Donate to the Holiday Toy Drive
The Town of Secaucus Holiday Toy Drive is taking place now through Dec. 11. New, unwrapped toys are needed for less-fortunate children between the ages of newborn to 12 years old. Donations can be brought to the following locations:
– Senior Center, 101 Centre Ave. (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
– Recreation Center, 1200 Koelle Blvd. (seven days, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
– Town Hall, 1203 Paterson Plank Road (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
– St. Matthews Church, 800 Roosevelt Ave. (Monday to Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
For more information call (201) 330-2014.
Walk Against Poverty on Nov. 22
The Hygiene Project is sponsoring its second annual Walk Against Poverty on Sunday, Nov. 22 to raise awareness of youth homelessness. The two-mile walk begins at noon at Kane Stadium and will proceed around the area, featuring a mural tour with Mayor Michael Gonnelli.
The walk will be followed by lunch at the Senior Center at 1 p.m. After lunch there will be a guest speaker and attendees will celebrate Family Volunteer Day by packing 1,000 hygiene kits to go to CarePoint Health, and the NJIT Thanksgiving medical project. The cost to participate is $10 per student, $20 per adult, or $50 per family. Lunch and t-shirt are included. For more information call (201) 320-8491 or email cathy2@hygieneproject.org.
Swaminarayan Temple hosts Diwali celebration
The Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Temple at 200 Penhorn Ave. held its annual Diwali open house event on Saturday, Nov. 14. The Temple serves as the North American headquarters of Maninagar Shree Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan, an organization whose core values stand for service before self. The 25,000-square-foot temple celebrated its 15th anniversary this past August.
Attendees were guided inside to the Temple Hall where a grand ankut (mountain of food) was situated, and performed aarti (salutation) before proceeding to a series of interactive presentations that informed visitors about Diwali, the Hindu culture, and the specific humanitarian and community service efforts carried out by the temple organization.
A series of booths and stands provided guests with the opportunity to learn about food, attire, musical instruments, cricket, and the Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipeband performed at the event. An organ donation campaign, in conjunction with the New Jersey Sharing Network, was also held to encourage attendees to register as organ donors.
Local officials who have been associated with the temple since before its construction joined the celebration. “In the past fifteen years, your temple community has been there for the town of Secaucus whenever needed or called upon,” said Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli. “Watching this organization flourish into what it is today has certainly been a blessing.”
North Bergen Mayor and State Sen. Nicholas Sacco echoed that sentiment. “This temple has been there for Hudson County whenever needed and your community service efforts are to be noted,” he told the congregation. “Your values of family and religion are what everyone should hold as the foundation of their lives.”
Anthony Vainieri from the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders also attended the event, along with Secaucus Councilmen Robert Constantino and Gary Jeffas.
After receiving the blessings, the congregation gathered in Muktajeevan Swamibapa Community Hall and collectively took part in a lavish feast to celebrate the Indian New Year. A moment of silence and a candlelight vigil ceremony took place for peace on earth in response to the terrorist attacks that took place in Paris the night before.
Xchange tree lighting is Nov. 29
This year the tree lighting at Xchange Place will take place at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 29. “It’s always a great event,” said Mayor Michael Gonnelli at the Town Council meeting on Nov. 10, noting that the purpose was to share a “hometown feeling of really getting to know your neighbors.”
Sponsored and paid for by Xchange, the event typically draws a few thousand attendees, and is scheduled to run through 9 p.m. “I firmly believe that these types of events make the community the great community that it is,” said Gonnelli.
JSA hosts annual forum at Town Hall on Dec. 1
The Secaucus chapter of the Junior State of America will once again hold their annual Town Hall Forum on Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. Members of the high school JSA will ask probing questions of the Town Council members, as they have done several times over the past few years.
Recently the JSA hosted the Board of Education debate at the Performing Art Center, where the six candidates in the November election were given an opportunity to air their views on a variety of topics. “They’re particularly good at asking good questions,” said Councilman Gary Jeffas about the JSA. The public is encouraged to attend the event and get involved. Contact JSA President Iqra Ahmed with any questions, comments or concerns at iahmed@midatlantic.jsa.org.
Busy day for Secaucus on Dec. 5
Several events on Dec. 5 will keep the town buzzing from early ’til late. The festivities begin with the Holiday Bazaar at 11 a.m. at the Recreation Center, 1200 Koelle Blvd. Come to purchase unique gifts, crafts, and decorations, and enjoy food vendors. The event will run until 4:30 p.m.
Next it’s the annual Holiday Parade, featuring Santa Claus. The parade kicks off at 7 p.m. at the municipal parking lot across from Huber Street School.
The party culminates at the annual tree lighting, immediately following the parade. There will be music, food, a petting zoo, wagon rides, and more.
North Bergen resident pleads guilty to robbery spree that included Secaucus
Gary Bohanan, 46, of North Bergen, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court on Nov. 12 to one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robberies and Hobbs Act robberies, two counts of armed bank robbery, and two counts of armed Hobbs Act robbery.
The Hobbs Act refers to extortion by use of force, violence, or fear. The incidents in question all took place in July 2013, according to U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.
The following are according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
• On July 10, 2013, Bohanan and Ramon Lopez, 25, of Union City, who were both wearing masks, allegedly entered a McDonald’s restaurant in North Bergen, demanded money from the employees, took $1,600 in cash from the cash registers, and fled in a car driven by Josephine Chenet, 45, formerly of North Bergen. Chenet has since passed away and the other men have pleaded guilty to charges involving bank robberies.
• On July 18, 2013, Bohanan, Angel Feliu, 22, of North Bergen, Lopez, and Chenet allegedly waited for an employee of Le Chateau restaurant in West New York to close the restaurant, then followed her home and robbed her at gunpoint of $6,000 in cash, representing the proceeds from the restaurant.
• On July 22, 2013, Bohanan and Feliu allegedly robbed the Sovereign Bank (now Santander Bank) in Secaucus, New Jersey. Both men wore latex gloves and masks. Once inside the bank, Bohanan brandished a black handgun, jumped over the counter and proceeded to empty two drawers of money into a black bag, while pointing the handgun at bank tellers. As Bohanan emptied the drawers, Feliu stood guard. Bohanan and Feliu then fled the bank and allegedly shared the proceeds of the robbery with Lopez and Chenet.
• On July 26, 2013, Bohanan and Feliu allegedly robbed a TD Bank in Fairview. Bohanan and Feliu entered the bank at 9:48 a.m., both wearing latex gloves and masks. Feliu, however, was captured by the bank’s video surveillance system before he put the mask on his face. After the robbery, Bohanan and Feliu fled on foot; however, they were followed by concerned citizens and victims of the bank robbery. Bohanan then came upon a van, pointed the air pistol at the driver, and ordered the driver out of the van. Bohanan then attempted to flee the area by driving away in the van, but he crashed it into a nearby structure. Bohanan was found hiding under a truck and arrested in possession of a black bag containing an air pistol and money covered with red dye.
The two counts of armed bank robbery to which Bohanan pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The two counts of Hobbs Act robbery each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The count of conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 24, 2016.
Feliu previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robberies and Hobbs Act robberies and two counts of armed bank robbery. Lopez previously pleaded guilty in a separate proceeding to one count of conspiracy to commit armed bank robberies and Hobbs Act robberies and two counts of Hobbs Act robberies. Bohanan, Feliu, and Lopez are detained pending sentencing. Charges that had been pending against Chenet for her role in the robberies were dismissed following her death on June 22, 2014.
U.S. Attorney Fishman praised special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel, with the investigation leading to Bohanan’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Fairview, North Bergen, and Secaucus police departments for their contributions to the case.
Sign up online to receive alerts of town events or emergencies
It’s crucial to receive information quickly in the event of disasters and other emergencies. Secaucus residents can get alerted about emergencies and other important community news by signing up for Swift Reach 911. The notification system enables the township to provide critical information quickly in a variety of situations, such as severe weather, unexpected road closures, missing persons, and evacuation of buildings or neighborhoods.
Visit the town website at secaucusnj.gov and click on the “Swift Reach 911” link in the left column to be notified in the event of critical community alerts or emergency situations. You can receive time-sensitive messages wherever you specify.
Attend a show at the Paper Mill Playhouse
The Town of Secaucus is sponsoring bus trips to the Paper Mill Playhouse for shows in 2016. Upcoming are “A Bronx Tale” on Wednesday, Feb. 10; “Pump Boys and Dinettes” on Wednesday, April 13; and “West Side Story” on Thursday, June 9.
All buses will leave the Recreation Center at 5:30 p.m. The price is $35 each. You must sign up and pay by Jan. 7, 2016. Call (201) 330-2034. Limited seating.
Library and Barnes & Noble sponsor Bookfair at Clifton Commons on Dec. 4
In an effort to raise funds for their ongoing technology and multicultural programming initiatives as well as to purchase more books for the children’s and adult’s collections in the library, the Friends of the Secaucus Public Library and Business Resource Center is working with Barnes & Noble Booksellers to host a Bookfair on Friday, Dec. 4 from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the B&N store in Clifton Commons, 395 Route 3 East.
Barnes & Noble will contribute a percentage of every sale made with a special Bookfair voucher to the Friends of the Secaucus Public Library. “Purchases can include books, Nooks, CDs, DVDs, stationary, chocolates and specialty gift items, toys, games, puzzles, even food and beverages from the Starbucks cafe located inside the Barnes & Noble store,” said Friends of the Library President Karyn Lusskin. “The only exclusions are gift cards and e-books. We are hoping that members of our community use this one-day Bookfair as an opportunity to shop not only for themselves but also for family and friends of all ages. It is a great way to do a wide variety of holiday shopping while also supporting our library.”
Added Library Director Jenifer May, “A percentage of Bookfair sales will underwrite the purchase of new equipment and materials for ongoing Friends initiatives like our Mobile Makerspace and our multicultural programming for the new year. In addition, our library will be creating a wish list for titles to enhance its own library collection. Bookfair supporters may choose books from an in-store wish list display to purchase for the library.”
Vouchers will be available online at secaucuslibrary.org, and in hard copy at the library. Shopping can also be done online in support of the Friends of the Library at bn.com/bookfairs from Dec. 4 to 9. Include the Bookfair voucher ID on the payment page during checkout. For more information, call (201) 330-2083 x4011 or email may@secaucus.bccls.org.
Secaucus Police Dept. seeks qualified candidates
Police Department applications are available at the Town Administrator’s office, 1203 Paterson Plank Road, 2nd floor, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The deadline to apply is Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. The examination date is Saturday, Dec. 12. The test fee is $125.
Applicants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent and have earned not less than 60 credits from an accredited college or university when appointed or two years of full time active service in the U.S. Military; service in the Reserve Component or National Guard equates to 2.5 college credits for each month of full time service or .25 college credits for each full day of “drill or annual training” status.
Must be 21 years old on the date of written examination and must not reach 35th birthday prior to the date of appointment. Must be a U.S. citizen and New Jersey resident (Secaucus residents receive preference). Must have a valid driver’s license. Must pass written, physical fitness, and oral examinations.