Major drug bust in Jersey City nabs 26
The New Jersey State Police announced on Thursday a major drug bust in Jersey City earlier in the day that led to 26 arrests including several members of the Bloods street gang.
Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, said arrest teams crawled through Jersey City before dawn Thursday morning, executing 18 arrest warrants and 15 search warrants.
Many of the arrests took place in the city’s Greenville section. They were part of the six-month investigation dubbed Operation Wetlands in which federal, state, county and local agencies targeted drug distribution activity by some members of the Sex Money Murder (SMM) set of the Bloods street gang.
“We’ve interrupted some very prolific and violent criminal careers with these arrests, and that puts the odds back in favor of the people in the Greenville community,” Fuentes said.
Prior to this mornings sweep, 19 people had been arrested as a result of Operation Wetlands and evidence was seized including approximately 32 ounces of PCP, 35 bricks of heroin, a small amount of marijuana and oxycodone, two handguns, and over $7,000 in cash. The drugs seized are valued at more than $15,000.
Continued intelligence gathering led to today’s arrests and the seizure of further evidence including two more guns, small quantities of drugs and an estimated $50,000 in cash.
Also involved in the investigation were Jersey City police officers, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and Federal DEA agents.
Business plan seminar
The New Jersey Small Business Development Center at New Jersey City University in cooperation with PNC Bank Journal Square is presenting a seminar, “Startup and Business Plan Preparation.”
The seminar will take place at 26 Journal Square on Monday, Feb. 22 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
For more information, call (201) 200-2156.
Bach to Bach concerts
The Jersey City classical music ensemble Con Vivo is holding its first ever Bach Festival.
The festival will feature guest ensembles and soloists at free shows in Jersey City and in Hoboken.
The shows: Saturday, Feb. 20, 8 p.m. – United Synagogue of Hoboken, 15 Park Ave., Hoboken: Brandenburg 5th Concerto with soloists Salley Koo, Kelli Kathman, and Jan-Piet Knijff, a Celebration Concert with Cantigas Women’s Choir & the USH Choir.
Saturday, Feb. 27, 8 p.m. – Grace Church Van Vorst, 39 Erie St., Jersey City: Concerto for Oboe d’Amore & Cantata # 82 “Ich habe genug” featuring Christa Robinson, oboe, and mezzo-soprano Sarah Craft.
Sunday, March 28, 5 p.m. – Saint Paul’s Church, 44 Hoboken Ave., Jersey City: Trio Diurusculus, the music of Bach, Handel and Vivaldi.
For more information, visit www.convivomusic.org or www.cantigas.net
New hair exhibit at JC Museum
The Jersey City Museum is currently showing Hair Tactics, an exhibition guest-curated by Rocío Aranda-Alvarado and on view though Aug. 22. The museum is located at 350 Montgomery St.
Hair Tactics features over 30 visual artists whose artworks explore hair as subject matter and medium. The exhibition includes works in a wide range of mediums, including painting, sculpture, prints, photographs, video, and installation.
Artists in the exhibition include Amina Ahmed, Elia Alba, Firelei Báez, Nina Lola Bacchuber, Melody Boone, Melissa Calderón, Ursula Endlicher, Zachary Fabri, Carson Fox, Chitra Ganesh, Asha Ganpat, Bill Gaskins, Renée Green, Hermanas Iglesias (Janelle and Lisa Iglesias), Kristina Jacob, Tamara Kostianovsky, Jessica Lagunas, Simone Leigh, Sharon Louden, Felicia Megginson, Irvin Morazán, Omar Obdulio Peña Forty, Sa’dia Rehman, Kenya (Robinson), Nadine Robinson, Roger Sayre, Roger Tucker III, Quintín Rivera-Toro, Jayoung Yoon, and So Yoon Lym.
The opening reception for Hair Tactics as well as Jersey City Museum’s complete line-up of spring 2010 exhibitions will take place on Friday, March 5, 5-8 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (201) 413-0303.
1940s films showing at Loew’s
The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre is showing their upcoming film series next weekend: “The 1940s on the Big Screen.” The theater is located at 54 Journal Square.
Friday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. – “White Heat” starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O’Brien. Directed by Raoul Walsh.
Saturday, Feb. 27 at 6:15 p.m. – “Notorious” starring Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Claude Rains. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. And at 8:30 p.m. – “The Third Man” starring Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Trevor Howard. Directed by Carol Reed. Written by Graham Greene.
Tickets are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors (65+) and children (12 & younger). For more information, call (201) 798-6055.