Month: February 2017

News

Romano campaign tosses back live grenade

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

The Romano campaign followed up to yesterday’s Grist for the Mill column but their response may not be to the anonymous source’s liking.

Pablo Fonseca, the campaign manager for Freeholder Anthony “Stick” Romano picked up the loaded grenade and casually tossed it back at the HudCo source saying, “We do not respond to anonymous sources and their self-serving agendas.”

The HudCo source stated earlier if Stick didn’t cease and desist from his two-pronged electioneering campaigning for both freeholder and Hoboken mayor, the grenade would be delivered in the form of a Ruben Ramos for Freeholder campaign. Read More...

News

Grist for the Mill: HudCo Ultimatum: “Stick” to Freeholder or we’ll run Ruben Ramos

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading
=&0=&

A Stick could get stuck holding the bag.

The Al Sullivan gossip sheet posing as a political column last weekend raised eyebrows quoting Freeholder Anthony “Stick” Romano saying he’s entertaining pursuing both reelection for freeholder and Hoboken mayor at the same time.

Many US states preclude such a practice but the Soprano State only barred dual elected job holders when Gov. Chris Christie took office and insisted on the reform. Romano says he may run and win both freeholder and Hoboken mayor and he’ll decide among the possible bounty later. Read More...

News

New Jersey Awakens: Dana Wefer to run for Governor, Meghan Dunworth Dodd to oppose Freeholder Romano

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

New Jersey Awakens announces:


=&0=& =&1=&=&2=& =&3=&

A Republican, a Democrat, and a bunch of Independents walk into a bar in Jersey City.   No, that’s not the beginning of a joke, it’s the launch of a political revolution, according to New Jersey Awakens founder, Dana Wefer.   “The number one issue facing our state and our country is the corruption of the political system,” Wefer says. “Our government officials go through the political system to become part of the government, so when the political system is corrupted, the government soon follows.”  Through New Jersey Awakens, Wefer and her allies have developed a five point election reform platform aimed at crippling party bosses, forcing accountability from elected officials, and amplifying unaffiliated and independent voices, or, as Wefer bluntly puts it “we want to break the machine.”   Read More...

News

Up for a new tree on the block?

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading
Agency Logo

City of Hoboken, NJ
   

Community: Hoboken Property Owners Invited to Request Street Tree Planting
Dear MSV readers,

In preparation for the Spring 2017 tree planting, the City of Hoboken’s Shade Tree Commission is seeking property owners who would like a tree planted in the sidewalk adjacent to their building and who will agree to care for and water the tree. Qualifying property owners can have a street tree planted in exchange for a suggested $100 contribution towards planting costs and a pledge to keep the tree well-watered.

The City planted has planted hundreds of street trees through the program in the last few years.

Property owners who would like a tree planted in a sidewalk tree well in front of their home should complete the online request form at www.hobokennj.gov/boards/stc/treerequest. Requests will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to available funding.

Each location requested will be surveyed by a professional from the Department of Environmental Services to ensure there are no conflicts with the surrounding infrastructure and that the site is a suitable one for a tree to grow and thrive.

Requests can be made for existing empty tree beds as well as paved sidewalk locations. If a tree well does not exist, one will be opened. Trees will not be planted on private property; only in sidewalk tree wells.
News

Is CNN about to get Wiki-Leaked?

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

That’s the buzz for the last 48 hours and today is the day; the whistle is set to blow.

This is of course not an unusual story for “the Hoboken blogs” as typically there would be broader national coverage on say the formerly active Hoboken Journal and far less frequently here. Of course the revelations in the last election cycle have been illuminating to those who wish to see and not merely set for reflex to political partisanship. Unfortunately, so many were unprepared for the democratic election results in November as political operatives posing as reporters assured them there was only one inevitable outcome. That of course followed immediately with “protests” not a day after Election Day and some rather novel public displays of vagina costumes. At least the latter saw no violence. Read More...

News

Mayor Dawn Zimmer fundraiser with NJ Democratic candidate for Governor Phil Murphy

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Mayor Dawn Zimmer announces:


  Save the Date!   You are cordially invited to join A fundraising reception in support of   Mayor Dawn Zimmer’s 2017 re-election campaign   with special guest   Ambassador Phil Murphy Democratic candidate for Governor   Date: April 17, 2017 Location: Porter Collins 1426 Willow Ave., Hoboken, NJ Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm   Click here to RSVP and purchase your tickets online     As always, thank you for your support!       Mayor Dawn Zimmer http://www.dawnzimmer.com
News

Grist for the Mill: HoLa vs. the Hoboken BoE, round II

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Ethics charges, the lowest form of NJ politics played out on the grand stage of the Soprano State is the latest riff in two of the Mile Square City’s feuding public education institutions.

No one is talking on the record about the latest turn of musical chairs in the legal battle between the Hoboken BoE and the HoLa charter school but that doesn’t mean it’s not a public feud (or public information).

Ethics allegations likely involve three current and former members of the BoE district: Tom Kleupfel, Jennifer Evans and former BoE trustee Leon Gold. Those behind the sight unseen charges are connected to if not competing administrators at HoLA. The two sides have been embroiled in a years long legal battle over the charter school’s expansion to seventh and eighth grade. Read More...

News

Crosstown Traffic: ‘Observer Highway failure harms Newark Street’

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

The following guest submission comes from Hoboken resident Sean Iaquinto and was originally published on his website, Philly2Hoboken.

Newark Street Redesign Is An Example Of How 

Mayor Zimmer Failed

Residents who live along Newark Street can all agree on one thing – the road between Willow and Jackson has turned into a high speed mess. Ask anyone trying to cross Newark and you are literally playing with your life, cars constantly ignore pedestrians at crosswalks and zip down the street often breaking our 25 per mile speed limits. Cars ignore stop signs constantly, and it is only getting worse. What’s changed? First, the changes to Observer Highway has caused residents to realize that it is easier to speed down Newark Street than use Observer. Observer Highway is a failure. It is an example of Dawn patting people on their heads with her stats and telling us “We know better than you”. It smacks of something from the Clinton Playbook, how they tell us how the world works. We all know that we need to scrap the single lane solution on Observer. It isn’t working Mrs. Mayor. Second, there’s very little police presence on Newark Street – a perfect example is how I have been reporting buses parked on the Neumann Leather sidewalk since July 2014, and very little has been done about it. I told the police, just go there at 6:45am – 7am every morning and you will see buses parked on the sidewalk. I’m a huge fan of Kenneth Ferrante, and I just feel our police need a special unit dedicated to traffic. I wrote about this before, and I believe we need more police who have one job – traffic enforcement, 

like the California Highway Patrol (CHiPs) – we have two officers on motorcyles that patrol the city and write tickets on double parked cars, performing speed traps, stopping jaywalking pedestrians (especially by the PATH station and Starbucks on Newark!), and so forth Read More...

News

Third suspect in Hoboken murder arrested

by SmartyJones4 Min Reading
217 nj guy.JPG
Breaking developments in the murder of Adrian Rivera SPRINGFIELD – An 18-year-old New Jersey man, wanted in connection with the Jan. 24 homicide of a man in Hoboken, was arrested Friday morning at a home in the McKnight neighborhood, officials said. Keyshaun Wiggins Keyshaun Wiggins was arrested by U.S. Marshals and local and state law enforcement after he was trailed to an apartment at 43 Bowdoin St. He had been staying at the apartment of his girlfriend, according to Marshals spokesman Dave Milne. He was charged with being a fugitive from justice. Wiggens is one of three suspects wanted in connection with the shooting death of  18-year-old Adrian Rivera in his family’s apartment at the Andrew Jackson Gardens public housing complex in Hoboken, New Jersey. Rivera was shot during an armed break-in at his home. The two other suspects are in custody. The complete story:=&0=&

The City of Hoboken offered this official release:

Friday February 17, 2017

City of Hoboken, NJ
   

Community: Hoboken Murder Suspect Arrested In Massachusetts
Dear MSV readers,

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office announced today the arrest of the third suspect in connection with the January 24, 2017 murder of Adrian Rivera. Keyshaun Wiggins, age 18, of Jersey City was arrested by U.S. Marshals in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“I thank the detectives of the Hoboken Police Department and Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for their tireless work to solve this tragic crime and the U.S. Marshalls for the arrest this morning in Springfield, Massachusetts,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “I hope this provides a measure of comfort and closure to the Rivera family. We are working with the Hoboken Housing Authority on multiple security initiatives because all of our residents deserve to be safe. I thank the City Council for their support to fund new front doors to make the Housing Authority safer. By next week, the Hoboken Police Department will have remote access to the surveillance cameras within the Housing Authority. We will also be exploring additional possible funding through Community Development Block Grants to help with additional needs of the Housing Authority.”

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office issued the following press release earlier today:

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez has released the following information:

On Friday, February 17, 2017, Keyshaun Wiggins, age 18, of Jersey City was arrested without incident by members of the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force at a residence in Springfield, Massachusetts. He is currently being held at the Springfield Community Corrections Center pending extradition proceedings. Wiggins was wanted in Hudson County for the murder of Adrian Rivera, age 18, of Hoboken.

Prosecutor Suarez credited the U.S. Marshals Service for the arrest. The Prosecutor also credited the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit and the Hoboken Police Department for their part in the homicide investigation.

On January 24, 2017, at approximately 3:15 p.m., Hoboken Police Officers were dispatched to 300 Marshall Drive in Hoboken on a 911 call of possible gun shots in the area. Upon arrival officers found the victim in an apartment at that location with a gunshot wound to his torso.
Rivera, who lived in the apartment, was immediately transported to Jersey City Medical Center by ambulance. He was pronounced dead at the hospital at approximately 3:50 p.m.

On Wednesday, January 25, 2017, Khalif Geiger, age 20, of Jersey City and a 17-year-old juvenile from Jersey City were arrested by detectives from the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit for the murder of Rivera. They were each charged with Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, Armed Robbery, Armed Burglary, Hindering Apprehension and several Firearm offenses.

On Thursday, January 26, 2017, Wiggins was charged with Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, Armed Robbery, Armed Burglary, Hindering Apprehension and several Firearm offenses and has been wanted on those charges since that date.

The above charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).