NEWARK, N.J. – January is National Blood Donor Month, and to mark the occasion, Verizon New Jersey -- along with the New Jersey Blood Services, a division of New York Blood Center, and Berkeley College – Newark -- will host a blood drive on Tuesday (Jan. 24) in Vail Hall at the company's headquarters at 540 Broad St.

The blood drive will be held from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and is open to the public. Nearly everyone age 17 (age 16 with parents' written permission) to 75, who weighs a minimum of 110 pounds and is in good health is eligible to donate. People age 76 and older can donate if they meet all donor-eligibility requirements and have written permission from a doctor.

I attended the 20th anniversary of the Annual Trumpet Awards, to salute African- American Achievement. It’s held every year in “Hotlanta” (Atlanta) the first week of January and when I tell you that this event doesn’t disappoint! So when I decided to go, I called my stylist Glam Diva of Low Key Fashion Finds and told her to hook a sista up with some trendy pieces, ‘cause I had to represent in the ATL.

Now for those of you who are not familiar with The Trumpet Awards, it was created by Turner Broadcasting in 1993 to herald the accomplishments of Black Americans who have succeeded against immense odds. Special recognition is given to the few, who symbolize the many, who have overcome the ills of racism and poverty and achieved special greatness. In 2005, The Trumpet Awards Foundation was formed by former Turner Broadcasting executive, Xernona Clayton, to continue the tradition of demonstrating total community involvement, global respect for all humanity and its commitment to diversity by heralding the accomplishments of men and women who have significantly contributed in enhancing the quality of life for all…individuals and/or groups who augment the richness of this great global society by partnering the cause of justice and equality of all.

Mayor Cory A. Booker, West Ward Council Member Ronald C. Rice, and Engineering Director Mehdi Mohammadish announced that the City is moving forward on a traffic calming project for the West Ward that will see speed humps, rumble strips, and other measures installed on 43 streets. The program is the result of a two-year-long study of traffic patterns in the West Ward and meetings with the community to assess their traffic concerns and needs.
 
“Public safety is my administration’s highest priority, and that is about more than eradicating crime from our neighborhoods,” Mayor Booker said. “It is also about creating a safer environment and a higher quality of life for all of our residents. It is about solving problems and addressing needs. It is about making our streets safe for motorists and pedestrians alike.”
 
“The West Ward Traffic Calming Initiative represents the greatest speed calming effort for one ward in the history of the city of Newark. I am grateful to President Obama's stimulus funding of the project, Mayor Booker, Mehdi Mohammadish, and Jack Nata for supporting my plans for the ward and the residents and block groups in the West Ward Block Federation for making this a reality. This is an example of local government enhancing safety for our residents and keeping promises,” said Council Member Rice.

A coalition of "Local Talk" area lawmakers on the municipal, Essex County and State Legislature levels are calling on their colleagues to slow the pace of a plan to merge parts of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey with Rutgers University here at City Hall Nov. 18.

Mayor Cory A. Booker, flanked by five Municipal Council members and 11 legislative and executives from the county and four state legislative districts, declared that they want a comprehensive fiscal analysis and community impact plan on the proposal to spin off three of UMDNJ's arms to Rutgers. That proposal, the third such since 2003, comes from a report from a merger panel which Gov. Christopher Christie had convened earlier this year.

“New Jersey has invested tremendous resources and energy in making Newark a critical, internationally competitive state hub for higher education, and particularly graduate education,” said Mayor Booker. “With six colleges and universities - NJIT, UMDNJ, Rutgers-Newark, Berkeley College, Essex County College, and Seton Hall Law School - attended by over 40,000 students, Newark is clearly one of America’s top education cities. Any plans for reorganizing UMDNJ and its assets must contribute to the continued vibrancy, strength, and growth of higher education in the greater Newark region.”