Pascack Press 2.15.21

Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake

PA S C AC K VA L L E Y ’ S BEST H O M E TO W N N E W S PA P E R

VOLUME 24 ISSUE 48

PURIM TREATS

PASCACK VALLEY

PASCACK VALLEY

SHOUT-OUTS RESONATE Video project celebrates Pascack district

Valley Chabad’s annual hamantash bake, open to all, runs Feb. 21.

SEE PAGE 15

PASCACK VALLEY

FAIR SHARE LAUNCHING PODCAST

Will housing forum take on overdevelopment?

BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS

Fair Share Housing Center, “the only public interest organization entirely devoted to defending the housing rights of New Jerseyʼs poor through enforcement of the 1975 Mount Laurel doctrine,” is launching a podcast.

In promoting “All About Housing* (*Weʼre coming to get our check),” a public education podcast “about New Jerseyʼs low-income communities and their struggle to find and move into affordable housing,” the Cherry Hills-based nonprofit says, “We look forward to answering your questions, sharing stories, and working to transform lives.”

“Weʼre coming to get our check”

See FAIR on page 224

I

FEBRUARY 15, 2021

AN EXTRAORDINARY PROJECT sees students, faculty, and staff of Pascack Hills High School and Pascack Valley High School exchange messages of gratitude, love, and encouragement.

TʼS AN EXCHANGE of valentines like no other. To kick off their second semester, the Pascack Regional High School District Communication Department engineered a surprise for teachers and students.

Teachers secretly made “shout out” videos for their students, just as students were

doing the same for their cheerfully unaware teachers—sharing moments that add a rich dimension to a distanced school year.

Paul Zeller, district director of technology and communication, along with his intern, Samantha Goldman of Woodcliff Lake, a senior at Pascack Hills, worked on this project

PVRHSD SCREEN IMAGES VIA YOUTUBE

thatʼs all about appreciation.

Their hope: Let everyone in the Pascack Valley Regional High School community know how much everyone cares for one another.

Now itʼs out for all to see: 168 messages touching on the

Continued on page 14

PV VACCINE Mayors brushed back on local initiative

HUB OUT

BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS

Several local mayors who had been working to establish a vaccination hub made progress on their effort, identifying several suitable sites and a number of doctor and nurse volunteers to help administer the vaccine.

Unfortunately, they have now received word from the regional health commission informing them that there can be no such Pascack Valley-shared answer to the intense demand.

Moreover, said Montvale Mayor Michael Ghassali, “We have a number of senior citizens without access to a computer and they donʼt have an email address, and we have a number of volunteers ready and able to help senior citizens register for vaccination.”

He said, “Except that the system requires a unique email address for every appointment. We have a call with the state on Thursday [Feb. 10] to work through this issue. “ Ghassali said “This has been a frustrating process all around but I believe everyone is doing the best they can given the enormity of the challenge.”

He referred to outreach from the Northwest Bergen Regional Health Commission (NWBRHC), which says it has taken “a multifaceted approach to become an approved COVID-19 vaccination site so we can continue to serve our communities in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.”

See VACCINE on page 114

LOYAL, HELPFUL

B ck in time...

The mayor asked residents to join him in giving “a royal Montvalean bow” to Boy Scout Troop 334 for providing help to a local family.

Who remembers shopping at Woolworth’s at the corner of Westwood and Center avenues? The store was there for 40 years, from the 1930s until the 1970s. A valentine from Kristin Beuscher.

SEE PAGE 20

SEE PAGE 4

FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

2

PASCACK PRESS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Many thanks for snow removal

A

To the editor:

of neighbors. It is with grati-

PPRECIATE THE KINDNESS

tude and appreciation I wish to thank Brian Lanni and Sandy Tamayo for their aggressive continual removal of snow from my driveway and sidewalk following each snow storm. As a 50+ year citizen, this undertaking is much appreciated.

Mary Clark Westwood

Keeping the roads free of litter: ideas?

R

which joins River Vale with Old Tappan, is that my friend and I used to walk along this road every weekend and always took plastic bags with us to fill up with the trash we saw!

Unfortunately, for various reasons, we havenʼt walked that route recently. We filled at least 30 bags each year.

One solution I tried was to get my grandchildren to pick up trash along a local wooded area and in this way they clean up the area, realize how inconsiderate littering is, and hopefully start a new trend. Any other idea? It is such a shame to see this litter.

Frances Moore River Vale

To the editor: E: “WHATʼS WITH the trash on Rivervale?,” Elbert Tellem, WESTWOOD Letters, Feb. 1.

The reason why the walker saw so much trash on Poplar Road The Recreation Department wants to hear from local residents. since Anyone with new ideas regarding 1978 updates and improvements to park DRIVING SCHOOL INC. facilities is invited to fill out the Lic. # 045-85N 2021 park facilities questionnaire at westwoodnj.gov/179/recreation.

• Highly Respected, Full Service Driving School The break in regular program• Prep Lessons, 6 Hour Lessons & Road Tests ming due to the pandemic restric• Experienced State Licensed Instructors tions has allowed the department to upgrade park and recreation faciliCall Now to Schedule Your Appointment!

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will run an additional three weeks through at least March 5, concurrent with the #LoveTheHub February celebrations.

As we look toward spring, we are happy to report that the lively outdoor dining, shopping, and strolling atmosphere has been made possible once again through a unanimous vote by the Westwood Borough Council to reauthorized pertinent resolutions originally proposed in spring 2020 by the Mayorʼs Economic Recovery Panel, through March 31, 2022 These resolutions re-authorize Westwood dining establishments to use their sidewalks, rear

Restaurant Appreciation Month plus

T

To the editor:

HERE IS SIGNIFICANT news on the Westwood dining scene worth celebrating! We are coming upon the fourth week of Celebrate Westwood Restaurant Appreciation Month and, because of the positive impact on local eateries, appreciation exhibited by patrons, and generous, unsolicited prize donations from Westwood eateries, the contest and celebration

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

Rec department seeks input on parks

358 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ

STOP IN AND SEE TIM & RALPH!

NOTE: Letter submission deadline is 11 a.m.

Wednesday for the following Monday’s paper.

Publication not guaranteed. Subject to editing.

Email to pascackpress@thepressgroup.net.

2Off

YOUR HAIR CUT

ering the installation of a new covered pavilion at Brookside Park in either 2021 or 2022.

For a review of offerings at the community parks, visit westwoodnj.gov/194/parks.

“We are excited to learn about the new types of facilities or improvements Westwood residents are interested in adding to our community parks,” said director Gary Buchheister. “For instance, the bocce ball court planned for McKinley Park was suggested by our ForeverYoung participants. It was such a great idea that weʼve decided to add it.”

Buchheister said he expects to receive many excellent suggestions that will garner serious consideration as he works on shortand long-term facilities improvements.

For more information, write gbuchheister@westwoodnj.gov.

ties including new benches, bleachers, renovated basketball courts, new lighting and new playground equipment around town.

Proposed goals for 2021 include a new exercise circuit in Westvale Park, a bocce ball court in McKinley Park; and new playground equipment at Brookside Park.

The department is also consid-

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MONTVALE

BOROUGH PROJECTS, PLANNING BOARD APPLICATIONS IN PROGRESS

to the easements required for construction. The county has just responded, and Maser will review and provide an update to the Borough. The county is moving ahead with advertising the project in the next couple of weeks pending approval from NJDOT local aid.

The county has indicated that the contract award has to be made by July.

Gas Main • PSE&G Replacement (update). – PSEG continues to install new gas mains and services in the borough. A “two-week look ahead” is provided by the PSEG contractor to the borough and Maser. The majority of the work off of Kinderkamack is finished. PSEG still has side street services to do and retirement of the old gas mains. PSEG still has work east of the Kinderkamack Road to complete as part of this project. Maser will continue to work with PSEG to maximize paving of the affected streets.

• Bergen County 2018/2019 Road Program (Kinderkamack Road) (update). Our engineers at Maser are working with the county to finalize the improvements to the ADA ramps, along the length of Kinderkamack Road, prior to milling and paving. The schedule for the start and duration of this work is still not finalized.

• NJDEP 2020 Tier A Stormwater Reporting (update).

We submitted the GPS outfall mapping to the NJDEP, and the updated ordinance has been adopted by the Borough. Additional efforts are still required along with the annual report to the NJDEP. This is the continuation of the reporting requirements to the NJDEP for the boroughʼs Tier A Municipal Stormwater Permit.

• Montvale 2021 NJDOT Road Program. The NJDOT notified the borough on Nov. 16, 2020 that it has been awarded $210,000 for road improvements to Craig Road.

Planning Board Applications • De Pieroʼs/Montvale Development Phase II (new).

The applicant submitted an application on Jan. 19 for the development of the lower portion of the De Pieroʼs site at the corner of Philips and Grand Avenue. No hearing date has been scheduled.

• Waypoint Residential (update). This application was to be continued at the Feb. 2 board meeting for the construction of an active adult, 157-unit three-story residential building over 186garage level parking spaces to the east of the Summit Ridge development on the north side of Summit Avenue.

The installation of a sevenspace gravel parking area at the east end of the property that will

be accessible to the public from Summit Avenue has been CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

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FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

Mayor Michael Ghassaliʼs February projects report has no new information relative to a vaccination site in town, but work with other towns in the area continues with that goal in mind.

“In the meantime, we are keeping the most recent information on the borough website, montvale.org. Please check the site often for the latest updates,” says Ghassali.

The mayor apprised residents of a slew of borough and capital projects, Planning Board applications, and Planning Board Inspection Projects.

Here are highlights, focusing on new items and updates. Where there has been no change we do not list the item, and refer you to the borough records: • Montvale 2021 Road Program (new). We have been working with PSEG to finalize the roads to be paved that were disrupted with gas main replacement project. A list of these roads, as well as other roads in the Borough proposed to be milled and paved for 2021, will be prepared and submitted to the mayor and council for review and approval.

• Bergen County/Magnolia Avenue Bridge Replacement (update). Our engineers at Maser submitted a memo to the county providing the residentsʼ response

4

FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

B ck in time...

VALENTINE’S GIFTS FROM WOOLWORTH’S

W

BY KRISTIN BEUSCHER OF PASCACK PRESS

WESTWOOD

shopping at Woolworthʼs at the corner of Westwood and Center avenues? The store was there for 40 years, from the 1930s until the 1970s.

The advertisement at left, from February 1961, shows Valentineʼs Day gift suggestions. While the classic box of chocolates has stood the test of time, other gifts have since fallen out of favor—such as the apron for mom and the embroidered handkerchief for a “best gal.”

Also advertised: Primrose nylons, Woolworthʼs house brand of the 1950s and 1960s.

F.W. Woolworth was one of the nationʼs original five-and-dime stores, having been founded by HO REMEMBERS

Frank Winfield Woolworth in 1878.

Woolworthʼs was also among the first American retailers to put merchandise out for the shopping public to handle and select without the assistance of a sales clerk. One of the storeʼs most popular features was the addition of a lunch counter and seltzer fountain.

After Woolworthʼs left in the 1970s, CVS moved into the Westwood Avenue storefront and spent 30 years there before moving to a new building at the corner of Broadway and Jefferson Avenue, the former site of the Seville Diner.

In summer 2015, the more than 80-year-old building at Westwood and Center was stripped to its beams, revealing a portion of the old Woolworthʼs brickwork. The building was reconstructed to a contemporary aesthetic. The Westwood Avenue storefront is now Goldbergʼs Bagels and Oritani Bank.

At left: A Valentine’s Day advertisement for Woolworth’s, February 1961.

Above: F.W. Woolworth at Westwood and Center avenues in Westwood.

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LIBRARY CALENDAR 12 HEALTH & WELLNESS 16 HOME IMPROVEMENT 21 REAL ESTATE

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OBITUARIES

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Above: A 1960s view on Westwood Avenue toward Broadway shows Woolworth’s on the far right, behind the mailbox. (Photo courtesy Pascack Historical Society). At right: In 2005, construction on the corner stripped away the building’s facade to reveal the Woolworth’s brickwork underneath.

EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING Serving Emerson, Hillsdale, Montvale, Park Ridge, River Vale, Township of Washington, Westwood 201.664.2105 and Woodcliff Lake FAX 201.664.2109 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. BOX 335 E-MAIL US AT Westwood, N.J. 07675 pascackpress@thepressgroup.net

PASCACK VALLEY’S HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER

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John J. DeFina John Snyder Kristin Beuscher Keith J. Harcher George F. Harcher

The articles and opinions printed in Pascack Press are not necessarily those of the publisher. Pascack Press is neither liable nor responsible for typographical errors. This publication contains material developed independently by Pascack Press. It may not be reproduced, in whole or in part.

Pascack Press is published in Westwood and is distributed to every household in our circulation area.

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

WOODCLIFF LAKE

The Borough Council approved a $50,000 plan to perform a comprehensive review and update of the Master Plan on Feb. 8, after arguing whether it should be paid for via a five-year emergency appropriation or a shorter budget period.

The “emergency appropriation” contract was approved by ordinance and a resolution. The measures appropriate up to $10,000 per year over five years.

It approves the hiring of Philips, Preiss, Grygiel, Leheny, Hughes LLC of Hoboken for the work.

Longtime planner Richard Preiss is expected to provide the review and update, which has been discussed on and off for years.

Although it eked by, 4–3, upon introduction late in 2020, the Master Plan update passed, 5–1, on Feb. 8, with only councilman Craig Marson opposed. He said he was concerned about approving an emergency appropriation over a five-year period.

The latest update ordinance was introduced in late January since no public hearing or vote

was taken after its initial introduction in December. Council needed to take action before Dec. 31, 2020 on its initial ordinance but that did not occur.

Marson previously said that using an emergency funding measure had the potential to harm the borough legally if developers could then say the boroughʼs Master Plan was outdated and not viable.

Just recently, a developer, 188 Broadway LLP, who was denied approval in 2019 to build a 60unit, two building complex at 188 Broadway, and later filed a legal appeal, had resubmitted an updated preliminary and final site plan for the 188 Broadway site.

As of press time, no Zoning Board hearing date was scheduled.

The pending litigation should not be a hindrance to the new application, Borough Attorney John Schettino recently advised.

Initially, the developerʼs attorneys had argued that the boroughʼs Master Plan was outdated due to it not being updated in a decade, but recent reexaminations and revisions helped keep it current and in effect, argued borough attorneys in rebuttal.

Two homeowners calling in Feb. 8 urged the council to pass a resolution to require an updated

Master Plan. Resident Gwenn Levine called for preserving “the single-family [home] nature of East Side.”

Resident Alex Couto echoed Levineʼs comments and said single-family homes should be “highlighted” in the update.

At a December council meeting, Zoning Board Chair Christina Hembree, attorney Sal Princiotto, and former councilman and planner Corrado Belgiovine called in to support a Master Plan update.

Princiotto said the update “should have been done many years ago.”

At the Dec. 7 council meeting, following a long debate, words were exchanged between Marson and councilwoman Jackie Gadaleta after Marson implied that some members might have had hidden agendas for wanting to revise and update the Master Plan, such as trying to appease a possible developer.

However, Mayor Carlos Rendo and most other council members said that was not the case, and said they resented the allegations. Rendo noted the lack of an updated Master Plan was hurting the borough, and has recently stated that with the Hiltonʼs closing, ESAI moving to Clifton, and lowered commercial

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GOVERNING BODY MULLS WISH LISTS FOR ‘MORE EXPANSIVE’ COMMUNITY CENTER

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

HILLSDALE

While the Patterson Street Redevelopment project and downtown rehabilitation have traction heading into 2021, a longdiscussed community center for all residents has yet to come into

focus.

Throughout November and December 2020, residents for and against adopting a local redevelopment plan heard the possibility of a community center mentioned time and again.

The center was one potential community benefit should council approve a developerʼs requested height/density bonuses for a rede-

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velopment effort.

However, no such proposal is before council members.

When the industrial areaʼs redevelopment plan was approved in early January, councilmembers stressed that no developer had a proposal ready, though Mayor John Ruocco said he anticipated a proposal to soon materialize, possibly related to the Waste Management property.

Ruocco said he would prefer to bond for a community center as that would give local officials more oversight over the contractor, construction, and timetable.

Borough Engineer Christopher Statile recently prepared a 23-page report on six potential community center options ranging from about $50,000 annually to lease space in an existing structure to about $1.5 million for building and parking lot costs.

However, following multiple mentions of the need for a community center by officials during the debate over redevelopment, the bare-bones community center previously envisioned by council (and described in Statileʼs report) was broadened beyond simple meeting rooms, a kitchen, a conference hall, and a focus on seniors.

“As a result of discussions on redevelopment in the industrial area, the council members began to question why a proposed community center could not be more expansive and include various sport amenities and facilities such as basketball courts,” Ruocco told Pascack Press last week.

Ruocco said that he and Borough Administrator Christopher Tietjen asked each councilperson to write down their respective wish lists for the center. He said Tietjen has compiled the list “of what the ideal community center should contain, as per the council's desires.”

He said following discussion, the council would need to agree to what the community center would

include and then hire an engineer to design, estimate costs, and find a suitable location for such a facility before approving.

“A decision would also have to be made as to how to finance it and whether the price tag and impact on property taxes raises the need for a referendum in the collective mind of the governing body,” Ruocco said.

Those wish lists were not available to report by press time.

Ruocco said that since the councilʼs wish lists for a community center were tallied, no further action has occurred.

Councilman Frank Pizzella said the Economic Development and Growth Committee, which he chairs, would begin work on redevelopment and rehabilitation concerns on Friday, Feb. 12, but noted his committee had not weighed in on a community center.

He said most members have offered views on a future community centerʼs features: “With that, it became very clear that what the borough engineer was originally asked to come up with does not meet the expectations of almost all council members.”

He added, “I believe itʼs correct that the council is to consider different and alternative avenues to pursue a community center and other things they want to make the community better. Redevelopment is only one possible alternative that could help pay for a community center. As I have said, we have no agreement with anyone.”

Asked if a community center would be an ongoing topic in 2021, Pizzella said that and several other topics, such as redevelopment and downtown rehabilitation, would be on the agenda.

“I believe if anyone is serious about a community center or a senior center or updates of any kind that the dialogue needs to continue much further and regularly,” he said.

Statileʼs report notes data on 14 specific nearby senior centers

and spells out six local options for a scaled-down senior/community center.

It notes that Hillsdaleʼs needs appeared similar to River Valeʼs 4,500-square-foot senior and community center, and cited a local 5,100-square-foot facility as being comparable.

It appears Statileʼs report was conceived and prepared before most on council considered what a community center might include and have since revised their thinking on benefits/services.

Finance Committee Chair Abby Lundy told Pascack Press last week that low interest rates make 2021 “an ideal time to bond” for a community center and that the council might soon discuss visions for the project.

She said she didnʼt see tying the community center to a possible redevelopment effort as feasible, especially with bonding costs so favorable.

Lundy said she would like to see an expanded community center, maybe at Stonybrook Swim Club, to include room for basketball courts, a multi-purpose meeting room, a lunch room, and area for senior recreational activities, possibly summer camps, and other adult recreation.

She noted Statile would prepare an updated report and include amenities desired by council members and residents.

She said initial ideas for a center comprised an approximate 4,500square-foot facility but more needs and activities there require an expanded facility.

The six initial options included: • Renovating and retrofitting the Verizon Building at 175 Broadway or acquiring a longterm lease on the property; • A new building and the acquisition of lots between 375–355 Hillsdale Avenue;

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FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

NEW ‘SCAM’ CRIMES COULD ADD JAIL TIME FOR PARK RIDGE MAN

FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

8

BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

PARK RIDGE

Two members of a Bergen County family serving prison time over fraudulent investment schemes—including George J. Bussanich Sr. of Park Ridge—face additional jail time due to new fraud allegations.

The new allegations, announced Feb. 5 by state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, charge Bussanich Sr.ʼs daughter, Melanie Whitney, 42, of Mahwah, with overstating her professional real estate experience to deceive two men into investing more than $75,000 each into fraudulent real estate deals.

Previously Bussanich Sr., 61, and son George Jr., 40, of Upper Saddle River, were jailed for federal mortgage fraud.

Last month, a judge sentenced the pair for their roles in a separate money-laundering and securities fraud cas, tacking on 10 more years for the elder Bussanich and eight more years for his son.

Wilma Bussanich, wife and mother to the two, was sentenced to five yearsʼ probation The latest charges say Whit-

ney directed funds obtained from the defrauded investors into bank accounts controlled by her father and brother, and a Bruce Evanter of Mahwah.

Whitney falsified mortgage documents to defraud SNCO Capital Group and Planet Home Lending. That money was then laundered through the three menʼs accounts accounts, Grewal said.

State authorities charge Whitney and Bussanich Sr. with conspiracy, money laundering and theft by deception. Evanter and the younger Bussanich were charged with conspiracy and money laundering. Whitneyʼs husband, Joseph, has been changed with conspiracy.

These additional charges may end up adding decades to each prison term, plus thousands of dollars in fines, said officials.

The father and son were found guilty of selling $4 million worth of unregistered investment notes for sleep and medical centers from 2009 to 2013.

In a second alleged scam, the family members sold $3 million of notes to investors for another fictitious company.

The family promised high returns to investors, often preying

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GEORGE J. BUSSANICH JR. with his father, of Park Ridge.

on elderly or retirees, for opportunities that never existed, according to New Jersey prosecutors.

Authorities said proceeds from the scams helped pay for the

familyʼs multiple homes and seven luxury cars, including a Ferrari F430 Spider and a Mercedes ML350.

Authorities said the family

scammed nearly $7 million in two separate schemes from at least 26 victims, some of whom were scammed twice.

The second scam is alleged to have occurred even after the state barred the family from the New Jersey securities industry and ordered them to make $5.5 million restitution.

At the sentencing, Bussanich Jr. accepted responsibility for the fraud, but denied he was “a professional” swindler. He suggested he was ill served by the familyʼs lawyers and accountants, four of whom were also charged in the case.

“Iʼve never in my life tried to harm anybody,” Bussanich Jr. said.

Deputy Attorney General Amy Sieminski is prosecuting the new case against the Bussaniches, which follows an investigation by the stateʼs Gangs and Organized Crime Bureau.

PARK RIDGE

Connect with Our Lady of Mercy Church

“In this challenging time of social isolation, distancing, and restriction on gatherings, Our Lady of Mercy Church in Park Ridge has endeavored to stay in touch with its parishoners.

“Under the spiritual guidance of our new administrator, Fr. Vincent DʼAgostino, several opportunities to worship and grow in faith are offered.

“With Lent fast approaching, thereʼs never been a better time to learn whatʼs available.”

Thatʼs according to OLM in an invitation directing readers to urolm.orgm which “provides an opportunity to register to attend daily and Sunday Masses in person or to view it online. The Sunday Mass is also broadcast on PKRG, channel 77 on optimum or channel 22 on Verizon, every Sunday at 10 a.m.”

OLM adds that the website contains information on events, the weekly bulletin, a newsletter, a video library, a link to Our Lady

of Mercy Academy, weekly messages from Fr. Vincent, and more.

The church also invites readers to follow it on Facebook at Our Lady of Mercy Church, Park Ridge. OLM encourages all parishoners to update their contact information and email addresses, either through the website or by contacting the Rectory at (201) 391-5315. Parish news is shared through the website, Facebook, and email messages.

County honor for Phil Langner, a true public servant “HIS MAIN ENJOYMENT is helping others and seeing them help themselves…”

He was then sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, to the 6th Artillery Headquarters, where he served as a motor pool mechanic. he was honorably discharged in July 1964.

He married Doris (who has now passed) in January 1960 and moved to Park Ridge in 1962. They had two children, Kim and Kevin (who has also passed away), and raised their family in Park Ridge.

Langner worked as a United Association Plumbers and Pipefitters 13 union plumber for more than 50 years, mainly with Robert Shaw Controls and RLA Associates, retiring in 2001.

He is a 57-year member of the Park Ridge Elks Club and has served as an Exalted Ruler, District Deputy, and State Trustee.

He has been a member of the American Legion Post 162 in Hillsdale for 30 years. Following a fire in 2003, Phil served as chairman of the Renovation Committee that rebuilt the building. He went on to serve as

commander from 2012 to 2019 and oversaw the expansion and renovation of the “Hut” entrances and office.

He is now a trustee and chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee. Langner serves as the post finance officer, regularly supporting others committees at the post.

As far as personal interests go, Langner is a car buff. He has been the president of the Rockland Rodders Auto club for the last four years, and is a very proud owner of his 1929 Model A Ford and his 1966 Ford Galaxie XL convertible, which are featured at the front of Hillsdaleʼs Memorial Day parade each year. On Fridays during the summer months, he can be found at local car shows.

His main enjoyment is helping others and seeing them help themselves. Langner loves volunteering to help the veterans and special needs children. He runs the clothing drive at the post that supports the

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Bergen County Tracers program for homeless veterans.

Nominate a Veteran for Bergen County Veteran of the Week Bergen County Veteran of the Week is a project in collaboration with the Bergen County Division of Veteran Services to collect, preserve, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American Veterans for future generations.

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Congratulations are pouring in for Phillip Langner, Bergen County Board of Commissioner Bergen County Veteran of the Week for Feb. 3.

Calling him a great man in receipt of a very well deserved honor, Bergen County Commissioner Steve Tanelli hailed Langner “and the veterans of American Legion Post 162 of Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake, and Old Tappan, who do so much for our communities.”

Tanelli said, “Please join me in congratulating him on being our veteran of the week!”

Well wishers were thrilled to do so.

Among those adding their voices to Tanelliʼs were Roberta Kahn Hanlon, Terry Cannon, Jeffrey Pierson, AJ Luna (director of Bergen County Veterans Services, and a past recipient of the honor), Bette Kaye, Donato J Laviola, Sean Smith (“Congratulations, young man!), Lori Bettini (“Hero! Congratulations!,”) Cheryl Matz, and Leroy Endresen.

Veteran of the Week for Jan. 13 was Hillsdaleʼs George M. DeRosa, an American Legion Post 162 past commander.

Tanelliʼs synopsis of Langnerʼs background and community service shows why he is deserving of the honor: Born in Hackensack and raised in Westwood, Langner attended Westwood High School. His family was patriotic, with a record of exemplary military service, his older brothers having served in the Army Air Force, Navy, and Marines.

His brother Robert Langner (United States Marine Corps) made the ultimate sacrifice on Iwo Jima in 1945.

This legacy prompted Phil Langner to enlist, signing up with the United States Army in July 1958, receiving basic training at Fort Dix.

9

FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

10

Sc h ool News

Local girls shine in AHA Sister Dunphy scholarship standings

The Academy of the Holy Angels is pleased to announce the 2020–2021 Sister Nonna Dunphy Scholarship finalists and semifinalists. AHA President Melinda Hanlon shared the news at the Catholic Schools Week closing assembly.

This yearʼs finalists include seniors Colleen Driscoll of Oradell, Julia Fernandez of Teaneck, and Sarah Onderdonk of Wyckoff; juniors Isabella Dail of Saddle River, Brooke Hess of Cedar Grove, and Grace Watson of Glen Rock; and sophomores Giselle Acosta of Fort Lee, Grace Costanza of Clifton, and Isabella Novo of River Vale.

The semifinalists are seniors Caitlin Brannigan of Hillsdale, Emma DeMarco of South Nyack (New York), Isabelle Egan of Oradell, and Brigid Miller of Pearl River (New York); juniors Madeline Risbud of Westwood and Adriana Santos of Ridgefield; and sophomores Morgan Battaglia of Upper Saddle River, Sophia Carroll of Woodcliff Lake, Caroline Dupas of Pearl River (New York), Ava Goyal of Montclair, Shivani Sahu of Paramus, and Isabel Stein of Rutherford.

“Each year, the decision has become more difficult because we are so impressed by the students involved in the process,” President Hanlon, a member of the Scholarship Committee, said.

Finalists and semifinalists must reflect the ideals Sister Mary Nonna Dunphy, SSND, the foundress of

Holy Angels, embodied and encouraged in her students. Applicants should have the capacity to make decisions based on faith, character, and gospel values.

Nonna Dunphy Scholarship finalists receive $2,500 awards.

Each fall, the administration chooses recipients from the senior, junior, and sophomore classes based on applicantsʼ academic achievements, leadership, character, service, and an interview conducted by the Scholarship Committee.

Nonna Dunphy Scholarships were established by the AHA Board of Directors during the 1990–91 academic year when Holy Angels was celebrating the 25th anniversary of the schoolʼs move from Fort Lee to Demarest.

The awards are presented in honor of S. Nonna, who reportedly had just $20 in her pocket on Oct. 2, 1879, when she and S. Cyrilla Geifel signed the contract for the original AHA campus in Fort Lee. FINALISTS, top to bottom, left to right: Seniors Colleen Driscoll of Oradell, Julia Fernandez of Teaneck, Sarah Onderdonk of Wyckoff; juniors Isabella Dail of Saddle River, Brooke Hess of Cedar Grove, and Grace Watson of Glen Rock; sophomores Giselle Acosta of Fort Lee, Grace Costanza of Clifton, and Isabella Novo of River Vale.

The commission says, “As you are likely aware, vaccine allocation has been largely unpredictable throughout the country.

NWBRHC expected to begin administering vaccines the week of Feb. 1 and placed a direct vaccine order with the state to receive doses.”

It adds, “Unfortunately, the New Jersey Department of Health abruptly changed course and determined vaccines would be allocated exclusively to county-run sites rather than working directly with local health departments.”

This decision, it says, has resulted in “significant uncertainty as to the number of vaccines, if any, NWBRHC would receive.”

NWBRHC says, “We have been notified by Bergen County that they will retain all allocated doses from the NJDOH and that no vaccines will be provided to local clinics for the foreseeable future.

NWBRHC believes delivering vaccines to both the county and local clinics is the best way to meet our community membersʼ needs for vaccination and will continue to strive toward this goal.”

The message continues, “Due to this recent decision, we are urging our residents to seek appointments elsewhere. Please know, we will continue to monitor the vaccine allocation system and will provide updates when we are able

FROM PAGE 1

are being hurt by a lack of vaccines and that needs to be fixed.

In Westwood, councilmembers Chris Montana (Senior Advisory Board liaison) and Cheryl Hodges (Board of Health and

Carlos Rendo criticized the vaccine rollout overseen by Gov. Phil Murphy and state health commissioner Judy Persichilli, Park Ridge Mayor Keith Misciagna agreed that the most vulnerable residents

Hospital liaison) were working, respectively, with the Westwood Senior Advisory Board, and resident volunteers Dee Ross Kalman CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

Vaccine:

to reliably establish local clinics for our communities.”

The New Jersey Call Center number is 1-855-568-0545. The call center offers 250 live agents who will assist with vaccine registration.

Hillsdale Mayor John Ruocco told residents, “As you know from reports in the public press, the limited supplies of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine against the COVID-19 virus have made getting an appointment an arduous and time-consuming task.”

He said, “Many residents have asked whether Hillsdale would administer a local vaccine program,” then referred to the NWBRHC communique.

He said, “We cannot have a locally administered vaccine location… The borough administrator and I will be participating in a call with state and county officials on Thursday to learn more about this and will keep you informed if there are significant changes.”

Most mayors who spoke with Pascack Press for reporting in our Feb. 1 issue (“Vaccines for valley: Mayors team up to create a local hub”) expressed hope that supply would ease up within weeks or a month but the mayors held out hopes for a Pascack Valley-based vaccination center.

Even area hospitals, such as Holy Name Medical Center, Hackensack Meridian Health, and Englewood Health, and newly established state mega-vaccination sites, have experienced vaccine shortfalls, the mayors said.

While Woodcliff Lake Mayor

FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

12

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Dining & Cooking Guide

LIBRARY CALENDAR: VIRTUAL PROGRAMS THIS WEEK

EMERSON 20 Palisade Ave. (201) 261-5604 emersonlibrary.org • Emerson Library offers an adult/teen Grab & Go Craft for the week of Feb. 15: Starry Night Diamond Art! Diamond Art is a combination of cross-stitch and paint-bynumbers. One per person; Emerson residents only. Register online before pickup.

• Baby & Me is on Facebook Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 11:30 a.m. An introduction to songs, dance and finger plays with stuffed animals and rhymes. Newborn to 2.

• Bendy Bookworm Storytime for ages 2–5 meets on Facebook Live Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 10:30 to 11 a.m. This twist on traditional storytime weaves yoga poses and energy exercises together with story books and rhymes.

• Music lovers can learn about “Motown Records and Berry Gordy” during a Zoom presentation by professor Rick Feingold on Thursday, Feb. 25 from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Gordyʼs Motown label played an important role in the racial integration of popular music, launching the careers of Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5 and many others. Pre-register online; Zoom link will be sent three hours prior to event.

HILLSDALE 509 Hillsdale Ave. (201) 358-5072 hfpl.org • Virtual chair yoga classes are led by Maria Elena BaezDominguez on Tuesday mornings at 10:30. Free program is held via Zoom. Register online.

• In his talk “Retiring after the Coronavirus,” Mark Lange, Society For Financial Awareness, will speak on considerations for those on the brink of retirement amid the pandemic. On Zoom Wednesday, Feb. 17, 7:30–8:30 p.m. Register online.

• Relax and recharge during a mid-week Guided Meditation with Maria. This Zoom program is offered Wednesdays in February at 8 p.m. Visit the libraryʼs website for more about this program and to register.

• Zumba via Zoom is Thursday, Feb. 18 at 4:30 p.m. Janet Weller, personal trainer and group fitness instructor, leads a dancebased workout. Register online.

• Join the Hillsdale Library for a Virtual Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour via Zoom on Saturday, Feb. 27 from 3 to 4 p.m. The Modern & Contemporary Art tour encompasses the wide range of world art from the 20th and 21st centuries. Register online.

MONTVALE 12 Mercedes Drive, Suite 100 (201) 391-5090 montvalelibrarynj.org • Zoom to the Moon virtual storytime for toddlers meets Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 10:30 a.m. on Zoom. Fun, interactive session enhances early literacy skills. 2 and under. Registration required.

• At the Middle Grade Readers Book Club, kids in grades 4–8 can get the buzz on new books, discover and read new authors, and share their favorite titles. This group will meet monthly on Wednesdays via Zoom. Next date: Feb. 17 at 3:45 p.m. Sign up online.

• Children take to Zoom for a Live Animal Virtual Visit Thurs-

day, Feb. 18 from 4 to 5 p.m. A naturalist from Morris County Park Commission discusses native animals and features a few live. Register online.

• At “Seven Ways to Sell Your Antiques,” learn how to get top dollar for your treasures. Zoom, Thursday, Feb. 18 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Not an appraisal event. Register online.

• The Montvale Cookbook Supper Club meets to discuss “See You on Sunday” by Sam Sifton via Zoom on Monday, Feb. 22 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. To register, email therese.jones@montvale.bccls.org.

• During her online presentation “Taxes & Portfolios in 2021,” financial specialist Debra Taylor discusses major tax law changes,

estate planning, and tax breaks everyone should know about.

Zoom, Thursday, Feb. 25 from 7 to 8 p.m. Register online.

PARK RIDGE 51 Park Ave. (201) 391-5151 parkridge.bccls.org • Miss Renee Reads the Classics for Kids on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. Visit the libraryʼs Facebook for the best classic books in kid-friendly versions.

• Storytime with Miss Sherri is every Thursday at 10 a.m. on the libraryʼs Facebook page (Park Ridge Public Library-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

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FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

14

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Dining & Cooking Guide

Resonate: Students, teachers, counselors connect school communities of Hillsdale, Montvale, River Vale and Woodcliff Lake. Check out the PVRHSD YouTube channel to watch the touching tributes.

Zeller extended thanks to all who participated “and to everyone in our community for making this a truly special place.”

He told Pascack Press on Feb. 10 that 101 students submitted video greetings, with the remainder recorded by faculty and staff.

He credited Goldman, whoʼll be headed to Tulane University to study communication, for her organizational skill and her expertise with video editing and production. He said the project took a month from start to finish.

Asked about morale at the district with regard to uncertainty and upheaval around the pandemic, he said, “Itʼs as positive as it can be.

No one is excited that we have to do this. Everybody would prefer that weʼre all in class. Everybodyʼs looking forward to life getting back to normal.”

The studentsʼ video is bracketed with text reading, “Dear PVRHSD teachers and counselors… Throughout the craziness of this year each of you have impacted us in ways in which we cannot fully express through Google Meets and Zoom lessons.

“So as your students all across the district, here is our message to you: Not only have you been our educators and mentors, youʼve been our motivators and leaders.

Weʼre halfway through so letʼs keep moving forward—together.”

The PV teachersʼ video begins with a quote from South African human rights activist and 1984 Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu: “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of

occupancy on Tice Boulevard, these changes have hurt the boroughʼs economy.

At the annual Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce Mayorsʼ Breakfast on Jan. 27, held over Zoom, Rendo said he anticipated a defeat of the measure to update the Master Plan. He blamed the Broadway

Corridor vacancies on lack of an updated Master Plan and said litigation against local planning and zoning boards would continue if the plan was not updated.

Rendo did not return a call seeking comment by press time.

He previously said the public would have multiple opportunities for input to the Master Plan update over its estimated six to nine month completion.

FROM PAGE 1

WCL: Master Plan FROM PAGE 5

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the darkness.”

The Hills teachersʼ video reminds students of artist and philosopher Elbert Hubbardʼs maxim: “Positive anything is better than negative nothing.”

Internships!

Speaking of videos, the district notes that many seniors participate in a unique learning experience: its internship program.

“Real-life experience in healthcare, business, teaching, and many other industries provide students opportunities to explore a career path of their interest, all while working alongside internship site mentor,” it says.

Madison Szabo, a student in the internship program, produced a video to showcase what this opportunity means for students.

Check it out, along with other district resources, at pascack.org.

– John Snyder

A FEW OF THE 168 faces appearing in district appreciation videos. Front page: John Puccio, PV assistant principal, with pup Luna; at the piano, Jonathan Lengel, Hills freshman; Kay DiSalvo, Valley senior; Jennifer Kuo, school

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FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

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15

Valley Chabad opens hamantash bake to all

Valley Chabadʼs annual hamantash bake will take place virtually this year and is open to all young families in the Pascack Valley and Saddle River communities.

On Sunday, Feb. 21, at 10:30 a.m., families will join on Zoom for the pre-Purim family event.

“Hamantash baking is always one of our top family baking event of the year” explained Hindy Drizin, Chabad Hebrew School director. “This year we wanted to open this to the entire community and make sure everyone can enjoy this Purim tradition despite the challenges.”

Each participating family will pick up a package with all the ingredients to be able to make traditional, funfetti, and chocolate dough hamantaschen with a variety of exotic fillings.

The event, hosted by Valley

Chabad Hebrew School, is free for Hebrew School students. Otherwise, the registration fee is $20 and can be made with ease at valleychabad.org/hamantash.

For those not in the know, a

hamantash is an Ashkenazi Jewish triangular filled-pocket cookie, usually associated with the Jewish holiday of Purim. The name refers to Haman, the villain in the Purim story.

ments to Mercedes Drive and the intersection with Grand Avenue.

• Thrive (Pike Development)/110 Summit. The appli-

cant projects completion and occupancy in the fall of 2021, winter of 2022.

A FUN EVENT: The hamantash bake on Feb. 21 is virtual.

Montvale: PB applications removed by the applicant.

• Bank of America, 80 Chestnut Ridge Road (new). The applicant is requesting variances for improvements to site lighting, some of which are required under state and federal legislation for ATM access and nighttime security. Revised plans are to be submitted to the board, and the hearing has been carried until Feb. 16.

• 108 Montvale Realty, LLC (update). This application for site improvement was approved with conditions at the Jan. 5 board meeting.

FROM PAGE 3

Planning Board Inspection Projects • Village Springs at Montvale (former A&P site) (update).

Work continues with utility, site work, and construction of the foundations for several buildings, with model townhomes projected to be open in early summer 2021.

This project includes the construction of 80-townhouse units at 2 Paragon Dr. • North Market/Triboro (former Mercedes property) (update). Construction is ongoing for the residential components of the development (Building Nos. 1 and 3), the office Building No. 2, and plaza area. Building No. 2 is scheduled for occupancy on March 1. The applicant completed the paver entrance area on Mercedes Drive. Other interior site work continues on Phase One of this project, which includes the interior roadways and improve-

LISA FRIEND AND HER SON JARED participate in a hamantash bake in a previous year.

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Health, Wellness &Fitness Guide ADVERTISER CONTENT

DR. KAPLAN: ‘Brain exercise as a way to treat brain injury’

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One example: draw clockwise circles in the air using your left leg while using your left arm to draw the number 6 in the air.

Because one limb is going counterclockwise and the other is going clockwise, it becomes very difficult to perform and it makes the brain work really hard and actually makes it stronger. Keep trying this every day and eventually you will get the hang of it.

This is just one example of thousands of exercises that you can perform to keep your brain strong and healthy as you get older and wiser. You can purchase my book “Boost Your Brain Power” on Amazon if you are interested in learning about more exercises you can perform to improve memory and focus.

Now each traumatic brain injury requires a different type of treatment depending on which area and which side of the brain is most affected.

For example, if the brain injury affects equilibrium, gait or dizziness, that may require a specific vestibular rehabilitation program. Our office differs from most because our programs are

based on the specific lobe of the brain and the specific side of the brain that is most damaged. For example, we might want to stimulate one side of the brain that is weak and underactive, but we also might want to calm the side of the brain that is overactive.

Whether it is balance exercises, walking exercises, eye exercises, ear or canal maneuvers, or sensory exercises with the eyes closed, it is necessary to work on the weaknesses and get to the root cause of the concussion if we want to help heal as quickly as possible.

If the brain injury has affected the frontal cortex, it is possible the patient may have trouble with concentration, is easily distracted, cannot focus, has trouble with organization, has difficulty planning and decision making, has abnormal social behavior, has issues with language or speech, has a poor memory, is confused, suffers from brain fog, has depression, has anxiety, has a problem with punctuality, loses things easily, or forgets conversations and details.

There are many easy ways to stimulate the frontal lobe of the brain. For example little finger movements activate the frontal cortex. Smell is a sense that goes directly to the frontal cortex.

Quick eye movements also activate the frontal cortex. If you smell, do finger movements, and perform quick eye movements all at the same time, that may really stimulate the frontal lobe of the brain and make it stronger than if you were just doing the exercises individually.

Many concussions or traumatic brain injuries cause problems with the eyes. It may manifest as blurry vision, double

vision, dizziness, or headaches.

Just like you can rehab your muscles, you may also need to exercise the eyes to make sure they work well together, and make sure they work well in conjunction with head movements.

One last common part of the nervous system affected in concussion is the vagus nerve. It may be due to its location near the very top of the neck and the shearing forces that it has to handle during a concussion, but the vagus nerve is often damaged. As the nerve is not functioning properly, it may be appropriate to try to strengthen it by performing exercises proven to activate the vagus nerve.

One of the best neurology tools we have is called a qEEG, which measures brain waves. It is noninvasive, there is no radiation or pain, and takes about 30 minutes to perform. It is normally $300, but in February and March weʼre offering the qEEG for $21. Call (201) 261-2150 or email info@kaplanbrainandbody.com to reserve your spot immediately.

If youʼre interested in learning natural ways to help with concussions, call or email using the info above to attend my FREE Zoom lecture “How to Heal Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries” on Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. See you there!

and Lisa McKoy, toward assisting seniors in pre-registering for Covid 19-inoculations, and with HUMC at Pascack Valley to keep the borough apprised of the federal governmentʼs ongoing vaccine allocation, and upcoming local distribution events.

Additionally, the director of Westwood House was exploring the possibility of offering in-house inoculations to Westwood House residents in early February and, if supplies allow, hoped to expand the program to Westwood seniors later in the month.

This was not confirmed as of Jan. 26.

New Jersey set up a halfdozen mega-vaccination sites including one at Bergen Countyʼs Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, which began accepting vaccine appointments for eligible individuals Jan. 22.

Staffed by Hackensack Meridian Health, the site offers vaccines for health care workers, first responders, people 65 or older, and individuals 16–64 with underlying health issues.

Meanwhile, mayors Rendo, Ghassali, and Misciagna were providing regular updates on their Facebook pages and borough websites, hoping to hook up residents with needed vaccine, especially for those matching eligibility criteria.

• A new building near Centennial Park; • A new facility at Beechwood Park; • The use of part of Stonybook Swim Club to build a new facility; • The use of part of the municipal parking lot downtown for a new senior/community facility.

“The Borough does not own a building that can be renovated for a new senior/community center. However, there may be other viable existing buildings that the Borough can look to purchase or lease,” states the Borough of Hillsdale Senior/Community Center Siting Study, published November 2020.

We reached out on cost estimates for those options and will follow up in subsequent issues.

Vaccine: No hub here FROM PAGE 11

Hillsdale: Wish lists FROM PAGE 6

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Letters:

and side facades, parking lots, as well as adjacent properties (through private agreements), to expand outdoor seating and use tenting once again, in accordance with state statutes The mayor and council have once again acted proactively and efficiently to stand up local solutions to bolster small business survival during the pandemic.

Thankfully, the state is keeping in stride: The governor recently signed legislation to allow restaurants, bars, and breweries to expand the outdoor footprint in which they are able to serve alcoholic beverages with special ABC permits (S3340). With this new legislation, Westwood establishments with liquor licenses can now enjoy the full extent of what the Westwood mayor and council had already provided.

Our eateries are now poised to maximize outdoor success as soon as the weather allows. The state will automatically extend the effective period for permits already issued under the ABC special ruling through Nov. 30, 2022 or the date at which indoor dining returns to full capacity.

Westwood restaurants must reapply for their outdoor dining permits, however Celebrate Westwood is requesting the waiver of 2021 outdoor dining permit fees, in consideration of the eateriesʼ year-long struggle to survive.

We are happy to report that the governing body has also reauthorized its resolution so that Celebrate Westwoodʼs very well received “Arts on the Avenues” may continue this spring and fall throughout the Central Business District.

Celebrate Westwood celebrates all Westwood businesses as “essential” to the spirit and well being of our town. We look forward to continuing our work with Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo, the Westwood Borough Council, and the boroughʼs municipal departments in support of our communi-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

ty and its small businesses.

Please follow celebratewestwood.org and @CelebrateWestwood on Facebook/Instagram for updates as they become available, including extensions on the #DineTheHub contest, #LovetheHub, and calls for local artists to join Arts on the Avenues 2021.

Lauren Letizia Co-chair, Celebrate Westwood; Member, Mayorʼs Economic Recovery Group

(201) 664-7100 ext. 110.

Valerie Schroeder Secretary, Board of Trustees, Hillsdale Helping Hillsdale

Cheers for PRPD, PRFD

I

To the editor:

N THE PAST MONTHS,

members of the fire and police departments have responded to our needs and we are very grateful.

The first incident involved a potentially dangerous situation involving a carbon monoxide detector. Under Peter Mauroʼs leadership they quickly resolved the matter. Their professionalism

cannot be overstated.

Meanwhile, with Chief Maddenʼs direction, officers assisted my husband so that he could be transported to medical facilities. Park Ridge is fortunate to have both of these contingents that rank among the stateʼs best.

Dorothy Bozzone Park Ridge

HHH thanks supporters

H

To the editor:

ILLSDALE HELPING Hillsdale (HHH) thanks the Pascack Valley residents, the Pascack Valley High School Honor Society, Our Lady of Victories in Harrington Park, and Girl Scout troops from Emerson and River Vale for their generous donations that helped make the holiday season a very special one for Pascack Valley residents in need.

At Thanksgiving, HHH was able to provide 23 families with turkeys, food baskets and a wide variety of fresh vegetables. At the holidays, HHH was able to provide gift cards to children, teens, seniors and the disabled residents. In all, HHH was able help 270 residents in need.

HHH is a non-profit organization whose goals is to help our neighbors in the Pascack Valley maintain their quality of life and personal dignity by providing assistance during time of unexpected hardship. Throughout the year, HHH accepts contributions to provide emergency housing, utility, health services, stipends and assistance to families with children in the Pascack Valley. These contributions are desperately needed and appreciated.

For more information about HHH and how you can help your neighbors in need, call HHH at

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FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

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Keep hydrants clear to save lives, property

The Westwood Fire Department reminds readers that after the recent snowfall fire hydrants may be covered in snow. Please assist area fire departments by clearing ice and snow from around fire hydrants in your neighborhood.

Said the department, “The hydrants are needed to fight fires, which may include your property.

When fires break out, time is of the essence. Firefighters must find hydrants closest to the fire. Time taken to find and dig out fire hydrants covered with snow takes away from the effort to extinguish the fire.”

Readers are urged to clear 3 feet in all directions around the hydrant.

January numbers Meanwhile, Fire Chief Michael Griffin Sr. reports that the Westwood Fire Department was called 21 times for emergency assistance during January.

None of the calls turned out to be serious fires.

The calls, two fire department work/maintenance details, and one training required more than 300 hours of volunteer time, the department told Pascack Press last week.

The WFD was called to assist

the Emerson Fire Department under the mutual aid agreement once and received an assist from Emerson once.

In January, automatic fire alarms were received seven times.

Although no fires existed at any of these incidents, a full fire department response is required. Firefighters check the entire building to determine if an actual fire exists.

The department said a variety of situations prompted these alarms. FAST ACCESS TO fire hydrants is desperately important in a Two were set off by cooking smoke. fire emergency. Pascack Valley firefighters ask that we keep No cause for the alarm activation hydrants clear of snow. was found at two of the calls. Alarm malfunctions caused two fire depart- ment responses and workers in the Each of the CO calls required a full building set off alarms on another fire department response. occasion.

Fire crews check the entire Four times the fire department building with meters and deterresponded to investigate incidents mined that one alarm was for workwhen citizens smelled natural gas. ers using gas powered equipment in At these calls fire crews respond and a building. No cause was found at check the area or building with the other call. The occupancies meters. were turned over to PSE&G gas A small gas leak was found at technicians for further investigaone home near the water heater. tion.

Firefighters shut the gas and turned Additional responses were for the situation over to PSE&G gas a caller who thought steam from a technicians. dryer was smoke, and callers At three other calls no gas was smelling smoke which, after invespresent. At the fourth call, a gas leak tigation, turned out to be burned was found in the street. This scene food and dust from a ventilation was turned over to PSE&G gas system. crews.

For the Westwood Fire Two fire department responses Department, write wwfdchief@westwere for carbon monoxide (CO) woodnj.gov or call (201) 664-0526. alarms. CO is an odorless and color- For the Fire Prevention Bureau, less gas given off by improperly write wfpb191@usa.net or call (201) burning heating or cooking equip- 664-7100 ext. 308. ment. It can be fatal at high levels.

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TROOP 334 TURNS OUT TO HELP A NEIGHBOR

Mayor Michael Ghassali asked residents to join him in giving “a royal Montvalean bow” to Boy Scout Troop 334 for providing help to a local family.

“They worked in the frigid weather this past weekend [of Jan. 30] to provide needed yard work and transported it to the recycling center. Thank you, Montvale Troop 334! Great job,” said Ghassali.

On the mayorʼs Facebook page, followers added their plaudits.

Alex Kimel said, “Amazing!

Great work and generating great pride in our community.”

Carolyn Williams Roche said, “Great job! Thank you for everything you do for our community.”

And AnnMarie Lastella Montanti said, “Well done Troop 334!

Hereʼs to each of you knowing you make a difference.”

On the troopʼs web page, scouts are shown in pre-pandemic days fishing off Captree State Park, Long Island, and rafting Lehigh River, Pennsylvania.

— John Snyder

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With a new year comes new tactics as scammers continue trying to extract money from PSE&G customers by impersonating employees on the phone and in person. PSE&G urges customers to be alert for the telltale signs of a scam.

PSE&G has observed a recent increase in scammers contacting customers and falsely alleging overdue balances and threatening to shut off power without immediate payment.

At this time, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, PSE&G has suspended any service disconnections for residential customers.

While the common scam tactic of requesting a prepaid debit card to provide payment available at local pharmacies and convenience stores is still active, some con artists are now demanding payment via digital payment platforms or apps.

PSE&G does not accept payments through prepaid debit cards or third party mobile payment applications. PSE&G offers a variety of payment options and would never require one specific type of payment. For more information on various payment scams reported in the PSE&G service area and around the country, visit pseg.com/scamalert.

“Scammers give you a reason to panic and then offer you a quick resolution via payment. They want you to react quickly, without thinking clearly,” said Fred Daum, PSE&Gʼs executive director of Customer Operations.

“By demanding payment via apps, the scammer is further reducing your time to think by eliminating your trip to the convenience store to buy the prepaid card. With this method, you donʼt get the chance to pause and say,ʼ Hey, wait a minute,ʼ while youʼre waiting on line at the store.”

Signs of potential scam activity • Threat to disconnect: Scammers may aggressively tell the customer their utility bill is past due and service will be disconnected if a payment is not made — usually within an hour.

• Request for immediate payment: Scammers may instruct the customer to purchase a prepaid card, a gift card or even Bitcoin, and then to call them back — supposedly to make a phone payment to the utility company. They may request that the customer use a payment app to make an online payment — or even give instructions for an in-person meeting, supposedly at a utility customer center.

Many times after the customer makes the first payment, the scammer will call back to ask for the payment to be resubmitted due to an error with the amount. The scammer refers to a new amount and claims that the original payment will be refunded. Sometimes they will call a third time to say the payment did not go through and to resubmit again.

• In person-demands: Scammers may arrive at a home or business, flash a fake ID and/or claim to be a utility collection representative. The impostors may wear “uniforms” or affix false company signs to their vehicles. The scammers generally ask for personal information, which real utility representatives do not do, or offer

bogus discounts.

• Request for card information: If a customer calls back with requested information, the caller asks the customer for the prepaid cardʼs number or gift-card PIN, which grants the scammer instant access to the cardʼs funds, and the victimʼs money is gone.

• Priority meter installs: Recent phone scams reported to PSE&G include demands for payment for past-due bills, discounts for good payment history or requiring a deposit for a priority meter installation. PSE&G does not require a deposit for meter installations.

Often scammers will threaten to disconnect electric service if payment is not made immediately.

These scammers often demand payment through a pre-paid cards or Bitcoin. If the victim takes the bait, the scammer provides a telephone number where a fake representative requests additional information that completes the fraudulent transaction.

Protect yourself against scams Be alert to the telltale sign of a scam: someone asking by telephone or email for payment in pre-paid debit cards or a MoneyGram transfer, or to send money to an out-of-state address.

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Customers should also know what PSE&G will and wonʼt discuss over the phone. A genuine PSE&G representative will ask to speak to the “customer of record.”

If that person is available, the representative will explain why they are calling and provide the account name, address and current balance. If the person on the phone does not provide the correct information, it is likely the customer is not speaking with a PSE&G representative.

If the “customer of record” is not available, the PSE&G representative will not discuss the account at all and ask that a message be left for the customer of record to call 1-800-436-PSEG (7734).

If a customer has doubts about the legitimacy of a call or an email — especially one in which payment is requested — call the company directly at 1800-436-PSEG (7734).

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PASCACK VALLEY

Fair: Podcast on the ins, outs of affordable housing

REAL ESTATE

appears to refer to a statement on systemic economic disparity by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. leading up to the 1968 Poor Peopleʼs March on Washington: “Now, when we come to Washington in this campaign, we are coming to get our check.”

Residents with opinions on development, redevelopment, and overdevelopment in the Pascack Valley might want to take note.

Under Mount Laurel, all New Jersey municipalities must plan, zone for, and take affirmative actions to provide realistic opportunities for their “fair share” of the regionʼs need for affordable housing. Need is established by income.

The podcastʼs first episode, Whatʼs Going On New Jersey?, hosted by Housing Access Organizer Elorm Ocansey, airs Thursday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m.

Ocansey joined Fair Share Housing Center in 2019. Previously, he was an AmeriCorps volunteer with New Jersey Community Capital, working as a communication specialist for its low-income homeownership program. He holds a B.A in communications and cinema studies from Rutgers University.

“If you look at a lot of the issues we are having right now in our society, it has a lot to do with the fact that

FROM PAGE 1

people donʼt know each other, and donʼt interact with each other, and this creates misunderstanding and animosity,” FSHC says.

It adds, “The only way that weʼre going to fix this problem is we need to talk about some things we do not want to talk about.”

Ties to developers?

FSHC, founded in 1975, litigates against towns in enforcement of fair housing development.

Following the 1975 Mount Laurel court decision and nearly a decade of inaction on affordable housing, New Jersey passed its Fair Housing Act in 1985, mandating affordable housing and creating the Council on Affordable Housing (COAH).

In 2015, the state Supreme Court declared COAH defunct and ordered state superior courts to negotiate and impose “fair share” or affordable housing.

The courts have determined that the constitutional obligation to provide for the development of affordable housing is a continuing obligation, proceeding in rounds. Compliance with each round is what gives a municipality a period of immunity against builderʼs remedy lawsuits.

Round 4, likely to be a 2021 gubernatorial debate topic, commences July 2025.

An affordable unit means a sales price or rent for a dwelling that is within the means of:

opment.

On its website, https://fairsharehousing.org, the organization says

• Moderate-Income Household (i.e., making 50% to 80% of the regional income limit) • Low-Income Household (i.e., making less than 50% of the regional income limit) • Very-Low-Income Household (i.e., making less than 30% of the regional income limit).

“The Mount Laurel Doctrine has led to the development of over 60,000 affordable housing units outside New Jerseyʼs racially and economically segregated urban centers.”

While most municipalities in the Garden State, and all eight we cover in Pascack Valley, have settled their affordable housing obligation through 2025, local officials have started calling for changes in the 1985 state law that mandates affordable housing obligations.

Some critics, including District 39 Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, have alleged that the FSHC has ties to developers.

Several area mayors, including Park Ridgeʼs Keith Misciagna and Montvaleʼs Michael Ghassali, went to Trenton two years ago to plead their case against court-ordered highdensity housing to help fulfill affordable obligations.

Most recently, Park Ridge settled its long-running litigation against a developer, agreeing to a 448-unit townhouse development on about 30 acres of former Sony property. This includes 68 affordable units.

EPISODE 1: What’s Going on in New Jersey?, runs Feb. 18.

Fair to whom?

One of the strongest and loudest complaints against affordable housing mandates in New Jersey—and particularly in Bergen County, the stateʼs most densely populated county—is that it leads to overdevel-

The borough had forcefully opposed any such development but several court decisions against it and the threat of losing immunity to builderʼs remedy lawsuits played a role in the boroughʼs decision to settle, said its attorneys.

We reached out to Fair Share Housing Center Executive Director Adam Gordon on a number of questions at press time, including over FSHCʼs assessment of its success/ongoing challenges in the Pascack Valley, the prominence of Kingʼs quote “We are coming to get our check” in the podcast title, and for comment on criticisms linking FSHCʼs efforts to overdevelopment.

In “I May Not Get There With You: The True Martin Luther King, Jr.,” author Michael Eric Dyson writes in part that King “understood that the government owed something to the masses of black folk who had been left behind as America parceled out land and money to whites while exploiting black labor.”

“At the very same time that America refused to give the Negro any land,” King argues, “through an act of Congress our government was giving away millions of acres of land in the West and the Midwest, which meant it was willing to undergird its white peasants from Europe with an economic floor.”

Dyson continues, “Building a full head of steam, King rolls his rhetoric down the track of just compensation for blacks by contrasting even more sharply the unequal treatment of the races in education, agriculture, and subsidies.”

King was assassinated three weeks before the march. The event demanded overdue economic and human rights for poor Americans of diverse backgrounds.

— With Michael Olohan

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FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

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REAL ESTATE & BUSINESS Library Calendar FROM PAGE 12

RIVER VALE 412 Rivervale Road (201) 391-2323 rivervalelibrary.org • Qigong for Health and Wellbeing, an exercise series for all ages, meets on Zoom each Tuesday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Qigong works the body as a whole with movement, breathing practices, and mindfulness. Visit the libraryʼs website to sign up.

• Tony Bracco from Bracco Farms will give a Zoom talk, “The Return of the Victory Garden,” Tuesday, Feb. 16 from 7 to 8 p.m.

Bracco will talk about the Victory Garden model for backyard gardening that arose during World War I, and how you can start your own.

Register online.

• The Teen Talks Book Club

(grades 6–8) meets via Zoom on Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 4 to 5 p.m. to discuss “The City of Ember” by Jeanne DuPrau. Copies available to check out at the front desk, or through Libby as an eBook or eAudiobook. Sign up online.

• Winter Story Time with Miss Tyne is on Zoom Thursday, Feb. 18 from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Stories, songs and fun for toddlers and pre-K. Registration required for each session. Story time crafts can be picked up at the beginning of each week to do at home.

• February is National Heart Health Month. Join a local ShopRite dietitian for “Keeping Your Heart Healthy,” and learn about the latest lifestyle tips to give your heart some extra love. Via Zoom on Thursday, Feb. 18 from 1 to 2 p.m. Register online.

• Music with Miss Nita, for River Vale residents 6 months to 4 years, runs Friday, Feb. 19 from 11:30 a.m. to noon on Zoom. This program is about sharing songs, playing instruments, and enjoying rhythm in a relaxed, playful, family-style class. Register online.

• “The Art, History and Benefits of Indoor Gardening,” a Zoom lecture set for Friday, Feb. 19 from 1 to 2 p.m., will teach you how to enhance your life and home by bringing the green in. Register online.

• Join the River Vale Library for a virtual history lecture about the Underground Railroad with historian, educator, and lecturer Alvin Q. Corbett. “From Slavery to Freedom: Logistics of the New Jersey Underground Railroad” is on Zoom Wednesday, Feb. 24 from 6 to 7 p.m. Register online.

Garofalow a Seniors Real Estate Specialist

Garofalow and other options which are specifically designed for their comfort, safety, and ability to age in place.”

After teaching more than 40 years in the River Vale public schools, Garofalow retired several years ago.

Friedberg said, “His educational background, love of teaching, and easy-going personality,

continues to draw clients of all age groups to work with him as they learn the ins and outs of homebuying.”

She added, “Rich will also provide a complimentary comparable market analysis to potential sellers and assist buyers and renters in finding the perfect dream home.”

As a sales associate with Friedberg Properties, Garofalow is a member of New Jersey Multiple Listing Service, Greater Bergen Realtors, and New Jersey Realtors, National Association of Realtors, and is affiliated with Leading Real Estate Companies of the World, the largest relocation network in the world, and can assist clients across the state, county, or around the world.

He can be reached via cell at (201) 637-9550, by email at rgarofalow@yahoo.com, and by calling the Friedberg office located at 213 Rivervale Road, River Vale, at (201) 666-0777.

• Java Coding (grades 4–5) is Thursday, Feb. 18 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. Register online.

• The Online Book Group will discuss “The 57 Bus” by Dashka Slater (YA non-fiction) for its next meeting, Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. All adults welcome. Register online.

• The next Coffee & Conversation series, taking place on four Friday mornings starting Feb. 19 from 10 to 11 a.m. (also Feb. 26, March 5 and 12), will feature Playing on Air, a podcast dedicated to sharing great short theater with the public. Each week the group will listen to and discuss one of the plays. Register online.

• Bendy Bookworm (ages 1–5) is on Zoom Friday, Feb. 19 from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Little ones learn easy yoga poses while interacting with a story. Register online.

• Westwood Library presents a Black History Awareness program for kids, “Paint Like Artist Alma Woodsey Thomas,” on Google Meet Friday, Feb. 19 from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Children in grades 1–3 learn about the artist and recreate her famous piece “The Eclipse.” Register online.

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PASCACK VALLEY Rich Garofalow, sales associate with Friedberg Properties & Associates, has earned his Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation.

The news was announced by Marlyn Friedberg, broker-owner of Friedberg Properties & Associates.

Friedberg said Garofalow recently completed the real estate industryʼs comprehensive training through National Association of Realtors and earned the prestigious SRES designation.

Garofalow said, “I have been an active real estate salesperson for over 40 years. My experience and enhanced training positions me to provide additional professional guidance to home buyers and sellers over the age of 50 as they transition from one home to another.”

He added, “Itʼs an honor and privilege to serve seniors like myself, and to help them understand available housing choices

WESTWOOD 49 Park Ave. (201) 664-0583 westwoodpubliclibrary.org • Professional potter and artist Peter Lagomarsino leads a Childrenʼs Beginner Pottery Class (grades 3–5) on Zoom Monday, Feb. 15 from 11 a.m. to noon. For this workshop, they will receive a kit with the materials (clay and tools). Molded creations can be brought to the library for glazing and firing. Log onto the libraryʼs website for details and to register.

• Intro to Scratch Coding on Zoom (grades 1–3) continues Tuesday, Feb. 16 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Meets weekly in February.

Register online.

• In the childrenʼs Financial Literacy series, grades 3–5 learn the importance of money through basic education, interactive games and fun lessons. Third session is on Zoom Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Register online.

• A Teen Art Workshop will take place via Google Classroom Thursday, Feb. 18 from 4 to 5 p.m.

Log on for a fun afternoon creating a piece of art inspired by artist James Rizzi. Open to grades 6–12; registration required.

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NJ). Stories, songs and a craft for little ones.

• Crafts with Miss Renee is every Friday at 10 a.m. on the libraryʼs Facebook. You must call the library the Monday–Thursday before the craft to reserve your craft kit and it must be picked up that day. All ages are invited to participate as Miss Renee walks you through a fun craft at home.

• Book It Club with Miss Eileen is on Facebook Live Saturdays from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Stories, science and more geared toward kids in primary grades.

• A new Senior Exercise Class premieres on the libraryʼs Facebook page (Park Ridge Public Library-NJ) Monday, Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. A full-body exercise program for varied mobility levels. Visit the libraryʼs Facebook to join in.

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON 144 Woodfield Road (201) 664-4586 twpofwashingtonpl.org • Tweens and teens grades 3 and up are invited to a virtual Cartooning Class on Monday, Feb. 15 at 5:30 p.m. Have your pencil and paper ready, then join John on Zoom to learn step by step how to draw a cartoon. Register online.

• Chair Yoga for Everyone, presented by Apple Rose Yoga, is offered free for Washington Township library patrons on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. via Zoom. Visit the libraryʼs website for information.

• Latte with a Librarian is on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. on Facebook Live. Allyssa talks about her favorite titles and new releases.

Participate and share your lattes and current reads via chat.

• Book Cooks Club is on Facebook Wednesdays at noon.

Join Allyssa as she invites you into her kitchen to cook up a new dish.

Recipes posted the week prior.

• A Virtual Sewing Class for tweens and teens is held via Zoom at 4 p.m. on select Wednesdays.

On Feb. 17, kids learn to make a quilted potholder. Visit the libraryʼs website to register and find a materials list.

• STEAM Thursdays, a program for school-age kids, runs Thursdays at 4 p.m. Each week the kids make a craft or try a science experiment. Links on library website and social media.

• Winter Story Times are posted weekly on Facebook, YouTube, and the libraryʼs website. Music, reading, puppets and flannel board stories educate and entertain.

Register online.

Infants/toddlers: Fridays at 10 a.m.

Preschoolers: Tuesdays at 10 a.m.

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FEBRUARY 15, 2021 • PASCACK VALLEY PRESS

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5 WAYS TO HELP PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM FRAUD

From listening to music to ordering groceries, almost all aspects of our daily lives are connected to the Internet in some ERIC KOHLMEIER way. Nearly a third of Americans say theyʼre “almost constantly” online, with 81% using the Internet at least once a day.

But our always-connected nature can come with risks: The FBIʼs Internet Crime Complaint Center averages more than 900

complaints a day; the center recorded $2.71 billion in victim losses in 2019.? Here are some ways you can help protect your family online.

1. Learn to spot imposter scams. Have you ever received a call, text, or email purporting to be from your credit card provider regarding suspicious activity detected on your account? It could be a scammer trying to convince you to share sensitive information that would enable them to access your accounts.

Increasingly, these criminals may be able to spoof caller ID or an email address so it appears they are

legitimate. When in doubt, do not respond. Instead, alert your provider about the suspicious communication. Learn more about how to spot common scams at.wellsfargo.com/scams.

2. Manage and monitor your credit. If your data has been compromised through a security breach, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file with the three major credit bureaus.

Visit consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature0014-identity-theft for more information on identity theft prevention tips and resources you can share with your family.

Make a habit of reviewing credit reports for you and your child at least once a year. Look for unauthorized accounts that may have been opened in your names.

More than 1 million children were victims of identity fraud in 2017, according to one study from banking industry research firm Javelin Strategy & Research.?

3. Limit what you share on social media. Thieves scour social media profiles for clues to security questions, passwords, and other information that could help them impersonate potential victims online.

First, set your profiles to private—and encourage your family members to do the same. Also, restrict your social media contacts to people you know personally.

Finally, watch what information you disclose. Revealing too much personal information in your social profiles can put you at greater risk of identity theft, especially if your bank or other companies use that information to verify your identity.

4. Protect your home network. Create a strong password for your wireless network in your home. Consider using a unique phrase with a mix of letters and numbers. Avoid using any part of your email address or information shared on social media, like the name of your pet, favorite movie, or anything else someone could easily guess. When you are configuring your router, the Department of Homeland Security recommends

choosing the Wi-Fi Protected Access 2 (WPA2) Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) setting, which is the strongest encryption option.?

5. Stay up to date. Cybercriminals change their tactics frequently, so families should stay on top of the latest threats. Be sure to work with Wells Fargo Advisors and other financial providers to understand ways to protect yourself as you conduct financial business online.

Wells Fargo Advisors does not provide legal or tax advice. Be sure to consult with your tax and legal advisors before taking any action that could have tax consequences. Any estate plan should be reviewed by an attorney who specializes in estate planning and is licensed to practice law in your state.

This article was written for Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Eric Kohlmeier, Senior Financial Advisor, Managing Director–Investments in Park Ridge at (201) 505-0472.

Investments in securities and insurance products are not FDICinsured/not bank-guaranteed and 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.

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Claudia TIRELLO

Claudia Tirello, 72, of Hillsdale, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021.

Claudia was born in New York, N.Y., on Oct. 24, 1948 to Jeremiah and Justine Barkie.

She is survived by her husband Richard A. Tirello, her brother Jeremiah Barkie, and sisters Allison Brick and Tracey Murer.

Before retiring, Claudia was a longtime employee of Westwood Car Wash and fostered dogs for The Seeing Eye. Memorial gifts to the Hillsdale Volunteer Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 233, Hillsdale, NJ 07642 or The Seeing Eye, P.O. Box 375, Morristown, NJ 07963-0375 would be appreciated.

John BRENNAN

John “Jack” Brennan of Hillsdale and Mantoloking, formerly of Dumont and Edgewater, died of complications from surgery on Feb. 5, 2021.

He graduated from Dumont High School and served as a captain of

OBITUARIES

Independent Hose Co. No. 1 and secretary to the Board of Fire Officers for the Dumont Fire Department. He rose to first sergeant of both the 35th and 65th Construction Battalion, USAR. He was president of the Bay View Shores Homeowners Association and vice president and treasurer of the Federation of Beaches Association, Brick Township. He retired as a labor relations manager for NJ Bell-Bell Atlantic-Verizon after 38 years of service.

Jack served as the chairman of the board of the Association of the BellTel Retirees Inc. and as acting president of protectseniors.org, working to protect and enhance the pension benefits of retirees. He was active in the Telephone Pioneers-HKK-ENG-HUDSON Life Member Group. Jack always enjoyed helping others, was an accomplished chef and enjoyed cooking with the love of his life, Annamae.

He is survived by wife Annamae, daughters Sharon Slutzky, Tracy Lee Brennan, and son-inlaw Paul Conte. He was a proud grandfather to Cole, Alex, Isabella and Julian and loved being surrounded by his family every summer at the Jersey Shore. He is predeceased by daughter Tara, whom he missed enormously. He was a wonderful son, husband, father, grandfather, friend and neighbor.

Donations in John Brennanʼs name may be sent to: The Association of BellTel Retirees, P.O. Box

33, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724. Humanity, habitat.org; and Fountain House, fountainhouse.org.

Nancy H. BARGMANN

Nancy Harmon Bargmann, 72, of Midland Park, passed away on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

Born in Paterson, Nancy grew up in Wyckoff and moved to Midland Park with her husband, Jeb, 42 years ago. Nancy followed her 37-year passion, teaching at Pascack Hills High School in Montvale. Nurturing young minds was her quintessence. Thousands of students achieved mastery of the English language under the influence of Ms. Harmon!

She leaves behind her husband, Jeb, of 44 years; daughters Caitlin and Kara; her sister Anne and husband Stash Augustyn; and Anne and Stashʼs children, Heather and husband Jerry Soovagian and Sean Augustyn and wife Lisa, and their daughter Madison. Nancy also leaves Jebʼs two brothers and five sisters and their spouses; nieces and nephews Ben, Rachel, Brian, Natalie, Samantha, Carly, and James; as well as her dear friends and neighbors.

Nancy loved flowers, so feel free to indulge her memory with them. Her favorite charities were St. Josephʼs Indian School, Chamberlain, SD, stjo.org/give; Habitat for

Kikuko ITO

Kikuko “Kiku” Inouye Ito, formerly of Park Ridge, passed peacefully with her family by her side on Feb. 1, 2021.

Born to Asano (Watanabe) Inouye and Kikuichi Inouye on Dec. 22, 1922, she grew up in Brooklyn and later in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. In 1945, she met Masaji Ito after he returned from the all-Japanese American 442nd regiment in Italy, and they were wed in October 1947.

They were married for 53 years until his death, in 2000.

They adopted their daughter Susan in 1959 and moved to Park Ridge. She worked in the main office at West Ridge Elementary School from 1966–1996. She saw generations of schoolchildren pass through West Ridge, and was beloved by many.

Kiku served as a Girl Scout leader and taught camping skills like making donut holes over a campfire. She bowled in a Japanese American league, as well as with locals in Park Ridge. She also played racquetball and tennis, and excelled at basketball, in spite of being 4'11".

Her granddaughters, Mollie Ito-Washington and Emma Asano Roark, meant the world to her.

When Mas passed away in 2000, she moved to Oakland, Calif. and was the center of their multi-generational household for 17 years. With the family, she enjoyed visiting Japan at 83, snorkeling in Hawaii at 86, and hiking in Yosemite at 90.

She leaves her daughter Susan, son-in-law John Roark, granddaughter Mollie Ito-Washington (Michael), great-granddaughter Sequoia Ito-Washington, and granddaughter Emma Asano Roark. She is deeply loved and missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations go to J-Sei, https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/ 1389316, which provided Japanese luncheons and companionship to Kiku for years.

Maureen D. THISSEN

Maureen Dagmar Thissen (née McPeak), 50, of Oakland, formerly of Washington Township and Fair Lawn, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 at home, surrounded by her loving children, husband, and friends.

Maureen was the owner of H. Thissen Jr. Landscaping in Fair Lawn and was a disCONTINUED ON PAGE 31

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patcher with Citywide Towing in Hawthorne for 20 years. Maureen was a devoted nurse, adored wife, loving mother, and beloved Nana.

Maureen was the life of the party and the light of everyoneʼs life around her. She will be forever loved, always missed and never forgotten. May she rest in peace.

Maureen was the beloved wife of Henry Thissen Jr. Loving mother of Christopher, Cortney, Caitlyn and Henry James, as well as cherished Nana of Brayden Thissen.

Beloved daughter of Ginner “Virginia” and the late James McPeak.

Dear sister of James J. McPeak, Matthew McPeak and Karen and sister Kelly Lorentzen and husband Allan. Cherished aunt of Frank Jr. and Alyssa, Tyler and Brittany, Jonny, Andrew, Ashley and Marissa Thissen, as well as Madeline Lorentzen. Dear sister-in-law of Frank Thissen and wife Catherine.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Maureen to Susan G. Komen North Jersey, 4 Campus Drive, Parsippany, NJ 07054 would be appreciated.

FROM PAGE 30

Friederich ANDRES

Friederich Andres, 89, of Dingmans Ferry, Penn., formerly of Emerson, and Sacalaz, Romania, passed away, surrounded by his family, on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021.

Friederich is survived by his children and grandchildren. He is predeceased by his beloved wife, Margareta. A talented and creative gardener, amateur musician, avid linguist, reader, creative builder, and storyteller, his insights, irreverence, tenacity and beautiful smile will be forever missed.

Josephine DELLABELLA

Josephine DellaBella, 90, of Montvale passed away on Feb. 3, 2021.

Born May 29, 1930 in Newark, she attended the Oliver Street School through eighth grade, then continued to work in a sewing factory.

Josephine wed Salvatore DellaBella. They were married for over 25 years. They had no children, but rather many nieces and nephews, whom they loved.

They owned and operated a restaurant called Jerryʼs Villa in Montvale. Josephine did some cooking and serving, and she loved welcoming guests.

She enjoyed many activities such as spending time with her loving family and friends. She was a member of the Rosarian Club. She enjoyed cooking in her kitchen as

she watched Betty Boop or Shirley Temple. She also enjoyed music, singing, and dancing.

She is survived by her many nieces and nephews, also including great-nieces and great-nephews.

This includes niece Michelle Civitarese and husband Thomas Civitarese and their children Bryan, Justin, and Nicole; nephew Joseph Cario and his wife Diane Cario; niece Carlina Augusten and husband Richard Augesten; nephew Charles Inguaggiato and his wife Loretta Inguaggiato; and niece Marge Cario and husband Phil.

She is preceded by her husband Salvatore DellaBella, her brother Michael, her sisters Mary, Adeline, and Jean, and her parents Umberto and Margret.

Lucia LAQUIDARA

Lucia “Lucy” Laquidara, 58, passed away peacefully at home on Feb. 6, 2021, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born in Potenza, Italy, daughter of the late Andrea and Emma Fornicola. Lucy is survived by her loving husband Dr. Joseph Laquidara; two sons, Joseph and Vincent; and two daughters, Danielle (Norton) and son-in-law J.P., and Francine.

She also is survived by her loving brother Donato (Danny) as well as brother-in-law Michael and his wife Margaret, brother-in-law David and his wife Judith, and sister-in-law Alyssa (Delmonaco) and her husband Dan, with nine nieces and nephews. Lucy is the beloved daughter-in-law of Joseph and Marilyn Laquidara of Park Ridge.

Lucy graduated from the University of Buffalo with a bachelorʼs degree in business. She worked briefly in the accounting department at the U.S. Mint West Point Facility and for several years in the accounting department of the West Point Military Academy Athletics.

She left the office world and transitioned to full-time homemaker while her children were in school. Lucy will always be remembered for driving in four different directions in a van filled with her children and their friends to shuttle them to and from their activities.

Only recently did Lucy reenter the work force, at the office of Dr. Michael Yellen, optometrist, of Hillsdale, until her health declined. Over the past couple of years Lucy bravely fought her battle with brain cancer and never complained about her illness. She was a dear soul to so many around her for she lived in the moment and made others know how special they were.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to New Hope Pregnancy Resource Center of Westwood.

Robert Woolatt Benden, 101, of the Township of Washington, passed away on Feb. 3, 2021.

He was born on May 19, 1919 and is survived by his three daughters: Bonnie Trenary and her partner, Rich Kowal; Kathleen (Kitty) Benden and her husband, Richard Bendix; and Lynn Benden and her partner, Robert Nowicki.

Grandfather of Michael Trenary and Timothy Trenary. Great-grandfather of Xaria Trenary. Uncle of a number of nieces and nephews including Ron Connelly, “the son he never had.”

He is pre-deceased by his wife, Viola (née Bilz) Benden, and later his partner, Margaret Keates, his parents, Margaretta and Percy Benden, his sister, Ruth Connelly and his grandson, Cory Trenary.

Robert, also known as Bob, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., but spent little time there as he was a sickly infant and upon the urging of his doctors, the family moved to the healthier “country” climate of Hillsdale, where he grew up. Like many boys at that time, Bob earned pocket change by getting up in the wee hours of the morning, hopping on his bike, and delivering newspapers. Later, he earned money caddying at the local golf course.

He attended four years of high school at Park Ridge High, feeding his love of baseball by playing on the high school team. He was their lefthanded reliever, but he always admitted he wasnʼt that great. In 1937, he graduated along with the 12 other students in his class.

Bob began his working career as a clerk typist at the American Can Company in Jersey City. However, his career was put on hold when he was inducted into the United States Army on Dec. 9, 1942. Upon completion of training to become an X-ray technician, he was promoted to corporal, placed on a transport to Tunis, Africa, and after two weeks zigzagging across the Atlantic, joined the American forces in the WWII European campaign. His unit remained in Africa for about three months then moved on to Italy to set up a field hospital where upon completion, his main role was to tend to the injured Air Corpsmen returning from their daily bombing missions over Germany.

Bob was honorably discharged as a sergeant, technician fourth grade, on Dec. 5, 1945 in Fort Monmouth.

He received the European-AfricanMiddle Eastern Ribbon, a Good Conduct Medal, and a Victory Medal for his service in WWII. Following the war, he returned to the American Can Company as a timekeeper. He was briefly a member of the Hillsdale Volunteer Fire Department and again took up playing softball.

He met Viola Bilz in 1947 and they wed on April 11, 1948. They built their first and only home in the Township of Washington, in 1949, where they raised their three daughters. Bob loved taking family trips, bowling, and attending neighborhood and family parties.

He worked his way up to the

position of production control manager at American Can Co. and retired in 1972 after 34 years of service. Retirement for Bob included quite a few trips for him and Vi. They crossed the United States several times, visited Canada, cruised the Caribbean and accomplished their goal of visiting all 50 states. He continued to bowl, took up golf and absolutely loved it, playing well into his 80s. He became a member of the American Legion Post 162 of Hillsdale.

Sadly, Vi passed in October 2000, after 52 years of marriage. His loneliness and heartbreak from this loss was eased when he was introduced to Marge Keates. They spent 11 wonderful years together until she passed in 2012. Despite these losses, Bob continued to enjoy life to the fullest spending his time doing jigsaw puzzles, watching sports on television, playing hearts on his computer, keeping in touch with his many friends on Facebook and being an integral part of friends and family gatherings.

He leaves behind a plethora of individuals who will immensely miss his kindness, smiling face and wit, including Margeʼs sons, Jim and John, as well as his “adopted daughters” Shelley, Joanne, Doreen, Patty, Gail, and Sue. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 354 Hudson Ave., Township of Washington, NJ 07676; or American Legion Post 162 of Hillsdale, P.O. Box 162, 98 Legion Place, Hillsdale, NJ 07642.

parents and siblings.

Marge was born in the Bronx, N.Y. She was a telephone supervisor for New York Bell Telephone for 13 years. She came to Park Ridge with her husband, John, in 1959. Marge was a member and past president of the Park Ridge Golden Age Social Club and active in the Woodcliff Seniors Club.

Grace WOHN

Sarah “Sadie” Lotito (née Caggia), 99, a lifetime resident of Montvale/Park Ridge, passed away on Feb. 2, 2021.

She was a 1936 graduate of Montvale schools and was awarded the American Legion Scholastic Award for citizenship and high scholastic achievement. She graduated from Park Ridge High School in 1940 as valedictorian with high scholastic honors. She then graduated from the New York Institute of Dietetics and attended Fairleigh Dickinson University before working at Mercy Hospital in Long Island, and later as a therapeutic dietitian at both Holy Name Hospital and Englewood Hospital.

Sarah was a proud and very determined woman who often saw her role in life as the defender of the downtrodden. Later she worked at Lehn & Fink Pharmaceutical Co. as an account clerk. In retirement she took a job as deli clerk at Park Ridge Delicatessen. She had a high energy for life and enjoyed working continually.

She is predeceased by her husband, Jack A. Lotito. Survived by her two sons, Joseph of Montvale and Gene Lotito (Sylvia) of Pequannock, and three grandchildren: Christopher Lotito (Eve) of Cedar Grove, Curtis Lotito (Sarah) of Clark, and Aileen Lotito of Pequannock. She was the proud greatgrandmother of Chris and Richie Lotito. Loving aunt to several nieces.

Interment took place at Maryrest Cemetery in Mahwah. A memorial service/repast is planned for a post covid pandemic date.

Grace Schrier Wohn, 89, of Hillsdale, passed away on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021.

Grace was born on June 27, 1931 in Haledon. She lived in Haledon until 1941, when her family moved to Hillsdale, where her father farmed the property.

Grace had many interests and many skills. She helped take care of her fatherʼs farm animals, including milking cows. She was a secretary to a vice president of a corporation and was also employed as a doctorʼs assistant.

Graceʼs passion was historical objects and historical information.

She was a member of the Pascack Historical Society and was an expert at restoring old clothing to new condition. She was also co-sponsor of the Pascack Historical Society display paying tribute to the veterans of World War II. Grace married George Albert Wohn in 1959 and had 61 years of a wonderful marriage. She is survived by her husband as well as her goddaughter, Tracy Toth. Services held privately.

Margaret DURBA

Margaret Mary Durba (née McGrath), 89, of Park Ridge passed away peacefully in her home, surrounded by her loving family, on Feb. 6, 2021.

Beloved wife of the late John Henry Durba for 57 years. Devoted mother of Kimberly. Also survived by several loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Predeceased by her

Joan M. BERISH

Joan M. Berish (née Kinmonth), 88, of Montvale passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021.

Beloved wife of Joseph for 38 years. Devoted mother of Gary Quirsfeld and Dawn Kranzo and husband Al. Dear sister of Bruce Kinmonth and wife Bobby and Bill Kinmonth and wife Maria.

Before retiring, Joan was a mortgage originator for Chase Manhattan Bank, Montvale, for 30 years.

She was a member of the Montvale Seniors Club and the Tuxedo, NY Seniors Club. In her retirement Joan enjoyed her garden, swimming and jogging.

A virtual memorial service is planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Joan M. Berish may be made to TriBoro Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 204, Park Ridge, NJ 07656 or Montvale Seniors Club.

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