Photo courtesy of Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor.
This week there has been flying drones in New Jersey, talk about a possible railway strike and more, so let’s get right into it.
What We Know About The North Jersey Drones
There has been lots of talk about suspicious drones seen flying around New Jersey. Governor Phil Murphy reported that there was “little to no evidence” of any vicious activity or threats to do with the drones. He said he used sophisticated drone-detecting equipment to figure this out.
Murphy told reporters that the drone sightings have gone down, with 12 sightings in the state on last Saturday and just one last Sunday. Last weekend, Murphy was with New Jersey State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Newark office and they used three “very sophisticated systems” to look for air activity.
“There may be suspicious activity out there as we stand here today, but there is little to no evidence of that right now,” Murphy said.
There was not much information provided about the equipment used to detect the drones, but he said it was powerful enough to disable the drones, however, he stated that is not legal on U.S. soil.
Murphy also urged the people of New Jersey to “calm down” saying, “We never say never, but … take a breath,” on Monday.
The FBI said it has received more than 5,000 tips since beginning its own investigation on Nov. 26 where just 100 of those were confirmed sightings in the FBI’s investigation.
There’s been reportedly an increase in lasers being pointed at pilots, causing the FBI’s Newark office and New Jersey State Police to warn the public not to point lasers at any aircraft or try to shoot down suspected drones.
“There could be dangerous and possibly deadly consequences if manned aircraft are targeted mistakenly as UAS (unmanned aircraft systems),” The FBI’s Newark office and New Jersey State Police said in a statement.
According to an NJ.com report, a pilot at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst was injured after being struck by a laser from the ground.
Answers for the drone sightings are still unclear. The investigation is still ongoing and government officials are expected to continue giving updates of any findings or new information.
Victims In Newark Car Crash Confirmed
All six people who died in a fiery car crash in Newark earlier this month were identified and confirmed as Jersey City residents.
Prosecutors said the medical examiner has confirmed the identities of five out of the victims:
- Lamar McKnight, aged 31
- Darryl McKnight, aged 29
- Darnell Carr, aged 29
- Bradley Cunningham, aged 41
- Veronica Bailey, aged 31
The name of the sixth victim has not been disclosed because DNA testing is still reportedly pending.
But last week, family members identified Viatiare Piotti as one of the passengers through a GoFundMe campaign and a local business owner also confirmed Piotti to Slice of Culture. A vigil was held for Piotti last weekend.
A “celebration of life” will be held for the McKnight brothers on Dec. 28 in Jersey City.
According to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the crash happened at 10:47 p.m. on Dec. 6 at the intersection of Raymond Boulevard and Blanchard Street.
The vehicle had six passengers and was traveling south on Raymond Boulevard on-ramp for Routes 1&9. It went off the roadway, became airborne and hit a support column for the Pulaski Skyway before landing on the ground and catching on fire, prosecutors said.
McKnight and Cunningham were football coaches at Hudson Catholic Regional High School in Jersey City. New Jersey Senator Angela McKnight confirmed that Lamar and Darryl were her family members.
“Lamar and Darryl were two brothers who touched countless lives within our family and the broader community,” Senator McKnight said. “Their loss leaves an immeasurable hole in our hearts that words cannot fully express.”
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the additional passengers of this devastating tragedy… May we honor each of their memory by remembering the joy they brought into our lives.”
Hoboken Historical Museum Announces Holiday Break
The Hoboken Historical Museum will be closed from Dec. 23 to Jan. 26, 2025. This was also the final week for the museum’s children’s programming for the year.
During their extended closure, the museum will be busy setting up for its next exhibits.
The following programs will be put on hold until the 2025 reopen:
- Children’s Art Classes with Ms. Lisa
- Music Classes with Corey and Little RocknRollers
- Storytime with Ms. Cassia
Here’s What’s Happening With NJ Transit
NJ Transit is working on negotiations, but depending on how that goes, it could lead to the first strike in 40 years.
NJ transit riders need to look out for March 21, 2025, which gives the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen the right to strike under the federal Railway Labor Act. NJ Transit can also lock the union out on March 22, 2025.
The last time NJ Transit workers went on strike was in March of 1983 and it lasted for 34 days.
The union is the last of 15 rail unions to negotiate a new contract amendment. The last one expired back in 2020. According to NJ.com, NJ Transit wants the union to accept a similar contract that other rail unions agreed to, which is known as pattern bargaining.
Presidential Emergency Board #252, which was put together by President Joe Biden to avert a strike, is expecting to release a report by Jan. 21 with non-binding recommendations for a contract settlement. That January date marks the start of the clock for the 120-day cooling off period for more talks and will end on March 21, 2025—what happens there will determine whether or not there will be a strike.
But prior to Jan. 21, there will be a Jan. 9 arbitration hearing that will determine whether or not NJ Transit owes the union money in their existing contract, which reportedly states that locomotive engineers be compensated 10.4% more than what conductors earn.
The union is calling for a daily “penalty allowance” of eight hours straight time pay, per day, for each engineer. This goes for every day that NJ Transit allegedly failed to apply the 10.4% hourly wage.
A ruling in favor of the union could cost NJ Transit millions, according to agency attorneys.
Educational Arts Team Mourns The Loss Of Teacher
Earlier this week, the Educational Arts Team, a Jersey City non-profit organization, announced the death of teaching artist Danny Bacher.
“Danny was our handball champion, vaudeville extraordinaire, and a master of puppetry—his ultimate mission was to make everyone he met laugh…our thoughts are with his wife and family, friends, and all who were touched by his extraordinary spirit,” read an Instagram post.
There will be a wake held for Bacher this Sunday, Dec. 22 until 5 p.m. at Morrison Etheridge Funeral Home, located at 86 Bartholdi Avenue in Butler, NJ. The funeral will be on Monday, Dec. 23 at 11 a.m. at Temple Beth Tikhav, located at 950 Preakness Avenue in Wayne, New Jersey.
The cause of death has not been made public.
New Owners Take Over North Bergen Staple
Since 1939, the Coach House Diner has called North Bergen home. Last week, they announced that they changed ownership, but are expected to continue to serve customers under the same name.
When news initially broke on social media, many users were concerned that this meant the diner was being shutdown. But, in a Facebook post, it was confirmed that Coach House will continue serving its community.
“We are continuing the long-standing tradition of providing exceptional service and delicious meals to our valued customers. Under new management, we are excited to uphold our legacy while preparing for even better things to come,” read a FaceBook post.
The diner was founded by Clem Pappas, a Greek immigrant and his wife Helen. It has been a family-run business for several decades.
Nicolas Pappas, a second-generation owner said in a previous interview that, “We haven’t closed since World War II.”
“We’re more than a diner,” said Pappas. “We are so many different things to different people.”
Back in 2008, the diner underwent a renovation and added a bar with many big televisions and a dining room, where old pictures of the original owner was displayed, showcasing the diner during its earlier years.
The Coach House’s hours remain Monday to Wednesday 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and Thursday to Sunday, they are open 24 hours.
TRÓS Greek Street Food Replaces Carvao In Jersey City
Black Diamond Hospitality Group has announced the rebranding of its popular restaurant, Plaka Souvlaki, into TRÓS Greek Street Food and it will be stationed in Jersey City at 686 Bergen Avenue.
“TRÓS” means “to eat” in Greek and seeks to showcase Greek heritage and become more accessible.
Its menu has been curated by chefs from Greece and mixes traditional Greek recipes with modern twists.
The main location is at 62 Newark Street in Hoboken and, in addition to the Jersey City spot, there will be one opening at 399 Somerset Street in Harrison, located at The Element Hotel. This location will have a liquor license.
