Author: Mackensie Alvarez

North Bergen Voters Approve School Realignment Plan

On By Mackensie AlvarezIn Uncategorized

North Bergen residents overwhelmingly approved North Bergen’s school realignment plan. The referendum authorizes the district to move forward with the plan and receive the $26 Million in State School Construction Aid.

The referendum was approved 3,523 to 1,243.

North Bergen’s School Realignment Plan:

  • Purchase former High Tech High School building on Tonnelle Avenue to become North Bergen High School West Campus for grades 7-9, plus Culinary Arts and Expanded Career Technical Education for grades 9-12

  • Make renovations to NBHS West including new Auditorium Wing, new Turf Field and Student Walkway, new HVAC system and more

  • Current High School (NBHS East) to include grades 10-12 and new Business and Medical Arts programs and STEM Academy

  • Renovations to current NBHS East including Air Conditioning, Lighting Upgrades and Accessibility improvements

  • Smaller class sizes in all Elementary Schools

Ribbon-Cutting for New Day Care Center in North Bergen

On By Mackensie AlvarezIn Uncategorized

There’s a brand-new day care center in town for kids up to age 13. Located at 7424 4th Ave., First Steps to Success provides two floors of activities plus an enclosed backyard playground, with a skilled staff of educators offering pre-school and afterschool activities for children.

Mayor Nicholas Sacco and Commissioner Julio Marenco joined with the staff to cut the ribbon on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 officially opening the facility and welcoming them to the neighborhood.

Owner Roxanna Robledo, a native of North Hudson, is a mom herself and spent six years doing extensive ground work before purchasing the building and turning it into a kid-friendly, safe, and inviting teaching site.

The focus is on providing a fun and engaging environment for kids to learn and grow. Younger children will learn the alphabet and spelling, social skills, and more, while older kids can get homework help and tutoring. The center offers a wealth of hands-on activities to build motor skills and help develop critical thinking.

The state-licensed facility employs certified teachers with backgrounds in first aid and CPR. Breakfast, healthy snacks, and home cooked meals are available. The center has a capacity of 40 kids.

For more information call 201-543-8243 or email rrobledo@fstslearning.com.

Driver Involved in North Bergen Fatal Crash Faces Criminal Charge

On By Mackensie AlvarezIn Uncategorized

A North Bergen man has been arrested and charged for his involvement in the September collision that caused the death of a passenger in the vehicle he was driving on Westside Avenue in North Bergen.

On December 3, 2018, Daniel Rodriguez, age 19, of North Bergen, turned himself in without incident to members of the Fatal Collision Unit at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Jersey City. He was transported to the Hudson County Correctional Facility in Kearny following his arrest.

Rodriguez has been charged with Death by Auto in violation of N.J.S. 2C:11-5, a second-degree crime. He was scheduled to make his first appearance on this charge in Criminal Justice Reform Court in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City at 1:00 p.m. on December 4, 2018.

Prosecutor Suarez credited the Hudson County Regional Fatal Collision Unit for the investigation and arrest and the North Bergen Police Department for their assistance in the investigation.

On Thursday, September 20, 2018, at approximately 9:40 p.m., the North Bergen Police Department received a report of a collision on Westside Avenue in North Bergen. Upon arrival, responding Police Officers found that a 2013 Infiniti had collided with a tractor-trailer truck.

The investigation by the Hudson County Regional Fatal Collision Unit and the North Bergen Police Department determined that the Infiniti was traveling north on Westside Avenue at an excessive rate of speed when the collision occurred. The tractor-trailer was pulling out of the driveway of 4700 Westside Avenue and about to make a turn onto Westside Avenue when it was struck by the Infiniti.

Both Rodriguez and the passenger of the Infiniti were treated at the scene by Emergency Medical Services before being transported to Hackensack University Medical Center where they were initially listed in critical condition.

The passenger, identified as William David, age 36, of North Bergen was pronounced dead on September 23, 2018, while in Hackensack University Medical Center.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured as a result of the collision and remained at the scene while members of the Hudson County Regional Fatal Collision Unit and the North Bergen Police Department conducted their investigation.

The above charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. R.P.C.3.6(b)(6).

Campaign violation? Mysterious ‘North Bergen Today’ sponsored post raises eyebrows

On By Mackensie AlvarezIn Politics

If you “be from NB”… then you’ve probably seen NBC 4 NY’s I-Team reports covering Mayor Nicholas Sacco on the Facebook page North Bergen Today.

Until seeing a recent sponsored post against the Schools Realignment Plan, it seemed the page had been a source of reposting news and videos that are mostly anti-Sacco. The post is sponsored in both English and Spanish, you can watch the advertisement below:

The sponsored post takes a stance on a ballot measure, but lacks any disclosure regarding who paid for the political advertisement. A NJ Election Law Enforcement Commission representative indicated to HudPost by phone that the advertisement itself might constitute a campaign ethics violation due to lack of disclosure.

Facebook, which updated its political sponsored content policies following Russia’s 2016 election interference, reveals that the sponsored post is paid for by North Bergen Today.

The issue is that North Bergen Today doesn’t have a website identifying who exactly the publisher is. We sent a message to the page asking the administrator to identify themselves and who paid for the sponsored posts. The message was “left on seen,” but the administrator declined to respond in a relatively timely fashion.

This leaves us wondering – who is behind North Bergen Today?

‘Shave-Off’ Event Closes Month-Long Fundraiser to Fight Cancer

On By Mackensie AlvarezIn Uncategorized

“No Shave November” concluded with a “shave-off” event on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 with barbers from The Jagged Edge Spa & Salon pruning the collective whiskers of North Bergen’s finest.

About 80 officers in the North Bergen Police Department participated in the fundraiser this year, growing their beards and contributing to Fight CRC, an organization dedicated to raising money for research and awareness about colorectal cancer. Although CRC is the #2 cancer killer among men and women combined in the U.S., the disease is treatable if caught early, so the NBPD urges everyone to get screenings.

It was an early screening that identified the disease in Bob Ceragno, owner of Eye Contact Vision Center in North Bergen, and allowed him to get life-saving treatment several years ago. Since then he has been a vigorous advocate for Fight CRC, and has sponsored No-Shave November and the annual Shave-Off for the past three years.

This year about $5,000 was raised between the NBPD, Guttenberg PD, North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue, Englewood Hospital, and other donors.

Police Chief Robert Dowd strongly encouraged police officers to participate in the drive as part of his focus on health and well-being in the department. Public Safety Commissioner Allen Pascual was among the individuals who let their beards grow for the month.

The Shave-Off saw numerous local and regional media descend on Eye Contact vision center to watch participants file up, take their seats in the barber chair, and walk away clean-shaven.