Redwings football team postpones parade due to forecast
Due to a rainy forecast, the Hoboken High School Redwings Football team has rescheduled their parade, originally planned for Wednesday, Dec. 23, to Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 3 p.m.
The team won their 10th NJSIAA State Championship victory on Dec. 5 after beating out the undefeated Brearley Bears of Kenilworth, 34-12, at Kean University. The team, led by Coach Lou Taglieri and his staff, will be honored at the parade.
“Congratulations to Coach Taglieri and the entire Redwings team on their tenth State Championship!” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer in a statement earlier this month. “We’re so proud of them and we invite the entire community to come out and celebrate their tremendous achievement.”
The parade will still start at the Elks Club at 10th and Washington streets at 1 p.m. and conclude at City Hall, 94 Washington St. Read all about the game in last week’s Hoboken Reporter or online at hudsonreporter.com.
Bad Santas: bar crawl sees upsurge in crime, totaling nine arrests, 60-70 summonses
Revelers in Santa Claus costumes were out in full force on Saturday, Dec. 19 during Hoboken’s second annual “Ho Ho Hoboken SantaCon,” leading to nine arrests and 60-70 summonses. Of the nine arrests, four were for disorderly conduct, two for aggravated assault, and three for driving while intoxicated.
While not as frantic as the recent Leprecon Day (a drunken celebration that has replaced the defunct St. Patrick’s Day celebration and parade), SantaCon drew scrutiny when the organizer – who has not been identified – stopped honoring pre-paid wristbands for drink discounts around 2 p.m.
The organizer said online that the bar crawl was for charity.
“Because of the times of the events and the fact it was the Saturday before Christmas, [we saw more crime],” Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante told The Hoboken Reporter. “The [wristbands] cost a $25 fee, with 50 percent supposedly going to the Boys and Girls Club. I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing to donate $12.50 [for each ticket] and think they have right to come to the city and act disorderly and create a hindrance for business and residents.”
No officers were injured during the bar crawl, but one citizen was knocked out cold on Washington Street. Police are investigating the altercation.
Ferrante said this year’s SantaCon by far exceeded last year’s in terms of chaos. Last year New York held its own SantaCon at the same time and drew most bar patrons there. This year, New York’s event was a week earlier.
Two Stevens professors awarded $100k for inventing medical devices
Stevens Institute of Technology professors Antonio Valdevit and Vikki Hazelwood, and their individual teams of students, were awarded a total of $100,000 for their innovative development: a novel catheter and mechanism that uses vibratory motion to loosen teeth.
“Across the country, the rate of funding for healthcare innovation is growing rapidly, yet funding for projects to improve care for vulnerable populations has been underrepresented in this upsurge,” said Joan Randell, chief operating officer of The Nicholson Foundation. “The Innovation Grants Program addresses this imbalance by providing entrepreneurs with crucial early-stage funding when alternative funding may not be available.”
Both innovations, which were developed by students in separate Stevens’ capstone courses, are in the patent application process with the chance of reaching the market in the next couple of years. The $50,000 grants for each device will help move the process along.
The catheter developed by Hazelwood’s team and with the help of a Hackensack hospital is designed to prevent complications that can occur following a variety of surgical procedure.
Valdevit, an assistant professor in the same department as Hazelwood, and his students decided to address the pain of tooth removal.
“My dentist pulled my wisdom tooth [recently] and basically did some wiggling to decrease the pain. I asked him, what if this was done mechanically?” said Valdevit. “It’s something dentists do anyway. We’re trying to make it more reproducible and controlled.”
Over 1,000 take part in Christmas gift exchange for needy
Hoboken Grace’ Community Church helped 486 needy people receive gifts this year at their second annual Christmas Exchange on Saturday, Dec. 19.
More than 500 people signed up to adept a family or child, who were identified with the help of the Hoboken Housing Authority, HOPES, HUMC Neighborhood Health Center, Hoboken Family Planning, and In Good Counsel.
“Parents received things like pots and pans, bedding and toiletries, diapers and towels. Children will open clothes, toys and other items from their wish list on Christmas morning,” said Anthony Reimer, Outreach Director at Hoboken Grace.
Event organizer Kara Cohen, who started the initiative last year, said the purpose of the event is to spread love throughout the community.
“I have been crying since the event started,” said Cohen. “I was at a loss for words much of the night.”
Three teens caught allegedly vandalizing Pier C Park with graffiti
Two 14-year-olds and one 13-year-old were caught “white-handed” at Pier C Park after a report of “juveniles doing graffiti inside the park,” according to a press release from the Hoboken Police Department.
The incident took place around 5:50 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 18.
“As the officers [Kevin Rivera, Michael Aviles and Marc Lambordi] arrived, they stopped three juveniles who were attempting to leave the park,” the press release stated. “Officers immediately noticed what appeared to be white paint on their hand…[and] one of the juveniles had a spray paint can on his person.”
The teenagers, whose names were not disclosed due to their age, received complaints and later released into the custody of their parents.
‘Odor of alcohol’ leads to Woodbridge man’s arrest
A 27-year-old man whom police allege had “bloodshot eyes” and “slurred” speech was arrested on Sunday for allegedly driving while intoxicated (DWI) and with an expired registration, a press release from the Hoboken Police Department said.
A DWI checkpoint at 12:08 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 20 in the area of 400 Newark St. (near the city’s southern border) led to a stop of Pass Galen who, police allege, failed a sobriety test. He was transported to headquarters, issued summonses, and later released to a “responsible party.”
Galen’s arrest is the tip of the iceberg, as Hoboken is one of many cities in the U.S participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” program that runs through Jan. 1, 2016. Police recommend drivers spend the night where a party is held, contact law enforcement, and/or use mass transit.
“This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when impaired driving traditionally increases by nearly 10 percent,” said Chief Kenneth Ferrante in a statement earlier this month. “People that choose to get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol or using drugs pose a grave danger to all roadway users and this initiative is designed to bring attention to this important issue.”