Sonic Drive-in may come to NB
The North Bergen Planning Board recently received a proposal and site plan for a Sonic Restaurant along Kennedy Boulevard, according to a published report.
“America’s Drive-In” has asked to build a location with a car hop service at Kennedy Boulevard and 28th Street. If approved, a portion of the Toys ‘R’ US parking lot will be used for the site.
The application goes before the board on April 6.
Hal Turner’s trial continues
Harold “Hal” Turner, a shock jock and blogger who lives in North Bergen, took the witness stand in his defense at his federal trial in Brooklyn last week.
Turner is facing a single charge of threatening three Chicago-based federal appeals court judges after a posting on his radio network blog last June allegedly suggested they deserved to be killed for a gun-control case’s ruling. His first trial ended in a mistrial last year due to a deadlocked jury.
According to published reports, Turner took the witness stand and said that he was recruited in 2004 by the FBI’s Newark-based Joint Terrorism Task Force and was paid “in excess of $100,000” to help them. Turner claimed that his white supremacist and violent comments were due to the F.B.I. asking him to “ratchet up the rhetoric.”
If convicted, Turner could face 10 years in prison.
Before the trial opened last week, Turner’s family on www.family-of-hal-turner.blogspot.com said they are hopeful that his actions will be protected as free speech.
Michael Orozco, Turner’s attorney, did not respond to a phone call in time for publication.
County Freeholders to hear Palisades Coalition’s appeal
The Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders have scheduled a special meeting for a hearing on the North Bergen commercial development proposed for the Palisades Cliffs.
The meeting will be held on March 22 at 6 p.m. at 567 Pavonia Ave. in Jersey City.
Last month Superior Court Judge Mark Baber ordered the freeholders to respond to an appeal made by the Coalition to Preserve the Palisades Cliffs (CPPC) who oppose the development.
Avak Properties, LLC and U&G Development, LLC plan to build a Walgreens, a Bank of America branch, and a coffee shop.
The Hudson County Planning Board unanimously approved the controversial project in June 2009. The CPPC filed an appeal with the freeholders after the decision, stating that the Planning Board ignored several steep slope issues that were in conflict with county and state law, but the freeholders didn’t respond to the appeal.
Baber said that the freeholders have 30 days from the hearing to approve the plan, send it back to the Planning Board for consideration or reject the proposal.
NB, Guttenberg school board candidates file for April 20 race
In North Bergen, Board of Education incumbents Miguel Hector, Charlotte DiGennaro and Edward LaTour filed petitions to run again for three-year terms.
William Koehler, Herbert Shaw and Cesar Vega, a newcomer, are challenging them.
Guttenberg incumbents Sari Zuckerman, president of the board of education, Elsa Schwarz, and Margarita Batista are running unopposed for three-year terms. Elaine Silverstone, a newcomer, is running unopposed for a two-year term.
The candidates will vie for positions in the April 20 school board election.
Palisades Medical Center to host two health seminars
Palisades Medical Center will host several free health seminars in March.
On March 18 from 7 to 9 p.m. a weight loss surgical options seminar will be held, with Dr. Stefaine Vaimakis, a certified general surgeon with experience in laparoscopy and bariatric surgery, as the lead speaker.
The second, a women’s health seminar on incontinence and pelvic floor disorder on March 25, will be held from 7 to 9 p.m.
The event will deal with a medical condition known as stress urinary incontinence and other issues that affect millions of women. It will be led by Dr. Sam Hessami, the director of the Continence Center at Palisades Medical Center and associate clinical professor at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
For both events free transportation will be available from 5:30 p.m. at 60th Street and Bergenline Avenue. There will also be free parking, food and refreshments provided.
For more information contact Nikki Mederos at (201) 854-5702.
Adoption partners added to NB’s PetSmart
North Bergen’s recently-opened PetSmart has partnered up with Animal Life Savers of Palisades Park and CLAWS, the Closter Animal Welfare Society.
PetSmart will allow CLAWS to temporarily house rescued cats at the adoption center in PetSmart for exposure to the public. Animal Life Savers of North Bergen will bring in dogs for special adoption events from foster homes.
Annually 400,000 pets find new homes through these efforts.
Those interested in adopting a dog or a cat can come down to the PetSmart, located at 2100 88th St., from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call (201) 662-1747
CLAWS is currently in need of volunteers to assist in feeding, cleaning and socializing animals and are looking for people to make a once a week commitment in the morning or evening. If interested, fill out a volunteer application online at www.clawsadopt.org and specify PetSmart in North Bergen or call (201) 768-0200.
Animal Life Savers is currently looking for foster homes and help on Saturday afternoon adoptions. To learn more visit www.animallifesavers.com.
Palisades Medical Center’s upcoming health screenings
Palisades Medical Center will be providing Hudson County residents with free health screenings and education programs in the upcoming months.
The program is funded in part by Abbot Nutrition, the Provident Bank Foundation, Schering-Plough Corporation, Susan G. Komen for the Cure – North Jersey, TD Charitable Foundation, and Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc.
PMC will provide free screenings including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, body mass index, peak flow, pulse oximetery and oral cancer.
The first will be on March 7 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Mary Church in Jersey City, located at the corner of Erie Street and Second Avenue.
On March 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. PMC will be available at St. Augustine Church, located at 3900 New York Ave., in Union City.
On March 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. free screenings will take place at Our Lady of Libra Church, located at 5808 Kennedy Blvd., in West New York.
St. Bridget Church, located at Brunswick and Montgomery Street, will be the site of the April 11 screening in Jersey City.
In Union City on April 18, PMC will be available at the First United Methodist Church, located at 23rd Street and New York Avenue, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
On April 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. screenings will be held at Immaculate Heart Mary Chapel in North Bergen, located at 76th Street and Broadway.