Year: 2013

News

Whole lot of secret taping going on in Hoboken?

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

According to the Al Sullivan column in the weekend paper, Hoboken is seeing a rash of secretly recorded conversations.  The taping is described naming a West New York official but then oddly circles back to Hoboken where the surreptitious activity is described as having “especially” taken hold.

Around the Mile Square, Da Horsey is picking up a current of something resembling a bit more than concern and the Old Guard may be sweating bullets while Masonista online operatives have suspiciously fallen silent. Read More...

News

Campaign contribution story explodes into questions on Hudson Reporter editors

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
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In a Grafix Avenger story on current campaign contributions to Hoboken mayoral candidates, controversy swirling around relationships of political operatives and the Hudson Reporter raises serious questions on the integrity and journalistic practices of its editors.

One major question surrounds the SLAPP suit against more than a dozen Hoboken residents last year including MSV directly pointing to the journalistic practices of its editors.

Yesterday, Grafix Avenger detailed recent NJ ELEC campaign reports highlighting a former HR reporter had briefly worked for the Ruben Ramos mayoral campaign.  GA has been exploring an effort by the Ramos campaign to employ former reporters at the HR in an effort to (further) tilt its coverage in favor of Ruben Ramos and his council slate in the Hoboken November elections. Read More...

News

The Hoboken Sopranos ready the double cross?

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

The paint on the new campaign HQ isn’t even dry but according to an “Earwitness Report” on Grafix Avenger, a Hoboken Sopranos stab in the back to Ruben Ramos could be in the offing if word of a third slate materializes.

According to the story, a third ticket for Hoboken’s November election is real and and could see Councilwoman Terry Castellano atop.  It wouldn’t be a complete surprise as Frank “Pupie” Raia who is not fond of the idea of a Ramos mayoralty and has been flirting for some time with fielding a headless at-large council slate. Read More...

News

Sierra Club joint release with Ruben Ramos and Tim Occhipinti

by SmartyJones3 Min Reading

Event organizer announces:

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Photo courtesy NJ.com by arrangement
=&3=&Today,local leaders and activists gathered for a press conference at the Hoboken PATH Station to highlight the devastating impacts of extreme weather and climate change on Hoboken and throughout the state of New Jersey. They’re calling for action to mitigate the worst impacts of climate-fueled extreme weather.  Today’s press conference comes on the heels of President Barack Obama’s historic national climate change plan announcement on June 25th.   Extreme weather is affecting families all across America – from hurricanes to heat waves and from droughts to devastating blizzards These events take a toll on our families, our communities, and especially our economy. Climate change is causing these natural disasters to increase in frequency and intensity. We cannot afford to wait any longer to address this problem at a national level. Our communities depend on it. That’s why President’s Obama’s climate action plan is so timely and important for New Jersey and every state throughout America.   “The President is showing his personal leadership on climate change, and we need to stand with him.  This is not only about the environment, it is about growing our economy and providing clean energy jobs,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “The President’s plan is even more critical in New Jersey, where some do not recognize climate change and sea level rise. That is why it is so important here for the federal government to step up on these issues.  When I met with the President on May 28th in Asbury Park, he said a climate initiative was coming soon and he kept his word.”   “Our high density urban coastal regions like Hoboken, Weehawken and Jersey City need protection from the next ‘Sandy’,” said Dr. Alan Blumberg, Director of the Davidson Laboratory/Center for Maritime Systems at Stevens Institute of Technology. “Because of the changing climate, the storms of the future, I believe, will be more frequent and more intense.”   In October 2012, New Jersey was devastated by deadly Superstorm Sandy – the second costliest hurricane in U.S. history – which left 131 dead and destroyed approximately 380,000 homes. It created a storm surge that broke the all-time record in New York Harbor.  Sandy and 24 other extreme weather events over 2011-2012 caused damage in excess of $1 billion each — $188 billion total – and left more than 1,100 people dead.  Just last week, New Jersey suffered from a horrendous heat wave, the latest in a series of extreme weather events in recent years that have included hurricanes, droughts, nor’easters and even a blizzard before Halloween. As a result of these and other events, 14 New Jersey counties have received natural disaster designations in recent years.   “Severe storms, extreme heat, summer droughts and unhealthy air days are becoming more and more frequent,” said Assemblyman Ruben Ramos (NJ-33). “We must embrace ways to help New Jersey communities deal with these problems and learn to prevent future damage caused by climate change and extreme weather. We have a moral obligation to future generations to leave a planet that’s not polluted and damaged by carbon pollution. President Obama’s plan is a sound one, and it’s up to those of us at the local level to stand up in support of efforts at the national level that will help our communities here at home.”   “President Obama’s new climate action plan is a big step to begin reducing extreme weather and detrimental effects caused by climate change,” said =&8=&
News

Ruben Ramos campaign opens new campaign office on Washington in mayoral bid

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
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The Hoboken mayoral race is officially in swing with the lackluster launch of the Ruben Ramos campaign office at 8th and Washington.

The event reveals some familiar faces in the Old Guard but clearly lacked the cohesion most observers feel is necessary to mount a strong challenge to the popular mayor Dawn Zimmer.

Council slate candidates Eduardo Gonzalez and Laura Miani gave speeches and quickly departed while fellow council candidate Joe Mindak remained for a spell with mayoral challenger Ruben Ramos. Read More...

News

MAYOR ZIMMER CONTINUES ADVOCACY FOR HOBOKEN STORM PROTECTION

by SmartyJones3 Min Reading
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Message sent via Nixle | Go to nixle.com | 
Monday July 22, 2013

City of Hoboken
   

Community: Mayor Zimmer Continues Advocacy for Hoboken in Response to Governor Christie’s Announcement of Home Elevation Program

Today, Governor Chris Christie announced $100 million in funds to help New Jersey residents along the shore to elevate their homes. Mayor Zimmer thanked Governor Christie for his advocacy for the State of New Jersey and continued her strong advocacy for Federal, State, and County support for her comprehensive approach to protect Hoboken.

“While this program will be enormously helpful for those with single family homes, in urban areas like Hoboken, it is simply not possible to raise up our buildings, and we need to protect our communities comprehensively rather than creating islands of protection,” explained Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “We have developed those plans and are pursuing all options including FEMA grants, loans from the state, and public-private partnerships to implement these initiatives. I will continue to advocate at all levels for an approach that acknowledges the unique challenges of urban areas.”

The City is pursuing a series of initiatives to comprehensively protect Hoboken from the unpredictable and severe impacts of climate change, stronger storms, and rising seas:

Flood pumps
The City has strongly supported and advocated for North Hudson Sewerage Authority’s application for hazard mitigation grant funding from FEMA to construct three additional designed and shovel-ready flood pumps. In addition, in an effort to ensure that the pumps are funded and built, the City also applied for a low-interest loan to build the first of these three pumps, to be located at 11th Street. Finally, as part of a revised Redevelopment Plan for Hoboken Rail Yards that will be introduced this fall, the City plans to include requirements for the developer to pay for the second of the three pumps, which would be located at 5th Street. Hoboken’s first flood pump was completed in early 2012.

Shoreline Protection
To keep high tides and storm surges from breaching Hoboken’s waterfront in the future, the City applied for FEMA funding for the installation of a series of flood barriers along the north and south of the city. As part of this concept, the revised Redevelopment Plan for the Hoboken Rail Yards would incorporate a flood barrier along the southern edge of the development to protect from storm surges from the south.

Energy Resiliency
Hoboken is partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy, Sandia National Laboratories, the N.J. Board of Public Utilities and PSE&G to design a smart grid to protect Hoboken’s critical infrastructure from power outages. Hoboken will be the first non-military application of this technology designed for an entire community. The City also strongly supports PSE&G’s plans to eliminate one of its electrical substations in Hoboken, combine it with one of the others, and elevate the two remaining substations to protect them from future flooding. The proposal is awaiting regulatory approval.

Green Infrastructure
Hoboken was recently chosen in a national competition by the Rockefeller Foundation-funded Re.Invest Initiative to design and fund sustainable and resilient green infrastructure to reduce the effects of climate change and extreme storm events by reducing the amount of rain water that enters the sewer system. The City is moving forward to acquire more open space using the Open Space Trust Fund and a bond passed by the City Council. Various green infrastructure solutions are being explored through this grant and will be incorporated into the park designs.

Hoboken’s full resiliency plan is available online at www.hobokennj.org/resiliency
News

Millions for the “taking” makes Vision 20/20 a battle to the bitter end this November

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Today Vision 20/20 makes headway or begins spiraling down the highway to hell with the “official” kickoff of the Ruben Ramos Vision for Hoboken slate today.  It’s the second kickoff after the initial announcement early this year when it became clear State Senator Brian Stack would go a new route in an Assembly choice making the mayoral chair the object of Ramos’ desire.

Real news came over the weekend in Al Sullivan’s column the local NAACP head declined to endorse Carmelo Garcia’s Vision 20/20.  MSV had heard a week back rumors of those strong concerns. Read More...

News

Grist for the Mill: Sad and fishy disappearances on Hoboken Patch

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Beth Mason’s Hoboken internet strategy of political operatives referenced in internal emails filed in Hudson County Superior Court may have taken a turn for the worse this week with the disappearance of screen names posting nasty anti-reform commentary on Hoboken Patch.

The fishy suspects: Dov Arronson, Cindy Goldberg, Daria Gluck aka Dawn’s Broomstick, et. al. are believed to have perished in a horrific IP fishing accident on Hoboken Patch.

The screen names all believed to be in the employ of the behind the scenes second ward councilwoman’s bottom feeder were reeled in, aka terminated with extreme prejudice after an announcement was posted with vile anti-Semetic inflammatory rhetoric about ovens and the Nazi Holocaust. Read More...

News

Carmelo Garcia mobilizes again for Vision 20/20…. and Gov. Christie?

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

The mobilization for Vision 20/20’s public relations outreach to Hoboken is official with three dates announced on Hoboken Patch.

The timing of the limited public meetings in tandem with the locations – all three are HHA buildings -raises questions and Council President Peter Cunningham is quoted illustrating that point.

From the article, Garcia says, “The way you refute (the negative rumors) is by doing all of these things we had already set out to do.” A recent op-ed piece by HHA commissioner Jake Stuiver however said his request to hold full meetings for all Hoboken stakeholders was ignored back in February. Read More...