March 7, 2018 • www.theobserver.com • Vol. CXXX, No. 43
HIGHLIGHTS St. Patrick’s Day Deals
See page 25
Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead at 2 a.m. Sunday!
COVERING: BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD • EAST NEWARK • HARRISON • KEARNY • LYNDHURST • NORTH ARLINGTON • NUTLEY
Hudson won’t alert ICE to illegal inmates
Lyndhurst goes ‘Stigma Free’ F
act: 1 in 4 Americans will be, at one point in their lives, diagnosed with a form of mental illness. It could be depression, bipolar-mania, schizophrenia, addiction to drugs, addiction to alcohol — or numerous other ailments. What may be worse is that countless more go undiagnosed because for decades, the stigma attached to mental-health issues has been so great. But many municipalities in New Jersey — including Lyndhurst — have taken steps to end that stigma associated with mental-health issues by adopting resolutions to become Stigma
By Ron Leir rleir@theobserver.com
KEARNY — Hudson County is no longer proactively cooperating with U.S. Immigration & Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents by alerting them to the presence of undocumented residents at the county jail in South Kearny. However, the jail continues to receive and detain undocumented inmates delivered by ICE agents. And, because the county remains a repository for those detainees, it will still receive federal funds – up to $20 million annually – for that service, from which, according to a county spokesman, it derives yearly net revenues of between $7 million and $8 million. On March 2, the county informed ICE that it is withdrawing, effective immediately, from the so-called See ICE, Page 27
By Kevin Canessa kc@theobserver.com
See STIGMA, Page 26
Photo by Lisa Feorenzo
As people enter Lyndhurst from North Arlington, they’re greeted by a ‘Stigma-Free’ sign on Ridge Road.
Fish House Road exit will close for a long time By Kevin Canessa kc@theobserver.com KEARNY — If you were thinking of heading to South Kearny with a simple trip to Fish House Road from Rt. 7 or the Newark-Jersey City Turnpike, you’ll either have to plan another route — or postpone the trip until 2019 or longer (perhaps.) The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) announced last week the closure of
the Rt. 7 eastbound ramp to Fish House Road, as the Rt. 7/Wittpenn Bridge replacement project advances between Kearny and Jersey City. The closure began at 11 p.m., Saturday, March 3. Initial reports said the closure could last until 2021. However, the long-term ramp closure is expected to remain in place until the new bridge is open for traffic — which the NJDOT now says could occur sometime next year. Motorists are advised to expect delays and to plan accordingly. The fol-
lowing detours will be in place until further notice: Route 7 eastbound to Fish House Road detour • All motorists on Rt. 7 eastbound going to Fish House Road will be directed to continue over the Wittpenn Bridge. • Make a right immediately after the bridge onto the exit ramp for Newark Avenue. See FISH HOUSE, Page 27
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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
KFD SENDS GEAR TO By Karen Zautyk kzautyk@theobserver.com KEARNY — We’ve all seen firefighters — in real-life or on the TV/movie screen — doing their incredibly dangerous work. Braving the flames and smoke to quench a blaze, and to save lives. We’re familiar with the turn-out gear they wear — the fire-proof jackets and slacks — the helmets, the boots, the oxygen masks, etc.
It’s all standard equipment — in this country, anyway. But you might be surprised, and shocked, to learn that, even in the 21st century, there are places in our world where such equipment is lacking or in short supply. Or even where, in the words of Kearny Fire Chief Steve Dyl, “some people might be going into fires with just the shirts on their backs.”
Last year, the Kearny Fire Department obtained all-new turn-out gear for its members — clothing and equipment that meet new codes and regulations set by the National Fire Protection Association. The old gear wasn’t hazardous, but it was aged and showing wear and tear. What to do with it? It’s not like there are used-turnoutgear collection bins around town. But, above all, the Photos by Barbara B. Goldberg
Top: Boots to be donated. Bottom: Firefighters Paul Logan and Jeremy Ho and Capt. Rich Lowinger (from left) with air tanks to be shipped overseas.
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clothing and equipment were still useful, and the KFD knew there had to be some department somewhere that would appreciate it. About 10 years ago, thanks to an East Newark fireman, Logan Mario Bormann, the KFD made contact with and arranged for delivery of similar used gear to a volunteer department in Argentina, where Bormann had served before immigrating to the U.S.
This year, Kearny found two fire services in need. And on Wednesday, Feb. 28, the KFD began packing up the more-recently retired clothing and equipment, readying it for shipment to the 13-member (seven uniformed personnel; six volunteers) Hinigaran Fire Station in the Province of Negros Occidental in the Philippines and the 100-member Volunteer Fire Continued on the next page
Inside this edition ... Opinion....................................................................8 Food & Dining Directory.............................................12 Sports & Recreation..................................................13 Health & Wellness Directory.......................................17 Real Estate..............................................................18 Real Estate Directory................................................20 Obituaries...............................................................21 Classifieds...............................................................22 Business Directory....................................................24 St. Patrick’s Day......................................................25 Tax Time.................................................................26
THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018
03
2 OVERSEAS DEPTS. Continued from previous page Department of Montemor-oVelho in central Portugal. Four Kearny residents had acted as the chief liaisons between the KFD and those departments — determining needs, coordinating the donation projects and helping to arrange for transport. Lynn and Peter Greb were the contacts for the Philippines; Milu Alves and Maria Helena Neno, for Portugal. Dyl explained that, before being approved for donation, the retired gear was inspected, cleaned and decontaminated from any exposure to combustibles. “If there was anything major wrong with it, it was discarded,” he emphasized. The Filipino volunteers will be receiving 14 sets of turn-out gear along with eight SCBAs (selfcontained breathing apparatus). Headed for Portugal are approximately 70 sets of turn-out gear, 30 SCBAs and a number of helmets. (Sidelight: The Salem Township Volunteer Fire Company in Berwick, Pa., is also getting a KFD
donation: a “fill station” used for SCBA air bottles. It works fine but is not compatible with Kearny’s new equipment.) Mayor Alberto Santos — who, along with Dyl, had received heartfelt request letters from the chiefs of the two foreign fire departments —said he believes the donations “will have a really positive impact on the communities.” “We did research on both,” he noted, “and both have limited resources. They rely primarily on volunteer firefighters. “In the case of Portugal,” he continued, “this past summer, they dealt with the most devastating forest fires in that country’s history. Thousands of acres burned and there were deaths of both civilians and firefighters. While they are trained firefighters, there are not enough of them and not enough equipment to handle the need. They’re overwhelmed.” The Filipino department receiving the donations also faces a daunting task, “covering a very
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Milu Alves (left) and Maria Helena Neno, Kearny liaisons to FD in Portugal.
densely populated area,” Santos said. “This will help them meet the daily demands on them.” The equipment coming from Kearny, the mayor
added, “still has quite a bit of useful life left in it.” Said Dyl: “It’s great to be able to help another department in need and help them elevate their level
of protection.” That’s protection of both the civilians they serve and of the courageous firefighters themselves.
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