Tall ships set sail on the Hudson to kick off Fleet Week New York, OpSail 2012
The Hudson was reminiscent of a scene from Pirates of the Caribbean as 17 tall ships from around the world sailed past New Jersey and Manhattan waterfronts, followed by 10 warships, both domestic and foreign. A military aircraft sailed overhead spewing streams of red, white and blue as hundreds of children as well as adults swarmed the piers to catch a glimpse of history.
The ships entered the harbor on Wednesday around 9 a.m. and traveled north up the Hudson, kicking off OpSail 2012 and Fleet Week. They docked upon their return south. Docking locations and tour times for the modern military vessels along with historic tall ships visiting New York are available at www.nywaterway.com/FleetWeek2012.aspx.
The New York Waterway ferry and bus network will provide free commuter service for all active duty military personnel in uniform from any nation as well as American veterans. This will take place from May 23 through the 30.
Servicemen and women must present identification showing their active duty or veteran status to ride free on ferries. The ferries will depart from New Jersey terminals in Edgewater, Port Imperial, Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken, and 14th Street in Hoboken.
For schedules, prices and additional information please call (800) 533-3779. You can also visit www.nywaterway.com or www.facebook.com/nywaterway.
County to commemorate Memorial Day May 24th
Hudson County’s annual observance of Memorial Day will take place on May 24 at 11 a.m. at the county veterans’ plot in Holy Name Cemetery, located on 823 West Side Avenue, Jersey City. Attendees will include veterans’ organizations and their color guards from around the county. ROTC students will participate from McNair Academy and Lincoln High School.
A special tribute will be paid to Army Specialist Rafael A. Nieves Jr., who was killed recently while in action in the Paktika Province of Afghanistan. The 22-year-old army specialist, who grew up in Jersey City and Bayonne, was just two weeks short of completing his first tour of duty. He would have returned home to his wife and his two children. Nieves’s patrol suffered an attack that resulted in his untimely death. He served as a member of the Lincoln High School ROTC Corps of Cadets and took part in past Hudson County Memorial Day Observances.
Hudson County Surrogate Donald DeLeo will serve as the program’s Master of Ceremonies. It is sponsored by County Executive Tom DeGise and the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Guttenberg to host Memorial Day Parade
The parade will take place on Wednesday, May 30 at 7 p.m. People are expected to line up at 6:30 p.m. on 68th Street and Madison Avenue in Guttenberg.
Guttenberg invites residents, organizations, bands, corporations, and schools to join in the special events that will take place.
The Grand Marshals are seeking any active servicemen or women from any wars. Guttenberg Committee is also in search of any parade marchers. Contact the Grand Marshal by calling Chairman Lawrence Giancola at (201) 289-0421 or Jewish War Post 76 Vet Commander Barry Weiss at (201) 861-0558. You may also call Captain Joel Magenheimer of the Guttenberg Police Department at 6806 Park Avenue or call (201) 868-3000. He can also be reached via email at captmagenhelmer@myguttenberg.com.
Debate Club meets at the North Bergen Public Library
The debate club will meet on Thursday, May 31 from 4 to 5 p.m. Students in grades six through 12 are welcome. The library is located on 8411 Bergenline Avenue in North Bergen.
ESL classes taught at North Bergen Library
There will be a 10-week course that is offered as a community service for Spanish speakers who desire to learn English. The course will be taught by instructor Elke Bachik. The library is located on 8411 Bergenline Avenue in North Bergen.
English for Beginners will begin on Saturday, July 7 from 10 to 11 a.m. All classes will be taught on Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. The library is looking for Spanish speakers with a genuine desire and strong motivation to learn English. Attendance is mandatory. Those registered must attend every class and also be on time. The workload will consist of studying vocabulary and completing homework.
Registering will begin today so if you’re interested just visit the Reference Desk. There is a $20 registration fee, which includes a dictionary, workbook and flash cards.