Union Leader - Dec 2021

UNIONLEADER UNIONNEWSDAILY.COM

Fun for the holidays

— See Page 2

Festival attracts fans

— See Page 10

Union forced to forfeit

— See Page 14

DECEMBER 2021

VOL. 06 NO. 09

The show must go on for UHSPAC

By EmilyAnn Jackman Staff Writer From Friday, Nov. 12, through Sunday, Nov. 14, the students of the Union High School Performing Arts Company worked their hearts out to present Music Theatre International’s “All Together Now!” — a global event celebrating local theater.

Licensed by MTI, this exclusive musical revue was created as a fundraising opportunity for schools and theaters around the world to perform songs from some of the most iconic musicals and to begin to recover from the strain performing arts programs have experienced due to the pandemic.

UHSPAC, one of the strongest arts training programs for high school students in the state, has students training with professionals in the fields of acting, dance, vocal and instrumental music, visual arts, technical theater and more.

The company currently has the record for most Rising Star Awards wins ever won by a single show for its 2015 production of “Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies.”

As the last show drew to a close on Sunday, Nov. 14, the performance of nonstop singing and dancing was met with a standing ovation from the audience.

“This is the final performance of our fall musical production, ‘All Together Now!’ It’s a musical revue,” director, producer and costume designer Melissa Abbate said on Sunday, Nov. 14. “This was a very emotional show. These kids have worked so hard. This was the first time we’ve been able to perform in a theater since 2019. It’s been two years out of our theater, so coming back into this space has just been incredibly emotional. These kids have worked incredibly hard, working for months just to do this three times, and they’ve made the most of their opportunities to give this to everyone, and they’ve gotten an incredibly great response from the audiences. This last show has been very

Photo by EmilyAnn Jackman

The cast of Music Theatre International’s ‘All Together Now!’ strikes a pose on stage during its last performance on Sunday, Nov. 14, at Union High School. Students in the Union High School Performing Arts Company made up both the cast and crew for these performances. emotional and very exciting.

“It was a lot of coordinating, and just making sure you have the right team in place to coordinate all of the different things that go into it — from the technical element, the scenery, lights, the costumes, choreography, the music — there’s just a lot of people involved, from the parents, students and staff; it’s just coordinating that team effort,” she continued.

According to Abbate, there were 24 cast members, 10 running crew members, 30 more who helped with the crew before the run of the show and 10 ushers, totaling more than 70 who were involved in this production.

Abbate spoke highly of the performances by the cast.

“Some of the solos get me very, very emotional and we just have some incredible solo singers, but I saw different points in the show, especially during the

ensemble number, (where) I noticed different people and I’ve noticed everyone at least once. I don’t think I can pick a favorite,” Abbate said when asked. “I think it went really well. It was definitely a scary project to take on during COVID, because there was always that possibility that we could have another wave and get shut down again. The last time we had a show in this space, it was shut down right before opening. So it was a lot of anticipation not knowing what was going to happen and not knowing how many people were going to come out. It was a scary and exciting process.”

First-time choreographer Ashley Carr worked with the cast on routines and dance numbers. The choreography of the show took cast members two months to master, but master it they did.

“It was fabulous; the kids did great,” See UHSPAC, Page 4

2 — December 2021 — Union Leader

Holiday entertainment you haven’t memorized yet In the spirit of “you can never put too many ornaments on a Christmas tree,” The Theater Project is offering not one but three holiday programs. Though it focuses primarily on new work the rest of the year, the company celebrates the season by putting its own spin on some familiar stories. All three programs will be available online.

Need a break from Frosty and Rudolph? Tune into November’s podcast, “The Theater Project Thinks About…,” when movie mavens Mark Spina and Harry Patrick Christian discuss silver screen classics with holiday settings as alternatives to shows that may have worn out their welcome. This episode drops on Sunday, Nov. 28.

It wouldn’t be a traditional holiday without a dose of Charles Dickens and Frank Capra, so why not see these tales reinterpreted: on Zoom and through the lens of the radio dramas of the 1940s. In “A Cracked Christmas Carol,’ Lionel Barrymore and the Vienna Boys Choir can’t make it to the radio studio, so the station manager, the cleaning lady and one very angry product sponsor are forced to ad lib their way through the show, playing all the parts themselves. This prerecorded program is available on demand from Friday, Nov. 26, through Sunday, Nov. 28.

“Wonderful Life: The Radio Play” is set in the Lux Radio Theater of 1947, where 12 adult actors, five children, a musician and one very overworked sound technician prepare for a broadcast of the classic tale. The show has been a Theater Project holiday tradition live or online through four different theater spaces, four U.S. presidents and four George Baileys. Matt McCarthy returns as this year’s George, who reminds everyone, year after year, that, “We can get through this thing, but we’ve got to stick together,” a message that resonates

Photo Courtesy of Kevin Sebastian

Terri Sturtevant, Gary Glor and Andre DeSandies are the returning veterans in the 15-actor cast of ‘Wonderful Life: The Radio Play.’ more strongly now than ever. The livestreamed performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on both Friday, Dec. 3, and Saturday, Dec. 4, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5.

The Theater Project, an incubator for rising talent and a showcase for New Jersey artists, has gained regional recognition for its ongoing programs during the pandemic, including its annual Young Playwrights Com-

petition, its Actors Reading With Kids program and its recently launched “The Theater Project Thinks About” podcasts. It was one of only 22 organizations in New Jersey receiving National Endowment for the Arts grants in 2021.

For more information, visit www.thetheater project.org or call 908 809-8865.

Union Leader — December 2021 — 3

6-year-old Union girl publishes her first book

By EmilyAnn Jackman Staff Writer When the COVID-19 pandemic required people to stay in their houses in 2020, then 6-year-old McKenzie Rae Mitchell of Union Township, who attends St. Theresa School in Kenilworth, passed the time by drawing on the blank pages of booklets given to her by her mother, Takeyer Mitchell. Takeyer Mitchell had given the booklets to her daughter as a way to keep her busy, never knowing that McKenzie’s hobby would soon turn into her first published book.

“The book is about winter,” McKenzie said on Sunday, Oct. 24. “I like winter because I like to play in the snow.

(Younger kids should read my book) because it’s really fun and it’s a scavenger hunt. You can look around for the things that you see in the book, like snow angels, snowmen, winter coats, etc. It was my idea to make the story a scavenger hunt.”

Mitchell said she was surprised that her daughter had planned for the book to be a scavenger hunt and not just a simple children’s book.

Mitchell said that a classmate of her daughter had little books with blank pages in them for drawing and, when McKenzie requested some books for herself, she bought them for her.

“I had no idea what she was doing with them, but I knew that she was following this YouTube channel at the time where they taught her how to illustrate, because she kept calling herself an illustrator,” said Mitchell on Sunday, Oct. 24. “So she would draw these pictures and would draw them from the back to the front. This was all her sitting at the table, drawing, doodling and writing sentences. My husband encouraged her to start from the front to the back and make a book out of it. Then she used her words that she learned in kindergarten and in first grade and she created this book.

Photo Courtesy of Takeyer Mitchell

From left are younger sister Payton Mitchell, father Leroy Mitchell and mother Takeyer Mitchell, standing with McKenzie Rae Mitchell, who has published her first book at age 6.

“It’s interesting, because I didn’t realize it was a scavenger hunt,” she continued. “But it is full of sentences that all begin with ‘Do you see,’ which would make sense now, with where she was going with it, but I had no idea. I just learned that she was thinking of the story as a scavenger hunt. Now, when you read the book, it’s definitely geared toward a kindergartener, a first-grader or maybe even a second-grader. But readers would read ‘Do you see’ and it’s the picture. Readers would have to look to see if they see it. She would draw the pictures and have her sentences there.

That’s how this started.

“McKenzie had asked if we can turn

CAL DECKERT AND SONS, INC. Union Window Shade & Awning Co. We Will Meet or Beat Any Price in Writing!

Doors any size, any color

1873 MORRIS AVE. • UNION

this into a real book, and I told her let’s see if we can,” Mitchell said. “She had so many of them. There were about three or four stories. My favorite was her story about ice cream. She had a whole story about ice cream, and I thought it was the cutest.”

‘I Love Winter, How About You?’ was self-published through Amazon.

“My friend ordered the book, and she brought it to our house so McKenzie can autograph it, and she was reading the sentences and she was looking for the pictures.”

“When the other kids did that, McKenzie was not very happy about that,” Mitchell said. “She wasn’t too happy

Average window including installation

about other kids copying her, but I had to explain to her that that’s the role of a leader. … After that, she took the situation better and made it a more positive experience. I think it’s very good, because McKenzie and Payton attend a small, private, Catholic school and it’s an amazing school. McKenzie has been there since pre-K 4 and Payton has been there since day care. It’s very nice to see that McKenzie is influencing her classmates and also, the kids in Payton’s class, too. It’s nice to see that and also, some of the parents have been really supportive with this. People are excited and embracing this, but also, people are questioning and asking, ‘How did she do this?’

Mitchell said she thinks of her daughter, now 7, as an influencer, even to Payton, her younger sister, and Payton’s friends, all of whom also attend St. Theresa School.

“I keep telling people I had nothing to do with this,” she continued. “She came to me with this book with pictures. It makes me feel good that these are my girls and this is how they’re thinking. My husband is proud of the fact that we had gone all the way with this idea. It doesn’t matter about sales; it’s the fact that we started something with her, we finished it and she can say that she’s a published author at her age. This is something big and I want to encourage it.”

Reflecting on where her creativity has taken her, McKenzie recalled how she first got into reading and, eventually, writing her own book. YouTube, she said, played a huge role, as she is an avid viewer of the “Art For Kids Hub” on YouTube.

“My teacher in first grade read a lot of books and that inspired me,” McKenzie said. “I first began writing in first grade. I like to write words and draw, so that’s why I wanted to start writing books. A show on YouTube shows you how to draw pictures, See UNION, Page 13

OVER 80 YEARS IN BUSINESS

$

375 each

WHY PAY MORE? CALDECKERT@GMAIL.COM

WWW.CALDECKERTANDSONS.COM

THE

AWNING KING PAINTING • ROOFING SIDING • KITCHENS BATHROOMS MASONRY

WE MANUFACTURE THE ALUMINIM STEPDOWN AWNING WE ARE THE FACTORY

We Measure & Install

GLASS & SCREEN REPAIRS

908-688-4746

4 — December 2021 — Union Leader

Photos by EmilyAnn Jackman

Students in the Union High School Performing Arts Company perform in Music Theatre International’s ‘All Together Now!’ on Sunday, Nov. 14, the

last night of the three-night special that was part of a global event celebrating local theater.

UHSPAC returns with successful three-day performance (Continued from Page 1) Carr said on Sunday, Nov. 14. “They performed beautifully. I cried the whole time.

I’m so proud of everyone, I love everyone so much, and I’m glad the crowd loved it as well. The whole show was amazing. …

I’m so proud of them, I’m speechless. …

“It was a fun process. We have a lot of talented kids, and it was just a fun experience for everyone,” she continued. “We all grew and there was so much growth, because I know the choreography was not easy, especially since there’s singing. I just love challenging kids, and I love seeing kids accomplish their dreams, their goals and just rise to the occasion. They have a bright future, and anything is possible for these kids.”

Ron Rago, the supervisor of Visual and Performing Arts for the township of Union Public Schools, called the production a well-oiled machine and said he was proud of everyone, from cast to crew, supporting crew and supporting staff.

“I like to see their development,” Rago said of the students on Sunday, Nov. 14.

“In the beginning, they’re a bit pensive and not too sure of what they’re doing, but then you see this performance here, where they own it. It’s like you walk off the stage knowing that you did a great job and you feel good about yourself.”

Cast member Christopher Forest said after the last performance of “All Together Now!” that they were really glad to be able to spend time performing as a family together on stage.

“It was very energetic. We all spent a lot of quality time together,” said Forest on Sunday, Nov. 14. “We got to do amazing numbers together, and it was a blast.

We all did an immaculate job, and we all put 100 percent into these past three nights. We all have talent, we all are able to sing, dance, act and perform, and that’s what the UHSPAC is all about.”

Cast member Hailie Garcia mentioned

the hard work it took to see this through.

“It was so tiring and was so much work but was really worth it in the end, because we’re all family. I think we did fantastic.

Honestly, throughout all the work and the practice, it’s been such a journey, and I think we did very well,” Garcia said on Sunday, Nov. 14.

Cast member and soloist Kimberly Moreira spoke about pushing herself throughout the show.

“I really enjoyed it, and I had a lot of fun,” Moreira said on Sunday, Nov. 14. “I also was part of the ensemble and I sang with the chorus and that was really fun. I think I did the best that I could, under the circumstances. I really pushed myself to do the absolute best that I could, and I kept my energy up. I made sure those around me kept their energy up, and I made sure I was determined and dedicated to finish the last show off strong.”

“I did the best that I could and I tried my best,” cast member and soloist Gregory Senesca said on Sunday, Nov. 14. “For me, my next thing is hopefully the spring show, and then I would hope to continue doing some type of performance-based career in the future.”

Cast member Sierra Zackery was also happy with how the performances went.

“I think we all did an amazing job,” Zackery said on Sunday, Nov. 14. “Everyone worked really hard, and it all paid off on the stage. Hopefully, the spring musical is what’s next for me, and, in December, we have our winter concert, and I hope that we can be on stage even more now.”

Cast member Christopher Adu-Yeboah mentioned his growth due to this experience.

“I tried my hardest and I tried working through it. It’s been an amazing time with this cast,” said Adu-Yeboah on Sunday, Nov. 14. “The warmth that they gave me and how I grew throughout the experience was amazing.”

The students pose together holding bouquets of flowers following a successful and much-appreciated performance.

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

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

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

All contents ©2021 Worrall Community Newspapers, Inc. Reproduction of any part of this publication and any republication or broadcast without written permission is prohibited.

Union Leader — December 2021 — 5

Union receives 2021 children’s recreation grant award The Union County Board of County Commissioners announced that grants have been awarded to 20 municipalities for improvements to recreation resources for children, through the Kids Recreation Trust Fund. In addition, 19 municipalities were awarded matching grants for planting new trees through the Greening Union County program.

Union received $70,000 for the first phase of a large-scale upgrade to Weber Park, including the installation of a bankshot basketball court, relocating the hitting wall, installing a curb cut, making accessible parking spaces, converting one

tennis court to include pickleball lines and creating a new walkway from the 2021 round of the Kids Recreation Trust Fund.

Union also received $7,000 through the 2021 round of the Greening Union County grant program.

Both grant programs are funded through the Union County Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.

“Since 2000, the Open Space Trust Fund has helped maintain, improve and expand our public recreation and open space resources,” said Commissioner

Chairperson Alexander Mirabella. “The pandemic has awakened a new spirit to reconnect with the outdoors, making these grant programs all the more important throughout the Union County community.”

“These two grant programs enhance the quality of life in our urban and suburban communities by providing assistance to local recreation programs for children and by helping municipalities create beneficial treescapes,” said Commissioner Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded, who is the chairperson of the commissioner board’s Open Space, Recreation and Historic

Preservation Trust Fund.

The Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund was established by popular referendum in 2000. It has given the commissioner board the ability to preserve more than 315 acres of land throughout Union County. In addition to acquisition of land, creation of parkland and updating of recreational facilities throughout the county, the grant programs of the trust fund provide an avenue for municipalities to focus on their hometown recreational priorities, increase tree plantings and stabilize and restore historic sites.

MARIA SANCHEZ-MARISCAL 732-439-0068 TTY: 711 NJ Lic. #3001199150 Authorized Agent Nagsasalita ako ng Tagalog.

Maria.Sanchez-Mariscal@amerigroup.com

6 — December 2021 — Union Leader

Holiday Gift Guide 2021 Unique holiday gift ideas for everyone on your list One of the best ways to ensure you give thoughtful, meaningful holiday gifts is by consulting gift guides that offer unique ideas for everyone on your list. Whether you’re shopping for a fashionista or an athlete, get inspired to make the holiday season brighter for your loved ones with the following ideas: • For book worms: Give the book worms in your life a gift that keeps on giving with a three-month, six-month or 12month subscription to Book of the Month.

Membership can be tailored, as users can pick from five popular selections every month, select one or more books at a time, or even defer their choice until the following month.

• For music makers: Regardless of their skill level, musicians deserve a powerful, portable and versatile keyboard. Designed for music lovers who enjoy playing anytime, anywhere, the Casiotone CT-S1 has a sleek design 9-pound design, features strap pins and can be powered with six AA batteries, making it a great choice for those in bands and other performers.

Aside from its portability, its stereo grand piano sound, 61 full-size keys with touch

• For fashionistas: Great accessories can complete any outfit. For those who appreciate a stylish, clean design without compromising functionality, consider the stainless steel Edifice EFSS570DC-1A from Casio, which features a slim case and modern gray octagonal bezel with soft yellow accents. With solar power capabilities, water resistance up to 100 meters and a scratch-resistant sapphire crystal, as well as features that include a date display, stopwatch and three dials to display seconds, stopwatch minutes and stopwatch seconds, this will become your gift recipient’s go-to timepiece no matter the occasion.

• For athletes: From CrossFitters to marathoners to triathletes, all those who Photo Courtesy of Prostock-Studio / iStock via Getty Images Plus work out hard know that protein is essential for repairing muscles. Simplify your response, plus 60 other AiX-powered stu- ing their skills and experts alike. dio-quality tones, means this instrument • For pet parents: Whether your loved favorite athletes’ post-workout refueling looks as good as it sounds. Wired or wire- one’s pet is cuddly or not, they can snug- sessions and boost their recovery with a lessly, users can also link the keyboard to gle up to their animal friend with a per- High Protein Fitness Box from gift snack Casio’s dedicated Chordana Play, an app sonalized pet pillow from Get Photo Blan- box e-tailer, Bunny James.

With a little inspiration you, can spoil that enables tempo and key changes in ket. Simply upload an image of the pet, addition to displaying music scores and a and the site will create a custom throw pil- loved ones with unique gift ideas that piano roll. These features are great tools low — the perfect decor for adoring pet show you care this holiday season.

— StatePoint for those learning to play, those expand- parents.

OPENING FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED SINCE 1928

D I SCO UNT S : $5 Off $50 $10 Off $100 $15 Off $150

Carpet • Tile • Window Treatments Wood • Ceramic • Sheet Vinyl

Organic & Natural Body Care Essential Oil Blends Crystals Metaphysical Jewelry

Coupon Good For First Time Customers.

Coupons must be presented for discounts.

Coupon does apply on 11/27Vendor Event

& Much more…

NEW HOME TO: Hannon Floors has consistently delivered on the promise of offering excellent workmanship, competitive pricing, and floor covering expertise to customers since opening our doors in 1928.

NEWLY RENOVATED SHOWROOM FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE & TO SERVE YOU BETTER www.hannonfloors.com HOURS: Monday thru Friday 9:00-5:30

1119 Springfield Road, Union 908-686-6333

FEATURING:

WESTFIELD 509 CENTRAL AVE (908) 868-5236 www.littlefloweressentialoilblends.com/the-curious-heart

Union Leader — December 2021 — 7

Merry

Christmas

✶

✶

✵

✵

✴

✴

1000 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union Corner of Morris Avenue • 908.687.7002 • WMSRichandSon.com ALSO: NEWARK • BELLEVILLE • ELIZABETH • NORTH PLAINFIELD • UNION CITY • EDISON • IRVINGTON • (2) UNION

WMSRichandSon.com

8 — December 2021 — Union Leader

Holiday Gift Guide 2021 Protect children by steering clear of knockoff toys In the scramble to get your hands on the toys your children want this holiday season, experts warn that you should prioritize safety by sticking to age-appropriate toys and by avoiding counterfeit alternatives at all costs.

“Illicit sellers of counterfeit toys may dupe parents into thinking they’re buying the real thing, or entice them with lower prices or the promise of getting the ‘hot toy’ of the holiday season,” said Joan Lawrence, The Toy Association’s “Toy Safety Mom” and senior vice president of standards and regulatory affairs. “What’s scary is that these illegitimate sellers are actually peddling fake and unsafe products that oftentimes don’t comply with product safety laws. That’s why we always urge parents to shop from reputable brands and sellers whose toys have been tested for compliance with over 100 different safety standards and tests required by law.”

With the shipping crisis predicted to have widespread impacts on the availability of this holiday season’s most popular toys, counterfeits are likely to be even more enticing. And new research conducted by OnePoll on behalf of The Toy Association suggests that consumers are not always as vigilant as they should be, with 65 percent of parents saying they would purchase knockoff or counterfeit toys if they couldn’t get their hands on the original item and 63 percent indicating they would buy counterfeits if they were cheaper. Indeed 1 in 10 parents are not even aware that counterfeit toys can be dangerous for children to play with.

Photo Courtesy of Nattakorn Maneerat / iStock via Getty Images Plus

As you go about looking to snag a hot toy this holiday season, steer clear of counterfeit toys that are not safe or appropriate for your child by following these tips from PlaySafe.org: 1. Shop only from reputable brands and sellers. Their toys have been tested for compliance with more than 100 different safety standards and tests required by law.

2. Make sure the brand you’re purchasing from has a professional-looking website. Can’t find a website? That may be a red flag that you are dealing with an illicit seller.

3. If a product’s reviews are negative, or if there aren’t many, it’s a clue the product could be a fake.

4. Poorly photoshopped pictures, typos or spelling mistakes in the online description or packaging are other clues that the product could be illegitimate, and therefore unsafe.

5. Can’t find a toy on your child’s wish list? Wait for a trusted retailer to restock the product. Buying fake or cheaper alternatives is just not worth the risk.

In addition to avoiding knockoff toys, helping ensure your child’s safety during the gift-giving season also means shopping for toys only appropriate for their age.

According to The Toy Association survey, 76 percent of parents read age recommendations on toy packaging before purchasing. However, 40 percent admitted they view age labels on toys as suggestions instead of a warning, and 68 percent would give their child a toy recommended for older children. Be sure to follow age recommendations on toy packaging, which are not mere suggestions but firm recommendations made by safety experts and based on childhood developmental stages.

For more safe shopping tips, visit www.PlaySafe.org, a premier toy safety resource site.

“With your vigilance, you can keep the merriest time of year happy, healthy and joyful by ensuring your child doesn’t unwrap a potential safety hazard,” said Lawrence.

— StatePoint

CannaBoy TreeHouse CannaBoy TreeHouse is your trusted source for CBD Live With Passion & Purpose Your Health & Wellness Matters To Us In order to live a higher quality life, maintaining optimal wellness is key. Everything we feel and do relates to our well-being and directly affects our actions and emotions. In order to subdue stress, reduce pain, and ensure positive moments in your life, you must achieve optimal wellness. Choose CBD as your vehicle to a more fulfilling life.

(908) 258-7162

To achieve optimal wellness, one must apply it towards every possible endeavor. You can apply a wellness approach towards your environment, community, career, belief systems, physical activities, self care, healthy eating, self esteem, and creative activities. Applying wellness in your everyday life will allow you to achieve your full potential and live with passion and purpose. Allow CBD to unleash the passion within your mind and body.

1000 A STUYVESANT AVE, UNION cannaboytreehouse.com

Union Leader — December 2021 — 9

Welcome to JACOBSON APPLIANCE! We have been in the Appliances, Electronics business for years. That’s what we love, that’s what we do, and that’s what we know. So if you want to get your money’s worth, come shop with us and expect nothing less than expert advice and service.

We are locally owned and operated and have been in the Appliances, Electronics business for years. It’s our business to know everything about the most popular and reliable manufacturers around. We have long standing relationships with the biggest manufacturers and know all of our products inside and out. The result? You get exceptional service for the life of your Appliances, Electronics.

COOKING

Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: Saturday: Sunday:

R E F R I G E R AT I O N

HOURS 10:00 am to 7:00 pm 10:00 am to 6:00 pm 10:00 am to 6:00 pm 10:00 am to 7:00 pm 10:00 am to 6:00 pm 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Closed

D I S H WA S H E R S

LAUNDRY

M AT T R E S S E S

1-800-696-1658 725 RAHWAY AVENUE, ELIZABETH (908) 354-8533 WWW.JACOBSONAPPLIANCES.COM

10 — December 2021 — Union Leader

Photos Courtesy of Margaret McCorry

Above left, community members and Kean University students and alumni brave the chilly fall temperatures on Sunday, Oct. 17, for the inaugural Jazz & Roots Music Festival at Kean University. Above

right, The Lawn at Enlow Hall is filled with jazz aficionados and festivalgoers, old and young, who sit on lawn chairs and bundle themselves in blankets.

Inaugural Jazz & Roots Music Festival draws thousands More than 2,000 community members and Kean students and alumni braved the chilly fall temperatures on Sunday, Oct. 17, for the inaugural Jazz & Roots Music Festival at Kean University, a free, outdoor concert launched by Kean President Lamont O. Repollet as a way to welcome people from across the region to the campus during homecoming week.

“This isn’t a fundraiser, it is a fun-raiser,” Repollet said. “Kean is the epicenter of Union County, whether it is music, art and culture or education. This festival is a way to engage and introduce ourselves to the community. Music fans from across the state are here today and can see for themselves what Kean is all about.”

The Lawn at Enlow Hall was filled with jazz aficionados and festivalgoers old and young, sitting on lawn chairs, bundled in blankets and lining up at food trucks for a bite to eat. They came to see top artists in jazz, rap and hip-hop. Performing were the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience; the Dave Stryker Quartet; JSWISS, featuring Casey Benjamin and Mark Whitfield; and the Vince Ector Organatomy Trio.

Presented by Kean University and executive consultant and producer Mike Griot, the Jazz & Roots Music Festival is expected to be an annual event.

“First-year festivals are especially fun because you still have the unknown, like, are people going to come? But, it’s just

good to be back in the saddle again after the pandemic kept us indoors for the last year,” Griot said.

Janice Bland of Edison; her husband, Lee Margolis; and father-in-law, Scott Margolis, were among the first to arrive.

They set up their chairs in a prime spot in front of the stage.

“We don't want to miss anything. We want to hear everything, see everything and not miss anything,” Bland said.

Tamaya Upchurch, a Kean criminal justice student from Connecticut, came with her roommate, Oyebola Falode of Philadelphia, who also studies criminal justice at Kean.

They were joined by Davaughnia Wil-

HOME SERVICE DIRECTORY

PLUMBING

TREE EXPERT

• Faucet Repairs • Water Heaters • Air Conditioning

Established 1912 464 Chestnut St., Union, NJ

908-686-0749 SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT

Master Plumbers License #9645 #11181

• Gas Heat • Lawn Faucets • Sump Pumps • Toilets

BOYLE

TREE SURGERY CO. E S T. 1 9 2 2 Tree & Stump Removal Pruning Tree Surgery in All Its Branches Union

908-964-9358

son, a communication/journalism major from Irvington.

“I was really excited when I heard that they were having a jazz festival, because I’ve never been to a jazz festival before,” Wilson said.

Falode said they wanted to experience all of the events for homecoming and called the concert a “really good idea.”

Upchurch agreed that it was a nice change after being away from campus for a year due to the pandemic.

“The campus coming together as a whole, you know. We’re finally outside and safe as a whole campus and community — that’s the best part,” Upchurch said.

See 2,000, Page 11

Advertise for as little as $22 For more information, call

908-686-7700 x104

SPACE AVAILABLE

THIS SPOT For Your HOME

Improvement

Business

Call 908-686-7850

Union Leader — December 2021 — 11

Photos Courtesy of Margaret McCorry

Above left, jazz group the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience performs on The Lawn at Enlow Hall at Kean University. Above right, Clyde and Paul

Perkins of Union, who attended this year’s Jazz & Roots Music Festival at Kean University, say they’ll be back next year.

2,000 music fans come to event at Kean University (Continued from Page 10) English studies associate professor Mia Zamora brought her teenage sons to the festival.

“It’s a fantastic way to celebrate. The music is inspiring and the crowd is diverse and energetic,” she said. “I want my chil-

dren to be sharing what I know is such an amazing and dynamic place.”

The music festival is one of many cultural events at Kean, which offers concerts and theatrical performances through Kean Stage, plays through Premiere Stages, art exhibitions through Kean Gal-

Comparing Medicare options for 2022?

I can help.

leries and a full slate of musical and theatrical performances and art exhibitions

by Kean’s School of Fine and Performing Arts students.

“With the festival, we are reaching a whole new group of concertgoers and letting them know that Kean is a place for the

arts, no matter what you enjoy,” said Steve Cochran, manager of Kean Stage. “We look forward to an even bigger event next year.”

Paul Perkins of Union, who attended this year’s festival with his brother, Clyde, said he’ll be back.

“Every year! We’ll be here,” he said.

/XVLWDQLD

6$9,1*6 %$1.

&20081,7< ,19(670(17 /2$16

::: /86,7$1,$%$1. &20 0257*$*(6

3XODVNL 6WUHHW 1HZDUN 1- ([W

72'$<·6 /2$1 5$7(6 3D\PHQW ([DPSOH SHU ERUURZHG RQ D \HDU ¿[HG UDWH PRUWJDJH DW DQ LQWHUHVW UDWH RI ZLOO UHVXOW LQ SD\PHQWV RI RQ RZQHU RFFXSLHG PXOWL IDPLO\ 3D\PHQW ([DPSOH SHU ERUURZHG RQ D \HDU ¿[HG UDWH PRUWJDJH DW DQ LQWHUHVW UDWH RI ZLOO UHVXOW LQ SD\PHQWV RI RQ RZQHU RFFXSLHG PXOWL IDPLO\ 3D\PHQW ([DPSOH SHU ERUURZHG RQ D \HDU ¿[HG UDWH PRUWJDJH DW DQ LQWHUHVW UDWH RI ZLOO UHVXOW LQ SD\PHQWV RI RQ LQYHVWPHQW PXOWL IDPLO\ 3D\PHQW ([DPSOH SHU ERUURZHG RQ D \HDU ¿[HG UDWH PRUWJDJH DW DQ LQWHUHVW UDWH RI ZLOO UHVXOW LQ SD\PHQWV RI RQ LQYHVWPHQW PXOWL IDPLO\ $FWXDO PRQWKO\ SD\PHQW PD\ EH KLJKHU EHFDXVH H[DPSOH GRHV QRW LQFOXGH DSSOLFDEOH SURSHUW\ WD[HV IHHV LQVXUDQFH SUHPLXPV RU RWKHU UHODWHG FRVWV $QQXDO SHUFHQWDJH UDWH $35 EDVHG RQ ORDQ ZLWK D \HDU \HDU DPRUWL]DWLRQ WHUP )LQDQFLQJ RQ SURSHUWLHV ORFDWHG LQ (VVH[ 8QLRQ DQG +XGVRQ &RXQWLHV 0LQLPXP ¿QDQFH FKDUJH RI 1HZ ORDQV RQO\ 5DWHV DQG DQQXDO SHUFHQWDJH UDWHV DUH EDVHG RQ ORDQ WR YDOXH ZLWK HTXLW\ RU GRZQ SD\PHQW 5DWHV DQG DQQXDO SHUFHQWDJHV DUH HႇHFWLYH DV RI WKH SXEOLFDWLRQ GDWH RI WKLV DG DQG DUH VXEMHFW WR FKDQJH 3OHDVH VSHDN ZLWK RXU 0RUWJDJH 'HSDUWPHQW IRU DGGLWLRQDO WHUPV DQG FRQGLWLRQV WKDW PD\ DSSO\ 6XEMHFW WR FUHGLW DSSURYDO 2WKHU UDWHV DQG SURJUDPV DUH DYDLODEOH 10/6 (48$/ 23325781,7< /(1'(5

12 — December 2021 — Union Leader

Kean University leads K-12 restorative justice training program Kean University has launched a Restorative Justice in Education pilot program to create a more supportive and inclusive culture in K-12 schools.

Supported by a New Jersey Department of Education grant, Kean facilitators are training educators across 15 New Jersey school districts in restorative justice, a practice that replaces traditional forms of discipline with methods designed to embrace equity and build community in the classroom.

The grant of $422,257 is renewable for two more years, pending funding.

“This program can have a significant impact on the lives of students throughout New Jersey as we support teachers in developing equitable disciplinary practices in their classrooms,” said Kean President Lamont O. Repollet. “We are proud to help schools transition to a restorative justice approach and we are grateful for the opportunity to share our expertise with the K-12 education community.”

Restorative justice has a foundation in racial and social justice. It works to replace traditional forms of discipline, such as suspensions, which disproportionately affect minority students, with other methods, such as student court, conferencing, restorative circles and mediation.

According to the most recent data collected by the DOE, New Jersey students lost 168,509 school days in the 2018-2019 school year due to out-of-school suspensions. The suspension rate for black students was three

‘This program will foster a restorative justice philosophy by providing schools with the resources, tools and techniques needed to repair harm and restore relationships to build a stronger sense of community and student success.’

— Adara Goldberg

Adara Goldberg times that of their white counterparts.

Kean is working with educators and administrators from traditional and charter K-12 schools, including high schools, middle schools and K-8 schools, said lead facilitator Adara Goldberg, director of the Holocaust Resource Center at Kean. The schools span the state, from Camden County Technical Schools to Linden High School. Training began in October.

“This program will foster a restorative justice philosophy by providing schools

BRENNAN’s BEDDING SHEETS, PILLOWS & MATTRESSES

with the resources, tools and techniques needed to repair harm and restore relationships to build a stronger sense of community and student success,” Goldberg said.

“Restorative justice is not simply a system to follow or a project to complete; it is a way of life built on relationships and trust.”

In addition to offering training, support and resources, Kean will conduct research on indigenous restorative practices that inspired some of the restorative justice measures and the history behind “zero tolerance” disciplinary policy, Goldberg said. Kean will also build a digital

library of resources and assess data on disciplinary policy and school climate.

A Kean graduate assistant and three research assistants are also working on the project, along with Zoey Guarino, managing assistant director of the Holocaust Resource Center.

The training sessions began with a virtual conference, “School to Prison Pipeline: An Introduction to Restorative Practices.” Other sessions and workshops will follow, on topics such as “Resources for Immigrant Students” and “Establishing Diversity Councils/Clubs.”

IN MEMORIAM • CURRY – Gloria Womack, of Union; Oct. 30. Mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, 87.

• GALLINI – Eva R., of Union; Oct. 30. Elementary school teacher at St. Rose of Lima School in Short Hills. Ran Gallini Farms in Union. Aunt, 100.

• MILKEWICZ – Henry J. Jr., of Union; Oct. 22. Retired Union firefighter, skilled carpenter. Husband, father, brother, grandfather, uncle, 72.

• NINO – Elaine, of Union; Nov. 14. Mother, grandmother, 80.

• POLLARI – Jeanette, of Union; Oct. 27. Was 99.

• TOMASCO – Carlo L., of Basking Ridge, formerly of Irvington, Union; Nov. 3.

World War II Navy vet. Widower, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, 98.

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.

PIZZA * FAT SANDWICHES * CHEESE STEAKS * WINGS

Our Brands include: Therapedic Eastman House, Elegance & Eclipse We Also carry Bamboo & Bedgear Pillows as well as Bamboo, Cotton & Flannel sheet sets and Bamboo towels.

Custom Quality Mattresses Made to Order Visit our showroom in the heart of Roselle Park Financing Available Though Synchrony

128 Chestnut Street • Roselle Park • 908-241-3333 www.BrennansBedding.com

Voted #1 Best Hot Sandwich In Town!

Union Leader — December 2021 — 13

At left is the dedication page of McKenzie Rae Mitchell’s first published book, with a dedication to her school and teacher.

At right is McKenzie’s book, ‘I Love Winter, How About You?’

Photos Courtesy of Mark Szot

Union township girl publishes first book at young age (Continued from Page 3) and it helped me to draw the pictures.

(Mommy made me want to write my book) because when I was stuck in the house and I was really bored, I started writing books. When we were doing it, we started writing little sketches. We kept

doing it and we started doing an entire book. It made me feel good. She really inspired me.”

Witnessing the influence she has had on others, McKenzie said she hopes her published book will go far.

“I hope people will like my book,” she

continued. “I think a lot of people will read it. I was excited to write my first book and nervous at the same time, because I was afraid no one would like it.

My second book will be a scavenger hunt, and I think it will be published. I feel happy about wanting to write another

book. I hope my family, my school and my friends read my book.”

Now, the family is working with Barnes & Noble to have the book available in their stores as well. “I Love Winter, How About You?” is available on Amazon at https://tinyurl.com/47hds8ha.

MARKETPLACE DIRECTORY REALTOR

Your Experienced Service Provider

ACCOUNTING

HEALTH

908-316-3313

www.mcdowellcapitalgroup.co m

TAX SERVICES BUSINESS SERVICES QUICKBOOKS SERVICES SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS

1226 RARITAN ROAD, CLARK

AUTOMOTIVE

1517 Stuyvesant Ave, Union

REALTOR

AUTOMOTIVE Since 1947...

Kathleen Gwaldis

“The most trusted name in transmissions” Family Owned & Operated

Financing Available

Fall is coming Is Your Car Ready?

415 Chestnut St., Union 908-964-7155

1415 STUYVESANT AVE., UNION (approx. 1/2 mile North of Morris Ave)

908-687-0300

Realtor Associate

For All Your Real Estate Needs.

Full-Time Realtor for 36 Years Union Specialist

Call for a FREE Market Analysis Today!

908-400-8409 Weichert President’s Club 505 Millburn Ave., Short Hills, NJ 07078

973-467-7391

14 — December 2021 — Union Leader

Despite stellar season, COVID-19 forces Union to forfeit

By JR Parachini Sports Editor When Union football players tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, Nov. 10, Union Superintendent of Schools Scott Taylor, after consulting with the county health department, decided to cancel Union’s sectional semifinal playoff game against Paterson Eastside.

Though some of the same Union players tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday, Nov. 11, others tested positive, and Taylor said he felt confident that he’d made the right decision.

“Thanks to the health department, I am making the best decision for their physical interests,” said Taylor.

Schools officials said that, according to New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association guidelines, the game could not be rescheduled.

“At 11:30 a.m. on Friday, we were still expecting to play,” Union head coach Lou Grasso Jr. said.

The NJSIAA made it official on Friday, Nov. 12. Union, riding a nine-game winning streak and the favorite to win, had to forfeit its game against 6-3 Paterson Eastside.

As a result, top-seeded Union was halted in its attempt to win a 12th state championship in the playoff era and repeat as North 2, Group 5, champs. Union won North 2, Group 5, in 2019 for the first time.

Eastside was coming off its third playoff win ever. The Ghosts have never won a state championship in the playoff era and are now appearing in their secondever state championship game.

Fifth-seeded Eastside will play at second-seeded Clifton (9-2) in the North 2, Group 5, final on Friday, Nov. 19. Union, at home as the top seed, defeated Clifton 42-28 in the 2019 North 2, Group 5, final. Clifton has won only one state championship in the playoff era, which began in 1974.

Nutley was hit with a similar COVID19 situation the week before and had to forfeit its first-round playoff game against Old Tappan.

“We’re just all devastated from top to bottom,” Union Athletic Director Linda Ionta said on Friday, Nov. 12, speaking on behalf of the team. “These poor kids are just devastated to have this taken away from them.”

According to a letter delivered districtwide on Thursday, Nov. 11, from Taylor, two players from the squad had felt ill on Wednesday, Nov. 10, and subsequently tested positive for the coronavirus.

That prompted teamwide testing for players and coaches late Thursday, Nov. 11.

Results released the morning of Friday, Nov. 12, by the Union County Board of Health revealed an undisclosed number of additional cases.

Union players, led by senior captain and Division 1-A recruit Davison Igbinosun, were still protesting the decision as of Monday, Nov. 15.

File photo

Players in happier times, from left, No. 51, Najee Bowe-Pinckey; No. 2, Davison Igbinosun; No. 7, Louikenzy Jules; No. 1, Jaden Stewart; and, kneeling, No. 4, Rodney Marcellus, are together on the field after Union’s victory against Elizabeth in the home opener on Friday, Sept. 24. The Farmers won 34-0. The forfeit of the semifinal against Paterson Eastside because Union players tested positive for COVID-19 has the team and community looking for a better answer.

Union, also sparked by the play of senior quarterback Jaden Stewart and many others, was ranked among the top 20 teams in the state and was the favorite to win not only North 2, Group 5, again, but the following Group 5 regional game against the North 1, Group 5, state champion.

Union won North 2, Group 5, in 2019 with a 12-0 record and then lost to Ridgewood at MetLife Stadium in its seasonending Group 5 regional game.

“No matter what, we are still very proud of our kids,” Ionta said.

Union finishes another very strong year at 9-2, which is its fourth-straight winning season. Union captured the Big Central Conference’s Division 5A championship outright with a perfect 4-0 record.

Since 2018, the Farmers are 33-9, including 5-3 in the playoffs.

Grasso took time to reflect after a brutal weekend of what-ifs.

“We will figure out a way to honor the team once some time passes. We all still have just a real empty feeling now. There is still a lot of pain and disappointment,” said Grasso on Monday, Nov. 15.

“When the final decision was made we were, obviously, disappointed and heartbroken,” added Grasso. “To think our kids have to live with this.

“You start in December, you lift and have workouts, and the adults and coaches also put in a lot of time and hours,” he continued. “We do that so we try to put ourselves in the best position possible to point toward still playing right now.

“This past weekend has been almost like a state of mourning,” said the head coach. “You are so used to preparing and watching films. It’s been a long, long couple of days. It’s still really emotional.

“The crazy thing is that this team is physically dominant. It’s a legendary team,” added Grasso. “Seven of our 10 games, we had the running clock.”

The running clock is a mercy rule for when a team is ahead by at least 33 points.

“This team ranks right up there with the best I’ve ever been around,” Grasso said. “We’re a couple of plays away in the Millville game from being 10-0.”

Union’s only loss this year was a 31-28 defeat against Millville at Ocean City High School on Saturday, Aug. 28.

“I could not be prouder of the way our kids have handled themselves,” continued the head coach. “They have handled the situation with poise and integrity. I’m nothing short of impressed with them and really proud.

“There’s just nothing you could do to make the situation better. It really sucks,” said Grasso. “We’re all going to have to learn to live with it. It’s still going to be tough for a while. The seniors are going to have to deal with that.

“We could not have done anything better to prevent what happened,” he continued. “COVID just didn’t go our way.

“We have 20 seniors on the team, with 90 percent of them starters,” Gesso said.

“We’ll be back, but it will take some time to get back to the level of success we had this year.”

Hundreds of students walked out of Union High School classes on the morning of Monday, Nov. 15, to protest outside of the Board of Education building.

A change.org petition asking Taylor and the NJSIAA to allow the game to happen had received 8,330 signatures by Tuesday, Nov. 16.

2021 UNION FARMERS (9-2) A-Aug. 28: Millville 31, Union 28, at Ocean City A-Sept. 4: Union 40, St. Joseph’s Metuchen 21 A-Sept. 11: Union 34, Plainfield 12 H-Sept. 24: Union 34, Elizabeth 0 H-Oct. 1: Union 14, Westfield 3, home.

H-Oct. 8: Union 49, Bridgewater–Raritan 21 A-Oct. 15: Union 42, North Brunswick 0 H-Oct. 22: Union 42, Watchung Hills 7 A-Oct. 29: Union 49, Hunterdon Central 7 H-Nov. 5: Union 41, Livingston 3 H-Nov. 12: Paterson Eastside over Union by forfeit, COVID-19.

Head coach: Lou Grasso Jr. Ninth season Section: North 2, Group 5 Conference: Big Central Division: 5A (4-0, champs) Record: 9-2 Home: 5-1 Away: 4-1 Points for: 373 Points against: 105 Shutouts: 2 Overtime: 0-0

Union Leader — December 2021 — 15

Portuguese Churrasqueira & Restaurant

Free Delivery ($15 Min.)

Catering Available

TAKE OUT or DELIVERY

Soup Barbeque

Appetizers ½ Order

Salads Whole

BBQ Chicken............................... $9.00...........$16.00 BBQ Pork Ribs............................$10.00….. . . . . . .$17.00 ½ Combo Chicken & Pork Ribs..........................$12.00 Whole Combo Chicken & Pork Ribs....................$17.00 Beef Combo (1/2 Chicken & 1/2 Beef Ribs). . . . . . .$21.00

Fish Shrimp in Garlic Sauce.................. $12.00.......... $17.00 Grilled Cod Fish...................................................$22.00 Boiled Cod Fish....................................................$22.00 Grilled Salmon............................... $14.00..........$22.00 Fish Fillet...................................... $12.00..........$18.00 Cod Fish House Style...........................................$22.00

Dessert

Meats

Coffee ½ Order

Whole

Pork Bits w/Clams............................................... $17.00 Pork Bits w/Shrimp....................... $12.00.......... $17.00 Portuguese Style Steak & Egg. . . . . . . ....................... $20.00 Steak w/Mushrooms............................................ $20.00 Large Sirloin Steak............................................... $20.00 Chicken in Garlic Sauce................. $12.00.......... $17.00 Beef Short Ribs.............................. $13.00.......... $22.00 Breaded Steak w/Spaghetti.................................. $18.00 Grilled Pork Cutlets....................... $12.00.......... $17.00

Sandwiches Chicken Sandwich & Fries.................................... $8.50 Steak Sandwich & Fries........................................ $8.50 Pork Sandwich & Fries..........................................$8.50 Fish Filet Sandwich & Fries.................................. $8.50 Chicken Fingers & Fries....................................... $8.50

All served with any 2 choices of : Rice, French Fries, Vegetables or Beans

1275 Stuyvesant Avenue • Union 908-688-8897

1363 Burnet Avenue • Union 908-687-0313

www.burnetbbq.com

16 — December 2021 — Union Leader

POSTAL CUSTOMER

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #1046 W. CALDWELL, NJ

LIKE US & FOLLOW US facebook.com/UCLocalsource twitter.com/UCLocalsource

Ray THIS MARINE VETERAN WENT TO BATTLE WITH THE BEST DEFENSE HIS BRAIN CANCER TEAM When Ray was told that he had a malignant brain tumor in his speech center, he consulted the experts at the Gerald J. Glasser Brain Tumor Center at Overlook and Morristown medical centers, nationally acclaimed in neuroscience. Given the challenging location, awake brain surgery was recommended. Ray actually talked and sang throughout the surgery to aid his physicians. 3D technology and fluorescent imaging provided necessary visibility to safely remove the tumor.

The Gerald J. Glasser Center is one of the few in N.J. to use fluorescent imaging in complex brain surgery.

Ray is currently pursuing his master’s degree at Penn State. He is so grateful to his team.

To learn more visit atlantichealth.org/brainsurgery