North Jersey mayors supportive, skeptical of shared services
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2014, 8:24 PM
BY JIM NORMAN
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Mayors across North Jersey had reactions ranging from support to skepticism for Governor Christie’s budget proposal calling for an $8.5 million fund to encourage municipalities to save money by consolidating and sharing such services as police and fire protection.
“It sounds great, but how far does $8.5 million go across the state of New Jersey?” Fairview Mayor Vincent Bellucci asked. “It makes good press, but it doesn’t make good reality.”
“It’s a gutsy move on his part,” Clifton Mayor James Anzaldi said of Christie. “Every little bit helps. I think that’s smart government.”
East Rutherford Mayor James Cassella said: “I don’t need anybody to push me to do it. Just show me the savings and we’ll do it. … A town is foolish if they’re not looking into it already.”
Mayor Mark Sokolich of Fort Lee said that although he hadn’t seen the governor’s proposal, he supports shared services. “We need to be as creative as we possibly can, and I think we need to be supportive of any creative measures,” he said.
“We mayors recognize that old ways of doing government are unsustainable and that it is incumbent on us to constantly explore new and better ways of delivering municipal services,” said Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn.
Bus riders frozen out as fight over snow removal leaves many NJ Transit stops packed in ice
Tuesday, February 11, 2014 Last updated: Tuesday February 11, 2014, 11:25 PM
BY ABBOTT KOLOFF, MINJAE PARK AND MATTHEW MCGRATH
STAFF WRITERS
The Record
Commuters getting on and off NJ Transit buses along highways in Bergen and Passaic counties have been climbing over boulders of ice and snow for the past week because no one seemed to know who was supposed to plow the bus stops.
One woman hung onto an NJ Transit bus stop sign that poked out of a mound of packed snow on Route 3 east at Passaic Avenue in Clifton as she waited for a bus to New York City on Tuesday morning. Others, grumbling about conditions at the bus stop, walked around the ice and onto a shoulder of the road to wait for a bus, with rush-hour traffic passing just inches away.
Resolution for N.J. extension of 7 Line clears Assembly committee but lacks steam
By Andrew George November 25, 2013 at 2:20 PM
While a resolution in support of extending New York City’s 7 Line Subway to New Jersey was moved forward by an Assembly panel today, don’t expect it to go anywhere anytime soon.
Though the Assembly Transportation, Public Works and Independent Authorities Committee voted to release the resolution for further consideration, legislators said there were still too many concerns surrounding it.
Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-Clifton) is the resolution’s primary sponsor.
According to the resolution, studies indicate that travel demand between Manhattan and New Jersey will increase by roughly 38 percent by 2030. The 7 Line, which is currently undergoing an extension on Manhattan’s West Side, would connect New Jersey riders to the major hubs of Grand Central Station, Times Square and eventually the area near Penn Station when construction is completed.
In New Jersey, the proposed extension would include stops in Hoboken and Secaucus and roughly account for an additional 128,000 riders per day, according to an April 2013 study conducted by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, which was included in the resolution.
Committee chair and Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville) said that the extension is worth further consideration if only to continue looking for an alternative to the $8.7 billion Access to the Region’s Core project, a trans-Hudson rail tunnel that Gov. Chris Christie nixed in 2010.
New Jersey Town Face Tax Vacuum Minus Drugmakers; Muni Credit
Four northern New Jersey towns face the loss of $29 million of combined revenue as some of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies depart, complicating Republican Governor Chris Christie’s drive to boost business and cut the highest U.S. property taxes.
Merck & Co. (MRK), the second-biggest U.S. drugmaker by sales, is shutting its headquarters in Readington and a complex in Summit as part of a 16,000-job reduction. Roche Holding AG, the world’s biggest maker of cancer drugs, by year-end is closing its campus spanning the municipalities of Nutley and Clifton. The latter has seen the extra yield investors demand on some of its debt almost double in the past six weeks.
Nearly half of New Jersey’s life-sciences jobs are in its northern region. Summit and Readington, which are 16 miles (26 kilometers) and 50 miles, respectively, west of New York, both count Merck as their largest taxpayer. Roche is the biggest in Nutley, 8 miles from Manhattan. The closings are a credit negative for the localities, with pressure on taxes and revenues, Moody’s Investors Service said in an Oct. 10 report. (Young and Kaske/Bloomberg)
Former Tick Tock Diner manager indicted in murder-for-hire plot
Wednesday, November 6, 2013 Last updated: Wednesday November 6, 2013, 7:00 PM
BY JOHN PETRICK
STAFF WRITER
The Record
The former manager of Clifton’s landmark Tick Tock Diner was indicted by a state grand jury Wednesday on charges he attempted to hire a hit man to kill his uncle, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced.
Georgios Spyropoulos, 45, of Clifton, was arrested by the State Police in April, foiling the alleged plot.
Spyropoulos allegedly attempted to hire a hit man to kill his uncle by marriage, Alexandro Sgourdos, 57, of Clifton, who manages the Tick Tock Diner in Manhattan and is a co-owner of the Tick Tock Diner on Route 3 in Clifton.
Local North Jersey races offer mixed results for incumbents, challengers
Wednesday November 6, 2013, 12:35 AM
BY STEPHANIE AKIN
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Voters turned out in steady streams throughout North Jersey on Tuesday, undeterred by what many considered a foregone conclusion in the governor’s race.
With the run-up to the election overshadowed by Governor Christie’s outsized personality — he was declared the winner almost as soon as the polls closed Tuesday evening — many North Jersey voters turned their attention to local issues.
Clifton voters passed a non-binding referendum supporting the move of municipal elections from May to November. Hawthorne’s mayor sought to cinch a second term in spite of lingering opposition to a scuttled plan to bring a Walmart into town. And Bergen County voters weighed in on whether the county could buy flood-prone properties with tax money collected to preserve open space.
The county and municipal elections were also considered a litmus test for Christie’s influence in local races, with Republicans across the region hoping to ride the popular governor’s coattails.
In Passaic County, where Christie was expected to pile up big leads in Republican strongholds of Wayne, West Milford and North Haledon, their hopes were largely dashed.
Tim Bonanno’s 4 TDs lead Ridgewood rout over Fair Lawn
Friday, November 1, 2013
BY JIM MCCONVILLE
CORRESPONDENT
The Ridgewood News
RIDGEWOOD — On Friday night, the 2003 Ridgewood High School state-championship football team was honored at halftime of the Maroons’ game versus Fair Lawn. It also was an opportunity for those title holders to catch a glimpse of this year’s group, one that has drawn a lot of comparisons to their predecessors.
Glimpse is probably the right word, because if they got held up at the pre-game tailgate party, they probably missed the first team’s performance. Once again, Ridgewood made quick work of an opponent and took the second half off.
This time, it was Fair Lawn, with the Maroons scoring all eight times they had the ball on the way to a 53-6 lead at the intermission. That would also be the final score, as Ridgewood went with its second team after the break.
Now 6-0, they travel to Clifton tonight with a pretty clear picture of what they need to do in the North 1, Group 5 state-playoff bracket. Last week’s win guaranteed Ridgewood a spot in the playoffs, but just getting there isn’t going to satisfy this team.
42 and 14: A Tribute to Jackie Robinson, Larry Doby and Baseball …Poetry and Music Festival, October 26th at 1 pm in Ridgewood
-Jackie Robinson’s widow greets Ridgewood tribute
RIDGEWOOD, NJ, October 26 – Jackie Robinson’s widow has sent a thank-you message to a planned tribute to the baseball great set for 1 p.m. Saturday, October 26, at Ridgewood Christian Reformed Church, 271 Lincoln Avenue at West End Avenue. The festival will feature baseball poets Susanna Rich and Edwin Romond, baseball songs from the Victoria Warne Band, and free hot dogs, peanuts and Cracker Jacks.
The heroism of Robinson in confronting virulent racism as he broke Major League Baseball’s color barrier in 1947 was depicted this year in the movie “42” (his uniform number, which baseball permanently retired this fall in his memory). A free screening of the movie “42” will take place on Sunday, October 20th @ 7 pm.
Ridgewood will also honor a second Baseball Hall of Fame member, Paterson’s own Larry Doby, the American League’s first African-American player with the Cleveland Indians months after Robinson broke in with the National League’s Brooklyn Dodgers.
In her message to Ridgewood, Rachel Robinson, 91, said “Thank you for paying tribute to my husband Jack in this very special way. Jack left us 41 years ago but we are delighted that our story lives on and continues to resonate in communities around the world,” adding, “I am delighted that you have chosen to honor him and to share with others his enduring legacy.”
Since a church is sponsoring the Robinson tribute, she stated, “Jack was a man of faith and it was his unwavering belief in God that sustained us during the most challenging times.”
Poets are invited to read works on the theme during an open mic session, and drop-in musicians are welcome to perform. Details on the scheduled performers:
Dr. Susanna Rich (Blairstown, NJ) was an Emmy Award nominee for her baseball poetry for the documentary “Cobb Field,” and also provided poetry for “A Perfect Place,” a film about the Cincinnati Reds. Her work appears frequently in “Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine.” Her poetry collections include “The Drive Home” and “Television Daddy.” She also tours with one-woman interactive poetry performances. Rich is an English professor at Kean University in Union, where she received its Presidential Excellence Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Edwin Romond (Wind Gap, PA), a longtime public school teacher, now leads poetry events for the Geraldine Dodge Foundation. His book “Blue Mountain Time: Poems About Baseball” was selected for the literary archives at the Baseball Hall of Fame, and his baseball memoir “The Ticket” appears in Tim Russert’s best-seller “Wisdom Of Our Fathers.” His poem “Champion,” about the friendship of Olympic track stars Jesse Owens and Luz Long of Germany, won the 2013 New Jersey Poetry Prize. Romond has received poetry fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey and Pennsylvania Arts Councils.
Victoria Warne (Clifton, NJ) is the lead singer and guitarist with her band, which includes Steve Giordano on bass and George Schaefer on drums, with special guests Joe Jacovino and Cathy Vita. The band will perform “Did You See Jackie Robinson Hit That Ball,” recorded by Count Basie in 1949, “The Willie Mays Song,” “Joltin’ Joe Dimaggio,” and other baseball hit tunes. Warne has toured internationally and recorded two CDs as leader with originals that blend blues, rock, and jazz elements. Her many past collaborators ranged from Spyro Gyra’s Julio Fernandez to jazz great Billy Eckstine.
Jackie Robinson, who died in 1972, helped the Dodgers win the league championship in his first season of 1947, leading the league in stolen bases, and was named Rookie of the Year. During his 10 seasons the Dodgers won the pennant six times. He was one of baseball’s most dangerous base-runners who stole home plate 19 times, a league record. In 1949 he was named the league’s Most Valuable Player, leading in both hitting (.342) and stolen bases (37) while knocking in 124 runs. He was a six-time League All-Star with a career batting average of .311. As his Baseball Hall of Fame citation says, Robinson was “a symbol of hope to millions of Americans.”
Larry Doby, who died in 2003, helped the Indians win the league pennant and World Series in his first full season of 1948, he was the first African-American to hit a World Series home run. He was the league’s first black All-Star in 1949 and an All-Star every year afterward through 1955. In 1952 he became the first black player to lead the league in home runs (32), and in slugging percentage (.541), and also led in runs scored (104). He batted in 100 or more runs in five seasons. In 1954, when the Indians again won the pennant, he finished second for Most Valuable Player behind Yogi Berra, later a fellow Montclair resident. In 1978 Doby became the second African-American manager in the majors, with the Chicago White Sox.
For further information: Pastor Mary Stegink, pastormary@rcrcnj,org, 201.445.1832
High schools’ early starts deprive students of crucial sleep
Tuesday September 3, 2013, 8:03 AM
BY JACLYN ANTONACCI
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Shea Harris will be starting his junior year of high school in just a few days, and he’s still not quite sure what his morning routine will look like now that Clifton High School will start 10 minutes earlier than last year.
“I don’t know how we’re going to deal with the morning,” he said.
One thing the 16-year-old does know: the new 7:29 start time is unlikely to change his nighttime routine. He doesn’t plan to go to bed any earlier.
It’s only 10 minutes, but when it comes to teenagers and sleep, every minute lost counts, and it can cost them. Teenagers who do not get enough sleep risk an increase in anxiety, depression and weight gain, according to Dr. Tracy Carbone, director of The Valley Hospital Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Apnea Center.
High school students’ ability to concentrate, remember what is discussed and do well in class are all directly related to their quantity of sleep, she said –
See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/222120551_High_schools__early_starts_deprive_students_of_crucial_sleep.html#sthash.haNwGite.dpuf
ATM ‘skimmer’ hit banks in Clifton, Lodi, police say
Tuesday, August 13, 2013 Last updated: Wednesday August 14, 2013, 7:27 AM
BY JAMES NORMAN
STAFF WRITER
The Record
CLIFTON – Police are seeking a technologically savvy man in his 20s who installs electronic data skimmers on automated-teller machines then uses the data he collects to create his own debit cards and withdraw money from the accounts of unsuspecting customers, authorities said Tuesday.
Detective Sgt. Robert Bracken said pictures of the suspect were captured by security cameras at a Valley National Bank branch in the city.
Bracken said the same man has been active in Lodi and Montville.
“He has made numerous cards from the data he has gathered and has stolen uncounted amounts of money,” Bracken said. “He stole $1,800 from one victim alone.”
‘Real Housewives’ husband Joe Giudice’s license trial moved to October
MONDAY, JULY 15, 2013 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY JULY 15, 2013, 1:51 PM
BY JOHN PETRICK
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
The much-anticipated criminal trial of “Real Housewives of New Jersey” husband Giuseppe “Joe” Giudice on forgery charges has been bumped to the fall season – on the court calendar that is, not on Bravo TV’s schedule.State Superior Court Judge Greta Gooden Brown set a new trial date for Oct. 28. Giudice’s trial was supposed to begin Monday but was postponed because defense attorney Miles Feinstein, of Clifton, said an unexpected scheduling change caused a conflict with a homicide trial in Sussex County.
Giudice, a 43-year-old Montville resident, allegedly used his brother Pietro’s identity in June 2010 to obtain a driver’s license at the Motor Vehicle Commission office in Paterson. Obtaining a false driver’s license in New Jersey is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Authorities allege that Giudice used marriage and birth certificates belonging to his 39-year-old brother to obtain the license. Giudice’s license was suspended at the time for driving while intoxicated after he flipped his pickup inMontville in January 2010.
N.J. business groups pleased with health care law delay
Tuesday July 2, 2013, 8:33 PM
BY LINDA MOSS
STAFF WRITER
The Record
New Jersey business trade groups and employers were surprised, and pleased by the Obama administration’s decision to delay implementation of the requirement for businesses to provide health insurance.
“This is a win for businesses,” said Kathleen Alexander, a principal at the Clifton accounting firm Sax Macy Fromm & Co., which has been helping companies navigate the health care changes. “They are so inundated with the sluggish economy, with trying to recover from Sandy, there’s just so much on the plate, and then trying to prepare and comply with the complex regulations of the Affordable Care Act. It’s just impossible to keep everything going.”
Alexander said she expected to hear from very relieved clients on Wednesday morning.
Tracy Straka, chairman of the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) and executive vice president of Creamer Environmental Inc. in Hackensack, welcomed the news for her trade group and her company, which has 70 employees.
“I am absolutely thrilled,” Straka said. “First of all, nobody understands what they have to do, when they have to do, why they have to do … There’s a lot of unanswered questions where there’s no mechanism to get answers.”
For example, Straka said that her company, which does environmental cleanups, employs union workers for varying amounts of time ranging from three days to three months. Yet she has been unable to get an answer as to who is responsible for health coverage for such workers, or if they needed to turn to health exchanges.
They’re crunchy, they’re nutty, they’re low-carb, AND gluten-free
Cicada swarms are all or nothing in North Jersey
Tuesday, June 4, 2013 Last updated: Tuesday June 4, 2013, 11:52 PM
BY JAMES M. O’NEILL
STAFF WRITER
The Record
For about a week now, Pattie Monsaert-Westall of Wayne has had a new daily ritual — sweeping her front stoop. Otherwise, she’d have to take squishy, crunchy steps over the dozens of inch-long cicadas that flop there each morning.
Hundreds of translucent cicada exoskeletons are piled on either side of the entrance and beneath a small magnolia in her yard. Hundreds more are attached to the undersides of the magnolia leaves, like some kind of macabre ornaments.
Then there’s the noise — as if someone had put dozens of powerful loudspeakers in the trees and started blasting the high-pitched whine of a vacuum or an entire parking lot of car alarms.
“It was so deafening over the weekend we couldn’t even stay outside,” said Monsaert-Westall, who lives along the western edge of Packanack Lake.
For some North Jerseyans, the 17-year cicada emergence has hit with a vengeance. But for others, it’s as if the strange bugs never existed.
It’s boom or bust. The bugs have appeared by the tens of thousands in some neighborhoods of Tenafly and Englewood, in Palisades Interstate Park, and among the lake communities in Wayne.
Residents of other towns — from Ridgewood and Lyndhurst to Ramsey and Clifton – say they have neither seen nor heard any cicadas. Many who have braced for the onslaught are hopeful that, indeed, they may have been spared the nuisance.
‘Operation Swill:’ N.J. raids bars to see if they are passing off cheap liquor as premium brands
Wednesday, May 22, 2013 Last updated: Thursday May 23, 2013, 7:45 AM
BY HUGH R. MORLEY
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Is it Grey Goose or Smirnoff? Macallan or Old Smuggler?
MITSU YASUKAWA/ STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
A detective from the state Division of Criminal Justice carries boxes of evidence out from TGI Friday on Route 3 West in Clifton.
That’s what state investigators were trying to find out Wednesday as they raided 29 bars and restaurants, including two in Bergen County and one in Passaic County, suspected of serving cheaper liquor as high-priced, name-brand spirits.
More than 100 investigators from the state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control simultaneously entered the establishments — nearly half of them TGI Fridays — around the state at 11 a.m. Among them were The Brick House in Wyckoff, Railroad Café in Rutherford and TGI Fridays in Clifton, the Attorney General’s Office said.
The raids were the result of a yearlong probe dubbed “Operation Swill.”
