As local and state news breaks, we’ve got you covered on anything missed. Among the headlines — essential workers rally at Hoboken luxury building, Jersey City’s $120 million public safety complex is underway, and two men were arrested for raiding a party boat in Hoboken — along with other stories happening throughout the week. All that and more below — keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Hoboken and Jersey City:
The Hoboken Wellness Crawl Has Kicked Off!
Our 30-Day Hoboken Wellness Crawl event kicked off September 13th and is going strong through October 13th — with all access passes available through September 30th. Over 100 businesses are participating, and crawlers can take advantage of exclusive deals and giveaways at each one throughout the 30-day event. Hoboken Girl will donate a portion of the ticket sale proceeds to the Hoboken Relief Fund. Purchase tickets here. You must purchase by September 30th to participate!
Governor Phil Murphy Signs COVID-19 Legislation
On Monday, September 16th, Governor Murphy introduced legislation that would provide benefits to workers who contract COVID-19 while working, eight of the bills were signed into law, Patch reported.
Workers whose jobs require them to be interactive with the public are now eligible for benefits that are exclusively given to those who suffer an injury or illness on the job if they contract COVID-19. Additionally, the governor signed legislation to promote electric vehicles, address sex assaults in prisons, and allow college student-athletes to receive endorsement compensation.
Essential Workers Rally at Hoboken Luxury Building
An organized rally titled “Shape Up or Ship Out!” took place on Tuesday, September 15th at 4PM at The Shipyard in uptown Hoboken. According to a press release, the wages of the essential workers prompted the rally, as they are paid as little as $12 an hour and most with no employer-paid health benefits. The essential workers are demanding a commitment from Ironstate Development to provide better jobs to Hoboken essential workers.
$120 Million Public Safety Complex Underway in Jersey City
Construction on Jersey City’s first all-encompassing public safety headquarters began on Wednesday, September 16th. As reported on Tap Into, the 11-story building will be the fourth municipal building constructed since 2015 and is part of an effort to bring people and businesses into the areas. This project is the latest use of the $200 million investment that Jersey City has made to finish the new offices that have been designed at Jackson Square as the new home for several city departments and divisions including Health and Human Services, Housing Preservation, HEDC, JC Employment and Training, and now Public Safety.
Mile Square Theatre Putting on New Plays via Zoom
Mile Square Theatre is pivoting its approach to the community and is now hosting plays over Zoom — a four-part series called “Given Circumstances” begins September 18th, and continues every weekend through October 11th. The kickoff will begin with Lia Romeo’s play Sitting and Talking. The remainder of the series will debut new plays by Nandita Shenoy and Kevin R. Free on September 25, on October 2nd by Audley Puglisi and Cary Gitter, and lastly on October 9th with work by Dustin Chinn and Chris O’Connor. The directors and casts of these other six plays will be announced at a later date.
Hoboken City Council Postpones Vote on Budget to Next Week
During the September 16th, Hoboken City Council meeting officials postponed a vote on the city’s $117-million annual budget until next week. Lawmakers voted down amendments prepared by the Council’s Revenue and Finance Committee {3-6}. Concerns about the amendments centered around the city’s 9.8% tax increase. Despite the lack of a formal budget, Hoboken has kept paying bills, meeting payroll, and sustaining city services for the last 14 weeks through temporary budgets, known as “emergency temporary appropriations.”
Two Men Arrested for Raiding Cornucopia Majesty Boat in Hoboken
The Hoboken Police Department announced that two men were arrested Wednesday, September 16th for raiding the Cornucopia Majesty Boat that docks at Pier 14. Christian Singh, 24, and Dwayne Persaud, 27, of Richmond Hill, New York were caught on the boat and arrested for Burglary, Conspiracy to commit Burglary, Criminal Mischief, 2 counts of criminal attempt theft, theft, tampering with evidence, and possession of burglary tools.
600 Jersey City Small Businesses Received CARES Act Grants
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Hudson County Executive Director Tom DeGise began handing out $9 million worth of checks on Thursday, September 17th to small business owners that have been financially impacted by COVID’s effect on the economy. Jersey City businesses will receive grants worth up to $20,000 through the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Securities (CARES) Act.
“Every business is important. Every local employee they can retain and hire back is important,” Fulop said to NJ.com. “We’re grateful to the county and to our congressional delegation who fought for this money so that we can provide local business owners with the tools they need to recover as quickly as possible.”
Jersey City May Drop $200/Day Fee for Food Trucks
{Photo credit: @cupcakesbyjeannie}
After major backlash from food truck owners for the past year, the City of Jersey City may decide to nix the $200 per day fee it instated in 2019. The City Council will vote on September 23rd to adopt an ordinance amending the parking fees and regulations for food trucks and other mobile food vendors. The fee would go from $200 a day to $11,000 a year for trucks operating in Zone 1, and $4 an hour in Zone 2.
Gold Roast Cafe Opens New Location on Central Avenue
Gold Roast Cafe has opened a new location at 434 Central Avenue, Jersey City on Wednesday, September 16th after closing its Hoboken location last year. The new location has the same style and vibes as the Hoboken and West Villiage spots, but will have a private patio that can accommodate up to 35 patrons. The cafe is also dog friendly.
Hoboken’s Stevens Institue of Technology Ranked Among 2021’s Best Colleges in the U.S
The 2021 Best U.S. Colleges by U.S. News AND World Report evaluated over 1,400 colleges and universities in an effort to ease the process for students and parents of choosing the perfect school for them. Stevens Institue of Technology sits on the list at number 80. Princeton University placed in the 1st spot among national universities. Read more about the process.
NJ Gets its First Drive-in Art Exhibit at Kearny Point
A really unique event is happening at Kearny Point —New Jersey’s first-ever drive-in art show series is taking place on September 26th at 7PM in the Gardenship at Kearny Point parking lot at 205 Campus Drive.
Kearny Point is the home of an NJ-artist run coworking/networking space called Gardenship. The program offers studio space and residencies to local artists, providing a space to create and collaborate. The program pivoted in a way that would allow artists to showcase their work, engage the community, and maintain safety guidelines by offering a drive-in experience.
The event will show unique films, interspersed with numerous productions from local filmmakers and musicians. With contributions from artists based in Newark, Jersey City, and throughout New Jersey, the art house drive-in series provides a safe environment to experience the region’s unique art scene and is open to the general public. For more information, click here.
Longstanding Jersey City Liberty Park Diner Announces Closure
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On Friday, Septemeber 18th, Liberty House Diner announced via Instagram that the diner will be closing its doors. The caption reads “We are absolutely heartbroken to be closing after 20 years of servicing the Jersey City community. From our family to yours, we want to thank everyone for your love and support. Our last day will be on September 30th.”
Giant Container Ship Sets Record Under Bayonne Bridge
The largest container ship ever to pass through the bi-state port sailed under the Bayonne Bridge on Saturday, September 12th. The 1,200-foot-long container ship called CMA CGM Brazil was the largest ship of its kind to ever to call on the bi-state port, according to NJ.com.
“The arrival of the CMA CGM Brazil, which is calling at ports in North America after a transatlantic voyage from the Port of Colombo via the Suez Canal, highlights the benefits of the Port Authority’s significant investment in critical port infrastructure and the far-reaching effects it has on the broader region and its economy,” the Port Authority stated in an advisory earlier in the week.
Hoboken’s Alfalfa Expands to Los Angeles & Santa Monica, CA
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Hoboken’s beloved salad eatery, Alfalfa, announced via Instagram that they will be expanding their company to new locations in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, CA. The caption reads “Thank you to everyone who has supported us on our journey from our days at the farmer’s market, through to our first location in Hoboken, and now on to our second location in LA. We’re so grateful for all the words of encouragement, smiles, and most importantly for the many happy moments, we have shared over salads and doughnuts with our community.” Alfalfa opened after success in farmer’s markets in Hoboken and surrounding areas, taking over Hoboken’s historic Schnackenberg’s uptown.
Maritime Parc Has Reopened With a New Menu
{Photo credit: @maritimeparc}
After a long six months, careful consideration, and two weeks of deep cleaning and staff training preparation, The Restaurant at Maritime Parc is has reopened as of September 17th for indoor and outdoor dining. Located at 84 Audrey Zapp Drive in Jersey City, near New Jersey’s Liberty Landing Marina, Maritime Parc’s new menu was designed by Executive Chef and Owner Chris Siversen. Reservations are encouraged and can be made through their website however, walk-ins will also be welcome.
Hoboken Ben & Jerry’s Cow Has Made it Home
{Photo Credit: @benandjerrysnj}
The iconic cow bench named Marilyn that always sat outside of Ben & Jerry’s was stolen from the shop last October, but has since been recovered and is now put away. Patch reported that on a Saturday night in October, the owner of the beloved ice cream shop said the store workers were closing up and in the blink of an eye, the cow bench was gone. Photos of Marylin were popping up on social media, last seen on the Stevens Institue of Technology campus. Luckily, she was returned but will stay safely in storage for now.
Jersey City’s The Grind General Announces Opening Date
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The Grind Coffee Shop in Jersey City is opening a second outpost called the Grind General at 293 Sundyam Avenue on the corner of Communipaw Avenue. The official opening date is September 26th. In a previously published Hoboken Girl article, the owners of the coffee shop chatted about how this venture came to fruition and some sneak peeks at what customers can expect to see on the shelves on the new store. Read more here.
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