Photo by Adrienne J. Romero / SOC Images.
New Jersey is preparing for the Primary Election this week plus a construction-halt at Journal Square, a free Google Scholarship Program and more in this week’s Hudson County news roundup.
Everything You Need To Know About Tuesday’s Hudson County Elections
It’s time to decide who steps up in local leadership, and the choice is all up to you.
Primaries are generally a lower turnout than the general elections in November, but the primaries are just as important. Primary elections allow voters to choose from a pool of candidates, and the winner of each party goes on November’s ballot.
This coming Tuesday, June 10, there’s a number of positions on the ballot: governor, Assembly, Hudson County Sheriff and two local party committee members.
Depending on a voter’s location, their ballot may vary. However, generally, voters will find these names running for the following positions. To view your sample ballot, look for your town/district here: https://www.hudsoncountyclerk.org/2025-june-10th-primary-election-sample-ballots/.
Governor:
This position is responsible for implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of the state executive branch.
- Josh Gottheimer, Democrat
- Ras J. Baraka, Democrat
- Steven Fulop, Democrat
- Steve Sweeney, Democrat
- Mikie Sherrill, Democrat
- Sean Spiller, Democrat
- Jack Ciattarelli, Republican
- Justin Barbera, Republican
- Bill Spadea, Republican
- Jon Bramnick, Republican
- Mario Kranjac, Republican
General Assembly:
The Senate and General Assembly make up the legislative branch. The Senate has 40 members and the Assembly has 80; New Jersey gets one senator and two assembly members. Their main role is to enact new laws and propose amendments.
- Jessica Ramirez, Democrat
- Yousef J. Saleh, Democrat
- Crystal C. Fonseca, Democrat
- Jennie Pu, Democrat
- Katie Brennan, Democrat
- Ravi Bhalla, Democrat
- Stephen Bishop, Republican
- Kaushal Patel, Republican
Hudson County Sheriff:
The county sheriff is, typically, the highest law-enforcement officer of a county. This person oversees department funding, supervises activity in county jail, provides training and develops guidelines and procedures.
- James (Jimmy) Davis, Democrat
- Frank X. Schillari, Democrat
- Elvis Alvarez, Republican
Here are other important things to know before voting:
- In-person voting locations will be open on June 10 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Everything you need to know to vote in Hudson County
- Check if you are registered to vote.
- Where you can drop off your ballot in Hudson County
- Track your mail-in ballot
- Where you can vote in person
For more information and contacts, you can click here.
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Jersey City Police Ask For Help To Find 10-Year-Old Girl
Jersey City Police are looking for Divine Anyanwu, 10, who was last seen at 7 a.m. at her home, according to police.
She is reportedly “a 10-year-old Black female, approximately 5’4″ tall and weighing 180 lbs. She has short black hair and was last seen wearing a neon orange headband, a white tank top, tie-dye shorts, and black-and-white sneakers.”
Police also added that she is usually in areas like Lincoln Park, West Side Avenue and the McDonald’s in Communipaw Avenue and some places in the Bronx.
Anyone with information can contact the Jersey City Police Missing Person Unit at 201-547-5477.
Hudson County Sheriff Officer Suffers Tragic Fall And Dies At 29
Hudson County Sheriff’s Officer Justin Rivera suffered a tragic accidental fall at the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City last Friday. He was 29.
First responders found the injured officer outside of the building on Central Avenue. Rivera was transported to Jersey City Medical Center and he was pronounced dead at approximately 10 a.m.
Based on a preliminary investigation by the HCPO Homicide Unit and Internal Affairs Unit, Rivera fell from a ninth floor window and, at the time of this writing, his death is reportedly classified as an accidental death.
Rivera was on-duty at the time of his death and the cause and manner of death are currently pending the findings of the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office. According to authorities, the circumstances leading up to Rivera’s death are also under investigation.
Due to an unrelated power outage, the Hudson County Administration Building, located at 595 Newark Avenue, was not open to the public when the fall happened.
Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari said Rivera was “an excellent officer today and an outstanding young man.” Schillari also stated that the department is doing everything they can for his family.
“Grief counselors from the medical center and our own Crisis Intervention Officers and Chaplains are available to assist family members and also fellow sheriff’s officers who are grieving at this tremendous loss. We will continue to help in any way we can. Justin Rivera was a great young officer who exemplified the highest ideals of integrity, compassion and professionalism. He is lost to us all but he will never be forgotten,” Schillari said.
This past week, Bayonne, where Rivera was from, honored the native with a balloon vigil and funeral service. He was posthumously promoted to detective during the funeral.
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You Can Be Part Of This Google Scholarship Program!
The Jersey City Free Public Library is bringing scholarships for the new Google Career Certificates to the Hudson County community.
You do not need experience or a degree to complete the training, just put the skills, passion and ambition to work.
You can pick your choice of certification from the following categories:
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics (English & Spanish)
- Digital Marketing & E-commerce (English & Ukrainian)
- IT Support (English, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Arabic, & Spanish)
- Project Management (English, Portuguese, Arabic & Spanish)
- UX Design (English, Arabic, Portuguese, & Spanish) and IT Automation with Python.
There will be a limited number of scholarships and guidance to scholarship recipients. Send an email to: [email protected] and request an invite to the Jersey City Free Public Library Google Learning Program.
You can read more about the program here.
New Jersey Halts Construction Of Jersey City’s The Journal Luxury Building
The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) has issued three Stop Work Orders against contractors at The Journal—formally known as One Journal Square—which is the new luxury high-rise in Jersey City’s Journal Square.
The Journal is a big development that is being built by Kushner Companies and has been under construction for many years.
The NJDOL said that MJQ Drywall, 506 Painting and Exxon Development—companies working on the project—were all flagged for several issues including:
- Worker misclassification
- Unpaid or late wages
- Overtime rate violations
- Failure to provide proper earned sick leave for workers
“Exploitation in Jersey City is the direct result of the political elite selling out the community and workers to billionaire developers like the Kushner family,” said Michael Hellstrom, Vice President and Eastern Regional Manager of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), in a statement to Jersey Digs.
“Charles Kushner and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop are following their ambitions for high profile political positions, while workers are left with the consequences of careless Jersey City development.”
The Journal is aiming to begin pre-leasing soon and is offering up to two months of rent free as part of a limited deal on their website.
The 1,723-unit development is the product of a $1 billion investment, and LIUNA says that wage theft at the development site is “part of a troubling pattern,” backed by the reported dozens of workers, who worked last year on the project, who said they went several weeks without pay.
Meet Abake Cafe! The New Bookstore-Cafe Heading To Jersey City Heights
Reading and sipping on a fresh hot cup of coffee seems to go hand in hand for a lot of people! You can do both those things, soon, at Abake Cafe opening at 2 Webster Avenue in Jersey City.
According to their website, “Abake Books & Cafe is a one-of-a-kind fusion of literary passion and distinctive coffee flavors.”
The name Àbákẹ́ holds a deep and personal significance to the owner, rooted in her family history. During her research into her genealogy, she learned that the name belonged to the oldest known ancestor in her family tree.
In Yoruba, “Àbákẹ́” means to “to be loved.”
“Abake Books & Cafe is dedicated to celebrating the rich diversity of culture, sourcing its coffee beans directly from the continent of Africa, and spotlighting authors whose works span across the diaspora,” says the Abake website.
Abake Cafe also offers more than books and coffee. They aim to inspire and support artistry and host birthday dinners, workshops or private events. They also offer podcast recording sessions and film shoots.
There is currently no opening date for Abake, but the location is currently a work in progress. The cafe is keeping customers updated on their Instagram about progression and the cafe’s goals.
E-Bike Battery May Have Caused Jersey City Fire
Last Sunday’s fire on Bergen Avenue is still under investigation, but officials reportedly think it was caused by an exploding e-bike charger and battery.
The second floor of the multifamily home saw flames expanding at around 7:30 p.m., which displaced 13 people.
“I did see a little bit of smoke coming from the top. And then a lady was coming out with a baby and some kids. Just running out of the house, and the lady was screaming,” Sandy Murray, a witness told News 12.
Two weeks ago in Hamilton Township, an e-bike battery destroyed a three-story duplex and two-family home.
E-bikes and other electronic transportation are commonly powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.
Here are some safety tips for when using e-bikes, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Jersey City Fire Department:
- Stop using the battery if you notice odor, change in color or shape, too much heat, or leaking.
- Use the charging cord that came with your device
- Plug directly into an electrical outlet
- Monitor the battery while charging and never charge while sleeping or overnight
Jersey City has partnered with Swobbee, a company that provides e-bike battery swapping and charging facilities in the city at different locations: https://www.jerseycitynj.gov/cityhall/infrastructure/bike_parking.
The American Red Cross is currently helping the 13 people from the four families who were displaced by the Jersey City fire.
Know any local news we should include? Email Stella Accettola at [email protected]!
