Jersey City and Hoboken plan to unite bike lanes by connecting 18th Street and Observer Highway

The mayors of Jersey City and Hoboken are working on a plan to connect the city in a way the Hudson County neighbors have never been connected before: protected bike lanes.

Responding to a Bike Hoboken tweet, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla Thursday confirmed that preliminary work is underway and Jersey City spokeswoman Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione said Jersey City’s 18th Street bike lane will connect with Hoboken’s Observer Highway bike lane by creating a protected bike lane on the section of Marin Boulevard.

https://www.nj.com/hudson/2022/04/jers ... and-observer-highway.html

Off-Duty Cops In New Jersey Can Now Use Recreational Weed — And Some Cities Are Concerned

Off-duty police officers in New Jersey can now legally use recreational marijuana after the first sales in the state began last week.

Since 2012, 18 states and the District of Colombia have decriminalized recreational marijuana, but when New Jersey passed legislation last year to legalize recreational weed, no prohibition carve-out for police officers was adopted.

“Anyone 21 and older can now legally buy weed in New Jersey. And, at least according to the law as written, that includes police officers,” Fox 5 New York reported Friday.

Some municipalities said they will continue to stop law enforcement officials from using recreational marijuana as Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop plans to continue testing his city’s police force for weed and firing those who test positive.

https://www.dailywire.com/news/off-dut ... some-cities-are-concerned

Veris opens leasing for Jersey City’s newest environmentally conscious community — Haus25

Leasing is now underway at Haus25, a new 750-unit luxury development in Jersey City, according to a Monday announcement from Veris Residential.

Located at 25 Christopher Columbus Drive in the Paulus Hook section, the 56-story tower rises 600 feet in height and offers an environmentally friendly design to meet the lifestyle preferences of residents.

Designed by globally recognized Elkus Manfredi Architects, the building features interiors by award-winning Fogarty Finger and outdoor space landscape architecture by Melillo Bauer Carman.

https://www.roi-nj.com/2022/04/25/real ... nscious-community-haus25/

‘Outraged’ by racist rant by Jersey City teacher, McKnight calls for youth mental health counseling

By John Heinis/Hudson County View

“I am outraged by the racist rant that students at the Academy 1 Middle School in Jersey City had to endure this week. This is sad and sickening. Our students shouldn’t have to endure racism in our school system where they are supposed to be learning, not being ridiculed,” McKnight said in a statement.

“Teachers and other leaders of all races and ethnicities have to understand and be accountable for racist acts. This is one reason why I reintroduced AR53, legislation declaring racism a public health crisis. Racism is never acceptable and especially not toward our children by people they are supposed to trust, such as their teachers.”

https://hudsoncountyview.com/outraged- ... mental-health-counseling/

Jersey City reopens applications for up to $10K in rental relief

Jersey City residents who are behind on rent payments dating back to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020 have until Monday to apply for assistance of up to $10,000 in federal funding from the city.

Residents must submit applications by midnight April 18 at https://jerseycity.rentrelief.com/ to enter the lottery that will decide who receives the money, which will be issued directly as a check to landlords on behalf of tenants.

https://www.nj.com/hudson/2022/04/jers ... 10k-in-rental-relief.html

Another part of Jersey City’s West Side is getting a makeover, with 3,000-unit project leading way

Route 440 on Jersey City’s West Side, currently home mostly to car dealerships, autobody shops, and empty lots, hardly looks like a vision of Jersey City’s future.

But big things are in the works for the area, specifically the Westview, one of the largest, if not the largest, projects in the Northeast, according to Jordan Franklin, chief operating officer of its developer, Bushburg Properties.

The Westview will bring 3,000 units of luxury housing to the area between Route 440 and the West Side Avenue Light Rail Station at Claremont Avenue.

https://www.nj.com/hudson/2022/04/anot ... -project-leading-way.html

Fulop: Jersey City Won't Put 'Arbitary Limits' On How Many Retail Cannabis Businesses Can Open

JERSEY CITY, NJ — With New Jersey’s recreational marijuana marketplace officially set to open, Jersey City officials say they remain committed to keeping an open mind to the state’s budding new industry.

Shortly after the state's announcement Thursday that people age 21 and up will be able to legally purchase cannabis without a medical card starting April 21, Mayor Steven Fulop said in a tweet, “Missed opportunity by not doing on 4/20.”

April 20, or 4/20 is often marked as a significant day in the cannabis culture.

https://www.tapinto.net/towns/jersey-c ... nabis-businesses-can-open

Jersey City nabs honor of one of the nation’s ‘Next Great Food Cities’

Jersey City made Food & Wine’s short list of the nation’s Next Great Food Cities, which will be featured in the magazine’s travel issue on stands April 22.

The city was one of seven dubbed the “most exciting up-and-coming cities for food lovers” and is the only honoree in the Northeast. One other city in the region, Biddeford, Maine, made the accompanying list of four small cities with impressive food scenes.

https://njbiz.com/jersey-city-nabs-hon ... s-next-great-food-cities/

https://www.foodandwine.com/travel/best-food-cities