When I was a child my family developed the tradition of staying in, sometimes with a few friends/guests who would stay the night. Everyone would get to pick one consumable they'd like to have, and one board or card game they'd like to play. Needless to say, these were 6-8 person affairs.

This would result in some fairly odd combinations, like the year we had snails wrapped in bacon and chocolate mint liqueur. I'm sure we had other things, but somehow those two stood out.

Most years now we do a similar variation, stay in or over with close friends, stuff to nosh on, conversation and a good movie. In fact I'm just about to grill some nice ribeye steaks for the main course.

As for midnight and the new year's cheer, some years back we also adopted a custom from a Nigerian friend of taking a glass of water and, at midnight, throwing the water on the ground as a symbol of the things you'd like to throw out and not carry into the coming year.

Wishing all of JCList a happy and healthy new year.

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This week's clinics are in addition to the usual spring clinics.

Jersey City's Dept. of Health and Human Services is planning additional clinics for the coming months. The City is committed to doing animal care in every part of Jersey City.

Pitbulls and Yorkies, Shih Tzus and Shepherds, and all kinds of lovely kitties came by today for their shots, licenses and to schedule low-cost spay/neuter surgeries.

WEDNESDAY 2-7pm at City Hall

THURSDAY 2-7pm at Pershing Field

There are different ways to look at diversity and segregation. Here's another take. Most people would regard New York City as one of the nation's and world's most diverse cities. And it certainly is, considered as a whole city. But when you look at its neighborhoods, the picture changes. NYC is the 3rd MOST segregated city in America (of 21 major cities surveyed).

http://au.businessinsider.com/most-se ... onx-are-highly-diverse-19 (Go one click over to slide 18 to see Newark, NJ, 4th most segregated on the list.)

We love the diversity of Jersey City, but it's not exactly about having demographic equality block by block. The real test of diversity is how well people of different origins (ethnic, class, religious, whatever) actually relate to one another. Do they live in the same neighborhoods, share workplaces, eat in the same restaurants and shop at the same stores? I love Jersey City as it is - but Dr. King's dream remains imperfectly realized, and the chasm between Newport and MLK Drive is not bridged by the light rail.

Quoting from the linked article:

"Racial segregation remains a problem in America, and it?s lasting longer than anyone expected.
Just how bad things are can be determined through analysis of 2010 Census data.

The average black person lives in a neighbourhood that is 45 per cent black. Without segregation, his neighbourhood would be only 13 per cent black, according to an analysis of 2010 Census data by professors John Logan and Brian Stult at Brown and Florida State.

Logan and Stult evaluated segregation in major cities with a dissimilarity index, which identifies the percentage of one group that would have to move to a different neighbourhood to eliminate segregation. A score above 60 on the dissimilarity index is considered extreme.

In the following slides, we have ranked the most segregated cities in ascending order. They are illustrated with maps of cities by race created by Eric Fischer and publicly available on Flickr. The red dots show white people, blue is black, orange is Hispanic, green is Asian, and yellow is other."

In the NYC slide, segregation appears as bright color-monolithic areas. Looking across the Hudson, you can see a similar pattern at work, but less solid.

This election is thankfully now behind us. All the candidates deserve our respect for stepping forward and seeking to serve the people of Jersey City.

In the heat of a campaign, we may at times lose sight of the big picture. Now is a good time to refocus on what brought most of us into this: a desire to make our neighborhoods and our city better than they are today.

Mayor-elect Fulop and the incoming Council members will need our help if they are to be effective. Sometimes that will mean challenging them. More often it will mean working with them. And always it will mean supporting them by putting our own work, ideas, and passion into this great City.

I would like to extend my personal thanks to all the many fine people I had the opportunity to meet and work with during this long campaign season. And I wish us ALL the best in the months to come. Our City needs us, and we need each other.

I work with Chico Ramchal as a Team Fulop volunteer, so I am committed to helping him win election as my Councilman. I'll be the first to admit I did not immediately envision Chico in that position. It was Chico himself who won me over, not by persuading me, but by showing me what he brings to the table. I am happy to say why I believe he's the best candidate for Ward B.

Everybody says he's hard-working. That's true. He is also a passionate partisan for his beloved west side, and knows the ward and it's people better than just about anybody.

Chico is smart, and he learns quickly. He'd be the first to admit he's not polished, and that his learning is not principally book-learning. But do not doubt that he has the capacity to study and learn what he needs to.

He's good with people. He makes good judgments about others, he treats people well, and they respond to him. He's willing to listen to people and learn from them. These are important leadership qualities. It's no accident that all his previous opponents and the outgoing Ward B Councilman Dave Donnelly are now endorsing him. I think they're doing so mostly for personal reasons that have to do with Chico's character, his loyalty, and a trust factor that he's earned.

During this campaign, when attacked, Chico's response has not been to go out and tear down signs or call names or attack back. He fights back by working harder. That's admirable, and will serve him well in future battles.

There is one other thing I've seen in him that I haven't heard others mention. Chico Ramchal has a lot of upside potential. His relative youth gives him energy, a kind of dynamism that I haven't seen much of in City Hall, and this gives him room to develop. I've seen him grow substantially over the past year. I think with Chico Ramchal our ward gets a Councilman who already brings a lot to the job and is going to grow in the role.

This is why I am voting for Chico Ramchal for Ward B Council. I hope you and many others will do the same.

neverleft wrote:
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Team Fulop does not take anything for granted. We are going to work to get every single one of our candidates elected. Period.

But all the Ward B candidates are decent, honest, and talented people. Jerry Meyers, just like Esther Winter and Isaiah Gadsden, is a person of his word. To get off the ballot, you just need to ask the City Clerk BY MONDAY 5/20, to remove your name.

Even more importantly, I think Mr. Meyers is doing this not just because of the difficulties of continuing the race. On Tuesday the City overwhelmingly chose to go in a new direction. Many of Mayor Healy's supporters will genuinely want to support this and help make our new Mayor successful. Because it's best for the City, and we all care about Jersey City.

I tip my hat to Jerry Meyers, as well as to Esther and Chris, for having the courage to stand up and run, and the decency to run a pretty civil and clean race. It says a lot for the west side of Jersey City that the voters had four good choices. I am sure that each will be a significant part of helping to make the West Side the Best Side.

Four years ago the shock of seeing so many of our public officials led away in handcuffs led me to Steve Fulop. Since then I have been repeatedly impressed by his hard work, his integrity, and his vision for making Jersey City a world-class city.

I have also become more and more convinced of the need to make a new start in city government. This is why I am voting the entire Fulop ticket. Each Team Fulop candidate is qualified, and deserves your consideration independently of Steve's endorsement. Together they will make a real difference in the kind of government we get.

Mayor Healy and his councilpeople have had more than eight years, and the result has not been a better economy. It has not been a better school system, it has not been safer or cleaner streets, an efficient budget, good disaster response, or better city services.

This is why I believe it is time not only to elect Steve Fulop as Mayor, but to give him a chance to make a difference by electing City Councilpeople who are committed to fight for the issues that matter most to our city. This is not a time for divided government - just look at how that's working in Washington. We need a City government that is ready to move forward immediately, not one which keeps fighting yesterday's political squabbles.

A Fulop administration will immediately begin to implement his community policing plan, his jobs plan, his plan for more recreation and youth activities, his plan for more efficient government (stevenfulop.com/platform). And perhaps most important, Steve Fulop with a unified Council behind him will make good on his commitment to make Jersey City government pay more attention to Jersey City's people.

On May 14, I will be proud to cast my vote for the entire Fulop Team, and I encourage you to do the same, in order to help our beloved Jersey City take a big step forward.

Fulop 5A + Watterman 8B + Rivera 9B + Lavarro 10B

And your Ward candidates:

Ward A Frank Gajewski - 1C
Ward B Chico Ramchal - 3C
Ward C Nidia Lopez - 9C
Ward D Sean Connors - 1C
Ward E Candice Osborne - 5C
Ward F Diane Coleman - 7C

Paul Bellan-Boyer
Duncan Avenue

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This catches in a few seconds what drew me to get involved working with Steve Fulop. He's smart, he works hard, he's usually on the right side of issues which affect our city. But more than that, Steve Fulop can look you in the eye, say who he is and what he'll do. He means it, and I've seen him prove over time that it is real.

Steve will make a great mayor, and May 14th is the day to make it happen.

Fulop 5A + Watterman 8B + Rivera 9B + Lavarro 10B

And your Ward candidates:

Ward A Frank Gajewski - 1C
Ward B Chico Ramchal - 3C
Ward C Nidia Lopez - 9C
Ward D Sean Connors - 1C
Ward E Candice Osborne - 5C
Ward F Diane Coleman - 7C

A good friend has a large fig tree that did just fine in the winter of 2005. It is planted next to his house, and it's not a very windy spot with good southern sun, so all that may have helped.

As a general rule, the ficus family is hardy and will largely take care of themselves. Some care helps the trees do well and increases fig production. And the figs are wonderful!

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Watch it. The truth is its own defense. If you like the kind of mayor you see on the videotape, then you must be very happy now.

As for me, it's time for a change, and Steve Fulop 5A and his entire team is the best direction for Jersey City.

Richie Havens was a great musician, an amazing performer, and a wonderful spirit. I saw him several years ago on Governor's Island and we had a nice chat afterwards. This is where I discovered we shared a love for Jersey City.

His energy in performance was truly remarkable, and it is hard to imagine him any other way than filled with life.

Rest in peace.

A good performance from three good citizens, which bodes well for Ward B.

I'm convinced that, overall, Chico Ramchal brings the most to the job of Councilman. He's by far the most visible and best-known of the three on the whole west side. He's the most experienced in government, from his ten-year apprenticeship with Bill O'Dea, and also through his work as an aide to Councilman David Donnelly. This means he's already familiar with the mechanics of how the Council works, and has less of a learning curve. His endorsement of Steve Fulop for Mayor also shows his focus on the need for our city government to change, to be more responsive to the needs of all our residents, especially those in Chico's Ward B.

Chico has committed to open a legislative office in the ward, something we have not seen in quite a while. When you put this together with his personal track record of helping people get things done (emergency food during Sandy, getting CCTV cameras working on West Side Ave, and hundreds of constituent issues over the years), this makes him the best bet to be a Councilman who is responsive to the needs of the whole west side.

Meyers' no-show status - not even bothering to reply to the organizers - continues Team Healy's record of disrespect for the people they allegedly represent.

Thanks to Yvonne Balcer, Michael Shurin, and Ricardo Kaulessar for organizing and conducting this forum to help inform the people of Jersey City's west side - or as Chico loves to say, "the best side."

My hat's off to these guys. I volunteer at Fulop HQ and get to hang out with this artwork. It's light years ahead of any other campaign office I've ever seen, and Green Villain keeps adding to it. It was really cool to watch them freehand the cityscape.

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There's a lot more to Fulop's plan than summer jobs. But I'd like to highlight this because it is so important.

My wife Lisa and I had a little time off tonight and we watched an old PBS documentary on the Civilian Conservation Corps. This was one of FDR's first and best New Deal programs, a jobs program aimed at putting young men to work. The people who went through this are so eloquent at telling of the opportunities that this program gave them. It lifted them out of hunger and poverty through work. And the program gave them a permanent step up through the experience they acquired.

I remember my first jobs, and how great it was to earn some money, get into a new setting, and learn skills that I could not have learned by staying at home or hanging out.

There's one other great thing about the summer jobs program. Like the CCC, it does not exist just to benefit the youth who get the jobs. The work they do helps others and helps our City. It is a big impact program for a comparatively small cost. It is smart government.

Jersey City's summer jobs program has languished for many years, shrinking and losing its impact. I'd be the first to say that this proposal is not the best we can do. But it's a darn sight better than what we've been doing.

I know that this plan comes from Steve Fulop listening to what Jersey City is saying. Pastors, parents, youth, the "old timers" who came through the summer jobs program all identified this as an opportunity to step forward. Our young people need our help in creating better opportunities for them to grow and develop.

Everybody knows I'm on board Team Fulop. This is just one of the many reasons why.

I'm proud to have supported this and worked for its passage.

You may not care much for the parents of these children, but you should not be under any illusion about the children's status. They are Americans. Born in another land, here without legal residency, they have grown up here, this is the land they know and the land they love.

If you don't support in-state tuition on humanitarian or moral grounds, you might consider it on pragmatic ones.

The state offers an in-state rate to its citizens on pragmatic grounds. By making it easier for NJ citizens to attend college in-state, we make it easier to retain educated citizens as long-term NJ residents. Having invested in childrens' education from K-12, it is in the state's long-term interest to educate them further. People who move out of state to attend college are less likely to return to the state than in-state students are to stay.

The same argument applies to children of illegal immigrants. Until we have a national solution, these kids are a permanent fixture in U.S. society. Like it or not, they are in NJ and will be here as adults. We have already invested in their education. Why not help them to stay in NJ as better educated, more productive, higher-earning (and higher tax-paying) residents?

The state universities are agreed that this legislation will be revenue-neutral and that it will not deny placement to other qualified in-state students.

It's the smart thing to do for our state, and the right thing to do for these kids who are our neighbors and our future.

I usually don't have too much trouble speaking my mind, and nobody's told me not to comment on this or any other matter.

I got involved with Steve precisely because I want better government in Jersey City, and that means scrutiny.

But in my opinion the Hudson Hawk videos use amateurish propaganda techniques to make insinuations, precisely because they are lacking any evidence of wrongdoing.

I prefer to focus my efforts on conspiracies for which the evidence is well established - and more significant. There is a conspiracy which keeps poor children under-educated. There is a conspiracy which dis-invests in poor neighborhoods - until it's time for money to move in and displace those who were living there. There's a conspiracy which tolerates and enables crime and violence in some neighborhoods.

To Hudson Hawk, I urge you to take on a conspiracy with some teeth in it.

I've chosen to work with Steve Fulop because he is the best hope on our horizon for having an impact on these problems. These are problems that he is taking on. And in a progressive and pragmatic way.

Look through all the freaking emails you want. The Board will eventually release everything they should have released promptly. (Except for the Charles Epps stuff which I personally would be happy to see, but you'll have to ask Dr. Epps for that.) And I bet you will find there's nothing there except Steve Fulop advocating for real, meaningful change in the schools.

In the meantime, the real outrages in this City will go unaddressed because we're wasting time on phony issues.

Sam, I hope you'll take a closer look. Each of the blocks yiou mention is fine (to me), and I know Bentley even better. If you'd like some more direct feedback, please feel free to contact me off-list.

paul.bellanboyer@gmail.com
201.238.5987

I want to give a shout-out to Grace at Sushi Tango. My wife Lisa and I dropped in Friday night and had a nice meal and a good time. The Green Jade roll (sweet potato, asparagus, jalapeno) was a good new find.

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Amen, Candice. I've lived in Jersey City 25 years. I give thanks to God that we moved here, for I've fallen in love with Jersey City. The City seduced me. And not just downtown, but the whole city.

I can't slice and dice between all the categories people will use to try and divide us. I go to church downtown, I live on the west side, my office is in Ward F. What does that make me? It makes me JERSEY CITY and PROUD!

We need a leader with a vision that makes us bigger as a community, not smaller.

Pretty decent. I have an office on the next block and know several families on the block of Harrison you're talking about. I'm on the block fairly often, both driving and walking, although not often late at night. I have never personally had a problem in the neighborhood, although as the night gets later I would do my walking on Kennedy Blvd rather than Bergen. I checked with friends who live at both ends of the block you mention, and they say that street noise and neighbor noise is not much of an issue.

Short version: I'd be fine living there. If the city does well, the block will continue to improve.

The Key Foods which opened on Monticello last year adds a lot to liveability for the immediate neighborhood.

Ethel Pesin has left a great legacy to our city. May her name be blessed.

Always a good, fun neighborhood event. Good pancakes and a cabaret of local entertainers.

This plan is a good example of why I'm supporting Steve Fulop.

It actually takes us seriously. It's the result of listening to residents, and police officers. For anybody who wants to read the plan (7 pages), it gives a really good idea of what he will be working on if elected.

"Community policing" can be a nice feel-good phrase. But the plan fleshes out what he means. There are administrative changes which are realistic. And there is a vision, which prioritizes what happens on our blocks and in our neighborhoods. That happens when police have a strategy and relationships with the people they serve.

I've been privileged to know some really good cops and have also had pretty positive experiences with them in action. But the police department needs leadership at the top, which has been lacking.

Critique the plan if you have something to contribute. Throw out some more ideas. Steve listens.

But Mayor Healy has had more than eight years, and he's never dreamed of a plan. His administration is simply not capable of thinking big. His idea of an anti-crime plan seems to be that "eye in the sky" nonsense.

Steve's plan is thoughtful and do-able. And a big step forward.

With all that our City has gone through this week, it has been wonderful to hear so many people ask about the election Tuesday. Easily overlooked is the vote to move our school board elections to November, with state and national races, which will save the costs of this low turnout election.

All the arguments against a move boil down to the peculiar idea that the election will somehow be better if fewer people vote.

I am passionate about voting. Our civic ancestors fought for the right to vote. More people voting means our elected representatives will better reflect the people of this great City. And I trust the people of Jersey City.

That is why I ask you to please join with me in voting YES on the Jersey City Public Question, and enable more people to participate in school board elections.

Paul Bellan-Boyer
Duncan Ave
(Lights, heat & hot water thankfully restored tonight)

I am posting this for my friend, Diane Coleman, who is having a technical problem which is preventing her posting from her own account.

Hello. I?m Diane Coleman. I?m writing to introduce myself and to ask for your vote for Ward F City Council.

Jersey City is my life, and Ward F is my home. This past week has broken my heart with the damage the storm inflicted on our community. It has also filled me with gratitude for the generosity and good spirit people have shown to help one another get through this tough time.

I believe that actions speak louder than words.

Twelve years ago I rolled up my sleeves and founded a non-profit agency to intervene in some of the worst problems in my neighborhood. Building an Empire assists between 700-800 households every year, preventing families from becoming homeless, giving emergency food aid, and doing trainings to build job skills, teach better parenting, and mentor youth. I have been tremendously blessed ? it is so rewarding to see you?ve made a positive difference in people?s lives.

I?ve also come to see that we need help. We need a government that listens, that is fiscally responsible, and that puts the people of our city first. Since friends encouraged me to step up and help change City Hall, it has been a learning experience. I can?t tell you I know everything. But I do know we need to work together to solve our city?s problems: delivering services, using our taxes wisely, improving our schools and restoring integrity to City Hall.

I can promise you I will work hard. I will not cheat, steal, or lie to you. I will represent every part of Ward F. I may not have met you personally yet, but you will not find it hard to meet me.

I have enjoyed meeting with the Van Vorst Park Association, Dixon Mills residents, and many others informally. I have been moved helping to assist downtown residents who were flooded out, as my team and I reached out, and now many are working with the grassroots recovery effort at the Barrow Mansion (jcnjrecovery.org). Uptown we set up an emergency charging and relief station in my campaign headquarters. My volunteer team has been responding to this crisis since before the storm hit, just as we will work together to build a better Ward F and a better Jersey City.

Community meetings and rummage sales are not that different uptown and downtown. Especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we see that we are linked together with common needs and concerns: safe neighborhoods, quality schools, communities we can love and afford to live in.

This new partnership between downtown and Ward F is very exciting, for we need each other to succeed. If you trust me with your vote, I will try every day to be the Councilwoman you need, and to make our city government work for us again.

Diane Coleman
dianecoleman4jc@gmail.com

Link to Jersey Journal article which mentions our relief efforts

Quick reference flyer with storm recovery information

PaulBellan-Boyer, 10/23/12 21:55

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jmiz wrote:
Do these cameras feed to the police station? Is it for traffic monitoring or pedestrian monitoring? Do the camera locations correspond to known trouble spots? Can footage be used by pedestrians in the event of a traffic accident? Are the cameras making up for the current/future lack of patrol officers?


Yes, they feed to the police station and according to JCPD they are monitored, although there are no banks of people watching every camera 24x7. They are used for both pedestrian and traffic purposes. I can't speak for downtown, but elsewhere they are used in known trouble/nuisance spots.

The cameras do not function as a replacement for patrol, since patrol officers generally do not camp out in one location - they patrol. The cameras help JCPD catch some things in real time, but I think provide more value as an investigative tool.

Can you get the footage? Interesting question. The JCPD could voluntarily choose to release footage, but probably cannot be compelled to if it pertains to "any criminal investigation or related civil enforcement proceeding." (Statutory exemption to Open Public Records Act, N.J.S.A. 47:1A-1.1 see summary of OPRA exemptions - PDF.)

For an incident which did not result in a criminal investigation, though, I'd say they probably should. I am not an attorney, nor do I follow OPRA cases. I'll bet someone has tried this and there's already precedent, but I was unable to locate it quickly.

Some police departments make provision for such requests - and even in a criminal matter the department would usually have discretion to release footage - so if you need it, ask.

PathH8Tr, 10/23/12 12:27 I believe it's naive not to ask questions. Why be so all trusting? We're paying for those cameras. We have a right to know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVyCEwrcl9o

JackieCruise, 10/23/12 11:05

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JerseyCityFrankie wrote: If your imagining an insidious underground bunker where scores of faceless watchers scan banks of television monitors, each with a live streaming feed from each of the hundreds of security cameras around town then I think you overestimate the budget for law enforcement here or anywhere.


But think of all the jobs the Healy administration could create by having such a bunker. Of course this would have to be controlled by the City Camera Monitoring Authority and chaired by one of our politicians that is "only" double dipping and needs a third job.

We would have to buy a building of course like the Parking Authority Building from one of our political friends at an inflated price.

Maybe if Mr Fulop and Mr Levin lose the next election, our "honorable" mayor could hook up Darth Levin with the job.

Sadly even thou I'm being sarcatsic, this is Jersey City and if it happened anywhere...it would happen here.

(of course not till after the election thou)

Frank_M, 10/23/12 9:54

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JerseyCityFrankie wrote:
You know what you need? A tinfoil hat! A bright shiny tinfoil hat will reflect the sun and cause so much glare Big Brother will no longer be able to add to the thick illegal dossier they are keeping on you


Foil hat? No thanks, I don?t suffer from paranoia. Would I publically object in a rational manner to modern trends in law enforcement under my own name if I did? You appear to be rather naive, however. I hope for everybody?s sake that you?re only still a teenager.

JerseyCityFrankie, 10/23/12 9:15

You know what you need? A tinfoil hat! A bright shiny tinfoil hat will reflect the sun and cause so much glare Big Brother will no longer be able to add to the thick illegal dossier they are keeping on you