Man sentenced in hit-and-run that killed hospital employee
A man arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run near Palisades Medical Center last year received a five-year prison sentence last week, according to a local media report. The man, who the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office identified as Olvy Torres, 36, was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident. Officials also charged him with money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to a prosecutor’s office press release. However, some of the charges were dropped in exchange for a plea, media reports said.
North Bergen police found Luisa Valdes, 59, a hospital employee who was waiting at a bus stop her her job, unresponsive on the ground after the September 2017 crash, the prosecutor said. She was pronounced dead at the scene shortly afterwards.
Summer program registration for library begins June 25
The North Bergen Free Public Library’s Summer Program Registration for both the Main Library and the Kennedy Branch will begin on Monday, June 18 at 9 a.m. Adult programs will begin Monday, June 25 and children’s will begin on July 9. Proof of age and residency are required. Registration is limited. For more information contact the North Bergen Public Library at (201) 869-4715.
Kids enjoy ‘Ice Cream with a Cop’ at all NB elementary schools
The North Bergen Police Department is on tour – visiting all the elementary schools in North Bergen and bringing three special vehicles with them: Mister Frosty ice cream trucks. Kids in grades one through five are being treated to free soft ice cream cones, courtesy of the NBPD’s Community Policing division.
The tour began on Monday, June 11 at Kennedy School, where more than 300 kids descended on the trucks and happily gobbled down their treats in the playground. On hand to coordinate the festivities were Principal Frank Bafumi and Vice Principal Diana Madrid, along with all the teachers. But Police Officers Nader Adawallah, Billy Brown, and Kaylan Tarabocchia were the star attractions, as they helped hand out cones and then answered questions about the department and what it’s like to be a cop.
Ice Cream with a Cop will travel to a different school each afternoon through Tuesday, June 19, meeting with almost 3,000 local kids. The program was designed to give the students an opportunity to interact one-on-one with the police and to foster positive impressions and relationships at a young age.
Waterfront Park to host free live concert with Marie Miller in June 19
The 2018 concert season kicks off with a free live concert at Waterfront Park featuring recording artist Marie Miller, performing her hit songs and popular covers. The concert begins at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19.
Miller is currently crossing the country on her summer “Boardwalk Tour” and will perform songs from her CDs “You’re Not Alone,” “Letterbox,” and more. Free popcorn and water will be provided. Food trucks and vendors will be on site.
Waterfront Park, with its outdoor amphitheater, state-of-the-art playground, picnic areas, and world-class views of uptown New York, is jointly owned and maintained by North Bergen and Guttenberg. Built-in seating is available, or you can bring your own chair or blanket to relax on the lawn.
Waterfront Park is located at 7200 River Road. Parking is available across the street. Free transportation to and from the concert will be available for all North Bergen residents and officials encourage everyone to utilize this service due to limited parking.
The pickup times and locations are as follows: 5:45 p.m., 7th Street and Grand Avenue (Latour’s Deli); 6 p.m., 1102 26th St. (Applied Housing); 6 p.m., 45th Street (Nutrition Center); 6:20 p.m., All Senior buildings; 6:30 p.m., 73rd Street and Kennedy Boulevard (across from the Board of Education); 6:35 p.m., 81st Street and Kennedy Boulevard (Our Lady of Fatima Rectory); 6:40 p.m., 8411 Bergenline Avenue (Uptown Library)
This free night of family entertainment is brought to you by Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the North Bergen Board of Commissioners.
Elvis entertains at party for Special Needs Kids in Terrace Bldg.
Elvis himself – or a reasonable facsimile thereof – belted out a selection of classic songs at a party for special needs kids in the community room of the Terrace Apartments on Friday, June 8.
The kids have been visiting the Terrace Building a few Fridays each month to mingle and socialize and have fun with the seniors who live in the building. The Elvis party marked the end of a successful season that featured various types of entertainment including board games, coloring events, and even a specially-prepared Thanksgiving feast.
In addition to Elvis, some of the visitors at the party got up to sing karaoke classics including “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones and “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, to raucous applause from the audience.
The party ended with donuts and cupcakes for all.
North Bergen annual Green Fest moves indoors, attracts 3,000+ visitors
Despite threatening storm predictions, the weather on Saturday, June 2 cooperated fully to make North Bergen’s fifth annual Green & Health Family Festival the biggest and best attended to date. Relocated this year from the 64th Street Field to the Recreation Center and adjacent parking lot and ball field, the event drew an audience of more than 3,000 people, about 1,000 more than last year.
The popular free festival featured about 70 vendors providing information, giveaways, and a wide variety of medical screenings to foster a healthy body and a healthy environment.
Kids enjoyed the many fun activities including a petting zoo, rock climbing, two bounce houses, a mechanical bull, dunk tank, obstacle courses, face painting, jewelry making with recycled materials, and much more.
Music was provided live on stage by performing artists Los Ciegos Del Barrio, Trova Fusion Band, the elementary school choruses from Lincoln, Kennedy, Robert Fulton, and Horace Mann Schools, and soloists from North Bergen High School.
A DJ kept up the energy between sets, and a Zumba instructor got the audience moving to the beat. For those who tired of dancing, food was available from some local restaurants.
Mayor Nicholas Sacco introduced many of the live acts and mingled with residents throughout the afternoon, joined by Freeholders Anthony Vainieri and Anthony Romano, Assemblywoman Angelica Jimenez, several township commissioners, and many other officials and administrators.
The event was organized by Health Department Director Janet Castro and Recycling Aide Tom Stampe with the Health Department and Municipal Utilities Authority. Students from the high school volunteered to assist in various ways to make the event a tremendous success, along with the North Bergen Police Department, EMS, Parking Authority, DPW, and North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue.
Reminder: ‘A Taste of Greece’ is June 16
The North Bergen Free Public Library’s “A Taste of Greece” festival takes place on Saturday, June 16. The event features free entertainment and delicious Greek cuisine. Everyone is invited to come enjoy a great afternoon of Greek culture.
The festivities begin at 1 p.m. in the parking lot and on the street outside the North Bergen Free Public Library’s main branch at 8411 Bergenline Ave.
Additional parking will be available at the Bruins Stadium parking lot. Transportation will be provided from the Kennedy Branch library at noon on the day of the event.
The event was postponed from an earlier date due to inclement weather.
For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit www.nbpl.org.
