Memorial Day Parade
Bayonne will host its annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday, May 30. The ceremony takes place at Fifth and Dodge streets at 10 a.m. The parade will begin immediately after the ceremony. At 9 a.m. that day, a re-dedication ceremony will be held for the Catholic War Veteran Celtic Cross at CWW 1612 Post on 18 West 23rd St.
Demellier, influential politico, dead at 68
Although not a familiar face to much of the general public, Harold “Buddy” Demellier Jr., who recently passed as the result of cardiac arrest, will be remembered as the man who kept Hudson County roads running.
At the time of his death Demellier was director of county roads and bridges for Hudson County. He has also served as a political advisor to top officials in Jersey City, Bayonne, West New York, and other towns over the years.
Demellier was meeting with an old friend in New York City when he reportedly collapsed.
Known by his closest friends as “Buddy,” Demellier was called “The General” for his ability to mobilize the county’s road department in moments of crisis, from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 to super snowstorms such as the one that struck the region last January.
“Although he was deeply involved in politics, Buddy loved his job with the county,” said former Bayonne Freeholder Neil Carroll. “He said it was the best job he ever had.”
During his long career in Hudson County as well as elsewhere, Demellier served stints as business administrator in West New York and in Bayonne.
But his significance was often felt behind the scenes as a master political tactician who started with the campaigns of Jersey City Mayor Gerald McCann and later included Bayonne mayors Leonard Kiczek and Mark Smith. He was also instrumental in the successful campaigns of Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy, and County Executive Tom DeGise.
A Vietnam veteran, Demellier was extremely religious, but also had a flair for horse racing, and frequently traveled around the world to catch races with a group of other Hudson County regulars.
MOTBY explosion still under investigation
The U.S. Department of Labor reported that its investigation is ongoing after a small explosion from a gas line injured several people last month. The explosion occurred on the former Military Ocean Terminal of Bayonne base on Chosen Few Way.
Two police officers and a worker were treated for minor injuries, while one worker was left in critical condition. The workers were testing the pressure of a gas line on the morning of March 30 when an explosion occurred. The condition of the individual who was left critical is unknown, as names have not been released.
Students from Nicholas Oresko School win F.I.R.E. Bowl championships
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ (DCA) Division of Fire Safety on Tuesday announced that middle school students from the Nicholas Oresko School in Bayonne have been crowned the 2016 Fire Information and Rescue Education (F.I.R.E) Bowl champions. The annual middle school competition held on Friday, May 20 at Kean University, challenged students from across New Jersey on their knowledge of fire prevention and safety in a way that not only tests that knowledge, but imparts it to both them, their parents, teachers and school administrators as well.
“The F.I.R.E. Bowl addresses the critical need to educate our youngsters and their parents on fire safety and prevention,” said William Kramer Jr. Acting Director of the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety and state fire marshal. “The students immerse themselves in what firefighters and EMTs have to know, along with basic fire safety concepts, which play out in a fun and exciting scholastic competition setting. We can proudly say that no F.I.R.E. Bowl contestant has ever lost.”
Students under the guidance of their faculty coaches begin their studies well in advance of the final and it’s those preliminary rounds that determine who ultimately will wear the F.I.R.E. Bowl state champion crown. All participants were on hand for the competitive final at Kean, which was hosted by News 12 New Jersey personality Tony Caputo.
Hand-carved statue rededicated for Our Lady of Assumption
After Sunday’s Italian Mass at the former Our Lady of Mount Carmel church, now St. John Paul II church, members of Our Lady of Assumption crossed the street to rededicate a hand-carved statue from Italy that was donated to the church in 2002 by the Scarfone family. The Archdiocese of Newark consolidated five Bayonne parishes earlier this year.
Mayor DiDomenico Municipal Pool open for the season
Mayor DiDomenico Municipal Pool will open for the season on Memorial Day weekend – May 28, May 29, and May 30, from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. The pool will also be open on weekends from 10:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. until school gets out for the summer. The facility is located on West 16th Street, west of Avenue A. Mayor Davis said that attendance stood around 33,000 last year. “This has been a wonderful facility for more than 50 years, and we anticipate another year of joy and fun for our residents,” he said.
The daily admission fee for children 12 years and under is $1, 13-64 years olds are $3, and seniors, age 65 and above are $1. The city also offers seasonal passes for families of four (including parents/guardians and children under age 17) for $200, and each additional child is $15. Seasonal passes for individual children 12 years and under cost $25; for people 13-64 years, $100; and seniors 65 years old and above, $40.
Residents must have a City of Bayonne ID in order to be admitted to the pool. Any Bayonne resident who does not possess a City of Bayonne ID will be charged $5. Any out-of-town guest of a Bayonne resident will be charged $10.
City of Bayonne Resident ID’s can be obtained at the Recreation Office in City Hall Room #13, Monday through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The fee for a Bayonne Resident ID is $5.
The pool will be shut down in the event of inclement weather. Get more information or confirm pool closings by calling the Recreation hotline at 201-471-7590, or by visiting the Recreation Division website at www.bayonnerec.com.