Hoboken mayor named to national EPA advisory committee
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced the addition of Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer to its Local Government Advisory Committee, a 30-member board which gives the agency recommendations on key environmental policies.
The LGAC was formed in 1993 to foster stronger cooperation between the EPA and local government. Members include locally-elected and appointed officials such as mayors, county executives, city managers, and commissioners.
“Mayor Dawn Zimmer was selected because of her strong track record on environmental protection, and particularly her efforts to make Hoboken a more sustainable city,” said EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck. “EPA is grateful to have her input on a range of issues we tackle.”
Zimmer has been recognized nationally for her efforts to protect Hoboken against flooding since Hurricane Sandy.
“As mayor of a city on the front lines of climate change, it is an honor to serve on the EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee,” said Zimmer. “I hope that sharing our experiences and lessons as an urban coastal community that is adapting to the dual threat of rising seas and stronger storms will help lead to solutions to some of our greatest environmental challenges.”
Community meeting for 7th & Jackson St. project scheduled for Aug. 31
The Hoboken community is invited to a public meeting hosted by the City Council Community Development Subcomittee to discuss a proposed finalized redevelopment project at 7th Street and Jackson Street adjacent to the Monroe Center as part of the Northwest Redevelopment Area. The project proposes approximately two acres of public parks and open space, a municipal gymnasium, advanced stormwater detention to assist in flood mitigation efforts as part of the city’s comprehensive Rebuild by Design plan, and mixed-use residential and retail components along the western portion of the site, next to the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail line. The meeting will take place on Monday, Aug. 31 at the Jubilee Center, 601 Jackson St., and will begin at 7 p.m. with a presentation of the project followed by a question and answer period.
The Community Development Subcommittee is chaired by Councilman David Mello and includes Councilmembers James Doyle, Tim Occhipinti, and Michael Russo.
Hudson Hospice Volunteers offer training course
Do you want to do volunteer work that really makes a difference in the lives of the terminally ill and their families? Volunteer roles include companionship for the patients, emotional support for patient and family, errands, and telephone reassurance.
The Volunteer Training Program begins Tuesday Sept. 15 and consists of seven classes on consecutive Tuesdays until Oct. 24. Participants must attend all seven classes. The class schedule is mornings 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. or evenings from 7 to 9 p.m.
For further information call Sister Carol Van Billiard, O.P., at (201) 433-6225.
Free course on coping with family mental illness begins in September
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Hudson County (NAMI Hudson) will offer the acclaimed NAMI Family-to-Family education program consisting of twelve 2-½ hour classes for families and close friends of adults living with a mental illness beginning in mid-September. The classes will focus on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
The course will be given by family members of individuals with a mental illness and have been trained by NAMI as teachers of the Family-to-Family Program. The leaders truly understand what families go through and know how to help members learn about and cope with mental illness.
Many family members describe this experience as life changing. Participants will learn about family responses to the trauma of mental illness, symptoms, medications and side effects; practice problem-solving skills and communication techniques; develop strategies for handling crisis and relapse; and focus on self-care and coping with stress.
The course schedule is Thursday evenings, Sept. 16 through Dec. 2, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., at Jose Marti Freshman Academy, 1800 Summit Ave., Union City. The course is free but registration is required. For more information please call or email Carmen at (201) 310-5828 or garciacarmen524@gmail.com.
Magazine selects top 100 towns in NJ; just one is in Hudson County
New Jersey Monthly magazine has printed the results of its 2015 Top Towns survey for the state, and Hudson County fared particularly poorly. In fact, only one town in the county made the list. Secaucus comes in at number 19, behind eight towns in Morris County and five in Bergen County, among others.
Rankings were cobbled together based on home prices and real estate taxes, as well as crime rates and student test results. Also factored in were lifestyle factors including commute time, the presence of dining and cultural options, and the number of acute-care hospitals and live performing-arts theaters within 10 miles of the main zip code.
Ranking first on the list was Florham Park in Morris County. Although the rankings were based on 13 indicators across five categories according to the magazine, home prices seemed to weigh heavily, with two of the top ten towns reflecting median prices of about $1 million dollars, while another was more than $1.6 million. Only one of the top ten towns, Pequannock, had a median home price of less than $500,000.
The median home price in Secaucus, according to the survey, was $340,000, with an average property tax change since 2012 of -0.5 percent.
Towns with populations under 1,500 were not included in the survey.
How did Hoboken do? You’ll have to wait until Sept. 1 to find out, when rankings of all 510 towns in New Jersey will be available at njmonthly.com.
Hoboken Fire Department wins $125K federal grant
The Hoboken Fire Department will receive a $125,728 Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) for operations and safety from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced on Thursday.
The AFG program provides funding to enhance response capabilities, as well as to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel.
Menendez and Booker announced a total of $470,132 in federal grants for local fire departments in New Jersey.
“These federal grants will help ensure New Jersey fire departments are adequately staffed and our firefighters properly equipped to protect both themselves and the communities they serve,” said Menendez. “Our first responders put their lives on the line each day and we must make certain that they have the resources they need to save lives.”
6th Annual Hoboken Comedy Festival gives comedians a chance to open for Artie Lange
Calling all comedians! For the fourth year in a row the Hoboken Comedy Festival will be taking submissions from new and upcoming comedians to showcase their talents. Prospective performers can submit online at http://www.hobokencomedyfestival.org/#submit to have the opportunity to perform throughout the festival.
The 6th Annual Hoboken Comedy Festival, which supports the Liberty Humane Society, will take place Sept. 28 to Oct. 4. The new talent opportunities will come Monday through Thursday for those comedians who have submitted online. Closing each of those performances will be headliners from television and film. Those who impress a panel of industry bookers and judges Monday through Thursday of the festival have the chance to perform on the sold-out weekend shows, and one final winner will be paid to open for Artie Lange on Sunday Oct. 4.
The deadline to submit for new talent is Sept. 15. Submissions must include a 6-minute performance video. Submissions give comedians opportunities to perform Monday-Thursday and each night will crown one winner who will then move on to open for the Headliner Shows over the weekend.
For more information, go to www.HobokenFestival.com or contact Dan Frigolette at (917) 292-5441 or dfrigolette@gmail.com.
Join Hoboken’s Cantigas Women’s Choir for the 2015-2016 season
Cantigas Women’s Choir is seeking skilled and committed singers for its upcoming 2015-2016 season. The Hoboken-based women’s chorus brings a diverse community of women together from all ages and all backgrounds to explore the rich tradition of women’s singing and perform a broad spectrum of global music, both classic and contemporary.
This year, the repertoire will range from gems of the classical tradition like Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Wir eilen mit schwachen doch emsigen schritten” to contemporary compositions like “Sinfonia Sacra” by Daniel Pinkham. Cantigas will perform several Latin American works in preparation for the choir’s first tour to Buenos Aires, Argentina in July 2016, including a new composition by Argentine composer Leonardo San Juan, written specifically for Cantigas, that will make its North American premiere in May and South American premiere in July.
The group rehearses on Thursday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Mustard Seed School, 422 Willow Ave., Hoboken. Interested singers should contact Artistic Director Joan Litman by e-mail at joanlitman@gmail.com to visit one of the open rehearsals on Sept.10, Sept. 17, or Sept. 24.
Cantigas is seeking women of all vocal ranges. Sight reading skills are strongly desirable, but not required. Ability to sing in tune and blend in classical style is essential.
Hoboken announces special Movies Under the Stars at Mama Johnson Field
The City of Hoboken will host a special double feature of Movies Under the Stars at Mama Johnson Field, Fourth and Jackson streets. Admission is free.
“Movies Under the Stars is a community-favorite event, and we’re glad to expand it and for the first time to provide a special double feature at Mama Johnson Field,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer.
On Tuesday, Aug. 25, there will be a double feature starting with the “Lego Movie” (PG, 100 mins) at sundown (approximately 7:30 p.m.) followed by “Guardians of the Galaxy” (PG-13, 121 mins). The event opens at 7 p.m. Bring a blanket or low-back chair.
“I’m very appreciative of Mayor Zimmer, Director Pellegrini and Geri Fallo for accommodating my request to bring Movies Under the Stars to the 4th Ward,” said Councilman Tim Occhipinti. “I know my neighbors and I are excited for this event and we hope to incorporate more movies at Mama Johnson Field next summer.”