Bayonne police department brings back bike patrols
Bayonne Police Chief Robert Geisle is bringing back bicycle patrols after an absence of several years. Bicycle patrols will supplement the work of officers in patrol cars.
The Bicycle Officers will be patrolling the Business District, housing properties, complaint areas, and special events. The bicycles are suited for congested areas and terrain not suitable for other vehicles.
In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, bicycle patrols were common in American police departments. They made a comeback in the 1980’s and 1990’s in many urban police departments. In the 1990’s and the early 2000’s, the Bayonne Police Department utilized bicycle patrols in municipal parks, street fairs, and around public housing complexes.
Union City school official honored for service
Union City Schools official Anthony N. Dragona, Ed.D., is the 2019 New Jersey Association of School Business Officials (NJASBO) School Business Administrator (SBA) of the Year. In conjunction with the honor, the Glen Rock resident selected a Union City High School student organization to receive NJASBO scholarship funds.
Dragona has served as business administrator for Union City Schools since 1998; in 2006, he added interim board secretary to his responsibilities. In all, Dragona has spent 42 years with Union City Schools, starting as a social studies teacher and later serving as assistant athletic director, elementary school principal and assistant high school principal.
In addition to his tenure with the schools, Dragona has also served as Union City’s first director of senior citizen affairs in 1974 and was elected commissioner of public safety in 1983.
Four fire fighters promoted to captain
The North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue held a ceremony on Monday, July 22, for four firefighters who were promoted to the position of captain. The ceremony took place at NHRFR headquarters in West New York with fellow Firefighters and dignitaries in attendance.
The four firefighters that were promoted were Christopher Larkin, Alain Amaro, Joseph MacLachlan, and Alexander Gonzalez.
Local student receives national honor
The National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) recently announced that Chantiwuni A. Sulemana of Jersey City has been selected to become a member of its organization. The Society recognizes top scholars who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, scholarship, and community commitment.
NSHSS members automatically become lifetime members at the time of their initial membership. The Society was formed in 2002 by James W. Lewis and Claes Nobel, a senior member of the family that established the Nobel Prizes.
Jersey City senior group visits D.C.
A Jersey City senior group from the Booker T. Washington apartments Jersey City recently participated in a three day trip to Washington D.C. The group received a grant from Mayor Steven Fulop to help with the costs of transportation. A total of 44 seniors attended the trip. The group toured locations such the Lincoln Memorial, the United States Capital Building, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and the African American Museum of History and Culture.
JCFD honors the fallen
Jersey City Fire Department Chaplain James Pagnotta addressed officers and members of the department at Bayview Cemetery, July 24, at the department’s Annual Day of Remembrance for their fallen heroes. A total of 54 firefighters have made the supreme sacrifice in the history of the JCFD. The memorial is held at the grave site of Engineer James McCarthy, the first career firefighter to be killed-in-the-line-of-duty, in 1872.
Jersey City resident consulted for local organization
New York Institute of Technology has recognized Manisha Chandra, of Jersey City, for the spring semester’s Consultants for the Public Good, who work individually and in teams to carry out projects for local non-profit and government organizations.
Consultants are paired with community groups that need their skills with support from NYIT’s Office of International and Experiential Education. Chandra consulted at PS 191/Riverside School for Makers & Artists (RSMA) to provide Event Planning/Management support.
Local students make presidents list
The following Jersey City students have been named to the spring President’s List at the New York Institute of Technology: Mohamed Eladl, majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering; Junseok Oh, majoring in Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology; Ryan Roman, majoring in Communications and Media Production; and Pritika Arun Thakkar, majoring in Business Administration.
To qualify for the President’s List, a student must achieve a minimum semester GPA of 3.7 and complete at least 12 credit hours without any incomplete grades.
Student makes dean’s list
Zach Briscoe of Jersey City was among the Lawrence University students earning Dean’s List recognition for the 2018-19 academic year.
Scholarship fund hosts 18th annual luncheon
The 18th Annual Michelle Mitchell Scholarship (MMSF) Awards Luncheon was held on Saturday, Aug. 3, at the Gran Centurions, 440 Madison Hill Road, Clark, NJ. The MMSF has been honoring and providing scholarships to high school students for the past 30 years but only recently started holding the luncheon. They also honor community leaders. This year’s honorees included Pastor Zena Booker, Jersey City; Irene Daniels, Newark; Morgan Honesty, Englewood; Stan Matthews, Piscataway; Rema McDonald, Hackensack; Evangelist Marilyn Rivers-Royster, Jersey City; Amanda G. Smith, Harrison; and Dr. Matthew Smith, Long Island, NY.
The 2019 High School graduates are Thyquel Halley, Dickinson High School, Jersey City; Davin que Harps, High Tech High School, North Bergen; Rokiatou Kaba, North Star Academy, Newark; and Naomi Washington, Manassas Park High School, VA.
Past community honorees are Congressman Albi Sires, John R. Bruno, President, The Bruno Group; Eugene Drayton, President, Hoboken Branch NAACP; Tommy Noonman, Police Officer, Little Rock, Arkansas Mayor Tony Vauss, Irvington, NJ; former Assemblyman Charles Mainor and many others.
Brittany Walker-Mead of Delran, was the Keynote Speaker. She is a graduate of Harvard University and works in education doing business development for an Ed Tech startup in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Oronde Smith of Spotsylvania, VA, a physician at the Belvior Hospital, served as Master of Ceremonies.