Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake
PA S C AC K VA L L E Y ’ S H O M E TO W N N E W S PA P E R
VOLUME 29 ISSUE 20
TENDING THE ISLAND
WESTWOOD
WVAC CHEERS RANKINGS AND LOOKS AHEAD
As corps closed in on annual carnival, it celebrated impressive figures on hours volunteered, calls answered
Corps Goes Above, Beyond WVAC has 47 active riding members, including 28 certified Emergency Medical Technicians, seven Emergency Medical Responders, and 22 certified drivers. Members regularly train, respond,
See WVAC on page 74
PASCACK VALLEY
A Westwood engineer cultivates new purpose in the floating gardens of Manhattan
BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
As the Westwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps (WVAC) prepared to host its annual summer fundraising carnival, July 22–26 at Westwood Plaza, the organization was already celebrating 2025ʼs extraordinary service and dedication. The carnival, a staple of the boroughʼs summer calendar, raises vital funds for the Corps—funds that directly support the emergency medical services WVAC provides at no cost to residents. “Not only is it a fun community event, but every dollar raised goes toward our mission,” Captain Rush Sherman told Pascack Press on July 11. And that mission is running strong. As of midyear, WVAC has responded to 362 emergency medical calls, including 238 in Westwood and 124 as mutual aid across the Pascack Valley. Behind every call is a team of volunteers committed to professionalism, compassion, and readiness—24/7.
JULY 28, 2025
Dave Pallatta, supervisor of horticulture at Little Island, helps shape the lush, elevated landscape, seen above against the backdrop of Downtown Manhattan. From early spring bulbs to fall foliage, he and his team keep the park thriving year-round. Credits: above, Pier55 AdobeStock; inset, Dave Pallatta photo.
F
BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
OR DECADES, Dave Pallatta followed a familiar script: a stable career, a home in his childhood town, a life well-rooted in the expected. Heʼd built his world well. But during the the pandemic, something shifted. He found himself enjoying the soil—imagining
garden projects while working from home. “After working as an engineer and project manager for many years, I found myself going through the motions at work and not getting any real satisfaction,” Pallatta told Pascack Press recently. “I kept thinking, ʻHow many more years until I can retire and do
Continued on page 18
HIGGINS, CIRELLI, LEVINSON HONORED
Rep. Josh Gottheimer lauds doers from Pascack Valley as Hometown Heroes; 21 shine in Fifth District
Among the 21 North Jersey residents recognized as “Hometown Heroes” by U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer on July 18 were three familiar names from the Pascack Valley: Bryan Cirelli of Montvale, Tammy Levinson of Park Ridge, and Josephine Higgins of Woodcliff Lake. Each was celebrated at the Fifth District Hometown Heroes Ceremony, held Friday at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center, for extraordinary service to their communities in the Legislative Fifth District — from lifesaving generosity to public leadership and tireless advocacy. The event honored first responders, veterans, volunteers, and local leaders whose everyday efforts help strengthen the fabric of North Jersey life. “If you tune in to cable or go onto social media, there is far more attention these days on whatʼs going wrong with America, and far too little attention on whatʼs going right. But then, stories crop up here and there of a firefighter rescuing a young girl
See HEROES on page 54
OWLS SWOOP IN
B ck in time...
The Park Ridge Fighting Owls continue their impressive 2025 season by capturing the 3rd/4th grade division title at the Ramsey Rumble. (Sorry, Cavos, Raiders, and Cutters.) PAGE 8
This week we go back to summer 1930, when the people of Hillsdale were as frustrated as they were frightened. Kristin Beuscher, president of Pascack Historial Society in Park Ridge, has the story. PAGE 4