Not up to date on the latest headlines in Hudson County? Our weekly news roundup has you covered. From updates on the potential privatization of Liberty State Park to New Jersey Transit officers who saved a newborn’s life, there’s a lot to catch up on. Keep reading for all the headlines you missed this week in Hoboken and Jersey City:
New Jobs Added to Hoboken Girl‘s Job Board Platform
ICYMI, Hoboken Girl launched a new job board resource and new jobs are added every day, as well as resume features for candidates. We know a lot of readers have been scouring the internet for work opportunities listed online, and now that things are starting to open up, employers are looking for employees, and job seekers are looking for work — as well as potentially wanting to offer their services freelance.
To make your search easier and to help connect our community on both sides to opportunities, we’ve created a job board for all of our readers and business owners to get all the latest local jobs listings — complete with jobs available by businesses in NJ, NY, and of course — across Hudson County. Applying to any and all jobs is free of charge, and there are also opportunities to sponsor/feature your resume on the site. Click here to apply.
Liberty National Golf Course Owner Withdraws Liberty State Park Proposal
It’s officially a win for the Friends of Liberty State Park. Liberty National Golf Course owner Paul Fireman has withdrawn his proposal to buy and privatize 22 acres in the Caven Point area of Liberty State Park, a protected area for local wildlife.
“Fireman’s Caven Point takeover never had any support in Jersey City and his decision to drop it is welcome,” said Ward E Councilman James Solomon, Tap Into reports. “Now, New Jersey must pass the Liberty Park Protection Act to stop the endless parade of large-scale privatization attempts over the past four decades.”
Fireman cited that opponents of his privatization deal had to deal with issues of social injustice. Historically, decisions about Liberty State Park have been left up to a small group of people — a group that many community activists say tends to leave out Black people and POC.
Fireman went on to criticize the President of Friends of Liberty State Park, Sam Pesin, citing that Pesin has not done enough to include POC and be active in righting the wrongs of social injustices as it pertains to the park.
“For decades, Jersey City’s minority communities have been systematically shut out of the decision-making process on Liberty State Park,” Fireman said in an official statement. “No one asked the communities’ opinions or cared about what was truly needed, and decisions were made for them. Meanwhile, 40 years later the Park is still incomplete.”
Pesin has responded by calling on Governor Phil Murphy to protect Liberty State Park from future attempts at privatization. “What must happen now is for the LSP Protection Act to become law to once and for all end privatization assaults on LSP,” Pesin said. “The Governor signing of the essential and landmark Act will once and for all protect our urban, state, and national treasure park behind Lady Liberty. Without the Protection Act, Paul Fireman will come roaring back with his disinformation and political contributions with a new governor for his land grab goal of Caven Point.”
Hoboken Celebrates Renovated Jefferson Street Park Grand Opening
Hoboken is celebrating the grand opening of Jefferson Street Park after recent renovations sought to maximize the park’s space and add safety features to protect children of all ages. Hoboken Mayor Ravi S. Bahlla, Councilman Ruben Ramos, Councilwoman Emily Jabbour, and children from the Boys and Girls Club of Hoboken and Hoboken Dual Language Charter School celebrated the opening on Jefferson Street between 1st and 2nd streets this week.
New additions to the park include two climbing structures, new turf safety surface, and brand new playground equipment for children of different ages. These additions relied heavily on the feedback aggregated from parents, children, and educators earlier in the year.
The Friends of Jefferson Park also contributed to the renovation decisions and design process of Jefferson Park.
JC Arts Fund Seeking Feedback from Voters
The Jersey City Arts Fund Committee wants feedback from Jersey City voters regarding the Jersey City Arts Fund Referendum. River View Observer reports that the question is slated for this year’s November 2020 Ballot and asks voters’ opinion on establishing a Jersey City Arts Fund {JCAF} for the purpose of supporting local arts, artists, culture organizations, and arts education organizations.
Because money for the fund would be raised through a property tax on Jersey City residents, the City Council approved the referendum ballot question back in February. According to City Council, the tax would be capped at 2 cents per $100.
NJ Transit Officers Save a Newborn’s Life After Baby Was Born in Newark Penn Station
https://twitter.com/news12/status/1284137035083714562?s=11
New Jersey Transit officers saved the life of a newborn child after the infant was born in Newark Penn Station and was not breathing.
Officers called for an ambulance but knew they couldn’t wait for an ambulance before taking action. Officer Bryan Richards began performing CPR on the infant while the baby girl lay in the sink. The officers then brought the baby in the police cruiser and made their way to the hospital. On the ride to the hospital, the baby began breathing and crying. They then brought the baby girl to the emergency room.
Jersey City Announces Expansion of Electric Vehicle Fleets
Jersey City recently announced its plans to integrate electric police vehicles and garbage trucks into its City fleets by the end of 2020, accounting for 10% of its fleet. By the year 2030, Jersey City says EVs will account for 100% of its fleets.
According to Hudson County View, Mayor Steven Fulop’s office confirmed Jersey City has become the first municipality on the East Coast to purchase five EV garbage trucks, thanks to a $2M State Department of Environmental Protection Grant.
“As an administration, we have sought out innovative and resourceful ways to build a foundation for a more resilient and sustainable future, which is critical now more than ever amid the current crisis,” Mayor Fulop said in an official statement. “Transitioning to greener technology is a cost-saving, long-term investment benefiting our environment and our residents’ health.”
With more electric vehicles must inevitably come more electric vehicle charging stations. So, Jersey City has installed 24 EV charging stations throughout the City. Fulop added that in addition to the purchase of five electric garbage trucks, four electric police vehicles, and eight total municipal vehicles purchased this year will be electric.
Electric vehicles reduce the need for gas and oil, use less energy, and cut back on harmful pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that ultimately contribute to climate change.
“We’re leading the country in electrification, utilizing grants and community feedback to build an infrastructure that will serve as a model for others around the nation,” Fulop added.
Hoboken PD Catches Repeat Offender Bike Thief With Bolt Cutters
The Hoboken PD has caught a serial bike thief after following a hunch near 1st and Madison Street in Hoboken last Friday. Detectives Paul Quinn and Fabian Quinones witnessed the same man ride by them on two different bicycles, Tap Into reports. After following the man, Quinn and Quinones caught Jose Rosado, 43, of Hoboken, red-handed, using bolt cutters to clip off the lock of a parked bike.
The incident occurred around 7:39PM last Friday. Rosado did not resist arrest and was found to have bolt cutters, drug paraphernalia, a folding knife, and proceeds police believe Rosado acquired from a theft.
Police then uncovered the first bike, a black bicycle, they initially witnessed Rosado ride by on. It was hidden nearby.
Charged with Theft, Burglar’s Tool, Drug Paraphernalia, Receiving Stolen Property, and Certain Person Not to Have Weapons, Rosado was placed on a warrant and transported to Hudson County Correctional Facility.
Jersey City to Receive $7M in Federal Funds for Small Business Loans, Allowing Businesses to Apply for Grants Up to $20K
Jersey City officials recently announced it will be receiving $7 million in federal funds meant to help small businesses during the time of COVID-19. Small, local businesses that have been financially struggling during the coronavirus global pandemic will be able to apply for federal grants up to $20,000.
“We’re grateful to the county and for our Congressional delegation who fought for this money that will allow our business owners to hire back local employees, pay outstanding expenses, and retain employees to stimulate and strengthen our local economy as we work to rebuild and strong and resilient foundation,” Mayor Fulop said.
To qualify, you must be a Jersey-City-based for-profit business with 25 or fewer employees. Funds are to be used for salaries, rent/mortgage, equipment leases, finance payments, loan payments, and utility payments — all of which have incurred since the shutdown’s start in March.
Businesses do not need to be currently open to apply, but they must be in good standing with federal and state tax payments and also must provide documentation proving the expenses needed to be paid. To apply, visit JCEDC.org.
Hoboken Announces $8M in Federal Small Business Relief and Emergency Response Paybacks
Hoboken small businesses that have been financially impacted by COVID-19 are now eligible to apply for grants of up to $20,000 per business. Thanks to the CARES Act, $1.9 million in funding has been allocated for Hoboken’s small businesses and $8 million for the Mile Square’s COVID-19 expenses, which include expanded testing, food resources for seniors, costs of disinfecting and sanitizing public buildings, and more.
“Small businesses are vital to our state and nation’s economy and they need our help. This funding will ensure small business owners can continue paying their employees, their bills, and are ready to safely and responsibly reopen their doors,” Senator Bob Menendez said in a press release.
Small businesses in the Mile Square must be located within Hoboken, be for-profit, and cannot have more than 25 full-time employees as of March 15th, 2020. To apply for funding, you can do so online. Each business can apply for funding of up to $20,000, which can go toward employee salaries, mortgage, and rent payments, loan payments, equipment leases, and finance and utility payments incurred since March 2020.
In addition to the $1.9M in small business funding through the CARES Act, officials also announced that Hoboken is eligible for up to $5.5M in reimbursements for COVID-19-related expenses. As the City has used about $1.5M to expand testing, provide meals to the vulnerable, as well as other emergency-related expenses, reimbursements could help pay back funds that had to go toward the State of Emergency.
Man Jumps to Death From Jersey City High-Rise in Apparent Suicide
According to Daily Voice, a man jumped to his death from a Jersey City waterfront high-rise last Tuesday. Police responded to reports of a man threatening to jump from the apartment building on 2nd Street around 4:15AM.
City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione confirmed that when police arrived at The Mandalay, they found the 45-year-old on the ground, dead from what appears to be suicide.
Touch the Heart Hoboken Opens Outdoor Space
{Photo credit: @bsommerville11}
Touch the Heart Hoboken — a new concept combining fresh blooms with Chinese-American style dim sum — opened this week in the Mile Square. Located at 324 Washington Street, the former Pure Pita brick-and-mortar, Touch the Heart is now serving customers in its outdoor space.
“We’ve taken time to make each and every nook in our special spot unique,” Touch the Heart’s official Instagram says in a recent caption. “From handpicked antiques to handcrafted details. We can’t wait to welcome you into our HOME and hope you enjoy your experience as much as we’ve enjoyed creating it for you.”
The official IG’s bio designates that Touch the Heart is now open outdoors. Learn more here.
Jersey City Public Schools Say Parents Ultimately Decide: Remote Learning or In-School Education
The fate of schools come September is still up in the air for many states, but Jersey City Public Schools are telling parents that ultimately, it is the parents’ choice. NJ.com reports that Jersey City Public Schools plans to rotate students, oscillating between in-school education and remote learning, but that parents can choose to continue at-home learning with their child if they want to when schools reopen.
“Based on the current information and trends we will resume classes using a hybrid model,” Superintendent Franklin Walker wrote in a message to students, faculty, and parents. “All the students will be in school and rotate between remote learning and in-person instruction every five days.”
The introduction to in-school instruction will happen in phases, Deputy Superintendent Norma Fernandez says. The District will slowly increase the number of students allowed in school at once as coronavirus restrictions ease off. Class sizes will also have to be smaller to accommodate the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s {CDC} recommendations of social distancing.
Hoboken Arts Advisory Committee Announces Art Box Mural Project
The Hoboken Arts Advisory Committee launched the Art Box Mural Project on July 16th with the goal of beautifying 15 utility boxes along Washington Street.
Artists who live and/or work in the Mile Square are encouraged to submit proposals under the theme “equality and inclusion.” Winning submissions {15} will be painted on the utility boxes and selected artists will receive a stipend of $1,250 to pay for artists’ fees and materials. Submissions should be “family-friendly” and indicate a preferred location amongst the 15 utility boxes.
Applications are open until August 11th, 2020 at HobokenNJ.gov/muralproject.
Mayor Fulop Announces Optional 4-Day Work Week for Municipal Employees
Coronavirus has changed work-life balance as we know it, but even as New Jersey’s COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift, Hudson County View reports that Mayor Steven Fulop is giving municipal employees in Jersey City the option to take on a four-day workweek instead of five.
“We’ve learned during #COVID19 many things about our workforce + city,” Fulop tweeted. “One big change going forward is that we’re giving the option to our 3000 municipal employees to go to a 4-day work week permanently instead of the antiquated 5-day work schedule. Going forward {cont}…”
Fulop’s subsequent tweets added, “Bottom line, we realize that the 5-day work week/8 hour shift per day isn’t optimal for anyone. We can deliver BETTER services for our residents by staggering shifts + improve [the] quality of life for employees. This [will] also help w/plans for child care when {cont}… schools decide structure in the fall. Last week I shared about our street sweeping changes based on things we are learning due to pandemic. I’ll continue to share weekly what we are implementing longer-term based on lessons learned.”
Fulop’s tweets about an optional four-day workweek come on the heels of his decision to scale back on street-sweeping as well as Superintendent of Schools Franklin Walker announcing on Friday that parents can choose to continue remote learning at home or opt to rotate their kids between in-person instruction and remote learning at home come September.
Urban Dog Daycare + Grooming Spot Opens in Hoboken
{Photo by Danielle Lynch}
Urban Dog, a daycare and grooming spot for pups in Jersey City, has recently opened another location on Madison Street between Newark and 1st Streets. Formerly the Fuzzybutz location, new signage at 60 Madison Street advertises full grooming sessions that start at $65 and bath and basics packages {including teeth, nails, and ears} for $35 for extra-small dogs, $45 for small dogs, $55 for medium dogs, and $65 for large dogs.
According to the Urban Dog website, it also offers dog walking, doggie spa services, and event space for doggie birthdays.
For more information on Urban Dog’s services, call 201-725-7359.
NYC Architect Reveals Proposal for Jersey City’s 6th Street Embankment
{Image rendering courtesy of Jorge Mastropietro Architects Atelier via Jersey Digs}
Jorge Mastropietro Architects Atelier has revealed image renderings and plans for Jersey City’s 6th Street Embankment, which was once the Harsimus Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad responsible for bringing goods throughout Jersey City from the waterfront. Now that the elevated railway is obsolete, there has been controversy regarding what to do with it.
Last October, Mayor Fulop announced a settlement in which New York-based Albanese Organization would pay to buy the property and development rights so that it could build two towers on the Embankment, according to Jersey Digs.
“Working on projects in and around Jersey City for quite a few years now, we believe that we are a part of this big community,” Mastropietro’s firm said. “With the Embankment left untouched, we took a step forward to rethink our outdoor experience.”
The park proposal includes breaking up the property into zones: a dance, literature, music, sculpture, painting, and theatre and film zone. The park would include platforms for local artists to perform, as well as kiosks where community-organized art lessons would take place for families.
Newly-Painted Bike Lanes in the Mile Square Destroyed After Road Resurfacing ‘Miscommunication’
In Hoboken’s ongoing efforts to make the City a more pedestrian and biker-friendly place, bike lanes were recently painted on Clinton Street. However, due to what’s being called “a miscommunication,” those newly painted lanes were ripped up as part of a separate road resurfacing project.
Tap Into reports that the bike lane project started in April and then Clinton Street was ripped up July 9th, 2020.
“That project kicked off in April, and Clinton Street was originally in the scope of work because the project was supposed to happen in 2019 a year before Clinton Street was scheduled to be resurfaced in 2020,” said Hoboken spokesperson Vijay Chaudhuri. “However, the County {project lead for construction} did not receive a notice to proceed from NJDOT until late 2019, and by that time there wasn’t enough time to bid the project out and complete the project before the cold weather season arrived.”
Changes in project timelines caused “a miscommunication” between the County and the contractor, which ultimately lead to the new bike lanes being destroyed.
“Apparently there was [a] miscommunication between the County and the contractor, and some of Clinton Street ended up getting stripped as part of the TAP grant project,” Chaudhuri said. “The re-striping of Clinton Street will come at no extra cost to the Hoboken taxpayer.”
Jersey City Hall Could Be Getting Gender-Neutral Restrooms
Jersey City City Hall could soon be getting gender-neutral restrooms to better accommodate transgender and non-binary people. If approved by City Council, the resolution would allow design work on potential non-binary restrooms to begin.
You may recall that in 2017, Mayor Fulop signed an Executive Order that mandated all municipal bathrooms in Jersey City be gender-neutral. As a direct response to that Executive Order, signage was added to all municipal bathrooms that read, “Gender diversity is welcomed here; please use the restroom that best fits your gender identity or expression.”
However, this resolution seeks to provide even more inclusion for transgender and non-binary people by creating single-occupancy bathrooms that are 100% gender-neutral.
As of now, it is unclear what the project will propose: totally new bathrooms, renovations of old bathrooms, or a hybrid.
SouzaFit Restaurant to Open Hoboken Location
{Photo Credit: @souzafitofficial}
Owners Christina and Felipe Souza announced to Hoboken Girl via email this week that their eatery, SouzaFit Restaurant, will soon be opening a third location right here in the Mile Square. SouzaFit touts itself as a healthy food restaurant with a menu featuring breakfast, salads, smoothies, burgers, and even weekly meal preps.
The Souzas started prepping and cooking healthy meals at home for friends back in 2014. Within a year, they had enough clients to warrant a bigger kitchen space. In 2015, they opened the first SouzaFit in Mount Vernon, NY. Thanks to a more extensive space, they branched out from meal prep and added a full menu available for eat-in or take-out for hungry customers.
Then came the second location in Newark in 2017. The endgame for SouzaFit? “Our goal is making fresh and healthy meals affordable to everyone that is tired of eating junk food or just looking for a tasty healthy option to eat outside,” the Souzas told Hoboken Girl. And it seems the Souza’s healthy food is in demand. SouzaFit third’s location will be at 579 Washington Street {the old Flatbread Grill space}. So come late August/early September, get ready to get your veg on.
The Backyard Bar Coming to Old Nag’s Head Spot on First Street
Jersey City Together Accuses Quest Diagnostic of De-Prioritizing COVID-19 Results for People of Color
The non-profit organization Jersey City Together has accused Newark-based Quest Diagnostics of de-prioritizing COVID-19 test results for low-income residents, according to Hudson County View.
A letter to Quest Diagnostics CEO Steve Rusckowski posted on JCT’s Facebook page, states: “Two weeks ago, starting July 1, we worked with the State of New Jersey, Interfaith Urgent Care, and the City of Jersey City to test more than 1,200 people at The Cityline Church in Jersey City.” According to JCT, many of those who were tested are still waiting on their results, which the group deemed “unacceptable.”
“Your company has stated publicly that you are de-prioritizing processing certain tests,” the letter continues. “It seems to us you have further de-prioritized free tests for low- and moderate-income people and people of color in your own county.”
“If this information is not released by Monday of next week, we will call for a public investigation of Quest Diagnostics’ business practices by the State of New Jersey, the Economic Development Authority, and by local governments here in Hudson County,” the letter concludes.
Earlier in the week Quest Diagnostics released a statement saying:
“Despite our rapid scaling up of capacity, soaring demand for COVID-19 molecular diagnostic tests across the United States is slowing the time in which we can provide test results. As a result, our average turnaround time for reporting test results is slightly more than 1 day for our priority 1 patients. However, our average turnaround time for all other populations is 7 or more days.”
In a promising development, on July 16th, Jersey City Together announced that Quest had replied to their letter and is prioritizing the 300+ tests that have not yet been processed.
NJ Bars and Restaurants That Can Open Two Walls Now Permitted to Open for Indoor Dining
Governor Phil Murphy took another step in the reopening process, issuing an executive order on Wednesday, allowing bars and restaurants to institute “indoor dining,” of sorts. The order amends the definition of outdoor areas “to include areas that have a fixed roof but have at least two open sides comprising over 50% of the wall space, thus providing sufficient natural airflow.” The order cites the significant reduction in the transmission of COVID-19 in outdoor areas.
At his coronavirus briefing in Trenton that same day, Murphy said this loosening of restrictions was possible because having half of a building’s wall space open allows for ample airflow. Not all restaurants, however, will benefit from the new order.
According to NJ.com, Diane Weiss, executive director of the New Jersey Licensed Beverage Association, commended Murphy, noting, “This is welcomed news to our industry, which has been so severely impacted due to the pandemic,” Weiss said. “It is our hope greater measures will be taken to allow our businesses to recover and avert filing for bankruptcy.”
Hoboken Schools Re-Opening Plan to be Issued in Late July
As parents and students await the reopening of Hoboken Schools on September 8th, Superintendent Christine Johnson issued a new message last Saturday, to update the community on the local plan. In her statement, Superintendent Johnson references “The Road Back: Restart and Recovery Plan for Education,” a document released by Governor Murphy Phil Murphy and NJ Commissioner of Education, Dr. Lamont Repollet, and sent to all local districts. Districts have approximately thirty days to design their own local plans.
Superintendent Johnson’s statement indicates that Gov. Murphy and Dr. Repollet’s document answers some questions, but not all, and only provides a “broad framework” for school reopening plans. What is clear, she said, is that all schools will have to strike a balance between in-person and remote learning.
“The Hoboken Public School District will be prepared regardless,” the statement continues. “We are exploring every possible option and designing comprehensive plans for each. I want to make it very clear that we have not completed these plans as of yet and we certainly have not selected one. If we have the ability to open safely either using a full day, traditional onsite model or a 50% capacity onsite model, we will do so. And, if that is the case, we will be as flexible as possible by providing families the choice of selecting the onsite model that we implement or selecting to stay on a remote learning model. That flexibility is not being discussed in many other districts, but I do feel it is critical to provide families with an option that is most comfortable.”
“We are also redesigning our remote learning model. We are committed to capitalizing on elements that we identified as in need of improvement between March and June and maintaining the many elements that worked well.”
“My goal is to have another survey go out to all families between July 18th and July 27th and publish our completed plan with our options by July 28th or shortly thereafter.”
“In closing, I ask that you please refrain from speculating or taking information provided by anyone other than me and taking to social media. All that does is muddy the water. Remember, if information is spoken or written about the opening of school plans by anyone but me, it’s probably not accurate. I would much rather you give me a call or email me any questions you may have and I will do my best to answer as quickly as possible.”
Jersey City May Foot Part of the Bill for Eminent Domain Proceedings at Christ Hospital
As the saga surrounding Jersey City’s Christ Hospital continues, according to The Jersey Journal, the city could be responsible for a portion of the bill for the Hudson County Improvement Authority’s bid to buy out stakeholders at the hospital.
The city council voted on a resolution Wednesday to contribute $10,000 to reimburse Hudson County for evaluating the Christ Hospital properties in preparation for eminent domain proceedings, with future payments being taken under consideration.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has only brought more awareness to the importance of Christ Hospital serving Jersey City,” city spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione told the Journal in an email. “The Mayor is committed to protecting Christ Hospital, and we are partnering with the county to use all the tools we have at our disposal.”
Stay tuned to Hoboken Girl as this story continues to develop.
Contention Mounts Over Bike Parking in Hoboken
As Hoboken moves ahead to make bike sharing a more practical reality for residents in Hoboken + Jersey City, parking bicycles, like parking anything in the city, remains problematic. Back in June, First Ward Councilman Mike DeFusco proposed legislation that would allow residents to safely secure their bicycles in municipal parking garages. Councilman DeFusco’s ordinance creates a permit process with a $52 annual fee and a requirement for all bicycles to display a City of Hoboken placard, similar to regulations for street parking.
“As more residents rely on bicycles as their primary mode of transportation, it’s important for us to properly activate space within our city that reflects this shift. Sharing the street requires drivers and cyclists alike to work together and abide by the rules and the more bikes with lights on the road helps protect the safety of everyone,” DeFusco said in a statement at the time.
The ordinance was co-sponsored by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fischer, who commented on Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s veto of the legislation this week via Twitter.
Our mayor @RaviBhalla once again put politics before policy & vetoed an ordinance that was approved 7-2 to add covered bike parking / storage to municipal garages for $1/wk. Why? Because it wasn’t his idea/headline.
it was @mike_defusco’s and I co-sponsored. pic.twitter.com/2661rYLFnQ— Tiffanie Fisher, Councilwoman (@Tiffanie_Fisher) July 17, 2020
Local group Bike Hoboken expressed via Twitter that the plan was “bare bones” and noting a lack of a feasibility and preliminary implementation plan initiated by the Council. Both sides, however, have expressed willingness to continue the conversation and, given the popularity of bike riding in town, this discussion could be far from over. View the full tweet thread here.
Jersey City Adds Curbside Pick-Up + Drop-Off Locations to Composting Program
Jersey City is taking its Composting Program to the next level with the launch of curbside pickup and eight community drop off locations at community gardens, religious institutions, libraries, and municipal buildings, according to Hudson Reporter.
The program, which began two years ago, racked up nearly 33,000 pounds of disposable waste that has been diverted from landfills and has instead been used as nutrient-rich organic material to help fertilize home and community gardens and parks.
According to the city, an electric bicycle will be used for food waste pickup, which can carry 200 pounds of composting per trip. Jersey City residents should register for the program by filling out the Curbside Composting form.
The also city partnered with community gardens and religious institutions to create easily accessible drop-off locations (up to eight), where food is collected weekly.
The program offers free/discounted backyard composting bins and workshops. To participate sign up here.
Just know that no registration is required. Residents can drop off their unwanted food scraps on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday at the Brunswick Community Garden, Five Corners Library, LCCS (Kensington entrance), City Hall, Congregation B’nai Jacob, Pop Up Jackson Hill, Riverview Farmers Market, or the Department of Public Works.
For more information, visit https://jcmakeitgreen.org/composting/.
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FREE Burgers This Friday at 2 Hoboken Bars
This article is sponsored by The Light Group.
Few things taste better than a burger and a beer on a warm Friday afternoon. In fact, the only thing that might have that scenario beat is a free burger and a beer on a warm Friday afternoon. On Friday, March 7th, two Hoboken bars are serving up just that with Hoboken’s first-ever Free Burger Friday. From 5PM-10PM, all burgers on the menu at Texas Arizona and River Street Garage will be completely free for any patrons dining in. You’ll still have to pay for that beer, but fries come included too. Keep reading to learn more about Free Burger Friday, happening March 7th at Texas Arizona and River Street Garage in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Event Details
No, this isn’t an early April Fool’s Day prank: The Light Group, the restaurant group behind Texas Arizona and River Street Garage, is hosting its first-ever Free Burger Friday in Hoboken. This means that on Friday, March 7th, every burger (fries included) at these two spots will be free from 5PM to 10PM. A peek at some of the options:
From Texas Arizona:
- The Classic: an 8oz. Burger topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, + onion
- TAXZ: an 8oz burger topped with pepper jack cheese, sauteed onions, poblano chilies, + chipotle aioli
- Texas Turkey Burger: an 8oz burger topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, + cheddar cheese
- River Street: an 8oz burger topped with pepper jack cheese, bacon, shredded lettuce, + the signature TA sauce
- Cali: an 8oz burger topped with pickles, avocado, bacon, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, + Russian dressing
- Bang Bang Shrimp Roll: crispy fried shrimp tossed with bang bang sauce and scallions, served on a Cuban roll
The special deal applies to dine-in orders at Texas Arizona (76 River Street) and River Street Garage (80 River Street) only, but there’s no additional purchase necessary. Reservations are encouraged, but not required, and can be made here.
Beyond the Burger Scene
Texas Arizona and River Street Garage aren’t the only downtown bars under The Light Group umbrella. Several Hoboken hot spots like Green Rock, McSwiggan’s, and The Waiting Room are part of the locally-owned restaurant group. Saku, an upscale sushi spot uptown, is another member of the family.
At the helm of this Mile Square empire is former MLB pitcher Patrick Light, who continues reimagining Hoboken’s nightlife scene. Free Burger Friday is the most recent of several fun initiatives, following the success of The Waiting Room’s seasonal pop-ups and Patrick’s “reverse cover” model where, instead of paying a cover fee, Hoboken bars will pay you to attend.
Beyond the burgers, Texas Arizona and River Street Garage are go-tos for a fun night out in town. Texas is a longstanding sports bar, with dozens of TVs streaming various sporting events at any given time. River Street Garage is one of the only live music spots in downtown Hoboken, with a consistent roster of local bands and artists every weekend.
Don’t forget, Texas Arizona will be hosting Free Burger Friday, on March 7th from 5PM to 10PM.
Texas Arizona is located at 76 River Street in Hoboken. To check out the menu or make a reservation, visit the site.
