Hudson Reporter Year in Review 2016

The

Hudson Reporter Newspapers

Eight Weekly Newspapers Serving Hudson County www.hudsonreporter.com • A Publication of The Hudson Reporter

JANUARY 1, 2017

CONTENTS: Briefs ....p. 2 • Top Stories.... p. 5 • Politics.... p. 7 • Sports.... p. 11 • Obituaries.... p. 22

6 1 A 0 2 Look Back

Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 2

REPORTER H U D S O N

BRIEFS

Lucha Malato • David S. Unger Publishers

EDITORIAL

Caren Matzner, EDITOR IN CHIEF Gene Ritchings, MANAGING EDITOR SENIOR STAFF WRITER: Al Sullivan STAFF WRITERS: Marilyn Baer Samantha Meyers Rory Pasquariello COLUMNIST: Jim Hague Editorial@HudsonReporter.com

ADVERTISING

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PRODUCTION

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FINANCIAL

Sharon Metro, Veronica Aldaz, BOOKKEEPERS LMalato@HudsonReporter.com

CIRCULATION

Roberto Lopez, CIRCULATION MANAGER FIELD CIRCULATION, Luis Vasquez DUnger@HudsonReporter.com PUBLISHING: The Hoboken Reporter • The Jersey City Reporter The North Bergen Reporter • The Union City Reporter The West New York Reporter • The Secaucus Reporter The Weehawken Reporter • Bayonne Community News Phone Hoboken • The Secaucus Guidebook PhoneMed • All About Horses • Gateway Guide Bayonne Life on the Peninsula 07030 Hoboken • Jersey City Magazine

INCORPORATING: The Jersey City News, The Greenville News, The Bayonne Facts, The Hoboken Pictorial, North Bergen Free Press, The Midweek Reporter, Fort Lee Free Press, Meadowlander, Jersey Pictorial, The Current, Palisades Magazine THE HUDSON REPORTER ASSOC., L.P. 447 Broadway, Bayonne NJ 07002 Phone: 201-798-7800 Fax Line: 201-798-0018 E-mail: LMalato@HudsonReporter.com

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Hoboken’s new ice skating rink opened Dec. 22 under the 14th Street Viaduct in the “Harlow Winter Village.” (See brief.)

Arrests of Jersey City police on alleged corruption appear imminent n a probe initiated by Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Public Safety Director James Shea, as many as a dozen Jersey City police officers may been arrested in connection with an alleged private security scheme.

Although rumored for months, the arrests appear imminent, according to a report from a New York-based TV network.

Sources close to the investigation said this was something initiated by the city and the city is working closely with federal authorities on the matter.

I

“Over the last three years this administration has initiated and worked with federal authorities in several investigations to root out corruption by long-term city employees. We have a zero tolerance policy and employees should be aware that if they break the law they will be held accountable,” said city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill.

The scheme allegedly involved off-duty work assignments on street construction and other sites, and possible falsification of time sheets.

Off-duty police officers are allowed to work security for private companies, although the process is monitored by the city. The city sets fees for officers as well as supervisors. The city is supposed to collect the fees then distribute the money to the officers. But in some cases, officers may not have bothered to report these jobs to the city and allegedly look direct payments.

see BRIEFS page 6

The cover photo for this Special Issue was taken by Al Sullivan.

calendar The Hudson Reporter welcomes entries of community interest for its weekly Calendar listings. To be considered for publication, entries must be received one week prior to publication date. Additionally, no information will be accepted via phone call.

ongoing Free breast cancer screenings avail. at three locations in HC to uninsured & under insured women ages 40-64. Screening locations: Hoboken Family

continued on page 4

3 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 4

from page 2 Planning, 124 Grand St., 1st flr. Hob.; Hoboken Family Planning Summit Center, 1206 Summit Ave., UC; Family Planning of West New York, 5305 Hudson Ave., WNY. Program is for residents of HC who meet specific criteria. Info call (201) 963-0300.

MOM (meet other mothers group) a group for Catholic mothers of St. Michael Par ish and sur rounding neighbor hood will meet the 2nd Thursday monthly in St Josephs Rectory at 7 p.m.

252 9th St. for prayer, support, and friendship – to join, help organize, or find out more info. please contact Aditi Fernandes aditi.catholic.mom@gmail .com or call the rectory: (201) 653-7328.

Congregation Mt. Sinai, a welcoming modern Orthodox synagogue, 128 Sherman Ave., Jersey City, is hosting traditional Shabbat morning services on Saturday at 9:30 a.m.

Free Zumba class: Join the Partnership for a Healthier JC every

continued on page 8

5 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

STORIES OF THE YEAR The biggest issues throughout the county and in your towns

Over 100 people were injured in a train crash at Hoboken terminal on the morning of Sept. 29.

By Reporter staff t’s hard to keep up with everything happening in Hudson County, but a look at the list of the top stories of the year may bring you up to date.

We’re here to help you keep track of your tax dollars, your local meetings, neighboring businesses, schools, development, and transportation. In such a regional transit hub, there’s no shortage of important news.

Here are 15 stories that had an impact on your community.

I

Hoboken train crash injures 100, kills local mom On the morning of Thursday, Sept. 29, a NJ Transit commuter train running on the Pascack Valley line crashed into the Hoboken train terminal at an estimated speed of 21 m.p.h. Debris in the station killed Hoboken

see NEWS page 8

H A P P Y

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Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 6

BRIEFS

from page 2

Reports: Transgender Secaucus youth removed from Cub Scouts for being born female local Cub Scouts pack reportedly said that a transgender Secaucus boy cannot stay in the group because he was born female, North Jersey.com reported. Joe Maldonado had belonged to Cub Scout Pack 87 for a month before a scouting official called his mother with the news.

Though Joe’s status was well known and he was accepted in the pack, parents reportedly complained about him. “It made me mad,� the 8-year-old told the press. “I had a sad face, but I wasn’t crying. I’m way more angry than sad. My identity is a boy. If I was them, I would let every person in the world go in. It’s right to do.�

Kristie Maldonado commented that her son “would not be fine if I put him in Girl Scouts.�

The decision follows the Boy Scouts of America’s monumental 2013 decision removing its membership ban on gay youth. A 2015 ruling also expanded membership to openly gay leaders. However, the Scouts declined to tell North Jersey whether or not they had a specific transgender policy. (They do permit transgender individuals to coeducational programs, but not programs for boys only.)

Both Cub Scout Pack 87 and Kristie Maldonado did not respond to requests for comment by press time Wednesday. To comment on this story, or if you have more information, email editorial@hudsonreporter.com.

A

see BRIEFS page 10

Secaucus Middle School students posed on the bottom row with Garden State Ballet Company students after the dancers performed “The Nutcracker.� Bottom to top row, from left to right: Luke Fournier, Paige Quinones, CJ Martinez, Alex Nguyen, Sierra Backiel, Smriti Chopra, and Aidan Leary.

Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco invites North Bergen Seniors to enjoy a day at

H A P P Y Wednesday, (/ ,3 j."

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Payment must be made in advance. North Bergen seniors only, proof of residence is required. Seating is limited.

For reservations or more information please call Linda Cecchini at 201-869-9595 or 201-869-5001

2 0 1 7

POLITICS 2016 Expecting the unexpected

By Al Sullivan Reporter staff writer

nyone trying to predict what might happen in politics in 2016 could not possibly have foreseen the strange and sometimes miraculous events that took place over the past year.

A

Jersey City Mayor Stephen Fulop

With the aftermath of Bridgegate trailing behind him like tin cans behind a car, Gov. Chr istopher Chr istie tried and failed to win the Republican presidential nomination. After opposing then endorsing Donald Tr ump, who became president-elect by the end of the year, Christie was cast aside, returning to New Jersey with an historically low 18 percent approval rating and resuming his continuing conflict with New Jersey Democrats – who in turn debated whether to try to impeach him.

The victory of Trump over Democrat Hillar y Clinton was perhaps the most shocking and unpredictable event in a year of unpredictable events, setting the stage for a new more conservative U.S. Supreme Court.

GOP control of all three branches of federal government will create challenges for Democratic leaders locally, who must somehow work to continue to bring federal funding into the region. For U.S. Sen. Rober t Menendez, who has been charged with corruption by the U.S. Department of Justice, a Trump administration does not bring hope of a reprieve.

Waiting in the wings is former U.S. Sen. Rober t Torr icelli, who reportedly is brushing

up his legislative skills for a possible return to the Senate.

This year saw the reelection of all three House of Representative members representing Hudson County, Albio Sires, Bill Pascrell and Donald Payne, J r.

At the start of 2016, most political observers thought Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop would be the frontrunner if not the inevitable Democratic nominee for governor going into the 2017 Democratic primary. But Fulop withdrew from the governor’s race in September in an announcement that took even some of his closest advisors by surprise.

Few could have foreseen the massive stroke that disabled Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli in June. Fewer still could have predicted the miraculous recovery that not only kept him whole and healthy, but allowed him to get back to work as mayor by September.

Facing charges of alleged bribery concerning his medical practice, West New York Mayor Felix Rogue was exonerated in December, the second time in three years the mayor has survived charges of wrongdoing.

Those who have passed The deaths of Harold “Buddy� Demellier J r. in May, former Jersey City Councilman Jaime Vazquez in June, and Bill Gaughan in October left gaping silences in the political scene. All three men were seen as giants over the last three decades.

But the deaths of larger-than-life figures also left their imprint this year in Hudson County.

The passing of Muhammad Ali in June and Fidel Castro in November had widely divergent responses. Many local political figures remembered Ali’s visit to Hudson County in the 1990s, and many expatriates from North Hudson celebrated Castro’s passing as a positive sign for the future of Cuba.

The slaughter of 50 people in an Orlando night club brought out thousands of people to downtown Jersey City for a powerful grassroots

see POLITICS page 18

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7 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

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Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 8

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continued on page 16

The death of Fidel Castro drew out many Cuban exiles in December.

mother Fabiola De Kroon, who was heading to take the PATH train to work in New York City. She had just dropped off her young daughter at a Hoboken day care.

More than a hundred other people were injured in the accident. The National Transportation Safety Board has begun its investigation. Train engineer Thomas Gallagher has since been diagnosed with sleep apnea, although officials did not state whether this could be the cause of the accident. The NTSB is expected to release its final report in September of next year. The track on which the train crashed is still out of service, as is the track next to it.

2. Shootings continue to plague Jersey City

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Jersey City, the second most populous city in the state, suffered a spike in domestic violence murders this year, while shootings and gang-related murders continued a disturbing trend. The city has taken steps to deal with these issues, including increasing the number of police officers. But the violence continues.

While the summer proved to be less traumatic than public safety officials feared, deadly shootings took place in every month during 2016, resulting in more than 20 gun deaths this year. Community outrage led to numerous meetings with public safety officials.

Among the most outrageous incidents this year were the gang-style shooting of a young man inside a community center in June, and the shooting last March of 12year-old boy, an innocent bystander, in the crossfire of an apparent gang shootout.

The culprit was never caught.

Most officials attribute the shootings to acts of revenge associated with jailed street gang members.

3. Federal flood protection for Hoboken, Weehawken, and border with Jersey City On Sept. 8, state and local officials announced a plan to fight flooding in Hoboken, Jersey City, and Weehawken during storms. Engineering firms had proposed various alternatives to use federal “Rebuild by Design” funds. On Dec. 10, 2015, five concepts were presented at a public meeting in Hoboken. On Feb. 18, 2016, they were narrowed to three, which were presented at another meeting.

The chosen plan calls for construction of a flood resistant structure stretching from

4. High Tech high School campus to move; North Bergen High School to split in two In 2019, North Bergen High School students in the 10th through 12th grades will be moved to the current High Tech High School campus on 85th Street after the township completes an estimated $15 to $20 million purchase of one building with classrooms, labs, and a gymnasium. Meanwhile, High Tech High, one of the county’s public high schools, expects to move its campus from that North Bergen building to new digs in Secaucus in the fall.

In North Bergen, the expansion should cut down on overcrowding in the public schools by reducing the number of students at the current high school from 2,450 to 1,800. The current high school building will house grades seven through nine. Seventh and eighth graders currently attend local elementary schools, but starting with the shift in student populations in 2019, the elementary schools will continue only up to sixth grade.

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5. Secaucus Mayor Gonnelli suffers serious stroke – and returns to work Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli suffered a stroke in his home shortly before dinnertime on June 8. The stroke was severe, and doctors told his family he might not walk again. But Gonnelli’s rehabilitation was successful and he was back at work on Thursday, Sept. 1. Since then he’s been at every council meeting and community event.

6. Death of a dictator Fidel Castro died in early December at age 90. For residents of Hudson County, particularly towns bustling with immigrants like West New York and Union City, Castro’s death was a milestone. In northern Hudson County – often called “Little Havana� – some Cuban exiles and their descendants cheered the death. Others found the moment profoundly sad in that so many lives have been ruined by the Castro regime. Cuba remains under the influence of Fidel’s brother Raul.

see NEWS page 16

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9 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

19th Street in Weehawken south into Hoboken along 15th Street and then along Washington Street, with an additional resistant structure in Hoboken’s southern end.

The project’s final design details will be chosen in April or May of 2017, with construction beginning in December of 2018 and completed in 2022.

Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 10

BRIEFS

from page 6

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I

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Mayor Nicholas J. Sacco invites North Bergen Seniors to a Birthday Bingo!

Friday, January 6th, 11:00am North Bergen Senior Nutrition Center 1441 45th Street in North Bergen Suggested Lunch Donation: $1.75 per person Lunch Includes: Entree Coffee/Tea Milk Dessert Reservations are not required for Bingo, just for the meal.

Please call 201-866-8791 by 11am the day before to reserve your meal.

For transportation please call 201-869-9595.

UNION CITY — The Union City Police Department is mourning the loss of a veteran officer who suddenly died Monday evening. Officer Ricardo “Ricky” Fernandez, 48, suffered an undisclosed “medical emergency” at his Old Bridge home, Police Captain Nichelle Luster said today. Fernandez had 24 years on the job, having graduated from the police academy in 1993. “[He was] just an amazing guy,” Luster said. “Truly a gentleman. He embodied everything that we expect of our officers—kind, compassionate, respectful, professional.”

The department is “in a little bit of shock” over Fernendez’s passing, Luster added, calling it “completely unexpected.” Fernandez’s final assignment before he passed was working the department’s motorcycle unit, which Luster called “his favorite assignment.”

He leaves behind a wife and two children. A memorial service for Fernandez is in the planning stages. Watch next week’s newspaper for more information.

‘Citizen advocacy group’ to meet monthly udson Civic Action, a local non-partisan citizen advocacy group, holds monthly meetings the second Tuesday of every month, 6:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 8 Columbia Terrace, Weehawken. Get engaged with your community and local government. RSVP to info@hudsoncivicaction.org. Also, the group is planning four community workshops in 2017. The first will be “Know Your Rights” training with the ACLU, which will be presented twice, once in English, once in Spanish.

H

Could modern bumpers have mitigated the Hoboken train crash? ccording to the Associated Press, experts said recently that more modern bumpers in the Hoboken train terminal might have lessened the impact in the deadly Sept. 29 commuter train crash. The bumpers with hydraulic shock absorbers and friction shoes are used in Atlantic City, but not in Hoboken, where the same concrete and steel bumpers have been used since 1907.

Experts said the more modern bumpers wouldn’t have been able to stop the train that crashed into Hoboken terminal at 21 mph, but might have slowed it and lessened the damage.

The fatal crash injured over 100 people and killed Hoboken mother Fabiola Bittar de Kroon, 34.

Only one of the tracks at Hoboken terminal has had a bumper replaced. The others still feature the concrete and steel stationary bumpers.

Steven Santoro, NJ Transit executive director, told the Associated Press NJ Transit is currently in the process of hiring a consultant to review the bumping posts at Hoboken to help determine whether they need to be replaced.

Santoro said including bumping posts with friction shoes could potentially cause train overcrowding as they would need to be placed farther away from the track’s end.

It would “exacerbate an issue that already exists in terms of track lengths,” he told the AP. “We would like every platform to be a 10-car platform but can’t do that.

We are physically constrained by the length of trains we have in our system, and we have to factor that into our analysis.”

“Had there been something in place that would absorb some of the kinetic energy of the train, therefore there may have been less damage to the structure and that piece may not have fallen? That’s certainly possible,” said train expert Gus Ubaldi.

According to the AP, federal investigators are examining how the bumping post in Hoboken performed compared to one in a similar accident at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport in 2014.

To read our prior coverage, look under “Hoboken news” at hudsonreporter.com.

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Officials still trying to determine furniture fire’s origin orth Bergen officials are still trying to determine what sparked a five-alarm fire at a local furniture store. The blaze happened Dec. 21st at Kennedy Furniture on John F. Kennedy Boulevard and 13th Street. It took over three hours for the North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue to bring it under control.

A day after the fire, a township official cited unauthorized work on the building’s roof as a possible culprit: “It’s certainly something that we are looking at,” spokesperson Phil Swibinski said. “Roofing work was being done on the building yesterday (Wednesday) morning that involved using torches. However, until the investigation is complete, we cannot definitively determine the cause of the fire.

We are specifically looking into whether the roofing contractor followed safety procedures, such as having fire extinguishers onsite during the roofing work and obtaining a permit from the Building Department.”

He added that he believes the fire was accidental. The fire completely destroyed the building, leaving it a pile of steel and burned debris in its aftermath.

N

see BRIEFS page 20

11 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

SPORTS 2016 Top sports stories of the year

H A P P Y

2 0 1 7

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FABULOUS FRIARS, AGAIN â&#x20AC;&#x201C; St. Anthony enjoying another undefeated state championship season, culminating in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions title won in Trenton in March tops the Hudson Reporterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 10 Sports Stories of the Year.

By Jim Hague Reporter sports columnist

o what were the top sports stories for 2016? We had the crowning of champions and the farewells to major legends. We had dreams fulfilled and other thoughts curtailed. More importantly, we had another year to remember in Hudson County sports, so letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s take a closer look at The Hudson Reporterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 10 Sports Stories for 2016.

S

1-St. Anthony wins T of C again; perhaps the last?

In March, perhaps the last page in a remarkable tale was written, when St. Anthony put a ribbon on yet another undefeated season by defeating Linden, 55-38, to capture the NJSIAA T of C title once again.

It marked the eighth undefeated season in the storied history of the St. Anthony basketball program and yes, the 13th T of C title. No other school in New Jersey has more than five T of C trophies.

see SPORTS page 12

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Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 12

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from page 11

“Our goal was to win the state championship,” legendary Hall of Fame head coach Bob Hurley said. “It wasn’t to be undefeated. Our size just disappeared from this team. How can this team be undefeated? There were people who thought we could run the table. With what was going on, I thought we’d be lucky to be 2-2 after Christmas, that 2-2 would have been optimistic.”

So is this the most unlikely of the eight undefeated teams?

“Oh, God, yeah,” Hurley said with a laugh.

“We had the deepest team in the state,” said senior Jagan Mosely, who played perhaps the biggest role on the team, playing all five positions during one point or another during the year before heading off to Georgetown. “We had the most mature team in the state with a lot of seniors. We were supposed to win. It never changed our focus. We didn’t change our ways.”

But there was a sense of finality to the Friars’ win. In September, it was announced that the school needed $10 million in order to remain open for next year. That’s a lofty number for one school to raise. We will have to see what transpires after the current season, but it sure doesn’t sound good.

2-Prep grad Fitzpatrick wins national title; earns All-America honors

It was a year to remember for former St. Peter’s Prep football standout Minkah Fitzpatrick.

In early February, Fitzpatrick was on the field when the Crimson Tide of Alabama held off Clemson to win the NCAA national football college championship.

Fitzpatrick, a fine defensive back, made two key plays in the title game. Then in December, Fitzpatrick was named to the NCAA All-America First Team by Associated Press, the first local recipient of First Team All-American honors.

3-North Bergen’s Eagleson gains 600th coaching victory

It’s hard for any high school coach to stick around long enough to coach 600 games.

With constant demands on time and the inability to have a functioning life outside of coaching, coaches that remain at jobs long enough to coach 600 games is remarkable.

To win 600? Now, that’s a feat it in its own right.

Tom Eagleson of North Bergen High School became one of the fortunate high school softball coaches in New Jersey to reach the 600-win milestone.

“Never thought that at all,” Eagleson said. “But it’s still a lot of fun after all these years. It’s why I do it. It makes me feel so happy. We’ve done it all at North Bergen over the years. We’ve had some great players and great girls.”

4-Two champions crowned at Penn Relays

The Penn Relays Carnival at Franklin Field in Philadelphia is clearly the storied, the most prestigious and the most historic track and field event in United States history.

Other than competing in the Olympic Games, there is no bigger event, no more glorious of a venue than the Penn Relays. It’s the oldest and largest track meet in the country. It’s the Super Bowl, the World Series and the Stanley Cup finals all rolled into one magnificent five-day weekend.

More than 15,000 participants from high schools, colleges and organized track clubs convene in Philadelphia each year for the Penn Relays Carnival. Over 100,000 track enthusiasts annually attend the Relays.

However, this year, there were two local relay teams that went to the Penn Relays and collected the coveted plaque, namely a boys’ 4x400-meter relay team from McNair Academic and a girls’ 4x400-meter relay team from North Bergen.

Imagine that. Hudson County had two Penn Relays champions in the same year. It’s almost too unfathomable to comprehend.

First, on Thursday, the North Bergen girls’ team took to the track at Franklin Field.

Head coach Elson Smajlaj thought he had a chance.

“I had an idea after looking at all the times,” Smajlaj said. “I checked all the others’ times. But in all honesty, we had not run the 4-by-4 all year together and we were doing it with a different combination.”

As it turned out, the Bruins were champions.

Two days later, it was McNair Academic’s turn.

Head coach Matt Hogan thought he had a competitive team.

“It’s sort of a wild card going to Penn. You really don’t know how you’ll do in your heat. I knew we had a good team, but they hadn’t run together much.”

Junior Haig Rickerby ran the anchor leg of a lifetime. It actually looks like he was shot out of a cannon, like he was running at top speed and the rest were just standing there. He blew by the six runners and caught the last one at the wire to win the race. His last 400 meters were run in 48.5 seconds. “I’ve seen the race a few times on video,” Rickerby said. “I know what happened but I still can’t believe it. It was exciting. Of all the places to have a race like that, it would be Penn. It’s one of the best feelings in the world.”

“He ran by seven kids to win by seven-hundredths of a second,” Hogan said. “I know the other side. We got nipped at the finish line in 2005. This was pretty amazing.”

And the two teams had a chance to be part of history at the Penn Relays Carnival.

5-Hudson Catholic wins fifth straight county basketball title

There was a time not so long ago that winning the Hudson County Tournament basketball title would be an absolute novelty for the Hawks of Hudson Catholic.

After all, the Hawks went 37 years without winning a single county title. From the

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glory days of Jim Spanarkel and Mike O’Koren actually beating St. Anthony in 1975 in the Jersey City Armory to the present day Hawks of 2012, there was a championship drought at the school on McGinley Square.

But now, it’s almost an afterthought. The Hawks have themselves a legitimate dynasty, after winning their fifth straight county crown in February, defeating rival St. Peter’s Prep, 74-55.

Those days of winning the county championship as a novelty are long gone. In fact, according to the architect and mastermind behind the Hawks’ ascent to county royalty, Nick Mariniello, winning the county championship is now something that the Hawks plan on doing.

“We look at it as something we’re supposed to do,” Mariniello said after the Hawks were never seriously threatened Saturday night.

And it looks like the Hawks are not going to be relinquishing that title anytime soon.

Luther Muhammad, the game’s high scorer with an easy, breezy 30 points, is only a sophomore. The same for Jahvon Quinerly, who scored 23 points in the title game just a few days after being held scoreless in a scary two-point semifinal win over Snyder.

6-St. Dominic track team wins NJSIAA Non-Public B indoor track title The track and field program at St. Dominic Academy is nothing short of historic.

One walk through the school’s main lobby and there’s a museum-like feel with all the trophies and plaques that adorn the trophy case.

There are tons of Hudson County trophies and plaques, 100 in all if you compile cross country in the fall, indoor track in the winter and outdoor track in the spring.

There are even a handful of prestigious and adored plaques from the Penn Relays Carnival, perhaps the most respected track and field event in the country. It is widely believed that there’s nothing better than winning at the Penn Relays. St. Dominic has had teams to come home with track’s version of a storied religious artifact a few times.

However, there was one piece of hardware that was missing among the hundreds of other awards – namely an NJSIAA state championship trophy.

The Blue Devils achieved the final piece when they won the NJSIAA Non-Public B indoor track championship at the Bennett Center in Toms River in February.

The Blue Devils had stud performers in senior Camille Bertholon and junior Malia Gray.

When a team has athletes that can compete – and eventually win – in three events, it usually gives your team a chance to win championships.

“We’re very fortunate to have the two studs,” SDA head coach John Nagel said.

7-Snyder makes NJSIAA football playoffs; first time in 26 years It had been since 1990 that the Snyder football team had qualified for the NJSIAA football playoffs.

“Wow!” current Snyder head football coach Ray Marshall said. “It’s been a long time.”

“I don’t think I was born yet,” said Tiger wide receiver Nasir Smith.

No, Nasir, you weren’t, unless you’re the world’s oldest high school senior.

It was 26 long years ago. Because since then, the Tigers have endured their fare share of losing. To be honest, a lot of losing.

Before Marshall arrived last year and led the Tigers to the unthinkable respectability line, going .500 at 5-5, the Tigers’ best win total, over the previous 12 years, was two. There were four winless campaigns and the ungodly 39-game losing streak that Marshall inherited.

The program was dropped in its entirety altogether twice for an assortment of reasons – both on and off the field.

Another year, in 1996, a player named Tahid Ramsey died on the field. It was the last fatality suffered on the field in Hudson County.

In 2013, the Tigers had a three-game stretch where they surrendered 82 points, 70 points and 64 points.

From 2003 through 2014, the Tigers were a collective 12-91 and had six different head coaches.

Needless to say, this program seemed to be beyond repair.

But qualifying for the state playoffs?

“No way,” Marshall said. “That wasn’t a goal. We just wanted to build a team, a program that by the time the freshmen were seniors, they would be respectable.”

However, the Tigers have exceeded Marshall’s expectations in just two years, because the Tigers are indeed going to the state playoffs for the first time since 1990.

“It’s like a fairy tale,” Marshall said. “It’s a dream that I don’t want to come out of. Everything that has happened is like a miracle. We had a sophomore quarterback who never played the position before and a wide receiver who never even caught a ball. It’s really a fairy tale.”

“I’m just happy,” said the former quarterback then senior wide receiver Titus Whitehead, who was the starter at QB in 2014 when the Tigers went 0-10. “I never thought this was possible. This is what every kid dreams about. Once Coach Ray got here, he changed everything.”

Whitehead said that there’s a sense of pride in the school.

“Everyone is asking me about the playoffs,” Whitehead said. “The principal [Yvonne Waller] is talking about us in the daily announcements. Every student knows what we have done. I think they’re proud, too. It’s amazing. I can now wear my Snyder Tigers clothes with pride.”

see SPORTS page 21

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Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 16

NEWS

from page 9

7. JFK boulevard – An unsafe place to drive, walk

After several deaths of drivers and pedestrians along John F. Kennedy Boulevard – the road that stretches from Bayonne through North Bergen – local officials pledged to increase safety measures.

Two teen pedestrians were killed in early March by a vehicle that jumped the curb in North Bergen. Later that month, a 5-year-old

boy was struck by an SUV in Bayonne, causing minor injuries. On March 9, a woman was struck by a car while crossing the Boulevard in Jersey City. On April 27, a 43-year-old Jersey City man was killed on JFK Boulevard between 30th and 31st streets by a Ford F-350 while entering his Nissan wagon.

The mile-long section of JFK in Jersey City, between Fairmount and Newark avenues, has been ranked the most dangerous stretch of road in Hudson County by the New Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), which oversees, studies, and funds safety and transportation improvement projects.

City officials throughout Hudson County are

cooperating in an initiative instituted in the spring called “Operation Slow Down, Save Lives,” to crack down on the 25 m.p.h. speed limit and jaywalking in areas of the roadway.

The initiative also included adding crossing guards at the more dangerous intersections of the boulevard.

8. Little girl struck in WNY hit-and-run A young West New York girl who was holding her mother’s hand on the way to school was killed by a hit-and-run driver in February. The parents of Sheyla Pichardo, an only child, were devastated. The driver allegedly fled to Newark.

Detectives were able to decipher his license plate from video and track him down. The town raised money for little Sheyla’s funeral.

9. Development boom continues

Chelsea Clinton came to Hudson County twice in 2016 campaigning on her mother, Hillary Clinton’s behalf.

Jersey City continued to lead the state in new development, along the waterfront and in key places throughout the city. The three KRE residential towers in Journal Square are nearly complete. The tallest residential tower in the state is on the rise along the waterfront, built by China Overseas America. A new tower is expected to break ground near McGinley Square early in the New Year. And development along Route 440 promises to create a whole new Gold Coast in Jersey City, including 8,000 proposed residential units.

Residential projects are rising in other towns.

Two developers were designated this year for Harbor Station South, one section of Bayonne’s former Military Ocean Terminal.

The Hoboken is seeing new development on its formerly industrial west side, as well as new parks. The Harlow, a new luxury residential complex beside the 14th Street Viaduct in Hoboken, brought with it a new ice skating rink for winter.

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The death of a child going to school in West New York in March inspired outrage and public action to curb high speed drivers. The father (pictured) broke down in tears at the press conference.

10. Roque beats the rap again

West New York Mayor Dr. Felix Roque was found not guilty on Dec. 21 of a charge that he took kickbacks to refer patients to an MRI Lab. Roque, 60, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Cuba, said he believed in the American legal system. “Had this trial been in Cuba, they would have convicted me, even though I was innocent,” he said.

This is the second time in three years that Roque was been acquitted of criminal charges.

In 2013, a federal jury found him not guilty of conspiracy to hack into a political opponent’s website – although his son, Joseph, was convicted a misdemeanor in that case.

In the most recent case, Roque was charged with commercial bribery. Prosecutors from the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice claimed Roque allegedly accepted $200,000 in illegal payments between 2007 and 2014 in exchange for making more than 2,000 referrals to a Hackensack lab.

from page 8 New Heights Toastmasters Club in Jersey City is seeking new members. Meetings are held 6:30 p.m. second & fourth Tuesday of each month at 855 Bergen Ave., Jersey City – for more info call (201) 424-9090.

Jersey City Medical Center is hosting a bereavement suppor t program for those individuals coping with the loss of a loved one.

Meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month (at 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm) in conference room 5 at the hospital (355 Grand Street, Jersey City). For more info. call Kerri at (201) 915-2117 Chr ist United Methodist Church, 2811 Kennedy Blvd. (Journal Square) Jersey City will hold service on Sundays at 11 a.m.

Third-Tuesday-of-theMonth Bird Walk with the NJ MC and BCAS. Free two-hour guided nature walk will take place at Harrier Meadow in North Arlington, a 70-acre restored wetlands area usually closed to the public. RSVP at greatauk4@aol.com or (201)230-4983.

11. Short-term (Airbnb type) rentals prohibited in Union City, North Bergen The North Bergen Board of Commissioners adopted an ordinance in August banning shortterm rentals in the township. Violators will be fined $750 for a first offense and/or spend 10 days in jail. The town was following Union City’s lead, as Mayor Brian Stack wanted to crack down on short-term rentals. Officials have said that the rentals bring people into town that may cause a disturbance. The town updated their ordinance regarding short-term rentals to change the previous fine of $250 to $500 for a first violation to $1,000 anytime after that.

But residents of Union City said that renting out rooms to visitors provided a nice second income, and brought visitors who use the town’s businesses.

12. West New York school board election results delayed In the West New York school board race this year, there were two outright winners for three seats. Voters reelected incumbents David Morel

and Ronald C. Scheurle to three-year terms.

But the vote showed a very narrow lead by Jose M. Alcantara over Alex Navas. Alcantara seemed to be the winner of the third seat, beating Alex Navas by five votes. Then a recount performed by the Hudson County Board of Elections narrowed his victory margin to just three votes.

Although the election should have been certified within two weeks of the Nov. 8 election, the final election result will not likely be known until early in 2017, when election officials complete interviews with people whose ballots were tossed out for various reasons.

There were about 40 ballots tossed out on technicalities. Because the vote was so close, those who voted will be interviewed and could swing the election either way, election officials said.

13. Recreation Pier opens in Weehawken Nov. 13 A 500 foot, $3.1 million recreational pier opened on the Weehawken waterfront in November, with stations for kayaking and fishing. The pier adds to the waterfront recreation space of Weehawken and has been in the works for 15 years. The pier was paid for by federal and state grants and was designed by McLaren Engineering Group in collaboration with RSC Architects. McLaren developed the pier’s unique “pier pod” design, which connects a series of platforms through interconnected walkways. The pier is open to the public.

14. New Guttenberg community room opens Guttenberg’s new community center opened on Friday, July 1 next to Anna Klein School’s gymnasium, between 69th Street and Hudson Avenue. The center will be open after school hours. During school hours it will be used as a

Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen took a new name as it signed an agreement with Hackensack University Medical Center in March.

multipurpose room. During the summer it will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends. In 2017, Anna Klein School will get a new gymnasium and classrooms.

15. A record number of turkeys Gobble gobble! The Brian Stack Civic Association, which has long raised funds to give away turkeys to needy families and shut-in seniors in Hudson County, set a new record this year. They assumed they would give away 22,000 to residents throughout North Hudson and parts of Jersey City, which in itself would have been 7,000 more than they gave away in 2015. But thanks to successful fundraising, the group gave away more than 30,000 turkeys for Thanksgiving.

Runners up Some other big stories this year: Orlando murder s br ing LGBT community together : In Jersey City, with one of the largest LGBT populations in the state responded to the June 12 murders at the Pulse night club in Orlando, Fla. The local community brought thousands out for a rally on Newark Avenue.

The event also foreshadowed concerns that emerged later in that community, with the national election and the possible loss of Obamacare, which could to fight HIV-AIDS. WNY fur babies, furever : West New York’s animal shelter held a grand reopening over the summer to celebrate its new management. The shelter is owned by animal control officer Geoff Santini’s private NJ Animal Control and Rescue company but is now under the management of the state’s Humane Society, which is a non-profit adoption center. The new shelter is

different from others because the animal control officers pick up domesticated or stray animals and wildlife to hold them for seven days in Santini’s Animal Control and Rescue company.

After seven days they get transferred to the Humane Society for adoption, which is now part of Santini’s company. At the opening, Weehawken residents Mimi Marcus and her boyfriend Chip adopted a 2-year-old female cat and a female kitten. They didn’t even know at first that the older cat’s name was Chip, too.

Lyles reappointment controver sy: Jersey City Schools Superintendent Dr. Marcia Lyles remains controversial after her reappointment at the end of 2015. With three of her strongest supporters deciding not to run for reelection to the school board in 2016, fights on the board over her policies are expected to continue into 2017.

Secaucus school boar d: Six candidates ran for three spots in the Nov. 8 election. The three incumbents were re-elected: Board Vice President Jack McStowe, John Gerbasio, and Kathy O’Connell.

It’s Hamilton on the Hudson! Weehawken became a hot tourist attraction this year due to the popularity of the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton.” Tourists from all over head headed to Weehawken to look over the bluffs where the famous duel took place between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr on July 11, 1804.

Hoboken’s proposed 500-foot bar repeal withdr awn: The City Council announced on Sept. 7 an amendment to the city code to repeal a rule that prevents businesses with liquor licenses from opening within 500 feet of one another. The city held a public meeting Sept. 26 in which over 30 residents and business owners discussed their thoughts on the repeal. Many residents raised quality of life and safety concerns. The ordinance was carried over several months until it was officially pulled from the council’s agenda on Dec. 7. The ordinance will be reintroduced sometime in the new year, according to Councilmen Michael Russo and James Doyle, after they solicit feedback from other council members and rewrite the ordinance.

17 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

Rehan Zuberi, who operated the lab, pleaded guilty in the kickback scheme in May 2015.

Under a plea deal with the state Division of Criminal Justice, Zuberi got a reduced sentence for every doctor he turned in.

“It was all very inconsistent,” Roque said. “In one instance, they said I received a $5,000 check, but nobody could find the check.”

A lot hinged on the case, Roque said.

“Had I lost this case, I would have been forced to declare bankruptcy,” he said. “I would have had no license and no way to make a living.”

But he said his legal difficulties are not yet done. He expects the state to try and take his medical license.

Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 18

POLITICS

from page 7

show of support for the LGBT community. Jersey City is seen as one of the most LGBT-friendly cities in the county.

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Battle for Ward B in Jersey City— Chris Gadsdon, John Hallanan and LeKendrick Shaw ran in a special election in November for council. Gadsdon won.

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In July, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop married J aclyn Thompson, a local business owner, in what many saw as a storybook wedding symbolic of the new, young and up-and-coming nature of Jersey City.

The mayor’s year was filled with political maneuvering, as Fulop backed a successful bid to have municipal elections moved from May to November. This was thought to be in anticipation of his run in the 2017 democratic primary for governor, something he derailed with his announcement in September.

Fulop also backed off support for a referendum that might have brought casino gambling to Jersey City and the Meadowlands. This caused a divide inside the Fulop administration.

Ward F Councilwoman Diane Coleman gave up her council seat to seek and ultimately get elected as county register, leaving a vacancy on the council that will be filled early in 2017.

In June, Councilman Khemr aj “Chico” Ramchal pleaded guilty to charges arising from a 2015 drunken driving arrest. As part of a plea deal to avoid jail time, he resigned his council seat representing Ward B. Although Fulop was able to get J ohn Hallanan to fill the seat temporarily, Hallanan lost the seat in a special election in November. Chr is Gadsdon won, reducing Fulop’s majority on the council to 6 to 3.

In yet anther continuing conflict, Friends of the Loews Theater successfully won back in court a grant that was taken from them by the Board of Freeholders last year at the urging of Fulop. Fulop had hoped to take over the Loews to recreate a performing arts center, but previous court rulings said the city had a valid contract with FOTL until 2021.

On Sept. 28 Fulop shocked the city when he announced me would not seek the nomination for governor, but would seek reelection as mayor instead. Within a short time, Bill Matsikoudis, corporation counsel for Jersey City under former Mayor Jer r amiah Healy, and former Assemblyman Charles Manior announced they would run for mayor as well. Freeholder Bill O’Dea, a Fulop ally, was slated to announce his run for mayor as well. By year’s end, he had not dismantled his campaign, suggesting he might still run.

Conflicts from 2016 over the contract renewal of School Superintendent Dr. Marcia Lyles spilled over into 2017 with a vengeance. Anti-Lyle board members filed an unsuccessful suit to negate the contract renewal from late in 2015, and vowed to appeal the count decision.

Three strong Lyles supporters on the board – Micheline Amy, J essica Daye, and Ellen Simon – first elected in 2013 with strong support from Mayor Steven Fulop, decided not to seek reelection, paving the way for the November election that saw control of the nine-member board shift to the anti-Lyle’s faction.

Hoboken was relatively quiet in 2016

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Well before there was any need, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer announced in March that she would seek reelection. This may have been to dispel rumors that other candidates, even those perceived as her loyal followers, might be getting antsy about waiting for their turn.

This followed some defections over the controversial redesign of Washington Street, forcing some rethinking about what should be done. Later in the year, council members would again rebel against her, rejecting a compromise that would allow the developers of the Monarch waterfront development to build a denser project inland.

Yet for the most part, the Hoboken political scene remained relatively quiet, with most of the attention focused on the school board race. Zimmer-supported Board of Education candidates won. Incumbents Jennifer A. Evans and Irene Sobolov won re-election, joined by Sheillah Dallar a.

Although Freeholder Anthony Romano appears to be the front runner in the 2017 mayoral election against Zimmer, he spent most of his time in 2016 building a base to retain his freeholder seat.

Bayonne political scene active A move early in the year to recall Bayonne J immy Davis failed to materialize when supporters of the move could not gather the necessary signatures. This did not dispel the bad feelings of former Davis supporters who continued to ponder their options throughout the year.

The most serious political intrigue came by way of the relatively new school board elections.

In November, Carol Cr uden, Denis Wilbeck and Mar y J ane Desmond retained their three-year seats in the Bayonne Board of Education while retired Bayonne Deputy Police Chief Char les Ryan won the unexpired two-year term that opened up when Bar r y Kushnir resigned in September.

Although the board did not have the same openly political divisiveness as in Jersey City, the board election seemed to focus on individual personalities and a shared agenda to replace Dr. Patr icia McGeehan as superintendent.

By year’s end, the board was already seeking a temporary superintendent and began a search for a full time replacement.

But the tension between City Hall and the Board of Education escalated over finances, making it likely that one or more current members of the board may seek to run for City Council in 2018.

Development throughout the city became areas of disagreement, including the hotly contested approval for a Muslim center on the east side of the city.

19 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

Board of Education only issue in North Bergen As with Hoboken, North Bergen in an off election year lacked many of the public political battles of the past.

The biggest changes came with new incoming board members Patr icia Bar toli, Luis Rabelo, and Sai Rao. Typical of North Bergen, voters rejected the school budget, requiring the town commissioners to revise and vote on it later.

But North Bergen has seen a trend of ethnic change, especially near the southern end where strong Hispanic population growth could mean interesting things in the future.

Union City still united With his civic association giving away a record number of turkeys this year for the holidays, State Senator and Union City Mayor Br ian Stack still enjoys a political honeymoon after nearly a decade of political turmoil in North Hudson. The redistricting of his legislative district to include more of Jersey City has given Stack more influence in the county, and could prove useful in 2017 when his political machine will gear up to support Democratic hopeful Phil Murphy for governor.

In the aftermath of the successful election of Trump, Stack has taken a position that he will not authorize local police to round up illegal aliens for deportation, vowing not to tear families apart. This aligns him with Jersey City Mayor Fulop, who has taken a similar stand.

Guttenberg still quiet No one yet knows if Guttenberg Mayor Ger ald Dr asheff will seek reelection in 2017. But in 2016, Guttenberg remained a relatively quiet place politically.

The Guttenberg Board of Education race for a trio of three-year terms saw the election of William Hokien, Mark R. Roger s, and incumbent Mar isol Montanez.

Wayne D. Zitt J r . was uncontested in his bid to fill the unexpired term of former Councilman Efr ain Velez. Zitt was named to the council in December after Velez retired.

Meanwhile, Eleanor Villalta was elected to fill the unexpired term of her late husband, former 2nd Ward Councilman Victor B. Villalta, who died in May.

Weehawken school board members reelected In Weehawken, incumbent Board of Education members Julian Br ian Mer a, Susan Mor ales Jennings, and Francis Pizzuta won reelection to three-year terms.

Voters also approved the school budget.

see POLITICS page 20

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Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 20

POLITICS

from page 19

Stormy weather in West New York West New York Mayor Felix Roque’s acquittal on bribe taking charges on Dec. 21 ended yet another year of high drama in West New York. Roque had been accused along with a number of other medical providers of taking bribes to steer patients to Bergen County-based testing labs.

Although overshadowed by Roque’s trial, the school board election remained unresolved by the end of the year. In November, voters reelected incumbents David Morel and Ronald C. Scheurle to three-year terms. But the vote showed a very narrow lead by J ose M. Alcantara over Alex Navas. A recount performed by the Hudson County Board of Elections narrowed the vote lead to three. This sends the case to the courts where disputed votes not-allowed on election night might swing the election either way.

Taking back Secaucus again?

Reacting to speculation that he might not seek reelection due to the nearly-crippling stroke he suffered midway through 2016, Mayor Michael Gonnelli announced he would run again in 2017 for mayor.

The resignation of Town Administrator David Dr umeler started the rumor mill churning, partly because it came on the heels of Gonnelli’s stroke and recovery. But what followed was a series of methodical changes that included naming 1st Ward Councilman Gar y Jeffas to replace Drumeler, and the choice of Board of Education President J ohn Ger basio to fill Jeffas’ council seat.

This forced Gerbasio – who was running for reelection to the Board of Education – off the school board ballot, leaving four candidates for three seats.

The election resulted in incumbents Kathy O’Connell and Jack A. McStowe were re-elected to two of the board’s threeyear terms. Sharon Dellafave was also elected.

To comment on this story on-line, go to our website, www.hudsonreporter.com. Al Sullivan may be reached at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com

BRIEFS

from page 10

Officials probe electrical fire at West New York high-rise est New York officials are investigating the cause of an electrical fire that broke out inside a 26-story high-rise at 5601 Boulevard East on Tuesday, according to local media reports. They quoted Deputy Fire Chief Nick Gazzillo of North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue as saying there were “four spot fires” after a report of an explosion on the eighth floor of the Overlook Terrace South tower. Gazzillo said there were no serious injuries, although several residents were treated at the scene.

West New York Mayor Felix Roque, who was at the scene, said, “We’re just happy everyone’s alive and well.”

Traffic was backed up around the area as Boulevard East was shut down between 54th and 60th streets.

W

Free parking in Hoboken for new year o encourage local shopping this holiday season, the city of Hoboken is offering up to four hours of free garage parking in municipal garages B (28 Second St.), D (215 Hudson St.), and Midtown (371 Fourth St.) on Saturday, Dec. 31 and Sunday, Jan. 1 for visitors who come to Hoboken to shop or dine.

Parking meters are free on Sundays.

The city offered the same service this past weekend for holiday shopping.

T

Harlow Winter Village skating rink officially opened oboken’s new seasonal ice skating rink officially opened Thursday Dec. 22 under the 14th Street Viaduct between Grand and Adams Streets and will operate until the end of February.

The rink is sponsored by Advance Realty, the developer of the Harlow apartment building at 1330 Willow Ave. “We’re delighted to help bring this unique recreational offering to northwest Hoboken,” said Peter Cocoziello, president and CEO of Advance Realty. “We are extremely excited to be a part of the Hoboken community, and we look forward to meeting some of our new neighbors at the ‘Winter Village’.”

The 3,100 square foot rink uses synthetic ice which is designed for skating with regular metal-blade ice skates and is slightly slower than ice.

Admission is free and visitors may bring their own skates, or rent at $10 for adults and $5 for children 10 and under. Vendors and skate rentals are cash only.

H

see BRIEFS page 26

224 Newark Ave Jersey City, NJ 07302

216 Newark Ave.

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Great location, 3 car parking (1 per unit), potential for condo conversion or rental income.

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For this house and others, or to discuss selling your property in a hot market, give us a call.

Off: 201-653-4663

HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER COMES HERE – Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George came to Union City in August to meet with the Soaring Eagles.

SPORTS

from page 13

8-’Championship Thursday’ for Hudson Catholic

In November, Hudson Catholic enjoyed a rare day, when the girls’ volleyball team and boys’ soccer team both captured their respective NJSIAA Non-Public B North state sectional championships – the first ever for both programs.

First, in the afternoon, the girls’ volleyball team, already with its second straight Hudson County tournament in tow, defeated Union Catholic, losing the first set, then stormed back to win the last two games by scores of 25-17 and 25-18 in the third and decisive set.

“I’m very proud of the girls,” Hudson Catholic head coach Fernando Colon said. “This team really fought hard. A lot of the games, we were down, but like always, we always fought back. We took a step up this year and it was a step in the right direction.”

Six miles away, the attention switched to Kearny High School for the finals of the NJSIAA Non-Public B North boys’ soccer tournament, where Hudson Catholic was taking on Montclair Kimberley Academy.

A single goal stood up, as the Hawks came away with the 1-0 victory.

“It was an incredible experience for our guys,” said Hudson Catholic head coach Rui dos Santos. “We have a young team and the success we had, we will be able to reap benefits from for the years to come. I’m proud of these guys, because no one expected anything from us. But we stuck to the plan and were able to bounce back and win. I couldn’t be prouder of them and everything they accomplished.”

9-Ripken and George make visits to Hudson County

In August, two Hudson County schools were treated to visits from legendary sports celebrities.

First, St. Anthony gets a visit from Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr., with hope from Hope Depot, who came to the school with approximately $50,000 worth of upgrades to the school’s aesthetic view. Two weeks later, it was Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George, who told the Soaring Eagles football team about physical training, health and well being. It was great to see these two legends make it to the local area.

10-Prep repeats as Hudson County Baseball Tournament champs

When the high school baseball season began, there were very few people who thought that the Marauders of St. Peter’s Prep would be

able to repeat as the Ed “Faa” Ford Memorial Hudson County Baseball Tournament champions.

That list included Prep head coach Pat Laguerre.

“We didn’t think we were the best team coming into the season,” Laguerre said. “We lost nine seniors to graduation. That’s a lot. It’s a lot to replace.”

But Laguerre went to work with his roster that was depleted by graduation.

“We tinkered here and there to get the right combination,” Laguerre said.

In May, the Marauders faced Union City, with the county tournament title on the line.

Sure enough, the Marauders, who were the tourney’s top seed, managed to get just enough pitching and just enough hitting to come away with a 7-6 victory and take the Hudson County Tournament title for the second straight time, for the third time in four years and the fourth time in the last six campaigns.

That sounds like a dynasty in these parts.

“To repeat is always nice,” Laguerre said. “They should be really proud of themselves. This was a great performance.”

Just missed list There were other stories that were newsworthy, but did not make the Top 10 stories.

There was the saga of Belinda “Boe” Pearman being hired as the new athletic director at St. Peter’s University, making wild changes to the athletic department, then in December, just 15 months after her hiring, Pearman was dismissed; Union City native Steven Gonzalez becoming a starter as a red-shirt freshman at Penn State and leading the Nittany Lions to the Rose Bowl; Union City girls’ cross country team winning their third straight Hudson County team title; the tragic deaths of former County Prep and Hudson Catholic softball coach Tim O’Donnell and his 5-year-old daughter Bridget in a car crash on the New Jersey Turnpike, there were the deaths of great Hudson County sports figures as Jackie Moore, Robert Van Zanten, Bill O’Donnell, Tim Camp and Tommy Brazicki; St. Peter’s Prep opens a new health and training facility; the Loyola School of New York has two cross country champions from Hudson County in Ben Schumann and Hannah Cavanaugh-Gouvea; former St. Peter’s Prep grid great Will Hill’s eventual banishment from the NFL due to drug use; the emergence of track and field standouts Tomatse Ogedegbe of Hudson Catholic and North Bergen’s Natalie Gomes; the Hudson Reporter crowned Camille Bertholon of St. Dominic and Royaal Jones of Hudson Catholic as the Female and Male Athletes of the Year; and 25 legends were named in a countdown of the 25 Greatest Sports Characters in the last 25 years of the Hudson Reporter.

All in all, it was a great year in sports locally. Here’s to creating more memorable stories and feats in 2017.

Fax: 201-653-2013

SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY CHANCERY DIVISION

HUDSON COUNTY DOCKET NO. F-33026-16 NOTICE TO ABSENT DEFENDANTS STATE OF NEW JERSEY TO: THREE BEARS 8, LLC

WILLIAM S. HUMEN, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS MEMBER OF THREE BEARS 8, LLC

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED AND REQUIRED to serve upon Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, P.C., plaintiff’s attorneys, whose address is 7 Century Drive, Suite 201, Parsippany, NJ 07054, telephone number (973) 538-4700, an Answer to the Complaint and Amended Complaint, filed in a civil action, in which U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST is Plaintiff and THREE BEARS 8, LLC, et al. , are Defendants, pending in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Chancery Division, Hudson County and bearing Docket No. F33026-16 within thirty-five (35) days after 01/01/2017, or if published after 01/01/2017, thirty-five (35) days after the actual date of such publication, exclusive of such date, exclusive of such date. If you fail to do so, Judgment by Default may be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. You shall file your answer and proof of service in duplicate with the Clerk of the Superior Court, Hughes Justice Complex, CN-971, Trenton, New Jersey 08625, in accordance with the Rules of Civil Practice and Procedure.

This action has been instituted for the purpose of (1) foreclosing a mortgage dated 05/05/2005 made by WILLIAM S. HUMEN as mortgagors to WASHINGTON MUTUAL BANK, FA, A FEDERAL ASSOCIATION recorded on 05/25/2005, in Book 12890 of Mortgages for Hudson County, Page 1, et seq., which said mortgage was duly assigned to the Plaintiff named above, who is the present holder of said Mortgage. The said Mortgage was assigned by Assignment of Mortgage from JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, to LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, by Assignment dated March 27, 2015, and recorded on November 23, 2015, in the Office of the HUDSON County Clerk/Register in Assignment Book 1219, page 487, et seq. The said Mortgage was assigned by Assignment of Mortgage from LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, to U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF9 MASTER PARTICIPATION TRUST, plaintiff herein, by Assignment dated March 14, 2016, and recorded on June 6, 2016, in the Office of the HUDSON County Clerk/Register in Assignment Book 1223, page 155, et seq. and (2) to recover possession of, and concerns premises commonly known as 18 WEGMAN COURT, JERSEY CITY, NJ, 07305, Block 24201 FKA 1469, Lot 78 FKA 13 If you cannot afford or are unable to obtain an attorney, you may communicate with the Legal Services Office of the County of venue by calling: HUDSON COUNTY LAWYER REFERRAL:(201) 792-6363 HUDSON COUNTY LEGAL SERVICES:(201) 798-2727

YOU, THREE BEARS 8, LLC are made party defendant(s) to this foreclosure action because you are one of the mortgagors and may be liable for any deficiency and for any lien, claim, or interest you may have in, to or against the mortgaged premises by reason of the Mortgage made by you, WILLIAM S. HUMEN, as set forth above.

YOU, WILLIAM S. HUMEN, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS MEMBER OF THREE BEARS 8, LLC are made party defendant(s) to this foreclosure action because you are one of the mortgagors and may be liable for any deficiency and for any lien, claim, or interest you may have in, to or against the mortgaged premises by reason of the Mortgage made by you, WILLIAM S. HUMEN, as set forth above.

Dated: December 27, 2016 934RNE

S/ MICHELLE SMITH MICHELLE SMITH Clerk of the Superior Court of New Jersey

21 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

AMERICAN HOMES REALTY INC. We Hold the Key to your Dreams

Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 22

OBITUARIES Former Hudson Reporter sales associate Barbara Dillon passes away atherine “Barbara” Dillon (nee Pereira), 71, of Weehawken, a beloved mother, grandmother, wife, and a former longtime senior account executive at the Hudson Reporter, passed away peacefully on Dec. 21 at Hoboken University Medical Center.

Barbara was born in Jersey City and lived most of her life in Weehawken, where she will be sorely missed by many.

Barbara is survived by her husband James A. “Jimmy” Dillon, daughters Debora Vangelakos (Darrin) and Donna Hilton, grandchildren Michael Callagy, Emily, Sophie, and Samantha Chong, and she was predeceased by her granddaughter Amanda Callagy. She is also survived by her dear brother Gene Pereira.

Before retiring, she worked for the Reporter for more than 25 years.

She started at the paper as a receptionist in the 1980s and soon moved to the sales department, where she showed a flair. She worked in most of the Hudson Reporter’s territories and became an authority on the Secaucus Outlets when selling ads for the Secaucus Guidebook.

C

FITGERALD, WILLIAM F.X. A funeral mass was held Dec. 28 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church for William F.X. “Bill,” Fitzgerald. He passed away Dec. 21. A native son of Jersey City, he proudly spent his 88 years living in the city he loved. A 1946 graduate of Dickinson High School, Bill enlisted in the US Navy the day after graduation. He served on the USS Tanager removing mines from along the western Atlantic and Caribbean. He attended night school on the GI Bill at Stevens Institute of Technology and later New Jersey Institute of Technology studying Mechanical Engineering. He worked as a mechanical designer for Foster Wheeler Energy Cooperation for 25 years. He enjoyed bowling, playing pool and reading. An avid historian, he tirelessly researched his family’s history in Jersey City and the development of the city he loved. A proud Irishman, he read a great deal about his ancestors and their Irish roots. He was predeceased by siblings Thomas and Walter Fitzgerald and Geraldine Debicki. He is survived by his wife of 48 years Clelia (nee Slaib); daughters Margaret and Elizabeth; granddaughters Hana and Heidi; brother Jack; sister Margaret Swarbrick and many nieces and nephews.

Services arranged by the McLaughlin Funeral Home, Jersey City.

GLAESER, ESTELLE M. Funeral services took place Dec. 28 for Estelle M. Glaeser, 80 of Secaucus. She passed away Dec. 22 at the Sunrise Senior Living Center in East Brunswick. Born in Secaucus to the late Fredrick and Evelyn (Day) Vogel, Estelle was a lifelong resident. Estelle taught at the Clarendon School and was a graduate of the Trenton State Teachers’ College. She was a proud member of the NJEA. Predeceased by her husband Howard Glaeser and her brother Fredrick Vogel, Estelle is survived by her daughter Cheryl Glaeser, her son Howard and wife Kathleen Glaeser, and her sister Evelyn Moore. Also surviving are her grandchildren Alissa and John Glaeser.

Services arranged by the Mack Memorial Home, Secaucus.

J ODICE, SALVATORE P. A funeral mass was offered Dec. 29 at St. Lawrence Church in Weehawken for Salvatore P. Jodice, 82, of Weehawken. He passed away Dec. 24. He was born in Jersey City and lived in Hoboken before moving to Weehawken many years ago. Salvatore was a retired captain for the Weehawken Police Department serving for over 36 years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army and a member of the Weehawken VFW as well as the Weehawken Elks Club. Salvatore was the husband of Rosemarie (Ruddy) Jodice. He was the father of Donald and wife Rosemarie, Richard and wife Heidy and the late Michael Jodice. He was the brother of Thomas and wife Joann and the late Richard, Jerry, Matty and Genevieve; the brother in law of John Picone and Helen Jodice, and the grandfather of Rianne, Christopher, Sheana, Michael, Tanisha and

Barbara Dillon

“She knew it better than anyone else,” said Reporter CoPublisher Dave Unger. “She knew all the personalities there.”

She even discussed the outlets on the radio with WOR host Joan Hamburg.

“She was great,” Unger said. “She was lively and people responded to her.”

“She was a fun employee, very dedicated,” Lucha said. “And she was a great friend. We all miss her.”

Schuyler as well as the dear uncle of many nieces and nephews.

Services arranged by the Leber Funeral Home, Union City.

KILLOUGH, SISTER MAUREEN. A mass of Christian burial took place Dec. 28 for Sister Maureen Killough, 82, of Jersey City, formerly Sister Rose Michael, a Sister of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. She died Dec. 21at the Villa at Florham Park.

Sister Maureen was born in Jersey City, the daughter of Walter and Julia Donnelly Killough, and entered the Sisters of Charity in 1952. She was a member for 64 years. Sister Maureen graduated from the College of Saint Elizabeth, Convent Station, with a B.A. degree in History, and received an M.A. degree in Elementary Education from Seton Hall University, South Orange.

Sister Maureen served in the education ministry in New Jersey.

She served as a teacher at St. Margaret of Scotland School, Morristown; St. Cecilia Elementary School, Englewood; St. Patrick School, Jersey City. Sister served as Principal in Sacred Heart Elementary School, Jersey City for twenty six years, from 1972 - 1998. She continued her ministry to students and families until 2009. She retired to the Villa in 2009 where she resided until her death. She is survived by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth; her sisters, Sister Margaret Killough, SC and Julia Shevlino of Brick; her brother Walter and his wife Eleanor of Mahwah; many nephews and nieces.

Services arranged by the S.J. Priola Parsippany Funeral Service, Lake Hiawatha.

VIOLE, GARY M. The funeral mass was celebrated Dec. 28 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Ridgewood, for Gary M. Viole, 65, of Ridgewood, formerly of North Bergen. He passed away Dec. 21. He was the husband of Migdalia (nee Hernandez); father of Maria Glasson and her husband, Kevin, and Elizabeth Kubanik and her husband, Richard, and stepfather of Julianne Cantore and her husband, Michael, and Jacqueline Puzo; grandfather of AJ Glasson and Charlie Kubanik; son of Elizabeth (nee Arcaro) and the late Fred Viole; brother of the late Fred, Jr., Richard and his wife, Rosa, and Ronald, uncle of

At the Reporter’s annual Christmas party, she often joined sportswriter Jim Hague in his annual rendition of “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.”

“We became very good friends over the 20 years we worked together,” Hague said. “She was as loyal and devoted as a coworker and friend as I’ve ever had, constantly worrying about me.

She came to see me when I was in the hospital twice. She was an avid reader of mine and became even moreso when he granddaughters became superstars in Weehawken. We shared in the misery of her granddaughter Amanda’s passing about 10 years ago. It was very hard for Barbara to get through, but we tried to help her through it. She was a fun, happy, loving, caring person who will be very much missed, especially by her close-knit family, but by everyone she touched and worked with.”

“Barbara was a person filled with so much love and could make anyone smile,” said co-worker Toni Anne Calderone. “She was so funny, supportive and genuine. She was one of my dearest friends and I miss her terribly.”

Christine Youngclaus, a former coworker, said, “We were there for each other in good times, bad, and the worst sometimes. She was also like a grandmother to my children. We celebrated many holidays and birthdays together with our families. Barbara lived for her family, her husband , her daughters and grandchildren. In my eyes she was an amazing woman.”

Family, friends, and relatives are invited to attend her Memorial Mass on Saturday Jan. 7 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Lawrence Church, 22 Hackensack Ave., Weehawken.

Fred and his wife, Stacy, Paul, Christopher and his wife, Tricia, Caitlin and her husband, Ross, Tessa, Guillermina and her husband, Paolo, and Franco.

Gary grew up in North Bergen, and attended the Newark College of Engineering. He was passionate about his development and manufacturing of medical foods as CEO of Conjugated Functional Foods, LLC. He began his career in the family business, BeVi Natural Foods, and served as president of Livron Vitamin Co. Inc. Gary’s work included a pre-clinical study at the prestigious National Cancer Institute of the National Institute of Health regarding the influence on cancer of plant phospholipid/lipid conjugate (pPLC) which was published in the cancer research journal Carcinogenesis. Several of his proprietary processes were patented. Gary was known for his sense of humor, endless kindness and generosity, special pancake recipe and distinct “style”. His second home was New Orleans where he rode on floats in the Bacchus and Krewe of Tucks Mardi Gras parades.

Services arranged by the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, Wyckoff.

WILSON, ERIN A. Funeral services took place Dec. 27 for Erin A. Wilson, 30, of Secaucus. She passed away suddenly on Dec. 22. Daughter of Darlene (McKenna) and the late William Wilson, Erin was a lifelong resident of Secaucus. Erin was a lover of animals who will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Predeceased by her father William and brother William Wilson, both former Jersey City Firefighters, Erin is survived by her mother Darlene, her brother Brian and his wife Yuko Wilson, and her loving nieces Renee and Kelly and Mayu and Hana Wilson.

Also surviving are her Uncle John and Aunt Stephanie McKenna.

Services arranged by the Mack Memorial Home, Secaucus.

ZIENTEK, J ULIANA STEPHANIE. A funeral mass was offered Dec. 29 at the Parish of St. John Paul II at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Bayonne, for Juliana Stephanie Zientek, 39.

She passed away suddenly on Dec. 22. Born in Jersey City and raised in Bayonne, Julie graduated from Holy Family Academy.

She received her bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. Julie was employed at MetLife Stadium and the Meadowlands Sports Complex as a guest services representative and supervisor for many years. She also worked at Michael’s in Watchung and at Red Bull Arena in Harrison.

She was the daughter of Matthew and Antoinette (Rozanski) Zientek; sister of Lynn Ann and Amanda Zientek; granddaughter of the late Stanislaw and Stefania Zientek and Zigmund and Georgine Rozanski. Also survived by loving uncles, aunts, cousins, and many dear friends.

Services arranged by the S. Fryczynski & Son Funeral Home, Bayonne.

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23 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

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Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 24

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Orthodontist with Graphic Design Skills.

Doctor of Dentistry, +1 year orthodontic education training, +18 mos. experience in computer animation, excellent use of 3DMax software and writing experience in orthodontics publications. NJ orthodontic academy. To help develop orthodontics 3D animations for web based applications and online courses content in orthodontic.

Candidates will be responsible for working with different orthodontists to create and edit content for App-books on advanced orthodontic topics, draft figures, create 3D animations, design and work directly with web developer to create web based applications, iPad applications and online courses for orthodontic residents, educators and clinicians. Candidates will be also responsible for double checking the content from other orthodontists. Pls mail resume to: CTOR Academy 129 Washington St, Ste 300, Hoboken, NJ 07030 ATTN: Recruitment

LOOKING FOR DRIVERS AND MOVERS Great pay plus tips.

Only serious need apply.

CDL not required. Local moves.

Morrissey's Moving Co. 792 Broadway Bayonne, NJ 07002 201-222-1224 or 973-841-1677 Managing Director & HR Administrator BS Econ/Bus Adm/equiv., +18 mos exp in operational mngmt of co. accounting, grant applications, HR admin. Candidates will be resp for fin mgmt. of co. working closely with co. accountants; mgmt. of industry and Univ accts & collaborations; writing & applying for grants, supervision of proj execution & managing budgets, final reports. Will be resp for effective mgmt. of HR dept, recruitment, training new employees, recruitment & training of students in fellowship prog, conduct perf evals, maintain attendance logs, schedule lectures & manage payroll. Must have exp working with nonprofit corps. This is a private co. that offers research & development services to industry, training of healthcare providers, & connects these with Univ collaborators, in research network that facilitates innovations in oral healthcare. NJ research co. Pls mail resume to: CTOR Research, 129 Washington St, Ste 300, Hoboken, NJ 07030 ATTN: Recruitment

NOW HIRING! FEDERAL and POSTAL JOBS! Call the Federal Trade Commission toll-free at 1-877-FTC-HELP to find out how to avoid job placement scams.

Or visit www.ftc.gov.

A public service message from The Hudson Reporter Newspaper Group and the FTC.

PLACE YOUR AD HERE For more details call the Classified Department at 201-798-7800

PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD ONLINE 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK go to: www.hudsonreporter.com

click on Place a classified ad on the top bar and follow the easy instructions On-line Deadlines: Monday 12 midnight for Wednesday Publication & Wednesday 12 midnight for Sunday Publications For more information call the Classified Department Monday-Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm The Hudson Reporter 447 Broadway Bayonne, NJ 07002 201-798-7800 WANT F/T WORK? Call America Works Social Security FREE Ticket-To-Work Program. 855-268-1935.

330 HELP WANTED MEDICAL MEDICAL ASSISTANT Jersey City Doctor's Office.

Part-time, Monday, Wednesday & Thursday. Bilingual, English/ Spanish.

Fax Resume 973-669-5955

JOB SOURCE GENERAL CLASSIFIED

CLASSIFIED

490 FOR SALE

505 HOME IMPROVEMENTS

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435 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

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OUR FAX NUMBER IS: (201) 798-0018

ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS: Do you want to reach over 2 million readers?

Place your 25 word Classified ad in over 130 newspapers throughout NJ for $560. Contact Peggy Arbitell 609-3597381 or visit www.njpa.org

All you need to include: * Your Ad as you would like it to appear, * Your phone number, name, and billing address, * Credit Card name, number, and expiration date, * Contact person & phone number for questions and confirmation.

Deadlines: 12 Noon Monday for entry in our Wednesday paper, 12 Noon Wednesday for entry in our 7 Sunday papers.

485 FINANCIAL

Visit www.hudsonreporter.com SERVICES: Financial

ADVANCE-FEE LOANS OR CREDIT OFFERS: It's Illegal for companies doing business by phone to promise you a loan and ask you to pay for it before they deliver. For more information, call toll-free 1-877-FTC HELP. A public service message from the Hudson Reporter and the Federal Trade Commission.

Please note these deadlines are also for cancellations, and check your ad on the first day of publication, as we can only be responsible for first time incorrect insertion.

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THE HUDSON REPORTER 505 HOME IMPROVEMENTS Visit www.hudsonreporter.com SERVICES: Home Improvement

490 FOR SALE

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Visit www.hudsonreporter.com MERCHANDISE: For Sale

Bayonne; Dining room set 6 chairs and china $600, Twin Mattress new $100, Tile saw cutter wet/dry with stand $125, call 718-541-0141

For more details call the Classified Department at 201-798-7800

Est. 1953 Insured

M.V. ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS, LLC. Specializing in Residential & Commercial Applications Servicing Hudson/Union/ Bergen/Somerset Counties

Call in time to place your ad in our next edition Monday at 12:00 Noon for Wednesday & the following Sunday edition.

Wednesday at 12:00 Noon for Sunday & the following Wednesday edition. *Please note these deadlines are also for cancellations. *Please check your ad on the first day of publication, as we can only be responsible for first time incorrect insertion.

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FREE FOUND ADS The HUDSON REPORTER Classified Department will publish Found Ads at NO Charge!! If you find a lost item or pet, please call our Classified Department at: (201) 798-7800 We will publish your ad, up to 20 words for 2 weeks, FREE! Private Party individual only.

555 MEDICAL

ELECTRICAL Lic # 11063 Bonded

CLASSIFIED DEADLINES!!

GOT KNEE PAIN? Back Pain?

Shoulder Pain? Get a pain-relieving brace at little or no cost to you. Medicare Patients Call Health Hotline Now! 1-800-4897701.

FREE EST.

FULLY INSURED

L PINI & SONS Est. 1918

PLUMBING & HEATING Gas Heating Specialists We specialize in condo repairs

CALL NOW!

201-659-3508 Fax# 201-659-3442

mvelectricalcontractors.com

675 WANTED WE BUY

44TH ANNUAL GARDEN STATE STAMP and Cover Show. January 5-7, 10am. The Bethwood, 38 Lackawanna Ave., Totowa, NJ. FREE Admission, FREE Appraisals, FREE Parking. 908-419-9751.

DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT – TO HERITAGE FOR THE BLIND. Free 3 Day Vacation. Tax Deductible. Free Towing. All Paperwork Taken Care Of. 800263-5434.

Deliver your message to over 3 million readers! Place a 2x2 Display Ad in 114 NJ weekly newspapers for ONLY $1400.

Call Peggy Arbitell at 609-3597381, email parbitell@njpa.org or visit www.njpa.org. Ask about our TRI-BUY package to reach NY, NJ and PA! DISH TV – BEST DEAL EVER! Only $39.99/mo. Plus $14.99/ mo. Internet (where avail.).

FREE Streaming. FREE Install (up to 6 rooms) FREE HDDVR. Call 1-800-886-1897.

AUTO CLASSIFIED

700 AUTOS FOR SALE www.hudsonreporter.com AUTOMOTIVE: Automobiles

NEED TO REACH MORE PEOPLE? Place your 25-word classified ad in 130 NJ newspapers for $560. Call Peggy Arbitell at 609-359-7381, email parbitell@njpa.org or visit www.njpa.org (Nationwide placement available.)

Ask about our TRI-BUY package to reach NY, NJ and PA! SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILTY BENEFITS. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing!

Contact Bill Gordon and Associates at 1-800-450-7617 to start your application today!

660 SERVICES A PLACE FOR MOM. The nation's largest senior living referral service. Contact our trusted, local experts today! Our service is FREE/no obligation. Call 1800-813-2587 Does your Hi Def TV look a little OFF ? Perhaps it looks like you're watching a lowbudget SOAP OPERA. Something doesn't look quite right. I can help. Email the Hi-Def Helper at hidefhelper007@gmail.com.

Your TV will look AMAZING. ELIGIO HANDYMAN- Free estimates. Painting $99/room.

Loose tiles, carpentry, doors, leaks, caulking, cement cracks, kitchens/baths, drywall 201589-5311, email: eligiohandy manplus@gmail.com

FAX YOUR CLASSIFIED AD It's Fast & Easy!

OUR FAX NUMBER IS: (201) 798-0018 All you need to include: * Your Ad as you would like it to appear, * Your phone number, name, and billing address, * Credit Card name, number, and expiration date, * Contact person & phone number for questions and confirmation.

Deadlines: 12 Noon Monday for entry in our Wednesday paper, 12 Noon Wednesday for entry in our 7 Sunday papers.

Please note these deadlines are also for cancellations, and check your ad on the first day of publication, as we can only be responsible for first time incorrect insertion.

Any questions please call us at (201) 798-7800

THE HUDSON REPORTER

PLUMBING

(201) 659-3304 Visit us on the Web

570 MISCELLANEOUS

Anthony Pini NJ Plumbing Lic# 1702

HOME IMPROV EMEN T S , SERV ICE S & MORE!

25 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD CALL 2O1-798-78OO

Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017 • 26

BRIEFS

from page 20

Secaucus School District Names Teachers of the Year he Secaucus School District recently named its Teachers of The Year from each local school for the 201617 year. Winners include: Maleesa Lamatina from Clarendon School, Cindy Viera from Huber Street School, Toni Ann Palmisano from Secaucus Middle School, and Allison Urbanovich, from Secaucus High School. Educators receive the honor via panels from their respective schools. Those panels contrast each nominee’s qualifications with criteria from the State of New Jersey Department of Education. “Each of our Teachers of the Year are exemplary educators who are held in the highest of esteem within the school and town community,” said Interim Superintendant Kenneth Knops about the winners. “They certainly represent the district in the finest of fashion.”

T

Secaucus Walmart dealing with constant thefts fficers charged and arrested three people in November who allegedly attempted a robbery at the town’s Walmart, police said. Officials have noted at least 13 theft attempts at the Walmart within the last few months. Working in conjunction with police, Walmart says its loss prevention team has prevented over $5,000 in unpaid items from leaving the store since August.Police say over 12 percent of the township’s arrests for 2015 came from Walmart. In response, the town is considering permanently placing a police officer inside the store. Mayor Michael Gonnelli plans to meet with store officials to discuss security measures in early 2017.

O

North Bergen spreads holiday cheer with free gifts for 800 kids, food for 400 seniors ayor Nicholas Sacco, alongside Commissioners Hugo Cabrera and Julio Marenco, held the annual North Bergen Toy Drive at the town’s Recreation Center Dec. 22. Approximately 250 families picked up free gifts for their kids— around 800 young ones in total. Each family also received a chicken and a bag of sides.

NB C.A.R.E.S (Community Assistance Relief Events and Support), a relief program to assist displaced North Bergen residents, worked with the North Bergen Police Department and the North Bergen Board of Education to gather the toys in November at various town locations.

The town also gave 400 seniors at the center cooked meals. PBA Local 18 and 18A both contributed funds for the drive. Additional contributors included Avalon Bay, Bar One, Bottle Co., and Broadway Pharmacy. A local Walgreens donated many of the toys and gifts. Leftover items after the drive were donated to local charities and/or the relief center.

M

North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue firefighters brought a five-alarm furniture store blaze in North Bergen under control. (See brief.)

Office: (201) 568-4450

480 Sylvan Avenue Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632

Fax: (201) 568-4486

www.ridgecoproperties.com

A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year from Ridgeco Properties CONTACT US FOR NEW UPCOMING PROJECTS IN THE AREA Barbara Perez Sales Associate Specializing in properties throughout Northern New Jersey

Cell: (201) 388-2745 Email: bperez629@gmail.com

Gerardette Lovino Sales Associate Cell: (201) 923-3491 Email: gerardette@aol.com

27 • Year in Review • The Hudson Reporter • January 1, 2017

Secaucus Events

Year in Review â&#x20AC;¢ The Hudson Reporter â&#x20AC;¢ January 1, 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 28

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