1 ZO N E FR MID W Y A LA CK N N O K D F LI N PA F LA R K K ES �� � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � �� � �� ISSN 2161-8208 ISSN 2161-8194 www.villadom.com Copyright 2014 �� � � � � � � �� �� � � � � � � � � ��� ��� �� � � � � �� �� � � � � �� � � � � ��� � �� � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � �� � � � �� � � � �� � � � � � � � � � � � �� �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Vol. 27 No. 24 SERVING THE HUB OF NORTH-WEST BERGEN June 25, 2014 40¢ ☺ What’s News- Midland Park Appeal filed Resident appeals zoning officer’s decision to grant mosque certificate of occupancy. FLOW Area Negotiations end 3 RIH Board of Education approves three year contract with administrators. 4 Area Plan rejected Valley Hospital expansion voted down by Ridgewood Planning Board; planners vote 5 to 2. Midland Park Partner sought Wyckoff/Midland Park American Legion Post looks to merge with neighboring post. Pomp and circumstance 7 Midland Park High School graduate Rebecca Wells assists Emily Grzeskowiak with her cap while Mikey Mack Rosa and Jake Thomas make last minute adjustments as the Class of 2014 prepares for commencement. “The ������������������������������ Best Deal In Town” your residential 64 on Franklin Avenue Tpke. 190 ������������������ Waldwick, Ridgewood, loan. mortgage NJ NJ ����������������� For information contact: ������������ • • CUSTOM DRAPERIES CUSTOM DRAPERIES • • UPHOLSTERY UPHOLSTERY • • SHUTTERS SHUTTERS 201-444-7100 ��������������� www.asbnowmortgage.com Offices in Bergen, Morris & NML#737325 Passaic Counties Gua ra 201-327-4900 201-327-4900 ces P ri ed Lowes nte We Will t Beat Any 3-6-13 Karen/Janine 12-1-10 Karen/Janine Advertised Price! AtlanicStewardshipFrPg AtlanicStewardshipFrPg 20 20 E. E. Main St., Ramsey NJ Main St., Ramsey NJ Is Your Insurance Premium Increasing? 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Box 96, Midland Park, NJ 07432-0096 Total Window & Wall Fashions 5 Kim/Janine HalliganElecFrontPage(2-26-14) rev2 Page 2 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • June 25, 2014 Bergen 350 gala planned Villadom Happenings Railroad crossings to be closed During the month of July, motorists can expect detours and delays at the railroad crossings located on Newtown Road and Sicomac Avenue in Midland Park, and at the Goffle Road/Wyckoff Avenue/Lake Street intersection located at the Ridgewood, Midland Park, and Wyckoff bor- ders. The closures will be in effect 24 hours a day while the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the New York Susquehanna and Western Railway Corp. upgrade the crossings. This schedule is tentative and will be subject to weather conditions. Construction at the Newtown Road crossing is expected to begin July 7. The anticipated length of this closure is four days. Work on the Sicomac Road crossing is scheduled to begin July 14 and will take approximately five days. The Goffle Road intersection construction will take approximately eight days and is scheduled to begin July 24. Work at the Goffle Road crossing will continue through the weekend. The Goffle Road construction will impact the commuter New Jersey Transit bus operations. It is antici- pated that the same stops will be made along Goffle Road, but times may be affected. Commuters who use bus trans- portation are encouraged to contact their bus company for further information. Band opens its summer season The Waldwick Band will open its summer season July 1 at the Waldwick Circle Amphitheater located at the intersection of Hopper Avenue and West Prospect Street in Waldwick. The concert, featuring clarinet soloist John Centenaro, will begin at 8 p.m. (Rain date: July 29.) There are seats along the walls of the amphitheater, but audience members may bring their own chairs and blan- kets for seating. There is no admission for the performance, which is being sponsored by the Waldwick Department of Recreation. Under the baton of Music Director Edmund A. Mod- eracki, the band will perform J.J. Richard’s “Emblem of Unity,” Auber’s “Maisanello Overture,” “The Skater Waltz” by Waldteufel, James Barnes’ “Yorkshire Ballad,” and selections by Broadway composer Irving Berlin. The program will also include Sousa’s “Golden Jubilee,” Wal- ter’s “Burst of Trumpets,” and the “Guadalcanal March” from “Victory at Sea” by Richard Rodgers. Upcoming concerts are set for July 8, 15, and 22. July 29 is reserved for any rain cancellations. For more information about the band, visit www.waldwickband.org. Summer Bereavement Group forming The parishes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood, Saint Gabriel in Saddle River, and Saint Cath- arine in Glen Rock will jointly sponsor a Summer Bereave- ment Support Group beginning July 24. The eight-week program will meet on Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which is located at 1 Passaic Street in Ridgewood. Meetings will provide support to those going through the grief process. The group stresses confidentiality and is open to all. Contact Annette Gallagher at (201) 612-4660 or parishfamilylife@stcatharinechurch.org to register or for additional information. Senior center plans events The Northwest Bergen Senior Activity Center in Mid- land Park welcomes seniors to register for its trips and pro- grams. Left: Rendering of the proposed Bergen County Hall of History. Right: Bergen 350 logo. The Bergen County Historical Society has announced the formation of the Bergen 350 Committee, which is being chaired by Geraldine Mola of Elmwood Park. The committee is planning a gala to mark the state’s 350 th Anniversary. This celebration is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 15 at the Venetian in Garfield. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Bergen County Hall of History, a state-of-the-art museum facility to be built at the Historic New Bridge Land- ing in River Edge. As the only county-wide historical museum, it will exhibit the BCHS collection. To break ground, more than $250,000 is needed; the BCHS does not receive public funding. The Bergen 350 Committee is comprised of civic leaders from a wide cross-section off the commu- On July 23, the center will sponsor an interactive work- shop about the Medicare Summary Notice. Sheila Brogan will share information about the Medicare statements and answer questions from participants. Her presentation will include a short video from the Medicare Rights Center. Attendees are encouraged to bring a summary notice to follow along. The program will begin at 12:30 p.m. The center will sponsor a chair yoga class on Mondays beginning July 14. Class will meet at 11 a.m. Area seniors are welcome. On July 30, the seniors will travel to Caesar’s Casino in Atlantic City. The cost is $30 and includes a casino bonus of $25 in slot play. All participants must have a rewards card from the casino and a valid government issued photo iden- tification to receive the casino bonus. The casino reserves the right to change the bonus at any time. The bus will leave from the municipal parking lot on Highland Avenue in Midland Park at 8 a.m. and will return around 7 p.m. To reserve a seat on the bus, call the center (201) 445-5690. Payment may be mailed to NW Seniors, 46-50 Center Street, Midland Park, NJ 07432. The Northwest Bergen Regional Senior Center is open to all Bergen County area senior citizens age 60+. A wide variety of activities, services, and a hot lunch program are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more infor- mation, call (201) 445-5690. Golf Outing to benefit Billy’s Buddies The Wyckoff Family YMCA will host a Golf Outing at Ballyowen Golf Club in Hamburg on Thursday, July 10. The event will benefit the Y’s Billy’s Buddies program for children with Down syndrome and their families. This event is sponsored by Inserra Supermarkets and 3 Chicas Mexican Kitchen. The schedule for the day will include a continental breakfast and driving range use at 6:45 a.m., and a shot- gun start at 8 a.m. The barbecue lunch will begin at 12:30 p.m. Another round of golf will begin at 2 p.m. An awards reception that will include cocktails and hors d’oeuvres (continued on page 24) nity. Members include Jim Smith, BCHS President, Ridgewood; Rosemarie Aloia, Garfield; Margret Col- lins, Rochelle Park; former Freeholder Mary Bustillo Donohue, River Edge; John Eiel, Hackensack; Mar- garet Cenci Frontera, New Milford; Carol Greene, Mahwah; Maria Hopper, Montvale; Linda Masullo, Hackensack; Maria Nahorniak, Elmwood Park; Karen O’Shea, Fair Lawn; Denise Piccino, Hawthorne; Carol Polack, Mahwah; Deborah Powell, River Edge; Doro- thy Romaine, Emerson; Therese Tolomeo, Franklin Lakes; Joan Winant, Dumont; and Kevin Wright, River Edge. For more information, visit the Bergen 350 Face- book page facebook.com/bergen350, or call Margaret Frontera at (201) 634-8636. June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 3 Midland Park Resident appeals decision to grant mosque a CO The Midland Park Board of Adjustment has decided to hear at its July 9 meeting an appeal on the zoning officer’s granting of a certificate of occupancy to the Elzahra Education Foundation, Inc.The non-profit orga- nization is under contract to purchase the former Han Maum Reformed Church building at 218 Irving Street for an Islamic Center and mosque. Joan Doumas of First Street has filed an appeal chal- lenging the sufficiency of the application for the CO and the zoning official’s decision to issue it, and she asks the board to “revoke the permit based on its being defective until a properly detailed application is re-filed with the zoning officer.” The permit was approved on April 24, but the NJ Zoning and Land Use Administration statutes dictate that an appeal must be filed within 20 days from when the applicant gets the denial. Board Attorney Les Andersen advised the board to accept the case, however. In this instance, he explained, there was no denial and no one was notified, so that the date of the action may be construed to be when it was reasonable to assume people may have become aware of the action. The issuance of the CO was published on the agenda of the Planning Board’s June 16 meeting, which was made public 10 days earlier. “It is certainly within 20 days of that,” he said. Because of the appeal, the approval is stayed until the board determines its validity, Andersen said. He said Zoning Officer Mark Berninger has been asked to pro- vide the board with all the information he relied upon in making his decision. He will also be present at the board meeting to serve as a resource to the board as it consid- ers the issue, Andersen said. In her appeal, Doumas said that the CO application does not provide a specific number for the number of daily visitors, nor for the hours of operation, or the extent of the noise that may be generated. At a council meeting the previous week, she objected to the traffic and noise a group of congregants who live outside the commu- nity would generate. More than 100 residents attended that meeting to object to the proposed use of the former Irving Park Christian Reformed Church building as a mosque. About 40 members and supporters of the Elzahra Edu- cation Foundation attended last week’s planning board meeting, but no one was permitted to speak because that board has no jurisdiction over the CO application. The foundation proposes to use its new home as a place of worship and related services. It had also indicated on its application that it wants to provide day care services, but Berninger said more information would be required before he could sign off on that use. The property is zoned for residential use, but houses of worship are permitted in any zone within the borough. Additionally, the church use is an existing condition and therefore a grandfathered use. The Foundation is purchasing the 2.8-acre site, which is now in foreclosure, for $2.1 million, and plans about $250,000 in renovations. The building features a sanctu- ary with a seating capacity of 300, a large meeting room and adjoining kitchen, eight classrooms and several bath- rooms, all of which would eventually be upgraded. Park- ing for 80 cars is available. Constructed by the Irving Park Christian Reformed Church in 1956, the building housed an Eastern Christian School Association pre- school, a Montessori school and New Life Ministries Christian Reformed Church before being purchased by the Han Maum Reformed Church in 2009. Godwin School principal to leave Matthew Murphy, Midland Park Godwin School’s principal since August, 2012, will be leaving the district as of mid-August. He will assume a similar position with the Glen Ridge School District in Essex County. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Marie Cirasella said she would begin an immediate search for Murphy’s replacement and said she was confident someone would be in place by the start of school in September. Murphy was hired when the Godwin principal’s posi- tion was upgraded to full time. Prior to that, the High- land principal headed both schools, with an assistant principal stationed at Godwin. At that time Dr. Cirasella said that the move was made “to provide the early learn- ers in the K-2 environment the benefit of the full-time efforts of a principal.” This also allowed the principal at Highland , a 3-6 grade school, to concentrate on the upper elementary grades, she said. “I’m sorry to see him go,” resident Patricia Fantu- lin of Vreeland Avenue told the board.”I hope you now find somebody half as hard working, compassionate and intelligent. I hope he does well where he is going,” she added. Prior to coming to Midland Park, Murphy was a guid- ance counselor in Upper Saddle River for two years after five years in the guidance department of the Bloomfield school district. He started his career as an elementary school teacher in Newark, followed by two years as a special education teacher at the Sage Day School in Boonton. He holds bachelor’s, master’s degrees from Montclair State University. Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 FLOW Area Board approves agreement with administrators byFrank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School Board of Education has approved an agreement with the Ramapo Indian Hills Administrators Association for the school years 2013-14 through 2015-16. The Ramapo Indian Hills Administrator’s Association represents the principals of the two high schools, Louis Moore at Ramapo High School and Joseph Collins at Indian Hills High School; and four assistant high school principals, Claudia Dargento and Daniel VanderMolen at Ramapo and Linda Sisto and Daniel Guido at Indian Hills. Under this agreement, effective July 1, 2013, the com- bined salary base for all administrators will be increased by 2.5 percent based on their satisfactory performance. Effective July 1, 2014, the combined salary base for all administrators, inclusive of merit pay increases, will be increased by two percent with the individual administra- tors each receiving equal dollar increases to their respec- tive base salary. Effective July 1, 2015, the combined salary base for all administrators, inclusive of merit pay increases, will again be increased by two percent with the individual administra- tors each receiving equal dollar increases to their respec- tive base salary. In addition, a performance based compensation plan will allow for up to an additional one percent salary increase above an individual administrator’s annual salary, based on the administrator’s meritorious performance in each school year of this agreement. The additional one percent merit pay is intended to rec- ognize and reward the administrator’s greater contributions to the educational process. And the administrator could be awarded additional compensation within the range depend- ing on whether the administrator’s performance exceeds expectations, is superior or outstanding, as identified through the performance based compensation plan. Individual administrators, however, are not entitled to an automatic annual salary increase if their performance falls below expectations and the annual increase will be paid subject to the recommendation of the superintendent and approved by the board of education. The superintendent will recommend any performance based increase following the administrator’s annual perfor- mance evaluation, which will be completed on or before May 15 for the review and recommended action by the school board on or before June 30. For the 2013-14 school year, the performance based compensation plan will require a minimum of two goals that may be quantitative and/or qualitative. An administra- tor may be awarded an additional half percent of his or her annual salary for each merit goal that is achieved. In addi- tion, an administrator must achieve a rating of “effective” in all categories rated on the annual summary report and achieve a rating of “highly effective” on each merit goal to be eligible for the half percent increase of his or her annual salary for each goal achieved. The current salaries of the administrators included in this agreement are: Moore, $160,750; Collins, $156,250; VanderMolen, $116,350; Dargento, $121,325; Sisto, $152, 200; and Guido, $113,000. The school district is also in negotiations with the Ramapo Indian Hills Education Association for a new contract to replace the one that expired on June 30, 2013. The RIHEA represents more than 300 members including full- and part-time teachers, supplemental teachers, admin- istrative assistants, technical assistants, special education teaching assistants, custodial, maintenance, grounds, and security staff employed by the school district. The contract negotiations are now in the fact finding stage. Additional meetings with the state-appointed fact finder are scheduled for August. The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School Board of Education has passed a resolution to set the date for the change in superintendents in the district. The resolution states that the school board wishes to exercise the notice provision in the employment agreement with Interim Superintendent Ernest Palestis to discon- tinue his employment agreement at the close of business on June 30. The employment agreement appointed Palestis as interim superintendent from Aug. 27, 2013 to Aug. 26, 2014. Beverly MacKay, whose appointment as the school district’s permanent superintendent was confirmed by the school board on May 29, will begin her five-year term as superintendent on July 1, 2014. “As I wind down,” Palestis said at the board’s recent public meeting, “I want to thank everyone for this past school year. Ramapo Indian Hills is a special place and I want to thank the board, the teachers, the staff, and the stu- dents. I was so proud to see the students’ accomplishments and the administrators in the district are second to none.” Palestis also commented, “As professionals, we should always take the time to reflect on what we have accom- plished. What we have here is something very special and I thank you for this year.” Palestis was appointed interim superintendent last year. (continued on page 12) Date set for superintendent change June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 Area Valley Hospital expansion rejected by planning board by John Koster The plan to expand and renovate Valley Hospital was rejected last week by the Ridgewood Planning Board. The planners’ 5-2 vote drew applause from the residents gath- ered at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School who had opposed the plan. Hospital officials wanted to provide private rooms for Storm causes damage A tree fell during a recent storm on Dairy Street in Midland Park. No one was injured when tree fell and the home is still habitable. The front porch was wiped out and there was damage to the roof. (Photos courtesy of Boyd A. Loving.) all patients, and wanted to expand the facility’s parking. The proposal called for Valley Hospital to expand from 562,000 square feet to 995,000 square feet. One building would have been 96 feet tall, and the project was expected to last for about six years. The hospital is located in the middle of a residential neighborhood and next to the Benjamin Franklin Junior High School. Hospital sources said they need private rooms and expanded technology to stay competitive with the newly reopened hospital in Westwood. Residents, however, said the plan would be detrimental to their neighborhood. Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn, voting as a member of the planning board, joined the majority of members in rejecting the hospital’s second expansion bid in a decade. Aronsohn said he did not feel the plans as proposed would serve the best needs of the community. Several other plan- ning board members agreed with his opinion, which was shared by virtually all of the residential neighbors of the hospital. The planning board members who voted in favor of the proposal were Chairman Charles Nalbantanian and member Nancy Bigos. The planning board had forwarded the first expansion plan to the Ridgewood Village Council in 2010, but the implementation would have required a change in the Ridge- wood Master Plan, which would have had to have been carried out by the Ridgewood Village Council through an updated ordinance. The council rejected the 2010 request for a change to the Ridgewood Master Plan. Observers noted that, had the change been requested of the present council as elected, the vote would also have been negative. Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli had recused himself from voting, and council members-elect Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon had stated their opposi- tion to the expansion plan at several pre-election events. Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 Wyckoff School board hires new teachers for September by John Koster The Wyckoff K-8 Board of Education has hired a dozen new teachers for the 2014-15 school year and reassigned several others. Monica Sangiorgi has been hired as a first grade teacher at Coolidge School with a BA at Step 1 at a salary of $49,294. Nicole Priestner has been hired as an eighth grade lan- guage arts teacher at Eisenhower Middle School with an MA at Step 6 at a salary of $56,853. Kristina Nienhouse has been hired as a fourth grade leave replacement teacher at the Coolidge School with a BA at Step 1 at a salary of $48,782, pro-rated through about Jan. 15. Mallory Dana has been hired as a fifth grade teacher at the Lincoln School with an MA at Step 2 at $54,294. Daniel Dodd has been hired as a physical education teacher at the Washington School with a BA at Step 2 at $49,294. Beth Lindner-Bickerstaffe has been hired as a third grade leave replacement teacher with a BA at Step 1for the Lincoln School at $48,782 pro-rated through about June 30. Brianne Donohue has been hired as a leave replacement teacher for the fourth grade at the Washington School at a BA at Step 1 with a salary of $48,782 pro-rated with a prob- able date of June 30. Ashlen Pagano has been hired as a leave replacement (continued on page 19) June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Midland Park Legion post looks to merge with neighboring post Faced with alarmingly dwindling membership num- bers, Hugh Connelly Post 130, American Legion of Midland Park and Wyckoff is looking to merge with a neighboring post, possibly Oakland’s or Waldwick’s. “It was determined that this action be taken at this time while we still have concerned members who can facilitate any merger rather than to have it happen when we have no leadership at all,” said Post Treasurer John Grisoni following a meeting earlier this month. The Post is down to a handful of active members from its heyday of 30 to 50, and its longtime commander, Joe Bush, is moving from the area. Grisoni said that the members’ main concern is to be able to continue to serve veterans and the communi- ties of Midland Park and Wyckoff as they have done for decades. He said they still want to sponsor Midland Park and Wyckoff boys to attend NJ Boys’ State, a statewide citizenship convocation, and wish to contribute to schol- arships and worthy charities in the area. This year the post sent three MPHS juniors to Boys’ State at Rider University and also awarded two $500 scholarships to MPHS seniors. “We have a treasury of over $30,000, and we wish to allocate those funds for our traditional purposes as long as those funds endure,” said Grisoni. He added that these points must be considered and agreed upon by any accepting post before Post 130 disbands and merges with any other local American Legion post. A final decision will likely not be made before the fall, Grisoni said. Hugh Connelly Post and VFW Post 7086, both seeing their membership numbers decline, had tried to merge in the early 2000s, but the move was rejected by the national VFW in Nashville. So in 2007 the VFW sold its post home on Woodside Avenue and purchased and upgraded the Legion’s property on Faner Road. According to the terms of the agreement between the two organizations, the American Legion kept 10 percent of the sale price of its building for its present and future operating expenses and programs. It also received a 40-year lease for the organization and its auxiliary to use the building for meetings and other events. Since then, however, interest, membership and activi- ties have declined to the point where only two or three members attend meetings, Grisoni said, though there are about 45 dues-paying members. “Without a quorum, nothing could be accomplished,” he said.. Grisoni said members still remember the days when the Hugh Connelly post was a vibrant organization. “I’m told that Friday nights saw 30 or 50 American Legion members gathered at the post enjoying each oth- er’s company and playing pool or shuffleboard. The bar was a primary source of revenue to help fund Boys State sponsorships and scholarships. As membership declined because of the passing of the WWII vets and the aging of the Korean vets, activities declined also. The vets from Vietnam were not eager to join veteran organizations. I suppose that sad toll of Midland Park’s young men during the Viet Nan era did not help,” he added. “The feeling is that the move should be made while the post has some vestige of leadership left rather than have its assets disbursed by others who have no inter- est in the Midland Park/Wyckoff community,” Grisoni concluded. Post 130 was established in 1943 by World War I vet- erans, with Hugh E. Connelly as its first commander. Construction of the post home on Faner Road was done entirely with volunteer labor from legionnaires and the community at large and was completed in August, 1955. Church schedules Vacation Bible School Midland Park Christian Reformed Church invites children from age four through grade six to “SHINE Vacation Bible School 2014.” The camp will be held from 9:30 a.m. to noon July 28 through Aug. 1. VBS will focus on the difference between being a glory giver and a glory getter. There program will fea- ture music, crafts, games, snacks, and a Bible site. Reg- istration is required, and may be completed at MPCRC. org, follow the links to VBS. The church’s class for women includes fellowship, Bible study, and a craft. MPCRC is located at 183 Godwin Avenue in Mid- land Park. For more information, call the church office at (201) 445-4260. Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 Midland Park Borough begins hearing on policeman’s suspension Hall of Fame honorees Two former Midland Park Public School educators were inducted into the district’s Education Hall of Fame last week. Arlene Seiders and the late Joan Musci were honored for their contri- butions to the district, and their framed photographs will hang in the Hall of Fame area of Mid- land Park High School. Pictured above, from left: Mrs. Musci’s children: Andrew Musci, Ellen Peixoto and Larry Musci, Arlene Seiders and Board President Maryalice Thomas. Mrs. Musci retired in 1990 as the director of special services after serving 22 years in the special educa- tion department. Seiders, who taught at the elementary and middle school levels and served in many peer leadership and mentoring roles, retired in 2002 after 26 years of service. A hearing officer is expected to rule in August whether Midland Park Police Offi- cer Joseph B. Gaeta should be reinstated to the job from which he was suspended nearly two and a half years ago. Gaeta pleaded guilty in 2011 to driving an all- terrain vehicle while drunk following a DWI training session at the Law & Public Safety Institute in Mahwah. He had vol- unteered to drink beer and undergo field sobriety tests performed by trainees for the state police program. The administrative hearing earlier this month was the start of the administra- tive process to determine what disciplin- ary action the department should take against Gaeta. Ordinarily, the hearing officer in such disciplinary cases is the borough administrator, but borough offi- cials decided to go with an independent officer with no ties to the area, according to Mayor Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan. He said that because Gaeta is the son of the late Superior Court Judge Bruce Gaeta, the borough wanted to avoid any conflict of interest issues. The mayor also said that Matthew Mahoney, the officer selected, had expe- rience in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and as a special assistant U.S. attorney. Joseph Rem, Gaeta’s attorney, argued at the hearing that total dismissal is a “grossly inappropriate” penalty. “They want to terminate him from his job simply because he was on an ATV, drove while his blood alcohol level was over the limit, and fell off the vehicle. His only infraction in the seven years he was employed resulted in a penalty of only $150 fine. To terminate a man’s career on that, when he was helping the state police, is not appropriate,” Rem said. The attorney said that the internal affairs investigation that recommended dismissal had also ignored the fact that Gaeta had been commended on three dif- ferent occasions for saving people’s lives. “He wants to be reinstated right away. He has been surviving for more than two years without pay,” Rem said. (continued on page 18) June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & III • Page 9 How to throw a successful outdoor wedding Outdoor weddings are romantic when done right, and a growing number of couples are exchanging vows amid an expansive garden or with the splendor of the pounding surf providing a picturesque backdrop. If Mother Nature cooperates, outdoor weddings can go smoothly. Even if the weather does not cooperate, there still are ways couples can enjoy a memorable ceremony. Preparation and planning help keep outdoor weddings moving along. Weather can be unpredictable and unforgiv- ing, so it is always best to account for various scenarios. The following are some tips to consider. Be mindful of hot weather. Many outdoor wed- dings occur when temperatures are at their warmest. As anyone who has had to sit outdoors in the blazing sun for an extended period of time can attest, it can grow quite uncomfortable, especially when everyone is dressed to the nines. Advise guests in advance that the wedding will be taking place outdoors and to dress accordingly. Arrange to have shaded areas for guests who may struggle with the heat. Keep chilled bottled water nearby so guests can stay cool and refreshed. Ask the officiant to keep the ceremony brief so guests are not melting away in their seats. Keep wind in mind. A stiff breeze can upset tents and wreak havoc on hairstyles. Be sure everything outdoors is properly secured and weighted down. Avoid light fabrics on a wedding gown that will get swept away by wind. A short, blusher veil may be more appropriate than a sweep- ing train. Couples should advise their hairstylists that they will be getting married outdoors, and looks should be well secured by bobby pins and gel to keep hair in place. Stick to real dishes for food service, as plastic or lightweight mate- rials may get blown away. Check for power sources. Choose a wedding location with easily accessible power outlets. Guests will certainly want to hear the vows, and that may require the use of microphones and a sound system. Having power available also makes it easier for bands and musicians to set up their equipment for an outdoor reception. If the wedding will be stretching into the evening hours, electricity will be needed to power supplemental lighting that illuminates the festivi- ties. Ensure accessibility. Outdoor terrain can prove tricky, especially for older guests or those with mobility issues. When scouting for locations, select a wheelchair-accessible spot that can be easily traversed. Understand that turf can become water-logged and challenging to walk over should it rain the day of the wedding or prior. Plastic or fabric runners may make things easier. Choose a location that is not too far off the beaten path. It should be close enough to a parking lot and not require guests to have to take an extended hike through nature. Face away from the sun. Glare can make it difficult for guests to see the ceremony. Be sure to arrange seats so that guests do not have to look into the sun. This is best achieved by having the sun behind everyone for the ceremony. It also ensures that the bride and groom will not end up with washed-out photos or pictures of everyone squinting. Ensure food is properly chilled or heated. Dining out- doors means keeping food safety in mind. Food that is sup- posed to be kept cool should remain on ice or be refrigerated until served. Hot foods should remain hot. Food in chafing dishes or served buffet-style also should be protected from insects. Improper handling of food can result in food-borne illnesses. No one wants to remember a wedding for intes- tinal discomfort. Use flowering potted plants. Cut flowers tend to wilt prematurely in hot weather. Rather than waste money and beautiful flowers, choose potted plants that will thrive if well-tended. Guests can then take the plants home and con- tinue to cherish the wedding long after it is over. Budget for a tent. It is always better to have a contingency plan if the weather is uncooperative. A tent with surround- ing sidewalls may be sufficient. Otherwise, determine if there is an indoor location that can be kept on standby. Mix up the candles. Intersperse citronella candles with decorative ones to help keep bugs at bay. In addition, con- sider placing small bottles of insect repellent on the tables. Guests will appreciate the gesture if biting flies or mosqui- toes want to join in the fun. Plan for all the possibilities so an outdoor ceremony or reception will go as smoothly as possible. Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & III • June 25, 2014 Diana Sapinski to wed Staci Warr to marry Mr. and Mrs. Stani- slaw Sapinski of Wayne have announced the engagement of their daughter Diana to Bryan Scanlon, son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Scanlon of Waldwick. The bride-to-be is a graduate of DePaul Catholic High School and John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She holds a bachelor’s degree in forensic science. Her fiancé is a gradu- ate of Waldwick High School and works for the Motion Picture Studio Mechanics Local 52. The couple will marry on Nov. 8, 2014 at Saint Luke’s Church in Ho-Ho-Kus. Fines celebrate 70 years Harold and Doris (nee Dutcher) Fine celebrated their 70 th Anniversary on May 2. The couple was married in 1944 in the First Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood just before Harold was shipped out to fight in World War II with the United States Army’s 26 th Yankee Division. For 40 years, they lived in Ridgewood, where they raised their three children, Connie (Richard) Ryan, Louise (Lu) Ricart, and Chris (Mary- Ellen) Fine. After retiring 30 years ago, Mr. and Mrs. Fine moved to Waldwick. They are the proud grand- parents of Derek, Kyle Alex, Thomas, Aidan, Shannon, and Aislin. They also have nine great-grandchildren: Lili, Quinlan, Owen, Jake, Dylan, Deonna, Josh, Leland, and Nicolas. Kenneth and Julie Warr of Waldwick have announced the engage- ment of their daughter Staci to Steven Rau, son of Michael and Karen Rau of Midland Park. The bride-to-be is a 2006 graduate of Waldwick High School and is a certified medi- cal assistant. She is employed with a private medical facility and is a volunteer EMT in Ho- Ho-Kus. Her fiancé is a 2004 graduate of Midland Park High School. He graduated from the Uni- versity of Hartford in 2008 with a bachelor’s of science degree in civil engineering. He is a civil engineer/con- struction inspector for Stantec Consulting and a volunteer firefighter in Midland Park. A July 2015 wedding is planned. June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II & III • Page 11 Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 Area Rotary awards scholarships to area graduates The Wyckoff-Midland Park Rotary Club recently awarded 11 scholarships to local students at a breakfast meeting held at The Brick House. The candidates were selected through an interview process, academic achievement and community ser- vice. Pictured in photo at left, are Wyckoff’s recipients Allison Diaz, Daniel Klyde Superintendent (continued from page 4) MacKay, who was the school district’s direc- tor of curriculum at the time, was appointed interim superintendent from May 16, 2013 to the end of August, when Palestis joined the school district. In other business at the school board’s public meeting, the trustees reappointed 169 tenured certified district staff with their placement on the district’s salary guide to remain at the 2012-13 salary guide levels pending the agreement on a new contract between the school district and the Ramapo Indian Hills Education Association. The RIHEA represents more than 300 mem- bers, including full- and part-time teachers and supplemental teachers, administra- tive assistants, technical assistants, special education teaching assistants, custodial, maintenance, grounds, and security staff employed by the school district. In addition, 11 tenured certified district subject supervisors were reappointed for the 2014-15 school year. Their salary guide placement will remain at the 2012-13 salary guide levels pending the new contract agreement. F.J. MCMAHON and Kristen Arnold with Scholarship Committee members Russ Kamp and Gordon Stanley. At right are Midland Park Award recipients Lauren Raffaelli, Kathryne Post, Kaitlin Lelinho, Nicole Halak, and Erin McKenna. (Photos courtesy of Peter Bran- nigan.) June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 13 Veterinary checkups for cats are a necessity Some people prefer cats, while others’ loyalty lies with dogs. Dogs and cats have different personalities, which is what draws people to them for one reason or another. Though different, cats and dogs need to visit the veterinar- ian for routine checkups. Still, it seems dogs head to the vet more frequently than cats. Organizations like the American Association of Feline Practitioners and others have uncovered the disparity in care among dogs and cats. Cats are less likely to receive veterinary health care than dogs, as research shows that cats make up about one-quarter of patients at small animal veterinary clinics. Cats have long been second to dogs as the most popular pet. However, cats may be edging out dogs as the preferred pet, particularly because they seem to need less attention and maintenance. These same qualities that make cats attractive pets could be putting their health at risk. Cats that tend to fend for themselves act aloof and may not give their owners any indication that they are sick. As a result, pet owners can become complacent about cat care, simply because they don’t spend as much time with cats as they may with a dog. People tend to interact more with their dogs by taking them for walks and playing with them. So it is more notice- able when something is not right with a dog. Cats, how- ever, are more stoic. When they don’t feel well, cats will run away and hide. Changing vaccine schedules for many animals may also affect how often cats visit the vet. Immunizations have changed so some shots can be offered every two or three years instead of annually. Therefore, pet owners may not see the need to visit the vet unless the animal is due for a shot. This can put a cat at risk because it is usually during routine exams when vets uncover something the pet owner • Discussion of the animal’s medical history • Testing of the cat’s stool • Examination of the cat’s nose and nasal passages for signs of infection • Examination of the gums, teeth, and tongue • Examination of the ears to check for mites or any dis- charge • Examination of the eyes • Examination of the body for parasites or skin disease • Check for any abnormal growths or tenderness • Examination of heart and lung sounds • Collection of blood to test for heartworm, feline leuke- mia, and feline immunodeficiency virus If any abnormalities are suspected, more intensive test- ing may be prescribed. Cats are prized for their ability to be self-sufficient and not need the same level of attention as most dogs. However, these traits should not preclude them from receiving rou- tine medical wellness exams. may not have noticed. The American Animal Hospital Association urges cat owners to remember that every year that passes for a cat is equivalent to several years for a person, making it impera- tive for cats to receive wellness examinations, including laboratory testing, once a year. Healthy senior cats should be examined once every six months, as illnesses and changes in an older cat’s health can progress quickly. A veterinarian will go over a number of things at an annual wellness visit. Here is a list of some things to expect: Page 14 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 Helpful tips to help pets handle a relocation An unpredictable job market has forced many men and women to uproot their families and start over in another city. Such a move can affect all family members, including the family pet. Moving can be tough on everyone in the household, but especially so for pets, who have no way of understanding why everything is suddenly being packed away and removed from the house. As a result, pets can become especially nervous during a move. Pet owners with exotic animals or less common pets, such as monkeys or large cats, should consult local law enforcement in the town where they are moving to determine if they need any special permits for their animals. Pet owners who have more traditional pets like house cats and dogs can consider the following tips to make sure their animals handle the move as well as pos- sible. Get a photograph of your pet before the move and have all documents at the ready. In the days leading up to your move, take a photograph of your pet so you have a recent one on hand should the pet get lost or run away amid the hectic pace of the move. In addition, make sure the pet’s ID tag includes your cell phone number and not just your home phone number, which may not still be active once you begin the move. It is also a good idea to have all of the pet’s documents together before making the move. This includes its inocula- tion records and a recent health certificate if your new city requires it. Buy a comfortable carrier. If you don’t already have one, buy your pet a comfortable carrier that is big enough for the pet to stand up, shift positions, and lie down. Make sure the bottom of the carrier is leak-proof and well ventilated. Make sure its door can be securely shut, but don’t lock it. Locking it can make it difficult to remove the pet from the carrier in case of an emergency. Research air travel. If traveling by air, start doing your homework as early as possible. When traveling by air, it is best to find a nonstop flight so the pet does not have to endure the process more than once. Nonstop flights are least expensive the earlier you start looking, and the ear- lier you look the more you can choose an airline that is most amenable to pet travel. Before handing the carrier over to airline personnel, be sure to clearly write the pet’s name on the outside of the carrier. Discuss traveling with your pet’s veterinarian. Some pets benefit from taking a mild sedative before travel- ing. Such sedatives can help a pet remain calm while in transit. Discuss with the veterinarian the pros and cons of giving your pet a sedative. The veterinarian will know the animal well enough to decide if a sedative is necessary and healthy. Make stops. Many families drive when relocating. In such instances, make stops to allow the pet to enjoy some fresh air out of the carrier. This is especially beneficial to larger pets; just make sure the pets are on a leash before letting them out of the vehicle. When making stops, never leave the pet alone in the vehicle, especially on a hot day when pets can easily dehydrate. Establish a pet room immediately upon arrival. Be sure this room is well ventilated, can be closed securely, and has as much of the pet’s necessities (bowl, blanket, bed- ding, and toys) in the room before you let the pet out of the carrier. This will give the pet an instant sense of familiar- ity, and the pet won’t be bothered while the rest of your possessions are moved into the home. Moving with a pet is not always easy. But a few simple tips can help make the process go more smoothly for owner and animal alike. June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 15 Pets can have a positive effect on human health Studies that link pet ownership with human health benefits abound. According to WebMD, one study found that 48 stock- brokers who adopted a pet experienced lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than did people who did not have pets. Another study found that individuals suffering from serious diseases, such as cancer or AIDS, are far less likely to expe- rience depression if they have a strong tie to a pet. Pets have also proven beneficial to seniors struggling with loneliness. Any pet can try a person’s patience at times, especially when a kitty has used a sofa as a scratching post or when a pooch needs to be let into the yard at 3 a.m. How- ever, for many pet owners, the benefits of having a pet far outweigh the negatives. Here are some of the many ways that pet ownership can be good for one’s health. Lower blood pressure: Petting a dog or cat can lower blood pressure, as can watch- ing a fish swim around a tank. Those with hypertension may want to purchase or adopt a companion animal to help lower their blood pressure. Reduce stress: Stress is something people face on a daily basis. According to a National Health Interview Survey, 75 per- cent of the general population experiences at least “some stress” every two weeks, and many times that stress is moderate to severe. Research has indicated that when people spend time with a pet their levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress, is lowered while their level of serotonin, a hormone associated with improved mood and well-being, is increased. Lower cholesterol: Lifestyle factors associated with pet ownership, particularly a focus on increased physical health and activity, can help lower cholesterol levels. Also, having a pet works to reduce stress, which may keep individuals from looking to fatty foods as ways to alleviate anxiety. Fight depression: Many therapists have prescribed pet therapy as a method to alle- viate and recover from depression. A pet is an unconditional friend and can provide the ear a person needs to talk through prob- lems. Also, walking and taking care of a pet takes attention away from problems and inward thinking. Improve physical activity levels: Head- ing to the gym is one way to get a workout, but spending an hour walking the dog or tossing around a ball for a game of chase and fetch is another way to get the heart pumping. Many dog owners benefit from the exercise and companionship that go with daily walks. Reduce stroke incidences: There has been evidence that cat owners are less likely to suffer strokes than people who do not have cats. Researchers are not sure of the connection, but surmise that cats have a more calming nature than other types of pets. Greater opportunities for socialization: Humans are social animals and need to interact with others. Pet owners have a ten- dency to want to share time and experiences with other pet owners. Pets can provide opportunities for people to get together. ADHD therapy: Children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often benefit from working with a pet or having a pet as a family companion. Playing with a pet is a great way to release excess energy and focus on tasks. In addition, a pet’s unconditional love can help someone with ADHD overcome self-esteem issues. Similar results are possible when pets are used as therapy animals for children with autism and other behavioral disabilities. Reduce propensity for allergies: Children who grow up in homes with cats and dogs are less likely to develop common allergies and even asthma, research suggests. In fact, children who live around two or more dogs or cats before their first birthday are less likely to have allergies of any sort, accord- ing to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Research presented at the 10th Inter- national Conference on Human Animal Interaction found pet owners were the least likely to have to visit the doctor. The survey of more than 11,000 respondents from Aus- tralia, China, and Germany found that, over a five-year period, pet owners made 15 to 20 percent fewer annual visits to the doctor than non-pet owners. The companionship and love pets pro- vide could be a key benefit in promoting good personal health. Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 Back to Baghdad The war drums are once again pounding as the United States contemplates the response to the Sunni victory over the Shiites in Iraq. The horrible stories and scenes may make us forget for a moment that, after more than 5,000 Americans were killed in action, we were told this war had ended in triumph. Remember Operation Desert Storm? At the beginning of the campaign, we were told the Iraqis who invaded Kuwait had ripped Kuwaiti babies out of their incubators to send the incubators home to Iraq and leave the babies to die. That never happened. The “nurse” who told the story turned out to be the daughter of a Kuwaiti diplomat and not a nurse at all. Remember the 2003 invasion of Iraq in search of “weap- ons of mass destruction” that turned out not to have existed? Jessica Lynch, a 19-year-old soldier, was part of a convoy that took a wrong turn into Basra, was “ambushed,” and shot to pieces. Stories said Lynch fought heroically, and that she was raped and tortured. Some years later, Lynch, now a civilian, went public with a new story: She had never fired her weapon, was not raped or tortured, and the Iraqi hospital staff took good care of her and told her American rescuers where to find her. One Iraqi nurse even sang for her to cheer her up. Rape sells newspapers and books, and inspires ven- geance. Such was the intention of the “Rape of Belgium,” made famous 100 years ago by British newspapers that wanted to whip up the Anglo-Saxons on both sides of the Atlantic to destroy “German militarism” and stifle Germa- ny’s commercial threat to Britain. In 1914, the Germans offered Luxemburg and Belgium neutrality and post-war reparations if both indefensible countries sat out a German invasion of France. Luxemburg accepted and the Germans passed through Luxemburg with- out incident. Belgium actually declared war on Germany. The story centered around mass rapes of Belgian women and girls by German soldiers, babies being tossed around on bayonets, children having their hands cut off, nuns being used as the clappers of church bells -- and made no sense except as a reversion to sheer barbarism by the people who had given the world Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, the gasoline engine, and the cures for diphtheria and syphilis. What actually happened? Most of the Belgian army’s reservists had not received their uniforms and turned out with their weapons in civilian clothes, joined by civilians, to shoot at the German invaders. The Germans retaliated and shot anybody who fired on their troops. Belgian and British propaganda turned this into a massacre of inno- cents. The neutral powers had eight correspondents with the German army and Thomas Fleming reports in “The Illusion of Victory” that the correspondents sent out a joint telegram: GERMAN ATROCITIES GROUNDLESS... UNABLE REPORT SINGLE INCIDENT UNPRO- VOKED REPRISAL...NUMEROUS INVESTIGATIONS PROVED GROUNDLESS. Clarence Darrow arrived in Belgium a year later and offered $1,000 (about $20,000 today) to any Belgian child who could show him the stumps of lopped-off hands. There were no takers. James Bryce, a respected British historian, wrote a report in which he affirmed that many of the German atrocities were real. But nobody could find a victim who would talk or had seen a baby on a bayonet. Bryce ended a respected career by being posthumously exposed as a blatant propagandist. The Germans lost 900 soldiers marching through Bel- gium and 108 of these Germans were killed or wounded by shotguns -- civilian weapons banned on the battlefields. When a German officer found two of his men accosting a Belgian woman, he arrested them. They each got six months in prison. No private German diaries admit to shooting women unless the women were shooting at them. Some Belgian women may have been shot while clinging to their husbands. The next outrage was “The Crucified Canadian.” A dead Canadian officer was reportedly found in 1915 pinned to a wooden door by eight bayonets. Accounts, however, sometimes described three soldiers, sometimes a sergeant rather than an officer, sometimes an Englishman rather than a Canadian, and described the body in three or four different locations -- including one site never occupied by the German army. When a British war art display featured a sculpture of “The Crucified Canadian” in 1920, the Ger- mans told the British to provide plausible evidence of the crucifixion or withdraw the sculpture. The British with- drew the sculpture. Another crucifixion was depicted by the Dyess Report, published in 1944. William “Ed” Dyess, a Bataan Death March survivor, reported seeing an American soldier cru- cified on a barbed-wire fence between two crucified Fili- pino soldiers. Dyess was an American fighter pilot flying over Bataan. He survived the march, served with the Filipino guerillas, and escaped to the United States by submarine. Dyess was flying a twin-engine fighter plane over suburban Los Angeles in 1943 when one engine burst into flames. Rather than bail out and have the plane crash into Burbank, Dyess tried to ride out the fire. The plane crashed and Dyess was killed. The twist of the Dyess crucifixion story is that there was only one road out of Bataan -- and no other American of the thousands on the march seems to have mentioned the crucifixion scene. Americans reported that any American caught with Japanese money, Japanese family photographs, or sou- venirs plausibly looted from a dead Japanese citizen was instantly beheaded. Americans who could not keep up with the march were murdered. Nobody else saw a crucifixion. When the Dyess report first hit print after Dyess died, casualties from the march were listed as 5,200, with cho- reographed cries for the total extermination of the Japanese as a race. The real documented post-war number was 600 to 650. One awful wartime secret was the fact that some Army enlisted men on the death march were delighted when the Japanese slugged American officers for “disrespect,” as reported in “Death March” by Donald Knox. Some younger soldiers, according to death march survivor Colonel Irvin Alexander, in “Bataan and Beyond,” refused to help U.S. officers they disliked and left the sick, tottering older men for the Japanese “buzzard squad” that finished off strag- glers. Every last U.S. Marine survived the march because the Marines stood by their officers and stuck together. None of the 77 American nurses died, and not one was raped. Colonel Alexander’s book was bad for U.S. propaganda. He wrote it in 1949 and it was not published until 2005. Dyess became a propagandist without knowing it because he had died a hero’s death before his report hit print - - apparently doctored by somebody in the Office of War Information who thought a crucifixion would add a nice touch to a war with heavy racial implications on both sides. When the truth is bad enough, why make it worse? Was it to justify the subsequent mass bombings that killed 800,000 Japanese women and children? Americans need to learn that lying is acceptable in most of the world. They also need to understand that the kind of political stability we were able to impose and foster in post- war Germany and post-war Japan relied on the heritage of constitutional monarchy where people were accustomed to voting and where human rights in the past had been taken for granted. We obviously failed to find Germany’s Konrad Adenauer (Catholic, Christian Democrat) or Japan’s Shigeru Yoshida (secret Catholic, received the last rites on his deathbed) in Iraq. We might be wise not to waste another 5,000 Ameri- can lives looking for someone like them in Iraq. He could be as elusive as the weapons of mass destruction we went looking for the first time. Letters to the Editor Appreciates Memorial Day volunteers Dear Editor: I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the many volunteers who assisted at the Wyckoff Memorial Day Parade. It is because of these dedicated individuals that we are able to have two memorial services and a parade to honor our veterans. A special thank you is extended to all of the corpo- rate sponsors who generously donated toward the parade expenses. Many thanks to the Wyckoff Police Department and Fire Police for their assistance with the traffic detail; the Wyckoff Community Emergency Response Team for their help at the staging area and along the parade route; the Wyckoff Fire Department for their assistance in setting up, cleaning up, and for the use of their facilities; the Wyckoff Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary for cooking and serving hot dogs for the enjoyment of township residents; the staff of the township clerk’s office for their efforts in preparing for the parade; and the Midland Park/Wyckoff VFW Post 7086 for their invaluable support and assistance every year. All of your efforts are very much appreciated. Finally, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the members of the Wyckoff Memorial Day Parade Com- mittee for their tireless efforts in making our Memorial Day celebration a successful event every year. It takes the work of many hands to continue to honor our veterans who made the supreme sacrifice so that we might enjoy the freedom we have today. Nick Ciampo, Parade Chairman Wyckoff Residents appreciate diversity Dear Editor: As new residents of Midland Park (less than two years), we are appalled by what we are reading from those opposed to a mosque opening in town. The perceived change in the character of the community and a resulting decrease in property values are all based on prejudicial, intolerant, and uneducated views. Some comments from those opposed. “I’m concerned about this new group, not about religion. Previous churches were built to serve a religious need in the community. This group is from the outside. Let’s go back to where neighbors matter.” “You could have offered tax breaks to a developer. Look at other options. The town is not going in the right direction.” “The mosque will bring more traffic and speed- ing.” “Why didn’t the governing body help the Korean con- gregation with its tax problems?” “We want nice neighbors who pay taxes.” “We moved here for the blue collar feel of the town.” Our responses to these comments: If taxes are the issue why would the town offer a tax break to a developer? The town is not going in the right direction? Which direction is that north, south, east, or west? A developer building a bunch of townhomes or McMansions on 2.8 acres would most certainly increase traffic, noise, and require additional police, fire, and EMS protection. Locals already speed on Irving Street, we know, we live there. The town did try to help the Korean church but the church failed to provide the appropriate documentation. However, it was ok that there was a Korean congregation (from out of town) not paying taxes but not a mosque. Residents already have nice neigh- bors who pay taxes now they will have nice neighbors who don’t pay taxes. Please tell us how a mosque is going to change the blue collar feel of the town? As a family we have not found a house of worship in Midland Park that we plan to attend and are looking elsewhere. But maybe the residents of that town will not be accepting of us because we don’t belong to the “neighborhood” we are outsiders. We would like to know where are the religious leaders of Midland Park? Why are they so silent? We teach our children acceptance, tolerance, and diver- sity and this outcry of opposition is against our beliefs and teachings. So if people are really opposed to the opening of a mosque, then they should sell their home. No one is stop- ping them. We’re sure we will get new tax-paying neigh- bors who are accepting and tolerant. (continued on page 18) June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 17 Franklin Lakes Scribe Car wash fundraiser set The Franklin Lakes 12U War Eagles Travel Baseball Team is traveling to Cooperstown in July. As part of the team’s fundraising efforts, the boys are selling tickets for car washes at Urban Auto Spa. Tickets may be used at both spa locations: 827 Franklin Avenue in Franklin Lakes and 785 Route 17 in Ramsey. The auto spa will donate 50 per- cent of the proceeds from the ticket sale. Tickets are $20, and entitle the bearer to a “silver wash special.” A book containing tickets for five car washes is available for $100. Contact Laura at sjmomma@optonline. net to purchase tickets. Ramapo announces Dean’s List Ramapo College of New Jersey has named the following Franklin Lakes students to the Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester: Alexis Koltun Krantz, Jeffrey J. Danese, Jenna A. De Marco, Nicholette Ivezaj, Sonia A. Bermudez, and Steven O. Hofmann. Nature Day Camps available Lorrimer Nature Sanctuary in Franklin Lakes is host- ing a variety of summer day camps. Programs are designed to foster environmental awareness and an appreciation of the natural world. Camps will feature direct experience with the natural world through hands-on activities, games, crafts, and nature exploration. Children ages four through six are invited to attend Tad- pole Camp. Tadpoles will meet for one-week sessions. Ses- sions are available the weeks of July 7 and 21, and Aug. 18. Junior Naturalists, who are ages seven through 11, may attend camp the weeks of July 14 and 28, and Aug. 11. Those in the Tadpole and the Junior Naturalists camps will spend most of the day outdoors on the sanctuary’s 14- acre property. Both of these camps will meet from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday in weekly sessions. The fee for each session is $295. There will be a Reptile and Amphibian Camp for youngsters age eight through 12. Campers will spend Millet wins two major awards at an International Science Fair Alon Millet, 16, a Franklin Avenue Middle School graduate and a sophomore at the Bergen County Acad- emies, recently competed at Intel ISEF in Los Angeles, California where he won two major awards. At the Intel ISEF Special Award Ceremony, Millet won the Development Focus Award given by the United Sates Agency for International Development in the amount of $10,000. This was the second highest award presented that evening. USAID is a “federal government agency responsible for administering foreign aid. USAID works to promote economic and social development in over 100 coun- tries around the world…” (http//www.usaid.gov/). This was USAID’s first year being a Special Award Orga- nization at Intel ISEF. The agency plans to have Millet attend USAID events in the U.S. and overseas, and is already collaborating with him with the goal of taking his research to the next step and ultimately using his research in their efforts to alleviate world hunger and increase access to energy in third world countries. At the Intel ISEF Grand Award Ceremony, the Frank- lin Lakes teen won second place in his category (plant sciences). He was awarded additional $1,500, and is having an asteroid named after him. Intel ISEF is the world’s largest science competition for pre-college students. This year, 1,783 high school students from around the globe participated at the 2014 Intel ISEF. Finalists were selected from more than seven million students worldwide. the week traveling by van to a different natural area each day in search of slimy, scaly friends. No stone will be left unturned. Field trips will include Ramapo Lake, the Celery Farm Natural Area, Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve, and Campgaw Reservation. This program, led by Sanctuary Director Patrick Scheuer, will meet from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Eagle project restores sign Steven Margherita, 18, of Franklin Lakes, graduating senior at Indian Hills High School, was recently honored in an Eagle Scout Court of Honor at Franklin Lakes United Methodist Church. For his Eagle project, Margherita restored the church’s original message board sign which had stood for over 50 years and had been removed and replaced by a modern sign at the front of the church. With the help of Boy Scouts in Troop 34, Margherita remounted the sign at the rear entrance of the church and added landscaping and lighting. The Frankln Lakes UMC is also the charter organization of Boy Scout Troop 34 of Franklin Lakes and donates space for supplies and for weekly Scout meetings. Pictured with Margherita is Pastor Jessica Camp- bell of Franklin Lakes UMC. Alon Millet Sessions will be held the weeks of July 14 and 21 and Aug. 11. The cost for each session is $360. The camps are inspected and certified by New Jersey State Board of Health. To register, call the sanctuary office at (201) 891-2185. New Jersey Audubon’s Lorrimer Sanctu- ary is located at 790 Ewing Avenue in Franklin Lakes. Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 Obituaries Mary Ann Hammond Mary Ann Hammond of Wyckoff died June 16. She was 80. She was a 1964 graduate of Seton Hall University and taught in the Teaneck school system until her retirement. She was a parishioner of Saint Elizabeth’s RC Church in Wyckoff and a member of the Ho-Ho-Kus Seniors. She is survived by her husband Harry and her children Lynn McCorkel of Ellicott City, Maryland, H. Thomas Hammond of Falls Church, Virginia, Gail Cortright of Ridgewood, and Christine Hammond of Hollywood, California. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and her sisters Kath- erine Tumiski and Connie Newman. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memo- rial donations may be made to the Saint Jude’s Tribute Program, P.O. Box 1000, Department 142, Memphis, TN 38148-0142. Giovanna ‘Jennie’ Hutchinson Giovanna “Jennie” Hutchinson of Wyckoff died June 13. She was 80. She was born in Popoli, Italy. She was a home- maker. She was a member of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Washington Township and Saint Elizabeth’s Church in Wyckoff. She was a member of the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corp for many years. She also vol- unteered at the Bergen County Blood Center in Paramus and later worked in the offices of Dr. Joseph Pizzuro and Dr. Douglas Avella. She is survived by her children Alex, Dean, Lisa and Jay and eight grandchildren. She was pre- deceased by her first husband Alexander Giovanniello and her second husband John L. Hutchinson. Arrangements were made by Becker Funeral Home in Westwood. Memo- rial donations may be made to the Susan G. Komen Foun- dation at http://ww5.komen.org/Donate/Donate.html. Edward N. Kuiken Jr. Edward N. Kuiken Jr. of Wyckoff, Maywood and Fair Lawn, died June 13. He was 66. He was a U.S. Army vet- eran of the Viet Nam War. He was a vice president of Kuiken Brothers Company, Inc. in Fair Lawn before retiring in 2000. He was a member of American Legion Post #171 in Fair Lawn and a volunteer fireman for Fair Lawn Fire Co. #1. He is survived by his children Jennifer E. Kuiken and Edward N. Kuiken III. He is also survived by his brothers Douglas R. Kuiken and Robert E. Kuiken, and many nieces and nephews. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memorial donations may be made to Valley Hospital Foundation, 223 North Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 or Christian Health Care Center, 301 Sicomac Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ 07481. Olympio ‘Larry’ Natelli Olympio “Larry” Natelli of Haledon, formerly of Wyckoff, died June 17. He was 92. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran. Before retiring, he was a machinist with the J.P. Rotella Company in Haledon. He is survived by his wife Betty (nee Stultz) and his daughter Mindy Desiderio. He is also survived by his sisters Jenny DeLuke and Jose- phine Gianonne. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memorial donations may be made to the New Jersey American Parkinson’s Disease Association, 120 Albany Street, Suite 360, New Bruns- wick, NJ 08901. Carl Thomas Singlevich Carl Thomas Singlevich of Ridgewood died June 11. He was 49. He was raised in Peapack and graduated from Bernards High School. He attended Teterboro School of Aeronautics and graduated from Redstone College in Broomfield, Colorado. As an FAA aircraft and power plant mechanic, his work on assignments for military and civilian organizations took him around the world. He is survived by his life partner Corrie Padilla and his stepchildren Victo- ria and Carlos Padilla of San Diego. He is also survived by his mother Doris Ramshaw Singlevich of Ridgewood, his father John Singlevich of Longs, South Carolina and his siblings Paul Singlevich of Bernardsville and Kimberly Singlevich Lane of Flagstaff, Arizona. Memorial donations may be made to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Insti- tute. Ernest James Traina Ernest James Traina of Mahwah, formerly of Ramsey and Lyndhurst, died June 14. He was 88. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. Before retiring in 2007, he was a supervisor at Western Electric in Kearny for many years. He was also employed at Home Depot in Clifton and Lowes in East Rutherford. He was a parishioner at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Lyndhurst, where he was an usher and a fourth degree knight in the Knights of Columbus. He is survived by his wife Claire E. Traina, his daughter Carolyn A. Felber, and his stepchildren Bruce M. Smith, Todd D. Smith, Michelle D. Krutchkoff, and Monique M. Graf. He is also survived by 15 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter. He was predeceased by his first wife Mary R. Traina, his son Richard Traina, and his granddaughter Jessica Smith. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memorial dona- tions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311. Richard H. Vriezema Richard H. Vriezema of Ridgewood died June 13. He was 76. He was a mechanic at Gill’s Safety Service in Ridgewood. For the past 18 years, he was a custodian at Mahwah High School. He is survived by his children Deborah Vriezema of Ridgewood, Kathleen Vriezema of Paterson, and David Vriezema of Carlstadt. He is also sur- vived by five grandchildren and one great-grandson. He was predeceased by his wife Nancy and his son Richard Paul Vriezema. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memorial donations may be made to the American Lung Association. Wyckoff Wanderings Twice-a-week garbage pickup returns Twice-a-week garbage collection will resume July 1. The Township of Wyckoff will maintain this schedule through the month of August. Residents may put out up to four containers per pickup. Containers should be placed at the curb by 6 a.m. on col- lection day and the empty containers should be removed by 7 p.m. For information about collection days in each area, visit www.wyckoff-nj.com or consult the index in the back of the 2014 Wyckoff municipal calendar. Ramapo announces Dean’s List Ramapo College of New Jersey has named the follow- ing Wyckoff students to the Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester: Alyssa A. Martin, Alyssa D. Kuiken, Anthony E. Darakjy, Bijan Reza Mazandarani, James K. Ainsworth, Joy C. Abma, Lauren C. Castelluccio, Matthew Marner, Paige M. Neary, Peter Thomas Konikowski, Ryan Huther, Tara J. McFadden, Thomas J. Sancetta, Tyler W. Schipper, and William Robin Amesbury. Wyckoff Meals on Wheels delivers Wyckoff Meals on Wheels delivers meals five days a week to residents who are unable to shop or cook for themselves, regardless of age. The meals, prepared by the Christian Health Care Center, are delivered by volun- teers. Special diets and a sliding scale for payments can be accommodated. For more information, contact Alma Mater at (201) 891-4840. Press releases for this column may be sent to editorial@villadom.com. Deadline is Wednesday at noon. Letters to the Editor (continued from page 16) This town needs more diversity. Our council members need to move Midland Park forward and into the 21 st cen- tury. We need to be a welcoming community to everyone, yet, if one reads the comments by those opposed, no one will want to move to Midland Park and property values will certainly decrease -- and not because of a mosque. Maureen Nassan and Robert Seltsam Midland Park Reinstatement (continued from page 8) O’Hagan said that before Gaeta’s conviction was over- turned, his driver’s license was suspended, and so he could not work. But the mayor said other issues are at stake as well against reinstatement: the effect on departmental morale, the fact that future DWI arrests Gaeta might per- form 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. Gaeta was placed on leave after the accident, and Sgt. John Gibbons, the internal affairs officer, conducted an investigation and recommended termination. The chief at the time, John Casson, and his successor, Michael Marra, both concurred, and Gaeta appealed to the governing body. But the hearing on the appeal of the disciplinary 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 pen- alty should be a fine of $150. Gaeta’s blood alcohol content when his ATV hit a tree on Wyckoff Avenue in Wyckoff 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 Gaeta’s accident occurred. June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 19 Franklin Lakes Weather cooperates for this year’s Lions Club Carnival The Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff Lions Clubs enjoyed beau- tiful weather for their annual carnival last week, attracting large crowds nightly to McBride Field in Franklin Lakes. New teachers (continued from page 6) teacher for the second grade at the Washington School with a BA at Step 1 at $48,782 with a probable departure date of March 2. Britanny Storms has been hired as a leave replacement teacher at the Washington School with a BA at Step 1 at $48,782 pro-rated approximately through January. Lauren Griffith has been appointed a second grade teacher at the Coolidge School at a salary of $49,782 for the full year. Matthew Jenish had been appointed a leave replace- ment teacher for the fifth grade at Coolidge School at $48,782 pro-rated approximately through mid-Decem- ber. Nicole Feery has been appointed a resource room teacher at the Eisenhower Middle School with an MA at Step 2 at a salary of $54,204. Nicole Keeney has been reassigned from being a fifth grade teacher at the Lincoln School to a K-5 instructional coach at the Coolidge School at Step 5 with an MA at a salary of $55,830. Jessica Lacasse has been reappointed from a second grade teacher at the Sicomac School to K-5 instructional coach at the Lincoln School with an MA plus 30 credits at Step 6 at a salary of $61,853. Stacy Linzenbold has been reassigned from being a third grader teacher at the Sicomac School to a K-5 instructional coach at the Washington School with an MA at Step 11 at a salary of $62,893. Grace White has been reassigned from supervisor of elementary education to a K-5 instructional coach at the Sicomac School with an MA plus 60 credits at Step 15 for $95,831 plus longevity in the amount of $2,100. Christine Fuller has been reassigned from district lit- eracy coach to seventh grade language arts teacher at the Eisenhower Middle School with an MA plus 30 credits at Step 15 at $95,831 plus longevity. Faiz Mohammed had been hired as a district mainte- nance mechanic at a salary of $50,000. The district also approved a contract for a new boiler at the Sicomac School for a total contract sum of $318,000 with Pennetta Industrial Automatic, and a contract for asbestos abatement with MTM Metro Corporation in the Sicomac boiler room at $27,800. Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 Hill and Tatum deliver laughs in ‘22 Jump Street’ When an unpleasant epithet is used at one point to refer to gay men, Jenko shifts gears from dim-bulb goofball to rights activist as he gives a speech about the inappropri- ateness of such terms in the modern world. The audience laughs because it is so out of character for Jenko, but the message is genuinely felt. While Jenko is hanging out with Zook, Schmidt is cozy- ing up to lovely Maya (Amber Stevens), an undergrad who knew the deceased student. Finding the drug dealer is secondary to the hijinks until the final third of the film, which is a highlight, as the actual drug dealer is revealed and lots of mayhem ensues. The team of Hill and Tatum is movie magic. They work together effortlessly and look as if they are having a grand old time. Hill is more into improvisation than Tatum, who knows to just go with the flow. His dumbfounded look is as much a comic trademark as Chaplin’s derby and cane or John Wayne’s Stetson. Hill manages to convey intelli- gence and deliver in the gag department, so he seems to be the right cop to ferret out a drug dealer, though his meth- ods may not be by the book. The scenes in which Hill and Tatum are apart are the weakest. Together, they are a ter- rific comedy team. Rated R for strong language, “22 Jump Street” is the perfect summer flick. The film delivers plenty of laughs, which might keep viewers from realizing they are watching pretty much the same movie as this one’s predecessor. Undercover cops Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are on the trail of a drug dealer in ‘22 Jump Street.’ by Dennis Seuling Hollywood long ago recognized that there was gold to be mined from sequels to popular movies. In fact, many sequels have surpassed the originals in box office dollars. The difficulty with sequels has always been giving view- ers what they enjoyed in the first movie while skewing the story just enough to make it seem like something new. In “22 Jump Street,” directors Phil Lord and Christo- pher Miller (“21 Jump Street,” “The Lego Movie”) play with that conundrum with lots of inside jokes and dialogue that work not only to establish and move the plot ahead, but also to comment on the requisites of making a sequel. Cops Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) are given a new assignment by Captain Dickson (Ice Cube): Go undercover at a local college where a new designer drug has been making the rounds and is responsible for the death of a student. Their object is to find the distributor and make an arrest. Sound familiar? It is essentially the same plot as “21 Jump Street,” but the setting is a college campus instead of a high school. The twist is that their brotherly relationship is threatened when Jenko develops a man- crush on quarterback Zook (Wyatt Russell). When Jenko suggests that he and Schmidt go their separate ways in the investigation, Schmidt is hurt and a very funny breakup scene satirizes the typical male/female split so common in traditional romantic pictures. That is one of the clever- est bits in a script filled with goofiness, plays on words, improvisation, action sequences, and even a surreal dream sequence. The directors toy with gender relationships without sac- rificing laughs. As viewers watch the relationship between Jenko and Zook develop, for example, they might just be watching the “meet cute” scene in a traditional romantic flick. However, the movie never slips into anything other than a buddy-type relationship between Jenko and Zook. June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 21 ‘Winter’s Tale’ incorporates time travel and destiny by Dennis Seuling “Winter’s Tale” (Warner Home Video) marked the directorial debut of Akiva Goldsman, the screen writer of “A Beauti- ful Mind” and “The da Vinci Code.” Based on a best-seller by Mark Helprin, “Winter’s Tale” was a natural for film adaptation because of its heavy reliance on fantasy. Peter Lake (Colin Farrell) is a thief who falls in love with Beverly Penn (Jes- sica Brown Findlay). In a nod to “Camille,” Beverly is afflicted with a deadly form of consumption. Peter has been targeted for a much more violent death by his one-time mentor, the demonic Pearly Soames (Rus- sell Crowe). Peter’s attempts to save his one true love take him across time and against the forces of evil. The story takes place in three different years: 1895, 1916, and 2014. Though the period detail is impressive, the script is mawkish. The unimaginative score by Hans Zimmer is mushy romantic music intended to nudge the viewer into the right spirit. Instead, it is an annoying ingredient in an ill-conceived movie. Goldsman has assembled a fine cast including Eva Marie Saint, Will Smith, Jen- nifer Connelly, and William Hurt, but they cannot extricate the film from its script issues. The movie is a fairy tale, but wants to be grounded in reality. This is its pri- mary flaw. The elements of earthiness and whimsy never blend smoothly, making it tough for viewers to buy into the movie and empathize with its characters. It attempts to capture the style of “The Princess Bride,” but fails to deliver a similarly clever, magi- cal tone. Extras on the two-disc Blu-ray/ DVD combo pack include a digital copy and featurettes on the movie’s characters of Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findlay in ‘Winter’s Tale.’ good and evil and its love story. “Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me” (IFC) is a documentary about the legendary Broad- way, cabaret, and TV performer as she approaches her 87th birthday. Viewers see her rehearsing for a performance of her one-woman show — a grueling process as she becomes frustrated when she forgets lyrics. There are excerpts from past per- formances including her one-woman hit “Elaine Stritch at Liberty” and a one-night show at New York City’s Town Hall. The latter is especially amazing. Stritch strug- gles in rehearsal with song lyrics, but in the actual performance she is letter-perfect, not only nailing the lyrics, but also delivering them with gestures, comic emphasis, and authority. Many celebrities sing her praises. James Gandolfini, Tina Fey, Cherry Jones, Nathan Lane, Tracy Morgan, and John Turturro speak of her fondly, even reverentially, and comment on her straightforwardness and brutal honesty. Her vulnerability sur- faces when she speaks about her husband, John Bay, whom she lost to cancer in 1982. Director Chiemi Karasawa shows the real, unadulterated woman rather than a pol- ished, edited version with defects elimi- nated. Bonus features on the DVD release include deleted scenes, interview outtakes, and a poster photo shoot. “Hearts and Minds” (The Criterion Col- lection) is the Academy Award-winning 1974 documentary by Peter Davis concern- ing the United States’ involvement in Viet- nam. Davis combines stock footage, news reports, and color footage shot in war-rav- aged Vietnam. The film’s original distribu- tor considered it too controversial. Instead, it was released independently to box office and critical acclaim. The title comes from a phrase coined by President Lyndon John- son, “The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people.” Presi- dents from Truman to Nixon are seen com- menting on Vietnam. The images are unforgettable. There (continued on Crossword page) Page 22 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 DVD releases (continued from Restaurant page) are amputees trying on prosthetic limbs, soldiers visiting a Saigon brothel, a Saigon coffin maker explaining that the small coffins are for children, a profiteer bragging about his post-war prospects, and the ex-South Vietnamese presi- dent telling how the U.S. made him resign. Bonuses include unused footage, including interview excerpts from broad- cast journalist David Brinkley, French journalist and his- torian Philippe Devillers, General William Westmoreland, and presidential adviser George Ball. “Blood Ties” (Lionsgate) is set in Brooklyn in 1974. Chris and Frank (Clive Owen, Billy Crudup) are broth- ers on opposite sides of the law. Violent, hotheaded Chris has just served nine years in prison for murder. Frank is a cop who cautiously agrees to let Chris stay in the home he shares with their sister, Marie (Lili Taylor), and Leon (James Caan), their seriously ill father. Chris tries to travel a straight and honest path by getting a job at a local garage while trying to work on his relationship with his bitter, drug-addicted ex-wife, Monica (Marion Cotillard), who turned to prostitution to support their two kids while he was incarcerated. When he meets Natalie (Mila Kunis), Chris returns to a life of crime to support her, and robs an armored truck. This brings Frank into the picture. For a movie with crime as its backdrop, “Blood Ties” lacks excitement, energy, and character craftsmanship. Owen and Crudup never etch a strong enough portrayal to make viewers care about Chris and Frank. Bonuses on the Blu-ray release include a digital copy and a making-of fea- turette. “Repentance” (Lionsgate) stars Academy Award-winner Forest Whitaker as Angel Sanchez, a disturbed construc- tion worker fixated on the death of his mother. Seemingly intent on finding inner peace, Sanchez arranges to meet self-help author Tommy Carter (Anthony Mackie) at a book signing. Years after a drunken car crash that nearly killed him, Carter has reinvented himself as a successful author/ spiritual adviser. Unaware of his client’s true intent, Carter agrees to help him rebuild his shattered life. When Sanchez reveals his true intentions, Carter must do everything he can to stay alive. For a psychological thriller, “Repentance” is a by-the- book flick with few surprises. Any twists are tame and pre- dictable. Whitaker, who has been in only mediocre films since his excellent performance as Idi Amin in “The Last King of Scotland,” goes the usual route of “playing crazy” with wide-eyed stares, but never feels authentic. The only bonus on the DVD release is a making-of featurette. June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 23 ��������������������������� SERVICE MART HELP WANTED REAL ESTATE SALES FRANKLIN LAKES Get your license in 2.5 weeks. Start earning money with the busy & bustling Franklin Lakes Weichert Office offering the best training & support in the industry. Call Tamar Joffe, Manager at 201-891-6900 WEICHERT, REALTORS Beauty Salon - Shampoo Asst. Busy shop, Waldwick area. 201-747-1496 Phone Interviewers-Ramsey NO SALES 201-986-1288 PT Day/Eve/WE $9.00 SUMMER HELP – F/T Seasonal, Franklin Lakes DPW. Road work/lawn maint. Must be 18 or older with driver’s license. $11/hr. Print out app at franklinlakes.org or apply at Borough Hall, 480 DeKorte Dr., Franklin Lakes. 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Decks/ Siding / Walkways / Roof/ Gazebos/Cement/Asphalt Everything old is New again! LIMITED TIME! BOOK NOW.201-818-0742 R E A L E S T AT E HOUSE FOR SALE Gorgeous summer home: restored stage coach inn on 28 acres, 5 firepls, 4 bdrms, 3 baths, elec- tric heat, barn, gazebo, gardens, 5 mins to boat launch, 15 mins from Cooperstown NY. $295,000. Call Kathy Fistrowicz 607-267-2683 RENTAL AGENT NJ Rental Queen No fee to landlord-FREE! I Qualify All Tenants 201-790-5544. Call Allison continued on next page Page 24 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 CLASSIFIED RELIGIOUS cont. from preceding page Prayer to the Blessed Virgin RELIGIOUS Prayer to the Blessed Virgin (Never known to fail) Oh, most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splen- dor of heaven, Mother of the Son of God. Immacu- late Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me, herein you are my mother. Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth! I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this necessity There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, show me herein, you are my mother. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3x). Holy Mother, I place this cause in your hands (3x). Holy Spirit, you who solve all problems, light all roads so that I can attain my goals. You who gave me the divine gift to forgive and forget all evil against me and that in all instances in my life you are with me, I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things as you confirm once again that I never want to be separated from you in eternal glory. Thank you for your mercy toward me and mine. The person must say this prayer 3 consecu- tive days. After 3 days, the request will be granted. This prayer must be published after the favor is granted. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thank you for answering my prayers. SH Aloha! I L R E I G O U S Prayer to St. Jude (Never known to fail) Oh, most beautiful flower of Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, splen- dor of heaven, Mother of the Son of God. Immacu- late Virgin, assist me in my necessity. Oh, Star of the Sea, help me and show me, herein you are my mother. Oh, Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth! I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succor me in this necessity There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, show me herein, you are my mother. Oh, Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee (3x). Holy Mother, I place this cause in your hands (3x). Holy Spirit, you who solve all problems, light all roads so that I can attain my goals. You who gave me the divine gift to forgive and forget all evil against me and that in all instances in my life you are with me, I want in this short prayer to thank you for all things as you confirm once again that I never want to be separated from you in eternal glory. Thank you for your mercy toward me and mine. The person must say this prayer 3 consecu- tive days. After 3 days, the request will be granted. This prayer must be published after the favor is granted. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Thank you for answering my prayers. DM Oh, Holy St. Jude, apostle and martyr. Great in virtue and rich in miracles; near kinsman of Jesus Christ; faithful intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in time of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg to whom God has given such great power to come to my assistance. Help me in my present urgent petition. In return I promise to make your name known and cause you to be invoked. St. Jude, pray for us all who invoke your aid. Amen. Say three Our Fathers, Hail Marys and Glorias. Publication must be promised. This novena has never been known to fail. This novena must be said for 9 consecutive days. My prayers were answered. Thank you, St. Jude. kr Prayer to St. Clare Prayer to St. Clare Ask St. Clare for 3 favors, 1 business, 2 impossible. Say 9 Hail Marys for 9 days with lighted candles. Pray whether you believe or not. Publish the 9th day. “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised, adored & glori- fied today & every day.” Request will be granted no matter how impossible it seems. Publication must be promised. Thank you for answering my prayer. mr CLASSIFIED Up to 3 lines .............................. $12.00 $13.50 Each additional line ................... $2.50 Name _______________________________________ Address _____________________________________ City/State/Zip _________________________________ Phone _______________________________________ (25 Characters per line including spaces and punctuation) Carefully check your advertisiment the day it appears since we can not be responsible for errors of any kind in subsequent editions of the same ad. Corrections and changes, however, will be gladly made. MAIL TO: CLASSIFIEDS-VILLADOM TIMES P.O. Box 96, Midland Park, NJ 07432 Be sure to enclose your check or money order. ORDER FORM AND PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY THURSDAY 12 NOON FOR AD HELP, CALL 201-652-0744 Thank You St. Jude May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glori- fied, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us St. Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude, help of the hopeless, pray for us. Say this prayer nine times a day by the ninth day, your prayer will be answered. Publication must be prom- ised. Thank you St. Jude. js Maui Jim stirred things up recently at H. Rubin Opti- cians in Midland Park with an authentic Hawaiian Luau.Sporting a Polynesian look, owners Penny and Dana Ship enjoy the festivities while staff and customers were treated to refreshments, live entertainment and give-a-ways. Ask St. Clare for 3 favors, 1 business, 2 impossible. Say 9 Hail Marys for 9 days with lighted candles. Pray whether you believe or not. Publish the 9th day. “May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be praised, adored & glori- fied today & (continued from every day.” page 2) Request will granted will follow how at be impossible no it 7 p.m. matter The is $250 golfer. Sponsorship opportunities seems. fee Publication per must are be available. Thank more information, or to register, call Jen promised. For you for answering my 891-2081. Kaplan at (201) prayer. ts the Jay Everett Band and other local musicians. Musicians interested in participating may e-mail jayfredev@gmail. com. Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. For details, call (201) 891-9450. and martyr. Great in virtue and rich in miracles; near High School Ramapo kinsman of Class of Christ; Jesus 1964 plans reunion faithful intercessor of all The Ramapo special who invoke your High School Class of 1964 will celebrate in its patronage reunion time Oct. of need. and 18 at the Meadowlands Plaza 50th 17 To Hotel you in I have recourse An informal evening get-together Secaucus. from the my 17. will be depth held of Oct. heart A and banquet is scheduled for Oct. 18. For humbly beg to whom information, contact Ed Pepling at reservations and God has given such great power Edward@Pepling.com or (772) 828-1486. to come to my assistance. Help me in my present Register urgent petition. In return for I pottery classes promise to make is your under way for summer classes at the name Registration known and Studio, to Wortendyke cause you located in the historic railroad sta- be invoked. St. Jude, pray tion at 211 Greenwood Avenue in the Wortendyke Section for us all who invoke your of aid. Midland Park. three Our classes for adults and children Pottery Amen. Say will begin Hail Marys details, call (201) 652-5882. July 7. For and Fathers, Glorias. Publication must Church hosts be promised. This novena outdoor concert has never been known to Faith Community Church, located behind the old Sico- fail. This novena must be mac Barn 9 consecutive days. Avenue in Wyckoff, will host said for at 530 Sicomac a My free prayers were Christian music concert on Thursday, July outdoor answered. 10 Thank 7 p.m. St. This Jude. open mic event will feature music from at you, as BCCLS celebrates 35 years with a Scavenger Hunt The Bergen County Cooperative Library System is hosting a Scavenger Hunt in celebration of BCCLS 35 th Anniversary. Patrons are encouraged to visit 10 of the 76 member libraries and find the number 35 in each library. Game participants will have their entry form stamped for each “35” found. At the conclusion of the program, participants will have their name entered in a contest to win an American Express gift card. Those who collect 35 stamps will have an additional advantage. In 1979, libraries across Bergen County joined together to form a cooperative. The cornerstone of BCCLS is resource sharing. Residents are able to use their home- town library cards in other BCCLs libraries, giving them access to over 5,000,000 items. There are now 75 member libraries with 79 locations in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Passaic counties. With over 650,000 cardholders and over 11 million items circulated annually, BCCLS has greatly expanded. Cardholders at BCCLS libraries may borrow books, movies, magazines, music, video games, and more. They can access premium content databases, e-books, and downloadable audio- books anywhere they are connected. Library users of all ages can participate in a wide range of diverse library programming. Villadom Happenings Billy’s Buddies creates awareness and acceptance of individuals with to Down’s syndrome while providing their Prayer families with Jude St. valuable resources and networking oppor- tunities. St. Jude, apostle Oh, Holy June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 25 Park Windmill Ramapo announces Dean’s List Ramapo College of New Jersey has named the following Midland Park stu- dents to the Dean’s List for the spring 2014 semester: Caitlin A. Cummings, Daniel J. Lennon, Erin M. Moran, Margaret H. Szyzdlik, and Shivam Patel. Preschoolers invited to soccer clinic This fall, the Midland Park Soccer Association will hold a new soccer clinic for four- and five-year-olds. The six-week program is open to children who will be attending kindergarten in September. The clinic is part of the in-town recreation pro- gram. Players will meet at 9 a.m. on Satur- days from Sept. 6 through Oct. 11. Sign up at www.midlandparksoccer. com. Registration is $30 and includes a shirt and a ball. For more information, e- mail midlandparksoccer@gmail.com or call Chris Salge at csalge5@hotmail.com or Carl Krag at (201) 612- 9811. Summer concerts planned This summer, the Midland Park Cham- ber of Commerce and Friends of the Mid- land Park Memorial Library are teaming up to bring a series of free concerts to Midland Park. The programs will appeal to residents of all ages and musical tastes. Plans call for the concerts to be held during the month of July on Wednesday nights on the lawn, or inside the library in the event of inclement weather. The series will celebrate New Jersey’s 350th Anniversary and will feature favor- ites from the state’s rich musical history, including a celebration of Brigadier Gen- eral Abraham Godwin’s birthday on July 16. Godwin, for whom this area was previ- ously named, was a fifer during the Amer- ican Revolution. On July 23, celebrate the state’s contri- bution to the Jazz Age with the acclaimed Jersey Jazz Giants, drummer Matt Baranello, bassist Tony Ventura, sax and woodwind player Sam Dillion, and guitar- ist Randy Johnston. Enjoy Jersey golden oldies on July 30 with the 12 piece harmony-rich Epicsoul who will play favorite Jersey hits including songs from Sinatra and the DooWop era. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own blankets, chairs, and picnics. The Friends and the Chamber are seeking sponsors to support this oppor- tunity to bring together residents of Mid- land Park for this free concert series. For sponsorship information, e-mail Rebecca@mpkchamber.com. Anyone interested in getting involved in the planning, or becoming a volun- teer, may contact Friends President Jen- nifer Triolo at (201) 452-0565 or e-mail jmtriolo11@gmail.com. Visit ‘SonTreasure Island’ Faith Reformed Church will host its Vacation Bible School, “SonTreasure Island,” July 7 through 11. Children in pre-K through the sixth grade are invited a week of treasure-hunting adventure at the church located at 95 Prospect Street. Visi- tors to SonTreasure Island will learn songs and participate in skits, crafts, and games. To register, visit www.GrowingGodsPeo- ple.com or call (201) 444-1694. Good fellowship Members of the Midland Park Branch of the Valley Hospital Auxiliary gathered at Fiona’s Restaurant in Midland Park recently for an end of season luncheon and to recap the success of the group’s annual fashion show, held at the Brownstone. New members are always wel- come. Email joanncotzlevine@optonline.net for further information. Scholars rewarded Pictured at the Senior Awards Dinner are the three Midland Park Public Education Foun- dation scholarship recipients, Alyssia Pacheco, Leanna Agresta and Daniel Lynam along with Elaine Seals, MPPEF scholarship chairperson and Cheryl Crocitto, MPPEF president. The MPPEF Scholarship, in its third year, is awarded to individuals based on their strong leadership qualities and dedication to others through community service. Page 26 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • June 25, 2014 Ideas for those trying to decrease family screen time Smartphones and tablets appear to have staying power. The Pew Research Center confirms that smartphone penetration has surpassed the 50 percent mark among mobile subscribers. Many others are rou- tinely using tablets to access books, tele- vision shows, movies, and magazines. In multi-screen homes, televisions are still king. According to a 2012 Nielsen report, the average American over the age of two spends more than 34 hours a week, or more than four hours per day, watching live television. Those findings should raise an eyebrow, as health experts warn that exces- sive screen time can be hazardous to one’s health. A sedentary lifestyle spent in front of computers and video game consoles contrib- utes to poor health. Of the leading industri- alized countries, the United States has the highest obesity statistics, and Canada is not far behind. Obesity can impact cholesterol, cardiovascular health, risk for type II dia- betes, and risk for stroke. Excessive screen time can lead to sleep and eating disorders, interfere with a person’s ability to focus, and negatively affect a person’s performance at school or work. Getting a family active and reducing time spent in front of a screen can have profound effects, and reducing screen time does not have to be difficult. Gradually implement changes. Fami- lies immersed in electronic devices can cut down on screen time slowly and over the course of several weeks rather than tuning out cold turkey. Start by reducing time spent watching television or playing video games by one hour per week, and gradually reduce time spent devoted to such activities in the ensuing weeks. Hide devices. “Out of sight, out of mind” can work with respect to digital devices. If tablets or smartphones are tucked away, family members may feel less inclined to reach for them. Just as you would not stock the pantry full of fattening foods while trying to lose weight, don’t make digital devices readily available throughout the day. Keep televisions out of the bedroom. Children who have televisions in their bed- rooms tend to watch an additional 90 min- utes of programming per day than those who do not have televisions in their rooms. Keep the television in a shared area of the house so time spent watching the TV can be monitored and adjusted. Establish guidelines. Set firm limits on how much screen time will be allowed per day and stick with it. Adults can lead by example. Plan more family activities. Boredom can easily give way to time spent fooling around on the Internet or channel surfing. Parents should have a cache of ideas at the ready that promote active family time. Neighborhood walks or tossing around a baseball in the yard are enjoyable activities that cut back on time spent being seden- tary. Encourage indoor activities, such as puzzles or board games, if the weather is not cooperating. Be steadfast. Do not throw in the towel too soon. Families should stand their ground when attempting to decrease their screen time in favor of healthier activities. June 25, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 27 New research affirms benefits of the outdoors for girls Considering summer camp for your daughter? A new study by the Girl Scout Research Institute, “More Than S’mores,” shows girls benefit immensely from time spent outdoors. Girls who regularly spend time out- doors eclipse their peers who spend less time outdoors in environmental steward- ship, more readily seek challenges, and are better problems solvers. All of these traits are important in 21 st century leadership. Outdoor experiences are also particu- larly beneficial to girls of comparatively low socioeconomic status. “More Than S’mores” finds that lower-SES girls who have regular outdoor exposure through Heading to summer camp? Here’s what to bring along What do you pack when you send your child off to camp? Some parents ship their children out with enough stuff for an entire army. Other kids are lucky to leave home with a toothbrush and a change of underwear. Somewhere between the two extremes is a happy medium. Check this list of handy tips for the balance that is right for your child. Call ahead for a list of recommended items. Every camp has different require- ments. Be sure to bring towels, a blanket, a pillow and pillowcase, sheets, and a mat- tress pad. Pack a comb and brush, shampoo and conditioner, soap in a container, a tooth- brush in a holder, toothpaste, deodorant, sunscreen, insect repellent, lip balm with sunscreen, shaving supplies, and feminine products. A plastic bucket is a great way to transport supplies into the shower area. Mark or label everything with your child’s name. Include a list of emergency phone num- bers and e-mail addresses. If your child takes any medication, include the phone number of the physician in the event the prescription is lost and needs to be refilled by camp staff. A few family snapshots. (A quick cure for homesickness). A camera/electronic device that takes photos. Several pre-addressed postcards with postage, pens, and pencils, and encourage your child to write often. A flashlight and batteries. Books, magazines, Frisbees, and other toys. A bathing suit, shorts and T-shirts, rain gear, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and at least one set of warm clothing. The weather may not be kind, and the nights are often colder than anticipated. Sunglasses, eyeglasses, swim goggles. Baseball cap or hat. Boots, sneakers, sandals, dress shoes, and appropriate socks. Do not pack expensive items. Girl Scouts are likely to credit the Girl Scout experience with helping them become leaders. “In this study, we expected to see that girls were having fun in the outdoors,” said Dr. Kallen Tsikalas, lead researcher on the study. “However, we were surprised by just how much they appreciated having opportunities to take on challenges and build skills in a socially supportive envi- ronment. Girls really want to feel like they are accomplishing something and growing as a person, and the outdoors is a perfect place for them to do this.” As noted, girls learn environmental stewardship through outdoor experiences. Girl Scouts are twice as likely as non-Girl Scouts to say they take action to protect the environment (51 percent versus 23 percent) and that they have had a personal experience in nature that has made them appreciate it more (49 percent versus 29 percent). “We’ve always known that camp has a real value to girls,” said Betty Garger, pres- ident and CEO of Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey. “This study shows the con- nection between the camp experience and its effect on a girl and the skills she builds as a result of her time at camp.” For more information, call (973) 248- 8200 or visit www.gsnnj.org . Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey serves girls ages 5-17 in 160 municipalities in Bergen, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and northern Warren counties. There are cur- rently 31,465 girl members and 16,904 adult members. Page 28 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & III • June 25, 2014