The newest series of Westerns by Dusty Saddle Publishing is a genre-expanding, steam-punk universe of action and suspense interwoven with moral ambiguities, cultural allegories, and a dash of political satire.
To top it off, the author of these fatalistic yarns hails from a land far from America’s former frontier, Jersey City – Timothy Herrick – believed to be the only New Jersey author in the Dusty Saddle roster, the largest Western Fiction publisher in the industry.
Concert on Wednesday, August 7
Mayor Jimmy Davis announced that Saints In The City, will play in Bayonne’s Summer Sounds by the Bay concert series on Wednesday, August 7, at 7:00 p.m., weather permitting. Saints In The City is not just a tribute band. It is a passionate and authentic celebration of the music and spirit of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. With a dedicated group of musicians and a frontman who channels the energy and charisma of The Boss himself, the Saints recreate the classic Springsteen concert experience for fans old and new.
The concert will take place at the amphitheater on the lower level of DiDomenico-16th Street Park. The concert site is located below the foot of West 16th Street, between Avenue A and Newark Bay. The number of chairs available in the park is limited. The Recreation Division suggests that members of the audience bring their own chairs.
On music days during the summer concert season, in the event of inclement weather, please call 201-471-7590, or visit www.leaguelineup.com/bayonnerec, or view the City of Bayonne’s Facebook page to check on the status of that night’s performance.
For more information about the concerts, please contact Pete Amadeo at 201-858-6129, or email BAYONNEREC@AOL.COM.
Live Bands, Yummy Food and Great People!
Mark your calendars! La Festa Italiana, Jersey City’s biggest Italian festival hosted by Holy Rosary Church returns in August with live bands, great food, and games & rides for the kids!
La Festa Italiana begins Wed, Aug 7th, and runs through Sun, Aug 11th, from 5-to-11 pm daily. Located on 6th & Brunswick Streets, in the neighborhood surrounding Holy Rosary Church, La Festa Italiana will dazzle festivalgoers with delicious dishes from popular bistros; frothy brews from neighborhood bars; and crowd-pleasing Jersey bands that play the hottest hits every night from 7-to-11 pm.
“People love this event,” Festival Chairman Nick Grillo says. “They plan days off, vacations, even weddings around these five days. It’s wonderful to still see so much excitement around this century-old event in this ever-changing city.”
LIVE BANDS
This year’s entertainment is a Who’s Who of musical talent playing top hits from Bruno Mars to Bruce Springsteen and a new band performs every night. On Wed, Aug 7th, YOU’VE GOT 90s takes the stage with the best of 90s pop tunes.
“You’ve Got 90s is thrilled to kick off this year’s La Festa Italiana with our high-energy blend of 90s rock, pop, hip-hop, dance, and alternative music, ” Bass player Adam Zurbruegg says. “We can’t wait to be a part of this historic tradition.”
On Thursday, Aug 8: PROMISED LAND, an E-Street Tribute Bandperforms, and on Friday, Aug 9: RYAN’S EXPRESS. Saturday, Aug 10: crowd favorite THE CAMEOS return, and, on closing night, Sun, Aug 11: TOTAL SOUL, the 9-piece band that plays dance hits like ‘Shout’ and ‘Proud Mary’.
DELICIOUS FOODS
It wouldn’t be La Festa without an authentic sausage and peppers on a hard roll and DELLANO’S is back once again to bring festival goers those traditional Italian sandwiches. A big hit with La Festa-goers, the KREME BAR returns with their yummy, cheesy mozz arepas: “We always look forward to participating in La Festa Italiana,” owner Karen Herrera says. “ For the past 10 years they have made us feel like family. It’s the one event of the year that doesn’t feel like we are working. It’s just a good time with amazing people and music.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!”
