Author: SmartyJones

News

PATH to 33rd Street reopening Wednesday!

by SmartyJones5 Min Reading
Agency Logo

City of Hoboken announces:

Tuesday December 18, 2012, 2:52 PM

City of Hoboken
   

Community: HOBOKEN PATH TO 33RD STREET TO REOPEN ON WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19

The PATH train from Hoboken to 33rd Street will resume operation at 5:00am on Wednesday, December 19, 2012 and will operate seven days a week from 5am to 10pm. The restoration of 24/7 PATH service is expected by the end of the year in time for New Year’s Eve. Direct PATH service between Hoboken and the World Trade Center remains several weeks away pending ongoing repairs.

“The reopening of the Hoboken PATH station is a tremendous relief for our commuters and local businesses,” said Mayor Dawn Zimmer. “Hoboken is open for business and we welcome and encourage our residents and visitors to support the local shops that make our community great. I thank the Port Authority for their nonstop work to restore service and NJ Transit for accommodating our commuters during this incredibly difficult time.”

The City is providing free garage parking and a weekend shopping shuttle to encourage local shopping.

Free parking is available in municipal garages B (28 2nd St), D (215 Hudson St) and Midtown (371 4th St) seven days a week during the month of December between the hours of 9am and midnight. To receive up to 4 hours of free parking, visitors must present to the parking attendant a receipt for at least $20 from any Hoboken business during these hours. Any time beyond 4 hours will be charged at the regular rate.

A special free holiday hop shuttle will run from 11am to 2pm and 3pm to 7pm every Saturday and Sunday in December. The shuttle will travel along Hoboken’s commercial districts of Washington Street, 1st Street and 14th Street.

For a map of the shuttle route and parking garages, visit: www.hobokennj.org/docs/transportation/2012-Holiday-Parking-and-Hop-Flyer.pdf.

The full announcement from Governors Christie and Cuomo with additional details is below:

GOVERNOR CUOMO AND GOVERNOR CHRISTIE ANNOUNCE RESUMPTION OF PATH RAIL SERVICE FROM HOBOKEN
TO 33RD STREET TO BEGIN ON DECEMBER 19

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and Governor Chris Christie today announced that PATH rail service resumes at the Hoboken station with service to and from the 33rd Street station in Manhattan beginning tomorrow, December 19 at 5 a.m., following extensive, around the clock post-Hurricane Sandy repairs. Trains initially will run in both directions until 10 p.m. seven days a week.

Today’s announcement means weekday service between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. will be back at all 13 PATH stations and on three of PATH’s four regular lines: Journal Square to 33rd Street, Hoboken to 33rd Street and Newark to the World Trade Center. With the restoration of service from Hoboken, PATH travelers now can access the entire PATH system between New Jersey and New York. The return of Hoboken service provides more than 29,000 commuters with restored mass transit between Hoboken and Midtown Manhattan in time for the holidays.

The return of service to all 13 stations comes less than eight weeks after Hurricane Sandy decimated the entire PATH system, flooding the tunnels with as much as eight feet of water, and destroying critical signal and switching systems.

Thanks to the hard work of hundreds of PATH employees, the return of limited 24-hour PATH service is expected by year’s end and in time for New Year’s Eve. For the time being, service on weekends will be available between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., on both the Newark to 33rd Street and Hoboken to 33rd Street lines. There will be no service to Exchange Place and the World Trade Center on the weekends to allow work to proceed on bringing back service between Hoboken and the World Trade Center. Travelers wishing to go downtown during those times may access a downtown MTA train nearby one of the PATH Manhattan stations.

Resumption of direct service between Hoboken and the World Trade Center remains several weeks away pending ongoing work and replacement of badly damaged signal equipment. PATH workers and contractors have been working 24/7 since the storm, and will continue to do so until full service is returned on all lines. In the meantime, travelers from Hoboken may access Lower Manhattan by connecting with one of several downtown MTA trains nearby one of the PATH Manhattan stations. For a complete list of alternate routes, visit the Port Authority’s website http://www.panynj.gov/path/.

Shutting down Newark to 33rd Street weekend PATH service the past two weeks allowed workers long uninterrupted stretches to make repairs, allowing the speedier reopening of the Hoboken PATH station. Each weekend closure has meant cutting five or more days off the agency’s recovery timeline to restore both Hoboken and 24-hour service. Since the storm, PATH workers and contractors have pumped more than 10 million gallons of water from system tunnels, and fixed and replaced numerous switches and signaling equipment.

For up-to-date information, follow PATH on Twitter @PATHTweet.
News

WSJ: Hudson County facing more problems on Upper Sinatra

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

According to a story on the Wall Street Journal, there’s more roadway issues in need of repair on upper Sinatra.  The roadway in question is a County responsibility, as the sinkhole earlier.  The repairs are required as the decades old structure was not designed with cars in mind.

From the WSJ:

An antiquated roadway on the Hoboken waterfront is suffering from “cracking, rebar corrosion” and other defects that will require it be replaced, a complicated project that will disrupt traffic, according to a report to be presented Tuesday.
The work would cost up to $10 million and likely disrupt pedestrian walkways, boat traffic and private property along a faulty section of Frank Sinatra Drive North near Shipyard Park.
“Ultimately the roadway platform will have to be replaced with a new structure,” stated the report, a copy of which was viewed by The Wall Street Journal. “This replacement will be a complex project for a number of reasons.”

Read the whole story:

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2012/12/17/hoboken-waterfront-road-requires-repairs/

Hudson County fixed the previous roadway problem in the Shipyard area as seen in this video: Read More...

News

BREAKING: JAMES DOYLE APPOINTMENT TO SEE FULL COUNCIL VOTE WEDNESDAY BY ORDER OF HUDSON COUNTY JUDGE

by SmartyJones3 Min Reading
Officially released minutes ago, a resolution appointing James Doyle to the City Council as ordered by Hudson County Superior Court Judge Peter Bariso is officially on the council agenda for a determinative vote of all eight council members Wednesday evening. The order of the judge Friday calls the full Hoboken City Council to vote on back-filling the at-large seat meaning the four Old Guard council members will be officially in the legal spotlight and must cast a vote, either in-person or by telephone. The judge’s order Friday ended the legal effort by Beth Mason, Michael Russo, Terry Castellano and Tim Occhipinti to circumvent the council appointment by staging absences and avoid a 4-4 tie where a decisive fifth vote would legally be cast by the mayor. The ruse concocted some observers say by Old Guard Boss Michele “five-bucks-a-tow” Russo with the financial legal cost underwritten by Councilwoman Beth Mason is front and center in the years long power struggle to dismantle the mayor’s working five member majority on the council.
Old Guard Boss Michele Russo, mother of Councilman Michael Russo is said by some
to have pushed for the legal action with Beth Mason to overturn the council majority.
Beth Mason has reportedly said the judge can’t make her vote.  With the judge ordering all council members to vote, what happens Wednesday night? In a conversation earlier with a long time reform denizen of Hoboken politics, several Old Guard options were contemplated including a contempt action by Beth Mason making another secret, unannounced “trip” out of town, a bizarre inane protest staged by Tim Occhipinti walking off the dais or simply one or more of the four Old Guard council members voting to abstain and claiming their vote doesn’t constitute a “no” vote.  The idea being without a 4-4 tie, the mayor is not able to provide a deciding vote in the appointment. No matter which Old Guard rear guard action is taken, after a hefty legal expenditure and time wasted to eliminate a pro-mayor council majority, no one expects the old guard council to go down quietly.  This even with the scorn from scores of Hoboken residents suffering heavy losses in the tens of millions after Hurricane Sandy.   An abstention has previously been counted as a “no” vote on a council appointment, most recently in 2009 when Mayor Zimmer cast the fifth decisive vote to fill her own 4th ward council seat.  The Old Guard council took action to forestall a repeat when Councilwoman Carol Marsh resigned by staging absences as they did last October with an eye on creating a legal case blocking a fifth vote by the mayor less a 4-4 tie. Last Friday, the decision by the Hudson County Superior Court judge eliminated that strategy and orders a full vote of all eight council members.  Judge Peter Bariso will review the vote at a scheduled January 2nd hearing where any abstention cast will be ultimately weighed and decided.
Beth Mason gets to back up contempt of court Wednesday with another disappearing act.
Does she have the guts to do a repeat, unannounced disappearance?
=&0=&: You feel lucky Beth?  Well do you?  Go on and stab the court in the eye with your contempt now.  I dare you. I double dare you.=&2=&=&2=&=&4=&
News

Rent control lawsuit claims uncounted ballots would change results

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

A lawsuit filed last week in Hudson County Superior Court seeks to overturn the results of the rent control question in the November election. The suit signed by 15 Hoboken petitioners claims absentee ballots (vote-by mail) were thrown out in sufficient numbers to produce a negative result in the election.

The suit doesn’t specify details for the voter differential but claims Hudson County rejected significant ballots in VBM, provisional and mail-in ballots changing the outcome of the election. Read More...

News

BREAKING: Judge orders City Council vote on at-large council seat Wednesday

by SmartyJones3 Min Reading
=&0=&

Earlier today Hudson County Assignment Judge Peter Bariso ordered the Hoboken City Council to vote on the open at-large seat.  The vote is scheduled to take place this Wednesday at the regularly scheduled meeting and council members may vote in person or by telephone if necessary.

The legal wrangle ends the Old Guard council effort of avoiding a full vote of its eight members to avert a 4-4 tie where the mayor could cast the legally binding fifth and deciding vote.  At the previous hearing Judge Bariso ruled five votes were required and the mayor’s earlier vote was not valid short of a 4-4 tie. Councilwoman Beth Mason was seen by a reliable source last month in town driving her younger daughter in her car and  did not show up for the council meeting two hours later where a vote was held on the council candidacy of long time Hoboken activist Jim Doyle.  Mason has never provided a reason for her failure to appear at the meeting. The following meeting Councilman Michael Russo failed to show up with his godmother Councilwoman Terry Castellano saying he was out due to a family illness.  Both Russo and Mason made no effort to call in and cast a vote on the council appointment. In court, Mason lawyers attempted to hide behind the 30 day window for the council to back fill the at-large seat and make an appointment but the judge ruled against them and set forward the decision to hold a vote of all eight members. The judge has indicated he will hold another hearing January 2nd to determine what the actual vote means.  It’s expected at least one Old Guard council member will attempt to abstain and claim their vote is not a “no” vote.  In doing so, the Old Guard council will cast their last hail mary to prevent Mayor Dawn Zimmer from casting a tie-breaking vote and keep Jim Doyle from being appointed to the council at-large seat up for election next November. Beth Mason and her Old Guard council colleagues Michael Russo, Tim Occhipinti and Terry Castellano could make a legal application to stay the legal decision today and forestall the vote on Wednesday.  It’s unclear if an attempt for an emergency injunction will be filed and if it would be granted leading into Wednesday’s meeting.
Will Beth Mason attempt to hide again from her council responsibility
and avoid a vote for the at-large seat risking contempt of court?
The ruse has been shot down in Hudson County Superior Court earlier today.
=&1=&=&2=&: Beth Mason is said to have told others the judge can’t make her vote.  We’ll see what Mason does now that the sabotage of the council has failed to stave off a legal vote this Wednesday as ordered by the Hudson County Assignment Judge Peter Bariso.
News

Mayor Zimmer statement on CT shooting

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

Office of the Mayor announces:

=&0=& “I am horrified and sickened by the tragedy in Newtown. My heart breaks for the families of all the victims. On behalf of the residents of Hoboken, we extend our deepest sympathy to the community of Newtown for their tremendous loss. The City of Hoboken will continue to assist the Connecticut State Police in any way requested.”
News

CT shooter’s brother lives in Hoboken

by SmartyJones1 Min Reading

The shooter in Newtown, CT allegedly behind the shootings involving 27 deaths 18 among them children  has been identified as Adam Lanza, 20.

Lanza’s brother, Ryan 24 in Hoboken is not a suspect. Media reports earlier are confusing the two.

MSV was on the scene and heard there are two people connected in some way in custody at the Hoboken Police Department.  That information remains unconfirmed.

The alleged shooter went to the school killing his mother with the other victims.


Read More...

News

Mayor Zimmer testifies before Senate committee on Hurricane Sandy’s impact on Hoboken and its business community

by SmartyJones2 Min Reading

Office of the Mayor announces:

=&0=& Mayor Dawn Zimmer testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship on Thursday, December 13th. She discussed the impact Hurricane Sandy has had on Hoboken and the challenges still faced with the recovery process. She will also meet with Members of Congress to highlight the unmet needs of businesses and residents. Her prepared remarks before the committee are available below. 

Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship – December 13, 2012


Prepared Testimony
Presented by Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer 
Good morning Chairwoman Landrieu and Committee members. It’s a privilege to be here today.

My name is Dawn Zimmer and I am the Mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey. Hoboken is located just across the Hudson River from New York City. We are proud to be the birthplace of baseball and Frank Sinatra and home of the Cake Boss. More than 50,000 residents and hundreds of businesses call our square mile city their home, which is why we are one of the most densely populated cities in America – more than New York City. We are proud to be one of the most walkable communities in the country, and we rank number one in per capita use of public transportation for commuting. We’re a vibrant urban community filled with hundreds of boutiques, restaurants, and outdoor cafes. Read More...