Dear Friend,
We are a city that has a history of dealing with incredible adversity. Things have not always been ideal, and for many years we dreamed of brighter days to come. Thankfully, over the past seven years, we have turned a significant corner through hard work, vision, and determination.
During the past year, we faced another hardship, a hardship that affected every person on the globe; a pandemic, unlike anything we’ve ever seen in our lifetimes. It was during this worst of times that we showed the best of ourselves. We fed each other, nursed the sick, reached out to those who were isolated, and found innovative ways to keep our thread of human connection strong.
As we get vaccinated and begin to heal, it is vitally important that our communities still stand together. There are other deadly side effects of the virus than those listed in the medical journals. There is an economic fallout, rising crime, increased unemployment, more people facing evictions and foreclosures, and increased racial tension and awareness.
Healing is not only about health. It’s also about rebuilding trust and safety.
We can heal relationships through listening and building communication. Communities can heal as we celebrate our culture, its context, and history. Understanding, accepting and embracing the fact that our origins may be different, but like the rest of America, this is what makes us who we are. A beautiful mosaic.
My administration focused on fostering healing by providing relief for renters and abiding by fair housing laws, and by bringing attention to and supporting an anti-racist approach to criminal justice reform, paying attention, and advocating for those left most vulnerable in the recovery period caused by the pandemic. We created spaces that positively impact the health and well-being of our residents and neighborhoods.
Our community defines resilience in terms of the stresses and traumas we have suffered. Our individual, collective, and intergenerational trauma stories are the backbone that holds us up when faced with challenges. The stories of how we overcame are the source of our resilience.
Now more than ever, we must come together in our communities. We heal by being the hand that stops the violence. Community policing can make a difference and has made a difference in many places across our nation. Residents must work to make their homes safe and neighborhoods better by supporting law enforcement. The collective of voices rejecting criminals, actively participating in being a voice, and advocate for peace, law, and order can begin the healing and make a difference.
The deep reserves of individual, cultural, and community strength make us more vibrant and secure each day. Our actions, culture, and connections are central to our healing. Let’s come together for the purpose of healing the wounds that are the source of pain in our City.
Creating One Plainfield, One Future
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Un Tiempo Para La Cicatrización |
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Querido Plainfield,
Somos una ciudad que tiene historia lidiando con adversidad increíble. Las cosas no siempre han sido ideales, y por muchos años hemos soñado con días más brillantes por venir. Afortunadamente, en los últimos siete años, hemos dado un giro significante a través del trabajo duro, visión y determinación.
A lo largo del pasado año, nos enfrentamos otra dificultad, una dificultad que afectó a todas las personas en el mundo; una pandemia, a diferencia de cualquier cosa que hayamos visto en nuestras vidas. Fue durante estos peores momentos que mostramos lo mejor de nosotros mismos. Nos alimentamos, atendimos a los enfermos, nos contactamos con los que estaban aislados y encontramos formas innovadoras de mantener nuestro hilo de conexión humana fuerte.
A medida que nos vacunamos y comenzamos a sanar, es de vital importancia que nuestras comunidades sigan unidas. Hay otros efectos secundarios mortales del virus que los que están reportados en las revistas médicas. Hay consecuencias económicas, aumento en la delincuencia, aumento de desempleo, más personas que se enfrentan desalojos y ejecuciones hipotecarias, y mayor tensión racial y conciencia.
La cicatrización no se trata sólo de salud. También se trata de reconstruir la confianza y la seguridad. Podemos sanar relaciones escuchando y construyendo comunicación. Las comunidades pueden sanar al celebrar nuestra cultura, su contexto y nuestra historia. Al entender, aceptar, y reconociendo el hecho de que nuestros orígenes pueden ser diferentes, pero como el resto de América, esto es lo que nos hace ser quienes somos. Un hermoso mosaico.
Mi administración se enfocó en fomentar la cicatrización proporcionando alivio a inquilinos y acatando leyes de vivienda justa, y trayendo atención y apoyando un enfoque antirracista de la reforma de la justicia penal, prestando atención y abogando por los más vulnerables en el período de recuperación causado por la pandemia. Creamos espacios que impactan positivamente la salud y el bienestar de nuestros residentes y vecindarios.
Nuestra comunidad define la resiliencia en términos del estrés y traumas que hemos sufrido. Nuestras historias de trauma individual, colectivo e intergeneracional son la columna vertebral que nos sostiene cuando nos enfrentamos a desafíos. Las historias de cómo superamos son la fuente de nuestra resiliencia.
Ahora más que nunca, debemos unirnos en nuestras comunidades. Sanamos siendo la mano que detiene la violencia. La policía comunitaria puede marcar la diferencia y ha hecho una diferencia en muchos lugares de nuestra nación. Los residentes deben trabajar para que sus hogares sean seguros y sus vecindarios mejoren apoyando a las fuerzas del orden. El colectivo de voces que rechazan a los criminales, que participan activamente en ser una voz y abogan por la paz, la ley y el orden pueden comenzar la cicatrización y marcar la diferencia.
Las profundas reservas de fuerza individual, cultural y comunitaria nos hacen más vibrantes y seguros cada día. Nuestras acciones, cultura y conexiones son fundamentales para nuestra cicatrización. Vamos a unirnos con el propósito de curar las heridas que son la fuente de dolor en nuestra ciudad.
Creando Un Plainfield. Un Futuro.
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The Randolph Apartments Ribbon Cutting |
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On Wednesday, May 26th, The Randolph Apartments located at 1330 Randolph Rd hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially welcome the integration of this luxurious multifamily apartment complex to the community. This amazing six-story apartment complex boasts a variety of amenities including a gym, an open patio area with complementary grills and lounging furniture, a pet spa, and much more.
Mayor Adrian O. Mapp and his team have worked tirelessly for the last five years to bring this project to fruition. His aim was to transform a blighted site into market-rate residences with a medical component. This project checks all the boxes with two-thirds of the apartments already leased and the attached medical mall almost ready for occupancy. This project truly holds great promise for our Queen City.
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SAVE THE DATE | Memorial Day Program
on Monday, May 31st
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REMINDER | Marijuana Legislation Survey Due by May 31st
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On Tuesday, May 11th, the City of Plainfield hosted a special town hall meeting centered around upcoming marijuana legislation and its potential impact on the city. Mayor Adrian O. Mapp, Business Administrator Abby Levenson, Economic Development Director Valerie Jackson and Corporation Counsel David Minchello provided updates, engaged with residents and answered questions.
Make your voices heard. Complete the survey by May 31, 2021 either by using the below link or QR code.
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#LOVEPLAINFIELD | #AMOPLAINFIELD
SPOTLIGHT
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Showing Love in Plainfield #LovePlainfield #AmoPlainfield |
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#LovePlainfield is a movement to instill pride in our City while we showcase the culture, art, commerce, spirit, and natural beauty of Plainfield and the people who live here.
Here a friendly smile, beautiful architecture, old world neighborhoods, world class music and eclectic dining are never more than a few steps away. We believe that community is something to be cherished.
We believe that this is an amazing place to live, work, and play. It’s time to show that we’re a lot more than just an urban melting pot. It’s time to showcase our diversity, embrace our differences, celebrate our uniqueness, beautify and clean our spaces, and unify to cherish this place we call home.
Keep posting your photos and videos about why you LOVE Plainfield and use the hashtags.
NEW - We are pleased to announce the Plainfield Garden & Landscaping Competition which began on Friday, May 14th and runs until May 28rd.
Judging will be held the week of May 31st.
Open to front yard, back yard, balcony and porch gardens.
Contact loveplainfield@plainfieldnj.gov for a registration form or with any questions.
READY. SET. GARDEN. Beautifying Plainfield Together!
#LovePlainfield #LovePlainfieldNJ #AmoPlainfield
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Mayor Adrian O. Mapp is leading the #LovePlainfield initiative and is encouraging Plainfield residents to get involved and show their love for the Queen City.
Installed throughout the City to reinforce keeping our city clean. Take a photo using the QR code and submit to loveplainfield@plainfieldnj.gov for prizes.
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Plainfield Senior Center Virtual Fashion Show |
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Plainfield residents please enjoy this wonderful production of our Plainfield Senior Citizens Center's first Virtual Socially Distanced Fashion Show .
Despite the challenges that COVID-19 brought along the elderly of our community have come together and found an innovative way to present us their annual fashion show . Our seniors, who are and will continue to be the foundation of everything that is done here in Plainfield have once again demonstrated that with dedication and perseverance anything is possible.
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The situation with the Coronavirus changes rapidly and we want to ensure that you are aware of all resources available to you. Please click the below buttons for updates about COVID-19 on a local and state level. |
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Available Emergency Food Resources |
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UNION COUNTY:
“Youth Forward” Service Connects Union County Youth with Jobs, Education, Training
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Union County, NJ – The Union County Board of County Commissioners reminds students and youth ages 14-24 that help is available with job placements, internships, tutoring, GED services, career and college counseling, and training and certification courses through the Union County Youth Forward program.
“As a group, Union County residents ages 14-24 have unique needs, circumstances and
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opportunities to find their footing in the economic life of our community, and the Youth Forward program is designed to connect them with useful, age-appropriate resources,” said Commissioner Board Chairman Alexander Mirabella.
Youth Forward is a job readiness, employment, and youth empowerment program that focuses on paid and unpaid work experiences, comprehensive guidance, counseling and tutoring among other elements, with the goal of enabling Union County youth to develop work-ready skills and compete in today’s employment environment.
This first-of-its-kind program in Union County launched in December last year. It draws on the resources, networks, and experiences of the County’s existing American Job Center employment services program and the Division of Youth Services, both housed in the Department of Human Services.
During the COVID-19 outbreak, the American Job Center has developed new online resources to assist job seekers and employers while limiting in-person contact. The Youth Forward service follows the creation of the new Union County Works online portal last summer.
Youth Forward is funded by a grant under the federal Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act, administered by the Union County Workforce Development Board through the American Job Center.
For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including the Drive-Through Test Center at Kean University and the Mobile Test Unit walk-up sites, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information about COVID-19 and updates on statewide vaccine planning are available through the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.
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FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE:
Governor Murphy Lifts Major COVID-19 Restrictions, Moves Forward with Most Significant Reopening Steps to Date
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With Key COVID-19 Benchmarks Achieved, Governor Murphy Lifts Indoor Mask Mandate, Removes Social Distancing Requirements and Gathering Limits Among Others
Changes Effective in Two Phases – On Friday, May 28 and Friday, June 4
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TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 242, lifting major COVID-19 restrictions and moving forward with the state’s most significant reopening steps to date. Effective on Friday, May 28, the indoor mask mandate in public spaces will be lifted, as well as the six-foot social distancing requirement in both indoor and outdoor spaces, the prohibition on dance floors at bars and restaurants, and the prohibition on ordering and eating/drinking while standing at bars and restaurants. Additionally, effective Friday, June 4, indoor gathering and capacity limits will be lifted.
Over the last two weeks, key COVID-19 benchmarks have been achieved across New Jersey, including a dramatic increase in vaccinations, and significant decreases in new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, spot positivity rates, and rates of transmission, solidifying the foundation for the state’s sweeping reopening steps. Per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, individuals who are not fully vaccinated -- defined as two weeks after receiving the second shot of a two-dose vaccination (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna) or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccination (Johnson & Johnson) – are strongly encouraged to continue masking and social distancing.
“Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, my administration has been guided by science, data, and facts to put New Jersey on the road to recovery with the public health and safety of all New Jerseyans as our highest priority,” said Governor Murphy. “Together, we have made tremendous progress in crushing this virus, and the last two weeks have shown significant decreases in key areas of our data, including new COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, spot positivity rates, and rates of transmission. These data points, coupled with a dramatic increase in our vaccination efforts resulting in over 4.7 million New Jerseyans with their first shot, allow us to lift major restrictions and move forward with our most significant reopening steps to date.”
The following changes will go into effect on Friday, May 28:
- Lifting the mask mandate in indoor public spaces.
- Businesses and entities overseeing indoor spaces will continue to have the ability to require masking for employees, customers, and/or guests.
- Per CDC guidance, masks will continue to be required in health care settings, including long-term care facilities and office-based settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and on planes, buses, trains, and other forms of public transportation, as well as transportation hubs such as airports and stations.
- Additionally, also per CDC guidance, child care centers and facilities, youth summer camps, and public, private, and parochial preschool program premises and elementary and secondary schools, including charter and renaissance schools, are not affected by this announcement and continue to be governed by existing requirements.
- Indoor worksites that are not open to the public remain governed by existing health and safety protocols that employers must follow.
- Masks will continue to be required in public-facing state offices, such as Motor Vehicle Commission agencies.
- Lifting the six-foot social distancing requirement.
- The requirement will be lifted in businesses, including retail stores, personal care services, gyms, recreational and entertainment businesses, and casinos, and indoor gatherings, including religious services, political activities, weddings, funerals, memorial services, commercial gatherings, catered events, sports competitions, and performances.
- Businesses and entities overseeing indoor spaces can continue to require social distancing should they choose.
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Lifting prohibition on dance floors at bars and restaurants. The prohibition on ordering and eating/drinking while standing at bars and restaurants will also be lifted.
The following changes will go into effect Friday, June 4:
- Removing the general indoor gathering limit, which is currently at 50 people.
- Removing the indoor gathering limit for political gatherings, weddings, funerals, memorial services, performances, and other catered and commercial events, which is currently at 250 people.
- Removing 30 percent capacity limitation for indoor large venues with a fixed-seating capacity over 1,000.
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For the full text of Executive Order No. 242, click here
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FROM THE WHITE HOUSE:
American Families Plan
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WHEN AMERICAN FAMILIES DO WELL, OUR NATION THRIVES. |
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ight now, too many Americans are struggling to meet basic needs and cover basic expenses. An economy that fails so many of us is not only unfair, it’s unsustainable. The American Families Plan is a once-in-a-generation investment in the foundations of middle-class prosperity – education, health care, and child care. It recognizes that policies to make life easier for American families must focus on bringing everyone along: inclusive of gender, race, or place of residence – urban, suburban, or rural. Beyond helping American families meet the needs of today, this plan powers the innovation and growth of tomorrow.
Here’s what the American Families Plan will do:
- Make education more affordable and expand opportunity.
- Provide economic security for families.
- Expand tax credits that help workers and families.
The American Families Plan is an ambitious, once in a generation investment to rebuild the middle class and invest in America’s future.
Alongside the American Families Plan, President Biden is proposing a tax reform agenda that rewards work – not wealth. The agenda includes the reversal of many tax giveaways from the 2017 tax law, as well as reforms to the tax code to ensure that the wealthy will play by the same rules as everyone else. The resulting revenue will pay for the American Families Plan investment in education and childcare, tax relief for American families, and reduction in child poverty.
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Please have family and friends sign up to receive these important weekly updates. They can sign up by calling 908.753.3015 or emailing communications@plainfieldnj.gov
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One Plainfield. One Future |
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