West New York commissioners vote to delay school board election until Nov
WEST NEW YORK – In a stormy meeting that resulted in Mayor Felix Roque walking out, the West New York Board of Commissioners voted to delay the scheduled April election for the Board of Education until November.
The move was passed by a 3-1 vote. Commissioner FiorD’Aliza Frias was not in attendance.
In a statement, Mayor Roque said the move will save the taxpayers $80,000 and will increase voter participation.
“The voter turnout in January was dismal,” Roque said. “When we’re talking about the children of West New York we want as much voter participation as possible.”
But the move will also give Roque more time to gather a slate of candidates. His opponents were successful this past November in changing the town’s board from appointed by Roque to elected.
Opponents who attended the meeting became very vocal when the board tried to stop them from speaking.
Freeholder Chairman Jose Munoz, who helped push for an elected board, said that he has asked the Hudson County Prosecutor’s office to look into whether the vote was proper and whether it came after the official deadline for moving the election.
The commissioners apparently had until Feb. 21 to request the move from the County Board of Elections. The commissioner vote came after the Board of Education became deadlocked over the issue. The BOE, however, did vote to fund an April election at its last meeting.
If the county allows the commissioner vote to stand, then the election will be held in November for three board members as well as a special election for the seat vacated by the resignation of Adrianne Sires.–Al Sullivan
Free blood pressure and glucose screenings
Hoboken Family Planning is holding free screenings at three sites on Thursday, Feb. 27 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Walk in. No appointment needed. Free blood pressure and glucose screening. Also information regarding women and heart disease. The sites are located at: 124 Grand St., Hoboken; 1206 Summit Ave., Union City; 5305 Hudson Ave., West New York. Call (201) 963-0300 for additional information.
Hackensack Riverkeeper accepting scholarship applications for local high school seniors
Hackensack Riverkeeper is accepting applications for the 2014 Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship. Now in its fourteenth year, the program was created to support college-bound high school seniors who excel academically while demonstrating a strong commitment to the natural world and environmental protection.
All applicants who apply must either live within the 210-square mile Hackensack River Watershed or attend a school located within that region. North Bergen and Secaucus are eligible municipalities, along with certain parts of Jersey City, Bayonne, and Union City.
Teachers and guidance counselors are invited to submit applications on behalf of deserving students, and each school may nominate one student.
A panel of Hackensack Riverkeeper trustees and staffers led by Captain Bill Sheehan and Program Director Hugh Carola will review each application. The panel will consider the applicant’s academic achievements, environmental extra-curricular activities and future plans. The $1,000 scholarship is unrestricted and can be used for any required purchases during the student’s first year at college.
Full scholarship application criteria are available online at www.hackensackriverkeeper.org or by calling (201) 968-0808. Applications must be postmarked no later than Earth Day, April 22, 2014. The winner will be chosen no later than June 1.
Optimum announces ‘Make Your Mark’ high school student video contest
In recognition of Black History Month, Optimum, in conjunction with the Smithsonian Channel, is sponsoring the “Make Your Mark” video contest for high school students. The student with the winning video will be awarded $2,500 for a school or community project.
As part of the contest, students will view the Smithsonian Channel documentary “Breath of Freedom” which details the experiences of African-American GIs who helped rebuild Germany at the end of World War II and experienced equality for the first time overseas. Just as the soldiers featured in the documentary helped ignite the Civil Rights Movement, students can document their unique “mark” for positive change in their own video.
The “Make Your Mark” contest is open to all high school students in Optimum’s footprint within the tri-state area. Students should record and submit a creative and informative video (two minutes maximum) that explains their “mark,” why it should be chosen and how their school or community could benefit from the $2,500 award. They will then share this video (via Facebook or Twitter) with friends and family to earn votes for the project. Deadline for entries is Feb. 28. Full details on the contest and information on how to enter can be found at http://www.smithsonianchannelmakeyourmark.com/cablevision/
Saint Peter’s University to host Hudson County Regional College Fair
Saint Peter’s University will host the New Jersey Association for College Admission Counseling (NJACAC) Hudson County Regional College Fair on March 11 from 7 to 9 p.m in the Victor R. Yanitelli, S.J. Recreational Life Center located at 870 Montgomery St. in Jersey City. More than 75 colleges and universities will be in attendance. Saint Peter’s will also be hosting a financial aid information session during the event.
A wide-variety of higher education institutions are participating in the Hudson County Regional College Fair. The institutions in attendance are located as close as Hudson County as well as out-of-state universities based in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and more.
Attendees will also have access to the Saint Peter’s University financial aid team and will learn about the various types of financial aid, the awarding process, and how to file the FAFSA.
For more information visit www.njacac.org.
Palisades Medical Center announces schedule of upcoming community health screenings
Palisades Medical Center’s community outreach and education programs are generously funded in part by TD Charitable Foundation. The following is a schedule of Palisades Medical Center’s free health screenings that will be held in local communities in the coming months. For more information, please call Joanne Riggs at (201) 854-5793.
St. Mary’s Church, 252 Second St., Jersey City
March 9 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m
Free screenings and information on blood pressure, heart rate, percentage of oxygen in the blood, peak flow/respiratory, and Body Mass Index (BMI)
Grove Reformed Church, 1132 46th St., North Bergen
March 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Free screenings and information on blood pressure, heart rate, percentage of oxygen in the blood, peak flow/respiratory, Body Mass Index (BMI), breast exams, and eye exams
Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, 7615 Broadway, North Bergen
March 23 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Free screenings and information on blood pressure, heart rate, percentage of oxygen in the blood, peak flow/respiratory, and Body Mass Index (BMI)