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Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake VOLUME 24 ISSUE 26
CONGRATS, CONNOR!
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
SEPTEMBER 14, 2020
EMERSON
Teen drama filmed at Emerson High features local extras
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
Connor Munson has completed his Eagle Scout project to build a workout area at Clark Field—and now he’s got a challenge for you! SEE PAGE 14
PASCACK VALLEY
NEARLY 1,500 Registrations increase as presidential election nears
NEW VOTERS
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
Over the past few weeks, nearly 1,500 newly registered voters have been added to the countyʼs voting rolls, said a top ranking county elections official, and the state has begun a first-ever online voter registration system to make registration easier for residents hoping to cast a vote in the Nov. 3 presidential election. The highly contested general election features a showdown between incumbent first-term Republican President Donald J. Trump and Democratic nominee and former vice president Joseph R. Biden, plus other federal, state, county and local offices. Also on New Jerseyʼs ballot is a public question on legalizing marijuana statewide. In 2016, 72.5 percent of Bergen Countyʼs registered voters turned out to vote when Trump faced off with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary R. Clinton.
See VOTERS on page 164
A teen romantic drama filmed in large part at Emerson Junior-Senior High School during summer 2019 debuted Aug. 21 on Amazon Prime video and the mayor and a councilwoman gave the new film and its focus on Emerson rave reviews. Mayor Danielle DiPaola and Councilwoman Jill McGuire were invited behind the scenes when the movie was made, and got to see its film crew and actors in action, which also included about 20 local students as extras. The movie, “Chemical Hearts,” was filmed at the local high school and tells the tale of a high school transfer student who finds a new passion when she begins to work on the schoolʼs newspaper. The romantic drama stars Lili Reinhart (“Riverdale”) and Austin Abrams (“Euphoria”). The film is an adaptation of Krystal Sutherlandʼs young-adult novel “Our Chemical Hearts,” which weaves a tale of a high school senior who falls in love with a new transfer student with a “heartbreaking secret,” according to a press release. DiPaola said the movieʼs filming and now release “has brought excitement to the borough” and called the movieʼs production “a great experience” for local teens and for drawing posi-
ON LOCATION AT EMERSON HIGH: Top left, Danielle Gull, Director Richard Tanne, Emerson Mayor Danielle DiPaola, and Councilwoman Jill McGuire. Above right, Alyssa LaForge and David Morgan. Bottom left, student extras take a break in the Emerson High School cafeteria. The teen drama “Chemical Hearts” was filmed at the local high school last summer and is now available for viewing on Amazon Prime video. DiPaola said she was offered tive attention and focus on Emermentioned the newly released a cameo role in the film as mayor son. video during the Sept. 1 council “This has created a lot of but scheduling conflicts prevented meeting. buzz in our community,” said the her from appearing. “It was filmed at the EmerBoth DiPaola and McGuire mayor, who got to sit in the direcson Junior-Senior High School. torʼs chair during the filming in were invited behind the scenes It was outside, inside and I think during last yearʼs filming and Emerson.
PHOTOS COURTESY DANIELLE DIPAOLA
See ‘CHEMICAL HEARTS’ page 15
THE BEAT GOES ON
B ck in time...
As Westwood’s Arts on the Avenues summer music series wraps, there’s more on the horizon.
When Park Ridge High School students returned to class in September a century ago, it wasn’t in their usual surroundings.
SEE PAGE 32
SEE PAGE 4