August 18, 2010 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 23 Franklin Lakes Scribe Library hosts art exhibit Frame of Mine, a collection of artwork featuring painter, illustrator, and graphic artist Audrey Black, will be exhibited at the Franklin Lakes Public Library during the month of August. The exhibit features character studies, landscapes, and whimsical illustrations. Black is a 2003 graduate of the Ringling College of Art and Design. Call the library at (201) 891-2224 for more information, or visit the library on DeKorte Drive during regular hours. Temple offers new preschool classes Barnert Temple in Franklin Lakes is offering a number of new preschool programs that will begin in the fall 2010. As part of the “Me & My Sprout” series of classes, these new programs offer opportunities for enrichment and socialization for youngsters from six weeks through 24 months of age. Me & My Sprout Yoga, for children ages six weeks to nine months, will meet on Tuesdays from 9 to 10 a.m.; Me & My Sprout on the Park Bench, for children ages six weeks to 15 months, will meet on Tuesdays from 9 to 10 a.m.; Me & My Sprout Exploring Nature, for children ages 12 to 24 months, will meet on Wednesdays from 9 to 10 a.m.; and Me & My Sprout Shabbat, for children ages 12 to 24 months, will meet on Fridays from 9 to 10:15 am. These programs are for both the children and their parents or caregivers. In addition, a drop-off learning program called Little Sprouts runs four days a week. Little Sprouts, for children ages 15 to 24 months, is for the child only. The program runs Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a two-day/week minimum enrollment. For additional information about these programs, call the Barnert Temple Preschool and Religious School Office, at (201) 848-1027. Rubin offers autobiography workshop Registration is now open for the fall autobiography workshops, which will begin Sept. 21 at the Presbyterian Church at Franklin Lakes. Janice Rubin, award-winning journalist and author of “Looking Back, Moving On: Memoir as Prologue” and “Four Lives: Despite the Odds,” will lead two eight-week autobiography workshops. Sessions will be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The fee of $96 includes tuition and materials. Call (201) 337-6478. The church is located at 730 Franklin Lake Road. Tax bills available Third quarter 2010 tax bills are now available in the tax collection office. Residents who wish to pay their third quarter taxes now may call (201) 891-0048. Tax bills have been mailed. The grace period has been extended to Aug. 31. Payments received after Aug. 31 will have interest charged back to Aug. 1. The tax collection office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The office will be open from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 23 and Aug. 30. Town Fair participants sought The Franklin Lakes Town Fair will be held on Saturday, Sept. 25 (rain date: Sept. 26). All Franklin Lakes businesses, members of the Franklin Lakes Chamber of Commerce, residents, and Franklin Lakes-based non-profit organizations are welcome to participate. Vendor booths will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., carnival rides and food booths will be open until 8 p.m. Downloaded details from the borough website at www.franklinlakes.org. Fair information can be found in the upper right corner. Contact Mary Ellen Marra at (201) 857-3931 or maryepremiere@aol.com. Ready, Set, Kindergarten! Bergen Center for Children and Youth August 23 - 25 10 - 11:45 am Ready, Set, Kindergarten is a three day workshop designed to promote social and emotional competencies in pre-school aged children. The program is intended to prepare children entering Kindergarten in the fall 2010. Bear sightings (continued from page 4) these animals. Public safety, awareness, and education are our goals.” On Aug. 7, a black bear was tranquilized in a wooded area in Paramus after being sighted in Ho-Ho-Kus and Ridgewood the day before. A black bear was recently seen wandering through several neighborhoods in Tenafly, and another one was chased in Bergenfield and Englewood recently. Last November, a representative of the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife told borough residents that the black bear population is growing in the state, and in this particular area, and people must educate themselves on how to live with that growth in the black bear population. Michele Ruggiero, a wildlife biologist, explained that the state will not trap and remove black bears from an area unless there is a serious threat to public safety. When the bears are trapped and removed, the animals are only taken to the nearest forested area, from which they often return. She said at that time that most of the calls she had received from residents pertain to nuisance issues where a bear is rummaging around in garbage cans or dumpsters in front or back yards looking for food that is often inadvertently left outside, or sometimes set outside deliberately to feed the bears. She emphasized that it is illegal and dangerous to feed bears in New Jersey. Ruggiero advised that, when a bear appears on someone’s property, they should not try to feed or approach the bear, but should remain calm and make the bear aware of their presence by speaking in a calm, assertive voice while making sure the bear has an escape route from the property. She recommended yelling, banging pots, and pans, or using an air horn to scare away the bear and to make oneself look as big as possible by waving one’s arms above one’s head. Sometimes a bear may utter a series of huffs, make popping sounds by snapping its jaws and swatting the ground, Ruggiero said, explaining that these are warning signs that a person is too close to the bear. “Slowly back away, and avoid direct eye contact,” Ruggiero said. “Do not run, and if a bear stands on its hind legs or moves closer, it may be trying to get a better view or to detect scents in the air. That is usually not a threatening behavior,” Ruggiero said. But she explained that, if a bear begins to bluff a charge because it is cornered or threatened, one should stand his or her ground because the bear will veer off before contact. If the bear will not leave, Ruggiero said humans should head for a nearby shelter. Ruggiero emphasized that black bear attacks are extremely rare but, if a black bear does attack, one should fight back and punch its eyes and nose and not play dead, because black bears eat dead animals. During this workshop children will begin to develop the ability to:  Listen to stories without interrupting  Pay attention for short periods of time to adult-directed tasks  Begin to share with others  Participate in group activities  Start to follow rules  Control physical impulses and keep a still body  Begin to communicate feelings in words  Participate in other people’s games  Be able to get adult attention without whining, clinging, crying, screaming, or throwing things  Separate from parents without too much distress after a get-acquainted time For more information about the workshop or to register your child please contact Amy Barr at 201-934-1160 Ext 7212 or Alan Koenig at Ext 7243. The fee for the three day workshop is 150.00. West Bergen Center for Children and Youth One Cherry Lane, Ramsey, NJ 07446 7-28-10 janine WestBergenCenter4x9Color(7-28-10)