Better luck next time
Organizers of the “OUR Turn NJ” campaign, who were seeking to get voters to approve a referendum that would allow casino gambling in North Jersey, will suspend their efforts, citing dismal polling numbers that suggests voters will reject the move. A joint statement by the operator of the Meadowlands Racetrack, Jeff Gural, and Paul Fireman, a former Reebok chief executive who has proposed a casino for Jersey City, said the data indicates their efforts would fail, partly because voters appear not to have enough information about the expansion and due to a well-funded campaign by competing gambling groups seeking to derail the effort.
A poll conducted by Rutgers University this week showed that more than 58 percent opposed the referendum.
Jersey City man charged in Forest Avenue murder
David Cooper, age 26, of Jersey City was arrested by county homicide detectives last week for the murder of Ahmin Colclough, age 20, of Jersey City.
Prosecutor Suarez credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the Jersey City Police Department for the arrest. On Monday, Sept. 19, at approximately 10 a.m., Jersey City police officers were dispatched to the area of Forrest Avenue in Jersey City on a report of shots fired. Officers found one male victim, later identified as Ahmin Colclough, in the driveway of 391 Forrest Avenue with an apparent gunshot wound to his upper body. Colclough was treated at the scene and then transported to Jersey City Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead at approximately 10:45 a.m.
Cooper has been charged with Murder; Possession of a Firearm for an Unlawful Purpose; and, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Bail has been set at $1 million cash or bond.
Walk to prevent suicide Sept. 25 in Jersey City
The Jersey City Out of the Darkness Walk will be held on Sept. 25 at Owen Grundy Pier, a fundraising walk supporting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. There are hundreds of Out of the Darkness Community Walks taking place through the U.S. this fall. Funds will support vital research, education, advocacy, suicide prevention initiatives and programs to support those impacted by suicide.
The event starts at 9 a.m. with walker registration at 10 a.m., 30 minutes prior to walk start time.
The Out of the Darkness Walks raise much needed funds and awareness to develop prevention programs and decrease stigma surrounding mental illness. Suicide is a serious national health problem that cuts across all ages and demographics. Each year, close to one million people make a suicide attempt and nearly 38,000 die by suicide in the U.S. alone.
More than 100 people from Jersey City are expected to participate.
For more information about the walk go to www.outofthedarkness.org. For more information about suicide and prevention please visit www.afsp.org.
Campaign seeks to reduce pedestrian-motor vehicle crashes
Mayor Steven Fulop and the Jersey City Police Department announced last week that Jersey City is once again participating in the Be Street Smart NJ Pedestrian Safety Campaign this September.
Motorists are urged to obey the speed limit and stop for pedestrians in crosswalks. Pedestrians are told to use crosswalks and wait for the walk signal where applicable. A new “Heads Up, Phone Down” message has been added to the campaign this year to combat distracted driving and walking.
Pedestrian safety is an ongoing challenge in New Jersey. In 2014, 170 pedestrians died as a result of pedestrian-vehicle crashes, according to the most recent data available from the New Jersey State Police. From 2010 through 2014, 749 pedestrians were killed on New Jersey’s roads and more than 17,000 were injured, according to the New Jersey State Police. That translates into one death every 2.4 days and 11 injuries daily.
In addition to education, targeted enforcement in the form of “Cops in Crosswalks” will take place throughout Jersey City. An undercover police officer is the pedestrian while uniformed officers are in the vicinity to pull over motorists who fail to stop for the pedestrian in the crosswalk. Officers will also address speeding and distracted driving and walking, which often contribute to crashes involving pedestrians. This enforcement will be funded by a grant award from the NJ Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
Hudson seeks damages over transportation work delayed by Christie
In an effort to hold the state accountable for impacts due to suspended work on transportation projects, Hudson County has filed a lawsuit against the state, and a bill sponsored Assemblyman Nicholas Chiaravalloti has cleared a key assembly committee.
The Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee approved A-4114 that requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to compensate local government entities for contractual delay damages resulting from the shutdown of transportation projects funded by the Transportation Trust Fund.
Since Gov. Christie’s July 6 Executive Order declaring a state of emergency, 21 projects have been shut down in Hudson County. It is unclear what the potential costs in delaying these projects will be. Chiaravalloti stated, “Local property taxpayers should not be forced to pay for a failure of governance on the part of Trenton. Although we continue to work towards a sustainable solution and are hopeful that we will fix the TTF, this proposal goes to protecting our county and city taxpayers.”
Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, who this week filed a lawsuit against the DOT over the potential financial damage the executive order could do was blunt: “This bill is the right medicine – but we’re only sick because the governor’s terrible treatment of this issue. Grown-ups compromise. Grown-ups govern. The shutdown of the TTF-funded projects is nothing more than an election year dodge of responsibility. It has to end.”
New dance up close at Nimbus!
Three curated programs of inventive new dance will be shown in Nimbus Danceworks’ intimate studio theater. The NimbusPresents’ OFFLINE series features some of the area’s newest and most interesting choreographic voices. Each performance will be followed by a discussion with the artists.
Showtimes are Saturday, Sept. 24 at 8 p.m.- Program A; Sunday Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. – Program B; Sunday Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. – Program C.
Tickets cost $18 online or $22 at the door. The location is 209 3rd St. in Jersey City. For more information, go to http://www. http://nimbusdanceworks.org/
Jersey City native sets record at Paralympic Olympics
A Hudson County Schools of Technology (HCST) County Prep High School Class of 2012 alum and Jersey City native, Raymond Martin, won a gold medal and set a new record during the 1500m T52 race in the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
“It’s such a pleasure to see this young man represent Hudson County and the Hudson County Schools of Technology in such a positive manner on the world stage,” said Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise. “We are all very proud of him.”
Martin set the Paralympic Record in the 1500m race with a time of 3:40:63. He also competed in the 400m race taking the top medal of gold, and winning the silver medal in the 100m race.
“Raymond is a really special person,” said HCST Superintendent of Schools Frank J. Gargiulo. “He serves as an inspiration to our current students and alumni at the Hudson County Schools of Technology, demonstrating that hard work and dedication truly do pay off.”
He previously competed in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London, winning Gold in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m races. Raymond holds the World Record in the T52 classification in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m and 5000m races. He is also the first man to win five individual word titles at a single International Paralympics Committee (IPC) competition.
“There was no doubt in our minds that Raymond was going to succeed and make a difference,” said County Prep High School Principal Barbara Mendolla. “We at County Prep are all very proud of him, he has always been disciplined and ambitious, even as a student.”
The HCST Foundation originally awarded Martin a scholarship so he could attend the trials for the 2012 London Paralympics.
Martin is entering his senior year at the University of Illinois, majoring in Kinesiology and pursuing a career as a Physician’s Assistant.