Cooling Centers are open this weekend
North Bergen’s three designated cooling centers will be open this coming weekend due to the forecasted high temperatures. The three cooling center locations are the uptown library at 8411 Bergenline Ave., the downtown library at 2123 Kennedy Blvd., and the Recreation Center at 6300 Meadowview Ave. The centers will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, July 22 through Tuesday, July 26, except for Sunday, July 24. On Sunday, only the Recreation Center will be open.
Computer programming camp for students
Join the North Bergen Public Library for a four day class to learn about programming, and make a computer game. This program is open to students in grades 6 and up. This program is being run by the non-profit organization TAKTICS.
The classes run Monday, July 25 through Thursday, July 28. They start at 1 p.m. at the library at 8411 Bergenline Ave. Please contact the library for more information.
Movie night at the pool July 28
The North Bergen Pool will host an outdoor movie and swim event featuring the movie “Hotel Transylvania 2.” The event will take place on Thursday, July 28 at 7 p.m. at the North Bergen Pool. The pool is located at 2111 91st St.
Admission is free for pool members and those with a North Bergen Library card. Without a library card admission is $5. Free bus transportation will be provided at both library branches starting at 6 p.m. Please contact the library for more information.
Free summer concert in Guttenberg is on July 26
Enjoy a tribute to Latin musicians Gloria Estafan and the Miami Sound Band Machine on Tuesday, July 26. The free concert starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m. on Boulevard East from 70th to 71st Street.
Night Out Against Crime in six locations Aug. 2
Mayor Nicholas Sacco and Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual will bring the Night Out Against Crime festivities to six locations throughout North Bergen to ensure that everyone in the community has the opportunity to participate. National Night Out Against Crime takes place this year on Tuesday, Aug. 2 from 5 to 9 p.m.
National Night Out is an annual campaign that promotes police and community partnerships to make the neighborhoods safer. Residents get to meet with local officers and hang out with their neighbors while enjoying free food, beverages, music, games, and giveaways for kids.
The Night Out locations in North Bergen are at Kennedy School at 1210 11th St., the applied housing building at 1108 26th St., Policeman’s Park at 37th Street and Union Turnpike, Meadowview Village on Meadowview Avenue from 58th to 61st Streets, the Lawlor Senior Citizen Building at 6121-6131 Grand Avenue, and on Broadway between 73rd and 76th Streets
Who is abandoning ducks in Secaucus?
That’s what the Secaucus Police are trying to figure out.
First, Detective Sgt. Michael Torres said police received calls on Thursday afternoon, July 14 about someone leaving ducks near the Mill Creek Mall in Secaucus.
Torres said police apprehended a Secaucus woman allegedly dumping approximately 25 ducks, seven of which were dead. She was charged with seven counts of animal cruelty, according to Torres.
Torres said the department has received calls about ducks having been left in other locations as well, but don’t know if the Secaucus woman was involved.
Then, according to local media reports, on Saturday July 16 over 90 ducks were found at Mill Creek Park and Harmon Cove Condominiums in Secaucus.
According to a local news website, the Barnyard Sanctuary in Knowlton Township took the flock of Khaki Campbell ducks with help from the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. The Barnyard Sanctuary is a non-profit sanctuary for farm pets.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if more showed up,” Torres said. “I think they’re known for their breeding.” He added, “They could end up in Hoboken.”
Sires announces federal grant for North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue
Rep. Albio Sires (D-8th Dist.) has announced over $745,000 in federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) funding for North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue.
“I congratulate North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue for this significant grant,” said Rep. Sires. “This important funding will better equip firefighters protecting Guttenberg, North Bergen, Union City, West New York, and Weehawken and keep their residents safe.”
North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue will be able to purchase 80 self-contained breathing apparatus machines. The new machines will replace the existing air packs which are over 15 years old and have reached life expectancy. This will allow for all on duty fire fighters to be equipped with this life saving apparatus. The self contained breathing apparatus will give the fire fighter 10 extra minutes of air time for firefighting inside a burning structure or more importantly to allow for ten 10 more minutes to escape from a hazardous atmosphere.
The AFG Program provides grants to qualified agencies in order to strengthen their overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and related hazards.
Help ‘Clear the Shelters’ and rescue needy animals on July 23
Clear the Shelters, the wildly successful nationwide pet adoption drive that took the community and the country by storm in 2016, will come back on Saturday, July 23 in West New York. The event will run all day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on 6412 Dewey Ave in West New York.
Last year, the New Jersey Humane Society teamed up with local NBC and Telemundo stations to provide local families with the opportunity to adopt an animal in need by offering REDUCED FEE adoptions. “Together, we were able to help 100 pets find new, loving homes. It was an incredible event and we are so excited to do it all over again this year,” said Aurelia Cruz, Animal Control Officer from the New Jersey Humane Society.
“Last year’s Clear the Shelters surpassed our wildest expectations,” said Geoff Santini, founder of the New Jersey Humane Society. “Seeing pets who had been living in our facilities for months – even years – finally have a chance to walk out with their new family is an indescribable feeling. Clear the Shelters inspired our local community to take action and we are thrilled to partner with NBC and Telemundo to make this year’s Clear the Shelters another remarkable day for our local community.”
Last year’s inaugural Clear the Shelters drive literally emptied dozens of animal shelters across the country and resulted in nearly 20,000 animals finding new homes through the partnership between NBCUniversal-owned television stations and 400 animal shelters from all across the country and Puerto Rico.
Clear the Shelters helps to address the overcrowding issues that local animal shelters typically experience in the summer months because of spring litters. The nationwide pet adoption drive also offers local families the opportunity to adopt an animal in need by offering no-cost or reduced fee adoptions, or waiving pet spaying and neutering fees.
West New York Cuban Lions Club supports diabetes outreach
The West New York Cuban Lions Club recently made a generous donation to the HackensackUMC Palisades Foundation to help bring free diabetes testing to residents throughout Hudson and southern Bergen Counties that have limited access to health care.
The free diabetes tests will be offered as part of HackensackUMC Palisades’ community outreach health fairs that are conducted throughout the year to bring healthcare education, screening, and affordable treatment referrals to local families.
HackensackUMC Palisades has a very active community outreach program that provides free health services to the surrounding community. At the core of these services are a series of health fairs. A generous and loyal partner in these efforts has been the West New York Lions Club. In addition to hosting one of the largest health fairs, the Lions Club provides support for “HgA1c” testing, which is an accurate way of diagnosing and treating diabetes.
This testing is critical to the public health as there is an extremely high prevalence of diabetes in the Hispanic/Latino communities served by HackensackUMC Palisades. In addition to free testing for more than 1,000 people in the past year, Dr. Frank Portugal, a resident at HackensackUMC Palisades, hosted an educational seminar for those who had positive test results.
“We are grateful for the support and service provided in collaboration with the Cuban Lions Club that makes this vital service available to those who need it,” said Joseph Burt, VP/Executive Director of the HackensackUMC Palisades Foundation.
The music of Billy Strayhorn is Aug. 3 at ‘Summer Concerts on the Hudson’
In honor of the 100th anniversary of Billy Strayhorn’s birth, “Summer Concerts on the Hudson” will present a musical tribute on Wednesday, Aug. 3. Billy Strayhorn was a genius composer and arranger, who is well known for his close association with Duke Ellington. Led by pianist and musical director John Di Martino, this one-night-only concert will feature many well-loved Strayhorn compositions such as “Lush Life” and “Take the A Train.” Featured musicians include three Hudson County residents: 14-time Grammy winner Paquito D’Rivera and Chuck Cooper of North Bergen, and John Di Martino from Union City, as well as trumpeter Freddie Hendrix, and award-winning vocalists Alicia Olatuja and Chuck Cooper.
This concert will take place at 7 p.m. at Lincoln Harbor Park, on the west bank of the Hudson River in Weehawken. Free parking is available and public transportation, including NJ Transit bus from Port Authority and Light Rail, will bring concertgoers to Lincoln Harbor. Please use 1600 Harbor Boulevard for GPS directions.
The Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center, Inc. (HRPAC), a New Jersey Not-For-Profit, presents this summer long series of open air concerts free of charge to the general public. The Hudson Reporter is a co-sponsor.
Limited seating is available; however, audience members are asked to bring a lawn chair or blanket, if possible, and encouraged to picnic on the lawn. A rain date, if needed, will be scheduled for the following night.
For more information including the full summer concert schedule, directions, updates, and rain date info, please check the HRPAC website, www.hrpac.org, or call the concert info line at (201) 716-4540.
Golf merchandise shop will open
From Friday, July 22, to Sunday, July 24, the Championship Shops at Baltusrol Golf Club will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a special Grand Opening Celebration Weekend prior to the start of the 2016 PGA Championship.
No tickets or credentials are required for the public to attend the Grand Opening Weekend. Parking is complimentary and located inside Gate 1 at 498 Hillside Avenue, Springfield, N.J.
The Championship Shops is a 39,000 square-foot merchandise shopping experience located adjacent to Hole 17. The shops feature men’s, women’s and children’s apparel from top brands including Ralph Lauren, Adidas, Nike, Under Armour, Cutter & Buck, Greg Norman, 47 Brand, Sunice, New Era, Garb and more, as well as an extensive selection of exclusive accessories, gifts and memorabilia. Additionally, the Championship Shops will feature the launch of the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup team uniforms.