9/7/2008:

A fun play on words from Hoboken411 reader Colonblow:

9/4/2008:

Hoboken411 has already mentioned inconsiderate intersection blockers as well as suggestions to make this city safer. However, reader Halley Woloweic has this to add:

Can we do something about it?

Here’s another example of the constant blocking of intersections by beer trucks. This is a weekly occurrence by several beer trucks unloading inventory for Daniels Liquor at Newark and Garden. The trucks park where they can without consideration for the 1-way stop and the blockages they create. Cars are forced to edge out or make a run for it. I’ve seen countless close calls and fights while the delivery drivers mindlessly go about their business. I understand they have to deliver inventory but there needs to be regulation, at the very least they should be required to park on one of the other less vulnerable corners - as they are parked usually for 15-20 minutes at a time.

We could establish and introduce a comprehensive list of appropriate or ’safe’ corners at each intersection containing bars and restaurants. Once approved the proprietors of each establishment would have a specified amount of time (1-3 months) to notify their vendors of the new regulation and face fines thereafter - both parking violations and fines to the establishment for non-compliance.

This is a simple list to devise - simply listing the intersection, the establishment(s), and the regulated approved corner(s) for parking.
With a few volunteers from the community and possibly council member support for each ward, this comprehensive list could be quickly typed up and presented to the council for approval.

411 Sez: While a noble idea, I personally think having “lists” like this is too complicated, and would be next to impossible to manage from a “vendor” level.

The alternate plan is much easier: Make “Inner Corners” such as in this example no parking for 50 feet on each side. This would apply to all vehicles, including moving trucks, UPS vans and giant SUV’s…. See this post for more…

8/28/2008:

Shortly after midnight, a NYC cabbie jumped the curb and crashed into an apartment on the corner of 3rd Park. Apparently no one in the area was hurt, including the driver, who walked away unscathed.

Hoboken411 reader Nina Zakharenko sent the pictures in.

A few more after the jump…

[Click to continue reading the rest….]

8/27/2008:

Inbox filled with incidents and inquiries this morning…

Clothes, wallet found near river

“The police found the pants, sneakers and wallet of a man on a waterside bench next to the Hudson Tea Building early Sunday morning. Soon after the Stevens Institute Police arrived. Any word on the owner (student?)”

I’d be curious too, if pants AND a wallet were found near the river.

Did anyone hear anything? A depressed Steven student just as the semester started? Hanky panky and forgot his pants? A practical joke?

8/25/2008 Update:

Some of you might have seen this ambiguous story in this weekend’s Reporter about the Office of Emergency Management being padlocked.

For those that didn’t, the story mentions that “Deputy OEM Coordinator” Joel Mestre may be under investigation, with Public Safety Director Bill Bergin refusing to elaborate, citing that it would interfere with any “disciplinary action” that might need be taken in the future.

The rumors I heard 10 days ago were that Mestre may have been permanently removed from the position (with other opportunists vying the job), while other sources have said that Mestre is possibly “wired for sound” as part of a bigger federal investigation. It’s also been said that he’s involved in a nasty divorce battle after racy pictures showed up from the useless SWAT trip to Louisiana to assist after Hurricane Katrina.

The story went on to mention the OEM’s important responsibilities, the minimal information on the city website, and how Hoboken is supposedly very unprepared to handle any large-scale emergency.

Hoboken: Your property tax-dollars hard at work!

3/14/2008:

I’ve met Joel Mestre a couple times, and he seems like a nice enough guy to me.

But this Hoboken411 reader is wondering exactly what it is he does, and whether recent debacles by city employees (including him) should be an issue.. you be the judge. (I’m just the messenger)

Qualifications of Hoboken OEM Joel Mestre?

“The City of Hoboken should have some serious questions about the qualifications of OEM Joel Mestre. What is his background other than being “a wanna be cop”? What training and qualifications make him the ideal candidate for the position? According to reports he was the Hoboken SWAT TEAM Medic and if so was this a paid for position? Mestre is also a Hoboken Zoning Officer and Deputy Director of the OEM. How could Mestre hold all three positions and how much did he make for each position since his appointment and in fact who appointed him?

Is that not a conflict of interest? Was he appointed by Mayor Roberts being Mestre was one of his biggest supporters?

READ THE REST AFTER THE JUMP…

[Click to continue reading the rest….]

8/22/2008:

Hoboken411 reader “Brooklyn Bridget” recently took a cool tour of New York’s harbor, and wants to share her experience with Hoboken residents.

Has anyone else tried it?

Working Harbor Tours and Events

Last Tuesday, I took a tour of the non-touristy parts of NY Harbor. It was on a Circle Line boat, but was organized by the Working Harbor Committee. The tour is offered on three more Tuesdays, from 6 to 8pm: the 26th of August and the 16th and 30th of September, and costs $29 per adult (a little less for children and seniors).

A member of the Working Harbor Committee narrates the tour, which focuses on manufacturing and shipping in the harbor. Tour Description (from their website): Depart South Street Seaport Museum Pier 16, Red Hook Container Terminal (American Stevedoring), East side Governors Island, Red Hook Passenger Terminal (where QM2 and other cruise ships dock), Erie Basin (Barges & tugs, where fireworks are loaded), Across the upper bay, Kill Van Kull (old docks and tugboat yards), Bayonne Bridge, then either New York Container Terminal (at Howland Hook, Staten Island) or Port Elizabeth & Port Newark (container terminals), back out the Kill Van Kull, by Robbins Reef Lighthouse (widow Kate Walkerʼs home), Military Ocean Terminal (large graving dock), Global Ocean Terminal (container port & automobile ship dock), Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, Whitehall Ferry Terminal (tip of Manhattan) and back to South Street Seaport Museum Pier 16.

PHOTO GALLERY (HOLD MOUSE OVER IMAGE TO NAVIGATE - 58 PHOTOS IN THIS SET)

For a complete list of their tours, including a circumnavigation of Manhattan focusing on marine railway termini, you can visit http://workingharbor.com/Events.htm

Tugboat Competition next weekend

They also organized a tugboat competition and parade which will be viewable from the waterfront — probably best from the north end of town or from Weehawken, as the tugboats gather near 79th Street and head south to 44th Street. Here is the schedule:

Sunday 31 August 2008 - 10:00 AM to 2 PM Pier 84, West 44th Street and Hudson River - in Hudson River Park

• 9:30 AM - Tugs gather near Pier 84 - Spectator Boat (visit workingharbor.com for tickets) departs Pier 83
• 10:00 AM - Parade of tugs from Pier 84 to the start line near the 79th Street Boat Basin.
• 10:30 AM - Race starts
• 11 AM - Nose to nose pushing contests and line toss competition.
• Noon - Tugs tie up to Pier 84 for lunch and awards ceremony.
• Noon to 1 PM - Special spectator contests
• 1 PM - Awards ceremony. Tugs depart at about 2 PM.

Organized by the Working Harbor Committee, in conjunction with Capt. Jerry Roberts (founder of the event), Bert Reinauer (Reinauer Transportation) and the Tugboat Race Steering Committee.

8/22/2008:

Do you know the management company at 813 Park Avenue?

Well one Hoboken411 reader suffered some injuries on their crumbling sidewalk this week!

Cracked sidewalk is a sprain in the…

“Here’s one for Hoboken411:The sidewalk outside of 813 Park.

I wound up at St. Mary’s (411: HUMC for the newbies) for X-Rays to make sure it wasn’t a fracture. That plus there is no light in the vestibule of this building…

I know the building management company recently got my email and phone calls because today the vestibule and ground floor hall got new lights which is something I’d mentioned in my messages… now let’s see what they do about the sidewalk…”

PHOTO GALLERY (HOLD MOUSE OVER IMAGE TO NAVIGATE - 6 PHOTOS IN THIS SET)

8/21/2008:

I’m trying to make a dent in all the reader mail I have waiting on line.

Hoboken411 readers Jenna and Kelly wanted to share this cute observation about a territorial senior who has a favorite chair at Panera Bread:

Granny calls shotgun at Panera

“I went into Panera and this meemaw stink-eyed me down during my lunch. As soon as I got up she raced (and by race I mean the slowest wobble in the world) to steal my table. I have been in there and several more times and she is sitting in the same table by the window. Just an FYI— don’t sit in the granny’s seat!!!”

8/21/2008:

You ever get the run-around from a city department in Hoboken?

Many of us have, and today, Hoboken411 reader Dan shares his story about the runaround his friend received about a motor vehicle summons:

Hoboken is mismanaged

“My name is Dan and I have been a fan of this web site (and citizen of Hoboken) for a long time. Keep up the good work.

I am writing you to let you know of a very frustrating experience with the City of Hoboken. On July 21, 2008, a visitor of mine receiving a minor traffic violation. It required her to call up the Municipal Court to receive a court date and the amount of the fine. As of today (over 3 weeks later), the court has no record of the violation in their system. My visitor called the court 6 times in the last three weeks and has received the same response each time.

Upon requesting the reason behind this, the court stated that this happens all the time and the police offers often wait until their ticket books are “full” before submitting them to the court. Therefore, it might take over a month for a ticket to be submitted to the court. During the City’s financial woes, it seems ridiculous that tickets are not submitted promptly (and therefore, payment collected promptly). If it takes a month for the ticket to be submitted to the court, it will take an extra month to collect the potential fine. Also, with the exorbitant salaries listed on this site for police officers, it seems ridiculous that police officers can not fulfill such a simply part of their job. The specific officer who issued this ticket is listed at $94k per year.

The purpose of this email is to see if you or any of your other visitors have had this experience. To me, it seems like a perfect example of mismanagement in this city. I called up City Hall to see what can be done and most people were indifferent and unwilling to help. Now, we are using this as part of non-guilty plea when we ultimately do get a court date.”

8/20/2008 Update:

Seems like Cheuwy, the 14 St. Dancer in Hoboken is now on YouTube. The Hoboken cops call him the “The Daily Dancer”, because they have to tend to him practically every day for causing trouble uptown - dancing in traffic, “annoying” area bar owners (you know, $10 martinis aren’t cool with singing “street folks”), and sometimes getting a bit confrontational.

Well one person decided to make a “Hoboken Dance-off” video. It’s over 5 minutes long (way too long)… so watch the first minute, then just skip through if you don’t care to see a white guy dance with Cheuwy to amuse his giggling friends.

6/19/2008:

Here’s a couple individuals I’d like to call “Hoboken Characters.”

These are people that stand out in some kind of odd or mysterious way, and have received quite a few emails about them recently.

Singing guy on 14th Street

This fella seems to be out on 14th Street, either on the corner of Washington or Hudson. Sings along with his iPod for hours on end. Some 411 readers said:

• “Do you know anything about the weird dude who dances all weekend on the corners of 14th Street at Hudson and/or Washington? He was already out there today shaking his money maker before 9 a.m. He looks about 35, overweight, probably a little slow. He’s been there rather consistently on the weekends since the weather warmed up. I don’t remember seeing him before this season. He has a little radio that he either listens to on headphones or holds it to his ear. Who is he, and is he dangerous?”
• “Have you gotten any emails or pictures of the guy who dances on the corner of 14th and Washington? He has on an ipod and lip synchs songs while he dances. Pretty good stuff. He is there all day.”

Have you had any interactions with him?

Part-time dead, part-time angry drunk

This is a bit more weird. Not sure who this is, but for several days he was in front of the doomed Yapple’s on 10th and Wash, pretty much lifeless. “Dead” enough that more than one reader sent in notes wondering about him.

• “I was hoping you might have some advice for me. For the past several days there has been a man in a wheelchair at the corner of 10th and Washington. He is there all day long, it seems. I haven’t seen someone stay in one place like this before. Should I call the shelter/police/anyone? I don’t want him arrested. I would like him to have a place to stay.”

However, he seems fine now, because I see him all the time near Elysian Park.. just wheel-chairin’ in the middle of the street nearly causing accidents. Then he yells at the drivers “Arrgh, you’ll always be a douche-bag!”

Has he yelled at you yet?