Pascack Press 9.26.22

HILLSDALE

RDISTRICT’S‘ROADTOEFERENDUM’SITEUP

Resource answers questions ahead of $82.5M ballot ask set for March 2023

BYMICHAELOLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

A district website on its $82.5 million referendum to replace the 100-year-old George G. White Middle School went live on Wednesday, Sept. Superintendent21.Robert Lombardy said in an email, “As many of you may know, the district has long discussed the aging George G. White Middle School. We have proposed a bond referendum to replace it with a newly built middle school across the street. We are excited to invite you to our new Road to Referendum website to learn more in the months leading up to the vote tentatively planned for March 14, Lombardy2023.”said, “The centuryold building has been showing its age, with a distinct lack of space for our students and piecemeal infrastructure driven only by emergency fixes. Continuing to try and fix multiple smaller issues with lack of classrooms or antiquated HVAC systems will not address the longterm problems facing our middle school.”He said, “Voter approval of the $82.5 million bond referendum would mean that the district could build a new, state-of-the-art school to address educational needs and to retain the value of Hillsdale Public Schools for the community The proposed middle school would have larger classrooms more conducive to learning, opportunity and space for enhanced programming

WESTWOOD PD COLLARS COLLARSWESTWOODTITLEPDTITLE

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

BACKINTHEPRESCHOOLMIXON95LINWOOD applicationMontessoriwithZoningBoard;saysitsexpertfoundnocontamination

BYMICHAELOLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

Less than three months after the Township Council voted not to purchase the 1.45-acre former Charlie Brownʼs property, at 95 Linwood Ave., the siteʼs previous bidder, Apple Montessori Schools, has submitted an application to the township Zoning Board to build a preschool there.

The application, submitted Sept. 8, is being reviewed for completeness by Zoning Board engineer Paul Azzolina, said board secretary Grace Kalish.

She said the applicant had applied for a “D” or use variance to construct a school on a site now zoned for single-family homes.

BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS

THE SECOND ANNUAL Haydn S. Smith Memorial Basketball Tournament, held at Hegeman Park on Saturday, Sept. 10, went off without a hitch this past Saturday.

Thatʼs according to West wood Mayor Ray Arroyo, who told Pascack Press, “It was sunny hot and humid up on Sand Road, but the organizers, players, and

spectators beat the rain that landed on Sunday The tournamentʼs second iteration started promptly at noon with welcoming remarks delivered by Hadynʼs son, Cassiel, and daughter, Desiree.”

He said, “Then the players, all business, got right to it.”

The tournament is in honor of Smith, a founding member of The Friends of Hegeman Park, who died on Dec. 1, 2020 at age 69 after a lifetime of service.

“Haydnʼs contribution was

invaluable. And his devotion to our Westwood community is memorialized in this event,” Arroyo said at the inaugural tour ney and similarly last week.

This yearʼs championship game featured the Westwood Police Departmentʼs Krispy Kreme Kings vs. the Impractical Warriors, the defending champs.

Arroyo said WWPDʼs name choice “demonstrated a comic

Once the application is deemed complete and scheduled for a hearing, it will be available for public inspection 10 days before its official hearing date. The application is likely to begin hearings before the end of this year, KalishCurrently,said. Zoning Board meetings are conducted on Zoom, she said.Erica Amon, vice president of development for Apple Montessori Schools LLC, told Pascack Press

See PRESCHOOL on page 31

Hillsdale’s Valley Fair department store, with its popular lunch counter, still invites in memory. Kristin Beuscher president of the Pascack Historical Society, has the story.

Second Annual Haydn S. Smith Tourney honors a legacy

Westwood Police Department’s Krispy Kreme Kings include, front to back, left to right: PO Sean Roche; Paterson Det.Suquan Gary;Haydn Smith’s son,Cassiel Smith,and daughter,Desiree Dubois;Sgt.Anthony Piccinich; Westwood resident Sheldon Jackson;Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Det.Sgt.Brad Forestieri;PO Scott Standish;Lt. Mark Foley; and Westwood resident and WRHS Hall of Fame athlete Rob Padula.

VIA

PASCACK PRESS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Vote WWRSDCusatoforatBOE

To the editor:

T HE STATE DEPARTMENT of Education has issued a new set of standards, 2020 New Jersey Student Learning Standards –Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, that place an unusual emphasis on “woke” ideologies dealing with gender and sexuality. For example, the glossary at the end of the document defines about 40 terms, 60% of

which deal with gender and sexuality. This is part of an agenda being pushed by the political left, including the Governor Murphy Administration and the teacher unions, both federal and state. The scope of the standards introduces subject matter that is hardly appropriate for upper grades and definitely inappropriate for lower grades.How our Westwood Regional School District implements these standards into its curriculum needs a balanced approach that assures that the emphasis of the left does not dominate. I have read BOE candidate Doug Cusatoʼs bio and his replies to the Pascack Press Q&A that was given to all BOE

candidates. He is very aware of the push from the left to implement its “woke” agenda and is determined to see that it does not succeed. I have spoken with Doug and am impressed with his credentials and his desire to assure a fair and balanced implementation of the new standards.

Doug has a personal stake in this matter as he has four young children in the school system. His son and two daughters attend George School and another daughter is in pre-school.

He has my vote as our BOE representative from Washington Township and I encourage residents of the Township to support Doug as well.

James Dugan Washington Township

fieldsharpHorváthonspend

To the editor:

THE HILLSDALE COUNCIL has begun spending money like drunken sailors, trying to defend their actions. It put out a press release touting the spending of $4 million ($4.4 million if you include planning costs) to create the new Centennial Field Athletic Complex. [See story, page 5.]

In July, it approved spending $2.2 million for a community center at Stonybrook, in spite of having an even larger community center being given to the Borough in the Patterson Redevelopment area. The council members who voted for these defend it by saying that these are needed capital improvements and that the sizable tax increase approved last

year (before any of these projects w ere clearly defined or announced) has already paid for them! But the debt needed to pay f or these projects hasnʼt even been issued yet. The annual amortization of interest and principal has yet to be reflected in our budgets.Meanwhile, the taxpayers of Hillsdale are being told not to focus on a possible looming tax increase of about $1,400 annually if the reconstruction of George White [school] is approved by the residents next year (see “District hires PRfirm on school referendum outreach,” Pascack Press online, July 25, 2022).

They are being asked to ignore the effects of other likely spikes to expenses, like raises to our employees to keep up with inflation, and the 23% increase in employee health insurance premiums that the Borough will need to pay.

Neither the council nor the taxpayers know what the costs of protecting our DPW from flood ing will be. That $10 million bond that the council authorized but did not issue when it boosted taxes by 5.3% in 2021 may not be enough to cover all thatʼs needed for these projects when the debt is finally issued. Itʼs like the Wizard of Oz when he tells Dorothy, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.”The costs of the Centennial Field renovations have more than doubled since the council was first presented with a draft 2019 report, as more and more “ameni ties” got added and as inflation rose. But has the income of Hillsdale taxpayers ballooned? No.

And what about the residents who are on fixed incomes, especially our senior community and retirees? The council doesnʼt

seem to understand that its actions are forcing its less fortunate and longtime residents to consider leaving for greener pastures, like thousands of other New Jersey residents.

Councilman Zoltá n Horvá th Borough of Hillsdale

Bicocchi,Dellre-electWestwood,

To the editor:

I AMURGING Westwood voters to re-elect Councilman Rob Bicocchi and Council President Beth Dell to the Westwood Coun cil.

Rob has been a huge support er of Westwood youth sports and recreation. His professional experience as a NYC facilities manager was essential in our volunteer effort to fund and construct the Meadowbrook Park Field House.

This field is the “Home of Westwood Baseball.” Itʼs where many of our kids learn sportsman ship and first realize that through hard work and determination they can improve and excel in athletics , and in anything else they put their minds to. Our flagship field house is the organizationʼs pride and joy.Also, as a longtime resident of Nugent Place, I am very thankful for the renewed attention the Mayor and Council have given to the worsening flooding issue in Westwood. Rob explained that heʼd researched and initiated state of the art flood sensors that will soon be installed in the Pascack Brook, giving real-time data to our OEM and, eventually, our police dispatch desk to give first responders and residents the most currentCouncilinformation.President Dell, as finance and administration liai son, has done a wonderful job with borough staff succession planning and steering successive municipal budgets that have minimized the municipal tax increases on the averaged assessed home over several budget cycles. During inflationary times that fiscal

NOTE: Letter submission deadline is 11 a.m. Wednesday for the following Monday’s paper. Publication not guaranteed. Subject to editing. Email topascackpress@thepressgroup.net.

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

Township Council members urged the mayor Sept. 19 to press its architect to look further into using a steel building to house the DPW, including one with secondfloor office space or one for storage of DPW vehicles and equipment — in hopes of lowering the new DPW facilityʼs price tag.

Township architect Arcari Iovino previously estimated a new DPW facility to be built at town hall at $4.5 million, though some council members said that going up in height or adding a steel structure or storage building might reduce costs as well as provide needed storage.

Upon questioning by resident Bob Stickel, Mayor Peter Calamari said that the townshipʼs architect said steel buildings are a great option to look at but generally not conducive to second floors for office space. He said the architect cited a reduced lifespan for steel buildings of 25–30 years, versus brick and mortar building life spans of 50–55 years.

it as “a less expensive route.”

Council Vice President Stacey Feeney said that there were other DPWs in the area that have steel buildings with a second story, and suggested the architect reach out to them. Calamari said he would reach out to the Pascack Valley MayorsʼAssociation and ask who might be using a steel structure.Councilman Steven Cascio said investigating the steel buildings was a good idea and that they also last a long time.

Councilman Tom Sears said that the new DPW facilities could be part brick and mortar and part steel structure. He said the steel

building could save costs over a traditionalFeeneybuilding.saidthat the residents are “very happy” with the DPW and that the council must provide them with a quality building to maintain local services.

“We have to be fiscally responsible and do it as smart as we can,” she added.

DPW equipment at former swim club

On a related matter, Calamari said that seasonal DPW equipment and vehicles stored at the 6.1-acre former Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club would not “come and go

every week” but only move at the end of October for leaf season and later for winter weather

needs.Calamari told residents previously that DPW seasonal equipment and vehicles would be stored “indefinitely” at the swim c lub, which the township acquired in late April for $750,000. The township engineer has undertaken a study on town-

w ide recreational facilities, including the club, to determine their best future recreational uses.Recently, the township was listed as in line for a $438,750 county open space grant to reimburse the swim club purchase. Grants will be awarded officially in December, following a public hearing Oct. 19. The councilʼs next regular meeting is Oct. 3.

Stickel said he had been in steel buildings before, including the second floor of the National Grid Building in Syracuse, N.Y. He said even if the steel structure only lasts 35–40 years and cost half the price, the town could put up anotherCouncilone.President

Desserie

Morgan said she agreed that the architect should pursue a steel building, even if just to cover or house the DPW equipment, citing

magicTeamworkislibrary’sspell

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

Feast your eyes! In July, the township library finally had the chance to host a special LEGO Community Program, delayed from 2020.

Youth Services Librarian Marie Joyce told Pascack Press on Sept. 15 it took six volunteers and two librarians to sort the pieces in preparation. Over the course of five days — for a total of 16 hours — 24 helpers of varying ages worked to assemble the 6,020-piece LEGO Hogwarts Castle (it sells for $469.99 at the Lego store).

“We wanted to host an event that brought together not only the people, but the intersections between art, literature, and building. We loved seeing both LEGO fans and Harry Potter fans come together across generations for a common goal,” Joyce said.

She added, “Thank you to everyone who came to build and those who stopped by to cheer us on and watch our progress! The castle is now part of our Harry Potter display and will be in our glass cases through Halloween.”

Fond remembrance: Valley Fair

BY KRISTIN BEUSCHER SPECIAL TO PASCACK PRESS HILLSDALE

FRIES AND A COKE, anyone? We have a sneaking suspicion that many people reading this pulled up a seat at this luncheonette counter on more than one occasion. You could buy anything from a barbecue grill to a pet goldfish at this business, which operated on Broadway in Hillsdale, near the Woodcliff Lake line, in 1968. Valley Fair, the first shopping center in town, was under ownership of the Ganguzza family.

The luncheonette photo was taken around 1962.

At about 60,000 square feet, Valley Fair was a discount department store that sold just about everything under the sun. If you were a kid in 1960s or ʼ70s you might remember heading up to the toy department, or maybe to the “pet shop” where they sold small animals, while mom was perus ing the clothing, shoes or housewares. Teens could pick up the latest record from their favorite band (at

a time when kids bought, instead of downloading, music).Valley Fair was also a stop for pharmacy needs, garden supplies, sports equipment, hardware, automotive supplies, and much more.

Valley Fair closed in the late 1970s and reopened as ShopRite supermarket in 1979. ShopRite continues to do business here more than 40 years later.

Kristin Beuscher is president of the Pascack Historical Society

You need it,Valley Fair had it. Department store shopping comes to Hillsdale in 1968.

—Staff report

Hogwarts Castle clicksat the Township of Washington Public Library.

Above: The luncheonette counter at Valley Fair in Hillsdale,circa 1960s-1970s. At left:part of a contemporary ad for seasonal fashions. Below: A vintage Sealtest Ice Cream wrap.

5-0 COUNCILCHEERSINVESTMENT

IN CENTENNIALFIELDUPGRADES

“In an effort to continually improve its athletic and recreational facilities, the Borough of Hillsdale authorized its engineering firm, Colliers Engineering, to proceed with design of a plan to upgrade its existing Centennial soccer and baseball fields.”Thatʼs according to a statement the borough sent to Pascack Press on Sept. 19 noting the more than $4 million plan includes a multi-sport synthetic turf field (football, soccer, lacrosse) on the current Harada soccer field; synthetic turfing of the Corra Little League Field; drainage improvement to the Knickerbocker/Roelle baseball field; upgraded lighting to energy-efficient LED; additional parking, a walking path, bleachers, and a new playground; and a dedicated area for food trucks.

The borough said the plan incorporates suggestions from its field subcommittee (councilmembers Anthony DeRosa, John Escobar and Abby Lundy), the Hillsdale Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Hillsdale sports associations whose volunteers help run multiple athletic programs for the Borough.

absent for the vote, and forcefully criticized the development in a statement to Pascack Press on Sept. 19.

Located off Kinderkamack Road, the facility is on land once the town dump but converted toathletic fields in 2009. The council agreed in April to have Colliers provide duediligence services regarding the Centennial field complex.

“Over the years, residents have complained about poor drainage on all three of Centennialʼs fields. Fields in other parts of town are playable within a day of moderate rain, but Centennial can take three or more days until playable, causing cancellations and home games being played in other towns,” the borough said.

Pending permits, groundbreaking could begin in April 2023 and wrap by Labor Day, the borough said.

residents have expressed that our recreational facilities arenʼt on par with surrounding municipalities –some going as far as calling them an embarrassment.”Hesaid,“This council has listened to them and is now taking the steps to remedy this long-standing issue and create a facility that our children deserve and that all our residents can use and be proud of.”

On funding

town with redevelopment, grants, etc. that will help offset unforeseen or out-of-our-control increases.”

Horváth decries expense

In a letter to the editor that followed on the heels of the boroughʼs statement, Horváth wrote Pascack

Press with sharply worded views about the council majorityʼs priorities and said taxpayers faced a variety of Horvathcosts.voted for the April resolution authorizing Collersʼ due-diligence work at Centennial. For more, see Letters.

Zoltán Horváth was

Presented to the Hillsdale mayor and council at their Sept. 13 meeting, the resolution passed by a vote of 5-0. Also voting yes were members Frank Pizzella and Janetta Trochimiuk.Member

Project proponent DeRosa said in the statement, “People choose to come to Hillsdale for various reasons [including] its outstanding school systems, easy access to bus and rail service, amenities like our Stonybrook Swim Club and our recreational facilities.”

He said, “Itʼs been a number of years since I coached on these fields, but the frustration of not being able to use them due to inadequate drainage is still fresh in my mind.”

DeRosa said, “More recently,

Lundy said of the funding, “This is a much needed capital improvement for which municipal taxes were increased in 2021 for the down payment for the financing of the project. We anticipate being able to pay down this debt without any further tax increase attributed to this project.”She said, “I donʼt like to look at projects or expenditures on an individual basis since I canʼt predict what the rest of the budget will look like or what increased expenses the borough might incur that could affect municipal taxes. There are always contractual and collective bargaining obligations and expenses that are beyond our control.”Shesaid, “The state is looking to increase health insurance for municipal employees by 20%. We will make every effort to minimize any municipal tax increase. There are so many positive things going on in

Dental implants a re not all the same and have varying success rates. The success is dependent on the product and the rONLYtist,Apractitioner.saperiodon-whichisthespecialtyecognizedbythe

American Dental Association as a “dental implant specialist,” I feel it is important to inform the com-

munity about how dental implant treatments have changed over the past 50 years causing a decline in success.Dental implants have been well researched and placed in patients by periodontist and oral surgeons since the 1970s. The published scientific literature in the ʼ70s and ʼ80s estimated 9799% success rates when controlled for certain systemic diseases & smoking. More recently, the success rates have gone down while research and knowledge

has increased.In2007,I graduated from a f ull-time three-year dental implant specialty training program from Rutgers Dental School called Periodontics. This was in addition to general dental school. At the time, only a handful of companies were fabricating dent al implants. These companies were partnered with universities, periodontists and oral surgeons for decades to establish research to prove that their products met or exceeded the standard of care

which was 97-99% success rate for 20-plusPeriodontistsyears. followed up on the implants for decades to see h ow the implants lasted in patientsʼmouths: to see if gum disease developed or affected them, if loss of an adjacent tooth affected them, if the implant suffered consequences from smoking or if added to a denture. This is all the knowledge which is taught at a university level and takes years to learn. If implants are meant to last forever, it must be handled in s uch a manner and treatment planned accordingly anticipating changes to a patientʼs dentition and aging.Today many more companies are f abricating these implants and come from overseas with little to no research proving their product has the same level success. This is completely legal through the FDA 501(k) approval process which allows clearance to sell the product. But this should not preclude the company to perform some level of research to protect the public. These “knock-off” implants are much cheaper and have not taken initiative to prove theirWhatsuccess.is also happening is

t hat these implant companies and private companies are offering short term “training programs” to general dentists in attempts to sell more product so generalists can do these surgical services at their.

In my opinion, as dental implants are meant to be a permanent tooth replacement option, it is important to go to a trained specialist, who is a periodontist, who has the science a nd university-based training and the opportunity to practice these procedures hundreds of times on patients before a private practice setting.

I am a solo, female, dental implant specialist, surgeon & periodontist. I am a lead to a team of four hygienists, each with over 25 years of experience. I place hundreds of dental implants a year and follow them in my highly trained hygiene practice. I partner with many g eneral dentists throughout Bergen County to design, perform and maintain complex dental implant restorations.

For more information, call (201) 664-3023 or visit us at 354 Old Hook Road #201 or WestwoodPeriodontics.com. in therapy

Westwood: Police department tops at hoops tourney

FROM PAGE 1

irreverence by owning the stereotype. This year they also owned the blacktop.”Theteam, he said, managed without the pivotal play of WPD Sgt. Anthony Piccinich, out on an injury and “relegated to coaching duties.”

A wider team effort

Arroyo reported this year the tourney featured professional refer-

ees. “Thatʼs not a knock, Miguel Ferran! Tony Walker, and Westwoodʼs own Vernon McCoy shared zebra duties. Council President Beth Dell and councilman Rob Bicocchi donated the insurance fees, Westwood Police Officers Association donated the trophy and 100 team shirts along with 10 championship ones.”He said “Chris Speights once again did the DJ mixing. Tina and Sheldon Jackson, with an assist from their son, Kedar, held down

the scorerʼs table and clock.”

The event fielded donations from Keirston Wannamaker and Cassandra Wallace (The Superstar In You), Etoya Ferran, (Flavoya Scent), Danika Wertalik and Felicia Bropson (Doterra Essentials), Billy Flynn ( Flynnʼs Deli) , Tina Jackson and Kimberly Smith (Devine Elegance) , Cassiel and Tamara Smith , Desiree Dubose, and Miguel Ferran.

The other teams competing: Team Ace, CBG, and Corn Dogs.

Arroyo said, “The Corn Dogs

were composed of younger Westwood resident players who got to compete and share a big stage with older players. Haydn would have loved that. And he would have loved the humor, grace and fellowship that infused the day. His day. Because Haydn is the reason we were all there. He reclaimed the importance of Hegeman Park to the community many years ago. And he had faith that this mayor and council, as his elected representatives, would keep it going."

Arroyo said, “We in turn entrusted WPDʼs Community

HAYDN S. SMITH

With an Impractical Warrior driving to the hoop,Krispy Kreme Kings collapse the middle to defend.The scene at Hegeman Park on Sand Road in Westwood on Sept.10 at the championship game of the Second Annual Haydn S.Smith Memorial Basketball Tournament. Ray Arroyo photo.

Regional responsiveness, tax relief

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

We asked our regional board of education incumbents and challengers to rank their school boardʼs responsiveness, suggest ways to reduce the schoolsʼtax burden on residents, and add any information that they wanted voters to know in advance of Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.

In the Westwood Regional District, two candidates are running for one open Washington Township seat:incumbent Joseph J. McCallister faces a challenge from Douglas Cusato.

In Westwood, three candidates are competing, including incumbent Michelle Sembler. Vying for the open seats are Laura Cooper and Jason R. Garcia.

In the Pascack Valley Regional High School District, which includes Pascack Hills and Pascack Valley high schools, incumbent James L. Stankus is running unopposed in River Vale; Elizabeth Calderone is running unopposed in Woodcliff Lake.

Pascack Valley High School in River Vale serves River Vale

and Hillsdale and Pascack Hills High School in Montvale serves Montvale and Woodcliff Lake.

Stankus did not reply to our survey. Elizabeth Neve-Calderone did not rank the regional school board for its level of responsiveness to stakeholders but briefly addressed the surveyʼs question about school costs.

“The imbalance in taxes paid by each town needs to be revisited,” she said. “Iʼm excited to bring my drive, knowledge, and insight to serve on the board. We need a unified group, working together to meet the challenges that lay ahead, while ensuring that each student is afforded the education they so deserve,” wrote Neve-Calderone.

Weʼll follow up with local races next week.

TOWNSHIPOF WASHINGTON Joseph McCallister

With 0 being “not responsive” to district stakeholdersʼ concerns and 10 being “most responsive,” where would you rank your school board?

Ranking:8: When assigning this number, I am forced to consider my experience as a high school teacher.

If I were to score an assessment as 8/10 or 80%, it would indicate that the work was better than average, but still in need of improvement before I could confidently say the student had mastered the skill. That is where I believe we are when it comes to the responsiveness of this board of education: better than average but with room to improve.Thisboard has established multiple avenues through which members of the community can share their concerns. They can call or email members of the board, as well as the superintendent and her office; share concerns to various district-operated social media accounts; and of course, come to board meetings and speak during allotted “public forum” time.

When it comes to responsiveness, our superintendent, Dr. Jill Mortimer, has (in my estimation) been very good at responding to community concerns through emails and comments during board meetings, as has our board president, Dr. Frank Romano.

That said, when sitting on the dais during meetings and looking out at the audience, I canʼt help but notice the frustration on the faces of some community mem bers when they feel that they are not being heard. In my experience, Iʼve found that frustration with responsiveness often comes down

to how the person speaking makes the listener feel.

If I have a disagreement with a board colleague, but believe that they are being respectful, are clearly explaining their point, and are treating me like an equal partner in the discussion, it is much easier for me to see that colleague as appropriately responsive.

I suspect the same is true when it comes to communication between the community and the board: if we as a board can ensure that our responses are respectful, complete, and sincere, I believe that will go a long way toward improving how district leadership is perceived.

Most property tax dollars go to the schools. How can this body perhaps reduce the tax burden here?

In my experience on the WWRSD Board of Education, I have participated in the discussion and ultimate approval of four annual budgets, and I have to commend our district business office as they have routinely produced budgets that I believe are appropriate and responsible.

Our district budgets have called for spending that helps to expand resources for our students, improve indoor and outdoor facilities, and maintain a highly professional staff and faculty.

In short, I would not characterize any one area of the budget as being more in need of attention than Theanother.solution that I have seen work best, in terms of keeping the tax burden as low as possible, is that the board works collaboratively with our district business administrator to get down to the granular level of the budget and determine where spending is absolutely necessary, and where it can beThecut.result of this sort of group effort is that, at least in my time on the board, we do not tend

to see major cuts in any one area, but rather smaller, more line-byline revisions that allow us to develop a budget that best serves the needs of the students, without overburdening the taxpayers of the community.

Additional comments?

Being a trustee on a New Jersey board of education calls for putting aside personal agendas, politics, and disagreements and working with colleagues of diverse and varied perspectives to come up with solutions that best serve the students and the district as a whole.Thisis not easy work. We all come to the table with good intentions, and might find ourselves wondering why others donʼt see the world our way. But by communicating openly and cooperating to find common ground, we can, as a board, embody what it means to be a community.

TOWNSHIPOF WASHINGTON Douglas Cusato

With 0 being “not responsive” to district stakeholdersʼ concerns and 10 being “most responsive,” where would you rank your school board?

As a member of the group of parents that essentially spearheaded the removal of quarantines and stratedbersboardhandfulfeelWWRSD,acrossmandatescriminatingdis-Ithataofmem-demon-the

strength and responsiveness this district required during the time of the COVID pandemic.

However, there are clearly board members that lacked the character to make difficult deci sions that put students first. Dr. Mortimer certainly has brought a beacon of hope to the school district, but she needs more support from stakeholders that donʼt report into the NJEA and can maintain a selfless purpose of putting students first.

If elected, I would devote myself to standing by the values I will campaign on and fully sup port the board and Dr. Mortimer to develop and execute a plan that puts our students in the best situation for long-term success and positive influence on society.

Most of our property taxes go to the schools. How can this body perhaps reduce the tax burden here?

Now more than any time in our districtʼs history, fiscal responsibility will be needed to minimize future tax burden on localOurtaxpayers.district is challenged with multiple issues intersecting nearly all at once including the impact of learning loss from the pandemic, the generational turnover within our district and the permanent relocation of New

MCCALLISTER

CUSATO

FROM PAGE 8

York City families to our communities during the pandemic.

Furthermore, the startup housing programs linked with a significant number of incremental students will put a continued stress on the district.

Regarding learning loss, data shows that the average student was 30% behind in math and reading at the start of 2022, as a result, there is a significant urgency to include resource heavy co-teaching environments, while simultaneously dealing with the great resignation of teachers.

The unfortunate outcome of this, our district will be challenged with the need for more educators, during a time where there is a significant shortage across the state. The district will need to work creatively to offer a competitive compensation rate for both full-time and substitute teachers moving

forward.With the surge we are experiencing in the student population in the younger grades, itʼs clear that overall space within our schools will be a massive challenge for our district.This is especially true with the limited amount of funds we maintain in capital reserves for district funded programs.

The additional challenge stems from Trenton and the politics being driven by the NJEA and Gov. Phil Murphyʼs administration. New Jersey has budgeted nearly $2 billion for school construction and renovations in 2023 for the roughly 600 school districts across New Jersey. However, with the NJEAʼs influence on Murphyʼs administration and most inner city SDS school districts, $1.55 billion will be allocated to the 31 SDS districts and the remaining $350 million will be allocated to the other 559 districts. This is another clear example of woke ideologies being driven into school districts across New Jersey

including WWRSD.

The future BOE in WWRSD will need to be comfortable advocating for funding in Trenton that is needed to expand the available space in our elementary schools –some of which are nearly 80 years old and have experienced significant flooding during violent storms.During a time with record high inflation, penalizing the hardworking citizens of this community with another significant tax increase just isnʼt practical.

As a taxpayer, and father of four young children in this school district, I have a long-term vested interest ensuring that our tax burden remains reasonable for the years to come.

We need the support of the state to fund these future construction/renovation programs and taking ʻsorry but noʼanswers from Governor Murphyʼs administration canʼt be the path forward.

It would be a dream come true to have the opportunity to challenge this administration for

funding in a district like WWRSD, where for too many years school districts in affluent areas, composed of hardworking families, have been neglected due to New Jerseyʼs broken, regressive tax system. Weʼve worked just as hard as anyone else and need the funding to ensure our kids have sufficient classroom space for a safe educational experience. Itʼs time to put politics aside and put “all kids first.”

Any additional comments?

Many of the opportunities for change that exist within the WWRSD originate from requirements and policies driven by the state and the historical alignment amongst New Jersey school boards and the NJEA.

The “math” is simple: you canʼt drive change in districts that are owned and operated by the same political entities that support defunding your school district and embedding woke ideologies in the curriculum/educational process.

Lastly, I advocated for every child in this district like they were my own for the last several years. I put the quality of their education above my personal interests and received in return a combination of cease and desist orders, subpoenas and cancel culture from woke ideology

However,supporters.thereality is, I also received an immense amount of love and support from community members and met some great people along the way. We as parents aligned on a truly selfless purpose: putting kids first.

I look forward to having the opportunity to continue driving this same purpose throughout our school district as a board of education

memberWESTWOOD

Michelle Sembler

With 0 being “not respon sive” to district stakeholdersʼ concerns and 10 being “most responsive,” where would you rank your school board?

I would rank us a 9. I have to say that most of this board is extremely responsive and receptive to all stakeholdersʼfeedback

and concerns. We always listen, and we address anything that has been brought to our attention via a meeting, email, or

iHowever,ourtcommunitycaTransparencyversation.con-ndcommuni-ationwiththeisaoppriorityforboard.theresalwaysroom to grow.

Most property tax dollars go to the schools. How can this body perhaps reduce the tax burden here?

One area in which we are looking is finding safe investments with a high rate of return for our current capital, which will create profit and can ease the burden of tax increase on our taxpayers.Further, long-term strategic planning with respect to purchases and facility upgrades, beginning with the end in mind, will reduce future burdens for the taxpayer.Additionally, with the current economic environment driving inflation and rising interest rates, the district needs to be very strategic about which facilities improvements are made now vs later. We want to manage our capital in a way that drives maximum return. Get more done for less money and avoid getting into projects where the cost of goods is variable in nature.

Additional comments?

I believe that I have positively contributed to this boardʼs success. This board has undergone a state of change that had greatly benefitted our district and our student population.

I also believe that we need to invest in our employees because the level of service that they provide greatly impacts district per formance and student learning.

Finally, I would like to ask the residents of Westwood to vote for me, so I can continue to serve them into the future and bring

SEMBLER

Hillsdale Octoberfest,50+Clubmore

The Hillsdale 50+ welcomes all residents and non-residents to join and meet other folks. Meetings are the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month. (There are no meetings in July and August.)

On Wednesday, Oct. 19, the club will partake of an Octoberfest celebration at the Brownstone Restaurant in Paterson. Lunch consists of a drink, delicious lunch (sauerbraten/chicken), and dessert. There will be a live band, dancing, and a comedian. Meet at 10 a.m. at Hillsdaleʼs Stonybrook Pool for the ride to the Brownstone. The cost is $57.

Call Evelyn Pachner at (201) 666-7675.

RIVER VALE

On Wednesday, Nov. 9, theclub rides to Spring Lake to enjoy a delicious lunch at The Shore Club, formerly Doolanʼs Restaurant. An open bar, delicious lunch and dessert await. There will be a live band, dancing, and a comedian. Meet at 10 a.m. at Hillsdaleʼs Stonybrook Pool for the ride to The Shore Club. The cost is $59. Call Evelyn Pachner at (201) 6667675.On Wednesday, Dec. 14, the club holds its holiday gathering at Seasons in Washington Township. There will be holiday music, entertainment, and a delicious lunch.

Magnolia bridge work eyed into December

Mayor Michael Ghassali wrote residents on Sept. 19 with comments on the Magnolia Avenue bridge project and improvements at the Garden State Parkway rest area in the borough.

He said, “I know many residents living around Magnolia bridge have questions and looking for updates on the completion date. I stopped by Magnolia bridge today for an update. Work is definitely progressing, however based on the engineerʼs assessment, it looks like work will continue through December before itʼs opened to traffic.”

He said, “I appreciate your patience and I know the detours and the noise around the bridge has been a hardship. They are working as hard and as quick and as safe as they can. Will keep you posted.”

The 2022 Annual River Vale Town Day, sponsored by River Vale Social and Cultural Affairs, is set for Sunday, Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. rain or shine.

Join for an amazing day filled with fun activities, free rides, petting zoo, local school and town exhibits, delicious food, a chili cook off, 5K fun run/walk and best of all, amazing people.

Register for the Chili Cook Off by emailing Rachel at cultur alaffairs1@rivervalenj.org

Run/walk the River Vale Town Day 5K, both with donations going to the Helping Hand Food Pantry in Hillsdale, which serves our community.

Sign up for the First Fitness with Friends sponsored River Vale Town Day 5K Run/Walk at fitnesswithfriends.net/5kfunrunwalk

Volunteers are needed to ensure this event is a continued success. Reach out to Monica at culturalaffairs2@rivervalenj.org.

On March 16, Colliers posted on its Facebook page, “Today was the groundbreaking ceremony for the replacement of the Magnolia Avenue bridge in Montvale, NJ! Weʼre providing full-service construction engineering and inspection for a new single span structure consisting of cast-in-place reinforced concrete footings and abutments with 18”-deep precast concrete adjacent slab beams forming the superstructure.”Thecompany said “A full road closure and temporary traffic signal detour was required to enable construction, and work will be completed January 2023.”

Rest area work shouldnʼt be an issue

The mayor posted as well, Sept. 19, “We were notified today

of upcoming improvements to few noted NJTA (GSP) rest areas, including Montvale. The improvements are limited to the service area ramps, some stormwater improvements and signage all within the limits of the service area

between the north and southbound lanes. Shouldnʼt affect us in town, but you will see construction activ ity on the parkway as you approach our townʼs exit.”

—Staff report releases, birth announcements, wedding announcements and event photographs from all towns in the Pascack Valley. all news to pascackpress@thepressgroup.net

Above, Mayor Michael Ghassali,left,touches base with Gary,a Colliers Engineering and Design representative,Sept.19 on progress at the Magnolia bridge project.Gary says he believes work will carry into mid-December. Ghassali posted a video of the exchange in an email to residents that day. (Screen shot via Borough of Montvale.) Below, Colliers Engineering and Design break ground on the project in March.(Photo via Colliers on Facebook.)

From left to right: members of Our Lady of Fatima Council Vincent Lemba, Frank Zafran, Kevin Gynegrowski, Fr. Vincent D’Agostino, and Dick Bozzone.

PARKRIDGE

F ORANUMBEROFYEARS, members of Our Lady of Mercy Knights of Columbus have supported the boroughʼs memorial in honor of the seven local residents who died at the hands of Jihadist

Thisterrorists.year, knight Vincent Lemba decorated the church lawn on Pascack Road with dozens of American flags, as had been done prior to Memorial Day. This time

the flags remained in place a few days after Patriot Day. The iconic cross that bears the date was also

displayed.Reverend Vincent DʼAgostino, pastor, noted that on Sept. 11, between the hours of 1 and 5 p.m., a period of silent adoration was held in the chapel at Our Lady of Mercy Church. Some of those men who lost their lives in the attack on the World Trade Center were parishioners.

—Tammy Levinson

LOOKINGFOREFFICIENCIESSHARED-SERVICESGROUP

Council members re-established a new Shared Services Committee by a 5-0 vote Sept. 13 to look into savings for the borough on expensive items as well as local and regional projects and services.Councilwoman Abby Lundy said the finance committee and business administrator wanted to re-establish the committee, which was disbanded a few years back, “because we feel that everything is going the way of regionalization, shared services, promotes more efficiencies, more cost effectiveness —that really is the gist of the discussion,” Lundy told the council.Shetold Pascack Press, “As a general policy, the committee will explore and develop strategies for promoting fiscally responsible government and promote more cost effective and efficient delivery of public services.”

She added that business

WESTWOOD

administrator David Troast “is involved with several issues that need input prior to proceeding to the full council for discussion. We currently donʼt have plans to meet on a regular basis but will meet on an as-needed basis as opportunities arise.”

Mayor John Ruocco said the original committee was disbanded and moved in the borough bylaws to be a special committee. He told Lundy, “And I think itʼs good that youʼre recommending we have this because thereʼs a lot of potential.”Lundysaid she had met with Westwood council members and got phone calls from other towns, “and I just think itʼs a good way for us to Ruoccoexplore.”said since the committee was already in the by-laws, he could appoint members to the committee. Lundy suggested herself, council president Janetta Trochimiuk, councilman John

Escobar, and Troast (who sits on all borough committees), and agreed to allow Ruocco to serve as an ex-officio member but not attend the Ruoccosessions.requested ex-officio membership because he wanted to get meeting notes and correspondence to keep informed on the committeeʼs deliberations but not attend.Probably one of the most well-known, large shared service agreements is the combined Montvale–River Vale Pascack Valley Department of Public Works. Following a dispute over an unpaid snow plowing bill in 2018, the towns mediated and settled, agreeing to extend their combined DPW through 2029.

Other communitiesʼshared services arrangements have focused on leaf vacuums, sewer jets, and recycling equipment.

—Michael Olohan

Tricky tray, bunco night, 50/50 Oct. 21

The Womanʼs Club of Westwood, a member of the New Jersey State Federation of Womenʼs Clubs, invites you to its Tricky Tray/Bunco Night, with 50/50 drawing, on Friday, Oct. 21 at the Westwood clubhouse, 205 Kinderkamack Road. The doors

open at 7 p.m. and the game begins at 7:30. Refreshments will be served.Tickets are $15. The nightʼs proceeds benefit the Emmanuel Cancer Foundation (ECF) and annual scholarships. ECF provides New Jersey families facing

the crisis of pediatric cancer a place to turn for comfort and support through professional inhome counseling and a uniquely tailored package of assistance — all free of charge.

For tickets, call (201) 2654285.

Tammy Levinson photo

Candidates

FROM PAGE 10 additional services and a better educational product to our students and families.WESTWOOD

Laura Cooper

With 0 being “not responsive” to district stakeholdersʼ concerns and 10 being “most responsive,” where would you rank your school board?

I believe the school board has established an improving record of responsiveness to district stakeholder concerns and I would rank them at a 7. Over the last six months of the 2021 to 2022 academic year, I have experienced Dr. Mortimer and the rest of the school board respond professionally and quick ly to respond to serious substantiated issues with courtesy, action and professionalism. As a collective body, they operate in an approachable way that is open minded and caring.

I think there is an amazing opportunity to build on this momentum to encourage more community engagement, feedback and support as we work collectively towards the benefit of our children and the district.

S Sc c h o o ol l N e w s

Most property tax dollars go to the schools. How can this body perhaps reduce the tax burden here?

“I have not had the opportunity to examine school spending in detail so I canʼt say at this point conclusively what requires attention to reduce the tax burden. What I commit to is ensuring superior fiscal responsibility, especially considering the exponential inflation, market volatility and rising interest rate environment that our community is struggling to keep up with.

I am determined to engage in prioritized fiscal oversight, including the•Fundingfollowing:school necessities and programs leveraging our current resources where there is tangible return on investment that improves the quality of education for our students. This has to be our first prioritized goal.

• Highly scrutinizing the schools current requests of parents contributions for needs in the classroom annually to ensure that the resources are completely necessary, and fully utilized when provided.•Negotiating with transparency and fairness with our teachers during contract deliberations that ensure we are the destination district for top quality teachers who strive to make a difference. When we treat the teachers like accessories to education rather than necessities, our chil dren suffer with bottom tier educators.

Additional comments?

Westwood district schools need to be beacons for our children to fully actualize their intellectual and social potential. I have over 15 years in complex leadership positions that drive impact in a highly positive and collaborative way. With a strong balance of fiscal responsibility and high academic and social standards, I will do all I can to manifest our united vision of accelerating the Westwood District to operate at its best.

WESTWOOD Jason Garcia

With 0 being “not responsive” to district stakeholdersʼ concerns and 10 being “most responsive,” where would you rank your school board?

Thatʼs a great question — I first want to thank the entire board and all who volunteer their time for our students and our dedicated district staff. Our greatest assets for our students are those individuals that share time with them in their schools every day. I appreciate you!

Regarding district concerns, the evaluation depends on individual stakeholders' perspectives. I would give the current board a 7. In most cases, they appear to have listened to the publicʼs concerns and acted in the majorityʼs interest.

However, and not exclusive to our towns, it has become increasingly difficult to ascertain what the actual majority is and what they want. Some community and BoE members are very vocal, in person and on social media; their passion and sheer activity overshadow others who have become increasingly less comfortable publicly expressing their thoughts, concerns, and wants to this board — for numerous reasons.

I believe this board could improve its responsiveness by first engaging stakeholders through proactive outreach, especially relating to sensitive topics that have unfortunately become divisive.The middle school referen dum is a great example. With that same outreach and engagement, this board could assure the public they are voting to meet the needs and expectations of the majority.

This board appears divided. Some members seemingly listen to only “their constituents,” and their inability to bridge that divide, factor in various stakeholdersʼopinions, and work toward a compromise that best serves all could have dangerous ramifications for stakeholders, staff, and, most importantly, students.

Most property tax dollars go to the schools. How can this body perhaps reduce the tax burden here?

Nearly 70% of property taxes go to the school district. I believe It is incumbent on the district and

board of education to utilize tax monies they receive efficiently and to explore outside sources of revenue to take some of the burdens off of the taxpayer. There are many ways this can be accomplished, from income-generating energy sources, field rentals, advertising, and creating programming that brings students into the district rather than sending students and tax dollars out to meet the needs our district currently cannot.

Additional comments?

In our district and across the country, the board of education has become a hostile meeting ground. We need to refocus our energies back on excellence in education. Our primary focus should be on the students, their education, and their well-being. We need to be creating safe learning environments where students can Combativethrive. and aggressive behavior at the board level trickles down to the students. They hear they feel, they see, and they know what is going on. We need to do better; be better. We need civilized discussions. We need to hear the facts, know the facts, and speak to the facts. And we must find ways to represent all members of this community — unite our district, not tear it apart.

I will work with all stakeholders and trustees to maximize our efforts and ensure together, we achieve all our WWRSD goals.

—Election Day is Nov. 8.

COOPER

GARCIA

IS YOUR PORTFOLIO AS EFFICIENT AS IT COULD BE?

Editorʼs note: The following article is for informational purposes only.

When you look at a line chart of an investmentʼs historical performance, one feature to note is its volatility –how frequent and how extreme the ups and downs have been. This is significant because volatility is the most commonly used measurement of an investmentʼs risk. The greater

the volatility, the riskier the investment is considered to be.

If you viewed a chart comparing the stock marketʼs versus the bond marketʼs performance, youʼd see stocks have been significantly more volatile than bonds. Logically then, a 100% bond portfolio should be less risky than one including both bonds and stocks.

Right?Not so fast.

In fact, according to a Morningstar study for the years 1970 through 2018, a portfolio comprising 67% bonds (measured by the

20-year U.S. government bond) and 33% stocks (using the S&P 500 Index) offered less risk and better returns than a 100% bond portfolio. In other words, the former was more “efficient” than the latter, which leads to a concept investors should be aware of: the efficient frontier.

Start with the basics

Having a grasp of the efficient frontier begins with understanding:

• The relationship between risk and return

• How diversification can help

manage risk and return

In general, risk and return go hand in hand. As an investmentʼs risk increases, so should its return. If you buy a Treasury bond, the return will probably be low because the risk of default is low. If you buy a stock, however, the potential risk can be significant— think back to what happened to stocks during the Great Recession—and you should expect a greater return potential as “compensation” from the market for accepting that additional risk.

Diversification is simply blending different investments in a portfolio in an effort to manage risk and return. The result is your “asset allocation.”Avery simple asset allocation might include stocks, which tend to be risky but offer growth potential, and bonds, which have been more stable and provide income (interest). You can help manage your risk and return by how much you allocate to each type of investment.

For example, if you have a 75% stock/25% bond portfolio, it should offer a greater risk and return potential than one thatʼs 25% stocks and 75% bonds.

Getting to an efficient frontier

Of course, there are lots of other investments for you to choose from, and there are an infinite number of portfolios you could construct from the stocks, bonds, and other assets available. Each of these blends has a unique overall risk and return level.

If you plotted them all on a chart, youʼd likely see whatʼs shown in the hypothetical graph below. The “pies”—representing different asset allocations—farthest to the left and highest up are the ones with the best expected risk/return tradeoffs. If you connected those “dots,” you would have it: the efficient frontier.

Thatʼs what the efficient frontier is, but what does it mean for investors?Itmeans that if your risk/return tradeoff doesnʼt land along the frontier, your portfolio is not as efficient as it could be.

Youʼre taking on too much risk for the level of return youʼre getting, and you probably need to make adjustments to decrease risk, improve return, or both.

Finding help

Determining whether your portfolio is as efficient as it could be may require help from a professional financial advisor. He or she will likely ask about your goals (what youʼre investing for), time horizon (how long until you need to tap into your investments), and risk tolerance (how comfortable you are with swings in your portfolioʼs value).

Based on your responses, your advisor can help build a portfolio designed to help reach your goals as efficiently as possible. Asset allocation cannot eliminate the risk of fluctuating prices and uncertain returns.

S&P 500 comprises 500 stocks chosen for market size, liquidity, and industry group representation. It is a market-valueweighted index; each stockʼs weight in the index is proportionate to its market value. It is one of the most widely used benchmarks of U.S. equity performance.

The indices are provided for informational purposes only; investors cannot directly purchase an index. Past performance in not indicative of future results.

This article was written for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Eric Kohlmeier, Senior Financial Advisor, Managing Director, Investments, in Park Ridge at Investments201-505-0472.insecurities and

insurance products are NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANKGUARANTEED/MAY LOSE

VALUE.Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC, Member SIPC, a registered broker-dealer and non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.

© 2017–2019 Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC. All rights reserved. CAR #1119-019485050472.

ERIC KOHLMEIER

All-Star Fall Festival Saturday, Oct. 1

The Township of Washington holds its Annual Fall Festival for residents on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Memorial Field on Pascack Road, rain or shine.

opportunity to display your skills.

•New this year is a free-throw contest with prizes for the best shooters in each age group.

demonstrating its vehicle and gear.

• The scoutsʼskills include a “campsite” for sʼmores, their new life-sized Pinewood Derby track, and their bottle rockets.

• The KidsʼEntrepreneur Corner enables the children of the Township, aged 8–18, to display their talent for pottery, painting, bracelets, etc., and lets the young entrepreneurs for a day sell their creations.•Students from Bethany Churchʼs Noteworthy, a musical school, will show off their vocal and instrumental skills.

• The Fitness Fun Bus, designed to keep the kids fit while having some fun, is also back.

• A variety of large inflatables, featuring sports themes, are available all day for $5.

• The Golden Seniorsʼall-time favorite Ping Pong Ball/Fishbowl Toss tests your eye-hand coordination.

• K-1 Cheer Cheerleaders will be cheering for the many All-Stars.

For a food break, EightyTwenty Smash Burger provides typical festival food, including hamburgers, veggie burgers, hot dogs, fries, and

more. Uncle Louie G is selling ice cream and Italian ices.

New this year, ORA Pizza provides personal pizza from its wood-burning oven.

The Westwood Cardinals Touchdown Club is selling tickets for their pancake breakfast fundraiser at the Iron Horse and the WWRHS Project Graduation Class of 2023 is selling calendar raffle

Vtickets.olunteers are always welcome. For more information visit TwpofWashington.us

Admission is free. Parking is available across the street in the Bethany Community Center. The Senior bus will be available for transportation to the field.

The Festival this year is featuring an All-Star Town Day Theme with many activities providing an

PASCACK VALLEY

• The WTPD Motorcycle Corps Rodeo at Washington School demonstrates the agility needed to skillfully handle the big bikes.

• The WTFD demo teaches kids the skills needed to put out fires, and the Bergen County Sheriffʼs Department Bomb Squad is

Lakeside Choraliers open house Oct. 3

Do you enjoy singing? Join The Lakeside Choraliers on Monday, Oct. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at their open house for prospective members. The event is at St. Paulʼs Episcopal Church, 4 Woodland Road, Montvale. “Come see what we are about, sing along, and

enjoy refreshments. Now in our 50th year of providing entertainment for our audiences, we are a non-denominational community choir composed of members from Bergen and Rockland counties.”

For more information write lakesidechoraliers@gmail.com

Take your vehicle on a guided tour through 32 acres of spooktacular Halloween light displays, enjoy our farm fresh goodies in our retail farm market. Warm-up by the fire pits & make own S’mores!

Take your vehicle on a guided tour through 32 acres of spooktacular Halloween light displays, enjoy our farm fresh goodies in our retail farm market. Warm-up by the fire pits & make your own S’mores!

Take your vehicle on a guided tour through 32 acres of spooktacular Halloween light displays, enjoy our farm fresh goodies in our retail farm market. Warm-up by the fire pits & make your own S’mores!

Take your vehicle on a guided tour through 32 acres of spooktacular Halloween light displays, enjoy our farm fresh goodies in our retail farm market. Warm-up by the fire pits & make your own S’mores!

Take your vehicle on a guided tour through 32 acres of spooktacular Halloween light displays, enjoy our farm fresh goodies our farm market. Warm-up by the fire pits & make your own S’mores!

Take your vehicle on a guided tour through 32 acres of Halloween light displays, enjoy our farm fresh goodies in our retail farm market. Warm-up by the fire pits & make your own S’mores! and tickets

FROM PAGE 2

discipline is much appreciated!

We have a smoothly functioning mayor and council that is working harmoniously for everyoneʼsObenefit.nNov.

8 vote Column 1 Bicocchi – Dell. And letʼs keep Westwood moving forward.

KevinWestwoodRoche

Message to the ‘Vote.’youth:

To the editor:

ALETTERTO my grandchildren. Itʼs OK if you listen in.

We are still talking about the emancipation of women. Again.

In 2022. One hundred years ago the 19th Amendment guaranteed women the right to vote but not the right to become an engineer, surgeon, or financier, or to have a life outside the home.

Choices and Life are not in o pposition. Vote now for Pro Choice and Pro Life so adults can make their own decisions.

When I was growing up, the expectation for a girlʼs adult life was her motherʼs life. She would become a teacher or bookkeeper until she was married and then have children. As late as 1960 only about one in three married women worked.

I was only 8 when my dad, a strong believer in education for everyone, remarked approvingly, “If Leslie were a boy sheʼd be a lawyer.” The message: Girls canʼt be lawyers.Mygrandfather would step

back and forth over me when I was lying on the floor, reading. This superstition would supposedly stop me from growing. It was not acceptable for girls to be taller than boys. I guess it worked, as I topped out at 5ʼ6”.

I was 10 when my cousin Carol and I asked her dad, the coach, if we could play in the Little League game. “Itʼs only for boys,” he replied tersely. And then we persisted. “Canʼt we have a girlsʼgame? Little League is only for boys.”Wesat in the bleachers and watched. It took 30 years for Title IX to grant equal funding for girls and boys sports.

I did consider our high school girlsʼsports program excellent in 1955, mainly because, unlike Little League, it existed. I played tennis and basketball. Our honor teams played away-games, the same as the boys. I was very proud when I earned my varsity letters, the same as the boys.

However, we could use the tennis courts only when the boys had away games. Otherwise, we practiced against a wall.

Math? Finance? Women are still grossly underre presented. Although STEM programs are increasingly recruiting women, the work atmosphere remains hostile so women gravitate elsewhere.After my college graduation in 1963 with a BS in communications, a major New York City publisher hired me as a secretary. Recent male grads started as sales reps. This was the basic career path for book editor, promoting men to editor sooner

Logic?When I married in 1964, I needed my husbandʼs signature to get a credit card. Imagine Ruth Bader Ginsburg asking her husbandʼs permission? Only in 1974 did women get access to bank accounts, credit cards, and mortgages without a male co-signer, when the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed.

Ivy League schools commonly did not accept women undergraduates until 1969.

No one, no matter how you identified, could take legal action for workplace sexual harassment until the late 1970s.

The word abortion was only w hispered. Concern over unwanted pregnancy was pervasive until the first oral contraceptive, “the Pill,” was introduced in 1960. No one is advocating abortion as a form of birth control.

(Your folks already gave you the talk, yes?) Not until Roe v. Wade finally legalized abortion in 1973 could you depend on completing y our education and gaining financial stability prior to pregnancy.Religions differ on abortion, particularly on exactly when human life begins. We can have opinions but no one knows when life begins. Insinuating religion into government regulatory policies is inherently dangerous for religiousWhilefreedom.thecatalyst for this conversation has been abortion restrictions it is not the only concern. Already the separation of church–state has been breached with the recent rulings on prayer in educational settings.

The U.S. Constitution d oesnʼt specify the right to abortion, contraception, electricity delivered to your home, or a 5G cell phone connection. N evertheless, its underlying principles have long been interpreted to advocate unenumerated rights, including the right to keep personal matters private.Realistically, restrictions on individual rights will follow on:

• Contraception;

• IVF (in-vitro fertilization);•

Same-sex marriage;

•Same-sex consensual relations;•Even LGBTQ existence;

• Separation of religion and government;•Andwhat else?

Itʼs too much to decide today. Which is exactly why you need to register and vote, to have choices as you grow to m aturity. Maturity doesnʼt a rrive one day intact; it evolves. You will be differently mature at 21, at 40, at 80, which is why you want the right to make your own decisions.The concept of tikkun olam, to repair and improve the world, is not all on your shoulders. As the sage Rabbi Tarfon said: You are not obliged to complete the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.

Vote.

LeslieHillsdaleNassau

eats Dining & Cooking Guide

WESTWOOD

COUNCIL’SDINNEROKTOBERFESTOCT.14

The St. Thomas More Council #2188 Westwood/Hillsdale Oktoberfest dinner is set for Friday, Oct. 14 at 40 Crest St. The doors open at 6 p.m.

On the menu:sauerbraten, knockwurst, bratwurst, Weisswurst, German potato salad, red cabbage, sauerkraut, spatzle, soft pretzel with mustard, pickles/relish, dessert, coffee, tea, and soda. Cash bar service available.

The cost is $20 per person.

WESTWOOD

Reservations are required and must be made by noon on Monday, Oct. 10. Payment may be mailed to the council address or deposited in the mailbox at the Council Hall entrance.

All CDC guidelines are strictly followed.Monies raised provide the funds for the councilʼs many charitable activities/donations. For reservations call Jay Rattino at 973-760-3166.

SeniormeetsFellowshipOct.11

The Westwood Senior Fellowshipʼs next meeting is Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 11:30 a.m. The club is hosting pizza, refreshments, cake, and coffee. The fly-

ers will be ready for the clubʼs annual Christmas luncheon.

Remember, too, the Halloween Hootenanny on Saturday, Oct. 29. Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

WOODCLIFF LAKE

Fire Department Open House Oct. 13

Woodcliff Lakeʼs annual Fire Department and Fire Prevention Open House is set for Thursday, Oct. 13, from 6 to 9 Admissionp.m.isfree. Thereʼll be fire demonstrations, fire sprinkler demonstrations, a smoke house demonstration, and safety giveaways.

The event, at the Woodcliff Lake Fire Station, 180 Pascack Road, takes place during Fire Prevention Week, marking its 100th year this year. This yearʼs Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Fire wonʼt wait. Plan your escape,” works to educate everyone about simple but important actions

they can take to keep themselves and those around them safe from home fires.

The National Fire Protection Association, which sponsors Fire Prevention Week, says “Todayʼs homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes (or even

less time) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning fromsmoke alarms and advance planning.” For more information visit woodclifflakefd.com and nfpa.org

Park Ridge Recreation is sponsoring with TGA Junior Golf and TGA Junior Tennis evening Play Golf and Play Tennis for grades K–5 once more at East Brook and West Ridge schools.All equipment is provided. The

programs, taught by certified TGA coaches, are designed to help players progress their skills and develop a passion for playing. Classes run Sept. 27 –Nov. 22. For more information call Park Ridge Recreation at (201) 5731800 ext. 521.

PARK

eats Dining & Cooking Guide

WESTWOOD

Film buffs: Manhattan Shorts screen here

Film lovers in Westwood will join more than 100,000 film enthusiasts around the world Sept. 22–Oct. 2, when the 25th Annual MANHATTAN SHORT Film Festival screens at the Westwood Public Library.

Check the screening times available by visiting the Westwood Public Libraryʼs website, westwoodpubliclibrary.org. All are welcome to attend these free screenings, appropriate for age 16 and older. Registration is recommended.The screening includes 10 MANHATTAN SHORT finalists

WESTWOOD

that hail from eight countries: Scotland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain, Australia, Finland and Lebanon, alongside two films each from France and the UnitedTheseStates.final 10 films represent the best short films from among 868 submissions from 70 countries, testifying to the enduring vibrancy and creativity of short films

Libraryworldwide.director Martha Urbiel tells Pascack Press, “We are one of the only venues for this in the area. Iʼm looking forward to a really good turnout.”

ST. ANDREW’S 50+ CLUB FALLFUN OCT. 5

St. Andrewʼs 50+ Club invites you to join for a fall celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. in the gym. Entertainment of live music and singing is provided by Don Anthony. Halloween attire is sug-

gested. New members are always welcome. Cake and coffee will be served. Please bring an item/donation for the food pantry.

For more information call Elaine at (201) 664-7037

ADVERTISEYOURSERVICEINTHE SERVICE DIRECTORY IN THE PASCACK PRESS.

MONTVALE

‘America’s Last Little Italy’ screening

In celebration of Italian American Heritage Month, join the Montvale Public Library on Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. for a screening of “Americaʼs Last Little Italy: The Hill,” which explores the roots of the Hill neighborhood in St. Louis, Missouri.

PASCACK VALLEY

Afterward, at 7:30, thereʼs a discussion with Joseph Puleo, the documentaryʼs director.

The screening takes place in the Montvale Council Chambers. The discussion portion of the program will take place in the Montvale Council Chambers —and will be streamed for the convenience of those who canʼt attend. A reminder along with a Zoom link will be sent out on the day of the program.Theevent is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

National Council of Jewish Women Museum Trip

The National Council of Jewish Women Jersey Hills Section will receive a guided tour of the Jewish Historical Society of North Jersey on Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. The museum is at 17-10 River Road, Suite 3A, Fair

Lawn. Reservations are required. Masks must be worn on the tour.

For reservations or more information write fs4133@aol.com.

Giulio’s Restaurant ForFresh, Homemade Seasonal Cuisine

“At Giulioʼs, we only use the freshest ingredients in our homemade dishes. Featuring contemporary Italian cuisine with a Mediterranean twist, we strive to please everyOpalate.”wnerBeni

Qosja opened Giulioʼs Restaurant in 2022. Housed in a beautiful, romantic, Queen Anne Victorian in Historic Tappan, N.Y., just minutes from Bergen County, Giulioʼs Restaurant offers contemporary Italian cuisine.

Built in 1880 by the Smith family, the rooms are adorned with carved woodwork and large beveled glass windows that make you feel like you stepped into

another era. The warm and inviting fireplaces in the Main Dining Room and Oak Room beckon guests to enjoy a fine glass of wine and a delicious meal.

Beni brings more than 25 years of culinary experience to Giulioʼs Restaurant. Formerly of Vicolo of Old Tappan, Il Vicolo of Livingston and current owner of Limoncello in Waldwick, the years of world class

experience and passion for culinary creations is evident in each and every of his signature dishes.

Giulioʼs Restaurant creates contemporary dishes with only the finest and freshest ingredients. Visit for a drink in the full-service bar, a casual meal by the fireplace, or to celebrate your life's most memorable events in one of the private dining

Formerlyrooms.

Giulioʼs of Tappan, the new Giulioʼs Restaurant offers guests a fresh experience with an updated décor and menu in a warm, romantic setting.

When you go… Giulioʼs Restaurant 154 Washington Street Tappan, 845-359-3657N.Y.

Yes, please: Try theyellowfin tuna at Giulio’s Restaurant. Try everything!

See website for giuliosrestaurant@gmail.comwww.giuliosrestaurant.comhours:

Your party will be comfortable at Giulio’s.

Appetizers as works of art.

Destination dining: Giulio’s Restaurant, 154 Washington St., Tappan, N.Y.

Health,Wellness &FitnessGuide CONTENT

DR. KAPLAN: Act now for huge savings on a neurological eval

Stress worsens almost every medical condition, particularly in neurological neurofeedback,twithciallydanymentStressdisorders.manage-isvitaltomovementisorder,espe-indealingessentialremors.Weuse cold laser, functional neurology, and a wide variety of neurologic tools to help combat stress.

There are many ways to

reduce stress, such as physical exercise, special breathing techniques, good nutrition, and restful sleep. You must move your body every day to help reduce stress and essentialMeditationtremors. is proven to reduce stress. Having close relationships, supportive people in your life, and good communication techniques will help reduce stress levels as well.

Detox from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Start being more spiritual and spend more time in nature.

All the techniques mentioned above are ones that you can start

implementing to reduce your stress levels, thereby improving essential tremors.

If you have a tremor and the Parkinsonʼs medication does not work and alcohol does not help reduce the tremor either, you might have whatʼs called an intention tremor. Intention tremors are usually seen while performing a certain action like eating, drinking, putting on makeup, brushing your hair, or Intentionwriting.or cerebellum type tremors can be helped with neuroplasticity, in which you can rewire your brain with therapeutic exercises.

For a complete neurological evaluation to determine the correct diagnosis and treatment plan for your movement disorder, we offer an amazing gift. Instead of paying the full $400 examination fee, if you mention this article, you will receive the exam for $21. There are five opportunities left so call (201) 261-2150 to reserve your spot

Anothertoday. gift we are giving away to any new patients is one free hyperbaric oxygen chamber session. You are in the chamber for one hour and it is completely full with 100% oxygen and in addition the pressure increases in the cham-

ber to make it more effective. Patients have been raving about this therapy and how it has helped with energy, focus, brain fog, depression, pain, and has many otherThisbenefits.HBOT chamber has helped professional athletes, scuba divers, lyme patients, Covid-19 patients, mold exposure patients, heavy metal poisoning patients, as well as patients with Parkinsonʼs, stroke, dementia, and autism. Those spots are also very limited so call or email info@kaplanbrainandbody.com.Functionbetter, feel better, live better.

FROM PAGE 1 and student offerings, a better gymnasium, community recreation spaces and more.”

Lombardy said the state is completing its review of the referendum“Afterplan.that, Hillsdaleʼs financial advisors will determine the

“real feel” for the tax increase for the project. “Real feel” refers to the effect of the tax increase, considering that the district will finish paying off its previous debt from a voter-approved bond referendum. The website will provide updates for this number as the financial analysis is complete,” he wrote.

The site has pages on Why, Process, and FAQs (frequently askedOnequestions).question asks, Why would Hillsdale use funding from bonds instead of the regular property tax?

The districtʼs answer:“The regular property tax is designated for the operating budget, which means those taxes fund the everyday costs of running the entire school district. A small amount of that funding is used each year for capital improvements, and some of it is saved over several years for large projects. However, the cost facing Hillsdale to replace GW School is way too large to fit into that budget or to be saved over sev-

eral years. Selling bonds provides money immediately and spreads the costs over many years.”

Board says replacement best option

In April, the district unveiled renovation options at lower cost for the middle school. Board members unanimously selected the estimated $82.5 million option to replace the school, citing the need for a modern facility and less interruption to students over a nearly two-year construction timetable.

At the July 18 school board meeting, trustees hired school bond referendum communications consultant Laura Bishop Communications of Cherry Hill for up to $55,000.The bulk of Laura Bishopʼs work will consist of creating and maintaining the referendum website, according to its contract.

Should the referendum pass it will cost the average homeowner an additional $100 monthly in taxes, or about $1,300 yearly over

a 20-year bond term, school officials have said.

The public relations consultant had previously been hired in Emerson, Cresskill, River Vale, and Montvale to work on local school referendum projects. All prior school referendum votes in the nearby towns were mostly approved.Atan April meeting where options to renovate or replace George G. White Middle School were discussed, plus a subsequent meeting with senior residents and a June 13 school board meeting where trustees approved a March 14, 2023 referendum, school officials were criticized for not adequately publicizing the middle school options and possible costs for taxpayers.Someresidents have criticized the boardʼs decision not to offer online broadcasts of its meetings for residents who cannot attend over disability, or wariness of Covid-19. District site gives road map on referendum

DR. ERIC KAPLAN, KAPLAN BRAIN & BODY

Westwood: Smith

FROM PAGE 7

Policing efforts, under Chief Pontillo, with the support of Lieutenants Foley and Hurtuk and the fully engaged wok of Sergeant Picinnich, to keep faith with all the Westwood residents they are sworn to protect and serve.”Hesaid, “Haydnʼs spirit, his genuinely good nature, his love for our community and his unwavering

commitment to our town inspired the dayʼs play. He had faith in us all. And faith, when rewarded, is the midwife of trust. Faith and trust. That is quite a legacy. A timely one. Itʼs why Westwood continues to honor Haydnʼs memory.”

A championship win unfolds Arroyo reported of the big game, “After a valiant (if not an achy and winded) showing last year,

WWPD management decided to rebuild the team — making shrewd off-season acquisitions.”

He said, “When I noted the jumbo size of one of the new players, Detective Sgt. Brad Forestieri of the PCOS [the Passaic County Sheriff ʼs Office], WPD Chief [Michael] Pontillo whispered, ʻWait till you see the other guy, whoʼs on his way.ʼI got what he meant when I was listening to coach Piccinich in the huddle. A shadow, blotting out the sun, rose in front of me from behind. I thought it was either a plane or a passing cloud or a solar eclipse. But when I turned to find the source it was just Patterson PD Detective Suquan Gary —all 6foot, 8 inches of him.”

The roster included WPDʼs Sean Roche, Tristan Ganter, John Svenda, lieutenants Mark Foley and John Hurtuk, Pontillo, and rookie WPO Scott Standish, “who proved fleet of foot, fresh off his recent Police Academy training.”Westwood resident and WRHS Hall of Fame athlete Rob Padula added to the arsenal, Arroyo reported, as “WWPD jumped out in front to take a lead they never relinquished.”

The Impractical Warriors battled back gamely, said Arroyo. They closed to within 5 points in the last minute but the Krispy Kreme Kings dazzled them with an 8-point win and were crowned tourney

Arroyo:“Thechamps. bar was raised this year — and likely visited after the event — no doubt initiat ing an arms race. ʻWait until next yearʼ was the good-natured sentiment.”

WWPD team: Lt.John Hurtuk,PO John Svenda,PO Tristan Ganter,Lt .Mark Foley,PO Sean Roche,Mayor Ray Arroyo, Detective Sergeant Brad Forestieri ( PCSO),Chief Michael Pontillo,PO Scott Standish,Westwood resident Rob Padula,Sgt. Anthony Piccinich,Wetwood resident and Recreation Board member Yash Risbud,Westwood councilmember and recreation liaison Rob Bicocchi,and Westwood Borough Council President Beth Dell. Photo via Ray Arroyo

Left to right: Patterson Det.Suquan Gary,Tony Walker,Passaic County Sheriff’s Officer Det. Sgt. Brad Forestieri,and Vernon McKoy. Photo via Ray Arroyo

Letters:

Thanks for the memorieslovely

To the editor:

MY HUSBANDAND I really reading enjoyed reading about the old McDonaldʼs Restaurant in Montvale, published in the recent issue of the Pascack Press [ “Montvale had ʻMcDonaldʼsʼ first,” Back in Time, Sept. 19, 2022.] What a treat that recalled the memory of many fun times and delicious dinners!

In the 1980s, my husband Dave and I use to take our four sons to McDonaldʼs to enjoy a tasty dinner at very reasonable prices. As we waited for our dinner to be served, the boys were fascinated by the memorabilia adorning the walls and ceilings. It encouraged many discussions about the usage of some interest ing antiques throughout the restaurant. When they added cars to the displays, there was yet another interest brought to life — including how did they ever get those autos into the restaurant!

Thank you for publishing this

very interesting story accompanied by a memorable picture of some of the various artifacts. Also appreciated is the research of Kristin Beuscher about this legendary Pascack Valley restaurant.

Barbara J. WestwoodStewart

Alumnus for Sembler at WWBOE

To the editor:

M YNAMEIS James Stickel and I am a proud alumnus of Westwood Regional High School and former student repr esentative to the WWRSD Board of Education. I am writing in support of the re-election of WWRSD Board of Education Vice President Michelle Sembler.

I have known Michelle since I started advocating at Board of Education meetings during my junior year of high school and have gotten to know her while serving as a student representative this past school year.Michelle is a caring and compassionate person who values all opinions, especially those of students. Michelle is a true

professional who takes her position on the board seriously. She is always a team player who works collaboratively with all of her fellow board members towards the common goal of providing quality education to the students of WestwoodMichelleRegional.has shown her commitment to the student body in several ways during her time on the board. She consistently advocates for what is best for the students. Some recent examples of this include the addition of SLEO I II officers in all six district schools to ensure students feel safe at school and the addition of recess and longer lunch times in the middle school. These are just a few of the many things she has advocated for to improve student life in our Michelledistrict.has the knowledge, leadership ability, and experience to continue to move our district in a positive direction. She is a valuable member of the Board of Education and our district would be lucky to have her on the board for three more years!

On Nov. 8 please re-elect Michelle Sembler to the WWRSD Board of Education. I can assure you that a vote for Michelle is a vote for continued success in WWRSD and a quality learning experience for all students!

James Stickel WestwoodClassRegionalof2022

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

IHAopen houses Oct. 23 and 27

Immaculate Heart Academyʼs Fall open houses are Sunday, Oct. 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursday, Oct. 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The school says, “If you are a young woman searching for a school known for its academic excellence, athletic competition, and creative expression grounded in traditional Catholic values, Immaculate Heart Academy (IHA) is the place for you.”

It adds, “Students from eight counties in New Jersey and New

York call IHA their second home, and we would love for you to join them. The sisterhood formed at IHA is incomparable, and the memories made last a lifetime—just ask the 10,869 graduates who have graced the IHA Registrationhalls.” is requested at ihanj.com. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, contact Lauren Rhein ʼ09, director of admissions, at (201) 445.6800 ext. 112 or lrhein@ihanj.com. IHA is at 500 Van Emburgh Ave.

Pascack Press welcomes brief letters to the editor on timely local topics. See our guidelines on

Save the date for a first-of-its kind outdoors music festival presented by River Crossing Concerts, and featuring live music ranging from American jazz standards to Latin salsa, from buoyant ragtime to passionate Argentinian tangos, from Afro-Venezuelan and Caribbean rhythms to sparkling Irish bagpipe Featuringsounds.violinist

Ali Bello & The Sweet Wire Band, Nicole Zuraitis, Tri-County Irish War Pipe Band, City Winds Trio and The Guevara & Zhelezova Piano Duo, the festival will offer an immersive audience experience including open microphone, community games, arts and crafts.

• When: Saturday, Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine.•

Where: The lawn and parking lot of First Congregational Church, 109 Continental Ave. (the corner of Kinderkamack Avenue) River Edge.

• Tickets: Admission is free but donations are encouraged.

Kitchen Cabinet installers helper. Must have basic knowledge of tools. Valid drivers license. Ken Bauer Kitchens, Hillsdale NJ (201)664-6881.

Contact Slavina Zhelezova, slavi na@gmail.com , (201)

etatgdrivercrossingconcerts.org.206-1712,Thefestivalwillpresentaiverseblendofmusicalstylesandenresinone-dayoutdoorssettingthelawnoftheFirstCongrega-ionalChurch.Grammy-nominat-djazzvocalistandsongwriterand

winner of the Gold Medal in the 2021 American Traditions Competition Nicole Zuraitis “brings a heart as big as her remarkable voice” (Jazz Standards).

Bello & The Sweet Wire Band captivate with a “mix of classical, folk, jazz, roots, and Latin genres are very compelling and enthralling” (Inside World Music) City Winds Trio, whose members have graced the stages of Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the United Nations, brings a multicultural sound fusion from Europe, the U.S. and Asia, performing one of their popular Ragtime Concerts.

Whatʼs better than one bag-

pipe? An orchestra of bagpipes, of course! Brought by River Edgeʼs own Tri-County Irish War Pipe and led by Pipe Major Tim Friedhoff, the group will perform American, Irish, and Scottish tunes.

The Mexican-Bulgarian piano duo Guevara & Zhelezova, acclaimed as “remarkable enter tainers” brings “daring, virtuosic, wild” (Piano News) stage presence, performing a program of Brahmsʼs gypsy-flavored Hungarian and the duo own arrangements of Piazzollaʼs Tangos.

River Crossing Concerts is a newly founded concert series in River Edge. Dedicated to bring-

ing communities together through music, the series focuses on inspiring, uplifting, and connecting through the power of music.Committed to diversity, inclusivity, and equity, the series presents compelling programs performed by core and guest artists, encouraging social change through binding music and community together.

River Crossing Concerts is possible through the generous support of First Congregational Church of River Edge and the help and donations of patrons, friends, and Concertgoersvolunteers.areinvited to bring a blanket and picnic basket, relax and enjoy one or more of the performances held throughout the day

There will be activities for children, including games, arts and crafts and face painting. The event will be held rain or shine, and will move indoors if the weather is inclement.

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS LABORER TEMPORARYF/T FALLHELP– HILLSDALE BOROUGH. The Borough is accepting applications for Temporary Full Time Fall Help. Duties will include but are not limited to working with a vacuum leaf loader, performing manual labor by raking, & other related duties.Must have a valid New Jersey Driver’s License. Employment applications are available at www.hillsdalenj.org or at 380 Hillsdale Avenue, Hillsdale, NJ. To apply, please complete a job application from our website and submit to the DPW Superintendent at dhayes@hillsdalenj.org or you may drop off your application at 380 Hillsdale Avenue, Hillsdale, NJ 07642 by October 11, 2022. The Borough reserves the right to interview candidates prior to the expiration of the job posting. EOE.

THE sanitation, trash and recycling collection and oper ations, maintenance of buildings and grounds, land scaping, storm/sewer maintenance, road maintenance, leaf/brush collection, shoveling, snow plowing, cleaning, and other duties related to public works projects as assigned and as needed. Driver/Laborer appli cant must possess a clean valid New Jersey Driver’s License. CDL is preferred and will be required to obtain with air brakes and tanker endorsement and without the manual restriction. Subject to criminal background check & drug testing. Interested applicants must complete an employment application located on the Borough’s websitewww.wclnj.com or at the Borough Clerk’s office, 188 Pascack Road, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677. The Borough reserves the right to review resumes and conduct interviews as they are received. The Borough of Woodcliff Lake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Send cover letter and resume to: Chris Behrens, via email to: cbehrens@wclnj.com or mail to 188 Pascack Road, Woodcliff Lake, NJ 07677. For more information call Chris Behrens at 201-391-3172.

The Westwood Police Department is currently hiring for the position of part time Public Safety Telecommunicator. Applicants are not required to possess a Basic 911 Telecommunicator Certification, Emergency Medical Dispatch Certification or CPR certification, but these are preferred if the applicant possesses them. The position requires good communication skills, public contact, the ability to multi-task, basic computer familiarity and the ability to solve prob lems. Applicants must be able to pass a back ground investigation and drug screening test. Applications are available at Westwood Police HQ - 101 Washington Avenue Westwood, NJ 07675. You may also contact Chief Michael R. Pontillo at 201-664-7000 ext #151. The Borough of Westwood is an equal opportunity employer

PASCACK HILLS 1972 50TH CLASS REUNION! Courtyard Montvale, Montvale, NJ, Nov. 4–6.

Contact: Doug stonykill@verizon.net.Bowen,

Cleaning lady - for homes, apts & offices. In Bergen County. Call Anna at (917) 704-6929.

NICOLE ZURAITIS

THE CITY WINDS TRIO

ARI BELLO & THE SWEET WIRE BAND

HHEELLPP WWAANNTTEEDD

SSEERRVVIICCEESS CCLLEEAANNIINNGG

HHEELLPP WWAANNTTEEDD

CCLLAASSSS RREEUUNNIIOONN

HHEELLPP WWAANNTTEEDD

HHEELLPP WWAANNTTEEDD

Students are invited to participate in Hack4Water, a 24-hour “hackathon” aimed at introducing young people to the fields of engineering and technology and inspiring them in how they can leverage their skills in these areas for social good.According to organizer

Kareena Shah, a Pascack Valley High School senior, for whom this project is in support of her Girl Scout project, “The main goal of

Club

this hackathon will be to devise a solution to a water-related issue faced by a group of people anywhere in the world. Participants will also have the chance to take part in workshops where they will learn how to program in languages such as HTML/CSS, Python, and Java.”After submitting their work on Oct. 1, teams will present to judges on Oct. 2, after which they will have the opportunity to attend an awardsShahceremony.—her high schoolʼs nominee for the Governorʼs School of New Jersey Program in Engineering & Technology held this past summer at Rutgers University told Pascack Press on Sept. 21 that the hackathon judges have pro-

Frances GANNONA.

Frances Ann Gannon, née Loehr, 91, of River Vale, passed away on Friday, Sept. 16. She was born and raised in New York City to Anna (Gaffy) and Alfred Loehr.

Beloved wife of the late Martin E. Gannon, mother of the late and cherished Ann Elizabeth. Devoted mother of Christine Kantola and her husband Robert Jeffrey, Michael and his wife Janet, and TimothyLoving grandmother of Meredith, Bethany (Sara), Katie (John), Daniel (Sara) and Colin (Ashley). Great-grandmother of Ivy, Summer, Olivia, and Jude.

Loving companion of the late Howard P. Hunt.

The family will receive their

fessional backgrounds in engineering, technology, and the humanities and that prizes will be in the form of Amazon gift cards.

She explained, “Especially with the major droughts occurring in our area and around the country, I believe this hackathon will be extremely relevant to our situation and will empower students to think of ways to mitigate the crisis.”

Participating students must be 12 or older. Register at forms.gle/B3D32AvXuuKiB1mn8

Attending the Governorʼs School of New Jersey

According to Mary C. Doherty, mathematics teacher and PVHS publicity advisor, following a rigorous application process during her

OBITUARIES

relatives and friends at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, on Monday, Sept. 19 from 3 to 7 p.m.

The funeral Mass celebrating Francesʼ life and faith will be held at St. Andrew R.C. Church, Westwood on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10:30 a.m. Interment at Maryrest Cemetery, Mahwah.

In lieu of flowers donations to St. Jude Childrenʼs Research Hospital or River Vale Volunteer Ambulance Corps are greatly appreciated.

Kenneth COVELLOP.

Kenneth P. Covello, 61, of Fair Lawn, former longtime resi dent of Paramus, passed away after a valiant fight against glioblastoma on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022.

Ken was born on March 6, 1961 and grew up in Township of Washington. He graduated Westwood High School, Class of 1979, and received his bachelorʼs degree from Seton Hall University.

He played many sports, with baseball and soccer at the top of his list. Winning a baseball championship during his high school years was among his fondest memories.After graduating, he held numerous freelance jobs as a cam era operator filming Yankees games, concerts, parades and vari ous cultural events. Friendly and very easy to have a conversation with, he loved to talk about all of the interesting people he met along the way. Subsequently, he got an offer to work for a new TV show, “Good Day New York,” as one of its first employees. Ken worked

there as a camera operator, and later at Fox Studios for more than 30 years.Kenʼs heart was huge and puree. He was a kind, caring, and loving person who never had a bad word to say about anyone. He never hesitated to ask, “Can I help?” or “What can I do?” Ken radiated sunshine and positivity throughout his life, and even when things got tough, he was always dressed in a smile (and a baseball cap) and looking forward to the next fun adventure or plans he had ahead.

Ken was arguably Bob Rossʼs biggest superfan and was an avid nature painter. He also loved being a coach, playing the keyboard and listening to classic rock music.

Ken was a true collector. He had a very extensive beer and CocaCola memorabilia collection, which he displayed proudly throughout every inch of his basement. He loved to go to garage sales and thrift stores, always hoping to find another piece to add to his collection, even when he knew he had no room for more.Ken loved going to breweries, attending sports events, seeing live music and going for nature walks. He painted almost every day for over 20 years and it is a blessing that his artwork will be forever enjoyed.

Although he had many jobs and hobbies, what Ken loved most was spending time with his wife, family and friends. He was always laughing, having a good time and making the most of every situation. Ken loved his children, Ashley and Chris, very much and was very

junior year, Shah was chosen to be a part of the highly selective Governorʼs School of New Jersey Program in Engineering & Technology for New Jersey high school students.This past July, she spent four weeks as a NJ GSET Scholar and immersed herself in topics ranging from modern physics and astronomy to material sciences and robotics.

She, along with her teammates, further developed a novel project to realize widespread access to effective drone delivery systems. Her work led her research paper to be published in the MIT IEEE Xplore Digital Library.

—Staff report

proud of them, their choices they have made and the adults they have become.Ken is survived by his wife and best friend, Lisa; his cherished children Ashley and Chris; his friend and former wife, Donna; his Mother, Jeanne and her husband, Anthony; his sister Teri and her husband, Michael; his sister-in-law, Tonya; his nieces and nephews Kelly and her husband, Alex, Alyssa, Nick and Liam, as well as his grand-niece and grand-nephew Harper and Jack. Ken loved spending time with his nieces and nephews, and they loved him very much. He was a true kid at heart.Ken is predeceased by his father, Peter, and his brothers Dan and Kevin.Heis also survived by his brother in-law Mark, the rest of his inherited family and so many incredible friends that have been faithful Guardian Angels that embody the true meaning of love and friendship. There are too many to list individu ally, and his family and friends were always, and forever will be, incredibly grateful for holding such a spe cial part in his life. He will be forever missed and always in our hearts.

The family will receive guests at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood on Thursday, Sept. 22 from 3 to 7 p.m. with a celebration of his life and faith to commence at 6:30. Private cremation to Memorialfollowcontributions can be made in Kenʼs name to the Glioblastoma Research Foundation at GBMResearch.Org/Donate.

Preschool: New life for former Charlie Brown’s site?

FROM PAGE 1

the facility is planned as a twostory structure mostly hidden from neighbors by landscaping. It will educate infants and toddlers and feature Montessori preschool programs for up to 154 children.

Amon said the school will have “a residential feel” and include a swimming pool.

She said the plan is to keep the main building “as far from residents as possible” nearer the Garden State Parkway side of the property. She said she hoped residents would see it as a “beneficial asset to the community.”

She said their application includes a full traffic study and that they were hoping to present the application sometime this fall, possibly in November.

Apple Montessori Schools has been operating in New Jersey for 50 years, said Amon. She said 6 preschools are operating in north and central New Jersey.

“So weʼre very excited and I think itʼs going to be a beautiful school. Weʼre really excited to come to Washington Township,” Amon said.

Council bailed on site

The township itself was keenly interested in acquiring the site most recently a Charlie Brownʼs restaurant — first for a new DPW headquarters and then for a new police headquarters, persuading the seller to come to terms under the specter of what town attorney Ken Poller conveyed to them as “the condemnation route.”

The town got an extension on the $1.35 million contract in order to fit in additional environmental studies when it came to light there

were was a possible previous use there as a filling station.

In the end, against the backdrop of emotional testimony from neighbors and nearby Paramus residents not to site a DPW there, the town council voted not to proceed with a follow-up environmental look, recommended at $12,000 to $17,000.

Weʼve reached out to Mayor Peter Calamari and Council President Desserie Morgan for comment for this story.

Morgan told us in June, “We voted unanimously not to move forward with the 95 Linwood Ave. property based on the environmental issues and concerns that came to light after the most recent study Iʼm confident we made the best decision with the information we wereAmon,given.”who first revealed Apple Montessori Schoolʼs (and the townshipʼs) interest in the

triangular-shaped site in an early January 2022 phone call to a special Township Council meeting on an unrelated matter, told Pascack Press that the popular private school was again interested in the site.

PASCACK VALLEY

Amon has said that Apple Montessori Schools had already spent tens of thousands of dollars on due diligence but that the townshipʼs condemnation threat left the property owners with little choice but to rebuff their deal and enter

negotiations with the township.

Amon told Pascack Press recently that, as part of its duediligence, their environmental consultants had investigated the site for underground pipes and contamination from prior gas pump usage on site and found no concerns.Piping found on site was removed and no soil contamination was found, Amon said. She emphasized that the site meets all required state environmental standards.

The township is still working to replace its razed DPW headquarters. See Michael Olohanʼs related story, “Council wants hard look at steel for new DPW,” page 3.

Sundial Garden Club meets Oct. 3

The next meeting of the Sundial Garden Club, Monday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m., features a presentation, Going Native without Feeding Bambi –Designing with Deer Resistant Plants, by Lourdes Osorio.

The club will meet at the Hillsdale Library, 509 Hillsdale Ave. in Hillsdale.

Osorio is the creator of Native Plant Channel on You Tube and Facebook. Sheʼs an educator, master gardener, and curator of the native plant garden at Laurelwood Arboretum inThisWayne.lecture discusses deerresistant native plants, including their growing requirements and value as

pollinators. It will help you save time and money on plant selection as you garden for beauty while providing an eco-friendly environment for pollinators.Theclub welcomes all gardeners and would-be gardeners from the Pascack Valley. For nire information visit sundialgc.org

Elevations of an Apple Montessori school proposed for 95 Linwood Ave.,Township of Washington.Right elevation faces GSP;left side faces Hemlock Drive.The application is with the town’s zoning board.Should it clear its completeness review it will become available for public inspection. Via Apple Montessori Schools.