From 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 8, the Kearny on-ramp to the Pulaski Skyway northbound is scheduled to be closed and detoured. The Kearny off-ramp from the Pulaski Skyway southbound will remain open. The ramp lies between the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers and provides access to/from the South Kearny Peninsula. The closure is necessary to install shielding under the bridge for upcoming structural steel repairs and painting.

Marlene Robinson Marlene Robinson (nee Foertsch) died at home Oct. 2, 2026. She was 86. Visiting will be Wednesday, Oct. 7 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. Her service will be at 7 p.m. Family and friends may meet again at the funeral home Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. and we will leave for Glendale Cemetery at 10 a.m.

Following a rough 2025 and a drop to the Super Essex Conference’s Independence Division, Belleville boys soccer coach Joseph Pontoriero decided to break this regular season into two parts. The first part was built around building back the confidence after going 5-13-1, taking aim at a division title and racking up victories. The second part was focused on challenging this group, ramping up the schedule and making sure it knew where it stood and what needed to be done in order to have a good showing in the upcoming Essex County and state tournaments.

For Vicky Zicopoulos and the Kearny girls volleyball team, it sure seemed like everything that could go wrong did during the first few weeks as illness and injuries left the Kardinals short-handed and in a four-game tailspin. And while Kearny isn’t at 100-percent yet, things are finally starting to fall into place as the Hudson County Tournament approaches. Thanks to consecutive wins over Ferris, Dickinson and Snyder, the Kardinals find themselves back over .500 at 7-6 and to 4-6 in what has been an incredibly balanced HCIAL American Division.

A suspect who was arrested recently in a North Arlington theft of seafood was involved in a similar incident in Kearny last month, Det. Sgt. John Fabula says. According to Fabula: On Sept. 1, 2026, at approximately 8:24 p.m., members of the Kearny Police Department’s Detective Bureau responded to a report of a suspicious incident involving a commercial cargo transport in the area of Harrison and Sandford avenues.

It has been 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center, but if I close my eyes, I can transport myself back to that Tuesday morning as if it happened yesterday. My desk was on the 72nd floor of Tower One, and the sights, sounds, my movements and even my thoughts from that day are seared into my memory.

Two people who were acting kind of fishy on Porete Avenue Oct. 3 were actually attempting to divert more than a quarter million dollar shipment of seafood — but the quick thinking of North Arlington police officers reeled it all in and put a stop to the operation, the North Arlington Police Department said. According to NAPD Public Information Officer Capt.

Yvonne Cali, principal of Franklin School in Kearny, announces the school’s September Students of the Month. These students were chosen based on the month's mantra:  Everyone Can Learn. James Guerreiro, Katia Gonzaga-Granda, Michael Morales, Antonella Benjumea, Julius Rivera, Esther Vieira, Jacob Navarro, Raylan Cleveland, Joshua Ramirez, Savannah Disney, Annie Mendoza, Alex Rosario, Gabriela Bedoya, Salvador Verastegui , Elizabeth Hernandez, Ryan Ricardo, Basthian Tasayco, Jaxon Sassaman, Analeah Jerez, Azeneth Munoz-Jimenez, Josue Zamora Vicuna, Jhon Gamboa, Samira Ruiz Quevedo, Thaylla Do Vale, Brianna Espinoza Zamora, Samantha Avila Vera, Abigail Collanguazo, Agustin Mahecha Castro, Eli Lopez, Alix Flores, Dylan Herrera, Aila Dotel, Luciano Barrionuevo, Flavia Verastegui Dyer, Laura Do Nascimento Fernandes, Alice Felipe, Dahlia De Andrade, Liam Turcios, Vivianna Cunha, Kiara Urmeneta, David Zelaya, Brian Gumb, Stephanie Padilla, Sienna Bellucci, Aydan Villarrubia, Alex Rosario, Alix Flores, Brunella Torres Gama, Myles Arevalo, Josiahs Zelaya, Gabriela Bedoya, Grayson Valentin, Lincoln Pearsall , Eloah Santos Lima, James Guerreiro.

Mayor Daniel H. Pronti and the North Arlington Borough Council’s dream of senior citizen and veterans housing is on the verge of becoming a reality. That’s because the North Arlington planning board has given its unanimous support for the construction of a senior and veterans housing project at 200 River Road, the current site of the VFW building. The proposed development represents another major investment in the continued revitalization of the River Road corridor while addressing the need for quality housing that allows North Arlington seniors to remain in the community.

Principal John Adamski, of Washington School in Kearny, announces the school’s September 2026 Students of the Month: PreK: Benjamin Barahona Rueda, Eliana Valdez Correa. Kindergarten: Santiago Argudo, Gianna Arizaga Carmona,Thiago Cruz-Araujo, Davis Espinoza. Grade 1: Michael Araujo Da Silva, Giovanny Diaz, Layla Gonzales, Jorge Mogro Leon, Saint Pugh, Evelyn Silva Miranda, Riley Tapia, Camila Villafuerte. Grade 2: Emma Barroso, Matthew Bracamonte, Nicolas Cieza Duenas, Ariana Cosio Santos, Bjorn Hidalgo Apolo, Arlet Lazo Dorado, Miguel Silva, Solei Sundar, Adam Touzani, Aleah Valladolid.

A man known to have had previous police interactions — barricading himself into his home — was at it against today, but fortunately, no one was hurt, according to Det. Lt. Michal Gontarczuk, the Kearny Police Department’s public information officer. According to Gontarczuk: At approximately 9:16 a.m., Kearny police units were dispatched by 911 to a residence on Webster Avenue, following a report of shots having been fired.

Hudson County Executive Craig Guy applauded the Town of Kearny’s filing of a lawsuit against heliport operator Helo Holdings Inc. (HHI) in the Chancery Division of New Jersey Superior Court in a news conference this afternoon. HHI is in South Kearny. In June, Guy and the Hudson County Board of County Commissioners entered into a shared-services agreement to support coordinated legal action and the sharing of legal expenses aimed at addressing and curbing the impacts of incessant tourist helicopters flying over Hudson County municipalities.

East Newark Police Officer Jaydon Fiori graduated the Newark Police Academy recently and is already patrolling the borough’s streets. Standing next to him are Academy Director Capt.  James George, of Newark, and East Newark Capt. Junior Fiori, Jaydon’s dad, also of East Newark.

A six-car crash at the intersection of Davis and Garfield avenues Sept. 23 looked tragic, but it turns out only the driver of the vehicle, who police later determined was driving drunk, was injured — miraculously — Kearny Police Det. Lt. Michal Gontarczuk said. According to Gontarczuk At about a quarter to 9 p.m. that night, Kearny PD units responded to a motor-vehicle crash involving at least five vehicles (later determined to be six), near Davis and Garfield avenues.

A four-alarm fire on President Street in East Newark Sept. 23 left several families homeless, while others will be temporarily displace but able to rebuild from the fire, Harrison Fire Chief Henry Richard said. That day, in the noon hour, calls for the blaze brought firefighters initially from Harrison and Kearny, then units from East Newark, Jersey City, Newark, Secaucus, North Hudson, Hoboken and elsewhere, according to Richard.

Clarence ‘Junior’ P. Finch Jr. Clarence “Junior” P. Finch Jr., 91, of Kearny, died Sept. 25, 2026, at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, just days shy of his 92nd birthday. Junior was born Oct. 4, 1934, at Margaret Hague Hospital in Jersey City to the late Clarence and Elise Finch Sr. He spent his early years in the Heights of Jersey City before his family moved to Kearny.

North Arlington girls volleyball coach Genevieve Dwyer was confident that her team was going to be significantly improved this season. But as optimistic as Dwyer was, even she’s been surprised at how dramatic the turnaround has been through the first month of the season. With nine wins in its first 11 games, the Vikings have not only matched last year’s wins total, it needs just one more victory to have its first double-digit win season since 2021.

For more than two years, Juliet Olson has been one of the top tennis players in Hudson County. But the junior who attends Hudson County Prep in Jersey City and plays for Kearny, wants to be more than just the best in her home county. That’s why this summer, Olson made it a priority to take the hour-long trip up Orangeburg, NY every day to play and practice at the GG Tennis Academy, against some of the Northeast’s top talents.

Hudson County Executive Craig Guy has tapped former federal Prosecutor Desiree Grace, Esq., to lead Hudson County’s first-ever Office of Inspector General. In July, Guy proposed an ordinance to the Hudson County Board of Commissioners establishing the Office of the Inspector General. The Board of Commissioners unanimously adopted the ordinance in August. “Desiree Grace’s credentials are impeccable and I have no doubt she will lead the Office of Inspector General with integrity and independence,” Guy said.

Zentai Martial Arts is celebrating its 10th anniversary, marking a decade since founders Grand Master Allen DePeña and Naomy DePeña opened their first martial arts school in North Arlington in September 2016. What began as a small location has grown into four New Jersey schools in North Arlington, Clifton, Belleville and Hackensack, along with the nonprofit Heart of Zentai, which serves children in the United States and the Dominican Republic.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the Town of Kearny will transition recycling services currently available at the DPW recycling yard to curbside pickup only and scheduled collection services. The recycling yard will no longer be available for general resident drop-offs. Residents will continue to have the following recycling and disposal options: Mixed paper, cardboard and commingled recyclables: Place items curbside for collection by Cali Carting on your regularly scheduled recycling days.

Kearny’s fall leaf program begins the week of Nov. 2, 2026. All residents must place leaves in biodegradable paper leaf bags and leave them at the curb for pickup. Residents may longer place leaves in the street on street sweeping day — this regulation has been in effect for several years now. There is also no longer a need to call to schedule a pickup of leaf bags, as they will be picked up from Nov.

From 238 participants in the inaugural race to more than 2,600 across four distinct event experiences, RWJBarnabas Health and the New Jersey Devils will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the RWJBarnabas Health Running with the Devils 5K Run & Walk on Sunday, Nov. 1, at the South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange.  The competitive 5K race (on a USATF-certified course) and the Wellness Walk takes place along Cherry Lane and the scenic reservoir.

The Kearny-Belleville Elks #1050 hosts its sixth-annual Incredible Duck Race Saturday, Sept. 19, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Veterans Row, 300 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. The community fundraiser features food trucks, live music, vendors, children’s activities and a duck race, with ducks scheduled for release at 5 p.m. New this year, a sensory friendly zone, led by Kean University occupational therapy students, will offer families an additional space to enjoy the event.

Ronald J. Solinski Ronald J. Solinski died at home on Sept. 12, 2026. He was 84. Visiting will be on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. Family and friends will be invited to share a memory about Ron at 6 p.m. His cremation will be private.

After a historic 14-4-1 season a year ago, Bryan Jablonsky warned his Harrison girls soccer team that it wouldn’t be able to sneak up and surprise opponents anymore like it might have in the past. There may not be an element of surprise anymore, but the end results have been the same to start the season. Fueled by the confidence built from last year and the hunger to go even further this year, the Blue Tide have opened the season with shutouts over Park Ridge and Butler.

It would be easy for Belleville girls volleyball coach John Spina to have a pessimistic view of his team after bouts of inconsistency and unforced errors have led to a 2-2 start to the season. Instead, Spina has chosen to take a more optimistic outlook. While not as sharp as he would have liked, Spina knows that this team is further along at this point than the one from a year ago that won eight of its last nine matches to win the Essex County Invitational and finish 13-14.

After having his first two years as North Arlington’s starting quarterback marred by injuries and disappointment, it would be fair to say that Shane Crudele had a chip on his shoulder entering his senior season. The brace on his right shoulder is all the proof needed of how much this season truly means to him. “I worked through it all. I play with an arm brace and I really feel like I have nothing more left to give.

Assemblyman Jerry Walker will join STONO Public Affairs and the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender for a Fresh Start Expungement Clinic Wednesday, Sept. 23, providing New Jersey residents with an opportunity to receive information and assistance about the expungement process. The clinic takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Jersey City City Hall Annex, 39 Kearney Ave., Annex 4, Jersey City.

Oh, brother! These two are in some serious hot water. According to Deputy Police Chief Paul F. Haggerty: On Thursday, Sep. 10, 2026 at approximately 9:16 a.m., Lt. Richard Holicki was on patrol in the area of Clay Avenue and Wall Street West, when he observed a white freightliner tractor bearing a temporary New Jersey registration with an expiration of Aug.

The Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office is now accepting applications for the county’s newly formed Mental Health Diversion Program, which was designed to redirect individuals accused of certain crimes away from incarceration and into community-based treatment programs. To participate in the voluntary program, individuals facing certain charges must submit an application with the HCPO indicating they suffer from a mental-health condition. The application will be reviewed by a member of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from a mental health professional, to determine an individual’s eligibility.

Harrison HS Class of 1976 hosting 50th reunion The Harrison High School Class of 1976 hosts its 50th reunion Saturday, Oct. 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Towne Pub, 378 Broad St., Belleville. There is no set cost or menu — simply order what you want at the restaurant. If you plan to attend, send an email to athenaosterkorn@gmail.com…

From 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 10, and again on Friday, Sept. 11 at the same time, the Kearny on-ramp to the Pulaski Skyway northbound is scheduled to be closed and detoured. The Kearny off-ramp from the Pulaski Skyway southbound will remain open. The ramp lies between the Hackensack and Passaic rivers and provides access to/from the South Kearny Peninsula.

A Kearny native will deliver Hudson County Community College’s keynote marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on America. The college will also host a 9/11 Memorial Program featuring remembrances, addresses, presentations and a documentary screening Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at 2 p.m. in the Gabert Library Atrium, 71 Sip Ave., Jersey City. The atrium offers panoramic views of New York City and Jersey City skylines and a steel fragment from the World Trade Center North Tower’s East Façade, which was obtained by the College in 2013, is housed on the atrium balcony.

Kearny’s annual Doggie Halloween PAWrade and Festival returns Saturday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Arlington Depot Park. Costume-clad pooches, their families and dog lovers of all ages should head over to the park (off Midland Avenue, between Elm and Forest streets) for all the fun, sponsored by the Kearny Urban Enterprise Zone, K-9 Corner/Bone Appetit and others.

Construction will soon begin on the long-awaited Midland Avenue Streetscape Project, a large-scale improvement project for the Midland Avenue commercial district, Mayor Carol Jean Doyle, the Town Council and UEZ said. For the first time on a project of this scale, residents and business owners may sign up to receive direct email updates as construction moves forward. Subscribers will receive information about schedule changes, road impacts, project milestones and other important updates sent directly to their inbox, making it quick and easy to stay informed without having to search for the latest information.

Guiseppina Mattia Guiseppina Mattia (nee Di Popolo) was born in Calabritto, Italy, and lived many years in Kearny. She died Aug. 28, 2026. She was 93. Visiting was at the Armitage & Wiggins Funeral Home, 596 Belgrove Drive, Kearny. Her funeral service was in the chapel at Holy Cross Cemetery Mausoleum, North Arlington. Guiseppina was the wife of the late Francesco and mother of Carmela Di Trolio, Silvestro Mattia and the late Pasqule Mattia.

Longtime Harrison boys soccer coach Mike Rusek knows that last season’s Blue Tide team might have been a little bit ahead of schedule when it made runs to the Hudson County and North 2, Group 2 tournament finals a year ago. But with several pieces from those playoff runs back, the message this preseason has been quite clear that the expectations for this fall are greater than simply matching last year’s success.

Maybe it’s the result of a roster that is the youngest roster Kearny’s girls soccer had had in many years. But as Kardinals head coach Michael Sylvia goes through the preseason, there’s no denying that the mood has been especially upbeat as the Kardinals prepare for another season. “Honestly, it's been a very different preseason. It's been a really great one,” said Sylvia, who begins his seventh season as Kearny’s head coach.

It would be easy for people to count out this year’s Lyndhurst boys soccer team because of what it no longer has, most notably All-State striker Robert Dasler Jr., who scored 43 goals last year. But despite the graduation of the program’s all-time leading goal scorer, head coach Emad Abu-Hakmeh sees a team that has the depth and versatility to exceed what last year’s team accomplished when it went 15-6 and shared the NJIC Patriot Division title.

September-October – Art at the Library – Art Association of Rutherford – Nutley Public Library hosts an exhibition for the Art Association of Rutherford, featuring work from various local artists.  A reception for the artists will take place at the library Oct. 3 from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 1-30 – Library Card Sign-up Month – Join us for library incentives all month long. 

A 63-year-old Kearny man has been arrested on criminal-sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a minor charges, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The arrest was the result of a joint investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the North Arlington Police Department Horton. According to Musella: On Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, the New Jersey Division of Child Protection & Permanency contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit regarding alleged sexual contact with a juvenile that had occurred in North Arlington.

U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Thomas M. Feltey, of Kearny, incoming commanding general of V Corps, recites the oath of office during a promotion and assumption of command ceremony at Fort Knox, Kentucky, Aug. 31, 2026. Feltey previously commanded the 1st Cavalry Division during its deployment to Eastern Europe, working alongside V Corps and NATO allies in large-scale operations. The Observer will have more on Feltey's remarkable and latest accomplishment in the coming days. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Hector Blanco)

A program that started more than a half-century ago, continues to thrive in the Kearny School District. The Extended School Year program has provided continuous support for students with disabilities since 1971, empowering high school students to step into meaningful mentorship and leadership roles. The program has grown significantly to meet the needs of an expanding student population. Each summer, around 60 Kearny High School student aides are selected to work alongside district educators, supporting younger students in classroom, recreational and social settings.

Since 2018, the Borough of North Arlington has reviewed and updated property values every year, rather than waiting seven to 10 years for a single, massive revaluation. Under the previous system performed for decades, property assessments in the borough sat untouched. When the town finally updated them, homeowners were often hit with sudden, dramatic tax jumps. North Arlington’s "rolling reassessment" system avoids those massive increases by making small, gradual adjustments every year based on recent market sales.

James Ronald Serritella James Ronald Serritella, 71, formerly of Belleville, died peacefully on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2026, surrounded by his family. Jim was a loving husband, father, brother and son and someone who lived a life full of music, hard work, family and many good memories. Music was a big part of Jim’s life. He was a talented musician and was well known throughout the tri-state area for playing bass with his band, “Wild Child.”

With back-to-back state tournament appearances on its resume, Nutley head football coach Chris Helm views the last two seasons as successful ones for what was a young program still looking to regain its footing. But as Helm enters his fourth season as Raiders head coach and a roster that isn’t just a veteran group, but one supplemented with a talented young core of rising sophomores, the bar is understandably higher for Nutley this fall.

Belleville head football coach Brian Antab knows that replicating last year’s success when it won its first division title in more than 15 years will be a tall task after graduating 16 seniors, including several two-way starters. And while most of this year’s group didn’t see a ton of playing time on last season’s 7-1 team, the hope is that experience has helped set a foundation for what needs to be done to enjoy similar success now and in the future.

John Policano can look out across Kearny Stadium and see the vision he had when he took over as the Kardinals’ head coach. With more than 50 players on the field, numbers are stronger than they’ve been in years and this summer has seen an unprecedented level of buy-in from this group. The last part of that vision to be fulfilled is on the scoreboard and standings.

Beginning at 11 p.m., Friday, Aug. 28 until 11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, the Pulaski Skyway will be closed and detoured in both directions. The closure and detour are necessary to restripe the roadway and remove construction barrier in order to reopen the Broadway ramp to and from Route 1&9 Truck. By 11 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 29, the Broadway ramp is expected to reopen in both directions.