Wednesday, 20 October 2021
www.TheObserver.com
Vol. CXXXIV, No. 24
ON THE INSIDE Local musician Tony Facchino has died at 68. The Observer takes a look back at his life. See Page 7
BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD • EAST NEWARK • HARRISON • KEARNY • LYNDHURST • NORTH ARLINGTON • NUTLEY
REMEMBERING COACH STEVE DIGREGORIO
Long-time Nutley football skipper dies aged 60 following courageous cancer battle
By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com
S
teve DiGregorio, a native of Nutley who played football at Nutley High School and then had two successful stints as the head coach of the Maroon Raiders, lost his battle to pancreatic cancer last week. He was 60. DiGregorio was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2019 and vowed to beat
the disease, refusing to let cancer beat him. He stepped aside a bit that season, but remained as head coach, then triumphantly returned to the sidelines in 2020 to coach the Maroon Raiders to an undefeated 6-0 season that resulted in a Super Football Conference Divisional title. It was Nutley’s first undefeated season since 1939. But when the cancer returned in March, DiGregorio See DIGREGORIO, Page 9
Manslaughter & improper disposal of human remains charges levied against mother of baby found dead 1 year ago By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com The mother of a baby found deceased on Forest Street on Oct. 25, 2020, has been arrested in connection with the crime, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced Monday, Oct. 18.
Since the girl was 17 at the time the alleged crime took place, she has been charged as a juvenile with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree desecrating human remains — and the case will be adjudicated in family juvenile court, Suarez said.
Because of this, the prosecutor’s office cannot release the girl’s name, nor can this newspaper. Suarez said the Regional Medical Examiner’s Office determined the manner of death in this case to be “homicide.” All juvenile court cases in New Jersey are strictly confidential and, as
such, no more information about the case will be released, Suarez said. The arrests stem from Oct. 25, 2020, when police were called to a home and found remains of a baby, later named “Matthew,” in a bag atop a trash bin. The incident took place exactly 51 weeks prior to the arrest being made.
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Opinion .......................................................................................... Page 6 Obituaries ..................................................................................... Page 13 Sports ........................................................................................... Page 9 Real Estate .................................................................................... Page 14 Health & Wellness Directory ............................................................ Page 11 Classifieds............................................................................. Pages 16-17