Bayonne Community News

Bayonne’s planned 1888 Studios granted site reconfiguration

Certain office buildings were nixed from the motion picture studio plans in lieu of more sound stages

CarePoint Health and Alaris Health settle all outstanding litigation

However, CarePoint is still involved in litigation with RWJBarnabas Health and Hudson Regional Hospital

Health Achintya Moulick, “and I am proud that we can now put this situation behind us and move forward with our goal of bringing the highest quality health care services to Hudson County, especially to vulnerable populations that need it the most.”

Casais elected Bayonne BOE President, Gonzalez elected VP

New

trustees sworn

in amid leadership change up

By Daniel Israel Staff Writer

The Bayonne Planning Board has approved an application by 1888 Studios, LLC to reconfigure their final site plans for the planned major motion picture and television studio.

The studio is to be constructed on the former Texaco site at the terminus of Avenue A. At the southernmost tip of Bayonne, the site is surrounded by the Bayonne Bridge to the east, the Caschem West site to the north, and the Kill Van Kull to the west and south.

The Planning Board previously approved the initial final major site plans for 1888 Studios back in March. Since then, the plans have gotten rave reviews from industry insiders, and project officials estimate the nearly $1 billion project is an investment in the city that will bring hundreds of millions of dollars to Bayonne, to be supported by a long-term payments-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement and millions in general

aggregation redevelopment bonds. However, at a community meeting on the project, the renderings of the project appeared to have changed from the March planning approval. At the January meeting of the Planning Board, 1888 Studios presented the changes previously seen in those renderings for official approval by the board.

The application was presented by attorney Matthew Posada, who again described the ground-up motion picture project as “the largest in North America” of its kind in the sense that studios are normally not constructed with all buildings in once location at the same time. He described how the plans have changed since March as the project moves forward.

“This application received site approval back on March 30, 2022 and since that date, we have been working in partnership with the City of Bayonne in order to bring this project to fruition,” Posada said. “As part of that process, there’s some fine

Part of the legal action revolved around Bayonne Medical Center and its ownership and operations. Photo by Daniel Israel.

By Daniel Israel Staff Writer

CarePoint Health System has reached a settlement agreement with Alaris Health and its owner Avery Eisenreich and the two entities have agreed to settle all outstanding differences.

In a press release, CarePoint said the move “will support the nonprofit’s mission of providing high quality, patient-focused health care to Hudson County.”

CarePoint officials said the settlement will allow the company to “move forward without further distractions and unnecessary legal costs,” and continue its quest to determine its successor as it has completed its transition from for-profit to non-profit status to the praise of Hudson County officials.

“Settling this matter with Alaris Health has been a top priority since I arrived at CarePoint Health,” said President and CEO of CarePoint

“Clearing away these types of distractions supports our mission of making CarePoint Health a national model for providing patient-centric healthcare in a community driven, non-profit setting,” Moulick added. “With the support of our local, county and state officials, there is no limit to the advances in health care delivery that we can bring to Hudson County.”

Terms of the settlement agreement involving CarePoint Health and Alaris Health cannot be divulged due to confidentiality agreements between the parties. In 2020, CarePoint sued Alaris in the Delaware Chancery Court over claims that Eisenreich attempted to thwart negotiations to maintain Bayonne Medical Center’s operation as a hospital by discouraging potential buyers.

The suit alleged Eisenreich intentionally disrupted the negotiations between CarePoint and an unnamed potential bidder who would have continued to operate Bayonne Medical Center as a hospital. The lawsuit claimed Eisenreich wanted to turn the facility into a nursing home like

By Daniel Israel Staff Writer

The Bayonne Board of Education has elected new leadership. Trustee Jodi Casais was elected Board President and Trustee Hector Gonzalez was elected Board Vice President at the Jan. 4 reorganization meeting.

In addition, the trustees that won the November 2022 election were sworn in. That included Gonzalez, as well as three other new trustees Mary Jane Desmond, Miriam Bechay, and Saverio “Sam” Maggio.

Gonzalez is a public school teacher in Jersey City, Desmond is a former BOE trustee and former city councilwoman returning to the board, Bechay is a biomedical engineering student at New Jersey Institute of Technology and former local campaign worker, and Maggio is a retired public school teacher, President of the Board of Trustees at the Bayonne Community Day Nursery, and the Bayonne School Employees Credit Union.

In a historic move, Bechay becomes the board’s youngest-ever trustee at age 21. Meanwhile, the “Together We Can” ticket has held onto its grip of the board.

Classified Directory p. 10

Business Directory p. 11

Education p. 6

Mayor’s Column p. 6 Obituaries p. 8

“I really became interested in politics by working on local campaigns. I was fortunate that former Assemblyman Nicholas Chiara-

An aerial mock up of the planned major motion picture studio. Renderings by Gensler architectural firm.

December library highlights and most popular books of 2022

During the month of December 2022, the Bayonne Public Library offered many programs and events. For adults, the library offered four “Tech Thursdays with Bill” classes covering streaming media, Mango Languages, and hoopla (ebooks) as well as an “Ask Me Anything” general tech help class. There were three English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and five knitting class meetings.

For children, the library offered three Scratch coding classes for elementary school students. For the whole family, there were twelve showings of nine holiday-themed movies.

The most popular book titles in December for adults were: The Whittiers by Danielle Steele; and No Plan B: a Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child. For kids, the most popular book titles were: Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 0 by Gege Akutami; and Solo Leveling by Chugong.

The top five most popular book titles for adults in 2022 were: The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley; The Dark Hours by Michael Connelly; High Stakes by Danielle Steele; The Investigator by John Sandford; One Step Too Far by Lisa Gardner.

The top five most popular book titles for kids in 2022 were: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney; The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey; Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney; Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto; and Jujutsu Kaisen, Vol. 0 by Gege Akutam.

Additional open gym basketball dates announced

The Bayonne Division of Recreation has announced additional open gym basketball dates. Open gym is open to Bayonne residents only, for children in grades 3 through 8.

The additional dates include:

• Sunday, January 22 from 4 to 5 p.m. for 3rd and 4th Grade and 5 to 6 p.m. for 7th and 8th Grade.

• Saturday, January 28 from 4 to 5 p.m. for 5th and 6th Grade and 5 to 6 p.m. for 7th and 8th Grade.

• Saturday, February 11 from 4 to 5 p.m. for 3rd and 4th Grade and 5 to 6 p.m. for 7th and 8th Grade.

• Saturday, February 18 from 4 to 5 p.m. for 5th and 6th Grade and 5 to 6 p.m. for 7th and 8th Grade.

• Saturday, February 25 from 4 to 5 p.m. for 3rd and 4th Grade and 5 to 6 p.m. for 7th and 8th Grade.

Pre-registration is required. Register online at register.capturepoint.com/CityofBayonne. The fee is $5.

AGREEMENT from cover

others that Alaris operates across Hudson County.

Eisenreich had previously purchased the land under CarePoint’s Hoboken University Medical Center and Bayonne Medical Center and was eyeing the land of Christ Hospital. However, the land would be purchased from Eisenreich by Secaucus-based Hudson Regional Hospital, prompting more legal maneuvers by CarePoint and its hand-picked successor BMC Hospital, LLC consisting of the principals of surgery center chain Surgicore.

The lawsuit also claimed that Eisenreich engaged in discussions with Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health concerning a new lease between RWJBarnabas and Hudson

Propco, the entity that owns Christ Hospital’s real estate, without involvement of the other members of Hudson Propco. The suit alleged that Eisenreich interfered with its ability to negotiate definitive documents with RWJBarnabas, which may have prevented CarePoint from finalizing the deal with them to operate both Christ Hospital and Hoboken University Medical Center.

Additionally, the suit alleged Eisenreich purchased the membership interest of MPT of Hoboken in HUMC Opco, the Hoboken real estate, and the Bayonne real estate from MPT of Hoboken TRS without HUMC Holdco’s knowledge or consent. Instead of informing HUMC Holdco as required per their agreement, the lawsuit alleged MPT of

Media Literacy law signed by Gov. Murphy for K-12 School System

HCDO announces endorsements for legislature and county executive Judge temporarliy blocks part of NJ’s new gun law over constitutional concerns

More open gym basketball dates have been announced. Photo courtesy of the Division of Recreation.

Union votes to spend $50k to assist embattled assemblyman

The International Longshoreman’s Association Local 1588 is helping William Sampson get his crane operator license back

sues that are above his pay grade. New Jersey, under Governor Phil Murphy, has sought to withdraw from the Waterfront Commission, founded in the 1950s to combat organized crime at the ports.

However, New York has sued to stop the withdrawal, sending the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, and a support brief from the United States has been filed in support of New Jersey’s decision. Sampson said that he was getting caught in the crossfire over the Commission’s dissatisfaction with the situation.

By Daniel Israel Staff Writer

The International Longshoreman’s Association Local 1588 has voted to help their member, State Assemblyman for the 31st Legislative District William Sampson, get his job on the waterfront back.

Sampson was removed from the workplace and his crane operator license was revoked for failing to meet the work and work availability requirements in January to June of 2022 Sampson, a 33-year-old legislator first sworn in back in 2022 to the applause of local Democrats, represents the district encompassing Bayonne and parts of Jersey City as part of the trio of African-American lawmakers including State Senator Sandra Cunningham and State Assemblywoman Angela McKnight.

He is the first African-American person from Bayonne to hold the position and replaced then-Assembly Whip Nicholas Chiaravalloti, who had an unspecified falling out with Mayor James Davis, who has final say over the official Hudson County Democratic Organization endorsement for that Assembly seat.

Regardless, Sampson vowed to keep his job as longshoreman while working in the legislature, he told the Bayonne Community News during a phone interview from the cockpit of the crane he was operating at the time in 2021. It appears that may no longer be possible, but his local union is trying to help him do so.

The union voted to spend $50,000 to help him get his crane operator license back after the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor revoked it and removed him from his longshoreman position on the waterfront. Citing “excessive absenteeism,” the Waterfront Commission argued that there was no excuse for Sampson’s repeated absences in 2022 and made their decision in December of last year.

Meanwhile Sampson first argued in a statement to BCN that the Waterfront Commission was taking its anger out on Sampson over is-

Following that, Sampson put out another statement to BCN that he was appealing to the Waterfront Commission to change their minds and that his work as a State Assemblyman justified his absenteeism. On January 4, Sampson’s attorney Robert Flagella further argued that Sampson’s duties in the General Assembly are also part of serving his union, according to a PoliticoPro subscriber exclusive story.

The argument comes after the Waterfront Commission wrote in their initial ruling revoking Sampson’s license that his duties as a state legislator did not meet “good cause” for repeated absences for his job as a crane operator at Global Container Terminal. He apparently could not rectify the absences and other issues raised by the Waterfront Commission in 2022, leading to the action.

In the wake of the appeal before the Waterfront Commission, Sampson’s union voted to approve a resolution on January 4 to spend $50,000 to help Sampson out. Anonymous sources told the Hudson County View the union approved the resolution at an emergency meeting at The Chandelier restaurant and catering at 1081 Broadway.

According to the sources, the resolution was not put in writing. However, it indicated that the $50,000 would be spent on legal expenses for Sampson’s appeal and or public relation services related to the incident.

Sources told HCV Sampson’s lawyer Fagella is also the counsel for the ILA and membership, raising questions over if Sampson or the union was paying him. Amid the embroiled Assemblyman’s pleas for a reversal, the Waterfront Commission is set to decide the matter by the end of the month.

“I along with the ILA International will be working to appeal this decision to allow me to continue working in the industry as I have my whole life,” Sampson previously said in a statement. “I believe that this decision is not only legally incorrect but contains numerous factual errors.”

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

Family

FLO

Husky Mix | Adult | Female | Large

To adopt or to receive more information, please fill out an application on our website at www.libertyhumane.org

Assemblyman William Sampson, a Democrat representing the 31st Legislative District, participates in a Black History Month Celebration in the State House in Trenton. Photo courtesy of Sampson.

A Bereavement Group for the loss of a loved one from substance abuse, GRASP of Hudson County, meetings beginning in January 2023 and thereafter will be held on the 3rd Sunday of every month from 2PM4PM at Saint Vincent de Paul Church, 979 Avenue C, Bayonne, in the rectory meeting room in the basement. Entrance is located on the side of 46thth

BCN welcomes entries of community interest for its weekly Calendar listings. To be considered for publication, entries must be received one week prior to publication date. No information will be accepted via phone call.

Street next to the garage. Please follow the link below for more information. GRASP of Hudson County is posted on the GRASP website –www.grasphelp.org.

The Bayonne Pulaski Parade Committee will hold a meeting on Thursday, January 19, 2023, 6:30pm at the Polish American Community Center, 29 West 22nd Street.

Phyllis and Adelaide are running a bus ride to Wind Creek casino on Feb. 19, 2023 and Mar. 26, 2023. Cost is $40 with $35 slot. Bus leaves 10:30 AM SHARP from East 35th, St. For more information, call Phyllis at 201 339-4517. Please purchase tickets in advance. All proceeds will benefit Bayonne Feral Cat Fdn. and various charities in Bayonne.

The Bayonne Elks Scholarship Committee Chairperson Donna Trimblett can be reached for information regarding the following scholarship being offered to Bayonne High School Seniors. 201697-7558 or via email @ dama1018@aol.com.

LEGACY AWARD: For the 2023 contest, any

child or grandchild (or step-child, stepgrandchild, or legal ward) of a living Elk who joined the order on or before

April 1, 2020, or a charter member of a Lodge that was instituted on or after April 1, 2020, is eligible to apply. The Elk must also be a paid-up member through March 31, 2023. Great-grandchildren are not eligible. The applicant must be a high school senior. The applicant must apply online only. The 2023 Legacy Awards application deadline is February 6, 2023, 11:59 pm Pacific Time. If the applicant’s parent and grandparent are both Elk members, the applicant must apply through the parent’s Elks Lodge.

STUDIO from cover

tuning that we need to do before we actually submit for pulling building permits.”

Approved changes reimagine site layout

1888 Studios was sought and was granted an amended preliminary and final major site plan approval to reconfigure the previously approved site layout. This included the elimination of the underground parking spaces and structures, the screening and post-production office building, the creative office building, and the central utility plant and associated utility yard.

The previously approved stage buildings have been reconfigured in size and location for use optimization and better site circulation. This is intended to meet the anticipated needs of the motion picture and television studio complex.

“Part of those revisions includes… reducing the building count from 19 to 17, and the elimination of the post-production building, creative office building, and central utility plant,” Posada said. “We’re also going to be eliminating subterranean parking, and we’re doing an above-ground parking garage.”

The new garage parking will be in addition to parking spaces and lots surrounding the studio buildings. Otherwise, nothing else major had changed with the application and other things related to it, such as the use of union labor and the planned apprenticeship program for local youth.

“The proposed studio complex is still 22 million gross square feet and will still be the largest ground-up movie studio complex in North America,” Posada said. “We’re still going to be providing approximately 2,500 construction jobs. We are in favor of being pro-union. We do anticipate having approximately 2,520 employees at peak time. We will also still be

The new design for the front entrance now shows the removal of the 1888 Studios sign.

providing apprenticeships to the young adults of the city of Bayonne.”

Posada said that 1888 Studios had received all official reports and agreed with all comments and requests in them. For any item not agreed on, He said that later testimony would explain from the six project experts.

Posada also noted that there were three design waivers being asked for, regarding the height of the lighting at the site, the foot candles or intensity of the lights, and the required landscaping in the parking lots under the redevelopment plan.

Project experts testify to changes

Architect Michael White from the firm Gensler testified to the architectural changes in the site plans. He said that at Gensler, the largest architectural firm in the world, he is responsible for working on currently over 30 film studios around the world from London, to Toronto, to Asia and the Middle East.

White said Togus Urban Renewal has put an emphasis on site context and the way it meets the water when it comes to the 1888 Studios project. He said the way it meets nature at the

water’s edge is unique and exciting, as well as the incorporation of the city’s street grid into the studio complex layout.

White said continuing the city street grid pattern, the view corridors, and terminating Avenue A into the site was an important part of the application. He also touted the nature of the site as different than the typical for film studios, with the Bayonne Bridge and Kill Van Kull providing built-in film sets in addition to the sound stages.

White reiterated that 1888 Studios’ name comes after the year Thomas Edison invented the motion picture camera. He explained that amid the layout changes, the studio buildings will remain in an art deco style, reminiscent of the era in time when film making flourished in Los Angeles and the look became a signature of historic film studios.

“This idea of storytelling, film making, and respect for the past is something that reaches deep into the development of this design,” White said. “If you look at the quality of the buildings that Togus has invested in, these are high quality buildings… they’re not boring boxes.”

White said Togus has been focused on thinking about the pedestrian experience because they wanted a high-quality experience for the employees working there. He hoped they would mostly be from Bayonne too.

According to White, the changes were prompted by feedback from other film studios. They made suggestions that 1888 Studios seeks to incorporate to maximize efficiency.

Maximizing efficiency after feedback from other studios

“We had an opportunity to present this project to some of the top film studios in the world who have expressed interest in what we’re doing here, and we’ve gotten a lot of feedback from them,” White said. “It really allowed the project to evolve. So some of the things that Matt had mentioned about how the project is evolving is what we’re learning from them. There is an evolutionary process that’s happening and the way people are thinking about how we make the studio a lot more productive. So from a production standpoint, there is starting to become a diminished need for straight stand-alone office buildings and an increased need in what we call flex studio and production support buildings, which are buildings that have stages and the office building of the stages…that is really what motivated the removal of the office buildings.”

White said flex space is a sound stage where films and television are produced, and a flexible office space adjacent to that where employees walk directly into without going outside. The office space is flexible in the use in that it can be used for writers, producers, directors, actors, dressing rooms, hair and makeup, and wardrobe, among others.

According to White, in addition to the new five-story parking garage, the rest of the parking would consist of small parking lots and spaces scattered throughout the site includ-

ing the reduction of the back lot and increase in parking nearby. He said that despite the change, the applicant is still planning more parking than required with a total of 2,158 spaces.

“This is a very large campus and the idea around the studio lot is that there will be people who will be working on one part of the site at a certain part of the day, … driving across the site to a stage and then working there. So you need parking spaces that are spread out over the lot to accommodate that that type of flexibility so that you’re not maxed out on those spaces. The other reason is we’re providing some flexibility to the site where for filming, because you never know quite what a director is going to want to do… When you start filming, sometimes you need space where you can have the cameras and crews and so the idea is building in some resiliency into the block where you’re not packed in so tightly.”

White said the parking count is sufficient because people do not arrive at the same time like a 9 to 5 job. He said that some crews may arrive at 8 a.m. while others arrive at 10 a.m. depending on their role in the shoot.

“It really allows the flow of the people in and out of the studio to be much more gradual than a peak flow travel,” White said.

Design waivers requested for lighting and landscaping

When it comes to parking lot lighting, White explained why the studio was requesting a design waiver. He said that the 30 foot light poles would cast shadows, would require a larger number of poles than the 62 foot light poles proposed, and thus would limit circulation on the site for larger vehicles.

“We’re parking star wagons or star trailers or trucks that are taller in height and a 30 foot high light fixture will cast shadows where a 62 foot light allows us to provide more ample lighting into the facility,” White said. “It’s a very, very functional and practical reason for going with the larger fixture.”

On sustainability, White said the goal was for 1888 Studios to get LEED Silver Certification. He noted they would achieve this without landscaping in the parking lots, which would also limit circulation.

“We are really focusing on the performance of energy modeling to maximize the building systems,” White said. “We’ll be looking at life cycle analysis and performance, and we’ll be looking at sustainable materials.”

Consulting City Planner Mika Apte asked that with the removal of the two office buildings, which were more outwardly Art Deco in nature than the other buildings, how the theme would be kept with the other buildings. White said that the other buildings are still very much planned in an Art Deco style.

“So the flex building is highly articulate,” White said. “Those buildings front the entire waterfront all the way. Our goal was to maintain that Art Deco flair all along the water’s edge where we removed the office building, so you would have a building of this high quality Art Deco defenestration replacing the office building on that water frontage.”

Apte asked if there would be any solar panels or green roofs under the new plan. Posada said there would no longer be green roofs, only solar panels on 26.3 percent of roof coverage. He

said green roofs are not required with less than 100 percent impervious coverage, of which the site is only at 90.13 percent.

Apte asked if parking spaces totaling 2,158 were sufficient. White said that its an industry standard ratio and percentage and emphasized the need for the open space parking lots for filming-related purposes.

“A lot of the parking you’ll notice is the open space around the buildings, which is important from a film studio standpoint,” White said. “To be able to have some flexibility around the stages so that you can roll sets out when you’re not doing that, you can park cars there so it provides some resiliency. Then we can park cars there when we’re not putting up a set or moving a set or parking a truck or a star wagon there… If not there, that car could park in the garage and you have a star wagon… From a ratio standpoint, these are consistent ratios that we see provided in most studio lots that we do.”

Inside the planned film studio complex

Apte asked if the star wagons would primarily be parked on the back parking lot at the northwest of the site, which Posada confirmed.

The other architect from Gensler, Matt Cornett, echoed much of White’s testimony. He said that three buildings were removed, including the creative office, the post-production office, and the central utility plant. The other change was the removal of the subterranean parking an addition of the new parking garage.

Cornett explained that there are three types of buildings at the site. He said that mill buildings are where set pieces and props are constructed, that sound stages are where filming takes place, and that flex space attached to the sound stages is where support offices for writers, producers, and directors, and more is located. He said there are one-off building such as the two-story mill building with lighting grip storage.

The sound stages range in size from approximately 18,500 square feet (about four times the area of a basketball court) to about 61,500 square feet (about half the area of a Manhattan city block). The mill buildings range from approximately 22,000 square feet to 34,000 square feet. The flex buildings go from approximately 25,000 square feet to about 40,000 square feet. The garage is ap-

proximately 102,000 square feet.

The sound stages are all approximately 62 feet tall, with the tallest being 70 feet. The mill buildings are typically 48 feet tall, with the tallest being 60 feet. Flex buildings are approximately 60 feet tall, with the four story flex spaces totaling about 81 feet. The top of the garage is 73 feet tall. The rooftop mechanical units and solar panels will be screened by walls and not visible from the ground.

Cornett explained that the design waivers for the intensity of the lights was to allow a 1.6 footcandle light as opposed to a .5 footcandle light permitted in the redevelopment plan. He said the higher footcandle makes the site safer by increasing visibility.

He echoed White that the increased height of the light poles, the second design waiver, was to reduce shadows and the number of the poles in the parking lot increase circulation among larger vehicles. Cornett added that the site did not require green roofs due to the 90.13 percent of impervious coverage being lower than the 100 percent that would trigger the need for green roofs or solar panels. Regardless, 1888 Studios is still providing 26.3 percent of solar panel coverage on all roofs.

Engineering experts reiterate planned changes

Sanjay Patel civil engineer from PS&S echoed testimony from other project experts. Patel noted that the site was 74 acres total, with 58 acres of that being land and 16 of it being water.

The formerly planned creative office building that would have been at the terminus of Avenue A is no longer part of the plans.

The

MESSAGE

FROM THE MAYOR

By the Honorable James Davis Dr. King’s Enduring Message

This week, we observed the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. national holiday. This day should remind us about his life’s mission –equality for all Americans. By backing the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Dr. King fought for equal rights for all Americans, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, or national origin.

Martin Luther King, Jr. is not simply a figure from the past. Fifty-five years after his death, Dr. King’s words and actions remain relevant to the issues that we face today. Recent acts of violence that were rooted in religious and racial hatred reminded us all that Dr. King’s work still remains to be fulfilled. Across the country over the years, Americans have been killed, just because they were Black, White, Hispanic, Jewish, Asian, Native American, gay, or members of other groups. The hatred and the violence must stop.

Now, more than ever, we need to respect each other. Now, more than ever, we must become neighbors. Now, more than ever, we must work together to become one nation. As Americans, we have roots in many countries around the world. As Dr. King said, “We may have all come on different ships, but we’re all in the same boat now.” We must not remain in our own silos, caring only about ourselves. Dr. King pointed out that “life’s most persistent and most urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’

During Dr. King’s lifetime, Americans tended to think about better community relations as having mostly to do with Blacks and Whites, Catholics, Protestants, and Jews. Since his passing, our country has become much more diverse. We have more people here now from many other ethnic, racial, and religious groups. The same principles I discussed above still apply to how we should behave towards each other, now with more groups than we had in the 1960’s. Accepting each other, regardless of our ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds, and gender or orientation, remains the great challenge of American life.

John Hume, a Catholic civil rights and political leader from Northern Ireland, was inspired by Dr. King. Mr. Hume said, “Difference is the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth, and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. Therein lies a most fundamental principle of peace: respect for diversity.”

The first step towards a better nation is this: We must recognize everyone who lives here as our fellow Americans.

Students in Mr. Buncek’s 7th grade Science class at Lincoln Community School are shown making sand castle structures. No, these structures weren’t being made because they missed the summertime, but in fact were built to model and study how wind and water are main causes of erosion. Pictured are students Jake Leandro and Amelia Pieloch.

Pictured are the artists of the month, grades 4-8, from All Saints Catholic Academy for the word of the month caring.

Washington Community School 6th Graders with Teachers Steve Nixon and Molly Merendino were welcomed by VFW Post 226 Commander Glen J. Flora and VFW Post 2648 Commander Rebecca Miller-Pringle and service animal Fluffy. All learned about Bayonne’s patriotic history and how our hometown and county veterans served our country for our freedoms. The students were enthusiastic to hear about service animals and how they help our veterans in their daily lives.

Pictured is the safety patrol of All Saints Catholic Academy and the pre4 class who they escort to their classroom each morning at drop off.

Woodrow Wilson School Second Grade students in Mrs. Nolan’s class learned about the life, accomplishments, and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through videos and books. They then made a list of wishes/ dreams they had for their own future and created a rainbow display. Pictured are Gabe, Ma’kayla, Ma’Kylie, and Sebastian.

4th grade students in Ms. Panchery and Mrs. Ringler’s class at Lincoln Community School have worked very hard on their winter essays. They brainstormed ideas, edited their work, and pasted their final essays onto the snowmen.

Lincoln Community School students in the 4th grade put together this puzzle to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Hoboken allegedly conspired with Eisenreich to conceal the offer and executed a confidentiality agreement.

In a counterclaim, Eisenreich denied that he was trying to turn Bayonne Medical Center into a nursing home, as well as allegations that he has interfered in CarePoint’s negotiations with RWJBarnabas to operate Christ Hospital. Eisenreich also alleged that the deal to purchase Hoboken University Medical Center was approved by CarePoint.

Eisenreich also pointed out that the owners of CarePoint at the time, Vivek Garipalli, James Lawler, and Jeffrey Mandler, allegedly used duplicate agreements with two shell management companies to allegedly embezzle millions of dollars from CarePoint. The counterclaim cited the NJ State Commission of Investigation report that initially uncovered the alleged scheme involving CarePoint’s owners, although it only condemned their actions and did not recommend a criminal investigation.

However, all that is behind the two entities now as they have settled in court. In a statement, Eisenreich echoed the CarePoint officials regarding the resolution of the litigation.

“Ensuring quality healthcare in Hudson County has always been a top priority of ours,” said Eisenreich. “Resolution of this dispute allows the focus of everyone to be solely on providing the residents of Hudson County with the healthcare they deserve.”

CarePoint officials highlighted the major strides it said it has made in bringing quality healthcare to Hudson County since its announcement that it would convert to a nonprofit organization with new leadership. In the past two years, CarePoint pointed to national recognition as the No. 1 ranked hospital for equitable care in the US by the Lown Institute and 4th ranked safety net hospital by Washington Journal.

CarePoint has also announced partnerships with “national leaders in healthcare delivery” like Rothman Orthopaedics and Columbia University, with several new agreements with healthcare providers in the pipeline.

Despite this settlement, CarePoint is still involved in litigation with Hudson Regional Hospital as well as other entities, while it still owns and operates Christ Hospital and only operates Bayonne Medical Center and Hoboken University Medical Center, which are now owned by Hudson Regional Hospital. A spokeswoman for Hudson Regional Hospital said it had no comment at this time.

CarePoint Health sues

RWJBarnabas Health

One of the other entities CarePoint is involved in active litigation against is RWJBarnabas. The legal action was filed back in September of 2022.

A 69-page antitrust lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court alleges that RWJBarnabas Health sought to eliminate CarePoint as a competitor by attempting to force it to close two hospitals and sell the third. The suit was filed back in September of 2022, and paints a picture of RWJBarnabas working to overtake CarePoint and drive it out of business as opposed to competing fairly with it.

The suit alleges RWJBarnabas had ambulances strategically redirected to Jersey City Medical Center to gain more affluent and insured patients. Allegedly, other patients that did not fit that profile were sent to CarePoint hospitals, causing a loss of $227 million, the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit also claims that RWJBarnabas signed an intent to purchase Christ Hospital only to get insider information and to spread rumors that the hospital may close. The suit alleges the rumors caused employees of not only Christ Hospital but Hoboken University Medical Center to leave their jobs and CarePoint had to hire and pay nurses at triple the normal rate, totaling $20.1 million this year.

The suit also claims the Hoboken Munici-

pal Hospital Authority, with whom CarePoint is also engaged in separate litigation and with whom it tried to replace CarePoint as operator of the hospital in 2022, conspired with RWJBarnabas in their endeavors. The lawsuit claims that RWJBarnabas engaged with the Hospital Authority and its contractor Raymond James before a Request for Indications was placed for replacement hospital operators was sent out.

In addition, the lawsuit also claims that RWJBarnabas lobbied state lawmakers to ensure CarePoint did not receive any of the federal American Rescue Plan funds awarded to New Jersey hospitals, an overall total of $293 million. The suit does not name them as plaintiffs, but also alleges that Eisenreich as well

PUBLIC NOTICE

as Hudson Regional Hospital officials also conspired against CarePoint. However, that was before the settlement with settlement with Eisenreich in January of 2023.

Spokesperson for CarePoint Health, Phil Swibinski, said in a statement that September that the lawsuit was filed to address “long term, systematic and insidious attempts” to undermine CarePoint Health System and drive it out of business. He said that outcome that would “have a catastrophic effect on Hudson County residents especially the many uninsured and under-insured patients that CarePoint serves through its neighborhood clinics and inpatient acute care facilities.”

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) is considering an application regarding an Air Pollution Control Permit modification for Bayonne Energy Center. (PI #12863, BOP220001)). This Facility is located at 401 Hook Road, Bayonne, Hudson County, New Jersey. Bayonne Energy Center (BEC) is a nominally rated 644 megawatts (MW) State of the Art 10-unit natural gas fired simple cycle combustion turbine power generation facility located in Bayonne, NJ with the capability of combusting fuel oil as a back-up fuel source. Units 1-8 began operation in 2012 and Unit 9-10 began operation in 2018. The combustion turbines are Siemens/Rolls Royce Trent 60 wet low emission (WLE) combustion turbine generators (CTGs). BEC is an existing major source under the Title V Operating Permit Program. The combustion turbines are equipped with state-of-the-art controls: dry low (nitrogen oxides) NOX burners and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) for NOX control and an oxidation catalyst for control of carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The facility is also equipped with an emergency generator, a fire pump, and black start generator.

The Facility is currently regulated under a Title V Operating Permit BOP 180001 issued on January 5, 2021. The Facility is an existing major source under the New Source Review (NSR) program for NOX and VOC emissions. The Facility is also a major source under the Title V Operating Permit program for carbon monoxide (CO), total suspended particulate matter (TSP), particulate matter less than 10 microns (PM10), and particulate matter less than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) emissions. The Facility is a minor source under both the NSR and Title V Operating permit programs for all other criteria pollutants and for hazardous air pollutants (HAPs).

The proposed modification, BOP 220001, will incorporate operational enhancements to Unit 1-8, aligning them with the operational abilities of Units 9-10 during natural gas firing. The enhancement allows the electrically generator limiter to be increased from 64 MW to 66 MW. No changes are proposed for the ultra-low sulfur diesel firing operations or the emergency engines. The modification will result in minor emissions increases for some pollutants. An ambient air quality impact analysis was conducted to demonstrate compliance with all applicable ambient air quality standards.

Pursuant to New Jersey Administrative Order No. 2021-25, signed by NJDEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette on September 20, 2021, a public information session to obtain public comment on this proposal will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT via a MicroSoft Teams virtual meeting room. Anyone wishing to attend the meeting can request registration by contacting info@tigergenco.com address or send in a written request to: Air Permitting, Bayonne Energy Center, 401 Hook Road, Bayonne, NJ 07002.

The public is invited to participate in the public information session. Written comments on the proposed action also may be submitted during the public comment period, which will be open from January 23, 2022 through March 24, 2023. Written comments may be directed to: info@tigergenco.com or via mail to Bayonne Energy Center ATTN: Air Permitting, Bayonne Energy Center, 401 Hook Road, Bayonne, NJ 07002. Printed copies of the Air Permit Application are currently available at the following location: Bayonne Public Library 607 Avenue C., Bayonne, NJ 07002. When the main branch is closed, the application documents will be available at the branch location 16 W 4th St, Bayonne, NJ 07002. Written or electronic requests of the Air Permit Application can also be made to: Attn: Air Permitting, Bayonne Energy Center, 401 Hook Road, Bayonne, NJ 07002 or info@tigergenco.com .

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Basile, Margaret R. “Peggy” (nee: McKittrick), 55, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 5, 2023, with her loving family by her side. Margaret was born in Jersey City, N.J. and has resided in Bayonne for the past 22 years. She was a Mail Handler for the United States Post Office in Newark, NJ for 15 years. Beloved daughter of the late Ida (nee: Stoveken) and Joseph V. McKittrick, Sr. Devoted mother of Megan Basile. Cherished sister of Sister Patricia McKittrick, Mary Giroux and her late husband Les, Rose Ann Spiewak and her husband John, John McKittrick, Sharon Topchev and her husband Kiril, Ann Spiewak and her husband Dave, Cathy Peselli and her husband John, David McKittrick, Michael McKittrick and his wife Melissa, and the late Joseph V. McKittrick, Jr. and Helen Meluso. Adoring aunt of many nieces, nephews, grand nieces & nephews. A Funeral Mass was offered on January 9, 2023 at Blessed Miriam Teresa Demjanovich Parish at Saint Mary, Star of the Sea, Church, Bayonne. Private Cremation. Funeral arrangements by: G. Keenen O’Brien Funeral Home, 984 Ave. C.

McGrath, Edward, It is with deep sadness that the family announces his passing on November 28, 2022. “Eddie”, as he was known by all, was born and raised in Jersey City before moving to Bayonne many years ago. After attending Marist High School, and Jersey City State College, Eddie’s strong work ethic led him to a position with PSE&G. He later worked as a skilled welder with Papp Iron Works, Inc. in Plainfield, NJ for

STUDIO from page 5

Patel said there are three easements on the site, one for PSE&G to the north, one for Veolia in the middle of the site, and a gas line to the south. He said the site will consist of 17 buildings with 10 studio, 5 mill buildings, and a parking garage, as well as the split mill and light grip storage building, and the notincluded-in-the-count utility substation and trash and recycling building.

“This is an outstanding project, and a great reuse of a formerly contaminated site,” Patel said.

Apte asked if the heliport was still being proposed, noting her report was the only one not answered by the applicant yet as opposed to the others already answered, thus the questions. Posada confirmed that the heliport, a ferry terminal, and a pier were not being proposed now but not off the table in the future, which Apte confirmed with him would require further Planning Board approval.

Posada also confirmed to her that the park and waterfront walkway remain, yet that there is not any employee recreation on site but that the base camps throughout the site in front of each building can be used as such and would work with the city on that. In response to other questions, he said there would still be four loading docks with the same loading pattern, that 1888 Studios would comply with landscaping comments, electric vehicle parking, and that a package regarding the site signage would be sent to the board at a later date once tenants have been identified.

Posada explained that 1888 Studios would

more than 10 years. Eddie was the loving son of the late Edward M. McGrath Sr. and Evelyn McGrath (nee: Sacony). Left to cherish his memory are his children, Shawn McGrath and Vanessa McGrath, and his longtime companion, Dolores Thornley. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend a Memorial Mass in Eddie’s honor on Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 12:00 p.m. from the Parish of John Paul II Parish at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 39 East 22nd Street, Bayonne. Cremation was privately held at Rosehill Crematory in Linden. Arrangements by Dworzanski & Son Funeral Home, 20 E. 22nd St.

Zgaszczak, Krystyna E., of Bayonne, entered into eternal rest peacefully on January 9, 2023. Born in Warsaw, Poland, Krystyna came to the United States in 1969 and resided in Bayonne until briefly moving to Irvington then relocating back to Bayonne where she lived for the remainder of her life. Before her retirement in 2008, Krystyna pursued a longtime career as a lab technician for the Hartz Mountain Company then Best Foods Corporation in Bayonne. Krystyna was predeceased by her beloved husband, John (in 2009); and her parents in Poland. Left to cherish her memory are her sister-in-law, Maria Lang, and her family, Arthur Lang and his wife, Beata, Eva DeKalb, and her goddaughter, Joann Teehan, cousins, Danita Sambade, Barbara Kaminska, Jolanta Kaminska, her dear friends, Artur Stefaniak and his wife, Anna, and Marian and Agata Wronski, as well as many loving family and friends throughout the United States. A funeral mass was held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church followed by interment at Holy Cross Cemetery. Arrangements by Dworzanski & Son Funeral Home, 20 E. 22nd St.

work with city officials and Conrail to come up with a plan for streetscape renovations outside the site along Avenue A and the adjacent rail line. Following that, the fourth expert to testify was engineer Craig Hermann, also from PS&S.

Instead of utility building and a social utility yard, now a utility substation is planned with a smaller trash and recycling building. He reiterated that the offices were removed in lieu of other buildings for “greater effect” of the site.

Hermann said the due to the parking changes there are now some grade changes at the site. Previously, the redevelopment area was going to be raised to between 25 and 27.5 to incorporate the underground parking. Now it is only being raised to between 15 and 17.5 lower because there is now plans for aboveground parking.

Traffic impact lessened by reconfiguration

Traffic engineer Dan DiSario said that because the offices were removed for increased site efficiency, there would be less buildings with a reduction of 400,000 square feet. That reduction will yield less traffic he said.

According to DiSario, trips will be in the morning and evening both by 1,100 to 700 at peak hours. Due to this reduction, the plans have changed from a traffic light at Avenue A and West 1st Street to an all way stop sign. However, Posada said that 1888 Studios will provide a traffic light if it is required. He added that employees will have a transportation coordinator to manage on site flow.

Apte asked how the trips were reduced, to which DiSario said traffic continues to be C or better under the study which he said was acceptable. Mack asked why the need for all the parking if there will be a reduction in trips, to which he said there is no need to stripe all of the parking across the site, but they want to make it official for ease of access to each building.

DiSario added that a studio like this “doesn’t exist anywhere in the country” and is going to be a “landmark project.” The striping is to define the space that would likely be used for parking anyway regardless.

Mack asked what the required trip count was for a traffic light, to which DiSario said 1,200 trips on Avenue A, and 100 on West 1st Street. However, this ignores that employees arrive at staggered times, with no dedicated morning or evening rush he said.

Then project planner John McDonough concluded the testimony by highlighting many of the points raised by previous project experts. He said the requested design waivers are actually variances for the “special project” that will bring another “world-class facility” to Bayonne.

McDonough said the form of the site is largely the same spare for some “design refinements” to make the site “better and operate more efficiently.” He said brighter lights are better than dimmer, that the port lights nearby are just as tall as they would propose, and that 1888 Studios would be aiming for LEED Silver certification.

Board approves application unanimously

In closing, Mack touted the cooperation with the development team, Conrail, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. She said that PANYNJ is allowing the connection from the new park to Dennis Collins Park on the other side of the Bayonne Bridge through the waterfront walkway underneath.

Chairwoman Karen Fiermonte said it was a huge benefit to the city, considering the apprenticeships and other things. She jokingly wished she had a time machine to fast forward

Commissioner Ahmad Lack said he is very excited for the project to come to fruition. He also noted that other than the economic impact on the city, there would be the social impact on students because Bayonne has a robust drama scene and a project of this scale would have a positive affect psychologically.

The commissioners present voted unanimously to approve the project including: Fiermonte, Lack, Sectetary George Becker, City Councilman At-Large Loyad Booker, Michael Quintela, and Jack Berio. Commissioner Ramon Veloz and Vice Chairwoman Maria Valado were absent and did not vote. Officials previously said the project is set to break ground by contractor Turner Construction later this year. In the meantime, the site is being remediated and graded in preparation.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

“CarePoint’s new physician-led leadership team is making tremendous strides in stabilizing its hospitals in the aftermath of COVID-19 and providing outstanding health care services to Hudson County residents, exemplified by its hospitals being named the most equitable in the country and among the leanest and most wellrun in the state, as well as the many exciting partnerships and initiatives it has entered into with leading institutions like Columbia University, Rothman Orthopaedics, and another major oncology partner soon to be announced,”

Swibinski said. “Despite these significant strides, CarePoint’s competitors have continued to engage in selfish, coordinated, antagonistic attacks designed to further their goals of unfair domination of the county’s health care and real estate markets.”

He continued: “CarePoint has earned the trust of Hudson County’s elected leaders and the community by starting its transition to a nonprofit organization and becoming in-network with all major insurance carriers, and now it simply asks to be treated fairly with support for the community that needs these hospitals and

without interference from vested interests that would leave residents without immediate access to care.”

RWJBarnabas denied the allegations. A spokesperson for the company called the lawsuit’s claims unfounded.

“This is yet another in a series of baseless complaints filed by CarePoint, an organization whose leadership apparently prefers to assign blame to others rather than accept responsibility for the unsatisfactory results of their own poor business decisions and actions over the years,” a spokesperson said. “RWJBarnabas Health has a longstanding commitment to serve

the residents of Hudson County and is proud of the significant investments we have made in technology, facilities and clinical teams as we advance our mission.”

Regardless of the recent settlement, CarePoint’s legal actions will undoubtedly continue to unfold in 2023.

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

valloti recruited me and a diverse group of young people to work on campaigns and encouraged us to get more involved in our community,” Bechay said in a statement following the meeting. “It’s my time to give back to the community that has already given me so many opportunities. I hope to do the same for the younger generations. I know it will not be easy, but working with my colleagues I know we can succeed: My number one priority is creating opportunities for all our students to succeed.”

Also of note, Maggio is now the only current board trustee who has not run a “Together We Can” slate. He was also the only candidate to win a seat on the board on the Mayor James Davis-backed “Voices for Progress” slate. This was his first endorsement in years after opting to stop endorsing the “Together We Can” slate following many years of his support for their candidates since candidates began running on slates.

At the January meeting, Gonzalez, Desmond, and Bechay of “Together We Can,” as well as Maggio, were sworn in. They took the oath of office administered by Board Secretary Gary Maita.

New leadership installed

Once the board was sworn in, the leadership elections were held. Both the president and vice president positions changed position holders.

Former Board President Maria Valado and fomer Board Vice President Christopher Munoz were elected to their positions in January of 2020, marking a shift away from the previous leadership under former President Joseph Broderick and former Vice President Denis Wilbeck. Valado and Munoz were and re-elected in 2021 and 2022.

Now, they pass the torch to other trustees in 2023. Those trustees include now President Casais and Vice President Gonzalez.

Casais was recently re-elected on a “Together We Can” ticket in 2021 and unsuccessfully ran on a council slate with former City Council President and mayoral candidate Sharon

Ashe-Nadrowski in the 2022 May municipal election. Gonzalez was re-elected this past November of 2022 on “Together We Can.”

At the meeting, it was actually former President Valado who motioned to nominate Casais as President. Most of the board followed suit in elected Casais, except for Trustee Desmond.

Desmond voted no on the motion and on the election of Casais and every other vote related to the election of officers. She said the leadership was predecided prior to the election of herself and the other new members.

“There were conversations before the election was even over of who was going to do what, excluding anyone who was running that day and may or may not have made it,” she said. “Absolutely not.”

Small dissent over leadership choices

Regardless of Desmond’s dissent, the rest of the board voted for Casais. She won 8-1, and thanked the board for electing her.

“I want to thank my board that I’m presently sitting with that they have faith in me to do the right thing,” Casais said. “Thank you.”

Following that, Valado motioned to nominate Gonzalez as Vice President. The board was also largely on board with that, spare for Desmond again and this time former Vice President Munoz.

Despite Desmond and Munoz’s objections, which he did not speak on, Gonzalez won the election. The board voted 7-2 to elect him as Vice President.

“Thank you to everyone,” Munoz said. “Mr. Munoz has been a class act with everything. And Mrs. Valado the president, I have learned a lot from them. And thank you for everyone for both whoever voted for me and whoever didn’t vote for me, thank you.”

Bayonne Education Association Gene Woods was under the weather, but his wife Stephanie Woods spoke briefly in his lieu. She is also the Membership Chairperson for the BEA and the union representative for House 5 at Bayonne High School.

“I just came here in Gene’s stead to say congratulations to everybody who is here and we look forward to working with everybody who

has been elected or has come back,” Woods said. “We can make everything better and brighter for our students and our teachers.”

Outgoing trustees say farewell

At the December meeting of the board, the outgoing trustees bid adieu to the board. Then-Board President Valado noted it was Trustees Lisa Burke, Jan Patrick Egan, and Denis Wilbeck’s last meeting.

All three opted not to run for re-election. Egan and Burke had been on the board since 2019 and decided not to run for another term.

Wilbeck has been on the board since 2015 when it was first elected and was most recently re-elected in 2019. He served as Vice President from 2016 to 2020, being just a regular trustee in recent years. In the wake of a unsuccessful run for a City Council At-Large position in the May municipal election, Wilbeck also opted not to run.

This left three vacancies on the board for new candidates. The fourth seat up for grabs was Gonzalez’s, who did opt to run for reelection after being appointed in January of 2022 following the first Black elected Trustee “I want to say it was a pleasure working with them,” Valado said. “As a board we did great things all together.”

Burke thanked Bayonne voters for electing her. She said she was proud of the work she did with the board amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I want to thank the community for voting me in a giving me the opportunity to represent you all. It was an honor. I truly led with my heart. For those of you who know know that I had special education in mind the entire time. It has grown leaps and bounds over the past three years especially with us being in the pandemic. It was not. Nothing was easy up here. I thank you so much and it was an honor to serve the community.”

Valado thanked Burke for her work since being elected on a “Together We Can” slate with Egan in 2019. She said: “Thank you Lisa it was an honor to have you on this board.” Sending off Burke, Egan, and Wilbeck Egan also thanked the voters for trusting

him with the position. He also touted his work with the board and the other members, praising their dedication to students.

“It was a fun three years,” Egan said. “We worked hard. We had a lot of challenges with COVID. But it was great getting to meet the other trustees and the central office staff and the other professionals that we interacted with. It was an honor. I truly was a product of Bayonne Public Schools. My mother was. public school teacher. Public school is important to me. I spent a lot of time in Lincoln pool too… so hopefully the incoming board will be able to solve those problems for you guys.

“I guess the one thing I’ll say is, there’s always another problem. Regardless of what you think of who sits up here, there’s not one person that sat up here since they started elected, that won’t always have the best interest of the students at heart. People don’t always agree. You may not agree with us. We don’t agree with each other all the time but everybody here was trying their best to the best for the citizens of Bayonne and the students and the staff.”

Valado also applauded Egan’s work with the board. “Thank you Trustee Egan. It was an honor to serve with you,” she said.

Wilbeck praised Bayonne as the best district in the county. He wished the new board the best of luck.

“I travel around the United States and umpiring sports,” Wilbeck said. “I go nationally and I go regionally. The teachers here in Bayonne, the students in the city, the district is second to none. I go to universities, high schools, and USA tournaments throughout the country. The students, the teachers, the administrators that you see up here are second to none. They’re equal to, not better than any school I have been to in the United States… Not only are they the best in the county and the state, they are the best throughout the United States. It’s been my pleasure to be here with the Bayonne School District for the last several years. Best wishes and good luck.”

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com.

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