Library now open Sundays, offering varied programming
The main branch of the North Bergen Public Library, 8411 Bergenline Ave., will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sundays throughout the year in addition to the normal operating hours of Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday/Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Kennedy Branch located at 2123 Kennedy Blvd. will be extending its Monday hours from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (from 7 p.m.). The new hours go into effect beginning Feb. 1.
The winter programming schedule for both libraries is now is session and will run until March 19. The library offers a wide range of programming such as ESL, citizenship test preparation, computer training, after-school homework help, resume assistance, toddler/grade school programming, monthly medical seminars and more. Programming is open to North Bergen and Guttenberg residents. Proof of residency is required. The full program listings are available online at www.nbpl.org. Check the monthly calendar for special events.
The library also offers a variety of online databases for all ages which can be found on the website and accessed using a North Bergen library card. For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit the website at www.nbpl.org.
Super Bowl prep tip: check your TV so it won’t fall on a child
Every 45 minutes in the United States, a child is rushed to the emergency room for injuries caused by television sets that are not appropriately secured.
Three years ago, a toddler in Jersey City died when a TV fell on her.
To bring awareness to the problem and educate parents and caregivers on the simple things they can do to make their homes safer, Safe Kids New Jersey is launching National TV Safety Day on Saturday, Jan. 31, the day before Super Bowl XLIX, the biggest TV event of the year.
“We don’t want any parent to have to endure the loss or injury of a child due to a TV tip-over” said Marissa Fisher, RN, Injury Prevention Manager for the Trauma Division at Jersey City Medical Center – Barnabas Health. “National TV Safety Day is a time for families to conduct a quick TV safety check and learn what to do with older TVs that can be dangerous for young kids.”
Many TV tip-overs, said Fisher, are a result of televisions not being properly secured or placed in an unsafe location. From 2008 – 2012, 12 children in New Jersey under the age of 5 were killed and 33 children were hospitalized due to TV/furniture tip-overs. Nationally, nearly 2,000 children under age five visited ERs during this period due to tip-overs.
Safe Kids encourages families to include TV safety as part of their childproofing plans by placing CRT TVs on low, stable pieces of furniture. If families no longer use their CRT TV, consider recycling it. For families with flat panel televisions, Safe Kids recommends mounting TVs properly to the wall to reduce the risk of TV tip-overs.
“This is a time of year when many people buy new televisions because they want to watch the game at home on a large screen TV,” said Fisher. “If you’re unsure, get professional help in installing it. You don’t want to look back and say ‘If only I had done this properly.’ ”
New exhibit opening Feb. 6 at Guttenberg Arts Gallery
Guttenberg Arts Gallery, 6903 Jackson St., presents Studio Wallpaper (a work in progress), a new site-specific sugar and porcelain toile installation by Susan Graham, currently Artist in Residence, on view Feb. 6 through Mar. 2.
For Studio Wallpaper (a work in progress), Graham has created a gorgeous, spiral site-specific installation. Referencing Guttenberg’s long history as the “Embroidery Capital of The World,” she begins at a corner as the central point and works outward into the gallery space. The patterns are drawn directly from the embroidered lacework produced by local businesses to form recurring narratives of complex pastoral scenes and the storytelling qualities found in traditional Toile de Jouy wallpaper, using the same delicate look and a conceptually similar idea of preciousness, fragility, and intense process. Graham’s works takes these themes to a broader level and addresses human encroachment on nature using decorations that poetically depict the eternal struggle between nature and technology.
The exhibition runs from Feb. 6 to Mar. 6 with an opening reception on Feb. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. For more information contact info@guttenbergarts.org or (201) 868-8585. Guttenberg Art Gallery is free and open to the public by appointment. www.guttenbergarts.org
Free income tax preparation available for eligible 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 Apr. 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.
Health seminar on treatment options for overactive bladder set for Feb. 10
Does your overactive bladder keep you from living your life to its fullest? Nearly 40 million Americans suffer from overactive bladder. This common, sometimes disabling condition sends signals to your bladder at the wrong time, resulting in urine leakage, the strong sudden need to “go right away,” and “going” far too often.
Attend a free seminar on May 15 to learn about the many treatment options available, including the latest advance in using Botox to treat overactive bladder symptoms. The featured speaker is board certified Urogynecologist Dr. Sam Hessami (director, Continence Center at Palisades, and associate clinical professor, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine). The event will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. at Palisades Medical Center, 7600 River Rd. Check-in is at 6:30. Free food and refreshments will be provided. Parking and admission are free, and transportation will be provided free from 60th St. and Bergenline Ave. starting at 6 p.m. To register, call (201) 854-5702.
Tax collector’s office hours extended on Feb. 10
The tax collector’s office hours will be extended on Tuesday, Feb. 10 for the collection of property taxes. Office hours will be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
2015 career fair at the library on Feb. 11
Over 20 vendors will attend a job fair on Wednesday, Feb. 11 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Vendors will attend from fields such as administrative, financial services, home care, hospitality, sales logistics, manufacturing, and security.
The event takes place at the North Bergen Public Library, 8411 Bergenline Ave.
Free comedy at the library in March
Comedian Alonzo Bodden will give a free performance at the North Bergen Free Public Library on Saturday, Mar. 14 at 5 p.m. Bodden has appeared on “The Tonight Show” with Conan O’Brien and Comedy Central, and is the winner of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing.”
Doors open at 4:30. The library is at 8411 Bergenline Ave.
Register now for 2015 soccer season
Soccer registration for the 2015 season will take place throughout January and February on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m., and on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration will be held at the soccer trailer in Hudson County Park.
Registration is open to North Bergen and Guttenberg residents only. Be sure to bring your child’s birth certificate or passport only, two current photos for soccer ID and record, and valid proof of North Bergen/Guttenberg residency, i.e. a PSEG/Water/Cablevision/FIOs bill. There is a non-refundable $35 registration fee. Cash only; no personal checks. Last year’s players must also register.