With New Jersey stuck in Phase 2 of reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses are fighting to survive.

Throughout Hudson County, municipalities have been closing down streets to allow restaurants to expand outdoor dining.

In North Bergen, folks took advantage of the nice weather over the weekend to enjoy the township’s restaurants along Broadway during the first “Eat & Shop Local” event.

“Small businesses are the lifeline of our community, and they depend on our help now more than ever,” North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco said in a statement. “That is why we are proud to announce our new program “North Bergen: Eat & Shop Local’ to promote local businesses throughout our town and help them get back on track during these troubled times.”

Sacco published a video message to showcase the initiative.

Under the program, streets are closed to vehicular traffic on weekends, from 3 p.m. Friday until 10 p.m. Sunday.

Supporting local eateries

Sacco, Commissioner Julio Marenco, Freeholder Anthony Vainieri, and other local officials enjoyed outdoor dining.

“This weekend was the first of the Shop and Eat Local initiative, and so far it’s a huge success,” Sacco said on Aug. 8. “Last night and today the businesses on Broadway had great turnouts all day and evening.”

From August 7 to 9, Broadway between 72nd St. and 79th St. was closed to traffic, and tables were set up in the street to allow for social distancing.

Other businesses added their own initiatives. Iza Music Academy presented a full concert on the sidewalk, with piano performances, singing, guitar, and more.

Eat local throughout August

Bergenline between 78th St. and 82nd St. will be closed from August 14 to 16. Additional locations on Bergenline will follow every weekend in August.

From August 21 through 23, Bergenline between 76th St. and 78th St. will be closed to traffic and open to businesses.

From August 28 to 30, Bergenline between 70th St. and 76th St. will be closed.

Side streets will remain open.

“Please remember to wear a mask and practice social distancing,” Sacco said.

North Bergen has expedited the process of applying for outdoor dining.

With New Jersey stuck in Phase 2 of reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses, especially local restaurants, have been struggling to stay afloat.

One North Bergen family restaurant is on life support. Catherine Licata is the co-owner of Café Per Tutti, a family restaurant where her son is co-owner and the esteemed chef Michael Licata.

Catherine Licata said regulations are too broad. Large restaurants with room for outdoor dining have been thriving. Smaller restaurants like Café Per Tutti don’t have the outdoor capacity.

The cozy dining room of Café Per Tutti has been reduced to just eight seats with outdoor dining.

Gov. Murphy has been reopening New Jersey in segments such as schools, parks, and restaurants. Licata said Murphy should segment even further with separate regulations for small and large restaurants.

Lack of enforcement

Licata said that some of the larger restaurants and chains on River Road, and Palisade Ave. in North Bergen are not abiding by the guidelines for outdoor dining. Some are packed with mask-less diners not observing social distancing, according to Licata.

“You can’t even park or drive through,” she said, the “swarms of people.”

Licata proposed a community watch program but feels that the issue is not necessarily with the township, but with the governor’s guidelines.

Changing by the day

Licata said the constantly changing guidelines are an “eternal, nonstop roller coaster ride.”

Licata took heart when Murphy announced that indoor dining could reopen in July. She began planning only to have Murphy rescinded the reopening, citing the lack of social distancing and mask-wearing.

“What happens when it rains?,” Licata said. “You just have to close the door.”

Tropical Storm Isaias knocked out the restaurant’s power, and a tree came crashing through the glass roof.

Licata has been left wondering what the plan for dining is during winter, especially when a second wave of COVID-19 is likely to hit.

Not just a business

Café Per Tutti is not just a restaurant, it’s Licata’s livelihood. “I don’t have pension or salary,” she said. “This is it.”

Licata has been using her life savings, but that is drying up. “My thought was that I was going to build something for the community, for my family,” an emotional Licata said.

While there is relief funding for small businesses, Licata said it isn’t enough to survive.

Licata said that Café Per Tutti received $20,000 from PPE funding, but it didn’t help the restaurant stay afloat.

She acknowledged the restaurant could get up to $20,000 under the Hudson County Small Business Grant program. But if rent is $4,000, and payroll is $12,000, she wonders how long that money is going to last.

Calls to communicate

Licata is part of the Restaurant Coalition, which has urged her to reach out to contact Rep. Albio Sires. She was mailed a form letter stating that there is an ongoing fight for more COVID-19 funding.

“Talk to us,” Licata said, pleading for increased communication.

Frequent COVID-19 testing of her staff and herself is a priority, but people can’t afford healthcare without a job. If Café Per Tutti shuts down, Licata is unsure how she would afford healthcare.

Licata believes she is speaking for small businesses across the county and hopes her story encourages customers to dine with and help small businesses that are struggling.

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.

With New Jersey stuck in Phase 2 of reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic due to an increased rate of transmission, municipal parks have been reopening across the state.

North Bergen reopened municipal parks on July 2 and opened a new park on July 10 on Paterson Plank Road. Now, after renovations, it has reopened another park.

Mayor Nicholas Sacco cut the ribbon on July 29, officially reopening Policemen’s Park at 1455 Union Turnpike and Grand Avenue.

Revitalizing the area

The park got a complete face lift, with a new water spray area, toddler swings, a playground with rubberized surfaces for two- to five-year-olds, a playhouse and play set with slides, a brand-new basketball court, dog run, benches, and other amenities.

The new additions don’t stop there. Future plans call for a new gazebo and decorative lighting. The completely redesigned park is intended to help revitalize this area of town.

The cost of the project was $1.2 million, including $500,000 from Hudson County Open Space grants. Construction and the reopening were delayed due to various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sacco was joined at the ribbon cutting by Commissioners Hugo Cabrera, Julio Marenco, and Allen Pascual, Township Administrator Chris Pianese, Police Chief Peter Fasilis, local community representatives John Bender and Wanda Ayala, and many other officials and residents.

Children dashed excitedly through the water spray and enjoyed the new equipment.

The township has allocated more than $5 million toward renovating local parks to benefit and enhance the community, with the majority of the funding coming from state and federal grants.

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.

With New Jersey stuck in Phase 2 of reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many small businesses and restaurants are struggling to stay afloat, as they are limited to takeout, delivery, and outdoor dining.

North Bergen is expediting the process of applying for outdoor dining.

Now, restaurants and small businesses will have more space to operate, helping relieve some of the issues caused by COVID-19 restrictions.

Eat in the street

Mayor Nicholas Sacco, the Board of Commissioners, and Freeholder Anthony Vainieri recently announced “North Bergen: Eat & Shop Local.”

The program will close streets to vehicular traffic to provide more space for local businesses.

Streets will be closed on weekends, from 3 p.m. Friday until 10 p.m. Sunday.

From August 7 to 9, Broadway between 72nd St. and 79th St. will be closed for local businesses to use the street.

Bergenline between 78th St. and 82nd St. will be closed from August 14 to 16.

From August 21 through 23, Bergenline between 76th St. and 78th St. will be closed to traffic and open to businesses.

From August 28 to 30, Bergenline between 70th St. and 76th St. will be closed.

Side streets will remain open.

Residents are asked to come out and support local businesses.

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.

Movie theaters remain closed as Phase 2 of reopening amid the COVID-19 pandemic remains on pause in New Jersey due to an increased rate of transmission. However, North Bergen residents who miss watching a feature film on the big screen are in luck.

The township has organized a portable drive-in movie theater at the Municipal Pool. The first Drive-in Movie Night was held on Monday, July 20 in the parking lot of the Municipal Pool Complex at 2111 91st Street.

Mayor Nicholas Sacco greeted residents, along with Park Commissioner Hugo Cabrera. Free popcorn was served, and free giveaways were available, courtesy of NB C.A.R.E.S.

The event was a big hit, with families turning out in their vehicles for a free screening of “Jurassic Park.” As a result of the success, more drive-in movie events are planned at the pool.

According to Cabrera, more than 50 cars were in attendance with around four people in each car, totaling approximately 200 people.

Something old yet new

In an interview with the Hudson Reporter, Sacco and Cabrera described their efforts to bring outdoor movies to North Bergen.

Cabrera said the township was looking for an area with enough space to accommodate a drive-in theater. The pool parking lot ended up being a perfect fit, allowing for up to 105 cars at a time.

The township is eyeing another site to host drive-in movies, at 67th street by the baseball field. The drive-in theater system is portable, allowing the township to move the location as needed. 

The setup at 67th Street should be able to accommodate a number of cars.

At future drive-in movies, residents would need to make reservations to ensure that there is enough parking space for everyone.

Drive-in theater throwback

Interest in the drive-in theater is expected to grow as word spreads.

“As it catches on, people are going to start going. Everyone seemed to enjoy it that night,” Cabrera said. “It was a throwback. When I was young, I used to go to the one on Route 46.”

Sacco agreed, noting the perks of the new drive-in theater.

“The difference is in old drive-ins you had to get that speaker and put it on your window,” Sacco said. “This one came right through the radio.”

Residents simply need to adjust their radio frequency to the same frequency at which the movie is being broadcast to hear the audio in their cars.

The township plans to continue the drive-in movies until October or November, since residents don’t need to leave their cars to experience the movie.

Outdoor movies for those without cars

For those without cars, there are still movie showings on the big screen.

Sacco and NB C.A.R.E.S. are sponsoring a weekly outdoor movie series on Thursday nights.

Films will be shown free at a different location each week. Free popcorn and water will be provided, along with free giveaways.

Seating is provided. Residents should not bring their own chairs. Residents must stay six feet away from each other.

On July 30, “Trolls 2” will be shown at the 88th Street Park, between Durham and Grand.

On Aug. 6, “The Lion King” will be featured at the Kennedy Branch library, 2123 Kennedy Blvd.

On Aug. 13, “Aladdin” will be shown at the Main Library, 8411 Bergenline Ave.

On Aug. 20, “The Secret Life of Pets 2” will be featured at the Paterson Plank Road Park, next to Hudson Mews.

On Aug. 27 is “Angry Birds 2” at the Nutrition Center, 1441 45th St.

On Sept. 3 “Sonic the Hedgehog” will be shown at Policemen’s Park, Union Turnpike & Grand Ave.

The rain date for each movie is the following night.

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.

With no sign of an end to the COVID-19 pandemic in sight, paying rent has been difficult for many residents who are currently out of work or facing income loss. In some Hudson County municipalities, a freeze was put on rent increases to help residents deal with the issue.

In North Bergen, the Board of Commissioners and Mayor Nicholas Sacco are looking to extend the current rent increase moratorium. The board recently introduced an ordinance that would extend the rent increase moratorium until November.

In May, the commissioners adopted the current ordinance enacting a moratorium, or freeze, on rent increases during the pandemic.

Efforts to protect renters

The ordinance prevents landlords from increasing rent on rent-controlled properties, including charges for parking, pets, or any other fees associated with dwelling units.

The rent freeze came after a resolution was signed during the April 22 commissioners meeting, urging all township landlords to refrain from raising rents and other fees.

“This pandemic has affected all of us in different ways,” Sacco said. “Enacting this rent freeze protects local renters during an incredibly difficult time. We will continue to do everything in our power to ease the burden on our residents, particularly the most vulnerable. Working together is the only way we can overcome this pandemic.”

Under the new ordinance, the North Bergen rent freeze would remain in effect until November 1.

Meanwhile, Gov. Phil Murphy issued an executive order in March placing a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures that would prevent tenants from being removed from their homes. The eviction moratorium will last until two months after Murphy declares an end to the COVID-19 health crisis.

Eviction court proceedings have been halted by the New Jersey Supreme Court due to COVID-19.

The ordinance extending the rent freeze will most likely be adopted at the next commissioners meeting on August 12 at 11 a.m. at the Municipal Building at 4233 Kennedy Blvd.

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.