In an opinion article released by HudPost on April 27, ‘Let’s properly honor our Vets’, it was reported that the recently-dedicated Veteran’s Park section of Braddock park is flying the United States flag without a nighttime light.

According to the federal code on the proper display of the United States flag, Old Glory “may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated.”

Title 4 United States Code:

§ 6. Time and Occasions for Display. (a) It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.

Shortly after the Op-Ed was released a person by the Facebook name Jazz Awad, claimed to work for Freeholder Anthony Vainieri, released this statement from Freeholder’s office.

“There are 3 American flags in the park which all have upright lights on them. To our knowledge they are all working. I will look tonight and see for myself. Freeholder Anthony Vainieri.”

The following night, Tom Schoenewald, the writer of the opinion piece, posted another photo of the flag being displayed in the nighttime without illumination.

“Someone should have made it a point to take that American flag down sometime before this evening. Fixing the lights might be a bigger issue, but it’s not difficult to lower a flag out of respect to our Veterans,” says Schoenewald.

HudPost was able to get in contact with the secretary of the freeholder’s office who was not aware of the situation and said she would bring it to Vainieri’s attention right away. HudPost also contacted the North Bergen Parks and Recreation department who said they would bring up the issue with the county.

I applaud the town of North Bergen and it’s Public Works Department for all of the fantastic improvements to, and daily upkeep of, the James J. Braddock Park over the past year. However, there must be immediate attention paid to the recently-dedicated Veteran’s Park section at 90th Street and Bergenline Avenue.

On my last two visits to the park (over the last week) for night-time exercise, the lights at the Veteran’s Memorial have all been off. While I understand electrical malfunctions can happen at any time, what is inexcusable is allowing our American flag to fly in complete darkness. Old Glory is what our brave Military men and women have fought to defend for centuries and never should it be allowed to fly without a nighttime light shining brightly on the majestic Stars and Stripes.

What makes this situation more disappointing is the fact that on both of my recent visits, there have been four fully-lit playing fields with nary a player on any of them. Those three baseball fields and one football field are inside Braddock Park and either adjacent, or close-by, the Veteran’s Park.

Let’s properly honor our Vets with either a brightly lit American flag every night, or, the proper removal of the same flag at dusk until the lights are fixed.

The North Bergen Board of Commissioners voted to increase the municipal budget by 3.5% amounting to $2.06 million dollars with the “Ordinance to increase the municipal budget cap rate and to established a cap bank 2016”.

According to the ordinance, the Mayor finds it “advisable and necessary to increase its 2016 budget…in the interest of promoting the health, safety and welfare of the citizens.”

Mayor Sacco, Commissioner Cabrera, Commissioner Marenco, Commissioner Gargiulo, Commissioner Pascual all voted in favor.

The son of one of New Jersey’s most powerful politicians, Senator and Mayor Nicholas Sacco, and North Bergen High School Vice-Principal, Nick Sacco, Jr. is under fire for what is thought to be a racially insensitive post about the announcement of American abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the new $20 bill.

Update: Nick Sacco Jr. has deleted his post shortly after this article was posted.

On his Facebook page, Sacco JR., compared the likings of Harriet Tubman to Weezie Jefferson, a character from the black sitcom of the early 80’s, the Jeffersons.

The post reads “She makes Weezie Jefferson look hot” along with a USA Today article displaying Tubman on the face of the bill.

Gabriela Moncayo, a North Bergen resident, says “I can’t even begin to understand how a person in [his] position [VP of North Bergen High School] of influence could think this post is funny or appropriate. Here is a white man calling not 1, but 2, black women ugly. Both happen to be black American heroes.”

Other reactions on the comments were less offended and more supportive of Sacco’s JR comments as seen by, Rosemarie Villanova, who confused Harriet Tubman as “a guy” and suggested the treasury to “pick a better picture”.

This is not the first time Sacco and his administration have been under fire for racially insensitive comments. During last years BOE election, Sam Jaafar, made offensive comments about Indian and Hispanics Americans.

Jaafar, who currently sits on the board of education, made remarks about needing to “get away from” Mexicans in North Bergen before taking a vacation to Cancun and mocked Indian accents by posting “Why do all Indians filling up my tanks always ask me for my jip code? All these guys are honor students but can’t say the Z sound”

Nick Sacco, Jr. has defended his post by saying “It was a joke. I didn’t mean it to be racist. I know I’m not a hottie, and 200 years from now I wouldn’t want them to put the worst picture possible of me on the 20 dollar bill.”

Following the famous 0% tax increase budget adopted during the 2015 election year. Mayor Nick Sacco and the North Bergen Board of Commissioners have voted unanimously to introduce a $88 million dollar budget with a 2% tax increase.

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