Dear Neighbors,
Happy Fall! 🍂Here’s an update on the latest in the Mile Square City.
New Year Greetings
According to Jewish tradition, judgment is written on Rosh Hashanah (celebrated last Monday) and sealed on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which concluded at sundown on Wednesday. For those who celebrate, I wish you a happy new year and hope you enjoyed a meaningful holiday season.
And, for all of us, of every religion or no religious affiliation --especially during this time of great challenges, conflicts, disruptions, and divisions — here’s wishing you a year of better understanding of one another, good health, healing, fairness, unity, fulfillment, happiness, enlightenment, achievement, prosperity and – most important - peace.
Southwest Resiliency Park Expansion’s Finalized Design
The final concept design for the expanded Southwest Resiliency Park has been published. The park will serve as a recreation space as well as a flood mitigation zone. The expansion will double the size of the existing one-acre Southwest Resiliency Park at 58 Jackson Street, and include six pickleball courts, a shaded plaza with tables and seating, a children's playground, a full basketball court, restroom facilities, and rain gardens.
Through expanded above- and below-ground infrastructure, Southwest Resiliency Park's stormwater detention capacity will more than double, holding 460,000 gallons of stormwater during heavy rain events.
Monday night, the City Council heard a presentation on this design and will consider the feedback we received to incorporate in a final design. Next, the project team will develop an engineering plan and apply for state permits. As soon as the plan and permits are obtained, the City will invite bids for the construction, with construction tentatively starting in 2023. You can learn more information about the planned Southwest Resiliency Park expansion here.
Hoboken Community Center Bingo Night
Don't miss this fun Bingo Night to support our Hoboken Community Center Food Pantry, which serves over 1,600 residents bi-weekly with food and personal care items. October 17th, from 6-9 pm at the Pilsener Haus!
Enjoy live music from the 90’s cover band Krystal, games, and prizes! Your ticket supports the Food Pantry and includes 4 games and a drink! For more info and to RSVP click here.
Take the Hoboken Public Library Community Survey
In the process of developing its new three-year strategic plan, the Hoboken Public Library invites residents to complete their community survey on the library, its space, collections, services, and programs. To take the survey, click here.
Hoboken Library Festival
From 11 am to 4 pm next Saturday, October 15th, join the Library in Church Square Park for its annual Library Festival. This festival will have something for everyone, from crafts and concerts to author talks, activities for kids, and a wonderful book sale.
Kids’ Fall and Winter Recreation Programs — Registration is Now Open
Hoboken is accepting registrations for youth wrestling, winter basketball, and flag football. Registration closes Friday, October 28, at 5 pm.
Flag Football
This year, the City is an affiliate partner of NFL Flag Football. The flag football program is for children between the ages of 7 and 13. The season will run from the week of November 14 through December. To register, click here.
Wrestling
The City will offer wrestling to children between the ages of 6 and 14. The program will offer both competition and developmental wrestling from November to March. To register, click here.
Winter Basketball
There will be three youth winter basketball leagues offered by the City from January to March, along with an instructional basketball program and a special needs basketball program.
Instructional Basketball is for 7-year-old children. The John 'Diddles' McDonald Co-Ed Basketball League is for 3rd and 4th-grade children. The Girls League is for children in 5th through 8th grades. The Boys League is for children in 5th through 8th grades. The Special Needs Basketball Program is for youth between the ages of 7 and 17. To register, click here.
For more information about Hoboken’s Recreation Programs, contact the Division of Recreation via email at recreation@hobokennj.gov.
The Tragic Death of Christopher Garcia
Hoboken is a very safe community. However, last week we suffered a tragedy when a Hoboken resident was murdered. Chris Garcia was only 28. Chris’s friends shared with me that Chris was shot and killed after trying to help stop a fight that didn’t involve him.
Chris was an aspiring fashion designer and entrepreneur. Earlier this year, Chris was instrumental in organizing a successful basketball tournament at the Hoboken Housing Authority. I attended Chris’s funeral Tuesday morning and saw first-hand the deep pain and grief his shocking death brought to our community. We are here for Chris’s many friends, family members, and the many Hoboken residents who were touched by Chris — his dreams, his hopes, and the way he lived his life. Chris was a beloved member of our community whose life ended way too soon due to senseless violence. A Go Fund Me account has been set up to support Chris’s family and you can contribute here.
The sad reality is that there is both far too much gun violence in this country and far too much influence from America’s gun lobby that has kept political leaders from closing loopholes and enacting common-sense legislation to protect us from gun violence. If you want to get involved and work to elect representatives who will protect our communities from gun violence, contact your local chapter of Moms Demand Action at hudsonmomsdemand@gmail.com.
Monkeypox Update and Vaccine Clinic Locations
New Jersey has a total of 724 cases of monkeypox as of October 6th with 178 cases located in Hudson County.
The State is providing monkeypox vaccinations for eligible individuals. Eligible individuals include those who have had known contact with someone who tested positive for orthopoxvirus or monkeypox in the past 14 days, people who attended an event where known monkeypox exposure occurred within the past 14 days, and men who have sex with men.
Monkeypox Vaccine Locations
Hoboken will be hosting a Monkeypox vaccine clinic with details being released later today. Keep an eye out for the latest information on Nixle. Outside of Hoboken, regional Monkeypox vaccine locations include:
Hyacinth AIDS Foundation/Project Living Out Loud!
Location: Jersey City
Phone: 201-706-3480
Bergen New Bridge Medical Center
Phone: 800-730-2762
The Prevention Resource Network, a program of the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey
Location: Asbury Park
North Jersey Community Research Initiative (NJCRI)
Location: Newark
Phone: 973-483-3444 ext. 200
To see all locations throughout New Jersey please click here.
If you believe you’ve been infected with Monkeypox, please contact the Hoboken Health Department at (201) 420-2375 for additional guidance, information, and contact tracing.
Also, you can visit the CDC’s Monkeypox page here for additional information.
COVID-19 Updates
As of October 2nd, Hoboken’s positive test results total 13,906 cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic. Two weeks ago, there were 13,794 positive cases.
New Jersey’s transmission rate is presently at 0.98. 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.
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.
COVID Vaccination News
New bivalent boosters, designed to combat the new Omicron variant, are on their way for additional City-run clinics. These boosters have been ordered, and as soon as the city receives them, they will schedule additional clinics.
To get current information on Hoboken vaccinations click here.
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
On Tuesday, I hosted my 64th Coffee with Cohen event and welcomed special guest Roxanne Earley, the new Executive Director of the Hoboken Business Alliance.
We discussed how her role as Executive Director has been so far, her goals for what she hopes to accomplish with the HBA, and much more. I also addressed a question from a resident about helping with pedestrian safety on Jefferson Street during Hoboken Redwing home football games. Over 100 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. This event — and many past Coffee with Cohen events — are recorded and hosted on my Facebook page and you can watch them here.
Staying Up To Date and Reaching Out For Assistance
I regularly issue this newsletter every other Friday. You also 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.
