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BRANCHING OUT | BLACK IN BAYONNE | HITTER TO HOOPS
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Healing, enhancing and investing in Hudson County. Together is how we get healthy. Person by person, community by community, we commit to living better, happier, healthier. Which is why we’re continuing to heal, enhance and invest in Hudson County by expanding and strengthening our network of physicians and outpatient facilities.
• The ONLY comprehensive heart center and cardiac surgery program in Hudson County • The highest volume orthopedic program, handling the most traumatic orthopedic injuries • An expanded emergency department to meet the county’s growing needs
• Our new Lord Abbett Maternity Wing serves newborns
and their moms with the highest level NICU in Hudson County, and comfy, state-of-the-art private rooms • Exceptional cancer care in the only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the state, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
We’re taking every precaution in a safe environment, so that when one person feels better, all of Hudson County is healthier. Learn more at rwjbh.org/HudsonCounty
CARDIAC | CANCER | EMERGENCY | ORTHOPEDICS | WOMEN’S HEALTH & MATERNITY
We’ve taken every precaution to keep you safe. So if you’ve put off any medical care due to COVID-19, please don’t delay it any longer.
CONTENTS BLP
COVER 14 FOOD BANK Filling a Need Cover Photo of Jackie McNulty courtesy of Bayonne Food Bank
FEATURES 18 RAINBOWS ROCK Tokens of Hope
24 BLACK IN BAYONNE Breaking Down Barriers
26
26 CHERIE LA PELUSA COVID Claims a Cherished Citizen
28 BRANCHING OUT Protecting Our Trees
32 I QUIT Chasing a Dream
34 STEPHEN GREGG PARK Gem on the Boulevard
36 JUDGING A BOOK The Little BOHO Bookshop
DEPARTMENTS 6 OUR STAFF 8 EDITOR’S LETTER 12 CONTRIBUTORS 20 POINT AND SHOOT Sunny Bayonne
30 SPORTS Ben Gamble
32
4 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21
Se an e dS Da an ee D d S av Sa ae ve ve v e!
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Fall | WINTER 2020/21 Volume 6 • Number 2 Published twice annually A Publication of Newspaper Media Group
PUBLISHER Perry Corsetti EDITOR IN CHIEF Kate Rounds
•OUR FAMOUS PARSLEY & CHEESE THIN SAUSAGE
PRIME
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ART DIRECTOR Terri Saulino Bish ADVERTISING MANAGER Tish Kraszyk SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Toni Anne Calderone-Caracappa Ron Kraszyk Jay Slansky
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CIRCULATION Luis Vasquez FINANCIAL Sharon Metro
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6 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21
Bayonne Life on the Peninsula is published by the Newspaper Media Group, 447 Broadway, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002, (201) 798-7800, Fax (201) 798-0018. Email bayonnemag@ hudsonreporter.com. Subscriptions are $10 per year, $25 for overseas, single copies are $7.50 each, multiple copy discounts are available. VISA/MC/AMEX accepted. Subscription information should be sent to BLP Magazine Subscriptions, 447 Broadway, Bayonne, NJ 07002. Not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or other unsolicited materials. Copyright ©2020/21, Newspaper Media Group .All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
Bayonne Life on the Peninsula is a publication of Newspaper Media Group 447 Broadway, Bayonne, New Jersey 07002 phone 201.798.7800 fax 201.798.0018
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ALL COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS ARE IN PLACE AND BEING FOLLOWED
EDITOR’S LETTER BLP
Going Viral t would be impossible to address our readers without addressing COVID-19. Our wonderful staff is working from home. Our freelancers struggle to get pictures and interviews with people who are justifiably fearful of their fellow humans. Our ad department is in solidarity with its valued clients, many struggling to stay afloat. Most of our stories touch, however tangentially, on the effects of the coronavirus. We have a story on the Bayonne Food Bank that will never allow any resident to go hungry. Daniel Israel has a heart to heart with Councilman Gary La Pelusa who tragically lost his wife Cherie to the virus. He shares with BLP how he and his family are surviving. Bayonne is filled with survivors and neighbors who help their neighbors. The truth is, I don’t know what more can be said about this vicious pandemic. So, I will just say to our loyal readers and advertisers, be safe and be well as we collectively envision and inhabit our new reality.
8 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21
Photo by Marie Papp
I
FOCUS ON
THE COMEBACK No matter what the world has looked like over the past 70 years, our credit union has stood strong. We make building a better tomorrow easier with competitive rates, low fees and unrivaled customer service. As a nonprofit institution, we answer to our members — not shareholders. We take pride in using our profits to lower costs for you while ensuring a stronger future for the entire community.
CALL (201) 659-3900 EXT. 4 FOR LOW-RATE LENDING Visit our new City Line Branch in Bayonne at 1347 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
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B AYO N N E E X P E R I E N C E • Great neighborhoods with quality homes & new Luxury Development • New ongoing commercial and residential development • Easy transportation via Light Rail or bus • Beautiful Parks & Waterfront Walkways
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B L P
CONTRIBUTORS
PAT BONNER
DANIEL ISRAEL
JIM HAGUE
PAT BONNER
is a Navy veteran and one of the Bayonne’s 45th Street Bonners.
JIM HAGUE
is a Jersey City native, who landed a job with the Hudson Dispatch in 1986. He has been the sports columnist for the Hudson Reporter Associates for the last 22 years.
DIANA SCHWAEBLE
TARA RYAZANSKY
DANIEL ISRAEL
is a writer and videographer. He first set foot in Bayonne in 2018. Ever since, his life has centered around the city. When he’s not working, Daniel enjoys relaxing in 16th Street Park and visiting Bayonne’s coffee shops and eateries.
TARA RYAZANSKY
is a writer who moved from Brooklyn to Bayonne. She works as a blogger for Nameberry.com and spends her spare time fixing up her new (to her) 100-year-old home.
DIANA SCHWAEBLE
is an award-winning reporter and former editor of hMAG. She has covered Hudson County for more than a decade, writing about the arts, music, and celebs.
Quality Care…Right Here in Bayonne The mission of the Bayonne Community Mental Health Center is to address the mental health care needs of the people of Bayonne and the surrounding communities.
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FALL | WINTER 2020/21 ~ BLP• 13
BAYONNE Food Bank Filling a need in trying times By Diana Schwaeble Photos courtesy of the Bayonne Food Bank
D
uring good times, many people think about how they’ll spend their vacations, or they look forward to spending holidays with loved ones. The very nature of good times has been upended by the far-reaching effects of the pandemic. Many people struggle on a daily basis, whether from the stress of working from
14 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21
home, recent layoffs, job insecurities, or the day-to-day struggles of paying bills. During tough times, people worry about feeding their families, said Bayonne Business Administrator Melissa Mathews. “As the pandemic started happening, we started to see a really big need,” said Melissa, noting that the mayor’s office was getting calls from people who wanted to donate food. When the pandemic hit and businesses and services were shut down or had limited resources, a number of entities sprang into action.
A Team Effort In early April, Bayonne City Council President Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski was already in the process of starting a food bank working with the Bayonne Economic Opportunity Foundation. In addition to Sharon’s work, various groups coalesced to provide food to those in need. “We partnered with Table to Table, and we partnered with the Community Food Bank of New Jersey,” Melissa said
HELPING HANDS BLP
Melissa Mathews
“So we have four different avenues that we gain food from. We get protein and produce boxes from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey once a week. And we distribute them either Wednesday or Thursday.” She continued, “In addition, we are taking a grant for the virus. We have allocated 150k toward the purchase of food for the remainder of the year. We have I believe until spring to use it all.
FALL | WINTER 2020/21 ~ BLP• 15
HELPING HANDS BLP Particularly over the holidays we are really trying to supplement people’s diets and their food needs.” Food distribution takes place once a week at 16th Street Park, lower level. In addition to the central distribution spot, every Thursday 100 to 200 bags of groceries go out for private home delivery. During the pandemic, the food bank was allowed to reallocate resources from the city. Public Works guys helped with food distribution. The food bank had lots of calls from citizens who wanted to help, but with strict social distancing guidelines, the group couldn’t accept volunteers. Things have gotten a little better. Now, the city accepts volunteers, mostly for bagging. “If people want to volunteer, we ask them to go down to 16th Street when we are distributing,” Melissa said, noting that Sharon AsheNadrowski is there. “She is the one to speak with, or they can contact us on Facebook. We’ve worked with Bayonne High School. The students are doing it for the hours even though the hours aren’t required this year, which is really lovely.”
A Phone Call Away Melissa would love to see the food bank in a permanent location. She sees it as a crisis outreach for people. “Right now it’s a pandemic, but it could be something else,” she said. “Every community needs something like this. And not just a soup kitchen. We need a place where parents who may not always be comfortable having to seek assistance can go. So I would like to have a location longterm where people can call.” Currently, anyone seeking help can call the mayor’s office. Melissa said she’s personally bought formula for families. If someone calls the office in true crisis, multiple people in city hall move to help. “If there is an immediate need where somebody doesn’t have food, we provide that,” Melissa said. “Whether we have it or not here at city hall, we figure it out. It’s been really, really nice to see everybody pulling together and trying to make this work. It’s truly a good thing to know that when your back is to the wall, there are people looking out for each other who will keep everything together.”—BLP
16 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21
Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski and Raine Cuseglio
Support Bayonne Business SHOP, DINE & PLAY IN THE HEART OF BAYONNE
BAYONNE’S SPECIAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT: Broadway from 17th to 30th Street FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE BAYONNE SID, PLEASE CALL 201-858-6357
Rainbows
Rock
Who says you shouldn’t throw stones? By Daniel Israel Photos courtesy of City Hall
F
ear, anxiety, despair, and gloom are just some of the emotions that the COVID-19 pandemic has engendered in the U.S. and around the world. However, some Hudson County locals have been working to spark joy and give fellow residents a smile. Rainbows Over Bayonne has been a sensation since the onset of the pandemic, in the city and online. Rainbow-painted rocks, sidewalk chalk messages of hope, and rainbow pictures are among the
18 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21
uplifting creations, anonymously bestowed. In the fall, the combination of a deadly pandemic and an incredibly divisive election season made rainbow rocks and encouraging messages more important than ever.
BAYONNE ROCKS Many residents have received rocks painted with rainbows and the words “Rainbows over Bayonne.” Some folks have been paying it forward by painting and anonymously gifting their own rainbow rocks. According to social media posts, the rocks are secretly left on porches or steps for residents to happily discover.
Mayor James Davis, who received a rainbow rock, said, “I truly love this city! Jamie and I keep finding these rocks, and they make us so happy and proud!” The Rainbows Over Bayonne slogan has adorned sidewalks in an array of bright colors with positive messages. “Thank you, postal and delivery workers” is a message left in front of one of the local post offices. “Smile,” read another message on another sidewalk. The chalk message on the sidewalk in front of RWJBarnabas Health at Bayonne on 24th and Broadway, read, “Heroes work here.”
VIRTUAL VIBES Rainbows Over Bayonne is more of a loose movement than an organized group. It has an online presence that promotes happiness and positive vibes. Its Facebook page was started in March by Jaime Lynn. Since its founding, more than 1,500 members have joined the group.
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“This group is all about spreading positivity in Bayonne,” according to the Rainbows Over Bayonne mission statement. “Shining a light through an awful storm for all of us to see!” Residents have been sharing rainbowrelated content on the page in hopes of brightening each other’s social media feeds. Posts include double rainbows in Bayonne and across the world, tie-dye DIY recipes, and babies in rainbow onesies. The forum has four rules: no selling of any kind, no promotions, self-promotion, or spam, no videos or pictures outside the message of positivity, and no politics. “Spread the word!” says Rainbows Over Bayonne. “We want to see rainbows and positivity all throughout Bayonne! This too shall pass.” While the trend began during the state’s COVID-19 closure, the group is still active in person with the occasional uplifting message written in chalk, and online with photos of rainbows over Bayonne, and feel-good messaging. With the end of the pandemic far from sight, the group’s message of hope is needed now more than ever. So get some chalk and find some rocks!—BLP
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POINT & S H O OT The sun’ll come out tomorrow Photos by Tish Kraszyk
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see page 17
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We’ve invested in Hudson County for generations. Bringing a new baby into the world is one of life’s most powerful experiences. It brings families and communities together. Jersey City Medical Center’s state-of-the-art Lord Abbett maternity wing features all-private patient rooms with hotel-like furnishings, scenic views and private showers. The maternity wing is a tranquil space to heal, bond and begin life as a family. We’ll continue healing, enhancing and investing in Hudson County by expanding and strengthening our network of physicians and outpatient facilities, so we can all live better, happier and healthier. Learn more at rwjbh.org/HudsonCounty
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Black in Bayonne Story by Daniel Israel Photo courtesy of Black in Bayonne lack in Bayonne was cofounded by Camille High, Clarice High, Shaniqua Borders, and Rashad Calloway. The four had been protesting elsewhere, but never in the city where they were born and raised. A conversation started during quarantine, when they were stuck at home, consumed by the pandemic of violence against black men and women, and the harsher impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities of color. Enter Power in the Park. A photoshoot by Shaniqua’s friend, Juanita Erwin, grew to include empowering speeches, voter registration, and a march from one part of Stephen Gregg Park to the other. “There’s no black culture in Bayonne, so this is the blackest thing that we could think of to bring all forms of protesting together,” Camille said. They kept the momentum going by forming Black in Bayonne. “We’re going to continue to do what we have to do to make this a better city, better country, better world,” Rashad said. Among other things, the group raised the Pan-African flag over City Hall on Juneteenth, held a candlelight vigil for Breonna Taylor, and met with officials to bridge the gap between the city and residents.
B
Black in Bayonne raised the Pan-African Flag over City Hall on Juneteenth. From left to right: Rashad Calloway, Clarice High, Shaniqua Borders, and Camille High.
Young people lead the charge to bring black culture and black pride to the city they love 24 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21
CAMILLE AND CLARICE Camille and Clarice’s parents moved to Bayonne after they met at the Evangelical Gospel Tabernacle on West 27th Street.
After attending Phillip G. Vroom Community School, the High sisters went to P.S. 14, followed by BHS, and then off to college. Clarice doesn’t work in the city. She teaches eighth Grade English at Pride Academy, a charter school in East Orange. She did work for the Bayonne Board of Education as an assistant for multipledisabled kids, but took the East Orange job because she wanted to teach kids who looked like her. Camille got her Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Human Services at HCCC. The sisters became educators to influence children of color the way they were influenced by educator Jane Roberts. In September, Camille started work as a community involvement specialist with the BBOE, looking to end the stigma against black teachers. The sisters’ parents instilled in them a sense of pride in their blackness. “To be black is to be an advocate,” Clarice said. “We have to fight every day for ourselves, for our skin, for our space, and for our wellbeing.” The church taught them to be vocal but not violent. “It’s been building up our entire lives, so it’s only natural that we find ourselves in this position,” Clarice said. In 2012, Camille started challenging people to get involved in the community, holding events focused on female black empowerment. By the time the Black Lives Matter movement came around, they were primed.
RASHAD Rashad and his seven siblings are Bayonne lifers. Sports were his passion, playing basketball, baseball, and football. His father was his coach. Rashad has thought about becoming a coach, too. But he doesn’t want to deal with the same issues he and his father faced due to the color of their skin. Rashad went to BHS before getting his Bachelor’s of Science in Sports Management at the University of Tampa while on a basketball scholarship; he became an All-American. He played professionally in Canada, Chile, the Dominican Republic, and England. Basketball has taken him places that his education couldn’t, offering life-changing experiences that taught him not to take anything for granted.
He now works as a security supervisor for tenants at a residential building in Bayonne. But one day he wants to become a trainer for young basketball players. Rashad echoed Clarice, saying that being black means being an activist. “We deal with things that other people don’t have to, just because of the color of our skin,” he said. The killing of Trayvon Martin had a major impact on his life. He challenges the beliefs of those around him, calling people out online, and off. He always does his research and hopes that by talking things out, he can change hearts and minds.
SHANIQUA Shani, as she is called, grew up going back and forth between her mom’s family in Bayonne and her dad’s in Jersey City. She went to kindergarten and first grade in Bayonne at Mary J. Donoghue School before attending grammar school in Jersey City until eighth grade. It was a culture shock when she came back to Bayonne for high school after attending school in Jersey City, where she was involved in step groups, drill teams, and church activities. In Bayonne, there wasn’t black culture, she said. Shaniqua said she tried to get kicked out of school. But nothing worked, so she stopped complaining and joined clubs she thought were corny in hopes of making them better. She became captain of the step team, taking what she’d learned in Jersey City and bringing that culture to these clubs. She joined the Ebony Culture Club and successfully pushed for a trip to Historical Black Colleges and Universities, gaining entry to Morgan State University in Maryland. When she came back to Bayonne as an adult, she felt the same culture shock she did as a kid leaving Jersey City. “I may raise my children here, so I need to create the things that I want to happen here,” Shaniqua said. She opened her spa The Crowned Social Beautique at 391 Avenue C to help build up the black community. When the Black Lives Matter movement started seven years ago in the wake of the police killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, Shaniqua was sickened. When protests began again after the on-camera police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, she put all her power and passion into Black in Bayonne.
BIG GOALS FOR BAYONNE The goal of Black in Bayonne is to advocate for new people of color moving in as well those who have lived here for generations, and to promote diversity. Camille, who wants the group to become a nonprofit, says their only agenda is to make black people feel comfortable in the community and carve out a space for them. Black people are coming from Brooklyn, Baltimore, and the United Kingdom. Shaniqua has met them in her spa. “People always ask me, ‘What else is there to do?’” Shaniqua said, explaining she wants to organize a black parade. Clarice wants Black in Bayonne to create events, positive experiences, and hope for the black community. Rashad hopes the group breaks down barriers. “Before you clean up a house, it gets messy first,” said Camille. “So Bayonne’s going to get a little messy, and now we’re trying to clean it up.”—BLP
FALL | WINTER 2020/21 ~ BLP• 25
Remembering Cherie How the pandemic took one of Bayonne’s most cherished citizens
By Daniel Israel Photos courtesy of The La Pelusa Family
I
n many ways, Cherie La Pelusa was the power behind the throne. Though her husband Gary has tirelessly served on the Bayonne City Council since 2008, Cherie shared his love for the city and was, in every way, a partner in good citizenship. She co-owned Gary La Pelusa Landscaping, the business they ran for 33 years. She was the force behind the Gary La Pelusa Association, a charitable organization whose mission is to improve the quality life for Bayonne residents, help those in need, and honor those who make the community a better place. Cherie tried to imbue others with her sense of purpose. She would often phone the Bayonne Community News if she thought the paper had overlooked a newsworthy person or event. She and Gary are lifelong residents. Cherie graduated from Bayonne High School. They were married for 28 years
26 • BLP ~ FALL | WINTER 2020/21
and have four children: David, Gary Jr., Jessica, and Gianna. Cherie was an early victim of the coronavirus. Doctors have learned a lot since her death on April 28. One of the vicious hallmarks of this disease is that patients who seem to be recovering can often take a sudden turn for the worse. In an interview with Bayonne: Life on the Peninsula, Gary recalled his wife’s last days.
Caring for Mom On Feb. 22, Gary’s youngest daughter Gianna, 12, was discharged from the hospital after her third surgery to remove painful bone growths due to hereditary multiple exostoses (HME). On the same day, Cherie’s mother, Adrienne Marangio, was rushed to the hospital with symptoms of a stroke. After the stroke, Adrienne had limited mobility in her right leg and arm. She was hospitalized for about a week before being transferred to St. Ann’s in Jersey City for rehabilitation.
Cherie was by her mother’s side for as long as she could be. After two or three weeks of rehabilitation, no more visitors were allowed under COVID-19 restrictions. Meanwhile, both Cherie and Adrienne had begun to develop a “rotten cough.” On April 7, Adrienne was discharged. Cherie stayed at her mother’s house.
More than a Cough On April 18, after two days at home, Adrienne was rushed to Bayonne Medical Center, where she was diagnosed with COVID-19 and pneumonia in both lungs. On April 11, Cherie talked to her doctor about her own symptoms and was prescribed the antibiotic Azithromycin to start on April 12. Her doctor sent her to get tested at the drive-thru COVID-19 site at Veterans Stadium. She was positive for the virus. On April 13, Gary and Cherie were sick in bed throughout the day. When Cherie finished the antibiotic later in the week, she still felt symptoms and was prescribed Hydroxychloroquine, an
From left to right: David, Gary Sr., Cherie, Gianna, and Jessica.
From left to right: Cherie, Gary Sr., Gianna, and Jessica. From left to right: Gary Sr., David, Cherie, Gianna, Jessica, and Gary Jr.
early COVID-19 treatment that has since been dropped in favor of Remdesivir and Dexamethasone. The drug was in short supply. Cherie wouldn’t receive the treatment until April 19. Gary, meanwhile, felt better after just a few days and returned to work on Thursday, April 16.
Next stop, BMC On April 19, Gary went to wake her up before work, but she had trouble breathing and was hyperventilating. She was rushed to the hospital. “I kissed her forehead and put her in the ambulance, and that was the last time I saw my wife,” Gary said. For the ten days she was hospitalized, Cherie was put on a ventilator and sedated to help her breathe. She started on the ventilator at around 70 percent oxygen, with staff lowering it 10 percent each day to help her breathe on her own. The only interaction her family had was through hospital nurses. A family member had to call the nurses’ station, and if a
nurse wasn’t busy, he or she would facilitate a call between Cherie and her family. On April 26, things began to look better. Cherie was responding well. By day eight, April 26, she was awake, alert, and only lightly sedated. She was watching TV and interacting with nurses who told her that Gary and her family had been calling.
Turn for the worst On April 28, Gary’s daughter, Jessica, phoned the nurses’ station and arranged a FaceTime call for 2 p.m. Gary left work early to talk to Cherie, but 2 p.m. came and went without a call. When he called the hospital, he was told the nurses were busy and scheduled a time to call in the evening. Gary called the hospital again. It took him four calls to get through to a nurse. He was told that all the nurses were in Cherie’s room and that someone would call him soon. At 9:30 p.m., a doctor called Gary and told him that they’d lost Cherie twice while she was on the table and to keep the phone close.
Gary explained to his older children what was going on. Before he could finish, he got another call. It was 10 p.m. Cherie had passed away.
Living On Four days later, on May 2, Adrienne passed away. Gary and his son David tested positive and had quarantined. The pandemic did not allow for a traditional wake and funeral. An outdoor service was held at the family’s church, St. Vincent de Paul. The hearse pulled up in the parking lot and released the closed coffin. Loved ones placed flowers on the coffin and said their final goodbyes. Only two family members were allowed at the May 4 burial. Gary went with his youngest daughter, Gianna. Gary considers himself “very blessed.” He said, “Cherie told it like it is and didn’t take crap from anyone, but she’d give you the shirt off her back.”—BLP
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By Pat Bonner
T
hroughout history, trees thrived in this area without any human help. In Colonial times, both the British and Continentals used Bayonne as a source of timber for fuel and building materials. Over time, wooded areas gave way to houses, but it wasn’t until the widespread use of automobiles that city trees were threatened. Cars must be parked, and multiple cars in a household creates a need for multiple parking spots. Over the years, a vast number of Bayonne’s street trees were replaced by carports, driveways, and concrete. The city recognized that we were losing trees, and about 20 years ago, launched a program to try to protect the city’s trees. It’s rare that a city ordinance is readable, but this one does a good job of making the case for urban trees. It reads in part: “ … The indiscriminate, uncontrolled removal and cutting of trees causes increased drainage control costs, increased soil erosion and sedimentation, decreased soil fertility, degradation of water resources, decreased ground water recharge, increased buildup of atmospheric carbon, and increased dust, which impacts the character of the City and decreases property values, all of which can adversely affect the health, safety, and general welfare of the inhabitants of the City.” It doesn’t mention that the shade of a big tree will lower your electric bill in summer and perhaps shield you from looking at the electric cables and wires over years amassed by cable and telephone companies.
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Branching
Out
Tough times for city trees
Did You Chop Down that Cherry Tree? The ordinance makes it unlawful to remove or destroy a tree in front of your house unless you obtain a permit. To obtain one, you must show that the tree is dead, diseased, or in an area to be occupied by a driveway, building, or other improvement. The permit holder must replace the tree or pay the city $250, which goes into a fund that will be used to plant trees elsewhere in the city. Tom Cotter, head of the Public Works Department and the city’s chief tree protector, has a team of four in the For-
estry Department who will know when a tree has been removed unlawfully. This program has worked; over the past 20 years, the number of curbside trees has increased. If residents want a new tree or to replace one, they can pay $250, and the city will dig up the old tree, ground the roots, and plant a new one.
Family Tree Residents can choose from six to eight types to choose from, including thundercloud plum, dogwood, sycamore, kwan-
City Slickers Air quality has been an issue for trees since the start of the industrial revolution. The English tried to solve this problem by developing a hybrid of the sycamore that tolerated soot and grime. This popular tree became known as the London Plane. A mainstay of U.S. urban
zan cherry and two types of maple. Brendan and Judy Burke of Newman Avenue are happy that they chose two autumn blaze maples to replace the two trees they lost. The zoning board will require a developer to maintain or replace existing trees, and sometimes plant new trees before approving a new building. New businesses on Broadway also may be required to plant new trees, in addition to providing parking spaces before obtaining a permit. Broadway trees, unlike those on side streets, face a battle for survival. They need space for roots to grow. Cotter says an ideal plot for a curbside tree would be three by six feet or more. Smaller plots could hem in the roots which are blocked by the compressed soil beneath the concrete or street. Larger plots allow more space for the rain to seep in after storms. It’s better to have it go into the grass rather than down the pavement into the basement. The roots will seek out water, and if the plot is small, it could lead to a cracked sidewalk or clogged sewer lines.
Salt of the Earth Another obstacle is rock salt or calcium chloride. Homeowner may not put it directly onto the sapling but may put it on snow or ice on the sidewalk and then shovel it into piles resting against the tree. Road salt on streets is likely to be spread as the snow and ice melts. This salt weakens the tree
and can contaminate the small plot where the tree lives. Though dogs love trees, the feeling might not be mutual. Unless dog owners pick up after their dogs, there will be overfertilization, leading to a nutrient imbalance. Frequent canine urination erodes the bark on a developing tree, allowing parasites to invade the tree. Tree experts ask dog walkers to vary their routes and not pass the same trees each day. Better yet, take your dog to a park. Your dog will like it better, and so will your neighbor’s tree.
planning in the early twentieth century, the tree is very common in Bayonne. You can recognize it by its peeling bark in late summer. It’s subject to disease, and like all urban trees is challenged by global warming and erratic rainfall. Eventually, we will have wi-fi for everything, and all our power lines will be buried or hidden. Until then, be prepared to look at a jungle of black wires. Unless, of course, you plant a tree to block them from view.—BLP
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From Hitter
to Hoops
Ben Gamble’s biggest home run took him to BHS’s basketball court
1970s, had guided St. Anthony to a handful of NJSIAA state championships. “I didn’t even know who he was,” Gamble said. But Hurley knew who Gamble was.
Greenville Guys Story and photos by Jim Hague
T
hough he’s enjoyed a successful career in basketball, Ben Gamble seemed destined for baseball. Gamble, recently named head boys’ basketball coach at Bayonne High School, was well on his way to becoming a baseball star. He was a standout in Jersey City’s Greenville National Little League. From age eight through 12, Gamble was one of the best players in a talent-packed roster. “I was confident in baseball,” Gamble said. “I thought it was my future.” Gamble played for the Greenville All-Star team that won the District 7 championship and went to the state championships. In one season, Gamble hit an astounding 12 home runs, including four in one game, three of which were grand slams.
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“People kept telling me that I had potential to be a professional baseball player,” Gamble said. In sixth grade at P.S. 38, all that changed.
Good Question “I met a guy named Pat McCarthy, and in gym class, he asked me if I played basketball,” Gamble said. He then started playing Catholic Youth Organization basketball for Our Lady of Mercy. He first attended high school at St. Mary’s of Jersey City, where the head baseball coach was the immortal Ed “The Faa” Ford, who would later become a professional baseball scout. “St. Mary’s had a great baseball program,” Gamble said “I figured I could go there and play baseball and basketball.” Meanwhile, Gamble learned who’d officiated his CYO basketball games: Legendary coach Bob Hurley who, by the late
Hurley lived in the Greenville section and had his finger on the basketball pulse of the neighborhood. Hurley stopped by the Gamble household when Ben was in eighth grade and told him about all the neighborhood kids who were going to play basketball at St. Anthony. “I knew Jarrett [King], Phil [Robinson], and Felix Rivera were all going to St. Anthony,” Gamble said. “I thought maybe I had a chance to go to college for free.” “I could see that Ben’s passion was for basketball,” Hurley said. Gamble played baseball and basketball at St. Anthony, playing on two of Hurley’s NJSIAA Parochial C state championship teams. “I was still being recruited for baseball,” Gamble said. “Coach [Mike] Sheppard wanted me at Seton Hall. St. Peter’s wanted me. But I decided to go to Walsh College in Canton, Ohio.”
Canton, birthplace of football and home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was about as removed from the streets of Jersey City as you could get. At Walsh, Gamble encountered Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins. But during the first week of practice, Gamble dislocated his elbow joint.
Homeward Bound “I was 17 and far away from home,” Gamble said. “My grades were failing. I had to come home.” He spent one year at Union County College and tried to play baseball there. But he ended up at Pace University in New York City and played basketball there. “I knew I wanted get into law enforcement, so I thought Pace was the best place for me,” Gamble said. Gamble launched a 27-year, awardwinning career at Newark’s Northern State Prison as a senior state corrections officer. What made him a sterling corrections officer also made him a natural coach. “Even playing in the schoolyards, I always organized the teams,” Gamble said. “I didn’t even realize it, but I was working on my coaching skills.” “Coaching has changed a lot since then,” Hurley said. “It really wasn’t a way to make a living. Ben had a family, and it didn’t seem plausible.” But it seemed plausible to Gamble.
Coaching Was in the Cards “I would go to a lot of coaching clinics and meet a lot of college coaches,” Gamble said. He became an assistant coach at Kean University to Bruce Hamburger. But at age 32, Gamble felt he was ready to become head coach, so he was hired as head coach at Hudson Catholic High School. “But when I think about it, I wasn’t ready,” said Gamble, who spent three years at Hudson Catholic. “I knew that I had to deal with the parents better, and I had to be more patient with the kids.” Gamble left Hudson Catholic in 2000 and went back where he felt most comfortable: St. Anthony, becoming an assistant coach to his mentor. Sister Mary Alan was St. Anthony’s longtime athletic director.
“When I got back there, she used to tell me that Coach Hurley was going to groom me to replace him,” Gamble said. It looked that way when Hurley made room for Gamble next to him on the bench. “He said, ‘I want Ben near me, so everyone else has to move down,’” Gamble said. “He took over scouting the opposition,” Hurley said. “His attention to detail was unbelievable.” The relationship strengthened. “It got to the point where he could literally finish my sentences,” Hurley said. “I had other coaches who might make suggestions, but he was the one I was going to listen to.” Gamble said, “Coach Hurley gave me most of the game preparation. He gave me the confidence to do public speaking.”
Passing the Torch? In 2006, Hurley announced that he would step down and turn the reins over to Gamble. “I understood the magnitude of it,” Gamble said. It was like Jay Leno taking over for Johnny Carson. And then, Hurley pulled the plug. “I realized I was going to miss it,” he said and remained head coach. “I was disappointed,” Gamble said. “I think it was because he didn’t tell me; Sister Alan did. I really thought I was ready to be a head coach. I just knew it was never going to happen at St. Anthony.” Gamble stayed with the Friars and was part of a great run that included an 83game win streak, winning the national championship in 2008 and 2011. The team featured Kyle Anderson of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies. In 2014, a head coaching job opened at Cardinal McCarrick High in South Amboy.
Wins and Woes McCarrick had a 6-17 record. Gamble posted a 21-5 record in his first season. “I asked if the school was in financial distress, and the school president told me three times that the school was fine,” Gamble said. “But the school closed.” From there, Gamble went to Mater Dei in Middletown. The Seraphs won 10 games in 2014. With Gamble’s wizardry the team posted a 26-2 record with a 23-game win streak his first season, finishing No. 10 in the state. In 2016, the team won the Shore
SPORTS BLP Conference Tournament for the first time in the school’s history, posting a 25-4 record. In 2017, the school won its second consecutive Shore Conference Tournament championship, posting a 24-6 record. But Mater Dei was also in financial straits. “We had three different principals and three different ADs,” Gamble said. “They announced that the school was closing, then they kept it open.”
Home Turf At the same time, Gamble heard from Marist High School in Bayonne. “I really always wanted to coach at Marist,” Gamble said. “I was finally getting a chance to coach again in Hudson County.” In his first year, Gamble turned around a team that was 10-16, posting a 20-7 record and a landing berth in the Hudson County Tournament championship game. In 2019-2020, the Royal Knights were 22-4 and returned to the county tourney title game. At the end of the school year, Marist closed forever. Gamble was 56.
Down the Road Enter Bayonne High School athletic director Mike Pierson. “I always knew him as a classy individual,” Person said. He’s the kind of coach that can return us to some of the success we’ve had in the past.” “I loved coming to Bayonne and playing pickup basketball all over the city,” Gamble said. “It’s a good basketball town. This will be the biggest challenge I’ve had.” Gamble’s decision 40 years ago to choose basketball over baseball is going to benefit Bayonne mightily over the next few years. “Ben is going to work hard to keep as many kids in town and get kids to love to play the game,” Hurley said. Come December, if there’s a basketball season, there will be a Hall of Fame celebrity in the stands. “I’ll be there,” Hurley said. “I’ll be there with a Bayonne shirt on. No doubt.”—BLP
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Making the
LEAP
Bayonne couple chases their dream
I quit Supply and Demand
Alex and Sibrena By Daniel Israel Photos courtesy of Sibrena and Alex Geraldino and “I QUIT”
S
ibrena and Alex Geraldino own the FC Teamsters, a semi-professional minor league soccer team based in Bayonne. For the past three years, the FC Teamsters have been playing in Don Ahern Veteran’s Stadium. Now, the Geraldinos and the Teamsters have made it to primetime, starring in the Discovery Channel television show “I QUIT.” The show follows entrepreneurs who have quit their jobs to pursue their dreams.
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Kill the Miami Condo The show was a perfect fit for the Geraldinos. Sibrena retired from the hip hop entertainment industry after 26 years to work beside her husband cofounding the Teamsters. She had dreams of retirement in a condo in Miami, but, oops, Alex used the money to buy the Teamsters franchise. While Sibrena was onboard for the change in plans, she still faces her own challenges jumping into something entirely new. She said the soccer club started out as a hobby, but then she fell in love with it. She said it’s something you have to be passionate about, having spent $10,000 out of pocket for two years while they created the Teamsters.
Alex said they were inspired to found the club, in part, after traveling to Brazil where they encountered soccer players who asked Alex how they could play professionally in the U.S. Alex was an athlete himself. He played American football for Germany’s NFL Stuttgart Scorpions and Austria’s NFL Graz Giants. Returning to the U.S., he worked for the government as a Federal Procurement Official. Sensing an untapped supply of soccer players during their frequent travels, Alex became a registered U.S. Soccer Intermediary and a sports agent. “An abundance of talent in New Jersey” prompted him to focus on players here who’d never had the chance to showcase their abilities. Still, the Teamsters are a “small community club with a global mindset,” recruiting from around the world, according to Sibrena.
Big Bucks? When Sibrena heard about “I QUIT,” Alex saw it as the perfect opportunity. Sibrena said she’d been looking for a television show that could help brand the Teamsters. Two years ago, they aced the audition, filming began 18 months ago, and wrapped up in June. The show follows the Geraldinos and other entrepreneurs, who are mentored on their new business quests by successful business leaders, including the COO of Shopify Harley Finkelstein; CEO of Goldieblox Debbie Sterling; and CEO of
WP Narrative Tricia Clarke-Stone. Entrepreneurs could win $100K. You’ll have to watch the show to find out if the Geraldinos walked away with $100K. Regardless, they describe their time on the show as invaluable.
Alex
Bayonne Benefits During the show, Sibrena said that the Teamsters grew to a “level no other soccer club has been able to do within three years.” She credited Mayor Davis, the Ahern family, the Don Ahern Foundation, and the people of Hudson County with helping them grow, calling them a part of their family. “Bayonne is coming back on the map,” Sibrena said, noting that the show gives the city and the Teamsters a global presence because it airs in Canada. Sibrena said the show has drawn a lot of players to Bayonne. With the influx of players comes a need for hotels and housing, a great opportunity for the city. Alex echoed that the city will grow as the Teamsters grow. He said they’ve expanded their reach to Southeast Asia, Europe, and South America. He said that being on “I QUIT” was “an opportunity to showcase what we have here in our community.”
Head Coach Javier Romero
Not for Everyone Running the business during filming did not come without financial challenges; the Geraldinos put their team first and themselves last. During the first few episodes, the couple had to take money intended as a mortgage payment to cover expenses for the team. “If we had to pay a $200 late fee on our mortgage versus taking out money from our investment accounts, that’s the way we did it, and it works for us,” Sibrena said. They no longer have to do that. “People identify with people who are real, so we decided to be totally transparent,” Sibrena said of their experience on “I QUIT.” Not everybody can be an entrepreneur. “Some people are leaders, and some people aren’t,” Sibrena said. “So when you don’t have a good plan, and you’re not passionate about what you do, you’ll probably need to stay at your 9 to 5.”—BLP FALL | WINTER 2020/21 ~ BLP• 33
The GEM on the BOULEVARD Stephen Gregg Park gets better with age
Story and photos by Pat Bonner may be biased, but I think Stephen Gregg (Hudson County) Park is the best thing in Bayonne. I grew up in the park in the 1950s and 1960s and it’s still as scenic as it was then. But it’s a lot more popular now, and there’s more to do. Recent additions have improved a venue that’s attracted Bayonne residents for the past 108 years. There’d been a small park at the site for years, but in 1903, the Hudson County Park Commission decided to create a much larger park. Over the next few years, it negotiated and bought the property of 95 separate owners to create the park that now stretches from 37th to 48th Street. At that time, the area had about 3,000 trees and a long sand beach stretching from below the ridge through the center of the park today. Over the ensuing years, the beach was filled in with soil that was removed when Avenue B was paved. It’s rumored that some of the earth removed during the construction of Rockefeller Center was put in this area. The Park’s designer was Charles Lowrie, who designed most other large parks in Hudson County. With Hudson County Park, it seems as if he had two parks in mind due to the topography. The upper part was traditional for the early 1900s. The lower part was for athletics and activity. The areas are separated by a ridge that holds two iconic tunnels that provide echoes for kids when they walk through.
I
Heroes Honored Originally, the park was called Hudson County Park, but in 1997 it was renamed
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Tennis Camp Counselors the Stephen Gregg Park. Lieutenant Gregg won the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in France during World War II. A plaque honoring Lt. Gregg on 42nd Street will be replaced in the near future with a statue of his likeness. The park features statues honoring those lost in World War I and the Spanish American War as well as a plaque honoring Doug O’Neill, missing in action during the Vietnam War. The most distinctive feature of the upper park is the network of walkways through hundreds of older trees, including many London planes or buttonwoods planted in the 1920s. Many lead to the huge, popular playground. The park has 21 fulltime workers to care for the playground and
greenery, with additional workers hired seasonally. The gazebo at the foot of 48th Street, part of the original design, was meant to host small concerts. While picturesque, it’s largely unused today except to hold a Christmas tree during the holidays. Many uptown residents have fond memories of sledding on Double Hill. The area is still used for sledding, and the large number of picnic tables makes it popular in summer.
A Real Winner Though the ten tennis courts are no longer clay, they’re still crowded even during a pandemic. A tennis camp for
7-13-year-olds is run by the county with six staff members and about 25 campers, down from the usually 40-50 children in non-COVID years. The best way to access the lower area is down the grand stairway on 40th Street. It’s part of the traditional park as are the two gazebos that flank it. The athletic area starts at the foot of the stairs with basketball courts named for Jeff Farley, a longtime PAL basketball coach. These courts are so popular that the county recently added an additional two courts, closer to Newark Bay. For me, this area has changed the most. In my day, there would be some kids playing pickup football or Park’s League baseball and maybe a few runners, including Chuck Wepner doing roadwork. Today, the area teems with walkers, joggers, retirees sitting on benches, and people of all ages playing soccer, baseball, softball, and basketball. The park hosts three soccer, four Little League and two men’s baseball leagues as well as a few basketball camps. The county recently spent $3.7 million to install new synthetic turf, LED lighting, and two additional soccer fields. A new workout area is nestled in a stand of London Plane trees with an outstanding view of the container ships at Port Newark.
Like Fine Wine … Though I miss skating on Killie Pond, I have to admit that the area is now prettier and smells a lot better than it once did. The pond and surrounding area have been refurbished with a new walking path among other improvements. The many turtles living in the pond seem to appreciate the upgrade. Whether a morning or evening stroll, you can’t beat the half-mile walkway along Newark Bay. You can observe the modern shipping industry across the bay and then see part of Bayonne’s maritime history: the Elco crane in Rutkowski Park. This crane was used in the building of hundreds of PT boats during World War II, including PT109, commanded by future President John F. Kennedy. Most things don’t get better with age, but I think Hudson County/Stephen Gregg Park has. While maintaining its traditional feel, added features are drawing more people to this gem on the bay.—BLP FALL | WINTER 2020/21 ~ BLP• 35
You Can
Judge a Book by its Cover How Little BOHO stays afloat Owner San
dra Dear
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By Tara Ryazansky Photos by Stephanie Petersen
L
ately, most people have had time on their hands. For Sandra Dear, owner of The Little BOHO Bookshop, that’s good for business. “I think people are reading more,” she says. “They’re using books as an escape. I read so much more now because I just have to turn off the television sometimes. We have seen that the book industry overall, while you can’t offset the sales from having your business closed, is doing well.” The shop celebrated its third anniversary in July. Dear knows that the first five years can make or break a fledgling business. “We usually have a party in the garden,” she says, which is impossible with social distancing. “Once this is over, we’re going to have one heck of a party for all the things we missed like Easter and Mother’s Day.” During closures, Dear kept the shop alive through social media. “I decided I was going to remain visual and make sure that I kept posting things,” she says. “If you go away online, you’ll go away.”
Game Changer While scrolling on Instagram, Dear got an idea for a new way to celebrate BOHO “I remember seeing the museums do it,” she says. During the quarantine, the Getty Museum in Los Angeles challenged fans to recreate their favorite works of art with household items. Dear asked her followers to recreate another type of art: book covers. “Everybody got into it!” Dear says. “Of course, there was a prize at stake.” Dear offered a gift basket to one kid and one adult who pulled off the best cover. “Picking a winner was tough.” Winner Stephanie Petersen, a professional photographer, picked A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. “It’s always been a favorite book of mine,” Petersen says. “I first read the book in high school after watching the Stanley Kubrick film. I was surprised at how different the book is from the film.” Petersen’s version of the cover stars her two adorable sons dressed as the main characters. She runs a photography studio out of her home. “I am very fortunate to live in one of Bayonne’s older homes, and I have space to accommodate the
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studio, the equipment, our props, and my office space all under one roof. “This unique situation has enabled me to create many specialized photoshoots over the years. I really like to work with my clients one on one, listen to their creative ideas, and bring their ideas to life.” Visit stephaniepetersen photography.com.
You Can’t Lose Dear awarded a prize to every child who entered. Petersen’s sons got prizes for modeling the winning photograph. Heather Ann’s recreation of Matilda by Roald Dahl was the big winner. If she were a kid, Dear would chose Naughty by Enid Blyton. “It’s the book that I remember reading alone for the first time,” she says. Picking an adult title is more difficult. “I love The Alchemist, but maybe I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. I think I would have found a creative way to do that one.” Titles about race have been flying off of the shelves. “That gave me so much hope just to see the sheer number of books related to the topic of diversity,” Dear says. “People are educating themselves and their kids on civil rights history and our modern civil rights movement.”
Parent Pedagogy Parents have been taking on the role of educators since virtual learning started last March. Some have turned to The Little BOHO Bookshop for resources. ”It’s been tough for parents having to play that dual role of parent and teacher,” Dear says. “Workbooks, puzzles, that’s what we were selling when they announced that schools were closing. We’re not built for isolation, and kids definitely don’t understand it.” The shop is committed to being a community space, while following COVID guidelines. “Book stores bring communities together,” Dear says. “I don’t know another place that gives me more joy than bookstores.” Before opening her store, Dear was vice president of sales at Penguin Random House. “This is far better than any boardroom I’ve ever been in,” she says. “We want to inspire kids to read. I do this because I love it.”—BLP
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The Bayonne Chamber of Commerce FOR OVER 100 YEARS, The Bayonne Chamber of Commerce has been the leader of Bayonne’s business community with a growing membership ranging from small home based businesses to large scale national corporations.
The chamber office, located in the heart of Bergen Point Village is open and available to our members for meetings and mobile office support. The Chamber is at work... • Promoting the businesses and organizations we serve. • Developing programs that help businesses prosper and grow. • Advocating for the interests of our membership to local, state and federal governments on issues of commerce. • Partnering with the City of Bayonne to strengthen the economic viability of our city. • Providing a referral source to prospective residents and businesses with data pertinent to the City of Bayonne.
Now, More than Ever...We are Stronger Together. Become a Chamber Member 166 Broadway • 201.436.4333 • info@bayonnechamber.org BayonneChamber.org
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Building a Strong Community
Today and for the
Future
