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. 9 SERVING THE HUB OF NORTH-WEST BERGEN March 12, 2014 40¢ ☺ What’s News- Midland Park Challenger files Three school board incumbents to face chal- lenge from newcomer in April election. 3 FLOW Area Aid enlisted Trustees hire superintendent search firm; greater number of applicants sought. Franklin Lakes Safety measure 4 Borough council introduces new ordinance that would prohibit dangerous fences. 5 Wyckoff Remedy requested Residents, township officials want to see repairs at post office parking lot. Finding rhymes sublime 14 Students at The Little School of Waldwick celebrated the birthday of Dr. Seuss with a pajama party and a green eggs and ham lunch. The day was filled with whimsical rhymes from Dr. Seuss books and striped cat hats. “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 3-6-13 Karen/Janine CENTRAL VACUUMS 12-1-10 Karen/Janine Easily Installed In AtlanicStewardshipFrPg AtlanicStewardshipFrPg Your PRESENT HOME At A Price You Can Afford 20 20 E. E. Main St., Ramsey NJ Main St., Ramsey NJ 201-327-4900 201-327-4900 Is Your Insurance Premium Increasing? Call Allen & Allen NO MESS Representing over 10 companies budd@buddvac.com www.Insurance4NewJersey.com 201-891-3010 201.891.8790 Fairway Estate Landscaping of Hawthorne • Wood Floor Refinishing • Area Rugs/Remnants • In Home & Area Rug Cleaning 1030 Goffle Rd. @ Rt. 208 973.427.7900 www.buyabbey.com Beautiful Green Lawns “Reducing pesticides, one lawn at a time.” You Can Help! Call Us Today 201-447-3910 Midland Park HALLIGAN ELECTRIC CO., LLC AUTHORIZED DEALER www.halliganelectricco.com Installation • Maintenance 201-447-3780 LIC. 14609A What’s Inside Classified.......25 Restaurant.....23 Opinion.........18 Crossword.....24 Obituaries......20 Entertainment..22 2-20-13 Janine FairwayEstateFrPg(2-20-13) • AbbeyCarpetFrPg(7-17-13) Airport Worldwide Locally & Rev1 Service Janine • Nights on the Town Free Estimates Fully Insured 201-444-0315 • Sporting Events • Sedans, SUV’s, Limos, Vans, Buses 81 Franklin Tpke., Mahwah, NJ 201-529-1452 P.O. Box 96, Midland Park, NJ 07432-0096 Total Window & Wall Fashions Kim/Janine HalliganElecFrontPage(2-26-14) rev2 |
Page 2 THE VILLADOM TIMES I, II, III & IV • March 12, 2014 Villadom Happenings Nativity hosts Passion Play “No Greater Love” will be performed at the Church of the Nativity on Sunday, April 6. This performance by the Xavier Company will be held at 4 p.m. “No Greater Love” is a musical passion play that tells the story of the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ in drama, song, and dance. The Xavier Company is a group of Christian performing artists in residence at Saint Francis Xavier Church in New York City. The professionally trained actors, singers, and dancers perform original works focused on themes of faith and social justice. Freewill donations will be accepted by the Xavier Com- pany. The Church of the Nativity is located at 315 Prospect Street in Midland Park. For more information contact Mary Lou at (201) 444- 6362 or e-mail at mlbalog@optonline.net. Concerts continue, fundraiser announced The Waldwick Band will continue its 2013-14 winter season with a concert on Sunday, March 16. This free per- formance will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the Village School, 100 West Prospect Street in Waldwick. Clarinetist John Centenaro will be the featured performer. Centenaro began the study of the clarinet age nine. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, he studied with Peter Simenaurer of the New York Philharmonic and Charles Russo of the New York City Opera Orchestra. He served as principal bass clarinetist for the Manhattan School of Music Orchestra for most of his college years and continued to play frequently as a freelance artist. After pur- suing a career in business, he joined the Waldwick Band. Centenaro has composed original pieces for the Waldwick Band and for the Hanover Wind Symphony. This concert will premiere his “Cavatina and Variations.” The band will be under the baton of Music Director Edmund A. Moderacki. On March 16 and 17, Blue Moon Mexican Café in the Boulder Run Shopping Center in Wyckoff will sponsor a Community Night fundraiser to benefit the Waldwick Concert Band. The restaurant will donate 20 percent of all lunch, dinner, takeout, and delivery, or gift card purchases. To participate, present a Blue Moon Community Night flyer from the band’s website www.thewaldwickband.com. Flyers will also be available at the March 16 concert. Young musicians sought for competition The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra is holding its annual Bergen Philharmonic Young Artist’s Competition. This year’s competition will be open to players of string instruments, including the violin, viola, cello, and bass. Applicants must be between the ages of 14 and 26 and should be prepared to perform a concerto from the stan- dard repertoire for the finals with their own accompanist. The prepared final performance version should be no longer than 15 minutes in duration. Audition CDs must be received by the orchestra by April 12. The finals will be held May 4. The competition winner will perform with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra at a concert in the fall. Applications may be obtained from the orchestra web- site at www.bergenphilharmonic.org or by mail: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, P.O. Box 174, Teaneck, NJ 07666. For more information, call (201) 837-1980. Community Meals, Inc. takes up foundation’s challenge Community Meals, Inc. is partnering with the Feinstein Foundation to fight senior hunger through the foundation’s $1 Million Giveaway Challenge. Community Meals, the “Meals on Wheels” organization serving Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Midland Park, Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus, Waldwick, and part of Saddle River, will receive additional funding from the Feinstein Foundation in direct proportion to dona- tions made to it during the months of March and April. The foundation has pledged to donate $1 million with organizations such as Community Meals. The more dona- tions Community Meals, Inc. collects, the more the Fein- stein Foundation will donate to Community Meals to help it fulfill its mission to bring meals to those who cannot shop or cook for themselves due to age or disability. Community Meals is a private, 501 (c) 3 organization First donor Oscar Villalobos of Union City, seen here with Donor Technician Rayda Diaz, was the first donor at Community Blood Services’ new donor center in the Bergen Medical Center at 1 Ridgewood Avenue, Suite 208 when it opened on Monday, March 3. Eligible volunteer donors of all blood types and products are invited to call (201) 251-3703 for donation hours and to schedule their donation appointments at the new center. Appointments may also be made online at www.com- munitybloodservices.com. Community Blood Services, a not-for-profit organization, provides blood and blood prod- ucts for patients in 18-plus hospitals in New Jersey and New York, including Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. that receives no public funding. Community Meals depends on donations from generous individuals, religious and civic organizations, social service groups, merchants, and local business and family foundations to provide subsidized meals (often free) to clients with financial need and to keep the meals affordable for all clients. The community is encouraged to support Community Meals’ effort with the foundation’s challenge. Donations may be sent to Community Meals, Inc., 105 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ 07450. Donations will also be accepted online at www.communitymealsonwheels.org. For more information, contact Community Meals, Inc. Executive Director Rebecca Conboy at communitymeals@verizon.net or (201) 447-8295 or the board of directors’ fundraising chairperson, Janet Mills Wong, at janetmillswong@yahoo.com or (201) 652-8637. Fashion Show benefit announced The Auxiliary of the Little Sisters of the Poor will host a Spring Fashion Show Luncheon on May 14. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Macaluso’s located at 161 Rea Avenue in Hawthorne. Fashion Editor Heather Zwain will serve as the emcee, and Joe Caroselli will provide the entertainment. The event will feature fashions by Ann Taylor Loft. Tickets are $50 and may be purchased by sending a check made payable to the “Auxiliary of the Little Sisters of the Poor” to: Joann Van Splinter, 18 Minerva Avenue, Hawthorne, NJ 07506. Proceeds from the show will benefit Saint Joseph’s Home for the Elderly. For more information, contact Joann Van Splinter at (201) 447-6400 or jvs@lan-nj.com. Special pricing for ‘La Traviata’ announced The New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera invites the public to celebrate its 25 th season, entitled “Vive la France,” with its new Bring the Family to the Opera pro- gram. There will be several special ticket offers for children, senior citizens, and individuals to see the company’s perfor- mance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “La Traviata” on Sunday, April 6 at 3 p.m., at the Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergen- PAC), located at 30 North Van Brunt Street in Englewood. “La Traviata” is being staged in celebration of the 200 th Anniversary of Verdi’s birth. Set in Paris, this love story is shrouded in sacrifice and misunderstanding. Stage Director Evelyn La Quaif, a noted Canadian soprano, will have the cast in period costumes and singing in Italian. English supertitles will be provided. The singers will be backed by a live orchestra. A special discount ticket offer for the April 6 perfor- mance is available at 30 percent off (Code Tr2) when tickets (continued on page 26) |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 3 Midland Park Meeks challenges incumbents for school board seat Three Midland Park Board of Educa- tion members and a challenger have filed for the three seats available in this year’s school election, which is set for Wednes- day, April 23. Midland Park and Ramsey are the only two northwest Bergen County towns which chose to maintain the vote on the budget and the school election in April. Legislation adopted in 2012 gave school districts the option of dropping the vote on the budget if it came in under the cap and moving the vote on board members to the November general election. John Meeks, a five year member of the Midland Park Zoning Board of Adjust- ment and a member of the Midland Park Board of Recreation, has filed for one of the available seats now held by incum- bent trustees James Canellas, Maryalice Thomas Hagerty, and Peter Triolo. Canel- las is finishing his second three-year term. Thomas has been on the board for five years. Triolo, who was elected to fill Ray Moraski’s unexpired term, is seeking his first full term. “There is nothing more important to the success of a nation than a well edu- cated citizenry. I am running because I believe we can do better for our children, our parents, and our taxpayers,” Meeks said of his decision to enter the field. “I am running to improve the quality of educa- tion our students receive while maintain- ing budgetary integrity. My campaign will focus on the detriments of the one size fits all Common Core Standards being imple- mented in our schools and why the Mid- land Park Board of Education should opt out,” he said. Meeks also said he believes “the ‘send receive’ relationship with other districts needs further study and exploration. I plan to give it the due diligence it deserves. It has great potential for our students.” He added that he looks forward “to a spirited campaign, meeting as many voters as pos- sible, and earning their support.” Canellas said he believes in giving back to his community and welcomes the opportunity to continue serving Midland Park as a trustee. “During my tenure on the board, I have been an advocate for our students while balancing the concerns of the community. I believe that my professional background, objectivity, and ability to listen have bene- fitted the board, the community, and most of all the students of the district…Our stu- dents deserve the ‘best’ and I will do all I (continued on page 26) School opened despite broken pipe A steam pipe located on the ground floor of Highland School broke early on the morning of March 7, causing minor water damage in the music room and impacting the provision of heat throughout the build- ing. Administrators and repair service per- sonnel arrived on site at 7:30 a.m. and the school day began without interruption. At press time, the building’s heating system had been turned off. However, tours of all classrooms indicated that the school was warm enough for students to remain in the building. School officials said this situation would be closely monitored throughout the day and any student or staff concerns would be swiftly addressed. |
Page 4 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 FLOW Area Regional district hires superintendent search firm by Frank J. McMahon The Ramapo Indian Hills Board of Education has approved a superintendent search agreement with R-Pat Solutions, LLC, a search firm that has also been hired by the Franklin Lakes and Oakland school boards to find superintendents for those K-8 districts. The contract with R-Pat Solutions is for $15,900, includ- ing an $8,900 fee and a maximum amount of $7,000 that can be spent on advertising for the position. The regional high school district conducted its own superintendent search after the previous superintendent, Lauren Schoen, resigned last year. Recently, the school board had advised that 11 applications were received. According to a reliable source, Beverly Mackay was one of the applicants. Mackay, the district’s director of curricu- lum, served in the superintendent’s post for four months last year until Ernest Palestis was hired as an interim superintendent for a one-year period from August 2013 to August 2014. The board discussed the search in the closed session prior to its regular public meeting. The trustees then unan- imously approved a resolution to hire R-Pat Solutions in order to obtain a more “robust selection of candidates,” according to Board President Thomas Bunting. Bunting said the board received applications from some high quality candidates, and the board was happy with the quality of the candidates, but not with the quantity of the applications. He added that anyone who previously applied for the position would automatically be included in the search firm’s process. During the public meeting, which was attended by members of the Ramapo Indian Hills Education Associa- tion who are currently working without a new contract, a motion was made by trustee Isabelle Lanini and seconded by trustee Lynn Budd, both Wyckoff representatives on the board, to extend the contract with Palestis until August 2015. That move surprised the members of the public who attended the meeting, several of the other board members, and Palestis. That motion led to a discussion among the board mem- bers, some of whom did not want to discuss personnel mat- ters in public, and the motion was subsequently tabled. School board seeks to fill vacancy The Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School Board of Education is seeking a Franklin Lakes resident who wishes to fill the unexpired term of Debra Strauss, who recently resigned from the board. The appointee will serve through the end of 2014. Interested community members may submit a letter of interest to Business Administrator/Board Secretary Frank C. Ceurvels at the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School District Board of Education, 131 Yawpo Avenue, Oakland, New Jersey 07436 by March 20. Letters of inter- est will be reviewed by the board and an interview sched- ule will be established. The legal requirements for the position are as follows: U.S. citizenship and a minimum of one year of residency in the school district; no interest in, any contract with, or claim against, the board; and the ability to read and write. Candidates may not hold any other elected office and must be registered to vote in the district. The board must fill the vacancy within 65 days from Feb. 24. During the public portion of the meeting, Susan Winton, who was a Ramapo Indian Hills Board of Educa- tion member from 1977 to 1983 and has been a resident of Wyckoff for 45 years, voiced her dissatisfaction with the two Wyckoff members of the board who made and sec- onded the motion to extend Palestis’ contract. She said the move was unprofessional and she objected to the board’s lack of action on hiring a new superintendent since there is a quality candidate currently in the district. She also said she was offended that the two Wyckoff board members do not reach out to members of the community to find out about the public’s concerns. During the meeting, Debbie Strauss, one of two Frank- lin Lakes representatives on the nine-member board whose term expires at the end of the 2015 school year, abruptly resigned from the board, turned in her laptop, and left the meeting. Strauss declined to explain the reason for her resigna- tion, saying she cannot reveal those reasons because they were discussed at the board’s closed session and the dis- cussions at the closed session are confidential. The board has now advertised for, and will appoint, a Franklin Lakes resident to Strauss’ seat. The appointee would serve through the end of 2014. An election for Strauss’ unexpired term, which extends through 2015, will be held as part of this November’s school board vote. The elected individual would be seated in January of 2015. Meanwhile, the search for a new superintendent will continue as the board seeks additional candidates. The search has been made more difficult because of the state’s superintendent salary cap law that was implemented in February 2011 by way of a commissioner of education regulation. That regulation bases a superintendent’s maximum (continued on page 8) |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 5 Franklin Lakes Proposed ordinance would prohibit dangerous fences by Frank J. McMahon The Franklin Lakes Council has intro- duced an ordinance that would prohibit dangerous fences in the borough. This measure will be considered for adoption at the March 18 council meeting. The proposed ordinance is the result of concerns expressed by Mayor Frank Bivona and the council about the number of incidents in which deer have impaled themselves on spiked fences and the potential danger to children who might try to climb over such fences. The ordinance would prohibit all types of dangerous fences, but does not address the fences that are currently in existence in the borough. The ordinance supplements a para- graph in Chapter 300 in the borough code under paragraph F entitled “Fences, berms, and walls,” which contains regula- tions governing certain accessory struc- tures and use, with the following text: “Fences constructed on residential properties shall not be constructed in a manner or with materials which endanger the health, safety, or welfare of individu- als or animals. Barbed wire or similar material shall not be utilized. Fences shall not be topped with metal spikes or con- structed of any material or in any manner which creates a serious danger to an animal or individual attempting to scale the fence.” Deer pose a common problem in the winter as they search for food and often eat vegetation on private properties, which leads to their effort to jump fences. When a deer impales itself on a spiked fence, the police are called and a police officer must shoot the deer. The carcass must be removed from the fence and dis- posed of by Tyco Animal Control, the borough’s animal control service. Fences were discussed at several coun- cil work sessions. During those talks, officials noted that there were four recent instances of deer becoming impaled on spiked fences. According to Police Chief Joseph Seltenrich, the borough police department experiences about a half- dozen of these types of incidents annu- ally. The council discussed several ways to eliminate the problem, including the total prohibition of these type fences, prohibit- ing them on newly developed properties, requiring the removal of the spikes when a property is sold, or using the borough’s existing ordinance to look at certain fences and telling the property owners the fences pose a threat to public health and safety. The council was concerned with the legality of retroactively prohibiting spiked fences for health and safety reasons, and decided the ordinance should be prospec- tive, meaning persuasive, in the hope that property owners with these type fences will remove the spikes. As a result, the ordinance would prohibit dangerous fences from being installed in the future, but would not compel residents who already have those types of fences to take them down or replace them. Bivona said, however, that the borough will look to see if any existing fences pose a threat to public health and safety and (continued on page 8) |
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March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Franklin Lakes Boating at nature preserve may soon be reality by Frank J. McMahon The use of boats, canoes, kayaks, or similar watercraft at the Franklin Lakes Nature Preserve could become a reality this spring. The Franklin Lakes Borough Council recently intro- duced an ordinance that, if adopted at the March 18 public meeting, would permit boaters to use designated areas of the upper basin. Boaters would be limited to watercraft that is trans- ported atop or inside a vehicle. Boats transported by a trailer would be prohibited, and motors of any sort would be prohibited. According to the ordinance, paddleboards, surfboards, and all other watercraft designed to be operated while standing, would be prohibited. In addition, the ordinance states that boats may only be launched from the designated boat launch, which is located adjacent to the nature preserve parking area off High Mountain Road. Swimming or entering the water from shore or from boats would be prohibited. In addition, boating at the nature preserve would only be permitted from dawn to dusk from April 1 through Sept. 30 of each year. Children under the age of 16 would not be permitted on boats without adult supervision, and loud music from boats would be prohibited. The ordinance also states that personal flotation devices must be worn by the operator of the boat and all of its pas- sengers, and boats must be hand-carried from the nature preserve parking area to the designated boat launch. Mayor Frank Bivona originally proposed the idea to the council which, after a discussion of pros and cons at several council work sessions, authorized a survey of bor- ough residents. That survey, according to Councilman Joseph Kelly, chairman of the council’s Recreation and Parks Commit- tee, resulted in 264 residents indicating they were in favor of permitting boating at the nature preserve while 69 were opposed to the concept. Kelly said those favoring the proposal voiced the opin- ion that the preserve is underused, and allowing boating at the property would build a greater sense of community. Franklin Lakes Borough Administrator Gregory Hart told the council the borough’s risk manager has advised that the borough would be covered by its liability insur- ance. He also said the plan would be revenue neutral, and it would have no effect on taxes. Bivona also advised that there would not be a charge for non-residents to bring their boats to the nature pre- serve because the property was purchased with the state’s Green Acres grant money, which requires the land to be open to all members of the public. Councilwoman Paulette Ramsey was the lone member of the council to oppose the ordinance. She explained that previous borough councils had considered a similar proposal, but voted not to introduce such an ordinance, preferring instead to allow only passive recreation at the nature preserve. Ramsey made a motion to table the ordinance until the borough gathered more information about the actions other towns have taken on this issue and learned about their concerns. She also pointed out that the majority of the borough’s residents did not participate in the survey. However, no other council member seconded Ramsey’s motion. The motion to introduce the ordinance, which was made by Kelly and seconded by Councilman Charles Kahwaty, was approved by a 5-1 vote of the council. |
Page 8 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 Midland Park Board cancels full February break for 2015 Students in Midland Park’s public schools will have a shortened winter break next February as the board of edu- cation tries to avoid a repetition of this year’s problems in dealing with emergency closings due to snow or other situ- ations. The board last week approved a new calendar for the 2014-15 school year which not only limits the February break to Monday, Feb. 16 and Tuesday, Feb. 17 instead of a full week, but also identifies which days will be used as makeup days, should they be required. A new month by month format was used, which the board hopes users will find more helpful. “This enabled us to include three snow days and keep the traditional Friday night graduation,” said School Board President William Sullivan. He added that some parents had reached out prior to the meeting with the thought that spring break was more important than the February vaca- tion. As adopted, the calendar provides for 186 days for stu- dents and 189 teacher days, including three snow days. Board policy requires 183 student days, although the state minimum is 180. The calendar cautions that plans that cannot be changed should never be made to include week- days in June. Should additional emergency days be needed, Feb. 17 will be used, then Feb. 16. Additional days would then come from the spring break, with March 30 used first, and so on down the week. In 2015, the spring break is scheduled for March 30 through Good Friday, April 3. Graduation and the last day of school for students will be June 19. The last day for teachers will be June 22. School will start on Sept. 4 for students, and Sept. 2 for teachers. The Christmas break is scheduled from Dec. 23 at 12:30 p.m. through Jan. 2. This school year, there have been six emergency closings due to snow, but only two had been built into the calendar. Though it became apparent prior to the February break that additional makeup days were needed, the board was unable to shorten the winter break because no regular meeting was scheduled before that time and the situation did not qualify for an emergency board meeting, according to Sullivan. The schools were closed due to inclement weather on Jan. 3 and 22 and Feb. 3, 5, 13, and 14. The board decided last month to cancel the four vacation days in April preceding Good Friday. All schools will now be open for full days on April 14, 15, 16, and 17, 2014. ASB hosts Pajama & Book Drive Atlantic Stewardship Bank is hosting a Children’s Pajama & Book Drive to support the “One Million Good Nights Pajama Program.” Bank customers are invited to donate new, unused pajamas (a complete set or night- gown) and new books for children in need. The collection will be held throughout the month of March at all branch locations. Atlantic Stewardship Bank will be collecting for chil- dren ages six through 12 and teens from 13 to 18. Sizes up to adult XXXL are needed. Pajama Program, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, provides new pajamas and new books to children in need. For most chil- dren, bedtime is a time of comfort, love, and security, but for millions of children living in poverty in America, a good night is a luxury they do not often experience. The Search firm (continued from page 4) salary on the number of students in a school district. The superintendent salary in the RIH district, with 2,350 stu- dents, is capped at $155,000, plus a stipend of $2,500 because the district includes a high school, and a potential 15 percent bonus if certain merit goals are met. One Million Good Nights campaign will allow the Pajama Program to essentially double its current capacity to dis- tribute an additional one million new pajamas and one mil- lion new books to reach more children in need throughout the country. For more information about the Pajama Pro- gram, visit http://pajamaprogram.org/WordPress. Atlantic Stewardship Bank maintains banking locations in Midland Park, Montville, North Haledon, Pequannock, Ridgewood, Waldwick, Westwood, Wyckoff, two offices in Hawthorne, and three offices in Wayne. Established in 1985, ASB is a full-service community bank serving both individuals and businesses. The bank is a subsid- iary of Stewardship Financial Corporation trading on the NASDAQ under the symbol SSFN. The bank’s website is http://www.asbnow.com. When Schoen resigned in 2013, she was being paid $197,500. She accepted a similar position in Mahwah’s K- 12 school district, which serves 3,253 students. The maxi- mum salary for her new position is $165,000, plus $2,500 because the district includes a high school, and a potential 15 percent merit bonus. Palestis is receiving $606 per day for the days actually worked, but not more than an annual salary of $157,500, plus the potential of up to 15 percent if certain quantitative and qualitative criteria are met. Fences (continued from page 5) use the current ordinance to address any situations. “This ordinance should give us the ability to say in cer- tain situations that something needs to be done,” Bivona said, adding that the ordinance pertains to new fences but, if existing fences are dangerous, the borough can go after them in a constructive way. Before the ordinance was introduced, Dogwood Trail resident Debra Fabbio voiced her concern about spiked fences and her support for the ordinance. She said she is concerned that something will happen to a child and the borough will then look back and say, “We should have done something.” |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 9 |
Page 10 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 Midland Park Thank you to everyone who helped make our Fourth Annual Bash at the Brick House a success! We thank the Party with Purpose team for including us in their Feb. 27 Winter Benefit in Hoboken. We are fortunate to be one of their grant recipients. We now need Easter Baskets for chil- dren and food baskets for families. We also need volunteers who can help us solve some computer issues. Just in time for Easter, the Duffy Con- firmations Group is hosting a Lollipop Sale to benefit ECF. To place an order, please e-mail sfd652@gmail.com. They are also sponsoring a Bagel Breakfast on Satur- day, April 5 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel’s Parish Center in Ridgewood. Admission is $5 per person. To place a ticket order, please e-mail melenaesteve@gmail.com. We are very grateful to these girls! Meet Luis: Luis is an 11-year-old boy who enjoys attending school and playing sports with his friends. After quite some time of being able to enjoy his childhood and be free of treatments, Luis has relapsed and is again battling cancer. Weekly doc- tors’ appointments have left him feeling weak, and his family with little time to relax. His family is always by his side being supportive and, most of all, loving. Due to his weekly treatments, Mom has quit her job in order to dedicate all of her time to her son and his well-being. Luis is now being home schooled, and he misses his daily school routine and seeing his friends. He spends his days relaxing at home, playing video games, and watching television. This family enjoys spending quality time together and gift cards to GameStop would help them share activities. They could also benefit from gift cards to Shop Rite. ECF is a nonprofit organization that pro- vides a variety of specialized services, at no charge, to any New Jersey family facing the challenges of caring for a child with cancer. ECF does not raise money for cancer research, but provides direct in-home care to its families. Many families do not have the financial or emotional support to help them get through a major illness like cancer, so ECF provides families with counseling by a professional case worker, material goods (such as household items, toys, and monthly grocery deliveries), and emergency finan- cial assistance. These individually tailored services are critical in helping families get through the crisis of pediatric cancer. ECF does not receive any government funding, and relies on donations from the community. Call the Northern Regional Center at (201) 612-8118 or e-mail Laura at laura@emmanuelcancer.org to help. ECF now needs volunteers who can deliver groceries to families in Bergen and Essex counties. Spanish-speaking drivers are in particularly high demand! Individuals and groups are encouraged to help by hosting fundraisers or collecting food or gift cards for ECF’s families. The Northern Regional Center at 174 Paterson Avenue in Midland Park welcomes volunteers and visitors. Call (201) 612-8118 before you stop by. Because storage space is limited, please do not leave items at the center without checking with us first. For more information, visit www.emmanu- elcancer.org or “like” ECF on Facebook: EmmanuelCancerFoundation. As always, thank you for helping the children and their families! Ordinances include funds for vehicle, improvements The Midland Park Council recently introduced a capital ordinance that would authorize additional funds to the reserve for municipal vehicles. If approved by the coun- cil on March 27, a total of $255,000 would be appropriated from the capital improve- ment fund for future vehicle purchases. The acquisition of funding from the cap- ital improvement fund would be authorized for: • Midland Park Fire Department’s reserve for a fire truck, in the amount of $150,000; • Midland Park Fire Department’s reserve for a fire chief’s car in the amount of $5,000; • Midland Park Department of Public Works’ reserve for a street sweeper in the amount of $60,000; • Midland Park Department of Public Works’ reserve for a plow/salt truck in the amount of $40,000. Last week’s article about the 2014 capi- tal budget indicated that a sum of $600,000 had been included in that spending plan for a ladder truck for the fire department. However, that figure is incorrect. “Every year, the borough puts sets aside $50,000 in a capital reserve account for the future purchase of a fire truck,” Midland Park Borough Clerk/Administrator Ade- line M. Hanna explained. “To date, we have $350,000 in this account for a fire truck. This year, the borough made the decision to allot $150,000 for the fire truck purchase, since this will be done within the next two years. This will decrease the amount of funds that would have to be borrowed.” A second ordinance introduced at the last public council session would authorize var- ious municipal improvements, acquisitions, and projects, and would appropriate the money from the capital improvement fund. However, the ordinance (#5-14) includes an erroneous total appropriation. As a result, the measure will have to be voted down by the council and a corrected version will be introduced at a later date. That ordinance would cover a commer- cial grade snowblower, outside lighting along the parking lot at borough hall, and renovations, front porch work, and shut- ters at borough hall. The ordinance also includes funds for the 2014 road resurfacing program, an Ingersoll Rand rotary screw three-phase air compressor, and curb and drainage work on West Summit Avenue. Funds would also be devoted to unspeci- fied equipment for the fire department, and computer equipment for the volunteer ambulance corps. The police department would receive eight bullet resistant vests, 15 Glock duty weapons, two desktop comput- ers, three monitors, and four laptops, and two Tahoe police vehicles. The ordinance would also cover first base-line fencing and repairs to the infield grass along Vander- meer Field, and a new snack bar door. Sinkhole work approved An emergency construction project on South Rea Avenue has received retroactive approval from the Midland Park Council. Repairs were carried out on the borough street after a sinkhole appeared. At its last public meeting, the governing body formally approved the contract with Colonelli Brothers of Hackensack for the sum of $11,954 on an emergency basis pur- suant to N.J.S.A. 40A:11-6. N.J.S.A. 40S:11-6 permits a contracting unit to enter into a contract without public advertising for bids when an emergency affecting the public health, safety, and wel- fare requires an immediate performance of service. |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 11 |
Page 12 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 Dear Readers: It has been a long, chilly, snowy winter, but Easter and Passover are on the way -- and warm spring weather is sure to follow. I have noticed that, when times get tough, it is human nature to show compassion and lend a hand to help others through adver- sity. After all, we are all in this together. Shopping locally and supporting local businesses is what keeps towns together and helps to lay the foundation for this sense of profound character. There would be no stores on the streets of Wyckoff or in the shopping centers if residents and businesses only purchased online or went down to the big box stores for all their needs. Local shops and professionals sup- port youth sports, the fields, and other local charitable organizations. Speaking of support, the Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce recently set up an Advisory Committee that can be of great value to any new business helping to navi- gate the rules and regulations involved in physically building and operating a busi- ness in town. Anyone interested in open- ing a new business or expanding a current operation is welcome to contact the Cham- ber. We can connect you with people experienced in your industry or a related business. Call (201) 468-1999 or e-mail wyckoffbac@gmail.com for details. I encourage you to make that extra effort to support both the retail and professional workforce that contribute to the profound sense of character that makes Wyckoff such an outstanding community. Jay Vidockler, President Wyckoff Chamber of Commerce |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 13 CHCC program promotes senior independence Nearly 160 seniors representing 50 towns in northern New Jersey attend Christian Health Care Adult Day Ser- vices in either Wayne or Wyckoff. The program is designed to help clients maintain independence and improve their quality of life. Door-to-door transportation is available by wheel- chair-accessible vans. Medical care, nutrition services, activities, social services, pastoral care, and personal-care services are offered in a safe, friendly, and pleasant atmo- sphere. An individualized care plan, with input from the client’s personal physician, is developed upon admission so individuals receive the maximum benefit from the pro- gram. Medicaid is accepted and other financial-assistance programs include the Community Care Program for the Elderly and Disabled, Respite Care, state Gerontology Alzheimer’s Program, Veterans Administration, and long- term care insurance. Jean Gilsinan, a resident of Hawthorne, attends Chris- tian Health Care Adult Day Services of Wyckoff. “I must tell you that my first few days at the program, I thought I did not belong here,” Gilsinan said, smiling. “I used to wait for my daughter to ask how my day went so I could say I wasn’t going back. Oh, how that has changed! Now I come here four days a week. I really do love this place.” Today, Gilsinan takes advantage of all Christian Health Care Adult Day Services has to offer. She enjoys the cama- raderie with her fellow clients, and has come to consider the staff as her extended family. For information about Christian Health Care Adult Day Services of Wayne, call (201) 897-5151. For informa- tion about Christian Health Care Adult Day Services of Wyckoff, call (201) 848-5830. CHCC provides a broad continuum of high-qual- Jean Gilsinan enjoys attending Christian Health Care Adult Day Services of Wyckoff. ity, compassionate care, offering superior mental-health, elder-care, residential living, and rehabilitation services. As a non-profit organization, CHCC delivers care to the community based upon the Christian principles on which CHCC was founded more than a century ago. For more information, visit ChristianHealthCare.org. |
Page 14 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 Residents, officials want post office lot repaired by John Koster The Wyckoff Township Committee acknowledged the negative feelings residents expressed about the condition of the Wyckoff Post Office parking lot, and said they would Three ordinances adopted by township The Wyckoff Township Committee has adopted three ordinances that reportedly brought fees for local police and construction office services up to the level of cost for per- forming the inspections or police work. The ordinance on peddling and soliciting amended the licensing fees for police investigations and issuance of solicitors’ badges from $25 to $250 per year. Any person who applies after July 1 will pay $125 instead of the full $250. The fee for peddlers’ badges will be increased from $25 to $75 per day or from $100 to $250 per year. Any person who obtains a badge after July 1 will pay $125. The cost for each photo identification badge will be increased from $10 to $25. (continued on page 20) investigate ways to pressure the landowner to have the lot fixed. “It is a disgrace,” said resident Sue Winton. “It should be reported to the people (who) own the property.” Sue Yudin, a local business owner and a member of the Wyckoff Planning Board, also said that the post office parking lot was in poor shape. Mayor Douglas Christie urged, however, that Wyck- off residents and visitors not to berate the Wyckoff Post Office employees because the postal workers are not to blame. “The place is a disgrace. There’s no two ways about it,” Christie said. “It is horrendous, but the postal staff is not responsible.” Township Committeeman Brian Scanlan suggested that Wyckoff file an OPRA request to discover the nature of the contract between the land owner and the United States Government to see if some legal pressure could be exerted on the local level. The township committee and the residents who spoke concurred that the property is a problem waiting to happen, but that the nature of the contract between the U.S. Government and the land owner, name unknown at present, who rented the building to the U.S. Postal Service would require careful investigation before any remedial action could be taken. |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 15 Resident takes fracking program to board of health Anita Touloughian will bring her “Spring Roadshow” about fracking to the Wyckoff Board of Health on Thursday, March 13 at 7 p.m. The session will be held in the west wing conference room at Wyckoff Memo- rial Town Hall, 340 Franklin Avenue in Wyckoff. Touloughian, a Wyckoff resident, is a graduate student at Montclair State Uni- versity. She received a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology from the University of Connecticut in May 2012, and is due to receive a master’s in public health with a focus on community health education this May. She recently completed an intern- ship with the Northwest Bergen Regional Health Commission, where she teamed up with mentor Gail Brunner. Together, the two launched REF: Reinforcing Educa- tion on Fracking, a pursuit Brunner under- takes as a private citizen and a New Jersey licensed health inspector. “The goal of the program is to inform the general public on the concerns for the health and environmental impacts of frack- ing through an interactive presentation,” Touloughian explained. “Our Spring Road- show has been a great success so far. We have delivered the presentation to high school level classes, boards of health, envi- ronmental commissions, and (recently) to a crowd of over 50 participants at the NJEHA 2014 Annual Conference and Exhibition in Atlantic City. “We have so many more presentations scheduled for more organizations, includ- ing classes at Ramapo College and Mont- clair State University, and of course coming up this week, Wyckoff -- my hometown’s -- Board of Health. We hope to give the com- munity this information so that they may make informed decisions with regard to potential policy, economics, and health pro- grams affecting them and their families.” Through pre- and post-program sur- veys, Touloughian and Brunner have found that about 80 percent of the participants are unaware of New Jersey’s current policy on Evening of Appreciation set The Trustees of the Wyckoff Love Fund invite the public and recent donors to an Evening of Appreciation on Thursday, March 20. The event will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Elizabeth Room at Saint Elizabeth’s Church at 700 Wyckoff Avenue. The evening will include refresh- ments, entertainment, and information about the local charity presented by Rev. David Bach, Pat Khanjian, and Rabbi Ken- neth Emert. RSVP to Jan Meyer at (201) 424-0228 or janmeyer@verizon.net by March 15. The non-profit Wyckoff Love Fund dis- tributes funds to Wyckoff families who have children in need of help. fracking. “Since the expiration of a one-year temporary and conditional moratorium in January 2013, there has been no policy to prohibit it from occurring in New Jersey,” Touloughian added. “Ideally, we hope that towns that we present to will follow in other towns’ footsteps, such as Paramus, New Jersey, and pass resolutions to prohibit this controversial method of gas extraction, which has the potential to have tremendous health and environmental impacts. We also hope that the freeholders will ban fracking in Bergen County as it has already been done in Middlesex County.” Touloughian has spent the last 20 years in Wyckoff with her parents and younger brother. This family enjoys the outdoors. Touloughian said the Ramapo Reservation was her “back yard,” and she has explored every corner of its mountains, lakes, rivers, and streams. “My family also loves to travel. Every year, we try to go somewhere new, and every time we go, we always hike, kayak, snorkel, dune buggy. . .You name it! In a way, my parents always taught my brother and me that the environment was our home. I like to think that there is a reason we call it Mother Nature. It cares for us, nourishes us, and really without it we could not exist the way that we do. Sometimes I feel that we push the limit when it comes to something that is so vital to our existence and then we wonder why it has such a great impact on our health, economy, food, and water qual- ity. This was one of the reasons Gail and I started REF.” For additional information, visit // refnj2014@wordpress.com and follow on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ refnj2014. |
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March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 17 Wyckoff Wanderings Parents invited to ‘Eyes Wide Open’ The Wyckoff Family Y will host the first of two “Parent Connection” events on Wednesday, March 26. “Eyes Wide Open: Recognizing the Symptoms of Depression, Substance Abuse, and Addiction in Teens” will be held at 7 p.m. in the Y’s gym located at 691 Wyckoff Avenue in Wyckoff. The event’s panel of experts will include: Jen Saxton, Northern Highlands High School counselor; Danielle Heller, LCSW, clinical director at West Bergen Mental Healthcare; and Bart Mongiello, LCSW, director of the counseling center at Chris- tian Health Care Center. The program will include information on having realistic expectations, optimizing school resources, handling pressure, recog- nizing the symptoms of depression versus sadness, understanding risk factors, how to ask the right questions in cases of suspected depression, awareness of dangerous behav- iors, the availability of clinical care, dealing with school avoidance issues, and how to recognize signs of drug and alcohol abuse. The panel will be moderated by Bev- erly MacKay, director of curriculum and articulation for the Ramapo Indian Hills School District, and will feature a ques- tion and answer session. Questions may be confidentially e-mailed prior to the event to info@wyckoffymca.org. There will also be opportunity to present questions during the event. The program is free, but registration is required. Call (201) 891-2081. For further information, contact Parent Connection Coordinator Kathy Scarpelli at (201) 891- 1820. The next program in the series will be “Courage for College.” Register for fall soccer The Wyckoff Recreation Department will hold registration for the fall soccer season this month. Sign up in the cafeteria at Eisenhower Middle School on Calvin Court on Saturday, March 15 from 9 to 11 a.m. or Tuesday, March 18 from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Registration may also be completed at the recreation office March 17 through 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children in kinder- garten through grade 12 may register. The kindergarten soccer program is an instructional program for players who will be entering kindergarten (not pre-K or Transitional K) in September 2014. Kin- dergarteners meet on Saturdays from 9 to 10 a.m. or 10 to 11 a.m. at Pulis Field on Wyckoff Avenue. The registration fee is $60. The first and second grade soccer pro- grams are instructional programs for play- ers who will be entering grades one and two in September 2014. First grade boys will meet from 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturdays, and first grade girls will meet from 10:15 to 11:15 a.m. Second grade boys and girls will play structured games on Saturdays at various times and fields in town. The fee for these programs is $60. Children in kindergarten through grade two may participate in both soccer and flag football. However, children in grades three through eight may not participate in both sports during the same season. Registration for football will be held in May. Players who will be entering grades three through eight in the fall will par- ticipate in organized soccer games against local towns. Girls’ games are played on Saturday mornings and boys’ games are held on Sunday afternoons. Both practice once a week on a day to be determined by the coach. A wallet size photo is required at registration. The fee to participate is $80. High school soccer players are also eli- gible to participate in the Northwest Bergen Soccer League, but the town is limited to two teams. The first 40 registrations will be accepted, and all others will be placed on a waiting list. The co-ed league practices once a week. Games are played on Sunday afternoons. The fee is $85 per participant. For more information, call (201) 891- 3350 weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. YMCA launches Annual Campaign The Wyckoff Family YMCA, located at 691 Wyckoff Avenue, will launch its Annual Campaign on Thursday, March 13 to ensure that everyone in the community has access to vital programs and resources that support youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The Wyckoff Y works to help individu- als and families by providing financial sup- port for those in need. The Y helps families provide quality child care, before- and after- school care, and a summer camp program for children. The Y also subsidizes costly programs for seniors, teens, and its special needs population. Families struggling with critical illness and loss are offered the pro- grams and services they need to maintain normalcy during a challenging time. This year, the Wyckoff Y hopes to raise $175,000. Funds raised will support schol- arships for child care, special needs, camp, and programs for seniors. The reception will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature entertainment by the YArts Theatre Company and updates from mem- bers on how the Y has had a positive effect on the community. Contact Ellen Gifford at (201) 891-2081, elleng@wyckoffymca.org, or visit www.wyckoffymca.org for more information. Care Conversations Series continues Christian Health Care Center, Van Dyk Health Care, the Wyckoff Family YMCA, and the Wyckoff Board of Health have part- nered to present “Care Conversations: Our Aging Parents -- Paying for Care” on Tues- day, March 11. The program will be held from 7 to 9 p.m., in gym 1 on the upper level of the Wyckoff YMCA, 691 Wyckoff Avenue in Wyckoff. Program panelists will include Yale Hauptman, J.D. Esq., partner, Hauptman and Hauptman in Livingston, elder, estate, and special needs law; Cathy Arcamone, CPA, financial services director, Chris- tian Health Care Center in Wyckoff; Ellen Miller, Medicaid specialist, Eldercaid, LLC and former supervisor of Passaic County Board of Social Services; and Carol Hertenstein, RN, president, Wyckoff Board of Health. Mary Jo Kurtz, LNHA, administra- tor and COO of Van Dyk Health Care in Ridgewood; and Denise Dunlap Ratcliffe, LNHA, executive vice president and COO at the Christian Health Care Center in Wyckoff will serve as moderators. The panel of experts will answer ques- tions about when and how to apply for benefits; understanding Medicare, Med- icaid, and veterans’ benefits; power of attorney and guardianship; elder law and estate planning; and spousal asset protec- tion. Pre-registration is required. Visit http://www.wyckoffymca.org/newsroom/ special-events/ or call Cindy at (201) 891- 7000, extension 304. Attendees are asked to provide specific questions or topics at the time of registration to assure that the panel addresses the topics most pertinent to the audience. Foundation hosts Spring Fling The Wyckoff Education Foundation will host its annual “Spring Fling” fundraiser and dinner dance on March 28. The event will be held from 7 to 11 p.m. at Macaluso’s in Hawthorne. This year’s event will feature a “Swing into Spring: Roaring ‘20s Gala” theme, and will highlight a premiere Northern New Jersey band and DJ. The evening will also include a buffet dinner, open bar, a cash prize contest, and auction items. The foundation has partnered with Wyckoff School Administration on sup- porting the 1:1 Technology Initiative. The Wyckoff Education Foundation is a non-profit organization raises funds that benefit Wyckoff students in the four elementary schools and the Eisenhower Middle School. Since its inception, the foundation has raised $1.5 million and has awarded the funds through grants to the Wyckoff Board of Education. Spring Fling tickets are $95 per person. Registrations and donations can be made online at www.wyckoff.org or by contact- ing Brian Benedik at (201) 207-2378. |
Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 What century is this? Blink twice and remember the date: 2014. Now blink again and remember this date: 1914. In 2014, turbulence in Eastern Europe had the world tee- tering on the brink of a war that appeared to be looming between two countries that had, at one time, been part of two fallen empires: Tsarist Russia and the subsequent Soviet Union. “Russia” was the core state of the Soviet Union in the way that Prussia was the core state of Germany. The Ukraine, however, was the real seedbed of what we call “Russian” culture just as New England was the seedbed of American culture. Vladimir Putin seemed to be engaged in invading the Ukraine in a faceoff. The heavily armed and equipped sol- diers on both sides really did not seem to want to shoot one another. They looked embarrassed and scared that they might actually have to shoot somebody. The return of Christianity to Russia, evident as early as the 1980s, was the single greatest factor in Russia’s return to the civilized world. The United States and the NATO allies threatened economic sanctions and their stern disapproval. Russians already know everybody else hates them and nobody trusts them. This is part of their landscape. Ask any Pole. Then Putin made a mysterious telephone call to Angela Merkel in Germany and they talked for a long time. Unfortunately, U.S. Intelligence, which has been tapping Merkel’s phone for years, has not provided us with a tran- script. One of the best-kept secrets in Russia and in America is the vast degree of German investment in Russia. When Putin got off the phone, he settled for pulling his troops back, but not out of Crimea, an ethnic no-man’s-land lifted from the Muslim Tartars who once lived there. Putin gruffly warned everyone that he had the “right” to send troops if he had to. Merkel probably told him she would cut off his allowance if he did anything drastic. She may also have told him that a lot of people in Europe now see the United States as a joke, which may have made him feel better. Now cut back to 1914. Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his morganatic wife, Countess Sophie Chotek, have just been shot by a fanatic who hopes to start a war he hopes will benefit his own faction, the Bosnians. He succeeds because most of the countries of Europe hope that a small, showy, quickly decisive war will soothe their internal prob- lems with socialism and their ethnic tensions. About 10 percent of the German Army consisted of ethnic Poles who hoped for independence, but they hated Russia more than they hated Germany. Hew Stachan, an Oxford don and author of an acclaimed book on the First World War, sees the real war-mongering villain as Conrad von Hoetzendorf, chief of the Austro- Hungarian General Staff, a Social Darwinian who hoped a brisk victory over dysfunctional Serbia would enable him to present his lover, Gina von Reininghaus, at Austria’s extremely Catholic court even though she was divorced and had six children with her first husband. Hoetzendorf was brave enough to attack Serbia, but not brave enough to tell his aged emperor, Franz Josef, that the Austrian Army was in a hopeless condition. The war would prove this: Every time the Russians fought the Austrians, they won; every time the Russians fought the Germans, they lost. A collateral villain was “Colonel Apis” (Dragutin Dimi- trijevic), murderer of the previous king of Serbia 10 years before and a covert sponsor of terrorists. Members of the German General Staff, the French General Staff, and the Russian General Staff had been drawing up contingency plans for years. The supposed German “aggressors” under- stood long before 1914 that they had little or no chance of winning a war fighting Russian and France at the same time. None of the monarchs wanted to fight. Neither did many of the politicians of the French Third Republic, but they were gulled into it. Kaiser Wilhelm II liked Franz Ferdinand and took spe- cial care to be kind to Countess Chotek, who knew her children could not inherit and was seen as an outsider by snobbish Austrian courtiers. Wilhelm saw Franz Josef, the Austrian emperor, as a father figure. Wilhelm gave Aus- tria a “blank check” to beat up Serbia if the Serbs did not comply with reasonable demands. He was also culpable to an extent but he was a bungler rather than an eager aggres- sor. The Serbs complied with most of Austria’s demands when Russia gave Serbia a “blank check.” Wilhelm told his post-war biographer, Joachim von Kurenberg, that some Russian grand dukes lost their for- tunes at Monte Carlo, invested in armaments, and promoted a war to save their estates. This may have been a fantasy. The Serbs, with Russia’s “blank check” in their back pockets, stood their ground against Austria, hoping to bluff. The Austrians, with the Kaiser’s “blank check” in their back pockets, attacked Serbia. Russia declared war on Austria, a pushover for the Russians without German help. Germany then declared war on Russia in defense of an ally Otto von Bismarck called “the crumbling Austria galleon.” Bismarck, on his deathbed in 1898, also said: “The next general European war will begin in the Balkans, and that whole rock pile isn’t worth the bones of a single Prussian grenadier.” His other prediction of 1898 was: “Willy (the Kaiser) won’t last 20 years, and when he goes, he’ll take the whole dynasty with him.” Bismarck was right twice. The Kaiser would be forced to abdicate exactly 20 years after Bismarck’s quote. France mobilized. The Germans were short of trained soldiers. The German General Staff told the Kaiser they had to knock France out of the war quickly so they could withstand the more formidable forces of Russia. Weeping, the Kaiser signed the declaration of war against France. To get around the impressive fortifications on the French border, the Germans offered Luxemburg and Belgium neu- trality and post-war reparations if they let the Germans march through on their good behavior paying for their own food. Luxemburg agreed. Belgium declined. The Germans invaded, and when their reservists were shot by Belgian stragglers or reservists fighting out of uni- form, Saxon reservist soldiers began shooting hostages, some of them taken at random -- and some few of them women and children. Britain, with the world’s largest and best navy, entered the war on the side of Russia and France, two countries Britain had always hated; and Belgium, the world leader in atrocities against Africans. Japan, bound to Britain by the alliance that made the Russo-Japanese War possible, declared war on Germany, neutralized the German colony at Shantung, and convoyed troops from Australia and New Zealand to the Western Front. The Japanese, however, wanted no part of fighting on the Western Front. The Chinese supplied the Allies with 200,000 laborers, but wanted no part of fighting on the Western Front, either. They wanted Shantung back after the war when Britain no longer needed Japan -- and they got it. Britain’s Portuguese allies broke and ran when they saw the Western Front. The French Senegalese from Africa did likewise. Asian Indian soldiers had to be sent to warmer climates. Russian troops who were sent there mutinied. The Western Front became the Death Zone of European Civili- zation. A ham-handed German diplomatic attempt to get Japan to change sides -- the Zimmermann Telegram -- brought the United States into the war. About 123,000 American troops died preventing the Germans from finishing off the French and British armies in the summer of 1918 after they knocked Russia out of the war and after more ham-fisted German diplomats had smuggled Lenin and Trotsky into Russia to start a revolution from which the world is still recovering. The bad news is that people on all sides remember so little about history that it almost happened again. Putin’s bullying of the Ukraine sounds something like decadent Austria-Hungary beating up on Serbia to cover internal problems. Nobody wanted a nuclear exchange. The Rus- sians still use the American nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki as propaganda points to show how vicious American was, and much of the world agrees with them. A survey suggested that all but 18 percent of Americans quizzed wanted no part of any action and their knowledge of the situation was non-existent. Conversely, older Rus- sians are now parading photographs of Stalin and conve- niently ignoring the fact that Stalin helped Hitler start the 1939-1945 war in Europe and that Stalin probably killed about twice as many Russians as Hitler did. When the Soviet Union collapsed, a lot of Russians probably wanted to bury Stalin face down in case he woke up and started to dig his way out. Neo-Stalinism is a good argument to boycott Russian products, but we should hold off and promote good rela- tions as long as Putin refrains from real or simulated inva- sions of sovereign territories. Russia has produced some highlights of world culture -- but nobody in his right mind wants the return of the Soviet Union, which killed far more people than the Western Front. Letters to the Editor DPW praised Dear Editor: We were quite surprised to read that any resident would complain about the work of the Midland Park DPW. Every time it snowed, no matter how much, or how little, they were out on our streets early and often, from the main streets to the smaller dead end streets, and did an excellent job. Compared to the other towns in the area, Midland Park was easiest to get through. Keep up the good work, men. C. Baker Midland Park Questions new ordinance Dear Editor: Regarding Wyckoff’s new ordinance addressing the “McMansion” issue (The Villadom Times, Feb. 26, 2014). In 2010-11, despite objections from adjoining neighbors, the Wyckoff Zoning Board granted five variances to allow for the creation of a “McMansion” on Caldwell Drive. The vote was 5-1 in favor of granting. Chairman (now mayor) Christie voted for approval. His comment to us at that time: “It is what it is, folks.” Four of us were forced to bring legal actions against the neighbors, the township, and the zoning board. All parties filed counterclaims. It was only our hard work (we brought these actions without an attorney) and our discovery of a restrictive cov- enant in the original tract deeds that led to the neighbors abandoning the issue and selling. One fact we turned up, between Feb. 17, 2007 and Jan. 20, 2011, there were 40 side-yard variance applications. Two were withdrawn and 38 approved! Does this ordinance eliminate any possibility of applying for variances? If not, what good is it? Patricia Booth Wyckoff Concerned about traffic circle Dear Editor: All of us are sick of snowstorms, but Mother Nature actually did us a favor by dumping mountains of snow in Franklin Lakes. Continuous snowstorms delayed the dis- mantling of stop signs and blinking red and amber warning lights above the traffic circle at High Mountain and Frank- lin Lake roads. Believe it or not, Bergen County officials actually believe the removal of stop signs and lights will promote safety. If motorists are not slowing or halting for stop signs now, what will they do when they come upon a yield? They will probably rev up their engines even more to race right around the corner or through the intersection. A better solution would be to place bright blinking warning signs with the words “Slow. Dangerous Intersec- tion Ahead” several yards before the traffic circle. One blinking sign could be erected near High Mountain Road School and the other at the corner of Huron and Franklin Lake roads. (continued on page 21) |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 19 Midland Park Small gestures make huge impact for students Those with plenty of warm socks in the dresser drawer may never give a second thought to these humble articles of clothing – but just imagine trying to get through a cold, snowy winter without them! With that unsettling thought in mind, Highland School in Midland Park recently collected socks to benefit the Hoboken Shelter. The event culminated with Crazy Sock Day, when students were encouraged to wear “crazy” socks to school. This event was held at the end of February, the month the school dedicated to the character trait of com- passion. Each month of the school year is dedicated to the explo- ration of a different character trait. This effort is part of the school’s character education program. Highland School Principal Danielle Bache explained that students watched the YouTube video, “Young Baseball Fan’s Act of Generosity,” which demonstrates how a small gesture can make a huge impact. The students then shared a time they showed compassion to someone and described how they felt. “Helping others also makes you feel good!” Bache emphasized, adding that students quickly learned this important lesson. Guidance Counselor Kelly Scala suggested the sock col- lection as a means of showing compassion for others. Scala has been a volunteer at the Hoboken Shelter for many years, and knows that a simple pair of socks can make a signifi- cant difference to someone in need. Students were urged to think about how insignificant a pair of socks seems, and then think about what it would be like to go through the winter without them. The Hoboken Shelter provides warmth to 50 people nightly, along with food, counseling, job skills, and life training. White socks are at the top of the shelter’s list of needs. Every student was asked to bring in one pair of white socks to donate. “The students at Highland School were given two weeks to purchase a pair of socks,” Scala explained. “I figured that if every child in grades three through six could donate a pair of socks, our school could contribute about 400 pairs. Based on past fundraisers, I thought this goal was attainable. However, the children at Highland School did not contribute the estimated 400 pairs of socks. Instead, they exceeded my expectations by an additional 282 pairs of socks, totaling 682 pairs. Clearly, when I set the original goal, I was not taking into consideration the extreme com- passion and generosity of the Midland Park community. “The shelter was overwhelmed by the idea that this incredible donation was the work of children -- children with kind, caring hearts. Clearly, these children have learned the importance of giving from their parents.” Scala thanked the parents for setting a positive example for their children, and for their support with the fundraiser, adding, “I am so thankful to be able to work with your chil- dren and be a part of this very special community.” (Editor’s Note: Due to a production error, this article was omitted from the March 5, 2014 edition.) CAA donates pet oxygen masks Joseph Henderson, captain; Jerry Boucicaut, firefighter/EMT; Manuel Rivera, captain; Rocky; Peter LoBosco, captain; Mary Tiritilli, EMS supervisor; Michael Fleming, deputy chief; Adrian Evans, firefighter/EMT); Daniel Alcala, firefighter/EMT); Rafael Chavez, firefighter/EMT; David Van Tassel, firefighter/EMT; and Vincent Auteri, firefighter/EMT. (Photo courtesy of CAA.) Anthony and Claudia Addamo of Midland Park recently donated a set of pet oxygen masks to the Paterson Fire Department on behalf of Companion Animal Advocates. The pair donated in honor of their recent nuptials and in memory of their cat Cliff. The masks come in three sizes for large, medium, and small animals. These specially sized masks will enable first responders to deliver oxygen to pets in need and, in some cases, save their lives. “People care as deeply about their pets as they do human members of their family,” said Christine Devereaux, vice president of Companion Animal (continued on page 27) |
Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 Obituaries Dr. Vincent Joseph Bagli Dr. Vincent Joseph Bagli of Franklin Lakes died March 3. He was 88. He was the former chief of plastic surgery at Hackensack Hospital. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943. He received an honorable discharge in 1945 and attended Georgetown Uni- versity College and Medical School on the GI Bill, graduat- ing in 1951. He resumed active duty with the Air Force and trained in general surgery at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and at the University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. He rose to the rank of major at Wright Paterson Air Force Base in Ohio before leaving the Air Force in 1962 to open a plastic surgery practice in Fair Lawn and Ridgewood. Over the next 35 years, he became one of the top plastic surgeons in northern New Jersey. In addition to serving at Hackensack Hospital, he was the assistant chief of plastic surgery at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. He was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, past president of the New Jersey Plastic Surgical Society, and a member of the Executive Committee of the New York Regional Society of Plastic Surgery. He was the co-author with Leonard Berlow of “So, You’re Going to the Hospital.” He retired 20 years ago to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where he established and edited a community newsletter. He was a member of Most Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church in Franklin Lakes. He is survived by his wife Dorothy Lalli Bagli and his children Charles Bagli, Thomas Bagli, Sister Susan Bagli, Jeanne Jenusaitis, Mary Belsan, Carolyn Markus, James Bagli, Robert Bagli, Patricia Baker, Nancy Bagli, Regina Calcagno, and Christopher Bagli. He is also survived by 20 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his brother Robert Bagli. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memorial donations may be made to the Salesian Sisters of Saint John Bosco, Development Office, 659 Belmont Avenue, North Haledon, NJ 07508. Kathleen Bunker Kathleen Bunker, nee O’Meara, of Fair Lawn, formerly of Brick Township, Wyckoff, and Paramus, died Feb. 28. She was 92. Before retiring, she was a bank auditor with Sternrich and Segal of Newark. She was a parishioner of Saint Elizabeth’s R.C. Church in Wyckoff. She is survived by her son Frederick Bunker III and his wife Linda Meyer of Fair Lawn. She was predeceased by her husband Freder- ick Bunker Jr. and by her brothers Raymond O’Meara and William O’Meara. Arrangements were made by Browning- Forshay Funeral Home in Hawthorne. Dr. Alfred B. Caponegro Dr. Alfred B. Caponegro of Wyckoff died Feb. 20. He was 92. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War. He was educated in the Jesuit tradition at Saint Peter’s Prep, Saint Peter’s College, and Georgetown University School of Dentistry. He established a dental practice in Westwood, which he maintained for almost 40 years until he retired in 1993. He is survived by his wife Hannelore (nee Kruse) and his children Leonard Caponegro and Christine Bena- nti. He is also survived by three grandchildren. He was predeceased by his siblings Olga, Joseph, and Gabriel. Arrangements were made by Frank A. Patti and Kenneth Mikatarian Funeral Home in Fort Lee. Memorial donations may be made to The Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research at www.lustgarten.org. Herbert F. Kolb Herbert F. Kolb of Allendale, formerly of Midland Park, died Feb. 28. He was 91. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II. He was a former insurance agent and a past parishioner of Nativity R.C. Church in Midland Park. He is survived by several caring friends. He was predeceased by his parents Frederick Kolb and Hedwig (nee Kempa) Kolb and his siblings Frederick and Helen Kolb. Arrangements were made by Browning Forshay Funeral Home in Haw- thorne. Betty Jane Mac Donald Betty Jane Mac Donald of Wyckoff died Feb. 26. She was 83. She was a volunteer in the mammography depart- ment at Oak Hill Hospital. She is survived by her daughters Gay Mac Donald Clayton of Longwood, Florida, Kim Mac Donald Lindemann of Palm Harbor, Florida, and Lisa Jane Barclay of Loxahatchee, Florida. She is also survived by five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Kenneth W. Mac Donald and her parents Gertrude and Thomas W. Areson. Arrange- ments were made by Strunk Funeral Home in Vero Beach, Florida. Memorial donations may be made to the Oak Hill Hospital Volunteer Association Scholarship Fund, 11375 Cortez Boulevard, Brooksville, FL 34613. Attention: Vol- unteer Office. Terrance ‘Terry’ McCann Terrance “Terry” McCann of Midland Park died March 4. He was 51. He played bass drum for the Clan de Vale Pipe Band for many years. He is survived by his siblings Cathy, Ann Marie, Frank, Tom, John, Mike, Kevin, and Dennis. He is also survived by 15 nieces and nephews, and 13 grand-nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Bridget McCann (nee Maye) and Frank McCann. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memorial donations may be made to the Com- munity Food Bank of New Jersey, 31 Evans Terminal Road, Hillside, NJ 07205, where he volunteered. George M. Vaughan George M. Vaughan of Wyckoff died Feb. 28. He was 64. He was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He was a customer service representative for Okonite Cable for 38 years. He was a life member of Wyckoff Protec- tion Fire Company #1, where he served as deputy chief and president. He was the sitting president of the Wyckoff Relief Association. He was a member of the Northwest Bergen Mutual Aid Association and a dispatcher for the Northwest Bergen Mutual Aid Communications Desk and the Wyckoff Fire Department Communications Desk. He is survived by his wife Cathy and his siblings Ken Vaughan of Hudson, Wisconsin, Carl Vaughan of Tennessee, and Suzanne Lent of Landsdale, Pennsylvania. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. John William Van Blarcom Jr. John William Van Blarcom Jr. of Houston, Texas, for- merly of Midland Park, died Feb. 27. He was 78. He was a U.S. Army veteran. Before retiring, he was a systems analyst for AXA Equitable in New York City. He was a parishioner of Church of the Nativity in Midland Park and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is survived by his children Barbara Leeps of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Patricia Jimenez of Hewitt, Carol Marcotte of Pompton Lakes, and John S. Van Blarcom and Christine Simmers, both of Houston, Texas. He is also survived by seven grand- children, one great-grandson, and his brother James Van Blarcom of Clifton. He was predeceased by his wife Letizia (nee Russo) Van Blarcom. Arrangements were made by Vander Plaat Funeral Home in Wyckoff. Memorial dona- tions may be made to the National Parkinson Foundation, Inc., 1501 NW 9 th Avenue, Bob Hope Road, Miami, Florida 33136-1494. Ordinances (continued from page 14) Township Administrator Robert Shannon said the con- struction fee rate has been augmented for about seven percent of the items that charge fees based on reports by Wyckoff Construction Code Official Thomas Gen- sheimer. Minimum fees for a principal building will be $1,000, with $150 for additions with less than 120 square feet of floor space. The building permit fee for additions of more than 121 feet shall be $300. The fee for accessory buildings shall be $100. Sheds with more than 100 square feet are also $100. The minimum fee for decks will be $40, a cost that increases with the size of the deck. Fees for in-ground swimming pools will be $380 in addi- tion to electrical and plumbing inspections and approvals as applicable. The fee for above ground pools will be $60. The permit cost for a tennis court will be $200. The fee for asbestos hazard abatement will be $70, with an additional $14 for a certificate of occupancy after the work is completed. The fee for the installation of a generator will be $100. Most interior plumbing fixtures are $15 each: The list includes water closets, urinals, bathtubs, lavatories, show- ers, floor drains, sinks, dishwashers, drinking fountains, washing machines, hose bibs, water coolers, water soften- ers, and reduced-pressure backflow devices. Gas piping and fuel oil piping installation fees are $50 each as is an interceptor, or separator. A water heater is $30, a steam boiler or water boiler is $65, a sewer pump or a grease trap is $60, and a backflow preventer is $18. A water-cooled air conditioner system is $50, a sewer con- nection is $80, a water service connection is $55, a gas ser- vice connection is $50, a commercial dishwasher is $40, and a sewer ejector is $60. The fee for a vent stack or a dry well is $12. The minimum plumbing fee is $50. Demolition permits are $150 for a principal building, $40 for an accessory building or a shed of more than 100 square feet, and 20 for a shed of less than 100 square feet. The fee for the relocation of an entire building from one lot to another is $22 per $1,000 of the estimated cost of moving the building, along with the estimated cost of the foundation and all work necessary to place the building in its new location. The fee for a permit to construct a sign shall be $25 for each sign and 25 cents for each square foot of the surface area of the sign. The fee to construct a fence shall be $25 for each $1,000 of value for a minimum fee of $50. Pool fences will require a fee of $120 since these constitute a safety barrier. The fees for a certificate of occupancy are $175 for each new business, residential, or industrial use and $80 for each condominium or townhouse unit. Electrical sub-code fees include $200 for pool instal- lation, $100 for a generator, and $25 for ranges, ovens, surface units, dishwashers, garbage disposals, dryers, air conditioning units, burglar alarms, intercom panels, water heaters, central heat gas or electric units, baseboard units, pumps, motors, and transformers. The fee for storable pools and hot tubs is $60 and the fee for an elevator is $150. The police procedure fee for candidate applications has been increased from $25 to $80. The fee for a towing license application remains at $100, but the fee for the actual license is now $250 per year. J. KOSTER |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 21 Franklin Lakes Scribe Dorney presents children’s art program The Franklin Lakes Public Library invites children in grades three and up to “Art Kids Rule” on Thursday, March 27 at 4 p.m. Brandon Dorney of Arts Kids Academy will present this interactive art experience. Attendees will dis- cover the waterscapes of Claude Monet and create a mas- terpiece of their own. This program is for Franklin Lakes residents. Registration may be completed by calling (201) 891-2224 or by visiting the library at 470 DeKorte Drive during regular hours. ‘On the Road with FLOW’ Library board to meet The Franklin Lakes Library Board of Trustees will meet on Wednesday, March 19 in the Local History Room of the library at 470 DeKorte Drive. The 7 p.m. meeting is open to the public. For more information, call (20) 891-2224. Learn about New Jersey’s film industry Walter Choroszewski will present “Cinema & Televi- sion: The New Jersey Connection” on Thursday, March 18. This 7 p.m. program will be held at the Franklin Lakes Library at 470 DeKorte Drive. Learn about New Jersey’s silent film history, the state’s recent popularity in movies and reality television, and its historic contributions to American cinema and television – from Edison’s Black Maria Studio to the numerous Jersey- born artists who have starred on the big and small screens. For details, call the library at (201) 891-2224. Student performance announced Students at Franklin Lakes Middle School will pres- ent a production of Disney’s “High School Musical Junior Version.” Performances will be March 21 at 7:30 p.m., March 22 at 8 p.m., and March 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10. To purchase tickets, contact Christine Christopoul at cmchristo@aol.com. This program is sponsored by the school’s PTA and Drama Club. Letters to the Editor (continued from page 18) Drivers need a wake-up call -- and long in advance. They shouldn’t get an alert a few feet away from the circle, especially when they driving between 40 and 25 miles per hour (much too fast) up and down Franklin Lake Road. Another solution would be to install a traffic light at the circle. It might slow traffic flow a little, but it would prob- ably prevent future accidents. My husband and I have lived at the edge of the circle more than 50 years and are well acquainted with accidents at the site. Motorists aren’t the only ones at risk. Joggers, cyclists, and pedestrians are also in jeopardy, and they travel around the circle on a regular basis. I hold my breath every time I see one of these brave souls try to get through the intersec- tion or dodge speeding vehicles on Franklin Lake and High Mountain Roads. When yield signs are posted, there may be a tremendous increase in accident statistics. We just wish that more time would be spent in studying the circle for better solutions. Rosalie Longo Franklin Lakes Concerned over perception of privilege Dear Editor: I am writing to comment on the recent article regarding the Midland Park DPW. I totally agree with our mayor: The Midland Park DPW is an outstanding, hard-working group. They do an excellent job. But I can also understand Mr. Casse’s mistake in think- ing the Parkwood Deli enjoys special privileges. After all, the little neighborhood corner store was able to add seating, pizza ovens, a large lighted sign, and extend business hours seemingly without any of the normal municipal oversight that would have involved the neighborhood and evaluated the parking, noise, and light issues. In addition, I have observed a “municipal employee” lunch special that is not posted, but appears to be about a 50 percent discount. In conclusion, I don’t think it is Mr. Casse who has the problem, I believe we all do. Mary F. Cronan Midland Park FLOW Follies will present an original musical comedy, ‘On the Road with FLOW,’ on March 13, 14, and 15. This annual scholarship benefit will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Indian Hills Auditorium, 97 Yawpo Avenue in Oakland. Tickets are $15 for adults; $10 for seniors and students. In addition to these regular performances, a ‘Munchies and Mati- nee’ event for senior citizens will be held March 16 at 2 p.m. The matinee will include a light lunch at 1 p.m. followed by the performance. Tickets for the matinee are $10. The benefit provides scholarships for Ramapo and Indian Hills graduates. For more information, visit www.flowfollies.org for more information. Pictured are FLOW Follies performers (clockwise from top left) George Jamgochian and Cheri McCusker as Maxwell Smart and Agent 99. Susan Natale, Lisa Luppino and Alexis Tranor rep- resenting the Brady Bunch and the Golden Girls. Bob Hoogerheyde as Jethro Bodine. Rich Valenta working on the set design. Monica Flon and Pat Mc- Donough as Barbie and Ken. Petra Conte and Ber- nadette Raguseo as Ellie Mae and Granny. |
Page 22 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 Danger, terrorism, and red herrings at 30,000 feet by Dennis Seuling “Non-Stop” falls into the well traveled cinematic cat- egory of “melodrama in the air.” The genre goes back to “Zero Hour” (the 1957 drama that inspired the hilarious “Airplane!”) and continues through “The High and the Mighty” (1954), “Airport” (1970), and countless others -- including “Snakes on a Plane” (2006). The hero this time is Bill Marks (Liam Neeson), an air marshal with a serious drinking problem. His life is not going well and he is in nearly bare-knuckled panic as his plane takes off. Fellow passenger Jen Summers (Julianne Moore) speaks soothingly to him and calms his nerves, but his peace of mind doesn’t last long. A text message blinks onto his phone from an unknown party on the plane threatening that someone on board will die every 20 minutes unless a $150 million ransom is paid. Marks initially suspects a prank in bad taste but none- theless takes the text seriously and attempts to discover the sender. To avoid panicking the 150 passengers aboard, he must do this discreetly. He gets help from flight atten- dant Nancy (Michelle Dockery, “Downton Abbey”) and Jen, who has won his confidence. He is also in contact with his superiors on the ground. Director Jaume Collet-Sera and scriptwriter John W. Richardson build suspense by throwing suspicion on assorted passengers and making clear that Marks, suffer- ing from a recent personal loss and alcohol abuse, is not the perfect hero. Lately, Neeson has made a career of playing the mild- mannered man who transforms into an action hero when circumstances necessitate it. Unlike the earlier “Taken” or “Unknown,” however, “Non-Stop” restricts his der- Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) and airline passenger Jen (Julianne Moore) look at a suspicious text message in ‘Non-Stop.’ ring-do with a claustrophobic setting full of people who would surely panic if they knew the danger facing them. Moore’s Jen is a woman who seems all too calm despite knowing the danger facing the plane. She is first seen as jittery and annoying, asking people to change places with her so she can have a window seat. Is this some sort of airplane phobia, or something more? When Marks enlists her assistance, she agrees immediately. Why is she so cooperative? Can this be a cover for something more devious? In whodunits of this type, it’s formulaic to shine sus- picion on as many people as possible in order to keep the audience guessing even when things seem clear. Direc- tor Collet-Sera does this well, and supplies an interesting variation by directing suspicion, at one point, at Marks himself. Unfortunately, the final third of the movie is a let- down. Once the guilty party is revealed and the motivation explained, the drama falters. It appears the writer wrote a solid two-thirds of a screenplay and then ran up against a credibility wall. Neeson delivers a solid performance and the movie is entertaining enough, but it could have been much richer had the resolution made better sense. Rated PG-13, “Non-Stop” plays like an in-flight Agatha Christie mystery. An assortment of suspects is paraded in showy vignettes, giving the audience time to wonder about them, while the suspense mounts as the clock literally ticks down to impending death. Advertise your restaurant in The Villadom TIMES. You’ll reach over 47,000 households. 201-652-0744 www.villadom.com Cook Up Some Business! |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 23 ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ revisits the 1960s folk scene by Dennis Seuling “Inside Llewyn Davis” (Sony), the latest film from Joel and Ethan Coen, takes place in 1961 during Greenwich Village’s folk music heyday. Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) is part of that scene, but things are not going well for him. He has no permanent home, his gigs have failed to draw critical atten- tion, his solo album is selling poorly, and he has gotten his friend’s wife (Carey Mul- ligan) pregnant. Life looks bleak. Llewyn is serious about his music, but makes a lot of decisions that stunt his career. One of his biggest problems is connecting with an audience. He does not have boyish good looks to rely on and possesses little on-stage charm. He watches opportunities pass him by as others succeed, failing to look within himself to discover the cause. Isaac performs all his own songs with skill and feeling and handles the dramatic scenes effectively despite his thin acting resume. His performance incorporates arrogance, anger, frustration, disdain, bit- terness, and resignation. The movie is filled with interesting little episodes, colorful characters, and vignettes that capture an early ‘60s vibe. An assort- ment of characters interact with Llewyn in different ways, ranging from the nasty accusations spewing from a female friend’s mouth to the painfully candid assessment of his singing by record promoter Bud Grossman (F. Murray Abraham) to a ram- bling tirade by jazz musician Roland Turner (John Goodman). Both the Blu-ray and DVD editions Oscar Isaac stars as a 1960s folk musician in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis.’ contain the behind-the-scenes featurette, “Inside ‘Inside Llewyn Davis,’” containing interviews with Oscar Isaac, Joan Baez, Patti Smith, Justin Timberlake, Carey Mul- ligan, and Joel, and Ethan Coen. “Homefront” (Universal) is a thriller about a man who will go to dangerous extremes to protect his family. Phil Broker (Jason Statham) is an ex-DEA agent whose desire for the quiet life has taken him, along with 10-year-old daughter Kit, to a small Louisiana town to settle down. When Kit inadvertently precipitates a chain of clan violence, Broker must draw upon the deadly skills he hoped to keep in his past and deal with local crime lord Gator Bodine (James Franco). Bodine runs a boat-repair busi- ness that is merely a front for his lucrative meth lab, and he has the town’s sheriff on the payroll. Though it is initially strange to see Franco in a villainous role, he plays it straight, with a crazed, megalomaniacal gaze that has a withering effect on every- one except Broker. This is standard-issue for Statham, who soon ends up taking on the bad guys single-handedly. The Blu-ray/ DVD combo pack contains a digital HD ultraviolet copy and deleted scenes. “Mademoiselle C” (Cohen Media Group) is a documentary about Carine Roitfeld, (continued on Crossword page) |
Page 24 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & III • March 12, 2014 DVD releases (continued from page 23) who ran French Vogue for 10 years, building a reputation as one of the fashion world’s most significant influences. Her inner circle includes Donatella Versace, Tom Ford, Karl Lagerfeld, Diane von Furstenberg, and Alexander Wang. The movie chronicles Roitfeld’s launch of her own maga- zine, CR Fashion Book, and gives a behind-the-scenes look at the inner workings of her professional and personal lives. Viewers observe major transitions as she moves to New York, starts a new business, and prepares to become a grandmother. On display are the models, celebrities, and eccentric personalities who make the fashion world so col- orful and captivating. Featured are Sarah Jessica Parker; photographer Bruce Weber; supermodels Kate Upton, Linda Evangelista, and Stephanie Seymour; and designers Ford, von Furstenberg, Lagerfeld, and Jean Paul Gaultier. Bonuses on the Blu-ray release include footage from the Paris premiere. “Samson and Delilah” (Paramount) is Cecil B. DeMi- lle’s 1949 Technicolor biblical melodrama loosely based on an episode in the book of Judges. The relationship between Samson (Victor Mature) and the tempestuous Delilah (Hedy Lamarr) gets short shrift, as DeMille concentrates on Samson’s incredible feats of strength, including wres- tling a lion to the death with his bare hands. The studio- bound movie clearly suffers from a restrictive budget. Though it aspires to the heights achieved six years later with DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments,” it comes off as a disappointment. Samson’s strength is conveyed with various pre-CGI means, including rear projection, fake pil- lars, wire work, and a carefully hidden stuntman standing in for Mature in that lion battle. Much of the movie is com- prised of talky scenes on studio sets. The climax, edited to maximize its impact, is Samson destroying the temple, bringing down prop pillars on a terrified throng. The sup- porting cast includes George Sanders, Angela Lansbury, Russ Tamblyn, and frequent DeMille performer Henry Wilcoxon. There are no bonuses included with the new Blu-ray release. “Adventure Time: The Complete Third Season” (Warner Home Video) consists of 26 11-minute episodes from this Cartoon Network series that follows the adven- tures of Finn, a boy, and his best pal, Jake, a dog that can shape-shift, grow, and shrink at will. Finn and Jake live in the post-apocalyptic Land of Ooo. As they go through one adventure after another, they interact with Princess Bub- blegum, the Ice King, and Marceline the Vampire Queen. Several episodes in this collection stand out. “Thank You,” which was nominated for an Annie Award and an award at the Sundance Film Festival, follows the exploits of a sensi- tive snow creature as he befriends a wolf puppy and tries to return it to its own kind. The story unfolds primarily in visuals. “Too Young” was nominated for an Emmy Award. “Memory of a Memory” and “Marceline’s Closet” imagi- natively play with perspective. The Blu-ray release contains commentaries, an alternate “Adventure Time” introduc- tion, and the featurette “How an Idea Becomes Adventure Time” with commentary from creator Pendleton Ward. |
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SAME DAY SERVICE 201-447-5887 TREE SERVICE � ���� �� ������� � ��� �� ������ � ������ ��������� ����� ������� ������������ � WINDOW CLEANING AFFORDABLE-Insured Est. 40 years 201-385-2271 R E A L E S T AT E RELIGIOUS HOUSE FOR RENT Prayer to St. Clare Midland Park 3 bed 1.5 bath house avail. for rent on quiet street 3 min walk to NYC bus $2050/month Call 201 294 4293 RENTAL AGENT NJ Rental Queen No fee to landlord-FREE! I Qualify All Tenants 201-790-5544. Call Allison RELIGIOUS Prayer to St. Jude Oh, Holy St. Jude, apostle and martyr. Great in vir- tue and rich in miracles; near kinsman of Jesus Christ; faithful interces- sor 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 prom- ise 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. jc Prayer to St. Jude Oh, Holy St. Jude, apostle and martyr. Great in vir- tue and rich in miracles; near kinsman of Jesus Christ; faithful interces- sor 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 prom- ise 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. cd 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 & glorified today & every day.” Request will be granted no matter how impossible it seems. Pub- lication must be promised. Thank you for answering my prayer. JK 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 hum- bly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to suc- cor me in this necessity There are none that can withstand your power. Oh, show me herein, you are my mother. Oh, Mary, con- ceived 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 prob- lems, 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 con- firm 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 consecutive days. After 3 days, the request will be granted. This prayer must be published after the favor is granted. Immacu- late Heart of Mary, Thank you for answering my prayers. jw continued on next page |
Page 26 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • March 12, 2014 FOR SALE CLASSIFIED cont. from preceding page RELIGIOUS 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. as ANNOUNCEMENTS All Things Basementy! Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing? Fin- ishing? Structual Repairs? Humidity and Mold Control FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1- 866-589-0174 SAFE STEP TUBS. Enjoy safety, comfort and thera- peutic relief from the best walk-in tubs made in the USA. Call 1-888-734-4527 for FREE information and SENIOR DISCOUNTS! DISH TV Retailer. Start- ing at $19.99/month (for 12 mos.) & High Speed Inter- net starting at $14.95/month (where available). 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Free Shipping, Top$, 24 hr Payments! Call 1-855-578-7477, espanol 888-440-4001 or visit www. TestStripSearch.com today. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSIS- TANTS NEEDED! Get trained now at CTI! NO EXPERIENCE NEEDED! Online training gets you job ready! HS Diploma/GED & Computer needed. 1-888- 627-1610 CASH FOR CARS: Cars/ trucks Wanted! Running or Not! We Come To You! Any Make/Model, Instant Offer- Call: 1-800-569-0003 Classifieds Work!!! Place your ad in The Villadom Times 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 Villadom Happenings (continued from page 2) originally priced at $55 and $45 are purchased on March 13, 14, and 15. Discount tickets for anyone age 65 and over or age 12 and under will be available now through April 6. Senior citizens, ages 65 and over, who purchase regu- larly priced tickets on non-sale dates are entitled to a 10 percent discount. The company is offering a reduced rate of $10 on all tickets for children, ages 12 and under, when accompanied by a ticket-holding adult for the April 6 performance. These offers are not available online and may be pur- chased only at the bergenPAC’s box office in Englewood and by calling (201) 227-1030 or toll-free at 1-888-PAC- SHOW. All special ticket offers must be requested before the purchase. The bergenPAC is barrier-free. Hearing assist systems are available upon request to the house manager in the lobby. Junior League seeks scholarship applicants The Junior League of Bergen County is accepting appli- cations for its $1,500 scholarship, which will be awarded to a high school senior who has demonstrated a commitment to voluntarism during his or her high school career. The scholarship will recognize a student who has shown outstanding community service, particularly in the areas of health, wellness, and safety of women and children. The committee will also review applications for evidence of civic leadership, extracurricular activities, scholastic effort, and work or family responsibilities. Interested high school seniors may visit www.thejlbc. Board seat (continued from page 3) can to provide that for them within a framework of fiscal responsibility and transparency,” Canellas said. Canellas said that while student achievement should always be the first priority, “there is unfinished business to attend to, especially with respect to our facilities. We need to come together as a community and make an investment not only in our facilities but also in our students and property values. We also need to communicate more effectively ensur- ing that the community has a clear and concise understanding of our district’s goals and objectives, our accomplishments and successes, as well as areas in need of improvement and the corresponding action plans,” he added. Thomas said she believes that “the primary responsibil- ity of a board member is to establish goals for the schools based on student educational needs, parent and community aspirations, state and federal standards, and district finan- cial resources.” She added, “It is the responsibility of the board to institute policies that allow all students to reach his or her full potential while being sensitive to the stakeholders of Midland Park.” Thomas said she is “seeking re-election so as I can continue to support our district as it navigates through the challenges of providing quality education while remaining fiscally responsible. If elected, I will continue to strive to implement the goals of our community as well as support the board’s mission of ‘providing students with a comprehen- sive, adaptive education in a positive environment by maxi- mizing all resources and empowering them to realize their individual worth and responsibility with the expectation that all students achieve the New Jersey Core Curriculum Con- tent Standards at all grade levels.’” Triolo has similar goals. “Our school system reflects our community, and with wise investment, we can make it a better place for all of our citizens. I want to continue the work of the board to achieve these goals and help promote the Borough of Midland Park to potential new residents and businesses,” Triolo said. Canellas, a 10-year resident, is a Certified Public Accoun- tant. Currently vice president of finance and operations for Home Box Office Sports, he previously served as an auditor for Deloitte and Touche, LLP. He was active in the school district’s 2007 Strategic Planning process as a member of the Environment Sub-Committee, and is a baseball and soccer coach and Cub Scout Committee member and past den leader. As a member of the board of education, he has served on the Finance, Buildings and Grounds, Technology, Policy, Legislative and Public Relations committees and org for more information and to download the application. Completed applications must be received by March 31. Art exhibit and sale set The New Friends of the Oakland Public Library invite the community to the Third Annual Art Exhibit and Sale, which will be held March 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and March 30 from noon to 4 p.m. at the library located at 2 Municipal Plaza in Oakland. The show will feature original works by over 35 promi- nent and up-and-coming artists. Local artists, including Peggy Dressel, Siegi Lehmann, Roberta Oliver, Pam Leg- gate, Alice Winberry, Jerry Winnick, and Gerry Bird, will share the spotlight with newcomers to the art scene. This event one of two major fundraisers held each year by the New Friends of the Oakland Public Library. Pro- ceeds will benefit the Friends’ free cultural programs. Admission is free. Author visit announced Author Todd Strasser will visit Well Read New and Used Bookstore, 425 Lafayette Avenue in Hawthorne, on March 13. Strasser will sign copies of his newest book, “No Place,” at the meet and greet for students and parents. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m. Strasser, a New York City native, has written over 140 young-adult and middle-grade novels, and a number of short stories and nonfiction pieces. For details about the signing, call Well Read at (973) 949-3440 or visit www.thewellreadbookstore.com. served as the board’s liaison to the Elementary PTA, Educa- tion Foundation, and Performing Arts Parents. He and his wife, Deidre, have three children: Matthew, a seventh grader at Midland Park Junior/Senior High School; Christopher, a fourth grader at Highland School; and Amanda, who will begin nursery school in the fall. They attend the Church of the Nativity, where he is a member of the Knights of Columbus. Meeks is an active member of the Midland Park Lions Club, where he has served as club secretary for five years. A graduate of Seton Hall University, he is the former president of the Midland Park United Republican Club, and worked as Congressman Scott Garrett’s Academy Director in 2002, Mayor Steve Lonegan’s gubernatorial primary campaign in 2005, and field director in Hudson and Union counties for Doug Forrester’s gubernatorial campaign. Meeks has worked as Bogota’s borough administrator, and for Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. and NBC Universal. He is currently customer care representative for Nice-Pak/PDI products, in Orangeburg, New York. He and his wife, Erika, have lived in Midland Park since 2007. Thomas is running for her second full term on the board. She holds a doctorate from Seton Hall University and has been a student assistance counselor with the Randolph Township Schools in Morris County for 24 years, where she also serves as the Anti Bullying Coordinator. A life-long borough resident and Midland Park High School Class of 1979 graduate, she chairs the board’s Policy and Personnel committees and has served on the Curriculum and Public Relations committees. She also serves as the school board’s liaison to the Special Education Parents’ Advisory Commit- tee, the Midland Park Performing Arts Parents, and the Mid- land Park Public Education Foundation. A former chairman of the Midland Park Municipal Alliance Committee, she is a member of the Midland Park High School PTA, the Church of the Presentation in Upper Saddle River, the New Jersey Association for Student Assistance Professionals, and the American Counseling Association. She and her husband Tom Hagerty have three children: Patrick, MPHS 2013; Tim, MPHS 2016, and Maggie, MPHS 2017. Triolo, a graduate of Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in business management and marketing, is self- employed as a manufacturer’s representative in the automo- tive industry. He serves on the board’s Legislative, Public Relations, and Curriculum and Instruction committees and is the liai- son to the Elementary School PTA. He coaches soccer and softball in the borough’s recreation programs. Residents of Midland Park since 1998, he and his wife, Jennifer, have a fifth grader and a fourth grader in the school system. |
March 12, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 27 Park Windmill Have coffee with the mayor Midland Park Mayor Bud O’Hagan will host his monthly “Coffee with the Mayor” on Saturday, March 15. O’Hagan will welcome the public at 10 a.m. in the second floor con- ference room at borough hall. Residents are encouraged to stop by and discuss any items of interest in this informal setting. Borough hall is located at 280 Godwin Avenue in Mid- land Park. Library board plans meeting The Midland Park Memorial Library Board of Trustees will meet March 20. The board will gather at 7:30 p.m. at the library located at 250 Godwin Avenue. Parent seminar set The Midland Park Municipal Alliance and the Mid- land Park High School PTA will host a parent seminar on Wednesday, March 12 in the high school media center/ library. “Bridging the Gap: What Parents Don’t Know and Teens Aren’t Telling” will begin at 7:30 p.m. The seminar will address alcohol, drug use and abuse, and destructive decision making by teens. Parents will receive information about what teens are doing today and how parents can speak with their children, other adults, and the community regarding these behaviors and how to address them. Program presenters will include Licensed Social Worker Dorothy O’Keefe Diana, and Tara McSorley, MA, LSW, LCSW. Diana holds a master’s in social work from Rutgers University. She has extensive experience working with the dually diagnosed in the field of chemical dependency and mental health. She has been employed in an outpatient mental health and outpatient chemical substance abuse facility, treating adults and individuals with diverse issues. She was a substitute teacher in the New Jersey public school system, working with special needs children, mainstream children, and adolescents. She has experience working in colleges and universities providing counseling for students Pet oxygen masks (continued from page 19) Advocates. “Far too many pets die each year of smoke asphyxiation. While firemen attempt to get pets safely out of burning structures, they are not able to revive them unless they have the proper equipment. These masks work well because they are small, and are designed to fit over snouts. Even birds, hamsters, or snakes can be placed inside the masks.” Anyone interested in donating a set of oxygen masks to his or her community is invited to contact Devereaux at CAA at (201) 706-7666. The $100 tax-deductible donation includes: three oxygen masks (small, medium, and large); oxygen tubes for each mask, one O2 Fur Life carry bag (for storage and mobility), a laminated instruction sheet (includes ABCs of CPR for cats and dogs), a kennel lead (for animal restraint and control), two “Pet Oxygen Masks on Board” decals (for display on vehicle and in depart- ment), a PowerPoint presentation for personnel training, an instructional DVD “Pets Need Oxygen Too” (one per order); two animal incident report forms for first respond- ers; and a pet rescue notice form. One of the goals of Companion Animal Advocates’ humane education program is to make sure every town in Bergen County is equipped with a kit so pets are protected in case of an emergency. So far this year, CAA has donated more than 114 sets of pet oxygen masks throughout Bergen and Passaic counties. Companion Animal Advocates is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Bergen County. CAA is dedicated to the welfare of companion animals through programs designed to keep pets in their homes and reduce pet over- population. For further information, contact Christine at Christine@CompanionAnimalAdvocates.org, visit www. CompanionAnimalAdvocates.org<http://www.compan- ionanimaladvocates.org and sign up for the newsletter, or call (201) 706-7666. with many issues, including trauma. Diana is trained in dialectical behavioral therapy and is currently studying at the Center for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis of New Jersey. McSorley holds a master’s in counseling from New Jersey City University and a master’s in social work from Rutgers University. She has worked extensively in the field of chemical dependency and mental health, also provid- ing in-home therapy for at-risk children and their families. McSorley is trained in dialectical behavioral therapy and sensorimotor psychotherapy for the treatment of trauma. She is currently studying at the Center for Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis of New Jersey. All are welcome. For more information, e-mail Jayneburke@gmail.com. MPHS names Good Samaritans Midland Park High School has announced its Good Samaritan Award recipients for February. The following individuals were recognized for their volunteer service, community pride, kindness, and caring: Jay Patel, Amanda Giardina, Josh Terpstra, Alexis Vanderwiele, and Mike Powderley. 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 trea- sure-hunting adventure at the church located at 95 Pros- pect Street. Visitors to SonTreasure Island will learn songs and participate in skits, crafts, and games. To register, visit www.GrowingGodsPeople.com or call (201) 444-1694. Church sponsors Lenten groups Lenten Devotion Groups are forming at the Midland Park United Methodist Church, located at 269 Godwin Avenue in Midland Park. The prayer groups will meet on Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. beginning March 13 and on Tues- days at 10:30 a.m. beginning March 18. The daily devotions will be taken from Robert Schnase’s “Forty Days of Fruit- ful Living.” For details, call (201) 445-3787. ‘Introduction to Meditation’ available Midland Park students are invited to learn about the practice of meditation through a class being sponsored by the Friends of the Midland Park Memorial Library. The program will be held at the Midland Park Library at 250 Godwin Avenue. Students in grades seven through 12 will meet on March 17 and 24 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Children in grades three through six will meet March 18 and 25 from 3:15 to 4:15 p.m. The cost for the two-class program is $10. Both series build on mindfulness meditation, which is being aware of the body in the present moment. Some have found meditation practice decreases stress, anxiety, depression, and hostility. Some of the benefits of medita- tion include enhanced compassion, empathy, and executive function. The classes are led by Kirsten Sharo, instructor at Mid- land Park Continuing Education. Registration is required. Call (201) 290-6014 or Jennifer Triolo at (201) 444-6835 or e-mail mplibraryfriends@gmail.com. ‘Son of God’ series set Midland Park Church of God will present a sermon series on the film “Son of God” at the 10:30 a.m. service every Sunday through Easter (April 20). Discover what the Bible says about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Included in the discussion will be video clips and slide pre- sentations. The community is invited to join the congregation for “Son of God: Who is He?” For more information, contact Pastor Lloyd at (201) 445-3814. MPUMC hosts dinner The Midland Park United Methodist Church, 269 Godwin Avenue in Midland Park, will host a dinner on Sat- urday, March 22 from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are $8 for adults and $3 for children. Children under three years old will be admitted free. Call (201) 445-3787 for tickets and informa- tion. Auxiliary learns about harp therapy Join the Midland Park Valley Hospital Auxiliary on March 12 as Nina Rubin performs harp music and discusses the benefits of harp therapy. The meeting will be held at the Faith Reformed Church, 95 Prospect Street in Midland Park, at 10 a.m. Rubin will share some of her experiences with harp therapy and read some of her poetry about her hospital experiences. The auxiliary will be accepting donations for the Bake- less Bake Sale. Members are also reminded to bring their donations for the prize basket fundraiser. The organization’s annual Fashion Show is set for April. 29. Tickets will available at the meeting. The Nominating Committee for the central board slate for 2014-15 is seeking to fill the following positions: tem- porary vice president of ways and means, recording secre- tary, vice president of membership, and administrative vice president. On March 25, the Valley Hospital Foundation will host a Champagne Brunch Reception for auxiliary members in honor of the auxiliaries’ 70th Anniversary. The free event will be held at Seasons Restaurant in Washington Town- ship. RSVP to Linda Leeder at linda.leeder@yahoo.com. For more information, contact Jo Ann Levine at (201) 370-9891. |
Page 28 THE VILLADOM TIMES I & III • March 12, 2014 |