Transportation · Hudson County
NJ Transit and Amtrak confirmed the final Portal North Bridge cutover is on schedule, with regular commuter service resuming Nov. 15 and full service returning Nov. 16. Since Oct. 9, riders normally taking Midtown Direct trains to Penn Station were rerouted to Hoboken, where they used PATH trains or ferries to reach Manhattan. The cutover cut NJ Transit trains between Newark and Secaucus by 50% and reduced systemwide service by 10%. The new $2.3 billion bridge crosses the Hackensack River in Kearny, replacing the 116-year-old Portal Bridge, which has been handed over for demolition. Construction will continue into December on nights and weekends as crews build a new viaduct on the east side.
Local Politics · Hoboken, NJ
According to New Jersey ELEC filings reviewed by Hudson TV, Hoboken Council President Ruben Ramos Jr. received a combined $18,725 in campaign contributions between 2018 and 2025 from engineering firm Remington & Vernick Engineers and insurance broker The Alamo Insurance Group, both of which hold City of Hoboken contracts. Ramos voted yes on two 2026 contracts awarded to Remington & Vernick ($20,000 water permit inspection and $25,500 demolition engineering). Hudson TV found nothing in the records showing the contributions broke any law; Hoboken repealed its local pay-to-play ordinance in December 2023, and contracts awarded through a "fair and open" process are exempt from state contribution limits. Councilman Michael Russo also received money from both firms. Ramos did not respond to requests for comment before publication.
Local Politics · Hoboken, NJ
According to ELEC reports and city roll-call records reviewed by Hudson TV, Hoboken 3rd Ward Councilman Michael Russo voted yes on all 12 resolutions awarding contracts to the Parsippany-based Weiner Law Group between Feb. 11 and Aug. 12, 2026, after Paul M. Weiner, his professional corporation, and three firm attorneys contributed $16,600 to Russo's campaigns. The unanimous resolutions covered affordable housing attorney, labor counsel, land-use special counsel, Historic Preservation Board attorney, and ABC Board attorney roles. Separately, between Nov. 19 and Nov. 21, 2025, Paul M. Weiner and four companies holding Hoboken contracts gave a combined $31,000 to Russo's mayoral campaign committees. A disclosure form filed by Wielkotz & Company for a $154,000 city auditing contract awarded Jan. 15, 2026, omitted a $5,000 contribution made to Team Russo Runoff 2025 on Nov. 20, 2025. The records reviewed do not show that any of the contributions or votes broke state law.
Community brief · Hoboken, NJ
Flo On Wheels, a bicycle shop owned by Flo Hernandez since 1987, closed its location at 1222 Washington Street in Hoboken on October 31 after 39 years of operation. All business has moved to the shop's West New York location at 604 60th Street, which is four times larger and can accommodate commuter bikes, cargo bikes, trikes, and scooters. The shop offers sales and repairs for bicycles, e-bikes, scooters, ATVs, motorcycles, plows, and…
