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 25 ISSUE 22
NEW YEAR TREATS
AUGUST 16, 2021
PETS STAR IN TALES TO TAILS
Library photo contest names its winners
PASCACK VALLEY
BOROUGH
FIREHOUSE ROOF LEAKS Montvale investigating; township trusses fixed BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
Valley Chabad invites you to partake of Rosh Hashanah — honey, apples, and all. SEE PAGE 17
PVRHSD
DISTRICT
PLANS FOR REOPENING Masks a must; watching for vaccine requirement
BY JARED MITOVICH OF PASCACK PRESS
The Pascack Valley Regional Board of Education laid out the districtʼs plans for the coming school year at a retreat on Aug. 4, amid a new wave of Covid-19 in New Jersey and a national discussion about equity. Pascack Valley Regional High School District, which serves students from Woodcliff Lake, Montvale, River Vale, and Hillsdale, is preparing for students and staff to return to school fully in-person. But the coronavirus is continuing to evolve and present new challenges. The change in the pandemicʼs trajectory was evident at the
See DISTRICT on page 204
T
Ready for adventure! Figaro, a handsome and romantic local figure, surveys a road atlas amid camping supplies and cat-related books in the winning entry of the Township of Washington Public Library’s “Tails Reading Tales” photo contest, which netted hundreds of ballots by its deadline, Aug. 10.
TOWNSHIP of Washington lacks not a bit for beloved pet and working animal companions, but a particular cat, horse, and guinea pig are the winners of the Township of Washington Public Libraryʼs inaugural “Tails Reading Tales” photo contest, which wrapped up Aug. 10. The libraryʼs goal, on Facebook, where visitors were asked HE
to “like” their two favorite pets in the contest album: “Share a smile that comes from the joy of reading and pets!” Pascack Press extends heartfelt congratulations to Figaro, as dashing a tabby as we have ever seen, winner of this (yes) paw-pularity contest. We spoke with owner Nancy Peters and the other winners and love their stories.
KITTY PHOTO BY NANCY PETERS
The “ballots” were taken in on Facebook and at the library, and though we are assured these are the undisputed winners the tallies were not readily available at press time. You can see all entrants online. In second place: Miss Saturn, a chestnut mare with fetching white blaze, sponsored at Bergen County Horse Res-
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Amid critiques of the Township of Washingtonʼs new two-story emergency services building, which is taking shape on Washington Avenue, one councilman said roofing problems at the project were not unique in the Pascack Valley. According to Township of Washington Councilman Michael DeSena, speaking confidently at the meeting of the mayor and council on Aug. 9, the Borough of Montvale is preparing to “tear the roof off” its own firehouse, which was completed three years ago. Both projects were designed by Robbie Conley Architects. The townshipʼs more than $6 million ESB, which will accommodate the townʼs volunteer fire and ambulance corps, is being built by Tekcon Construction Inc. of Somerset, which has been dinged over its supervision at the site. Asked the next day about DeSenaʼs statement, Montvale Fire Chief Geoffrey Gibbons told Pascack Press, “We donʼt know if it is a problem yet. Once we get that leak repaired and the borough engineer takes a look at it weʼll know more.” Gibbons said firefighters noticed the leak up to two months ago after a rain, before workers were seen unsupervised installing roofing materials at the townshipʼs
See ROOF on page 64
LEAGUE CHAMPS
B ck in time...
The Westwood, Washington Township, and Montvale team makes off with the 2021 Summer 14U NEBAS League Championship.
Turn left for Washington Township, turn right for Emerson, or go straight for Westwood: This spot is one residents know well. Kristin Beuscher shows how it looked in 1958. SEE PAGE 4
SEE PAGE 6