Continuing the ongoing series, here are a couple highlights from the 7/29/2007 edition of our local paper, The Hoboken Reporter.
Cover Stories
Is Hoboken ready for Hurricanes?
Up to now Mayor Roberts’ answer to questions about post-9/11 and Hurricane Katrina emergency preparedness has been to arrange photo opportunities like the sausage fest on the front page of the Reporter last year as Roberts and his directors posed over a map. During the campaign season when Beth Mason brought up the lack of emergency evacuation plans and Dawn Zimmer warned the 4th ward could look like New Orleans after Katrina, some said they were being alarmist.
Now the Reporter says studies show parts of Hoboken will be under two stories of water when a major hurricane hits. Nearly six years after 9/11 the city is now moving closer to publishing evacuation plans, and possibly installing emergency public address and/or reverse-911 systems.
“New Vision” for schools
The front page also includes a detailed report on last week’s school board meeting, including a picture of newly appointed Hoboken High School Principal Lorraine Cella.
Inside
Page 3: City Council Meeting
Under the headline “Change of heart on legal contract”. The Reporter recaps this week’s bizarre City Council meeting. The article focuses on the RFQ’s for Professional Services. Public outrage about the Church Square Park Astroturf is included as a “brief” on page 15.
Page 4: Briefs Begin
This is where the reporter covers the suicide at 5MVP, updates the investigation of attempted voter fraud in the 5th ward, notes the latest voter fraud charges filed by former 4th ward councilman Chris Campos against Dawn Zimmer and the HCDO, and briefly mentions Hoboken University Medical Center has begun boring for soil samples for a new emergency room.
Page 5: Hoboken’s Musical Heritage
Nice article about the Hoboken Historical Museum’s new exhibit on music and musicians from the Mile Square City. Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Roselli, and Blind Tom are noted, along with shows at Club Zanzibar and Maxwells.
Page 7: Hate those Temporary No Parking signs
In a move much like the “Reader Mail” items regularly posted here on Hoboken411, the Reporter lets a reader recount his experience dealing with those $%^#! Temporary “No Parking” signs. The writer tells us about finding his car missing and going to court. The reader was eventually miffed to realize the editor took out some of his references (as not to disparage City employees), and sent Hoboken411 the original letter for readers to see.
Page 8: Police Beat
In addition to the alleged bias attack at The Cage and the arrest of a Union City resident that allegedly tried to steal $80 worth of Transformers toys from the ShopRite, there was a very disturbing story of a mugging on River Street.
The Reporter says a 42-year-old Hoboken woman was walking in the area of 300 River at 11:24pm last Sunday when she was attacked from behind. The mugger punched her repeatedly, knocking three teeth out before taking a tiger print bag and a Hello Kitty wallet. Anyone who has information about this horrible crime is asked to call Hoboken PD at (201) 420-2110.
Page 22: Fonzie Stages a Comeback
I often skip past the middle pages with the cheesy paid-for articles about how great some developers’ slow-selling condo project is, along with the finance, health and sports features. However, this week Jim Hague’s Scoreboard caught my eye with a feature on former New York Met All-Star Edgardo Alfonzo.
At 34 Fonzie is trying to get back into the big leagues. Hague tells us how he’s playing for the independent minor league Long Island Ducks. It’s hard not to root for the guy, even if his quest is probably doomed.
A similar article was in the NY Post back in early July.
Page 50: 7 Letters To The Editor
Mayor Roberts expands on his case for Astroturf at Church Square Park, and again tries to convince us he is doing a great job. This letter is longer than the one he sent to Hoboken411, and also corrects some improper word usage. Not to be outdone, activists Cheryl Fallick and Mary Ondrejka have a letter attacking the Mayor for destroying CSP and urging outraged people to attend the August 8th City Council meeting.
“Anonymous” also complains about the conditions at “the only two true middle-income high-rise buildings in Hoboken.” Though the writer never names the building, he or she is talking about Grogan Marine View Plaza. Apparently the rent is going up and the kitchen renovations use the “cheapest materials available.”
Writer “R.M.” complains about Chris Campos and Jerry McCann’s quest to remove Dawn Zimmer from office. Ruben Ramos writes a letter calling on NJ Transit to help fix the flooding, and Paul Corrigan calls for a new smoking ordinance. Sylvia Schwartz also enjoyed “Shakespeare in The Park”.
Hoboken, Reporter Roundup
7/31/2007:
(4 votes, average: 3.25 out of 5)
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