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 5
APRIL 18, 2022
HILLSDALE
The kid’s LEVERAGING THEIR GEORGE G. all art WHITE DOWNTIME
DOWNTIME
Westwood Fire Department puts Troop 350 to work
W
BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
Township sophomore Amelia Adler had a vision for a project that could help kids and bring out the best in herself. SEE PAGE 10
MONTVALE
MAYOR’S APOLOGY UNDELIVERED Ghassali had a message for filmmaker; Diversity and Inclusion Committee budget up - no members
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN AND JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
Mayor Michael Ghassali defended the Borough Council and himself against charges that he mishandled a Black History Month event where he disinvited awardwinning African American filmmaker Timothy Ware-Hill from a library childrenʼs book reading. Meanwhile, the borough has lost its appointed Diversity and Inclusion Committee, its seven former members waiting for Ghassaliʼs apology to Ware-Hill and for what they say are needed town committee reforms.
See GHASSALI on page 164
HEN SECONDS MEAN
the difference between life and death, you need the right tools for the job — you also need people well trained in those toolsʼ use — not just the how, but the why and when. Do you want to destroy the door or leave it serviceable as an ally? This is wrenching work, but also subtle. The Westwood Fire Department had the pleasure recently of hosting Boy Scouts from Troop 350 to get a taste of the drilling firefighters build into muscle memory. For firefighters, forcible entry is the tactic where entry to a locked building is gained amid an emergency: a fire, people trapped, a gas leak, etc. Attending this drill satisfies one of scoutsʼ requirements toward earning an emergency preparedness merit badge, a vital stop on the path to Eagle Scout. The drill was conducted by FDNY Lt. Michael Ciampo, who teaches forcible entry and other life- and property-saving techniques to New York City firefighters and writes in trade publications. According to Bill Quinn, a Westwood firefighter since 1982, “Part of the lesson is that fire crews only use as much
Options to $82.5M for a new middle school; parent forums set
ESTIMATES IN
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
An art and science: FDNY Lt. Michael Ciampo conducts a forcible entry drill with Westwood Boy Scout Troop 350 at the Westwood Fire Headquarters earlier this month.
force as the situation warrants. If there is a serious fire burning and/or people are trapped where seconds count, firefighters will gain entry with whatever means is necessary.” He said, “If there is no obvious fire, we will use less destructive tactics and possibly
wait for a key holder.” He explained “A mock-up of a steel door is used to simulate a door in a building. During the drill, two scouts were selected to try forcing the door. This drill is very valuable for the department so we keep our fire-
Continued on page 12
The architect hired by Hillsdaleʼs school board presented four options April 11 for repairing or replacing the century-old George G. White Middle School. Options range in price from $25.5 million, for conduct minor renovations and mechanical upgrades, to $82.5 million to replace the school with an expanded, modern building. Following a series of meetings with parents to solicit input, the school board will decide which option to put before voters in a ballot referendum planned for March 2023. District trustees will decide what option to put before voters by May or June, Superintendent Robert Lombardy told Pascack Press. Meetings for families of each local school are as follows: Smith School, Wednesday, April 27; Meadowbrook School, Monday., May 2; and George G. White Middle School, Tuesday, May 3. All sessions will be held at George G. Whiteʼs cafetorium at 6:30 p.m. District officials suggest parents sign up online for the school meeting associated with their youngest child. Architect Joseph Di Cara, of Di Cara Rubino of Wayne, explained
See ESTIMATES on page 144
KID FISHING CONTEST
B ck in time...
The 30th Annual Friends of the Pascack Brook Kid Fishing Contest is on for Saturday, April 30. All kids, age 4–16, are welcome.
In 1960s postcards from the collection of the Pascack Historical Society, it’s springtime at Van Riper Farm on Chestnut Ridge Road. Kristin Beuscher, president of the Society, has more. SEE PAGE 4
SEE PAGE 22
