Clifton Merchant Magazine - December 2005 by Clifton Merchant Magazine

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Clifton Merchant Magazine • Volume 11 • Issue 12 • December 2, 2005

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Case For School Space

Van Ness Wins One; Guess Who Loses? Commentary by John Bendel

And Clifton High School and its Families with children are frusilliam Van Ness has won a round. The Clifton trated with the city’s long-running, two middle schools are seriously Board of Education has ever deepening school crisis. overcrowded. Classes are held in pushed back the planned opening of Parents with children in the city’s cafeterias, auditoriums, media its school annex at 290 Brighton Rd. grade schools look ahead and see rooms (once called libraries), former storage areas and in at least by a year—from September of 2006 serious trouble. Clifton high school and middle one middle school hallway. to September of 2007. Among other Hallways in Clifton High School things, that means at least one more schools are very large—much too year of no change in the crammed large, educators say. Clifton High resemble Japanese subways. They School is the second largest in the are so crowded that students are halls of Clifton High School. City Hall has done its part. state, surpassed only by Elizabeth. groped and pick-pocketed. Creative scheduling by the Clifton Planning Board has led, as had been warned, to the postponement of a referendum on the next stage of the Brighton project. The referendum, originally set for Dec. 13 has been pushed back. The new election date is Jan. 24. If Van Ness and his supporters have won a round, make no mistake: someone has lost. Guess who? The Problem Clifton is slowly bleeding. The city is losing able, concerned families— its best and brightest—in a kind of brain drain. It’s hard to discern in the current real estate boom, of course. When an active, productive family leaves, an equally good family may take their place—but not necessarily. You might not notice it day to day, but like a reservoir in a drought the value of city’s housing stock— and eventually of individual homes—slowly trickles away. In the long run, Clifton has to lose. Sign of the times: supporters of Van Ness hold up signs showing opposition to the Brighton Rd. school stand outside city hall before the Nov. 5 Zoning Board meeting. What’s happening?

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

“If you drop something, it’s gone,” one student said. Another said there is “a tone, there is an attitude, there is an edge in this building that is unhealthy.” Both were quoted in the Nov. 2003 issue of Clifton Merchant. There were 3,356 kids in the high school then. Now there are 3,375 and not an inch more space. It’s frightening for parents to imagine their precious young children in those patently dangerous circumstances. Anyone who has sent a closely held son or daughter off to dorm life at a big city university knows the feeling. Clifton families have seen years of inaction and stalling. Then last Dec., almost an entire year ago, they voted to build a school annex at 290 Brighton Rd. At least some kind of relief was on the way. Those families have watched Zoning Board of Adjustment hearings drag on and on, deliberately drawn out and muddled by an endless string of ‘expert’ witnesses, lengthy questioning and cross examination. Those deliberate delays have had their first concrete impact; they have forced the annex opening back by an entire year. No wonder some Clifton families make the hard, sad choice they believe is in their children’s interests. The first indication of that choice is the for sale sign on the lawn. Clifton is a city in trouble.

So the Board proposed a second stage to the Brighton Rd. project... It may not be the solution the School Board preferred, but it was a total solution and the only one at hand. Children grow relentlessly, time is an enemy, so the Board quite properly acted. The School Board Time and again, the Clifton Board of Education has been thwarted in efforts to provide more space for Clifton’s middle school and high school children. So when the Community Advisor Committee recommended a school annex at the former Mayer textile plant at 290 Brighton Rd., the school Board took things a long step further. It should not have been a surprise to anyone. First, the Board decided to buy the property and build a school annex at 290 Brighton Rd. That’s the project Clifton’s voters approved last December. The annex will accommodate 500 students, hardly a solution to the overcrowding problem. But the vacant properties adjacent to 290 Brighton Rd. are something else. So the Board proposed a second stage to the Brighton Rd. project. After the annex, the Board would build a new school for 1,150 more students—large enough to perma-

nently relieve overcrowding and enable a reorganization of middle and high school grades. It may not be the solution the school Board preferred, but it was a total solution and the only one at hand. Children grow relentlessly, time is an enemy, so the Board quite properly acted. The Big Ratable The school Board’s plan involves building on two properties to the north of 290 Brighton Rd. One of those, at 330 Brighton Rd., was purchased by Van Ness Plastics not long ago. The company’s owner, William Van Ness said he needs the property to build a parking lot and won’t sell to the Clifton Board of Education. But the Board has the power to force the issue, condemning the property under eminent domain— never a pretty option, even with market value compensation. So Van Ness took aim at the first stage

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project even though it does not involve his property. If he can stop the 290 Brighton annex, the second phase is dead as well. It makes sense from Van Ness’s point of view. Van Ness fights the way only the wealthy can. He has hired the wellconnected law firm of Carlet, Garrison, Klein & Zaretsky, LLP. Partner Frank Carlet is noted for providing Clifton with projects like the stellar condo development of Cambridge Crossing. Van Ness also hires an even more widely connected public affairs firm, the Marcus Group. Founder Alan Marcus is, well, Alan Marcus. The Van Ness task force is arrayed against the Clifton Board of William Van Ness, at left, owner of Van Ness Plastics, speaks with an unidentified man at the Nov. 5 Zoning Board meeting as his supporters share their opinions. Education. The arena is the Clifton City Hall Zoning Board of Adjustment, where ity is on more than a few minds in Clifton. You’d think that the government Van Ness is pleading his case. Maybe it should be. After all, if of Clifton would be trying to help, In fact, he pleads redundantly and at excruciating length. The intent is opponents kill the Brighton Rd. convincing Van Ness to drop his to delay, to muddle, to frustrate and projects to please Van Ness and save opposition, speeding the school ultimately force the School Board to a few tax dollars, they would do Board’s applications. But that’s not immeasurable harm to the city. go elsewhere. the case—not even close. In fact, At the same time, they would At this writing those hearings certain City Hall players are doing drag on. More hearings are sched- have no guarantee that Van Ness everything they can to thwart the uled for Dec. 13 at 7 pm, Dec. 14 at would stay in Clifton if it were sud- project, though as individuals they denly in the company’s interests to deny any such thing. 7 pm and Dec. 17 at 9 am. To my knowledge, Van Ness has move—to Elmwood Park, Tijuana Hey, we’re all for the kids, they never threatened to leave Clifton if or Bangladesh. What would Clifton say. Baloney. have gained then? he doesn’t get his way. The school Board’s application Businesses do what businesses for the first Brighton Rd. variance He seems a more responsible guy than that. Nevertheless that possibil- need to do. And nothing is forever. was delayed for months by City Hall. City Planner Dennis Kirwin 1790 late in the game lobbed a hand We come to you grenade into the process—a letter to for a change. the N.J. Department of Education claiming serious problems with the application—more baloney defendReasonable and Reliable ed by City Hall, but baloney none the less. The state said as much in We Specialize in Repairing International All Models, its response. Volvo, Freightliner, Mack, Then there was the Planning Isuzu, GMC Trucks Board application for the second and Ford part of the project, submitted by the 59 Liberty St., Passaic 07055 • 973-779-2513 School Board on Oct. 5. 10

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Brighton Rd. school supporters who showed up for an Oct. Zoning Board Meeting

The Planning Board is required to hear the application within 45 days. They set the hearing for Nov. 19— the 44th day. That made it impossible to meet the deadline for scheduling the December referendum. The Planning Board, by the way, consists of Mayor James Anzaldi, City Manager Al Greco, Councilman Ed Welsh, Kathleen Lazor, Philip Binaso, Anthony Genchi, Thomas

Whittles, Susan Kolodziej and John Withers. Alternate members are Robert Stier and James Giurinpano. Board attorney is Robert Ferraro of the law firm Bruno and Ferraro. Why did they put off the hearing? The League of Municipalities conference in Atlantic City. The conference is an annual opportunity for elected politicians from the lower reaches of New

Jersey’s political food chain to attend seminars, be wooed by vendors and generally do what people do in Atlantic City. See a pattern here? The Elevator Is there a case to be made against taking commercial property off the tax rolls? Of course. But not on Brighton Rd., not now. There’s something much larger at stake than a piece of tax revenue, but as large as the problem looms, some city officials see only lost revenue. It’s frustrating to see this happening and not be able to name names. But no one in City Hall admits to working against the school. claims to be pro education. Suspicions do not justify public accusations. City Hall reminds me of a crowded elevator. Someone silently passes gas. Everyone looks straight ahead. No one would admit the act, but then no one would ask. But the guilty know who they are. And no one can miss the smell.

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P.S. William Ness commented on the Nov. issue of Clifton Merchant Magazine in a recent email, pointing out that the woman standing near him in a photo “is not, and has never been, a Van Ness employee, nor is she under contract in any way to Bill Van Ness or Van Ness Plastics.” Whew. That pretty well covers it. Van Ness also wrote that Cupo Realty has never ‘done work for Van Ness’ as was stated on page 15 of the same issue. “Please print these corrections,” Van Ness commanded. Done. Forgive us our trespasses, Mr. Van Ness, and we’ll forgive yours. Care to compare them? Overcrowding Dilutes Educators’ Efforts Overcrowding is most obvious in high school hallways between classes. But that’s only part of the picture. According to Dr. Michael Rice, Clifton’s superintendent of

Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice.

schools, overcrowding seriously compromises the overall quality of education. “The overcrowding with 3,375 youngsters in the high school, approximately 1,300 at Christopher Columbus and 1,200 at Woodrow

Wilson Middle School really undermines the ability of teachers to provide the very best instruction for young people,” he said in a telephone interview. Rice said his staff and administrators work hard and do a wonderful job, but “too many children is too many children.” The effects, he said, are seen in classrooms, in hallways, discipline and a whole host of other ways. “We range from very solidly middle class, third, fourth generation U.S. citizens to children who have been in the country for a matter of weeks and speak little if any English. We have children with tremendous support at home and children with virtually no support at home.” Clifton has many children in need of individual attention, or at least what Rice termed small group attention. Yet they must be taught in extraordinarily large environments.

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“We know that the most academically gifted and the most focused of them are going to succeed in any environment. Similarly, we know that the children who are the most disruptive and the most disconnected are going to receive a lot of attention, not necessarily for positive reasons, more likely for negative reasons.” “The problem for a lot of our children is they fit into neither of those two categories. For these students, being in an environment of almost 3,400 students with hallways that are packed, with so-called floating teachers who are difficult to find for remedial or extra attention, difficult to find from an advising standpoint or coaching standpoint. For these youngsters the anonymity is really excruciating. It undermines their education on a substantial basis,” Rice explained. Rice said that overcrowding means physical education classes of more than 40 students.

“We range from very solidly middle class, third, fourth generation U.S. citizens to children who have been in the country for a matter of weeks and speak little, if any, English,” said Dr. Rice. “We have children with tremendous support at home and children with virtually no support at home.” Classes are held in the media center even as other children use the facility for their research projects. Both the class and the researchers are subject to distractions. “That’s not a good situation,” Rice said. And those jammed hallways which this magazine and other publictions have shown time and again are still a problem. “A number of youngsters go outside during change of classes in an effort to avoid the hallways and get to their classes with the requisite period of time,” Rice. That’s the only way many of them can get to their next class in

time, he said. “We have hundreds and hundreds of children who go outside every passing period, whether it’s raining, snowing or balmy and sunshine. There are others who go outside simply to avoid the crush in the hallways,” Rice said. “I’m not saying that there aren’t wonderful things happening in the high school,” he added. “There are.” But Rice draws a distinction between an environment that is outstanding and one that is not. “We’re not even close to an outstanding environment given the overcrowding,” he said.

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Zoning Board

The Man in the Middle by John Bendel

ohn Pogorelec Sr. is the man literally at the center of the Battle of Brighton Road. Pogorelec is the attorney for the Clifton Zoning Board. He has no vote on the board, but he serves a critical role in those board hearings—including the controversial application by the Clifton School Board to build a school on property zoned commercial. What exactly is that role? “My job is to advise the board. I am not the 8th member of the board,” Pogorelec said. “If the hearing strays from the issue, I try to bring it back.” Pogorelec was interviewed in his Van Houten Ave. conference room, lined as you would expect with matched sets of law reference books. It’s small as conference rooms go, not the kind of place where you would likely close a massive corporate takeover. The modest office is close to the street across a small, black-top parking lot. Celebrity clients would not be impressed. Pogorelec himself is another matter. He wears a neatly tailored gray suit, a classic, blue button-downcollar dress shirt and a tastefully contrasting red-patterned silk tie. Every hair is precisely in place, though Pogorelec jokes that his hair is thinner than he would like. Pogorelec and his wife, Phyllis, have been married for 40 years; they raised three children in Clifton. Law is very much a family affair. Their oldest son, John Jr., is a lawyer working in the Pogorelec firm. 14

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Their daughter Pam is married to a lawyer. Their second son, Jason, is a lawyer with a large Boston-based firm. Pogorelec himself attended Seton Hall before studying law at the University of Cincinnati, graduating in 1967. He returned to New Jersey where he became Clifton’s Assistant City Attorney in 1973. According to Pogorelec, that assignment gave him “credentials.” He was named Zoning Board attorney two years later.

“Clifton is 95 percent developed, so there are no simple applications,” Pogorelec observed. “And that means there many applications and many objections.” Pogorelec said his Zoning Board obligations extend beyond the actual meetings. “I review the agenda, review the files, prepare minutes and write the resolutions,” he said. Pogorelec also sees that decisions are published. Appeals can be made for a period of 45 days from publication.

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Clifton Is A Mosaic of many cultures. During December this is especially apparent. We will soon celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. Diwali and Ramadan have recently completed. The diversity of our community and the many cultural and ethnic celebrations that Clifton families 1096

observe is something that makes our community such a great place to live and work.

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“And I try to get members to explain the reasons for their vote for the record,” he said. Those required comments by voting board members become part of the record, the basis on which a decision is evaluated should an appeal be made. Pogorelec would not discuss the current School Board application now before the board, but he did speak about zoning law processes. If a variance is denied, Pogorelec said, the applicants can appeal to Superior Court in Paterson. If a variance is granted, opponents can appeal to the Clifton City Council. “The idea is that they do not need a lawyer to present their case,” Pogorelec explained. The council can actually hold hearings on an appeal. “It’s up to the victorious appellant to defend the board’s decision, not the board itself,” he said. The City Council can affirm or reverse a decision. It can also return the case to the zoning board for more consideration.

If they aren’t satisfied with the council’s verdict, variance opponents can then appeal to the Superior Court. At 63, Pogorelec has been the Clifton Zoning Board attorney for 28 years. He’s no stranger to controversy. Pogorelec recalled two hotly contested cases from decades past. The first involved condos built off Valley Road, just south of Rt. 3. “The variance was vigorously opposed,” he said, but a use variance was granted. The variance was upheld in Superior Court and reaffirmed on appeal. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the case, effectively marking the end of the case, he said. Pogorelec also recalled the controversial effort to convert a Clifton residence on Mt. Prospect Ave. into a hospice. Neighbors objected strenuously, he recalled, but the controversy finally ended when the owner of the house decided not to sell after all. Pogorelec said that serving as Clifton’s Zoning Board attorney as been a “wonderful experience.” “I’ve been honored to serve,” he said.

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Clifton’s Santa Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and he lives in Clifton. I know, Virginia, you think he lives at the North Pole. But go to 76 Arthur St. in the Botany section and you’ll see his house lit up… why, like a Christmas tree. Ask the kids in the neighborhood and they’ll tell you. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 7 to 9 pm during December, Santa takes a break from making toys and loading his sleigh to come outside and pose for pictures. These lucky Clifton kids get to bring Santa cook-

ies and put their Christmas letters right in his mailbox. And one of the best parts is they can walk by Santa’s house all year long, even in the summer. They peek in the windows, maybe trying to see him sipping ice tea in his red shorts, and whisper to their parents, “That’s the house where Santa lives.” Now, off to bed, Virginia. Santa will be on his way from Clifton soon, bringing toys and goodies to children all over the world… including you.

by Jack De Vries

ith Virginia tucked away in bed—or at least safely back in the pages of the 1897 New York Sun—we can tell the secret of Clifton’s Santa. Mark Carfora is the man behind the city’s holiday tradition, appearing in front of the “Christmas House” on Arthur St., a home his family has lived in for more than 30 years. This Christmas story begins decades ago when Carfora’s parents, Jim and Regina, would bundle their children and go to see the beautiful houses lit up and decorated for the holidays. Mark’s passion for Christmas grew when he saw the live Christmas show outside the old Meyer Brothers department store in the Wayne Hills Mall. “They’d take me to see it three or four times a year,” says Carfora, 26. “I loved watching the Santa show.” At age 8, Mark’s mother sewed white fur on his red pajamas and he began putting on his own Santa shows. He’d bring pictures of himself dressed as Santa to Sacred Heart School and soon he was playing old St. Nick in the school’s Christmas pageant, beginning around the fourth grade. “It was pretty funny,” Carfora recalls. “I’d be on stage with the eighth graders who were taller than Santa Claus.” Unfortunately, like all children, Carfora experienced his own “Virginia” moment when he learned the truth about his hero Santa.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

“I remember my older brother Jimmy saying, ‘C’mon, Mark, there’s no Santa—it’s Mommy and Daddy.’ It was a heartbreaking experience for me— Christmas wasn’t the same. Some of the magic had gone out of it.” Years later, the Christmas magic would return for Carfora in the eyes of thousands of children. Creating the Christmas House Though he always had a passion for Christmas, the idea for making spirits bright in December actually came from the spirits in October—the ones that haunt Halloween. While in high school, Carfora and his family began transforming their home into a place that would make the Addams Family proud. “One year,” he remembers, “there was an hour and a half wait to go through our ‘Tunnel of Terror.’ We decided this was getting out of hand. We live on a one way street and didn’t want our neighbors getting upset and start to complain. “Though we raised money for the Clifton Animal Shelter (the Carforas have three dogs, two cats, a turtle, an iguana, and two daegoos, a chinchilla-type animal belonging to sister Amy), it had gotten out of hand.” The Carforas ended their spook-fest in 2000, but the Halloween experience gave Mark a new career. Because people were always asking where he got his horror props, he formed an e-bay-based business called

MC Productions and Novelty that specializes in selling seasonal costumes and others items online. “I knew where to get the stuff,” says Mark, “and saw there was a need. It’s a business that’s grown fast—it’s my fulltime job.” With his pumpkins and ghosts put away forever, Carfora returned to his first love: Christmas. “We’ve been decorating in a big way since 1993,” he says. “And every year, we try to top ourselves. For example, this year we added a 10-figure Nativity scene—complete with a life-sized camel. Our neighbor Rebecca Collins lets us use her front yard to set it up.” Inside Santa’s house, things are a bit more traditional. “We put up a tree and a few decorations,” Mark says, “pretty normal stuff. With things being so hectic this time of year on the outside, we don’t have the energy for the inside.” Cost, Life & Times of Santa Like the real Santa, creating the magic of Christmas is a labor of love. Constantly on the lookout for new ways to improve his Christmas display, Carfora invests $10,000 to $12,000 of his own money each year creating his Christmas House. Assisted by his father and younger brother Glen, 15, a student at Clifton High, Mark starts assembling and hanging the decorations in early October.

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The Carforas cover their property with more than 100,000 lights—everywhere except the doorknobs. “People think we use a company to do it,” Carfora says, “but it’s just the three of us.” Even the mail carriers have to be shown where to put their letters because the family’s mailbox becomes part of the display, which opens Thanksgiving night and runs through New Year’s Day. “By then,” Carfora laughs, “I think my neighbors have had enough of Christmas so we shut down and give them a break. But you couldn’t ask for better people—none

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have complained. In fact, those with little kids think it’s pretty cool they live on the same block as Santa Claus.” Also supportive is the Carforas’ other next door neighbor, Suzanne Cruz. “She’s lived there for 10 years and been a big help to us,” Carfora says. “Before she had her babies, she’d help us with the decorating. Now, she never puts on her kitchen lights—our Christmas lights keep her kitchen bright.” While Cruz might save money on electricity each December, the Carforas more than make up for it.

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Mark spends about $1,000 in addition to the family’s usual light bill to keep the house lit from 5 to 10:30 pm. Another attraction for the people visiting Santa is the Carforas’ electric meter. “They love watching the dials spin around like crazy,” he says. “The power company delivers our bill on a golden platter.” Though the Carforas don’t ask for donations, visitors often give them money for the electric bill. “We collect $100-$150 each year,” he says. “Not a lot, but every little bit helps. “We also have to be careful about how we use electricity inside the house,” he adds. “Someone turns on a hair dryer and the entire house can go dark.” However, it’s not only lights and decorations that create the Yuletide experience, but Carfora’s attention to detail. His Santa suit is custom made for him by the Creegan Company of Ohio. And, this year, his white wig and whiskers are new and created specially for him.

From left, Glen and Mark Carfora with their dad Jim.

“I wanted the same wig and beard that the Radio City Santa Claus wears,” he says. “I called Radio City and was referred to Bob Kelly Wig Creations in New York City, who does a lot of the wigs for movies and Broadway shows like Beauty and the

Beast. It cost me $2,000, but the hair looks like it’s growing out of my skin.” Carfora spends about an hour each night getting in and out of costume. “I know this sounds pretty bizarre to some people, but I sacrifice

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

other things during the year so I can do this for the children,” he says. “There’s nothing that can replace the magic in their eyes for me when they see Santa Claus.” However, not all encounters with St. Nick are magical. “We have kids who get so nerv-

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ous or excited that when they see Santa, they have accidents,” Carfora says. “Most run from Clifton Ave., to visit Santa, but some run back to Clifton Ave. when they see me— they get scared.” Happily, that doesn’t happen often.“I always keep an ear out when on my street when the kids are talking,” says Carfora. “Once, I heard one of the neighborhood kids say he failed a test. So when Santa asked him about it during his visit, the boy’s eyes got wide with a ‘Whoa, this guy is real’ look.” Hometown Hero Along with his online business, Carfora performs as a clown for parties and special events and makes appearances as Santa Claus. He is so good at entertaining people that he was offered a job as a clown with Ringling Bros., but turned it down, saying he is not ready to abandon his Christmas House to join the circus. “Making people happy, he asks,

“what job is better than that? But I’m not ready to give it up yet. Someday, but not now.” Many in the city are grateful he’s staying, including Mayor James Anzaldi who visits the Christmas House every year. The Clifton Police Department has also been supportive, coming to move traffic along when needed. “We tell people not to park in our neighbors’ driveways,” Carfora says, “but they sometimes do. People come from as far away as Mahwah, and some stop in the middle of the street because they can’t find a place to park. “The police and our neighbors have been great about the congestion and noise during the holidays. Thankfully, more people are parking blocks away and walking over.” The house has also attached the attention of local news shows and those broadcasting in Polish and Japanese. “The Bravo channel want-

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ed to do a reality series this year,” Mark says, “but we couldn’t make the commitment to having cameras here for six months. It seems every year a new media outlet ‘discovers’ us.” Besides helping decorate, Carfora’s family also assists Santa. Younger brother Glen pitches in by performing as “Perky Pinkie,” Santa’s naughty polar bear. “When we used to put on a Christmas show in the backyard,” Mark says, “the bear was always doing things like burning Santa’s candy canes or wrapping the wrong gifts. The kids come to see Pinkie as much as they come for Santa.” Though his parents are divorced, they still live in the Christmas House, although on different floors. Mark’s mother Regina is a nurse in the Passaic County Cerebral Palsy Treatment Center on Main Ave., and father Jim is a salesman for Central Engineering in Passaic, a plumbing supply company. Both are supportive of their son’s Santa mission. If fact, Jim’s employer provides unused warehouse space to store part of the Carforas’ Christmas collection. Jim believes Mark got his love of Christmas from him. “I love decorating,” says Jim who grew up in Paterson near St. John’s Cathedral. “But Mark’s taken that love to another level… maybe two or three levels higher.”

Mark also inherits his love of an audience from his father, who performs in the Andy Kay Band and plays the trumpet at Clifton’s annual Memorial Day celebration at the Athenia Vets building. As a life-long resident, Carfora cares deeply about Clifton and issues facing his community, especially those involving children. “A new school for the kids would be great,” he says about the most prominent issue facing the city. “I just hope our elected leaders make the best decision possible to benefit the kids.” During this Holiday Season (and hopefully for many more), parents of Clifton children can make the right decision and bring their families to visit Santa at his home on Arthur St. There, children can tell Santa their Christmas wishes and families can pose in front of the Christmas House—a perfect backdrop for the family holiday picture postcard. Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, Santa will be waiting for them—and it’s all for free. “(Schoolmates) from Sacred Heart and a few of my former teachers from Clifton High visit the Christmas House every year. People who used to come here as kids are now brining their boyfriends and girlfriends to see the house,” Mark says. “It’s become a way of life for all of us.” 1671

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December 2005 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

t’s an event. It’s an institution. It’s an outpouring of community spirit. And mostly it’s lots and lots of old-fashioned fun. We’re talking about this year’s 36th Annual Tour De Clifton on Dec. 24, which is Christmas Eve. For approximately six hours, between 3 and 9 pm—after which children should be safely tucked in their beds anyway—Santa does his annual circuit of the city, escorted by the wailing sirens of police and fire vehicles. Santa will be easy to spot, since he’ll either be atop a fire engine or riding his own personal float all around town, courtesy of Bond Parade Floats & Displays company of Clifton. Call 973-470-5757 for info.

The Santa Tour is preceded by a raft of tree lightings, each of them packed with more holiday wattage than Rudolph has on his nose, and by additional Santa sightings. Thus, you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to share in the holiday spirit at numerous gatherings. The following list, accurate as of press time, follows, thanks to a friendly reindeer—no names, but his first initial is ‘B’— who tells us that Santa and his team of reindeer always looks forward to visiting Clifton since he, the elves and the team of reindeer can’t get their beloved Hot Texas Wieners up at the North Pole. Here is a round up of events...

Merry Christmas

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Historic Botany Village, Dec. 2, 6 pm, Sullivan Square, Tree Lighting, CHS Madrigal Choir. Downtown Clifton Merchants and Dutch Hill Residents, Dec. 2, 7 pm, Main Mall Park, corner of 1st & Clifton Aves., Tree Lighting, CHS Madrigal Choir. Hamilton House Museum, Dec. 2, 8 pm, Annual Candlelight Tour, CHS Madrigal Choir. Hamilton House Museum, Dec. 4, 1:30 pm, a visit from the traditional St. Nicholas, and reading of Clement Clarke Moore’s poem. Clifton City Hall, Dec. 4, 5 pm, Tree Lighting, CHS Madrigal Choir, Mustang Band Brass Ensemble. Lakeview Civic Association, Dec. 6, 6 pm, Tree Lighting at the corner of Merselis and Lakeview Aves., music by the Menconi Music Studio. Clifton Jewish Center, Dec. 28, 4 pm, at Clifton City Hall, co-hosts the official lighting of the Clifton Menorah.

Kids can enjoy the arts and crafts table, be entertained by a magician and win one of two bikes on Dec. 3 in an event which begins at 11 am at the Clifton Rec Center.

Downtown Clifton Merchants will welcome Santa Claus on Dec. 3 at 11 am as he and Mrs. Claus travel from Sylvan Ave. along Main Ave. to the Rec Center on the corner of Washington Ave. There, Santa will hear childrens’ wishes while his helpers will host an afternoon of

entertainment, arts, crafts, music, food and giveaways. Two bikes— donated by PNC Bank and VBC tax service—will be raffled off. Free food, cider, hot chocolate and other beverages will be supplied by The Famous Midtown Grill, Teddy’s Catering and Savory Solutions.

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wish to take this time of giving to thank every one of my past and present clients for the privilege of working with you this past year. You all have been a pleasure doing business with and I thank you for all the referrals you have been so kind to entrust me with. I also wish to thank all the Real Estate professionals that have worked with me and made possible a smooth transaction for all parties. I hope we can do business in the coming year together. My wish is for all of you to have a truly Blessed Holiday Season and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Pleasing Portals: It’s time again for the sixth annual holiday door decorating contest, sponsored by the Rec. Dept. Just call 973-470-5956 by Dec. 9 to register your door. (Yes, we know, it does sound funny.) All manner of Clifton residences are eligible, be they private homes, apartments or condos, and prizes will be awarded. Categories include Most Original, Most Colorful, Nature’s Greenery, Best Old-Fashioned Christmas, Most Unusual, Best International, Best Children’s Theme, Country Christmas and, for top honors overall, Best In Town. Judging takes place the following week. They Missed the Door: For the past 23 years, Pete and Kathy Bakarich and their four kids have decorated this 50 foot blue spruce on the lawn of their home at the corner of Washington Ave, and Fifth St., offering a twinkling spectacular of 5,000 white lights. As is their tradition, they’ll again officially light the tree on Dec. 6, St. Nicholas Day.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton’s Firefighters, for their eighth consecutive year, are collecting for the USMC Reserve Toys For Tots program, which for the past 58 years has collected and distributed new toys for needy children nationwide. This year’s Clifton campaign is again being coordinated by Firefighter / USMC Reserves S/Sgt Robert Barone. Donate a new, unwrapped toy for a boy or a girl in any of the following age groups: newborn-5, 5-10, 10-15. Toys can be dropped off at any Clifton Fire Station, listed below, until Dec. 18. Fire Station 1, Madison Ave. and First St. Fire Station 2, 7 Dumont Ave. Fire Station 3, 180 Mahar Ave. Fire Station 4, 144 Main Ave. Fire Station 5, 51 Brighton Rd. Fire Station 6, 1202 Van Houten Ave. The annual candy cane hunt at Surgent Park, hosted by the Recreation Department, is on Dec. 10 at 11 am. Children of all ages will hunt throughout the park for candy canes. After children hunt for candy canes, they can color, listen to holiday stories while sipping hot chocolate, eat cookies or make a holiday craft project. The cost is $1 per child. Tickets may be purchased at the Recreation Dept. Office, on the second floor of City Hall. Call 973-470-5956.

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Siblings Dr. Suzi Schulman & Dr. Jeffrey Schulman December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

December 2005 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Santa’s Not Simply For Kids: Was ‘Suki’ naughty this year? Was ‘Mr. Whiskers’ nice? Either way, the jolly guy in the fly red suit with (fake) fur trim arrives at the Animal Shelter on Dog Pound Rd. on Dec. 4 to pose for pictures with your pets from noon to 4 pm. And then, perhaps because he’s also reputedly a “jolly old elf,” he’s even coming back to the pound, which is on the municipal campus, for a return appearance on Dec. 11 for the same four hour span. All sorts of animals are welcome, too. (Even a Doberman Pinscher standing in for a reindeer, if you happen to have one around.) In previous years, Santa has posed patiently with ferrets, rabbits, birds and snakes as well as dogs and cats. Just bring the critters in an appropriate container or have it on a restraint. The cost is $5 per picture, which benefits the shelter and helps provide food and medical care for stray and lost animals. Also, through Jan. 8, the Shelter’s Holiday Tree, which is right on Dog Pound Rd., will be decorated with lights and ornaments with a pet’s name. A $5 donation per ornament is requested. For more info, go to cliftonanimalshelter.com or call 973-470-5936. The Friends of the Clifton Animal Shelter is a non-profit organization run by dedicated volunteers who provide shelter, food, medical attention and love to the homeless animals of Clifton.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Historic Botany D

ue to its location and charm, Clifton’s Historic Botany District holds a unique sense of place in this town’s history. With established stores, taverns and merchants who have served the community for decades, to a new

crop of businesses both in the historic district and the adjacent Botany Plaza Shopping Center, Botany residents and business owners are poised for a new future. Helping plan the rebirth is its recently formed SID or Special Improvement District.

Damiano Pharmacy is still at the center of commerce in historic Botany Village. 32

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Last year the non-profit management organization provided holiday decorations and activities here. This year, an expanded display of lighted stars and snowflakes, music, and family activities are planned. These activities are funded by monies collected by the City of Clifton through additional selfimposed retail and commercial property taxes within the designated SID. “We’re hanging 51 lighted snowflakes from our new historic light poles—20 more than last season,” said Botany SID Board member Joe Nikischer Jr., owner of J. Michael’s Florist. “You should also check out the canopy of lighted stars along Forstmann Court, which connects Parker Ave. with lot 1.” Visitors will notice fresh plantings and twinkling lights throughout the district, especially at Wessington Way, the brick walkway that connects Dayton Ave. and lot 3. Earlier this year, the path was dedicated to the members of the Wessington Athletic Club, organized in 1911. Also unique this holiday season is a performance by Jenna Tamburello who performs with her female jazz quintet, The Fantastic Five, at 11 am on Dec. 17 at the Moscati Fountain. Her great-grandfather was Professor James C. Moscati, founder of the CHS Mustang Band, to whom the fountain was dedicated by the Clifton Music Foundation in 1972. The quintet’s director, Patrick Curcio, is a 1965 CHS grad and also served for eight years as director of the Mustang Band. They’ll perform in Sullivan Square, between Parker and Dayton Aves., and then stroll to selected locations until 1 pm.

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or some 32 years now, Anthony A. Accavallo, shown here, has been helping make the American Dream become a reality, right here in Clifton. As President of Federal Mortgage & Investment Corp. at 1111 Clifton Ave., Clifton, he and his firm have written millions of dollars worth of mortgages which have allowed people to purchase homes. And while that work has been fulfilling, Accavallo said he is getting his greatest satisfaction these days by helping senior citizens with reverse mortgages. A reverse mortgage is a special kind of mortgage loan for seniors. “It is a safe, easy way to turn your home equity into tax-free cash,” he continued. “Unlike a home equity loan, you do not

have to make monthly payments. Instead, a reverse mortgage pays you. More importantly, you do not have to repay the loan for as long as you live in the house. It’s a great way to keep your home and get money from it at the same time.” The name “reverse mortgage” describes exactly what the mortgage is — it is the exact opposite of a conventional mortgage. That is, with a conventional mortgage the borrower pays the lender but with a reverse mortgage, the lender pays the borrower. In the past, a senior citizen in need of money would have to take out a loan against their house and immediately start making monthly payments again or sell their home. But a reverse mortgage allows seniors to borrow against the equity they

How do I qualify for a Reverse Mortgage? It’s simple. You and your co-borrower must be at least 62 years old. You must own your home free and clear or have just a small balance on your existing mortgage. Best of all, there are no income or credit requirements to satisfy. How can I receive my money? You can receive it in several ways: •Equal monthly payments as long as you live in your home •Equal monthly payments for a certain period of time •As a line of credit you can draw upon as needed, for whatever reasons •As a lump sum draw at closing •A combination of the above, to meet your requirements. When must I repay the loan? You must repay the loan if you no longer live in your home. In the event of your death, your heirs can choose to repay the loan and keep the house or sell the house and repay the loan, What are interest rate charges & fees? •An adjustable rate of interest is charged on reverse mortgages •Closing costs are typical for any mortgage closing and all may be financed •No out-of-pocket expenses at closing Are Reverse Mortgages safe? •Yes, FHA and FannieMae guarantee the payments you receive •FHA and FannieMae also guarantee you will never owe more than your house is worth — no debt left on estate

already have in their home... and they never have to make a monthly payment. Each reverse mortgage candidate is required to attend a free counseling session with a local independent housing agency approved by FHA (Federal Housing Administration). Candidates are encouraged to bring other family members with them to help in the decision-making process. “This process ensures that the borrower understands the program fully and aides them in determining whether or not a reverse mortgage is for them,” said Accavallo.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Members of the Wessington Athletic Club, organized in 1911, which had their clubhouse in Botany Village.

The new holiday displays and family activities are the start of something bigger for Historic Botany. “We anticipate the whole area being revitalized,” Nikischer predicted. “In fact, I’ve talked to 1355

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Historic BotanyEvents Santa Arrives, Tree Lighting, Sullivan Square, Dec. 2, 6 pm Santa Photos, Dec. 10, 11 am to 2 pm, Clifton Saving Bank, 1 Village Square West, as the Salvation Army Brass Ensemble strolls & performs Santa Photos, Dec16, 3 to 6 pm, Hudson United Bank, 247 Parker Ave. Santa Photos, Dec 17, 9 am to noon, Banco Popular, 10 Botany Village Square East and then noon to 3 pm, North Fork Bank, 11 Ackerman Ave. The Fantastic Five jazz quintet strolls & performs, Dec. 17, 11 am to 1 pm For more info, go to historicbotany.com some people who have just opened up businesses here and they realize what we are doing and say they can see the future.” Historic Botany encompasses about 80 businesses along Randolph, Dayton and Parker Aves., including Pathmark, K-Mart and all stores and offices in Botany Plaza, as well as 36 residences in the district. In total, the SID tax assessment generates about $80,000 annually. Additional funding is generated from annual city

contributions and from private sponsorship and grants. The property owners and businesses in the SID use the funds to pay for services that they determine to advance revitalization. These services are designed to complement, not replace, municipal services. The Historic Botany District SID management organization works to improve safety and security, cleanliness and beautification and to provide special events.

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Call us Now at 1-800-788-1184 www.federalmtg.com Licensed Mortgage Banker, State of NJ Dept of Banking and Insurance, Dept. of Banking NY, CT, MA and MD. December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

ShopCliftonFirst! W

e’ve been saying it for a decade of Decembers, but it’s worth repeating. This holiday season remember to Shop Clifton First! Our city has hundreds of unique, family-owned shops and businesses where you can get just about anything you need for gift giving and entertaining. And when we shop locally and support our Clifton Merchants, we’re really helping ourselves. The success of the shops and stores in our many business districts helps keep our community strong and stable. So before you head to the malls or order online, remember to visit your local merchants. Let’s start with the home front. Holiday decorations definitely put us in the spirit. What better way to start than with flowers? Poinsettias and other blooms can set the tone for all of your holiday decorating. And remember to think beyond the dining room table. Flowers make a statement. The entryway, powder room, even the guest room can all benefit from a boost of living color.

Hair • Nails • Color

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n o i t a u t a f n I

•

88 Market St. From left, Jill, Melissa, Keri, Joe, Sheryl & Latife

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

9 73

365-0220

When we shop locally and support our Clifton Merchants, we’re really helping ourselves. The success of the shops and stores in our business districts helps keep our community strong and stable. And fresh flowers make an ideal hostess gift. We’ve got plenty of florists in town including St. George Florist, Schneider’s Flowers and J. Michael’s Florist in historic Botany Village. Don’t forget the glass house, Days Gone By, in the Richfield Shopping Center, or for that matter, Richfield Farms. Now that you’ve decorated, you’re ready to entertain! Whether throwing a big party, or inviting over a few close friends, don’t forget to check your liquor cabinet. Where do you shop for fine wines and spirits? May we make a few suggestions: The wine masters at Bertelli’s in Styertowne will help you find the right vintage at the right price. Wright Wines & Liquors on Van Houten has a large selection of Polish liquors, beers and other international spirits. Shopper’s Vineyard on Bloomfield Ave., perhaps the city’s largest liquor retailer, has a great selection of single-malt scotch and always has a cold keg ready to go. There’s also Wine Country on Rte. 46.

☛

TENAFLY ENAFLY PEDIATRICS EDIATRICS 1135 Broad St., Suite 208 • Clifton • 973-471-8600 Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm Wednesday 8:30 am – 8:30 pm (for check-ups, too!) Sunday 9 am – 12 noon • www.tenaflypediatrics.com

This column was originally started by our founder, the late Murray Blumenfeld. In his spirit, we continue its publication.

is the season!!! It’s hard to believe we’re writing our December column ~ the last of 2005! Let the festivities begin~ as we prepare to celebrate Christmas and Chanukah! The chill in the air and all the holiday decorations are certainly putting us in the mood. We’re stocked and ready for another holiday season. In all price ranges ~ our merchandise is guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s face. Now for a little bit about what’s HOT in jewelry for this season: Perhaps the most predominant trend right now is the use of “micro pave”. ` It’s amazing how tiny diamonds ~ when grouped together ~ become a sparkling masterpiece. Another trend is toward the more intricate romantic designs. Delicate hand carving can be found in all forms of jewelry. Vintage or antique looking rings also convey romanticism. Many brides are choosing rings that evoke classic styles of days gone by. That’ just a small fashion update ~ come in and see for yourself. Thanks to all of you who attended our first trunk show on November 12th. We had a great time and hope you did too. Elini Watch Company was thrilled with your response to their fashion forward line, as was the “Spun Gold” Jewelry Company, I. Relss and Shula. We thoroughly enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the day and have decided to continue having more in the future. The birthstone for December is Turquoise. Nevada and New Mexico are the prime locations for mining of Turquoise. Robin’s Egg Blue is the most preferred color with no matrix showing. Recently, Tanzanite has been added as an alternate birthstone.

Dr. Maury Buchalter

So, let us help you to make another holiday season successful. We’re looking forward to seeing you! Have a “DAZZLING DECEMBER”! Here’s to a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Dr. Joanne Aranoff

1143

Talk to you again in 2006!

Dr. Robert Jawetz

Dr. David Wisotsky

We welcome new patients in Clifton and our other locations! Tenafly 32 Franklin St 201-569-2400

Fort Lee 301 Bridge Plaza N. 201-592-8787

Paramus 26 Park Place 201-262-1140

Oakland 3 Post Road 201-651-0404

JEWELERS RICHFIELD SHOPPING CENTER 1354 CLIFTON AVE • CLIFTON • 973.777.4329 www.morrelyons.com 1295

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

For both easy listening and dancing, you can’t entertain without music. Of course there are the big chains, like Coconuts in Styertowne and Sam Goody’s on Broad St. But Main Ave. in Downtown Clifton boasts two unique stores. Clifton Music specializes in oldies, doo-wop and acapella sounds. Eden Musical specializes in Latin tunes, from salsa and meringue to cumbia and Latin rock. If you are hosting a party or going to one, you’ll want to have snacks on hand. Here are a few stores you may want to visit. In Downtown Clifton, there’s Mike Duch’s Pirogi Store and his neighbor, the House of Nuts. Across town on Market St., Dayton Homemade Chocolates offers a great selection of milk, white and dark chocolates. Ready to buy a holiday outfit? Try The New Brava for Women, Shereeds, or the Men’s Gallery, all in Styertowne. And once you’ve found that perfect dress or suit, stop by the neighboring Shoe Gallery. This classy little shop has a large selection and styles for every member of the family. Wheels on Van Houten Ave. carries handbags and accessories in addition to clothing. They also have a large selection of custom silver jewelry, as well gift items like candles, cards and incense.

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Our December, 2002 edition celebrated the many unique stores and services in various neighborhood shopping districts. Clifton Merchants, from left, Mike Bertelli of Bertelli’s Fine Wines in Styertowne, the late Murray Blumenfeld of Morre Lyons Jewelers in Richfield Shopping Center, Stanley Jakubczyk of Able Hardware in Athenia and Jack and Deb Morton of Richfield Farms on Van Houten Ave.

Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday Season Assemblyman & Freeholder Peter C. Eagler Paid For By Peter Eagler for Assembly, 32 Greendale Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07013

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

1011

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Need gift ideas? Everyone loves to dine out. Even the person who has everything would enjoy a gift certificate to one of Clifton’s many restaurants. For delectable Polish fare, there is Teddy’s on Main Ave.. For Italian cuisine, there is Buco’s on Allwood Rd. and Venezia on Broad St.. Someone on your list love Chinese food? There is Cheng-Du on Rte. 46 and The Seasons in Styertowne. And don’t forget Japanese—Zen Sushi on Piaget Ave. and Osaka on Market St. in Allwood. Who among us wouldn’t love to receive a piece of fine jewelry? Morre Lyons in Richfield Shopping Center has an exquisite selection, and also specializes in Swarovski crystal. Lacki’s in Athenia specializes in pearls. There is also Corbo’s in Styertowne, Tony’s on Main Ave. and Gnome on Van Houten. Cigar aficionado on your list? If so, forget the giant cigar stores on the highways and the sites on the world wide web and visit Richfield Video, Cigars and Magazines. The humidor there offers a fine selection of well made cigars and the staff will help any novice shopper buy the right smoke for that special guy. There are hundreds of brands here, in all price ranges, styles and flavors.

Our 2004 December edition cover, which featured Marie Angello, co-owner of American Coin & Stamp on Main Ave. They are New Jersey’s oldest and largest rare coin and stamp dealer. Stop by and check out the special gifts for the holidays.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Need a last minute stocking stuffer? Find what you’re looking for at some of our independently owned drug stores: Colonial Pharmacy, Van Houten Pharmacy, Middle Village Pharmacy or Damiano’s. Stop in the Village Stationary in the Bobbink Shopping Center where you can purchase a greeting card for someone you left off your list. Really stumped on what to get the person who has everything? Why not consider making a donation to a charitable organization in the recipient’s name? The goal of the Clifton Education Foundation is to support educational goals of our public schools by funding projects that cannot be supported through the district’s regular annual budget. The Foundation encourages teachers, students and others to pursue innovative and creative ideas beyond curriculum and to bring those ideas to the foundation for consideration of support. To accomplish this, they seek sponsorship and funding from the community. Send checks to: Clifton Education Foundation, PO Box 2071, Clifton, NJ 07015 (EIN # 22-3593134).

Happy Holidays!

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send Clifton business news to Tom.Hawrylko@verizon.net

erhaps back in 1930, Joseph DeLora Sr. did give a second thought to the fact that the country was in the midst of the Depression. And yes, maybe, it was a crazy time to start a dry cleaning business. But that was a fleeting moment and a detraction which would not allow him to stray from his vision of starting what to many has become Clifton’s premier dry cleaning firm. Over 75 years later, DeLuxe Cleaners and Formal Wear, still in its Art Deco landmark building at 1280 Main Ave., is now in its third generation of ownership and has grown to a staff of over 40 employees. Since the founding of the firm, the DeLora family has added a number of innovations to establish DeLuxe as a leader in the industry. Some were just slightly a head of its

time, such as the refrigerated fur vault back in the early 1940’s. Other additions were also ahead of the curve, such as the 1955 opening of DeLuxe Formal Wear. And other ideas were as practical and simple as keeping it a family business. That’s what happened in the 1950’s, when Joseph’s eldest son Patrick Sr. returned home from the Korean War and took over the daily operations of DeLuxe. By the 1960’s, Pat Sr. opened the Drapery Cleaning Department and DeLuxe Cleaners became specialists in the taking down and rehanging of draperies and top treatments. The company’s Adjust-A-Drape process guarantees a perfectly finished drapery every time. There were some unforeseen obstacles, too, such as wash ‘n wear back in the 1970’s, a vexing time for

Joseph DeLora Sr.

the drycleaning industry. Yet, DeLuxe survived these times and Pat Sr. learned lessons that he would pass on to his own five children, two of whom, Patrick Jr. and Linda, are now in the family business. It was in 1990 that they would introduce V.I.P. Pick-Up & Delivery, a convenient service which allows customers to use DeLuxe without ever leaving their home. Today, the V.I.P. Service routes offer pick-up and delivery in three counties, another savvy move. In January, 1996, the founder of DeLuxe, Joseph DeLora Sr., passed away at the age of 94. And in memory of their grandfather, the third generation owners have committed themselves to their family tradition of quality service established over three quarters of a century ago, and refined, from decade to decade.

The DeLora family: siblings Patrick Jr. and Linda with their parents, Patrick Sr.,and Albina. 50

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Kipmis, Commerce & Old Glory: When Alvin Kipnis learned that Commerce Bank did not intend to put up an American flag at their proposed bank on Clifton and Getty Aves., their second branch in the city, he talked about it. Often. Kipnis, the ‘guy with the red suspenders’, asked why at City Council meetings, to politicians and to friends and neighbors. Commerce at first refused to listen, but the din grew louder. His voice was heard as Commerce placed a flag pole at the Clifton and Getty Ave. location in time for its opening in September. And just in November, the Cherry Hill-based bank constructed a second flag pole in front of its first branch on the Clifton Avenue Extension. “It really shouldn’t have come to this,” lamented Kipnis. “This much effort shouldn't have been required. The flag is the symbol of this country and everything we do... that’s what kids need to see.” As pleased as he is with the results, Kipnis is disheart-

ened that an American bank like Commerce doesn’t fly the American flag at all its branches, as part of its everyday way of doing business. “Commerce Bank didn’t put up the flag because of me, for this stuff

or for this country. They put it up because they were losing business. People told me they were taking money out of their accounts,” he claimed. “The bottom line is always by Joe Hawrylko the business.”

Carl G. Zoecklein, ESQ. Law Office Carl Zoecklein pictured with his real estate staff Yahaira Perez and Jessica Serrano.

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Recreational Partnerships: Rich Ruggiero, president of the Clifton Northern Little League, said keeping the city’s ballfields in good shape and youth recreational sports programs strong is an ongoing partnership with the Clifton Recreation Department, local businesses and many volunteers. That’s why he wants to shine a light on a contribution the Little League received from Professional Landscape Management, a Somerville firm owned by Cliftonites Anthony and Helen Carrera. They recently donated 39,000 pounds of clay—two truckloads—to renovate the Clifton Northern Veterans Memorial field, just off Main Ave. It’s the same clay that is used in pro baseball stadiums, which will help the Clifton field drain quickly and properly after a storm. “The Carreras have been longtime supporters of Clifton sports, and their daughter Jen was the co-captain of the Mustangs Softball squad

From left, Clifton Northern President Rich Ruggiero, Anthony and Helen Carrera of Professional Landscape Management and Bill Cluney, Clifton Northern Field Director at Veterans Memorial field near Downtown Clifton.

in her senior year,” Ruggiero said, noting the Carrera family knows the roughs in the diamond well. It’s contributions like this that keep Clifton’s youth sports programs affordable, he added.

e when Season is a tim he Christmas both here r loved ones, we remembe is season, we en. During th and in heav ilies who have e many fam remember th us throughout loved ones to r ei th ed st entru . this past year of a loved after the loss ial We know that ill bring spec ay season w ess. dn sa of one, the holid ents d tender mom his h ug ro th memories an at we know th , od G will in e, g m Trustin es yet to co h, Christmas er. uc ht to ug g la in d al he hope, joy, an ith w d le fil again be season, that g this holiday d We pray durin nder love an you in His te ut ho ug ro th God will hold d th now an bo e, ac pe u give yo ar. the coming ye

Shook Funeral Home,Inc.

Over 50 Years of Service, Still Proudly Family Owned & Operated

639 Van Houten Ave • Clifton 973-471-9620 Roy B. Garretson Manager, NJ Lic.#3550 Joseph M. Shook, Sr. Founder, NJ Lic.#2134

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

“While I think the city has an obligation to provide services, we look at it as a partnership between the Rec Dept. and the athletic organizations,” Ruggiero said. He added the league gets $1,500 a year from

Nancy Shook Garretson President, NJ Lic.#3657

the city but umpires earn $1,700 a season. Add in $20 for each uniform, $5 for every softball that lands in the pond and $80 for the cheapest bat, and their non-profit books are tough to balance. In total, over 100 baseball and softball games are played on the Clifton Northern field every year. “Not many people know this,” he continued, “but when we play a night game, it costs $75 to flip the light switch and about $130 for an entire game.” Speaking of those 24 beacons, they were from Yankee Stadium when that field was renovated in 1976. Ruggiero seeks other donations to Northern. Call him at 973-546-5570 or visit www.cliftonnorthern.com. by Alicia Feghhi

Allwood Bicycles on Market St. is under new ownership. USA Cycling certified mechanic Rich Januszewski is now on staff and can service all makes and models. Clifton’s own Dan Neczepir is also involved at the shop, helping out with merchandising and sales. The sell and service road, mountain, comfort, BMX and children’s bicycles from manufacturers such as Haro, Jamis, Look, Klein, Masi and DelSol. Other additions to the store include a complete line of clothing, helmets, accessories, parts and nutrition products. Hours for the the shop have changed. Allwood Bicycles is open Sunday 11-5, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 4-8 and Saturday from 11-5. At Clifton Savings, service is our most valuable commodity – just as it has been since we opened our first branch in 1928. Today, with a branch network in Passaic and Bergen counties, it’s central to all the financial services we provide. While we’ve grown, we’ve never lost sight of our basic mission: to help our customers reach their financial goals. True to our motto,“service is our language,” we’re proud that anyone calling during business hours speaks to a Clifton Savings representative, not just a recording. A small thing? Not when it comes to serving our customers.

Serving the community since 1928.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

BondParadeFloats Robert DeVito and his crew of craftsmen make moveable, magical art out of wood, styrofoam, tinsel and other trimmings. You’ve seen his work along parade routes here in town and all over the northeast. While DeVito is in his early 50’s, he and his staff have been dressing parades for decades. This Clifton Boulevard firm has been in the business of making floats since 1942.

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

It was then that company founder Gilbert Bond began selling War Bonds at the celebrity filled rallies in Times Square. In the early 60’s, employee Rudy Ehrlich took the helm of the firm. Current owner and Clifton resident Robert DeVito, pictured here, purchased the company in 1984 but has worked there since 1973. Over the years, the company has ‘Made in Clifton’ some memorable pieces of work which have been in some major parades. Among DeVito’s all time favorites: a massive two story float with the Lion of St. Mark’s Square in Venice atop of it, which was created for Perugina Chocolates. Here in Clifton, DeVito annually donates the float which carts Santa throughout the city on Christmas Eve. He has also donated his services to a number of other causes. So what is the secret to his moveable art? “That’s a good name for it,” responded DeVito, a ‘73 grad of William Paterson. “Because by time you can notice our mistakes, our floats are down the road. Seriously? It’s creating a good contrast of colors and graphics because the art is viewed best from afar.”

Styertowne S H O P P I N G

C E N T E R

Use This Directory of Stores When Shopping: GNC 973-779-1500

AC Moore 973-470-8885

CVS Pharmacy 973-778-7630

Coconuts 973-778-8759

The Chiropractic Center at Styertowne 973-777-6995

The Artisan’s Touch 973-471-0001

Exchange Florist 973-594-0700 ACME 973-594-0590 Atlanta Bread Company 973-777-2211 Bertelli’s Liquors 973-779-0199 The Season’s Fine Chinese Cuisine 973-777-8073 Taste of Tuscany 973-916-0700 Styertowne Bakery 973-777-6193 Dunkin Donuts & Baskin Robbins 973-473-9631 Pet Stuff 973-778-1617 Alice’s Cards & Gifts 973-773-2422 Fascination 973-473-6105

Footnotes Bookstore 973-779-6122 Kid City 973-614-1111 US Post Office 973-473-4946 Valley National Bank 973-777-6283 Cleaners 2000 973-614-1400 Dollar Tree 973-249-7530 Dress Barn 973-249-0322 The Men’s Gallery 973-777-4700 Corbo Jewelers 973-777-1635 Shereeds Ladies & Mens Clothing 973-773-1673 The Shoe Doctor 973-777-4700 Marty’s Shoes 973-471-4140

Antonio’s Hair Stylist 973-472-1011

The New Brava For Women 973-777-1385

Kim’s Nail Salon 973-471-8118

The Shoe Gallery 973-777-4700

Celebrations 973-458-8200

Radio Shack 973-777-7931

Office Space Available. Call 973-591-5222 1086

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Bania to Lead Boys & Girls Club Kent Bania, Ed.D. was installed as President of the Board of Trustees of the Boys & Girls Club of Clifton. An alumnus of Montana State University, Dr.. Bania received his Masters Degree and Doctorate in Education at Rutgers University. He has been with Passaic County Technical Institute (PCTI) for the past 33 years and is currently Director of Adult and Continuing Education. He is a member of the New Jersey Adult Education Association, Vocational Education Association of NJ and is past President of the Epsilon Pi Tau Honorary Vocational Education Fraternity/Rutgers. A member of the Boys Club as a youngster, Dr. Bania was elected a member of the Board of Trustees of the Boys & Girls Club in May, 1993. He received the Board “Volunteer of the Year” Award in 2003. He has served as Second Vice President of the Board from 2003 to date. Dr. Bania is also involved with the

Francis Calise, Chairman of the Board of the Boys & Girls Club, with Dr. Kent Bania, at right.

Clifton Elks Club, Boy Scouts of America Troop 23, and over the years with Clifton Little League as a coach in both baseball and basketball. A lifelong Clifton resident, Dr. Bania has four children; Kent Jr., Janell, Laura and Adam. He is engaged to Diane Lawrence Chadsey. Also installed were Francis Calise, Chairman of the Board; Elaine Robertazzi, First Vice President; Nancy DeLuca, Second Vice President; Russell Schneider, Treasurer; Keith Oakley, Assistant Treasurer; Vincent M. Ponte, Secretary; Dr. Edward Healey, Assistant Secretary and Brent Rudnick, Historian. The original Boys & Girls Club of Clifton was founded in 1947, in School 7 in Botany Village. In 1958, the Club moved into its permanent home at 181 Colfax Ave. Since then, the Club has gone under numerous changes. In 1999, an extensive two year renovation of the Club was finally completed. The multi-million dollar project expanded the club to over 70,000 square feet, adding a new pool, a renovated gym and modernized the building and all of its programs. The Boys & Girls Club now has 4,000 members and serves over 800 Clifton youth on a daily basis. For info, call 973-773-0966. 56

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

December 2005 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Greater Community Bank was awarded the 2005 Corporate Challenge Golden Hammer Award and the 2005 Veteran Award for the longest corporate sponsorship by Paterson’s Habitat for Humanity. Every year, employees have taken the day off from work to build an affordable house for low-income families. Greater Community has two branches in Clifton. Kidz Lounge on Valley Rd, is the newest child care center in town, offering lots of fun, care and learning to children in Kindergarten, up o age 13. Owner Mariluz Perez is also an RN who specializes in labor On Nov. 5, her last day before retiring delivery for a private women’s care as a Clifton Public Health Nurse, Tina Zanni was giving flu shots at city hall. service in Morristown. cliftoncenterdutchhill.com is a new YogaCentric has opened in Clifton website managed and sponsored by Plaza. The studio offers yoga, cardio Luis M. Guzman, a Clifton resident cross-training and moving Pilates. who is also an agent with Nicholas Classes are for beginner to the Real Estate. Guzman invites all to advanced. Owner Delana Hubscher use the free site to post events and Ryan invites people to “strengthen info as it pertains to the Dutch Hill your body, stretch your mind.” More info at yogacentricstudio.com. and Clifton Center neighborhoods.

St. Mary’s Hospital will mark its 110th year of service with a gala Through the Years on Dec. 10 at the Valley Regency. Cocktails begin at 6:30 pm followed by dinner and dancing. Honorees are Theresa A. Dinallo, President of the Hospital Guild and the past presidents of the medical and dental Staff. Elaine G. Robertazzi of Liberty Lincoln Mercury is co-chair along with Dr. and Mrs. Phillip Jasper. Proceeds support St. Mary’s Hospital Emergency Department renovation and expansion. For gala tickets, to place an ad in the journal or to offer a donation, call 973-470-3106. St. Mary’s Hospital was founded in 1895 by the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth. Today, the Passaic hospital is an acute care facility offering a full scope of services which address today’s healthcare needs and promote wellness, disease prevention and the restoration of health. For more info on St. Mary’s Hospital visit smh-passaic.org.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton sports historian Louis Poles recently composed a list of Fighting Mustangs who went onto to enjoy success in the pros. At the top of the list is Ray ‘Ditch’ Malavasi, who was featured in our Feb. 2005 edition. Malavasi was head coach of the Los Angeles Rams and coached them in Super Bowl XIV, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Malavasi didn’t get the ring, another Cliftonite would eventually bring home the hardware. Joe Scannella was the assistant coach on the Oakland Raiders team that defeated Minnesota in Super Bowl XI. Scannella also coached in the Canadian Football League, where he guided the Montreal Alouette to the Grey Cup. New Jersey Sports Hall of Famer Art Arguaer was Clifton’s star quarterback and athletic director. He also served as the head coach of the Clifton Wessingtons Athletic Club, an old team from Botany.

Angelo ‘Doc’ Paternoster played guard and tackle for the Washington Redskins in the 1943 NFL Championship. He and other Mustangs will be inducted to the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame on April 23 at The Brownstone in Paterson at noon.

☛

Holiday Greetings from Dr. Rick and Staff Clifton’s Downtown Dentist with over 50 years in practice, from father to son Special to All First Time Patients

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973-365-1267 1554

www.drpaternoster.com December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Arguaer coached the semi-pro Wessingtons against many opponents, including the New York Giants, whom they lost to in a 1929 preseason exhibition game at Passaic Stadium. Clifton also has produced some outstanding players who went on to play in the NFL as well. Angelo ‘Doc’ Paternoster first won a scholarship to Georgetown and then played guard and tackle for the Washington Redskins, who lost to the Chicago Bears in the 1943 NFL Championship. ‘Doc’ Paternoster returned to Clifton and opened a dental practice which is now run by his son Rick. The elder Paternoster today resides in Wayne. Another Clifton Redskin was Mustang QB Robert Holly, whose team defeated the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII and then lost Super Bowl XVIII to the Los Angeles Raiders, generations after Paternoster played his last game.

Holly, pictured at left, also played for the Philadelphia Eagles and the Atlanta Falcons. Larry Mialek played tight end for the Atlanta Falcons, Houston Oilers and San Diego Chargers. Paul Pomfret was also a top notch Mustang tight end and played for the Green Bay Packers. Doug Kleber played offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns and Dave Bosson was an offensive tackle for the defunct New York Titans, now the New York Jets. These gridiron stars will all be inducted to the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame on April 23 at The Brownstone in Paterson at noon. Also to be honored are the 1959 football undefeated State Champs and the 1952, 1953 and 1954 track and field PVC League Champs. Poles is asking for help in locating all the athletes of these teams. Call CHS Athletic Director Rick LaDuke at 973-470-2280 or Louis Poles at 973-773-9934.

Merry Christmas from All of Us At

BUILDING SUPPLY INC. 60

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Father Edward Lambro of Catholic Charities at right with Christine Ross, principal of St. Paul. Clifton students, seated from left: Kevin Kattowski, St. Clare’s; Michael Ramos, St. Brendan’s; Kelly Stankiewitz, Sacred Heart. Second row from left: Michael Mulick, St, Paul’s; Lana Scibona, St. Andrew’s and rear row from left: Sister Margaret Murphy, principal of St. Andrew; Patricia Deleu, principal of St. Brendan; and Linda Merse, principal of Sacred Heart.

Six Clifton Catholic schools held a citywide service project to help fill the Diocese of Paterson’s Catholic Charities food pantries in time for Thanksgiving. Students, parents and faculty from St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Brendan, St. Clare, St. Paul, St. Philip the Apostle and Sacred Heart Schools collected close to 4,000 cans and other non-perishable foods to help the needy in the diocese. “It is so important that we take our Christian teachings out of the classroom and put them to practice by encouraging our young people to take part in programs that reach out to those less fortunate,” said Patricia Deleu, principal of St. Brendan’s. What inspired the idea to undergo this project was the news about the lack of food in many area pantries in including the diocese’s Catholic Charities food pantry in Paterson.

In response, the Clifton principals decided to hold food drives collecting food from students and faculty within their own campuses. “This effort makes us aware of the good works that our Church is able to render to those in need by those who care,” said Sister Margaret Murphy, principal of St. Andrew’s. “We are grateful to be able to share what we have with those who are less fortunate than us,” said principal of St. Clare School, Jo Ann Wormer. “It is such a wonderful project to see all the Catholic schools in Clifton to participate in such a wonderful cause.” In addition to helping the poor, the students learned the importance of helping their fellow man and the mission to act as Jesus taught. Working with other schools, they also learned the value of togetherness.

“To serve our fellow man is an important lesson for all to learn and to be able to do that on a large scale is very important,” said Christine Ross, principal of St. Paul School. “We are proud to share our talents, gifts and our blessings with our brothers and sisters,” added Barbara Zito, principal of St. Philip School. Linda Merse, principal of Sacred Heart School concluded: “During this season of giving thanks for all wonderful things each child receives throughout the year, our students have combined their talents and joined with Catholic Charities to make this food drive a success. In their small way, this food drive shows what children and adults can do when they share a common cause.” reprinted with permission by the Beacon, the newspaper of the Diocese of Paterson. December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Creole Christmas Benefit Concert: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 380 Clifton Ave., hosts a benefit concert on Dec. 18 to benefit the St. Peter’s Haven Food Bank and the Covington Louisiana Food Bank. The night, which has been dedicated to the memory of the late Rev. Hank Dwyer, the former pastor of the Clifton congregation and an avid R&B fan, will feature performances by the Bobby Kyle Band and Chaz DePaolo, and others. The concert will take place inside the church, with the stage set right in front of the altar...a symbolic gesture of friendship and brotherhood... There will plenty of soulful music. Doors open at 6 pm and the music won’t stop until 10:30 pm. Tickets are $15 and children under 12 are free. Guests are asked to bring nonperishable canned goods for St. Peter’s Haven and an unwrapped toy for the children of Louisiana who were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Info: 973-546-5020.

Chaz DePaolo performs in St. Peter’s Creole Christmas benefit on Dec. 18.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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The Newark Boys Apprentice Choir performing at Giggles Children’s Theater, staged at St. Joseph’s Hospital.

Medical Missions for Children, in partnership with St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Paterson, has developed a unique healing experience for its young patients. Giggles Children’s Theater, a 75-seat theater also able to accommodate children in wheelchairs and beds, and located within St. Joseph’s brings local and regional performing artists directly to pediatric patients— through performances and hands-on activities. Music, drama, puppetry, dance, storytellers, and live, interactive ‘video field trips’ break the monotony and bring brightness to these sick children. Performances take place regularly – to both a live audience, and for non-ambulatory patients, broadcast via the hospital’s closed circuit television system. The theater is equipped with a motorized curtain, an upright

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piano, sound and lighting systems as well as state of the art recording equipment. Ultimately, since the theater features the latest telecommunications technology — including the use of Polycom videoconferencing units and a global satellite system — Medical Missions for Children and St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital will transmit around the world to children’s hospitals in developing countries. The clinical goals of the Medical Missions for Children include the reduction of pain, anxiety and stress. Artistically, MMC’s goals are to meet the needs of a culturally and the medically diverse patients. Artists interested in volunteering or becoming involved with the Giggles Theater should call Lissa Romaine at 973-754-4558.

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The Theater League of Clifton presents...

Waiting for Christmas A Story Theatre Production with Music...A Great Family Show! Performances at Clifton School 3, 365 Washington Ave. Saturdays, Dec. 3 & 10, 11am and 2 pm Sundays, Dec. 4 & 11, 1:30 and 3:30 pm Tickets $10 adults, $5 seniors and students. For info: 973-458-9579

December 2005 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Cast members include Priscila Bellia, Jeannie Kempa, Ashley Leeshock, Becca Pickett, Michael Press, Chris Robertson, Sarah Robertson, Sandra Rudnitzky, Cara Ruggiero, Kate Sugarman, Maren Sugarman, Marnie Sugarman, Paul Sugarman, Cassandra Trujillo, Karen Yeamans, Karla Joelle Yeamans.

The 11th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Jazz Festival & Dinner is Jan. 14 from 6 pm to midnight at the Church of the Assumption, 35 Orange Ave., Clifton. The festival features the Leo Johnson Trio, Jazzy Bear and Friends, Lonnie Youngblood, the David Robinson Quartet and Madam Pat Tandy and the Tommy Gryce Trio. Tickets are $35, which includes dinner and soft drinks. For info, call Seifullah Ali Shabazz at 973-478-4124 or visit Record City in Passaic or Paterson. The Chopin Singing Society presents its second annual Christmas Concert on Dec. 4 at the Polish American Cultural Center, 1 Monroe St., Passaic. The Society is an all male chorus which is directed by Alicja Rusewicz Pagorek. New members are always welcome to participate at the rehearsals, which are every Monday at 8 pm at the Polish American Cultural Center. For info call 973-779-4310.

The Chopin Singing Society’s annual Christmas concert is Dec. 4 in Passaic.

Talent Search: The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark presents the 2006 Young Artist Talent Search. Students from across NJ compete for a chance to enter one of NJPAC’s prestigious training programs. Participants must

be 18 or younger and must be in school for the duration of the program. Applications are due Feb. 1; auditions are March 25. Applications received before Jan. 1 pay a $15 fee or $20 thereafter. Call 973-353-8009 or visit www.njpac.org.

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Seasons Greetings from all of us at Mario’s: First row from left, Mario Barilari III, Dino Bellini, Aulo Barilari & Brett Barilari. Second row: Gianni Bellini, Sandro Bellini, Kenneth Barilari, Aurora Bellini, Kim Barilari & Alba Bellini. Holiday hours: Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day. Open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve till 9 pm. December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Edward Borovsky

Grace M. Bowlby

Members of the CHS Class of Jan., 1951 are trying to locate 10 missing classmates to alert them of their 55th reunion on April 22 from noon to 5 pm at the Valley Regency. Tickets are $65. To attend or share information about a missing classmate, some of whom are pictured here, call George Zaloom at 973-471-1231 or email Lorraine Tepstra at Lass468@optonline.net.

Barbara V. Daly

Florence Friedman

Rosemarie P. Guilano

Clare Hayden

Alan R. Johnson

Kenneth Petrie

The CHS Class of 1955 celebrated their 50th reunion on Oct. 28 at The Brownstone. Committee members published an updated yearbook, Columns, which includes a biography of the graduates, such as their careers, spouses, as well as a section for personal comments. A group of graduates, from left to right: James Lancaster, Richie Lancaster, Carol Van Der Linda, Bob Spiotta, and John Spiotta. Photo by Bob Van Der Linda. 1040

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December 2005 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Class of ‘73, born in ‘55, hosts a communal 50th birthday bash

A CHS Reunion with a Twist

Story by Philip Read

hey had once driven their convertibles to Seaside Heights, listening to Rod Stewart’s Maggie May on the AM radio and Grand Funk Railroad’s We’re an American Band. At the barely decade-old Clifton High School, 18-year-olds had just gotten the right to vote and the Vietnam War was winding down. For the boys of the Class of 1973, many had gone to the draft board and were listed as A-1, ready to serve, only to quickly get the news that they were now H-1, for holding. The draft had all but ended. Yet for the 1,106 who would eventually

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

graduate as Clifton High School’s Class of 1973, it remained a time of issues and protest. “We had a sit-in,” said ‘73’er Larry Cosden, “because we wanted to have open lunch.” The protest fever was on the field, too, of the undefeated Clifton Mustangs, then one of the state’s Top 10 teams and a bunch that had outscored their opponents 329-20. In one of the last games that season, against Garfield, Alan Lisowsler had been promised the starter spot all week by Coach Bill Vander Closter, who reneged as game day dawned, Lisowsler said.

His teammates didn’t like that idea. “They were going to boycott,” Lisowsler said. So Vander Closter consented, he said, and Lisowsler went on to start and carry an interception in a lopsided 55-0 win. Just last week, on Nov. 25, Lisowsler carried that game pigskin with him and stood amid some 145 of his one-time classmates to mark a reunion with a twist: the 50th birthday party of the CHS Class of ‘73, most of whom were born in 1955. “We had such a good time at the 30th (reunion) and only had 35 show up,” said Lori Struck, who engineered the event at the Bethwood in Totowa with the help of Bruce Rissmiller, who conducted an exhausting search to locate classmates, and Doris Pohle. Back in high school, Pohle was— among other things—a member of the Psychology Club, whose roster spoke to the popularity of selfexpression and self-examination of classmates who came of age as the Sixties waned. The club’s spread in Rotunda ‘73—the yearbook—covered two pages with five group shots, showing nearly 200 members. In one of those pictures is a teacher by the name of William Cannici, now Clifton High’s principal. Among its other members was Lisa Weinberger, who flew in from Arizona for the bash, and Liz

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Riley, who was part of the make-up crew for Carousel that year and is to work on this year’s school play as a CHS teacher: Mrs. Eisenmenger. The color of some of the sweettasting roses on the 50th birthday cake didn’t go unnoticed. “The flowers on the cake were black,” said Eisenmenger, invoking a sense of the class’ mortality. In their lives so far, some became doctors and lawyers while others had traveled far and wide, brushing up against the well-known names and significant events of the day. Steve Stefanacci, for one, spent years in Florida in a face-to-face people job, namely bartender at a

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Boca Raton restaurant owned by Pete Rose, the Cincinnati Red who was the World Series MVP in 1975. “He had a radio show that he did five nights a week,” Stefanacci said of a man he got to know well.

John Orlowsky, who went into the construction business, rattled off jobs to renovate the Statue of Liberty as well as create the 88story Twin Towers of Malaysia. David Burd, who has had a long-

time association with television’s Uncle Floyd Show, said he was still in the thick of it, lining up a burlesque show to be booked at restored vaudeville houses. Glenn Gorab, now an oral surgeon, could be seen picking up a digital camera and shooting pictures, reprising his role as photo editor of the yearbook. As for Cosden, he had already put in his request with the night’s disc jockey: Led Zeppelin. As the DJ spun disco tunes, Cosden invoked a clash of the music genres of the day and a saying once seen on bumper stickers: Disco Sucks. He had been to see Jethro Tull and Cream in concert just this year, a perfect fit for the guy whose high school band —Purple Grass — won the Battle of the Bands in 1970 at the former Pope Paul VI High School on Valley Rd. “We didn’t deserve to win,” Cosden claimed, looking back in a show of modesty.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

The 5-hour evening was marked by something else: People constantly craning their necks to get an up-close view of the name tags bearing the old yearbook pictures, taken in an era when ears were hidden behind long strands of hair. Even before the night began, some were assessing their 50th year on earth philosophically. “A little heartache. A lot of fun,” Richard Pruiksma concluded. Editor’s note: Philip Read, a longtime New Jersey journalist, is a member of the Class of 1973 who got his start at the CHS school newspaper, The Hub.

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Winter Spo r ts

Photos & stories by Joe Hawrylko

t has been said that in the wild, the survival of the wolf depends on the strength of the pack. If this year’s version of the CHS Boys Basketball team is going to survive the wild of the NNJIL—the toughest high school basketball league in New Jersey—these young Mustangs are going to have to relay on the entire pack—literally. After a 13-11 campaign in last year, Clifton returns no lettermen. Yet head coach John Michael Santulli, in this third year at the reigns of the Mustang program, is excited about the season and the challenges that lie ahead. “Definitely, the strength of our team is in our depth,” said Santulli. “These kids are not afraid of anything and they love to play. They have great confidence in themselves and I got great confidence in their abilities.” Under Santulli the Mustangs have been known for their tough-nosed half court man-to-man defense and their patience on offense. This year’s squad may just be the polar opposite, hoping to play an up-tempo game. 76

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Just about every member of the varsity team will see significant action on a nightly basis, wearing opponents down from baseline to baseline and from the first tip to the final buzzer. A deep squad is lead by a versatile group of seniors who have patiently waited their turn for significant playing time on the varsity level. Guard Chris Chin will be the point man in the Mustangs pressure defense, utilizing outstanding athletic ability to cause havoc for opposing point guards. Majdi Zaineh returns from a year away from the hardwood to provide tenacity on the defensive end and the ability to knock down open jump shots. A trio of senior forwards will do the bulk of the work up front for the Mustangs. John Salierno may be be the best standstill shooter on the team and is also an excellent post defender. Peter Pelle, as the coaches say, can ‘flat out stick stick the j’ and will be counted on the lead the way on the offensive end.

CHS Boys

Basketball Dec 16 Bergen Catholic

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Dec 21 St. Joe’s

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Dec 22 at Manchester

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Dec 27 Wayne Hills Xmas Tourn.

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Hackensack

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Paramus Catholic

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Barringer

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Angel Montes de Oca is the strongest player on the team, and will be asked to clean the boards on both ends of the floor. A handful of underclassmen will be thrown right into the fire. The junior class is led by a talented duo of guards in Michael Cetinich and Marquis Champaigne. Cetinich is an extremely versatile player who can play both guard and forward spots. Champaigne is an explosive scorer who can hit the three as well as take it to the basket. Victor Torres, the tallest player on the team at 6-3, improved tremendously over the summer. Torres can score from the paint as well as the perimeter and is an outstanding shot blocker. Jeffrey Simmons will come off the bench to provide a spark at the point guard position. The sophomore class is both tal-

ented and deep. Justin Garcia is a fearless point guard who can defend anyone and has a special knack for getting into the paint and scoring. Lamar Rodriguez has the ability to be the prototypical small forward—he is extremely athletic, can score, defend and rebound. Emmil Lozano may just be the best athlete on the team. He is a 61 guard who can play the point and dish to his teammates or take it all the way to the the glass and finish plays in the paint. “Every member of the team has special skills that we can utilize to help us win ball games,” said Santulli. “My goal is to have ten to twelve names in the box score each night, and let the winning take care of itself.” And when opponents take the floor against the Clifton Mustangs, they may just find themselves facing a pack of wolves.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

• Class of 2005 earned over $15,000,000 in scholarships/grants • Small class size (average under 25; no class more than 30) • 115 courses including 13 AP level and new courses in Marine Biology, AP Italian, and AP Human Geography • New television studio wired for digital production

• New air bubble over tennis courts for winter activities • Wireless laptop access in classrooms, many with new electronic boards • A scenic campus of woods, waters and fields • The variety of opportunities of a large school, with a commitment to personal attention and individual needs

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CHS GIRLS

Basketball Dec 8 Dec 10 Dec 13 Dec 22 Dec 28 Dec 30 Jan 03 Jan 05 Jan 06 Jan 10 Jan 12 Jan 14 Jan 17 Jan 19 Jan 21 Jan 26 Jan 28 Jan 31 Feb 02 Feb 07 Feb 09 Feb 14 Feb 16 Feb 21

at Wayne Vly (scr) 4:00 pm Caldwell (scr) 10.00 am Manchester (scr) 4:00 pm at Fairlawn 7:00 pm Garfield Xmas Tourn. TBA Garfield Xmas Tourn. TBA at Holy Angels 7:00 pm Montclair 7:00 pm at Passaic Valley 7:00 pm at Teaneck 7:00 pm at Hackensack 7:00 pm at Wayne Hills 1:00 pm Eastside Paterson 7:00 pm Ridgewood 7:00 pm St. Dominic 12:00 pm at Paramus Catholic 7:00 pm Ramsey 3:00 pm IHA 7:00 pm at Barringer 7:00 pm at Paramus 7:00 pm Passaic 7:00 pm Kennedy 7:00 pm Nutley 7:00 pm at Bloomfield 7:00 pm

ractice is just getting underway but the Lady Mustang basketball team has a lot of experience hitting the hardwood. Seniors Chardae Moreno and Jessica Oliva, both returning All-NNJIL players, will lead a squad that has had its share of tough battles over the last few years. Varsity coach Tim Nellegar said he and the co-captains will be looking to seniors Allison Austin, Darlene Figueroa and Luticia Johnson to provide some defense. Juniors Erica Cardillo and Danielle Woolverton, along with sophomore and fellow All-NNJIL player Kristen Venning will use what they learned last season to help the Lady Mustangs build upon their record in the always competitive NNJIL. “Last year we were in a lot of games and were not able to win as many of them as we hoped,” said Nellegar, now in his second year at the helm. “With the experience of our returning players as well as some new athletes, I believe we will be able to pull out some of those games and have a much better season.” Nellegar said the returning players from last season’s varsity team are extremely hungry and have been preparing since the summer for this season. “I like their work ethic and the desire these young ladies show both in the classroom and on the court,” said Nellegar. “This program is headed in the right direction and I believe we can really make some noise this season.” Over the next few weeks it will be plenty of drills before the thrills when the Lady Mustangs open their season on Dec. 22 at Fairlawn. They will also participate in the Garfield Holiday Tournament on the holiday break on Dec. 27-30 before opening their NNJIL schedule. December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

he Mustangs Indoor Track team enters the season as the reigning Passaic County Champions. Their dominating performance last season and in years past has earned them recognition as a perennial powerhouse in track and field, and rightfully so. Under the guidance of coach John Pontes, the Mustangs have flourished in every season of track and field. Now, the bar has been raised. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Stangs are once again the preseason pick to win the Passaic

County title, but Pontes knows his team is capable of more. Of course, any team led by such an outstanding coach would be a contender, however, the modest Pontes is quick to push off much of the credit to his assistants. Coach Andy Piotrowski is an excellent tutor in hurdles and particularly the pole vault, his area of expertise from his high school years, noted Pontes. Piotrowski is a CHS grad who excelled under Pontes and returned to help his mentor.

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CHS Coach Vic Wu works with jumpers and Coach Kolano will assist the shot putters. Their coaching will make sure this vastly talented team makes the most of their ability as they begin their title defense. The girls squad will return a number of varsity athletes from the 2005 team. Setting the pace will be a core of seniors, led by distance runners Diane Szaflarski, Megan White and C.J. Zoccali; sprinters Rebecca Weiss, Marissa Ross and Noele Fernandez and shot putter Connie Musleh. They will be counted on to provide leadership for the 45 member girl squad. They will get support from a number of talented under class-

men. Juniors Jasmine Adams (jumping and sprints) and Jessica Torres (high jump and middle distance) will contribute a great deal this season, as will sophomores Susan Martinez, Sabrina Wegelinska and Sarah Mendoza, who each run middle distance. Fellow sophomores Michelle Telofski and Brooke Mullen will pitch in at pole vault and Sarah Weiss will round out the sprints team. The boys are a solid all around team coming in and look to be one of the top teams in the league again. Distance will be the strong point of this team, with seniors Carlo Santelli and Steven Klett; juniors Alex Anolik, Chris Bienkiewicz, Brian Dunphy and

Track Dec 23 Dec 29 Jan 02 Jan 18 Jan 21 Jan 28 Jan 30 Feb 01 Feb 08 Feb 12 Feb 18 Feb 28

Drew Univ. Holiday Relay 4:30 pm Drew Univ. Inv. 9:00 am West Point Inv. 12:00 pm Passaic County Champ. 5:00 pm State Group IV Meet 3:00 pm State Group Champ 3:00 pm NNJIL Champ. 7:30 pm Metropolitan Inv. 5:00 pm Varsity Classic 5:00 pm Meet of Champ. 9:00am Coca Cola National HS Inv. 9:00 am Eastern States Champ. 5:00 pm

Mike Tanayan; and sophomores Larry Crowley and Ryan Gabel rounding out a squad that dominated last winter. Seniors Ken Biason and Arash Akavi will guide the sprinters, which also features junior standout Mike Urciuoli. Eric Mullen and Darren Farinas, two seniors, will also contribute in pole vaulting and jumps. December 2005 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

he 2005-2006 Clifton Mustangs Ice Hockey squad has a tough act to follow. Last season, the Mustangs surprised the league as they compiled a 18-5-2 record after being only a year removed from a disappointing .500 season. The team’s outstanding campaign earned them a trip to the post season, where they bowed out in the Passaic County semi-finals and then the first round of the State playoffs, respectively. Now that the cat is out of the bag, teams will have their sights set on the Mustangs once again. After graduating a slew of stars last June, including scoring leader

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Ian Meltzer, the Mustangs will need new play makers to step up. Head coach Tom Danko, who enters his 19th season at the helm of the Mustangs, said he isn’t worried about finding players to replace graduated seniors. The current group of seniors, which makes up the core of the team, have almost all played on varsity together for a year now. In fact, this team may even be better than last year’s. “We have a very experienced team this year,” noted Danko. “These guys have been playing together for a while.” Hard work and chemistry between players are the driving forces behind the Mustangs. Directing the scoring charge will be senior center Anthony Yelovich, the 2004 North Jersey Player of the Year. He will be counted on to be a team leader and top contributor. Yelovich will be joined by seniors Craig Junda and Marcin Rosekowski, a formidable trio that will harass opposing defenses all season long. The line played together last year and will only improve with time. Other returnees include senior forward Sean Yip, who will see plenty of ice time, as will fellow seniors Mike Garbrandt, Derek Kaulfers and Oscar Jaramillo. Prowling the blue line will be seniors Adam Murry and Chris Pawlik. The veteran duo will anchor the

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accepted the challenge of the elite Canadian team. Looking forward at his season, Danko was confident in his team’s ability. “We will be very competitive in the North Red division” said Danko. “We expect to have another good season.” 1337

CHS

Mustang defense and help standouts Zack Solomon, a junior, and sophomore John DeGraaf develop. Their growth this season will be crucial in determining how far the ‘Stangs go. Between the pipes, the senior tandem of Chris Donini and Alex Fink will turn away shots. Danko said he has not yet decided on a starter, however, with both goalies available, he will always be assured of a fresh netminder. A highlight of this year is sure to be on Feb. 1, when the Mustangs face off against Centennial Regional of Quebec. The game will be played on home ice, in Floyd Hall Arena. The match was set up by a Fairlawn coach, whose team will play Centennial in Canada. He recommended the Mustangs to the Canadian squad, which were looking for another quality American high school team to play. Danko said the Mustang players gladly

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ometown advantage is what coach Andrea Bobby is anticipating this season for the Mustangs in the pool. With 10 home meets at the Boys & Girls Club, the Mustangs will be in front of their cheering fans for a large part of the season. “Swimming at home is definitely a good thing,” confirmed Bobby. That’s an added bonus for the Mustangs, who were extremely competitive in the water for the duration of the 2004-2005 campaign. “The boys had a strong season last year and look even better this year,” she added. “The girls have been rebuilding but the incoming freshman look strong.”

Bobby credits the coaches and supporters of the Clifton Seahawks swim team, based at the Boys & Girls Club on Colfax Ave., for building such a promising future. Many of the current swimmers were on the Seahawks elementary and middle school teams for a number of years. Seniors Allison Rooney and Maggie Krol head a young group of 35 girls that offer a lot of speed and stamina. The two seniors provide an experience on the team and will steer the team in the right direction. “They are good to emulate and practice what they preach,” said Bobby. With seven girls clocking in at under 30 seconds in the 50 yard freestyle, the Mustangs are a dark horse.

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Swimming Dec 01 Dec 06 Dec 09 Dec 13 Dec 15 Dec 20 Dec 21 Dec 30 Jan 03 Jan 05 Jan 13 Jan 14 Jan 16 Jan 19 Jan 26 Jan 27 Feb 01 Feb 02

Paramus 3:30 pm BC/IHA 3:30 pm at Montville 3:30 pm Hackensack 3:30 pm Tenafly 3:30 pm Paramus Catholic 3:30 pm Ridgewood 3:30 pm Relay Carnival 3:30 pm Wayne Valley 3:30 pm Don Bosco/IHA 3:30 pm Teaneck 3:30 pm (Girls) Bayonne-Sectionals 3:30 pm Garfield 3:30 pm at Teaneck 3:30 pm NNJIL Champ. 3:30 pm Bayonne Champ. 3:00 pm NNJIL Champ 3:00 pm at Rutherford 3:30 pm

Depending how well the underclassmen come together and the ability of the relay teams, the ‘Stangs could surprise a few teams. Freshmen Brena Slazyk and Victoria Petrovic are two prospects that have already caught coach Bobby’s eye. Another key returnee is sophomore Kirsten Ciervo, who had a very good freshman campaign and will be counted on to take it up another level. Another key swimmer to watch is freshman Erica Pangilinan, the sister of 2004 CHS grad and Olympic swimmer Jackie Pangilinan. She represented the Philippines at the 2004 Athens Olympics and holds that nation's record in the 100- and 200-yard breaststrokes. Coach Bobby reported that sister Erica has trained in the water for years and the freshman is already at an elite level, smashing her older sister’s records. The boys squad is primed for another stellar season. They will have 25 available swimmers, captained by senior Brian Barbera, an experienced swimmer who leads by example in the pool. He will have plenty of depth behind him as the

Mustangs push for the division crown. Senior Mike Barbosa will be counted on as one of the top contributors, as will juniors Calman Goodell and Craig Casperino. The duo of Goodell and Casperino were half of a record setting relay team last year. The two had an outstanding 2004-05 campaign and will be counted on heavily by coach Bobby this season. In total, the Mustang boys will put six swimmers in the pool who clock

in at under 25 seconds in the 50 free—the benchmark for a skilled swimmer. That number will most likely go up as more Clifton swimmers gain experience, as a number of top performers are still only under classmen and have a number of years ahead of them. “Both the boys and girls will be very strong,” predicted Bobby. “Our strength is in our junior class. We have a lot of diversity and depth. It’s going to be a really good year.”

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Stampede through Clifton Clifton resident Matt Soja, pictured center left, was the top runner in a field of 107 at the 8th annual Stampede through Clifton on Nov. 20, finishing the 3.1 mile race with a time of 16:47.2. New this year was the 5k Walk, which stepped off immediately after the runners hit the streets. All participants received a free tshirt. The event was sponsored by the Clifton Recreation Department and proceeds will benefit the CHS Track Booster Club. Pictured left are the top three finisher; at bottom left are some of the walkers; bottom right are the families who ran together and at the bottom of the page are athletes getting prepared for the start of the race. The event began and ended at the Clifton Municipal Complex near Dog Pound Road.

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mustangs 7 Optimist indians 6

Cup

On Thanksgiving Day 1999, Bill Clinton still had over a year left in his presidency, the Y2K bug had the world in suspense and Sept. 11 was still just another date. That was also the last time the Passaic Indians were able to defeat the Clifton Mustangs in their annual Thanksgiving rivalry. Passaic jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter when quarterback Adam Rojas hit receiver DeShawn Singleton on a 70-yard scoring strike. After forcing a missed extra point, Clifton’s offense kicked into overdrive with the rushing tandem of Derrick Stroble (21 carries, 104 yards) and Louis 88

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton High School Stadium Thanksgiving Day 2005

Feliciano (16 carries, 65 yards, 1 TD). Feliciano hit paydirt on a 7-yard score with a minute left in the first half and Bruno Souza converted the point after. The game became a defensive slugfest for the entire second half, with neither team relenting a point. Clifton junior cornerback Robert McClear sealed the win with a pick late in the fourth and the Mustangs raised the Optimist Cup in victory for the sixth time in a row. Stroble, a junior halfback, and McClear were Clifton’s offensive and defensive MVPs, respectively, as Clifton improved their rivalry record to 37-35-5. by Tom Szieber

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The Annual Passaic Clifton Optimist Club Hot Dog Night, which was held on Nov. 16, was once again a great success. The event brings together the Clifton and Passaic football teams for an evening of food and fun, and to remind everyone that aside from being rivals, we are also neighbors. Beyond the hot dogs, which were catered by The World Famous MidTown Grill, players from the two teams said a few words about what high

school sports and their teams have meant to them. Perhaps Passaic captain DeShawn Singleton summed it up best: “It’s not just about winning,” he said. “It is about life and the three or four months we spent together learning and growing.” Pictured left is Passaic coach Tom Elsasser with Clifton coach Ron Anello and players.

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Passaic vs. Clifton 1923 - 2005 PASSAIC 1923 . . .Clifton 12......Passaic 7 1924 . . .Passaic 23......Clifton 0 1925 . . .Passaic 21......Clifton 6 1926 . . .Passaic 21......Clifton 6 1927 . . .Passaic 13......Clifton 0 1928 . . .Passaic 24......Clifton 0 1929 . . .Passaic 24......Clifton 0 1930 . . .Passaic 26......Clifton 0 1931 . . .Passaic 7........Clifton 0 1932 . . .Passaic 26......Clifton 7 1933 . . .Clifton 7........Passaic 6 1934 . . .Passaic 26......Clifton 0 1935 . . .Passaic 6........Clifton 0 1936 . . .Passaic 34....Clifton 14 1937 . . .Passaic 6........Clifton 0 1938 . . .Passaic 19......Clifton 6 1939 . . .Passaic 31......Clifton 6 1940 . . .Passaic 13......Clifton 6 1941 . . .Passaic 0........Clifton 0 1942 . . .Passaic 19......Clifton 0 1943 . . .Clifton 12......Passaic 6 1944 . . .Clifton 26......Passaic 6 1945 . . .Clifton 6........Passaic 0 1946 . . .Clifton 26....Passaic 14 1947 . . .Clifton 32......Passaic 0 1948 . . .Clifton 7........Passaic 7 1949 . . .Clifton 12......Passaic 0 1950 . . .Passaic 20......Clifton 7 1951 . . .Clifton 26......Passaic 6

35 Wins 37 Loses 5 Ties

CLIFTON 37 Wins 35 Loses 5 Ties 1952 . . .Clifton 33....Passaic 12 1953 . . .Clifton 21....Passaic 20 1954 . . .Passaic 7........Clifton 6 1955 . . .Passaic 7........Clifton 0 1956 . . .Clifton 48......Passaic 0 1958 . . .Clifton 40......Passaic 7 1959 . . .Clifton 41....Passaic 21 1960 . . .Clifton 28......Passaic 6 1961 . . .Clifton 35......Passaic 7 1962 . . .Clifton 31......Passaic 6 1963 . . .Clifton 50......Passaic 0 1964 . . .Passaic 27......Clifton 0 1965 . . .Clifton 15....Passaic 13 1966 . . .Clifton 7........Passaic 0 1967 . . .Passaic 7........Clifton 7 1968 . . .Clifton 27....Passaic 10 1969 . . .Clifton 40......Passaic 0 1970 . . .Clifton 49......Passaic 0 1971 . . .Clifton 20....Passaic 12

1972 . . .Clifton 35......Passaic 6 1973 . . .Clifton 75....Passaic 12 1974 . . .Clifton 47......Passaic 6 1976 . . .Clifton 28......Passaic 6 1981 . . .Passaic 20......Clifton 3 1982 . . .Passaic 33......Clifton 0 1983 . . .Passaic 20......Clifton 7 1984 . .Clifton 16......Passaic 0 1985 . .Passaic 28......Clifton 7 1986 . .Passaic 21......Clifton 8 1987 . . .Clifton 24....Passaic 13 1988 . . .Clifton 22....Passaic 22 1989 . . .Passaic 22......Clifton 0 1990 . . .Passaic 14......Clifton 7 1991 . . .Passaic 33....Clifton 16 1992 . . .Passaic 13....Clifton 10 1993 . . .Passaic 0........Clifton 0 1994 . . .Passaic 12......Clifton 7 1995 . . .Passaic 21......Clifton 7 1996 . . .Clifton 23......Passaic 6 1997 . . .Passaic 22....Clifton 20 1998 . . .Passaic 25......Clifton 0 1999 . . .Passaic 20......Clifton 7 2000 . . .Clifton 21....Passaic 14 2001 . . .Clifton 20....Passaic 19 2002 . . .Clifton 19....Passaic 14 2003 . . .Clifton 17......Passaic 0 2004 . . .Clifton 48......Passaic 0 2005 . . .Clifton 7........Passaic 6

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Clifton Firefighters Anthony Latona, who served in Iraq this past year with the Air Force Reserves, and NJ Army National Guard Cpl. Chris Struening, who served in Iraq in 2004, were co-Grand Marshalls of Clifton’s 2005 Veterans Parade on Nov. 6. Latona’s speech at the War Memorial in Main Memorial Park, which focused on the role of our troops and their positive efforts in the Middle East, was acclaimed by those who could hear it. But once again, the sound system provided by the city crackled and went dead. Even when the microphone did work, those not directly in front of the podium strained to hear what Latona had to say. The following pages offer photos of those who participated, as well as spectators who lined Main Ave. to watch the parade, led by the Marching Mustangs. comments and photos by Tom Hawrylko

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St. Brendan School and Church, at the corner of Lakeview and East Fifth St., hosts a Christmas tree sale. Fresh cut trees, beautifully decorated wreaths and grave covers will all be sold to benefit the school. Volunteer parents and parishioners, such as this crew pictured above, are working the stand in the church parking lot. Hours are weekdays from 6 to 9 pm and weekends, from 9 am to 9 pm. Buyers receive a free raffle ticket with every purchase.

St. Peter’s Haven, 380 Clifton Ave., seeks participants for their annual Adopt-A-Family Gift Program. St. Peter’s will send a list of members who have resided in their shelter or living in it now. The list will include specifics, such as their ages, clothing sizes, any special needs and gifts on their wish lists. Gifts are due to the Haven immediately. They will be distributed at a party on Dec. 11. Call the Haven at 973-546-3406. Behind Bars, For Good: Business and community leaders from Clifton will be missing for a few hours on Dec. 20. Between the hours of 11 am and 4 pm, these ‘jailbirds’ will be arrested and brought before the judge at the Red Robin on Route 3. The jailbirds will have their mug

shot taken and have the chance to raise bail of $2,400—enough to send four children with neuromuscular disease to spend a week at summer camp. Jailbirds will raise funds by phoning family, friends and business associates. For more on this event, call Sarah Reiss at 201-843-4452. Peter’s Recipes: Assemblyman Peter Eagler has a way with baking and his treats of nut, poppy seed and apricot rolls, as well as butter cookies, babkas and rice cakes, will be featured in a Christmas Bake Sale sponsored by his parish, the Holy Apostles Church in Saddle Brook, on Dec. 18 from noon to 2 pm. Orders must be received in advance. Call evenings at 973-949-4631 or on the weekend at 201-845-7259.

Dutch Hill Residents Association Holiday Party is at Mario’s on Dec. 15 at 6:30 pm. Meetings are the third Thursday of the month (except in January, July and August) at 7:30 pm at Trinity United Methodist Church, corner 2nd St. and DeMott Ave. Annual dues are $5 per family. The Lady Mustangs Softball Booster Club’s 8th annual Beefsteak Dinner is Feb. 3 at the Boys & Girls Club Bingo Hall (snow date Feb. 24). Catered by Baskingers, the menu includes pasta, salad, beefsteak, fries, dessert and drinks. Tickets are $35 and a DJ will spin discs for dancing. Call John Pizzimenti at 973-340-6466 or 973-574-8088 or Carol Leonard at 973-779-7274. December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

107

Photos above from the end of Ramadan celebration on Nov. 3 at Clifton Stadium.

Diverse...indeed! The centerfold of this month’s magazine, which is sponsored by Clifton’s Coldwell Banker, illustrates and explains more about the many cultural and ethnic celebrations that Clifton families observe. As Christians prepare to mark the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day on Dec. 25 or Jan. 7, Jewish families will mark their victory for religious freedom with the eight day celebration of Hanukkah, which begins at sundown on Dec. 25. Shown on this page are photos of celebrations which marked the end of Diwali, the Festival of Lights celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs; the second is of a community event to On Oct. 28, the cafeteria of St. Mary’s Hospital was transformed into a scene of Indian culture and food to commemorate the Indian Festival of Diwali. From left, mark the completion of Ramadan, a holy period observed by Muslims. Dr. Ramesh Tandon, Dr. Azhagasundaram Ganesan and Dr. Kamal Dutta.

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New York, New York is the theme of the St. Brendan School 12th annual Tricky Tray Auction on Jan. 29, 2 pm, at the Wayne Manor. Tickets are $30 and includes dinner, one sheet of tickets and door prizes. For info, tickets or to become a donor, call 973-772-1149. Dylan Amico, 9, a fourth grade student at School 13, received a plaque for placing third in the Punt Pass and Kick national competition finals on the field at Giants Stadium at halftime on Nov. 13. Last month, we reported that this spunky Cliftonite bested over 300 regional competitors across the tri-state area, on Oct. 15, when she was selected one of the top five girls to compete in the finals. Her dad reported that Dylan had never previously played football. The Mental Health Association of Passaic County’s Intensive Family Support Services Program hosts its bi-monthly Family Circle Support Group on Dec. 14 from 7 to 9 pm,

Infant Andrew Pisarczyk was just diagnosed a month ago with Mitochondrial Myopathy, a disease that results from failures in the specialized compartments present in every cell of the body except red blood cells. Mitochondria are responsible for more than 90 percent energy needed to sustain life. Without them, the body’s systems begin to shut down. To help him in his struggle for his life, his Aunt Josephine Rakowski, who is affiliated with Clifton’s Coldwell Banker, has organized a fundraiser dinner at the Boys & Girls Club on Dec. 11 from 4 to 8 pm. Tickets are $60; $10 for kids. Call Maura Pisarczyk at 973-933-4087 or Josephine Rakowski at 973-778-4500. 404 Clifton Ave., in the second floor conference room. These groups provide an opportunity to meet others caring for a relative with a mental illness. Under the guidance of a pro-

A fundraiser for Andrew Pisarczyk is on Dec. 11 at the Boys & Girls Club.

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Fax 973-340-3343 1281 Main Ave. • Downtown Clifton

Visit Our Website for Daily & Weekly Specials www.belamorerestaurantpizzeria.com December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Birthdays & Celebrations! Ann W. Kissel . . . . . . .12/1 Mannan Amin . . . . . .12/2 Lauren Lawler . . . . . .12/2 Bryan Nolasco . . . . . .12/2 Allison Ahdieh . . . . . .12/3 Patrick Lotorto . . . . . .12/3 Bridget Rice . . . . . . . .12/3 Sharon Tichacek . . . .12/3 Phil Angello . . . . . . . .12/4 Phyllis Galambos . . . .12/4 Timothy Gumann . . .12/4 Mike Kester . . . . . . . .12/4 Michael Vinciguerra . .2/4 Rosemary Kuruc . . . .12/5 Laura Mikolajczyk . . .12/5 Michael Ressetar . . .12/5 Mark Mecca . . . . . . .12/7 Robert Raichel . . . . .12/8 Chris Sadowski . . . . . .12/8 Jamie Osmak . . . . . .12/9 Daniel Fonesca Ramos . . . . . . . . . . . .12/9

Zora Molnar is celebrating her 80th birthday (which is Dec. 14) in San Francisco with her son, Erwin P. Molnar and his family and will continue celebrating in Hawaii with daughters, Vera Molnar and Tania Savadjian

Tom and Lindsay Moore, were married on Nov. 4 at St. Paul Church

Mark Surgent . . . . . . .12/9 Andrew Tichacek . . .12/9 Bob Snelson . . . . . . .12/10 Joey Cofone . . . . . .12/11 Kathleen M. Marshall . . . . . . . . . .12/11 Diane Meyer . . . . . .12/11 Joseph Rutigliano . .12/11 Andy Kent . . . . . . . .12/13 Danny La Gala . . . .12/13 Mary Kate Kuruc . . .12/14 Michael Murolo . . . .12/14 Steven Crawford . . .12/15 Marie Visicaro . . . . .12/15 Ryan Jansson . . . . .12/16 Hannah Grace Kulesa . . . . . . . . . . . .12/17 Jacqueline Gencarrelli . . . . . . . .12/18

110 December 2005 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Samantha Bassford . .12/19 Nick Link . . . . . . . . . .12/19 Jessie Ducos . . . . . .12/20 Jason Hernandez . .12/20 Patches Rice (woof-woof!) . . . . . .12/20 Jason Hernandez . .12/21 Amy Marino . . . . . . .12/21 Suman Pinto . . . . . .12/22 Joey Cristantiello . .12/24 Soumya Gunapathy12/24 Ryan John Hariton .12/25 Eric Soltis . . . . . . . . . .12/25 Melissa Cordes . . . .12/27 James Mazza . . . . .12/29 Steven Bivaletz . . . .12/30 Hunter Conklin . . . .12/30 Tom Melfi . . . . . . . . .12/30 Courtney Pinter . . . .12/31 Happy Birthday to Edgar Pino who turned 18!

Vinny and Mary Colavitti celebrated their 40th wedding anniversray in Hawaii on Nov. 6.

Saturday, December 17

“Christmas Party” HOSTED BY • • • • • •

DIANE PRIOR

Free Admission & $3 drinks 9pm - 11pm Get Your Picture Taken with Santa T-Shirt & CD Giveaways $5 Kettle One Vodka Drinks $50 Moet White Star DJ George Calle spins Classic’s, Freestyle, 80s, 90s & Today’s Dance Music

OPEN SATURDAY DEC. 24 - CHRISTMAS EVE

Saturday, December 31

“New Years Eve Gala 2006” Advance Tickets $20 On Sale Now! Complimentary HorsDourves 9pm-11pm, Hats & Noisemakers Upon Arrival, Champagne Toast @ Midnight, Continental Breakfast @ 2am

Cash Bar • Champagne Bottle Specials $50 Moet White Star

DJ mixes Dance Music Past & Present Doors Open 9pm-6am • 21& Older Fashionable Attire THURSDAYS ARE GIRLS NIGHT OUT • DJ KIRK LOPEZ & LUGGHEAD FRIDAYS DJ KIRK LOPEZ SUNDAY NIGHT IS . . . JOEY’S KTU DJ JOHNNY BUZZ DEC 18 JERSEY JOEL’S BARTENDERS BALL Sponsored by Powerhouse Gym of Bloomfield

OPEN SUNDAY DEC. 25 - CHRISTMAS NIGHT www.joeysnj.com • 955 Allwood Rd • Clifton • 973.773.2110 December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Lights, Camera, Action! by Joseph R. Torelli

er name may not be as familiar as those of Academy Award winners Steven Spielberg and Quentin Tarantino, but fledgling Clifton filmmaker Elizabeth Czyzewski (pictured below) may someday be as famous as those two highly successful Hollywood producers thanks to a program introduced last year by the Passaic County Film Commission. Czyzewski, a Boston University student who graduated from CHS in 2002, was the third place winner in this year’s inaugural Passaic County Student Film and Video Festival sponsored by the commission.

Her short film, entitled Tick, was chosen from among over 30 entries in the college category of the competition. While a third place trophy and $150 prize may not seem like much to some, having a film recognized by a jury of professionals can be invaluable to a young producer. “It’s definitely a plus on my resume when interviewing for internships,” said Czyzewski, as she enjoyed the recent Thanksgiving break with her family at their home in the city’s Richfield section. “It also helps to draw the more talented young film makers to our production team,” she said. “I appreciate the county sponsoring the competition.” The film festival is the brainchild of another CHS grad, Scott Alboum (Class of ’95), pictured above. 112 December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

After CHS, Alboum earned a Masters Degree in film production at the University of Miami and taught film making at a Georgia college for several years before returning home to Clifton. He got the idea for the festival from his days in Georgia. “Competition is very important to students,” he said, “and there wasn’t much available around here.” So Alboum, the winner of three national awards for documentary production while a student at Miami, took his idea for the festival to Deborah Hoffman, Director of Economic Development for Passaic County which oversees the commission. Hoffman was enthusiastic from the start and set out immediately to bring the idea to life. Plus, since 2000, over 175 productions of major

Oliver! at the Y Emma Maueser and Marlon Sherman share the lead in Oliver!, a timeless stage classic, adapted from the Charles Dickens book Oliver Twist by Lionel Bart. The story is about a boy who has nothing to lose and everything to gain as he tries to outwit urban English society. The musical is warm and fun family theatre. The show opens on Dec. 3 at 8 pm at the Jewish Community Center, within the YM/YWHA, 199 Scoles Ave. Other performances are on Dec. 4, 8, 10 and 11. Clifton cast members include Amanda Feliciano, Jessica Goldberg, Steve Goldberg, Christie Lotz and Amanda Wertz. Tickets are $15, ($12 students, seniors), available at the door. Advance tickets, call 973-779-2980x103. Info: YPACtheatre@yahoo.com motion pictures, independent films, television shows, and commercials have been filmed in the county. Freeholder Director Elease Evans estimates that filmmakers working on location here have spent tens of millions of dollars locally during that period. “With that kind of money,” said Alboum, “a film festival makes even more sense.” Alboum and Czyzewski are encouraging student filmmakers to participate in this year’s festival. They especially urge those enrolled in the CHS CAST program, an innovative elective course for students interested in TV and film production from which they both graduated, to enter the competition. The screening date for the second annual Student Film and Video Festival, held at the Passaic County Public Safety Complex in Wayne, is April 15, 2006. The competition is open to all students who attend Passaic County educational institutions or who live in the county and attend school elsewhere. The deadline for entries, which are judged separately in high school and college categories, is Jan. 30, 2006. Applications are available by calling 973-881-4427, or send via email: ecodev@passaiccountynj.org.

Music Brings Joy To All Seasons! Gift Certificates For Music Lessons, Books & Accessories

Photo by Barbara Mol

Best Wishes from The Menconi Music Studio Faculty Seated (L to R): Scott D. Banks, Annamaria T. Menconi – Director, Laura Sivilic Middle Row: Karen Kelland, Elizabeth Reiss, Kenneth Bosland Back Row: E. Michael Markwis, Molly Frieri, Mark P. Schipper, Justin Petersen, Joseph Milo, James Rutter Not pictured: Farrell Guarnaccio, Ellen Hill, Doreen Holmes, Jeffrey Markey, Jeannine Murray, Julie Passaro, Jonathan Ware, and Jonathan Yarembinsky

309 Lakeview Avenue, Clifton

Tel: (973) 253-7500

menconimusic.com December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Hard to be Merry Church Service: The Allwood Community Church, a Clifton landmark at the corner of Merrill and Chelsea Rds., is one of the few churches to offer a Blue Christmas service, this year on Dec. 18, at 3:30 pm. Commonly known as the Longest Night, given the proximity of the date to the longest night of the Winter Solstice, the Blue Christmas service is meant to acknowledge the pain and sadness some people experience around the holidays. Refreshments and a social gathering will follow the worship, so that people will know that they are not the only ones who aren’t finding the holidays so merry. For more information, call 973-473-5369. UNICO’s 30th Annual Christmas Party for the women from Cottage 9, North Jersey Developmental Center, is Dec. 7 at 6 pm at the Brownstone. The tradition of good will to those in need began in 1977, when Unican Michael Corradino hosted a party that has, year after

Co-chairs of the 30th Annual Unico District IV Christmas Party are, from left, Nina and Frank Corradino, with their son, Frank Jr. and Anna Belle and Michael N. Corradino. For tickets, or to donate, call 973-812-0065.

year, touched the hearts of many. Goodwill from Unicans across the region prevails to keep the tradition of giving alive. Robert Giaconia visits as Santa, and music is provid-

ed by John Morano & the Sisco Lane Trio. Proceeds from past year’s event helped to built a gazebo at Cottage 9. Call Mike Corradino at 973-812-0065 for tickets/info.

Dr. David R. Moore, Chiropractor

Mon • Wed • Fri Chiropractic Health Center 241 Crooks Ave • Clifton • 973.253.7005

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114 December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Max, Elisa and Dr, Moore Would Like to Wish You and Your Family A Happy and Healthy Holiday Sason!

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Tue • Thu • Sat Elmwood Park Athletic Club 690 River Dr • Elmwood Park • 201.794.0155

Give the Gift of Music Menconi Music Studio, located on Lakeview Ave., is just the place to send that budding young musician in the family who wants lessons. Owned and operated by Anna Marie Menconi, a Clifton resident and CHS alumni, Menconi Music Studio offers only the highest quality instructors. They offer lessons on all orchestral and band instruments, as well as guitar, mandolin, piano, drums, voice, accordion and on most anything that create sound. Menconi’s passion for music is unmatched and she is always looking to give back to her hometown. Stop by today to inquire about lessons. Memconi Music Studio’s woodwinds instructor Laura Sivilic and her flute student Stacy Corbo, a junior at CHS and a member of the Mustang Marching Band. Sivilic is an alumnus of both CHS and the Marching Band.

Subscribe To Clifton Merchant Have Clifton Merchant Magazine Mailed To Your Home. $15/YEAR WITHIN CLIFTON • $25 FOR 2 YEARS OUT OF TOWN - $25 PER YEAR • $40 FOR 2 YEARS Name: __________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________________________________ City: ____________________________________________State: _________________________________________ Zip:____________________________________________Phone: _________________________________________

PLEASE MAKE CHECKS TO TOMAHAWK PROMOTIONS, 1288 MAIN AVE., CLIFTON, NJ 07011 44

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Clifton Arts Center by Suzanne Duke Bujara

Earth Into Art, an exhibit and sale of artwork by The Potters Guild of New Jersey, is a show and sale of functional and sculptural ceramics at the Clifton Arts Center, on view through Dec. 17. On exhibit will be vases, wall pieces, pitchers, teapots, platters, casseroles, raku and pitfired vessels in varying colors and styles, ceramic jewelry, sculptures and decorative objects of art. For Arts Center hours and info, call 973-472-5499. At left, Roxanne Cammilleri, Director of the Clifton Arts Center, with Terrill Hiel, organizer of the Earth into Art exhibit.

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Season s Greetings! 1348 Clifton Ave., Clifton 773-3062 Hours: Mon-Sat 6am-9pm, Sun 7am-2pm 1156

FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT SERVING BREAKFAST, LUNCH & DINNER • Stop by to place your Holiday Catering orders • Office X-Mas Parties • House Parties • Serving groups from 25-500 • Providing the Finest Quality Food with Great Service & Price 46

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Ophelia, Angelica, Maria & Raquel

Ray Mendoza, USPS A note of thanks to Ray, Norm and all who toil year-round to deliver the stuff that keeps our homes and businesses going.

Norm Erickson, UPS

We’re Here For You During The Holidays

1355 Broad St • Clifton 973-778-5566

• Open Everyday 8 am-10 pm • Weekday Appointments Including Sat, Sun & Holidays • Walk in Medical Care December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

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Happy Holidays from All of Us at Immedicenter. We hope we won’t have to see you, but just in case, we’re open Christmas Day 9am-4pm and New Year’s Day 8am-10pm

Clifton Merchant Magazine 1288 Main Ave. Clifton 07011 Tom.Hawrylko@Verizon.Net

Letters to the Editor Besides my father, Coach Bill Vander Closter was the second most influential individual as to how I was able get an education and continue my football career. That’s why I wanted to write and congratulate Jack De Vries on the great article he wrote about coach in the September edition. It was a great privilege to play football for CHS in 1965 and 1966. Many of us on the team had the talent and ability to play in college, but didn’t have the grades. Coach got me into Wesley Jr. College in Dover, Del. I played defensive back for two years and graduated in 1969 with a 3.0 GPA. In 1968, I was selected to the Jr. College All-American team and I was second in the What’s at the tip of your pen? From waxing nostalgic about the old days to addressing topics facing our community today, to commenting on the stories you see within our pages, share your opinions with us. Be sure to include your phone number when writing. Fall Special

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Broadway Dave: Usually I write about Clifton people but I have a personal experience which I’d like to share as to why it’s great to Shop Clifton First! Though I don’t live in Clifton anymore, whenever I need assistance—like the help of an electrician or plumber—I always think of Clifton people I used to do business with before my family moved to Roxbury five years ago. Electricians like the late Hank Sinatra, plumbers like Don Scarpa, and oil companies, like the one owned by Jack Majka, were fantastic. I never felt like I was calling a business, it was more like calling a friend.

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nation with 11 interceptions. Then I went on to the University of Richmond on a full scholarship. In 1990, I was inducted into the Wesley College Hall of Fame. I credit all of these accomplishments to Coach Vandy. He cared about his players. Vandy was a great coach and is a great man. I wish him all the best.

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

We’re Much More Than Bagels... Charcoal Grill Burgers, Chicken, Fries & More

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So when a weed wacker kicked up a rock and put a hole through a second-story picture window in my home, I immediately thought of Don’s brother, Dave Scarpa, owner of Clifton’s Mr. Glass. I met Dave in the 1980s while I was working parttime at Casey’s (now Joey’s). Dave was an alwayssmiling customer who drove a Chevy El Camino, and wore three-piece suits and white shoes. We called him ‘Broadway Dave’ after ‘Broadway Joe’ Namath, who was just as flashy and also wore white shoes. I didn’t know if Dave would drive the 40 minutes to my home, but he agreed and rode his Harley out to Roxbury one Saturday. With me clinging to the window ledge, Dave scampered around the roof, measuring and explaining the repair. All I could think of was not falling off. With his measurements in his pocket, he roared back to Clifton to make the window. Two weeks later, he was back, installing the window for a price that was more than fair. “I even cleaned the ledge off for you while I was up there,” he said. While Dave might not drive 40 minutes for everyone, it’s great to know he still cares for his Clifton customers—even when they move away. I’d encourage anyone needing glass repairs or and installation to Shop Clifton First! and give Mr. Glass a call. And be sure to ask for ‘Broadway Dave.’ Jack De Vries, Roxbury

1291 Main Ave • Downtown Clifton

973. 340. 8888 n Main Avenue, the smell of freshly roasted nuts wafts through the air from the Castle of Nuts. There are dozens of varieties of nuts, seeds, dried fruits, chocolates and freshly ground coffees for sale. The store does its own roasting right on the premises. The variety offered at the store is incredible.

There are pinoli nuts and sweet white raisins, perfect for a turkey stuffing. Walnuts and pecans for making fresh Christmas cookies. Dried pineapple, apples, prunes, cherries... almost any

type of dried fruits or fresh nuts one could want. There is also on display about 10 different gift packs at various prices ready to be picked up. But if customers want to create their own gift packs, that’s not a problem. The staff will patiently work with customers to put together a little of this and that until the right mix is created. Castle of Nuts is open ‘till 8 six days a week and will soon be open on Sundays.

December 2005 • Clifton Merchant

Inside Back Cover

Season’s Greetings

East Ridgelawn Cemetery... ...invites you to visit our Mausoleum on Main Avenue to see the inspirational art adorning our new building. Within the Mausoleum, our artist has painted a serene and peaceful view, entitled ‘Eden’, where visitors can pause to celebrate the lives of those who have passed.

At the Mausoleum... Visits are unlimited and unaffected by the weather. Crypts are located in the building and convenient for elderly and handicapped. Mausoleum entombment provides greater Peace of Mind & Security. • non-sectarian • niches

• mausoleum • garden graves

monumental graves • no obligation pre-need counseling financing available one-year at no interest on easy monthly plans

East Ridgelawn Cemetery 255 Main Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07014 for more information with no obligation call: 1540

973.777.1920

BACK COVER

Tomahawk Promotions 1288 main Avenue Clifton, nJ 07011

PRSRT STD US Postage PAID ClifTon, nJ PeRmiT no. 1185

NICK TSELEPIS Broker/Owner

TOP?1% REALTORS Direct Line: 973-340-1107 SELLING? CALL NICK AND START PACKING!

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Sellers Beware Avoid 11 Mistakes that Could Cost You Thousands of Dollars

Clifton

$359,900

NICE CAPE

Possible 4th bdrm on 2nd floor, has many upgrades including KIT, ceramic tile bath 1st flr, C/A, burglar alarm, deck, semi fin bsmnt with knotty pine. Driveway for 2 cars. Ask for Dave Kelly.

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Clifton

$479,900

IMMACULATE SHAPED RANCH

In Montclair Heights Section. Absolute move in condition. Beautifully Landscaped. Driveway fits 6 cars, possibility for 3rd bedroom. Ask for Maria Carrera.

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Equipped with LR, DR combo, modern EIK, 2 bedrooms + bath. 2 car garage, open finished attic, and full unfinished basement. Call today for more details.

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Clifton

$499,000

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Clifton

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