Two officers promoted to sergeant, including first Latina
Detective Cynthia Montero and Investigator Michael Vitali were both promoted to the rank of sergeant on May 20 in a ceremony at town hall. Montero is the first Latina police sergeant in North Bergen history.
Chief of Police Robert Dowd spoke at the swearing-in ceremony, calling Vitali “an integral part of our detective bureau and someone who is relied upon by his peers as a leader.”
Montero will continue in her role as investigator in the Internal Affairs division. “It’s a very difficult position because honestly and transparency and guarding against misconduct and corruption is a very difficult job,” said Dowd. “Especially when you’re there to police your peers. And it’s a job that she does not only well but she does with a high level of professionalism.”
The rank of sergeant is considered a supervisory position. North Bergen has a young police force, according to Dowd, due to a lot of retirements and the hiring of over 30 new officers in the last two years. Currently there are 13 women and 58 Latino officers in the department.
Mayor Nicholas Sacco and Public Safety Commissioner Theresa Ferraro conducted the swearing-in ceremony, which was attended by other police and officials as well as friends and family of the two officers.
Marie Borace, Hudson County Superintendent of Elections, dies
Local resident and longtime Hudson County Superintendent of Elections Marie Borace passed away on May 23. She was 70.
“Marie was a good friend and a dedicated public servant who was well known for her integrity and ability to work objectively with all people, regardless of their political affiliation,” said Mayor Nicholas Sacco. “Because of her professionalism, Marie was reappointed to her important position by both Republican and Democratic governors. She served Hudson County well and she will be missed.”
Borace was appointed Superintendent and Commissioner of Elections Hudson County in 1998 and served in that position until her death.
A lifelong resident of North Bergen, Borace was born on Aug. 29, 1943 at Christ Hospital in Jersey City. She attended Sacred Heart Elementary School in North Bergen and graduated in 1957. She was a 1961 graduate of Weehawken High School and a graduate of Claremont Business School. Her passion for politics led her to jobs at the Hudson County Board of Elections and North Bergen Department of Public Works.
Borace was diagnosed with cancer in December 2011 and had a lung removed. She was in remission until December 2012 and had been fighting the disease since then.
Christie: Super Bowl could return to region
Last week, Gov. Chris Christie stated that he wasn’t ruling out the idea of the Super Bowl making a return visit to the area. He was speaking on the “Boomer and Carton” sports radio show on WFAN 66-AM on May 23.
This year was the first time that the biggest game in sports took place in the New York-New Jersey area, when the Seattle Seahawks beat the Denver Broncos in MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands. The event brought masses of fans to the region, with celebrations spread over several states.
Prior to the event there were concerns about winter weather affecting the game. Transportation was also a concern, with significant backups in mass transportation encountered on the day of the event.
Still, Christie said that the NFL officials loved the area and that a return visit was possible.
First-Sunday-of-the-month bird walk and gallery reception
Celebrate the arrival of June with a free two-hour guided nature walk in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst on Sunday, June 1 at 10 a.m. Walk around parts of the park, looking for shorebirds, raptors and other choice birds. The walk will be followed at noon by a reception in the park’s Meadowlands Environment Center (MEC) for the Flyway Gallery show, “The Nature of the Meadowlands,” featuring artwork, photography and archival images from the NJMC coffee-table book of the same name. The walk starts at 10 a.m. outside the MEC and is run by the N.J. Meadowlands Commission (NJMC) and the Bergen County Audubon Society (BCAS). Check meadowblog.net for last-minute weather updates. Participants will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To RSVP, contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or (201) 230-4983.
Noted actors present short stories at the library
The hit public radio series and podcast, Selected Shorts, presents extraordinary performances of classic and new short stories. On Tuesday, June 24, the program crosses the Hudson with moving and unexpected tales of friendship, falling in love and complicated families, performed by an all-star cast: Keir Dullea, Patricia Kalember, and Kaneza Schaal.
The three featured speakers will be reading different short selections to the audience. The event will take place at the North Bergen Free Public Library located at 8411 Bergenline Ave. on June 24 at 7:30 p.m. Registration is required. For more information contact the library at (201) 869-4715 or visit www.nbpl.org.
Support Weehawken High School Peer Leadership
A fundraiser for the Weehawken High School Peer Leadership group is being held on Monday, June 2 from 5 to 9 p.m. at Houlihan’s at 1200 Harbor Boulevard, Weehawken.
The Weehawken High School Peer Leadership group is designed to get students involved in civic-related activities. The program instills a sense of pride in the community, both within school and in their daily lives.
Participants engage in activities throughout the community and raise money for charities such as the Special Olympics of New Jersey.
A portion of the proceeds from the event on June 2 will go to benefit Weehawken Peer Leadership.