Find results from local elections from Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, online at www.theobserver.com n
North Arlington’s hopes for senior housing no longer just a dream. Page 2
A WWII HERO UNCLE THEY NEVER MET
Ron Woods now lives in northern Virginia — NoVa — though he is originally from Kearny. Earlier this year, when he learned of the Kearny Hometown Heroes banner program, he purchased one for Private First Class (PFC) Malcolm C. Bindon, of Kearny, who was killed just days after the Battle of Iwo Jima began during World War II. That was Feb. 26, 1945, the final day of the five week, vicious battle, that took almost 7,000 American lives — and that nearly took 19,000 Japanese lives.
whirlwind, six-hour journey. After arriving at around 11 a.m. that day, they first visited a cemetery in Bloomfield. Then they came to Kearny, where they were able to see Bindon’s banner, located high above and right outside Mr. Nino’s III on Kearny Avenue, where the foursome had lunch that afternoon.
HOMETOWN HEROES ‘24
Woods wanted to be sure Bindon was forever remembered for his ultimate sacrifice so many decades ago.
Enter two of Bindon’s surviving family members, who, though not locals, had no idea their uncle was honored with a banner in Kearny. Woods took care of that, reaching out to both Susan Jubenville, of Granby, Massachusetts, and her sister, Nancy Neff, of South Kingstown, Rhode Island, both Bindon’s nieces.
The two sisters, along with their spouses, recently hopped on an Amtrak Train to Newark Penn Station on Tuesday, Oct. 29 for a
After they dined and admired the banner that honored their uncle, they spent time with The Observer to tell Malcolm’s story — and why it was important to the both of them that he is remembered, despite the reality they only knew him through photos and stories, having never had a chance to meet him before he met his demise.
“Back in May, we received a letter and we weren’t sure what to make of it at first,” Jubenville says. “It was very nice, very respectful, so I did a little searching online and didn’t find anything bad about Woods. Nancy was in the middle of a move, so I sort of took over the coordinating. I sent him an email and it bounced back.
“It turned out he had given me an incorrect address. So I waited a little bit longer, finally
See BINDON, Page 18
Photo & story by Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
PFC Malcolm C. Bindon, of Kearny, died Feb. 26, 1945, in the Battle of Iwo Jima. His banner flies high on Kearny Avenue near Mr. Nino’s III. Recently, two of his nieces he never met Sue Jubenville, right, and Nancy Neff, both of New England, visited his banner an childhood home on Highland Avenue.
FOR PRONTI AND THE NA BORO COUNCIL,
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
When North Arlington Mayor Daniel H. Pronti took office, he wasn’t thinking in terms of the here and now, necessarily. Sure, there were many things he needed to address quickly, but the truth is, many of the goals he set were for well down the road. Eventually, those goals and the road would catch up to him — and that vision his set, his forward thinking and wise decision-making — along with the Borough Council — is all leading to numerous projects to increase the quality of life
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for residents and make the town an even more attractive destination for visitors or perspective residents. And that day is now here.
Real Estate
by Jarlynn Hyde Broker/Owner
GROUND LEASE
A ground lease, also known as a land lease, is an agreement in which a tenant can develop property during the lease period. However, once the lease expires, anything done to the property belongs to the owner. Ground leases commonly occur between commercial landlords, who typically lease the land for 50 to 99 years to tenants who construct buildings on the property. They define who owns the land and who owns the building. It is a way to retain property ownership and generate income and revenue while avoiding capital gains. Tenants assume responsibility for all expenses associated with the property, such as construction, financing, repairs, renovations, taxes, and insurance. Franchises, big box stores, and other commercial entities use ground leases. Because the process of buying and selling real estate can be bewildering to those who don’t deal with the process on a daily basis, we make it an important part of our business to be knowledgeable and up to date with what’s current in the industry. If you are contemplating buying a home and have questions about looking at a ground lease property, please call us. Family owned and operated for over 55 years, our experience can be invaluable to you.
“Our success has been built one satisfied customer at a time.”
That’s because Pronti, the council and other borough officials are now working to construct long-awaited Senior/Veterans Housing Project, which will include a multi-use facility at the site of the current VFW building (200 River Road).
Pronti first began thinking about the prospect toward the end of his first term. But he
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knew it wouldn’t be an overnight process. Instead, he and the council remained patient to get this right — and here we are now.
This new facility would provide residential living for seniors 65 and older. There would also be a percentage of the units reserved for veterans. The brand-new facility would include a separate en-
trance and meeting place for the veteran groups, as well as providing a brand-new senior center, complete with rooftop amenities.
The project would address North Arlington’s longtime and ongoing need for senior and veteran housing and create another welcoming space for the public. It would accommodate approximately 45 one-bedroom units of 650 square feet each, as well as common spaces for community events and celebrations.
The mayor announced this project would be privately funded and not cost the North Arlington taxpayers a cent to build. Current North Arlington residents would receive first preference when a list of potential residents is compiled.
Another Pronti and council priority is the expansion of public parking.
One proposal would be
Continued on the next page
Pronti
An artist’s rendering of the proposed new senior/veterans housing for North Arlington.
DREAMS OF TOMORROW HAVE ARRIVED
Continued from previous page
to convert the site of the new-shuttered Melray’s Furniture Store, 45 Ridge Road, into a mixed-use retail and parking structure. The bottom floor would include storefronts that would attract residents and visitors; the upper two floors would house a parking garage with upward of 200 available spaces. The garage would be accessed via a ramp directly from Garden Terrace. This proposal would not contain any new residential housing.
Pronti noted also said one more “quality-of-life” issue and a point of major convenience, the borough is in the process of acquiring the old Comcast property to provide off-street parking for those at-
Ttending sporting events at Rip Collins Field (141 River Road).
“The new parking lot would also have regulations allowing residents to park, by permit, overnight, which should be a huge sigh of relief for residents along the western slope,” Pronti said. The lot is currently open and being used for sporting events, as part of an agreement with the sellers, until the sale is complete.
“These are just a handful of improvements the council and I are working toward to further improve the quality of life in the borough. We want all of our residents to experience the height of North Arlington’s potential, and taking steps like these will bring us closer to that goal that we all embrace.”
Woman’s Club of Arlington hosting Hindenburg retrospective
he Woman’s Club of Arlington hosts a presentation about the Hindenburg Experience at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, at the Girl Scout House, 635 Kearny Ave. Bill Schmidt will present. Schmidt, a former member of
both the Lakehurst Historical Society and Navy Lakehurst Historical Society, has been bringing his Hindenburg Experience programs to local and state organizations in recent years.
Schmidt describes the final
flight of the Hindenburg from Frankfurt, Germany, to Lakehurst, on May 6, 1937. At almost 804 ft. long, the Hindenburg was the largest aircraft to ever fly at the time.
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
Sometimes things aren’t what they seem and that’s certainly the case with these next incident.
In mid-May, two seemingly unrelated reports were filed in Kearny. It turned out they were actually part of a lengthy crime spree spanning multiple jurisdictions.
In one, a work van was burglarized, with a perp stealing thousands in tools.
In another, a Hyundai Elantra was stolen.
Det. Kevin Matos, ultimately, was assigned these cases. Upon obtaining and reviewing camera footage, Matos learned the stolen Hyundai was used in conjunction with the work van burglary as well as several other crimes in various jurisdictions, including Lyndhurst and Rutherford.
Burglaries resulted in five-figure losses.
The Hyundai was eventually recovered.
Detectives discovered and extracted latent fingerprints from the interior. Additionally, after obtaining the necessary court orders, a cell phone tower area search was conducted, querying the multiple locations and towns in which crimes occurred.
After identifying the identifiers of those cellular devices which were present at the locations and times of the crimes, and comparing this to fingerprint evidence results, further grand jury subpoenas were issued.
Ultimately, all three suspects in-
NEWS BRIEFS
Girl Scouts, American Legion collecting socks for veterans Kearny Girl Scouts and American Legion Auxiliary Post 99 are collecting socks throughout November for veterans. Donations are being accepted at four locations starting Nov. 1 — American Legion Post 99, 314 Belgrove Drive; the Girl Scout House,
635 Kearny Ave.; Cathy’s Hair Fashion Center, 828 Kearny Ave.; and Gina’s Hair Design, 262 Kearny Ave.
UNICO hosting food drive
The Kearny chapter of UNICO hosts a food drive Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the American Legion parking lot. All donations will be sent to the Kearny Food Pantry.
Salvation Army of Kearny hosting open gyms with Tom Fraser
The Salvation Army of greater Kearny, 28 Beech St., hosts open gyms Tuesday and Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m. for kids aged 10 to 17. Games will be under the supervision of the immortal Tom Fraser, retired Lincoln School counselor and coach and long-time
volved were identified. Additionally, a “follow” vehicle involved in the crimes was identified and further corroborated the identities of the actions. The suspects were also found to have had involvement in other unrelated burglaries and crimes spanning multiple states and jurisdictions.
Warrants were issued for Rahim J. Wilson, 35, of Newark; Nathan Hall, 33, of Newark; and Zykire E. Wray, 18, of Newark. In Kearny, each were charged with burglary, theft, conspiracy, and theft of a motor vehicle.
director of the Presbyterian Boys & Girls Club.
Belleville church’s food pantry open second Tuesday of month
Wesley Methodist Church and Gosen Church at 225 Washington Ave., Belleville, opens its food pantry from 9 a.m. to noon on the second Saturday of each month. The public is welcome to attend. Donations of non-perishable food are being accepted, including canned goods, pan-
cake mix and syrup, hygiene items, paper towels and toilet paper, instant coffee, oatmeal, bottled juice, individual snacks, boxes of cereal, peanut butter and jelly and mac and cheese.
For more information, contact Dana (201) 706-1104 (English) or Pastor Michael (551) 399-9931 (Español.)
Patrons from all communities are welcome. ID is not required.
Lyndhurst PD: Man drove drunk,
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
One Newark man should have stayed home two weekends ago.
On Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, around midnight., Officer Jorge Fernandez was on patrol in the area of Ridge Road and Kingsland Avenue when he observed a silver Mazda CX5 delaying traffic, which nearly caused a motor-vehicle crash. Officer Fernandez was able to conduct a motor vehicle stop of the subject vehicle in the area of Ridge Road and Page Avenue.
Officer Fernandez approached the vehicle and upon making contact with the driver, he detected an odor of an alcohol emanating from the driver’s breath. Officer Fernandez ultimately had the driver, identified as
Sergio Torres, 40, of Newark, perform a series of field-sobriety tests. Based on his examination, Officer Fernandez believed Torres was impaired and placed him under arrest for driving while under the influence.
During a search of Torres’s person, he was found to be in possession of cocaine.
At headquarters, Mr. Torres consented to and failed a breathalyzer test. He was processed and charged with possession of cocaine and driving under the influence before being released pending a November court appearance in Bergen County Central Judicial Court, Hackensack.
A Lyndhurst man was been arrested and charged with allegedly starting a fire in Lyndhurst last week, Det. Lt. Vincent Auteri tells The Observer.
POLICE BEAT
On Oct. 25, 2024, at approximately 4:30 p.m., officers responded to the 600 block of Fourth Street to investigate a report of a small brush fire. Upon arrival, officers learned the fire had already been extinguished by a local resident. Additionally, a witness advised he observed an unknown man start the fire before walking away from the area. The witness provided a detailed description of the suspect and the responding officers were able to quickly identify the suspect as Jose Concepcion, 27, of Lyndhurst.
Officers then responded to Concepcion’s home, which was located in close proximity to the location of the fire. At that time, Concepcion
was placed under arrest and charged with arson and failure to report a fire. After being charged, Concepcion was transported to a local hospital for an examination. The cause of the small fire is unknown.
One man’s nap recently led to a bunch of charges after police caught him behind the wheel of a running car, Det. Lt. Vincent Auteri, of the Lyndhurst Police Department, said.
According to Auteri:
On Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, at approximately 3:35 a.m., Officer Vincent Dorio was on patrol on Harding Avenue when he observed a Toyota Corolla stopped in the road in the middle of the 300 block of Harding Avenue. Officer Dorio approached the car and found the driver, identified as
See LPD, Page 15
OPINION & VIEWPOINTS
Free screenings given to Kearny senior citizens
Lisa M. Feorenzo lisa@theobserver.com Co-owner/Advertising Dir.
Tina Feorenzo Co-owner/Advertising
Robert P. Pezzolla gm@theobserver.com General
Manager
Colt 45’s Faces n Feels like I'm on a bike with mom!
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The Observer accepts letters from readers on topics relevant to our readership area. They should 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 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.
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Hudson Regional Hospital delivered vital stroke prevention education and free health screenings to senior citizens at the Henrietta Benstead Senior Center Oct. 11. Healthcare professionals conducted screenings while attendees enjoyed lunch generously provided by Janeth Martins, Kearny resident and owner of a local laundromat.
Caption by Scott Wallace (Kearny Collision) Cartoon by Michelle Rybeck
Wednesday, November 6, 2024
Use Hoboken PATH station? Get ready for a massive headache come February
If for any reason you use the PATH system via the Hoboken station, you’re going to want to pay close attention to this — because for almost the entire month of February, the station will be closed and you’ll need to find alternate ways to commute.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced Oct. 31 the station will be closed from late evening Jan. 30, 2025, to early morning Feb. 25, 2025, as part of the agency’s two-year, $430 million PATH Forward program.
During the closure, the Port Authority will carry out what it calls critical safety repairs and improvements across several elements of the 116-yearold system. The full station closure enables the agency to complete track and station work on an expedited basis that would otherwise necessitate severe schedule reductions and service suspensions repetitively over a prolonged period.
Track work will include replacing in-station track, replacing the track switching network outside the station and repairing 4,500 linear feet of track leading to the station. Station work will include refurbishing the concrete platform surface and replacing four stairways between the station’s mezzanine and platform levels.
The Port Authority has worked with regional transit partners to provide riders
with extensive travel alternatives while work is completed. Those alternatives will include expanded ferry service, frequent shuttle buses to other PATH stations and supplemental PATH, light rail and NJ TRANSIT bus service between Hoboken and Manhattan.
All alternative travel options are ADA-accessible.
Those alternatives will include:
Cross-honored ferry service:
n Additional peak period service departing every 10 minutes from both Hoboken ferry terminals, the PATH/ NJ TRANSIT station terminal and the 14th Street terminal, with service to Manhattan’s Brookfield Place/Battery Park City terminal and Midtown/ West 39th Street terminal.
n Expanded NY Waterway crosstown bus service from Midtown/West 39th Street terminal.
n Extended operating hours until 10 p.m. weekdays and midnight, weekends at both Hoboken terminals.
n Additional weekend route, offering service to Midtown/West 39th Street from both Hoboken terminals.
Free PATH shuttle bus service:
n Frequent shuttle buses connecting Hoboken riders to continuing PATH service at Newport and Exchange Place stations.
n Supplemental Bus Service to Enhance NJ TRANSIT’s No. 126 Line.
NORTH ARLINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT Register for Full-Day Preschool (Age 3) – Limited Vacancies
The North Arlington Public School District is opening mid-year enrollment to thirteen (13) three-year-old children to be placed in existing state-funded Pre-K 4 (four-year-old) classrooms. Students will begin on or about December 9, 2024. Priority enrollment will be provided to children whose families meet specific socio-economic criteria.
Any families interested in this opportunity must visit the homepage of www.navikings.org to complete the Preschool Interest Form. The form must be completed by 9:00 p.m. on Friday, November 15, 2024. Late registrants will not be eligible.
Requirements & Criteria
• Your child must have turned 3 years old on or before October 1, 2024.
• Your child must be domiciled in North Arlington.
Further information will be provided to families who complete the Preschool Interest Form.
DISTRITO ESCOLAR PÚBLICO DE NORTH ARLINGTON
Inscripción para Preescolar de Día Completo (Edad 3) – Vacantes Limitadas
El Distrito Escolar Público de North Arlington está abriendo la inscripción a mitad de año para trece niños (13) de tres años que serán ubicados en aulas existentes de Pre-K 4 (niños de cuatro años) financiadas por el estado. Los estudiantes comenzarán el 9 de diciembre de 2024 aproximadamente. Se dará prioridad de inscripción a los niños cuyas familias cumplan con criterios socioeconómicos específicos.
Cualquier familia interesada en esta oportunidad debe visitar la página principal de www.navikings.org para completar el Formulario de Interés para Preescolar. El formulario debe completarse antes de las 9:00 p.m. del viernes 15 de noviembre de 2024. Los que se inscriban tarde no serán elegibles.
Requisitos y Criterios
• Su hijo debe haber cumplido 3 años el 1 de octubre de 2024 o antes.
• Su hijo debe residir en North Arlington.
Se proporcionará más información a las familias que completen el Formulario de Interés para Preescolar.
Port Authority artist’s rendering
Arlington mayor Leonard Kaiser
By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com
When Leonard Kaiser, the former mayor of North Arlington, died three years ago, it came out of nowhere. But if there was one thing clear after he died it was that something would be done in the borough of North Arlington to honor his memory eternally.
That day came last weekend.
The Borough of North Arlington dedicated Children’s Centennial Park in honor of the late mayor Oct. 27.
The ceremony, at 96 Schuyler Ave., was led by North Arlington Council President
to infill sink holes to the Schuyler Copper Mines after a collapse in 1989, an initiative that protected the homes of dozens of North Arlington residents.
Mario Karcic, Mayor Daniel H. Pronti and the Borough Council. Family, friends, and neighbors gathered to pay tribute to the late Republican mayor, who served for nearly 20 years. His widow, Barbara, spoke in his memory.
In 1996, under Mayor Kaiser’s direction, Children’s Centennial Park was built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the borough. In recognition of his years of public service and dedication to the community, the recreation house and park is now
known as the “Leonard R. Kaiser Memorial Children’s Centennial Park & Recreation House.” Kaiser served as mayor from 1983 to 2002. Throughout his years as mayor, he may be best remembered for securing $2.2 million in federal funds
Following his service as mayor, Kaiser served in the Bergen County executive’s office and became director of the Bergen County Utilities Authority, a position he held from 2002 to 2009. He died in 2021.
“Leonard Kaiser definitely had a passion for North Arlington, especially in the area of redevelopment,” Pronti said. “The recreation house and park will serve as a lasting reminder of his impact and devotion to our borough.”
The Kaiser family at the dedication.
SPORTS & HEALTH
By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
Playing in the Bergen Invitational Tournament likely wasn’t one of the goals for either the Lyndhurst or North Arlington boys soccer teams heading into the season. But when both local squads found themselves in the tournament field rather than the traditional Bergen County Tournament, there was an added motivation to use the BIT to show they belong in the conversation among the better teams in the county.
Both teams emerged through four rounds of tournament play to reach BIT final and on Saturday afternoon, the two rivals left Indian Hills High School as BIT co-champions after playing to a 1-1 draw.
While each team surely would have preferred an outright championship, it was in the eyes of the coaches an appropriate ending to the third matchup of the year between the two rivals.
“Honestly, we always would
CO-CHAMPIONS!
love to win, but I’m happy,” said Lyndhurst head coach Emad Abu-Hakmeh. “Both teams played really well and I’m happy that that game ended the way it did because neither team deserved to lose (Saturday) night. And both teams put heart and effort and they give it a hundred percent. Every single player on both teams.”
“The result was a 1-1 tie, and it really could have gone either way,” North Arlington head coach Pedro Martinez said. “It was a very exciting and entertaining game filled with loads of opportunities for both teams.”
North Arlington, which won the two regular season matchups, struck first once again on Saturday when, in the 34th minute, Patrick Sullivan gathered a rebound in front of the net and scored to give the Vikings the lead.
Lyndhurst answered back in the 65th minute when Robert Dasler Jr. scored off a feed from Cristian Porras to tie the game. It was just the last clutch
moment from one of North Jersey’s top strikers as Dasler Jr. has now scored a goal in seven consecutive games and tallied seven goals in the BIT.
Jakob Gwisczc made 13 saves for North Arlington and Maksym Dmochowski had six for Lyndhurst as ultimately, neither team was able to add another goal in regulation or overtime.
“We had our chances, they had their chances,” said AbuHakmed. “Our goalie came up big a couple of times, we hit the bar on the ball a few times and they had a couple of chances too. It was a well balanced, well fought game from the first second to the last second.”
With an 8-5 record at the time the tournaments were seeded, Abu-Hakmed’s team felt they were snubbed when they were not one of the 24 teams selected for the Bergen County Tournament. Instead, the Bears were the first team selected for the BIT as the ninth seed as the top eight go to the teams that lose in the first
round of the Bergen County Tournament.
After shutting out Northern Highlands in the first round, Lyndhurst got to show why it belonged when it defeated Leonia, who got the final Bergen County Tournament spot, in the second round ,3-0, then defeated another BCT qualifier in Cliffside Park in the quarterfinals, 6-2. Lyndhurst shut out Bergenfield in the semifinals.
“Unfortunately we didn’t get the seeds that we deserved and it was proved throughout,” said Abu-Hakmed, noting the wins over two teams that made the Bergen County Tournament field. “(Playing this well in the BIT) was really, really a good thing for us and for our kids in the program.”
North Arlington knew it wasn’t going to be in the main Bergen County Tournament due to a 2-7 start. But despite the disappointment of not qualifying like they wanted to back before the season, the Vikings caught fire in the beginning of October and continued it into
the BIT as it defeated three BCT qualifiers on its way to the final.
After defeating Pascack Hills in the first round, North Arlington beat BCT qualifiers Pascack Valley, Elmwood Park and then Demarest, all on the road, to reach the final.
“Things don’t go your way all the time,” said Martinez of the start that eliminated North Arlington’s chances of making the Bergen County Tournament. “We saw ourselves being invited to the Bergen Invitational Tournament and I think we took full advantage of it. We said to ourselves, Hey, this is a tournament nevertheless, and we have an opportunity to play for a championship. And I think the boys really took to that and really showed what kind of players and athletes they are.
“Having competed against three teams that were invited to the county tournament and advancing past them shows what kind of effort, what kind of team we actually have.”
Lyndhurst team photo (LEFT) is courtesy of Rob Dasler, North Arlington team photo is courtesy of Joe Ciofi
GIRLS, BOYS STATE TOURNAMENTS UNDERWAY
By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
While the unseasonably warm weather may not show it, the calendars turning to November and our clocks being set back an hour are among the signs that the NJSIAA state tournaments are set to begin for soccer and volleyball and our Observer-area teams are not only well represented in these tournaments, but poised to make extended runs.
In boys soccer, Kearny begins the defense of its North 1, Group 4 title on Tuesday when
it hosts a familiar foe in HCIAL American Division rival North Bergen. The Kardinals shook off the disappointment of falling in the Hudson County Tournament finals with wins over Dickinson, Dover and Demarest, and as the No. 2 seed in North 1, Group 4, are once again one of the favorites.
Two other local squads are in this section and have earned first round home games as Bloomfield, seeded sixth, will welcome Fair Lawn. Belleville, seeded eight, will host ninth-seeded Union City.
In North 2, Group 1, North
Arlington has turned its strong October into a three seed in the bracket. One year after falling in the N2G1 final, the Vikings,
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led by sniper Nico Stanzione, look to add to the championship hardware it started collecting by sharing the Bergen Invitational title with Lyndhurst.
Speaking of Lyndhurst, the
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Golden Bears are the sixth-seed in North 2, Group 2 and will host West Morris in the first round. Harrison, which quietly has enjoyed another fine season with 14 wins, is the third seed and will be home to Mendham. If they can get by their Morris County foes on Tuesday, Harrison and Lyndhurst will once again cross paths in the quarterfinals where the Bears delivered an upset victory a year ago.
In North 2, Group 3, Nutley is the sixth seed and travels to face Colonia.
On the girls side, which started on Monday, Nov. 4 after
See UPDATES, Page 12
INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, refers to a group of chronic conditions that cause inflammation and damage to the digestive tract. The two main types of IBD are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Crohn’s disease affects the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, and weight loss. Ulcerative colitis specifically affects the colon and rectum, leading to symptoms like bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, urgency to have bowel movements, and rectal bleeding. Treatments aim to reduce inflammation, control symptoms, and improve quality of life through medication and lifestyle modifications. Management of IBD often requires a multidisciplinary approach involving gastroenterologists, dietitians, and other
healthcare professionals to tailor treatment plans to each individual’s needs.
See your doctor if you experience a persistent change in your bowel habits or if you have any of the signs and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflammatory bowel disease is a serious disease that, in some cases, may cause life-threatening complications. To schedule an appointment, please call PREMIER CARE ASSOCIATES OF WEST HUDSON at 201-998-7474. We are available at 512 Kearny Ave., Suite B, where walk-in patients are always welcome 7 days a week.
P.S. While the exact cause of IBD is not fully understood, it is believed to involve an abnormal immune response to environmental triggers in genetically predisposed individuals.
to: premiercare@gmail.com
appointment basis for your primary healthcare needs.
Dr. Prakash J. Doshi
Dr. Hector Aguilar
Kieran Meehan
Jackson Rivera
November 6, 2024
By Jason Bernstein jason@theobserver.com
Despite playing several different sports growing up, Sofia Hechavarria entered Lyndhurst High School as a freshman feeling she didn’t have a sport of her own. It was that feeling that helped
“I grew up playing almost every sport. Softball, basketball, a little bit of swimming., Hechavarria said. “I really like that my father put me in a bunch of sports, but yeah, I didn’t like the running in basketball, so I was like, that’s just not for me anymore. And softball, I felt because I’m so tall, I felt awkward playing.
“I never really heard of volleyball until I went into high school and I was like, let me just try this out. And everyone’s like, oh, you’re tall, so maybe
this will work out.”
Not only has Hechavarria found her sport with volleyball, she has quickly emerged as one of North Jersey’s best players.
The junior middle blocker has enjoyed a breakout season for Lyndhurst this fall. On Oct. 28, Senior Night, Hechavarria and the Golden Bears left the rest of the area no choice, but to take notice when it defeated a Secaucus team, at the time ranked No. 9 in the state, 25-23, 13-25, 25-12.
The victory gave Lyndhurst a share of the NJIC National Division title with Secaucus and was the Bears’ first win against their Hudson County rival since 2022. With one of the state’s premier middle hitters in Olivia Jasiczek on the other side of the net, Hechavarria showed that she too should be on the shortlist
As a junior, Hechavarria has more than doubled the amount of kills she’s recorded, going from 83 to 174, while posting career highs in blocks (80) and digs (99).
Combined with senior outside hitters Asya Akar and Yasemin Ugarlu, it gives Lyndhurst one of Bergen County’s top offensive trios.
ters when we need a point. So against Secaucus, if we needed a point here and there or if we were down, she’d get us to kill and we’d be right back in the game,: Lyndhurst head coach Steve Vahalla said. “Monday night definitely opened up a lot of people’s eyes about who this junior middle hitter from Lyndhurst is, and I can’t wait to see what she does in states and her senior year as well.”
Sofia Hechavarria
of top middles in North Jersey, recording five kills, five blocks, nine digs and two critical aces.
The performance makes her The Observer Athlete of the Week.
“She’s one of our go-to hit-
Hechavarria’s improvement has been arguably the biggest factor in Lyndhurst becoming one of Bergen County’s top teams this year and one of the favorites in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2 tournament that begins this week.
“She definitely took a huge leap,” Valhalla said. “She plays volleyball year round and I think she wants to be known as well. So she sees all these top players in the state and she wants to make a name for herself and that’s exactly what she’s doing.”
Wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and dry AMD are both conditions that damage the macula and cause vision loss due to aging. AMD usually affects people over 50, and risk increases in people over 70. Wet AMD happens when abnormal blood vessels grow and leak blood and fluid underneath the retina. The term “wet” refers to the leaking fluids. Dry AMD happens when the blood vessels under the retina become weak and brittle, causing small protein deposits to form. Dry AMD is responsible for 90% of AMD cases. Both types lead to blurry, progressively limited vision. One important difference is that wet AMD can be stopped or reversed, while dry AMD can be slowed or stopped but not reversed.
OVER 50
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UPDATES
Continued from Page 10
our deadlines, Lyndhurst is the second seed in North 2, Group 2 and with Kieran Meehan in net, the Bears have as good of a chance as any to emerge as the champions in this section. Their road will begin with a familiar face in 15th-seeded Harrison in the first round. While they lost both regular season matchups to Lyndhurst, the Blue Tide kept it tight with both games finishing 1-0.
North Arlington is the seventh seed in North 2, Group 1 and despite cooling off down the stretch after a blistering start, hopes to make a deep run
with a talented young core, starting with its first round matchup with BelovED Charter of Jersey City.
Another young team hoping to make some noise is Nutley, who is the 11th seed in North 2, Group 3 and travels to play sixth-seeded Millburn.
In North 1, Group 4 a well-tested Kearny team has earned the sixth-seeded and will host an 11th-seeded Union City team it blew out in the Hudson County Tournament.
A trip to third-seeded Morristown likely awaits.
Also in North 1, Group 4, Bloomfield is the eighth seed and will host Bloomfield Tech, while Belleville, seeded 15th gets the daunting task of trying
to stun a state-ranked Montclair team.
For volleyball, Lyndhurst, which is enjoying a banner season, is the top seed in North 2, Group 2 and a potential favorite to win its first sectional crown in more than 25 years. The Bears earned a first round bye and will host the Leonia-Parsippany Hills winner in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
Also in North 2, Group 2, 10th-seeded Harrison looks to snap a late-season losing streak on Tuesday when it goes to Newark to face Science Park.
In North 2, Group 4, Kearny has put an 0-4 start in the rearview mirror and is now the fourth seed and is ready to host Elizabeth. Belleville is the 12th
PromoHolidaySpecial
seed in North 2, Group 3 and will face Chatham.
North Arlington earned a home game as the eighth seed in Central, Group 1 and will host Bard of Newark.
Back in North 1, Group 3, Nutley, which is enjoying a resurgent season at 15-8 is the sixth seed and will host Teaneck. Bloomfield is the 11th seed in North 1, Group 4 and plays Hackensack
In cross country, three local runners have advanced to the Group Championships which will be held at Holmdel Park on Saturday after strong performances in the North 2 Championships at Garrett Mountain.
Meya Ranges continued her fine rookie season, placing 10th in North 2, Group 3 with a time of 20:21.44.
In North 2, Group 2, a pair of Lyndhurst sophomores are moving on after running personal bests. Madison Mason
took 10th place in the girls meet with a time of 20:37.15. In the boys meet, Gabriel Campos finished 14th with a time of 16:52.76.
Meanwhile the football season officially came to a close for the Observer-area. Lyndhurst saw its season end in heart-breaking fashion as Justus Favata’s 1-yard touchdown run with 72 seconds remaining gave Ramsey a 27-24 victory in the first round of the North 2, Group 2 playoffs. Lyndhurst, which finishes 7-2, used the familiar one-two combination of QB Shawn Bellenger (155 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and Roddy Morinho (91 rushing yards with a rushing and receiving TD) to build up a 24-7 lead in the third quarter.
Nutley, which entered its North 2, Group 4 game at Phillipsburg as heavy underdogs, was defeated 42-0 to finish its season 4-6.
ATHLETE
Continued from Page 11
Hechavarria credits the improvements to confidence as gaining valuable experience playing club volleyball throughout the offseason.
“Being confident in the way I play (has been key),” said Hechavarria “I think when I was younger, I was scared and shy and I didn’t really want to call for the ball, didn’t really want to get set, tried to stay away from it. But being confident on the court and knowing how good I am and just thinking about it, I think I just got more confident.”
This past offseason, Hechavarria was playing club DIGS Volleyball in Mahwah before moving over to USANY Volleyball Club in New York. At both places, she was playing predominantly as an outside hitter.
While predominantly a middle, the 5-foot-11 Hechavarria will see some occasional time at outside as she plays all rotations.
With a 21-3 record, Lyndhurst earned the top seed in NJSIAA North Jersey, Section 2, Group 2. The Bears, seeking their first sectional title in more than 25 years, earned a first round bye and will then host the Parsippany Hills-Leonia winner in the quarterfinals on Thursday.
The Observer’s correction policy
The Observer strives to bring our readers the best and the most accurate news. However, from time to time, there may be mistakes in what we report. As such, we take our obligation to report errors seriously. If you believe we’ve made an error, please send an e-mail to editorial@theobserver.com, indicating what is to be corrected. We will ensure a correction is noted (if necessary) in a future print edition — and online.
November 6, 2024
Patrick Robertson
1953 - 2024
Patrick Robertson, 71, formerly of North Arlington died in Long Beach, California, in the early hours of Oct. 29. Patrick was born Sept. 14, 1953, in Jersey City, the son of John Robertson and Sarah “Sadie” Robertson (O’Brien). He graduated from North Arlington High School in 1971, then went on to receive an associate degree from Brandywine College.
A few years later, Patrick decided to follow his passion for cooking and enrolled at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. After graduating, he went on to a long and successful career in the restaurant industry. His resume includes some of the finest restaurants in the world, including Le Cirque and the 21 Club in New York. The basketball legend Michael Jordan tapped Patrick to be executive chef at 160 Blue, Jordan’s first restaurant in Chicago.
More recently, Patrick lived and worked in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and also served as executive chef of the Hilton Hotel in Guam, where he supervised multiple dining venues. Patrick will be remembered for his warm personality, his creativity in the kitchen and a fierce loyalty to friends and co-workers.
He is survived by his brother, Michael Robertson.
A celebration of Patrick’s life take place on a date and place to be announced later.
Dolores DeFazio
Dolores DeFazio, (Marcavage), 94, died Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at home with her loving daughters by her side.
Relatives and friends visited at the Thiele-Reid Family Funeral Home, 585 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. A funeral Mass was cel-
OBITUARIES
ebrated at Our Lady of Sorrows R.C. Church, Kearny. Entombment was in Holy Cross Chapel Mausoleum, North Arlington.
Dolores was born and raised in Simpson, Pennsylvania, to the late Anthony and Casimira Marcavage. Mrs. DeFazio has lived in Kearny for the last 65+ years. She worked in the accounting department at Art Metal, U.S.A. in Newark for many years. Her prior employment was working in the mortgage department at Equity Savings and Loan Kearny.
Mrs. DeFazio was a member of the Polish American Women’s Club and named Polish American Club Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1989. She was also a member of the Henrietta Benstead Senior Center, Thursday Group. She was an avid bowler at the Bowl-O-Drome in North Arlington, (into her 80s and earned many trophies) and previously bowled at Yeager’s Bowling Alley in Harrison.
Dolores also enjoyed bingo, playing cards with her many friends. Also trips to Atlantic City and many other casinos. She was a great hostess to many family and friends, at home (with her husband cooking). Dolores’s true passion was spending time with her family. People would describe her as being, compassionate, loving, kind, funny, etc., a singer, dancer, joke teller and an all-around entertainer.
Dolores never missed sending cards for birthdays and every
occasion to family and close friends. She would always call and sing to her family members on their birthdays.
Dolores is survived by her daughters, Cynthia Enquist and husband John, Diana Davitt and husband, Gary, and a brother Joseph Marcavage. She was the beloved grandmother of John Enquist (Meredith), Ashley Murillo (Steven), Owen Davitt and his fiancé, Peter. She was the great-grandmother of Savannah, Violet, Sofia, Ryan and Matthew. She will be deeply missed by her great-grand pup, Lewis. Also, many, many nieces and nephews, 32 plus.
Dolores was predeceased by her husband, of 53 years, Frank DeFazio and siblings, Evelyn DeGonge, Christine Kresock, Marion Boyd, Joanne Maile, Arlene Gatto, John Marcavage, Anthony Marcavage and Edward Marcavage, plus many brothers
Novena to St. Claire
Ask St. Claire for 3 favors. 1 business 2 impossible. Say 9 Hail Mary’s for 9 days with a lighted candle. Pray whether you believe it or not. Publish on 9th day. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised, adored, glorified & loved today and every day throughout the world Forever and Ever. Amen. Your request will be granted no matter how impossible it may seem.
E.P.
and sister in laws.
In lieu of flowers a donation to St. Jude (Dolores’s favorite charity) would be greatly appreciated, in her honor at www.stjude.org
Christine B. Galioto
Christine B. Galioto (nee Padeski) died Oct. 24, 2024. She was 79.
Born in Harrison, Chrissy lived in Newark before moving to Kearny in 1976.
Private arrangements were by the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny.
Chrissy was the beloved wife of the late Donald Galioto and
All obituaries must be submitted by email by 10 a.m., Mondays, to obituaries@ theobserver.com. Payment is due at submission.
loving mother of her son Donald. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren Gaige, Brookelynne and Camila. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the ASPCA in her memory.
John Anthony Drofiak
John Antho ny Drofiak, 74, died peacefully at his home in Kearny on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.
See OBITS, Page 14
Mulligan Funeral Home
331 Cleveland Avenue, Harrison
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 generations in West Hudson and South Bergen. Its beautiful facilities, in a setting reminiscent of a colonial mansion, reflect the graciousness and tact of its understanding personnel.
Arrangements may be made in Spanish, Portuguese or Polish Frank X. Mulligan III, Manager, NJ Lic. 4221 Frank X. Mulligan, Jr. Inactive Private Parking at 10 Frank E. Rodgers Blvd. North 973-481-4333 visit us at: www.mulliganfh.com Wilfred Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home
Dr. • Kearny, NJ 07032 (201) 991-0657
Leading the 2024 WH St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Two Kearny HS students attend Girl’s Career Institute at Rutgers
The Woman’s Club of Arlington has a long history of sponsoring outstanding high school girls who are juniors for attendance at Girl’s Career Institute, an annual event at Douglass Residential College on the campus of Rutgers University sponsored by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs.
This year’s delegates from the WCA were Isabella Held and Joyce Awad, of Kearny High School. They recently reported their experiences to the club at a meeting.
to four-year colleges in the area like NYU, Rutgers Newark and Montclair University.
Held is currently exploring her artistic abilities by partaking in AP art classes and independent study periods. She is very passionate about her Academy of Dance classes, while also working her hardest as a varsity athlete in cross country and track and field. In addition to serving as vice president in Student Government Association, she actively participates in student life by engaging in as many student-led activities as possible. She also likes to contribute to the community by helping as an altar server at St. Cecilia Church. Her time at GCI changed Held’s perspective on college — she had planned to go to a community college but now she will apply
Awad is also at the top of her class and has an extensive list of extracurricular activities. Of Peruvian and Egyptian descent, she was born in New Jersey. She plays basketball, wrestles and rows in crew. She participates in river clean ups and 5K runs because she loves nature. Finally, she also enjoys being with students, so she volunteers at summer camp at church and tutors students in high school. Awad hopes to attend a military college like West Point. She is interested in the FBI and was able to attend an FBI workshop at GCI which was led by an FBI agent and her daughter.
Both girls say they found GCI to be rewarding. The four day ‘mini-college experience’ gave them the opportunity to sample college living in a dorm, eating in a cafeteria and attending lectures and workshops. These young women learned about career choices from women working in a variety of professions, trades and academic disciplines. They also had the opportunity network with other delegates from all over New Jersey.
He was born in Sleaford and East Kesteven, Lincoln, England, and emigrated to the US at an early age and resided in North Arlington, before settling in Kearny.
John worked in advertising for many years before his retirement. He graduated from Kearny High School where in played football. John was an avid gardener.
He was the son of the late Stefan and Eva (Hrynenko) Drofiak; devoted and loving father of Samantha Drofiak and Eve-Holiday Drofiak; dear brother of the late Peter Drofiak; Husband of Eva L. Drofiak.
The wake for John will be private. Arrangements were conducted by the Shaw-Buyus Home for Services, 138 Davis Ave. at Bergen Avenue, Kearny. A private cremation will follow. Please visit www buyusfuneralhome. com.
The United Irish Associations of West Hudson introduced the 2024 St. Patrick’s Day Parade honorees at a special event recently at the Scots-American Club. Seen here are Mike Mara, deputy grand marshal, Kearny business owner; Mark Wiggins, grand marshal, owner of the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home in Kearny; and Donna Bocchino, deputy grand marshal, North Arlington councilwoman, formerly of Kearny.
LPD
Continued from Page 5
Daniel Barro Jr., 37, of Clifton, asleep at the wheel. Additionally, the vehicle was running and still in the drive position.
Officer Dorio proceeded to render the vehicle safe before waking Barro. Upon learning of the police presence, Barro attempted to conceal a clear plastic baggie containing a white colored powdery substance. Barro confirmed the baggie contained cocaine. He also admitted to consuming cocaine and Xanax earlier in the evening.
A search of the vehicle revealed the presence of heroin, cocaine, unregulated marijuana, two scales, two cell phones, and $1,117 in cash.
Barro was charged with possession of a cocaine, possession of heroin, unlawful possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute and driving while under the influence.
He was remanded to the Bergen County Jail, Hackensack, pending court.
Observer’s office is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please feel free to visit
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BINDON
Continued from Page 1
called him, and that’s when we made the connection. I would think it would be a month after we received a letter, perhaps we would finally connect. It was then we started to communicating and he asked if we’d be willing to share what information we had. He (Malcolm) was very
much a presence, even though we never knew him.”
Once the sisters realized they’d met someone special in Woods, it hit Nancy that a similar banner program existed in South Kingstown. It was then they knew they’d have to come to visit Kearny. It all brought up a lot of passed-down memories of their uncle.
“We remember our grandparents very well and it it
meant a lot,” Niff says. “They didn’t talk about it a lot, but we had their pictures all the time. We were very close with our grandparents, his parents, and this was their hometown. When my grandfather retired, they moved to Avon-by-the-Sea. And that’s where we spent our summers as children for over 10 years. But they spoke of living on Highland Avenue until 1959.” Sadly, when Malcom died,
it would be around a month before his family learned of his death.
“They were a tight-knit family, but it was just devastating when they found out, as it would be for any family,” Jubenville says. “But Ron sent us photos of the telegram the family received upon his death and that was extraordinary to see.”
But just who was this private first class?
The sisters knew what they knew from oral tradition passed down over the years. Bindon graduated from the January 1940 class of Kearny High School. He joined the military on his own accord, likely because that was what most men did in that era, when patriotism was extraordinarily high. While it was Bindon’s hope to make a career of the military, that wasn’t in the cards — so instead, he re-enlisted for the war.
Though he had no idea where this would take him, he wound up leaving New Jersey early in 1945 for San Diego, then to Hawaii and ultimately to Iwo Jima. Bindon was posthumously awarded a Presidential Unit citation (with ribbon bar and one star) for serving as a member of the assault troops, 5th Amphibious Corps, according to Woods. Meanwhile, after his death, Bindon’s father did not want his remains returned to the Garden State and so the sisters say he was buried at the Punchbowl Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
And while the sting of Malcolm’s death remained with them for a long time, Jubenville says his parents did ultimately make the journey to Hawaii to visit his gravesite in the 1990s.
Continued on the next page
Bindon’s photo in the January 1940 edition of Lamp Post
Contributed photos
The top photo is a copy of PFC Malcolm C. Bindon’s casualty report which was delivered to his family, by telegram, around a month after he died. In the bottom photo, Bindon’s gravestone in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Continued from previous page
In all, both Jubenville and Niff are grateful to Woods for bringing all of this to their attention and for being able to visit the banner site, too, of a man they never met, but clearly both loved with great fondness.
“To imagine nearly 100 years hence, you know? Who will be remembering them? I think it’s touching that there still are opportunities to remember our ancestor,” Jubenville says. “This was an
opportunity for us to be here and remember him and dig out all the photos and dig out some letters. And as much as we knew, just going through this recently, we’ve learned more. It was all an overwhelming experience. It’s also been such a pleasure to get to know Ron Woods. If it weren’t for Ron Woods, we wouldn’t be standing here right now.” And perhaps would have never known their uncle, who died nearly 80 years ago, is one of Kearny’s greatest-ever heroes.
