| In an email to New Jersey residents Senator Bob Menendez rececntly stated that more than 54,000 Americans have lost their lives to COVID-19. Also stating that this weekend, Governor Murphy announced that the number of New Jerseyans who have been infected by the virus has surpassed 109,000 and we’ve lost more than 5,900 of our residents to it. It’s almost impossible to fully comprehend the extraordinary scale of this public health crisis. It is unlike anything we’ve ever seen, with hundreds of thousands battling the virus, millions out of work, towns and cities reeling from lost revenue, and small businesses struggling to get relief. But we are starting to see a glimmer of hope. Social distancing measures are working. The curve is flattening. And we are learning to work together through this difficult time. We all must stay vigilant with social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus. Our Governor and I are fighting tooth and nail to make sure New Jersey gets back on her feet. Keep reading to see what I’ve been working on: |
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| ONE: Making Sure States & Towns Aren’t Bankrupted by COVID-19 |
| Every day, we hear from Governors like Phil Murphy about the devastating impact COVID-19 has had on our state and local economies as health emergency response costs skyrocket and the revenues needed to fund the services—and pay the New Jerseyans we count on to deliver them—dry up. I am going to fight in Washington to make sure that, as we continue to beat back this virus, our nurses, teachers, firefighters, police, sanitation workers, bus drivers and so many others remain on the job. Read more about my bold, bipartisan $500 billion SMART Fund that would help them. |
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| TWO: Supporting Small Businesses and Frontline Workers |
| This week, Congress secured another round of COVID-19 emergency funding that our small businesses and health care providers desperately need: nearly $500 billion to help small businesses, boost frontline hospitals, and expand COVID-19 testing. Too many of our local businesses were left out in the cold. We fought to make sure that this new funding—more than $300 billion—has new protections to ensure that the small businesses who need it most can access it. Get a break-down of the package, including additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program. |
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| THREE: Jersey Leads the Way in COVID-19 Research |
| More than 800 employees from Rutgers University are participating in the nation’s largest prospective study of health care workers exposed to COVID-19. I’m proud that New Jersey’s state university is leading the nation on coronavirus research that is so vital to helping us battle this deadly pandemic. Together, we are Jersey Strong! Find out more. |
| To follow Senator Menendez on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook to stay up to date on what’s happening in New Jersey and in the Capitol. Sincerely,  Senator Bob Menendez |
update: Office of Emergency Management City of Bayonne, NJ
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COVID-19 UPDATE 4/25/2020
Bayonne Mayor Davis has directed OEM to keep residents informed on all the latest information related to this health emergency.
Bayonne Residents CURRENTLY Positive – 611*
- The number above reflects only the Bayonne residents that are CURRENTLY COVID-19 Positive. We have 164 Bayonne residents that are RECOVERED. Recovered patients, according to the CDC, no longer have to isolate or be reported.
PLASMA/ANTIBODIES: The BMC is actively seeking RECOVERED COVID-19 people to become donors to help find the cure. Please call 201-274-4644 or email covidplasmabayonne@carepointhealth.org.
PAVING UPDATE: The city’s road resurfacing project is starting up again. Beginning on Monday, Ave E between 45th & 50th Street will be milled and paved. Please obey all posted NO PARKING signs. Cars not moved in time will be towed at the owner’s expense. Access in this area will be severely limited, and cross streets will be closed in the area. Please continue to monitor OEM FB & Twitter, as paving updates will be posted there.
Bayonne Statue serves as a reminder to wear your mask outside
COVID-19 Crisis has changed all our lives within a month or more. There is no getting around it, this is our new norm as evidenced in Bayonne at the corner of 26th Street and Broadway, located in front of Bayonne’s Main Library, as someone has seen fit to cover the mouth and nose of this statue as a reminder to wear your mask.
Let this statue serve as a reminder to keep each other safe when going outside.
Jersey City Begins Phased Approach to Reopening Parks for Residents
Residents’ Health and Safety Remains Top Priority, includes Mental and Physical Wellbeing amid Quarantine
As of Monday, April 27th, the following five parks spanning the city will reopen with restrictions:
- Enos Jones Park
- Berry Lane Park
- Audubon Park
- Leonard Gordon Park
- Pershing Field
JERSEY CITY – Mayor Steven M. Fulop announces the reopening of five major parks throughout Jersey City as a first step to safely help residents restore their routines through outdoor exercise and recreational activities while adhering to social distancing measures. The parks will be open for residents to enjoy the fresh air from dawn to dusk for jogging, walking, and all non-contact activities following the health and safety protocols in place.
BAYONNE TO HAVE EARTH DAY CLEAN-UP AT HOME ON SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis announced that the City of Bayonne will have an Earth Day Clean-Up At Home on Saturday, April 25, with a rain date of Sunday, April 26. Mayor Davis said, “Earlier this year, we had big plans for a citywide Earth Day clean-up that would have involved groups of people working together, followed by a major celebration. Due to the Coronavirus, those plans had to be cancelled.†Mayor Davis continued, “We can still honor Earth Day. Although we cancelled plans for doing something big leading to a party at DiDomenico-16th Street Park, we can still do something local and effective. Put on a face mask and gloves, step outside, and clean up around your own home or business. Let’s try to keep at least the front of our properties tidy. This can make a big difference for our neighborhoods.â€
Hudson County Community College Offers ‘Learn from Home’ Workshops and Classes Now through June
More than one dozen options available.
April 25, 2020, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College’s (HCCC) Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development (CEWD) is offering a roster of online enrichment workshops and classes during the COVID-19 pandemic pause. Topics range from brand management to e-commerce, social media, and retirement planning; mastering Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint; and much more.
HCCC Dean of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, Lori Margolin, said that the College is committed to ensuring these offerings are provided with the same high quality and support that students receive at HCCC in-person workshops and classes. To assist “Learn from Home†students, the College has established a guide to accessing remote CEWD services, complete with contact information for assistance.
Hudson’s Tammy Blanchard NOMINATED FOR DRAMA DESK AWARD 2020 for performance in Little shop of horrors
Hudson County actress Tammy Blanchard was nominated on April 21, 2020 for a Drama Desk Award for her performance as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors.
Blanchard has received many excellent reviews for her portrayl of Audrey since the official opening in October 2019.
The Drama Desk Awards were begun in 1955. The members of the Drama Desk are almost all theater critics and journalists. The Drama Desk Awards are the only awards that consider Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-off-Broadway shows together in the same competitive categories.
According to Wikipedia- An Off-Broadway reviva of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theatre began previews on September 17, 2019, with an official opening on October 17, 2019. The cast starred Jonathan Groff as Seymour (Gideon Glick replaced him from November 5–17 and from January 21 to March 11, 2020), Tammy Blanchard as Audrey, Christian Borle as Orin and Tom Alan Robbins as Mr. Mushnik. Michael Mayer directs with choreography by Ellenore Scott. The lighting designer is Bradley King.[44][45]
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS suspended all performances on March 11, 2020 through June 7, 2020 due to the Coronavirus Pandemic
Mayor Fulop Recommends Jersey City Withdraws Arts Referendum to Minimize Taxpayer Impact in Wake of Pandemic’s Destructive Path
JERSEY CITY –Mayor Steven M. Fulop announces today he will propose at the next council meeting the withdrawal of the Arts Referendum planned for the November ballot to allow voters to decide on the establishment of an Arts and Culture Trust Fund. The proposal to implement the special levy was announced in February, following years of working alongside local arts organizations to lobby state legislators to implement the mechanisms that would allow for long-term arts funding.
“We were the first to put out an actionable plan supporting sustainable funding to benefit our burgeoning arts industry and our residents, but the world is changed today and we want to minimize the impact on our taxpayers as much as possible,†said Mayor Fulop. “There is a lot of uncertainty between now and November, so we want to do the responsible thing and start making the tough decisions now so that we can better plan as we come to realize the full magnitude of the pandemic’s economic impacts.”
HUDSon County Community College Announces Zero-Increase in Tuition and Fees for Fiscal Year 2021
Freeze
applies to this year’s Summer and Fall semester sessions
and 2021 Winter, Spring and First Summer sessions.
April 21, 2020, Jersey City, NJ –Hudson
County Community College (HCCC) President
Dr. Chris Reber announced that the College’s Board of Trustees unanimously
voted to maintain the current cost of tuition and fees for the 2021 fiscal year
with no increases.
“Our students are experiencing significant economic pressure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. All of us at HCCC are dedicated to doing everything we can to ensure their health and safety, and to assist them in realizing their academic goals,†stated HCCC Board Chair William J. Netchert, Esq.
jERSEY cITY mAYOR fULOP Addresses small business needs during coronavirus crisis
Jersey City Introduces Local Relief Program
First Phase of Program Targets Local Small Businesses; City will Match NJEDA Grants, Doubling Financial Assistance for Local Small Businesses Amid Crisis
JERSEY CITY – Following Mayor Steven Fulop’s announcement that he will introduce an ordinance with the Jersey City Municipal Council to freeze rent increases within rent controlled buildings, Mayor Fulop is unveiling a program of local grants to support small businesses that are facing financial hardships due to the current Covid-19 crisis.
The small business grant program will entail the City of Jersey City matching 100% of any state grants awarded to Jersey City applicants of the NJ Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program, which goes live from Friday, April 3rd to April 10th. The local Jersey City program will be administered through the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC), a 501c3 nonprofit.
“We’ve been working to stay ahead of the curve by anticipating our residents’ and business owners’ needs to survive this pandemic not only from a health standpoint, but also economically which could further devastate our community,†said Mayor Fulop. “We decided to structure local programs that fully complement the state and federal program so that our local businesses can get a much needed advantage. We are achieving that here with short term grants up to $10,000 per business.â€
The Administration will use available CDBG funds to match the $1,000 to $5,000 in state funding being made available to small businesses and nonprofits with a physical storefront.
“As a city, we believe in small businesses and their contribution to the economy, which is why providing a matching grant program is essential,†said Council President Joyce Watterman. “Small businesses are the backbone of our city, and are among those who need financial help the most right now. This financial boost will really help businesses get back on their feet.â€
The JCEDC is already working with local community partners to highlight this opportunity for small businesses and nonprofits, which is the latest step towards providing financial relief to those who need it most during this crisis.
“The money we match will be used to help with payroll and provide working capital with the goal of retaining employees,†said Vivian Brady-Phillips, Vice Chair of the JCEDC. “The business owner must certify as to the COVID-19 related need for financial support and be committed to retaining employees. This is key for both businesses and the workers who also live in our community.â€
The application for the NJEDA Small Business Grant program will be available on https://cv.business.nj.gov beginning at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
The pandemic we are facing has brought challenges to nearly every aspect of our community. We continue to see the number of positive cases rise. As of today, April 2nd, we have 902 cases and 26 fatalities – both of which are the highest in New Jersey. Our thoughts continue to be with those families that are dealing firsthand with someone that has the virus or a family member that has been lost due to the virus.
You should know that as a City, we are focused very much on the here and now with regards to making sure people are safe – that is our number one priority – but we must also plan for tomorrow, for how our Jersey City community will recover months from now.
While we continue to stay home and continue to practice social distancing, we know that many of the small businesses that are the fabric of our community are suffering. From closing their doors indefinitely to having the lay off staff, we know that they have already made challenging business decisions, with a long road ahead.
We are now seeing some relief programs in place at the federal and state levels for small businesses. I know for many this will not be enough and for that reason, we are launching some local initiatives to help small businesses and their employees. For those businesses in Jersey City that use the state grant program, we will match at the local level every dollar of the state grant they receive to enhance the help for our small businesses. We will literally double the grant you receive from the state and all you have to do is apply. Our goal with local programs like this is to think strategically on how we can leverage existing programs at the state or federal level and enhance them so that Jersey City businesses gain an advantage.
With this program we are launching tomorrow, small businesses and nonprofits with a storefront can receive up to $10,000 as a grant.
I know these times are tough, but you should know that we will continue to work at the local level to confront the challenges together and we will get through this.
