Body found in Hudson River identified
A man’s body found in the Hudson River near Exchange Place on July 30 has been identified as Seth Amuzu of Newark.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office said the cause of death is still being investigated.
The body was found on July 30 at about 7 p.m.
PATH service suspension to 33rd Street starts Saturday
PATH riders using the 33rd Street line on weekends will have to seek alternate travel options due to a weekend service suspension that begins Saturday, Aug. 6 for the installation of federally-mandated service and safety improvements. Service will be suspended each Saturday at 12:10 a.m. and the normal daily schedule will resume each Monday at 5 a.m.
The suspension is scheduled to last until Dec. 19. Weekend service will be suspended during that time from Hoboken and Jersey City to 33rd Street, requiring the closure of Sixth Avenue PATH stations at Christopher Street, Ninth Street, 14th Street, 23rd Street, and 33rd Street.
Service will not be suspended during the holiday weekends for Labor Day (Sept. 3-5), Veteran’s Day (Nov. 11-13) and Thanksgiving (Nov. 24-27).
To ease the impact of the service disruption, PATH will add weekend service between Hoboken and the World Trade Center stations, and will provide free bus shuttle service temporarily for affected commuters from the WTC to West 29th Street along Sixth Avenue. Detailed updates, bus maps and other information related to the service suspensions are available through the Port Authority’s website, www.panynj.gov/PATH.
Jersey City Medical Center receives ISO certification
Jersey City Medical Center, a RWJBarnabas Health facility, has received an important certification. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) accreditation is a rigorous process in which a hospital improves and monitors the delivery of patient care, measures quality, and places the highest priority on eliminating errors.
“Management teams across a wide range of industries understand the importance of this certification,” said Joseph Scott, president/Chief Executive Officer of Jersey City Medical Center. “Completion of the standardized ISO 9001:2008 process demonstrates an exceedingly high level of consistency and excellence.”
Jersey City Medical Center’s certification is with DNV- GNL, which works with healthcare providers, national and regional health authorities, and key stakeholders around the world to improve healthcare quality and facilitate the provision of patient-centered, safe care. It is the only healthcare accreditation board that includes both CMS standards and ISO 9001.
ISO standards are considered the “gold standard” in industries and are focused on measuring patient quality and requiring those organizations accredited to continuously improve their processes and procedures in order to reduce errors and improve patient satisfaction.
“This is more than an accreditation program, it’s a catalyst for our ongoing commitment to patient safety and clinical quality,” said Brenda Hall, SVP Patient Safety/Quality Management & Regulatory Affairs at Jersey City Medical Center. ISO 9001 has the element of continual improvement, added Hall.
“All processes are monitored and once the processes meet the standard, we have to keep getting better,” she said. “The surveyors for accreditation want to know how you keep getting better, which forces continual improvements.”
While undergoing the accreditation review, a hospital makes critical decisions about processes such as how diseases are treated, medication is stored, nurse staffing is allocated, and how billing and reimbursement are conducted.
“Accreditation impacts the way in which a hospital operates,” said Hall. “Through the ISO 9001 Quality Management System, significant emphasis is placed on proper documentation of all processes within the hospital. This ensures that when the most effective way of performing a process is found, the course of action is not just in the minds of the employees performing the tasks daily but is documented for future employees and future review.”
Small business office issues first loan in Ward F
A new forgivable loan program launched by Jersey City made its first award Wednesday. Mayor Fulop announced that The Store, on Monticello Avenue, will receive $10,000 from the Economic Development Corporation to help expand its operations.
“We established these loan programs because we saw that there was an unmet need for financing for small businesses, particularly in underserved neighborhoods,” said Mayor Fulop. “We felt it was important from both an economic and cultural standpoint that if we wanted to help our economy continue to grow while protecting our city’s texture and diversity, we had to do more to empower entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed.”
The first loan was issued by the Investors Fund, a location-based, forgivable loan program through the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (EDC). The fund was started last year with a $50,000 grant from Investors Bank, and is specifically tailored to support businesses in underserved commercial districts. Small businesses anywhere outside of downtown are eligible to apply for Investors Fund from the JCEDC, and if the business makes regular payments and remains in business the loan principal will be reimbursed.
The Store is a fashion retail boutique housing designer and international brands, offering custom one-of-a-kind pieces, master tailoring and alterations.
The Investors Fund is one of three new small business financing tools launched by the Fulop administration over the last year, which together will deploy more than $10 million in mostly private capital to help support small businesses across all of Jersey City’s eight commercial corridors.
The loan programs themselves, however, are just part of a comprehensive strategy aimed at revitalizing Jersey City’s commercial corridors. Comprised of a series of new programs and initiatives, the effort to spur business growth in struggling neighborhoods will be overseen by the Small Business Development Coordinator, a newly-created position housed within the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation.
Pulaski Skyway to be fully closed on Saturday
New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials announced that the Pulaski Skyway is scheduled to be closed in both directions on Saturday, Aug. 6 to install deck panels as the rehabilitation of the historic 83-year-old bridge advances.
Beginning at 7 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. the contractor, CCA Civil Inc.-Daidone Joint Venture, is scheduled to close the Pulaski Skyway southbound at the off ramp to I-280/Route 7 and Route 1&9 southbound to install deck panels and related concrete work.
The full closure includes most on and off ramps, including the southbound on ramp from Tonnele Circle. The ramp from the Route 139 westbound to I-280/Route 7 and Route 1&9 Truck southbound will remain open. NJDOT has created a video that shows options for alternate routes to help motorists navigate the closures, which can be found on the NJDOT YouTube channel
Sheriff’s office nabs 50 alleged fugitives by withholding food stamps
Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari announced the arrests of 50 alleged fugitives from justice in an “Operation Talon” sting conducted in conjunction with his office and the Hudson County Department of Family Services.
Webster’s dictionary defines “talon” as the claw of a bird of prey and this operation has ruffled the feathers of alleged fugitives from justice who went to collect their benefits from the Food Stamp Program.
“Operation Talon has been a win, win situation in Hudson County and as a result the community is safer and the integrity of the Food Stamp Program has been given a boost,” Schillari said. “The benefits for those individuals with open arrest warrants are held, and when the [alleged] offenders appear in the welfare office to find out why the benefits are on hold, the arrest warrant is served and the fugitive is taken into custody.”
Schillari stated that the effort netted parents who allegedly owed a total of $379,537 in child support arrears.
“Every child who is brought into this world is entitled to the proper support from their parents and those who fail to fulfill this obligation will be brought to justice,” added Schillari.
Allegedly failing to pay child support were Darrell Hargrove, age 51, Jersey City, $117,504; Timothy Beckett, age 46, Jersey City, $51,080; Darrell Bates, age 34, Jersey City, $31,789; Haraldgin Coopers, age 31, Jersey City, $24,028; Anthony Delgado, age 41, Union City $18,006.
Others arrested listed their residences at Hoboken, West New York, Kearny, Guttenberg, North Bergen and East Orange. The charges in addition to the child support matters included alleged conspiracy, theft by deception, violation of probation, and failure to pay fines.
“This operation will continue and will continue to take a significant number of offenders off the streets while saving the taxpayer dollars,” stated Schillari.
County to pay $2M to restore historic steps and other projects
At its Aug. 4 meeting, the Hudson County Board of Freeholders voted to allocate over $2 million dollars for several reconstruction projects.
The freeholders set aside $1,761,774 to reconstruct the Monumental Stairs and Plaza at the William J. Brennan Hudson County Courthouse in Jersey City.
Funds totaling $597,597 were allocated to make improvements to the tennis courts and basketball courts at James J. Braddock Park in North Bergen and Columbus Park, Hoboken.