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🌱 Patch AM: 2 Democratic Socialists Take Office In NJ's Second Largest City: What It Means

Also check out Five Things You Must Know About Estate Planning After 65 (Online) on the Jersey City Patch calendar

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Coffee in hand, Jersey City? We've got the latest town updates for you. Keep reading to stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Two Democratic Socialists aim to reshape affordability and housing in Jersey City
  • Why were two Jersey City residents arrested in nearby Guttenberg?
  • Which Jersey City retailers vanished in 2025’s wave of closures?

Also on today's calendar: Five Things You Must Know About Estate Planning After 65 (Online) and 1 more event.

Find out what's happening in Jersey Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: Playing golf is bad for your brain. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Jersey Cityfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Thursday: Windy; morning flurries, with a high of 34 and low of 21 degrees.
  • Friday: Breezy with clouds and sun, temps: high: 33, low: 27.
  • Saturday: Sunshine and some clouds, with a high of 34 and low of 26 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. 2 Democratic Socialists Take Office In NJ's Second Largest City: What It Means (patch.com) — Jersey City is ushering in two Democratic Socialist council members, Jake Ephros and Joel Brooks, who promise to tackle affordability, rent control, and safer, greener streets alongside incoming Mayor James Solomon. Representing the Heights and Ward B, they emphasize universal rent control, public goods like housing and transit, and stronger tenant protections as corporate landlords and hospital cutbacks reshape key neighborhoods.
   

2. Guttenberg Police Blotter: December 15, 2025 to December 21, 2025 (secaucusnj.net) — Two Jersey City residents were among several people arrested in nearby Guttenberg between December 18 and 21 on charges that included driving while intoxicated. The police blotter lists times, locations, and charges, while stressing that all individuals are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
   

3. These NJ Retail Stores And Restaurants Closed In 2025 (patch.com) — Major national chains like Party City, Rite Aid, and Forever 21 shut down New Jersey locations in 2025, including stores in Jersey City, reshaping local shopping options. The article recaps a wave of bankruptcies and downsizing across retailers and restaurants, from pharmacies and banks to big-box and fast-casual brands, that collectively cost more than a thousand New Jersey jobs.
   

4. Fitness Pros Share Their Number-1 Workout Recovery Tip (prevention.com) — A Jersey City personal trainer is one of two experts sharing their top workout recovery advice for women over 50, and both point to sauna time as a powerful tool. They explain how post-exercise heat can ease sore muscles, support circulation, and even help manage menopausal symptoms, with warm baths suggested as an accessible alternative.
   

5. Hudson Pride Center Secures First-Ever $850K State Budget Allocation to Expand LGBTQ+ Services (tapinto.net) — Hudson Pride Center in Jersey City has secured $850,000 in state funding, its first-ever direct budget allocation, to expand LGBTQ+ health, wellness, and support services. The money will bolster mental health care, HIV prevention, and inclusive programs for youth, seniors, and transgender and nonbinary residents across Hudson County at a time of heightened national challenges.
   

📸 Around Jersey City

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Jersey City

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📣 Jersey City Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

    Friday January 2
  • Children's Vision Board Party (2nd grade & up)
    Kearny Main Library , 318 Kearny Ave. , Kearny
    2:00 pm
    • Saturday January 3
  • Adult Coloring Workshop
    Kearny Main Library , 318 Kearny Ave. , Kearny
    10:30 am
  • Drop-in Saturday Craft
    Harrison, NJ Calendar Harrison, NJ 07029
    12:00 pm
  • New Jersey Bridal & Wedding Expo
    Meadowlands Exposition Center , 355 Plaza Dr , Secaucus
    12:30 pm
  • Special Tickets to Hollywood in New Jersey David Newman & Sebastian Knauer
    New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) , 1 Center St , Newark
    8:00 pm
    • Monday January 5
  • Explorer's Playgroup with Miss Bee (ages 0-4 with adult participation)
    Kearny Main Library , 318 Kearny Ave. , Kearny
    10:30 am
  • Hip Hop Dance Class with Kennedy Dancers (2nd grade & up)
    Kearny Main Library , 318 Kearny Ave. , Kearny
    4:30 pm
    • Wednesday January 7
  • BRANCH LIBRARY: Friends Book Club featuring Please Don't Lie by Christina Baker Kline
    Branch Library , 759 Kearny Avenue , Kearny
    6:30 pm
    • Thursday January 8
  • Cozy Classics Film Series: Neverending Story (PG / 102 min.)
    Kearny Main Library , 318 Kearny Ave. , Kearny
    4:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I wanted to update everyone on my missing stray cats...
    can't figure out how to find my original post. They have all turned up, now! I think someone may have gotten them inside (where I failed) because I… (Nextdoor McGinley Square)
  • I'm fostering these two sweet kittens, Nimbus (grey girl) and Jupiter (tabby boy).
    They are about 3 months old, weigh 2.2lb and were rescued in West New York during a snowstorm. Nimbus is the braver and bolder one, but Jupiter is… (Nextdoor Paulus Hook)
  • Hudson County Community College posted a job opening for Adjunct Faculty, Academic Foundations English (AFE), Basic Reading/Writing in Jersey City. Apply here.
  • Inizio Partners posted a job opening for Engagement Lead - CX (Sr. AVP) in Jersey City. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Jersey City here.

Ok Jersey City! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I just heard a golfer say he had four strokes on the first hole!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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