Clifton Merchant Magazine - October 2006 by Clifton Merchant Magazine

Clifton Merchant Magazine • Volume 11 • Issue 10 • October 6, 2006

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Neighbors By Joe Hawrylko

lifton has always been a city defined by its neighborhoods. Legendary Fighting Mustang coach Joe Grecco even said as much when beginning to build his dynasty in the 40’s, noting how strongly residents identified themselves with a particular section of town. Fast-forward to 2006, and you’ll find that many residents still share that affinity for their respective neighborhood. Instances of this sense of pride can be found across Clifton. People are proud to represent their neighborhood and some do everything they can to improve it. In Lakeview, you have the residents of East Eighth St., pictured on our cover. A small, tight-knit community, just a block in size where it seems everyone is an extended family member. There are also neighbors like Matt Kudlacik. Not one to do formal volunteering, he instead pitches in by picking up trash on his daily coffee walk to Baskinger’s. Stories like these are exactly what we aim to uncover in every neighborhood. In the past, this magazine has been called Clifton’s Storyteller. Our goal with this series is to get back to our roots, offering coverage on each neighborhood, focusing on residents, businesses, history and political issues. This project had been considered for a few months before materializing in Botany in September and is

now more refined in this edition with the Lakeview section. We want this project to evolve further and need your help to accomplish that. We will be on the streets constantly, trying to catch the vibe of each neighborhood by chatting with residents. We will also be circulating surveys, which is what

often leads us to more interesting features. If you know of an unique neighbor, an interesting story or business, or have a great historic photo to share, contact us. So if you’ve got something to say about your neighborhood, let it be heard. To get the conversation started, turn to page 70.

Jose Mella, 46, with his second grade son Josh, 7, at School 11.

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

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Neigborhood Guides W

hen we began writing this series, we overlooked the fact that neighborhood boundaries are not set in stone. Take Hot Grill as an example. Some may say the landmark Lexington Ave eatery is in Lakeview... or is it Botany? For the purpose of writing this series, we obtained a map detailing 25 different neighborhoods, a majority being sub-divisions of larger sections, so some are combined in our map. Other sections, such as Montclair Heights and Greglawn, were combined to make for a larger story. Here is how we divided Clifton...

Clifton Center On the southern side of the ErieLackawanna Railway is Downtown Clifton and Clifton Center, which includes the busy streets Main Ave. and Hazel St. The neighborhood’s western border is Paterson and stretches as far south as Kuller Rd. and the other branch of the ErieLackawanna. It stretches as far as Passaic to the east, which serves as the boundary near Main Ave., however, Dutch Hill, which is closed in by Third St. and Clifton Ave., separates the southeastern corner of Clifton Center from Passaic. 16,000 MAGAZINES are distributed to hundreds of Clifton Merchants the first Friday of Every Month. MAILED SUBSCRIPTIONS $15/year in Clifton $25/year out of town CALL 973-253-4400 entire contents copyright 2006 © tomahawk promotions

Albion

This map of Clifton illustrates the borders that we defined for our East Clifton/ Botany neighborhood series. Lakeview Village Some sections, such as Clifton Center Acquackanonk Gardens and Maple Valley, were grouped with larger ones, Dutch Hill like Albion. We ask for your input on this project. Write us a note or Athenia respond to our survey Allwood/ which is on page 70. Richfield

Montclair Heights/ Greglawn

Dutch Hill Just east of Clifton Center is Dutch Hill, one of the smaller neighborhoods of Clifton. This small residential section is enclosed by Third St. to the north, Clifton Ave. to the west and the Erie-Lackawanna Railway to the south. Passaic borders it to the east.

Delawanna Rosemawr

Valley Rd. in Clifton. Paterson borders it to the north, and Kuller Rd. separates it from Clifton Center on the east, with Rt. 46 acting as an artificial border to the south.

Montclair Heights

Located at the eastern base of Garrett Mountain, Albion stretches most of

As the name implies, Montclair Heights is bordered by Montclair to the south. Like Albion, Garret Mountain is to the west, where Little Falls rests. Rt. 46 is the border to the north and the GSP is the eastern border.

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Allwood/Richfield The neighborhoods of Allwood and Richfield are separated from Montclair Heights by the Garden State Parkway to the west. The neighborhood comes to a point at the northern tip, where the parkway intersects with the eastern border of the Erie-Lackawanna Railway and Rt. 46. Its southern border is the city line between Clifton and Bloomfield.

Athenia The Heart of Clifton begins at the western border, where Rt. 46 crosses the two branches of the ErieLackawanna, which comprise the north and south borders of Athenia. The eastern border follows Bloomfield Ave., just past the tracks at the Allwood Circle, right up to the Passaic border.

Rosemawr The most western boundary of Rosemawr begins on the Erie-

We want to hear your opinion on what makes your neighborhood— and Clifton—such a great place to live. However, we also know that our community is not perfect so we’d like to hear your gripes, too. Write us a letter, give us a call or fill out our survey on page 70, or get a copy of it online at www.freewebs.com/cliftonmerchant. Lackawanna near the Allwood circle and follows Bloomfield Ave. right up to Passaic, its northern border. Rt. 3 borders it to the south and Passaic Ave is the border to the east.

Delawanna Delawanna encompasses everything in Clifton east of Passaic Ave, as well as the east bound side of Rt. 3 past the Erie-Lackawanna Railroad. It is bordered to the south by Nutley, to the north by Passaic and to the east by the Passaic River.

Lakeview The Clifton neighborhood of Lakeview begins at the ErieLackawanna Railroad crossing on Crooks Ave., the eastern half of that road being Clifton. To the north,

Lakeview is bordered by the Passaic River and stretches all the way to Clifton Ave., at the border of Botany Village, which is separated from Lakeview on the southern end by Lexington Ave. Paterson borders the neighborhood to the east and the Erie-Lackawanna, which runs horizontally across Clifton, serves as Lakeview’s southern border.

Botany Village Located in the northeast corner of Clifton, Botany Village is almost secluded from the rest of town due to its traffic patterns. Clifton Ave. forms the western border and Lexington Ave. boxes it in from the bottom. The Passaic River forms a natural boundary up north and towards the east is Passaic.

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

At the center of

Lakeview

Father Frank Weber, the pastor of St. Brendan Church said the congregation is down from “1,300 in its heyday to about 640 registered” members. The good news is that school enrollment is now a little over 400 students.

t the northern tip of Clifton, at the intersection of Crooks and Lakeview avenues, sits a large brown brick church. Set on a hill overlooking Paterson to the north and with a view of the New York skyline off in the distance, St. Brendan’s Roman Catholic Church and its adjacent school have been in many ways the gateway to Lakeview and East Clifton. Six decades ago the church became an active hub of life for the many Eastern European immigrants who settled in the area. They moved to Lakeview to purchase an affordable home, have convenient places to shop 8

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

and do business. They came here because they wanted to be close to their jobs and be part of a vibrant neighborhood, including their church. “It used to be that people would move from Botany to Lakeview,” said the Rev. Frank Weber, 71, who has been the pastor of St. Brendan’s Church for the past nine years. He knows the Lakeview story well because he lived it: his family owned a tavern in Botany and he grew up in the apartment above it. “It was a step up for them,” Weber said as he continued his tale of the evolution of Lakeview. “This was and still is a move-up community. When they bought a home in

Lakeview, the oldtimers were moving to the suburbs, they were moving out of an apartment and into their own homes. They achieved their American Dream.”

Juan Perez jr. and his wife Jazmin at their East Ninth St. home with their children Hailey who is in 2nd grade at St. Brendan’s School, and Emily who recently turned two. Today, a growing number of the newcomers who are purchasing homes in Lakeview are moving to this Clifton neighborhood from Paterson, Passaic and Garfield, noted Weber, who graduated from Clifton High School in 1952. “This is their way of moving up; it’s become a stepping stone for them.” Like many Clifton neighborhoods, however, Lakeview has experienced a growing number of young families of Latin American heritage moving into the area, creating a more diversified community. Juan Perez jr. and his wife Jazmin purchased their East Ninth St. home nearly two years ago. They relocated from a Dutch Hill rental because they liked the area and found a nice home at a great price. There was another important reason for their move to the neighborhood: they would send their girls to St. Brendan’s School. Jazmin, who is of Peruvian descent, grew up on Buffalo Ave. in Paterson and attended St. Brendan’s. “We love the school and the neighborhood,” said Jazmin, 27, who works at Valley Hospital in

Ridgewood. “My daughter plays in the park, we can walk to her dance class and to the bakery on Lakeview Ave.” Convenience is a great feature of their neighborhood. Jazmin’s parents still live in Paterson and Juan’s reside in Dutch Hill, providing accessible babysitting for the working couple. Juan, who is also 27, manages a GAP

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retail store in NYC and said the nearby ramp to Route 80 make his commute easy. The couple are happy with their investment. “There are young kids here and we get along with everyone,” said Juan, who also coaches Clifton Stallions soccer. “The kids have fun and I feel that it is a safe, clean neighborhood. It was a good move.”

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Thanks to newcomers like the Perez family, who attend St. Brendan Church, this landmark institution may actually prosper as a new generation moves into Lakeview. The church has thrived here for more than 60 years. However, it and the Lakeview neighborhood have faced similar changes and challenges throughout the years — both have had to adapt to the needs of a changing demographic and find new ways to meld yet celebrate cultural differences. While the parish has traditionally been comprised of people of Eastern European heritage, the kids who attend its school today—and those families in the pews of the church on a typical Sunday—are increasingly Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and have roots from various Central and South American nations. In the past, the parish hosted activities to bring it all together. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, senior citizen groups, soccer, cheerleading and basketball teams, among others, have all proven to be a common ground. There are also carnivals, picnics and bus trips to Atlantic City.

But in this busy Internet era of two working parents and multiple languages, will that homespun trend continue? Dean DeGhetto, 47, a lifelong resident of Lakeview who lives on East Third St., said newcomers of all races and religions have become more to themselves.

“In the past neighbors interacted with one another but as the neighborhood turns over and new people move in, we are losing that neighborhood interaction,” he lamented. “That is not to say newcomers are not as friendly as the oldtimers because it is something that is hap-

Rev. Harrison Sanchez of the First Reformed Church, Fountain of Salvation on Vernon Ave., pictured with his son Harrison.

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pening all over,” said DeGhetto, a parishioner of St. Brendan's, adding: “...we in Lakeview are a microcosm of the change that is going on across America.” Many of the older people in town, those of whom made up the so called “traditional Cliftonites” who resided in Lakeview, are passing on, noted Ron Haraka, a council chair at St. Brendan’s. “Clifton has changed and it has happened rapidly,” said Haraka, a second generation Cliftonite who has lived in Lakeview since 1987. “We’re working hard to grow and evolve with the community. I’m confident St. Brendan’s will continue to evolve and be at the center of Lakeview for generations to come.”

The Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam mosque has been on Crooks Ave. for 18 years. Pictured here are Hafiz Samiullah Chaudhary, the group’s president, with his son Saifulla.

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Halloween Parade Our city’s best family day steps off on Sunday Oct. 22, rain or shine, at 12:45 pm from the corner of Lakeview Ave. and East 5th St.—the Annual Halloween Parade, followed by HarvestFest in Nash Park. The parade is a Lakeview tradition and a Clifton institution which began in 1948. For many, the stars of the Parade remain the music makers. Every year, the Mustang Marching Band leads in outrageous costumes. But once the band passes, parade watchers are often wowed by the costumes and small floats of their friends and neighbors. Come and be part of the Clifton Halloween Parade and HarvestFest. Bring family and friends... show up in costume or as a spectator. Volunteers are also needed. The Parade and HarvestFest are produced by the Clifton Rec Dept. Pre-register by age. Call 973-470-5956 for details.

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While Schools 12 and 17 also serve Lakeview, these are the main schools for the area...

Public School 11 Built in 1905 near the intersection of Merselis and Lakeview Aves., this is the city’s oldest school. Expanded in 1926 and 1959, School 11 undergoes routine maintenance, from the boilers to the gym roof, which was recently replaced. All 21 classrooms and the media centers received new computers this fall, as per district requirement. Approximately 410 kids attend the Grade K-5 school (although this year’s census is not yet official) and 29 teachers educate them. For grades 6 to 8, Lakeview kids typically attend Woodrow Wilson Middle School. For info, call Principal Gregg Dickey at 973-470-2401.

St. Brendan’s School

School 11 5th Grade Patrols Emily Theodore, Julie Baez, Deborah Mankiewicz, Pamela Nunez and her sisters Merlina and Jadelle. 1176

Established in 1949, St. Brendan’s is a private Catholic school affiliated with St. Brendan’s RC Church, which is open to all. Principal Patricia Deleu said the Lakeview Ave. facility offers instruction in Pre-K through Grade 8 and has an enrollment of approximately 365 students throughout its 20 classrooms which have Smartboards and computers. After-school activities are offered. For info, call 973-772-1149.

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13 13

Getting Involved By Joe Hawrylko

teve Christopher has a message for citizens who are upset with the condition of Lakeview and the state of Clifton in general: if you aren’t trying to make a difference, don’t complain. “A lot of people don’t realize that a town is only as good as the citizens themselves want it to be. It’s not the police. It’s not the government. It’s the people,” explained the 26 year resident of East Ninth St. He cited the average voter turnout, which is about two out of every ten people, to emphasize his point. “It can all be controlled and changed by the people who live there. But a lot of people just don’t realize they can do it or just move somewhere else, hoping it is better.” “They say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence,” continued Christopher, 56, who has been the treasurer of the Lakeview Civic Association for the last 11 years. “Then you get over there and find out it’s the same color.” He insists that you do not have to be a part of a civic association or a similar group to make improvements a reality. It is as simple as picking up garbage in front of your house. Or even in front of your neighbor’s house. Then, of course, you could always call the Clifton Quality of Life Hotline and let city officials know if there is a problem in your neighborhood. Most important of all, says Christopher, do not stop calling until you are satisfied. Don’t give up. “We should get more from our government,” explained Christopher, who acknowledged that at times, city employees drive right by something that should be taken care, using Lakeview Park as an example. “But I call when I see something and keep after until it gets done,” he said, noting that he is persistent but respectful. “When you cook food, you have to watch it. When you have kids, you have to watch them. So when you live in a city, you have to watch it too. You can’t sit back. If you do, you have no right to complain.” Despite sometimes having to follow up issues himself and often hearing other citizens complain about items they don’t, Christopher, who grew up in Botany Village and has lived in Clifton all but four years of his life, says that his hometown is still a great place to live. 14

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Steve Christopher with his wife Mary Lou. The self-employed home remodeler says he lives in a nice house in a quiet community, where he is surrounded by good neighbors. To him, it doesn’t make sense why people are complaining so much. “Government isn’t a snap of the finger thing. It may take a month, but you have to ensure it gets done,” said Christopher, as he reiterated his wish that people would be less apathetic and more proactive with city issues. It starts with the simple act of voting, so register if you have not. But there are also many other ways to contribute to your community. “If everyone in Clifton did one good thing a week to improve the town, big or small,” he concluded, adding, “it would run the whole gamut, from litter to illegal apartments being taken care of.”

Federal Mortgage Offers Senior Citizens A Reverse Mortgage

or some 33 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

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

they 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 (Federal Housing FHA 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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East 8th Street W

alking down East Eighth St. By Joe Hawrylko up at the end of East Eighth St. and has lived in Lakeview his entire life, aside from his years of in Lakeview is almost like service with the Army during the Vietnam War. “My taking a time machine back to the 50’s, mother, Violet, and my sister, Barbara, still live there.” when tight-knit communities were the This little slice of Lakeview, located between norm. Kids play in the streets right up til dusk, soaking Lakeview Ave. and Louis St., is just a microcosm of in those last few minutes of daylight until their parents what is going on in Clifton, as well as many other subcall for them to come in. Past dark, neighbors can be urban communities across the nation: the make-up of found sitting on the stoop, sharing stories over a few many neighborhood is going through a change, as longdrinks. It’s just like old Clifton, but is it really? time residents are gradually coalesced with new, Lakeview may very well be what Clifton used to be, younger families, often of different races and religions. except, to some degree, the faces have changed. In Lakeview, there has been a major shift in the ethThere’s newcomers, like the Anderson family, who nicities as well, as long-established Italian, German moved into the East Clifton section from Passaic back and Polish communities are being integrated with newin December. Then there’s also several generational comers, primarily Spanish-speaking people, as well as families, such as Joe and Linda Zak, 30-year residents some of Eastern European descent. According to of their home on East Eighth St. Barbara Berberich, a 19-year resident and “I’m the senior on the block,” claimed Joe, who grew

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

mother of two, this cultural diversity is one of the many attributes which makes her block so unique. “We have great neighbors of different ethnicities, who have shared many ups and downs in life.” said Berberich as a crowd gathered for this month’s cover photo. The bond between neighbors on this block is what truly sets it apart from other communities. This atmosphere has been fostered over the years by many of the longtime residents that call East Eighth St. home. Residents deeply care about one another and take pride in their little, cozy community. The neighbors here are well past just being friends and act more like family members. “It’s a working class community,” said Joe Zak, a retired PSE&G worker. “We do look out for one another.” Even the youngsters do their share of pitching in, as the older kids look out for the younger ones. It started with the Zak’s children, Stephanie, now a CHS teacher, and Joey, who would baby-sit for the Berberich kids, Alex and Lindsay. During this interview, Lindsay, 16, took time out to shoot hoops with some of the younger kids on the block. Giving her and the rest of the group pointers was Luis Torres, a 2001 CHS grad and current Montclair State student, who was a standout basketball player during his years as a Mustang, totaling over 1,000 points. Kids on East Eighth are quick to make friends with newcomers, like Reggie Anderson, a seventh grader at St. Brendan’s school, whose family moved in around the corner on East Ninth St. in Dec. He is now just another regular kid on the block, who, just like old times, find their friends by knocking on doors or yelling in a window, rather than relying on phone calls. Upon hearing of his new acquaintances, Reggie’s mom, Robbin, took a walk around the block to meet the parents of her son’s new friends and found out that sometimes when you’re new in town, the easiest way to break down barriers is through kids.

“I met them about two weeks ago. My son played with the children and I was going around and checking the environment and meeting the kids parents,” explained Robbin Anderson, who works for Novartis Pharmaceutical. “I like all my neighbors. They seem to be friendly... it’s a quiet neighborhood. I think they want to warm up to us just as we warm up to them.” Now that the ice has been broken, the residents of East Eighth St. hope that the Anderson family will become regular faces on their block. “It’s nice to know your neighbors,” said Linda Zak, who despite her husband being retired, still works at a local insurance company. “When your sick, the weather’s bad out, or you're going away, you can always call your neighbors.” It’s true, when you’re tight with everyone on your block, you can lean on them for help with a lot of things. Sometimes, that relationship translates into business. Lorraine Greaves, a widow who has lived on East Eighth for 28 years, has worked at Passaic Beth Israel Regional for the last 40 years as manager of volunteers. She helps her good friend Barbara Berberich, who works at the CP Center on Main Ave., by arranging jobs for students from the Cerebral Palsy center. There is also more humorous instances of neighbors on the block helping each other out. During a big thunderstorm this summer, the power at the home next to the Berberich’s never came back on, even after electricity was restored to the rest of the block. To help them out and prevent all their food from spoiling, Berberich offered to plug their refrigerator in at her house. “We ended up running an extension wire for four days,” laughed Berberich, as she recalled the dilemma. “They asked to pay us and we said ‘no’, because we knew they would do it for us. But we ended up getting good Polish food out of it, so it works both ways.”

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• 274 Clifton residents are currently employed by Passaic County which brings $14,922,307 into the local economy. • Since 1998, Passaic County has re-surfaced 16.72 miles of county roads within the City of Clifton at a cost of $2.5 million. This year, 1.58 miles of roads are slated to be re-surfaced at a cost of over $250,000. • Passaic County has given the City of Clifton $1,585,000 for parks, preservation of open space and historic preservation. • Meals on Wheels delivered 88,560 meals to Clifton residents last year. • Passaic County Community College currently has 1,203 Clifton residents enrolled as students and employs 25 Clifton residents.

• Passaic County Technical Institute currently has 138 Clifton residents enrolled as students. • Passaic County has carried out 12 engineering projects in the City of Clifton. Since 1998, Passaic County has spent over $17.4 million on engineering work in the City of Clifton. • The County Health Department inspects and investigates all health and safety cases in the City of Clifton. • The Passaic County Sheriff’s Department provides a number of services to Clifton residents. • Camp Hope hosts campers from the City of Clifton during this past summer and 18 senior citizen groups from the City of Clifton are serviced by Camp Hope activities.

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What makes your street unique? N

eighbors often notice what you do—the good, the bad and the foolish. Fortunately this is a story about a good deed being outted. It starts with Vinnie Bellini, one of the respondents to our survey. When answering the question “what makes your street or neighborhood unique?” Bellini, 48, considered many options. Finally he pointed three doors down from his home on the corner of Curie and East Fifth St. to a neighbor’s house and answered: “Matt Kudlacik.” For the past 27 years, Kudlacik has worked nights at UPS. And for 15 of those years, most mornings Kudlacik walks from his home to Baskinger’s for a donut and coffee. The former US Army cook who served with the 82nd Airborne Division, usually brings a plastic bag. On his way down and back to Crooks Ave., he picks up discarded trash. “Your supposed to volunteer, give back,” said Kudlacik, who easily collects a small bag of refuse on his trek.. “I don’t like doing anything formal so this is my way of volunteering,” he said. Looking across the street at the curb near his home which faces the Garden State Parkway, Kudlacik considered a new project. “Maybe next spring we can plant a garden there,” he thought out loud.

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Here are the comments from other Lakeview and East Clifton residents, explaining, in their words, what makes their street and neighborhood unique...

Catherine Jeszenszky, 74, is originally from Passaic and moved to her home on East 2nd St. when her parents relocated to Clifton some 53 years ago. She said friendly neighbors and the convenience of nearby stores are what make her street unique. Now retired after working for Givaudan for 47 years, she enjoys doing volunteer work is involved in the Lakeview Civic Association and St. Brendan’s Church. Catherine speaks both Hungarian and English.

Myself and my neighbors (and you can put that to music...)

Greg Baron The homes are all beautifully maintained and since they are older homes, they all have character.

Fay Athamasatos The park behind our house. Not too many homes are close together. It makes it feel like there is a lot more space to breathe.

Mark and Maria Parker

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My surrounding neighbors have lived here almost as long as I have. Most handed down the house from parents to children. It’s home.

Rickey Di Maria The neighbors are very good, they are caring and sharing people and help one another out when needed. The are the best, especially the long time neighbors. The new ones are also friendly and that’s a good sign.

Joan Murphy Great neighbors who have shared many ups and downs together. Also the accessibility to highways, transport systems, ethnic diversity and closeness to my work. We also have the necessary businesses and services right in our area.

Barbara Berberich Despite our problems, it is a stable, family-oriented community.

Gary Kaiser The baseball park at the bottom of my street.

Daniel Kaiser School 11 is nearly right across the street. Our neighbors on Merselis are nice. We’re like a small family.

Brian Bychek Caring, helpful longtime neighbors.

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What makes your neighborhood unique? Charles Cammaroto, 47, pictured at right, has lived in Lakeview his entire life. A homeowner on Nash Ave., the 47 year old who graduated from CHS in 1977 said he gets his start at the Lakeview Bakery in the morning and often visits the Hot Grill for Hot Texas Wieners. When asked what made his neighborhood unique, he recalled growing up on Trimble Ave. and hearing the peddler drive up the street, calling for patrons, picking up old tin and selling fresh fruits. Nice neighbors on a very quiet street.

Rico Singh People are friendly here, they really are. It is close to the schools and despite the fact that there are too many cell phone stores and hair salons, there are many conveniences on the avenue. Shop owners are really friendly and care about their neighbors and customers.

When I first moved here from Passaic in 2003 I guess our neighbor and us had a little bit of a difference. But when I look back I recognize that she wanted to keep the neighborhood stable and quiet. And that's good.

Lisa Nunez Most of my neighbors, and the availability to highways and businesses.

I grew up here and so did my kids.

Roy Rossow

It’s quiet and the majority of homeowners, for the most part, take care of their properties.

The number of homes that have been remodeled.

Memories of Alexander’s Dept. Store (was my parent’s store), and all the neighborhood candy stores like Agnello’s owned and operated by Lakeview residents.

Anne Roback

Mary Untisz

Marie Hakim

Kira Rayford

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Some members of the Lakeview Civic Association, seated from left Catherine Jeszenszky, Flo Gado, Trish Blair, Vinnie Coll, Eleanor Triolo. Standing from left: Tony Chiarella, Anne Roback, Lou Gado, Joan Murphy, Greg Baron, Gene Murphy, Kathy and Rich Pavan. Meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm. The next meetings are on Oct. 24 and Nov. 28. The Association a holds tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 5 at Lakeview & Merselis Aves.

he Lakeview Civic Association is one of the many elements in this neighborhood that makes it unique. If you want to make a difference in your community, this is the group you’re looking for. Established as a not-for-profit organization in September of 1990, these residents and business owners are dedicated to making sure that quality of life complaints from citizens of East Clifton are heard. Whether it is garbage on your street, graffiti on an underpass or anything else that might be detracting from your way of life, the Association aims to be an advocate for dealing with issues in Lakeview. For a modest yearly fee of $6, Lakeview Civic Association members can exercise voting rights within the organization. Meetings, which begin at 7:30 pm, are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month (except July, Aug. and Dec.) in the basement of the First Reformed Church Fountain of Salvation, located at the corner of Vernon Ave. and East 7th St. In the past, officers from the Community Police Dept. and representatives from the Housing & Community Development Dept. have attended meetings to help the Association serve their constituency.

At the Sept 26 meeting, those in attendance included Sgt. Richard Stewart of the Traffic Division, Sgt. Bill Gibson of the Street Crime Unit and Richard Smith of Community Development. In addition to being the voice of the citizens, the Association has also been involved with many other projects. They surveyed over 1,000 Lakeview residents about quality of life issues and presented the findings to the previous Council. This past summer, the LCA purchased a US flag disposal box for the city recycling center. For more info, write LCA President Trish Blair at PBlair@maintrucking.com. LOWEST GAS PRICES IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY

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What issues would you’d like

the City Council to address? I would first like a representative from our area on the City Council. I believe each section of Clifton should have a member on the Council to address our area’s specific issues and needs. I also would like to see the Bike Police on weekends and in the early evening hours. The Council also needs to work together with the Board of Education and address the overcrowding issues by building new schools.

Barbara Berberich I would like to see a crackdown on the illegal residents in houses. Some have up to 15 people living in basement or attic apartments. Also, I would like to see a crackdown in CHS on illegal students.

Daniel Kaiser Many streets do not have sidewalks and children have to walk in the street.

Roy Rossow A lot of residents are unhappy with our city services, specifically the parks. Go to Lakeview Park and look at the condition of the ground cover and the two foot weeds growing under the playground equipment. It is the one directly outside the DPW. This is the city’s job and their responsibility but it becomes the residents’ eyesore and headache. This should really embarrass anyone who holds an elected or paying position in this city. If my kids were tots, I would not let them play there, as I would be afraid of ticks and mosquitoes in that disgusting park. In addition to the parks, the city does not do a good job with upkeep of city property and does not aggressively go after illegal apartments.

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Kira Rayford has lived in Clifton in her Lakeview Ave. apartment for seven years. She is the mother of three girls, two of whom attend Clifton Public Schools. She is pictured with Alexis, who is three years old. At night, we get rowdy teens hanging out on Lakeview Ave. but really there is nowhere for them to go. There is the bowling alley and that’s it. The kids get bored and there is nothing for them to do. The city needs to do something for kids down here. Plus, our neighborhood is crowded and there is no parking.

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hen Richard Brown moved to Lakeview 17 years ago, he viewed Clifton as an ideal location to raise his young family. However, since that time, things in general have been on a downhill slide and he’s not so sure they are coming back around any time soon. “This area used to be real nice, but it kind of took a down-turn,” explained Brown, 51, who grew up in Paterson, relocated to Indiana and then came to Clifton to be closer to his ailing family members. “There’s still a lot of people here from when I first moved in, but you don’t see people staying as long as they once were. People are moving in and then moving out.” The lack of city planning seems to scare people, especially young families, away from Clifton. “It might be that when they (the families with school age children) get here, they realize that the issue with the schools is a bit much to deal with and they move on,” said the East Fourth St. resident. Brown and his wife have one daughter in CHS and another in college. He continued: “This is not just a School Board issue. The City Council also needs to address school overcrowding. There is no real vision for future generations.” There are other issues more specific to East Clifton that have not been addressed by the Council, mainly traffic law enforcement. Brown said that drivers constantly speed down East Fourth St. and nearby blocks as they head towards Rt. 46 and ultimately cut through the gas station at the bottom of the road. “I just taught my daughter how to drive,” he said. “It was easy to find examples of what not to do.”

“There is no real vision for future generations.” He continued to give his opinions on how he views Clifton and alluded to his future plans for his family. “My daughter has one more year in CHS and I don’t see us sticking around, to be real honest,” said Brown who is a plant manager of a poultry food processing plant

in Perth Amboy. “It’s a feeling that Clifton doesn’t care anymore. Drastic changes need to be taken to fix all of the problems associated with overcrowding, traffic, taxes, overcrowded schools... the list just goes on... it’s just much simpler to move out.”

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akeview and East Clifton have been a forgotten part of the city for too long, said Patricia “Trish” Blair, a Hamilton Ave. resident who is also president of the Lakeview Civic Association. She said the City Council needs a specific plan for the neighborhood which addresses crime, parking and traffic. She’s most passionate about the need to devise a business plan for the commercial corridor. “I challenge any member of our city government to explain the need for the multitude of hair salons on Lakeview Ave.,” said Blair, 66, who said she rarely shops in the neighborhood. “I also wonder why, outside of the Lakeview area, you rarely see a check cashing store in Clifton?” Blair said illegal housing is also inadequately addressed. “When we follow up with city officials about investigations, they have responded by saying ‘going back to question a resident a third time would be harassment.’ I have heard of several cases of a resident reporting an illegal apartment more than once and to date, nothing has been done about it.” Blair’s suggestion? Parking permits for Clifton residents. Many of the houses south of Rt. 46 were built before the current zoning laws, she explained, and several one and two family homes have no driveway. Due to the overnight restrictions on Lakeview Ave., there are occasions where there is no parking available to residents. Show proof of residency to get a permit and the city would generate a database. Cross reference that with the school enrollment list “and we would have a very large information base that could be used to identify illegal housing and students,” claimed Blair. “The city must not only update their information systems, but utilize them with 21st century knowledge.”

What issues would you’d like the City Council to address? Make store owners clean the front of their stores daily . Have homeowners take down their Christmas decorations by March 15. Finally, the city needs to show some guts and put the new school in Latteri Park where it was meant to be.

Mark and Maria Parker The police need to do more patrols. There also needs to be resident parking stickers, since there are so many out-of-state vehicles, and mandatory use of driveways. No commercial vehicles should be parked on the streets. Also, the street cleaner should come on regular days and the city should trim some of the trees that interfere with the electrical wires. There needs to be more trash bins on Lakeview Ave., and there needs to be a delayed green at Lakeview and Crooks Aves.

We need more police, especially at night. We need a crack down on illegal apartments and illegal students.

If there’s a law on the books, enforce it. For example, garbage cans out too early or taken in too late. Also, when a complaint is made, like the continual stagnant water on the corner of Curie and East Fourth St., the city officials who are responsible need to do something about it. There are also problems with leaf pick up, trash all over and commercial trucks parked on residential streets. In addition, we need more police patrols.

Joan Murphy

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It’s not perfect but I have no complaints. Taxes are reasonable, the house was a great price, there is no discrimination and our neighborhood is very quiet and clean.

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

What issues would you’d like the City Council to address?

sk Lori White her opinion of Lakeview and she’ll tell you it’s seen better days. “The city has forgot about this side of Clifton,” claimed the 20 year resident. She said she looks around and sees signs of discontent. “There’s a lot of houses up for sale... too many vacant stores.” White, 46, said that the times that she has filed a complaint with The city needs to start enforcing existing housing code violations. Illegal apartments are rampant. The Council needs to run the city in a more professional and efficient manner. Services need to start being delivered better. The city is not computerized and that’s foolish.

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

the city over things like kids loitering all night in the lot next to her home or illegal dwellings, the response was not timely, or they were simply ignored. There are other issues as well, says White. “They are just not keeping up Lakeview store fronts,” said the Aramark employee, who has a daughter in School 11 where she works and a son in Woodrow Wilson Middle School. “There also isn’t enough police presence. When we call them, they take long.” However, despite her grievances with the city, White concedes that there are many positive aspects about Lakeview. “We are friendly with all our neighbors,” said White about the community near her East Sixth St. residence. “We try to keep the area clean and everyone seems to be respectful.”

Like many who responded to our survey or were interviewed by the magazine, Lori White said she would like to see more cops in Lakeview. “It is easier to move out, but if the city actually started paying attention, people would stay,” she continued. “We have a great school, people just need to know that they are safe here.”

One of the greatest challenges for our church (St. Brendan’s) and one that is faced by the entire city is providing the educational and recreational facilities necessary to accommodate the young families that are moving into the area. In the future, we will have to find ways to entice these newer members of the community to stay in the neighborhood.

Dean DeGhetto Vehicles, not from the immediate area, that park for weeks and even months on end. There are also many illegal attic and basement apartments. The Council needs to help, rather than hinder, the selection of a school site. The hindered our purchase of the Shulton property and have not helped since.

Marie Hakim There is a need for more police in the neighborhood. There are a lot of crimes that happen just a few blocks away. It’s just not safe.

Rico Singh

Looming school problems causing deterioration

ndrea Morrison a Caroline Ave. homeowner and mom to two girls, ages 7 and 6 attending School 11, said the biggest issue facing Lakeview is the same looming problem facing Clifton: the school system. “We moved here and purchased a home in Clifton ten years ago because the school system had a good reputation,” said Morrison, a native of Barbados who first lived in Newark. “But today, between the curriculum and the fight to build another school to solve overcrowding for the upper grades, things are stagnant. I do not know who is to blame but it is sad to see this town deteriorating.” While the seemingly endless battle for school space grabs a lot of attention, she said administrators also need to pay attention to curriculum issues. Morrison said she feels that there are a number of students who begin the early elementary years unprepared, perhaps due to a language barrier. As a result, teachers are instructing to the class, working with the unprepared students and not offering personalized attention to the students who have average or advanced skills. “Kids are coming to school smarter so they (teachers and administrators) need to take it up a notch,” said Morrison, a student herself who is working on her RN license. “The smarter ones are being held back.”

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

ow entering his second year as a resident of Lakeview, Tito Vidal, 42, is quite happy with his new home. “Before, I lived in Garfield and Clifton is just a better town,” explained the native of Puerto Rico, whose native language is Spanish. He moved to the mainland about a quarter of a century ago. “It’s real nice,” he said of Lakeview. “I like my neighbors and the schools. It’s also much cleaner.” The practicality of the business district is another benefit. Vidal frequents the many different convenience stores in the area and is also fond of the Lakeview Bakery and Dad’s Hardware. Vidal and his family are also involved at Fountain Salvation Church, which is on East Sixth Ave., near Lakeview Park. His only complaint was that crime sometime trickles over from

What issues would you’d like the City Council to address?

Tito Vidal with his son Eric near School 11.

t’s ironic that we are one block away from the community police station and there are people illegally parked all over here and no one gets a ticket,” said Lori Buckalew as she and other parents waited for their children to exit School 11 on Marselis Ave. on a recent afternoon. “What is it going to take? A kid getting hit by a car?” She pointed to a dozen or more double-parked cars. queuing up at dismissal time. “The cops have given warnings or tickets before and then it stops. But they have not been here for a long time. Honestly, I think we are the forgotten neighborhood of Clifton.” Buckalew also said that she is in favor of building a school on Latteri Park. “I’m tired of talking about it,” she said. “We need to get it done.”

Paterson. “We could use more policing,” Vidal explained, who works at an envelope production company in Carlstadt. “You can see a difference near Crooks Ave.” Still, considering all the options, Vidal is happy with his hometown and is set on remaining in Lakeview for the long haul. “Clifton is a good city,” he concluded. “I look forward to raising my kids here.” 1074

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Curie Park looks more like a prison. It’s all fenced in, weeds are all over the place and it’s not taken care of. During the summer they need to have park directors, like when we were kids. If I were a parent I’d complain about it.

Public spaces such as parks and common areas are overgrown with weeds. It seems the city does not care. Lakeview has become a forgotten neighborhood.

Andrea Morrison More police presence at School 11 especially in the morning and at dismissal. Some parents drop off their children and/or park their cars with total disregard for their child’s safety or the safety of others.

Vinnie Bellini Provide better care with trimming trees and snow removal. Many city services are lacking. Citywide, there are too many condos. Stop the construction of apartments and banks, the streets are a mess—especially the side streets.

Brian & Christina Keenan After every rain, clay just pours out of the baseball field in Curie Park. It’s small, I know, but the DPW or someone comes back time after time. Just fix it right once and it’s done.

John Sveda For both our neighborhood and the city at large, we need to develop efforts to help newcomers and oldtimers in town to assimilate. Seems many areas are becoming stratified along racial or ethnic lines with little cross communications.

Bob Masiello Parking is a problem around Nash Park. Permits are a good solution.

Terri Hopkins

Matthew Kudlacik Jose Miyashiro with his 11 year old daughter Isumi. He is originally from Peru and said that he is happy with what Clifton offers. “We have very good schools and we do not have the problems the big cities like Paterson have,” said the resident of East Third St.

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stablished in 1995, the Clifton Community Police Division was designed to create interaction between residents and bike cops—known as “yellow jackets” for their attire— in certain neighborhoods. The plan initially was a success, as residents and businesses reported situations being resolved promptly. However, shifting of city priorities, new programs and budget cuts have forced the downsizing of the staff and the closing of some sub-stations. The Community Police could use some help. “Unfortunately, the manpower has to come from somewhere,” said Lt. Michael Meffen of the Clifton Police Dept., who is the commander of the yellow jackets. “and with no other power to draw on, bike cops have been reduced.” The school unit is one part of the three Community Police units across Clifton. It consists of an officer at Woodrow Wilson Middle School, Christopher Columbus Middle School and three officers at Clifton High School. The officers are in the schools and constantly visible during the day.

Pictured at their Lakeview Avenue substation in 1998, from left, are just some of the “yellow jackets”: Carmine Petrone, Joseph Klein, Thomas Campbell, Sgt. Gerry Wyhopen, David Kishbaugh, James Flanagan, and John Michael.

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hortly after taking over his position about three years ago, Police Chief Robert Ferreri decided he needed a better way of dealing with complaints coming in to him. To deal with grievances about litter, city services, policing and other similar issues, he created the Quality of Life Hotline. “Every city department has a person assigned to this task force,” explained Clifton Police Dept. Lt. Michael Meffen, who handles calls to the hotline. “People call and leave a complaint with a name and number. If the operator can’t handle it right away, they send it to the appropriate department, which then either resolves it or gets info within two business days and gets back to the individual.”

Pictured at their Lakeview Ave. substation recently, from left, Patrolmen James Flanagan, Henry Ribitzki, Edward Holster who is assigned to Lakeview, Lt. Michael Meffen, commander of the division, and Patrolman Robert Luciano. adjacent to Menconi Music Studio. The Lakeview and Van Houten stations share six men between the two of them, who are often patrolling those neighborhoods, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. The cops also run the D.A.R.E programs at the grammar schools. For more info, call the Community Police Department at 973-340-5151.

The other two units are on the streets. The second unit is located on Van Houten Ave, which is where the street crimes unit, headed by Sgt. Bill Gibson, is based. The street crimes unit was created in response to a rash of muggings and similar crimes. The third sub-station is in Lakeview and is located at the corner of Merselis and Lakeview Aves.,

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We want to thank the folks who took the time to respond to our surveys or spoke with us on the street or over the phone. While we did not get background information on each respondent, here is a little biography on some... Rickey Di Maria, 46, is a Broker Associate with JK Realty where she has worked selling real estate in Clifton and the surrounding area for 20 years. Her family has lived in Lakeview for the past 75 years.

Fay Athamasatos is a life-long Cliftonite. She has lived in Lakeview for 25 years. She is a teacher’s aide at the Passaic County C. P. High School in Clifton. Fay attends St. George Greek Orthodox Church on Valley Road. English as well as Greek are spoken at home. Greg Baron, 68, grew up in Passaic and moved to Clifton over 60 years ago. He has lived in Lakeview for more than 25 years. Greg is a piano tuner, pianist, does voice-overs for commercials and films, and print model work in New Jersey and NYC. He is involved in the Lakeview Civic Association. Joan Murphy , 72, moved to Clifton 42 years ago because of her husband’s employment at Givaudan. She has lived in the Lakeview section for 18 years. Joan attends St. Brendan’s Church and is involved in the Lakeview Civic Association.

The folks behind the comments Barbara Berberich, 51, is a Job

Patricia (Trish) Blair, 66, has lived

Coach Coordinator at the Passaic County Elks Cerebral Palsy High School. She and her husband grew up in Hasbrouck Heights and moved to Clifton 25 years ago because of the housing affordability, proximity to employment, and the ethnic diversity. Their daughter Lindsay, 16, attends CHS, and their son, Alex, 21, goes to William Paterson University. Barbara has volunteered for the Girl Scouts,at School #11, WWMS and with Sisters in Christ at the United Reformed Church.

in Clifton since 1940, and in her neighborhood for 56 years. She runs the office and financial operations for her brother’s trucking company which is located in Elmwood Park. Trish is the president of the Lakeview Civic Association and also belongs to Bergen County Volunteer Ventures – doing charitable work throughout Bergen and Passaic counties.

Jeffrey and Pauline LoPronto, 55 and 53, have resided in the Lakeview home for 25 years, moving here from Lodi They attend church weekly at St. Brendan’s.

Mark and Maria Parker have resided in the Lakeview section for the past eight years. They have two school-aged children––a 16 year old who attends CHS and a 10 year old at school #5. Mark, 44 has lived in Clifton for 40 years and he is a vending machine technician in Union. The family attends St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church. English and Spanish are spoken at home.

Marie Hakim, 65, has always resided in Clifton, spending the last 60 years in Lakeview. She is a retired teacher and presently an adjunct professor at WPU. Marie is the president of Clifton’s Board of Education and is a member of the Lakeview Civic Association, and a variety of other groups. She has been a Passaic County Committeewoman for 43 years, and is an assistant Ward Leader. She attends St. George’s Antiochian Church in Little Falls.

Roy Rossow , 56, is a lifelong resident of Lakeview. He is the CFO Tax Collector for the Township of Riverdale. Roy is involved in the Lakeview Civic Association and attends services at Grace Church.

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Anne Roback moved to Clifton 36 years ago when her old Passaic neighborhood began to deteriorate. She has lived in the Lakeview section for the past 22 years. Now retired, Anne was previously a Property Tax Manager for A & P Corporate Offices in Montvale where she was employed for 47 years. She is a member of St. Brendan’s Church; and is involved in the Lakeview Civic Association, St. Brendan’s EME Group, and the Boys & Girls Club Swimming. Gary and Dawn Kaiser have lived in Lakeview for the past 20 years. Dawn, 46, grew up in Cedar Grove. Soon after marrying, the couple found the housing in Clifton to be affordable. The Kaisers have two school-aged children—a 16 yearold who attends Paramus Catholic, and Daniel, 17, who is a student at

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CHS. (Daniel was also a respondent to our survey.) When they attend church the family goes to St. Philip the Apostle on Valley Rd. Gary, 47, is employed by Roche Pharmaceuticals in Marketing, and is a member of the Knights of Columbus. Dawn works at Schneider’s Flowers and is a past president of the Lakeview Civic Association. Their son Gary is in the German Club at CHS.

Brian and Christina Keenan bought their Lakeview home 14 years ago. Their children—Derek, 6, and Dillon, 9—attend School #11, and a 13 year-old daughter, Victoria, is at WWMS. The family belongs to St. Brendan’s Church. Brian is an accountant and coaches basketball and baseball and is Treasurer at both School #11 HSA and LL Baseball. Christina is employed as a lunch monitor at School #11 and volunteers for the HSA and Little League.

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Doing Business By Christine Wang

he first year for a business is the hardest, say many business owners. Neighborhood stores come and go, restaurants fold from lack of business. But among Lakeview Avenue’s family of stores, longevity seems to be in the genes. Dad’s Hardware store is one of the longest-running at 75 years of business. Owner Adam MacNeill, who has worked there for six years, got into the hardware business to escape the corporate world of all things, the horseracing industry. Plumbing items are the store’s biggest sellers. The shelves are also stocked with Westinghouse light bulbs, window shades and grilling machines; spray paint and finish removers, glazing and cement products rest near screwdrivers and wrecking bars hanging on the walls. Since the area surrounding the store at 238 Lakeview Ave. is home to a large Hispanic population, guessing what customers mean becomes crucial — and usually overcomes any language barriers.

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Mark Trama, who has worked at Dad’s Hardware for two years, asked a Hispanic male customer if the ‘gray tape’ he referred to meant duct tape, for example. “It’s not a problem,” Trama said. “Sometimes they draw pictures.”

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Just across the street at 223 Lakeview Ave., Larry’s Lock & Key is another longstanding business in the district. Larry Solari, who originally gave the business its name, started the locksmith store in Passaic 30 years ago. His son, Bob Sr., and grandson, Bob Jr., along with Bob Sr.’s wife, Jeanette, work to keep the high standards he set intact. Bob Sr. is in charge of “outside business,” meaning he travels to individual homes to install deadbolts, or to offices to hook up Panic Devices on exit doors. He’s also called to “legal lockouts,” along with the sheriff, when tenants fail to pay their rent and locks have to be changed.

At the Candy Connection on Lakeview Ave. are Dillon Keenan who turned 9 on Sept. 22 and his brother Derek, age 6, both of whom attend School 11. Also pictured at right is Devon Rivera, a student at WWMS, and the owner of the store, Janet Pavloski. Although Bob Jr. said that megachains like Home Depot don’t help business, Larry’s Lock & Key maintains a steady clientele, many of whom are the grandchildren of original customers. “We have one customer who is 85 years old. Another come from West Milford...they come that far because they trust us,” said Jeanette Solari. “Their keys don’t work when they’re made elsewhere,” she added. The shop spends thousands of dollars on machinery, ensuring accuracy in their key-making skills, she explained. Bob Jr. has another skill that has taken him to nearly every state in

the US. He started Bob Solari Magic Co., an Internet magic shop which imports and exports magic supplies for closeup magic-card and coin tricks, in particular. “I’ve been a magician for 40 years,” he said. An inventor of over 100 magic tricks, he also lectures around the country at seminars designed for magicians at every level of expertise. “I first learned magic when my father’s friend

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Shoppers’ favorites We asked residents to tell us about their favorite stores and places to shop... Dad’s Hardware, EJ’s Barber Shop, Lakeside Farms...it is all about convenience and service.

Bob Masiello Dress Barn and CVS because they’re close to home and usually have what I’m looking for.

Mary Untisz Walgreen’s, CVS, Clifton Savings Bank, and Rainbow Deli– because of convenience, friendly people, and availability.

John Sveda Lakeview Deli—nice people.

Greg Baron Walgreens is a good place for a quick retail therapy session..

Fay Athamasatos The only store I really do business with in Lakeview is the liquor store on Lakeview Ave. They are nice people, the prices are good, and they’ve been there a long time..

Rickey Di Maria I shop at CVS, Dad’s Hardware and Drug Fair because they have the things I want. There are too many phone centers, hair salons and banks in the Lakeview section. We need something else!

Joan Murphy Candy Connection (for great service and merchandise), Dad’s Hardware (takes the frustration out of going to Home Depot!), Drug Fair and the Lakeview Bakery.

Barbara Berberich Harp n’ Bard Tavern because of its close, friendly atmosphere..

We have a shopping list... Rainbow Deli—Al is a Yankee fan and supports little league. Parisanne Beauty—Nick is pleasant and Judy has been cutting our hair for years. Garden Palace Bowling—Mike and staff are great with kids, and offer a lot of programs. Lakeview Bagel—friendly service and great bagels. Larry’s Key Shop—Bob is always ready to talk magic...he’s also a great locksmith! Dad’s Hardware—it’s nice to be able to go down the avenue and get good help. Clifton Savings Bank—helpful management a smiling staff. Candy Connections, Lakeview Bakery and Villa Pizza... all are convenient, have friendly staffs, good product. Drug Fair—convenient. There are many others that support the little league and the Lakeview area. We appreciate our local merchants...

Christina & Brian Keenan Villa Pizza because the food is great and the service is good and quick, and Clifton Savings Bank because it is friendly and inviting.

Daniel Kaiser There are few neighborhood shops we visit except Lakeview Bakery. My mom works there.

Richard Brown Auto Zone for all my car needs.

Roy Rossow Dad’s Hardware. When I’m doing work on the house, he’s close by, friendly, and I like seeing the same people when I shop.

Gary Kaiser

Mark & Maria Parker

Lakeview Bakery, Orlovsky Auto Repairs, CVS, and Drug Fair.

Baskinger’s Bakery. Everyone greets you with a smile!

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When John and Dennis Orlovsky of Orlovsky Bros. Gulf Service were young, their Clifton neighbor, an elderly gentleman, worked on cars across the street. He taught them what he knew about auto repair, and they took their interest to drag racing in Hackettstown. By 1972, they decided to take over an already existing auto shop and turned it into Orlovsky Bros., an auto service shop that still operates at Lakeview and Paulison Aves. Customers come back time and again, most often to fix their brakes or get a tuneup. Sometimes, they stop in just to chat. Some, like Charles Nagey of Clifton, station themselves in a chair by the door of the office for the morning, visiting the brothers as longtime friends. “I also do service my car here because you get it done right the first time,” Nagey said. “You trust them.” Arthur DiSalvo of Custom Corner Interior Decorators has opened his shop at 247 Lakeview Ave. each morning for the last 50 years. He trained at Sears and Roebuck 55 years ago, where he worked as head of the decorating department. Customers have their furniture upholstered or boats or antique car interiors decorated by DiSalvo. “I worked on one of the top 10 show cars in the country 30 years ago,” he recalled. He is also one of the few who decorate motorcycle seats, he said. His skills extend to draperies, vertical and Venetian blinds and radiator covers, as well. Up the street, Lakeview Bakery operates as another of the neighborhood institutions, according to longtime Clifton resident and customer Florine Slazyk. “They have great breads and the best ice cream cake you could ever have,” she said.

She likes their muffins and rye bread the best, stopping in regularly to purchase bran and corn muffins and perhaps a pecan pastry. The bakery’s choices are many: caramel and chocolate cheesecakes, strawberry and banana mousse, carrot cake, assorted cookies, breads, pastries, and rolls for only 25 cents each. The three brothers who own the bakery, Carlos, Jesus and Marcos Socamba, bought it about 10 years ago. Open seven days a week at 308 Lakeview Ave., their store also sells wholesale to area diners. Their wedding cakes are a big seller, said Carlos. If baked goods aren’t satisfying enough, nearby Candy Connection at 327 Lakeview Ave. might be. The homemade chocolates prepared by owner Janet Pavloski come in every shape and size, including variations of truffles, chocolate lollipops and peanut butter smoothies. Her husband, Bernie, manned the store on a recent Saturday. Candy molds covered the walls, as did Halloween reminders in bats, ghosts and mummies. The store, which opened in 1993, is popular with local kids as they sell Italian Ice and the old ‘penny candy’items, which now start at five cents. But chocolates is what the store is all about. They use Merckens chocolate to make the candy it sells. Boxed assorted chocolates are popular, as are pieces sold by the pound and decorated molds. Janet learned the trade in adult education classes at Clifton High School 15 years ago, then worked in a similar store on Crooks Ave until it went out of business. “She said, Why not open one? There’s nothing in the area like it,” her husband explained. “I agreed.” The week or so before holidays are the busiest—particularly Easter. Chocolate-covered strawberries are also sold for Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day. Around the corner from Lakeview Ave. is Baskinger’s Bakery, a three-part expanse at 353 Crooks Ave. Inside, the pies, cheesehorns and raspberry linzer tarts fill cases along with other assorted baked goods, while a deli in the next room steams with an equally

From our history files, Ken Murphy enjoys a pint at what is now known as Fitzgerald’s Harp & Bard, back in 1998. expansive hot buffet. A salad bar showcases fruit, potato salad and fresh vegetables to complement the warmer fare. Baskinger’s also offers the Spirit Shop, where customers can select a wine or liquor to bring home. Joe Pearus comes from Paterson three times a week just for the fresh-baked bread. “It’s convenient, and it’s good,” he said, resting at one of the outside picnic tables. Head back toward the other end of the business district and visit Lakeview Bagel & Deli, one of the stores in Lakeview Center, a relatively new strip mall near Clifton Ave. Other stores in the center include AutoZone, Perfect Cleaners, Papa John’s, Rent-ACenter, and CVS/Pharmacy.

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Owner George Metri worked in a Fairlawn bagel shop before the opportunity came to open his own store with his wife. They’ve been there for eight years, selling cheesesteaks, gyros, cheeseburgers and chicken cutlets over the countertop of the narrow, bustling shop. Marie Schultheis of Clifton brought her grandson, Jaden Newman, 1, for a Taylor ham, egg Rent an Office on Lakeview Ave. $475/month. Call Coldwell’s Marty Nee... 973-594-4319

and cheese sandwich on a recent Saturday. Jaden’s mother, Vanessa Newman, waited for her bacon, egg and cheese beside her sister-in-law Danielle Newman. “I like coming here because it’s simple; you’re in and out,” said Schultheis. Rich Hanle of Clifton, a weekend regular, likes the store for its location. “It’s close to my house,” he said. Miques Valle of Clifton agrees. “It’s convenient, the food is good, the service is great.” Next to the mall, at the intersection of Clifton and Lakeview Aves., the landmark Garden Palace offers bowling seven days a week, with specials on many nights. Monday evenings are Dollar Nights, while on Fridays after 7 pm the theme is Salsa Night, when bowling is $11 per hour. Mike Sanders has been manager of the Nationwide Bowling site for the past four years. With 10 employees and 16 lanes, he hosts

adult and kids leagues, as well as birthday parties. “People come to bowl when it’s cold and rainy,” noted his assistant, Anthony Fadil. Deandre and KeAna Lighty of Paterson, ages 11 and 9, respectively, bowl every Saturday in the kids league. Deandre’s highest score yet is 268, while KeAna has bowled a 150. “We used to visit our greatgrandparents in South Carolina every summer and they taught us to bowl,” explained KeAna. They come to Garden Palace because “there are no bowling lanes in Paterson,” said Deandre. Party host Rickell Cox of Clifton has worked at the lanes for a little over a year. “I help on the lanes, take the food orders and make sure the kids have a good time,” she said. On Lakeview Ave., and along Crooks Ave., where the old and the new businesses are interspersed, shoppers will find an interesting mix of shops and services.

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Walking with Bill Wurst ... a great sense of community

alking through the Lakeview section on a couple of late summer days, I followed the advice of my favorite philosopher Yogi Berra. “You can observe a lot, just by

watching,” Yogi declared. As I strolled and observed people, the houses they live in and the shops and businesses they frequent, I learned an invaluable lesson about community pride and support..

Holding court at the intersection of Lakeview and Merselis Aves., from left, are Louis Hakim, Richard Hertzog, Marge Beissel, Jerry Selis and his son William.

Years ago, Lakeview’s civic leaders set the neighborhood’s boundaries at Crooks Ave. on the north, Clifton Ave. on the south, Lexington Ave’s on the east and Getty Ave. on the west. As for that namesake lake... it existed and was located near the Crooks and Wabash Aves. intersection on the Paterson side. It stretched about seven blocks into the Silk City, the section also called Lakeview. It was drained in 1885 to make way for more housing. Today, Lakeview’s mainly middle-class residents live in a variety of single and multiple-family homes. While there are a variety of businesses on side streets, most shops and services are found along Lakeview and Crooks Aves. For instance, get your pocket knife, saw or carving knives sharpened at Cutter’s Edge, at 345 Lakeview Ave. Owner Dave Feinberg opened 31 years ago, and the business expanded in many ways and the sharpening industry has grown with the times. These days, clients include surgeons, hospitals and mortuaries as well as butchers, carpenters and local industries. Homeowners are another big group of clients. Cutter’s Edge sharpens everything from scissors and knifes to garden tools and old push lawnmowers. “Customers can have their knives sharpened so they can shave the hair off your arm or trim a turkey like a master chef,” said Feinberg. Beyond service, Cutter’s Edge sells some of the finest cutting tools available, from Buck Knives to Freud Carbide Saw Blades.

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Visitors to this section of Clifton can also dine at the Assayad Restaurant on Crooks Ave. where your kabob—fresh taste of the middle east—is cooked on a wood fire. Other food choices abound. Next door, Baskinger’s Deli and Catering has served the region for decades with its famous beefsteak. But Dan Kaiser, a CHS senior, and his friends favor Villa Pizza. I was intrigued by a sign over a restaurant that read The Butterflies Food Studio, Mediterranean Cuisine. Above it, another sign declared, The Butterflies Have a Nice Day. Across from Nash Park, the Hot Grill has been called the granddaddy of the Hot Texas Wieners, Woody’s Pub boasts a “Happy Hour” that begins every day at 7 am and lasts until closing. Wow! I think that’s a little too much happiness! And of course the landmark Fitzgerald’s Harp-N-Bard serves up not only great food and drinks but a live entertainment schedule. Special

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Kohout Bakery truck (262 Lakeview Ave.), 1932, courtesy Clifton Library. Walking, one cannot but help to notice an eclectic mix of stores, shops and services. Shoppers can add to their wardrobe at Vintage Clothing, a previously-owned clothing store. Coffee shops, deli’s, 99¢ stores, several chain pharmacies, salons and a hard-to-find shoe repair shop are located on Lakeview Ave. Dental, medical and legal offices also dot the thoroughfare.

Dance World Academy, under the direction of Donna Farinella for decades, has a reputation as a ‘serious dancers’ studio, offering instruction to children and young adults. This past summer, Farinella took a team of Clifton dancers to Russia for a performance tour. Just down the street from Dance World, Annamarie Menconi opened the Menconi Music Studio

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to offer instruction in all aspects of music Especially important to her — and her late father and co-founder Steve— was opening this school in her hometown to bring musical culture to Clifton. Out front of studio, at the Marselis and Lakeview Aves. intersection, benches offer residents a place to chat, read a newspaper and scratch off their lottery tickets. At that same intersection, attorney Louis Hakim and three or four friends—a small elitist group— as he puts it, gather each morning around 7:30 am for conversation. Walking the streets, greeting neighbors and strangers, too that’s always been a hallmark of the Lakeview section. Marie Hakim, Louis’s sister, observes that there is “a different type” of community spirit now. The retired teacher and current President of the Clifton Board of Education points out that, unlike years ago, “everyone has cars” and traveling has replaced those summer evenings at home when residents sat outside on their chairs and “watched everyone who walked by.” Marie has lived in Lakeview since 1945. In spite of their increased mobility today, Marie points out that neighbors still look after each other. “There is that helpfulness,” for example, in removing snow from a neighbor’s property after a winter storm. Property is well maintained in Lakeview. Steve Christopher, home remodeler and longtime resident

bluntly states, “There is little flight.” Dawn Kaiser, Dan’s mother and past President of the Clifton Lakeview Civic Association notes that newcomers to Lakeview have “beautiful, colorful gardens”. I noticed those gardens too whether they were kept by long time residents or recent arrivals. Many homes sport window boxes and planters as well. Streets are tree-lined and litter is minimal. Dawn also describes Lakeview as a neighborhood with a “good sense of community.” Through the efforts of the Lakeview Civic Association, beautification projects have been undertaken and a Christmas tree lighting is sponsored each year. A flag was also donated by the group to the Avenue of Flags at the Clifton Municipal Complex. It is dedicated to the “unknown veterans of Lakeview.” As noted in previous pages, the Community Policing in Lakeview is strongly supported by the Civic Association. Steve Christopher and others are in favor of “increased police presence” in the neighborhood. If you should visit the Lakeview Police Substation, note that it is housed within the same building as the before mentioned Menconi Music Studio. If you use the wrong door (Menconi’s), a warning sign is in place. It reads: This is not the Police Station. We do not handle tickets or directions. We do, however, offer great music lessons at competitive rates.

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By Jack De Vries

Want to know about the New York Mets? Start with Jay Horwitz.

ay Horwitz learned early how to survive in Little League. When it came his turn to bat, he would tuck his small body into crouch and bunt… every time. It didn’t matter if there were runners on base or not, or how many outs there were in an inning, Horwitz would square and face the pitcher, holding the small bat in his hands. That was until his father Milton spoke up. “He told me he wasn’t going to let me play anymore unless I swung the bat,” Horwitz remembers. Determined to continue his baseball career, Jay stepped into the batter’s box at Clifton’s Main Memorial Park. On the bench, his teammates — sponsored by Epstein’s clothing store on Main Ave. — cheered for their friend. On the mound, the pitcher from Jacques Wolf, one of the powerhouse teams of Clifton’s Northern Division during the fifties, began his wind-up. Jay waited, staring at the pitcher with his left eye — his right eye nearly useless after a bout with German measles as a child. The pitcher released. To everyone’s surprise — including his — Horwitz swung and connected. In many baseball stories, what follows is an ending straight out of The Natural. The batter hits the ball, flies around the bases, and goes on to glory in the major leagues. Horwitz’s story is a bit different. After hitting the ball, Jay tripped and fell flat on his face, and then got thrown out at first — by the centerfielder.

Jay Horwitz is a Clifton kid that made it to the big leagues. Now in his 27th year with the New York Mets as the team’s vice president, media relations, Horwitz is one of the best-liked and respected people in Major League Baseball. 48

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

“Rich Less picked up the ball and threw me out,” Horwitz laughs. “I think it was the only time I hit the ball — I was an uncoordinated kid. But I did hit it.” But what’s similar to the story of The Natural is Horwitz did go on to the major leagues but by a different path. Now in his 27th year with the New York Mets, Horwitz is the team’s vice president, media relations, and one of the best-liked and respected people in Major League Baseball operations. “In the clubhouse,” says Mookie Wilson, a centerfielder on the 1986 Mets World Series winning team, “the players believed the team couldn’t exist without Jay.” And Horwitz couldn’t exist without his hometown of Clifton. The city educated him, shaped him, and reinforced his love of sports. It was in Clifton where Horwitz learned many of the skills he uses today while serving as a

manager of the Mustangs baseball, basketball, track and field, and cross country teams. “As a manager, I learned there was no task too big or small to do,” says Horwitz, a 1963 Clifton High

graduate. “I’m grateful for coaches like Bill Vander Closter, Ed Sanicki, Emil Bednarcik, Jim Grimes, and others who allowed me to help the athletes and stay close to sports.

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“One of my only regrets is I don’t stay in contact with my Clifton friends because I travel so much,” he says and adds: “I have a lot of warm feelings for Clifton.”

Sporting Life Horwitz was born in the Fordham Road section of the Bronx in 1945 and moved to Clifton at age 6. His father was a general manager for a coat factory; his mother Gertrude was a homemaker and later a bookkeeper, working at Clifton’s Daughter’s of Miriam. After living in an apartment, the Horwitz family purchased a house on Grant Ave., where Jay has lived since 1954. His love affair with sports started soon after. “Jay played second base,” remembers friend John Scalzo, a retired US Navy Captain living in Virginia, “which was pretty amazing for a young boy who could see with only one eye. I sometimes played first so we connected a few times on some ‘stellar plays.’ We still talk today about whom was the worse hitter, but I know I was.” Horwitz’s father was a big baseball and football New York Giants fan, and Jay chose Willie Mays as his baseball hero. But there were other heroes in his life, including sixth grade teacher Joyce Eslinger. “She was kind to me following my eye surgery,” he remembers. “The surgery didn’t help, but I do remember Miss Eslinger coming to my house to visit me. She encouraged me to do something with my life and become successful.” A mediocre student and as he describes, “a terrible athlete,” Horwitz was well-liked by classmates. In his 1960 junior high yearbook, the Carousel, he was voted

Jay’s fourth grade class, Clifton School 1, in 1955. From left, Horwitz is in the second row, first seat. John Scalzo, Jay’s friend who provided this photo, is the fourth student in the right row.

“Class Giggler.” He also spent hours playing stick ball behind Clifton School Stadium with friends Scalzo, Peter Sawczyn, Harold Abrams, Howard Ehrlich, and others. Entering high school, Horwitz continued to be influenced by his teachers. He remembers Bob Zschack as a good science teacher, being a disaster in Fred Lombardo’s woodshop class (“Every wooden bowl I made had a hole in the bottom,” he laughs), and enjoying Peter Lo Re’s classes. “Jay was a character, one of my favorites,” says Lo Re. “Once in class, we were talking about the word vicissitude, meaning change. When I asked for someone to use it in a sentence, Jay raised his hand and said: All women go through vicissitudes. We all broke up laughing. “I also remember how extremely school spirited Jay was. He was bright, well rounded — a great kid. I could not be prouder of his success today.” A “liberal Kennedy democrat” in

high school, Horwitz set his sights on becoming a press secretary, like Pierre Salinger. “But I also had this second passion, which was sports,” he says. “It was fun to be around — our Clifton teams were so successful in those days. We had great athletes — like Dennis Cesar, Roger Fardin, Tom Papa, Wayne Demikoff, and many others.

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“On my (athletic) jacket, I had eight stripes from all the teams I managed. Nobody had more. I was 5’1”, 90 pounds — when people saw my jacket, they probably asked themselves, ‘Who’s that guy?’”

Path to Shea Stadium After graduating from Clifton, Horwitz enrolled in NYU, eventually earning his masters in 1969. During his college years, he became a better student, did campaign work for Bobby Kennedy (later for George McGovern), and got a job covering high school sports for the Herald-News. “I learned from (longtime sportswriters) Augie Lio and Joe Lovas,” says Horwitz. “They were good to me and showed a lot of patience. I was a slow writer.” He returned to NYU as the school’s sports information director from 1969 through 1972, and then took over the same role at Fairleigh Dickinson University from 1972 through 1980. Once again, others were willing to help Horwitz, especially the late Dick Stahlberg, Montclair State University’s SID. “Dick took me under his wing,” Horwitz says, “and nurtured me. Because of my experience as a reporter, I knew one side of the business. But I realized I still had much to learn.” FDU provided Horwitz with a wealth of experience. Unusual stories about FDU athletes began to appear in national media, including baseball player Steve Dembowski, who was hit by a pitch 32 times in 30 games (then an NCAA record), and 5’8” Franklin Jacobs of Paterson, the world indoor high jump record holder who could elevate nearly two feet above his head. “We had stories about a hockey-playing priest and a 43-year-old football player,” Horwitz recalls. “But Franklin’s story was special. If not for the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Russia, he was a lock for a medal.”

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Back in 1962, Horwitz, pictured at the right of the photo, served as manager of the Mustang Harriers and also for the CHS Basketball team.

As he had done in Clifton and would later do with the Mets, Horwitz went above and beyond his usual job duties, serving as Jacob’s friend and mentor. He became an unofficial track “coach,” watching Jacob’s plant foot during warm-ups and alerting him if he missed his mark. FDU’s Arthur Petrosemolo had quoted Jacobs as saying Horwitz helped him “tremendously, mentally and physically — he was very, very important to me at the time.”

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Another athlete Jay helped was Clifton’s Rich Conrad, an outstanding basketball player for the Mustangs and a 1,174-point scorer for FDU. Knowing the local fans loved hearing about Conrad, Horwitz was certain to make sure the Clifton star was featured prominently in the newspapers. “Jay absolutely loved his job,” says Conrad. “I’ve never met someone so passionate about what he did. The athletes recognized and appreciated what he did for them. To this day, he has a wonderful sense of humor. Jay is definitely doing the right thing with his life.” While Horwitz tirelessly gave of himself and promoted his school, a much bigger sports organization was taking notice. The former Mustang was about to be called up to the big leagues.

Meet the Mets After the 1979 season, the once proud Miracle Mets — a team that caused people to dance in the streets after winning the World Series a decade earlier — was team in disarray. The organization had traded away their star pitcher Tom Seaver and was in the midst of a seven-year losing run when the Mets would not win more than 70 games. Worse yet, the club was coming off a year where it drew about

Jay Horwitz sharing a few jokes with the legendary Mets pitcher Tom Seaver.

700,000 fans, making Shea Stadium an empty, miserable place. New owners Fred Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday, who bought the club in 1980, needed to turn the ailing franchise around. Knowing it would take years before the Mets were respectable, they sought a media person able to generate interest through other means. They decided to give Horwitz, the man who publicized FDU through offbeat stories, a chance to help the Mets while GM Frank Cashen rebuilt the team.

Horwitz faced an uphill climb. With the Yankees winning and Boss George Steinbrenner in full bluster, news about the Mets was often buried in the papers. But soon, Cashen began stocking the team with good, young players, the bedrock of the 1986 championship club. One of those young players was Wilson, who arrived with the Mets in Sept. 1980. “Jay looked out for us,” he says. “He advised us about how to handle ourselves with the media and how we’d be perceived by the

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public — telling us not to say this or that. He also acted as a mediator between players and the media, coaches and the media… even players and the fans.” Today a close friend of Horwitz, Wilson says, “Jay was also great with the media — he could be forceful at times but realized the writers had a job to do. I know they liked him.” One fan was Dan Castellano of the Star-Ledger, who covered the Mets from 1979 to 1993. “Nobody works harder than Jay,” says Castellano, who is retired but stays in contact with Horwitz. “I wish he’d delegate more so he’d have some free time… but Jay doesn’t want free time. I’ve never known him to take a vacation. He’s missed days, like when he had the chicken pox in Chicago and had to stay in his hotel room, but not many of them. “If I have one criticism of Jay,” adds Castellano, “it’s that he does too much for the players.”

But by doing his job, Castellano almost got Horwitz fired before he was officially announced as the Mets new PR person. “I got a call from my office at spring training in St. Petersburg,” Castellano recalls, “telling me the Mets were about to announce Jay. I knew him from FDU and called him in Clifton to get information for a story. Jay got on the phone and said, ‘I don’t know if I can tell you anything.’ He was afraid he’d get in trouble… which was exactly what happened. “When I asked Cashen about Jay, he gave me a surprised look and said, “I don’t think we’re announcing that yet. Cashen wasn’t pleased. I remember missing dinner that night because I was on the phone with Jay who was worried he was going to get fired before he even started. Luckily, they got it straightened out and Jay stayed. We still joke about that story today.”

“Jay looked out for us,” Mookie Wilson says. “He advised us about how to handle ourselves with the media and how we’d be perceived by the public...”

As he’d done at FDU, Horwitz began generating offbeat stories about the Mets. When he learned pitcher Rick Ownbey could throw and catch a Frisbee with his feet, he gathered the writers for a demonstration, providing them with, as Castellano says, “good copy.”

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That’s Jay welcoming ‘home’ some of the legends of the Mets.

Another stunt was holding a press conference to announce the signing of infielder Doug Flynn, who moonlighted as a country singer. During the press conference, Horwitz got the conservative, bow-tie wearing Cashen to don a cowboy hat. To the GM’s horror, a photo of “cowboy Cashen” ended

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up in many newspapers. “Because Frank was so no-nonsense, you wouldn’t think he and Jay would get along, but they did,” says Castellano. “But Frank rolled his eyes and bit his lip more than a few times with Jay.” Another of Horwitz’s favorite stunts was providing a list of outlandish press notes on April Fools Day. One of his stories about Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson making a comeback at age 50 actually ran in a writer’s column. “Jay has a little bit of Bill Veeck in him,” says Castellano, referring to the man who sent up a midget to hit during a major league game. “There’s no telling what the two of them might have done together.”

Major League Memories By 1984, the Mets were a team on the rise. In 1986, they won the National League pennant and faced the Boston Red Sox in the World Series.

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During the climactic Game 6, which ended with Wilson beating out a ball that bounced through Bill Buckner’s legs, Horwitz watched the game unfold on TV in manager Davey Johnson’s office. “Keith Hernandez (who made the second out of the 10th inning) was sitting on the couch,” Horwitz remembers, “and (scout) Darrell Johnson was there, too. We felt the whole season slipping away.” With the Mets trailing 5-3, the hits began. “Keith refused to move,” says Horwitz, “because he didn’t want to jinx us. And then Mookie had that great at bat, fouling off many pitches before hitting the bouncer to Buckner.” When Ray Knight crossed the plate with the winning run, Hernandez rushed to the field to join the team. Horwitz waited in the clubhouse. “I slapped hands with all of them as they came in,” he says.

Another great memory was the 2000 Subway Series matching the Mets against Yankees. Horwitz remembers it being “absolutely crazy,” handling hundreds of media requests. When asked about a Subway Series repeat this year, he says, “It’s tough, but we handled it then and can do it again.” But his greatest memory in baseball was born out of this generation’s national tragedy. On Sept. 11, 2001, the Mets were in Pittsburgh to play the Pirates. Following the terrorist attacks, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig chose to suspend the season for six days, and the Mets remained in Pittsburgh for two days before returning to New York.

At a game in Atlanta Fulton County Stadium in 1982, a crew of Clifton guys are shown carrying a sign which reads: “Clifton, New Jersey Class of ‘63 Loves the Mets, and Jay Horwitz and Ted Turner.” Below, that’s Jay and John Scalzo.

In the days following, the Mets helped the city recover by visiting Ground Zero to encourage relief workers. The organization also turned the Shea Stadium parking lot into a staging area to gather needed supplies, with manager Bobby Valentine doing much of the heavy lifting. “We didn’t do any of that work for publicity,” says Horwitz, “we did it because it was the right thing to do.” When play resumed on Sept. 21, the Mets, wearing NYPD and NYFD caps, helped the city take perhaps its first steps toward returning to normal.

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On an emotional night-full of reminders of loss, patriotism, and heroism — the Mets gave their fans a moment to remember. With New York trailing in the eighth inning, 2-1, slugger Mike Piazza stepped to the plate. On the mound was the Atlanta Braves’ Steve Karsay, ironically a New York City native. Karsay delivered and Piazza smacked a long majestic homer that landed beyond the center field wall — a blast that gave the grieving city a chance to rejoice and cheer once again. “That home run gave me chills,” says Horwitz, who was in the press box at the time. “I can still see it. Mike’s home run was more than a big hit — it helped unite the city and gave New York a chance to heal. “I have never been prouder to be a member of the Mets organization than in the days following 9/11.”

Clifton’s Baseball Lifer With the Mets in the playoffs this year, Horwitz’s schedule will get more hectic. That’s hard to imagine since he’s at his desk at Shea most mornings at 6:30 am and returns to Clifton after night games, sometimes past 1 in the morning. In the off season, Horwitz says he works from 7 am to 7 pm.

A “liberal Kennedy democrat” during his Clifton High School days, Jay Horwitz set his sights on becoming a press secretary, like Pierre Salinger. Early in his career, he changed paths and instead became a Vice President of Media Relations for the New York Mets, a career which led him to a meeting with President Bill Clinton.

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Greeting him in Clifton is his dog Tiki (named after New York Giants running back Tiki Barber), a gift from Anna Benson, the flamboyant wife of ex-Mets pitcher Kris Benson. At the ballpark, Horwitz enjoys a good working relationship with the Mets owners, the Wilpon family. “They’ve been very good to me,” he says, “letting me express my ideas. Jeff Wilpon is a hands-on owner and involved in all aspects of the club. (GM) Omar Minaya is also good to work with and both are always accessible to me.” When asked about his hometown, Horwitz says it’s never far from his thoughts. He credits the work ethic learned at Clifton High as a key to his success and believes the “winning atmosphere” he grew up in helped develop his love of sports. When he gets rare free time, Horwitz enjoys spending time in his hometown. Often, that will include trips to Mario’s for dinner or stopping in at a beefsteak benefit, like the one he attended for the Coach Joseph Grecco Scholarship Fund. “It’s always a thrill for me to go to the Thanksgiving Day football game at Clifton Stadium and run into so many people,” he says. “Before going to my 40th high school reunion, I was so nervous because I was so looking forward to seeing everyone. I had a great time.” “Jay is a very giving person, always thinking of others before himself,” says Scalzo, who stays in contact with Horwitz. “He was one of the best-liked students in all our years in school, especially high school. He made friends easily, and those who know him realize what a good friend and humble person he is.” This year as the Mets battle to reach the World Series, one of the Mustangs goes with them. And that’s reason enough for Clifton to cheer, “Let’s go Mets!”

hough Jay Horwitz enjoys a reputation as one of baseball’s hardest working and likeable media relations professionals, his job isn’t easy. During his career, he’s had to respond to some of the most bizarre and embarrassing incidents in baseball. For example, outfielder Vince Coleman once threw a cherry bomb that injured three fans, pitcher Bret Saberhagen squirted bleach on reporters’ shirts, and Bobby Bonilla threatened a reporter on camera, telling him he’d “show him the Bronx.” There were also player card games in the clubhouse… during Game 6 of the 1999 National League Championship Series, Mets manager Bobby Valentine wearing a disguise in the dugout — complete with fake mustache — after being kicked out of a game, and drug suspensions and trips to rehab for multiple team members. Throw in Anna Benson’s revealing Mrs. Claus outfit during the Mets’ holiday party and you have a public relations nightmare. So how does Horwitz survive? “You have to be honest and tell the story,” he says. “Otherwise, you lose credibility. And in my position, credibility is one thing you can’t lose.” Being honest with the media is a lesson he’s learned the hard way. An incident during the 1992 season is an example. Bonilla, a frequent target of the Shea boo-birds, was having a rough time early in the season. Hitting just .130 in May, he decided to try ear plugs to block out the booing. When the newspapers showed a picture of Bonilla with the ear plugs, the jeers got louder. A bit later that season, a ball bounced off Bonilla’s glove in a game against the Chicago Cubs. Upset the play was called an error, or incensed about the scoreboard operator repeatedly flashing the “E” sign, Bonilla made a beeline for the dugout phone when the inning ended to call the press box and state his opinion. “Bobby was going through troubles,” said Horwitz, “and I wanted to protect him. I told him to say he was calling the press box to ask how I was feeling since I’d been sick. Of course, nobody believed that and it only made things worse for Bobby.” Another incident Horwitz describes as “not one of the high points of my career” was Vince Coleman’s clubhouse golf swing that banged into pitching ace Doc Gooden’s shoulder, forcing him to miss a start. “We told the press that Doc’s shoulder was sore,” says Horwitz, “and it didn’t take them long to find out the real story. “You learn that you can’t lie to the media. The best thing when something happens is to face the music, tell the truth, and admit the screw up.”

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

C HS Reunions,,, Either you like going to reunions or you don’t but we know one thing: readers love seeing old high school pictures of their friends, neighbors and former Mustangs. So as we have for many years, we encourage you to write us with news of your upcoming Clifton High School get togethers. Providing photos is always a plus. Giving us great stories and clippings—like last month’s story on the Class of 1966 and their Ban the Bumps walk-out—that’s great too. Give us a call at 973-253-4400 or write: tomhawrylko@optonline.net.

CHS classes from the 1950’s attend an annual reunion organized by Joe Scancarella, Walt Calligaro, Al Mardirossian, Frank LoGioco and Felix Rossi. A date, time and location for 2007 is already set: it is 6:30 pm on May 30 at the Brownstone. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling 973-777-7775. The event is open to anyone who attended CHS from 1950 to 1959. Pictured above at the 2006 event, from left, Bill Hansen, Larry Fette, Joe Mangino, Sr., and George Tuzzolino. 62

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Karen Verderese, above and at right, Tony Grosso, back at CHS in 1996.

Class of 1957: The 50th year event is on June 8, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Fairfield, reported Joyce (Persen) Sunshine. “The graduating class was 532 strong... 62 have passed away (as far as we know) and 94 still live in Clifton...,” she noted. “It’s always a three day weekend...we start out Friday night with a casual welcome party, Saturday night is a dinner dance, and Sunday morning is a farewell brunch.” Get the details via email at jpsun@optonline.net

Class of 1996: Regardless of where you hung out, what team you were on, or what club you belonged to, a 10 year reunion for the Class of ‘96 should prove interesting. The email we received from an organizer continued: “If you cut every class and spent all your time smoking in the senior parking lot, this is the party to attend. Come raise a glass to being a CHS Mustang for life and celebrate... Reunite with old friends and start the long weekend off right.” The event is on Nov. 22, from 7 to 11 pm at the Brownstone. Tickets are $55 (includes four hour buffet, top shelf open bar and a DJ) if paid via mail in advance before Nov. 1. Make checks to: Class of 1996 and mail to PO Box 4108, Clifton, NJ 07012. For info, write to chsclassof96@hotmail.com.

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;76 CHS Class President John George.

Class of 1976: They left CHS 30 years ago, going forth to make their mark on the world. And many of them have, here in Clifton and beyond. The Senior Class President was John George, the same fellow who is the chair of the 30 year reunion, which will be held over the Thanksgiving weekend, Nov. 24 and 25. For more info, stop in and see John George at his service station at the corner of Crooks and Wabash Aves., call 732-617-1000 or request details by writing to info@reunions-unlimited.com. Class of 1966: Ban the Bumps is just one of the big issues to be discussed at the 40th reunion of the CHS Class of 1966. The gathering is on Nov. 18 when a casual buffet dinner dance begins at 7 pm at the Regency House Hotel on Route 23 in Pompton Plains. On Sunday morning, classmates are invited to gather at the Regency for breakfast. The $55 fee includes includes dinner and a reunion directory; breakfast is additional. For more info, call Nancy Maurer Muddell at 201-723-0402 or Jackie Sussman Schein at 201-303-7033 or email CHSreunion66@aol.com. Make your reservations by Oct.10.

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Clifton vs. Clifton

by Joseph R. Torelli

The City Council’s Planning Board & Zoning Board vs. Board of Education

he next six weeks are shaping up to be among the most important ever for the Clifton Board of Education. Within that span, the Clifton Planning Board, the New Jersey Department of Education, and a state Superior Court are scheduled to review and rule on construction plans for two new schools that the Board needs to ease overcrowded conditions in the city’s high school and two middle schools. The first meeting is scheduled for Oct. 19, when the Planning Board will review a site-specific proposal to build a 1,200-student school on Latteri Park—property that is owned by the Board of Education. A follow-up meeting will be held on Oct. 24 if necessary. Then on Nov. 1, School Board attorneys will argue in state court that the Clifton Zoning Board of Adjustment acted arbitrarily when it refused to grant a variance permitting property at 290 Brighton Rd. to be converted into a 500-student school. The variance is required because the proposed school is in an industrial area. Latteri Park Hearings The Planning Board does not have the authority to approve or disapprove the school board’s site plan for the proposed school at Latteri Park. However, it must review the plan and send any comments and opinions it has to the state Department of Education within 45 days from the date it first received the plan — in this case, by Oct. 26. The NJ Department of Education must consider the Clifton Planning Board’s comments when deciding whether or not to authorize the Board of Ed to place a $49 million construction referendum before city voters in December. A vote on the referendum cannot take place without the state’s authorization. Clifton Board of Education representatives originally appeared before the Planning Board on Sept. 12 to present the school district’s updated long range facilities plan. That plan contained the proposal to build on the Latteri Park site. Three days after that meeting, City Planner Dennis Kirwan and Planning Board attorney Robert Ferraro sent a letter to the school district advising it that a variance was required to build the school on the Latteri site. They said the school plans did not meet setback, lot coverage, 64

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

and building height requirements for residential zones such as the one in which the park is located. Anthony D’Elia, the attorney for the Clifton Board of Ed, disagrees with the city planner’s opinion. Citing two court decisions that he claims exempt local Boards of Education from having to acquire use variances to build schools in residential zones, D’Elia said he believes the state will approve the board’s plan. Board of Education President Marie Hakim agreed with D’Elia. “We are confident that our board attorneys have made the correct assessment,” she said. D’Elia said, however, that following the Oct. 19 meeting, Board of Education members “fully expect” the Planning Board to advise the state that it disagrees with the Latteri Park site plan. He noted that the Clifton Planning Board had already sent the state a resolution declaring that the plan conflicted with the city’s long-range master plan. “We need their (the state’s) authorization by mid-tolate November in order to conduct the vote on Dec. 9th as scheduled” said D’Elia. “The state is aware of the need for the school and the urgency, and we are confident they will approve our plan in time.” 290 Brighton Road Unlike the situation at Latteri Park, there is little argument that a use variance is required for a school at 290 Brighton Road. The property is situated entirely within an industrial zone where a school is not a permitted use without a conditional variance.

Case for School Space Facts & Recent Timeline

t has been 12 years since Clifton voters rejected a Board of Education referendum to purchase the Shulton property at the intersection of Colfax Ave. and Rte. 46. The Board wanted to construct a school and recreational complex there to provide long-term relief for chronic overcrowding at CHS and the two middle schools. A number of proposals to solve the problem have been offered since, but none materialized. Below is a timeline of the recent significant events...

Nov. 2001: The Board of Education appoints a Community Advisory Committee and asks the 12 volunteers to consider long term school facility needs along with possible modifications in grade structure. Dec. 2001: Voters approve an $8 million bond issue to match $12 million in state funding for construction of the city’s first new school since the 1950s. Despite resident opposition in East Clifton and Botany, the Board, in cooperation with the City Council and Passaic County, obtains the 3.6 acre little Weasel Brook Park for $1 as the site for the school. May 2002: The Community Advisory Committee releases its report offering a “strong recommendation that…the former Pope Paul VI High School (now the Pope John Paul II Paterson Diocese elementary school on Valley Rd.) become a central 8th and 9th grade junior high school and that the Board vigorously pursue obtaining the site.” June 2002: Paterson Diocese officials respond to an inquiry by the Board: “The diocese has no intention of selling or leasing the Pope John Paul II building.” School Board and City officials meet with Bishop Rodimer shortly after receiving the letter, but the result is the same. Oct. 2002: Ground breaking takes place and construction of the new School 17 begins on the former site of little Weasel Brook Park. Jan. 2003: After a period of inactivity following the issuance of its initial report, the Community Advisory Committee reconvenes to tackle the problem anew. School administrators, city officials, parents, architects, and real estate experts are all consulted as 18 sites are thoroughly evaluated over the next several months. Sept. 2003: The Community Advisory Committee presents its recommendations at a Board of Education meeting. The committee report calls for the purchase and renovation of commercial property at 290 Brighton Rd. for a 500 student annex, and construction of a 1,700 student school on Board-owned Latteri Park property.

the

Clifton’s Board of Adjustment conducted hearings on the school board’s request for the variance over a five-month period beginning last November. The hearings were often contentious and sometimes raucous with the opposing sides taking turns discrediting the testimony of each other’s witnesses. A well-funded campaign against the school was also conducted during the hearings by William Van Ness, owner of Van Ness Plastics. His company’s plant is located at 330 Brighton Rd., just north of the site proposed for the school. Van Ness feared that granting a variance at 290 Brighton Rd. would lead to the condemnation of his property for construction of a larger school as part of a second phase of the Board of Education’s plan to ease overcrowding. The hearings featured back-andforth testimony from witnesses hired by both sides to plead their case. Traffic engineers, municipal planners, and safety experts all testified in front of Zoning Board commissioners. Many of the hearings were heavily attended by members of the public who had to be reprimanded several times for vocal outbursts during testimony. When the hearings finally concluded in mid-March, five of the seven commissioners voted against issuing the variance.

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Robert Dotto, Juan Pujol, Carol Majkrzak and Alicia Salzbach

has become the high school of choice for many Clifton students. Pictured are four of your neighbors who are seniors at Paramus Catholic. Below is a little info about each: Robert Datto attended St. Andrew’s the Apostle School and has his sights set on studying sociology at William Paterson next year. Juan Pujol and Alicia Salzbach both graduated from St. Philip the Apostle School. Alicia plans to study Criminal Justice at John Jay College in 2008 while Juan expects to major in math studies at a large Ivy League school. Carol Majkrzak attended Sacred Heart School and plans to study photojournalism at FIT next fall. Bring your child to our Oct. 18 Open House and discover what makes Paramus Catholic so unique.

Discover Why Paramus Catholic has become the High School of Choice for a Growing Number of Clifton Families. • Proud to serve about 140 Clifton Students • Small class size (average of under 24, no class more than 30) • $12 million of capital and technology improvements in recent years • About 1,800 applicants for the Class of 2010 • Class of 2006 earned about $17 million of Scholarships/Grants

• Class of 2006 are attending such select Universities as Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, US Air Force Academy, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, Boston College, Drexel, Penn State, Fairfield, Wisconsin and many others • 115 courses, including 13 AP & 23 Honors level; new courses including Astronomy, & Advanced Videography

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

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Oct. 2003: Two meetings are held for Clifton citizens to hear an updated presentation of the advisory committee’s recommendations. Members of the grassroots group, Clifton Unite, express their displeasure at the Latteri Park recommendation and offer to assist in another study. At its Oct. 21 meeting, the City Council goes on record with a 6-0 vote opposing school construction on Latteri Park. Nov. 2003: A joint committee of the Board of Education and City Council is established to recommend alternative sites for the school. Feb. 2004: The joint Board and Council committee announces it has selected Schultheis Farms as the site for the new school. May 2004: The joint committee withdraws its Schultheis Farm plan. June 2004: The joint committee announces a new plan to construct the school on the site of elementary School 14. The plan calls for modular trailers to be set up on Latteri Park to educate School 14 students while the new school is built, and eventually relocate them permanently to a new state-of-the-art school to be constructed at 290 Brighton Rd. July 2004: The joint committee withdraws its School 14 plan. Sept. 2004: The newly constructed School 17 opens its doors to students on the former site of little Weasel Brook Park. Nov. 2004: Responding to a formal request from the Clifton Board of Education, the state Department of Education (DOE) says it will not grant early approval for a referendum to build a school on a long discussed portion of the Athenia Steel site. The DOE cited its concerns about unknown levels of soil contamination. Dec. 2004: Clifton voters approve a special referendum for $15 million to purchase and convert the commercial property at 290 Brighton Rd. for use as a 500-student high school annex. May 2005: The Board of Education authorizes a special December referendum to purchase two adjacent properties to the 290 Brighton Rd. site for construction of a 1,700 student school as an alternative to building on Latteri Park. Nov. 2005: The Clifton Zoning Board begins a series of hearings on the Board of Education’s request for a use variance to permit operation of a 500-student annex at 290 Brighton Rd. Jan. 2006: Clifton voters reject a $49 million referendum to build a 1,700 student school on adjacent properties on Brighton Rd. March 2006: The Clifton Zoning Board denies the Board of Education’s request for a variance to permit conversion of 290 Brighton Rd. for use as a 500-student annex. April 2006: Incumbent Board President Joe Kolodziej and four term Commissioner Jim Smith are rejected by voters at the polls. Newcomers Michael Paitchell and Michael Urciuoli and ten year incumbent Lizz Gagnon—the 1-2-6-ticket—win and are elected based largely on their advocacy for putting the Latteri School matter on the ballot in December, 2006. May 2006: The Board of Education approves a motion to place a referendum before the public in December to construct a 1,200 student school on Latteri Park. October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Sept. 2006: The Clifton Planning Board informs the Board of Education that a use variance will be required to construct a school on Latteri Park if voters approve the December referendum. Oct. 2006 (scheduled): The Planning Board will conduct a site-specific review of the Latteri Park construction plans before sending comments to the state Department of Education. The state DOE must authorize the December referendum before a vote can take place. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for October 24, if necessary. Nov. 1 (scheduled): Attorneys for the school board will ask a state court to overturn the Clifton Zoning Board’s rejection of its request for a use variance at 290 Brighton Rd. Mid-Nov: The NJ Department of Education is expected to rule on the Board’s request for the $49 million Latteri Park referendum. Dec. 12: Election Day.

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They said they rejected the request primarily on grounds that the site would be dangerous for children due to heavy truck traffic and unsafe walking routes. Their reasoning is now the foundation for the Board of Education’s appeal to the state court. D’Elia said that when the court hearing convenes on Nov. 1, the Board of Ed will argue that the Zoning Board acted arbitrarily and unreasonably when it denied the variance. “They rejected the testimony of the Clifton Police Department and their own traffic experts,” said D’Elia, listing three possible outcomes from the appeal: • The Zoning Board’s decision can be overturned and a variance granted immediately. • The judge can remand the case back to the Zoning Board with instructions to grant the variance with reasonable accommodations. • The judge can deny the appeal and let the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s decision stand.

D’Elia noted that during the Zoning Board hearings the Board of Education made several modifications to its plans to satisfy safety concerns raised by Zoning Board commissioners and witnesses. D’Elia said the School Board is willing to make additional concessions if they are reasonable.

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Neighborhood Survey Clip & mail in or print a copy from the web:

www.freewebs.com/cliftonmerchant

Over the coming months, Clifton Merchant Magazine will write about each of our city’s distinct neighborhoods. Help us with this project by filling out this simple survey. Return it to us ASAP and please include your name and contact info, as we may want to call and ask additional questions. Mail us at Tomahawk Promotions, 1288 Main Ave., Clifton, NJ 07011. You can also send your answers via email to tomhawrylko@optonline.net. Call Joe Hawrylko at 973-253-4400 with any questions.

Name:___________________________________________________________________Age:______ Address: ____________________________________________________Phone_________________ 1. What neighborhood do you live in? 2. How long in Clifton? (if different then above) 3. What was your reason for moving to Clifton? Where did you live previously? 4. What makes your street or neighborhood special or unique? 5. What is your favorite store or place to do business in your neighborhood and why? 6. What is your favorite store or place to do business in other sections of Clifton and why? 7. What do you do for a living; where do you work? 8. Do you attend worship services and where? 9. What is the primary language spoken in your home? Other languages? 10. Are you a part of any sports, civic or school groups or anything similar? 11. Is there something you’d like the City Council to address in your neighborhood? 12. Is there something you’d like the City Council to address in Clifton in general? 13. Do you have school-age children? If so, what ages and where do they go to school? 14. Do you support building a new school on Latteri Park? If not, where should it go? Do you think a school is needed? 15. Any other comments? 70

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Yaroslav Fedun, pictured here from a file photo, is President of the Self Reliance (NJ) Federal Credit Union or the “Uke Bank” on Allwood Road. While Self Reliance was originally chartered in 1959 as a lending institution to help recent Ukrainian immigrants who could not obtain credit from traditional banks, today the organization is open to all. For more info on the services, go to www.bankuke.com. Last month, we incorrectly reported that Michael Celuch is the president of Self Reliance; he is actually the Treasurer.

John Bendel, the curmudgeon and occasional columnist for this magazine, is also an accomplished photographer. His work will be exhibited at Lounge Zen, 254 Degraw Ave., Teaneck, from Oct. 8 through Nov. 4, with a reception on Oct. 11, from 7 to 9 pm. Bendel is a former editor for National Lampoon magazine and editorial page editor of the Herald News. Bendel began taking pictures in 1969 and in 1974 photographed many abandoned and neglected facilities along the west bank of the Hudson River, which are primarily the subject of this show. Others photos were taken during the 25 years Bendel and his wife, Peggy, lived in Bogota where they raised two children. The couple now lives in Island Heights, a sailing town on the Toms River in Ocean County where they operate Bendel & Bendel Inc., a marketing communications company. Go to www.johnbendel.com for a preview of the show. Photo by Peggy Bendel.

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

The Clifton Mustangs Girls Volleyball squad became one of a select few in New Jersey to reach 500 career wins after defeating Passaic, 25-15, 25-19, on Sept. 28. Clifton’s girls volleyball program began in the 1970’s. “It means a great deal,” Clifton coach Michael Doktor said. “We have a rich tradition and we’re very proud of this.” The Mustangs also went home with the Clifton-Passaic Optimist Cup trophy, and the four young ladies pictured below—two from each team—were named MVP’s. The members of the Clifton and Passaic Optimist Clubs sponsor this volleyball game and the longstand-

ing Thanksgiving Day football clash between Passaic and Clifton is a spirit of sportsmanship, community and optimism. The goal is to get the schools and students to forge relationships and have respect for one another. Members of the Clifton and Passaic Optimist Clubs want you to get to know your neighbors and be a Friend of Youth. Come to the Clifton Passaic Optimist Clubs’ Frank Fest, on Wed., Nov. 15, 6:30 pm at the Clifton Rec Building, 1232 Main Ave. Hot dogs by the MidTown Grill will be served and while youth are admitted free, adult admission is $10.

The Optimist Clubs’ Frank Fest Hot Dog Night is an event which celebrates the sports rivalry between our two towns and serves as a warm-up to the Mustang-Indian Thanksgiving football game, which is at Passaic’s Boverini Stadium this year. In addition to sponsoring the Volleyball Trophy, members of the Clifton and Passaic Optimist Clubs also present the Optimist Club Trophy to the winning team—as well as four MVP’s—on the field on Thanksgiving Day. For tickets to the Nov. 15 Hot Dog night, call Clifton Optimists Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400, Joe Bionci at 973-472-1707 or Bill Bate at 973-881-4771.

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From left are the MVP’s of the Volleyball game: Mustang’s Deanna Giordano and Dana Riley and Indian’sWhitney Panell and Emy Cabrera.

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Downtown Clifton’s Oktoberfest is on Oct. 7 from 3 to 10 pm. Main Ave. will be closed to vehicular traffic between Washington and Sylvan Aves. Vendors will serve German dishes and visitors can sample brews at the beer garden while listening to an oom-pah-pah band. Folk dancers, roving tuba players and strolling accordion players will also perform. There’ll also be children’s activities, inflatable rides and local performers. Rain date is Oct. 14. For more info, call 973-253-1455. Cliftonite Thomas Miller is to be honored for his volunteer work at the Knights of Columbus 11th Annual Flagship Ball Service Awards on Nov. 4 at 6 pm at the Grand Chalet, 1377 Rt. 23 South, Wayne. Miller, the Passaic County Coordinator of Veterans Affairs, will receive the Community Service Award. RSVP by Oct. 13. For ticket info or to be a sponsor in the ad journal, call 973-865-5552. Support CHS Girls Soccer: The CHS Lady Mustangs soccer team hosts a beefsteak/tricky tray dinner on Oct. 20 at the Boys & Girls Club. Booster club members are asking for donated gifts to raffle. Tickets are $35 and tables of 10 are available. For info, call Barbara Listanti at 973-473-4147.

Kozlov Dance International, above, performing excerpts from the Nutcracker, are among the performers at Fall Fest 2006 at the Woodrow Wilson Middle School Auditorium, Clifton, on Oct. 29 at 4 pm. Other performers include Richard Stillman and Trail Mix, pianist Itay Goren and the singing duo of VenKLa—featuring CHS senior Karla Yeamans—along with dancer Jonica Williams. Tickets are $10 and $8; for info, call 973-272-3255. Sag-A-Bits 29th Reunion: As the name implies, this group of oldtime Cliftonites have realized that as they have aged, their bodies tend to sag—just a bit. However, that has yet to stop them from getting together every year for some brews and beefsteaks and some entertain-

ing stories about the old days. If you qualify—that means you sag-a-bit more than you used to, join them for a fun evening. Dinner is served at 6 pm on Oct. 26 at the Valley Rd. VFW Hall. Tickets are $35, which must be purchased in advance. Call John Filipone at 973-772-7959.

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The Mousetrap, Agatha Christie’s most successful whodunit play, is staged by the Theater League of Clifton on Oct. 20, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 29. Shows start at 8 pm, except for Sunday Matinees, which begin at 3 pm. Directed by Kathleen Kellaigh, producers are Mark Peterson and Barbara Novak and performances are at Clifton Public School 3, Washington Ave. A number of Clifton people are on the stage or working behind the scenes and are pictured here. Among them is stage manager Liz Sinski, the 2006 CHS grad who was awarded a $500 scholarship from TLC. She now attends Montclair State University. Tickets are $15 and $10; opening night only two tickets are offered for the price of one. For info, Director Kathleen Kellaigh and her assistant, Jeannie Kempa call 973-458-9579 or go to theaterleagueofclifton.com.

Join us on our Journey! Who hasn't taken the journey with Judy Garland as Dorothy as she makes her way down the yellow brick road in ‘The Wizard of Oz?’ Or the trek with Moses to the top of Mount Sinai in Cecil B. DeMille’s ‘The 10 Commandments.’ The Christian seasons are all about journeys -- not unlike those of Dorothy and Moses. What you might not know is that actress Judy Garland and director Cecil B. DeMille were also Episcopalians. They were in good company: So too were George Washington; Betsy Ross, the famed flag maker; Natalie Cole, daughter of vocalist Nat ‘King’ Cole; Buzz Aldrin, who stepped on the Moon right after Neil Armstrong in 1969, and Clifton's first mayor, Clarence Finkle. Come join St. Peter's Episcopal Church -- Clifton's only Episcopal parish -- as its marks the coming seasons of Advent and Christmas.

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

The True Colors Winter Guard seeks members to join their competition squad. A Winter Guard is a group of people who use a gym floor to perform a three to seven minute routine using dance moves, spinning flags, rifles and sabres in conjunction with music to create an eye-appealing production. True Colors is made up of six members ages 4 through 8 or ages 12 to 15. True Colors is open to boys and girls. Team dues are $25 annually. For more details, call Joe Nikischer at 973-546-8787.

MusicFest 2006 continues at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 380 Clifton Ave., on Oct. 7 with the Robert Ross Duo followed on Nov. 4 by Chaz DePaolo with guests Nasty Ned and Michael Krizan. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for teens. Proceeds will benefit St. Peter’s Haven for Families, the food pantry and outreach program for families in need. St. Peter’s will also host a health and wellness fair on Oct. 21 from 9:30 am to 1 pm. Those who attend can get screening

for blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes, and will have the opportunity to speak to several medical professionals in various fields. For info on these and other activities of St. Peter’s, call 973-546-3406.

Clifton’s King Johnny Mollica: Computer technician by day, John Mollica transforms into ‘Johnny T’ the Elvis tribute artist on nights and weekends, a persona he will embody on Oct. 21 at 7 pm at Johnny’s Bar in Botany Village. Performing since the age of 5, Mollica has won many talent shows during his career. Mollica is also a drummer who has performed with the Drifters, The Crests and The Marvelettes in various Oldie Shows across the states. He not only appears at private parties and benefits; Mollica has entertained as Johnny T the Elvis tribute artist at the Marriott Hotel in Parsippany, Nicola’s Restaurant of Hawthorne and the Clifton Blues Festival. Tickets to the Oct. 21 Evening with the King are $35 and include dinner. Call 973-546-9813.

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Vision for Volunteering A By Robert Wahlers

fter completing years of medical school, internships and residency training, Dr. Jacob Chung had a few weeks off this summer before beginning his career as an ophthalmic surgeon at the North Jersey Eye Associates on Clifton Ave. As you might guess, Chung chose to do some traveling—but it wasn’t to a popular getaway like the Jersey Shore. Instead, Chung boarded a plane in July and flew to Kenya in East Africa so he could participate in a humanitarian effort to provide critically needed eye care in the Third World. “I had finished my residency and I wanted to devote some of my free time to helping others,” said Chung. “It was a great experience for me personally. It gave me a better

“The trip reminded me about the value of serving those who have so little and reinforced in me my desire to serve and care for those who need it...” said Dr. Jacob H. Chung of the North Jersey Eye Associates, located on the Clifton Ave. extension.

appreciation for all that we have here and too often take for granted.” That take-for-granted list includes access to health care, paved roads, mosquito control, central air conditioning and food and water that’s safe to drink. Chung also noted that the Kenyan people work for an average wage of $2 a

day. Meanwhile, the gasoline price during Chung’s visit to the country was the equivalent of $4 a gallon. “The trip also reminded me about the value of serving those who have so little and reinforced in me my desire to serve and care for those who need it,” he said. “One of the most ironic and striking

On his trip, Dr. Jacob H. Chung provided mobile eye services in the bush and saw the wilds of this African nation. 76

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

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thing about the trip is that I actually saw worst things while I was doing my residency training at UMDNJ in Newark, where I treated far more cases of advanced eye disease.” Chung said he learned about the opportunity while he was attending a convention and visited a booth run by the Lighthouse for Christ Eye Centre, which was seeking volunteers to provide medical services at its clinic in Africa. That led Chung to the Christian mission’s eye clinic in Mombasa, a large seaport city located on a bay of the Indian Ocean, just south of the equator. “There is a severe dearth of eye care professionals in Kenya and there are literally just a handful trying to serve a country of 31 million people,” said Chung. “I went there with a colleague and friend from San Francisco and we provided support to the one native doctor at the hospital.”

A typical eye clinic in Kenya where Dr. Jacob H. Chung of Clifton’s North Jersey Eye Associates worked on his “vacation” this past summer.

Beside the full time ophthalmologist, the eye clinic is also staffed by administrators and technicians who are Kenyans. Surgeons, technicians and nurses in the eye care field come from all over America and Europe to work as volunteers at the clinic for periods ranging from three weeks to six weeks.

Gary P. Muccino, MD, welcomes Jacqueline Nuñez, MD, to the practice. She completed her education at Yale University and UMDNJ. She is fluent in Spanish and has a strong interest in womens and child healthcare.

“The most common condition I treated was advanced cataracts,” said Chung, who performed surgery and other primary medical care at the clinic. He also shared his knowledge and techniques with local medical staff. “All of the treatment is provided free to the residents who come there,

VALLEY CENTER

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Kenyan people work for an average wage of $2 a day. Meanwhile, the gasoline price during Chung’s visit to the country was the equivalent of $4 a gallon. but the big challenge we faced was reaching people out in the bush, in the remote rural sections,” said Chung. To extend their reach, the eye center sends out mobile clinics, which Chung also participated in. “Another great lesson for me was how to improvise when there wasn’t any high tech diagnostic equipment available or the instruments weren’t as precise as the ones I was accustomed to. You adapt by relying more on the art of ophthalmology, as doctors generations ago did, before they had all of these state-of the art tools and equipment at their disposal.” A resident of Palisades Park, the 31-year-old Chung earned his medical degree from the NYU School of Medicine, where he achieved one the highest medical board examination scores in the nation. He served his medical internship at Lenox Hill Hospital and residency training in ophthalmology at the University of Medicine and Dentistry at NJ (UMDNJ). Chung said before Kenya, he previously volunteered for similar duties in Ecuador, where he worked at a

TENAFLY ENAFLY PEDIATRICS EDIATRICS

“makeshift” clinic performing eye screenings and treatments for the locals. “We ran across some primitive conditions there, too,” he recalled. “In Ecuador, it was a little easier for me to communicate, though, because my Spanish is much better than my Swahili.”

For more information on the Lighthouse for Christ Eye Centre in Kenya go to http://www.lighthouseforchrist.org

Carl G. Zoecklein, ESQ.

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

Law Office General Practice Concentrating in:

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Visit us in Downtown Clifton: 1103 Main Ave • 973-473-4999

We Don’t Sell Parts… …We Sell Service Machine Shop On Location No Order Too Large Or Small FREE DELIVERY

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October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Hannah Anolik, pictured above, and her team—Hannah’s Bananas which includes her brother Alex, and parents Ellen and Gary—are asking residents to join them on Oct. 15 at Berkeley College, West Paterson, as they Walk to Cure Diabetes. Hannah, who is 9, was diagnosed with Type I (Juvenile) Diabetes when she was six. Last year, the family walked and raised about $2,500. To join this year’s effort, visit http://walk.jdrf.org or call 973779-2875. To send a contribution to JDRF (payable to JDRF) mail to Ellen Anolik, 150 Rolling Hills Road, Clifton, NJ 07013. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation has formed a Passaic County Support Group. Write ellenandlisa@yahoo.com, call 973818-2251 or email drouse@jdrf.org. George Silva reports that the Mental Health Association in Passaic County and the Jerry Speziale Community Outreach Foundation, Inc. are holding a walk-a-thon on Oct. 14 at the Garrett Mountain Reservation in West Paterson. The two non-profit groups will use the proceeds to fund scholarships, holiday parties for the needy, support services and to finance other critical needs of county residents. Info, call 973-881-2645 or 973-478-4444. The Elmer Goetschius Fish ‘n’ Chips Dinner is Oct. 21 at the First Presbyterian Church, 303 Maplewood Ave. Call 973-523-1272.

1019

Clifton Stallions Soccer Spring 2007 Registration

Oct. 28 & Nov. 4

Register for the Spring â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;07 Rec Season on Saturday, October 28 or on Saturday, November 4 at Robin Hood Park (girls) on Standish Dr. and Pope John Paul II (boys) School Field on Valley Rd. Soccer is open to boys & girls, ages of 4 to 13.

O c t . 2 8 & N o v. 4 10 a m - 2 p m Volunteer to coach or assist. Get Involved. Help keep this program successful. October 2006 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

88 Keys to Success

Owning your own business is generally considered the barometer for success in America and it ko can be achieved through many By Jo e Ha wr yl different mediums. Alicia and Rafael Hasting are just two Cliftonites who have achieved that dream, cashing in on one of the more peculiar markets: piano covers. Founded in the basement of their home three years ago, American Piano Covers has made a name for itself in the world of pianos as a wholesale cover company, largely through word of mouth. So much so that they were recently featured in Piano Technician Guide Magazine. With the help of their son, Jesse, a 2003 CHS grad, the Hasting’s work together very well to form an efficient and lucrative business in a niche that would seem unprofitable at first glance. “It doesn’t seem like a big market,” said Jesse, a 21 year old Montclair State University student majoring in Education. “But we definitely make money doing what we do.” The secret to their success did not come over night. In fact, you could say that American Piano Covers is a business born of circumstance. Long before Alicia Hasting thought of the monumental undertaking of starting her own business, she was an employee of American Piano Supply Co., specializing in piano covers. Working there for over 25 years, Alicia supervised the cutting, sewing and production of covers for the last 12 years that she was employed there. The company was eventually bought out and the department she worked in was soon cut. However, rather then hunt for a new job, she opted to take a chance and apply her knowledge in the field to make her own business and thus, American Piano Covers was born. 82

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Despite her knowledge, Alicia knew she couldn't run a business alone and recruited her husband who was between jobs to help with production, and their son, Jesse, to handle orders, shipping and book keeping. Leaning on advice given to her by her former boss and by using contacts from her past employment, the business quickly took off. APC first set up shop in Garfield for a year before settling into a larger building on Highland Ave. in Clifton this past July. “We started getting bigger and desperately needed more space to store materials,” said Jesse of the move. “We were spending too much money and time by ordering so frequently.” Alicia Hasting and her son, Jesse.

Now settled in, the Hasting’s are focused on making the operation more efficient. Upon entering the Highland Ave. building, you’ll see Rafael, cutting and prepping the material, which will eventually make its way to stitching. Behind him are large charts, which illustrate the countless dimensions for each piano brand and style—from uprights to grands—each of which has certain pattern and stitching requirements. Pricing, which wholesales for around $100 for the basic model, is listed near the dimensions. The day’s jobs are neatly organized and laid out on the table. Across the room is Alicia, using one of seven sewing machines, one for each of the seven cover choices: supreme, premium, regular mackintosh, heavy mackintosh, vinyl, standard or corduroy. Materials can be crafted in black, brown, beige, red or white. “I can usually make about five covers an hour,” said Alicia. “I’d get them to help, but I still have to teach them how to sew.” In the back room is where you will usually find Jesse, who is self taught, handling orders, shipping and billing of customers. Averaging about six to eight separate orders a day, (most customers order more then one cover) APC has shipped out their product internationally to places like Canada, Germany and the West Indies. They also ship to many schools, including Montclair State and the famous Juilliard School of Music. APC even delivered covers to Warner Bros. “We shipped an order to Desperate Housewives,” laughed Jesse. “But I don’t watch that show so I don’t even know if it was ever used on the air.” Since experiencing first hand the success his family has enjoyed, Jesse has found himself relishing a potential role one day at the head of his parents company. Has the entrepreneurial bug bit him? “I still plan on finishing my teaching degree,” Jesse stated. “But this is what I hope to do some day.”

Guitar Lessons

This column was originally started by our founder, the late Murray Blumenfeld. In his spirit, we continue its publication. ctober... time to embrace a refreshing new season – filled with cool days and nights and the beautiful jewel-like colors of falling leaves evident in our new window display.

We are very excited to introduce a new line of contemporary timepieces by N.O.A (pronounced ‘Noah’) which stands for “None of the Above”. These watches feature automatic movements and three-dimensional dials in a variety of colors including blue, pink, white, and black. Models featuring mother of pearl dials and diamond bezels and markers are also available. N.O.A watches combine a unique blend of Italian style and Swiss watch making expertise. Congratulations to the 2006 US Open Champion and Tag Heuer spokesperson Maria Sharapova. She was involved in the development of the Tag Heuer Formula 1 Glamour Diamond Watch – stop by the store and check it out. We also have a large variety of Concord watches on sale now through November 1st. Here’s a great opportunity to own a classic quality watch at a considerable discount. Mark your calendars! On Wednesday, November 15th, Morre Lyons will be hosting another exciting “Trunk Show”. We’re inviting a selection of vendors to display their lines of merchandise for your review – diamond remounts, precious stones and sterling silver combined with gold and diamonds will be among this year’s features. Start working on that holiday wish list now and we’ll see you there. Open house will be from noon to 8 PM. October’s birthstone is Opal. Opal ranges from colorless through to white, milky blue, gray, red, yellow, green, brown and black; almost all of the world’s opal comes from Australia. Cleopatra is said to have worn an Opal to attract the attention of Mark Anthony and opal is commonly believed to be associated with the gift of prophecy and foresight. Have an OUTSTANDING OCTOBER and we’ll talk to you next month.

with a master guitarist

taking you from absolute beginner to experienced player

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JEWELERS RICHFIELD SHOPPING CENTER 1354 CLIFTON AVE • CLIFTON • 973.777.4329 www.morrelyons.com October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

1295

Zippos From Clifton

By Joe Hawrylko

hink back to when you were a kid growing up. For many, your childhood memories probably include a collection of some kind—be it coins, stamps, bottle caps, baseball cards—which you followed avidly. It becomes a passion that, for some, never seems to flame out. Michael Grimaldi is one of these kids, a collector by nature, beginning with Lincoln pennies in the third grade. Other collections included pin-up art by Alberto Vargas, toy slot cars by the Aurora company and chips, cards and dice from Atlantic City. However, his interest in those fields is dwarfed by his passion for Zippo products. Grimaldi, a School 8 custodian, has been a collector of items from the lighter company since 1993. “It was something I picked up years ago and I thought was pretty cool, because I liked the advertising and logos,” he said, explaining his enthusiasm for the 74 year old company and its goods.

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Michael Grimaldi, a 1987 CHS grad, with the first of his two-book series on items made by the Zippo Manufacturing Company. Photo by Melanie Athena.

However, his interest grew quickly when he learned that Zippo is much more then just lighters. Their product line includes custom print golfballs, pocket knives, key holders and much more.

Grimaldi isn’t the only one who collects their products. Zippo Click, the company sponsored fan club, has over 11,000 members world wide. He figured it would be a matter of time until someone wrote a niche collector’s book. “I was always waiting for someone to write about their extensive non-lighter line,” said Grimaldi. “It actually has a big fan base.” After no book surfaced, Grimaldi, sparked by a certain event, decided he could undertake the project. “One day someone asked me a question about Zippos that I knew but no one else knew,” he said. “He told me I gave a great answer and I should write a book. And I did.” Using that as motivation, he set out to collect information to compile a historical book. The task would be long, due to his lack of real writing experience and the

depth of the topic. However, two and a half years later, the research was done. Now having the facts and the photos, he contacted a publisher. “There was a publisher who was interested with the idea and wanted to do it,” explained Grimaldi, 37, a life long Cliftonite. “But after looking around on the internet, I decided against it and went at it on my own.” Using his own money, Grimaldi defied the odds and published, And You Thought Zippo Only Made Lighters!. That’s quite the accomplishment for someone who never took any formal writing courses after graduating from Clifton High School in 1987. “My earliest writing experiences were with John Groh at CHS,” crediting who he said was his favorite English teacher. In the introduction to the book, he also thanks many others who helped pull it together. The 200-page hard cover book, which is wrapped neatly in a glossy jacket, intricately details the ‘other’ Zippo products of the 1960’s and 1970’s in their entirety, with sections devoted to the company art dept., product finishes, imprinting processes and Zippo Canada.

His book documents how, in the 1960s, Zippo expanded to include other pocket size promotional products, the first being an imprinted tape measure. Since then, Zippo has produced and imprinted pocket knives, money clips, key holders, pens, letter openers, magnifiers, pill boxes, belt buckles, flashlights and golf balls. With volume one on the shelves, Grimaldi has been writing the second edition of And You Thought Zippo Only Made Lighters! Go to www.zippoproductsbook.com for info.

Pictured are just three of the 425 million Zippo items which the company has manufactured in Bradford, PA. A Zippo collector since 1993,Grimaldi is always looking to add new pieces to his personal collection, especially Clifton advertisers. Contact him via the web site if you have anything you wish to sell.

Dine-in • Take-Out • Local Delivery Available • Open 7 Days

Bel Amore Restaurant & Pizzeria 973-340-3900 • 1281 Main Ave. • Downtown Clifton You know us for our great pizza,

Chef Ivan is Back!!

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FREE LUNCH??? There is such a thing as a free lunch! Join our customer list at i8at.com/belamore for a chance to win.

www.belamorerestaurantpizzeria.com October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Fire Safety Coloring Books Clifton’s FMBA Local #21, working with Tomahawk Promotions and Clifton Merchant Magazine, are proud to present this year’s fire safety coloring book. This year’s theme is Prevent Cooking Fires. 10,000 copies of the 36 page activity and coloring book will be distributed by Clifton Firefighters to kids in grades 3 and below at our public and private elementary schools, thanks to the support of the sponsors listed below. Also, on Oct. 29, be sure to turn back your clocks for Daylight Savings Time and to check your smoke detector batteries and perform other fire safety checks in the home. For more on fire safety, call 973-470-5801.

Your favorite combo & your choice of French Toast!

Thank to our sponsors: Clifton FMBA Local #21 The Apprehensive Patient Poller Dental Group Cafe Bustelo Athenia Mason Supply Clifton’s Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Tenafly Pediatrics Anthony D’Elia, Esq., Thomas P. De Vita, Esq. Carl G. Zoecklein, Esq. Shook Funeral Home Wee Care Child Care Center The Optimist Club of Clifton Joe Bionci, Genworth Financial Clifton’s IHOP Restaurant Fette Ford’s New Ford Explorer Clifton PBA Local 36

680 Route 3 West • Clifton • 973-471-7717 86

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

For a free copy of the coloring book, call the Clifton Fire Department at 973-470-5801.

We know... Halloween is for kids, right? But lately, more adults are getting into the fun. For instance, Dr. Wayne S. Gangi, a dentist with a practice at 562 Grove St., dresses up his home spookier and larger year after year. It is likely that you have read about it or seen it on the evening tv news. That’s how big it is. Not only does he extensively decorate his home and office but he and his neighbors dress up in costume to greet visitors. And he does it right up until Halloween; be sure to visit.

Speaking of costumes, the Theater League of Clifton’s Halloween Costume Party Fundraiser is on Friday, Oct. 13 at Johnny’s Bar in Botany Village. Tickets are $35 and the donation include buffet, beer, wine and soda... and lots of fun. That’s where these other photos were taken. All are invited for a night of frivolity and fundraising. To attend, make checks to TLC and mail c/o Cheryl Hawrylko, 242 Washington Ave., Clifton, NJ 07011. For info, email: traierpete@aol.com or call 973-458-9579.

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Birthdays & Celebrations! send us your upcoming family birthdays & celebrations...tomhawrylko@optonline.net Sarah Bekheet. . . . . . . . . .10/1 Awilda Gorman. . . . . . . . .10/3 Ashley Messick. . . . . . . . . . 10/3 Charlene Rivera. . . . . . . . .10/3 Grace Robol. . . . . . . . . . .10/3 Frank Antoniello. . . . . . . . 10/4 John Brock Jr. . . . . . . . . . .10/4 Kayla Galka. . . . . . . . . . . 10/4 Lisa Junda. . . . . . . . . . . . .10/4 Alan Merena. . . . . . . . . . 10/4 Bruce Merena. . . . . . . . . .10/4 Rosalie D. Konopinski. . . . 10/5 Gene D’Amico. . . . . . . . . 10/6 Nicole Nettleton. . . . . . . .10/6 Christopher Phillips. . . . . . 10/7 Jilian Fueshko. . . . . . . . . . 10/8 Nick Kacmarcik. . . . . . . . .10/8 Eileen Patterson. . . . . . . .10/11 Anthony Shackil. . . . . . . 10/11 Michael D. Rice. . . . . . . .10/12 Stepanie M. Palomba. . .10/13 Kimberly Beirne. . . . . . . .10/14 Lil Geiger. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/14 Mary Anne Kowalczyk. . 10/14 Andrea Kovalcik. . . . . . . 10/15 Stephen Kovalcik. . . . . . 10/15 Marianne Meyer. . . . . . . 10/15 Michelle Daba. . . . . . . . 10/17 Devin DeVries. . . . . . . . .10/18 Matthew Fabiano. . . . . .10/18 Jamie Norris. . . . . . . . . . 10/18 Benjamin Brody. . . . . . . 10/19 Brian James Grace. . . . .10/19 Kristen A. Hariton. . . . . . .10/19

Congratulations to Barbara and Orest Luzniak married for 26 years on Oct. 11.

Rocky S. Angello (woof!).10/20 Joan Bednarski. . . . . . . . 10/20 Jean Chiariello. . . . . . . .10/20 Lea Dziuba. . . . . . . . . . .10/20 Patrick Doremus Jr. . . . . 10/21 Eugene Osmak. . . . . . . . 10/21 Katelyn Smith. . . . . . . . . .10/21 Daniel Atoche. . . . . . . . .10/23 John Bross. . . . . . . . . . . .10/23 Allison Beirne. . . . . . . . . .10/24 Sandra Kuruc. . . . . . . . . 10/24 Heather Sito. . . . . . . . . . 10/24 Paul G. Andrikanich. . . .10/25 Matthew McGuire. . . . . .10/26 Kristofer Scotto. . . . . . . . 10/27 Nicole Keller. . . . . . . . . . 10/28 Ashley Gretina. . . . . . . . 10/29 Lindsay Berberich. . . . . .10/30 Raymond Romanski. . . . 10/31 Josef Schmidt. . . . . . . . .10/31

Jonathan & Brigitte Rossman celebrate one year of marriage on Oct. 19, while Brigitte has a birthday on Oct. 16 and Jonathan is a year older on Oct. 22, reports mom Sandra Crawford.

In Loving Memory Daniel Leigh Magaster 4/7/85-10/16/03

Congratulations to Hector and Michele Perez married for 12 years on Oct. 16.

Happy 5th Birthday to Renee Kimiko Angello & Jeffrey Joseph Angello on Oct. 4

William and Judi Green are the proud parents of triplets Emma, Olivia and Viktoria born June 24.

Styertowne Exchange Florist Styertowne Shopping Center Coupon-less Savings! Lower Level

next to Dunkin’ Donuts

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1850

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

Store Hours: Mon–Sat, 9 am to 7 pm Sun, 10 am to 5 pm

Mention this ad to receive: seven days a week through 11/3/06

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Use This Directory of Stores When Shopping ACME 973-594-0590

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AC Moore 973-470-8885

Kid City 973-614-1111

Alice’s Cards & Gifts 973-773-2422

Kim’s Nail Salon 973-471-8118

Antonio’s Hair Stylist 973-472-1011

The Men’s Gallery 973-777-4700

Atlanta Bread Company 973-777-2211

Marty’s Shoes 973-471-4140 The New Brava For Women 973-777-1385

Bertelli’s Liquors 973-779-0199 The Chiropractic Center at Styertowne 973-777-6995 Cleaners 2000 973-614-1400 Coconuts 973-778-8759 Corbo Jewelers 973-777-1635 CVS Pharmacy 973-778-7630 Dollar Tree 973-249-7530 Dress Barn 973-249-0322

Party America 973-458-8200 Pet Stuff 973-778-1617 Radio Shack 973-777-7931 The Season’s Fine Chinese Cuisine 973-777-8073 Shereeds Ladies & Mens Clothing 973-773-1673 The Shoe Doctor 973-777-4700 The Shoe Gallery 973-777-4700

Dunkin Donuts & Baskin Robbins 973-473-9631

Styertowne Bakery 973-777-6193

Exchange Florist 973-594-0700

Taste of Tuscany 973-916-0700

Fascination 973-473-6105

US Post Office 973-473-4946

Footnotes Bookstore 973-779-6122

Valley National Bank 973-777-6283

Office Suites Available From 300 to 800 sq. ft. Call 973-591-5222 October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

1086

In last month’s CHS Fall Sports preview, we did not have the Cheerleader’s photo, so here it is. Captain Merideth McGinley, co-captains Alesia Jedrzej and Casey Puleo lead seniors Samira Abdelhady, Jordan Bykowsky, Ashley Fairless, Erica Feig, Ashley Gagnon, Kim Gordon, Stephanie Lorenzo, Vanessa Nibbling, Caitlin Papa, Jackie Stephens, Stacey Zoecklein and Allison Zutterman. Juniors are Taryn Maliniak, Kelly Moran, Stacy Myers, Ashley Ranieri, Samantha Rosamilia and Samantha Woodruff. We’ll be cheering with them during Fighting Mustang homegames on Oct. 6, Oct. 27 and Nov. 3.

... & Dr. Moore Chiropractic 850 Clifton Ave. • Clifton • 973-253-7005

I am Max Moore, & I wouldn’t be a’lion Some of the services we offer at

On Track Rehabilitation • • • • • • •

chiropractic services all new state of the art equipment on-site x-ray facility licensed physical therapist state of the art rehabilitation gym ample parking personal training

October 2006 • Clifton Merchant

...if I told you that On Track Rehabilitation is the best place for all of your aches & pains. Come see my daddy and friends so you can get yourself...

Back on Track...

1576

Have a Happy Halloween Everybody!

PRSRT STD US Postage PAID ClifTon, nJ

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Only 7 agents out of 2,910 members in Passaic County achieved Platinum Level

CLIFTON

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RENOVATED CONDOMINIUM

Lovely 3 room, 1 Bedroom with Living Room, Kitchen, Dining Area, and full Bath on ground level for easy access. Vacant for quick sale! CALL TODAY FOR YOUR PRIVATE SHOWING!!

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LG 4 Bdrms with 3.5 Bths, everything needed for Comfortable Living! LG LR, formal DR, Modern EIK with Dining Area, Family Room with fireplace, Central Vac, Intercom system, underground sprinklers. Fin bsmnt, lots of storage and cozy backyard with deck.

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Offers LR, DR, Mod EIK, 4 Bdrms, and 2 Bths. Collect rent from other 3 rooms, 1 Bdrm apt. or can be used as 2, 5 rm apt. Full bsmnt w/laundry area, poss summer KIT Nice enclosed yard. 2 Car Garage!

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PERFECT FOR YOUR FAMILY

This lovely spacious colonial home features 4 Bdrms, LR, dining room, modern EIK w/ pantry, & 2 baths. Full fin. basement with additional room, laundry area, & bath. Extra room in attic. 2 car garage. Call Today!! Won't last!!

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SPACIOUS COLONIAL

This large one family colonial home located in a great neighborhood offers you 4 spacious bedrooms, 2.5 baths, LG LR, DR, family room w/ dining area, modern KIT, enclosed porch. Full basement with laundry area. 1 car garage with driveway. Large yard!!

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Newly renovated 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms home, large bedrooms, Jet Tub hardwood floors, finished basement with wet bar. Exercise room, laundry room. Ask for Maria Carrera or Nick Marchisello.

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Don’t Forget to set your clocks back one hour on October 29th 2006