5th Annual Irish Cultural Festival will be May 21
The city has scheduled its fifth annual Hoboken Irish Cultural Festival for Saturday, May 21.
The festival, in collaboration between the city and Irish Network New Jersey, will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at Sinatra Park (on the waterfront near Fourth Street).
In addition to live Irish music, the free event will include food, beer, and activities for all ages.
“The festival will feature musical performances by Gold n’ Brown, A Band of Rogues, Colin Nisbet, and Clan Suibhne,” the city said in a press release. “There will be dance performances by the Garden Street Irish Step Dancers and Emerald Fire, Aherne Sheehan School of Irish Dance, and Kerri Smith Academy of Irish Dance.”
Children can enjoy face painting, pony rides, a petting zoo, moonwalk, an inflatable obstacle course, and balloon art.
Anyone interested in partaking in the Irish soda bread competition should contact Geri Fallo at gfallo@hobokennj.gov or (201) 420-2207.
Parking worker accused of writing fake tickets
The Hoboken Municipal Court confirmed the identity last week of the 26-year-old parking utility employee fired two weeks ago for allegedly issuing phony tickets. The court said that he is Anthony J. Marciona of Hoboken.
He faces charges of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and tampering with public records or information, a court employee confirmed.
Marciona’s lawyer on the matter, James Lisa, did not return calls by press time for comment.
This isn’t the first time a Hoboken Parking Utility worker has been accused of a crime. In 2010, a 19-year-old worker was charged with theft by extortion and official misconduct after he allegedly threatened to write parking summonses for a local delivery driver if the driver stopped giving him free sandwiches, and then allegedly did so. The matter made CBS News, with a police seargeant talking about it. News reports said the worker had been hired by the Parking Utility despite having a criminal record including an arrest for obstructing the administration of the law in Elizabeth.
In 2012, the charges were dropped and the worker was reinstated. City spokesman Juan Melli would not say last week whether the worker is still employed by the city.
Arrest sheds light on package monitoring
Following the arrest of 35-year-old Union City resident Luis Medina late last month, the Hoboken Police Department is encouraging residents to be wary of their packages.
“If your building has a management office, please try to arrange for a safer environment for packages being dropped off,” the Police Department said in a press release. “Having your packages dropped off to parcel stores for a small fee is also beneficial. Relying on trustworthy neighbors who get home from work earlier than you to hold your packages is always an option. The longer your packages sit for you the greater chance they have of being taken.”
Detectives William Collins and John Quinones arrested Medina, who they said had open warrants for multiple counts of burglary and thefts, on March 31. They saw him near Eighth and Madison Streets, the press release from the department said.
According to the department’s release, Medina was found to allegedly have two black garbage bags in his left pants leg, a small L-shaped metal bar, a pocket knife, and a small rounded glass pipe “commonly used to inhale crack cocaine.”
In addition to his warrants, Medina was charged with possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of narcotic paraphernalia, according to police.
His allegedly burglaries took place on Sunday, March 27 on the 1300 block of Grand Street and Tuesday, March 29 on the 500 block of Ninth Street.
He was sent to the Hudson County Central Judicial Procession where he was remanded to the Hudson County Correctional Facility.
Brunch to highlight cancer prevention is May 7
The Madeline Fiadini LoRe Foundation for Cancer Prevention is holding a “Brunch to Crunch Cancer” on Saturday, May 7, at 10 a.m. at the Chandelier Restaurant, 1081 Broadway, Bayonne. Men and women are welcome. Between 10 a.m. and12:30 p.m. there be vendors for your shopping pleasure. This year’s guest speaker is Dr. Julie DiGioia. Dr. DiGioia is an attending breast surgeon at Overlook Medical Center in Summit and Jersey City Medical Center. She is the chief of surgical oncology and is the medical director of the Christie Kerr Women’s Center at Jersey City Medical Center/Barnabas Health. Tickets are $50. Call (20) 437-9100 to reserve your seat.
The Madeline Fiadini LoRe Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to make cancer prevention programs available to the community. Its focus is to grant access to the tests and/or screenings necessary to those individuals who may otherwise be denied, those who are uninsured and above the poverty level. It is the foundation’s goal to make Mammography, PSA,Colonoscopy, Oral and Skin Cancer screenings available to them.
St. Francis to hold ‘A Wing & A Prayer’
St. Francis Church will hold “A Wing & A Prayer” on Sunday, April 17 from 4 to 8 p.m. The all-you-can eat event, which will be held at the Elks Club (1005 Washington St.), benefits the church’s food pantry.
Cecilia Celeste will take the stage at the event, which also offers raffles and drinks.
Although many will compete, only one will be crowned the cook-off champion. For tickets visit www.stfrancishoboken.com.
Hoboken native is cherry blossom princess
Where else would the 2016 New Jersey Cherry Blossom Princess be from?
The New Jersey State Society announced Monday that Regina Arellano, 24, originally of Hoboken, has been selected as the 2016 New Jersey Cherry Blossom Princess by the New Jersey State Society (NJSS). She will participate in the National Cherry Blossom Festival April 9-16, in Washington, DC. She is an honors graduate of The Hudson School in Hoboken and American University (2013), where she majored in international affairs. Regina now works at CEB Global in Arlington, Va., as an account management specialist.
“Regina is a very accomplished young professional and proven leader who has devoted many hours to community service,” said NJ State Society President Donise Cameron.
During the Cherry Blossom princess week, April 9 to April 16, Regina will participate in dozens of educational, cultural and charitable activities in the Nation’s Capital with cherry blossom princesses from the other 49 states. She will also be representing New Jersey at the Princess Grand Ball, April 15, and the Cherry Blossom Parade, April 16.
A press release states that among her other accomplishments, Regina has created her own website “ItsyBitsyCleanEats.com” to promote healthy eating. She has raised money for the DC homeless through S.O.M.E (So Others Might Eat) and volunteered at the Arlington Food Assistance Center. For more information on princess activities for the week visit www.njss.org and www.statesocieties.org
A gallery that turns family heirlooms into fine art
Someone’s treasured family keepsake is this artist’s fine art waiting to happen.
Local artist Michael Malizia will showcase his exhibition “Faces: A Retelling,” at the Tresorie Gallery in Hoboken through May 15. The gallery is part of Malizia’s ongoing project, My Life Studio.
“Malizia gives new life to playbills, documents, tickets, and drawings, enhancing each piece with watercolor, acrylic, oils, stencils, etc.,”organizers say in an event announcement. “With keepsake preservation becoming an ironically new trend, Malizia is straying away from the pack and creating pieces with both sentimental and artistic value.”
The opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Tresorie Gallery, 1204 Washington St. See more of Malizia’s work at www.mylifestudioart.com.
Poetry workshop for kids
Young avid poets ages 4 to 9 will have the chance to attend a poetry party on Sunday, April 10 at 11 a.m. hosted by poetry reader and teacher Maria Faskianos.
The event, hosted by Little City Books, 100 Bloomfield St., encourages kids to bring an original or favorite poem to recite.
To RSVP, email info@littlecitybooks.com.
St. Peter’s screens free documentary on economic inequality on April 10
St. Peter’s University Social Justice Program is sponsoring a free showing of the film “Inequality for All.” Robert Reich’s award-winning documentary is a passionate argument on behalf of the middle class, and explains the current state of growing income inequality in our nation in a very entertaining and human way.
Professor Reich, who is currently the Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, is a Rhodes Scholar who has served in three administrations. He’s written a dozen books about America’s economy, among them the bestsellers “Aftershock,” “Supercapitalism,” and “Beyond Outrage.”
“Inequality for All” will be shown Sunday, April 10, at 2 p.m. at St. Peter’s Pope Lecture Hall at 115 Glenwood Ave. in Jersey City. Free parking is available at 900 Montgomery Ave. or 830 West Side Ave. St. Peter’s is a ten-minute walk from the Journal Square PATH Station.
For more information, go to www.inequalityforall.com or contact dstump@saintpeters.edu or ddouthat@optonline.net .
Mile Square Theatre premieres “Goodnight Moon”
As Hoboken’s Mile Square Theatre prepares to open their new theatre space at 1400 Clinton St., they thought, what better way than with a show for the whole family?
A zany rendition of “Goodnight Moon” will premiere this weekend Saturday, April 9 with performances at 2 and 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 10 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
“We are very excited to debut our new theatre space with this magical family show,” says theatre director Chris O’Connor, noting that the show includes professional actors and puppets. “We have a tradition of producing high quality theatre for young audiences every season, and we think this show is a great way to welcome the community – both young and old – into our new space.”
As the clock strikes “bedtime” for a very antsy bunny, Old Lady tries and tries again to put him to bed. But his keen imagination, paired with a trove of best friends (made up of animals and inanimate objects) won’t let him fall asleep.
Additional shows are scheduled for April 16 (2 and 5 p.m.), April 17 (11 a.m. and 2 p.m.), April 23 (2 p.m. and 5 p.m.), and April 24 (11 a.m., 2 p.m. and an autism-friendly performance at 5 p.m.)
Tickets for the show cost $25 for adults and $15 for children and seniors. For tickets visit www.milesquaretheatre.org.