More than a century-old tradition
Holy Rosary Church will once again host La Festa Italiana from Aug. 10 to 14 near Brunswick and Sixth streets in Jersey City.
On these five summer nights, the neighborhood surrounding Holy Rosary Church will come alive with rocking dance music, games of chance, kids’ activities, and a wide-array of delicious foods and libations. La Festa Italiana runs from 5 to 11 p.m., Wednesday-to-Friday, and 3 to 11 p.m. on Saturday & Sunday. The last night (Sunday) at 11 p.m. the “Super 50/50” Raffle winner will be chosen. Last year’s ticket-holder won over $10,200.
La Festa Italiana honors the veneration of Maria SS. Dell’Assunta & San Rocco, and offers the Downtown community the opportunity to party with their neighbors. This year’s La Festa Italiana features live bands, fun for the kids, food and souvenir vendors and Italian delicacies made by Holy Rosary Church parishioners like Fresh Hot Zeppoles, lemony Limoncello and Our Famous Rice Balls.
Founded in 1885, Holy Rosary Church is the first Italian Roman Catholic Parish in New Jersey. Pastor of Holy Rosary Church, the Rev. Jerzy (Jurek) Zaslona, says La Festa Italiana pays tribute to the church’s 131-year history and strengthens community ties.
“I thoroughly enjoy this five-night feast,” Rev. Zaslona says. “As a church, we are here to serve the people of Jersey City and La Festa Italiana gives us the opportunity to become a more integrated community.”
La Festa Italiana 2016 has a 5-star line-up of music performed by live bands and music groups, featuring Crazy ’80s on Aug. 10, Less than Zero on Aug. 11, Matt Colligan & Friends on Aug. 12 (as well as Mike Buscioo Acoustic at Caffe Italiano), the Cameos on Aug. 13 (and Party of Five at Caffe Italiano), and Total Soul on Aug. 14.
This year, La Festa Italiana 2016 will be a “Foodie’s Paradise” with vendors like Mayon Grill’s Filipino BBQ, Pure ‘n’ Simple Flatbreads’ coal-fired brick oven pizzas, the Angry Crab food truck serving crab cakes and lobster rolls; and Liege (Belgian) Waffles which will also serve crepes with lots of topping choices, and they have a gluten-free crepe, too. And there’s more, like mouth-watering Italian sausage sandwiches, Greek specialties, and delicious desserts including home-made Cannolis at Caffe Italiano in Holy Rosary’s backyard.
There will be lots of returning, local food vendors, too, like Gia’s Gelato & Café in Jersey City, which will be selling 26 flavors of Gelato like “Kitty Kitty Bang Bang,” vanilla gelato with Oreo cookies, and raspberries and white chocolate. Owners Angela Ratliff and Deb Brackett agree La Festa Italiana has been great for business and offers many opportunities to meet people who eventually become regulars.
A Novena will be celebrated for nine days from August 6-14, in veneration to Our Lady of Assumption.
On Mon., Aug. 15, at 11 am, the Assumption Feast Day Mass, in veneration to Maria SS. Dell’Assunta will be celebrated. At this Mass, we will celebrate the memory of Most Rev. Thomas A. Donato, a son and dear friend of Holy Rosary Church. The Most Rev. John W. Flesey, a long-time friend of Bishop Donato is the Celebrant.
On Tues., Aug 16, at 11 am, the St. Rocco Feast Day Mass will be celebrated. A traditional Street Procession follows both Masses.
Jersey City man arrested in connection with three bank robberies
John Walsh of Jersey City was arrested last week in connection with three bank robberies, one allegedly in Jersey City, one in Maplewood, and a third in Summit.
On Friday, July 15, just after 12:30 p.m., Walsh entered the Wells Fargo Bank on Central Avenue. Jennifer Morrill, a spokesperson for the Jersey City Police Department, said he was wearing sunglasses and a black t-shirt and allegedly passed a note to the teller demanding $50 and $100 bills.
A few days later, Violent Crimes Commander Captain Michael Gajewski was notified by the F.B.I. that a male matching the description from the Wells Fargo robbery has just robbed a bank in Summit and one in Maplewood. Further investigation by Major Case Detectives led to a positive identification of Walsh as the actor.
Captain Gajewski, Lieutenant Mark Conroy, and Detectives from the Major Case Squad, along with the F.B.I., responded to 98 Bright Street and placed Walsh under arrest. A search of Walsh’s residence and vehicle led to the recovery of evidence further linking the actor to the three bank robberies, said police.
Ambulance lawsuit settled
The Jersey City council voted at its July 20 meeting approving a resolution that settled a longstanding dispute between Hudson County ambulance services.
The resolution approved a map that outlines the shortest distance from various points in the city to local hospitals.
McCabe Ambulance Service from Bayonne, which provides service to CarePoint hospitals including Christ Hospital, had filed suit to require the city to force ambulance services to follow state regulations about taking patients to the closest hospital.
But this became a complex matter due to street closures and other issues, and the map approved by the council provides a clear definition as to which hospital is closest, and would require ambulances to take patients to the closest hospital unless otherwise requested by the patient.
Councilman Daniel Rivera abstained from the vote because he is employed by a health provider connected to Jersey City Medical Center. Councilmember Candice Osborne abstained because she said the issue wasn’t clear to her. Councilman Richard Boggiano voted against the resolution.
Library partners with Foundation Center
The Jersey City Free Public Library announced as partnership with the premier grant research source, Foundation Center, which is headquartered in New York City.
Library Director Priscilla Gardner, in her service as executive director of the Library Foundation, recently attended a special granting workshop by the Foundation Center, which precipitated the partnership.
“The cost is $1,995.00 annually. For this fee, network partners gain access to the Foundation Center’s suite of products, including three database subscriptions and a collection of Foundation Center books and exclusive training,” said Director Gardner. This annual cost will be borne by the Jersey City Free Public Library Foundation, Inc.
Artists and other individuals, along with nonprofit organizations (all, with valid Jersey City library cards), can now boost their grant seeking efforts with the new offering on the Jersey City Free Public Library website – Foundation Directory Online – a suite of online services from the premier grant research source, the Foundation Center. Jersey City is the second public library in the state of New Jersey to offer Foundation Directory Online to the public. The first is the Elizabeth Public Library.
For the latest on programs, events, and special announcements please follow the Library on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/JerseyCityFreePublicLibrary), Twitter (JCFPL_NJ) or Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/jerseycityPL) at Jersey City Free Public Library. Visit us on the web at www.jclibrary.org for all information on the Library, including all press releases in The Press Room. As of today, June 23, 2016, the Jersey City Free Public Library has 203,535 valid card members.
A musical garden concert at the Barrow Mansion
Con Vivo Music will present a portrait concert of the Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu at the Barrow Mansion on Friday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m.
Largely self-taught, Takemitsu is known for incorporating philosophy and musical representations of nature is his compositions. The performance will be framed as a musical garden, with unique staging, lighting, and arrangements of both performer and audience.
An acclaimed composer and theorist, Takemitsu was influenced by a broad range of music from jazz to Debussy and Schoenberg. Takemitsu was a founding member of the Japanese group “Experimental Workshop,” a varied group of avant-garde artists. He was a professor of composition at Yale University and received a range of awards for his music including the Prix Italia, Glenn Gould Prize, membership of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and membership of the Royal Academy of Music in London. Takemitsu is also known for his music for films such as Woman in the Dunes and Ran.
The Barrow Mansion is located at 83 Wayne St. in Jersey City.