It’s been a week, Hudson County. Halloweekend in Hoboken went by but not without making a splash {keep reading to see this year’s # of arrests and summonses} and residents are gearing up to vote in the November 5th elections upcoming this week {check out our Q+A with each of the candidates here}. From openings {Newport Eats Diner} in Jersey City to talk of upcoming renovations and our latest Hoboken Girl Helps volunteering event, we’ve got lots of news for you to catch up on. For more local news headlines you may have missed this week, keep reading.
Our Next Hoboken Girl Helps Event is Happening THIS Tuesday, November 5th
— and We Need Craft/Card-Writing Supplies!
Save the date and/or donate— our next Hoboken Girl Helps event is happening THIS Tuesday, November 5th. This time around, we’ll be writing greeting cards for Hudson County’s 65 and over age group to help us all get into the holiday spirit and celebrate Veteran’s Day and the holiday season. The event will be taking place at House of ‘Que {340 Sinatra Drive, Hoboken} from 7:00PM-9:00PM.
If you’d like to join us, you must RSVPand bring your own supplies (blank cards, construction paper, markers, stickers, etc}. We are writing cards to 800+ local Hudson County seniors so a lot are needed. If you’d like to donate supplies and cards but can’t make the event, email hobokengirlteam@gmail.com and we will share drop-off or donation info.
RSVP here and get more information here.
Cafe Vista is Coming to Hoboken
The Mile Square is getting a new coffee shop on Monroe Street — 527 Monroe to be exact — and it’s called Cafe Vista. The Hoboken Girl team was alerted to this new Hoboken coffee spot by the location’s leasing agent, Opnhouz, and while the new coffee spot has yet to announce an opening date, the shop does have an Instagram account @cafevistahoboken to follow for updates {no website as of yet}. It looks like Cafe Vista will sell coffee, of course, as well as sandwiches, baked goods, and desserts. We’ll be sure to update you when more information becomes available.
New Diner Newport Eats Is Officially Open
{Photo credit: @newporteatsdiner}
Stop by 70 Town Square Place in Jersey City and you’ll be checking out JC’s latest addition: a new diner called Newport Eats. Formerly the home of Skylark, the Newport Eats’ menu features your typical diner fare: AKA everything. You’ll find burgers, salads, sandwiches, soups, a kids’ menu, desserts, a smokehouse section, and so much more. While Newport Eats doesn’t seem to have a website as of yet, they’re starting out by soft-opening this week, and keeping locals updated on Instagram.
Construction on 644 Washington Street Has Started — The Shade Store Coming to Town
{Photo credit: @theshadestore}
A new showroom for The Shade Room is coming to 644 Washington Street in Hoboken. With signage already approved {as of October 7th at the Hoboken Historic Preservation Commission meeting}, construction workers have already broke ground on the site. The building has been gutted and it looks like we can expect the new store to make the full move into 644 Wash sometime in the next few months. At The Shade Room, patrons will find customizable blinds, draperies, and shades with which to complete their home design.
The new retail property will still be the same size — 1,053-square-feet — and become one of The Shade Room’s first showrooms after hitting the marker of 75 showrooms total. The Shade Room also has New York locations such as the Upper East Side and New Jersey locations including Montclair, Paramus, and Summit.
Three Injured in Jersey City Shooting Last Week
A recent shooting in Jersey City has left three people injured and the community reeling. On Saturday, October 27th, three males were wounded in a shooting near the intersection of Ocean and Winfield Avenues around 10:00PM. According to Jersey City spokeswoman Ashley Manz, NJ.com reports that officers responded to a shots-fired call and found three male victims.
Two of the victims allegedly were combative with police and uncooperative, ultimately refusing medical attention. The third male was transported to Jersey City Medical Center where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The shooting is currently under investigation and no arrests have been made as of yet.
The New York Times Hails Harrison, NJ as “the Next Hoboken”
Is Harrison, New Jersey about to become “the next Hoboken?” According to The New York Times, it might just be so! In a recent article called, “Harrison, N.J.: The Next Hoboken?” the article cited the town’s new luxury housing and its $256 million PATH Station as reasons millennials would potentially flock to Harrison, much like how the Mile Square became a place known for it young professionals. Only time will tell, NYT!
3rd Annual Pizza Fest Is Coming to Hoboken November 16th
It’s back! Tickets for Hoboken Happy Hours’ 3rd Annual Hoboken Pizza Fest are officially on sale and if you’re thinking of going this year, you’ll want to buy ASAP. The past two years tickets sold really fast, so if you’re a pizza connoisseur, get on it.
Pizza Fest kicks off Saturday, November 16th and partners this year with Party With Purpose and nine local pizza places to serve up the most delicious slices to over 750 people. Hosted by Our Lady of Grace Church this year, Pizza Fest is sliced into two main sessions, both of which feature live music, swag, games, and a team pizza-eating contest. Guests can purchase alcoholic beverages and custom Pizza Fest t-shirts.
“We at Hoboken Happy Hours could not be more excited to be hosting our 3rd Annual Hoboken Pizza Fest. When you have a city like Hoboken that puts out only the best pizza and a lot of it, why not house several local pizza vendors in one space for a day full of fun, full bellies, and friends?!” said a rep for HHH in an email. “We created this event because we are passionate about pizza and everything about this magical food. HHH is excited to share it with the City of Hoboken and help raise money for Party With Purpose, a local 501{c}3 non-profit supporting local children’s charities.” You can purchase your Pizza Fest ticket here.
Jersey City Employment and Training Program Currently the Center of Ongoing FBI Investigation
New court filings reveal there is an on-going FBI investigation at the Jersey City Employment and Training Program. The investigation appears to be in relation to a whistleblower case involving a former employee, according to Hudson County View. The former employee, Nuria Sierra, was an accounts and payable clerk at JCEPT up until she was laid off this July.
“… Due to the nature of this lawsuit and the current FBI investigation, we necessarily had to have continuous and numerous conversations with our attorneys regarding the veracity of the allegations in the Complaint, the factual background, and other facts relating to this lawsuit and our defense,” said JCETP Board Chair Stacey Flanagan in an October 23rd motion.
Flanagan continued, “At all times, I responded to this lawsuit and our attorneys’ requests as quickly as possible, all the while complying with an FBI investigation, agency audits, and numerous OPRA requests, searching for an Executive Director, rebuilding our Board, and addressing the vast amount of issues from Plaintiff’s and Thomas’ employment with the JCETP.”
Sierra’s lawyer, Bill Matsikoudis, is arguing that Sierra should get her job back.
“It’s remarkable that notwithstanding the fact that the JCETP seems to confirm that our client blew the whistle on criminal conduct and was subsequently terminated, they refused to acknowledge that she was wrongfully terminated and continue to pour salt in her wound,” Matsikoudis said. “Nuria was fired for doing the right thing and they should make that right.”
Halloweekend Pub Crawl Results in 9 Arrests, 102 Summonses
A Halloween-themed bar crawl last weekend ended in nine total arrests and over 100 summonses. Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante said 15 people were taken to local hospitals, though none were seriously injured, and the summonses and arrests were due to drunk driving, fights, public urination, and more. In total, officers responded to more than 230+ calls for service.
“Last night during the 8:00PM-4:00AM period, we had an extra 50 Hoboken Police Department officers on the streets,” Ferrante wrote on Twitter. “With the regular deployment, there were approximately 80 officers patrolling at that time. Those officers responded to 239 calls for service in those eight hours.”
Throughout the Halloweekend, police wrote up 62 drivers total for moving violations. This includes an e-scooter DWI. Police issued 40 summonses for drinking or urinating in public. Other arrests include marijuana possession, simple assault and disorderly conduct, and DWIs.
Nine people were arrested, but Ferrante maintains that none of the people arrested were actual Hoboken residents. Two of the arrestees were from Jersey City, two were from Manhattan, and others arrested were from Clifton, Burlington, Lyndhurst, North Bergen, and Highlands Lakes.
Newark Street’s Windsor Wax Building Target of New Renovations
{Photo credit: Google Maps}
The Windsor Wax Building on Newark Street in the Mile Square has been around since, at the very least, the 1930s, but now, a new effort to renovate empty buildings near the Jersey City border could call a new mixed-use building in its place.
At a City Council October 2nd meeting, Council passed a resolution to allow Windsor Eden LLC to redevelop several empty buildings along 601-609 Newark. Jersey Digs points out that the Windsor Wax building, formerly of the Windsor Wax Company, has been abandoned for at least three decades. The stretch of Newark that would be affected by this resolution includes the former The Frayed Knot {which closed down in 2015} and a vacant parking lot.
According to the plans set forth by Windsor Eden, the LLC is looking to demolish the Windsor Wax Building, as well as level the parking lot and old brick building that was once The Frayed Knot. Windsor Eden would then want to construct a 40-unit development meant to look like three different buildings. This new proposal includes 35 parking spaces at the rear of the building, a pedestrian pathway to the back of the building, a lobby, bicycle storage room, and a retail storefront.
Apartments in the new mixed-used building would come down to 17 one-bedroom apartments, 16 two-bedroom apartments, and seven three-bedroom apartment units. As per the Southwest Redevelopment Plan, four of these units would have to be designated as “affordable.”
Hoboken Middle School Hosts Dare to be Different Essay Contest
{Photo courtesy of Harold Abaraham}
Hoboken Middle School recently hosted a “Dare to Be Different” essay contest, which culminated in a visit from Olympian Dagmara Wozniak. Wozniak, an American saber fencer who competed in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics, visited Hoboken Middle School to speak to students and honor the winners of the essay competition.
Hoboken Middle principal Dr. Harold Abaraham told Hoboken Girl in an email:
“The Dare to Be Different essay contest has proven to be a great success at Hoboken Middle School. This school-wide writing incentive truly challenged students at HMS in grades 6, 7, and 8 to self-reflect and to write a personal piece celebrating what makes them different. In total, 58 students will be recognized for their writing. As a surprise guest, Gold Medal winner Dagmara Wozniak will serve as the keynote speaker and award students medals of their own! During her presentation, she will discuss the importance of being different and celebrating the differences of others.”
The prompt of the essay competition was to write an essay explaining what being “different” means. Students were asked to also discuss and provide examples of how they are different, the change that they hoped to invoke in school or the community, and how they planned to inspire others to be different.
Greener JC Partners With Clean Water Action for No Straw November
Greener JC is partnering with Clean Water Action’s ReThink Disposable campaign this month in support of No Straw November. No Straw November is a nationwide campaign aimed at reducing plastic straw use by encouraging restaurants and cafes to offer plastic straws only upon request. What can you do instead? Go paper straw or go strawless whenever possible. The month-long event is part of a much larger plastic-free initiative, Plastic Free JC.
“Jersey City businesses are encouraged to take part in the 30-day challenge by offering straws only upon customer request, and customers are encouraged to go straw-free or bring their own reusable straws,” says Greener JC Chair Erin Hill. “Greener JC believes the City is up for the challenge!”
The U.S. consumers 500 million straws a day. “That’s enough straws to circle the planet more than two and a half times,” says Maura Toomey of ReThink Disposable. “Each year, this generates 342 million pounds of waste entering our landfills, incinerators, and waterways. Let’s take action to reduce our waste and protect our environment.”
Local businesses can pledge to provide Straws by Request and will be provided with informational signage to promote the campaign and will be publicized by Greener JC through social media. For more information, visit greenerjc.org.
Waterfront Storytelling Series Is Back With Another Terrific Show!
Local Waterfront Storytelling Series is back with Another Terrific Show!, a hilarious and moving storytelling show produced by Hoboken locals Adam Wade and Carla Katz. The show is hosted by comedian Joe Devito {of Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, and The Late Late Show fame} and brings the best of the New York City storytelling scene to Hoboken’s waterfront.
On Friday November 8th, at 8:00PM, Adam Wade {Inside Amy Schumer, Girls, 2o-time Moth champion}, Carla Katz {Comedy Cellar, Peoples Improv}, Jamie Brickhouse {Moth podcast, PBS Stories from the Stage}, Stacey Bader {Moth Grand Slam Winner, PBS Stories from the Stage}, Rory Scholl {Amazon Storytellers, Big Quiz Thing}, and Will Clegg {Nights of Our Lives, Moth} will come together to share funny and moving true stories and comedy.
Tickets are $25 and include a glass of wine. Doors open at 7:30PM and the performance begins at 8:00PM. To grab tickets, click here.
Venezuelan Food Spot Sabor a Maiz Opens in Jersey City Heights
{Photo credit: Twitter via @ginavergel7}
Hoboken Girl reported back in July that a new Venezuelan eatery was coming to JC and now, Sabor a Maiz has officially opened in Jersey City Heights. Located at 408 Central Avenue, the new spot features Venezuelan street food including arepas, cachapas, pepitos, empanadas, and more. Sabor a Maiz will also offer delivery service through GrubHub, but if you want to sit down for a dinner, the restaurant is BYOB.
Margherita’s in Hoboken to Reopen on November 7th
The long wait is finally over. Margherita’s in Hoboken is officially opening on November 7th. Located at 740 Washington Street, the restaurant’s Instagram account kept locals updated on the space’s renovation and the day is finally {almost} here. Known for its savory Italian fare, Margherita’s is a staple in the Mile Square community + food scene and we’re so excited to see it re-open.
New Dining + Cocktails Spot, Olivia’s, Coming to Hoboken
Hoboken is getting a new restaurant — Olivia’s. Replacing what was previously the space of Sasso’s Deli {1038 Garden Street, Hoboken}, Olivia’s is set to be a new “dining and cocktails” locale, and the signs on the exterior of the boarded-up windows say “coming March 2020” — which will be here before we know it. We’ve been poking around for info, but there isn’t much else known about what exactly we can expect from this new space just yet. What we do know, however, is that construction has started inside the space to accommodate the new restaurant and bar. Stay tuned for more info on this new uptown Hoboken spot. Click here to read more.
The Hoboken Holiday Market 2019 Vendor Application is Open
One of our most exciting events of the year is back on Tuesday, December 17th — the Hoboken Holiday Market is happening at Birch in Hoboken, and we are on the search for unique local vendors to sell their goods at the market. The official vendor application for the Hoboken Holiday Market is now open {click here to access} and we’ll be accepting applicants until Thursday, November 7th at 11:59PM.
Click here to access the application and click here to purchase tickets to the event {$10 admission — with a portion of each ticket going to the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps}. Can’t wait to see you there!
Got a news tip? Let us know — email us at hello@hobokengirl.com! We appreciate it.
Did you know: We started a podcast about all things news and lifestyle in Hoboken + Jersey City! Listen to the latest episode of Tea on the Hudson here and subscribe.
We release new episodes every Tuesday!
