State of the City
Mayor James Davis issued a State of the City Address on Thursday to the Bayonne Chamber of Commerce on Avenue C. His address reflected his administration’s goals – facilitating development and attracting new businesses and people.
In his speech he walked the line between affecting urban renewal and preserving Bayonne’s character. “You either adapt, or you die,” he said of the city’s development efforts. He spoke proudly of the “19 projects that are teed up and ready to go.”
The mayor harked back to an older Bayonne to set the stage for his goals. “We used to be an industrial city,” he said, citing the city’s change over time. “1,400 to 1,600 jobs…that’s all left town.” The mayor regretfully spoke of the blight that came after industry left and the recession hit. He said, “We cannot allow a new generation of empty lots.”
He was able to appeal to residents looking for improvement and those who are concerned with city spending. Davis spoke about his administration’s efforts to upgrade city parks through grant money instead of taxes.
New MRI machine at Bayonne Medical Center Radiology Department
Bayonne Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday to introduce a new state-of-the-art MRI machine that is quieter, more powerful, and can perform breast MRI biopsies. “This technology is going to allow us to deepen MRI imaging with stroke related services,” Jarrod Bernstein, Senior Vice-President of Communications. Carepoint CEO Jeff Mandler said, “Over eight long years we have invested millions of dollars into this facility as well as into the community.” He thanked everyone for helping to bring new medical services to Hudson County. Mayor James Davis was also in attendance. “The hospital shows what we can do here in Bayonne,” he said.“It’s something we need to have. It’s one of our largest employers.”
Family Caregiver Awareness Expo
Caregivers Empowered, an organization dedicated to supporting family caregivers, is holding an awareness exposition this Saturday, June 18 at Fitzpatrick Park from noon – 6 p.m. A “family caregiver” is anyone who provides any type of physical and/or emotional care for an ill or disabled loved one at home. Loved ones in need of care could be suffering from a physical or mental illness, disability, substance misuse, or other conditions. The event aims to provide resources for and other support to assist caregivers in their roles. Michelle Melendez, founder of Caregivers Empowered, said she also aims to raise awareness about the challenges that families face when a loved one is in need of homecare. “Many of these caregivers are working with full time careers, have children of their own, and are also taking care of a parent,” she said.
In addition to the expo, Melendez holds free support groups twice a month in the Bayonne Public Library. Email her at caregiversempowered@gmail.com.
Financial Literacy Certificate Ceremony
Provident Bank held a certificate ceremony for 797 students who completed a ten-month financial literacy program at Bayonne High School on Friday where students enjoyed cookies from Judicke’s Bakery with the high school’s logo on them and played a round of financial Jeopardy.The program is guided by a computer program used on students’ Chromebooks licensed by EverFi that teaches students financial literacy concepts.
Tim Craig, director of Fine Arts and Business, said, “The curriculum is designed to teach students everything from writing a check to knowing how interest rates work, to applying for loans, to applying for the FAFSA.” He emphasized how helpful it is for students going to college to be financially literate. “I wish I had that kind of training when I went off to college,” he said. Craig also thanked Provident Bank for its support. “The bank is incredibly generous to come in and offer the licenses and throw this celebration for the kids,” he said.
Senior Vice President of Provident Bank, Joseph Spatola, said in a statement, “Financial education and literacy for people at all stages in life is an integral part of our commitment to the communities in which we serve.”