Free income tax preparation available
North Bergen residents age 55 or over, or in possession of proof of disability, with a yearly income below $55,000 are eligible for free income tax preparation. Preparation is by appointment only. Call (551) 262-0843 from between Feb. 6 and April 13. Must bring Identification, Social Security card, tax documents and 2014 tax return (first-time participants only).
For details on appointment times and locations, visit the town website at northbergen.org.
Heart Disease Awareness and Prevention Day is Feb. 5
Guttenberg Mayor Gerald Drasheff and the Town Council, in conjunction with the North Hudson Community Action Corporation, invite residents to participate in Heart Disease Awareness and Prevention Day on Feb. 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the second floor of the Guttenberg Municipal Building, 6808 Park Ave.
Protect yourself and your family with these screenings, handouts, and giveaways. Your participation contributes to a happier and healthier Guttenberg community. For further information call Marisol Martinez at (201) 868-2315, ext. 152.
Artist Joiri Minaya unveils ‘Uncatered’ at Guttenberg Arts Gallery
“Uncatered,” a solo exhibition of works by Joiri Minaya, will be on view from Feb. 5 through March 1 at Guttenberg Arts Gallery, 6903 Jackson St. The opening reception will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. on Feb. 5, with an artist talk at 8 p.m.
Minaya is a multi-disciplinary artist whose work investigates the female body and experience in relation to identity, social space, and hierarchies. Throughout her work, Minaya’s direct focus on otherness, self-consciousness, and displacement is inspired not only by women in her family, but issues of labor, dislocation, psychology, myth, art history, magic realism, and symbols. Her works thoroughly question and examine historical hierarchies that inform and condition current identities.
“Uncatered” focuses on the construction of the female subject in relation to nature and landscape in a “tropical” context, shaped by a foreign “gaze” that demands leisure and pleasure. These new works include “Siboney,” which explores stereotypical constructions of the Caribbean and the Caribbean women based on elaborate fantasies drafted from the position of the foreign other. Additional works such as “Container” are the first of a series of photographs that feature a woman in natural environments wearing bodysuits made out of fabric with designs that represent nature.
Born in New York, Minaya grew up in the Dominican Republic. She graduated from the Escuela Nacional de Artes Visuales (ENAV) in Santo Domingo, D. R. in 2009, the Altos de Chavón School of Design in La Romana, D.R. in 2011, and Parsons the New School for Design in 2013. She lives and works in the U.S. and Dominican Republic.
For more information on “Uncatered” contact studio@guttenbergarts.org or (201) 868-8585. Guttenberg Art Gallery is free and open to the public by appointment.
T-ball and softball registration coming soon
Get ready to register for t-ball and girls softball. Both require a non-refundable registration fee of $35, cash or money order. Registration will be held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave.
T-Ball Registration will be from Feb. 8 until March 31 for boys and girls ages 5 and 6. Girls softball registration will be from Feb. 22 until March 31 for ages 7 to 17. Be sure to bring proof of residency and the child’s birth certificate.
Tech help now available at the library
Purchasing a new computer? Maintaining your current PC? Want help with your electronic devices? Need general troubleshooting assistance? Are you just plain frustrated with the technology in your life? Let the library help you out.
Make an appointment today for one-on-one assistance with all your technology needs. Bilingual assistance is available Monday to Thursday between 4 and 8 p.m. at the North Bergen Public Library, 8411 Bergenline Ave. For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit nbpl.org.
Live comedy coming to the library on Feb. 6
Comedian Alonzo Bodden will be appearing at the North Bergen Public Library main branch on Saturday, Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. Admission to this fun-filled event is free. A winner on NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” Bodden has also appeared on The Tonight Show and Comedy Central. The library is at 8411 Bergenline Ave. For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit nbpl.org.
Learn Bollywood dance at the library on Thursdays
Learn, move, and have fun at the same time at the North Bergen Free Public Library’s new Bollywood dance class on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Register at the reference desk. Proof of residency is required. The library is located at 8411 Bergenline Ave. For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit nbpl.org.
PSE&G customers can apply for payment assistance with winter heating bills
With chilly weather here, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) reminds customers that the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is accepting applications for the 2015/2016 heating season. LIHEAP is a program run by the State of New Jersey Department of Community Affairs that helps low-income residents with their heating and medically-necessary cooling bills.
“We want low income families to know that help is available,” said Greg Dunlap, vice president of Customer Operations for PSE&G. “Under LIHEAP, those who are income eligible may receive an average of $300 toward their heating bills.”
LIHEAP eligibility is based solely on the prior month’s household gross income and household size. To be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, the applicant’s household gross income must meet specific monthly income guidelines. For more information, to download a LIHEAP application, or to find out where to apply, visit pseg.com/help or call the New Jersey Home Energy Assistance hotline at (800) 510-3102. Applications are also available at PSE&G’s 16 walk-in Customer Service Centers. Applications and copies of all requested documents must be submitted by April 30.
The LIHEAP application is also an application for the Universal Service Fund (USF). USF is a program created by the State of New Jersey that can lower the amount low-income households pay for gas and electric bills with a monthly credit of $5 to $150. Applications for USF are accepted year-round. Seniors over age 65 or disabled adults collecting Social Security Disability may also be eligible for the New Jersey Lifeline Credit program. NJ Lifeline provides a $225 yearly credit on your PSE&G bill.
PSE&G households who are not eligible for low income programs and are behind in their PSE&G bill should visit pseg.com/help for other programs like the PAGE and TRUE Grant or NJ SHARES.