Vainieri elected freeholder
Democrat Anthony Vainieri was elected as Freeholder of District Eight on Tuesday, Nov. 4. At press time the number of votes cast for him was 8,542, representing 75 percent of the vote.
Republican Francis Bruno received 2,016 votes (18 percent) and unaffiliated candidate Odemaris Ramirez received 794 votes (7 percent).
Vainieri replaces Freeholder Thomas Liggio, who is retiring in January. District Eight includes North Bergen, Secaucus, and part of Jersey City Heights.
Thanksgiving drive for families in need
The North Bergen Emergency Relief Program is hosting a Thanksgiving drive for families in need throughout the township. Items will be collected from now through Thursday, Nov. 20 and distributed on Monday, Nov. 24 at the North Bergen Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave.
Items needed include mashed potatoes, stuffing, canned vegetables, pasta and pasta sauce, rice, beans, dessert mixes, no-bake desserts (Jell-o, pudding, no-bake cheesecake, non-perishables), and any other appropriate holiday staple item.
Drop off locations are as follows:
• North Bergen Health Dept.: 1116-43rd St., 2nd fl.
• North Bergen Police Dept./Town Hall (Chambers): 4233 Kennedy Blvd.
• North Bergen Court/Parking Authority: 4225 Bergen Tpk.
• North Bergen Public Library: 8411 Bergenline Ave. or 2123 Kennedy Blvd.
• All North Bergen schools
If you are a family or senior in need of a meal this holiday season, call (201) 392-2084 or email afocaraccio@northbergen.org to sign up. Proof of residency is required upon pickup.
Be a part of the 2014 Winter Holiday Concert
Do you like to sing? The North Bergen Players have begun rehearsals for the 2014 Winter Holiday Concert.
Rehearsal dates started on Oct. 27 and run through Dec. 4 on Mondays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. Performance dates for the concert will be Friday, Dec. 12 through Sunday, Dec. 14.
For more information contact Maurena Luzzi at (201) 854-7074 or (201) 401-9722.
Robbery suspect arrested – along with victim
A 28-year-old North Bergen resident was in an apartment when two men allegedly forced their way inside with a Glock 9mm handgun. According to reports, the victim then allegedly struggled with the assailant and managed the wrestle the gun away, holding the assailant down until police arrived.
The police then arrested both men – the suspect and the victim – after allegedly finding several large Ziploc bags of marijuana, a handgun, and over $6,000 in cash in the apartment. Authorities believe the motive for the robbery was the victim’s alleged involvement with drugs.
A second assailant allegedly fled when the two men began struggling for the gun. The victim was charged with several drug offenses and released. The assailant was charged with robbery, possession of a firearm for unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, and receiving stolen property. He remains in custody.
Asthma lecture at the library on Nov. 12
A lecture on the topic of asthma will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m. The lecture will be presented by Aide Capo, M.D., Holy Name pulmonologist. This event is made possible by the Hispanic Outreach Program and Holy Name Medical Center for Wellness Wednesdays. It will be held at the North Bergen Free Public Library, 8411 Bergenline Ave. For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit www.nbpl.org.
Register now for tickets to the Children’s Christmas Party
Mayor Nicholas Sacco, Commissioner Hugo Cabrera, and Santa Claus invite boys and girls ages infant to 9-years-old to attend North Bergen’s Children’s Christmas Party on Saturday, Dec. 6 at the Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave.
Doors open at 8:30 a.m. and the party starts at 9 a.m. Tickets must be obtained to attend the party, and are limited to the first 500 children. Registration for tickets will be at the Pop Warner Building, 6302 Meadowview Ave., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 12 to 14.
Registrants must show proof of residency (current utility bill only), and the child’s birth certificate is required. Child must be present to participate in raffle. One adult per family allowed. No exceptions.
Sister of Boston bombing suspect pleads guilty in counterfeiting case
Ailina Tsarnaeva, 24, pleaded guilty to charges of failing to cooperate with investigators in a 2010 case involving counterfeiting. Now living in North Bergen, she appeared this week in South Boston Municipal Court, where she reportedly admitted that she misled investigators when she said she did not know the names of individuals she picked up at an Applebee’s restaurant.
The individuals allegedly paid their bill with counterfeit money. Tsarnaeva will not face any jail time or fees as a result of her guilty plea, but her citizenship application may be affected.
She still faces separate charges in New York that she threatened her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, allegedly stating, “I know people that can put a bomb where you live.”
Tsarnaeva is the sister of Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaeva, the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013. Tamerlan was subsequently killed in a shootout with police. Dzhokhar has pleaded not guilty to any involvement in the bombings. His trial is set to begin in January.
Child advocate group holding informational session
Are you interested in helping children in the foster care system? If so, Hudson County CASA (court appointed special advocate) is recruiting volunteers to advance the best interests of abused and neglected children.
An informational session, addressing the program and the role of its volunteers, will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 6 to 7 p.m. in Room 901 of the Hudson County Administration Building, 595 Newark Ave., Jersey City.
For more information, call (201) 795-9855, e-mail mgarcia@hudsoncountycasa.org or visit hudsoncountycasa.org.
‘My Way’ comes to Union City
The City of Union City, Mayor Brian Stack, and the Board of Commissioners present a special performance of “My Way,” a play by Gabriel Campana, on Thursday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. at the William V. Musto Cultural Center, 420 – 15th Street in Union City. The play will be presented in Spanish. Admission is free.
“My Way” comes to Union City directly from a sold out run in New York City. Based on the life of an Argentinean celebrity, the play reflects the classic struggle of man and his ego. It stars TV, film, and theatre personality Tony Rodriguez, along with Claudio Weisz, Edward Azcorra, Caridad Del Valle, Stalin Cando, Colon Holguin, and Juan Villareal. It is directed by Ruben Dario Cruz.
Birds of Prey come to the Meadowlands
Meet live raptors from the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center and learn about these feathered ambassadors’ behavior, physiology, adaptations and natural history at the Birds of Prey all-ages event on Sunday, Nov. 9 from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Meadowlands Environmental Center (MEC). Cost is $5 per person; $4 for MEC members. Registration is recommended and appreciated. To register, visit http://mec.rst2.edu/environment or call (201) 460-8300. The Meadowlands Environment Center is at 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst.
Program promotes diabetes awareness at Jersey City Loews Theater
The Diabetes Foundation, Inc. will host an educational display at the Jersey City Loews Theater, 54 Journal Square Plaza in Jersey City, on Friday, Nov. 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. The display will include information on diabetes wellness and prevention, proper nutrition, affordable medications and giveaways.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month. “This is a month where people can learn about prevention and how nutrition and physical activity play a key role in preventing diabetes, or living healthier with diabetes,” said Roberta Schmidt, executive director of the Diabetes Foundation, Inc. “Also, during this month, people will learn about risk factors for diabetes and can have their blood sugar tested, which is a key indicator.”
The Diabetes Foundation, Inc., whose mission is to improve the care and quality of life for children and adults with diabetes in New Jersey, will offer a “program a day” throughout the state in November. The Diabetes Foundation events will focus on educating the public about diabetes by providing presentations, workshops, and health screenings. In addition to conducting events throughout the state, presentations will be targeted to specific populations, in different languages.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 29.9 million people with diabetes in the U.S., or 9.3 percent of the population, a number which continues to grow. In New Jersey alone, there are nearly one million people who have diabetes. Diabetes is the third largest cause of death among Americans, and the leading cause of blindness and non-traumatic amputations. For more information, call the Diabetes Foundation at (201) 444-0337 or (800) 633-3160 (www.diabetesfoundationinc.org).
JC Medical Center to host diabetes fair with healthy holiday eating tips
How do you plan on managing your diabetes during the upcoming holiday season? To help, Jersey City Medical Center – Barnabas Health will offer a free diabetes fair entitled “Healthy Holiday Eating with Diabetes” on Thursday, Nov. 20 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the hospital’s cafeteria, 355 Grand St. in Jersey City.
“Eating healthy during the holidays can pose a challenge to anyone, but particularly to people with diabetes and their families,” said Nancy Rodrigues, a Certified Diabetes Educator at the hospital. “That’s why we’re planning to provide healthy eating information at this event for the diverse people who comprise the communities we serve, whether their diet is one favored by Muslims or Latinos, or whether they eat kosher or vegetarian.”
Palisades Medical Center provides free community health screenings
Throughout the year, Palisades Medical Center’s staff takes an active role in local communities by partnering with North Hudson Community Action Corporation, Christ Hospital School of Nursing, and Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ to provide free health screenings and education programs. The New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) recognized Palisades Medical Center’s Community Outreach Program with its Community Outreach Award for its unique and effective methods of reaching out to better serve the healthcare needs of area residents. 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. Free screenings and information will be available on blood pressure, heart rate, percentage of oxygen in the blood, peak flow/respiratory, Body Mass Index – BMI and mammography certificates. For more information, call Joanne Riggs at (201) 854-5793.
• Nov. 9 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at St. Anthony’s Church, 615 8th St., Union City.
• Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 9034 Barr Pl., North Bergen.