October 17, 2018 • www.theobserver.com • Vol. CXXXI, No. 23
HIGHLIGHTS This week, the Kearny Police Blotter & Around Town will only be online. Visit www.theobserver.com
COVERING: BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD • EAST NEWARK • HARRISON • KEARNY • LYNDHURST • NORTH ARLINGTON • NUTLEY
In Memoriam
BIANCHI DIES AT 77 Long-time owner of Pal Joey’s served as N.A. mayor from 2014 to 2018 By Kevin Canessa kc@theobserver.com
N TOP PHOTO: The funeral procession for North Arlington Mayor Joseph Bianchi — led by members of the North Arlington Police Department’s Motorcycle Squad — makes its way from the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, along Kearny Avenue, to Queen of Peace Church, North Arlington, on Monday, Oct. 15, 2018. LEFT PHOTO: Bianchi while he served as a councilman several years ago.
ORTH ARLINGTON MAYOR JOSEPH BIANCHI, who spent the last four years as leader of the small southern Bergen County borough and who was to face re-election in just a few short weeks, died Wednesday, Oct. 10, following a brave battle with Sept. 11, 2001-related cancer. He was 77. A statement issued by Borough Administrator Stephen LoIacono brought greater light to Bianchi’s service at Ground Zero following the terror attacks of 17 years ago. While some knew he spent time there, most didn’t. “He stayed at the site not because he had to, but because it was the right thing to do,” LoIacono wrote of the long-time North Arlington volunteer firefighter. “We thought he had conquered the illness — that is why the news of his passing was more difficult to hear.” While it did appear he conquered the illness, Bianchi was, at times, appearing to slow down some at local events. At times, he would need assistance getting to podiums to speak. But that never stopped him from doing what he loved — and that was being of service to the community he was born in, raised in and where he lived every single one of his 77 years on this earth. The Republican became a councilman in 2007 and then,
See BIANCHI, Page 4
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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
PASCRELL TAKES WALKING By Kevin Canessa kc@theobserver.com
I
t’s not often that when you take a stroll along Kearny Avenue you bump into a member of the United States Congress. Yet such was the case Friday, Oct. 12, when U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. took a walking tour of the Kearny Public Library and several businesses from 11 a.m. to noon. Pascrell’s New Jersey Press Officer Stephen Tighe, a local himself, invited The Observer to take the tour with the congressman. To say it was an intriguing hour would be an understatement. We had a chance to watch Pascrell in action — and one would hardly realize that he’ll turn 82 on Jan. 25. The former Mayor of Paterson (1990-1997), who has represented the 9th Congressional District since 2013, counts parts of Kearny, North Arlington and Lyndhurst, on top of 30+ other municipalities, in his territory. He became a local representative after redistricting in
Photo by Kevin Canessa
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., left, speaks with Domingo Martin, owner of Domingo’s on Kearny Avenue, about federal programs for small business owners.
2012 knocked out former Rep. Steve Rothman. (Pascrell represented the 8th Congressional District from 1997 to 2013.) The first stop on the walking tour was Domingo’s Bakery. Pascrell spent time speaking with the owner, Domingo Martin, and the owner’s dad, also Domingo Martin. His first order of business was — as he did
with other business owners — to explain federal programs designed to help small-business owners. “Take a look at this,” Pascrell said. “There are a lot of programs to help businesses like yours. Here’s my business card (he reached inside his suit jacket pocket to find the cards). If you have any questions or concerns, call my office and we’ll help you.”
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On a wall at the bakery/café was a sign that read “Pascrell for Congress.” He was clearly in comfortable territory. But Pascrell still took time to walk up to patrons at the establishment, sometimes saying, “Hi, I am Congressman Bill Pascrell,” but other times, he was much more laid back, introducing himself simply as “Bill.” “He does that all the time,” Tighe said. Clearly, he’s in his element when he is among people. He listened intently as the two Domingos shared how they got into business. Then, prior to departing, Pascrell ordered three pastries to go. “I’m paying for these — full price — so don’t give me any breaks,” Pascrell said. And with that, a clerk rang him up — at full price — just as anyone else would be charged. As we walked to the next business, Pascrell asked how things were going in Kearny. We reminded
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THE OBSERVER | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018
03
TOUR OF KEARNY AVENUE
At lunch, it was hard to believe that this was someone who is in line to the U.S. presidency — albeit a long, distant line — because he was so down to earth.
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him there’s a lot of ongoing redevelopment, at which time he noted how impressed he was by that. He also asked how Mayor Alberto Santos was doing (Santos was invited to take the tour with the Congressman, Tighe said, but he declined because he already had a prior commitment.) Often a staunch supporter of public safety, the ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee asked how things were going at the Kearny Fire Department and the Kearny Police Department. We suggested he contact Chiefs Steven Dyl (KFD) and George King (KPD) to hear for himself. “I’ll do that,” the Congressman said. Be prepared for a call, chiefs. A member of Congress wants to know how things are going in your departments.
“Kevin, do you live here?” he asked at lunch. “Yes,” I told him. “Since 1985. I left for a while but I came back.”
Photo by Kevin Canessa
U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-9, right, speaks with the owner of a Kearny Avenue hair salon. At left is his NJ Press Officer Stephen Tighe, a Kearny resident himself.
Pascrell reminded us that his work has led to federal grants to many local fire departments — including right here in Kearny. Following a brief stop at a hair salon, the next stop was at a pizzeria for a brief bite to eat. The place was packed with scores of students from Kearny High School who
Construction worker injured A local construction site mishap seriously injured a worker Friday, Oct. 12. The Harrison Police Department said it responded to 700 Frank E. Rodgers Boulevard South, at 11:30 a.m., where new residential buildings are going up on the former Hartz Mountain property on a report of an industrial accident. Police said the worker reportedly fell four stories to the main floor of the building under construction where he was impaled on a piece of rebar protruding from the concrete,
with the rebar having pierced his hip from front to back. Members of the HPD and Harrison Fire Department cut the rebar from the round to free the 23-year-old worker, police said. The victim was taken to University Hospital, Newark, where he underwent surgery. His condition was not readily available at press time. It is expected that agents of the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration will investigate the mishap, police said. — Ron Leir
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were on lunch break. Most of the kids seemed to recognize someone important had just walked in — but they mostly went about their business of eating and staring intently at their phones. One girl, a junior, asked who Pascrell was. “No way!” she shouted after she learned her
Congressional rep was in the same place for lunch as she was. “Can I ask him for a selfie?” She decided against the selfie, instead taking it all in as it happened, rather than via a photo, as Pascrell again explained federal small-business programs to the owner.
“Pretty common — pretty common,” Pascrell replied. “When people leave Jersey they always wind up coming back. I can see why you wanted to come back to Kearny. This is a great thriving and diverse community.” Just before one final stop, Pascrell noted that he hit traffic on his way to West Hudson. “There was a lot of traffic on the Turnpike,” he said. “We may go back through Harrison.” Guess he found traffic on the way back to his office, too.