North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue denied hiring policy appeal by Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court turned down an appeal on Monday by North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue (NHRFR), who wanted to keep their requirement that prospective firefighters live in one of five Hudson County towns, according to NorthJersey.com.
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled in favor of the Newark branch of the NAACP in December. The NAACP brought a successful lawsuit in 2007, challenging the NHRFR’s hiring practices.
An appeals court ruled that the NHRFR’s hiring policy discriminated against African-Americans because it only allowed residents of local towns to apply, and local towns are predominantly Latino and Caucasian. The ruling meant that the fire squad must consider applicants from outside the local towns.
The new appeal was the latest move in a longstanding dispute over whether the regional department – which formed by merging five local towns’ fire departments in 1999 – should allow applicants from outside towns.
The NHRFR covers West New York, Union City, Weehawken, North Bergen, and Guttenberg. Those towns are approximately 70 percent Latino and only 3.4 percent African-American, according to the 2000 Census.
The case will now return to trial court.
Library to host e-book workshop
The Weehawken Free Public Library will host a special e-book workshop on Wednesday, June 20 at 7 p.m. “We want our patrons to know that they are able to borrow e books from the Library to read on their personal Kindles, Nooks, iPads,” said Holly Pizzuta, library director of administration and operations.
The workshop will include a demonstration on how to both search for various books as well as how to download it to an e-book reader. Kindles, Nooks, and an ipad will be on display as part of the workshop to show how the progress works.
E-readers were one of last holiday season’s hottest gifts. Research estimates about 70 million Americans will be using e-readers by 2016 and naturally, new owners have been eager to take advantage of related services offered by libraries, said Pizzuta. “Our library patrons have always turned to us for new formats and for gaining the skills to use these new resources effectively,” she added.
For more information contact the library at (201) 863-7823.
Weehawken Recreation presents Flag Football
Registration for Weehawken Recreation’s new Flag Football program will be held at the Recreation Department on Thursday, June 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday, June 23 from 10 a.m. to noon for both girls and boys in the following age groups: five and six; seven, eight, and nine; 10 through 12, and 13 through 15 years old.
The program is for Weehawken residents only. Please bring proof of residency and your child’s birth certificate when registering.
For more information, call (201) 319-6061.
HRPAC to kick off its free outdoor waterfront concert series
Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center will host Dr. K’s Motown Revue during its opening Summer Concerts on the Hudson series on the Weehawken waterfront on Wednesday, June 27. The Motown Sound has left its mark on the history of American music and is indelibly stamped on the hearts and souls of those who experienced it.
Dr. K’s Motown Revue has played marquee venues like B.B. Kings, the Jones Beach Theater, and Mohegan Sun.
The local band Finish This will open for Dr. K’s Motown Revue at 6 p.m. For more information, call (201) 716-4540, or visit www.hrpac.org.
Weehawken Woman’s Club to sponsor food drive
The Weehawken Woman’s Club will sponsor a township-wide food drive named “Operation Peanut Butter, Jelly and Beans” to assist the low-stocked food banks served by the North Hudson Community Action Corporation.
Donations may be made June 19 and June 26 between 4 and 8 p.m. at three locations:
• The Weehawken Elk’s Lodge, 50th Street and Boulevard East
• The Senior Nutrition Center, 201 Highwood Ave.
• The Community Room, 525 Gregory Ave.
An additional date (June 23) and drop off location has been arranged outside the Pathmark Tower Plaza Mall between noon and 5 p.m.
Please bring canned goods and non-perishables to any of these drop-off centers and help neighbors in need. For further information, please contact womansclubofweehawken@gmail.com.
Weehawken Weekenders to hold trips in summer, fall
The Weehawken Weekenders will take a trip to the Platzl Brauhaus in Ponoma, N.Y., on Wednesday, June 20, for a day of fun, food, and entertainment. The day includes breakfast and lunch, followed by dinner at 4 p.m. There will be music, dancing, and bingo, and there is a pool available for anyone who wishes to use it. The bus departs from the Weehawken Pathmark at 9 a.m. Tickets cost $70.
On July 11, they will see “The Real Husbands of New Jersey” at the Royal Manor in Garfield for $45, which includes lunch.
On July 18, Mayor Turner and the Township Council along with the Hudson County Office on Aging invites Weehawken seniors on a Hudson County boat ride aboard the “Spirit of New Jersey.”
On Aug. 12, they will visit Magnanini’s Winery in Wallkill, N.Y. for a wine tasting, dinner, and dancing for $75.
On Oct. 3, they will attend “Octoberfest” at the Royal Manor in Garfield for $45.
On Oct. 13, they will visit the Nordic Lodge with all you can eat Lobster and more in Charlestown, R.I. and proceed to Mohegan Sun Casino for $125.
The Weekenders are also planning an eight-night Canadian and New England cruise on the Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas, departing from Bayonne on Aug. 31, 2013 and sailing through Sept. 8.
All trips include transportation and gratuities. Call the Weekenders office at (201) 319-6059 for more information or to make a reservation.
NHCAC announces registration for new programs
North Hudson Community Action Corporation celebrates National Community Action Month by announcing the beginning of its new programs.
They will offer two semesters of free English as a Second Language classes. The summer semester begins in June, and the fall semester in September. Call (201) 943-2410 for more information or to register.
They will also offer a financial literacy workshop series. Call (201) 866-9320, ext. 213, for more information. Both individual and corporate instruction is available.