Photo courtesy of Reena Rose Sibayan | The Jersey Journal.
A lot is happening in the community.
From free lunch in Harrison to a creative summer program in Guttenberg and a North Bergen woman being charged after reportedly driving into anti-ICE protestors, here’s what’s been happening in Hudson County.
This Jersey City Resident Wants To Do A Food Drive And Needs Your Help
7 Alkaline, a Jersey City native who has been going viral on Instagram for his videos, is planning a Food & Freshness Drive in Greenville.
With over 5,000 followers on Instagram, 7 Alkaline is looking to use his platform to help host a drive for people in the Greenville community of Jersey City.
He’s looking to collect non-perishable food items and hygiene products, and is asking you to provide any items you may have.
Non-perishable foods include:
- Canned goods (soup, vegetables, beans, tuna, chicken, etc.)
- Dry goods (rice, pasta, oats, cereal, etc)
- Hygiene products (toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, deodorant)
A date and time for the event is still pending until items are donated. 7 Alkaline is willing to pick up donations.
If you are looking to contribute to the drive in any way, you can DM @7alkaline on Instagram.
Harrison’s Free Summer Lunch Program Is Here!
The town of Harrison officially began their free summer lunch program on July 7 and will run until July 31.
The free lunch program is for Harrison residents under 18 years old. It’ll be available at Washington Middle School from Monday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information, you can message the Harrison Team on Facebook here.
Hey Sweet Tooths! The Kearny International Dessert Crawl Is Nearing
The Kearny Kravings: International Dessert Crawl is just around the corner!
The one-weekend-only guided dessert tour runs on July 26 and 27 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will take you through five woman- and immigrant-owned spots.
You can try sweets and desserts from countries like:
- Brazil
- Portugal
- Colombia
- Peru
- And more!
You must secure tickets in order to participate. The $40 per person ticket includes:
- A guided tour
- Five tasting stops
- Drinks + off-menu treats
- A take-home mini cooler bag
Tickets must be booked in advance. To purchase tickets and find more information, you can click here!
You Can Get Creative At The Guttengarden Art Camp—Plus Win A Scholarship
Two more weeks have just been added to the Guttengarden Art Camp during the month of August.
This camp held at Guttenberg Arts’ Community Garden is for grade school children ages 6-12. Campers will take part in activities that include drawing, painting, tie dying and other 2D and 3D projects.
The kids will learn a mixture of artistic techniques as well as participate in gardening activities. There will also be monotypes, ceramics, silkscreen, hand building clay planters, drawing shapes in nature, plant identification, creature builds, cardboard costumes and more.
Guttengarden Art Camp runs Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The August Camp dates include:
- Week 1: 8/11 – 8/15
- Week 2: 8/18 – 8/22
The camp costs $412.25 per week, but there are also six scholarship spots available per week, which will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
To apply for a scholarship you must:
- Fill out the scholarship request form on the Camp webpage with your preferred week and how much of the $400 tuition you can afford to contribute.
- Register and pay the full tuition using the registration link on the same page to reserve your child’s spot.
- After the camp session ends, we will refund you the amount requested in your scholarship application.
You can sign up for the camp here. To apply for financial aid, you must first select the week you wish to attend and choose “Apply for financial aid.”
Here’s How This Hoboken Street Closure Will Impact Your Commute
For the next four months, Hoboken residents and commuters should be aware that 15th Street at Garden Street will be closed as part of the NJDEP’s Rebuild by Design floodgate project.
Areas affected include:
- 15th Street from Park Avenue to Bloomfield
- Garden Street from 14th to 15th Street
- The alleyway between Garden & Bloomfield Street
Pedestrian access will stay open on key sidewalks and garage access will be maintained.
With Hoboken being no stranger to traffic, it is recommended to plan for extra time or adjust your route, especially if you are driving, doing deliveries or pick-ups.
You can stay up to date and check weekly construction updates here.
More information on the Rebuild by Design project can be found here.
Jersey City Is Having A 55-Year Reunion!
Did you graduate in Jersey City in the 1960s and 1970s? You can celebrate the 55-Year Class Reunion happening this October!
The Class of 1970 cordially invites the class of the 70s and 60s to join them for a reunion at The View located in Lincoln Park on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, at 6 p.m., according to a post on WE GREW UP IN JERSEY CITY, a local public Facebook group.
Tickets are $150.00 per person. There will be a cash bar with a DJ.
Event highlights include:
- Cocktail Hour: A four-hour selection of delectable delights will be served.
- Chef’s Selection Passed hors d’oeuvres
- Stationery Displays
- Action Stations
- Dessert
- Refreshments
For those interested or for more information, you can email [email protected].
A New Community Center And Development Is Coming To Jersey City’s West Side
Jersey City’s Planning Board recently approved an application to add new buildings to 772-788 West Side Avenue, located on the corner of West Side and Duncan Avenue.
That corner of West Side Avenue is currently home to many small buildings including Duncan Hardware, which is included in the refurbishing plan, and has been serving the community for over 75 years.
“Our development is just five stories tall but includes a good number of new units without the need for the big towers,” David Gottesfeld, owner of Duncan Hardware, told Jersey Digs.
“We are hoping to create a great corridor for commercial storefronts while activating one of the area’s good corners.”
The development will feature 135 residential units including 59 studios, 54 one-bedrooms and 22 two-bedrooms. The plan does not include any affordable housing component, despite Hudson County’s desperate need to develop more affordable homes.
Instead, the project includes a 2,000 square retail store that will be leased to the city as a recreation center. There will also be 45 parking spaces inside an underground garage also available to the public.
For the meantime, Duncan Hardware is still operating out of their West Side Avenue space. However, Gottesfeld anticipates that he will move temporarily to a new storefront within the next six months.
North Bergen Resident Reportedly Strikes Crowd Of Protestors
Linda Roglen, of North Bergen, is being charged with several violations and criminal charges, after driving through a crowd of anti-ICE protestors on Saturday.
The 62-year-old got into a verbal argument with a protester on the corner of Fairview and Anderson Avenues where, according to a witness, the protestor spit at the woman where she then proceeded to accelerate striking the individual.
The woman is being charged with four counts of auto resulting in injury as well as traffic violations including reckless driving and leaving the scene.
None of the protestors injured experienced life threatening injuries.
15 Fire Recruits Graduate In Bayonne
Bayonne will soon see new fire recruits on the streets as a class of 15 fire recruits graduated this past Thursday.
Earlier this month, the class completed their final “Live Burn” exercise, which is “a type of training that allows firefighters to train in environments that resemble conditions that they’ll encounter on the job.”
Jesse Williams is part of this graduation class, he joins three other active Black firefighters in Bayonne, according to an Instagram story by Black In Bayonne.
According to the Bayonne Office of Emergency Management, this training class is dedicated to Deputy Fire Chief Bill Bartos. Bartos is set to retire this year after serving more than 37 years in the Bayonne Fire Department. Prior to that, Bartos was a Bayonne Police Officer for three years.
Bartos’ dad, William Bartos Sr. and brother, Bob, are also both retired captains. Bill has two young nephews currently serving as firefighters.
Know any local news we should include? Email Stella Accettola at [email protected]!
