Dear Neighbor,
As July comes to an end, here’s an update on the latest in the Mile Square City.
♻️ New EV Charging Stations are Coming ♻️
Last week, the City Council unanimously approved Mayor Bhalla’s plan to more than double Hoboken’s publicly accessible electric vehicle ("EV") charging stations. Volta Inc., an industry-leading EV charging and media network, will partner with the City to install at least 25 public EV charging stations on City streets, including eight DC fast chargers. DC fast chargers can charge EV batteries from 20 to 80 percent in 30 minutes. These EV infrastructure investments come at no cost to taxpayers.
Our residents will be able to access a public EV charger within a 5-minute walk after these stations are installed. According to vehicle registration records, there are currently over 1,600 electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles registered to Hoboken residents, a number expected to triple by 2025.
The City will receive a monthly rental fee of $325 per media-enabled charging station port from Volta, estimated to generate up to $89,700 in annual revenue once all stations are installed and activated. Additionally, these stations will provide real-time transit information, advertising screens promoting City events, and more.
Over 3,300 people have charged their vehicles over 4,300 times since the City’s first public charging stations opened in 2021. Nearly half of these charging sessions took place on First Street (bet. Washington + Hudson Sts.), at the City's only on-street charging station, demonstrating curbside charging's appeal.
A New EV Charging Station Located at 13th & Jefferson
National Night Out Against Crime
National Night Out will take place at Church Square Park at Fourth and Garden Streets on Tuesday, August 2nd, from 5 to 9 pm.
Hoboken Police Department and Stevens Institute’s Campus Police Department will jointly host this event as part of the annual national campaign to promote police-community partnerships known as “America’s Night Out Against Crime”.
A large lineup of family activities will take place during this year's event, including free giveaways, water slides, a bounce house, mini golf, music, a cool-down sensory tent, a Jaws of Life demonstration by the Hoboken Fire Department, and more.
Free food will be provided by Gringos Tacos, Tastebuds, and Nigel’s Hotdogs.
Local businesses will also be out in support of the night out against crime, in addition to the police agencies.
For more information, to register for a table, or to make a donation for the event, contact Officer William Oquendo at oquendow@hobokenpdnj.gov and Sgt. Christopher LaBruno at labrunoc@hobokenpdnj.gov.
Green Business Recognition Program
Hoboken business owners are invited to apply to the Green Business Recognition Program. Businesses committed to progressive, responsible environmental values are recognized under the program.
To be considered for the 2022 program, businesses recognized in previous years must reapply. To apply, click here. The deadline to apply is July 31.
The 17th Annual Spaghetti Dinner Block Party Is Coming 
The Spaghetti Dinner Block Party, a special Hoboken tradition, takes place Tuesday, August 30th, from 5 to 8 pm.
Enjoy a special night of pasta and camaraderie on the waterfront with neighbors and friends. Proceeds from wine, beer, water, and soda sales go to the Hoboken Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Tickets are $40 for adults, $20 for seniors, and $15 for children 12 and younger. Tables for up to 10 people are $400. Tickets can be purchased online here.
Tickets can also be purchased by mailing a check or money order, payable to the City of Hoboken, to Hoboken Cultural Affairs Office, 94 Washington St., Hoboken, NJ 07030. To purchase tickets through the mail, include your name, address, phone number, email address, and the amount and type of ticket you desire. The deadline to purchase tickets through the mail is August 15th. The deadline to purchase tickets online is August 22nd. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
Hoboken Police Pop-up Event
The Hoboken Police Department, in partnership with HOPES and the Hoboken Public Library, will host its police pop-up and community game night on Thursday, August 4th, on 11th street from 5 to 7 pm between Garden and Bloomfield Streets. The popup incorporates both family fun activities and educational outreach for adults.
For more information, contact 1-855-OK HOPES (1-855-654-6737) or email gigantem@hobokenpdnj.gov.
Honoring a Hoboken Hero — Mike Turner
It was great to honor Hoboken hero Mike Turner last Wednesday with a proclamation from Mayor Bhalla.
Born and raised in Hoboken, Mike served the City he loves during a long and distinguished career as a Hoboken firefighter — retiring with the rank of Battalion Chief (our City’s first Puerto Rican Battalion Chief). Mike continued making Hoboken proud with an epic performance on Survivor Season 42 finishing as runner-up. Mike is the oldest person ever to make it to Survivor’s final Tribal Council round.
Congratulations, Mike!
My Interview on The Pulse with Peter B
I enjoyed joining The Pulse with Peter B for an exclusive interview on Hoboken politics and issues affecting our community. You can check out the interview here (my segment begins around the 21-minute mark).
COVID-19 Updates
As of July 24th, Hoboken’s positive test results total 13,180 cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic. Two weeks ago, there were 12,860 positive cases.
New Jersey’s transmission rate is presently at 1.06. Please stay vigilant, practice social distancing when necessary, wash your hands, and stay safe.
Thankfully, HUMC is now hospitalizing no one with COVID. If you have any reason to believe you have been exposed to COVID, please quarantine and then schedule an appointment for a COVID test 5-7 days for those fully vaccinated and immediately for those unvaccinated after potential exposure. To find out when you should get tested, click here.
COVID Testing Updates
To get the current Hoboken COVID testing and hours click here.
Testing for Hoboken Residents and Business Employees:
605 Jackson Street (Administered by Medicine Man)
Date: Wednesday
Time: 8 am - 12 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of testing: PCR
Who: Hoboken residents, Hoboken business employees
At-home testing
The NJ Department of Health and Vault Medical Services offers free, at-home COVID-19 saliva test kits. To order your kit go to learn.vaulthealth.com/nj. I ordered four free test kits from the federal government for my family, and you can order yours at https://www.covidtests.gov/.
COVID Vaccination News
To get current information on Hoboken vaccinations and clinic schedules click here.
Vaccination for Hoboken Residents, Business Employees, and Students:
605 Jackson Street (Administered by Hudson Regional Health Commission)
Date: Tuesday (Aug. 9)
Time: 10 am – 1 pm
Location: 605 Jackson Street
Type of vaccine: Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson
Ages: All eligible age groups over 6 months
If you are a Hoboken resident and would like a copy of your vaccination record, please contact LMedeiros@hobokennj.gov. Vaccination records are also accessible for all New Jersey residents through the Docket app.
Coffee with Cohen . . . the home edition
Last year, to practice social distancing, rather than eliminate my monthly Coffee with Cohen events, I turned to the internet. For my 60th Coffee with Cohen event, I hosted special guest Nora Martinez DeBenedetto, Hoboken’s Constituent Services Coordinator. We discussed Nora’s new role as Coordinator and head of the Office of Constituent Services, what she loves about this town as a lifelong resident, why it is important to have a Constituent Services Office, and much more. I also addressed your questions about the status of Northwest Resiliency Park’s construction and the timeline for completing this project. Over 220 people have watched this event and you can check it out here.
Do you have a question for my next Coffee with Cohen? Send it to HobokenPhil@gmail.com as I try to address each one. Many past events are recorded and hosted on my Facebook page and you can watch them here.
You can stay up to date by following me on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. 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
Hoboken City Councilman
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 prior newsletters) on my website philcohen.org.
