Screenshot Courtesy of DCTransitFilms.
This week, New Jersey experienced intense heat as summer arrived in full swing. With high temperatures continuing, Hudson County has reopened cooling centers earlier than expected, Jersey City had a court rule in its favor on the ongoing Ward map case and more in this week’s Hudson County roundup.
Here’s How Construction Will Impact Your Journal Square Bus Commute
Lane assignments for all bus lines at Journal Square are subject to change due to scheduled ongoing construction at Journal Square Transportation Center.
Stage three of the construction project at Journal Square Transportation Center began on Saturday June 21.
The 1, 8 and 14 line will board along Sip Avenue between Jones Street and Summit Avenue from 4:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
The 80 and 87 lines heading southbound towards Gates Avenue will board along Summit Avenue, at the intersection of Magnolia Avenue/Journal Square Driveway and Summit Avenue.
All overnight service, including the 119, will be moved to Lane C.
Journal Square Lane Information:
Lane A:
CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION
Lane B:
CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION
Lane C (All overnight service previously in Lane B have been moved to Lane C):
C1 -84 and 88 to North Bergen (NJT 1 to Newark 11:01 p.m. – 4:29 a.m.)
C2 – 2 and 83 to Secaucus and Hackensack
C3 – 6 and 16 serving Jersey City via Ocean Avenue and Newport Mall via Liberty State Park
C4 – Community Lines (NJT 119 to New York 11:01 p.m. – 4:29 a.m.
Lane D:
D1 – 10 and 87 to Bayonne and Hoboken
D3 – 80 to Exchange Place
D4 – 125 and 319 to New York and Atlantic City
Commuters are asked to check www.njtransit.com for updates and to be alert for announcements, posters and handouts surrounding any changes and updates.
Cool Off At These Hudson County Cooling Centers Amid Heat Wave
The heat wave hitting the North East has been no joke! But Hudson County has opened its nighttime cooling center earlier than expected for those needing to cool down from the heat.
The cooling center in located at 53 South Hackensack Avenue in Kearny, has opened earlier than scheduled, said Hudson County Executive Craig Guy after an extreme heat warning was issued for Hudson County this past week.
The Kearny location will provide those experiencing homelessness that seek safety from the excessive heat a cool space. It will also provide medical services for people who are experiencing heat-related health conditions.
It was reported that heat-related illnesses rise significantly in the events of severe heat and high humidity. To better prepare for the heat, residents are recommended to:
- Drink plenty of fluids
- Stay in an air-conditioned room
- Stay out of the sun
- Check up on relatives and neighbors
The daytime Cooling Center, which will be run by Collaborative Support Programs of NJ (CSPNJ), located at the Naval Reserve Facility in Kearny, will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the summer months.
Transportation to the Cooling Center will be provided from the following locations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on a continuous loop. People will be brought back to these same locations in addition to the Palisades Emergency Residence Corporation (PERC) Shelter in Union City and St. Lucy’s Shelter in Jersey City starting at 4 p.m. and going until 6 p.m.:
- CPSNJ Drop In-Center (422 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Jersey City)
- Journal Square (JFK Boulevard and Pavonia Avenue)
- North Bergen Town Hall (43rd Street and Kennedy Boulevard)
- Hoboken Terminal (Observer Highway and Park Avenue
The Cooling Center will be open until August 31, and will be extended if the weather forecast calls for temperatures above 95 degrees in September.
Other local towns have also opened daytime cooling centers. However, these centers are only open during certain hours.
- Garden State Community Development Corporation (GSCDC) Hudson CASA Drop-In Center (514 Newark Avenue, Jersey City): Beginning on 6/30 – Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Hudson County Integrated Services Center (422 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive, Jersey City): Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Hoboken Public Library (500 Park Avenue, Hoboken): Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please note that the 2nd floor of the main branch is temporarily closed due to A/C issues.
- Hoboken Shelter (300 Bloomfield Avenue, Hoboken): 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Mary McLeod Bethune Center (140 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Jersey City): Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- PERC Shelter (111 37th Street, Union City): 7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- St. Lucy’s Shelter (619 Grove Street, Jersey City): Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Two Jersey City Parks Reopen after a Combined $2.6 million Renovation
Jersey City held two ribbon cuttings this week to celebrate the revitalization of Pavonia Marion Park and Thomas McGovern Playground.
The $2.6 million investment into the two parks contributed to the city’s mission of enhancing public spaces and pushing forward Jersey City into a thriving and sustainable community.
“These two renovated parks are prime examples of how we are working together with residents to reimagine our public spaces in a way that is community-driven, environmentally responsible, and future-focused,” said Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop.
Pavonia Marion Park had a $1.8 million renovation with improvements including:
- New basketball courts with lighting
- Expanded playground equipment for multiple age groups
- Benches, shaded areas and green infrastructure for stormwater management
- Improved landscaping, lawn panels and site circulation
- Upgraded electrical and water services, including a new drinking fountain and irrigation system
- New fencing, sports lighting and a refreshed flagpole
Thomas McGovern Playground had a $862,000 renovation which was mostly funded through the American Rescue plan via the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). Renovations included:
- Age-appropriate play structures for children ages 2-5 and 5-12 years old
- New swings, benches and safety surfacing
- A new interactive splash pad for warm-weather play
N.J. Supreme Court Leans Toward Jersey City’s Favor In Ward Map Case
A 4-3 Supreme Court ruling on the longstanding case challenging the Board of Ward Commissioners approval for a new map was ruled in favor of Jersey City by the New Jersey Supreme Court.
In 2022, a coalition of community groups and Jersey City Councilman Frank Gilmore sued the city’s ward commission alleging that the new ward map was insufficiently compact under the Municipal Ward Law, which ensures that municipalities are fairly divided into wards for purposes of electing local officials.
However, the new court ruling rejects those claims saying that the city ward boundaries do not violate a law requiring wards to be compact or the New Jersey Constitution.
“The Commission’s map represents a proper exercise of the substantial discretion the MWL grants to ward commissions to set the boundaries of municipal wards. The Court does not concur with the Appellate Division’s ruling that additional fact finding is necessary to determine whether the Commission’s map meets N.J.S.A. 40:44-14’s compactness requirement,” ruled the Supreme Court.
“The Court reverses the Appellate Division’s judgment on that claim and reinstates the trial court’s judgment as to the Commission’s compliance with the MWL without further proceedings. The Court’s conclusion that the Commission complied with the MWL compels rejection of the equal protection claim.”
The new map splits Newport, Paulus Hook and Bergen-Lafayette, among two council people where they were each previously represented by a single councilperson.
Renee Steinhagen of NJ Appleseed Public Interest Law Center, Yael Bromberg of Bromberg Law and Bill Matsikoudis of Matsikoudis & Fanciullo, said the decision “allowed a gerrymandered map to stand.”
“In a 4-3 decision, the NJ state Supreme Court today allowed a gerrymandered map to stand in Jersey City, diluting the strength of the Municipal Ward Law, thereby creating new precedence which dilutes the right to fair and effective representation on the local level,” the joint statement said.
The controversial redesigned map has been criticized for being designed to strip Gilmore of power over high-profile developments.
Jersey City released a statement saying, “today’s ruling comes as no surprise. It is yet another example in a long string of politically motivated lawsuits and baseless accusations that were aimed at damaging the mayor and his administration.”
As of Wednesday’s ruling, no further proceedings will be held in the case.
“While I’m disappointed in the decision rendered by the court, I respect the judicial process. I will continue to stand with and for the residents of Jersey City, namely in Ward F,” said Gilmore.
A New Jersey Judge Ordered The Release Of A Pro-Palestinian Activist Who Was Facing Deportation
Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestinian activist was freed last week from a Louisiana detention center after a federal judge in New Jersey ordered his release on bail. Khalil, a green card holder, was facing deportation.
Khalil had been detained since March 8 after the Trump administration claimed that his anti-Israel activism led to support for the terrorist group, Hamas.
The legal director for the Center for Constitutional Rights, Baher Azmy said, “we are so relieved Mahmoud is finally out of his cruel, remote detention, but equally outraged that it took this long and that Mahmoud had to fight this hard to challenge such outrageous and unconstitutional government conduct.”
“All Americans should be grateful that Mahmoud had the fortitude to defend basic First Amendment principles – and his pursuit of justice for Palestinians – against the administration’s autocratic tactics, which threaten us all.”
Judge Michael Farbiarz’s ruling comes about a week after he first ordered the release of Khalil. Judge Fabriarz allowed federal prosecutors to ask the third Circuit Court of Appeals to weigh in.
Federal authorities refused the order, saying Khalil could still be held under a federal statute allowing immigrants to be detained during removal proceedings.
Khalil’s lawyers appeared before Farbiarz on Friday to argue that he should be released on bail, which Farbiarz agreed.
However, a separate judge ordered Khalil to surrender all his passports and travel documents, attend all court hearings and give his most recent address to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The judge also limited Khalil’s travel to New York and Michigan, to New Jersey and Louisiana for court appearances and attorney visits only and to Washington, D.C. for lobbying and legislative purposes only.
A spokeswoman for the White House, Abigail Jackson stated that the Trump administration expects to be “vindicated” when it appeals Friday’s order and that federal officials “look forward to removing Khalil from the United States.”
Khalil is a former Columbia University student who was born in Syria. He became a part of the first wave of arrests after President Trump targeted students across college campuses taking part in pro-Palestinian efforts amid the war in Gaza.
“Mahmoud Khalil was given the privilege of coming to America to study on a student visa he obtained by fraud and misrepresentation. While in the United States, Khalil has consistently engaged in conduct detrimental to American foreign policy interests. Khalil is thus removable twice over. And in any event, there is no basis for a local federal judge in New Jersey — who lacks jurisdiction — to order Khalil’s release from a detention facility in Louisiana,” Jackson said.
Khalil was arrested by federal authorities in New York City and transferred to the Elizabeth Detention Center where he was located when his attorneys filed a petition for his release, before being moved to Louisiana.
Khalil’s wife, Noor Abdalla said her family “finally breathe a sigh of relief.”
“We know this ruling does not begin to address the injustices the Trump administration has brought upon our family, and so many others the government is trying to silence for speaking out against Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians,” Abdalla said in a statement.
“But today we are celebrating Mahmoud coming back to New York to be reunited with our little family, and the community that has supported us since the day he was unjustly taken for speaking out for Palestinian freedom.”
Two Sick Inmates At Hudson County Jail Die In The Same Week
Just days apart, two inmates at the Hudson County Correctional Facility were pronounced dead after reportedly falling ill.
On Sunday, June 8, a 44 year-old man became unresponsive while being attended to after it was reported to the facility that he was sick.
The inmate from Linden, who was detained on charges out of Union County, was pronounced dead shortly after.
Another sudden death was also recorded at the Hudson County Correctional Facility on June 15. A 31 year-old inmate who was reported sick became unresponsive while being taken care of. Officers and medics nursed the inmate immediately, however, he was pronounced dead later on.
As reported by Hudson County View, the inmate was identified as Quashawn Tatum from Jersey City who was detained on murder charges and weapon offenses charges. He was admitted into the jail on May 24, less than three weeks before falling ill.
The actual sicknesses and cause of deaths of the two inmates were not revealed.
Know any local news we should include? Email Stella Accettola at [email protected]!
