Pascack Press 6.1.20

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A VIRTUAL OBSERVANCE

Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake VOLUME 24 ISSUE 11

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

JUNE 1, 2020

TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

CONGRATS, DAVID!

Westwoodʼs David Russo has graduated with high honors, earning a degree in engineering.

SEE PAGE 27

HILLSDALE

POOL SEASON ‘SUNK’ DUE TO COVID-19 BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS

The Stonybrook Swim Club—a highly popular 12-acre multi-pool complex in northeast Bergen County—will shutter for the 2020 season due to restrictions imposed on municipal pools to help stem the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor John Ruocco told Pascack Press last week. Following a two-hour special online meeting, the council voted 6-0 on May 20 to close the pool for

See POOL on page 114

Memorial Day in the Pascack Valley looked different this year. Instead of crowded streets lined with flag-waving spectators all decked out in red, white, and blue, throughout the region we saw small, solemn ceremonies each attended by a handful of local officials wearing masks. In Washington Township, the traditional procession gave way to the townʼs first ever “virtual” parade. Residents were asked to send in patriotic photos and video clips of their homes and families, and these were aired on the local cable access channel, WCTV. No doubt, the footage will serve as a testament to these historic times for future generations. “To not let Covid-19 win, my Public Affairs Director Daisy Velez came up with a great idea to honor our fallen veterans,” Mayor Peter Calamari wrote. “She reached out to Washington Townshipʼs amazing residents. She and her team asked the residents to decorate their porches in the spirit of the day and take and send in pictures. They then requested people make a short video tribute to our fallen veterans and for this year only, our front-line workers battling against the Coronavirus. She and her team collected the photos and videos and with a lot of help from the wonderful volunteers at STARS AND STRIPES: Miss VFW Gina Castronova, Police Chief Richard Skinner, and Miss Poppy Livia DeVirgilio. WCTV, they put them together and Richard Skinner outside the weighing heavy on the hearts of uate of Westwood Regional High created a video tribute to these library, in front of the veterans many was the recent loss of U.S. School. remarkable people.” memorial that was dedicated in Army Sgt. First Class Michael Also featured prominently in Shown in this photo, and also November 2019. Life Scout James James Goble. The township native the townʼs virtual tribute was the featured in the video, are the town- Stickel of Troop 321 led the proj- was killed in Afghanistan this past late Vito Trause, a World War II shipʼs Miss VFW, Gina Castrono- ect to create the memorial. December due to injuries sustained veteran and local legend who va, and Miss Poppy, Livia DeVirWhile honoring those who during combat operations in Kun- passed away Oct. 31, 2019 at the gilio. They join Police Chief have fallen in service to our nation, duz Province. He was a 2004 grad- age of 94. PHOTO COURTESY TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON

SOLEMN SERVICE

Emerson held a small but poignant Memorial Day observance, its first ever to be livestreamed.

SEE PAGE 17

B ck in time... This week in local history, unsuspecting neighbors looked on as burglars snatched a cash-laden safe in Park Ridge.

SEE PAGE 4


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