Wednesday, 16 February 2022
www.TheObserver.com
Vol. CXXXIV, No. 41
ON THE INSIDE Who knew? Harrison swearsin new councilman on a Saturday with little notice. SEE PAGE 5
RED BULL CRAP
BELLEVILLE n BLOOMFIELD n EAST NEWARK n HARRISON n KEARNY n LYNDHURST n NORTH ARLINGTON n NUTLEY
Parade step-off time change made because of soccer scheduling snafu of epic proportions By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
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he Red Bulls, reportedly, say it was all in the hands of Major League Soccer. The United Irish Associations of West Hudson, rightfully, don’t care whose fault it is — they’re just not happy about it. But because the United Irish have always been pro-active and forward-thinking, always keeping West Hudsonians in mind, the issue at hand — the New York Red Bulls, who have never played a home game outside of New Jersey — will host their home opener to the MLS soccer season
at 2 p.m., Sunday, March 13, as scheduled against Minnesota United — and the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which has always been on the same Sunday in March, since, ever, will instead step off an hour earlier, at 1 p.m., so there’s not a nightmare traffic scenario in Harrison. Mass to commence the parade will also be an hour earlier, at 11 a.m. instead of noon, at Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church. It’s almost fitting something like this would happen, given the parade was canceled in 2020 just as COVID broke out — and last year, too, in an abundance of
After patiently waiting for two years, the honorees from the canceled 2020 parade will finally get their day March 13, 2022. Meet them all, PAGES 2 & 3.
See BULL, Page 18
Menendez touts ARA in Kearny High School visit By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.
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kc@theobserver.com
ew Jersey has 566 municipalities, but he chose Kearny to be the backdrop to discuss how funds from the American Recovery Act have helped schools across the state. Jersey’s senior Sen. Robert Menen-
dez joined U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., Kearny’s Assistant Superintendent of Schools Flora Encarnacao and other dignitaries at a roundtable in the Kearny High School library to also bring attention to how much education has changed in the face of a worldwide pandemic. He also tackled how students
across the state and country have fallen behind in their academics, while dealing with anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. “One of the most pressing concerns for families and educators across the nation is the learning loss facing students due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In New
Jersey, studies show a third of students are performing below grade level in math and language arts, with that number increasing to 50% for Black and Latino students,” Menendez, who is of Cuban descent, said. “That is why I was proud to work with my Democratic colleagues in See MENENDEZ, Page 15
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