The parade route was lined with a smiling sea of green as the Bayonne St. Patrick’s Day parade
made its way up Broadway. The River View Observer was there to catch some of the day’s festivities.
On March 16, the Newark Bears are searching for some of the top talents in New Jersey from singers and dancers to spokesmodels, mascots, play-by-play announcers and on-field hosts!
This is your chance to show the world that you’re a star! Impress the judges, and you could be a member of the Honey Bears Dance Team, a play-by-play broadcaster, on-field host or you may even be singing your rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium!
If you are an aspiring model, you could be in front of the camera at photo and video shoots promoting the Newark Bears. Always the life of the party? You could wear the costume of one of our legendary mascots, Ruppert and Effa. Continue reading Talent Wanted: NEWARK BEARS HOLDING AUDITONS→
TCNJ Center for the Arts and the Department of Music are pleased to announce that TCNJ’s Choirs will once again be performing in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall as part of the second annual Project Hand-in-Hand concert.
The following students will be among those performing in the TCNJ Choir:
The choirs, led by Dr. John P. Leonard and Dr. Ryan J. Tibbetts, along with 80 high school students from the earthquake disaster-area in Japan and The Friends of Japan Orchestra, comprised of members of New York City Opera Orchestra, will collaborate to perform Guiseppi Verdi’s Requiem on Friday, March 22, 2013 at 8:00pm. The Project Hand-in-Hand performance serves to support Japan’s long-term recovery efforts as well as a means to express gratitude for the support that has been received from around the world. Continue reading Two TCNJ Students from Hudson County to Perform at Lincoln Center→
(All proceeds directly benefit the Historic Cemetery Restoration Fund)
Sponsored by The Division of Cultural Affairs, the Jersey City Municipal Council, the Office of Mayor Jerramiah Healy, The Historical Project, The Jersey City Free Public Library, & Friends of the Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery. (For more information or reservations, please call 201 707 0738 or 973-204-9888)
In a series of firsts a new Pope was choosen by the Cardinals  today in Vatican City   His given name Jorge Mario Bergoglio will forever be known as Pope Francis.
Pope Francis, 76 years old of Buenos Aires, Argentina a Jesuit and Latin America’s first Pope.
Rome time 8pm, the new Pontiff gave his first blessing to the thousands that jammed St. Peter’s Basilica and the watching world.
NJGG gives young athletes a chance to compete statewide
(Next tournament: March 15th 7:30 PMHudson Catholic High School 790 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City
)Middletown, NJ (March 7, 2013) – More than 350 boxers will compete throughout the state in the 2013 New Jersey Golden Gloves (NJGG) Amateur Boxing Championship. A tournament schedule includes nine preliminary bouts with ages ranging from 8 to 34 in their respective age divisions. This marks the first year to include the Junior Golden Gloves division into the tournament so that the younger athletes have the opportunity to compete on a much larger scale. Last year, approximately 200 boxers competed in the age range of 17 to 34 years old, which proves that the popularity of boxing continues to grow. The open class boxers and selected up-and-comers from the other three divisions will advance to the state finals on Saturday, April 20th at the Prudential Center’s AmeriHealth Pavilion in Newark.
Nick Campanella,  Managing Director   from  Fin Credit Inc. holding the “Shop Bayonne.” card at the recent March 1st, 2013 luncheon to announce the program to Bayonne businesses
 On March 1st the program was introduced to Bayonne business owners and Bayonne residents at a special luncheon hosted by the Bayonne Urban Enterprise Zone and the Bayonne Special Improvement District.  And a special mailing will go out to Bayonne Businesses and Bayonne residents explaining how the program works.
 “Shop Bayonne†is a program initiative that provides a tax credit to residents who make purchases from local businesses in town. Once you enroll in the program, you are assigned a property tax card similar to the reward cards you get in other stores; you’ll use it when you make your purchases with local merchants who are participating in the program. Residents who use their PTC-Property Tax Card will accumulate property tax dollars towards their tax bill.
 Mayor Mark A. Smith announced that Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded the City of Bayonne’s bond rating from Baa1 with negative outlook to Baa1 with stable outlook. Smith said, “This upgrade is very good news. It shows that Bayonne has made significant financial progress during my Administration. Moody’s has raised Bayonne’s rating for the first time in more than five years. Our hard work and fiscal discipline are paying off. We have turned a corner and are moving in the right direction.â€
           Moody’s cited several factors in its decision to improve Bayonne’s rating: 1) The agency recognized that the Bayonne Municipal Utilities Authority’s (MUA) joint venture with United Water and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) removed $120 million from the local debt burden. The transaction paid off all the MUA’s debt and a portion of the debt of the Bayonne Local Redevelopment Agency. 2) Moody’s noted that the City no longer has any deferred charges. All charges deferred in the past have been paid off. 3) The City of Bayonne has a declining reliance on tax anticipation notes (TANS) to cover its cashflow needs. 4) Bayonne has a large tax base. 5) Bayonne has declining debt. 6) Bayonne has new revenues from payments in lieu of taxes (PILOTS) coming from newly developed properties. Continue reading River View Observer Financial Views-Declining Debt, New Tax Revenues Lead to Moody’s Upgrade of Bayonne’s Bond Rating→
Al Certo in his Secaucus Tailor Shop with photo of himself and boxing legends
How many people can say Frank Sinatra’s mother brought them into the world? Born in Hoboken under the watchful eye of midwife Dolly Sinatra (she was a neighbor), Al Certo was raised in Hoboken where he dreamed of being a dancer but, instead, built two careers as a professional boxer and men’s tailor, Certo weaved back and forth between those two worlds until he eventually hung up his gloves and threw himself into herringbones and tweeds.
 Certo’s Custom Tailors has thrived in Secaucus for more than 50 years. Back in the day Certo’s shop was two floors with eight tailors handling the orders; today, the top floor is now a pizzeria and Harsh Khindri who has been with Certo for 15 years handles most of the work.
 “He’s one of the greatest tailors I ever met,†Certo says. “He has gold in his hands.â€
Certo’s tailor shop is filled with sewing machines and along several walls are rows of hangers with yards of fabrics like cashmere, wools and cottons. Above the hangers is a line-up of photographs mostly of famous boxers who Certo knew from his years in the ring. Sometimes they came to Certo’s shop to talk boxing and sometimes they picked out a suit. That’s what boxing legend Muhammad Ali did. Continue reading Tweed Suits and Golden Gloves-Former Boxing Champ Al Certo on Choosing the Right Weave→
If you know anything about Downtown Jersey City, you know that it has changed dramatically in the last 4 decades. Gone are the broken down piers that once faced New York City, making way for tall residental and commerical buildings with the influence of developers like Donald Trump and Simon LeFrak, the Siverman Brothers; and others.
The footage you are about to see reflects the old Jersey City from the 1970s.
In particular, the Village Section which was primarily made up of Italian Americans.
We don’t know who to credit for this film but it is a wonderful look at a Jersey City long gone and we are happy it was taken.
Pay close attention to the camera angle as the camera pulls close ups on building being offered for sale at the time.
Enjoy and The River View Team thanks the person or persons who took this film.
A lifestyle and entertainment publication serving the Jersey City, Hoboken, Bayonne, Weehawken, West New York, North Bergen, Cliffside Park, Edgewater, Secaucus and Guttenberg Waterfront Communities