PRAYERS ANSWERED
NEW KEARNY COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER SET TO BECOME HUB
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
If time allows, take a quick ride around Kearny one of these days.
What you’ll find, especially if you haven’t been here in a while, is a town transformed in ways once thought to be unfathomable. But those changes are real, whether it’s in new shopping centers, a revitalized South Kearny, countless new housing units and much more.
Despite this, something has, indeed, been missing from the town that many other town already have — a central place for residents to gather for any number of reasons, a community center if you will.
But thanks to the forward thinking of previous and the current governing body, that is all about to change dramatically after the town’s purchase of the former First Lutheran Church, its two adjacent properties (homes) and the land behind all of it.
The town closed on a sale to buy the large and quite unique property in January. The church itself and the gateway entrance off Oakwood Avenue are, perhaps, the most unique pieces of architecture anywhere in this town of 9.33 square miles. And as part of the plans, the main structure will remain standing and will
The new
community recreation center will live on the site of the former First Lutheran Church, Oakwood Avenue, not far off Kearny Avenue. In the photo on the left, a look at the church proper and on the right, the commercial-grade kitchen off of the church. The entire site will be renovated in the coming years to form a new gathering space for any number of events for Kearny residents.
Photos by Kevin A. Canessa Jr.
Kearny
MAN ARRESTED IN LYNDHURST SHOPLIFTING LATER NABBED FOR CRIMINAL SEXUAL CONTACT: KPD
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
man who was alleged to have grabbed three women by the buttocks has been arrested and charged with criminal sexual contact in Kearny and Lyndhurst, Det. Sgt. Michael Gontarczuk, of the Kearny Police Department, tells The Observer.
Here’s how Sgt. Gontarczuk says this all went down.
On July 13, 2024, at about 7:16 p.m., night shift officers responded to Maple and Grove streets on a report of a man dressed all in black following and harassing a female walking her dog. The man, later identified as Davon
M. Duiguid Jr., 21, of Lyndhurst, was located nearby and detained by Officers Ruben Rivera, Travis Witt and Bismark Karikari.
The female/victim was no longer on scene, but Duiguid was checked for warrants and was found to be wanted by the Lyndhurst PD for a criminal sexual contact that occurred earlier in the same day at the Lyndhurst ShopRite, in which Duiguid allegedly grasped the victim’s buttocks.
(A no-bail warrant had been issued by order of Judge Savino for criminal sexual contact).
In Kearny, he was placed under arrest on the warrant and Lyndhurst PD was advised. While Duiguid was
being processed for the warrant, an 18-year-old woman contacted police to report at around 6:40 p.m., while she was walking her dog near Kearny and Midland avenues, a man matching the description of Duiguid — dressed all in
black — took hold of her arm to prevent her from walking away, and then he grabbed her buttocks.
The victim struggled to break free, then began hitting him and he eventually let go of her.
Based on the description and MO, Duguid appeared to be a suspect in this incident as well. Interestingly, the description of the man included an orange and yellow object in his hand — and he was arrested with a large orange and yellow vape pen.
And, it turns out this was his second arrest for the day, as Lyndhurst police later noted they arrested Duiguid earlier on a shoplifting charge, but he was released on his own recognizance in that incident after being processed.
Meanwhile, the victim was
escorted into the tour commander's office for a show-up identification procedure and Duiguid was positively identified by the victim with 100% certainty.
Det. Bryan San Martin obtained a recorded statement from the victim and after consulting with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, additional criminal sexual contact charges were generated levied.
Duiguid was later transferred to the Hudson County Jail, South Kearny, without incident, where he remains as of 10 a.m., July 15.
Earlier this month, Duiguid was released by court order after spending five days in the Atlantic County Jail.
The original incident at Maple and Grove streets remains under investigation.
July 24, 2024
WHATCo bringing Shakespeare to the great outdoors
The West Hudson Arts & Theater Company is bringing the Bard to Kearny this summer.
A new series, “WHATCo presents Summer Shakespeare at Arlington Depot Park,” (Arlington Depot Park between Elm and Forest streets on Garofalo Place) debuts later this month, with a free outdoor performance of William Shakespeare’s comedy, “Twelfth Night, or What You Will” Sunday, July 28, at 7 p.m.
For the event, WHATCo is working with the Kearny Urban Enterprise Zone (KUEZ) offering audiences pre-ordered dining options to enjoy a picnic at the event. Audiences will be able to order and pick up special menu items from Midland Avenue businesses Curiosity by Intrinsic, Nest Café and Playground and others to enjoy outdoors in the park before the performance.
Visit whatconj.org/kearnypicnics to contact individual businesses for options, prices and order/pick up details.
WHATCo will also host its signature “Education Spotlight,” a pre-show primer that’s not only a short pow-
er-packed synopsis, but also discussion highlighting significant themes, ties to pop culture and recognizable quotes from the play.
“We know Shakespeare can be intimidating, so we want to give our audiences both background and context to help them enjoy the performance even more,” Miller said.
Admission to the 90-minute performance is free. However, there will be an opportunity to donate to the theater while at the show. WHATCo is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization; patrons and donors make it possible for them to continue providing quality theatre and arts opportunities to the community at affordable prices.
Directed by Matt Masiello, the includes Grace Ahlin (Viola), Samantha Egge (Olivia), Holly Stefanik (Maria), John Jesse Jeffords (Sir Toby Belch), Gunnar Holmberg (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Christopher Tully (Malvolio), Jackie Wilberton (Feste), Frankie Perez (Orsino), James Phillips (Sebastian), Joseph Jones (Antonio), Scout Graham (Curio/ensemble), Jenny DeCelles (Valentine/ensemble), Joe Turner (Sea Captain/
ensemble), Lillian Mayo (First Officer/ensemble), and Melissa Ramirez (Second Officer/ ensemble). Stage management by Emily Schepker, musical direction by Gunnar Holmberg, sound design by Jim Miller, with producer Amanda Castro-Conroy.
Also, in a collaboration with the Teaneck New Theatre and Hackensack Performing Arts Center, WHATCO will
also present free performances of “Twelfth Night” at the HACPAC Atlantic Street Park, 102 State St., Hackensack, on July 24 at 7:30 p.m.
Additionally, TNT will present “Romeo and Juliet,”
Directed by Beatriz Esteban-Messina, at HACPAC on Aug. 7 and 14 at 7:30 pm.
There are no rain dates for either the Kearny or Hackensack performances.
The Lyndhurst Police Department’s Junior Police Academy, operational since 2000, has come and gone and a new class of cadets, all of whom are seen in the photo at left, completed their week-long course. They were taughtes physical training (seen in photo at right), had a demonstration of the NJSP helicopter, took a trip to the USS Intrepid in Manhattan, demonstrations from the Lyndhurst Fire Department and the Port Authority Police Department and more. The primary instructors were Lt. Paul Haggerty, Sgt. Steve Passamano, Capt. Andrew Marmorato, Det. Joseph White and Officers Nolan James, Elizabeth Clifford and Michael D’Alessandro. Assisting during the week were Sgt. Charles Giangeruso, Det. Tom McSweeney, and Officers Brian Kapp, Matthew Dudek, Michael Clifford, Michael Walker and his K9 partner Brody, Michael LeStrange and Michael Scalese.
Nutley establishes new sewer utility
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
The Township of Nutley has established a sewer utility, which will be removed from the municipal tax bill and added to the current Nutley Water Utility, making it a single billing source.
This integration, effective July 1, aims to provide a more fair and equitable mechanism for property owners to pay for the cost of wastewater treatment and the maintenance and improvement of the township’s sewer infrastructure.
Prior to July 1, sewer charges amounted to 9% of the municipal budget and was allocated based on individual assessed property value, regardless of water consumption and wastewater generation. While researching options, the township found other Essex County and New Jersey municipalities billed their sewer charges based on consumption rather than including it as part of the assessed property value.
The new utility aims to address this inequity by basing residents’ sewer cost on actual
water usage, ensuring those who generate more wastewater pay a more proportionate share of the system’s expenses.
The township looked to establish a more equitable way to fund the sewer system, also, partly based on expectations that costs to pay the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission (PVSC) to take and treat sewage as well as the cost to maintain and improve sewer infrastructure (which is over 100 years old) will continue to rise.
As the change is implemented, the cost of the sewer system will be removed from the municipal tax bill and each property owner will receive in their water bill as a separate charge for sewage usage.
The new sewer charge will be issued quarterly and will be based on actual water supplied to the property determined by meter readings (water in — water out).
Where meter readings cannot determine water usage, the charge will be estimated using industry-standard engineering methods. The rates have been calculated to ensure fairness.
NA Knights have big end to summer planned
Food drive set for Aug. 4
The Queen of Peace Knight of Columbus will host a food drive at Jack’s Super Foodtown Sunday, Aug. 4, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All food collected will be donated to the Queen of Peace Food Pantry.
Blood drive upcoming
The Knights sponsor a blood drive Aug. 7, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Columbian Club Hall, 194 River Road, North Arlington. All donors must weigh at least 110 lbs., eat a meal before donating, bring ID and drink plenty of water before and after donating. The wearing of masks is optional. It is strongly recommended anyone wishing to donate blood make an appointment ahead of time by calling (877) 258-4825, or by visiting donors.vitalant.org, using blood drive code X126.
Movie night will be free
The Knights host family movie night Monday, Aug. 12, at 6 p.m. at the hall. There is no cost and snacks will be provided. RSVP to Bill Mackey at (201) 988-0183 with a total number attending by Aug. 9. This is open to members and non-members. All who attend are asked to consider bringing a non-perishable, non-expired food item of mac and cheese, canned spaghetti and/or canned soup for the Food for Families project.
We have started testing fire hydrants in your community. Testing hydrants each year helps keep our system in fire-fighting shape. It also helps ensure that your family gets
OPINION & VIEWPOINTS
COMMENTARY
Coming soon ... the crown jewel of the Town of Kearny
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
Until last week, I had never entered the church that stood on Oakwood Avenue near Kearny Avenue, even though from 2006 to 2008, The Observer and the church shared a parking lot. That all changed last week, when Kearny Business Administrator Stephen Marks took me on a tour of the place that will ultimately become the town’s new community recreation center.
To say the exterior is misleading is an understatement. Yes, it looks rather small, but there is an incredible amount of space that will soon be transformed.
For all of the great things Kearny has to offer — from sports and athletics to restaurants to tradition and history — there’s never really been a central location for residents to gather — for any reason.
That all begins to change soon.
This is an exciting time in the life of Kearny. One can’t get too far without seeing something new. But this community center will allow the town to check off something it had been lacking.
Marks is the ideal person to oversee this project. In Hoboken, he undertook several major infrastructure initiatives, including the expansion of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail. Now he will be able to leave his mark in his hometown — and it will create a legacy difficult to surpass. Patience will be key here, too. There’s a lot of work to be done before the center is fully functional. And Marks, himself, noted this won’t happen overnight. But once it’s done — and folks get to see just how much potential this site has — I truly believe the center will become the crown jewel of Kearny. And it will be one people will be able to use, for so many reasons, for generations.
Patriotism on display at Kearny’s 4th fireworks
There were more than 13,000 spectators on hand at the Kearny Fourth of July fireworks display. The event was described by organizer Ralph Cattafi, the town’s recreation director, as wildly successful with one of the largest crowds ever to gather for such a celebration. By the looks of it, Cattafi was right on the money.
THE OBSERVER’S LETTER & OP-ED POLICY
The Observer accepts letters from readers on topics germane to our readership area. They must be no more than 250 words and all letters must be signed with a phone number for verification purposes. Anonymous letters will not be published under any circumstances.
On occasion, The Observer accepts letters
Lisa M. Feorenzo lisa@theobserver.com Co-owner/Advertising Dir.
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com Editor/Broadcaster
more than 250 words as op-eds — they are judged for publication on an individual basis. Opinion pieces are published based on space availability.
We do not guarantee the publishing of any letter or op-ed.
All letters should be submitted to editorial@ theobserver.com.
Tina Feorenzo Co-owner/Advertising
Michelle Rybeck advertising@theobserver.com Graphic Artist/Real Estate
DEADLINES
n Classifieds: 3 p.m., Monday
n Obituaries: 10 a.m., Monday
n Display/Real Estate: noon, Thursday
n Help Wanted: noon, Monday — all ads must be sent to classified@theobserver.com.
Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com Sports Writer
Robert P. Pezzolla gm@theobserver.com General Manager
Kimberley Pezzolla kimpezzolla@theobserver.com Sales/Classifieds
Photo by Ron Smits/Town of Kearny
SPORTS HEALTH
By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
Michelle Gavilanes didn’t really know what to expect as she flew to Fargo, North Dakota for the 16U Women’s Freestyle National Championship and by far the biggest tournament of her young wrestling career.
“I really didn’t know what to expect going to Fargo because I didn’t really go to any tournaments of that level, so I was really just going out just to see how it was,” said Gavilanes. “It was my first year going and it was really cool to be there with so many girls who are the best in the country.”
So while Gavilanes returned back to Nutley without a medal, the soon to be freshman at Nutley was pleased with her July 13. Competing at 142 pounds, Gavilanes went 3-2 on the day as she became the first Nutley girl to ever compete at Fargo.
“I was really happy with how I did,” Gavilanes said. “I didn’t have too many expectations for myself going out there and the fact that I was able to go 3-2 is something I’m really proud of myself for doing.
Gavilanes first got her start with Jiu Jitsu, a sport she still does. That experience led to her first foray into wrestling in November of 2022 with Nutley Recreation.
After that initial season, she decided to also do club wrestling with Scorpions Wrestling School out of Fairfield.
“I kind of always knew I wanted to continue wrestling,” said Gavilanes. “I started Jiu Jitsu in 2019 at
HISTORIC WRESTLER
Nutley’s Gavilanes first from town to make Women’s National Championship n
Momentum, so I kind of always knew that I liked the contact sports.”
Despite an injury during the winter, Gavilanes worked her way back and in May, placed second at the New Jersey Freestyle State Championships, to earn her national team spot.
In Fargo, Gavilanes was seeded 26th among 42 girls in her weight class. Her tournament run began with an impressive 8-0 major
decision over Kezrey Benning of South Dakota as she scored a takedown late in the first round and never looked back.
“It calmed my nerves a lot after that first match,” Gavilanes said. “I didn’t know how it was going to go, but after I won, I kind of realized, and after looking at some of the other matches, I wasn’t really as nervous anymore. I realized the level and the work that I’ve put in was
good for me to be there.”
In the round of 32, Gavilanes was defeated by seventh-seeded Kelice Luker by 8-1 decision. Undeterred, Gavilanes, in the wrestlebacks, defeated Melani Monckton (OR), 4-0, and Amber Luderback (Illinois), 9-0, before being eliminated by Victoria Alvarado of New York
“It was kind of crazy,” Gavilanes said about the experience. “We were there
all day and to have those five matches, it didn’t feel like we were there for that long. It was such a great experience to wrestle nationally ranked girls. That was really cool for me.”
One thing Gavilanes’ performance shows is why she will enter her freshman year as one of the top wrestlers in the state in her weight class.
This spring, Isabella Bobadilla (126 pounds) and Carina Rivera (165) each took home state medals becoming the second and third Nutley girls to medal in the state tournament. Becoming the fourth, is a goal firmly in Gavilanes’ sights as she prepares for a freshman year where, thanks to a change in NJSIAA rules, she will be competing solely against other girls. That rule change is another sign of how much girls wrestling has grown in such a short period of time. While Nutley High School’s girls wrestling program has grown from two to nine in a span of two years, a similar boost has come on the rec level.
Gavilanes was the only girl when she first started with Nutley Recreation. This past season saw as many as 10, something she’s proud to contribute to.
“It was really cool to see the more girls that got into the rec level,” Gavilanes said. “Some of them I already knew because of jitsu and I got some of them to join and they’ve always liked contact sports and I can tell they’re going to be really good in the future. And it’s so cool to see the sport growing at such a young level.”
Now Gavilanes is set to be the latest face of the growing movement.
Photo courtesy of Jay Gavilanes
Cardenas earns spot on USA Wrestling U23 World Team
By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
Jacob Cardenas has had plenty of change this summer, most notably a new school and a drastically different daily routine as a result of his transfer from Cornell University to the University of Michigan for his post-graduate year of NCAA eligibility.
Amidst the change - the one constant has been success on the wrestling mat.
On July 10, Cardenas was formally selected to USA Wrestling’s Under 23 World Team for October’s U23 World Championships. It marks the third consecutive U23 appearance
for the Kearny native, who all but locked up his spot on June 1 when he won the gold at the USA Wrestling U23 Nationals at 92 kg.
This year’s U23 World Championships will be held in Tirana, Albania from Oct. 21-27.
Cardenas is a two-time Freestyle medalist at the U23 World Championships, taking second in 2022 and third last year.
“I think maybe my experience will give me a little edge at the World Championships,” said Cardenas.”I think what I’ve learned (from my past times) is I’m more trusting in my training. I think my first year or two I’ve gotten there, I was a little nervous because my
SURFER’S EYE
Surfer’s eye—caused by a pinguecula or pterygium—is a growth on the eye’s conjunctiva (the clear covering over the white part of the eye). A pinguecula is a yellowish, raised growth that usually occurs in the corner of the eye near the nose and contains fat, protein, and calcium deposits.
A pterygium may start as a pinguecula but becomes fleshy tissue as it develops blood vessels. It may remain small but can grow large enough to cover part of the cornea and affect vision. The term “surfer’s eye” is somewhat of a misnomer because the condition is in no way limited to surfers. Pinguecula and pterygium are caused by spending time in
environments full of sun, wind, and dust.
Pterygium can grow large enough to cover part of your cornea. When this happens, it can affect your vision. In rare cases, pterygium can scar your cornea. Without treatment, you may lose vision. To schedule an appointment, please call our office at 201-896-0096. Address: 20 Park Avenue, Lyndhurst; Optical shop: 201-896-0007. We accept most insurance.
P.S. People who’ve experienced either pinguecula or pterygium at least once are at risk of recurring growths and should wear protective sunglasses or goggles outdoors and carry artificial tears.
opponent is from this country and they have a reputation for being good. But then you realize they’re just the exact same as me.”
Cardenas experienced no such nerves at the Nationals as he steamrolled his way to six consecutive victories. In the best two-out-of-three final, Cardenas defeated Wyatt
Voelker, 9-1 and 8-0 for the title.
Since then, Cardenas has been in Ann Arbor, MI. In addition to his training, he’s currently taking three summer classes in pursuit of his master’s degree in Business Management.
“It’s just busier. I think my training’s a little different now,” Cardenas said. “I’m doing more one-on-ones at the moment because I can’t really practice with the team because my classes go from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM (on Monday and Wednesday) so it kind of stinks where I can’t do the 3:00 PM practices. But I’ve been working with teammates in the morning, just working on techniques. Then I have lift in the afternoon twice a week on the days I don’t have classes. I practice every day at nine in the morning. It’s just kind of busy, but it’s nice to have a routine.”
Cardenas arrived on campus shortly after the US Nationals.
The Ivy League’s rules on eligibility meant that Cardenas would have to use his fifth year of eligibility somewhere other than Cornell, making him one
of the country’s most sought after transfer targets.
While chaotic, Cardenas did not draw out the recruiting process for very long, announcing his commitment to Michigan on April 5.
“It was hectic when I first got into the portal, that’s when I got a whole bunch of calls. I narrowed it down to three or four schools after the season,” said Cardenas, who noted that wrestling in the Big 10, college’s top conference, was definitely an appeal to Michigan. “It was a pretty tough decision because that was the next big decision I had to make in my life. I wouldn’t say it was anything crazy, but it was definitely a little stressful for sure.”
Last season at Cornell, Cardenas became an NCAA All-American for the second consecutive year after finishing fourth at 197 pounds at the NCAA Championships. Cardenas, who took eighth place the year before, arrives at Michigan with a college record of 71-22.
Photo courtesy of Allyson Schwab/Cornell Athletics
NutleyLittleLeagueIntermediate50/70takesthirdinthestate
By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
Nutley Little League
Intermediate 50/70 (13U)
coach Albert Prodigalidad knows this age group often presents a bit of an unknown due to it being the first age group where the players from Nutley American and Nutley East come together to play on the same team.
While the merger boosts the talent pool it does come with some questions about chemistry.
“They’ve all played baseball for a few years so you could see the talent that’s been developing within the team throughout the years,”
said Prodigalidad. “It just started to all come together this year.
“It was a little intriguing to see how well they would gel, how quick would the chemistry work. As we got closer to the games within the first few practices, it was pretty clear that the chemistry was there. And this team, they were pretty good.”
Pretty good would seem to be an understatement.
This Nutley all-star group’s first summer together went all the way to Middletown where it finished third in the state.
Nutley outlasted Bloomfield in a three-game series, winning the first and third games to take home the District 8 title. It then stormed
Premier Car e TALK S
DIABETES TYPES
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels, and it primarily comes in two main types. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Individuals with Type 1 diabetes require lifelong insulin therapy and careful monitoring of their blood glucose levels. Type 2 diabetes is more common and usually develops in adulthood, though it can occur at any age. It is characterized by insulin resistance, where the body’s cells do not respond effectively to insulin, and the pancreas may not produce enough insulin to meet the body’s needs.
Type 2 diabetes is often associated with obesity, physical inactivity, and genetic factors.
Potentially reversible diabetes
conditions include prediabetes and gestational diabetes. Prediabetes happens when blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Prediabetes can lead to diabetes unless steps are taken to prevent it. Gestational diabetes happens during pregnancy, but may go away after the baby is born. To schedule an appointment, please call PREMIER CARE ASSOCIATES OF WEST HUDSON at 201-998-7474, or visit us 7 days a week at 512 Kearny Ave., Suite B. We provide routine immunizations and complete physical examinations including electrocardiograms (EKG) and laboratory services.
P.S. Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can lead to serious health complications if not effectively managed, making regular monitoring, healthy lifestyle choices, and medical treatment crucial for those living with diabetes.
its way to a Region 2 championship with consecutive mercy rule victories over
Washington Park of Jersey City.
The state tournament began with an emphatic 14-0 victory over Bergenfield. Nutley’s run came to an end with a 7-6 loss to South Vineland followed by a 12-1 defeat to Middletown.
“In the districts, we played Bloomfield and they were a very good team and they gave us some pretty tough games,” said Prodigalidad.
“And after we beat them, you could just see their confidence was just sky high
See NUTLEY, Page 11
Dr. Prakash J. Doshi
Dr. Hector Aguilar
Photo courtesy of Albert Prodigalidad
HUDSON URBAN HUDSON COUNTY AND HUDSON COUNTY CONSORTIUM
OF PY 2024 DRAFT ACTION PLAN
30-DAY PUBLIC COMMENT & PUBLIC MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT
HUDSON URBAN HUDSON COUNTY AND HUDSON COUNTY CONSORTIUM NOTICE OF PY 2023 DRAFT ACTION PLAN
AMOUNT OF ANTICIPATED FUNDS AVAILABLE
AMOUNT OF ANTICIPATED FUNDS AVAILABLE
The County of Hudson is initiating planning for the Draft 2024 Annual Action Plan as part of its application for funding to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The 2024 Draft Annual Action Plan identifies programs that the County intends to implement with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds, and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds. These funds are received annually from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for local projects that primarily benefit low income persons. The amount of funds for the 2024 Program Year (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025) from HUD for the programs contained in the PY 2024 Action Plan is below:
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
HOME Investment Partnerships Grant (HOME)
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG)
Total
The County of Hudson Urban County (County) is announcing the release of the draft PY 2023 Action Plan. This Plan identifies programs that the County intends to implement with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds, and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds. These funds are received annually from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for local projects that primarily benefit low income persons. The amount of funds for the 2023 Program Year (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024) from HUD for the recommended proposed projects contained in the PY 2023 Action Plan is below:
$2,093,084
$2,388,560
$177,195
$4,658,839
Hudson County will hold an in-person and virtual public meeting open to all residents of Hudson County, especially low- and moderate-income residents and households of the Urban County municipalities of East Newark, Guttenberg, Harrison, Kearny, Secaucus, Weehawken and West New York, concerning the CDBG and ESG Programs. In addition, Hudson County is the lead agency for the Hudson County HOME Consortium, consisting of the Urban County municipalities and Entitlement communities of Bayonne, Hoboken, North Bergen and Union City concerning the HOME Program. The public meeting will provide an opportunity for all residents and non-profit providers to address and comment on future proposed activities and review potential projects and community priorities to be undertaken by the County in its submittal to HUD. Information will be made available regarding the application procedures, timing, eligible activities and potential projects.
IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING:
PLACE: Division of Housing and Community Development 830 Bergen Avenue, Suite 5A, Jersey City, NJ 07306
DATE: July 30, 2024
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
To register for this public meeting, please email Hhanks@hcnj.us or call 201-369-4520 to attend in-person or virtually.
All interested persons are encouraged to attend and make valued comments regarding the 2024 Draft Action Plan. Additionally, all interested persons are encouraged to review the County’s proposed Draft PY 2024 Action Plan available by contacting Heather Hanks, CDBG Program Manager at hhanks@hcnj.us or call 201-369-4520.
It is also encouraged for all interested persons to make valued comments when it is anticipated that on or about August 8, at 1:00 pm that the County will submit for approval the proposed Draft Action to the Hudson County Board of Commissioners regularly scheduled meeting in order to submit to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. It is anticipated that on or about August 15th, the Division will submit to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development the Draft 2024 Action Plan which will include all public comments.
The County of Hudson will make efforts to provide translation assistance for public meetings and program information. Please contact the Housing & Community Development office at least 48 hours in advance if translation assistance is needed for the public meeting. The location of hearing is accessible to persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are needed for persons with disabilities, those with hearing impairments, closed captioning will available during the virtual public meeting. To request assistance please contact: call 201-369-4520.
July 24, 2024
Richard E. Mangin
Richard E. Mangin of Kearny died July 11, 2024. He was 89.
He was a lifelong resident of Kearny, after moving from Newark when he was a small boy.
He attended St. Cecilia’s grammar and high schools before transferring to and graduating from Kearny High School. It was there he met the love of his life, “the Epple of his eyeJay.” Together they have seven children, 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Richard served in the U.S. Army from 1953 to 1956. He was a proud member of both the Joseph E. Frobisher American Legion Post 99 and the VFW Post 1302, both of Kearny. After his honorable discharge
OBITUARIES
he became a proud Teamster-Local 560, remaining so for over 40 years. He was employed as a truck driver for St. Johnsbury Trucking of Kearny, later Carlstadt, for many years. After his retirement from St. Johnsbury, he continued to work as a driver for his good friends at Towne Auto Sales well into his 80s.
Besides the company of his many friends and very large family, he always enjoyed his weekly poker game, watching the New York Giants and spending time at the car lot with his good friends at Towne Auto.
He was predeceased by his wife Jay (nee Epple), his sister Florence (Sr. Jean Cordis Mangin), his brother Raymond, his Grandson Jayson. He is
View the entire issue online!
NUTLEY
Continued from Page 9
going into the sectionals. Immediately after we beat Bloomfield, we kind of knew we could take this pretty far.”
In many of these games, Nutley jumped out to quick leads thanks to a dynamic top of the lineup with leadoff hitter Jack Conway, followed by Michael DeJianne and Nick Rivera.
“That was everything. They were the table setters. They were the ones that got on base,” said Prodigalidad. “We scored runs in bunches because of them. It was their ability to get on base and then steal
bases, hit home runs (that led us).”
DeJianne and Conway were two of Nutley’s main starters on the mound.
Travis Gonick, the lone rising seventh grade on the roster, also was a key starting pitcher and Rivera was a primary reliever.
When not on the mound in relief, Rivera the starting catcher with Maximus Ruiz also catching.
Anthony Berardesco started at first base. At second base were Luke Priolo and Gregory Crumrine while DeJianne and Gonick were the main guys at third base and shortstop.
Conway started in center field for Nutley, while in
survived by his children Dorothy Cameron (David), Debra Tropeano, Thomas Mangin (Donna), James Mangin, Theresa (Mangin) Francis, Diane Mangin and Lorraine Mould (Thomas). He is also survived by his grandchildren: Brian Kain (Alexi), Brenda (Kain) Irwin (John), Edward Adamo (Amy), Richard Francis, Melissa Mould, Thomas Mould, Christopher Mangin (Melissa), Jayme (Francis) Russo (Aldo), Kyle Mangin, Anton Mangin, Samantha (Mangin) Hatfield (Clint), Daniel Mould (Stephanie), Matthew Tropeano and Justin Mangin (Carly). Richard is further survived by his twelve great-grandchildren, and he is the beloved “Uncle Dick” to generations of numerous nieces, nephews and
the corners were Austin Prodigalidad, Luke Finkelstein, Matthew Espinales and Harrison Robertazzi.
Nicolas Rivera, Maximus Ruiz and Emmett Vespa all saw plenty of at-bats.
Travis Gonick and Mike Berardesco also served as coaches on the team.
“We told them, even though we fell short of our goal, you guys finished third and made the state finals in New Jersey,” Prodigalidad said. “These teams that you guys lost to, they’re really, really historically good teams down there in South Jersey. So it was pretty fun to see what they were able to accomplish.”
cousins. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren truly were his greatest love.
All obituaries must be submitted by email by 10 a.m., Mondays, to obituaries@ theobserver.com. Payment is due at submission.
Viewing was at Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home in Kearny. The funeral was at St. Stephen’s R.C Church in Kearny.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project or Autism NJ.
Funeral Home
Cleveland Avenue, Harrison
Shaw-Buyus
Home for Services
WILFRED ARMITAGE & WIGGINS FUNERAL HOME
Mark G. Wiggins, Manager N.J. Lic. #3916
You will feel as if friends of family have taken over when you entrust funeral arrangements to the Wilfred Armitage Funeral Home. The family-owned firm has been in business for 100 years, serving
07032 (201) 991-0657
HARRISON 1st floor
Newly renovated 1 BR, $1800 + utilities and security. no pets/smoking Available now (201)9916942 or (732)895-2321 11W03
OBSERVER CLASSIFIEDS
KEARNY 2nd floor
Newly Renovated 4 bedroom, access to patio, $3100 + 1.5 months security. separate utilities. no pets/ smoking Available Now (201)772-9965 10W03
KEARNY Stewart Ave, 2nd Floor, Spacious LR, EAT-IN-KITCHEN, 3 BR’s, Bath, Off Street Parking, Storage, Backyard, Separate Utilities, No Pets/ Smoking, $2150 + 1.5 MO. Security. AVAILABLE NOW., (908)-7710762 10W03
KEARNY 1st Floor 3
BR’s, Kitchen, DR & family room, Laundry room closed porch. 2 car parking access to Small yard $2600 + 1 months security Utilities separate No Pets/ smoking Available October 1st (570)664-6475
KEARNY Arlington section. 2nd Floor, Large LR, Large Formal DR, Large EIK, 2 small BR’s. $2200 + 1 mo. sec. Utilities separate Available August 1st. Call (732) 859-9957 10W03
KEARNY 1st floor apartment in two family house. Two bedrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen. $2100.00 per month plus one month security. Supply own utilities. Basement has washer and dryer hookup. Use of yard. Parking for one vehicle. No pets/ smoking. Available August 1st. Call between 10:00am-7:00pm only. Call (201)997-2341 11W03
KEARNY Large 1 Bedroom apartment on the 3rd fl. Tenant pays utilities. No broker fees. Hablamos español. Rent- $1,875.00. Available. (201)618-5337 11W03
KEARNY 3rd floor 2 BR’s, LR, EIK $2200 + 1.5 months security Utilities Separate. No Pets/Smoking, Access to Yard Available Now (201)772-9965 10W03
KEARNY 1st floor 3
BR’s, 1 bath, LR, DR & Kitchen $2800 + 1.5 months security. Utilities separate Parking for 1 car, No Pets/ Smoking Available Now (973)868-3378 11W03
KEARNY New Apartment 2 Bedrooms, dining room, living room, kitchen, laundry, 2 full baths and 1 parking space, utilities separate + 1 ½ months security deposit. Available August 1st. Please Call (201) 991-4105 or (201) 401-4525 12W03
KEARNY 1 BR apt. HT/ HW included also Hardwood floors , $1,400+ 1 month security. No pets/smoking. Available August 1st For more Info Call 201-306-2994 12W01
NO.NEWARK 3rd floor. 2 bedroom, LR, Kitchen. Close to transportation. 1 months security Heat included. No Pets. Available August 1st Call between Noon7pm (973)202-5103 or (973)477-0925 12W03
KEARNY 1 room w/LG closet near NYC trans. Smoking allowed. must be employed. Share EIK and full bath. Attic storage $825 + 1 mo. security deposit. Share utilities. Call Jennifer 201-283-2325 10W03
for
+ 1 month
everything included cable & internet. Available now (973) 525- 3860 11W03
BELLEVILLE male preferred. responsible person. no smoking. No kitchen. $700 + 1 month security. Utilities included (973) 3325613 10W03
Davie meets with Duquesne University president alongside Atlantic 10 trophy
KWasher & Dryer please call (201) 997-0093 if interested 10W03
GARAGE SALE
en Davie, a lifelong Kearny resident and Harrison attorney, is seen here with Duquesne University President Kenneth Gormley after the Pittsburgh-based school received a trophy emblematic of them winning the Atlantic-10 basketball championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, the first such in 37 years. Davie was present at the invitation of the president when Duquesne celebrated the grand opening of its state-of-the-art, trans-
(201)9888575 12W01
formative medical school in Pittsburgh, which will admit its first class this September.
“Duquesne has always balanced their excellent academic programs with a rich athletic history, and I was especially gratified to be present to celebrate both of these wonderfully historic events with faculty, staff and colleagues as a proud member of the Duquesne Society and the 1973 undefeated Duquesne Appellate Moot Court team,” Davie said.
KEARNY
BELLEVILLE
HARRISON room
rent. $600
security,
HARRISON
Men Winter clothes, Pots and Frying pans, Brand new towels much more
EMPLOYMENT/HELP WANTED
CENTER
Continued from Page 1
be renovated over the coming years.
However, what will be done to the interior is still to be determined, and much of it will be dictated by input from a committee formed by
Mayor Carol Jean Doyle, with assistance from her, Business Administrator Stephen Marks and with a series of community meetings in the coming months. Residents in the adjacent neighborhood will also be asked for input since they’ll be directly impacted on a regular basis.
DIRECTORY BUSINESS
What we saw and heard
The Observer took a tour of the impressive grounds last week, on Thursday, July 18, to be precise, with the aforementioned Marks. We went through all of the rooms attached to the church proper — and don’t let the outside of the building fool you — there is a lot of inside space for
events like yoga, open mic nights, cooking classes in a full, industrial-grade kitchen among scores of other possibilities. (The town has not yet decided what will happen to the two homes on the adjacent property along Oakwood Avenue.)
The center won’t be a place for massive crowds — in other
words, don’t expect largescale shows or concerts with hundreds of attendees. But there could easily be a series of small-scale events spread throughout the available space on a daily basis. Ideally, it will be a place that opens at around 8 a.m. and is being used in numerous capacities until 8, 9 o’clock at night, throughout the week.
Now as beautiful as the exterior of the church is, it is evident there’s a lot of work to be done to the interior. Given the age of the church, father time has not been kind to it. But fret not, because a good portion of cash has already been awarded to the project by grants, including a recent major Hudson County-controlled Community Development Block Grant, approved by County Executive Craig Guy (it awaits expected final approval in the fall by the Hudson County Board of Commissioners.)
Marks tells us over the coming years, there will be other grants available, as well, to pay for the associated costs. And, because many grants are recreation-based, the place will be called a community recreation center.
“But there won’t be basketball courts or anything like that,” Marks said. “When I was growing up we loved having a community pool, but the property wouldn’t allow for something that. But there will be plenty for residents to do once it’s complete. It may be Pilates or yoga or learn to to flamenco dance or Samba different types of things, Zumba, dance lessons, even performance, music — there’s a lot of stuff that fits the character nature of the built space.”
Think of it like a student union
According to Marks, residents ought to think of the pending center in terms of the way a university student
Continued on the next page
Continued from previous page
union is concocted.
“(It could be used) maybe as reading room, maybe (a) partnering with the library and having some programming collection,” Marks said. You could conceivably get maybe a pool table or a ping pong table, or maybe things that could be put away — maybe a café, a coffee house.”
Since there are offices in the church, plans will call for the Recreation Department to move from Town Hall to the new digs on Oakwood, making it will be a central location in town for all potential programs to flow. Ralph Cattafi, the recreation director, would be charged with coordinating the center and programming.
The planners of the project, RSC, of Hackensack, is an architectural firm the town has hired and, according to Marks, in which it has a lot of confidence. And because the town went with RSC, the recommendations that come from meetings, the committee and community input will be brought to the company to bring to life, and not the other way around. Often times
when such firms are hired, they’re told to come up with site plans. Not with this project, however.
Now Marks says the overall reconstruction may take “some time,” but there is no immediate rush to get
things done.
“The process with the architects, what do we do? What do we need to do first?” Marks said. “What do we need to do second? What do we need to do third? And then we’ll come up with a setting plan, but it’s going to take a good deal of time and a good deal of money and you just break it in the bite sized pieces. Whatever you can’t do in 2024, you do in 2025, whatever you can’t do in 2025, you do in 2026.
“So it could take two, three, four years, but it’ll give us two, three, four opportunities to ask the county for money and state and federal grants to minimize the impact of it.”
In all, this will be a rather ambitious undertaking, but it’s the kind of project Marks has successfully taken on before when he served as Hoboken’s BA, including with but limited to the expansion of the massive Hudson-Bergen Light Rail project.
“If there’s constant activity here and if the the residents really see this as a resource and as a massive amenity for the town, I think that’s the best possible outcome,” Marks said, confidently.
Photo by Kevin A. Canessa Jr.
This room seen here, adjacent to the church proper, has a sliding separator and could be used for many possible events, including meetings, classes, etc. It has already been used by the Kearny Urban Enterprise Zone for a community-wide five-year master planning input session.
