Debate rages on website over Secaucus firefighter issue
New Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli, who is a former volunteer fire supervisor in that town, said he is awaiting a legal opinion from Town Attorney Frank Leanza and a labor attorney regarding whether Secaucus can reinstate three former volunteer firefighters who resigned in a hail of controversy in August 2008.
Though criminal charges were never brought against them, the three firefighters were implicated in alleged harassment against a gay couple who sued Secaucus and won a hefty judgment a year and a half ago.
A Hudson County Superior Court jury awarded the couple $2.8 million for harassment they said they endured while living next to the North End firehouse. The jury also awarded the couple $2 million for their legal fees.
After the trial ended, the three firefighters chose to resign rather than face an administrative hearing.
As a result of the judgment against Secaucus, the town’s insurers, who paid out the money awarded to the couple, required that the town improve the anti-harassment training offered to municipal volunteers.
After this story was posted on www.hudsonreporter.com over the weekend, it received more than a dozen comments, some furious at the possibility of the firefighters’ return, and some defending the individuals. Read more at www.hudsonreporter.com.
Man jumps to his death from Tea Building
Sunday morning, a man apparently jumped to his death around 7:20 a.m. from the luxury Tea Building at the head of Hoboken’s main street, Washington Street.
The building, a converted Lipton Tea factory, is home to many high-earning residents including New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, and boasts Manhattan skyline views.
The victim was identified Monday morning as Mark Effinger, 45, a vice president for Mformation, a global communications company based in Edison. He lived in the building.
The family was heading to Hoboken Monday to meet with police. They said the death was not considered suspicious.
This wasn’t the first suicide at the Tea Building. In November of 2008, a woman found her roommate dead in their condo there, apparently from a suicide.
Hoboken businesses help you donate to Haiti; calls there free with Cablevision
Several Hoboken businesses have teamed up to create Hoboken for Haiti. Thursday-Sunday many Hoboken businesses are donating portions of their sales and or offering their support to assist relief needs in Haiti. Aside from donating portions of sales for Haiti, all participating businesses will have countertop jars for the public to contribute as well.
The following businesses are so far part of the fundraiser: Midtown Authentic, 508 Fifth St., giving 10 percent of all sales to Haiti relief; Jessie James 503 Washington St., which is giving 10 percent of all sales to Haiti; Big Fun Toys, 602 Washington St., which is giving 10 percent of all sales to Haiti; Michelangela, 330 Washington St., which will keep late hours through the weekend and offer customers discounts 10 percent on store items and 15 percent on furniture as well as have a jar for donations; Signature Kitchen, 502 Washington St., which will have a contribution jar at the register, and O’donoghues Bar and Restaurant 205 First St., which will have a contribution jar for patrons.
More businesses will be added. If you are unable to visit the participating businesses please contact the Red Cross of Northern NJ for information on making donations. If you would like to participate in “Hoboken for Haiti” please send an email to sales@midtownauthentic.com and you will receive instructions on how you can join the cause.
In related news, Cablevision has announced that the unlimited calling area available to Optimum Voice phone customers was being temporarily extended to include calls to landlines and mobile phones in Haiti, in light of this week’s devastating earthquake.
“We know we have customers who are trying to reach family and friends in Haiti, and want to do everything we can to help facilitate these connections,” said John Trierweiler, Cablevision’s senior vice president of product management. “We also know that many are experiencing difficulty placing and completing these calls, frequently with long delays, and do not want our customers to be concerned with fees or per-minute charges while they are trying to reach loved ones in this difficult time.”
Calls to Haiti will continue to be free until further notice, the company said.
Free classes offered for family members of those with mental illness
NAMI Hudson County, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is a countywide support group that holds meetings for families whose members suffer from mental illness. NAMI is conducting free classes to train family members on how to help each other and their mentally ill relatives.
The classes will focus on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Course topics include clinical treatment of these illnesses and coping mechanisms for families.
The course is offered to parents/caregivers of children and adolescents with mental health issues. NAMI NJ-trained family members will teach the six-week course. All classes and course materials are free.
Pre-registration is required and the class size is limited. Please call Martha Silva at (201) 861-0614 or email namihudson@msn.com.
NAMI also conducts monthly meetings in Hudson County in Spanish and English. They are open to all area residents. To find out more, contact Martha at namihudson@msn.com.