Open House announced for Theodore Roosevelt School
The Theodore Roosevelt School in Weehawken will hold its annual Open House on Sept. 29 from 6:45 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. Parents are encouraged to attend and meet with their children’s teachers. Bus transportation will be provided. For more information, contact the school at (201) 422-6140.
Weekenders prep for Oktoberfest
The Weehawken Weekenders are planning their next trip to the Royal Manor. Oktoberfest will be held on Oct. 13 with a fun-filled Bavarian-style celebration including accordion player Alex Meinxner and entertainment by Will and Marilyn Roy. The ticket price of $45.00 per person includes one-hour open bar, wine, beer and soda, salad, soup, roast chicken, German sausages with sauerkraut, vegetables, dessert, transportation, and all gratuities. For information or to sign up, call the Weekenders Office at (201) 319-6059.
Genealogical society to hold meeting at history fair
The Hudson County Genealogical Society proudly announces that the annual “Family History Month” meeting will be held in conjunction with the Hudson County History Fair, which will be held on Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hudson County Community College Culinary Building, 161 Newkirk St. in Jersey City.
The speaker for the meeting, Tony Lauriano, will be speaking from 11 a.m. to noon on “Writing Your Family History.” Attendees are suggested to arrive at least 15 minutes prior. For further details about the fair, visit www.HudsonCountyNJGenealogy.org.
Panasonic to host local electronics recycling collection
On Saturday, Oct. 2 Panasonic will host a free consumer electronics recycling collection event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Panasonic will accept a broad range of electronics, including TVs, VCRs, stereos, video monitors, computers, printers, cell phones, and other items at its corporate campus, located at 50 Meadowlands Parkway in Secaucus.
Registration begins for free performing arts classes
The Grace Theatre Workshop, Inc. will hold registration for its professional theatre training program for children ages 10 and up on Sept. 28, 29, and 30 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Jose Marti Freshman Academy, 1800 Summit Ave. in Union City.
The program provides unlimited free classes in ballet, jazz, flamenco, salsa, tap/rhythm, singing, and acting.
To register, kids must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Due to a limited amount of open spaces, only kids who demonstrate true interest and commitment to the program will be accepted. All classes are free, and no special clothing or equipment is needed; however there is a registration fee of $25 per student.
Adult classes in salsa and acting in Spanish are also offered at no cost.
For more information, call (201) 864-7149 or visit www.GraceTheatre.com.
Regional Fire once again cannot hire
North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue (NHRFR) has again been barred from hiring after a U.S. District Court Judge reversed a previous decision in a NAACP lawsuit, a decision the company’s lawyer said will be appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals.
NHRFR Chairperson and Weehawken Mayor Richard Turner said the company had been hoping to hire by the end of this year, so they could be prepared for summer overtime. He said these plans would now have to be reevaluated according to the new court decision, which once again mandates that NHRFR must hire from a tri-county list. They can only hire from a Civil Service Commission list that includes Hudson, Bergen, and Essex County residents.
NHRFR covers the five North Hudson towns of North Bergen, Guttenberg, Union City, West New York, and Weehawken.
The NAACP sued NHRFR in 2007, alleging that its requirement that its members live in the towns it serves unfairly discriminated against African-Americans.
Turner said it is unfair that residents and taxpayers of North Hudson would now not be able to compete for jobs. He also said a clearer policy on residency restrictions is needed. NHRFR Attorney Thomas R. Kobin said the judge’s decision was a double standard, since many communities from Bergen and Essex County, like Newark, Hillside, and East Orange, have their own residency requirements in place.
“We are very disappointed in the judge’s ruling and the fact that he changed his mind from the previous ruling, and we find it a little bewildering that we have to deal with the flip-flop,” said Turner.
The new decision resurrects a preliminary injunction against hiring imposed in February 2009. After NHRFR appealed his decision in the U.S. Court of Appeals, the case was remanded back to Debevoise.
He vacated the preliminary injunction and gave NHRFR the power to hire in April. However,
Kobin said that recently NHRFR had made a motion for summary judgment in NHRFR’s favor, but Debevoise instead granted a partial summary judgment to the NAACP, reinstituting the hiring freeze.
Kolbin believed NHRFR had a “sound basis” to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals within the next week or so.