July 18, 2018 • www.theobserver.com • Vol. CXXXI, No. 10
HIGHLIGHTS Gino Montrone, philanthropist and founder of Kentucky Care, dies at age 77. Page 4
COVERING: BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD • EAST NEWARK • HARRISON • KEARNY • LYNDHURST • NORTH ARLINGTON • NUTLEY
SUMMER NIGHTS
Photos by Lisa Feorenzo
Last week, The Duprees put on a concert for the ages at Lyndhurst Town Hall Park. A crowd that appeared to be over 1,000 was on hand to listen to the oldies group that delighted people of all ages. Many places have summer concerts nearby, including North Arlington, Belleville, Bloomfield and Nutley. See more photos and a listing of area concerts online at www.theobserver.com.
Only 2 years after opening, BJ’s shopping center sold By Ron Leir Special to The Observer
firm, recently announced the 139,000-square-foot retail center, spread over a 10-27-acre site at 160194 Passaic Ave., has been acquired by Benthall Kennedy, a Sun Life Investment Management Co. Asked his reaction, Mayor Alberto Santos said this “is a sale to a national real estate investment trust. I think it shows a very hot real estate
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EARLY TWO YEARS AFTER it opened, the Kearny Square Mall on Passaic Avenue — anchored by BJ’s Wholesale Club — has been sold. Cushman & Wakefield, a Chicagobased global real estate services
investment market. How much of it is interest-rate driven and how much of it reflects increasing demand in the West Hudson region is unclear.” No price for the transaction was listed. Neither the buyer nor the seller — DVL Holdings LLC of New York — would provide that information. “Having conferred with my
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colleagues who participated in the acquisition and who directly serve the interests of our client base of investors, we have taken the decision not to offer public comment on the matter,” said Benthall Kennedy spokesman Rahim Ladha. And Alan Casnoff, president/CEO
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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2018
THE ADDICTION CRISIS IN AMERICA
Drinking is not a requirement for a great college experience By Ryan Ribeiro ryan@theobserver.com About 11 months ago I was an 18-year-old kid about to take a huge step into the next chapter of my life: college. Living away from my family
and not seeing the friends I had grown up with on a daily basis were fears that I had while my new life in Boston awaited me, but none as big as the expectations people had set on what college life would be like.
I would need to have a high tolerance for alcohol. Be willing to experiment with drugs. And of course, have a fake ID for bars (which I do not have thank you for asking). These are all standards set by adolescents
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Observer summer intern/journalist Ryan Ribeiro says drinking is not a prerequisite for having a great college experience.
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living independently for the first time and attempting to go all out wild like it’s often pictured on the big screen or on MTV. After a year in college, I can honestly say that myth could not be farther from the truth. I won’t lie, there’s parties almost every weekend. Drinking is a part of the culture for sure, but it does not have to be for people who are hesitant or just plainly do not want to do it. The beautiful thing about this “independent” life I spoke of before is that all the decisions lie in your hands. There is no one else to blame or lean on when a tough choice stares you in the face — mom and dad live hours away, trusting you to do the right thing. Some nights, you let loose a little bit and indulge in the party scene. But other times, it is completely OK to abstain and just hang out. There is never just one sober person in the room. Saying “no” because that’s what feels right is the bravest thing an 18-year-old can do when they are first set free and, while that can be a frightening and daunting task, it can also ease your own mind and set a tone that you will not let the environment around you dictate the type of person you are or will become. There are plenty of other opportunities to fill your time while you are living on
campus, anyway. You can delve into a passion you have or something that interests you and get involved in the multiple activities or extracurriculars your school offers. I have one friend who loves nothing more than print journalism and worked his way to editor of the school newspaper while sacrificing his days and nights from Monday to Thursday making sure every story is covered and done properly. I have my own radio show, got involved with the school’s television station and do play-by-play from time to time for the school’s sports teams. The point here is that there is more to be had in college than a large bottle of alcohol every night. I’m not here to tell you not to drink, and I’m also not here to pressure you into the party life. But what I am saying is that it does not have to be one or the other. College is a time for you to figure out who you are, make friends for life and find that passion that will drive your career in the future. So for incoming college freshmen who are nervous about the journey that lies ahead, don’t waste the little time you have trying to be someone you’re not and succumbing to peer pressure. Enjoy the next four years, it can be magical if you let it be.
THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 2018
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Life coach Jeffery Combs offers advice for addicts Video interview with Observer Co-owner Lisa Feorenzo at theobserver.com By Kevin Canessa kc@theobserver.com
emotionally stuck. Watching people breakthrough inspires me. And I have a high rate of success in assisting people to release their conscious and unconscious anxieties that keep them perpetuating the same set of feelings over and over.” Now, Combs is a 7-figure
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his week on www. theobserver.com is an interview Lisa Feorenzo, The Observer’s co-owner and advertising director, conducted with her life coach and friend, Jeffery Combs. Combs has been a coach for many years and brings a remarkable perspective to addiction — having become a highly successful businessman following living many years as an alcoholic. Combs’ path to success wasn’t easy by any means. “When I graduated from college in 1979, I knew I was never going to pursue a corporate America career. I wanted to be able to operate on my terms and my time frame so I could create the freedom that I was seeking,” Combs says of himself on his website, www. goldenmastermind.com. “I started waiting tables in Kansas City and in the mid ‘80s, I moved to Los Angeles. By this time, I was well on my way to being a full-blown alcoholic and drug addict. My entrepreneurial dreams had been pushed to the side and my addictions had taken over my life. “December of 1988, I hit rock bottom. I ended up in a county detox with delirium
ADDICTION CRISIS earner with two highly successful businesses. In his interview with Feorenzo, he discusses his own addiction journey and how he got
out of the rut he was in — and he actually offers his personal telephone number that anyone reading this story — or watching his video interview — can call for help. Be sure to check out the video with Feorenzo and Combs today, at www. theobserver.com.
Experience the traditional Sicilian values of family, friends & food! Jeffery Combs tremors from my alcohol abuse. I made a promise to myself that if I survived, I would get back to living my dreams and commit to my recovery.” And that’s exactly what happened. At age 31, he got clean and sober. “By 1990, I started my first network marketing/direct sales business,” he said. “I spent the next eight years mastering the skills of free enterprise. I went through several failed business ventures and ended up in $100,000 of credit card debt. I was at a point where I had to detach myself from those negative thought patterns if I was going to succeed in free enterprise. “Addictions are my niche in assisting people to understand why they get
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Inside this edition ... Opinion..................................................................................6 Sports & Recreation..........................................................11 Food & Dining Directory....................................................13 Health & Wellness Directory.............................................15 Real Estate..........................................................................16 Business Directory............................................................16 Real Estate Directory.........................................................17 Obituaries...........................................................................19 Classifieds.........................................................................20
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