April 2, 2014 Edition of The Observer by The Observer Newspaper

April 2, 2014 • www.theobserver.com • Vol CXXVI, No. 45

COVERING: BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD

It’s Bianchi vs. Massa for mayor By Ron Leir Observer Correspondent NORTH ARLINGTON – A pair of septuagenarians will square off against each other for the borough’s highest office in this year’s municipal election in North Arlington. It’ll be Democratic incumbent Peter Massa, seeking a third term, facing Republican Councilman Joseph Bianchi for mayor. This is Bianchi’s first try for the mayoralty. Since his 3-year term on the council runs through 2016, he can reclaim his seat if he’s unsuccessful in the mayoralty race. Bianchi’s GOP running mates for Borough Council will be incumbent Dan Pronti, a retired cop who works now as a realtor, and newcomer Kerry Anne Cruz, a realtor, while, on the Democratic side, Massa’s ticket will include incumbent Councilman Mark Yampaglia, an attorney, and Dan Castro, who ran unsuccessfully in 2013. Currently, the Borough Council is evenly divided, politically, with the mayor voting to break ties, thereby giving Dems the edge. Asked about Bianchi’s credentials, Gary Burns, president of local county Republican committee, said: “He’s been reelected several times. In 2013, he was elected to his third term on the council. He’s see NOMINEES page

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Bidding farewell

Inset photo by Erlinda Polixa

The USS Forrestal enters New York Harbor during Fleet Week in 1989. (Inset) Former crew member Allen Polixa of Nutley.

By Karen Zautyk Observer Correspondent NUTLEY – In 1955, the USS Forrestal was commissioned as America’s first post-World War II aircraft carrier -- a 1,067-foot “supercarrier.”

For nearly four decades, it sailed the seas, serving this nation in peace and in war -- and surviving a disastrous 1967 accident in which 134 crewmen died and more than 160 were injured. In 1993, it was decommissioned and put in

“storage,” first at Newport, R.I., and then at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. And where is this historic vessel now? Being torn asunder and turned into scrap metal in Brownsville, Texas. The Pentagon had failed to

find a buyer for the carrier. It couldn’t even donate the Forrestal as a memorial or a museum, since, according to published reports, no suitable applicants ever came forward. see CARRIER page

Sewer rehab nightmare for locals HARRISON – You can’t blame people living along the eastern stretch of Hamilton St., between Kingsland and Schuyler Aves., for feeling like they’re in a sort of war zone. For many months, the area has been inundated with a tangle of above-ground pipes

and barricades blocking traffic flow and uprooting curbside parking for the entire block. Harrison Gardens, the sprawling public housing complex, sits on the south side of Hamilton and Harrison High School fronts on the north side. The issue is a massive infra-

structure project being tackled by the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) which has dragged on since last summer, seemingly with no end in sight. PVSC spokeswoman Hollie Gilroy identified the project as a repair of the Kearny-Harrison-Newark branch intercep-

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tor sewer. Gilroy said the job involves “the rehabilitation of approximately 2,000 feet of 42-inch concrete interceptor sewer constructed in 1924 that runs along Schuyler and Hamilton within the towns of Kearny see SEWER page

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

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By Ron Leir Observer Correspondent KEARNY–

he Kearny Board of Education is on record endorsing a middle school campus. The board voted 6-0 at a special meeting last Monday, March 24, to get the ball rollling. Missing from the scene were Vice President John Leadbeater and members John Plaugic and Dan Esteves. On the subject of the middle school (grades 6, 7 and 8 combined into a centralized “campus”), the board authorized district officials to begin formal negotiations with the owners of the St. Stephen’s School (or, as it was most recently known, Mater Dei Academy) on Midland Ave. for its purchase and/or lease. Under plans outlined at Monday’s meeting by Acting Superintendent of Schools Patricia Blood, if the district is successful in acquiring use of the parochial school building, it would consolidate all of its 400-plus sixth-graders – including bilingual and special needs students – spread among 20 classrooms in that facility by September 2014 as the first step in the process of creating a middle school campus. Phase 2, Blood said, would be enacted the following school year by changing Lincoln Elementary School – across the street from St. Stephen’s School – from its current pre-K to grade 8 population – to a central location for the district’s seventh – and eighth-grade students. The children in pre-K through grade 6 would be dispersed to other elemen-

Images courtesy Kearny BOE

Kearny school ofﬁcials hope to create a middle school campus, consisting of Lincoln School (top) for grades 7 and 8 and the old St. Stephen’s School (below) for grade 6.

tary schools, Blood said. How that distribution would play out will hinge, in part, on a district-wide demographics study currently “in the works,” said Blood. “We should have the results in by next month.” This middle school campus concept – which has been promoted by prior district administrators – was most recently pitched by Schools Superintendent Frank Ferraro, before being placed on an involuntary paid leave, effective Jan. 6, after the newly reorganized board took a 6-2 “vote of no confidence” in Ferraro’s leadership. Nonetheless, Ferraro and

Blood appear to be on the same page when it comes to their support for a physical realignment of grades 6 to 8 as a strategy for improving the efficiency and quality of instruction for those students, relieving overcrowding in Garfield, Roosevelt and Washington elementary schools and for achieving savings in school spending. While the board agreed to take the next step in the process by talking money with St. Stephen’s parish, Board President Bernadette McDonald – who has previously voiced skepticism about the economics of it – told the audience in Franklin School

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auditorium that, “This is not a commitment. We’re just getting prices. We have to know if we can afford this.” Responding to one parent’s concern that the district wasn’t giving itself much lead time to get ready for a fall opening of the St. Stephen’s School building, Blood insisted that, “This is not a fast push. This has been discussed by district officials, back to [interim] Superintendent [Ron] Bolandi [who served during 2011-2012] when Mater Dei was closing.” District Operations Director Mark Bruscino said that his staff would do everything possible to ensure that the building complies with state school code standards, including making the first floor ADA-accessible, by September. To meet staffing requirements, Blood said the Lincoln School principal would serve as overall administrator for both Lincoln and the “Annex,” 1 “we would need to assign but a vice principal to the Annex building itself.” Additionally, she said, there would be an “itinerant nurse” and two custodians, along with teachers. Another parent wondered if her child could expect to see the same instructional technology she was now enjoying at her current school and Blood reassured her that the Annex “would be equipped with computers and smart boards.” Since sixth-graders would be venturing across Midland Ave., a heavily-traveled two-way street, to Lincoln to swim in the pool there – and possibly to use the gym since St. Stephen’s gymnatorium is configured only for “aerobic” see CAMPUS page

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Brushfires plague meadows By Karen Zautyk Observer Correspondent

wind played a major role,” with 35-45 mph gusts spreading the flames. Crews from Harrison, ast week’s windy weather, Kearny, East Newark and combined with dry Secaucus responded. conditions in the meadHarrison Fire Director owlands, kept local firefighters Harold Stahl said that fighting busy with brushfires, including this fire, which began behind three within one day. the Worthington Pump works, On Wednesday, the first was complicated by the high blaze was reported at 12:30 winds that extended the flames p.m. along the N.J. Turnpike across the railroad tracks to in Kearny. Kearny Fire Chief other sections of meadows. Steve Dyl noted that it was “The buffalo grass and a small one and, despite the various deposits in the marshes winds, was “under control readily catch fire,” Stahl said. quickly.” Dyl noted that when the But as soon as that was flames jumped the tracks, they quenched, a much larger consumed railroad ties “and brushfire was reported at got into the brush near the 12:46 p.m. near Rt. 280 along PATH yards” along the Passaic the Harrison-Kearny border River. -- and there, Dyl noted, “the

Stahl said another complication was the lack of hydrants in the meadows area, prompting a call to the North Bergen Fire Department for its water tanker truck to help with firefighting efforts PATH, NJ Transit and Amtrak were all forced to temporarily suspend service along their respective lines due to the blaze. Firefighter Steve Fostek, public information officer for the Harrison FMBA, noted that an additional obstacle to the crews on scene “was a telephone pole with live wires [that] burned and fell into the fire area causing a delay, as fire personnel had to wait for PSE&G to cut the power.” Dyl said the fire was de-

clared under control ar 2:45 p.m. But that didn’t end the day. At 5:07 p.m., yet another brushfire broke out, along the railroad embankment at the rear of Cali Carting, 450 Bergen Ave., Kearny. Kearny and Harrison both responded to that blaze and had it knocked down by 5:22 p.m. Later that night, shortly after 11 p.m., the KFD responded to the U.S. Postal facility at 850 Newark Turnpike, where two cars were reported ablaze in the parking lot. The cause of that fire is under investigation, but Dyl noted the high winds were also a factor in that call. Wind-whipped flames were threatening another vehicle, but serious damage to it was

prevented, the chief said. On Thursday, Kearny and Harrison were back in brushfire mode, battling one off Harrison Ave., at the Rt. 280 ramp to the Turnpike. That one broke out shortly after 3 p.m. and was under control by 3:45. However, it forced the closure of Harrison Ave. for about two hours, east from the Bergen Ave. extension, causing what Dyl called “major traffic problems.” No injuries were reported in any of the blazes. During the Wednesday fire near the rail lines, the Jersey City and Bayonne fire departments provided backup coverage to Kearny and Harrison, and Jersey City was again on standby Thursday.

Guard smuggled drugs into jail KEARNY– A former corrections officer at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center satellite unit in Kearny was sentenced to state prison Friday for smuggling heroin and marijuana into the facility, which houses sex offenders. Acting N.J. Attorney General John J. Hoffman reported that Bobby Singletary, 55, of Paterson, was sentenced to seven years in state prison, including five years of parole ineligibility, by Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez in Hudson County. Singletary was also ordered to forfeit his entire pension and is permanently barred from public employment in New Jersey. In September, he had

Hoffman noted that the the public to confidentially fidentially report suspected been found guilty at trial Division of Criminal Justice report corruption, financial wrongdoing via the website of conspiracy, official crime and other illegal activi- http://www.njdcj.org. misconduct and bribery. Five has established a toll-free tipline 1-866-TIPS-4CJ for ties. The public also can con–Karen Zautyk other defendants pleaded guilty previously and testified against him. Between August 2007 and October 2010, Singletary conspired with the other defendants to acquire heroin and high-grade marijuana that he smuggled to inmates coffeehouse & cafe at the Kearny facility. The customers paid for the drugs by wiring money to co-conspirators outside the prison. “By smuggling drugs to inmates, Singletary betrayed his oath and compromised Large variety of Brunch items! the safety of his fellow Reservations Recommended correction officers,” Hoffman Three Seatings: 10:00am, 11:30am and 1:00pm said. “He demonstrated that he belongs on the other side of the prison bars.”

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Is N.J. going to pot? Cops hope not By Ron Leir Observer Correspondent

tee for further debate. The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office declined comEven if the state legislature ment on the bill and referred legalizes the possession and The Observer to the state Atpersonal use of small amounts torney General’s Office, whose of marijuana for people age 21 spokesman said the office and older, it appears that sevwould have no comment. eral area communities would But The Observer successstill look to ban the practice. fully solicited reactions from And that’s an option that five municipal law enforcemunicipalities could exercise, ment leaders in Hudson, Essex through the passage of a local and Bergen counties, all of ordinance, under the proposed whom were unanimous in law. opposing the bill for various The bill, S1896, as introreasons. duced March 27 by State Sen. A version of the bill pubNicholas Scutari (D-Union), lished Saturday by the N.J. with a companion bill in the Division of Legislative SerAssembly, has been referred to vices explained that under the the Senate Judiciary Commit- bill’s provisions, it would “not

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THE RIGHT OF NON-OWNER USE When purchasing property, buyers should carefully note whether an “easement” exists. An easement gives someone else the right to use part of the property for a specific purpose. For instance, it may give a neighbor the right to use the driveway to get to his or her own landlocked property. If the document grants an easement to a particular person, the restriction usually terminates when he or she sells the property. If it’s granted to someone for a term of years or to someone and “his heirs and assigns,” the easement is probably in effect regardless of who owns the property. Unless and until the

easement expires, it’s the property owner’s legal obligation to refrain from interfering with that right. We are pleased to present you with interesting and informative real estate topics. If you are selling property that has an easement, you must disclose it to potential buyers. Should you be purchasing property, it is important to learn about any easements that may transfer with the title. To learn more, reach us today. The office is conveniently located. Helping you achieve your real estate goals is our #1 priority! “Our success has been built one satisfied customer at a time.”

be unlawful” for people age 21 and older to: • Buy, use or transport “marijuana accessories” or “one ounce or less” of marijuana and consume it in a private space. • Grow or transport “no more than six marijuana plants, with three or fewer being mature, flowering plants … provided that the growing takes place in an enclosed,

locked space, is not conducted openly or publicly, and is not made available for sale.” • Buy marijuana or marijuana products from a retail marijuana store under rules to be developed by a newly constituted state Division of Alcoholic Beverage and Marijuana Control. The bill would allow municipalities to “enact ordinances” to regulate “the time,

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place, manner and number of marijuana establishments,” to process applications, issue annual licenses within 90 days and penalize violators. The new state ABMC would review applications for licenses. Application fees “shall not exceed $5,000.” Municipalities also “may prohibit the operation of” marijuana facilities by ordinance. And the state would have the right to levy a sales tax “upon marijuana sold or otherwise transferred by a marijuana cultivation facility to a marijuana produce manufacturing facility or to a retail marijuana store …” with tax revenues to be distributed to the state Transportation Trust Fund, the Drug Enforcement Demand Reduction Fund and programs supporting women’s health, family planning, postpartum depression awareness, smoking cessation and HIVawareness. If the bill becomes law, “It should be a high tax,” said Kearny Police Chief John Dowie, but it would be preferable if the bill is squashed, he added. “I have no problem with medical marijuana but I’m not in favor of this bill.” Dowie said. “I don’t think we should be encouraging people to be under the influence of any drug. And this bill would make marijuana easier to get.” Moreover, Dowie said, see MARIJUANA page

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

This ‘Sweeney’ sure to be on cutting edge By Ron Leir Observer Correspondent HARRISON –

eady for a bit of skullduggery flavored with some twisted Sondheim music? Then you’ll want to see the Harrison High School Drama Club’s deliciously dark depiction of “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.” Yes, it’s the Broadway thriller musical with music by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler that featured Len Cariou as the British barber back from an Australian exile with a vengeance and Angela Lansbury as the doomed pie maker Mrs. Lovett in the original cast from 1979 which won a Tony for Best Musical. The curtain rises 7:30 p.m. for the opening performance on Thursday, April 3, and two more shows follow at the same time on Friday, April 4, and Saturday, April 5, in the Harrison High School auditorium, 800 Hamilton St. Tickets are $10 for adults

Photo courtesy Matt Boryszewski

The Harrison High School Drama Club cast of “Sweeney Todd.”

and $5 for students, children and senior citizens. Producer Matt Boryszewski acknowledges that “Sweeney” is “a different kind of show for us. The past few years, we’ve been doing more of the kind of shows that would attract children but now I think our kids are ready for this.” In the role of the tonsorial terror Sweeney Todd is senior

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Other featured performers include: junior Anna Teixera, (Mrs. Lovett), who was a chorus member in “Once on This Island” and in “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”; junior David Pineda (Anthony), who sings with the Blue Note Singers ensemble and the Concert Choir; freshman Karla Vasquez (Johanna), a Concert Choir member who is making her Drama Club debut; and senior Gianmarco Haro (Tobias), who was the choreographer and dance captain for last year’s spring show and who will be the featured artist in the upcoming Hudson County Teen Arts Festival. While the members of the Drama Club certainly are more than a few generations

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thoughts&views THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

The contents of letters do not reflect the opinion of The Observer staff. Letters must be kept to a maximum of 250 words. Any letters that exceed the maximum will be edited, at the discretion of the publisher, who reserves the right at any time to reject or edit the letters for space. Letters must include the writer’s name, address, and telephone number for verification purposes. The deadline for letters is Thursday at 5 p.m. Any letters that arrive after deadline will not be considered for the upcoming publication. Letters can be sent by e-mail to publisher@theobserver.com or mailed to 39 Seeley Ave., Kearny, N.J. 07032. Anonymous letters will not be published under any circumstances.

Once there was a ‘debris field’ in N.Y. A

s the mystery and media feeding frenzy over Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 continue, I have been thinking about another aircraft disaster, this one closer to home and a long time ago. When I was with the N.Y. Daily News, I wrote about it for a New York City history series the newspaper was running. If you’re interested in that article, you can find it online; the headline is, “Red Snow: The Brooklyn Air Crash, 1960.” At the risk of plagiarizing myself, I’m going to write about it here, because it affected me deeply. That’s because I grew up in Down Neck, Newark, directly under the flight path to nearby Newark Airport, and back in those days air crashes were more common, so I felt that what happened easily could have happened in my neighborhood. It was the morning of Dec. 16, 1960. A United Airlines DC-8, Flight 826 out of Chicago, was nearing its destination, New York’s

Idlewild (now JFK) Airport. TWA Flight 266, a Super Constellation, had traveled from Ohio and was heading for LaGuardia. At 10:33 a.m., they collided over Staten Island. The TWA plane spiralled, nose up, from the sky into Miller Army Air Field on the eastern shore of Staten Island. All 39 people on board were killed. The United plane crashed into densely populated Park Slope, Brooklyn, narrowly missing a school. Of the 83 passengers and crew, there was one survivor, an 11-yearold boy who died 27 hours later. Six people on the ground also were killed. That the death toll on the street in Brooklyn wasn’t higher was something of a miracle. The crash site was Sterling Place between Sixth and Seventh Aves., a block densely packed with multi-family brownstones. Ten homes, a church and three businesses were ablaze. Responding to the scene were 2,500 police, firefighters and volunteers.

going by was a plane, at eye level. There had been speculation that the United pilot was been trying to reach the open fields of Prospect Park, but aviation experts did not believe he could have had any control over the aircraft after the collision. I think he might have. The park is only two blocks and on a direct line from the impact site. And a teacher at St. AuPHOTO COURTESY GOGOLE IMAGES gustine High School, on Sterling Place between Fifth the site of the 1960 crash that and Sixth Aves., testified that At the time, this was the when the plane came down had so affected me when I deadliest commercial air the street, its wings were was young. disaster in U.S. history. perpendicular to the ground. On the corner was a small It remained in my memory grocery owned by an elderly And it came down the center for years, and then faded. of the street. A few yards to couple, who I figured must Then, several decades later, have been there that terrible the side, and it would have it dramatically resurfaced. taken out a dozen more I had just moved into a new day. I asked the woman buildings, including the apartment and was exploring about it and she recounted school. the experience. She told the neighborhood. Around Was the plane’s position of hearing a roaring noise, the corner, there was a vacant lot, an uncommon sight which she thought might be a pure luck? I like to believe it was the in that area. I asked someone tractor-trailer truck, though pilot’s doing. that wasn’t likely on the about it. “That’s where the Thank you, Capt. Robert H. narrow street. plane crashed,” I was told. Sawyer. She looked out the shop It turned out that I was –Karen Zautyk window, and what she saw now living half a block from

CORRECTION Last week’s story about Barbara Gangi, the beloved North Arlington waitress who was tragically killed while crossing River Road, misidentified the funeral home that handled the arrangements. It was the Parow Funeral Home, North Arlington. The Observer regrets the error.

Don’t forget to check www.theobserver.com for news that didn’t make it into this week’s paper

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Kudos to detectives who cracked case BELLEVILLE – hree members of the Belleville Police Department have been singled out for special credit for helping break a local theft case. They are: Dets. Joseph Mundy, a 19-year veteran including the last eight years in the detective bureau; Matthew Dox, a 6-year officer in the bureau since November; and 4-year officer Rafael Reyes, also in the bureau since November. At the March 25 Township Council meeting, the trio received plaques from AAY Associates, a Garden City, N.Y., security management firm, and T-Mobile in appreciation of their work. Mundy said the case involved a theft at Uncle Bob’s Self-Storage, 125 Franklin St., reported on Nov. 18, 2013, by

Photo courtesy Belleville PD

Andy Kohut of AAY presents plaques to, from l. Dets. Matthew Dox, Joseph Mundy and Rafael Reyes.

Andy Kohut, a retired NYPD detective who runs AAY Associates, which provides security services for T-Mobile, which has a cell-tower setup and related equipment in an upper level storage unit at Uncle Bob’s. That unit had been tampered with during the night

Spring fever, Spring break, Spring cleaning The staff at The Smile and Implant Center, 837 Kearny Ave., wants to extend wishes you a very Happy Spring! With the change of season and a renewal of energy, The Smith Center encourages folks to direct some of that energy to improved dental health this spring. It is said that, “the mouth is the window of the body.” Ongoing scientific study is forever adding to this knowledge base proving the associations linking oral health and periodontal disease to systemic health issues

such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, preterm births, pulmonary disease, pancreatic cancer and even kidney disease. People who haven’t seen a dentist in the past six months are invited to secure an appointment with one of the Smile Center’s hygienists (Tokie, Clara or Kelly) by calling 201-991-1055 or by emailing alexis@thesmileandimplantcenter.com. The Smile and Implant Center is currently offering a spring special with a savings of 20% off (until April 30) all Botox® and facial fillers.

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and someone had removed four 12-volt backup batteries, copper grounding rods and wireless equipment, all valued at more than $1,000, Mundy said. There was no sign of forced entry to the storage unit. Reviewing an electronic

data base maintained by the storage facility to track access to storage units, the detectives discovered that the T-Mobile storage unit had been accessed, via a passkey, four times during the night, between 8:49 and 9:06 p.m. Additionally, a review of internal surveillance video footage provided by AAY revealed a man in the storage facility elevator with a push cart containing materials covered by a tarp corresponding to the unit’s entry times recorded in the electronic log, Mundy said. “So we came up with a suspect,” he said. The detectives got another break when a member of Uncle Bob’s management team recognized the man caught on the surveillance tape as someone who lived a few blocks away who would

often walk his dog near the facility. And, Mundy said, detectives learned that the same man used to install equipment for T-Mobile. So, they reasoned, he would likely have familiarity with the company’s operations. On Nov. 26, 2013, detectives arrested their suspect, Manuel Veliz, 26, of Belleville, at the suspect’s residence and charged him with burglary and theft. None of the items listed as stolen were recovered, Mundy said. Because Veliz has a history of prior arrests on narcotics charges, detectives surmised that Veliz fenced the merchandise and used the proceeds to buy drugs. Veliz subsequently pleaded guilty to the burglary and theft charge. – Ron Leir

www.theobserver.com West Hudson/North Arlington Scholarship Committee Congratulates the Fall 2013 Dean’s List EAST NEWARK Seungchan An Matthew Serrano HARRISON Andre Amorim Jennifer Cerstvik Claudia Lasso Daisy Vinanzaca Gisbell Martinez Henrique Fernandes Lisbeth Pineda Magda Gaus Priscilla Ferreira Stephanie Rodriguez Valeria Garma Xavier Texidor

KEARNY Eduardo Acosta Samantha Adams Angel Alvarado Genesis Avellaneda Andrew Barros Jonathan Bonilla Marcus Calero Brittany Calero Jonathan Camacho Christopher Canela Fiorela Caro Leonides Chemin Vanessa Coelho Manuela De Almeida Luis De Sousa Bill Dimos Shirley Disbrow Magdalena Feliciano Prudencio Feliz Elisha Figueroa-Rodriguez Edward Flores Richard Green Chantal Hernandez

KEARNY (continued) Jordana Hernandez Kevin Hsieh Daniel Jones Julian Litrento Harry Mejia Maude Melton Natalie Monroig Suzanne Peprah Jasmania Perez Michelle Piatkowski Debra Poggioli Tara Purcell Alyne Ribeiro Darien Rodriguez Luis Rodriguez Leilani Roperos Tammy Ruggeri Amy Salgado Bruno Torres Noelia Vasquez Lissette Villalta Rebecca Weaver Viviana Zambrano

www.hccc.edu/FoundationScholarship Foundation fall2013 deans list ad- KearnyObs1/4page.indd 1

3/28/14 9:20 AM

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

7 towns respond to Belleville blaze By Karen Zautyk Observer Correspondent

and no injuries, to either civilians or firefighters, were reported. BELLEVILLE – At the height of the four-alarm blaze in two blaze, fire crews from multi-family buildings seven departments were at on Washington Ave. on the scene. Along with the Friday night displaced 31 resi- Belleville FD, there were dents, Belleville fire officials responders from Montclair, said. All were evacuated safely, Nutley, East Orange, Newark,

Bloomfield and North Arlington. The cause of the blaze is under investigation. Belleville Battalion Chief Richard Cavanagh said the fire broke out about 8 p.m. in a three-story structure at 472 Washington, between Little St. and Tappan Ave., housing

Hometown Banking... Photos by Andrew Taylor

The scene last Friday on Washington Ave. in Belleville.

a tattoo parlor on the ground level and two apartments upstairs. Before it was declared under control at 11 p.m., the fire spread to an adjacent eightunit apartment house at 476 Washington. Complicating firefighting efforts was a very narrow light shaft between the two buildings. This shaft, Cavanagh said, was only inches wide, lined with asphalt shingles and acted “like a chimney.” “Once it got into that [the shaft], it was difficult to contain, but they [the fire crews] did a great job,” Cavanagh said. There was some fire damage to the apartments on the south side of the larger building,

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adjoining the shaft, but on the north side, thanks to the aggressive efforts to contain the flames, damage was reportedly limited to smoke damage. Cavanagh said residents were later allowed to retrieve some of their belongings from their apartments, but both buildings were tagged as currently uninhabitable. Although the blaze had been knocked down within three hours, the Belleville FD was still at the scene Saturday afternoon to ensure there were no flare-ups. While the Belleville crews were fighting the blaze Friday night, the Orange, West Orange and Cedar Grove fire departments provided coverage to the town.

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out&about

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

April can be eye-opener for TV, film By Anthony J. Machcinski Observer Correspondent

Draper – a New York City advertising genius – as he copes with a seemingly endless list of trials and s April arrives, tribulations in his life. many in the enterWhile the show is entertainment business ing its final season, those are already focused on a who haven’t watched the stocked summer season first six seasons can visit of great films and great Netflix and stream all the television. However, with previous episodes. Much several hit TV shows like the AMC hit “Breakreturning and a couple of ing Bad,” which concluded anticipated movies about its final season this fall, to debut, April can turn “Mad Men” is sure to be out to be the spark that worth the watch. will start the summer’s Not to be overshadowed entertainment firestorm. by the established shows With that in mind, let’s this April, AMC’s brand review why the enternew drama “Turn” will be tainment scene in April one of the top new shows should command the of the spring. attention of film and TV Set in the fall of 1778 fans. during the American Revolution, the show Television documents a group of Even with great shows spies who help turn the like “The Walking Dead” tide in the war. The show concluding at the end of is based on the book March, the small screen “Washington’s Spies” by scene picks right back up Alexander Rose. within the first week of April also features the April. continuation of several The much anticicontest shows on televipated return of “Game sion, including NBC’s of Thrones,” now in its “The Voice” and ABC’s fourth season, kicks off “Dancing with the Stars,” April 6. Taken from the both of which have begun series of books of the to amp up the competition same name by George R.R. Martin, HBO’s “Game recently. of Thrones” has seemingly Cinema everything a person could Although listed as a ask for in a television March opening, the film show – action, drama, bits “Noah” will expose viewof comedy and fantasy. ers to most of its early Taking place in mestory content in April. dieval times, “Game of “Noah,” a retelling of Thrones” is based on the the biblical story, features story of several families an all-star cast including who seek to claim their Russell Crowe, Anthony perceived rightful place Hopkins, Jennifer Connelas the ruler of the seven ly and Emma Watson. The kingdoms of Westeros. The following weekend, film has received good reviews and has achieved AMC premieres the final a 7.3 rating out of 10 on season of its hit show IMDB, as rated by over “Mad Men.” In what will 4,000 users. be a series of 14 episodes However, the first real spread over two years, big-budget film to open the series showcases Don

in April will be “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.” While “Captain America” seems like it would be a sequel to the 2011 movie “Captain America: The First Avenger,” it’s really a follow-up to the most recent “Avengers” movie. In the film, Captain America, played by Chris Evans, warms to the task of stopping world destruction threatened by a new enemy, The Winter Soldier. Regardless of what movie it follows, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is another film that won’t disappoint – both in theaters and at the box office. If superheroes and biblical figures aren’t exactly your thing, fear not. “Oculus,” a terrorfilled suspense thriller, is set to scare theater-goers everywhere. The film is based on the murder of two parents, believed to have been killed by their young son. After their son, Michael, is released from prison 10 years later, the couple’s daughter, Kaylie, becomes intent on proving Michael’s innocence. Kaylie’s focus becomes a violent, supernatural force embedded in an antique mirror in her childhood home. While the film may not be as big budget and high profiled as the previously mentioned two films, “Oculus” will achieve its goal – to scare and excite a crowd of April film watchers. While April may not get the notoriety of the summer showbiz scene, it certainly is a good warmup for what is expected to be a great summer of

Photos courtesy Google Images

TOP: “Game of Thrones”; MIDDLE: “Noah”; BOTTOM: “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

KPD blotter: Did he think he was dreaming? A motorist who fell sound asleep behind the wheel sped off in his car when awakened by police, leading them on a chase, authorities reported. But, when they ended that chase because of safety concerns, the driver also stopped. Go figure. Kearny Police Chief John Dowie said the drama began at 3:30 a.m. last Wednesday, March 26, when Officer Tim Castle noticed that an SUV stopped at the traffic light at Passaic and Bergen Aves. did not move when the signal changed. Castle and Officer Glenn Reed approached the vehicle, which was immobile

in the southbound lane, and reportedly found the driver fast asleep. Their efforts to wake him failed. Neither was he roused when Officer Mike Santucci hit the horn and siren on his patrol car, police said. Castle, who spotted an open can of beer on the center console, began trying to open the door, at which point the man finally awakened, hit the gas and accelerated through the light, which was again red, police said. The officers tried to overtake him as he traveled down Passaic, running another red light near Kmart, hitting

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the curb several times and occasionally crossing into the northbound lane, Dowie said. The SUV continued into East Newark and Harrison, where it made a right turn onto the Bridge St. bridge. Realizing that it was probably heading to Route 21, the cops terminated the pursuit for safety reasons and began stopping traffic in the area. Then they saw that the driver had, of his own accord, halted on the far side of the bridge. When Castle approached, the man exited the SUV and fell to the ground, Dowie said. Taken into custody was 33-year-old Kearny resident Neal Covert, who was issued summonses for red light violations, DWI and refusal to take a breath test. He was also charged criminally with eluding police. Other recent reports from the KPD blotter included the following:

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smoke condition, was evacuating an apartment building on the 700 block of Schuyler Ave. when he encountered Harold Acosta, 39, of Kearny hanging out a window. Acosta reportedly ignored instructions to leave his apartment, so Reed escorted him out. After the building was Officer Jay Ward, patrolling cleared, Acosta was again on the 250 block of Highland found inside, in a hallway, Ave. at 9:40 p.m., came across police said. He said he was a double-parked car and wrote cold, but reportedly refused an a ticket. He was approached offer to sit in a patrol car and by an allegedly loud and get warm, began screaming profane Luis Machuca, 28, of and was then escorted to the Kearny, who was unhappy car, charged with disorderly about the summons and, conduct. though warned that the car would be towed, refused to March 23 move it, police said. Machuca Sgt. John Becker, inveswas arrested after an inquiry tigating a suspicious car showed he had an outstanding inside the closed Arlington $1,000 warrant out of Newark, Cemetery at 2:20 a.m., saw police said. He was allowed to a group of people sitting contact a friend, who removed on headstones and taking the car. photographs. With Officers Joe Martin and Brian Wisely March 21 as backup, Becker approached At 3:45 a.m., Officer Glen the group and, at the feet Reed, assisting the Kearny Fire of one, spotted an open Department during a reported backpack containing an unmarked Rx bottle, police said. A metal spoon and four envelopes of Suboxone were also found, police said. Eugienio Pizarro, 32, of Hopatcong was charged with unlawful possession of a prescription drug and drug paraphernalia and was issued a summons for a suspended driver’s license.

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a suspicious individual on a bicycle at Passaic and N. Midland Aves., police said. The man, Howard Morrison, 41, of Newark, was arrested on two outstanding drug-related Newark warrants and was later turned over to Newark police.

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March 24 At 5:10 a.m., Officers Mike Santucci and Kevin Canaley responded to Quick Chek, where management reported a man had entered the store, did not buy anything but refused to leave. He also refused Santucci’s request to depart, began cursing at both cops, and then resisted being cuffed, police said. Harrison resident Luciano Yuelling, 30, was charged with defiant trespass, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Officers Jordenson Jean and John Fabula, patrolling at Harrison and Bergen Aves. at 2:30 p.m., saw a Pennsylvaniaregistered auto make an illegal turn. After a motor vehicle stop, it was found that the driver, Roman Pavelko, 31, of Hamilton, N.J., had a sussee KPD page

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

businessreview

Dedicated to delivering fine skin care

By Anthony J. Machcinski Observer Correspondent

not just a business. We serve people and we want to make life stimulating and interesting As the local weather transifor ourselves, while providtions from frigid polar voring valuable service to our texes to sunny spring days, the patients.” risk of sun-caused skin damage That variety has helped becomes even greater and the Metropolitan Dermatology staff at Metropolitan Dermaaddress a large number of tology in Kearny are looking their patients’ problems. Some to use their technology to help patients are even referred from prevent that damage. other dermatology practices. “If somebody had excessive “I feel that some dermatolosun exposure in childhood, gists refer the difficult cases they should have a baseline to us,” Doctoroff said. “A lot skin check,” said Dr. Alexander of times there are some rare Doctoroff, Doctor of Osteodiseases that some dermatolopathic Medicine. gists are not comfortable to Doctoroff founded Metrodeal with, and a lot of these politan Dermatology in 2004 cases end up in our office. We after spending two years at a always try to bring the latest larger practice. and newest technology to our “I felt I had more to offer pa- office to help our patients with tients, like newer treatments,” these problems.” explained Doctoroff, who has Doctoroff has embraced been practicing dermatology the newer technology, doing since 2002. anything he can to better treat “Dermatology is a very his patients. exciting field,” Doctoroff said. “Science doesn’t stay in one “It’s very intellectually stimuplace,” Doctoroff said. “If you lating and it offers a variety have something that is useful of things you can get involved to the patients, I feel it’s my with. It’s very exciting. You obligation to evaluate it and, if don’t have to do the same it’s going to increase patients’ thing every day. quality of life, then I should “You can do medical dercertainly use it.” matology, surgical treatments, Included in the new technolmicrographic Mohs surgery, ogy is a treatment used to aid and cosmetic dermatology,” he patients with pre-cancerous said. lesions. When Doctoroff created his “We have photo-dynamic own practice in 2004, his goal therapy that is used to treat was to be involved in the many pre-cancerous lesions,” Docdifferent subspecialties within toroff said. “It’s a medication dermatology providing help used with light therapy and it’s to many different patients and something that is very cutsolving multiple problems. ting edge. We see excellent “If you do one procedure, results from these treatments you can drum up business, in reversing the damage done but it wouldn’t be as excitto the skin by decades of sun ing,” Doctoroff said. “For the exposure.” business aspect, it might not In addition, Doctoroff said be the best decision, but this is Metropolitan Dermatology

Photos courtesy Dr. Alexander Doctoroff

Dr. Alexander Doctoroff (l.) and his staff embrace the newest technology at Metropolitan Dermatology in

added an Xtrac laser used for patients with psoriasis. “A lot of patients have responded well to this treatment,” Doctoroff said. “Whenever something new and exciting comes to the horizon, we try to get it to our practice and implement it.” Most of the providers in this specialty also use dermoscopy (small hand-held microscope) to improve the detection of various skin cancers. “I feel that method has improved accuracy of diagnosis, and decreased the number of unnecessary biopsies,” said Doctoroff. Doctoroff, who serves as a clinical assistant professor at Columbia University in addition to running his practice, said the dermatology field isn’t just a job, but a passion. “This is definitely something that is fun and pleasurable and stimulating,” Doctoroff said. “I certainly have picked the right occupation for me,

and it’s very nice to give back by teaching dermatology residents.” He supervises a monthly clinic for dermatology residents at Columbia University Medical Center. Doctoroff hopes to continue to grow his business in the future, but most importantly, wants to continue providing great patient care. “I get tremendous enjoyment from helping my patients,” says Doctoroff. “Whether it’s saving a life by removing a melanoma or boosting a patient’s selfesteem by improving their

appearance, each day I walk out of the office incredibly gratified.” “My idea was always, ‘if you try to provide excellent service, your business will succeed,’ and so far, it has been working for us,” Doctoroff said. Metropolitan Dermatology is located in Kearny at 752 Kearny Ave., with additional locations in Teaneck and Clark. To schedule an appointment in Kearny, call 201-9978008. For more information, visit www.metropolitanderm. com.

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Then & Now Photo courtesy Kearny Public Library/Museum

Photo by Karen Zautyk

The elegant looking, dome-crowned, brick firehouse on Midland Ave. at Argyle Place, Kearny, was little more than a decade old when this postcard photo was taken, circa 1908. Stately trees and homes still lined Midland, eastward down the hill, but the trolley tracks are a hint of changes to come. The fenced-in grassy plot on the left may have been a private yard, but that’s just a guess. We do know what that tower is behind the firehouse: a fire watchtower, much like the ones still used in some wilderness areas. This tower was also utilized to dry the fire hoses, which would be hung down its sides. The Kearny Fire Department's Midland Ave. house was built in late 1896 to replace an 1880s firehouse that was located on Kearny Ave. just south of Midland where Trinity Episcopal Church now stands. Ironically, on Jan. 30, 1896, that earlier wood-frame structure, home to Truck Co. No. 1, had been destroyed by fire. Truck 1 moved to a barn on Argyle Place until the building shown here was opened. It served the KFD until the current firehouse replaced it on the same corner in 1976. – Karen Zautyk

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Hamilton St. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students, St. Valentine Church, 125 N. children and seniors. Spring St., offers a Spanish Rite Aid, 432 Bergen St., Mass on Sunday, April 6, at 3 hosts Wellness65+ Wednesp.m. Starting in May, Spanish days, April 2, from 10 a.m. Mass will be held the second to 2 p.m. Held on the first Saturday of each month at Wednesday of every month, 3 p.m. The church offers an Wellness65+ Wednesdays are evening of reflection and Stadedicated to in-store senior tions of the Cross in Spanish events and savings, including on Friday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. 20% off almost everything in the store, special activities and Belleville a different health topic each Belleville Irish American month. This week’s topic is Association sponsors a trip to spring allergies and the store Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, will provide hand-outs and tips Boston and Mohegan Sun Casino, June 2-6. Cost is $485 dou- as well as information on new allergy medications. ble occupancy and includes Harrison Mayor James Fife transportation, sightseeing, will address the Harrison four dinners, four breakfasts business community with an and one lunch. For an itinerary update on Harrison redevelopor additional information, call ment projects at a luncheon Pat at 973-751-5308 or email hosted by Harrison Business patn139@aol.com. Connections at the Hampton Belleville Public Library Inn and Suites, Harrisonand Information Center, 221 Washington Ave., offers Teddy Newark Riverwalk, on April 10 Bear Tea Party for children on at noon. More information can Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. Reg- be found at http://HBCevents. eventbrite.com. Harrison istration closes April 28. Business Connections can be Free tree seedlings will be available to Belleville residents found online at www.Harrisonon April 5, from 8 a.m. to noon, BusinessConnections.com and www.facebook.com/Harrisonat 92 Montgomery Pl., as part of the New Jersey Tree Recov- BusinessConnections. ery Campaign. This program Kearny helps communities replace Comunidade Evangelica trees damaged or destroyed Vida Abudante (Abundant by Superstorm Sandy. SeedLife Evangelical Community lings, available on a first-come, Church), 151 Midland Ave., first-served basis, come with hosts a blood drive on April instructions on how to store, 14 from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Donors care for and plant them. must be age 16 (with parental Guides help residents choose consent) and older and weigh the right place on a property at least 110 pounds. Those who to plant a tree, while keeping are 75 and older may donate in mind the tree’s future fullgrown size. For more informa- with a doctor’s note. A pancake breakfast fundtion, contact the Department raiser to benefit the American of Public Works at 973-450-3412 Diabetes Association will be or 973-450-3414. held at Applebees, 175 Passaic Ave., on Sunday, April 6, from East Newark 8 to 10 a.m. Admission for St. Anthony’s Church, 409 adults is $10 and $5 for children N. Second St., hosts a Tricky ages 2 to 9. Door prizes are Tray on Saturday, April 5, at 7 p.m. Admission is $15 (includes offered. For tickets, contact Janice at 201-362-2958 or by one ticket with 26 chances). email at shnanny@aol.com. Children are admitted free, Franklin School PTA hosts accompanied by an adult. For Breakfast with the Easter advance tickets, call 973-525Bunny at Applebee’s on April 5924. 12, from 8 to 10 a.m. Tickets are $10 and must be purchased at Harrison Harrison High School Drama the door. Kearny High School PTA Club performs “Sweeney presents “Rocking with Rod Todd,” April 3 to 5 at 7:30 p.m. Stewart,” a performance by Jay in the school auditorium, 800 Gates, on April 12 at 6:30 p.m.

at the Irish American Club, 95 Kearny Ave. The $25 admission includes refreshments, cash bar and a small raffle. Call Denise at 201-428-8572 for more information or to purchase tickets. Kearny UNICO announces: • Membership meeting on Thursday, April 3, at 7:30 p.m. For more information, call Chapter President Lou Pandolfi at 201-368-2409. • Fund-raising bus trip to the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City on Sunday, April 27, leaving from the parking lot of Kearny Federal Savings Bank at 8:30 a.m. Tickets are $30 and can be obtained by contacting Lou Pandolfi. • Super 50-50 Raffle to be drawn May 15. Tickets are $5 each or three tickets for $10. To purchase tickets, contact any member of Kearny UNICO or Lou Pandolfi. St. Cecilia Church, 114 Chestnut St., announces a flea market on Saturdays, April 5 and 12. For more information, call 201-991-1116. Vendors are welcome. All proceeds benefit St. Cecilia Parish. Donations are kindly accepted. Kearny Public Library, 318 Kearny Ave., offers: • No-Bake Cooking class for ages 4 to 8, Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m., beginning April 16. Each class is one hour. The class runs three weeks. Enrollment is limited to 12 students. • Cooking class for ages 10 to 15 Mondays at 3:30 p.m., beginning April 21. This class meets for three weeks. Each class is 90 minutes. Only 15 slots are available. Both classes are free. To reserve a spot, call the library at 201-998-2666. • New: Hunger Games series Reading Club. Fifthand sixth-graders who can attend all four club meetings in April are invited to borrow a copy of “Mockingjay,” Book 3 of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. Copies of “Mockingjay” will be available to borrow at the April 3 club meeting. Reading club meetings are from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on April 3, 10, 17 and 24. Participants must have a library card in good standing but borrowers may keep the book for four weeks instead of two. “Catching Fire,” the movie

of Book 2, will be shown at the April 3 club meeting. St. Stephen’s Seniors meet on Tuesday, April 1, at 1 p.m. in Hedges Hall at St. Stephen’s Church. Dues are payable at this time. April 22 is the deadline for signing up and paying for the May 2 anniversary party at the San Carlo in Lyndhurst. For club information, call Tom at 998-8258.

Suite 1, offers: • Thyroid Health Forum, hosted by Lyndhurst chiropractor Marco Ferrucci, on Friday, April 11, at 10 a.m. A light breakfast and refreshments will be served. • Women’s Health Clinic, in partnership with Clara Maass Medical Center, on April 25, at 9 a.m., providing education on breast self-examination and a pap smear. The event is free Lyndhurst and is open to female township The Woman’s Club of Lynd- residents age 18 and older. hurst announces that the Food For appointments and reserPantry, at the Town Hall annex, vations, call the Health Depart253 Stuyvesant Ave., is collect- ment at 201-804-2500. ing hams, turkeys and lasagna for the holidays and non-perNorth Arlington ishable food items (dry cereal, The Borough of North peanut butter, puddings, juices, Arlington reminds residents etc.). Donors are reminded to that people who want to hold check expiration dates on food. a garage sale must first secure Expired items will be thrown a permit from the borough. out. Woman’s Club volunteers Permits are $6 and available at are at the pantry Monday to Borough Hall, 214 Ridge Rd., or Thursday, 1 to 3:30 p.m. on-line at www.northarlington. Anyone in need of food is org. asked to contact Sarah at the North Arlington Public Lyndhurst Health Center, 601 Library, 210 Ridge Rd., hosts Riverside Ave. Recipients must these children’s programs: show proof of residency and • Story Time for ages 2 to 5 need. Once registered, recipiis held on Wednesdays at 11:45 ents are entitled to food once a.m. a month. Call Sara at 201-804• Evening Story Time for 2500. ages 4 to 6 is scheduled for The New Jersey MeadowThursdays, April 10 and 24, at lands Commission hosts “Flat 6:30 p.m. Rock Brook Owls” for all ages • Lego Club for grades 1 and on Sunday, April 6, from 2 up, meets on Tuesdays, April 8 to 3:30 p.m., at the Meadowand 29, at 6:30 p.m. To register, lands Environment Center, 2 call 201-955-5640, ext. 126. By leaving a message you are DeKorte Park Plaza. The Flat Rock Nature Center will bring automatically registered, Due artifacts and live birds and talk to the program’s popularity, callers are asked to register for about their behavior, physiolone session per child. ogy, adaptations and natural And, for adults: history. Admission: $5 /person; • Computer Basics is held $4/MEC members. Registraon Mondays, through April tion is recommended and 14, from 6 to 7 p.m. Call 201appreciated. To register, go to 955-5640 to register, Space is www.njmeadowlands.gov/ec. Lyndhurst Public Library, 355 limited. • Knitting Group meets on Valley Brook Ave., hosts the Thursday, April 10, from 7 to following events: • Easter Basket Craft – Chil- 8:30 p.m. No registration is needed. dren in pre-K to grade 4 make • Friends of the Library Book and fill an Easter basket with Club meets on Friday, April 25, treats on Wednesday, April 9, from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Registra- at 10 a.m. tion is required. Call 201-804Nutley 2478 to register. Our Lady of Mount Carmel • Free, drop-in citizenship Church, 120 Prospect St., hosts classes are on Fridays from a fish-fry on Friday, April 11. 10:30 a.m. to noon. For more information, call Michele Kelly Tickets are $15. Take-out is from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. and at 201-804-2478, ext. 5. Lyndhurst Health Departsee ARouND TOwN page ment, 601 Riverside Avenue,

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Town Wide Yard Sale switches to spring This year, Kearny residents have a great reason to get started on their spring cleaning as the annual Kearny Urban Enterprise ZoneTownWide Yard and Sidewalk Sale switches seasons and moves

from the fall to Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, from 9 to 4 p.m. Participants will, as always, have an entire weekend to turn their seldomused or long forgotten goods into some extra cash as part

of the rain-or-shine event. “The Kearny Town Wide Yard Sale continues to grow each year,” said KUEZ coordinator John Peneda. “There is no question that this is among the most popular

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KUEZ-sponsored events that we host.” Peneda said that each year the KUEZ has received more and more requests to move the sale to the spring. Peneda is confident the event will continue to energize the town and bring new visitors and shoppers to Kearny. “We are also always working on creative new ways our KUEZ member businesses can jump on board, benefit from the sale, and take advantage of the influx of visitors and shoppers to our town.” Here’s how it works: Any Kearny resident can host a yard sale that weekend at their home. There is no fee to register, no permits to obtain. Those who register before the deadline of April 16 will be identified on a special Yard Sale printed map that will be distributed to thousands of shoppers. The KUEZ will be aggressively promoting and advertising the sale throughout the area. Peneda reminds registrants that Yard Sale entry forms

must be legible. “We have a lot of registration forms that we simply cannot read; we will not be able to include these sellers in our materials,” he said. In addition to producing a special yard sale map, the KUEZ will once again provide a special interactive Google Map, which will list not only the sellers’ addresses, but also some of the items they will have for sale. There is no charge to participate, but participation as a seller is open only to residents and homes in Kearny. Registration forms can be obtained at the KUEZ offices, at Town Hall, or may be downloaded from the Town of Kearny website at www. kearnynj.org. Completed forms may be dropped off at or mailed to the KUEZ Office, 410 Kearny Ave., Kearny N.J. 07032, faxed to 201-955-1827, or emailed to kearnyyardsale@ kearnynj.org no later than April 16. For more information call 201-955-7981.

To save a life As an increasing number of parents, coaches and child-care providers are finding that a little bit of knowledge goes a long way, the Nutley Parks and Recreation Department is offering residents Heartsaver CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (Automated External Defibrillator) Training. “As organizers of youth programs and events, we feel offering this essential program will allow coaches, parents and anyone who touches the life of a child an opportunity to educate themselves with life-saving CPR techniques,” stated Commissioner Mauro G. Tucci. “This program,” he added, “will be one of the most important things

you can do to protect your children.” Taught by Lifesaving Techniques, the three-hour class will provide training materials from the American Heart Association. Two sessions have been scheduled: Monday, April 21, or Tuesday, April 29, from 6 to 9 p.m.. Each will be held at the Recreation Department, 44 Park Ave. The fee is $65 per student. Class size is limited, and registrations will be honored on a first-come first-served basis. Registration is available online at nutleynj.org or at the Recreation Department office. For further information, contact the department at 973-284-4966, between of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m.

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

sports&recreation SPORTS VIEW Contact Jim at Ogsmar@aol.com

North Arlington baseball: Focus on youth The North Arlington High School baseball team suffered through some tough times a year ago, posting a 9-15 record. As head coach Paul Marcantuono begins his seventh season with the Vikings, he knows where the future of his program lies. “We’re starting six sophomores,” Marcantuono said. “I like being young. Young doesn’t necessarily mean bad. The kids have some talent. They’re challenging me and retaining so much that it’s making me teach new concepts. They also get along with each other so well.” Marcantuono also has five players who saw significant playing time a year ago, so he has a good mix of talented youngsters with experienced veterans. “I think this team will only continue to get better and better,” Marcantuono said. There’s only been one obstacle – finding a place to play and practice. Since construction to overhaul Rip Collins Field has begun, it has forced the Vikings to be a little bit of a vagabond bunch. “We’ve been all over the place to practice and play,” Marcantuono said. “We’ve been practicing at Matera Field (in Lyndhurst) at night in

freezing temperatures. But that’s okay. It’s making them very strong.” Leading the pitching staff is sophomore righthander Joel Silva. “He’s gained a little more confidence since last year,” Marcantuono said. “He has good location with his pitches. He moves the ball in and out. He has a lot of poise on the mound. He also has a nice changeup. He has that ‘go get ‘em’ mentality and I like that. It’s only going to help him.” Fellow sophomore Tim Ford is another key member of the pitching staff. “He’s showed us a lot so far,” Marcantuono said. “We put him in some tough situations and he’s handled them well. He has three or four pitches he can throw for strikes.” Sophomore Brian Costello is the lone left-hander among the pitching staff. “He’s a little bigger and stronger than he was last year,” Marcantuono said. “I expect him to improve this year.” Brian McKenna, who is one of the team’s lone seniors, is another righthander who will see time on the mound. “He throws hard,” Marcantuono said. “He see VIEW page

Lyndhurst hopes to give grand farewell to Servideo Longtime baseball coach begins final season

Photo by Jim Hague

The Lyndhurst baseball team will try to make veteran head coach Butch Servideo’s final season a memorable one. Servideo, who is retiring after this season, likes his pitching staff, which consists of, from l., Jonathan Ferrer, Nicholas Romito, Danny Tallent, Nolan Kelly, head coach Servideo, Michael Polito, Patrick Dennehy and Jordan Lopez. Not pictured is Paul Minervini.

By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer

mindset that this will be my last year. My assistant Pat Auteri is more than ready to take over. He’ll be a good one. He fter nearly 40 years deserves the chance. I’m just serving as a coach and hoping that we have a really administrator in the successful year.” Lyndhurst school district, Servideo has his retirement Frank “Butch” Servideo has plans all set. Next winter, he’ll decided to retire at the end of spend some time in West Palm this season. Beach, soaking up the sun and So this will be the final goworking at a baseball camp. round for the veteran LyndBut for now, his job is to hurst High School baseball guide the Golden Bears for one coach, a position that he’s last campaign. Maybe there enjoyed through more than 500 can be a repeat performance of victories and several champia year ago. onships, including the overall When the 2013 season began, 2008 NJSIAA Group I state Servideo worried that perhaps championship. the Golden Bears would be a “I saw this coming one day,” .500 club. He entered the seaServideo said. “I’m of the

son needing 19 wins to get to the 500-win milestone. “I thought, ‘Okay, I’ll get it next year,’” Servideo said. But after a 1-2 start, the Golden Bears set a school record with 18 consecutive wins. They ended with 23 wins, including the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference-Meadowlands Division championship and the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group II title. “We weren’t supposed to do much, but the kids put it together and won the league and state sectional championship,” Servideo said. “It was magical.” Many of those players have see SERVIDEO next page

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

toughest teams in our league last year and did well,” now graduated and moved on. Servideo said. “He’s grown There are a few returnees, but about three inches and got Servideo will have to count on bigger and much stronger. some inexperienced kids to He’s throwing harder this make his last season memoyear.” rable. Senior Paul Minervini is “We have great kids who another pitcher who grew in are willing to work hard,” the offseason. Minervini saw Servideo said. “They are very quality innings last season. hungry. They played together “He throws hard,” Servideo in the summer and fall. We are said. “He’s a good pitcher.” lucky enough to have multiple Junior Jordan Lopez, the kids at every position and we standout bowler, is another have a lot of arms. We have quality arm. some good arms. Pitching is “We’re trying to make him definitely our strong point into a pitcher,” Servideo said. this year.” “He’s doing a good job.” Leading the returnees is junSenior Danny Tallent is a ior right-hander Nolan Kelly, left-hander who played a lot who won four games last year. in the outfield last year. Senior Kelly gained some recognition Nicholas Romito is a rightlast year for overcoming his hander who throws a knuckbattles with Tourette synleball. drome. “He throws the knuckleball “He pitched against the SERVIDEO from

for strikes, so we’re going to give him some innings,” Servideo said. Patrick Dennehy is a senior righty who also pitched a little during last year’s championship season. “When you’re playing four or five games a week, you need to have a lot of guys who can throw,” Servideo said. Sophomore Eddie Rivera is another right-hander who is the Golden Bears’ jack-of-alltrades. “He’s a multi-talented kid,” Servideo said. “He catches, plays the outfield and infield.” The team will get a huge boost when Jonathan Ferrer becomes eligible to play after the first 30 days of the season. Ferrer is a transfer who played at both St. Mary’s of Rutherford and Paramus Catholic. “We’re going to give him a

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younger brother of Nolan, will see time there as well. Senior Sergio Turelli is another key returnee in centerfield. Turelli batted .350 with 27 stolen bases last year. “He has good wheels,” Servideo said. “He’ll be our leadoff guy.” Dennehy is the starter in right field, but senior Sean McChesney will see time there as well. Servideo said that most of his pitchers are good hitters, so they will hit this year. “Nolan is surprising me as a hitter,” Servideo said. “Minervini can hit. Our pitchers will hit.” The Golden Bears begin Servideo’s final season this week against Dwight-Englewood, then will face Harrison and Ridgefield Park. Next week, the Golden Bears will travel to Cal Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen, Md., for a special game against Park Ridge on Sunday, April 13. Servideo has made arrangements for the Golden Bears to play there several times before. “We’ll see right away how we match up in the first week,” Servideo said. “Our league is totally up for grabs. I think we’ll be a strong contender. We have a good group of kids. I’m really looking forward to this year.” For one more time.

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fair shake,” Servideo said. “He definitely has talent and has been pretty good with us.” The catcher is senior Anthony Meeney, whose older brother, Austin, was the starter at catcher the last two seasons. “He’s following in his brother’s footsteps,” Servideo said. “He’s a good defensive catcher who blocks the ball well.” Lopez is sharing the first base duties with sophomore Matt DeMarco, who has a ton of promise, and senior Gio Santiago. Sophomore Vin Dorio, the younger brother of former Golden Bear standout Anthony, is in the mix to play second base. “Like his brother, he has good baseball instincts,” Servideo said. “He’s a solid left-handed hitter who is a good baseball player.” Senior Frankie DeLeva returns to his starting position at shortstop. DeLeva was the top hitter in all of Bergen County last season, batting .549. Junior Brandon Karlok started at third base last year and also returns to his position. “He’s a solid player,” Servideo said. “He can hit and field well.” Tallent is the prime contender to play a majority of time in left field, although sophomore Evan Kelly, the

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can give us a few innings.” Christian Castro is another pitcher, but he is also the team’s primary catcher, so it’s tough to get him on the mound. Freshman Charles Kearney is another pitcher who has shown some promise in the preseason. “He got people out in our scrimmages,” Marcantuono said. “He has a nice changeup and a nice curveball.” Castro will be behind the plate, but when he takes the mound, promising sophomore Chris Giaquinto gets the nod. “Giaquinto is working hard and is more like a work in progress,” Marcantuono said. Sophomore Stephen Carey is a solid defensive catcher who will also see time behind the plate. The first base duties will be shared by Costello and freshman Mike Rotondo. Junior Anthony Rotondo, the older brother of Mike, is the team’s second baseman. Rotondo is one of the Viking captains. “He has good hands and we’re going to rely on him a lot this year,” Marcantuono

said. “He’s also a very smart kid.” Sophomore Manny Mora is the Vikings’ starting shortstop. “He’s doing a wonderful job in the preseason,” Marcantuono said. “We gave him a few innings on the varsity last year and he handled that well. He makes every play. He may experience some bumps and bruises learning to play every day, but I expect him to do a solid job.” McKenna is a three-year starter at third base who hit .450 last year. “He led the team in extrabase hits and RBI,” Marcantuono said. “He’s our cleanup hitter. We need him to produce.” Ford and sophomore Elias Aguilar are battling for time in left field. Silva is the centerfielder when he’s not on the mound. Giaquinto and Kearney are sharing time in right field. Senior infielder Danny Yero and senior outfielder Endy Sanchez are key members of the Vikings’ bench. “I think when you have a young team, you just have to get them on the field and see what happens,” Marcantuono

Photo by Jim Hague

The North Arlington baseball team will count on a young pitching staff. From l. are Mark Cunningham, Christian Castro, Joel Silva, head coach Paul Marcantuono, Brian Costello, Tim Ford and Ryan McKenna.

said. “Some of these kids are going to suffer through some ups and downs and that’s expected. But we’re not going to use a designated hitter. We’re going to let the pitchers hit.” So Marcantuono will just wait and watch his young team mature. “I spoke to my coaching staff about it,” Marcantuono said. “We have a bunch of sophomores and we have to take it in stride. We have to watch them become better.

We have to be patient. We have to be positive, so we have to be able to pick them up when they get down. We’re also going to do our best job teaching these kids.” The Vikings open their season this week against Paterson Charter at Breslin Field in Lyndhurst, which has also received an upgrade with artificial FieldTurf. The Vikings will also play some night games at Matera Field in Lyndhurst and some

in Riverside County Park. The Vikings will know a lot about themselves after the first week, after facing Becton Regional, Saddle Brook and neighboring rival Lyndhurst at the Lyndhurst Recreation facility Saturday at noon. “They’re getting better every day and I’m proud of them,” Marcantuono said. Pride and patience – sounds like the making of a brilliant novel.

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Back from Florida scrimmages, Nutley softball squad looks strong By Jim Hague Observer Sports Writer

hile other teams were struggling to get on any local field to prepare for the 2014 season, the Nutley High School softball team was able to play 11 scrimmages. That’s because for the 15th straight year, the Maroon Raiders went to the Disney World of Sports in Orlando and played those 11 games, most of which were against fellow New Jersey schools. “The beauty of being there is that softball is your entire focus,” said veteran Nutley head coach Luann Zullo. “For five days, we were focusing on softball and got a lot of work in there. We had practice for two hours, then played two games. The next day, we had practice in the morning and

played three games. It’s a great experience all around. It also helps the team to bond.” There was an added bonus. Because it was the 15th year at Disney, Nutley was welcomed on the field before an Atlanta Braves preseason game against the Mets. They were right in the batting cages, watching stars like Freddie Freeman and Jason Heyward take their swings. “The Braves were right there,” Zullo said. “It was a big thrill for everyone.” The Maroon Raiders also went 9-2 in those 11 games in Florida. They lost to Indian Hills and Ramsey early in the week, then came back to knock the two Jersey foes off in a rematch. Needless to say, the week in Florida gave the Maroon Raiders a leg up on their local competition.

Photo by Jim Hague

The Nutley softball team will look to its leaders to carry the load this season. From l. are Carly Anderson, head coach Luann Zullo, Morgan Gualtieri and Brittany Currie.

The Maroon Raiders were 22-7 last year, reaching the NJSIAA North Jersey Section 2, Group III semifinals and the quarterfinals in the Essex

County Tournament. A year ago, the Maroon Raiders were unsure of who their pitcher was going to be. That uncertainty is now gone,

ever since junior Carly Anderson stepped forward and cemented her place as one of continued next page

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

the premier pitchers in the entire state. “She still doesn’t claim to be a pitcher,” Zullo said of Anderson. “She believes she’s more comfortable as a shortstop. But pitching is so much of the game. She’s such an accomplished athlete. She now knows that she has the ball. She finished in the top 10 in strikeouts in the state. I asked her, `Are you a pitcher now?’ She knows she can pitch.” Anderson will get the ball for the majority of Maroon Raiders games this season, but Zullo, looking toward the future, got sophomores Breanna DeMaio and Emily Holden and freshman Samantha Echevarria to pitch some in Florida. “If we have to get the opportunity to give Carly a break, we know where we can go,” Zullo said. “But with our schedule and our league, we have to bring our ‘A’ game every day.” Sophomore Danielle Pomponio moves from third base to catcher this season. “She did a phenomenal job at third base last year, so we were a little hesitant to move her,” Zullo said. “But she’s clearly our best catcher. She

came in as a catcher and is a good catcher. She stepped behind the plate and it was like she played there every day. She’s such a student of the game and she keeps getting better every day.” Sophomore Emily Holden is the first baseman. Holden got some playing time last year, first as a designated player, then got the opportunity to play first base late in the season and handled it well. However, Holden suffered a gruesome hamstring injury that required surgery. “She’s worked real hard rehabbing that injury and is gradually returning to play,” Zullo said. “She’s doing a nice job.” Junior Jenna Saporito is the starting second baseman once again. “She’s a good hitter and solid at second base,” Zullo said. Echevarria, the freshman, along with DeMaio and fellow sophomore Stefanie Ziemer are all battling to play shortstop and third base. “We had Samantha all over the place in Florida,” Zullo said. “We’ll see where she’s most comfortable.” DeMaio and sophomore

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Alanis Concepcion are currently sharing time in left field. Senior Brittany Currie, the standout in soccer, is the team’s starter in centerfield. Currie is a three-year starter who has played a multitude of positions for the Maroon Raiders over the years. Senior Morgan Gualtieri has been with the Maroon Raiders’ varsity for four seasons. She plays right field. Gualtieri is a standout in volleyball in the fall. “It’s good to have good

athletes in the outfield,” Zullo said. Zullo likes the potential of the Maroon Raiders. While they are young, with only two seniors, the Maroon Raiders are talented with several of the sophomores already having varsity experience. “We have a great group of girls,” Zullo said. “One thing about last year’s team was that they had great fight;, even if they fell behind, they kept fighting. They were never out of anything. We had a great year last year and we have a

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EarthFest coming to Overpeck Park

Photo by Ron Leir

A view of the sewer reconstruction work site, looking east on Hamilton St.

wastes were pumped around the construction site to ensure that all sewage was being conveyed to the PVSC treatment plant. As of this week, similar above-ground pipes stretched along Hamilton St. Gilroy said that more than $2 million has been allocated thus far toward the project. The work can’t end too soon for Harrison Councilman Larry Bennett, who serves as chairman of the Harrison Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. “It’s been horrible,” Bennett

said. “The parking is horrible and there’s no through traffic. Everybody has to do a detour to get in and out of the area.” Mayor James Fife said that no work is going on now but that the PVSC engineers hope to have a plan of attack to finish the job by April 15. “They’re 20 feet down and things have been caving in the area,” he added. “The people down there have been very patient,” Fife said. “It’s been nine months now.” – Ron Leir

A first-time event, EarthFest Overpeck, a partnership between Bergen County Parks Department and Hackensack Riverkeeper, is set for April 26-27 at Bergen County’s Overpeck Park. Day One takes place at the Teaneck and Ridgefield Park sections of the 805-acre park. Among the activities planned are a “recycled regatta” in which teams will launch boats assembled from such unlikely materials as discarded milk jugs and scrap lumber and pilot them on Overpeck Creek; a catch-andrelease fishing derby; over six hours of free paddling; musical entertainment; food and a beer garden. Day Two features a Hackensack Riverkeeper cleanup at the Palisades Park Sportsplex, at the end of Roosevelt St., along Overpeck Creek, from noon to 4 p.m. All volunteers will be treated to

an early supper from Whole Foods Market after completion of the cleanup event. Two other regional Earth Day events are set for April 27: “Party for the Planet” at Bergen County Zoo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and opening day of Hackensack Riverkeeper’s Paddling Center at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit www.co.bergen. nj.us/parks for complete information about Party for the Planet and www.hackensackriverkeeper.org/eco. html for complete information about Hackensack Riverkeeper’s Eco-Programs for 2014. EarthFest Overpeck is sponsored by Great Lakes Brewing Company, Inserra Supermarkets, Kohler Distributors, North Jersey Media Group, Ramsey Outdoor Stores, Town Motors Subaru, WDHA-FM and Whole Foods Market.

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MARIJUANA from “We’d probably have more instances of people driving under the influence.” And that, in turn, he said, means that police departments would have to arrange – and pay for – training of more cops as “drug recognition officers.” With the bill’s passage, Dowie predicted, “We’re going to have a lot more fires [because] a lot more people are likely to fall asleep smoking marijuana in bed.” And, he said, “What about access to children when mom and dad are smoking? Plus, we’ve seen examples of misadventures with high school students experimenting with marijuana. I’d hate to see anybody’s future ruined as a result.” Dowie said he’d prefer to see an emphasis shifted to preventing smoking, period. “Cigarettes should be $20 a pack – they’re outright harmful, totally addictive.” That concern about

smoking patterns was also sounded by East Newark Police Chief Anthony Monteiro. “When you see a 14-year-old out in the street smoking a cigarette, I worry,” he said. And a single marijuana joint “is equivalent to 20 cigarettes” in terms of harm to the body, he said. According to the American Lung Association, “when equal amounts of marijuana and tobacco are smoked, marijuana deposits four times as much tar into the lungs.” For those reasons, Monteiro said, “I don’t want to see what this bill can do, potentially, to the minds of young juveniles.” North Arlington Police Chief Louis Ghione, Harrison Police Chief Derek Kearns and Belleville Police Chief Joseph Rotonda each cited studies which, they say, bear out that marijuana only serves as a “gateway drug” to more serious narcotics. Ghione said that the proposal for the general legalization of marijuana has been discussed by the Bergen County Police

Chiefs Association and that “most of the South Bergen chiefs are opposed to it” because of concern that young adults smoking it will graduate to using prescription pills like Xanax or move on to heroin. The drug situation is “becoming epidemic” in the state, he said. “From a police perspective,” said Harrison’s Kearns, “I don’t think legalizing marijuana is a good thing. It may have a purpose for treating people for medical reasons but in general, I think it’s something too dangerous to society. It could lead to introducing cocaine, heroin, and we don’t need that.” Belleville’s Rotonda said: “I favor medical marijuana. However, I wholeheartedly disagree with [general legalization]. Most people who are addicted to drugs usually started with marijuana.” Between 30% to 40% of the department’s drug-related arrests involve marijuana use, the chief noted.

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

SWEENEY TODD from

THINK YOU CAN’T REFINANCE BECAUSE VALUES ARE DOWN? THINK AGAIN!!!

removed from the time period when the show initially played at the Uris Theater in Manhattan, “They’ve watched the films with Lansbury and, later, with Johnny Depp,” Boryszewski noted.

And the cast of 24 has been “practicing since December,” he added, so they’ve definitely been put through their paces by first-time director Colin Shields, who has been helping out the club with set designs and scenery for the last couple of years. Colin’s mom, Mary Pat, is serving as musical director for the show. Speaking like a set designer, Shields said he’s modeled the look of the show as “heavily monochromatic with splashes of red (highlighting the theme of flowing blood) and green for the salty hue of London as a port city in the 1800s and our actors in all black costumes for the eerieness we portray.” “We’ve got a very intricate, multi-level set and various special effects,” Shields said. A set crew of 15 students fashioned Sweeney’s barber’s chair, Mrs. Lovett’s bake shop (and created her very unique meat pies) and a few of the costumes that are mostly rented. Sweeney’s razors specially made for the show are also rented. Elaborating on the producer’s comments about the club’s abrupt change in thematic direction with “Sweeney,” Shields said: “I wanted to do something unexpected versus a child-friendly show and I think our students can handle the material. We think it will be rewarding for our older kids.” And, said Shields, while “we’ve tried to stay true to the story line, with a little bit of a twist, our version is more in the vein of the sleek, more contemporary notion” more characteristic of the 2005 Broadway revival at the Eugene O’Neill Theater, di-

STARTING MARCH 2012, HARP 2.0, a new program presented by the Federal Government, allows homeowners to refinance regardless of the equity they currently have in their house (even if you are upside down!) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have adopted changes to Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) and you may be eligible to take advantage of these changes. If your mortgage is either owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you may be eligible to refinance your mortgage under the enhanced and expanded provisions of HARP. You can determine if your mortgage is owned by either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac by checking the following websites: For Fannie Mae: www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup For Freddie Mac: www.freddiemac.com/mymortgage ROB PEZZOLLA • NMLS# 266181

ROB@KEYPOINTMORTGAGE.COM

NORTH ARLINGTON • NJ 07031

Photo courtesy Matt Boryszewski

Cast members, from l., Jose Bello, Breann Mobus, Valeria Galliani and Hailey Naranjo.

rected by John Doyle and featured tuba playing Patti Lupone in the Mrs. Lovett role. Unlike the Doyle production, however, the cast won’t be playing instruments – in fact, there’ll be no musicians at all. “We’ll be using recorded tracks of the Broadway score,” Shields said. “We’ve gone with this approach the past two years. The advantage is from day one of practice, you have full accompaniment [instead of just a piano]. And the kids can load it onto their iPhone or MP3 Player to practice at home.” For his teenage cast, “Sondheim is a very challenging score,” Shields said. “His musical style keeps them on their toes. It’s a learning curve and our kids have risen to the occasion. They’re very excited about it.” Although the play is set in England, cast members won’t be attempting British accents. “We thought we’d only complicate the show it by doing that,” Shields said. “We’ll rely on the audience’s suspension of disbelief.” To aid students on the acting front, the MTI score package, said Shields, “comes with study guides providing background on London life in the 1800s and an explanation of the social hierarchy of the culture, from the Judge (one of

the play’s characters) and his privileged class down to the Beggar Woman and the lower classes.” For Melvin Espinal, 18, a garage band vocalist outside HHS, the focus is on “connecting with [Sweeney’s] emotions … to keep the rage flowing.” He’s used the film “The Crow” to help put him in the right mood. In a plot twist similar to the one in the play, “Brandon Lee plays a man whose wife has been raped and murdered and he has to get revenge,” Espinal said. Pia Farinas, a 17-yearold senior who plays the rival barber Pirelli, is making her stage debut with the Drama Club after spending the past three years as a behindthe-scenes crew member. A drum captain and percussions leader with the HHS marching and concert bands, Farinas said she forced herself to overcome “huge stage fright” when she sang a duet with her sister in an HHS talent show. “When I was looking at [the script for] ‘Sweeney Todd,’ I got hooked on the Pirelli role,” Farinas said. “I felt it was something I could really have fun with.” And that’s something Shields is hoping that the audience will also experience. Running time for “Sweeney Todd,” including intermission, is two hours, 15 minutes.

201-998-9050 • Fax 201.820.0505

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DIRECTORY To advertise in this directory CALL 201-991-1600

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The Bixler Group

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213 Kearny Ave, Kearny, NJ 201-991-1300

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Rosa Agency Realtors 551-553 Kearny Ave., Kearny 201-997-7860 www.RosaAgency.com

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North Arlington, NJ 201-998-9050 Rob@keypointmortgage.com

Arlington Real Estate Owned & Operated by the Capobianco family since 1924

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Elite Realty Group Commercial & Residential

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

CARRIER from

So, in October of last year, the government made a deal with the Texas scrapyard. The U.S. paid a penny to have this ship -- which cost an estimated $217 million (about $2 billion in 2014 dollars) to build -- towed away and demolished. You read that correctly: The government didn’t sell it for 1

past South Padre Island on Feb. 18, thousands of people were lining the jettys. Among the events was a memorial service sponsored by the USS Forrestal Association, which, if you are interested, has a comprehensive website, http://www.uss-forrestal.com. The carrier, with its crew of 5,000 and complement of 80 aircraft, had a long and noble

Polixa was among those who took advantage of the opportunity to go swimming in the middle of the sea. The sailors were allowed to ride the airplane “elevators” downward and then dive in, but they had to scramble back up climbing the cargo nets. And while they were paddling around in the waves, the Forrestal was surrounded by small

boats, each carrying a Marine with a gun. “For shark watch,” Polixa explained. “But none showed up.” Polixa, a native of West Orange, entered the Navy right after graduating from West Orange High School in 1978 and carried on the tradition of his father, Albert, who served in the Navy from ‘57 to ‘59.

“Being in the service was a good time in my life,” Polixa said. “Coming out of high school, I was able to put my life together. It helped me get on track. It gave me a lot of self-discipline, which is good for a young person.” It also, obviously, gave him a deep affection for his ship -- which has now met such a sad fate.

Steel Magnolias

Written by Robert Harling Directed by Beatriz Esteban-Messina

Photo by Allen Polixa

What’s in a name? By 2014, rust.

cent, which would have been bad enough; it PAID a cent to get rid of it. At 5 a.m. this Feb. 4, the Forrestal -- named for James Forrestal, former Secretary of the Navy and this country’s first Secretary of Defense -began its final voyage, to be towed by tugboats down the Delaware River and along the Atlantic Coast and across the Gulf of Mexico to meet its final fate in the Lone Star State. Standing in the frigid cold and pre-dawn darkness on the Philadelphia docks that morning was a Nutley resident, Allen Polixa, a Navy veteran who had served aboard the Forrestal from 1980 to ‘82. He had driven to Philly with his wife, Erlinda, simply to say goodbye. Polixa, 54, told us that he and another Forrestal vet, Philadelphian Jimmie Stewart, who served on the ship from 1960 to ‘62, were the only two former crew members there on the pier to bid farewell. However, later, as the Forrestal was being towed down the Delaware, there were people standing along the riverbanks to witness the departure. After the carrier arrived in Texas later in the month, Polixa was there, too. “I had no plans to go to Texas,” he said, “but my wife said, ‘Go. It’s only a one-time thing.’” So he went -- this time solo and by plane. Polixa noted that, unlike Philly, in Brownsville there were formal farewell ceremonies, private and public. And according to local news reports, as the ship was towed

service career, but in the minds of many it is most remembered for that 1967 tragedy during Vietnam War. On July 29 of that year, it was engaged in combat operations off the coast of North Vietnam. A rocket from an F-4 jet fighter on the carrier deck was launched accidentally and stuck another fighter plane that was preparing for take-off, a Skyhawk piloted by John McCain, the future U.S. senator. Fuel from the Skyhawk ignited, the fire spread to other planes and detonated a 1,000lb. bomb, and chain-reaction explosions followed. Half the ship was ablaze. The result was carnage. By the following year, the Forrestal had been fully repaired and refitted and was back on active duty, but it did not return to Vietnam. By the time Polixa was assigned to the Forrestal, it was splitting its time between the Mediterranean and its home port of Jacksonville, Fla. The Nutley resident recalled one homeward journey across the Atlantic after the crew had been at sea “for two months straight, no liberty visits.” As a reward, the Forrestal captain ordered the carrier stopped in mid-ocean and treated the sailors to a barbecue on “Steel Beach,” the flight deck. “Usually, there is no alcohol allowed on U.S. Navy ships,” Polixa noted, but for the party, the Navy “had flown in two cans of beer for each sailor.” Many the crew members were content to sun themselves on the deck that day, but

Friday, April 4 @ 7:30 pm • Saturday, April 5 @ 1:30pm & 7:30pm Friday, April 11 @ 7:30pm • Saturday, April 12 @ 7:30pm W.H.A.T. Theater • 131 Midland Ave., Kearny NJ Tickets: $12 Adults, $10 Students & Seniors For more information and advance tickets visit www.whatco.org or call 201-467-8624 THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY FUNDS FROM THE NEW JERSEY STAET COUNCIL ON THE ARTS/DEPARTMENT OF THE STATE, A PARTNER, AGENCY OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, ADMINISTERED BY THE HUDSON COUNTY OFFICE OF CULTURAL @ HERITAGE AFFAIRS, THOMAS A. DEGISE, COUNTY EXECUTIVE, AND THE BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS.

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

ATTenTIon! Residents of Beech St., Pavonia and Quincy Ave., are you aware of the proposed development at the former Lynn Chevrolet site? The proposed development includes demolition of one commercial building, 2 residential homes, and two mixed use buildings. The plan also includes a drive thru and 4 driveways. If you are concerned about your property and the TRAFFIC impact please attend the Kearny zoning board hearing on Tuesday, April 1, at 7:30pm in Town Hall.

KeARny Town HAll 402 KeARny Ave 201-955-7400

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

Deadline for obituaries:

Monday by 10 AM

Vincent F. Carchidi Mr. Vincent F. Carchidi, of Kearny, died on Saturday, March 29. He was 81 and a longtime Kearny resident. The funeral Mass will be offered on Wednesday, April 2, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny, followed by the interment in Holy Cross Cemetery. Relatives and friends may call at the Condon Funeral Home (condonfuneralhome.com) 684 Kearny Ave., Kearny, on Tuesday, April 1, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Vince was a fixture working the polls in Kearny during municipal and school board elections. He was also a member of the Watchung Amateur Ski Club for 52 years and enjoyed spending time at his home in the Catskills. He was employed as a general manager and advertising specialist with the Kearny Observer for over 25 years until retiring. He was a proud Army veteran of the Korean War. Mr. Carchidi is survived by his sister, Rose Carchidi; his nieces and nephews Roseanne and Craig Stewart, John and Sharon Carchidi and Christine and Daniel McShane. Also surviving are his great-nieces and nephews Christopher McShane, Daniel and Linette McShane, Jackie and John McNally and Alex McShane. He was predeceased by his siblings Clara A. and Joseph (Jackie) Carchidi. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider donations to Pathways for Independence, 60 Kingsland Ave., Kearny, N.J. 07032.

obituaries

he lived in Flanders before moving to Sussex County in 2005. Along with his wife, Therese, Mr. Churchman summered in Stuart, Fla., from 1993 to 2004. He served in the United States Army in the 347th Infantry during World War II and received a Bronze Star and was a member of the American Legion Post 213 in Wantage. He was an assistant coach for Thistle FC of Kearny. Mr. Churchman was employed as a truck driver and dispatcher for Chasta Motor Transportation in Kearny, retiring in 1987. He was predeceased by his wife of 61 years, Therese, on February 16, 2009; his son, Francis “Frank” Churchman on September 10, 2009; and his daughter-in-law, JoAnne Churchman on December 18, 2008. He is survived by his three sons, Brian of Wantage, Mark of Wharton, and James of Wantage; his daughter, Nancy Mary Shaffer and her husband Harry of Lake Ariel, Pa.; and his five grandchildren. Arrangements were by the Pinkel Funeral Home, 31 Bank St., Sussex. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations may be made to the Wantage First Aid Squad, P.O. Box 721, Wantage, N.J. 07461. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.pinkelfuneralhome. com.

Charles E. Ferruggio Charles E. Ferruggio, 66, died March 24 at the Maple Glen Center in Fair Lawn. Born in New York, N.Y., Hubert Churchman he lived in North Arlington Hubert “Frank” Churchman, before moving to Oakland 12 92, passed away on March 23 years ago. He served in the at Newton Medical Center. U.S. Army during the Vietnam Born and raised in Kearny to War. the late Percy James and Mary He was an operating en(Billingham) Churchman,

gineer with Local 825 in Springfield for 35 years before retiring five years ago. He was the cherished companion of 22 years of Marietta Galdi, the adored father of Jason C. Ferruggio, the loving brother of Sam Ferruggio and the dear uncle of Andrea Ferruggio. The funeral was from the Parow Funeral Home, 185 Ridge Rd., North Arlington, on Friday, March 28, with a funeral Mass at Queen of Peace Church, North Arlington, followed by interment in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.

Joann L. Gorba Joann L. Gorba died March 12 at home. She was 48. Born in Kearny, she was a lifelong resident. A memorial service was held at the Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home. To leave online condolences, please visit www.armitagewiggins. com. Joann is survived by her daughter Ashley and her sisters and brother Julie Kammerer, Sherri MacLeod and James Gorba. She is also the beloved aunt of Julie, Sean and Kristen Clark. Theresa Kosciuch Theresa Kosciuch (nee Paschenko) died March 27. She was 86. Born in Harrison, she lived in Kearny the past 64 years. Private arrangements are by the Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home in Kearny. To leave online condolences, please visit www.armitagewiggins.com. Theresa is survived by her husband William and her children and their spouses John and Molly Kosciuch and Elaine and William Lombardi. Also surviving are her grand-

Deadline for obituary submissions is

Monday by 10AM

To submit an obituary: fax: 201-991-8941

obituaries@theobserver.com

children Liza, Sara, Nicole and Michele and her great grandchildren Noah and Dean. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to The Alzheimers Foundation. Patrick Francis Murtagh Patrick Francis Murtagh, 82, entered into eternal rest on March 27. The funeral will be conducted from the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison, on Tuesday, April 1, at 10:15 a.m. A funeral Mass will follow at St. Aloysius Church, Newark, at 11 a.m. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington. Friends may call on Tuesday, starting at 9:30 a.m. For information or directions, please visit www.mulliganfuneralhome.org. Born in French Parp, Ireland, he was a lifelong resident of Newark. He worked as a machine operator for PFAFF and Kendall in Newark for 30 years, retiring in 1994. Prior to Kendall, he worked for Commercial Can in Newark. He

was a member of Roscommon Club in New York City, and he was an avid Mets fan and enjoyed playing the lottery. Patrick is survived by his sister Anna Thompson and his brother Joseph Murtagh, his cousins Margaret ”Jeannie” Brynes, Helen Brennen and Mary Vaughn and many friends. He was predeceased by his parents Thomas and Margaret (Byron) Murtagh and his uncle, John Murtagh. Eleanor M. Nauen Eleanor M. Nauen died March 23. She was 84. Born in Paterson, she lived in Florida for many years before moving to Kearny. Arrangements were by the Armitage and Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Dr., Kearny. A funeral Mass was held at St. Stephen’s Church and burial followed in Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah. Eleanor is survived by her sister Henrietta Mawhinney, four nieces, one nephew and their families.

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596 Belgrove Dr. • Kearny, NJ 07032 (201) 991-0657

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

www.theobserver.com

The Observer is not responsible for typographical errors. Credit for errors will not be granted after the next week’s publication. No changes or refunds. Deadline for classifieds is Monday by 4:00 PM.

housE For sAlE N. ARLINGTON 2 MoTHER DAUgHTER HoUSES To BE BUILT. 12 ARLINgToN AVE. CALL FoR DETAILS. O’hARA AGENcy (201) 997-6300

offiCe sPaCe for renT E.Rutherford Newly renovated, 700sq.ft. office space. Great for started office or 2nd location. Prime Location for either chiropractor, dentist, insurance Agent, cPA, Lawyer, Etc. $975/month. has reception area. 3 separate rooms. 200 sq. Ft. Back for storage. central Air, Gas heat. Off street parking. Avl. April 1st. 609-618-8681.

Business for sale Currently Available 1700 sq.ft., 5 offices w/bath & reception area at 564 Union Avenue, corner of greylock, in Belleville. Professional office, Restaurant, or other office use. Call (973) 202-8580

aParTMenTs for renT

CLASSIFIEDS

Business for sale

aParTMenTs for renT

KEARNY Nail Salon for sale or equipment for sale. 973-229-2786

KEARNy 3rd Fl. Apt. 2 BR’s. LR, kitchen. $1,000/month + utilities. 1 month security. Available Now. 201-923-7611.

KEARNy Newly Renovated. 1st fl, 2 BR’s. $1350/month + utilities. 1 month security. off street parking. Close to schools. Avl. April 1st. 201-889-6506

KEARNy harrison Border. Newly renovated. 1st floor. 2 bedrooms, LR, Kitchen. $975/month. utilities not included. No pets. Available April 15th. 201-998-2153 or 201-951-2868

sTore for renT NUTLEY 250 center St. 600 square feet, busy street, Currently Dry Cleaner. owner Looking to Retire. Call Frank 973-943-3633

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Hall for renT Party Hall For Rent • Affordable • A/C • Nice Setting 201-889-6677 201-572-1839 aParTMenTs for renT KEArNy

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KEARNy Convenient Location Large 3R, 1BR, includes HT/HW $825/month + security. (512) 994-4986 KEARNy 4 rent By owner 2 & 3 BR Apts. Newly Renovated. All Units Have W/D Hook up & Basement Storage. Most units have A/C. Rents Range from $950$1475 + Utilities. 1 ½ months security + good Credit required. Close to NY Transportation. No pets. Call 201-9988226. Between the hrs. 6am-4pm. Monday-Friday for Appt. KEARNy Arlington Section. Renovated 1st fl. 2 family home. original H/W floors. LR/DR, 2BR, Kitchen has stove, refrigerator and ceramic tiles. Laundry on site. No pets. $1200/month + utilities. Security required $1800. No smoking. Avl. now. Application Fee, Credit and Background check required. 908-244-5847. KEARNy ELM cOuRT Kearny’s Best Kept secret 732 Elm St. 1 BR for $850 NYC Commuter Bldg Call Alan (201)955-4334 or PJ (973)922-1555 ext 1 Affiliated Mgmt.

KEARNy one bedroom apartments, (Kearny & Newark). No pets. No Smoking. $880/Month + Utilities. 1 1/2 months security. Available Now. 973-951-2343.

KEARNy Newly Renovated. 2 bedroom apartment. Available April 1st. 201-232-0565 KEARNy 3rd fl. 1 BR, LV, Kitchen. No pets. No smoking. Electric heat. $800/month + utilities. 1 month security required. Available. 201-842-0981 KEARNy 2nd Fl. 2 Large Br’s, EIK, C/A, H/W Floors. $1,200/m. 1 month security. No pets. Avl. May 1st. 201-997-1879 201-983-1262. KEARNy Small Studio $700. Efficiency Apt. $750. HT/HW included 1-1/2 month’s security. Call Super between 11am-8pm. (201)998-9006. KEARNy 5 rooms 11/2 months security $1,200/month + utilities. No pets 201-955-0510. KEARNy 2nd fl. 3 bedrooms, Bathroom, LR, Kitchen & Bonus Attic. Newly renovated. Close to garfield Schools. No pets. $1,400/month + utilities. 1 month security. Available May 1st. (201)772-8419 KEARNy 3 bedrooms, 1st floor. Separate utilities. Kitchen/DR combo. Close to transportation & school. $1600/month. 1-1/2 months security. Includes Yard. Available immediately. (973)268-2311 between 10am-5pm, (201)702-9097 anytime. KEARNy 2 bedrooms, LR, DR, office, modern bathroom/kitchen, hardwood floors, washer/dryer hook-up. $1200/month. 2 months security. Available May 1st. (732) 535-0381

KEARNy 1 BR apt.. No pets. A/C. 1 ½ Months Security. $979/month. 551-655-1619. KEARNy Arlington Section. 1st. Fl. 3 BR. LV/DR. EIK. HT included. 1 ½ month security.1 car parking. Available May 1st. 551-697-4235 After 3pm. KEARNy 3 BR’s. Extra Large Rooms. $1250/month. HT/HW included. Recently Renovated. Kitchen, Bath, HW floors, Refrigerator. 1 month security. No fees. Avl. May 1st. No pets. 973-216-9470. KEARNy 4 rooms, 3rd fl. Refrigerator, 1 ½ months security. References. Separate utilities. No pets. $875/month. (201)815-6870

BEllEvillE BELLEVILLE 2nd fl. 2 BR’s, Belleville Nutley border. W/D Hook up. HT/HW included $1300/month.Avl. Jan. 1st 862-201-6166. BELLEVILLE 1 Bedroom apt. HT/HW & gas included. A/C, refrigerator, Stove. New carpet & cabinets. 1 Car Parking. $1000/month. No pets. Avail. immediately. (973) 284-0904. Ask for Al. BELLEVILLE 5 rooms, $1,075/month. HW included. 1 ½ month security. No pets. 732-572-6885 or 732-789-5154

KEArNy

To place an ad call: 201-991-1600 classified@theobserver.com

aParTMenTs for renT

BELLEVILLE 2 BR modern apt. With Central air & Heat. Parking Space. 1 ½ month’s security. No pets. Available Now. (201)424-0957

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hArrisoN hARRIsON 2 bedrooms, kitchen, LR, bathroom. Recently renovated. Close to PATH. Available. (201)376-3184

lyNDhurst LyNdhuRsT 2nd fl. 1 BR apt. Private House. H/W floors, $1000/mo + 1 month security. HT/HW included. Small pet ok. 201-575-5270.

LyNdhuRsT 1 BR Apt. Walk in Closet. Near NY Transportation. Small Pets ok. off street parking. $1,100/month. 1 ½ month security. Avl. Now. 646-831-4342.

LyNdhuRsT 1 bedroom apt. 1 block from NY train. $1250/month. (973)227-1851 or (973)760-4877

LyNdhuRsT 1st floor, 2 bedrooms, separate utilities. $1300/month. 1 month security. No pets. No smoking. Near NY transportation. (973)450-5202

KEArNy

Barbara Gerbasio RE & Management co. 201-998-8415

KEARNy - 726 Elm ST. 1 bed rm H/HW supplies, Hardwood Fls. Laundry in basement close to shopping & Transportation. • Lg. 1 bed w/ dinning area, will hold king size furniture, Hardwood fl. $985.00 Superintendent Raz 201-889-4047

LyNdhuRsT 1 bedrooms includes AC & All appliances, Laundry facility, parking. $975/month plus utilities. No pets. Smoke Free Building. Close to NYC transportation. (201) 970-3210 LyNdhuRsT 2 BR, Lg RooMS, FULLY RENoVATED. HT INCLUDED. W/D HooK-UPS IN APT. 1550/MoNTH. O’hARA AGENcy (201) 997-6300

E. NEWArK E.NEWARK 1st floor studio apt. 1 bedroom, Kitchen, LR. Utilities not included. 1 ½ months security. $750/month, Available April 15th. 201-772-9965.

KEArNy

aParTMenTs for renT N. ArliNgtoN N.ARLINGTON Newly renovated, 2 Large BR’s, Large LV & EIK. $1,200/month, 1 ½ month security. HW included. Close to all major transportation. Available May 1st. 201-522-4470

N.ARLINGTON 1 Bedroom Apt. HT/HW included. Parking space. No pets. 201-342-2206.

N.ARLINGTON 1 Br Apt. Newly Renovated. Close to All transportation & School. Walking distance to supermarket and NY Bus. 201-283-4958.

N.ARLINGTON 5 room apt. for rent and apartment sale. April 1st-4th and April 8th11th. 10am-4pm. Moving sale 2 Bedroom sets, Kitchen, DR sets. End Tables, Lamps. Refrigerator, Dishwasher, Carpet, Toaster, Micro, Leather Couch, Entertainment center and TV. Call Ken 551-580-1492

KEArNy

KEARNy Studio apartment, in modern garden apartment bldg., dressing alcove, built in vanity dresser, walk in closer, vanity bath, free parking, available April 1st, rent $735.00, plus utilities. call 201-991-6261

aParTMenTs for renT

There will be a $10.00 processing fee when cancelling an ad before it is published for the first time. • $10 processing fee if changes need to be made for running specials

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

www.theobserver.com

aParTMenTs for renT N. NEWArK N.NEWARK 3 Bedroom Apt. Newly Renovated. New Bath, New Kitchen, 1st fl. 412 Woodside Ave. Section A Accepted. Call 973-202-8580.

NutlEy NuTLEy 3 room apt. $900/month. freshly painted. Newly Renovated. Close to NY transportation. Move in condition. No pets. No smoking. 973-517-7517.

CLASSIFIEDS

rooM For rENt

KEARNY Room for rent. female preferred. Kitchen use. Near NY Transportation. Available Now. 201-719-0380.

HARRISoN Private entrance. Available now. Near transportation. No smoking. No pets. $450/month. 1 month security. Male preferred. (650)645-0307

KEARNY Female preferred, private entrance, utilities included with cable & internet. 1 block to transportation. $550/month + security. Available April 1st. Se habla español 908-343-7728.

aParTMenT WanTeD

KEARNY Furnished sleeping room for single person. Smokefree, Drug-free. Close to transportation. 304 chestnut street. Security required. 201-207-8029.

South Bergen, 3 rooms Mature Semi retired adult with a 3yr. old well behaved mixed breed canine, Will Mcguire. 201-955-2520.

KEARNY Furnished room for gentleman, Kitchen privileges, everything supplied. Security required. Call 201-991-3289

EMployMENt

AdVERTIsING AccOuNT ExEcuTIVE We have an opening for an aggressive energetic self-starter to sell newspaper advertising. Duties include servicing existing account, calling inactive accounts, and generating new business while making friends.

Family owned and operated 126 years. Team oriented environment. you have the ambition and we will train. High Commission Must have transportation. Fax resume to: 201-991-8941 or E-mail: jobs@theobserver.com

EMployMENt

Nice looking man, looking for nice woman. Must be over 60 w/no children. (973) 715-9586

Dental Assistant/ Receptionist needed for our dental office in Harrison. Experienced only. E-mail your resume to gooddentist@ hotmail.com

Machine Shop Helper / Machinist Helper Knowledge of Manual Lathes – Helpful –overall Manufacturing Tasks. Apply: 75 Arlington Ave. Kearny, NJ 07032 Fax: (201) 998-5650

EMployMENt

HARRISoN 1 room for rent. Private entrance & bathroom. one person preferred. $550/month. Cable & Internet included. (973) 525-3860.

Drivers CDL A/B Call today start tomorrow, great Pay & Benefits. 201-991-1586.

KEARNY Room for rent with private entrance. Private Bathroom. $600/month. Bus stop in corner. All utilities included. No smoking. No pets. Available Now. 973-981-3826.

Now Hiring! Property inspectors FT/PT in your area. Full, free training provided. msangelabove@ comcast.net (732)766-4425 ask for Mel

loT for sale LOT FOR sALE NEWARK 33-35 BROOKdALE AVE., REsIdENTAIL, 30FT x 100FT, LEVELEd, usEd FOR sIx FAMILy, OWNER WILL cONsIdER ALL OFFERs. cALL 201-615-7960.

MoVinG sale 110-L 6th St., N.Arlington. Everything for sale. Clothing, furniture, electric appliances and more. Every Saturday starting March 29th thru April 19th. 11am7pm. Any other day, by appointments only, please call after 9pm at 201-889-4495

YarD sale Moving…selling bedroom sets, Dining Room, Cedar Closet, Window AC’s, Recliner, etc. and “indoor yard sale.” April 5th & 6th 10am3pm. 47 Locust Avenue, North Arlington.

rooFiNg

NO PhONE cALLs PLEAsE

pErsoNAls

Licensed Hairdresser Wanted Full or Part Time Position. Call 201-997-8700. Located in Kearny

Now Hiring for season Servers & Cooks, Waitress & Waiter. Apply in person 938 Passaic Ave Kearny, NJ TANNINg SALoN

Seeking reliable persons for positions; Sales/bed cleaning. Pleasing personality A+. Some sales exp.helpful. "Tanners preferred."

Call 973-566-0333

FT Front office receptionist needed, $12.50hr you can apply at 462 Forest St, Kearny NJ Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. Bi-lingual a plus. Barmaid wanted with or without experience. Apply in person at Euro pub 631 Schuyler Ave. Kearny, NJ.

rooFiNg

MIKE’s ALL sEAsONs ROOFING & sIdING • Roofing • Siding • Windows • Doors • gutter & Leaders • Roof Repairs 13VH008B0300 Free Est 201-438-0355 Fully Ins’d

Looking for Dental Assistant/ Front office Receptionist at least 6 months experience, Xray license a Plus. Must speak Spanish or Portuguese. Please fax resume to 973-465-7878 or email: empiredentalcarepc@ yahoo.com

Full Time Teacher’s Aide Seeking creative, patient & Energetic Individual to assist teacher in Pre-K classroom. CDA preferred. Fax resume to (973) 484-6648.

Light assembly & warehouse work. Company located near Mill St., Belleville. Must speak Both English & Spanish. $9.00/hr. to start. Call 973-482-8603 FT Driving Instructor Wanted. Must have clean driving record, no points or accidents. NJ Drivers License for more than 4 years A MUST. Reliable & Responsible. Bilingual preferred. (201) 246-8000 PACKINg Co. LoCATED IN FAIRFIELD NJ. (NEAR WILLoWBRooK MALL) IS LooKINg FoR WoRKERS oN ALL PoSITIoNS. MUST BE LEgAL To WoRK oN USA.No EXPERIENCE NECESSARY. Please call 973-228-7700

CLERICAL PERSoN WANTED HARRISoN NJ

• P/T position available • Must be computer literate • Billing/Filling duties • Knowledge of trucking industry a + • English/Spanish helpful • Training available Please contact Nilsa or Brian at 973482-9778

Sales Local retail furniture store seeks proven salespeople for P/T and F/T positions. Hours will include Saturdays and nights. Apply in person: Mace Bros Furniture 512 Kearny Ave. Kearny, NJ. Poggenpohl US Inc. 973-812-8900 Assistant Bookkeeper Part-Time. 20 Hours a Week. Assist with Accounts receivable for our dealer network & general accounting. Email Resumes to info@ us.poggenpohl.com

"AUTo BoDY SHoP (NEWARK,NJ) LooKINg FoR EXPERIENCED BoDY MAN/WoMAN To Do FRAME & METAL WoRK. FULL-TIME PLEASE CALL M-F 8:30AM - 6:00PM SATURDAY 8:30AM To 12:00PM 973-589-2424

EXPERIENCED TRACToR oWNER oPERAToRS WANTED

• Local work covering NJ, NY, CT, and PA • Earning potential $2000 + weekly • Intermodal rail work only/Home every night • Bobtail insurance required • Must have clean license, medical card • Immediate start Harrison NJ Please contact Brian or Tony at 973-482-9778

CDL Class A Driver – So. Kearny tank cleaning company has an immediate opening for 2nd shift yard switcher. $12$14/hr. Holiday & vacation pd. Must have SDL Class A, 2 yrs experience, clean background and verifiable work history. Call Mike C. at 973-589-3300

To place an ad call: 201-991-1600 classified@theobserver.com rooFiNg

hANDyMAN

• New + Re-roofing • Slate Repairs • gutters Cleaned • Flat Roofing • Also Do Painting Free Estimates Fully Insured

“Fair Deal Dan” Painting, Sheetrock, Plastering, odd Jobs, Flooring, Windows and Doors, Plumbing, replace water heater, leaky faucets, tile work for floors, bathrooms, kitchen, counter tops and granite. Lic#V203575 (201)448-1563

(201)998-5153

N&J REMOdELERs

Roofing + Siding Specialist. Windows, Doors, Decks, Kitchen/ Baths. Complete Home Renovation. Quality workmanship. All work guaranteed. Free Estimate. Fully insured

Nick (201)997-7657

Quality Home Builders Exterior Specialist Roofing & Siding Additions & Decks 201-317-0282

ElEctricAl 25 years experience Twin Electric Quality Work. good affordable prices. Senior discounts. Fully Insured. Bonded. Lic. 16158 (973) 715-4150 (201) 562-5985

hANDyMAN “chris The handyman” For your home repairs and Outdoor Power Equipment services (201) 694-0258

lANDscApiNg Andriello Lanscaping Contruction Design ? Maint/Clean Ups Shrub Triming grass Cutting Lic. 13VH04443200 (201) 939-7308

copacabana Landscaping

* Lawn Maintenance * Spring Clean-up * Design Retaining Walls • Pavers * Tree Service

Free Estimates & fully Ins. Eder (201) 997-9271 www.copacabana landscaping.com

LADYBUg Landscapes Inc.

• Design • Construct • Maintain • Paving • Snow Removal Demolition-Commercial (201)804-0587 (201)655-1938

MARIO EsPOsITO

LANdscAPING LLc Spring Clean-Up Lawn maintenance Top Soil • Mulch Free Estimates (201)438-3991

A1Affordable Landscaping Weekly maintenance • Busch Trimming • CleanUps • Design For free estimates call (201)998-1262

Do IT ALL Interior/Exterior new & repairs. All types of carpentry. Reasonable rates, quality work, reliable, experienced. 13VH06620900 (201)991-3223

Weekly Lawn Maintenance Spring Clean-ups Mulch topsoil seed sod. Fully Insured. Free Estimates

ElEctricAl

Landscape contractors LLc

(201)898-7443

EMERALd ELEcTRIc 25 Years Experience • All types of electrical wiring 24 hour emergency service Free Estimate Lic # 11909

10% oFF with ad El. Insp. # 7566

(201)955-2678

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

www.theobserver.com

ruBBisH reMoVal ANDRIELLo CLEANoUTS

Yards, garages, Basements, Attics, Real Estate, Rubbish Removal/Demolition Lic.13VH04443200

(201)874-1577

Armin cleanouts Rubbish removal, garbages, basements, attics, demolition. We’ll match any price. (973) 460-2963

A1 affordable Rubbish Removal Attics, Basements, Yard Cleaning. We Haul or You Can Rent 10-15 Cubic Yard Containers. We Accept Visa/MasterCard (201) 998-1262.

CleaninG serViCes Couple from Poland will clean houses, apartment, offices. References. (201)997-4932 Leave message Annie’s cleaning service Homes, offices. Move in-out cleaning. gift Certificates Avail. Excellent references 973-667-6739 862-210-0681

Polish woman will clean Home or office. Please call Maria at 201-991-9126. References available.

MAsoNry Manny Vidveiro Masonry – Blocks – Concrete – Bricks – Flatwork – Basement Waterproofing – Tiles. 201-893-1273

serViCes offereD

HoMe iMProVeMenT

Cut Your Mortgage In Half Maintain Your Current Life Style

G & R Builders

(201)805-4999

Free Call HoMe iMProVeMenT Handyman Star All inside or outside repairs. Windows, painting, sheetrock, carpentry, masonry, and decks. No job too big or small. Free estimates. Tom (201)4245042 Ranne Tile & Home Improvement Ceramic Tile Repairs • Walls & Floors • Big & Small • Regrouting • Caulking • Repair soap dishes • Tile Floors. Free Est. Fully Ins. (201)355-8489

FENIELLo CoNTRACTINg LLC. BASEMENT RENoVATIoNS No MoRE WASTED SPACE. Baths, Kitchens, Deck, Painting. All types of Home Improvement. Quality work fair prices. Fully insured. Lic# 13vh03006100 (201) 906-2422

FM Property home Repairs & Improvements • Kitchens • Bathrooms • Doors • Floors • Windows • Painting • Decks All types of repairs Lic. # 13VH05674000

Fully Insured

201-428-7160

www.repairsbyfm.com fred@repairsbyfm.com

WANtED to Buy Estates Bought & Sold Fine Furniture Antiques, Accessories, gold & Silver.

Cash Paid (201)920-8875

CLASSIFIEDS

WiNDoWs

Roofing, Siding, Windows/Doors, Decks, Painting, Tiles & Masonry, Sheet Rock. All types of Carpentry. Lic. #13VH02536200 Free Estimates 20% Senior Citizen Discounts

(201) 893-0656 guttErs D. FITZgERALD Seamless gutters Installed. gutters Cleaned We-R- Also Dennie’s Painting & Roofing Slate Roofs repaired. 1(800)479-3262

CoMPuTer serViCes J. M. Electronics Computer Repair *Free Computer Check-up *We Buy & Sell Computers *TV Repair LCD & Plasma 502 Kearny Ave. Kearny, NJ 07032 Call Jeff for more information at (201)486-2057

PainTinG & DeCoraTinG Alexander Painting, Decorating Sheet Rock/drywall. Skim coat, tape & tackle. Water damage. Wallpaper remove. 15+years of experience. Free estimates. (973) 985-6644

Classic Painting Interior/Exterior Rooms start $45 Exterior Start $799 Call Don Leave Message 862-754-1789

WiNDoWs

WE FIx WINdOWs REPAIRs OR NEW “sINcE 72” WEAThERshIELd cELL (973) 760-4877 (800) 339-8802

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(201)997-8957 John sAL POLIZZOTTO

Painting, Decorating interior, exterior, Paper Hanging, ceiling. Full Installation, general Repairs. over 14 years experience. FREE ESTIMATE

(201)939-8781

pluMBiNg Courageous Plumbing HVAC LLC Lic. # 11103 • Plumbing • Heating • Cooling • Sewer • Complete basement pump out & Sump pumps MC/VISA and Finace Available $50 off when mention this ad.

(201)206-4845 JOsEPh V. FERRIERO

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rEpAirs APPLIANCES & ELECTRoNICS REPAIR. Erving NJ since 1996! Visit us at www.Santronics.net or call Mario at (908) 403-0313.

AutoMoBilEs WANtED

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To place an ad call: 201-991-1600 classified@theobserver.com

Expect new firefighters on duty by Independence Day BELLEVILLE – Seven newly hired Belleville firefighters began training at the Essex County Fire Academy in Cedar Grove two weeks ago. Those who successfully complete the eight-week program will then undertake up to six weeks of training as emergency medical technicians, to qualify as first responders, said Belleville Fire Chief Robert Caruso. “We should have them ready for duty after July 4th,” Caruso said. “They’ll be dispersed across all four shifts.” The additions will bring the department’s total strength to 68, according to the chief. The BFD peaked at 74 back in 2009-2010, he said. Most recent prior hirings came in September 2013 when three new firefighters came aboard and, before that, nine were put on in September 2011. Belleville positioned itself to appoint the new

firefighters by applying for – and getting -- $1.18 million in a federal SAFER (Staffing for Adequate and Fire Emergency Response) grant that pays salaries and benefits for two years. After the two years, the township is obliged to take over full payment obligations. It marked the first score for Belleville in several previous application efforts, Caruso said. While they’re at the academy, the firefighters-in-training will earn $30,000. When they begin as full-fledged firefighters, they’ll advance to first-year pay of $39,000. The benefit package’s value can range from $20,000 to $35,000 depending on the option chosen by the firefighter, Caruso said. The new recruits, hired from a state Civil Service appointment list, certified Dec. 9, 2013, are: Andres E. Idrovo, Manuel Antonio,

Nicholas Giangrande, Christopher Gammaro, Michael R. Corino, Anthony N. Malanga and Dennis J. Herrmann. Meanwhile, on the equipment front, Caruso said the department was expecting delivery of a new ladder truck from the Florida manufacturer E-One within a month, replacing a 1991 truck which the chief described as “kind of worn out.” “A new ambulance should also be coming at around the same time,” Caruso said. That will replace a 2007 vehicle. “We answer close to 4,000 calls a year,” he said. The new vehicle will be equipped with a heavier chassis which should make it more durable, he added. The township previously authorized a capital bond ordinance to provide financing to acquire the ladder truck, for about $900,000, and the ambulance, for about $225,000. – Ron Leir

To comfort the afflicted The Lyndhurst Knights of Columbus Council 2396 recently donated $1,100 from its Baby Bottle Campaign to the Good Counsel Homes, a Hoboken shelter for battered women. Grand Knight Sal Russo (c.) and Financial Secretary/ Past Grand Knight Nick Garofolo (r.) of the council present a check to Chris Bell, director of Good Counsel Homes.

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

AROUND TOWN from dining-in, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are for sale in advance only. To purchase tickets, visit the rectory Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. or after any weekend Mass. Dinner is catered by Thistle Restaurant. For more information, call 973-667-2580, email olmcnutley@optimum.net, or visit www.olmc-nutley.org. The Nutley Parks and Recreation Department has opened registration for spring session of “Let’s Get Moving,” a high-energy program designed for children ages 3 to 5 to refine motor skills and increase balance. Classes begin April 22 and will run for eight weeks. Residents may choose between a Tuesday class at 1 p.m. or a Thursday class at 9:15 a.m. Class size is limited to 15 per session. Online registration is available at nutleynj.my.gov-i. com/recreation or at the Recreation Department, 44 Park Ave, reachable at 973-284-4966.

‘Steel Magnolias’ opens April 4 at W.H.A.T. The West Hudson Arts and Theater Company (W.H.A.T.), 131 Midland Ave., Kearny, presents a performance of the comedy-drama “Steel Magnolias” for a two-weekend run opening April 4. Set in a small town beauty salon in Louisiana, the play tells the story of six remarkable women who sustain one another during the best and worst times of their lives. Written by Robert Harling as a tribute to his sister, the play was later adapted as the immensely

popular all-star film. Performances are Friday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 5, at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.; Friday, April 11, at 7:30 p.m.; and Saturday, April 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the W.H.A.T. Theater. Tickets are $12 general admission, $10 for seniors and students. Tickets for all performances are available online at www.whatco.org or by calling 201-467-8624. Tickets are also available at the Angry Coffee Bean Café, 89 Ridge Rd., North Arlington and at the theater 30

minutes before each performance (cash or check only). Directing for the first time with W.H.A.T. is Beatriz Esteban-Messina. The cast includes: Marilyn Schilkie (Ouser Boudreaux), Celeste Fasone (Clairee Belcher), Lisa Dascoli (M’Lynn Eatenton), Francesca Stokes (Truvy Jones), Danielle Petrucelli (Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie), and Michelle Thomas-Hanson (Annelle DupupDesoto).

THEME: THE TWENTIES

Solutions from 3/26/14

ACROSS 1. Hidden, also “lost” in French 6. ___ and flow 9. Beehive basket 13. “Private Parts” author 14. ___ v. Wade 15. The Great Muppet 16. _____ peak 17. ___-Wan Kenobi 18. Bedazzle, e.g. 19. *”The Jazz Singer” and such 21. Honeymoon, e.g. 23. Finale 24. RPMs 25. Electric guitar hookup 28. *Art ____ 30. Kindle editions 35. Figure of worship 37. Margaret behind sexual revolution 39. *Flashy ocean ride in “The Great Gatsby” 40. *This “biscuit” was renamed a “sandwich” cookie in 1921 41. Supplemented 43. Salty drop 44. Chronic disease in homeopathy 46. Pitcher with handle and spout for pouring 47. Maori war dance 48. ______ weight in boxing 50. Actor Sandler 52. Frostiness 53. To fix, as in cat 55. Bygone bird 57. *Musical name for the 1920s 61. *”Return to Normalcy” President 65. Architectural projection 66. “Wow!” 68. Cowboy sport 69. Female gossip 70. Feeling of anger 71. Corpulent 72. *”The Foresyte ____” 73. Down in the dumps 74. Adam and Mae DOWN 1. Attention grabber 2. Tallest volcano in Europe 3. Movie roll 4. *Famous Chicago hotel, opened in 1920 5. Uncharitable or cruel 6. Son of Aphrodite 7. *Roaring Twenties hairstyle 8. Neutral shade 9. *”Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-

Lime ____,” a.k.a. “7Up” 10. Be aware of a fact 11. Poet Pound 12. Child’s dream gift? 15. *Fitzgerald’s famous character 20. Swelling 22. Adam’s partner 24. *Route 66, e.g. 25. Mushroom cloud maker 26. Journalist Shriver 27. Song of joy 29. Relinquish or abandon 31. The Hippocratic ____ 32. *Lindbergh’s first solo crossing of Atlantic ____ 33. Popular pant style for men 34. Seatbelt 36. *Like Hemingway’s generation

38. Owner’s acquisition 42. _____ queen 45. Indian spice mix 49. Auto unit 51. The next day 54. Breastplate 56. Sun-dried brick 57. Pleasures 58. Domain 59. Pizzazz 60. Actress ___-Jones 61. Pay attention 62. Bad day for Caesar 63. Home on a limb 64. “What ____ around comes around” 67. *Babe Ruth, star of the “LiveBall ___”

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

BUSINESS

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got lots of experience in government. Now it’s time for him to move up.” Bianchi, a local volunteer firefighter and owner of a barber shop, said: “I was born here in 1941. I went to Washington School and North Arlington High School. I’ve spent my whole life here. Nobody knows more about the town than I do.” “I can help this town a lot,” Bianchi said. He pledged to try to “stabilize taxes, work on our streets, and do away with our old, old trees that are totally destroying our sidewalks.” Bianchi said he’d “model myself after Lyndhurst” in adapting the neighboring township’s strategy to “plant new types of trees whose roots grow straight down” without spreading out and uprooting sidewalks. He said he’d also “work with North Arlington High School and Queen of Peace to make our town more child-friendly.” And he said he’d promote a good working relationship with the Police Department to ensure adequate protection for residents. Nick Antonicello Sr., chairman of the local Dems county committee, told NA Today.net that, “The Democratic Party is squarely behind Mayor Pete, Mark and Dan. … The Democratic ticket is competent, qualified and ready to serve the homeowners and tenants of North Arlington.” Massa told NA Today. net that he pledged to focus on redevelopment and local infrastructure if re-elected. “The winter has been hard on our streets and I want to resurface and pave,” Massa said. “Fixing potholes will be another priority moving forward.” Massa challenged his GOP opponent to debate the issues during the municipal campaign. While making her first

Peter Massa

Joseph Bianchi

Mark Yampaglia

Dan Pronti

Dan Castro

bid for elective office, Republican Kerry Anne Cruz cut her teeth on public campaigning by taking an active role in advocating for the Board of Education referendum March 12, 2013, asking for voters’ permission to borrow $3.38 million to upgrade its Foley Field athletic complex. The measure passed and the project is now in process. Cruz, who grew up in Kearny and has lived in North Arlington the past 17 years, said she hopes that the borough and BOE “may be getting along better to get things done,” especially since “I have a son who will be going into eighth-grade.” An improved high school athletic complex, coupled with “more places for recreation for our children,” can be big selling points for getting more people to move to the borough, she said. “I couldn’t begin to tell you how many times my son is practicing 9 [o’clock] at

Kerry Anne Cruz

night because we don’t have enough fields,” Cruz said. As a council member, Cruz said she’d investigate the possibility of snagging state and/or federal grants to acquire additional playing spaces. Her running mate, Dan Pronti, was appointed to the council last November for one year to fill the unexpired term of Steve Tanelli, who was elected county freeholder. Now he’s seeking a full 3-year term. His top priority, if elected, would be to form a “community safety committee” to arrange for extra crossing guards, crosswalks, stop signs and brighter lights, as needed. North Arlington has about 2,300 registered Democrats and about 1,700 registered Republicans. In last year’s council election, however, the GOP hacked away at the Dems’ 4-2 majority by capturing the seat previously held by Peter Norcia.

THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

students, Bruscino said the district would have to spend exercises – one parent woran estimated $150,000 a year ried about kids’ safety and to rent or $550,000 to pur“time lost” in changing and chase “four or five” classroom crossing the street. Blood said trailers. that the district would assign Anticipating questions teachers to help kids cross about alternate strategies, and ask the town to station Blood said that deployment crossing guards there. of redistrictling alone was On the economics front, ruled out because it would Bruscino estimated it would be “a major undertaking” cost in the neighborhood of that “wouldn’t eliminate the $395,000 for the rental and/ replication of [instructional] or purchase of St. Stephen’s services.” School building, $100,000 for Equally inadequate, she utilities, $15,000 for repairs said, was the idea of using and $10,000 for furniture. St. Stephen’s as another K-6 If the board doesn’t go with school and reconfiguring the Annex option, Blood said Lincoln to a grades 7 and 8 that based on current enrollmiddle school because it’s mentt projections, the district “not efficient and our sixth would need two additional graders would still be spread classrooms at Garfield School out over the district.” and two at Washington Phasing in the middle School and, potentially, one school campus over two more at Schuyler School. years, rather than all at once, And, since there’s no room makes sense because it will to accommodate the extra be less daunting for children, CAMPUS from

2010, he’s hoping to bring the job in at the originally bid price of $3.1 million by having some of the preliminary work “picked up by my staff.” He said the superintendent and support staff will occupy the first and second floors while students from the district’s “G.A.T.E.” program (pull-out gifted and talented classes for grades 3 to 6) will be assigned to two lowerlevel classrooms. The board’s move to Midland Ave. should create room for four additional classrooms at its current home at the Franklin School campus, Bruscino said. “We’re hoping to be in Midland Ave. by June and in [the new classrooms at] Franklin by September,” he said. The project is being funded by a combination of capital reserve funds plus a grant from the state School Development Authority, he said.

eral and state funding allocated for the project, the district has spent nearly $14 million so far, Bruscino said. “There’s no guarantee there’s enough left to finish the job,” he said. “We hope all the cards fall into place.” However, the district will likely be facing additional payments incurred by an arbitration claim involving the $4.9 million façade portion of the KHS construction job, filed by Brockwell & Carrington, the contractor originally hired for the high school job but terminated “for convenience” midway through. Last Monday, the board voted to pay Hoffman Architects of Summit $11,450 as an expert consultant to defend against the claim. As for the Midland Ave. project, Bruscino said that although there has been a “cost escalation of $83,627” since the job was originally bid in

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sion of a CDS and paraphernalia. The driver received summonses for careless driving, pended license and was the a loud muffler and an unclear subject of a warrant from Hopewell. He was charged on license plate. both counts. March 25 Officers Jean and Fabula enAt 3:30 p.m., Sgt. Paul Bercountered 28-year-old Kearny shefski spotted Ulises Rebozo, resident Sidnei Antunes at 40, of Kearny, walking east on Afton St. and Kearny Ave. at the railroad trestle at N. Mid8:15 p.m. and confirmed that he land Ave., police said. Since was the subject of several warthe trestle is private property, rants -one from East Newark Rebozo was charged with defiand four from Harrison. He ant trespass. was processed at headquarters and turned over to the HarAlso at 3:30 p.m., Officers Daniel Esteves and Sean Kelly rison PD. saw an auto being operated March 28 recklessly at Johnston and Officer Tom Floyd was Grant Aves. and followed it called to Walmart at 12:30 a.m. to John St., where it parked, and found that Jason Combs, police said. A passenger 25, of Clinton, Iowa, had allegalighted, reportedly holding a edly attempted to leave the glass bong and a small metal premises without paying for a container, which police said he Starbucks cappuccino and 34 discarded on the ground near packs of “Magic: The Gatherhis feet. Police said the bong was found to hold remnants of ing” cards, with a total value a CDS; the container, suspect- of $138.10. Combs was charged with shoplifting. ed marijuana. Tyler Jordan, 20, of no known address, was – Karen Zautyk arrested on charges of possesKPD from

teachers and staff, Blood said. On other infrastructure fronts, meanwhile, Bruscino provided updates on construction activities at the high school and at the districtowned property at 174 Midland Ave. being converted to KBOE/administrative staff offices and basement classrooms. KHS’s south building should be finished by June, Bruscino said. On April 8, bids will be received for a “single overall general contractor for Aircraft Noise Abatement and Renovation work to be performed at Kearny High School north building” including installation of structural steel and related work that will pave the way for five floors of 20 new “instructional spaces,” glass elevator, new cafeteria, new media space and six-story atrium with skylight. Of the $44.8 million in fed-

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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2014

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