General

Fireworks, Concert, and Children’s Entertainment Set for Tuesday, July 2

Jersey CIty 4th of July Celebration

Mayor Jimmy Davis announced that the City of Bayonne’s Independence Day Celebration will be held on Tuesday, July 2, at the lower level of DiDomenico-16th Street Park, beginning at 6:30 pm, weather permitting. 

There will be a rain date of Monday, July 8, if needed.

On July 2, there will be plenty of attractions for both children and adults.

Free children’s inflatable rides will be available from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The rides will be stationed in the old amphitheater, which is located at the southeastern corner of the park’s lower level.

The fireworks are scheduled to go off at approximately 9:15 p.m. The fireworks show will run for about 30 minutes.

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Education

 Hudson County Community College Begins Construction of New 11-Story Center for Student Success

Pictured here: architectural renderings of aerial and street views of Hudson County Community College Center for Student Success now under construction in the Journal Square area of Jersey City, NJ.

June 18th Groundbreaking for Journal Square Campus Tower which will house a gymnasium, theater, classrooms, conference rooms, offices, and much more.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) pioneered the urban campus concept by integrating learning environments, cultural spaces, public areas, and workplaces within Jersey City’s Journal Square, the heart of Hudson County, New Jersey. In establishing the Journal Square Campus, the College became an essential part of the neighborhood that engages and serves the County’s residents and businesses where they live and has been the catalyst for the area’s development.

At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, June 18 the College l hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the HCCC Center for Student Success at 2 Enos Place in Jersey City, New Jersey. HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber and Trustee Pamela Gardner will welcome Hudson County Executive Craig Guy and other elected officials as well as representatives of the Hudson County Building and Construction Trades Council and labor leaders, and HCCC students, cabinet members, faculty, and staff.

Dr. Reber said that growing a campus embedded in one of the nation’s most densely populated areas poses unique challenges and that the College was keenly aware of its overarching need to serve as a good steward of the neighborhood.

“The Center for Student Success was designed to centralize and consolidate all of our student services in one convenient location and complement the architecture of the surrounding area. It is the final segment of the Hudson County Community College Facilities Master Plan,” Dr. Reber stated. “The County of Hudson has partnered with us through every step of our development so that we may provide our neighbors with the very best academic experiences possible. We are thankful for the ongoing support of County Executive Craig Guy, former County Executive Thomas DeGise, and the Hudson County Board of Commissioners.”

“This project will serve thousands of students here at Hudson County Community College. The HCCC Center for Student Success will be the epicenter of study, creativity, activity, and collaboration between students and the surrounding communities,” said Hudson County Executive Craig Guy. “Through this new Center for Student Success, HCCC and the County continue to work together to ensure everyone has equal opportunities to excel in their chosen field and drive economic development in the area.”

The eleven-story Center for Student Success, a 153,186 square-foot, mixed-use tower, is being constructed one block from the Journal Square PATH station on an existing HCCC-owned parking lot. It will replace several of the College’s small, segregated, and aging buildings. The tower plans include 24 classrooms; expanded student services areas; student common spaces; full-size National College Athletics Association (NCAA) gymnasium; fitness center; black-box theater; health sciences laboratories; 85 offices; eight conference rooms; a “University Center” for sister colleges and partners to offer baccalaureate instruction; and much more.

The HCCC Center for Student Success construction utilizes the newest and most environmentally sustainable materials and systems. A Project Labor Agreement assures that organized labor will be well represented on-site during construction. The grand opening is scheduled for Fall 2026.

Funding for the $96.3 million tower is supplied by proceeds from the sale of HCCC properties and the College’s reserve funds; the County of Hudson; and the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE), among others. 

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Education

Hudson County Community College to Honor RN Nursing Program Graduates at Pinning Ceremony

Graduates, who will help reduce the nursing shortage,
will take the International Nurses’ Pledge at the ceremony.

Pictured here, are graduates of Hudson County Community College’s RN Nursing Program

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) will honor sixty-six graduates at the College’s RN Nursing Program Pinning Ceremony at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, at the HCCC Culinary Conference Center at 161 Newkirk Street in Jersey City, NJ.

The graduates will begin with the traditional procession and be welcomed by HCCC Nursing Program Director, Dr. Lori Byrd. After the ceremonial presentation of pins and Nursing Program awards and the time-honored candle-lighting ceremony, College Lecturer Carmen Pelardis will lead the graduates in reciting the International Nurses’ Pledge.

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Bayonne News, Bayonne Observer insidebayonne.com

Mayor’s Column-Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis

BAYONNE’S GREAT SUMMER CAMPS AND PROGRAMS

            Bayonne is getting ready for the summer.  The DiDomenico Municipal Pool at West 16th Street will open next month on June 21. From Friday, June 21, to Sunday, June 30, the pool will open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Beginning Monday, July 1, and ending August 9, the pool will open at 1:00. p.m. and close at 5:30 p.m.  From Saturday, August 10, to Monday, September 2, the pool will open from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  The pool will be closed in the event of inclement weather.

You must have a City of Bayonne ID card for admission to the pool.  City of Bayonne IDs are available at City Hall, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., in City Hall Room #13 until Tuesday, June 18.  City IDs will be issued at the 16th Street Pool only beginning June 21, (10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).  Beginning Friday, June 21, you will be able to get a City ID Card at the pool, Sunday through Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ID card services will resume at City Hall on Thursday, September 4. The cost for a resident ID is $5.00.

            The Recreation Division offering nineteen summer camps and activities for children this year.  They include Washington School Camp; Mary J. Donohoe School Camp; Robinson School Camp; 16th Street Camp; Culinary Camp; Grassroots Basketball Camp; Skateboard Camp; Parent and Me Swimming Lessons (already full); Intermediate Chess; Carpentry; Graphic Design; Baseball Summer Clinic; Automotive and Mechanical; Ultimate Sports Camp; Ultimate Sports Camp (Kindergarten); Arts and Crafts Camp; Arts and Crafts Camp (Kindergarten); Fashion Design Camp; and Theater For Everyone (Special Needs).

            The summer camps and related activities shown above are for Bayonne residents only.  Fees and other Information for all of the programs listed above and other activities are available from the Recreation Division at 201-858-6127 or from its website, www.bayonnerec.com.  You must register online. Please go to https://register.capturepoint.com/CityofBayonne

We are very proud of the broad range of camps and activities that we offer Bayonne’s children each summer.  For a variety of practical reasons, each program has a maximum number of registrations.  As soon as the maximum is reached for a camp or activity, unfortunately, we have to close registration for that option.  Registration began on May 1.  The Recreation Division has already received more than 700 registrations for summer camps and programs, so I would urge parents to register their children for summer 2024 as soon as possible.  I would like to thank Recreation Superintendent Pete Amadeo and his staff for putting together a great list of summer activities for Bayonne’s kids in 2024.

Education

Hudson County Community College Receives 2024‘Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges’ Award

Members of Hudson County Community College’s Student Affairs team are seen here during their annual Professional Development Day convening.

The award recognizes HCCC as ‘a beacon for diversity.’

–  Diversity empowers people – from classrooms to corporations – to make a lasting and positive impact. For the third year in a row, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) has earned the “Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges” award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. The College is among 18 community colleges in the United States and two in New Jersey to receive this honor.

The award considered workplace diversity, staffing practices, work environment, and categories such as family friendliness, salary/benefits, and professional development opportunities. HCCC was honored for its exceptional commitment to diversity in all forms, including race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, class, Veterans status, and thought. The College will receive this national recognition on May 28 during NISOD’s International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence in Austin, Texas.

“Thank you for serving as a beacon for diversity, and, again, we extend our heartiest congratulations to Hudson County Community College for receiving the award,” wrote Victoria Rios, NISOD Membership and Partnerships Manager, in announcing the College’s award.

“This award reflects Hudson County Community College’s commitment to an inclusive environment in which administrators, faculty, staff and students reflect our diverse community, and where professional development is encouraged and facilitated,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “We are grateful to our trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, and students for making the College a place where everyone feels welcomed, respected, and valued.”

HCCC is committed to integrating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles in all operations. In a recent college-wide climate survey, 68% of employees categorized racial and ethnic groups on campus as very to extremely integrated, and 78% responded that HCCC accommodates their religious or spiritual needs during holidays and observances. The College promotes DEI every day by amplifying diverse voices; closing achievement gaps among traditionally underrepresented groups; developing and utilizing culturally relevant curricula; offering DEI training to improve engagement, understanding and respect for differences; expanding the number of religious observance days/holidays; creating a Children on Campus Policy; offering generous family and medical leave provisions; and allocating up to $9,000 for professional development or tuition reimbursement for every full-time employee, every year.

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Bayonne News, Bayonne Observer insidebayonne.com

Bayonne Library Announces Its Reopening on Wednesday, May 1


The Bayonne Public Library has announced that it will re-open its building at 31st Street and Avenue C. Library Director Melody Scagnelli-Townley said, “It’s time for the news you’ve all been waiting for! We have a reopening date for the library! Our building on Avenue C will reopen from its renovations on Wednesday, May 1!” She continued, “The temporary Story Court location (16 W 4th St) will be closed on Monday, April 29, and Tuesday, April 30, so that we have time to move our books and technology back to the Avenue C building.” Mayor Jimmy Davis said, “I am very happy that the renovations are finally completed. On behalf of the City of Bayonne, I would like to thank Director Scagnelli-Townley and library staff for maintaining some important library services during the past year at Story Court. I look forward to seeing the restoration of all of our library’s great services in its newly renovated home at 31st Street and Avenue C.”
The main library has been closed for extensive renovations since early 2023. The renovations have included the installation of a new elevator and a new boiler, the reconstruction of the lobby, the circulation area, and the Children’s Room. In the Children’s Room, patrons will see a new ceiling, new lighting, and stadium-style seating for the Story Time area. Elsewhere in the library, new technology, computer carrels, and furniture have been installed.
On April 29 and April 30, both the Story Court and Avenue C locations will be closed to the public. Then, the library will reopen for normal business hours (Monday to Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) at the Avenue C location on Wednesday, May 1. From May 1 onwards, the temporary Story Court library branch will be closed permanently. On Monday, April 29, and Tuesday, April 30, the library staff asks that patrons only return books into the book drop on the 31st Street side of the Ave C building or wait until the reopening on Wednesday, May 1, to return them. Scagnelli-Townley said, “We don’t want returned items accidentally getting lost in the shuffle of moving hundreds of books!”
There will be an official grand reopening ceremony on a date that will be announced. Scagnelli-Townley concluded, “We appreciate your patience while we settle back into our new space. We can’t wait for you to see it!”

Education, Events

Public invited to ‘Big Day of Birding’ May 4 at Liberty State Park

As per a press release the New Jersey Conservation Foundation will team up with the Feminist Bird Club of Jersey City, Liberty State Park and Jersey City Birds for a “Big Day of Birding” at Liberty State Park on Saturday, May 4. The free event includes bird walks at 6 and 9 a.m., and is appropriate for both novice and experienced birders.

“We will attempt to identify as many species of birds as we can while having an absolute blast along the way,” said Bill Lynch, New Jersey Conservation’s director of engagement and communications, who is leading the event. “No experience is necessary, and we will bring a scope and extra binoculars for participants to borrow.”

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Education

Hudson County Community College Professor Clive Li Wins AACC’s 2024 Faculty Member of the Year Award  

Dr. Li’s work to make science fun and accessible for HCCC students resulted in this national Award of Excellence from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).    

Thousands of community colleges across the United States are members of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), and each has many talented and dedicated faculty members who make a transformational difference in the lives of their students. Each year, one of these faculty members is awarded the national association’s prestigious “Faculty Member of the Year” Award. This year, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) engineering science professor, Dr. Clive Li, took home this phenomenal honor. 

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Bayonne News, Bayonne Observer insidebayonne.com

Mayors Corner- Bayonne Mayor James Davis-New Jersey Has A Program For First-Time Homebuyers With Down Payment Assistance

          In the current housing market, many people are looking for financial assistance with purchasing their first home and making a down payment.  Fortunately, New Jersey’s Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) has a First-Time Homebuyer Mortgage Program with Down Payment Assistance.

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