Have ‘Coffee with a Cop’ on March 25
Join your neighbors and the North Bergen Police for coffee and conversation at the North Bergen Public Library Kennedy Branch, 2123 Kennedy Blvd., from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25.
No agenda or speeches, just a chance to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers in your neighborhood.
Former DEP official says Christie lawyer cut deal with Exxon
A former official of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has charged that Gov. Christopher Christie’s chief counsel intervened in talks to settle a 10 year old lawsuit between the state and Exxon Mobil, according to published reports on Thursday.
In an Op-Ed in the New York Times, Bradley M. Campbell cited “former colleagues of mine in state government” who told him Christopher S. Porrino “elbowed aside the attorney general and career employees who had developed and prosecuted the litigation, and cut the deal favorable to Exxon.” The company had already been found liable and the only question that remained was the amount of the judgment it would have to pay.
As a judge deliberated whether to assess the $8.9 billion in environmental damages the state sought, he said, the Christie administration stepped in, twice asked for and received delays in concluding the case, and agreed to take about $250 million to settle the case.
Campbell pointed out that while Christie was chairman of the Republican Governors Association in 2014, the group received $500,000 from Exxon and more from company employees, while the New Jersey trial was still underway.
The Times said Campbell, an attorney and former New Jersey DEP commissioner, was also administrator of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region from 1999 to 2001.
Campbell called the proposed settlement, which still must be approved by a judge, “an embarrassment to law enforcement and good government.”
A second Times story said Porrino, Christie’s general counsel since January 2014, had previously served two years as director of the Division of Law in the attorney general’s office, placing him in an oversight position over the Exxon litigation.
The state attorney general launched the lawsuit against Exxon in 2004, claiming the company contaminated more than 1,500 acres of wetlands, marshes, and meadows at two refinery sites in Bayonne and Linden. Exxon disputed the state’s arguments saying they “ignored the evidence, science, and the law.”
Neither Porrino or Exxon would give the Times a statement and so far Christie’s office has not commented. But environmentalists and other state officials have condemned the proposed settlement.
As reported by nj.com, State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union) said Thursday if Campbell’s information is accurate, “Acting Attorney General [John] Hoffman has abdicated his responsibility as the chief law enforcement officer of the state,” and called for Hoffman’s resignation.
State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D – Gloucester) said on Tuesday the Senate would seek to intervene in the lawsuit and try to block the deal from being approved. On Thursday, Sweeney reacted to Campbell’s allegations, according to nj.com, by saying if Campbell’s information is true U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman should investigate the circumstances surrounding the state’s Exxon settlement.
Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D – Secaucus) and the chairman of the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee, John F. McKeon, plan to hold hearings on March 19.
2015 pool registration application and rates now available
The application and rates for 2015 membership in the North Bergen pool have been posted on the town website at www.northbergen.org. Discounted rates are currently available. They will increase after May 11. Nonresidents may apply at a higher cost than residents.
Birth certificates are mandatory for all children. Two forms of proof of residency are also required (e.g., current gas, electric, phone or tax bill). Payment must be by money orders, personal checks, certified checks, or credit cards only. No cash. Checks should be made payable to North Bergen Swimming Pool. There will be a service charge of $25.00 for all returned checks.
“Family” consists of immediate family: mother/father and children. “Family of two” consists of a married couple, or a single mother/father and one child.
NBHS opens new STEM academy for gifted students
North Bergen High School recently held an induction ceremony for the inaugural class of its new STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) academy. Twenty eighth grade students from North Bergen and Guttenberg will participate in the program.
“The goal of the STEM Academy is to provide our most talented students with a true challenge in our high school in a specialized program that will help them gain admittance to top colleges and acquire the skills necessary for the careers of the future,” said North Bergen Supervisor of Science and STEM Academy Chair Jared Keshishian. “STEM Academy students will still take humanities classes, electives and extracurriculars with the rest of the school, but they will receive a more advanced level of instruction in science, technology, engineering, and math with a goal of guiding them into a high-paying and successful career.”
The STEM Academy is being managed by Keshishian and Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Solter, along with District Supervisor of Mathematics Nelly Velasquez, Elementary Supervisor of Guidance Theresa Rabelo, Gifted and Talented Coordinator Heather Carline, and several other teachers and counselors, as well as representatives from the local community and businesses. The program is intended to include not only classroom activities, but hands-on instruction through partnerships with local companies and universities to provide students with a truly well-rounded educational experience.
Solo artist exhibit at Guttenberg Arts in March
Johanna Winters’ solo art exhibit, Culling the Herd, will be on view through March 31 at Guttenberg Arts, 6903 Jackson St. Her prints are intimately scaled, framed like old Polaroid images showing a happy moment, but her characters are boxed into oddly delicate prints with precise line work and muted colors.
As a nod to her influences, which range from TV cartoons and newspaper comics to the sinister works of Hieronymus Bosch and Pieter Bruegel the Elder and extending to contemporary artists such as Barry McGee and Kurt Kemp, Winters embraces printmaking’s “low-brow” or graphic nature and its history of conveying social commentary. Like those influential artists, Winters places the viewer with her characters in moments of awkwardness to illustrate the absurdity of human nature.
Winters is from Minneapolis, Minn. She received a B.A. in studio arts from the University of Wisconsin -Green Bay. She worked as the education manager at Highpoint Center for Printmaking in Minneapolis where she taught printmaking to students of all ages and abilities. Most recently she taught printmaking as an associate lecturer at UW¬ Green Bay. Winters’ prints have been included in national juried exhibitions and portfolios, as well as exhibitions in Montreal and Germany. Her work will be part of an upcoming two person show at Columbia College in Columbia, Missouri in 2015.
Pre-St. Patrick’s Day dinner-dance on March 14
The pre-St. Patrick’s Day dinner-dance sponsored by the Steinau Club will be held from 7 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, March 14 at the Schuetzen Park Crystal Ball Room, 3167 Kennedy Blvd.
The festival will include a corned beef and cabbage dinner, including Irish soda bread, German beer, wine and soda for four hours, plus coffee, tea, or decaf and butter cake. The cost is $55 per person.
The general public is invited to attend along with the members of the Steinau Club, and everyone can look forward to an evening of music by Barry Adler and entertainment for the first time by the Marie Moore School of Irish Dance.
For further information and reservations, contact Fed Hansen at (917) 680-3942 or Ingrid Berner at (201) 854-4906.
NBHS senior Jason Pedreros selected for prestigious state judicial program
“Serving on the Juvenile Conference Committee has given me an amazing perspective on the issues facing the youth of our state, from poverty to drugs and violence,” said North Bergen High School Senior Jason Pedreros, 18.
Pedreros was nominated by his history teacher, Timothy Aschoff, for the Juvenile Conference Committee, which allows trained citizen volunteers to hear minor juvenile cases and render decisions with the approval of a judge. “It’s a chance to not only learn about the judicial system, but to try to help some of my peers who have fallen down the wrong path and assist in getting their lives back together,” said Pedreros.
“Jason Pedreros is an exceptional student with a bright future and he is a wonderful example of the kinds of young men and women our school district is made up of,” said North Bergen Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Solter.
Pedreros has been serving on the JCC since September, and expects to continue until he goes to college this fall. He has applied to the prestigious Pre-Law programs at Baylor University and Stephen F. Austin University, both in Texas, and hopes to one day pursue a career in public service as an elected official in order to give back to the community and the country. He has taken several trips Washington D.C. and observed congressional sessions and is passionate about issues like growing the economy, creating jobs, and helping immigrants reach a better future.
“I am an optimist and I see a bright, clear future with so many new arrivals coming into our country,” said Pedreros. “I want to use all of my knowledge and wisdom that I can give to them, so they would have the same opportunity as everyone has. It is a privilege and I would like it to one day be my job to serve the public.”
Child advocate group holding informational session
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, March 10, 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 www.hudsoncountycasa.org.
Cancer lecture at the library on March 11
A lecture featuring the topic of colorectal cancer will be held on Wednesday, March 11 at 7 p.m. The lecture will be presented by Peter Caride, M.D., Holy Name Gastroenterologist. 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 the library at (201) 869-4715 or visit www.nbpl.org.
Free comedy at the library on March 14
Comedian Alonzo Bodden will give a free performance at the North Bergen Free Public Library on Saturday, March 14 at 5 p.m. Bodden has appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Conan O’Brien and Comedy Central, and is the winner of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.”
Doors open at 4:30. The library is at 8411 Bergenline Ave.
2015 Spring Theater Workshop
Mayor Nicholas Sacco and the North Bergen Players present the 2015 Spring Theater Workshop, featuring acting classes in film, live theater, and scene writing; voice production classes and private lessons; and hair and makeup classes in care, styling, and application.
Classes begin March 16 and will meet Mondays and Thursdays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Hair and makeup classes will be on Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. Special guest instructors include film director Amanda Rosa and hair stylist Isi Matos Berges of Isi Hair Design.
The workshops are free and seating is limited. For more information call Maurena Luzzi at (201) 854-7074 or (201) 401-9722.
Free health screenings upcoming in local communities
Free health screenings will take place in North Bergen courtesy of Palisades Medical Center. The screenings will include information on blood pressure, heart rate, percentage of oxygen in the blood, peak flow/respiratory, Body Mass Index – BMI, certificates for mammography, prostate screening, HIV testing, and more. For more information call Joanne Riggs at (201) 854-5793. Free screenings will take place at the following times and locations:
• March 15, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Immaculate Heart of Mary Chapel, 7615 Broadway
• March 21, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Grove Reformed Church, 4615 Kennedy Blvd.
Free income tax preparation available for eligible residents
The township of North Bergen has hired a certified public accounting firm to provide free tax preparation services for senior citizens and disabled residents. North Bergen residents age 55 or over, or those in possession of proof of disability, with a yearly income below $55,000, are eligible for free income tax preparation assistance. Residents must bring identification, Social Security card, tax documents, and a 2013 tax return (first-time participants only).
Preparation is by appointment only. Call (201) 381-7014. Services are available until April 15 on Wednesdays between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Lawlor Tower, 6121-6131 Grand Ave., and on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at the Public Library Kennedy Branch, 2123 Kennedy Blvd. Services are also available at the Public Library Main Branch, 8411 Bergenline Ave., on Tuesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Meet ‘Owls Alive!’ at March 8 presentation
The Meadowlands is prime owl territory, and the Flat Rock Brook Nature Center will offer a chance to see some of these amazing nocturnal raptors live and in person at Owls Alive! on Sunday, March 8 from 2 to 3 p.m. Hear all about these feathered ambassadors, including their behavior, physiology, adaptations and natural history at this event co-sponsored by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and Bergen County Audubon Society. The cost is $8 per person; $6 for Meadowlands Environment Center Members.
Let your inner artist bloom on March 14
Teens and adults are invited to join “Textural Expression,” a two-hour session on Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. to noon. Participants will explore texture and color to create a fantasy inspired landscape using chalk pastels. Each person will walk away with a finished piece that will inspire a taste for art. No experience necessary. Supplies are covered in the cost of the class. Registration is required. To register, visit www.njmeadowlands.gov and click “events.” Cost is $15 per person; $12 for MEC members. Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst. (201) 460-2003.
‘The Buzz about Bees’ talk at Meadowlands Environmental Center on March 14
Join Meadowlands beekeeper Erik Swanson on Saturday, March 14 from 2 to 3 p.m. as he gives a family-friendly talk about honeybees, why they are so important, and why they are in trouble. Observe live bees up close in an observation hive. Erik will have his Meadowlands honey for sale. Registration is recommended and appreciated. To register, visit www.njmeadowlands.gov and click on “events.” Cost is $6 per person; $5 for MEC members. Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst. (201) 460-2003.