Five Jersey City Stories You May Have Missed This Week

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The news never stops in Jersey City, but Patch doesn't want you to miss a thing, so here's a list of five stories we don't want you to miss:

Jersey City Schools Stick To Return Plan, Mask Recommendation

The Jersey City Public School District is standing by its reopening plan, which recommends but does not mandate masks in school.

According to the district, "The current Safe Return Plan calls for students and staff to wear a mask as one of the mitigation practices to lessen the spread of the COVID-19 virus. At this time our practices will require everyone to a mask as recommended. We also continue to promote to our families and staff to get vaccinated to stay safe."

Jersey City Mourns Grant Avenue Shooting Victims

Prayer candles still sit at the makeshift memorial on Grant Avenue to honor Raquan Bass, the 26-year-old who was shot and killed Saturday.

Incense continue to burn between the sea of candles that covers part of the sidewalk, and a lighter sits nearby for neighbors to light a candle in Bass' memory as they pass. Letter balloons that usually float, inflated for celebrations, hang empty on the bodega wall where Bass was shot — the gold balloons spell his nickname, Rocky, and mark his last location in the neighborhood.

Jersey City Officials Demand MUA, Suez Water Fees Restructure

Mayor Steven Fulop and the Jersey City Municipal Council are demanding the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority and Suez halt all fees related to solid waste disposal until the fee structure is fully reevaluated and reconfigured to accurately reflect the original intention of the reformed fee structure.

In response to residents' concerns over bills much higher than expected, the Fulop Administration demanded Suez put the fees on hold until the entire formula is reevaluated.

Hudson County Community College Forgives $4.8M In Debt

Nearly 5,000 students at Hudson County Community College can breathe a sigh of relief after the college expunged outstanding debts.

Using funds from the Higher Education Relief Fund from the CARES Act, Hudson County Community College expunged $4,861,188 in outstanding financial balances for approximately 4,800 students. The forgiven debt covers all outstanding balances for the semesters hit hardest with the COVID-19 pandemic: Spring, Summer, and Fall 2020, as well as Spring 2021 semesters.

9 To Pursue 3 Open Seats On Jersey City Board Of Education

A crowded field of nine candidates will run for three open positions on the Jersey City Board of Education in the upcoming November election.

All three seats on the board hold a three-year term, and three of the board's incumbents are not running for re-election. Board President Mussab Ali will not seek re-election due to treatment for Stage IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Board Trustee Marilyn Roman recently announced her retirement from public service after 37 years. And Trustee Joan Terrell-Paige opted out of re-election as well.