even out of state to find the very best education that will prepare them for college and beyond.
But without a trusted advisor, how can you discover what your high school options really are?
At Stevens Cooperative School’s “High School Admissions 101: Finding the Perfect Match,” you can expect to learn about the many options available. Learn how to prepare your child for the competitive high school market, about the application procedures and requirements at public, parochial and private institutions and how to develop your list of schools. Discover why top tier private schools can be more affordable than you think and how the financial aid process works.
Learn from the experts and hear from parents who have successfully navigated the process. “Whether you are the parent of a young child or ready to start looking at high schools, we want you to walk out of our meeting with the steps you can take today that can have an impact on choosing the right high school for your son or daughter,” says Nancy Rossi, director of high school placement at Stevens Cooperative School for 15 years.
“High School Admissions 101: Finding the Perfect Match,” will be held Monday, Nov. 2 at Stevens Cooperative School’s Newport campus at 100 River Drive South in Jersey City. The school is within a few minutes walk of both the Hoboken and Newport PATH and light rail stations, and there is ample parking across the street at the Morton Williams market. The event is free and open to the public, and parents of all age children are encouraged to attend.
To RSVP for the event, email admissions@stevenscoop.org or call (201) 792.3688 ext. 406.