e-Newspaper for March 15, 2023

‘SHREK’ COMING TO KHS

Three shows will be performed this weekend at school auditorium

By Ron Leir ronleir423@gmail.com

Much like the hero of “Shrek the Musical” emerging on a mercy mission, the Kearny High School Musical Theatre Academy marks its second year back from the COVID-19 quagmire, returning to the stage with a production featuring the mythical ogre.

The show opens March 16 for a weekend run at the high school.

In March 2020 the KHSMTA was primed to present “The Adams Family” but was

Nutley and West Hudson celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day with parades

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

In a two-week span, both Nutley and West Hudson celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with parades.

The parades featured marchers from all over the region and both were lively events that were well attended.

Nutley’s parade featured Grand Marshal Francis J. Costenbader, Deputy Grand Mar-

shal Joseph H. McNish Jr., Member of the Year JoAnn Dunleavy, Parade Queen Allison Connor and Police Officer of the Year Steve A. Plummer.

West Hudson’s parade featured Grand Marshal James Lawless and Deputy Grand Marshals LisaAnne Schalago and Marybeth Kennedy.

Be sure to see a selection of photos on pages 7 and 8 of this week’s edition of The Observer.

forced to close opening night after several of the lead players fell ill and, the following year, with the pandemic in full swing, there was no show.

But last year, the Academy was back in the fold with a successful performance of “In the Heights” and now it’s “Shrek” in the spotlight.

Milagros “Milly” Gonzalez, director/choreographer, said this year’s production is unique in two ways.

“For 90% of this cast (37 girls and 13 boys), it will be

See SHREK, Page 18

 BLOOMFIELD  EAST NEWARK  HARRISON  KEARNY  LYNDHURST  NORTH ARLINGTON  NUTLEY

Photo by Teddy Jao Lopez Bagpipers from the New Jersey State police perform in the 2023 Nutley St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

The Cast of ‘Shrek’

Belleville Sons visit & donate to Fischer House Foundation home

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

The Sons of the American Legion (SAL) Squadron 105 in Belleville, for the fourth straight year, has concluded a fundraiser resulting in the donation of $2,500 to the Fisher House Foundation, a series of comfort homes at VA hospitals across the country for veterans and their families.

Belleville SAL says $1,250 of that donation was then also matched by corporate donor Signia. This year’s program was more impactful to the Sons than previous years as it actually had an opportunity to visit a Fisher House in New York City.

Sons from Belleville took a trip in early February to make a portion of the donation in person to the Fisher at the John J. Peters VA Medical Center in the Bronx, while also getting a tour of the facility.

“I was blown away by today, I really was,” SAL 105 Commander Steve Sangemino said following the visit.

The Fisher House Foundation builds comfort homes where military and veterans’ families may stay, free of charge, while a loved one is in hospital. These homes are located at military and VA medical centers around the world.

Fisher Houses have up to 21 suites, with private bedrooms and baths. Families share a common kitchen, laundry

facilities, a warm dining room and an inviting living room. Since inception, the program has saved military and veterans’ families an estimated $451 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation. It is in this way a veteran may be surrounded by his family during perhaps some of the most difficult times in their lives. Currently, the foundation is building its 100th home in

Atlanta.

The houses is built by the foundation using private funds, then gifted to the federal Secretary of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA). They’re built directly on VA property, and are available to veterans and their families for as long as they are getting care, at $0 cost. Stays might range from a few days, to weeks, to months.

The donations from SAL 105 were raised in a 50/50 raffles in November and December. This year, the SAL printed 400 tickets, which were sold in just three days. Another 200 were printed by Thanksgiving and they, too, sold out, netting a donation of $1,500.

At a meeting in January, the squadron then voted to add $1,000 on top of what was raised through the 50/50, making the total donation $2,500.

A portion of the donation was made in person to Belleville’s nearest Fisher House in the Bronx. House Manager Ellen Trbovich arranged a tour and coffee afterward.

“ … Your donations are greatly appreciated and will go a long way to help the families here. This all helps the veteran in the hospital, so they don’t have to worry about their family,” she said Michael Vahoviak, an assistant manager, while chatting over coffee about what a big impact these donations have on how the house is operated, said: “All of the donations –100% of them — go to these families. Especially important for those who can’t afford it.”

After returning home, the group recounted the experience to Post 105’s Walter LaBar, an Air Force veteran and the Legion’s First Vice Commander. He said: “…it sounds like another name for the Fisher House should be the ‘Dream House,’ because it’s a dream-come-true for those who need it.”

Find out more about Fisher House by visiting www.fisherhouse.org.

Contributed photo

House Manager Ellen Trbovich gives a tour with First Vice Commander James Elsmore and Commander Steve Sangemino at a Fischer House location in the Bronx.

Contract proposals due to Kearny by March 17 for new EMS/ambulance service

By Ron Leir ronleir423@gmail.com

With time running out on Kearny’s interim ambulance service, the town is getting ready to either re-up with the current provider or switch to an alternate EMS operator. Contract offers are due St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.

RWJBarnabas Health is engaged on a 90-day basis to respond to local medical emergencies, at no cost to the town, after the departure of Kearny EMS, run by Harry McNeill, on Dec. 31, 2022.

A Request for Proposal put out by the town calls for EMS vendors to “provide basic life support and emergency ambulance transport services for a period of between one

and up to five years, beginning April 1, 2023.”

The town will award a contract “based on technical and cost proposals/responses which are most advantageous to the municipality.”

As was the case with Kearny EMS, the new EMS provider will be quartered on the first floor of the townowned office/garage building at 352 Maple St. at no cost but “shall own, operate, maintain, insure and fuel all ambulance(s) assigned to work in Kearny…at its sole expense.”

Also, the EMS provider “shall own and operate its own radio system” to allow staff to talk directly with the town’s police and fire telecommunicators and report

to all emergency medical calls within 9 minutes or less and respond “to all working fires and remain on scene, until released, to treat and/ or transport any/all emergency first responders or fire victims as necessary.”

The provider will be expected to honor the town’s existing mutual aid agreements with Harrison, East Newark, Belleville, North Arlington and Lyndhurst and “any request for mutual aid shall not unreasonably be denied.”

It must have a management plan for the supervision of all EMTs and other staff assigned to work in Kearny.

The service must “provide at least one ambulance to cover all major community

events and mass gatherings” such as July 4 fireworks display, National Night Out, school graduations, occasional sports games, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Town Hall holiday tree lighting. No EMS transports are permitted for “routine non-emergency medical

calls between and/or among hospitals, doctors’ offices, medical facilities or medical office buildings.”

The service will be expected to bill Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance firms and shall seek charity care funding for the uninsured if

See EMS, Page 19

OPEN HOUSES

Holding open houses has been a critical feature in the real estate market for many years. It is a great low-pressure way to show a home. The function of an open house is to open the property up for inspection to potential buyers. Although it can create quite a bit of work for the real estate agent, there are benefits to having an open house over the conventional “by appointment” method. To begin with, more buyers can be attracted in this fashion at one time, particularly if the open house is being held over a weekend. There is also more exposure for the real estate agent and a better ability to communicate directly with buyers about other potential

properties.

In the competitive world of real estate, open houses are wonderful tools for both buyers and sellers. An open house is an effective way increasing the exposure of a home for sale, as it draws in potential buyers who can get a look at what’s available in an unhurried and relaxing way. We have made it a practice to focus on aggressively marketing our listings to ensure that our sellers’ properties receive maximum coverage and generate maximum interest. Call us for an appointment to discuss an individualized marketing plan. “Our success has been built one satisfied customer at a time.”

Hudson Scholars program recognized with national award

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

Hudson County Community College’s Hudson Scholars program was recognized with the 2023 National Bellwether Award late last month at the 2023 Bellwether College Consortium “Community College Futures Assembly” in San Antonio, Texas.

The award recognizes cutting-edge, trendsetting programs that address critical issues facing community colleges through applicable research and the promotion and replication of best practices in instructional programs and services,

workforce development and planning, governance and finance. The award is competitively judged and awarded by peers in leadership positions.

Ten Bellwether Program finalists from across the United States were selected to compete in each category and the selection process included two rounds of judging by peers and academicians in the field. The finalist teams made presentations to a jury of anonymous judges that included community college national association leaders, college leaders, business and technology leaders and national policy influencers.

HCCC was also a top ten 10 finalist in the workforce development category (“Gateway to Innovation” program) and planning, governance and finance category (“Building an Inclusive and Engaged Workforce”). As such, the college was one of only two community colleges in the United States to be invited to compete in all

three program categories.

Christopher Reber, HCCC president, led the “Hudson Scholars” team, which included (pictured) Gretchen Schulthes, director of advisement; John Urgola, director of institutional research and planning; Mackenzie Johnson, “Hudson Scholars” academic counselor; and Natalie Jimenez, HCCC student and “Hudson Scholars” participant.

“This award is especially meaningful because the Hudson Scholars program reflects our college community’s collective commitment to our students’ success,” Reber said. “We offer heartfelt thanks to the Bellwether College Consortium and to all at HCCC who work every day to provide life-changing opportunities for our students and the people of Hudson County.”

The Hudson Scholars program uses best practices of the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) and the City University of New York (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP). Hudson Scholars provides proactive advisement, financial stipends and early academic intervention to ensure a greater number of students facing financial challenges, language barriers, employment concerns and family responsibilities complete their college education, achieve their goals, and realize their dreams.

The program is open to incoming students enrolled for at least six credit hours of coursework at HCCC including students enrolled in their final semester of English as a Second Language (ESL), and all levels of academic foundations English. Participants have the advantage of meeting regularly with Hudson Scholars academic counselors, whose caseloads are 80% smaller than those of other advisers, and who keep students on track with an early-alert system.

Counselors keep track of academic progress, prompt students to complete assigned tasks, assist students in setting academic and career goals, monitor outside factors that may impact students’ progress and make referrals to on-campus services such as tutoring and mental health counseling.

Scholars are further incentivized to engage in high-impact practices each month and receive monthly stipends of $125 to $250 for completing designated tasks and achieving important academic milestones. The stipends are used for books and supplies, food and bills, transportation, housing, tuition, childcare and other purposes.

HCCC formulated the program to initially serve 800 students — four times the number of students enrolled in the HCCC EOF program. The number of students in the program has since increased to 1,700, and by meeting or exceeding retention benchmarks, the revenue from increased retention has exceeded program costs (salaries/benefits, stipends) that were initially funded using federal stimulus dollars.

“The outcomes of this program are beyond expectations,”. Reber said. “It is immensely gratifying to see the differences the program model is making for our students.”

Some of the most significant outcomes include:

Students participating in the program are happy with its effect on their quest for a college degree.

“I really enjoyed the program, and I felt the one-on-one contact made me more confident,” Hudson Scholars participant Christina Arteta, who is set to graduate in May, said. “I felt like someone cared and I was not just another student.”

This is not the first time “Hudson Scholars” has received national recognition.

The League for Innovation in the Community College honored the program with that organization’s 202122 Innovation of the Year Award.

HCCC is further scaling the scholars model to all students served by the college over the next two years.

OPINION & VIEWPOINTS

EDITORIAL

In thanks to Kearny’s own LisaAnne Schalago for all she’s accomplished

The beauty of errors is in being able to rectify them. And, a week ago, in anticipation of the 2023 United Irish Associations of West Hudson’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a story profiling LisaAnne Schalago misspelled her first and last names as well as the names of two of her daughters.

We’re not going to get into a tit-for-tat over why this happened or how it happened (though we do hope the United Irish sends us more information throughout the course of the year starting now) but we take this time to single Schalago out today because March 12, 2023, was her day — and when she opened the newspaper on March 7, we know her disappointment was brutal. None of it was intentional, but we nonetheless wanted to remind all our readers of what a special human being Lisa is.

I first met Lisa in 1998. I was walking doorto-door in Kearny’s Second Ward, campaigning with my friend Nancy Ware, as I ran for Town Council. Nancy introduced me to Lisa when we knocked on her front door on Ivy Street.

It didn’t take much convincing. She agreed to put my sign on her front lawn, which, in 1998, was a big deal. At the time, I was misguidedly a Republican, and Lisa — not a Republican. She was a member of the Franklin School PTA, a most non-partisan position, but she still said “yes,” she put up the sign, she wound up walking the neighborhood with me several times, in both the primary and then the general election. And in November of that year, I lost the election by an unimpressive 400+ votes, to the eventual Mayor Alberto G. Santos.

Fortunately, her reputation survived this — for years to come — and she went on to do so many great things, up to and including being an elected member of the Kearny Board of Education.

Lisa congratulations on your accomplishments. We are grateful for all you have done for the little town you love so much.

And of course, we extend the same praise to the other two honorees — James Lawless and Marybeth Kennedy — for their special day, too.

Grade 5&6 basketball champions

The Miami Hurricanes are the 2023 Kearny Recreation fifth- and sixth-grade basketball champions. The Canes finished the season 8-1. The team includes, top row from left, Coach Nick Riccardi, Guilerhme Liam, Nathan Gonzalez, Nathan Rivera, Daniel Fernandez, Liam Riccardi, coach Will Milne and assistant coach Jayden Milne. In the bottom row, from left are, Noah Lopez, Ryan Milne, Amine Alami, Kyle Magesty & Alexis Cohetero.

The Observer’s correction policy

The Observer strives to bring our readers the best and the most accurate news. However, from time to time, there may be mistakes in what we report. As such, we take our obligation to report errors seriously.

So, if you believe we’ve made an error, please send an e-mail to editorial@theobserver. com, indicating what is to be corrected. We will ensure a correction is noted (if necessary) in a future print edition — and online.

If access to e-mail is not possible, please call us at (201) 991-1600.

Lisa M.

Feorenzo lisa@theobserver.com

Co-owner/Advertising Dir.

Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

Editor/Broadcaster

Tina Feorenzo Co-owner/Advertising

Robert

P. Pezzolla

gm@theobserver.com General Manager

Michelle

Rybeck advertising@theobserver.com Graphic Artist/Real Estate

Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

Sports

Writer

Kimberley Pezzolla kimpezzolla@theobserver.com Sales/Classifieds

MARKING ST. PATRICK’S DAY 2023

Observer photos by Teddy Jao Lopez

It was a great weekend two weeks ago in Nutley and last weekend in West Hudson for the 2023 St. Patrick’s Day parades. Left page, clockwise from top left image, youngsters gather for Nutley’s parade. Then, Belleville’s contingent, including Mayor Michael A. Melham, march in honor of Belleville and Nutley’s honorees. And, Nutley Mayor Joseph P. Scarpelli, second from right, marches with Commissioners Mauro Tucci, Alphonse Petracco and Thomas Evans. More on the next page.

IN NUTLEY AND IN WEST HUDSON

Photos by Teddy Jao Lopez

In the right page, clockwise from top left image, Marybeth Kennedy, deputy grand marshal, second from left, with her entourage. Next, it’s LisaAnne Schalago, also deputy grand marshal, with her family and other members of the United Irish. And finally, James ‘Lucky’ Lawless, at right, the 2023 grand marshal, with his entourage, all at the 2023 West Hudson St. Patrick’s Day parade. More photos will be available online at www.theobserver.com.

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loan to value with 20% equity or 20% down payment. Rates and annual percentages are effective as of the publication date of this ad and are subject to change. Please speak with our Mortgage Department for additional terms and conditions that may apply. Subject to credit approval. Other rates and programs are available.

SPORTS & RECREATION

Lyndhurst’s Kayla Carrino signs to run at Seton Hall, completing unique recruiting journey

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

Despite being a four-year starter on Lyndhurst’s girls soccer, Kayla Carrino admits she’s “been dying to do cross country since I started in high school.”

Next fall, she’ll get that chance.

Carrino, a standout distance runner for the Golden Bears’ indoor and outdoor track teams, committed to run cross country at Seton Hall University. Her recent decision and signing is one that might have caught many by surprise if for no other reason than the fact that Carrino competed in a cross country meet in her high school career.

It was a little difficult, but I just told the (college) coaches that my loyalty was in soccer with my coach so I didn’t want to quit her team because I was loyal to her,” Carrino said. “But once I told my story about how I wanted to run cross country, I’ve run track for all four years indoor and outdoor, they understood that I’d be good at cross country.

“My times matched up to good cross country time so when coaches saw my times they believed that I would be good at cross country because of my times.”

Kearny native Jimmy Mullen gets a chance to look back on legendary HS wrestling career

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

For Jimmy Mullen, the reality of the end of his high school career hit the moment he left the wrestling mats at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall as a three-time state champion.

It wasn’t until the next day when he could truly reflect on all he has accomplished. The thousands of screaming fans had been replaced with just his best friend - Kearny wrestler Joey Rocco - and a quiet boardwalk.

“We relaxed and took a day to let it all sink in,” said Mullen, the Kearny native and star heavyweight at St. Joseph Regional in Montvale. “You get a lot of joy, thinking about how you never lost a single match down here, but then it hits you that you’re never going to be down here competing again. I could come down here a million more times, but it won’t be the same feeling.”

on that Boardwalk Hall stage won’t soon be forgotten. Facing longtime rival and friend Max Acciardi, Mullen earned the clinching takedown in the final seconds for a 5-3 victory.

“Usually my gameplan is ‘alright, let’s go score more points.But this one was more like ‘ok, I need to score more points. You can lose with a couple of seconds left, you can wrestle a full six minutes,’” said Mullen. “That’s how it turned out. I wrestled for 5 minutes and 59 seconds. The last second, I laid on top of him to preserve the win.

Carrino’s times this winter spoke for themself. On Feb. 18 at the NJSIAA Group Championships, she set school records in the 1600 Meter Run (5:24.35) and the 3200 Meter Run (11:43). Just three days earlier, Carrino won the 1600 at the Bergen County Championships with a time of 5:28.83.

“I honestly think it’s the best thing that she didn’t do cross country and I’m not selfishly saying that because I’m the soccer coach,” said Lyndhurst girls indoor track and girls soccer coach Kimberly Hykey.” Her legs have a lot less miles than these other girls that she’s going to be

It might be a long time before New Jersey sees a heavyweight with the talent and charisma of Mullen. Three state championships (he didn’t participate in the state tournament his sophomore season), a 111-7 record with none of those losses coming against NJSIAA competition.

Mullen’s final performance

“I think I’ve wrestled Max like 15 times in my high school career so we know each other like the back of our hand. That’s why every match we have is a really good one. It’s exciting to watch because it’s like two practice partners going at it. He’s a really good wrestler. Hat’s off to him, he had a great match and we put on a really good show for the crowd.”

For all of the individual accomplishments, what Mullen is most proud of is being a part of a St. Joseph team that enjoyed the greatest season in program history. The Green Knights beat Bergen Catholic for the first time in

Photo courtesy of Kimberly Hykey

Kayla Carrino following her win of two medals at the Bergen County Champioinships.

Continued

running with. She’s got a lot less wear and tear (on her legs). I’m sure she would have done super if she would have run cross country in high school.”

Carrino believes that soccer, in particular the running of playing 80 minutes as a center midfielder have helped prepare her for the rigors of cross country running without creating some of the wear and tear other runners may have.

This past season, Carrino was a First Team, All-NJIC National Division selection after posting eight goals and six assists to help lead Lyndhurst to a 13-6-2 record. For her career, she had 14 goals, seven assists and three AllNJIC honors.

“The training is different, but every summer I train as if I’m in cross country even though I don’t do it,” said Carrino, who has done some local events on her own in-

cluding the annual Run with Tyler 5K held in Lyndhurst. “I’m not used to it, but I know what the training is like and I’ve got a feel for it.”

“I think she has untapped potential and she still has a lot in her. I don’t think she’s run her best races yet because I don’t think she’s run the events that are going to be her strongest. It’s definitely a unique, interesting thing.”

It is a perfect marriage of an overlooked runner and program.

Hykey felt that Carrino was under the radar due to her lack of cross country times. Hykey also thinks that Seton Hall’s lack of indoor and outdoor track teams leaves the school overlooked when recruiting cross country prospects.

Carrino had been hearing from smaller, local schools before the start of indoor season when she asked Hykey, who played soccer at Seton Hall, if she could reach out to the school and its legendary coach John Moon.

Within 24 hours, Moon contacted Hykey and soon thereafter, reached out to Carrino. For Carrino, who intends to study biology, after a visit to campus, she was completely sold.

“As soon as I stepped on campus I just felt at home,” Carrino said. “I know they have good programs in what I’m going into, which is biology. Also Coach Moon is an amazing coach. He’s a legend, I love him and he’s a great coach.”

Not long after that, following the conclusion of a recent meet, Moon offered Carrino a spot on the phone, which was accepted.

“She’s super deserving of it because she’s one of those kids that goes under the radar. Great, quiet, nice kid that does everything right and because of not having a cross country background, she’s not on the radar for a lot of coaches,” said Hykey. “I’m very excited for her for next year because I really think further distances are going to be her strong suit.”

Continued from Page 9

more than 20 years in the regular season, then, in the NJSIAA Non-Public Tournament, St. Joseph stunned nationally-ranked Delbarton to win the Non-Public title and finish as the state’s No. 1 ranked team.

In the individuals tournament, St. Joseph set a record with 10 guys placing in the top eight in their respective weight classes.

“It was unbelievable. The amount of joy that we had as a team this year was incredible,” Mullen said. “We set so many different records state and school wise. It just was a special, special year and I wouldn’t trade it in for the world.

“My state titles, I’ll put them up with anything I’ve ever done, except the team state title. I’ll put that over anything I’ve ever done because it was a moment I got to share with 20 other guys. They were just as excited as I was. We were happy for each other and you could see the real joy coming out of their faces because they

just won a state championship. It’s a feeling that you can share with others who have the exact same feeling.”

Mullen will compete in the Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic on March 25, which is known as “The Rose Bowl of Wrestling” before he begins focusing on getting ready to wrestle and play football at Virginia Tech.

But even as he gets ready for the next level, Mullen’s hometown won’t be far away. He’s already making plans for hometown friends to visit him in Blacksburg, VA. And, as those at St. Joseph can attest to, Mullen will make it clear to all where he’s come from to get here.

“I’m still going to be rocking my Kearny gear when I’m out there,” Mullen said. “When I was at St. Joe’s everyone knew I was from Kearny and by the end of my four years everyone knew where Kearny was because I made it known that I’m still a Kearny kid at heart. I rock my Kearny gear, I still post about everything Kearny does.

“You can take the kid out of Kearny, but you can’t take the Kearny out of the kid.”

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After 29 years, Harrison’s Athletic Hall of Fame is back with star-studded class

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

If you didn’t know that Harrison High School had an Athletics Hall of Fame, don’t feel too bad, several others within the town didn’t either.

But after being dormant for nearly three decades, the Harrison High School Athletics Hall of Fame is back.

On May 4,Harrison will be presenting its first ceremony in 29 years when it welcomes a new class of inductees in an event that will be held at the Hanover Manor in East Hanover.

“A lot of people didn’t know it existed,” Harrison athletic director Sean Dolaghan said with a laugh. “Everyone’s been excited to bring it back and was thrilled. We haven’t had it in about 30 years and there’s so many great athletes that haven’t been inducted. People couldn’t believe some of the ones being inducted (this year) hadn’t already been inducted.

“We have a very special class this year going into the Hall of Fame. There are so many great Harrison athletes that aren’t in yet, but the committee and myself thought this group had to get in right away.”

Headlining the class of seven athletes, two coaches and one team is former New York Jets quarterback Ray Lucas (Boys Basketball, Football), a two-sport star at Harrison and currently the head football coach. Lucas and fellow 2023 inductee Jody Hill (Girls Basketball) were the first man and woman to score 2,000 points in their high school careers in Blue Tide history.

Others to be inducted in the May 4 ceremony are three-sport standout Krissy Kutt (Girls Basketball, Girls Soccer, Softball), Michael Landy Sr. (Baseball), John “Jackie” Thompson (Boys Soccer), Alice Burgos (Girls Basketball, Girls Soccer, Softball) and Cristhian

Acuna (Boys Soccer). Current Harrison boys soccer coach Mike Rusek as well as former boys basketball and girls soccer coach Phil Kutt are also being inducted. The 2002 Harrison boys soccer team, which went 25-0-1, won the Group 2 championship and was named the No. 1 ranked team in New Jersey by The Star-Ledger will also be honored.

“People are reaching out from all over. The community of Harrison is excellent, it’s like no other really,” said Dolaghan. “Harrison roots are strong and when people heard about who was being inducted into the Hall of Fame, they started calling.”

As a Harrison native, Dolaghan can relate. Among his childhood memories are watching some of the Blue Tide greats who were a part of this Hall of Fame class.

“My wife and I both grew up watching Jody do some special things on the basketball court,” Dolaghan said.

“My brothers and I loved watching Ray play not only football, but especially loved going to the gym on Friday nights to watch him play basketball.”

Since taking over as athletic director this past summer, one of Dolaghan’s priorities has been creating awareness of Harrison’s history of his success over the years. One of the first things was re-establishing the Hall of Fame.

After getting approval from the Board of Education’s Dr. Maureen Kroog, Dr. James Doran and Daniel Choffo; Dolaghan went about forming a Hall of Fame committee.

The committee is composed of himself, Arthur Pettigrew, Alan Doffont, Kevin Barber, Jack Rodgers, Angel Lombardi, Mike Landy, Peter Marion, Brian Toal, Mike Rusek, Mike Rusek Sr., Pedro Martinez, Mike Dolaghan and Joe Healy. Mike Dolaghan in particular, is one who Sean

credits for making this event

possible.

According to Sean Dolaghan, the first committee meeting to set up the event took place in September. After going 29 years without any inductees, the toughest part was narrowing the list down to 10 inductees. For that reason, Dolaghan promises that the Hall of Fame will become a yearly event again for the foreseeable future.

“We have so many athletes that aren’t getting in right now. The hardest part is that we have so many phenomenal athletes that have played in the last 30 years at Harrison that aren’t in and it’s tough. Everyone’s going to get in, but some are going to have to be patient. We had 20 people that could have been in this class, that’s how strong it is. We have so many athletes and teams and coaches that this could go on for a long time.”

RENTINAL VASCULAR DISEASES

Retinal vascular diseases are a set of retinal disorders that affect the blood vessels in the eyes. While each condition affects eye function and vision differently, they all involve restricted blood circulation. Changes to blood flow, blood vessel structure, and blood consistency are some of the effects of retinal vascular disease. Each condition has different symptoms, but some common symptoms of retinal vascular diseases are headaches; eye pain; floaters; blurry vision; and sudden, painless vision loss. Retinal vascular diseases are usually associated with underlying medical conditions that affect blood vessels and circulation, including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, artherosclerosis, and past strokes. The goal of treatment is to restore or normalize

blood flow to the eyes.

Because retinal vascular diseases are usually linked with an underlying medical condition, a lot of the ways of preventing them have to do with maintaining healthy habits. To avoid conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, you need to maintain a healthy diet, moderate your sugar and fat intake, exercise, and get enough hours of sleep. To schedule an appointment, please call 201-896-0096. Our office is located at 20 Park Avenue, Lyndhurst. To reach our optical shop, call 201-896-0007. We accept most insurance.

P.S. In addition to certain underlying medical conditions, risk factors for retinal vascular diseases include smoking, high cholesterol, being overweight, and use of oral contraceptives.

www.delucavision.com

Applause Radio Show returns, is giving away tix to NJPAC events

By Joann Barton Special to The Observer

As you read this, you have probably already noticed the sun’s up longer and you have already pushed your clocks ahead an hour. Spring forward my friends.

As the season change approaches and with spring arriving March 20, you may ask, where has Applause Radio Show (ARS) been? Well, we were on a short hiatus.

It may not exactly be warm, but we’re back and with that comes enjoying nicer and soon-to-be warmer weather. For me, that means getting out more and particularly, having fun attending events in the area, in hopes of bringing you great entertainment and news.

ARS has kicked off with a bang. Our first guest, Jen Maxfield from NBC NY Channel 4 News, has her first book out, “More After the Break.”

In it, she returns to 10 of what she calls unforgettable new stories.

Have you ever watched the news and wondered what ever happened to that individual/family who just went through a horrific event Maxfield covered?

You can find it all in her book as she revisits survivors. Most stories

are uplifting and full of resilience and seem to have Jersey flare.

And they are stories you have likely seen on the news — and perhaps even remember.

Other upcoming guests include “Eddie Munster.”

Butch Patrick, of “The Munsters,” was to appear on the show on March 12. You can always listen back by going to www. applauseradioshow.com.

I hope to share recap our conversation with him in an upcoming edition of The Observer.

You can also check out

our calendar at www. applauseradioshow.com to see the times and dates of upcoming guests in March, such as blues band Savoy Brown, actor Keith Coogan from “Adventures in Babysitting,” Joey Dee from Joey Dee and the Starliters (Peppermint Twist,) Kenny Vance from Jay and the Americans and Cynthia Wiltshire from Musique, of “Push, Push in the Bush” fame.

We’re hoping to bring you an array of guests that you want to hear.

Additionally, not only am I going to be getting out and

about and enjoying more fun in the sun, but so will you. Our partners will be giving away free tickets in the coming months to NJPAC, Newark.

There are some great shows and events coming up and if you would like to go, all you have to do is listen and call in to win free tickets.

No contests, no gimmicks, just call in when we’re live and you can win tickets.

I’ll be covering a Freestyle show in April and Jon Anderson from Yes in April as well. There are still tickets available for Frankie Valli.

I’m also be attending an announcement about “pop up” festivals in New Jersey. Gov. Philip D. Murphy himself will be making the announcement and I’ll be

sure to share it with you here and on ARS.

ARS is additionally giving away tickets to one of many events at NJPAC from March 17-19 as it celebrates the writing of novelist and Newark native Philip Roth. Throughout these dates will be a panoply of stars who will perform Roth’s readings. The tickets we’ll be giving away will be for the reading of “The Plot Against America,” Roth’s fictional book, on March 19.

The reading will be by actors Cynthia Nixon, Tony Shaloub, Sam Waterston and others.

Check out www.njpac.org for more details.

Happy listening and ARS is looking forward to giving away tickets to great events and offering the best guests in entertainment.

Joan Fox Clancy

Joan Fox Clancy, 88, died peacefully on Feb. 21, 2023.

Born in Jersey City, she graduated from Memorial High School in West New York and lived in North Arlington for over 40 years before moving to Nutley 14 years ago.

She raised her children in North Arlington and was a member of the Queen of Peace Church and school communities. Joan worked for the Borough of North Arlington and was known as a friendly and caring senior citizen bus driver for many years before retiring in 1999.

She was the cherished mother of Shawn Clancy and his wife Michelle, Dr. Kim Brownell and her husband Stephen and David Clancy and his wife Denise; the adored grandmother of Kellen, Tallulah, Shane and Blaise Clancy, Sarah, Carly and Molly Brownell, Shannon, Madison and Gavin Clancy; and the loving sister of Patricia Litschel.

OBITUARIES

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Joan’s life at a memorial Mass Saturday, June 24, 2023 at noon at Queen of Peace Church in North Arlington. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Joan to the Salvation Army or the Apostles’ House in Newark.

Nicholas Staniewicz Nicholas Staniewicz died March 6, 2023.

He was 72.

Born in Newark, he lived many years in Harrison before moving to Woodsboro, Maryland, three years ago.

He donated his body to science. Memorial visitation will be on Saturday March 18, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Armitage Wiggins Funeral Home 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. His service will begin at 12:30 p.m.

Nicholas had been a recycling coordinator for Hudson County before his retirement.

Husband of the late Maureen (nee McGeary) he was the father of Amy Kraft (Wyatt) and Karol Staniewicz (Patricia). Brother of Andrea Savage (Stanley) he is also survived by his grandchildren; Avelinn, Quinnlan, Haedyn and Madalena.

In lieu of flowers kindly consider a donation to The American Heart Association.

Alfred E. Turnbull

Alfred E. Turnbull, 90, of Whiting, formerly of Kearny, died peacefully March 8, 2023. Alfred was born to Sarah and Arthur Turnbull on April 9, 1932, in Kearny. He was an automotive mechanic for North Arlington Motors for 40 years before retiring to the Whiting area. He was also an exceptional carpenter, handyman and loved to spend his spare time in his workshop or garage. While living in Kearny, he was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Arlington.

How to downsize and declutter before moving into a retirement home

A big part of moving into a retirement home is downsizing. This involves getting rid of many of the possessions you’ve accumulated throughout your life. Here are a couple of tips for moving into a smaller space.

Start early

It can take a long time to sort through your belongings. Therefore, the earlier you begin, the better. It’s best to start at least three months before your move. You may want to kick things off by making a list of the items you think you absolutely must have in your new retirement residence.

Tackle small jobs first

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, declutter one room at a time and break things down into manageable tasks. For example, start by sorting through easy spaces like the kitchen pantry, bathroom and

front closet. If you can, go to your new residence and plot out where things will go to visualize what you need and don’t.

As a general rule, donate, sell or throw away things you haven’t used in more than a year.

Hire a moving company

Once you’ve decided what you’re keeping, it’s a good

After retiring he continued volunteering in various capacities, including as a trustee of Crestwood Village 4.

Alfred was predeceased by his loving wife of 53 years Audrey, who died in 2004. His companion later in life, Dolores Bolen, predeceased him in 2019. He is also predeceased by his son David.

Most important to Al was his family. He is survived by his children, Arthur Turnbull and his wife Mollie, Douglas Turnbull and his wife Patricia, Dena Foote and her husband Allan and Julie Wilson and her

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

husband Robert. Additionally, he leaves behind many beloved grandchildren — Justine Turnbull, Katherine Turnbull, Daniel Turnbull, Nicole Morgan and her husband Jeffrey, Brianna Foote, Patrick Wilson and Kimberly Hampson and her husband Alexander.

Alfred is also survived by his great-grandson, Jacob.

Visitation and a funeral service was in Whiting on March 12.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.

Shaw-Buyus

Home for Services

Mario Teixeria, IV, Manager, NJ Lic. #3757

Mario Teixeira, Jr. Director, NJ Lic. #2542 • Monique Teixeira, Director, NJ Lic. #4048

Newly renovated family owned and operated funeral home with multiple locations.

Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish. Handicapped Accessible.

138 DAVIS AVE. • KEARNY, NJ 07032 (201) 991-2265 www.buyusfuneralhome.com

Mulligan Funeral Home

331 Cleveland Avenue, Harrison

Arrangements may be made in Spanish, Portuguese or Polish Frank X. Mulligan III, Manager, NJ Lic. 4221

Frank X. Mulligan, Jr. Inactive

Private Parking at 10 Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. North 973-481-4333

visit us at: www.mulliganfh.com

idea to hire a full-service moving company to help transport and unpack your belongings in your new place.

Although difficult at first, downsizing and decluttering can make your life easier. After all, the less you have, the less you have to maintain and the more time and energy you’ll have for your retirement years.

WILFRED ARMITAGE & WIGGINS FUNERAL HOME

Mark G. Wiggins, Manager N.J. Lic. #3916

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.

Wilfred Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home 596 Belgrove Dr. • Kearny, NJ 07032 (201) 991-0657

In Belleville, Melham wants a ‘Great Lawn,’ while some want new, ‘smart’ meters to accept coins

By Ron Leir ronleir423@gmail.com

space of greenery at the intersection of Belleville and Franklin avenues, as a public park. The 8-acre property sits across the street from Public School No. 10

and in front of the former Garden State Cancer Center, which was sold to a New York State developer for conversion to residential apartments.

At the Feb. 14 meeting of the township governing body, Mayor Michael A. Melham said Belleville would apply for state Green Acres assistance to acquire the privately-

held land but, on Feb. 28, Township Administrator Anthony Iacono disclosed to the mayor and council that before the state agency would entertain such a proposal, Belleville had to first complete and close out three other projects still in process. The township was previously awarded $484,000 to remediate a former rifle range at Joralemon Street and Hoover Avenue and turn it into a passive park; $601,000 to refurbish an old ballfield near the Second River; and $260,000 to repair a retaining wall along the riverbank, according to Iacono.

“We had considered the Second River projects part of the same application,” Iacono said. “But the state is treating them as two separate things.”

Despite the setback, Melham said the township remains committed to pursuing acquisition of the Great Lawn to expand available open space for residents.

“We’re having it appraised,” he said, with the idea of negotiating a price with the owners or, failing that, to move toward condemnation via eminent domain.

Asked whether the owners of record could be interested in using the lawn space for real estate development, Iacono said: “There’s no indication that there will be anything other than grass on that property.”

Township tax assessment records show that Lal M. Pathan, of Englewood, purchased the lawn property in 1999 for a total of $465,000. The land is subdivided into two lots. One lot, 233 Franklin Ave., is 6.53 acres and the other lot, 580 Belleville Ave., is 1.38 acres.

After taxes on the property lagged, the township placed both parcels on an accelerated tax sale last year, Iacono said. New Horizon Investment Corp., of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, acquired lien on the larger parcel for $350,000 and Azan International, Inc., also of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, bought the lien on the smaller lot for $115,000, according to township records.

Additional tax and cleanup liens, dating back to 2020, have been purchased by other parties.

Meanwhile, Alma Realty, of Long Island City, New York, is still in the process of completing conversion of the former hospital into an apartment complex since the firm purchased the property from Essex County in 2013.

“It’s probably about 95% done,” Iacono said. “We’re trying to resolve some outstanding issues with the owner.” These issues, he said, include “an arrangement for a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxation)” and “modifications to the original plan — (the owner) may be off on the number of one- and two- bedrooms approved.” He said he’d have to do further research to provide additional details.

While the township awaits the outcome of this real estate transition, there’s another part of Belleville’s landscape that’s also shifting — new parking meters being installed along the Washington Avenue shopping district corridor.

Last May, the township council authorized bonding up to $125,000 for upgraded meters and meter parts that accept only credit cards or a mobile app but no coins — a move

See METERS, Page 19

Photo by Ron Leir New smart meters on Belleville’s Washington Avenue will be credit card or appbased only.

WHATCo’s MurderMystery trivia slated for later this month

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

The West Hudson Arts & Theater Company’s annual murder mystery dinner theater experience returns this year with the original production of Trivia Night Murder, written by award-winning local playwright and author Allyssa Hynes, with fundraising performances Friday & Saturday, March 24 and 25 and are being hosted at the American Legion Post 99, 314 Belgrove Drive, Kearny.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. There is plenty of parking on site.

The annual event sets its sights on the long-standing competition at the local pub trivia game, which had never proved deadly before – until now. With a big competition and exciting prizes on the line, it looks like someone in this game decided the “answer” was murder.

During the evening, the audience will be able to take part in an actual trivia game where their table may win a prize.

And, of course, they’ll be asked to solve the lighthearted murder-mystery as it unfolds throughout a three-course buffet dinner, catered by Carmine’s Italian Deli.

Tickets are $50 per person and include a dinner buffet, soda, tea and dessert. A cash bar will be available in Buddy Room. The tickets will only be sold online at www.whatconj.org or by phone (201) 540-9428. Reserved tables of up to seven are also available. Groups and organizations welcome.

IF YOU GO ...

n WHAT?: WHATCo’s Murder Mystery Trivia Night, written by Allyssa Hynes

n WHEN?: Friday & Saturday, March. 24 and 25 at 6:30 p.m.

n WHERE?: The Kearny American Legion Post 99, 314 Belgrove Drive

n COST?: $50 pp. Includes buffet dinner. Cash bar available. Buy tickets (available online only) at www.whatconj.org.

Tickets will not be sold at the door for this production.

Trivia Night Murder stars Paula Baratta, John Fraissinet, Nelson DePasquale, Roman Koster, Matt Masiello, Denise Organisciak, Lauren Proda, Alexis Saarela, Ed Shea, Jessie Thiele, Deborah Vartan as the suspects and investigators. John Fraissinet will play “Winston,” which is the male version of the “Victoria” character. For more information, visit www. whatconj.org.

Photo courtesy of Linda D’Isa

Several of the cast members of WHATCo’s upcoming murder-mystery trivia night are seen here.

ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

The TOWN OF KEARNY is accepting applications for the full-time position of Assistant Superintendent of Public Works. The town is seeking an experienced professional with technical knowledge and strong leadership skills to effectively assist the Superintendent with the Department of Public Works which consists of staff of 35. The position entails assistance of planning, supervising and directing all aspects of public works including, but not limited to: recycling center, roads, public buildings and grounds, parks, fleet maintenance, shade tree, snow removal, sanitary sewer system, and sidewalk permitting and inspection. Also includes contract administration for tree removals, landscaping and janitorial services.

The successful candidate should have at least four years’ experience in a supervisory and administrative leadership capacity. Certification in Public Works Management (CPWM) is required along with a Class B CDL License or the ability to acquire one within 6 months.

Salary negotiable based on qualifications and experience. Appropriate Candidate have opportunity for advancement Send application, resume and cover letter with desired salary to Paula Cavalier, Personnel, at 402 Kearny avenue Kearny, NJ 07032 Please go to https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/ for application and job description. All resumes must be received no later than March 31, 2023.

The Town of Kearny is an EOE 42W04

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC WORKS

The TOWN OF KEARNY is accepting applications for the full-time position of Superintendent of Public Works. The town is seeking an experienced professional with technical knowledge and strong leadership skills to effectively manage the Department of Public Works which consist of staff of 35. The position entails planning, supervising and directing all aspects of public works including, but not limited to: recycling center, roads, public buildings and grounds, parks, fleet maintenance, shade tree, snow removal, sanitary sewer system, and sidewalk permitting and inspection. Also includes contract administration for tree removals, landscaping and janitorial services. The successful candidate should have at least five years’ experience in a supervisory and administrative leadership capacity. Certification in Public Works Management (CPWM) is required along with a Class B CDL License. A Sewer Collection System Operator License (C3) is required or the ability to obtain within the required time. Salary negotiable based on qualifications and experience. Send application, resume and cover letter with desired salary to Paula Cavalier, Personnel, at 402 Kearny avenue Kearny, NJ 07032 Please go to https:// www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/

All resumes must be received no later than March 31, 2023.

The Town of Kearny is an EOE 42W04

GENERAL LABOR

L&R Manufacturing at 57 John Hay Avenue, Kearny is looking for 2 individuals to help in our facility. 1 for light assembly work and assisting wherever is needed – 40 hours/week and 1 part-time person for cleaning – 15 hours per week. We offer 2 weeks paid vacation after 1 year, company contributed 401K plan, company paid life insurance plan, healthcare and a great working environment.

MUST speak English.

Please fill out application at 57 John Hay Ave or 577 Elm Street, Kearny or call Irene Barutis at 201-991-5330 x212 for more information

44W03

LIFEGUARD

Lifeguards/Lifeguard supervisor needed for summer open swim program 6/26-8/25. Valid lifeguard training & CPR cert req. 35 hours per week. starting rate is $15 per hour.

Application deadline 4/1 For Applications go to https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/ 44W04

RECREATION PLAYLEADERS

Playground Play leaders needed for summer recreation program. 6/26 -8/18 Play leaders will supervise playground activities during our summer recreation program. 25-30 per week.

Starting Rate is $10.00 per hour.

Application deadline 4/1 For application Go to https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/

44W04

Part Time Public Information Officer

The Town of Kearny is currently accepting applications for the Part Time position of Public Information Officer (PIO). The PIO shall be responsible for press releases, emergency communications, public event promotion/ coordination, establishing good working relationships with the news media and general public, as well as monitoring and maintaining all social media platforms, and updating the Town’s website. Specifically, the PIO shall write short narratives and post photographs and other visual graphics as necessary on the Town’s internet website and related social media platforms. Candidates should have excellent written and verbal communications skills, experience updating internet webpages and posting on social media (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.). The PIO may also be expected to review and edit other public information materials (i.e. the annual Town calendar, newsletters, brochures, etc.) as necessary. The PIO shall work with the Mayor and Town Council, Business Administrator, and municipal department heads. The PIO shall use digital technologies for the purpose of reporting on resident and community issues, feedback and other data points. Must have basic video and graphic editing skills. Candidates should submit a resume, cover letter and portfolio of their work with their job application. A Bachelor’s degree in a related subject area is a plus (e.g. Communications, Journalism, English, Marketing, Graphic Design, etc.). The ability to work during off-hours is also necessary. A valid New Jersey driver’s license is required. Proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese is a plus. The salary is negotiable based upon experience and qualifications.

A complete list of requirements as well as an application for employment can be found at: https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/ Applications should be submitted no later than March 27, 2023.

The Town of Kearny is an equal opportunity employer.

44W03

The Town of Kearny (Hudson County) is currently accepting applications for the position of Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO), Class III. Under the command of the Chief of Police, the SLEO will be assigned to work within Kearny School District facilities as an added level of security.

An applicant must possess a NJPTC certification for SLEO III or Basic Course for Police Officers (Class A Certificate) with less than 3 years separation from a full-time New Jersey law enforcement agency. Applicants must be a U.S. citizen, less than 65 years in age at the time of appointment and possess a valid New Jersey driver’s license. Applicants must be able to pass a background investigation, pre-employment medical examination, and NJ Attorney General drug screening.

Applicants must be physically capable of performing the functions of this position determined in accordance with the NJ Police Training Commission.

Applicants must be retired from a law enforcement agency and submit a letter of good standing issued by the agency from which the officer retired, listing the date and type of retirement. The starting salary for the position is $34.00 per hour. The anticipated work schedule will be 8 hours per day, 180 days per year, and shall coincide with the Kearny Public Schools calendar.

A complete list of requirements as well as an application for employment can be found at: https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/

Applications should be submitted no later than March 27, 2023

44W03

BELLEVILLE 3 Bedrooms, LR, DR EIK w/ Granite. 2nd floor. H/ HW included. No Pets. $2,500+ 1 mth security. Available April 1st (973)885-4433 44W03

KEARNY Newly renovated. 3rd floor. 2 BR’s, LR, EIK. appliances supplied. C/A. 1 Parking space.$1750 + 1 months security. Utilities separate. Close to Trans. No Pets/Smoking. Available April 1st (973)493-1021 Call after 5PM 43W03

KEARNY renovated 4 bedroom apartment, $2300 + 1.5 Months security , no pets , no smoking , separate utilities, call 201-772-9965 Available Now 43W03

KEARNY 2 BR’s, 1.5 Baths, LR, DR, Washer/Dryer, Assigned parking, Central Air, No Pets/Smoking. $2500 + 1.5 Months security. Available Now. Background Check. Call (509)987-6115 44W03

KEARNY Newly Remodeled 2 BR’S, LR, Kitchen $1380 + 1.5 months security. utilities separate. No pets. Available April 1st Dukes St. Front Hudson Park. (908)240-9302 (973)391- 3868 44W03

KEARNY 2nd floor. 1 BR, LR, EIK. $1400 + 1.5 months security.Utilities included. No pets. Available Now (201)428-7864 44W03

KEARNY Spacious room for rent in a brand new house for single person (female preferred).Shared kitchen and bathroom. Utilities

N.ARLINGTON

N.ARLINGTON 2nd Fl. 1 BR, LR, DR, EIK With yard. Quiet Building. Near Transportation. $1450 + Plus utilities. 1.5 months security. No Dogs/Smoking Credit check. Available April 1st (973)838-1662 44W06

How to paint upholstery

ROOFING/SIDING

Do you have an old chair or couch lying around with outdated upholstery?

Don’t throw it away! Paint it instead. Here’s a short guide on how to give your furniture a new life.

Choose the right paint

Although you can purchase fabric paint specifically designed for painting furniture, latex and acrylic paint also work. However, you must use a fabric or textile medium. Use a ratio of one part paint, one part fabric medium and two parts water.

Prepare the fabric

Vacuum all the nooks and crannies in the furniture to eliminate dust and debris. Spot clean stains with water and a little dish detergent and let dry. Then, tape around the chair or sofa legs, including decorative accents you don’t want to cover in paint.

Next, use a spray bottle to wet the fabric. It doesn’t need to be soaking wet, just damp. That’ll help the first coat of paint soak into the fabric.

Apply the paint

Use a wide paintbrush or sprayer to apply the first coat of paint while the fabric is still damp. Use a smaller paintbrush to reach areas where the fabric folds. Let dry completely. Once dry, sand the fabric with extra fine sandpaper to keep it soft to the touch.

Repeat this process as many times as necessary. The number of coats required depends on the paint color and fabric you’re painting. Smooth cotton or poly blends are the easiest to paint, while textured and woven fabrics are more challenging.

Visit a home improvement store and speak with a paint specialist for tips on how to get the best results.

SHREK

Continued from Page 1

their first time on the stage and all will be doubling as stagehands,” she explained.

Fortunately, Gonzalez said, the Shrek story, a children’s picture book created by William Steig in 1990 — subsequently adapted by DreamWorks Animation as a popular film starring Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz and John Lithgow — was well-known to this generation of students who, the director noted, “seem to have grown up modeling Shrek (by) accepting others for their differences.”

As outlined by Wikipedia, the story tracks the odyssey of “an embittered ogre named Shrek (who) finds his swamp overrun by fairy tale creatures banished by the obsessive ruler Lord Farquaad. With the help of Donkey, Shrek makes a pact with Farquaad to rescue Princess Fiona in exchange for regaining control of his swamp.”

KHSMTA is using the Broadway version of the story, with book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire and music by Jeanine Tesori. Professional musicians from the tri-state area, led by KHS alum Danny Conde, will accompany the actors.

Conde has served as instrumental music director for Harrison High School productions the past six years.

“Shrek” marks his second appearance in Kearny.

Assuming the lead roles in the Kearny show are 9th-grader Miguel Pinero, as Shrek; 12th-grader Matthew Ganzer, as Donkey; 10thgrader Gia Kaminski, as Fiona; 11thgrader Joseph Hurtado, as Lord Farquaad (he played “Mr. Softee” in last year’s production of “In the Heights”); and 10th-grader Brianna Lopez, as Dragon (she played Daniela in “In the Heights”).

Miguel, Matthew and Gia are all first-time Academy performers.

The script calls for Shrek to speak in a thick Scottish accent, but that presented no problem for Miguel.

“My grandfather is from Scotland and I got the accent from him,” he explained.

As for the four solo numbers assigned to his character, Miguel is an

with

accomplished singer, as evidenced by his having performed with “American Young Voices,” an international educational organization which sponsors concert programs, combining student choruses from around the Garden State in multiple public performances.

For Matthew, “Shrek” will be his first musical, but he’s not entirely new to the world of show business — his dad is a professional Broadway stagehand.

Matthew’s casting came about by chance.

“I had joined a singing group (separate from the Academy) at school and people in the group suggested I try out for the role of Donkey,” he said.

Matthew has been watching videos and tracks of the show to better familiarize himself with the songs.

Gia, who was promoted from understudy to tackle Fiona, is no stranger to musical performing: she studied at the Kearny-based Vision Dance Studio 12 years and has done shows with several theatrical troops outside her hometown, the most recent being “Applause” in Scotch Plains.

Gonzalez, who is directing her 14th show in Kearny, offered a teaser of what, in particular, to look for from her young but spirited thespians’ interpretation of “Shrek” — “lots of ogre humor and lots of energy from Donkey.”

Key helpers include Owen Seaver, vocal director; John Bednarczyk, art and lighting director; David Caravella, sound design; and Kathleen Astrella, business administrator.

The show runs March 16, 17 and 18, at 7 p.m., at the KHS auditorium. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $8 for students and senior citizens.

There’s also an extra treat in this year’s program: KHSMTA will offer a “Fairytale Fun Day,” for ages 3 and older, on March 18, from noon to 3 p.m., at the high school, featuring “Pinnochio Limbo,” face painting, photos with the cast, vocal excerpts from the show, musical chairs, story time with Shrek and Friends, special prize from a treasure chest and light refreshments for $1.

Admission is $5.

on social media

EMS

Continued from Page 3

available” and must furnish the town a quality-control plan for customer service and billing,” along with monthly reports listing “key performance indicators and metrics involving its service,” including how many calls it received and responded to, patient contacts made, hospital transports, mutual aid calls and all response times.

It must also give the town monthly financial reports on customer billing, including amounts billed and paid for services from all third-party funding sources but excluding names, addresses or “personally identifiable patient information.”

The provider must show proof of “standard insurance” coverage written by carriers with an A-V or higher financial strength rating.

Kearny is requesting applicants submit three bid proposals: a base bid requiring one state-licensed ambulance, with two EMTs, stationed “at or near the center of the residential neighborhood of town, operating on a 24-hour-perday basis, seven days a week”; an alternate bid requiring a second state-licensed ambulance, with

two EMTs, similarly stationed, “operating on a 12-hour-a-day basis, seven days per week, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and a second alternate bid, with the same scenario, except it would be “operating on a 24-hourper-day basis, seven days per week.”

The town will rate each bid proposal on the basis of a point system keyed to cost, the potential provider’s prior service history, management plan, customer billing experience and reporting system.

Town Administrator Stephen Marks said the new agreement would be awarded as a “competitive contract” and would be “based on (the provider’s) qualifications” rather than solely on pricing. Once a vendor is narrowed down, the mayor and Town Council will vote on a provider.

Since RWJBarnabas took over as interim EMS provider, Marks said about 25 Kearny residents got billed improperly for ambulance service between approximately Jan. 7 and Feb. 25 as a result of what Marks called a “system-wide error” in the provider’s billing network triggering a miscalculation of charges to the patients.

He said the provider promptly followed through, initially with notifications to the residents, and then by dismissing all the billings.

METERS

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that has upset many older residents who prefer the cash option.

Resident Vincent Frantantoni, who has run several coin-operated laundry businesses on Washington Avenue for many years, said customers have expressed their dissatisfaction about the switch. He said it appears the slots in some reconfigured meter heads have been sealed to prevent insertion of coins.

“I hope we can reverse this,” he told the mayor and council members. Melham acknowledged that, “we are still getting complaints” conceded that a segment of the township’s population “is not going to get the (parking) app or put in credit cards.”

But the mayor defended the new policy as contributing to a more efficient and safer meter parking system, with local parking enforcement officers no longer having to spend time opening meter heads and extracting cash to deposit in a local bank which can refuse to accept unrolled coins, according to township CFO Frank DeMaria.

To those unhappy with the change, Melham asserted, “We say, ‘Evolve with the times.’”

In a separate parking-related development, Police Chief Mark Minichini said the police department’s traffic unit is in the process of updating the township’s reserved resident handicap parking space assignments.

Residents were advised in a Feb. 2 township website posting had 30 days to submit permit-renewal applications. “Failure to respond within 30 business days will result in the removal of your sign and space,” the notice warned. Permits must be renewed annually. Currently, 316 residents have permits, according to Police Sgt. Frank Pignataro, traffic bureau head.