Area police implicated in steroid scandal
HUDSON COUNTY – A three-part series in the Star-Ledger this week detailed how 248 police and firefighters had obtained steroids illegally from a Jersey City doctors. Police in Hoboken, Jersey City, Weehawken, North Bergen, Union City, Bayonne, and even tiny Guttenberg were mentioned.
The piece begins, “Joseph Colao was dead. The 45-year-old physician had collapsed in his Jersey City apartment, the victim of heart failure…Today, it’s clear Colao was more than just a doctor, friend or confidant to many of the officers. He was their supplier. A seven-month Star-Ledger investigation drawing on prescription records, court documents and detailed interviews with the physician’s employees shows Colao ran a thriving illegal drug enterprise that supplied anabolic steroids and human growth hormone to hundreds of law enforcement officers and firefighters throughout New Jersey.”
Angel Alicea of Hoboken’s public safety division told the newspaper that he wants to investigate, and also introduce steroid testing in the police department, from which at least 10 officers have been implicated.
Tee time: Freeholders approve county’s first public golf course
HUDSON COUNTY – The Board of Chosen Freeholders approved a resolution Thursday to create a golf course near Lincoln Park on Jersey City’s west side, according to a published report.
The nine-hole course will be built on 60 acres of wasteland at Duncan Avenue. The wasteland was once used by the federal government.
The county will pay for the $12.7 million project through bonds. They also will help fund it through user fees.
They see a fall, 2012 completion date.
According to an article, “The site is currently being cleaned up with a $10.6 million federal EPA grant awarded last year. The project includes the restoration of 35 acres of wetlands along the Hackensack riverbank and around the Pulaski Skyway.”
City of Hoboken offers new parking options
HOBOKEN — The City of Hoboken is offering reduced rates in city garages for residents who commute out of town, and also for those who are planning to go away on vacation.
The vacation parking option allows residents to keep their car in the City’s Garage B on Hudson Street (sixth Floor) up to 14 days per year. The discounted fee is $5/day, with a maximum of 14 days per calendar year. Interested residents should go to the Hoboken Parking Utility office and provide the same documentation as required for a Resident parking permit. Residents will receive a “Visitor parking permit” that indicates validity in “Garage B, 6th Floor” only and the dates the permit is valid. When departing the garage, residents should show this permit to the attendant to be charged the discounted rate.
The business parking option, called “Monthly Limited,” offers a reduced rate of $140 per month for parking in Garage D (215 Hudson St.), the Midtown Garage (371 4th Street) and $180 to park in Garage B (28 2nd Street). However, cars must be out of the garage on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The option also allows for two weekdays per month, which can be “rolled over” from month to month, in which cars are allowed in the garage during the otherwise prohibited daytime hours.
It’s been a busy two weeks for the Hoboken Parking Utility, as two other alternative parking options were also recently introduced.
“Last week, businesses were introduced to a new free permit option that can save employees over $1,000 per year, and residents were informed of the new ‘Vacation Spot’ discount that makes it possible to park in a city garage while on vacation for $5/day.,” according to a city release.
For more information, call the Hoboken Parking Utility at 201-653-1919.
Union City to stores: Please stop selling machetes
UNION CITY – In response to recent area machete attacks, Union City Mayor Brian Stack and Police Chief Charles Everett sent out a letter last Friday urging shop owners to stop selling machetes “that may be used in acts of violence or in a threatening manner.” Use of machetes, the letter said, does not serve a practical purpose in urban Union City and poses a threat to the public safety of the community.
“We would never suggest to a local store how to conduct their business unless it was for purposes of public safety…as you may know, there have been a few incidents that have involved…aggression with machetes,” the letter stated.
The letter added, “We thank you for your consideration in our appeal and hope that you understand our desire to curb violence in our neighborhoods.”
More information was not immediately available, but will be added here when released.
Meadowlands Hospital transferred to new owner
After a yearlong regulatory approval process, MHA, LLC announced that at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2010, the ownership of Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center was transferred from LibertyHealth System to their company. In a statement released that day, MHA Spokesman Bill Maer said:
“MHA is pleased that the transfer of ownership of Meadowlands Hospital is complete. It is our intention to turn around a facility that has been losing millions of dollars a year, into a successful robust facility. We will be investing millions of dollars in capital and technology improvements to the hospital. …Meadowlands Hospital will continue to function as an acute care hospital serving the residents of Hudson County and the surrounding area for many years into the future.”
In January 2010, MHA, LLC agreed to purchase Meadowlands Hospital from Liberty Health System in a transaction that ultimately was valued at $17.5 million. It had been estimated that Meadowlands Hospital was losing about $5 million a year and Liberty Health Systems stated that it could have been closed in the near future if a new owner was not found.
MHA successfully negotiated agreements with the major labor entities representing the approximately 500 employees, including HPAE and several others. In the last two months, this transfer received regulatory approval from both the New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services and the New Jersey Attorney-General and the Superior Court of New Jersey.
Henley on Hudson sales office designated as Toys for Tots drop-off location
Developers Lennar Urban and Roseland Property Company have once again volunteered the Henley on Hudson sales center as a drop-off location for Toys for Tots this holiday season.
Those interested in participating are invited to drop off new, unwrapped toys to the sales center located within Port Imperial at 43 Eton Row in Weehawken, now through Dec. 20. Age range for toys is infant to 17 years old. For more information or directions to Henley on Hudson, please call (866) 619-8731 or visit www.henleyonhudson.com.
Since its inception in 1947, Toys for Tots has been collecting new toys during the months of October, November, and December which are then distributed to needy children in their respective communities.
For more information about Toys for Tots, visit www.toysfortots.org.
NJMC to host total lunar eclipse viewing session
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission invites the public to an up-close view of the first total lunar eclipse in nearly three years on Monday, Dec. 20 at the Commission’s William D. McDowell Observatory. The free all-ages program begins at 11:30 p.m. with an information session on eclipses. Visitors will have a chance to view the eclipse and the night sky through the Observatory’s state-of-the art 20-inch-diameter telescope.
A total lunar eclipse is a unique event; it marks the only time when the entire Moon will pass into the Earth’s shadow. The last total lunar eclipse occurred on Feb. 20, 2008.
The upcoming total lunar eclipse, weather permitting, is scheduled to begin at 12:27 a.m. The total eclipse will happen at 3:17 a.m. Check-in for the viewing session is at the NJMC Center for Environmental and Scientific Education, located adjacent to the Observatory. The program will be canceled if the skies are cloudy. The public should call (201) 460-8300 on the night of the event for weather-related updates.
The William D. McDowell Observatory is located in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst, the home of the NJMC. Visitors to the Observatory must be able to climb 25 steps, and all children must be accompanied by an adult.
Directions to the park are located in the “About Us” section of the NJMC website, www.njmeadowlands.gov. For more information call 201-460-8300 or visit www.njmeadowlands.gov/ec.
Jersey Cares Warms seeks coats for 15th Annual Coat Drive
Over the past 14 years, Jersey Cares has collected, sorted, and distributed more than 300,000 coats to New Jersey residents through the Annual Coat Drive program. This year, Jersey Cares will work with more than 300 corporations and organizations to collect coats throughout the state, aiming to distribute 50,000 coats to more than 250 nonprofit agencies serving our neighbors in need.
Due to the enormous success of last year’s drive, Jersey Cares is partnering with United Mayflower Container Services to bring the Jersey Cares Coat Drive to additional agencies and a more widespread population of New Jersey residents. This year, Jersey Cares will place United Mayflower collection and distribution containers in 14 cities across the state.
Another change to this year’s drive is the reinstatement of the Note in a Coat program. Through Note in a Coat, children donating coats can write short messages to those children who will be receiving coats through the Jersey Cares Coat Drive.
For a complete list of collection sites, visit www.jerseycares.org. The coat drive will be held through Dec. 15. For more information, please contact Brian Dean, executive director of Jersey Cares at (973) 424-1091 or bdean@jerseycares.org.
Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey announces music competition
The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and United Way of Hudson County has officially kicked off the 10th Annual Hudson County “Shout Down Drugs” music competition. This peer-to-peer song writing competition was created to reach out to teenagers through the most inspiring media outlet, music. High school students throughout Hudson County are asked to take their music talent and act NOW!
Any interested Hudson County high school student must contact their principal, music department, or substance abuse awareness coordinator, to submit their originally created song by Jan. 14, 2011. All Hudson County “Shout Down Drugs” participants will attend a countywide concert held at Newport Centre Mall, Jersey City in early Spring where they will compete for a chance to win a $1,000 music contract with PDFNJ and United Way of Hudson County, attend a professional music recording, have their winning song placed on a CD for Hudson County distribution, and perform their winning song at countywide events.
For entry information on the 10th Annual Hudson County “Shout Down Drugs” music competition, please visit www.drugfreenj.org or call (973) 467-2100 ext. 24.
Meadowlands Environment Center announces holiday performance
Celebrate the season with a holiday performance by Musicora, an ensemble of soprano, violin, cello, guitar and piano, on Sunday, Dec. 19 at 1 p.m. at Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst.
Pre-registration required. Tickets are $5 and $3 for MEC members. To reserve your ticket, call (201) 460-8300 or e-mail www.njmeadowlands.gov/ec.