Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake
PA S C AC K VA L L E Y ’ S H O M E TO W N N E W S PA P E R
VOLUME 26 ISSUE 2
Way-high marks
MARCH 28, 2022
LOCAL AID FOR UKRAINE Township of Washington donors, volunteers go big
WWRSD
FOURTH ARMED SLEO FOR SCHOOLS $70.5M district budget passes; Westwood chief boosting security at Rec Teen Nights after ʻOrbeezʼ fracas
BY JOHN SNYDER AND MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
Pascack Valley High School's Elena Spathis, tops last year, is a NECTFL Teacher of the Year finalist. SEE PAGE 21
PARK RIDGE
PASCACK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
After Berdais Hall floods, eyes are on repairs and memberships
FIGHTS ON
BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
Pascack Historical Society, in sight of its 80th birthday celebration, has an overhaul ahead of it after a water pipe burst in Ellen Berdais Hall — the main venue of the Societyʼs lectures and curiosity sales — on Wednesday, March 16. Its John C. Storms Museum at Leach Chapel, 19 Ridge Ave., will be closed on Sundays until further notice. PHS president Kristin Beuscher told Pascack Press on Wednesday, March 23 that “the ʻdrying outʼ process is complete,” with cleaning
See FLOOD on page 134
Volunteers from the Township of Washington made two runs of donated humanitarian goods to the Ukrainian National Women’s League and the Ukrainian Community Center in Jersey City in recent weeks. They’re aiming — as have so many in the Pascack Valley — to extend relief to Ukrainian military personnel and civilians fighting for their lives and land against the aggression of Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
A
BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
MONG THE MANY individual, family, and group donations of local humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine — under siege by Vladimr Putin of Russia since Feb. 24 — the Washington Township police and public affairs departments have come through with gifts from the community that will be put to immediate use. Amid the immense need still deepening and widening in Ukraine, for each recipient of
food, medicine, or other necessity this will be a vital comfort. According to the WTPD, 33 volunteers from the township packaged a weekʼs worth of community donations into 122 boxes on March 14. These they labeled and delivered to UNWLA – Ukrainian National Womenʼs League and the Ukrainian Community Center in Jersey City. This handily topped the 41 boxes this crew delivered March 5, the police said. The collection site was at police headquarters, 350 Hudson Ave. The effort was coordinated by Cpl. Travis CanWTPD PHOTOS
gialosi and Daisy Velez — who leads the townʼs public affairs department and has a seat on the Township Council. Men, women, and children came together, Township Strong and got it done. “We thank everyone for their continued support. The
Continued on page 39
The Westwood Regional School District Board of Trustees approved a budget for next year of $70,494,970, which includes $55,000 for a retired police officer to round out district security. In an 8–0 vote on March 23, with board president Frank Romano III absent, trustees said yes to the addition of a fourth armed guard as part of a budget that also accommodates a list of facilities upgrades. Thereʼll be one Class III SLEO at the high school, one at the middle school, and one each making the rounds at elementary schools in Westwood and the Township of Washington. The 2022–2023 budget, with a $58.2 million local tax levy, takes effect July 1. Separately, middle school parents are waiting for answers after Westwood police detained a number of juveniles evidently suspected of opening fire on fellow kids at the March 18 Westwood Rec Teen Night, using powerful toy firearms using Orbeez gel or pellet rounds. Police Chief Michael Pontillo said he canʼt discuss details given the young age of the suspects but
See SLEO on page 194
TITLE STAYING PUT
B ck in time...
Westwood Recreation 5th grade boys travel hoops team takes the BTBL Championship with a decisive 27-19 win over Demarest.
Circa 1930, octogenarian Henry L. Bush stands outside his home on Main Street — Pascack Road, to us — with his handcrafted birdhouses and mailboxes. What change he had seen. SEE PAGE 4
SEE PAGE 18