e-Newspaper for Nov. 30, 2022

Two of Belleville’s Bravest recognized for heroically saving man who was near death

Lyndhurst Police Capt. Andrew Marmorato, who

also a pilot, demonstrates the control device to one of the department’s drones.

Lyndhurst Mayor Robert B. Giangeruso , right, holds one of the LPD’s as does Marmorato, demonstrating how lightweight they are.

Lyndhurst Police Department Public Information Officer Vincent Auteri invited

Story & photos By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

BELLEVILLE OPENS FIRST POCKET PARK

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

An older adult painstakingly painting a rock.

A high school art student posing for photos with the poster she created. Couples strolling up and down the winding walkway on a breezy autumn day.

Yes, there were a flurry of activity at this pocket park on Division Avenue moments after it was officially opened last month.

Creating a space for Belleville residents of all ages to enjoy being outside was at the heart of the township’s effort to turn an irregular lot overrun with brush into an active even interactive space.

And because this park was created through a partnership between Belleville Township and the Belleville Board of Education, with the support

of the Essex County Board of Commissioners, Mayor Michael Melham, Township Manager Anthony Iacono, Councilman Vinny Cozzarelli, Superintendent of Schools Richard Tomko, Board of Education member Ralph Tunis, County Commissioner Vice President Carlos Pomares and other officials attended the ribboncutting ceremony.

The effort to transform the tangle of shrubs and bushes near 321 Division Ave. was spearheaded by the township’s Green Team, led by Gabrielle Bennett-Meany.

She said the project was largely funded by about $15,000 in grants from AARP, which chose Belleville and just 259 other entities, among the 3,200 applications received for funding.

AARP was apparently impressed by BennettMeany’s vision to create a park with three major

components: planter boxes for a pollinator garden, a display space for art and a painted rock garden.

The pollinator garden will be used to grow flowers such as purple coneflowers, bee balm, swamp milkweed and New York aster. BennettMeany, who has served for 25 years as an environmental

science educator and field naturalist for the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority as well as serving as the Belleville School Board Vice President, said the garden could serve as an outdoor classroom. Belleville students could visit to learn important lessons about why native species are preferable to invasive ones.

The art display forms a backdrop for the garden and has been lined with poster-style images with inspirational messages created by Belleville High School art students. “Reach for the Stars,” one poster urged. “Follow Your Heart,” another advised. Some were adorned by starry skies and brilliant sunrises.

The idea is to occasionally switch out the art, allowing students from across Belleville a chance to contribute to the park’s experience. A kiosk that will be placed at the front of the park on Division Avenue will have more information about the display, as will the Green Team’s social media postings.

“We’ve had a teacher reach out and ask if they can

reserve this space to put up art during Autism Awareness Month in March,” BennettMeany said. “So, the schools are already getting behind the pocket park.”

The third main interactive component of the park affords residents the chance to decorate rocks at the park or at home and leave them in the garden.

Pomares laid the first stone in place; it was decorated with a stick person holding a heart that was created by Township Deputy Clerk Jacky Guaman.

Melham extended a special welcome to Marie Kimble, the AARP Belleville Club president and widow of the late mayor Raymond Kimble, and praised Bennett-Meany for pushing this important project to fruition.

“This transformation is just incredible,” he said. “Some of my ongoing goals as mayor are to focus on quality-of-life initiatives, make Belleville a greener and cleaner place to live and encourage residents to live healthier and more active lives. The creation of this pocket park focuses on all of them.”

Jaffe Communications

At the grand opening of Belleville’s new ‘pocket park,’ several teens worked on rock art projects while all sorts of other activities were going on.

2 of Belleville’s Bravest lauded for heroic save of injured man who had significant blood loss

By Ron Leir For The Observer

T

Firefighters James Judge and Steven Masoud (seen in photo at right) received plaques acknowledging their heroic deed at a recent meeting of the township governing body.

Second Ward Councilman Steven Rovell read into the record an account of the firefighters’ actions stemming from a 911 distress call received by township police on May 18 about an injured man lying alone in a field near some high-tension utility wires off Passaic Avenue.

Upon arrival at the scene, a township fire company ambulance response unit led by Battalion Chief Steven Salzer rushed to the aid of victim who was found to have an 8-to-10-inch-long laceration to his neck, sliced ear-to-ear, and “bleeding profusely.”

Salzer recalled that the victim was “fully conscious and alert — he just couldn’t speak.”

Realizing they needed to control the bleeding while, at the same time, protecting the victim’s throat, Judge asked Masoud to grab a cervical collar from the gear box, concluding this would be a good tool to stem the flow of blood from the open wound while stabilizing the man’s throat, allowing him to breathe.

While setting the collar in place, Judge and Masoud applied gauze and bandages to the victim’s exposed neck.

“They did a good job holding the bandages in place

and protected the man’s airway,” Salzer said.

wo of Belleville’s Bravest have been cited for their swift and creative response that helped save the life of a critically injured man.The victim was then rushed to an area hospital where he remained conscious — and alive — “which was a miracle, considering all the blood he lost,” Rovell noted.

At the hospital, Rovell said, medical staff credited the firefighters for having successfully improvised what turned out to be a lifesaving technique.

Judge was hired as a township firefighter in December 2018. He is married and the couple have a daughter.

Masoud had been serving as a township police officer before becoming a member of the township Fire Department in February 2022. He’s single.

No further information was readily available about the circumstances that led to the victim’s plight.

nnn

In other business at last week’s meeting, the governing body voted 4-3 to adopt a conceptual redevelopment plan for a 6-acre property at 371411 Main St., formerly occupied by K-mart which shut down in April 2021.

Councilmembers John Notari (4th Ward), Marie StrumoloBurke (1st Ward) and Rovell dissented.

Mayor Michael Melham said the plan calls for the site — currently zoned for commercial retail use — to be subdivided into four “quadrants.”

Melham told The Observer “no residential” use was contemplated for the property.

During a public hearing on the ordinance proposing the redevelopment plan for the site, administration critic and resident Michael Sheldon interpreted the

move as “a calculated plan to stop Home Depot” from doing business at the site in favor of targeting the land for use by politically connected principals instead of maximizing the property’s value — current set at $10 million — as a potential big box store.

Notari said: “I like big box stores. It’s worked here for years.” And Rovell added it was hard to say no to the prospect of “100 (new) jobs” and the availability of home improvement types of goods.

“We don’t have a hardware

See

BELLEVILLE,

Page 19

K Z E

#KearnyTree2022

Thursday, December 1st, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Hometown Concert on the Steps of Town Hall 5:30 – 6:30 Culminating in the arrival of Santa and lighting of the Tree! Meet and greet Mirabel & Isabella! Enjoy the Life-Sized Snow Globe Holiday Entertainment on the Jingle Bell Stage Face Painting • Make Magic Reindeer Food Kids Crafts • Write a Letter to Santa, and more!

DRONES

case you might be wondering? The devices the most expensive of which ran more than $16,000 to purchase didn’t cost Lyndhurst taxpayers a penny. Instead, they were all purchased with forfeited drug cash proceeds via the Drug Enforcement Administration.

“We were able to get all of this without any tax money,” Marmorato, the drone program commander, said. “And yet, this puts us on the forefront of modern policing with the technology we have.”

Police Chief Richard L. Jarvis Jr. echoed those sentiments.

“This is the future of policing what you’re seeing right here,” the chief, who is fully behind the program,

said. “It is pretty amazing stuff, isn’t it?” Amazing it is, indeed. But before we get into the logistics of how all of this came together, we were also at the right place at the right time to see the drones doing what they were purchased for to intercede in crimes or potential crimes.

Marmorato was showing us the largest of the drones the department owns outside the LPD’s Detective Bureau

in the Town Hall parking lot. It was just around noon when suddenly, Lt. Paul Haggerty came running out of the door, quickly saying, “fight outside (a restaurant a block or so away).” We aren’t naming the specific restaurant. Immediately, Jarvis turned to Marmorato and said, “Send it over.”

Numerous other officers followed Haggerty, including Auteri, who hopped into a department SUV with a colleague to head on over.

Less than a minute later, the drone was 200+ feet above the restaurant, zoomed in incredibly close, beaming back 4K-quality video to us as we stood a good distance away. We were able to see one of the combatants, Haggerty and the other officers who had joined him on scene. Apparently, the other combatant was gone by the time anyone arrived, but had he (or she) been in the area, the drone could have easily been further deployed to help search.

If the other fighter had been hiding, let’s say, Marmorato could have turned on infrared imaging and if he wasn’t completely covered, it could have picked up his body heat.

It was an extraordinary, unplanned, yet perfect exercise to show how important these drones are. They’re able to do what departments couldn’t before in real time and perhaps most unfathomably,

it’s all done remotely. Depending on the crime and scenario involved, it keeps officers out of harm’s way.

Now, it takes a while to get the drones unpacked, prepared for flight, turned on and actually launched. So chances are this bruhaha wouldn’t have been reason enough to engage the drones. But since one was already fired up, it all led to a somewhat surreal experience to be able to it in action, at a real time crime, remote from where we were.

So many beneficial ways to be used

Just prior to the fight, Marmorato had been demonstrating how the drone is able to freeze in on a vehicle or a moving person. So long as there are no trees or buildings blocking the car or person, it is able to follow the moving “object” so long as it is in range of the controls with adequate battery life. Marmorato randomly chose a moving Lexus SUV as an example as it traveled westbound on Valley Brook Avenue, starting in front of Township Hall.

Now, keep in mind, the driver of this particular vehicle did nothing wrong; it was, instead, just a demonstration of the drone’s capabilities. After pushing a button or two, the camera locked onto the Lexus and continued to follow it

Right in the middle of a demonstration of how the drones work, a fight broke out outside a local restaurant. Here, Capt. Andrew Marmorato, left, shows Chief Richard L. Jarvis Jr. the scene of the incident from several blocks away.

Continued from previous page

through to Stuyvesant Avenue, by Levy’s Pharmacy, where it turned left (south.)

Marmorato stopped following the vehicle at this point because there were trees blocking it but it could have gone longer if needed. Perhaps even more incredible was the SUV’s license plate, a Jersey tag, was clear as day on the control screen with vivid, 4K detail. Had the vehicle been involved in a crime or crash, Marmorato or whomever was piloting it would have been able to read the tag and send its details to dispatch for a look-up.

Police, from a quarter-mile away (in other cases, much further) would then be able to know who the registered owner was, whether the person had any outstanding warrants, whether the vehicle was reported stolen and more.

Had the subject been a person, and it was nighttime, the aforementioned heat-sensory feature could have been deployed to, at the very least, continue to show cops where the subject was located (though not necessarily what the person looked like.)

In all, it was a fortuitous, and very real, demonstration, one that tells me the Lyndhurst PD and for that matter, other departments that deploy drones will be the envy of departments that don’t have them (Kearny and Harrison, in The Observer’s readership area, also have drones.)

What’s the flight time?

Marmorato showed us three different drones, each designed for different purposes. Each can fly for about 30 minutes without needing a battery change (they have numerous backups and once they are brought back in, they remember exactly where they were prior to the “recharging.”) The one that flew for us is the largest and most extensive (and expensive). One of the smaller drones is better suited for going to scenes where it might be necessary to see inside a building or vehicle it is able to get extremely close to windows and if they’re open, it beams back imagery police wouldn’t otherwise be privy to.

The drones may be used in all sorts of incidents, including crashes where it might not be possible to see victims (it may also be able to locate victims ejected from a car and not near the scene.) It can be deployed at fires. Hostage situations. Drug deals.

You name it.

They all have the capability to fly around two miles away from the control location.

And, because of Lyndhurst’s proximity to both Teterboro and Newark-Liberty International airports, they’re programmed with what Marmorato calls “geofences,” which prohibit them from flying into restricted airspace.

Without FAA approval, they can fly vertically up to 400 feet, 200 if it near airspace.

Conditions also dictate how well each performs. And perhaps most incredibly, if the operator isn’t paying attention to the battery life (as unlikely as that is) it sets “a home point” and knows, then, when to return to base and flies directly in and lands almost precisely where it took off.

Now there’s lots more to this. One must be FAA certified to fly a drone.

It is not easy to do so. And each pilot must be trained on a rolling basis to keep up with regulations, etc. Still, it is a labor of love for Marmorato, who is very proud of what he’s accomplished with the program rightfully.

And Mayor Robert B. Giangeruso is equally proud.

“Drew did a fantastic job putting this all together and doing it where it didn’t cost us anything,” Giangeruso, himself a retired Lyndhurst police officer and current police commissioner, said. “It really is something and it is making a difference in keeping Lyndhurst a safe community.”

Observer Editor Kevin A. Canessa Jr. may be reached at kc@theobserver.com. Follow him on Facebook & Twitter @ kevincanessa.

As one of the four LPD drones comes in for a final landing, in the same spot from which it took off, it hovers just a few inches above the ground before making its final descent.

Opinion & Viewpoints

COMMENTARY

Marking World AIDS Day - December 1

ORLD AIDS DAY always reminds me of my past, because I have seen far too many family members succumb to the hideous disease. Since 1995, I’ve lost two uncles and an adopted aunt to it.

In 1995, we lost my first uncle who got it from using shared needles as a heroin addict. His death was hard to swallow because he never had a chance to take the medications that have practically cured it today. In fact, in the last few weeks of his life, it was brutal to have to witness him wither away to under 100 pounds, to witness him experience dimentia and for him not to even know how to get to the bathroom.

Listening to his labored breathing is something I can still hear vividly in my mind. It was as if someone with a heavy workbook placed their foot on his chest as he tried to simply exist.

My second uncle died just a little under 10 years later, in 2005. He, like my other uncle (his younger brother) turned to drugs after the loss of their eldest brother and he, too, shared needles to inject heroin — and it wound up killing him. His suffering was nothing in comparison to my first uncle, perhaps because he had taken some of the medications that slow the disease down, but he, too, succumbed, just like his brother. One was 41 the other was 52, just a few weeks shy of his 53rd.

Then, a few years later, I lost my third relative, an aunt, who never touched a drug in her life, but who instead got the disease from her husband, who himself died from the disease. I remember as late as the 90s being petrified of the disease. I would scrub the toilet for fear if the virus was somewhere in the bowl, I’d catch it. We know, now, of course, that is a virtual impossibility. But this is what happened when the disease was unknown. There was this incredible fear of it. And I know it was in my home for a long time and knew no better.

But now, in 2022, there are so many cases where because of various therapies available, there are people who were diagnosed HIV+ whose tests can no longer even detect it. So much has improved over the years, but it is of little consolation to those who have lost loved ones. And by no means are we anywhere near eradication, either.

In fact, nearly 39 million people still live with HIV and of those, 25.6 million live on the African continent. So indeed, there is still a long way to go. Far too many humans live with HIV/AIDS. And there are entirely too many families whose numbers have dwindled because of the disease.

So until the day comes when AIDS is a thing of the past, pause Dec. 1. Remember all who have died and pray one day the disease will be nothing but a distant memory.

— KEVIN A. CANESSA JR.

Crawford: Disgusted a convicted sex offender is now accused of homicide

To the Editor: Most of my life was spent living on Belgrove Drive right across Halstead from my old grammar school, Garfield. It was disturbing to read the Sept. 20 article about the Kearny man who died from stab wounds.

And to make matters even worse, the suspects were charged with disturbing human remains.

That, to me, is insane!

One of the suspects of the crime also lived in the neighborhood. This was hardly his first crime, either.

The suspect, in 2011, was convicted of sexually assaulting a girl between 5 an

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

6 on multiple occasions. How can this monster be allowed to live one block from a grammar school? People like him should not be part of our community.

If anything, let these monsters live in rural, isolated areas, underneath highways, bridges or even jails, far away from the rest of society. They have proven to us they definitely don’t deserve second chances.

Bobby Crawford Kearny n

Editor’s note: The original letter contained the name of the suspect. We are not repeating it here; however, it may be found in stories previously written about the aforementioned crime.

Additionally, we’ve learned the State of New Jersey does not have a statute that spells out the distance from which a convicted, registered Megan’s Law offender must live from schools.

Instead, that decision is left up to an offender’s personal parole officer, whose role it is to determine whether a home and its location is suitable enough for a sex offender to live.

Rose: Election reminded me of the Jesuits’ old method of punishment

To the Editor:

Growing up, I had a friend who was educated by the Jesuits. He told me if you messed up, the Jesuit would paddle your rump, and after each stroke, the student would have to say, “Thank

you, sir, can I please have another?”

“Thank you sir, can I please have another,” would describe the message sent by the voters of this election to the Biden Administration, and you can be sure that the

Democrats will be more than happy to oblige that request. Being that they fooled those with college loan debt into voting for them, how does reparations sound?

Armand Rose North Arlington

In Memoriam Mary A. Tortoreti 1942-2016

Lisa M. Feorenzo lisa@theobserver.com Co-owner/Advertising Dir.

Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com Editor/Broadcaster

39 Seeley Avenue n Kearny, N.J. 07032 n (201) 991-1600 Fax: (201) 991-8941 n www.theobserver.com

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Man barred from seeing ex-wife he once peed on returns home, is arrested: KPD

By Capt. Timothy Wagner Kearny Police Department

On Nov. 9 at 6:51 a.m.

,

Officers Nicole Cain and Harold Azurdia responded to a private home on a report of a restraining order violation. The homeowner

was on vacation, but through security camera videos, she observed her ex-husband asleep in her backyard.

The husband, who some months ago was alleged to have sexually assaulted and urinated on the wife, was the subject of a final restraining

POLICE BEAT

order barring him from the home.

On the officers’ arrival, the suspect was standing on

the home’s front stoop and was reportedly immediately uncooperative. When advised of the final restraining order, the suspect allegedly denied its existence and threatened federal lawsuits (The suspect has something of a penchant for filing pro-se federal lawsuits in forma pauperis against local government officials. To date, I do not know of any that were successful).

The suspect began to walk away, but was stopped by Officers Nick Funk and Sean Wilson. With the restraining order’s validity double-checked, the officers arrested the suspect (“in forma magistratus”). He was charged with contempt and transferred to the Hudson County Jail.

On Nov. 7 at 11:39 p.m., Officer Christopher Montes was dispatched to a dispute on Seeley Avenue. The dispute was apparently just another installment in the serial misadventures of the concerned parties. However, Officer Montes learned Megan J. McGirr, 31, of Kearny, who was at the scene, was wanted on a nobail Kearny arrest warrant for contempt of court, and on a $500 Secaucus warrant for shoplifting.

Officer Montes arrested McGirr without incident and then checked her into the Hudson County jail.

On Nov. 13 at 5:43 a.m., Officer Jose Castillo was dispatched to Devon Terrace where a Subaru was parked partially blocking a driveway and blocking a fire hydrant. Seeing the Subaru was running, but its windows and windshield were too darkly tinted to allow a view inside, Officer Castillo knocked on the driver’s side window but received no reply.

Officer Castillo opened the car door and found Cristian A. Torosina, 27, of Jersey City, asleep in the driver’s seat. While Torosina was explaining how he had just dropped off a friend here in “North Bergen,” the officer says he detected signs of

impairment. Torosina later failed a field sobriety test and was arrested.

Following an alcoholbreath test at the police station, Torosina was charged with DWI, obstruction of windshield, blocking a driveway and parking within 10 feet of a hydrant. He was later released with summonses.

On Nov. 13 at 9:25 p.m., Hudson County 911 Center reported receiving repetitive 911 calls from a woman who spoke Spanish, hung up and would not answer their return calls. Officer Bryan San Martin responded to the woman’s home, but she was not there.

A short time later, Harrison police reported the 911 caller had shown up at their headquarters reporting a domestic-violence assault that occurred earlier near her Kearny home. The woman, 27, reported her husband, also 27, had punched her face during an argument and cut her lip.

Officer San Martin picked up the victim in Harrison and brought her back to KPD where he began completing her applications for a criminal charge and temporary restraining order. However, before the applications were completed, the woman had a change of heart and refused to continue the process.

Sports & Recreation

Rutnik becomes Nutley’s first-ever to sign to play Division I college hockey

Expectations high as Kearny co-op hockey team moves up to tougher division

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

The Kearny-North Arlington-Secaucus hockey team has exceeded even the most optimistic of expectations in its first three seasons as a varsity program a journey which culminated in the NJIIHL McMullen Cup championship this past February.

Now in its fourth varsity season, the Kardinals embrace their newest challenges most notably a move up to the NJIIHL ’ s Kelly Division as well with the understanding that the program is no longer an afterthought on the ice.

right up there with all of those top guys. ”

Sophomore Aiden Stamm (21 goals, 16 assists), who had five points in the championship win over Bayonne, and junior Chris Crawford (11 goals, 23 assists) also return for Kearny. While the trio produced eye-popping numbers together last year, Firth hopes to split them up this season in order to produce better balance on the offensive end.

“ Usually we don ’ t like playing all three of them together to help balance things out, ” Firth said.

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

Nutley High School has never had a Division I hockey player come from its program since it first started to lace up the skates in the 1990s. That changed last week when, in a ceremony at the school, Victoria Rutnik signed her National Letter of Intent to play women’s hockey at Long Island University.

For Rutnik, the Raiders three-year starter at goalie, it’s just merely the latest example of her defying the norms.

Ever since she became a full-time goalie at the age of 10, her goal was to play Division I college hockey. And whether it was against boys or girls, she has proven

to be one of the region’s top netminders.

“I always wanted to play at the highest levels so playing both boys and girls helped me because I was able to keep getting better in different aspects,” said Rutnik, who first started playing at 5 for the Nutley-Clifton Hockey Club and split time between goalie and a skater. “(Being able to play college hockey) is showing that it’s possible. Seeing one person do it makes you think that it can be me if I work hard.”

Rutnik’s story is proof of that. Whether it was with Nutley-Clifton, the Montclair Blues or now with Nutley, Rutnik has often gone up against boys on the ice. She believes that facing the faster shots and dealing with the

added physicality of boys ice hockey have made her better as a goalie.

“Playing with the boys helped me a lot with the speed because the shots are a lot faster,” Rutnik said. “It helped me go from one to the other and have a better reaction time.”

Last season at Nutley, she showed she was one of the area’s better goaliesregardless of gender, when she made 547 saves in 18 games for the Raiders with an .883 save percentage.

Where Rutnik has really made a name for herself is with the New Jersey Colonials, an all-girls junior hockey program based out of Florham Park. Rutnik joined

“ It ’ s definitely huge for the organization, ” said head coach Tim Firth. “ The opportunity came up to move to the next level and we jumped on it. We still have that same young core and I feel like we can be competitive as well as learn and improve as a team. ”

Many of the key contributors from that 12 5-5 team are back for this season, including the top five scorers from a year ago.

Headlining the group is senior center Kevin Golon, who had a sensational season with 36 goals and 19 assists.

“ He ’ s got the wheels so he will dig in the corners. He drives the net hard, which is where a lot of his goals come from. He ’ s really great on the rush because he has the speed and he has the hands, ” Firth said. “ I think he ’ s

“ As long as we have two balanced scoring lines and a hard-fought checking line, I ’ ll be happy with our balance. ”

While the exact pairings are still to be determined, senior Owen Logue and newcomers Anthony Leppin, a junior, and freshman Arthur Bor are expected to be on the top two lines for Kearny.

The Kardinals should also have an experienced checking line with seniors

Andrew McDermott and Joe Drefko back. Jon Solinski, Kory Wadleigh, Lucas Francisco and Vanessa Salgado are all vying for ice time at forward as well.

The offense should be further bolstered by the return of junior defenseman Kevin Zidiak, who enjoyed a breakout season last year with 11 goals and 24

Photo by Jason Bernstein

Victoria Rutnik

RUTNIK

the Colonials six years ago and has traveled with them to showcases throughout the Northeast. It was with the Colonials where she not only got the attention of college coaches, but was able to cre ate a bond with players just like her.

“I loved it because you were able to connect with people. Everybody was new so it was great to go out there in what felt like a whole nother world, ” Rutnik said. “ That was the first time I had played allgirls hockey. The switchover was good because I was able to connect with my teammates and be able to get a chemistry going because it ’ s a different dynamic. ”

Rutnik cited the

connection she felt with the players and coaches at LIU during her official visit as well as the short proximity from home as the reasons why she committed to play for the Sharks a little more than a month ago.

LIU is one of 41 NCAA Division I women ’ s hockey programs in the country, but the sport continues to grow, especially in the Northern part of the U.S. There are currently a handful of high school girls hockey teams in New Jersey.

“ Girls ’ hockey has grown leaps and bounds and a player like Victoria really exemplifies what hard work, dedication means and can become, ” said Nutley head coach Dave Macri. “ That ’ s the best part about our game. If you work hard, it can happen to anybody. ”

According to Macri and

assistant coach Stephen George, Rutnik has the skills to play for any women ’ s hockey team in Division I, but was under-recruited being just 5-foot-4. But what she lacks in height, they feel she more than makes

up for in speed, athleticism and technique between the pipes.

“ She ’ s just a technically sound goalie. Her positioning is spot on and her speed and her agility is huge. What she lacks in size, she makes up for in speed and quickness, ” Macri said. “ Her positioning is spot on. She ’ s just technically a sound, outstanding goalie.

“ Smaller goalkeepers have to be fundamentally sound and technically strong. She ’ s both in spades. ”

While last week ’ s Signing Day ceremony was historymaking Nutley, its impact has the potential to be felt far beyond the Essex County town. As more and more girls continue to play on the youth and high school levels, Rutnik is proof that it is possible to continue playing well beyond that.

“ For people around us and other girls who are up and coming players, it ’ s almost like a goal that they can reach for, that is possible, ” Rutnik said. “ If they see you doing it, they can see that it’s possible and they can work to do the same things. ”

OVERVIEW OF COMMON EYE CONDITIONS

Age-related eye diseases are the leading cause of low vision and blindness. These can be avoided or abated by having regu lar vision checkups to discover and diagnose an eye condition or disease early on when it’s easiest to treat. Refractive errors, which cause nearsightedness, farsighted ness, and astigmatism, are the most widespread group of eye conditions. Macular degenera tion, cataracts, and glaucoma (a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve) are common conditions caused by the natural aging process. Amblyopia (lazy eye) and strabismus (crossed or outward turned eyes) are eye con ditions usually found in children, while diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes. The good news is that these eye

conditions are all treatable.

If it’s been a while since you’ve had an eye exam, make an appointment with our office. A complete eye exam involves a series of tests designed to evaluate your vision and check for eye diseases. For your conve nience, we also have an optical department. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, please call 201-896-0096. We are located at 20 Park Avenue, Lyndhurst. Call 201-896-0007 if you need to reach our optical shop. We accept most insurance.

P.S. Many different eye diseases and conditions share the same symptoms. The best practice for prevention is to have your vision checked every two years, or sooner if you notice changes in your vision.

www.delucavision.com

Presented by Joseph A. DeLuca, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Photo by Jason Bernstein

assists.

“He’s a fantastic athlete, he’s able to go up on the rush, he’s able to backcheck, all on the same shift,” said Firth.

“Once we get an idea of our competition this year, we’ll be able to use his strengths as both an offensive and defensive defenseman. I’m expecting a monster year from him.”

Zidiak leads a veteran defensive group as he and sophomores Ian Fu and Rafael Campo saw extensive time on the blueline last season. Another sophomore, Sean Meaney, has emerged as a guy expected to see significant minutes on one of the top two defensive pairings.

Versatile junior Joe Crawford and promising freshman Billy Worman are also key parts of a defensive group that is the deepest Kearny has had.

“This is the first time we’ve ever had defensive depth where we could have all six guys playing regular shifts,”

said Firth. “And the same thing with the offense. I think it’s shaping up where we’ll be able to do three full lines without blinking an eye as well as having a fourth line on the bench just in case.”

Senior Morgan Iachetta, who shared the starting goalie spot for most of last season, enters this year as the starter following the graduation of

Premier Car e TALK S

Often referred to as “peripheral neuropathy,” neuropathy occurs when nerve cells of the peripheral nervous system (nerves outside the spinal cord and brain), are damaged, disrupting communica tion between the neurons and the brain. Primarily manifesting in the feet and hands, telltale symp toms of neuropathy are muscle weakness, sharp pain, numbness, and tingling or burning sensa tions. Although most common in diabetic patients, individuals prone to neuropathies also include trauma victims and patients with autoimmune disorders and infec tions. The severity of symptoms varies from patient to patient since this condition can develop either slowly or rapidly, depend ing on the affected nerve clusters. Noticeable change in sensation,

especially a “pins and needles” type of numbness, indicate neuropathy, often revealing previ ously undiagnosed underlying causes.

Treatment of neuropathy depends on finding the specific cause and controlling it. For ex ample, if the neuropathy is caused by an infection, we treat the infec tion; if it is caused by pressure on a nerve, we alleviate the pressure. To schedule an appointment, please call PREMIER CARE AS SOCIATES OF WEST HUDSON at 201-998-7474. We are located at 512 Kearny Ave., Suite B, where walk-in patients are always welcome 7 days a week.

P. S. Approximately 25-30 percent of the U.S. population experiences a neuropathy of some sort during in their lifetime.

Email any questions or comments to: premiercare@gmail.com

Premier Care Associates of West Hudson is available on a walk-in or appointment basis for your primary healthcare needs.

Jack Logue. Junior Sebastian Andaluz, a converted forward who has shown vast improvement in net, is the backup with freshman Braidan Logue waiting in reserve as the third goalie.

Kearny, which plays its home games at Secaucus Ice Rink, opens the season at home against Fair Lawn on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 4 p.m., then hosts High Point the next day at 5:15. On Monday, Dec. 12 the Kardinals travel to new division foe Nutley in an 8 p.m. game at Codey Arena in West Orange.

NEUROPATHY:

Dr. Prakash J. Doshi

Dr. Hector Aguilar

Photo by Jason Bernstein

Head Coach Tim Firth, Owen Logue, Joe Drefko, Morgan Iachetta, Matt Golon, Andrew McDermot

Nutley hockey team kicks off season Dec. 10

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

It would be easy for Dave Macri to look at this season’s Nutley-Bloomfield-Columbia roster and bemoan the grad uation of star power from a year ago — particularly on the offensive end of the ice.

But while this year’s version of the Raiders might not have the headlining talent as the past, the third-year head coach sees a roster with the depth throughout the lineup needed to compete within the NJIIHL Kelly Division standings.

“We’re missing some of the standouts that we’ve had in past years, but we got solid, coach able players,” said Macri. “We can do a lot with that.

“Every day is a try out, every day is up for grabs, there’s noth ing set in stone. We’re going to have good depth, it’s just a matter of what order we put them in.”

One spot that certainly isn’t unsettled for Macri and Nutley is the starting goalie spot where Victoria Rutnik is back for her third year as the No. 1. Rutnik, who recently signed to play women’s college hockey at Di vision I Long Island University, was stellar in the face of adversi ty last season, making 547 saves with a .884 save percentage in

18 games.

“She’s just a technically sound goalie,” Macri said. “Her posi tioning is spot on and her speed and her agility is huge. What she lacks in size, she makes up for in speed and quickness.”

Competition for time behind Rutnik has been intense with sophomores Joseph Weedo and Daniel Canizares, junior George Dietrich and freshman Aiden Rosamilia all vying for the top backup spot.

Macri expects the blueline to be deeper than in previous years as juniors Tommy Devlin and Mallory Albanese have shifted back to defense after playing forward a season ago. Devlin, in

particular, “brings a little more grit and physicality that we need on the blueline,” according to Macri.

Senior captain Andrew Nicolette headlines the defen sive core for Nutley. Promising sophomore Cameron Wright and junior Gavin Waldron are also expected to see extended ice time along with Devlin, Albanese and sophomores Jack Lardner and Eric Antonsson. Freshman Daniel Kopcha is another defenseman looking to break through this season.

“We will definitely be a little bit deeper on the blueline,” Macri said. “We’re definitely going to have some depth and

the spots are going to be open to everybody.”

At forward, Nutley will rely heavily upon sophomore Alex Benkert to life an offense that graduated its top scorer Rocco Albanese (26 goals, 34 assists) and CJ Hannon (13 goals, 22 as sists) from last season. Last year, Benkert was one state’s most productive freshmen, notching 19 goals and 21 assists.

“Alex just has a hockey sense like nobody else. He’s just got a hockey IQ that really sets him above,” said Macri. “He can make plays out of thin air, he has the ability to read the ice very well. On both sides of the puck he’s active. He’s a very heady player.”

Senior captains Trey Gigante and Caleb Diegnan give Nutley

a pair of stellar defensive for wards, who will also be counted upon to provide an added boost to the offense. Others vying for time on the top two lines are sophomore Liam Madsen, who moves up from defenseman, senior Carmine Argenziano and two very promising freshmen in Angelo Albanese and Christian Sherman. Another freshman, Dominic Searls is also looking to work his way into that mix.

Junior Molly Mendoza, sophomores Daniel Legra, Max Bednarz and Benjamin Pruden cio, as well as freshmen Oliver Penalber and Reese McGowan are also vying for time as Macri knows he’ll have to use his depth up top to be successful in the Kelly Division.

“Depth’s the difference between champions in the Kelly Division and not. It’s really the deeper teams that make the runs,” said Macri. “It’s awfully hard at this level with just one or two standouts. It becomes a 3 and a 4-line game.

“I think we’re going to have two solid lines, the third line is going to need a little bit of work and everyone else will be battling for spots.”

Nutley opens the regular sea son on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 7:45 p.m. against the Frisch School at Codey Arena in West Orange. Two nights later it will host a new division foe, Kearny, at 8 p.m. at Codey Arena.

Photo by Jason Bernstein

The Nutley-Bloomfield-Columbia ice hockey team poses for a photo after practice on Saturday, Nov. 26 at Codey Arena in West Orange.

Obituaries

Kenneth J. Meyers

Kenneth J. Meyers of Kearny died peacefully on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.

He was 73.

A funeral service will take place at the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison, on Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 6:30 p.m. Friends and relatives may visit Tuesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. His final disposition will be private.

If you would like to send a condolence message to his family, please visit www.mul liganfh.com.

Born in Jersey City, Ken was a lifelong resident of Kearny. He worked in Premium Guest Services for the Prudential Center, Izod Center and Met Life Stadium until his retirement in 2019. Prior to that, he worked as a warehouseman for Ford Motor Company, Teterboro, for 30-plus years, retiring in 2007.

He served his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War in Panama.

He was a member of U.A.W. Local No. 2210 Teterboro, and the Joseph E. Frobisher Jr. American Legion Post No. 99 Kearny.

In his free time, he enjoyed volunteering with his wife at the local Animal Rescue, F.O.W.A. Rescue, Inc., in Wayne, and fishing whenever possible.

Kenneth is survived by his beloved wife, Carole H. Annafravage Meyers, a loving daughter and son-in-law, Therese Nonevitch-Fedor chak (Meyers) and her hus band, Jeffrey; dear siblings Frank Meyers and his wife, Rosemary, Karen Dunwoodie and her husband, Tom and Rosemary Centi and her hus band, David. He is also sur vived by cherished friends he treated like they were his own daughters, Donna Krusznis, Jean Marie Cadorette, Jenn McMullen and Jamie Cap pilo, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. He will also be greatly missed by his many furry and feathered friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to F.O.W.A. Rescue, Inc., P.O. Box 3701 Wayne, N.J. 07470 or the Joseph E. Frobisher

Jr. American Legion Post 99, “Boys State,” 314 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, N.J. 07032 or if desired, in care of the funeral home, in loving memory of Ken.

Rev. Joseph J. Gross

The Rev. Joseph J. Gross returned to the house of our Heav enly Father Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Baltimore.

He was 78.

Born and raised in Kearny, he was the beloved son of Lt. Joseph J. Gross (+1945) and Anna Stemplinger Gross Cas sidy (+2009). He moved to Maryland in 1962, as he began his studies for the priest hood with the Order of the Holy Trinity (Trinitarians) at Sacred Heart Monastery, Pikesville, Maryland.

Ordained a priest there Sept. 19, 1970, his ministry was both academic and pastoral and was lived out in the United States, Canada, Europe and Latin America.

He had been a member of the Trinitarian Order for 50

years.

Returning to Baltimore, Fr. Joseph happily spent his retirement years there.

He is survived by many cousins as well as by nu merous friends from many countries.

Funeral rites will take place Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, beginning with Mass being celebrated at 11 a,m. at Queen of Peace Church, 10 Franklin Place, North Arlington and, immediately afterward, con cluding with the burial of his cremains in the family plot in Holy Cross Cemetery, 340 Ridge Road, North Arlington.

Donations may be made in his memory to Moveable Feast, 901 N. Milton Ave., Baltimore, Md. 21205, a com munity organization whose mission it is to care for men, women and children living with life-threatening illnesses by preparing and delivering nutritious meals.

Italo Della Fera

Italo Della Fera, 91, of North Arlington, formerly of Kearny, died peacefully on Nov. 26, 2022.

Born in Calabritto, Italy, he made his home in America at the age of 19. Italo was a mas

All obituaries must be submitted by email by 10 a.m., Mondays, to obituaries@ theobserver.com. Payment is due at submission.

ter tailor, and after his retire ment from Brooks Brothers clothing, he was employed as a crossing guard for the North Arlington School District.

Italo is survived by his wife, Anna Maria (Sica), his daugh ter Diane Carione (Bill), Sam Della Fera (Virginia) and his two granchildren Laura and Pasquale Carione, as well as many nieces, nephews and their children.

Relatives and friends may visit in the Condon Funer al Home, 684 Kearny Ave., Kearny (condonfuneralhome. com) on Thursday, Dec. 1, from 2-6 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, Dec. 2, at 11 a.m. at St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny. Entombment will follow in Holy Cross Chapel Mausole um, North Arlington.

Novena to St. Jude May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us. St. Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us. Please grant my request. Say this prayer 9 times a day. By the 9th day your prayer will be answered. It has never been known to fail. Publica tion must be promised. Thank you Saint Jude.

L.

You will feel as if friends of family have taken over when you entrust funeral arrangements to the Wilfred Armitage Funeral Home. The family-owned firm has been in business for 100 years, serving generations in West Hudson and South Bergen. Its beautiful facilities, in a setting reminiscent of a colonial mansion, reflect the graciousness and tact of its understanding personnel.

Drive sober this holiday season, or police will pull you over

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

Law enforcement from the Harri son Police Department and other departments statewide will crack down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end-of-year “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. Beginning Dec. 2, 2022 and continuing through Jan. 1, 2023, local, county and state law enforcement will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motor ists who may be driving while intoxicated.

The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” effort endeav ors to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through a combina tion of high-visibility enforcement and public education.

“During the last five years, New Jer sey has experienced more than 33,000 alcohol-involved crashes resulting in 662

fatalities,” Harrison Lt. Stan Titterington said. “This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when social gatherings with alcohol increase the risk of impaired

mated to be $44 billion annually.

Law enforcement agencies partici pating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2022 Year End Holiday Crackdown offer the following advice for the holiday season:

n Take mass transit, a taxi cab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.

n Spend the night where the activity or party is held.

n If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inac tion could cost a life.

n Always buckle-up, every ride. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

Garfield School names October Students of the Month

Donna Masters, principal of Garfield School, Kearny, announces the following Student of the Month for October 2022.

driving.”

Last year, 23% of all motor vehicle fa talities in New Jersey were alcohol-relat ed. Nationally, 11,654 people died in 2020 in drunken-driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is esti

n If you are intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive or escort you to your doorstep.

n Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

Kindergarten: Melody Cheng, Gianella Linares, Aston Scarpa; 1st Grade: Camryn Kyak, Mcken zie Murphy, Jose Vargas Garcia; 2nd Grade: Amir Amraoui, Dariel Felipe, Blaik Scarpa; 3rd Grade: Victoria DaCunha, Iza abeth Moya, Sophia Rojas; 4th Grade: Anthony Maza Chalaco, Jonathan Ruiz, Andres Ulloa Calderon; 5th Grade: Brian Chesney, Emi ly Gomez, Muhammed Jalil, Cole Murphy; 6th Grade: Sara Guerra, James Miras sol, Jaxson Ramcharitar, Monica Ramos; Computers: Stephan Carfagna.

Kearny PBA, FMBA & CS unions team with Observer for successful food drive

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. with Mina Ekladious

For the first time ever, Kearny’s PBA Local 21, FMBA 18/218 and Civil Service 11 partnered with The Observer to conduct a Thanksgiving Food Drive to benefit the Kearny Food Pantry Network which provides assistance to Kearny residents in need.

Scores of residents donated food at Kearny Police Headquarters, Kearny Fire Headquarters, the Department of Public Works and at The Observer.

Shortly after the drive flier was distributed on social media and in The Observer, residents not just from Kearny flocked to those locations, demonstrating incredible generosity.

“One of the greatest things I noticed during the Thanksgiving Food Drive was watching the community come together to support one another which made the food drive that more meaningful,” Mina Ekladious, president of the PBA, said. “Being a Kearny resident for nearly three decades, I’m beyond grateful to be in a position to work with the FMBA, CS-11 and The Observer to put together a platform that brought so many residents together for a great cause. I can’t thank those residents enough for their generosity and contributions to our community.”

But it wasn’t just local residents who contributed many businesses did, too, in great numbers.

Nicolas Pirela, owner of FirePit of Kearny, donated a large haul of items. Magdy Awad and Michael Attaalla, of MBM Auto Group Sales, donated a large haul of items. Jorge and Daniel Santos, owners of Super Laundromat, donated approximately 100 turkeys. Mike Liegel, general manager of NuWay Concessionaires, donated gift cards. Richard Tully, owner of ShopRite of Kearny, and Dave Moran, owner of Moran Towing, donated turkeys. And Helen O’Keefe of M&T Bank’s Kearny Branch.

Also, Washington School students and Principal Jon Zimmerman created a donation box and forwarded their food collection to the pantry.

Matthew Hohmann, asset protection manager of Walmart of Kearny, assisted in discounting the cost of the turkeys. Anthony Deluca, assistant vice president of Kearny Bank, collected items at Kearny Bank and forwarded their collection to the

pantry.

“The generosity of local residents and the business community never ceases to amaze me,” Ekladious said. “We are very fortunate to live in such a great community where people take care of each other, no matter what the circumstances are. And as the president of the PBA and a Kearny resident, I am grateful to have been witness to that generosity. Also, I give a lot of credit and thanks to Susan Harris, Holly Capobianco and the entire Kearny Food Pantry Network volunteers for all of their hard work to assure the food drives success.”

Juan Barroso Jr., secretary of the FMBA, and long-time community volunteer, concurred.

“I grew up in Harrison and this is always a special time of year for me,” Barroso said. “My mom always made the holidays a special time for me and my family, so being able to do the same for families who might not otherwise have a good holiday is very important to me and all of our members.”

Similarly, it was the same for Brett Mussenden, president of CS-11.

“It is a humbling experience, but to see the looks of gratitude on the faces of the food recipients makes it all worth it,” Mussenden said. “We were so honored, all civil service employees, to take part in such a great effort along with the other unions and The Observer.”

Lastly, The Observer’s Co-owner Lisa M. Feorenzo was delighted to to team up with Kearny’s three employee unions.

“I’ve been in Kearny for 40+ years, and no matter what the reason is, the people here always come together to make a difference for people in need,” Feorenzo said. “We are so grateful to Mina, Juan and Brett for allowing us to be a very small part of something so very important and big.”

Food collected after Thanksgiving will still be donated to the pantry for Christmastime and beyond. Lastly, members of the PBA — and likely the other unions — will be on hand for the holiday Tree Lighting Thursday, Dec. 1, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Town Hall and the adjacent Town Hall Park.

Be sure to stop by the booth to say “hello” and spend time with the police officers, firefighters and town workers who will be on hand in an informal setting.

NETWORK ADMINISTRATOR

The Town of Kearny seeks a qualified Network Administrator. The position will be responsible to ensure the stable operation of the municipal computer networks.

Duties include maintaining, configuring, installing, supporting, planning, developing, and optimizing all network hardware, software, and communication links/platforms. The Network Administrator will also analyze and resolve end user hardware and software computer problems in a timely and accurate fashion and provide end user training where required.

Salary negotiable depending upon qualifications.

For NJ CSC job description: https://info.csc.state.nj.us/jobspec/10107.htm.

For applications and instructions: https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/.

Application deadline 11/30/2022 27W04

Pathways to Independence, Inc., A day program supporting adults with intellectual & developmental disabilities M-F 8:30AM - 4:30PM Career opportunities for: Employment Specialist/Job Coach F/T ($17.50/hr.)

Evaluate/Support adults referred by DVR in locating community employment. 2 year Associate degree required.

One to One Direct Support Professional FT ($16.00/hr) working within our adult training program, providing individualized supports to one adult with disabilities. Direct Support Professionals FT & PT ($14.82-15.25/hr.) Providing supports to adults with disabilities within our Adult Training Program. OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAREER GROWTH Excellent time off benefits (FT & PT) / and excellent medical benefits for FT Must have HS Dip/GED all positions must have a clean driving record. Pathways to Independence, 60 Kingsland Ave. Kearny, NJ 07032 or email resume to: pti450@aol.com (or visit us 9:30AM – 3PM M-F to apply) A great place to work & make a difference in the lives of adults with disabilities. eeo 29W03

Parking Enforcement Officer/Parking Meter Collector

Under direction, patrols designated areas and issues summonses for street sweeping, meter enforcement and parking violations, collects monies from parking meters and other related duties.

Knowledge of problems involved in parking violations or the procedures used in dealing with such problems. Ability to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the municipality. Valid NJ drivers license required. Position is subject to a comprehensive background check. 35 hr week.Salary $28,963 with full benefit package. https://info.csc.state.nj.us/jobspec/07310.htm

Applications available here https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/.

Application Deadline December 30, 2022

Please mail application to The Town of Kearny 402 Kearny Ave Kearny NJ 07032

The following residential preferences shall apply:

1. Residents of the Town of Kearny and the City of Newark; 2. Residents of Hudson and Essex Counties;

W 3. Residents of the State of New Jersey. Proof of residency is required: applicants shall provide copies of the first page (only) of the last three (3) 1040 tax returns with the financial data redacted and a Government issued photo identification card (i.e. current NJ Driver’s License. 30W03

TECHNICIAN MIS

The Town of Kearny seeks a fulltime Technician MIS. The position will be responsible to ensure the stable operation of the municipal computer networks. Duties include maintaining, configuring, installing, supporting, planning, developing, and optimizing all network hardware, software, and communication links. The Technician MIS will also analyze and resolve end user hardware and software computer problems in a timely and accurate fashion and provide end user training where required.

Salary range ($45-843-$69,146). For NJ CSC job description: https://info.csc.state.nj.us/jobspec/53099.htm

For applications and instructions: https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/.

Application deadline 11/30/2022 27W04

Webmaster/Social Media Coordinator for municipal website and social media content. Ideal candidate should have two (2) years of successful experience building and/or updating websites and posting content on various social media platforms. Hourly rate is negotiable depending upon qualifications. The application deadline is December 30, 2022. See application on https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/.

The Town reserves the right to hire or contract with a qualified candidate or vendor before the application deadline. 30W03

MAINTENANCE

We are a well-established manufacturing facility looking for an experienced individual who will take charge of the upkeep of our facilities, grounds and equipment. This is a “Hands On” position. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Implement an ongoing maintenance program

• Troubleshooting and repairs of equipment

• Site repairs consisting of plumbing, electrical and carpentry

• Scheduling routine and required inspections (fire alarms, sprinklers)

• Maintenance of grounds including cleaning of parking areas and streets, lighting, drainage and irrigation

• Responding to heat and cold calls, and all other maintenance issues as may be required Must possess the following qualifications: Proficiency in all trades including HVAC, electrical, and plumbing, carpentry

Excellent problem-solving ability Self-starter with good communication skills

Valid NJ Drivers License and own transportation

Minimum 5 years experience

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package. Please fill out application at 57 John Hay Ave or 577 Elm Street, Kearny or call Irene at 201-991-5330 x212 for more information or Email: info@LRultrasonics.co` Applications available 30W03

ACCOUNTING/ BOOKKEEPING

Bank Reconciliation

Payroll, Journal Entry experience required. Work with MS Word, Excel & Quickbooks. Bilingual English/ Portuguese/Spanish Fax resume to 201-955-3339 29W03

MAINTENANCE PERSON

AT CITY BARREL

46 CORDIER ST IRVINGTON, N.J. 973-465-7800 FAX 973465-7803 EMAIL citybarrelinc@aol.com 29W03

Need Drivers/ Loader, pick-up passengers in van and load in helicopter. Full/Part time position Retires welcome call (862)849-2652 Location Kearny NJ Heliport 30W07

BELLEVILLE 2nd floor.

2 BR. EIK. LR. $1300 + 1 months security. Utilities not included. Close to TRANS. Available January 1st (973)563-7479 or (973)650-9855 28W03

BELLEVILLE 1 Bedroom, LR, EIK. $1600, All utilities included. Electric, Gas, Heat & HW. Verizon cable and WIFI included. Near transportation. 1 months security. Available Now (973)759-5929 28W03

KEARNY 726 Elm Street

1 BR Garden apartment HW floors. H/HW supplied. Close to $1300Transportation. + 1 months security + real estate fee. Available December 1st Call Chris (332)202-5881 28W03

KEARNY Newly renovated. 2nd fl. 3 BR, LR, DR, Family room, Outdoor porch. Hardwood floors through out C/A, 1 Bath, EIK, Laundry hook-up, no pets. no smoking, $2,400 + 1.5 month security. Utilities separate. Avl. Now Call (973) 474-8614 28W03

LYNDHURST 1st floor.

Large Studio Apt. Full bath. EIK. No Pets/Smoking, $1250 + 1 months security. Available after November 15th. All utilities included.Good credit Call between 9am - 5pm (201)655-4663 or (201)655-4664 28W03

KEARNY 2 BR, with 1 Bath, LR.DR. Newly remodeled kitchen with granite tops & refinished floors. No Pets $1800 + 1.5 months security. Utilitues separate. Garage & driveway availalble for additional cost. Available December 1st (201)3767464 28W03

KEARNY Spacious 3 BR’S. 2 BATH’S. Open conCept Full Kitchen & LR. Laundry hook-up available $2500 + 1.5 months security. No Pets Available December 15th Amble street parking (201)681-0912 28W03

HARRISON Sussex St. 1 BR, Ground Fl. Walk To PATH & NJIT. $1150 month + utilities. 1 1/2 months security. Parking $50.00 No Pets. Available December 16th. (973) 687-7500 28W03

HARRISON Newly updated. 2nd floor. 2 BR, 1 Bath. EIK. $1800 + 1.5 months security. Utilities separate. No Pets/Smoking Available Now (908)397-2412 30W03

N.ARLINGTON Studio, 1 BR, EIK, Bath. 1.5 Months security. Utilities included. No Pets/No Smoking. 1 person preferred. Available Now (201)4288815 30W03

N.ARLINGTON

Newly renovated Garden Apartment for rent. Nice area. 1 BR.3 rooms. $1675 + 1 months security. H/HW included. No Pets/Smoking. Single or Couple preferred. 1 Parking space. Laundry on premise. Call between 10am - 7pm (201)997-2341 30W03

GARFIELD 2 bedroom apartment, Large LR, Large Kitchen, Large DR. All ceramic tile and HW floors Walk up attic, backyard, Laundry Hookup. $1,950/mth Available Now. (973)277-0942 28W03

SEEKING APARTMENT

RENTAL Family of 3 looking for an apartment to rent in Kearny or surrounding area. We are section 8 approved and looking for a 2 bedroom apartment. . Smoke free and no pets. Both parents are working and our son is going to school. Please call sandy at 973 280 9198 or contact her by email calilsmom1231@ yahoo.com 29W03

Barbara Gerbasio Real Estate

N.ARLINGTON Apt fr rent No pets. No smoking. Available now 201997-6666 29W06

Belleville SAL retires nearly 4,000 American Flags in moving ceremony

“Let these faded flags of our country be retired and destroyed with respectful and honorable rites and their places be taken by bright new flags of the same size and kind,” American Legion Post 105 Commander Joseph J. Cobi anchi said as part of the Ceremo ny for Disposal of Unserviceable Flags, Nov. 20 in the parking lot of Post 105 at 621 Washington Avenue in Belleville.

Organized by Post 105 Legion naires and members of the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) Squadron 105, between 3,000 and 4,000 flags were retired in

the scripted ceremony. This year, Scouts from Cub Scout Pack 141 and Girl Scouts from Troops 20122 and 20462 were invited to participate as well.

Some of the flags retired were shredded and tattered, coming from homes, public buildings and businesses from around the area. Post 105 has a mail box outside the building where people may drop their old flags to be destroyed. Over 7,000 flags each year are dropped off at the Post from cemeteries around Belleville to be retired as well, which have been placed on the

graves of veterans for Memorial Day.

The ceremony took five hours, with Legionnaires and SAL’s standing guard over the fire until it was completely out, as per the American Legion retirement ceremony. Legionnaire Ed Hall, who is also an SAL honoring his father’s service, spoke about why the ceremony really touched him:

“… Because so many people have fought so hard to give us the freedom we have. These flags represent all of that,” he said

Girl Scouts offering Santa pics with pooches and people

Santa event Dec. 11, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Girl Scout House, 635 Ke arny Ave., Kearny.

The backdrop and Santa will be supplied and someone will be available to take pic tures with your device. Pictures may include humans and pets.

While there is no cost to come take your own pictures, it is asked adults bring one of either unwanted blankets and towels to be donated to an animal shelter; pet food either cat/dog wet/dry; dog treats; or a $5 monetary donation to be used to purchase pet supplies for an animal shelter.

As a reminder — dogs must be leashed and cats should be in a carrier.

Nutley kids have direct line to Santa w/mailbox in town

Nutley plans to once again collect letters written to Santa by children in the township and forward them directly to Santa Claus in the North Pole. Santa has promised each and every letter will be read and responded to, thanks to the Santa Express Mailbox. The special mailbox will be placed at the Nutley Park Oval entrance on Chestnut Street where children may deliver letters starting Fri day, Nov. 25 through Mon day, Dec. 12, allowing Santa enough time to respond to

each letter.

Parents are asked to re member to have children in clude their ages and return address, or an email address, if you prefer to receive an “e-letter” from Santa. Keep in mind mail service may be delayed during the holiday season.

If you choose to receive a mailed letter, including your street address is very im portant since Santa doesn’t always have the luxury of time to look up addresses during the busy holiday season.

BELLEVILLE

store in Belleville,” he said.

Melham said there was nothing precluding the township from scrapping the current plan and re-considering an accommodation of Home Depot but he went on to say that “big boxes don’t seem to be working today. Big boxes are dying,” giving way to online businesses.

While acknowledging several township officials did hear an informal presentation from the giant retailer, Third Ward Councilman Vincent Cozzarelli said the company’s plan was illconceived because its plan to replace the K-mart with a larger one with deck parking and an outdoor garden center would displace much of the existing parking lot and make it tougher for tractor-trailer delivery trucks to safely maneuver in and out of the site.

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The governing body also ratified a proposal by Police Chief Mark Minichini to outsource the coordination of off-duty employment of police officers to

BELLEVILLE UPDATE

Jobs4Blue, a subsidiary of VCS Human Capital Management.

Minichini said the service — which he said he was handling — would be provided at no cost to the township and an 8% administrative fee would be passed on to the vendor requesting service.

“There’s a lot of work involved,” the chief said. “(Outsourcing the service) was recommended by our auditor,” he added, noting he was one of the last remaining chiefs in the region to accept that proposal.

Minichini told The Observer having an outside firm handle the assignment and payment of officers for off-duty assignments “makes it simpler, more efficient,” particularly with the increased volume of such jobs, whether it’s for safeguarding road work by contractors, installation of gas lines by PSE&G or requests for police presence out-of-town.

“At a peak, we were running six to eight (jobs) a day, not counting stores (requesting security),” he said.

Continued from Page 8

Due to the sign of injury, nonetheless, Officer San Martin was legally obligated to lodge a simple assault charge over the victim’s objection. Later that night, the victim’s husband turned himself in and was charged by summons with simple assault and later released.

On Nov. 14 at 9:36 p.m., Officers Chris Montes, Kevin Matos, Lawrence Latka and Cort Montanino were dispatched to a report of a restraining-order violation at a private apartment. A 43-year-old man reported his 20-year-old son, whom officers arrested last week for a restraining order violation, returned to his apartment and let himself in with a key he refused to return. The son then fled when his father called 911.

Officer Montes filed another charge of contempt against the son for again violating the restraining order, as well as charges for harassment and burglary. By 11:26 p.m., the son was back at his dad’s apartment door.

Officer Angel Martinez responded and arrested the

son, seizing his apartment key in the process. Following arrest processing, the defendant was held at the Hudson County Jail.

On Nov. 17 at 4:53 a.m., Officers Anthony Oliveira and Alvaro Goncalves responded to 993 Belleville Tpk. where a head-on car crash had occurred. Officer Oliveira spoke with the driver of one of the crashed vehicles, Maureen T. Morstatt, 30, of Hoboken.

The preliminary investigation showed Morstatt veered into oncoming traffic while traveling on Belleville Turnpike where she struck a vehicle in the opposite lane. No serious injuries were reported. While interviewing Morstatt, Officer Oliveira observed signs she was impaired.

He administered roadsidesobriety tests, which Morstatt failed.

Officer Oliveira arrested her and took her to police headquarters for breath-alcohol testing. Following those tests, Morstatt was charged with DWI, reckless driving and failure to keep right.

She was later released with summonses.