The COVID-19 pandemic led an unprecedented number of consumers to switch to online shopping for their grocery needs. With that comes a range of new difficulties, including finding nutrition labels, and the struggle is only compounded for those with special dietary needs.
Enter the group behind Berry, a new Jersey City-based student startup that wants to help ease the pains of the online grocery shopper, while promoting community health and wellness. The Berry team consists of Eleni Retzepis, Anjali Kapoor, Franchesca Doell, Liam Esparraguera, and Jersey City-native Anna Prilutsky. All five are rising sophomores at Princeton University, studying a mix of engineering, computer science, and economics.
Inspired by their own personal and familial struggles with nutrition-dependent health conditions, they decided to start a company to fill a need that they were able to identify.
“The four girls, we all started living together in the fall, because of the pandemic,” recounts Anna Prilutsky. “Our school was virtual, so we lived together in Jersey City and we did ShopRite online grocery delivery… Our pantry was stacked with, like, four different types of peanut butter, because everyone had their own different needs… And it made the process of shopping online very interesting because everyone wanted access to different nutritional information. And so over time this idea formed of like, hey, most of us study computer science, we have the skills to do something about this. Let’s develop a tool that helps people that care about nutrition when they’re shopping online.”
From left to right: Liam Esparraguera, Franchesca Doell, Anna Prilutsky
Franchesca Doell was inspired by her own family. “I’ve always tried to eat healthy, but my main motivation was because of my dad,” she says. “My dad has LADA Type 1 Diabetes… [and he struggles] a lot with grocery shopping because he has to look at every single nutritional label there is out there… in order to make sure he’s not eating too [many] carbohydrates, so his blood sugars don’t fluctuate as much. And so I realized that there was a need for something out there that would help [with] this nutritional analysis, so he would waste less of his time… He’s a company owner, and so his time is very valuable, as it is with many people with diabetes and autoimmune diseases.”
The team members applied to Princeton’s Keller Center eLab Summer Accelerator program, and were accepted. Now, they’re spending the summer living in Jersey City and working with Princeton staff to research and develop their product. Currently, their goal is to interview as many members of the Jersey City community as possible in order to best understand their needs.
In an email, Prilutsky explained, “Online shopping is difficult, especially for people who have to take the time to examine what they buy (diabetics, dieters, etc). Nutrition labels are not easily accessible and understandable. From our 50+ interviews done so far, we’ve found that across most demographics shoppers feel that the barriers to healthy eating are a lack of knowledge and time. If people knew which bad ingredients to look for, they would factor this into their shopping. From our general research we’ve found that this issue is expansive and applies to a community like JC where online shopping is popular, but healthy eating is often inaccessible due to a lack of digestible information.”
The tool that the Berry team is creating is still in the early development stages of being an extension for online shopping platforms, and the ultimate product will be influenced by what they learn from their interviews. The launch will likely be focused specifically on customers in Jersey City, with the long-term goal of expanding further.
Locals who are interested in being interviewed as part of Berry’s research can visit berryhealthy.co to sign up.
Top photo, from left to right: Anna Prilutsky, Eleni Retzepis, Franchesca Doell, and Anjali Kapoor.
New Jersey’s French connection continues to strengthen. Just weeks after the announcement that Paris’s Centre Pompidou will open a branch in Jersey City’s Journal Square, a nine foot tall bronze replica of the Statue of Liberty, produced from the 1878 plaster original by Auguste Bartholdi, has departed Le Havre in France en route to the Garden State.
Container for “Little Sister”
Said the shipper, CMA CGM Group, “this symbolic journey represents the friendship between the U.S. and France.”
The 1,000 pound statue will arrive in Elizabeth on Wednesday aboard the 985-foot CMA CGM NERVAL. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, French Ambassador Philippe Etienne and Port Authority of New York & New Jersey Chairman Kevin O’Toole will be in attendance to see the statue offloaded.
The statue will then be installed on Ellis Island, opposite her big sister, where she will be on public display for Independence Day on July 4. She will then be taken overland by CEVA Logistics to her final destination, the Residence of the French Ambassador to Washington, D.C., where she will be unveiled and put on public display on July 14th for Bastille Day.
According to CMA, the statue was housed in a specially designed plexiglass case and placed in a specially decorated 20-foot container. Art transportation specialists worked alongside the shipper.
A Jersey City woman has been charged with concealing the remains of a 78-year-old woman who was found dead in her Arlington Avenue apartment Saturday night, following a call for a welfare check.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit announced that Cheryl Gatling, age 53, of Jersey City, has been charged with Concealing Human Remains; Possession of Weapon (Knife) for Unlawful Purposes; Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Knife); and Terroristic Threats.
On Saturday, June 26, 2021 at approximately 8:18 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department responded to 415 Arlington Avenue on a welfare check for one of the fourth floor occupants. A 53-year-old woman had barricaded herself in the apartment and would not allow officers to access the unit for three hours. At approximately 11:24 p.m., the woman opened the door and allowed the Jersey City Police Department to gain access to the apartment where they found a lifeless 78-year-old woman, presumed to be the mother of the defendant – Dorothy Gatling.
The victim was pronounced dead at 11:47 p.m. and is believed to have been dead for an extended period of time. The cause and manner of death are pending the findings of the Regional Medical Examiner.
Additional charges may be filed pending further investigations and the findings of the Medical Examiner.
We recently sat down with Ward A Councilwoman Denise Ridley for a wide-ranging interview.
Ridley is a lifelong resident of Ward A. She attended local parochial schools and graduated from Hampton University in 2005, earning a B.A. in psychology with a minor in Spanish. She continued her studies at Montclair State University, earning a master’s degree in industrial/organizational psychology.
First elected in 2017, Ridley will be running for reelection in November as part of “Team Fulop.”
JCT: Had did you come to be part of Mayor Fulop’s slate in 2017?
DR: Initially, I announced to run on my own. And then I was invited to join Mayor Fulop’s slate. I accepted.
JCT: What would you say that you’re most proud of accomplishing in your first term?
DR: The thing that would stick out in my head right now is moving the Bayfront project forward. It’s the 100 acres of land that’s on Route 440 that’s been vacant for quite some time that needed to be remediated. Before I got into office, there were a couple of pitches for the land that didn’t pan out, and it was something that residents drove home during the 2017 election that they really wanted to see something done with that site. So, that was one of my top priorities. One of the things that I specifically requested was the creation of the Bayfront Advisory Board, which is made up of community members that are overseeing the project. I chair it.
That Board has a representative from Society Hill and from Jersey City Together (who’s been very active in advocating for having affordable units), and there are other community members. The project is 35 percent affordable, and it has the potential for up to 8,000 units. We’ve been advocating with the state to have a light rail station there, and they’ve agreed to start that process. We’ve been in talks with the county to see if we can get a ferry over that way. I think it’s a big deal for the city. It’s a big deal for Ward A.
JCT: Where would this ferry go?
DR: Right now the county is doing what they call a ferry study. Nothing is set in stone. But if they were to do a ferry, it would probably hit Bayfront, Kearny, and Harrison.
JCT: Anything else about your first term that stands out in terms of accomplishments?
DR: Yes, but one more thing about Bayfront. It was important that we incorporate minority developers, and we were able to do that. One of our developers, BRP, is 100 percent minority owned.
In addition, I’ve been able to add about 100 new parking spots to the ward, which is great because parking is probably the number one issue that I hear in the ward.
We’ve implemented some signature programs. Every year on Halloween I sponsor the Ward A “trunk-or-treat” at Columbia Park. We have volunteers that pass out candy from the trunks of their cars. Parents don’t feel as safe going door to door, so we use one spot. Each year we add a little something different. Last year we had a magician. Each year we try to make it bigger and bigger.
We also do a Martin Luther King Ward A day of service. The first year we gave out coats for those in need. The second year we collected toiletries, and we donated them to Jersey City public schools.
This year, we went to all the senior buildings in Ward A and gave out sanitizer and masks.
JCT: Was the parking on-street parking?
DR: Yes. The biggest change that I made, and you can see that off of Garfield Avenue, is that if the street was wide enough, I added angled parking.
JCT: What do you think the greatest needs for Ward A are now?
DR: Parking and we are always concerned about safety, and I would say more small businesses.
JCT: Are there specific public safety needs?
DR: In the areas where there are concentrations of crime, let’s take Triangle Park, which has seen an uptick in violence, we have been working with the Triangle Park Community Center that has been very active working with the youth in that area, planning job fairs. They have dinners with some of the young men in the area, they have sports activities. We just completely renovated Triangle Park. We’re really trying to activate that space to decrease some of the activity that goes on there.
JCT: An article that we published seemed to show that since 2014, crime, pre-pandemic, under the Fulop administration had actually gone up, specifically property crimes but to a small degree violent crime as well. Are there any strategies that the city needs to be implementing to deal with this crime problem?
DR: One of the things I try to do when there is a problem is I try to keep the lines of communication open with the Department of Public Safety and try to help them communicate with people in the community. It’s the people in the community who understand what’s going on. A lot of the times, us in government or the police look at a lot of numbers, but we need to make sure that we’re communicating with people who actually know what’s going on. Even before I got in office, one of the things I used to sponsor is a meet-and-greet with the police recruits and the community. Before the cadets even graduated, we would have this conversation … let them know what’s expected and what’s going on to encourage them to have more visibility in the community. So far under Director Moody, I see a lot of those changes happening, with more communication with the community. I attended a chaplain training. I see more chaplains being utilized when tragic events occur. She’s been doing more work with our seniors, making sure that they’re more aware of their surroundings. This week coming up I know that there are block parties that the police are sponsoring in certain areas to get more outreach.
JCT: Do you hear from your constituents that they’d like to increase the police presence, decrease it, or keep it about the same?
DR: I don’t hear that they want to decrease it. The calls I get are always asking for more police. One of the problems I run into is that a lot of the wards have multiple departments that cover them. All I have is the South District, so if there’s more need for fixed posts in Ward F, it’s difficult send manpower elsewhere. Everyone wants a cop on their corner, a cop on the beat.
JCT: Do you think that the police are being deployed effectively? Rather than being deployed at fixed posts, should they be walking the beat?
DR: I would like to see the cops walking more. But I have seen an increase recently with them getting out of the cars and interacting more. I know with the fixed posts that there have been examples of them moving and then something occurring. So I do understand why they’re there. But, yes, I do believe we need cops walking the beat, and I’m starting to see that more often.
JCT: I think there’s the perception that Ward A is less affluent than other wards. The mayor has just announced the building of a project at Journal Square in which the Pompidou Center would take over the Pathside Building and there would be a significant investment of approximately $40 million to build it out and then about $12 million yearly to run it. It’s not clear where the money will come from to run it. Given that very large expenditure, do you feel that Ward A is being overlooked in terms of its needs?
DR: No, I don’t think so. Definitely not financially. We just bonded for $180 million for Bayfront alone. We just cut the ribbon at Audubon Park. We totally redid the park. That was $1 million there. I just redid Triangle. I don’t have the figure in front of me. I would think that’s another million. I think through the years it’s taken a while for development to get up this way. But I think it’s here now. That was one of the reasons I decided to run for council because I felt like we needed someone who had some experience in that development real estate area. I’m also a licensed real estate agent. Also, our residents had a real fear of being displaced in that process because we watched so many Downtown neighbors being displaced. There’s a ton of projects in the ward, and it’s my job to make sure we do that in a responsible way.
JCT: There’s a perception that there are a large number of youths at risk who are coming from difficult home situations who are getting swept up into gang activity, criminal activity, at a pretty young age. Do you think the city has invested enough into facilities and programs to divert those kids away from those activities?
DR: We have two summer camps alone just in Ward A. We have summer camp at Thomas McGovern Park; we have another at Bayside Park. I’m not sure if the schools are back open now. I know that under normal circumstances, the schools would be open during the day. There’s a pool at 40 School [P.S. 40] that’s open. I know that those resources were there. We have to have parents that are willing to have the kids utilize those resources. One of the things that I know Councilman Robinson has fought for and we’ve gotten behind him on is a new recreation center. I’m hoping that pans out and that our kids have access to that. In addition there’s been a big push to get more recreation facilities inside Liberty Park. Now the state has agreed to expand recreation in the park. So I think there’s always room for more. I definitely feel like there’s a fight out there to add facilities.
JCT: Do you as a councilperson feel that you are able to act and vote independently as part of a team? It seems to outsiders that Team Fulop tends to vote as a unit on many of these controversial issues that come up. What type of independence do you have and do you wish you had more?
DR: I think that everybody’s independent. I don’t work for the mayor. He’s not my boss. People have the impression that when you run together as a slate, that everything is decided for you or you don’t have conversations. The way that I tend to deal with things is I’d rather have those conversations in the background. If there’s something I don’t agree with, I pick up the phone, and I say, ‘Hey I don’t think this is good because a, b and c. Can we take c out and replace it with this or change this here?’” A lot of times those issues are worked out before the meeting.
JCT: You did not mention the CCRB. I assume that’s one of the accomplishments you’re proud of?
DR: I’m the daughter of a cop. I have law enforcement in my family. We want to make sure that our police department is being accountable and that procedures are clear. A lot of times the community really doesn’t know what’s going on, and things are happening behind their back. We need to make things more transparent. I feel like I have a good relationship with the police department. I’ve gone on ride-alongs with them. I’m probably the only councilperson that’s gone on ride-alongs that I’m aware of. We want to support all of our first responders.
JCT: As the daughter of a cop, what do you think you brought to this discussion?
DR: [Laughs] I think it was easy to talk to both sides. It was easy for me to talk to Councilman Solomon and at the same time it was easy for me to sit down and have conversations with public safety and the police union. Because I understand both sides because my dad is a cop. I understand what it’s like to work that job and have some people not like you because you’re a cop. But I also understand that my dad is a Black man. I understand what it feels like to have some of those brothers in blue pull you over because you seem suspicious. It’s a very unique situation to be in.
JCT: Is there anything you want to cover that we haven’t talked about?
DR: Across from Bayfront is the University Place project through NJCU. One of the things that I was able to negotiate on that project [is] a 500-seat performing arts center. We really want to work on increasing some of our arts and culture in Ward A. I asked for them to put together a community benefits agreement where they collaborate with Jersey City recreation and Jersey City Public Schools to make sure that our kids can utilize that performing arts space. They are going to allow local organizations to utilize the performing arts space, and they’re going to allow local groups to hold meetings there. We’re currently working to get a supermarket in that complex as well.
I want to make sure that we keep communication going. One of the things I started when I got into office is to hold a Ward A quarterly meeting. That became a newsletter during Covid. I can’t wait to get back to that meeting. Each meeting would cover a certain department.
If I am so blessed to be elected again, one of the things I want to focus on is a branding for the Ward A/Greenville area. Not to separate us from the rest of the city but to bring back some of that pride. You know Greenville was the gem of the city at one time. That has taken a turn. We really need to bring some of that back. Because it really is a great place for families. There wonderful houses with front yards and back yards and plenty of room for children to run and play.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit is investigating the death of a 78-year-old Jersey City woman who was found dead in her Arlington Avenue apartment Saturday night.
At approximately 8:18 p.m., the Jersey City Police Department conducted a welfare check at a fourth floor apartment at 415 Arlington Avenue. A 53-year-old woman had barricaded herself in the apartment and would not allow officers to access the unit.
At around 11:24 p.m., the woman opened the door and allowed the police enter. Inside, they found a lifeless 78-year-old woman.
The 53-year-old woman who also lives in the unit was detained and the circumstances surrounding the death are being investigated.
The victim was pronounced dead at 11:47 p.m. The cause and manner of death are pending the findings of the Regional Medical Examiner.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the Jersey City Police Department are actively investigating this case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/. All information will be kept confidential.
It was close to 11 pm on the night of May 21. A tall man wearing a dark hoodie and white sneakers walked south on Brinkerhoff Street, his right hand planted deep in his pants pocket.
A few yards ahead of him sat a blue Nissan Altima parked on the corner of Crescent Avenue directly across the street from Lincoln High School. Music blared from the car’s sound system.
Two men stood outside chatting with the car’s occupants. The light from one of the occupant’s cell phones shone through the front passenger side window.
When he reached the car, the hooded man stopped on the passenger side and looked across the roof at the men talking. Someone shouted “Oh!” One of the two men scampered away. The other quickly ducked behind the car.
The hooded man pulled out a gun and pointed it at the car’s occupants.
***
What followed that night came as no surprise to residents of the small gentrifying neighborhood off Communipaw Ave. known as Bergen Hill. For close to a year, they had sought help from the police and officials but to no effect.
While most residents were too scared to speak with Jersey City Times about the incident, we were able to piece together what happened from a series of emails and text messages exchanged with Jersey City officials, from a video, and from interviews and a public meeting at which the incident was discussed.
The mayor’s press secretary did not respond to requests for comment.
While the neighborhood had always had its share of petty crime, the onset of the pandemic seemed to take the crime to a new level. Lincoln High School was virtually empty, meaning fewer eyes to witness criminal activity.
In July, a resident emailed Jersey City Municipal Prosecutor Jake Hudnut:
“Since Covid started I have been seeing a ton of gang activity on this corner. Constant drug dealing…I found a hand gun in the garbage can. One of the crew drew a gun on a neighbor. The street has been getting completely locked down every night with 40–100 people.”
He continued, “As of last Monday when Hudson County Homicide did a sweep of the area it has died down a little at night, but the constant drug dealing still continues.”
Over a week later Hudnut responded. “I will handle now in the manner we discussed the other day.”
The next day, the resident responded, “It’s so bad I think we will have to move in the next few months and try to rent this apt out. I literally have eight cars blasting music and around 30 people outside. . . .This will last until about 2 a.m, unfortunately.”
On September 17, another resident wrote to Hudnut, “I wanted to ask…whether police patrol is coming to the neighborhood now that the school has reopened if there is anything else being done to improve the safety of the neighborhood?”
Fearful of being identified, the resident asked that their identity remain anonymous.
Hudnut wrote back, “I was going to loop in the patrol and street crimes leadership, but I see now you wish to remain anonymous, so I am going to FWD to them and remove identifiers.”
By September, little had changed. The resident wrote to Hudnut again. “Since we last spoke there has been no change, and the whole block is upset with what is going on. . . .This is way too unsafe to live. . . .Not sure if this has been escalated, but I have seen 1 police vehicle in the last 5 months and the gangs have completely taken over.”
Later, the resident identified the car and license plate of the gang’s leader. The resident noted that just a couple of weeks before, one of the drug dealer’s clients had overdosed and died in front of the high school.
Over the following months, the resident said that he exchanged more texts with Hudnut, but nothing seemed to be getting done. The loud music and drug dealing continued. The police never seemed to show up.
Finally, frustrated by the inaction, the resident went directly to the police department’s West District. The resident was put in touch with Police Officer Anthony Turner of the anti-crime unit. On April 11, Turner wrote:
“We have received the information you have provided surrounding what you observed in your neighborhood and are taking it very seriously. An active narcotics investigation is underway. You are unlikely to see our officers immediately within your area as they are undercover while investigating this situation.”
Eleven days later, the resident gave Turner a description of several cars involved in the drug activity, writing, “They are 4 deep on Brinkerhoff blasting music. Coming and going on their runs.”
On April 26, Turner wrote back. “Thank you for the info. My team and I will be in the area working this tomorrow. Our target has been identified.”
Apparently, the drug dealers were still of interest to another law enforcement agency. Two weeks later the homicide squad from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office paid the resident a visit. They were looking for evidence. They told the resident that they suspected that the drug dealers parked outside had been involved in two recent murders.
***
Sitting only feet from the gun’s muzzle, the car’s occupants never had a chance. In quick succession the hooded man emptied over twelve rounds into the car’s interior.
The gunman turned and walked briskly back up Crescent Avenue, stopping momentarily to look back and fire off one last round for good measure.
The gunman turns to fire off one last shot
A resident was roused out of bed and ran out to the street to find a scene of carnage. One man sat dead in the driver’s seat and another lay on the street gasping for his last breaths. Three other men and one woman were wounded.
The following day, the resident texted Hudnut, “Not for nothing, but you could have stopped this. You had all the information you needed, and you did nothing.” Hudnut texted back “I’m sorry, brother.”
***
On May 26, the police and residents gathered in a church basement nearby for a public safety meeting. Perhaps anticipating a tough crowd, the police department sent some of its top brass, Deputy Chief Edgar Martinez, Executive Officer Rich Romanski, and Police Director Tawana Moody.
West District Captain Kevin Kot kicked it off with a recitation of recent crime statistics. Then one of the Bergen Hill residents spoke up.
“I’ve been letting you guys know that this gang, for a year and a half, they’ve literally taken over the block. . . .I let you guys know that the same guys who are no longer alive pulled a gun on a neighbor’s contractor.”
“We saw this coming, we let you guys know, we let the quality of life taskforce know. . . .Why was there never a police officer?”
He continued, “We went back and forth with Turner, and he said ‘We have our target, you’re good, don’t worry about it, you’re all set.”
Kot responded weakly. “The information you passed to Turner, it never got to me.” He wasn’t, he said, aware of the situation. “There’s a disconnect somewhere,” he said.
This wasn’t the only communication breakdown, however. Hudnut had told the resident that he had brought the problem up with Executive Officer Romanski. But Romanski denied knowing about it. “He told me flat out ‘Jake said nothing about this,’” the resident recalled.
Another resident at the meeting chimed in, “I knew there was crime in the area, but I didn’t know how bad it was. It’s scary.” With all the gang activity, the resident called the police. “I was terrified” the resident said.
Kot listened patiently, then he began to talk. He described the shooting victims as gang members with “extensive criminal history, prior firearms offenders.” He went on, “What we say with these shootings and gang activity is that today’s actor is tomorrow’s victim, because it’s all about retaliation.”
He expressed frustration at his seeming powerlessness to stop the violence, recounting shootings at the intersection of Union St. and Martin Luther King, Jr., Blvd.
“There were two or three shootings there, literally one block away from the cops. The criminals have become so brazen, knowing that the cops are there, they don’t care. They see a target out there from a rival game member, they’re going to shoot him whether a cop’s there or not.”
“We don’t have enough resources to hit every location every time. . . .We’re continually bouncing around,” Kot explained.
Arresting drug dealers, he said, was of little use. “As soon as someone’s arrested, someone takes their place immediately.”
Compounding the problem, said Kot, was the gang recruitment of juveniles. “They have no at-homes, they look to these gang members as family. The older gang members are recruiting these younger kids. And they’ll ask them, ‘Who wants to do a shooting?’ and the kids are like, ‘I’ll do it.’”
Kot cited bail reform and weak penalties for youthful offenders. “We’ve literally had kids arrested for a firearm…who were released within 48 hours.”
As if to throw the attendees a bone, Community Relations Officer Frank Scarpa jumped in, “Now that we’ve had this conversation, which is probably a conversation we should have had months ago, but now that we know what’s going on, it’s going to get correctly addressed. No if, ands, or buts about it.”
Police Director Moody had the last word. “What I want to apologize for is that you have to keep calling and feeling that you’re not getting the right kind of response.”
“We’re going to try to do it different because whichever which way it was being done, apparently it wasn’t working.”
Municipal Prosecutor Hudnut did not respond to a request for comment.
Two residents who witnessed the aftermath of the shooting are receiving counseling for trauma.
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s office told Jersey City Times, “There have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.”
A Jersey Cash 5 ticket sold at Kenny Ideal Food Market at 3563 John F. Kennedy Blvd. was the lucky winner yesterday. The ticket matched all five numbers drawn, winning the $1,074,845 Jersey Cash 5 jackpot. The winning numbers were: 09, 18, 24, 25, and 37 and the XTRA number was: 04. The retailer will receive a bonus check for $2,000 for the winning ticket sold.
Youngsters and adults yearning to expand their knowledge of local flora and fauna are in for a long-awaited treat now that the state has reopened the Nature Center at Liberty State Park in Jersey City.
After a nine-year closure triggered by Superstorm Sandy, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection marked the center’s return to life Wednesday, June 23, with the completion of a $3.5 million restoration.
DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette and Deputy Commissioner Olivia Glenn, in charge of advancing environmental justice and equity, were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“Climate change took this place out,” LaTourette told a small group of invited guests, “and it’s not done with us.” In October 2012, he said, a sharp rise in sea levels pummeled the entire park, damaging the nature center building and much of the park infrastructure.
LaTourette pledged that the DEP would “build resiliency” into its future state park plans to try and prevent future disasters. As protector of all state parks and forests, DEP will “hold every single natural resource in trust,” he said, because they “belong to the people.”
And, he added, “you have my word I will take care of them for you. Our job is to deliver a clean and just environment for you.”
Guests got a further briefing on what happened to the nature center after Sandy hit from Jon Luk, the current superintendent of Cheesequake State Park in Matawan, who was serving as deputy superintendent of Liberty at the time.
“Sandy flooded the building with two feet of water,” Luk said, leaving its electrical and mechanical systems compromised, wiping out interior exhibits, and leaving in its wake piles of debris, including “salt water fish scattered on the cement patio by the dozens.”
Initially, the experts “weren’t sure if (the building) would be able to be salvaged,” Luk said.
And, he noted, that the center’s two staffers were moved several times to different park offices from which they organized sporadic summer “kayak eco-tours” for elementary school kids from the area and beyond.
Ultimately, DEP lined up funding for repairs, including a new roof and replacement electrical and mechanical systems along with a new lobby entrance that had previously been an outdoor extension of the main building.
The restoration, carried out under general contractor Practical, LLC, of Ridgewood, features these new components:
A Nature Discovery Room, where pre-schoolers can explore a variety of forest-themed hands-on activities or pick out a book from a nature library.
A Night Theatre that features a simulated meadowlands diorama and a recorded talk on nature-related topics about the diversity of animals, plants, and habitats in Liberty State Park.
A Pond Room with an illustrated, interactive, freshwater wetlands mural and a viewing platform with binoculars allowing glimpses of a real pond and the creatures living there.
A Salt Marsh Room offering opportunities for hands-on learning about food webs, tidal flow, mud flats, and wildlife.
The center will offer “nature interpretive programs” to schools, organizations, and the public plus a variety of professional development workshops for educators.
Visitors to the center were impressed by what they saw. Dawn Giambalvo, president of the Canco Park Conservancy of Jersey City and a board member of the Jersey City Parks Coalition, said she regarded the remodeled center as “a boon for the entire city and the region. The equitable availability of such pure visceral experiences with nature will transform our youth for years to come.”
Kelly Wenzel, a staff member of the N.J. Audubon Society, said she saw the center as “a great community asset that will hopefully be enjoyed for generations. It’s very exciting.”
A former Jersey City resident who preferred to identify herself only as Diane, had this reaction: “Nice, fresh, informative and fabulous.”
The Friends of Liberty State Park have donated 10 new Nikon binoculars to the center, and the group’s president, Sam Pesin, predicted the center’s new exhibits on nature and wildlife would prove “exciting for students and all other visitors to complement their first-hand experiences of benefitting from urban nature itself throughout the park, including LSP’s priceless and unique educational resource, the Caven Point Natural Area….”
Liberty State Park’s Nature Interpretive Center is now open to the public Wednesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. free of charge. Masks and social distancing continue to be required inside all state government buildings, including all buildings at Liberty State Park.
Large groups and schools may book a tour by calling 201-915-3400 or emailing LSPNatureCenter@dep.nj.gov. As COVID guidelines continue to change, the center’s staff will provide the current guidelines at time of inquiry.
Liberty State Park Nature Center is located at 275 Freedom Way inside the park. To reach the center, visit LSPNatureCenter@dep.nj.gov or call 201-915-3400, ext. 501.
Apparently, the race for the Ward F City Council seat has another entrant, Vernon Richardson. Richardson has launched a website announcing his run and describing his reasons for throwing his hat in the ring.
“I want to be a voice for institutional change, to listen to my neighbors, hear your concerns, and understand your needs, to be open and accessible, transparent and accountable…. to be your voice in City Hall,” he says.
The website also lays out policy positions on affordable housing, transportation, public safety and business development.
Richardson joins “Team Fulop” member and incumbent Jermaine Robinson and community activist Frank “Educational” Gilmore in seeking the office.
According to the website, Richardson grew up in Jersey City. He attended Saint Peter’s College and Seton Hall University, graduating with a major in communications and political science before seeking a masters in media studies at the New School for Social Research in New York City.
The website also describes him as “a producer for the largest names in talk radio while working at WOR Radio710, WABC-AM, WEVD-AM, WFAN, TalkNet, the Talk Radio Network, and the ABC Radio Network” and as a “government affairs manager for the media giant, Cablevision.”
Richardson also lists work as deputy press secretary for the mayor of New York City, press secretary to Representative Maxine Waters, communications director for the congressional Black caucus, and radio communications manager for the Democratic Technology & Communications Committee in Washington DC. He also cites his jobs as radio manager for the Democratic National Committee Convention in 2000 and as the radio manager for Vice President Al Gore.
Richardson spent three years as chief-of staff to Councilman Michael Yun. He is currently aide to the Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop.
Jersey City Times has asked Richardson for comment but, as of yet, received no response.
Standing this morning in front Public Safety Headquarters on Marin Boulevard, Rick Isaacson, chief executive officer of Servpro, announced a “Firefighter Appreciation Program” that will enable firefighters, first responders, and their families to attend a major professional golf tournament at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City this summer free of charge.
The Northern Trust tournament will take place from August 18–22, 2021, and will include 125 of the top-ranked players. It is the only professional golf tournament to be held in the New York City metropolitan area this year.
Isaacson was joined by Mayor Fulop, Northern Trust Executive Director Julie Tyson, Jersey City Fire Chief Steven McGill, and other dignitaries.
Under the program and in recognition of the 20-year anniversary of 9-11, first responders and firefighters will be given complimentary admission to and a dedicated venue at the tournament, the first of three events in the FedExCup Playoffs.
Many of the world’s top players have won The Northern Trust including Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Matt Kuchar, Bryson DeChambeau, and 2020 champion Dustin Johnson, who following a record-setting 11-stroke victory margin at TPC Boston went on to be crowned the season’s FedExCup champion.
Said Isaacson, “When you understand what firefighters do for us and for our communities, it’s just amazing…what they do is just heroic. This is just a small way to say thank you.” Isaacson also announced a $100 thousand donation to the First Responders Children Foundation, started after 9-11 to support the families of fallen first responders.
Mayor Fulop called PGA involvement in Jersey City “an absolute success” and thanked the organization for donating “tens of thousands of dollars to local charities that serve the most vulnerable communities.”
Also in attendance was volunteer Marilyn White, a 9-11 survivor. “I was on the 95th floor of the second tower. As I was fleeing the mayhem, they were going up the staircases with hoses on their shoulders and just trucking up saying, ‘Are there more people above?’ I was in total awe of what they do.”
