Dec07
Clifton Police Involved in Shooting n Dec. 5, Clifton police shot and wounded a woman who they said attempted to run them over. It all began when cops responded to a report of a female slumped over in an automobile on Clinton Ave. When police tried to open the car door, the woman — former CHS softball player Michele M. Moleti, 34 — sped away. The woman is accused of attempting to ram a patrol car during the ensuing chase, which ended on Lafayette Ave. in Passaic when the car spun out. Police then approached the car and the woman allegedly tried to run them down, causing the officers to fire at her 20 times, striking her with six bullets. Passaic County Prosecutor James Avigliano said the shooting appeared to be justified. Moleti was charged with aggravated assault, eluding police and possession of a weapon. She also had an outstanding warrant in Essex County. Prosecutors said Moleti later admitted to drinking and using drugs the day of the incident. The BOE hired a superintendent search group from Illinois to find a permanent replacement for Dr. Michael Rice, who resigned in August. Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates is the same firm the Board used in 2002 when it hired Rice. Final costs haven’t been determined but the BOE paid the company $22,000 to cover costs for the last nationwide search. Gov. Jon Corzine unveiled a plan to change the way the state funds public schools. The proposal would send money to students in need no matter where they live, rather than just those in poorer districts. Under the plan, Clifton would see a 20 percent increase in state aid. The state asked for new environmental tests before construction began on the controversial Brighton Rd. school. The School Board’s attorney Anthony D’Elia said the district is complying with the DEP’s requests for new air-quality and groundwater tests. The school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2009. Clifton became one of 10 public school districts in the Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League to ask to pull out of the 20-team league. The request to withdraw comes because some public schools believe there is a competitive imbalance between themselves and private schools in the NNJIL. The earliest the league could vote on the matter is this month. The public districts would need the approval of 14 of the 20 members to secede from the NNJIL.
O
32
January 2008 • Clifton Merchant
On Dec. 12, the BOE held a special meeting to determine whether district schools are actually overcrowded before voting on a residents committee recommendation to build two 500-student academies. Board member Michael Paitchell made a presentation about how he believes classroom space could be better utilized. Asst. Supt. Ira Oustatcher countered with a presentation of his own, explaining how scheduling and special education classes limit the ways in which space can be used, and therefore new buildings are needed. Merchants in Lakeview united to create a community group to help bring consumers back to their stores. The Lakeview Merchants Association was actually established in October by Evelyn Malave, who owns The Corner Outlet, at Piaget and Lakeview Aves. But with only four other businesses involved at the time, the group couldn’t accomplish a whole lot. Nevertheless, by December, the organization had 20 members on its way to convincing the more than 150 Lakeview companies to join. Lakeview became the fourth neighborhood to form a business district, following those in Main Ave., Botany Village and Van Houten Ave.’s Athenia merchants.