PSE&G Partners with NJ Board of Public Utilities to Raise Awareness about Resources

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has named June 6-10, 2022 Utility Assistance Week to call attention to programs available to help customers who are struggling to pay their utility bills. Utility payment assistance programs have expanded to include more customers at much higher income levels, including those who are behind on their bills for the first time.

“We continue to make every effort to work with customers who have fallen behind on their bills. Weâ€re here to help,” said Jane Bergen, director of billing for PSE&G Customer Care. “We never want to disconnect a customerâ€s electric or gas service because of an inability to pay.”

The post UTILITY PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR CUSTOMERS STRUGGLING TO PAY ENERGY BILLS first appeared on River View Observer.

PSE&G to receive the Foundationâ€s Distinguished Service Award at this yearâ€s event.

Contact: Jennifer Christopher,  201-360-4061, jchristopher@hccc.edu

November 29, 2012, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College Foundation will hold the largest and most festive of its annual fundraisers — the 15^th Annual Holiday Gala — at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday evening, December 6, 2012 at the HCCC Culinary Arts Institute/Conference Center ‑ 161 Newkirk Street in Jersey City. Proceeds from the event are dedicated to scholarships for deserving students, faculty development programs, and the Collegeâ€s physical expansion.

Hudson County Community College Vice President for Development Joseph Sansone said that PSE&G will be the recipient of this yearâ€s Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes organizations and individuals for their work on behalf of the College and the people of Hudson County.

“PSE&G has been a partner to the College for some time, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to thank them on behalf of the College and our students,” Mr. Sansone stated.

One of the key features of the Holiday Gala is the hospitality hour, where area restaurants prepare and serve hors dâ€oeuvres and cocktails. The restaurants participating this year are Boca Grande, Edwardâ€s Steakhouse, Encore Catering, Havana Dulce, La Isla, Liberty House, Lisbon, Michael Anthonyâ€s, P J Ryanâ€s, Rita & Joeâ€s, Renatoâ€s Pizza Masters, Rumba Cubana, and Tejo.

The event also features a gourmet dinner feast prepared by the chef-instructors from the Collegeâ€s nationally acclaimed Culinary Arts Institute, and served by students from the Collegeâ€s acclaimed Culinary Arts program.

During the Gala, the winning ticket of the annual “Lucky Odds” raffle will be drawn. The Grand Prize winner will receive 40% of the raffle ticket sales, Second Prize winner will be awarded 6% and Third Prize winner will be presented with 4%. Tickets are $50 each, and ticket holders need not be present to win.

Established in 1997, the Hudson County Community College Foundation continues to play an integral role in the development of HCCC students, the College and the community. The Foundation is dedicated to generating financial support for the College and its students, developing and awarding needs-based and merit scholarships, providing seed money for faculty programs, and providing for the Collegeâ€s physical growth. Since its founding, the HCCC Foundation has provided scholarships to more than 1,000 students who otherwise might not have been able to pursue a college education.

The HCCC Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation providing tax-exempt status to contributors.

Mr. Sansone said that tickets are still available for the Holiday Gala and may be obtained by contacting his office at (201) 360-4006. The cost is $500 for individual tickets.

 

 

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The post Hudson County Community College to Hold Gala Fundraiser on December 6 first appeared on River View Observer.

The post POWER OUTAGE IN BAYONNE WEDNESDAY EVENING NOVEMBER 14th, 2012 first appeared on River View Observer.

Alternate traffic patterns will be set up and motorists may want to plan alternate routes in the area. Crews will be working 24 hours a day.

PSE&G crews will complete the construction of the manhole on Newark Ave. near Dickinson High School by the close of business on Monday, August 13, 2012. Normal traffic will be restored at that time.
A second crew has started trench excavation and conduit installation along Newark Avenue from the bridge over the depressed Conrail track, heading east towards Monmouth Street. Starting today, Monday, August 13, 2012, work along this portion of the route will continue on two (2) shifts (7:00 AM to 5:00 PM and 5:00 PM to3:00 AM). A conduit installation crew will work on the day shift only (7:00 AM to 5:00 PM). Two lanes of traffic will be maintained and managed by the Jersey City Police for the next several days and re-evaluated as work progresses.
The PJM Interconnection, LLC, (PJM), the regional entity responsible for planning the electric transmission system in 13 states and the District of Columbia,identified the need for the NGRP, and assigned design/construction responsibility to PSE&G to ensure reliability of electricity supply within the region.
The targeted completion date is October 15, 2012.

For further information and to join the “Weekly Update” distribution list, please contact: Richard Dwyer, Public Affairs Manager Electric Transmission Construction richard.dwyer@pseg.com
1-877-678-5784

Sincerely,
Rob Crow President The Village Neighborhood Association

The post Message from Downtown Jersey City Village Neighborhood Association on Delays on Newark Ave. From Brunswick St. to Palisades Avenue. first appeared on River View Observer.

“We are extremely honored to receive this prestigious award and recognition,” said Mayor Healy. “Make A Difference Day, and particularly the ‘BIG DIG†project, illustrated the immense value of public-private partnerships and what a positive impact volunteerism can have on a community.”

Thirteen volunteer initiatives will be recognized with the 2012 Make A Difference Day Awards at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on April 19. Make A Difference Day, the nation’s largest day of service, was created in 1992 by Gannett Co., Inc.â€s

USA WEEKEND Magazine along with partners, Newmanâ€s Own®, Inc. and Points of Light. Newmanâ€s Own will donate a total of $130,000, awarding ten volunteer initiatives $10,000 each and presenting three cities $10,000 each for their local projects.

According to a press release from

USA WEEKEND, the winners were chosen from thousands of grassroots volunteer efforts that took place on Oct. 22, 2011, Make A Difference Day. Millions of Americans served their communities and made positive changes as a result of the volunteer action encouraged by the nationwide annual event.

Jersey Cityâ€s the BIG DIG, was supported by an army of more than 600 volunteers from across the city, as well as the Mayorâ€s Office, the Division of Parks & Forestry and the Division of Cultural Affairs.

Dozens of city parks, select open spaces, schools, libraries, historic cemeteries and gateways to the city are now blooming in yellows, oranges and reds as the bulbs that were planted have now blossomed.

“From the outset, this was a winning partnership and illustrated perfectly how public-private partnerships and volunteerism are key for governments at all levels to succeed,” said

Mayor Healy. “For the past few years, my office has been involved in recognizing Make A Difference Day with events in Jersey City, however, this was the first time we had one, overarching event for the entire city. We thank the Jersey City Parks Coalition for this concept of coordinated bulb planting throughout the city and for all of their hard work to get this project off the ground.”

The Parks Coalition volunteers handled fundraising by reaching out to Jersey Cityâ€s vast corporate community, raising nearly $15,000 to help cover the cost of the bulbs and gardening supplies. The City identified the parks, prepared some sites for digging, and began promotion of the event through press releases, on our website and Facebook page, and through other media. More than 600 volunteers participated in the planting, including members from other non-profits, school teachers and students, scouts, members of civic organizations and representatives from the corporate community.

In addition to sponsorship from the City of Jersey City, the BIG DIG was sponsored by Century 21 Plaza Realty, the Hudson County Improvement Authority, the Liberty Science Center, the West Side Community Alliance/Honeywell, the Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority, Liberty State Park, PSE&G, United Water, and The Westin Jersey City, as well as many other local businesses, organizations, and residents.

This was the first citywide event for the Jersey City Parks Coalition although the Coalition has established Community Gardens in 10 of their 14 member parks groups. Since 2004, spring plantings and fall bulbs have been making a difference in parks such as Pershing Field, Van Vorst Park, Riverview-Fisk Park, Sgt. Anthony Park, Ercel Webb Park, as well as Washington Park and Lincoln Park.

“This event was a great way to really make a difference in the community and now that the bulbs are in bloom, we are seeing the impact this project had on neighborhoods throughout the City,” said

Charlene Burke, project manager for the BIG DIG. “Many of the participants have provided us with photos from the 80 planting sites, which we have posted on The Jersey City Parks Coalition facebook page. We hope that everyone involved will look forward to BIG DIG 2012.”
The ten 2012 Make A Difference Day Award honorees are:

Summer Search North Bay, Petaluma, Calif.

The United Way of Lake County, Waukegan, Ill.

The Marys & Marthas and the people of Clarion, Iowa

Girl Scouts of Madisonville Housing Authority Troop 333, Madisonville, Ky.

Mary Vail, Las Vegas, Nev.

Victory Christian Church, Albany, N.Y.

Joyce and John Jackson, Delaware, Ohio

Neha Gupta, Yardley, Penn.

Eleanor Schoenbrun, El Paso, Texas

The Ellis Family, Rhinelander, Wis.
The three 2012 City Award honorees are:

The Jersey City Parks Coalition and Jersey City, N.J.

City of Salisbury, N.C.

Strong Neighborhoods Program, San Jose, Calif.

The All-Star Award goes to:

Lucas Metropolis, Boca Raton, Fla. and Durham, N.C.

“This event goes to the heart of Gannettâ€s purpose to serve the greater good of our nation and the communities we serve. Every year, millions act upon our invitation to reach out to others in their community. Itâ€s inspiring to see how our audience responds and the good that comes out of this one day,” said Heather Frank, editor-in-chief of

USA WEEKEND.

All of the award recipients will be featured in this weekendâ€s edition of USA WEEKEND.

Make A Difference Day 2012 will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27. For more information, please go to www.makeadifferenceday.com.

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The post Jersey City & Parks Coalition Win One of Three National Make A Difference Day Awards for Municipalities for “BIG DIG” Planting Project first appeared on River View Observer.

The Everything Jersey City Festival will Celebrate Community Pride and UEZ Support at a Time when Budget Cuts Loom

By Sally Deering

 If you don’t know by now, one-third of Jersey City is a designated Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ\) a designation that offers local businesses tax and other financial incentives to help grow their businesses and stimulate local economy.  Sale tax revenues generated by UEZ businesses go for economic development and neighborhood improvements like street lights, paving, flowerboxes — and other programs that give constituents a feeling of pride in their community.

To celebrate the UEZ’s success revitalizing the Heights section of Jersey City – the neighborhood nestled on the cliff above Hoboken – the Central Avenue Special Improvement District (CASID) Management Corporation presents the Everything Jersey City Festival which takes place Sat., May 21st from 11 am-to-6 pm along Central Avenue from Congress to Hutton Streets.

The Festival will feature four stages with live entertainment including Queen of Freestyle Judy Torres who has made Jersey City her home for the past 16 years, has recorded numerous CDs and is an on-air personality on WKTU radio. Torres sings Freestyle, a form of dance music with a Latin influence that became popular in the late 1980s and early 90s and her hits include “No Reason to Cry,” and “Come into my Arms.” Torres performs nation-wide and just returned from a show at the Continental Airlines Arena in Miami. She has a huge local fan base and she’s excited to be bringing her show live to her Jersey City fans for a second year.

 “This is home,” Torres says. “Two weeks ago I performed at Michael Anthony’s on the waterfront; I performed at Pershing Field. There aren’t too many places in Jersey City to perform. When I did the Everything Jersey City Festival two years ago, we had a great crowd. It was a lot of fun It’s very nice to see people in the area coming out to have a good time. It’s a wonderful community celebration.”

Central Avenue will be lined with tables and tents featuring local artists showing (and selling) their work, vendors selling foods and crafts and of course, goodies from the eateries and stores that line Central Avenue. Arts groups like Pro Arts Jersey City, a non-profit community arts group that sponsors the annual Jersey City Studio Tour and Art House Productions, a 2,000-member multi-arts non-profit group are participating and several community organizations will present interactive demonstrations. Activities for kids will include a rock climbing wall, petting zoo, obstacle course, moonwalk and super slide. And for bargain-hunters, CASID has something very special planned: a huge one day sale among Central Avenue businesses (jewelry, clothing, shoes, furniture,) on the day of the Everything Jersey City Festival. Sales will offer 10% to 50% off select merchandise and festival-goers will find great bargains when business owners sell their wares at the Sidewalk Sales.

 “One of the reasons for the Everything Jersey City Festival is to show how great Central Avenue is,” William Clarke, Director of CASID says. “We try to involve our business owners as much as possible. It becomes a true community event. We focus on Jersey City-Hudson County based artists and we try to focus on the creative aspects of Jersey City. You’ll see things here you won’t see anywhere else. We try to make it as unique event as possible.”

The Festival’s mission is to prove the UEZ Program builds and sustains communities, but on July 1^st when the New Jersey State Budget is finalized and approved, community activities like the Everything Street Festival and many local non-profits may no longer receive UEZ funding.

“The status of the UEZ remains iffy,” Clarke says. “We won’t know for sure until the New Jersey State budget is finalized. But even if it ends in July, our organization will continue to exist. Sure it will change things, but it’s not the sole source of our organization. We’re an autonomous agency. We’ll exist no matter what.”

 When Governor Chris Christie released his budget, it called for no administrative or project funding for the cities, Steve Lipski, CEO of the Jersey City Economic Development Corporation says. That means there will still be a UEZ program, but no monies will be turned over to municipalities or the zones to administer programs. Businesses will still realize tax benefits but they won’t receive assistance from the zone leaders and municipalities through the monies that were collected from the UEZ and returned to the cities.

 But the fight to restore funding isn’t over, Lipski says.

 “We stand squarely with Mayor Healy in the fight to restore UEZ funds which are absolutely essential to help small businesses and fund essential projects critical to the city,” Lipski says. “Governor Christie sent in his version of the budget and the State Legislators are reviewing it to make their necessary input. There are budget hearings going on as we speak.”

 The end of UEZ funding would have a negative impact on community organizations like Washington Park Association (WPA), says President Mory Thomas.

 “The UEZ funding allows for festivals like these which brings thousands of people to the Heights and unites the community in a way that hasn’t happened for years,” Thomas says. “At the first Everything Festival, it was the first time I’d seen the community come out and be engaged in an event. For people to come out and enjoy being on the street, talking to each other and hanging out as a community, that’s something you can’t put a dollar amount to. What I would like to see from the UEZ money is more community-engagement activities.”

 The Washington Park Association along with the Riverview Neighborhood Association, the Jersey City Parks Coalition and St. Anne’s School will host a special “green” event in the heart of the Everything Jersey City Festival. Amid the urban landscape of storefronts, in the middle of Central Avenue, they will create a green “Open Space” – a little park with trees and plants and benches. And there’ll be a “greening” workshop for festival-goers, too.

 “During last year’s Everything Jersey City Festival, we decided that this year we would create an open space on the streets where the festival is,” Thomas says. “It will be a nice little breather in this concrete jungle we live in and bring people awareness to the issue of open space especially in Hudson County which is one of the most densely populated in the country.”

Along with headliners Judy Torres and The Black Hollies, CASID has lined up more great entertainment:  Celtic Cross, Celtic folk-rockers performing classic Irish music; Rumba Con Son, Central New Jersey’s hottest salsa band; Woodfish, a funk-rock band from the Jersey Shore; Ray Rodriguez y Swing Sabroso, a salsa swing band; Ed Solomon & Go Falcon!, poppy punk rockers; Lea Le Grace, pop-rocker; Stephie Coplan & the Pedestrians, a piano-driven pop-rock trio; and Catch Wild, alternative rockers from Jersey City.

 The Actor’s Shakespeare Company at NJCU and the Hope Center Dancers will perform and Family Fitness Martial Arts and Jang Star Tae Kwon Do will present demonstrations.

 The Black Hollies, a Jersey City-based rock band with psychedelic influences has several hit songs out in the mainstream. “Can’t Stop These Tears (From Falling)” was featured on an episode of “The Vampire Diaries,” and “Tell Me What You Want” was picked up by the NFL which used it for an ad campaign. The band features Jon Gonnelli, guitar and organ; Herbert Wiley, lead guitar; Nick Serrante, drummer and Justin Angelo Morey, lead singer and bass guitar. Several members reside in Jersey City, including Morey, who says the band has lots of fans, but may be more well known in other big cities like Austin, Texas, thanks to iTunes and YouTube.  “The song we did for ‘Vampire Diaries’ became one of the most downloaded songs on iTunes and YouTube,” Morey says.

 Art House Productions will be at the Festival to talk about their programs and Pro Arts Jersey City will be featuring several artist-members who will be on hand to discuss their work – always a fun thing to do at a festival. Who doesn’t enjoy talking to artists about their inspirations? Artists exhibiting for Pro Arts Jersey City will be Ibou Ndoye, Deirdre Kennedy, Christina Soto, Sharon Harvey and Holly Williams.

 Art House Productions, a 2,000-member multi-arts organization that produces visual arts programs for more than a decade in Jersey City produces on average one community-art event a week including JC Fridays – a city-wide happening held four times a year that presents art programming at approximately 40 venues. It’s a way to introduce people to the arts in Jersey City, Christine Goodman, Founder and Executive Director says, and each event attracts 3-5,000 people. But if the UEZ funding is cut in July, JC Fridays may not go on.

 “If UEZ funding is cut, it will have a huge impact on our decision to continue JC Fridays,” Goodman says. “We’d like to keep it going. We’ve faced this problem in the past, but it’s going to be a challenge. The future of JC Fridays is a little uncertain at this point.”

Designed to stimulate the local economy, the Everything Jersey City Festival is sponsored by corporations, local businesses, government officials, city agencies and non-profit community groups serving the Jersey City area including Capital One Bank, Christ Hospital, LibertyHealth/Jersey City Medical Center, Metro Honda, City of Jersey City, City of Jersey City Division of Cultural Affairs, County of Hudson, County of Hudson Cultural Affairs and Tourism, C-Town Supermarkt, El Sabroso Restaurant, Footprints Realty, Goehrig’s Bakery, Hauptman Carpets, Hudson County Community College, Infinite Print, Jersey City Incinerator Authority, Jersey City Independent, Jersey City Parking Authority, Milrose Consultants Inc, Panepinto Properties, PSE&G, Spectra Energy, State Farm Insurance, Stop & Shop Supermarkets, Susan Newman Design, Inc., The American Flag Company, the Hudson Reporter, Jersey Journal, Jersey City UEZ Program/EDC, U.S. Representative Steve Rothman, United Water and Wells Fargo Bank.

Things may change after July, but for now, the Everything Jersey City Festival, paid for in part by the Jersey City UEZ Program promises to be a great event that celebrates community spirit and pride.

 And with a little luck come July, let’s hope it won’t be the last.

  Everything Jersey City Festival

Sat, May 21,

Central Avenue between Congress and Hutton Streets

Jersey City

For more information, call CASID at 201-656-1366,or visit its website, www.centralavesid.org

 

For more information on the sources included in this story visit:

www.judytorres.com

www.theblackhollies.com

www.arthouseproductions.org

www.proartsjerseycity.org

www.wpanj.org

www.jcedc.org

The post Jersey City’s Got Everything -For Now first appeared on River View Observer.

3rd Annual Festival

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2009

12 NOON – 6:30 PM

PAVONIA / TOWN SQUARE PLACE-Across from Pavonia/Newport Path Station

FREE  ADMISSION !

FUN FOR KIDS!- RAFFLES

Featuring Silent Auction – Live Bollywood Dance Lessons -Select Local Restaurants and Starring protege of Motown Legend -Berry Gordy- N-KENAGE

Also – Alyesha’s Bollywood Funk NYC

Musical Artist Brady Cudmore

Anejo Latin Band- Chinese Dancers- The Majic of Harold J • Bilal’s Children Classical Ensemble

Leading Jersey City and Hoboken Merchants

Charity Benefi t for NNA College Scholarship Fund

Rain date Sunday October 4th

Sponsors: University of Phenoix, Providenet Bank Foundation , Morton Williams, The Visionary Church of Jersey City, PSE&G and Knight

http://www.newportneighborhood.org

The post The Newport Neighborhood Association’s Third Annual Multi-Cultural Festival first appeared on River View Observer.

Each year the ArtRageous Ball is host to a sell-out crowd comprised of real estate developers, financial services professionals, artists, cultural enthusiasts and elected officials from the local area and throughout the state.

This year’s ArtRageous Ball promises to be the most dazzling to date and will feature colorful cocktails, a silent art auction showcasing the works of renowned artists from throughout the tri-state area, and an exciting 50/50 raffle. Dinner, drinks, dancing, and mingling will round out the evening.

Fidelity Investments is the Lead Sponsor of the event. Panepinto Properties, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, PSE&G and Sovereign bank are also sponsors at this year’s event. Additional sponsorship and underwriting opportunities are still available and include tickets to the event, and recognition in the program journal, from the podium throughout the event, on signage, and on the museum’s website.

For more information regarding becoming a sponsor and all other inquiries, please contact the museum’s event hotline at 201-413-0303, ext. 104 or email Nancy Shannon, Director of Development, at nshannon@jerseycitymuseum.org. More information can also be found on the event’s continually updated website, at www.artrageousball.com.

The post Jersey City Museum Presents The Sixth Annual ArtRageous Ball first appeared on River View Observer.