Murphy Increases Outdoor Capacity
Jacqueline Sturdivant joins Bruce Maida on Red Bank Dems ticket; Jones steps aside from nomination
Citing unforeseen circumstances, Dr. LeRoi Jones withdrew from the Red Bank Council Primary Election race on Friday. In a letter addressed to Party Chair, Ed Zipprich, Dr. Jones expressed regret for his decision to leave the race and threw his support behind Jacqueline M. Sturdivant, who will join Bruce Maida in challenging the incumbents.
Sturdivant is a 20-year Red Bank resident who won a supermajority of the Red Bank Democratic Municipal Committee securing 15 of the 18 committee members’ support.
She is an accomplished business leader who brings to the ticket a wide range of experiences as a Global Corporate Strategy and Leadership Development Executive. Her strengths in team development and process optimization, strategic planning and implementation along with her management skills will be a compliment to Bruce Maida, a retired Project Manager and Principal Engineer for National Grid, one of the largest energy companies in the Northeast.
Ms. Sturdivant holds an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and History from Boston College, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. She serves as the Vice President of the Board for the Courtyard of Red Bank Association and is a supporter of the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center, Red Bank. Jacqueline serves as a judge for the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education Business Plan Competition. She is also a BMW and Formula 1 racing enthusiast and holds a certification in scuba.
Together, Maida and Sturdivant pledge to curb rampant overdevelopment, raise the morale of Red Bank municipal employees, ensure fair housing standards, implement green acres initiatives and encourage open, honest communication between our businesses and residents.
“My goals are to protect Red Banks’ quality of life, open spaces, existing assets and our “hippest town in NJ” reputation,” Sturdivant said.
“I could not be more thrilled to have such an outstanding running mate,” Maida said. “Jacqueline and I are fellow engineers who will work with the Mayor and other members of Council to effectively utilize governmental resources, ensure transparency in government, respect all Borough employees and volunteers, and maintain rock-solid support for our public schools, our Public Library, our existing Senior Center, riverfront parks and ALL our neighborhoods.”
The candidates will run in the June 8th Primary Election as Monmouth County Democrats.
Lankey Besieged by Protesters on His Way into the Mirage
In a fast-intensifying mayoral contest in Edison, protesters took to the parking lot outside the Mirage Banquet Hall this evening to object to incumbent Mayor Tom Lankey’s appointment of Nilesh Dasondi as his special assistant.
Dasondi hosted the reelection fundraiser for Lankey, who found himself swarmed by signs condemning his choice, who last year in Facebook posts referred to COVID-19 as “the China virus.”
Chants of “Shame on Lankey” rained.
Community activist Peter Kothari led the protest against Lankey – who is seeking reelection as an independent – and Dasondi.
Here’s Lankey heading into his fundraiser and the scene that greeted him:
Juliano Masks Up for Hogan
DCBC Chairman Paul Juliano this morning hosted a Diner Breakfast Fundraiser for County Clerk John Hogan to kick off the 2021 Election campaign.
Democratic Party Women Leaders Pen Letter in Support of BCDC Chair Juliano
Dear Chairman Juliano,
“We are writing as prominent Democratic women in Bergen County. Women make up half of the county
committee and we have worked tirelessly to ensure women in New Jersey, and in Bergen County, feel safe, heard, respected, and welcome. Any assertion that the Democratic Committee of Bergen County has been anything other than a party that empowers women is a gross misrepresentation.
“It wasn’t easy, it wasn’t handed to us, it took decades of relentless determination, but we made Bergen County the state leader in gender equality, women in government, and female representation in the Democratic Party.
“Women in Bergen County run and get elected to offices at every level. We are immensely proud of the fact that Bergen County’s Board of Commissioners is one of only three boards in the state where women make up the majority. We hold positions of power from town councils and municipal party chairs, to the halls of the statehouse.
“With party support, we’ve successfully pressed for pivotal appointments by the Governor to important
governmental bodies like the Port Authority, the Gateway Commission, and the Palisades Interstate
Parkway Commission.
“In fact, you put forward the only democratic woman named to the New Jersey Legislative Reapportionment Commission and together, we’ve ensured women have a place on the Board of Bergen Community College.
“Chairman, we greatly appreciate your leadership, deference to our concerns, the respect you have given
the democratic process, and your adherence to the bylaws of our party. We are not puppets pulled by our
leaders’ strings or bullied into submission. We are deeply offended that attacks of this nature would be leveled against the Democratic Committee of Bergen County simply for political gain.
“Thank you for your efforts and please reach out to any of us, at any time, if we can be of assistance.”
Sincerely,
Vice Chair of Democratic Committee of Bergen County Balpreet Grewal-Virk
Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg
Senator Nellie Pou, Chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus
Assemblywoman Angelica M. Jimenez
Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter
Assemblywoman Lisa Swain
Vice Chairwoman of Bergen County Board of Commissioners Tracy S. Zur
Chair Pro Tempore of Bergen County Board of Commissioners Dr. Joan M. Voss
Bergen County Commissioner Mary J. Amoroso
Bergen County Commissioner Germaine M. Ortiz
GOP Mayoral Candidate Hahn Fields His Team in Edison
Bhagia Rakes in over $100K in One Night of Fundraising
Edison Mayoral candidate Mahesh Bhagia held his first fundraiser tonight, and raised over $100k in one night.
Bhagia and the Edison Democratic team also garnered the endorsement tonight of Senator Patrick Deignan, Assemblyman Robert Karabinack and Edison Councilman Joe Coyle.
12th District Update
Matawan Mayor Joe Altomonte is running for State Senate. Raya Aribiol and Michael Palazzolla are running for Assembly.
Hurley: Risley Leaving Assembly Race
Atlantic County Commissioner John Risley is leaving the race for an Assembly seat in LD2, according to Harry Hurley.
Statement from John Risley 315
