Union Leader - September 2022

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Lanternfly update

— See Page 12

Kean shows announced

— See Page 16

SEPTEMBER 2022

VOL. 7 NO. 7

‘America’s Best Girl’ featured in lecture

By Destiny D. Rose Staff Writer The Union Public Library hosted an Aug. 9 lecture, “‘America’s Best Girl’: The Life and Times of Maplewood’s Gertrude Ederle,” about the famous swimmer from the 1920s. The lecture was held via Zoom in collaboration with the New-York Historical Society, which was New York City’s first museum and the second museum in the United States. In her hourlong discussion of Ederle’s life, NYHS education Vice President Leslie Hayes spoke about the importance of education and in particular education about women’s roles in American history.

“Although New York is in our title, we are an American history institution. We were founded shortly after the American Revolution by the so-called Founding Fathers, who quite frankly had a lot of stuff, having lived through the American Revolution and having lived through New York City being the first capital of the United States. They established the historical society to collect information and stories about our nation,” Hayes said. “We haven’t stopped; we continue to be actively collecting at New-York Historical.

“A few years ago we founded a project called Women and the American Story.

It’s an online curriculum designed to help teachers incorporate more women’s stories into the teaching that they do,” Hayes said, adding that everyone, not just teachSee UPL, Page 6

Photo Courtesy of Library of Congress

New York City honors Gertrude Ederle with a ticker tape parade after she successfully swims the English Channel in 1926.

Farmers look HEART Grant applications now available to new season

— See Page 18

UNION COUNTY — The Union County Board of County Commissioners has announced that applications for the 2023 Union County HEART Grant Program are now available for Union County nonprofit organizations, individual artists and scholars. Projects related to local history, the arts and humanities are eligible for consideration in the History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands Grant funding program.

“We created the HEART Grant Program in 1998 to help foster a thriving environment for the arts and cultural activities in Union County, and the program has received an enthusiastic response ever since. We are looking forward to another exciting season of programming that reaches thousands of residents with enriching new experiences that enlighten, educate and entertain,” said Commissioner Chairperson Rebecca L. Williams.

The HEART Grant Program serves as a catalyst for Union County’s nonprofit organizations, artists and scholars, enhancing their ability to connect residents with programs and activities.

Along with civic groups and cultural organizations, past HEART Grant recipients have included poets and writers, histo-

rians, painters, photographers, musicians and dancers.

Organizations can request a grant of as much as $3,000, with a 25-percent cash match for any amount more than $1,000.

Individuals can request as much as $1,000, with no cash match required.

All projects funded by the HEART Grant Program must directly benefit Union County residents and increase appreciation for Union County history, the arts or humanities, demonstrating that cultural assets are a vital part of community life, education and well-being, economic development, and cultural heritage tourism. Activities must take place in 2023 to be considered for funding. All applicants must be Union County residents or Union County–based nonprofit organizations with programs taking place in Union County. The application deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 18. The HEART Grant Program is administered by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation.

For 2023 HEART Grant guidelines and application form, visit ucnj.org/cultural or email culturalinfo@ucnj.org.

2 — September 2022 — Union Leader

Premiere Stages presents ‘Mud Row’ by Dominique Morisseau

By Daniel Jackovino Staff Writer Premiere Stages at Kean University opened its first scheduled full season in two years with “Mud Row,” a play by 2022 Tony Award nominee Dominique Morisseau, as directed by Marshall Jones III. The story is about the grip history has on two pairs of sisters. For one pair, it is the grip of the present, which is the early ’60s civil rights era. For the second pair, descendants of the first pair, it is the grip of the past.

Premiere Stages Producing Artistic Director John Wooten, of Glen Ridge, said, in an interview with Union Leader, that the play portrays the issues of legacy.

“Legacy is important, because a life is not just what you achieve,” he said, “but what you pass down to the next generation.”

The play opens with a flashback to the black community of Mud Row, an area in the east end of West Chester, Pa., as Elsie, played beautifully by Ashley Nicole Baptiste, prepares to go on a date with a young college man. She ends up pregnant.

Her foil in this and all ensuing scenes in which she appears is her sister, Frances, a civil rights activist played by Lekethia Dalcoe. Elsie and Francis foretell the struggles of Elsie’s children, sisters Regine and Toshi.

The older of these two descendants is Regine, played by Stacey Sherrell. She is a married marketing director from Philadelphia whose husband, Davin, played by Landon Woodson, is a teacher.

Regine has inherited, from her grandmother, the house in which she and her sister grew up. Her sister, Toshi, a grifter who has struggled with a drug

problem, is played by Alinca Hamilton. Toshi’s boyfriend, Tyriek, a young man willing to do violence, is portrayed by Malik Reed. Toshi and Tyriek are squatters in the house in question when Regine arrives on the scene for a perfunctory glance. She wants no part of the house and would be more than happy to unload it, filled as it is with unpleasant memories. But Toshi wants the house for herself and a chance to set down roots. She confronts Regine over the impending sale.

All performances were stellar, although sometimes the dialogue between Regine and Toshi sounded more like words coming from a playwright than from characters. There was also the question of why the show brought in the ’60s civil rights movement via Frances, because there was nothing about it that moved the plot forward or figuref into the resolution between Regine and Toshi and the house in question. “Mud Row” seemed to be a much simpler play than what it is made out to be.

But what was a real puzzle for anyone with an old-fashioned attention span is the chronology of events. When does the action the play showed between Regine and Toshi take place? Elsie is pregnant with Regine during the civil rights movement. When we meet Regine for the first time, she is about 35, and her husband, Davin, uses a cell phone. Toshi is reminded by Tyriek, her boyfriend, that she supported her drug addiction with email scams. “Mud Row” had good performances but overall did not hold up to reasonable questions.

“Mud Row” ran through Sunday, July 31, in the Bauer Boucher Theatre Center on the Kean University main campus in Union.

Photo Courtesy of Premiere Stages

Lekethia Dalcoe, as Frances, left, and Ashley Nicole Baptiste, as Elsie, perform in ‘Mud Row,’ a Premiere Stages offering at Kean University.

Union Leader — September 2022 — 3

Insider NJ releases its ‘LGBTQ-plus Power List’

By Yael Katzwer Editor Insider NJ has released its 2022 “LGBTQ-plus Power List,” which features 100 spots for the most politically influential members of the LGBTQ community in New Jersey.

“There’s a pronounced and conspicuous glass ceiling for LGBTQs in New Jersey politics,” the introduction to the list reads.

“Sure, the gatekeepers are happy to have us as ‘the help’ on campaigns and in government positions. But when it comes to elected office, opportunities are paltry because the gatekeepers and party bosses of New Jersey politics still very much prefer a status quo that’s overwhelmingly heterosexual.”

The point of this list is to recognize members of the LGBTQ community who contribute greatly to their local communities, the state of New Jersey and the country.

“The elected officials on this year’s list — mayors, commissioners, councilmembers alike — have already demonstrated that LGBTQs can win,” Insider NJ political reporter and columnist Jay Lassiter wrote. “Since losing his first election in 1994 for freeholder, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora has compiled a 12-1 win-loss record. Passaic County Commissioner Bruce James is undefeated on Election Day with a 5-0 record. Likewise Rebecca Williams, Union County commissioner and former councilwoman, remains undefeated on Election Day with a record of 40. Even this year’s top Republican, Assemblyman Don Guardian, holds a winning record, 2-1, against the South Jersey Democratic machine, the most well-funded political organization in the state.

“My point is that LGBTQ candidates are tough and resilient. When given a chance, LGBTQs have long demonstrated the ability to run and to win,” he continued.

Some Union County notables made the list this year. Union County Commissioner Chairperson Rebecca L. Williams tops

From left, Union County Commissioner Chairperson Rebecca L. Williams, NJDEP Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette, Rahway Councilwoman Danni Newbury and former Gov. Jim McGreevey are among the notables on this year’s Out 100 Power List. this year’s Out 100 Power List. Chosen by her colleagues this year to chair the county board, Williams was administered the oath of leadership by state Senate President Nicholas Scutari. Williams’ goals include better internet connectivity for Union County’s residents, as well as a renewed focus on mental health and social service programs. Prior to serving on the county board, Williams served on the town council in Plainfield.

“Throughout her career, Rebecca Williams has worked admirably to promote progressive and responsible economic policies, expand and conserve public parks, bolster employee protections and enhance local communities,” Gov. Phil Murphy said. “Her distinguished leadership and advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQIA-plus community in particular is why I selected her as a recipient of the Champions of Equality Award just a few short years ago. Her involvement in honoring transgender icon Marsha P. Johnson — also a native of Union County — with a statue in Elizabeth is just one of the many ways she has worked to honor this vibrant community and its meaningful history.

“Her new role as chair of Union County’s board of county commissioners is well deserved and will facilitate her ongoing efforts to improve the lives of countless

Union County residents and members of the LGBTQIA-plus community across our state,” Murphy added.

Coming in at No. 41 is Rahway Councilwoman Danni Newbury, who represents the town’s 5th Ward and also runs the Union County Office of LGBTQ Affairs, the first countywide government-run organization to support the LGBTQ community.

“Danni is the model public servant, the model wife, the model mother to her two beautiful girls, and a model friend to those lucky enough to know her,” Linden Councilman John Francis Roman said. “She continues to be a role model to our youth and to all those she serves as councilwoman in Rahway.”

Among the notable individuals who made the list on the state level is New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette, the first openly gay man to serve in a gubernatorial cabinet in New Jersey’s history. Experienced as a toxic injury and brownfields redevelopment lawyer, LaTourette, who took the No. 3 spot on the list, was a newcomer to state government when he joined NJDEP as its top legal counsel in 2018, quickly moving up the agency’s leadership ranks, eventually becoming commissioner in 2021.

“What every last one of us has in com-

mon is the environment we share. Red or blue doesn’t matter,” said LaTourette, the father of two who married his longtime partner earlier this year. “It’s all green — if we do it right.”

Coming in at No. 20 is former military officer Brenda “Sue” Fulton, the chairperson and chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. Fulton was the first, and for a while the only, LGBTQ cabinet member in the Murphy administration.

Former Gov. Jim McGreevey took the final No. 100 spot.

“Most of us know him as New Jersey’s 52nd governor, but for the 8,500 clients he serves at the New Jersey Reentry Corporation, Jim McGreevy is a mentor and a lifeline helping to end the revolving door of prison recidivism in New Jersey,” according to the list’s biography of McGreevey, who also chairs the Essex County Correctional Facility Civilian Task Force.

Lastly, the list gives an honorary spot to “anyone closeted.”

“Even in the year 2022, the closet remains a lonely, damaging place. With all the recent advances on LGBTQ rights, it’s easy to forget that there’s still plenty of anti-LGBTQ stigma out there,” Insider NJ wrote. “We will always bear witness to that loneliness and suffering on this list.”

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4 — September 2022 — Union Leader

NBIMC celebrates longest-living NJ resident on life-saving heart pump The advanced heart failure treatment and transplant team at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center celebrated New Jersey’s longest-living person on a left ventricular assist device, or LVAD, a mechanical heart pump.

Mayra Rodriguez, 42, from Union County, celebrated her 14th anniversary living with an Abbott HeartMate II LVAD, which helps the heart pump blood from the left ventricle to the aorta and the rest of the body.

Rodriguez is now the longest-living person in New Jersey with an LVAD and one of the longest-living LVAD patients in the country. Only 40 patients in the United States have lived more than 14 years with this device.

“I am so thankful to the team at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t have enough words to express how fortunate I feel to be here today and to have spent the last 14

Photos Courtesy of NBIMC

Above left are, from left, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Jesus Gomez-Abraham; cardiac transplant surgical director Dr. Margarita Camacho; Mayra Rodriguez; and Dr. David S. Feldman, section chief of advanced heart failure treatment and transplant at Newark Beth Israel. Above center, Rodriguez, center, stands with her 14-year-old son and her husband. Above right, Rodriguez embraces her surgeon, Camacho. Below, Rodriguez shows off her HeartMate II device. years enjoying my life with my family.”

“It has been a privilege to watch Mayra progress over the last 14 years. When we met her, she was critically ill, but thanks

to the innovative clinical care she received, her determination and the support of her family, Mayra is here with us today celebrating this milestone,” said Dr. Margarita Camacho, surgical director of cardiac transplantation at NBIMC. “Our advanced heart failure treatment and transplant team is committed to delivering world-class care. Our program is ranked among the top 15 in the country, and it is phenomenal accomplishments such as this one and incredible patients like Mayra who continue to inspire us all,” NBIMC President and CEO Darrell K. Terry Sr. said.

In 2005, Rodriguez was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She underwent chemotherapy that treated her cancer but severely damaged her heart.

Then, in 2007, after giving birth to her son, she was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy. A year later, the advanced heart failure treatment and transplant team at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center implanted an Abbott HeartMate II LVAD, which her physicians expected to last only a few years. Today, Rodriguez is living an active life with the same device that was implanted 14 years ago; she enjoys watch-

ing her son grow up, bike riding, hiking, jogging and running with her family.

LVADs were originally approved for use as a bridge to a heart transplant.

Today close to 14,000 patients are living with an LVAD and it is also used as “destination therapy” — meaning a final treatment rather than a transitional treatment — for patients such as Rodriguez, who are medically ineligible for heart transplant.

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Union Leader — September 2022 — 5

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6 — September 2022 — Union Leader

UPL hosts lecture about ‘America’s Best Girl’ (Continued from Page 1) ers, is welcome to explore the website. To view the project, visit nyhistory.org. “If you get into the heart of our story, it’s about celebrating women’s contributions, acknowledging that women have always been 50 percent of the population, and have always done 50 percent of the work and effort in our country.

Hayes explained that this project is especially important, as only 13 percent of historical figures in history textbooks are women. This led her to research several women, including Ederle.

“She covers so many important aspects of life in the 1920s — what it meant to be an American and what it meant to be a woman in the 1920s,” Hayes said. “What I think is really interesting about Gertrude Ederle is that there is no great, one, single biography about her. Which makes her a really great example of a woman who’s been lost to history.

“She hasn’t been completely lost, as many of us have heard her name, but at the same time, in comparison to the other great athletes and barrier breakers, we don’t think of her as often. In that way she’s been lost to history in the sense that not everyone knows her name the way we do Babe Ruth or Amelia Earhart,” Hayes continued.

Ederle was born in 1906, one of six children born to German immigrants in New York City. When she was a child, she had measles, which resulted in her having severe hearing loss.

“One of the things we want to immediately realize about her is, this is a woman who had a disability almost her entire life and yet through that she was able to persevere,” Hayes said.

Ederle’s father taught her and her siblings how to swim in open water at the Jersey Shore. Her older sister was also a swimmer but was not as successful as Ederle would become. What started as family recreation truly became her life’s work. Ederle dropped out of high school to pursue swimming as a profession. It was several years until her swimming became financially fruitful, yet her parents continued to support her. Before the event that would make her a household name at the time, Ederle won a gold medal at the 1924 Paris Olympics for the 100-meter freestyle relay. She also received bronze medals for finishing third in the women’s 100-meter freestyle and women’s 400-meter freestyle races.

“Many scholars suspect and believe from interviews given throughout her lifetime that her swimming further caused hearing loss,” Hayes said, explaining that Ederle may have been able to maintain more of her hearing if she hadn’t been a swimmer. “But it was her passion and it was her choice and in many ways it was something she knew; she had acknowledged from doctors that swimming was making it worse, but it was her passion.”

Ederle eventually became the first

Photos Courtesy of Library of Congress

Gertrude Ederle was an Olympic gold medal winner and won acclaim for swimming the English Channel. woman to successfully swim the English Channel, a 21-mile trek through icy waters filled with dangerous jellyfish and sharks.

She had successfully swum the 22 miles from Manhattan’s Battery Park to New Jersey’s Sandy Hook the year prior. Ederle made that swim in seven hours and 11 minutes, faster than the previous record, which was held by a man.

Ederle’s first English Channel attempt was on Aug. 18, 1925. She was not successful, and her coach, one of only five men to have swum across the channel, felt that she was struggling too much against the tide and advised her to stop.

It is believed that her first attempt may have also failed due to her wardrobe.

“She wore a loose, heavy, one-piece bathing suit that was continually filling up with water as she was swimming,” according to Hayes’ chapter on Ederle on the NYHS website. “In preparation for her second attempt, Gertrude designed her own outfit. She took a lighter one-piece suit and cut it into two. She also made it tighter so it would not fill with water.”

Ederle attempted again to become the first woman to swim the channel on Aug. 6, 1926. She began the swim near Cap Gris-Nez, France. The water was below freezing, and the waves were estimated to be at least 6 feet. On this attempt, Ederle wore the two-piece bathing suit and goggles that she had personally designed for the swim. She also coated her entire body in grease to help with the cold. During the swim, Ederle would take breaks and accept snacks and water from her coach; however, since the two could not touch without voiding the attempt, when Ederle needed assistance, she would swim up to her coach’s boat and accept food directly in her mouth.

Reporters on a nearby tugboat broadcast her progress internationally.

“There are wonderful stories of people in Dover realizing she was going to make it and rushing out to the shoreline to see her,” Hayes said. “By the time she reached the shoreline there was a huge crowd to cheer her on and welcome her.

“When she got there she could barely stand,” Hayes continued. “She succeeded and she finished in 14.5 hours, two hours sooner than the current record holder.”

No one would break her record until 1950.

Ederle was an instant celebrity.

“She embodies everything that the American woman was in the 1920s — this idea of the competitive spirit. America wanted to be the country of firsts, and here she was as the first woman to swim the channel. She was getting an incredible amount of celebrity and fanfare, when we think about what women were facing and the odds that they were up against in American society, just what an incredible

achievement,” Hayes said.

New York City honored Ederle with a ticker tape parade that an estimated 2 million people attended. She was also invited to the White House, where she met President Calvin Coolidge, who called her “America’s Best Girl.”

After her successful channel swim, Ederle capitalized on her fame and fortune. She appeared in Hollywood films and starred in vaudeville shows. In 1933, she slipped on the stairs in her apartment building, severely injuring her back. She was unable to walk for several years following her fall and, due to this, never returned to competitive swimming. In the 1940s, her hearing loss became so severe that, by today’s standards, she would have been categorized as deaf.

In Ederle’s retirement, she taught deaf children how to swim. She lived to age 98, dying in Wyckoff on Nov. 30, 2003.

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Union Leader — September 2022 — 7

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8 — September 2022 — Union Leader

Kean U to host second Jazz & Roots Music Festival Kean University invites the community to enjoy a free evening of music at the second Jazz & Roots Music Festival on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 4 to 8 p.m.

The Jazz & Roots Music Festival, produced by Kean and internationally acclaimed bassist/producer Mike Griot, offers professional jazz, blues and reggae in a beautiful outdoor setting on The Lawn at Enlow Hall, on Kean’s East Campus, 215 North Ave. in Hillside. Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets to settle in, and to bring picnics or enjoy the food trucks.

The Jazz & Roots headliner will be fivetime Grammy Award–winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, who will take the stage early at the event.

“For the second year in a row, we are bringing Kean’s students, employees, alumni and neighbors together for a celebration of jazz and blues in a free, family event,” said Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, who launched the festival last year. “Kean has established itself as a cultural force in the region and we welcome all to join us at the Jazz & Roots Music Festival.”

Dr. Colleen Hawthorne, a nationally known wellness expert, physician and author, is a lead sponsor of the festival, which will include wellness programming for guests.

Griot is thrilled to bring this event back to Kean University.

“I am honored to deliver the vision of

Dr. Lamont Repollet as Kean University enters the national music festival arena.

After an amazing debut event in 2021, we have packed even more entertainment and resources into what will be a truly unforgettable live music experience,” Griot said.

The rain date is Sunday, Sept. 25, from 2 to 6 p.m.

The festival will include the following artists and groups, in order: • Kean University Jazz Ensemble, which transcends cultural boundaries with its fresh take on contemporary gospel, pop and musical theater, as well as standard big band and contemporary jazz works.

• The preeminent jazz vocalist in the world, five-time Grammy Award winner Dianne Reeves, who won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Recording for three consecutive recordings — a first in any Grammy vocal category. Reeves has performed and recorded with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and appeared in and won a Grammy for the Academy Award–nominated George Clooney film “Good Night, and Good Luck.” She has received honorary doctorates from Berklee and Juilliard and, in 2018, she was designated a Jazz Master — the highest honor the United States bestows on jazz artists.

• Blues People, which includes festival producer Griot on bass, along with bandmates Kelton Cooper on lead vocal/gui-

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Five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves will headline Kean University’s second Jazz & Roots Music Festival, a free concert event on Saturday, Sept. 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. on The Lawn at Enlow Recital Hall, on Kean’s East Campus in Hillside. tar, Victor Burks on vocals/keyboards and Gene Lake on drums, and musically explores the effects of the blues on American culture on many different levels.

The band, which has been compared to The Meters, Luther Allison, and Earth, Wind & Fire, has recently released its much-anticipated 2022 debut single “The Skin I’m In.” • Big Fun(k), Don Braden and Karl Latham’s jam band, which is described as a “synchronized rhythm machine.” Down-

beat Magazine described the band as a “powerhouse quartet of old friends who seem hell-bent on having a ball.”

• Judah Tribe with Josh David, which expresses the struggle of the children of the African diaspora through soul and reggae music. Their music highlights life as a modern Ethiopian through the teachings and example of Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia.

For more information, visit kean.edu/jazz-roots.

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Providing quality meat for 55 years Perrotti’s Quality Meats, at 23 S. Union Ave. in Cranford, has been in its current location for 55 years. David Perrotti Sr. and Mario Perrotti, brothers from Italy, opened the business in October 1967. Nick and Dave Perrotti took over in 2015.

Perotti’s traces its roots to 1957, when David and Mario Perrotti immigrated to the United States from Vallata, Italy, at the ages of 10 and 12, alongside their parents and seven siblings, where they settled in Elizabeth.

The two brothers began working at a local, old-time pork store, where they learned the art of butchering and the meat market industry. Little did they know that they would become lifelong business partners. In the fall of 1967, David and Mario opened Perrotti’s Quality Meats, with the hope of turning their newly found craft into a business of their own. More than 50 years later, their business still operates on the corner of S. Union Avenue and Cherry Street in Cranford.

At Perrotti’s today, they pride themselves in being a family-owned and operated business that treats its loyal customers like part of the family. The sons of David Perrotti, Dave Jr. and Nick Perrotti, have earned the responsibility of taking over the family business, with an eye toward keeping the old-world butcher shop a part of the community for the next 50 years.

Always an active member of the community, Perrotti’s Quality Meats sponsors numerous charitable endeavors, including the Jaycees/St. Michael’s Church, St. Michael’s Feast, the Cranford Fire and Police departments, football at all schools, the Rescue Squad, Special Olympics, the Firecracker 4-Miler and T-ball.

Through the years, Perrotti’s Quality Meats has changed by becoming not just a full-service butcher but also by offering a wide variety of prepared foods. The original service as a full-service butcher has been maintained, in addition to employee recipes and traditional food.

Customers continually praise the business for providing great service, delicious food and having an informative staff.

Perrotti’s has been helping local families and businesses celebrate milestones for decades. If you need a caterer for a large party or event, view Perrotti’s catering menu and give them a call or send them an email to start planning your next party or event.

Perrotti’s Quality Meats is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and can be reached by calling 908-272-4980 or visiting its website at perrottiscranford.com.

Owners Nick and Dave Perrotti Photo by Rick Gerritty

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12 — September 2022 — Union Leader

Spotted lanternfly update: Act now to prevent breeding Spotted lanternfly infestations begin with the appearance of small, beetle-like nymphs in the spring, which transform into large, destructive hopping insects over the summer.

“The spotted lanternfly is a widespread problem in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. Everyone can help reduce the infestation by taking steps to limit their chances of breeding this fall and by reducing their preferred habitat,” Union County Commissioner Chairperson Rebecca L. Williams said.

During the last year, the Union County Department of Parks and Recreation has been working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station to assess various methods for locating and trapping lanternflies and preventing egg masses from hatching. Circle traps were set up in the Watchung Reservation and they have already caught thousands of spotted lanternflies.

Union County has also assembled staff from the Department of Parks & Recreation, the Bureau of Shade Tree & Conservation, the Bureau of Mosquito Control, the Bureau of Geographic Information Systems and the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County to focus on fighting the infestation, and the New Jersey Department of Agriculture has awarded Union County a grant to fight the spotted lanternfly on a countywide basis.

Photo Courtesy of Tina Casey

The preferred habitat of the spotted lanternfly is the ailanthus tree, or tree of heaven. Property owners are advised to consult a professional landscaper or tree service to remove ailanthus trees on their property.

Cutting them down is ineffective, as the tree will sprout more growth around the trunk and continue to attract spotted lanternflies.

The Union County Office of Public Information will provide updates on the work of this task force and will continue to provide guidance on spotted lanternfly control for residents. A dedicated page on

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the county website for spotted lanternfly news and updates has been set up at ucnj.org/slf.

Residents are advised to stomp on any lanternfly they see now.

Residents with trees on their property can use circle traps to catch nymphs in the summer and mature lanternflies in early fall. Lanternflies are known to feed on the sap of 70 different trees and plants, but the ailanthus tree, or tree of heaven, is their preferred host.

Note that sticky tape and glue traps should never be used, because they can ensnare birds and beneficial insects. Circle traps are widely available online. They can also be made at home with simple materials. For more information about circle traps and other environmentally safe methods of trapping nymphs and mature lanternflies, including a link for instructions on do-it-yourself circle traps, visit ucnj.org/slf.

Residents can also reduce the preferred habitat for spotted lanternflies by arranging to have ailanthus trees removed from their property. Because the ailanthus tree is an invasive non-native species, removing it can enable more diverse, native species to grow while also reducing breeding opportunities for the spotted lanternfly. However, property owners are advised to consult a professional landscape or tree service to remove ailanthus trees. Sprouts and small saplings can be pulled up by the roots, but larger ailanthus trees require professional treatment with an herbicide to prevent them from growing back in greater numbers after cutting.

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Union Leader — September 2022 — 13

DCA opens public comment period for Hurricane Ida recovery On Aug. 17, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs opened a 30-day period for people to provide public comment on the Hurricane Ida Recovery Action Plan, which details how the state proposes to utilize $228,346,000 in federal Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery funds to help households and communities recover from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, which hit New Jersey last September. The public comment period will run through Sept. 16 and will include in-person public hearings in Manville and Newark, which were among the municipalities hardest hit by Ida. The plan was developed in consultation with residents, county and municipal officials, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders in New Jersey, as well as with input DCA received from thousands of people who completed the Hurricane Ida Registration Survey.

The public comment period presents another opportunity to provide feedback on the action plan and the proposed use of funds. DCA will review and consider all comments received during the public comment period and incorporate responses to each comment into the action plan prior to submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for review and approval. Comments could lead to changes in the way the state proposes to use the funds.

“The Hurricane Ida Action Plan being released today for public comment is part

of my administration’s Ida recovery strategy, which builds on investments made earlier this year in residential property buyouts and home elevations to better protect families and communities from severe storms,” Gov. Phil Murphy said.

“Considerable thought went into the action plan, particularly on ways to promote resiliency and ensure equitable access to recovery assistance. We encourage people to review the action plan and we look forward to hearing what they have to say about the plan.”

“We recognize that, for some areas, recovery from the catastrophic flooding and tornadoes caused by Hurricane Ida will take years. We also understand that $228 million is not nearly enough to address all the storm damage,” said Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver, who also serves as DCA commissioner. “Our goal in developing the action plan was to address the highest-level needs in vulnerable communities with an eye to mitigation and resiliency. Unfortunately, these severe storms keep happening with more frequency and we must prepare and protect ourselves in this new reality.”

The state proposes to allocate $152 million to housing programs that help homeowners restore their storm-damaged homes; supplement rental housing costs for low-income rental families impacted by Ida; provide zero-interest forgivable loans to owners of rental properties that require rehabilitation as a

result of storm damage; subsidize the development of resilient and affordable housing in lower flood-risk areas; and buy out residential properties located in flood-prone areas. An additional $1 million is proposed to provide supportive services, such as housing counseling and legal aid to renters and homeowners impacted by Ida. The state also proposes to allocate $58 million to infrastructure programs that help impacted communities become more resilient to current and future natural hazards, protect publicly funded recovery investments in impacted communities, and fund the non-federal cost share for state and local facilities eligible under FEMA’s Public Assistance program.

The state additionally proposes to allocate $6 million to planning programs that develop a statewide housing mitigation strategy tool to assess the housing stock in disaster-impacted and at-risk areas and that build on the existing efforts of Resilient NJ, a climate resilience planning, guidance and technical assistance program set up following Superstorm Sandy to support local and regional climate resilience planning.

Pursuant to HUD guidelines, at least 80 percent of the CDBG-DR funds must be spent in counties most impacted and distressed by Ida, including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, Somerset and Union. The remaining 20 percent of funds may be used in other Ida-

impacted counties, including Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Morris and Warren.

Under the guidelines, at least 70 percent of the total CDBG-DR funding must go toward projects that directly benefit lowand moderate-income residents or investments in infrastructure that serve a majority of these residents.

The proposed action plan may be obtained in English and Spanish at https://www.nj.gov/dca/ddrm/plansreports/index.shtml on DCA’s website.

The public hearings on the action plan will be held: Thursday, Sept. 8, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Manville High School auditorium, 1100 Brooks Boulevard in Manville; and Monday, Sept. 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Campus Center Ballroom, second floor, 150 Bleeker St. in Newark.

Aside from providing comment at the public hearings, people may also submit their comments through the DCA website at https://tinyurl.com/ywh286nf, by email to DisasterRecoveryandMitigation@dca.nj.gov, or by mail to the attention of Constituent Services, Division of Disaster Recovery and Mitigation, NJ Department of Community Affairs, 101 S. Broad St., P.O. Box 823, Trenton, NJ 08625-0823. All comments must be received on or before 5 p.m. on Sept. 16 to be considered.

DCA will submit the action plan to HUD no later than Sept. 28 for review and approval.

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14 — September 2022 — Union Leader

Bridgeway CEO celebrates 45 years as champion for mental health services In 1985, when Bridgeway House became Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services, Chief Executive Officer Cory Storch was there.

Last year, he led the transition to Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services. Throughout the changes, Storch has remained committed to Bridgeway’s whole-person, evidence-based services. Today, Bridgeway is celebrating 45 years with the organization. His mantra?

“Recovery is possible!”

“People ask me how it is that I have stayed at one organization all this time, when so many of my peers have moved on to new opportunities,” Storch said. “The answer is, I have always been surrounded by people who made me proud to be part of the team at Bridgeway. Honestly, the challenges we have faced together and the opportunities to have such a big impact on the lives of the people we serve has been so extraordinary that the work doesn’t have a chance to get old.”

Since its inception, Bridgeway’s mission has been to support the educational and vocational endeavors of people with mental health conditions. During Storch’s leadership, many services have been added, including long-term programs to support people living in their communities and short-term crisis intervention services for urgent mental health care. Most

Cory Storch recently, Storch spearheaded the inclusion of outpatient services, both virtual and in person, to address the growing demand for high-quality, session-based therapy.

Evidence of Storch’s more than 45 years of leadership is in the numbers.

According to Storch, “When I was first hired by Bridgeway as a masters-level vocational rehabilitation counselor for people with mental health conditions, we operated out of one building at 615 N.

Broad St. in Elizabeth. Bridgeway now has locations in 10 New Jersey counties.”

The staff has grown from a handful of positions to more than 400. During the worst of the pandemic, Bridgeway staff served more than 8,000 people, delivering more than 132,000 in-person home and community visits. Of the people served in Bridgeway’s supportive housing programs, 99 percent remain stably housed. Bridgeway’s Psychiatric Emergency Screen Service, using a trauma-informed approach, leads the state in diverting people in crisis away from unnecessary hospital emergency department visits.

Nancy Schneeloch, vice president for Supportive Housing Services, has worked alongside Storch for most of his tenure at Bridgeway. She said that, in addition to being a leader in the field of psychiatric rehabilitation, Storch has helped New Jersey pave the way for supportive housing services for people with mental illness.

Storch began by providing housing support to eight homeless individuals prior to 2000. Today, Bridgeway provides supportive housing services to over 500 individuals in eight counties. Schneeloch added, “Cory also ensured that we would be on the forefront of integrating physical wellness into mental health care at

Bridgeway, creating a more holistic approach to providing services.”

Storch’s “Recovery is possible!” mantra is best illustrated by the people he has helped.

One young woman came into the Bridgeway partial-care day rehabilitation program from a homeless shelter in Elizabeth and ended up winning an award at Bridgeway’s annual achievement ceremony for working hard to recover, get an apartment, get a job and buy a car. At the award ceremony, she told Storch, “You practice what you preach!”

Storch’s message also reached a young man who had been hospitalized for mental illness and was assisted by a Bridgeway program to leave the hospital and live successfully in his community. He said, “They came into my life and pulled me out of my unique misery and back into my eclectic life. Where else in health care would I get that?”

When asked to reflect on his career, Storch said, “Ultimately, when you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work.

Forty-five years later, I still feel grateful to be working for Bridgeway.”

Buddy Garfinkle, senior vice president and chief program officer, said that Storch’s “commitment, integrity and wisdom has given us a role model to emulate.

Cory Storch is a titan in our field.”

Photo Courtesy of Susan M. Rash

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Union Leader — September 2022 — 15

Children’s events are offered at the Union Public Library Union Public Library will hold the following upcoming virtual youth programs. Program details are subject to change; contact the library to confirm. To register for programs, visit www.uplnj.org. For programs broadcast on Facebook Live, non–Facebook users should email childrensdepartment@uplnj.org for access.

• Virtual Biographical Storytime, Tuesdays at 7 p.m.

Learn all about important figures from the past and present at this event for all ages, which is broadcast on Facebook Live and subsequently available on Instagram. No registration required.

• Virtual Storytime, Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:30 a.m. Spend this special time listening to a story and singing songs and rhymes. These events for all ages are broadcast on Facebook Live and will subsequently

be available on Instagram. No registration required.

• Take-Home Craft Kits, weekly. The library offers different take-home projects each week. Pick up a project kit at the library and follow along with the library’s instructional video to create a cool craft from home. Instructional videos available to view on Facebook and Instagram. Call 908-851-5450, ext. 4, to schedule a pickup appointment. Project kits are available while supplies last.

• Virtual Volunteering for Teens offers virtual volunteering opportunities for teens. Send an email to teens@uplnj.org for more information.Events at Union Public Library Union Public Library has a lot of events coming up; register for all programs by going to https://uplnj.org/events/list/.

• Meditation, every Thursday at 11:30 a.m. Join Bindu Bhatt for a virtual meditation session. No experience necessary. Bhatt has practiced meditation for more than 30 years and will share her insight with attendees.

• Beginners flow yoga, every Thursday at 6 p.m. This class will lead attendees through the foundations of yoga postures, body awareness and alignment, relaxation of the mind, and a connection with the breath.

Learn how to improve muscle strength, promote flexibility and build a specialized yoga program.

Union Public Library is located at 1060 Stuyvesant Ave. in Union, with a branch at 123 Hilton Ave. in Vauxhall. For more information, contact the Main Library at 908-851-5450 or visit www.uplnj.org.

STUDENT UPDATE University of Rhode Island names locals to dean’s list The University of Rhode Island, in Kingston, R.I., has announced the fall 2021 dean’s list. It includes: from Union, Emma DaSilva and Connor Thompson.

To be included on the dean’s list, a fulltime student must have completed 12 or more credits for letter grades, which are grade-point average applicable during a semester, and achieved at least a 3.30 quality-point average.

Part-time students qualify with the accumulation of 12 or more credits for letter grades, which are GPA applicable, earn-

ing at least a 3.30 quality-point average.

ter out of a possible 4.0 for the semester.

Students on Susquehanna University’s dean’s list

Dean’s list includes locals at Quinnipiac University

Susquehanna University, in Selinsgrove, Pa., has announced that the following Union students were named to the dean’s list for the fall 2021 semester: Destinee Monasterio of Union, majoring in neuroscience and a member of the Class of 2022; and Elisa Neri of Union, majoring in accounting and political science and a member of the Class of 2023.

The dean’s list recognizes students who achieve a grade-point average of 3.4 or bet-

The following students from Union were named to the dean's list for the fall 2021 semester at Quinnipiac University, located in Hamden, Conn.: Blake Matthews and Megan Sloane.

To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must earn a grade-point average of at least 3.5 with no grade lower than a C. Full-time students must complete at least 14 credits in a semester, with at least 12 credits that have been graded on a letter-

grade basis, to be eligible. Part-time students must complete at least six credits during the semester.

Hofstra congratulates dean’s list students Hofstra University, located in Hempstead, N.Y., congratulates the following local students, who were named to the fall 2021 dean’s list for their outstanding academic achievements: Nia King and Novelly Skyler Whitt of Union.

Students must earn a grade-point average of at least 3.5 during the semester to make the dean’s list.

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16 — September 2022 — Union Leader

Kean Stage announces 2022-2023 performances Kean Stage has announced select performances from its 2022-2023 season.

Additional shows will be announced at a later date.

“We’re thrilled to invite you to the start of our new season. Our current listing of shows reflects diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, a hallmark of Kean Stage’s mission. And don’t think this is all; there’s still more to come,” Kean Stage manager Steve Cochran said.

Kean Stage’s 2022-2023 season will begin with “Hitting New Heights with Mandy Gonzalez and Javier Muñoz” on Saturday, Oct. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at Enlow Recital Hall, 215 North Ave. in Hillside.

The two stars of “In the Heights” and “Hamilton,” Gonzalez and Muñoz, join voices to celebrate Broadway’s hottest composers, from Stephen Schwartz to Lin-Manuel Miranda. “Hitting New Heights” features songs from “Wicked” to “Hamilton” and beyond.

Get into the holiday spirit when the Grammy Award–winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer performs at Enlow Recital Hall on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 7:30 p.m.

Hailed as “the world’s reigning male chorus” by The New Yorker, Chanticleer is known around the world as “an orchestra of voices” for its wide-ranging repertoire and dazzling virtuosity. Founded in San Francisco in 1978 by singer and musicologist Louis Botto, Chanticleer quickly took its place as one of the most prolific recording and touring ensembles in the world, selling more than one million recordings and performing thousands of live concerts to audiences around the world.

On Sunday, Dec. 18, at 7:30 p.m, Grammy Award–winning musician, singer-songwriter and recording artist José Feliciano will perform at Wilkins Theatre, 1000 Morris Ave. in Union. Feliciano is recognized as the first Latin artist to effectively cross over into the English music market, opening the door for other artists who now play an important role in the American music industry. His Christmas song “Feliz Navidad” has now become a mainstay worldwide with the

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Photo Courtesy of Nina Yoshida Nelson

American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers placing it among the 25 greatest holiday songs of the century.

Step Afrika! will perform at Wilkins Theatre on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. Step Afrika!, the first professional company dedicated to the tradition of stepping, blends percussive dance styles practiced by historically African American fraternities and sororities, traditional Western and Southern African dances, and an array of contemporary dance and art forms into a cohesive, compelling artistic experience. Performances are much more than dance shows; they integrate songs, storytelling, humor and audience participation.

Photo Courtesy of Andrew Whitton

The world’s most famous brass group, Canadian Brass, will perform at Enlow Recital Hall on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 7:30 p.m. Each Canadian Brass concert shows their full range, from trademark Baroque and Dixieland tunes to new compositions and arrangements created especially for them — from formal classical presentation to music served up with lively dialogue and theatrical effects. The hallmark of any Canadian Brass performance is entertainment, spontaneity, virtuosity and, most of all, fun — but never at the expense of the music.

London’s Kingdom Choir will perform at Enlow Recital Hall on Saturday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. The Kingdom Choir first

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Tickets for the Kean Stage 2022-23 season can be purchased online at keanstage.com or by contacting the box office at 908-737-7469. The box office is currently open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Union Leader — September 2022 — 17

IN MEMORIAM • ANTONIK – Gail Patricia, of Naples, Fla., formerly of Kenilworth, Union, Edison and Clark; July 2. Administrative assistant, Merck Pharmaceuticals. Widow, 74.

• CICHOCKI – Jeanette Stella, of Union, formerly of Newark; June 15. Bookkeeper. Widow, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, 96.

• GAINES – Veronica Delores, of Union; July 31. Was 89.

• GRASSO – Elaine M., of Manchester, formerly of Union and Roselle; June 23.

Accounts receivable manager. Wife, mother, sister, grandmother, 79.

• HENDERSHOT – Katherine Florence, of Union, formerly of Green Township, Kent, Ohio, and Newton; July 13. Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, 95.

• MARTIN – Christian D., of New Vernon, formerly of Union and Madison; July 12. Standup comedian, sport radio talk show host, husband, father, brother, 57.

• MULLIGAN – Joseph “Joe,” of Union; June 30. Husband, father, brother, grandfather, 85.

• PADALINO – Richard F., of Forked River, formerly of Newark, South Orange and Union; July 14. Retired South Orange police captain. Husband, father, 78.

• STAHLBERG – Bert, of Long Beach Island, formerly of Mariners Harbor, Staten Island, N.Y., and Union; July 27. Firefighter. Husband, father, brother.

• STANIER – John H. “Jack” Jr., of Union, formerly of Bound Brook; July 24.

Navy veteran, Cranford police officer. Brother, uncle, granduncle, 73.

• VICENTE – Robert, of Surfside Beach, S.C., formerly of Union and Greenbrook; July 27. Longshoreman. Father, brother, uncle, 64.

• VINHAS – Aldina, of Loveladies and Naples, Fla., formerly of Montinho, Portugal, Union, Long Beach Island; July 13. Wife, mother, grandmother, 73.

• WEBER – David, of Toms River, formerly of Irvington and Union; Aug. 13.

Husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, 88.

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.

AG establishes DEI office within Department of Law & Public Safety TRENTON — Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin issued an executive directive on Aug. 5 that formally establishes the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion within the Department of Law & Public Safety. It will be led by Assistant Attorney General Lora Fong, LPS’ current and first chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer.

Under the directive, the office will be responsible for the overarching strategy, oversight and implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives within and across the department, which comprises 18 divisions and approximately 7,700 employees.

“As the Department of Law and Public Safety has broad oversight of the state’s legal and law enforcement matters, we recognize how important it is that the department reflects the diversity of the more than 9 million New Jersey residents we are sworn to serve,” Platkin said. “By formally establishing this office we further demonstrate our commitment to an organizational culture that values and facilitates diversity, equity and inclusion and that enables transparency and accountability, which in turn will help us advance

our goals for a more representative department.”

“The creation of this office reflects the commitment of acting Attorney General Matt Platkin to promote diversity, equity and inclusion by building capacity and resources in support of the transformative work that Assistant Attorney General Lora Fong has begun,” said Jayné Johnson, director of the Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging in the governor’s office. “I look forward to continuing to partner with her, as we work to ensure that our state government is stronger, fairer and more equitable.”

“Transforming a culture takes topdown commitment and resources, and I thank acting Attorney General Platkin for his leadership and dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion,” Fong said. “The acting attorney general has made diversity a priority in the appointments of his executive team and division leadership, and the changes announced today will solidify our efforts to infuse equity and inclusion in the department’s DNA.” For additional information, visit https://www.njoag.gov/programs/diversity-inclusion/.

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18 — September 2022 — Union Leader

2022

HIGH SCHOOLFOOTBALL PREVIEW

Union Farmers trying to work into championship form

By JR Parachini Sports Editor UNION — Although, with the exception of three players, we’re talking about an entirely new cast, Union football is looking forward to playing a game again.

After last year’s state championship title contender had its season cut short in the middle of the North 2, Group 5 playoffs due to a COVID-19 decision to shut down the 2021 campaign for player safety, the Farmers can’t wait to break on through to Cooke Memorial Field for their 101st season opener on Friday, Sept. 2, at 7 p.m., vs. non-division foe Bridgewater–Raritan Regional High School.

Leading the way are the team’s only two returning non-kicker starters: senior Omar Ibrahim and junior Zach Menon.

Head coach Lou Grasso Jr. named them 2022 captains.

Grasso said the goal is to work these new players, with leadership from Ibrahim and Menon, into state championship material. That could come this year. It may come later down the road.

Union won its first state title in 26 years three years ago and last year was on the cusp of another.

With a new group of players, however, you have to walk before you can run.

“I think we have the talent necessary to win,” Ibrahim said. “We have dogs on the field, and they’re giving 110 percent the whole time.”

Ibrahim started for the first time last year at wide receiver and defensive back. He will

Photo by JR Parachini

Key players for Union this year include, from left, senior wide receiver/cornerback Omar Ibrahim, junior offensive tackle and defensive end Zach Menon, sophomore quarterback Omalley King and sophomore receiver/cornerback Renick Dorilas. be a main target of first-year quarterback Omalley King, who stands 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighs 195 pounds. Ibrahim will also be one of Union’s cornerbacks on defense.

The McCarthy Report lists Ibrahim as the No. 2 senior college prospect in Union County. “One of top cornerbacks in state,”

David McCarthy said about Ibrahim.

“Angular cornerback who has the height schools are looking for.”

Ibrahim said he plans on taking visits before he lists any college suitors.

He “matches up well against big wideouts and has the feet to blanket smaller

receivers,” McCarthy said. “Very versatile.”

Ibrahim likes what he sees so far from the team.

“The effort and the energy is there, and the new guys are working their butts off,” Ibrahim said. “The seniors made a great impact last year, but there is still talent behind. The underclassmen are now ready to take their spots.”

Menon anchors offensive and defensive lines that include just one senior starter each. Sultan Robinson is the right guard on offense, and Coree Jones is one of the tackles on defense.

“I’m excited,” Menon said. “Our new guys are young, strong and have so much potential.”

While Union found its way into the end zone to the tune of more than 40 points in each of its last five games a year ago, defensively, the Farmers yielded just 41 points in their final seven contests combined.

“Last year, our defense was an unstoppable force,” Menon said. “Right now, we’re building toward that.”

King, who played junior varsity last year, will look to implement an element of surprise when it comes to his decisionmaking at the line of scrimmage. His height already gives him clearer vision.

“I consider myself a dual threat — all balance, everything you need,” King said.

“I’m the lifeguard out there. I need to make sure that I’m doing my job and that everyone is safe and that we’re all working together as a unit.

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Union Leader — September 2022 — 19

2022

HIGH SCHOOLFOOTBALL PREVIEW

New Union team trying to capture its former magic (Continued from Page 18) “I need to be cool, calm and collected.”

Another JV player from a year ago seeking to make an impact is sophomore receiver/cornerback Renick Dorilas.

“Our offense is a mix of everything. We have a lot of athletes,” Dorilas said.

Union’s place kicker and punter Ramsey Lafond is back as one of the top senior kickers in Union County.

Last year, Lafond made 37 of 42 extra points.

Union’s first scrimmage was at home on Wednesday, Aug. 17, vs. Eastern Regional High School and St. John Vianney High School.

“Our first scrimmage woke us up a bit as a team,” Ibrahim said.

Union’s game-scrimmage was scheduled for Friday, Aug. 26, at home vs. Sayreville High School, after press time. The Farmers also had a scrimmage at Woodbridge High School on Saturday, Aug. 20, which was to be Woodbridge’s game-scrimmage.

Union is situated in the Big Central Conference’s newly aligned and freshly named five-school American Gold Division, which also includes Elizabeth, Somerville, St. Joseph’s of Metuchen and Westfield.

Union’s overall record going into the 2022 campaign is 546-331-52, or .623.

Union’s multiple spread offense: T Zach Menon, junior, 6-3, 265 G Babadara Olowe, sophomore, 6-2, 260 G Anthony Chiapetta, junior, 5-10, 245 C Connor Palestis, junior, 5-10, 220 C Jahdiel Williams, junior, 5-8, 265 G Sultan Robinson, senior, 5-10, 240 T Kinte Warnock, junior, 6-5, 250 WR Omar Ibrahim, senior, 6-1, 180 WR Renick Dorilas, sophomore, 6-0, 165 WR Jacob Menon, senior, 5-10, 170

E Jonas Cherilus, senior, 6-2, 180 LB Amar Kelly, junior, 5-8, 190 LB Elijah Stewart, senior, 5-9, 200 LB Kordal Hinton, junior, 5-11, 205 LB Roneil Romain, sophomore, 6-0, 190 CB Omar Ibrahim, senior, 6-1, 180 FS Mekhi Best, junior, 5-9, 165 SS Agbai Ifegwu, senior, 6-1, 170 SS Kasie McDowell, junior, 6-0, 170 CB Renick Dorilas, sophomore, 6-0, 165 P Ramsey Lafond, senior, 6-0, 175 Returning starters: Ibrahim, Lafond.

Photo by JR Parachini

Practice is in full swing at Cooke Memorial Field on Thursday, Aug. 18, one day after the Farmers hosted Eastern Regional High School and St. John Vianney High School in a multiple-school scrimmage.

WR Qadir Branch, senior, 5-9, 150 QB Omalley King, sophomore, 6-4, 195 RB Todd Francis, senior, 5-10, 170 RB Kordal Hinton, junior, 5-11, 205 RB Elijah Stewart, senior, 5-9, 200 RB Amar Kelly, junior, 5-8, 190 PK Ramsey Lafond, senior, 6-0, 175 Returning starters: Z. Menon, Ibrahim, Lafond.

Union’s 4-3 defense: E Zach Menon, junior, 6-3, 265 T Coree Jones, senior, 6-0, 320 T Enoch Adeniran, sophomore, 6-5, 270 T Sultan Robinson, senior, 5-10, 240 E Kervin Desir, sophomore, 6-3, 245

2022 Union Farmers football schedule Sept. 2: vs. Bridgewater–Raritan, 7 p.m.

Sept. 10: at Westfield, 1 p.m.

Sept. 16: vs. St. Joseph’s Metuchen, 7 p.m.

Sept. 23: at Somerville, 7 p.m.

Sept. 30: at Hillsborough, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7: vs. Elizabeth, 7 p.m.

Oct. 14: at Phillipsburg, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21: vs. Ridge, 7 p.m.

Head coach: Lou Grasso Jr. 10th season 2021 Union Farmers, 9-2 N: Millville 31, Union 28 at Ocean City A: Union 40, St. Joseph’s, Metuchen 21 A: Union 34, Plainfield 12 A: Union 34, Elizabeth 0 H: Union 14, Westfield 3 H: Union 49, Bridgewater-Raritan 21 A: Union 42, North Brunswick 0 H: Union 42, Watchung Hills 7 A: Union 49, Hunterdon Central 7 H: Union 41, Livingston 3 H: Paterson Eastside over Union, forfeit, COVID-19

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