“As we come to the end of this yearâ€s Project 365: Green Week, I hope all residents continue to in our

effort to make Jersey City one of the greenest cities in the nation,” said Mayor Healy. “We will continue to

provide opportunities for our residents to lead sustainable lifestyles, as well as develop new ways in which

we can remain green.”

Jersey City Green Week will conclude on Saturday, May 4th with a celebration of our Adopt-a-Lot and

Adopt-a-Park Kickoff and Green Week closing party. The day kicks off at 11 a.m. at Arlington Park,

located on Grand and Arlington Avenues, where games, activities, face painting and much more will be

available to residents.

Residents who would like to get out early can take part in the Skyway Park public meeting and seasonal

opening at 10 a.m. located at the park entrance on Sip Avenue and Routes 1&9.

The City is also partnering with Bike JC and Hudson Transportation Management Association on an

education campaign for both drivers and cyclists about adherence to all traffic regulations and ordinances

for everyoneâ€s safety.

For a complete list of sponsors and business participants, please visit the Project 365: Jersey City Green

Week website, http://jc365daysofgreen.wix.com/365-green-week

The post The Project 365: Jersey City Green Week Closing Party and Adopt-A-Lot/Adopt-A-Park Kickoff first appeared on River View Observer.

 

By Sally Deering

 

The Hudson & Manhattan RR Powerhouse in the downtown section of Jersey City stands amidst the million-dollar high-rises like a drab Cinderella before her Fairy Godmother turns her into a Princess. An icon of the golden age of Jersey City, the H&M Powerhouse that once harnessed electrical power to the Hudson Trains and Tunnel that connected New Jersey and New York before the PATH is now a deconstructed shell of her former self and – just like Cinderella – about to receive a makeover.

 

Located on Washington Boulevard between First and Bay Streets in downtown Jersey City, the H & M Powerhouse is in the cityâ€s Warehouse Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.  Designed by architect John Oakman and his partner W. Powell Robins, the H & M Powerhouse began powering up H & M Railroadâ€s Hudson Tunnels subway line that connected New Jersey and New York on February 25, 1908. It provided power 24/7 to the cars, lines, stations and terminals here and in New York.  In 1929 the H & M Powerhouse closed and in December 2001, the National Register of Historic Places certified it as a national landmark.  The Port Authority and Jersey City jointly own the building and in 2009 agreed to the stabilization of the Powerhouse which has now become the anchor for the Powerhouse Arts District – a proposed mecca of theaters, art galleries, restaurants and shops. According to Bob Antonicello, Executive Director of the Jersey City Redevelopment Authority which oversees new and reconstructed building development in Jersey City, the ongoing stabilization of the historic H & M Powerhouse by the JCRA has entered a critical stage with the removal of the buildingâ€s smokestacks.

 “Unfortunately, the removal of the smokestacks is something that is unavoidable,” Antonicello says. “The years of deterioration have undermined the stability of the stacks and after exhaustive engineering studies, including invasive testing last spring, have led to the conclusion that the smokestacks could not be saved.”

The removal began the last week of March and will take approximately six weeks.

“Although we are saddened to see the smokestacks removed, we are encouraged by the fact that the building has been stabilized,” Antonicello says. “We are now moving forward with the designated redeveloper, the Cordish Companies of Baltimore, Maryland, with the future plans which will include the reconstruction of the smokestacks.”

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy says that although he was disappointed when he learned that the smokestacks would have to come down, he is encouraged by the hard work the JCRA is doing to preserve “the historic treasure of our Cityâ€s industrial past.”

“I know, like the Power Plant in Baltimore, this property will see a rebirth that will be a lynchpin for the Powerhouse Arts District and a landmark for the City,” Healy says.

For more information on the history of the H&M Powerhouse, visit: www.njcu.edu; www.jerseycitylandmarks.org

 

The post H & M Powerhouse Loses Smokestacks Gains Momentum in Jersey City first appeared on River View Observer.

Mayorâ€s Action Bureau, as well as the Jersey City Fire Department, are working with the

Hudson County Chapter of the American Red Cross to assist the victims of last weekâ€s fire on

Belmont Avenue that destroyed six homes.

To date, donations have been received from Modellâ€s, ShopRite Inserra Foods and the Healy

Charitable Foundation.

“Our Jersey City business owners have always been so generous in assisting those families who

have suffered from tragedy before, and we thank them for their assistance in helping the victims

of this recent fire on Belmont Avenue,” said Mayor Healy. “I especially want to thank Modellâ€s

and Larry Inserra of Shoprite Inserra Foods for their generous donations.”

Any business owner or resident wishing to donate a gift card or service to the families is asked to

contact the Mayorâ€s Action Bureau by calling 201-547-4597. Anyone wishing to make a

monetary donation is asked to donate to the American Red Cross, and indicate that the donation

is for the Victims of the Belmont Avenue Fire – Jersey City.

The post City Of Jersey City Working with Red Cross to Assist Victims of Belmont Avenue Fire first appeared on River View Observer.

Hudson County Executive Thomas A. DeGise, members of the Hudson County Chosen Board of Freeholders, New Jersey State Senator Sandra B. Cunningham, Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy, Hudson County Community College Board of Trustees Chair William J. Netchert, Esq. and other Trustees, Hudson County Community College President Glen Gabert and members of the Collegeâ€s administration, faculty and staff will be in attendance for the Topping Out Ceremonies for the new Hudson County Community College Library & Academic Building, currently under construction at 71 Sip Avenue in Jersey City, NJ.

The event will begin with remarks in the lobby of the Collegeâ€s Administration Building (70 Sip Avenue) on the Journal Square Campus in Jersey City and will proceed across the street to the site of the Library & Academic Building.

Tuesday morning, April 2, 2013 at 10 a.m.

The post Hudson County Community College the ‘Topping Out’ of New Library & Academic Building first appeared on River View Observer.

City of Bayonne’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2013 from River View Observer on Vimeo.

The crowds came out today for the City of Bayonne's St. Patrick's Day Parade.
The River View Observer was there to capture today's festivities.

The post City of Bayonne, St. Patrick’s Day Parade March 17th, 2013 first appeared on River View Observer.

Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy,

The Pan-African flag, also referred to as the Universal Negro Improvement Association flag, or Black Liberation flag, is a tri-color flag consisting of three horizontal bands colored: red, black and green. The Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) and African Communities League adopted the flag on August 13, 1920.

“The African-American flag is a symbol of unity, suffrage, strength and dignity,” said

Mayor Healy. “In raising the flag, we are paying special respect to the countless contributions made by African Americans throughout the ages; contributions that continue to enrich our great city and great nation.”

Black History Month originated in 1926 when historian Carter G. Woodson developed what was known as “Negro History Week” in an effort to educate people about the accomplishments of Africans and African-Americans. Carter G. Woodson made it his cause to teach the broad spectrum of African-American history to all Americans, black and white alike.

In 1976, the celebration was expanded to include the entire month of February, the birth month of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, an African-American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman and abolitionist. Black History Month is celebrated to remember important individuals and events in African and African-American history. Carter G. Woodson is acknowledged as the Father of Black History.

This yearâ€s observance of Black History Month marks the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement.

For more information, please contact the Division of Cultural Affairs at (201) 547-6921.

The post Jersey City to Raise African-American Flag In Honor of Black History Month first appeared on River View Observer.

JERSEY CITY – Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy

A separate press conference will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, January 7, 2013, at the Police Department Property Room, 365 Summit Avenue (entrance off Newkirk Street), to display the results of the buyback and to discuss 2012 crime stats.

“We firmly believe that the fewer guns that are out there in our city, the safer all of our residents, businesses and visitors will be,” said Mayor Healy. “Our initiative is funded without taxpayer dollars and over the course of the past several years has resulted in nearly 1,300 guns being removed from the households and streets of our city.”

Since taking office in late 2004, Mayor Healy has hosted two gun buyback programs – the second with several phases – in which all funds used to pay for the weapons collected were raised from corporate and private donors as well as funds from the Hudson County Prosecutorâ€s Office forfeiture funds. During those buybacks in 2005, 2011 and 2012 a collective of 1,297 handguns, rifles and assault weapons were taken into police custody.

Like prior operations, the turning in of weapons for cash is considered an amnesty program, meaning those individuals turning in weapons need not fear prosecution for possession of such.

The post Jersey City Gun Buyback Saturday January 5th- NO QUESTIONS ASKED first appeared on River View Observer.

A weeklong celebration honoring the African heritage and culture

– Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy and members of the Municipal Council, along with the Division of Cultural Affairs, will celebrate Kwanzaa from 6:00 p.m. through 9:00 p.m., tomorrow, Thursday, December 27, 2012 at the Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center, at 140 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive.

“The seven principles of Kwanzaa are unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith,” said Mayor Healy. “These are the fundamental strengths of building a great city and I am proud to celebrate the rich African-American culture and traditions, and their contributions to Jersey City.”

Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration observed each year from December 26th  through January 1st. The event features a candle lighting ceremony which seven candles (Mishumaa Saba) are placed in a kinara, a special candle holder. Each candle represents one of the Seven Principles (Nguzo Saba) of Kwanzaa. The lighting of the candles will be performed by Daniel Wiley, a former African-American studies professor at New Jersey City University.”

Tommorrow’s event, “Matunda Ya Kwanzaa -The First Fruit”- will feature expressionsof thanks, music, poetry and the candlelighting ceremony.

“As we gather to commemorate this seven day celebration,” continued Mayor Healy. “May we be reminded that Kwanzaa is an opportunity to celebrate the many contributions of our African American citizens and I encourage everyone to partake in the events of Kwanzaa.”

About Kwanzaa

The historical legacy of Black Americans is best reflected in the Kwanzaa Holiday, a “first fruits” celebration created by Dr. Maulana Karenga in 1966 California.

Kwanzaa introduces and reinforces seven basic values of African culture that contribute to building and sustaining family, community and culture among African American people. The values, commonly referred to as the Nguzo Saba, which is Swahili for seven principles, are at the heart of the origin and meaning of the celebration.

The seven principles Kwanzaa are:

umoja (unity) to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race; kujichagulia (self-determination) to define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves; ujima (collective work and responsibility) to build and maintain our community together and make our brotherâ€s and sisterâ€s problems our problems and to solve them together; ujamaa (cooperative economics) to build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together; nia (purpose) to make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness; kuumba (creativity) to do always as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it; imani (faith) to believe with all our heart in our people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

For more information regarding Kwanzaa, please call the Division of Cultural Affairs at 201-547-6921 or visit jerseycitynj.gov

The post Jersey City to Celebrate Kwanzaa first appeared on River View Observer.