Clifton Merchant Magazine - July 2008

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Clifton Merchant Magazine • Volume 13 • Issue 7 • July 4, 2008

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Clifton Merchant Magazine

Letters to the

1288 Main Ave. Clifton 07011

tomhawrylko@optonline.net

Editor

On behalf of the NJ National Guard, the 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, and the 113th Infantry Bn., I would like to thank you for the positive story in your May 2 issue covering Spc Pereda and Sgt Stine of Clifton.

The entire issue, with its dedication to many Clifton veterans is a great idea and I am sure you made many vets in the community feel appreciated for the sacrifices they have made for American freedom.

MAJ Jason Fetterolf Public Affairs Officer 50th Infantry Brigade Combat Team New Jersey Army National Guard

I graduated CHS in 1966 in a class of about 1,040, which I had always believed was the largest graduating class in the history of Clifton High School.

However, recently we read online that the class of 1970 had about 1,200 students and I was just wondering if anyone knew if that was true or if my class was still officially the largest.

Kathy Banta Bob McDermott CHS Class of 1966

16,000 MAGAZINES are distributed to hundreds of Clifton Merchants the first Friday of every month.

SUBSCRIBE PAGE 75 $16/year in Clifton $27/year out of town CALL 973-253-4400 entire contents copyright 2008 © tomahawk promotions

Clifton Police Officers and Army National Guardsmen David Pereda and Wayne Stine began their training last month at Fort Bliss in Texas. In September, they will be deployed to the Middle East for nine months. We would like to hear from others members of the Armed Forces as they deploy. Contact us at the address above.

The Class of 1976 had 1,112 grads, which is larger than what Mr. McDermott quoted for the Class of ’66. The records in the CHS Guidance Department only go back to 1975, so it’s possible that 1970 and the earlier ’70s classes were larger, but no one could verify. I’ve asked a couple of the old timers but we do not have a definitive answer.

Carol Leonard Public Information Officer Clifton Public Schools

Police Unity Tour: Your kindness in riding to ‘Remember Those Who Died’ is appreciated. I’m an old friend of the late Clifton Police Officer Johnny Samra—it was good to see him and others remembered.

Lori (Snack) Warden U.S. Virgin Islands

Editor’s Note: Plans are underway for the ‘09 Police Unity Tour to raise awareness for police officers who have died in the line of duty. For info, visit www.policeunitytour.com.

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Tom Hawrylko BUSINESS MANAGER Cheryl Hawrylko STAFF WRITERS: Joe Hawrylko, Jordan Schwartz GRAPHIC ARTIST: Tomahawk Promotions Rich McCoy 1288 Main Avenue CONTRIBUTORS: Downtown Clifton, NJ 07011 Gary Anolik, Rich DeLotto 973-253-4400 • tomhawrylko@optonline.net July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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Principal Turned Superintendent Story by Jordan Schwartz

New Clifton School District Superintendent Richard Tardalo knows what it’s like to grow up and learn in a crowded environment.

The New York native was not only the youngest of 11 children, but he also attended Brooklyn Technical High School, a 13-story building with 5,000 students.

So Tardalo, 58, who has served as CHS principal for the past two years, has plenty of personal and professional experience dealing with one of the district’s most pressing issues: the need for space.

“I still believe we do need the additional space,” said Tardalo in reference to the controversial 500student ninth grade high school annex at 290 Brighton Road,

Richard Tardalo, who served as Clifton High School’s principal for the past two years, began his four-year contract as the district’s new superintendent on July 1.

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which he hopes will be completed and ready for students to occupy in the fall of 2009.

Clifton residents approved a referendum on the school in a 68 to 32 percent vote in Dec. 2004, but the project was held up by Zoning Board denials and legal wrangling until construction finally began this year.

“I worked at the high school and I can assure you we could use 25 more classrooms to more effectively program the high school, and taking 500 students out would address that issue,” Tardalo said.

The new school chief admits that there’s also a space problem in the middle schools, but he’d like to walk the halls of Woodrow Wilson and Christopher Columbus and speak to the principals before taking action.

Last November, a group of Cliftonites appointed by the Board of Education presented a plan to construct two academies to alleviate overcrowding at the middle

“That’s extremely expensive and I don’t think we’re ready to spend those types of funds at this point and time,” Tardalo said of the school search committee’s $46 million plan to construct two academies to alleviate overcrowding at the middle school level. school level. One would be located on the east side of the CCMS ball field and another would be erected next to CHS. Each school would accommodate up to 500 students and the proposed cost was said to be $46M. “That’s extremely expensive and I don’t think we’re ready to spend those types of funds at this point and time, but I need to sit down with the Board and discuss,” said Tardalo.

He added that there may be a space problem at the elementary schools as well, with the pending requirement to create a pre-school program for about 80 children in the district.

“Initially, the state will probably provide funding, but they might not keep it going, so it might become an unfunded mandate,” said the superintendent. “Pre-school is an effective component for education in the long run.”

However, if the state isn’t going to cover the cost, city taxpayers will be forced to foot the bill, thus increasing a school budget that voters have rejected each of the past three years.

So how does Tardalo plan on passing spending plans during these difficult economic times?

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A History of Clifton Superintendents of Schools On July 1, Richard Tardalo became the fifth permanent school chief in the 94-year history of the Clifton School District. Here’s a brief look at the previous four individuals to lead the city’s educational system.

George J. Smith Smith served from 1914 to 1951. He oversaw the construction of a new CHS beginning in 1920 and the addition of a north wing, including a new gym, in 1945.

William F. Shershin Shershin’s three-and-ahalf decades at the helm (1951-1986) were defined by his effort to build more schools to accommodate a growing population.

that we’re being fiscally responsible and the dollars they give us are being spent in the most cost-effective way,” he said.

And Tardalo, who has been attending BOE meetings for the past two years, knows that support from the City Council is important as well.

“I’ve seen some of the disagreements the Board has had in the past with the Council and some of the problems that exist with getting everyone to work together, but I think it’s doable. The bottom line is that when you talk to people individually, they want the best for the children of Clifton, but I don’t know if that always matches their actions,” Tardalo continued, adding that transparency by the Board is key to good cooperation.

“We have to be more open and honest,” he said.

“One of the problems in the past is that decisions were made without having an opportunity for the public to have an open forum.”

Another issue Tardalo will have to deal with is low test scores at CCMS. The school failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress standards this year, but the superintendent said there’s work being done to restructure the middle schools with double block scheduling so that additional math skills courses can be put in place.

Tardalo will also be faced with what some believe is a gang presence in the district. The new school chief

William C. Liess Liess (1986-2002) set up a capital expenditures budget, instituted a $7M technology initiative and spear-headed the referendum to build School 17.

Dr. Michael F. Rice During his five year tenure, Rice implemented full-day kindergarten classes in all elementary schools and passed eight of 12 voter initiatives.

says he doesn’t perceive gangs to be a major problem at the high school, but the district does need to make sure students know how to conduct themselves in public.

“There’s nothing wrong with teaching core American values,” he said.

The BOE voted unanimously on June 11 to hire Tardalo after also considering Tenafly Supt. Morton Sherman and former Paramus Supt. Janice Dime.

While Tardalo was the only finalist without school chief experience, several Board members cited his experience in the district as a reason why he was the best candidate for the job.

“Clifton is very tough on people who are not insiders, but people are very supportive of him even though he’s only been here for two years,” said Commissioner Kim Renta.

“I felt that he would be able to unify more elements of the community in order to get our agendas passed,” added Commissioner John Traier.

After graduating City University in New York, Tardalo taught for nine years. In 1982, he began his tenure as an assistant principal at Adlai Stevenson High School before becoming a principal at Paul Robeson, Sheepshead Bay and Peekskill Highs. He also served on the BOE in Harrington Park, where he still resides, for 10 years.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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Between 2003 and 2005, Tardalo took a break from administration to teach as an adjunct professor at Mercy College. He then returned to work as a principal at Mount Saint Michael Academy in the Bronx and finally at CHS starting in 2006.

Tardalo has one Masters in Science and Reading from the College of Staten Island and another in Administration from St. John’s University.

Tardalo was given a four-year contract with a starting salary of $184,000, which will be increased by 3.5 percent each year.

Since this is Tardalo’s first superintendent job, the district is also hiring a mentor, at the cost of a couple thousand dollars, to meet with him every other week to help the transition along. Former school chief William C. Liess mentored Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice when he came aboard in 2002.

Rice resigned his post last August, three years before his second contract was set to expire, to take the superintendent’s job in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

He was replaced on an interim basis by former Clifton assistant superintendent and principal Dr. Anthony G. Barbary, whom Tardalo took over for on July 1.

One of the new superintendent’s top priorities will be hiring a new high school principal. Ideally, Tardalo would like to have someone in place for the start of the upcoming school year, but BOE President Michael Urciuoli is a

The Tardalo family in a recent photo. From left, Alexis, Richard, Matthew, Kimberly and Judith.

little less optimistic. “Good people now have jobs for September and we don’t want to hire someone that’s just out there floating around,” he said. “When you’re trying to hire big positions, the best time to hire is January.”

Urciuoli said an interim may be hired for up to a year with the goal of having someone permanent in place by Sept. 2009.

Tardalo will eventually also have to find a permanent replacement for Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ira Oustatcher, who recently left the district.

He was replaced on a temporary basis by former Wayne superintendent of schools Dr. Maria Nuccetelli, who just had her contract extended for another year.

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290 Brighton Road School Construction Underway Nearly three-and-a-half years after voters approved a ninthgrade high school annex at 290 Brighton Rd., shovels finally touched soil at the project site this past spring. But the delay has caused a $1.2 million increase in construction costs, which were originally estimated in 2004.

“The increase is the result of escalating construction costs and changed code requirements,” said Board of Education President Michael Urciuoli.

He said now that the district has received approval from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and building permits from the city, architects have begun negotiating the change orders with contractors.

The most active contractor to date has been the heating, ventilation

A contractor working at the 290 Brighton Rd. school site on June 25.

and air conditioning firm.

Meanwhile, the district has changed plumbers. The old contractor, Brian Patterson, has relocated his business to Florida, and so Clifton has hired Brook Mechanical to do the

work at a cost of $707,000 — actually, a savings of $10,000 from the original contract.

Urciuoli said the district anticipates completion of the project in the summer of 2009.

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Athenia Steel Park Stalled

by Joe Hawrylko

The 27 acre former Athenia Steel factory, a political quagmire since its 1999 purchase, may one day become a city park—but it is unlikely to happen this year.

That’s despite a May 30 Clifton Journal story which reported that the long-awaited park—which would share one Clifton Ave.

entrance with the Senior Horizons housing complex—was nearing reality. The paper reported that the city had acquired nearly $2 million in grant money for remediation, planning and construction of soccer fields. But this isn’t the first time we’ve heard this story, is it?

Similar articles over the years have promised the exact same thing.

This Keepsake Edition... iss M ’t on D : rs e is rt Adve

If the park does becomes a reality, this dead end at Fornelius and Svea Aves may be opened for vehicle access since Clifton Ave. offers the only egress to the property.

in August, we are ry better than we do and sto Hi n ifto Cl es do e m CHS. on No des after graduation fro tracking down grads deca n. nd out in our August editio Where are they now? Fi .

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

An Aug. 12, 2005 front page story in the Herald New read, “Park plan closer to reality. Plan would require demolishing car wash.” The Journal followed a week later with a story which stated, “Athenia property may soon be a park.”

So are we any closer now to converting the 27 acre former factory into a park than we were back in 2005? According to City Manager Al Greco, the city is currently identifying all of the contaminants in the central portion of the property. Once that is completed, a plan will be devised on how to remediate the land.

But going back to the Sept. 2005 edition of the Clifton Merchant, there was apparently a similar attempt to identify all of the pollutants. At the time, Greco stated that the soil sampling would be completed in about six months, and from there, it was just a matter of remediating and building.

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So are we moving forward, or just running in place? While the city successfully completed the construction of the Senior Horizons building, the only actual progress on the park thus far has been the approval of the concept plans for soccer fields on the northern portion.

The plans also call for a roadway along the central border to act as a cap, and a fence to prevent anyone from accessing the contaminated land. The city is banking on a grant from the NJ Economic Development Administration to cover about 75 percent of the cost of the fence and road.

However, the State hasn’t even given its seal of approval yet, meaning that construction must be a while away. That’s a far cry from what Mayor James Anzaldi stated in the Jan. 2007 edition of the Merchant, when he was quoted as saying, “We can begin building soccer fields this year.”

Beyond getting approval for the plans, there’s also the issue of access to the proposed park, which only has one entrance off of a highly traveled Clifton Ave.

The city is still a far cry away from what Mayor James Anzaldi stated in the Jan. ‘07 edition of this magazine: “We can begin building soccer fields this year.”

Back when Senior Horizons was built on the front six acres along Clifton Ave., Passaic County Engineer Steven J. Edmond informed the Council that the NJ Transit train bridge abutment on Clifton Ave. must be altered to “enhance the line of sight while exiting the facility.” In 2003, Senior Horizons was granted a temporary Certificate of Occupancy; meaning the city will not receive a permanent one until this modification is completed.

“Right now, we’re looking at the entrance way (on Clifton Ave. at the rail bridge) and providing enhancements,” said Greco. “Perhaps a light to control traffic.” Even if a light is installed—which would be located a couple hundred feet away from the very busy signal at the intersection of Clifton and Paulison Aves.—it still just leaves one entrance to the property.

One easy option exists: Using Svea Ave., off of Colfax Ave., which has a direct line into the property.

However, in the past, other council members said Anzaldi has been against its use due to a promise he made to residents in that neighborhood.

14

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Just off Clifton Ave. and past Senior Horizons,, this would be the entrance to the proposed ball fields on the Athenia Park.

As a result, city officials have considered various other and more costly proposals for a second path into the complex.

There was the ill-fated plan to purchase a car wash at the intersection of Washington and Paulison Aves., demolish and create an entrance which would have cars and kids crossing the NJ Transit rail lines there.

However, these plans were shut down, by NJ Transit because of the danger and potential liability involved.

Another idea was to create an entrance through the former Capital Soap building on Colfax Ave., across from CHS. The road would ramp up about 12 feet, go over a freight rail line and a large patch of wetlands before coming back into Athenia Steel. The property is privately owned and used by a trucking firm.

Other proposals have included access through the gated Cambridge Crossings, where the city maintains a right-of-way. However, this too would have to cross a freight line. “We’re still reviewing our options for access,” said Greco.

So in 2008, we’re still essentially where we were back in 2005...and 1999 when it all began. No construction, an unresolved Certificate of Occupancy issue, still only one point of entry and exit and no firm time table for anything. The only difference is the No Further Action letter for the northern 11 acres—delivered on Nov. 17, 2006—and preliminary approval of plans for the fields on that portion.

At this point, which sounds more like reality: a park with kids playing ball, or a nearly decade-old political

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

There were 734 members of the CHS graduating Class of 2008 on June 24. Another 31 students are scheduled to receive their degrees following the completion of summer courses. Around 90 percent of the graduates are attending post-secondary institutions. The remaining 10 percent will either be heading right into the working world or joining the military.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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You’ve paid into the system during your working years. If you are injured or become ill,

...Are You Entitled To

Disability Benefits?

by Robert J. Wertalik, Esq.

O

ne of the more surprising and disappointing realities which I have encountered in my career as a trial lawyer representing accident victims is the large number of people who are unaware of what Social Security Disability benefits are and what needs to be done to receive them.

Even in a City like Clifton, with its history of being an industrial and manufacturing center, people who are disabled by being injured on or off the job, or by illness due to disease or other medical conditions, often do not apply for the Social Security Disability Benefits to which they are entitled. The point is you’ve paid into the system over the years and you may be entitled to benefits.

It is always particularly satisfying to inform someone who is eligible for disability benefits what is needed to receive them, because so many who have run into difficult and unfortunate circumstances concerning their health truly need the benefits to be able to continue their lives in a manageable way.

In order to qualify for Social Security Disability Benefits, the medical condition or impairment must be severe enough to keep that person from doing many of the things he or she used to do with family, friends and co-workers or from returning to work and competing for a full time job.

The disabling condition or impairments must last, or be expected to last, for at least 12 consecutive months.

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Vocational factors, such as age, education and previous work experience, may be important in helping the applicant to obtain benefits.

I am often asked the following questions: • If I have applied in the past, can I apply again?

• How does my age affect being awarded Social Security Disability Benefits?

• How long of a time will it be before I can receive my benefits?

• Can I collect Social Security Disability while I am collection Long-Term Disability or Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

• If I am able to work part-time, can I collect Social Security Disability Benefits?

The answers to these questions can begin to give an applicant some insight as to what is involved in the Social Security Disability claim.

Very importantly, benefits are often denied at both the initial level and again upon reconsideration. It is necessary that an applicant keep fighting denials, since many times the denials are reversed and benefits granted, often after a hearing with an administrative law judge. It is therefore critical that people know their rights and not be intimidated by the bureaucratic process.

Bygone News As collected & edited by Clifton Historian Don Lotz Bygone News provides a glimpse into the events occurring in Acquackanonk (now Clifton) 100 and 50 years ago. While topics illustrate the evolution of a rural Acquackanonk Township into the Clifton of today, no doubt readers will also notice how some issues seem timeless.

This month, we also take a look back at what was going on in the city five and one year ago.

July 1908 Fairyland Park opened in July with its “Hurrah for the Fourth of July” celebration. For 10 cents guests enjoyed “Pain’s Fireworks, Keith and Proctor Vaudeville Show, 10 High, Fancy and Fire Daredevil Diving Acts” and more. Standard attractions included “Children’s Day every Thursday, Amateur night every Friday, and Band Concerts every Sunday.”

July 8 Fairyland offered “watermelon eating contest, confetti carnival, and baby show… free to all.” The next week Fairyland booked its “greatest and costliest outdoor

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attraction,” Miss Labell direct from Dreamland, Coney Island.”

Miss Labell drove her car down a 125 foot incline, jumped from the car as it somersaulted and landed in a net 100 feet below.

The Acquackanonk Township Committee met July 7 in Hohenstein’s Hall. “The treasurer reported a cash balance of $480.06… and the poormaster reported expenses of $117.50.” A new ordinance “to license all tracks where bicycle or motor-cycle races are held passed final reading” and fees were set at $10 per day or $50 for the season. “Mr. Groocock protested against motorcycles tearing up the sidewalk in front of his place and endangering the lives of the people who use this walk.”

Chief of Police William Coughlan received Mr. Groocock’s complaint and with six deputies staked out the sidewalk the following Sunday.

“Unsuspecting riders swung in from the roadway, intent on doing a sprint over the cinder

path and the next thing they knew they were entangled in the meshes of a long cow chain.” The captured motorcyclists were taken before Judge James F. Sutton and fined $5 each.

Clifton Stadium witnessed many races and multiple world speed records broken during July 1908. Motorcyclist Jake de Rosier, of Paterson, traveled one mile in 56 seconds removing 4/5 seconds from the previous record. Passaic bicyclist George Wiley, known as the “Messenger Boy,” matched against “the great six day rider Eddie Root,”

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lost a pedal in the 10 mile motor paced race and placed third.

Messenger Boy Riley won the following Sunday doing the 10 miles in 18:08.4. Danish bicyclist Norman Anderson broke the one mile paced world record with a 1:40.4 time. Jake de Rosier broke another world record going five miles in 5:25.

Nine year old Frank Hillman broke his arm attempting to master the track at Clifton Stadium. He borrowed a friends bicycle and “succeeded in making a pretty fair showing until in an effort to escape collision with a motor cycle, he lost control [and] landed in a heap at the bottom” of the track.

The Clifton Friendship Club held their picnic July 3 in Plog’s Hall, Piaget Ave., West Clifton. An ice cream booth was in the grove for refreshment and fireworks were displayed. Fairyland Park’s Fourth of July fireworks included “serial bombs, beautiful set pieces, pinwheels measuring six and eight feet in diameter, powerful and brilliant skyrockets and Roman candles, dynamite crackers, Greek fire of all colors imaginable, and several hundred packages of giant firecrackers.”

A crude eye surgery was performed on William Sharrah’s left

eye after several pieces of steel had flown into it. “A very powerful magnet was used to remove the metal, but without effect.

After a half-hour’s hard work six pieces of steel were removed from the ball of the eye [and] he was able to resume work in a few days.”

Scotto C. Nash and family left for their vacation at Lake Hopatcong. “They will spend seven weeks there in their camp, which consists of a bungalow and a half dozen tents, while on the water they have steam launch and a half dozen row boats and canoes.”

The Acquackanonk Board of Education met July 28 with usual business transacted.

Repair of School 7 roof, replacement of School 1 furnace, and bids to supply the new schools with furniture were discussed.

“The teacher’s committee [also] recommended the appointment of three new teachers with salary to be $475.”

July 1958 “Clifton is still being treated as a stepchild,” was Mayor Stanley Zwier’s response to the Passaic County Board of Freeholder’s failure to act upon Clifton’s request to extend Paulison Ave. Road construction

In July 1958, new home construction “in Suburban Convenient Clifton Richfield Section… [At] Farming Ridge, Grove St. just north of Route 46,” advertised a three bedroom and 1.5 bath split ranch for $21,990.

jobs were starting and in progress in other sections of the county, while Clifton and the freeholders argued over the cost sharing of the Paulison Ave. extension. Closing the discussion, “Zwier suggested withholding payment of the county tax by the city. “I wouldn’t give them a dime,’ he said.”

Grand Union opened its newest store July 15 at Allwood Rd. and Broad St. “The new supermarket has every device for quick economical super-service… mechanical check-out counters will speed the completion of the shopper’s order direct to the parcel pick-up service.”

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

1814 1814

Three Captains and three Lieutenants were appointed to the Clifton Police Department in 1958. They were, from left, Adam Teneza, Charles Librizzi, Christopher Kelly, Edward Kredatus, Morris Petryna and Philip Calderaro.

McHenry’s Clifton Pharmacy and Epstein’s Department Store announced plans to open second stores in the proposed Clifton Plaza on Route 46. Mr. John E. McHenry started work in W. C. Berger’s Main Ave. drug store in 1911 and took over in 1921.

Epstein’s was started in 1900 on Van Houten Ave. by current owner Charles Epstein’s parents and moved to the Main Ave. store in 1943.

City Manager William Holster announced the appointment of three Captains, Adam S. Tencza, Christopher M. Kelly and Morris Petryna and three Lieutenants, Edward J. Kredatus, Philip A.

Calderaro and Charles Librizzi in the Clifton police department.

“All veterans, the men were top finishers on a Civil Service eligibility list released last week.”

Current Captains Joe Nee and Joe Braviak, also veterans, were the only candidates on the force eligible to take the Civil Service exam for Chief of Police. William Holster wanted Civil Service to open the exam to “three newly appointed captains… but seems improbable [because] Civil Service normally requires a person to hold a job at least a year before seeking advancement.”

The First Presbyterian Church of Clifton broke ground

for their new $150,000 educational building. “Fred Vollinger turned over the first shovelful of earth [followed by] a group of Sunday School children with miniature shovels [who] finished the job of turning over a token patch.”

The Passaic County Mobile XRay Unit and Tuberculosis and Health Association provided free x-rays to 3,380 Clifton residents and “distributed 2,744 St. Louis Dreypaks, a simple home procedure for diabetes testing.”

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July 2003

World War I veteran William J. Bluem, Clifton City VFW Post 142 quartermaster, received six awards and citations at the 1958 VFW convention in Wildwood.

Association sponsored the “case finding program.”

The House passed the bill, introduced by Congressman Gordon Canfield, allowing “Clifton to purchase seven additional acres of land at the U. S. Quarantine Station in Athenia” for the construction of a new senior high school. The purchase of the last seven acres, approximated at $32,000, awaited Senate approval of the bill. Almost 15 acres were purchased in 1955 for $58,500, bringing the total acreage to 21 for the new school site.

The Clifton Mustang Band Tournament of Roses Committee began selling “long-playing records” of the Band for $4.50 each as part of their $30,000 fund raising effort to get the Mustangs to Pasadena. “The record included ‘Greensleeves,’ ‘Bright Eyes,’ ‘Trombrero,’ ‘Caribbean Fantasy,’ ‘Hey Pedro,’ ‘Hoopla,’ a medley from ‘My Fair Lady,’ ‘His Honor March,’ and concluded with ‘Stars and Stripes Forever.’”

32

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Back in 2003, Clifton really wasn’t facing issues any different than today.

Towards the end of June, several residents attended a City Council meeting to protest housing developments in the city.

They also came armed with 1,300 petitions, but were largely ignored by the Council, which was going over its new Master Plan.

At that point, there were more than 1,000 new homes or condominiums constructed in Clifton. Residents were worried about the additional burden on their already congested school system, roadways and city services.

Residents were also against construction down on Kuller Rd., where NJ Transit wanted to build a 313,000 sq. ft. bus maintenance facility, which would service as many as 250 buses on a daily basis.

However, unlike other projects going on in the city, the

Council was opposed to it. The main concerns were traffic congestion and health issues with the exhaust fumes. Also, as an agency of state government, NJ Transit would be exempt from property taxes, which were nearly $95,000 for the property in 2003.

As it has been for much of the past decade, the schools debacle was also in the news. This time, officials were still debating which site was best for a school— Latteri Park, Brighton Rd., School 6 or Paul VI School.

July 2007 Following Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice’s announcement that he would be leaving the district, the Board of Education selected Dr. Anthony G. Barbary to fill the position of district interim superintendent. The 59year-old River Edge resident previously worked for the Clifton district for 31 years as a principal of two elementary schools, the last being School 5 on Valley Rd. Barbary also

At the June 17, 2003 City Council meeting in which the city’s Master Plan was introduced, the above residents staged a silent protest.

served as assistant superintendent before leaving Clifton in July 2003. The BOE voted unanimously to appoint Barbary, after also considering Assistant Superintendent Ira Oustatcher, Business Administrator Karen Perkins and former Clifton school chief William Liess.

A story in the Herald News on July 16 caused quite a stir in town. The article by Karen Keller detailed how some east side residents feel the quality of life is deteriorating in that part of Clifton. Some blamed it on an influx of foreigners, while others said they couldn’t put their finger on the cause. Another contingent said there was no problem in the section of the city below Main Ave. The story included census data stating that the percentage of foreignborn residents in East Clifton rose from 23 percent in 1990 to 33 percent in 2000.

Not much changed between July 2003 and 2007. During both months, Latteri Park was being considered as a new school site.

The following day, the City Council voted unanimously to once again ask the BOE to consider selling Latteri Park to the city so it could preserve it as open space. The School Board denied the Council’s first offer in 2005 because it wanted to keep

the park as a possible school site. In Dec. 2006, residents voted down a referendum to build a school there, but with some Board members still considering the park for a school, the BOE again rejected the Council’s offer to buy the

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This column was originally started by our founder, the late Murray Blumenfeld.

In his spirit, we continue its publication.

July kicks off with fireworks to commemorate our Independence Day. We here at Morre Lyons are creating sparks of our own as we commence our buying in preparation for the 2008 Holiday Season.

For those who wonder how the jewelry industry is surviving the high price of gold — we have been offered a barrage of alternative metals and designs that have far exceeded our wildest dreams and expectations. The industry is red hot! hot! hot!

Already, we have taken in three new lines. One is a wedding band collection featuring Tungsten Carbide, Titanium & Stainless Steel. Lower prices combined with these extremely strong and light weight metals has made this line an instant winner.

Designer Andrea Candella created a sterling silver line — accented with 18k gold, some with precious diamond and others with magnificent colored stones.

Last but certainly not least award winner Robert Lee Morris will also be joining our list of designers. His bold & dynamic designs create instant impact and his Andy Warhol Collection is quite dramatic.

While we’re all trying to enjoy the summer months — Swarovski has us thinking of Christmas. Believe it or not the beautiful 2008 Annual Ornament has already arrived at Morre Lyons. For all you advanced planners — come on down.

Have a jubilant July and well talk to you next month.

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park on July 25. That same day, the Board passed a resolution authorizing the city attorney to file a complaint with a state Superior Court judge about the Planning Board’s statement that a variance may be necessary to con- Dr. Anthony G. Barbary left the Clifton School District as struct a walkway at an assistant superintendent Clifton High School. in July 2003, only to return July was a busy as interim superintendent in month for Clifton soc- July 2007. cer stars. Clifton High School 2001 graduate Chris Karcz was signed by the New York Red Bulls of Major League Soccer. The midfielder was a firstteam All-American in his senior year at CHS. Meanwhile, CHS girls soccer goalie Lianne Maldonado was invited to take part in a training camp for the Under-16 national team, and CHS ‘05 grad Nikki Krzysik was over in Europe playing for the Under-21 team.

In the July edition of the Clifton Merchant Magazine, Fighting Mustangs coach Ron Anello highlighted the need for field turf at Clifton Stadium. With the grass often torn up half way through the year, the field is turned into a dust or mud bowl—depending on the weather—hindering the games and opening the door to injuries.

There’s also the health concern from the Canadian Geese that leave a trail of waste on the field, and quite regularly on the jerseys of Mustang athletes.

Schultheis Farm was in the news again. Purchased by the city in 2005, officials were now looking for

someone to take care of the property. City Manager Al Greco said that the city had received offers from companies interested in farming the whole property.

The city was also planning to remove the historic buildings on the property to make room for a garage for the city’s extra emergency vehicles.

Other developments in July included a proposal for a restaurant or retail store on Main Ave., next to the PNC Bank building.

Residents were also prepped on the November special election to replace Tony Latona on the City Council. The Clifton firefighter stepped down after it was determined that his job would be a conflict of interest if he remained a councilman. At the time, Matt Ward—who was named interim Councilman— was vying for the seat against George Silva.

And, once again, the schools made headlines.

The Planning Board went on record to say that the Board of Education, which was attempting to kick start construction on walkways at CHS, may have to get a variance.

The City Council and BOE feud also made news, after the Board requested in a joint session that residents refrain from talking about school issues at Council meetings. In turn, the Council passed a measure, ensuring free speech for all those at the podium.

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In July 2007, the city was considering locating an emergency vehicle auxiliary garage on the Schultheis Farm property.

July’s Clifton Merchant celebrated the CHS Lady Mustangs softball team, which had just won its fourth State Crown. Their win, coupled with the Fighting Mustangs win in football just before the start of the new year, led us to dub Clifton as the City of Champions on our cover.

On July 7, the David Nicholas Foundation held a bike rally for David’s Day, in honor of David Porter, a four-year-old Cliftonite who lost his battle with cancer on Aug. 25, 2006.

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35

It Began on the Erie

by Joe Hawrylko

As a young boy, Martin Bania was drawn to the Athenia station next to City Hall, where he would hang out and watch the train engines roll by.

He would have never guessed that one day he’d be the one at the helm of a locomotive, with more than 8,000 feet of train cars behind him.

“Little did I know that one day, I’d be in Colorado riding trains,” he said.

“But hey, I made a career out of it.”

So how exactly did the 1964 CHS grad end up some 2,000 miles away from his home? Bania’s adventure began as it does for many young high school grads — in college.

After attending Fairleigh Dickinson University part-time for a year, Bania and his pals Bob Doperiak, Walter Krawiec and Bill Morris found wanderlust and went looking for a change of scenery.

Ultimately, the group settled in a small college town in Colorado, near the New Mexico border.

“We applied to Trinidad Junior College and took the train out there,” recalled Bania. “A couple of friends went to other junior colleges around here. We just looked through college books and said, ‘Let’s try it for two years. If we don’t like it, we can go do something else.’”

36

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

“I used to hang out at the Athenia Station with the Station Master, Louis Lewellen Lloyd (pictured above),” recalled Martin Bania (in his 1964 CHS photo inset).

“I’d be late to school and I’d be hanging out there. I put his headphones on and listen to the trains go back and forth on the Erie Railroad.” Top of page: Martin Bania’s last run at the helm of 17,000 tons of train, from Denver, Col., to Cheyenne, Wy., on Sept. 28, 2007.

Not all of them completed their Associates, but Bania stuck it out.

In 1967, he graduated with a Law Enforcement degree. At the time, Trinidad was one of the few schools with a two-year program for police work. Still seeking a four-year

Athenia Station illustrated, circa 1890.

degree before entering the real world, Bania decided to continue his education within Colorado. “I had a girlfriend there and we went to Southern Colorado State College, where I graduated with a

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

37

Social Science degree in 1970,” he said, adding that his girlfriend, Betty, became his wife on Dec. 20, 1969.

“She was a year behind me and studied Phys Ed. She’s from Colorado,” explained Bania. “That’s one of the reasons I’m here now.”

As fate would have it, Betty’s family had worked on Colorado’s railways for years. “Her dad was a railroad foremen. When I graduated, I got a job in Kansas City as a middle school teacher in 1970,” said Bania, who also coached football at the time. “In the summers, I’d work as a track laborer, putting the spikes in.”

For the next eight years, Bania and his wife, who also taught in Kansas City, would make their annual trip out to Colorado. However, by 1978, Bania had decided he had enough.

“I got tired of the middle school and decided to go to Colorado, since they offered me a chance to drive the trains in June 1978,” he recalled. “I had never driven a train before but they showed me the ropes.”

While Betty worked her new teaching job in Denver City, Bania was off learning how to drive trains in the Rocky Mountains.

“I was driving coal trains and freight trains basically,” he said.

“There are a lot of mines in the western part of Colorado, where we would take the empties and bring the loads back.”

Bania started as a foreman and worked his way up to an engineer by April 1980. He was now a full fledged member of his wife’s train family. “My father-in-law worked track maintenance for 42 years. I have three brothers-in-law who are all in railroad. I married into a big railroad family,” he laughed. “They kept patting me on the back, telling me I didn’t need to teach anymore.”

Since becoming an engineer, Bania said that the industry has changed. He originally started with the Denver Rio Grande Railroad, which was consolidated three times over the past 30 years.

“Our coal trains go everywhere... to New Mexico and a lot of places back east, like Illinois and the power plants in Indiana,” said Bania, who retired on Oct. 1, 2007.

“There’s been a total increase in business, particularly in the coal and even freight.

“For years and years, they would only hire family. It was kind of like a brotherhood,” said Bania. “But now they’ve opened it up and you can go online to apply for the job.”

A career spent driving trains was not something that Bania had ever envisioned. However, it’s not that far fetched, as he was fascinated by locomotives as a kid at School 6.

“As a boy, I used to hang out at the Athenia Station with the Station Master, Louis Lewellen Lloyd,” recalled Bania, who also had his own train set at home. “I’d be late to school and I’d be hanging out there. I put his headphones on and listen to the trains go back and forth on the Erie Railroad.”

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

hotel for eight hours and then send you out on another train,” he said.

“Sometimes you could work 70 hours, depending on the weather and how many crews there were. You could be home for eight hours and then be out for another two days.

“People ask me if I want to travel when I retire,” laughed Bania. “I’ve been carrying luggage for 30 years, up and down, on and off. I’d rather not travel if I don’t have to.”

Unlike the Athenia Station Master, Bania would spend his working days traveling around hundreds of miles.

“When I retired, I had four different routes. A one-way route could take you anywhere up to 12 hours,” said Bania, who would haul 17,000 tons of train more than 130 miles each way. For those considering a career in the field, be forewarned: don’t expect to have a lot of down time at home. “We had pool turns.

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The Bania brothers in 2002: Martin, Kent and Martin and the siblings as kids.

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Heineken-Amstel 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . . .23.25 Corona Reg-Light 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . . .23.25 Becks Reg-Light-Dark 24-12OZ NR . . . . 22.99 Guinness Pub Cans 24 14.9OZ . . . . . . . . .26.99 LaBatts Blue-Ice 12 24OZ CN . . . . . . . . . .10.99 Molson Ice-Golden 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . .18.99 Yuengling Amber 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . . .14.99 Sam Adams Lager-Light 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . .24.99 Milwaukee’s Best Reg-Light 30 12OZ CN .12.99 Busch Reg-Light 30 12OZ CN . . . . . . . . . .13.99 Bud Reg-Light 24 7OZ NR . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.99 Rolling Rock 24 7OZ NR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.99

Jack Daniels 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$37.09 Absolut Vodka 80pf 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . .$31.09 Beefeater Gin 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$27.09 Johnnie Walker Black 1.75 L . . . . . . . . .$54.09 Tanqueray Sterling Vodka 1.75 L . . . . . .$25.09 Ketel One Vodka 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . .$36.09 Skyy Vodka 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$23.09 Seagrams 7 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$16.09 Captain Morgan Spiced Rum 1.75 L . . .$26.09 Bacardi Light, Dark, Select 1.75 L . . . . .$19.00 Jose Cuervo Gold, Classico 1.75 L . . . . .$34.09 Malibu Rum 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$25.09 Seagram’s Vodka 1.75L . . . . . . . . . . . . .$17.01

Francis Coppola Diamond Chardonnay 750ml $10.09, Merlot 750ml $12.09 Rosemount Estate Shiraz 750ml . . . . . . .$7.49 Kendall Jackson Chardonnay 750ml . . .$10.67 Blackstone Merlot 750ml . . . . . . . . . . . .$8.39 Simi Chardonnay 750ml . . . . . . . . . . . .$13.00 Markham Sauvignon Blanc 750ml . . . . .$9.33 Jacobs Creek Chard, Shiraz 750ml . . . . .$5.66 Mirassou Pinot Noir 750ml . . . . . . . . . .$7.29 J Lohr Chard. 750ml . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$9.69 Hogue Late Harvest Riesling 750ml . . . .$7.33 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 750ml .$13.33 Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio 750ml . . . . . .$8.09

Prices valid through 7/24/08

Prices valid through 7/24/08

Prices valid through 7/24/08

Prices effective through 7/24/08. Good only at Shoppers Vineyard in Clifton. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Prices do not include sales tax. Not responsible for typographical errors. No rain checks. Limited to store inventory.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

39

Railroads Still Vital

by Joe Hawrylko For Bill Van Ness, planning ahead has paid off.

When the owner of Van Ness Plastics was searching for a new property to purchase in the early 90’s, he knew that a rail siding would be integral to his company’s success.

“We bought this property in 1994 for the rail siding,” Van Ness said of his company’s current location at 400 Brighton Rd. “It was an important attraction.” That decision has given him a leg up on competition in the plastic pet product business.

Van Ness Plastics is among North America’s largest manufacturer of cat litter pans, litter pan accessories and dog/cat dishes. And the way he receives his raw material is a part of the reason why.

Cliftonite and train engineer Andrew Kiely says the railroad industry continues to play an important role in today’s local and national economies.

In the world of plastics, everything revolves around trillions of pea-sized, colorless plastic pellets. And since Van Ness and many others in the field purchase their raw goods from plants in Texas, dependable and economical transportation is critical.

The pellets are brought up by train to rail yards in Kearny or Newark, where they await pick up by purchasers. For most companies, this means deploying trucks—which are costly because of gas—and having drivers transport the cargo to their manufacturing plant.

But Van Ness cuts costs with his rail side property.

“It’s the cheapest way for us to ship,” he said. “A rail

car is the equivalent of approximately five tanker trucks.

It’s the most economical way to move the pellets.”

Van Ness isn’t the only Clifton business that utilizes the local rail lines. According to Andrew Kiely, a Cliftonite and train engineer for Norfolk Southern, there are four other active customers in town: Bay States Milling, XL Plastics, Black Prince Distillery and Athenia Mason.

“Bay States Milling is Norfolk Southern’s largest New Jersey customer that takes loose carload” said Kiely, an engineer for Norfolk Southern for the past eight years. “About 70 cars can be held here.” The flour manufacturing plant on Getty Ave. has dozens of loose

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carloads of wheat delivered right to the factory several times a week.

The product is then sent to processing stations within the building.

“We probably average 200 cars a month,” said Mike Walsh, Plant Manager at Bay State Milling. “All of our wheat comes in from the midwest and all of it is through rail. We couldn’t exist without a rail siding.”

The massive building utilizes a line that was once one of the busiest in the city. The old Lakeview station was located back there before being taken down sometime in 1963, according to Kiely, who is a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

He also added that loose carload is the only method of rail transportation used in Clifton. These rail cars can carry up to about 100 tons of product, making them much more efficient than a big rig. Still, the usage of trains to transport goods has been on the decline. With the nation’s economy rapidly deviating

How do modern railroads move freight?

It may not be very visible at first glimpse, but the railroad industry still plays a vital role in the American economy. In one way or another, most products still utilize railroads. “It has changed a lot,” said Kiely. “Loose carload has shrunk a bit, but intermodal has grown a lot.”

A loose carload is the traditional manner in which freight is handled.

The second mode is by separate trailers loaded directly onto flatcars, or piggy-back service. This method of transportation is mainly used by the USPS and UPS, since customers can load the trailer at their warehouse.

The most common method today is intermodal containers, which is basically a highway trailer without wheels. These containers can be seamlessly transported by ship, train or truck. “With the rise of the interstate highway system in the ’50s and ’60s, a lot of freights moved to trucks because of door to door service,” explained Kiely.

It’s also more environmentally friendly, Kiely claimed, adding a railroad can transport one ton of freight about 423 miles on one gallon of fuel. The work of a couple hundred trucks can be done by one train. from its manufacturing roots, not many businesses need a rail siding.

“There’s only a few guys left,” said Van Ness. “It’s the plastic guys in the area that use it a lot.”

For some, such as Bay State Milling, it’s integral. For others, it’s just a means of efficiency.

“We could exist (without the rail) but it’s still important. With fuel, labor and wear and tear on trucks, it’s more cost effective and environmentally friendly,” added Van Ness.

“It’s important for our inbound raw materials,” he concluded. “We just hope it stays open.”

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

41

Taking to the Sky It was rush hour at one of the world’s busiest airports and 22year-old Chris Wiersma was about to land his first commercial flight.

“It was a full plane of 50, so it was pretty nerve wracking,” said the 2003 CHS grad, who was flying into O’Hare Int’l Airport in Chicago.

“You have a lot of responsibility.”

This was the moment Weirsma had been preparing for his whole life. Since he was very young, he had always wanted to fly.

“Every time a plane passed over, I looked up,” he said.

So when Chris turned three, his father Lou, who was a helicopter mechanic in the Army, began taking his son from their Bird Ave. home in Dutch Hill over to Teterboro Airport to watch the planes land.

They’d also go to aviation museums and the Sussex Airshow.

42

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

by Jordan Schwartz

CHS ‘03 graduate Chris Wiersma in the cockpit of a Trans State Airlines Embraer 145 50-seat regional jet. The 23-year-old has been a pilot for nearly a year.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

43

“That was the highlight of my summer,” said Wiersma, who went to Brookdale Christian School in Bloomfield before attending CHS. Chris, who said he preferred public school to private, was a member of the Mustang Marching Band in high school, but his love of the sky persisted.

As a teenager, Wiersma took his first flying lesson at Lincoln Park Airport and was immediately hooked.

“I went back, spending money little by little, learning to fly,” he said.

Wiersma’s first flight with an instructor took place in January 2003. Four months later, he flew solo for the first time in a Cessna 172 four-seater.

“It was pretty cool,” he recalled.

“It’s weird looking out the right side of the airplane and seeing no instructor next to you. It’s almost like freedom.”

After graduating Clifton High in 2003, Wiersma studied aviation

management at the Florida Institute of Technology.

Upon his return to New Jersey in 2007, Chris worked as an instructor for two months at the Morristown Airport Flight School.

But his real dream was to fly for a commercial airline and so he began sending out resumes.

Wiersma didn’t have to wait too long, however, as he was hired by Trans States Airlines on June 21 of last year.

“They were in dire need of pilots and I had the flight time they required,” said Wiersma, who was just 22 when he was given the job.

“It was a very big stress relief because all throughout college, I wondered how I’d get a job with an airline because the industry took a plunge following Sept. 11.”

But even after being hired, there was no guarantee that Wiersma would soon be flying passengers around. First, he had to make it through training.

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“The washout rate at training was pretty high,” said the pilot. “I didn’t have fun during training. Half of it is ground school and the other half is simulators which is tough.”

Training took three months and on Halloween last year, Wiersma took to the skies aboard that first commercial flight from Richmond, Virginia to Chicago.

“I arrived at 6 pm right in the heat of rush hour,” he said. “There were planes all over the place. It was crazy but it went smoothly.”

In fact, there haven’t been any major problems during Wiersma’s first eight months in the air. Flying mainly from the midwest to the Carolinas with an occasional trip to Denver, he’s experienced snowstorms, thunderstorms and heavy turbulence, but through it all, the rookie has kept his composure.

“You owe it to the passengers to keep calm,” said Wiersma. “I was never really one to get so excited when stuff hits the fan.”

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At 23, the Clifton High School grad is among the youngest in his field, thanks to his early start and the fact that it takes less hours in the air to get into training for a pilot’s position these days.

While all of his friends think it’s cool that he can just pick up and fly anywhere he wants, Wiersma has received a mixed reaction from colleagues.

“A lot of the guys I fly with are really young too, but if you fly with a captain from the 1980s flying era, some of them have problems with me being so young,” said Wiersma.

“It’s just because they had to work so hard and get thousands of hours and now you can get hired with less time.”

But now that Wiersma’s already a pilot, where does he go from here?

“I’d like to fly for a major airline and then go international. Fly the big boys,” he said. “Flying overseas has been my dream.”

Wiersma’s interest in planes began at a young age, as attested to by the photo above. The inset is Wiersma in his 2003 CHS graduation picture.

“I like what I do because you’re not sitting inside all day, you’re always traveling,” continued Wiersma, who now lives in

Richmond. “I like the hustle and bustle of travel, meeting new people at the airports. It’s about being on your own.”

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

45

The Passaic County Fair is July 1620 at Garret Mountain Reservation in West Paterson. The event will offer a 4-H show, rides, games, music, food, dancing and a talent show. Hours of operation on Wed. and Thu. are 5-11 pm; Fri., from noon until 11 pm and on Sat., from noon to 8 pm.

Admission is free. Call 973-2255382 or go to passaiccountyfair.com.

The National Night Out Against Crime, coordinated by the CPD, is looking for sponsors for the Aug. 5 event. The 6-10 pm gathering at Main Memorial Park features antique cars, a ’50s concert, food, kids games and prizes. Call 973-340-5151.

Students of Wee Care Child Care Center on Maplewood Ave. were visited by a helicopter and its pilot on June 26. The kids and local residents were there to see the landing in Albion Park. Photo by Melissa Jaycox.

The 2nd annual David’s Day bike run and celebration will be held July 12 at the Clifton Masonic Temple. Above, Mayor James Anzaldi joined the Porter family and friends as they celebrated David’s Day last year to raise money for the David Nicholas Foundation, established after David Porter (inset) lost his battle with cancer on Aug. 25, 2006. In the back, from left, is Cassandra, Mike, Mayor Anzaldi, Jennifer and Alexis. In front are Miranda and Little Mike.

The Phenomenal Grandmothers continue their pillow drive to support those at the Passaic County Women’s Domestic Abuse Shelter. Each woman and their child will receive a new pillow. Since they will be taken once the victims leave the shelter, a steady supply is needed. Those interested in helping can donate any type of pillow, a gift certificate or a personal check. For info, call Colleen Murray at 973-253-9579.

Night at the Races for Dual Clubs: Support both the Zonta Club of Passaic-Clifton and the Clifton Rotary Club on July 18 at the Meadowlands Racetrack. The event will be held in the Pegasus Restaurant inside the track. RSVP

by June 27. For info, call Barbara Kluck at 973-471-2614.

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

47

Above, at left, are Arnie and Fran Kobernick and Flo and Marie Sullivan, who received the 50th Wedding Anniversary Award. Above, at right, from left, Clifton Police Capt. Robert Rowan, Sgt. William Gibson and Policeman of the Year Det. Edgar Ruiz.

Far above, Knight of the Year recipients Todd Daigneault and Joe Danisiewicz.

Directly above, Paul Doviak with CCD Teacher of the Year Veni Evangelista.

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

St. Philips Knights of Columbus Awards Night St. Philips Knights of Columbus held their annual Awards Night on June 4, during which they honored Cliftonites for their accomplishments and contributions to the community.

Honored as Policeman of the Year was Detective Edgar Ruiz, who was nominated by Capt. Robert Rowan and Sgt. William Gibson of the Clifton Police Department.

Other awards and recipients were: Mike Renda, Rey Evangelista and Fred Van Duyne (Outstanding Accomplishment and Service Award); Mary Ellen Strangeway (Teacher of the Year); Victoria Veliky (Youth of the Year); and Brother John Martin (Memorial Plaque).

In April, the Knights held their nationwide drive to raise money for Persons With Disabilities.

Chairman John Filippone awarded checks to the Passaic County Elks Adult Training Center, the Clifton Adult Opportunity Center and the Dept. for Persons with Disabilities.

The Family of the Year Award went to the family of Brother John Martin, including his nephew’s family Tom and Karen Fudali.

Awards were also given to the youth of the area who won their division in the free throw shooting contest held last February. The girls winners were: Kelly Douglas, 10, Melissa Traupmann, 11, Amanda Marahovitz, 12, Amanda

Milaferry, 13, and Felicia Castillo, 14. On the boys side, Kevin Lord, 10, and Kenneth Bucsko, 11, were honored.

Grand Knight Ray Lill said the Awards Night was attended by 150 family members and friends.

Above, at left, Awards for Service to the council from the District Deputy Steve Kishel (left) to Grand Knight Ray Lill, Armando Rosales and Ed Szerencits. Above, at right, Robert Hess, Esq. received the Special Dedication from a Knight to his council.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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St. Andrew’s Carnival (above) will be held at the church and school grounds on Mt. Prospect Ave. from Sept. 3 to 7. Super Bracelets are on sale now for $50 which provides unlimited rides all five days of the carnival. The average price of a ride is $4 if purchased individually. There will be about 20 rides, including the 100 foot Tower of Terror. For more info, e-mail standrewreled@optonline.net or visit the website www.standrew-cliftonnj.org/carn.htm.

Clifton hand surgeon and paralympic sailor Dr. Alphonsus ‘Rick’ Doerr, Jr. took first place in the Sonar class of the June 9 U.S. Disabled Sailing Championship.

Heading into the final day of competition at the American and Larchmont Yacht Clubs in Rye, NY, it was

not a done deal for Doerr, 47, and teammates Tim Angle from Marblehead, Mass. and Bill Donohue of Brick, NJ. While they had led the race since the regatta began, their fellow U.S. Disabled Sailing Team AlphaGraphics members Paul Callahan (Newport, RI), Roger Cleworth (Lithia, Fla.) and Mike Hersey (Hyannis, Mass.) were neck and neck. In the end, Doerr and his team won only after coming out ahead in the tie-breaker.

After defeating rival Paul Callahan in the closely contested regatta, a tired but happy Doerr told reporters, “We pushed all week long and fought hard right to the end. We knew we had to win the last race to win the Championship. It feels great to know that we are the top U.S. team.” Doerr and his team will be competing at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, China this September.

Clifton Merchant Magazine profiled the doctor and athlete in March, telling the story of how he overcame a terrible car accident in 1992, which left him paralyzed from the waist down, to become a successful hand surgeon and sailor.

Doerr’s father, Dr. Alphonsus L. Doerr, Sr., was a well-respected Clifton physician who died in 1997.

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CCMS teacher Kim (Carline) Dreher, coordinated the third annual Locks of Love cut-a-thon on June 16.

Teaming up with stylist from Salon Ilona on Clifton Ave., students, teachers and residents (some pictured above) donated 858 inches of hair. The sheared locks are shipped to the non-profit organization (info at www.locksoflove.org) and then hairpieces are created and provided at no charge to kids in the United States and Canada under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They also collected $1,948 from the Clifton Dress Down Day and the CCMS Extra Change Collection. In addition to the donated services of Salon Ilona, food and refreshments was provided by Leandros, Baskingers and Goldbergs Bagels. Below left are, from left, Jennifer Fuentes (a CHS junior),with stylist Rebecca Remuszka; Maria Fuentes (the mom), with Shannon Hibinski; and Ashley Fuentes (a CCMS 8th grader), about to get her hair cut by Crystal Kestenberg. The trio is pictured below—sans inches—at right.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

51

Paramus Catholic recognized students for their achievement both in and outside of the classroom at the annual Underclassmen Awards Ceremony last month. Front row, from left, Katherine Pearson, Erin Johnson, Kelly Lacuin, Susan Kashwala, Melissa Desueza, Siobhan Campbell, Dhara Suvarnakar, Melanie Rodriguez, Kelly Stanckiewitz, Eric Biss, Robin Lee, Chelsea Gamarra, Corey Kientz, Alexandra Czajkowski, Rachel Parada. Back row, from left, Nicole Passalacqua, Stanley Szeliga, Yohan Perera, Mark Niedziela, Nicole Kay, Elaine Matias, Mac Mario DeCastro, Joshua Borja, Jason Johnson, Keagan Francis, David Burak, James Carluccio, Nkosi Asphall, Damian Stobierski. For more info, visit paramuscatholic.org.

Send event news 30 days prior to publication requested to tomhawrylko@optonline.net or mail to Clifton Merchant Magazine, 1288 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton, NJ 07011. You can also call us at 973-240-4400.

The Clifton Lions Club will be launching its annual drive this September to aid those who have visual impairments. As a non-profit organization, all proceeds go directly towards sight charities. The club, which is headed locally by President Dr. Vincent J. Malba, is a part of

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

These Clifton Police Officers and PBA members were out last month beautifying the entrance to Downtown Clifton at the intersection of Piaget and Main Aves., which they adopted through the Clifton Clean Communities Program.

From left, Ed Welsh, Mike McLaughlin, Steve Berg, John Kavakich, Juan Velez and Sam Skidmore.

Lions Club International, the world’s largest active service club. For the past 59 years in Clifton, the club has collected used glasses in the two public libraries and City Hall. To join or make a tax-deductible donation, call Malba at 973-777-0058.

CHS Athletic Hall of Fame Luncheon • Oct. 19 at Noon • at the Brownstone in Paterson

2008 CHS Athletic

Hall of Fame Albert Swan, Class of 1959 Stories by Joe Hawrylko and Jordan Schwartz

Sports: Cross Country, Track

They now live all across the country but the Mustangs featured on the following pages share a common bond in the Maroon and Gray glory of the past. To honor their achievements, the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame will induct 10 new members and one championship team at a luncheon at the Brownstone in Paterson at noon on Oct. 19. These pages are a look at the careers of these athletes as they share a few Mustang memories. Thanks to Lou Poles and Flo Calise for their help with these stories.

For tickets ($35) to the luncheon, call Flo Calise at 973-470-2321.

Albert Swan was an excellent runner during his CHS career, lettering all four years in both cross country and track and field. However, his most memorable moment was when he got his hat trick.

The 1958 cross country season was marred by an outbreak of influenza, leaving the senior as one of the only Mustangs able to compete. With the spotlight on him, Swan went on to dominate.

He strung together 13 straight race wins, breaking 10 course records along the way. His biggest highlight was shattering three records in three days. He was praised throughout the local papers for his achievements.

“My senior cross country season is when I was the best,” recalled Swan, who captained the 1957 and 1958 teams. “I won the Passaic County Championship for the second year in a row, breaking the course record by 30 seconds at least.”

Although he ultimately placed fifth when States rolled around, Swan was still happy with his performance. In his four years, he earned himself the 1957 and 1958 Passaic Valley Conference Championship.

In track and field, Swan’s best season was during his junior year.

“I won eight straight mile races, losing to a kid from Garfield,” he recalled, adding that he was a captain in his senior year. “In the Passaic Valley Conference Championship, the same kid beat me by a nose.”

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

53

John Scancarella, Class of 1959 Sports: Basketball, Baseball, Football As a shooting guard for the Mustangs, John Scancarella dominated the hardwood in the late 50’s.

“I believe we went 22-4 in my senior year,” he recalled. “It’s one of the things I was most happy about. We won the Passaic Valley Conference Championship and the Jamboree. It was a tournament with eight teams.”

Although he never hit the 1,000 point benchmark, Scancarella controlled the court in his two varsity years, averaging about 23 points per game.

“I think we also went to the Group 4 semis,” he added. “But I think wining the conference and the tournament were the highlights. I don’t think anyone had ever done that before our team.”

In that senior season, Scancarella was named to the All-PVC, All-County and third All-State teams.

While he played other sports at CHS—starting two years at third base in baseball and a reserve quarterback on the gridiron—Scancarella was at home on the court.

The current Bridgewater resident honed his skills as a kid in Clifton’s Dutch Hill.

“I lived across the street from Weaselbrook, literally a 25 yard walk to the ball courts and the baseball field, so we used to play every day,” recalled Scancarella.

Playing against other greats from his area—Gerry Manning, Bob Papa, Bob Knight and others—he was able to take his game to a high level. Scancarella also had other motivation.

“My brother, Joseph, was four years older than me,” he said. “He played in high school, and of course, you want to beat your older brother, so that was my incen-

tive... well, actually, one of my incentives.”

“There was a lot of pride in playing for the team back then,” added Scancarella of his days as a Mustang. “I look back on it very fondly.”

Following graduation, Scancarella attended the University of Maryland, where he opted to “just stick to intramural teams” for basketball, softball and football, so he could concentrate on his studies.

In 1968, he graduated from the A.T. University of Health Sciences and currently works in family medicine at a group practice in Bridgewater.

Scancarella is married to his wife, Karol, and has a daughter, Jennifer and a son, Michael.

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

T.J. Kraznowski, Class of 1989 Sports: Soccer, Hockey, Tennis, Golf Back when T.J. Kraznowski was at Clifton High, there was no such thing as an off season for him.

The goalie was a stalwart in net for Clifton soccer, taking home the Team MVP. He was also named first team All-County and All-League, as well as third team All-State.

“It was fantastic,” Kraznowski said of his playing days under Coach Fernando Rossi. “I was lucky that I had two brothers who went before me, so I knew the Rossi family since about 1982. He was tough, but expected the most out of you and he got it.”

For years, Kraznowski had watched and played with his older brothers, Rob and Steve. They grew up playing in the Olympic soccer club, and moved on to Wayne Sportfriends in high school, where Kraznowski is still active today.

“My brothers were my inspiration,” he said. “They were the ones you emulated. When we were little, everyone went to play soccer and they stuck me in goal and I went along with them.”

The trio was always actively involved in sports, no matter what season it was.

“We used to play hockey in our yard,” recalled Kraznowski. “Rob used to freeze our driveway when he would see a cold spell coming through and kids would come over and we’d play in our driveway.”

Kraznowski had one of his most memorable moments during his final hockey season.

“My senior year, we were 25-1,” he said. “We won 25 straight and lost in the quarterfinals to Toms River, 3-2. We won the Hanson Cup that year.”

While soccer and hockey were the two sports he was best known for, Kraznowski conceded that tennis held a special place in his heart.

“That was my main sport growing up. I played every day after school at the Nutley Tennis Club, and did soccer on the weekends,” he said. “I played in a bunch of junior events.

In my freshman and junior years, I was All-League and All-County.”

However, despite his success at tennis, he quit in twelfth grade.

“I wanted to have fun in my senior year,” he said. “I was playing golf a lot at the time, so I quit and joined the team.”

Following his graduation from Clifton High School, Kraznowski went on to play soccer at the highly regarded University of Connecticut. There, he faced his brother Rob, then a senior at Fairleigh Dickinson University, losing the game 2-1.

Following the season, Kraznowski was diagnosed with what was initially thought to be testicular cancer, but later turned out to be benign.

After treatments, he transferred to Manhattan College and then went on to St. George’s University School of Medicine.

Kraznowski currently works in pediatric anesthesiology at Morristown Memorial Hospital.

He lives in West Orange with his wife Vivian, and has a son, Lucas.

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Jamie Anzaldi, Class of 2000 Sports: Softball, Soccer Jamie Anzaldi ranks among some of the all time best in Lady Mustang softball history.

From 1997 to 2000, Anzaldi dominated batters from the mound.

In her sophomore and junior years, she collected a wealth of awards.

Those honors include NNJIL A first team pitcher, first team AllCounty, Herald News All-Area, Star Ledger Player of the Year, CHS Softball MVP, first team AllState, the Darlene Dondero Scholarship Award and CHS Athlete of the year.

Anzaldi first learned how to play softball from her father, Sal, around the age of four. Shortly after, the CHS graduate started taking pitching lessons from Mary Ann Goodwin. At age 7, Anzaldi was playing for the Clifton Charmers.

“When you’re in elementary and middle school, it’s something you want to achieve, getting on the varsity team,” she said. “And when you do, it’s such a big honor. I had two sisters who were on it and

Coach Rich LaDuke was their coach.”

Anzaldi said she credits her parents, Sal and Barbara, her grandfather Vincent and Mary Ann Goodwin as her inspirations. She lists the team’s back to back County Championships as her favorite memory.

After graduation, Anzaldi went to Ramapo college, where she

pitched for four years. With the Roadrunners, the Cliftonite reached the championship game and was also named an All-American in her senior year.

The Cliftonite graduated in 2005, majoring in Communication with a concentration in graphic design and a minor in Education.

Anzaldi currently works at School 15 as a kindergarten teacher.

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Mark Tomaskovic, Class of 1987 Sports: Baseball, Football Like many other Clifton ball players, Mark Tomaskovic learned how to play with the kids from his neighborhood.

“I grew up with a bunch of guys that I played with my whole career,” he said. “We lived on the same block and played every day, whether it was in the street or the park.”

The 1987 CHS graduate says that his family was the biggest influence on his career, as were CHS coaches Paul Pignatello and Angelo Intile.

Throughout his career, Tomaskovic received many honors. In 1985 and 1987, he was named to the All-Area, All-League, All-County, and All-State teams.

Tomaskovic also played in the 10th Annual New Jersey Baseball coaches Association All Star Game and was the June 23, 1987 Bergen Record Athlete of the week. He was also named to the CHS All-Century team.

“It was always about pride. Now I’m teaching in Clifton and I’m still a Mustang,” said Tomaskovic. “I coached for a bunch of years in Clifton and it’s a great honor and there’s a lot of tradition here.”

He cites his most memorable CHS moments as the Mustangs’ County Championship wins in 1985 and 1987.

Following graduation, Tomaskovic attended Montclair State University, where he played baseball in 1989 and 1990 before getting into coaching. He also played in the Metropolitan League for 15 years, playing for the Clifton Phillies and Saddle Brook Colonials.

In Clifton, Tomaskovic has been the head coach for the Mustang football, basketball and baseball freshman teams and was assistant to their varsity programs.

After graduating from MSU in 1994, Tomaskovic returned to Clifton to teach physical education and is currently at School 3. In 2004, he received his Master’s in Health Education from Jersey City University. Tomaskovic is married to his wife Jennifer and has two sons, Kyle and Dylan.

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Front row, from left, Al Grimm, Roger Paradiso, Steven Ferrara, Chester Maskiewicz, Angus MacLeod, Massimo Lupi, Fidele Marranachio, Henry Germann, Andrew Bacha and Robert Pupchik. Back row, from left, Manager Gerald Dzuiba, Coach Severin Palydowycz, Stanley Chapka, Andrew Deley, Robert Duda, Andreas Lichter, John Hofker, Andrejz Kowalski, Joseph Parian, Salvatore Zito, Thomas Zuchowski, Manager Alice Randall, Wolfgang Rech, Manager John Laser and William Kleeman.

The 1967 Soccer Team While legendary Mustang coach Fernando Rossi may be recognized as the face of Clifton Soccer, Severin Palydowycz is unquestionably the team’s father.

Palydowycz’s 1967 Mustang squad was among some of the greatest ever fielded by Clifton.

The team—largely made up of kids from Europe and South America—decimated opponents that year to the tune of a 41-2 record. It was just the team’s fourth season, and one for the record books.

The unprecedented run culminated in a State Championship, with the Mustangs soundly defeating East Brunswick in the final by a score of 4-1.

“There was absolutely no soccer in Clifton before that. We started from scratch,” said Palydowycz. “The strength of the team was that they were in super top shape. We absolutely demolished practically everybody in the fourth quarter.”

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With all of the talent that has come from the school, it’s hard to imagine that 40 years ago, the administration scoffed at the idea of starting a team.

The program’s roots trace back to 1963, when Palydowycz, then teaching Russian and German at CHS, started an intramural league.

Palydowycz had just wrapped up a stellar playing career with Lviv, a Ukrainian soccer team based in New Haven and recognized the large immigrant population in Clifton. He figured this ethnically diverse community had the ability to field a great team.

While their start was rough—the inaugural varsity team in 1964 just barely missed the .500 mark—the squad would eventually come together. That would be their last losing season ever.

In the ’67 season, Massimo Lupi, Fidele Marranaccio and the late Angus MacLeod led the Mustangs in their domination of the league.

“I think every one of my players scored, including the goalie,” recalled Palydowycz. “One game, we won 18-0. You can tell the kids not to score, and I even put my goalie in the front line. I was just hoping the ref would shorten the game.”

“Lupi was probably the highest scorer that season,” added the coach, whose team also won the Passaic Valley Championship that year. “He took most of the penalty kicks; he was just so good with it.”

The dominating season put Clifton on the map as a soccer powerhouse and the ’67 team became a piece of Mustang lure. It wasn’t until Fernando Rossi’s ’94 team that Clifton would again be crowned State Champs.

Fernando Rossi, Coach 1979-2002 Sports: Soccer Severin Palydowycz may be the father of Clifton Mustang Soccer, but Fernando Rossi was the one to mold the team into a perennial powerhouse.

In 23 seasons, Rossi became a legend, winning 12 county, 10 NNJIL, three sectional and one state championships. He accumulated a record of 353-95-51 and was a 1999 inductee into the NJSIAA Hall of Fame.

While at the helm of the Mustangs, Rossi’s squads were always expected to be in the thick of things come state playoff time.

Behind him, the Mustangs were known for their stingy defense and quick strike ability.

The coach’s finest hour came in 1994, when the Mustangs earned Rossi his first State Crown.

The talent laden team laid waste to the competition, en route to a dominating 23-0-1 record. Stars included All-American Chris Halupka, who had 30 goals and 27 assists. Wojtek Krawowiak, now coaching at Rutgers Newark, led

the state in scoring that season, with 49 goals. His brother Pavel was also an integral part to the 1994 team.

At the end of the season, Rossi and his Mustangs got over the final hill, emphatically defeating their arch rival, Kearny, by a score of 30 for the school’s first state soccer championship since Palydowycz’s 1967 team.

Despite being unable to attain another state title, Rossi’s squads following the 1994 team were equally as powerful, stringing together five Passaic County titles at one point. Rossi ended his career in 2001, turning over the reigns to his former JV coach Joe Vespignani.

He decided to move back to his native Salsomaggiore, Italy with his then-16-year-old son Giuseppe, who was playing with the Parma youth club at the time. Giuseppe now plays pro soccer with Villareal of Spain.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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Janet Nelson Smith was one of Clifton’s first stand out female athletes, captaining the field hockey and swim teams, as well as the school’s first girls track squad in her senior year in 1978.

“I played field hockey, so I did a lot of running, and I just decided to try it,” recalled Smith, who now lives in Westfield. “ It was the first year of the team and there were lots of girls who came out from all grades.”

“Women’s sports were not like how they are now,” she added.

“But we had a great time. There was lots of camaraderie.”

In track, Smith ran the 440m, a middle distance that she excelled at.

“I think I tried hurdles too,” she laughed. “But that was my niche.”

Besides track, Smith also excelled at field hockey. She was named AllCounty in her final two years, and was named captain as a senior.

However, above all, swimming was her first love.

“I swam for years, back when it was the Clifton Boys Club Team,” recalled Smith. “We swam in that small pool in the basement of the club. Four lanes, 20 yards, and we

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Janet Nelson Smith, Class of 1978 Sports: Swimming, Field Hockey and Track swam other Boys Club teams.”

Smith also swam for the PassaicClifton YW under Art Price.

“He was a phenomenal coach.

He was a great guy, one of the first to break down swim strokes into mechanics,” she said. “I don’t think many people were doing that in the 1970’s. Now that I’m a physical therapist, I can really appreciate what he did.”

At CHS, Smith swam under girls coach Barbara Thompson and boys coach Lou Fraulo.

“He was a great inspiration to everyone. We had a very solid group of swimmers and we all loved what we did. They were both great mentors.”

Following her graduation in 1978, Smith went on to the University of Delaware.

“I didn’t play any sports in college. I knew that physical therapy

Co-captains Sandy Thornton (left) and Janet Nelson practice a passing drill in preparation for a game in 1977.

was going to be a very difficult road to get through,” she recalled.

“I played some intramural field hockey, but didn’t play on a team.”

Smith graduated in 1982 and currently works for a home care agency that deals with homebound geriatric patients. She is married to her husband Bob and has three daughters, Darrell Ann, Meredith and Emily.

“They’re all big swimmers,” Smith said proudly. “Westfield has won the girls State Championships for the last two years. Meredith is still on the team and Darrell Ann was on it last year with her when they won States.”

Overall, Smith enjoyed her time in Clifton.

“I have very, very fond memories of my time at CHS, both in academics and in sports,” she said.

“Academically, I did very well in high school and college because of the Clifton school system.”

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Chris Karcz, Class of 2001 Sports: Soccer, Track and Field Chris Karcz could have gone to Catholic school, but he wanted to play soccer for the Clifton Mustangs.

“Ever since I was little, I went to the high school games to watch my cousins play on national championship caliber teams,” said Karcz, who still lives in Clifton.

And boy, was CHS glad to have him. Karcz scored 118 goals in his career as a Mustang, including a county and school record 54 in a single season as a senior.

Karcz set the mark when he found the net twice in a state quarter-final win over rival Kearny, a moment he points to as his most memorable in high school.

The 2001 grad was named an All-American that year after picking up several state, county and league honors throughout his scholastic career.

But Karcz wasn’t just a soccer star; he also excelled on the track and field team, and even played a year at wing on Coach Rich LaDuke’s hockey squad.

Karcz says his father, John, was his biggest influence.

“He coached me ever since I was little,” the Hall of Fame inductee recalled. “He was pretty tough on me, pushing me to be my best, and it rubbed off.”

John Karcz was on the U.S. Olympic soccer team in the 1980s and Chris followed in his father’s footsteps, being named to the under-20 national team as a sophomore at Rutgers University.

After college, the Scarlet Knight was drafted by the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer, but he got injured and wasn’t able to make the team. Then, last year, he was signed by the New York Red Bulls and attended preseason camp before being released.

Karcz currently trains youth soccer players, while continuing to hone his skills playing on local teams. He plans to travel to Europe this summer with the hopes of making a club over there.

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Robert Capo Class of 1994 Sports: Baseball, Football Robert Capo was around for some of the CHS baseball program’s most fruitful years and he was a big reason for that success.

During his senior year in 1994, the Mustangs went 28-3-1, garnering both state and national recognition. That season, Capo played first base and set two school records with 47 hits and 12 doubles. He also stole 30 bases and was named to the All-State team.

Capo was honored as the county’s Athlete of the Week for one sevenday stretch that year, during which he went an astounding 19 for 21 at the plate. But Capo’s history with the baseball team goes all the way

back to his freshman year when he made the squad as a pitcher.

The athlete cites a 3-0 win over state ranked Hoboken in the playoffs that season, in which he scored two runs, as one of his greatest memories. Capo cites Coach Paul Pignatello as his greatest influence.

“I remember him coming to my games when I was 12 and 13. He was just always there at everyone’s

games,” said the Hall of Famer.

“We always had baseball camps with him in the summer and I went every year, so by the time I joined the team, he knew all about me.”

Capo also played middle linebacker and kick returner for the Fighting Mustangs, earning AllLeague honors his sophomore and senior years.

After graduation, Capo attended North Carolina Wesleyan College, a Division III school where he played baseball for a year-and-ahalf before being forced to quit the game due to nagging injuries.

Capo graduated with a Criminal Justice degree and was a police officer in North Carolina for eight months before joining the Army and spending four years in Afghanistan and Kosovo.

He now works as a mailman in Deltona, Fla., where he lives with his wife and high school sweetheart Kathleen Petix and their two kids, Bradley, 9, and Gina, 4.

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Alicia Mazepa, Class of 1997 Sports: Track, Gymnastics Alicia Mazepa was a stand-out athlete on both the track and gymnastics teams at CHS. She was twice named to the All-League and All-County squads as a winter track star. She also broke several indoor track records and was nationally ranked in the pentathlon.

In the spring, she was a three-time All-League and All-County athlete, and was named runner-up for the All-County Scholar Athlete of the Year Award. On the outdoor track team, she broke nine school records.

At the state Meet of Champions, Mazepa finished third in the long jump. As a Mustang, she also competed in the triple jump, high jump and hurdles.

Mazepa named winning Clifton’s first ever girl’s County Relay Championship as one of her most memorable moments during her high school career.

As an all-around gymnast under Coach D’Argenio, Mazepa was named All-League and All-County, advancing all the way to States in the floor exercise discipline.

Jimmy Sturr in Passaic’s Third Ward Park Free Concert on Wednesday, July 16, 7:30 Third Ward Park is at the corner of Van Houten and Passaic Aves.

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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Spring Sports The girls track team’s first ever sectional championship capped a successful spring season for Clifton High School athletics.

by Jordan Schwartz Track It was a historic season for the girls outdoor track team. For the first time ever, the squad captured a state sectional crown, and the girls also picked up just their second Passaic County title in 34 years.

In addition, the team won the county individual championships, the Morris Hills Relays and the school’s 4x400 heat at the Penn Relays. The only blemish on the team’s resume was one loss in seven dual meets, the first such defeat in Andy Piotrowski’s three years as head coach.

“From the moment they stepped on the track, this year’s team was

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

These five athletes led the girls track team to only its second county title in the past 34 years. From left, Susan Martinez, Kristen Venning, Eloisa Paredes, Emily Urcuoli and Michelle Telofski.

focused and wanted to be successful,” said Piotrowski. “They had pride in wearing a Clifton uniform and were a special team.”

The Lady Mustangs broke 14 school records this season, including sophomore Emily Urcuoli’s 11’, 6.5” pole vault, which also set the all-time county mark. Urcuoli went on to finish seventh out of 54 of the best pole vaulters in the state at the Meet of Champions.

Also picking up a medal at the event was senior Susan Martinez, who placed eighth in the 800 meter race.

Other contributors on the team included seniors Kristen Venning and Michelle Telofski, as well as junior Eloisa Paredes.

Venning led the squad in points, Telofski overcame injury to make an impact in the pole vault, javelin and hurdles, and Piotrowski said Paredes “runs with so much heart and will be ready to replace Martinez next year.”

James Sahanas, George Mena, Hanni Abukhater and Steve Mena led the boys track team to a fourth place finish in the NNJIL.

The boys track team, meanwhile, finished 4-4 in dual meets, placing fourth in the league and ninth in both the county and state sectional.

The Mustangs had a lot of depth at the pole vault position, which

featured identical twins George (All-County Honorable Mention) and Steve Mena as well as senior Harshit Rana.

Sophomore distance runner James Sahanas made Second Team All-County and junior

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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Don’t go to some giant corporation. Get personalized service from two Cliftonites Established in 2004 by Ryan Stanckiewitz, the Clifton-based Security Concepts of America, LLC provides alarms, security cameras, locksmith services and much more. Stanckiewitz, a 1999 St. Mary’s HS graduate, founded SCA LLC after working for a major security company.

“We have low overhead and offer great service with multiple distribution channels, as a result, we are able to pass on highly competitive pricing to all of our customers, “ said Stanckiewitz.

He and his partner and sales manager John Randall, a 2002 CHS grad, have contracted jobs for the Totowa Holiday Inn and other major hotels, as well as pharmaceutical companies, Perkins Restaurants and other high profile companies. The two met back in 2001 at Sacred Heart Church and, “The rest is history,” said Randall.

Prospective clients can enter in a service contract, ensuring that their work is covered with a 24/7 emergency service. Randall noted there’s no overseas transferring of calls for technical support.

Founder Ryan Stanckiewitz, above and at right, and Sales Manager and tech John Randall testing their recently installed equipment at the Totowa Holiday Inn.

This local and valuable service comes in handy for unexpected security issues. Stanckiewitz and Randall helped the Totowa Holiday Inn avoid serious problems, after a blackout took out several of their cameras. Luckily, their speedy and local service was able to ensure that the company was able to keep a watchful eye over their guests.

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“We thoroughly test new technologies in-house before we offer a product for sale to the public,” said Stanckiewitz, noting he and Randall regularly attend manufacture’s training classes. “In doing so, we are able to provide technical support and installation on everything we sell.” And while SCA offers low cost service, the company is fully licensed and insured and provides free, no obligation estimates to all potential clients.

“Give us a call today to discuss your home or business security needs,” said Stanckiewitz. “We install and service locks, burglar alarms and security cameras.”

sprinter Hanni Abukhater received Honorable Mention recognition.

Head Coach John Pontes said he was pleasantly surprised by ninth grader Dan Green who ran exceptionally well at the freshman county meet, posting times of 2:10 in the 800m and 0:56 in the 400m.

“We look for him to be a mainstay on the varsity team for the next three years,” said Pontes, adding that junior Victor Almonte should be another standout on next year’s squad, competing in the 400m, 800m, long jump and triple jump.

Boys Volleyball The CHS boys volleyball team had another successful season capturing its eighth league championship in the past 10 years and finishing second in Passaic County.

The team ended with a 25-6 record, marking the 10th straight year it has won at least 20 games.

The Mustangs are 270-52 over that span.

The squad was led by three talented captains. One of those was

Seniors Sam Litchfield, Allie DiAngelo and Melissa Barbera were standouts on the 18-10 Lady Mustangs softball team.

Ed Colon, a two-year varsity starter, who added a position this season.

“In addition to his responsibilities as an outside hitter, he was also asked to be one of our setters this year with no experience at the posi-

Senior captains Ed Colon, Anup Patel and Christian Hyra guided the boys volleyball team to its eighth league crown in the past decade.

tion,” said Head Coach Mike Doktor. “He responded with a terrific season.”

Colon was named First Team All-League and All-County, and was placed onto the NJSCA Senior All-Star team.

Equaling that recognition was outside hitter/setter Christian Hyra (league leading 97 kills). Christian, too, was asked to change positions and went from setting and hitting opposite, to having a more active role in the offense as an outside hitter.

“Our final co-captain, Anup Patel was solid on defense for yet another year,” said Doktor. “He has been the team’s libero, defensive specialist, for the past three seasons and continues to improve his game each time he steps onto the court.”

Also playing a major role in the team’s success were middle hitters Dennis Skettini and Denis Feratovic, opposite hitters Doug DiFalco and Corey Meyer, and defensive July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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specialists Joe Lee, Luis Velez, Luksaz Szablowski and Tejas Rana.

Also contributing as substitutes were Nick Lavender and Luke Irizarry.

Doktor added that next season should be another good one with Lavender, DiFalco, Meyer, Skettini and Velez all returning.

“They look to continue the tradition of excellence that the Mustangs volleyball team is accustomed to.”

Softball The 2008 Lady Mustangs couldn’t repeat the magic of the team that came before them, but thirdyear Head Coach Cara Boseski says it’s unfair to compare this season’s 18-10 squad to the 2007 Group 4 state champions.

“Each year you have a new team and so it’s like comparing apples and oranges,” she said.

The biggest difference between the two teams was the girl in the circle. Senior Allie DiAngelo (1010, 2.25 ERA) had the unenviable task of replacing star pitcher Deanna Giordano, who went 29-3 with 293 strikeouts and a 0.81 earned run average in ’07.

“I think Allie did a very good job,” said Boseski, whose team lost 10 games for only the third time since 1983. “Clifton softball in general is always in the spotlight, but when you’re pitching, it’s so much worse. I think she handled the pressure very well and she did prove to herself that she is a very good pitcher.”

One of the things the Lady Mustangs really struggled with this season was winning close games.

They went 2-8 in games decided by two runs or less, a stark contrast to last year’s team that was 8-3 in those contests.

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Deanna Cristantiello, Adrianna Daley, Stephanie Cantillo, Dana Lyons and Alex Scerbak led the girls lacrosse team to its best record in the program’s three year history this spring.

Boseski said an inconsistent lineup was partly to blame.

“In order to win games, everyone has to produce at the same time,” she explained. “It can’t just be one or two girls a game, we needed to find a way to get everyone to do it every single game.”

One player the coach knew she could always count on was four-year varsity center fielder Kim Lope.

“She was like our spark plug,” said Boseski. “As the lead off hitter, if she got on, we knew it was going to be a great inning.”

Other contributors on offense included seniors Sam Litchfield, Emma Gretina, Lindsey Moore and Nicole Wisse, as well as juniors Jess Elliott and Monica Barhorst (who also pitched), and sophomore Nicole Santosuosso.

Defensively, senior third baseman Melissa Barbera really stood out.

“This year she came in with confidence and came to play every inning,” the coach said. “She played a phenomenal third base for

us, picking up the least amount of errors on the team.”

But Barbera graduated this June along with six of her classmates and so Boseski will look to the younger players to fill those spots in 2009.

“We have all the confidence that the girls will step up next year.”

Girls Lacrosse The young girls lacrosse program continues to improve. Just two years removed from its inaugural 0-14 campaign, and a season after going 8-8 and clinching its first state tournament bid, the 2008 Lady Mustangs returned to the playoffs with a record of 11-8.

“It was a very successful season,” said Coach Dan Chilowicz. “We had different heroes every game.”

Four girls in particular led the offense.

Senior captain Alex Scerbak (33 goals, 24 assists) and juniors Dana Lyons (27g, 16a), Deanna Cristantiello (27g, 16a) and Stephanie Cantillo (28g, 25a) combined to score three-quarters of the team’s goals.

But the squad also saw contributions from seniors Georgette Mbayed (8g, 7a), Paulina Glowacz (10g, 5a) and Basia Kwiatkowski (12g, 1a), as well as from junior Jeana Yoo (2g, 10a) and sophomore Kathy Woloszyn (1g, 2a).

“Basia played her sophomore year and then had other commitments her junior year, before returning this year because she really wanted to play,” said Chilowicz.

“Senior reserve Maja Bradaric was another girl who played with a lot of heart,” he continued. “She had a dancer’s background, so she was initially somewhat of a girly girl, but she came on strong later in the year.”

Defensively, seniors Elena Mora, Jeannine Termyna and Alyssa Philhower (2a) did their best to keep the opponents off the scoreboard.

And even if an attacker got past that line, All-County junior goalie Adrianna Daley (215 saves) usually

The top four duffers on the CHS golf team were, from left, Chayanne Rodriguez, Barry Tsouhnikas, George Porter and Rob Meyer.

shut them down. “She was our goalie for 99.9 percent of the season,” said Chilowicz. “She was there every game, she never wanted out.”

That task was more difficult this

Joseph M. Shook, Sr. March 15, 1924 - June 9, 2008 Joseph M. Shook, Sr., the patriarch of the funeral home on Van Houten Ave., recently passed.

Born in Mayfield, Pa., Shook was a 63-year resident of Clifton. He and his wife of 61 years, Eleanor, opened Shook Funeral Home on June 7, 1955. Shook was the devoted father of Susan Mikolajczyk of Florida, Nancy Garretson of Clifton, Wendy DiGerolamo of Cherry Hill, Joseph Shook Jr. of Essex Fells, and the late John H. Shook, who died in 2000. He was the brother of Anna Jarosz of Clifton and the grandfather of nine.

year than ever before, as CHS played a record 19 contests. “We averaged almost three games a week,” said the coach. “It takes its toll.”

The fatigue was evident at

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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the end of the season, when 10th seeded Clifton lost 19-6 to No. 7 Old Bridge in the first round of the state tournament. Still, Chilowitz believes the season was a positive experience.

“I was happy to see these girls set goals and achieve them,” he said, adding that it was a lot of fun coaching the team.

“They’re smart, they’re sassy and they’re silly.

They are Chilowitz’s fountain of youth.”

Golf The CHS golf team posted another winning record in 2008, going 1513, finishing sixth in the county tournament and qualifying for States.

The Mustang duffers also placed second in the NNJIL Division A tournament, but tied for first in the end of the season league standings.

The biggest surprise of the spring was the success of first-year golfer Chayanne Rodriguez. The senior football player shot an 84 at the county event, which was good enough for sixth place.

Anthony DeSomma, Alex Lesch and Eric Handler were three of the stars on the 2008 Clifton High School baseball team that finished 13-13.

Another crucial part of the team’s success was the return of junior Barry Tsouhnikas at the top position.

“His experience was very important,” said Head Coach Chad Cole.

“He’s our number one guy and he was consistent all year.”

Senior captain Rob Meyer (number two) and first-year player George Porter (number four) also

The boys tennis team finished third in the Passaic County Tournament. Back row, from left, are Suraj Chokshi, Samir Sheth, Tino Bido, and Erald Bido. Middle row, from left are Mikit Patel, Anj Pandya and Mosam Patel. In the front is Tanuj Chokshi.

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chipped in with some good scores.

With the graduation of Meyer and Rodriguez, Cole will look to juniors Kevin McDonald and Jason Torrao, as well as sophomore Kevin Varvaro to step up in ’09 and lead the team to another winning record.

Boys Tennis Inconsistency was the theme of this spring’s boys tennis team. The Mustangs played well during the first half of the schedule, winning a number of 3-2 matches before finishing third in the county tournament.

“After that, the season kind of went down hill,” said Head Coach Andrea Bobby.

In May, CHS began losing those close contests, culminating in a 3-2 defeat at the hands of West Orange in the first round of the States.

“It’s not that they lost interest, we just started hitting some bad luck after Counties,” explained Bobby, whose team finished 8-9.

One athlete who remained consistent the entire season was first singles player Erald Bido, who, with a record of 12-4, became the first Mustang in five years to qualify for the state singles tournament.

“He beat the people he had to beat and the few losses he had were to tremendous tennis players,” said Bobby. “I haven’t had the first singles guy have the best individual record on the team in my 18 years.”

Rounding out the singles positions this season were Erald’s twin brother Tino Bido at number two and senior Anj Pandya at three.

The first doubles team consisted of seniors Mikit Patel and Suraj Chokshi, while senior Mosam Patel and sophomore Tanuj Chokshi played second doubles.

Baseball Coach Angelo Intile described 2008 as a “roller coaster season” for the Mustangs (13-13), as they missed a state tournament bid by the narrowest of margins.

Two days shy of the May 9 state tournament cutoff date, a point at which Clifton needed to have a .500 record to make the playoffs, the Mustangs found themselves 810, needing to win back-to-back games to qualify.

First up was Bloomfield, ranked fifth in the state. With their backs against the wall versus one of the best teams in New Jersey, the Maroon and Grey exploded for a school record 28 runs and seven homers in the win.

Senior catcher Anthony DeSomma went 4-6 with two round trippers and six runs batted in, while classmate Marc Ortiz was 4-5 with two homers, four RBI and five runs.

“In all my years of coaching, I’ve never seen an assault like that game,” said Intile. “It seemed like we did everything right that day. It was like a dream game.”

The dream quickly became a nightmare, though, as rain postponed CHS’s May 9 contest against Passaic, preventing the Mustangs from playing their way into the tournament.

“Mother Nature wasn’t with us,”

All-League performers Mike Zawicki, Mike Chiavetta and Steve Feliciano will all be back for next year’s boys lacrosse team.

Intile said. Like the softball team, the baseball squad struggled in close games, going 3-9 in contests decided by two runs or less.

“This team had 11 seniors, so it’s a little disappointing when you lose one-run games with a veteran team,” said Intile.

The Mustangs peaked at the end of the season, winning their final four games behind strong pitching performances from Ryan Akers (30, 3.88 ERA) and Eric Handler (21, 3.21 ERA).

Akers also contributed at the plate, hitting .415 and driving in 27 runs.

Other offensive stars included senior outfield Matt Hunkele (.360 avg., 18 stolen bases) and junior Guido Cunillera (.294 avg., 14 RBI).

Meanwhile, sophomore Alex Lesch (4-3, 3.62 ERA) could be the ace of the staff for the next two years.

Boys Lacrosse The boys lacrosse team finished with its best record in a decade and a league title, but still fell two wins short of qualifying for States.

At 6-9, just a two-goal loss to Wayne Valley and an overtime defeat at the hands of Morris Catholic, kept the Mustangs out of the playoffs.

Still, several players had outstanding seasons for CHS. First team All-NNJIL seniors Cody Bleaken (36 caused turnovers, 67 ground balls) and Vincent Sacoto (29 caused turnovers, 53 ground balls) starred on defense in front of sophomore goalie Mike Zawicki.

“He had more than 200 saves so he did an excellent job in cage for only his second year in the game,” said Head Coach Bryan Armstrong.

Offensively, junior attackman Steve Feliciano scored 17 goals and picked up 16 assists, while sophomore midfielder Mike Chiavetta found the net 21 times and assisted on 11 other scores.

Armstrong said other contributors included senior midfielders Josh Killian and Damien Pasquale, as well as senior attackman Wayne Wende.

And even with five key twelfthgraders graduating this June, the coach says the future is still bright.

“We had an extremely young team,” said Armstrong.

“We probably had 12 freshmen and sophomores contribute on the varsity level, which is extremely rare here, but it’s only going to help in the future.”

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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The Wednesday Night Blues Concert Series in Historic Botany Village has been canceled but there are still several free Botany summer shows on Fridays from 6 to 9 pm in Sullivan Square and on Saturdays from 7 to 10 pm on stage in the Village Square. On July 11, The Midnight Ramblers perform followed on the next night by the Dean Shot Band. On July 18, C.J. Mills is featured and The Mike Luipersbeck Trio takes the stage on July 25. And from Aug. 29 to Sept.

1 the Festival in the Park Carnival returns with rides and food from 5 to 10:30 pm. Call 973-546-8787 or visit www.historicbotany.com.

Arts Grants Available: The Passaic County Cultural and Heritage Council at PCCC in Paterson offers funding to countybased groups with an arts or cultural project planned for 2009 can apply. To be eligible, the group must be a tax-exempt non-profit organization or a project of a local or municipal government entity, have been in existence at least two years and match every dollar of the grant with one dollar of its own.

Deadline July 31. For info on the competitive grants, contact Amy Birnbaum Hofer at 973-684-6507 or abirnbaum@pccc.edu, or visit PCCHC on the web at www.pccc.edu/pcchc.

The Mike Luipersbeck Trio of Peter Greco, Mike Luipersbeck and William E. Jones will be performing in Botany’s Sullivan Square on July 25.

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

The Tex Doyle Country Thunder Band will be performing at Main Memorial Park on July 27 as part of Clifton’s Sunday Evening Concert Series.

The 6th Annual Clifton Arts Center Free Outdoor Concert, featuring the Clifton Community Band, will be held at 6 pm on July 12 at the Clifton Arts Center. In case of rain, the concert will be held at the CHS Auditorium. For more info, call 973-777-1781.

A Downtown Clifton Salsa Night is on July 11 from 7 to 11 pm in the parking lot at Clifton Ave. and First St. Live Latin music, a battle of the DJ’s and salsa lessons/dance contest are among the features. Free; info at 973-253-1455.

The Chopin Singing Society Male Chorus of Passaic, which features a number of Cliftonites, took first place at the PSAA Convention Competition held on May 31 in South Brooklyn. The Chorus is always searching for new members and you don’t have to speak Polish or read music to join. Rehearsals are held on Mondays at 8 pm at the Polish Home on Monroe St., Passaic.

Memorial Pond. Meet on the pathway facing Mustang Drive (stadium) at 6:15 pm.

On select Sundays beginning at 7 pm, there will be some pre-concert entertainment showcasing various Clifton residents. Call 973-470-5680.

Clifton: Then and Now is a photography exhibit on display at the Clifton Arts Center on the City Hall Campus until July 26. A book under the same title has been published by Sandra L. Giordano ($19.99) with a portion of the sales benefiting the Arts Center. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 1 to 4 pm. For more information, call 973-472-5499.

Historic Botany Village seeks ethnic performers (like this young Ukrainian boy) to participate in its International Festival on Oct. 19. For details, call Joe Nikischer at 973-546-8787.

The Summer Sunset Blues Cruise is a benefit for St. Peter’s Haven for Families, Clifton. Featuring live blues bands aboard the historic A.J. Meerwald in New York Harbor, the sailing dates are on July 11, 16 and 18. Tickets are $50 and include beer—courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery—soda and water. Food and snacks can be brought on the cruise.

Boarding starts at 5:30 pm in Liberty State Park in Jersey City with return at 8:30 pm. The sails are dedicated to Rev. Hank Dwyer and Bernie ‘B.B.’ Brausewetter. Call 973-546-3406.

Sandra L. Giordano, author of Clifton: Then & Now, with her daughter Christina, 8, husband Sal and son Joey, 6.

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Clifton’s Sunday Evening Concert Series is now in its 12th season under producer Bob “Music Matador” Obser. From July 13 to Aug. 24, the main performance begins at 7:30 pm at Main Memorial Park (Main Ave. and Park Slope). Headlining this summer are Total Soul on July 13, Sunset Soundz on July 20, Tex Doyle Country Thunder Band on July 27, Reminisce on Aug. 3, Ableman on Aug. 10, The Teddy’s on Aug. 17 and Boisterous Banjos on Aug 24. Join the Recreation Department for Walk and Talk Sundays, prior to each of the concerts, as they walk around Main

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CAA Art Show in Jubilee Park...

Here are the winners from the Clifton Association of Artists’ Outdoor Show at Jubilee Park on June 1. From left, Emanuel Carle, oil; Gloria Chen, collage; Ann Marie Pinkman, water color; Dom Mauro, water color; Michael Gabriel, water color; Lou Pound, oil; Loretta Rizzuto, water color; Gloria Marino, oil; Mayor James Anzaldi; and Anton Rosner (photography).

The Botany International Festival is looking for sponsors, vendors, musical acts and community representatives from the diverse groups that make up Clifton. Food vendors will be charged $75 (does not include Clifton’s licensing) and merchandise vendors will be charged $40.

The Festival will be held on Oct. 19 from 11 am to 5 pm on Lake Ave. (between Parker and Randolph) and in the Village Square. Call 866-427-7720.

The Hawthorne Caballeros 44th Annual Drum Corps Grand Prix is July 12 at Clifton Stadium. Ten drum and bugle corps, headlined by the Cabs, will perform. Tickets are $5 to $18. Visit www.cabs.org.

The Bard of Dutch Hill, James D. Gwyn, finished first in the 2008 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Contest sponsored by the Poetry Center at PCCC. He will be reading his poem, “The Burning Bed,” at the Paterson Poetry Center on Nov. 8.

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The Theater League of Clifton is holding auditions for its coming production of The Laramie Project.

This story is about the events that led to Matthew Shepard’s death in Larmie, Wyoming between 1998 and 1999. The play chronicles the life of

the town before and after the murder.

Auditions will be held July 10-11 from 7 to 9 pm at CHS. Director Joseph Schreck, Jr. and Production Manager Mark Peterson are looking for 8-10 actors. Show dates are Sept.

6-14. Call 973-472-9445.

Seventeen-time Grammy winner Jimmy Sturr (above, left, on the cover of his album Polka in Paradise) and his orchestra will perform a free public concert on at 7:30 pm on July 16 at Third Ward Park in Passaic. America’s Polka King will offer a variety of music at the park, located at the corner of Passaic and Van Houten Aves. Be sure to bring chairs. For info,call 973-473-5111.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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Register for the 2008 Clifton Jr. Football season on July 10 from 78 pm at the VFW, 491 Valley Rd. Groups are 7-9 yrs, 10-11yrs, 12-14 (135 lbs), and 12-14 (heavyweight).

Details at www.cliftonjrfootball.com or call 973-473-5276.

Karate lessons are offered by the Martial Arts Training Academy, 35 Harding Ave. For children ages 6-8, classes run until Aug. 6 on Weds. from 4:30 to 5:30 pm. Classes for ages 9-12 run from July 7 to Aug. 18 on Mondays from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

Kids ages 4 and 5 have class July 7 to Aug. 18 on Mondays, 4:30 to 5:30 pm. Cost $35 for residents; $45 for non-residents. Call 973-470-5956.

American Red Cross Benefit at Mario’s Restaurant 710 Van Houten Ave.

Elvis in Concert!

Mario’s Restaurant hosts a benefit concert on July 12 at 8 pm.

Starring Gregg Peters and Family, the Oldies Show features a tribute to “The King” as well as Tom Jones and Englebert. Free admission. Call 973-777-1559.

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Clifton Baseball Camp at Nash Park for kids 7-17 runs from 8:45 am to noon between July 7 and 11.

The fee is $125 and the camp is directed by CHS baseball coach Angelo Intile. The program is based upon maximizing potential and fostering enjoyment of the game. Call 973-470-5956.

Clifton Girls Track Coach Andrew Piotrowski will hold a pole vaulting camp during the following dates: July 7-11, 14-18 and 21-25. The camp is open to students 10 to 18. The Clifton pole vaulting program is one of the most successful in the state, with many athletes going on to the national championships. Piotrowski, a CHS alum, has continued that tradition.

Camps will run from 9 am to noon at Clifton Stadium. Price is $150. Call 973-981-2459.

CHS Head Soccer Coach Joe Vespignani runs soccer camp from Aug. 18 to 22 with three camps for boys and girls. High school boys will meet at CHS from 9 am to noon.

High school girls meet at Woodrow Wilson Middle School at the same time. Both camps are $125. Youth co-eds, ages 3 1/2 and up, meet at CHS from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Cost is $90. For info, call 973-334-0207 or www.vespignanisoccercamps.com.

Safety Town is an annual program for children entering kindergarten which teaches them the basics on how to keep safe. A miniature town, complete with streets, buildings and traffic signs, is created at School 2.

The program, a Clifton institution for nearly 30 years, is conducted July 28 through Aug. 8, from 8:4511:30 am. The fee for Safety Town remains $20. Call 973-470-5956.

Stop by the Clifton Rec. Dept. on the second floor of City Hall and pick up a summer events brochure.

Regular camps run until Aug. 8 and cost only $35 per week for Clifton residents and $45 for non-residents.

Camps run Mon. to Fri., from 9 am to 3 pm and all staff is CPR and first aid certified. To register, stop by the offices or call 973-470-5956.

Day camp for girls: Lake Rickabear in Kinnelon is a 332 acre property with a 40 acre spring-fed lake owned and operated by the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey. Lake Rickabear’s Summer Day Camp is open to all girls entering first grade through 12th grade and placed according to age into units. Girls do not have to be a previously registered Girl Scout to join. For more information, call 973-248-8200 or visit gsnnj.org.

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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Nicholas Robert Caruso celebrates his first birthday on July 12. He is the son of Robyn and Robert Caruso and the grandson of Linda and Russell Triolo of Clifton.

Herbert ‘Poppie’ Schwartz celebrates his 85th birthday on July Fourth.

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July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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Downtown Clifton’s former US Postal Service pro Harry Quagliana turns a tender 58 on July 23.

Edward Sepulveda . . . . . . 7/7 Jenna De Liberto . . . . . . . 7/8 Joyce Sunshine . . . . . . . . . 7/8 Kristi Schopfer . . . . . . . . . 7/10 Nicholas Robert Caruso . 7/12 Anthony Zaccone . . . . . 7/13 Alyssa Marie Misyak . . . . 7/14 Ann Schamble . . . . . . . . 7/15 Michelle Ann Snell . . . . . 7/15 Derek Dobol . . . . . . . . . . 7/16 Jessica Dobol . . . . . . . . . 7/16 Joanne Gursky . . . . . . . . 7/17 Carrie Szluka . . . . . . . . . . 7/18 Alexander Razvmov . . . . 7/19 Ryan Saccoman . . . . . . . 7/19

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Lisa and Brian “BZ” Kulesa, above on June 27, 1998, had their 10th anniversary George Shamar . . . . . . . . 7/23 Kayla Lord . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/24 Eva Gasporowska . . . . . . 7/25 Joseph Lopez . . . . . . . . . . 7/27 Ornella Ganoza . . . . . . . . 7/27 Gina Oliva . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7/28 Amanda Fabiano . . . . . . 7/29 Stephen Camp, Sr. . . . . . . 7/30 Mary T. Mancin . . . . . . . . . 7/30 Frances Greco . . . . . . . . .7/31

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Visit us in Athenia: 802 Van Houten Ave • 973-473-1997 July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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On June 17, seventh grade students from Woodrow Wilson Middle School got their first taste of democracy in action, as they staged a mock election. Above, from left, is Nicole Arias, who represented Hillary Clinton, her VP Izzat Maali, Victoria Eli, who represented John McCain, her VP Michelle Shackil, Agnieszka Oleksy, who was Barrack Obama, and her VP Celina Brieva. Obama won with 285 votes, followed by McCain with 49 and 39 for Clinton. The event was coordinated by teacher Mrs. Pam Collins.

Students at Woodrow Wilson Middle School are just as savvy about the upcoming presidential election as any registered voter. A total of 373 seventh graders participated in the mock election on June 17, selecting Democratic nominee Barrack Obama with 285 votes.

The event was coordinated by seventh grade social studies teacher Pam Collins. She had organized a mock election at another school, and proposed the idea to her students, who loved it. Soon, the election became school-wide.

Students did research, selected nominees and broke down into cabinet members to discuss issues.

Then, each classroom was made into a state, and candidates went around campaigning.

On election day, candidates used their own powerpoint slides to make their case to their peers.

“Next fall, we want to do a debate between McCain and Obama,” said Collins.

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David R. Moore, D.C. 850 Clifton Ave., Clifton 973-253-7005 www.OnTrackChiro.com 82

July 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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