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