Events

HUDSON COUNTY HONORS IRISH-AMERICAN COMMUNITY WITH ANNUAL IRISH FLAG RAISING HELD AT COUNTY COURT HOUSE

Wednesday’s event will include traditional music and presentations of citations from the County Executive for honorees from throughout Hudson County.

County Executive Tom DeGise will honor a bevy of proud sons and daughters of St. Patrick from throughout Hudson County at the County’s Annual Irish Flag Raising, to be held in the rotunda of the historic William J. Brennan Court House (583 Newark Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306)  this Wednesday evening (3/1) at 5pm.

Traditional bagpipe music and a performance by the Keri Smith Academy of Irish Dance will highlight this event, celebrating Irish-American’s contribution to Hudson County in advance of St. Patrick’s Day. Fr. Brian Emerson Page will conduct the invocation and benediction. Honorees of St. Patrick’s Day Parade committees from throughout the County will receive citations from the County Executive, who is half-Irish.

“I’m always pleased to take part in this annual celebration of Irish heritage, one I proudly share—on my mother’s side—with our honorees from across Hudson County,” said County Executive DeGise. “I know it will be a wonderful event.”

The County Executive’s Chief of Staff, Craig Guy, will receive a citation this year, for being selected Grand Marshal of the Jersey City St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

“I’m so thankful for this honor,” said Chief of Staff Guy. “It will mean even more receiving my citation from the County Executive, who I have been so proud to serve the people of Hudson County with for more than twenty years. My thanks of course also to our Jersey City St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee, and our fantastic Committee Chairperson, Maureen Hulings.”

Here is a list of the citation recipients, by municipality:

BAYONNE:

Bridget Antczak – Parade Chair, Bayonne St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee; Gabrielle Figueroa, Parade Coordinator and Grand Marshal; Aide to the Grand Marshal for the County Donegal Association; Melanie McBride; Aide to the Grand Marshal for the Irish American League Patrick Donovan; Aide to the Grand Marshal for the Shamrock Society, Mary Ellen (Calverley) Page; Aide to the Grand Marshal for the County Corkmen’s Association, Allison Conway; Irish American League’s Irishwoman of the Year, Jennifer Shea Tarantino; Irish American League’s Irish Business Owner, Rosemary (Donovan) Kellner; Irish American League’s Irish Educator of the Year, Colleen Byrne; 2023 Mary from Dungloe,  Shannon Neary.

HOBOKEN:

Irishwoman of the Year – Linda Milne; Irishman of the Year- Joseph Caufield; Irish Police Officer of the Year – Connor Milne; Irish Educator of the Year – Michelle McGreivey; Honorary Irishman of the Year – James Farina; Honorary Irishwoman of the Year – Nora Debenedetto; Irish Business of the Year – Paul Dawson of Mulligans Pub; Irish Senior of the Year – Noreen Stapleton.

JERSEY CITY:

Maureen Killeen Hulings – Chairwoman, Jersey City St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee; Grand Marshal – Craig Guy; Irishwoman of the Year – Kim Scalcione; Irishman of the Year – Sean Patrick O’Leary; Irish Police Officer – Sgt. Gary Griffin; Irish Firefighter – Deputy Chief Bill McClintock; Irish EMT – Edana RahbariI; Irish Educator – Terry Matthews; Honorary Irishwoman – Joyce Watterman; Honorary Irishman – Joe Cunha; Miss Colleen – Juliana Peters.

WEST HUDSON

Kevin Quinn – President, United Irish of West Hudson; Grand Marshal – Jimmy “Lucky” Lawless; Deputy Grand Marshals – Marybeth Kennedy & Lisa Steiner Schalago.

General

Hudson County Concludes Black History Month with Annual Black History Month Celebration and Awards Dinner

Tuesday’s celebration honors leaders in education, health care, public service.

Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise and Hudson County Board of Commissioners Chairman Pro Tempore Jerry Walker will welcome host of local leaders, community activists, and students to the County’s Annual Black History Month Celebration and Awards Dinner to be held at High Tech High School (One High Tech Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094) this Tuesday, February 28th, at 6pm.

Among the honorees will be Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd III, President of the Bayonne Branch of the NAACP, who will receive the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Drum Major Award; Pamela Johnson, Founder and Executive Director of the Anti-Violence Coalition of Hudson County, who will receive the Coretta Scott King Humanitarian Award; Susan Curry, longtime Jersey City Community Organizer, who will receive the Rhudell Snelling Sr., Community Service Award; Christopher A. Brown, Hoboken’s Director of Community Development,  who will receive the Hudson County Public Service Award; and Trina Boyd-Clyburn, RN, BSN, MSN, Chief Nursing Officer for Bayonne Medical Center, who will receive the Hudson County Healthcare Award.

  “We are proud to honor these outstanding individuals who mean so much to our community and have done so much for Hudson County,” said Commissioner Walker. “I am looking forward to publicly saying “thank you” to all of them as we celebrate our history and heritage at this very special event.”  

“For two decades, it has been my pleasure to salute some of the finest community servant-leaders we have ever produced in Hudson County during our annual Black History Month Celebration Dinner,” said County Executive DeGise. “This year’s list of outstanding honorees proudly continues that long tradition.”  

As in past years, attendees will be entertained by student performers and have an opportunity to hear from the award winners about their lives, their work, and their reaction to being honored by Hudson County. This public event is by invitation only. Media members are welcome and additional background on the honorees will be provided.

  The Annual Hudson County Black History Month Celebration and Awards Dinner is organized by the Hudson County Black History Month Committee, The Committee members are: Gina Hulings, Victoria Parks, Sharonda Walker, Diane Jennings, and Krista Kenny.

Bayonne News, Bayonne Observer insidebayonne.com

Murphy Administration Awards Bayonne $133,677 State Recycling Grant

City of Bayonne Logo

            The Murphy Administration is awarding nearly $16.2 million in grants to communities across the state to help them enhance waste reduction and recycling programs, the same amount as the previous year’s total, Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced. The DEP is awarding Bayonne a recycling grant of $133,677, up from $115,257 in 2022.  Mayor Jimmy Davis said, “I would like to thank the residents and businesses in Bayonne for taking part in our recycling programs.  Their support for recycling helped generate this grant.”  Mayor Davis continued, “I would also like to thank Public Works Director Tom Cotter and Recycling Coordinator Mike Tassone for providing successful leadership of our recycling programs.  Their steady efforts have led to this 2023 state grant that will help maintain Bayonne’s recycling and waste collection efforts.”

            The Bayonne Department of Public Works will use the state grant to support its waste management and recycling programs.   The specific uses of the grant will be announced at a later date.

            The annual awards are based on 2020 recycling performance, the most recent year for which data is available.  Municipalities must use their funds for various recycling initiatives.  These may include sponsoring household hazardous waste collection events, providing recycling receptacles in public places, or maintaining leaf composting operations.

            Commissioner LaTourette said, “New Jersey has long set a national example for recycling, starting with being the first state to enact a recycling law in 1987.”  He continued, “This annual grant program provides incentive for communities to strengthen their municipal recycling initiatives, encourage children and adults to keep our environment clean, and provide assistance in helping to reduce the local tax burden while also improving quality of life.” The grants are awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act and are funded through a $3 per-ton surcharge on trash disposed statewide at solid waste facilities.  As required under the Recycling Enhancement Act, the DEP returns 60% of that money to municipalities based on how much recycling each community reports accomplishing during the calendar year.  The remaining funds are divided, with 30% going to counties, 5% to colleges and universities, and 5% for administrative costs.

            According to the DEP, “For calendar year 2020, New Jersey generated 20,997,099 tons of solid waste, which represents disposal (9,474,871 tons) and recycling (11,522,228 tons) reported by municipalities and, in limited instances, counties.”  The DEP continued, “The overall tonnage of materials reported as recycled and as disposed both decreased slightly in 2020 from 2019, leading to a slight decrease in the overall recycling rate, to 55% in 2020 from 56% in 2019. Solid waste includes municipal waste plus construction debris and other types of non-municipal waste.”

art scene, Art Views

Fulop Administration Further Elevates Arts & Culture in Jersey City with Powerhouse Partnership to Create NJ’s Largest Visual Arts Event

First Annual Jersey City Art Week Announced for October 11-15

Beginning today applications are online

Jersey City 14c Art Event

Mayor Steven M. Fulop joins the Office of Cultural Affairs and Art Fair 14C Executive Director Robinson Holloway to announce the premier of Jersey City Art Week – a new partnership between Jersey City’s largest visual arts events.

The Jersey City Art and Studio Tour (JCAST) and Art Fair 14C are joining forces to host concurrent events in October, creating a super-sized visual arts experience that will showcase Jersey City’s vibrant arts and culture scene.  Jersey City Art Week will attract local, national, and international artists to Jersey City alongside fine art exhibitors.

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art scene, Education

OPENING RECEPTION – CONTEMPORARY PEACEMAKERS: WAVES OF CHANGE

February 15th from 3:00-7:00 pm.

OPENING CELEBRATION FOR CONTEMPORARY PEACEMAKERS EXHIBIT: EVENT DESIGN BY TERESA-FEEL THE LOVE WITH KARMA- GOYA & HCCC SCULPTURE FOR CHANGE

HCCC celebrates Dr. King’s activism through historical documents, the arts, and community projects in the Benjamin J. Dineen III and Dennis C. Hull Gallery. The exhibit timeline begins with King’s legendary visit to Jersey City and archives other social changes throughout the decades, ending with the Black Lives Matter Movement. In the spirit of MLK’s National Day of Service, we partnered with Goya Foods and are accepting can donations to support the HCCC food pantry and Hudson Helps.

Join us for an opening reception on Wednesday, February 15th from 3:00-7:00 pm. Enjoy light refreshments and a live performance by singer-songwriter, Kärma. Be the change with our Waves of Change backdrop and take a selfie with friends!

Opening February 15th-Closing April 6th,2023

Tuesday to Friday 11am-4pm

Benjamin J. Dineen III & Dennis C. Hull Gallery

71 Sip Avenue, 6th floor, Jersey City, NJ 07306

art scene, Art Views

ART CRAWL TONIGHT FEBRUARY 9,2023

Tonight the Powerhouse Arts District of Jersey City hosts the Art Crawl Downtown, with art exhibitions and open studios with unique opportunities for art lovers, as well as discounted food and beverages from our partners: The Canopy Bar & Bistro, Downtown Yogurt and Two Boots Pizza.

Bayonne News, Bayonne Observer insidebayonne.com

Bayonne St. Patrick’s Parade Names Gabrielle Figueroa 2023 Grand Marshal, Plans Brunch Honoring Her on February 26

The Bayonne St. Patrick’s Parade Committee has announced Gabrielle Figueroa is its 2023 Grand Marshal.  The Bayonne parade will take place on Sunday, March 19.  Gaby is the daughter of Nuala and Andres (Chico) Figueroa, sister of Kathleen and Michael, and granddaughter of 1993 Grand Marshal Kathleen O’Keeffe. A lifelong Hudson County resident, Gabrielle is a proud alumna of Holy Family Academy.  She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the College of New Jersey in Sociology and School Counseling, and works as a school counselor at Roosevelt Elementary School in Kearny.

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Education

Hudson County Community College to Present Nationwide ‘2023 Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education’

 Week-long, virtual nationwide symposium will feature a host of
nationally acclaimed presenters who will speak about social justice issues confronting Higher Education and all Americans in 2023. 
Last year, the Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation presented a first for New Jersey higher education – a national symposium dedicated to teaching and learning practices to promote social justice in colleges and universities. The symposium was enormously successful, and many of the nearly 500 registrants from seven states and 47 colleges and universities encouraged HCCC to make this an annual event.
 
Beginning Monday, February 27, and continuing through Friday, March 3, 2023, HCCC will present its Second Annual “2023 Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education” free of charge to all who wish to attend. The nearly 40 presenters and panelists include nationally prominent educators, authors, college and university presidents and trustees, community advocates and leaders, and students who will examine how social and racial issues impact employment, health and the health care system, the environment, mental health, spirituality, the justice system, corporate responsibility, and youth advocacy.  
 
“We are exceedingly proud to present this comprehensive symposium. It has been a full year in the making,” said HCCC President, Dr. Christopher Reber. “Realizing that the need for teaching about social justice grows more essential every day, Dr. Paula Roberson, the Founding Director of our HCCC Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation, has worked passionately to prepare a roster of important topics and to engage expert presenters from across the United States.”
 
Dr. Reber said this year’s symposium will begin with welcoming remarks from Dr. Brian Bridges, Secretary of Higher Education for the State of New Jersey and former Vice President of Research and Member Engagement at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). The keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, President of Howard University and distinguished Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery.
 
Among the symposium’s expert presenters and panelists are Dr. Johnetta B. Cole, former and first female African American President of Spelman College; John K. Pierre, Esq., Chancellor of Southern University Law Center; Jacquie Abram, author of Hushmoney; Matthew J. Platkin, Attorney General for the State of New Jersey; Dr. Jessica Pryce, Child Advocate, Social Scientist, TED Presenter, and Executive Director of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare; Dr. Sarah Ketchen-Lipson, Fulbright Scholar and Assistant Professor, Department of Health, Law, Policy and Management at Boston University, who is sponsored by Christie Campus Health; James McGreevey, former New Jersey Governor and Chairman of New Jersey Reentry Corporation; Esther Suarez, Prosecutor, Hudson County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office; Carmella Glover, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Officer of Arthur W. Page Society and Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University; and Dr. Teik Lim, ninth President of New Jersey Institute of Technology and distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
 
Information about the HCCC “2023 Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education” may be obtained by contacting Dr. Paula Roberson at [email protected] or 201.360.4775. The complete program of sessions is available at https://www.hccc.edu/page/symposium-agenda.html.       
Those interested in attending any or all of the virtual sessions must register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwtd-yvrDIqE9wYs_f5u1ba04fbi4cmdVHK.
 
“Social and racial issues affect each and every person in this country in different ways,” Dr. Reber said. “Teaching and learning about social justice, and how we can develop and strengthen our collective sense of equality, equity, and fairness, are essential to the wellbeing of our communities. We invite all to attend these critically important sessions.”#  #  # 
Caption: Pictured here, Hudson County Community College “Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education” keynote speaker, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, President of Howard University and distinguished Charles R. Drew Professor of Surgery.
 
About Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College serves more than 18,000 credit and non-credit students annually. The College offers nearly 90 degree and certificate programs, including award-winning English as a Second Language; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management; Nursing and Health Professions; and Humanities and Social Sciences. The HCCC Culinary/Hospitality Management program was ranked number six in the U.S. by Best Choice Schools.
 
HCCC has partnerships with major four-year colleges and universities in the greater New Jersey-New York area and beyond, accommodating seamless transfer of credits for further undergraduate and graduate education.
 
The College’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has been recognized with the 2021 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Northeast Region Equity Award; the “INSIGHT Into Diversity” 2021 and 2022 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award, this year honoring HCCC as one of seven community colleges nationally to be named “Top Colleges for Diversity;” and the “INSIGHT Into Diversity” 2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award. HCCC was a finalist this year for the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) “Advancing Diversity Award of Excellence.” HCCC was selected as one of 24 community colleges in the United States – and the only community college in New Jersey – to be named among the “2022 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges” by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) in collaboration with “Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.” The College was one of 22 community colleges in the nation, and the only college in New Jersey, to be recognized by Modern Think LLC and the “Chronicle of Higher Education” as a 2022 “Great College to Work For®.” HCCC is one of two colleges in the United States to be named a Top Ten Finalist in all three program categories for the nationally recognized 2023 Bellwether Awards.

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