If you are going to be near Times Square Saturday or Sunday...

...they are filming a movie scene. The explosions, smoke, and kabooms you hear are planned. Don't call 911. Don't freak out. Don't panic others.

Do get out your cell phone and take a video for your Facebook page or something for Vine and grab a snack.

In this steamy weather a few tips...

It's a firecracker out there Jersey City and the surround. We hope you're managing to stay cool. Here are a few things you might find handy going forward. Click this link to find out where the cooling centers are located around town for those who don't have A/C. Make sure to check on elderly family members and friends and neighbors on days like this they are very susceptible to the heat. A list of all the Jersey City swimming pools and sprinkler set-ups can be found by following this link. Also, make sure your pets have lots and lots of water. Bring them inside to cool off if you can but if not, water them well. Check out these tips on hot weather and pets from the ASPCA.

Late night open thread

We have no good idea what really happened to cause the need for this mugshot to be taken, but of course we'll speculate. Looking at the whole of the image we're going to guess something hair product related or a bad meat loaf got us to this point.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The good people at See Spot Rescued are having an adoption event this Saturday!

From 12-4 at K9dergarten See Spot Rescued will be holding an adoption event with quite a few wonderful loving pups who are looking for a forever home. Now, a mea culpa, Johnny got his dire wolf through See Spot Rescued and he knows the work they do is amazing! Drop by Saturday at K9dergarten, you might just fall in love. You can also follow See Spot Rescued on Twitter at
@SeeSpotRescued

One picture helps sum up Toll Brothers sheer contempt for Jersey City residents...

...and shows the people in the Jersey City government who allowed them to close this sidewalk have their heads firmly planted up their asses (but what's new?). Here we see Toll Brothers setting up a sign telling people "Hey, we could give a shit about you and your neighborhood, just cross the street here and walk down THAT side of the road." Yes, road, there is no other sidewalk. So, Toll Brothers is really telling Jersey City taxpayers "Just walk in the street but don't bother us. If you get hit too bad."

Then of course there are the people in the Jersey City government who for years have kowtowed to stupidity like this. Mr. Fulop, department heads all need to go. Every last one of them. Send their cronies and lackey to the unemployment line and let them deal with their bad decisions that way. It's long overdue.

We're watching you Steve Fulop, BIG changes are necessary, especially with how the city deals with developers who could give a shit about the city they make bank in.

Late night open thread

Johnny was watching a nature show on the teevee last night. Either that or he was dreaming he was watching a nature show on teevee last night filmed on the planet 'Round and Bouncy,' here's a clip:


Yeah, we're gonna go with fell asleep and dreamed it.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Well here's a nice story about Jersey City

And goodness knows we welcome those. If you're from around town you've know of or have seen menus for Carmine's Pizza Factory. Well the owner Carmine Testa may run things but his nine year-old son Michael is the real star of the show. So much a star in fact that a YouTube video of him tossing pizza dough had almost a half million views and he's appeared on teevee cooking shows like Rachael Ray. Nobody tosses dough like Michael, even his dad know's what's what:

“He’s a thousand times better,” said Carmine, who practices with his son a few hours a week to help him hone his already impressive skills. "When that video was made, he had only been practicing for a couple months. Now he's more than a year in."

So get to reading Jersey City, it's feel good story on a Hump Day, a real 2-fer.

Late night open thread

You can see some amazing things flipping through the channels late at night. For instance, the Big Ten Network actually had color video of Purdue winning a bowl game. Really Really.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Please turn your cell phones off, the play is about to begin...

Late night open thread

Remember Barry Manilow's song 'I Write the Songs'? He didn't write it.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Brooklyn Bridge is closed due to a suspicious vehicle

If you're stuck in traffic and dropping by the Jersey City Desk for traffic conditions, first off why, and second in the heart of the Memorial Day traffic crawl back into town the Brooklyn Bridge is closed due to an 'unattended' SUV "...in the outer lanes of Manhattan-bound traffic."

So there's that. Happy driving. Tomorrow's commute will be a breeze compared to this. At least its not 90º, it's a nice cool evening to roll the windows down and listen to some music like used to be the norm before backseat television headrests and PlayStation hookups. There used to be just AM radio Gen XYZXL, you would have hated it.

Happy Memorial Day!

From Johnny and the crew, a tip of the cap to our servicemen and women today, it's all about them.

Late night open thread

It was on this day in history (5/27) in 1937 that the Golden Gate Bridge opened.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jersey City has a footbridge again into Liberty State Park

And what a bridge it is. The new Ethel Pesin Liberty Footbridge, in honor of the wife of Liberty State Park founder Morris Pesin, was dedicated Friday by Mayor Healy and others. Healy said as far as the old bridge went Superstorm Sandy actually helped:

"It might have been a favor in disguise," Healy said. "This new bridge will make it so much easier for the citizens of Jersey City to access the great Liberty State Park."

To use the bridge to Liberty State Park find Jersey Avenue, go south, Yahtzee!

Sounds like the new Rutgers Athletic Director did a lot of the same things that got Mike Rice fired

Comedian Phil Silvers once sang that 'Nobody Ever Died for Dear Old Rutgers,' that is until the story broke about the new Rutgers AD Julie Hermann saying a lot of the things that recently-fired Mike Rice said to his basketball team to her University of Tennessee women's volleyball team from back in 1996. At the time all 15 members of the Lady Vols volleyball team signed a letter to the Athletic Director saying:

The players say everyone, including the athletic director, had been brought together by a letter all 15 players on the team had submitted. In it, the players said, their coach had ruled through humiliation, fear and emotional abuse.

"The mental cruelty that we as a team have suffered is unbearable," the players wrote. Specifically, they said the coach had called them "whores, alcoholics and learning disabled."

Hermann says this never happened. She told Craig Wolff with the Star-Ledger she didn't remember the letter being signed by all 15 of her players. Mmmmm hmmmmm, suuuuure you don't.

Let us ask you readers a question if we may. At some point you may have been asked to be a bridesmaid or a groomsman. Perhaps more than once. Here's the question, do you remember all the weddings you stood up in? If you were fuzzy and were then shown VHS talkie movies of yourself at the event you'd probably remember it well in fact, yes? Not if you're Julie Hermann who during her intro presser at Rutgers was asked about comments she made on a tape at the wedding that led to Tennessee losing a $150K lawsuit over a ham-handed firing of one of Hermann's assistants who committed the crime of becoming pregnant.

"There's a video? I'm sorry, did you say there's a video? There's no video, trust me."

You know what happens next.

Remarks Hermann made at the wedding were caught on tape by the wedding videographer and would become central to the discrimination lawsuit against the university in 1997 that ended with the jury siding with Hineline.

"I hope it's good tonight," she says into the camera. "Because I know you've been waiting for a while, but I hope it's not too good, because I don't want you to come back February with any surprises, you know, the office and all, and it would be hard to have a baby in there."

Oh, and this wedding she's fuzzy on, she caught the bouquet.

Zero credibility this one. In our opinion these women have nothing to gain by sticking to their stories when being interviewed by the Star-Ledger. Read the article, it tells of a coach acting like Mike Rice who was just put in charge of making sure Rutgers never sees another Mike Rice.

Sounds like somebody found the old Michigan playbook on hiring Rich Rodriguez in a trash can...

Late night open thread

On average, you breathe 23,000 times a day. Unless of course you have a date with Mila Kunis or Jennifer Aniston or Charlize Theron. Then it's much higher.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

When Govie met Snooki

Late night open thread

Well the dishes are broken and the kitchen's a mess
I'm trapped in the doorway, don't you make me confess
'Cause it's base and delicious, to just keep you guessin'
What ether it is that ignites me..
 -- Neko Case 'Whip the Blankets'

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MIKE NESS!

Bold? this song has that. Grit? This song has that. Brassy? This song has that. Some fine social commentary? This song has that. Dirty horns? This song has that.

Ladies and Jellyspoons, without further ado, Mike Ness with 'Crime Don't Pay', yeah, this song has that...

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE CAPITOLS!

Give us a little bass with those 88's. Damn straight. The Capitols making their debut on the Music Series with 'Cool Jerk'. Can you do it, can you do it?

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MADONNA!

Let's see, which era and how offensive we suppose are the first two questions when choosing a Madonna song/video. Let's try 2001 and an MTV ban on this, the Above and Beyond remix of 'What of Feels Like for a Girl'

So where's the party this three-day weekend?

Where is everyone off to? Helping rededicate a favorite town down on the shore? Upstate NY? Hanging around town? Tell us what you're up to in comments.

Late night open thread

Johnny sure hopes Zach Parise and Ryan Suter are enjoying their filthy lucre while watching the Red Wings take a 3-1 lead on the Stanley Cup favorite Blackhawks.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's a world famous News Roundup today!

And with so many news stories needing rounding up let's get to it.

* Jersey City mayor-elect Steve Fulop is rather upset about the money being doled out in terminal-leave payouts for retiring police chief Tom Comey and others ands is ordering a full audit. Fulop said some of these guys filed paperwork as if they hadn't taken a sick day in 30 years.

* Jersey City will have 12 sprinklers open this Memorial Day weekend along with both pools to cool off in (though the temps might not get much above 70).

* State alcohol authorities busted 29 NJ bars in "Operation Swill." They caught the bars putting lesser kinds of booze in high falutin' bottles and charged customers the premium price for swill. As if you needed yet another reason to NOT go to TGI Fridays, 13 of the 29 caught ripping off customers were indeed TGI Fridays.

* Truth is stranger than fiction. We send well wishes to the JC warehouse worker who had 1500 lbs. of pineapples fall on him.

* The New York Yankees and English Premiere League team Manchester City are going in together on the 20th Major League Soccer team scheduled to start pay in 2015. Somebody better tell the Yankees MLS has a shitty salary cap.

Late night open thread

"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"
 -- Peter Sellers, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Looks like you all have a free day!

Johnny has to meet with moar contractors and have moar work done on his home today so he can't possibly devote the proper time to proper stories today. We'll see you back here tonight!

Late night open thread

What percentage of Americans say they have visited Disneyland or Disney World? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

You can forgive those who trespass against you but for these guys it'll take a court appearance first

The JCPD was on scene at the corner of Bay St. and Warren where a group of about 10-15 trespassers had made their way into an abandoned warehouse owned by Toll Brothers. Johnny chanced across the scene while going to visit a friend who lived nearby. Police seemed more highly agitated about this call. Maybe it was because they sent 20 of them. Maybe it was because they had to call the guy with the K-9 unit (that guy was an ass) but either way the police rounded them all up and took them away in a paddy wagon.

Of note, one younger officer told Johnny to put his camera away. Johnny declined politely. Again the officer from across the street told him to put it away. Johnny was more firm this time in saying "No." He explained in a public place where he is in no way interfering with operations police MUST, that's MUST allow people to take pictures or video. After a few minutes this young officer came up to Johnny and apologized (Cool, right, doing the right thing?) and admitted yes he can take pics which all Johnny was trying to do.

The fellers in these pictures are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Light traffic on the Cross Bronx Expressway, 1 hour inbound at the GW bridge, 30 minutes outbound, we have a goat related accident in the north lane of the Pulaski Skyway...UPDATE

Actually we have a few car accidents because of a goat today. A goat, who did not give the Jersey Journal his name or where he was from, held up traffic in the northbound lanes of the Pulaski Skyway this morning causing a 4 car accident. While the cars were stopped witnesses say the goat had a merry time jumping up on, and using cars as stepping stones.

Animal control was on the scene while the goat was corralled and went peaceably. No word on the origin of the goat. If you have information or are actually missing a goat this morning please call Goatfinders at (201) 547-5492.

UPDATE 6:20pm: From the Jersey Journal, a happy ending, "Sky" the goat will go live on a rescue farm:

City officials say "Sky" will remain at the farm in Wantage until its owner comes forward. If the owner doesn't claim it, she will remain there.

Late night open thread

Our best wishes for a quick recovery to those injured and for the town itself as well as our heartfelt condolences to those who lost a loved ones in the Oklahoma City (Moore, OK) tornado. Anyone who can help please do so through the American Red Cross.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Runoff fever, CATCH IT!

You can almost hear the rigor mortis settling in over the Jersey City runoff elections. Cries of "I give up," and "Don't vote for me," are echoing all over town, except the Downtown area where geese poop golden eggs. Some of the candidates on the Healy ticket would make Lou Brown in the movie Major League seem excited when offered the Indians managing job:


Yep, according to the Jersey Journal, Gerald Meyers, Omar Perez and quite possibly Peter Brennan have decided to simply walk away from their runoff races rather than campaign in an uphill battle and try and raise funds that could be hard to come by. Oddly, Meyers said he worried that if he were elected he'd miss out on family time. Well, why didn't you think of that before you ran?

Does anyone else think the way people get elected here kind of leads to the political machines that everyone complains about? One machine gets broken down and voted out and the new machine takes power. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Late night open thread

There is a reason human beings can't jump 8 feet in the air. Yet we humans of all sexes, shapes, sizes and ages are destined to try like moths to a flame. Just give us a trampoline.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Somebody in Florida won the Powerball lottery

So get a nap today, it's back to work with us tomorrow. You won't be missing much of a day anyhoo.

Late night open thread

The rumors of our demise were greatly exaggerated.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Mayor Healy got guns off the streets, Mayor Fulop will face another scourge...broccoli

Now the police report didn't say if this was broccoli with melted cheese on top because that would probably have a much higher sentence but we do know that broccoli in Jersey City has become the new designer weapon of choice. Trendsetter Themyra Pridgen was booked when after a dispute with her adult daughter, she allegedly threw hot water and broccoli at her. See there, perfectly good broccoli used as a cudgel.

We don't want to get hit with broccoli Mr. Fulop. Seriously. We know you have other priorities but we just can't be walking down JFK going to Journal Square and have angry florets suddenly thrown in our faces. We can't be walking our dogs in Hamilton Park and be pelted with stalks.

Johnny's advice? Put a top man on it on day one. We have just the guy...

Late night open thread

Don't worry smile and dance
You just can work life out
Don't let down moods entrance you
Take the wine and shout
 -- Pete Townshend, Empty Glass

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS!

1979 beckons us and we must answer. Elvis Costello and the Attractions trying to look cool (well they're always cool) lip synching their way through the brilliant 'Oliver's Army' on Top of the Pops. Who was that Aqua Velva introducing the band anyway?

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LUSCIOUS JACKSON!

Luscious is what we're all about tonight kids. Luscious was what this band was all about too, actually taking their name from a former NBA player of the same name. An FM radio standard back in 1997, here's Luscious Jackson with 'Naked Eye'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with DIGITAL UNDERGROUND!

And since Digital Underground was a one-hit wonder back in the late 80's you already have a pretty good idea what's coming your way. Digital Underground putting the wraps on yet another Music Series with 'The Humpty Dance'

You know those sappy porch stoop ads politicians running for office make? Anthony Weiner made one yesterday...

Which would indicated Anthony's Weiner is going to throw his hat into the NYC mayoral race. We've seen and heard he'd be currently polling second behind Count Chocula (Christine Quinn) should he decide to run. We think this home spun over-hackneyed premise of an ad that NBC New York stumbled upon yesterday tells you all you need to know, Weiner is going to announce he's in.

Your thoughts on second chances and all that dear readers?

Late night open thread

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Powerball Lottery is now up to $475 million dollars

That's almost half a billion. If you and you alone hit the numbers lottery officials say you'd get a cash option of $302.4 million. You could tell Mitt Romney to carry YOUR bags.

So what are you gonna do with that money? We don't want to hear about buying a car or paying off bills. We want to hear the obscene things you could do with $300 million bucks.

Johnny could put an invisibility cloak on his death ray on Mt. Secaucus for that much, and have enough left over for a trip to Atlantic City.

Late night open thread

Famous last words edition.

"The taste of death is upon my lips…I feel something, that is not of this earth."
 -- Mozart 1791

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The new mayor meets the media

Steve Fulop was outside the Grove St. PATH station at rush hour this afternoon with the news media in tow. An AP reporter asked Johnny if he was a Fulop supporter so he might conduct an interview. First off Johnny does not give interviews to the AP when he can simply interview himself here daily. Secondly he does not disclose how he voted. That's top secret. It allows him to be a pain in the ass more effectively.

But anyway, here's Hizzoner-to-be, Steve Fulop talking turkey with the media.

Come on down to Crazy Johnny's Runoff-o-Rama in beautiful Jersey City

We've got more runoffs than the Raritan River in a storm. All the Wards in Jersey City, sans Ward E where Candice Osborne got power up and got the 50% +1 are gonna have runoffs on June 11th. Johnny was well off of his prediction of three. Some of those Healy candidates are hanging tough but hanging on as well.

The Hudson Reporter has more on the City Council runoff numbers and candidates who will be participating:

According to preliminary numbers from the Office of the City Clerk, in Ward A, former Superintendent of Schools Charles Epps Jr., who ran with Healy, won 43.48 percent of the vote and will face Frank Gajewski in a runoff. Gajewski received 37.76 percent of the vote.

In Ward B, Khemraj “Chico” Ramchal, who ran with Fulop, won 37.76 percent of the vote, will face Gerald Meyers in a runoff. Meyers, a Healy candidate, received 33.94 percent of the vote.

Independent candidate Richard Boggiano edged out Ward C City Councilwoman Nidia Lopez, receiving 36.30 percent of the vote to Lopez’s 31.67 percent.

Another independent candidate, Jersey City Heights businessman Michael Yun, received 42.96 percent of the vote in Ward D over popular Assemblyman Sean Connors, who ran with Fulop. Connors received 34.44 percent of the vote.

City Councilwoman Diane Coleman, received 42.72 percent of the vote in Ward F to Jermaine Robinson’s 41.66 percent. Coleman ran with Fulop, Robinson with Healy.

Johnny is really interested to see if Nidia Lopez, who was on Healy's ticket in 2009 and jumped to Fulop's ticket this year, can pull this out with Fulop furiously campaigning for her over the next month. The way we see it Healy's ticket has three firewalls from keeping Fulop from getting a clean sweep, Charles Epps Jr. in Ward A, Lopez in Ward C and Jermaine Robinson in Ward F.

Late night open thread

Congratulations to our new mayor. We wish him nothing but the best because if he succeeds we succeed. But Steve (Can we call you Steve?), when you're out to breakfast around town or meeting people for city business in local restaurants, hands above the table. We'll be watching.

¡Buena Suerte!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

So, who was the biggest loser tonight?

We have an idea.

Steve Fulop has been elected mayor of Jersey City!

And what an early call. Well, the call itself was from outgoing Mayor Healy to incoming Mayor Fulop conceding the race. Fulop's candidate in Ward E, Candice Osborne has also won her race defeating Dan Levin and Fletcher Gensamer. The other races may be headed to a runoff which would be well over the three number Johnny set earlier. More updates as they come in or you can just click here for the Hudson County tally.

As of 9:20pm:

COUNCIL AT-LARGE
(Top three vote-getters elected)

*Peter Brennan -- 5,392
*Viola S. Richardson -- 5,788
Omar Perez -- 5,158
Ramon "Ray" Regalado -- 1,840
Sean M. Connelly -- 2,151
Joyce E. Waterman -- 7,576
Daniel Rivera -- 7,464
*Rolando R. Lavarro Jr.-- 7,398

WARD A
Francis "Frank" Gajewski -- 290
Charles T. Epps Jr. -- 443
Ricky "Rick" Johnson -- 111
Jayson H. Burg -- 18
Lori Hennessey -- 61

WARD B
Chris L. Gadsen -- 377
Khemraj "Chico" Ramchal -- 1,244
Gerald Meyers -- 1,141
Esther Wintner -- 570

WARD C
Adela Rohena -- 210
Janet Chevres -- 678
Richard Boggiano -- 1,000
*Nidia R. Lopez -- 872

WARD D
Mario Gonzalez Jr. -- 708
Sean Connors -- 1,344
Michael Yun -- 1,783
Grace Giron -- 196

WARD E
Fletcher Gensamer -- 224
Daniel B. Levin -- 719
Candice Osborne -- 1,680

WARD F
Jermaine Robinson -- 1,113
Kenny Reyes -- 190
Chantel D. Snow -- 200
*Diane Coleman -- 1,229
Deborah King -- 71

* -- incumbent.

Fulop has the early lead

As of 8:30pm

Fulop 4,670
Healy 4,070
Walker 835
Malik 109

More here from the Healy campaign HQ.

First result of the evening: Johnny Action Space Punk has been re-elected to his job as Jersey City's favorite nere-do-well

So four more years of Johnny in his nere-do-well job. Can Jersey City survive?

Space Punk ran against a cast of thousands and won with 11 votes.

The over/under for runoffs is 3

Who wants some of that action? We're throwing a number out there that between the mayoral election and city council races we'll have three runoff elections in June.

Yell at us in comments if you're in.

The polls are open Jersey City!

The day that has been talked about, analyzed to death, fretted by some and highly anticipated by others is finally here. The polls are open from 6am to 8pm. If you are in line at 8pm you must be allowed to vote.

Do your thing Jersey City and come back here later tonight for analysis and the best place to post your comments on the election.

Late night open thread

"I've been on so many blind dates, I should get a free dog."
 -- Unknown

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Monday open thread

Of contractors and meetings...

Late night open thread

Attaboy Red Wings. Now bring the pain to the infernal Blackhawks!

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The quiet before the storm

The ballots are set for Tuesday and here we sit the Sunday before the most seminal mayoral and council elections in years, probably decades. Some of the candidates were out and about yesterday and today. Johnny bumped into Ward E candidate Fletcher Gensamer who was giving the glad hand at Wonder Bagels this morning. What a very nice guy with a definite vision for Ward E. Not to say we're endorsing him, the Jersey City Desk doesn't do endorsements because we feel these are our neighbors and friends and choosing one or the other publicly just isn't what we're about.

The hour grows near. What are your thoughts two days out Jersey City? Are your candidates looking strong?

Late night open thread

Saturday Night Moonlight Movie Clip time. Tonight, Chicolini takes the stand:


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Johnny's crack research staff of interns has unearthed this gem

Footage from the VERY FIRST Newport 10K waaaaay back in 2003. You can clearly see the limitations of the technology back then.

The 10th annual Riker Danzig Newport 10K wound its way through a rainy Jersey City this morning

And how about we start Saturday with a few pics from the race. Congratulations to all the runners and a special thanks to all the volunteers who registered runners, handed out water and helped set up the course. A great Jersey City event!

Late night open thread

TIme for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MARTHA AND THE VANDELLAS!

Detroit! Did you see those Red Wings win in overtime again tonight? A little Motown love with Martha and the Vandellas and 'Dancing in the Streets' which tonight would be Fort. St and all around The Post bar.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE VELVET UNDERGROUND!

This normally this is where Johnny favors you with wise-ass comments about the band or performer before posting a video. Lou reed scares Johnny to this day. He's just gonna play 'Sweet Jane' straight way.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PAT BENATAR!

Pulling down the curtain on another music series is the very sultry Pat Benatar with her smoky lounge-inspired title track from the album True Love. There you go, now you've got the attitude, go find yourself a smart cocktail with your name on it. Skedaddle.

The World Trade Center gets its hat, er spire!

Amazing scene down by the river this morning as WTC workers raised the final 408 foot section and permanently anchored the spire atop the WTC, making it a cool 1,776 feet in height. That last section really does make it look incredible. It antenna leading to the spire looks almost a third taller though Johnny will write that off to an optical illusion. Too bad the stupid humidity ruined any great clear shots from the west siiiiide of the Hudson. Stupid humidity.

WHEN DOES IT LIGHT UP?!?! Johnny saw in an article elsewhere the LED lighting is such it will be visible for 50 miles lit up on clear DAYS. Like a day beacon. Imagine it at night. There will be fistfights and elbowing in J. Owen Grundy park between photographers is our guess.

Johnny wasn't here in 2001. He understand as an American the impact of that day but too knows it is a much deeper kind of hurt to his new NJ and NY friends who were here. But he is every bit as proud as someone who looks at it every day out his window and while walking around town as anyone who was here before. It is a triumphant moment of pride and achievement the regulars, the interlopers and the interlopers becoming regulars all share with this grand wonder.

WHEN DOES IT LIGHT UP?!?!

The Grove St. PATH station has no power but trains are running

The Grove St. PATH station off of Marin Boulevard has been closed as the PATH station is without electricity this morning. The trains are still running and the entrances on Christopher Columbus are open. Emergency lights are currently lighting the station.

Late night open thread

“Don't answer the door in a wedding dress and veil, he might not think you're joking.”
 --  Amy Sedaris

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Johnny's out back with the interns building an ark

So we won't be in the offices too much today. Carry on Jersey City, we'll be back here tonight with the late night thread and an ark to float us all out of Hudson County.

Late night open thread

Here's a beautiful goal for the Red Bulls tonight out in Harrison by living legend Thierry Henry. The Red Bulls won 2-1 over Montreal and in doing so moved into a tie for first place in the eastern conference. Johnny's gotta get back out to Red Bull Arena, it's a great place to see a match.


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

The Jersey Journal has endorsed Councilman Steve Fulop for Jersey City mayor

The local paper of record has endorsed councilman Steve Fulop for Mayor in what really isn't much of a surprise. Mayor Healy just has too many things not working right in this city for the Journal to endorse him for another term. Said the Journal in endorsing Fulop:

Healy’s administration can be summed up by a stretch of Bergen Avenue, from Montgomery Street south. While one could argue that dealing with crime is difficult and the poor economy can be an impressive foe, there is no excuse for not providing basic services.

Taxpayers along this stretch have been clamoring for years for the city to pave the road and fix the curbs, only to be ignored. Potholes and bare patches are the norm along the forgotten avenue, a metaphor for older sections of the city. It is not the waterfront.

So voters, what say you? Does Healy deserve another term? Will you be voting for either Jerry Walker or Abdul Malik? Will the Jersey Journal endorsement be the tipping point? Tell us in comments.

Late night open thread

State trivia night.

Which state has more horses per square mile than any other? Answer here.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Once again a good deed goes wanting

Jerry Walker was putting on a public service/campaign event at Journal Square today and was run off by the JCPD. Now before you get all angried up here's what happened. Walker was holding a 'Haircuts for the Homeless' event and had three barbers giving away haircuts for the homeless near the 9/11 memorial. The event was shut down by Tom Comey's boys who said Walker needed a permit to give away haircuts apparently. There's a law on the books dealing with this must be. Certainly it has nothing to do with Mayor Healy not being happy with Mr. Walker for staying in the race and perhaps taking votes Healy was counting on now does it? Jerry Walker wouldn't blame the mayor for shutting down his event, would he?

“I wouldn’t blame it on the mayor,” Walker said. “But it’s the police department, he’s the chief in charge, right?”

Jennifer Morrill went all Radar O'Reilly on M*A*S*H* about proper forms and triplicate and regulations:

City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said park permits must be obtained to host events in that area of Journal Square.

That area. Just that area? Ten feet one way or another? Is over here on spec? So another good deed goes undone in Jersey City where one week before the mayoral election we see the powerbrokers and their loyalists from all across the city (and now Hoboken) in several pitched battles on several fronts spending tens of thousands of dollars while those residents with lesser means can't even get a free goddamn haircut.

NOW you can get angried up.

Today's word is 'sheepish'

Please use the word in a sentence. Like perhaps "The NYPD and especially Ray Kelly must be feeling sheepish that despite claims about his stop and frisk policy that when stop and frisk numbers went down, so did crime in New York City." Sheepish.

Here's them thar numbers, plain as the nose on Pete Townsend:

The number of stop-and-frisks performed by the NYPD have declined by 51% in the first quarter of this year compared with the same period in 2012. Shootings and murders also dropped by 24% and 40% respectively in the same time period.

Hmmm, maybe when beat cops don't have to waste time on alleged stop and frisk quotas they could more effectively fight crime. It's in a way like anything zero tolerance. You don't give yourself many options. We'll keep an eye on these numbers going forward and see if improvement continues but again, interesting outcome thus far.

Leaving some quietly sheepish.

Late night open thread

The kids are alright in Detroit! Ken and Mickey take it away...


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

There is still time to go see the remaining embers of Mayor Healy's time in office flitting about outside the Jersey Journal offices

"I wasn't thinking that well."

No duh.

Hizzoner is on his way to crashing towards the finish line in a spectacular flame-out over changing his story about super happy drunk time on the porch and is now pointing the finger at three mysterious Hispanic girls. The heat from that stupid answer grows and grows. Know what Healy does? Gets mad that Fulop uses it. Mayor, when you mention the three girls to the paper of record don't get mad when people talk about your suddenly new version of events.

Said Healy “I’m done talking about something that happened nine years ago.”

Apparently you're not. Please continue. We liked the part where you allegedly called Nidia Lopez "baby". We're sorry for some of the good people on your ticket who care very much about Jersey City like Dan Levin are getting broadsided with this.

Beth Mason, that's $46K to you for a guy who right now isn't thinking that well.

Beth Mason must like Mayor Healy a WHOLE lot, $46,000 WHOLE lot

The Grafix Avenger tipped us off below that big money in Hoboken is actually trying to influence the Jersey City mayor's race. Grafix Avenger puts a handy bow on top of the $46K number by pointing out it is a full 7% of Healy's contributions. One wonders what Mason was hoping to get for her $46K. Follow the link to the full story.

Anyone surprised?

One wonders just what Mayor Jerramiah Healy was thinking when he decided to rehash his drunken naked front porch incident with the Star-Ledger

And making it worse, maybe he WASN'T thinking. Can you imagine his press crew trying to spin THIS? They thought this was long dead and gone. Then the mayor himself brings it back up a week before the election. And manages to make it WORSE?! Oh boy.

Years ago when the issue came up originally Healy told the New York Times:

Healy told The New York Times that he had been drinking and couldn't remember how he ended up on his stoop naked. A spokeswoman for the mayor told The Jersey Journal at the time that Healy heard a commotion outside, went to investigate, and someone snapped a photo.

Now there's a NEW version of events, one far more salacious and in some eyes with a racist tinge to the new story. The Star-Ledger picks up the story change:

Now he says three young women woke him by banging trash cans outside his house, so he rose from bed, wrapped a towel around himself, and went to investigate.

Take the naked photo incident. At the time, Healy acknowledged he had been drinking and said he could not remember what happened.

“Three Hispanic girls, young kids,” he says. “So I go out on the porch and they pulled the towel off me. Now I start laughing, and then they started doing other stuff. I said, ‘I’m old enough to be your grandfather.’ ”

What other stuff?

“It was filthy,” he says. “I chased them away, and I just sat down.”

And that, he says, is when a political enemy snapped the photograph.

Uh, um, just simply amazing right? #1 as to why you'd revisit this tawdry event and then to bring in three young Hispanic girls to the telling is beyond belief. Does Healy no longer care if he wins? Did he see some kind of political advantage to retelling this story a week before a hotly contested election? If so please email Johnny and let him know what it is. We promise to pass it along.

Ward C Councilwoman Nidia Lopez, who ran on Healy's ticket four years ago and has since changed to the Fulop side expressed disappointment with Healy:

"I think the Hispanic community deserves an apology and I think our mayor needs psychological help ... For this mayor to degrade Hispanic women by creating this wild story eight years later ... three young kids molested him, he's laughing about it. How the hell did he know they were Hispanic?"

"When I ran in 2009, I asked him if that was really him on the stoop, and he said, 'I don't know baby. I was so drunk I don't remember.' Those were his exact words to me .... There is absolutely something wrong with this picture."

What do you think readers, what do you think of the whole mess and the changing story a week before the election? Hit us up in comments.

Late night open thread

How about that ill-tempered Montreal vs. Ottawa NHL playoff game tonight? 129 penalty minutes for Montreal and 107 for Ottawa. Montreal was so riled up they were throwing sticks of dynamite at Ottawa. Then Ottawa would light them and throw them back. Heyyyyyyy-o. 6-1 Senators. OK, you've all been good, you can stay up and watch the big 5 on 5 line brawl. But right to bed after!


Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Jersey City celebrates Cinco de Mayo!

The area around the Grove St. PATH station was hopping this afternoon with hundreds enjoying be-u-tee-ful weather (hasn't this past week been darned near perfect?) and celebrating in food and drink the Cinco de Mayo holiday.

Jersey City sure can throw a party.

Ward D citizens, how about a debate over coffee this morning?

Big choice coming up. Incumbent Bill Gaughan who has been on the council since, well, a long time, is retiring and Assemblyman Sean Connors (Team Fulop) and Grace Giron (Team Healy) are your Ward D candidates. This will mean big changes in The Heights. Luckily to help you decide the Jersey Journal has posted a recent debate between the two online and just a click away.

Informed voters are the best voters.

Late night open thread

On this day in history in 1260 Kublai Khan became ruler of the Mongol Empire. "A goat in every pot" was a very popular bumper sticker that year.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Fulop up 12? Healy up 3? DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!

It's the first Saturday in May which should just be a national holiday with the Kentucky Derby and normally Cinco De Mayo being celebrated across this good land. People do watch the Kentucky Derby. It's pomp. It's fashion. More and more it's the celebrity watching. NBC devotes almost an entire week to it. It even has it's own official drink. While Cinco de Mayo doesn't have an official drink it does have lots and lots of celebratory drinks toasted in its name.

Every four years in Jersey City it means the candidates for mayor are in the home stretch. Normally jockeys don't hit each other with their crops either. If you really want some numbers and analysis on where this race is headed then Agustin C. Torres and his column in the Jersey Journal is required reading for you this morning. Is Fulop really up twelve points? Is Healy really up by three points? How about this nugget?

While Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise endorsed Mayor Jerramiah Healy's re-election bid, there are plenty of sources who say that county employees have been released from any bonds of "loyalty" and to act on their own.

All this and how Sen. Sandra Cunningham impacts the race is just a click away.

Late night open thread

Celebrity real names edition. Which well-known actor's real name is Maurice Joseph Micklewhite? Answer in comments.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BILLY IDOL!

The Wayback Machine is set for 1986 where we find Billy Idol's song 'To Be a Lover' being redone as the 'Mother of Mercy Remix' and Johnny really likes this version. It's sassy, sexy, has some magnificent piano parts and most of all it's a great one to dance around the room to.

Billy Idol with the Mother of Mercy remix of 'To Be a Lover'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JACKIE WILSON AND LAVERN BAKER!

Letting rip with the soul standard 'Think Twice and the added bonus of the artist Shag having his work intertwixed with the music. There is a very very x-rated version of this song if you'd like to hear it for purely, uh, historical purposes. Keep the headphones on for this version. The one below you can blow the speakers out with.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with SNEAKER PIMPS!

Let's hear it for originality! Closing up shop on the Music Series for another week is Sneaker Pimps and their original version of the 1996 hit 'Six Underground'

You know the popular version well enough, let us know which one you prefer.

Sounds like Mitt Romney and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg have something in common...

Besides being filthy rich. No, what they also have in common is "binders of women."

Mayor Pithy decided forever and ever he'd never release emails pertaining to why on Earth Cathie Black would be chosen to become Schools Chancellor (She to obtain a special waiver from the state education commissioner because of her glaring lack of background to leads the schools). In the back and forth emails that former Gawker intern Sergio Hernandez finally gained access to it would seem the Bloomberg folks and Cathie Black quickly opened up their binders of women to help turn public opinion in Black's favor (She lasted 95 days). So who is in the Bloomberg/Black binders?

"...Gloria Steinem, Whoopi Goldberg, Diane von Furstenberg, Bette Midler and Nora Ephron. (Ephron and Midler declined.) "Would we want Ivanka Trump?" Black asked Bloomberg's legislative director Micah Lasher. "Think she would do." Lasher replied, "I would skip." Okay, what about Tinsley Mortimer? Maybe Paris Hilton?" 

Bette Midler and Nora Ephron had more integrity than to involve themselves. Know who didn't? Oprah:

"...Oprah did ultimately come to Black's defense, despite Black's complete lack of experience. In a front page story in the Daily News, Oprah described Black as "tough as nails” and “a tremendous champion for the children of New York.""

Binders of women. Sounds like we need a binder for the growing number of people who use binders of women.

The final Jersey City mayoral debate might have seen a turning point

Mayor Healy was hot under the collar and went on about threatening litigation against Councilman Fulop because of the FBI ad. Why he keeps making the crime and graft sweep of 2009 a campaign issue (Fulop is doing a good enough job of that himself) is beyond us but yesterday did show a mayor who is angry, and who might just be feeling this race slipping away. Reports say Fulop scored points on Healy by mentioning the Healy campaign mailers and literature which Fulop said to laughter:

"Not even one mailer that had come from the mayor's (campaign) office has one thing about a vision for Jersey City. Each one has my image distorted and a picture of President Obama on the other side."

For his part in the debate, candidate Abdul Malik seemed pretty pissed off at the other two candidates (Jerry Walker was at a fundraiser):

"It's a dirty fight we have seen, and we are seeing it here," said Malik, who compared politicians to puppets. "Listen my friends, I am not political, I am not controlled by anyone, I don't have big money ... This is time to clean up our politics, and I am asking for your help to support me and we can do this together."

Mayor Healy? He was still threatening lawsuits:

"They are lies and slanderous and we will file a lawsuit."

We just think it would be kind of hard to sue someone using words Mayor Healy himself spoke on the FBI tape.

We're also going to throw in the candidates (all four) and their views on tax abatements for the downtown area from a couple days back. Valuable information to help you decide on May 14. Follow this link and hear and see (in living color) the candidates and their tax break opinions.

Late night open thread

One last 10:30pm start for the Red Wings that goes into overtime? Could be. Eastern Conference teams can never complain about paying dues.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

It's the political silly season in Jersey City

Two days ago Johnny and his dog walked by an Abdul Malik mayoral poster posted near a Healy for Mayor sign at a large Jersey City intersection. The driving point in the Malik poster was about ending corruption. Yesterday Johnny walked by and somebody had taken a knife or some kind of boxcutter and sliced the Malik for Mayor sign right through the word corruption. Down it flipped. Fast forward to today, since the Malik sign was cut down it would seem that meant TWO Healy signs had to go that were on the same fencing. Where does it end people? When does it end? If Johnny sees you doing this sort of thing he WILL snap your picture and post it here. Be ye warned.

Late night open thread

Did you know lighters were invented before matches? It's true.

Time for Jersey City, After Dark

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer takes to Twitter to yell at helicopters

Maybe you follow the Mayor of Hoboken, the Honorable Dawn Zimmer, on Twitter. Then you know about the headline. If you're not into the Twitter that's fine but here is what she said:

Dawn Zimmer ‏@dawnzimmernj 3h
Outrageous number of helicopters flying over NJ & NOT NYC. If NY wants  tourist helicopters then keep them on your side!

She used an exclamation point so it's yelling alright. She does make a point, a point we folk on the sunset side of the Hudson River can discuss. Do the sight-seeing helicopters stay on the Jersey side while coming nowhere near NYC? Don't a lot of these helicopters depart and land from the South Street Seaport in lower Manhattan though? Living near there would suck. You'd get 'Nam flashbacks even if you didn't go.

If Johnny were running things in Hoboken, which he is not, he'd tell residents to put really offensive 'greetings' to the helicoptourists on rooftops. Really offensive.

Did you notice the big push by NY to include themselves in next year's Super Bowl at the NFL draft?

The New York groupies and hangers-on sure wanted everyone to know they were trying really really hard to represent and pretend they had something to do with the playing of Super Bowl X2014VIIXMCLII at the Meadowlands next year didn't they? NY actually put their names on signage both electronic and traditional to try and convince America they have a hand in this. The game is in New Jersey. The parking lots are in New Jersey. The trains empty and load up again in New Jersey. The two local NFL franchises practice and play in New Jersey. The Governor of New Jersey will fly the stealth jet over the stadium before the game and then be on the field in time to toss the coin. Cuomo and Bloomie will be in an NFL luxury box knocking big sodas and hot dogs out of people's hands. The touchdowns in the game will all be scored in New Jersey not New York. The teams and fans will fly into and out of the aeropuerto in New Jersey.

First they tried to claim the Statue of Liberty, now they're trying to photobomb the Super Bowl.

It's Jan Brady all over again friends. "Jersey Jersey JERSEY!" We'd put them in time out but you only get three.

Late night open thread

"In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours."
 -- Mark Twain

Time for Jersey City, After Dark