Five Things This Week: Primary Election, Mayor and Council, High School Bands and GWB Challenge

Number one:

The Fort Lee Planning Board meets Monday at 7:30 p.m. in borough Hall’s council chambers.

The planning board’s agenda includes Michael Sourek of 3 Crescent Court/approving Block 1452, Lots 1.06, 1.07 as minor subdivision with no variances; a resolution on the master plan reexamination report of April, 2011 as prepared and amended by Phillips, Preiss and Grygiel; and a public hearing for James Koo and Soo Jin Koo for 2126 Jones Rd., Block 5452, Lot 2 as a minor subdivision with no variance.

The complete agenda for Monday’s planning board meeting is available on the borough’s website or at Borough Hall.

Number two: 

Tuesday is Primary Election day, when Fort Lee’s registered Democrat and Republican voters will go to the polls to officially nominate candidates in November’s General Election. Remember, Fort Lee will be voting for candidates in District 37 this year.

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here for further details from the borough on polling locations and other voting information.

Number three:           

On Thursday, the Fort Lee Mayor and Council will meet for a regular session at 8 p.m. in Borough Hall’s council chambers.

The agenda for the meeting will available on the borough’s website within the next couple of days and in hard copy at Borough Hall by mid-afternoon Wednesday.

Number four:

Fort Lee’s annual Battle of the High School Bands, sponsored by the Fort Lee Film Commission, takes place Friday at 7 p.m. at the Fort Lee Community Center.

The program is free, open to the public and runs from 7-10 p.m. 

The "battle" is open to all high school bands from Bergen County.  There is a winner-take-all top prize of $500. 

“Over the past decade we have enabled many area high school rock musicians to perform before the public, which is a rare opportunity in this day and age,” said film commission executive director Tom Meyers. “Though it’s easy to throw your band’s videos up on YouTube or Facebook, to perform before a live audience on stage is a rare treat and we are happy to provide these young musicians with this opportunity. Over the years, many venues where young rockers could perform have closed down.”

Number five: 

The 2011 George Washington Bridge Challenge is Sunday. Participants can walk, run or bike across the bridge to raise funds and support the mission of the American Cancer Society. The GWB Challenge, which has been going on for 23 years, is the only event that shuts down the bridge, according to organizers.

Registration takes place in the parking lot of the George Washington Bridge Administration Building at 220 Bruce Reynolds Blvd. between Center and Lemoine Aves. For cyclists, check-in time is 7 a.m., and the start time is 7:30 a.m. For runners, check-in also starts at 7 a.m., but the start time is 7:40 a.m. And for walkers, check-in starts at 8 a.m., and the start time is 8:30 a.m.

Registration fees vary for walkers, runners and cyclists so check the American Cancer Society’s website dedicated to the event for further details.

After looping on the lower level of the bridge, participants will come back into New Jersey and take one of several different scenic courses of varying distances before meeting up at Allison Park in Englewood Cliffs for the George Washington Bridge Challenge Celebration Picnic.