Jersey City Council Special Meeting – July 28, 2015

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The city council will be holding a Special Meeting on July 28, 2015 at 6:00 pm.  The meeting takes place at City Hall, 280 Grove Street.

The agenda for the meeting can be found here.  The agenda will include a budget hearing and a resolution recommending adoption of the budget.  The council is also being asked to approve two resolutions authorizing the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency to issue $20 million in Redevelopment Bonds for the development at Metro Plaza (formerly where the Pep Boys garage was located).

The City’s 2015 budget book can be found here.

 

PSE&G Electric Transmission Construction Update – 7-25-2015

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PSE&G provides daily updates informing the public where construction is taking place.  The latest update is below.

If colleagues or neighbors have any questions, please ask to send an email or call:

Residents who do not have access to electronic communications devices can call (201) 330 – 6629 for the electric transmission construction update.

Jersey City / James Ave & ST Paul’s Intersection

KEMSCO has completed excavation at this location last 90’ today had to go deep under fire supply to Delight Foods.

They back filled trench North across ST PAULS, thermal sand only.

Road plates, signs, cones, drums protect work zone.

Overnight police (James Ave One Way only).

Tomorrow restore James Ave up to intersection.

UTEC continue to install conduit.

 

Jersey City / JFK – Newark Ave / Conduit Reconfiguration / H-2313

KEMSCO  excavated 60’ of trench east on Newark Ave.

Back filed and paved to grade 100’ of roadway.

Road plates, signs, cones, drums protect work zone.

Tomorrow continue JFK & Newark Ave.

 

Jersey City / Newark Ave / SC H-4

RCC / BRASUSA poured concrete sidewalks, cubs, driveway.

Return date TBD to etch block pattern in uncured area.

RCC will need demob from lot under 78.

 

Jersey City / Splice @ Stop Joint / MH 3-1 / Monmouth Between Grand & Brightside

UTEC 24/7 splicing continues.

 

Jersey City / Splice @ MH 2-3 / Monmouth Between 1st & 2nd street

UTEC 24/7 splicing continues.

Splice completed tomorrow, weld sleeves in 2-3 scheduled Sunday.

 

Jersey City / Cable Pull MH 1-5 Senate to MH 1-4 Salerno Lot

Tomorrow’s pull reel carriers will be set up on Senate.

Winch truck will be set up inside Salerno.

JCReads – The Pact

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Jersey City Democratic Organization Secretary Brittani Bunney is spearheading a citywide book club, JCReads.  The purpose of the club is to promote literacy and have residents from diverse areas of the city to read the same book.

An article in the Jersey Journal discusses the origins of the book club.  The current book is The Pact, a non-fiction autobiography by Sampson Davis, George Jenkins, Rameck Hunt, and Lisa Frazier.  Davis, Jenkins, and Hunt are three African American men who grew up in Newark, New Jersey.  Although each came from underprivileged backgrounds, the three agreed that they would graduate from University High School in Newark and become doctors.  The book chronicles their efforts to overcome racism and low expectations from others.

JCReads is working with the Jersey City Board of Education to have the book assigned to groups of students.  JCReads is asking residents to read the book by April 2016.

A companion book for younger readers, We Beat The Street, is also available.

Kudos to Ms. Bunney for her efforts on behalf of the entire city.

PSE&G Electric Transmission Construction Update – 7-24-2015

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PSE&G provides daily updates informing the public where construction is taking place.  The latest update is below.

If colleagues or neighbors have any questions, please ask to send an email or call:

Residents who do not have access to electronic communications devices can call (201) 330 – 6629 for the electric transmission construction update.

Jersey City / James Ave & ST Paul’s Intersection

KEMSCO continues to excavate towards ST Pauls.

Trench on James needs to be widen to allow clearance under a UW fire supply line.

KEMSCO partial back fill from SC H-6 towards ST. Pauls.

Thermal sand only.

UTEC installed 75’ of 10” steel conduit, with compound bends,

Installed 60’ of 4” PVC.

This 10” has passed over the lowered UW, and the tele communications, with 22’ of cover.

Continue Friday.

 

Jersey City / JFK – Newark Ave / Conduit Reconfiguration / H-2313

UTEC attempted to install 10”conduit, having alignment issues.

KEMSCO excavated 100’ of trench.

Road plates, cones, signs in use protecting work zone.

Continue Friday..

ENVIRONMENTAL Specialist contacted to observe proper protocol handling of Gas Piping.

Ends bag, tagged, and top of pipe marked.  Dumpster on site tomorrow to live load out store in WEY waiting for test results for proper disposal guidance.

 

Jersey City / Newark Ave / SC H-4

RCC & SUB BRAS USA on site removing concrete and installing DGA.

Friday, pour concrete.

 

Jersey City / Splice @ Stop Joint / MH 3-1 / Monmouth Between Grand & Brightside

UTEC 24/7 splicing continues.

 

Jersey City / Splice @ MH 2-3 / Monmouth Between 1st & 2nd street

UTEC 24/7 splicing continues.

Jersey Journal Lays Off Political Reporter Torres

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Website Politico reported earlier today that Jersey City’s local paper the Jersey Journal has laid off veteran political reporter Agustin Torres.   Torres has written the “Political Insider” column since 2004.

The Jersey Journal is now published by Advance Media, which also owns the Newark Star-Ledger.  The Journal has gone through wave after wave of layoffs and operates with what is essentially a skeleton crew of reporters.

The lack of a local newspaper political columnist is unhealthy for a democracy.  Whether you agreed with Augie Torres or not, his columns and those of his predecessor, the late Peter Weiss, were the basis for my getting a grasp on the local political scene and getting to know some of the individuals involved.

At times I have wondered if Jersey City would be better served simply by having a Hudson County edition of the Star-Ledger.  But even as the Jersey Journal’s staff and coverage have been whittled down, it was the presence of local columnists like Augie Torres and Earl Morgan (still working there, knock wood) that convinced me it was important to keep the Journal as a true local paper, as opposed to a local edition of a regional broadsheet.  Advance Media’s cutbacks are a disservice not just to those who are laid off, but to our entire city.

Tocqueville weeps.

Jersey City Caribbean Carnival – July 25, 2015

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This Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the Jersey City Caribbean Carnival.  The day will have several events.

At 9:00 am a Scholarship Breakfast will take place at Liberty House, 76 Audrey Zapp Drive in Liberty State Park.  Tickets are $30.00

The Caribbean Parade starts at 12:00 noon at Lincoln Park (starting at JFK Boulevard and Belmont Avenue).  The parade will march to City Hall.

The festival will take place from 3:00 to 9:00 pm at the Exchange Place Waterfront.

For information contact Elda Pinchinat at 201 539-9935.  RSVP by Thursday, July 23rd.

The Jersey City West Indian and Caribbean American Carnival Association’s Facebook page can be found here.  The twitter feed can be found here.