Union Leader - February 2023

photographs — See Page 13

Flood mitigation is made a priority

By Yael Katzwer Editor

President Joe Biden signed federal legislation on Dec. 28 that includes provisions to make the Rahway River flood mitigation study a national priority. Through the efforts of Sens. Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, and U.S. Reps. Donald M. Payne Jr. and Tom Malinowski — as well as through the consistent work of the Mayors Council Rahway River Watershed Flood Control — language was inserted into the 2022 Federal Water Resources Development Act to move the Rahway River flood mitigation plan forward. Section 203 states that the study should be “expedited and proceed to preconstruction” for flood risk management in Section 336 of the Water Resources Development Act.

The 2022 Water Resources Development Act was included in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2023. The WRDA, signed biennially, authorizes federal flood control, navigation and ecosystem improvements.

The state of New Jersey is now required to sign on to be a co-sponsor of the next phase of the study to move the project ahead.

Leaders and residents in Union and Essex counties have long been urging officials to finalize the Rahway River floodmitigation plan and pass U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding for construction of Rahway River flood mitigation.

The Mayors Council Rahway River Watershed Flood Control, which was organized after Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, consists of mayors, township committee members, engineers and township administrators serving communities along the Rahway River and has been working with the USACE and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to come to a solution to protect residents.

In January 2022, the USACE announced its allocation of funds of $1.5 million to complete the flood protection

feasibility study it had started after Tropical Storm Irene. The USACE previously evaluated 21 alternatives and even sent the entire evaluation to the New England Army Corps office, which is known for its expertise on dams.

“Over the past few years, over $6.5 million of federal and state funds have been used on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers evaluation of a regional flood mitigation plan for the upper portion of the Rahway River,” former Cranford Mayor Dan Aschenbach, who serves as spokesperson for the Mayors Council Rahway River Watershed Flood Control, said in a press statement. “Hydraulic and hydrologic engineers, environmental analysts, and economists have scoured the possibilities with 18 different alternatives weighed and assessed for their costs and benefits. Politics had nothing to do with the lack of construction progress. The studies undertaken by the nation’s experts have taken time because the solutions are challenging.

“While criticism about how long this has taken is understandable, if it was easy, the work would have been done,” Aschenbach continued.

Since 2013, 19 different alternatives to mitigate flooding have been evaluated, and several additional options are now under consideration, all in an attempt to stem the flooding from the Rahway River during severe weather conditions.

The Rahway River flows through Union, Essex and Middlesex counties. Surrounding communities, especially Cranford and Springfield, have suffered severe, widespread flooding on numerous occasions in recent decades — including during Tropical Storm Floyd in 1999 and Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 — displacing residents and causing more than $100 million in property damage.

The favored flood mitigation plan is Alternative 4A. In this plan, several days before the peak of a storm, operators of

See LEGISLATION, Page 9

File Photo

Following Tropical Storm Irene in 2011, downtown Cranford was under water.

KUBS program broadens opportunities for high school athletes

The Kean University Building Stronger Urban Communities program, which introduces students to higher education through athletics, officially launched at Kean in January with a basketball tournament featuring four New Jersey high schools.

The KUBS Invitational Basketball Tournament was on Saturday, Jan. 7, at Kean’s Harwood Arena, from noon to 6 p.m., with the boys and girls teams from Ewing High School, Trenton Central High School, Hillside High School and Medford’s Lenape High School facing off in a series of four games.

As New Jersey’s urban research university, Kean works to address the underrepresentation of minority and lowincome youths in higher education, athletics, the arts and STEM.

“As Kean positions itself as an urban anchor institution in New Jersey, we are creating opportunities for students in urban communities to take part in impactful scholarship, service learning and community programs,” said Kean University President Lamont O. Repollet. “KUBS will also allow our Kean studentathletes to make a difference by working with and mentoring young people from urban communities.”

Kean’s Division of Transformational Learning and External Affairs and Kean Athletics created KUBS, which will also expand access to niche sports such as

The Kean University Building Stronger Urban Communities program, which introduces students to higher education through athletics and officially launched with a basketball tournament on Saturday, Jan. 7, got its start with a pilot event, a lacrosse clinic, last year.

lacrosse and golf, tennis and field hockey.

Representatives of Kean’s offices of admissions and financial aid, as well as Kean Athletics, the Student Athlete Council and more were on campus to meet with the high school athletes and answer any questions during the tournament.

“This is our opportunity to connect with

communities that will be participating in the KUBS activities to enhance and increase exposure to Kean and college in general,” said Joseph Youngblood, senior vice president for transformational learning and external affairs at Kean. “It’s our opportunity to utilize athletics and sports to have a deeper level of engagement with students.”

KUBS’ partners include Trenton, Long Branch, Ewing and Hillside.

The KUBS program took its first steps at Kean last year, with a pilot event that brought approximately 100 black and Latino boys to Kean for a lacrosse clinic. The event was a success, Youngblood said.

“Students from urban backgrounds typically don’t have access to sports like lacrosse due to the cost of the sport and the level of training needed,” he said.

Kean graduate Michael Shapiro ’21 earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and played on the men’s lacrosse team at Kean. He now works as the KUBS coordinator and assistant coach of the lacrosse team.

Shapiro, who helped run the pilot event, said KUBS is about giving students “the chance to potentially fall in love with something” that can lead to future opportunities.

“Without lacrosse, I don’t think I would’ve had the experiences, relationships or opportunities that came my way in my life. That is what I try to instill in our Kean players and those picking up the sport for the first time,” Shapiro said, adding that KUBS also lets Kean studentathletes and others develop leadership skills as mentors.

“That way when they leave this university, they stand out with the resume they’ve built for job and career opportunities.”

Photo Courtesy of Kean University

Union comes alive in Winter Wonderland

By David Jablonski Managing Editor

The township came alive on Friday, Dec. 2, when Union’s Winter Wonderland was hosted at F. Edward Biertuempfel Memorial Park, along Winslow Avenue. Thousands came out for the celebration, which continued on Saturday, Dec. 3, culminating in a tree lighting, despite the unpleasant weather that day.

“Union’s Winter Wonderland is an annual event that usually takes place in front of Town Hall, but, because this year we started construction on a new library, we had to move to Biertuempfel Park,” said William Reyes Jr., assistant township administrator, in an interview with Union County LocalSource on Monday, Dec. 5. “I love the location because of its size. It enables us to do more and get more creative and offer more fun and exciting things for families, such as increasing the size of the Vendor Village, being able to offer more inflatables and games for children, being able to offer more food trucks and food vendors, and having a bigger stage, so we can bring larger performance groups and have live entertainment throughout the event.”

Among the numerous activities for all ages, particularly children, were an ice skating rink and curling, a children’s area with inflatables and a trackless train, a s’mores fire pit area, a Santa’s workshop with puppet shows, a gingerbread house with cookie demonstrations, a sled dog demonstration, a live Nativity scene and an icecarving display.

None of this could have happened without numerous volunteers assisting in the efforts.

“Winter Wonderland is one of those events that pretty much every single department has a hand in it,” said Reyes. “It takes about 10 months to plan, and everyone, from the Police Department and Fire Department to Recreation, Public Works, the Public Information Office, Union TV and the Police Activities League got involved.”

Despite the cold, inclement weather, particularly on Saturday, Dec. 3, it proved one of the most popular events of the year for Union.

Photo by David VanDeventer

Union’s Winter Wonderland attracted thousands of people on Dec. 2 and 3 who took part in the numerous holiday-themed activities offered before the tree lighting on Saturday evening inside Biertuempfel Park. See WINTER, Page 5

Winter Wonderland proves a big success for township

(Continued from Page 4)

“The turnout on Friday was the largest turnout we ever had, and Saturday was also a large turnout, but I think the weather held people back a little bit,” Reyes said. “I haven’t spoken to the police department yet for the exact numbers, but Friday’s crowd was in the thousands and Saturday’s crowd was more than 2,000. And we’re just talking about the tree-lighting part. There were people throughout the day, too. Great turnout.”

Reyes stressed the importance of the sponsors, which helped make Winter Wonderland such a success. This included BCB Bank, ConnectOne Bank, Northfield Bank, Spencer Savings Bank, Union County Savings Bank, Union Funeral Home and Union Township PAL. He gave a special thank you to Lincoln Technical Institute for the use of their parking lot and the board of education for allowing the use of Hannah Caldwell Elementary School for off-site parking.

“Through our sponsors, we raised some money for the event, but we keep it affordable by making it free, because we want to offer it to everyone by not having an entrance fee or fees for the rides,” Reyes said. “The food and the pub were the only things that you could spend money on.”

At the event, Mayor Manuel Figueiredo thanked the organizers and participants for making Winter Wonderland happen. “Good evening, everyone, and thanks so much for coming out tonight,” said the mayor. “It’s a

bit cold, but it’s great to see so many people show up for a great event. I’m in awe of the lights, decorations, and activities our amazing township team has planned for us.”

“The mayor and the township committee just love this event, because they get to meet so many people and to be a part of something that just turned out to be magical,” said Reyes. “Sen. (Joseph P.) Cryan, Assemblywoman Annette Quijano and Assemblyman Reginald Atkins all came out on Friday, along with the township committee and the mayor. Superintendent Scott Taylor and board members Nancy Minnici and John O’Shea were there as well.”

Reyes said he was already looking to the next big events the township would be offering this holiday season.

“Coming up is the Santa in Blue Toy Drive, where the police department gets together and gets toys for families in need in the holiday season,” said Reyes. “They’ve been collecting toys for a couple of weeks. And then, on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Union High School, they wrap all the gifts that they’ve collected from the last month. Once they are wrapped, they will give them away the week of Dec. 19 to different households in which they got the addresses from churches and nonprofit organizations.”

“Also on Dec. 10 and 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be horse-drawn carriage rides and photos with Santa at the Union Center, 1000 Stuyvesant Ave.,” Reyes said.

no entrance fees or fees for rides either, thanks

generous

Photo by David VanDeventer

Thousands of holiday revelers had a joyful time at Union’s annual Winter Wonderland on Dec. 2 and 3 at Biertuempfel Park. There were

to the support of

sponsors who helped make the event a big success.

Hudak sworn in as new Union County surrogate

Christopher Hudak of Clark has been sworn in as the 16th Union County surrogate. Hudak assumes the position of surrogate after serving 12 years on the Union County Board of County Commissioners; he served as commissioner vice chairperson this past year.

“I thank the residents of Union County for their confidence in first electing me in 2010, and now it is an honor to have been elected Union County surrogate. Serving our constituents has been one of the greatest privileges of my professional life, and I look forward to serving all of our residents in a different capacity,” said Hudak. “As I begin the work of the surrogate, I remember my predecessor, James S. LaCorte, who held this position for 20 years and was a man of grace. My staff and I are committed to extending that same poise to anyone who walks through our doors.”

Hudak was nominated by Gov. Phil Murphy in October to complete the unexpired term of LaCorte and was confirmed by the New Jersey Senate. He began a new five-year term on Sunday, Jan. 1.

The county surrogate is an elected posi-

tion, established by the New Jersey Constitution, that oversees the probating of wills, qualification of will executors, appointment of administrators for those estates without wills, and qualification of guardians for incapacitated persons and minors, as well as certain matters related to adoption. The office also operates the Surrogate’s Intermingled Trust Fund for minors and incapacitated persons. Elections for county surrogate are held every five years.

While on the commissioner board,

Hudak led the creation of the Union County Infrastructure Grant program, which to date has distributed more than $12 million in matching grants for road resurfacing and other municipal infrastructure priorities. He sponsored the county’s initiative to combat heroin addiction by supporting Operation Helping Hand, which connects residents with rehab services, and created a grants program to support STEM opportunities in elementary and middle schools countywide. During his tenure, Union

County became the first county nationwide to ask gun vendors for their positions on gun safety.

Hudak, an attorney, has experience in public and nonprofit service, including with Kean University, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, the Partnership for a DrugFree New Jersey, and as a staff member in the New Jersey Assembly and state Senate. Hudak graduated from Roselle Catholic High School, has a master’s degree in public administration from Kean University and received his juris doctorate, as well as his bachelor’s degree, from Rutgers University. He was born and raised in Linden, and now resides in Clark with his wife, Terri, their daughter, Catherine, and son, Jackson.

The Union County Surrogate’s Office is located in the Union County Courthouse, 2 Broad St., Elizabeth.

For information about the programs and services of the Union County surrogate, visit ucnj.org/surrogate, email ucsurrogate@ucnj.org or call 908-527-4280. Questions and concerns may also be faxed to the surrogate’s office at 908-351-9212.

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Actor Holly Taylor helps Kean U. professor launch latest book

Kean University Professor Robin Landa’s 25th book was launched with celebrity cachet in November when her former student, Kean graduate and television star Holly Taylor, hosted an Instagram Live session for her 109,000 followers.

Taylor designed the cover and inside illustrations for the book, “The New Art of Ideas: Unlock Your Creative Potential.” The actor, who was raised in Wayne, plays Angelina Meyer on the NBC/Netflix series “Manifest” and is well-known for her role in the FX series “The Americans.” She graduated summa cum laude, with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts in graphic design/interactive advertising from Kean’s Michael Graves College in 2021.

“Holly was my student, and I was her adviser,” Landa said. “When I was planning the book, Holly was working on ‘Manifest’ and had a lot of downtime on set. I needed somebody who was brilliant and talented, but also responsible, and Holly met every deadline, even with her full-time acting gig.”

Taylor said she wanted the bright green cover and inside black-and-white illustrations to be “clean, modern, gender neutral and eye-catching.”

“In designing the book, it was important that it was approachable and accessible to all people and professions, so people who saw the book on the shelf wouldn’t think it was just for men or women or creatives,” Taylor said. “I thought having bold shapes would really help.”

The book outlines an idea-generating technique Landa said she has been teaching to her students throughout her 35-year career to help them overcome the frustrations that can come with trying to develop new ideas for projects.

“The book is about how to get ideas, worthwhile ideas

that benefit individuals, society, creatures and the planet,” Landa said.

Landa’s method is called the Three Gs — goal, gain and gap. Setting a goal, identifying a gap that needs to be addressed, and assessing the goal and gap for the gain, or benefit, is where the spark of an idea is born, she said.

About the book, Taylor said, “It’s a great gift to anybody because you can apply it to any career you’re in.”

The motivation to generate ideas, for Landa, is what she calls the triple bottom line — people, planet and profit, in that order. She follows that altruistic code herself by donating a portion of the royalties from the sale of all of her books to scholarships for students in Kean’s Robert Busch School of Design.

Landa launched the book with a virtual panel discussion for 30 design professionals, who logged in to discuss “The New Art of Ideas” and what it offers creatives in the industry and teachers of design.

Landa, whose top-selling books are “Graphic Design Solutions” and “Advertising by Design,” keeps a busy writing schedule outside of her teaching duties at Kean. Another one of her books, “Strategic Creativity,” came out in June, and she is currently co-writing “Shareworthy Storytelling for Advertising” with Greg Braun, retired global chief creative at Commonwealth//McCann in Detroit.

Photo Courtesy of Margaret McCorry

RWJBarnabas Health continues appeal for blood donations

RWJBarnabas Health continues its urgent appeal for blood and platelet donations, especially Type O blood, this January during National Blood Donor Month in response to a severe blood and platelet shortage among hospitals throughout the state. The surge in respiratory illnesses and recent winter weather has exacerbated the already acute nationwide shortage, and blood suppliers are in critical need of blood products in order to meet the demands throughout this winter.

According to America’s Blood Centers, a blood transfusion occurs every two seconds in the United States. Lifesaving blood is given to patients in extensive and varied situations, as in cancer therapies; traumas such as

motor-vehicle, industrial and home accidents; childbirth; open-heart surgery; organ transplants; and masscasualty events. Despite this, only 3 percent of Americans donate blood.

“This National Blood Donor Month, we’d like to thank our donors who have already selflessly rolled up their sleeves in response to the call for donations and our sponsors who make local blood drives possible. Their support has already made a difference in the availability of Type O blood, the universal blood type, and platelets during this difficult time of year,” said Sally Wells, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital’s blood services business development liaison. “We continue to urge

New Jersey residents to donate blood and help us avoid disruptions to routine and emergency medical care.”

RWJBarnabas Health is calling on blood donors of all types, especially Type O and platelet donors, to help bolster the blood supply.

RWJBarnabas Health has two fixed donor locations: one at RWJUH in New Brunswick, located on the fourth floor of the Rutgers RWJ Medical School Clinical Academic Building at 125 Paterson St. in New Brunswick, and the other at RWJUH Somerset, located at 110 Rehill Ave. in Somerville. Both are open Mondays through Fridays and select Saturdays. For hours of operations and to schedule an appointment, visit rwjuhdonorclub.org.

Legislation signed makes Rahway River flood mitigation a priority

(Continued from Page 1)

the Orange Reservoir in the South Mountain Reservation would begin to release flow downstream with the expectation that the flow would be out of the Rahway River system when the peak of the storm comes. This would lower the river elevation downstream and permit Cranford in particular to deepen the riverbed and at points widen the river providing significant increase in river capacity, ultimately keeping more of the river in its banks.

“All eight communities involved in the Mayors Council Rahway River Watershed Flood Control effort along the river supported what was known as Alternative 4A,” Aschenbach said. “A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommendation was about to be made to the U.S. Congress in 2019 to fund construction, only to have that plan sent back for review because the U.S. chief engineer was concerned about using weather forecasts to release storm water from the Orange Reservoir prior to

peak storm conditions. The rejection was made without a local study but was based on a conservative national perspective about using forecasts. Subsequent to the rejection, several U.S. Army Corps plans in other parts of the United States have been approved using storm forecasts. Other federal water control agencies and reservoir operators also use forecasting.

“With the U.S. Army Corps rejection, they insisted that any flood storage absent the use of forecasts would have to include

either lowering the Orange reservoir by dredging or heightening the dam,” he continued. “The Mayors Council Rahway River Watershed Flood Control still supports the Alternative 4A plan, which is now called the Orange Bypass. The Orange Bypass plan is being reviewed as a possible state and local project. The other alternatives, such as reservoir dredging and channelization, have not yet been fully evaluated and are expected to be evaluated next.

Front & Center for Performing Arts staged “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” on Friday, Jan. 13, and Saturday, Jan. 14, at Saint Elizabeth University’s Dolan Performance Hall, 2 Convent Road in Morristown.

Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang sang and danced their way into everyone’s hearts in this musical production. The show featured a cast of talented young performers from local New Jersey towns.

The show, directed by Julie CelesteLira, with Wayne Hu and Jeff Ostermueller as musical advisers, featured the following Union County residents: Berkeley Heights’ Nala van den Berg; Cranford’s Lila Kramer; Garwood’s Caris Thomas-Gale; Springfield’s Lilliana Delapa, Ilana Fishman, Sylvie Fishman, Avery Gold, Olivia Keppler, Clover Kern, Camila Mahnken, Josefina Martinez, Thomas Palermo, Viviana Rinaldi, Grace Rivera, Jazmyn Rodriguez, Maya Rubin, Arjun Shah, Priya Shah, Travis Steirman, Willow Tarsi, Aria Vizcaya and Addison Westbay; Summit’s Quinn Kubeck and Riley Huckabee; and Union’s Analia Burgos.

“Charles M. Schulz once said, ‘All children are peanuts. They’re delightful, funny, irresistible and wonderfully unpredictable.’ He was absolutely right. I am so excited for the audience both new to Charlie Brown and his friends, and those who have loved him for years, to jump into this nostalgic comic strip with the Front & Center Peanuts gang,” said Celeste-Lira, Front & Center’s creative director.

Celebrating its 21st year, Front & Center offers individuals of all ages and skill levels the opportunity to grow and develop artistically and personally in a nurturing environment. Front & Center is located in Springfield; for more information, visit front-n-center.com.

Photo Courtesy of Rachel Fishman

NJ Transit board approves critical maintenance of dual-powered locomotives

On Dec. 14, NJ Transit’s board of directors approved a contract to perform key state-of-good-repair maintenance on the engines of the ALP-45 locomotive fleet. The engine overhauls will allow the locomotives to maintain their current Environmental Protection Agency Tier III emissions standards and continue the environmental benefits they provide compared to the older locomotives they replaced.

“Keeping our trains in a state of good repair is critically important to realizing the environmental benefits these locomotives offer,” New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ Transit board Chairperson Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti said. “Performing this maintenance keeps these engines operating cleanly while minimizing the impact on our environment.”

“Aligned with NJ Transit’s commitment to sustainability, the locomotive engine overhaul approved by our board today will maintain compliance with EPA regulations for Tier III emissions, which has resulted in a significant reduction in annual greenhouse gas emissions,” NJ Transit President and CEO Kevin S. Corbett said. “The overhaul will have the added benefit of improving overall rail service reliability for our customers.”

The ALP-45 fleet consists of 35 locomotives, which began entering service in 2012 and can operate under electric or diesel power. This flexibility makes them critical assets to the system. Each locomo-

tive contains two Caterpillar 3512 HD high-speed diesel engines, which, to remain compliant with EPA regulations, must have all emission-related maintenance per the original equipment manufacturer’s maintenance instructions.

The board of directors has authorized NJ Transit to enter into a contract with Foley-Caterpillar, of Piscataway, to overhaul the 70 engines — two per locomotive — at a cost not to exceed $34,854,248.48, plus a 5 percent contingency.

The engine overhaul is required at approximately 18,000 hours of operation and includes: engine inspection and replacement of parts, such as turbochargers, cylinder heads, fuel injectors and pistons; replacement of diesel oxidation catalyst; replacement of engine mounts; replacement of generator coupling element; and overhaul of generator.

To further support NJ Transit’s goal of a reduced carbon footprint, 25 new Tier IV–compliant dual-powered locomotives continue to arrive and are being put into service from purchases in December 2017 and July 2020, adding 17 and eight locomotives to the fleet, respectively. Currently 13 of the 25 locomotives have been put into service, and the 14th is being commissioned. There is an estimated emissions reduction of approximately 93 percent particulate matter and 85 percent nitric oxide annually when compared to the oldest of the diesel locomotives, which will be retired.

IN MEMORIAM

• ANASTASIA – Donald “Butch,” of Manchester, formerly of Kenilworth, Union, Manahawkin and Brick; Nov. 9. Vietnam War Army veteran, brother, uncle, 79.

• ARCHAMBAULT – Edward Joseph, of Union, formerly of Kenilworth; Dec. 24. Army vet, worked in a motorcycle dealership. Husband, father, grandfather, 79.

• BACHEFSKI – Marjorie, of Union; Dec. 29. Award-winning commercial artist. Widow, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, 96.

• BADUINI – Louis J., of Blairstown, formerly of Union, Maplewood and Independence; Nov. 18. Homebuilder, husband, father, grandfather, 84.

• BARBELLA – Anne, of Union and Whitehouse Station; Nov. 9. Retired from Kean College. Widow, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 98.

• BIEBEL – William H., of Union; Sept. 29. Navy veteran, Irvington Police Department lieutenant. Widower, father, brother, uncle, granduncle, 85.

• BRAUTIGAN – Ellen Arlene, of Basking Ridge, formerly of Union; Dec. 18. Human resource director, Allied Chemical, Verizon, Liz Claiborne Fashions, 79.

• BROWNE – Genevieve P., of Union; Sept. 27. Principal of Tuscan Elementary School. CCD teacher. Widow, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 91.

• BRZOZOWSKI – Joan, of Union, formerly of Roselle; Oct. 24. Member of St. Joseph the Carpenter, Roselle. Mother, grandmother, 86.

• CAHA – Mary C., of Union; Nov. 2. Former teacher, supervising library assistant. Widow, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 85.

• CAPOZZI – Irene E., of Union and Bradley Beach, formerly of Verona; Oct. 11. Jail probation investigator. Widow, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 80.

• CLAYTON – Roy H., of Allentown, Pa., formerly of Union; Dec. 1. Army vet, police officer, postal inspection service. Widower, father, grandfather, 86.

• DICATALDO – Jim, of Union; Dec. 19. Member of Labor Local 342, Head custodian at Union BOE. Husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, 82.

• DONAWAY – Lillian, of little Egg Harbor, formerly of Union; Dec. 30. Was 81.

• EMRICH – Reinhold, of Cedar Grove, formerly of Union; Dec. 27. Army veteran, retired from Prudential. Father, grandfather, uncle, 91.

• GIORDANO – Gerald A. “Chick,” of Lakewood, formerly of Union; Jan. 2. Business owner. Widower, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather, 94.

• GREEN – Lineda, of Union; Oct. 13. Worked as an RN clinical reviewer for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield. Enjoyed photography. Wife, 52.

• JAST – Edward, of Union; Oct. 2. Widower, father, grandfather.

• KIEFER – Hilde, of Little Falls, formerly of Union and Goettelfingen, Germany; Sept. 22. Member of Deutscher Club of Clark. Widow, mother, grandmother, 88.

• KOLE – William “Bill,” of Jackson, formerly of Union; Nov. 10. Army veteran. Union Fire Department captain. Husband, father, brother, grandfather, 87.

• KORNISH – Frances, of Toms River, formerly of the Ironbound section of Newark and Union; Dec. 3. Retired IRS revenue officer. Widow, sister, aunt, 92.

• KURASZ – Stanley, of Mountainside, formerly of Jersey City, Irvington and Union; Oct. 26. Machinist for PSE&G. Husband, father, grandfather, 76.

• LEVINE – Ernest, of Union, formerly of Hillside; Dec. 2. U.S. Air force veteran. Retired from Newark Post Office after 41 years. Father, grandfather, uncle, 93.

• LEY – Anne, of Winthrop, Ma., formerly of Union; Nov. 5. Secretary for Kodak, Western Electric and Lucent. Widow, aunt, grandaunt, 99.

• MACCIACHERA – Sebastiana “Betty,” of Springfield, formerly of Union; Dec. 19. Outpatient billing. Widow, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 96.

• NASTO – Frank Jr., of Union, formerly of Ironbound Section, Newark; Dec. 25. Former business owner. Husband, father, brother, grandfather, 85.

• O’CONNOR – Marion, of Pennington, formerly of Newark, Harrison, East Orange and Union; Oct. 25. Widow, mother, grandmother, 96.

• PLACKO – John Martin, of Union; Dec. 14. Employed by Foster-Wheeler Corp. and Sokol USA. Avid stamp collector, 80.

• POHERO – Mary Jane, of Union; Oct. 5. Was 73.

• RAGAN – Michael, of Union, formerly of Jersey City, Newark; Dec. 11. Korean War USMC vet, retired firefighter. Husband, father, great-grandfather, 92.

• REKEMEIER – Thomas H. Sr., of Union; Oct. 20. Retired Union fire chief. U.S. Navy veteran. Husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather.

• SCHREINER – Joan F., of Union; Sept. 20. Retired as assistant manager at Dollar Tree Union. Widow, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, 89.

• SCHULTES – Lucy T. Leonardis, of Union; Nov. 20. Executive assistant for Triangle Plumbing. Widow, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 80.

• STAIB – Heidi, of Dover, Del., formerly of Union; Jan. 12. Was 81.

• SZEREMANY – Rev. J. Richard, of Monroeville, Pa., formerly of Union and Maplewood; Oct. 14. Pastor, director of worship, concert pianist.

• TINO – James Vincent Sr., of Union, formerly of Kearny; Jan. 6. Business owner, former K of C member. Widower, father, brother, grandfather, uncle.

• VANNOTE – Clarence R., of West Orange, formerly of Irvington and Union; Dec. 10. World War II Navy veteran. Seton Hall graduate. Widower, father, 95.

• WAGNER – Magda B., of Union, formerly of Floetenstein, Germany; Oct. 6. Widow, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 89.

• WARYN – Raymond J., of Toms River, formerly of Union; Dec. 18. Teacher, piano and accordion player. Husband, father, grandfather, 87.

• WEISS – Lore Hilde, of Lakewood, formerly of Germany, Union, Livingston and Gillette; Jan. 3. Mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, 84.

• WYNNE – Ann, of Cedar Grove, formerly of Union; Dec. 9. Former high school teacher. Wife, mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, grandaunt, 78.

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.

Stunning photographs are displayed at Commissioners Gallery

The Union County Board of County Commissioners presented “Scenic Union County,” a selection of works by photographer Jacki Dickert. Dickert’s photographs were on display through Friday, Jan. 27, at the Commissioners Gallery, on the sixth floor of the Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, midtown Elizabeth.

“Ms. Dickert provides us with a whole new way of seeing the beauty that surrounds us, and she renews our appreciation for the natural heritage that is ours to protect and preserve,” Union County Commissioner Chairperson Rebecca L. Williams said. “As stewards of Union County’s public parks, we encourage everyone to stop by and enjoy this enriching exhibit.”

Dickert’s photographs have been showcased in both solo and group shows at galleries throughout New Jersey, and her work has been published in magazines, book covers and numerous online blogs. She taught at Winfield Elementary School for 18 years before retiring in 2019 to devote herself to art full time. She teaches photography classes to people of all ages; is an active member of the Camera Naturalist Photo Club; and is a speaker and judge throughout the New Jersey Federation of Camera Clubs and other arts organizations, including the annual Union County Teen Arts Festival. She was

recently honored with the first-place award in the Ansel Adams contest at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., and her work has been selected for display at the new Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport. In a volunteer capacity with environmental organizations, Dickert also offers her art and skills for conservation purposes and selfpublishes the annual “World of Wonder” photography calendar.

To see more of Dickert’s work, visit her website at lightdance.org.

Photos Courtesy of Tina Casey

Two teams of students from Kean University’s College of Business and Public Management will compete in the 2023 USDA Agricultural Export Market Challenge.

Kean University to compete in USDA business challenge

Two teams of students from Kean University’s College of Business and Public Management will be among teams from 17 institutions nationwide competing in the 2023 Agricultural Export Market Challenge.

Hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, in partnership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the competition is an immersive learning experience that allows college juniors and seniors to simulate the work professionals do to increase export opportunities for U.S. food and agricultural products.

Kean is the first New Jersey university to compete in the challenge and is the only institution from the state taking part.

The online competition takes place next semester, and the winning team travels to Washington, D.C., in the spring to meet with USDA FAS leadership.

“This is an amazing experiential learning opportunity for Kean’s students to take a deep dive into the agricultural export sector of the economy as they compete against other teams from across the country,” said Kean President Lamont O. Repollet. “They will be exposed to potential new career paths and experiences that will help them build successful careers.”

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher said Kean’s participation in the national competition speaks well for the university and higher education in the state.

“This competition gives the Kean University students an opportunity to learn about agriculture and agribusiness, both

of which are extremely important here in the Garden State. The students will be able to take their knowledge to the next level, while competing in the USDA FAS challenge,” Fisher said. “We wish the Kean teams well in this endeavor and will be interested to see the types of solutions they work out.”

Kean’s College of Business and Public Management offers numerous opportunities for students to engage in real-world experiences and excel across all disciplines of business.

“Through the 2023 Agricultural Export Market Challenge, students acquire knowledge and skills in economics, diplomacy, trade policy, scientific analysis and marketing as they work to solve realworld trade problems,” said CBPM Dean Jin Wang. “We are proud to be included in this challenge and look forward to seeing our students’ progress.”

The competition is open to junior and senior undergraduate students attending a minority-serving educational institution. Using case studies and role-playing, students work in teams of three to five, conducting research and reaching out to experts.

The competition takes four to six weeks, and students will have the opportunity to present their work to, and get feedback from, USDA FAS officials.

Kean’s teams will include students from a variety of CBPM majors and minors.

CBPM associate professors Nazif Durmaz and Valerie L. Vaccaro are the faculty mentors for the two teams.

Photo Courtesy of Kean University

Report indicates homelessness declined significantly in

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released on Dec. 19 its 2022 annual Homeless Assessment Report Part 1 to Congress.

The report found that there were 582,462 people experiencing homelessness in the United States on a single night in January 2022. The report can be read at tinyurl.com/2tde7vje.

In New Jersey, the yearly point-in-time count found 8,752 people experiencing homelessness in January 2022, a 1.3-percent decrease from 2020.

These numbers reflect a single-night snapshot of homelessness in America in early 2022 and the first complete singlenight count of people experiencing homelessness since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The point-in-time count is one measure of homelessness that the federal government uses. The yearly count captures people who are in sheltered settings and unsheltered — sleeping on the streets, in encampments, in vehicles or other places not meant for human habitation. The PIT count is not meant to capture the entire universe of everyone who experiences homelessness over the year; it provides a reliable way to measure whether homelessness is going up or down from year to

year and a way to compare homelessness across communities.

COVID-19 and its impacts on the economy could have led to significant increases in homelessness. Investments, partnerships and outreach by government agencies led to only a 0.3-percent increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness nationwide from 2020 to 2022, according to HUD. The rate of overall homelessness is due in large part to a robust federal response that prevented evictions through emergency rental assistance distributed to more than 3 million households, expanded resources for vulnerable families through the child tax credit and other financial transfers through stimulus.

According to HUD, the Biden-Harris administration intends to not only stop but reverse the post-2016 trend of rising homelessness and reduce it by 25 percent by 2025, as stated in “All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness,” which was released Dec. 19 by the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness and can be read at tinyurl.com/yc5b3aey.

Some national statistics are: Compared with 2020, homelessness among people in shelters declined by 1.6 percent. Home-

lessness among people in unsheltered settings increased by 3.4 percent. Veterans experiencing homelessness decreased by 11 percent, a 55-percent decrease since 2010. Between 2020 and 2022, families with children experiencing homelessness declined by 6 percent, marking a total decline of 36 percent since 2010, and there was a 12-percent decrease in the number of people under the age of 25 who experienced homelessness on their own as “unaccompanied youth.”

“HUD and everyone in the Biden-Harris administration is committed to ensuring everyone has a safe, stable place to call home. Data shows that homelessness remains a national crisis, but it also shows that the historic investments this administration has made to address this issue can work,” HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said. “The Biden-Harris administration is committed to systemically addressing homelessness and combating the systemic racism that has created racial and ethnic disparities in homelessness.”

“Homelessness and its devastating effects on individuals, families and children are always top of mind at HUD. We are committed to doing everything we can to reduce the number of New Jerseyans without a home,” said Alicka Ampry-

Samuel, HUD regional administrator for New York and New Jersey. “While the statistics in New Jersey are optimistic, HUD will not stop until we see a more significant reduction in homelessness. HUD will continue to provide funding and available resources so that the number of homeless individuals continues to decline.”

In New Jersey in 2022, there are 7,776 people in shelters; compared with 2020, homelessness among people in shelters declined by 105, or 1.3 percent.

In 2022, there were 976 homeless people in unsheltered settings, a decrease of 805 people. The point-in-time count found 479 veterans experiencing homelessness in 2022, down 116, or 19.5 percent. Households with children experiencing homelessness declined by 8.2 percent; 992 were counted in January — 89 fewer than in 2020. And, 438 people under the age of 25 experienced homelessness on their own as “unaccompanied youth,” a 14.8-percent decrease, or 76 fewer than in 2020.

HUD defines chronic homelessness as an individual who has experienced homelessness for a year or longer or has experienced at least four episodes of homelessness in the last three years and has a disability.