MAY 23, 2015 LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2015, 8:25 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Walter Francis Livingston III grew up with a Mayberry-type life in Ridgewood. He was president of the Student Council at Ridgewood High School, where he was also captain of the varsity football team and a distinguished member of the Class of 1939.
He later attended Franklin and Marshall College, graduating with his classmates in 1943.
Like many boys of his time, Livingston would join the United States Marine Corps Reserves, eventually earning the rank of lieutenant.
Called to active duty in January 1944, the 23-year-old, Brooklyn-born Livingston was killed in action some six months later in Guam; his body laid to rest in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.
Waldwick resident Joanne Bonwick is too young to have ever met Livingston. She might not know any of his relatives either.
But one thing of which Bonwick is certain: She considers Livingston her family.
The Ridgewood Public Library will be hosting a program on Graydon Park on July 23rd at 7pm, and welcome you all to share stories, photographs and also join us, please feel free to reach out with any questions. Thanks!
Sarah Kiefer
Ridgewood Public Library
Local History Librarian · Ridgewood, New Jersey
GRAYDON POOL MEMBERSHIPS and AQUATIC PROGRAMS
Graydon Pool Memberships and Aquatic Programs
Please visit the Graydon Pool homepage at www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon to learn about membership rates, program offerings and pool amenities. Be sure to bookmark our Graydon homepage on your computer for future special events and program offerings. Opening day for Graydon Pool is Saturday, June 6th.
2015 season memberships may now be purchased online via Community Pass at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass. Be sure to refer to your online confirmation when purchase is complete for detailed information on how to obtain your photo identification badge. Preseason in-person assistance will be available at the Graydon Pool Badge Office (on-site at the pool) on Saturday, May 9 and Saturday, May 16, 10 am to 12 noon each date.
Aquatic programs, including the Graydon Swim Team and instructional and recreational swim, are also available online at Community Pass, or you may review levels and print program registration forms from our Graydon homepage referenced above. Meet the Aquatic Staff and learn more on the following dates at the pool: Saturday, June 6th, 10 am to 1 pm, and Saturday, June 20th, 10 am to 1 pm.
American Red Cross Waterfront Lifeguard Training (recertification/bridging and new) is available through Ridgewood Parks and Recreation. Details/registration are also available on the Graydon Pool homepage.
Summer is fast approaching, so sign up now. For more information please call 201-670-556
LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Touch-A-Truck puts smiles on faces
To the Editor:
My 22-month-old grandson was absolutely thrilled each and every time he got to climb aboard the different vehicles stationed at last week’s Touch-A-Truck event held at Van Neste Square. And in addition to his excitement over all of the shiny vehicles, he was mesmerized by the truck related stories that were read during the Ridgewood Public Library’s Special Truck Storytime, which was held right at the event site.
Needless to say, my wife and I had as much fun watching him (if not more) as he did actively participating in the event itself.
Clearly, Touch-A-Truck would not have been possible without the employees who volunteer to staff it, nor without approval of Village Council members. So, I offer a big thank you to all of the men and women who put smiles on our family’s faces that day by being there with smiles on their faces, and thanks also to the members of our Village Council who agreed to fund this very special day.
Hopefully, a 2016 Touch-A-Truck event is in the planning stages already.
2015 Ridgewood Budget Presentation – Hearing May 27th
Budget Presentation at Introduction of the 2015 Budget on April 22, 2015
Click Here
For the Official State Budget Document
Click Here
The Budget Hearing will be held May 27 at 7:30pm in the Village Hall Court Room. The Village Council will vote on the budget at the end of the hearing.
Ridgewood NJ , Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld will hold office hours for Ridgewood residents and business owners on Saturday, May 23 between the hours o f9:00AM and Noon. This is an opportunity to share your thoughts and provide input to Roberta. These sessions will be scheduled at 15 minute intervals and will be held in the Court Room – on the Fourth Level of Ridgewood Village Hall. Please contact Beth Spinato at 201-670-5500, ext. 203 to make an appointment. Walk-ins are welcome but should realize that the schedule may already be booked. We will announce the schedule for these meetings on a monthly basis.
The Fred d’Elia Memorial Day Ridgewood Run, organized by North Jersey Masters, will take place on Monday, May 25. The race has been taking place in Ridgewood for 39 years and the 40th will have a few changes and special guests.
Founded in 1976 by the late Fred d’Elia and his wife, world-renown marathoner Toshiko, North Jersey Masters is the largest running club in Bergen County and one of the largest running clubs in New Jersey. Many Ridgewood residents belong to the club.
At last year’s race, a memorial was given in honor of Toshiko d’Elia, who passed away last February.
This year, her daughter Erica Diestel of Allendale will once again walk the course with family members and friends of “Toshi.
file photo Boyd Loving
MAY 20, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015, 9:49 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Scheduled for removal by the end of this month, the temporary cell tower fixed near a Route 17 gasoline station has received, at most, another year of life.
Ridgewood zoning board members, at their May 12 meeting, granted AT&T’s request to extend the terms of a previous resolution permitting the installation and operation of a temporary cell tower on wheels (COW) at the Exxon Mobil facility along the state highway. The resolution, which was given a five-month extension in January, now expires May 31, 2016.
Prior testimony by AT&T representatives claimed the need for a cellular facility in that location to offer seamless coverage of newer technology, namely 4G and LTE networks, as required by the Federal Communications Commission. In its current state, the firm’s adjacent 120-foot tall permanent monopole cannot accommodate equipment needed to provide the mandated coverage, thus the installation of the COW.
AT&T, operating under its Cingular Wireless brand, filed an application earlier this year seeking zoning board permission to begin monopole upgrades, which would include the replacement of three antennas and the installation of three new ones. Judy Fairweather, attorney for AT&T, noted in January that the COW would be in place while the company and Board of Adjustment reviewed the merits of the monopole improvements.
The premier road race in northern New Jersey. One of the longest running races in the tri-state area. There is something for everyone: 10K, 5K, Road Mile, Fun Run – the must-run event for all!
THE 2015 RACE REGISTRATION IS OPEN
Please join us on Memorial Day in 2015 we hope to make the race better than ever. It will be our 40th running!
Register now by mail in form or online at Race Forum.
Online registration closes on THRUSDAY!
“All ages, all abilities, all welcome!”
The Fred d’Elia Memorial Day Ridgewood Run is a family-focused day of events that provide a fun environment in a festive open-park atmosphere. Seven distinct events provide the center of activity. They start at 8:15 AM and continue until after the conclusion of the Fun Run at noon. The road races are run through the tree-lined streets of the Village of Ridgewood NJ. Ridgewood is located in Bergen County bordering Rockland, Westchester, and New York counties.
The Fred d’Elia Ridgewood Run was created by Manfred (Fred) d’Elia and his wife, world-class runner Toshiko d’Elia, in 1976. Tired of driving his wife into Manhattan for competition with the New York Road Runners, Fred decided to create his own race to attract serious runners to their hometown. The inaugural Ridgewood Run took off with runners sporting hand-made bib numbers with Fred acting as race director, course certifier and timer. “With no money to put on a race, we all had our tasks,” recalls Toshiko d’Elia. “I hand-delivered all the race applications around town to save on stamps and our daughter Erica, was handed a black dri-marker to make race numbers.”
Since its inception, this homespun race which is always held on Memorial Day has grown to 3,500 nation-wide participants who compete for prize money in the 10K, 5K, masters mile, and elite mile events. There is also a Fun Run/Health Walk for children and walkers. The Henry H. Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10K was introduced in 2001 with an outstanding field of 23 athletes and in 2002, 40 athletes attended, including world record holder in the 10K, Krige Schabort from South Africa, who set a new course record of 19:56 in 2006.
The evolution from hand-made bib numbers includes time clocks at every mile, ChampionChip scoring and online registration. Despite these state-of-the art devices, the event remains runner-friendly. It is truly a community-driven event. The North Jersey Masters Track and Field Club, started by the d’Elias’ in 1976, are the organizers of the race.
Park Ave BMW of Maywood has been the major sponsor since 1996. The Ridgewood YMCA is the perfect sponsor for the Fun Run/Health Walk, and the Valley Hospital is the proud sponsor of the Elite and Masters Mile races. All sponsors have a very strong commitment to the community.
Proceeds of the Ridgewood Run provide donations to support local charities and organizations. Main beneficiaries in past races were the Special Olympics New Jersey, the Ridgewood YMCA, the Kessler Foundation, the Village of Ridgewood Parks and Recreation, Social Service Association, College Club. Assistance is also give to other local charitable organizations and scholarship recipients.
The close proximity to New York City gives families from the NY Metropolitan area a chance to celebrate the holiday by spending a fun-filled weekend that concludes with a day of healthy exercise. At the Ridgewood Run, one spouse might run the 10K, the other the 5K, and then accompany the children in the Fun Run.
The Ridgewood Run has established itself as the must-run road race in the NY-NJ-Connecticut area on Memorial Day. The North Jersey Masters (NJM), the premier running club in Northern NJ, has been the organizer of the race since it’s inception in 1976. In those years NJM has built a reputation for hospitality and the ability to put on a quality day for all participants (see Race History).
Race Amenities in 2015 are:
commemorative made in the USA high-tech performance T-shirt – a real keeper!
a Flat & Fast USATF certified course;
B-tag Timing;
Mile Clocks
Water Stops
a Family Team competition in the 5K;
Photography by Sports Memories.
Awards and Prizes are plentiful: 1) Prize money to the top three finishers in the 1-Mile races, top 3 finishers in the 5K and 10K. 2) New Balance Gift Certificates and trophies to the top three finishers in each five-year age-group bracket. 3) Finisher’s Medal to all registered finishers of the Ridgewood YMCA Fun Run/Health Walk, 10 years and younger.
Mark your calendar to celebrate Memorial Day 2015 at the
Fred d’Elia Ridgewood Run!
Monday, May 25, 2015.
MAY 19, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015, 9:57 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Village officials brought forward a new solution to the parking problems on Corella Court through an ordinance that was introduced at last week’s council meeting.
The proposed ordinance prohibits parking on a portion of the north side of Corella Court and establishes a stop sign on the east side, but the cul-de-sac itself will remain open. The ordinance is a response to an influx of cars on the street, which has been causing what Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld described as “a serious situation.”
Cars lining Corella Court throughout the day have been causing havoc for regular village functions such as sanitation and leaf pickup, where vehicles could not properly navigate the road due to a lack of room, the village manager said.
An ordinance limiting parking on Corella Court to two hours was introduced on April 8, but several residents from nearby Stevens Avenue came forward with concerns that the time limit would simply push Corella Court’s problem out onto their street.
Those members of the public also noted that the recent addition built on to the nearby Hawes Elementary School had taken away parking spaces, which in turn caused staff members to park on Corella.
Ridgewood NJ, The Village Council is looking for residents who are interested in volunteering to serve on the following Boards and Committees: Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment, The Ridgewood Community Center Advisory Board, The Financial Advisory Committee, and The Ridgewood Arts Council.
The Planning Board reviews site plans and subdivision applications; prepares, adopts, and amends the Master Plan; makes recommendations to the Village Council regarding amendments to developmental regulations and the official map.
The Zoning Board of Adjustment hears variance applications and appeals from rulings and determinations arising from the enforcement of Village zoning ordinances.
The Community Center Advisory Board develops policies and procedures for the operation of the Community Center facility and assists in the fulfillment of the County Municipal Alliance Grant requirements. Membership includes: Senior Citizen residents; adult residents with children in the school system; and adult residents with no children in the school system.
The Financial Advisory Committee assists in the review and understanding of the financial considerations necessary to the operation of the Village and the Village’s preparation of the Annual and Capital Budgets; provides review, advice and recommendations to the Village Council on Village financial and budgetary matters; and prepares an annual report for the Village Council to assist the Councilmembers in their budget preparation. Members will preferably have strong finance, accounting, government and/or business backgrounds.
The Ridgewood Arts Council will assist in the promotion of and encourage artistic and cultural programs and will provide for educational opportunities in the areas of art and culture. The Ridgewood Arts Council will also provide advice, guidance, and recommendations to the Village Council, as needed.
MAY 19, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY NEIL AMDUR
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD |
THE RECORD
WORLD RECORD
WHO: Brendan Corcoran.
WHAT: Attempting to set a Guinness World Record for completing a 1-mile run in full firefighter gear.
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. Monday. (Other events start at 8:15 a.m.)
WHERE: The 40th Annual Fred d’Elia Ridgewood Run, Veterans Memorial Field, Ridgewood; 973-333-4837, ridgewoodrun.com.
Brendan Corcoran has been competitive since he ran his first 10-kilometer race 30 years ago in Ridgewood as a 7-year-old with his Uncle Greg.
Football. Marathons. Triathlons. Ironman Triathlons. Even a pending Guinness World Record for completing a half-marathon wearing full firefighter gear, including boots (1 hour, 48 minutes, 24 seconds).
“I pretty much always have a purpose,” the 37-year-old Ridgewood fire lieutenant says of his intense training commitments, which may have been passed down from his father, who was a captain of the Ridgewood High basketball team.
The Guinness Book of World Records is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, with 40,000 current records in its latest edition and distribution in 100 countries and 20 languages.
MAY 18, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015, 10:55 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The public hearing on Verizon Wireless’ application to install cellular communications equipment atop the cross at West Side Presbyterian Church will reopen in June, a decision that comes more than a month after the hearing was closed.
A request to return to a public hearing was made at a May 12 Board of Adjustment meeting by Verizon’s attorney, Warren Stilwell, who informed board members he “needed to notice a request of a prior condition.”
“We became aware of a prior resolution of the board that contained a condition that essentially didn’t allow renting the premise to outside entities,” said Stilwell.
The board had previously adopted a resolution for a prior church application that, among other conditions, prohibited it from renting space to others, such as telecom companies, zoning board secretary Tony Merlino told The Ridgewood News.
Merlino said Verizon officials discovered the resolution on Monday.
As a result, Verizon is required to re-advertise its application to include the existing restrictions placed on the church.
Verizon is seeking a use variance, minor site plan approval and other waivers from the zoning board for its project at the church, which calls for the installation of a cellular antenna with stealth screening, which measure roughly 2-feet wide.
If built, the antenna would bring the total church building height to 68.5 feet where 30 feet is allowed by Ridgewood zoning laws. Currently, the building stands at 65.5 feet when measured to the top of the cross.
A use variance is needed for the antenna, which is not permitted in the residentially-zoned church.
MAY 18, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, MAY 18, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — The last month has been something of a whirlwind for village resident Anthony Daniels.
The spirited 23-year-old, whose ongoing battle against Hodgkin’s lymphoma recently was the focus of a documentary film, has been rubbing elbows with the likes of Robert De Niro and Randy Jackson at galas.
He’s fresh from shooting a public service announcement with “It Girl” model Georgia May Jagger, daughter of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, and in recent appearances on SiriusXM Satellite Radio and the Huffington Post, the boxer and onetime Ridgewood High School hockey standout inspired thousands with his story, hoping people would register as bone marrow donors.
And let’s not forget that nationally televised segment Daniels just did with Oscar-nominated actor Bradley Cooper.
“That … that was an unreal experience,” said Daniels, who may or may not be the only person in Ridgewood who text-messages and emails with the “American Sniper” star.
“It took about a week for it to sink in that I was actually on ‘Good Morning America’ with one of the biggest movie stars on the planet.”
Daniels said he walked up to Cooper in the lobby of a New York City hotel several weeks ago, and the thespian pledged his support “the second he heard ‘boxer with cancer.’ ”
Ridgewood Police : the passing of retired Police Lieutenant Anthony Finamore
May 15 ,2015
the Ridgewood Police
It is with deep sadness we share the passing of retired Police Lieutenant Anthony Finamore . Tony served our community and the Ridgewood Police Department from 1960-1987. Our thoughts and prays are with his wife Gloria, his children and family. Tony is pictured here in the center during the 1961 department photograph. Service arrangements will be announced soon.
Area graduates of the Police Academy of Bergen County are awarded certificates of completion by Freeholder John K. Pollitt, Police Academy committee chairman, during exercises held APR 25 1961. The graduates that year were Patrolmen Harry Shortway Jr., , Anthony Finamore, and Augustus Hensz, of Ridgewood.
His appointment to rank of sergeant on the Ridgewood police force effective Wednesday, Anthony Finamore has his new badge pinned by his wife, Gloria. At left, is Captain Robert S. Kay who handled the promotion ceremonies. FEB 15 1972
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