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HOBOKEN BRIEFS

Fourth water main break this year

Hoboken suffered its fourth water main break this year in the wee hours of Tuesday, Feb. 28 at Fifth Street and Willow Avenue.

On Jan. 4, a break occurred near the intersection of Observer Highway and Willow Avenue. On Jan. 14, another occurred on 2nd and Clinton Streets, and on Feb. 15 another water main broke on 2nd Street between Washington and Bloomfield streets.

During this latest break, a car was swallowed up and had to be lifted out of the hole.

“When there is a water main break, the soil erodes, creating a cavity that just swallowed up the car,” said City Spokesman Juan Melli. “It sunk in.”

In August, the City Council unanimously approved $5.2 million in funding for water main upgrades to combat the breaks and flooding that have plagued the city. Former Business Administrator Quentin Wiest presented the “water asset refurbishment program” at that August council meeting.

He said CDM Smith, an engineering and construction company, along with the water company — Suez Water — conducted an evaluation last year that identified 30 streets with 50 pipe segments that are the highest priority areas in need of refurbishment.

The total estimated cost to fix all the pipes would be $14.6 million. The approved bond for $5.2 million will cover a third of the cost, for the first phase targeting these priority areas.
The city must take on this cost as their current contract with Suez Water only provides $350,000 a year for improvements.

These funds are only enough to cover the constant repairs to the city’s water mains, according to city spokesman Juan Melli.  The city is currently in the process of renegotiating the contract with Suez Water with the goal of obtaining more capital for infrastructure improvements. 

Melli said work on some of the priority water mains has already begun on Washington Street. Melli said, “We have also issued an RFP (Request For Proposal) for the engineering design for upgrading water mains in other priority areas.”

Alleged thieves charged with stealing car for ransom

Two Jersey City residents were arrested on Saturday, Feb. 25 and charged with conspiracy to commit extortion after allegedly stealing a car in Hoboken and charging money to have it returned. 
According to a media release from the Hoboken Police Department, officers were dispatched to the area of 13th and Washington streets on the report of a stolen car.

The victim said he’d been making a food delivery at a nearby address, and left the car unattended with keys in the ignition.

He had left his phone in the car, so he called the number. Apparently, an unknown person answered the phone, allegedly demanding a cash payment for the return of the vehicle to the victim.

Officers arranged for the defendants to deliver the vehicle back to Hoboken, and delivery of the vehicle was later made in the area of Eighth and Adams streets. The alleged perpetrators were found in the area and placed under arrest.

Thirty-year-old Fancisco Torres was charged with receiving stolen property, bail jumping, and conspiracy to commit extortion. Barbara LaLuz, 29, was charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit extortion, and two counts of bail jumping.

Both were remanded to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.

Reward for information about Union City cat’s death

A $4,500 reward is being offered by the city of Union City and some residents there for information on unknown perpetrators who allegedly tortured a local cat.

Trudy DeWeese said neighbors and Mayor Brian Stack are offering the reward for information.  “Please, if you have any tiny bit of information, please call the police. You never know what could lead to catching this person,” said DeWeese.

The cat, owned by a woman who lives near Manhattan Avenue, up the hill from Union City, went missing for a week. Then “Max” returned having been tortured with cuts, starvation, shaved hair, and what looked like a symbol carved into his head. 

DeWeese says that her neighbor brought the cat over to borrow the phone and call the vet after her cat returned.

“She came over to my house last week and said her phone wasn’t working and she needed to call the vet,” said DeWeese. “[She said the cat] had come home but was in bad shape. Some of his fur was taken off and in his head was some sort of symbol that may have been cut in there.”

DeWeese said her neighbor took him to the vet who put him on an IV, as his cuts were infected.

“He was so sad and scared,” said DeWeese, who went to visit the animal before he passed away.

According to DeWeese, neighbors are frightened.

“We have already put up thousands of posters in the area and we want to put up more in nearby towns,” said DeWeese. “It’s frightening all of us. These kind of people escalate.”

She added, “This is a nice neighborhood. A lot of us have cats and dogs. We are all very afraid. We have had animals disappear and we don’t know what has happened to them.”

The owner of the cat said in NJ.com, “Max didn’t deserve this. He was a wonderful creature and a friend of people and we have to be friends back. He really was unusual. Please on behalf of a great animal and on behalf of other animals, please let us know so this doesn’t happen again.”

If you have information call the Union City Police Department at (201) 865-1111.

‘Brave the Shave’ and fight kids cancer

The St. Baldrick’s Foundation will host fundraising event “Brave the Shave” to fight kids cancer on Saturday, March 11 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Mulligan’s Pub, 159 First St.

Hoboken barber-coordinator Nicole Appice Davis returns this year to shave the heads of sponsored shavees who wish to show solidarity with kids and their families facing their cancer battles.

“It’s a cause that brings everybody together,” said event coordinator Jim O’Brien, of Hoboken who will “brave the shave” for the seventh time. “Think of what the kids and their families deal with each day against this enemy.”

Inspired by the story of a courageous 6-year-old boy who died of cancer seven years ago, O’Brien first brought St. Baldrick’s to Hoboken in 2011 as an offshoot of an annual St. Patrick’s Day party he and his buddies had hosted since college.

A total of $28,339 has been raised by the local events over the years.

There will be drink specials, and live music by Adameus Live, Neil Nathan, and Undercover.

The national St. Baldrick’s Foundation, established in 1999, has contributed more than $200 million to fight the scourge of childhood cancer.

Interested shavees, volunteers or donors are invited to go to: https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/kickkidscancer or contact O’Brien at JOBINHK@aol.com or (212) 781-8831.

Hoboken Historical Museum presents ‘Hoboken Sweeps’

The Hoboken Historical Museum invites the public to a free opening reception for its second art exhibition of the year, “Hoboken Sweeps: Recent Photography of Jean-Paul Picard,” this Saturday, March 4, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in its Upper Gallery space.

Picard, a versatile artist who specializes in web design and digital photography, started out as a graphic designer, according to the press release, before he started experimenting

with using multiple images in a single work to create a story line.

His images were created using the panorama mode on a digital camera, but rather than moving the camera in a smooth line, he learned he could create more interesting effects by sweeping the camera in different ways and at different speeds.

Although the images originate in a digital camera, each of the works on display in the Museum’s upper gallery is a unique edition, or monoprint, containing the serendipitous elements of the artist’s hand.

More examples of his work, including his 2009 “Visage Hoboken” portraits that were displayed in his first museum exhibit, can be seen at http://www.jean-paulpicard.com.

Hudson County CASA is seeking volunteers

Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. You may attend an information session at the Hudson County Courthouse, 595 Newark Ave. Rm. 901 on Tuesday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures.

For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org

The Hoboken Rotary Club to host fundraiser for American Legion Post 107

On April 8 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. the Hoboken Rotary Club will host a fundraiser for the Hoboken American Legion Post 107.

The Legion is rebuilding their post to include six units of housing for homeless veterans.

The club urges the public to “please support those that fought bravely for our country to help rebuild their home and also provide housing for homeless veterans.”

The fundraiser will take place at the Elks Lodge, 1005 Washington St., and will include an open bar, small plates of food and two live bands.

“It will be a great nigh for a great cause,” states the event page.

Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased online at eventbrite.com by searching for “Hoboken American Legion Fundraiser.”  

The event is also sponsored by Prime Real Estate & PrimeTime Title Agency

Hoboken Arts and Music Festival announced

The City of Hoboken will host the 24th annual Spring Arts & Music Festival on Sunday, June 11 from 11a.m. to 6 p.m.

Due to construction along Washington Street, the festival will be held from 8th Street to 14th Street (Typically the festival is held from Observer Highway to 7th Street).

The festival features artists, crafters, photographers, food vendors, live music, and more. Admission is free.

For more information or to receive an application, contact Geri Fallo at gfallo@hobokennj.gov or (201) 420-2207.

Open call for cellphone photographers

The hob’art gallery, 720 Monroe St. E208, will host an exhibit for photographers who use their cell phones to record the spaces, people, and places in their lives.

The juried exhibition is open to anyone who takes photographs with their cell phones and wishes to submit an application by the Sunday, March 19 deadline.

Jurors for the exhibit include accomplished photographer and artist Ann Kinny, art educator and artist Miriam Untoria, and award-winning photographer and former vice president of pictorial photographers of America Don Sichler.

Those wishing to submit their photos can submit up to five images with an application fee of $25 with checks made out to hob’art gallery and mailed to the gallery.

Submissions do not guarantee acceptance and juror decisions are final.

Entries can be emailed to photographersunknown@gmail.com with “Photographers Unknown” in the subject line.

JPEG Images must be labeled last name first initial and title of entry_#1.jpeg.

According to the press release all photos chosen for the exhibit will be printed and available for pickup at the end of the show, and the Best in Show winner will receive a framed picture of their submission.

Those accepted into the exhibit will be notified by Friday, March 23.

All sales inquiries will be directed to the artists, as the non-profit gallery doesn’t take commission on sales.

The exhibit will be displayed from Friday April 1 through Saturday April 29 with an opening reception on April 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Photos will be seen during gallery hours Thursdays and Fridays from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For an application contact photographersunknown@gmail.com

Symposia books to host award-winning playwright George Cameron Grant

Symposia Books, 510 Washington St., will host a reading and Q&A session with author George Cameron Grant on his newest play “Fortune” on Friday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m.

 “ ‘Fortune’ is about the most unforgettable woman you have never known, the actual Rose Fortune, who was born a slave, and through a 90-year life span, became a symbol of truth, social equality, and human spirit,” states the press release.

In “Fortune,” 10-year old, courageous Rose refuses to accept failure as an option, no as an answer, or despair as a destiny.

According to the release Grant was inspired by a trip to Annaplois Royal in Nova Scotia in the summer of 2014 when during a graveyard tour he found himself standing before an unmarked grave learning about Black Loyalist Rose Fortune.

Copies of “Fortune” will be available and signed by the author after his reading.

The event is free and will have light refreshments.

For more information contact Symposia info@symposia.us or at (201) 963-0909.

Hoboken announces funding opportunities for community groups and a community meeting

The deadline to submit applications for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Year 2017 to provide funding to eligible programs and projects sponsored by public agencies or not-for-profit organizations is 4 p.m. Friday March 31.

The city encourages local community groups who provide quantifiable benefits to the low and moderate-income population to apply.

The City of Hoboken has not yet received notice from HUD of its Program Year 2017 award, however in 2015 and 2016 the city received an annual allocation of approximately $1,000,000.

The city will host a community meeting on Wednesday, March 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Multi-Service Center, 124 Grand St., to collect input and identify needs relevant to low and moderate income residents within Program Year 2017.

An online survey is also available at: www.hobokennj.gov/cdbgsurvey.

Interested applicants can request an application from Christopher Brown, principal planner through the City of Hoboken Department of Community Development via email at cbrown@hobokennj.gov or in person during business hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hoboken Planning and Zoning Office, 94 Washington St.

All questions should be directed via email to Brown or during business hours at (201) 239-6642.

Christie’s International Real Estate announces expansion into Hudson County

Christie’s International Real Estate, the luxury brokerage and real estate arm of Christie’s fine art auction house, is expanding into Hudson County, according to a press release from the company.

“Having excelled as a leader in Bergen County, Special Properties Real Estate Services, will market under the Christie’s brand in New Jersey’s Hudson County – encompassing Hoboken, Weehawken and Jersey City – and new areas in Northwest New Jersey,” stated the release.

Christie’s International Real Estate is an invitation-only affiliate network comprised of qualified real estate specialists in the luxury residential sector.

The company has offices in London, New York, Hong Kong, Moscow, Los Angeles, and Palm Beach, and approximately 135 global Affiliates with 32,000 real estate professionals in 45 countries.

Special Properties was invited to join this carefully selected network of luxury brokerages 16 years ago.

CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate said, “Special Properties has been awarded these new territories because of the company’s proven expertise as a luxury real estate advisor. As we continue to expand into these high-end markets, we are confident in our network leaders’ ability to create success for both buyers and sellers on the local and global stage.”

“We are very excited to expand our presence in Northwest New Jersey and Hudson County, including Hoboken and Jersey City, to provide more customers with the unique Christie’s experience,” said President and CEO of Special Properties Real Estate Services Ilija Pavlovic.

NORTH BERGEN BRIEFS

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NORTH BERGEN BRIEFS

Annual Green Fair notches over 2,000 attendees

North Bergen officials have declared the fourth annual Summer Green and Health Fair an overwhelming success, with more than 2,700 residents and guests enjoying a day of outdoor entertainment and environmental education. 

Nearly 50 vendors shared information on a wide variety of topics pertaining to environmental awareness and personal health at the event, which was organized by the North Bergen Municipal Utilities Authority and Health Department and held on June 3. Key sponsors Suez Water and Hackensack Meridian Health were joined by numerous other local and regional companies and organizations to fully fund the event, so the entire day cost taxpayers nothing while providing vital information to residents.

“Creating and managing events like the Green Fair takes an incredible amount of time and hard work, but it is worth it when you see thousands of residents coming out to enjoy a beautiful day like this one,” said Mayor Nicholas Sacco.

“I would like to thank all of the residents who attended this successful event and especially recognize the organizers and sponsors who made it possible.” 

Kids had a field day at the event, enjoying a bouncy house, rock climbing, a dunk tank, a petting zoo, animal rides, face painting, and more.

Choruses from several area schools performed, along with a Sinatra tribute artist, local bands from the high school, and even The Referrals, a band of Lincoln School teachers featuring Principal Francis Pastore.

“The MUA is proud of the growth we have seen in this event since its inception, and of the fact that it is now becoming one of North Bergen’s most popular,” said MUA Executive Director Frank Pestana. “One of our missions is to educate the public about sustainability and environmental initiatives and the Green Fair is always a great opportunity to get people together to learn about our planet.”

The goal of the event was to provide education on healthy bodies and a healthy Earth. In addition to vendors like the Hudson County Improvement Authority and Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission offering information on environmental issues, local organizations like Meadowlands Hospital, the Act Now Foundation, and the Hudson Regional Health Commission provided a wide variety of screenings and information on keeping healthy. 

The Green and Health Fair was started in 2014 to help the township meet requirements of the Sustainable Jersey initiative, a statewide program designed to encourage municipalities to engage in environmentally friendly practices.

MUA Recycling Program Coordinator Tom Stampe and North Bergen Health Director Janet Castro led the planning and organizing of the annual event.

“Seeing so many residents come out to learn how to be more healthy and active was inspiring and a testament to how engaged and interested this community is in these valuable programs,” said Castro. “The Green Fair allows us to showcase many fine organizations that are doing incredible work in the areas of health, wellness, and prevention and bring them directly to our residents to give them the tools and information they need to live a healthier life.”

The event came about due to the joint efforts of all the township’s departments, including Health, MUA, DPW, Parks and Recreation, Parking Authority, Public Safety, EMS, and Police, with support from the schools and library.

Summer program registration

The North Bergen Free Public Library’s Children’s Summer Program Registration for both the Main Library and the Kennedy Branch will begin on Monday, June 19, 2017 at 9 a.m. Programs will begin Wednesday, July 5. Proof of age and residency are required. Registration is limited. For more information contact the North Bergen Public Library at (201) 869-4715 or visit our website at www.nbpl.org to view the program listings.

Housing Authority helps locals become citizens

The North Bergen Housing Authority, in conjunction with the We Are One New Jersey (WAONJ) and Hudson County’s Citizenship and Deferred Action clinics, waived the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) application fee and assisted residents in filling out their applications. Authority building managers hung flyers in Spanish and English throughout the four buildings NBHA manages, and reached out to individual residents they knew were actively seeking U.S. citizenship, to help them start the process.

“The partnership between North Bergen Housing Authority and We Are One New Jersey is more important now than ever before,” said Gerald Sanzari, executive director of NBHA. “North Bergen is the great community because of our diversity. Many different cultures call our community home.”

WAONJ’s Hudson County office is located at 830 Bergen Ave., Suite 4A, Jersey City. Housing authority officials helped residents provide Means-Tested benefits or assistance and tax returns for all family members in order to meet WAONJ’s citizenship fee waivers.

“I am so happy to finally be an American citizen, and exercise my right to vote,” said Vincente Pino Argotti, a resident of Terrace Apartments on Columbia Avenue. “Thank you to all my friends here at North Bergen Housing Authority and We Are One New Jersey for making this possible.”

Pino Argotti was honored by Mayor Nicholas Sacco, Freeholder Anthony P. Vainieri, Jr., and presented with a special cake at a separate service Tuesday, commemorating the renovations at Terrace Apartments.

Ricardo and Concepcion Pozo, residents of Lawler Towers, also were assisted by We Are One New Jersey in obtaining their citizenship, and were honored at a small ceremony by NBHA staff members and building managers and residents on Friday, May 26. Nine residents at Cullum Tower also obtained their citizenship through NBHA’s efforts with WAONJ: Geraldo Diaz-Valdes, Elsa Jorge, Octavia Chaves-Deavril, Blas Martromanzo, Marlene Parras, Maria Obergon, Nuri Ayaz, Armondo Romero and Olivia Trujillo.

Mayor cuts ribbon at Visiting Home Services North Bergen location

Mayor Nicholas Sacco cut the ribbon at an open house ceremony at Visiting Homemaker Service’s North Bergen location at 1919 Kennedy Blvd.

Founded 58 years ago in Jersey City, Visiting Homemaker Service has operated out of several locations throughout North Hudson. The North Bergen office will now serve as their base of operations for the entire county.

Originally designed to provide homecare services to seniors and people with disabilities, the organization has expanded to provide family services and support to caregivers. They can be reached at (201) 656-6001 or www.vhshc.org.

Commissioner Julio Marenco and Parking Authority Director Robert Baselice joined in the ribbon cutting ceremony along with the full staff of Visiting Homemaker Service and many supportive friends and neighbors.

Judge orders Union City father held for March blaze

A judge has ordered that the father of a boy who perished in a March Union City fire should remain in jail, according to NJ.com.

A Hudson County grand jury returned an indictment against Eddie Gonzalez Sr., 27, and friend Edwin Diaz, 21, on May 24 for allegedly starting the blaze, which quickly spread and displaced over 40 families. 

One-and-a-half-year-old Eddie Gonzalez Jr. was the lone reported fatality. Gonzalez Sr.’s 5-month old daughter and her mother, Aaliyah Mercado, escaped without injury; however, Gonzalez himself sustained injury, per the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.

Both Gonzalez and Diaz are charged with manslaughter, a second-degree crime; causing widespread injury or damage, a third-degree crime; and creating a risk of widespread injury or damage, a fourth-degree crime, per a recent media release by the prosecutor’s office. During a June 7 hearing in Jersey City’s Superior Court, Judge Paul DePascale ordered Gonzalez held at the Hudson County Correctional Center, per NJ.com.

The decision came after an allegation in court from Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor Najma Rana that Gonzalez and Diaz accidentally started the fire, allegedly after a night of drug and alcohol use, by playing with matches in a rear room of 1404 Summit Ave. around 1 a.m. March 4, NJ.com added. A prosecutor’s office official confirmed Rana’s allegation for The North Bergen Reporter.

Both men face up to 10 years behind bars if convicted of the manslaughter charge, NJ.com reported. DePascale agreed to release Diaz, the second man, to home confinement after his lawyer revealed Diaz had told investigators what actually happened that night. Previously, the men had allegedly made up a story, NJ.com said.

 

2020: Hudson County, on PAUSE

Marilyn Baer, Staff Writer
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2020: Hudson County, on PAUSE

Suddenly, normalcy as we knew it ended.

Silent streets. Empty classrooms and offices. Empty athletic fields and gyms. Empty buses, light rail cars, PATH trains. Empty movie theaters, rock n’ roll bars, black boxes. Overburdened intensive care units. Exhausted, anxious front line medical professionals. Long lines of cars at testing centers. Freezer trucks outside hospitals for the overflow of the dead.

Municipal meetings gone viral on Zoom. Children trying to learn via computer. Graduating 8th grade and high school standing apart. “No mask No entry” signs on bodegas, the cashiers behind plexiglass shields. Early morning supermarket hours for seniors. A toilet paper shortage. Discarded masks and latex gloves on sidewalks. Stuck online or on HOLD for days applying for unemployment.

No mans’ land: In the early days of the pandemic, Jersey City streets were empty as residents quarantined and avoided others to curtail the spread of COVID-19. Photo by Marilyn Baer.

The drugstore, liquor store, grocery store, and the four walls of home as points on a constricted personal universe that felt safer than a world turned into a bio-hazard zone. The loneliness of isolation from family and friends and congregation. The impulse to swerve away from oncoming pedestrians, and joggers without masks. No way to say goodbye to the dying or gather to honor them afterward. Finding out how much your workplace is about the people you miss.

And that was just April.

 Hudson County

The Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, now commissioners, renewed its contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to house detainees at the Hudson County Correctional Center in Kearny. Protesters over the decision were arrested, and detainees held hunger strikes, demanding their release. The center had several COVID-19 outbreaks, two corrections officers dying from the virus.

The county saw a total of 1,647 deaths due to COVID-19 last year, and 49,489 positive cases. The county helped dispersed CARES Act funding to municipalities and opened testing centers. The county had opened the area’s first vaccination distribution center in Kearny and began administering the Moderna Vaccine to healthcare workers.

Protesters met to support the Liberty State Park Protection Act, to protect the park from private developers. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announced plans to rehabilitate the park’s interior.

After protesters opposed the proposed New Jersey Transit’s fracked gas power plant set for Kearney’s waterfront, NJT voted to seek a greener option for resilient power during power disruptions.

Construction officially started on the new Honorable Frank J. Guarini Justice Complex that will replace the Hudson County Administration Building at 595 Newark Ave. As part of the project, the William J. Brennan Courthouse will be renovated, and the first public park in Journal Square will be created.

The Hudson County hospital saga continues, as CarePoint Health dissolves and liquidates its assets, including Hoboken University Medical Center and Christ Hospital. Hudson Regional Hospital is in contract with current real estate owner Avery Eisenreich to purchase the property of Hoboken University Medical Center. Currently, there are no suitors for the Christ Hospital real estate. KPC Global Management has signed a letter of intent to purchase the operations of both hospitals from CarePoint. CarePoint and Hudson Regional Hospital continue to butt heads, and the entrance of a new entity ensures that the saga is far from over.

Hoboken

By the end of 2020, COVID-19 had infected over 1,940 residents and caused at least 35 deaths. Mayor Ravi Bhalla shut down bars and restaurants and imposed a 10 p.m. curfew weeks before Gov, Phil Murphy issued the executive order.  Hoboken partnered with Riverside Medical Group to test residents and business employees, with the city emergency response team taking calls from residents. The city’s health department began contact tracing and organized meals for seniors.

The Brady Bunch: Hoboken City Council meetings were held virtually via Zoom for the majority of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic with residents calling in for public comment or watching the live stream on Facebook and YouTube.

City Hall was closed, and employees worked from home. Schools implemented remote learning, returning in the fall with hybrid learning. The city worked with the Hoboken Business Alliance to create parkletes, streateries, open streets, and popup outdoor markets.

Using Cares Act funding the city issued grants to local small businesses.

Nonprofits stepped in with the Hoboken Food Pantry, and the Hoboken Relief Fund raised over $400,000 for small businesses.

During a second wave in the fall, Hoboken expanded testing.

Balancing the budget

Before the pandemic hit, Hoboken faced a budget gap of roughly $7.8 million. Funding in the city’s surplus account also decreased, which brought the budget gap to about $14 million. COVID-19 resulted in increased spending for services and enhanced cleaning of city buildings, bringing the budget gap to roughly $19.8 million.

In May, 26 Hoboken municipal employees were let go and the Office of Constituent Services was eliminated. In September the council adopted a $177.8 million budget after amending the introduced budget to reduce the municipal tax levy. Resident’s tax rate increased by 0.75 percent.

After the deluge

The city continued to fortify itself against climate change and heavy rain. Hoboken’s second resiliency park, at Seventh and Jackson, opened last summer. It can capture more than 450,000 gallons of storm water runoff. The Northwest Resiliency Park will withhold up to two million gallons of rainwater. The Rebuild By Design project includes a park and northern and southern resist barriers. The “meadow” design was adopted for Hoboken Cove Park. The project must be completed by September 2022.

Last fall, Bhalla launched litigation against Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, Conoco Philips, and the American Petroleum Institute seeking damages for a decades-long campaign of misinformation related to climate change and its impact on Hoboken. The city also installed 15 blocks of new water mains.

‘Hands up! Don’t Shoot!’

Hoboken joined the nation in calling for an end to police brutality and institutionalized racism. An estimated 10,000 people protested peacefully, Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante pledged to improve police-community relations, and Bhalla created a policing policy task force.

10,000 people marched against police brutality on June 5th in Hoboken after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Photo by Marilyn Baer.

Developing all around

 Redevelopment projects include the Hoboken Yards, the Public Works Garage, the Western Edge, and the proposed Monarch. A redevelopment agreement, if approved, would transfer the Monarch property to the city and allow developers to instead redevelop the Public Works Garage at 256 Observer Hwy.

Amendments decreased the development sites from nine to three on Hudson St. and Hudson Pl., Garden St. and Observer Hwy., and Marin Blvd. and Observer Hwy. all commercial properties.

The Fair Share Housing Center filed a lawsuit against Hoboken, which would have allowed 150 units to be exempt from the city’s 10 percent affordable housing set aside in the Western Edge Redevelopment Plan,

The new plan, which includes affordable housing, flood mitigation, public plaza, and $3 million toward a new community center and pool, was adopted, ending the litigation.

Jersey City

By the end of December, 14,390 residents tested positive for COVID-19 and roughly 580 died, including Ward D Councilman Michael Yun and former Councilwoman Viola Richardson. The city became the first in the state to implement restrictions such as closing bars, clubs, and performance centers and limiting restaurants to takeout.  In March, the city set up testing sites, and public schools began all remote learning.

Officials projected a $70 million municipal budget shortfall in April.

The city implemented cost-cutting measures, and the council adopted a balanced budget of $658 million with no municipal tax increase.

The city helped businesses and non-profits remain open by distributing checks to small businesses , providing PPE, and creating streateries.

Mayor Steven Fulop announced arts relief funding in July.  The city will be the first in the state to establish an Arts and Culture Trust Fund to benefit artists and arts organizations.

The city launched a public awareness campaign in October regarding mask-wearing.

In December, the city announced plans to plant 502 trees at a toxic Superfund site that will be turned into the Skyway Park along the Hackensack River.

‘I can’t breathe!’

Citizens called for the creation of a Civilian Complaint Review Board to help hold police officers accountable. Protests started weeks after an incident on Bostwick Avenue in May in which police officers used pepper spray and an extendable baton on black citizens while reportedly breaking up a fight.

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office released images of the Jersey City Bostwick Avenue incident in which police officers used pepper spray and an extendable baton on Black citizens while reportedly breaking up a fight

No charges against the officers were filed.

Fulop highlighted the city’s work to diversify the police force as well as redoing the department’s Use of Force Guidelines, initiating de-escalation training  expanding technology so that residents have access to video. Council President Joyce Watterman created a committee that will review police policies, and the city established a Quality of Life Division that can respond to issues without police.

Development

In September, officials broke ground on the Public Safety Headquarters. The building on MLK Dr. and Kearny Ave. is part of the Jackson Square project, which houses a number of city departments.

The new Public Safety HQ is scheduled to be completed in 2022.

At 1 Journal Square, construction will consist of two 64-story towers.

Phase I of the Bayfront development near Route 440 is now underway, consisting of 1,092 residential units; 35 percent are affordable and workforce housing.

Holland Gardens at 235 16th St., will be mixed-income mixed-use high rises which will include a new library branch and commercial space.

SciTech SCity, the 30-acre campus surrounding the Liberty Science Center will include a new county high school, research labs, private studios, open workspaces, and a conference center. The Scholars Village will offer housing for innovators, scientists, entrepreneurs, STEM graduate students, and their families. A Public Commons will include a park and events plaza. SciTech Scity is slated to break ground in 2021.

A new elementary school, more than 800 residential units, and a new park will be coming to Downtown.

The council adopted a controversial inclusionary zoning ordinance in October that critics say does not provide the affordable housing that it promises. The controversy will spill into 2021 as the Fair Share Housing Center Inc. filed a lawsuit to have the ordinance repealed.

The city also announced plans to restore the historic landmark Loews Jersey Theater.

From A to B

In February, the city launched the first municipally-subsidized rideshare program in the state with Via.

The new system, which costs riders $2, aims to increase connectivity to and from transit deserts in the north and southwest to Grove Street downtown and Journal Square.

The city expanded protected bike lanes, and Fulop and Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla announced Lyft/Citi Bike as the bike share provider for both cities. NJ Transit reopened the West Side Avenue Light rail station in May following months of utility work. Gov. Murphy announced a new light rail extension with a new station west of Route 440.

North Bergen

On May 16, Mayor Nicholas Sacco declared a Local State of Emergency in response to COVID-19. On April 8, it was declared a virus hotspot by Gov. Phil Murphy. By late April, Palisades Medical Center was at capacity. The town tested residents of nursing homes. OSHA cited the Harborage nursing home.

In May, the North Bergen Housing Authority distributed masks to its residents and began testing residents in its senior buildings. The township mandated that first responders would be tested.

A North Bergen Housing Authority employee tests an 106-year-old resident for COVID-19 on May 18

Three free testing sites were opened. The NBHA installed temperature scanners in its buildings. The township administered the Moderna vaccine to healthcare workers on Dec. 24.

Braddock Park reopened in early May, as cases decreased substantially. Municipal parks were reopened in July and drive-in movies were a hit.

Outdoor “Eat and Shop Local” events were launched. A free testing site opened in Braddock Park in November. Town hall and the public library were closed to the public.

The rent freeze was extended into 2021.

The school district is operating under virtual instruction. Preschool trailers remain in Braddock Park.

To combat institutional racism, a  peaceful Black Lives Matter rally marched through North Hudson.

Demonstrators march at the Black Lives Matter rally in North Hudson. Photo by Art Schwartz

North Bergen’s Spanish-language website helped residents stay informed.

NB C.A.R.E.S. was distributing food to residents until winter hit.

LGBTQ+ Pride was missed this year, but North Bergen promoted virtual events with Hudson Pride Center in June.

The North Bergen Police Department swore in a new police chief and rolled out its body camera program.

Funds were bonded for a new library and community center on JFK Blvd.

The township created a time capsule to be opened in 100 years.

Secaucus

Secaucus confirmed its first COVID-19 on March 19, and  drive-thru testing was set up at Hudson Regional Hospital (HRH). A temporary field hospital was set up at the Meadowlands Convention Center. It expanded to accommodate virus patients.

The Meadowlands Convention Center temporarily became a field hospital amid the pandemic.

On April 7, HRH’s staff was stretched to the limit. The hospital expanded COVID-19 testing, administering some 400 tests per day.

In summer, drive-in movies were shown outside the Recreation Center. Outdoor dining was extended to the winter. Cases dramatically increased after the holidays. Moderna vaccines were administered at the municipal Vaccination Point of Distribution on Dec. 30. HRH is in talks to become the second county vaccine distribution center.

Mayor Michael Gonnelli, appalled by George Floyd’s murder, touted the SPD’s restrictive use-of-force policy and attended Black Lives Matter Walk.

Schools are operating under virtual instruction.

The Portal North Bridge project received final federal funding and other approvals throughout the year.

The 32BJ SEIU union protested a 15-story residential tower at Xchange.

A Secaucus woman was sentenced to 70 months for slavery after forcing a Sri Lankan woman to marry her and clean her houses.

Mill Ridge Fields renovations moved forward, and the council expressed support for the Essex-Hudson Greenway linear park.

Weehawken

The township recorded its first COVID-19 on March 19, and Mayor Richard Turner declared a State of Emergency. In May, the town opened a joint COVID-19 testing site with Union City in Weehawken.

The town recorded zero active cases briefly in October, but cases intensified into winter. On Dec. 26, municipal healthcare workers and EMTs began receiving the Moderna vaccine.

In response to the police killing of George Floyd, Weehawken held a rally against police brutality.

While staying virtual for a portion of the school year, schools later transitioned to hybrid instruction.

NY Waterway was accused of dumping sewage in the Hudson River.

The Hartz Mountain application to construct two new 14-story towers in Lincoln Harbor was approved.

A digital rendering of the latest residential complex Hartz Mountain received approval to construct in Lincoln Harbor

An ordinance that would have banned wood burning in fire pits sparked an uproar. After heated discussion, the ordinance was tabled.

The township saw fierce debate about changing the high school’s “Indians” mascot. Stay tuned.

West New York

The town recorded its first case of COVID-19 on March 8. On April 8, it was declared a virus hotspot by Gov. Murphy. The town expanded COVID-19 and antibody testing to the Senior Nutrition Center. It began distributing the Moderna vaccine to healthcare workers and EMTs on Dec. 28.

Schools are operating under virtual instruction.

Park renovations included Miller Stadium and Centennial Field.

Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez plays soccer with a child following the reopening of Centennial Field.

The town saw a tax increase of less than one percent following the approval of its budget in August.

Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez stood with protesters opposing police brutality but denounced violence.

Advocates marched in support of a citizenship path for immigrants.

Hudson County Commissioner Fanny Cedeno and Union City Commissioner Wendy Grullon march on Bergenline calling for legislation to protect immigrants.

The state Attorney General sought to revoke the medical license of former Mayor Dr. Felix Roque after he allegedly wrote unapproved prescriptions.

The town launched the Bergenline Avenue Revitalization Project to revamp the “Miracle Mile.”

Union City

 Union City began issuing COVID-19 restrictions on March 17.

Mayor Brian Stack and the Board of Commissioners issued a rent freeze. On April 6, North Hudson opened a testing site in Union City. Stack signed an executive order mandating mask wearing in public.

Mayor Brian Stack observes a municipal healthcare worker receiving a COVID-19 vaccine

Local pizzeria Trattoria Napoli gave out free margherita pizza to the community throughout April to give back amid the pandemic. Multiple pizzerias were cited for employees not wearing masks.

In late October, new COVID-19 cases intensified. On Dec. 26, healthcare workers and EMTs began receiving the Moderna vaccine.

Schools have been operating under virtual instruction.

Stack and Police Chief Nichelle Luster marched with protestors, condemning police brutality. Union City’s Hector Oseguera gave Rep. Albio Sires his first real primary challenge.

Hector Oseguera was born in Hoboken, raised in West New York, lives in Union City, and works in Weehawken

For updates on this and other stories check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter.

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Candidate forums announced

The Hoboken Quality of Life Coalition has announced its dates and locations for the 2017 Hoboken candidate forums for the upcoming Nov. 7 election.
“These forums give Hoboken voters a chance to hear candidates for office answer the questions they care most about in an even-handed and direct format,” states the release.
On Thursday, Oct. 12 at the Mile Square Theater, 1400 Clinton St., and Monday Oct. 16 at the Multiservice Center, 124 Grand St., the 14 at-large city council candidates will speak at public forums.
Due to the large number of candidates for the three open at-large City Council seats, the QLC used a software program to randomly assign the 14 candidates into two groups of seven. The candidates assigned to Oct. 12 are Laini Hammond, Joshua Einstein, Michael Flett, Vanessa Falco, Andrew Impastato, Councilman David Mello, and Angelo Valente. The candidates assigned to Oct. 16 are Charles Matthews, Sal Starace, Jim Aibel, Jason Ellis, Emily Jabbour, John Allen, and Jim Doyle.
On Thursday, Oct. 19 the seven Board of Education candidates will meet at the School Hall of the Church of Our Lady of Grace and St. Joseph, 422 Willow Ave., and on Wednesday, Oct. 25 the mayoral candidates will meet at DeBaun Auditorium, 24 Fifth St.
Each forum will begin at 7 p.m. and will last about two hours, with a brief intermission.
This year’s candidate forums will follow an established format with questions submitted on index cards by members of the audience and posed to each of the candidates in turn by moderator Bob Bowdon, a professional interviewer and longtime resident of Hoboken.
Each candidate will have a minute and a half to respond, and the order of response will be randomized each round.
A video of the sorting process is posted on the QLC Facebook page.

Board of Education candidate clarifies HoLa vote

Sharyn Angley, one of seven candidates for the Hoboken Board of Education, clarified her position on the Board of Education’s past litigation against the expansion of the HoLa charter school.
In the past, the school board sued the Department of Education and HoLa to prevent the school’s expansion to seventh and eighth grades because the board majority believed that due to the state funding formula, the charter schools take too many resources from district schools and are socioeconomically segregated.
Angley stated in an email last week that she did not actually vote to continue the litigation. She voted at the February, 2016 meeting against a resolution to stop the litigation – but said she voted that way because of improper board procedure.
She explained that typically, the board operates under a committee structure in which board resolutions are vetted by the appropriate committee and then recommended to the board for approval. During this particular February meeting, she said, fellow candidate “Peter Biancamano introduced what is called a “live item” — a new resolution that had not been reviewed by committee. This resolution called for the board to stop its HoLa litigation.”
“The introduction of a live item, and calling the vote, was unprecedented and the board’s attorney was asked to explain procedure,” said Angley. “He said, ‘Quite frankly, lobbing a motion like this on the floor involving active litigation would hamper, I think, the board’s ability to have a public discussion about a motion like this.’”
She added that it is because of this that she voted no.
“It is against my principles to go against proper board procedure, and I certainly did not appreciate the lack of respect shown by fellow board members. And so I voted no,” said Angley. “Had I been given the opportunity and time to discuss and consider this proposal and prepare my remarks, I may have voted the way I did in April 2015,” in which she voted against a resolution supporting board counsel’s continuing to fight the state on the matter.
“As I have mentioned, I am a team player who is committed to enhancing education in Hoboken and have contributed positively to the board over the last three years,” added Angley. “I am proud of the education my children are receiving through the district. And that is why I want to give back. I hope to continue to serve our district diligently, make informed decisions for all Hoboken’s students, and work respectfully with the board and the administration to empower our schools to be the best they can be.”

Author Jillian Pransky will read at Little City Books on Oct. 11

Jillian Pransky is a local hero among the city’s yoga devotees. On Oct. 11, Little City Books, at First and Bloomfield Streets, will host the launch of her new book, “Deep Listening.”
Beginning at 7 p.m., Pransky will read from her new work and engage in conversation with Carol Massar, Bloomberg Radio/TV anchor.
Pransky’s work focuses on restorative practice, rest, healing, and meditation. Her personal story of healing through rest has been found inspiring by readers.
You can pre-order the book to reserve a place in the audience at littlecitybooks.com .

Western Twelfth Street closed in Hoboken for construction

For about the next three weeks Twelfth Street between Madison and Jefferson Streets will be closed to traffic due to construction related to the PSE&G Madison Street Substation Project.
The substation project is a multi-million dollar capital improvement plan that will upgrade the station to make it more reliable and resilient in severe weather.
In order to provide access to properties on Jefferson Street south of Twelfth Street, the block of Twelfth Street between Adams Street and Jefferson Street will be temporarily reversed from eastbound to westbound during the street closure.
Once this portion of the project is complete, the roadway will be reopened, and traffic will revert to the normal eastbound direction.

Prominent Properties Sotheby’s hosts food drive

Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty will host their Fifth Annual Food Drive on is hosting their 5th Annual Food Drive from now until Nov. 30.
Prominent Properties Sotheby’s International Realty will continue to partner with Move For Hunger, a national non-profit organization to collect non-perishable food items throughout their northern New Jersey locations.
At the end of the drive, the food will be picked-up and delivered by Ridgewood Moving Services to the Center for Food Action in Ridgewood. All Seasons Movers, Inc. and Main Street Movers will pick-up and deliver donations to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside.
Residents can donate at 306 Washington St. in Hoboken. Other locations are in Alpine, Edgwater, Englewood Cliffs, Franklin Lakes, Montclaire, Ridgewood, Saddle River, Short Hills, Tenafly, and Westfield. For more information contact your local Prominent Properties Soethby’s office.

Hurricane relief benefit performance announced

Karen Nason, local businesswoman and mayoral candidate, will host a fundraiser for a hurricane relief fund via globalgiving.org.
She is sponsoring “Merciful Delusions,” four one act plays by Tennessee Williams directed by Tony Award nominee Lorraine Serabian at the Mile Square Theater.
The performances will take place on Friday Oct. 13 and Saturday Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. and Sunday Oct. 15 at 2 p.m.
Tickets cost $40 and all proceeds will go to hurricane relief efforts.
The evenings include food, wine, desserts and coffee.
Tickets can be purchased at https://tinyurl.com/hurricanefund.

Learn about land conflict in Liberia

On Wednesday, Oct. 18, the Hoboken Historical Museum at 1301 Hudson St. will host the Black Maria Film Festival screening of the documentary “The Land Beneath Our Feet,” by Sarita Siegel and Gregg Mittman, a film spanning a four-year investigation into history, memory, and present-day land conflicts in Liberia.
Black Maria Executive Director Jane Steuerwald will host the custom-curated program, and a discussion with the audience. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and the films will screen at 7 pm. Admission is a suggested $5 donation, which includes light refreshments.

Hudson Theater Works performs ‘MacBeth’

From Oct. 12 to Oct 29 Hudson Theater Works will have performances Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at the Woodrow Wilson School at 80 Hauxhurst Ave in Weehawken.
All tickets are $20 and can be purchased through Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com or 1-800-836-3008.
There are discount tickets of $15 for seniors, veterans, Weehawken residents (with ID), and groups of 10 or more.

Local author to present new thriller at Little City Books

Internationally bestselling author, Polis Books founder, and Hoboken resident Jason Pinter will present his new novel “The Castle” on Oct. 17 at Little City Books, 100 Bloomfield Street, at 7 p.m.
“The Castle” is a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller about Remy Stanton, who gets recruited into the presidential campaign of a controversial billionaire, only to uncover shocking secrets that could jeopardize everyone he cares about.
Pinter will read from the novel, take questions, and sign copies. He will also offer a free specialty cocktail called “The Candidate” to all attendees.
For more information, on the book and author look at our Aug. 6 article “A book publisher, author, and new Hudson County resident,” www.LittleCityBooks.com or www.JasonPinter.com .

House tour announced

The Hoboken Historical Museum will host their annual Hoboken House Tour on Sunday Oct.22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The fundraiser for the museum will include a mix of Victorian brownstones and brand new condos plus a few bonus historic sites.
Locations are kept secret until the day of the tour, but each year’s tour offers a fresh selection of homes with features that will appeal to fans of traditional, modern or eclectic décor.
Points of interest on the tour include two 100-plus-year-old houses of worship, and two monuments to WWI soldiers.
The self guided tours take two to three hours on foot and a map will be included in participant’s tour booklet the day of the tour.
They can be picked up from one of two starting points, either The Hoboken Historical Museum at 1301 Hudson St., or the Fire Department Museum at 213 Bloomfield St.
Tickets are $40 in advance or $50 the day of the tour. A limited number of VIP tickets are also for sale at $125, which includes an additional three tour homes and brunch at specially selected restaurants along the route.
Advance tickets are available online at www.eventbrite.com or from a link on the Museum’s website, www.hobokenmuseum.org.

Commuters urged to use mass transit
The Port Authority has urged drivers who typically use the Holland Tunnel to take mass transit during rush hours while repairs continue on the nearby Route 139 ramp in Jersey City.
According to a Nixle alert from the city of Hoboken a fire last week compromised some of the ramp’s steel supports.
Agency officials are working on traffic management plans to lessen potential congestion impacts and will coordinate implementation with counterparts at NJ DOT, NJ Transit, New Jersey State Police, Jersey City, Hoboken and Manhattan, New York City officials, as well as New York Waterways ferry service.
It is not yet known when construction will be completed.

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West New York, Union City would more school aid in proposed formula

The West New York school district would gain an additional $1.7 million in state aid to education, a 1.8 percent increase, if the school-funding compromise struck by Democratic legislative leaders gets enacted. Last year the district received $94 million in state school funding. 

The Union City school district stands to gain an additional $2.3 million in state aid to education, a 1.3 percent increase, compromise is enacted. Last year the district received $179 million in state school funding.

The proposed formula wouldn’t change aid for the coming year for 74 districts – but statewide would mean aid increases of 10 percent or more for 70 districts, and aid reductions of 5 percent or more for 50 districts.

Those changes reflect proposed differences from what districts were promised in early March, when the state Department of Education sent aid notices shortly after Christie proposed the budget in a speech to the Legislature. Districts have adopted budgets based on those figures.

The changes would require the agreement of Gov. Chris Christie, who had asked lawmakers to come up with a school-funding fix by early June but isn’t yet convinced of the merits of the current plan.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said school funding is one of the most important things the Legislature needs to focus on.

“This is step one, and we said this was going to be a multiple step process to get to full funding,” Sweeney said. “Step one was to start getting the formula back into play.”

Step two, presuming Democratic gubernatorial nominee Phil Murphy wins in November, is a hike in income taxes for the rich.

“Next year, January, and we will do it when the new governor is sworn in, the day the new governor is sworn in, we will put up a millionaires tax. It will generate a minimum of $600 million” and bring every district in the state over 70 percent of full formula funding, Sweeney said.

“It’s a process. It’s going to take time. But in two years, we are going to really make an enormous amount of progress. So for me, this is the beginning,” Sweeney said. “… We’ve said it’s going to take five years. It might take seven years. But we absolutely can fully fund the formula, and we will fully fund the formula.”

PSE&G upgrades aging gas lines in West New York

Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) has finished upgrading a portion of its aging gas lines in West New York. Now that the ground has settled, crews will be paving the roads from June 19 through July 7, weather permitting.

“These upgrades are part of PSE&G’s three-year program to replace 510 miles of aging gas infrastructure throughout New Jersey,” said Joe Forline, vice president of gas operations. “We appreciate the patience of our customers and excellent partnership with local officials as we complete this work. Our goal is to restore roads with minimal impact to residents.”

Police will be directing traffic around work areas, and residents will be able to drive on the roads once paving is complete. For a full street list, please visit www.pseg.com/gaswork.

“The cooperation throughout the past year between PSE&G, the town, and our community has been incredible,” said Mayor Felix E. Roque. “We are continuously working to improve the health and safety of our residents, all while working to improve our local roads.”

If residents have any questions about the work, they may call and leave a voicemail with the Jersey City Gas District at (201) 420-3922.

Hudson County CASA is seeking volunteers

Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be at Little City Books at 100 Bloomfield St., Hoboken, on Tuesday, June 27 at 7 p.m.

Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures. 

For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.

Hovnanian loses $9 million suit to condo owners

A group of condominium owners has been awarded $9 million in a lawsuit against builder Hovnanian over construction problems at a six-story building on the Hudson riverfront, NJ.com reported.

The 132 condos in Grandview I are within the sprawling Port Imperial waterfront development complex.

The suit was filed in 2013 in Superior Court in Hudson County by a group formally known as the Grandview at Riverwalk Port Imperial Condominium Association. Five different Hovnanian companies were named as defendants including K. Hovnanian at Port Imperial, K Hovnanian Holding LLC, K. Hovnanian Development of NJ, and others.

The Grandview plaintiffs’ lawyers said the $9 million award includes punitive damages for violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The law entitles plaintiffs to recover attorneys’ fees, costs and prejudgment interest, and the lawyers said the award could ultimately exceed $20 million.

The jury verdict included $3 million in liability, which was tripled under the fraud statute.

The jury also found the project architect, RTKL, liable for $1 million in damages.

Cottle and fellow attorney Matt Meyers said the problems came to light after Grandview opened in 2007, and owners eventually took control of the condominium board from Hovnanian.

The judgment came after a six-week trial before Judge Jeffrey Jablonski.

Princeton University recognizes local teacher

Mr. Peter Drozd, Robotics and Engineering Teacher at Union City High School’s Academy of Enrichment and Advancement, was honored on June 6 with the Princeton Program in Teacher Preparation Award.  This award was established in 1959 by an anonymous alumnus for exceptional teachers.  The award comes with a personal check of $5,000 and $3,000 for the school’s library. Peter Drozd was selected among other outstanding entries from around the state for his dedication, presence, work ethics, impact on the school community, and “believing in the power of his students to make a better world.”

“We are proud that Mr. Drozd is a part of our Union City Board of Education family,” said a press release, “a true credit to his school and the teaching profession.”

Free outdoor series on Weehawken waterfront begins June 28

A diverse and eclectic program of Wednesday evening summer concerts returns to the Weehawken waterfront as the Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center, Inc. (HRPAC) presents Summer Concerts on the Hudson 2017. The free series is co-sponsored by the Hudson Reporter.

This series of concerts starts on Wednesday, June 28 at 7 p.m. and will feature top artists from many different musical genres, including Motown, Latin, Jazz, Bluegrass, and Flamenco.

On June 28, the band Shadows of the ’60s will pay tribute to The Four Tops, one of Motown’s greatest groups.

“For 14 years, Summer Concerts on the Hudson has presented world class artists in concerts that are free of charge to the public,” said Bruce Sherman, HRPAC’s executive director. “What could be better than listening to great music on a beautiful summer evening in a spectacular riverfront setting!”

The concerts are family friendly. Concertgoers are requested to bring a lawn chair or blanket and encouraged to pack a picnic and enjoy the pastoral setting of Lincoln Harbor Park.

All performances take place at Lincoln Harbor Park and begin at 7 p.m. Rain dates, if necessary, will occur the following night after each scheduled performance. For information, directions, and late breaking concert news and updates, please check the HRPAC website (www.hrpac.org) or call the concert info line at (201)716-4540.

FBI and U.S. Attorney General join investigation into Tonnelle Avenue police chase

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and representatives from the U.S. Justice Department have joined the investigation into the events surrounding the vehicle pursuit involving the Jersey City Police Department which ended in a fiery crash on Sunday, June 4.

Investigators from the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Internal Affairs Unit are working jointly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office – District of New Jersey and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Each agency will contribute to the investigation by providing a different area of expertise, according to a press release.

“We welcome the participation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI in our investigation,” said Suarez. “This cooperative multi-agency effort will provide that which justice demands – a fair, expeditious, thorough and impartial determination of all facts. I continue to ask the public for patience as we review this matter in its entirety.”

The press release outlined the following details:

On Sunday, June 4, shortly after 11 p.m. Jersey City Police Officers attempted to stop a vehicle in the area of Ocean and Cator avenues in Jersey City. The vehicle fled the area and was pursued by officers.
The driver, Leo C. Pinkston, 48, of Jersey City, was allegedly involved in at least two separate automobile crashes. The first crash occurred as he attempted to drive between two lanes of traffic while traveling on Tonnelle Avenue.

Multiple shots were fired at the suspect by Jersey City police officers. Several blocks later, the man crashed into a utility pole causing a fire and injuring a male victim who was also driving on Tonnelle Avenue. The victim, Miguel Feliz-Rodriguez, 28, of West New York, was transported by Emergency Medical Services to The Burn Center at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.

Anyone with additional information or video about this case is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at (201) 915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County

Prosecutor’s official website at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/ . All information will be kept confidential. 

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Jersey City man admits scamming investors of $3.4 million

A Jersey City man has admitted that he swindled two investors of $3.4 million by falsely representing that his businesses had secured lucrative contracts to sell olive oil to major retailers, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Antonio Fasolino, 62, entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Michael Vazquez in Newark federal court to all four counts of an indictment charging him with three counts of wire fraud and one count of transacting in criminal proceeds. Judge Vazquez deferred acceptance of the guilty plea until sentencing, which is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2019.
Fasolino owned several companies that were purportedly involved in the manufacture, sale and distribution of pasta, tomato sauce, olive oil and other food products. In 2012, Fasolino obtained approximately $3.4 million from two investors by falsely representing that his companies had been awarded lucrative contracts to sell olive oil.
In fact, there were never any such contracts, according to Carpenito. He said Fasolino supplied the victims with altered bank statements and spent the money on himself, including car and mortgage payments, apartment rentals, a wedding, college tuition, and credit card payments.

Jersey City cop charged with aggravated assault in Hoboken

Jersey City resident Kely Nunfio, 24, and Jersey City Police Officer Erik Castro, 24, were arrested and charged after Hoboken Sgt. Saverio Binetti called in a fight at 2:56 a.m. on Aug. 19, near First and River streets.
According to a police press release, the responding officers saw a group of about 40 people in the street and sidewalk and an unconscious man on the ground bleeding from a cut under his eye. He was being tended to by onlookers along with Officer Cynthia Rivera.
As the officers tried to disperse the crowd they received information on who caused the victim’s injury.
They saw Castro, identified in the report as a Jersey City police officer, standing near the scene. According to the press release Castro allegedly told the officers he had struck the victim.
Several witnesses told police both Castro and Nunfio allegedly struck the victim several times.
Castro and Nunfio were placed under arrest and transported to headquarters for processing.
According to a press release from the Hoboken Police Department, “the victim suffered serious head trauma from the assault.”
He was transported to Jersey City Medical Center Trauma Unit where he remained under observation. Castro was released on a summons and Nunfio was remanded to the Hudson County Rehabilitation Center.

New development named after pioneer African-American surgeon

Jersey City and state officials cut the ribbon on an affordable housing development named after a pioneer African American surgeon, Dr. Lena Frances Edwards. The apartment complex will provide 64 affordable rental units, with five set aside for homeless veterans.
Dr. Edwards was a prominent African-American physician who served Jersey City’s working class and immigrant residents in the early 20th century. While practicing medicine, Dr. Edwards would speak about public health and related social issues at local churches and the YWCA. Dr. Edwards helped set up a 15-bed maternity hospital with donated materials and funds and, using her board certification to get her patients admitted to the local hospital when necessary, reduced infant mortality dramatically. Her efforts earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, the U. S. government’s highest peacetime honor, capping a lifetime of service and struggle for those in need.
The apartments, with 2,300 feet of retail space on the ground floor, also include amenities like a community room, on-site laundry, green roof, administrative offices, bike storage and on-site covered parking for residents. They will be rented to individuals or families with a household income lower than 60 percent of the area median income. Five of the units are set aside for households with income lower than 20 percent area median income, with priority given to homeless veterans.
The development will also provide a supportive services coordinator who will work with the homeless individuals and their existing case managers, as available, to develop a success plan for the residents. A full array of supportive services will be offered to all residents, including financial and budget planning, health and nutritional education and preventative medical screenings. Services will be provided in partnership with multiple agencies including Women Rising, a local Jersey City nonprofit.

Jersey City Public Library holds events in September

In addition to its usual wide array of interactive workshops, classes, films, and social opportunities for children, young adults, families, adults, and seniors, the Jersey City Public Library has several new and notable offerings in September:
The Jersey City Friends of the Public Library will hold an “Escape to Margaritaville” Fundraiser at PJ Ryan’s Squared on Thursday Sept. 20, from 6 to 10 p.m. The $20 ticket price includes food, beer, wine, and live music. All proceeds go towards the ongoing renovation of the main library.
The library will also celebrate Jersey City’s stories and the authors who tell them at the 10th Annual Tales of Our Cities Book Festival at the Newark Avenue Pedestrian Plaza on Sunday, Sept. 23, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This year the event features local authors David Goodwin who wrote “Left Bank of the Hudson,” Tara Makhmali, author of ”Misswired,” and others.

Multimedia play on the life & philosophy of Simone Weil

Jersey City Theater Center presents “Prologue,” a new multimedia, international production about the life and philosophy of Simone Weil for a 10-show run, beginning Sept. 13 at Merseles Studios.
A French philosopher, political activist and mystic, Simone Weil was a uniquely pivotal 20th century figure. An influential scholar and writer, her life and work spanned the diverse worlds of Marxism, social activism, and spirituality.
Written and directed by Maria Litvan, an award-winning playwright acclaimed both here and in her native Spain, the first half of “Prologue” was first work shopped in 2013 at the Center for Performance Research in Brooklyn.
The show runs Sept. 13 to 16, Sept. 20 and 23, then again Sept. 27 to Sept. 30.
For all shows except Sundays, the doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the show at 8 p.m. Doors open for the Sunday shows at 3:30 p.m. with the show at 4 p.m.
Tickets cost $20 ($15/ Student and Senior Discount – must show valid ID). To purchase tickets visit: www.JCTCenter.org.

Hudson County CASA seeks volunteers

Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be held at the Hudson County Courthouse, 595 Newark Ave. Rm. 901 on Tuesday, Sept. 11 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures.
For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.

Ribbon cutting for new development on West Side

Executives from The Hampshire Companies and Claremont Companies were joined by New Jersey City University President Sue Henderson and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop to celebrate the ribbon cutting for RIVET, Jersey City’s newest luxury apartment development, at 23 University Boulevard in the city’s west end neighborhood.
The development features 163 modern residential units and 10,000 square feet of service-oriented ground level retail. It is a key component in the first phase of a mixed-use master plan to transform Jersey City’s emerging west end neighborhood into University Place, a massive project done in conjunction with New Jersey City University.
NJCU President Sue Henderson said RIVET is the first apartment building to open at University Place, and is part of public-private partnership that will help the university to offset operational costs and maintain tuition rates.

JC Housing Authority first in nation to meet federal goals

The U.S. Department of Energy and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have recognized the Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) as the nation’s first public housing authority to achieve its 20 percent energy savings goal as a partner in the Better Buildings Challenge. JCHA actually exceeded its goal, reaching 26 percent savings in only six years.
“We are very proud that the JCHA leads the nation as the first public housing authority to meet and exceed Better Building Challenge energy savings goals,” said Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop. “Through its collaborations with stakeholders and strong commitment to innovative green strategies, JCHA offers a sustainability model that other multi-family affordable housing providers can follow.”
The Better Buildings Challenge is a DOE and HUD program that works with market leaders to improve the energy efficiency of the nation’s buildings, multifamily housing, and manufacturing plants.
The housing authority pledged in 2013 to improve the energy efficiency of its buildings by 20 percent over the course of 10 years. The authority is one of 43 public housing agencies across the country to take the Better Buildings Challenge pledge. The authority’s savings are part of national savings of $3.1 billion since the launch of the Better Buildings Challenge in 2011.
The housing authority focused on agency-wide green initiatives and energy-efficient modernization of its properties to save energy and improve efficiency. The JCHA partnered with Siemens Industry, Inc. beginning in 2008, enabling the authority to modernize units with HVAC controls, energy saving lighting, and water efficiency improvements. These efforts enabled the JCHA to install a solar hot water heating system at Holland Gardens, the first solar hot water system installed in a public housing authority site in the state of New Jersey.

Bayonne and Secaucus became majority-minority municipalities after 2020 Census

Hudson Reporter
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Bayonne and Secaucus became majority-minority municipalities after 2020 Census

By Daniel Israel and Mark Koosau

In a significant change that marks the growing diversity and population in New Jersey and the United States as a whole, Bayonne and Secaucus have become majority-minority municipalities in Hudson County after the 2020 Census.

The two municipalities, which were known to be more white than the rest of Hudson County’s peers, have reached the threshold where minority groups now encompass more than 50 percent of the overall population.

Both of their general populations grew over the past decade, with Bayonne reaching a population of 71,686, and Secaucus growing to a population of 22,181.

2020 Census data breakdown

Census data indicates that under race, the percentage of people in Bayonne that identify as white alone, not Hispanic or Latino, decreased from 35,821 in 2010 to 32,697 in 2020. Factoring in the different populations at the time of each census, this means this group, non-Hispanic whites, dropped from about 56.8 percent to 45.6 percent.

State Assemblyman William Sampson and Mayor James Davis. Photo courtesy of Sampson.

The percentage of African Americans grew from 7.5 percent to 9.9 percent, the percentage of Asians grew from 7.6 percent to 9.8 percent, and the percentage of Hispanics grew from 25.8 to 30.8 percent.

“The population of the entire country is becoming more diverse,” said Bayonne Mayor James Davis. “Bayonne is part of the United States and is reflecting the national trend.”

In Secaucus, non-Hispanic whites make up only 39.5 percent of the population, compared to about 55.9 percent in 2010.

The Asian population grew the most from 20.1 percent to 32.3 percent. Hispanics make up the second largest minority group, growing from 18.6 percent to 21.2 percent, and are followed by African Americans as the third largest minority group, growing from 3.5 percent to 4.2 percent.

“You go to school now and you sit with kids of different nationalities, [and] it makes a big difference,” said Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli. “I think it’s wonderful that we have a population like we do.”

Assemblyman Sampson and members of the Skee’s Way Foundation in Bayonne. Photo courtesy of Sampson.

Demographics change with population growth

Bayonne’s population growth is the result of two factors, according to Davis. The first is immigration from around the world, and the second is movement of commuters to Bayonne from other places in the metropolitan area.

“During the publicity for Census 2020, we said, ‘If you’re here, you’re one of us. Get counted,'” Davis said. “We are happy that people responded so well to the census. We showed our biggest population growth in a census since 1930.”

As such, the city and its representation at the local and state level is adapting with the times, Davis said. This is evident in the election of state Assemblyman William Sampson in the 31st Legislative District and City Councilman At-Large Loyad Booker, both the first African Americans to hold the posts from Bayonne.

This also extends to existing lawmakers such as: state Senator Sandra Cunningham and state Assemblywoman Angela McKnight, both from Jersey City but represent the 31st Legislative District which includes that municipality and Bayonne; and City Councilman At-Large Juan Perez at the local level.

“Our administration has reached out to welcome new people,” Davis said of the changing representation in Bayonne. “As the population becomes more diverse, the political system must make sure that all ethnic and racial groups are included.”

Members of the Shree Swaminarayan Temple engage in prayer. Photo courtesy of Swaminarayan Gadi Temple Secaucus.

More data on ethnic groups to come 

Davis added that the Census Bureau will release more detailed information from Census 2020 on ancestries and ethnic groups in 2023. He concluded: “There will be more to learn when that information comes out next year.”

Over in Secaucus, Gonnelli credited the town’s overall population growth to a number of new developments such as the Xchange at Secaucus Junction, the Ospreys near Meadowlands Parkway, and the Harper near the local Walmart.

Hirsh Patel, a spokesperson for the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Secaucus, was enthusiastic about the growing diversity in the town.

“It’s really amazing,” he said. “The first generational wave here came to the North Bergen-Jersey City area. So the fact that the same exact thing is happening today, 50 years later, no less than like two, three miles away, just means that it’s good. The people that are immigrating here that are coming here are still gravitating to this area.”

When asked about what led to Secaucus reaching majority-minority status, Gonnelli and Patel also said that it’s from those that work in Manhattan.

“When you’re working in the city, and Secaucus being one stop out of New York, it’s not much of a decision after that,” said Patel. “The transit is really what I believe is the draw and also it’s a great town.”

City Councilmen At-Large Loyad Booker and Juan Perez. Photo courtesy of Perez.

Changing representation impacts politics

In Bayonne, Perez, who serves as a representative of the entire city on the Bayonne City Council and especially the Hispanic community, acknowledged the changes the city has undergone.

“I’m very proud to represent the growing Latino community,” Perez said. “We’re going to have a change. Some people like it the way it used to be, but you need change. It doesn’t matter. It happens all over the United States. This is why we call America a melting pot.”

Perez added that other groups are also growing, such as Asians and African Americans. “The Latino community is growing,” Perez said. “You also have a lot of Egyptians who are moving in. And we have a lot of Filipinos moving in also. So it’s a mixed bag.”

The demographics of the city have changed in part due to new residents moving in amid the wave of residential redevelopment under the Davis administration that he is part of, according to Perez.

“You can see the difference between the Bayonne of 2014 and the Bayonne of today,” Perez said of both the people and the buildings. “When I was first elected, we had 65,000 people. Now we have close to 72,000 people. People are moving in.”

In Secaucus however, the mayor and all of the town council are all white. Gonnelli did say though that he would “absolutely” look towards people from minority groups to run for the town council in the future.

Bayonne NAACP President Donald Byrd III addressed the crowd at the Juneteenth Celebration in 2022. Photo by Kim Caliman Byrd.

New cities arise from former sundown towns

Donald Byrd III, the President of the Bayonne branch of the The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), reflected on how the city has grown. Byrd has breathed new life into the local chapter since he took charge in 2021, and nonprofit Black in Bayonne has been simultaneously supporting the burgeoning African American community in Bayonne since its formation in 2020 by Camille High, Clarice High, Shaniqua Borders, and Rashad Callaway.

“Being a long term resident of Bayonne, then leaving for two years, and then coming back, what I have noticed, and what a lot of people in the NAACP have also said to me is, there are a lot of Black people who are now living in different areas of Bayonne,” Byrd said, who lives in the Alexan at the former Military Ocean Terminal at Bayonne (MOTBY).

Not only are there new African American residents, they are spread across the city instead of just living in one area as it had been in the past.

“When I was younger, a lot of Black people were confined to either mostly public housing or one street,” Byrd said. “Now what’s happening is that I’ve noticed you’ll find that the African American population is spread throughout the city, in a lot of areas that it seems like we used to have a hard time being able to live in.”

Byrd said this includes all throughout Avenue C and uptown Bayonne: “Those are areas that you basically did not see a Black family there. And when I talked to a lot of the elder folk in the NAACP on my executive team, they have said the same thing that we’ve seen.”

Black in Bayonne co-founder Camille High helps lead a march to City Hall as part of the “Power in the City” event held for Juneteenth in 2021. Photo by Daniel Israel.

Adapting to the times

Now, the NAACP is actively taking the growing population into consideration as they conduct outreach to the new African American people living in Bayonne. He said many live in new apartments and are not really active in the community yet.

“What I have been finding is that a lot of the African American population that’s coming in, they’re still treating it like a bedroom community,” Byrd said. “I’m going to assume that a lot of African Americans are probably not working in the city. A lot of folks are coming into the city, especially where I live over by the naval base. Those are basically bedroom communities. The folks are really not involved.”

However, the success of events like the inaugural Juneteenth Celebration are bringing these new residents together with the existing community.

“A lot of us were sitting back and saying ‘We’ve never seen these folks before,’” Byrd said. “Back in the day, since the population was concentrated, we pretty much knew who was here. If you were part of the Williams family or part of the Glover family, you knew. But now we can’t assess that anymore.”

For updates on this and other stories, check www.hudsonreporter.com and follow us on Twitter @hudson_reporter. Daniel Israel can be reached at disrael@hudsonreporter.com. Mark Koosau can be reached at mkoosau@hudsonreporter.com or his Twitter @snivyTsutarja.

NORTH BERGEN BRIEFS

Submitted Content
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NORTH BERGEN BRIEFS

North Bergen Housing Authority fires employees after internal investigation

The North Bergen Housing Authority (NBHA) terminated a number of employees recently, according to NBHA Spokesman Phil Swibinski.
“As a result of an internal investigation initiated by the North Bergen Housing Authority and being conducted by special counsel Mark Tabakin, a number of at-will employees were terminated for workplace misconduct,” Swibinski said. “Given that this matter involves personnel, we will have no further comment at this time.”
The terminations follow a series of mishaps for the authority in recent months. In March, after an internal investigation, the NBHA terminated Geoffrey Santini (who also holds private contracts as an animal control officer for several municipalities) as its security director, after an NBC News report alleged he misused a NBHA SUV for his business and low-showed at the federal housing job.
Earlier this month, a new NBC News report earlier this month alleged that NBHA units meant for lower-income tenants instead went to political supporters of the city administration.
A follow-up NBC report on the terminated employees claimed that none appeared to have anything to do with either of their recent investigative stories.
NBC said, “The U.S. Attorney for New Jersey and the HUD Inspector General have launched criminal investigations into alleged wrongdoing at the NBHA” after the NBC investigations, according to NBC. But William Skaggs, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, said last week that he could not confirm or deny an investigation.

Pool open weekends now, weekdays beginning June 27

North Bergen residents are invited to join the municipal pool for a cool and refreshing summer. Membership prices remain the same as the past two years, after reducing prices in 2016 to offer savings of more than $100 per family.
The pool is currently open on Saturday and Sunday only, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Beginning June 27 the pool will open Monday through Friday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Weekend hours will remain 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Members must be North Bergen residents. Registration must be done in person at the pool, 2111 91st St., or the Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave. Applications will be accepted during the following hours: Monday to Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. at the Recreation Center, Monday to Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. at the pool, Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the pool.
Visit the township website at www.northbergen.org for an application and pricing. For more information contact the Recreation Center at (201) 861-9601 or the pool at (201) 758-2713 (weekends only).

Register kids ages 6-12 for summer camp

Boys and girls ages 6 to 12 are invited to participate in North Bergen’s Summer Fun program, running 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday from June 28 to Aug. 1. Summer Fun is a summer camp program held at various locations throughout the township. Registration is required to join, and participation is limited.
A birth certificate and proof of residency are required for registration, along with a $50 non-refundable fee. The registration fee includes a tee-shirt, lunch, field trip, and entertainment.
Registration is first-come, first-served, from 2 to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13 at the North Bergen Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave.

Police, firefighters, and EMS honored on Public Servants Appreciation Day

For the third year in a row, Dignity Memorial hosted a generous barbecue and picnic to honor the public servants of North Hudson.
All local police officers, firefighters, and EMS workers were invited to stop in on Wednesday, May 23 for freshly grilled burgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings, plus tasty side dishes, desserts, and beverages, all for free courtesy of Dignity.
Mayor Nicholas Sacco stopped by to meet with the public servants and offer his thanks for their dedicated service, along with Freeholder Anthony Vainieri, Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual, Finance and Revenue Commissioner Julio Marenco, Police Chief Robert Dowd, and numerous other township officials.
Held under a large tent on the lawn of Garden State Crematory, the event continues to grow in size every year. Hundreds of burgers and dogs were given out, along with free tee-shirts, pins, tote bags, and other giveaways.
Dignity Memorial is the parent company of Garden State Crematory and Leber Funeral Home in North Bergen, and Mack Memorial Home in Secaucus, all of whom contributed to the Public Servants Appreciation Day celebration.

Express POOL launches in New Jersey

Uber announces last week that its new shared rides product Express POOL launched May 17 in Hudson County, Newark, Elizabeth, and parts of Essex and Bergen counties.
In Express POOL, where riders wait a few minutes before their trips begin, and then walk a short distance to a nearby spot for pick up and dropoff. Walking and waiting help make more optimal matches and provide better, straighter, faster routes with fewer detours.
New Jersey residents will see Express POOL next to POOL in the app. Once requested, the app spends the next few minutes selecting the most compatible co-riders and a driver nearby, and the best spot for pickup within a few blocks of your location.

Guttenberg Memorial Day BBQ is May 28

Guttenberg will honor Memorial Day with a ceremony at Monument Park on Monday, May 28. The ceremony will be followed a free barbecue in the park, open to all residents.
The event begins at 1 p.m. in Monument Park, at 70th Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard East. Mayor Wayne Zitt and the town council will host the annual Memorial Day tribute, commencing with a service commemorating those who died while serving in the United States armed forces.
The ceremony will be followed by Guttenberg’s second annual Memorial Day Barbecue, sponsored by the township and open to all residents. The barbecue will take place in and around Monument Park.

LYFT signs on as sponsor of Hudson Bike Share

Lyft is now an official sponsor of Hudson Bike Share, the two companies announced last week.
Hudson Bike Share launched in Hoboken in October 2015 and just last year expanded to Weehawken, West New York, Guttenberg, North Bergen, Bayonne and Port Imperial for a total of 560 bikes. The system currently has 22,436 registered members and has clocked over 390,000 rides since inception.
Said Ann Ferracane, general manager of Lyft New Jersey, “By supporting Hudson Bikeshare, we’re able to make it easier to combine modes of transportation. From taking a Lyft to Weehawken and exploring downtown by bike, or taking bike between towns and a Lyft complete the journey, this partnership makes easier to imagine living car-free in many areas of New Jersey.”
Existing Hudson Bike Share riders who try Lyft for the first time and download the app can use code NJBIKE18 for $15 in free ride credit.

Menendez rips into IRS ‘attack on New Jersey taxpayers’

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez reacted to Wednesday’s announcement by the Internal Revenue Service that it intends to issue new rules about property taxes. Menendez said the rules would unfairly target statwide efforts to protect New Jersey taxpayers from being double-taxed by the Trump Administration’s plan limiting state and local tax deductions.
Republican federal tax law, passed last year, is expected to hurt New Jersey taxpayers who pay more than $10,000 in state and local property taxes. Estimates indicate that more than one in 10 New Jersey households will see an increase in their federal income taxes.
To mitigate the federal tax law, earlier this month, the senator – a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee that sets national tax policy and the leader in the U.S. Senate in the fight to preserve the state and local tax deduction – joined Gov. Phil Murphy as he signed state legislation that allows municipalities to establish charitable funds where taxpayers can donate in return for a property tax credit.
The state legislation, S-1893, allows taxpayers to donate to a charitable fund established by their municipality, county, or school district. In return for their donation, the taxpayer receives a credit on their property tax bill of up to 90 percent of the donation. Taxpayers would then be able to claim their donation as a charitable deduction on their federal income tax return.
The IRS has said it will try to limit these strategies, without giving any details.
“Despite these state efforts to circumvent the new statutory limitation on state and local tax deductions, taxpayers should be mindful that federal law controls the proper characterization of payments for federal income tax purposes,” the IRS wrote in its notice.
Menendez reacted angrily. “The concept of incentivizing charitable contributions with state tax benefits, including credits, has long been found by the IRS to be acceptable,” the senator said. “The only reasonable conclusion to draw is that the Trump Administration will stop at nothing to hurt New Jersey, and will always put petty partisan politics ahead of the people he has been sworn to serve.”
Menendez added, “As appalling as it was for President Trump and Congressional Republicans to use tax reform as a way to exact political revenge against so-called blue states by limiting the state and local tax deduction, it is absolutely unacceptable to use the IRS as a political weapon to target New Jerseyans. I will not stand for it, and will use every tool at my disposal to protect the taxpayers of New Jersey.”

Hudson County CASA is seeking volunteers

Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be held at the Hudson County Courthouse, 595 Newark Ave. Rm. 901 on Tuesday, June 5 at 6:30 p.m.
Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures.
For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org.

Bayonne goes to the polls on May 8

Rory Pasquariello, Staff Writer
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Bayonne goes to the polls on May 8

Selecting the person who will lead your town is a tough decision and should be—the biggest issues facing the country play out on the local level. This year’s mayoral candidates are Mitchell Brown, a physician and attorney, James Davis, incumbent mayor, and Jason O’Donnell, former Assemblyman, firefighter and Bayonne Public Safety Director. The winning candidate will need more than 50 percent of the vote to win. If no candidate reaches 50 percent, a runoff election will be held between the top two vote-getters.
Readers are encouraged to speak directly with the candidates, call their offices, tweet at them, and engage in any way they can. Meanwhile, the Bayonne Community News has been reporting for almost a year on the candidates, the issues, and what citizens demand from their leaders. Below is a synopsis of what you’ll need to know before you go to the polls.

Taxes

Because local governments are responsible for funding public schools, the historically contentious issue of taxes is more prominent in local elections than in national ones.
Candidates this year are divided on tax issues that concern housing and development. Even if residents support new development, how will the new housing be financed?
Mayor Davis has employed payments-in-lieu-of-tax (PILOT) agreements for developers that create direct streams of revenue for the city over 15-30-year time frames. Normally, those who own property, or develop it, pay a local property tax based on the assessed value of the property – 40 percent of which goes to fund the local school district. In Bayonne, five percent of PILOT revenue is allocated for the school district, another five percent goes to the county, and 90 percent goes directly into the city coffers.
Jason O’Donnell argues that because PILOTs pay only five percent of the payments to the school district while serving to increase Bayonne’s population, the district’s resources will be further limited and could bring higher property taxes down the line. Davis, meanwhile, argues that closing the city’s structural deficit should take top priority. To a city in a $17 million structural deficit hole, the use of PILOTs to help plug the hole is a viable option but will have to pass muster with voters to continue.
Dr. Mitchell Brown, while supportive of development, has a different view than the other two candidates. While focusing on fiscal responsibility, Brown argues that too many resources are allocated to police and fire departments, shortchanging other initiatives.
Candidates disagree on what financial effect these redevelopment policies will have on Bayonne over time, what kinds of projects should be prioritized to receive the incentive, and what the developers’ responsibilities should be to the city’s education, infrastructure, and construction workers.
On these fiscal concerns, Davis says that you fix the structural deficit with development, O’Donnell argues that Davis has given out too many PILOTS to residential projects, and Brown claims that Davis has attracted low-level businesses that attract unskilled labor.

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The biggest issues facing the country play out in local elections.
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Parking

The city council proposed a change in parking rules to allow residents to legally park in front of their driveways with permits the council initially said would cost $50 per year, per household. They later cancelled the fee. In response, O’Donnell proposed a ten-point parking plan that poses solutions to longstanding parking problems.
O’Donnell has been a vocal opponent of driveway permits, supporting the current informal system in which residents trust neighbors to park only in front of their own driveways. His plan promotes public-private parking garages, such as the one behind Barnabas Health on Broadway, and a practice of requiring developers who cannot or do not meet parking requirements to pay into a fund for the city to purchase land for purposes of parking.
Davis’s proposals include introducing a mobile payment option for municipal parking and putting up more signage on the streets for drivers to find parking. Davis has relied on developers sticking to parking codes by constructing onsite parking, often in indoor garages on the premises.
Brown, who recognizes a need to curb commercial vehicles parked overnight and drivers with handicap placards occupying too much space on Broadway, has criticized his opponents for not doing enough to address parking issues in the past.

Clean streets

O’Donnell charges that the streets are dirtier than ever, encouraging the public to take pride in cleanliness and advocating for garbage cans on every block. Davis trumpets his clean up initiatives, such as the one on Earth Day, and vows to issue another referendum on side-street cleaning. Brown claims he doesn’t see a lot of dirt, but reiterates that some funds dedicated to police and fire could be better used to keep the city clean.

Public transit

Davis takes credit for moving ferry transport forward, part of MOTBY development. O’Donnell charges that the ferry is too expensive for most residents, calls a proposed gondola “fantastical,” and promotes more capacity on the light rail. As mayor, Brown would commission studies to examine the issue.

Supporting local business

While O’Donnell touts better use of the UEZ, Brown counters that the UEZ is ineffective; he wants to impose higher standards on business owners to maintain the appearance of their buildings. Davis maintains that the development he’s championed will attract up-and-coming business people.

Water infrastructure

In a rare instance of agreement, Davis, O’Donnell, and Brown all concur that the contract with Suez Water needs to be renegotiated because of ever-rising water rates and that something needs to be done about the amount of plastic that’s clogging the city’s century-old sewage system.

Community engagement

Davis continues to tout the Hometown Fair and the UEZ’s initiatives to beautify Broadway as efforts that will encourage public interaction. O’Donnell pushes programs that are sustainable all year round, and Brown proposes themed fairs, classes and adult education, and a functional community center. Davis supports the community-center concept but hasn’t been able to get funding or find public land.

Wards

Davis and O’Donnell are each running a slate of five city council candidates – one from the First, Second and Third Wards, and two at-large candidates. All five sitting council members are running on Davis’ slate, while a slew of newcomers has joined O’Donnell. Meanwhile, Zoning Board Chairman Mark Urban is running independently for Third Ward city council.
The Third Ward is the only ward in which three candidates are vying for the same seat, which requires more than 50 percent of the vote to win. If no candidate reaches 50 percent, a runoff election will be held.
While issues facing Bayonne affect every resident, each ward experiences those problems slightly differently. For instance, uptown residents in the Third Ward experience different parking issues that those of First Ward residents due to the many commuters from the west side of Bayonne and Staten Island flocking to the light rail stations. Meanwhile, many residents in the East Side neighborhood in the Second Ward have been vehemently vocal about their opposition to large-scale development in the neighborhood, which they fear could bring more traffic, increased parking problems, and a change in community culture.
The First Ward, which includes Bergen Point, has a whole other set of issues. For instance, the Bayonne Bridge construction project has negatively affected the quality of life in the construction area over the last few years. But Bergen Point is mostly looking ahead and considering how to maximize the use of the redesigned Dennis Collins Park. Potential for a linear park under the Bayonne Bridge also has residents excited.
The mayoral candidates have addressed many other issues, such as improving waste management and revitalizing parks and recreational facilities. Visit hudsonreporter.com. to check out past Bayonne Community News reporting on the election and to view the mayoral debate held at the Hudson Reporter office on April 10.

Election Day

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
To find your polling location and to follow live election results, call the Hudson County Board of Election at (201) 369-7740, visit its website at hudsoncountyclerk.org, or email countyclerk@hcnj.us.
Hudsonreporter.com will be updating the website to reflect the most updated polling results.

The Candidates

Mayoral Candidate James Davis
Campaign office: 717 Broadway
Phone: (201) 858-6010
Website: teamdavis2018.net
Email: bayonnedems1@gmail.com
Facebook: Davis for Bayonne
Twitter: @DavisforBayonne

The Davis Slate
Ballot positions:
2A: Incumbent mayor James Davis
4B: At-large candidate, Sharon Ashe-Nadrowski, tech career
8C: First Ward candidate, Thomas Cotter, motorcycle rider
8C: Second Ward candidate, Sal Gullace, private contractor
10C: Third Ward candidate, Gary La Pelusa, proprietor of landscaping business
5B: At-large candidate, Juan Perez, former NJ State Trooper and Hudson County Sheriff

The O’Donnell Slate
1A: Mayoral candidate, Jason O’Donnell
7B: At-large candidate, Melissa Enriquez-Rada, realtor and insurance agent
9C: Second Ward candidate, Kevin Kuhl, proprietor of Kuhl’s Tavern
8C: Third Ward candidate, Matt Klimansky, National Guard veteran
9C: First Ward candidate, Sharma Montgomery, Air Force veteran
6B: At-large candidate, Dan Ward, educator and chair of BHS History Department

Campaign Office: 510 Broadway
Phone: (201) 858-8457
Website: Odonnell4bayonne.com
Email: jason@odonnell4bayonne.com
Facebook: Team O’Donnell
Twitter: @AsmODonnell

3A: Mayoral candidate, Mitchell Brown
Email: drbrown4mayor@gmail.com
Office: 758 Broadway

Independent Council Candidate

9C: Third Ward candidate, Mark Urban, Bayonne Zoning Board Chairman

Rory Pasquariello can be reached at roryp@hudsonreporter.com.

JERSEY CITY BRIEFS

Al Sullivan, Senior Staff Writer
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JERSEY CITY BRIEFS

JCMC reaches milestone for infant care

On Saturday, Oct. 13, Jersey City Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, reached a critical medical milestone in its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).  From 2014-2018, the hospital’s NICU has been “CLABSI-free,” sustaining zero cases of central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). CLABSI is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality for infants, a population specifically susceptible to infections because of immature immune systems.

“Jersey City Medical Center is proud of this achievement, and of our entire Maternal, Child Health and NICU team,” said Michael Prilutsky, president & CEO. “Our goal is always to provide the highest level of safety and care to all our patients, especially to the most vulnerable ones in our care.”

Jersey City Medical Center is a state-designated regional perinatal center.  The hospital’s NICU is the only Level 3 and the highest level NICU in Hudson County.  In the 5-year CLABSI-free period, the NICU cared for more than 1,500 infants.  The hospital also has of one of the state’s only NicView™ system – an innovative webcam system, which offers secure viewing of NICU to families worldwide.

Steve Hummel named first assistant JC prosecutor

Jersey Cityl Chief Prosecutor Jake Hudnut has tapped a 15-year veteran of the office as his new first assistant prosecutor. Steve Hummell has been named the Jersey City Office of the Municipal Prosecutor’s first assistant prosecutor, the office’s highest-ranking prosecutor under Hudnut.

Hummell will also oversee the development and launch of the office’s Early Case Screening Initiative. Early case screening will allow the city’s prosecutors to be better prepared to handle and resolve cases at first appearance.  Other jurisdictions that have adopted early screening have found that the approach drastically decreases the number of court appearances necessary to resolve cases, saving municipalities money and sparing defendants and victims multiple visits to court. Other jurisdictions with this practice in place also suggest that early case screening leads to more just outcomes of cases.

Groundbreaking for 70-percent affordable housing project

Mayor Steven M. Fulop and representatives from RPM Development Group broke ground in early October at the historic Whitlock Cordage site, an outcome 15 years in the making.

The six and a half acre site includes five existing buildings being renovated along with 29 newly reconstructed buildings. The transformation will bring a total of 330 residential rental units to the location, 230 of which will be designated as affordable for residents of low and moderate income levels.

Among the 34 new and renovated buildings, residents can choose from lofts, 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units.  The amenities include a fitness center and community courtyard for residents.  One of the buildings will be used for indoor parking with 159 indoor spaces alongside 113 surface parking spots.

Much of the integrity of the historic buildings will be preserved including the landmark smoke stacks, illustrious windows and the developers will be maintaining beams and exposed brick where they exist.

Construction originally started in 2003, but was halted by the previous developers. RPM Development took over the project in June, and expects the first buildings to be open to residents by the summer of 2019.  The remaining buildings will follow shortly thereafter in 2020.

Something Blue at Panepinto Galleries

Panepinto Galleries, in collaboration with Spear Street Capital, presents “Something Blue”, highlighting artwork by four artists based in Jersey City and West Orange, New Jersey: Stephen Cimini, Candy Le Sueur, Tatsuro Nishimura and Shari-Beth Susskind.

The artists featured in this exhibition will explore the color blue through an underlying theme of abstraction through the use of oil paint, resin, acrylic paint and photography.

The gallery, at 70 Hudson St., is open weekly Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or by appointment

For further information and to join a mailing list, please contact the gallery: art@panepintogalleries.com or call 201.521.9000.

Christmas bazaar and flea market coming

St. John’s Lutheran Church will hold its Christmas bazaar and flea market on Saturday, Nov. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 155 North St., upstairs in the gym. This will include new and used items, crafts, gifts, baked goods, raffles and refreshments. For more information call (201) 214-5300

Your Move teams up with Art House for dance festival

Art House Productions in partnership with Friends of Loew’s Theater presents the 9th annual “Your Move: Modern Dance Festival” featuring Bessie Jury Award recipient Kyle Marshall at The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theater, 54 Journal Square Plaza, Jersey City, adjacent to the Journal Square PATH Station, on Friday Nov. 2 at 7:30 pm and Sunday Nov.4 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are $18 in advance ($25 at the door). For tickets and further information please visit www.arthouseproduction.org

The 2018 festival features Kyle Marshall Choreography (KMC). Other choreographers include: Felicia Avalos, Lauren Connolly, Gwendolyn Gussman, Joe Monteleone, Patrick O’Brien, Javier Padilla, Ambika Raina, Morgan Refakis, Jordan Ryder, Phoebe Sandford, Adriana Santoro and Shannon Yu.

For more information about our programs, please visit our website at www.arthouseproductions.org.

HCCC holds WWI exhibit

The Hudson County Community College Department of Cultural Affairs launched its fall season with the “WWI: Beyond Flanders Fields” exhibition commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of the Great War. The exhibit curated by Michelle Vitale, HCCC Director of Cultural Affairs honors New Jersey WWI heroes and features unique military items from the National World War I Museum and Memorial, lectures by distinguished scholars, and interactive displays.

The exhibition’s closing reception will be held on Thursday, Nov.15 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Dineen Hull Gallery in Jersey City. In partnership with The New York Military Affairs Symposium, Captain Devon Collins, a professor at West Point, will give a lecture on “POW Veterans in WWI.” Collins was born in Westfield, Mass. and graduated from the United States Military Academy in 2008. She has served in multiple logistics positions in the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team and 82nd Airborne Division. In 2017 she earned a master’s degree in Military History from Ohio State University. Collins currently serves as an Instructor in the Department of History at West Point and is working on completion of her dissertation, Prisoners of War: Conceptions, Organizations and Lessons Learned in the British Government, 1914-1922. Lecture will begin at 4:30 p.m.

The Dineen Hull Gallery is on the 6th floor of the Hudson County Community College’s Gabert Library Building, 71 Sip Avenue, just a block away from the Journal Square PATH Transportation Center in Jersey City. For more information email checht@hccc.edu or call (201) 360-5379

SoFar Sounds secret concerts comes to JC

SoFar Sounds, known for holding concerts at secret locations throughout the world in an intimate setting, will be hosting an upcoming event at Jersey City Urby.

Taking place on Sunday, Oct. 28, the club for adventuring art and music lovers is returning to Jersey City in The Garden Room at Urby.

As with any SoFar event, you won’t find out who’s playing until you get there, but past artists have included Ed Sheeran, Bastille, Hozier, Sylvan Esso and Robert Pattinson to name a few.

Less than five minutes from Manhattan and just off the Exchange Place PATH Station, the doors open at 8 p.m. and drinks are BYOB. Tickets are typically $15-20. Once approved to come, full details will be revealed the night before.

JCTV reinvent classic tragedy for modern times

Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) presents “Trojan Women,” a multimedia and multilingual adaptation of the classic Greek tragedy reimagined for today’s turbulent times. Trojan Women  opens Friday Nov. 2 for an 11-show run that closes on Sunday Nov. 18 at Merseles Studios, 339 Newark Avenue in Jersey City.

This multimedia production – directed by Olga Levina, Artistic Director of JCTC – features a diverse cast of more than 15 actors with nearly as many additional artists as part of the production crew. These talented individuals include artists of international stature as well as those with regional renown.

Some of the members include actors such as Tatyana Zbirovskaya, who worked in Russian theater before emigrating to the U.S. in the 1990s, Mahalet Dejene, an Ethiopian-born actress now working in the U.S., Aizzah Fatima, a Pakistani actress and playwright whose one-woman show Dirty Paki Lingerie has toured internationally and Sylvana Joyce, a local legend famous as the leader of the Jersey City-based Gypsy pro-rock band, Sylvana Joyce & The Moment. For dates and times, go to JCTCCenter.org.

Hudson County CASA is seeking volunteers

Learn how to become a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and help foster children find safe and permanent homes. The next information session will be held at the Hudson County Courthouse, 595 Newark Ave. Rm# 901 on Tuesday, Nov. 13 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm.

Hudson County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is a non-profit organization committed to advocating for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to ensure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes. Hudson County CASA volunteers are everyday people who make a direct impact in foster children’s lives. They are trusted, dedicated adults who seek to improve children’s well-being. CASA volunteers get to know their assigned child and his or her circumstances and provide valuable information to the court. Judges rely on the volunteers’ recommendations to make the best decisions about the children’s futures. For further information, visit www.hudsoncountycasa.org

 

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