UNIONLEADER
‘Our Town’ to be featured
See Page 2 Alumni Day is a success
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See Page 4
Halloween Food Truck Fest is spooktacular
By Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta Correspondent
It was a spooktacular day of food and fun.
At the annual Halloween Food Truck Fest at Rabkin Park on Saturday, Oct. 18, there was an inflatable village, games, food trucks, a mini-golf course, a DJ, a photobooth, a “create slime” station and a video game truck. Adults were able to enjoy a beer garden that also had wine.
The DJ played fun songs such as the theme from “Scooby Doo” and “Sugar Sugar.”
Witches danced on stage and off with children.
Tim Singletary, a volunteer emergency medical technician, said, “The whole event is wonderful, fantastic! Entertaining for kids.”
Paul Webb is the owner of Portraits by Paul, a photo booth business he’s had for 15 years. His 16-year-old daughter, Sydney, was working the booth with him. He said, “It’s all about the kids. Something safe and fun.”
Tyler Martin, of Rahway, said, “I just love Halloween.”
Vanessa Alba, of Union, was with her children, Isabelle, 3, and Levi, 1. It was her first year coming to the Halloween Food Truck Fest. She said, “It’s a lot of fun.”
Tomyka Brackin, of Irvington, was there with her Yorkie named Khloe. Her favorite part of the event was the food. She said, “I had wings and steak and fries, so far.”
Karen Sasso, owner of Ice Cream Creations, offers special sundaes and cones. She said they cater to all requests. The retired teacher has had her “shop on wheels” for the past seven years. “It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “Everyone’s happy.” Sasso is from Rutherford.
Valentina Martinez, owner of Urban Dogs, has been in business for two years. “They’re Columbian-inspired,” she said. “Different crazy toppings. Mozzarella cheese on hot dogs.”
See HALLOWEEN, Page 10
left, Steffanie Guillen, of Elizabeth, has been coming to the Halloween Food Truck Fest for the past three years. She said, ‘I love coming out with my family – my sister from Union, my three girls and my husband. I always get pizza. My daughters favor the Columbian hot dogs (from Urban Dogs).’ Above right, A dancing witch entertains children at the annual event. Below left, Tyler Martin is all decked out for the annual Halloween Food Truck Fest. Below right, Sydney Webb channels a little Freddy Krueger for the Fest.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
Above
Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘Our Town’ to be at DMK Theater
By Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta Correspondent
Beloved by many, “Our Town” is set in the fictional town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. It explores the universal themes of life, love, community and mortality. Since it was first performed in 1938, it has been widely considered one of the best American dramas of all time, combining humor, tenderness and powerful story telling.
“Our Town” is being presented by the American Theater Group and will be coming to DMK Theater, running from Thursday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Nov. 2. The production will be led by director Merete Muenter, whose numerous credits include serving as associate director of the 2022 Off Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” directed by Joel Grey; and ATG’s 2019 production of “Bridges of Madison County.”
“It’s 1901. It spans probably over a decade of time,” said Muenter. “It’s about love. Love of family. Love between couples of all ages. It’s a universal story about being in the community and how everyone goes through everything together. It’s a unified group of people telling the story. You have the main characters. Everyone is in it together. It’s something we need a lot of now. To stick together through thick and thin. To remember the roots of your family. Don’t forget where you came from and don’t forget where you’re going. It’s heavily reminding us, appreciate what we have when we have it.”
What makes this version of “Our Town” unique is that there’s original music composed for it. Muenter said, “Keith Levenson wrote music for this production that I’m using. I can incorporate everyone on stage to embrace some of the moments that happen. Use the music to enhance. That’s something that’s a little different. No one heard this music before. It’s woven into the storyline.
It makes sense that it’s there. It’s natural that it’s there.”
Tatum Thompson is one of the cast members and also in the ensemble. She’s a resident of Union and teaches at The Studio for Kids. She’s earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business management from Montclair State University, along with a minor in musical theater. Recent credits include Ndidi in Dragonfly Multicultural Arts’ production of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” and Dr. Voice in the original touring cast of “SoUNDz SaCRoSaNcT,” written, directed and choreographed by New Jersey’s own performing arts legend, Savion Glover.
Thompson, who will be playing “the woman in the balcony” and “the lady in the box,” said, “I am interrupting the action on stage. A devil’s advocate kind of character. She doesn’t have many lines, but the things she does say propel the story forward. In a roundabout way, I relate to the character.”
She sees the play as great, thoughtful and insightful. She said, “It’s so beautiful how we barely notice life as it’s happening. That’s a profound message. The play was first performed in 1938. The message is overly relevant today. It’s about the heart of life. The most important things are the people they spend their life with. These people don’t have a lot, but they have their loved ones and their routines.”
Thompson explains that the play isn’t flashy; there’s almost no scenery. She said, “We create locations, homes, buildings, different landscapes by using our bodies and sound effects. I’m proud of everybody in it and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/our-town-an-americantheater-group-production-tickets-1542553572259?aff= oddtdtcreator.
Photo Courtesy of American Theater Group
Actress Tatum Thompson
First Union HS Football Alumni Day is a success
By JR Parachini
Sports Editor
In a bit of transition now with a new coaching regime, there was a time when the Union High School Farmers were among the best football teams in the state. At times, they were among the best in the country.
Sparked by the efforts of former players Larry Kubin and Paul DeFazio, both Class of 1977, and present athletic director Ron Zieser, Class of 1997, some of the standouts from Union’s best teams of all time gathered on Saturday, Oct. 4 at UHS to reminisce about the “good old days.”
The first Union High School Football Alumni Day included more than 50 former players who took pride in strapping on the shoulder pads and competing for Union Farmers football.
“The whole genesis of this was to get great athletes and football players who attended Union together,” said Kubin, who went on to play at Penn State University for Joe Paterno and, after getting drafted in the sixth round of the 1981 NFL draft by the Washington Redskins, for Joe Gibbs. Kubin also played briefly for the Buffalo Bills and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in what turned out to be a four-season NFL career.
“When I was growing up here in Union, we looked up to players like Rich Hand and Dave Daniels,” Kubin, 66, said. “I emulated those guys.
“We have such a rich tradition here. Sometimes we have a tendency to forget about the past, but these guys here built a foundation and then became fathers and uncles.”
Kubin called classmate DeFazio and they went to Zieser with the idea of having the former players reunite at one of Union’'s games this year. They chose the game on Saturday, Oct. 4, against Ridge, which is Union’s only home game this season that was played on a Saturday afternoon.
“I’m very happy with the turnout,” said Kubin, whose last year he played for Union was 1976, during Joe Bizarro’s last season as head coach before Lou Rettino took over in the fall of 1977.
There were two tents sent up parallel to the football field where the alumni congregated, with refreshments served.
“In the future, we’re going to try to set up a fundraiser to gather funds to enhance the weight room and do things like that,” Kubin said.
DeFazio, after living in Florida for nearly 40 years, just moved to Newport, Rhode Island, where he now makes his home. Defazio, who will turn 67 on Tuesday, Nov. 25, attended the University of Florida.
“Larry and I have been best friends since sixth grade,” DeFazio said. “It was really Larry’s idea. I helped coordinate it with Ron.
“This is really a tour of high school nostalgia. We got the word out through social media. The best thing is that we have guys here of all ages, including one guy who played on the 1958 team.”
Other noted Farmers football alumni
in attendance included Fred Stengel, Class of 1967, and an assistant football coach at Union from 1972 to 1987 before continuing Bergen Catholic’s success, beginning in 1988; and Andrew Sanborn, the last quarterback to lead Union to a state championship in 2019.
“Union was a special place,” DeFazio said. “Nobody was really rich. For the most part, everyone was on the same plane. It was a wonderful place to grow up in.”
Randy Poole, Class of 1978, played the last of the seven seasons Bizzaro was the head coach in 1976 and the first of the 19 seasons Lou Rettino was the head coach in 1977. Bizzaro led Union to a 31-30-2 (.508) record from 1970 to 1976, including winning seasons in 1971 (9-0) and 1972 (8-1).
The 1971 squad was Union’s first of only six teams that went undefeated and untied and was the only one pre-playoffs.
When a Union football reunion takes place, it’s also a tribute to Rettino’s success, which, by all accounts from past players, was immediate. Rettino, the winningest football coach at Union and who
the gymnasium is named after, guided the Farmers to one of the greatest football coaching records in the state of New Jersey, a 171-23-4 (.881) mark in 19 seasons that included a record 10 North 2, Group 4 sectional state championships and a sterling 22-5 playoff record when only four teams in each section qualified.
“Lou gave me my love of football,” said Poole, who resides in Stillwater Township. “The second he spoke to you, he got your respect. He was the fairest human being I ever met.
“Practices were better. I didn’t have a father, so he was also a great role model for me. There are not enough words to describe exactly what he meant to me.”
As for Union’s game against visiting Ridge, the football alumni looked on until they were introduced individually at the 50-yard line at halftime, the Farmers had their moments before falling 24-13. Union fell to 0-6, but hosts South Brunswick High School (2-4) on Friday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m., at Cooke Memorial Field. South Brunswick was the first team Union
See UNION, Page 9
Photos by JR Parachini
Above, Union High School football alumni gather before the Saturday, Oct. 4, game vs. visiting Ridge High School. At right, the last Union High School state championship quarterback and head coach are, from left, Andrew Sanborn, Class of 2020, and Lou Grasso Jr.
Animals are blessed on the feast of St. Francis
By Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta Correspondent
St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals. He is known for his deep love and respect for animals and the natural world.
Many churches and organizations host the “Blessing of the Animals” each year, on or around the feast day of St. Francis, which is Oct. 4. Pet owners bring their animals, including dogs, cats, birds and sometimes even farm animals, for a communal blessing.
The Rev. Christian “Chris” Iosso of Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church recently hosted an outdoor service to bless the animals as a remembrance to St. Francis. “He was fearless and non-threatening to animals,” said Iosso, who gave out pamphlets that contained the “Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi,” and prayers and readings for animals.
Several people showed up with dogs and there was one cat.
Iosso began the service with the “Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi,” which the attendees recited together. He said, “If you did science, you’d know how much pets add to your health.” Acknowledging their uniqueness and their relationship with its human companion, each pet received an individual blessing and then were sprinkled with water on top of their heads.
“You know this animal for love. Love is
Above left, Gwen Williamson-Odom, of Hillside, sits with her senior pup, Bentley, at the recent blessing of the animals at Connecticut Farms Presbyterian Church. This activity is done every year on Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Above center, the Rev. Christian ‘Chris’ Iosso recites the ‘Blessing of the Animals’ for those in attendance at the feast day. Above right, a cute dog waits for a blessing.
a way of knowing,” he said. “Keep them safe. God, help these animals and bring joy in their lives. God be with them all.”
Toys were given to all the pets.
Gwen Williamson-Odom, of Hillside, was with her dog, Bentley. She said, “I’m a dog person. He’s been a blessing.” Williamson-Odom got Bentley when he
was first born. He’s now 10 years old.
“He’s a senior dog,” she said.
Manny Salas, of Union, has three dogs. He came with his Old English Sheepdog, Galileo. “This is the calmest one,” he said.
Aldo Napolielio, of Union, came with his dog, Millie, who is a chiweenie. Chiweenies are hybrid dogs, a mix of a pure-
bred chihuahua and a purebred dachshund.
John Smaldone and Cathy Scheidegger, of Union, found a kitten in a park, without a mother. They adopted the cat and named it Little Gray.
Connecticut Farms Presbyterian
See ANIMALS, Page 6
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
Photo by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
Aldo Napolielio, of Union, holds his pup, Millie, while standing alongside the Rev. Christian ‘Chris’ Iosso at the ‘Blessing of the Animals.’
Photo by JR Parachini
TEAM LEADER — Union High School junior Hameed Brothers, No. 18, scored both Farmer touchdowns vs. Ridge High School, including the first one on an 80-yard kickoff return.
Union puts up a good effort before falling to Ridge
(Continued from Page 3)
defeated last year, winning 35-7 in South Brunswick.
Scoring both Farmer touchdowns was junior Hameed Brothers, the first one on an 80-yard kickoff return, which immediately followed Ridge’s first touchdown. Brothers picked up the football on the second bounce from his 20, quickly found his way through a hole and then raced ahead of everyone down the left sideline for six.
Union hung tough in the first half, trailing only 14-7 at intermission. Ridge, which improved to 3-2, added a field goal and then a third touchdown in the fourth quarter to go up 247 before Brothers caught a 62-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Elijah Bryant for the game’s final points.
Above left, from left, Larry Kubin, Class of 1977; UHS athletic director and Class of 1997 Ron Zieser; and Paul DeFazio, Class of 1977, who put together the first Union High School Football Alumni Day, stand together. Above center, first-year Union High School head coach Barris Grant, front, looks on during a home game vs. Ridge High School on Saturday, Oct. 4. Above right, Al Santorini, who also played quarterback at Union before graduating in 1966, stands between Larry Kubin and Paul DeFazio. At far left, the Union High School gymnasium was named after Lou Rettino, shortly after he died on March 22, 1996.
Photos by JR Parachini
Halloween Food Truck Fest
(Continued from Page 1)
Sonia Vilela, of Union, was there with her 8-year-old daughter, Leah. Vilela said the event “brings out family and friends to celebrate Halloween.” Her favorite food truck was Cuphead Coffee. Leah enjoyed the inflatable village and Wetzel’s Pretzels.
Anthony Quirke, of Roselle, was there with his 7-year-old twins, Illyanna and Liam. “Everybody is enjoying time together,” he said. His family favored the pizza from Il Forno on Main.
Steffanie Guillen, of Elizabeth, has been coming to the Halloween Food Truck Fest for the past three years. She said, “I love coming out with my family – my sister from Union, my three girls and my husband. I always get pizza. My daughters favor the Columbian hot dogs (from Urban Dogs).”
Other food trucks included The Deluxe
Above left, Karen Sasso and Janelle Caufield of Ice Cream Creations pose for a photo at their food truck, which Sasso owns. The retired teacher has had her ‘shop on wheels’ for the past seven years. ‘It’s a lot of fun,’ she said. ‘Everyone’s happy.’ Sasso is from Rutherford. Above right, Valentina Martinez, owner of Urban Dogs, poses in front of her food truck. ‘They’re Columbian-inspired,’ she said. ‘Different crazy toppings. Mozzarella cheese on hot dogs.’ Below left, Tim Singletary and Douglas Callanan, voluntary emergency medical technicians, sit in an ambulance, complete
with skeleton passengers, at this year’s annual Halloween Food Truck Fest at Rabkin Park on Saturday, Oct. 18. ‘The whole event is wonderful, fantastic! Entertaining for kids,’ said Singletary. Below, second from left, Tomyka Brackin, of Irvington, was there with her Yorkie named Khloe. Her favorite part of the event was the food. She said, ‘I had wings and steak and fries, so far.’ Below, third from left, Leah Vilela, 8, of Union, said she enjoyed the inflatable village and Wetzel’s Pretzels. Below right, Illyanna and Liam Quirke are 7-year-old twins from Roselle.
Photos by Maryanne Christiano-Mistretta
NEWS BRIEFS
Township Committee to meet on Nov. 10
Union’s Township Committee will meet on Monday, Nov. 10 and Tuesday, Nov. 25, to have a conference from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., followed by a regular meeting from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., in the Municipal Building, 1976 Morris Ave., Union.
Veterans Day Ceremony to be hosted at Arts Center
A Veterans Day Ceremony will be on Tuesday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. to noon, at DMK Black Box Theater, inside Union Arts Center, 1980 Morris Ave., Union.
Board of Health to meet
Union’s Board of Health will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 12, from 6 to 7 p.m., in the Municipal Building, 1976 Morris Ave., Union.
Fine Arts Explosion hosted
The Union Center Fine Art Explosion will be Thursday, Nov. 13, from 6 to 9 p.m., at the Union Art Gallery, inside the Union Arts Center, 1980 Morris Ave., Union. This is an exhibition of contemporary art aimed at highlighting the works of international, national and local artists as
they convey their lives, thoughts, dreams, experiences and visions through their artwork. Light refreshments will be served. Gift bags for the first 50 guests. There will be a free raffle entry to win a piece of original artwork.
Board of Adjustment to meet on Nov. 12 and 19
Union’s Zoning Board of Adjustment will meet on Wednesdays, Nov. 12 and 19, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., in the Municipal Building, 1976 Morris Ave., Union.
Planning Board to meet
Union’s Planning Board will meet on Monday, Nov. 17, with a conference from 6:30 to 7 p.m. in the Conference Room, followed by a hearing from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Main Meeting Room, both in the Municipal Building, 1976 Morris Ave., Union.
Library Board of Trustees to meet on Nov. 18
Union Public Library’s Board of Trustees will host a regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 6:30 p.m., in the Main Branch, 1060 Stuyvesant Ave., Union.
IN MEMORIAM
• SCOTT – Wanda Kim “Sissy,” of Vauxhall; Sept. 4. Medical biller, 67.
In Memoriam is a monthly 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.
