New submarine named USS New Jersey
As part of Fleet Week, U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez joined U.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus at a ceremony in Liberty State Park on May 26 to announce that the next Virginia Class submarine will be named the USS New Jersey.
“As we celebrate Fleet Week and commemorate Memorial Day, we are reminded that we have a promise to keep to our men and women who serve – on land, sea, and in the air – around the world,” said Menendez. “We remember their sacrifice. We remember their service. We remember their families and keep them in our hearts and in our prayers. And, we remember our promise to them. They are the pride of New Jersey and every state across the nation. And we salute them.”
Menendez successfully advocated for the Navy’s next nuclear-powered submarine to be named for New Jersey. In March, he sent a letter to Mabus citing the state’s long and storied history with the U.S. Navy – in particular with “Silent Service” – and the fact that the first modern submarine was designed and built in New Jersey.
“This is a great day for the Navy and a great day for New Jersey,” Menendez said after Mabus made the official announcement. “We are honored to have our state’s name added to the proud fleet of Virginia Class submarines. We are pleased to continue our long and storied history with the U.S. Navy and with the ‘Silent Service’ whose ships were built right here in New Jersey for many years.”
There is currently no active naval vessel bearing the name New Jersey. Two, since-decommissioned battleships have been named New Jersey, including the Iowa Class ship docked in Camden that now serves as a museum and memorial known as the Battleship New Jersey. The USS New Jersey submarine is expected to be completed and commissioned in 2021.
Liberty Humane Society hosts free animal adoption event
Liberty Humane Society will host an adoption promotion event this Saturday and Sunday, May 30-31, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at its 235 Jersey City Blvd. facility. Cats and dogs over four months of age will be available for zero-fee adoption to approved adoptive homes.
These events are crucial to the local non-profit shelter. As the summer season approaches, more cats and dogs will be brought in as stray animals. By hosting large promotional adoption events, the shelter not only provides a great opportunity for the homeless animals currently in its care to find their adoptive forever homes, but also prepares kennels for the those animals incoming.`
Liberty Humane Society focuses its attention on caring for and adopting out the homeless dogs and cats of its community, promoting an “Adopt Local” philosophy encouraging homes considering adopting a pet to look local first, and consider providing homes for dogs and cats found homeless in their own neighborhoods.
Pets under four months of age will be excluded from this promotion. Please visit the shelter or log ontowww.libertyhumane.org for more details.
Hudson County Heart Walk scheduled for May 30
More than 2,000 residents, family members, company employees and survivors of heart disease and stroke from throughout Hudson County are expected to walk in the American Heart Association’s Hudson County Heart Walk on Saturday, May 30.
The walk will be a healthy jaunt around the downtown Jersey City waterfront and will begin and end on the campus of Jersey City Medical Center. Registration for the Heart Walk is scheduled to start at 9 a.m.
The Heart Walk, sponsored nationally by Subway and locally sponsored by Jersey City Medical Center, is the American Heart Association’s premiere event for raising funds to save lives from this country’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers – heart disease and stroke. Designed to promote physical activity and heart-healthy living, the Heart Walk creates an environment that’s fun and rewarding for the entire family.
To learn more about the My Heart My Life movement or to register today for the Hudson County Heart Walk, call Kristen Piccolo from the American Heart Association at (973) 291-4446 or log onto www.hudsoncountyheartwalk.org.
Planning workshop to be held on Ocean Avenue South Redevelopment Plan
The South Greenville Neighborhood Association along with city officials will host the Ocean Avenue South Community Planning Workshop to discuss the redevelopment of Greenville’s Ocean Avenue from Merritt Street to Cator Avenue as the administration continues to bring investment and development to all areas of the city.
The planning workshop, which is open to the public, will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 30 at the People’s Tabernacle of Worship/Tabernaculo de Adoracion del Pueblo, 211 Ocean Ave.
During the Planning Workshop on Saturday, residents and business owners will be able to join together in a structured, facilitated discussion to co-create a vision that incorporates the community’s ideas about what is needed to bring Greenville’s Ocean Avenue from Merritt Street to Cator Avenue neighbored to life once again. In addition, staff from Jersey City’s Planning Division will take feedback from the residents who live and work in the area regarding the creation of their redevelopment plan, to both understand their concerns and wishes and to preserve local resources and the distinctive characteristics that define the Greenville area.
The Ocean Avenue South Study Area contains 21 acres and 115 individual lots that while primarily three-story mixed use buildings also include one- and two-family homes, senior housing, light industrial, places of worship, and low-rise apartments. With the Danforth Avenue Light Rail Station and the NJ Transit Bus Terminal at Gates Avenue, the Ocean Avenue South area is a perfect location for encouraging transit-oriented development and has many unique features that make it a viable candidate for a return to commercial and mixed use zoning.
The planning workshop will feature bi-lingual Spanish and English discussion groups that will focus on the significance of the redevelopment plan, as well as future growth strategies to encourage mixed-use residential, commercial development and improved access to public transportation.
To RSVP, please email southgreenvillena@gmail.com. Breakfast and lunch will be served at this event.
Our Lady of Czestochowa School’s Fifth Annual Spring Fling Carnival is May 30
The Parent School Association of the Our Lady of Czestochowa School and Little Harbor Academy will hold its Fifth Annual Spring Fling Carnival, a kid-friendly event in Jersey City open to the general public.
General admission includes Giant Slide, Moon Walk, Obstacle Course, Games, Crafts, Entertainment, Hula Hoop, Limbo and Jump Rope Contests, Bouncing Castle from Frozen, Live Jazz Band, DJ Chaos, and more. Food and drink are also available for purchase.
Parents may also buy tickets for the Basket Raffle. Prizes include a Prada Bag, iPad Mini, $500 Apple Gift Certificate, Coach Luggage Set, 46” Smart TV, Kindle Fire, Weekend Getaway at Great Wolf Lodge, and MacBook Pro. Tickets may be purchased online at olcschool.org or by calling (201) 434-2405. The ticket price is $10 each. All proceeds go towards the second phase of the OLC School’s new playground, which replaces the one destroyed during Hurricane Sandy.
Winners will be drawn at the carnival on May 30 at 5 p.m. Winners need not be present to win. Winners’ names will be posted at olcschool.org on Monday, June 1.
The event will run from 1 to 7 p.m. on May 30 (rain date May 31) at St. Peter’s Prep Courtyard, 144 Grand St. The cost is $20 per child (age 2-plus). Parents are admitted free.
Recreation Department announces summer basketball leagues in Jersey City parks
The Jersey City Department of Recreation has announced the kick off of recreation basketball leagues for residents nine to adult.
There will be seven summer basketball leagues offered in parks throughout the city for children, teens, and adults. This is five more leagues from two years ago. Last year, more than 1,000 residents participated in the leagues. The leagues will run from June 8 through Aug. 21.
In addition to basketball, the city will also offer a summer girl’s high school volleyball league at PS 28, and an adult Badminton league at Pershing Field Ice Rink.
The summer outdoor basketball leagues are a continuation of the winter indoor ‘Beat the Street’ League, youth clinics, and tournaments.
The Recreation Summer Basketball Leagues are as follows:
Hamilton Park Boy’s Summer High School Basketball League will run from June 8 to Aug. 6, Monday through Friday, 4 to 10 p.m.
Bayside Park Men’s/Women Summer Basketball League will run from June 29 to Aug. 21 with men on Monday through Friday, and women on Wednesdays, from 6 to 9 p.m. This league is for people 18 and over.
Audubon Park Boys High School Summer Basketball League will run from July 6 to Aug. 7, Monday through Friday, 5 to 9 p.m. This league is for kids 14 to 18.
Pershing Field Summer Basketball League will run from July 6 to Aug. 2, Monday through Friday, from 5 to 9 p.m. with two programs for kids 11 to 14, and 15 to 18.
Westside/Pavonia High School and Grammar Summer Basketball League will run from July 6 to Aug. 7, Monday through Friday, 5 to 9 p.m. with two programs for kids 11 to 14, and 15 to 18.
Muhammad Ali Grammar Summer Basketball League will run from July 6 to Aug. 7, Monday through Friday, 5 to 9 p.m. with two programs for kids 11 to 14, and 15 to 18.
Teams and individuals can sign up to compete in any of the leagues. Signups are held at the parks Monday thru Friday 5p.m. to 8 p.m. or call (201) 547-4537. For more information and to register please contact the Recreation Department at (201) 547-5003 or visit www.jerseycitynj.gov.
Jersey City Council supports driver’s license for immigrants
The city with the largest immigrant population in the state of New Jersey, with over 4 percent foreign-born residents, has approved a resolution urging the state government to enact legislation allowing the Motor Vehicle Commission to issue driver’s licenses to individuals who cannot provide proof of lawful presence in the United States.
The Jersey City Municipal Council voted last week by a unanimous vote to make Jersey City the eighth city to pass this type of resolution, following Camden, Elizabeth, New Brunswick, Perth Amboy, Plainfield, Dover, and Bridgeton.
Advocates across the state have been working with local communities to urge their mayors, municipalities and counties to pass resolutions to support the state legislation that would benefit around 464,000 people in the state. The legislation would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain licenses for the purposes of driving in the state, if they pass driving and identity tests. According to New Jersey Policy Perspective, in their report Share the Road, this type of policy would create revenue of $5 million in licensing fees and it would lower insurance premiums to all residents of the state by creating $209 million in insurance premium revenue.
Many undocumented immigrants are driving without a license to go to work or to take their children to school. In many parts of New Jersey it is necessary to travel by car rather than public transportation.
This policy will also provide some relief to immigrants who are afraid of being deported due to interactions with law enforcement. It also would lower the number of unlicensed drivers on the roads, therefore making them safer for everyone.
Hudson County announces sports programs for county parks
Hudson County has announced the kick off to summer sports camps and tennis programs at Hudson County Parks.
The tennis program at Lincoln Park in Jersey City will begin from July 6 to Aug. 14, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, for children ages 5-15. Boys and Girls Basketball Camp will be located at the Communipaw Avenue Basketball Courts, from June 29 to Aug. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m., for children ages 8-15. The Boys and Girls Soccer Camp will begin July 6 to Aug. 6, from 6 to 8 p.m., behind the Little League Field, for children ages 5-15.
Stephen R. Gregg/Bayonne Park in Bayonne, Columbus Park in Hoboken and James J. Braddock/North Hudson Park in North Bergen, and Washington Park in Jersey City will host tennis programs for children ages 5-15, will begin July 6 to Aug. 14, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, weather permitting.
Residents can register online at Hudsoncountynj.org/Parks or can call Hudson County Division of Parks at (201) 915-1388.
Democrats, Republicans run unopposed in 33rd District primaries
Democrats and Republicans will go to the polls this coming Tuesday, June 2, to pick their nominees for Hudson County executive and state assemblymen for the 33rd Legislative District in the November election, though they won’t have much choice in the matter. For each of the positions, the parties have unopposed candidates.
The winners of the primaries in the 33rd District will face Republicans in November. There are two Assembly seats in each district. The 33rd District includes Hoboken, Weehawken, Union City, and part of Jersey City.
For the Hudson County executive seat, the incumbent executive Thomas DeGise of Jersey City is running for the Democratic nomination, and Ivan Sutherland of North Bergen is running for the Republican nomination. For the two state Assembly seats up for election for the 33rd District, the Democratic candidates are Raj Mukherji of Jersey City, an incumbent, and Annette Chaparro of Hoboken. The Republican candidates are Garrett Simulcik, Jr. of Jersey City and Javier Sosa of Union City.
Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on June 2. Polling locations can be found online at https://voter.njsvrs.com/elections/polling-lookup.html. For more information, contact the Hudson County Board of Elections at 201-369-3435.
Hard Rock Casino Meadowlands a possibility
Hard Rock International and Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment will hold a press conference on Wednesday, June 3 to announce their vision of potentially constructing a Hard Rock Casino in the Meadowlands.
According to a statement from the organizers, “A casino at the Meadowlands could generate more than $400 million in yearly revenue, which could fund critical priorities, such as property tax relief for seniors and veterans’ programs, in addition to helping rebuild Atlantic City and create more than 10,000 jobs in the area.”
For years, politicians from the Atlantic City area strongly objected to the idea of allowing gambling outside of the region, saying it would severely impact the struggling city, where four casinos closed in 2014. They cited a package of incentives put in place in 2011 by Gov. Chris Christie giving Atlantic City five years to show improvement before he would consider asking voters to approve casinos elsewhere in the state.
Those politicians have since reconsidered, contingent upon Atlantic City receiving financial support from gaming facilities in other regions. The Meadowlands are considered a prime location for casino gambling if it is allowed in North Jersey, with Jersey City also mentioned as a possibility.
Jeff Gural, chairman of Meadowlands Racing & Entertainment, reportedly told The Associated Press that a Hard Rock Casino in the Meadowlands would pay a 55 percent tax rate on winnings – equal to the Pennsylvania tax rate and seven times higher than the rate in Atlantic City – with revenue to be shared with Atlantic City to help them rebuild and recover.
There still needs to be a referendum on expanding gambling outside Atlantic City before any plans can proceed. The deadline for a November referendum is in June, so any decision may be pushed to 2016 or later.
Gural will be present at the press conference next week to discuss the casino plans, along with Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International. They are scheduled to unveil project details, video, renderings, and more.