North Bergen resident struck and killed by off-duty West New York policeman
A 28-year-old North Bergen man was crossing Kennedy Boulevard at about 70th Street on Monday, March 30 at 11:46 p.m. when he was struck by a 2013 Honda Accord driven by a West New York policeman on his way to work. North Bergen EMS responded to a 911 call and transported the victim, a Guatemalan national, to Palisades Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly before noon on Tuesday morning.
According to a statement from Hudson County Sheriff Frank X. Schillari, the West New York policeman “immediately stopped and rendered assistance to the injured man, who was in cardiac arrest.” A passing Guttenberg police car passing by the scene also stopped to assist, finding the man “lying face down on the sidewalk, unconscious and bleeding from his head.”
“The Hudson County Sheriff’s Office Crash Investigation Unit states that the Honda does not appear to have been speeding and the victim was approximately 70 feet away from the nearest crosswalk when he was struck,” the statement continued. “He was also wearing dark clothing and the area is not well lit. The driver of the car was also transported to Palisades Medical Center for shock and has been released. The accident is still under investigation.”
Group exhibit at local gallery
Guttenberg Arts / Bulls Ferry Studios is hosting the group exhibition “Made Here,” featuring new work by artists in residence Kirsten Flaherty, Susan Graham, and Johanna Winters. The exhibit is currently running through May 4. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, at 6903 Jackson St., Guttenberg. For information, call (201) 868-8585.
Free concert in the Weehawken Atrium on April 7
The UBS Atrium Series will present the acclaimed trio Ritmo Latino on Tuesday, April 7 at 12:30 p.m. The concert will take place in the Atrium at 1000 Harbor Boulevard in the Lincoln Harbor section of Weehawken.
In this new musical collaboration, harpist Bridget Kibbey, clarinetist Benito Meza, and percussionist John Hadfield weave a cultural celebration of music from Venezuela, Brazil, North Africa, Spain, and Argentina. This concert will feature works by Piazzolla, Barros, Jacob de Bandolim, and Mr. Hadfield. Of special note, the concert will include the New Jersey premiere of a piece written for Ms. Kibbey by noted composer and Grammy winning instrumentalist Paquito D’Rivera.
All performances for the UBS Atrium Series begin at 12:30 p.m. The concert is free and open to the general public. For directions and more information, check the HRPAC website at www.hrpac.org or call the concert hotline at (201) 716-4540.
Hudson County Schools of Technology hosts recruitment event on April 9
The Hudson County Schools of Technology Career Development Center is hosting a recruitment event on April 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the HCST-Career Development Center, 530 48th Street, 6th Floor, Union City.
Local Mutual Fund Solutions Group in Ridgefield Park is seeking over 100 immediate hires for call center customer service representatives. To register for this event, contact John Toscano at (201) 369-5205, ext. 3756 or email john.toscano@dol.state.nj.us.
Recreation parades scheduled for this month
It’s springtime, and that means the North Bergen recreation parades have been scheduled.
The soccer parade will take place on Thursday, April 9 beginning at 6 p.m. at 89th Street and Bergenline Avenue across from Burger King. The baseball parade will take place on Saturday, April 18 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at 89th Street and Bergenline Avenue across from Burger King. The softball ceremony will take place on Saturday, April 18 beginning at noon at the 64th Street softball field.
Support services available for veterans at risk of homelessness
Did you recently become homeless? Are you about to lose your housing? Community Hope helps New Jersey and Pennsylvania veterans and their families keep or find housing and avoid homelessness.
Their Supportive Services for Veteran Families program can help with housing searches, employment services, temporary financial assistance, landlord dispute resolution, linkage to community resources, and more.
Visit communityhope-nj.org for more information or call (973) 463-9600.
North Bergen Township assists nearly a hundred residents to become citizens
“It is very pleasing to be able to help so many people fulfill a dream,” said Mayor Nicholas Sacco after nearly 100 individuals attended North Bergen’s free Immigration Clinic on Saturday, March 28 to fill out citizenship and deferred action applications. “These people make up a large portion of our community and thanks to this wonderful event now they can become U.S. citizens. This program is part of our ongoing support for the immigrant community and our effort to keep families together.”
The free clinic provided U.S. citizenship application guidance and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) application and renewal assistance. The event, held at North Bergen High School, was sponsored by the Township of North Bergen, The North Bergen Board of Education, Hudson County, and the non-profit group We Are One New Jersey.
North Bergen plans to host another clinic in the near future to further assist those that are not able to receive these services on their own due to financial hardships.
High Tech senior Karina Voronich receives President’s Volunteer Service Award
North Bergen resident Karina Voronich, a senior at High Tech High School, has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with the President’s Volunteer Service Award.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program, on behalf of President Barack Obama, granted this award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country. Elaine Samman, president of Animal Life Savers, Inc., nominated Voronich this fall in recognition of her volunteer service dedicated to the health and safety of domestic pets and her chairpersonship in the High School Division of Hudson County.
The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), recognizes middle level and high school students across America for outstanding volunteer service.
“The recipients of these awards demonstrate that young people across America are making remarkable contributions to the health and vitality of their communities,” said John Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. “By recognizing these students and placing a spotlight on their volunteer activities, we hope to motivate others to consider how they can also contribute to their community.”
In the past, Voronich has also received a 2012 Young Science Achievers Program (YSAP) grant, received Honorable Mention in the 2014 St. Joseph’s College Research Poster Session, and First Place in the 2014 Seton Hall Project SEED Poster Session.
“Demonstrating civic responsibility through volunteerism is an important part of life,” NASSP Executive Director JoAnn Bartoletti added. “These honorees practice a lesson we hope all young people, as well as adults, will emulate.”
1st annual walk against Lupus will be May 17
May 17 in Jersey City’s Lincoln Park begins a new tradition of family-friendly activities as Daddy’s Sunshine the Fight against Lupus introduces “The First Annual Hudson County Lupus Walk.” Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the walk begins at 10 a.m. Donation for individual walkers is $10. To sign up and/or donate, visit www.daddysunshine.com or www.hudsoncountylupuswalk.com. For more information, call (551) 689-0500.
Liberty Humane Society opens new Spay/Neuter clinic
Non-profit animal shelter Liberty Humane Society has announces the opening of its own dedicated spay/neuter clinic. Liberty Humane Society is the animal shelter for Jersey City, Bayonne, and Hoboken, and has a strict spay-neuter policy, meaning all animals are altered before adoption. This is done to ease the financial and logistic burden of spay/neuter on adopters and to reduce the number of unwanted pets born through accidental litters of puppies and kittens.
Prior to the clinic opening LHS was forced to transport adoptable animals 80 miles each way to a partner clinic.
LHS’s own clinic is housed in a customized RV, fully equipped, on LHS grounds. Staffed by experienced and specialized veterinarians and technicians, the shelter will now be able to spay or neuter adoptable animals on site. The first day of operation, on Wednesday, March 25, saw the safe and effective alteration of five of the shelter’s animals. While access to the clinic is only available for animals in the shelter’s care at this time, shelter officials hope to grow the clinic’s capacity to eventually serve other local shelters and rescues and to help in TNR efforts.
To learn more about Liberty Humane Society and the new Spay/Neuter Clinic, please visit www.libertyhumane.org.
WNY Cuban Lions Club Health Fair on April 13
The West New York Cuban Lions Club is teaming with Palisades Medical Center to present its annual Community Health Fair. The event, which is free and open to the general public, will be held on Sunday, April 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the New Community Room, 514 52nd Street (between Bergenline Ave. and Kennedy Blvd.) in West New York.
Free health tests and screenings will include blood pressure, heart rate, cholesterol, dental, eye/vision information, physical therapy, percentage of oxygen in the blood, diabetes, sleep disorder information, glaucoma screening, and more. Several physicians will be in attendance to answer questions. Attendees will receive free samples and giveaways.
For more information, contact Manny Reyes (201) 424-1201 or Nikki Mederos at (201) 854-5702.
Free income tax preparation available for eligible residents
The township of North Bergen has hired a certified public accounting firm to provide free tax preparation services for senior citizens and disabled residents. North Bergen residents age 55 or over, or those in possession of proof of disability, with a yearly income below $55,000, are eligible for free income tax preparation assistance. Residents must bring identification, Social Security card, tax documents, and a 2013 tax return (first-time participants only).
Preparation is by appointment only. Call (201) 381-7014. Services are available until April 15 on Wednesdays between 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at Lawlor Tower, 6121-6131 Grand Ave., and on Wednesdays from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at the Public Library Kennedy Branch, 2123 Kennedy Blvd. Services are also available at the Public Library Main Branch, 8411 Bergenline Ave., on Tuesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Enjoy a ‘Taste of Italy’ on April 18
The North Bergen Library will be hosting the fifth installment of their “Taste of” cultural series featuring Italy. “Taste of Italy” will be held on Saturday, April 18 at 1 p.m. There will be food, literature, music, dance, and various demonstrations. The main library is located at 8411 Bergenline Ave. For more information visit www.nbpl.org or call the library at (201) 869-4715.
Attend a Birding for Beginners class on April 12
This free two-hour Birding for Beginners class starts at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 12 with a short session on basic bird identification at the Meadowlands Environment Center in DeKorte Park in Lyndhurst, followed by a nature walk in the park. The event is sponsored by the Bergen County Audubon Society and hosted by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, which includes the former New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. Participants will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for events throughout the year. To register, call (201) 230-4983 or greatauk4@gmail.com.