Belleville Post - Oct 2021 by WORRALL MEDIA

BELLEVILLE POST

ESSEXNEWSDAILY.COM

Community green fair

— See Page 3

American Legion fun

— See Page 4

Columbus Day Parade 39TH ANNUAL

NUTLEY BELLEVILLE

— See Inside Parade Magazine

OCTOBER 2021

VOL. 35 NO. 33

Meet Belleville’s official artist By Yael Katzwer Editor Not all towns Belleville’s size have an official artist, but that’s because not all towns have a civic-minded local artist who is always willing to give back to the community. Belleville’s own Athena Zhe creates murals in town, paints town-specific images at local events, works with area youths to beautify the town and leads paint-and-sip fundraisers — all for Belleville. In return, Belleville named Zhe, who was born in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Woman of the Year in August at a flagraising ceremony. Zhe, who is known professionally for her painting on walls, canvases and people, rose to acclaim several years ago when she was featured on the Syfy show “Face Off,” a competition show that pits special effects and makeup artists against one another for a grand prize. Though she didn’t win, she showed her mettle and astounded with her phenomenal bodypainting skills. “I have always been an artist, but I discovered body painting in 2006 when I attended the Face and Body Art international convention in Florida. The concept of my art coming to life — literally — was very intriguing to me; that’s why I decided to try body painting,” Zhe told the Belleville Post. “I love to use bright colors in my art. I am frequently inspired by nature.” Though Zhe does not often use her body-painting skills at township events, she does use the bright colors for which she is known and fully embraces nature, often working cherry blossoms into her pieces, as Belleville is the Cherry Blossom Capital of the United States. “I believe that every town should be artsy. Belleville’s cherry blossoms have been inspiring me to beautify the town with my art,” Zhe said. “Being a part of the community is important to me. Belleville is my home, and I like to do everything possible to make my town better. I am

Photos Courtesy of Athena Zhe

Above, Mayor Michael Melham honors Belleville’s official artist, Athena Zhe, as the Ukrainian Woman of the Year at a flag-raising ceremony in August. Below, Zhe creates a painting representing Belleville.

lucky that my art is able to bring the community together and raise funds for great causes that help improve our town.” Though Zhe has not lived in Belleville that long, she has clearly made it her

home. When she was house hunting, she was looking for a town just like Belleville and was beyond pleased when she found this Essex County jewel. See ZHE, Page 11

2 — October 2021 — Nutley Journal - BP

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Belleville Post — October 2021 — 3

Belleville hosts first-ever community green fair More than 1,000 residents turned out for the township’s first-ever green fair, held Saturday, Sept. 18, at Belleville High School on Passaic Avenue. The three-hour event, a partnership between the township of Belleville and the Belleville Public Schools, attracted residents of all ages. The environmental fair focused on educating attendees about local green initiatives and included displays from the municipal Department of Public Works, the Green Team, student groups and other organizations that advocate for the environment. As part of its display, the Green Team gave away three rain barrels and a compost barrel. There were also displays about recycling, an eco-lifestyle and Sustainable Jersey, an event sponsor. Sustainable Jersey is a nonprofit organization that works with municipalities and school districts to implement sustainable initiatives. “The ongoing education of our children was a primary objective in our first annual green fair,” Belleville Mayor Michael Melham said in a press release. “As they are the future, it is important for students to learn the value of environmental stewardship from the earliest of ages. So we created the fun-filled day, in partnership with the Board of Education, filled with kid-centered games, activities and, we hope, plenty of great memories.” The fair featured face painting, music, a performance from the Redhawk Native

Photos Courtesy of Belleville

American Arts Council, a puppeteer, food vendors and more. Schools Superintendent Richard Tomko said environmental stewardship is an important component in the district’s curriculum, even in the earliest grades.

“From the outset of their education in Belleville, our students learn the tremendous importance of the environment and the role they play as citizens,” Tomko said in the release. “Community events such as the green fair reinforce those positive

messages and underscore that the entire community also prioritizes the environment. Based on the tremendous turnout from our community, the students certainly were reminded, once again, that Belleville is proud to be green.”

4 — October 2021 — Belleville Post

American Legion picnic draws record numbers American Legion Post 105 and Sons of the American Legion Squadron 105 of Belleville held their annual picnic on the third Saturday of September, with a soldout attendance of 300 supporters. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year, raising thousands of dollars for the veterans programs run by Post 105, and was an all-out record for attendance. With more than 1,400 raw clams, 30 pounds of sweet and hot sausage from Walt’s Jerky, and hamburgers, chicken, and barbecued ribs grilled by Post 105 Legionnaires Jack Robuck and Walter LaBar, folks at the picnic ate and drank all afternoon while listening to the Jersey Tones, an oldies group. “We at American Legion 105 are so pleased to have done a picnic where everyone from our community has so much fun. This was one of our best picnics,” Post Cmdr. Joe Cobianchi said. Cornhole boards, a staple of every outdoor event at the 105, were set up in the parking lot for everyone to use, and attendees laughed, danced and had a good time during the picnic, which lasted six hours. “It was our pleasure to provide a day of great food, beverage and camaraderie to all who support us in the community all year long,” 105 1st Vice Cmdr. Walter LaBar said. The 300 tickets sold went to members of the post, family, friends and members of other veterans organizations throughout the area. Staff began planning the event months ago and worked pretty much nonstop for the days beforehand, buying supplies, prepping the area, setting up tents and putting together everything needed to host such a huge number of people.

A day after National POW/MIA Recognition Day on Sept. 17, Post 105 had set up a POW table in the middle of all of the tables, as does every American Legion throughout the country at events. The table, with white table cloth, POW flags and a place setting with a beer at it, was a reminder of those who never made it home. To begin the event, 2nd Vice Cmdr. Scott Higgins played “The Star-Spangled Banner” on his electric guitar. After that, people coming in could buy shirts, 50/50 tickets and raffle tickets. Each year for the past few years, members from the squadron and post ask local companies to donate gift certificates to raffle off at the picnic. This year, the event had more than 50 gift certificates, items and baskets donated to raffle off; the raffle alone raised $1,200 for Post 105’s veterans programs. SAL Vinny Ferriole also set up a table to raise money for the American Cancer Society, pulling in more than $500 in donations. A cancer survivor himself, Ferriole and his wife, Lisa, wanted to give back, for cancer research. Both the SAL and the Post voted to match what was raised, making the total donation to the American Cancer Society about $1,600. The event ended with what was supposed to be a treat for the children but was one that everyone enjoyed. Belleville Historical Society President Mike Perrone, a longtime friend of the post, came by with his Good Humor Ice Cream Tricycle Cart and donated his time and his ice cream, for everybody at the picnic. Dressed in a vintage ice cream man uniform, Perrone handed out ice cream bars to everyone from the cart, which he bought and restored to resemble a 1950s Good Humor cart.

Photos Courtesy of Rusty Myers

Above left, Second Vice Cmdr. Scott Higgins plays the national anthem. Above right, Good Humor man Mike Perrone hands out ice cream. Below are Legionnaire cooks Jack Robuck and Walter LaBar, and bartender Jen LaBar.

Top are Post 105 Cmdr. Joe Cobianchi and SAL 105 Cmdr. Steve Sangemino. Above left, Donna and Ed Trinka dance. Above right is joint member Ed Hall. Below are SAL Adjutant Rusty Myers and SAL 2nd Vice Cmdr. Steve Mercier.

NUTLEYJOURNAL BELLEVILLE POST

LOCAL, POSITIVE, COMMUNITY NEWS Visit our Website for more news and photos.

EssexNewsDaily.com PUBLISHED BY: Worrall Media 1291 Stuyvesant Avenue Union NJ 07083 908-686-7700 Editorial@TheLocalSource.com

Publisher: David Worrall Editor: Yael Katzwer Advertising Manager: Joseph Farina

Nutley Journal - BP — October 2021 — 5

6 — October 2021 — Belleville Post

Town officials limit retail cannabis in Belleville The Belleville Township Council passed an ordinance on Tuesday, Aug. 17, to restrict the number of retail cannabis facilities in Belleville to only four individual operations. The ordinance also limits retail cannabis facilities to only one commercial zone, the business district, aka BG Zone, while permitting other cannabis-related

uses in the Valley, VB1 and VB2 districts. This vote occurred just before the Aug. 21 deadline for New Jersey municipalities to enact local guidelines for cannabis sale, distribution and growth. If the township had not passed this ordinance, the township would have had to follow state guidelines on cannabis, which have yet to be released, for the next five years. Conceiv-

ably, this could have left Belleville wide open, with no limit on retail establishments and less say in where they would eventually be located. Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law on Feb. 22 to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults in New Jersey, as well as to allow for the cultivation, processing and sale of retail marijuana. The law was

Photo Courtesy of Michael Melham

BUS GOES OFF ROAD — On the morning of Sept. 23, a Belleville school bus crashed into the fence on Franklin Avenue at Hendricks Golf Course. No children were on board at the time of the accident.

passed after more than 67 percent of New Jerseyans voted in favor of legalizing the use of cannabis in a referendum in 2020. Some 63 percent of Belleville’s voters cast “yes” votes on the ballot question. New Jersey’s cannabis laws give municipalities such as Belleville the ability to enact certain restrictions. “That’s what this vote was about; we are establishing tight restrictions of where cannabis could be sold and where it could be grown in Belleville,” Mayor Michael Melham said. “The governing body did not vote to legalize marijuana in Belleville, but we did enact tougher restrictions that control the industry within our borders.” Municipalities do not have the authority to ban cannabis use or delivery services in their towns. Township attorney Steven J. Martino noted that municipalities can not prevent a resident from ordering cannabis through a home-delivery service, similar to GrubHub or UberEats. The township could also not stop someone from driving to a cannabis distributor in a neighboring town, purchasing it, driving back home and using the drug. Belleville expects to realize tax revenue from cannabis retail facilities, although income estimates remain unclear. New Jersey residents who seek to open a cannabis retail facility must apply to the state and undergo a thorough review process.

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Belleville Post — October 2021 — 7

Belleville Police Dept. hires civilian dispatchers For the first time in two decades, the Belleville Police Department has hired civilian dispatchers to assist officers at the Chief Mark Minichini Communications Center. With the emergency line previously staffed by police officers, civilian dispatchers are considered a key part of creating a smoother communication center. Hiring civilian dispatchers allows police

officers to be on the streets while professional dispatchers answer calls, according to Police Chief Mark Minichini. “Adding civilian dispatchers relieves us as a department and allows us to become more effective and efficient,” Minichini said. “Now our officers can be out in the community where they are needed, so this is a win-win. I am grateful to the mayor and council for supporting this initiative.”

The dispatchers are trained as emergency medical dispatchers as well as 9-1-1 dispatchers. They handle everything from answering emergency calls and dispatching officers to data entry and GPS monitoring. Right now, there are four part-time dispatchers, but the department has plans to move the civilians to full time to fill the need within the township. “This is just another step in creating a

communication hub for the township,” Mayor Michael Melham said. “Our new dispatchers pride themselves on ensuring that the public receives the services they need.” The new communications center, which includes upgraded equipment and technology, opened in February after it was moved into a former common area space inside police headquarters.

Local man admits to role in thefts

Photo Courtesy of Michael Melham

A HELPING HAND — FEMA representatives visit the Belleville Senior Center on Franklin Avenue on Sept. 19 to assist residents who need assistance following the damage wrought by the remnants of Hurricane Ida at the beginning of the month.

A Belleville man has admitted his role in a multistate car theft and fraud ring, acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced on Sept. 9. Eric Morgan, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with three counts of wire fraud. According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court, from November 2016 to March 2019, Morgan engaged in a scheme to sell stolen vehicles through internetbased marketplaces, such as Craigslist and OfferUp. For each fraudulent transaction, once a desirable vehicle was selected, the target vehicle was photographed, and a GPS tracker was attached to the vehicle in order to acquire a pattern-of-life of the original owner before the targeted vehicle was stolen. The target vehicle was then listed for sale online. Potential purchasers of the targeted vehicles responded to listings and scheduled in-person meetings to purchase the vehicles. Shortly

before the scheduled meeting times, the targeted vehicles were stolen with specially made car keys and fraudulently sold to unwitting purchasers. On three occasions, Morgan, while posing as the lawful owner of a stolen vehicle, met the purchasers and sold them the stolen car while also providing them with a fraudulent motor vehicle registration and the specially made car key. Morgan pleaded guilty to his participation in the sale of a 2010 Acura TSX through Craigslist on July 19, 2017; the sale of a 2015 Honda Accord through OfferUp on Nov. 23, 2018; and the sale of a 2016 Honda Accord through Craigslist on March 22, 2019. The scheme to defraud involves more than 30 stolen vehicles, 29 of which were sold to unwitting buyers. The wire fraud counts to which Morgan pleaded guilty each carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 13, 2022.

8 — October 2021 — Nutley Journal - BP

Disaster recovery center opens in Essex County A disaster recovery center opened Sept. 20 in Essex County to help residents in New Jersey affected by the remnants of Hurricane Ida. Representatives from FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration are available at the center to explain disaster assistance programs, answer questions about written correspondence, and provide literature about repairs and rebuilding to make homes more disaster resistant. Essex County’s DRC is located at the former Kmart at 235 Prospect Ave. in West Orange, which is also an Essex County vaccination center. The DRC will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Individuals in Essex County are eligible to apply for disaster assistance. Residents can ask questions or seek further information in person at the DRC, in addition to online or by phone. Residents can visit any DRC location and can find their closest location through the FEMA app. Those with homeowners or renters To have your news and upcoming events printed in the Nutley Journal and Belleville Post, send all pertinent information to editorial@thelocalsource.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

insurance should file a claim as soon as possible. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. Those who are uninsured or underinsured may be eligible for federal assistance. The fastest and easiest way to apply is by visiting disasterassistance.gov/ or via the FEMA app. Residents can also call 800621-3362. The toll-free telephone lines are currently operating 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Those using a relay service, such as video relay service, captioned telephone service or others, should give FEMA the number for that service. Those applying for assistance should have the following information readily available: a current phone number; their address at the time of the disaster and the address where they are now staying; their Social Security number, if available; a general list of damage and losses; and, if they are insured, the policy number or the agent and/or the company name. Disaster assistance may include financial help for temporary lodging and home repairs, along with other programs to help families recover from the effects of the event. For the latest information visit fema.gov/disaster/4614. The FEMA Region 2 Twitter account is at twitter.com/FEMAregion2.

IN MEMORIAM • ALAMA – Lottie Z., of Nutley; Sept. 20. Wife, mother, sister, grandmother, 98. • BIONDI – James, of Nutley; Sept. 2. World War II Army Air Force veteran. Retired carpenter. Widower, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather, 102. • CAPALBO – Frances D., of Nutley; Sept. 1. Worked for many years at Van Dyk and Co. in Belleville. Widow, mother, grandmother, aunt, 85. • CASALE – Rocco J., of Toms River, formerly of Nutley. Father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather, 91. • CONLON – Thomas J., of Nutley, formerly of Jersey City; Aug. 20. Marine Corps veteran. Retired lineman with PSE&G. Elks Lodge member. Widower, father, brother, grandfather, 83. • COZINE – Louise, of Nutley, formerly of Belleville; Aug. 6. Retired registered nurse, ClaraMaas Medical Center, Belleville. Wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, 85. • D’ALESSIO – Giselda, of Nutley; Aug. 19. Widow, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, great-great-grandmother, 91. • DEMICCO – Vito W., of Nutley; Aug. 30. World War II Army veteran. Retired mason. Widower, brother, uncle, 99. • DESPENZIRE – Dominick A., of Lincoln Park, formerly of Belleville, west Paterson and Newark; Aug. 23. Manager, husband, father, brother, grandfather, 86. • DISIMONE – Domenick Jr., of Nutley, formerly of Newark; Sept. 6. Retired fire captain, fire inspector, member of Nutley FMBA No. 44. Husband, father, brother, grandfather, 63. • FILIPEK – Theodore F., of Saddle Brook, formerly of Manahawkin and Belleville; Sept. 12. Was 91. • GILBERTI – Eleanor M., of Riverview, Fla., formerly of Nutley, Brick and Mays Landing; Sept. 1. Mother, 83. • KAMINSKY – Alfonsina “Flo,” of Belleville; Sept. 8. Wife, mother, sister, 95. • MARTIN – Irene Barbara, of Nutley; Aug. 16. Widow, mother, grandmother, step-grandmother, aunt, 95. • MASTROLIA – Mary D., of Lebanon, formerly of Jersey City and Belleville; Sept. 15. Typist for Western Electric, secretary for AT&T. Wife, sister, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 90.

FREE HEARING SCREENINGS

• MATTHEWS – Robert Russell, of Toms River, formerly of Nutley; Aug. 29. Husband, father, 76.

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• PICONE – Carmela J., of Nutley; Sept. 4. Retired administrative assistant to registrar of Rutgers University School of Law. Widow, mother, grandmother, greatgrandmother, 96.

The Montclair State University Center for Audiology offers comprehensive audiological services for adults and children, including free hearing screenings:

• PIEGARO – Patricia Ann, of Belleville, formerly of Newark and East Orange; Aug. 30. Retired teacher, past president of Saint Thomas Home & School Association, Bloomfield. Was 68.

• Hearing Evaluations • Hearing Aid Sales and Services • Auditory Processing Disorder Testing • Balance Testing • Custom Ear Molds and Hearing Protectors • Auditory Brainstem Response Testing • Medicare Accepted

• RASP – Leroy Walter, of Vero Beach, Fla., formerly of Nutley; Aug. 26. Army veteran. Retired Nutley fire captain. Husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, 91.

Hearing screenings are conducted every month.

• SPRELLA – Frank Jr., of Jupiter, Fla., formerly of Belleville and Lavallette; Sept. 2. World War II Army veteran, uncle, 93.

Please call 973-655-3934 or email csdclinic@mail.montclair.edu to schedule an appointment. Maris S. Appelbaum, AUD, CCC-A, Clinical Preceptor and Director of Hearing Aid Services. Supervising Hearing Aid Dispenser License #MG00797, NJ State License #41YA00041700

• POSPISIL – Joseph R., of Nutley; Aug. 25. U.S. Navy seabees veteran. Longtime church elder. Husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, 90.

• ROTONDA – Anne E., of Nutley; Aug. 21. Retired director of the Special Young Adults of nutley. Sister, 65. • RUBINO – Frank, of Belleville, formerly of Montclair; Aug. 19. Army lieutenant. Actuary with Prudential Insurance Co. Active in his parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Montclair.

• STAVERIS – Santina “Tina,” of Nutley, formerly of West Orange; Sept. 9. Worked as St. Barnabas MedicalCenter registered pharmacist. Wife, sister, cousin. • ZEMBRZUSKI – Linda, of Bayville, formerly of Nutley; Aug. 14. Wife, mother, grandmother, sister, 74.

In Memoriam is a feature compiled by the news staff from various sources. We also provide the opportunity for families and funeral directors to publish a more extensive, special notice about their loved one called an obituary. These notices are published on our website immediately and then in the next edition of this newspaper. To place a paid obituary send an email to obits@thelocalsource.com or fax to 908-688-0401. Family and friends’ submissions must include sender’s name, address, phone and the name of the funeral home. Call 908-686-7850 for assistance.

Nutley Journal - BP — October 2021 — 9

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10 — October 2021 — Nutley Journal - BP

ESSEX ESSE S XC COUNTY’S OUNT UNTY’S R RECYCLING ECYCL C ING DAY DAY

C Computer omputer & Electronics Electronics FFree ree e to to all Essex Essex County Coounty R Residents esidents Essex County residents must provide proof of residency at the site.

Saturday, Saturday, October October 16, 20 2021 21 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Essex County Fleet Management (Public Works) 99 W. Bradford Avenue, Cedar Grove, New Jersey FFor or more more information information call 973-792-9060 973-792-9060 or www.ecuanj.com www.ecuanj.com

ITEMS ACCEPTED: CEP ACCEPTED: WEE WILL NOT N OT ACCEPT: ACCEPT:

Computers Monitors Printers Fax Machines

Scanners Telecom Equipment Speakers Televisions

Keyboards Main Frames VCRs Stereos

DVD Players Toasters Irons Old Cellular Telephones

SSmoke moke Detectors, Detectors, C Carbon arbon Mono Monoxide xide Alarms

✔O Only nly one person per vvehicle. ehicle. ✔ Face Face mask mandatory. mandatory. ✔ D Doo not eexit xit vvehicle. ehicle. ✔D Display isplay lic license ense (I (ID) D) through through closed car windo window. w. ✔ It Items ems ffor or disposal ttoo be plac placed ed in trunk. ✔ No ccontainers ontainers or bo boxes xes will be rreturned. eturned.

Commercial Commercial and Large Large Quantity Quantity Users Ma Mayy Not D Drop rop O Off ff It Items. ems.

“Recycling computer hardware and electronic devices helps remove lead and other dangerous chemicals from our waste stream, which is important for us and our children. With your participation, we can do our part to protect the environment.” — Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.

Thomas John McEnery

Community mourns for McEnery The Nutley and Belleville community lost a proud Irish American when Thomas John McEnery died on Sept. 5. Born in Belleville in 1958, McEnery grew up in Belleville before moving to Nutley, where he lived for more than 30 years. McEnery had been an employee of the Nutley Parks and Recreation Department since 2001. McEnery was the president of the Nutley Irish American Association for the past 15 years and was also trustee of the association for 16 years. In 2006, he was selected as Member of the Year of the Nutley St. Patrick’s Day parade and in 2012 had the distinct honor of being the parade’s grand marshal. During his presidency, McEnery grew the Nutley Irish organization to be one of the largest in the state, with the number of members doubling in size under his leadership. He was also a driving force in raising funds for various families in need throughout the community. McEnery was chairperson of the Caring for Kim Garner Committee and was a member of the St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus. He was the proud coordinator of many fundraising events, including the Nutley Irish Relay for Life team. McEnery served on the board of directors of the Nutley Red Cross, where he was Member of Year in 2001, for four years and volunteered in countless events to help others, including delivery of food to first responders after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. In 2016, he was the recipient of the John V. Kelly Memorial Foundation Humanitarian award. For the last three years, he was listed by Insider NJ as one of New Jersey’s top Irish American leaders and activists.

ANNUAL

COLUMBUS DAY PARADE October 10, 2021

NUTLEY BELLEVILLE Parade Magazine

2 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

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Columbus Day Parade 2021 Committee Officers Parade Chairperson . . . . . . . . . . Cavaliere Susan R. LaMorte Parade Co-Chairperson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ben Costa Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rosemary Costa Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara Freda Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vito Matturro

Columbus Day Parade 2021 Committee Members Rev. Father Tom Nicastro Bill Freda Pasquale Meola Diane Stanzione Edie Peters Liguori

Melissa Matturro Jeanne Lombardi Joseph Gencarelli Anthony Santasieri Vincent Cozzarelli

Parade Founders John V. Kelly

James Donadia

Columbus Day Parade 2021 Honorees Grand Marshal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony J. Pope Lifetime Achievement Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John S. Zarra Italian Heritage Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vincent S. Socca Italian Business Leader Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anthony Biondi Jr. Nutley Italian Man of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Cafone Nutley Italian Woman of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nella Cicchino Belleville Italian Man of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Martin Giardina Lutz Belleville Italian Woman of the Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Elaine Perna Renaissance Men . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Chieffo and Brian Banda Community Excellence Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Ellen Clyne

All parade photos in this special section were taken by Steve Ellmore at previous Nutley–Belleville Columbus Day Parades.

4 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

The 39th annual Nutley–Belleville Columbus Day Parade The Nutley–Belleville Columbus Day Parade Committee is hosting the largest Italian American event in Essex County. The 39th annual Columbus Day Parade is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 10. The parade route starts at Belleville High School, proceeds north on Franklin Avenue and ends at Nutley High School. The parade reviewing stand will be at Franklin Avenue at the Oval in Nutley. The Nutley–Belleville Columbus Day Parade was born out of a community spirit that encompassed the local Italian Americans living in Nutley and Belleville. Back in the early 1980s, the parade committee was founded by Belleville resident Vincent “Jimmy” Donadia and Nutley resident John V. Kelly. Both men invested $1,500 toward the event. Now in its 36th year, the parade continues to grow with each year, improving on the last while at the same time holding onto the vision inspired by the original founders. The parade organization is staffed by a dedicated group of hardworking volunteers who bring their individual expertise and experience to the table. It takes a tremendous amount of fundraising, planning, emails, telephone calls, text messages and meetings to put on these events — but they are able to pull it off each year.

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Columbus Day Parade — October 2021 — 5

Pope named 2021 Grand Marshal Anthony J. Pope 2021 Grand Marshal For Anthony Pope, the journey began on the streets of Newark when he walked the beat as a young patrol officer. However, it was soon obvious to all that the young Pope walked to a different beat. His extraordinary talents and abilities were quickly recognized as he was elevated to the rank of detective — the youngest in the department’s history. This experience in enforcing the law ultimately led him to his lifelong passion of practicing law. Pope enrolled in Rutgers Law School, where he once again distinguished himself, both academically and in several mock trials, which are critical tests for every aspiring lawyer. Pope won the regional competition — a first for Rutgers Law School. Upon graduation, he went to work as an assistant prosecutor in the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. This was followed by his entrance into private practice for an employer for a short stint. In 1991, he took the major step of opening the Law Offices of Anthony Pope. Today, Pope sits atop the legal profession in both criminal defense and complex civil litigation. And, while he practices law predominantly in New Jersey and New York, his reputation is national in scope. The cases he has been involved in and won are too numerous to mention. He has protected the interest of hundreds of Americans who have been brought into the

criminal justice system and has zealously upheld their constitutional rights. He has also won hundreds of millions of dollars for his clients, who have sometimes had extraordinary physical and emotional hardship wrongly visited upon them. Pope has also defended from the very beginning of his career hundreds of police officers who, from time to time, are accused of very serious allegations in the performance of their duty. He has always had a special appreciation of law enforcement — one of the most difficult jobs in the world — and an understanding of his clients’ limited resources to put toward good representation. Pope has been awarded the distinction

by the New Jersey Supreme Court of being a certified civil trial attorney and a certified criminal trial attorney. Fewer than 50 attorneys in the state hold both board certifications. Pope is a staunch contributor to the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the ASPCA. He has been a legal analyst and guest commentator on “20/20,” “60 Minutes,” CNBC, HLN and Court TV, and a regular legal commentator for the “Dr. Phil Show” and “Ask the Lawyers.” He has also received numerous honors and awards. He was voted a New Jersey “Super Lawyer” by his peers and has been selected as one of the state’s best attorneys every year from 2005 until present. In 1997, he was honored as “Italian American of the Year” by the Italian Tribune News, and in 2006 he was recognized as “Humanitarian of the Year” by the Columbian Foundation. The Newark Policemen’s Benevolent Association named him “Attorney of the Year” in 1994. He was named one of the “Top Attorneys in New Jersey” by New Jersey Monthly Magazine from 2011 to the present, and in 2014-15 was named one of the “Top 100 Trial Lawyers” by National Trial Lawyers. In 2015, Pope was named one of the “Nation’s Top One Percent” by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel.

Honored to Support the 39th Annual COLUMBUS DAY PARADE Congratulations to the 2021 Columbus Day Parade Honorees.

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6 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

Zarra recognized for achievements Joseph Zarra Lifetime Achievement Award Joseph Zarra grew up in Belleville, graduating from Belleville High School in 1969. Zarra and his wife, Donna, met in high school; they have been married for 43 years and moved to Nutley in 1982. Joe and Donna Zarra have been blessed with two daughters: Erica, who teaches English, and Jessica, who is a school social worker. Erica is married to Rob, who is a physical education teacher; and their son, Alexander, is in kindergarten. Zarra is in his 47th year as an educator. Since retiring from Nutley in 2011, Zarra has served as the Essex County executive superintendent for the New Jersey Department of Education. He oversees 23 school districts and 21 charter schools, as well as 19 state-approved schools for special education. Zarra started his career as a substitute teacher in Belleville. He then taught at Seton Hall Preparatory School, before joining the Nutley School District in 1982. He worked in the Nutley School District for 30 years. While in Nutley, he served as a social studies and special education teacher. As an administrator, Zarra held several positions, including director of summer school, department chair, athletic director, high school vice principal and high school principal, before his appointment as superintendent of schools in January 2005.

and the Region Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame. While Zarra was at Nutley High School, two graduating classes dedicated their yearbook to him. Zarra earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Montclair State University and a master’s degree in public school administration from Seton Hall University. He holds certifications as a chief school administrator, principal, teacher of special education and teacher of social studies. He taught graduate school classes at Kean University, was president of the Essex County Superintendent of Schools Association and was a member of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s executive committee. Zarra also served in the New Jersey National Guard for 20 years. Additionally, Zarra is a trustee at Essex County College. He was recently honored Most noteworthy, as superintendent, by the New Jersey Association of CommuZarra oversaw a complete curriculum nity Colleges for his contributions to review, created an in-district elementary Essex County College. Zarra is a member of Nutley UNICO school program for children with autism, established all-day kindergarten, and and the Third Half Club of Nutley. He feels so humbled by this honor. He oversaw an ambitious $90 million faciliis thankful for his many blessings: his ties renovation to all seven schools. Additionally, Zarra was an assistant family; growing up in Belleville; living, football coach, wrestling coach and crew working and raising a family in Nutley; coach, earning several Wrestling Coach many wonderful friends and mentors; the of the Year honors. He has been inducted incredible opportunities he has been into the Belleville Athletic Hall of Fame given; and his Italian heritage.

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8 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

Scoca wins the Italian Heritage Award Vincent C. Scoca Italian Heritage Award Vincent C. Scoca was born and raised in Belleville. He is a lifelong resident of Essex County. All four of Vincent’s grandparents were born in Italy and instilled in him pride for his heritage and encouraged him to promote, protect and preserve his Italian heritage, values and traditions. Scoca earned a Bachelor of Arts from Seton Hall University in 1976. He attended and graduated from Rutgers Law School in 1982, earning a Juris Doctor. He served as an assistant Essex County prosecutor from 1983 to 1985.

Scoca has been practicing law for 39 years; his office is located in Bloomfield, and he specializes in criminal law. Scoca is also the chairperson of the Criminal Law Committee of the Essex County Bar Association. Scoca serves as a commissioner for the Essex County Improvement Authority. He is also the founder and CEO of We Eat, a nonprofit charitable organization that raises money and goods for the homeless and provides money and resources for food kitchens and pantries. Scoca is an exceptional and thoughtprovoking writer, who truly makes a difference in the lives he touches.

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10 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

Business Leader Award goes to a Nutley native Anthony A. Biondi Jr. Italian Business Leader Anthony A. Biondi Jr. is a native of Nutley and earned a degree in mortuary science from Mercer County Community College in 1988. He is proud to be a thirdgeneration funeral director and to continue the tradition of the family-owned funeral home. He is the son of Anthony Biondi Sr. and Mickey Biondi. Biondi Jr. is the manager of the Biondi Funeral Home and is proud to provide the community with the finest facility and the largest parking area supervised by attendants, and what he has learned as a Rotarian: “service above self.” Biondi Jr. is actively involved in St. Mary’s Knights of Columbus Council No. 2346 of Nutley, a member of the Nutley Rotary Club, and a member of the National and NJ State Funeral Directors associations. He is also a past officer of the Nutley Elks Lodge No. 1290. In his work, Biondi Jr. strives to embody service above self and to pay personal attention to all details. Biondi Jr. became licensed in 1988 and is now the manager of the family-owned and -oper-

ated business. He is happily married to Lisa and resides in Nutley. Biondi Funeral Home of Nutley brings a strong presence to the community, and has always been sought out by families for its fine facility and attentive and compassionate service. As always, the business stands committed not only to the families it serves, but also to local community involvement.

Clyne honored for her commitment to community Mary Ellen Clyne Community Excellence Award Mary Ellen Clyne is the president and chief executive officer of Clara Maass Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility located in Glen Ridge and Montclair; Clyne has held this position since 2010. She oversees all initiatives supporting the delivery of patient care, financial stability, strategic planning, capital improvements, renovations, new construction, quality, performance improvement, patient experience, patient safety and community relations for the medical center. She brings more than 30 years of diverse health care experience as a registered nurse, adjunct professor, prolific author, researcher and seasoned health care executive, who has a proven track record of clinical growth and an expansive knowledge of the Affordable Care Act and population health innovation. Prior to becoming the chief executive officer at Clara Maass, Clyne held a long

and distinguished career in nursing at the General Hospital Center at Passaic, the Hospital Center at Orange and Overlook Hospital. Clyne is the first person to earn undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees in nursing at Seton Hall University, where she has served as a clinical and adjunct professor. Clyne has presented many poster sessions, authored peer-reviewed and published papers, and is a contributing author for a textbook chapter called “Strategic Planning, Goal-setting and Marketing” in “Leading and Managing in Nursing,” edited by Patricia S. YoderWise, for the fifth, sixth and seventh editions, published in 2011, 2016 and 2017, respectively. Clyne served and continues to serve on multiple boards and professional organizations, including Barnabas Health Accountable Care Organization; the New Jersey Hospital Association’s Health Research and Educational Trust and its

Audit and Compliance Committee; the Organization of Nurse Leaders of New Jersey, for which she is a former member of the board of directors and treasurer; New Jersey Nurses Association; American Nurses Association; the New Jersey Hospital Association Patient Care Advisory

Group; the Health Care Advisory Board’s Nursing Leadership Institute; the Seton Hall University College of Nursing Advisory Council; the Jersey City University College of Nursing Advisory Board; and the Fairleigh Dickinson University Alumni Board for Continuous Education. Under Clyne’s leadership, the hospital runs the “Clara Cares” program, which provides primary care services to elderly individuals living in senior housing communities to allow them to age in place in the comfort of their familiar settings. The program is responsible for dramatically reduced hospital admissions and readmission rates. In meeting the needs of the elderly, CMMC created the WAVE Program, which provides annual wellness assessments for seniors. A Center of Excellence for Latino Health was created to ensure that the medical center is meeting the health care needs of the Latino and Hispanic community served by Clara Maass.

Columbus Day Parade — October 2021 — 11

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Warm Congratulations to Grand Marshall Award – Anthony J. Pope, Esq. Italian Heritage Award- Vincent C. Scoca, Esq. Nutley Woman of the Year- Nella Cicchino Nutley Man of the Year – Paul Cafone Belleville Woman of the Year – Elaine Perna Belleville Man of the Year – Martin Giardina Lutz 2021 Renaissance Men – Brian Banda and Michael Chieffo 2021 Italian Business Leaders- Anthony Biondi, Jr. 2021 Community Excellence Award – Mary Ellen Clyne, Ph.D. Lifetime Achievement Award – Joseph S. Zarra Nutley Belleville Columbus Day Parade

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12 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

Chieffo earns a 2021 Renaissance Man title Michael Chieffo Renaissance Man Michael Chieffo is a proud Italian American who was born and raised in Belleville. His mother, Gail Chieffo, still resides in Belleville; his father, Michael Chieffo Sr. passed away. Michael Chieffo and his wife, Michele, have three children, Luke, age 12; Christian, age 7; and Michael, age 4. Chieffo went through the Belleville public school system, starting at School No. 3, then middle school and Belleville High School. He graduated from Fairleigh Dickinson University, majoring in communications and minoring in business. His grandparents, who were from Calabria, Italy, and his parents instilled in him love for his heritage, values and traditions, having Sunday dinners as a family and just being all together. Chieffo started his business at the age of 14. DJMC Entertainment is celebrating 30 years as a full DJ company serving New Jersey. In 1998, Chieffo started doing an animated Christmas display and collecting new unwrapped toys for children battling cancer — all in his father’s memory. Chief-

fo started donating to the American Cancer Society and now, for more than 10 years, to New York Presbyterian Hospital for children with cancer. “I love to give back,” he said.

Columbus Day Parade — October 2021 — 13

Renaissance Man goes to Belleville’s Banda Brian Banda Renaissance Man Brian Banda was born in 1984, is thirdgeneration American and was raised in Belleville. He attended Belleville No. 5 Elementary School and graduated from Belleville High School, Class of 2002. He continued his education by obtaining a bachelor’s degree from Montclair State University School of Business and an MBA from Walden University. His professional career spans 15 years in commercial banking, with a focus on real estate and development. Banda is also a real estate investor in the Belleville and Nutley area. He continues to reside in Belleville and has served on the Belleville Planning Board. He is an active member of the community through his work in the civic associations Better Belleville and Green Belleville. Banda is honored to be a part of the Columbus Day tradition, celebrating Italian culture, heritage and traditions. His grandparents and great-grandparents, who immigrated to the United States from various regions of Italy in order to provide their families with a better life, were proud of their heritage, culture and tradi-

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14 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

Perna named Belleville Italian Woman of the Year Elaine Perna Belleville Italian Woman of the Year A Belleville native, Elaine Perna grew up on Division Avenue, attended Elementary School No. 7 and later graduated from Belleville High School. Throughout her high school years, she was involved in many student activities; she was a twirler, a member of the National Honor Society and a Future Business Leader. In addition to having been an exemplary student, she also oversaw the Belleville Recreation Department’s girls activities in the evenings and on the weekends. While in Belleville High School, she met her future husband, Nicholas Perna. Her husband is currently employed by the Essex County Schools of Technology District. The Pernas have two children together. Their daughter, MarLynn, graduated from West Essex High School and earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University in international studies. MarLynn and her husband, Joe, have two children, JP and Tessa, and reside in Chevy Chase, Md. Their son, Nicholas, also graduated

from West Essex High School and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at George Washington University in business administration. Nicholas and his wife, Renee, have a daughter, Sophia, and reside in Jersey City. To this day and always, Perna’s proudest personal achievement has been her children, and she treasures any time she gets to spend with them and her grandchildren. While her children attended elementary and high school, Perna was always involved in PTA activities. She is past president of both and served on several committees. She was a member of the Junior Women’s Club and always eagerly contributed to several community services. Perna’s business background began in the pharmaceutical industry, but she was always seeking to launch her own business. Finally, in 1973, after determining a need in the marketplace and local community, she founded Sandy Lane Nursery School. The school’s doors opened with a modest enrollment of seven children and three teachers. Today, some 46 years later, Sandy Lane has a total enrollment of

185 students and 35 employees. Having grown over the years, the school remains dedicated to providing families in the Essex County area with a warm, nurturing and inclusive learning environment for their children. Sandy Lane has repeatedly achieved a prominent accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young

Lutz named Belleville Man of the Year Martin Giardina Lutz Belleville Italian Man of the Year Martin Lutz is grandson to Salvatore Giardina and Angelina Cucchiara, who immigrated to the United States in 1918 from Nissoria and Agira in Sicily; son of Carolina P. (Giardina) Lutz, who raised two sons on her own with the help of her three brothers, Tom, Pat and Paul Giardina. Marty Lutz was born in 1965 in Orange and lived in the Vailsburg section of Newark until the age of 10, when his mother moved the family to Carmer Avenue in Belleville. While moving into the apartment on Carmer Avenue, Lutz and his brother, Sterling, were met by the local neighborhood children and immediately asked if they were the new children moving in, which led to playing football on the concrete street that Carmer Avenue once was. Growing up at Carmer Avenue and King Street meant going to work with all your friends’ fathers, brothers and uncles, who in that neighborhood were bricklayers and concrete masons. Lutz continued that trade for 28 years. To this day, he still has the same friends he met there 44 years ago — a common experience in Belleville. Lutz attended St. Mary’s School and graduated in 1979, then attended Belleville High School, graduating in 1983. Lutz wanted to follow in his uncle Tom’s footsteps and become a firefighter after frequently visiting him as a child at Engine 26 /Ladder 12 in Newark. So, he joined the Belleville Auxiliary Fire Department in 1988 and remained until 1991, when he was hired full time. He ultimately completed the ranks of

lieutenant, captain, battalion chief and deputy chief. He also served as Office of Emergency Management coordinator for the township of Belleville and vice president for the New Jersey Deputy and Battalion Career Fire Chiefs Association. He

retired after a long and fulfilling career in February 2021. Through his career, Lutz responded with Belleville Fire Department task forces on several occasions to the World Trade Center site in the days following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and was on the Belleville Arson Squad for six years, commanding the unit for two years. He has received numerous certifications from attending the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Md., and as a graduate of the Rutgers Certified Public Manager Program. For years, whether on duty or off, along with other members of the Belleville Fire Department, Lutz cooked for the homeless and delivered food to local shelters. He is committed and dedicated to volunteering and helps with fundraising for Alzheimer’s New Jersey. He is also a longtime supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His greatest claim to fame was that he was the first winner of the Columbus Parade Homemade Wine Competition!

Children. NAEYC is a professional organization that promotes excellence in early childhood education. Recently, Sandy Lane has also become an active participant with Grow NJ Kids, an organization that strives to raise the quality of child care and early learning across the state, and ensure children are provided with the best possible early learning opportunities. Additionally, Perna has been invited to join several professional associations and collaborate with institutions such as Montclair State University to continue to draw attention to the importance of early childhood education and steadily improve the standards of care. Perna continues to foster a strong relationship with the town of Belleville, the local community and the high school by regularly participating in community events, offering programs for high school transitional students to get a firsthand experience working in the field of child care, as well as making plans to collaborate with the local Board of Education to host their public preschool program. Being an active part of the Belleville community continues to be her mission.

Columbus Day Parade — October 2021 — 15

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Cicchino named Nutley Italian Woman of the Year Nella Cicchino Nutley Italian Woman of the Year Nella Cicchino was born in the Molise region of Italy and spent her early childhood in the picturesque town of Castelpetroso before immigrating with her family to Nutley. After graduating from Nutley High School, Cicchino attended Fairleigh Dickinson University. There she earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration and management. She spent most of her professional career at the former banquet facility The Landmark. For nearly three decades she successfully hosted social, corporate and nonprofit events. Cicchino’s trilingual skills, experience with international foods and customs, and her easy-going, calming personality gave her an edge, especially in the wedding industry. Many of her clients have become lifelong friends. Cicchino presently owns Mamma Vittoria Catering on Franklin Avenue in Nutley; she feels very fortunate to be able to live and work in a beautiful town such as Nutley. Cicchino is a member of Nutley UNICO and Nutley Women Networking Group. She has been a passionate animal lover and activist for most of her life. Prior to the birth of her son, she was very active in the animal rescue community and cofounded CATS, which stands for Care and

Treatment of Strays, a nonprofit organization helping stray cats and dogs. The most important aspect of her life is her role as a mom. She is the proud mom of her son, Pax, a pre-med student at Seton Hall University. In addition to teaching Pax the Italian language, customs and traditions, she also makes a point of teaching him the importance of filling one’s life with experiences instead of things. Cicchino feels fortunate to have been blessed with a culturally rich Italian and American background that she is proudly passing on to the next generation.

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18 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

Photo Courtesy of Susan R. LaMorte

GETTING READY — Several members of the Columbus Day Parade 2021 Committee gather.

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Columbus Day Parade — October 2021 — 19

Cafone honored as 2021 Man of the Year in Nutley Paul Cafone Nutley Italian Man of the Year Paul Cafone is one of seven children born to James and Rosina Cafone. His father was born in the Avondale section of Nutley, while his mother was born in Acri, in the province of Cosenza, Italy, and immigrated to the United States at the age of 16. Paul Cafone grew up alongside his siblings in Nutley, where he attended St. Mary’s School and graduated from Nutley High School in 1980. Cafone began his career in the township of Nutley’s Department of Public Safety in 1982. He was a police dispatcher and briefly a police officer before he was then hired by the Nutley Fire Department, where he transitioned from being a fire inspector to firefighter, and then advanced to the position of captain. He is currently the deputy fire chief, overseeing the fire department and in charge of its day-to-day operations. In 1991, Cafone married his wife, Denise, and moved to Fairfield, where they currently reside. Together, they have four children: daughters Meghan, Jenna and Marissa, and son Paul Jr. This year the Cafones welcomed daughter-in-law Bianca Palma and son-in-law Michael Markey into their family. Paul Cafone will become a grandfather for the first time in December.

When his children were young, Cafone was an active volunteer, coaching many youth sports including T-ball, baseball, softball, basketball and wrestling. He was a past member and president of the Fairfield Board of Education, as well as one of the founding members of the Fairfield UNICO. He is currently a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Municipal Alliance Committee’s drug and alcohol awareness committee, and now sits as chairperson on the township of Fairfield’s Planning Board. In his free time, Cafone enjoys the tradition of Sunday dinner with his family. He also enjoys hunting, fishing and relaxing on the beach. He feels his Italian heritage encompasses “family, respect, honor and good work ethic.”

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20 — October 2021 — Columbus Day Parade

Belleville Post — October 2021 — 11

Zhe uses her artistry to bring more beauty to town (Continued from Page 1) “I was looking for a beautiful, developing, small town with unique characteristics. Belleville seemed like the perfect place that I was looking for,” Zhe said. And just as Zhe has embraced Belleville as her home, so too has Belleville embraced Zhe as its official artist and its Ukrainian Woman of the Year. “I felt honored to be named as a Ukrainian Woman of the Year,” Zhe said. “I am very thankful to (Mayor) Michael Melham and his team for believing in me and giving me an opportunity to present my art in this beautiful town.” For Zhe, the opportunity to capture Belleville’s beauty and spirit in her art is life-affirming. It allows her to try new things, get her art out there and meet her neighbors. “Every art piece I do has a special place in my heart, but I have a strong connection with the mural on Route 21 in Belleville because of all the positive feedback,” Zhe said. “I receive thank-you messages all the time from residents about how grateful they are that they get to enjoy beautiful art instead of looking at a gray wall.” As Zhe grows as an artist, she is also growing as a businessperson. She has her own company, Athena Entertainment, which provides art-based entertainment. “When I started body painting, my art very rapidly became popular among trade

Above, Athena Zhe creates art at the town’s Sept. 11 memorial service. At right, Zhe bodypaints rapper 50 Cent. Photos Courtesy of Athena Zhe

Athena Zhe leads a paint-and-sip class. shows, music videos and at corporate and private events. This created a demand for more permanent art, not just temporary body painting that washes off,” Zhe said. “As a natural progression of my art I started creating costumes, giant headdresses and art installations that soon

was named Athena Entertainment. “Now Athena Entertainment provides specialty unique entertainment all over the world and provides jobs for many very talented people,” she continued. “I am very pleased to see how Athena Entertainment has grown into an art community

where so many artists get together and so many new talents are being discovered.” To discover more of Zhe’s artwork, all one needs to do is walk around town and attend township events. Belleville’s official artist is beautifying the town one blank wall at a time.

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12 — October 2021 — Nutley Journal - BP

STUDENT UPDATE Cevallos earns honors Domenica C. Cevallos, of Belleville, was named to second honors on the dean’s list at Clark University, located in Worcester, Mass., for the spring 2021 semester. Students must have a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.79 for second honors.

Daly sisters graduate Nutley residents Marissa Daly and Victoria Daly graduated from Hofstra University, located in Hempstead, N.Y., in May. Marissa Daly earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Victoria Daly earned a Bachelor of Science in physician assistant studies.

Playing as a Lion Nearly 240 students will compete on NCAA Division III varsity athletic teams this fall at Albright College, located in Reading, Pa. One local Lion is Nutley’s Sofia Lamond, who is on the women’s soccer team. A graduate of Nutley High School, Lamond is studying sociology/criminology at Albright.

Degrees from Berkeley Berkeley College conferred degrees on approximately 1,800 students on Thursday, May 27, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Students earned a variety of certificates and degrees, including Associ-

ate in Applied Science, or AAS; Associate in Science, or AS; Bachelor of Business Administration, or BBA; Bachelor of Fine Arts, of BFA; Bachelor of Science, or BS; Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or BSN; and Master of Business Administration, or MBA. Area students who earned degrees are: • From Belleville, Isabel Duran, a graduate of the Honors Program, graduated with honors with a BBA in accounting; Seth Santa Cruz graduated with honors with an AAS in business administration and accounting; Carmen Yela graduated with an AAS in business administration and management; Elly Barbosa graduated with an AAS in business administration and management; Ryan Bates graduated with a BFA in graphic design; Michal Antoine, a graduate of the Honors Program, graduated with a BBA in health services and management; Najat Boudaher graduated with a BBA in health services in management; Alejandro Flores graduated with an AAS in information technology in management; Gustavo Coello Torres graduated with honors with a BS in information technology in management; Javan Drakeford graduated with an AAS in justice studies and criminal justice; Tamara Calderon graduated with honors with a BS in legal studies; Nicole Galioto graduated with a BS in legal studies; Ferleau Etienne graduated with honors with an MBA in management; Yokelly Do Nascimento graduated with honors with

an MBA in management; and Daphanie Feliciano graduated with honors with a certificate as a practical nurse. • From Nutley, Olga Regal graduated with a BBA in business administration and management; Jose Ferreira graduated with honors with an AAS in business administration and management; Dante Leon graduated with honors with a BFA in graphic design; Lizt Gallardo graduated with honors with a BFA in graphic design; Kristin Collins graduated with an AAS in health services administration; Doris DeLucia graduated with a BS in legal studies; and Gabrielle Aliotta graduated with an AAS in marketing communications.

Goswami is a semifinalist Officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program, including Nutley High School’s Garv B. Goswami. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be offered next spring. High school juniors entered the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than 1 per-

cent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

Honors at SNHU Gabriela Santos, of Nutley, was named to the president’s list at Southern New Hampshire University, which has a campus in Manchester, N.H., for the summer 2021 semester. Sabrina Smith, of Belleville, was named to the dean’s list. To be named to the president’s list, a student must be full-time, earn a minimum grade-point average of 3.7 and earn 12 credits for the semester. To be named to the dean’s list, a student must be full-time, earn a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.69, and earn 12 credits for the semester.

Dean’s list at SHU Seton Hall University, located in South Orange, named the following area students to its dean’s list for the spring 2021 semester: • From Belleville, Carolina Barba, Cayla Carino, Alexandra Cherry, Oliver De Leon, Ann Gottschalk, James Laquindanum, Joel Melendez, Kirsten Ontal, Shiv Patel, Renaldo Payne, Sasha Rosario, Mariabelem Sanchez, Christopher Twomey, Kathleen Vega-Conza and Dana Vo. • From Nutley, Pax Ardanz, John Christman, Sabino Coppola, Lauren Costello, Albert Dimaculangan Jr., Timothy Georgetti, Noah Ibasitas, Catherine Ibrahim, Amy Jacobsen, Pooja Mehta, See STUDENT, Page 13

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Nutley Journal - BP — October 2021 — 13

Med school dean honored with NMF Legacy Award Dr. Bonita Stanton, the founding dean of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine in Nutley, has received the National Medical Fellowships’ Legacy Award. Stanton was honored for helping to create “a school that recognizes inequity in health outcomes and that is demonstrating to students that health care disparities are born of structural and systemic racism,” according to the NMF. The dean received the award at the 2021 Virtual Champions of Health Awards ceremony, held in New York on Sept. 28. NMF holds the Champions of Health Awards to “honor those individu-

als who have made a lasting impact on health care and diversity in health care as well as outstanding corporate leaders whose role and influence drives positive change in the business community and the communities they serve.” “Dean Bonita Stanton is an exemplary leader for the progressive mission of the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine,” said Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health. “She is helping to write the future in 21st-century medicine.” Stanton, who has helmed the school since its inception in 2016, has received numerous honors as an influential educa-

STUDENT UPDATE (Continued from Page 12) Nicole Ojeda, Justin Petracco, Yuvraj Raja, Lucia Rizzuto, Cristina Sabia, Chiara Schwartz, Nicolette Strollo and Victoria Ventura. Students who make the dean’s list have completed a minimum of 12 undergraduate credits, distinguished by a grade-point average of 3.4 or better.

Camilo earns honors

dents must earn a grade-point average between 3.5 and 3.79.

Wasko matriculates Alexandra Wasko, of Nutley, has enrolled at Lebanon Valley College, located in Annville, Pa., as a member of the Class of 2025. Wasko, a graduate of Nutley High School, is pursuing a degree in neuroscience.

Yailin Camilo, of Belleville, was named Rodrigues earns degree to the dean’s list at LIM College, located in Sophia Rodrigues, of Nutley, graduatNew York, N.Y., for the spring 2021 ed with a degree in business administrasemester. tion and marketing from Bloomsburg To be placed on the dean’s list, stu- University of Pennsylvania in May.

tor and physician. She said she sees it as a credit to the entire school. “This award is validation of what is being accomplished at our school,” Stanton said. “Medical education in the United States needs to be better in treating all people across society with equal resources and attention. We are doing our very best to be part of the positive change to make a brighter future in medicine.” The school’s curriculum fosters teamwork and a humanistic focus on community wellness. A vital piece of this mission is the “Human Dimension,” a three-year program integrating the biomedical, behavioral, social and population sciences and placed in the context of the patient and communities, which touches underserved cities across New Jersey. Stanton, a pediatrician and infectious disease expert by training, received her medical degree from the Yale University School of Medicine. She earned distinctions as a health investigator living and working in the poorest parts of Dhaka, Bangladesh, studying diarrheal diseases. Research in global HIV prevention earned her accolades in subsequent years. Before coming to the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, she served as chairperson of the Department of Pediatrics and ultimately as vice dean for research at Wayne State University in Detroit, Mich. Stanton is also a researcher, having been continuously funded as a principal

Dr. Bonita Stanton, above, has been named the recipient of the National Medical Fellowships’ Legacy Award. investigator on one or more grants from the National Institutes of Health since 1990. She has authored more than 325 peer-reviewed papers and has served as editor of several textbooks, including the “Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics.” NMF is the only national organization solely dedicated to providing scholarships and support to medical and health professions students from groups underrepresented in health care. For the past 75 years, NMF has identified and supported more than 32,000 students by giving more than $45 million in scholarships.

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14 — October 2021 — Nutley Journal - BP

EVENTS Kiwanis blood drive The Kiwanis Club of Belleville/Nutley will hold a blood and platelet drive at the Belleville Senior Center, 125 Franklin Ave. in Belleville, on Thursday, Sept. 30, from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. All donors will receive a T-shirt and be entered into a raffle to win a $50 Wawa gift card. Platelet donors

will also receive a $10 ShopRite gift card. Social distancing and additional disinfection guidelines will be in place. Masks are required. Individuals are not eligible to donate blood or platelets if they have been exposed to COVID-19 within the past 14 days, or if they tested positive for the virus within the last 14 days.

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BROOKDALE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 1350 Broad Street, Bloomfield, 973-338-8536. We are a church that preaches and teaches the Bible. We invite you to join us in worship on Sundays at 10:30 am. Children’s Bible activities for ages 4 through 5th grade (called BCC Kids Church) are provided. Worship services can also be seen live online on YouTube and Facebook and via our website at www.brookdalechristian.com. In addition, we offer Bible Studies on Sunday mornings at 9:00 and on Thursday evenings at 7:00. You can participate in either one of these classes -or both- through Zoom by calling the church to get placed on the Zoom call list. There are several other opportunities throughout the week involving prayer, study, and community for all age levels. Brookdale is a loving and caring congregation under the leadership of Pastor Love Saquing and Pastor Jim Treffinger. Our mission is to be a Family Growing Together in God.

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focus of the assessment around the 21 and older, special needs population in the community. The Board of Education has created a program for students ages 18 to 21 that teaches day-to-day life skills, as well as basic employment skills. Unfortunately, once these students age out of the proTownwide garage sale Belleville will hold a two-day townwide gram, there is little in town to keep them garage and yard sale on Saturday, Oct. 2, busy and learning until such time as they and Sunday, Oct. 3, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. qualify for state programs at the age of 25. Recently a group of education profesAll participants must register with the town’s finance department; there is no fee sionals, civic leaders and citizens convened to participate. For a list of participating in Nutley to address this need. They agreed households, visit www.bellevillenj.org. that a career day for the special needs comFor more information, call 973-450-3330 munity should be their first initiative. The career day will be Saturday, Oct. or 973-450-3340. 16, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the VFW Hall, 271 Washington Ave. in Nutley. Survivors walk in Nutley Business owners who would like to particNutley Thriving Survivors Inc. will ipate should download the registration hold its annual “Celebration Walk” on form at https://tinyurl.com/2kuc3r6t, Sunday, Oct. 3, beginning at John H. complete it and return it to mblank@nutWalker Middle School in Nutley, and its leynj.org. “Celebration Brunch” on Sunday, Oct. 24, For more information, contact the at the Glen Ridge Country Club. There is Department of Public Affairs and Health no charge for the brunch for survivors, or at 973-284–4951, ext. 2424, or “thrivers,” as the organization calls them, mblank@nutleynj.org. and one guest of their choosing. For more information, visit www.nutClassic Car Show leythrivingsurvivors.com. Nutley Rotary will hold its third annual Classic Car Show on Franklin Avenue, Career day opportunity between Chestnut and Centre streets in The Nutley Health Department was Nutley, on Sunday, Oct. 17, from 1 to 6 p.m. awarded a grant through the New Jersey The event will feature classic and antique Health Communities Network to conduct cars, street rods, muscle cars, customized a townwide health and wellness assess- cars, trucks and motorcycles. Admission is ment. The decision was made to drive the free for spectators. Walk among the cars while enjoying classic Motown music. This event will benefit the Nutley Educational Foundation and Rotary Scholarship Fund. Appointments are strongly encouraged. To make an appointment, call Joe Wojtecki at 973-450-2017. Donors must bring photo ID, and be sure to eat and drink water prior to donating.

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Nutley CROP Hunger Walk The Nutley CROP Hunger Walk will be held Sunday, Oct. 17, starting at Vincent Church, 100 Vincent Place in Nutley. Registration will begin at 12:30 p.m., with the walk beginning at 1 p.m. with a welcome and an interfaith prayer. Walkers will walk south through Yanticaw Park to Centre Street, over to Franklin Avenue, up to Vreeland Avenue, and then north through Memorial Park and back to the church by 2 p.m. Shorter and longer routes are welcome according to each person’s ability. To remain COVID safe, this will be a completely outdoor activity, with masks and distancing requested as needed. To register, join a team, review walk information and see pictures of some past walks, visit https://events.crophungerwalk.org/2021/e vent/nutleynj. The walk is sponsored by the Nutley Clergy Fellowship. For local information and sponsor forms, contact Rick DeKovessey at jdekovessey@aol.com or Lisa Feraco at teemof8@aol.com. Proceeds will go to help the hungry around the world, with 25 percent going to neighbors in need through the Nutley Family Service Bureau Food Pantry and the Vincent Church Care Kitchen.

Belleville Post — October 2021 — 15

County leaders overwhelmingly endorse greenway Local, county and state elected leaders from Essex County and the city of Newark, in collaboration with representatives from several community groups and the Essex–Hudson Greenway Coalition, came together recently to offer their endorsement of the linear park project and offer deeper insight into the current status and positive community impact of the greenway. For walkers, runners, cyclists, hikers and others, the proposed Essex–Hudson Greenway would create nearly 9 miles of linear park, connecting Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, Kearny, Secaucus and Jersey City. Offering their full support and endorsement of the project during the virtual meeting were state Sen. M. Teresa Ruiz; Newark Council members Anibal Ramos Jr. and Luis A. Quintana; and Essex County Commissioners Brendan W. Gill and Robert Mercado. The event was presented by the Open Space Institute and its partners — the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition and the September 11th National Memorial Trail Alliance — and was sponsored by Ramos, the Mount Prospect Partnership and the Forest Hill Community Association. “The greenway will be a true asset to the state of New Jersey. When we think of an area such as Essex County, an urban county for all intents and purposes, our ability to restore and create new open spaces is limited,” Ruiz said. “Since I first took office, this (project) has been an ideal

dream, something which I thought would be very easy. Fast-forward, nearly a decade later, alongside some very strong advocates, the dream that I thought about has become a real magnet for what I know will be a true asset for the Garden State.” In January 2020, OSI secured a timelimited purchase agreement with Norfolk Southern for the purchase of the former Boonton Line, an abandoned rail line traversing eight municipalities in Essex and Hudson counties. There has already been one extension to finalize the deal; time is running out to complete the purchase of the property. Under terms of the $65 million purchase agreement, the transfer deadline is Dec. 31. “I consider myself a proud supporter of this project. Along with Councilman Quintana, I sponsored a City Council resolution in support of this. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not only for the North Ward, but for the corridor that connects Montclair and Jersey City, and has a big chunk of the city of Newark involved,” Ramos said. “On the municipal side, we are definitely all on board in supporting this and doing whatever we can to advocate (for the project). This 135-acre linear park is a unique opportunity for us to transform the area, and I am hopeful we are in a position where we can take advantage of this. Let’s take this to the finish line.” According to a presentation made during the meeting by Debra Kagan, execu-

‘The greenway will be a true asset to the state of New Jersey.’ — M. Teresa Ruiz tive director of the New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition, the Greenway spans an average of 100 feet or more in width throughout its route and has the potential to reduce traffic congestion and help mitigate stormwater issues in the area. In light of Tropical Storm Ida on Sept. 1, which ravaged significant parts of New Jersey, the project represents a “build back better” response to the proposed Biden infrastructure bill, addresses recommendations of the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report by the United Nations, and answers the demands of elected officials related to severe weather events and climate change. “Over the years, over the decades, the neglect of that railroad and the impact it has had on our North Ward community has been devastating,” Mercado said. “This opportunity to expand the green space and recreational space for our kids is invaluable. It is going to provide new transportation options to residents. From an environmental standpoint, we can begin to see green space open throughout the corridor.

The economic impact will promote new businesses around the corridor. Each of the municipalities will come closer by way of this project. This project will have an impact for generations to come.” Residents of communities all along the proposed length of the linear park have been campaigning for more than a decade to create a greenway that would serve as a “shared-use path” for people walking, riding a bicycle, running, rolling or just relaxing along this corridor. “This project is so exciting for all of us,” said Dan Zanella of the Forest Hill Community Association. “One of the most interesting things for us is the return of this space to an active, beautiful community amenity. One that is accessible to everyone in the community, one that connects us to our neighboring communities, and improves the quality of life, offers wellness opportunities.” “This project is … bigger than any one individual or any one group. The project was brought to my attention over a decade ago, but its goal remains the same — to bring communities together in our county and to help promote a healthy and sustainable way of life,” Gill said. “I truly believe this is a transformational project that will affect our county and our region in a positive way for generations to come.” For more information on the Essex–Hudson Greenway Project, visit www.essexhudsongreenway.org.

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16 — October 2021 — Nutley Journal - BP

ES ESSEX SEX C COUNTY’S OUNTY’S C COLLECTION OLLECTION DAY AY

Household Hazar Hazardous dous W Waste as a te FFree ree e to to all Essex Essex County Coounty R Residents esidents Essex County residents must provide proof of residency at the site.

SSaturday, aturday, October October 2, 20 2021 21 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Essex County Fleet Management (Public Works) 99 W. Bradford Avenue, Cedar Grove, New Jersey FFor or more more information information call 9 973-792-9060 73-792-9060 or www.ecuanj.com www.ecuanj.com

ITEMS ACCEPTED: ACCEPTED: CEP Pesticides and Herbicides Paint thinners and solvents Oil based paints and stains Chemistry sets

Propane tanks (barbecue type) Pool chemicals Automotive ﬂuids (antifreeze, motor oil, steering ﬂuids, etc.) Darkroom/ Photographic chemicals

Lithium and NiCad batteries Fluorescent light bulbs and ballasts Mercury and products containing mercury Gasoline/Kerosene

Household cleaning ﬂuids Car batteries Fire extinguishers (home) Driveway sealer Aerosol spray paints

Emptyy C Containers Empt ontainers Explosives, Explosiv es, Munitions, Ordnance O rdnance or Reactive Reactive Materials Ma terials

Household batteries batteries (AA, (AA, AAA, AAA, C, D, D, 9V) Smoke Smoke Detectors Detectors and Carbon Monoxide Alarms Carbon Mono xide Alar

WE WILL NOT NO OT ACCEPT: ACCEPT: Latex pain Latex paintt Unlabeled or Unidentiﬁed Unidentiﬁed Materials Materials Asbestos Asbestos

Regulated Waste R egulated Medical W aste Waste or Infectious Infectious W aste Commercial C ommercial or Industrial Waste Indus trial W aste

✔ Only nly one person per vvehicle. ehicle. ✔ FFace ace mask manda mandatory. tory. ✔ D Doo not eexit xit vvehicle. ehicle. ✔D Display isplay license license (ID (ID) (I ) thr through ough closed car window. window. ✔ Items Items for for disposal to to be plac placed ed in trunk. ✔ NO containers containers will be returned returned (gas (gas cans, etc.) etc.)

Not for for C Commercial ommercial and Industrial Industrial Facilities. Facilities. “There are some materials that should be removed from our regular waste stream because of their hazardous nature. This collection day provides our residents a place to properly and safely dispose of contaminants, protecting our precious environment for future generations. I encourage residents of all of our communities to come out and participate.” — Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.

BULLETIN BOARD Walk in Yanticaw Park The Nutley Singles Walking Group hosts a free 4-mile walk for area residents ages 55 to 65 each Thursday at 6 p.m. The group meets at Yanticaw Park in Nutley, by the Centre Street entrance. Participants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and must show proof. For more information, call 201-280-8254.

Donating desks for students in Tanzania Vincent Church is raising funds to purchase desks for students in Tanzania, where a new school is being opened in an impoverished area. The desks are for three students and cost $50 each. To donate any amount, visit www.vincentumc.org/onlinedonations and note that the donation is for “Tanzania desks.”

Vincent Church events Vincent United Methodist Church, located at 100 Vincent Place in Nutley, is open for worship on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. The service will also be broadcast live each week on the church’s Facebook page and be available by call-in. There will be a health screening for all in-person attendees each week. In-person attendees must wear masks and adhere to social distancing guidelines. Children will be required to stay with their parents throughout their time in the building. Sunday School and nursery care are not currently available. There will be socially distanced seating in the sanctuary. Capacity will be limited to 70 people, with overflow seating using the Facebook livestream in Philhower Chapel. The church will present “Proverbs: Pathways to Wisdom,” an online study group based on a book by Dominick S. Hernandez. It is being held via Zoom on Monday mornings at 9:30 a.m. The study will help participants make a deeper connection to the wisdom of Proverbs. To participate, contact the church office for more information. The “Reflection” small group meets after church every week by video conference. The purpose is to reflect on the sermon and how to live out the message, and to be in fellowship with and pray for one another. The meeting is led by pastoral assistant Win Shin on Sundays from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Zoom. Contact the church office for more information. For more information about Vincent Church, visit www.vincentumc.org.

Golf for a Cure postponed The 10th annual Nutley Football Alumni Golf for a Cure outing was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Originally scheduled for Sept. 28, 2020, it has been rescheduled for Sept. 27, 2021. “Although the date has changed, the great cause of defeating prostate cancer continues,” Chairperson Mario Cocchiola said. “Contributions may be sent to Golf for a Cure, 100 North Road, Nutley, NJ 07110.”

Belleville Post — October 2021 — 17

Belleville offers solemn tribute on 9/11 anniversary Belleville paused to remember three of its residents lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The solemn ceremony, held on the 20th anniversary of the attacks, featured remarks from Mayor Michael Melham and Superintendent of Schools Richard Tomko. Members of the police and fire departments placed a wreath to remember those lost that day. Belleville High School’s Brianna Santos played “America the Beautiful” and Will Pennola played “Taps.” Elisa Charters, who worked on the 21st floor of the World Trade Center and survived the attacks on 9/11, served as guest speaker. The Better Belleville Civic Association, a volunteer-based group of residents, honored Antoinette Duger, Harry Ramos and Harvey J. Gardner III, the three Belleville residents who died in the attacks. In honor of the three lost on 9/11, three large flags were placed at the top of Greylock Parkway, in view of the New York City skyline. Better Belleville also placed smaller flags along the corridors that lead to the township’s 9/11 memorial on Chestnut Street and Franklin Avenue to honor all Americans who perished that day 20 years ago.

Photos Courtesy of Belleville

Above, Capt. Frank Pignataro serves as master of ceremonies for Belleville’s Sept. 11 remembrance event. Below, Mayor Michael Melham stands with Elisa Charters, who grew up in Essex County, worked on the 21st floor of the World Trade Center and survived the attacks on 9/11.

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18 — October 2021 — Belleville Post

SPORTS

Belleville HS boys soccer earning much respect By Joe Ragozzino Sports Editor For the past few seasons under head coach Gary Polewka, the Belleville High School boys soccer team has become one of the most respected teams in the area. The Bucs have even gained the attention of renowned coaches, such as Doug Nevins of West Orange and Roger Rubinetti of Livingston, who Poleweka said have come up to him to praise his team. The Bucs’ pinnacle came last season when they won the state North East F Group 3-B sectional championship. After a slow start to the season, the Bucs won two of their last three regularseason games before winning all three sectional games, capped by the 1-0 victory over Dwight Morrow in the final to end the 78-1 campaign. The season, of course, had its challenges with the pandemic. “Last year was just a weird year altogether. But the kids stuck through it last year and they got hot at the right time,” Polewka said. “We were in the

‘We’re looking to get into the state tournament, make a run, maybe make a little noise in the county tournament.’ — BHS head coach Gary Polewka (Super Essex Conference) Liberty (Division) last year like we are this year. It was tough competition last year, but it set us up for the run that we had, because we had the experience.” The Bucs, like most teams, are trying to get back to some sense of normalcy, though it hasn’t been easy. Nevertheless, Polewka has high hopes for his team this season, based on the Bucs’ overall skill level and work ethic. “This year, we were concerned about it, and some of it has come to fruition, that kind of COVID lag that they are having, virtual school and getting back to the groove of things,” Polewka said. “But we have a good core of kids. Overall, they might be more skilled with the ball as a whole this year than last year, at

least my starting unit.” Leading the Bucs are captains Brendon Diaz, a senior midfielder; Jonathan Ruiz, a senior striker; Leonardo Salomone, a junior center back; and Ivan Garcia, a junior midfielder. Diaz has done a great job in getting his teammates ready for the season, Polewka said. “Brendon really got everybody under his wing in the offseason,” Polewka said. “He got them involved in a winter league and got everybody out there playing the spring, moving the ball. The starting group all got together all year. They know each other well. It’s a tight-knit group of friends, which is nice. So that’s helpful.” The Bucs rely on other key contributors. Junior midfielder Adonys Aguirre is exceptional at

distributing the ball, and junior Gerber Coreas, in his third year on the team, is a solid center back, Polewka noted. Juniors Logan Kutlu and Jason Penaloza have formed a nice goalie platoon. The Bucs also have a promising group of freshmen, which bodes well for the future. “I’m definitely excited about the freshman group we have coming up this year,” Polewka said. The Bucs were off to a slow start again this season, going 1-5 through Sept. 22. They defeated Newark Academy, 2-1, before losing to West Essex, Montclair Kimberley Academy, Caldwell, Verona and Seton Hall Prep. Playing in the SEC, the Bucs could get enough power points to qualify for the state tournament, Polewka surmised. “The mission is to make the state tournament every year,” said Polewka, who guided the Bucs to the SEC–Colonial Division title in 2017 in his first year when the Bucs finished 13-6-1 overall. “We’re looking to get into the state tournament, make

Belleville HS football enjoys big win in opener The Belleville High School football team, under head coach Jermain Johnson, enjoyed a rousing start to the season as the Bucs crushed Barringer, 44-6, on Sept. 4 in Newark. James Cook Jr. carried nine times for 112 yards and two touchdowns, and quarterback Brent Rojas passed for 112 yards and a touchdown to lead the Bucs. Terence Folkes posted 10 tackles and a sack to lead the Bucs’ defense. Cook scored on a 5-yard run and Najee Harris added the 2-point conversion, to give the Bucs an 8-0 lead in the first quarter. Colin Cook returned an interception 21 yards for a touchdown and Harris added the 2-point conversion, to make it 16-0 in the second quarter. After the Bucs recorded a safety, Harris caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Rojas, and Bryce Gude kicked the extra point for a 26-0 halftime lead. In the third quarter, Cook ran for a 72-yard touchdown to extend

it to 32-0. The extra point failed. Chris Vitale returned an interception 43 yards into the end zone to make it 38-0 going into the fourth quarter. Jeremiah Cook closed out the scoring with a 33-yard touchdown run. The Bucs unveiled their new turf field at Doc Ellis Field at Municipal Stadium when they battled rival Nutley on Sept. 10 in the Mayor’s Cup game. The game turned out to be a classic, but, unfortunately, the Bucs lost a heartbreaker, 29-28. Nutley took home the towering trophy. Belleville suffered another tough loss against Millburn at home under the lights on Saturday, Sept. 18, with a 24-22 overtime decision to move to 1-2. Here are other upcoming games: Oct. 1: vs. Orange, 7 p.m. Oct. 9: at West Essex, 1 p.m. Oct. 15: at Passaic, 7 p.m. Oct. 22: at Kearny, 7 p.m. Oct. 29: vs. North Bergen, 7 p.m.

Photo Courtesy of Belleville

Belleville Mayor Michael Melham, left, and Nutley Mayor Mauro Tucci proudly hold the trophy that goes to the winner of the Mayor’s Cup game between the Nutley and Belleville high school football teams. Nutley won the game, 29-28, Sept. 10, at Doc Ellis Field in the official debut of the new turf field.

a run, maybe make a little noise in the county tournament.” The Bucs “just have to dig down within themselves and play their ‘A’ game all 80 minutes,” Polewka concluded. This season, the Bucs have added assistant coach and junior varsity head coach Mark Costa, a Nutley High School and Caldwell University alumnus. Here are upcoming BHS games: Sept. 30: Livingston, homeClearman Field, 7 p.m. Oct. 8: Barringer, home, Clearman Field, 4 p.m. Oct. 11: Nutley, away, Glotzbach Field, 4 p.m. Oct. 16: River Dell, away, 11 a.m. Oct.18: Columbia, home, Clearman Field, 4 p.m. Oct. 22: East Orange Campus, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 26: Montclair, away, Fortunato Field, 4 p.m. Oct. 29: Ferris, home, Clearman Field, 4:30 p.m.

BHS girls soccer excels The Belleville High School girls soccer team, under firstyear head coach Faith D’Angelis, won four straight games recently to improve to a 4-1 record. The Lady Buccaneers defeated Payne Tech, 8-1, Sept. 16, in Newark; East Orange Campus, 6-0, Sept. 20, at home; Newark Tech, 60, Sept. 21, at home; and Irvington, 5-0, Sept. 23, on the road, all in Super Essex Conference-Colonial Division play to improve to 4-0 in the division. Here are other upcoming games: Oct. 2: Dickinson, home, Clearnan Field, 4:30 p.m. Oct. 7: Morris County Tech, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 11: Ferris, home, Clearman Field, 4 p.m. Oct. 14: Bloomfield, away, Foley Field, 7 p.m. Oct. 19: Golda Och Academy, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 21: Cedar Grove, home, Clearman Field, 4 p.m. Oct. 22: Newark Academy, home, Clearman Field, 4 p.m. Oct. 26: Linden, away, 4 p.m.

Nutley Journal BP — October 2021 — 19

SPORTS

Nutley HS girls tennis thrives with depth, talent By Joe Ragozzino Sports Editor Valerie Martin is extremely excited. In an interview with The Nutley Journal, Martin said this season appears to be the best of her 14 years as the head coach of the Nutley High School girls tennis team. The program has a whopping 23 players who have shown much promise and talent. Eight are on the varsity team and the rest are on the junior varsity team, which under head coach Joseph Martin, Valerie’s son. Nutley is coming off a great season in 2020 as it finished second to Bloomfield in the Super Essex Conference-Independence Division. Nutley only had two losses on the year, both to Bloomfield. NHS had a 3-4 record through Sept. 20. Two losses came in the Essex County Tournament. In the first round, Nutley lost to Livingston, 5-0. NHS then fell to Cedar Grove, 3-2, in a consolation match. The other loss was to Cedar Grove, 4-1, in the season opener. Nutley defeated Irvington, 5-0; Belleville, 4-1; and Bloomfield, 3-2; in Super Essex Conference regular-season play. Valerie Martin has been pleased

NHS hosts BHS in girls volleyball Oct. 7 The Nutley and Belleville high school girls volleyball teams will meet on Oct. 7 at NHS. The following are the rest of the girls volleyball schedules Nutley HS Oct. 1: Millburn, home, 4 p.m. Oct. 5: East Orange Campus, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 7: Belleville, home, 7 p.m. Oct. 8: Lyndhurst, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 13: MKA, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 18: Clifton, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 20: Montclair, home, 4 p.m. Oct. 30: St. Mary, away, at Mount St. Mary Academy, 10 a.m. Belleville HS Oct. 1: Ferris, home, 4:30 p.m. Oct. 4: West Orange, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 5: Mount Saint Dominic Academy, away, 4 p.m. Oct 7: Nutley, away, 7 p.m. Oct. 13: Montclair, home, 4 p.m. Oct. 18: Garfield, home, 4 p.m. Oct. 20: Bloomfield, away, 4 p.m. Oct. 21: Abundant Life Academy, home, 4 p.m. Oct. 25: East Orange Campus, home, Senior Night, 4 p.m.

with her singles lineup this season. “I have a nice singles, competitive lineup,” said Martin, who also is the Nutley boys tennis coach in the spring. “They all have different styles, but I’m really happy with my singles players.” Rebeccca Caporaso enjoyed a great season as a freshman at the No. 1 singles position last year. This year she is back at the same position. Alexis Fontalli, a freshman, occupies the second singles position and shows a lot of promise, said Martin. Mallory Albanese, a sophomore, has moved up to the third singles spot after playing with Julia Hroncich at the first doubles position last season. Hroncich, a senior, is joined by freshman Sindi Gjonbocari at first doubles. Gjonbocari has impressed Martin with her athleticism and gritty play. The second doubles position comprises a rotation of seniors Jill Juat and Tatiana Freckleton and junior Maria Mathew, who all gained experience last season. With so much young, promising talent and interest in the program, Martin is looking forward to the rest of the season. “It looks pretty promising,” she said.

Photo Courtesy of Kerry E. Porter

GO RAIDERS! — The Nutley High School cheerleading team performs during the Raiders’ football game against Orange at Tangorra Field/Park Oval on Sept. 18. The Raiders won, 34-6, to improve to 3-0 on the season. “I’m really psyched about the future.” Nutley was hoping to qualify for the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 1, Group 3 tournament. The deadline to qualify was Sept. 23. Martin’s other son, Jeff Martin, is an

assistant coach for the Nutley football team and is the new head boys tennis coach at West Essex. Nutley moved up to the SEC-Colonial Division which also includes Cedar Grove, Irvington, Bloomfield and Belleville.

20 — October 2021 — Nutley Journal - BP

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