Editor’s note: Welcome to the The Tipsheet! We are reviving this column to bring you quick news, local gossip, and happenings around town. Send your tips to info(at)jerseycityindependent.com.

SPREAD THE WORD

Metropolitan Family Health Network will provide FREE dental care for children aged 12 and younger on February 5 as part of the National Children’s Dental Health Month. The free services provided at Metropolitan Family Health Network’s Dental Suite (935 Garfield Ave) will include a comprehensive dental exam, oral healthcare instruction, fluoride treatments, and free dental hygiene materials including toothbrushes, floss and toothpaste. Appointments must be made in advance, and will be made on a first-come, first-served basis; for more information call 201.478.5827.

Online applications are open for the third annual Jersey City Summer Internship Program (JCSI). JCSI is a public-private collaboration between the Office of the Mayor, Jersey City Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC), Jersey City Public Schools, the nonprofit organization America Needs You, and  Jersey City’s leading firms and institutions. The program matches rising high school juniors with paid, work-based educational internships with industry leaders in Jersey City. Accepted students will participate in six-week internships that include weekly career training seminars, and receive both a financial stipend and academic credit. All juniors attending Jersey City public high schools or residing in Jersey City and attending county vocational-technical schools High Tech High School and County Prep are invited to apply by Monday, February 29. Visit, the Jersey City Summer Internship Program website for more information.

Honey and Moon Photography and the Jersey City Independent have teamed up to bring you #dayinthelifejc through the eyes of various residents via Instagram. Each month, one Jersey City resident will be selected to take over the JCI Instagram feed (@jcindependent) for one week. Participants will share their #dayinthelifejc, giving us a glimpse of their life and the true diversity of our city. Want to be considered? Know someone we should feature? Read more from JCI.

NEWS BRIEFS

Efforts to save Liberty State Park from privatization are redoubling with the formation of a “Coalition to Save Liberty State Park” campaign. During a press conference on Jan. 21, the new coalition denounced the Christie Administration’s efforts to commercialize large tracts of park space. While the NJDEP proposal claims that “only 38 acres” of Liberty State Park are contemplated for private projects such as hotels, amusement parks, and restaurants, Friends of Liberty State Park and other groups argue that such redevelopment affects the free and fully accessible public use of the entire park. Friends of Liberty State Park have also created a petition urging residents to “Take action. Join the movement. Sign on.” by telling Governor Christie not to sell out Liberty State Park. (Update: A Presidents’ Day Photo protest is being organized by the Coalition to Save Liberty State Park for Monday, February 15, at 1 pm.)

Organizations who have already signed on to the new coalition include:

Friends of Liberty State Park
NY/NJ Baykeeper
Jersey City Parks Coalition
Hackensack Riverkeeper
New Jersey Audubon Society
Ironbound Community Corporation
New Jersey Chapter Sierra Club
Environment New Jersey
Clean Water Action
Coalition to Preserve the Palisades Cliffs, Inc.
Bayshore Regional Watershed Council
Clean Ocean Action
American Littoral Society
Bike JC
NJ Environmental Lobby
NJ Highlands Coalition
Pinelands Preservation Alliance
Hudson River Waterfront Conservancy
Harsimus Stem Embankment Coalition
Temple Beth-El of Jersey City
Riverview Neighborhood Association
Sgt Anthony Neighborhood Association
Friends of Van Vorst Park
Columbia Park Greenville Memorial, Inc
Bayside Park Neighborhood Association
Historic Paulus Hood Neighborhood Association
Pershing Field Garden Friends
Friends of Audubon Park
Hamilton Park Neighborhood Association
Communication Workers of America Local 1037
New Jersey Communities United
New Jersey Working Families Alliance
Latino Action Network
New Jersey Citizen Action
New Jersey Industrial Union Council
New Jersey Turnpike Employees Union, “IFPTE Local 194”
Raritan Headwaters Association
Jersey City Environmental Commission
New Jersey Tree Foundation
Urban League of Hudson County
Bayonne Nature Club
The Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery
Grace Van Vorst Church
Save Barnegat Bay

For more information visit, folsp.org.

Mayor Fulop in coordination with the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) announced the Jersey City curb-to-curb snow removal plan for main thoroughfares and commercial districts. Snow removal will begin each night at 7 pm through Thursday, Jan. 28. Several municipal lots have been made available to residents for overnight parking. Read more from JCI.

The PPG Industries chromium cleanup on Garfield Avenue will be overseen by a new site administrator, Ronald J. Riccio, dean emeritus of the Seton Hall University School of Law. Riccio succeeds Michael McCabe, who had served as site administrator since the 2009 order. Riccio mailed out a letter introducing himself to residents before assuming his duties on January 4 and plans to hold a public meeting with residents in February.

The Greenville Renaissance is moving forward with the City Council’s adoption of the Ocean Avenue South Redevelopment Plan. The plan, which has been in development over the past year, seeks to focus efforts on Ocean Avenue as a thriving commercial district by encouraging transit-focused mixed-use residential and commercial development, and establishing a Special Improvement District (SID) to assist business owners.

January 15, the Fulop administration announced the launch of Serve Jersey City, in conjunction with Cities of Service, a coalition of mayors who commit to address local issues through impact volunteerism. The program connects residents to local nonprofit organizations and volunteer opportunities. Any nonprofit organization interested in being listed in the database can register at jerseycitynj.gov. JCI will be providing more details on the Serve Jersey City program soon, so stay tuned!

The Port Authority announced that the World Trade Center Transportation Hub Oculus – with its soaring wings designed by Santiago Calatrava – will open the first week of March, connecting travelers to 11 subway lines, the PATH, Battery Park City Ferry Terminal, the World Trade Center Memorial site, One World Trade Center, Towers 3 and 4 and a future Tower 2, and Brookfield Place. The Westfield mall shops located throughout the hub and adjoining passageways expect to open in phases throughout the spring.

ARTS

Nimbus Dance Works has been nominated for Favorite Dance Company in the 2016 Discover Jersey Arts People’s Choice Awards, which is run by Discover Jersey Arts. Nimbus weaves together artistic excellence and community impact through company performances, programs for youth and seniors, partnerships with institutions such as the Jersey City Board of Education and Rutgers University, and collaborations with notable composers and visual artists. Public voting began on January 6 and will continue through February 11. Winners will be announced and honored in early March. For the full list of nominees and categories, and to vote, visit JerseyArts.com.

The next JC Fridays is March 4! To make sure your event is included, submit your listing to Art House Productions via their online form by January 29 by 5 pm (no exceptions).

Students from Conwell Kidz Drama Program at Jersey City School #3 won awards at the 2016 Junior Theater Festival, which occurred January 15-17 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA. The students performed a song from their junior production of Disney’s The Lion King, the school is only one of eight across the country to win this award. Students Carizma Ross and Tre’Veil Thomas were named to the Junior Theater Festival All-Stars and Carizma Ross also received a Freddie G Excellent Individual Performance by a Female award. Congrats!

EVENTS

Upcoming Town Hall meetings with Mayor Fulop. This is your opportunity to pose community questions and provide feedback to the administration in person.
Downtown: Jan. 26 at 7 pm, Grace Church Van Vorst, 39 Erie St. Hosted by the Downtown Coalition of Neighborhood Associations.
Heights: Feb. 1 at 7 pm, St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 155 North St. Free parking is available in the church lot on Summit Ave. Hosted by the Washington Park Association and Riverview Neighborhood Association.

Due to snowstorm Jonas, the 10th Annual Snow Ball was rescheduled. The event will take place this Saturday, January 30, starting at 8 pm at Art House Procductions, 136 Magnolia Ave. Snow Ball is “the annual arts event in Jersye City,” this “black tie creative” gala benefits Art House Production’s innovative arts programs and features live music, light fare, open bar, silent auction (that includes a JCI Annual Membership) and a festive, arts-friendly crowd! We hear there is still time to scoop up some tickets! Admission is $85 in advance, $95 at the door or $150 for VIP tickets which gives you access to a private reception from 7 pm-8 pm, and includes champagne, a private concert by Carolyn Light, a gift bag, and a first-look tour of the Snow Ball silent auction items. For tickets and more information, visit arthouseproductions.org. (JCI is proud to be a sponsor of this event!)

Cathedral Arts Live, a six-event performance series that augments the annual Cathedral Arts Festival, continues with an Evening of Duets at Grace Church Van Vorst (39 Erie St.) on January 29 at 7:30 pm. The evening will feature live music, dance, and spoken word. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

The Citizen (formerly The Dopeness) has restarted Open Mic nights! Check them out on Tuesday nights from 9 pm to midnight at 332 2nd Street. The event is free and open to everyone over the age of 21; anyone interested should bring their instrument and sign up. A guitar amp, bass amp, and drumset will be provided for bands. All disciplines and abilities are welcome.

The first-ever Hot Pants Road Funk & Soul Party will hit Jersey City on February 6 at 10 pm, also at the Citizen! Jamison Harvey aka DJ Prestige (FleaMarketFunk.com/Greenville Soul Club) will host the first of this monthly dance party series, spinning raw funk and soul, latin, and other funky gems on 45 RPM records only. The party, named after The JB’s “Hot Pants Road,” will bring in other notable funk and soul 45 DJs and bands as guests each month. A sampler mix can be found at mixcloud.com.

Jersey City Theater Center opens their 2016 season on February 7, with Beauty and the Beast by Puppetworks! This production is adapted from the earliest print version of the classic fairy tale (written in 1740), using hand-carved wooden marionette puppets and featuring an enchanted forest, complete with animated vines and a talking snail. Check out the performance on Sundays at 1 pm, February 7 through May 29, at Merseles Studios (339 Newark Ave.). Tickets are $9 for children and $10 for adults when purchased in advance; $11 and $12 at the door; $9 each for groups of 20 or more. To purchase tickets or find more info, visit jctcenter.org. Keep an eye out for JCI’s February feature on Beauty and the Beast and JCTC-KIDS!

The Menize Multimedia Installation at Gaia Studio closes February 2. This exhibit, featuring photography and videos by Cathleen Parra, seeks to capture the artist’s experience of feeling haunted, reminiscent, and wistful. Gallery hours are by appointment only; please email cathleenparra(at)gmail.com.

For more local events check the Jersey City Independent cultural calendar.

FOOD

The winter edition of Hudson Restaurant Week kicked off yesterday and runs through February 5! (Update: Fifteen restaurants have extended HRW to Feb. 10)

Enjoy discounted meals at the following Jersey City restaurants:

Amelia’s Bistro (American). Lunch $16, Dinner $30.
Battelo (American). Lunch $18, Dinner $38.
Bistro at Grove Square (American). Lunch $15, Dinner $25.
Bistro La Source (American). Lunch $16, Dinner $26.
Edward’s Steakhouse (Steakhouse). Lunch $18; Dinner $40.
Fire & Oak (American). Lunch $20; Dinner $40.
GP’s Hamilton Park (Italian). Dinner $35.
Hamilton Inn (American). Lunch $18; Dinner $38.
Laico’s (Italian). Dinner $38.
Liberty House Restaurant (American). Lunch $18; Dinner $38.
Liberty Prime Steakhouse (Steakhouse). Lunch $20; Dinner $40.
Light Horse Tavern (American). Dinner $38.
Maritime Parc (American). Dinner $38.
Porto Leggero (Italian). Lunch $18; Dinner $35.
Raval Tapas Bar (Spanish tapas). Dinner $25.
Satis Bistro (Modern European). Dinner $35.

*Prices do NOT include beverages, taxes or tip. For full listings and to make a reservation, visit hudsonrestaurantweek.com.

LOCAL BUSINESSES

Another Man’s Treasure is having a sale on their Etsy site until January 31. Use coupon code JAN16 online to take 15% OFF your purchase! Update: They are also having an in-store sale: 15% off all clothing and 20% off all dresses. (Snow Ball anyone??) Scoop: AMT is hoping to move into their new digs at Charles & Co sometime in March… so the in-store sale might extend into February and March. We’ll keep you posted.

942 Summit is currently closed for renovations. Choc O Pain will be the new in-house eatery (making this their second Jersey City location). The space is being set up to include more seating and the Bloomsbury Sq workshop will be located in the back. They have been updating customers with behind the scenes photos and posts on their Facebook page. The shop is set for a soft launch early next week with a ribbon cutting planned for late February.

Catherine Hecht contributed to this report