It’s been another busy week here in Hudson County and there is plenty of news to get caught up on. Among the headlines: Hoboken announces plans for a new uptown location of the library; Jersey City is close to a deal for ferry service from Port Liberte; and the Seacaucus pool will be free for residents. Read on for more news you missed in Hoboken and Jersey City this week — May 21, 2023.
Hudson County to Receive Over $1.1 Million for Litter Clean Up
Today, DEP announced Clean Communities grant funding for municipalities and counties across the state; a combined $24M will fund community-level efforts to remove litter and make New Jersey a cleaner and greener place to live.
Full list of grant awards: https://t.co/I83dO0T4gH pic.twitter.com/QDfswXTDJr
— New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (@NewJerseyDEP) May 12, 2023
The New Jersey Clean Communities Council, a nonprofit organization partnered with the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, announced a $24 million grant program to be divided amongst New Jersey’s counties. Per a press release from the organization, Jersey City will receive $519,182, followed by Bayonne’s $125,516. Hoboken’s $113,948, Union City’s $104,355 and North Bergen’s $102,903. The purpose of the grants is to fund cleanup efforts, educate the public and enforce litter-related laws and ordinances.
New Bill Increases Mental Health Services for Homeless NJ Residents
A new bill recently signed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy will make it easier for mental and behavioral health professionals to treat patients experiencing homelessness. According to a press release from the Governor’s office, licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage/family therapists, substance use disorder treatment providers and other practitioners otherwise authorized to provide mental or behavioral health care are allowed to provide services to individuals in these settings on a part-time or full-time basis, in addition to emergency circumstances. Sponsors of the bill include Senator Renee Burgess and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, as well as Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Assembly members Bill Moen and Shanique Speight.
Hoboken Shelter Raises over $20K at 80’s Themed Fundraiser
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According to a press release from the organization, the Hoboken Shelter successfully hosted more than 150 supporters, sponsors, donors, and friends at its Back To The 80s Dance Party at the spacious Hoboken Elks Lodge on May 6. Together, they raised over $20,000 to carry on the Shelter’s mission of ending homelessness and hunger one person at a time. Special thanks goes to Bon Jovi Sponsor All Saints
allsaintshoboken.org for their generous support of the dance party. The funds raised will provide 10,000 meals.
Stepping back into the 80s, attendees showed up in colorful costumes paying homage to that decade’s cultural hallmarks including Prince, Bob Ross, a Rubik’s cube and Molly Ringwald from Pretty in Pink. They danced to a totally awesome playlist of 80s musical icons mixed by local favorite DJ Tazz, enjoyed delicious food, wine, and beer, as well as fun prizes for the best costumes. Plans are already underway at the Shelter for next Spring’s Back To The 80s Dance, this time even more fabulous.
This October, the Shelter will be hosting the popular HoBOOken5K Halloween Fun Run, the
biggest fundraising event of the year for the Hoboken Shelter. The Shelter will end the year on
an elegant note with its 20th Annual Auction and holiday party at Birch. In the meantime, the Hoboken Shelter continues the crucial work of serving the most vulnerable in Hoboken with 500 meals daily, housing 50 people nightly, and hosting 1000 showers weekly. The Shelter also provides a series of workshops including skills-training and resume-building so that guests can rebuild all aspects of their lives. For more information about the essential work and upcoming events of the Hoboken Shelter and how to support it visit: hobokenshelter.org.
Greenway Proposed for Hoboken’s North End
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Citizen group Fund for the Hoboken Waterfront has proposed a six-block greenway as an alternative to the city’s plans for the North End, per NJ.com. The plan calls for a park to be built on 15th Street between Madison Street to Park Avenue. The proposed park would connect planned sites for a park at Weehawken Cove and a light rail plaza west of Madison Street.
Jersey City Approves Additional Development Near 3 Acres Location
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Per Jersey Digs, more changes are in the works for the 3 Acres complex, located at 400 Claremont Avenue. The second phase of the development was recently approved, giving the green light to build a 189-unit multi-use building. The final product will have nearly 6,000 feet of ground floor retail in addition to 120 parking spots.
Hoboken Resident Complaints Lead to Drug Arrests of 2
Hudson County Men
The Hoboken Police Department announced via a press release the arrest of two men on multiple drug charges. The arrests follow a weeks-long investigation by the Street Crimes Unit (SCU) that was prompted by complaints of trespassing and drug activity made by residents, as well as administrators of the Hoboken Housing Authority.
On May 11, 2023, at approximately 12:20 p.m. SCU detectives observed a man, later identified as 19-year-old Luis Tamat of West New York, making a purchase of a suspected controlled dangerous substance near 318 Harrison St. He was approached by officers and found to have aplastic bag containing a white rock like substance in his mouth. A search incident to arrest also found drug paraphernalia, in the form of a glass cylinder pipe burnt at one end, commonly used to smoke crack cocaine, in his pocket. He was arrested and charged with possession of CDS crack cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and defiant trespassing. He was processed at Hoboken Police Headquarters and transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility. During the follow-up investigation, on May 15, 2023, detectives observed a man known to them as 43-year-old Armando Roman of Hoboken sitting directly in front of a playground near 310- 320 Marshall Dr. Roman, who was wanted for the illegal sale of narcotics on May 11, 2023, was arrested without incident and found to be in possession of two bags containing a large amount of cash and unregulated cannabis products in the form of edibles and flowers, as well as an access card to the Hoboken Housing Authority which did not belong to him. Roman was transported to Hoboken Police Headquarters for processing and charged with possession with the intent to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute near a school zone, and possession with intent to distribute near public housing. He was also charged with the sale of CDS crack cocaine, sale of CDS crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school zone, and sale of CDS crack cocaine within 500 feet of a Public Housing in connection with the May 11 incident.
The charges and allegations are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent
until proven guilty.
Moratorium on Cannabis Applicants in Jersey City Takes Effect
Jersey City gave three businesses final approval and 19 others partial approval before a moratorium on new cannabis applicants goes into effect. Per NJ.com, the city’s moratorium on cannabis applicants began this week as the city refines its cannabis policies. Applicants need approvals from two out of the three governing bodies from the city to get approval from the state, so many applicants will now be left in limbo.
Union City Student Wins Statewide Spelling Bee
CONGRATS 🏆 to Rose Kalupahana, an 8th grader at St. Francis Academy in Union City, who was declared the state’s top speller at the New Jersey State Knights of Columbus 2023 Spelling Bee on April 16. Read more: https://t.co/a5wa7Jcmnx #SpellingBeeChamp #CatholicEducation pic.twitter.com/RmcEam50XA
— Catholic Schools NJ (@CatholicEdNJ) April 20, 2023
An eighth grader from Union City is the reigning champion of the 2023 Knights of Columbus New Jersey State Spelling Bee , per NJ.com. Rose Kalupahana competed against the winning students from other dioceses in the state. Rose is a student at St. Francis Academy in Union City
Taqueria Coming to JC Heights
A new construction project, located at 45 Franklin Street in Jersey City, will have a taqueria on the ground floor. According to Jersey Digs, signs for La Milpa Taqueria went up in the space. An opening date has yet to be announced.
Secaucus Pool Free for Residents
The Secaucus pool will be free to residents again this summer, per Patch. The pool, located at 2000 Koelle Boulevard, will open over Memorial Day weekend. Guests and visitors will have to pay for admission,
The Jersey City Comedy Festival is Back for 2023
The return of a local comedy event featuring a variety of comedians from the US and Canada will be taking place next month in Hudson County. The Jersey City Comedy Festival is back for 2023, and will be happening from June 7th-10th at two locations in Jersey City — Art House Productions and The Laugh Tour Comedy Club at Dorrian’s Red Hand. Read on for more details about the 2023 festival and what to expect.
Former Governor Chris Christie gets Jersey City Parking Ticket
L’Atelier du Chocolat is a popular chocolate shop located at 251 Newark Avenue in Jersey City. It’s so popular, that even former New Jersey Governor and one-time Presidential candidate Chris Christie was spotted there in April. He was spotted by the Jersey City Parking Authority, who issued Mr. Christie a $50 ticket for illegally parking in front of the store during street sweeping, according to the New Jersey Globe. Mr. Christie paid the ticket after a reporter reached out to his team for comment.
Jersey City New Play Festival to Mark Debut for Six Plays
This week @JCTCenter New Play Festival, Voices from Around the World; Resilience May 18&19 @7:30 PM; 21@4&6 PM (Iran, Israel, USA) Tickets: https://t.co/1JI6eLXcdu.
This event is part of the #StagesFestival #NJTheatreAllience a state-wide celebration of theatre. pic.twitter.com/DLZeS13pVP— Jersey City Theater Center (@JCTCenter) May 16, 2023
Six new plays will make their debuts at the Jersey City Theater Center, per NJ.com. The New Play Festival will take place at the Theater, located at 165 Newark Avenue in Jersey City, from May 18th through May 21st. The new plays are from playwrights from around the world, including Iran and Canada. Tickets and more information are available here.
Could a Formula 1 Race Come to New Jersey? What We Know
Formula One racing, known as F1, is one of the hottest tickets in sports these days. It is the highest level of single-seat, open-wheel, and open-cockpit professional car racing. Cars regularly reach well over 100 miles per hour, and that’s on a closed track, not the Garden State Parkway. This sport has been popular for a long time in Europe but has recently grown in popularity here in the US. With an expanded schedule of races in the US, could an F1 race come to Hudson County? Read on for what we know about Formula 1 potentially coming to NJ.
Pilot Program Explores New Hours for Hoboken’s HOP Service
REMINDER: The City began to pilot new service hours for the HOP.
👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/U058WN0uF0— City of Hoboken (@CityofHoboken) May 15, 2023
In a press release from the city, a new schedule for the HOP service was announced. The new hours are part of a pilot program to see if a revised service schedule would better serve residents. The free Hop shuttle service will operate from 7:30AM to 7:30PM on weekdays over the next six weeks. The pilot program aims to alleviate morning congestion due to high commuter ridership to the Hoboken terminal area. Currently, the Blue, Green, and Red Hop service lines have the highest demand between 8AM. and 8:30AM, with Hop shuttles at or exceeding standard capacity on average.
New Redevelopment Agreement Includes Space for Uptown Branch of Hoboken Public Library
The City of Hoboken announced a new Redevelopment Agreement with Bijou Properties to revitalize 80,000 square feet of blighted property in uptown Hoboken, located at 1500 Clinton Street. The agreement, adopted by the City Council at last night’s City Council meeting, will provide the City with 38 affordable housing units, over 20,000 square feet of public open space including a new linear park, a green circuit with two-way protected bike lanes on Clinton Street and 15th Street, nearly 9,500 square feet of new retail space, 30,000 gallons of underground water storage to mitigate flooding, and a $3.2 million community benefit payments. In addition, the adopted agreement includes approximately 9,500 square feet of community space which the City intends to utilize to create an uptown branch of the Hoboken Public Library. Read on for more.
Port Liberte Ferry Service Returns to Jersey City with Discounted Fares
Per NJ.com, ferry service to and from Port Liberte in Jersey City is likely to resume after a pandemic-related hiatus. The agreement between Jersey City and New York Waterway would see service five days a week at a reduced fare of $8. The proposal will be voted upon at the upcoming Jersey City Council meeting on May 24th. Jersey City purchased the Port Liberte ferry terminal last year in order to expand transit options for residents. The new service could begin this summer.
Missing Woman Found Dead in Bayonne
A woman who was reported missing earlier this week has been declared dead after her body was found near the border of Bayonne and Jersey City, according to the Jersey City Times. Norelis ‘Nora’ Mendoza of Lindenwold was in the area on Saturday, May 13th to drop off her daughter at a location in Jersey City. A fundraiser has been set up for the benefit of her two children, aged one and three years old.
Push PT Opens in Hoboken
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Push is a pre- and post-natal functional fitness studio founded by Emily Claman, PPNFS, PPNFTS, CPT. According to an Instagram post from the studio, a grand opening celebration will be held on Sunday, May 21st at its new location at 720 Monroe Street in Hoboken. The celebration will take place from 11AM to 2PM and include treats from Shaka Kitchen, drinks from The Hive, pregnancy-friendly mini massages, and a chance to win a newborn photoshoot with Hartshorn Portraiture.
Hoboken’s Big Oil Case to be Heard in New Jersey
The United States Supreme Court recently ruled that the case of Hoboken v. Exxon would be heard in state court in New Jersey, not in a federal court. Defendant Exxon had petitioned the Court for the case to be heard in a federal court. Upon the Court’s ruling, the City of Hoboken released the below statement from Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla.
“The City is committed to holding Big Oil accountable for their campaign of deception and its disastrous impact on the environment, which Hoboken taxpayers have had to bear the brunt of for decades,” said Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla. “Thank you to the US Supreme Court for allowing the City to have the case tried in State court as intended. We look forward to continuing to advocate on behalf of our community before Judge Anthony V. D’Elia in the coming months.”
In 2020, the City of Hoboken became the first municipality in New Jersey to file litigation against Big Oil at no cost to Hoboken taxpayers.
For more information on the City of Hoboken’s litigation against Big Oil, go to https://www.hobokennj.gov/news/hoboken-sues-exxon-mobil-american-petroleum-institute-big-oil-companies.
Tower Tops Out in Jersey City
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The third and final tower of the Journal Squared Development was topped out this week, per a press release. The tower is expected to be completed in early 2024, and will add 598 rental residences and 18,000 square feet of amenities. The two other towers in the project are 53 and 70 stories tall, creating a pedestrian plaza surrounded by retail and restaurant space in the Journal Square neighborhood.
Writer’s Strike Comes to Jersey City
Several local writers took place in a protest at a filming location in Jersey City as part of a larger strike by the Writers Guild of America. Per the Jersey City Times, the shoot was a Paramount Pictures production of a Billy Crystal-led project called Winston. The protest took place in front of Angel Ramos Park on Wayne Street in downtown Jersey City. The writer’s strike is meant to bring attention to compensation and contract issues.
Hoboken Announces Southwest Fest
Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla, Councilman Ruben Ramos, the Hoboken Business Alliance, and the Hoboken Housing Authority announced via a press release the first Southwest Fest on Saturday, June 3. The fun filled festival will take place on Jackson Street between Second Street and Third Street from 1PM to 7PM. The fest will feature family friendly activities including carnival games, live performances, entertainment, and highlight local businesses and eateries.
“The Hoboken Housing Authority is excited to partner with Mayor Bhalla, the City of Hoboken, Hoboken Business Alliance, and Councilman Ramos, and HHA Commissioner and Councilman Michael Russo in supporting the first Southwest Fest,” said Executive Director of the Hoboken Housing Authority Marc Recko. “The residents of the Hoboken Housing Authority look forward to sharing a great day with all of Hoboken!”
Additional sponsors and thanks go out to Hoboken Hot Pizza, the Museum of Ice Cream, Hoboken Dual Language Charter School, Wonder Daycare, and Councilman Ramos and 3rd Ward Councilman Russo for their support of the event.
2 Jersey City Students to Compete in National STEM Competition
Two students from McNair High School in Jersey City are going on to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Dallas after winning the Hudson County STEM Showcase. Per The Jersey City Times, McNair students Aditya Jain and Ehtesham Suhail, both 17 years old, will be “sponsored” by The Jersey City Medical Center for the trip to Dallas. Aditya’s project involves accident prevention by detecting human activity on railroad tracks, and Ehtesam’s project involves researching anti-inflammatory medicines.
Susan Sarandon, Billy Crystal, Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, + Vince Vaughn Spotted in Hoboken This Week
Since we first broke the news that It Ends With Us would be filming in Hoboken, many locals have had eyes peeled for Blake Lively + Justin Baldoni, the two celebs sharing the spotlight in this Colleen Hoover novel-inspired movie. On May 17th, the pair of stars made their Mile Square debut, and were spotted filming outside of Field Colony art gallery. And while that’s quite exciting for our little city, there was a third, fourth, and fifth spotting of A-list celebs this week in Hoboken — including none other than Vince Vaughn and Susan Sarandon — though their involvement in the project is unconfirmed — as well as Billy Crystal, shooting a different pilot uptown. All that being said, a recap is in order, because five Hollywood stars in one Mile Square is a lot to take in, all on the heels of the Vanderpump Rules finale. Read on for everything we know about Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Susan Sarandon, Billy Crystal, and Vince Vaughn’s appearances in Hoboken this week.
The Pizza Shop by Flour’s Sister Concept ‘Flour’ Soft Opens in Hoboken
Back in 2022, we reported that two food concepts were taking over one Hoboken space at 500 Jefferson Street. The dining duo, composed of The Pizza Shop and Flour, has operated as a take-out-only pizza spot for the last year. The restaurant has entered a new era with The Pizza Shop’s open-kitchen, new American counterpart Flour officially soft-opening this week. Read on for what we know about Flour and its soft opening in Hoboken this week.
Minor Earthquake Hits Northern NJ, NY
#NEW A small, 2.2 magnitude earthquake rattled the lower Hudson Valley and parts of northeast New Jersey early Friday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey — did you feel it?https://t.co/Rn6f1wWCU2
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) May 19, 2023
A level 2.2 earthquake was felt by many New York and New Jersey residents earlier this week. According to NBC, the rumbling began at 1:53AM near Hastings-on-Hudson in Westchester County, NY. No injuries were reported.
Hoboken Police Department Joins the 2023
“Click It or Ticket” Campaign
According to a press release, the Hoboken Police Department will join police departments from across the state and country in the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign. The mobilization, which involves 125 hours of proactive traffic enforcement within the city of Hoboken, will run from Monday, May 22 through Sunday, June 4.
During the campaign, which coincides with Memorial Day Weekend and the start of the busy summer travel season, Hoboken officers will operate roving patrols targeting, and ticketing, unbuckled drivers and passengers, as well as looking for other traffic violations. The Police Department will also be utilizing signage and other publicity efforts to reiterate the life-saving value of seat belts.
“Wearing a seat belt is the best way to prevent death and serious injury in a car crash,” said Hoboken Police Chief Steven Aguiar. “We look forward to working with our fellow law enforcement officers across the state to remind drivers and passengers that a seatbelt is the best defense in any crash.”
The State of New Jersey requires all drivers and passengers who are at least 8 years old, or at least 57 inches tall to wear a seatbelt. All others must be buckled into the proper car seat. The law holds the driver responsible for proper seat belt use by all occupants under 18. Violators face monetary fines.
