NFL player Evan Rodriguez hosts June 13 football camp for kids in North Bergen
NFL player Evan Rodriguez will host a free, one-day football camp for kids in North Bergen. The camp will take place at the North Bergen Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave.
Currently a tight end with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rodriguez, 26, was formerly a football player with the North Bergen High School team. Since joining the Chicago Bears in 2012 he has also played for the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins.
The one-day camp takes place on Saturday, June 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Children ages 6 to 16 are invited to participate. To register visit https://fundamentals2015.ezwaiver.com/Evan-Rodriguez-Youth-Football-Camp
Flag Day Parade is June 14
On Sunday, June 14 the 75th annual Flag Day Parade takes place. The parade will begin at 2 p.m. at Bergenline Avenue and 85th Street in North Bergen and will travel south to Miller Stadium at 57th Street in West New York. Anyone with an old, tattered flag is invited to bring it to one of the following locations where it will be properly retired in a dignified manner. Please ask for the person listed below.
North Bergen: 64th Street Recreation Center (John Cellini) or DPW Garage, 6100 Tonnelle Ave. (Ed O’Neill). West New York: Miller Stadium, near main gate (Ken Furlong). Guttenberg: Police headquarters, 6808 Park Ave. (Capt. Joel Magenheimer).
Magic show with animals on June 16 at library
Pee Wee “The Family Magician” will perform a magic show featuring live animals at the North Bergen Public Library’s main building on Tuesday, June 16 at 4:30 p.m. The library is located at 8411 Bergenline Ave. For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit nbpl.org.
Dance recital takes place June 16
The North Bergen Recreation dance recital will be held on Tuesday, June 16, starting at 6 p.m. This event will be held at North Bergen High School, 7317 Kennedy Blvd.
Sign up for summer programs at the library
Mayor Nicholas Sacco, Library Director Sai Rao, and the board of trustees are pleased to announce the library’s annual summer programs for both the Main Library and the Kennedy Branch. Registration begins on Monday, June 29 at 9 a.m. and programs will begin Monday, July 6.
Registration is open to North Bergen and Guttenberg residents. Register in person at either the Main Library or the Kennedy Branch. Proof of age and residency are required. Registration is limited. For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit www.nbpl.org to view the program listings.
Hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar visits with students at High Tech High School
Hugely popular hip hop artist Kendrick Lamar dropped in at High Tech High School on Monday, June 8 to meet with a class of about 40 students studying literature. Telling the students about his inspirations to become a poet, including encouragement from teachers, he engaged in a question and answer session with the students about the relationship between hip hop and literature.
Following this he addressed about 800 screaming students in the school’s Field House, where he participated in a panel discussion and heard poetry readings from students.
The event was the result of postings by English Teacher Brian Mooney, who incorporated lyrics from Lama’s most recent album, “To Pimp a Butterfly,” into lessons on Toni Morrison’s novel, “The Bluest Eye.” The postings went viral and Lamar reached out to ask if he could visit the class.
While at the school Lamar viewed an original dance to a song from his album, performed by the school’s hip-hop dance club. Students also shared their original poetry, rap, and artwork with the star.
First public golf course in Hudson now open
The Skyway Golf Course at Lincoln Park, 515 Duncan Ave. in Jersey City, begins accepting applications for membership starting Monday, June 15. Proof of residency is required. The facility, located on the west side of Lincoln Park, is the first public golf course in Hudson County. The 3,257 yard nine-hole course consists of three par 3’s, three par 4’s, and three par 5’s and offers views of the Pulaski Skyway and the Freedom Tower in lower Manhattan. For more information call (201) 763-7520.
Free yoga in Braddock Park every Tuesday and Friday
Free yoga takes place in Braddock Park every Tuesday from 6 to 7 p.m. and every Friday from 8 to 9 a.m. Rain or shine. Come to James J. Braddock North Hudson Park Environmental Center 10 minutes before start time.
Bring a yoga mat, water, towel, and a friend (optional). You must be 18 years or older. Register at hudsoncountynjevents.org.
Register your kids for Summer Fun 2015
Mayor Nicholas Sacco and Commissioner Hugo Cabrera invite boys and girls ages 6 to 12 to summer fun 2015. Registration is open to North Bergen residents only on Wednesday, June 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The registration fee is $50. This fee includes a t-shirt, lunch, field trips, and entertainment. The program begins June 29 and continues until July 31.
North Bergen Summer Green Health Fair on June 20
The second annual Summer Green Health Fair will take place on Saturday, June 20 from noon to 4 p.m. at the 64th Street field. Come enjoy a day full of entertainment and education for family members of all ages. Activities will include live music, face painting, green vendors, adopt-a-pet, health screenings, animal care education, and much more.
“Go green” and leave your cars home. Let’s walk to make our environment cleaner. For more information call (201) 392-2084.
Guttenberg offering youth summer recreation programs
The Town of Guttenberg is offering summer recreation programs to Guttenberg’s youth residents only from Monday, June 29 to Friday, Aug. 14. The program will consist of a variety of activities.
All children from age 5 (must have completed kindergarten) to age 18 are welcome to participate. There is a special preschool program Monday through Friday for children turning 4 or 5 years old before Jan. 1, 2015. Visit guttenbergnj.org for more information.
Officials and residents call for stricter construction regulations in wake of Edgewater fire
A diverse group of firefighters, labor leaders, and residents told the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee that New Jersey needs better construction code regulations to prevent developers from using cheap materials that burn quicker and fail faster. Their testimony came as lawmakers considered a fire safety bill that requires new apartment buildings to have fire barriers and fire stops, features that might have prevented the Avalon at Edgewater fire from spreading so quickly.
The devastating fire at the AvalonBay apartment complex in Edgewater, on Jan. 21 has generated widespread concerns about the dangers of lightweight construction used in Edgewater and other AvalonBay developments.
AvalonBay has 6,000 existing units in New Jersey and 1,000 currently under construction. Among the properties owned by AvalonBay are the Avalon North Bergen apartments at 5665 Kennedy Boulevard. The North Bergen property has more sprinklers than the Edgewater complex and a flat roof, making it “somewhat safer,” according to Mayor Nicholas Sacco.
Eddie Donnelly, president of the NJ Firefighters’ Mutual Benevolent Association said firefighters have been sounding the alarm about lightweight construction for years. “When fire strikes, minutes and even seconds can make the difference between life and death,” said Donnelly. “Studies have shown that lightweight structures burn faster and lose their structural integrity quicker than traditional lumber. Lawmakers need to take action to ensure developers stop using these materials because they could put the public and firefighters at risk.”
Alleged $1.5M cargo theft ring busted
Twelve men, including two from North Bergen and six from Union City, were indicted on charges that they conspired in a $1.5 million series of thefts involving tractor-trailers loaded with cargo, including clothing, beauty products, auto parts, and beer. The defendants allegedly stole and fenced the items, according to a statement from Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman.
The statement read in part: “The Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau obtained an 11-count state grand jury indictment that charges all 12 defendants with first-degree conspiracy. Eleven of the defendants also are charged with first-degree money laundering, second-degree theft by unlawful taking, second-degree fencing, second-degree receiving stolen property, and third-degree burglary. The first-degree money laundering charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in state prison.
“The 12 members of the cargo theft ring allegedly worked together in various combinations to steal tractor-trailers containing cargo from the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. They allegedly brought the stolen cargo to warehouses and lots in New Jersey, Brooklyn, N.Y., and the Bronx, N.Y. The indictment alleges that between June 2012 and April 2015, the defendants allegedly engaged in nine thefts and two purchases of additional stolen goods in which the total value of the cargo and tractor-trailers stolen exceeded $1.5 million. The stolen cargo ran the gamut from $120,000 worth of catalytic converters, which allegedly were stolen in Linden, N.J., and recovered by investigators at a warehouse in Saddle Brook, N.J.; to $165,000 worth of Moroccan oil hair and body products stolen in Allentown, Pa., and transported through New Jersey to a lot in the Bronx, N.Y.; to $152,000 worth of GNC fish oil capsules stolen in Paterson, N.J. and recovered at a furniture store in Hillside, N.J.”
Also among the items allegedly stolen were a tractor-trailer containing approximately $201,000 worth of clothing, a tractor-trailer containing more than $143,000 worth of Nivea skin lotion, a tractor-trailer containing more than $151,000 worth of Goodyear tires, and a tractor-trailer containing $100,000 worth of mozzarella cheese.
“First-degree charges carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000,” the statement continues. “The first-degree money laundering charge carries an enhanced fine of up to $500,000. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000. The indictments are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
The indictment, which was returned on June 4, stems from Operation Midnight Run, a long-term investigation by the New Jersey State Police Interstate Theft North Unit, the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Border Enforcement Security Task Force.
Anna Klein School awarded federal fresh fruit and vegetable grant
Anna L. Klein School in Guttenberg is one of 151 New Jersey schools to participate in the 2015-2016 school year’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). Sixteen schools in Hudson County are recipients of grant money through this program.
The United States Department of Agriculture has allocated $4,172,474 to New Jersey for next school year’s FFVP to provide fresh produce to more than 76,400 students in 14 counties during the school day. The students also will receive nutrition education. The goal of the program is to expose children to healthy foods, increase their fruit and vegetable consumption and set them on the road to improved lifelong dietary habits.
The Department of Agriculture will provide additional funds to schools for connecting their FFVP with the Farm to School Program. The schools must provide Jersey Fresh produce a minimum of two days each month from September to November and from April to June and must verify where the produce was grown. Seventy percent of the 151 schools have agreed to participate.
Also participating in the program in Hudson County are the following schools.
In Jersey City: Dr. Lena Edwards Academic Charter School. In Union City: Colin Powell School, Jefferson School, Robert Waters School, Roosevelt School, Thomas A. Edison School, and Washington School. In West New York: Early Childhood #4 Annex, Public Schools #1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 – Bain.
Enjoy a Third-Tuesday-of-the-Month Nature Walk in Secaucus
This free nature walk will take place on Tuesday, June 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at Laurel Hill Park, Secaucus. Keep an eye out for shorebirds, herons, nesting ospreys and more. Meet at the big parking lot by the Laurel Hill ball fields. For information and to register call (201) 230-4983 or email greatauk4@gmail.com.
Solstice Celebration is June 21
Celebrate the sun on the longest day of the year, June 21, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Meadowlands Environment Center, 2 DeKorte Park Plaza, Lyndhurst. The program starts with a brief discussion of the scientific and cultural significance of the solstice, followed by a short walk to the Lyndhurst Nature Reserve to enjoy the outdoors and give thanks when the sun reaches its peak at 12:38 p.m. Participants will each take home a craft kit to make their own sun catchers. Registration is required at njmeadowlands.gov and click on “Events.” Information: (201) 460-4619 or communications@njmeadowlands.gov.
Hudson County summer 2015 tennis program begins in July
The Hudson County summer 2015 tennis program will be held for children ages 5 to 15 from Jul. 6 to Aug. 14, Monday to Fridays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 79th Street and Bergenline Ave. (weather permitting).
Sponsored by County Executive Thomas A. DeGise and the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Applications available shortly. Online registration available at hudsoncountynj.org/parks. For more information contact the Hudson County Division of Parks at (201) 915-1388.
Summer schedule announced for movies in the parks
Come out to Hudson County’s Movies in the Parks on Wednesday and Friday nights this July and August at six different parks in Hudson County. These events are presented by Hudson County Executive Thomas A. DeGise and the Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Bring your blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy an evening of free movies and popcorn in the park. Movies start at sundown. Visit wpanj.org for a full schedule.