Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • March 6, 2013 Ridgewood Valley Hospital plan to be presented March 11 ings and numerous objections by neighbors, only to have the Ridgewood Village Council reject the suggestion that the Ridgewood Master Plan be changed to provide for the renovation. J. KOSTER An artist’s rendering of the updated Valley Hopsital. The formal introduction of the revised Valley Hospital reconstruction plan has been scheduled for Monday, March 11 at 8 p.m. at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School auditorium. Plans for the hospital, which are said to provide for individual patient rooms and other modern facilities, were presented to the Ridgewood Planning Board for a preliminary look last week. The expansion and renovation has been scaled down from 1.17 million square feet to 910,000 square feet of hospital floor space, with 454 individual rooms, said to be necessary to compete with other modern hospitals where single-patient rooms are seen as economically mandatory. Residents who had objected to the first attempt to expand and modernize the hospital noted that the actual size reduction in the revision was rather less than had they expected. The plans will face an extended schedule of hearings, not yet formalized, and would require a change of the Ridgewood Master Plan. The Ridgewood Planning Board approved the previous Valley Hospital expansion plan after two years of hear- Our hat’s off to the Abundant Life Reformed Church in Wyckoff for their ongoing support. Thanks to everyone who supported our recent fundraiser at The Brick House. We will have more about the event in our next issue. Our thoughts remain with our families who have been affected by Hurricane Sandy. They will continue to have many needs long after the repairs are done. Please consider calling us to see how you can help. The following are needed to help these and some of our other local families: new or gently-used boys’ clothing for kids ages 10 and up; new twin and queen-size sheets; stage three diapers, size five diapers, and baby wipes; cake mix and icing for birthday bags; a computer hard drive; a twin bed and a dresser; DVD players; microwaves and toaster ovens; and test strips for one of our diabetic children. Meet Susie: Susie is an eight-year who was diagnosed with leukemia a few years ago. Since her initial diagnosis, she has been in and out of the hospital going through different treatment options. At first, her condition improved and she was discharged, but then she suffered a relapse. Now Susie feels tired most of the time, although she manages to color, play cards, and draw while she is confined to her home. Susie is neither physically strong nor mentally ready for home schooling. Even climbing the stairs to her bedroom is a challenge, so her mother had to put her bed in the living room to make it easy on her mobility. Susie’s fragile condition and her need to visit the hospital frequently prevent her mother from holding a steady job. Naturally, this impacts the family’s financial situation tremendously. Life has been very difficult for Susie’s family as they struggle just to meet their basic survival needs. They are currently looking for affordable and suitable housing. This family has been surviving with ECF’s assistance with rent and other outstanding utility bills. Your contribution will enable ECF to continue to provide for Susie and her family with financial, material, and emotional needs. No amount is too small! We rely on the local community to help support our families. Many of them do not have the financial or emotional support to help them get through a major illness like cancer. We do not charge anything for our services. We rely on you! You can help us in a variety of ways. Turn your event into a fundraiser, and collect checks or gift cards for our families. Your efforts help us to help families in many ways, including sending a case worker to visit the families at their home or in the hospital. This support for the kids, their siblings, and parents is crucial. Get your kids involved, too. Some have held sales or events and donated the proceeds to ECF. Is your Cub Scout or Girl Scout Troop looking to earn badges? Call us for some ideas to get creative and have fun while learning about philanthropy! We are also available to speak about our programs at your next event. Consider becoming a volunteer, or just stop by and meet with us, take a look at our pantry, and see what ECF is all about. Call (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Please do not leave items at the center without checking with us first. Our storage space is limited. The Northern Regional Center is located at 174 Paterson Avenue in Midland Park. Visit us on the web at www.emmanuelcancer.org. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! The Ridgewood Police Department was investigating a number of burglaries toward the end of February. On Feb. 21, two businesses on Garber Square reported that they had been burglarized during the previous night. Both owners reported that the burglars had forced the doors at the unlocked common area of the retail space and had taken cash. The next day, a Melrose Place resident reported that his house had been entered and that $1,200 in cash had been stolen from his pants. On Feb. 24, a Sunset Avenue resident reported that the family had returned from vacation and had found that their home had been burglarized, but that the only items missing were alcoholic beverages. The following day, a Ridgewood resident reported that his locker was entered while he was at the YMCA. Cash and a watch were stolen. On Feb. 21, while conducting a burglary patrol detail or targeted patrol for burglary prevention, Detectives Douglas Henky Ridgewood Police Report and Peter Youngberg observed a vehicle on Route 17. The vehicle suddenly exited Route 17 onto East Saddle River Road. They attempted to find the vehicle, located it on Best Court, and conducted a motor vehicle stop. The vehicle was occupied by three Newark residents. During the stop, it was determined that the driver had given false information to the detectives about his identity. It was later determined that the driver, a 20-year-old Newark man, had a suspended license and an active warrant from the Newark Court. He was arrested and charged with hindering apprehension, driving while revoked, and other motor vehicle violations. He was released after posting bail. He faces an appearance in Ridgewood Municipal Court. On Feb. 22, a 46-year-old Allendale man reportedly drove through two red lights: one at East Ridgewood Avenue and one at Franklin Avenue. He was pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated, failure to observe a stop sign, and reckless driving.