Perhaps I misread...However, I found the post stating that the forum titled "Not for Jersey City" is the place for posts regarding the Heights and JSQ areas. That would be strange indeed, since neither area has seceded from Jersey City (although I know both areas feel so neglected by the politicians, perhaps they might as well

Anyway, as someone who grew up in the Heights and knew JSQ when it was populated with high end stores, theaters and restaurants, and was a destination in its own right instead of a means to an end, most of my selections will be in these areas.

Kiki's (Downtown)- my lone downtown selection. I loved this place and was sad to find out it had gone.

Tippi's (Heights): That giant, tacky ice cream coneheaded guy alone made it worth the trip but there was a lot of local color inside. I spend most of my life around that area and Tippy's (along with Standard Tile) were great landmarks to use when directing out of towners to my home. The Plankboard Inn (Heights): Best salad bar EVER. Hands down. Wonderful Happy Hour. And who could forget those all the food you could eat and all the champagne you could quaff brunches?The Summit House (Journal Square): First restaurant (to my knowlege) opened in ths landmark 1700 building behind the JSQ PATH Building. Very creative dishes. Brunches almost on a par with The Plankboard. (The restaurant now in this location, Blue Ribbon, is boring.) The Canton (JSQ) Old-fashioned, kitschy Chinese Restaurant - elegantly garish decor, surly waiters, umbrella drinks and good food. Sir Robin's (Journal Square): Pub fondly remembered for stuffed mushrooms, incredibly filling and cheesy onion soup and generous Irish Coffee, Liss' on Journal Square (For their ice cream sundaes - named after each theatre) and Meyers (Central Avenue) for anything with sugar.....A Japanese Restaurant on Journal Square on Sip Avenue (can't remember the name).......You had to take your shoes off before entering and sat on the floor....

Only knew the Jules on Franklin Street in the Heghts. Even though my uncle worked there, I found the food blah.

As many of you know, the next status hearing on the HCSPCA is this Thursday at 11 AM at the Brennan Courthouse in Jersey City.

This is a very important hearing. The Court will be entertaining two motions to intervene. One, from the Attorney General's Office, calls for permanently dissolving the HCSPCA. The second, from the State SPCA, requests that they receive statutory receivership.

The SPCA request has 'disaster' written all over it. For starters, their affidavit to the court contains several mistruths, including claiming that they only became aware of the problems at the shelter within the last several weeks. It flat out accuses at least one party that has stated, under penalty of perjury, that they had spoken to the individual filing the affidavit much earlier than that. It also fails to mention their own aborted inspection at the beginning of the year that resulted in the initial 'raid' by JC Animal Control and JCPD. If the SPCA gets statutory receivership, their is nothing to stop them from awarding the Charter they revoked from HCSPCA two weeks ago to 'Kindred Critters', Hector's NEW company, and then transfering the assets to him. In short, it could land us right back where we started.

On the other hand, if the AGs motion is granted and the HCSPCA is dissolved, the AG's office would be required to ditribute the assets to a not-for-profit with a similar mission to what HCSPCA's mission was supposed to be. Since the Jersey Journal reported yesterday that the AG's office is now issuing subpoenas in a criminal investigation
of Hector it is fair to say that they won't be giving anything to him.

Remarkably, while filing to intervene to dissolve the AG's office has NOT also filed an argument against the State SPCA Request.

Appleseed, acting as H.A.A.'s attorney, has filed such a brief. Now we need your help. We want the Deputy Attorney General to SEE how we feel. We are looking for people to march outside the courthouse
starting at 10 AM THURSDAY with signs arguing that the AG should express opposition to State SPCA's motion.

Please write us and let us know if you can attend. We are asking people to provide their own signs, but we will work with each of you to make sure they cover a variety of points. We also want a rough number of people attending so we can let the court and the press know.

Thanks again for all each of you does to support the animals -

David Norman
President
Hudson Animal Advocates A NJ Nonprofit Corporation

The Stop n Shop would have been comparable to the Shoprite in Hoboken near the viaduct, which is nothing like the Shoprite in Newport or Columbia Park. THAT would have been wonderful. While the existing one is a little spotty, it is much more reasonable than either Supremo (which always smells dank) or the C-Town or whatever it is called these days down at the south end of Central Avenue. I could never understand why local merchants felt so threatened. Back in the day, there was a nut and chocolate shop, two ice cream parlors, twocard stores, several quality clothing stores, a beautiful home decor store and two large toy stores. Now, Central Avenue is dominated by beauty and nail salons and 99 cent stores (and a lot of empty storefronts). I don't think a large Stop n Shop would have been competition for them. It might have initially hurt the wine and liquor stores, flower shop, pharmacies and butchedr shops but I think service would have kept those stores going (and you can't beat the kielbasy, etc. at Stan's on South and Central.)

So, Union City and North Bergen's health officer, Richard Censullo, says "If I severed or terminated the relationship right now I would be creating a terrible crisis."

Forgive me for pointing out the obvious here, but isn't giving money to a man who claims he is picking up stray and injured animals and bringing them to Associated Humane in Newark WHEN ASSOCIATED HUMANE denies this a crisis?

They are going to wait until after they "investigate to see if there is any evidence of wrongdoing"?

Considering the ten year old history of this shelter, which remains the shame and embarassment of Hudson County EVEN AFTER IT IS CLOSED, what is North Bergen and Union City waiting for?

If this is a sample of the way problems are "handled" there, I would not invest in a home in either municipailty, even though Union City offers sweet tax abatements. Look at the service provided once you live there.

Would it surprise you to know that these municipalities have been given alternatives to this pistaol-packin' reverend? Business as usual in Hudson County - more lurid, embarassing stories to play out on New York City media - the same city Hudson County is always wooing. Come move your offices here. Come live here. Yeah, right

People, get ready. Those of you who can, rise up this morning at 11 am. Sincerest apologies for this late post. If you can't make it (it is a work day), please let your fingers do the walking.

ALL ELECTED OFFICIALS MUST GET THE MESSAGE THAT HUDSON COUNTY CAN NO LONGER BE RUN LIKE A BANANA REPUBLIC AND THAT OVER-TAXED TAX PAYERS WILL NO LONGER STAND FOR SHODDY SERVICES AND INHUMAME PRACTICES THAT TARNISH THIS SO-CALLED "GOLD COAST".

Rise up. If you can't be seen today, burn the wires. Use your voices (and your opposable thumbs) to get justice for those who are unable to speak (or type) themselves! Use the system to make them ALL pay. If they do not get the message today, contact all your VOTING friends in North Bergen and Union City and hit them where it REALLY hurts. I have already started spreading the word to those who don't read the Jersey Journal or have somehow missed the embarassing coverage on New York TV and radio. PROTEST FOR THE ANIMALS 11am, Thursday, June 26 Brennan Court House Building, 583 Newark Avenue, near Journal Sq. #80, 82, 84 or 86 buses or the PATH or any Bergenline Ave Jitney We Demand Justice for the Animals And a Full Investigation NOW!! WHERE ARE THE MISSING ANIMALS? WHERE IS THE MISSING MONEY FOR THE ANIMALS? DROP THE CONTRACT WITH HECTOR CARBAJALES NOW!! FIND A HUMANE PROVIDER NOW!! Persuade the towns of North Bergen and Union City to drop their animal control contract with Hector Carbajales, president of the now-disgraced Hudson County SPCA in Jersey City. Despite the court-ordered shut down, the towns of Union City and North Bergen have continued to contract with Mr. Carbajales as their Animal Control Officer -- despite the fact that activists have repeatedly made the towns aware that Carbajales has no shelter to take strays he picks up. At this stage, no one knows what has become of the strays picked up by Carbajales from April - June. One thing is clear: As of this morning, Carbajales is still the ACO for Union City and North Bergen! CALL NOW: Ask the Mayors of Union City and North Bergen to STOP USING HECTOR CARBAJALES and to find a responsible provider. Mayor Nicholas Sacco, North Bergen: 201-392-2005 Mayor Brian Stack, Union City 201-348-5755 CALL NOW: Renee Cerillo, State Dept of Health Animal Facility Inspector, wants to hear from Union City and North Bergen residents who have had any contact with Animal Control Officer Hector Carbajales since April 11th. Please call her at 609 588 3121

I was born and raised in the Western Slope area of the Heights and because of the paucity of affordable, pet-friendly housing, have lived on Palisade Avenue and Franklin for 5 years.??In addition, while I am unable to give you much input on parking outside of what my current landlord has told me, because I rely on my feet, my bike and public transportation to get around, I can give you an up close and personal perspective of what goes on around.?

The vintage shop someone else mentioned in on Bowers Street between Central and Cambridge.? The JC Heights Public Library, although small, is well-stocked and the staff is wonderful.?

There are no high-end cafes.? However, out of all the area Dunkin Donuts I have patronized (Grove Street, Hoboken, Union City, Journal Square, I have to say the staff at the one at Central Avenue and Griffith are the nicest.? The Lincoln Inn is overpriced for what it is.? Renato's on Cambridge between Franklin and Hutton and Gino's on Central between Thorne and Bowers offer servicable Italian fare.? I haven't been in Tommy's, the Greek diner on Central between Bowers and Lincoln since it renovated but have heard good things.? The Pan Asian Restaurant is very good, as is Lenin's, an Ecuadorian-Italian restaurant soldiering on on right on Palisade between Hutton and Franklin.? These last two places are BYOB.? Palisades Wines on Palisade and Hutton and Central Avenue Liquor across the street from? Pershing Fields often have wine tastings.

The Reservoir, just south of Pershing Fields Park is GLORIOUS.? I am glad that the city showed some foresight for once and did not sacrifice it on the altar of development.??? You feel like you are in the Delaware Water Gap.? They offer free kayaking several times over the summer. Pershing Fields has a public swimming pool that is clean and reasonable.? They also have a skating rink in the winter.

I can assure you that the entire stretch of Ogden Avenue is WONDERFUL.?? Since you are looking at the stretch between Griffith and Franklin, you can walk down Mountain Road to catch the Light Rail on 2nd Street & Observer Hwy to get to Hoboken.? (If you are ambitious, you can walk there in a half hour, bike there in ten.)? If you want to visit NYC, the PATH ride from Hoboken to 33rd Street is only 15 minutes.? You can also use the Light Rail to get to the Newport-Pavonia area.After dark, I would recommend staying on one stop longer and using the 9th Street Station.? You can then take the elevator to Congress Street and Observer Highway, cross over and walk down Ogden Avenue.? If the weather is bad, I recommend walking up to Palisade and Congress catching one of the numerous vans (jitneys) to Griffith.?? I am sure that realtors have emphasized how accessibile public transportation is in this area and how you are only a twenty minute bus ride away from Manhattan and a ten minute bus ride away from Hoboken.? WHAT THEY WON'T TELL YOU IS THIS - THE SAD TRUTH IS THAT WITH THE EXECEPTION OF THE LOCAL COMMUTER VANS RUNNING FROM NEWPORT-PAVONIA TO BERGENLINE NOTHING RUINS REGULARLY.? During rush hour, the #87 is supposed to run every seven minutes to Hoboken but instead, you get 4 buses every twenty minutes to a half hour.? When the 99S ran along Palisade Avenue, it was just as bad.? (It now runs along Central before turning east down Congress and along the Hoboken viaduct.) The vans to NYC that run along this route also are infrequent, compared to the NYC van lines running along Kennedy Blvd.

As far as crime goes, as someone who lives on Palisade near Franklin, despite the rampant gentrification, it can be rough. Growing up, I always heard stories about Franklin.? When I found a pet-friendly apartment on Palisade near hear, I asked around and heard it got better.? A few days after I signed the lease in the summer of 2005, as I was heading east with my isteralong Franklin early one summer evening, I saw a crowd gathered on Franklin between Palisade andNew York.? They were watching two girls rolling around on the sidewalk, kicking and punching each other.? My sister asked me if it were too late to break the? lease.? A month later, I made the mistake of asking some kids to get off of the steps of the building I lived in so I can get into my house.? (One of the combatants were in the group.)? For the rest of the summer, I was targeted.?? Whenever they saw me they would surround me, threatening me although they would disperse when I called the police.? As far as police response goes, even though a police station is five blocks away, it took forty minutes for them to?respond to one call.I have also read stories of random gunfire and mugging on Palisade from Ferry through Hutton in the Jersey Journal.? As recently as May, they reported that someone leaving The Little Man Tavern at Ferry and Palisade was mugged at Franklin and Palisade, less than a block away.? It was before midnight on a Saturday night.? However, from my perspective, outside of a local drunk who walks up and down Franklin yelling out at the top of his lungs in a language only he knows and has been knows to show off his family jewels on occasion, the trash hanging out talking at the top of their lungs on warm nights and the occasional prostitute, Franklin, although far from gentrified, is better than it was even five years ago and MUCH better than stretches of Bergen-LaFayette and Greenville.

Hope this helps.? If you have other questions, ask away...

There was a very pretty dilute tortoiseshell (blue-gray, cream, orange) cat who lived there for years (although he would deny the presence of a cat when she strayed outside due to Health Code restrictions.)

I hope that in addition to surviving the fire, she made it out with him and is not wandering around.

The SPCA had kicked out all its volunteers a while back, which signalled a return to the scandolous days of the early nineties. I was recently heartened by posts from a volunteer soliciting both other volunteers and supplies recently. Liberty Humane is a good shelter but Hudson County needs more. I was hoping the return of volunteers signaled that animals would no longer die by slow and excruciating degrees at the SPCA.

I was at LHS after an adoption event. If I were the SPCA employee who had posted on this site, I would have let JClisters go on believing that the tan wire-haired terrier mix was an SPCA dog, as it looks relatively healthy. That is more than I could say for the two SPCA dogs I saw Sunday afternoon - the white pit bull whose photograph appears on this thread and Stormy, the black mix mentioned. When I saw the horrible shape her eye was in and noted her cage card said "confiscated"; I assumed she was taken from a hoarder or a negligent pet owner. I was appalled to learn that Stormy was confiscated from the SPCA.

Not having a vet on the premises does not justify such neglect. The dog could have been taken to a clinic. Many will offer significant discounts to shelters and rescues.

I had been hearing for some time that rescue groups were pulling dogs half-dead from starvation frm the SPCA; despite generous donations of food from the Hoboken Dog Association and large pet food chains. I also heard that outdoor dog runs were being hosed down while the dogs were in them during cold days and that the wet dogs sat in their wet outdoor kennels while temperatures were in the thirties.

The SPCA doesn't euthanize their animals. They kill them slowly.........On their site, they whine they receive no money from the state, yet they charge $250 adoption fees for unspayed or unneutered dogs? Liberty charges $95 for male dogs and $115 for females. All dogs are either neutered or spayed prior to adoption.

Because they are housed in runs, dogs are very visible. If this is how they were treated, I shdduer to think what life is like for the cats at the SPCA.

I recommended to these folks that they either write a letter to the local media or have me ghost one for them. However, the anonymous tip has done the trick.

I have criticized Joe Frank in the past, so I was pleasantly gratified at the role he played in exposing the SPCA. Thanks to his persistence, the SPCA will have to clean up their act - in more ways than one.

They - and those who stand by them - must realize that Hudson County residents will no longer tolerate a banana republic. (Those who grew up here know what I am talking about.)

I have tried different vets. I thought both Hoboken hospitals way overpriced, although the one on Washington and 7th is one of only two animal hospitals in Hudson County with emergency hours. (The second is Ambassador on 36th and Kennedy Blvd. in UC). Secaucus has an amazing staff. Their front desk alone makes it almost worth the price but once I moved to the east side of the Heights, it became difficult to get there without a car. For a number of years I used Dr. Kim at the UC Animal Clinic. The prices are the most reasonable in Hudson County. However, when he first opened, he used to be open til 7:30 several nights a week. Now, his weekday hours are 9:30 to 5. In addition, I feel that he is less attentive and observant than in the past. I now use the JC Animal Clinic on Westside Avenue. I generally use Critter Cab (201) 963-6944. She will take you there, wait for you and take you back. Fee is $20. When she is unavailable, I put my cat in a carrier, take the 99S or 10 from Central Avenue to Kennedy Blvd and walk a block. I like Dr. Thornton.

I lost a senior cat to that same cancer a few years back. I was still going to Dr. Kim, who gave me as much time as I needed with Brandy after she died. It was a hard experience. I was petting her as he administered the second shot but she stayed up and responsive. He told me that she was staying alive for me and he was right. As soon as I stopped stroking her, she died.

For those of you who have either lost a beloved pet or are steeling yourself, Liberty Humane holds free Pet Loss Sessions the first Tuesday of every month. I have not attended yet. although I should, as I have several senior cats who are failing. I do know someone who attended. She says it is run by a psychologist and that the woman is marvelous.

I would love to use one of my pets as my avatar. However, I have been unable to reduce photos to the required 150 x 150 pixels. The closest I get is 160.

And it is always good to be careful about vaccinating your pet yearly. You can get a titer test, which will determine if your cat or dog truly needs a vaccination.

I think the previous business at Sony's spot on Palisade near Franklin had issues with leaks or flooding. However, I did wonder if there were other reasons for Sony's place being shut down.

Although the "d" word was not used in conjuinction with this; social clubs are gathering places for criminals. I don't know if this is true, now, but the social clubs in Hoboken were frequented by the Mafia. As someone who lives on Palisade near Franklin, I know drugs are a problem in this neighborhood. Still, I know Sony from Total Fitness Gym on the Blvd, & 6th Street and he was always down on "thugs".

NJ Transit-Smansit. I've veen commuting to NYC for 25 yrs. When I lived on the Western Slope, sometimes it made sense to take a bus to Journal Square and then hop on the PATH. Other times it made more sense to jump on a bus to the Port Authority. Before the Blvd. dollar vans, the commute was a nightmare. Bus drivers treated schedules like some folks treat marriage licenses - just a piece of paper. And when they did arrive, forget about it. Sometimes they were so full, there was no room for any more passengers. You'd have to wait for the next one - whenever it came - and hope it wasn't too crowded.

Then, there were the drivers. With maybe three exceptions, they would be on power trips. Some would refuse to pick you up if you were not standing in a designated spot by the bus stop sign that only they seemed to know. I overheard one tell a passenger that they enjoyed passing up well-dressed yuppies to "show them their place". Once when I boarded the NY Blvd. bus at the PA and realized that my wallet had been lifted, this man laughed at me.

One day, while waiting for TWO a JC bound NY Blvd buses that never came and watching other buses arriving and departing, a van driver solicited the line.

This happened more often. I would have been grateful just for more frequent service. The substantially lower fares were an unexpected bonus.

And the drivers? Once, I realized I was short and mentioned I had to go an ATM. The driver offered to spot me because he recognized me as one of his regular customers.

Now that I have moved to Palisade Avenue - right across the street from a bus stop, transportation is a joke. I take the 87 to Hoboken to catch PATH. It is supposed to run once every ten minutes during rush hour. Instead, you get four every twenty minutes. I am told this is because of congestion in the Bergen neighborhood. This does not explain why you wait for 45 mimutes to an hour for a bus after 7, instead of the 15 to 20 minutes stated on the schedule. At night, having just missed the 9:25 Coach bus back to JC, a rapidly growing line waiting in vain for a 9:50 bus that never showed. One commuter called and was told it was stuck on traffic on #440, which mystified everone familiar with that route. The customer service rep said the 9:50 bus took that route to get to the PA on time. Since it now 10:15, we all saw that worked real well. The 10:20 bus was only a little late.

Even the NY bound jitneys in this area stink. If you live near the Congress Street Light Rail or within walking distance of the 2nd Street station - or can use the Newport-GW jitneys, you are OK. Otherwise

Last few posts interesting. I love FBA's cartoons. (I'd like to see the one of bikers crashing into potholes be attached to each and everyone of those "bike lanes".

When we do events, we often hand out literature on how children should behave when they see strange dogs - either leashed or unleashed. Parents and guardians should also be aware that they should never leave dogs and toddlers alone and unsupervised. You can't expect a toddler to be able to read canine body language or back ott at a warning grown. No matter how trustworthy and good-natured the family pet is, he/she is only canine.

I regret not going through the whole list of dog breeds on that report. A Yorkie killing someone? What was the age of the victim? What were the circumstances? Sounds CSI worthy....

If you reread the article, fifty percent of the people polled were against a ban on pit bulls. It's all in the presentation, isn't it?

In addition, the article Vigilante posted regarding human fatalities from dog bites concluded that breed-specific legislation is ineffective . Legislators and law enforcers should punish the deed, not the breed. (I bet if that article was written in the 60's, German Shepherds and Doberman Pinschers would have been the dangerous dogs. Wonder which ones will top the list twenty years from now?)

As anyone who followed the posts on JC List regarding the Hamilton Park pit debacle would know, most of the dog people in Hamilton Park, including people whose dogs had been mauled, felt the same way. The majority of the posts reviled the woman as an irresponsible idiot. While the dog was identified as a pit, not one person called for a ban on the breed. They were angry that a person who could barely control an dog aggressive pet on leash - allowed him to run freely off-leash, putting other dogs at risk.

As far as the other incidents go, I am willing to bet that the owners of those pits - when said owners could be found - had a rap sheets longer than these pit bull threads.

I have always been drawn to large herding or working dogs like German Shepherds, collies and malemutes - and Dobies. After volunteering at the shelter for three years and handling temperment tested pits at PetSmart in Secaucus and other adoption events, I would definitely adopt a pit or a pit mix if the right one came along. I must say I would far prefer a pit over a Yorkie or any size poodle. Labs are cool dogs, but my neighborhood is a rough one. Because of profiling that would be called racist if we were talking humans instead of dogs, I would be much safer walking at night in my neighborhood with my pit than with my Lab. (Again, it is all in ther presentation - or should I say perception, isn't it?) From what I have seen of pit bull character, I know that if someone did attack me, my pit would lay down his or her life to defend me.

I agree with Bdlaw, Fat-Ass Biker and other posters that this is more a quality of life issues than a pit issue. Existing laws should be strictly enforced. Sadly, irresponsible breeding, responsible for many vicious German shepherds back in the day, will be more difficult to stop. Backyard breeders out for quick money will be harder to deal with.
While showing pits at adoption events, I have learned many potential "adoptors" are fine about having male pits neutered before adoption but lose interest when they find out the females will be spayed.

The cheapest local theaters are in Union City and North Bergen. Both were mentioned earlier.

Summit is on Summit Avenue near 12th in Union City. It charges matinee prices all day. Be wrned. It has three smallish screens and is often filthy. There is no parking and kids often run up and dow nthe aisles at all times.

The Regency in North Bergen located behind the Columbus Park Mall on 32nd Street west of the Blvd., is much better. There are twelve large screens, luxurious, comfortable seating, first run movies and tickets ar around $6.

Inexplicably, it's never crowded.

There is only one way to ride on Ocean Avenue - FAST!

Although there are laws prohibiting riding on the sidewalk, it is a big issue in the Heights because Central Avenue is packed with pedestrians. Kids will tear up and down the sidwalks. It can be dangerous, especially when they come out of nowhere.

I have biked on JFK Blvd often and during rush hour, too. There are a few hairy stretches - around Journal Square, by the turnoffs for 139 and Newark, the upper twenties to about 32nd Street in the North Bergen-UC area. Personally, I think New York and Bergenline Avenues and Summit near the Sqaure are a lot worse.

When I first started riding, I was terrified of traffic. Two more experienced riders helped me get over this by biking with me. One would bike in front of me and one would bike behind me. Following the lead of the rider ahead and knowing someone had my bck helped relax me.

I find the hostility of drivers much more of an issue than traffic. In Union City, a passing car threw soda in my face. In Union City, North Bergen and Jersey City, I have been cursed, cut off and hazed. I have also had kids cycling in groups try to play "chicken" with me. In all fairness, things do seem to be improving.

Hoboken is so polite and civilized towards cyclists it might as well be another country.

I laughed when I read Fast Eddie's posts. I remember those brown Central Avenue buses. One used to also run up Hutton Street from Liberty or Terrace Avenue to Central Avenue and then to Journal Square. Ony thing is that my memory stretches back to 35 cents!

Anyhow, that privately owned company abandoned the route. Another one took it over and then Coach. When Coah first took over, it used to go all the way to Liberty State Park.

For those of you living near Kennedy Boulevard in the Heights, you will be better off using the jitneys there. The route is longer as they take the Blvd. up to 30th Street and then turn east (unless the driver is savvy enough only to pick up NY commuters and take a shortcut throughh Hoboken). However, the Kennedy Blvd. jitneys run every ten minutes to NYC and Journal Square during rush hour. In addition, they are a bargin -$2 and change to NYC, $1 to JSQ. The NJ transit buses that also are on this route not only are twice the price, they tend to treat bus schedules like some people treat marriage licenses - like a piece of paper to which there is no commitment.

I have lived on Palisade Avenue for three years now and, outside of the Light Rail and jitneys that run from Newport Mall to Bergenline and points north, have been very unimpressed with all of the service. The 99S rarely is on schedule. In addition, they charge a ridiculous price for a very short ride. I hear that with the new route has come an even higher fare. The Palisade Ave.-NYC jitneys only run five minutes ahead of the 99S, almost disappear during off-peak hours and weekends and stop running after 7:30.

During rush hour, the #87 to the Hoboken Path is supposed to run every ten minutes. In reality, you get four buses every 20 minutes to a half hour. I hear that this is because of congestion at the southern end of their route but I notice that in the evening, after rush hour, buses are either late or skip altogether.

iI moved east because I was in dire need of a pet-friendly, reasonable apartment. The irony is that many other people moving to the eastern end of the Heights do so because there is easy access to transportation to Hoboken and NY. What no one knows until they move there is that there are plentiful stops and many buses but nothing ever runs. THANK HEAVENS I HAVE A BIKE!

I noticed in the latest Jersey Journal article that some commuters voice fear about walking east of Central late at night. Living on the armpit of Palisade, between Franklin and Ferry, I can certainly understand that fear as stretches of New York, Sherman and Webster can be pretty gruesome.

Whenever I ask the police captain at block and association meetings why there are not foot or bike patrols on Palisade (cars are useless because the trash just scuttle away); the police captain of the Western Precinct explains they are reserved for Central Avenue because of the stores. (I have not seen either foot or bike patrols on Central Avenue, particularly at night. However, I notice gangs of 5 to 12 youths whooping it up. That is for another thread.)

Other attendees have pointed out to our captain that the stores are not going to get much business if folks are afraid to walk there. If commuters feel the same way about walking home from Central Avenue at night, perhaps there will be enough voices to get something done.

Danl:

Thanks for clearing that up. Although I have read references to bike signs in recent posts, the first one I actually noticed was on southbound Palisade just past Christ Hospital. I couldn't figure out what puprose it served, since it was business as usual on the road.

As is the case with everyone else, I would love to partipate in a biking advocacy group or even a cycling club. There are three or four in NYc and one in Montclair but none in all of Hudson County - not even in Hoboken, which is remarkably polite to cyclists. It is a totally different world from Jersey City, Union City and North Bergen.

Some guy from my gym, Total Fitness on Kennedy Blvd. between 6th & 7th, organizes rides now and then, but that is as good as it gets. He hangs a flier with ride dates within the gym. Total Fitness is located at the poit where Union City, North Bergen and the JC Heights intersect.

Atleast he gave notification this time. It is common for him to simply not show, particularly when the meeting takes place in the Heights, even though he is supposed to live there.

I haven't been to Levin's since the name change, but I peered in through the door and I could see the man who owned it when it was Robablito's. The menu is the same. It is the perfect winter restaurant because the food is very hearty and they serve with a full heart. It used to be a BYOB place but now they make a nice Sangria. It is a nice-looking place too. Sadly, like many nice non-Italian restaurants in the area, it struggles. Its location probably doesn't help since my neighborhood looks OK but is, as I like to put it, "lively".

Coop- Bowers from Summit to Central is nice. A lot of streets in the Heights the closer they get to Central Avenue. However, the nicest part of Bowers is between Summit and Central. The info that was given about transportation is dead-on.

There are some nice restaurants on Central Avenue - Mia Casa (Mexican) beween North and Congress, Ceviche (Pueruvian) between Congres Paterson, Gino's (Italian) between Thorne & Bower, Renato's (walk thru Pizzamaster's on Central between Hutton and Franklin). There is also a Polish deli called Stanley's on the corner of South & Central and wine tastings at Central Avenue Liquor Sore between Ferry and Booream across the street from Pershing Field. The library on Zabiski Street around the corner from the bank is small but decent.

Two Middle-Eastern places have opened that serve good food. Can't remember the names but one is right next to Rite-Aid and the other is by Pizza Master's.

Lincoln Inn is so-so. It is on Lincoln Street around the corner from Rite-Aid.

In Spring, when Reservoir 3 opens (usually late April, Saturdays only), check it out. It is 13 square miles of wilderness dropped right in the center of an urban zone.

JMH,

What are the cross streets? I live on Palisade between Franklin and Ferry. Those blocks are rough thru New York Avenue. I grew up in the Heights and heard those blocks have always been bad and only moved there three years ago because I needed a pet-friendly, affordable housing. A few folks told me that the area was getting better but my first year I was hounded by a gang. The past two, people have left me alone but despite all the condos going up in this area, there have been plenty of incidents - some publicized, some not. The incidents usually occur from Ferry through Griffith and from Palisades west to about Sherman.

There is a total business curfew on Palisade from Ferry through North and Franklin from Palisade to Central.

There is a nice restaurant on Palisades though. Used to be called Robolito's but is now called Levin's. Serves Ecuadorian-Italian food

The area picks up once you hit Bowers.

I am glad to hear from DanL that the ballfields are most likely not coming to Reservoir 3. I got to City Hall around 7 and could only stay an hour, so I must have missed that part. I had volunteered at Reservoir 3 last summer and had e-mailed them to see if we had to mobilize and did not hear back - this might be why......

The summary Minnie posted about how community feedback on a whole has been handled is rough, however.

Will brave the lovely breeze forecasted tonight to go the meeting on Hancock Avenue in the Heights. Ws it only last week that I was complaining about the unnaturally warm weather? Whatever was I thinking?

Good one. God forbid they have to drive to another park with space to support that.

Thanks for your support of Reservoir 3. One of the reasons I love it is it is so wild-looking, like the sections of Liberty State Park behind the "Keep Out: Hazardous Materials" signs)

Liberty State Park is gorgeous - and huge - but putting ballfields there might not work - and not for the obvious reasons.

Last summer, the Jersey Journal wrote an article that said that although it is one of the most heavily visited parks in the state, many Hudson County residents have never gone there because they found it too hard to get to.

A lot of residents don't have cars. Before I bought a bike, I hardly ever went to Liberty. When I lived in the Western Slope part of the Height; I had to take three modes of transportation to get there. I had to take PATH to Journal Square and then one of the PATH lines to either Exchange Place or Pavonia-Newport and board the Light Rail to the Liberty Stop and then wait for the free shuttle bus.

Once I moved east of Central Avenue, my options improved slight. I could either take the Central Avenue bus (#231) to the park and then catch the shuttle or walk down to the 2nd Street Light Rail stop and then the shuttle. (It is a long walk, but the #87 bus, which stops near the 2nd Street Light Rail st ation, tends to treat its bus schedule like some people treat marriage - just a piece of paper.) Last summer, the 231 stopped runing to the Park, so there's only the Light Rail.

Reservoir 3 is smack in the middle of a residential-shopping area. Perhaps that is why many residents in other parts of the city only need one bus to get there. Folks downtown can catch a northbound #86 or commuter van and walk six blocks. Folks living near Journal Square can choose from two Kennedy Blid lines (#88 local and #125 to NY) which leave you a short walk away and the #83, #87 and #231, which stop at or very near Reservoir 3.

However, I digress. When I got into that discussion with the Pershing Fields employee, II suggested the western section of Leonard Gordon Park (the one with the bear and buffalo statues on Kennedy Blvd. in the Heights) for a third ballpark. He said the kids didn't want to walk five short blocks.

So, the faction that says a third baseball field should be built there is going to whine that Liberty State Park is too far. Of course, they could rent a bus - Steve Lipski, among others, are generous supporters, but why do that when they can have a ball field right next to the two in Pershing Fields. (They need a third one for practice, I believe.)

So, I suspect it will be a fight to the end.

Yes - they believe if you pave it, they will come. I say our signed should be updated to "Welcome to Ugly City", "Height's Blight" - well, you get the idea.

I remember April 2005, the first year Reservoir 3 was open every Saturday. There was a big festival. Healy, who lives in the area, was supposed to show. He didn't, but when Janaan Tea Shop opened on Grove and Third a few weeks later, there he was. Very interesting......

I think these folks think they are emulating our neighbor to the east. While the mile-square city has a lot of development; Hoboken has a surprising amount of open, passive space, too and LOT OF TREE-LINED STREETS.

As a matter of fact, some bright and shining Pershing Fields' employee told me last summer if I liked open, passive space so much, I should go to Hoboken's River Park.

I asked why I should take the #87 or bike to Hoboken when I live four and half blocks away from Reservoir 3?

I am going to go to City Hall tonight and Hancock Avenue on Thursday, because we got to stick together to overcome Smoking Joe's Baseball mafia (loved that one) and the pols who support them with our taxes.

I don't have anything against kids and resent the way some factions paint people who are anti-ball fields as anty-child. Not all kids are into sports. Where are they - and we - going to go?

Yes - the views are always remarkable from there. Sadly, it was never so true as it was on 9/11.

I am not surprised to see it retitled Recreation....When I checked out the Reservoir 3 Plans, the one without ball fields, Plan A, was listed first HOWEVER, when the actual layouts were shown, Plan B with its football and baseball field is the first one pictured. Coincidinkey? I think not. I am going to make City Hall's Meeting regarding the Embankment. To paraphrase one of our founding fathers, Ben Franklin, if we don't hang together, we will all hang separately.

JC Heights - if you and yours visited Reservoir 3 last year, as I suspect you might have - I often worked the little info table.

Yes - we DEFINITELY need equestrian fields ! I just skimmed up all these posts again. Where is Camp Liberty? It is appalling to imagine that they are shutting it down for more diamonds.

Loved the term "baseball mafia" as well. Don't you like the way they try to present anyone who is against more baseball fields as anti-child? There are children that play other sports, such as soccer. On top of that, there are many children who wouldn't be caught dead playing any team sports. What are those kids, many of them no doubt patrons of Camp Liberty, to do?

On top of that, playing fields are only used for a relatively brief amount of time and cost a massive amount of change to maintain. The two baseball fields already at Pershing Fields are high maintenance and we pay for it.When I suggested that the supporters of a third baseball field in Reservoir 3 (next to the two already at Pershing Fields) find another location; I had no idea that other neighborhoods were overrun with diamonds.

I looked at the plans for Reservoir 3 and while I would have liked to see less active space in Plan A, it definitely beats Plan B with its baseball and football fields. It would also cost the taxpayers considerably less -7,115, as opposed to $12,175 of Plan B. And don't forget, if Plan B goes through, maintenance is going to run much more, what with the playing fields needing to be resodded and all.

Assuming the city doesn't hassle the JC Reservoir Preservation Alliance the way they did last year and the group is able to open it in April, you all should really come and see it. It is gorgeous - looks just like the Powers that Be decided to pick up part of the Delaware Water Gap and drop in an urban shopping zone for laughs. .And for those of you who either don't have cars or who don't want to lose parking - I can give you great directions by public transportation or bike.

Jersey City believes if you can't pave it over or pour asphalt over it, what good is it?

I can't wait to see the plans for Reservoir 3. I hear one has a football and baseball field and the other one is half and half active and passive space.

Thank you for reminding me to check this out. Can't wait to see how Jersey City is planning to squander its resources.

I grew up in the Western Slope part of the Heights. It still is pretty but the Heights overall is growing more and more ugly.

As a matter of fact, our signs should read "Welcome to Jersey City".

By the way, if Heights-Slope residents have any concerns over overdevelopment, crime or other issues, Gaughan and Lipski will be at the Riverview Healthcare Center on Franklin and Ogden tonight at 7:30.

It is a really beautiful place - gigantic screen, comfortable seats. On weekdays, it is strictly Bollywood. On weekends, it throws in a few American films - ones that will soon be going to video. The Prestige is showing there now.