A week of life in Hoboken + Jersey City means there is plenty of news to catch up on. Among the local headlines — Students in Action launches school fundraiser to raise $2K; Jersey City Board of Education President in remission; 13 NJ beaches are under a swimming advisory after failed fecal bacteria test, and so much more. Keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Hoboken, Jersey City, + beyond.
Birch to Reopen September 17th in Hoboken
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The ever-popular brunch spot and bar, Birch, has announced it will be reopening shortly. In the Instagram post, the Birch account shared, “WE’RE BACK BABY! Mark your calendars. Book NOW. Tables will go fast. 💥 Call/text 201.744.5117” Grand opening weekend is set for Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th.
Hoboken Wellness Crawl: All Participating Vendors Released
Our Annual Hoboken Wellness Crawl Event is back — and we’re announcing our participating vendors this week — all 100 of them! Now is your chance to purchase a ticket and support local wellness businesses that need our help more than ever.
New Jersey Reaches Budget Agreement to Fund Hudson River Train Tunnel
New York and New Jersey reach deal to share cost of $12 billion train tunnel under the Hudson River. (NY $3.4B, NJ $2.7B b/c it picked up tab for a bridge already; Amtrak and feds pay the rest.) 🔒https://t.co/CHBRwXlm7T
— Ry Rivard (@ryrivard) August 27, 2021
Plans for a Hudson River train tunnel were announced earlier this year but funding details weren’t approved until recently. As it stands, New York will fund $3.4B and New Jersey will fund $2.7B, while Amtrack and federal taxes will make up the remaining portion.
‘All About Downtown’ Festival Coming to Jersey City
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The “All About Downtown Street Fair” held in Jersey City will be held next month. The Historic Downtown Jersey City account shared this week via Instagram, “Jersey City’s very own All About Downtown Street Fair is less than ONE MONTH AWAY! 🎊🎉 Join us on Saturday, September 18th from 12PM to 8PM and enjoy over 200 vendors, live music, food trucks, beer gardens, and fun for the whole family!”
Myron Mixon BBQ Coming to Hoboken
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Five-time World Barbeque Champion, Myron Mixon is bringing his award-winning barbecue to Hoboken with his second location of the signature Myron Mixon Pitmaster Barbeque. Myron Mixon’s Pitmaster Barbeque is expected to open in late September/early October at 618 Washington Street. With a menu of dry rubbed barbeque beef, pork, and baby back ribs that are smoked in-house every day and chicken sandwiches, salads, and desserts. Read more about Myron Mixon and where it’s taking over in Hoboken here.
NJ Expands Vaccine Mandate
New Jersey will now require all state workers, school staff, and teachers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, per NJ.com. This includes full and part-time state employees in state agencies, authorities, public colleges, universities, public and private schools. Proof of vaccination is required by October 18th, and regular COVID testing for workers who are not fully vaccinated is mandatory.
Hudson County Posts Allergy Signs at Neighborhood Playgrounds
Hudson County installed the above sign this past week at Columbus Park, reminding parkgoers of the dangers of food allergies. It is expected that signs will go up in other parks in the coming weeks.
Rutgers Football Legend Begins Coaching HS Alma Mater
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Rutgers football legend Ray Lucas has started coaching the team of his high school alma mater as Head Coach. Of the new position, he said, “I’m back home and coaching kids that I always wanted to coach. I had three daughters, now I have 23 sons,” NJ.com shared via Instagram. The football program at Hamilton High School was in danger of being cut.
69% of NJ Parents Support Mandatory Masks in Schools, According to Poll
In a recent poll, 69% of New Jersey parents said they support mandatory mask-wearing in schools this fall, per NBC New York. In the same poll, 44% of parents said they supported mandatory COVID vaccinations for students who are eligible.
Students in Action Launches School Fundraiser with $2K Goal
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The local charity group Students in Action is calling on the community to help supply backpacks for Hudson County students. On Instagram the account shared this call to action, “We are always grateful for the donations made by our community, but to ensure local students can have backpacks full of school essentials, we need to raise $2,000! The money donated will go directly towards full backpacks and pencil cases for students.”
Dickinson and McNair Students Win Vaccination Contest
Students at Dickinson High School and McNair Academic High School recently won a vaccination contest, according to NJ.com. The two-week-long contest was an effort to increase Jersey City’s vaccination rate, and the school with the highest vaccination rate would win tickets to Summer Jam.
Jersey City Mayor Buys $2.4M House in Jersey City Heights
Photo credit: Zillow.com
Mayor Steve Fulop is moving his family to a new home he purchased for $2.4 million, according to Jersey Digs. The purchase was conducted through a corporate LLC, and the new property is just a few blocks south of Riverview Park. The property was previously the home of NFL offensive guard Justin Pugh.
Six Firefighters Injured, Families Displaced in Jersey City Heights Fire
Six firefighters were injured and 18 residents have been displaced from their Jersey City homes after a five-alarm blaze burned through one building and damaged two others, per NJ.com. The fire was reported after 3AM and spread to the adjacent homes near Washington Park in the Heights neighborhood. Two firefighters suffered minor burns when a power line fell on their ladder truck.
Jersey City Board of Education President in Remission
Photo credit: @mussabalijc
Jersey City Board of Education President Mussab Ali is officially cancer-free, Patch reports. President Ali announced during Monday’s school board meeting that his Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is in complete remission. Ali, who at 24 became the youngest school board president in Jersey City history, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma earlier this year.
SoJo Spa Club in Edgewater to Require Proof of Vaccination
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SoJo Spa Club, a reimagined Korean day spa and hotel located in Edgewater, will require all guests to either be fully vaccinated or have a negative COVID-19 test, within 72 hours, before they may enter the spa. This new policy will go into effect on October 1st, according to a press release. Earlier this month SoJo Spa Club announced that all employees must also be fully vaccinated or show a weekly negative test.
Jersey City Approves First Medical Cannabis Dispensary
Jersey City has approved its first medical cannabis dispensary while recreational marijuana sales remain in legal limbo throughout New Jersey, per Jersey Digs. The city’s planning board approved the plans to revamp a two-story industrial building at 227 Coles Street into a medical cannabis dispensary. The building will include 17 parking spaces for customers and 10 new street trees being planted.
Local Clergyman’s Tweets Receive Media Coverage Over Hoboken Dog Noise and Conditions
And I pray for the conversion of the inconsiderate dog owners and walkers who fail to account for the noise their dogs make at 6 AM. May they walk their dogs in their own neighborhoods and let CSP residents sleep and rest.
— Alexander M. Santora (@padrehoboken) August 26, 2021
Since so many people love the church bells, we will adopt the Benedictine bell ringing at early morning and throughout the day and evening. If dogs can bark, church bells can peel at any time. When a church bell rings, an angel gets its wings and drowns out the dog barking.
— Alexander M. Santora (@padrehoboken) August 23, 2021
A local clergyman has voiced discontent over conditions at a Hoboken dog run and the noise early in the mornings, saying he will intentionally “adopt the Benedictine bell ringing at early morning and throughout the day and evening” at Our Lady of Grace on Willow Avenue and 4th Street, according to Tap Into. Father Alex Santora, a pastor at Our Lady of Grace, is up in arms about the dog run in Church Square Park. He recently petitioned the City of Hoboken to padlock the park between 10PM and 8AM so he could sleep, prompting the city to run a public poll about the issue. He has also tweeted several tweets about the issue, which have gained regional attention and some commentators’ backlash.
Red Cross Blood Drive Coming to Hoboken
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused blood donations to plummet, yet hospitals are still as in need of blood for transfusions as ever, per Patch. People who donate blood between September 3rd and 7th will receive a 16-ounce Red Cross campfire mug. Donors in September will also receive a free haircut coupon from Sport Clips Haircuts. The Hoboken blood drive will be held on September 3rd, from 11AM to 4PM at the Hoboken Multi-Service Center.
Jersey City School District Plans Back to School Tours
In order to alleviate parents’ fears, the Jersey City school district will allow parents to tour their kids’ schools to see how it will follow COVID-19 guidelines, according to NJ.com. Dates and times for the tours have yet to be released. Parents will be given the opportunity to walk through their child’s school with the building administration.
Governor Murphy Says Parents’ Notes Will Not Exempt Students From Masks
Governor Phil Murphy has announced that parental notes will not excuse students from wearing a mask in schools, Patch reports. Murphy warned school districts that he would sue if they tried to accept parents’ notes. Individuals who want to be excluded from the mask mandate will need to have a doctor’s note.
Jersey City Lags Behind Hudson County in Paying Federal Rental Assistance
As Hudson County pays out millions in federal rental aid money, Jersey City is lagging behind, NJ.com reports. In every municipality except Jersey City, a total of 492 households have received a total of roughly $4.65 million. Jersey City residents are not eligible for the county’s rental assistance, because the city runs its own assistance program separate from the county’s. Instead, federal data shows that the city has not paid out any of its $7.8 million in rental assistance funds.
13 NJ Beaches Under Swimming Advisory After Bacteria Test
The state Department of Environmental Protection placed 13 beaches under swimming advisory after detecting the presence of high levels of fecal bacteria, according to Patch. Each week, the NJDEP monitors the water quality at 180 ocean and 35 bay monitoring stations along the New Jersey Coast. With this last test, nine beaches in Ocean County and four in Monmouth have been placed under a swimming advisory.
New Brunswick Artist Brings Show to Jersey City
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New Brunswick artist James Long brought his work to Jersey City’s Novado Gallery and can be seen until September 4th, according to the Novado Gallery Instagram. Long covers natural rock fragments in rhinestones as a way to embellish and bring attention to details that are easy to miss. Long was inspired by American artist and landscape architect Isamu Noguchi.
Restored Victorian Condos for Sale in Jersey City
A fully-restored Victorian house nestled between The Beacon and Bergen-Lafayette currently has two contemporary condos for sale, according to Jersey Digs. The condos have private outdoor space and are renovated down to the postbox and pendant lights on the wraparound front porch. Unit 1 is a three-bedroom, 2.5 baths with 2,0777 square feet including a bonus room and private backyard. Unit 2 has four bedrooms and 2.5 baths with 2,191 square feet and a private roof deck.
Shaheen Holloway Adds Five New Members to Coaching Staff
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Saint Peter’s University men’s basketball coach Shaheen Holloway announced that he has added five new Peacocks’ coaching staff members, per Patch. These include Rasheen Davis, Umar Shannon, Ryan Whalen, Kevin Coyle, and Daniel McGinley. Last season, the Peacocks went 14-11 overall and 10-8 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Dave’s Hot Chicken Announces NJ Expansion
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Dave’s Hot Chicken, a California-based spicy chicken restaurant, announced a huge expansion into New Jersey, per NJ.com. The company announced it will open 14 restaurants through Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Union counties. The chicken restaurant specializes in the “Nashville hot chicken” concept. The exact dates and locations for the new restaurants have not been announced yet.
Newark Symphony Hall Joins with Newark Alliance in Free Job Training
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Newark Symphony Hall has joined with the Newark Alliance to host a free job training program for aspiring production assistants, Patch reports. The program is exclusive to Newark residents and is part of NSH’s new Training Academy. The training’s purpose is to help participants build careers in arts and entertainment.
Marty’s Burgers Opening Location in Jersey City
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Marty’s Burgers is opening a new Jersey City location, moving into the building that previously housed Firehouse Blazing Pizza, per Jersey Digs. Marty’s burgers feature a diverse collection of signature burgers served on Martin’s potato rolls. Marty’s has not yet announced a timeline for the Jersey City location.
Kristen Zadroga Announces Council Seat Candidacy
Kristen Zadroga, a longtime Jersey City educator, recently announced her candidacy for Ward A Council seat, Tap Into reports. In her statement, she said she was running to represent the will of the people, not the wishes of a few. She wants to be an independent voice on the council, fighting for what matters most to her Jersey City neighbors.
Vaccinations Required for Hoboken Public School Staff + Students
The Hoboken Public School District announced on August 25th that upon returning to in-person classroom teaching this upcoming school year, staff and students age 12 and up must be vaccinated as well as adhere to mask mandates while in the school buildings. Regular testing will be required for those who are not fully vaccinated.
“The Hoboken Public School District is committed to following CDC guidelines as a minimum benchmark and will refer all clarification questions to the Local Department of Health, the Office of Emergency Management, and the Office of Human Services. The Hoboken Board of Education reserves the right to implement more stringent guidelines,” the press release stated.
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