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Eight Great Winter Walks Nearby

January 15, 2021/in Diversions, Education, header, Latest News, News, Other Fun Stuff, Trending Now /by Elizabeth Morrill

American naturalist and nature essayist John Burroughs may have put it best. “I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in order.”

After a ten-month-long lockdown and a nerve-wracking election culminating in last week’s Capitol insurrection, we could all use a little soothing and healing.

Below are eight walks in and around Jersey City you might want to consider for lifting your spirits the next brisk, sunny winter day. Seven of them traverse beautiful wetlands and offer great birding. One is in a 2,000-acre mountain reservation. All are dog friendly. Some are near playgrounds and other attractions for young kids.

Before we begin, a note about provenance. Most of these pathways were built thanks to a 1988 state law requiring municipalities to provide public access to the state’s shorelines (a right that traces back to Byzantine emperor Justinian in 500 A.D.). Credit for developing and maintaining these paths belongs to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, private developers, local municipalities, and agencies like the Hudson County Improvement Authority. Nonprofit environmental organizations including Hackensack Riverkeeper, the Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy, and the NY/NJ Baykeeper work to promote use of the walkways, develop educational programming along them, and occasionally litigate to protect private and commercial encroachment upon them.

The walks are organized by point of origin starting with those in Jersey City.

Hackensack Riverfront Walkway in Lincoln Park West (Jersey City)

Lincoln Park West used to be home to an 80-acre landfill. Now, thanks to efforts spurred by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection in 1998, it’s the site of a .75-mile-long public walkway that’s won not one but two prestigious awards for excellence in environmental restoration.

Pennsylvania Railroad Hudson & Manhattan Railroad passenger bridge as seen from Lincoln Park West Walkway

This western part of Lincoln Park (so called because it’s on the west side of Route 440) is 120 acres in size. The walkway itself meanders through 34 acres of restored wetlands planted with approximately 100,000 plants attractive to all sorts of wildlife: raptors, black skimmers, ospreys, egrets, waterfowl, fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Edgewood Lake, which allows for fishing, is on one’s right as the walk begins. All along the route are views of the Hackensack River and two of the four bridges in the Hackensack River Vertical Lift Bridges Historic District. Just beware of errant golf balls.

Most of the pathway, while protected by bluffs, is adjacent to Skyway Golf Course.

For more exercise, options abound.

Visitors can explore a similar type of path perpendicular to the main walkway (adding another quarter to half mile round trip), meander through the rest of Lincoln Park West past tranquil ponds and scenic overlooks, or, of course, walk over the ramp to Lincoln Park East.

Those who tackle both the riverfront walkway and the loop in Lincoln Park East will log 2.75-miles. Dogs are welcome as long as they’re leashed.

How to Find It: Lincoln Park West is located on Route 440 between Duncan and Communipaw Avenues, but it can be accessed only via a ramp (for both cars and pedestrians) from Lincoln Park East. Lincoln Park East has several entrances including ones on West Side, Communipaw, and Duncan Avenues.

Parking: There is free parking in both Lincoln Park West and Lincoln Park East.

Public Transportation: Via Rideshare

Walkway Hours: 24/7

Route Length: 1.5 miles (out and back)

Activities for Kids: Lincoln Park East has a playground

Caven Point to Port Liberte (Jersey City)

Perhaps more familiar to readers but by no means more mundane is the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway section from Caven Point (in Liberty State Park) to Port Liberte.

Indeed, so beautiful is this stretch that billionaire Paul Fireman has attempted to transform the wildlife refuge within it to more holes for Liberty National Golf Course, which he owns. (Ongoing—and tireless—efforts to keep Caven Point public have been led by Sam Pesin, president of  Friends of Liberty State Park. FOLSP was instrumental in getting Fireman to back down in August 2020, but the developer, who is hoping for cooperation from Governor Murphy, is still trying to block passage of the Liberty State Park Protection Act.)

Port Liberte as seen from Caven Point Wildlife Refuge

The walkway itself is beautifully designed. Initially curving around Liberty National’s hilltop clubhouse, the path is bounded by tall grasses and rocky shores. Past the glass-enclosed clubhouse the walkway proceeds to the peninsula’s 15-acre bird sanctuary that itself features beautiful boardwalks, scenic overlooks, and panoramic views of New York Harbor. Local photographer and blogger Shayna Marchese notes, “It [the sanctuary] consists of upland meadow, saltwater marsh, maritime forest, tidal pools, tidal mudflats, and the longest natural beach in Upper New York Harbor and the Hudson River. It is one of the last undisturbed natural estuaries in the New York City area.”

Upon leaving the refuge (which is open from October through March), turn left onto the walkway and continue until you get to Port Liberte. Turn left and go down a few steps, and the public path will continue by heading south. (Do not enter Port Liberte as it is private.) You will now be treated to unencumbered views of Brooklyn to the east and glimpses into the backyards of Port Liberte homeowners to the west.

Keep going.

The walkway again appears to end—this time at a swimming pool. In actuality, however, it continues as it wraps around the pool, parallels “Intrepid Place,” and dead ends at Chapel Avenue.

Why is Port Liberte worth the trip? Because it’s so different.

Modeled after Venice—and with architecture inspired by French fishing villages—the Disneyworld-like community consists of ornately styled homes situated along serpentine canals, many with their own boats and docks. The development is gated, so nonresidents are prohibited from entering without invitation. But the public walkway provides glimpses of the unusual domicile.

How to Find It: The entrance to the walkway is located off Morris Pesin Dr. across from the Liberty Park Diner.

Parking: While it remains closed due to COVID, Liberty Park Diner, located right at the rotary at the intersection of Burma Rd. and Morris Pesin Dr., offers the closest free parking. No-cost parking is also available in the Liberty State Park parking lot at the east end of Morris Pesin Drive.

Public Transportation: Via Rideshare

Walkway Hours: 24/7

Route Length: 4 miles out and back

Newport to Uptown Hoboken (Jersey City to Hoboken)

Yet another stretch of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway runs from Newport to Uptown Hoboken. This route showcases  spiffy urban planning and postcard views of Manhattan. And like the entire pedestrian path, it’s part of the East Coast Greenway.

Pier C Park along the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway in Hoboken. 

Arguably the most enchanting part of the route is Pier C Park  in Hoboken, an irregularly shaped protrusion that sits atop stilts in the river between Third and Fourth Streets. But other appealing spots dot the four-mile out-and-back walk, too. Pier A Park, just north of Hoboken Terminal, offers an expansive lawn great for groups of people to meet (masked, of course). Maxwell Place Park, at the northern end of the walk, features similar grassy expanses plus some cool seating and a nicely designed playground and dog run.

The walk ends  a stone’s throw from the Hoboken Historical Museum. Check out their great array of memorabilia and first-rate art and historical exhibitions.

How to Find It: Heading north on Washington Blvd. in Jersey City, turn right onto Park Lane South just before you get to Target. You will see the walkway at the river’s edge.

Walkway Hours: 24/7

Route Length: 2 miles in each direction

Nearby Points of Interest: Hudson Street in Hoboken (featuring a half mile of eye candy in the form of magnificent brownstones), the Hoboken Historical Museum

Activities for Kids: Pier C Park and Maxwell Place Park have state-of-the-art playgrounds

Hudson River Waterfront Walkway Around Bayonne Golf Club (Bayonne)

Just seven miles south of Jersey City—and jutting out into New York Harbor—is a stunning section of the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway, arguably the most beautiful section of this fantastic 19-mile amenity. The path circumscribes the Bayonne Golf Club, features a gorgeous foot bridge, and offers dramatic views. You’ll feel as though you’re on the set of Poldark by Masterpiece Theater.

While this is a route on which dog owners (or is the polite term now dog parents?) would definitely want to keep their charges leashed, the walk offers benefits that others in the area don’t: feeling part of a larger community, lots of independent boutiques and restaurants just yards away, and wide pathways for strollers (to name just a few).

 

View of Bayonne National Golf Club clubhouse from Hudson River Waterfront Walkway. Photo courtesy of Sue Kaufmann.

Almost the entire 1.25-mile trail borders wetlands. As a bonus, two other worthwhile spots to visit—Atlas Yacht Club and the  9/11 Teardrop Memorial in Bayonne (that Jersey City didn’t want)—are a short drive away.

How to Find It: The walkway is adjacent to South Cove Commons Shopping Center at One Lefante Way in Bayonne.

 

Distance From Jersey City: 7 miles

Parking: Free parking at South Cove Commons shopping center (park near Home Goods)

Public Transportation: Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to 34th Street Station, Bayonne. This station is diagonally across the street from the South Cove Commons shopping center. The trail head is behind Home Goods.

Walkway Hours: 24/7

Route Length: 2.5 miles (out and back)

Nearby Points of Interest: Costco, Atlas Yacht Club, 9/11 Teardrop Memorial

Twin Parks: Richard A. Rutkowski and Stephen R. Gregg (Bayonne)

Two adjacent parks on Newark Bay in Bayonne offer a great combination of wetlands, fishing opportunities, jogging and bicycle paths, birding, beautifully canopied hills, historic artifacts, even a formal garden. For warmer-weather outings there are also athletic fields and tennis courts.

Historic Elco crane in Rutkowski Park

While little has changed in the stately 98-acre Gregg Park for many years, Rutkowski Park got refurbished recently as part of an environmental remediation project.

Upon entering the northern edge of Rutkowski Park off Route 440 South, one can pick up a gravel path on the right. Just look for the sign with a backpacker logo on it. This trail borders Newark Bay and leads to a scenic wood footbridge that meanders through wetlands for a quarter mile. Along the way are spots to fish, interpretive signs describing the area’s wildlife, and a reassembled crane from Elco Boat Works with a plaque honoring the history of the boat builder and the servicemen who served aboard their torpedo patrol units in Newark Bay during World War II.

The walkway south from Rutkowski Park leads right to Gregg Park. In fact, the only thing separating the two parks is an iron archway. Once through the gate, turn right to behold an impressive half-mile long waterfront promenade with unimpeded views of Port Newark. To the left are ball fields, and beyond them the remaining 90-plus acres that unfold as so many undulating hills. Tall trees dot the interior throughout. The vibe is gracious and relaxed.

Gregg’s winding paths, stone stairs, porticos, and monuments are a testament to the foresight of Charles N. Lowrie, who designed the park and was active in the City Beautiful Movement.

How to Find It: Stephen R. Gregg Park is located on JFK Blvd. in Hoboken between 37th and 48th Streets. Richard A. Rutkowski Park is on the water just to Gregg Park’s north. To drive to Rutkowski Park, take Route 440 South and exit on the right just past the overpass for NJ Turnpike Extension 78.

Distance From Jersey City: 7 miles (20–25 minutes by car without traffic)

Parking: Gregg Park offers free parking in the southwest corner, which is the equivalent of 37th Street and Newark Bay. Rutkowski Park’s free parking lot is at the entrance to the park off of Route 440 South.

Walkway Hours: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Route Length: Up to 2.5 miles of combined trails

Activities for Kids: Gregg Park features playgrounds and athletic fields

Mill Creek Marsh (Secaucus)

If you want to immerse yourself in the Hackensack River wetlands with the shortest possible drive from Jersey City, the Mill Creek Marsh in Secaucus is for you. The 209-acre property features a mile-and-a-half-long trail that loops around a marsh situated right in the Atlantic Flyway. Lots of ducks and birds are on view.

Waterfowl in Mill Creek Marsh Park

While you are right off both the Turnpike and Route 3, you will still make some enchanting discoveries: stumps of ancient Atlantic white cedar trees (a species that has been gone from the area since 1923,) ducks such as green-winged teals and northern shovelers, attractive wood footbridges, and thoughtfully placed benches on which to sit and reflect.

Mill Creek Marsh is one of many areas highlighted on the “Parks and Trails” page of the New Jersey Sports and Exhibition Association’s website (NJSEA is essentially the Meadowlands administration). It is open from 7 a.m. to dusk.

How to Find It: The entrance to the walkway is located right next to the Secaucus, NJ location of Bob’s Discount Furniture in the Mall at Mill Creek on Route 3. The address is 3 Mill Creek Drive.

Distance From Jersey City: 7 miles (20–25 minutes by car without traffic)

Parking: Free parking available near the walkway entrance

Walkway Hours: 7 a.m. to dusk

Route Length: 1.6 miles of trails total

Richard W. DeKorte Park (Lyndhurst)

Another jewel along the Hackensack, Richard W. DeKorte Park consists of nearly 640 acres of marshes and coastal impoundments in the town of Lyndhurst in the Meadowlands. Like so many of the trails that Hackensack Riverkeeper (and its founder Captain Bill Sheehan) helped develop, it’s not crowded. So, don’t tell anyone.

 

Interpretive sign along trail in Richard W. DeKorte Park. Photo courtesy of NJSEA.

But it is important for scientific and environmental reasons. “The region is classified as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by New Jersey Audubon and is an area of conservation interest to the USFWS [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service], mainly due to a high diversity of wetland birds and wildlife,” according to the The Coastal Impoundments Vulnerability and Resilience Project.

DeKorte park also feeds the soul. It offers three-and-a-half miles of trails including one over a long jetty that will make you think you’re on Cape Cod (Provincetown has a jetty that’s pretty impressive).

Signs highlighting the park’s resources and wildlife are found intermittently along the pathways; other resources include an observatory for star gazing and a center for environmental and scientific education (both of which are unfortunately closed during the pandemic).

Dogs are allowed on leashes on most of the trails.

How to Find It: The entrance is located at 1 DeKorte Park, Lyndhurst.

Distance From Jersey City: 11 miles (30 minutes by car without traffic)

Parking: Free parking right inside the entrance

Walkway Hours: 7 a.m. to dusk

Route Length: 3.5 miles of assorted trails

Attractions for Kids: NJSEA.com provides information on numerous environmental education opportunities geared to children (temporarily suspended due to COVID-19).

South Mountain Reservation (Maplewood-Millburn-West Orange)

For those readers who want a nearby hike, not just a walk (and who have access to a car), South Mountain Reservation in Essex County fits the bill. Over 2,000 acres big, the complex is just 17 miles from Jersey City, but its mostly wild, forested habitat gives one the sense of being hours away.

Wooded trail in South Mountain Reservation. Photo courtesy of All Trails.

Your sojourn will be handsomely rewarded. Visitors will find numerous trails ranging in length from less than one mile to over 30 miles. And the preserve has an impressive pedigree: According to Essex County Parks, renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted visited the reserve and considered it amongst “the most beautiful and promising terrain he had ever seen.” While Olmstead did not design the reservation himself, he delegated the job to his stepson’s firm, and it was eventually finalized by Olmstead’s two sons, both prominent landscape architects in their own right.

South Mountain Reservation is also known for having a pretty snazzy dog park. Pooches from far and away get their humans to take them there because of its agility courses and equipment.

How to Find It: South Mountain Reservation is located in parts of Millburn, Maplewood, and West Orange. Best to find directions to the trail of your choice.

Distance From Jersey City: Approximately 17 miles (30–40 minutes by car without traffic)

Parking:  Free parking lots are sprinkled throughout the complex. For just a few dollars one can also Park N Ride.

Park Hours: dawn to dusk

Route Length: The complex features a range of trails from less than one mile to over 30 miles in length.

Nearby Points of Interest: The reservation’s popular dog park with an agility course.The towns of Maplewood, Millburn, and West Orange offer a variety of shops and restaurants.

Attractions for Kids: Numerous offerings including a zoo and an award-winning 19-hole safari golf course (all unfortunately closed during COVID)

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Richard W. DeKorte Park was 20,000 acres in size.

Assault Involving Shea Aide Under Investigation

January 14, 2021/in header, Latest News, News, Trending Now, Uncategorized /by Jersey City Times Staff

An assault involving Michael Manzo, a former firefighter and a current aide to Public Safety Director James Shea, is under investigation by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office according to HCPO spokesperson Jennifer Morrill.

According to documents obtained by Real Garden State and reviewed by JCT, on September 22, 2020, Manzo and his son-in-law Kevin Fernandez confronted Saleh Iftikhar in the area of Sip and Bryant Avenues and accused him of having stolen several items and $300 in cash from Fernandez’s unlocked Jeep. In interviews with a detective, Manzo and Fernandez gave differing accounts as to what happened after they approached Iftikhar. Fernandez said Iftikhar fled and that he tripped Iftikhar twice, ultimately subduing him peacefully. Manzo stated that Iftikhar pushed him, forcing him to “defend himself” leading to Manzo possibly punching Iftikhar in the neck or arm. Manzo also described their interaction as a “spat.”

Officer Michael Spolizino searches Saleh Iftikhar.

An unknown witness called 911 and reported, “It seems like somebody’s getting beat up on the corner. They were accused of stealing something but two people are beating up this person really bad.”

Iftikhar was arrested and charged with possessing a vial of crack-cocaine and drug paraphernalia.

While on route to central booking, the police reported that Iftikhar reported pain in his mouth. The police observed that both cheeks were swollen and his mouth was bleeding.  Iftikhar was taken to Jersey City Medical Center where doctors determined that his jaw was broken on both sides. Later, a detective interviewing Iftikhar at the hospital reported that Iftikhar blamed two males he described as “father and son” for his injuries. “They beat me too much” Iftikhar told the detective. Iftikhar had undergone surgery and his mouth was wired shut.

This is not Manzo’s first legal scrape. In 2009, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion, admitting that he had accepted $5,000 from Solomon Dwek, a federal informant posing as a developer, in exchange for the promise of future help with a development on Garfield Avenue. Manzo was one of 44 public figures arrested in Operation Bid Rig. At the time, Manzo was a candidate for Jersey City Council, a race he ultimately lost. Charges against Manzo were dropped when a court determined that the charges only applied to elected officials.

On Monday, JCT reached out to the administration for comment. There has been no response.

Body cam videos obtained by Real Garden State can be viewed here.

 

 

 

 

 

Contract to Administer Covid Vaccine Draws Questions

January 13, 2021/in header, Latest News, News, Trending Now /by Jersey City Times Staff

A $1 million contract to administer the COVID-19 vaccine effort before the City Council tonight is prompting questions from Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro and local activist Rob Menendez, son of New Jersey U.S. Senator Bob Menendez.

According to Lavarro and Menendez, the company at issue, Bespoke Health LLC, which was formed in October of last year, appears to have little to no experience administering vaccines. Bespoke’s website, on the other hand, states that “Bespoke Health is the New York Metropolitan area’s premiere concierge COVID-19 testing service.”  Bespoke’s website is under construction with the message that it is “coming soon.”

The proposed contract with Bespoke comes after the Administration’s unexplained withdrawal of a contract with Fixtech Medical USA, Inc., for the purchase and delivery of six mobile booths to provide COVID-19 vaccination sites for the Department of Health and Human Services. The withdrawal followed tweets from Megan Carolan and Menendez pointing out that Steve Kaitz, a salesman associated with Fixtech, had been sentenced in federal court in connection with a multimillion dollar accounting fraud scheme.

Said Lavarro, “After reviewing the resolution more closely and on the heels of the unexplained withdrawal of the Fixtech Medical contract in December, I have serious concerns as to how our vaccine program is being managed. Literally lives are at stake. I don’t think it’s prudent to hand over $1M to an upstart company that will be responsible for administering Jersey City’s vaccine program, arguably the most important program and contract in our City’s history.”

According to a tweet from Menendez, “the company that the City wants to run its citywide vaccination program only has two employees, operates out of a private residence on the UWS of Manhattan and does not appear to have a medical professional on staff. Jersey City residents deserve the best services from the most qualified vendors especially when it comes to something as critical as COVID vaccinations.”

Administration Spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione gave JCT the following statement. 

“The vaccine program you reference with Bespoke is consistent with what we have done over the last year, despite uncharted territory for any city to navigate, and is a contract that the city is 100% comfortable with in regards to delivering for our residents. While no other city in NJ is setting up municipal PODs to outreach into “hard to reach” communities, we in Jersey City are doing that consistent with what we have done on testing.

Regarding Bespoke, they are the same experts that the city has already worked with for 8 months with our municipal testing program, which by all accounts has been a success. The Health Department has been working with this team on testing since last year through the RRT testing program, and so they have a proven track record that they are more than capable of efficiently working and delivering for our residents.

With regards to Fixtech and Bespoke – There is no connection between the two.”

Bespoke has not responded to Jersey City Times’s request for comment.

Hector Vargas — From Unsung Hero to Insurrectionist

January 11, 2021/in header, Latest News, News, Trending Now, Uncategorized /by Jersey City Times Staff

A local man named Hector Vargas has been identified by a video he posted to his Facebook page as one of President Donald Trump’s supporters who forced their way into the Capitol last week. In the video selfie he can be heard saying “We took over this motherf***er, bro…We took over this f***ing capitol, tell them.” The video was first publicized by the blog Real Garden State.

In May of last year, Vargas, a Marine Corps veteran, was profiled by Jersey City Times for his work delivering meals to the homeless. The article focused on several of Jersey City’s “unsung heroes” during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the time, several of Vargas’ neighbors, who questioned his sincerity and temperament, were critical of JCT for including him in the article. Councilman-at-Large Daniel Rivera came to his defense telling JCT that, “he can be rough around the edges and very outspoken but his heart is genuine.”

A chronological selection from Vargas’ social media feed below offers a window into the thinking of a participant in the January 6 Capitol melee.

 

 

 

 

Reflections

January 10, 2021/in header, Opinion, Trending Now, Uncategorized /by Rev. Thomas M. Murphy

Rev. Thomas M. Murphy, Rector of The Church of St. Paul and Incarnation at 38 Duncan Avenue graciously shared this eloquent essay with Jersey City Times. In it, he reflects on our history, the difficult week we’ve been through and a path forward. Jersey City Times welcomes the perspectives of leaders from the diverse faiths throughout Jersey City.

 

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

When I taught history at St. Peter’s Prep in Downtown Jersey City, each year I took my U.S. History I classes on a field trip to an American Revolutionary War battle site. I’m sure that when my students first heard “field trip” they imagined that I’d hand out permission slips to be signed by their parents, and, someday soon, we would board a bus that would take us away from school for a day. So, there was perhaps some disappointment when I told them that they would need no permission slip because our “field trip” would take us… all of one city block.

When the big day arrived, we made our way over to the intersection of Washington and Grand Streets. An obelisk stands in the small park there, commemorating the Battle of Paulus Hook, where Redcoats and Patriots skirmished in 1779. We carried with us reproductions of old maps, helping us to situate the long-gone fortifications. The exercise required a lot of imagination because the landscape is so different from what it was in colonial times. Over the years, industrious people hungry for more land extended the shoreline to the east and filled in what had been marshland, burying all the many streams that flowed throughout the area.

Today those underground streams are invisible on the street level, but, as many homeowners in the Paulus Hook neighborhood know only too well, they are not gone. The streams continue to run below the surface, occasionally rising back up and doing considerable damage.

Now that we live during a time that historians will study closely,  I often find myself thinking back to my classroom days and reconsidering how I went about teaching the past. Thanks to textbooks and, really, our usual way of thinking, it’s almost unavoidable to think of history as having “chapters” with beginnings and endings. For example, each year in U.S. History I, I had the daunting challenge of teaching our country’s history from the “Age of Discovery” to the end of the Civil War. And I aimed to tell that long story in a way that was not just a meaningless list of names and dates, all the while encouraging my students to think critically. It was often fun, but it was a lot to cover! And, the last marking period was usually a mad dash to the finish line. Surrender at Appomattox! The Civil War is over! Lincoln is assassinated! Exam review! Have a good summer and good luck in U.S. History II!

Each year it sure seemed that one chapter had come to an end. Other chapters were about to begin. The only problem is that this is not how history works. It’s not how life works. Rather than a collection of chapters with beginnings and endings, history is more like a stream, or a collection of streams. At certain times, some streams flow stronger than others. Some streams may dry up. And, maybe most dangerous of all, some streams may be forced underground, but only for a time. Eventually, the pressure increases enough that, just like in Downtown Jersey City, the streams rise to the surface, wreaking havoc.

On Wednesday, it was shocking and frightening to watch insurrectionists, some carrying Confederate flags or wearing shirts bearing anti-semitic messages, storm the United States Capitol. Some of those people were buffoonish while others were serious and skilled, equipped for kidnapping and killing. The seeming ease by which they all entered what should be one of the most secure places on the planet raises many disturbing questions. The fact they were cheered on, at least for a time, by the President of the United States, would have been unthinkable to our country’s founders and all the presidents who have gone before. Yet, none of it should have surprised us, really.

The Civil War “ended” in 1865, but we all know that the toxic stream of racism and white privilege has continued to course through our land ever since, diverted into “Lost Cause” mythology, Jim Crow, the Ku Klux Klan, voter suppression, and all the rest. Maybe sometimes the stream has been mostly underground, collecting in places like the cesspools of the Internet, but it’s never been far below the surface.  And, sometimes, cynical politicians craving power have been eager to draw from this foulness, convinced that they would be able to cap it again when it’s no longer useful to them. Any student of history knows this is a serious, and potentially deadly, error.

It’s convenient for us to forget that many Americans of the 1930s, including some prominent and influential people, admired the Nazis, envying the exaltation of the “strongman,” pinning their troubles on the usual scapegoats, and supporting the oppression of Jews and other minority groups. When the U.S. entered World War II, and when the horrors of the Holocaust were exposed, that toxic stream may have seemed to dry up, but, in fact, it just seeped below the surface. For a while now, this contaminated water has bubbled back up, and it finally flowed into our capital city this week.

We know from nature, and maybe from our basements, the destructive force of water. But, at the same time, all life depends on water. And our Christian lives depend on water, too. This Sunday, we will celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord, recalling the day long ago at the River Jordan when God announced to Jesus, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.” When we remember the Baptism of Jesus, we are called to remember also our own Baptism, the moment when we began to swim in the holy waters of love, faithfulness, service, and forgiveness.

These are grim days. While new leadership will undoubtedly bring some change, it will not be the end of one chapter and the start of another. No, the streams of history will continue to flow, some stronger than others, some more visible than others. So, especially in such a frightening time, when much ugliness that had been hidden has been exposed, I hope we will remember that we have been washed in the water of Baptism. There is no stream strong enough – there is nothing strong enough – to break the bond between God and us.

I have often said that the people of St. Paul and Incarnation have a special vocation. We are called by God to show the world that all different kinds of people can not only tolerate each other, not only live together in peace, but stand up for each other, truly love one another, no matter what. Our vocation has never been more important, more needed, than right now. And when we are faithful to our calling and when we join hands with other people of faith and goodwill, then together, with God’s help, we can unleash a flood of goodness, making real the vision of the Prophet Amos:

“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

Your brother in Christ,

Tom

Photo by Gagan Kaur from Pexels

Girl Scouts Say Cookies Need an Oil Change

January 9, 2021/in Food And Drink, header, Latest News, News, Uncategorized /by Jersey City Times Staff

Forget about getting any Girl Scout Thin Mints or Do-si-Dos this year. Upon learning that Girl Scout Cookies are made with unsustainable palm oil, local troop 12026 is joining a nationwide boycott and refusing to vend the round morsels of deliciousness.

The boycott began when Olivia Chaffin, an eagle-eyed Girl Scout from Tennessee, discovered that the cookies weren’t all they were cracked up to be. A little sleuthing led her to the conclusion that despite a green palm tree on the label indicating sustainability, some of the palm oil was just the opposite. That “mixed” oil is associated with numerous human and environmental rights violations, including forced child labor and human sex trafficking.  

The troop is asking people to sign a petition against the use of the bad oil.

Shocked at the notion of children forced to work on plantations, Cadet Samiya Oculi said, “This is insane. Why would you do this? Not only are you hurting the community, you are hurting a young girl that just wants an education.” 

The other girl scouts of troop 12026 concurred.

“Children shouldn’t have to work in these horrible conditions just for some Girl Scout Cookies!” protested Cadet Saniyah.

Cadet Nariya agreed. “Palm oil is bad for your health, so stomp out palm oil.”  

“For a company that shows itself as trying to bring girls up, you sure aren’t bringing up the girls in the countries that you are using child labor from” added Senior Eleniz.

Perhaps Senior Lauren summed it up best. “There is no excuse for using child labor when you can pay legal adults to do the same work. Children should be in classrooms and not working on plantations. Because of this, myself and my troop have decided not to sell girl scout cookies this season, and every season until this wrong is made right!” 

Amen.

 

 

 

Q&A: The Next Round in NJ’s Rollout of COVID-19 Vaccine

January 8, 2021/in header, Latest News, News /by Jersey City Times Staff

Gov. Phil Murphy announces that law enforcement and firefighters can now receive vaccines

This story was written and produced by NJ Spotlight. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.

Full story link – HERE.

By Lilo H. Stainton

New Jersey is moving to a second round of COVID-19 vaccinations, announcing Wednesday that the next group of eligible people will be inoculated soon. It will be some time before the vaccine is widely available. And the state is still moving to get vaccines to health care workers, residents at long-term care facilities and others in its first priority group.

Here are key questions and answers about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout as it stands now.

Who is being vaccinated now?

New Jersey chose to prioritize paid and unpaid health care workers, staff and residents in long-term care centers, and others in many congregate care settings, including state-run facilities for disabled individuals and federal senior housing sites. These are all considered part of the 1a group. According to the state’s calculations, there are roughly 650,000 health care workers in the state and 90,000 residents in nursing homes, assisted living and other long-term care. Tens of thousands more live in other congregate settings. While officials believe it is an undercount, they reported nearly 138,000 people have been vaccinated so far.

On Wednesday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that law enforcement and firefighters — both paid and volunteer — could also receive vaccines, starting today. Emergency medical responders are eligible as part of the 1a group. This work puts them at risk of infection, he said, and the state wants to immunize as many people as possible as quickly as it can to help slow the spread. Police and fire officials are considered members of the 1b group of frontline workers, which also includes other professions that come in contact with the public, like bus drivers and other transportation workers or food handlers.

“These are our frontline responders who through their jobs have a greater risk of coming into contact with infectious people and infectious materials. We are able to open up vaccination to them based on the available supply,” state Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli said, noting 1a individuals will still be eligible. “The movement between phases will be fluid — one phase will overlap with another — we will not wait for all individuals in one phase to be vaccinated before opening to additional groups of people.”

Who comes next, and when will the rest of us be eligible?

The state Department of Health is working with an advisory committee that meets regularly to determine what other frontline workers in the 1b group will be made eligible next; additional details could be available in the near future, officials said. There are an estimated 2.5 million people in the 1b group. That will be followed by the 1c group, which includes individuals over age 65 or those of any age who have certain underlying conditions; this adds another 1 million people.

Eventually, the state hopes to vaccinate 4.7 million people — roughly 70% of those eligible for the vaccines. While the timeline continues to evolve, Persichilli said it may take until April or May before the state has enough vaccines on hand to immunize everyone on their list. State officials said they would continue to inform the public as the plan moves forward.

The vaccines are being shipped by the federal government from vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna directly to various vaccination sites in each state. Like other states, New Jersey was not initially receiving the amount it had requested, but in recent weeks it has been granted almost all of the doses ordered, more than 100,000 a week. The DOH declined to say Wednesday how many vaccines are now in state, but officials said they are not stockpiling supplies.

How do I get on the state’s list to be vaccinated?

Despite suggestions it would roll out a sign-up process slowly, New Jersey opened its vaccine sign-up portal late Tuesday; demand quickly overwhelmed the technology, which experienced several glitches before more than 450,000 people had added their names. On Wednesday, Persichilli said the site should for now be reserved for health care workers, first responders, law enforcement and firefighters, and urged the public to wait a few more weeks before trying to sign up. Sign-up is also available through some county sites or via hospital systems.

Persichilli said the system will alert individuals when they are eligible and direct them to a site to make an appointment and select a location. All information will be kept confidential, she said. Whatever sign-up system people use, “I just want them to get vaccinated,” she said.

Where are these vaccines happening?

The state started vaccinating hospital-based health care workers on Dec. 15, at University Hospital in Newark, and distribution has since grown to more than 200 sites run by hospitals, doctors’ offices, drug stores and public health facilities. These facilities are designed for the 1a group of various health care workers.

On Friday, the state will open the first two of six planned vaccine “megasites,” designed to immunize at least 1,000 people a week, at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall in Morris County and Rowan University in Gloucester County. The state is seeking additional vaccinators and has asked for clinicians trained to provide intramuscular injections to consider volunteering. Sign-up is available through the New Jersey Medical Reserve Corps portal.

Eventually, Murphy said he’d like to see hundreds of additional vaccine clinics, in grocery stores, dentist offices or community facilities. Murphy envisions “a whole tapestry of where you can get this,” he said.

The vaccinations in long-term care and congregate care facilities are being organized and administered by teams from CVS and Walgreens, thanks to a partnership the federal government established with the two chain drug stores. The state is supporting their work, which began in late December — a week later than some states — and has started at a slow pace. Persichilli said more than 1,000 locations are now scheduled to host vaccine clinics through February.

What does the immunization process involve?

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two shots, several weeks apart, to offer full immunity. Most of the protection comes from the first shot and develops within two weeks, once the body has time to mount an immune response. Both vaccines are considered highly effective, protecting against COVID-19 infection in close to 95% of the cases, an extremely high rate.

When asked if the vaccine is safe, state DOH communicable disease service medical director Dr. Ed Lifshitz said, “Let me put it relatively simply. In New Jersey, we’ve had about half a million cases of COVID with almost 20,000 deaths. In the United States, we’ve given almost 10 times that number of doses (of the vaccine) — or over 4 million doses — with zero deaths from the vaccine. I certainly would take my odds with the vaccine over the virus any day of the week.”

 

Header:  Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

Murphy signs 14.5 Billion Economic Recovery Act

January 7, 2021/in header, Latest News, News, Trending Now, Uncategorized /by Jersey City Times Staff

Governor Phil Murphy today signed into law the New Jersey Economic Recovery Act of 2020, intended to provide economic support for small businesses. The law creates a panoply of new programs, incentives and funding sources for everything from fresh-food grocery stores in food deserts to large film studios.  It also includes protections for labor unions.

“These programs are the product of nearly three years of hard work, during which we received input from hundreds of voices on how best to structure our state’s recovery and growth,” said Murphy.  “I am immensely proud of the result, which will not only provide much needed relief for our small businesses, but will also fundamentally change economic development in our state while creating thousands of high-paying job for our residents.”

The legislation includes a host of new initiatives including the Main Street Recovery Finance Program, which will provide a direct $50 million appropriation for grants, loans, loan guarantees, and technical assistance to small and micro businesses.

This bill will also implement an Innovation Evergreen Fund that will combine state funds with private capital to support innovative new businesses.

The new legislation also includes several programs designed to promote growth in New Jersey’s urban centers, including the Brownfields Redevelopment Incentive designed to facilitate the redevelopment of environmentally contaminated properties; the Historic Property Tax Credit, to incentivize the restoration of historic buildings, many of which are located in New Jersey’s oldest and most distressed neighborhoods; and the Community-Anchored Development Program, to incentivize the construction of innovative new developments by partnering with universities, hospitals, arts, and cultural organizations and give the state an equity stake in the development.

The legislation also includes a Food Desert Relief program designed to ensure that all communities have access to fresh, healthy food. Incentives would offset the cost of development of a fresh-food grocery store in an area designated as a food desert, while also strengthening existing community assets like bodegas, corner stores, and mid-sized retailers by equipping them with the necessary equipment and infrastructure to provide healthier food options.

The legislation reforms the state’s two main tax incentive programs, placing caps on the amount of incentives awarded each year, as well as over the life of the programs. The programs, which incorporate many of the recommendations of the Governor’s Task Force on EDA’s Tax Incentives, enhances compliance restrictions with the goal of insuring that money is being well spent and jobs are being created, including the creation of an inspector general post to investigate claims of abuses within the programs.

The New Jersey Emerge program is a job creation tax credit focused on bringing jobs to communities, with base and bonus structure for targeted industries and geographies.

The New Jersey Aspire program is a gap financing program to support commercial, industrial, mixed-use, and residential real estate development projects, with an emphasis on higher need communities.

Separate from the Emerge and Aspire program cap is a set-aside for large, transformative projects. There can be a maximum of ten such projects over the life of the incentives program.

This legislation will provide additional protections for organized labor, as well as community benefit agreements, which are designed to ensure an award recipient will engage and stay engaged with local government. For the first time, New Jersey’s economic development programs will include prevailing wage for building service work and labor harmony provisions, meant to protect building trades and building service workers from unfair practices.

This legislation revamps several existing programs, including the Film and Television Tax Credit, which was expanded and enhanced to attract large studio construction to New Jersey, and the Offshore Wind Manufacturing credit, which now encompasses the entire state and will allow more businesses to qualify.

Several existing NJEDA programs have been folded into the legislation as well, including the Angel Investor Tax Credit, the Net Operating Loss Credit, and the New Jersey Ignite Program.

The process by which this $14.5 billion bill came about has been criticized by some. NJ.com quoted Greg LeRoy, executive director of Good Jobs First, a watchdog group that tracks and is critical of tax subsidies, as saying “If ever there were a state that ought to have a more deliberate process, it’s New Jersey, given what a train wreck things have been with the previous administration’s deals and damning reports by the independent investigator. This gives me the willies right out of the gate.”

Board of Education Elects New Leaders

January 6, 2021/in Education, header, Latest News, News, Trending Now, Uncategorized /by Ron Leir

The man who called himself the “youngest elected Muslim in America” after winning a seat on the Jersey City Board of Education in 2017 now heads up that body.

At its annual reorganization meeting held last night, Mussab Ali edged out incumbent Lorenzo Richardson by a 5–4 vote to gain the presidency of the school board.

Lekendrick Shaw, who ran on the same slate with Richardson in last year’s BOE election, took over as vice president, turning aside challenges by the current vice president Gina Verdibello and by Noemi Velazquez.

Ali and Richardson had been on opposing sides on several key issues on how best to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on city schools and on relations with the city administration.

Two members of the public who spoke after the board’s actions expressed their displeasure with the results.

Monique Andrews interpreted the vote to mean that Mayor Steven Fulop “now has control of the board,” adding that “taxpayers and the [city teachers’] union are in jeopardy … Politics is still here. Everybody is just trying to move up the ladder, and no one cares about our kids.”

Charles Balcer griped, “To have [Richardson] tossed aside leaves the board in uncharted waters. It’s a sad commentary.”

But after the reorganization voting, Richardson and Ali pledged to work together for the betterment of the local district and its approximately 30,000 students.

Richardson, a Ferris High School graduate who got an accounting degree from St. Peter’s College, said 2020 “has been a difficult year” for the district.  A youth mentor, Richardson added that “God saw us through it. We hope that in 2021 we can move the district forward.”

Ali, who heads the city’s Immigration Affairs Commission, is a McNair Academic High School alum and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Rutgers University in Newark where he led the Muslim Students Association. He is working to develop a non-profit to train grassroots leaders of the future.

Acknowledging that he and his colleagues face tough times ahead given state school budget cuts, Ali said he hoped that with the ultimate distribution of COVID vaccines, “by the end of the year, we can see kids back in schools.”

Board members and the public may gain more insight into how learning will proceed when the board next convenes on Jan. 21. Franklin Walker, the district’s superintendent of schools, said he expected to share more details on that topic at that time. Since the pandemic hit, public school students have received virtual instruction.

Factions on the board have debated whether to reopen schools now or to wait until the district could adequately clean and ventilate classrooms and ensure that students would be re-entering a safe and secure school building.

Acknowledging that board members “don’t always get along, and that’s okay,” trustee Alexander Hamilton said, “Yeah, [our] leadership has changed, but we’ve worked together before.” Now, he said, “we need to work in a civilized way to make sure kids are our number one priority. It’s good to see two guys from the local school system as board officers …. Let’s put a smile on our face and get behind them.”

The Board also heard public comments from Mary Cruz, who congratulated Ali and Shaw and urged board members to unite to develop a strategy to “close the gap on student performance, which has been getting wider” since the onset of the pandemic; and from Robert Knapp, who lauded Superintendent Walker for “balancing the budget without a single layoff,” for re-launching, with New Jersey City University, the special needs program based at the A. Harry Moore School, and for securing free Wi-Fi hotspots and thousands of meals for children in need.

Following the public remarks, the board participated in a training session conducted by Charlene Peterson, a field representative of the N.J. School Boards Association, who reminded the trustees that their road to success depends on working together as a team. She added that their power derives not from the community that elected them, but from the legislature, and that it falls to the superintendent, not the board members, to run the schools; they should hold him accountable for the outcome.

 

 

 

 

A Health Care System that Buckled but Held: NJ 2020, the Year of COVID-19

January 5, 2021/in header, Latest News, News /by Jersey City Times Staff

The pandemic altered how we do everything from celebrate holidays to vote for president, and highlighted strengths — and weaknesses — in our health care system

This story was written and produced by NJ Spotlight. It is being republished under a special NJ News Commons content-sharing agreement related to COVID-19 coverage. To read more, visit njspotlight.com.

Full story link – HERE.

By Lilo H. Stainton

Like something from science fiction, 2020 was upended by a minute, spike-crowned virus that spread aggressively among people, caused unprecedented disease and death, and altered the way we do everything from celebrate holidays to vote for president.

The novel coronavirus put immense stress on all our public structures, but the impact was particularly profound for health care systems nationwide and in New Jersey, which was among the first states to diagnose cases of COVID-19 — the disease caused by the virus — and which remains among those hardest-hit by the pandemic.

Since March 4, when New Jersey announced the first confirmed case of the disease, more than 467,600 state residents have been diagnosed, including nearly 18,800 who have died as a result. Overall, almost 46,500 people have been hospitalized for COVID-19, which takes an outsize toll on Black and brown communities, and many struggled for months to fully recover.

By the time the coronavirus emerged here, Gov. Phil Murphy had formed a task force that had been meeting for weeks under the leadership of state health commissioner Judy Persichilli, dubbed by Murphy “the woman who needs no introduction” in what would eventually become  daily media briefings. Murphy signed an executive order formally declaring a public health emergency on March 9 and ten days later began what would be a near-total shutdown of the state’s businesses, schools and civic spaces. Only services deemed essential were permitted to remain open, under new restrictions. That executive order has been extended every month since.

Why race and racism mattered

The impact of the coronavirus on communities of color was evident by early April, as soon as state officials began sharing demographic details of cases, but how this was connected to social determinants of health became more apparent over time. Studies have shown that decades of racist public policy and economic trends had put Black and brown families, here and across the country, at greater risk for infection, hospitalization and death than their white counterparts. These groups are more likely to live in crowded, multigenerational households that allow for easy spread of the virus; in communities that lack options for health and wellness, and experience underlying conditions like asthma and diabetes at higher rates.

Studies have also shown that Black and brown individuals make up an outsize share of those in frontline jobs, putting them at greater risk working as food servers, home care aides or public transit officials, jobs that can’t be done from the safety of home. Overall, four in 10 frontline workers are people of color and 57% of bus drivers are Black, according to the nonprofit Center for Economic and Policy Research.

In addition, these individuals are less likely to have easy access to COVID-19 testing and care if they are sick, and may not be prioritized for new, more effective treatments with the same frequency as white patients. These factors combine to leave Black and Hispanic residents significantly more likely to contract COVID-19 than white New Jerseyans, at least three times more likely to be hospitalized, and twice as likely to die as a result, according to state data.

“No one is surprised by this. And if they are, they haven’t been paying attention,” Dr. Denise Rodgers, a vice chancellor at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences program and professor of family medicine and community health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, said in April. “The reality is, COVID-19 could just become another in a very long list of diseases for which there are substantial disparities in outcome by race and ethnicity.”

While public life had slowed to a crawl in March, the pace quickened for many health care and hospital workers. Despite a slow start to testing for the disease in New Jersey as nationwide, diagnoses were ticking up quickly and COVID-19 hospitalizations of very sick patients growing exponentially; clinicians said they had never seen people arrive with such little oxygen in their blood, a sign of severely impaired lung function.

By April, Persichilli and her team were worried that hospitals would run out of space for all the extremely sick COVID-19 patients. Plans were launched to stand up at least three field medical stations, using a common wartime technique to back up a strained civilian system. Other former hospitals were repurposed to provide additional beds, if needed.

Facing unthinkable decisions

With COVID-19 hospitalizations spiraling upward, concerns had begun to emerge about the supply of critical resources, especially masks, gowns, gloves and other personal protective equipment, or PPE, a term Americans would come to know well. Nurses at some New Jersey hospitals and nursing homes were ringing alarm bells, afraid their facility would soon run out of these inexpensive but critical elements, much of which was made or sourced in China, which was also devastated by earlier bouts of the coronavirus.

Persichilli, a nurse who previously ran a large, multi-state hospital system, expressed shock that this was happening in a nation of such bounty. The Department of Health worked with the State Police to find, order and stockpile additional resources; a joint effort with the New Jersey Hospital Association, which represents the state’s 71 acute care sites and other health care facilities, now allows the state to track the use and distribution statewide.

But PPE was only part of the problem. Another concern soon emerged about a potential shortage of ventilators, the mechanical breathing machines that were a primary treatment for many COVID-19 patients early on. Hospital officials were apprehensive and the state empaneled an expert task force to draw up a triage plan to help health care providers decide how to prioritize ventilator use, if a shortage became real. That never happened, officials insist, and the recommended treatment has since shifted to favor other practices over ventilators.

“When the resource is scarce, the goal is to save the most lives with the resources available,” Dr. Hannah Lipman, a gerontologist and director of the Center for Bioethics at Hackensack University Medical Center, part of Hackensack Meridian Health, told NJ Spotlight News at the time. “When resources aren’t scarce, those two goals are not in tension.”

It soon became clear that equipment wasn’t the only issue. As the virus spread, health care workers became sick or exposed, requiring them to quarantine for two weeks before they could return to work, if they were healthy by then. This problem compounded, prompting an ever-growing shortage of workers — particularly nursing staff and respiratory therapists. Efforts to call in retired nurses or trained volunteers provided some extra hands, but eventually New Jersey officials called in nurses from other states and arranged with clinical personnel from the U.S. military to help care for patients in the short term. (Staffing shortages continue to be a concern, as hospitalizations are again increasing, but with the pandemic affecting almost all states, reinforcements are now hard to find.)

Hospitalizations peaked in New Jersey on April 14, when more than 8,000 COVID-19 patients were in acute care facilities, nearly a quarter requiring intensive care. (Predictive modeling suggests the current wave will peak sometime in January, with fewer hospitalizations than in the spring.) As the impact of the statewide shutdown — coupled with constant reminders from health officials to keep distance, wash one’s hands and wear a mask, something that had been a point of debate early on — began to take effect, the impact on hospitals began to decline. In the end, the field hospitals and auxiliary sites, with space for nearly 1,000 people altogether, would treat just over 500 patients before closing in May.

Warming weather and declining virus counts brought some relief, and by mid-May the Murphy administration took steps toward reopening the state’s economy and public spaces. At the same time, public health leaders and the families of nursing home residents were raising the alarm about conditions at the state’s 650-plus long-term care facilities. In New Jersey and nationwide, these sites — with frail elderly and medically fragile individuals in close quarters — were an easy target for the virus. Nearly 7,500 residents and staff at these facilities have died of COVID-19, or 40% of the state’s total fatalities.

Institutions rally, flaws exposed

While hospitals in New Jersey were largely celebrated for the extreme measures they took to protect and save lives — working together to share PPE, ventilators and treatment tips, despite long-standing regional competition — nursing homes have generally faced criticism for their response to the pandemic. Some long-term care facilities, including at least one of the three state-run veterans homes, reportedly failed to implement universal mask use or properly separate sick residents from those who were well, exacerbating the spread of COVID-19. Others suffered serious shortages of PPE and staff, resulting in sub-par care, with residents not receiving meals or medication on time and lying in dirty diapers for hours on end. Communication with family members also ground to a halt at some facilities, leaving loved ones — who were unable to visit in person — at a loss for information.

By May, the situation had reached such a critical point that the Murphy administration hired experts from Manatt Health, who spent nearly a month compiling a detailed report on New Jersey’s nursing homes, with short- and long-term recommendations to improve the response. The report, which cost $500,000, identified a host of long-standing problems at these facilities, including inadequate funding, lack of staff and problems with infection control. Manatt’s recommendations prompted legislative hearings and multiple bills, many of which Murphy has signed, and the governor has pledged to spend at least $10 million in federal funds to better these facilities.

As spring turned to summer, the daily case count kept declining and the impact on health care facilities ebbed, leading Murphy to take steps to reverse the statewide shut-down. Reopening continued during the summer months and state officials encouraged local school leaders to take steps so that children could safely return to classrooms in the fall. But the progress was tempered by new outbreaks — initially linked to a few high-profile private parties — and then growing viral spread in the community. Murphy instituted new limits on gatherings in mid-November and eventually begged people to limit private gatherings indoors and rethink plans for the approaching holidays.

“As the governor has stated, this will not be a normal Thanksgiving. With the alarming surge in our cases, we all need to be vigilant and take all of the public health precautions that helped us to limit the spread of the virus last spring,” Persichilli said at that time. “Our lives — and the lives of our loved ones — depend on it.”

Vaccines here at last

The controversial presidential election — unprecedented itself, with voting in New Jersey mostly by mail — served as a diversion of sorts from the battle against the virus. And by Thanksgiving, the promise of a vaccine offered hope to many here and beyond, despite widespread distrust for the process under which vaccines had been developed and were being approved. By mid-December, federal officials had approved for emergency use two highly effective vaccines from the drugmakers Pfizer and Moderna. Vaccinations for health care workers at risk for infection began on Dec. 15, at University Hospital in Newark; immunizations at nursing homes started this week with 103-year-old Mildred Clements at Roosevelt Care Center in Old Bridge.

According to the state vaccination plan, the priority, or 1a group, includes health care workers at risk for infection and residents and staff at long-term care centers — although Persichilli conceded on Monday there was some confusion over who was covered in this category. As of Monday, more than 46,000 individuals had been vaccinated in the state.

The state Department of Health is now working to delineate who will be part of 1b, the next group to have access to vaccinations, which could begin in the weeks to come. These vaccines will be administered at community clinics, county health departments, drugstores and six state-run “mega sites” which Murphy has said will be set up in the weeks and months to come, based on vaccine availability, logistics and demand.

The governor closed his briefing on Monday this week with another warning to avoid large gatherings on New Year’s Eve, imploring people to celebrate responsibly and get tested if concerned.

“We have a lot to look forward to in the new year, but it must start with our staying focused on the practices that have gotten us through most of 2020: social distancing, wearing our face masks, washing our hands with soap and water, using common sense — meaning if you’ve been exposed, take yourself off the field. If you don’t feel well, take yourself off the field,” Murphy said. “But make no mistake, better days are ahead. Let’s make sure that we make it to those days together.”

 

Header:  Photo by Maria Oswalt on Unsplash

Page 1 of 212

News Briefs

Mayor Steven Fulop and the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) have launched the latest round of emergency funding to provide over $2.5 million in direct aid and support to Jersey City’s neediest residents, regardless of immigration status. The city will partner with  York Street, Women Rising, United Way, and Puertorriqueños Asociados for Community Organization (PACO). 

Darius Evans, age 45, of Jersey City was arrested  on Monday by The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in connection with the stabbing death of 39-year-old Tyrone Haskins early New Year’s morning. The charges include Murder and two counts of Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purposes.

Mayor Steven Fulop is joining forces with Uber to announce a new agreement that will expand residents’ access to COVID-19 vaccinations with free Uber rides to and from Jersey City vaccination sites. Phase 1B includes essential frontline workers and seniors 75 years old and over.

According to a report in the Jersey Journal, Jersey City received its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines Monday and plans to begin vaccinating eligible residents later this week at the Mary McLeod Bethune Center.

The federal Paycheck Protection Program, which offers businesses loans that can be forgivable, reopened on January 11th. The revised program focuses first on underserved borrowers – minority- and women-owned businesses.

Jersey Art Exchange (JAX) has merged with Art House Productions effective January 2021 to help improve and expand arts education and opportunities for the Jersey City community. JAX Founder Jacqueline Arias will remain Director of the program at Art House.

Christmas trees will be collected citywide every Wednesday night throughout the month of January. Pickup resumes this Wednesday January 13th.

Keep abreast of Jersey City Covid-19 statistics here.

Governor Murphy has launched a “Covid Transparency Website” where New Jerseyans can track state expenditures related to Covid.  Go here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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