Photo by Ron Leir
Above: Erin Donnelly, her daughter Maisie Kelly, and David Mach.

By Ron Leir

Observer Correspondent

KEARNY –

The garden is growing.

Drivers traveling southbound on Passaic Ave. need only cast their eyes towards the river to Riverside Park north of Skinner Bros. Automotive to see proof that the Kearny Community Garden – or “the Orchard,” as Mayor Alberto Santos likes to call it – is a work in progress.

Two-hundred straw bales are laid out in 11 parallel rows, implanted with the seeds of a variety of vegetables, and irrigated by an ingenious water system, designed by Kearny Public Works Superintendent Donald Gavin, consisting of underground PVC pipes linked to a roadside hydrant.

One end of the system, in turn, leads to a tap to which a hose may be attached to periodically spray the bales.

David Mach, who along with his spouse Jenny, created the nearby butterfly garden, now sprouting with a variety of flowers, are also part of the core group that devised the community garden experiment.

“May 11 was planting day for us,” David told a visitor from The Observer last week.

As of last week, we saw evidence of some produce – small cherrysized yellowish tomatoes – already beginning to take shape. Straw bales were selected over hay, for example, as planting beds because, as David pointed out, “they’re sterile, organic, and they have no seeds so you don’t have to weed it.”

The bales, in turn, sit on topsoil and peat moss – natural ingredients for ensuring healthy produce. The rows of bales are separated by deposits of wood chips, providing enough room for a volunteer gardener to roll a wheelbarrow through.

“The town got the bales at $3 apiece,” David said. “The topsoil, peat moss and gardening tools are all donated. And the woodchips we have to thank [Superstorm] Sandy for. We collected them from all over town.”

Pointing to a set of patio chairs positioned parallel to the roadside, David said someone happened by one day and just deposited them as a friendly gesture.

“Tons of people have stopped by to sort of check us out,” David said. “And they bring other people to hang out and learn what’s going on. So it’s been an education process. One person thought we were preparing for an outdoor church service or a sermon.”

Meanwhile, the work goes on. And every day brings a different batch of planters.

One couple, Beatrice and Pablo Vargas, together for 46 years, are planting tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, beans, basil, Indian mint and onions. They also take time to enjoy the variety of flora abounding in the nearby butterfly garden.

Another volunteer gardener, Erin Donnelly, is teaching her 3-yearold daughter Maisie Kelly the art of cultivating tomatoes.

Jenny, who has an outof- town job, and David manage to visit pretty much on a daily basis to take stock of things, Erin notes.

Photo by Ron Leir
Mach, Donnelly, Beatrice and Pablo Vargas.

And that includes weekend time, too. Typically, for David, a substitute teacher at Kearny High, that means an hour or two on Saturday afternoons. “I’ll be cleaning up, weeding if I’m noticing that something isn’t growing,” he says.

Aside from the veggies expected to flourish, David and the rest of the volunteers are counting on the eventual arrival of strawberries, melons and potatoes. Gesturing to a three-legged wooden structure, David says: “We’re made a string bean teepee to provide shade for the kids.”

The volunteers are also planting rows of Indian corn and pumpkins in the ground near the roadside, “but we’ll selling those only as (fall) decorations, not for consumption,” David said.

For this season, he said plans by the core group call for the sale of all bale-grown produce at the Kearny Farmers’ Market, with all proceeds being plugged back into the garden operation.

“In another two months, we’ll have plenty of produce available,” he predicted.

Next growing season, he said, “we’ll probably be able to assign individual bales to specific growers.”

To keep updated on the latest information about the enterprise, David recommended folks e-mail kearnycommunitygarden@gmail. com or visit facebook.com/kearnycommunitygarden.

Photo by Ron Leir
Acting Chief Anthony Monteiro

By Ron Leir

Observer Correspondent

EAST NEWARK –

At age 37, he’s the newest – and, by far, the youngest – municipal police chief among his peers in Hudson County.

Anthony Monteiro was appointed acting East Newark Police Chief, effective June 1, in place of former Chief Kenneth Sheehan, who retired May 31.

As provided by a borough ordinance up for adoption June 12, Monteiro’s annual base salary will be fixed at $91,754, an increase from his prior sergeant’s pay of about $80,000 a year.

Mayor Joseph Smith said that he and the Borough Council will review the new chief’s status and pay level after he’s had six months on the job.

Asked about the sergeant vacancy created by Monteiro’s elevation in rank, Smith said: “Under our contract with the PBA (Patrolman’s Benevolent Association), we have 60 days to fill that position.”

Chief and sergeant are the only superior officers on the eight-member police force, plus one special officer.

Until his elevation to chief, Monteiro served as sergeant since Nov. 21, 2012, borough records show.

East Newark doesn’t follow state Civil Service procedure in hiring and/or promoting police. After seeking applicants for the chief’s position, Monteiro and Officer Robert Tomasko, a former borough volunteer fire chief, expressed interest.

Smith said both were interviewed by two of the three members of the borough Police Committee – Councilmen Charles Tighe and (Hans) Pete Lucas – and himself. “Ed Serafin, the chairman of that committee, was working that night so I filled in,” the mayor said.

Both men have about the same time on the force, Smith said.

In the end, Smith said, there was a consensus to go with Monteiro. “He’s got an unblemished record, he’s been a sergeant for six months, he’s a cop’s cop – he’s played everything by the book – and he’s tri-lingual: he speaks Spanish, Portuguese and English. We felt it was time to consider that factor, given the town’s changing demographics. We felt he deserves a shot.”

Born in the Down Neck section of Newark, Monteiro and his family moved to East Newark two years later. A graduate of East Newark Elementary School and Harrison High School, Monteiro enrolled at New Jersey Institute of Technology intending to study architecture.

But he had to forgo the academics for full-time employment, which he found with the East Newark Police Department.

Monteiro’s cousin, Augie Rodrigues, is a detective with the Harrison Police Department, having worked there for more than 15 years.

In 2003, Monteiro began serving as a member of the East Newark Volunteer Fire Department.

While working as a rankand- file cop in the borough, Monteiro was an active member of the PBA, having served as both treasurer and president.

Soon enough, though, Monteiro will find himself as a borough advocate, sitting on the other side of the bargaining table when he’ll be asked for input into labor contract talks. The borough’s four-year contract with the PBA runs out this December so he’ll likely be in the thick of discussions about salaries and working conditions.

On a personal note, Monteiro and his wife Gloria, a financial analyst in the private sector, have two daughters, Sophia, 5, and Sarah, 4.

While he’s not involved in any organized borough recreation programs, he makes a point to interact with kids in the borough playground next to Borough Hall/Police Headquarters.

He’ll be teaming with his former chief, who has asked to stay on as the borough’s emergency management coordinator, as the deputy coordinator.

Still getting accustomed to his new duties, Monteiro, who will celebrate his 38th birthday in August, has taken time to informally meet with the rest of the department. “I just told the guys, ‘keep up what you’re doing.’ ’’

Photo courtesy of EPA
A section of Lyndhurst mudflats slated for dredging.

By Ron Leir

Observer Correspondent

LYNDHURST –

A plan for cleaning up the lower 17 miles of the Passaic River is still two years in the making but federal environmentalists hope to draw some clues on how to proceed when they start dredging a 5-acre section of contaminated mudflats in Lyndhurst next month.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working closely with the Lower Passaic River Study Area Cooperating Partners Group, representatives of some 70 companies who’ve agreed to accept the responsibility of removing industrial pollutants from the waterway.

The EPA said it’s focusing on the mudflats near Riverside County Park because it’s found “high levels” of contaminants like dioxin, mercury and PCBs there.

However, EPA says that sampling and testing of soil contained in the Lyndhurst and North Arlington sections of the park itself shows nothing “alarming” and has greenlighted recreational activities there while the work at the mudflats proceeds.

At a public meeting held in the Lyndhurst Senior Center on June 5, Stan Kaczmarek, senior project director for the Cooperating Partners Group, outlined a scenario for the cleanup. EPA has yet to sign off on the design plan but EPA Project Manager Stephanie Vaughn says it’s “90% completed” and expects no major obstacles.

If things go according to schedule, the cleanup will launch “after the July 4th weekend,” Kaczmarek said.

In the meantime, four buoys have been set up – two on either side of the mudflat area, one north of the Rt. 3 bridge and one south of the DeJessa (Park Ave.) bridge – with equipment that’s testing the turbidity – amount of sediment – in the river.

Vaughn said those readings will show the levels of sediment “stirred up by the natural flow of the river” so that when machinery begins removing material from the mudflats, EPA will know not to increase it beyond what naturally occurs so as to avoid creating more disruption – and possible spread – of toxins.

Starting in early July, Kaczmarek said, for six days a week, between dawn and dusk, excavators from the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock of Staten Island will scoop out the top two feet of sediment in the riverbed – a total of 20,000 cubic yards – and dump the stuff into barges which will be sent down river to the Clean Earth of North Jersey plant in Kearny, a hazardous waste processing facility.

As a precaution, all dredging work will be enclosed in “fairly shallow water” by polypropylene silt curtains anchored by floats, he said.

“And we don’t expect any chemical odors or anything volatile,” he added. But air monitors will be installed at the edge of the park and in the water around the dredging site, as a further precaution.

At least five bridges that cross the Passaic – the DeJessa Bridge, Rt. 7 Bridge, Clay St. Bridge, Bridge St. Bridge and Pennsylvania Railroad (Center St.) Bridge – will have to be opened periodically to allow for the barge transport down river each day. These openings will be timed to happen at night or during early morning.

Kaczmarek conceded that the dredging and barge traffic “will be an inconvenience to recreational boaters and area high school crew teams that use the river.” Every effort will be made to minimize disruption, he said.

At the Kearny plant, the sediment will be mixed with Portland cement and placed in rail car containers to be shipped to a landfill in Oklahoma licensed to receive toxic materials.

According to the EPA, water from the barges will be pumped into tanker trucks and sent to a sewage treatment plant in New England.

When the dredging is completed, plans call for the depositing of a 2-feet-thick multi-layer cap consisting of sand, a geotextile membrance, large stones and a thin layer of sand atop the mudflat dredging site.

The operation is expected to take six to eight weeks to finish at a cost estimated at $20 million, which will be borne by the Cooperating Parties Group.

No aspect of the job, however, will touch on concerns raised by Lyndhurst residents and officials about flooding from the river. Lyndhurst wants the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ante up $65 million to build up the riverbanks for better protection against future spillovers and to fund a study to control meadows infiltration and road repairs. State Sen. Paul Sarlo assured residents at the June 5 meeting he intended to schedule a follow-up public meeting to deal with long-term flooding strategies.

By Ron Leir

Observer Correspondent

BELLEVILLE –

Starting in September, the Belleville Board of Education will be incorporating sixth-graders from around the district into a middle school environment.

That means they’ll be sharing space in the Belleville Middle School which currently houses youngsters from grades 7 and 8.

The board is inviting parents of graduating fifth-graders who will be the first sixth-grade class to join the older boys and girls this fall to an orientation on Thursday, June 13, at 6 p.m., at the Middle School, 279 Washington Ave., to learn more about the plan.

In a recent posting on the BOE web site, Superintendent of Schools Helene Feldman told parents and guardians said the move was motivated by “how to best meet the needs of your children academically, emotionally, and socially.”

Additionally, Feldman posted, “the learning and achievement of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students” will be linked “in a meaningful and impactful manner.”

Rest assured, Feldman posted, “Your children will be welcomed into a nurturing and structured learning environment, where a network of highly qualified administrators, educators and support staff will work to promote and maximize your children’s success on a daily basis.”

In an interview with reporters at her office, Feldman said the key to the entire enterprise was getting teachers with certifications to teach specialized areas like social studies, English, math and science into sixth-grade class settings to foster competition.

“If our sixth-grader can get that specialized instruction, he or she will have a chance to fare better academically and to acclimate better to a high school environment later on,” said Feldman.

And, Feldman said, the district must have those specially credentialed teachers in place to qualify for full state funding.

Feldman said that many parents feel the process of moving their children into a new school with new adjustments to make and a new set of expectations “is happening too quickly.”

But, she said, it’s her recommendation – and the wish of the board – to do it now for the sake of the children involved.

To accommodate the influx of about 360 new sixth-graders into the Middle School this fall, “we have to bring at least 12 teachers” with specialized certifications, as well, Feldman said.

How much will have to be added to the budget for salaries and benefits isn’t yet calculated, she said. “One or two” of the existing sixth grade teachers may already have certifications for history and/ or English in grades 5 to 9, she said. The number of teacher retirements will also factor into the equation, she added.

Also unknown at this point is the number of special education students wjo will be part of the new sixth-grade mix, Feldman said.

All of the new incoming sixth-graders will be accommodated among 10 classrooms on the Middle School’s third floor, Feldman said. An average class size of around 32 is projected, as opposed to the current range of typically, 23 to 29 per class, in elementary schools around the district, although School 3 currently has two six-grade sections with 30 children in each, one district supervisor said.

Eighth-graders will be found on the first floor and seventh-graders will be on the second floor of the Middle School.

The new sixth-graders will have access to computer instruction in a lab class, Feldman said. “We’re working on getting everybody enough computers.”

“We’ll also be starting a new elective class in pre-law (for sixth grade),” she said.

Anthony Slaese, head of the Belleville Education Association, which bargains for teachers, was asked if he foresaw any difficulties with potential teacher transfers. “As long as it fits our contract language and state statute, we don’t have a problem with it,” was his reply.

Photo courtesy of Hudson County government
Kearny’s Earl Cromwell (c.) with Mayor Alberto Santos (l.), officials and friends.

By Ron Leir

Observer Correspondent

Three West Hudson residents were among Hudson County’s 2013 Seniors of the Year honored at the annual luncheon sponsored by the Hudson County Office on Aging, held May 29 at the Casino in the Park, Jersey City.

The honorees were: Earl Cromwell of Kearny, Sylvia Pomponi of Harrison, and Eileen Schimenti of East Newark.

Photos courtesy of Hudson County government
Harrison’s Sylvia Pomponi (c.) with Mayor Ray McDonough (back l.) and colleagues.

Cromwell, 80, was born in Nova Scotia and was a member of the Royal Air Force before moving to the U.S., settling in Kearny in 1955. He has been a tutor for the Literacy Volunteers of America, is a member of the Friends of the Kearny Public Library, serves on the board of the local chapter of the Salvation Army, and is an active member of the Optimist Club. He also serves on the Inter-County Council on Drug and Alcohol Abuse and the board of the Kearny Municipal Alliance. He and his wife Moira are married 56 years and have three sons.

Pomponi, 75, is a lifelong Harrison resident and Harrison High School alumna. She worked for the town’s water department for 33 years, volunteered on the Board of Health, Public Library Board and the old West Hudson Hospital. She was involved with the Medical Reserve Corps and has served as an exercise guru for the Harrison Senior Center for the last eight years. She is the mother of two sons and a grandmother.

Schimenti, 68, is a retired bank officer who was involved in improving the economic efficiency of the East Newark Elementary School as a member of the borough school board. An active community member, Schimenti shops and helps fill out insurance forms for fellow seniors, is a Bingo caller at church and a member of the Rosary Society of St. Anthony’s Church. She and her husband Louis have been married 48 years and have four children and eight grandchildren.

Photos courtesy of Hudson County government
East Newark’s Eileen Schimenti with Mayor Joseph Smith (l.), Freeholder Chairman Anthony Romano (back l.) and County Executive Tom DeGise (back r.).

The other honorees from around the county are: Helen Hams of Weehawken (Outstanding Senior of the Year), Marie Fitzsimmons of Bayonne, Patrick Forenza of Guttenberg, Vincent Wassman of Hoboken, Shafqat Khan of Jersey City, Melody Acosta of North Bergen, Rita Casazza of Secaucus, Eloina Camejo of Union City and Romelia Loynas of West New York.

State Sen. Barbara Buono, who is running for governor on the Democratic ticket, was a guest attendee.

Also on hand were Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise, Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, Hudson County Freeholder Chairman Anthony Romano, Carol Ann Wilson, director of the county Department of Health & Human Services, and various local officials.

Kearny police are investigating two burglaries that occurred last week, one to an East Midland Ave. apartment, the second to a Madison Ave. home.

Police said the first was reported at 4 p.m. Monday, June 3, by P.O. Brian Wisely after a door in the East Midland Ave. building was discovered pried open. A laptop computer and jewelry were said to be missing.

Det. Scott Traynor, doing the follow-up investigation, interviewed building residents who described a man, not a resident, who had been seen on the premises earlier.

Police Chief John Dowie said detectives have identified a possible suspect, “a known career criminal who is currently being sought in connection with similar burglaries in surrounding jurisdictions.”

The suspect, a 45-year-old Elizabeth man, has an outstanding warrant from that city, the chief noted.

On Wednesday, June 5, P.O. Jay Ward was dispatched to the Madison Ave. address at 6:15 p.m. after a homeowner returned to her residence and found the back door window broken. Police said entry had been made into the house, closets and dresser drawers had been opened and a jewelry box emptied.

Det. Traynor is conducting the investigation.

Other recent reports from the KPD blotter included the following:

May 31

P.O. Rich Carbone was at Kearny and Bergen Aves. at 6 p.m. when he reportedly detected a strong odor of marijuana emanating from a passing car. The driver parked in the area, and Carbone approached and advised him of his suspicions. While interviewing the motorist, police said, Carbone saw, in plain view, a cigar “commonly associated with marijuana use,” several partially smoked marijuana cigarettes and an empty plastic bag. Closer inspection reportedly revealed a second plastic bag that appeared to contain pot.

The driver, a 17-year-old from Belleville, was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia and was also issued a summons for operating a motor vehicle while in possession of a CDS. He was released to the custody of his parents.

June 1

At 11:15 a.m., P.O. Rich Pawlowski and Sgt. Mike Cardella responded to Lincoln School on the report of a trespasser on the grounds. They took into custody Shaeed Epps, 35, of no known address, who was charged with defiant trespass. Police said Epps also had an outstanding warrant from Elizabeth. He was sent to the county jail. (Observer readers may recognize the suspect’s name, since he has made previous appearances in the KPD blotter. Asked why he keeps resurfacing in Kearny, we were told, “He said he likes the town.”)

June 2

At 3:45 p.m., P.O. Frank West was at Chestnut St. and Bergen Ave., where traffic was being detoured, when he witnessed a car with New York dealer plates drive around the barricade. After West stopped the vehicle and requested the driver’s paperwork, that driver, identified as Sadraque DaSilveira, 28, of Newark, was charged with: driving with a suspended license; driving on a closed roadway; having fictitious plates; driving an unregistered vehicle; driving an uninsured vehicle, and failure to present a driver’s license.

June 6

P.O. Sean Kelly, on patrol at Elm St. and Bergen Ave. at 7 p.m., observed a suspicious individual leave the vicinity of one parked car and approach another, police said. When the officer inquired as to the behavior, the man reportedly said he was searching for a misplaced vehicle. Kelly ran a warrant check and found that the individual, Jonathan Roman, 29, of Kearny, was wanted by Union Township, Elizabeth and (under another name) by Newark, police said. He was taken into custody and held for other authorities on the warrants.

At 7:30 p.m., P.O. Jay Ward, patrolling at Davis and Bergen Aves., spotted a 22-yearold Kearny resident, Henry Berrocal, who he was aware was the subject of drug-related warrants out of Harrison, police said. After verifying the information, Ward arrested the suspect and transported him to HQ , where he was held for bail.

June 7

P.O. Tom Sumowski was on patrol on the Belleville Pike at 3:45 a.m. when he found a 1998 BMW, its driver’s door open, stopped in the roadway on the curve below Schuyler Ave. Approaching the car, the officer saw someone in the driver’s seat and detected a strong odor of alcohol, police said. He also noted there appeared to be fresh damage along the driver’s side of the vehicle. Questioned, the driver reportedly told the officer he thought he had hit a rock. Other officers searched the area, but could not find any object or other vehicle that might have been hit.

The driver, Joshua Gonzalez, 20, of Kearny, was charged with DWI, DWI under age 21, and careless driving. The BMW was towed from the scene, but what it had struck was still undetermined.

At 9:20 p.m., Officers Chris Levchak and Pat Becker responded to a report of an armed robbery at a warehouse on Pennsylvania Ave. in South Kearny.

Police said the victim, who reportedly was cashing checks at the site and carrying $10,000 in cash, was held up by a man armed with a silver handgun. The victim turned over some, but not all, of the 10G, police said.

The bandit was said to have fled in a gray BMW with Pennsylvania plates, but the number provided was not valid, Chief Dowie reported.

Det. Sgt. John View and Det. Ray Lopez are conducting the follow-up investigation.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the KPD at 201-998-1313.

– Karen Zautyk

The following is an interview with Swami Mukundananda by Nilima Mehra, producer with Global TV Network of the Washington, D.C. area, that was broadcast Aug. 19, 2011.

Nilima Mehra: I read your biodata. You are such an accomplished educationalist. Please tell us first something about your education.

Swami Mukundananda: Well, Nilimaji, I first did [a bachelor’s degree in technology] in mechanical engineering from IIT Delhi. After that, I went on to do MBA from IIM Calcutta. I worked for some time in a company named Tata- Burroughs. That was the time when the IT industry in India was just taking off. This was one of the first IT companies in India.

NM: Please tell our viewers, why did you give up all this professionalism and move on to spirituality?

SM: Nilimaji, while I was doing engineering, there were many questions which came to my mind. We were being exposed to a number of laws of science. But my question was, “Why are there laws in existence? Who is the lawmaker? What is my purpose in this creation? Why am I here? What is the goal of life? These questions were not being answered in science. When I began my management course, I was being taught all the humanities subjects as well. Yet, I found my questions still remained unanswered. That was the time I came across the philosophy of the Bhagavad Geeta, through a class fellow on mine. When I started reading the Geeta, it was as if all my doubts got resolved at the same time. The conviction came very strongly, that I am not the body, I am the eternal soul. I am a tiny part of God. And that my goal in life is to serve God. So, along with my studies, I started practicing spiritual sadhana. That was so relishable, so blissful!! I began spending my weekends in the ashram with devotees. The decision came very strong, that this is what I wish to do in life. I did take a job. But it did not satisfy me. The question arose in my mind, “ Is this the fulfillment of my life? To put in my best efforts to enhance the profits of the shareholders of this company? I decided if I have to serve, then why not serve the Supreme Almighty?“

SM: While I was working, my training period was complete. I had been assigned to a project in the United States. I was thinking, let me go around and see the world. And later, I will take sannyas (monkhood) At that time, a sannyasi (monk) told me a very interesting incident. He said: There was a person sitting on the banks of the Ganges river, with chipped rice in front of him, thinking of offering it to the Lord. The doubt in his mind, however, was, that if he offered the chipped rice, maybe the Lord would take it all and there would be nothing left for himself. He was thinking, “Should I offer it? Should I not offer it? “ In the meantime, a gust of wind came, and all the rice was blown away. So the person said, “Oh Lord, I offer everything to you!” Now that offering makes no sense, when it has blown out of his hands. In the same way, the sannyasi (monk) said to me, “if you come in your old age and tell the Lord I have surrendered to You, God will say what is the meaning of this surrender? When you have your future in front of you, and you offer it to the Lord, He will accept that yes, you have made a sacrifice for me.” That story touched me so deeply in the heart that I immediately resigned from my job and took sannyas (monkhood).

NM: Swamiji, give us your ideas, your input and your inner feelings on: What is mediation? Who should meditate? Where does one reach with meditation? How often should one meditate?

SM: All of us are tormented by the mind. The mind, if it is controlled, focused and pure, it is our best friend. The uncontrolled mind can be our worst enemy. As John Milton said, “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.” So everyone realizes it is important to train, purify and elevate the mind. To fill and enrich it with inspiring thoughts. This is what is accomplished by this tool called meditation. There are innumerable techniques of meditation prevalent the world over. True and proper meditation, is that which helps us unite with God. In other words, the object of our mediation should be the Lord Himself. He is Divine. He is beyond the realm of material energy. We are to attach our minds to Him.

NM: We are getting priceless advice from you Swamiji. Regarding, anger, lust and desires for material possessions, how do we balance between the material and spirituality? How do you define the two?

SM: Very often, people feel that these two are mutually exclusive. The materialist views the spiritualist as someone who is idle, reducing the productivity of society and wasting time. The spiritualist blames the materialist with lack of character and values, along with all the evil seen in society. People seem to feel the spiritual and the material are poles apart. But that is not the Vedic viewpoint. There are two sciences. Two branches of knowledge that you need to cultivate in the goal of life. You need spirituality in life for cultivating the virtues of the mind and the intellect. Without that, no materialist can be happy. No matter how much wealth they have. If they do not have inner peace, happiness will elude them. The great scientist Albert Einstein said science has succeeded in denaturing the plutonium atom, but it cannot denature the evil in man’s heart. For that, we need spiritual science. At the same time, material science is required for the maintenance of the body. This body needs protein and vitamins, for example. With material science we understand and harness the forces of external nature and utilize it for the maintenance of the body. Even to attain God, we need to take care of our body. This body is the vehicle used to attain God.

So if a spiritualist says, ‘I am the soul and not the body’ and proceeds to neglect the body, this is a wrong, incomplete view. The perfect viewpoint is that we need materialism for the body and spirituality for the cultivation of the mind and intellect. When we reconcile these two sciences, we will reach the goal of life.

The path to true happiness is not in increasing our material possessions. The happiness we have been searching as eternal souls will be attained from God. Let’s make God-realization the goal of our life. Let’s put that spirituality as the first priority in our life. On a daily basis, take out some time to nourish your own soul, to enrich your mind and intellect with spirituality. In other words, regularly do some spiritual practice. Just as you take care of the body because you know it is important to maintain health, similarly take care of your soul by practicing spirituality. If we do it regularly for a half hour or an hour a day, the results will be tremendous. The balance, serenity and harmony we are looking for will be within our grasp.

What made Swami Mukundananda (IIT & IIM alumni) to make his own way?

Swami Mukundananda is one of those IIT alumni who have been a great source of inspiration for everyone in many ways. Swami Mukundananda has always been asked such questions as what made him to quit engineering and start the journey of Spiritualism?

It was to understand the absolute truth which made him to start his journey of spiritualism.

He inspires people to know more about their life’s purpose, solving their internal quests and giving them most practical solutions which they can follow in their day to day routines.

Contact: secretary@ jkyog.org website: www.jkyog.org. Attend Swami Mukundananda’s Yoga, Meditation and Spiritual Discourses in USA. See the schedule for your city: www.jkyog.org/2013.

Watch Swami ji on YouTube: http://www youtube.com/user/ JagadguruKripaluYou Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/Swami. Mukundananda.

Bloomfield

Bloomfield’s local access TV station (Ch. 35 Comcast; Ch. 30 Verizon) is now offering a double feature of its show “Saturday Night at the Movies,” a combination of classic cartoons, action-packed serials, and vintage movies, every Saturday at 8 p.m.

Here is the schedule for June Double Feature Month: June 15: “Last Man On Earth” and “Meet John Doe”; June 22: “Prelude To War” and “They Made Me a Criminal”. and June 29: “Panic In The Streets” and “Suddenly.”

Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center, 240 Bellville Ave., sponsors an art camp for children., ages 5 to 13. Session 1 (July 8 to 12) and Session 2 (July 15 to 19): The Wellrounded Artist: Campers will work in a variety of media. $250. Materials included. Session 3 (July 22 to 26) Adventures in Cooking: Campers will learn a different culinary treat each day. $275. Materials included. Session 4 (July 29 to Aug. 2) Creative Crafts: Jewelry- making, macramé, printing, woodworking and more. $250. Materials included. Session 5 (Aug. 5 to 9) : Adventures in Cooking. Classes are held Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Register early – class size is limited. All students must bring lunch, mid-morning snack and water. Wear clothes that can get dirty from art supplies.

Registration forms are available on the Oakeside web site – www.oakeside.org.

Suburban Essex Business and Professional Women, Inc.(SEBPW) will meet on Wednesday, June 19, at the Job Haines Home, 250 Bloomfield Ave.,There will be networking and light refreshments at 6 p.m. followed by the program. Cost is $5. Guest speaker will be nationally certified personal trainer Sheila Dunn, with over 16 years of experience specializing in training women to meet their goals. R.S.V.P. by Monday, June 17.

For reservations and/or information about (SEBPW) contact Jean at 973-248-3302 or Lucy at 973-743-4589 or email at LucyLopesT@aol. com.

Harrison

Pop Warner Football registrations are currently being held until June 28 at the Harrison Community Center, 401 Warren St., for these categories: Seniors: grades 7 and 8, Juniors: 5 and 6 and Mighty Mite: 1 and 2. Registration fee is $65. For more information, contact the community center at 973-268-2469.

The community center is also conducting registration for cheerleading for the 2013 football season until June 14. Tryouts to be announced. Registration is open to the following grades: Pee-Wees: 1 to 3, Juniors: 4 to 6 and Seniors: 7 and 8. For more information, contact the community center at 973-268-2469

Romeu Cascaes Portuguese American Community Center, 308 William St., Harrison, announces a new instructor, Donny Mendez for its Zumba classes. This one-hour class is held on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. Class and subscription discounts are available; get a free class if you bring a friend, plus free bottled water. For more information, call 201-401-0826 or email harrisonzumba@yahoo.com.

Kearny

The 23rd annual Kearny Senior picnic will be held on Thursday, June 13, at Doyle Pavilion at Riverbank Park from 11:30 a.m. tol 3:30 p.m. Admission is free to Kearny senior residents and tickets are available at the following locations: Main Library, Board of Health, Town Hall and at the Senior meetings.

The picnic is sponsored by the Mayor, Town Council and the Kearny Municipal Alliance.

Members of the Kearny Fire Department are volunteering their time to serve as chefs.

So bring a lawn chair, grab a friend, put on your dancing shoes for a great afternoon, In case of rain, the picnic will be at the Benstead Center, 60 Columbia Ave.

Kearny Public Library, 318 Kearny Ave., will host a Flag Day celebration on Friday, June 14, at 7 p.m., honoring the contributions of River Terminal Development and the Friends of the Kearny Public Library, who have helped make many improvements to both town libraries over the last few years.

The evening will feature live music by local band 1978 and an American picnic-inspired meal. Many building improvements to be showcased include: new framed art prints throughout the library, new tables and seating areas and completely reconfigured shelving. Speakers will include: Mayor Alberto Santos, Councilwoman Eileen Eckel, Board President Sean Mara and Library Director Josh Humphrey.

Tickets are $5, which must be paid in advance at the Main Library. Space is limited, so call or stop by the library soon for reservations. For more information on this or other programs, call 201-998-2666 or visit www.kearnylibrary.org.

Children 4 and older are invited to the library from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 24 to watch Snakes-n-Scales present “It Came From Beneath the Earth, a live animal show to celebrate the beginning of “Dig Into Reading,” the library’s Vacation Reading Challenge.

Children ages 2 1/2 – 5 years old are invited to the Main Library for Preschool Art with Desiree Mills from 11 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, June 25. The library will provide the art materials. Registration is not necessary, but space is limited.

Children ages 5 and older are invited to art class at the Main Library with Desiree Mills from 4 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 26. The library will provide the art materials. Registration is not necessary, but space is limited.

On Thursday, June 13, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. the Friends of the Kearny Public Library will host a special summer reading kickoff event at the Branch Library, 759 Kearny Ave. Cupcakes will be available to the first 50 children at 3:30 p.m., and there will be free face painting for children from 4 to 5 p.m.

Children will have the opportunity to browse the collection, which includes more than 100 new hardcover books and DVDs, purchased through Friends of the Library donations. Volunteers will be on hand to help students make summer reading selections. For this special day only, DVDs will be free at the branch.

For more information, visit <www.kearnylibrary.org> or call 201-998-2666 for more program information.

Presbyterian Boys-Girls Club, 663 Kearny Ave., will host the East Coast Professional Wrestlers on Saturday, June 15, at 7:30 p.m.

Five Kearny wrestling natives will be featured: Mike Rocky Jones, Kyle Jason Cage Durkin, Izzy XIZA Arboleda, Daniel Drayen West Trzepla and Jonathan Johnny Diamond Rodrigues.

Advance tickets are $12 at the Sunset Deli, 680 Kearny Ave., or Big Nicks Pizza, 72 Davis Ave., Kearny. You may also call Tom Fraser at 201- 991-6734.

Kearny Mandir Hindu Community Center, 156 Schuyler Ave., Kearny, announces free yoga and meditation programs with enlightening talks. Yoga and meditation will be held on Saturday, June 15, from 4 to 5:15 p.m.; Sunday; June 16, from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.; Monday to Thursday, June 17 to 20, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. Enlightening talks: Saturday, June 15, from 5:15 to 7 p.m.; Sunday, June 16, from 12:15 to 2 p.m.; Monday to Friday, June 17 to 20, from 7:15 to 9 p.m. A vegetarian meal will be served after the talks.

Lyndhurst

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 due to unemployment, disability or any other financial difficulty, cannot afford to feed his/her dog. Just stop by or call for more information 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 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lyndhurst Library children’s room, 355 Valley Brook Ave., invites children in grades 1 to 4 to create a special craft on Thursday, June 13, from 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Registration is required. Children in grades pre-k to 3 are welcome to come to the library to make a “Get Ready for Summer” craft on Tuesday, June 18, at 3:30 to 4:15 p.m. Registration is required.

Registration is currently open to June 14 to grades pre-k to 6 for the library’s summer reading program, “Dig Into Reading.” Children will explore all things underground. Activities may include programs on dinosaurs or construction vehicles, animals that live underground or Ancient Egypt, caves, rocks, and more. The program will include programs, prize drawings, story hours and more. For more information, call the library at 201-804-2480 ext 3 or visit http://www.lyndhurstlibrary.org.

The library offers a series geared toward people age 50 and over, “Connecting with Your Inner Self” to talk about topics such as fears, aging, changing obstacles into opportunities and more. The next meeting is on Thursday, June 20, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. For more information, please call the library at 201-804-2478, ext. 7.

The Lyndhurst Health Department, 601 Riverside Ave., will host a Senior Health Fair on Tuesday, June 11, from 2 to 6 p.m. This event will offer free screenings as well as free promotional items. Screenings include but are not limited to: blood pressure, memory exam, hearing, BMI, muscle tension, and chiropractic. Local businesses will be there to teach and encourage new ways for seniors to become more active at this stage in life. There will also be opportunities to learn about estate planning as well as long-term care planning. This event is not only for seniors, families of seniors are also welcome to attend. Donations will also be accepted for the Lyndhurst Food Pantry. for more information, contact the Health Department at 201-804- 2500.

Join the Health Department on Thursday, June 13, for the annual skin cancer screening. Please note that this is a change of date from the program listing. The screening will be performed by Dr. Shari Sperling and appointments begin at 9:15 a.m. This free screening is available to all Lyndhurst residents aged 18 or older. Call the Health Department to schedule an appointment.

The Food Pantry, located at the Lyndhurst Municipal Annex, 253 Stuyvesant Ave., has new hours: Tuesday through Thursday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. The Food Pantry is available to Lyndhurst residents who can show proof of hardship and proof of residency.

NJ Meadowlands Commission offers pontoon boat cruises at 5:30 p.m. on June 14, 17, 18 and 20. Cost is $15 per person for ages 10 and up.

Experienced NJMC staff will discuss the region’s human and environmental history and point out birds and other wildlife along the way.

Pontoon boat cruises depart from River Barge Park, 260 Outwater Lane, Carlstadt. Preregistration required. For a complete schedule, directions and to register, visit www.njmeadowlands. gov and click on “Environment” and “Meadowlands Tours,” or call 201-460-4640.

A canoe trip, hosted by the NJMC will be held on June 15 at 8:30 a.m., departing from Mill Creek Point Park, Secaucus. Take a three-hour guided tour exploring the Hackensack River and its marshes. Paddlers will learn the basics of salt marsh ecology and enjoy the magnificent natural and man-made scenery while rowing past wetlands and down creeks. Pre-registration required.

For more information or to register, go to www. njmeadowlands.gov and click on “Environment” and “Meadowlands Tours,” or call 201-460- 4640.

Third Tuesday of the Month bird walk, with the NJMC and the Bergen County Audubon Society, will be held on Tuesday, June 18, at 10 a.m. This free two-hour guided nature walk will take place at Laurel Hill County Park, Secaucus. The group will meet at the Laurel Hill ball fields at 10 a.m.

Check meadowblog.net for last-minute weather updates. You will have to sign a standard liability release that is good for NJMC/BCAS events throughout the year. To R.S.V.P., contact Don Torino of the BCAS at greatauk4@aol.com or 201-230-4983.

St. Michael the Archangel Parish, 624 Page Ave., Lyndhurst, will participate in the Fortnight for Freedom, 14 days of prayer and fasting for religious liberty ending on July 4. The U.S. bishops have called for the Fortnight for Freedom to address the current challenges to religious liberty.

Events begin on June 21 with prayer for religious liberty in our nation at the end of the 7 a.m. Mass, the 8 a.m. Mass, and the noon Mass. On June 27, there will be prayers for religious liberty in our nation coinciding with the all day Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Prayer times will be at 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and with Benediction at 7:30 p.m..

The Fortnight for Freedom events conclude at on July 4 with prayers for religious liberty in our nation after 7 a.m. Mass and 9 a.m. Mass.

Nutley

Pen to Prose Writer’s Group will meet at Nutley Public Library, 93 Booth Dr., on Monday, June 17, at 6:30 p.m. The group was formed to read works-in-progress, share accomplishments, critique works, give writing instruction, and provide encouragement and inspiration to aspiring authors. The group is free and open to the public.

On Monday, June 17, at 7 p.m., the library invites the community to relive the 1894 Nutley Amateur Circus, the famous Red Cross fundraiser with its colorful cast of local characters, including Henry Bunner, the editor of Puck magazine; Molly, the hat factory delivery horse; Eaton Stone, the long-retired “best horseman to ever enter the ring”; and Nutley’s own Annie Oakley. This program is free and open to the public.

Summer Reading clubs aren’t just for kids any more. Adults are invited to participate in the library’s Summer Reading Club at the library, which kicks off on June 24. Each book that you read or listen to gives you an opportunity to win fun prizes from our weekly raffle drawings. Displays of recommended summer reading materials will offer an opportunity for browsing and borrowing. Readers are encouraged to include a review of their book on each raffle ticket, or post a review on the library’s Facebook page. A grand prize drawing will be held at the end of the summer.

Call the library at 973- 667-0405 for more information on this and other programs. The schedule of programs is available at the library and on the library’s web site at http://nutley.bccls.org.