Dear Neighbors,
Happy Pride! 🏳️🌈
Raising the Pride flag over City Hall
As we head towards summer, here is an update on all things Hoboken.
COVID-19 Updates
The rate of daily positive tests in Hoboken and New Jersey continues to slow as vaccinations remain readily available. As of June 10th, over 4.4 million New Jerseyans have been fully vaccinated with over 9.4 million having received at least one dose.
With the dropping number of positive cases and the State’s COVID-19 transmission rate at .77, (meaning each new COVID case will spread to less than one other person), the State is no longer issuing travel advisories. Also, New Jersey residents are no longer required to quarantine when traveling domestically outside the State.
As of June 6th, Hoboken’s recent positive test results total 5,019 cases confirmed to date. Two weeks ago there were 5,008 positive cases. Although the weather is warmer and many members of our community are being vaccinated, COVID-19 is still around. Please remain vigilant, practice social distancing when necessary, wash your hands and stay safe.
Last July we celebrated the landmark of having no COVID patients at Hoboken University Medical Center (HUMC). After spiking in January at 29 patients, we currently have 2 COVID patients at HUMC with no Hoboken residents being treated.
As Governor Murphy said Wednesday:
“We know there is a direct correlation between our steadily increasing vaccination numbers and our steadily decreasing case counts and hospitalizations. It’s not by accident. It is because we have safe and effective vaccines.”
If you have any reason to believe you have been exposed to COVID and have not been vaccinated, please quarantine and then schedule an appointment for a COVID test at least 5-7 days after potential exposure.
Governor Murphy Ends N.J.’s COVID State of Emergency
Nearly 15 months after he declared it, Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order formally ending New Jersey’s public health emergency.
One year and three months have passed since New Jersey announced its first positive Coronavirus test on March 4, 2020. As an early pandemic hotspot, our state has suffered more than 26,000 COVID-19 deaths. Tragically, New Jersey has the highest COVID-19 deaths per capita in the US.
With the lifting of the State of Emergency, the state's pandemic capacity restrictions on businesses and gathering limits have been lifted, though masking and social distancing rules remain in place at daycare facilities, summer camps, and on public transit, following the guidelines from the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
14 Executive orders that stay in place through the year’s end — or until the Governor revokes or alters them — include:
- Current statewide masking rules.
- A moratorium on evictions during the crisis.
- A moratorium on insurance companies canceling policies for insureds who haven’t paid premiums.
- A moratorium on utility shutoffs for customers who haven’t paid bills.
- Expanded outdoor dining at restaurants.
- The requirement that healthcare facilities give the state daily data reports.
- Protocols at summer youth camps.
- Shielding federal stimulus payments from wage garnishment.
The State will continue overseeing coronavirus testing, vaccinations, and data collection through at least January 11, 2022.
Details on the continuing COVID-19 Executive Orders are found here.
COVID Vaccination News
In great Hoboken news, as of June 10th, 96% of our seniors (65 and older) have received the first dose, and 88% of our seniors are fully vaccinated. These senior vaccination statistics are absolutely amazing and well outpace the State’s impressive numbers.
64% of Hoboken residents 18 and older have been provided with at least one dose, and 56% are fully vaccinated.
56% of all Hoboken residents, regardless of eligibility, have been provided with at least one dose, and 48% are fully vaccinated.
Thanks to all who have stepped up and gotten vaccinated!
Mayor Bhalla and the Hoboken Health Department continue to collaborate with local pharmacies to offer free COVID-19 vaccine clinics for Hoboken residents and employees of Hoboken businesses at the following locations at times:
Where: 221 Jackson Street (community room)
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
Day: Thursdays, through at least the end of June
Time: 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Vaccine offered: Johnson & Johnson (one-dose) or Moderna (two-doses)
Ages: 18+
Administered By: Better Life Pharmacy and Hoboken Health Department
To get the City’s latest information on vaccinations and clinic schedules click here.
In addition to the clinic above, Medicine Man Pharmacy and Compounding and Hoboken Family Pharmacy are currently offering the COVID-19 vaccine at their Hoboken locations during regular business hours, while supplies last. (For instance, I walked into the Better Life Pharmacy at 1000 Washington Street last week, and the pharmacist told me she had vaccine supply available for walk-in patients.)
CVS pharmacies Midtown and Uptown Hoboken locations also are supplying the COVID-19 vaccine as well. To track CVS’s Hoboken vaccine supply click here.
I am not throwing away my shot!
COVID Testing Updates
To get the City’s latest information on Hoboken’s test appointments and hours click here.
Free Testing for Hoboken Residents and Business Employees:
Jackson St. Gym, 605 Jackson Street (Administered by Medicine Man)
Date: Wednesdays
Time: 2 - 7 pm (Wednesdays)
Location: 605 Jackson Street (updated location)
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
221 Jackson Street, Community Room (Administered by NJ Dept of Health)
Date: June 18
Time: 1 pm – 7 pm
Location: 221 Jackson Street (Hoboken Housing Authority, community room)
Who: Hoboken and Hudson County residents, Hoboken business employees
Type of testing: Saliva based
No appointment needed, tests provided on a first-come, first-serve basis
Riverside Medical Group
Riverside Medical Group closed our public COVID-19 testing facility at 16th and Clinton and transferred its testing facilities to their three Hoboken offices. All Hoboken residents and Hoboken employees remain eligible for free COVID testing at Riverside’s offices.
To get your COVID-19 test through Riverside, Hoboken residents and employees can call the Riverside location where they would like to be tested:
232 Clinton Street: 201-876-3215,
609 Washington Street: 201-706-8490,
1111 Hudson Street: 201-942-9314
PromptMD
Prompt MD has transitioned its COVID-19 testing to its primary location on 1st Street. All Hoboken residents and employees continue to be eligible for testing at Prompt MD's First Street location. To get a PCR COVID-19 test through Prompt MD, residents or employees can walk into Prompt MD's primary location in Hoboken without an appointment, or choose to call ahead:
309 1st Street (phone number: 201-222-8411)
You can book a PromptMD COVID test appointment online here.
In addition to Hoboken’s free, public COVID-19 facilities, you can visit City MD at 231 Washington Street or PromptMD at 309 1st Street, and walk-in without an appointment to get COVID-19 tested.
Southwest Resiliency Park Expansion and Pop Up
On May 26th, Mayor Ravi S. Bhalla and neighborhood representatives welcomed the addition of an acre of land to Block 10, located at Harrison Street and Observer Highway. Block 10 will double the size of the Southwest Resiliency Park. First, the area will be used as a temporary pop-up park, providing amenities for the community while the permanent park design is being developed.
The planned pop-up park features a playground, shade structures, picnic tables, a basketball court, pickleball courts, community gardens, and additional programmable space. The pop-up park will be open to the public in approximately two months.
The Southwest Park’s pop-up park design
In the fall of 2021, the City will begin a formal community outreach process to solicit input for Southwest Park’s permanent expansion design.
Increasing Bike Parking
In celebration of National Bike Month, last week Mayor Bhalla announced plans to install 150 new bike racks and 350 new bike parking spaces by the end of the year. Hoboken's total capacity for bicycle parking will rise by 20%. Currently, Hoboken has 409 publicly accessible bicycle racks with a capacity for 1,764 bikes. As part of the City's COVID-19 recovery strategy and Vision Zero pedestrian safety plan, Hoboken’s Department of Transportation is prioritizing bike parking to encourage safe, convenient, and secure ways to operate bikes in the City.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to suggest locations for the installation of the new bike racks. You can submit this form and the City will make every effort to accommodate these suggestions. Helpful background on City bicycle parking, including the existing locations and the number of publicly accessible bike parking spaces, is found here.
Local business owners who would like to sponsor a public bike rack or corral outside of their storefront can complete and return this form to Hoboken’s Director of Transportation & Parking at City Hall. Likewise, condominium associations are also welcome to sponsor a public bike rack near their buildings by submitting this form.
The Return of Summer Streets
Back by popular demand, Hoboken’s Summer Streets Program is returning for Summer 2021.
1,472 residents responded to the City’s survey in April, with the majority indicating an overwhelming desire for the program to be reinstated. 79% wanted the program to return this summer and fall, 51% wanted the program back only on weekends, and 61% wanted the location to rotate around the city. Providing additional space for recreation and socialization, as well as improving pedestrian safety and comfort, were respondents’ top two priorities for this year's program.
Summer Streets blocks will be closed to thru traffic to improve pedestrian safety. Curbside parking will continue on all Summer Streets except for 14th Street.
To accommodate outdoor dining, the following locations will be closed to traffic:
14th Street between Bloomfield Street and Hudson Street on Saturdays from 11 AM to 10 PM and Sundays from 11 AM to 8 PM on the following dates:
June 12-13
June 26-27
July 10-11
July 24-25
August 7-8
August 21-22
Participating restaurants include The Madison Bar and Grill, Urban Coal House, Hudson Tavern, City Bistro, Baja, and others.
During the dates and times listed below, the following streets will be closed to thru traffic, but cross streets will remain open. Access to residences or vehicles will be permitted for residents of the affected blocks. Residents can enjoy these streets for recreation, biking, jogging, or walking.
10th Street between Hudson Street and Grand Street on weekends between 8 AM and 8 PM on the following dates.
June 12-13
June 19-20
June 26-27
5th Street between Jackson Street and Sinatra Drive on weekends between 8 AM and 8 PM on the following dates:
July 10-11
July 17-18
July 24-25
July 31-August 1
Jackson Street between 2nd Street and 7th Street on weekends between 8 AM and 8 PM on the following dates:
August 7-8
August 14-15
August 21-22
August 28-29
Park Avenue between 5th Street and 10th Street and 10th Street between Park Avenue and Grand Street on weekends between 8 AM and 8 PM on the following dates:
September 4-5
September 11-12
September 18-19
September 25-26
Sinatra Drive will not be available for Summer Streets for 2021 because of Stevens’ construction. For more information on Summer Streets including a map and summer schedule click here.
Hoboken Will Have A New Acting Police Chief July 1st
Hoboken Police Captain Daniel LoBue will become Acting Police Chief on July 1, 2021, as appointed by Mayor Bhalla, when Police Chief Ken Ferrante retires. Hoboken native Captain LoBue has served over 33 years with the Hoboken Police Department as the Department’s Senior Ranking Officer.
Mayor Bhalla will interview eligible permanent candidates after Civil Service administers the Police Chief exam and publishes the results later this year.
In the coming weeks, the City will hold a retirement ceremony for Chief Ferrante and a promotion ceremony for Captain LoBue and other members of the department.
Congratulations Captain LoBue!
Please Join Me at Mayor Bhalla’s Campaign Kickoff!
I am proud to co-host Mayor Bhalla’s Kickoff event marking his official campaign launch on June 24th at the Pilsener Haus & Biergarten. Hoboken has addressed COVID19 under Mayor Bhalla’s strong leadership. With Mayor Bhalla at the helm, we have accomplished a great deal and are poised to build on our shared achievements. Please click here to RSVP and generously support the big event.
Coffee with Cohen . . . the home edition
To practice social distancing, rather than eliminate my monthly Coffee with Cohen constituent events, I turned to the internet. On Monday, I hosted my 36th Coffee with Cohen livestream event. This week I welcomed special guest Jaclyn Cherubini, the Executive Director of the Hoboken Shelter. We discussed how the shelter never stopped providing services 7 days a week, 24 hours a day through the entire pandemic, and discussed the many services the Hoboken Shelter provides to Shelter guests, including serving meals, counseling the residents, and finding their guests permanent homes. We also discussed how you can support the Shelter. I also discussed the latest on COVID vaccines, COVID testing, expanding the Southwest Park, and much, much more.
My favorite part of Coffee with Cohen is answering your questions. This week I addressed a question on providing residents with advance notice of NJ transit Bus 126 detours. I also shared the results of my poll on whether you plan to take a vacation this summer. Over 250 people have watched the event and you can check it out here.
Do you have questions you would like me to answer at my next event? Please send them to HobokenPhil@gmail.com as I try to answer each one. The event is hosted on my Facebook page @Philcohenforcouncil and you can watch it here. My next Coffee with Cohen event is Monday, June 21st at noon and I hope to see you there.
You can also follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, or if I can be of assistance to you or your family, please do not hesitate to contact me at HobokenPhil@gmail.com.
Phil Cohen
5th Ward Councilman
City of Hoboken, New Jersey
HobokenPhil@gmail.com
(862) 234-9053
P.S. You can learn more about me and my ideas for Hoboken (as well as read this newsletter and my prior newsletters) on my website philcohen.org.
