e-Newspaper for Dec. 6, 2023 by The Observer Newspaper

Wednesday, 6 December 2023 n www.TheObserver.com n Volume CXXXVI, Issue No. 31

UNDER THE COVER A relic of St. Jude — a bone from his arm — will soon make its way to Kearny See Page 7

BELLEVILLE n BLOOMFIELD n EAST NEWARK n HARRISON n KEARNY n LYNDHURST n NORTH ARLINGTON n NUTLEY

JOY@CHRISTMAS

he Town of Kearny hosted its annual holiday Tree Lighting Festival on Nov. 30 at Town Hall. There was singing, dancing and a most festive atmosphere. The main photo and bottom inset is of dancers who performed. The top inset photo includes Mayor Carol Jean Doyle with the Town Council and Santa . Photos by Barbara B. Goldberg

Kearny Democrats unite ... for about 5 minutes last week By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.

kc@theobserver.com

s quick as the Kearny Democratic Party appeared to call for unity in the coming year and election — one that will determine who occupies the White House for the next four years thereafter — it all collapsed within moments after the first sign things might actually get better for them all — and it could all turn into a long, long vacancy on the Town Council. In what can only be described as a

disjointed meeting, the Dems’ county committee met Monday, Nov. 27, behind closed doors at the American Legion Post 99 on Belgrove Drive, after the former chairwoman of the party, Susan J. McCurrie, who oversaw the mayoral election in 2023 where the party’s chosen nominee finished third of three candidates, resigned her position. The Democrats then chose Mayor Carol Jean Doyle to become the party’s new chairwoman, something that was hardly out of the ordinary — the mayor is generally her party’s chair. They also voted to

@ KEARNY TOWN HALL put Doyle back on the county committee, after unceremoniously removing her just a few months earlier, in what was a clear failed election stunt. But then things got funny again pretty fast — and all signs of potential unity went right out the window. At that point, the committee nominated three people — Fred Esteves, the

brother-in-law of former Mayor Alberto G. Santos; Christopher Kayak, the grandson of the-late former Councilwoman Barbara Cifelli-Sherry and great-nephew of Hudson County Commissioner Albert J. Cifelli; and resident Renato DaSilva, of whom little is known — as the party’s three possible choices to replace Doyle as the Third Ward council representative. The Observer has learned the vote to choose that slate passed by a slim twovote majority. See DEMS, Page 19

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Students & teachers at Hamilton School build indoor zoo By Laura Comppen

Special to The Observer

ions, tigers and polar bears — oh my! Students at Hamilton School in Harrison combined their love of animals with math, science, language arts — and some good old fashioned engineering — when they designed their very own zoo for the entire school to enjoy. What started out as a small project with a few classes last year, blossomed into the entire fourth- and fifth-grade classes participating this year

Cusumano and Amanda Fontan, the fifth-graders collaborated in groups to plan how to build their animals using rectangular prisms and calculating the volume of each prism, as well as the whole animal. The fourth-graders designed Michelle advertising@theobserver.com 201-991-1600 the blueprints for the animal Newspaper: Client: enclosures and calculated the perimeters. “Students learned not only how to calculate volume, but teamwork, communication and a lot of patience,” Fontan said. by Laura Comppen meanwhile, Advertising: HerePhoto is the updated templateCusumano, with a new photo of Jarlynn Hyde: Cusumano and Fontan (center), with help from Rafaela, Liam, Katie and Jonathan, have fostered a love of learning with said: “Our ever-curious stuthis cross-curricular project that engaged all students at all levels and was a big hit with students, staff and parents. dents researched facts about their animals and habitats, — and to great success. Led by teachers Luciana See ZOO, Page 13

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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KHS senior play, ‘Wild Pink,’ set for this weekend By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.

kc@theobserver.com

he description of “Wild Pink,” the 2023 Kearny High School senior play, in and of itself should live up to half the title — this has the possibility of being one wildly funny show. But don’t just take our word for it — here’s what the show’s creators had to say. “A hog farmer has three smart sons but absolutely no money to send them to college. A rich, snooty, old maiden aunt has a fortune, but years ago she made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with the farmer’s family. What to do? The three boys don wigs, dresses, heels and even wild pink fingernail polish for a challenging weekend visit with their estranged aunt. “Their desperate mission: to convince her she has three beautiful nieces who are worthy of her

millions. And worthy they are when the boys discover someone is embezzling their aunt’s money. Switching between being their boyish and more ‘feminine’ selves, they set up a trap to catch the thief, never realizing they’ve been set up as well.” So that tells part of the whole story. Here’s a little more though. The play takes place at Kearny High School, 336 Devon St., with two viewings — Friday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 9, both at 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $6 for students and senior citizens. Now since this play features only seniors, Kathleen Astrella, the district’s supervisor of visual and the performing arts (and yours truly’s sixth-grade music and chorus teacher at Schuyler School in the 1985-86 school See PINK, Page 15

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IN THIS WEEK’S EDITION Opinion ............................................................................................................................Page 6 Sports...............................................................................................................................Page 9 Health & Wellness Directory.......................................................................................Page 11

Obituaries......................................................................................................................Page 12 Classiﬁeds ............................................................................................................ Pages 16-17 Business Directory.......................................................................................................Page 17

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Essex Cherry Blossom Welcome Center reopens By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

hile we haven’t yet seen so much as a drop of snow, Essex County is already preparing for the return of spring and the thousands of cherry blossoms that have

made Branch Brook Park the greatest place in America to see these incredible trees. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. officially opened the new Cherry Blossom Welcome Center in Branch Brook Park on Tuesday, Nov. 21, to great fanfare and anticipation. The modern,

12,000-square-foot building that features high ceilings, natural light and updated amenities for guests replaces the old cinder block building. This is the sixth new community center that DiVincenzo has opened in the Essex County Parks System. “Every spring, Branch

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building is a large community room with a capacity to seat about 250 people. There is also a kitchen, restrooms accessible from inside and outside the building, coat rooms and storage rooms. The lobby area is equipped with gallery and display cases, and a mural occupying one wall provides a history of the Cherry Blossoms here. There also is an imitation cherry blossom tree that will enable visitors to experience a cherry blossom in bloom with pink petals throughout the year. The one-story building is handicap accessible. The front of the building See WELCOME, Page 8

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Brook Park bursts to life with the blossoming of our 5,300 cherry blossom trees. Even though we host a variety of events to celebrate the trees, the small size of the old Cherry Blossom Centers limited what we can do indoors and year-round to maintain interest in the park and trees,” DiVincenzo said. “This new state-of-the-art building will help us expand our year-round programming in the park and will provide the public with an up-to-date facility to gather and hold events. It is another way residents will be able to enjoy our historic parks system.” The centerpiece of the

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Lyndhurst hires three new probationary police officers By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.

kc@theobserver.com

hree new police officers were hired probationally at a ceremony at Township Hall in Lyndhurst Thursday, Nov. 30, Mayor Robert B. Giangeruso and Chief Richard L. Jarvis Jr. said. The three new officers are:

Nicholas Coviello Jr. Officer Coviello is a 28-yearold Lyndhurst resident and a 2013 graduate of Lyndhurst High School. In 2017, Officer Coviello graduated from Montclair State University with a bachelor’s degree in justice studies. After graduating from MSU, Officer Coviello joined the Lyndhurst Police Auxiliary, where he served as a volunteer uniformed officer. In 2018, Officer Coviello was hired by the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office and began his law enforcement career after completing his police academy training at the Morris County Public Safety Training Acad-

emy. During his tenure with the HCSO, Officer Coviello served in the Court Division and then in the Patrol Division where he earned numerous training certifications during that time. Officer Coviello is the son of retired Lyndhurst police Lt. Nicholas Coviello. Officer Coviello will be assigned to a patrol squad and begin his assignment immediately.

Thomas Golda Officer Golda is a 28-yearold Fair Lawn resident and a 2020 graduate of William Paterson University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology. Prior to joining the LPD, Officer Golda completed the Special Law Enforcement Officer (SLEO) training academy at the Passaic County Police Academy and since 2022 he has served as a SLEO II with the Hackensack Police Department. Prior to beginning his See LPD, Page 8

Photo courtesy of Vincent Auteri

The three new Lyndhurst police officers, center, are joined after their swearing-in Nov. 30, by Mayor Robert B. Giangeruso, left, and Chief Richard L. Jarvis Jr.

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

OPINION & VIEWPOINTS COMMENTARY

Actions of some on county committee were shameful and embarrassing

ver and over in the last election, we kept hearing this term bantered about. It was something in the realm of “Let’s see what the will of the people will be.” And on Election Night, Nov. 7, the will of the people was loud and clear. The people rejected Machine Politics. The people rejected verbal bullying tactics. The people rejected the choice of the county committee, who finished third of three. But some on that committee didn’t seem to learn too much from that massive whipping and the egregious mistakes of the summer of 2023. Instead, they came back for their first meeting afterward and pulled the exact same nonsense they did that got them to where they are in the first place. The party chose a new chairwoman and rightfully placed her back into the county committee seat she was stripped of wrongfully and with ill-gotten logic. But then, within minutes, they chose a slate of three potential candidates to become a new Third Ward Town Council representative with what could only be described as malice aforethought, and that is never a term to use lightly. While the three chosen are certainly nice people, they are not — not one of them — material to represent the people of the Third Ward. One is the grandson of a former member of the council; another is the brother-in-law to the former mayor; and the third, no one seems to know anything about, at all. And yet, with another extremely slim two-vote majority (sound familiar?) this gathering concluded these were the best of the three to serve the next year on the council. What? Left behind were at least four possible choices — likely more — who are involved in countless town organizations. One is heavily involved in WHATCo. Another is a former building inspector. One even led the charge to get and keep the Keegan Landfill closed in December 2019. But they were all rejected, cast aside, despite what the electorate said in the election just a few weeks ago. They spoke loudly and clearly and rejected “The Machine.” And yet, that very same “Machine” is now at the forefront of a potential council seat. Heck if they heard anyone who spoke by heading to the polls last month. And yes, by the time you read this, one of those three picks could even be the new council representative. But if there is any logic and justice in this world, none will get the required five votes to be seated by the rest of the council. If one does, get ready, folks. Because it will be more of the same nonsense and the voters will be fired up again in 2024. And frankly, who could blame them?

TRIBUTE

Vigo & other residents of 681 bid farewell to their beloved leader, Grace

To the Editor: On many occasions, it is exasperating to find the right words to express our gratitude through a poem. That is why I decided to express it here: Gratitude is the most beautiful flower that springs from the soul. The word “thank you” is an understatement for you. Grateful to life for having met you. Thank you, Grace, for all the years you shared, we appreciate your effort, dedication. and overtime that you worked for us.

Thank you for your amazing work. William Shakespeare said:

Clarifications n A story on Page 1 last week incorrectly listed a story’s author. Laura Comppen was the writer.

“Gratitude is the only treasure of the humble.” That is why we thank you for your great heart and noble soul, we thank you for your motherly love in taking care of us during the pandemic, being that light in dark hours. We know that these have been years of great challenges and with tears in our eyes, we say goodbye to you with much love in our hearts. This is our love, and tribute, to you! Lidya Vigo and the Seniors of 681 Schuyler Ave., Kearny

n A production error caused the name of a letter writer last week to be cut off. Andrew Miller, of North Arlington, was the letter’s author.

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St. Jude relic coming to Kearny Dec. 11 By Kevin A. Canessa Jr.

kc@theobserver.com

henever I’ve felt lost, confused, hopeless, I often invoke the name of St. Jude and pray to him. In fact, I have a necklace with his medal that I wear everywhere I go. Certainly, my invocation of St. Jude is one of countless that likely happen on a daily basis. Well, now, thanks to the Archdiocese of Newark and in particular, St. Stephen’s Church, of Kearny, a relic believed to be from St. Jude’s arm will be making its way to Kearny in December. The bone from the arm of St. Jude, widely revered among Catholics as the patron saint of hopeless causes, will be on public display at seven parishes within the Archdiocese of Newark — including Dec. 11 at St. Stephen’s from 1 to 10 p.m. with Mass at 7 p.m. — as part of the relic’s first tour outside Italy. The ancient bone, encased in a centuries-old wooden vessel carved in the form of an arm bestowing a blessing, will make its initial appearance in northern New Jersey at the Church of the Assumption in Emerson on Dec. 7, following a tour of Long Island and Staten Island. Aside from St. Stephen’s, it will also be available for public veneration St. Joseph Church in Oradell on Dec. 8; St. Helen Church in Westfield on Dec. 9; St. Leo’s Church in Elmwood Park on Dec. 10 and Our Lady of the Lake Church in Verona on Dec. 18. The veneration and Mass schedule for each site is available on the tour’s website at apostleoftheimpossible.com/tourschedule. “St. Jude is special to many Catholics because he’s the Apostle of the impossible — people turn to him when they most need help,” the Rev. Joseph Mancini, pastor of St. Stephen’s , who will celebrate the Mass honoring St. Jude Dec. 11, said. “But not everyone can travel to Europe to venerate his relics in person, so it’s exciting that his arm bone is visiting the archdiocese. This is a great opportunity for local Catholics to come together and grow in their faith.” All who are suffering or know someone experiencing challenges are

health plans, more

savings, especially encouraged to pray before the relic because St. Jude is associated with healing and other miracles. Though visitors are restricted from physically touching the relic, they are encouraged to place personal items against the glass case surrounding the reliquary. This act transforms those objects into third-class relics. Visitors also may hold pictures of loved ones against the glass to symbolically entrust them to the saint’s care. Treasures of the Church, a Michiganbased ministry that partners with the Vatican to make relics accessible to Catholics worldwide, facilitated the bone’s trip to the U.S. The Holy See specifically asked Treasures of the Church to provide the St. Jude relic for its latest exposition, aiming to bring healing to those still struggling in the aftermath of COVID-19. The ministry hopes the relic will bring comfort to all visitors. St. Jude, Jesus’s first cousin, was one of the Twelve Apostles. Following Christ’s crucifixion, Jude preached the gospel throughout Mesopotamia until his martyrdom in approximately 65 A.D. Today, he is considered one of the Catholic Church’s most beloved saints, with numerous shrines and churches dedicated to him around the world. He is particularly popular among Americans due in part to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, which was created by actor Danny Thomas in gratitude for an intercession St. Jude made in his own life. For more information on St. Jude’s U.S. relic tour, visit www. apostleoftheimpossible.com.

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WELCOME Continued from Page 4 has a covered entry way and driveway that will make accessing the building easy. A large patio on the rear of the building overlooks the three baseball/softball fields in the meadow behind the building. The two bocce courts have been repositioned on the right side of the building — one of the courts is located under a pavilion to enable play during inclement weather. A variety of site improvements also have been made, including enhanced landscaping, planting new trees, installation of benches and trash receptacles, and water fountains. The new center was designed similarly to recent community center projects completed in Essex County Cedar Grove Park, Essex County Watsessing Park in Bloomfield, Essex County Weequahic Park and Essex County West Side Park in Newark and Essex County Glenfield Park in Montclair. DiCara Rubino Architects, of Wayne, received a professional services contract for $562,500 to design the new building. Tsivicos Enterprises from Neptune City was awarded a publicly bid contract for $9.89 million to construct the new building. The Essex County Department of Public Works monitored the project to ensure delays were avoided. The project was funded by grants from the State of New Jersey, the American Rescue Plan and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund. Work started in March 2022.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

‘Grinch’ themed event at Kearny Legion Dec. 10 American Legion Post 99 of Kearny hosts a Grinch-themed Christmas event for kids Sunday, Dec. 10, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the post, 314 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. The event will include, among other things, storytime for kids, a Grinch movie, cookies, hot cocoa and more. The entrance fee for this Legion fundraiser is $15. For more information, call Amanda at (201) 972-0336.

LPD

Continued from Page 5 career in law enforcement, Officer Golda was a paraprofessional working with special needs students. Officer Golda will be required to attend a four-week waiver certification program at the Monmouth County Police Academy, which will allow him to transition from a SLEO II to a full-time officer.

graduate of Siena College with a bachelor’s degree in sociology and minor in criminology. Prior to being appointed as a police officer, Officer DiNicola served as a maintenance officer with the Lyndhurst Department of Public Safety. In addition, Officer DeNicola is employed as a physical fitness and baseball instructor. Officer DiNicola will begin his career with the Lyndhurst Police Department by attending the 22-week basic police academy training program at the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute. The three new officers will help fill a void which resulted from some recent retirements and will bring the total number of sworn officers to 53.

POLICE BEAT

Vincent DiNicola Officer DiNicola is a 24-year-old Kinnelon resident. Officer DiNicola is also a 2023

The Dining Directory KEARNY Curiosity by Intrinsic

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Want to be part of our directory? Call us today at 201-991-1600

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SPORTS & HEALTH

North Arlington girls Big expectations await basketball looks to raise Lyndhurst boys basketball the bar once again By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

Photo by Jason Bernstein

Left to right: Shawn Bellenger, Charles Derrig, Jack Nowinski, Anthony Pizzuti, Daniel Bojilov, Johnny Chaname, CJ Bailllie, Jake Mayer, Matthew Slabby, Cristian Poras, Thomas Awida, head coach Perrin Mosca.

year,” said Mosca, now in his second season coaching the boys after previously serving Perhaps the only thing as Lyndhurst’s girls coach. bigger than the starting “We made a nice little run lineup the Lyndhurst boys last year. I don’t want them basketball team is going to being complacent.” send out on the floor most Headlining the group of nights are the expectations returnees is one of North for this season. Jersey’s best forwards in With the top four scorers Anthony Pizzuti. The 6-footback from last year’s 16-10 4 senior was a revelation for team and a rotation that Lyndhurst, averaging 20.8 features six guys standing points and 10.3 rebounds in 6-foot-3 or taller, head coach a season highlighted by a Perrin Mosca knows that a school record 53 points in a lot of eyes will be on a Goldgame last year. en Bears team that might “One of the kids said in have slid under the radar 12 practice he’s like a cheat months ago. code because whenever you “That’s what I’ve been need a bucket the kid comes harping on. You’re not going around and gets a bucket for to just come in and expect you,” Mosca said. “He’ll get people to lay down for you. an offensive rebound and get They’re all going to come a put-back or he’ll be in the after you because they know right spot to get the ball. It’s what we have from last By Jason Bernstein

jason@theobserver.com

great to have him, he has so much energy.” Also back for Lyndhurst is do-everything senior guard Matthew Slaby, who at 6-foot-4 led the team in blocks (67), while also averaging 11.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Six-foot-3 senior CJ Baillie is another returning starter at guard after leading the team with 30 3-pointers a season ago while averaging 8.8 points per game. Jake Mayer, a 6-foot-1 senior, returns to start at point guard. Mayer led the team in assists (4.2 per game) and steals (53), while averaging 6.9 points per game All three are capable of handling point guard responsibilities and with their See LYNDHURST, Page 10

North Arlington girls basketball coach Brendan Queenan knows it will be difficult for the Vikings to raise the bar even higher after going from two wins in the Covid-shortened 2021 season to 12 in 2022 and 18 last season. And while North Arlington has yet to play its first scrimmage, the start of the preseason has him optimistic that this group might not be done yet improving. “This first week of practice has been the best first week I’ve ever had at North Arlington,” said Queenan, now in his fourth season as head coach. Even on a Saturday morning, they were all there and ready to go. Everybody’s ready to go, everybody’s excited, trying to replicate or surpass last year.” With five of the top six scorers back from a season ago, Queenan expects the Vikings to be much improved on the offensive end. That starts with senior center Skyla Acosta, who averaged 8.8 points and 7.4 rebounds per game a season ago. “Everything is going to revolve around her. If you look at how we played last year, the games where teams defended her well, we struggled,” said Queenan about the 6-foot-

0 Acosta. “She’s tough to handle down there (in the paint). She knows that she’s got several different moves she can use to get to the basket and if she doesn’t, she can find somebody. She’s good at passing out of the post. It’s a luxury.” Unlike the previous two seasons, Acosta won’t have another true forward playing alongside her after the graduation of Kathryn Raftery. Fortunately for North Arlington it does return several guards capable of playing bigger than their height, starting with Sophia Veloso, who shifts from point guard back to the forward role she played as a freshman. The 5-foot-8 senior averaged 6.6 points and 5.8 rebounds, while serving as a jack-of-alltrades. Sophomore Lyndsay Gilbert is the starting point guard. Gilbert, who started 11 games last season, primarily off the ball, has impressed with her poise and basketball IQ early on. “The thing that has really impressed me is her instincts,” Queenan said. “She really knows how to play the game and what to do in certain spots.” Senior Lia Cruz, who led the team in scoring (8.9 points per game) and in 3-point shooting (27) a year ago, is also back at guard See BASKETBALL, Page 11

10 LYNDHURST Continued from Page 9 height can guard multiple positions, giving Lyndhurst plenty of flexibility. “It’s going to be good for us because I think all three of them could handle the job at

the point,” said Mosca. “I felt like last year when we had situations where we really needed a point guard to beat the pressure, they did struggle at times. I think this year, we’re way ahead of where we were last year.” The other starting forward spot is still up in the air with Shawn Bellenger and Charles Derrig battling for the role. Bellenger, a 6-foot-3 junior, served as the top forward off the bench last season, while Derrig, a 6-foot-3 senior, is looking to bounce back after being limited by an ankle injury last year. Daniel Bojilov, a promising

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

in not just the NJIC, but all of Group 1, on Thursday, Dec. 14. Home games against Park Ridge and Harrison follow on the 16th and 19th. The Golden Bears will further challenge itself this season with non-conference matchups against non-public foes Saddle River Day and Dwight-Englewood. Big tasks for sure, but ones Mosca believes will help his team as they look to make a return trip to the Bergen County Jamboree and make noise in the tournament as well as in an always competitive North 2, Group 2 state tournament bracket. “Our goal is win that league title first and forePhoto by Jason Bernstein most, get to the county and Left to right: Charles Derrig, Anthony Pizzuti, Jack Nowinski, CJ Baillie, Jake Mayer, Matthew Slabby. maybe get some surprise 6-foot-5 sophomore, will will come off the bench and Awida should also be vying wins in the county and then also see minutes at center should bring added speed to for minutes on the court. make a real nice run in the after showing marked imthe lineup, while Jack NowLyndhurst opens the states,” Mosca said. “They provement in the offseason. inski is poised for a much season at Paterson Charter, know the expectations, At guard, junior Cristian bigger role after a strong off- which has emerged in recent that’s what we’ve been talkPorras and Johnny Chaname season. Sophomore Thomas years as one of the top teams ing about.”

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

positions,” Queenan said. “We have a lot of interchangeable parts, which I Continued from Page 9 think will be good for what and should be able to use her we want to do defensively.” speed to her advantage both Off the bench, 5-foot-5 going to the rim and finding junior Shelby McCann is an open spot on the perimeter. another one of the versatile The third guard is 5-footplayers who can handle the 5 junior Kyra Garcia, who ball and make an impact is looking to build off of a on the defensive end of the strong finish to last season floor. Six-foot freshman when she averaged a douMadison Kornas is a promble-double over three state ising center set to play tournament games. right away and sophomore “She’s really emerged as guard Charlize Torres a key piece,” Queenan said. plays bigger than her listed “She’s a scoring threat, a height of 5-foot-5. defensive threat and even Sophomores Sophia at 5-foot-5 she rebounds.” Lasek and Sophia Poremba, The rebounding ability junior Amaya Cuffie and of Garcia and Veloso make freshman Shelby Targett this the most versatile team are all vying for time in the Queenan has had at North backcourt while junior JanArlington. ytxi Sanchez brings added “It’s extremely versatile. depth inside. Everyone on the team is North Arlington opens expected to know multiple the season on Thursday,

BASKETBALL

Vikings will once again be hosting the William Ferguson Holiday Tournament before turning the calendar to 2024 with games against rival Lyndhurst and reigning Group 2 finalist Secaucus. “This is what we’ve been building towards all along,” said Queenan, who’s team reached North 2, Group 1 semifinals before falling to eventual state champion University of Newark. “This is what the finished product is supposed to look like and we finally got Photo is courtesy of Kimberly Hykey there. It was hard to imagine a few years ago, but Standing left to right: Assistant coach Nicolle Wetzel, Sophie Lasek, Sophia Veloso, Skyla Acosta, Madison Kornas, Charlize Torres, assistant now we’re here, we recalcoach Tom Fusco, head coach Brendan Queenan. Front row left to right: ibrate the goals. Settling Amaya Cuffie, Lyndsay Gilbert, Sophia Poremba, Shelby McCann, Kyra for a .500 season really is not acceptable. We want to Garcia, Lia Cruz, Shelby Targett. exceed that.” Dec. 14 when it hosts Lodi before traveling to Emerson two days later. The ELEBRATING EARS

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Robert R. Tarantula Robert R. Tarantula (Bob T.), 73, of Ronks, Pennsylvania, formerly of North Arlington, went home to his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with his beloved wife Carolyn by his side. Bob was born March 30, 1950, in Jersey City and was raised in Hoboken, where he attended St. Ann’s Catholic Grammar School and Hoboken Sr. High School. His education continued at St. Peter’s University, where he

OBITUARIES

earned an MBA in business management; while at St. Peter’s he joined Alpha Phi Omega Pi-Tau Chapter and remained active throughout his life. He organized scores of activities attempting to keep the fraternity together throughout their lives. His proudest accomplishment was an annual “FRAT Shore Weekend,” which ran for over 25 years. Professionally, he launched his career at Chase Manhattan Bank. His career flourished when he was employed by Sterling Drug. Using his education and skills, he eventually established his own

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consulting firm. Bob first joined the Knights in 1998 at the Queen of Peace Council and while serving, he continued his tax preparing for the seniors of his hometown North Arlington. In 2014, Bob and Carol moved to the quiet countryside of Ronks, Pennsylvania, and achieved a lifelong goal in 2018 when they purchased a home in Winter Haven, Florida — officially gaining the title of snowbirds. Bob was predeceased by his parents Albert R. Tarantula Jr. And Carmella (nee) Meranda Tarantula. He is survived by his loving, devoted wife Carolyn, his two children Lynn and Lauren who both reside in New Jersey along with his extended family Theresa, Joseph, and Melissa; four grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. While we mourn the loss of Bob who was a true friend and leader, we must also celebrate his full and accomplished life and the love he shared. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial Dec. 11, 2023, at 11 a.m., at Queen of Peace RC Church, 10 Franklin Place, North Arlington. John A. Kirby John A. Kirby, 87, of Forked River, formerly of Kearny, died Friday, Dec. 1, 2023, at Southern Ocean Medical Center.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

Born in Jersey City, he lived in Kearny before moving to Forked River in 1996. He was a Kearny fireman for 31 years, retiring in 1994. He served our country in the United States Army during peacetime. He was predeceased by his daughter Susan DiScerni. Surviving is his wife of 61 years, Joan; his son John and his wife Libby; his daughter Maureen Cochrane and her husband Ned and his daughter Elaine Sullivan and her husband Michael. Devoted grandfather of Sydney, Kirsten, Kayla, Tara, Mitchell, Ian and Colleen, he is survived by his brothers Ronald and his wife Mary; James and his wife Jenny; and his sister Patricia Blood. Visitation was at Layton’s Home For Funerals, Forked River. A funeral Mass was celebrated at the Church of Saint Pius X, Forked River. Burial was in St. Anne’s Cemetery, Wall. Arlene Ostrander Arlene Ostrander, (nee Scott), 80, died Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Clara Mass Medical Center, Belleville. Visitation was at the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, Kearny. A funeral service took place in the funeral home. Interment was in East Ridgelawn Cemetery, Clifton. Born in Newark, Mrs. Ostrander lived in Kearny for her

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All obituaries must be submitted by email by 10 a.m., Mondays, to obituaries@ theobserver.com. Payment is due at submission. entire life. Mrs. Ostrander was a former deacon at the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington, Kearny. Arlene is survived by one daughter, Cheryl L. Bogdan and one son, David R. Ostrander (Stacy), one sister, Joan Smith, one sister-in-law Karlene Wagner, and two grandchildren, Jessica and Nicole Bogdan. She also leaves her beloved dog, Abby. She was predeceased by her husband, Randall L. Ostrander, in 2013 and her brother, William Scott. In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation at jdrf.org or to the John Thuerer Cancer Center at hackensackmeridianhealth. org. Elizabeth Ann Battaglino Elizabeth Ann Battaglino died Dec. 1, 2023. She was 76. Born in Jersey City, Betty was a lifelong Kearny resident. Memorial visitation will be Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023 at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, from 2 until 4 p.m. There will be a prayer service for her beginning at 3 p.m. Her cremation is private. She was the wife of the late William Connolly and is survived by her brother Tony (Mary), her sister Stephanie (Mari) and her sister-in-law Cecilia. She is predeceased by her brother James Battaglino. She loved Atlantic City, her nephew Andrew and she adored her grandchildren Angela, Teresa, William, Vanessa and Jamie Lyn. Betty was a retired office manager for Mutual Benefit Life Insurance Company in Newark. See OBITS, Page 13

Wednesday, December 6, 2023

ZOO

Continued from Page 2 relying on cross-curricular skills from both language arts and science.” This 100% hands-on project

OBITS

Continued from Page 12 She also worked for the Kearny Board of Education. In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Nikolaos A. Economou Nikolaos A. Economou of Sussex Borough, formerly of Lyndhurst, died at home on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023.

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left an indelible mark on students. “The animal zoo was such a fun project. The best part of this project was working together with my classmates. We learned how to calculate the volume of each body part

of our animal using inches and centimeters and then calculated for the total volume. Our fourth-graders learned about the animals’ habitat and found the area and perimeter of the enclosure,” fifth-grader Jonathan Castro said.

Putting this zoo together was a team effort by all teachers and students at Hamilton School. Renee Dignazio created all of the boards and signs for the project. “Mrs. Fontan and Mrs. Cusumano have engaged our

students in an outstanding math and science project that students won’t soon forget. We are already thinking on how we can expand on this project for next year,” Hamilton School Principal Hamlet Marte said.

He was 64. Funeral services were under the direction of Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison. A funeral Mass was celebrated at Ss. Nicholas, Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, Roseland. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mulliganfh.com Born in Athens, Greece, Nick grew up in Harrison. He moved to Lyndhurst where he lived for

many years before moving to Sussex County. During his time at Harrison High School, Nick played basketball and made lifelong friends. His talent earned him a scholarship to Northeastern University where he fell in love with the city of Boston. Nick had a lifelong career in management. Nick was passionate about antique cars and he enjoyed attending

car shows, earning him many awards for car showings. He had a keen eye for valuable coins and stamps which he collected. Nikolaos is survived by his daughter, Maria DiDomizio and her husband Thomas, a cherished granddaughter, Evelyn, dear Sister, Sophia Economou-Ellison and her husband James, an adored niece and nephew, Maria and Andreas

Economou-Ellison and his longtime partner, Elaine Economou. He was predeceased by his parents, Antonios and Maria Economou. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 840692, Dallas, Texas, 75284-0692 in loving memory of Nikolaos. (Please see the next page)

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OBITUARY

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Liuben Topchev Liuben Topchev, 95, of North Arlington, peacefully died at home on Sunday, Dec. 3, surrounded by his loving family. Visiting will be Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, in Kearny, from 4 to 8 p.m. A service will take place Friday, Dec. 8, at 11 a.m. in the funeral home and cremation will follow. His ashes will be buried with his wife at Holy Name Cemetery in Jersey City in the near future. He is survived by his three sons: Kiro (Sharon), Stefan (Nancy) and Dimiter (Elise). Additionally, he leaves behind nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Born on Aug. 12, 1928, in Macedonia, Liuben immigrated to Brazil after World War II, where he met and married his wife Rovena, and they welcomed their first two children, Kiro and Stefan. Throughout his time in Brazil, Liuben persistently attempted to move

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to America. In the 1970s, his dream became a reality as he successfully resettled his family in the United States, where Dimiter was born. In his later years, Liuben remarried the late Elsa Vassilef. A prosperous businessman and entrepreneur, he owned multiple restaurants and supermarkets, while also holding a significant role in the Macedonian Patriotic Organization. Liuben will be remembered for his unwavering character, dedication to his family and his lifelong commitment to advancing freedom for the Macedonian people. Additionally, he played a crucial role in sponsoring numerous individuals on their journey to the United States. His legacy is one of resilience, hard work and a profound impact on both his family and the community he served. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

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MID-REALTY, INC.

PINK

Continued from Page 3 year) says 100% of the show’s proceeds benefit the senior class. “They work so hard,” Astrella says. “And this one is going to be special.” Sure seems that way. In chatting to Astella last week, she reminded us of 2020, when the seniors were slated to perform “The Addams Family,” but just days before the curtain was supposed to go up, everything crumbled thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. So after weeks and weeks of rehearsals, it was utter disappointment for that talented cast. But Astrella says the good news is “The Addams Family” will be performed in the spring of 2024 and, more relevantly for now, this year’s senior class of thespians is extremely talented, most versatile and and ideal group to put on a show where some of the boys will be wearing pink nail polish as they act. “We knew these seniors would be great to put on a show like ‘Wild Pink,’” Astrella says. “This group is perfect for it.” Leading the way, of course, is Milagros “Milly” Gonzalez, who for many years has directed the school’s plays and who has taught music at Kearny High School. She’s excited to be working with this group. “This is a very funny group of seniors,” Gonzalez says. She and Astrella bring with them a talented group of adults to assist, including Ian Costello, who is in charge of the set design; Danny Conde, who handles the lighting; and Dave Caravella, the sound engineer. (For the shows, Astrella assumes the role of business manager.) The actors Of course, it’s the performers who will make this show what it is — and so we bring you a little bit about each of them and their Finishes on Page 18

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

The Observer is not responsible for typographical errors. Error credits will not be granted. Minimal changes for multiple-week ads are $10 per instance. Refunds are not granted under any circumstances. Help-wanted ad deadline is 2 p.m., Monday, and all ads must be sent by email to classified@theobserver.com. All other classifieds are due by 3 p.m. Monday. All classifieds are pre-paid — there is no billing. Call (201-991-1600) to place an ad. While The Observer can accept public notice, we cannot accept legal advertising. The Observer is not responsible for typographical errors. Error credits will not be granted. Minimal changes for multiple-week ads are $10 per instance. Refunds are not granted under any circumstances. Help-wanted ad deadline is 2 p.m., Monday, and all ads must be sent by email to classified@theobserver.com. All other classifieds are due by 3 p.m. Monday. All classifieds are pre-paid — there is no billing. Call (201-991-1600) to place an ad. While The Observer can accept public notice, we cannot accept legal advertising.

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KEARNY One bedroom apartment, 3 rooms in Kearny. First floor. Nice location. Close to stores. Includes use of basement for storage. $1675.00 per month, utilities not included. Off street parking. Single or couple preferred. No smoking, no pets. Call between 10:00am and 7:00pm. 201-997-2341 31W03

KEARNY 2nd floor Newly Renovated 3 bedroom, access to patio, $2300 + 1.5 months security. separate utilities. no pets/ smoking Available December 15th (201)7729965 31W03

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KEARNY KEARNY Rare vacancy for 1 person. To rent private room. With own sink and refrigerator. In a quiet handsome house. Manager on premises. Close to public transportation. Street parking available. Positively no pets/ smoking. Gentlemen preferred. Good credit rating. 4 weeks security required. $155 weekly. Call or text Pamela (973) 830-7498 31W03

1000 sq/ft perfect for office $2700 + 1.5 months security. Utilities separate. Available Now (201)889-3118 31W06

High Visibility Kearny Ave. Store fronts Available for Lease. Approx.1000 square feet of Prime Retail Space. Two units (858 Kearny Ave.) Zone C-3 Outdoor Rear Yard available for Daycare or Patio seating. Rent $1950. Call Owner 973-800-8582 27W06

N. ARLINGTON Prime , Dental , Medical , Office or Retail Space For Lease !! Ridge Road location !! Call (201)966-8095

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Part Time Plumbing Subcode Official $29.90-$39.00 per hour Open to NJ residents. Must possess valid NJ DL and HHS license issued by the NJ Dept of Community Affairs Job Description 05056 http://info.csc.state.nj.us/jobspec/05056.htm Position is provisional and subject to the Civil Service exam process. Click here for online application http://www.kearnynj.org/JobOpportunities Deadline for application is 12/29/23 . The Town of Kearny reserves the right to interview and hire before the deadline.

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Fire Prevention Specialist Part-time position, Under direction, inspects premises of buildings to detect and eliminate fire hazards and to enforce the provisions of relevant fire safety codes and related regulations; does other related duties. Possession of a current valid Fire Inspector certification issued by the NJ Dept of Community Affairs required. 24.5 hours per week, $33.00 -$39.00 per hour. Applications are available at: https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/ Application Deadline is 12/29/23. The Town of Kearny is an equal opportunity employer. The Town of Kearny reserves the right to interview and hire before the deadline. 30W04

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LYNDHURST NEWARK LYNDHURST Newly renovated 1st floor 3 bedroom, 5 rooms. EIK. Spacious LR. Laundry space. $2200 + 1.5 months security. Utilities separate. No Pets/ smoking. Close to train station. Available December 15th Call 973900-1852 31W03

N. ARLINGTON HARRISON 2ND FLR 2 BR/1B Spacious & Sunny LR, EIK $2400 + 1 1/2 mo sec No Smoking/ No Pets Poss Garage. Convenient loc. Avail Jan/Feb, poss sooner. Text (732)5980496 31W03

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NEWARK (Ironbound Section) 1 Large furnished BR, Share Bathroom & Kitchen in private home. By the 5 corners. $850 + 1 months security. Utilities included (201)4283441 29W03

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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Continued from Page 15 characters. Ravyn Mejias plays Olivia and she’s hardly a stranger to the stage after getting involved in Kearny High School’s “Shrek the Musical” and as one of the “Three Blind Mice and Baby Bear” in her junior year. She also appeared in the 2023 Summer Enrichment Musical Theatre Showcase as a soprano vo-

calist and expressive dancer. She is involved within at the school as president of the Student Government Association as well as the president of Health Occupation Students of America among many other activities. Mejias plans to complete a graduate master’s/doctoral nursing program to go on to become a surgical nurse practitioner. Shealin Banta plays a police

officer. This is Banta’s first time on stage and says it is one of her high school dreams to be in a play. She started her love for playing music in fourth-grade, aged 10, and got more serious with singing in junior year. Banta is a part of the KHS marching band, jazz band and concert band and was in teen pep last year.After she graduates KHS, she hopes to get into

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Caldwell University to study music to be a band director and a professional musician.. Banta’s positive energy leads many in school looks up to her as a shining star when she plays her saxophone and sings. Joseph Hurtado plays the dual roles of Patrick and Patricia. The play organizers say he has come a long way during his career at Kearny High School, starting with his sophomore year to now. Hurtado has partaken in each and every performance opportunity available to him since then and has done so with excitement and vigor, the production of “Wild Pink” is no different. He is active in both the community and the school as a member of the K-Birds, REACH (Responsible Educated Adolescents Can Help) Club among several others. He says he hopes to one make a career out of acting but also leave a lasting impression on people. Grace Hernandez plays Jenny and Ms. Gaines and is making her stage debut at Kearny High. While she has no experience on a stage, Hernandez has had plenty experience learning and acting out scripts through Teen Pep. She has also performed in almost every school concert throughout high school — and she is also a K-Bird. While her desired career path doesn’t have much to do with performing, her love and appreciation for the arts has inspired her to be involved in this production. Michal Wyka plays David Sims and is also making his KHS acting debut. However, he has some experience from performing in church plays. He loves learning new things, like dancing, which is why he decided to perform in the senior play. Eleni Nunez plays Sam. Her first production was for the musical, “In the Heights,” where she was in the en-

semble her sophomore year. Known for her love of music, she continued her musical participation in “Shrek The Musical” last year. She hopes to continue participating in music-focused events where she finds true joy amongst her friends and wishes to meet new people with similar interests in the future. Elizabeth Hernandez plays Lacey and though it’s her first time being in a school showcase, it is not her first time being in a show since she has been in her church showcases before. Not only is she in the senior play but she is also a new member in K-Birds. She says she loves makeup, so her character and she share a perfect connection. Hernandez says she would like to continue her graphic design specialty at Montclair State University, especially because she knows a lot of her family are already Montclair currently and the school has a fun building for graphic design. Blake Torres plays Dennis. With a passion for theater, Torres breathes life into his character. He is no stranger to acting as he has previously performed in “Shrek The Musical” and he has made several appearances in the Summer Enrichment Showcase (2022-2023). Although his passion for theater is prevalent, he also has many other passions including soccer, track & field and the KHS Concert Band. His interest in all things music will lead him to study music education and become a music teacher or professor later in life. Leonardo Garcia takes on the role of Terry. Growing up, Garcia says he loved theater and always wanted to be part of one. Although he didn’t participate in previous years, he was finally able to be a part of this year’s senior play and he’s excited to be more involved in other events for his last year of high school.

Wednesday, December 6, 2023 (DEMS from Page 1) The new mayor had hopes for a completely different slate of candidates. Though the committee was to nominate three people, four names emerged as major contenders — all of whom are well known, heavily involved in civic activity and who have done plenty of things you may even recall. Those four were Cristina Montague, who in 2019 was the leading citizen in charge of convincing the New Jersey Sports & Exposition Authority to close the Keegan Landfill (among many other accomplishments); Lewis Battista, a longtime member of the Kearny Recreation 0 Points Edmund Shea, a long-time Commission; executive board member of the Democratic party and actor/volunteer with the West Hudson Arts & Theater Company; and Larry Handlin, a long-serving member of the county committee and retired building inspector in East Newark. Of the the three names that were proffered by the committee, one would then be chosen as the potential replacement, which would come up for an up-or-down vote before the entire Town Council. Though there is no apparent front-runner, pure logic would dictate Esteves

would be the choice. However, the chances of Esteves getting the necessary five votes to be placed on the council could be questionable. Now, here’s where things get interesting. It is possible the seat, if no one fills it, could remain vacant until January 2025. That’s because an appellate court ruled, in 2021, a partisan municipal council seat could remain vacant for up to 16 month if party leaders can’t agree on a consensus replacement. That panel’s ruling came after a disputed vacancy in Linden. And remember, there must be a special election in 2024 to permanently fill the seat, regardless, for the remainder of the term, which ends Dec. 31, 2025. In such a case, there would first be a primary for both Republicans and Democrats — and then a general election in November 2024, where non-affiliated candidates could also run. So are we about the face a state Constitutional crisis? Standby to find out. Scratching her head Even still, this all perplexes resident and soon-to-be Deputy Mayor Melanie

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A. Ryan as to how this could all happen, yet again, as it did just a few months ago during the mayoral election. “I just want to remind everyone that in June, we voiced our opinion on the candidate we wanted to see as mayor and you chose to vote the opposite of what we stated,” Ryan said. “I hope they (the council) consider the end result of that vote before you vote (at the council meeting Dec. 5). Not only has this candidate not belonged to any civic organizations in town or attended the vast majority of fundraisers and events, one of them did not even go to the committee meeting where he was selected despite having been elected to do just that. “There is not one of the three in the list from the committee who meets the needs of the town and council. We need someone with an understanding of the needs of this town. We need someone who shows up and participates. They don’t have to be well known but they need to be well informed by working in the background of organizations without demanding recognition.” A classy resignation In noting she would step down, Mc-

Currie, who spent more than 15 years as a Fourth Ward councilwoman, was gracious and said she was looking to the 2024 race for President of the United States. “As a party, we have over the last several months experienced a passionate and at times contentious race for the town’s mayoral seat. A three-way race, two candidates from our party and one Republican candidate. During the county committee meetings, our party’s split was evident, with one candidate representing the Democratic line and the other candidate running off-line,” McCurrie wrote in a letter obtained by The Observer, in advance of the meeting. “We also experienced a strong Republican response. Our party divide continued through to Election Day. The election is over, Mayor Doyle has assumed the seat of mayor and we now need to unify the Kearny Democratic Party not only for the upcoming presidential election where united Democratic support will be crucial, but also with the town council races in a couple of years. We need to maintain the strength and stability of our current Democratic council and their seats.”

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Wednesday, December 6, 2023

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