Compromise possible with NY Waterway
In a community message sent Friday, March 22, Mayor Ravi Bhalla updated the public on the city’s further negotiations with Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration and NY Waterway regarding the potential refueling station on Hoboken’s waterfront.
NY Waterway purchased the former Union Dry Dock property along Hoboken’s waterfront to become its new homeport for ferry maintenance and refueling.
Hoboken wants the property for public open space.
According to the message, Bhalla and the administration met with Gov. Murphy’s administration, Senator Brian Stack, and NY Waterway on March 15.
“We were forthright with the Governor’s staff of the substantial environmental risks, among a host of other issues, should Union Dry Dock be turned into a refueling station,” said Bhalla in the message. “As I’ve stated previously, placing this refueling facility in the middle of a residential neighborhood would be an environmental disaster and would jeopardize the health and safety of our residents and visitors.”
He said while they have not yet come to a resolution he believes that the waterfront and the environment will be protected in the future.
He also said a compromise could be possible including partnering with NY Waterway to identify an appropriate location; to allow a temporary lease pending the development of an alternate location if necessary; and also purchasing the property for a fair price saving NJ Transit more than $11 million.
But, he said, the city would “not compromise the health and well-being of children and our families, and will not compromise on the detrimental impacts a refueling station would have on our waterfront.”
According to the message, NY Waterway has agreed to remove two ferry engines, two barges, pipes, and a vessel from the property.
New mold regulation takes effect
Hoboken is now one of the first municipalities in the state to regulate mold in residential homes after a new local ordinance recently took effect.
Currently, there are no New Jersey state laws that regulate the health hazard in dwellings.
“We want to make sure every resident is safe in their own home, especially children, and the new regulation will give the city the ability to regulate the unhealthy growth of mold,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla in a press release. “This will allow any concerned resident to contact our Health Office, which can now help ensure tenants have mold-free living conditions.”
According to the release, the legislation was prepared by the administration in response to dozens of tenants across the city reaching out to the city’s Chief of Constituent Affairs Caroline Caulfield to raise concerns about persistent mold issues being ignored by landlords.
The city determined that in the absence of remediation planned by building owners, there were no local or state regulations to cite for mold contamination. In an effort to protect residents, Mayor Bhalla asked the city’s Department of Health and Human Services to draft the legislation. The city council passed it unanimously on March 6.
Hoboken residents who need to report a substantial mold issue that is not remediated by a landlord or property owner can request an inspection by calling the city’s Health Office at 201-420-2000 ext. 5205.
Residents may also report a substantial mold issue through the Hoboken 311 website or by downloading the Hoboken 311 mobile app.
Easterseals opens in Hoboken
In a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, March 20, Mayor Ravi Bhalla, Councilwoman Emily Jabbour, and CEO of Easterseals New Jersey Brian Fitzgerald opened Easterseals’ new Hoboken location.
Easterseals, a nonprofit organization offering supportive services to at-risk populations, is now open in the Harlow building at 1335 Clinton St. in uptown Hoboken with the support of the City and Hoboken’s Homeless Task Force.
“As elected officials, we have an obligation to lend a helping hand to at-risk populations,” said Bhalla. “I’m very pleased that Easterseals has worked with our Homelessness Task Force to open up a new location here in our City. This new location will help ensure our seniors and those with disabilities have job training and employment opportunities so they too can succeed.”
Hoboken’s Homelessness Task Force was initiated by Bhalla and the city last year, with the aim of compassionately addressing homelessness in Hoboken.
The opening of Easterseals is part of the task force’s “prevention” strategy of offering services to at-risk communities.
At the Hoboken Easterseals location, trained staff offer services including Easterseals Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), a work-based program for seniors, and the Supported Employment (SE) program, which offers job training and employment for people with disabilities.
Each program will use the Hoboken site for administrative tasks and meetings with program participants in order to help them achieve their employment goals.
The Hoboken location is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For information regarding Easterseals New Jersey and its statewide disability services, contact 732-257-6662 or visit www.eastersealsnj.org or www.facebook.com/eastersealsnj.
Google Maps captures Hoboken fall
An August 2018 image of a man taking a fall just recently went viral.
After a Google Maps image of a man falling down the steps of a Hoboken residential building went viral last week, Google Maps updated the photo by blurring the man and his terrible ordeal.
Where once users of Google Maps in Street View could see the man’s nosedive down seven concrete steps at 725 Willow Ave., now all that’s visible is a blur.
While the headlong dive struck fear in the hearts of some, many took to social media sites like Twitter, laughing at the captured moment and calling it “internet gold.”
According to News 12 New Jersey, the man was Irving de Jesus Espinal. Unfortunately, he died the following November not from his fall, but from a longtime battle with cancer.
City to repave 100 blocks
Hoboken will repave 100 blocks or more than nine miles of city streets this year according to an announcement made last week.
More than 25 percent of Hoboken streets will be repaved with the assistance of Hudson County, PSE&G, and the North Hudson Sewerage Authority.
“Improving our infrastructure is a major priority for my administration, and our aggressive repaving schedule will help maintain Hoboken’s streets for years to come,” said Mayor Ravi Bhalla. “Thank you to Hudson County, PSE&G and North Hudson Sewerage Authority for working with my administration as we continue to upgrade our roads.”
In addition to the repaving of city and county streets, PSE&G is repaving up to three miles as a part of the 12th Street sub-station project.
The city is also replacing up to $4 million in water mains, with the repaving of the roads to take place shortly after. The paving for the remainder of the Washington Street is also estimated to be completed this spring.
The city released an estimated repaving schedule for the year.
This spring/ summer will include the repaving of First Street from Marshall Street to Hudson Street; Second Street from Monroe Street to Jackson Street; Fourth Street from Grand Street to Monroe Street and from Jefferson Street to Adams Street; Fifth Street from Jefferson Street to Grand Street; 11th Street from Willow Avenue to Park Avenue; 12th Street from Monroe Street to Madison Street; Bloomfield Street from Second Street to Fourth Street; Jefferson Street from Fourth Street to 12th Street; Monroe Street from Second to Third Street, Fourth Street to Seventh Street and Eighth Street to 11th Street; Paterson Avenue from NJ Transit to Monroe Street; Willow Avenue from Observer Highway to 11th Street; and Washington Street from 11th Street to 15th Street.
In the fall the city plans to repave Seventh Street from Garden Street to Hudson Street as well as from Monroe Street to Clinton Street; Eighth Street from Monroe to Jefferson Street; Ninth Street from Monroe Street to Madison Street; 10th Street from Madison Street to Jefferson Street; Clinton Street from Seventh Street to Eighth Street and Newark Street to Sixth Street; Garden Street from 12th Street to 14th Street and Third Street to Fifth Street as well as Observer Highway to Second Street; Grand Street from Sixth Street to Ninth Street and Newark Street to Fifth Street; and Madison Street From Eighth Street to 11th Street.
Postcard Talk: Carmela Karnoutsos, “Greetings from Bayonne”
Among Bayonne’s claims to fame are the first “rock band,” a band led by Bayonne resident William Till, who performed music using finely tuned rocks he called a “rockophone.”
Famous people from Bayonne include Congressman Barney Frank, author George R.R. Martin, and actors Brian Keith, Frank Langella and Sandra Dee, nee Alexandra Zuck. Dee was celebrated in 1960 with “Sandra Dee Day.”
Mile Square Theatre presents ‘Bunnicula’
Mile Square Theatre presents the family-friendly production of “Bunnicula” this spring.
“Bunnicula,” based on the book by Deborah and James How follows the Monroe family who after going to the movies returns home to their two pets, Chester the cat and Harold the dog, with a new addition to the family, a bunny they found in the movie theatre.
However, this is no ordinary rabbit, this is the extraordinary Bunnicula!
When the family’s produce starts losing its juice, Chester thinks he knows what is causing the fantastic phenomenon: Bunnicula is a vampire who sucks the color out of the vegetables. Or maybe Chester’s imagination is getting the better of him.
Singing and dancing their way through this hilarious mystery, the furry friends find room in their hearts, and in their home, for one unique bunny.
“I encountered this extremely entertaining young audience play about 25 years ago when I was working with Seattle Children’s Theatre,” said MST Artistic Director Chris O’Connor. “It’s funny, engaging, entertaining, and wonderfully adapted from the well-known book by Deborah and James Howe. It’s another great example of theatre for young audiences that goes from the page to the stage. I love how plays like this ignite the imagination of young people and also get them enthusiastic about reading the source material. This will be a great show for school groups and for families looking for a rich family experience.”
“Bunnicula” brings back some recognizable artists to the MST stage including Joelle Zazz, Cameron Blankenship, Rachel Eddy, and Andrew Baldwin.
The show is an hour and 20 minutes. Performances begin Saturday, April 13, and run until Sunday, May 5.
Weekday school performances begin Thursday, April 11.
Tickets are $15 to $30 and can be purchased online at www.milesquaretheatre.org or by calling (201)683-7014.
For group ticket sales email abaldwin@milesquaretheatre.org
Or for school bookings email estehli@milesquaretheatre.org
The Mile Square Theatre is at 1400 Clinton St.
Discount Parking is available at The Harlow at 1330 Willow Ave. and at Little Man Parking at 1300 Jefferson St.
Register for Spring fling cleanup day
Members of the community are invited to join Hoboken’s third annual Spring Fling, a community-wide day of service dedicated to cleaning up Hoboken parks and public spaces.
Hoboken residents, businesses, and community groups work together on a hands-on, high-visibility service project.
Spring Fling will be Saturday, May 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For the first time this year, participants can register for the project that interests them most using VolunteerMatch. They can register as groups or individuals.
By registering through VolunteerMatch, participants can learn about future volunteer opportunities with the city.
Community cleanup projects may include mulching tree pits; planting; weeding; painting benches, railings, or other public areas; and removing debris from public property.
More than 500 residents participated in 34 projects in the 2018 Spring Fling.
To register and for more information, visit:www.hobokennj.gov/springfling.
Hudson County Community College opens food pantries
Hudson County Community College (HCCC) provides financial assistance to 83 percent of its student body and now it is taking steps to assist those who have trouble putting food on their tables.
HCCC President Dr. Chris Reber announced that the college held the official opening of its Journal Square Campus food pantry on Tuesday, March 26 in Room J002 of the J-Building at 2 Enos Place in Jersey City.
The pantry, which was stocked and renovated with funds from the HCCC Foundation, will house nonperishable food items for students and members of the college community.
A second pantry will open on the HCCC North Hudson Campus – 4800 Kennedy Boulevard in Union City – on Tuesday, April 9, at 1:30 p.m.
“It is devastating to know that any member of the HCCC community may be struggling with a lack of food, and we hope that this food pantry will ease and eliminate any hunger and food insecurity that may exist among the campus population,” said Associate Dean of Student Affairs Dr. David Clark, who led the project.
“This food pantry is a labor of love,” Reber said. “It is a collaboration of our students, faculty, staff and Foundation Board members. We are working to dispel any stigma by making the pantry as friendly, welcoming and discreet as possible.”
Donations of nonperishable food items, personal care products, and household paper goods will be accepted at 2 Enos Place, Room J002, on the college’s Journal Square Campus and at the Enrollment Services Center on the North Hudson Campus, 4800 Kennedy Blvd. in Union City.
The HCCC Foundation is accepting monetary donations.
Checks can be made to “HCCC Foundation” with the notation, “Food Pantry” and can be sent to Hudson County Community College Foundation, 70 Sip Avenue, Fourth Floor, Jersey City, NJ 07306.
Monetary donations may also be made online by clicking the “Donate” button at www.hccc.edu/foundation.
Nursing/ health care scholarship available
The St. Mary Advocates, Inc. is offering a Nursing/Health Care Scholarship to any New Jersey Resident.
Applications are available at The Thrift Store at 536 Garden St. The Thrift Store is open Thursday through Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m.
Applications must be mailed to the above address by April 25. For more information contact Chairperson Renee Turonis at 201-240-4920.
