State Senate, Assembly candidates for 32nd and 33rd districts finalized
A smattering of West New York and Union City residents will run for state Senate and Assembly in the June primaries and in the general elections in November. West New York is in the 32nd District and Union City is in the 33rd. Each district has one state senator and two Assembly representatives.
In the 32nd District, State Sen. Nicholas Sacco (also mayor of North Bergen) will face off in a Democratic primary against Guttenberg resident Francisco Torres. The winner will face Kearny resident Paul Kastelli, a Republican.
For the two Assembly seats in that district, incumbents Angelica Jimenez (Democrat from West New York) and Vincent Prieto (Democrat from Secaucus) will face opposition from West New York Democrat Mayra Dominguez and Republicans Maria Malavasi-Quartello and Lee Marie Gomez, among others.
In the 33rd District, State Sen. Brian Stack (also mayor of Union City) is running as the lone Democrat, facing opposition only from Hoboken resident James Sanford, the chairman of the Hudson County Young Republicans.
For the district’s two Assembly seats (there are no incumbents running again), Union City Democrat John Hilt IV and Republican Armando Hernandez are running against a large field dominated by Jersey City residents, including Hoboken Housing Authority Executive Director Carmelo Garcia. Hoboken Councilman Ravinder Bhalla is running independently for a seat.
Look for more news on candidates in these districts in upcoming issues of The Union City Reporter and The West New York Reporter.
Port Authority confirms grant for Union City
Mayor Brian Stack presented a letter from Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni this week that confirmed the transit authority’s intention to grant Union City approximately $2.9 million to assist in a project to rehabilitate New York Avenue from 19th Street to 48th Street.
The project, according to the letter, will “help maintain approach roadways to the Lincoln Tunnel.”
The grant was the cause of significant controversy at the end of last year, when the Union City Concerned Citizens Group alleged that the grant was designed to fill holes in the city’s 2013 budget and may not have actually existed. Some also asked how taxpayers could spend almost $3 million for fixes to local streets.
Stack went on record in February saying that the grant did, in fact, exist.
A letter from Gov. Chris Christie to the Port Authority dated last June urged the authority to grant the funds to Union City. Stack is an ally of Christie. According to the letter, the funds will be broken between two projects, one rehabilitating New York Avenue from 19th Street to 30th Street ($1.6 million) and another from 31st to 48th Street ($1.275 million).
Stack confirmed that the project will be done in the two phases, citing timing as a reason. Both projects are expected to get underway this month and will be completed by October.
The city will award two separate bids to construction companies, one for each phase of the project. – Dean DeChiaro
Cuban Lions and Palisades Medical holding free health fair in WNY Sunday
The West New York Cuban Lions Club has teamed up with Palisades Medical Center to offer a free health clinic and information fair on Sunday, April 7 at the Lions’ new community room located at 514 52nd Street in West New York (between Bergenline Ave. and Kennedy Blvd.) It will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Physicians will be available to answer questions and provide health tests and screenings on the following: blood pressure, cholesterol, dental, diabetes, sleep disorder information, eye/vision information, and glaucoma.
Hudson County CASA recruiting to help foster kids
Hudson County CASA, a non-profit organization, is currently recruiting volunteers to advocate for the best interests of abused and neglected children. CASA works through trained community volunteers to insure that needed services and assistance are made available to children while helping to move them toward safe and permanent homes.
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) and its volunteers speak for children in court, serve as fact finders for the judges and safeguard the interests of the children while they are in the foster care system.
An information session for those interested will be held on Tuesday, April 16, at 6 p.m. in Room #400 of the Hudson County Administration Building, located 595 Newark Avenue, Jersey City.
Hudson County has nearly 700 children in foster care; most have been removed from their homes for abuse or neglect. For further information, please call (201) 795-9855, e-mail mgarcia@hudsoncountycasa.org or visit our website at www.hudsoncountycasa.org.
WNY advocacy group plans community fair, giveaways
The Dvine Konektion Community Development Corporation is offering a free Community Fair on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 5516 Jefferson St. in West New York.
Residents of West New York, North Bergen, Union City, Weehawken and Guttenberg are welcome to attend. During the fair free bags of groceries and baby supplies such as diapers and wipes will be distributed. There will also be free blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol screenings, information about health insurance, vouchers for free mammograms and prostate exams, and more. For additional information, please call (201) 617-4484 or visit www.dvinek.org.
Amazon testing locker program in West New York, Hoboken, Jersey City, report says
A recent article in the Record of Hackensack says that Amazon has been “quietly” testing delivering its products to customers via lockers in their towns, including in West New York, Hoboken, and Jersey City.
The story said that Amazon has refused questions from reporters about the program. But the lockers have been spotted in 7-Eleven stores in Hoboken and West New York, and in a Staples in Jersey City.
“Online retailers Walmart.com and Amazon.com are looking to extend their reach by putting delivery lockers in drugstores and convenience stores, and in chain stores like Staples,” reads the story, “to meet customers’ demands for faster access to online orders. Amazon lockers at a 7-Eleven in Hoboken. Wal-Mart is planning to put lockers in their stores for online shoppers starting in summer. E-commerce giant Amazon has quietly been testing delivery lockers for about two years.”
The program is part of a race to provide same-day service to customers, the story said.