Young teen dies after bicycle accident
According to North Bergen Lt. Frank Cannella, on July 11, a 14-year-old boy who had been travelling down the steep hill of 43rd Street near Durham Avenue on his bike crashed and was “found lying in the ground in the middle of the street.”
North Bergen EMS and Jersey City Medical Center paramedics arrived on scene. The victim was unresponsive and appeared to have some head trauma. On July 12, police were alerted that the victim had passed away.
It is not believed that the victim was hit by a car, or was wearing a helmet, said Cannella.
“On behalf of the North Bergen Police Department, we express our condolences to the family,” said Cannella.
Park Players will host fundraiser
The Park Players, a community theater group performing in Hudson and Bergen counties, will hold a fundraiser on Aug. 14 and 15 to benefit Arlene Louise Shapiro, the mother of Phyllis (a Park Player member) and Cheryl Shapiro. Arlene suffered a stroke in February 2010 that left her in a vegetative state. Her daughters are trying to raise $100,000 for the medications and treatments necessary to attempt to wake her up, with help from a researcher.
The fundraiser will take place Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 15 at 3 p.m. at The Point Diner, 160 Bergen Blvd., in Fairview. The cost will be $6 for adults, $5 for seniors/students, and $3 for children up to age 7, plus the cost of food at menu prices. Entertainment will include singing, tap dancing, comedy, and group medleys.
Donations can also be sent to The Shapiro Fund, 55l4 Oregon Ave., Cliffside Park, NJ 07010. For more information, contact Phyllis Shapiro at (201) 786-3173.
Hudson Restaurant Week returns with 12 new restaurants
Summer is here, and that means dining out and the return of Hudson Restaurant Week, a bi-annual culinary celebration of the county’s premier dining destinations.
Hudson Restaurant Week, which takes place from July 26 through Aug. 6, provides diners with a variety of local selections and great deals. According to business owners, Restaurant Week helps during a slow time of year by bringing in new customers and providing an opportunity to showcase their menus.
Twelve new restaurants are participating this year.
Eateries involved include Chart House, Dino & Harry’s, Hamilton Inn, Clam Broth House, Amanda’s, Casa Dante, South City Grill, 3Forty Grill, Zylo, Edwards Steakhouse, and Light Horse Tavern.
Attendees looking for a taste of culture can find diverse offerings from ethnic restaurants such as Indian food from Amiya in Jersey City, Thai options from More, Sky Thai, and Sawadee, and even Hibachi at Teppan Bar & Grill.
For a complete list of participating restaurants and menus visit www.hudsonrestaurantweek.com.
Christie signs property tax cap bill into law
Gov. Christopher Christie signed legislation last week that will cap local property tax increases at 2 percent. Under the new law, towns won’t be able to raise property taxes more than 2 percent unless they get voter approval to do so. The law does allow some exceptions, however. For example, increases in health care premiums are not subject to the cap.
Originally the governor had proposed a constitutional amendment to cap local property taxes at 2.5 percent. Christie’s proposal included only one exemption. The Democratic-controlled Assembly and Senate proposed a 2.9 percent cap that included several exemptions. The Democratic proposals also made the cap a law, but not a constitutional amendment.
Ultimately, the two sides compromised. The cap was dropped to 2 percent, includes more exemptions than Christie had wanted, but fewer than the Democrats’ proposals. Christie also abandoned the requirement that the cap be a constitutional amendment.
Days after the compromise bill was signed by the governor, the state announced that costs for municipal workers in the state health plan will rise 11.7 percent next year, according to the Star-Ledger newspaper. Since health insurance premiums are among the exceptions to the tax cap, analysts believe the 11.7 percent increase will be passed on to voters.