e-Newspaper for May 24, 2023

HARRISON TO

Gifted & Talented students learn even the Ivies are within their reach

By Laura Comppen Special to The Observer

Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself. So says the old Chinese proverb.

Well, big doors are opening for students in the Gifted & Talented program at Harrison’s Washington Middle School who recently participated in the ultimate field trip — a trip to Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

This component of the years-long college readiness initiative was organized by Washington Middle School teachers Karen Cristalli and Tara Maziou.

With Harvard undergraduate student tour guides, 30 Harrison students enjoyed a walking tour of the campus. Students learned about the university application process, financial aid opportunities, Harvard’s history and which fields of study are available at the university. Additionally,

they learned about campus life and the university housing system.

Eighth-grader Amanda Caldeira Gomes summed it up best.

“This trip to Harvard was not only fun, but I learned how the application process goes and what campus life is like,” Gomes said. “The tour was highly informational and it has me thinking of applying to Harvard.”

Cristalli, an English/language arts teacher who also directs the district’s Gifted and Talented program, saw it as an excellent opportunity to have students work on their own individualized programs of study under the umbrella of the G&T program.

“Creating opportunities like this for our students is the ultimate dream as a program coordinator,” she said. “I believe half the battle is showing students that they belong at

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

New program between NJRC & Archdiocese of Newark will offer new hope to struggling addicts.

Photo by Tara Maziou

Gifted & Talented students from Harrison recently visited Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts thanks to the efforts of teachers Karen Cristalli and Tara Maziou, of Washington Middle School. Each student walked away knowing Ivy League schools are well within their reach if they work hard.

any higher learning institution they choose. It’s our job to show them it’s possible to get there.”

For one WMS student, the trip had a cool personal connection.

Seventh-grader Miguel Tobar was especially happy to travel to Harvard because he was able to meet up with his cousin Manuel — a first year economics student who shared his experiences with the students from Harrison.

Harrison Public Schools Superintendent of Schools Maureen Kroog spoke about recent changes within the district.

“Our Gifted & Talented program began as an afterschool activity for students who tested in,” Kroog said. “Fortunately, the State of New Jersey has now recognized G&T as special education and our students receive specialized instruction during their regular school day. In Harri-

son, we’ve incorporated G&T classes into every school and the students are instructed by specially trained teachers.

“Program Coordinator Karen Cristalli is working with the New Jersey Department of Education and has presented at that level. She keeps up to date with current requirements and works one on one with students in the program. Karen has enabled our G&T program to grow and we’ve seen more students are testing into the program because of early recognition and teacher referral.”

The Harvard trip is the fourth in a series of Ivy League campus tours run by Cristalli and Maziou.

“This all started in 2017, with our first visit to the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory Young Women in STEM Conference,” Maziou said. “After that visit, students expressed a specific interest in visiting other college campuses, so since then, we’ve also toured Columbia and Yale

universities.”

Each visit focused on increased exposure to prepare middle and early high school students for the college application process.

This exposure has been proven to be fruitful as two Harrison High School students who were part of the earlier trip to Columbia University are now seniors with Ivy League admissions. Other G&T program participants are headed to Tufts, Emory and UC Irvine.

David Dias recently received news of his acceptance to Princeton University and plans to attend in the fall. He is also this year’s valedictorian.

“As a seventh-grade student in Washington Middle School, I was fortunate enough to take a tour around Columbia University’s campus,” Dias said. “For the first time in my life, I walked among Ivy League students, not truly understanding what it meant to attend an institution like

Columbia. On our ride home, my teacher summed up the trip by pointing out how close the school was to Harrison.

“I visited Yale University the following year, and walking around their campus seemed beyond belief. By this point, I had a thorough understanding of the Ivy League, and even the details in the architecture blew me away. Looking back, having the honor of being admitted into two Ivy League schools, I can confidently say that these trips inspired my Ivy dreams.

They allowed me to step outside our small town, and truly see what the world has to offer,”

Current HHS senior Julia Navarro was also recently accepted into the University of Pennsylvania. “

The experiences I’ve had on the middle school Ivy League tours have been indispensable to my journey,” Navarro said. “I can still vividly look back on the ‘Women in STEM’ Princeton trip, know-

Continued on the next page

Contributed photo Students from Harrison rest at one of the libraries on the campus of Harvard.

Continued from previous page

ing that seeing all those young women succeeding in this field helped push me to pursue both computer science and environmental studies.

“Getting to witness the distinct world of the Ivies made me realize that these schools could be in my future. I ended up applying to a few and was recently accepted to the University of Pennsylvania. This was such a dream come true and I’m so thankful that I had already had the opportunity to visit Ivy League schools that I might have otherwise been too fearful to pursue.”

Naturally, the Harvard trip was a huge hit with all of the participating students.

Said Harrison High School student Alexa Hernandez: “As a high school sophomore, my college research has already started, and learning about Harvard’s academics and admissions process has impacted what I’m looking for in other colleges that I’m researching.”

Washington Middle School

seventh-grader Zainab Arslan concurred.

“I enjoyed that we went to a place that was so far away and it gave me an idea for my own college application,” Arslan said.

While most of the campus tours have been of Ivy League universities, Maziou and Cristalli have also taken student groups to New York University and Rutgers University and plan to visit even more colleges in the near future.

The plan is to provide students with maximum expo -

Ken Davie

sure to various institutions of higher learning and demystify both the application and financial aid process.

To this end, a college preparation unit was recently added to the district’s G&T curriculum, ensuring middle schoolers have early exposure to all aspects of applying to and paying for college. Program highlights include a focus on minimizing student debt. The campus tour initiative centers on educational access for all students.

“Our message to our students, every time we step

foot on a college campus, is that this is a place you belong,” Maziou said. “With time, each student will plan for their future beyond high school, but our mission is to help younger students become aware just how many options are available.”

Back home in Harrison after their 15-hour journey, the students have already begun planning their next campus tour, with Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania among the top contenders. u

‘Getting to witness the distinct world of the Ivies made me realize that these schools could be in my future. I ended up applying to a few and was recently accepted to the University of Pennsylvania.’

r Julia Navarro Harrison High School senior

BCPO: Lyndhurst flamethrower pleads guilty to assault & arson charges

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

The Lyndhurst man who police said shot off a flame thrower last year during a hostage standoff pled guilty to aggravated arson and aggravated assault, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said on May 15, Robert Condit, 52, of Lyndhurst’s plea was in connection to a 21-hour standoff that began on May 3, 2022.

The afternoon of May 3, 2022, Condit reportedly barricaded himself in his home following a hearing in Superior Court in which he was ordered to surrender his firearms. Rather than complying with the court’s order to surrender his firearms, he remained in his home despite police orders to the contrary.

He also shot a flamethrower at members of the Bergen County Regional SWAT team and pointed a rifle at a SWAT vehicle. The surrounding neighborhood was locked down for nearly

a day while negotiators attempted to bring the ordeal to a peaceful end.

Condit ultimately surrendered the following day.

He pled guilty to two counts of second-degree aggravated assault and one count of second-degree aggravated arson. The state will recommend a sentence of seven years in New Jersey State Prison, subject to the No Early Release Act, which requires Condit to serve 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

Sentencing is set for June 30, 2023.

The state was represented by Assistant Prosecutor Christine Gorzelany.

More than 15 members of the Bergen County Regional SWAT team, who were involved in this incident, will be presented with a unit citation award for their skill and professionalism by the CIT-NJ Center of Excellence at its 9th annual New Jersey Crisis Intervention Team (“CIT”) 2022 Year End Forum on May 25, 2023.

Many of the negotiators and SWAT operators are CIT trained and used that training during this nearly day-long standoff. CIT is a 40-hour training that brings together law enforcement, mental health professionals, and commu-

nity stakeholders to learn how to best respond to those who are in psychiatric crisis.

“Since we began supporting CIT training in Bergen County in 2016, more than 450 law enforcement officers have been trained.” Musella said. “We are committed to providing our officers with the tools they need to respond to individuals in crisis and to ensure that our communities are as safe as possible. I commend the members of the Bergen County Regional SWAT team, the Lyndhurst Police Department, the Lyndhurst Police Emergency Response Team, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the officers from surrounding local police departments, who persuaded the actor to surrender while ensuring that the residents in the area were protected. “This was an extremely volatile and dangerous situation that ended peacefully due to the outstanding work of the men and women who responded.”

Mayor Scarpelli and the Township of Nutley remembers our U.S. service members who have honorably served and made the ulitmate sacrifice defending our nation.

Mayor Michael Melham and the Belleville Township Council honors all who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

MEMORIALDAY REMEMBER ANDHONOR

The Town of Kearny remembers all who served and sacrificed so much for the betterment of our nation.

The Kearny American Legion remembers all those who died in service to our great nation.

- Keith McMillan, Commander

Memorial Day: the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance, honoring all who have died in service to the United States. It takes place annually on the last Monday in May and includes commemorative traditions like services, parades, speeches and flag ceremonies. Thousands of people choose to observe the day by visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a neoclassical, white marble sarcophagus, stands atop a hill overlooking Washington, D.C. It’s located in Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place for numerous presidents, Supreme Court justices, astronauts and other public servants, including more than 400,000 military personnel, veterans and their immediate families.

The Tomb began as a resting place for one unknown service member from World War I, and today it’s the grave of three unidentified service members. It serves as a symbolic grave for all fallen service members whose remains haven’t been found or identified. It also serves as a place of mourning and a site for reflection on military service.

A sentinel has been on duty in front of the Tomb every minute of every day since 1937, ensuring the Unknown Soldiers forever rest with dignity and honor.

Mayor Giangeruso and Lyndhurst Commissioners remember all who died in service to our nation.

On Memorial Day, a national ceremony is held at the Tomb with nearly 5,000 people in attendance. The president typically delivers an address. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

This Memorial Day, look for a service in your area to pay your respects to service members who have fought and died while serving the United States of America.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin and the clergy, religious and staff honor, remember and pray for all those who serve.†

All gave some, some gave all.

Mayor Pronti & Borough Council of North Arlington salute all who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The Lyndhurst Veterans Alliance (American Legion Post 139, VFW Post 3549 & Amvets Post 20) remembers all who paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve America’s freedom on this Memorial Day.

OPINION & VIEWPOINTS

Kearny UNICO collects food for food pantry

Archdiocese & NJ Reentry Corp. hit grand slam with new addiction program

Last week, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, the archbishop of Newark and James E. McGreevey, New Jersey’s former governor and the executive director of the New Jersey Reentry Corporation, announced, jointly, the two organizations would be teaming up to train archdiocesan priests so they could be better suited to deal with parishioners in need of addiction treatment. Together, the two organizations have developed a program that, when it kicks off in a few weeks, will allow any adult parishioner in the archdiocese in need of addiction help to get it within 48 hours.

Privacy will be paramount for the addicts and stigma will not be attached to them nor will it be to their loved ones. In simpler terms, vitally needed help is on the way.

This program is innovative, the first of its kind in New Jersey — and it is devised so well that it should ultimately serve as a model for other archdioceses and dioceses in America and globally, and for religious organizations of other faiths.

The Archdiocese of Newark made it clear in its announcement of the program that often, when addicts need help, they turn to parish priests or lay employees in rectories for help.

And so by joining forces with McGreevey’s already fantastic program, it will have never been easier for addicts to get the help addicts so often direly need.

We’ve always known McGreevey to be an extremely forward thinker. And now, if there was ever any doubt, it should also be clear Cardinal Tobin is in the same category when it comes to providing addiction treatment. We are very impressed by the details of how the program works (see the story, which is also in this edition and on www.theobserver.com.) We are grateful to Cardinal Tobin and Gov. McGreevey for teaming up and acknowledging how important such services are. We are thrilled they’re not just talking the talk, but they’re most importantly, walking the walk.

It all begins July 1, 2023. All parishioners should remember this and never fear asking for help when needed. The only mistake that one could make now would be not to ask for assistance.

Doing otherwise would be the greatest tragedy of all.

On Saturday, April 22, members of Kearny UNICO conducted a food drive as part of UNICO National’s Community Service Day. Members, front row from left, are JoAnn Mitchell, Celeste Pandolfi, Nancy Arndt and Chapter President Annamarie Latushko, and back row from left, Bob Vignola, Lou Pandolfi and Dennis Latushko gathered in the parking lot of American Legion Post 99 to collect non-perishable food items and monies which were donated to the Kearny Food Pantry at First Presbyterian Church.

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At Village People concert at Bergen PAC, literal ‘Disco Inferno’ nearly breaks out

By JoAnn Barton Special to The Observer

Take a police officer, construction worker, army man biker, a Native American and a cowboy and what do you get?

The Village People of course.

On May 19, at Bergen PAC in Englewood, the only member missing was a fireman. We could have used one.

The show kicked off with original member, lead singer and songwriter of the group’s many hits, Victor Willis. The young man with a big voice back in the 70s who would parlay his talents with the renowned disco producer Jacques Morali. No longer a young man, that big voice is even bigger and more powerful

now.

Willis proudly told the audience how his journey began and he is the a member of the real Village People. His vocals and Morali’s studio genius would create the Village People everyone knows today.

The group was into their third song. They did an extended version with a heavy pounding disco beat and asked four couples from the audience to come up and join them to do a spotlight dance. The audience and the couples loved it.

Then, out of nowhere, the smoke alarms went off. The house lights went up, yet the band and couples continued to dance while the audience joyfully cheered them on. I have

See VILLAGE, Page 18

Bergen PAC image

Victor Willis, an original member of the Village People

Cardinal Tobin, former Gov. McGreevey team up to aid addicts

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

Addiction knows no boundaries and affects every walk of life. And now, parishioners of churches within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark will now have an added layer of protection to secure treatment for opioid addiction, thanks to a joint program of the archdiocese of the NJ Reentry Corporation.

NJRC and the Archdiocese of Newark have established

an addiction treatment referral program for individuals suffering from acute opiate addiction, effective July 1, 2023. The archdiocese and NJRC signed a memorandum of understanding to acknowledge the collaborative relationship and coordinate and integrate services and care for adults with substance-use disorders.

Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., the archbishop of Newark, recognizes just how serious the issue is.

“In these past several

years, there have been approximately 3,000 overdose deaths annually in New Jersey due to the heroin,

opioid and fentanyl addiction crisis,” the cardinal said.

“The archdiocese recognizes the need for greater resources and support for adults struggling with opiate addiction who often turn to a parish seeking help. This partnership between NJRC and the archdiocese will provide an opportunity for our brothers and sisters to receive addiction treatment when in critical need. They will be connected to appropriate treatment services immediately following a referral

The Observer’s Correction Policy

from the archdiocese.”

NJRC will provide voluntary training sessions to

See HELP, Page 14

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

So, if you believe we’ve made an error, please send an e-mail to editorial@theobserver.com, indicating what is to be corrected. We will ensure a correction is noted (if necessary) in a future print edition — and online. If access to e-mail is not possible, please call us at

Cardinal Tobin

Former Gov. McGreevey

SPORTS HEALTH

& Harrison boys volleyball defeats Kearny for Hudson title

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

For 53 weeks the thought of getting back to and winning a Hudson County championship has been at the forefront of Guilherme Queiroz’s mind. With the images of that loss in last year’s title game still fresh in their memories, this senior-ladden Harrison boys volleyball team can now put those painful memories away and replace them with one of jubilation.

On Saturday, the Blue Tide captured its third Hudson County title and first since 2016 when it defeated rival Kearny 25-21, 25-19, at Hudson County Prep in Jersey City.

Harrison lost to Kearny in the final a year ago and has since served as the catalyst for everything the Blue Tide have done this season.

“Since last year when we lost that (county final), it just

changed the whole mentality,” said Queiroz, a senior outside hitter. “Our goal was to win the county and from that, to move up and up. “Coming here, we felt the nostalgia from last year with them, but at the same time we already beat them (last week), we’ve been here so we know what to do, we have a plan and we executed it and we did it. Now we’re county champs!”

Queiroz had the match’s clinching point when he hit a Jose De La Cruz set over the net and to the right, landing beyond the reach of a Kardinal defender for the kill.

“I couldn’t let the emotions get to me yet. I had to finish it,” Queiroz said. “We had a plan, I had a plan to finish it, we knew what to run with Jose. So as soon as I saw the ball coming to him, I knew it was going to be a point because it was coming to me

and I was going to hit it.”

Queiroz and fellow senior opposite hitter Adrian Vivanco finished with 10 kills apiece. Senior outside hitter Adrian Jimenez added seven kills and De La Cruz, another senior, dished out 26 assists.

“It’s a great senior group, it’s a great group of guys,” Harrison head coach Nick Landy said. “We had unfinished business from last year and that’s all we were thinking about. They worked really hard for this in the offseason and it’s just unbelievable.”

Perhaps a little too amped up, Harrison (25-2) opened the game with three consecutive faults to give the Kardinals (14-6) an early lead in the first set. The Blue took the lead following a De La Cruz kill and two in a row from Queiroz, but couldn’t pull away against a resilient

See VOLLEYBALL, Page 10

As HS Girls Flag Football continues to grow, Harrison thrives

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

It’s been a rough few years for the girls sports at Harrison High School. While the school as a whole has continued to produce plenty of success on the field and court, its girls programs have struggled to even field winning seasons.

Head girls flag football coach Dan Nankivell was reminded of that during one of the first preseason meetings he had with his team.

“In the beginning of the year, we’re having our first team dinner kind of thing and I said raise your hand if you’ve ever had a winning season in

your athletic career. Looking around the room there were very few hands in the air unfortunately,” recalled Nankivell, a longtime member of the Harrison football community as a player and assistant coach. “Going off of that I said why don’t we promise each other right now that this is never going to happen to us again. We’re going to be a winning program and we’re going to continue to be that. I think they really internalized that.”

Since then, the Blue Tide haven’t just been winning,

See HARRISON, Page 11

Photo by Jason Bernstein

VOLLEYBALL

Continued from Page 9

Kearny group in a first set where the two teams were tied on nine different occasions.

“It’s always a tight game with Kearny,” said Queiroz. “When it’s about the rivalry, it’s always one point there, one point here. One point there, one point here. It’s amazing, honestly.”

In the second set, Harrison once again overcame an early deficit, before tying it at 10-10 on a Queiroz kill then took the lead for good with consecutive Anthony Narvaez aces. It wasn’t until later on

when the Blue TIde pulled away, scoring five consecutive points to make it 24-16, a stretch, which featured kills from Jimenez and Luiz Silva.

In defeat, Kearny got five kills from Yuri Dos Santos and four apiece by Gabriele Ferreira and Angel Cortes.

Adrian Moran added 16 sassists for a Kardinals squad that overcame injuries and a midseason coaching change to make it back to the final for the third year in a row.

“They really brought it together as a team and they really showed what they can do together,” said Vicky Zicopoulos, who along with Tracy Sigma, took over in mid-April. “I think the boys

have grown tremendously, they’ve shown resilience, my captains stepped up and showed true leadership and they really came together as a squad. It’s not the outcome that we wanted today, or any coach would want, but they did an excellent job and I’m super-proud of them.”

Both programs now turn their attention to the state tournament, which was seeded on Monday, after publication deadline, and set to begin on Thursday.

Kearny, ranked No. 14 in the state by NJ.com, is projected to be the fifth seed in North Jersey, Group 3. Harrison, ranked No. 4 in the state, is the projected top seed in

North Jersey, Group 1.

With the NJSIAA’s change in state tournament format, now breaking teams up by school size in addition to geography, Landy knows Harrison is in prime position to capture a state championship.

For the Blue Tide, it would be the final goal of a season, which has seen them achieve all of its other missions thus far.

“This is our first year in Group 1 so we have a tremendous chance to go out and win states,” Landy said. “They set team goals and one of the goals was to win the conference, the second goal was to win this and the third was to win the states and we’re setting up to get the job done.”

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WHY SELF CARE IMPROVES MENTAL HEALTH

Self-care is actions or activities done with intent to benefit mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing. While self-care may be subjective, simple acts of physical care contribute significantly to overall mental health. In daily life, it’s essential to practice self-care to refresh and recharge both body and mind. Lifestyle changes and self-care practices can alleviate mental health struggles, helping better manage these conditions. Initiating self-care includes identifying life’s important matters and prioritizing them: getting restful sleep, healthy eating, exercising, and self-evaluating mind and body to determine individual’s unique self-care needs. Integrating a self-care routine is vital for mental wellness and results in increased confidence, creativity, and productivity. Proper mind/body care

improves everyday experiences while also strengthening personal relationships and interpersonal communications.

Although prioritizing self-care may sound like common sense, it’s often the first thing to go when we find ourselves in challenging situations. And when people are expected to work long hours and pass on vacation days, there is an underlying belief that we must always be productive – which can ultimately take away from opportunities for self-care. If you don’t already have a provider, please call PREMIER CARE ASSOCIATES OF WEST HUDSON at 201-998-7474. We are located at 512 Kearny Ave., Suite B, where walk-in patients are always welcome 7 days a week.

P.S. Socrates has been credited with founding the self-care movement in ancient Greece

Dr. Prakash J. Doshi

Dr. Hector Aguilar

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

Continued from Page 9

they’ve been dominant. After defeating Pompton Lakes on Friday, the second-year program is now 9-0 and on top of the NJIC standings heading into the final week of the regular season.

“We have a lot of buy-in,” Nankivell said. “I think our girls have started to believe in this program and believe in our identity and once those things start coming together, the rest is kind of easy.”

This is the third season of the New York Jets’ High School Girls Flag Football League, which is done in conjunction with Nike and Gatorade. Since its formation in 2021, the league has expanded from eight teams to now more than 100 in North and Central New Jersey, Long Island and New York City.

Locally, Harrison, Lyndhurst and Nutley started flag football programs last season. North Arlington started play this spring.

Since flag football is not a NJSIAA sponsored sport, girls

ball as well as another spring sport at the same time.

Nankivell believes the newness of the sports has allowed the Harrison girls to compete on a more even playing field than in other sports, where other teams have stronger recreation programs for girls before getting to high school.

“Last year was the first year ever playing this game,” Nankivell said. “Now that they’re able to come out here with an understanding of how this game operates, how practices operate and what the expectations are, it’s been a seamless year two.”

At quarterback is Hailey Scocco, a standout on the softball field and a true game-changer on the foot-

and legs. The sophomore has thrown for 511 yards and 11 touchdowns, ran for six more TDs and also has two interceptions on defense.

“Really doing a great job and has come into her own,” Nankivell said. “She can wing the ball. She’s throwing the ball 40 yards down field and hitting receivers. I’ve had a hard time coaching boys who played their entire life just to be able to do some of the stuff that she’s learning how to do - reading defenses, looking off safeties, she has full audible ability.”

At running back is freshman Mya De Jesus, who also started in soccer and basketball. De Jesus has made an instant impact with 617 yards and 14

five interceptions on defense.

“Mya is a game changer in every sense of the word,” said Nankivell. “Whenever she touches the ball, there is a very real possibility it ends up in the endzone. Mya, in a very short time, has become one of the more electric players I’ve had the pleasure to be around.”

The other two primary offensive skill players are Harrison’s two captains, Rasha Abdeljalil (251 yards, five touchdowns) and Fatma Mohamed (334 yards, eight touchdowns), who according to Nankivell are “in many ways, the heart and soul of our team.”

Isabel Cruz and Paulina Niczewski are dual-threats as linemen and tight ends. They’re joined on the offen-

sive line by center Jessica Mota, who Nankivell termed an “unsung hero on the offense.”

A rotation at defensive line is led by Rebecca Sardinha, a sophomore basketball and soccer player, who has double-digit sacks, as well as Hanna Medina and Jamie Benavides. Abdeljalil Serenity Maldonado and Danica Carr are the linebackers and Mohamed, Scocco and De Jesus are in the secondary.

Harrison concludes the regular season on Tuesday at 6-2 North Arlington. The Blue Tide will host the NJIC Championship game on May 31, with the winner advancing to NJ Girls High School Flag Football Championships which will be held at the Jets training facility in Florham Park.

WHAT CAUSES HETEROCHROMIA?

Heterochromia is a condition in which a person has different colored eyes. This phenomenon can be hereditary and present at birth, or it can be caused by eye trauma or an underlying disease. An infant can also develop hereditary heterochromia after birth. Hemorrhaging of the eye, foreign objects in the eye, and glaucoma (and some glaucoma medications) can cause an eye color change. When the origin is unknown, an eye exam can determine whether a disease or syndrome is the cause. If an underlying disorder is detected, further diagnostic testing may be needed. A child born with heterochromia, or one who develops it, should be

seen by an eye care specialist and a pediatrician to rule out underlying causes.

If you get heterochromia as an adult or it changes in appearance, see your ophthalmologist. He or she can perform a thorough eye exam to rule out any underlying causes and come up with a treatment plan if necessary. To schedule an exam, please call 201-8960096. We are located at 20 Park Avenue, Lyndhurst. To get in touch with our optical shop, call 201-896-0007. We accept most insurance.

P.S. Heterochromia is not common in humans, but it occurs frequently in dogs, cats, and horses. www.delucavision.com

Photo is courtesy of Dan Nankivell

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

Gabriella Mariano may only be a sophomore, but is used to pressure at this point.

First it was taking over at shortstop as a freshman on a Nutley team championship expectations and went on to win the North 2, Group 3 title. This year, after several key graduations from that team, the pressure came in the form of being pressed into a much

higher profile role as a sophomore on a team short on varsity experience.

“Coming up last year as the starting shortstop as a freshman, I felt a lot of pressure,” said Mariano. “Coming into the season, I knew we were going to need more help so I felt I had to step up a lot.”

In hindsight, it might have been a little too much pressure as Mariano admitted she was swinging for the fences early on rather than simply looking

for singles and getting on base.

“I think in the beginning, I was feeling more pressure and I thought I had to get these big hits,” Mariano said. “But I realized just getting singles and trusting everyone behind me helped us way more than me trying to hit the ball out of the park every single time.

“Gab puts a lot of pressure on herself,” Nutley coach Luann Zullo said. “And when she relaxes and plays the game, good things happen.”

Since being eliminated in the Essex County Tournament, good things have been happening both for Mariano and the Raiders.

Nutley has gone 5-2 after losing to Verona in the ECT round of 16 and the play of Mariano and fellow sophomore standouts Lola Thompson, Skye Stoeckel and Sianna Kantor have been front and center in the turnaround.

Mariano had two RBI in the next game against longtime rival Bloomfield, Two days later, her two-run home run set the tone in a 3-2 victory

over SEC American Division rival Caldwell. She then added seven hits and seven RBI over blowout wins over Lyndhurst and Hoboken.

With four multi-hit games and 11 RBI during this recent turnaround, Mariano has been selected as The Observer Athlete of the Week.

Mariano, who is hitting well over .400 for the season, has 16 RBI in May, heading into Nutley’s North 2, Group 3 state tournament opener against Rahway on Tuesday.

“I just try to get singles and I trust everyone behind me,” said Mariano. “I just do my job, get on base so that everyone else can keep getting hits and

we can manufacture runs.”

“She’s been doing a very nice job of that this year,” Zullo said. “We’ve moved her around in the lineup a couple of times this year, but it’s been Gab and Lola for a while now. She does her job and she trusts Lola to do her job behind her (in the lineup).”

At the beginning of the season, Mariano was hitting cleanup, but has since moved up to the No. 3 spot with Thompson in the four-hole. It’s a role that Mariano feels better suits her as a table-setter on offense.

“I like hitting third more because I know I’m going to get up in the first inning,” Mariano said. “I know I can try to do something to start off the game and help us get ahead early.”

Nutley, which started the season at 1-9, closed the regular season at 10-16, having won seven of its last 10 games. Thanks to its challenging schedule, the Raiders earned the seventh seed and a first round home game on Tuesday against Rahway. With a win,a likely showdown with reigning Union County champion Cranford would await them in the quarterfinals.

“This season was a character-building season for us,” said Zullo. “They had all of that success last year and a little bit of character building this year that this group has experienced pretty much everything.”

Photo by Jason Bernstein Gabriella Mariano

Paul S. Sullivan

Paul S. Sullivan, 58, of St. Petersburg, Florida, formerly of North Arlington, died May 18, 2023. Paul leaves behind his loving partner, Lynn Hettrich.

Paul loved life. He enjoyed the Florida beaches, boating, fishing, music and spending time with friends. Those who knew Paul will certainly miss his distinctive laugh and sense of humor.

He was predeceased by his parents Frank and Florence Sullivan and his brother Daniel Sullivan of North Arlington. He is survived by his sisters, Susan Hunkele and Janice Cahill along with nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will take place at a later date.

Michael Padovano

Michael Padovano died May 20, 2023.

He was 69.

Born in Newark, he lived in Harrison before moving to Manahawkin 20 years ago.

Visiting will be on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, from 3 until 7 p.m. at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. Family and friends will gather again on Wednesday, May 24, at 11 a.m. and leave for Holy Cross Cemetery at noon for graveside funeral prayers.

Mike was a Captain on the East Newark Police Department. After retiring, he worked for the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission. He was a proud member of the Fraternal Order of Police. He was also a member of the Harrison Lions Club as well as the Elks both in Harrison and Manahawkin.

Son of the late Anthony and Dolores (nee Casey) Padovano, he was the husband of Bernice (nee Wnorski) and father of Dawn Padovano (Sam), Crystal Cortacans (Henry), Michael Gilmore (Gabriela), Danielle Taylor (John) and the late Brian

OBITUARIES

Gilmore. Brother of Darlene Capobianco (Mark) and the late Allan Padovano, he is also survived by his grandchildren, Adrian, Nicolette, Jake, Tyler, Logan, Cameron and Mason along with loving nieces and nephews and their families.

In lieu of flowers kindly consider a donation to the Boomer Esiason Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis in Mike’s memory at www.esiason.org/donate.

James S. Burns

James S. Burns died May 12, 2023.

He was 88.

Born in Jersey City, he was a lifelong Kearny resident.

Visiting will be Wednesday, May 24, at the Armitage Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive in Kearny, from 9 until 11 a.m. and burial will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery in North Arlington.

Jim served in the United States Army from 1958 until 1960. He was a retired clerical assistant having worked for AT&T in Jersey City.

He is survived by his life partner Bill Conover and his brother Peter G. Burns (his wife Lyndal).

He was the brother of the late Patricia Steinbrick and Margaret Robertson. Also surviving are loving nieces, nephews and their families.

In lieu of flowers, kindly make a donation to your own favorite charity in Jim’s memory.

George Vlachos

George Vlachos died May 17, 2023.

He was 90.

Born in Vagia, Greece, he came to the United States in 1958 and he lived in Jersey City before moving to Kearny in 1962.

Visiting and the funeral was at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Clifton. Burial was in Crest Haven Memorial Park in Clifton.

George served in the Greek Airforce during World War II. He was Past President of the Society Theveon Epaminodas and was a member of AHEPA. George was also an accomplished chef.

Husband of Panagioula (nee Golematis) Vlachos, he was also the father of Konstantina Vlachos Keastead and Alexandra Kontos. Brother of Demetria Vlachakis, Thomas Vlachos and the late Efrosini Potamousis, also surviving are his grandchil-

Miracle Prayer

Dear Sacred Heart Of Jesus, in the past I have asked for many favours, this time I ask you this special one favour. Take it Dear Heart of Jesus and place it in your own broken heart where our Father sees it, then in his merciful eyes it will become your favour, not mine. AMEN. Say this prayer for 3 days and promise publication and favor will be granted no matter how impossible. Never known to fail.

M.S.

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

dren Christie, Julia and Mikayla and his great-granddaughter Calliope.

The greatest joy in George’s life was loving his family and spending every free moment with them celebrating life.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in his memory.

Charles Goble

Charles Goble, a lifelong Kearny resident, died May 14, 2023 at Clara Maass Medical Center, Belleville.

He was 49.

Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. A Cele-

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

bration of Life service took place at the funeral home. Cremation was private.

Chuck was the son of the late John and Elizabeth (Murray) Goble. He is survived by his wife Fran Martinez, his daughters Kristin and Ashlynne Goble and his step-children; Grace and Michelle Quinteros. He is also survived by his sister Elizabeth Castro.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to www. shatterproof.org. The mission of Shatterproof is to protect children from drug and alcohol addiction and to end the stigma and suffering of those affected by the disease of addiction.

Shaw-Buyus

Home for Services

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

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

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

Fluent in Portuguese and Spanish. Handicapped Accessible.

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

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

HELP

Continued from Page 8

priests of the Archdiocese regarding referrals to addiction treatment services while collaborating with them to identify individuals seeking and in need of treatment. The training will better inform as to the scope of the opioid crisis and available treatment options.

The priests will provide appropriate NJRC referral information to individuals interested in receiving such services.

Those in need of addiction treatment services will then

contact NJRC’s Chief Operating Officer Robert Carter, who will be responsible for referring people to a clinical professional within a treatment agency that will evaluate potential clients.

“Within 48 hours of a referral, NJRC will ensure clinical assessments and clinically-appropriate addiction treatment services for referred individuals,” Carter said. “These services will include intake processing, creating a personalized long-term treatment plan, detoxification, ambulatory withdrawal management, induction of anti-craving medications to aid in treating opioid substance abuse,

ADDICTION ASSISTANCE

residential treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, and induction of medication-assisted treatment, as needed and appropriate.”

NJRC will document its services through a database and will conduct follow-ups with referred individuals, as necessary, provided appropriate confidentiality releases are obtained.

Where appropriate, individuals will be enrolled and referred to NJRC’s Employment Orientation program to learn essential work skills and

gain access to job-readiness workshops and assistance.

Additional wrap-around services will be provided, including job training and employment, mental health and medical care, transportation and license-restoration services. NJRC will provide bi-annual progress reports to the archdiocese for referred individuals.

NJRC Chairman James E. McGreevey, New Jersey’s former governor, said: “Thanks to Cardinal Tobin’s leadership and vision, we are taking a bold, immediate step to addressing the addiction crisis. So many families simply do not know where to turn in the midst of a suffering son or

daughter. Now, parish priests, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers will have a referral source that will provide treatment within 48 hours. When someone is suffering and seeks help, we need to move quickly. As a result of this partnership, we are doing so.”

The Archdiocese of Newark and NJRC say both are committed to maintaining the confidentiality of all referrals and will not use or authorize the use of any information except to fulfill the addiction treatment referral obligation. The MOU between the archdiocese and NJRC will be effective for one year, renewable annually.

NAHS enters top 100 schools in New Jersey

MID-REALTY, INC.

572

PHONE:

FAX:

BCPO

Continued from Page 4

the Bergen County Regional SWAT team, who were involved in this incident, will be presented with a unit citation award for their skill and professionalism by the CIT-NJ Center of Excellence at its 9th annual New Jersey Crisis Intervention Team (“CIT”) 2022 Year End Forum on May 25, 2023.

Many of the negotiators and SWAT operators are CIT trained and used that training during this nearly daylong standoff. CIT is a 40-hour training that brings together law enforcement, mental health professionals, and community stakeholders to learn how to best respond to those who are in psychiatric crisis.

“Since we began supporting CIT

training in Bergen County in 2016, more than 450 law enforcement officers have been trained.” Musella said. “We are committed to providing our officers with the tools they need to respond to individuals in crisis and to ensure that our communities are as safe as possible. I commend the members of the Bergen County Regional SWAT team, the Lyndhurst Police Department, the Lyndhurst Police Emergency Response Team, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the officers from surrounding local police departments, who persuaded the actor to surrender while ensuring that the residents in the area were protected.

“This was an extremely volatile and dangerous situation that ended peacefully due to the outstanding work of the men and women who responded.”

NEW RENTALS!

NEW

North Arlington High School has cracked the Top 100 schools in New Jersey, having jumped 49 spots since the last time the schools were ranked, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the jump, NAHS is now ranked 92nd in the state of 350 schools that were ranked. Seen here is a sampling of NAHS students with Steven Yurchak, superintendent of schools.

The Town of Kearny is accepting applications for Full time laborer needed in the Department of Public Works to do street cleaning, street/sewer repairs, line painting, truck washing, maintenance/cleanup of parks and playgrounds, garage and shade tree maintenance and other related duties. CDL class B preferred, or if hired the ability to obtain it. 40 hours per week, Annual salary $38,316

Application Deadline: 6/9/2023 applicants who submitted an application prior to March 15 , 2023 must reapply See https://www.kearnynj.org/job-opportunities/ for application 02W03

Part Time/Full Time

Driver. Spanish speaking a plus. CDL. No nights or weekends. Competitive

Salary. Call Monday thru Friday only between 10 AM to 4 PM Only. Call 973-751-6000 or Fax resume to 973-751-1190.

518 Washington Ave., Belleville 03W03

BELLEVILLE 2nd floor

1 small BR, LR, Kitchen. 3 rooms. $1650, 1 months security. H/ HW included. Single or Couple preferred. No Pets Available Now (973)885-4433 02W03

BELLEVILLE 3 Bedrooms, LR, DR EIK w/ Granite. 2nd floor. H/ HW included. No Pets. $2,500, 1 months security. Available Now (973)885-4433 02W03

N.ARLINGTON 1st. Fl. Large apartment, 2/3 bedrooms, living rm, dining rm, EIK, den H/W Floors, Walking distance to schools & transportation and NY bus. Storage, use of yard. Laundry on site Available July 1 (917) 362-0828 02W03

PUBLIC NOTICE

(We are not a legal paper)

New Jersey Institute of Technology City of Newark, New Jersey Essex County, NJ

NOTICE OF INTENT TO MODIFY AND RENEW THE TITLE V OPERATING PERMIT Operating Permit Program Interest (PI) No. 08221

Title V Operating Permit Modification Activity No. BOP17001

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING UNDER ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER 2021-25

Notice is hereby given: NJIT to Hold Public Information Session Regarding the Renewal of Title V Air Pollution Control Permit. In accordance with Chapter 92 NJSA 13:1D-157 and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Administrative Order 2021-25 (AO 2021-25), the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) (Program Interest Number: 08221) located at 138 Warren Street in Newark, New Jersey 07102 intends to hold a virtual Public Information Session.

This Public Information Session will review the renewal of the NJIT’s Title V Operating Permit (Permit Activity Number: BOP17001). The intent of permits issued under Title V of the US EPA’s Clean Air Act is to improve compliance with air pollution control requirements.

The virtual Public Information Session will be held via Zoom on Tuesday, June 20th, 2023 from 6pm-7:30pm. For meeting details and registration, please send an email request to healthandsafety@njit.edu.

Participants will be provided with a link to attend.

NJIT will also provide a sixty-day open comment period starting May 20th, 2023, and concluding on July 20th, 2023. Comments can be submitted via electronic mail to healthandsafety@njit.edu or via United States Postal Service to: New Jersey Institute of Technology 323 Martin

KEARNY 1st floor. 3 BR’s. $2300 + 1.5 months security. Utilities separate. No Pets/ Smoking Available June 1st (201)772-9965

KEARNY

Two bedroom apartment on Kearny Ave. Second floor. $1700.00 per month, supply own utilities. No pets, no smoking. Single or couple preferred. Call for more information. Call between 10:00am and 7:00pm. (201)997- 2341 02W03

KEARNY 2nd FL. 1 BR. LR, Dining Room, EIK. Parking garage included. No pets/no smoking. $2000/m with 1.5 months security. Available now (201)9913608 02W03

Gentleman is looking for room. In the Kearny/Harrison area. Please call (201)4287524 01W03

BEREAVEMENT GROUP

Bereavement group at Montgomery Presbyterian Church 638 Mill Street, Belleville please contact Kathy (862)294-8866 02W03

Belleville Bike Rodeo set for early next month

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

One of Belleville’s more popular annual events is on the horizon — and it’s one parents and kids will want to attend.

The third-annual Community Bike Ride takes place Saturday, June 3 at 10:30 a.m.

Members of the Belleville Police Department, under the leadership of Chief Mark Minichini, host the free 3.6-mile community bike ride.

The event has been popular with residents who enjoy taking a leisurely tour of the town with their friends and family members and for those who want to connect with neighbors and police

officers.

Same-day registration for the ride begins at 9 a.m.

Participants are urged to pre-register by logging onto BellevilleNJ.org or by using a QR code that can be found on the town’s social media, dated April 26, at facebook. com/OfficialBellevilleNJ.

The ride will start and end at the Belleville School No. 7 parking lot at 20 Passaic Ave.

There will be a small obstacle course area for young and new riders.

Free giveaways and helmets will be provided for those who need them, while limited supplies last.

Snacks and refreshments will also be available while supplies last.

VILLAGE

Continued from Page 7

to say I thought it was part of the show. I was waiting for Willis to say that the couples

set the place on fire with their dancing. Unfortunately, it wasn’t part of the show. The fire alarms were going off and an announcement came informing the audience to evacuate.

In all the concerts I have ever attended, I have never witnessed anything like this. NJBPAC ensured the venue was emptied safely and timely. I must commend them on their actions. It can’t be easy

to evacuate 1,600+ people in under five minutes, but they came through letting everyone know that they were safe while the fire department investigated.

I heard the smoke alarms

went off because someone was smoking on the balcony, though I’m not fully sure.

Once the fire department cleared the venue, the audience was let back in and the show continued. It was like nothing had happened and the group didn’t miss a beat.

Singing their hits, “Macho Man,” “Go West,” “In the Navy,” “Hollywood,” “YMCA,” “San Francisco, I Am What I Am,” “In Hollywood” and more, the audience got on their feet and had a great time going down memory lane. There was no opening act and to be quite honest, they didn’t need one. The people in the Village appeared like the original members of the band and did an excellent job of supporting Willis.

I really had a fun night and I am grateful everyone was safe. If you can, try to catch the Village People as they tour this summer and check out NJBPAC’s concert schedule at NJBPAC.org for more great upcoming shows.

‘Quiet Zone’ set for NA’s Memorial Day parade

The Mayor and Council of North Arlington will once again offer a sensory-friendly zone for the Memorial Day parade, May 29.

The area between Astor Avenue and Albert Street has been designated as a “Quiet Zone,” and as such, bands, sirens, music and groups have all been instructed to “tone it down” in this location.

“The area will be a great place for residents with noise issues, babies and toddlers and our four-legged friends. We are hoping this will make our parade an enjoyable experience for all,” Councilwoman Lynette Cavadas said.

"This is the best dental practice I've been to by far! Professional and friendly staff. Took me in right away. Very clean and new office. I was extremely impressed. Dr. Elfar and all his staff is personable and committed to providing the best care. Will be recommending to all my friends and family! 5/5!" -Rami Alrabaa