Paterson Village

28/12/2025

Paterson Marks First Night of Kwanzaa With Celebration of Unity, Service and Community Strength

By Gabriella Dragone

PATERSON, NJ - The city marked the first night of Kwanzaa on Friday with a ceremony focused on unity and a tribute to the officials who helped guide residents through recent emergencies — including last summer’s water main crisis.

The celebration highlighted the principle of Umoja, the first of Kwanzaa’s seven core values, and honored Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Troy Ayers for his leadership during crises.

Kwanzaa, a cultural celebration created in 1966, is observed from Dec. 26 through Jan. 1. Each night centers on a different principle rooted in African heritage: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Families and communities traditionally gather to light candles, reflect on history and community strength, and focus on rebuilding connections.

Sayegh pointed to the August water main break as one example of Ayers’ coordination.

“In August, we had a serious situation with a water main break. I’m sure you remember, some of you were without water,” Sayegh said. “You need to trust the people that you have placed in positions where they’re exercising leadership. … This young man, I give credit, he mobilized quickly, as a testament to his leadership skills.”

The mayor said Ayers helped organize water distribution sites, ensured deliveries to seniors and anticipated needs as conditions changed.

“If you have somebody like this on your team, an MVP, it makes it a little bit easier for the CEO,” Sayegh said. “And when I say he’s an MVP, he’s the most valuable Patersonian.”

Ayers emphasized teamwork.

“It’s easy to do what I do when you have a team,” he said. “Four hundred firefighters, from the chief to the newest guy. … It’s the simplicity of, my mother needs water. My friend’s mothers need water.”

He added that he makes decisions by imagining himself in residents’ situation.

“If I was sitting here, what I want to come say to me?” Ayers said. “I work off of that, and that’s as simple as that.”

Council President Dr. Lilisa Mimms connected the ceremony to the principle of unity.

“Today for Kwanzaa is Umoja, and it talks about unity, maintaining and striving for us to collaborate and work together,” she said. “This is a perfect day to recognize and honor my brother.”

Ceremony leader Sylvia Farrar reflected on history and gratitude.

“We’re working together, and we’re getting to give thanks to our ancestral family,” she said. “We built this country together, and one day there will be peace in the land.”

As the event concluded, Sayegh reminded attendees of the broader meaning of the holiday.

“Just keep in mind the seven principles,” he said. “And the individuals that we highlighted today … personify the principles of Kwanzaa.”

The event ended with the lighting of the Umoja candle.

PATERSON, NJ - The city marked the first night of Kwanzaa on Friday with a ceremony focused on unity and a tribute to the officials who helped guide residents through recent emergencies — including...

25/12/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmsZWTZnbII

Santa, who looked a lot like the mayor of Paterson, also came to visit.https://abc7ny.com/post/holiday-party-toy-giveaway-held-kids-families-paterson-nj/1831...

25/12/2025

Paterson to Use $1.8M in UEZ Funds to Expand Police Presence in Commercial Corridors
Members of the Paterson Police Department took five guns off city streets in less than 24 hours, Director Jerry Speziale reported.
Photo Credit: Steve Lenox

By Gabriella Dragone

PATERSON, NJ -The city will deploy $1.8 million in Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) funds to place off-duty police officers in its commercial corridors, aiming to boost public safety and improve quality of life. The program, funded for the 2025–2026 fiscal year, is designed to provide a visible police presence along Paterson’s business districts, addressing loitering, vandalism, theft, and other quality-of-life issues.

Officers will patrol on foot and interact with residents, business owners, and customers to improve both perception and reality of safety in the city’s commercial areas. Sixteen off-duty officers will be deployed to eight designated posts, supervised by two officers, and will work Thursday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. The program also covers maintenance of cameras and other equipment purchased under prior UEZ funding.

“The funding allocation includes $1,648,640 for personnel costs, covering hourly wages for officers and supervisors, and $169,836.96 for equipment maintenance,” the resolution states. Officers are required to complete detailed log sheets documenting interactions, traffic enforcement, and other quality-of-life activities during their shifts.

Patrol locations include Union Avenue, 21st Avenue, 10th Avenue, Main Street, Park Avenue/Market Street, Belmont Avenue, Totowa Avenue, and Bunker Hill, with adjustments possible based on crime patterns. During the holiday season in December, patrols will run daily to address heightened activity and potential safety concerns.

Council members expressed differing perspectives during the vote. First Ward Councilman Mike Jackson criticized the program as ineffective and questioned the administration’s use of funds.

“Last year, $1.6 million was invested, and we wrote 1,100 parking tickets at $90 each, that’s $103,500,” Jackson said. “We spent $1.6 million to make back $100,000. The proof is not in what you talk about. The proof is in your vote, and my vote is no.”

Other council members supported the measure, emphasizing its potential to improve safety in commercial corridors and support local businesses.

“This is extra help for our police department,” Second Ward Councilman Shahin Khalique said. “We already know that we don’t have enough police officers. This money from UEZ grants will allow officers to patrol our commercial corridors and make them safer for the community.”

Supporters highlighted the dual benefit of increasing public safety while enhancing the city’s appeal to businesses and visitors.

“The presence of police is needed,” Fifth Ward Councilman Luis Velez said. “Back in 2020, we had around 490 officers. Now, with more than 160,000 residents, we have only 402 officers. We need more cops and more funding. This program is part of that effort.”

According to officials, the initiative reflects a broader push to strengthen community engagement, increase foot traffic, and foster a safer, more inviting environment for both residents and businesses in Paterson’s UEZ districts.

Paterson to tap into $1M in UEZ funds for off-duty police patrols in commercial corridors to curb loitering, vandalism & boost business safety. Learn more.

25/12/2025

New website is highlight of K of C Paterson Federation’s fall meeting
by Pete Smith


The Knights of Columbus Paterson Federation in New Jersey hosted its fall business meeting on Nov. 21. In attendance were council grand knights, district deputies, federation staff, and the state deputy. The new federation website, designed to promote virtual collaboration and communication for all knights activities across the diocese, was promoted at the meeting which was hosted by Council 943 in Butler, N.J.

The federation’s quarterly meetings determine and align strategic direction, promote common programs, share information, and generate cohesion across the Knights of Columbus organizations supporting the Paterson Diocese.

For more information, visit https://patfednjkofc.org/

https://beaconnj.org/new-website-is-highlight-of-k-of-c-paterson-federations-fall-meeting/

The Knights of Columbus Paterson Federation in New Jersey hosted its fall business meeting on Nov. 21. In attendance were council grand knights, district deputies, federation staff, and the state deputy. The new federation website, designed to promote virtual collaboration and communication for all....

25/12/2025

25/12/2025

25/12/2025

Deafening silence as Paterson high school marching bands fade away

Joe Malinconico Paterson Press

PATERSON — The photo on social media showing the John F. Kennedy High School marching band perform during halftime of last week’s Thanksgiving football game spoke volumes about the changes that have occurred in Paterson.

In the foreground were five dance team members. Behind them were three drummers, a percussionist, and two girls in the color guard.

Meanwhile, Eastside High School — once famous for its Marching 100 — had no band at the game.

“It’s really sad,” said Paterson school board member Valerie Freeman. “It just shows how much we really care about our students. We should be ashamed of ourselves.”

Freeman, as well as others, praised the handful of Kennedy students who represented their school’s band last week. “I applaud them for the strength they showed going out there,” the board member said.

Story continues below photo gallery

Twenty years ago, both schools were represented by vigorous marching bands at their Thanksgiving rivalry game. But community leaders and school board members say budget cuts in the district’s school-based music programs — including mass layoffs in 2010 — gradually decimated the bands by eliminating their feeder programs.

Effort to revive tradition in 2019 with all-city band
In 2019, then-superintendent Eileen Shafer tried the revive the glory of Paterson’s high school marching musicians by creating a new all-city band. Dozens of Paterson students playing wind instruments and drums paraded on the field that year for the Eastside-Kennedy contest.

District officials hoped the all-city band marked the beginning of a rebirth. But they didn’t know COVID was looming.

“I wish we could get a million dollars for our music programs,” said state Sen. Benjie Wimberly, a former high school football coach and the city’s recreation coordinator. “It would be a big boost for our whole culture.”

The All City Band performs for the first time at the Thanksgiving Classic football game between Eastside and Kennedy on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2019, in Paterson.
Former Paterson school board President Theodore “TJ” Best talked about the need to get children to start playing musical instruments at an early age.

“The investment starts in elementary school and works its way all the way through high school,” Best said. “It’s like they ingrained in them at an early age and make the early investments and the payoff happens when you see that band take the field at a Friday night high school football game.”

No music program — or marching band — at Eastside for a decade
Eastside High has not had a music program or a marching band for more than a decade, said district spokesperson, Aida Rosario.

“It’s a sign of the times,” said Kenneth Simmons, Paterson’s longest-serving school board member, noting that attendance has fallen dramatically at the Thanksgiving game.

People who attended this year’s contest said a few hundred people were in the stands at Hinchliffe Stadium. Decades ago, they said, there were thousands.

High school football game: Eastside vs. Kennedy at Bauerle Field in the 90th annual Thanksgiving game between Paterson's public high schools in 2014. Taraji Wilson, 3, marches along with the JFK Marching Band.

“The two reasons I used to go to the game when I was in high school was for the hot chocolate and to hear the band,” said Charles Ferrer, vice president of the Paterson teachers’ union.

Simmons said in the past parents used to lease instruments for their children to be in the band. Now, he said, there aren’t even stores open in the local area where parents could buy a saxophone or drums.

Simmons noted that the Paterson Music Project, mostly a string orchestral program, has continued to grow since it started more than a decade ago.

Councilman Michael Jackson, a former quarterback at Kennedy, blamed the city’s vanishing marching bands on a “lackluster” commitment from district officials. Jackson said nearby Passaic High School has “a robust band.”

“It's more than just being in the band,” Jackson said. “It’s about representing your school and having pride in your community.”

Budget cuts in the district’s school-based music programs — including mass layoffs in 2010 — gradually decimated the Eastside and JFK bands

25/12/2025

Paterson Unveils Vista State Park, Transforming Former Dumping Ground into 6.4-Acre Urban Green Space

By Gabriella Dragone

PATERSON, NJ - A former dumping ground and long-troubled hillside property has been transformed into New Jersey’s newest state park, with city and state officials gathering Wednesday for the opening of Paterson Vista State Park, a 6.4-acre urban green space overlooking the Great Falls and the New York City skyline.

The park, situated at the highest point in Paterson outside of Garret Mountain, features a new playground, fitness equipment, walking paths, picnic and barbecue areas, an amphitheater, and a public restroom, a feature city officials joked is one of the most requested amenities in any local park. The project marks the largest addition of dedicated public parkland in Paterson since the 1890s.

Mayor Andre Sayegh said the newly opened state park represents a dramatic turnaround for a site that had long been plagued by illegal dumping, crime, and disrepair.

“This was a dumping ground. This was an eyesore, this was a drug den," he said. “Crimes were committed at this site, and now, as you can see with your own eyes, families will have an opportunity to enjoy the Fitness Zone, the playground, the picnic space, the amphitheater and the best part of I believe the park experience is the opportunity to not only see the Paterson city skyline, but the New York City skyline as well. So, it’s transformation time in Paterson, we took a dumping ground, a drug den, an eyesore, and we turned it into something very positive.”

State officials said the project was made possible through a combination of funding sources, including Green Acres grants from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and support from the American Rescue Plan. Josh Osowski, Superintendent of Regional State Parks with the DEP, said the park represents a rare milestone for the state.

“I am so excited. It’s not very often we get to have a brand new park for our New Jersey citizens, and today’s one of those great days,” Osowski said. “I look back at, I think the first time I walked over here was about 15 years ago, and it didn’t look like this. It wasn’t in great shape, but Green Acres found the money, bought it for the state of New Jersey, and we started working with the city and the county and everybody who’s been involved with this to figure out what to do with it.”

Osowski credited longtime Historic Preservation Commission member Gianfranco Archimedes for helping sustain the project across multiple administrations.

“What I’m so excited about is that it takes people, it takes visionaries, to bring projects like this to life. These things don’t happen by accident,” Osowski said. “One person I really want to recognize today is Gianfranco. He has been our consistent partner for over 15 years. While we’re officially naming it Paterson Vista State Park today, I think it’s only fitting to honor Gianfranco for all the hard work he put in to make this park a reality.”

Archimedes, who helped guide the design process and public engagement, said the site represents a historic milestone for Paterson.

"This truly is a wonderful day,” Archimedes said. “It has been a long road. This site has been completely transformed. Thanks to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, this is the largest new public park in Paterson since 1880. That was when the city first purchased land on the east and west sides to create its two largest public parks, Eastside and Westside Parks. At 6.2 acres, this park is nearly as large as those two historic parks.”

“This park wouldn’t have been possible without support from the DEP, including the Murphy administration and earlier efforts," he added. "We worked closely with the city, the county, and many stakeholders over the years to make this vision a reality."

The park will also include wayside signage throughout the park so visitors can learn about its history, stretching back to the Revolutionary War.

Sayegh also credited the Adamo Brothers construction team, who previously worked on the Lou Costello Memorial Park playground and Eastside Park roller rink renovations.

County Commissioner Orlando Cruz said the collaboration among city, county, and state agencies reflects a growing commitment to open space and recreation.

“This is truly the outcome, or the benefit, of having our different levels of government work together when they all come together,” Cruz said. He noted that Passaic County has invested heavily in open-space grants and is working with the city on several Great Falls–area tourism improvements.

Sayegh said the new state park aligns with his long-term goals for revitalizing the Great Falls district and expanding recreational access.

“I choose to view Paterson through a positive lens,” the mayor said. “And when you choose to view this city through a positive lens, it’s because you believe in the vision. And so, here you see the vision come to fruition, a new view at Vista Park."

The project's total cost was approximately $3 million.

PATERSON, NJ - A former dumping ground and long-troubled hillside property has been transformed into New Jersey’s newest state park, as city and state officials gathered Wednesday for the opening...

25/12/2025

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