Clifton Merchant Magazine - July 2005

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Clifton Merchant Magazine • Volume 11 • Issue 7 • July 1, 2005

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Yes, there was a rainbow: Rain fell hard and frequently during the CHS graduation on June 22 at Clifton Schools Stadium. Nonetheless, the Class of 2005 was energetic as many of the approximately 700 grads bolted into an unscripted sprint around the track as the Commencement concluded.

July 2005 Clifton History, 1992-1995 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Doreen’s Dream Comes True . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Two Castles on Main Avenue . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Council Election, May 10, 1994 . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Main Mall Business Association . . . . . . . . . . .42 The Hawks are Clifton’s Team . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Katie Webb is Going National . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Camps for Sports, Music and More . . . . . . . . .62 Passaic County Arts Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Business Openings & Anniversaries . . . . . . . . .74 Enter Fairyland on July 4, 1917 . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Marta Leja & Brooke Van Beveren were two of the handful of students from the Class of 2005 we missed publishing a photo of or writing about in last month’s magazine. Also, in the same edition, we incorrectly reported the name of CHS Student Council President Vanessa Matthews. We apologize for these omissions and oversights.

Clifton Merchant Magazine is published monthly at 1288 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton • 973-253-4400

By Tom Hawrylko

If you’re a regular reader of this magazine, you already know that I’ve been pretty riled up about some of the issues facing our city. From massive retail and residential developments designed by lawyers who essentially served as planners to a municipal government slow to plan for the future and quick to take a stand when it is often too late, to the ever-evolving situation with our overcrowded schools, Clifton has its share of challenges.

Over the past 20 or so years, residents have witnessed and lamented the changes going on in our community. We complain about the traffic and congestion caused by overdevelopment or the government’s inaction and inertia on certain projects. Is there anything residents can do?

Do you know that there are two Clifton elections next year? Three seats will be open on the Board of Education in April and all seven City Council members will seek reelection in May, 2006. With less than a year to go to the Council elections, we should be asking ourselves, and most certainly the incumbents and any challengers, many questions regarding future plans for the city. ☛ 16,000 MAGAZINES are distributed to hundreds of Clifton Merchants the first Friday of Every Month.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Clifton Merchant • July 2005

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A look at some of the topics we covered, from November, 2003, to April, 2004 and, above, a cover we should have done.

Are we happy with the direction and development that Clifton has undergone in the past decade and a half? What are the issues facing our city? Have our elected officials followed a plan that has brought Clifton to where it is today? And what exactly is their vision for our city’s future? If elected, how, very specifically, do they plan to achieve this vision?

As you read the Recent Clifton History on the following pages, you will notice that many of the issues that Clifton confronted in the 90’s are the same problems facing our city today: school overcrowding, code enforcement, redevelopment of older neighborhoods, business retention.

Change is needed in Clifton’s political leadership... the question is who are the new leaders that will emerge and steer our community into the future?

You will also notice that most of the politicians serving today in 2005 are the same who held office throughout the 1990’s, either on the Board of Education or the City Council. When you consider that, we can only assume that the Clifton of today must be the result of their vision and planning.

Are we happy with where they have lead us? Let’s look at some of the specifics, starting with the former Shulton property on Colfax Ave.

Eleven years ago, in 1994, the Board of Education had the chance to buy the 42 acre former Shulton factory and create a jewel of a school and community complex.

Where did our elected officials stand on this purchase?

Despite the fact that it was already well documented that Clifton Schools were overcrowded, many politicians of the day were not supportive or managed to dodge the issue. The reasons cited?

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

We cannot allow the 2006 elections to become another beauty contest, popularity poll or game of winner takes all. Clifton candidates too often don’t talk issues, ideas and initiatives.

Loss of ratables, potential contamination issues and lack of a comprehensive plan for the entire Shulton property were their reasons for not supporting the purchase.

Keep in mind that many of these same politicians were on the City Council in 1999 when they decided to purchase the Athenia Steel property, a 35 acre, land-locked contaminated piece of land on Clifton Ave. Today, some seven years later, there still is no practical plan on how Athenia Steel will be utilized. And we still don’t know who will pay for remediation of the contaminated land or how vehicles and people will get in and out of that property.

And speaking of cleaning up, it is interesting that potential contamination was cited as a reason not to purchase Shulton for school use, but many of these same politicians feel that they can safely remediate the contamination issues on Athenia Steel. But let’s get back to 1994.

On April 19 of that year, the opportunity to solve the school overcrowding dilemma using the Shulton property was lost forever as voters overwhelmingly defeated the referendum, 7,327 to 2,338.

A few years later most of the same politicians were on the City Council when it rezoned the former Shulton factory and then endorsed a developer’s plan to build 657 units of luxury housing there, now commonly known as Cambridge Crossings and Winthrop Court.

Aside from ratables, congestion and traffic, what did Clifton gain by approving Cambridge Crossings?

When the city approved this excessive development, did our Council at least negotiate a much-needed parking lot for the students and faculty at CHS, just across the street? Nope.

The Council practically gave the developers everything they wanted, and still today, our school overcrowding issue is unresolved.

Change is needed in Clifton’s political leadership. That is as frank an observation as I can offer.

Would you consider running for office in 2006? If so, now is the time to get active and connect with others who want change for our city.

Speak up at meetings and let your voice be heard. Write letters to newspapers about issues important to you and your neighbors.

Ask an incumbent to tell you their vision for the city, and more specifically, to explain their plan to solve any problem facing Clifton.

While I have been disappointed by how, in some ways, Clifton has evolved over the last few years, I am not giving up. And I hope you will join with me and others in helping to build a better Clifton.

How ironic it would be if we allowed pessimism to stifle our instincts to try and make our hometown a better place. It is time for the public to become aware of issues, discuss some potential solutions and envision Clifton tomorrow.

And it is time for new Clifton political leaders to emerge. Call or write me if you are interested in taking on that challenge.

Some of this year’s covers, from left, January’s Outlook section, April’s cost to run story and May’s parody of it all.

Clifton Merchant • July 2005

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Recent Clifton History

Back to the 90’s

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n 1992, the City of Clifton marked its 75th anniversary with a series of events, from a parade to a community night at the Meadowlands Race track, where this photo was taken.

That era is the starting point for the latest installment of our occasional series entitled Recent Clifton History, a project we launched in March, 2004. At that time, we began a timeline which started in 1980, recalling events which either helped shape the Clifton of today or simply served as a point of interest.

The original research for the project was compiled by Antoinette Dashko, with additional work by Joe Hawrylko. It has been edited by Jack DeVries and Tom Hawrylko. The Clifton Library contributed much to the project, providing staff time and resource materials.

Back in 1992, from left: Senator Norm Robertson, 75th Anniversary Co-Chairs Marie Modarelli, Mayor Jim Anzaldi and Ruth Lombardo. At front is Frank Sylvester who served as mayor from 1974 to 1978, Councilmen Richard Stockinger and Bill Martini, with City Manager Roger Kemp.

Though we’re proud of the work, we’d like your help in collecting more Recent Clifton History. Send your stories, photos and memorabilia so we can continue to tell Clifton’s story in our August edition. We are especially interested in photos from the 1995 holidays (where did you welcome in 1996?) to the present time. Please send info by July 10 to: Clifton Merchant Magazine c/o Tomahawk Promotions 1288 Main Avenue, Downtown Clifton, NJ 07011 973-253-4400 or tom.hawrylko@verizon.net.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Established in 1884, the site on which city hall is now located served as the nation’s largest animal quarantine station. All animals entering the nation first visited Clifton and stayed on the sprawling grounds until inspection. The Station’s primary function was to safeguard domestic livestock and poultry by proper quarantining all imported domestic and wild animals.

The site eventually becomes the City Hall complex in 1980 when the Station is moved to New York State. Compare this illustration to a recent photo found on page 39.

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June 7, 1992: This illustration by Jack Tulling is of one of the former barns on the US Animal Quarantine Station, now the Municipal Complex on Clifton Ave. City Council members voted to convert the largest barn on City Hall property into a senior center, thanks to a federal grant. The barn had been set aside to be used as a recreation center but the federal funds were not available for youth or recreation programs. Some council members felt the barn would only further deteriorate if nothing was done.

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June 28, 1992: Doreen Delancy Franko’s dream for the last 25 years comes true as she rides the white stallion to lead Clifton’s Diamond Anniversary Parade as the Grand Marshal.

As a child, Franko participated in the city’s 50th anniversary parade in 1967, but dressed as an Indian then and rode atop a float.

She had become inspired to organize Clifton’s 75th Anniversary festivities after seeing Henry Fette lead those events in 1967.

A committee began organizing the 75th Anniversary festivities in November, 1989. The culmination of their efforts was a two hour cavalcade of people, vehicles and living history which began at Clifton and Colfax Aves. Participants were heralded by thousands of residents along Clifton Ave., Main Ave and then Park Slope before finally passing a reviewing stand within Clifton Schools Stadium.

“Today... I soared like an eagle,” Franko told a reporter after the parade, “but I couldn’t have done it without a lot of help.”

The weather was perfect for Clifton’s 75th anniversary Diamond Jubilee Parade with over 2,000 marchers, 30 floats, 20 bands and other units.

That’s Grand Marshal Doreen Franko on her steed near the intersection of Main and Hillman Avenues.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

June 8, 1992: Three of the teenage boys involved in the so-called Hail Mary murder in February of a CHS classmate received the maximum sentence after pleading guilty to murder. The teens were sentenced to 20 years in the State Home for Boys at Jamesburg. The three testified against the remaining two teens, one the prosecutor called the mastermind and the teen who actually committed the murder.

June 10, 1992: After a month-long controversy over a rock-n-roll song, Sacred Heart School cancels its eighth grade graduation ceremony and class trip. The eighth graders wanted to sing “We Are the Champions,” a song released by the rock group Queen in the 1970s.

Students felt their request was rejected because Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury was bisexual and died from AIDS. School officials maintain they had no idea who Freddie Mercury was.

Pass It By...

July 5, 1992: Shoppers and browsers of the new warehousetype Costco store on Bridwell Place in Delawanna are greeted by about 300 food and commercial union members picketing and shouting “pass it by.” Union members picket because Costco is non-union and they feel the big box wholesaler will expand and destroy existing area businesses. A Costco spokesperson says the store has brought about 130 jobs to the area with a starting pay above the first-year union member rate.

June 25, 1992: School 14 is vandalized and the culprits wreak havoc, causing an estimated damage of $20,000. Offices are ransacked, windows and doors broken, and equipment damaged, but nothing is stolen.

June 30, 1992: The Paterson Coalition of Housing breaks ground on the 15-apartment homeless shelter project at Clifton’s old Naval Reserve site in Lakeview.

July 26, 1992: Mayor Anzaldi had already told Clifton homeowners that they could expect an average $50 increase in property taxes.

Luckily, City Manager Roger Kemp receives good news regarding a $2 million municipal revitalization grant that the city receives, which turns the $50 expected increase into an $11 decrease.

Aug. 8, 1992: For the second time this summer, a Clifton school is vandalized. The perpetrators break into School 5 and destroy supplies that had been delivered to the Valley Rd. facility for September.

The culprits are later caught, and their parents make full restitution for the damages. The three masters of destruction are two boys, ages 7 and 9, and a girl, age 12.

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Aug. 14, 1992: Just one more event to celebrate the city’s 75th anniversary: a dinner and dance cruise on the Spirit of New Jersey.

Aug. 16, 1992: Residents near Dumont Ave. formed the Citizens to Save Fire House No. 2 in response to a ‘very reliable’ rumor that No. 2 would be closed to save money. The group had gathered over 1,000 signatures and presented them to the City Council. The Council assured the group that no official action had been taken to close the station.

Sept. 9, 1992: The city’s second oldest veterans’ post celebrates its 60th anniversary. VFW Post 142 marked the occasion with a banquet at the post home, 195 Piaget Ave., near Getty Ave., which was built by members in 1932. It also served as a Civil Air Defense shelter in the 50’s. Some remodeling was done in the 80’s but the building itself has changed little since 1932.

Sept. 6, 1992: Clifton has its first drive-by shooting. An 18-year-old victim is treated for bullet wounds and two suspects are arrested, charged with attempted murder.

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Sept. 20, 1992: The annual city picnic is held around Racy’s Pond at Main Memorial Park. One cloud had hovered over the the proceedings in the weeks prior: a flock of Canadian geese who chose not to fly south and made Main Memorial their stomping grounds. Officers from the police department were sent to fire blank rifle shots to shoosh the little stinkers away.

Stick-Up Foiled at McHenry’s Aug. 9, 1992: Employees at McHenry’s Pharmacy at 1006 Route 46 West, called the police to inform them that a patron had dropped off a phony prescription. Tactical officers went to the pharmacy and set up surveillance with one officer in the store and another in an unmarked car.

The officer in the car notices a 1977 Cadillac scoping out the pharmacy. A woman passenger gets out of the car, enters the store, returns a few minutes later and is driven away. The ’77 Cadillac reappears shortly after and the woman runs in and out and drives away again.

The officer in the unmarked car assumed the woman was the phony prescription patron and followed the Cadillac.

As he deploys, his partner radioed that the prescription violator had arrived at McHenry’s. The officers were suspicious of the Cadillac and its occupants and called for backup.

The Cadillac returned to the area a third time and as the officers were approaching the vehicle, they saw the male driver attempting to hide a ski mask under his leg.

Police search the car and find a loaded .38 handgun in the woman’s purse and a 12 gauge shot-gun and shells.

The couple intended to stick-up McHenry’s and were charged with possession of firearms for an unlawful purpose, possession of a handgun without a permit, possession of a shotgun without a firearms identification card, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Sept. 21, 1992: James Yellen begins work as Clifton Engineer and Land Surveyor, a position he previously held.

Oct. 4, 1992: The Board of Education took away City Council members complimentary reserved parking spaces for Mustang Football games. Council members expressed surprise but assured the public they will continue to support student activities. At the same meeting, the Board cancels negotiations with the teachers union until the impasse, declared by the union on Aug. 26, is taken off or a mediator is assigned.

Finally, the Board voted to change the supervision of the district from uni-control to dual-control. The Board maintained the move was implemented to improve efficiency and accountability in the district. Superintendent of Schools William Liess considers taking action against the move, because according to dual-control parameters, he would have to share the responsibilities of running the district with Business Administrator Dr. Joseph Cappello.

Sept. 16, 1992: Clifton’s largest employer and taxpayer, HoffmanLaRoche, begins a 10-year phase out plan to end manufacturing of pharmaceutical products in the Clifton-Nutley plant. The 123-acre campus will continue to house research and development departments and administrative offices, such as the one pictured above which was built in 1999 and occupied in 2000.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Oct. 10, 1992: A 20th anniversary Botany Village Merchant’s Ball is held at Johnny’s Bar & Grill, Parker and Ackerman Avenues.

Oct. 18, 1992: OSHA files 35 safety violations, totaling $43,000 in penalties, against GivaudanRoure after an inspection of its Third St. plant. Twenty-two violations are deemed conditions which exist where there is a possibility that death or serious injury can result.

Quick action from Givaudan, the flavor and fragrance company, helps reduce the fines to $22,000.

Nov. 8, 1992: St. Philip the Apostle Roman Catholic Church on Valley Rd. begins a year long celebration of its 50th anniversary.

Nov. 15, 1992: The Main Memorial Library on Piaget Ave. celebrates its first anniversary.

Nov. 1, 1992: The once non-descript Athenia Train Station is repaired and painted and its surrounding flower gardens are replanted. The project, orchestrated and marshaled by Clifton’s Dutch Hill Residents Association, took three years and is still maintained by volunteers like Peter Ciamboli, Jim Scangarello and Adam Dull, pictured above recently, from left.

Nov. 25, 1992: Community Development Director William Walters issues summonses to 10 storeowners in Botany Village for ignoring an ordinance prohibiting the use of neon lights. The business owners protest the summonses because the ordinance had previously not been enforced.

Dec. 1, 1992: A mediator is assigned by the Public Employee Relations Committee to come up with a solution because the Clifton Teachers union and the Board of Education have made no progress since the union’s decision to impasse in Aug. The teachers have been without a contract since June 31.

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Oct. 25, 1992: St. Philip the Apostle School on Valley Rd. serves a meal that 33 students will not soon forget. The kids are taken to St. Mary’s Hospital after contracting food poisoning. They became ill after consuming chicken soup that contained high levels of nitrate. The chemicals, which were added to the school’s boiler as an anti-oxygen agent, are believed to have seeped into the water supply.

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Dec. 9, 1992: Though rumors abound that the Allwood Branch Library will close, they are erroneous. Clifton’s library director confirmed a substantial financial shortfall but the branch would remain open. Some services would Feb. 1993: School officials are red-faced after realizing a CHS student who appeared on ‘Good Day New York’ actually lived in Passaic. The girl called the studio to report that she would be late for school and Principal Robert Mooney, who was watching the show, soon realized the girl was not a Clifton resident by her on-air comments.

Board of Education members are scrambling to find out just how widespread the problem is.

After a study, the Board posts a $100 bounty on illegal students in an attempt to influence students to turn in non-residents.

be curtailed, hours of business might be reduced and some parttime help might be laid-off.

Dec. 27, 1992: Clifton ends its diamond jubilee celebration with a dinner-dance at the Robin Hood Inn. Jan. 13, 1993: The NJ Legislature approves Urban Enterprise Zone status to Paterson and Passaic, causing concern for Clifton business owners. The sales tax in the neighboring towns will be cut by 50 percent to attract more shoppers.

Jan. 20, 1993: Despite landing million-dollar defense contracts, ITT Avionics of Clifton announces it will layoff 300 employees due to the Pentagon’s massive defense cuts in response to the end of the Cold War.

Mar. 24, 1993: Albina Sportelli is named editor of Dateline Journal, a position she still holds today.

Feb. 7, 1993: The City Council unanimously votes to apply for NJ Green Acres Funds to purchase the Valley Rd. and Thomas St. Garret Mountain property made available

by Thomas Cupo.

Mar. 7, 1993: After 15 months of negotiations, the Clifton Board of Education and the Clifton Teachers’ union reach a tentative contract settlement, good through June 30, 1995.

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Federal Mortgage Offers Senior Citizens A Reverse Mortgage

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or some 32 years now, Anthony A. Accavallo, shown here, has been helping make the American Dream become a reality, right here in Clifton.

As President of Federal Mortgage & Investment Corp. at 1111 Clifton Ave., Clifton, he and his firm have written millions of dollars worth of mortgages which have allowed people to purchase homes. And while that work has been fulfilling, Accavallo said he is getting his greatest satisfaction these days by helping senior citizens with reverse mortgages.

A reverse mortgage is a special kind of mortgage loan for seniors. “It is a safe, easy way to turn your home equity into tax-free cash,” he continued.

“Unlike a home equity loan, you do not have to make monthly payments.

Instead, a reverse mortgage pays you.

More importantly, you do not have to repay the loan for as long as you live in the house. It’s a great way to keep your home and get money from it at the same time.”

The name “reverse mortgage” describes exactly what the mortgage is — it is the exact opposite of a conventional mortgage. That is, with a conventional mortgage the borrower pays the lender but with a reverse mortgage, the lender pays the borrower.

In the past, a senior citizen in need of money would have to take out a loan against their house and immediately start making monthly payments again or sell their home.

How do I qualify for a Reverse Mortgage?

It’s simple. You and your co-borrower must be at least 62 years old.

You must own your home free and clear or have just a small balance on your existing mortgage. Best of all, there are no income or credit requirements to satisfy.

How can I receive my money?

You can receive it in several ways: •Equal monthly payments as long as you live in your home •Equal monthly payments for a certain period of time •As a line of credit you can draw upon as needed, for whatever reasons •As a lump sum draw at closing •A combination of the above, to meet your requirements.

But a reverse mortgage allows seniors to borrow against the equity they already have in their home... and they never have to make a monthly payment.

Each reverse mortgage candidate is required to attend a free counseling session with a local independent housing agency approved by FHA (Federal Housing Administration).

Candidates are encouraged to bring other family members with them to help in the decision-making process.

“This process ensures that the borrower understands the program fully and aides them in determining whether or not a reverse mortgage is for them,” said Accavallo.

When must I repay the loan?

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Two White Castles in Clifton?

Photo by Frank Schiro, Modern Barber Shop

Feb. 25, 1993: For a few weeks, yes indeed there were two White Castles restaurants at the intersection of Main and Piaget Aves.

At right stands the original building, constructed in 1933 and to the left the second and current White Castle, which officially opened on Feb. 25, 1993.

The closing of the original White Castle was an end of an era for many who wanted to see the historic building stay. The original White Castle was the second oldest restaurant in the fast-food chain still operating in the United States. With its metal siding and old diner feeling, it was truly a relic of years past.

Jennifer Collins, a Pompton Lakes resident, attempted to save the building from its impending destruction. Collins placed stories in many magazines catering to architecture buffs in search of someone to transplant the building, gaining her national recognition.

Despite her media campaign, the original Clifton White Castle met the wrecking ball on March 19, 1993. Over the next few weeks, fans of the steam-grilled burgers would stop by to collect momentos, signage and bricks from the remains of the original building.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton CADS & Cravers in White Castle Hall of Fame Back in the day, the old White Castle on Main Ave. was the place to hang out. In fact, for some 1962 Clifton grads—Kenneth Donnelly, Richard Cattani, Jeffrey Grotsky, Robert Havasy, Thomas Jordan, William Lemke, Michael Libin and Thomas Menegus—their hangout on Main Ave. got them into the White Castle Hall of Fame.

Known collectively as the Clifton Adult Delinquent Society (CADS) since 1982, their devotion to White Castle is well-founded.

Each CAD now owns a piece of the foundation of the original White Castle building on Main Ave. Whenever they and their spouses reunite they include White Castle—logo merchandise, herbs planted in hamburger cartons, stops at restaurants on road trips... the list just goes on.

The year they met in the Catskills, however, may have gotten the CADS into the record books. At that reunion, one couple brought in a couple dozen White Castle burgers then warmed them up on the skillet in their room as a surprise for the rest of the group.

News of the extra effort they exerted to incorporate White Castle burgers into their regular get togethers made it to the headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, which operates 357 restaurants in 11 states.

As a result of their devotion to the specialty burgers, the CADS were inducted to the White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame in a ceremony on May 9, 2002, at the White Castle corporate offices.

The CADS were one of the six inductees from the more than 1,800 nominations received for 2002’s induction. Their entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame is White Castle’s way of honoring those “cravers” who put forth the extra effort to celebrate their devotion to the unique, steam-grilled taste of the little square hamburgers.

To the CADS, their entry into the White Castle Cravers Hall of Fame is another milestone in a 40 plus year journey of friendship.

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Mar. 30, 1993: Clifton residents learn their property taxes will increase on average of $75. City and School officials say the increase is due to a state freeze on aid for state-mandated programs such as special education, transportation and bilingual education.

Mar. 18, 1993: The roof of the Electronic Data Systems Building at 203 Main Ave. collapses.

April 1, 1993: Christopher Columbus Middle School students launch a campaign to make it safe to cross Route 46 west after a fellow student is killed in a hit and run accident. The students petition the Department of Transportation for an overpass over the four-lane highway by Day Street near the school.

April 21, 1993: To offset the possibility of a municipal tax increase, the city applies for $15.1 million in state aid—double the amount it received in 1992.

May 1, 1993: The oldest charitable organization in Clifton, the Woman’s Club of Allwood, celebrates 60 years of service.

May 23, 1993: In honor of its 40th anniversary, School No. 14 on St. Andrew’s Blvd., hosts festivities.

Illegal Students April 25, 1993: Clifton Public School officials crack down on those students who attend city schools but live outside the district. In a precedent setting announcement, the Board of Education says it will seek approximately $13,000 in tuition costs from the parents of a student who attended the Clifton school system for more than two years while residing in Passaic. Board members said they hope the move sends a message that the district is serious about illegal students.

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June 27, 1993: Now in its third year of operation, Tomahawk Promotions relocates its offices to 385 Lakeview Ave. July 1, 1993: Hudson Jersey Sanitation, the company collecting the city’s garbage, goes on strike.

City officials ask residents for their help until the strike is over. A police officer is stationed at the recycling drop off site to deter residents from dumping trash there.

July 1, 1993: Lucille Lehmkuhl retires from Clifton Schools after 41 years of service as does teacher Frank Fincken, after 37 years.

July 30, 1993: The 37,500 sq. ft.

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June 16, 1993: The Frainese Society Di Mutuo Socurso marked its 60th anniversary with its annual Festa Frainese in honor of Santa Maria Mater Domini at Holy Face Monastery in Clifton.

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day of school and the board filed a class suit against the city’s over 600 teachers. The teachers have continually rejected the offers made by the Board of Education. Assistance by a mediator and a state appointed fact finder do not seem to help.

Sept. 20, 1993: The clergy of St. John Kanty find the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima vandalized. The statue, which weighs over 1,000 pounds, was knocked off its pedestal, causing major damage.

July 9, 1993: City Manager Roger Kemp, above, resigns to accept a similar position in Meriden, CT. City Engineer James Yellen will be acting city manager until a permanent replacement is found. The city receives 110 applicants for the job.

Aug. 8, 1993: Clifton City officials express disappointment after the state approves less than $10 million of the $15.1 million in requested aid.

Sept. 15, 1993: The Clifton Teacher’s Association asks for public support as a bitter contract battle continues since their contract expired July 1, 1992. Over 130 teachers called in “sick” on the first

Sept. 26, 1993: The weather is perfect for Clifton’s annual picnic held at Main Memorial Park with thousands in attendance. A dunk tank featuring Board of Education and city officials is a popular attraction.

Oct. 10, 1993: A Passaic County jury finds James Wanger guilty in the Feb. 16, 1992 strangulation of a 17-year-old CHS classmate in the so-called Hail Mary murder. The judge, who deemed Wanger a monster with no conscience, sentenced the convicted killer to life imprisonment without parole for 40 years.

Oct. 20, 1993: According to Clifton’s health officer, a decade has passed since the first AIDS case was reported in Clifton. Since then, the number of cases has increased to 63, with more than half resulting in death.

Oct. 24, 1993: The lobby of City Hall overflows at the dedication of a plaque honoring former Mayor Dr. John W. Surgent, above, who served in that position from 1954 to 1958.

Oct 17, 1993: The Clifton Fire Department fights a blaze at Passaic Metal Products Co. on Central Ave. Fire companies from Passaic, Paterson, Little Falls, West Paterson, Totowa, Hawthorne, Garfield and Montclair assist in snuffing out the warehouse inferno, which causes $3 million in damage.

Oct. 21, 1993: The Grand Union in the Styertowne Shopping Center changes to an IGA store.

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Code Enforcement Issues Oct. 23, 1993: Unpainted garages, junk cars, illegal attic apartments and other urban scourges aren’t remedied the way they once were, according to city officials. And, the Herald & News reported, city officials are blaming code enforcement and calling for its improvement.

“There is a concern to keep code enforcement under control,” said Councilman Peter Eagler, referring to the enforcement of the state’s safety guidelines.

The guidelines, or ‘Now, it could be one year codes, are written into after a fire and you’ll find law to ensure that plumbing, elevators, a building still boarded up.’

- Clifton Mayor James Anzaldi (in 1993) food and more remain safe and clean.

The codes also set standards to prevent overcrowding of bars, businesses, homes and apartments. But enforcement of these guidelines, designed to maintain housing and business values, seems to be slipping.

“For many years we had very strict attitudes concerning code enforcement. Years ago when there was a fire, repairs would begin within 30 days. Now, it could be one year after a fire and you’ll find a building still boarded up,” Mayor James Anzaldi said.

Councilman Lester Herrschaft said it can happen with better coordination between building and housing departments. Eagler called for improvements in the building department, and Councilman William Martini said the city must set enforcement priorities.

But new City Manager Edward Murphy is the guy they have pinned their hopes and demands upon.

“He can make sure they (department heads) do their work. If a complaint comes in, he makes sure they handle it,” Herrschaft said. He dismissed a need for an additional inspector, as suggested by Community Development Director William Walters.

But Code Official Herman Steenstra, whose department enforces zoning, building, plumbing and fire codes, dismissed the complaints.

“I take it with a grain of salt. We have one of the finest-run departments in the state. No one came to see me about any of this,” he said.

Nov. 10, 1993: After 40 years of service to the community, William Walters announces his retirement.

Walters, above, insists his decision has nothing to do with the Council’s choice to hire Edward Murphy as Clifton’s new City Manager.

Dec. 12, 1993: The Jersey City Water Department plans on building a water treatment plant in the city’s Montclair Heights section.

JCDW claims they own the property at Daniels Drive and Chittendon Rd. City officials say the property belongs to a resident. JCDW says they can prove ownership with tax bills. Clifton says JCDW is misreading the bills which are for an easement under the property that houses a 26-mile water pipeline.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

April 10, 1994: The Board of Education has not received any bids for Latteri Park.

The Board said it would use the funds generated from the sale to purchase the Shulton building on Route 46. City officials are opposed to Latteri Park’s sale.

Dec. 15, 1993: The Board of Education votes for live cable coverage of its meetings. The majority of Board members favor the program, citing that school spending accounts for 60 cents of each tax dollar. Council meetings have been broadcast live twice a month for the past 15 years and draw a growing audience.

Jan. 9, 1994: A massive explosion levels Van Houten Auto Parts on the corner of Van Houten and Mount

Prospect Aves. It also damages neighboring houses and cars, but no injuries are reported. A Clifton firefighter and PSE&G personnel were investigating a report of a gas odor when the blast occurred. The gas leak was from a 12-inch cast iron gas main about six feet in front of the auto parts store.

Jan. 23, 1994: The Board of Education studies a number of options to alleviate overcrowding in Clifton’s schools. One possibili-

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ty being considered is the Shulton building off Route 46, a 42-acre site, owned by the Wayne-base American Cyanamid Company.

Building a new school would cost $12 to $15 million and take about two years.

Feb. 7, 1994: A hard winter continues. It’s announced that Clifton students must make-up lost snow days by forfeiting their spring break and attending school three additional days in June.

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Shulton Price Tag: $12 Million

April 19, 1994: Eleven years ago, Clifton had a chance to solve its school overcrowding problems by purchasing the former Shulton industrial property, located at Route 46 and the Garden State Parkway. School officials envisioned a site that would feature two schools, Board of Education offices and a recreational complex.

“This is in the best interest of the community,” Board of Education president Frank Pecci told The Record in 1994. “We’ll never have to worry about overcrowding anymore.”

“Big plans are what we need,” agreed Board member John Marchioni. “It’s about time this town decides to come to grips with the fact that we’re going to have to make some long-term decisions. We can’t keep making short-term decisions that don’t add up to anything.”

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Even Clifton School Superintendent William C. Liess was onboard. “This is the way to go,” he said of converting the Shulton site for school use. “It provides for the facility needs of the district for the long term. It answers all the questions that we have to deal with in terms of meeting future enrollment.”

Though Pecci and others believed purchasing the 42acre Shulton site made perfect sense, they acknowledged it would be a tough sell to the voters. The price tag for the property was large in 1994 dollars, $12 million, with another $3.8 million to convert the Shulton headquarters into a 50-classroom school for 1,500 students.

Voters were asked to approve two referendums in the April 19, 1994, school elections: a 30-year, $16 million bond issue to buy and renovate the former Shulton facility, and a 25-year, $7.75 million bond issue for repairs on aging schools.

“This is an opportunity for our future, not just for education, but for the whole community,” the Board’s Marie Hakim told The Record. “The price is a bargain. We couldn’t build a new school for that price. It will help us maintain a middle-class community and not go the way of Paterson and Passaic and so many others.”

The six candidates running for the Board of Education opposed the Shulton purchase—including the eventual 1994 winners—current Councilmen Stefan Tatarenko and Steve Hatala, and current Board of Education Commissioner James Smith.

The six candidates running for the Board of Education opposed the Shulton purchase—including the eventual 1994 winners—current Councilmen Stefan Tatarenko and Steve Hatala, and current Board of Education Commissioner James Smith.

“We have 18 buildings and only plans for one,” said Tatarenko, who with Hatala, was seeking a second term on the Board. “We talk about putting in a swimming pool or a skating rink but we haven’t really discussed it. I don’t know what to tell the citizens.”

As dissension rose, the Board looked to raise cash to offset the Shulton price tag. Ironically, they turned to a property that would remain a political football today: Latteri Park. The Board offered to sell the 7.5 acre park for $2 million, but received no takers, including the City.

“I’m pleased that nobody bid on it,” said a happy Mayor James Anzaldi. “The best thing to do now is for the Board to transfer the property to the City so it can remain a park for future generations.”

With an eye toward the future, the Board of Education refused to sell the land to the City at anything but fair market value.

“It’s still possible that we may need the land for a school building,” said Marchioni. “I’m not saying putting a school there is the best alternative, but it’s something that we should study.”

Despite an advertising campaign fueled with $10,000 of Board money, Clifton citizens voted down the $16 million Shulton proposal by an overwhelming 7,327 to 2,338 margin.

The $7.75 million bond issue for repairs on aging schools narrowly passed. Hatala got 6,286 votes, Tatarenko 5,082 and Smith received 4,528.

Shulton was eventually sold to a developer and Cambridge Crossings (pictured left) and Winthrop Court, now under construction, inhabits the property—a total of 637 units of housing that has become the poster child for over-development in Clifton.

Along with adding traffic congestion to already crowded streets, it has pushed more students into Clifton’s already strained educational system.

In 1994, Clifton voters decided overwhelmingly not to buy property to establish a school. It may be a vote they’ll long regret.

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

In his spirit, we continue its publication.

J

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A round of jewelry shows sparks the preview of the coming Fall and Holiday season merchandise. We have already begun making purchases and eagerly anticipate their arrival.

The New York Jewelry Show will take place toward the end of July. We will all be attending and look forward to viewing all the new and exciting designs. It will be our job to cherry pick a variety of styles sure to please everyone's taste. These beautiful collections will arrive in time for early holiday shopping.

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10 Candidates in 1994 May 10, 1994: Clifton was in a state of transition, a community witnessing a change in its population, economy and municipal finances, as The Record noted in its May 6th issue that profiled City Council candidates.

Experiencing multiculturalism, old-time residents of European descent became next-door neighbors to a new wave of immigrants from Central and South America, Asia and the Middle East.

One of the emerging issues for the May 10th election was that immigrant families resided in illegal housing.

“They often double and triple up and tend to rent illegally converted basement and attic apartments,” the Record reported. As a result, challengers brought up the the lack of code enforcement and loss of ratables as their platform.

Taxes were on the rise and state aid was cut and the evereroding base of city industries also was an issue.

Here’s a look at who ran (as reported by The Record): • John A. Dal Pan of McCosh Rd.- a senior staff engineer with Public Service Electric and Gas Co. He said he was not looking ahead to Clifton’s future but hoping the city continues its success. “I would like to see it continue as it has in the past, without raising taxes if we do it,” he said.

• Walter Jankowski of East Ninth St.- a field monitor for the state Division of Motor Vehicles in Wayne. He said he was concerned with rising county budgets and felt the needs of city residents were being ignored. “We got three freeholders from Clifton, but none care about the Clifton taxpayer,” he said.

• Joseph DeStefano of Cathay Rd.- a Bergen County Community College student. The 21-year-old was concerned with family matters, hoping to develop more

The Record noted that since 1988, five major employers had left the city, taking with them 2,200 jobs and leaving behind empty buildings.

The city was on the verge of losing 1,200 jobs when Pfizer, ADP, and BASF were to move out the following year.

Illustration by Jack Tulling

30

July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

programs for those just starting out. “We need more things to attract younger families,” he said. “I see Clifton as a place where families want to live and stay for 30 or 40 years.”

• George ‘Chuck’ Rohde of Churchill Dr.- a lawyer with a private practice in Clifton. He favored tax incentives to attract businesses. “I see Clifton as a city where industry is encouraged to locate and develop...and where red tape is removed.”

• Councilwoman Gloria Kolodziej of Speer Ave.owner and operator of Conveyors by North American Inc., a manufacturing firm and mayor for eight years during the 1980s. She criticized her colleagues’ reliance on state aid and supported further cuts in the budget or increased taxes. “We must bring our expenses in line with our diminishing sources of revenue. I don’t share the optimism of some of my colleagues that we’re going to continue to see additional funding coming from the state and federal government.”

• Councilman Richard Stockinger of Sixth Ave.- 11year Council veteran who served six years on the Board of Education, including four as president. He wanted the city to cut spending and suggested privatizing municipal services, such as collecting taxes and maintaining sewers. “We can’t really do any more manpower cutting. We’ve already tightened our belt, now we have to look for other ways.”

James Anzaldi was again the highest vote-getter. “I think it’s a sign that people like what I did for the last four years,” he said. “I think people like my conciliatory leadership.

People like the way I present myself at meetings.”

• Councilman Lester Herrschaft- chief financial officer for Albert A. Stier Inc. It was discovered that Herrschaft received $13,500 in illegal campaign contributions from five companies he ran. The corporations were only allowed to give an aggregate of $1,500, under state law. Herrschaft told The Record he returned $7,500 and did not remain in violation of the law.

• Councilman Peter Eagler of Howd Ave.- an administrator for the Garden State Arts Center and four-year council member. He worked toward a closer relationship between the Council and Board. “Even though we are separate entities, we’ve always worked together in the past,” he said. “We have all these differences of opinions, yet we still have an overcrowding problem in the school. The issue is not being addressed because we end up shooting each other.”

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• Councilman Don Kowal of Hillcrest Ave.- member of the Preakness Hospital Board of Managers. “We’re going to have to consider expanding our senior housing and recreational facilities,” he said. Like Herrschaft, there was a cloud of controversy surrounding Kowal. He was at the center of a state investigation into how an allegedly mob-connected medical supply company won a no-bid contract in 1991 from the Passaic County nursing home.

• Mayor James Anzaldi of Day St.a public relations manager for Majka Fuel. One of the issues he was most passionate about was municipal infrastructure, which he sought to change by presiding over a 10 percent cut in City Hall staff in his previous term. “We need to continue to work on the infrastructure of our city, and we need to reduce the size of government.”

Despite Clifton’s new face and controversial issues involving cur-

Results of the May 10, 1994 City Council Elections: James Anzaldi . . . . . . . . . . 10,946 Gloria J. Kolodziej . . . . . . . 10,138 Peter C. Eagler . . . . . . . . . . . 8,909 Chuck Rohde . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,791 Lester F. Herrschaft . . . . . . . 8,496 Richard Stockinger . . . . . . . 8,082 Don Kowal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,665 Walter J. Jankowski . . . . . . 5,597 Joseph R. De Stefano . . . . . 4,840 John A. Dal Pan . . . . . . . . . . 3,631

rent councilmen, voters looked to the city’s veteran government.

There was only one newcomer.

Joining six incumbents, Chuck Rohde, a former Passaic County assistant prosecutor and CEO of an oil-spill cleanup company, finished fourth with 8,791 votes. He won the seat vacated by William Martini, a four-year councilman who did not seek reelection, instead was taking a run for US Congress.

Rohde, who placed eighth in the 1990 election, told Dateline Journal, “People know I’m in this because I want to help the people of Clifton and have no ulterior or personal motivation.” He was the most vocal about the council’s failure to enforce housing and zoning codes and lure new businesses to the city.

The Record noted that since 1988, five major employers had left the city, taking with them 2,200 jobs and leaving behind empty buildings. The city was on the verge of losing 1,200 jobs when Pfizer, ADP, and BASF were to move out the following year.

James Anzaldi was again the highest vote-getter. “I think it’s a sign that people like what I did for the last four years,” he said.“I think people like my conciliatory leadership. People like the way I present myself at meetings.”

About 13,423 residents voted in the election that drew 10 candidates, six less than the previous election.

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Mar. 23, 1994: Clifton’s cable access station, Channel 19, hosts the six-hour Telethon ’94 to raise funds for the Boys & Girls Club. The telethon raises about $61,000 for the building fund, which strives to expand and modernize the 37-yearold structure at 802 Clifton Ave. Mar. 30, 1994: After a lengthy illness and major surgery, Councilman Dick Stockinger, pictured above, returns to City Hall.

April 3, 1994: St. Peter’s Haven opens a second temporary shelter for homeless families. During the past seven years, St. Peter’s Haven has assisted 65 families.

Change Zone at Globe Products?

Aug. 7, 1994: Wakefern Food Corporation promises much needed jobs, tax revenues and low prices if it is allowed to convert the Globe Products building near the intersection of Bloomfield and Scoles Ave. into a supermarket. Wakefern invites the public to attend a community meeting at the Athenia Vets Hall to discuss the project, which ultimately fails. The tract of land would have to be rezoned from commercial to retail use.

April 27, 1994: Montclair State becomes a university.

School 12

May 15, 1994: James Anzaldi leads all challengers in the City Council race and as a result the seven winning Council members select him for the post of mayor.

Governor Christie Whitman visits Clifton and pledges to make New Jersey more business-friendly.

Oct. 16, 1994: School No. 12 on Clifton Ave., serving Botany and Lakeview, adds a threestory addition, Clifton’s first school expansion in 30 years.

School officials press to follow suit with construction of a new wing at CHS due to overcrowding. The Board of Education proposes a three-story, 30classroom unit to connect the south wing as well as a 20room addition to Woodrow Wilson Middle School. Cost for the two projects is estimated between $12 and $17 million.

May 18, 1994: Reverend Earl Modean retires after serving as pastor at Clifton’s First Lutheran Church for almost 35 years.

May 20, 1994: C Town opens in Styertowne Shopping Center.

June 12, 1994: City Manager Ed Murphy announces the city received only half the municipal revitalization program funds it requested from the state. Without the funds, taxes will increase or budget cuts will be necessary.

July 13, 1994: The Planning Association of North Jersey, a firm which had functioned as Clifton’s Planning and Zoning Departments for decades, proposes to rezone parts of Clifton and Van Houten Avenues to redevelop into office buildings.

Mayor James Anzaldi and the Council agreed, saying rezoning certain neighborhoods was the city’s best hope in boosting ratables, citing a demand for small office space.

July 17, 1994: In the span of 11 days, fires blaze at three abandoned buildings at the Keystone Camera complex at 442 Getty Ave., despite the buildings having no working utilities.

July 27, 1994: Clifton teens finally get their wish and are granted places to play hockey on in-line skates by the City Council.

Aug. 24, 1994: PSE&G works to cut dangerous electromagnetic field levels at School 14. The solution to the problem, underground wires enclosed in steel piping, will cost an estimated $10 million and take two years to complete.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Point of View, aka Cliff Hall Illustration by Jacqui Kiernan

Sept. 11, 1994: The annual picnic at Main Memorial Park attracts approximately 10,000 residents.

Sept. 14, 1994: Residents in the Country Club Towers ask the City Council for help in stopping construction of a microwave transmitter on their building. The project had been approved by the Clifton Board of Adjustment but the final OK had not been granted by the Planning Board nor Building Department. Consequently any work they may have begun, as alleged by residents, was illegal.

The residents were concerned with the health hazards associated with the signals used in mobile telephone services. They say they were never served with notice of the project until it was a done deal.

Oct. 4, 1994: Vornado Corporation plans to demolish the Automatic Data Processing plant on Route 3 in Delawanna to make way for a major commercial or retail center.

Nov. 20, 1994: Carolina Factory Outlet, at 312 Clifton Avenue, goes out of business after 20 years.

Oct. 24, 1994: A life size bronze sculpture of a man reading a newspaper, entitled Point of View is placed in front of city hall. Created by J. Seward Johnson, Jr., the sculpture is valued at $65,000 and is on an open-ended loan to the city.

On Nov. 16, the winning entry in a contest to name the ‘man reading a newspaper’ sculpture is announced. The new name is Cliff Hall.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Dec. 13, 1994: Voters approve two bond referendums that allow a three-story 32-classroom addition to Clifton High School and a two-story 10-classroom addition to Woodrow Wilson Middle School.

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vote count of 69,555 to 67,601.

Here in Clifton, voters dealt the fatal blow to Klein as they gave Martini a 2,600 vote margin, sealing his win.

Klein attributed his loss to a backlash across the nation from unsatisfied voters against Democrats. He could not buck the angry revolt against incumbents stoked by such national leaders as House Minority Whip Newt Gingrich, who campaigned for Martini in the summer.

Nov. 8, 1994: Two Cliftonites battle it out for the right to represent 21 communities in Passaic and Essex counties for a seat in Congress. The race between incumbent Democrat Herb Klein and Republican Bill Martini (pictured) proved to be a very volatile one, filled with bad blood, personal attacks and plenty of mudslinging. The two millionaire attorneys engaged in a tight race, as Klein was upset by Martini by a Jan. 22, 1995: Hollywood came to Clifton to film scene for a Columbia Pictures political thriller called City Hall. A Bergen Avenue home was used as a location by the production company, which moved the family to the Presidential Suite of the Ramada Hotel in Clifton.

The homeowners also received a makeover of the house as part of the contractual agreement.

The makeover included new wall to wall carpeting, kitchen flooring, light fixtures, and curtains.

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For more serious cases, antibiotics may be prescribed and a sponge may be inserted.

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Jan. 28, 1995: Clifton Optimist Club honors Councilman Lester Herrschaft as its ‘Man of the Year.’

Mar. 1, 1995: Lincoln Milanese retires after 22 years as Clifton’s chief financial officer.

Mar. 12, 1995: Board of Education approves its budget and taxes on the average home may increase by $67.

The municipal portion of the tax bill may add $34 more per household.

Mar. 19, 1995: City Manager Ed Murphy is ordered by the state Public Employees Retirement System Board to pay back $50,000 in pension money he received since he became Clifton’s city manager in 1993. According to the state board, Murphy is a retired public employee collecting a pension, but is also a fulltime government employee. Under state law, a retired pubic employee cannot work in a government job in the state and collect a pension.

Murphy maintains he is working under a contract with the city, not directly employed by the city.

April 22, 1995: The CHS Concert Choir and the CHS Madrigal Singers take home silver medals from the Upper Canada College choir competition held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

April 23, 1995: Students from the Richfield Reformed Church Kindergarten Sunday School plant a tree on the property at 1180 Clifton Ave., in memory of the children who perished in the April 19 Oklahoma City Federal Building bombing.

May 3, 1995: Allwood Library celebrates its 25th anniversary.

April 1995: William Shershin, pictured above, dies. He retired in 1986 after serving as Clifton Schools Superintendent for 36 years. Also in April, Tony Saffioti retires from the DPW after 35 years. Saffioti started as a laborer and spent his last 10 years as DPW Supervisor. Clifton’s Health Officer Stuart Palfreyman also retires after 24 years of service.

May 21, 1995: A $12 million shopping center—Botany Plaza— to be anchored by a Pathmark and a Caldor is planned for Botany Village. Within weeks, the neighboring Botany Village Merchants Association would endorse the proposal recommending rezoning of the 12.5 acre tract so that the century old Forstmann Woolen Mills could be demolished.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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July 31, 1995: The historic C5 Barn located behind City Hall opens as a modern senior citizen center.

Photo Joe Joe Hawrylko Hawrylko Photo

June 21, 1995: For 12 years, Gerald Zecker has been a member of the State Assembly and for 12 years he has campaigned for a law which would require the state to pay for mandates it forces on counties and municipalities. While his bill gained Assembly approval, the measure was never posted for a vote by the State Senate.

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Summer, 1995: BASF, manufacturers of coatings and colorants, demolished the Clifton Chemical Laboratory building at Third St., near Weasel Brook Park. Aromatic oils have been made there since 1872. The land is eventually remediated and BASF donated the land to the city and the park now serves the community as the SkateZone.

June 28, 1995: A small but enthusiastic crowd at Clifton Stadium rocked for three hours at a concert entitled ‘Summer Rock ’95.’ The event featured four local professional bands which contributed their services to help raise funds for Clifton High School’s Project Graduation and CASA, the Clifton Against Substance Abuse Foundation.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Peaches • Apples Melons • Plums Pears • Quince Jersey Tomatoes Heirloom Tomatoes Flat Red Onions Potatoes of all kinds Corn • Squash Brussels Sprouts Cabbage Beans • Arugula Pumpkin Flower Broccoli Rabe Parsley Root Celery Nob Green Garlic Red Carrots White Radishes Winter Squash Large Variety of Peppers

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July 21, 1995: Clifton Zoning Officer Frank Miletto serves his last day. Miletto resigned amid controversy over salary requirements. A city construction official will fill in as an interim while the city advertises to fulfill the consent order of the NAACP. July 28, 1995: George Romney dies at age 88. He was Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in President Nixon’s cabinet and responsible for the $3.6 million loan Clifton received around 1970 to help fund the Botany Village urban renewal project.

July 30, 1995: The 10th annual Peruvian Parade journeys from Main Ave., Passaic through Clifton and completes its festivities at Paterson City Hall.

Sept. 13, 1995: In an effort to revitalize the shopping district, city officials request that Botany Village be designated an Urban Enterprise Zone. A letter was sent to Governor Christie Whitman pointing out that neighboring Paterson and Passaic already have urban districts, and Garfield will soon join them, causing business in Clifton’s oldest section to suffer. The zone allows businesses to offer 3 percent instead of 6 percent sales tax for most items and receive cash incentives for employing residents.

When Bill Walters became the city’s urban renewal director (circa 1966), one of his first priorities was rehabilitation of the rundown Botany Village shopping area. A thriving industrial center during the 19th century, the area adjoined the famous Botany Mills which, along with nearby Forstman Mills, made Clifton one of the American wool industry’s vital centers. But in the mid-1960’s, when the companies joined the trek of textile firms moving south, Botany Village faded in importance and the so-called urban decay began. Walters had a vision to turn it around by creating a new look for the district, a plan that took four years of planning, convincing and construction as well as support from a lineup of supporters: Carmen Maggio of the RoweManse Gift Shop; Tom Sullivan, a newspaperman with the former Paterson Morning Call, who had presented the restoration idea to merchants two years earlier; Vincent DeRose, vice president of First National Bank of New Jersey.

In 1968, Clifton established Botany Village. The photo above is of an unidentified veteran who participated in the dedication, in October, 1972.

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Still Taking Registration for our Summer Camp www.sacredheartclifton.com Clifton Merchant • July 2005

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From the first edition of Clifton Merchant Magazine • October 1995

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton Merchant • July 2005

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Vol. 1 Issue 1, October 1995

Vol. 1 Issue 2, November 1995

Oct. 1, 1995: Much like the city that it serves, Clifton Merchant Magazine has evolved since its premiere edition. The 24 page newsprint publication focused on the Main Mall, which is now known as Downtown Clifton.

Featuring ‘advertorials,’ readers learned more about the Clifton merchants along Main Avenue and the upcoming Main Mall Street Fair.

The introductory column by Editor & Publisher Tom Hawrylko also stated: “(Main Mall) is an area of Clifton that really does need some tender loving care.”

Established as a monthly publication with a distribution of 31,000 hand-delivered and later mailed via US Postal Service to Clifton homeowners and businesses, the magazine took a while to get going. For instance, after the third issue in Dec, 1995, the magazine took a three month hiatus due to profitability issues.

Clifton Merchant returned in March 1996 with a series of themed editions, including the ‘1996 Consumers Guide to Clifton Stores and More’, ‘Clifton Votes 96’, a “Salute to Veterans’ edition and the highly popular threepart series, ‘300 Years of Clifton History,’ which was compiled by the late historian David Van Dillen.

A combination of local history, good writing and persistence got the publication noticed. In Aug., 1998, The Record did a feature on the firm and asked Editor Tom Hawrylko what were his goals for the magazine. “I want to continue covering issues that are important to the community, that make people think, that have a personal interest to me and that the typical newspaper would not cover,” he said. “And I want to do it in an in-depth style.”

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Vol. 1 Issue 3, December 1995

In October, 1998, Clifton Merchant Magazine was reformatted with a glossy color cover, offering longer stories, bigger photos and more pages.

Today, Clifton Merchant Magazine averages about 80 pages a month, covering topics from politics and education to the arts and commerce, thanks to the support of our advertisers and the trust of our readers.

These were our first advertisers, which thanks to their support in the Oct., 1995 edition, allowed us to launch Clifton Merchant Magazine. Some of them are still around and continue to advertise with us.

Other businesses have closed or moved on.

Whatever their status, we’d like to thank each of them, for if it was not for their initial investments, this publication would not be here today.

Epstein’s • Shereed’s Main Mall Business Association Debbie’s Clifton Fashion Outlet J.O. Grand Five and Ten Cent Store Belly Buster • Varrelman’s Bake Shop Hudson United Bank • Clifton Speed Center Clifton Dog & Cat Hospital • Katie Stylianou, Esq. R&S Dental Associates • Chiropractic Associates American Coin & Stamp • Villa Romangna Clifton Electrical Supply Company Clifton Clean Communities Program NJI Computers • VBC Corp.

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Oct. 8, 1995: A group of immigrants live near Botany Village, but have no real address. The group lives on the Dundee Island peninsula that stretches for 12.5 acres near the Ackerman Ave. bridge.

Numerous complaints come in of inebriated individuals wandering in traffic throughout Botany Village and the surrounding street and announce a plan to raze their shacks and tent along the Passaic River.

Pictured at right is a May, 2003 photo of Dundee Island owner Akbar Ghahary talking to vagrants who still live on the island.

Nov. 15, 1995: Radio station WPAT FM 93.1, the sound of ‘beautiful music’ for decades, changes owners and its name to WADO. The broadcasts are now in Spanish to target the growing Hispanic market. WPAT gets its call letters from Paterson but its studio and AM transmitter antennas are still clearly visible at 1396 Broad St., Clifton.

Nov. 22, 1995: Clifton School 11 on Merselis Ave. in Lakeview, celebrates its 90th anniversary.

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Dec. 3, 1995: St. Brendan’s Roman Catholic Church on the corner of Lakeview and Crooks Aves., marks the 50th anniversary of its founding.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Dec. 10, 1995: Former Mayor John W. Surgent dies peacefully in his sleep. Surgent was a member of the Municipal Council for 24 years, longer than any other person, and a familiar figure around town.

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Clifton Chiropractic On July 23, Clifton Chiropractic and Physical Therapy will celebrate their 10th anniversary in the office from 9 am to 2 pm.

Mayor James Anzaldi and Jack the Jackal will visit and there will be food, prizes and face painting and free chair massages *No appointment necessary. Bring the whole family!

Existing patients will receive FREE adjustments and new patients will be seen for $10, which includes:

X-rays (If needed) Consultation • Examination

a $250 value Chiropractic Care: Natural Treatment Dec. 6, 1995: The City Council denies a request by Police Chief Frank LoGioco to be reimbursed for a convention he attended in Miami Beach, Florida. LoGioco, chief since March 9, 1990, had attended the International Association of Police Chiefs Conference for the previous five years and had been reimbursed for his transportation, lodging and registration. The Council said it would research policies to prohibit city payment for this and other conventions.

Chiropractic care works on relieving symptoms and complications. For more information call 973-742-3400 today. Walk-ins Welcome.

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973-742-3400 We care for your health,

In our August edition, we will continue publishing this timeline of the not-so-distant past and hope to receive dates, photos and information from you. Send us notes and news of what you think should be included, from the holidays of 1995, to the future. While we will consider all submissions, we reserve the right to edit or reject information. You may visit or write us with info at Clifton Merchant Magazine/Tomahawk Promotions, 1288 Main Avenue, Downtown Clifton, NJ 07011. Call us at 973-253-4400 or email tom.hawrylko@verizon.net.

Naturally!

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Siblings Dr. Suzi Schulman & Dr. Jeffrey Schulman Clifton Merchant • July 2005

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Clifton’s Team

C

A Summer Tale of the Great American Pastime.

It matters a bit more this time of year, just before Father’s Day. The Clifton Hawks are playing against the Demarest Blue Devils, a team the Hawks have never beaten. It’s a beautiful, warm Friday night—the kind that makes Nash Park look lush and perfect.

On the hill overlooking the diamond, the blue sky frames the old cannon. The sun has already begun its slow descent over centerfield, making seeing the ball pure hell for right handed batters.

Hawks player/manager Michael Santosuosso whom his teammates call “Seuss,” crouches alongside third base ready to snare any ball pulled down the line. To his right—beyond the nearly empty benches that surround the backstop and fence—his father watches.

Dave Santosuosso, who founded the team, used to be the manager. These days, he doesn’t sit on the bench, instead tucking his folding chair behind the wall ringing the stands, staying close enough to hear the umpire’s calls. Years ago when Dave managed, he even wore a Hawks uniform… until one of the players didn’t show up and he was forced to play right field.

“Thank God he showed up right after we started,” Dave laughs, “or I would’ve had to bat.”

Dave sits with an enormous scorebook draped across his lap. It’s not the kind you’d find in a game program or at a Little League game; rather, it’s a scorebook that contains places to record pitch counts and other obscure statistics.

It’s a scorebook for someone who truly loves the game.

Like Joe Santosuosso did.

Joe is Dave’s father and Michael’s grandfather, and the reason these players are here. He’s been gone since 1999, but he’s never really left. The boys who have 48

July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

The Clifton Hawks at Nash Park, top, from left: Matt Patterson, Eric Vinciquerra, Ron Gavazzi, Dan Leonard, Bryan Hackett, Mike Picarello, Doug Meier. Bottom, from left: Andrew Dziopa, Jason DeMarco, Jose Rosado, Tom Csigi, Pete Dziopa, Mike Santosuosso. Not pictured: Anthony Genchi, Ryan Lill, Steve Mancinelli, Neil Guerriero. Below at left Clifton Hawks founder Dave Santosuosso.

been Hawks since 1997 remember him, and others who’ve joined since hear about Joe. That’s when they learn their team has been reincarnated from the 1940s.

The Hawks began in Newark before the Korean War, during a time when young guys formed clubs

in rented basements or storefronts and bonded with each other for their entire lives.

Joe’s Hawks were born in Newark’s North Ward, an Italian section where kids constantly played ball. Along with competing in Newark, the Hawks would use fake addresses to get into leagues

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outside the city, like in neighboring Belleville, to play more.

When their baseball coach from Barringer High caught them playing softball, he’d roll down his car window and yell, saying they’d ruin their arms. But the Hawks always kept playing. When the Korean War came, some like Joe went off to join the Army. When it was over, the Hawks came home, got married, and stopped playing ball. But their friendships endured.

In 1997, the Hawks were reborn in Clifton—right before Joe’s eyes.

His grandson Michael and his friends took the Hawks as their team name and began writing their own history, first in an AAU league and now as part of the North Jersey Amateur Baseball League (NJABL).

“Being a Hawk,” Michael explains, “is more than just being part of a summer league team. It’s something you can’t describe.”

The players discover “being a Hawk” isn’t only about wins and

losses, or even baseball itself. It’s also about being part of something bigger than oneself—something special, something hometown.

“We don’t have any superstars or prima donnas,” Michael says.

“We’re loyal to guys who have been with us for a long time—we have a lot of respect for that. When a new guy joins the team, he has to show a certain attitude and love for the game. He has to be a Hawk.”

On this June night, Michael and his teammates will demonstrate what that means.

The Hawks Take Flight

Mike Santosuosso

In his day, Grandpa Joe Santosuosso was a fine ballplayer, good enough to make the All-City high school baseball team.

Though only 5’6”, 140 pounds, he earned two tryouts with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Braves before hanging up his spikes and joining the Army.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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The 1998 Clifton Hawks, top from left: Pete Gioia, Dave Santosuosso, Mike Picarello, Dan Leonard, Billy Heck, Jose Rosado, Lucas Diaz, Kevin Wellema, Pete Dziopa, Tom Leonard, Joe Santosuosso. Bottom from left: Matt Patterson, Mike Gioia, Mike Santosuosso, Ryan Scarpa, Justin Chimento, Dan Listmeier, Jim Caterino and Rick Pignatello.

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Looking to lead a better life, Joe went back to school, earning a degree from Upsala College and a law degree from New York University Law School, passing the state bar exam by age 35. He got a job with Chicago Title Insurance Company and rose to vice president by his retirement in 1991.

Acqu

Florri Conza during her singing career.

She later worked as a teacher’s aid at Clifton’s School 5 for many years and now volunteers at the Passaic County Senior Citizen Center and serves on the Clifton Seniors Advisory Board.

While in the service, a friend introduced him to a beautiful nightclub singer named Florri Conza.

Florri was special. She’d beaten the famous crooner Jerry Vale in a competition while appearing on a radio talent show, Sing for Your Supper. Joe fell in love and married Florri, and the couple moved to Clifton’s Albion section in 1953. He took a job at Bendix and fixed TVs on the side. Soon, Joe had a family—a son Dave and a daughter Donna.

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While Joe’s son Dave loved baseball, he knew he’d never be the player his father was. When he entered high school, he stopped playing ball and took up the guitar. “I graduated from Clifton High in 1973,” Dave Santosuosso says. “It was the time when guitars were important.”

Though their paths differed, Dave never forgot his father’s stories of his beloved Hawks and the characters he knew—like Vinnie Albano, who went on to become Barringer High’s football coach.

And prominent in every story was the friendship and camaraderie the Hawks shared.

“They all went on to lead good lives,” Dave says. “They played sports, stayed out of trouble, and remained close.”

Time to Fly Again By the time Michael Santosuosso began playing competitive baseball, a strong bond had already developed with his grandfather. “From an early

Drew Dziopa

age, you could see Michael really loved the game,” says Dave. “My father took a big interest in him.”

Michael and his friends played in the Clifton Midget League and Little League. When they played together on an all-star team, Dave realized they could be something special.

“I thought if we could keep these kids together, they could be a formidable team,” says Dave, who lives in Clifton and owns the Title Agency of New Jersey. “Back then, there was no summer or fall ball for these kids. Though I didn’t have much knowledge about it, I put together an AAU team in 1997 when Michael was 13.”

More than 40 years since they graced the diamond, the Hawks— formerly of Newark, now of Clifton—took flight.

“During the first few years, we took our lumps,” says Dave.

“Some in Clifton weren’t too fond of us. They frowned on us charging

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

the kids $150 for uniforms and league fees, and us telling them they had to play a lot to compete against kids who played year long in Florida and California.

“For the past few years, we haven’t charged any of our players, so I guess people don’t have any problem with us anymore.”

Dave estimates he spends about $5,000 to $7,000 a year sponsoring the team out of his own pocket.

“We used to get some money from local businesses, but now I don’t even ask for it.”

In 2000, the Clifton Hawks fulfilled their promise. After a successful regular season, the team of now 16-year-old players qualified for the AAU New Jersey State Championship, losing a 12-inning heartbreaker to Holmdel in the finals.

The Hawks also qualified for the AAU National Tournament and played in the Disney Wild World of Sports National Invitational

Mike Pica

Tournament held at the Atlanta Braves spring training complex in Florida’s Disney World. The Hawks won two games before being eliminated in a one-run loss.

“After the 1998 season,” Dave remembers, “we had a beefsteak dinner and invited the old Hawks.

We put their names in the program as alumni. My father and his friends loved it.”

The Hawks also enjoyed success as Mustangs, with many playing and starting for Clifton High’s 2001 and 2002 NNJIL championship teams.

Now part of the NJABL (made up of college players and former minor leaguers), the Hawks continue to enjoy success. After playing .500-ball in 2003, the team went to the league playoffs’ second round last year.

However, Dave Santosuosso is most proud of the difference baseball has made in the Hawks’ lives.

“Eight of them played college ball,” he says. “That’s unheard of from a team like this.”

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Becoming “Clifton’s Team” Despite the perfect weather for their June 17 game against Demarest, there are less than 25 fans at Nash Park. Dark mud and puddles lay in front of the Hawks’ bench, and the third base coaching box is marked by a pool. In prime seats behind the backstop, a large weed with white flowers grows out of a concrete crack and through the benches.

Most of the people sit in the back row, resting their backs against the wall. Others watch from the grassy hill behind the seats. They are quiet, serious fans who concentrate on the action. It is one of the few games where the players’ cheers are louder than the people watching them.

“Minor league baseball in the area has taken its toll,” says Dave, trying to explain the sparse crowd.

But the fans hear what others only wish they could—the banter of a young team during the game.

When Drew Dziopa strikes out in the bottom of the first inning, his teammates ride him. “Even though you struck out,” one tells Dziopa, “your hair didn’t move.”

There are no batboys, sound system, or concessions. The ice cream man shows up before the game but never returns. Before stroking a single, Hawks clean-up hitter Doug Meier kicks a paper cup out of the batter’s box.

Matt Patterson

There’s nothing glamorous about this game.

Except the action on the field.

On the mound for the Hawks is lefty Matt Patterson, who pitched for DePaul High School in 2003.

Today, he’s a red-shirt freshman at Rutgers, recovering from Tommy John surgery with a red scar snaking around his left elbow to prove it.

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On this day, he’ll throw more pitches than he has in two years.

And he’ll throw peas. Using a curve, change-up, and fastball in the mid-eighties, Patterson strikes out 13 and carries a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

After Patterson surrenders his first hit, a fan walks from his spot on the hill and says to Dave Santosuosso, “I thought I was about to witness history.”

With the Hawks scoring twice and staking him to a 2-0 lead, Patterson battles into the seventh inning. After throwing 88 pitches, he leaves the game to reliever Anthony Genchi with two runners on base.

Disaster soon strikes. With runners on second and third, a bouncer to first—that would have ended the game—is mishandled as two Hawks’ infielders and Genchi converge on the ball. In the confusion that follows, the tying run scores.

In the top of the seventh, Genchi gets into more trouble. With runners at second and third, a Demarest batter rips a vicious line drive back at him. But Genchi snares the ball and the opposing runner on second is halfway to third before he realizes it’s been caught.

A relieved Genchi runs almost to second before flipping the ball to his teammate to complete the double play and preserve the tie.

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With the sunlight fading, Dave Santosuosso eyes the umpire and says, “This will probably be it— they won’t let us play anymore after this inning.”

Catcher Dan Leonard leads off the bottom of the eighth with a single.

The next two batters make outs, including Michael Santosuosso, who fails to move the runner up with a bunt. On his way back to the bench the son slams his wooden bat on the fence pole, cracking off a piece and adding to his father’s team costs.

“Emotions were running high today,” Michael says later. “This team knocked us out of the playoffs last year and we wanted to beat them bad.” With two outs, Ron Gavazzi singles to move Leonard to third. As batter Tom Csigi approaches the plate, one of the Hawks calls out, “Zig, if you’re ever going to get a hit in your life, this is the time.”

Zig does. He smacks a single to right and drives home Leonard, giving the Hawks a 3-2 victory.

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After the game—an old-school, come-from-behind, nail-biting game—the team with the blue shirts from Bergen County leaves, dejected and empty. The hometown guys, the players with the “C” on their hats, are smiling, laughing, and continuing to needle each other.

Winning is sweet. It’s a shame more people aren’t there to see it.

“We’re trying to become Clifton’s team,” says Michael Santosuosso, “just like the Clifton Phillies were— that’s our goal.

Like the Clifton Dodgers before them (who actually wore the Brooklyn Dodgers’ old uniforms), the Phillies were once Clifton’s team, and Nash Park was their Yankee Stadium.

The Phillies moved from Paterson’s Eastside Park to Clifton in 1968 and played through the 1999 season. During their 45-year run, the Phillies won more than 1,500 games and 32 assorted

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league and division titles. Their history gives the Hawks an example to emulate. “(Clifton Phillies founder) Bob Potts is an inspiration to me,” says Dave Santosuosso. “He was great at what he did, all the years he put in with his team. He was also very helpful getting us the fields when he worked for the Clifton Recreation Department.”

However, like Potts experienced at the end of the Phillies run, becoming “Clifton’s team” will not guarantee overwhelming fan or financial support. Times have changed.

On the softball fields behind the baseball diamond, a soccer game rages. Baseball fans can watch every Mets and Yankees game on cable TV, and minor league games offer amenities and cheap seats.

Teams like this seem to be part of another time.

Except to the Hawks. No matter the mud or empty seats behind them, their game matters. Patterson calls it EARING FREE H ING N SCREE

Clifton Phillies founder Bob Potts.

his “favorite team.” Leonard says the Hawks are a big part of his life because of the friendships he’s made.

Michael Santosuosso says the Hawks not only play for each other, they play for Clifton. “It’s even more special for us because we’re playing where we grew up,” he says. “That matters. Like today— Demarest always beat us, but they never played us before in Clifton.”

Nearby, Dave Santosuosso packs the team’s equipment, still happy after the win.

“Without Mr. Santosuosso,” says Leonard, “we wouldn’t have a team. He’s done so much for us...he’s been incredible.”

Santosuosso’s son agrees. “My dad and grandfather,” Michael says, “instilled a love of the game in me that will never leave. They broke everything down and helped me understand how to really play.”

For Dave Santosuosso, all the sacrifice is worth it, including the countless league meetings, money, scheduling and time. His wife Lourdes and daughter Nicole support him, and he continues to honor his father’s memory and his hometown with his Clifton Hawks.

“They’re a bunch of great young guys,” he says. “Hopefully, they’ll develop the same kind of relationships my father and his friends had, and stay close the rest of their lives.”

More on the Hawks can be found at www.eteamz.com/clifhawks.

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First Clifton, then New Jersey... next the nation? Kaitlyn Webb, the 14 year old who successfully created Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia week in Clifton on May 22 through 28, may be bringing her campaign national.

As the Clifton week was taking off, Acting New Jersey Governor Richard Codey officially proclaimed June as Arnold Chiari Malformation Month.

The campaign and events in Clifton, which raised over $5,000, got a lot of notice in local and regional media, and as a result, Katie’s campaign may be going national. Officials from the American Syringomyelia Alliance Project (ASAP), which the Webb family is a member of, have asked the family for photos to use in a national awareness campaign.

Kaitlyn Webb says she has three goals for any campaign: to find a cure, raise awareness of ASAP and funds for research.

Chiari Malformation (CM) is a congenital abnormality at the base of the brain in which a portion of the cerebellum protrudes into the spinal cord.

CM can lead to Syringomyelia (SM), which is a fluid filled cyst that forms in the spinal canal. There is no known cure for either disease and Katie has had it since she was born. For info, call Katie’s mom Faith Webb at 973-473-7240 or write her at chiarimom@optonline.net.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton Police Officer John Samra will tragically be remembered as the first Clifton cop to be killed in the line of duty, a fate he met on

November 21, 2003. However, on June 18, 2005, a more positive association with the Clifton Police Officer’s memory was established.

The dedication of ‘The John Samra Park Without Boundaries’, located in Chelsea Park, behind the Allwood Library, is a fitting and peaceful tribute to this Clifton officer, whose family still resides here in town.

The playground is a place where kids in wheelchairs or with disabilities and those without disabilities can play together, side by side.

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Clifton Merchant • July 2005

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Hannah’s Bananas On December 8, 2004, Hannah Anolik of Clifton was suddenly diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes. According to her mom, Ellen, Hannah had displayed two classic symptoms of diabetes; extreme thirst and urination, which led to Hannah’s pediatrician and to the shocking diagnosis.

“We were informed that a Coxsackie virus had most likely attacked her pancreas since there is no history of diabetes in our family,” mom explained, noting, Hannah turned 7 this past February.

Keeping diabetes in control can be rigorous, Ellen Anolik explained.

Hannah, who is entering second grade at School 16 in September, Sister M. Marie Glodava, Order of the Sisters of St. Francis will be honored by SS. Cyril and Methodius Church with a 9 am liturgy on July 17 as the parish celebrates her Golden Jubilee. Born in Clifton on April 24, 1937, Sister Glodava is a 1951 graduate of the SS. Cyril and Methodius School on Ackerman Ave.

Sister M. Marie Glodava

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Hannah Anolik and her pooch Oodle.

must endure four or five insulin injections daily, and adhere to a strict, low carb diet.

“For such a little girl, she has shown remarkable courage and dignity,” noted Ellen. “She demonstrates remarkable empathy for everyone because of what she has been through, and she is more determined than ever to beat this disease in her lifetime.”

To do that, the Anolik family, which includes parents Gary and Ellen and 16 year old brother Alex, have organized Hannah’s Bananas to participate in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s ‘Walk for the Cure’ on Oct. 2 at Berkeley College, West Paterson. To learn more, or to join the Anolik family Walk for the Cure, visit JDRF.org or call the Anolik’s at 973-779-2875.

Sister Glodava pronounced her First Vows of the Order on Aug. 7, 1955, and went on to receive her B.A. in Education from Holy Family University and certification in Early Childhood Education from Seton Hall University. She has served schools in NJ, PA and MA. For info on the July 17 event, call Bob Raichel at 973-470-5732.

Currently just one in for New Jersey four year olds attends a quality Pre-Kindergarten, a figure Cecilia Zalkind believes residents of the Garden State can raise.

Zalkind, CHS ‘65, is the executive director of the Association for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ), a nonprofit organization that fights for children’s rights.

Zalkind (daughter of Albin and Margaret Zwiazek), is nationally recognized as an an advocate for the working poor and their children, having helped create KidCare, a medical insurance group for children who are below the poverty line.

Ceilia Zalkind

Currently, the ACNJ is focusing on the upcoming Gubernatorial election, where they hope to make Pre-K an election issue.

The ACNJ is working with acting Governor Richard Codey to restore an $11 million Pre-K fund for nonurban school districts with lowincome families, cut from the 200506 budget. Before being cut last year, $15 million was allocated to the fund and only $4 million was used.

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The School 3 Class of ‘98 reunited on June 17 to open a time capsule they sealed in 1997. Among the contents were newspaper clippings, memorabilia from the Dole vs Clinton Presidential election and personal items. Alumni include Giuseppe Rossi, Joe Musleh, Jonathan Grant, Danielle Doerflein, Amanda Di Angelo, Mark Stuart, Dena Sela, Mike Corsi, Paul Boyko, Gabby Malaszuk, R.J Pruiksma, Laura Peskosky, Kasia Machocka, Elizabeth Post, Patrick Egan and teacher Mrs. Cannata.

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Ralph Aceto Paramus Catholic High School commencement was on June 6 at the Continental Airlines Arena. The Class of ‘05 had 15 Clifton residents, including Ryan Madrid and Eugene Keating III.

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61

Summer Camps Get them tuned up at Menconi Music Camp, (see page 73) or have your kids attend one of the many sports, arts or day camps offered locally. Here are some ideas of things to do over the coming weeks...

They don’t have to sell Girl Scout Cookies to attend Camp Rickabear in Kinnelon but these young ladies from Clifton likely did!

Day camp for girls: Your daughter does not have to be a Girl Scout to enjoy herself at Lake Rickabear Girl Scout Day Camp. Located in Kinnelon, Lake Rickabear offers a variety of activities and learning experiences for growing girls on a 40-acre spring-fed lake surrounded by 292 acres of recreation area and 62

July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

woodland. According to a survey conducted by the American Camp Association, participants leave camp with a positive identity, better social skills and improved physical and thinking skills. Transportation is included in the camp fee but pricing varies, so call for information: 973-248-8200.

Fa m i l y C a m p O u t

Stan Lembryk’s Training of Champs Soccer Camp for girls prek to 12th grade is July 11-15 and for boys pre-k to 8th grade, Aug. 15-19 from 9 am to noon, at WWMS. CHS ‘87 grad Lembryk is the CHS girls soccer coach credited with not only

bringing direction to the program but also producing numerous team victories and individual accomplishments. He is also director of USA Soccer Academy and head coach NY/NJ U-18 Metro Stars (MLS).

Cost is $120. Call 973-686-1764.

Join your neighbors around the campfire at the 5th Annual Albion Park Family Camp Out from Aug. 19-20 beginning at 6 pm and ending the next day at noon. This award winning event is sponsored by the Clifton Special Police, the Clifton Fire Department and the Clifton Recreation Department. A family of four is charged $8 to register or $3 per person. To sign up, call the Rec Department at 973-470-5956.

CHS Track/Field Camp: Coaches Andrew Piotrowski and John Pontes hold camp on July 11-15, July 2529, Aug. 1-5, and Aug. 8-12. For ages 7-13, camp is 9 am to noon and emphasis is on fundamentals of running, introduction of track & field and developing speed and stamina.

For ages 14-18, camp is 4 to 7 pm.

There will be pole vault, sprints, hurdles, distances, throws and jumps.

Price is $120 for ages 7-13, or $400 for all four sessions. For ages 14-18 the camp is $140 or $500 for all four sessions. Call 973-473-5060.

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CHS Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Joe Vespignani will run camp at School 2 on Van Houten Ave. for kids ages 3-12 on July 11-15 and Aug. 812. Times are 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Cost is $80 for one week or $150 for both.

Call for details: 973-334-0207 or go to VespignaniSoccer.com.

The Metrostars Soccer Camp is Aug. 15-19 in Clifton at a site to be determined. For ages 7-16, camp is from 9 am to noon and costs $105 while the 5 and 6 year old camp begins at 1:30 to 3 pm and costs $65.

Fee includes a Metrostars ball and tshirt, evaluation and a ticket to a Metrostars game. For details, call the Rec Center 973-470-5956.

Art Camp for children in grades 25 is Aug. 15-19, from 9 am to noon at the Clifton Arts Center. Campers will be introduced to various mediums. Cost: $79. Call 973-470-5956.

Clifton’s Soft Lacrosse Camp runs from Aug 15-19 from 9 am to noon at Albion Park. Open to children in kindergarten through grade 4, Soft lacrosse is a non-contact sport featuring a three-pass rule to build skills and promote teamwork. Fee of $105 includes camp jersey. Call Chris Rogers at 201-953-3587.

Mustang hoops B-Ball Camp will be run by Boys’ Coach Jon Santulli and Girls’ Coach Tim Nellegar. The camp for boys and girls ages 7 to 15 is Aug. 1-5 at Clifton High School, 9 am to noon. Santulli, Nellegar and the Mustang coaching staffs will run drills, contests and full-court 5-on-5 games. Kids get a shirt, ball and evaluation. Call 201-310-9152. For the girls, call 973-495-6627.

Karate lessons are offered by the Martial Arts Training Academy, 35 Harding Ave. For children ages 6-8, classes run from July 13 to Aug. 17 on Wednesdays from 4-5 pm.

Classes for ages 9-12 run from July 15 to Aug. 19 on Fridays from 4 - 5 pm. Fee: $35. Call 973-470-5956.

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Clifton SkateZone is at Third Ave. and Weasel Brook Park, in Dutch Hill.

Hockey Camp at Floyd Hall Arena for kids aged 5-12 runs from Aug. 22-26, 9 am until noon and is $105.

Participants can bring their own equipment or use the rental services.

For more info call 973-470-5956.

Skateboard Camp at Clifton’s Skatezone. Anyone ages 6 and up can come to learn how to skate or to refine their skills. The camp is held on Aug. 22-26, with an advanced session at 9 am to noon and a beginners session from 1-4 pm. Price is $79. Skaters are encouraged to bring their own gear, otherwise rentals are available for an extra fee.

For more info call the Rec Department at 973-470-5956.

The Stars of Tomorrow Baseball Camp at William Paterson University is open to kids ages 6-14. The first session is from July 11-15, 9 am to 3 pm. The second session is from July 25-29, 9 am to 3 pm. The $160 registration fee includes a free t-shirt. Call Jack Baker at 201-985-1617.

The Mustang Baseball/Softball Camp will take place on July 5-8 at Nash Park from 8:45 am to noon.

Lead by CHS baseball coach Rich Bel Bruno and CHS softball coach Juliann Magliarditi, the four day camp is for pitchers and catchers ages 7-17 who wish to improve their skills. Price is $90. Call coach Bel Bruno for more info: 973-773-7248.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Safety Town is designed for children entering kindergarten and will be held July 18-29. Call 973-470-5853 for info.

Summer Fun With Science Camp for kids in grades 13 is Aug. 15-19 from 9 am to noon. Engineering, chemistry, machines, cameras and coded communication are covered. Registration is $99. Call 973-470-5956.

The Girl Scouts’ Art to Wear camp is Aug. 22-26 at the Clifton Community Rec Center. Campers will create puppets, masks, sets and act out their own plays.

For girls in grades 1-3 or grades 4-5. Registration is $49. Call the Rec Department for info: 973-470-5956.

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The Clifton Optimist Night with the Jackals: The Clifton Optimist Club and the Rec Department are teaming up on July 12 to cheer on the New Jersey Jackals baseball team at Yogi Berra Stadium at 7 pm. Tickets are $4.50 per person and includes a free raffle ticket and Jackals souvenirs. Call 973-470-5956.

The Junior Jackals Dance Team is holding camp at School 3 from Aug. 15-19 or Aug. 22-26, with 9-12 year olds attending 9 am to noon and kids 13 and older from1-4 pm. Price is $90 a session. Call 973-470-5956.

Just Cheer hosts camp from Aug. 22-26 for girls in grades 3-7 at Holster Park from 9 am to noon. The $90 registration fee includes a free t-shirt. 973-470-5956.

Radical Robot Camp runs from Aug. 15-19 from 1 to 4 pm and is open to children in grades 4 and up. Kids will build robots and then have the opportunity to run them in Robot Races. Fee $125. Call 973-470-5956.

The Space, Science and Rocketry Camp will be held on Aug 22 - 26 from 9 am to noon. Campers will make model rockets and learn what it is like living and working in space. Registration is $125. Call 973-470-5956.

Safety Town is an annual program for children entering kindergarten to teach little ones the basics on how to keep safe and healthy at home, school and on the street.

The program, a Clifton institution in existence over 25 years, is conducted over two weeks, from 9-11:30 am, Monday through Friday, and this year will be held from July 18 through July 29. Safety Town is run at School 2 at 1270 Van Houten Ave., and, thanks to community support and volunteerism, the fee for Safety Town is still only $20. To register, call 973-470-5853.

We welcome new patients in Clifton and our other locations!

Tenafly 32 Franklin St 201-569-2400

Fort Lee 301 Bridge Plaza N. 201-592-8787

Paramus 26 Park Place 201-262-1140

Oakland 3 Post Road 201-651-0404

Clifton Merchant • July 2005

65

PassaicCountyArtsDirectory

Saxophonist Adam Brenner of Clifton will perform on July 28 from 6 to 9 pm at the Passaic Park Band shell on Passaic and Van Houten Aves. as part of a free concert series. A week earlier on July 20, the legendary Jimmy Sturr returns to that Third Ward Park stage.

For more details, see page 70.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

StayConnected The artists of Passaic County are diverse. To help keep them connected and introduce them to a larger public, the Passaic County Cultural & Heritage Council and Tomahawk Promotions are publishing an arts directory in September. On this page are samples from some of the artists who have sent us information. If you are a Passaic County artist, from actor to poet, musician or muse, an arts organization, arts business or service provider, we encourage you to submit a listing to the Arts Directory now. It is free, and an easy–to–use form can be obtained by visiting Tomahawk Promotions at 1288 Main Ave. in Downtown Clifton, emailing tom.hawrylko@verizon.net or calling editor Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400.

Clifton artists include, from top, flutist Donna Brenner, illustrator Michael Rossi and Sharki cabaret dancer (aka belly dancer), Gia Al Qamar.

New Summer Enrichment Program

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Clifton Merchant • July 2005

67

SundayEveningConcerts

James L. Dean Big Band

Great music at Main Memorial Park: On Sunday evenings this summer, pull up a lawn chair and relax to the sounds of Clifton’s Free Summer Concert Series.

Shows are at 7:30 pm but in case of rain, the event is cancelled. On July 10, James L. Dean performs big band; July 17 features the party band Kracker Jax; July 24, Nick James and Amarillo perform the best of country; July 31 is Beatlemania Again; Aug. 7 is polka night with the Ableman; Aug. 14 brings the R&B style of Total Soul; oldies group Reminisce is on Aug. 21 and finally on Aug. 28 the Boisterous Banjos will perform. The stge is on Park Slope near Main Ave. Call 973-470-5956.

Nick James and Amarillo

Saint Paul School

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Clifton Merchant • July 2005

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Clifton’s Music Matador...Bob Obser has published the 14th annual directory of free summer concerts happening in northern New Jersey.

Send a donation of $3 or more to Bob Obser, 6 Grant Ave., Clifton, NJ 07011. Call 973-772-5291.

Bennett Harris Blues Band will headline the July 28 Blues Cruise aboard the A. J. Meerwald which will depart its berth at Liberty State Park in Jersey City at 6 pm for a full sails sunset tour of New York Harbor.

Tickets are $30 and it includes admission and beverages aboard this tall ship. The event will benefit the work of St . Peter’s Haven in Clifton, a food pantry which feeds 500 families a month. This summer’s blues cruise sails are being dedicated to the memory of Rev. Hank Dwyer, former Director of The Haven who died unexpectedly just before Easter Sunday.

Mail checks to St. Peter’s Haven, PO Box 2244, Clifton, NJ 07015. Call 973-340-9405 or 973-546-3406.

Get up and dance under the stars at the Sunday Evening Concerts at Main Memorial Park, which is at 7:30 on Sunday nights, from July 10 to Aug. 28.

The Hawthorne Caballeros return to Clifton Schools Stadium for the 40th annual Drum Corps Grand Prix on July 16 at 7 pm. A total of 10 groups perform. Tickets are $12 to $18. Call 973-423-9702 for group discounts or log onto www.cabs.org.

Grammy Award winner Jimmy Sturr and his orchestra will perform a free concert in Third Ward Park, Passaic, on July 20 at 7:30 pm.

Called America’s polka king, Sturr will perform at the band shell located at the corner of Van Houten and Passaic Aves., across from the train station. Free. Call 973-473-5111.

The Adam Brenner/Bill Lee Ensemble will perform on July 28 at the Third Ward Park Band shell from 6-9 pm. Brenner, a Clifton resident, is a renown saxophonist who has performed with jazz greats such as Mel Torme and the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. The concert will feature Brenner on the alto and tenor sax, Bill Lee as the bassist and composer and Arnold Lee, the father of film producer Spike Lee, on alto sax. For more information, call Brenner at 973-523-9488.

Jimmy Stur r in Passaic’s Thir d War d Park Free Concert on Wednesday, July 20, 7:30 Third Ward Park is at the corner of Van Houten and Passaic Aves. Rain or Shine

Bring your chairs and put on your dancing shoes to enjoy the Big Band sound of Grammy Award winner Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra -- called “the #1 Polka Band in the Country.” The concert is being hosted by the City of Passaic Recreation Department.

1707

Call Greg Komeshok for more info: 973 473 5111.

70

The Jimmy Sturr concert is made possible through the generosity of the following sponsors and supporters: Wawel Savings Bank, Polish & Slavic Federal Credit Union, Passaic Mayor Sammy Rivera, Congressman William Pascrell, State Senator Paul Sarlo, and Assemblyman Fred Scalera. This project is funded, in part by the Passaic County Cultural and Heritage Council at Passaic County Community College, through a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of the State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

DowntownCliftonSalsa

Cadencia a 12 piece big sound salsa band will fire up Downtown Clifton on July 14, from 5 to 11 pm on the corner of Clifton Ave. and First St. Free; no rain date. Info: 973-253-1455.

1023

Downtown Clifton hosts a series of music under the stars. On July 14 Cadecia, a 12 piece Salsa band, will perform and on Aug. 11, from 5 to 11 pm, a 50’s band will play some oldies. Both events are in Municipal Parking Lot 8 on the corner of First St. and Clifton Ave. A Columbus and Pulaski Day Street Festival will be held on Oct. 8. Plans are still be discussed for a Christmas Parade. For more info, call 973-253-1455.

Grants Applications due July 8: The Passaic County Cultural & Heritage Council (PCCHC) at Passaic County Community College administers special project grants which are available to producing or presenting organizations, as well as educational, social service or municipal organizations. Guidelines are numerous but the events must take place in Passaic County between Jan. 1, 2006 and Dec.. 31, 2006, and

3) match every dollar with one dollar of its own: a portion of the match could be in-kind donations. Info: 973-684-6507. Completed application must be returned by July 8.

The New Jersey Theatre Alliance has published a Guide to Accessible Theatre, which lists performances in accessible theatres throughout New Jersey in normal type, large print, Braille and audio tape. Free. Call 973-540-0515.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

PassaicCountyFair Passaic County’s Fair is July 13-17 at Garret Mountain Reservation in West Paterson and with a variety of new events and rides, it promises to be a celebration of the county. Presented by the Passaic County Freeholders and Passaic County Vision 2020, the goal is to showcase the people, crafts and diversity of the county’s 16 municipalities. There will be rides, art exhibits and performances. For more info and a line up of acts, call 973-225-5382 or go to www.passaiccountynj.org.

A photo contest will be judged at the Passaic County Fair. Entries will be accepted until July 9 with awards in the categories of general, scenic and nature presented July 16. For contest, info call 973-523-0024.

Photo by Dolores Choteboesky.

Vocalist Karla Yeamans, above, will bring her pop, rock ’n roll concert to the Passaic County Fair on July 13 at 7:30 pm on the concert band stage at Garret Mountain. A sophomore at CHS, her show is a mix of songs by the Supremes, Bette Midler, Neil Diamond, Cher, ABBA and others. Yeamans will perform again at the Fair with the Passaic County Children’s Repertoire variety show on July 17 at noon.

MusicalCamp The Menconi Music Studio, 309 Lakeview Ave., offers a summer session featuring two fun and educational group programs for first time music students. Courses include Introduction to Music and Introduction to Guitar.

Other instruments may be offered if there is sufficient interest. Attendees will be divided into appropriate age groups. Classes are one hour in length, They will be held on six consecutive weeks starting July 11 and ending the second week of Aug. 19. Tuition for either class is $75.

Textbooks and instrument rentals are additional. Register by July 9.

Call 973-253-7500 for details.

Clifton Merchant • July 2005

73

Allwood Play and Learn Nursery School, located in the Allwood Community Church at 94 Chelsea Rd. has re-opened under private ownership. Led by the mother/ daughter partnership of Dee Faller and Ashley Anderson, the school will remain under the direction of Linda Caruccio and employ the same teachers and staff. Allwood Play and Learn provides both full and half day sessions for ages 2 1/2, 3, and 4 year old pre-school children, from September through June.

Faller served on the Board of Directors for the School while it was under the auspices of the Church.

Anderson is a CHS grad and currently a third year Early Childhood Education Major at the College of St. Elizabeth in Morristown.

The Clifton Rotary Club presents the Robert P. Hammer 3rd Memorial Golf Outing at Cristal Springs on Aug. 16, in honor of the former Clifton City Manager who died in office in 2002. Dr Jeff Schulman of Clifton Chiropractic & Physical Therapy, is the Chairman for this event. The entry fee for an individual golfer is $160, which includes buffet lunch, cart, greens fees, Clifton Chiropractic & Physical Therapy will celebrate its 10th anniversary on July 23 from 9 am to 2 pm with with a ribbon cutting

by Mayor James Anzaldi and Jack the Jackal. Throughout the day, there will be food, prizes, face painting and free chair massages.

The healthcare center was founded in 1995 by Dr. Suzi Schulman, who now operates the practice with her brother, Dr. Jeff Schulman. They invite the community to join in the festivities. Clifton Chiropractic is in the Bobbink Shopping Center on Valley Rd. Call 973-742-3400.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

send Clifton business news to Tom.Hawrylko@verizon.net

Proprietor Margaret Pipala, who has owned Teddy’s Catering since 2001, has relocated from Third St. in Passaic to 1014 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton, next to Bellin’s Pool. Teddy’s has catered thousands of weddings, private parties and celebrations for the past 60 years. Pipala, a Clifton resident, will not only continue the catering business but will also open the restaurant for dining on Wednesday through Sunday evenings, serving authentic homemade Polish cuisine. prizes and the awards dinner, which can be purchased separately for $50.

Sponsors are also needed for the event, which will begin with lunch at noon and tee off at 1 pm. For information on the Rotary Club call Dr. Schulman 973-742-3400.

Lester Herrschaft, President of the Passaic Valley Water Commission, last month was honored by the Boy Scouts with the 2005 Community

Service Award. As a lifelong Clifton resident, Herrschaft has supported his community in a variety of ways.

A veteran of WWII, he served on the Board of Education for 15 years, seven as President, and was also on the City Council for eight years.

Herrschaft has volunteered his time to the Boys & Girls Club, the YMYMCA, the Rotary Club and various other community causes.

A Passaic County Film Production Resource Guide has been published by the Passaic County Department of Economic Development. It is a cityby-city handbook on potential film locations, resources to help make a shoot work and a list of phone numbers of municipal and county problem-solvers. The 16 communities of the county have been used in numerous film and tv productions, most notably the Emmy Award-winning The Sopranos. Companies have also filmed commercials, music videos

unty NJ o C c i a s Pas

and feature length films within these environs. There are plenty of historical and cultural sites as well as

woods, mines, castles, waterfalls and dams. The guide also includes a directory of businesses, from antique dealers to warehouses. To receive a free copy, call 973-881-4427.

Our goal is to preview events, from business openings to personnel changes, we want to know what our neighbors are doing so that we can share that good news on these pages.

Mail publicity and photos 30 days prior to: Clifton Merchant Magazine c/o Tomahawk Promotions, 1288 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton 07011.

Members of the Japanese Cleaning Productivity Council, the largest chain of drycleaners in Japan, visited DeLuxe Cleaners on Main Avenue on June 24 to study techniques, trends and procedures. The stop at the landmark art deco building in Downtown Clifton, was one of only two visits the group made on their way to an international trade show.

DeLuxe Cleaners, now operated by founder Joseph DeLora’s grandchildren, Patrick Jr., and Linda, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. They are standing next to their parents, at center, Patrick Sr. (Joseph’s son) and Albina.

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75

It’s all family at Mario’s: First row from left: Mario Barilari III, Dino Bellini, Aulo Barilari and Brett Barilari.

Second row: Johnny Bellini, Sandro Bellini, Kenneth Barilari, Aurora Bellini, Kim Barilari and Alba Bellini.

60 Years of Mario’s America was at a crossroads in 1945. World War II was coming to a close and an entire nation beamed with pride. In Clifton, the Athenia section, bisected by the Van Houten Avenue corridor, was abuzz. Ma Bell resided here, a steel foundry spilled its workers onto the streets and the neighborhood was home to many middle class working families.

On July 5, 1945, Mario and Emma Barilari Sr. shared in that American Dream. Their streets were not paved with gold, but with something better: tomatoes, garlic, oregano, pasta, loaves of bread, and fresh fish.

Barilari decided to open an eatery —Mario’s Restaurant, at 710 Van Houten Ave. He wanted to feed Clifton heaping portions. His idea was to give patrons home cooking and a good place to socialize.

76

July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

by Tom Hawrylko

“Dad had previously worked at the Italian Kitchen in Paterson, where he learned a great deal,’’ partowner and Mario’s daughter, Aurora Bellini said. “His passion was cooking, which he mastered. The menu that we have today is for the most part my father’s creations.

“In the beginning, mom would wash dishes, help in the kitchen and manage. Mario’s was the first restaurant to bring pizza into the Clifton-Passaic area,’’ she claimed.

These days, despite the deaths of their founders, Mario’s remains a Clifton institution. In December, 1998, Mario Sr. passed away and in July, 2001, Emma died. The couple’s four siblings – Aurora, Aulo, Mario Jr. and Alba – now steer the day to day operation.

Interestingly, Aurora and Alba married nephews Sandro and John of the Bellini’s, the original owners.

Today, Mario Jr. and Dino Bellini, Sandro and Alba’s son, run the kitchen. Dino is a seminal chef and graduate of the Johnson & Wales Culinary School. His artistic touch brings a new spin on old favorites.

Sandro Bellini had been head chef until retiring a few years ago.

Aulo runs the bar along with his sons Brett and Kenny. Their wives Maureen and Kim also manage.

Mario III also stirs the drinks.

Gianni, whose mother is Aurora, manages and handles private parties.

“We also have more than 65 employees at this time. We have many faithful and hard working employees, many of whom have been with us for many years,’’

Aurora said. “If it were not for them, we would not be as successful as we are today.’’ Looking back to July, 1945, Mario’s employed just four waitresses and four kitchen workers.

A typical work day for Mario Sr., pictured at right, began at 7:30 am.

He prepared the foods, served lunch and then returned home to feed his four children. Mario Sr. would rest until 10:30 pm before heading back

to restaurant, closing up and driving his employees home after 3 am.

Emma’s day was just as intense.

“Mom started at 11 o’clock in the morning and went to midnight,” Aurora said. “It must have been very hard for them, trying to raise a family and run a business which took up so much time.’’

Mario Sr. was born in Framura, Italy in 1910. He arrived in the United States when he was 18 years old. When the Barilari’s took over their Van Houten Ave. location, it was a tight squeeze.

In 1965, room expansion provided space for an additional 45 patrons. More than 20 years ago, the final phase of expansion added a 140-seat banquet room.

The present day Mario’s still serves the traditional items such as pizza and mussels, but the menu has expanded and offers a wide variety of homemade appetizers, entrees and desserts. From specialty pasta to steaks and shops, Mario’s menu

seems to covers it all. “We will continue to work hard to give our customers the best, just like we’ve been doing for the last three generations,” said Aurora. “We have always been know as a family restaurant, a true family restaurant owned and operated by the family,” she continued.

“We have made many friends over the years and have many wonderful memories.’’

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ReMax Excellence hosted an open house on June 23 to celebrate moving their office to 730 Clifton Ave., which is across the street from the Board of Education building. Broker and owner Halina Strzepek and her husband Krzysztof lead a team of 12 agents, offering an array of services in residential and commercial real estate. Founded in 1998 by the Strzepeks, the ReMax Excellence is an independently owned and operated office of an international chain of realtors From left, Halina Strzepek, Barbra Ann Stock, Krzysztof Strzepek and Barbara Day. Organizers of the 9th annual Clifton 50’s Get Together, from left, Clifton’s former top cop Chief Frank LoGioco, Frank Pecci, Al Mardirossian, jr., Walt Calligaro, retired Passaic County Superior Court Judge Joseph Scancarella and Felix Rossi. Below, from left, brothers Wendell and Rich Inhoffer with a 1957 souvenir from Montclair’s Woodman Field.

Montclair’s perfect record of 10 football victories out of 10 contests with Clifton was smashed on a cold November day in 1957 when the No. 3 Mustangs punished the No. 1 Mounties, 26-0, on Woodman Field. At right, the Inhoffer brothers show off a souvenir bench their dad took home and painted to memorialize the legendary Mustang victory 48 years ago, an item they bring to every Clifton 50’s Get Together. Next year’s event is June 7, 2006, at the Brownstone. For info, call Al Mardirossian, jr. at 973-777-7775 or Walt Calligaro at 201- 874-3555.

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July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Downtown Clifton presents:

Salsa Night Dancing Under the Stars!

Thursday, July 14 • 5 pm to 11 pm Municipal Lot #8 Corner of Clifton Ave & First St. Free Admission - No Rain Date Clowns Vendors Singers Dancers Arts & Craft Food & Beverages

Featuring:

A 12 Piece Big Sound Salsa Orchestra

Orquesta Cadencia Plus various other performers!

For more information on this and other events in Downtown Clifton, call 973-253-1455 Clifton Merchant • July 2005

79

Visit us in Downtown Clifton • 1103 Main Ave • 973-473-4999

We Don’t Sell Parts… …We Sell Service Machine Shop On Location No Order Too Large Or Small FREE DELIVERY

P&A offers genuine NAPA parts

Two Stores in Clifton 973-473-4999 1103 Main Ave • Downtown Clifton Mon-Fri 8-6pm • Sat 8-5pm • Sun Closed

973-473-1997 802 Van Houten Ave • Clifton Mon-Fri 8-6pm • Sat 8-5pm • Sun 9-1pm

Our Other Locations: 201.843.8040 136 Essex St • Rochelle Park Open Sundays

201.391.3333 5 Hawthorne Ave • Park Ridge New Location

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59A E. Ridgewood Ave • Paramus New Location

614 Pompton Ave • Cedar Grove New Location

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1168 Hamburg Turnpike • Wayne New Location

201-845-8353 101 Route 46 West • Saddle Brook Open Sundays

973-423-1700 93 Goffle Rd • Hawthorne New Location

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Visit us in Athenia • 802 Van Houten Ave • 973-473-1997 80

July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Birthday/Celebrations

From left, Joyce Sunshine turns 66 on July 8th. Angela Olave turns 31 on 7/16 and brother Louis Olave turns 36 on 7/13. Sal Latteri turns 82 on 6/22.

Cocoa Saccoman ..........

Ashley Jacobus ................

Megan Suaifan ................

Kaitlin Vinciguerra ............

Harry Quagliana ..............

George Shamar ..............

Eva Gasporowska ............

Joseph Lopez ..................

Ornella Ganoza ..............

Gina Oliva ........................

Amanda Fabiano ............

Steven Camp Sr. ..............

Mary T. Mancin ................

7/19 7/19 7/20 7/22 7/23 7/23 7/25 7/27 7/27 7/28 7/29 7/30 7/30

Happy Belated Anniversary to Margaret and Albin Zwiazek who celebrated 63 years of marriage on June 21

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Thomas Medvedich .......... 7/1 Marie Angello .................... 7/3 Amanda Di Angelo .......... 7/3 Chris Torrao ........................ 7/4 Alex Alectoridis .................. 7/5 Kayla Ann Ferro.................. 7/5 Frank Rando ...................... 7/5 Kayla Ann Snell .................. 7/5 Lori Lill .................................. 7/6 Ron Curtiss .......................... 7/7 Angelo Grippo .................. 7/7 Edward Sepulveda ............ 7/7 Kristi Schopfer .................. 7/10 Luis Olave.......................... 7/13 Alyssa Marie Misyak ........ 7/14 Ann Schamble ................ 7/15 Michelle Ann Snell............ 7/15 Derek Dobol .................... 7/16 Jessica Dobol .................. 7/16 Angela Olave .................. 7/16 Joanne Gursky ................ 7/17 Carrie Szluka .................... 7/18 Alexander Razvmov ........ 7/19 Ryan Saccoman .............. 7/19

GRAPHIC ARTIST Clifton Merchant Magazine seeks a full-time staff artist to keep our magazine looking great. Design stories and ads.

Quark, PhotoShop, Illustrator on MACs. Write to: Tomahawk Promotions, 1288 Main Ave. Clifton NJ 07011 or via email at tom.hawrylko@verizon.net

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JULY 4

On July 4, 1917, approximately 11,764 people, a number 50 percent greater than the population of Acquackanonk Township (the soon-to-be City of Clifton), enter Fairyland. The amusement park was where the Garden State Parkway crosses Main Ave., about where Corrado’s Family Affair exists today.

Dr. David R. Moore, Chiropractor

1917

www.fitspine.net

Dr. Moore and Jack the Jackal have teamed up to bring Baseball and Family Fun to Clifton.

From now until Labor Day, all new Patients and current Patients who bring in Friends or Family Members, will receive 2 Free tickets to any Jackals home game. This could be the best "Adjustment" to your summer!!

Mon • Wed • Fri Chiropractic Health Center 241 Crooks Ave • Clifton • 973.253.7005

Sports Injuries • Car Accidents Family Practice 82

July 2005 • Clifton Merchant

1576

Tue • Thu • Sat Elmwood Park Athletic Club 690 River Dr • Elmwood Park • 201.794.0155

years of r ice to Ou Community Serv Est. 1905

East Ridgelawn Cemetery... ...invites you to visit our Mausoleum on Main Avenue to see the inspirational art adorning our new building. Within the Mausoleum, our artist has painted a serene and peaceful view, entitled ‘Eden’, where visitors can pause to celebrate the lives of those who have passed.

At the Mausoleum...

Visits are unlimited and unaffected by the weather. Crypts are located in the building and convenient for elderly and handicapped. Mausoleum entombment provides greater Peace of Mind & Security.

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East Ridgelawn Cemetery 255 Main Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07014 for more information with no obligation call:

973.777.1920

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Call 877-833-2365

Free Report #2

Moving Up! How to Avoid Getting Stuck with Two Homes To hear a brief recorded message call 1-866-826-9875 ID# 1772 Call anytime 24/7

Clifton

$370,000

Wayne

$1,250,000

Clifton

$429,900

Nice Colonial House Charming colonial with chestnut trim, hardwood floors, brick fireplace, private side door to beautiful pinewood, Fin bsmnt. 50 fruit trees in fenced-in yard. Ask for Wendell.

Contemporary Ranch Unique in Style-Backyard Backs Golf Course. Grand Entertaining LR w/vaulted ceilings, 2 fireplaces, Sliders to 2decks, 4 bdrms, 3 full baths, sauna, wet bar, in ground pool, Ask for Sophia or John.

First Time Buyer 2 Family Home - Corner lot, 10 rooms, 4 bedrooms, 3 f/baths, 2 car garage. Home Warranty!

Ask for Sophia.

Call 877-833-2365

Call 877-833-2365

Call 877-833-2365

Nicholas Real estate ageNcy

Free Report #3

Selling?

27 Quick & Easy FixUps to Sell your Home FAST & FOR TOP DOLLAR! To hear a brief recorded message call 1-866-831-4517 ID# 1723 Call anytime 24/7

Clifton

$479,900

Great 3 Family Home In the Athenia Section, 1st and 2nd flr aprt with 5 rooms. 3rd flr with 3 rooms. Very clean and large rooms.

Also garage, and Nice size yard.

Ask for Maria Carrera.

Call 877-833-2365

Visit us online at:

www.NoOneSellsMore.com