This week brought with it a big announcement on the political front, plus some cool stuff in arts and culture — as well as Union Hall’s opening date, news about Jack & Co. closing, and a new coffee shop opening in West Hoboken. We wanted to make sure you’re all caught up, so we’ve brought you the latest edition of Word on the {Washington} Street: your one-stop-shop for everything news in Hoboken and Jersey City.

Australian Lifestyle-Inspired Café Coming to West Hoboken

There’s a new café coming to the western end of Hoboken {600 Harrison St.}, and it’s bringing with it something we are seeing more here of in Hoboken in the last few months: an Australian influence {hellooo Bluestone Lane}. The Aussie coffee culture is about leisure and a relaxed, beach-centric lifestyle, not work and productivity like it is for many of us in the metro area. The café has been named Gold Roast, after the famous Australian Gold Coast where the owners grew up. The architecture was designed to give off an Aussie vibe, with a menu to match: seasonal food from the country, specialty espresso coffees like lattes, cappuccinos, flat whites and cortados, plus açaí bowls, fresh juices, milkshakes and smoothies. The café is located just two blocks from the 700 Jackson Street project, which will be bringing 424 new apartments to the neighborhood. “We want to give the western area of Hoboken a cultured cafe that allows for people to come and enjoy good food and drinks, a space for families and plenty of relaxation,” their manager said. They will open after July 4th. Follow their IG here so you can stay up-to-date!

Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer Won’t Seek Third Term in Mayoral Race

Dawn Zimmer became the first female Mayor of Hoboken in 2009, and though she seemed poised to take a third term this upcoming November, Zimmer formally announced on Tuesday that she is not seeking re-election. She stated on her Instagram account following the announcement at City Hall: “This has been a very difficult decision, but with a vacuum of leadership on the urgent issue of climate change from the federal government, I have decided it is the right time for me to take on a new role working more directly with the issue of climate change and resiliency – one of the most critical challenges facing our city, state, and nation.” Click here for more on the story.

Union Hall Opening Date Announced

While it’s been in the works for months {if not over a year!} since we last reported about Union Hall, word on the street {and confirmation from its owners} is that restaurant/bar Union Hall on the waterfront {306 Sinatra Drive} is FINALLY opening officially on Monday, July 3rd. This week, they’ll have some invite-only events and soft opening this coming week, but next week as of the 3rd, it’s open to the public. The restaurant will serve over 50 wines by the bottle and 25+ others by the glass, and will feature small bites and American-inspired plates such as truffled scallop toast, pepperoni pizza cavatelli, and other deliciousness. If anything changes {re: opening date}, we’ll be sure to update you — as the schedule can change by the day when it comes to opening dates. Regardless, excited to welcome them to the neighborhood VERY soon! Click here to visit their website.

Hoboken Resident Launches Memoir, Alive in the Sunshine

Looking for a summer read, or maybe some inspiration? Longtime Hobokenite, Nany Colasurado, recently launched a memoir titled Alive in the Sunshine, chock full of relatable life material. It details her Hoboken experiences {she mentions a bunch of local spots and eateries in the book}, including being a “single gal,” and how the events of September 11th reshaped her life. She shares how she overhauled her professional life, moving into journalism, blogging and life coaching after being laid off from her job as a television producer, and how she challenged her Catholic upbringing in order to conciously design a more authentic life. Her books are available at Little City Books and Symposia in Hoboken, and at Word in JC. You can also find it here on Amazon.

Novel Set in Hoboken Launches At Maxwell’s

We’ve got another book for you to add to your summer reading list: Best Friend for Hire by Mary Carlomagno. Mary appeared at Maxwell’s on Tuesday night to launch the novel, which takes place in our very own city of Hoboken. It’s about a girl named Jessie who lands a job working for one of New York’s top publishing companies. After ten years with the company, she is handed a pink slip and retreats to Hoboken to figure out her life. From there, she accidentally stumbles into a career as a professional best friend, and falls in love with the club manager she is working for. Prior to writing Best Friend for Hire, Mary was already a best selling author of several books on organizing and decluttering your home. Click here to order the book online.

JC Heights Accepting Proposals for Art Installments

There’s a lot of hope in the future for the already vibrant arts community in JC to expand {see last week’s Word on Washington with regards to the JCAC}. Now, Central Avenue Special Improvement District Management is seeking creative proposals for public art installations on either a wall space or traffic box. Their intention is to shape the outdoor art gallery along the Central Avenue shopping district which is adjacent to the Riverview Arts District in the Heights section of Jersey City. “Public art is a valued asset in Jersey City,” says Sanford Fishman, CASID President and longtime Heights businessman. “The contributions made by artists to the vibrancy of our neighborhood and Jersey City as a whole are undeniable. Interested artists can find a Request for Proposal form here. Submissions are due Friday, July 28.

Tessa International School Undergoing Construction at Monroe Center

In January 2017, the world-class Tessa International School opened its doors to the community. In case you haven’t heard, Tessa is the first bilingual preschool to open in Hoboken, and is offering French, Mandarin, and Spanish to students aged 2 1/2 to kindergarten. Parents are sending their little ones here to become truly bilingual and to embrace our globalized world. The preschool is currently under construction, and will be located on the ground floor of the Monroe Center. The elementary school is scheduled to debut in 2017.

Edgewater Store Forced to Stop Selling Dogs

New York Puppy Club, a doggy daycare and store in Edgewater, was forced to stop selling dogs after violating an Edgewater ordinance which prohibits the sale of animals that don’t come from an animal care facility or an animal rescue organization. According to NJ.com, Owner Daeman Yoon purchased the dogs from breeders, and New Jersey is attempting to regulate breeders who send animals into the state. As for the puppies, they were taken to the Bergen County Animal Shelter and Adoption Center in Teterboro. {Side bar: If you love animals as much as we do and want to help out in some way, check out our May post on How to Volunteer at Liberty Humane Society}.

Hudson Yoga Project Offering Scholarship Opportunity

Hudson Yoga Project, a vinyasa yoga studio in downtown Hoboken, is offering a scholarship opportunity for their upcoming 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training summer intensive running July 10th-August 4th, 2017. The HYP Scholarship Program was created as a way to honor their commitment to community, and will be given to a candidate who demonstrates a financial need as well as a desire to use yoga to better their own life and the lives of those around them. Candidates for the scholarship must complete the scholarship application, submit a personal essay, and attend one class at the HYP taught by a teacher trainer. Whether you participate as a scholarship recipient or not {non-scholarship slots are still available}, the summer intensive teacher training offers students and aspiring teachers the opportunity to deepen their yoga practice and become certified to teach yoga in just four weeks. For more information, click here.

Jack & Co. Closing Friday of Next Week

The details are slim, but we recently got the scoop from a local source that Jack & Co {7th and Clinton} is unfortunately shutting its doors late next week — and a new business is coming in which appears to be another bar/restaurant. We’re sad to see any business go in the Mile Square, especially one that only opened just a little over a year ago. We’ll keep you posted on further details as we find them out.

Hoboken Among NJ Towns That Make the Most Babies

Across the U.S., birth rates have been declining for decades. Hoboken, however, is among 17 NJ towns that are not following suit. NJ Advance Media analyzed 25 years of birth record data and found that those 17 towns are outpacing the rest of the country. At #3 out of 17 in New Jersey, Hoboken has a birth rate of 21 per 1,000 residents. This is up 52% since 1990. Other noteworthy Hudson County towns include Weehawken at #6 and Bayonne at #13.

Local Man Arrested 19 Times in 2 Years

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Once again, Police have arrested David Diaz, 34, a local man who has been arrested in connection with burglary and theft-related crimes 19 times since March 2015. The latest incident, which includes burglary and theft, took place May 30th on Grand Street. And get this… it occurred merely hours after Diaz was released from police custody for his alleged role in a February theft. Please be alert and watchful of your surroundings — and make sure to read THIS about staying safe in the area.

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And that’s the latest Word on Wash! Have any news tips? Email hello@hobokengirl.com to let us know!