August 20, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 21 Wyckoff Wanderings Rockland to discuss ‘The Jersey Joke’ Michael Aaron Rockland, professor of American stud- ies at Rutgers University, will present “The Jersey Joke: Its Long and Complicated History” on Thursday, Sept. 18 at the Wyckoff Public Library. This free program will begin at 7 p.m. New Jersey has long been the whipping boy of New York and has suffered from something of an inferiority complex. Comedians have built careers making fun of the Garden State. Timed for New Jersey’s 350th Anniversary year, Rock- land’s program will discuss the roots of the Jersey joke, and the many signs that the state’s days as a good source of comedic material are waning. Register by calling (201) 891-4866, extension 2 or online at www.wyckofflibrary.org. This program is funded by the Horizon Speakers Bureau of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. Local students honored The following students from Wyckoff have been named to the Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester: Sarah Kupec, Assumption College; Christopher K Chan, Bing- hamton University; Mia Del Duca, Bucknell University; Ronald Wagner, Bryant University; Emily A. Doughan, Eric L. Golden, Elan D. Plotkin, and Conor T. Rizzuto, Boston University; Maxwell Buchanan, Brandon Nicodemo, Elliot Ferris, Daniel Sullivan, Alyson Jacobs, Elizabeth Green- wood, and Ralph Hroncich, Fairfield University; Azuolas Gedutis, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison; Dafina Kastrati (Honors), Kaytleigh Nieuwenhuis (Honors) Cas- sandra Stolting, and Marisa Mankofsky, Fairleigh Dickin- son University, Teaneck; Nicholas Buchanan, John Burke, and Jacob Dietz, Lafayette College; Andrew Kristofick and Artist showcase (continued from page 5) for over ten years, and we have always been greeted by enthusiastic audiences, ” commented Laurence Capo, president and CEO of Young Audiences. “We are honored that Highland Elementary Principal, Danielle Bache, along with her dedicated colleagues share our commitment to the importance of the arts in education.” The new artist lineup includes Operation Superpower, the very first superhero opera for students created by Jul- liard trained singers, that with their combined superpowers take a stance on bullying; Hip Hop Fundamentals, a dance group that explores the rich and diverse history of Hip Hop as it empowers young minds with its message of peace, love and unity; and Jump With Jill, a live rock ‘n roll show for kids that teaches nutrition through music and movement. To register for the showcases and to obtain a complete performance schedule, please call Young Audiences of New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania at 866-5009-265 or visit www.yanj-yaep.org. Walk-in registration is possible on the showcase days. Founded in 1973, Young Audiences of New Jersey & Eastern Pennsylvania is the premiere arts-in-education resource in the region, providing high-quality perfor- mances and artist-in-residence programs to nearly 500,000 children pre-kindergarten through 12th grade annually. YA’ extensive professional artist roster represents all art forms—from dance and theater to music, language and visual arts. Its programs are accessible to all socio-eco- nomic, ethnic, cultural, and geographic communities, and are designed to strengthen the arts in schools, meet local and state curriculum standards, involve families in arts activities, and enrich cultural life in New Jersey and Penn- sylvania communities. The first arts education organization designated as a major service organization by the New Jersey State Coun- cil on the Arts, YA is part of the national network of Young Audiences, Inc. and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. The organization provides over 4,000 programs annually that are made possible in part through a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State and Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. Additional funds come from the National Endow- ment for the Arts, foundations, corporations and generous individuals. Rebecca Murray, Ithaca College; and Katharine Bordogna, Rebecca Cooke, Alexandra Creange, Claire Scavone, Vin- cent LaGuardia, Molly Misovic, Sean Munier, McKenna Paulson, and Laura Yackovetsky, Loyola University, Mary- land. College of New Jersey announces Dean’s List The College of New Jersey has named the following Wyckoff students to its Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester: Michael Ballou, Cara Bronander, Krista Carpino, Brittany Clarke, Tyler Clarke, Josephine D’Amico, Jennifer Doughan, Taylor Ferrara, Taylor Lauricella, Mary Lotito, Brendan Neal, Katherine Perrotta, Morgan Repetto, Julie Rossi, Zachary Schluger, Logan Streu, Brianne Verhoog, Claire Whiteman, and Cheyenne Wickham. Temple provides religious education Temple Beth Rishon offers an innovative religious school education for students in kindergarten through grade 12. Students develop the knowledge, skills, and commitment they need to lead full Jewish lives. Bible, history, Israel, Jewish values, Hebrew, and much more are taught through experiential learning and activities. For more information, or to meet with Principal Gonen Arad, call the temple office at (201) 891-4466 or visit www.bethrishon.org. Short Story Contest announced The Wyckoff Public Library will host a Short Story Con- test for teens. Wyckoff residents who are ages 12 through 18 are invited to submit a manuscript of 1,500 words or less by Aug. 22. The contest’s theme is “Spark a Reaction.” Stories must be typed, double-spaced in Microsoft Word and submitted via e-mail to Barbara Weber at teen@wyckoff.bccls.org. Judges’ decisions, which will be final, will be announced on Oct. 16 during Teen Read Week. Contestants may submit only one story. Each manuscript must include at the top of the first page: name, age, grade the student will be entering this fall, telephone number, e- mail address, and the number of words contained in the story. The writer’s last name should be at the top of all suc- ceeding pages. Termination (continued from page 5) to avoid any conflict of interest issues, borough officials decided to name an independent officer with no ties to the area. Joseph Rem, Gaeta’s attorney, previously asserted that dismissal would be a grossly inappropriate penalty. The attorney said the internal affairs investigation that recom- mended dismissal had also ignored the fact that Gaeta had been commended on three different occasions for saving people’s lives. At that time, O’Hagan said that before Gaeta’s convic- tion was overturned, his driver’s license was suspended, so he could not work. The mayor said other issues against rein- statement are also at stake, including the effect on depart- mental morale, the fact that future DWI arrests Gaeta might perform could be tainted, and the fact that there is case law to support dismissal because police officers are held to a higher standard and are considered to be on the job 24/7. For more information, call (201) 891-4866. The library is located at 200 Woodland Avenue. Faith & Grief Luncheon set Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff and Valley Hospice will host a Faith & Grief Luncheon from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the CHCC Auditorium, 700 Mountain Avenue in Wyckoff. Open to those of all faiths, these luncheons are held the third Wednesday of every month and provide opportuni- ties for those mourning the loss of a loved one to gather together and be strengthened through sharing, scripture, prayer, and reflection. A complimentary lunch is provided, but donations are accepted. To register, visit www.faithandgrief.org. Contact the Christian Health Care Pastoral Care Department at (201) 848-5839 or e-mail dcioffi@chccnj.org for details. Half-marathon & 5K benefit planned The Wyckoff Family YMCA and the Franklin Lakes Mayor’s Wellness Campaign will hold the Second Annual Franklin Lakes Scenic Half-Marathon & 5K on Sept. 28. Both routes will wind throughout Franklin Lakes begin- ning and ending at the municipal complex on DeKorte Drive. Proceeds from the race will benefit the Franklin Lakes Mayor’s Wellness Campaign and the Wyckoff Y’s Pietro Maugeri Fund, which helps families navigate and cope with the financial challenges of critical illness and injury. For registration and sponsorship information, visit www. wyckoffymca.org. Spend Monday at the movies The Wyckoff Public Library, located at 200 Woodland Avenue, presents free movies on Mondays at 2 p.m. The Aug. 25 feature will be “Journey to the Center of the Earth” with Brendan Fraser, Anita Briem, and Josh Hutcherson. On a quest to find out what happened to his missing brother, a scientist, his nephew, and their mountain guide discover a fantastic and dangerous lost world in the center of the earth. This is a faithful, yet modern retelling of the Jules Verne classic. The 2008 movie is rated PG and is 93 minutes long. Gaeta was placed on leave after the accident, and Sgt. John Gibbons, the internal affairs officer, conducted an investigation and recommended termination. The police chief at the time, John Casson, and his successor, Michael Marra, both concurred, and Gaeta appealed to the gov- erning body. The hearing on the appeal of the disciplin- ary action was put off until Gaeta’s DWI conviction went through the appeal process in Superior Court. On July 17, 2013, the Appellate Division of Superior Court overturned Gaeta’s sentence for DWI and remanded the case to municipal court in Hackensack. That court found that his sole penalty should be a fine of $150. When Gaeta had the accident in Wyckoff, his blood alcohol content was measured at 0.135 percent. The state’s legal limit is currently 0.08 percent. On appeal, Gaeta claimed that, because he was driving an ATV and not a car, truck, or similar motor vehicle, the penalties imposed by the Wyckoff Municipal Court were illegal. He claimed that, although the stricter statute that equated an ATV to other motor vehicles for DWI purposes had been adopted in 2009, it had not yet taken effect in 2011 when the accident occurred.