Last week, we offered some outlooks for 2022 — this week, it’s prediction time. So let’s have some fun. In 2022:
Dan Pronti gets re-elected mayor in North Arlington by a 3-1 margin or possibly with 99% of the vote. It still remains unclear whether there will be candidates from the Democratic Party.
Jim Fife deliberates and decides not to seek another term as Harrison’s mayor. In his place, Third Ward Councilman Larry Bennett becomes the party’s nominee for the position. Bennett goes on to become Harrison’s new mayor and faces massive responsibilities in deciding how to expand public safety in a town whose population continues to balloon.
Kearny Councilmembers Albino Cardoso, Peter Santana, Eileen Eckel and Susan McCurrie face primaries from a team put together by former mayoral hopeful Sydney J. Ferreira. Ferreira runs for Fourth Ward council seat — and puts up a much better showing in 2022 against McCurrie. However, Team Santos sweeps yet again in a second-consecutive and highly negative contested primary. And, again, Ferreira vows to continue to be involved in local politics.
Belleville Mayor Michael Melham cruises to a second term in Belleville, with a far wider win margin than he had four years ago, but the campaign is one of the nastiest in recent memory. He carries his running mates Naomy DePena and Thomas Graziano to victory.
Aries hosts its introductory meeting in Kearny — but it ultimately pulls its plans to build a plant in the industrial portion of the town. When residents attend the meeting, it gets so contentious the Aries people decide to call the meeting before all get to speak and ask questions.
East Newark Mayor Dina Grilo speaks to the media for the first time in her mayoralty in 2022.
Bergen County Commission President and North Arlington resident Steve Tanelli successfully initiates a crusade to bring more attention to the failures of bail reform. This is not to suggest Tanelli believes all facets of bail reform have failed, but he will use his position as an elected official to demonstrate areas where it has significantly backfired. It will take time, well beyond 2022, but this will become a Tanelli legacy item.
The year 2022 will be a relatively quiet one in Lyndhurst, the first full year in recent times where gadfly David Sivella’s voice is irrelevant.
What do you think? Were we on or off? Did we miss anything significant? Your feedback is encouraged and welcome. Send a reaction to editorial@theobserver.com.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.