In what seems like no-time at all, my time working as a local journalist in New Jersey on the J1 graduate visa has come to an end. For almost a year now I have been writing for TAPinto.net - Local News and Digital Marketing, covering all the happenings of the City of Hoboken including the municipal government, local politics, local businesses, crime, police and firefighter swearing-ins, cultural events, and much more. The opportunity to do boots-on-the-ground reporting in a city in the U.S. has been immensely gratifying and I have gained incredible insight into how government operates at a local level in America as well as the community and culture of Hoboken, New Jersey.
There was almost never a dull moment reporting in Hoboken these past 10 months. To mention a few highlights:
- I covered the high stakes Hoboken City Council elections in November in which serious allegations were thrown around against candidates.
- In January, I covered the 25th anniversary of The Sopranos debut, writing about its impact on New Jersey, and got the chance to tour the show's filming locations.
- I wrote a story about how the final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup would be held at MetLife Stadium and interviewed the CEO of the Meadowlands Chamber of Commerce about the economic boom it would provide for the North Jersey region.
- For the 70th anniversary of the release of the movie On the Waterfront, I interviewed city historian Lenny Luizzi about what Hoboken was like back when the iconic film was being shot there.
- I covered a heated congressional primary race in Hudson County between Rob Menendez and Mayor of Hoboken Ravi Bhalla. Despite the Mayor running, many of the Hoboken Council members came out against him, especially after a former city employee, fired for his own misconduct, made quid-pro-quo allegations which led to a majority of Council members calling for a federal investigation.
- One of my last stories was about a colony of migratory birds on a pier in Hoboken that came under threat after the pier owners put up deterrents to stop them from nesting. The pier owners said they created an "unsafe environment", but the birds were also disrupting a lucrative development project that the pier would be used for.
What has impressed me most about Hoboken is the level of civic engagement within the community, from regular public safety outreach meetings to public speaking portions at council meetings to the opportunities for community feedback on public projects - it's something I believe local county councils in Ireland could learn from in improving community engagement.
While it's bittersweet to be finishing with TAPinto Hoboken and moving back to Ireland with my visa expiring, I am excited for the next chapter in my career. Thanks to my boss Steve Lenox for the opportunity and my co-workers Erin Rice, Gabriella Dragone, Eva Reid, Daniel Israel, as well as J-1 Learning Exchange Program | Rian Immigrant Center for making the experience possible.
Owner of Legacy Videos NOLA. We tell personal life and/or business stories through long-format, professional video interviews.
9moExcellent work, David. Congratulations.