The other night I was walking home from the PATH on Erie (near 2nd Street) and almost stumbled over a skunk. It was only 6:30 or so but perhaps now that it's dark earlier they're coming out earlier. This little guy poked around a driveway for a while before ambling onto the sidewalk and through the front fence of a brownstone. If you're out walking after dark, especially with kids or dogs, watch out for him and his friends or you might surprise him and get sprayed!

val7101 - LOL. And I agree... it's much more unsanitary to bring kids into places with food. They are little germ factories.

Not only was that annoying, but why would you distribute Medicare info to commuters at Grove Street who are all (approximately) 20s-40s? Someone gave them bad information on the demographics of the area.

Small dogs left tied up outside are sadly too often stolen and used as bait in dog fighting. Dog owners should be very careful about leaving their pets unsupervised. I used to volunteer at one of the local shelters and people would come in heartbroken looking for dogs that had been stolen after being tied to a parking meeter while they did a little shopping. I don't know what the current situation is in Jersey City re: dog fights. But I would advise everyone to be aware of this risk.

We had ours installed by Tri State Air, Inc. (Serge Nikolaev) from Brooklyn. There is a link to their info through the "Contractors" link on Fujitsu homepage. They are authorized contractors and distributors of Fujitsu equipment, so all warranties are supported if they sell and do install. Tri State Air phone number is 646-266-0373.

I can't recommend Serge and his crew highly enough. We had a quirky situation/setup. He came up with solutions and they installed it all (including doing a lot of electrical work) in one day. Best experience ever. And we LOVE our AC/Heat Pump/Air Purifier/Dehumidifier. It's the best money we ever spent.

It's not *my* disappointing show. I was just a shopper at the farmers market and was offended by the intimidation tactics of the police. I want to see them protecting us from crime not literally creating a wall around the PATH plaza on the very off chance that something (what?) might happen. There was a street fair there a couple weeks ago with thousands of people and they had fewer cops on site. I would think there is a much greater likelihood of needing police protection in a situation like that than people sitting around with signs. This is a deterrent to free speech and, regardless of your political views, Americans who believe in freedom of speech should be offended.

I would like to urge everyone to contact the officials below about the overblown show of police force at the Grove Street PATH plaza last night. Let's tell them that we don't approve of using tax dollars to harass and citizens exercising their right to free speech. Let's tell them that we would prefer to see their resources used to STOP CRIME.

JCPD Commander
Deputy Chief Peter Nalbach
policeoperations@njjcps.org
284 Central Ave
Jersey City, NJ 07306
(201)547-5398
FAX: (201)547-6883

Jersey City Mayor
Jerramiah Healy
City Hall - 280 Grove Street
Jersey City, New Jersey 07302
Tel: (201) 547-5200
Fax: (201) 547-4288/5442
MayorHealy@jcnj.org


Ward E Councilman
Jersey City
Steven Fulop
PO Box 13025
Jersey City, NJ 07303
FulopS@jcnj.org

Port Authority of New York & New Jersey
Board of Commissioners
225 Park Avenue South, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10003

If anyone has better contact info (particularly an email address for the PA Board of Commissioners) feel free to share!

They were blocking my path to that Hoboken Bread booth! Not cool! (Not to make light.)

I am OUTRAGED by the ratio of police to protesters... not to mention ratio of police to farmer's market shoppers! These aren't armed criminals... just taxpaying citizens who have something to say. Yet when I was at the Grove Street Plaza just now, cops had completely surrounded the plaza and had several police vehicles there with lights going. They had those plastic handcuffs all zipped and ready to go. That is not right. This is America and we have a right to assemble. Also, isn't there crime afoot? I'm really not happy about how my tax dollars are being used tonight.

bloodtv: I just want to offer some moral support since you're catching so much heat. It's upsetting to not be able to relax in your own home. I second the suggestion of talking to the landlord. I'm sure they don't want the liability of this person hanging out on the roof.

I can relate as this summer our neighbors kept climbing onto the roof of OUR building and sunbathing in their tighty whities! Asking them to stop didn't deter them. Instead they put a heavy object on the exit to the roof so we couldn't catch them in the act. But I sure as heck could hear them when I was directly below in my yard.

I finally got in touch with the landlord of their building (who lives abroad) and they intervened. Problem is, now I'M the d-bag. They've been telling everyone in the neighborhood that I complained to the landlord about their NUDE TRESPASSING ON MY ROOF! Some people are just plain old unreasonable.

+1 for Gypsy Grill!!! I used to like Ibby's but stopped ordering from there after they messed up my takeout orders twice. And they are also super expensive for what you get. I also don't like their addition of iceberg lettuce to everything including the tabbouleh. On the other hand Gypsy is SO GOOD and cheap. I am addicted to the falafel sandwich with hot sauce, pickles and tahini. But so far everything I've had from there is fabulous. The owner is also super friendly, helpful and sweet. I highly recommend it!!!

I saw them. The guy actually has a microphone that he's singing into while he drives. The jeep is painted with some kind of message on the back but I couldn't make it out. They were cruising by Groove on Grove/JC Fridays trying to compete with the live music. It was obnoxious not to mention bizarre. The woman in the car didn't seem too happy to be participating in the spectacle.

Ricky's on Jersey between Newark and First.

We're also going to put in tile (recommended by Basil McGregor). Going on the hunt for tile today. Will let you know if we find any good places.

Thanks Parkman.

So now I have a bunch of sandbags that I have to get rid of. Most never got wet and are filled with "playground" sand. Does anyone know of a playground that might want said sand? Or how I might otherwise dispose of it? I have 450 lbs to be exact.

+1 for TNR. Removing them doesn't work as more just move in. I also want to add that if you are feeding stray cats you are not doing your neighbors any favors. One of my neighbors feeds the strays and is motivated by the best of intentions. But what she does is draw more ferals to the neighborhood that then spill over into neighboring yards. They have terrorized my (indoor only) cats to the point that I had to put one of them on prozac. They have become fearful and agressive with me because of the ferals in my yard. I'm still trying to find all the ways they get over and under my fence to block their way. But I wish my neighbors would stop feeding them too. It would help so much.

I have also wondered about the local hotel pools. There are a few along the waterfront with pools that would be much closer to downtown than the public pools plus they're indoors. Anyone ever inquire whether they sell passes that allow the public to use them? A year-round pool would be great. I belong to a gym near work that doesn't have a pool. Would love a pool to use on this side of the river (preferably one without a lot of kids... hope I don't get flamed for that comment but seriously).

I remember reading somewhere that this building is historically significant because it's the only building in NJ to have been at various times a synagogue, church and mosque. A cool testament to the cultural diversity of Jersey City!!! (I can't find the reference now but if I do I'll post it.)

If I had seen what you described, I would have just assumed it was to get rid of urine outside the building, human, canine or feline.

To the poster whose neighbor uses bleach to get rid of cats, he's barking up the wrong tree... bleach attracts cats. I have several indoor cats and they RUN toward the bleach when I use it, rolling around on the bathroom floor just after cleaning it and thoroughly enjoying the fumes. I've never been able to figure out why but googling has revealed it to be quite a common phenomenon.

Thanks all!

Does anyone know anything about the abandoned brick row house on 7th street between 333 and 331? It's got a big orange "abandoned" sticker in the window and looks like it has indeed been neglected for some time. Both row houses on each side are for sale. This is a sweet little row of 4 contiguous brick and wooden row houses that has a lot of potential. But what is up with the brick one? Anyone know?

Torico's renovation is looking great and I would like to give them all the credit due for taking the time and money to do it properly. This is going to be a spectacular, historic storefront when finished and will be a setting equal to their spectacular product! Thanks Torico's for everything you bring to the neighborhood!!! If I have to wait a few more weeks (or months... but I hope not) for my mint cookie fix, I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

I've had good luck with both Raymond Glass (perhaps a little more pricey than the competition) and Bob's Auto Glass on Communipaw (a bit less expensive).

Saw a sign at A&P that they're now carrying a Food Emporium line. Is this a sign of more merging? I have been pretty satisfied with A&P (although lately their shelves seem decimated partway through the weekend). I do hope they maintain their operations. More than anything I would hate shopping at Shop Rite again. That place makes me want to run into traffic.

My favorite thing about yesterday's sucky a.m. commute was that they kept making several announcements simultaneously. We were trying to figure out what was going on but the announcements about out of service elevators and to say something if you see something kept drowning out the relevant announcements.

Also, they kept saying the train was running with 10 minute delays. Well, I was on that platform (which was terrifyingly crowded) for a SOLID HOUR before I could squeeze onto any Manhattan-bound train! That's never happened to me before.

Delays do seem to be happening more frequently. I hope it's just a coincidence though.

I got a phone call last night from one of those hired survey companies asking me about the pipeline. Sounds like they were trying to figure out what kind of reassuring nonsense they could use to sway people for the pipeline. Anyone else get these calls or know who's behind them?

A few blocks from the park there's a really cool looking event for kids called An Afternoon of Fright on 4th Street. Here's the info from their facebook page:

Sunday, October 31 ? 3:00pm - 6:00pm
4th Street between Jersey Avenue and Coles Street
Hosted By
Harsimus Cove Association (Jersey City, NJ)

You're invited to an Afternoon of Fright on 4th Street, our first ever Halloween Block Party. Join us this Sunday, October 31st from 3 to 6 pm as we turn 4th Street (between Jersey Avenue and Coles Street) into a fun-filled, family-friendly Halloween festival.

Entertainment includes live music by Princess Katie and Racer Steve, story time with Boo, Bat and Pumpkin, DJ Noah and Art House Productions' family-friendly play, Free Gam...e.

Kids' activities include the famous 4th Street Haunted House, a Bouncy House, Leaf Jump, Games, Crafts, Face Painting and a Photo Booth for those in costume (pets too!).

There will also be a contest for the Best Decorated House on the Block, with fun prizes for the houses with the best Halloween atmosphere/d?cor!

Please note: The block will be closed to street traffic and parking from noon to 6 pm on Sunday, October 31st. We also need volunteers to help with set-up (12:30 to 3 pm) and breakdown and clean-up (6 pm onward). If you're interested in volunteering and/or staffing the various activities, please find Mike Francisco of HCA or Erin Jurnove of JC Moms prior to or during the event.

An Afternoon of Fright on 4th Street is organized and sponsored by the Harsimus Cove Association, JC Moms Group, Art House Productions, the office of Steven Fulop, Ward E Councilman and the 4th & 5th Street Block Association.

At the risk of Stephen telling me I'm going off topic, I'm going to chime in to say that I saw the couple in question on Erie a few nights ago. They were heading from 2nd Street toward Hamilton Park. He was pushing a BJ's cart with a residential trash can in it (stolen?) and she was screaming and cursing at the top of her lungs. Both were walking/staggering in the street and getting in the way of traffic. I've been mugged before and am always on my guard and the obviously disturbed mental state of this pair prompted me to give them a wide berth. On a lighter note it was like a "best of JC list" with the BJs cart + trash can, etc.

I do hope the cops catch this pair. This happened less than a block from my house. My sympathy for the victim. I'm sure it was traumatic.

This is an outrage and I commend you for pursuing the complaint even when it was made difficult for you. Police Officers need to enforce the laws that exist not make up new laws on the spot as it suits them.

Recently 3 members of my family were assaulted by police officers (not in JC). They had done absolutely nothing wrong but were harassed and eventually handcuffed by two out-of-control cops and were BEATEN WHILE IN CUFFS! One of them had to be hospitalized. Needless to say, criminal and civil charges are pending.

The reason I bring it up is that there seems to be an epidemic of rogue cops (there's even a congressional hearing on the subject in NYS) and I think it's important to stem the tide by not allowing this behavior even if it's non-violent such as the case with the OP. In other words, it's a slippery slope.

Thanks to the OP for standing up for his and all of our freedoms!

Personal pet peeve... lack of turn signal or (almost worse) sitting in a lane and putting on your turn signal as you turn. The purpose is to put it on in advance to let drivers and pedestrians know you are going to turn. Argh!

As an aside, a few years back my brother in law said that I had become a Jersey Driver when he noticed I drive with one hand on the horn instead of one foot on the break (this was, of course, while driving down Jersey Ave.).