Issuu

Wednesday, 13 October 2021

www.TheObserver.com

Vol. CXXXIV, No. 23

ON THE INSIDE Belleville Fire Department deploys bicycle squad for special events. See Page 5

BELLEVILLE • BLOOMFIELD • EAST NEWARK • HARRISON • KEARNY • LYNDHURST • NORTH ARLINGTON • NUTLEY

Kearny’s Patricia Blood is one Super Super She’s been selected top school leader by administrators’ association for North Jersey region By Kevin A. Canessa Jr. kc@theobserver.com

earny has what you might call a super super…intendent of schools. That’s because Patricia “Patte” Blood has been selected the New Jersey Association of School Administrators’ 2022 Superintendent of the Year for North Jersey, joining Scott R. Rocco, chief education officer for the Hamilton Township School District, Mercer County, from Central Jersey and Brian B. Brotschul, chief education officer, Delran Township Public Schools,

from South Jersey, as the other regional nominees. Later this year, one of the three will be chosen the superintendent of the year for the entire state. The three Regional Superintendents of the Year will be introduced to the Garden State and the educational community later this month in an NJASA YouTube video. The state winner becomes New Jersey’s nominee for National Superintendent of the Year, with that winner to be announced in February 2022. MORE ABOUT OUR SUPER SUPER Blood has been an educator for many

Lyndhurst buys old gas station on Pine Street to create library parking lot

years, and has been at the helm of the Kearny School District since 2014. Her career, bookended in Kearny, started in 1977 when she was hired to teach English and performing arts at Kearny High School. After she obtained tenure in 1983, her plan was to step back and go part-time — she and her late husband, Joseph E. Blood were just starting a family. But, as fate would have it, Jules L. DiSerafino, the long-time principal at Kearny HS, coaxed her into full-time work. See BLOOD, Page 17

Patricia ‘Patte’ Blood

SAME STORY, DIFFERENT WITTPENN

This property at the intersection of Pine Street and Valley Brook Avenue will soon be converted to a parking lot for the Lyndhurst Public Library. (Google Street View).

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

roperty at the northwest corner of Pine Street and Valley Brook Avenue in Lyndhurst, once a thriving gas depot, will be converted into a parking lot for patrons of the Lyndhurst Public Library, Evelyn Pezzolla, a member of the township’s Library Board of Trustees, told The Observer. Pezzolla says she hopes work may be performed soon and the lot opened for business before the end of the

current calendar year. “It was vacant and a perfect spot for library patrons to park,” Pezzolla said. “Too often, there isn’t enough space for people to park. This will alleviate that problem a great deal.” Pezzolla says the township paid for the property, which also had a home on it. But the township didn’t need that part of the property, so the parcel was split and sold separately. Another investor bought the home, she said. See LOT, Page 8

Well, the new Wittpenn Bridge did, as expected, open Friday, Oct. 1. But, maybe not as expected, traffic was still a nightmare as motorists got used to new traffic patterns and as some of the tertiary roads remained closed — on the Kearny and Jersey City sides of the span. We’ll keep you updated as more secondary roads open and as patterns change further. With thanks to Bobby Sansone, of Effective Alarms, for snapping this photo while he was stuck in abysmal traffic last week.

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Opinion ......................................... Page 6 Obituaries .................................. Page 12 Sports .......................................... Page 9

Real Estate ................................. Page 15

Health & Wellness Directory ............ Page 10 Classifieds............................ Pages 18-19

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SKINNER BROS. NO MORE By Ron Leir For The Observer

nother part of the Passaic River industrial legacy is gone – or, at least the brick and mortar part. The toxic part, however, and its potential impact on the river, must still be dealt with. The old Skinner Bros. service station, which occupied 469-477 Passaic Ave., at the foot of Park Avenue in Kearny, was torn down by the town a few months ago and the site is enclosed by chain-link fencing, exposing the remains. Mayor Alberto G. Santos said the property remains privately owned but, “because the structure was collapsing, the town used its emergency powers to demolish the structure. The owners of the remain responsible for its environmental cleanup.” Town fiscal records show that taxes on the property have been delinquent dating back to 2013 at least. For the current year, the property was assessed at $145,500 and taxed at $15,255. A municipal lien was placed on the property in 2014 and, since then, all subsequent taxes are being accrued to the municipal lien, according to town Chief Financial Officer Shuaib Firozvi. The town paid a total of $67,750 for asbestos abatement and demolition of the building and has agreed to pay a licensed site remediation professional (LSRP) $10,500 for an environmental report related to the building’s demolition, such as documenting hazardous material/waste removal from the interior, Firozvi said. Town Attorney James Bru-

no said the property “is on the state Department of Environmental Protection’s known contaminations list” and that the owners had hired an environmental consultant who installed some groundwater monitoring wells at the site but that work was discontinued at some point. “Our initial concern was whether there was groundwater contamination,” Bruno said, since remediating that “could be an expensive proposition,” whereas if any pollutants found were determined to be contained in the soil, that situation would likely be “much easier to deal with.” In the meantime, Bruno said, “we’re weighing whether to foreclose on the property to take ownership” but before committing to that path, “we’re waiting on our LSRP’s environmental evaluation

Photo by Ron Leir to determine the extent of a cleanup.” Santos said the DEP has compiled information on the site concluding “there is significant groundwater contamination. I have not seen any cost estimates for the cleanup. However, based on the type

and level of contamination (documented by DEP), it will take, in the best of circumstances, several years for it to be remediated. Based on other DEP-monitored cleanups, I would not be surprised if it took over 10 years. The DEP review process is cumber-

some, costly and lengthy.” Ideally, once the land can be deemed pollution-free or stabilized, the town would likely opt to roll in the property as part of Kearny Riverbank Park, as it did previously with See SKINNER, Page 8

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4 Swept away by Ida flooding, man somehow survives: NPD

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Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Catch ‘Alicia’ next 2 weekends

A report of a man swept away by Ida’s flood waters went from being potentially tragic to having a happy ending, Det. Lt. Anthony Montanari says. Police responded to a 911 call Sept. 1 on Franklin Avenue about to a man who was reportedly swept away by floodwaters. Police met with the caller who had captured the incident on mobile phone video. Nutley police rescue and fire began an intense search for the man with no results. Police and fire lifted manhole covers, storm grates and canvassed all rivers and streams. Alerts were sent, and all abandoned cars were

West Hudson Arts & Theater Company launches its Youth Stage series of family-friendly theatrical events with “Alicia,” a play by Elaine Romero directed by Milly Gonzalez. This is a checked for registered owners who might bilingual adaptation of “Alice’s match the identity of the missing man. Adventures in Wonderland.” As time passed, Nutley detectives were in The cast includes Alejandra contact with other agencies and were compar- Castro as Alicia; Ana Lujan ing identifiers with those reported missing. as Mother; Allyson Olivera as The Nutley PD’s Detective Bureau was able to Caterpillar; Rachel Montoro locate personal property in a yard that helped as Tweedle Dum; Victoria investigators identify who he was. Gonzalez as Doormouse; Police visited a Nutley residence and conVivian Torres as White Queen/ firmed the man was there, having been carried Rose; Jaivaneese Johnson as by floodwaters. Chesshire Cat; Gabriel De Los The 72-year-old Nutley resident suffered no Santos as El Conejo Moreno/ injuries. Humpty; Matthews Segura as — CANESSA Tweedle Dee; Max Ramos as

March Hare; Evan Torres as Tiger Lily and Arianna Robaina as Hatter, Marissa Costa as Bread; Vanessa Costa as Teapot; Ana Lujan as Table; and Jarrel Torres as Alfredito. Performances are Friday, Oct. 15 & 22 and Saturday, Oct. 16 & 23 at 7:30 p.m. with matinees on Saturday, Oct. 16 & 23 at 2 p.m. at the East Newark Recreation Center, 44 Central Ave., East Newark. Face masks are required for all. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students/children and may be purchased at www. whatconj.org. Tickets may also be available at the door.

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HCCC Fall 2021

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Belleville FD launches bike patrol

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You’ve no doubt heard of police officers on bike patrol — but firefighters? Yup. Though there aren’t many, at least two local EMT-firefighters will be taking it to the streets, on occasion, on bikes — and the new Belleville Fire Department program has already paid dividends. That’s because among the thousand or so residents who attended the township’s inaugural Green Fair a few weekends ago was a young man who scraped his leg. Help arrived quickly despite heavy crowds, and the boy’s wounds were soon cleaned and dressed. It didn’t take long for the Belleville Fire Department’s new bike patrol to demonstrate it can be a nimble, fast-responding service at fairs, concerts, sporting events or other public venues where highly trained personnel are required. Dat Khong and Manny Antonio are the two EMT-trained firefighters who will man the bikes when they’re needed. The duo and their Fuji brand mountain bikes will become a familiar presence around Belleville — especially at outdoor events this fall — town authorities say. “The Belleville Fire Department has always been committed to the safety and well-being of our residents,” Chief John Olivieri said. “Our new bike patrol just gives us a new and innovative way to provide that service.” Battalion Chief George Del Grande was inspired to form a bike patrol for Belleville’s bravest during a 5K charity run

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in the township. Members of the Belleville Police Department’s bike patrol were able to closely follow runners and join in the festivities. Fire department personnel, who only had large rigs at their disposal, were nowhere near as nimble. Olivieri says a bike patrol could help the fire department better serve the community, but the question soon became: How do you start one? Few fire departments have bike patrols, so Del Grande couldn’t count on getting much guidance from others. One great advantage he had, however, was the Belleville Police Department was running a 40-hour program to certify riders. After Khong and Antonio finished their training, they were ready to debut at the Green Fair at Belleville High School. Atop of their bikes, which were assembled by Borderline Bikes, a locally owned business, Khong and Antonio pedaled around the fair and remained vigilant in case anyone needed emergency assistance. The public’s positive response to the bike patrol only reinforced plans to train more firefighters for this growing corps. “Our bikes are equipped with almost everything you would have on an ambulance in terms of life-saving equipment,” Del Grande said. “They have equipment such as a defibrillator, oxygen, Narcan and trauma kits. They can respond to emergencies ranging from a broken leg to a drug overdose to a heart attack.” — CANESSA

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6 KPD: Man climbed high onto St. Stephen’s roof to smoke weed The Observer | www.theobserver.com

By Capt. Tim Wagner Kearny Police Department On Oct. 1 at 4:11 p.m., Officers Chris Manolis, John Donovan, Rich Poplaski Jr. and Sgt. Jay Ward responded to a call from St. Stephen’s Church, whose pastor said he saw a man on the roof of the church. The man had been seen moving a gate and disregarding a “stay out” sign in order to climb

scaffolding set up to facilitate construction to the church. He then made his way to the roof, where he reportedly reclined and started to smoke marijuana. Officers called up to the perched pot-smoker to climb down to terra firma. He did and was identified as Juan C. Aguirregonzalez, 20, of Kearny, who was charged on a summons with defiant trespass and later released.

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

On Sept. 30 at 10:59 a.m., Officers Mathew Lopez and Harold Azurdia were dispatched to Shoprite where a manager accused Edwin Ward, 55, of Nutley, of shoplifting. Specifically, the manager reported having caught Ward concealing $44.72 of deodorants in his pants to avoid paying for the merchandise. Ward was charged with shoplifting and transferred to the Hudson

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County Jail in South Kearny. were apparently thrown around during the dispute On Oct. 3, Officer Manolis Advertising: Here is the updated template new photo of Jarlynn Hyd andwith at onea point, a 48-yearand Sgt. Phil Finch were sent old Kearny woman threw a to a domestic dispute at a private home. They arrived to glass bowl that shattered and find droplets of blood outside and inside the house. Objects Continued on the next page

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WORTHINGTON WORKS

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Pinwheels for peace in Harrison

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Although Mother Nature delayed the annual Pinwheels for Peace event in Harrison, she didn’t dampen the spirits of students at Washington Middle School who planted pinwheels with messages of peace, love and happiness in Library Park in early October. It’s been two years since the schools celebrated the day, which is a long-time tradition in Harrison.

Continued from previous page cut her husband’s leg. The wound was not serious. The woman was arrested and charged with simple assault under domestic violence laws. She was later released with a summons. On Oct. 7 at 12:40 a.m., Officers Chris Montes and Taylor Latka were dispatched to the 100 block of Chestnut Street for a report of a man trying car door handles. Upon arrival, they were given a description of a man who was seen exiting a parked Ford Explorer that did not belong to him before running off. The officers saw the SUV was unlocked, its center console was open and it appeared to have been rummaged through. Officer Latka quickly found the subject a block away lying on the ground next to Quick Chek — Daniel McKeown, 53, of Kearny, who was found to possess almost $7 in coins, a number of gift cards, a car phone charger, Spiderman sunglasses and a Harley Davidson Riding Academy book. McKeown was arrested on burglary charge and remanded to the county jail. On Oct. 7 at 5:15 p.m., Officer John Donovan took a report from an Alexander Avenue resident who told

him an Amazon package had been stolen off her front stoop earlier. The woman caught video footage of the theft on her Ring doorbell camera, including footage of the alleged thief riding off on a unique bicycle with two different sized wheels. Dets. Tim Castle and Dave Bush, of the Street Crimes Unit, viewed the footage and immediately identified the alleged thief as Juan E. Ramirez, 25, of Kearny. The detectives quickly located Ramirez at the corner of John Street and Sherman Avenue in East Newark, where they arrested him. In the process, they say they found on him a wax fold of heroin stamped “Budweiser,” a glass pipe, two metal pushrods commonly used to compress drugs inside a smoking pipe and two wads of copper wool, commonly used as a pipe-smoking filter. Ramirez also had a warrant out for his arrest for failure to appear in court on a prior Kearny disorderly conduct charge that carried $1,000 bail. He was charged with theft in Kearny (a disorderly persons offense, for the alleged package theft) and possession of heroin and drug paraphernalia in East Newark. Ramirez was later booked into the county jail.

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SKINNER

Continued from Page 3 the former Magullian Fuel Co. on Passaic Avenue. It took the town about seven years to take title to the property, and then clean it (there was a groundwater issue at that site also) and convert it to parkland, with the aid of state grants. Meanwhile, government plans for a cleansing of the

dirtiest part of the river are proceeding … slowly. Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced finalization of an “interim” plan to remove toxins such as dioxin, PCBs, mercury and DDT, from the upper nine miles of the Lower Passaic River Study Area of the Diamond Alkali Superfund site in Essex, Bergen and Passaic counties. The $441 million project

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‘Now that a cleanup plan has been selected, EPA plans to begin negotiations with responsible parties to ensure that the work is carried out and paid for.’

— Stephen McBay EPA spokesman

carried out and paid for,” EPA spokesman Stephen McBay said. It will take several years to complete the job, he said. EPA has plans for an estimated $1.38 billion cleanup of the lower 8.3 miles of the river (down

LOT

Continued from Page 1 Neglia Engineering, Lyndhurst’s engineering consultant firm, is assessing the property. The township hopes to have a groundbreaking for the lot sometime this month, Pezzolla says. “The work will eventually entail black-topping the land and painting lines and it should create at least 10 parking spaces,” Pezzolla said. “We need to do this as soon as we can. There is very little existing parking for librarygoers.” Pezzolla says Rutherford has a similar parking lot for its library — and she and the library board are working with authorities there to develop a system for decals for patrons to use when they

through the West Hudson area to Newark Bay in Jersey City) that calls for the removal of 3.5 million cubic yards of toxic sediments. EPA expects that the “potentially responsible parties” will perform or pay for the work. use the lot. Pezzolla says this is an important factor in the project since the board wants it to be clear — the lot will be only for library patrons — at least while the library is open. She says the board and the Township Commission will eventually develop plans for how the lot might be used at night and/or for overnight parking. Since the township is the official owner of the property, the Department of Public works will be responsible for upkeep and maintenance of the lot. “Mayor (Robert B.) Giangeruso and the commissioners are all on board,” Pezzolla, herself a former township commissioner, said. “We’re sure this is going to be a great benefit to the library’s patrons and I thank the mayor for his complete support.”

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Wednesday, October 13, 2021

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Sports & Recreation

Kearny’s Rojas: A premier goal scorer supreme versation with Rojas, who tallied his 24 goals in just 13 games. Rojas knew things were going to be different this season. “Coach (Bill Galka) told me that I was going to be a marked man this season after last year,” Rojas said. Rojas was somewhat concerned about having that responsibility. “Honestly, I was a little worried,” Rojas said. “But I knew as long as we scored as a team, we would be fine. And if we score as a team,

By Jim Hague ogsmar@aol.com

KEARNY – He exploded onto the scene a year ago, scoring an astounding 24 goals in a COVID-19 shortened season, becoming a household name practically overnight. But this year, Kearny High School senior striker Juan Rojas is not going to sneak up on anyone. Rojas is well known, a marked man on one of the best programs in the entire state. If you want to talk about the Kardinals in 2021, you have to begin and end the con-

Photo by Jim Hague

Kearny senior forward Juan Rojas.

See ATHLETE, Page 10

WITH

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Lyndhurst native Johnsen takes over as St. Mary’s grid coach Paul Johnsen didn’t see himself becoming a high school head football coach. After all, Johnsen had his highly successful athletic training facility called FASST, where a lot of the area’s top athletes regularly train. Johnsen,

the Lyndhurst native, also spends a lot of time as a personal trainer and also was the weight training and conditioning coach for his native Lyndhurst High School athletes. But Dennis Hulse, the See VIEW, Page 11

See NUTLEY, Page 10

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player from his club team coach,” Galka said. “I didn’t know what kind of player he Continued from Page 9 was. According to his club coaches, Juan was an attackwe win as a team.” ing player, a good scorer. But Rojas said that his sumI didn’t know how dangerous mer with club team Kearny he was.” Thistle United gave him a ton But after Rojas’ goal-scorof confidence going into this ing explosion in 2020, Galka season with the Kardinals. knew exactly what Rojas was. “I realized my job is to “I was hoping he could score goals,” Rojas said. “I continue to score like he did,” was pretty amazed last year. I Galka said. “But we told him didn’t know I could score all how much of a marked man those goals. But now I know. he was going to be. We knew With Thistle United, we that he was going to have to went to the state semifinals. work a little harder to score I just felt really comfortable his goals.” and had a lot of confidence, Rojas knew that he was goespecially with the experiing to miss former teammate ence I gained last year.” Miguel Rodriguez, who comGalka said that he really bined many times with Rojas didn’t know much about to score goals last season. Rojas before the start of last “I knew that this year I season. After all, Rojas did had to work harder to crenot play for the Kearny High ate some space,” Rojas said. School team his first two “Now that he’s (Rodriguez) years at Kearny. gone, I knew that I had to get “I heard he was a good the others involved more. But

ATHLETE

I felt pretty comfortable this year. I feel like I’ve improved a lot as a player.” In fact, Rojas looks a lot like the player he was a year ago. He’s tallied 12 goals thus far in 11 games for the 10-1-1 Kardinals, ranked No. 10 in the state. Recently, Rojas had two goals each in games against Memorial, Union City and perennial rival St. Peter’s Prep, defeating the Marauders 5-0 in their last outing last Thursday. Rojas added another goal in a Kardinal big win over Hudson Catholic Saturday in the opening round of the Hudson County Tournament, a tourney where the Kards were awarded the top seed. For his efforts, Rojas has been selected as The Observer Athlete of the Week for the past week. Rojas also has six assists to go along with his dozen goals” “He’s very unselfish when

Wednesday, October 13, 2021 reason – but remains confident that he will get a shot from some school. “I’m looking for a D-1 (NCAA Division 1) school,” Rojas said. “I know I can play in college. I just need someone to take a chance on me.” For the time being, Rojas will continue to enjoy his time, playing with his buddies. “I’m definitely looking forward to scoring more goals this year,” Rojas said. “Who knows? Maybe I can go after the school record (former All-American Michael Millar holds the mark with 33 in one season). But rather than scoring goals, I’d rather win the county and state tournament. I’d rather do something with my teammates. We’re all excited about winning first. I’m looking forward to those big challenges, those big games. I’m pretty confident about doing it.”

he has to go to someone else,” Galka said. “He’s been very good at distributing the ball.” Galka likes the way Rojas operates off the pitch. “He has a good sense of humor,” Galka said. “He is well liked by people. He’s very respectful of others and receives the respect of others.” Galka is certain that Rojas can play college soccer. “I’m sure he can play at the next level,” Galka said. “He’s very deceptive. He’s not the fastest guy. He’s not the best shooter. He’s not the biggest guy. But then all of a sudden you look up and Juan is the one scoring the goal. He has to be the one to lead our offense. He knows what’s expected of him. He just enjoys playing and enjoys playing every single day.” Rojas hopes to get a chance to play college soccer. He hasn’t received any solid offers yet – for some unknown

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VIEW

Continued from Page 9 Kearny native who recently took over the reins of being the athletic director at St. Mary’s High School of Rutherford, replacing North Arlington’s Matt Stone, reached out to Johnsen with a unique proposal. Hulse wanted Johnsen to tale over as the head football coach at St. Mary’s, even though the season began a month ago. So Johnsen agreed. “If I was going to do it, I was going to do it the right way,” Johnsen said. “Things were going to change and change quickly.” St. Mary’s owns a football program that is rich with success and tradition. Spearheaded by the legendary Mike Sheridan as the head coach and Sheridan’s close knit family along for the ride, the Gaels won three NJSIAA Non-Public B state sectional titles and some 20 state playoff games over the years. “I coached with Coach Sheridan for seven years,”

Johnsen said. “I played for him. When he retired, I took a step back a bit, but I always wanted to help. I always love the kids of St. Mary’s.” So that’s why Johnsen decided to take over the program when Rob Gentile left the job for personal reasons and left the Gaels without a coach. Johnsen felt that he had no other choice but to take over the team, despite the dire situations. After all, the Gaels lost all three of their games this season by a combined score of 133-35. Mark Knopfler didn’t know such dire straits. So Johnsen decided to find the time to become the head coach, relying a lot on Ryan Marshall, his business partner at FASST. He asked some of his close friends who are coaches, like Rich Tuero at Lyndhurst and Danny Hicks, the Harrison native who is currently an assistant coach at Duke University, if he was doing the right thing. “If I didn’t talk to them first, then it would have been an impossible task,” Johnsen said. Johnsen then met with the players who were left with-

Premier Care Dr. Prakash J. Doshi

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TALKS

out a coach in the middle of their season. “The kids were willing to buy in,” Johnsen said. He then had to assemble a coaching staff on the fly. His brother, Wayne, a former professional boxer who was a contestant on the popular boxing-based reality show

called “The Contender” starring Sugar Ray Leonard, joined the coaching staff. Johnsen then got three other people to serve as assistants. “If I didn’t have the time to do it right, I would not have done it,” Johnsen said. “I tell you what. It definitely invigorated me. I couldn’t wait to

get to work, to ne with the kids. We’re very young.” How young “We have six freshmen starting on offense and five starting on defense,” Johnsen said. “I think I have higher expectations than most.” See VIEW, Page 17

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METABOLIC SYNDROME

Metabolic syndrome may sound like something that only affects the stomach and intestines, but its symptoms are much more widespread than that and include heart disease and diabetes. People who carry weight around the middle of their bodies are more likely to have the condition as are those with high triglycerides, low HDL (good) cholesterol, or high blood pressure or blood sugar. The more of these conditions a person has, the more likely he or she has or will develop metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome can also be caused by obesity, insulin resistance, age, and genetics. Treatment is not specific to one symptom, but it does involve

switching to a heart-healthy lifestyle including exercise and stress management. If aggressive lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise aren’t enough, your doctor might suggest medications to help control your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. To schedule an appointment, please call PREMIER CARE ASSOCIATES OF WEST HUDSON at 201-998-7474. We are located at 512 Kearny Ave., Suite B, where walk-in patients are always welcome 7 days a week. P.S. In some cases, metabolic syndrome is caused by prescribed medications that cause weight gain or changes in blood pressure or blood sugar levels.

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Saturday, October 16th Sunday, October 17th 31 ALLAN DR. 11 ARLINGTON AVE. 15 ARLINGTON AVE. 9 ARLINGTON BLVD. 36 ARLINTON BLVD. 42 ARLINGTON BLVD. 30 AVON PL. 150 BALTIMORE AVE. 115 BATHURST AVE. 52 BEECH ST. 39 BELLEVILLE TPKE. 41 BELMOUNT AVE. 44-46 BELMOUNT AVE.

103 BELMOUNT AVE. 120 BELMOUNT AVE. 139 BELMOUNT AVE. 8 BERGEN AVE. 21 CANTERBURY AVE. 71 CRYSTAL ST. 76 CHESTNUT ST. 77 CHESTNUT ST. 86 CHESTNUT ST.

76 CRYSTAL ST. 52 DEVON ST. 56 DEVON ST. 63 DEVON ST. (Apt 6) 44 EAGLE ST. 16 EIGHTH ST. 58 GOLD ST. 16 HALSEY PL. 7 HOOVER ST. 15 INMAN PL. 113-A JASON WAY 115-A JASON WAY 99 MELROSE AVE. 7 NOEL DR. 20 NOEL DR. 51 NOEL DR. 68 NOEL DR. 18 PARK AVE. 31 PARK AVE. 95 PARK AVE. 7 PINE ST. 4 PROSPECT AVE.

9 PROSPECT AVE. 50 PROSPECT AVE. 76 PROSPECT AVE. 23 PULASKI DR. 42 RIDGE RD. -Apts 2F, 3F, 2R, 3R

320 RIVER RD. 328 RIVER RD. 133 RIVERVIEW AVE. 17 ROOSEVELT ST. 58 RUTHERFORD PL. 153 RUTHERFORD PL. 188 RUTHERFORD PL. 215 RUTHERFORD PL. 64 SCHUYLER AVE. 17 SECOND ST. 78 SECOND ST. 32 SIXTH ST. 9 STRATFORD PL. 31 SUNSET AVE. 77 THIRD ST. 22 WILSON PL.

JOHN KATSOCK John Katsock, 61, of Lake Wales, Florida, formerly of North Arlington, died Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Lake Wales, Florida, of natural causes. He was born Sept. 19, 1960, in Newark, to the late Nicholas and Rose Katsock. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Rosalie P Laszok. He is survived by his loving wife, Vivian Katsock; his children, Sarah and husband Travis, Andrew and wife Kirsten and Matthew; his grandson, Lucas; siblings, Joseph and wife Marge, David and wife Carol and brother-in-law Ihor; cousins Michael and Gloria; loving in-laws, mother-inlaw Margarita Torrini, brother-in-law Victor Torrini and wife Debbie.

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Obituaries

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

There will be no service as was his wish. We instead ask you join us in celebrating John’s life not by grieving, but instead with love and laughter, as John would have wanted. ADAM A. LUKASZEWSKI Adam A. Lukaszewski, of Harrison died Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, after a brief illness. He was 75. A memorial service will take place Sunday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m., at the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison. A memorial gathering will take place prior to the service from 2 to 3 p.m. If you would like to send a condolence message to his family, please

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AGNES KATELUS Agnes Katelus, of Avon by the Sea, formerly of Harrison, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021 at home. She was 93. Funeral services were under the direction of the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison.

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

A funeral Mass was celebrated at Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, Harrison. Her Entombment was in Holy Cross Chapel Mausoleum, North Arlington. Born and raised in Harrison, Agnes retired and moved to Avon by the Sea in 1993. She worked as the head librarian for the Town of Harrison for many years. Agnes is survived by her grandson Douglas Katelus and many nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her son Kenneth Katelus (2017), her husband Albert Katelus (1960), her husband Joseph Jones (2003) and all of her siblings. If you would like to send a condolence message to her family, visit www.mulliganfh.com. MICHAEL JOSEPH MILLER Michael Joseph Miller, of Boston, formerly of Newark, died at home in Boston on Friday, Oct. 1. He was 26. The funeral will be conducted from the Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison, Wednesday, Oct. 13 at noon. Viewing hours will begin at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. His burial will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington. There was also a viewing at James A Murphy & Son Funeral Home, Boston, on Oct. 10. If you would like to send a condolence message to his family, please visit www.mulliganfh.com. Born and raised in Newark, Michael moved to Boston in 2014. He worked as a business development manager for Experts AI in Boston. He attended Canterbury High School in New Milford, Connecticut, and graduated in 2013. He graduated from Bentley University, Waltham ,Massachusetts, in 2018 and received a bachelor’s degree in finance.

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He always enjoyed constructing models using Legos and gained a passion for cooking later on in life. Michael was known for participating in several sports throughout his life such as wrestling, rowing and track and he loved to fish. Michael is survived by his parents Michael Phillip Miller and Luz Miller, his siblings Natalia and Teresa Miller and many other family members in Peru. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to his GoFundMe at www.gofund.me/70fdcb73 in order to defray his funeral expenses. AVELINO CARNEIRO Avelino Carneiro died Oct. 6, 2021. He was 86. Born in Portugal, he had lived in Kearny the past 40 years. Arrangements are by the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Mass will be celebrated Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Stephen’s Church, Kearny. Burial will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington. Avelino was the husband of the late Emilia and father of the late Henrique. He is survived by his sister Julia Pinto along with loving nieces, nephews and their families. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the American Cancer Society. ROBERT N. MACCHIA Robert N. Macchia died Oct. 7, 2021. He was 63. Born in Newark, he was a lifelong Kearny resident. Private arrangements are by the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Robert was the son of the late Nicholas and Helen (nee Werrell) Macchia. He was the brother of Nicholas J. Macchia (his wife Diane), Madeline Delli Santi (her husband George) and Thomas A. Macchia (his wife Michele). Also surviving are his nephews and niece, Nicholas A. Macchia, Helena Putman, Joe Macchia and Thomas Delli Santi. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to your own favorite charity in Robert’s memory. JESUS SANTIAGO Jesus Santiago of Kearny died Oct. 6, 2021. He was 49. Visitation was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, Kearny. Cremation was private. Jesus is survived by his brother Andres Santiago and his daughter Kayla along with his aunt and uncle Maria and Jesus Vila and his cousins Ana and Noly.

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visit www.mulliganfh.com. Born in Newark and raised in Kearny, Adam lived in Harrison most recently. He worked for Verizon for 33 years before retiring in 2003. He was a member of IBEW Local No. 827, East Windsor, the Twin Pine Rod and Gun Club in Sussex County and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, National Chapter, in Kansas City, Missouri. He served his country in the United States Air Force as a sergeant in the fire services during the Vietnam War, mostly serving in Thailand and in Maryland during his enlistment. Adam is survived by his wife Marcia Polakoski, a brother-in-law, Stephen and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Mary Trzepla and Boleslaw Lukaszewski. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to GSP Rescue of NJ, P.O. Box 131, Oak Ridge N.J. 07438 in loving memory of Adam.

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CAROLE LYNNE VAN ORDEN Carole Lynne Van Orden, of Milford, Pennsylvania, previously of Kearny, died Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021 at Newton Medical Center. She was 80. Carole was born in Paterson to the late John and Elva (Suter) Becker. Prior to her retirement, she worked as a court clerk in Kearny Municipal Court. Carole was a member of Ding-

Continued on page 14

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

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DUE TO COVID-19, ALL RESIDENTS MUST REMAIN IN THEIR VEHICLE AND PLACE THEIR MATERIALS IN THEIR TRUNK.

FREE!

HCIA FALL HHW DAYS 2021 HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE, COMPUTER & TIRE RECYCLING

Saturday, October 16

Jersey City Municipal Complex 13-15 Linden Ave

Kearny DPW

9AM – 1PM (RAIN OR SHINE)

• • • • • • •

357 Bergen Ave

WHAT TO BRING:

Thermostats Tires Cleaners & Corrosives Pool & Photographic Chemicals Oil Based Paints & Varnishes Rechargeable & Car Batteries Propane Tanks (from BBQ grills only)

• • • • • • • • •

Solvents & Thinners Pesticides & Herbicides Formaldehyde Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Used Motor Oil Old Gasoline Fire Extinguishers Antifreeze Smoke Detectors

TIRE AMNESTY COLLECTION

Hudson County residents are asked to bring no more than 4 tires for proper disposal. If you cannot participate in this year’s Tire Amnesty Event, eitherstore tires indoors (in a garage or shed) or cover them until they can bedisposed of properly.* *CONTACT YOUR MUNICIPAL DPW FOR DISPOSAL LOCATIONS. This program is sponsored, in part, by a grant from the NJDEP-Division of Solid and Hazardous Waste. Residents can drop off materials at any site. Proof of residency may be required.

County Executive • Thomas A. DeGise

• • • • • • • • •

WHAT NOT TO BRING:

Alkaline Batteries Latex Paint Explosives Compressed Gas Cylinders & Tanks TCBs, TCCD (such as Freon & Helium) Woodlife Asbestos Kepone Infectious Waste

• • • • • •

Silvex 2,4,5-t Radioactive Material Unknown or Unidentified Material Ballasts Washers, Dryers, Refrigerators, Air Conditioners Any OTC or Prescription Drugs

COMPUTERS ONLY RECYCLING Computers, monitors, computer mice, keyboards, tablets and cellphones can also be recycled. Household appliances will not be accepted.

Chief Executive Officer • Norman M. Guerra

Chairman • Frank Pestana

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Continued from page 12 mans United Methodist Church, the Kearny Republican Club, Kearny Crew Club and numerous other organizations while raising her family in Kearny. Carole loved to be creative, sewing clothing for her children and décor for her home. She spend many hours gardening and talking to nature. She could point out a weed and tell you what a beautiful flower it was. The beloved wife of Leonard Van Orden for 57 years, Carole is survived by her children, Leonard Van Orden and his wife Laura, Gretchen Cuccio and her husband Frank, Paul Van Orden and his wife Marissa, Laura Rudberg and her husband Scott, Marie Carrie and her husband Gordon and Quyen Leberknight and her husband Alan; her sister Lynne Worden and her husband David and her grandchildren, Stephen and his wife Laura, Samantha, Katie, Joseph, Kelly, Emily C., Ava, Emily W., Madelihn, Olivia, Oliver, Jack, Avery, Charlotte, Toby and Claudia. All services will be private and are under the direction of the SmithMcCracken Funeral Home in Newton. Condolences may be offered at www. smithmccrackenfuneralhome.com. JOSEPH ANTHONY LOMBARDI JR. Joseph Anthony Lombardi Jr. of Naples, Florida, died in the arms of his loving wife, surrounded by family on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021 in Naples. He was 71.

A memorial gathering will take place Tuesday, Oct. 12, at Mulligan Funeral Home, 331 Cleveland Ave., Harrison, from 5 to 8 p.m. A memorial Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, Oct. 13, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Cecilia Church, Kearny. If you would like to send a condolence message to his family, visit www. mulliganfh.com. Born in Newark and raised in Kearny, Joseph lived in Kearny before moving to Butler. He recently became a Naples, Florida, resident while maintaining a home in Beach Haven West. Joseph attended Farleigh Dickenson College in Rutherford and received a bachelor’s degree in sales ,arketing. Following graduation, he worked as a sales manager for Ralston Purina and Grist Mill for many years. Most recently, Joseph created his own five-star restaurant, the Italian Cucina, in New Hope, Pennsylvania, which was family owned and operated for 13 years, before retiring in 2020. Joseph loved his family and friends above all else and brought joy and love to all he met. He loved to travel, especially to Ireland and Italy. He was a former member of Our Lady of Grace Council 402 Knights of Columbus, Harrison. He was a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan and admired and followed the teachings and philosophies of Vince Lombardi. Creating unique dishes and entertaining family and friends as well as being a wine and Irish whiskey connoisseur were his passions. Joseph was loved and cherished

by many, including his beloved wife of 47 years Patricia (nee Morrison), sisters-in-law Sherry (Ray) and Emmy, and six nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his aunt Mickey Lombardi, many cousins, and two lifelong childhood friends Eddie McHugh and Dory McMahon. He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Janet Lombardi, mother-in-law Emily Morrison, brother Bobby and brother-in-law Lou. Joseph loved his family and friends brought joy and love to all he met. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Jordan Giving Hope Foundation at www.jordangivinghope.org or the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 4550 Montgomery Ave., Suite 1100N, Bethesda, Md. 20814 in loving memory of Joseph. LINDA C. RODRIGUEZ Linda C. Rodriguez (nee Chomiszak) died Oct. 8, 2021. She was 68. Born in Elizabeth, she lived in Harrison before moving to Kearny. Visiting will be at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny, on Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021 from 3 to 7 p.m. Her Mass will be 10 a.m., Wednesday at St. Stephen’s Church. Private Cremation will follow. Linda was a payroll clerk for Verizon in Newark. Daughter of the late Walter and Ann (Horan) Chomiszak, she was also the former wife of the late Robert Rodriguez. She was the loving mother of Linda Rodriguez along with her dear

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partner John Dec. She is also survived by her sisters Bettyann and Lizzy. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the St Jude Children’s Hospital in her memory. MARION GREEN MCCONVILLE Marion Green McConville, 97, of West Caldwell, died Wednesday, April 22, 2020. Because Marion died during the height of COVID in April 2020, her family could not have a wake, Mass, repast or enter the cemetery. We are finally able to honor Marion’s incredible life and legacy on Oct. 9, 2021. Marion’s memorial/funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m., at Saint Aloysius Church, 219 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, followed by a prayer service at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover. Her children are as follows: Michael Green (deceased); Connie Green with three children, Michael, Nancy and Bryan and three grandchildren, Jeannie Green Paradiso, Donnie Paradiso, Billy Green; Laura and two grandchildren Susie Green – Frank Reveco (deceased) with three children - Angelica, Billy and Natalie; Marian Green Comprelli – Tony Comprelli with four children — Kevin, Anthony, Jimmy and Charles and eight grandchildren, Timmy Green – Jane Green with three children - Timmy, Mitch and Terri; Jimmy Green – Yvonne Green with two children – Jimmy and Emily; Ellen Green – Barry Mattern with two children – Barry and Shannon; Laurie Green with two children – Raymond and Michael; and Danny Green – LettyJo Green with two children – Danny and Allison. In total, 10 children, 22 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Gertrude Mansfield. Marion was predeceased by her first husband Michael E. Green in 1970, her second husband Joseph McConville in 2015 and her son Michael in 2000. Marion was also predeceased by her parents James and Regina O’Toole, her sister Florence Monahan and her brother Gerald O’Toole. Born and raised in Pittston, Pennsylvania, she graduated from St. Mary’s High School and shortly thereafter, moved to Harrison with her family. Marion worked at RCA in Harrison, doing her part during World War II. Marion met Michael and they were married at Holy Cross Church in Harrison. Michael was a very handsome sailor serving in the US Navy. After the war, they started a family with the birth of their son Michael. When the war ended, entrepreneurs Mike and Marion also started Mike’s Lunch business with a Jeep and a lot of hard work, eventually expanding the business to three large lunch trucks serving breakfast and lunch to various factory workers in the industrialized area. In future years, they added Mike’s Delivery Service specializing in quick reliable delivery of products of major companies such as Wagner Electric and Remco. Marion was an integral part of the business, handling all correspondence, billing and routes while raising her

Wednesday, October 13, 2021 large family. They built a family home at 433 Warren St., raising 10 children (five girls and five boys). Marion and Mike’s home was always warm and welcoming. Holiday parties and large gatherings with friends and family were common. If one of the children’s friends asked to stay for dinner she would joke and say, “Name all 10 of my children and you’re welcome to stay! What’s one or two more mouths to feed when you already have 12 at dinner?” Sadly, Mike died in 1970 at the very young age of 50, leaving Marion to raise their family and run the businesses. Marion carried on and five years later, married Marine Joseph McConville, who was born in Ireland and was a very talented bagpiper. They led a life filled with trips to Ireland and Marine reunions all across the US and Europe through which they met many lifelong friends. Because of Joe’s playing with various pipe bands, including the Emerald Society, Leathernecks, Kearny Caledonians and the NJ State Police Pipe Band, they attended many parades and functions all around the country forming close friendships along the way. Marion was a very talented creative woman who could sew, cook, knit, crochet and had a very great skill with crafts. For many years she sewed bagpipe covers for many pipers in the area and knitted and crocheted their uniform socks. She belonged to many organizations including the Harrison VFW, the Harrison Elks serving as president of the Women’s Auxiliary in 1969-1970, and Project Children was also very close to her heart which she supported ardently. Marion was also an outstanding athlete, playing tennis and basketball in high school and also playing on the RCA women’s basketball team. Swimming was one of her favorite sports and she made sure by having a pool in her backyard so her children would excel in the sports — and they did. Marion took enormous pride in all their accomplishments, academics and sports. After her children were grown, Marion worked part-time at the Argyle Gift Shop in Kearny for her dear friends Joan and John Nisbet and was always willing and able to babysit her grandchildren and friends’ children. Marion was a parishioner at Holy Cross Church in Harrison and after moving to Caldwell, worshipped at St. Aloysius Church. She belonged to many organizations and was a very social and friendly person. Marion was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and devoted friend to many. Her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and friends will remember her for her beautiful smile and unadulterated devotion to her family. Marion was the kind of mother and wife whose passion was her love and dedication to her family. Marion loved “Blue Bloods” and Tom Sellick and watched every episode multiple times. Her favorite songs were “Summer Wind” and “Danny Boy.” She raised her children to love and respect each other, always and forever, no matter what the circumstances.

Continued on the next page

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

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Continued from previous page She instilled in her children a sense of loyalty to one another and to their own friends and family. A heartfelt thank you goes out to Joan Nisbet, Kathy Reilly and Sister Eleanor who were special friends who visited her often and whom she loved dearly. We also thank Alice, her live-in caretaker, for the kind and loving attention she gave to our mom. She treated our mom as she would her own mother. Alice is a wonderful woman and will be a friend of our family for life.

Marion’s family will miss her deeply as well as all who knew and loved her. She will be remembered for the love and affection she gave to everyone who stood in her company. God Bless Marion! Funeral services are entrusted to the ShookFarmer Funeral Home, Roseland. You may visit www.shookfarmer.com to leave condolences. Editor’s note: A previous version of this obituary contained a clerical error that inadvertently caused the number of Marion’s children to be improperly noted. Marion had 10 children in total. We sincerely apologize for this error.

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Wednesday, October 13, 2021 (BLOOD — continued from page 1) “Joe was working on Wall Street at the time,” Blood said. “I was also cheerleading coach, yearbook moderator, so I was juggling full-time teaching with family obligations.” Ultimately, she, Joe and the family moved to Central Jersey, Howell to be precise, and there, she opened and operated a private dance school. She also spent time on Howell’s Board of Education. In 1997, Cindy Baumgartner, who would later become KHS principal, asked Blood if she’d consider going back to the classroom — she needed someone who could teach advance English and AP courses. “I accepted,” Blood said. By then, she had four children, aged 12, 10, 6 and newborn. She went back to the classroom during the day and then ran the dance school at night, all whilst

VIEW

Continued from Page 11 But the young team has a lot of potential in Johnsen’s eyes. Kids like Damir Stone and Soliman Pitts, both of whom are juniors and both can be college football players some day. The Gaels also feature sopho-

The Observer | www.theobserver.com raising her family. SEPT. 11, 2001, CHANGED EVERYTHING But then, the calendar turned to Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. Joe was on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange that fateful day and when he fortunately got home that night, having survived the worst terror attack in the nation’s history, he told his wife something. “I’m not going to be there much longer,” Blood says her husband said. And in January 2002, he left his job in Manhattan. Blood, then in her 50s, went to grad school and got a master’s degree in educational supervision. She spent five years as an assistant principal in Freehold. And, eventually she got her certification for superintendent, which turned out to be fortuitous. In 2010, another former KHS Principal, Frank DiGesere, coaxed Blood

more Dominick Vella, a cornerback and wide receiver from North Arlington, and Andrew Renfree of Belleville, who is a regular jack-of-all-trades. “We started with 17 players,” Johnsen said. “We now have 25. We got kids to come out by talking to the kids and the kids are buying in.” The Gaels are scheduled to face Butler this weekend. John-

to travel north every day to become his director of curriculum. Then, DiGesere retired. We won’t get into the next three years, other than to say once DiGesere’s replacement left the district, Blood knew it was her time. She applied and interviewed for the position — she got it — and the rest, as they say, is history. IN HER OWN WORDS … We’ll use Blood’s own narrative to describe what her tenure as the Kearny district’s leader have entailed over the last seven-plus years. “My experience with redistricting in Howell served as a model when I successfully reconfigured Kearny’s schools and opened Kearny’s first middle school,” she said. “Among the highlights of my time as Kearny’s superintendent are major improvements in our district’s literacy achievement,

sen is committed to turning his alma mater around. “We just have to get better every single day,” Johnsen said. “I know that sounds simple and easy. I just want them to compete every day, to learn how to ne a family. They have to set their priorities. It was God and their faith first, then their family, then academics and then football. You should see the

expansion of course offerings at the middle and high school, including more AP offerings and early college enrollment, full-day pre-school for all 4-year-olds, completion of a 1:1 technology initiative that had Kearny well prepared when the pandemic struck, the addition of Project Lead the Way courses … creation of a Visual and Performing Arts Academy with programs in dance, broadcasting and the arts and most notably, the successful restart and completion of a $54 million construction project at Kearny HS that created 18 additional classrooms, a state-of-the-art culinary facility, updated HVAC, among other important upgrades.” If that’s not a resume worthy of becoming the state’s overall superintendent of the year, we want to know what is.

classroom now. It’s so competitive in school and that’s good.” Johnsen is convinced that the Gaels’ program will return to glory. “It’s going to be back,” Johnsen said. “I’m sure of that.” And can Johnson believe he’s actually the head football coach at his alma mater? “No, it’s pretty unbelievable,” Johnsen said. “Honestly, it’s

surreal. I think it’s something I’ve always wanted. I see how enthusiastic the kids are. No doubt about it, we’re going to bring back the St. Mary’s tradition. We’re there to make it a better place for the kids. Once we do that, then everything will just fall into place.” Johnsen has never failed in anything he’s ever done, so why should he start now?

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Observer Classifieds

The Obsever is not responsible for typographical errors. Error credits will not be granted. Minimal changes for multiple-week ads are $10 per instance. Refunds are not granted under any circumstances. Help-wanted ad deadline is 2 p.m., Monday, and all ads must be sent by email to classified@theobserver.com. All other classifieds are due by 3 p.m. Monday. All classifieds are pre-paid — no billing. Call 201-991-1600 to place an ad. The Observer cannot accept legal advertising.

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EMPLOYMENT/ HELP WANTED

Part time food prep, drivers, dishwashers. Full time assistant chef. Apply in Person @ 339 Bergen Ave, Kearny.

LOOKING FOR A SALES EXECUTIVE TO JOIN OUR TEAM Responsibilities include servicing existing accounts, calling inactive accounts, generating new business and growing territories & building new leads. Background check. Send resumes with a cover letter of introduction to jobs@theobserver. com

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Full time Landscaper w/experience Needed. Driver’s license a must. Year round work available Call 201-998-1262 23W03

PART TIME Customer service M-F 1-5PM only Call Brad (201)998-8080 21W03

Office furniture installers needed No experience necessary Please contact us at (201)803-5468

SERVICES OFFERED

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BENMAR PAYROLL AND ACCOUNTING

WAREHOUSE IN KEARNY,NJ Machine operator, High low driver. Overtime On Saturdays if wanted. Call (201)998-8700 21W03

Help wanted for Busy Deli Full TimePart Time Days and Evenings Apply in Person D&F Deli 396 Davis Ave, Kearny 22W03

Building Maintenance Worker Low Pressure Boiler License Preferred (or must be able to attain within one year after employed). Full time position. Medical, pension and other benefits. Successful candidate will have general knowledge of hand tool use, plumbing, carpentry and basis electricity. Must pass background check. Must have a valid NJ driver’s license. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applications can be obtained from the Housing Authority’s website www. harrisonhousing.com, under the Bid/RFP/RFQ/Job Application Section or by calling our office (973) 4831488 to make an appointment to come in and pick up an application. All applications must be returned no later than Monday, November 8, 2021 by 3 PM. 23W01

Immediate openings for experienced Pharmacy technician and evening cashier Bilingual a plus Apply in person Midtown Pharmacy 581 Kearny ave Applymidtown581@ gmail.com 21W03

Hotel in Harrison NJ is looking for Room Attendants and Housemen with cleaning experience $15 per hour + Benefits (347)531-9844. Se habla espanol 21W03

To place a classified ad, please call

201.991.1600 PUBLIC NOTICE TOWN OF KEARNY

PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE SALE AT PUBLIC AUCTION OF TOWN OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT 369 FOREST STREET (BLOCK 210, Lot 28) TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER 1. The Town-owned property known as 369 Forest Street (Block 210, Lot 28) shall be offered for sale to the highest bidder at a public auction to be held on Friday, October 29, 2021 beginning at 1:00 PM at the Municipal Council Chambers, Town Hall, 402 Kearny Avenue, Kearny, New Jersey. 2. The Town Clerk shall advertise the sale pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:12-1 et seq. by two insertions in the The Observer, Jersey Journal and The Star Ledger once a week for two (2) consecutive weeks, the last publication to be not earlier than seven (7) days prior to the auction. 3. The minimum bid shall be $100,000 and the property shall not be sold for less than that amount.

Full PAYROLL Service • Tax Preparation & Compliance • Full Bookkeeping and Collections • Business Formation and Sales Tax • PAYROLL for Construction • Workers Comp Audit –State Audits Email: mmartes@benmarservices.com call 973-979-7957- Free Consultation Certified Public Accountant Firm

4. The Mayor and Council reserve the right to reject all bids where the highest bid is not accepted. Notice of such reservation shall be included in the advertisement the sale and public notice thereof shall be given at the time of the sale.

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6. No person may participate in the bidding process unless it shall have deposited with the Town Clerk before bidding shall have commenced cash or certified check payable to the Town of Kearny in the amount of $20,000.00.

Hows keeping & some care giving. Must speak Portuguese $13/HR 3 to 4 hours a day up to 7 days a week call (201)679-0761

5. The public auction shall be conducted in accordance with procedures to be announced by the Town Clerk.

7. Upon the close of bidding the highest qualified bidder, as designated by the Town Clerk, shall submit cash or certified check in the amount of the difference between $20,000 and 10% of its bid and shall immediately execute an offer to purchase at its bid price, which offer shall include the terms and conditions specified herein, including 100% cash payment of the balance due on closing. The only condition to closing shall be the validity of the Town’s title.

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8. Title shall be conveyed by Quitclaim deed.

HARRISON TOWN NOTICE The Harrison Health Department will be offering FREE high-dose flu shots to all Harrison residents 65 years and older at the HARRISON COMMUNITY CENTER located at 401 Warren St. Harrison NJ Tuesday Morning, October 19, 2021 9:00am -11:00am PLEASE BRING ID AND WEAR A SHORT SLEEVE SHIRT APPOINTMENTS ARE NECESSARY Please call 973-268-5858 to register for an appointment 23W01

9. Closing shall occur no later than 60 days after the day of bidding on a date to be arranged between the purchaser or his attorney and the Town attorney. 10. At closing of title, purchaser shall be charged a sum of money equal to the costs of all advertising and payment of closing document preparation. 11. Failure to comply with any of the requirements, or to close on the day agreed upon pursuant to paragraph 9 of this resolution, shall entitle the Town to rescind prior bid approval, terminate any and all rights of the designated bidder and retain all monies theretofore deposited. 12. The property shall be conveyed in the “as is” condition, subject to existing encumbrances, liens, zoning regulations, easements, other restrictions, and such facts as an accurate survey would reveal. The sale of this land by the Town shall not be deemed to constitute the Town’s consent to, or support of, any variances needed for development. 13. All prospective bidders may obtain a Bidder Registration Package which contains a Qualified Bidder Registration from the Town Clerk prior to the auction date. It must be submitted together with the initial deposit check by 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 28, 2021. Patricia Carpenter Town Clerk

The Observer | www.theobserver.com

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

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