Belleville

Mark your calendars for International Night at 7 p.m. on April 3, at Belleville Middle School, 279 Washington Ave. The evening will feature a variety of dances, songs and foods from different cultures and countries. Middle school students will be dancing, singing, and bringing food from their culture. The school will also have world flags on display as well as drawings of world famous personalities designed by the students.

Bloomfield

The Bloomfield Public Library Children’s Department announces the arrival of 46 new children’s titles, made possible by the donations of community members. The “Clark Avenue Crew” raised $355 last summer for the Children’s Library, enabling the library to purchase 37 new books; Demarest Elementary School recently donated five popular titles; and a donation from Dorothy and David Johnson, in memory of former Children’s Department staff member Jean Bryce Thompson, allowed for the replacement of six much-loved classics that were worn beyond repair.

East Newark

West Hudson Brave Women Fighting Breast Cancer meets on the last Friday of every month from 7 to 9 p.m. at the East Newark Senior Center, 37 President St. The group provides an atmosphere of warmth and comfort for patients and family. For more information, call Emma at 201- 998-6828, Rosa 201-246-7750, Fatima 973-485-4236 or email emidura2@yahoo.com.

Harrison

A baby and toddler music class will be held at Harrison Public Library on Saturday, April 6, at 11 a.m. in the children’s room in the lower level of the library. This program is for children up to age 3 and their accompanying parent. For more information, call 973- 483-2366.

Kearny

The Kearny Police Department will participate in the DEA Operation Take Back 2013 on April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Kearny Police Department, 237 Laurel Ave.

Residents are invited to turn in unwanted, unused or expired medications, over the counter or prescription. This is an anonymous, no questions asked program.

The Kearny Public Library announces free, special entertainment during spring vacation.

Children from ages 2 to 8 are invited to enjoy “Swing Into Spring,” an interactive story play at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 4, at the Main Library, 318 Kearny Ave. Mother Goose (Ann Coppola) will guide the children through her fairy-tale kingdom, all through movement, sound and props.

It’s never too early to teach kids to eat healthy and to stay active, so Muscle Man Mike and his puppet sidekick, Sue, will teach children from age 2 to 8 about nutrition and fitness with easy exercises and music. The Fit4kids Show will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 5, at the Main Library.

The next meeting of the St. Stephens Seniors will be held on Tuesday, April 2, at 1 p.m. in Hedges Hall.

Upcoming events include an anniversary party April 19 at San Carlo, Atlantic City trip April 24, and a cruise to New England and Canada April 14-21.

For club information please call Tom at 201-998-8258; for A.C. call Peg at 201-998-9443; for trips call Joan at 201-998- 3573; for condolences call Vicki at 201-991-8345; and for cruise information call Pat at 201-991- 4771.

Kearny UNICO will be holding its next monthly membership meeting on Thursday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Chapter President Lou Pandolfi at 201-368-2409. New members are always welcome. Kearny UNICO supports scholarships, charities and the local community.

Kearny UNICO is sponsoring a 50-50 raffle as a fundraiser for its scholarship fund and other charities. Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10. The raffle will be drawn at 8:30 p.m. at the Chapter’s May 2 meeting at Siena Ristorante (Kearny & Quincy Aves). Tickets may be obtained from any Kearny UNICO member or by contacting Pandolfi.

Kearny UNICO is sponsoring a “Flapjack Fundraiser” at Kearny Applebee’s on Saturday, May 4 from 8 to 10 a.m. Tickets are $10 each and include pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee or tea. Tickets may be purchased from any Kearny UNICO member or by contacting Pandolfi.

The Presybyterian Boys- Girls Club, 663 Kearny Ave., is currently signing up players for traveling basketball teams. Teams will consists of grades 5 to 8 and high school. Cost is $100 or whatever people can afford to pay.

Applications may be picked up at the PBGC. Mark Latka, head coach and supervisor, requires that all interested players report to the PBGC on Tuesday, March 26, at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call Mark Latka at 201-653-4693 or Tom Fraser at 201-991-6734.

The PBGC will also have a Tricky Tray on Saturday, April 27. Doors will open at 6 pm. And admission is $15. Please purchase tickets in advance. Refreshments will be served. For tickets, call Vanessa Vieira at 201-334-8336 or email v_ vieira28@yahoo.com.

Lyndhurst

A spring auction, sponsored by Ladies Auxiliary of Masonic Club of Lyndhurst on Sunday, April 7, at noon at the Masonic Club, 316 Riverside Ave. Donation is $5. Call 973-743-0976 for more information.

The Humane Society of Bergen County, 221-223 Stuyvesant Ave., Lyndhurst, has a supply of dog food both canned and dry available to anyone who is unemployed, disabled or experiencing financial difficulty that prevents an owner from feeding his/her dog. Just stop by or, for more information, call 201-896-9300. Hours are: Monday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.’ and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Lyndhurst Public Library will host “Selling on EBay” on Thursday, April 11, 6:15 p.m. Learn from an eBay PowerSeller how to sell successfully. Topics include: how eBay works, choosing items that are hot to sell, learning the value of your items, pricing your merchandise, writing a description, using a PayPal account to process payments, the bidding and selling process, shipping your goods, fees and expenses, collecting payment, delivery confirmation and insurance, handling feedback, eBay Trading Assistant, and more. Space is limited and registration is necessary. To register, please email or call the library at romeo@bccls.org or call 201-804-2478, ext. 7.

The Lyndhurst Health Department will hold its biannual women’s health clinic on Wednesday, April 17, at 9 a.m. This free event, made possible through our partnership with Clara Maass Medical Center, includes education on breast self-examination and a pelvic exam performed by Dr. Consetta Cheatam. The Lyndhurst Women’s Health Clinic is open to all female Lyndhurst residents ages 18 and over. Call 201-804-2500 to make an appointment.

The Belleville Elks have donated their lodge on the first Sunday of every month for a breakfast fundraiser to help keep the Lyndhurst Elks “afloat” after damage done by Hurricane Sandy. Come out and support the Lyndhurst Elks at the Belleville Elks lodge, 254 Washington Ave., the first Sunday of the month starting April 7, from 9 a.m. to noon. Admission is $6 per person.

The Polish American Citizens Club will hold a polka dinner dance at the club, 730 New Jersey Ave., Lyndhurst, Saturday, April 13, from 7 to 11 p.m. Admission is $30 per person or $35 if purchased at the door. For tickets, call Stella 201-939-1038 or Tony at 201- 246-8340 or Alice at 201-935- 3930.

North Arlington

Stop by and enjoy a great breakfast, lunch or dinner at The Angry Coffee Bean, 89 Ridge Rd., North Arlington, on Monday, April 1, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., with 10% of the proceeds donated to the National M.S. Society in observance of MS Awareness Month. For more information, call 201-772- 5554.

American Legion Alexander Post 37, 222 River Road, North Arlington, will meet on April 1 at 8 p.m. All veterans are invited. For more information, call 201-214-8253.

North Arlington Health Department announces the following upcoming programs: Blood pressure/health risk assessment is offered on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, from 1 to 2:45 p.m. with no appointment necessary. “Allergies: Nothing to Sneeze About,” a free Lunch and Learn program, in conjunction with Clara Maass Medical Center, will be held on Thursday, April 4, beginning with lunch at noon at the Senior Center, 10 Beaver Ave., at the rear of the Health Department building. Learn about the treatment and prevention of seasonal allergies. Registration is required. The program is open to surrounding communities. A child health conference, free immunization and well baby care, for infants and preschool children will be available by appointment on Thursday, April 18. Required school-aged immunizations are available for those without health insurance coverage. For more information and appointments, call the Health Department at 201-955-5695.

The Health Department has been advised that a free low-dose CT screening program is being offered by the St. Barnabas Lung Cancer Institute for individuals who are at high-risk for developing lung cancer to identify abnormalities earlier. Certain criteria must be met in order to qualify for this life-saving test. Roland Romano, LPC, CTTS, RRT, will speak at the North Arlington Senior Center on April 12 at noon to offer further information on the program including eligibility critera. Romano is a licensed respiratory therapist and professional counselor certified in tobacco treatment. This program is open to surrounding communities. Seating will be limited, so registration is required. Call the North Arlington Health Department at 201-955-5695.

North Arlington will host a paper shredding day on Saturday, March 30, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the borough hall parking lot on Ridge Road. Residents are invited to bring any personal documents they no longer need to the shredder, which is on loan through Bergen County Utilities Authority. The borough will be selling blue, 25 gallon recycling barrels to residents for $10 each on shredder day.

Nutley

Friends of the Nutley Library will sponsor a trip to see Roald Dahl’s musical “Matilda” on Wednesday, April 17, at the Shubert Theatre in New York. The $150 price includes transportation to and from the library, dinner at American Bistro in Nutley and the theatre ticket. Please make checks payable to: The Friends of the Nutley Public Library. Signup forms are available at the Nutley Library. Seating is limited, first come, first serve.

For more information, call Gioya McRae at 973- 667-0405, ext. 2636.

BabyGarten for infants and toddlers will be held on Monday, April 1, 22 and 29 at the Nutley Library at 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Babies, up to 22 months, and their caregivers enjoy great books, nursery rhymes, playtime, and meet other babies from the Nutley area. Registration is required.

P.J. Story Time will be held at the library on Monday, April 1, 22 and 29, at 7 p.m. No registration is required.

Patrons are invited to play Bridge at the library on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. No registration required.

Preschool Story Time will be held at the library on Wednesdays, April 3, 10 and 24 at 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Registration is required.

Conversational ESL is held on Wednesdays at 10 a.m. No registration is required.

Wednesday Afternoon Knitters meet every week at 1 p.m. at the library. Please bring your own supplies.

Teen Video Game tournaments are held at the library on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. and Thursdays at 3 p.m.

The library will host Adult Scrabble Night on Thursday, April 4, at 7 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for 1st and 2nd place scores. No registration is required.

Two-Year-Old Story Time will be held at the library on Friday, April 5, 12 and 26, at 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Registration is required.

“Taken 2” will be screened as part of the library’s First Friday Films program on April 5 at 2 p.m.

A new film is shown the first Friday of each month. Check the library’s event calendar for scheduled films.

The library’s Manga Anime Club meets on Fridays at 3 p.m.

The library will host Saturday Story Time on Saturday, April 6, 13 and 27 at 10 a.m. No registration is required.

Nationally recognized author Lisa Verge Higgins will speak and sign copies of her latest book, “The Proper Care and Maintenance of Friendship” on Monday, April 1, at 7 p.m., at the library. Books will be available for sale.

Copies of this book and its discussion guide are available at the library. Professional credit is available for educators attending. Refreshments will be served. Registration is recommended. For reservations, call the library at 973-667-0405, ext. 2604, or visit: http://nutley.bccls.org/ for more information.

It’s a seller’s market Where are the sellers? That is the main question on everyone’s mind. For the first time in years, across the nation, the housing market is finally tipping in favor of home sellers, yet homes for sale are scarce. As stated in a recent release from the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), “Total housing inventory at the end of January fell 4.9% to 1.74 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 4.2-month supply.” With this low level of supply, it is clearly a seller’s market.

Though credit requirements are more stringent, funds to borrow are available and buyers are anxious to take advantage of historically low interest rates. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said: “Buyer traffic is 40% above a year ago, so there is plenty of demand but insufficient inventory to improve sales more strongly. We’ve transitioned into a seller’s market in much of the country.”

For those potential home sellers who are waiting for prices to dramatically increase to put their home on the market, think again, because your competition may be thinking the same thing. Prices are currently gaining strength because indemand buyers are rushing to purchase the homes that are currently available. Because of this demand, homes on the market today are selling much quicker and at higher asking prices due to multiple bids and bidding wars.

Be forewarned, that as more homes enter the market for sale and more competition exists among home sellers, prices may not dramatically increase and time on the market could be months longer. Additionally, according to a recent Newsday article, applications for building permits rose nationwide to an annual rate of 925,000 in January and Northeast building permits increased 10.1% between December and January. New homes mean fierce competition for home sellers.

There is a clear window of opportunity for sellers right now that should be taken advantage of. If you want to sell your home and are not sure if there is enough equity, call me and I will provide you with a Competitive Market Analysis. The analysis will provide you with in-depth details about your competition such as median price and time on the market. With this tool, I will build a price marketing strategy for your home.

For homebuyers, stay resilient. Call me and I can help you find your dream home in your price range, negotiate on your behalf, and walk you through the sales process. Arm yourself in advance by obtaining financing. If you have questions on how to do so, please ask me and I can refer you to a trusted mortgage specialist.

For sellers on the fence, and buyers facing tough competition, call me today. I am here to help you navigate and negotiate.

A Kearny motorcyclist gave Nutley cops a run for their money in the early hours on March 21, police said.

Police said officers pulled over the biker as he was allegedly traveling at a speed of 60 mph in a 35 mph zone on Washington Ave. at 2:39 a.m.

As they spoke to him, police said the driver, Michael Stiller, 24, began shouting obscenities at them. Police said Stiller’s eyes were watery and smelled of alcohol. After backup arrived, police said Stiller continued cursing and threatening the officers.

After he allegedly ignored orders to desist, Stiller was placed under arrest, police said, and a search of the biker revealed a fixed blade knife within a sheath threaded to the back of his belt.

After Stiller was taken to headquarters and placed in a holding cell, police said Stiller kicked the front sliding cage door, causing it to bend to the point where it became unserviceable.

Police then moved Stiller to another cell where, they alleged, the prisoner stuffed the toilet with an excessive amount of toilet paper and repeatedly flushed it even after it started flooding.

When Stiller told officers he felt ill, police summoned Nutley EMS to headquarters but Stiller said he felt better and refused medical attention, police said.

Police charged Stiller with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prohibited weapons/ devices, criminal mischief and disorderly conduct. He was also ticketed on these alleged violations: DWI, refusal to submit to a breath test, speeding and DWI within 1,000 feet of a school.

After posting bail, Stiller was released pending court dates.

In other incidents logged during the past week by Nutley P.D.:

March 21

A car dealership reported a theft at 2:02 p.m. The owner told police someone stole a temporary plate from a vehicle and later returned when the permanent plates were placed on the car. The owner reported that the vehicle’s owner received two summonses from EZPass for violations.

At 9:59 p.m. police went to a Passaic Ave. location on a criminal mischief report. A car owner told police they’d parked their car in the driveway and, upon returning, noticed that someone had thrown a large rock through the rear window.

March 20

At 6:52 p.m., a motorist told police they’d parked on Harrison St. and upon returning, found a large scratch across the tailgate.

March 18

At 8:42 p.m., a Kingsland Ave. resident reported hearing three loud bangs coming from outside their house. Exiting, the resident discovered someone had tossed three paint balls at the front glass door but no damage had resulted. A similar incident was reported at 3:24 p.m. on Kingsland, when a resident reported that someone had shot an orange paint ball at their front window.

Police received a report of a River Road burglary at 1:41 p.m. Upon arrival, a resident told police they’d heard a noise and, after coming up from the basement, spotted a man at the window and noticed that the window and screen had been forced open. The resident told police when he asked the man what he was doing, the man said he was looking for a friend but then ran through a courtyard. Another resident told police the man left in a black or blue Ford sedan. Both residents described the man as black, in his early 30s, wearing black pants, a black winter vest and red wool hat. Police searched the area to no avail.

March 17

At 8:40 a.m. a motorist reported someone had thrown eggs at the rear and passenger side of his vehicle while it was parked in a driveway on Mapes Ave.

March 16

A Rhoda Ave. resident called police at 11:02 p.m. to report someone had egged their car. The resident told police it was not the first time their car had been vandalized this way. Another Rhoda Ave. resident reported their car was egged and scratched in two places on the driver’s side while it was parked on the street the prior night.

At 12:19 a.m. the owner of a vehicle parked on Walnut St. told police someone had driven by and thrown a rock at the rear window of their car while it was parked in the driveway, shattering the window and causing $600 in damages. Later in the day, the victim told police they found rocks under the front window of their home and dents in the siding of the house.

At 3:01 a.m. police responded to a motor vehicle accident at Union and Hancox Aves. where they saw a vehicle that had driven off the roadway striking a stop sign. Police arrested the driver, Jonathan Cepeda, 24, of Nutley, and later released him pending a court appearance.

—Ron Leir

Photo by Ron Leir
Demolition crews work on site clearance in aftermath of destructive Harrison fire. Photo gallery below.

By Ron Leir
Observer Correspondent

HARRISON –

The five-alarm blaze that ripped through two Latino restaurants, a church, and several residential buildings in Harrison on March 10 has ignited a political firestorm about the level of fire protection services in the town.

A count by the Harrison Mayor’s Office had at least 28 residents, including 12 school-age children, from the 600 block of Frank E. Rodgers (FER) Blvd. North displaced by the fire, which also extended to 8 1/2 Davis St. The Harrison Education Foundation is accepting donations on behalf of the families. Read more »

Photo by Karen Zautyk
Name that park! Can you? Did you know it had a name? Do you even know where it is? If you’re a smoker, you’d better fi nd out because next week it may be added to Kearny’s no-smoking zones.

By Karen Zautyk
Observer Correspondent

KEARNY -

In February 2008, the Town of Kearny, described by one elected official as being “on the cutting edge” of the issue, prohibited smoking — or the carrying of any lighted cigarette, cigar, pipe “or other similar device” — within the boundaries of 11 municipally owned playgrounds.

That ordinance read: Read more »