October 23, 2013 Edition of The Observer

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October 23, 2013 • www.theobserver.com • Vol CXXVI, No. 22

COVERING: BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD

The coolest ghoul of them all

• EAST NEWARK • HARRISON • KEARNY • LYNDHURST • NORTH ARLINGTON • NUTLEY

Embattled coach won’t step down By Ron Leir Observer Correspondent

By Karen Zautyk Observer Correspondent

LYNDHURST – He’s frail now, a bit unsteady on his feet and sometimes has difficulty hearing. All of which is to be expected in someone who turned 95 a month ago. But to the Baby Boomers who packed American Legion Post 139 on Webster Ave. last Wednesday night, he is still “The Cool Ghoul.” Zacherley (real name John Zacherle) was welcomed by the standing-room-only crowd who had fond memories of the years when he hosted “Shock Theater,” a late-night, horrormovie TV program, back in the late 1950s. Those who never saw the show might wonder how someone who has not been on TV in decades could generate such longterm affection. It is because, although he played a creepy character, he still came across as being a genuinely nice guy underneath the scary makeup. That, and the fact, that he was a pioneer in his brand of bizarre humor. No one would blink an eye at it today, but back then, in a TV industry still taking its baby steps, it was innovative. Zach did more than just introduce the films; he did hilarious comedy bits in his character’s crypt-like “home,” see ZACHERLEY page

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abuse aimed at players. The commission took the action, despite the KEARNY – Kearny Little League executive board’s decision to ohn Leadbeater, a stick by their coach. longtime Kearny Little Leadbeater was afforded League coach, has run the opportunity to appeal afoul of the town Recreathe commission’s finding tion Commission over his at a public meeting last coaching approach, despite Wednesday, Oct. 16, but being backed by the the commission voted not league’s governing board. to rescind its prior action Last month, the commiswhich stops short of sussion issued Leadbeater, the pension or removal. current Board of Education Leadbeater, who plans vice president and former to continue coaching, Town Councilman, a writsays he plans to sue the ten warning for the alleged commission over what he violation of the Town of characterized as a political Kearny Recreation Volvendetta, “trying to get me unteer Code of Conduct to quit, which I’m not gorules. ing to do.” Specific alleged infracWhat first set things in tions listed were: engaging motion was a June 1 letter in unsportsmanlike conaddressed to Little League duct with a player, engagPresident Tom Witt from ing in the use of profanity and engaging in verbal see LEADBEATER page

J

Photo courtesy www.nj.com

John Leadbeater

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‘Unsafe’ playground to reopen soon By Ron Leir Observer Correspondent KEARNY – A recently improved municipal playground in Kearny is currently off limits to children because of what officials characterized as a safety issue involving a play structure. Bell Playground, on Stewart Ave., between Chestnut

and Devon Sts., was ordered closed some two weeks ago but Public Works Superintendent Gerry Kerr is optimistic that it can reopen by month’s end. In another recreation-related development, the town is reviewing several conceptual plans for the reconfiguring of the environmentallty compromised Gunnell Oval municipal

recreation complex – all tied to the artificial turfing of all existing playing surfaces. No official timetable has been set for moving ahead with any of those plans, pending a determination of how the project will be financed, according to Councilman Michael Landy, liaison to the Kearny Recreation Commission.

201-991-1300 KEARNY OFFICE 213 Kearny Ave, Kearny, New Jersey

C21Semiaokearny@Century21.com

Landy said he was alerted about a week and a half ago to the Fourth Ward park’s shutdown due to “a broken piece of equipment.” That’s right, said Assistant Recreation Supervisor Ralph Cattafi. “There’s structural damage and it’s not safe. We’ve had to order new parts.” He said the damage was dissee PLAYGROUND page

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