Quick Message

Public Hearing on Introduced 2010 Budget

2010-02-23T20:33:00.003-05:00

Members are encouraged to attend the public hearing tomorrow, Wednesday, February 24 at 6pm at City Hall for the 2010 Introduced Budget. Please note that a few of our members have reported that a tax protest will be occurring in front of City Hall from 5pm – 6pm tomorrow.

280 Grove Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302

Journal Square Revedevelopment Plan

2010-02-06T11:29:00.008-05:00

UPDATE 2.23.2010: An updated version of the plan has been published. Click here to download.

The Journal Square Redevelopment plan has been pared down and is now being called the “Journal Square Core Redevelopment Plan”. It is currently scheduled for review before the planning board this Tuesday, February 9th. We encourage our members to review this proposal and to provide feedback to your elected officials. Inputs from those who reside within the community were once again excluded. Click here to download the plan.

Volunteers Needed To Help the Homeless

2010-01-12T19:00:00.000-05:00

2010 POINT-IN-TIME HOMELESS COUNT
The County's annual Point in Time (PIT) Count of the Homeless is a 24 hour count of the homeless. This year it will take place in the evening on Wed. Jan. 27. Homeless individuals are given a survey asking information about their situation and their needs to help the cities and county to build information on the number and needs of our homeless population.

The street count of homeless individuals who are not in shelter, will take place Wed. Jan. 27, 8:00pm through 11:30pm. Volunteers are urgently needed to go into the streets alongside local providers, to find and survey Homeless people in Hudson County.

PROJECT HOMELESS CONNECT (PHC) Hudson County's Annual Project Homeless Connect event will take place Wed., Jan 27, 2010 at the BergenView Gymnasium, 654 Bergen Avenue, Jersey City, and Project Homeless Connect is a one-day, one-stop event where Homeless individuals in Hudson County will be have access to a hot meal, services information and referral, hygiene kits, medical screening, HIV/AIDS testing, socks, coats, hats, gloves, thermals and much more. The event is organized each winter by the Hudson County Alliance to End Homelessness (HCAEH), a collaborative group of representatives from local government, the non-profit community, and the business sector. Volunteer participation is essential to making the event a success.

Volunteer assistance is very much needed Tues. night, Jan. 26 & various times day & evening Wednesday January 27.

GLOVES, HATS, SCARVES, SOCKS, THERMALS NEEDED FOR THE HOMELESS
We are looking for volunteers to donate or collect NEW items such as new socks, new gloves/hats/scarves, new Thermal Underwear & new under-shirts. All sizes are needed, particularly larger men's sizes.

THE NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS
We hope that you will consider this opportunity for yourself, your friends, family, co-workers, students, members, etc. to participate in this important community service activity.

Volunteer Activity TUESDAY 1/26, Bergenview Gym, 654 Bergen Ave:
• Set-up, the Evening Before PHC: 5:30pm-7pm

Volunteer Activity WEDNESDAY 1/27, Bergenview Gym, 654 Bergen Ave:
• Set-up @ PHC: 8:15am-9:30am
• Administer Surveys @ PHC: 9:30am-1:30pm
• Serve Food @ PHC: 9:30am-1:30pm
• Crowd Control @ PHC: 9:00am-1:30pm
• Distribute Clothing @ PHC: 9:00am-1:30pm
• Take Down/Clean-up PHC: 1:30pm-2:30pm

Homeless Count Volunteering: WEDNESDAY 1/27 -- meet at 118 Summit Ave., Jersey City, NJ
• PIT Count (Unsheltered): 8:00pm-11:00pm

Volunteers are asked to arrive 25 Minutes before the shift to allow time for Training. We hope that you or your organization or group will find this a fulfilling opportunity to assist those in need in our community.

Contact Information
To volunteer or drop off donations of items, or if you need further information, please call Susan Milan at 201-209-9301 x.328, or email: homeless.count.hudson@gmail.com

Save the Date!

2010-01-11T19:30:00.001-05:00

Are you worried that the 11.25% municipal tax increase for the first half of 2010 may only be the tip of the iceberg? Wondering when a 2010 fiscal budget will be introduced (for the year beginning July 1, 2009?) or why the budget is so late each year? Want to hear what your representatives think about the issues that concern you most?

Then here is your opportunity. Our Ward representative from the Heights,Ward D Councilman Bill Gaughan and Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez, will be our guests at the January 12th RNA meeting. Monthly business will be kept to a minimum in order to give you time to get answers to your most pressing issues directly from your Ward representative.

Send us the questions you plan to ask so that we can organize the evening to cover as much as possible. Send your questions to riverviewneighborhood@comcast.net.

Date and Location
Tuesday, January 12, 2010 @ 7:30pm
178 Ogden Ave

2010 Census Road Tour

2009-12-31T12:52:00.006-05:00

Learn about the 2010 Census from your elected officials at the Census Road Tour on Tuesday, January 5, 2010 from 12pm – 2pm at City Hall. The event will allow you to contribute your voice and a picture to the 2010 Census “Portrait of America”, hear and see local artists, view a sample of the 2010 Census form, as well as engage with your local community leaders and the 2010 Census partners. Click here for more info.

Christmas Tree Collection

2009-12-31T12:37:00.001-05:00

The JCIA will be collecting live (or almost live) trees during the dates and times below. Please ensure that trees are free of ornaments, lights, and other decorations. Wreaths and artificial trees will not be collected. Please place these items on the curbside along with your regular refuse.

Collection Schedule:
Thursday, January 7, 2010 7pm and 10pm
Thursday, January 14, 2010 7pm and 10pm
Thursday, January 21, 2010 7pm and 10pm
Thursday, January 28, 2010 7pm and 10pm

Heights On The Rise

2009-12-16T19:54:00.003-05:00

“The Heights is on the rise” according to The New York Daily News. Friendly neighbors, neighborhood character, and affordability are just some of the words used to describe our neighborhood. Keep the momentum going by staying or becoming a more active member of the community and by encouraging others to participate.

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/your_neighborhood/2009/11/13/2009-11-13_jersey_city_heights_star_is_on_the_rise.html

A Contract Should Mean Something

2009-12-12T13:07:00.002-05:00

RNA members and friends who read the newsletter or attend meetings regularly know that as a condition of approval for The Cliffs project (Paterson Plank Road and Mountain Road) that the developer was required to reconstruct the 100 Steps connecting Ogden Avenue with Paterson Plank Road. While the variances were granted and the building is occupied by paying tenants, the developer has not yet built the Steps and the City has not helped the matter. Years have gone by, the building has been constructed and occupied, yet the community has not yet received the promised benefit (the steps) in return for approving the variances.

The City is a party to the developer's agreement. When will the City take action and demonstrate to our community that an agreement that was negotiated in good faith (with significant input from RNA) will be enforced? We hear rumors that the cost to build the Steps has increased beyond what the developer wishes to pay - well, had the Steps been built years ago, they would have been less expensive - and had the City insisted on an actual cost estimate rather than a guesstimate - we would not be waiting. We call upon the City to do everything within its power to require the developer to uphold its end of the contract. That would be a Christmas present we would remember for a very long time.

Come to the RNA Holiday Party!

2009-11-28T15:18:00.005-05:00

Save the date!
Get together with your neighbors and friends on Tuesday, December 8, for RNA's annual holiday party at 7pm at The Harborview Health Center.

There's no RNA business conducted and no cost! Members are encouraged to bring a dessert and enjoy a catered dinner with the RNA community.

To help those in need during the holiday season, RNA will be holding a food drive in partnership with The Community Food Bank of New Jersey. We kindly ask you bring an item from the list below. Additional information including the “Most Wanted” list is provided below for you to review, download, or print.

Most Wanted List
- Canned Fish / Meat
- Milk (Powdered and Infant Formulas)
- Boxed Meals
- Canned Packaged Meals
- Peanut Butter (Plastic Containers only, please)
- Canned Vegetables / Fruit

Organization Information / Pamphlets
- Most Wanted List
- Community Food Bank of New Jersey

Walk Your Dog in Costume

2009-10-29T09:52:00.003-04:00

Update:

Thanks to all for a successful Riverview Bark event. We hope you enjoy the video below. Photos of the event can be viewed on our community page as well as the NJ.com.

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Walk Riverview – Fisk Park on Halloween (Saturday, October 31, 2009) with your dog in costume from 11am – 1pm. Come out to meet your neighbors and provide your furry friend an opportunity to get to know his / her community.

A gift basket will be offered to the best dressed dog and gift bags to the second and third runners up. Coffee and snacks will be provided along with candy for those that are trick or treating. Additionally, professional photos can be taken of you and your best friend ($10). Be sure to stop by during your Halloween adventure through the neighborhood.

Prizes are being donated by Riverview Bark. A new Pet Boutique opening up on Palisade Avenue (across the street from Riverview Park) offering dry goods and services such as pet grooming (professional or self service), dog walking, and overnight sitting.

Please be sure to keep your dogs on leash at all times.

Flea Market Slide Show

2009-09-22T09:44:00.009-04:00

Thanks to the RNA board, local businesses, members, vendors, the City of Jersey City and visitors to the 23rd Annual Flea Market held on Sunday, September 13th in Riverview Park. It was a great success.

Here's a slide show of the Flea Market

This event would not have been successful without everyone's combined efforts. Olga Weissman led the Flea Market effort for RNA. Councilman Gaughan helped get the City to cover the Liability insurance and the JCIA and Parks & Forestry, helped clean up the park and provide a generator for our use. JCPD patrolled the area. Local businesses provided donations including Palisade Wine & Liquor, Palisade Lumber, Sal's Pizza, and Alfred's Party Time. An RNA board member contributed prizes for the kids games as well as the iPod's for the raffle. Local businesses hung our poster in their window and many members passed out posters and flyers. Maria Tuzzo coordinated the vendor registration. Allison Fontana contributed her artistic talents for free face painting for the kids, and for the first time, free yoga and intenSati classes were offered by RNA members Norina Guerra and Leiza Antonczak.

Many members contributed their time and talents to bake, serve at the RNA booth, and escort residents of the Harbor View Nursing Home to the event. The entire RNA board worked long hours to plan, host and clean up after the event. This truly was a community effort. There are many others who we are surely omitting (though certainly unintentionally) and we thank you too!

We'll do it again next year!

Heights Burglaries

2009-09-15T23:28:00.005-04:00

This month, our immediate neighborhood has seen an increase in burglaries. The first occurred on Palisade Avenue north of Congress Street and the second on Sherman Avenue. What is alarming about these is that the burglaries took place while the owners of the property were home either sleeping or in another part of the house.

Please use precautionary measures such as:
- Locking windows, doors, gates, garages even if you are home
- Arming your home alarm system at night via the “Stay” feature
- Ensure valuables such as electronics are not stored in your vehicle
- Be aware of your surroundings especially at night while walking

Report any suspicious activities to the North District Police department at 201.547.5350.

Corruption Scandal

2009-07-23T15:59:00.003-04:00

To date, 44 NJ officials have been charged in a public corruption and money laundering scheme including several familiar to Jersey City Heights residents. These include Council President Mariano Vega, Deputy Mayor Leona Baldini, Jimmy King, and former Mayoral candidates and State Assemblymen L. Harvey Smith and Lou Manzo among others. We recommend that you take a look at the criminal complaints and judge for yourself. They are available at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nj/press/2009releases.html.

Your comments are welcome on our Forum.

RNA e-Forum Up and Running

2009-05-23T11:30:00.001-04:00

Our neighborhood forum is now operational! Please register to use it by clicking on the Forum link at the top of the page on our website and join in! It will take a while to build up an online community but we hope you will make it happen. Please tell your friends to visit too.