More cops sworn in
Thirteen new Jersey City police officers were sworn in by Mayor Steven Fulop on Oct. 8.
Over the last two years, the city has hired 132 new officers into the police department. With the new 13 new officers joining the JCPD, the department has 812 officers.
“These new officers will make an impact where it matters: in our neighborhoods,” Fulop said. “We’ll have increased walking posts and visibility throughout the city, and we’ll be able to see the results of this expansion in every ward. In fact, we already are. We are on target for to see historical lows in many policing categories come the year’s end.”
Kelly to step down as CEO of CarePoint
Dennis Kelly, CEO of CarePoint Health, said he will be stepping down in the near future.
Kelly took over as CEO October 2014. In a video sent to company employees, Kelly said he intends to move back to Charlotte, N.C. to be with his family.
But he said CarePoint has a bright future.
“We respect Dennis’ commitment to his family and wish him well in his future endeavors,” said a statement issued by CarePoint. “We have been fortunate to have him as a steward of this company for the past three years and will remain focused on providing quality patient-centered care for the communities we serve.”
Chief Operating Officer Peter Daniels will take over day-to-day operations.
Art auction for food pantry
An Art Auction fund-raiser for St. John’s Food Pantry, “Hands on for Hunger!” will take place Saturday, Oct. 17 from 6 – 9 p.m. at St. Anns Home, 198 Old Bergen Rd., Jersey City. Parking is available on premises. Admission is free. The event features fine art, music, and tight refreshments. For info, call Debra (201) 589-1781.
New reading series at JCTC features ‘The End of the Road’
Jersey City Theater City’s new play reading series will explore the nature of happiness and will feature professional actors reading playwright Robert Kerr’s play “The End of the Road” on Wednesday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
“The play springs from my ongoing interest as a playwright in the frequent juxtaposition of absurdity and horror in contemporary American life, and the ways we seek (and sometimes find) moments of connection and transcendence in the face of these extremes,” said Kerry, who has written a number of critically-acclaimed plays.
The event will take place at Merseles Studios, 339-345 Newark Ave, in Jersey City. To reserve your spot send an email to reserve@jctcenter.org
County seeks $7.5 million Ryan White grants
The Hudson County Board of Freeholders is seeking $7.5 million in federal grants for HIV/AIDS programs.
At its Oct. 1 meeting, the freeholders voted to seek funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration Ryan White HIV/AIDS Part A Grant Program.
The purpose of the program is to provide services that include outpatient, ambulatory medical care, essential support services, medical case management services and other core medical and social services programs for those living in Hudson County with HIV/AIDS. This also includes Minority Aids Initiative core medical and outreach service dollars.
The program will run from March 1, 2016 to Feb. 28, 2017.
Tough Mudder donates $50,000 to Friends of Liberty State Park
Tough Mudder, a New Jersey Tri-State event that will be held on Nov. 7 and 8 in Liberty State Park, presented a $50,000 donation to Friends of Liberty State Park at a press conference at Liberty State Park on Friday, Oct. 9. Tough Mudder will host the New Jersey Tri-State event for the first time in Jersey City and expects over 8,000 participants to take part in the event.
Speaking on behalf of Tough Mudder was Lucas Barclay, senior vice president of operations, who presented the $50,000 donation to Sam Pesin, president of Friends of Liberty State Park, and Michel Cuillerier, co-vice president of Friends of Liberty State Park. Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, and Robert Rodriguez, superintendent of Liberty State Park, will also speak at the press conference. Mayor Fulop will participate in Tough Mudder New Jersey Tri-State on November 7.
Jersey City to host Hispanic Heritage Month celebration
Mayor Steven Fulop, Councilman Daniel Rivera and members of the City Council, in coordination with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month during a celebration on the front plaza of City Hall on Oct. 15 at 5 p.m.
Hispanic Heritage Month is held annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and recognizes the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Former NY Giants Howard Cross to appear at Shop & Stop
A meet and greet with former NY Giants Tight End Howard Cross will be held at the Shop and Stop at 232 Central Ave. on Oct. 10 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Cross played for the New York Giants from 1989-2001. During his NFL career, Cross played in over 200 games, more than any other player in the history of the team. In 1991, he earned a Super Bowl ring with the Giants for their win against the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV. Currently, Howard resides in Northern New Jersey and is a sideline reporter for the New York Giants Radio Network.
Fans will be limited to one autographed item each and one photo per family.
Stop & Shop is the official supermarket of the New York Giants.
Jersey City author’s comic book is hurricane preparedness guide
While many educators spent their summer recuperating from a long academic year, artist, educator and author Michael Markman has launched a book tour to promote his new comic book, “Surviving the Storm,” a preparedness guide that details how the Markman family used survival skills learned from past generations to brave Hurricane Sandy.
“As a full time teacher and parent, it’s hard to promote the book in a way that really conveys the heart of the story,” he says. “During the school year, I spend evenings and weekends promoting the book locally at comic book conventions and through speaking engagements at universities.”
After the last day of school, Markman put away his teacher’s smock and set out for his traveling book tour. He set out to Atlanta with stops on the way in Washington, DC, North and South Carolina. He scheduled meetings with multiple bookstores and hosted a successful comic strip workshop with students in Fayetteville, N.C.
With the third anniversary of Hurricane Sandy approaching, Markman has received invitations to participate in two major events focusing on disaster preparedness. In Oct. 2015, Markman will be speaking and showcasing the comic at the event Remembering Sandy and Emergency Preparedness at the City Hall of Jersey City. Besides sharing the process and the message of “Surviving the Storm,” Markman will be joined by Sandy victims who contributed their stories which he included in the testimonials section of the book.
“I am so pleased that Jersey City has taken this step to reach out to the community and promote this important message and that they are using my book as a vehicle to drive it home,” he says. Markman received another invitation to showcase his book at the November 2015 annual New Jersey Association of School Librarians (NJASL) the professional organization for school librarians in the state of New Jersey.
Markman is a professional artist and teacher born and raised in New York City and has been a resident of Jersey City for 30 years. He holds a BFA from The School of Visual Arts and an MS from Mount Saint Vincent. Markman has participated in The Contemporary Art Fair in New York City, The Harlem Art Tour featured at Martha’s Vineyard and Philadelphia. His Illustrations have been published in The Nation, New York Newsday and the Jersey Journal.
“Surviving the Storm” is available at Word Book Store, 123 Newark Ave., Jersey City, and online at Amazon.com, Createspace.com, and Markmandesigns.net.