‘ CARTEL LANDLORDS’
n State Attorney General says state’s top 10 property owners, others artificially sent rents skyrocketing — including owners of local Vermella properties.
NJ Transit cuts ribbon for new Lyndhurst station
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
One of Kearny, Harrison, Belleville and Lyndhurst’s most noted landlords — among many other properties in North and Central Jersey — could be in some serious trouble with the law, as Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Consumer Affairs have filed a lawsuit against property management software company RealPage, Inc. (“RealPage”) and 10 of New Jersey’s largest landlords.
Platkin alleges collusion in a rent-raising scheme that violated state and federal antitrust and consumer protection laws and
forced tens of thousands of New Jerseyans to overpay for rent month after month.
RealPage and the landlords — one of whom is Russo Development, which owns Vermella properties in Kearny, Harrison, Belleville and Lyndhurst — allegedly agreed to set rents for multifamily housing properties statewide based on RealPage’s algorithmic pricing software and to exchange sensitive, non-public information to align their prices and avoid competition that would otherwise keep rent prices down.
The complaint, filed partially under seal April 23 in the United States District Court for the
NJ ATTORNEY GENERAL
District of New Jersey, alleges the defendants engaged in multiple violations of the federal Sherman Act, the New Jersey Antitrust Act and the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act (“CFA”).
“The defendants in this case unlawfully lined their pockets at the expense of New Jersey renters who struggled to pay the increasingly unlivable price levels imposed by this cartel,” Platkin said. “Today we’re holding them accountable for unlawful conduct that fueled the state’s affordable
housing crisis and deprived New Jerseyans of their fundamental right to shelter.”
Platkin notes average rents in New Jersey are among the highest in the nation and the state currently has a shortage of over 200,000 affordable rental homes. The situation in North Jersey, where a significant amount of the alleged activity occurred, is particularly dire.
considered blighted properties.
Cost-burdened renters
In some of these towns, including Kearny, developers were issued Payments in Lieu of Taxes — commonly known as PILOTs — as an incentive to build here and to clean up what was once
Half of low-income renters are cost-burdened, Platkin says — meaning they pay more than 30% of their income on rent — as are nearly a quarter of middle-income renters. Renters in locales throughout the state face a highly concentrated market, where indi-
See AG, Page 18
Platkin
Vermella West | Apple Maps
LPD: Man attacked hotel clerk, fails to do same to police officer
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
The Lyndhurst Police Department has arrested a Nutley man who attacked a clerk at a local motel and then attempted, but failed, to do the same with a cop, Det. Capt. Vincent Auteri, public information officer of the Lyndhurst Police Department, said.
According to Auteri:
On Thursday, April 17, 2025, at approximately 7:30 p.m., Lyndhurst patrol units responded to a 911 call from the Winslow Motel, 204 Rutherford Ave., reporting a patron acting erratically and causing property damage.
motel room upon noticing the officers’ presence.
Officers Michael Carrino and Anthony Giaquinto ascended the staircase to the second floor but maintained cover because of concerns the suspect may have armed him-
POLICE BEAT
Upon arrival, officers observed a shirtless man behaving erratically on the motel’s second-floor balcony. The individual, later identified as Steven Tantalean, 34, of Nutley, retreated into an open
self. Moments later, Tantalean suddenly exited the room and advanced aggressively toward Officer Carrino with clenched fists, disregarding multiple loud verbal commands to stop.
Officer Carrino was able to quickly gain control of the suspect and bring him to the ground, at which point Officers Giaquinto and Vincent
See LPD, Page 14
Remembering locals killed in Vietnam
Wednesday April 30, 2025, marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. The last two U.S. servicemen were killed defending the U.S. Embassy in Saigon on April 29, 1975. It was all over the next day. More than 58,000 American servicemen died in Vietnam with more than 300,000 wounded. The average age of death was 22. Eight female servicewomen were killed in Vietnam with 10,000 serving as nurses. Tens of thousands were permanently disabled. And unfortunately, the American soldiers returning from Vietnam did not receive the hero’s welcome that greeted the veterans of World Wars I and II. For the past two years, the Belleville Historical Society has been locating and cleaning the military gravestones of local Vietnam men killed in action. The society, which is a Vietnam War Commemorative Partner, has located and cleaned the military gravestones of more than 100 local young soldiers who died in Vietnam, including all of those from Belleville, Nutley, Bloomfield, Montclair, Kearny, Harrison and Lyndhurst who are buried in New Jersey. The three soldiers from North Arlington who died in Vietnam are buried out of state. The Society is working on several other projects to commemorate Vietnam veterans for Memorial Day. Seen here, in the top photo, Belleville Historical Society Trustee Val Hadshino, of North Arlington, pauses at the grave of Army Pvt. Joseph Mobus of Harrison, killed in action in Vietnam in 1969, at 21. In bottom photo, society member Cody Weng sets a flag at the grave of Army Corporal Michael Brannin, of Kearny, Killed in action in Vietnam in 1968, aged 20. For more information contact Michael Perrone at bellevillehistory@ gmail.com or (201) 687-1431.
Photos by Michael Perrone
Tantalean
LMS eighth-grader wins 2025 Optimists’ Oratorical Contest
By Karen Cristalli & Erika Kliszus Special to The Observer
Young voices took center stage the morning of April 9 at the Lincoln Middle School auditorium as the Kearny Optimist Club hosted its annual Oratorical Contest, offering students a powerful platform to inspire, inform and impress through the art of public speaking.
The event was the culmination of several weeks of preparation.
Students began crafting their speeches in their language arts classes, thoughtfully responding to the prompt: “How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times.” In the week leading up to the competition, participants dedicated an hour each day to live rehearsals in the school auditorium, refining their delivery and building confidence for the big day.
The contest — part of the longest-running program in Optimist International history — aims to help students build confidence, refine communication skills, and compete for college scholarships. Since its inception in 1928, the Oratorical Contest has provided generations of
students with the opportunity to grow in self-expression and self-assurance.
“I have been running this contest for 16 years, and this is one of the best groups of students I have seen,” Michael Furino, adviser to the student submissions for the contest, said. “This contest is a staple in Kearny and continues to show just how talented our students are.”
Taking first place was Logan Kozak, whose speech captivated judges and audience members alike. Second place went to Isabella Barrantes, who also impressed with her thoughtful delivery and confident presence. Both students will advance to the district-level competition, where they will have the opportunity to earn college scholarships.
Reflecting on the experience, Kozak said: “I really enjoyed the experience and thought everyone who organized the event was amazing. I loved the goodie bag. I’m looking forward to doing this again.”
Barrantes added: “I am really at a loss for words at how many emotions I experienced during this contest. I look forward to the next level of this competition.”
Logan Kozak, center, the winner, with Michael Furino, adviser, and all of the contestants.
Kearny townwide yard sale set for this weekend
The Kearny Urban Enterprise Zone’s townwide yard sale returns Saturday and Sunday, May 3 & 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The annual event transforms the town into a border-to-border bargain hunter’s paradise as residential, business and other sellers host sales throughout the weekend, rain or shine.
“Kearny was one of the first communities in the area to host a townwide yard and sidewalk sale,” KUEZ Coordinator Linda Kraus D’Isa said. “While there are now
other similar events nearby, this is definitely the go-to townwide yard sale event.”
The sale will have 200+ sellers throughout town. Items range from collectibles to clothes, bikes, books, household items and more.
A Google Map will be available on or about May 2 at bit.ly/KTWYS.
The map will feature locations of sales and some info on what’s for sale at that location. Download a list of addresses of participating sellers from www.kearnynj.org.
Kearny celebrated Earth Day recently with its annual townwide clean-up, organized by Kearny ACES. This year’s event saw growth, expanding to six host sites across town. Volunteers of all ages came together to roll up their sleeves and make a difference — collecting litter, clearing debris and showing pride in the community.
Town of Kearny photos
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Learn to ride a bike at KHS
Hudson County Executive
Craig Guy and the Board of County Commissioners host a learn to ride a bike class Saturday, May 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kearny High School, 336 Devon St., Kearny, at the Garfield Avenue entrance.
Kids will learn how to use safety gear, hand signals, road rules, smart riding techniques, how to ride a bike with instructions, cycling courtesy, helmet fitting, removal of training wheel and more.
Participants must bring their own bikes and a parent/guardian must be present throughout the class. There is no fee to participate.
PCA hosting vendor day
The Portuguese Cultural Association hosts vendor day May 3. The event runs from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m., at 408 Schuyler Ave. Many local crafters and vendors will be making their creations available for purchase.
KPSUE hosting prom expo
The Kearny Public School Uniform Exchange hosts a prom expo and clothing giveaway, Wednesday, April 30, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. in the KHS Atrium. Local vendors will be displaying what is available as well as donated prom attire available for students to be ready for prom season. The junior prom is May 22 and senior prom is June 9.
Marine Corps detachment hosts annual pig roast
The West Hudson Marine Corp Detachment hosts its annual fundraiser and Memorial Day celebration Sunday, May 25 from noon to 6 p.m.,
NEWS BRIEFS
286 Belgrove Drive. The pig roast is an annual tradition. The event is open to the public with a cost of $40 and reduced rate of $35 for members and $45 for a member with a guest.
Belleville Woman’s Club hosting fish & chips fundraiser
The Woman’s Club of Belleville hosts a fish and chip fundraiser on Friday, June 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Belleville Senior Center, 145 Franklin Ave., Belleville.
Eat in or carry out will be available. Cost is $25 and each meal comes with fried fish, French fries, coleslaw, dessert and a drink.
Chicken may be substituted for fish. For information and tickets, call Patty at (201) 3033377.
Elks’ SCC hosting hibachi dinner
The Kearny-Belleville Elks’
Special Children’s Committee hosts a hibachi dinner & show Friday, June 20, at 6:30 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 601 Elm St., Kearny.
The cost is $50 per person. Payment must be received by June 2. Send an email to chrisscc1050@gmail.com for more details.
Washington Middle School hosting spring music, arts fest Washington Middle School, 1 N. Fifth St., Harrison, hosts a music and arts festival May 28, with an art show at 5:30 p.m. and concert at 6:30 p.m.
There will be performances by the Washington Middle School concert band, choir, chamber choir and soloists. Admission is $3.
Dealine upcoming for Belleville Jr. Police Academy
The deadline to register for
the Belleville Junior Police Academy is May 1. The academy runs from June 23 to June 27, 2025. Application available at www.bellevillenj.org.
St. Stephen’s Rosary Society hosting annual tea
St. Stephens Rosary Altar Society hosts its annual tea May 10 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Tickets will be available after all Masses the weekend of May 3.
Cost is $15 for adults and $10 for ages 6 to 12.
Kearny Health Department hosts rabies clinic for EN residents
The Kearny Health Department hosts a rabies clinic for East Newark Residents Monday, May 19, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 34 Sherman Ave., East Newark. Walk-ins are welcome. Call (201) 997-0600 for more information.
The Courage in Care
College student centers are hubs for academic and social engagement, cultural events and activities and student resources, where students, faculty, staff and community share fellowship and develop a sense of belonging.
On April 18, nearly one year after the groundbreaking, Hudson County Community College hoisted into position the last steel beam of its new Center for Student Success at 2 Enos Place in Journal Square. The event began with students, faculty and staff signing the last beam.
Afterward, Nicholas Chiaravalloti, HCCC vice president for external affairs, strategic direction and senior counsel to the president, introduced HCCC President Chrisopher Reber, Hudson County Executive Craig Guy, New Jersey State Sen. Raj Mukherji, Hudson County Commissioner Anthony Romano Jr., HCCC Trustee Chair Jeanette Pena,
n Classifieds: 3 p.m., Monday
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n Display/Real Estate: noon, Thursday
n Help Wanted: Noon, Monday — all ads must be sent to classified@theobserver.com.
HCCC Student Government Association President Nina Maria Resurreccion and Hudson County Building and Construction Trades Council President Patrick Kelleher, all of whom delivered remarks. The beam was lifted at 1:00 p.m., with music and activities adding to the celebration.
The ceremony is an ancient Scandinavian tradition that celebrates the construction milestone and recognizes the architects, engineers and laborers for every plan, beam, bolt and weld. The project team and others sign the beam and raise it with an evergreen tree and American flag attached.
The 11-story, 153,186 squarefoot HCCC Center for Student Success is one block from the Journal Square PATH. The tower will replace several of the college’s small, segregated and aging buildings. The blueprint includes 24 classrooms, fullsize National College Athletics Association (NCAA) gymnasium
See HCCC, Page 8
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
Some 2,000 Catholics honored the life and legacy of “The People’s Pope,” Pope Francis, the first-ever Jesuit pope, filling the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, for a memorial Mass April 22, one day after the pontiff’s death Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the archbishop of Newark, and personal confidante to the late pope, presided over the liturgy, which was concelebrated by Auxiliary Bishops Elias R. Lorenzo and Michael A. Saporito and dozens of priests from throughout the Archdiocese of Newark.
Prior to the Mass, Cardinal Tobin issued a statement to the archdiocese:
“With profound sorrow and heartfelt gratitude, I join the Church in mourning the death of our beloved Holy Father, Pope Francis, a shepherd who walked closely with God’s people and never tired of reminding us of God’s mercy,” he said.
“He was a man of deep faith, profound humility, and unshakable hope — a servant whose tireless call to care for the poor and the marginalized will continue to inspire the Church for generations to come.
“In this Easter season, as we proclaim that Christ is risen and death is not the end, (so) we entrust Pope Francis to the risen Lord whom he followed so faithfully. May Christ, our hope and resurrection, wel-
come him into the fullness of joy and peace.
“Let us give thanks for his life, his witness, and his love for the People of God. And may we honor his memory by building a Church that reflects the face of Jesus — merciful, welcoming, and always near to those on the margins.”
Later, in his homily, Cardinal Tobin shared his memories of the late pope, revealing Francis would affectionately refer to the cardinal as “El Gigante”
Continued on the next page
HCCC
Continued from Page 6
to facilitate the debut of the college’s athletics program, a fitness center, black-box theater, health sciences laboratories, 85 offices, eight conference rooms, a “University Center” for sister colleges and partners to offer baccalaureate instruction and expanded student services areas and more.
“The Center for Student Success will centralize and consolidate student services and complement the architecture of the surrounding area while driving local economic development,” Reber said. “It is the final segment of the HCCC Facilities Master Plan. We are not just celebrating the last beam going up, but how it correlates to helping our students reach new heights in their higher education achievements.”
“As Hudson County Executive, I am proud of the vital role my administration played in securing the funding to make this Center for Student Success possible, and I am grateful for our partnerships with state leaders and labor in this effort,” Guy said. “This center will ensure our students have the modern resources they need to build their skills and confidence, allowing them to be successful in the workforce. The center is symbolic of what we can accomplish when we work together for the betterment of all our students.”
Continued from previous page
(“the giant” in Spanish). Cardinal Tobin also reflected on Pope Francis’s years advocating for the dignity of all humans, especially “the poor and the despised.”
“The church and people of goodwill will benefit from what Francis harvested in a lifetime of listening in the garden of silence and trust,” Cardinal Tobin, who was made a cardinal and appointed archbishop of Newark by Pope Francis in 2017, said.
Before the Mass ended, Cardinal Tobin acknowledged it was “marvelous” so many people were willing to fill the Cathedral Basilica with less than 24 hours’ notice to pray for the late pontiff.
Many of the faithful later gathered outside for an impromptu musical tribute led by several members of the Neocatechumenal Way religious movement. As the crowd clapped and danced,
the performers enthusiastically sang and played their instruments, bringing an otherwise somber evening to a joyful close.
Pope Francis died, aged 88, following a stroke on Easter Monday, just a day after he was able to greet the faithful in Rome offering his annual “Ubi et Orbi” blessing.
His funeral took place April 26 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, after which his body was entombed in Rome’s Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major.
At a yet-to-be-determined time, 135 of the world’s cardinals will converge for a conclave to select a new pope.
Cardinal Tobin will be one of these electors and has been spoken about as a possible successor to St. Peter/ Pope Francis.
To watch the full memorial Mass for Pope Francis, view the livestream at www. youtube.com/watch?v=DSzfERdwkag.
READY TO MAKE NOISE? SPORTS & HEALTH
TBy Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
hrough the first month of the season, Nutley softball coach Luann Zullo has seen the potential for this incredibly young group to do big things. Now, as the calendar turns to May and with tournament play looming, Zullo hopes that those brief glimpses can turn into an extended winning streak at the most important time of the spring. Since being blown out against a Cedar Grove team ranked No. 5 in the state by NJ.com on opening day, only once has Nutley lost by more than three runs. And while the Raiders are in striking distance in the Super Essex Conference’s Liberty Division race and poised for a top 10 seeded in the Essex County Tournament, they have yet to string a winning streak together
of more than three games.
“We show flashes of brilliance. We just need to be more consistent,” said Zullo before Nutley’s 7-2 loss to state-ranked Hanover Park on Sunday. “We’re in just about every game. We’re (7-6), but we could easily 10-3. We’ve had very close games. We’re close. We’re close. We just need to turn the corner.”
While Nutley hasn’t quite turned that corner yet, there has been marked improvement from a group that starts eight underclassmen. One place where that development has shown is in the circle where sophomore Makenna DeJianne has pitched to a 1.88 ERA entering the weekend, highlighted by a three-hit shutout against Newark Academy last Wednesday.
“There were times last year
where I would call a pitch and we weren’t quite sure exactly where it would go. But this year, I feel that she has a much better command of her pitches,” Zullo said. “She’s growing as a pitcher and I like the direction she’s moving in.”
DeJianne has shared the pitching responsibilities with freshman Gigi Liloia, who recently posted wins against rival Bloomfield and at West Essex.
“They’re two different pitchers and they both offer a different look,” said Zullo. “We’ll use them in the same game. I’m 100-percent confident with both of them.”
Behind the plate is another freshman, Sophia DeLanzo, who is showing maturity beyond her years by taking over as catcher.
“That’s a big job and she has stepped in and she’s doing a very nice job,” said Zullo. She’s got a really nice arm, she knows the game. She just needs to get a little bit
more comfortable taking control because she’s young.”
Three-quarters of the Raiders’ infield is sophomores. Kaitlyn Nellegar is a returning starter at first base and Zoey Von Roth has moved from the outfield to start at second base.
At third base, Camryn Ortega has continued to be a force in the Nutley lineup from the cleanup spot, hitting north of .450 for the second season in a row. When Liloia is pitching, Ortega shifts to right field with DeJianne moving over to third.
“(Camryn) hit the ball a ton last year and she’s hitting the ball a ton this year,” Zullo said. “She’s made the adjustment (to new positions) to help the team.”
Ortega, a natural shortstop, has shifted to third due to the presence of four-year starter Gabriella Mariano.
Mariano, one of just two players left from the Raiders’ North 2, Group 3 title team in 2022, has had several big hits this season, in-
cluding two home runs in an April 8 win over Glen Ridge and a homer against Bloomfield. In addition, she’s become a vocal leader as one of the two seniors on the roster.
“She’s much more comfortable taking control and moving everyone around,” Zullo said. “She has done a very nice job helping Sophia because if it’s not the catcher, it’s the shortstop who has to take control out there.”
The other senior, center fielder Sianna Kantor, is a three-year starter in the outfield and has been a valuable source of speed as a slap hitter batting in the two spots of the lineup ahead of Mariano and Ortega.
Sophomore Sophia Rocha has taken over as the starting left fielder and leadoff hitter this season. Liloia has been the main right fielder along with Ortega and another sophomore, Olivia Miller, has become the regular designated hitter in recent games.
See SOFTBALL, Page 12
Belleville boys volleyball looks returns to Essex quarterfinals
By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
Forgive Belleville head boys volleyball coach John Spina for feeling like this is a story he’s seen before.
Once again, the Bucs have shaken off a rough start to the season, turned things around and are heading to the Essex County Tournament quarterfinals, this time after a 25-19, 25-15 victory over Glen Ridge in Friday’s first round.
The win, Belleville’s fourth in a row, put Belleville over .500 for the first time all season at
7-6. Three days earlier, the Bucs dominated Newark Lab, 25-7, 2514 in the preliminary round.
Belleville, seeded sixth, will now play defending champion and third-seeded Livingston in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
The Bucs will be seeking their first trip to the semifinals since 2017, as they have lost in the quarterfinals each of the previous seven seasons.
“It’s like our standard has been starting our season slow, picking things up, and they, every year, we’re in a quarterfinal match (but lose),” said Spina.
“In the beginning of the
Peter Garcia, Kalib Laquindanum. Back Row: Sean Sharpe, Jeraldi Sylvain, David Ochoa, Gabriel Campos, Aleksa Dusic.
season, when we had a couple of injuries that resulted in kids that were done for the season so we had to reshuffle the deck and it took a little while for us to start establishing some cohesion.”
The biggest change has been the move of Aleka Dusic from middle hitter to outside hitter.
The move has allowed the 6-foot2 senior to blossom on the court as he now leads the team in kills in 98 to go with 103 digs.
“Right away, from the first game, with the way Dusic was swinging, he was putting the ball down and he was pretty unstoppable,” Spina said. “But our passing wasn’t sharp enough where we could utilize him as much as I
See VOLLEYBALL, Page 12
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Dr. Prakash J. Doshi
Dr. Hector Aguilar
Photo courtesy of John Spina
Front Row: Seated Chris Gomez, Jamie Comas, Victor Toledo and Michael Hernandez. Second Row: Brennan Delos Santos, Barron Tran, Myles Remata, Rodolfo Candalera,
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Mansfield racks up strikeouts, wins for North Arlington
By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
Cadence Mansfield’s North Arlington Girls Softball Recreation Middle Division team needed a pitcher, she simply raised her hand.
“When we reached the level where they had us start pitching, I think I just picked it up because no one else was doing it,” recalled Mansfield, who said she was 7 or 8 at the time.
That decision year ago has led to the now-high school sophomore doing things no North Arlington pitcher has done in recent memory.
Over her last seven starts, Mansfield has recorded 10 or more strikeouts five times, fanning a total of 76 batters in just 44
innings. North Arlington has gone 5-2 in that stretch, which included a 5-0 victory over Becton in which Mansfield struck out 13 in a threehit shutout. This past week, the Vikings recorded wins over Lodi, Wood-Ridge and Hoboken with Mansfield striking out 31 in that time.
Mansfield’s incredible run of strikeouts makes her The Observer Athlete of the Week.
For the season, Mansfield has a sparkling 1.31 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 53.1 innings.
The last time North Arlington had a pitcher put up numbers like that was when Kerrin Dys fanned 213 batters in 2011 before going on to pitch at William Paterson.
“All of her pitches have just improved tremendously over the
CORTICAL VISUAL IMPAIRMENT (CVI)
Cortical visual impairment (CVI) is a vision disorder that’s based in the brain rather than the eyes. With CVI, the eyes can see normally but the brain can’t process the information it receives from them. CVI is the leading cause of vision impairment in children, with approximately one in 30 children suffering from some level of the disorder (30 to 40 percent of children with visual impairments have CVI). CVI has a range of causes, including premature birth, brain malformations, seizure disorders, and encephalopathy, which itself has many causes. CVI cannot be detected through a regular eye exam and may not show up on MRI scans. Patients may present low visual function,
higher-level visual processing issues, or both.
There are no specific treatments to cure CVI, but steps can be taken to maximize a child’s vision. Appropriate eye treatment will be prescribed by the eye doctor. Your child’s visual function may improve over time. When you need to schedule an eye exam, please call 201-8960096. We are located at 20 Park Avenue, Lyndhurst. To reach our optical shop, call 201-896-0007. We accept most insurance.
P.S. Cortical visual impairment (CVI) is a type of visual dysfunction that cannot be explained by disorders of the anterior visual pathway or by any other vision impairment the patient may have.
winter,” head coach Emma Stagg said. “Sometime last week I looked at my assistant coaches and I was like wow, she has so much more control on her ball in the last year.”
Mansfield credits the success to the increased movement on all of her pitches.
out 78 batters in 88.1 innings with a 3.17 ERA, highlighted by eight strikeouts in the Bergen County Tournament against Ridgefield Park.
“Over the offseason, I worked on all of my movements,” said Mansfield. “I’ve been able to use the movement of my different pitches.”
Mansfield showed flashes in the circle last year as a freshman when she struck
Before this season, Mansfield added a cutter to her already deep collection of pitches, which included a fastball, changeup, rise ball, screwball and a curve. According to Mansfield, the cutter has become a game changer just months after adding it.
“My pitching coach (Ish Fal-
SOFTBALL
Continued from Page 9
Freshmen Carmel Sarno and Madison Heal are also vying for playing time.
The Essex County Tournament is set to be seeded on Monday night, after The Observer’s deadlines with Nutley expected to receive a seed in the seven to 10 range.
Before their first round game on Saturday, the Raiders will play Hoboken on Monday before hosting a Columbia team currently ranked No. 12 in the state on Wednesday.
“It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish,” said Zullo. “So hopefully if we keep getting a little bit better, those one run losses will turn into wins.”
VOLLEYBALL
Continued from Page 10
wanted to so we had to move him to the outside.”
Joining Dusic on the outside has been Gabriel Campos, a three-year starter. The 6-foot-1 senior has 93 kills and 71 digs on the season.
The move of Dusic to the outside led to the shift of Barron Tran from outside to opposite, where the 5-foot-10 senior’s leaping ability has allowed him to post 38 kills and 23 blocks.
Spina’s projected middle hitters were supposed to be Dusic and Caleb Love, but with Dusic’s move to the outside and Love sidelined as he continues
to recover for a serious injury suffered during football season,
The void has been filed by multiple players, most notably 6-foot-3 junior David Ochoa and 6-foot-2 freshman Sean Sharpe, who is tied with Tran for the team lead in blocks with 23.
Seniors Chris Gomez and Jeraldi Sylvain have also been in the rotation in the middle.
On the backline, senior Victor Toledo has emerged as the starting libero and has 121 digs. In Thursday’s first round win, Toledo matched his career high in digs with 17.
“Victor’s been like a machine,” Spina said. “The last couple of games, he’s been on point from the service line and his passing’s been really
KEARNY TOWN-WIDE
good. Michael (Hernandez) fits in as our right side defensive specialist.”
Hernandez, a senior, has had 58 digs.
At setter, junior Peter Garcia has 248 assists, while also recording 19 kills and 67 digs.
Kalibe Laquindanum, Myles Remata, Brennan Delos Santos and Rodolfo Candalera have all seen time for Belleville as well over the course of the season.
Following the quarterfinals at Livingston, Belleville is scheduled for regular season contests against Irvington and Paterson Arts on Wednesday and Thursday.
If Belleville defeats Livingston, it will play the West Caldwell Tech-East Orange winner in the semifinals on
ATHLETE
Continued from Page 11
cone) wanted to try another way to throw my curveball,” and when we realized my curveball and my cutter were both moving differently, he just decided to have me start throwing that as well.
“I only learned it a few months ago, so normally it takes a lot longer to control a pitch, but I just picked it up really quickly.”
Figuring out which of those pitches are on might seem difficult, but Mansfield said she usually knows what is or isn’t working during pregame.
“Normally during my warmup I can tell right away when something’s not working,” Mansfield said. “I’ll just communicate that to my catcher (Isabella Buccheri).”
Mansfield and Buccheri have been batterymates for so long with chemistry so long that they call
Friday at West Essex.
Elsewhere in the Essex County Tournament, Bloomfield, the top seed, made quick work of Irvington in its first round matchup, defeating the 16th-seeded Blue Knights, 25-19, 25-15. Bloomfield will host the winner of Monday’s Orange-Payne Tech match in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Nutley, the 10th seed, opened with a 25-10, 25-11 victory over 23rd-seeded Newark Central in the preliminary round behind eight kills from senior Shane Castellanos.
The Raiders’ tournament run came to an end in the first round when it fell to seventh-seeded East Orange, 25-7, 25-20.
their own game, rather than rely on their coaches.
“They have confidence in each other and they trust each other tremendously,” said Stagg. “That just makes all the difference.”
The two sophomores are among five underclassmen in the starting lineup for a Vikings squad that has new-found confidence heading into the second half of the season and the upcoming county and state tournamets.
While they ended in defeat, Mansfield showed that North Arlington can compete against some of the best teams in the county, allowing just three earned runs over 13 innings against Pascack Valley and Rutherford with 17 strikeouts.
“To have a pitcher that I know is going to pitch (like Cadence) is huge and if the ball is put in play, we can make plays behind her,” Stagg said. “If we get our hitting turned around, we can pretty much compete with anybody.”
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
Edward M. ‘JR’ Osowski
Edward M. “JR” Osowski of Harrison died at Clara Mass Medical Center, Belleville, on March 31,2025.
He was 83.
A funeral service took place at the Mulligan Funeral Home, Harrison. His committal was private.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mulliganfh.com.
Born in Newark, he was a lifelong resident of Harrison. JR worked as an ironworker for Iron Workers Local Union #No. 11, Newark, for many years. Upon his retirement, he worked as a maintenance worker for the Town of Harrison Housing Authority.
JR served his country in the United States Army in Germany during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged.
In his free time, JR and Jeannie enjoyed boating on the Hudson River and the Jersey Shore, trips to Atlantic City and he especially loved thoroughbred horse racing.
JR is survived by his “Beloved love of my life” “Jeannie” L. Gilmore and dear friend Robert “Rob GEE” Gilmore.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation in care of the funeral home in loving memory of JR.
Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Regan
Elizabeth “Betty” Regan (nee O’Neill) died April 22, 2025.
She was 78.
Born in Paisley, Scotland, she lived in Quincy, Massachusetts, before moving to Kearny in 1960.
Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Her Mass was celebrated at St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny. Cremation was private.
Betty was a retired crossing guard for the Town of Kearny. She was truly beloved by many friends and relatives. She was a true supporter of Kearny recreation and loved playing bunco with the ladies. The Town of Kearny has
OBITUARIES
lost a devoted positive force in our community.
Beloved wife of Bob Regan for over 50 years and loving mother of Bobby (his wife Andrea) and Kerry Regan. She is also survived by her loving sisters and brother Irene Helms, Eleanor Mayers, Hugh O’Neill and Denise O’Neill, along with her cherished grandchildren Bobby, Charlie and Genevieve. Betty entered into heaven on her niece Stephanie’s birthday, embracing her forever in peace.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a memorial contribution to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in her memory.
Rafael Lago
Rafael Lago died Thursday, April 17, 2025, at the age of 98.
Rafael, one of eight siblings, was born in Cuba on Nov. 28, 1926.
In 1955, he immigrated to the United States with only a few hundred dollars in his pocket and an unwavering drive to build a better life.
He began his journey in Newark, working as a dishwasher at the Military Park Hotel. Through hard work and determination, he rose to the position of sous-chef. Together with his beloved wife, Umbelina, they saved diligently and eventually opened a successful children’s boutique clothing store — an endeavor whose legacy continues to support the family today.
Rafael is survived by his devoted wife Umbelina, his daughter Maritza and son-in-law Edward, his son Alex and his cherished grandchildren Kailee and Nicholas.
He found joy in life’s simple pleasures: sharing meals with loved ones, being surrounded by family and always enjoying a generous serving of flan with every meal.
A true gentleman, Rafael was deeply loved by all who had the privilege of knowing him. His kind spirit and gentle nature left a lasting impression on everyone he met.
We are all blessed to have shared 98 wonderful years with him.
Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. Mass was celebrated at St. Stephen’s Church in Kearny. Entombment was in Holy Cross Mausoleum, North
Arlington.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, or to a charity of your choice.
Jennie Gorski
Jennie Gorski died April 22, 2025.
She was 98.
Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
Jennie was the wife of the late Ted Gorski and beloved mother of Gerrie Gaydos (her late husband Bill). Sister of the late Walter, John, Eddie and Francy, she is also survived by her cherished grandchildren Ted and Tom Gaydos.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the Dementia Society of America in her memory.
George Gerard Garing
George Gerard Garing, a proud Vietnam War veteran and Teamster Local 641 with New Penn Motor Express, died peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Friday, April 11 2025, at the age of 78.
George was the beloved husband of the late Josephine A. “Joanne” Garing (nee Procaccino) for 47 years. Together, since the age of 14, Joanne was the love of his life.
Born and raised in Jersey City, George moved with Joanne to Kearny to raise their two sons Grant and Christian. George and Joanne lived in Kearny for 35 years before retiring to Manchester, New Jersey, in 2011. They enjoyed spending summer vacations on the beach in Wildwood Crest, with their family and friends.
George was a man known for his sense of humor, generosity, kind heart and his love for sharing a story.
He had many friends through his truck-driving years at New Penn, and years traveling with sons’ soccer teams Kearny Thistle and Union Lancers. While living in Manchester, he enjoyed meeting people at the gym, going to beaches and hanging with his friends.
Wildwood Crest was George’s favorite place to be, where he enjoyed playing horseshoes, cornhole,
bocce ball and body surfing. The beach became even more special after his grandkids were born. His most cherished time was spent with them going on long walks, buying ice cream and playing games in the sand.
George was the devoted father of Grant and Christian and his wife Barbara. Adored grandfather of sisters, Avery and Rylie, and
brothers, Jack and Peter. Dear brother of Jacqueline Falcone and her late husband Dr. Gerry Falcone, and late Joyce Binetti and her late husband Joseph Binetti, sister-inlaw Annette Barnaba (Leonardo), Marianne DeRosa (and the late Rich), and Sharon Vecchi (Dominick). He is also survived by many
Shaw-Buyus
Home for Services
Mario Teixeria, IV, Manager, NJ Lic. #3757
Newly renovated family owned and operated funeral home with multiple locations.
Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish. Handicapped Accessible.
(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
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
Continued from Page 2
force entry into the receptionist area. The injured employee was treated by Lyndhurst EMS for facial injuries sustained during the assault.
DiNicola arrived to assist in securing and placing him under arrest.
During the arrest, Tantalean exhibited signs of narcotics influence, including erratic behavior, profuse sweating, uncontrollable twitching, pinpoint pupils and statements admitting to the recent use of crack-cocaine.
As a precaution, emergency medical services were requested to evaluate him on scene.
Following the incident, Tantalean was transported to New Bridge Medical Center for medical evaluation and was later medically cleared. He was then transported to Bergen County Jail, Hackensack.
Tantalean was charged with robbery, burglary, aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, obstruction and being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance.
A subsequent investigation revealed prior to police arrival, Tantalean assaulted a motel employee in the lobby, striking the victim in the face and stealing a set of personal keys.
The suspect also attempted to
The Lyndhurst Police Department commends the officers for their professionalism and swift action in safely resolving a volatile and potentially dangerous situation.
OBITS
Continued from Page 13
nieces and nephews.
Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Mass was celebrated at St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny. Burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
To leave online condolences, please visit www.armitagewiggins.com
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the Disabled Veterans (DAV) at www.dav.org.
Danny Ramiro Vizuete
Danny Ramiro Vizuete, 42, of Hillside, died April 22, 2025. Relatives and friends visited at
Take notice that Stellar Importing Company, LLC has applied to the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control for a Plenary Wholesale License for the premises situated at Hanover Warehouse, 17 Cable Drive, Kearny, NJ. Objections, if any, should be made immediately in writing to the Director of the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, PO Box 087, Trenton NJ 08625-0087. Objections to also be sent to Stellar Importing Company, LLC, 14-34 150 Street, Suite 3, Whitestone, NY 11357. The application has been filed by permittees, Sam Catechis and Stella Catechis (166-23 17 Road, Whitestone, NY 11357).
($13.39 4/23/25,4/30/25)
Take notice that in accordance with N.J.S.A. 39:1016*, application has been made to the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, Trenton, New Jersey, to receive title papers authorizing and the issuance of a New Jersey certification of ownership for, Make Honda, Year 2008, VIN/Hull identification Number 1HGCP267X8A023012. Objections, if any, should be made in writing, immediately in writing to the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, Special Title Unit, P.O. Box 017, Trenton, New Jersey, 08666-0017
($16.50 04/23/25,04/30/25,05/07/25)
To Whom It May Concern:
The regular meeting of the Kearny Zoning Board of Adjustment is to be held on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at 7:30 pm in the Council Chambers 402 Kearny Ave., Kearny, NJ. The extent of the agenda is known as follows:
#2025.09 Jersey KY Corp 389 Beech Street
Variance application.
#2025.10 Estate of Phyllis DeFranco 163 Laurel Avenue
Non-conforming use application.
By: Jennifer Diaz, Board Secretary
($11.50 04/23/25 online)
To Whom It May Concern:
The regular meeting of the Kearny Planning Board scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, 2025, at 7:30 pm in the Council Chambers at 402 Kearny Avenue, Kearny, NJ 07032 has been cancelled.
By: Jennifer Diaz, Board Secretary
($4.50 04/23/25 online)
COUNTY OF HUDSON NOTICE TO RESPONDENTS
Notice is hereby given that Request for Qualifications will be received by the County of Hudson, State of New Jersey at the Administration Annex Building, Purchasing Department,
the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. A funeral service took place at the funeral home. Interment was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
Danny will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his beloved wife, Jessica Piracun Vizuete; his devoted parents, Marco and Carmen Vizuete, his cherished sons, Sebastian and Maximiliano; his brothers, Eric and Vinny; his sister-in-law Veronica Quezada Vizuete; and a host of extended family members and dear friends.
John Vincent Carrino
John Vincent Carrino died peacefully Thursday, April 10, 2025, at the age of 80. John was the beloved husband
3rd Floor, 567 Pavonia Avenue, Jersey City, New Jersey 07306 on May 13, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. prevailing time, and at that time and place publicly opened and read for the following:
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
FOR THE PROVISION OF PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
“GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS”
Requests for Qualifications may be viewed and obtained through the Hudson County Purchasing Department website, hudsoncountynjprocure.orghttp:// www.hudsonprocure.org. Applicants must register on the Purchasing Portal in order to download the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and to receive Addenda, if issued. All RFQ Addenda will be posted on the Purchasing Portal/Website. Therefore, all interested Respondents should check the Purchasing Portal Website from now through the RFQ opening.
It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to be knowledgeable of all Addenda related to this procurement. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the specifications contained in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Request for Qualifications may be submitted in person or by courier service. Though Request for Qualifications may be sent by courier services, the County takes no responsibility for the loss, non delivery or physical condition of the Qualification Statements so sent. Please state on the envelope that the contents contain a Request for Qualifications.
Respondents are required to comply with requirements of N.J.S.A.19:44A-20.4 et seq.
The County reserves the right, in its sole judgment, to reject any Respondent that submits incomplete responses to this Request for Qualifications, or a Qualification Statement that is not responsive to the requirements of this Request for Qualifications.
BY: Christine Moro Purchasing Agent
For: Cheryl Fuller, Director
Department of Finance & Administration
($35.50)
PUBLIC NOTICE
HUDSON COUNTY
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
PROGRAM
Amendments to Action Plans
Program Years (PY) 2021, (PY) 2022 and (PY) 2023
Reprogramming
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Pursuant to Federal regulations, the County of Hudson will hold a 15-day public comment period open to all residents, especially low-and moderate-income residents on Amendments to public hearing open to
of Elizabeth “Betty” Carrino (nee Tagliareni).
Born and raised in Jersey City, John moved with Betty to Rutherford.
John served his country proudly in the United States Army and was a member of the American Legion Post 139 in Lyndhurst. John spent most of his years as a general contractor and was the owner of John Carrino Construction.
John was predeceased by his father Mario Carrino and mother Jane Carrino, his brother Robert “Bobby” Carrino and daughter Darlene Ann. A funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Mary’s Church, 91 Home Ave., Rutherford. Entombment was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.
all residents, especially low-and moderate -income residents on Amendments to, PY 2021, PY 2022 and PY 2023 Action Plans on project activities and budget changes.
The purpose of the 15-day comment period is to gather public input on the proposed project activities and budget changes by the County of Hudson pertaining to Hudson County’s Action Plans for Program Year (PY) 2021, PY 2022, and PY 2023. Federal regulations stipulate that Hudson County must provide a 15-day public comment period for the amendments to the PY 2021, PY 2022, and PY 2023 Action Plans. Citizens have 15 days from the date of this public notice to review the documents and submit their comments.
The County believes that these amendments represent substantial changes to its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program, necessitating compliance with 24 CFR Section 570.305 and the County of Hudson’s Public Participation Plan. REPROGRAMMING HUDSON COUNTY CDBG
Please note the following reprogramming details:
1. Reallocate $94,146.00 from the existing project “Town of Guttenberg – 68-69th Palisades Avenue Improvements” (Resolution #482-8-2021) to a new project named “Town of Guttenberg – Pedestrian Safety Enhancements.”
2. Reallocate $88,528.00 from the existing project “Town of Guttenberg – 68th-70th Street Improvements” (Resolution #465-8-2022) to the new project “Town of Guttenberg – Pedestrian Safety Enhancements.”
3. Reallocate $85,640.00 from the existing project “Town of Guttenberg – Park Avenue and 70th Street Improvements” (Resolution #427-7-2023) to the new project “Town of Guttenberg – Pedestrian Safety Enhancements.”
People wishing to comment on the amendments to the PY 2021, PY 2022, and PY 2023 Action Plans can submit their feedback during the 15-day comment period, which will run from May 1, 2025, to May 16, 2025. Interested citizens may contact the Division of Housing and Community Development at 830 Bergen Avenue, Suite 5A, Jersey City, NJ, or call George Serio, Division Chief, at 07306. County Division of Housing and Community Development at (201)3694520 or e-mail at Gserio@hcnj.us.
The Hudson County Board of Commissioners is expected to take formal action during their regularly scheduled meeting, which will occur around May 22, 2025, at 4:30 PM. Following this meeting, amendments to the Action Plans for Program Years 2021, 2022, and 2023 will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Hudson County Board of Commissioners
Craig Guy County Executive County of Hudson Abraham Antun
County Administrator County of Hudson Darice Toon
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
John’s legacy of his love of family, friends, cars and animals will continue to inspire us.
Jeaneen Verrier-Szekeres
Jeaneen Verrier-Szekeres, a lifelong Kearny resident, died April 18, 2025. She was 66.
Memorial visitation was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Her cremation was handled privately.
Jeaneen loved the beach, camping and playing pool. She was generous to a fault and couldn’t have been a better storyteller. Family was everything to Jeaneen and she was everything to them. She was a fierce friend to many and loved by them all.
Director Hudson County Department of Health and Human Services
Nicole Harrison-Garcia Deputy Director Hudson County Department of Health and Human Services
George F. Serio, Jr. Division Chief Hudson County Division of Housing and Community Development
($54.00)
Notice of Meeting
Please take note that the Hudson County Workforce Development Board will hold a meeting via Zoom on Monday, May 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88124769597?pwd=tYF3Z86wshWTCsN47S02G6DkSZ99eX.1
Meeting ID: 881 2476 9597
Passcode: 623429 One tap mobile +16469313860,,88124769597#,,,,*623429# US Dial in • +1 929 436 2866 US
Meeting ID: 881 2476 9597 Passcode: 623 ($12.00)
COUNTY OF HUDSON REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATION STATEMENTS NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that Qualification Statements will be received by the County of Hudson, State of New Jersey, at the Administration Building Annex, Purchasing Department, 567 Pavonia Avenue, 3rd Floor, Jersey City, New Jersey 07306 on Friday, May 16, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. prevailing time and at that time and place shall be publicly opened and the names of Respondents read for the following: QUALIFICATION STATEMENTS FOR FOR THE PROVISION OF 2025-2026 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SERVICES
This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is being publicly advertised and any firm or person licensed in the State of New Jersey may reply with a Qualification Statement. Requests for Qualifications may be viewed and obtained through the Hudson County Purchasing Department website, hudsoncountynjprocure.org. Applicants must register on the Purchasing Portal in order to download the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) and to receive Addenda, if issued. All RFQ Addenda will be posted on the Purchasing Portal/Website and advertised in the online publications of the Star Ledger and the Kearny Observer.. Therefore, all interested Respondents should check the Purchasing Portal Website from now through the RFQ opening. It is the sole responsibility of the Respondent to be knowledgeable of all
Wife of the late Thomas Szekeres, Jeaneen was the daughter of Adeline and the late James Verrier. She was the loving mother of Louis Belfiore. Sister of Francine Dames (husband late Ted), Georgine Verrier (husband Carl Musacchio), Christine Kavlick (husband late William), Martine Verrier and the late James Verrier (wife Deborah). Also surviving is her granddaughter Brianna. She adored her eight nieces and nephews and they affectionately called her Aunt Neen.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the American Cancer Society or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Addenda related to this procurement. Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the specifications contained in the Request for Qualifications (RFQ). Notice is automatically sent of any addendum to those who have downloaded the RFQ. It is free to register on the Purchasing Portal and to download any opportunity.
Qualifications must be submitted in writing to questions.purchasing@hcnj.us. Though Qualification Statements may be sent by courier service, the County takes no responsibility for the loss, non-delivery or physical condition of the Qualification Statements so sent.
The Qualification Statements are being solicited through a fair and open process in accordance with N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.4 et seq. The County reserves the right, in its sole judgment, to reject any Respondent that submits incomplete responses to this Request for Qualifications or a Qualification Statement that is not responsive to the requirements of this Request for Qualifications.
The Qualification Statements should consist of one original, one (1) copy, and one USB copy sealed and labeled:
FOR THE PROVISION OF 2025-2026 ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SERVICES
Consultant selection will be based on the qualifications of the firm, key staff assigned to the County and on the criteria set forth within this Request for Qualifications which include but are not limited to the firm’s ability to understand the purposes, goals and objectives of the County and establish appropriate work activities by task to produce recommendations needed.
Qualifications shall be detailed (for the consultant and its sub-consultants) and shall include a statement of qualifications, detailed experience and expertise, description of relevant work, and resumes of key personnel. Resumes of each employee should be limited to no more than two pages each.
Issued by: Christine Moro Purchasing Agent
For: Craig Guy County Executive
Denise C. D’Alessandro Director, Department of Roads & Public
BELLEVILLE Basement, 1 BR, Large LR, Kitchen $1500 + 1 months security Utilities included No Pets/ Smoking Single person or couple preferred
Available May 1st (201)993-7905 51W03
BELLEVILLE Howard Place. off Washington Avenue. 3 rooms. 1 BR. $1500 + 1.5 Months security. HT/HW included. No Pets. Near Family Dollar Store. Available Now (973) 801-5900 52W03
OBSERVER CLASSIFIEDS
KEARNY Recently renovated 2 BR First floor apartment. LR, DR, EIK. Washer/dryer hook up. No Pets/Smoking. Credit report. $1950 + 1.5 month’s security. Utilities separate. Near Transportation. Available Now (973)838-1662 49W06
KEARNY 2nd floor 2 BR’s, 1 1/2 Baths, LR, EIK, Washer/Dryer in unit, CA & Heat, Balcony $2500 + 1.5 months security Utilities separate 1 assigned parking No Smoking/Pets general background/Credit check Located Forest junction of Kearny Available Tentatively June 1st (973)725-7378 50W03
2 BR $1,950 + 1.5 Months security. HT/HW included. See Super 6 Woodland Ave. Apt. 1 (201)892-8035 for appointment. 51W03
KEARNY 3rd floor. Newly renovated. 1 bedroom, LR, EIK. $1500 + 1.5 months security. Utilities Separate. Proximity to PATH and bus lines. Available May 1st. No Pets No Smoking. (201)889-3118 52W03
KEARNY 1st floor 2 BR’s, Small LR, EIK $1600 + 1.5 months security Utilities separate No Pets/Smoking Available Now Se habla Español (973)765-3351 52W03
KEARNY 310 Davis Ave., 2 bedrooms, LR, DR, kitchen, 2nd floor. $2,000 month. 1 month security. Separate utilities. Landlord pays for water. Available Now. No pets. No smoking. (201) 306-1918 52W03
KEARNY Renovoted 3 BR’s, 1 Bath, EIK, Large LR $2650 + 1.5 months
security Utilities separate No Pets/smoking
Available Now Call or leave a message/text (201)702-8815 52W03
KEARNY 1st floor
premises Call Sofia after 3pm (201)998-3516 for
51W03
2 BR’s, Small LR, EIK $1600 + 1.5 months security Utilities separate No Pets/Smoking Available Now Se habla Español (973)765-3351 52W03
LYNDHURST 2 BR’s, 2 Baths, Kitchen, DR, LR $3200 + 1.5 months security Heat included, washer/dryer in apartment, with basement, backyard. Driveway & garage optional No Smoking Available June 1st (732)877-2066 51W03
N.ARLINTON 2nd fl.
Large apartment 3 BR’s, EIK, LR, Newly renovated, 1 block from NYC transportation. Walking distance to schools, shopping and parks. No pets. No smoking. $3000 + 1.5 months security. 1 car Garage avl. for additional price. Please call (973) 5171342 52W03
N.ARLINGTON 3rd fl.
4 rooms, 2 BR’s, EIK, LR, Newly renovated, 1 block from NYC transportation. Walking distance to schools, shopping and parks. No pets. No smoking. $2200 + 1.5 months security. 1 car Garage avl. for additional price. Please call (973) 517-1342 52W03
NUTLEY Newly renovated, Fully furnished,Private entrance. Studio with Kitchen, full Bath $1500 + 1.5 months security, Utilities & H & HW included No Pets/ smoking Single person preffered Available now (973)667-5351 51W03
KEARNY 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, LR, DR, kitchen, sunroom. Basement with washer/ dryer & storage, garage parking & driveway (2 cars). Maintenance free backyard fully fenced. No pets/smoking. $3,400+1.5 months security. Background check. Avail May 1st call (201)279-8282 50W03
N.NEWARK 2ND Floor 1 bedroom and small kitchen with Living room. Close to transportation. Heat included. No Pets. Perfect for couple Available Now Call between Noon7pm (973)202-5103 or (973)477-0925 50W03
1.5 years old Maytag Petero Washer, still under warranty $300 Gas Dryer GE Profile 1.5 years old excellent working condition $200 or make reasonable offer (973)951-3109 52W03
LYNDHURST Private entance 1 BR, LR & Private Bathroom, No Kitchen, with refrierator & sink $1100 + 1 months security Utilities included No Pets/ Smoking Available Now (201)709-4906 52W03
Job Opening: Account Clerk
The Town of Kearny is seeking a full-time Account Clerk to assist in purchasing and accounts payable, collection of tax payments, performing routine clerical and financial tasks, and take on special projects as assigned. Schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Salary Range: $39,280 – $63,538 plus health benefits and PERS pension enrollment. Requirements: Strong attention to detail, basic math and clerical skills, and the ability to follow established procedures. Prior experience in a similar role is preferred. Interested applicants should download and complete the employment application at: https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/ Submit completed by mail or in person to The Personnel Department at 410 Kearny Avenue. The Town of Kearny is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 50W03
Part time help needed for Kearny office. Mon, Tues and Wed. 8am-4:30pm. $20.00 per hour. Times are slightly flexible, but days are not. Duties will include billing with QuickBooks, scanning, copying, filing and other administrative duties. Knowledge of QuickBooks is required. Email resume and salary requirements to office@eastcoastconsult.com 50W03
Federick AC 14,000 BTU, Electric 220, Heavy, In excellent working condition Make reasonable offer (973)951-3109 52W03
Data Scientist (Newark, NJ) Clean, preprocess & analyze large datasets. Dev. ML algorithms & NLP models for unstructured text. Build data pipelines, visualize results & eval. data sources for reliability. Dev. software apps for stat. modeling, ML & graphic analysis. Proficient in Python with knowledge of algorithms & advanced data structures. Bachelor’s in Math or CS. $82,763/year. Send resume to AlphaROC Inc, at: vineet@alpharoc.ai 52W01
Laundromat attendee wash/fold, phone, customer service. Part time Saturday 4PM - 10PM Experience only call Penny (862)763-1977 52W03
KEARNY
OBSERVER CLASSIFIEDS
Lyndhurst NJ Transit station nearly ready
Photo by Kevin A. Canessa Jr.
Lyndhurst Mayor Robert B. Giangeruso is seen here at a ribbon cutting ceremony April 28 for the township’s new NJ Transit station, slated to open June 9, 2025. Numerous other dignitaries were on hand for the occasion. We’ll have a full story in the May 7 edition of The Observer.
Kearny’s Franklin School names April Students of the Month
Yvonne Cali, principal of Franklin School in Kearny, announces the school’s April Students of the Month.
Ian Perez, Jonathan Thomas, Aiden Cruz, Xavier Contreras, George Rosaly, Yesly Cordova Vega,Thiago Troya-Escobar, Mia Moreno Tobar, Emma Paredes, Emma Paredes, Christian Arevalo Gonzalez, Ivanna Martinez Urdaneta, Hazel Calderon, Kendra Prado, Lucas Oquendo, Fernando Rosario, Rouse Velasquez Aguilar, Dulce Ortiz Usuga, Dayron Siguenza Gaspar, Luna Rivera, Connor Hague, Jackson Matos, Chris-
tian Arevalo Gonzalez, Kelly Ferreira, Nadin Novokolska, Victoria Vazquez, Isabella Riano, Brianna Salavarria, Jeremiah Zelaya, Erik Velasquez Aguilar, Jovani Carrasco, Jose Garrido, Allison Stancu, Jeremmy Garcia, Rullys Leandres Rojas, Matteo Battistini, Ervin Nunez, Alexander Huancaya, Maria Tavares, Camilla Campos, Fernando Enmanuel Zambrano Navia, Bruno Mejia Ortega, Ebrahim Perea, Nicholas Silva, Jaylen Santillan, Bellany Tandazo Castro, Leonardo Tenezaca, Juan Torres Narvaez, Victoria Santos, Dayra Figueroa Coronel.
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vidual landlords control thousands of apartments in the state.
Despite all of this, demand for multifamily housing is highly inelastic, meaning even as prices skyrocket, the demand for rentals remains relatively constant: renters need someplace to live and cannot forgo the essential human need of shelter.
Along with the Texas-based RealPage, the complaint names Russo Property Management, LLC; Morgan Properties Management Company LLC; AvalonBay Communities, Inc.; Kamson Corp.; LeFrak Estates, L.P. (“LeFrak”) and its subsidiary, Realty Operations Group LLC; Greystar Management Services, LLC (“Greystar”); Aion Management LLC; Cammeby’s Management Co. of New Jersey L.P.; Veris Residential, Inc.(“Veris”); and Bozzuto Management Company (“Bozzuto”) (collectively, “defendant landlords”), who collectively own and manage at least tens of thousands of rental units statewide. The complaint also references additional New Jersey landlords as unnamed co-conspirators.
These are landlords owning or managing multifamily rental properties who are
believed to have also unlawfully colluded to raise rents by collectively setting rents based on RealPage’s software and unlawfully agreed to exchange competitively sensitive information (collectively “participating landlords”). The investigation into the alleged conspiracy is ongoing and additional defendants may be named, Platkin says.
According to the complaint, at the heart of the price-fixing scheme is RealPage’s Revenue Management (“RM”) Software.
RealPage offers three RM products to landlords — YieldStar, AI Revenue Management (“AIRM”) and Lease Rent Options (“LRO”). The products are functionally similar in that they automate pricing of multifamily units using algorithms fueled by RealPage’s vast data repositories.
More simply, these products employ statistical models that use data — including proprietary, non-public data —to estimate supply and demand for multifamily housing that is specific to particular geographic areas and unit types and then generate a price to charge for renting those units that maximizes the landlord’s revenue.
RealPage charges the landlord an initial setup fee and then a monthly fee for each multifamily residential unit. In addition to fees, participating landlords compensate RealPage by providing their valuable pro-
prietary data.
Specifically, participating landlords, including defendant landlords, agree to share their non-public information with competitors and know that their competitors’ information is being used to generate the rents they charge. For example, a “One Master Agreement” with RealPage expressly obligates the landlord to provide RealPage with “correct and accurate” data and acknowledge that RealPage may use that data to operate its products (including the RealPage RM Software), according to the complaint.
The complaint asserts the RealPage software is anti-competitive by design because it restricts meaningful price reductions and facilitates collective action to push rents higher. RealPage enforces strict adherence by landlords to its prices using tools like automatic price acceptance, compliance tracking, “secret shop” tests, and direct oversight by RealPage employees to ensure landlords stay in line. In the rare instance when landlords do deviate, they risk corrective action—both from RealPage and from their peers in the cartel, the complaint alleges.
The landlords using RealPage’s RM Software not only agreed to use RealPage’s anticompetitive RM Software and impose its
artificially high — or “supracompetitive”— rents, but they also collaborated directly with one another, the complaint alleges. They shared sensitive, real-time data on occupancy rates, leasing activity, concessions and pricing strategies, Platkin says. They participated in user groups, secret shops and industry meetings where they coordinated tactics and reinforced their collective commitment to the scheme. And they worked actively to recruit other landlords into the scheme, knowing broader participation would drive rents even higher, according to the complaint.
As an example, at Vermella West, in Kearny, as of Sunday, April 27, the most inexpensive apartment available was a 515-square foot studio fetching $1,936 in rent. The most expensive was a 1,267-square-foot, two-bedroom unit fetching $3,358 per month.
Not mentioned in the complaint — but apparently a result of these alleged actions — is what has happened to rent prices elsewhere, or rental prices not controlled by these landlords, but by regular, multi-family homeowners, which over the last 10 years have skyrocketed.
For example, in the April 23, 2025,
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edition of The Observer, a three-bedroom apartment in Kearny was going for up to $2,500 per month, while in Lyndhurst, one, two-bedroom apartment was going for $3,200 per month.
Conversely, in the April 22, 2015, edition of The Observer, the most expensive rental in Kearny was $1,300 for a three-bedroom apartment, while similarly in Lyndhurst, the asking price for a two-bedroom apartment was $1,500.
Meanwhile, overall, the complaint alleges the defendants violated the Sherman Act and the New Jersey Antitrust Act by engaging in conduct that includes:
n Entering into contracts, combinations or conspiracies that unreasonably restrain trade or commerce;
n Agreeing to have RealPage set prices for multifamily residential real estate leases in New Jersey rather than competing with other landlords on the basis of price and agreeing not to override these prices the vast majority of the time;
n Conspiring to reduce the supply of multifamily housing units in the form of limited target occupancy rates and to fix and increase the price of leases for multifamily housing units in New Jersey; and
n Further advancing the anticompetitive scheme by agreeing to share and in fact sharing competitively sensitive, non-public information with their competitors, through RealPage and directly with each other.
Each violation of the Sherman Act and New Jersey Antitrust Act constitutes a separate unlawful practice and violation of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act. The complaint also alleges RealPage engaged in “unconscionable commercial practices and acts of deception,” including:
n Engaging in an unlawful rent-setting scheme to inflate prices for multifamily real estate leases in New Jersey by offering the RM software and related services to participating landlords;
n Providing consumer-facing communications in connection
with advertising and offering rates for apartment leases that contained misrepresentations that were disseminated by the participating landlords and further instructing the participating landlords how to communicate to renters about RealPage-generated prices, which limited the information available to consumers and undermined consumers’ ability to make informed choices;
n Directly causing supracompetitive prices generated pursuant to the unlawful scheme to be pushed to Internet listing services,
where they are displayed directly to consumers to advertise the apartments whose prices have been unlawfully inflated;
n Promulgating instructions to participating landlords to misrepresent the nature of their pricing decisions to renters and conducting secret shops to ensure that participating landlords did not disclose the existence of the RM software and instead misrepresented to and/or omitted from renters the truth of their pricing decisions as previously instructed by RealPage; and
n Enforcing participating landlords’ compliance in the scheme through RealPage’s directions and training on consumer-facing messaging, including through secret shops
Finally, the complaint alleges certain landlords engaged in unconscionable practices, acts of deception or misrepresentations under the Consumer Fraud Act. The civil lawsuit seeks a number of remedies, including n An injunction to stop the defendants from engaging in anticompetitive and consumer fraud practices;
n The appointment of a corporate monitor — at the defendants’ expense — to ensure implementation of all structural or practice remedies ordered by the court and to not engage in further unlawful conduct;
n Equitable relief, civil penalties, and damages; and
n The disgorgement (reimbursement) of any profits generated in New Jersey through this unlawful behavior.
Attempts to reach Russo Development were unsuccessful.
-Rami Alrabaa
