The post JERSEY CITY FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY PARTNERS WITH LIBERTY STATE PARK TO LAUNCH YEARLONG CELEBRATION OF THE PARK’S 50TH first appeared on River View Observer.

 The Loewâ€s Jersey is partnering with the Jersey City Free Public Library to participate in National Screening Day / 1984

At The Landmark Loewâ€s Jersey Theatre

54 Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ 07306

Tel. (201) 798-6055  Web: www.loewsjersey.org

Email: loewsjersey@gmail.com

Tuesday, April 4 at 7:30PM
“1984” John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton.  Directed by Michael Radford. 1984, 120mins, Color, Rated R.  (Screened in high def digital.)
Filmed and premiered during its eponymous year — a pivotal moment that occurs in the novel on April 4 was actually filmed on April 4 —  Michael Radford’s adaptation is generally considered to be the preeminent movie version of George Orwell’s landmark novel (the story was filmed once before, in 1956 in a British production). Roger Ebert, who called it a “brilliant film”, wrote: “What is remarkable about the movie is how completely it satisfied my feelings about the book; the movie looks, feels, and almost tastes and smells like Orwell’s bleak and angry vision. John Hurt, with his scrawny body and lined and weary face, makes the perfect Winston Smith.” The film’s stark gray settings effectively set the mood of a totalitarian state. Suzanna Hamilton as Julia brings some human warmth to the otherwise grim and desolate surroundings, which makes her fate all the more shattering . In the last performance before his death, Richard Burton conveys Inner Party member O’Brien with a strange fatherly compassion that makes his sadistic role all the more disturbing. In contrast to some films that have a flashy look and make a lot of use of special effects to portray a dystopian future, “1984” focuses on the plight of humans with an austere landscape, washed-out colors, and severe close-ups that signify the omnipresence of Big Brother.  In all, this “1984” faithfully follows its literary source in story, character, and tone.  â€œ1984” is certainly not a ‘feel-good†movie, but it is not supposed to be.  Itâ€s a cautionary tale intended to make you think – and also, frightened enough to want to avoid Orwellâ€s nightmare parable from coming true.  (Description complied from various sources.)

The first 100 attendees will receive a copy of George Orwellâ€s “1984,” compliments of the Jersey City Free Public Library Foundation.

The Loew’s Jersey is a classic Movie Palace now serving as a non-profit, multi-discipline performing arts center.
The presentation and appreciation of film is an important part of our programmatic mission.

 

The Loew’s Is Easy To Get To:   The Loew’s Jersey Theatre, at 54 Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ, is directly across JFK Boulevard from the JSQ PATH Center with trains to and from Lower and Midtown Manhattan and Newark’s Penn Station, and is minutes from the NJ Turnpike, Rts. 3 and 1&9 and the Holland & Lincoln Tunnels. We’re easy to reach by car or mass transit from throughout the Metro Region.

Discount off-street parking is available in Square Ramp Garage adjoining the Loew’s at the foot of Magnolia Avenue off of Tonnelle Avenue, behind the Loew’s. Patrons must validate their parking ticket before leaving the Theatre.

Whatâ€s Special About Seeing A Movie At The Loewâ€s?   The Landmark Loewâ€s Jersey Theatre is one of Americaâ€s grandest surviving Movie Palaces. We show movies the way they were meant to be seen: in a grandly ornate setting – on our BIG 50 ft wide screen! The Loewâ€s primarily still runs reel-to-reel — never platter — projection, which often allows us to screen an archival or studio vault print that is the best available copy of a movie title.

PLUS – Live organ entrance music (from the Loewâ€s magnificently restored pipe organ) before most screenings.

The Loew’s is wheelchair accessible.

The Loewâ€s Jersey was saved from planned demolition and is managed by Friends of the Loewâ€s, Inc. to serve our community and our region as a non-profit, multi-discipline performing arts center.

Our mission is to preserve a great American landmark and promote the art of entertainment. 

 Classic Film Weekends are presented by Friends of the Loewâ€s, Inc.

 

The post It will be “1984” on April 4 at the Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre . . . & Across America. first appeared on River View Observer.

JERSEY CITY, N.J.   July 7, 2015 – The Jersey City Free Public Library wants to make it easier for those women and men – aged 18 to 35 – who want to apply to be a firefighter.

According to Library Network Administrator Victor Enriquez, he has created “an icon on both the publicaccess and allaccess profiles, entitled: N.J. Firefighter Online Application. Upon clicking the icon, it will automatically open to the Job Announcement listing on the NJ Civil Service Commission web page.”

Library staff at the Main Library and all nine branches and the Bookmobile will direct library patrons to this icon on all library Public Access and All Access computers should they come in to inquire how to access the New Jersey Firefighter Online Application.

The New Jersey Firefighter Online Application is available from July 1 to August 31, 2015. All applicants need to be between 18 and 35, and have a high school diploma (GED, or equivalent) and a valid N.J. driverâ€s license. Application is ONLINE ONLY.

For the latest on programs, events, and special announcements please follow the Library on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jersey-City-Free-Public-Library/121162594579991), Twitter (JCFPL_NJ) or Pinterest (www.pinterest.com/jerseycityPL) at Jersey City Free Public Library. Visit us on the web at www.jclibrary.org for all information on the Library, including all press releases in The Press Room.

The post Want to be a New Jersey Firefighter? first appeared on River View Observer.

The Main Library of the Jersey City Free Public Library was first built in 1899 and it opened in 1901. That makes this grand building on Jersey Avenue in downtown Jersey City historic yet antiquated.

The powers-that-be for the library are moving forward with raising $3 million to finance, in part, a much-needed three-part renovation of the building located in downtown Jersey City to bring it into the 21st century as well as allow it to retain much of its early 20th century charm. The renovation was in the spotlight at the “Wine, Renovations and Song” fundraiser held in the main branch on June 24.

The event offered a platform for

Specifically, to bankroll about three years of work that will cost upwards of $10 million, according to Ruman, while the library is open to patrons. The updates include new barrier-free access to building and chairlift to comply with ADA requirements, new elevator shaft, mobile shelves and new desks and furniture for the library’s New Jersey Room, and new central air conditioning system. When Ruman was asked after the fundraiser if the older furniture and shelves in the New Jersey Room that date back to the early years of the library were going to be preserved, she would only say that many of the shelves were in need of replacement.

“This wonderful building was opened in 1901 and was constructed for $208,000,” Ruman told the guests. “We are spending millions to do the renovation of this building.”
Ruman and Gardner showed off architectural renderings of the future alterations to the main library. Ruman would later lead some of the visitors on a tour of the library’s four floors to not only view the wondrous designs and architecture of the various sections of the library but also to get a sense of how these elements, many of which have existed the building first opened, have fallen victim to time.

Some guests such as City Councilwoman Diane Coleman contributed on the spot by placing their donations of checks or cash in a large glass box that held all the donations that came in the past month.
Gardner told the River View Observer before the event started that the library has raised $7,385 since the fundraising campaign kicked off on May 13, with $4,000 coming from those who donated online through the crowdfunding website GoFundMe and the other $3,385 from checks written out directly to the library.

Also, $5 million in capital improvement funds from the city has been approved toward the renovation, which could start as early as September with the replacement of the libraryâ€s windows as well as the renovations that pertain to disabled access.

For more information about the renovation and the fundraising effort, visit http://jclibrary.org/

The post Three Is the Magic Number for JC Library Renovation first appeared on River View Observer.

While Closed due to Storm Repairs

JERSEY CITY, N.J.   November 14, 2012 – Hurricane Sandy left her mark on the Main Library in Jersey City in the most lingering way: Receding waters in the basement left destruction in its wake amidst typical developing problems such as mold. Hence, the need for $1.4 million in repairs, according to Helena Ruman Associates, the architectural firm for the Jersey City Free Public Library.

            To the rescue: The Bookmobile!

            Starting tomorrow, Thursday, November 15^th, the Bookmobile will be stationed in front of the Main Library (472 Jersey Avenue) for one hour each day, Monday through Friday, from

4 to 5 p.m.

“The damage from this hurricane has not stopped me from doing all I can to make sure repairs are done as soon as possible,” said Library Director Priscilla Gardner. “Rest assured, every effort to re-open the Main Library is being done, from contacting FEMA to working directly with city officials and our architect to fast-track our remedial plans.”

Patrons can return library materials (books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs) from the Main Library at any branch, including the Bookmobile, when they are due. If that is not possible, all library materials gotten from the Main Library that cannot be returned during the Main Libraryâ€s closure can be brought back when the Main Library re-opens. All fines for those particular library materials will be forgiven.

For the latest on programs, events, and special announcements please follow the Library on Facebook or Twitter at Jersey City Free Public Library. Visit us on the web at www.jclibrary.org for all information on the Library, including all press releases in The Press Room.

#     #     #

 

The post Bookmobile to be In Front of Main Jersey City Library for 1 Hour first appeared on River View Observer.

It was a small gesture, lovingly placed in the obituary of their son, Matthew Angelo Scarpa, when he suddenly died on January 3, 2012. Born on September 29, 2011, and only three months, four days old when he passed, this infant made a difference in his parents†lives, who have now shared that sunshine with others.

            Dignora Aquino and Sgt. Michael J. Scarpa of the Jersey City Police Department are also the parents of four children – WilliamGaius Christopher, Raffaele Charles, Marissa Vera, and Gianna Rose – whose fifth child, Matthew, was known for his radiant smile.

            “That selfless gesture from Matthewâ€s parents now benefits all Jersey City children who come to the Bonetti Childrenâ€s Room at the Main Library,” said Library Director Priscilla Gardner. The books have a commemorative label placed in them, so parents, caregivers and children can know of Matthew:

The Vincenzo Domenico Bonetti II Childrenâ€s Room at the Main Library in Jersey City was named on April 18, 2002 after the two-year-old boy who succumbed from an unknown illness on January 27, 2001. His parents provide the Christmas tree for the Childrenâ€s Room every year in their sonâ€s honor.

For the latest on programs, events, and special announcements please follow the Library on Facebook or Twitter at Jersey City Free Public Library. Visit us on the web at www.jclibrary.org for all information on the Library, including all press releases in The Press Room.  As of today, May 16, 2012, the Jersey City Free Public Library has 213,100 valid card members.

 ATTACHED:   List of Donated Books

27 Books Donated by Dignora Aquino, in loving memory of her son, Matthew Angelo Scarpa

to the Bonetti Childrenâ€s Room, Main Library, Jersey City

 Assorted Childrenâ€s Books, By Title

Animales bebés

Care Bears – Sweet Dreams

Curious George – Stories to Share

Duck & Goose – Itâ€s time for Christmas!

Elmoâ€s World – Balls!

Iâ€m a Construction Worker

Letâ€s Count!

Love You Forever

Peedie

Thatâ€s not my lion…its nose is too fuzzy.

Thomas & Friends – Tales of Discovery

Trucks Camiones

When Papa Comes Home Tonight

Who is Hiding

Dr. Seuss

ABC – An Amazing Alphabet Book!

Thereâ€s a Wocket in my Pocket

Disney

Alice in Wonderland

The Aristocats

Bambi

Best Friends

Buscando a Nemo

Dumbo

Lady and the Tramp

The Lion King

Pigletâ€s BIG Movie

Pinocchio and the Whale

Winnie the Pooh – Pooh Goes Visiting

The post Mother of SIDS Infant Donates 27 Books to the Bonetti Children’s Room at Main Library first appeared on River View Observer.

If you grew up in New Jersey itâ€s likely you knew somebody who had a friend whose second cousin had a brother-in-law whose uncle was connected to “the Mob.” Born in Jersey City and raised in Union City and then Secaucus, Jon Dâ€Amore had family members who were “connected”. An accomplished musician and songwriter, Dâ€Amore kept mental notes of a Las Vegas casino caper that went down back in the day and tells the fascinating and sometimes nail-biting story in his new book, “The Boss Always Sits in the Back.” Hereâ€s an excerpt:

“This is my story, based on actual events, of living on the fringe of what some people call ‘the Mafia.†You see, several members of my immediate family were connected. Connected simply means that through blood, honor or business…you have a direct connection to the Cosa Nostra, the Mafia, Our Thing, La Famiglia, the Mob. And those members of my family made a very comfortable living for many, many years through this affiliation. I thought about becoming more involved when I was in my early 20s, but at the time it was the mid-1970s. I was a professional musician and having too much fun living the rock ‘n†roll lifestyle. I was living every dream of most of my high school and college buddies (and at the time… that mattered!), so why would I want to cut my hair, wear dark suits and ties…and take the chance of getting whacked? Instead, I decided to watch da guys from the sidelines.”

Funny, irreverent and a natural storyteller, Dâ€Amore has made Los Angeles his home since the mid-1990s, but he has remained connected to his Jersey roots. He returns to Hudson this month for special appearances at the Secaucus, Jersey City and North Bergen libraries where he will read excerpts and sign copies of “The Boss Always Sits in the Back,” On a recent afternoon, Dâ€Amore took time out of his busy schedule to talk with Riverview Observer about his controversial new book.

 `RVO: Can you tell our readers what “The Boss Always Sits in the Back” is about?

JD: The book is about some guys I knew from Hudson County who pulled off one of the greatest scams to hit Las Vegas and after it was exposed it changed gambling laws across the country forever so that a scam like this could never happen again. It tells a story of the human side of these people and at the same time it describes the demise of what can be considered ‘the Mob,†because it certainly isnâ€t what we knew it to be from the 1940s through the late 1970s.

RVO:  Why did you decide to write a book about the Mob?

JD: The things that happened in this book started in 1975 when I was a musician. When I had heard about what these guys were doing in Vegas, I thought it would make a fantastic story. One thing I always believe to be true is that these guys are part of our history. Like it or not, there isnâ€t a culture that hasnâ€t come to this country that didnâ€t have to do what they needed to do to survive as a family and as a culture. Itâ€s part of our society. These things I heard about I knew it needed to be written about and that these people needed to be immortalized, because of what they were doing. These guys, and I say ‘these guys†with love and respect, did amazing things when you think that none of them had a college degree, or even prior to 1970, a large number of them didnâ€t have a high school diploma and some of the things they did were worth writing about. I knew I always wanted to write this story but the timing wasnâ€t right. I needed to wait. There were loose ends that needed to resolved – people needed to be incarcerated or released.

RVO: Werenâ€t you a bit nervous about naming names?

JD: I changed the names of everyone except my family. Everybody who is still alive and who I am still in contact with, I told them that I wrote this story and they all ask the same question: ‘Whoâ€s going to play me in the movie?â€

RVO:  Have there been any movie offers?

JD: Thereâ€s been a lot of interest. I wrote the screenplay and I have people contacting me wanting to talk business. Weâ€re just waiting for the right person to get a $25 million movie made. Thatâ€s the budget of this project.

 RVO:  How did you go from being a musician to a writer?

JD:  Because I had been taking guitar lessons since I was seven, by the time I was 14, I could read any kind of music chart put in front of me and that gave me impetus to write songs. Iâ€m not saying any were blockbusters or hits, but I learned how to write lyrics that were good. In the Jersey club bands I played in, the songs I wrote were good for the time we were doing them. I always wrote to a degree, just not books or anything that was publishable until 1976. At the Herald News an editor found out I was a traveling musician and gave me the opportunity to write a weekly column called “Jon Dâ€Amore on the Road.” When I was touring, I got to tell about being a musician on the road. I got to review albums, concerts. I got out of the music business in 1985 and I made it into the corporate world and by the 90s, I was traveling all over the country as a corporate executive doing presentations for large groups. I was in the insurance business but I never sold a life insurance policy in my life. After a decade in the corporate world, I was unhappy with what I was doing. I loved the people who were benefiting from what I did, but Iâ€m not really a corporate guy.

RVO:  What made you decide to become a Californian? Did you have ties there?

JD:  My father had two cousins who had established themselves in the restaurant business in Los Angeles from the 1930s to the 1970s, so when I was a kid, we came out here to visit. I donâ€t remember this, but I was told that when I was just an infant the actor James Dean, who was a frequent customer of my cousinâ€s restaurant, picked me up and held me in his arms. Six weeks later he would be killed. I always had a connection out here and I always knew I would live here.

RVO:  You have several book signings scheduled including May 16th at the Secaucus Library. How does it feel to come back to your hometown a published author?

JD:  In all honesty, itâ€s a wonderful feeling to be able to go back. From first grade to eighth grade, I attended school in Union City and from ninth grade to high school graduation I went to Weehawken High School. (Back when I was living in Secaucus, there wasnâ€t a local high school and we went to Weehawken.) At the book signings, there will be people I havenâ€t seen since then. I was the guy who played all the high school dances. And you know whose footsteps Iâ€m following? You know who else was famous from Secaucus who came before me? The Tidy Bowl Man, the guy who did all those Tidy Bowl commercials. Thatâ€s the guy Iâ€m following.

If you go:

Jon Dâ€Amore will read excerpts and sign copies of his new book

“The Boss Always Sits in the Back” on the following dates in Hudson:

 

Wed, May16, 7 pm

Secaucus Public Library and Business Resource Center 1379 Paterson Plank Road

Secaucus

(201) 330-2083

www.secaucus.bccls.org

 

Thursday, May 17, 6 pm

North Bergen Free Public Library

8411 Bergenline Avenue

North Bergen (201) 869-4715

www.njpl.org

 

Mon, May 21, 6 pm

Jersey City Free Public Library

Five Corners Branch

678 Newark Ave. Jersey City, NJ 07306 (201) 547-4543

www.jclibrary.org/branches/five-corners

 

For more information, or to purchase the hardcover or paperback of “The Boss Always Sits in the Back,” visit www.thebossalwayssitsintheback.com. (hardcover $22; paperback $13)

Kindle and Nook readers can download the book for $7.99 at www.Amazon.com and www.B&N.com

Boxing Promoter Al Certo (2nd from left) along with Boxers: (l) Joey Giardello, next to Al Certo the great Jack Dempsey and Willie Pep

Photo Below: A young Jon D’Amore future author holding a fake machine gun at a friends wedding

The post MOBSTER TALES-Jon D’Amore Who Grew Up in Secaucus, Pens Page Turner on Jersey Wiseguys and The Casino Caper first appeared on River View Observer.

 “Who am I?” Itâ€s a question people have pondered since the dawn of time. And these days, itâ€s not enough to know how you fit in with your immediate family; people are now turning to websites like Ancestry.com to dig up the roots of their familyâ€s tree. This trend is so popular, hit TV shows like “Finding your Roots” on PBS and “Who Do You Think You Are?” on NBC are attracting high ratings from viewers tuning in to watch stars like Samuel L. Jackson, Kevin Bacon, Edie Falco, Rob Lowe and Rosie Oâ€Donnell discover the secrets of their familyâ€s past.

 In November 2010, the New Jersey Room of the Jersey City Free Public Library and its staff were featured in one of the episodes of NBCâ€s “Who Do You Think You Are?” when Oâ€Donnell came to the New Jersey Room to do genealogy search into her Irish background.  The show took Oâ€Donnell on a journey that included a trip to Ireland, where she visited a workhouse where one of her relatives had lived. Both “Finding your Roots” and “Who Do You Think You Are” are filled with touching moments like these, and for viewers, the shows have helped a renewed interest in the past so that we might learn more about ourselves.

 At the New Jersey Room on Tues, May 22^nd, Library Assistant Danny Klein will be hosting “Who Do You Think You Are?” for local genealogy enthusiasts looking for clues to their past. The New Jersey Room is a treasure trove of resources and Klein says the two-hour workshop will show people how to trace their relatives using city directories and local maps that date back to the 1600s.

“Weâ€re going to talk a lot about what the New Jersey Room has to offer, which is a lot of information about Jersey City and Hudson County that youâ€re not going to get any place else,” Klein says,” and that includes the Internet. “We donâ€t have birth certificates or death certificates or records like that. What we do have are city directories which are the precursor to telephone books that list people who lived in Jersey City and Hoboken and some of the North Hudson towns, dating from 1925 to 1949. So if youâ€re looking for an ancestor who lived in the area, you can look them up by last name and find out where they lived, sometimes find out what their occupation was, too.”

Since the “Finding your Roots” and “Who Do You Think You Are?” shows have become TV hits, more and more people are searching their roots via websites like Ancestry.com and by joining local genealogical societies.  Klein, who writes a monthly genealogy column for “The Jersey Journal” is also a member of the Hudson County Genealogical and Historical Society that meets the second Saturday of the month in the Secaucus library. (www.hudsoncountynjgenealogy.org) Last month, the meeting was about the newly released 1940 census and in May, the group is planning a road trip to the State History Fair to be held at Washingtonâ€s Crossing near Trenton.

A former president of the Society, Klein says heâ€s always been interested in history and his family lineage and he says he gets a kick out of “the chase.” While researching his family, he recently learned something new about his great-grandfather who emigrated from Germany in the late 1880s and lived in West Hoboken. It seems that in 1914, Kleinâ€s great-grandfather took a trip to Germany in the summer and while visiting relatives there, World War I broke out. He must have lost his passport, Klein says, and went to the American Consulate to apply for a new one. While doing research, Klein tracked down a copy of his great-grandfatherâ€s passport application. It can be pretty thrilling to see documents signed by your ancestors, Klein says: “Seeing the signatures, thatâ€s a big thing.”

So, if youâ€re interested in starting your own family tree, where do you begin? Klein says: “You start with yourself and move backwards. You know when you were born, when you were married. Those records are easy to get. Then you start working on your parents†histories and you ask them questions. Thatâ€s the easiest way and the most precise way. You donâ€t want to start three generations ago.”

Klein is a huge fan of websites like Ancestry.com. Theyâ€re very helpful, he says, but thereâ€s only so much you can find on the internet. You still have to go out and hit the bricks, he says.

Ultimately, what fascinates and inspires us about genealogical research is seeing all the pieces of the puzzle fit together and the amazing journeys our ancestors took that connect the dots to our own existence.

“When you go back and youâ€re looking at all your grandparents and great-grandparents all you need is one person to be missing and youâ€re not here,” Klein says.

If you go:

Tues, May 22, 6 to 8 pm; Free admission

“So Who Do You Think You Are”

The New Jersey Room

Jersey City Free Public Library

472 Jersey Avenue

Jersey City

(201) 547-4579

www.jclibrary.org

 

Hudson County Genealogical and Historical Society

www.HudsonCountyNJGenealogy.org

 

“Who Do You Think You Are”

Friday nights, 8 pm, on NBC

www.nbc.com

 

“Finding your Roots”

Sunday nights, 8 pm, on PBS

 www.pbs.org

 

The post Back to the Future-Exploring Family Lineage and Filling in the Blanks first appeared on River View Observer.