A week of life in Hoboken + Jersey City means there is plenty of news to catch up on. Among the local headlines — Liberty State Park supporters to rally on September 25th, Judge rules against Exxon Mobil in Hoboken’s climate lawsuit, Hoboken students to attend space flight program, and so much more. Keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Hoboken, Jersey City, + beyond.
The Hoboken Italian Festival is Back This Weekend
The highly anticipated, nearly 85-year-old Italian food festival in Hoboken, also known as the Feast of the Madonna Dei Martiri, is back this weekend from Thursday, September 9th to Sunday, September 12th, 2021. The Hoboken Italian Festival is a four-day festival of music, food, rides, and games, plus a fireworks show. Click here to catch up on the event!
Hoboken Wellness Crawl 2021 is 1 Week Away!
As summer fades and September approaches, it’s time for of our 5th Annual Hoboken Wellness Crawl Event, which is back in person on Sunday, September 19th from 11AM to 4PM in Hoboken. This year, over 100 businesses — both brick-and-mortars and pop-ups — will be participating.
The Hoboken Wellness Crawl is an experiential wellness event throughout the City of Hoboken, and an amazing way to discover new local wellness businesses, support local businesses, and take charge of your own health. Think of it like a ‘bar crawl’ but on your own timeframe, with a map, and filled with free samples, swag, wellness consults, acupuncture experiences, class passes, and more. What better way to explore your neighborhood than by getting free goodies and discovering wellness spots along the way. Click here to purchase tickets. $1 of every ticket gets donated to the Hoboken Food Pantry
Hoboken Fire Department Extinguishes Blaze at Garage on 12th Street
Nice job by all HFD members working today with a quick knock-down pic.twitter.com/5KhQKCmqAO
— Hoboken Fire Dept (@HobokenFire) September 10, 2021
The Hoboken Fire Department responded to a garage fire at 12th Street and Willow Avenue on Friday, September 10th. The garage is located behind Rosario’s Pizzeria. No injuries were reported and the fire was successfully extinguished.
Decomposing Whale Washes Up at Liberty State Park
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A decomposing whale was found washed ashore in Liberty State Park on Friday, September 10th. Local teams worked to remove the remains using a construction crane and industrial truck. Instagram account @bo_szwec shared a video, saying, “Clean up of remnants of a dead and decomposing whale which was washed up on the shore at Liberty State Park. PRETTY WILD!!! Don’t see this kind of stuff over here!!!”
Revolving Sushi Bar to Open New Location in Newport Tower
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Kura Revolving Sushi Bar is slated to open it’s second New Jersey location in Newport Tower in Jersey City, according to Jersey Digs. Conveniently located by the Newport Light Rail and PATH stations, the new restaurant is expected to open in Spring 2022 and will serve menu items including udon, soup, salad, and dumplings using a rotating conveyor belt.
Sunken Boats in Weehawken Cove to Be Removed Using Grant Funds
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The long-awaited day has finally come: the sunken boats in Weehawken Cove, located at the north end of Hoboken are being removed, according to @investinhoboken. Using grant money awarded to the City of Hoboken, measures will be taken to remove multiple abandoned and sunken boats from the water.
Hudson County Now Included in Major Disaster Declaration by FEMA
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Following an update to the Major Disaster Declaration by FEMA, residents of Hudson County are now eligible to receive financial assistance to repair flood damage after Ida.
“I’m thrilled that Hoboken and Hudson County have now been provided with the Major Disaster Declaration, an important first step in unlocking critical funding to assist those impacted by Tropical Depression Ida,” Hoboken Mayor Bhalla said in a press release. “I encourage any and all homeowners and renters with flood damage to first process insurance claims and then apply for disaster funding through FEMA at disasterassistance.gov.
For additional assistance including options for small businesses, visit the Hoboken recovery webpage at hobokennj.gov/ida.”
Chipotle Opens Third Jersey City Location
Chipotle has officially opened its third location in Jersey City. The other two are located in Journal Square and in the Newport Tower. Situated at 30 Montgomery Street, the new location of the popular Mexican chain restaurant is just a short walk from the Exchange Place PATH station. Click here to read about Chipotle’s newest location.
The HDSID All About Downtown Street Fair is Saturday, the 18th
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The Historic Downtown Jersey City Street Fair is taking place on September 18th in downtown Jersey City. If you haven’t been, expect some of the best food, drink, and shopping Jersey City has to offer. Plus, live music and activities for the kids. Admission is FREE and it lasts from 12-8PM.
Hoboken Pop-Up Craft Fair is September 18th
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This week the @cynsartshop account shared details about the upcoming Pop Up Craft Fair on Saturday, September 18th. The post says, “Don’t forget to save the date and come out to show some love and support to these amazing small businesses!” The event will take place at the Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson Street. Free parking will be provided on Shipyard Lane and in the corner parking lot to the left. There will also be games for kids, and tickets for the museum will be reduced to $5.
Mayor Bhalla Encourages Hoboken Residents to Document Flood Damage
President Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for six New Jersey Counties, not including Hudson County, according to a press release. The Governor and federally elected officials are advocating to include Hudson County as soon as possible. Residents can help by visiting www.nj.gov/ida and reporting flooding and storm damage to the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management.
Main Street Pops Celebrates the Goddess
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A new art exhibit by NYC mixed media collage artist Denise Adler is Celebrating the Goddess at the Main Street Pops Gallery, according to a press release. The exhibit is inspired by myths, legends, and symbolism using paint, photographs, magazine articles, and discarded found objects. Adler uses these things to create portraits and dreamscapes to symbolize her reaction to current events.
Liberty State Park Supporters To Rally on September 25th
Liberty State Park supporters have been asked to rally on September 25th to send a People Power message of Protection Act support to Gov. Phil Murphy, according to a press release. The ralliers believe Murphy’s silence “colludes with his billionaire friend Paul Fireman.” The rally is being held to defend Liberty State Park from a nearby golf course that’s trying to expand.
Mayor Fulop to Break Ground on New Homeless Center
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop is set to join clergy from the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, Catholic Charities, Claremont Development, and Arc Building Partners to break ground on a new homeless center, according to a press release. The $16M St. Lucy’s Homeless Center is said to have increased housing for families, affordable housing solutions, and support services. The groundbreaking took place on September 10th at 11AM.
Judge Rules Against Exxon Mobil in Hoboken’s Climate Lawsuit
A federal judge in New Jersey ruled that Hoboken’s climate lawsuit against Exxon Mobil and other oil and gas companies should be sent back to state court, according to Politico. Last year, Hoboken sued oil and gas companies claiming climate change-related violations of state common law and New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act. The city is seeking compensation from these companies to offset costs incurred due to climate change.
Hoboken Students to Attend Space Flight Program
Hoboken High School and Hoboken Middle School students will participate in a space flight program, per Patch. These students will be coming up with microgravity experiment proposals to be conducted by astronauts on the International Space Station. The winning teams will be selected to fly on Mission 16 to the ISS in 2022 as part of the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program.
Hoboken Releases New COVID-19 Case Details
The City of Hoboken has detailed new factors on community COVID cases, according to Tap Into. Hoboken has seen 77 new COVID cases from August 28-September 3, with 8 hospitalizations at Hoboken University Medical Center. Two of the 8 hospitalized are Hoboken residents, one is vaccinated and one is unvaccinated.
2020 Census Shows Jersey City Growing Fastest
Mayor Fulop predicted Jersey City would be the most populous city in New Jersey, and while his prediction was unfulfilled, the 2020 census showed significant growth, Tap Into reports. The census showed that Jersey City is the fastest growing city in terms of overall population growth. The city increased about 45,000 residents to a population of 292,449 since 2010.
$621M Jersey City Budget Passes
With a 7-2 vote, the $621 million budget that Mayor Steven Fulop said will save taxpayers an average of $1,000 was passed by the Jersey City Municipal Council, per Tap Into. The two council members who voted against the budget expressed concerns with the state of the City’s finances. One council member also expressed the belief that the budget relied too heavily on COVID funding and is not sustainable.
Suez Water Ratepayers in Hoboken to Receive 7 Days of Credit on Next Bill
Mayor Ravi Bhalla recently announced that Suez Water ratepayers will receive a seven-day credit on their next quarterly bill, due to the boil water advisory, according to Hudson County View. Bhalla did not say when the next bill will go out, but he did meet with Suez staff to improve protocols in the future. This included asking for a detailed after-action report of the boil water advisory, a comprehensive plan to address future emergencies, and City representation in the internal meetings between the NJDEP and SUEZ that pertain to Hoboken.
Jersey City School District Plans Random Tests of Unvaccinated Students
The Jersey City school district is planning to randomly test unvaccinated students for COVID, NJ.com reports. Parents were told of these plans in an email just days before the start of the new school year. The email also included other safety reminders and told parents they would soon receive a link to a website to provide consent to test their children.
Owner of The Madison Opening ‘Madison Pizza Lab’ in Hoboken
Madison Pizza Lab, Hoboken’s newest pizzeria will be opening soon. Located at 152 Newark Street, Madison Pizza took over Verizza Pizza’s former spot. The owner of Madison Bar and Grill, Dave Carney, took over the space a few months ago and is now ready to unveil his latest venture to locals. Click here to read more.
Weehawken School District Goes Paperless, Opens Wellness Centers
The Weehawken School District is going paperless, per Hudson Reporter. The district has partnered with the company FileBank, which digitized its paper files. With the extra space going paperless gave the district, they decided to promote mental health and open wellness centers where there used to be files and files of papers.
Jersey City Council Set to Vote on Fossil Fuel Measure
The Jersey City Council is set to vote on a resolution opposing a fossil fuel power plant in Newark, according to Hudson County View. The resolution was originally introduced and co-sponsored by Councilman-at-Large Rolando Lavarro, Councilman-at-Large Daniel Rivera, Ward B Councilwoman Mira Prinz-Arey, and Ward E Councilman James Solomon. The resolution opposes the power plant because it would increase local pollution.
Hoboken and Jersey City Look to Hold Suez Accountable
Following the boil advisory, Hoboken and Jersey City are looking to hold Suez accountable for the events that took place after Hurricane Ida, reports NJ.com. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop is working with the city council to hold accountable the private water provider for Jersey City and Hoboken. Fulop is expecting the company to respond with clear actionable steps for the future.
Jersey City’s Monticello Triangle Slated for Over 300 Units
The 10-story “Monticello Triangle” project in the works for a Jersey City neighborhood is slated to include over 300 units, more than 100 units on top of what was originally expected, per Jersey Digs. The project is set in McGinley Square and is slated for about 304 residential units. The development also plans for parking, retail space, and a public plaza.
Hoboken Development Planned for Grand and Adams Streets
Developer 216 Grand Street, LLC recently submitted plans to the Hoboken Planning Board for 216 Grand Street and Neighboring 217 Adams Street, according to Jersey Digs. The proposed project would include 22 dwelling units over ground floor parking, with the dwelling units located in two 4-story structures constructed over the parking level. Grand and Adams Street would each have separate entrances.
Garden Street Row House Unit For Sale in Hoboken
204 Garden Street, a converted red-brick row house, is for sale in Hoboken, Jersey Digs reports. This unit boasts a private balcony and shared backyard, located in the heart of Hoboken. The house includes a living room, a separate dining room, and a bonus room.
