Photo courtesy of Furvana via GoFundMe.
From local businesses opening and closing to news on new voting locations and more, here’s this week’s Hudson County news roundup.
Help Save This Cat Rescue Shelter From Shutting Down
Furvana Cat Rescue, a nonprofit organization in Bayonne, is in jeopardy of closing.
Furvana has only been open for a year and has been dedicated to giving cats a second chance at life. According to their Facebook post, they said they “took on too much too quickly,” but it’s because the need in Bayonne was “so urgent.”
Furvana is reportedly “overwhelmed with debt and cats” and need change right away, or else they will be forced to close their doors forever.
Here’s how you can help right now:
- Do your own fundraiser (online, at work, with friends) and donate the proceeds to Furvana
- Donate directly to help them cover vet bills and debt.
- Foster a cat or kittens to relieve the overcrowding.
- Transport and Trap to get cats to safety and into care.
“I love Bayonne, and I want to keep helping the cats in our community. But I cannot do this alone anymore,” they wrote on Facebook.
Message them to volunteer, foster or help with transport/trapping. You can find their contact information here and donate here or contribute to their GoFundMe campaign.
Step Into Fall With Bayonne’s Coffee Shop
Union Grounds is Bayonne’s newest coffee house located right inside the Bergen Point shopping and dining district at 199 Broadway.
The coffee shop is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Union Grounds was founded by a husband-and-wife team who first met in another local coffee shop in Bayonne. They decided to give back to the community with what they call a “home with a cozy, welcoming space to sip, snack and connect.”
On Monday, Sept. 29, they’re offering 10% off all drinks for National Coffee Day.
Kearny To Implement This New Ordinance At Restaurants
Kearny’s Mayor Alberto G. Santos and the Town Council have passed a new ordinance called “Skip the Stuff.” This ordinance is intended to reduce waste from single-use food service items.
Moving forward, restaurants and delivery services will only provide items like utensils, napkins, straws and condiment packs upon request. There will also be no more automatic add-ons that drive up costs and create extra waste.
This ordinance helps businesses save money and keeps the community cleaner. Businesses must give customers the option to request single-use items when ordering online or by phone as well.
“Remember: If you don’t need it, don’t request it,” the town of Kearny wrote in their post.
A Local Kearny Bake Shop Has Closed
Black Sheep Irish Bake shop in Kearny announced its closure last weekend.
The Black Sheep Irish Bake Shop, founded in 2015, posted to Facebook last Sunday informing customers of the closure.
“It has been our privilege to serve you… We will miss all of you,” they wrote in the post.
Facebook users flooded the comments with love.
“All the best to Black Sheep, thank you for the memories and the best pies ever,” one user commented.
“I appreciate you. My mom passed in early 2022 but you always had her favorite bread in that last year and it made her happy. Thank you,” wrote another user.
Jersey City’s Bodega Cards To Have A New Location
Bodega Cards announced on Instagram this past week that they are moving to Hoboken.
The trading card store has made 3563 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City its home since 2022. But now, they said they’re moving to a Hoboken location to be “twice the size, twice the cards and twice the fun.”
“Ready for the renovations and the rebirth!!!! Awesome,” one user commented.
“This is big-time! Congrats on the upgrade!” another user said.
There is no exact timeline on when the new location will open, but they are hoping to transition at the end of December or January.
Hudson County Supports Immigrant Trust Act
Last Thursday, at a regular meeting for the Hudson County Board of Commissioners, they voted unanimously to pass a resolution that supports the “Immigrant Trust Act,” also known as Bill No. S-3672.
This move urges the New Jersey State Legislature and state Gov. Phil Murphy to pass the ITA into law.
According to ACLU New Jersey, the ITA “will limit New Jersey’s involvement in the federal detention and deportation system by creating new data privacy protections for people who interact with state and local agencies, and by strengthening and codifying the separation between local law enforcement and federal immigration enforcement.”
Vote Early! Here’s Some Locations In Hudson County
The Hudson County Board of Elections has increased voting access for residents with more early voting locations ahead of the 2025 general election.
The added locations are part of a countywide commitment to improve access to voting for residents.
“Voting is a pillar of democracy, and, during a time when Republicans across the country are chipping away at voting rights, I am proud that Hudson County is expanding voting opportunities for our residents,” Hudson County Executive Craig Guy said in a statement.
“Over the past few months I have heard from numerous residents about the need to increase the number of early voting locations in our county. As County Executive, I am committed to working with our election officials to prioritize easy voting access for our residents.”
Hoboken: Voters will now have an uptown early voting site, located at:
- 420 14th Street (The Studio, near the 14th Street Viaduct)
Jersey City: There are now five additional early voting locations spread throughout the city, including:
- 28 Paterson Street (Joseph Connors Senior Center)
- 160 5th Street (Puertorriquenos Asociados For Community Organization [PACO])
- 199 Ocean Avenue (Berry Gardens)
- 99 Broadway (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church)
- 71 Sip Avenue (Hudson County Community College Gabert Library)
For the full list of locations, click here.
27-Year-Old Fatally Shot In Jersey City, Police Say
The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and police reported that Jamaal George, 27, was found in the area of Union Street and Martin Luther King Drive with a gunshot wound to the upper body.
The Jersey City man was reportedly taken to Jersey City Medical Center and was later pronounced dead after 5:30 a.m. Sunday morning. No arrests have been made as of Sunday evening.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Office of the Hudson County Prosecutor at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip at: http://hcpo.org/tips. All information will be kept confidential.
Know any local news we should include? Email Stella Accettola at [email protected]!
