Rumors of incident with bag at Hoboken High School field were exaggerated, official says, but one girl was suspended
Rumors have swirled in Hoboken in recent weeks concerning an alleged incident in which three adolescent girls in the school system purportedly put a bag over another girl’s head. On Friday, Hoboken Police Captain Charles Campbell clarified the alleged incident.
“The incident was put out of context,” Campbell told the Reporter over the phone on Friday. “This was not an issue wherein someone was put into situation where they were suffocating.”
However, at least one girl was suspended, he said.
According to Campbell, on Wednesday, May 18, there was an altercation among 12-year-old girls around 10 a.m. during gym class on the Hoboken High School ball field. Two of the minors allegedly grabbed and became physical with a third 12-year-old girl. The victim’s phone was broken during the incident.
The girl did not sustain any serious injuries, Campbell said. When asked if the situation may have involved bullying, Campbell said the girls apparently had a “history” together but would not elaborate.
“At this juncture in time, the parents of juvenile do not wish to sign a complaint,” he said. He said the school, Police Department, and parents of the involved students are working together to handle the situation. No charges were filed.
One of the alleged aggressors, he added, was suspended after the incident.
Schools Superintendent Christine Johnson declined to comment on the incident.
Ian Hunter to headline Hoboken Arts and Music Festival
Acclaimed leader of 1970’s British rock legends Mott The Hoople, Ian Hunter will headline the upcoming Hoboken Arts and Music Festival on Sunday, June 12.
Hunter, who is widely considered one of rock ‘n’ roll’s most compelling performers, is best known for solo records “Once Bitten, Twice Shy” and “Cleveland Rocks.”
The free festival, rescheduled from its original May date, will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
It will include over 300 artists, crafters, photographers, sculptors, food vendors, local restaurants and businesses, non-profits, car dealers, children’s activities and more.
A special kid’s section will also be available on Third Street. The event will take over Washington Street between Observer Highway and Seventh Street and offer three stages of music.
New foundation raises over $83,000 to support Hoboken public schools
The Hoboken Public Education Foundation (HPEF) raised more than $83,000 at its Inaugural Gala on May 19 at Lulu’s bar at the W Hotel in Hoboken.
A sold out crowd included 180 residents, teachers and politicians.
The new foundation was formed by several parents of Hoboken Public School students.
“Its mission is to promote the Hoboken Public School system and support it through private funding,” the organization said in a media release. “It was an amazing night that will have real and lasting impact on the students of the Hoboken Public Schools and all city residents.”
Hoboken Drama Club shines at national competition
The Hoboken Junior Senior High School Drama Club did their city proudly at the New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education Ceremony on May 26.
Hoboken High School teacher and theatre director Danielle Miller won for Outstanding Theatre Teacher in the state and Brandon Lyons won for best actor.
Lyons, 16, a sophomore, also won for Best Supporting Actor at a state contest in March that propelled him to the national event.
Hoboken hospital is last CarePoint hospital to leave Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield
In a letter last week, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey reminded its members that Hoboken University Medical Center is now out of Horizon BCBSNJ’s hospital network. This means that Hoboken’s only hospital will not give patients with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance in-network rates for many services.
Hoboken UMC, owned by the for-profit CarePoint Health, joins Bayonne Medical Center and Christ Hospital (two other CarePoint hospitals) in choosing to leave Horizon BCBSNJ’s network over the last 12 months.
Last month, Horizon officials blamed the situation on negotiations breaking down between them and CarePoint Health.
“There has been some confusion about who is responsible for the termination, but the facts are clear: CarePoint Health notified us last year that they were exercising their right to terminate the contract without cause,” said Kevin McArdle, public affairs manager for Horizon, in a statement to the Reporter in May. “We have put forward a number of reasonable offers to CarePoint and continue to hope that they will return to the negotiating table.”
Those in need of emergency room treatment will not likely see their medical expenses affected. A New Jersey statute requires such bills to be the same across all hospitals so patients won’t have to trek to a far away hospital in the event they need immediate treatment.
However, it’s not so clear-cut for patients who need non-emergency treatment.
Contact your insurer to get the most up to date information about whether you are covered (it is advisable at times to call more than once and get the name of the person you talked to in order to get the right information).
CarePoint notified Horizon earlier this year of their intent to terminate the Hoboken UMC contract. Bayonne Medical center ended their contract effective May 1, 2016 and Christ Hospital.
CarePoint is open to future negotiations. CarePoint spokesperson Jarrod Bernstein said, “CarePoint Health seeks to be in-network with every insurer in the state, including Horizon Blue Cross of New Jersey. We look forward to continuing to negotiate with Horizon to come to a resolution before our current contracts expire.”
New Jersey’s Board of Education adds 19 Hindu festivals to religious holiday list
New Jersey State Board of Education recently included 19 Hindu festivals to “The List of Religious Holidays Permitting Student Absence from School.”
It included four festivals in October itself, including Navaratri, which alone is listed for ten days. This “list of religious holidays on which it shall be mandatory to excuse a student” includes the Hindu festivals of Guru Purnima, Naga Panchami, Raksha Bandhan, Krishna Janmashtami, Ganesha Chaturthi, Onam, Navaratri, Duserra, Diwali, Goverdhan Puja, Makar Sankranti, Pongal, Vasant Panchami, Maha Shivaratri, Holi, Chandramana Yugadi, Souramana Yugadi, Ramnavami and Hanuman Jayanti.
Universal Society of Hinduism urged the Board in the past to include five festivals on the list, which are included in this list.
According to the NJSBE resolution, “Any student absent from school because of a religious holiday may not be deprived of any award or of eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award because of such absence.” The resolution also states, “Students who miss a test or examination because of absence on a religious holiday must be given the right to take an alternate test or examination.” Also according to the resolution, “Any absence because of a religious holiday must be recorded…as an excused absence.”
Secret Garden Tour
It’s not called the Garden State for nothing. The Hoboken Historical Museum will celebrate spring with their annual Hoboken Secret Garden Tour on Sunday, June 5.
“This year, the garden tour will feature seven to eight private gardens graciously opened to visitors by museum supporters to help raise funds for our programs,” said museum organizers in an announcement. “Every year, the tour offers a fresh selection of traditional and contemporary gardens created by professional landscape designers and dedicated gardening enthusiasts.”
This year the event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., will feature walking tours from two to two-and-a-half hours long with groups leaving from the museum every half hour.
The day will close out with a special talk from renowned garden author Marta McDowell at Little City Books at 7 p.m.
Tickets, which cost $25 in advance and $30 on the day of the tour are available at www.hobokenmuseum.org.
Cumbia River Band to play season finale of UBS Atrium Series
The UBS Atrium Series will close its 13th season of free midday music with a concert by the Cumbia River Band on June 15 at 12:30 p.m. The concert will take place in the Atrium at 1000 Harbor Boulevard in the Lincoln Harbor section of Weehawken. This project is the latest by bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Martin Vejarano. Its music draws from a festive repertoire of Colombian Cumbia standards. The concert will feature favorite Cumbia hits from the golden years of this extremely popular Latin American music with its life-affirming joy and energy. The concert will feature Martin Vejarano on clarinet and vocals, Sonia de Los Santos on guitar and vocals, Mary Knapp on accordion and vocals, Andrew Madej on tuba, Cristian Rodriguez on percussion and vocals, and Juan Montoya on drums.
The concert will be free and open to the public and the venue is wheelchair accessible. Free parking is available in the adjacent outdoor lot and public transportation options include NJ Transit Bus 158 as well as the Hudson Bergen Light Rail to Lincoln Harbor. For directions and more info, please check the Hudson River Performing Arts Center (HRPAC) website at www.hrpac.org, or call the concert hotline at (201) 716-4540.
County Bar Association offers seminar on ‘Special Needs Children and Divorce’
Several issues arise in divorce when there is a special needs child. How will the custody arrangement affect the child’s education? Should child support be paid into a special needs trust? Will the child ever be emancipated? Will the child need a guardian upon reaching the age of majority? Learn how to address these issues and draft for them in your settlement agreements at a seminar offered by The Hudson County Bar Association & Foundation’s Family Law Committee titled “Special Needs Children and Divorce.” The guest speakers will be attornies Beth Manes and Lori Cieckiewicz.
The seminar is scheduled for June 16 at 5 p.m. (check in) with the program scheduled to start promptly at 5:30 p.m. at the Brennan Courthouse Courtroom of the Hon. Lisa Rose, J.S.C.,
583 Newark Ave., 4th floor, Jersey City.
If you are a 2016 HCBA member you can attend in-house CLE seminars and receive up to 12 free CLE credits. After you have received your 12 credits, cost for members will be $50.00 per CLE Seminar. Price for all NON HCBA Members: $100.00 per CLE Seminar. All checks are to be made payable to the Hudson County Bar Foundation. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express are acceptable. You may also fax your credit card information to (201) 798-1740 or email at events@hcbalaw.com. Registration deadline is June 9.
Obie-award winning play at the Mile Square Theatre
The Mile Square Theatre will christen their new space at 1408 Clinton St. with a performance of Obie-award winning play “Circle, Mirror, Transformation” with performances from June 15 to July 2.
“The play follows an unlikely group of strangers in a small Vermont town who take an acting class where their personal stories are revealed comically and heartbreakingly through a series of misguided acting exercises,” theatre organizers said.
The opening night of the play will be June 15 with a celebratory opening night gala on June 16.
The show’s cast includes Deborah Hedwall (Broadway: The Heidi Chronicles, Equus; OBIE Winner: Sight Unseen), Jon Krupp (Film: Breaking the Chain, Stage: Wait Until Dark), Matthew Lawler (TV: “The Family,” “Boardwalk Empire”). Creative team includes: Matt Fick (Sets), Elaine Wong (Lights), Peter Fogel (Costumes), and Matt Bittner (Sound).
For tickets, which range from $18 to $30, visit www.milesquaretheatre.org.
Our Lady of Grace to host 11th annual NiteFest and FunFest in Hoboken
Our Lady of Grace Church will host the 11th annual FunFest weekend and NiteFest on Saturday evening, June 4 and all day Sunday, June 5. The non-profit fundraiser takes on new importance this year because proceeds will fund the church’s restoration project, which is critical to preserving one of Hoboken’s oldest churches and nationally-registered historic places.
Our Lady of Grace was founded in 1851. Nearly 165 years later, the church needs to undergo major repairs to its towering ceilings plus a total building overhaul, including installing new floors, refinishing the pews and art restoration to the stained glass windows, murals and paintings – all of which festival proceeds will benefit.
FunFest is a two-day festival, both taking place at Church Square Park between Fourth and Fifth streets on Willow Avenue, and includes various activities for kids and adults. No admission fees required to attend either day. New to this year’s FunFest, Our Lady of Grace will swing open its doors to Hoboken residents and visitors for all to enjoy the church’s German Gothic architecture, historic art and statues, and grand organ.
To learn more or get involved, please visit the Our Lady of Grace FunFest website at: www.olgfunfest.com.
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