e-Newspaper for March 6, 2024

Belleville Sons visit D.C.,

Rat the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

emembering More Than Me.”

That’s the slogan of this year’s National Commander of the Sons of the American Legion Donald “JR” Hall. of Maryland. They stand as an affirmation of everything Sons stand for.

Over the weekend of Feb. 24, three Sons of Belleville Squadron 105 traveled to Washington, D.C., to join hundreds of other members of the Legion from across the country to participate in the Washington

Conference.

The trip culminated with a ceremony where the SAL national commander laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

For 64 years, the American Legion has used this week in February to push the national organization’s legislative agenda, which revolves around promoting veterans’ rights and benefits. Per the American Legion’s website, the “Conference provides an

See DC, Page 18

Esteves officially announces run for Kearny’s Third Ward council seat

U.S. Army veteran, 40+year resident previously served on Planning & UEZ boards

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

If you’ve lived in or around Kearny over the last 44 years, chances are at some point or another you’ve met Fred Esteves. Perhaps it was at the celebration of Kearny’s 150th birthday. Maybe

it was at a council meeting. Maybe you were there the day his son, Danny, was installed as a Kearny police officer. Or, perhaps it was even that time you attended a planning board or UEZ meeting or event.

Regardless, after considering his four-plus decades of

service to the town, coupled with the reality he has retired from his long career as an engineer, it has all translated into Esteves’s desire to take the next step, so he’s decided to run for the Kearny Town Council’s open Third Ward seat.

As of now, Esteves will square off in the June Democratic primary against Renato da Silva, the councilman who currently occupies the seat vacated when Carol Jean Doyle became mayor in November. The term runs through 2025,

See FRED, Page 14

Contributed photo

Myers, Vlaskakis and Elsmore at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, D.C., late last month.

BCPO: Man charged after allegedly giving drugs to man who OD’d in Lyndhurst motel

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

A man who spent time in a Lyndhurst motel and whose friend died there has been charged in connection with the death, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.

Alberto Delgado, 43, of Bloomfield, was arrested for strict liability in a drug-induced death and drug distribution-related charges, Musella said.

The arrest was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Lyndhurst Police Department.

According to Musella, on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at approximately 11:52 a.m., the Lyndhurst Police Department

responded to the Winslow Motor Hotel, 204 Rutherford Ave., Lyndhurst, and found an unresponsive man who was thereafter pronounced dead and identified as Luke Revell, 54, of Jersey City.

Indicators of a possible drug overdose were noted, Musella said, and detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Task Force were notified.

A months-long investigation was initiated by the BCPO and the Lyndhurst PD into the death of Revell and the related drug activity. It revealed Delgado reportedly distributed a fatal dose of narcotics to the victim.

As a result of the investigation,

Delgado was taken into custody in Bloomfield Feb. 23 and charged with first-degree strict liability in a drug induced death, first-degree possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, second-degree possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within 500 feet of a park, third-degree possession with the intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance within 1,000 feet of a school zone, third-degree distribution of cocaine, third-degree distribution of fentanyl and third-degree possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. Delgado was remanded to the Bergen County Jail, Hackensack, without bail, pending a first appearance court.

St. Cecilia HS Class of 1964 planning 60th reunion for mid-September

Members of the St. Cecilia High School class of 1964 are planning a luncheon to celebrate the 60th reunion on Thursday, Sept. 19, at Mamma Victoria, Nutley, from noon to 4 p.m.

For more information or to make a reservation to attend, contact Kathy (McCourt) Jackes at kathyjackes@yahoo. com or Ann Pettigrew at AnnP341@verizon.net.

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ANutley PD: Cops arrest Queens man who scammed elderly woman of $30K in cash & who wanted more

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

man who Nutley police say attempted to bilk an elderly woman out of $30,000 instead wound up behind bars when he tried to increase his ask by $15,000, the Nutley Police Department said.

Police say they recently took a report from a 76-yearold Mapes Avenue resident who said she responded to a Microsoft email advising her

to contact “technical support.” Technical support scams are very common.

The agent provided her with a secure number where TD Bank documentation showed her accounts had been jeopardized.

Chief Thomas Strumolo says the mistake was made when the resident called the number attached to the email, which directed the woman to a fraudster who walked her through a $30,000.00 with-

drawal. The woman visited several banks and handed the money to an unknown person who came to her front door Monday, Feb. 27.

The caller then later attempted to obtain an additional $15,000 Tuesday, Feb. 27, but instead, police arrested 49-year-old Huihua Chen, of Flushing, Queens.

Police Director Al Petracco commended police and said this scam is generally perpetrated by more than one person and that usually, the one who communicates with the victim is someone other than the person picking up the cash.

Police continue to inves-

tigate potential accomplices and urge residents to practice vigilance, never providing personal information or money to strangers.

Anyone who may have observed suspicious activity on Mapes Avenue earlier this week is asked to contact the Nutley PD at (973) 284-4940.

Archdiocese celebrates Black History Month with lively Mass

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

The Archdiocese of Newark marked Black History Month with a lively Mass Feb. 25 at Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart, embracing the national theme “African Americans and the Arts.”

Many faithful joyfully participated in the celebration, singing and dancing as groups representing various Black Catholic organizations led the opening procession. Throughout the Mass, several choirs performed songs of praise in English and

African dialects, including “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (also known as the “Black National Anthem”). Ornate banners depicting Black candidates for sainthood also adorned the steps leading to the altar, and many attendees wore vibrantly colored cultural attire as a tribute to their African and Caribbean heritage.

For the homily, guest celebrant Father Anthony Bozeman, SSJ (seen in photo) — an evangelist and priest with the Society of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart (the Josephite Community) in Washington, D.C. — delivered a stirring message urging Black

Catholics to use their artistic gifts for the Church’s benefit. He said all must “be woke” to the opportunities God gives everyone to spread His Word and “take our mess and let Him make a message.”

“If we are truly Catholic and we follow the call of our baptism, then we are called to testify … to show who we are and whose we are,” Bozeman said. “We don’t have an excuse. We have a responsibility to share our baptism, to share the Good News, to share God’s love.”

This year’s Mass attracted a number of noteworthy guests, including Auxiliary Bishop

Gregory J. Studerus and numerous archdiocesan priests, deacons and religious. Another notable attendee was Ogoo Anukwu, the great-niece of Blessed Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi, an Igbo Nigerian priest who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1998.

Anukwu said she was honored to represent her great-uncle, whose banner was on prominent display during the Mass.

“We are so happy, the whole Nigerian and African (populations), because he’s going to be the first Nigerian saint,” Anukwu said. “We’re all looking to pray that this will happen soon.”

The Archdiocese of Newark’s Black History Month Mass was presented by the archdiocesan African American, African and Caribbean Apostolate, which serves Black Catholics by sharing and strengthening the Catholic faith, encouraging Black

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youth to embrace faith and their cultural identity, and promoting faith leadership in the Black community. The Apostolate also follows the example of Bishop Joseph Abel Francis, the only Black auxiliary bishop in archdiocesan history, by regularly engaging in community outreach through its scholarship program and many other efforts.

Knights honor 3 tremendous spellers

The Queen of Peace Knights of Columbus recently conducted its annual eighth-grade spelling bee. Alessandra Reyes, of Queen of Peace Grammar School, was the winner; Elizabeth Lan, of Queen of Peace Grammar School, took second place; while and Sebastian Garcia-Escobar, of North Arlington Veterans Middle School, captured third. Reyes will go on the represent the council at the Archdiocese of Newark/Knights of Columbus Regional Spelling Bee March 10 at Immaculate Conception Hall, Secaucus, and compete for a place in the state K of C Spelling Bee. Lan and Garcia-Escobar Sebastian will be the alternates. Seen following the bee are, from left, Garcia-Escobar, Reyes and Lan.

Belleville sons donate 32 more units of blood in third major drive since July

Donated blood continues to be a precious commodity. But one local organization continues to do its part to make that situation much easier

A blood drive — the third since July — was hosted recently at Belleville American Legion Post 105 by the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) squadron in coordination with the New York Blood Center (NYBC)

The first two yielded the collection of 67 blood units, enough to help more than 200 patients.

At the most recent drive, which took place Feb. 22, an additional 32 units of blood were collected.

The coordinator from the Sons is Blood Drive Chairman Steve Donald, who became a member about a year ago.

Blood drives are an important way the American Legion fulfills its commitment to one of its four core pillars — National Security — which stands among their other pillars of Americanism, children and youth and veterans

affairs, the post’s leadership says.

Community service is also an element of building a strong national security, and the American Legion’s blood donor initiatives may be traced to the day just after the attack on Pearl Harbor when veterans of the Great War organized drives.

The organization had even passed a resolution in May 1967 designating the week of Dec. 7 each year as “National American Legion Blood Donor Week,” in remembrance of the attack that sent the United States into World War II and gave birth to the program.

Contributed photo

COMMENTARY

Video of teens beating up other teens is disgusting

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

If you haven’t yet seen them, they’re disturbing. Last week, videos from several social media platforms — including Twitter, Discord and Instagram — surfaced and it of clips of several teenagers savagely beating up other teenagers.

This wasn’t a series of videos from Newark, or Jersey City, or the South Bronx. No, these videos were right here in Kearny and in Harrison.

It’s not just the physical brutality that is disturbing, either. The language some of these kids use with each other has no place in any discourse in 2024. And yet freely, kids uttered the “N” word freely as they cheered people on as they threw punches.

Some of the videos include vicious sneak attacks on kids. One of the videos was captioned by a man who proudly boasted the culprit was his son.

Interestingly, the reaction to us was virtually non-existent, at least publicly. Privately, many said they wouldn’t comment because they were afraid their kids would become victims of retribution were they to say anything.

But what is perhaps most disturbing about all of this — not to mention several of the videos showed adults who were present, virtually defenseless — begs a question: Is this what our community has become?

The brutality was witnessed by many bystanders, many of whom celebrated it. Cell phones and cameras were abundant because, of course, what kid wouldn’t want to be the only one not to capture this on video?

And yes, we know, and believe, this is likely a small sampling of the kids who live and go to school here. But that just one person, let alone scores of them, sat by, idly, and watched these brawls — encouraging the combatants in some cases — makes one wonder: Why? How?

We debated whether to air these clips, but decided to do so, 100% uncensored, with the hopes parents would become more aware of what is happening. Not one person, to now, (March 4) has called us, emailed us, or posted on social media, saying “Oh, yeah, we already knew about this.” The person whose site the videos came from did, however, message us, saying this was “old news,” but old or new, it’s still very serious — and we forward that note to police.

Every parent deserves to know it has happened — and likely could happen again (Though we were told some of the videos were not recent.) Regardless, these disgraceful incidents were real.

We can only hope — pray, frankly — steps have been taken to ensure this kind of nonsense never happens again. Ever.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Rose: Tammy Murphy for Senate? No way and not just because she’s a hypocrite

To the Editor:

Tammy Murphy’s resume to become a United States senator is about as thin as the plastic wrap you use to cover a dish of leftovers. Yes, as New Jersey’s first lady, she has attended the obligatory meetings and events to promote women’s rights, stricter gun control and any other issue favored by her husband, just as the other 49 governors’ spouses have.

Yet many Democrats and editors’ main issue with her is that she once was a Republican. I guess that explains why U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew who went from a Democrat to a Republican has never had a positive word written about him in any of our liberal-leaning newspapers.

If I were a Democrat my reason not to vote

for her would be the hypocrisy she and her husband showed when informed by members of the governor’s staff Katie Brennan herself that she had been raped and replying “we are on it,” and then fleeing to their mansion in Italy until Matt Platkin, who is now our Attorney General, could get the staff members’ stories straight and the Hudson County prosecutor to agree not to bring charges.

In no way do I suggest the accused Albert Alvarez is guilty of Brennan’s accusations; however, I still want to know who hired him after all the fallout to a $170,000 a year job in the governor’s administration? I know little about Andy Kim, but if he could clear up this mystery, I would consider voting for him.

Armand Rose

North Arlington

Don’t forget to catch The Observer Live! each & every Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. and Weather with Tony Mondaro Fridays at 1:30 p.m. at www.is.gd/obsyt. Miss it live?

Watch anytime after the broadcast as a podcast. And please be sure to like and subscribe to be notified of new episodes. Share your thoughts live on the air by visiting bit.ly/obguest with you phone or computer.

KPD: Man who burgled 3 businesses found hiding under restaurant table

By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

IKearny

was broken into overnight. A burglar reportedly smashed the glass with a rock, stole a lottery drawer with $500 in it and

fled. Fingerprints and camera footage were obtained. The suspect had distinctive neck and hand tattoos.

The following day, Snug Harbor was broken into overnight, allegedly by the same suspect. A cash drawer containing over $500 was tak-

en and the drawer itself was worth $3,500.

On the night of Feb. 23, Kearny units responded to North Arlington, where the same suspect had been surrounded and trapped in a restaurant while burglarizing it. Kearny and North Arlington officers made entry into the restaurant and eventually found the man hiding under a table.

Jose A. Vega, 36, of Newark was arrested and charged with all three burglaries. The charges include burglary, theft, conspiracy and criminal mischief.

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On Feb. 28, units were dispatched to Midland Dairy at midnight. Business closing is a common time to commit armed robberies especially since owners typically remove cash from their premises overnight. Police were informed of a suspicious vehicle, bearing a Pennsylvania license plate and with a broken windshield, which was idling in the Midland Dairy parking lot with five men inside.

Sgt. Mike Andrews and Officers Cort Montero and Travis Witt responded. Upon arrival, they were able to identify the driver. His license was suspended and officers learned a Beachwood warrant for the man’s arrest was active. The vehicle was in a dangerous condition and its registration was not valid. When ordered to place the vehicle into “park” and exit the vehicle, the driver and occupants repeatedly refused.

Officers drew their weapons in a manner of constructive authority; however, the vehicle rocketed out of the parking lot and drove off, blowing through a red light.

Per the Attorney General’s rules on pursuits, the man’s wishes to not be arrested were honored, and he and his four friends were able to get away despite the dangerously dilapidated, unregistered vehicle, suspended license, arrest warrant and most importantly, suspicions of criminal activity. Whether an armed robbery was planned will be investigated; however, it is unlikely much evidence will be unearthed now.

Since officers identified Raymond M. Hood, 33, of Irvington as the driver, they were able to generate an arrest warrant. He was charged with eluding, obstructing administration of law, endangering another person, resisting arrest with risk of injury, driving while suspended, vehicle in an unsafe condition, driving an unregistered MV, obstruction of a windshield, failure to wear a seatbelt, failure to observe traffic light, reckless driving, careless driving likely to endanger persons and speeding across a sidewalk.

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On Feb. 25, Officers Castaneda and Rivera were dispatched to a Belgrove Drive residence after a man had thrown a rock through the window of the residence, then fled. The family provided police with security camera footage of the man throwing the rock, and the officers were able to identify him.

While the two officers on scene were completing their investigation, Sgt. Tim Castle observed said man in a vehicle near the scene. When Sgt. Castle got behind the vehicle, the man began driving down Belgrove Drive, swerving and crossing the double yellow lines several times. A motor vehicle stop was initiated.

The man, William D. Mc-

& Nutley’s Toranzo caps off historic HS wrestling career, takes 3rd in AC

SPORTS HEALTH

Kearny’s Ryan Valli places ninth in NJSIAA Boys Bowling Tournament

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

The pain from Friday night’s semifinal still remained, but Brandon Toranzo wasn’t going to let one loss ruin what has been an otherwise historic season.

So on Saturday morning, just hours after seeing his state title dreams dashed in the semifinals, the Nutley senior went back out there and capped off his stellar career with two more victories.

First, Toranzo beat Paramus’ Daniel Elyash by a 4-3 decision in the wrestleback semifinals. Toranzo followed it up with a 3-2 decision over Benji Shue of Bergen Catholic to take home third place in the 285 pound weight class this weekend at the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championship in Atlantic City.

Toranzo’s third place finish is the highest by a Nutley

wrestler in 43 years and caps off an incredible 46-1 record this season.

“It was definitely a (bad) feeling all night. I tried not to think about it, but how could you not?” Toranzo said about the hours following his loss in the semifinals to Delbarton’s Connor Martin. “I just had to tell myself that I owe it to myself to wrestle my way back to third or fourth place. I couldn’t just give up now, even though half of you want to give up because you know you’re officially not going to be in the state championship and that’s what I was working for the whole time. But I owed it to myself to keep persevering through it.”

In a tournament that pushes wrestlers more than any other physically, Saturday’s two matches showed a level of mental toughness. Head

coach Mike DiPiano has seen wrestlers in Toranzo’s position not recover mentally after a late loss and fall further down the medal stand the following morning.

DiPiano knew Toranzo wasn’t going to falter when the first question he got from Brandon on Saturday was what time he thought he was going to wrestle that morning.

“Right then, I knew that he was ready to compete,” DiPiano said. “He wasn’t moping, said he felt good and he wanted to know what time he thought he was wrestling. When he said that to me, I knew that he was ready to compete and go after it.

“To come back and take third really shows his character and that toughness that he has. His dream got dashed at

By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com

Valli advanced to the top 18.

When Ryan Valli left last year’s NJSIAA Boys Bowling Individual Tournament, he did so with feelings of disappointment after an early exit.

On Thursday, the Kearny standout competing in his third state tournament was able to leave North Brunswick’s Bowlero with his head held high as he finished ninth with a two-series score of 1,255 pins.

“I really wanted to qualify for the top 18. I wanted to move to that second round more than anything and whatever happens from there, happens,” Valli said. “I did what I wanted to do (out there). Obviously, I didn’t come out on top, but finishing in the top 10 is a bigger achievement than I could ever ask for.

“Last year was really disappointing. I know if I made one or two spares last year, I would’ve qualified to the round of 18,” said Valli. “This year, even though I might not have won, might not have moved on to the top five stepladder, it was a great feeling because I feel like I did everything I could.”

Valli’s day at Bowlero started on the “downstairs” side of the alley, which he feels is the more challenging area and carded a three-game series of 609, the 10th highest in the 100 bowler field. The performance qualified him for the second round, which is reserved for the top 18 from the previous round.

The 18 moved “upstairs” - an area where Valli feels “hooks a lot more and there’s just a lot more room for error.” Bowling in his preferred area, Valli rolled a 646 series in the second round.

While the overall score of 1,255 fell short of qualifying for the five-person stepladder round, Valli was happy with his overall performance. It marked the first time in three tries that

“I knew I could compete with the top talent there, it’s just about performing. To be in the top of the bowlers in the state is amazing. It’s a great feeling.”

Valli, who wanted to thank his parents John and Veronica for all of their help throughout his bowling journey, which started when John first started teaching him at 18 months and never let him use rails or bumpers growing up.

For Valli, Thursday marked the conclusion of a high school bowling career that no one at Kearny can match. Earlier in February, he defeated North Bergen’s Antonio Guitierrez to win his second Hudson County King of the Lanes title. Twice, Valli led the HCIAL in average and was a three-time state tournament qualifier.

Valli rolled a 300 game as a sophomore and as a junior, he earned All-State, Third Team honors by NJ.com after winning a North Jersey sectional title.

Despite the incredible resume, Valli isn’t fully satisfied yet as he looks to continue bowling competitively after high school and seeks to further

Photo courtesy of Nutley Wrestling FANatics on Facebook

TORANZO

Continued from Page 9

8:30 at night and then he had to weigh in at 7:30 the next morning and battle for third place. The fact that he did that shows what kind of young man he is. It shows what kind of man he’s going to be in the future and we’re very proud of him.”

Toranzo, who was the No. 2 seed in the 32-wrestler field, began his state tournament run on Thursday with a pin over Bordentown’s Nick Levah in 51 seconds, followed by a 14-7 decision over Christopher Oliver of Ridge.

On Friday, Toranzo defeated

Red Bank Catholic’s Lorenzo Portella by a 3-2 decision in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Toranzo was pinned by Martin at the 54 second mark, providing a stunning and sudden end to his state title hopes.

“Honestly, it hasn’t really settled in yet,” said Toranzo. “I think it was just a bad moment in my wrestling career. Stuff happens and you don’t know why. I worked really hard for it, but I’m not going to let one match define the wrestler that I am.”

Two last two years do a much better job of defining the wrestler Toranzo has been at Nutley. After transferring from home from St. Joseph Regional before his junior year, he ripped off

40 consecutives wins before having to injury default in the Region 3 semifinals due to a torn ACL.

After months of rehab, Toranzo showed no ill effects of the injury, winning OW at the Essex County Tournament for the second year in a row. He also won the Sam Cali Battle for the Belt in December and became a two-time District champion and is sure to be wrestling for a major Division 1 program next season.

While Toranzo officially takes his spot as one of the top wrestlers in Nutley’s 60-year history of wrestling, DiPiano believes the impact he’s left will be felt for seasons to come thanks to the example he set as

the only senior in a lineup that started 11 underclassmen.

“He showed these young kids what the correct way to work is, what the correct way to treat your body is, and what the correct way to lift in the offseason and be prepared is,” said DiPiano. “He was a perfect role model for the group that we’ve had these last two years.”

Toranzo was the only Observer-area wrestler to place at this year’s tournament.

Belleville’s Jakob Ferrer shook off a first round loss at 113 pounds to go 3-2 overall and teammate Rocco Negron went 1-2 at 144 pounds. Kearny’s Joshua Baeza went 2-2 at 138 pounds, Kieran McNeil of Lyndhurst-North Arlington was 1-2 at 132 pounds and Bloomfield’s Gabriel McCulloch finished 1-2 at 285 pounds.

EDITORIAL: editorial@ theobserver.com.

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Nutley’s Bobadilla, Rivera medal at NJSIAA Girls Wrestling State Tournament

By Jason Bernstein

jason@theobserver.com

As girls wrestling continues to grow in popularity both in Nutley and across the state, the goals continue to rise for the Raiders program.

Both Isabella Bobadilla and Carina Rivera are proof of that.

Not only did the two Nutley wrestlers achieve their original goal of making it to Atlantic City for the NJSIAA Girls Wrestling State Tournament, they went out and raised the standard again, by placing in the tournament.

Rivera, a junior, finished seventh at 165 pounds, while Bobadilla, a senior, took eighth at 126 pounds.They became the second and third girls in Nutley history to reach the medal stand, joining Mariah Koster in

2022.

A week prior both Rivera and Bobadilla qualified after finishing third in their respective weight classes at the North Jersey, Section 1 Region Tournament in Vernon. Earlier in February, they were champions in the inaugural Essex County Girls Wrestling Invitational.

“We knew that they had tough draws, but we were prepared,” head coach Mike DiPiano said. “They worked extremely hard the last couple weeks and the goal was to get there (to Atlantic City). Then, once we got down there, the

goal switched and the goals were to get on the medal stand. They had some really nice wins and really, really made us very proud.”

Rivera, who has an extensive martial arts background, joined the team before last season and made an immediate impact, winning 25 matches and finishing just one victory short of qualifying for the state tournament.

This year, Rivera earned a spot in the 12-wrestler tournament and as the seventh seed, opened with a 4-1 decision over

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Photo courtesy of Nutley Wrestling FANatics on Facebook Nutley’s Carina Rivera (left) and Nutley’s Isabella Bobadilla.

BOWLING

Continued from Page 9

improve his game.

“I’m going to continue to bow, hopefully four or five days a week,” Valli said. “There’s always room for improvement. Nobody will ever be perfect, that’s just how it is and in the sport of bowling, you can’t be perfect. I want to continue practicing, keep working, and I’m going to get better. That’s the goal.”

Overall, five Observer-area bowlers for boys and girls state tournaments, which took the top 100 regular season averages through Feb. 6.

Joining Valli in the boys tournament were Jackson Cernigilia-Rapavi of Nutley, who rolled a 536 series in the first round, North Arlington’s Rohan Patel (531) and Mark Rigano of Lyndhurst (378).

Nutley’s Gabriella Lucivero was the one area qualifier for the girls tournament and rolled a 478 series in the first round. Earlier in the week at North Arlington Lanes, Lucivero took second place in the Essex County Girls Bowling Individual Tournament. The senior rolled earned the top seed in the qualifying round with a 589 series, but was defeated by Victoria Cheng of Livingston in the stepladder final.

NJSIAA

Continued from Page 11

Zedekiah Pollard of New Brunswick. After getting pinned in the quarterfinals, Rivera then went 2-1 in wrestlebacks, finishing her tournament by winning a 4-3 decision over Steinert’s Ella Johnson in the seventh place match.

“(Carina) put together a fantastic season. She ended up with 30 wins,” said DiPiano. “To only start wrestling last year and then place in the state tournament in her second year shows you what kind of kid she is. What she did this year was amazing. And to be able to come back next year and try to climb up that podium a little more, I know that she’s going to put in the work all season long to do that.”

Bobadilla in particular has been instrumental in building the girls wrestling program

into what it currently is. When she started wrestling as a sophomore it was just her and Koster. This season, she was the lone senior on a team that has expanded to nine wrestlers.

Bobadilla was seeded 11th in her bracket and promptly delivered one of the tournament’s first upsets when she rallied from a 5-0 deficit to pin sixth-seeded Isabelle Konopka of Seneca at the 3:29 mark.

Later, after being defeated in the quarterfinals, Bobadilla pinned Carly Poggio at 1:27 in the wrestlebacks bracket to guarantee a spot on the medal stand.

“Bella was really out there trying to recruit these girls. This year we were up to nine and she definitely helped do that,” DiPiano said. “She had a huge, huge win in her first match. She was down 5-0, came back and pinned (Konopka) and it put her in the perfect position to place.

“She’s one of the pioneers (of this program). She placed in the region three times and she ended her career as a state place winner. We’re extremely, extremely proud of her.”

Between Rivera, Bobadilla as well as boys heavyweight Brandon Toranzo, it was the largest state tournament contingent Nutley has had in recent memory and the first time the program has had multiple state medal winners since 2013. An accomplishment DiPiano gives a lot of credit to the work of the entire coaching staff and whole Nutley wrestling community.

In addition, Bloomfield sent four wrestlers to Atlantic City, a quartet highlighted by fifth place finishes by sophomores Leanna Noel at 145 pounds and Saharia Quamina at 235 pounds.

Alexha Montalvo (120 pounds) and Madelyn McLaughlin (132 pounds) also competed, but did not place.

Photo courtesy of Alan Correnti

Michael Giresi Sr.

Michael

Giresi

Sr died peacefully at his home in Bonita Springs, Florida, on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

He was surrounded by family and was loved very much.

He was born in Brooklyn in 1939. After serving in the military (Army) he was married to his loving wife Lois and resided in Kearny, prior to moving to Westfield. After spending a good part of his professional career in logistics at Bilkays

Trucking in Elizabeth, he started his own limousine business in Westfield called Stonehenge.

After successfully building and selling Stonehenge, Mike and his wife Lois lived in Colorado and New Jersey, and enjoyed spending their winters in Florida. They both eventually retired and moved to the sunshine making their final home in Bonita Springs.

Mike was a long-suffering Mets Fan, and also enjoyed rooting for the Giants, Jets and Rangers. He loved his morning crossword puzzles and enjoyed traveling. His greatest joy was spending time with his family and friends, sharing stories from his various experiences with many good laughs. He will be missed.

He is survived by his son Michael Jr., his daughter Christine, his brother George and many nephews, nieces and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents Salvatore and Frances, along with his wife Lois, his sister Sandra and his half-sister Karen.

Family and friends are welcome to visit Saturday, March 9

OBITUARIES

from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. Interment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery & Mausoleum, North Arlington.

Stephen Shission

Stephen Shission of Kearny, formerly of Harrison, died peacefully on Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.

He was 95.

Funeral services were under the direction of the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison. A funeral service took place at the funeral home. His burial was in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.

The youngest of eight siblings, Stephen was born in Swoyersville, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. He lived in Harrison for 40+ years prior to moving to Kearny. He served

Miracle Prayer

Dear Sacred Heart Of Jesus, in the past I have asked for many favors, this time I ask you this special one favor. Take it Dear Heart of Jesus and place it in your own broken heart where our Father sees it, then in his merciful eyes it will become your favor, not mine.

M.S.

as a master sergeant in the U.S. Army in Korea during the Korean War from 1950 to 1955. He was a member of American Legion Post 282, Harrison.

He is survived by his daughter Anna Marie White (Leslie), granddaughter Lindsey McCurley (Scott), great-grandson Logan McCurley, great-granddaughter Shawna Hurley (Joseph) great-great-grandchildren Hayden, Jameson and Jarrett, great-grandson Brian O’Connell, great-great-grandchildren Kaylin and Leah O’Connell and many nieces and nephews.

If you would like to read his complete obituary or send a condolence message to his family, please visit www.mulliganfh.com.

Mary Hennig

Mary Hennig of Harrison died peacefully at home on

Miracle Prayer

Dear Sacred Heart Of Jesus, in the past I have asked for many favours, this time I ask you this special one favour. Take it Dear Heart of Jesus and place it in your own broken heart where our Father sees it, then in his merciful eyes it will become your favour, not mine. AMEN. Say this prayer for 3 days and promise publication and favor will be granted no matter how impossible. Never known to fail.

M.F.

Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024.

She was 98.

Funeral services were under the direction of the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave. Harrison. A funeral Mass was celebrated at Holy Cross Church, Harrison. Her burial took in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be made at www.mulliganfh.com.

Born and raised in Hazelton, Pennsylvania, Mary lived in Harrison for the past 68 years.

She worked for Engelhard Industries in East Newark for

All obituaries must be submitted by email by 10 a.m., Mondays, to obituaries@ theobserver.com. Payment is due at submission.

many years. She was a parishioner of Holy Cross Church, Harrison.

Predeceased by her husband Charles Hennig in 1997, Mary is survived by her loving daughter and son-in-law Eileen Gilgallon and her husband Ron, cherished grandsons Shawn and Ryan Gilgallon, and dear great-grandchildren, Avery, Eric and Emilia Gilgallon.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital P.O. Box 1999, Memphis Tenn. 38101, in loving memory of Mary.

Its beautiful facilities, in a setting reminiscent of a colonial mansion, reflect the graciousness and tact of its understanding personnel.

ESTEVES

Continued from Page 1

but state law dictates that while the seat can be filled temporarily, there will be a special election in 2024 to determine who completes the term.

Whomever wins this race will face whomever becomes the GOP’s nominee. While it is as-yet unclear whether the Republicans will have a candidate (or more) in the primary, recent history tells us this is more than possible. Then, anyone who chooses to run unaffiliated — what one might consider an “independent,” candidate — will square off in November. The winner of that race will take the seat as soon as the election is certified.

Learning more about Esteves

Esteves first came to Kearny more than 40 years ago. He earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He and his better half, Doralice, have two children — the aforementioned Danny, who continues to work as a Kearny police officer and David, who is an ultrasound technician.

The longtime Third Ward resident says he first got the itch for local politics in the 1990s, when the Town of Kearny sold its water department to the City of East Orange via the East Orange Water Commission.

“I was very much against it,” Esteves said of that bygone era in Kearny history. “I thought that was a bad decision, so I decided to get involved politically.”

He was part of a coalition that fought vociferously to overturn that decision.

And he and his cohorts — including Doyle — did just that. It was one of the first times he had a direct impact on Kearny’s governance, but it was hardly the last.

In 1998, he worked on a campaign that led to Kearny’s first-ever Portuguese American becoming a member of the Town Council in the Second Ward and one year later, he worked on a campaign where for the first time, a Portuguese-American became the town’s mayor.

For 24 years, he was on the Kearny Planning Board, the UEZ for 20 years and before it unfortunately closed, he was on the West Hudson Hospital Board of Governors for two years.

But it hasn’t only been about government where he’s lent his time and talents.

“I volunteered my engineering services back in 1995 to the Kearny schools that created an energy savings worth $1.7 million,” Esteves said. “Currently, I am a Third Ward County Committee leader and County Committee Vice Chairman.”

Now why, after a successful career, and a long resume of service, would Esteves,

See RUNNING, Page 19

Esteves, center, is seen here with his wife, Doralice, his adult children and grandchildren.

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DC

Continued from Page 1

opportunity for Legionnaires to meet with their respective lawmakers and hear from members of Congress and VA leadership...”

The rest of the American Legion Family – made up of the Sons of the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) and the American Legion Riders — are invited to participate in the weekend’s events, which includes placing wreaths at memorials throughout the nation’s capital.

“We’re here today for great things,” Hall said before the par-

7

ticipants from the Sons boarded the busses with the wreaths at the Washington Hilton on Sunday, Feb. 25. “A wreath laying is a symbol … we’re here for a reason — to get together to show our passion and our love for our country and our veterans … think of your ‘why’ … and that’s why you are here today.”

The attendees — around 150 Sons, Legionnaires and Auxiliary members — rode three buses to Arlington afterward to witness the wreath laying ceremony, though the three Sons of Squadron 105 went to the cemetery a day earlier to walk what is called “our nations most hallowed ground” as well.

Essex DEC Rusty Myers, SAL 105 Vice Commander James

Elsmore and Essex County Adjutant Richard Vlasakakis took that Saturday afternoon to reflect on the country’s legacy of service and sacrifice.

“Breathtaking — there is no other way to describe it other than breathtaking,” Vlasakakis, who has not been to Arlington since he was young, said. “It is something everyone should experience.”

For all three, this was their first time attending the Washington Conference.

The three toured some of the burials and monuments at Arlington, including the Eternal Flame of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and the monument to the USS Maine. They saw the Changing of the Guard

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at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visited the graves of Audie Murphy and General “Blackjack” Pershing.

The most striking and impactful views, though, they say, were the rows and rows of what seemed to be endless white marble headstones all standing in perfect military fashion.

“Absolutely humbling,” Myers said.

On three of the memorials they visited, with Jersey connections and local Nutley/ Belleville connections, also, Belleville’s Sons left challenge coins with the logo of the Sons of the American Legion. The contingent from Post 105 made a special effort to locate those graves and memorials to honor their sacrifice.

After a short prayer at each, they placed the coin and snapped a salute.

Elsmore, whose membership is derived from his father’s Marine Corps service in Korea, placed a coin on the grave of Raritan’s USMC Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone, a Medal of Honor recipient from Guadalcanal.

Vlasakakis, who qualifies for membership though his grandfather’s US Navy service, placed a coin on the USS Thresher Memorial. Seaman Pervis Robinson Jr., a 22-year old sailor from Nutley, died on the Thresher when it sank during a dive test in 1963, becoming the first US nuclear submarine loss at sea.

Myers placed a coin on the memorial for Pvt. Henry Svehla, a Belleville Medal of Honor recipient. Svehla joined the

Army in 1951, and was deployed to Korea in 1952 as part of the 32nd Infantry Regiment 7th Infantry Division.

He was killed-in-action at Pyongony, Korea, on June 12, 1952.

Through the heroic action of jumping on a grenade to save his brother soldiers in his platoon, Svehla posthumously received the Medal of Honor in 2011.

The coin was placed on his memorial, as Svehla himself was never recovered from the Korean Peninsula. Squadron 105 has a special connection with Svehla, as they send a wreath during the holidays to be placed at his memorial.

While walking, the Sons also stumbled upon a memorial dedicated to chaplains who died in World War II, among them, the Rev. John Washington, a priest stationed at St. Stephens, Kearny — and one of the famed Four Chaplains. Post 105 makes its way to St. Stephen’s to commemorate his sacrifice at the Four Chaplains Mass.

Other places the Sons laid wreaths were at the Korean War Memorial and at the Vietnam Wall, which were equally as powerful. Each state, or detachment, gets to place a single wreath at one of the three memorials — and New Jersey placed its own at the state’s column at the World War II memorial. Detachment of NJ Commander Keith Branes placed his wreath at that memorial in honor of his grandfathers.

RUNNING from Page 14

a 1970 graduate of Newark’s East Side High School, and U.S. Army Vietnam-era veteran, want to be on the Town Council? It’s a simple answer, he says.

“I have been involved in politics for 26 years and I feel that my experience in public service has prepared me for the position where I can make the sound decisions that will impact the town of Kearny’s Third Ward in a positive way,” he said. “Now that I am retired, I want to create a better future for the residents of Kearny by promoting transparency and ethical government, push for more inclusive voting that puts all quality-of-life government decisions on the ballot for voters like you to decide and lastly maintain and improve community open space for a better quality of life.”

With this in mind, Esteves says he is very displeased by what he sees going on right now on the Town Council. When the council bickers and argues, little of value gets accomplished, he says, and he believes his presence on the governing body could very well help to bring the warring sides together.

“The in-fighting serves no one well,” he said. “It is my desire to connect, once elected, with those on the other side so that we can, together, make positive decisions for the entire town.”

He will certainly have his work cut out for him in that regard.

And lastly, Esteves says he’s excited about some of the upgrades coming to Kearny soon — like at the Branch Library and the soon-to-be Oakwood Avenue community center. And while he attended the Essex-Hudson Greenway meeting several weeks ago, only one aspect of it all is clear to him at this juncture.

“Of course we want a substation in Kearny,” Esteves said, referring to the state’s original decision only to place one on the Newark side of the project. “The state will do what it wants

to do, but that property must have a substation — and I believe cameras with facial-recognition will be important, too. A lot of it will be out of sight generally. The cameras will be absolutely necessary.”

The primary election is Tuesday, June 4, 2024. The general election takes place Tuesday, Nov. 5. (By law, elections take place on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of those months.)

KPD from Page 8

curley, 39, of Jackson, exhibited bloodshot watery eyes, with droopy eyelids and reeked of alcohol. After field-sobriety tests were conducted, it was determined he was impaired. His vehicle was impounded and he was arrested. A search of his vehicle for intoxicants led officers to recovering two conducted electronic devices (commonly referred to as Tasers), which, because of his history, Mccurley was not allowed to possess. At Kearny PD Head-

quarters, Mccurley blew nearly triple the blood alcohol content limit allowed by law. He was charged with criminal mischief, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, certain persons not to have weapons, DWI, failure to maintain lane and failure to produce vehicle documents.

Mccurley was then transferred to the Hudson County Jail, South Kearny. However, not to worry, on the evening of Feb. 26, a little more than 12 hours after he was booked, Mccurley was released from custody by court order.