NJ Transit bill by November
State Sen. Paul Sarlo (D-Wood-Ridge) said this week that his state bill to grant NJ Transit development authority over local municipalities will be amended and put forth to the Senate by November. There is not yet a similar bill introduced in the state Assembly.
Hoboken Acting Mayor Dawn Zimmer had said that she talked to Sarlo and got him to alter the bill, allowing for some community and government input. However, last week, Councilwoman Beth Mason, who is opposing Zimmer in November’s mayoral election, noted that Sarlo is not actually withdrawing the bill. Critics say that the bill still allows NJT to do what they want. NJT has planned a massive project for Hoboken’s southern border.
Sarlo said last week, “As a Senator, I am a firm believer that government must promote sensible economic development projects which will create jobs, spur economic recovery and provide new ratables to local governments. However, as a mayor of a small community that is host to two New Jersey Transit facilities, I want to ensure that municipalities have some control over the economic development projects occurring within their borders.”
Mason said she will now try to rally statewide support to defeat the bill, after claiming it was a lame initiative weeks ago.
Artists Studio Tour
The 29th Annual Hoboken Artists Studio Tour will be held on Sunday, Oct. 18 between noon and 6 p.m.
Tour maps for the free, self-guided walking tour of artists’ studios will be available at City Hall on the day of the tour, or in this week’s Hoboken Reporter, and other locations.
The 20-stop tour is designed so that visitors can walk from one studio or exhibition to the next. Visitors will have a chance to meet the artists, photographers, sculptors and artisans in their own studios, where they can witness the creative process at work.
For directions or further information, please call (201) 420-2207 or check us out online at www.hobokennj.org.
Police meet-and-greet
On Wednesday, Oct. 14, the Hoboken Community Policing Bureau will be hosting the third meet-and-greet with Police Chief Anthony Falco.
The meeting will take place at the City Hall Council Chambers at 94 Washington St. for residents that live between First and Fifth streets, from Bloomfield Street to Sinatra Drive.
There will be presentations by police on bars, homelessness, parks, school safety, burglaries and bike thefts, and traffic and pedestrian safety.
There will also be presentations by Falco, Acting Mayor Dawn Zimmer, and co-host Councilwoman Theresa Castellano.
There will also be a question-and-answer period and police will hand out their Hoboken Police Community Survey.
Business parking permit extension
The city said while the Hoboken Transportation and Parking Utility reviews parking policy ordinances, an extension has been issued on all Hoboken business parking permits.
Currently, the expiration date for these permits is Sept. 30, with a two-week “grace period” allowing until Oct. 15 to renew before violations are issued for expired permits. With the 60-day extension, business parking permits will be valid until Dec. 15.
Also, the price for business permit holders taking advantage of the “coupon” option for discounted daily parking rates in municipal garages has been reduced from $10 per day to $5 per day.
Movie theater to open Oct. 23, art contest
Hoboken will finally have a movie theater again, after its small, two-screen theater by the train station closed more than five years ago.
A new five-screen movie theater below the 14th Street Viaduct will officially open Friday, Oct. 23. The city Planning Board granted some last-minute approvals last week.
Clearview Cinema officials said more details about the grand opening will follow.
Clearview Cinemas is also sponsoring a Student Art Contest and offering a $1,000 scholarship to the winning piece of art for ages 13 to 18 years old. Art must be no larger than 11 in. by 17 in. and can be a photo, painting, drawing, computer generated, mixed media or collage on paper, card stock, canvas or photo paper. All art must be submitted in print form as well as on a disk.
The art should represent “something wonderful and positive about Hoboken.”
The winning piece, as well as runners up, will be displayed in and around the new cinema.
Submissions should be dropped off at 1327 Adams street, Unit E, no later than Oct. 15. For more information, call Theater Manger Nikima Ferrer at (201) 710-558.
More parking tickets
The city’s Pedestrian Safety Program is being developed to protect pedestrians in the most critical safety locations such as in crosswalks, bus stops, in front of fire hydrants, and too close to intersections.
The Hoboken Parking Utility will be issuing tickets through Oct. 15 for blatant violators blocking access to critical pedestrian safety locations such as crosswalks, bus stops, in front of fire hydrants, and intersections. They will also be placing notices under windshield wipers for minor incursions. After Oct. 15, the HPU will issue tickets for all illegal parking in these locations.
Another HHA health fair
The second in a series of monthly health fairs geared toward promoting healthy eating and exercise will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday,
Oct. 17, on the Mama Johnson ballfield at Fourth and Jackson streets.
This activity, which follows the “Mitzvah Day” kickoff event co-sponsored by the United Synagogue of Hoboken and the Hoboken Housing Authority on Sept. 13, will feature flu shots made available to Housing Authority residents as well as more health screenings, nutritional information and food samples, and various sports activities.
Hudson Perinatal Consortium will participate in the event, providing maternal and child health information, breast-cancer awareness and screening and various giveaways for children.
The exercise activities will include another round of bike rides and bike-safety tips. At last month’s event, 10 bikes were given away as prizes to children in the Housing Authority.
Organizers hope to give away at least three more this time around, but bike donations are needed to make that happen. Anyone with any bicycles they can donate should contact Housing Authority Commissioner Jake Stuiver at jstuiver@gmail.com.
There will also be an obstacle course, a flag-football game and possibly another karate class, and plans are under way to have some health-oriented BBQ grilling. Stuiver will also DJ the event.
Columbus Day event
Assemblyman Ruben Ramos will host the Annual Pasta Luncheon for Seniors in celebration of Columbus Day on Friday, Oct. 9, from noon to 3 p.m. The event will be held at the Hoboken Elks Lodge, 1005 Washington Street, and State Senator and Lieutenant Gubernatorial candidate Loretta Weinberg is expected to join the luncheon.
For more information, call (201) 714-4360.
Poconos-Hoboken train: $401 M
Residents in the Poconos region of Pennsylvania area have been lobbying for a rail line to Hoboken (for access to New York City) and now there’s a price tag: $401 million.
The state of Pennsylvania is seeking stimulus funds to finish the “Lackawanna Cutoff,” which would extend rail service from northeastern Pennsylvania to Hudson County.