Sooo the groundhog saw his shadow, and now we’re stuck with six more weeks of winter. Beyond Punxsutawney Phil’s sad news, this week saw a very tough situation for an uptown fitness studio, which just broke on Saturday. In happier news, Spesh has introduced karaoke to their Saturday repertoire, Tony Boloney’s created a 20-foot sub just in time for Super Bowl Sunday, and Learn Language Hoboken is offering Italian classes with a twist. All this and more in our latest Word on Washington Street roundup; here are the top Hoboken + Jersey City news stories this week.
Spesh Brings Karaoke to Their Salon Shop Experience
Spesh salon, best known for cutting off those man-buns for free, has introduced karaoke to their salon experience. “Karaoke Saturdays” has officially been added to the schedule and let us just say that this is not an experience to be missed. Grab your boyfriend/husband/brother and head over to Spesh to experience the magic for yourself. Can’t wait another minute? Check out Spesh’s Instagram for a preview.
La Unica Bakery Opens in Jersey City
La Unica Bakery has officially opened their second location, according to Jersey Digs. Located at 454 Central Avenue in Jersey City, the bakery celebrated their grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Mayor Fulop on Janaury 8th. The Jersey City menu will feature a similar selection of coffees, teas, sandwiches and baked goods that patrons have enjoyed at the Union city location.
Prime Cycle to Close Uptown Hoboken Location
Prime Cycle is reportedly being evicted from its uptown location in Hoboken due to noise complaints. Its last day of classes will be February 11th, although the downtown location is still open and adding to its schedule. Read the full story here.
Serial Package Thief Continues to Plague Hoboken
Alexis Rivera of Hoboken was arrested last weekend for burglarizing the mail center at 1200 Grand Street, reports Patch. Once under custody, it was confirmed that Rivera had been arrested 14 times since January 2017, most often for theft and burglary. During last weekend’s incident, officers arrived at the building’s mail room to find several packages ripped open and empty. Rivera was identified as the suspect and was apprehended by Jersey City police later that evening — who located Rivera in possession of the stolen goods. Rivera’s latest charges include theft by unlawful taking, possession of burglary tools, burglary and theft of movable property, and criminal mischief.
Tony Boloney’s Delivers 20-Foot Sub to Brooklyn
Image via @tonyboloneys
First there was the giant taco pizza, then there was the colossal pizza bagel collab with O’Bagel, now Tony Boloney’s is back with a 20-foot sub! The Tony Boloney’s team was spotted delivering the 20 foot monstrosity to the Bronson Show in Brooklyn last weekend. No word yet on whether this will be making an official debut on the menu, but we certainly hope so!
Hoboken Homeowners Invited to Request Street Tree Planting
The City of Hoboken’s Shade Tree Commission is looking for property owners who would like a tree planted in the sidewalk adjacent to their home. The requirements? You must care for and water the tree. Qualifying property owners are asked to make a suggested donation of $100, which will be used for planting costs. Property owners who wish to participate should complete the online request form and requests will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to funding. Each location requested will be surveyed by a professional from the Department of Environmental Services to ensure there are no conflicts with the surrounding infrastructure and that the site is a suitable one for a tree to grow and thrive.
Learn Language Hoboken Launches New Social Program
After watching her students develop wonderful friendships during her language classes, Dana Marchionne, owner of Learn Language Hoboken, knew that her classrooms could be more than just an average classroom. In fact one of her classes even planned a group trip to Italy at the culmination of their course! Starting this February, Learn Language will be hosting its first mixer – a hybrid for those wanting to learn Italian and expand their social circles. The night will include a mini Italian language session, wine and lights snacks, and time to socialize with fellow classmates. The first mixer is scheduled for February 23rd from 6:30PM-8:30PM at Learn Language {located at 450 7th Street in Hoboken}. Learn Language also hosts weekly adult classes, private sessions and classes for kids for those looking to learn Italian. Spanish, French, Arabic, Hindi, Mandarin or German. Check out the rest of their winter classes here.
Hoboken Schools Score on Controversial New State Ranking System
New Jersey Department of Education has released a new school ranking system that was established to comply with the federal “Every Student Succeeds Act,” according to Patch. The ratings for high schools are based on graduation and absenteeism rates and PARCC scores, whereas elementary and middle school scores are based on absenteeism, PARCC and student progress on PARCC tests. Several school officials have openly disapproved of the new ranking system stating that a single letter or number score does not accurately portray school performance and the quality of education provided to its students. Based on current reports, schools that score a 50 are considered average falling within the 50 percentile, and anything above 70 is around the top 20 percent. Of the 2,105 schools in the state Hoboken Schools’ scored as follows: #320 – Hoboken Dual Language Charter {84.88 rating}, #344 – Salvatore R. Calabro {83.71 rating}, #494 – Hoboken Charter {76.60 rating}, #1332 – Wallace Elementary {36.71 rating}, #1749 – Hoboken High {16.90 rating}, #1934 – Hoboken Middle School {8.12 rating}, #1966 – Thomas G. Connors {6.53 rating}.
Choc O Pain Bakery Voted Best Croissant
Local bakery {with numerous locations in Hoboken + Jersey City} Choc O Pain was awarded the title of “Best Croissant” by French Morning. The French Bakery, whose fourth location is set to open in uptown Hoboken, specializes in baked goods made the traditional European way — using just flour, water, leaven, and salt. The owner, Clemence, hails from France, and left her career in pharmaceuticals behind after moving to Hoboken. Her first bakery opened in 2012 and soon became a Hudson County favorite. In celebration of their accolade, Choc O Pain has been running croissant specials – be sure to follow them on Instagram for the latest deals.
Local Barre Offering Two Complimentary Classes a Day This Week
Local Barre is celebrating Hoboken this February with some FREE classes! From February 1st through the 7th, Local Barre is offering two complimentary classes each day. The studio will also be offering exclusive membership deals and packages from those who stop by the studio. For a full listing of the complimentary classes, check-out Local Barre’s Instagram.
Chief Ferrante Warns Residents of Burglar Scaling Local Homes
Hoboken Police Chief, Ken Ferrante, released a tweet Monday morning stating, “Over weekend, we had 2 situations on 100 & 200 blocks of Willow Ave @CityofHoboken where a male was on rooftops & fire escapes trying to gain entry to bldgs. Both attempts failed. If you see anyone on rooftops/fire escapes appearing suspicious, contact @HobokenPD ASAP 201-420-2100.” In addition to remaining vigilant, residents are urged to double check the locks of all windows and doors of their homes.
Hoboken’s 2nd Annual Spring Fling Volunteer Event
The City of Hoboken invites members of the community to join the City’s second annual “Spring Fling” community service event. Community members will spend the day cleaning up the park and public spaces. Last year’s event brought together more than 500 residents {including 4 teams of Hoboken Girl Helps members!} who completed 47 projects at 21 sites around the city. This year’s event will take place on April 21st from 10:00AM-2:00PM. Teams and individuals are encouraged to register for the event here before April 13th.
Hoboken Votes ‘No’ to Union Dry Dock
2,447 Hoboken residents participated in the City’s online survey regarding the future of the former Union Dry Dock property, making this the largest response to any public survey issued by the City. Following the release of the result, Mayor Bhalla stated, “The people of Hoboken have spoken loud and clear: we overwhelmingly oppose industrial uses and want to complete our waterfront as public open space. Our community’s decades-old vision for a continuous, public waterfront park is as strong as ever, and my Administration will do everything it can to make it a reality.” 91.5% of residents voted that the Union Dry Dock should remain a priority for the City and 73.8% votes that the space should be developed into a waterfront park with no industrial uses.
And that’s the latest Word on Washington Street news roundup for your Sunday. Hope you have a great one.
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