Clifton Merchant Magazine - September 2008 by Clifton Merchant Magazine

Clifton Merchant Magazine • Volume 13 • Issue 9 • September 5, 2008

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Where Are We Now? Over the 13 years of this magazine, reporting and commenting on city development projects and the controversies surrounding them had been a staple of our publication. And this month, we decided it was time to get back to our roots. The long-delayed Athenia Steel park project, the dilapidated former American Legion Post on Lake Ave., the beautiful but outdated Recreation Center in Downtown Clifton and the ever changing plan for Schultheis Farm on Grove St. are a few of the major city-sponsored projects that have stagnated over the years. Some of these boondoggles have been a thorn in the side of the city since 1999—has it really been that long that politicians have been promising an expansive park and ballfields on the former Athenia Steel property off of Clifton Ave? Naturally, in a democracy, we don’t expect things to happen overnight—or in a few months. But it’s almost a decade later and we still only have a small portion of Athenia Steel developed, and ironically, it’s subsidized housing, probably the one thing this city can do without. Trying to put a finger on the root of the delays and problems, it seems to always comes back to a lack of planning. One would assume that before purchasing a property, those responsible would know the problems and have a solid plan in place before entering into a contract. But looking back to 1999 at the purchase, that wasn’t the case. Did the Mayor and Council determine how extensive and how long remediation of the former steel factory would take and what it would cost? And did they have a plan to get cars and people on and off the property? 16,000 MAGAZINES are distributed to hundreds of Clifton Merchants the first Friday of every month. SUBSCRIBE PAGE 80 $16/year in Clifton $27/year out of town CALL 973-253-4400 entire contents copyright 2008 © tomahawk promotions

Editorial by Joe Hawrylko

Development and the future of our city are favorite topics, as seen on our Nov. ’04 cover and the Jan ’03 cover, next page.

We can’t change the past. There’s no way to turn back the clock on the Steel deal. But we can learn from our mistakes—that’s why history is important—we learn from the past. But assessing Clifton in 2008, it sure seems like some politicians are on the path to repeat the mistakes of their predecessors. Take a look at the old American Legion Post on Lake Ave. on our cover. It was purchased in 2007 and was going to be at the center of a strat-

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Tom Hawrylko BUSINESS MANAGER Cheryl Hawrylko STAFF WRITERS: Joe Hawrylko, Jordan Schwartz GRAPHIC ARTIST: Tomahawk Promotions Rich McCoy 1288 Main Avenue CONTRIBUTORS: Downtown Clifton, NJ 07011 Gary Anolik, Rich DeLotto 973-253-4400 • tomhawrylko@optonline.net September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

egy to bring newly constructed housing into an older and cramped neighborhood, Botany Village, while also satisfying requirements from the Council On Affordable Housing. However, there’s a catch—the plan banks on homeowners voluntarily selling their houses to the city or a designated developer. They would then have first priority in moving into the new homes, which would be constructed on properties that have already been acquired. It’s a slow-moving domino theory but no one’s knocked over the first tile. With the little information we know about the project, it seems that it could go on for decades. There’s already plenty of variables that could delay or completely derail the plan. Are we going to be housing residents in hotels for a few months while construction takes place? What if some residents in the middle of the proposed development don’t want to sell? These and other scenarios could through a monkey wrench into the process and delay the project.

There’s no set timetable—no plan—for this project, and that’s just bad planning. What will the city do when the second or third tile in this domino housing strategy does not want to sell? Will the Mayor and Council use eminent domain? Lake Ave. homeowners seem to be in the dark about this Botany housing project. On the street, residents we chatted with only heard rumors about plans, and nothing official from the city. Some neighbors say a parking lot or a small green park is what is needed for the area, but remain cynical about the chances of anything coming to fruition. And sadly, no one from the city has solicited them for their opinions. Think this would happen in another Clifton neighborhood, one with more affluence and voters? Do you think an old, boarded-up building would sit decaying elsewhere in Clifton? It sure seems that Botany residents are being marginalized by the elected leaders, and that’s not fair.

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A City-Owned Eyesore Decays Vacant since April 2007, the old vets hall drags down the neighborhood Story by Joe Hawrylko It’s a $3,100 question: what’s the difference between the cracked sidewalk in front of Ellen Woodham’s home and the one just across the street? The city owns the property on the other side of Lake Ave., the former home of the American Legion Post 347 in Botany Village. The almost four-inch raised slab of concrete has been there since the city purchased the building in April 2007 for $415,000 (Clifton already owned the land on which it sits). Meanwhile, Woodham has fresh concrete drying in front of her home and a large bill to pay awaiting payment inside. “I saw an old man fall there back in the spring,” claimed Woodham, pointing across the street. City Manager Al Greco stated on Aug. 25, that the city was moving forward with repairs. However, the story of the city’s negligence goes much deeper than this issue with the sidewalk. The property has been in disrepair since the city acquired it in April 2007. “A year-and-a-half ago, we had a bunch of homeless people living over there,” recalled Woodham. She said that the city finally came to board the windows and doors in the spring. “That was the city’s way of dealing with that problem.” The city also sent out workers to build a fence around the property, as a way to keep out the homeless and children who would frequently play ball in the lot. According to these residents, the city has been rather mum about what they intend to do. Lee Scobel, Woodham’s neighbor who owns a

Boarded up, fenced in and falling apart, Ellen Woodham and Lee Scobel stand in front of a city-owned property on Lake Ave. in Botany Village.

coffee shop in Botany Village, says that Mayor James Anzaldi told her that condos may be coming in. “I don’t think anyone wants condos to come in here,” she said. However, Scobel doesn’t believe anyone in government will listen. “We get no attention down here,” “We’re like the unwanted stepchild of Clifton,” offered Woodham, a resident for five years. “We shouldn’t have to think about them putting something here that’s going to take more parking spots.” The two claim that most neighbors want the city-owned lot to be

converted into either a grassy area for the kids to play in or more parking. “It would be easy for them to patrol,” claimed Woodham. “There is access from both ways (Center St. is on the opposite side).” Scobel, who has a grown child, says that since School 17 was built in 2004 over the sole playground in the neighborhood, children have no place to go. “Is it better to let them play in the street?” asked Woodham. Both Woodham and Scobel want their neighborhood preserved, saying that additional housing will ruin the area. September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

However, other plans are in the works. Officials have designated the area as a location for affordable housing, in accordance with the Council on Affordable Housing. COAH is the state mandate that dictates that each of New Jersey’s municipalities must build a certain number of affordable units of housing. For Clifton, this means 663 new or rehabilitated units by 2018, or developers can sue to force the construction of units. “Clifton had approved a COAH plan a number of years back and we were well on our way to meeting the requirements,” said Anzaldi. Subsidized senior housing, such as the new project on the former Richardson Scale plant off of Van Houten Ave., gives the city 180 credits towards its pledged goal. “The concept of buying Lake Ave. was this: encourage others (property owners) in the area to possibly sell their property or home, and they would go into a brand new unit in Lake Ave.,” explained the Mayor. “The developer would continue to take down and rebuild houses.” Anzaldi noted that COAH has recently added new requirements, furthering the city’s burden and delaying the Lake Ave. project. Clifton and other municipalities are actively opposing the changes. “There was this whole issue of COAH going on, and we had to watch for that too. We have to make a good thing for the city and not a bad thing,” said Anzaldi, who added that as part of the agreement, the city provided Post 347 an office in the Main Ave. Recreation Center. f Clifton— the heart o in e b to d pe to see We’re prou e—and ho v A n te u o o events! on Van H at these tw ia n e th A you in pt. 7

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September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

The sidewalk in front of the former American Legion Post on Lake Ave. The city recently forced a neighbor to repair her sidewalk, but at the time of print, left its sidewalk untouched.

City Manager Al Greco said Clifton currently has $1.8 million set aside for COAH projects, which is funded by a 2.5 percent tax applied to commercial developments. Clifton, which lacks large swaths of open space, can opt to pay another city to take over its burden of the COAH mandates. “We think we can handle it internally through the rehabilitation process,” said Greco. “But it’s always an option that we’d look into if we needed to.”

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Montclair State in Botany? Preliminary plans are being discussed to bring a dorm to the area Story by Joe Hawrylko Montclair State University and Clifton haven’t exactly been amicable neighbors as of late—there has been an ongoing squabble over the controversial proposal for an expanded entrance on Clifton’s Quinn Rd. However, a new idea could potentially mend some of the bridges that have been burned. At the end of July, MSU announced that it intends to enter a 30-year lease with a private developer to build a new dormitory to accommodate the school’s rising enrollment. Neighborhood leaders in Botany Village have been exploring the possibility of building a 1,000-student dorm in the district. “Anytime you can bring 1,000 students into your community with a disposable income, there’s a value,” said Greg Mayo, Executive Director of the Botany Village Special Improvement District. “The city has been looking to redevelop the area and this might be a potential option for the city.” Montclair State has said that the school wishes to have the students in the facility no later than the

A Montclair State University dorm, similar to this one, could be on its way to the Botany Village section of Clifton.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

summer of 2012. The school is looking at many options within a five-mile radius of MSU and is reviewing plans from municipalities in the designated area. Montclair State’s enrollment has grown exponentially over the years, and as a result, the demand for housing has increased. The school already houses many students at the LaQuinta Hotel on Route 3 in Clifton, and there are still 450 students on the waiting list for living space. This search for housing is meant to be a more long-term solution. However, Mayo stressed that this proposal is entirely in the preliminary planning stages. There are no specific sites being considered, no contracts drawn up or anything of that nature. “We have a meeting with the city the first week of September,” he added. “We’re going to sit down with (the economic development director), the city manager

and the city engineers to see what the feasibility would be if we were to look into bringing those dormitories to Botany Village.” Mayo said if the city leaders support the idea, the next step would be to try and get a developer willing to invest in such a project. Benefits such as increased business for merchants aside, Mayo said the project would bring plenty of other things to the community. Security to the dorm would be provided by the developer or MSU, and would naturally overlap with existing services in the area. “The city could come through and say, ‘If you’re going to build this, we need additional parking for residents,” added Mayo, noting how municipalities will often negotiate with developers to get things like parking or open space into projects. He also stated that while there are no specific plans drawn up, if the project comes to fruition, they

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certainly will include parking facilities for the students. One solution could be having parking on the ground level, with dorms above. Busing to and from MSU would be included in the deal. That, combined with the proximity to Botany’s shopping district, will limit car traffic, Mayo added. “We’re a business community, but we’re also a residential community,” he said. “We have to keep in mind how it will effect our residential neighborhood.” With the potential to revitalize Botany Village, it’s no surprise that Mayo is anxious to get a deal worked out. However, any action will likely take time, and that’s before it even gets a green light from the city and MSU. “On Wednesday, September 10, we’re having our regular district meeting at Johnny’s Tavern (110 Ackerman Ave., at 7:30 pm),” said Mayo, who invites anyone with questions to attend.

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The Community Rec Center Facility good enough, adequate or obsolete?•Story by Joe Hawrylko The Community Recreation Center is in poor condition, and needs to be replaced, but does anyone care? That’s the question members of the Board of Recreation hoped to ask residents in a survey which was supposed to go out with tax bills earlier this year. “I think the survey gives you a snapshot of whoever fills it out, but you also need to get some feedback,” said Councilman Matt Ward, who called the Art Deco building obsolete. “They might say the time is not right for this now, or they may say that 1232 is great. But I don’t even know if many know of 1232 Main Ave.” However, that survey was supposed to be mailed to residents almost six months ago. What’s the hold up? Ward, formerly the Council’s liaison to the Board of Recreation, said that the Board was unable to get its survey together in time due to the planning required for Youth Week. But Board of Recreation member Tony Yannarelli does not agree, saying the delay has been caused by the City Council. “This is back in May, maybe late April. They told us they would have a 10-question survey sent out with the next tax bill,” claimed the fouryear Board member. “But you can’t tell me it’s taking five months to put this 10-question survey out to the public.” According to City Manager Al Greco, the next tax bill is slated for mailing on Nov. 1. Officials expect the surveys will be included and returned by the end of the year. 12

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

The Clifton Recreation Center, which sits at the corner of Washington and Main Aves., was purchased by the city in 1981 for $150,000. The United States Post Office had leased space in the building until 2003. American Legion Post 347 now uses the old Post Office space and various groups meet in the center.

Yannarelli and the other Board members—who unanimously voted to propose a new center—are upset that their request has gone ignored. He said that the inadequacies of the Depression-era building are clearly evident. “I call it the Wreck Center; W-RE-C-K, wreck,” said Yannarelli. “We’ve easily spent in excess of $100,000 repairing the leaks in the roof, and there are still more. “Go downstairs in the meeting rooms,” he continued. “I call that the dungeon down there. It’s not conducive for anything.” This attempt at ‘stonewalling,’ as Yannarelli put it, is merely the tip of the iceberg. He says that some members of the City Council seem to be doing everything in their power to stop the project.

Matt Ward had been championing the cause to build a new center as the liaison to the Board. However, about a month ago, Yannarelli said Ward was pulled from his position the night of a meeting and replaced by Mayor James Anzaldi. “The Mayor directly told me he doesn’t want a rec center,” claimed Yannarelli. “I had a half-hour conversation with him over the phone and he told me, ‘Over my dead body there will be a new rec center.’” Yannarelli alleges that the mayor’s motives behind his opposition are purely financial. He thinks Anzaldi doesn’t want the city to spend the money. “Call it a conspiracy or whatever, but Jimmy doesn’t want it,” said Yannarelli, who feels that the mayor will try to sway the Board’s

opinion at its next meeting in September. “So what does that tell you? You can put two and two together and say you get seven, but it’s four.” Yannarelli said that the mayor and most of the Council believe that their long-awaited park at Athenia Steel—when it is built— and the other existing facilities around town are sufficient. But would some new fields and use of existing facilities be enough room to provide adequate recreational services for a city of almost 80,000? Not if you ask Yannarelli. “If Clifton is to move in the right direction, this thing is something that needs to be done,” said Yannarelli. “There’s nothing in this community now that’s going to draw young families.” According to Mayor James Anzaldi, the city has adequate recreational facilities now and is not making efficient use of the courts, parks and playgrounds it currently has.

“The idea of me being a liaison to the Recreation Board is almost a dream come true,” said Mayor James Anzaldi. He replaced Councilman Matt Ward, who had been a vocal supporter for a new recreation center in Clifton. “I think we’re underutilizing our current facilities,” said Anzaldi, adding that Clifton’s Public Schools can be used after hours for to provide services. “The older sections of the community where there are lots of kids, those schools are prime candidates for having recreation for kids.” The mayor also dismissed Yannarelli’s claim that he was against a new rec center. “I’ve never said that—never,” said Anzaldi. “I told him I have an open mind about it. I just don’t want it (a new Rec Center) in a park.” The mayor went on to add that he and Yannarelli had a long conversation, in which Anzaldi said he would be open to a new center if

grants could be secured and an appropriate site was found. Anzaldi also responded to Yannarelli’s claim that the mayor had appointed himself as liaison to the Board as a means to sabotage the plans. “I think what happened was that I had mentioned it to Councilwoman (Gloria) Kolodziej and everyone agreed to it,” said Anzaldi. “If someone’s interested in something, let them do it.” The mayor added that liaisons to city boards frequently change, and his appointment was not a politically motivated decision. “The idea of me being a liaison to the Recreation Board is almost a dream come true,” he said, adding that he grew up playing in city facilities.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Developments at Athenia Steel Senior housing built; what is park status?â&#x20AC;˘Story by Joe Hawrylko As we reported in our July edition, the proposed park on the remaining 27 or so acres on the former Athenia Steel plant still seems to be quite off in the distance, with testing still required for a large portion of the property. An Aug. 14 letter from TRC Solutions, the company hired by the city to conduct the testing of the soil and groundwater at the site, detailed where the project currently stands. The letter stated that TRC has divided the property into four sections: Southern (Senior Horizons), Northern, an active contaminated area for the former plant, and the Landfill area (which, together, are known as the Central portion). A total of 44 areas of concern have previously been identified at the site. However, the two in

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Above is what currently is the only way in and out of Athenia Steel, a narrow road that leads directly to the heavily traveled Clifton Ave.

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Even though the prospect of any construction at Athenia Steel seems to be a ways off, it hasn’t stopped anyone from speculating on just what will go there. The city’s plan includes walkways and plenty of fields for sports. Over the years, the land was considered for a school, a ice hockey arena and more subsidized senior housing. Tony Yannarelli, a Board of Recreation member, has been vocal in his support for a new Clifton Rec Center, which he would like built on Athenia Steel. A state of the art facility could expand the amount of services offered in the park beyond just the fields. Bob Foster, Executive Director of the Clifton Boys & Girls Club, has inquired about leasing some two acres of park space to build a multi-use dome facility similar to the Stallions’ structure on the Data Delay Services property off of Mt. Prospect Ave. Foster said the Club would gladly collaborate with the city to help save money but he has yet to receive a reply. So what about some kind of combination of these ideas? A public-private partnership could save taxpayers money with sponsorships, or even if the facility was constructed and run by a group other than the city. Some municipalities have successfully gone this route. Is naming a place the ‘Pepsi Center’ such a bad thing if it lands Clifton a state of the art facility? the northern area and the one in the southern section have been given No Further Action determinations from the NJ DEP. The active area is the hold up, having 41 areas of concern. The most recent sampling in the contaminated section started in January, and TRC is still evaluating the findings. According to the letter, the group has accumulated enough data in the Central portion to propose ‘a soil remedial action consisting of institutional and engineering controls.’ However, more groundwater sampling will likely be required before the work plan can be prepared. The lack of a timetable for remediation or anything is the most noticeable omission from this transcript. According to City Manager Al Greco, the city isn’t the one dragging its feet here, and really has little leverage in forcing TRC to give them a date for completion. “It’s all subject to DEP approval and oversight,” he said. “When they ask us for materials, we expedite.”

Also addressed in a phone conversation with Greco was the issue regarding Senior Horizons and its TCOP or Temporary Certificate of Occupancy. In July, we reported that the facility was operating with a TCOP since its construction. This issue dates back to 2003, when Passaic County Engineer Steven J. Edmond informed the Council that the project would not get a COP until the train bridge abutment on Clifton Ave. was altered to “enhance the line of sight while exiting the facility.”

since

1961

Greco said the city may not even have to deal with it, pending plans for the rest of the property. “They’re holding it up not because of Senior Horizons, but because of the anticipated use of the rest of the property,” he said, alluding to the proposed recreation fields for the area. “We may use Svea Ave. and not do improvements to Clifton Ave.,” said Greco. “The problem with Svea is there’s no immediate access to the Northern portion. It would go directly over the Central area.” The City Manager also cautioned that could open Pandora’s Box, as the city could be subject to further testing since any passage would go over the contaminated portion. “What we hope to do is to tie improvements to the entrances to the RFPs (Requests For Proposals) when we put the roadway to the back of the property,” said Greco. Greco also spoke about funding, noting that grants have covered the testing, but the actual construction may be an entirely different issue. “If a project is $3 million, we have to raise out of capital funding,” said Greco, noting that the city has $600,000 in Green Acres funding at its disposal. “So we get plans, but how much are we willing to spend? It seems to get lost in the shuffle.”

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Will Schultheis Remain a Farm? An old home & green acres on Grove St.•Story by Joe Hawrylko The former Schultheis Farm, long out of the spotlight after being removed from consideration as the location for a Clifton middle school in 2004, may once again become a farm. The Grove St. property was purchased by the city in 2004 for about $4 million using Green Acres funds, essentially preserving the farm as open space and limiting what can be done with the property. But a farmer has contacted the city about possibly utilizing the acreage to grow hydrangea. However, according to Bob Wittmann, who lives near the old Schultheis tract, the city has been dragging its feet and has not had any progression at all on the property. “Last I heard, about three of four months ago, they wanted to rent it to a guy who wanted to grow hydrangea,” said Wittmann, who has closely followed developments on the property since it was proposed as a school site. According to Wittmann, the individual was seeking a lease in the neighborhood of 15 years, at a rate of $45,000 per year, plus property taxes. “He said to be able to get a place of 5.5 acres this close to

The house that sits on the former Schultheis Farm property on Grove St.

New York City is fantastic,” claimed Wittmann. “He needed a lease for about 15 years, because it takes a few years for them to get started.” However, Wittmann says that the city hasn’t acted at all. “They didn’t say anything, just like the Athenia Steel property,

when they were going to break ground in the spring,” he said. “But nothing has happened.” However, according to City Manager Al Greco, that isn’t true. Officials are just trying to make sure that everything is done in the correct manner so that there are no hang ups down the line.

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“There was a couple issues and some items had to be removed,” said Greco. “An oil tank—we just did that. There was also someone there growing vegetables from Richfield Farms, giving free produce twice a week to St. Peter’s Haven.” Greco said the city’s law department is in the process of preparing RFPs, however, there are still some issues to work out. What is the fair market value for the property? “It’s not easy,” said Mayor James Anzaldi. “There’s not a lot of farms like that in New Jersey.” There’s also the issue of bringing the farmhouse on the property up to code. Initial proposals may have farm hands living there. “It may be or may not have to be,” said Greco. “If it’s just for farm hands, it may just need repairs. I don’t know if we’re going to have to bring it up to building codes, but of course, it’s going to go through the same process as everyone else.”

What Else is Going on in Clifton? Perkins Restaurant, corner Clifton & Main: Despite promises from the franchisee that the restaurant would be open for business this fall, no work has been done by the franchisee in this cornerstone property. Garret Pointe: Attorney Frank Carlet, who represents the project’s developer, stated that the housing complex which straddles the Clifton/West Paterson border, will once again go before the Board of Adjustment in October with minor revisions to the intersection. 1260 Main Ave. (Exxon Station): Carlet, who also represents owner George Tafankaji said, “As far as I know, it’s as dead as a door nail.” 635 Grove St., House of Fire: The controversial project to build a church in a residential neighborhood goes before the Planning Board on Sept. 17. 635 Lexington Ave., former Lee’s Hawaiian Islander: Attorney Bill Sala said plans are being drawn up for a strip mall that includes a restaurant. Provident Bank: Economic Development Director Harry Swanson said the foundation on this Lexington Ave. project is starting to go up. Former Capa D’Anno site: The real estate, law and financial building project is still being reviewed by the county, which is unhappy with the proposed curb cuts onto Lexington Ave., a county road. Another issue would be satisfying the Green Acres requirements so that the city can continue receiving its funding. Greco said that the city would likely leave the

current greenhouse intact. Tours and demonstrations would be offered to city students and scouts, which would then satisfy the Green Acres requirement.

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Beer Values

Liquor Values

Wine Values

Becks Reg-Light-Dark 24-12OZ NR . . . .$21.99 Corona Reg-Light 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . .$23.99 Heineken-Amstel 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . . $23.99 Guinness Pub Cans 24 14.9OZ . . . . . . . .$26.99 LaBatts Blue-Ice 12 24OZ CN . . . . . . . . . .$10.99 Bass Ale 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$24.99 Stella Artois 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . . . . . .$24.99 Zywiec 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$19.99 Coors Reg-Light 30 12OZ CN . . . . . . . . .$18.99 Miller Lite-MGD 30 12OZ CN . . . . . . . . .$18.99 Bud Reg-Light 24 12OZ CN . . . . . . . . . .$13.10 Yuengling Amber 24 12OZ NR . . . . . . . . . .$14.99 Rolling Rock 24 7OZ NR . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$8.99

Absolut Vodka 80pf 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . .$31.09 Smirnoff Vodka 80pf 1.75L . . . . . . . . . . .$20.00 Dewars White Label 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . .$29.09 Ketel One Vodka 80pf 1.75L . . . . . . . . . .$36.09 Bombay Gin 1.75L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$28.09 Stolichnaya Vodka 80pf 1.75 L . . . . . . . .$33.09 Jack Daniels 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$38.09 Seagrams 7 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$16.09 Hennessy VS 1.75L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$58.09 Seagrams Gin 1.75 L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$15.09 Jose Cuervo Gold-Classico 1.75 L . . . . . .$34.09 Capt Morgan Spiced Rum 1.75L . . . . . .$26.09 Bacardi Light-Dark Rum 1.75 L . . . . . . .$20.09

Kendall Jackson Chardonnay 750ml . . .$10.67 Simi Chardonnay 750ml . . . . . . . . . . . . .$13.00 J. Lohr Riverstone Cabernet 750ml . . . .$9.69 Rosenblum Zinf. Cuvee XXX 750ml . . . . .$7.68 Yellow Tail Shiraz-Chard 1.5L . . . . . . . .$11.09 Cavit Pinot Grigio 1.5L . . . . . . . . . . . . .$12.01 Mondavi Chard-Merlot-Cab. 1.5L . . . . .$10.33 Bella Sera Pinot Grigio 1.5L . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$10.09 Sutter Home Chardonnay 1.5L . . . . . . . .$8.09 Luna De Luna Pinot Grigio/Chard. 1.5L $13.33 Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio 750ml . . .$19.01 Beringer White Zinfandel 1.5L . . . . . . . . .$8.49 Sutter Home White Zinfandel 1.5L . . . . . .$6.69

Prices valid through 9/23/08

Prices effective through 9/23/08. Good only at Shoppers Vineyard in Clifton. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Prices do not include sales tax. Not responsible for typographical errors. No rainchecks. Limited to store inventory.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Even at an early age Coldwell Banker Realtors like Associate William Brady (pictured below at the Clifton Boys Club back in the day) were trained to be on the cutting edge of providing great service and savings! While the classic photo below is a hoot, William Brady has a specific business philosophy he practices daily: To market properties utilizing sound planning, professional ethics, persuasive skills, and a strong company support system. A Licensed Realtor since 1985, this life-long Clifton resident is a consistent multi-million dollar producer and is a full time professional. With two decades of service in the Passaic, Bergen and Essex market, William is knowledgeable in all aspects of real estateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;residential, commercial and investment properties.

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Election Day Nov. 4:

Meet the Candidates On Nov. 4, Clifton voters will have the opportunity to elect a Senator, a Congressman and two Passaic County Freeholders. Below, is a chart summarizing what residents will see on the ballot when they walk into the voting booth on Election Day. Interviews with the candidates are on the following pages.

A Voter’s Guide Office

Democrat

GOP

3rd Party

U.S. Senate from NJ Six-year term Salary: $169,300

Frank Lautenberg Senator 1983-2001, 200384 years old

Dick Zimmer Congressman 1991-1997 64 years old

Jason Scheurer (Lib.) Sara Lobman (SWP) Jeffrey Boss (Ind.) Daryl Mikell Brooks (I) J.M. Carter (Ind.)

U.S. House from NJ’s 8th Two-year term Salary: $169,300

Bill Pascrell Congressman 199771 years old

Roland Straten Retired engineer 67 years old

Derek DeMarco (Lib.)

Passaic County Freeholder Two three-year terms Salary: $28,500

Greyson Hannigan Interim Freeholder 200835 years old

Jerry Holt Retired from IBM 66 years old

Bruce James Freeholder 200657 years old

Michael Marotta PVWC employee 42 years old

Proud to Represent Clifton Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin State of New Jersey 1333 Broad St., Clifton, NJ 07013 office: 973-779-3125

www.assemblymangiblin.com 22

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September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Federal Mortgage Offers Senior Citizens A Reverse Mortgage We are proud to be named among the Top 100 Reverse Mortgage Lenders in the Nation For some 35 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. 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 24

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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

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Meet the Candidates

8th District Representative New Jerseyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eighth Congressional District contains all or portions of two counties and 21 municipalities, including Clifton. Like every other seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Eighth District position comes up for election every two years. Writer Jordan Schwartz interviewed the two candidates, Bill Pascrell and Roland Straten.

Bill Pascrell (D) Bill Pascrell, 71, says he has done a lot for Clifton during his previous six terms as congressman and he plans to do even more if re-elected. In June, he announced the completion of a $27 million construction project on Van Houten Ave. The project included replacing the bridge over Rt. 46 and adding acceleration and deceleration lanes to the highway. New traffic lights, curbs, signs and sidewalks were also added as part of the project.

As a former decade-long member of the House Transportation Committee, the congressman earmarked $13 million specifically towards this $140 million project. However, the construction hit a few snags and wound up taking longer than expected. Pascrell was in touch with the New Jersey Department of Transportation and attempted to speed up the project. In May 2008, the Congressman worked with NJDOT Commissioner Kris Kolluri to include the Rt. 3/Rt. 46/Valley Rd./Notch Rd. interchange

project in Clifton as a top priority in the Proposed Capital Transportation Program 10-year plan. It was originally listed in a second tier and Pascrell earmarked almost $10 million towards this $140 million project. Also that month, the politician hosted a ceremony at CHS with the Clifton Veterans Remembrance Committee to announce that

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Election Day Nov. 4

“We’ve got to get off foreign oil and fossil fuels. We can’t wean ourselves off of oil in two years, but we need to begin the process.” – Democratic Congressman Bill Pascrell he secured a rare relic from the USS Arizona. In May, he also hosted officials from the Small Business Administration as well as local and county officials for a tour of businesses in Lakeview. Two months later, Clifton was one of five towns to take part in the politician’s first ever Telephone Town Hall Meeting which drew more than 3,800 participants. As for the future, Pascrell said, if re-elected, he’d like to continue concentrating on abolishing the alternative minimum tax, which would affect many Cliftonites. “It

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

is affecting people that it was never intended to affect,” he said. “Many people are being trapped.” Pascrell said many Clifton residents are also being impacted by problems with health care. “Your health coverage shouldn’t depend on how deep your pockets are,” said the Congressman, who also wants to continue to lower interest rates on student loans, so more students can go to college. Pascrell said he is not a big advocate of the voucher system, like his opponent. “Money should not be siphoned off the public schools because then you’ll create more

taxes,” said the former high school teacher and college professor. On the topic of the War in Iraq, he says it’s time to start bringing American troops home. Pascrell also supports taking 10 percent of the oil out of the national reserve and putting it back into the market, but he’s strongly

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Election Day Nov. 4

“[Construction] projects like at the intersection of Van Houten Ave. and Rt. 46 in Clifton that go on for years [waste money]. No private company would allow that to happen.” – Republican Candidate Roland Straten against drilling off the shore of New Jersey. The congressman is in favor of increasing tax incentives to invest in alternative sources of fuel like wind and nuclear. “We’ve got to get off foreign oil and fossil fuels,” he said. “We can’t wean ourselves off of oil in two years, but we need to begin the process.”

Roland Straten (R) Roland Straten, 67, wants to bring to Congress some of the skills he’s developed as a businessman and engineer over the past 37 years. “I think we have too many attorneys and full-time politicians in Congress,” he said. Straten, who has lived in Montclair since 1969, has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Duke University and owned Associated Fire Protection in Paterson for nearly four decades until he recently turned the business over to his son. “I was always kind of toying with running for office in Montclair, but I had to give the business 100 percent,” said Straten. “I feel that if you’re going to run for office, you have to be able to do it full-time and I can now that I’m retired.” Despite the fact that he has no real political experience, the Wayne 28

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

High School (now Wayne Valley) grad has been involved in the community. He worked on a number of local campaigns, served as ViceChairman of the Montclair Redevelopment Agency, chaired the Paterson Chamber of Commerce, and was Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 13. As a former small business owner, Straten knows the effect irresponsible government spending can have on taxes. He said one of the places where money has been wasted is in construction. “Projects like at the intersection of Van Houten Ave. and Rt. 46 in Clifton that go on for years,” he explained. “No private company would allow that to happen.” Straten said money has also been squandered when dealing with Abbott school districts, such as Clifton neighbors Paterson and Passaic. “The state spent $8 billion on Abbott Districts and they borrowed $4 billion more and that money has just been totally wasted,” said Straten, who once served as Chair of the Board at Memorial Day, a nursery school in Paterson. The father of three is a big supporter of school vouchers, which are certificates given out by the government that parents can use to

pay for their children’s education at a school of their choice, instead of the public school where they are assigned to go. “It would totally give the power of where the child is educated to the parent, and if the school was doing a lousy job, it would not have any students, and if it was doing a good job, it would be overpopulated and there would be incentive to build,” he said. As far as other national issues go, Straten wants to improve the economy by lowering taxes and cutting bloated government programs. He believes in staying the course in Iraq and implementing a phased withdrawal of troops based on success, not pre-planned timetables. Straten is in favor of offshore drilling and a commitment to becoming energy independent. The candidate would also support a “whole life” health care system in which individuals contributed to a coverage plan starting when they were young to create equity for medical needs later on in life.

Meet the Candidates

Passaic County Freeholder Passaic County is governed by seven freeholders who are elected at large for three-year terms on a staggered basis. This year, two seats are up for grabs on the board, which is currently filled by all Democrats. Writers Joe Hawrylko and Jordan Schwartz interviewed the four candidates who are lined up to compete for the two open spots.

Michael Marotta (R) Michael Marotta became so fed up with what’s going on in the county that he decided to get involved. “I picked up the phone and called County Republican Chairman Scott Rumana and asked him what I had to do to run for freeholder,” said Marotta, who knows the former Wayne mayor from his time in town. “We need to really stabilize taxes and stop the runaway spending,” said the political newcomer. “It just seems like [the current freeholders] are spending freely and nobody’s controlling it at all.” Recent budget woes have forced freeholders to slash 250 county jobs, including about 150 in the sheriff’s department. “They should have never had to lay off that many people. I’d say that was really a mismanagement of funds,” said Marotta, who added

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that he was against the freeholders’ plan to sell the county golf course. While he is passionate about county-wide topics, the Wayne resident admits that he isn’t as knowledgeable on local matters. “I don’t really know about issues in Clifton,” he said. “Nobody’s come and talked to us.” Maybe that’s why Marotta believes freeholders should be elected by wards instead of atlarge, so that all parts of the county are represented. Currently, six of the county’s 16 municipalities are represented on the Board, spread out from the county’s rural north, across its suburban center, and all the way down to its urban south. But while a good cross-section of communities may be represented, the entire Freeholder Board is made up of Democrats, something Marotta feels is not good for the county.

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“Hopefully we can get a couple Republicans in there,” he said. But the Passaic Valley Water Commission employee knows it’s going to be a difficult to break the opposing party’s run of dominance. “It’s really going to be up to the people of Passaic County to decide who should be in there,” he said. “It’s happened before, maybe it’s time for a change again.” Marotta grew up in West Paterson and Totowa, graduating Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls in 1983. He attended Morris County College for two semesters but dropped out to begin his 24-year career at the PVWC, where he currently works as the general supervisor of maintenance.

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Election Day Nov. 4

“We need to really stabilize taxes and stop the runaway spending. It just seems like [the current freeholders] are spending freely and nobody’s controlling it at all.” – Republican Candidate Michael Marotta Marotta lives in Wayne with his wife Denise, who works at a nursery school in Little Falls. They have three children, Corinne, 16, Jaclyn, 14, and Michelle, 10.

Jerry Holt (R) According to Jerry Holt, the Democrats—who have had a strangle hold on county politics for some time now—are to blame for the annual budget increases. “We need a change. I hate for people to spend my money, and I especially hate for people to spend my money foolishly, and that’s what the Democrats are doing right now,” said Holt. “There’s a problem when you have all of your representatives from the same party.” To prove his point, Holt came prepared with documents that detailed county spending between 2000 and 2007. In that time span, Clifton’s tax share has gone up 77 percent, from $28 million to $51 million. Highlighted on the sheets was parks and recreation spending, which had gone from $780,000 annually to $2,464,790. Holt says Weasel Brook Park in Dutch Hill didn’t see a drop of that funding bump. “When there are problems like the park here, and [the freeholders] don’t take action, it’s either because they’re inept, ineffective, or don’t care,” explained Holt. 30

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Much of that money for recreation, according to Holt, went towards the Passaic County Golf Course. The county links, which had been operating in the red, was slated for sale last year but was ultimately pulled off the market. The Ringwood resident says there are plenty of other leaks on the county’s ship. Frivolous spending is the norm, says Holt. Passaic County Technical Institute, located in Wayne, educates some 2,300 students on its campus. The county-funded facility has eight police cars at its disposal, in addition to security guards on campus. “We’ve got a Sheriff’s Dept. that could patrol that area,” said Holt. “Some towns are complaining that they are patrolling in their turf. Why do we need security there? “It’s similar to the Sheriff’s Department—if you ask the Freeholders where is this $7.5 million going towards in PCTI, they couldn’t tell you,” Holt added, referring to the current funding the school receives, which went up from about $2.3 million in 2000. “They would tell you growth in employees or staff position, stuff like that.” When the Sheriff’s Department had its numbers slashed, Holt says the freeholders did not take into consideration where those cuts were being made.

“The freeholders are too hands off,” explained Holt. “In looking at the Sheriff’s Department, they had no idea what the sheriff was doing to employ his resources. “They don’t do any research,” he claimed. “They don’t know what’s going on in the county. Department heads come in and ask for increases and they get it.” The lack of planning and foresight by the freeholders is what Holt says led the the budget scare last year, during which the county borrowed $10 million. “They did end the year with a $24 million surplus, including the $10 million,” he said. Holt claims that the emergency appropriation was done so that the loan could be repaid outside of the budget. “Instead of just a four percent increase, the repay is an exception to that,” he added. “We’re almost at an eight percent increase this year.” The Preakness Healthcare Center is another area of concern for the former councilman and mayor from Ringwood. Holt alleges that construction on the second facility has gone way beyond its projected cost.

“When there are problems like the park here [Weasel Brook], and [the freeholders] don’t take action, it’s either because they’re inept, ineffective or don’t care.” – Republican Candidate Jerry Holt “Preakness Hospital started out as a project that was supposed to be $30 million,” he said. “Right now, before it opens, it’s expected to cost over $100 million. A lot of that has come from change orders. “What happens, more often than not, is the contractor who is in there gets it without competitive bidding,” he claimed. Holt, who ran for Freeholder last year and lost by about 3,500 votes, hopes that runaway spending by the county will swing the balance back to the Republican side this fall. However, he admits it will be an uphill battle. “Whatever we do this year is overshadowed with Obama

on the ticket. It’s much more challenging across,” he said. “If we get our message across, we’ve got a good chance. But they still have got money to do a lot of mass mailings, and we’ve got money for one or two.” Holt thinks that Clifton—which pays the second highest amount in taxes to the county—could potentially decide the race. “I think Clifton, because it’s one of the larger towns, bears the brunt of the inefficiency of county government,” he said. “The bottom line for Clifton is that residents need to ask themselves, ‘Are we getting value from the county government?’”

Bruce James (D) In looking back on his three years as a Passaic County Freeholder, Bruce James feels that he’s had a successful term. “I pretty much did what I said I was going to do,” said the Cliftonite, who chairs the Energy and Sustainability Committee that he helped establish. The Committee is looking into cogeneration

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Election Day Nov. 4

“The greatest expense we have is the Sheriff’s Department and that’s the same for most places. The Republicans have screamed about his staff for years.” – Democratic Freeholder Bruce James technology to power parts of Wayne, including the new Preakness Medical Center. James said freeholders have pledged a resolution to lower the county’s carbon footprint. New county buildings will be Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEEDS) compliant, and will reduce operating costs in the long run. But during his tenure, James has also had his share of controversy and criticism. For some residents, his name is still synonymous with his poorly received letter last

September hoping to get party faithful together to “change Clifton’s government to a partisan one.” “That was a political reaction to a political letter. I’m a Democrat,” said James. “I think Clifton should be partisan because it’s cheaper. There’s three towns that aren’t (Clifton, Passaic and Paterson) and they’re the ones having the hardest time doing anything.” James, who said he was acting as a Clifton Democratic party leader and not a freeholder when he penned the letter, said he thinks that

it’s the Republicans that are afraid of the change. “If I got elected in May by a handful of people in the election, I’d probably want to do it too,” he said. “But it costs the city more money and there are vast portions of the population that don’t get represented from vast areas of town.”

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September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

1416

James was also a part of the Freeholders Board, when it was faced with a budget ‘deficit’ at the end of last year. When the county wanted to borrow $10 million to cover a shortage, James voted against it. The county ended up with a $24 million surplus at the end of the year, including the loan, which will be paid off this year. The freeholders have also come under fire for the ways they’ve tried to slash the budget. “The greatest expense we have is the Sheriff’s Department and that’s the same for most places. The Republicans have screamed about his staff for years,” James said. “It was the $9 million in salaries—the 150 people—and that’s what we saved out of the budget. “Government in general, we all have the same problems,” added James, who said he is a big supporter of law enforcement. “We all have to do more with less.” However, James insists that any time they’ve been forced into budget cuts, it is done with proper research. “The Passaic County Jail has always been overcrowded, even if you took away the prisoners [from Philadephia],” he said. “I’m going to rely on a professional to tell me what the jail needs to run very well under tough conditions. It’s a very old building.” With the county strapped for funding, that means less money for other projects. James, a Delawanna resident, says that while he is aware of the poor condition of Weasel Brook Park, it’s a matter of priorities. “It’s a limited budget and it’s like street paving. The engineers go out and tell what’s in the worst shape and what needs to get done,” explained James. “You have to pick and choose what the priority is.” However, James suggested there is a way Clifton can help itself. “If you create a non-profit, there’s nothing that says you can’t have a Friends of Weasel Brook. They’re able to apply themselves for Green Acres funding,” said James, who said the county usually authorizes Clifton’s requests for funding. Getting money into Clifton to improve the economy is something that James hopes to accomplish if elected for a second term. “The economic health of Clifton is a biggie to the county because of the ratables,” he said. “If they lose their tax base, so does the county, and you can’t have that.” He wants to develop attractions for visitors to see in Botany Village and Lakeview. James singled out restoring Dundee Island as a nature walkway, among other things, as a way to attract visitors and shoppers.

“Restaurants are the answers, not bars,” he said when talking about Botany Village. “If it’s a good restaurant, it brings people in. We’ll work with any town that wants to do that. We’ve done it with Pompton Lakes and Wanaque. “I think that Clifton’s got a very good shot at coming back economically,” explained James, who wants to get the county’s new grant writer to focus on Clifton. “We’re by the highways and the river. There’s things we can do to draw people in here, but I think it’s going to take a cooperative effort.”

Greyson Hannigan (D) Though relatively new, Freeholder Greyson P. Hannigan — appointed to the position on June 2 to replace Elease Evans, now an assemblywoman — seems to handle criticism from his competitors like a seasoned politician. “It’s easy to be against something all the time, but what is Jerry Holt for?” said Hannigan, when told of his opponent’s critiques on the Board’s spending. “Republicans keep saying, ‘We’ve got to cut, we’ve got to cut,’ and when we do, they complain about what knife we used. “We’re trying to do what is right for the taxpayers in this tough economic time,” continued the selfemployed lawyer from Paterson. “Everything rolls downhill—you can’t take a trillion dollars out of the economy and think it’s going to be okay.”

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Election Day Nov. 4

“Republicans keep saying, ‘We’ve got to cut, we’ve got to cut,’ and when we do, they complain about what knife we used.” – Interim Democratic Freeholder Greyson Hannigan With the fledgling economy and President Bush’s tax cuts, the amount of funding available to local governments is limited, according to Hannigan. He said that means freeholders must do more with less. “Thank God Congressman Bill Pascrell was able to keep certain programs,” Hannigan added. Hannigan’s chief concern is making sure there are plenty of social services available to the public. “You probably hear this from a lot of people who are politicians,” he explained. “But I believe that politics are one of the best ways to make effective and positive change that will help people.” Hannigan has spent most of his life working in public service. A native of Jamaica, he has worked for Congressmen Pascrell and served as the assistant prosecutor for Passaic and Essex counties. Hannigan’s role as freeholder, he says, is to make sure the money they have goes to help residents.

“Grants come from the state, and pretty much go out to help people in the community,” he said. “Second language issues, job training issues... the state sends grants down to each county for us to put that into the community to change people’s lives. We make them better, productive people in society so that we all benefit.” If elected to his own term, Hannigan feels the economy is one of the first things that should be dealt with. More specifically, he would like to see abandoned and unused buildings utilized. “We could use funds from Brownfields Initiative to make sure there are no contaminants and transition it to reuse,” said Hannigan. Another way he’d like to stimulate the economy would be by involving more local business owners. “We have a Work Investment Board, which needs more business people in the community who actually advise the board on what’s needed in the community,” said Hannigan.

However, he concedes that many people are unwilling to add volunteer work to their already busy schedules. Hannigan thinks investing in existing projects, like the Passaic County Golf Course, is one way to increase revenue for the county. Hannigan is also open to thinking outside the box to cut costs. “Shared agreements with municipalities to split the cost would benefit Clifton,” he said, mentioning how other cities have fueled their municipal cars through plans with the county. “It’s the little stuff, like projects that we may be able to share our costs with,” Hannigan added. “We have to look at stuff like that. It may not be a lot, but at the end of the day, money is money.”

valid until 11/10/08

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Meet the Candidates

President of the United States of America When asked whether they’re voting for John McCain or Barack Obama, many citizens often respond, “Do I have to vote for either of them?” Well, no, you don’t. Here is the entire list of candidates for President of the United States of America, including third party and independent candidates. The President is elected to a four-year term, with a limit of two terms and receives an annual salary of $400,000.

Barack Obama Democratic Party Obama, 47, is the junior senator from Illinois. He has been in office since 2005. Visit barackobama.com.

John McCain Republican Party McCain, 72, is the senior senator from Arizona. He has been in office since 1987. Visit johnmccain.com.

Ted Weill Reform Party Weill, 83, is a businessman from Tylertown, Mississippi. Visit reformpartyusa.org.

Chuck Baldwin Constitution Party Baldwin, 56, is a pastor and conservative political activist from Florida. Visit baldwin08.com.

Cynthia McKinney Green Party McKinney, 53, is a former Congresswoman from Georgia. Visit votetruth08.com.

Bob Barr Libertarian Party Barr, 59, is a former Congressman and U.S. Attorney from Georgia. Visit bobbarr2008.com.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Charles Jay Boston Tea Party Jay, 48, is a former boxing manager and spokesman from Florida. Visit cj08.com.

Gloria La Riva Party for Socialism & Liberation La Riva, 54, is a socialist and antiwar and immigrant rights activist from California. Visit pslweb.org.

Gene Amondson Prohibition Party Amondson, 65, is a temperance lecturer and minister from Washington. Visit prohibitionists.org.

Frank McEnulty New American Independent Party McEnulty is President and CFO of Our Castle Homes from California. Visit frankforpresident.org.

Brian Moore Socialist Party USA Moore, 65, is an anti-war activist from Spring Hill, Florida. Visit votesocialist2008.org.

Roger Calero Socialist Workers Party Calero, 39, is a Nicaraguan American journalist from Newark. Visit socialistworker.org.

Alan Keyes Independent Keyes, 58, is a political activist, author and former diplomat. Visit americasrevival.com.

Ralph Nader Independent Nader, 74, is an attorney, author, lecturer, and political activist. Visit votenader.org.

Other independent candidates who have registered with the Federal Election Commission for the 2008 presidential campaign include Kelcey Wilson (wilson2008.com), Donald Allen, Richard Clark, Jon Greenspon, Brad LordLeutwyler and Ruth Bryant White. Candidates who have not yet registered are Jackson Kirk Grimes, Frank Moore, Steve Kissing and Tom Millican. Source: Wikipedia.org September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

School’s Back in Session

Changes on the way for this year and beyond • by Jordan Schwartz New Clifton Schools Superintendent Richard Tardalo has held the position for just two months and already changes are being seen in the district. Five buildings have new principals this year, including four that were hired in-house. “It doesn’t hurt to let people know that you’re looking inside,” said Tardalo, who added that the district has hired from outside Clifton as well. “It’s good to know that you can climb the ladder in town.” Jimmie Warren, who has been principal at Christopher Columbus Middle School since 2004, takes over for Tardalo as the top administrator at Clifton High School. Meanwhile, Mark Tietjen replaces Warren at CCMS. At the elementary level, former Little Falls principal Jennifer Montesano is the new leader at School 15, pushing David Montroni to School 4 and Luca Puzzo to School 1. Puzzo takes over for Leslie Mozulay, who was let go after just one year at the Park Slope building.

©2008 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Coldwell Banker is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Owned and Operated by NRT LLC. If your property is currently listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. It is not our intention to solicit the offerings of other real estate brokers. We are happy to work with them and cooperate fully.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Tietjen may have the toughest job of all as CCMS attempts to rebound after failing to meet Adequate Yearly Progress standards last year. Tardalo said a Readers/Writers Workshop will be put in place at the middle school level in the fall of 2009 in an effort to improve test scores. But double periods are needed to effectively implement the program and so class scheduling with be altered so that children will have enough time to read, write and edit with their peers. “The philosophy is that the student is an active learner and the teacher is the facilitator,” said the superintendent. Another way in which Tardalo hopes to improve student performance is through technology. By the spring, the school chief would like parents of students in sixth to twelfth grade to be able to access their child’s report card online.

Further down the road, the district may also provide internet access to homework and attendance data, and possibly even grade books if teachers okay the proposal in their next contract, which will be negotiated next summer. It’s all part of the new superintendent’s five-year strategic plan that he will present in the middle of this school year. “The long range goal is to get as much information as possible out to parents,” said Tardalo. “The more information that parents have, the more support we’ll get from them.” Support often means money and taxpayers might have to shell out some more cash with the pending requirement to create a pre-school program in the district. The state is initially supposed to provide funding but it could become another unfunded mandate. “We’re going to have a pilot program of 80 to 100 students in 2009, but eventually we will have all students in pre-school,” said the superintendent, who added that additions on some schools may be needed in a few years in order to accommodate the younger kids. This follows the recent implementation of full-day kindergarten, which has already caused more of a space crunch at the elementary schools. Last year, kindergartners at Schools 3, 13 and 14 were forced to take classes at the Boys & Girls Club because it was said that there wasn’t enough space to house the program at the elementary buildings. However, Tardalo said room has been found so that all kindergartners will be located in their own elementary schools this year. September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Same Faces, Different Places Four of Clifton’s five new school principals aren’t new at all

Name: Luca Puzzo New Job: School 1 Principal 158 Park Slope Old Job: School 4 Principal Bio: Puzzo was the principal at School 4 for 12 years and the first assistant principal there for two. Before that, he taught social studies at CCMS for eight years.

Name: Dr. David Montroni New Job: School 4 Principal 194 West Second Street Old Job: School 15 Principal Bio: Montroni was School 15’s principal for 10 years. Prior to that, he was the business administrator and assistant superintendent in Bergen County and Livingston.

Name: Jennifer Montesano New Job: School 15 Principal 700 Gregory Avenue Old Job: Principal in Little Falls Bio: Montesano, 30, was a principal in Little Falls for two years before coming to Clifton. Prior to that, she was a V.P. in Sparta and a teacher in Montville for six years.

Name: Jimmie Warren New Job: CHS Principal Old Job: CCMS Principal Bio: Warren has been CCMS principal since 2004. He’s been a principal for 14 years and was a school superintendent for 12, previously serving as assistant schools superintendent in New York. In 2006, the Clifton BOE voted not to renew his contract but reinstated him a month later.

Name: Mark Tietjen New Job: CCMS Principal Old Job: CCMS Vice Principal Bio: Tietjen, 50, was Christopher’s V.P. for four years. Prior to that, he taught special education and social studies at WWMS. Tietjen is a CHS ’76 and William Paterson College graduate. He and his wife have three children, including two at Clifton High School.

Name: Tommie Patterson New Job: Boys Basketball Coach Old Job: Eastside Assistant Coach Bio: Patterson, 38, is a Kennedy H.S. and William Paterson Univ. grad. Between 1999 and 2006, he led Paterson Catholic to a 135-43 record. During the ’06-’07 season, he was the head coach at Eastside before being demoted to assistant due to problems with his certification.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Fall Sports’08 Tennis

Stories by Jordan Schwartz and Joe Hawrylko Just one year after their stunning and mostly unexpected state championship season in 2006, the Fighting Mustangs came crashing back to reality. What happened? “We might have had a little bit of a championship hangover,” said Head Coach Ron Anello, who is entering his fifth season at the helm of the Mustangs. “We had the kids; it just didn’t happen.” The Mustangs came into 2007 with a very young and inexperienced squad, compared to their championship team and it showed, as they went 3-7. However, with another year under their belts and some of the pressure removed, the ’Stangs can bounce back in a big way in 2008. As it has always has been under Anello’s tenure, the Fighting Mustangs will feature a run-heavy offense that utilizes the wing-t.

To run an attack like that, the team must have a wealth of running backs. To Anello’s credit, he’ll have a hard time choosing who to send out on game day. The two backs that will most likely receive the bulk of the carries are seniors and three-year starters Franklin Duran and Al-Aziz Pitts. Other backs include varsity tested juniors Nicky Giordano and Mike Chiavetta, as well as transfer Joe Tahan. In the trenches, senior stalwarts Donte Glenn (right tackle) and Tamir Dayya (center) will be clearing lanes for the runners. The three-year starters will have plenty of depth surrounding them, as many of the offensive linemen play on defense as well. Junior George Grosz seems to have played his way into the right guard position. Senior Malcom

Mustangs

Football Sept 12

at Wayne Valley

7:00 pm

Sept 27

at Teaneck

7:00 pm

Oct 3

Hackensack

7:00 pm

Oct 10

Bergen Tech

7:00 pm

Oct 18

at Eastside Paterson 1:00 pm

Oct 25

at Montclair

1:00 pm

Oct 31

Ridgewood

7:00 pm

Nov 7

Bergen Catholic

7:00 pm

Nov 27

at Passaic

10:00 am

Carter and junior Bryant Minuche will battle it out for the other spot. Don’t discount Jake Gebbia, a junior who is able to play multiple positions on the line. The battle at the always important left tackle position will include seniors Yousef Kiyat, Mahmoud Ramadan and sophomore Tom Trommelen. September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

“We’re a little bit of both,” said Anello, commenting on his team’s physical strengths. “We’re happy with the speed of the kids, and they’ve got some size.” Three-year letterman Khalid Pitts will be the go-to tight end this season. But since Anello will often use two tight ends in his formations, senior Craig Ferrara and junior Nick Van Winkle will be sure to see plenty of time on the field. The wide outs only feature one returning letterman in senior Arnaldo Henriquez. Beyond that,

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

it’s all newcomers, but Anello has been pleased so far with senior Jorge Romero and sophomore Alex Alicea, who he praised for having a good camp. Junior Corey Meyer made the switch from tight end and has played well too. The biggest question mark for the offense is who will be receiving the snaps. As of the time of this publication, Anello said that there was no clear cut leader for quarterback. Junior Kevin Meade leads the hunt, and will see most of his competition from junior transfers

Keith Champagne (Eastside) and Shane Murphy (East Orange). However, Anello mentioned that sophomore Max Egyded has been in the thick of things, and that freshman Pat Ferrara has been turning heads in camp. “The good thing is that we’ve got a lot of guys just pushing each other,” said Anello. “You can’t take a break. There’s lots of kids doing good jobs.” On the opposite side of the ball, Anello plans to use many of his starters both ways. With so many athletes able to play offense or defense, the coach figures that depth will be one of the team’s main strengths this year. If a guy gets tired, another steps right in. The defense will be running out of a 4-4, which should maximize the use of the linebackers, traditionally Clifton’s strong point on defense during Anello’s tenure. Khalid Pitts and Grosz will be the two ends on the line. Dante Glenn will be at DT and Dayya is able to play all line positions. Senior Ray Lewis and junior Yzan Khalil will figure into the rotation. The backers, which Anello said are interchangeable, include Duran, Al Pitts, Giordano, Van Winkle and juniors Danny Bartlett and Craig Pitts. Defensive backs include Mike Chiavetta, his sophomore brother Joe, Tahan, and seniors Nick Estrella and Nathan and Nathaniel Howard. Senior Nelson Tejada will kick and junior Matt CapoKnoll is the punter. “The league is tough; you can win a lot and you can lose a lot,” concluded Anello. “We’ve got to play every week.”

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Seniors on the girls soccer team include, front row: from left, Julianna Natale, Jamie Lisanti, Alyssa Robinson and Adriana Daley. Back row: Tina Cordova, Elise Burnett, Alexandra Gonzalez and Stephanie Cantillo. Not pictured: Lianne Maldonado.

With 12 returning starters back from last year’s Passaic County co-championship squad, the girls soccer team has a great chance of making a deep run in the state tournament this fall. “High school sports are cyclical and this is the climax of this cycle,” said Head Coach Dan Chilowicz, now in his third year. The Lady Mustangs are led by senior All-State goalie Lianne Maldonado, who made 115 saves and had a 0.80 goals against average in 2007. But the 5’10” Maldonado is so talented that she’s a member of the

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

U.S. National team’s pool of players, which Chilowicz says creates an “underlying tension” for Clifton. “She can be called up at any time to play for them,” said the coach. If that happens, 5’1” sophomore Erica Baez would replace Maldonado in goal. Chilowicz said she played well in her one varsity start against Wall last season. The possible instability in net means the defense will have to be that much stronger. Seniors Alyssa Robinson (second team All-State), who many consider the best defender in the County, and Alexandra Gonzalez

(second team All-County) are the centerpiece of the last line and will be switching off at sweeper and left back in the 4-3-3. Sophomore Shannon Seidzik and senior Stephanie Cantillo will switch off at right back, while second team All-League junior Michelle Ferrara will play the stopper. Sophomores Rachel Anzalone and Michelle Lima may also see some time on defense. In the midfield, second team All-League senior Elise Burnett gets the assignment at center with sophomore Itati Aburto acting as her understudy. Second team All-League junior Vanessa Pinto and sophomore Jamilla Hameid will play on the right side of the midfield line, while senior Adriana Daley, who

Volleyball missed last season with an ACL injury, will be on the right. The three starting forwards, from left to right, will be second team All-League senior Julianna Natale (7 goals in 2007), second team AllCounty senior Jamie Lisanti (6g), and sophomore Megan Ferrara. They’ll have to make up for the loss of senior captain Holly Sieradzki, who scored 14 goals and added seven assists last year. Sophomore Shivaun Vogas, sister of former boys soccer standout Frank Vogas, will also get some playing time on the offensive end, along with senior Kristina Cordova (7g), once she returns from an ACL injury. Chilowicz is also considering giving Cantillo some minutes on the offensive end because of her “quick first step.” The Lady Mustangs, who were 13-4-4 last year, have a very ambitious schedule in 2008 with independent games against Morris County powerhouses Randolph and

Morristown, as well as Kearny from Hudson County and last year’s nationally ranked squad at IHA. Clifton also plays two tough schools, Paramus Catholic and Bridgewater, in an 18-hour span at the beginning of October. That stretch should be a good midseason indicator as to how far the team is capable of going in States. Last year, the Lady Mustangs earned the top seed in the North 1, Group 4 playoffs, but they were quickly ousted in their first contest by ninth-seeded Morris Knolls, 10, on a controversial penalty kick with three minutes remaining in regulation. Chilowicz, who’s 25-9-4 in his career at Clifton, said that loss left a bad taste in the girls’ mouths, creating extra motivation for this season. “I can’t control wins and losses,” he said. “I can only control what the players get out of the experience.”

Mustangs

Soccer Sept 2

at Indian Hills

4:00 pm

Sept 4

Watchung Hills

4:00 pm

Sept 6

at Montgomery

Sept 8

2:00 pm Lacrosse at Ramapo 4:00 pm

Sept 10

Chatham

4:00 pm

Sept 12

at IHA

4:00 pm

Sept 15

at Morristown

4:00 pm

Sept 17

JP Stevens

Sept 20

at Kearny

Sept 22

at Paramus

4:00 pm

Sept 24

Hackensack

4:00 pm

Sept 26

Teaneck

4:00 pm

Oct 1

at Ridgewood

4:15 pm

Oct 3

at Paramus Catholic 4:00 pm

Oct 4

Bridgewater

4:00 pm Cross Country

Golf

10:00 am

Oct 6

at Bergen Tech

4:00 pm

Oct 10

Eastside Paterson

4:00 pm

Oct 14

Belleville

4:00 pm

Oct 16

at Nutley

4:00 pm

Oct 21

Bloomfield

4:00 pm

Oct 22

Randolph

4:00 pm

Oct 28

at Montclair

4:00 pm

Oct 30

Holy Angels

4:00 pm

R.F. K NAPP C ONSTRUCTION Cross Country C OMPLETE E XTERIOR H OME C ONTRACTOR Roofing • Siding • Gutters & Leaders • Windows

14 Pilgrim Dr. • Clifton

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Brothers Don and Rich Knapp September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

At PCCC’s Paulison Ave. Campus, Classes Start Sept. 11 Life is a journey but going to Passaic County Community College does not have to be. Now with the opening of a new campus on 2 Paulison Ave., PCCC offers educational opportunities in Passaic, Wanaque, Wayne and the Main Paterson campus. “We are delighted to offer the people of Clifton, Passaic and neighboring communities the outstanding and affordable educational opportunities of Passaic County Community College in a conveniently located, state-of-the art facility,” College President Dr. Steven Rose said of the new PAC. The Passaic Academic Center (PAC) contains allnew classrooms, science and computer laboratories, and lecture halls equipped with the latest technology. When completed later this year, the campus will be home to PCCC’s acclaimed Nurse Education Program and offer a wide range of other degree and certificate programs. The curriculum includes general college courses in English, math, psychology, computers and more. Also offered are English As A Second Language and the Basic Skills Program in reading, writing and math. In addition, the Continuing Education/Workforce Development department offers non-credit lifelong learning opportunities, such as Preparation for U.S. Citizenship, How to Start Your Own Business, and English for the Workplace, among others.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Josephine Hernandez, Vice President of the Passaic Academic Center, (PAC) is the person students & visitors to the new Passaic Campus may first meet.

In-person registration is ongoing and multi-lingual counselors and advisors are on hand to provide assistance. Also, potential applicants can find out more about courses, tutoring, financial aid, and placement testing by just stopping by to discuss the options. They will also find out that credits earned at PCCC are affordable and transferable. Ample parking facilities are available and the campus is easily accessible by public transportation.

These eight athletes hope to lead the CHS boys soccer team to another state championship. Back row, from left, Milton Gutierrez, Oscar Gonzalez, Steven Castro and Ryan Ware. Front row, from left, Jan Kutarnia, Brian Kopitar, Johnny Lopez and Tom Fraczek.

The boys soccer team graduated 11 players from last year’s state championship squad, but Head Coach Joe Vespignani thinks the Mustangs still have a great shot at defending their crown. “We have a good combination of physical play and technical play,” said the coach, now in his seventh season. Clifton returns sophomore forward Oscar Gonzalez, who tied for the team lead in scoring last year with 12 goals. Other athletes competing for spots on the front line include senior Johnny Lopez, sophomore Igor Petrovic and senior Brian Kopitar, who scored a big goal during the county tournament in 2007. Senior Jan Kutarnia will lead the midfield attack, along with classmate Esteven Gutierrez, who scored the equalizer in the Group 4 final, which ended in a 1-1 draw with Manalapan.

Senior defender Ryan Ware (2 goals, 4 assists in 2007) anchors the defense along with fellow six-footer Steven Castro. Senior Tom Frazcek, who was the understudy to goalie Chris Kosciolek last year, will start in net this season, but sophomore Anthony Tsounikas may also see some time as well. Tsounikas was part of the freshman team that went undefeated and untied in 2007, something that Vespignani notes is very important to the success of Clifton soccer. “I think a lot of schools look at the freshman, the JV and the varsity as three separate teams, but we look at it as a program,” he said. “I think that was reflected last year when we had to replace two starters. I think if we learned anything from last year, it’s that talent only gets you so far, it’s really a matter of what you have inside.”

Mustangs

Soccer Sept 3

at Harrison

4:00 pm

Sept 6

at Millburn

1:00 pm

Sept 9

at Delbarton

4:00 pm

Sept 12

at St. Joseph’s Reg. 4:00 pm

Sept 15

Bergen Catholic

4:00 pm

Sept 17

Eastside Paterson

4:00 pm

Sept 19

at Kennedy

4:00 pm

Sept 22

Paramus

4:00 pm

Sept 24

Hackensack

4:00 pm

Sept 26

at Teaneck

4:00 pm

Oct 1

Ridgewood

4:00 pm

Oct 3

at Paramus Catholic 4:00 pm

Oct 6

Bergen Tech

Oct 8

at Don Bosco Prep 4:00 pm

Oct 10

at Passaic

3:00 pm

Oct 14

at Belleville

4:00 pm

Oct 16

Nutley

4:00 pm

Oct 21

at Bloomfield

4:00 pm

Oct 23

Barringer

4:00 pm

Oct 28

Montclair

4:00 pm

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Tennis Tennis Baseball Gymnastics

Football

Track Mustangs

Volleyball

The CHS volleyball team, front from left, Jessica Kosciolek, Natalia Dziubek, Dana Lyons, Emily Urciuoli and Alyssa Puzio. Middle: Kate Laszyn, Kelsey Wojdyla, Sylvia Zubek, Sofia Black-D’Elia and Madeline Prado. Third row: Jenn Moran, Andrea Espinosa, Christina Young, Brenda Slazyk and Diana Stanczak.

Girls volleyball Head Coach Mike Doktor has high expectations for this year. “We’re coming off a season where we were county champs and qualified for States and I think we’re going to be stronger than that this year,” he said. “I think the league and county are within our grasps.” In 2007, the 17-6 Lady Mustangs handed two-time defending champion Wayne Valley a rare loss against a Passaic County opponent in the tournament final, 17-25, 25-23, 25-19. Clifton returns seven players from the squad that won the school’s 12th county title. 48

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Seniors Madeline Prado (setter), Christina Young (opposite), and Jessica Kosciolek (outside hitter) are pretty much set in their roles, but the other starting positions remain up for grabs. Senior outside hitter Dana Lyons, junior libero Sylvia Zubek, junior setter Natalia Dziubek, and senior middle hitter Brenda Slazyk have a leg up on the other girls because they were on the team last season. But eight newcomers will also be competing for spots this fall. They are seniors Diana Stanczak (middle hitter) and Kate Lasyn (libero/outside hitter), as

Sept 4

Union Cath, Hnt Cen.4:00 pm

Sept 5

Dumont

Sept 12

Holy Angels

Sept 15

at IHA

Sept 16

at Verona

Sept 17

at Eastside Paterson 4:15 pm

Sept 19

Kennedy

Sept 20

Clifton Tournament 9:00 am

Sept 22

at Paramus

4:15 pm

Sept 24

at Hackensack

4:15 pm

Sept 25

at Teaneck

4:15 pm

Sept 27

Wayne Valley Tourn 9:00 am

Sept 29

Rutherford

4:15 pm

4:15 pm Soccer 4:15 pm 4:00 pm 4:15 pm

Lacrosse

Cross Country 4:15 pm

Oct 1

at Ridgewood

4:15 pm

Oct 2

Paramus Catholic

4:15 pm

Oct 3

at Demarest

4:15 pm

Oct 6

at Bergen Tech

4:15 pm

Oct 9

Passaic

4:15 pm

Oct 14

Belleville

4:15 pm

Oct 16

at Nutley

4:15 pm

Oct 17

at Wayne Valley

4:15 pm

Oct 21

Bloomfield

4:15 pm

Oct 23

Barringer

4:15 pm

Oct 28

at Montclair

4:15 pm

Oct 29

County Semis

6:00 pm

Nov 1

at County Final

7:00 pm

Golf

well as juniors Emily Urciuoli (outside hitter), Andrea Espinoza (opposite), Alyssa Puzio (outside hitter), Kelsey Wojydala (libero/setter), Jennifer Moran (opposite), and Sophia Black-D’Elia (outside hitter). Doktor says he has a solid all around team. “We’re very strong in our passing this year, we have solid hitters that can hit from every position, and we’re learning a brand new defensive system,” he said. “Even though they might be playing the same positions, they’re now playing in a different part of the court.” The coach said this is being done to make up for a loss of talent from last year’s team, which graduated three first team All-County players. That squad suffered a little bit of a letdown after its county win. Following a bye in the first round of the state tournament, the eighth-seeded Lady Mustangs fell to ninth-seeded North Hunterdon by a score of 2523, 25-17. Doktor hopes an abundance of leaders on this season’s team will result in a deeper run in States. “I have about five kids who could be captain and any one of ten kids could really be a leader if it were put to them,” he said. The coach added that while the recent broadcasts of Olympic volleyball may have been inspirational and fun to watch, he doesn’t think the girls will be able to emulate a whole lot of the skills they saw.

“That’s a level that’s so above anybody playing in New Jersey,” said Doktor. “You could tip the ball in international volleyball and get a kill because everyone’s waiting back for the hard spike, but tipping is common in our game.”

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September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Eloisa Paredes has big track sneakers to fill. The senior takes over this year as the top runner on the girls cross country team, replacing standout athlete Susan Martinez, who graduated in June. While Martinez was at Clifton High, the school’s cross country and track teams never failed to win at least a league title, capturing county crowns as well during her junior and senior years. But Head Coach John Pontes thinks Paredes, who was named All-County in 2007, is more than capable of leading the squad to its fifth consecutive NNJIL win. On the team this year, Paredes is followed by junior Holly Sorenson and seniors Kayla Santiago and Gracie Arias. Sorenson made first team All-League last season, while Santiago earned Honorable Mention. In all, there are 20 girls on the squad, including about 15 who are returning from last year.

Front row, from left, Priya Shah, Ana Carballo, Jillian Swisher and Sarah Mowaswes. Middle row: Ashley Philhower, Argelis Pena, Kerry Sorenson, Kayla Santiago and Daphne Bienkiewicz. Back row: Danielle Camacho, Aleah Elam, Eloisa Paredes and Dana Qasem.

“We were the county champions last fall and we seem to be one of the favorites again this year, but it will be determined by how well our JV runners from last year step up,” said Pontes.

The boys team returns a lot of experienced runners as well. “The fortunate thing is we have a lot of seniors, so we should have a reasonably successful year,” said the coach.

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Lacrosse Mustangs

Cross Country Sept 12

Passaic/Eastside

Sept 16

at Kennedy/Montclair 4:00 pm

Sept 23

Barringer

Sept 27

PC Coaches Inv.

9:00 am

Oct 3

Maroon Inv.

3:30 pm

Oct 7

Bergen Tech/Paramus 4:00 pm

Oct 11

at Brett Taylor Inv.

9:00 am

Oct 14

NNJIL Champ.

3:30 pm

Oct 24

Passaic Co. Champ. 3:30 pm

Oct 30

WM/Man/Haw/PL

Nov 8

State Sectional

Nov 15

at State Group Champ 9:00 am

Nov 22

at State Meet of Champ 11:00 am

Nov 29

at N.E. Champ

Golf

4:00 pm

4:00 pm 10:00 am

9:00 am

Front row, from left, Esteban Rodriguez, Dylan Wong, Ramie Qasem, Gary Feig and Danny Green. Middle row: Ivan Enriquez, James Sahanas, Rusty Sydor, Andrew Kopko and Sammy Mowaswes. Back row: Giancarlo Enriquez, Hanni Abukhater, Rich Klett, Ryan Dunn and Ryan Dziuba.

Cross Country

But the squad’s most talented runner is a junior, James Sahanas, who was named first team AllCounty in ’07. Sahanas is followed by seniors Andrew Kopko, Victor Almonte, Hanni Abukhater and Gary Fieg.

Sophomore Dan Green should also contribute. Last year, the boys finished with a dual meet record of 31-4, placing second in the NNJIL and third in the county.

The Clifton Mustangs also placed eighth at the State Sectional Championship and Sahanas finished 52nd out of all the Group 4 runners in New Jersey at the State Group meet in Holmdel.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Baseball Mustangs

Gymnastics

Football

Haley Biasen, Camille Buscar, Nicolette Camacho, Michelle Castano, Amanda Cardana, Donnalayha Cook, Stephanie Cornejo, Gabriella Cruz, Alexandra DeLiberto, Maritza Domenack, Kelly Dominguez, Aneel Garcia, Erika Garcia, Chelsea Gurley, Brittany Guzman, Kaitlyn McCracken, Meghan Ortiz, Melissa Petrina and Melina Salazar.

Head Coach Judy D’Argenio, now in her 21st season, expects better things from the 2008 version of the CHS gymnastics team, after going 2-9 last year. The girls are led by senior captains Chelsea Gurley and Donnalayha Cook. Gurley made the state sectional meet in floor exercise last season, while Cook impressed in her return from an injury she suffered in 2006.

The third twelfth-grader on the squad is Melissa Petrina, who D’Argenio says has a lot of potential, despite the fact that it’s her first year with the team. Junior Alexandra DeLiberto returns to compete on the beam and floor, while classmate Erika Garcia does her best work on the vault. There are four sophomores and seven freshmen on the young squad. Tenth-grader Nicolette Camacho

Sept 12

Passaic Valley

4:30 pm

Sept 15

at Montclair

4:30 pm

Sept 22

at Wayne Valley

4:30 pm

Sept 24

at Indian Hills

5:00 pm

Sept 26

West Milford

5:00 pm

Oct 1

Ramapo

5:00 pm

Oct 7

at Fair Lawn

4:30 pm

Oct 10

Pascack Hills

Oct 14

Wayne Hills

Oct 16

Butler

Oct 20

Ridgewood

5:00 pm

Oct 23

at QCGL Champ

5:30 pm

Oct 24

at NJIGL Champ

Nov 3

at County Champ

5:30 pm

Nov 8

at State Sectional

9:00 am

Track

5:00 pm Volleyball 4:30 pm 5:30 pm

Soccer 5:30 pm

will attempt to bring her cheerleading skills to the gym, Camille Buscar looks to do the same with her dancing background, Maritza Domenack competed in the vault, beam and floor disciplines for the varsity team last season, and Kelly Dominguez moves up from JV. Gabriella Cruz may be just a ninth-grader, but her coach calls her “an experienced all-around gymnast with lots of potential.” Her classmate Meghan Ortiz is not as experienced but should be a quick learner, while Kaitlyn McCracken looks to translate her dancing talent into gymnastics. Fellow freshmen Amanda Cardana, Aneel Garcia and Melina Salazar may not get a great deal of varsity experience this year, but D’Argenio says keeping them on the team will allow them to learn for the future. They will also benefit from new assistant coach Amy Glenn, a former gymnast and Class of ’98 alum. D’Argenio says her girls may not have as much experience as the teams they compete against, but they always give their best effort.

Lacrosse

Cross Country

Golf

Cross Country

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Tennis Mustangs

Tennis

Football

Sept 12

Holy Angels

4:00 pm

Sept 15

at IHA

4:00 pm

Sept 17

at Eastside Paterson 4:00 pm

Sept 19

Kennedy

4:00 pm

Sept 22

at Paramus

4:00 pm

Sept 24

Hackensack

4:00 pm

Sept 26

at Teaneck

Oct 1

4:00 pm Gymnastics at Ridgewood 4:00 pm

Oct 3

Paramus Catholic

Cole said it should be a dogfight for the third singles position between seniors Catalina Jaramillo and Jeana Yoo, as well as juniors Lena Elezaby and Christina Habrahamshom. Jaramillo and Yoo both played doubles last year, while Elezaby and Habrahamshom competed on the junior varsity level. The three girls who don’t make the number three singles spot will play doubles, leaving one varsity position open for the newcomers

4:00 pm

Oct 6

at Bergen Tech

4:00 pm

Oct 10

Passaic

4:00 pm

Oct 13

Belleville

4:00 pm

Oct 15

at Nutley

4:00 pm

Oct 20

Bloomfield

4:00 pm

Oct 22

Barringer

4:00 pm

Oct 27

at Montclair

Front row, from left, Christina Habrahmshon, Lena Elezaby, Michelle Kvitnitsky, Jean Yoo and Lia Salierno. Back row: Justyna Karkoszka, Tatiana Gerardino, Christina Kata, Siddhi Shzuh, Ruchi Shah, Megha Desai and Khyati Topiwala.

The girls tennis team could be headed for its best season in a while, as it returns both its first and second singles players from last year’s 6-11 campaign. “The returning girls have all improved and I really only lost one or two seniors from last year’s team, so the outlook is a lot better,” said Head Coach Chad Cole. Senior captain and three-year starter Lia Salierno will play number one, with junior Michelle Kvitnitsky back at the number two spot.

Baseball

Track

4:00 pm Volleyball

trying out for the team. Cole said sophomore Jessica Kunadia is in the mix. “She was an athlete on the basketball team last year and she shows a lot of promise,” he said. “If she doesn’t start with the varsity, she’ll definitely be playing JV singles.” Other girls competing for that final spot include Justyna Karkoszka, Tatiana Gerardino, Christina Kata, Siddhi Shzuh, Ruchi Shah, Megha Desai and Khyati Topiwala.

Soccer

Lacrosse

Cross Country

Golf

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September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Christy Greco takes over this fall as the new head coach of the CHS cheerleading squad. Greco was an assistant under Michelle Rodriguez for the past three years and was the head coach at Verona for the four years before that. Greco, who is entering her eighth year teaching history at CHS, welcomes 12 seniors back to the team, including captains Allison Amoruso and Lindsey Spagnullo. The girls got ready for the season in August at the Pine Forest Cheerleading Camp in Greeley, Pennsylvania, where senior Amanda Murphy won the jump competition and was selected as a UCA All-Star. The varsity team earned superior ratings on their final evaluations in both the cheer and dance categories and won fifth place in the cheer category of the Camp Championships. In the picture above, back row, from left, Michelle Noto, Lindsey Spagnuolo, Allison Amoruso, Dana Ricca and Raven Bryant. Middle row: Alyssa Koenigsberg, Amanda Murphy, Nicole Scarpa and Julie Barrows. Front row: Megan Lill, Maura Houston, Dominique Romeo, Kristen Marositz and Shantel Cordero. Not pictured are Caitlin Golebieski and Alexa Perez.

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Marching Mustangs

In photos taken at Band Camp, this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s seniors: Nina Mistry, Christine Siluk, Chris Tietjen, Joe Cornett, Steven Greulich, Emily Buginsky, Laura Kuruc, Melissa Ible, Jess Elliott, Alyssa Trommelen, Jonathan Muska, Andrea Waxman, Gary Spingarn, Drum Major John Komar, Bryan Stepneski, Mike Rhodes, Jigesh Mehta, Rebecca DeChellis, Alison Degen, Andrew Bundurski, Daniel Udvari, Frank Segura, Shaina Cafone and Raj Patel. 56

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Band Needs New Uniforms The Mustang Marching Band turns 70 this year and Director Bob Morgan would like to celebrate with some new uniforms. “We’re starting to show some signs of worn out pants, the seats are going, the collars are showing wear, and the lettering on the capes are starting to wear off,” said Morgan, now in his 37th year. The uniforms are 12 years old and Morgan said, ideally, they should have been replaced already. There was a $100,000 line item for new outfits included in the proposed 2008-2009 school budget, but it was removed after voters rejected the spending plan this past spring. Board of Education President Mike Urciuoli said all of the $950,000 in new items added to the budget needed to be cut, which included the uniforms. “Since then, there’s been a rally to figure out a way to get the band new uniforms,” he said. Superintendent Richard Tardalo asked Morgan if there was any way to economize the number of new outfits that were needed and whether or not rain coats were also necessary. In the end, the amount of money that was needed was reduced to $80,000. Morgan says about 140 suits are desired for the band and another 15 to 20 for majorettes, each at a cost of around $500. UNICO has scheduled a fundraiser for Oct. 12 at 6 pm at the Clifton Boys & Girls Club. Tickets are $50 and all proceeds go to benefit the purchase of uniforms. There will be entertainment, prizes and food catered by Baskingers. For tickets or more info, call Dave D’Arco at 973-417-0731.

by Jordan Schwartz

“We’re hoping that the fundraiser is wildly successful and then we’ll look to see if we can find any extra money in the budget to help as well,” said the Board President. In addition, Urciuoli said the vendor that the district purchases the uniforms from has agreed to let Clifton pay over a three-year period, so the best case scenario would be that the Showband of the Northeast would have new duds by the end of the football season. But Morgan remains a little frustrated by the whole ordeal. “We’re a Board-sanctioned activity,” he said. “Everyone else doesn’t have to do fundraisers, so why should we? Parents took it upon themselves 12 years ago to raise the money for new uniforms and that opened a can of worms. Do they want us to look like Coxey’s Army or do they want us to look good?”

Pictured here are some of the new band members, who just moved up from middle school.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

CHS 2008 Athletic Hall of Fame

Jamie Anzaldi Class of 2000

Robert Capo Class of 1994

Chris Karcz Class of 2001

T.J. Kraznowski Class of 1989

Alicia Mazepa Class of 1997

Janet Nelson Smith Class of 1978

John Scancarella Class of 1959

Albert Swan Class of 1959

Mark Tomaskovic Class of 1987

Fernando Rossi Coach 1979-2002

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September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

The 1967 Boys Soccer State Champions and the individuals on the facing page will be inducted on Oct. 19.

The CHS Athletic Hall of Fame will induct 10 new members and one championship team at a luncheon at the Brownstone in Paterson at noon on Oct. 19. For tickets to the luncheon, which are $35 , call Flo Calise at 973-470-2321. To advertise in the ad journal, contact Jack Whiting at 973-470-5843. Albert Swan and John Scancarella are the elder statesman in this year’s induction class, graduating in 1959. Swan was an excellent runner, lettering all four years in both cross country and track and field. Scancarella was a shooting guard for the basketball team, leading the Mustangs to a 22-4 record and a Passaic Valley Conference Championship his senior year. T.J. Kraznowski, Class of ’89, played hockey, tennis and golf at CHS, but his main sport was soccer. Kraznowski was a goalie on the ’88 team that went 25-1, winning 25 consecutive games before losing to Toms River in the state quarters. From 1997 to 2000, Jamie Anzaldi dominated opposing batters from the pitching circle. As a member of the Lady Mustangs softball team, she collected various honors ranging from first team All-County to CHS Athlete of the Year. Mark Tomaskovic was named to the baseball AllArea, All-League, All-County and All-State teams from 1985 until he graduated in 1987. Janet Nelson Smith, Class of ’78, swam, ran track and played field hockey. She ran the 440 on the first girls track squad during her senior year. Chris Karcz scored 118 goals in his career as a Mustang, including a county and school record 54 in a single season as a senior in 2000. Robert Capo was around for some of the CHS baseball program’s most fruitful years and he was a big reason for that success. During his senior year in 1994, the

Mustangs went 28-3-1, as Capo set two school records with 47 hits and 12 doubles. Alicia Mazepa, Class of ’97, was a stand-out athlete on both the track and gymnastics teams. She was twice named to the All-League and All-County squads as a winter track star. Fernando Rossi molded the boys soccer team into a perennial powerhouse between 1979 and 2002, winning 12 county, 10 league, three sectional and one state titles. A decade before Rossi arrived on the scene, though, Severin Palydowycz was leading the 1967 squad to a state championship.

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The Paul VI Class of 1972 Story by Carolyn Maso Many may remember the 1970s for awesome entertainment, from films like The Godfather to music such as Neil Young, Led Zeppelin, and the Beatles. Fear of the Vietnam draft and the chance of being called next crossed many boys’ minds when they watched the numbers announced on the morning news. In 1972, seniors at Paul VI Regional High School, a catholic school in the Paterson Diocese that was located on Valley Rd. in Clifton, had a small tight-nit community of friends who shared many of these happy and fearful moments together. At Paul VI, it didn’t matter whether you were a hippie, jock, ‘Ra,’ or ‘Hood.’

Joseph Cortese and Jaclynn Vogel at the Paul VI senior prom in 1972.

While it was a Catholic school, it was also a liberal learning environment where everyone wore uniforms but was also encouraged to express themselves freely.

From left, 1972 graduates Bill Foley, Christine Marie La Rocca and Richard Loftus.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

To celebrate those years, the alumni committee of the Class of 1972 has planned a four-hour party for Oct. 11 at the Fairfield Executive Inn, on Rt. 46 in Fairfield. If you were part of the class—or even if you attended the Valley Rd. school during this era—memories of the activities and clubs still live on. The Student Council alone initiated more than 30 clubs, began intramural sports, coordinated all student social activities, and sponsored semi-formals. The Majorette squad was put together by a group of students who sewed their own costumes.

Terry Sellowentchich, Mary Ellen Bohinek, Lynn Tenney, Joan Fabbroni, Mary-Ann Zaleski and Patrice Saro cheering the Patriots.

Football players probably remember Daria Finn dressed as a patriot and riding her horse around the field when the team scored a touchdown. Richard McDermott and Roy McTernan were the varsity captains. The cross country team finished a close second at the Passaic

County Championships held at Garret Mountain. The squad was led by Coach Simonic and captains Dennis Meehan and Mark Mulick. And who could forget the annual Christmas concert directed by Mr. Caprio and featuring John Festa and Steven Luker?

Although Paul VI was closed in 1990, alumni continue to try and keep the spirit and friendship of the school alive. All are invited. Classmates who have not yet been contacted may call 973-768-6272 or e-mail 72paul6@gmail.com or richloftus@aol.com.

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From Class Clown to Broadway & TV Actor

All stories in this section were written by Carolyn Maso

Steve Luker has come a long way since graduating Paul VI

Professional actor Steve Luker got his start playing Mordred in the Paul VI production of Camelot in the early ’70s. 62

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

It all goes back to a snide remark made by Steve Luker and a simple high school dare from his homeroom teacher, Mr. Cassese. After an announcement was made about auditions for the school play, Camelot, Luker made a sarcastic comment. Mr. Cassese then suggested that Luker wouldn’t try out for the musical because he would be too afraid to sing in front of people. Hoping to prove his teacher wrong, Luker took on the dare. “I already knew how to read music from a couple years of guitar lessons and two years in a drum and bugle corps. My mother and her neighbor got out a record and I learned a song, read well enough to get the role of Mordred in Camelot and the rest is history,” he said. By taking on the challenge, Luker found something he really loved doing and had the chance to meet a special high school friend, Christine Larocca. She was in the musical also and later asked him out on his first real date. “I would have been far too nervous to ask her,” said Luker. “We went to see The French Connection playing at the movies shortly after and when I dropped her at her house, I had my first meaningful kiss.” The couple was together on and off for eight years until Luker was hired to go to Hollywood to write and direct for a theatrical production company. “As luck would have it, because of the upcoming reunion, I made a concerted effort to locate her,” said Luker, who recently had a lengthy phone conversation with his high school sweetheart for the first time in years. “It was as if we had never lost touch of each other and I had a terrific time talking about old times,” he said. Larocca now lives outside San Francisco near her brother and father. With the help of his teachers, Mr. Caprio and Mr. Cassese, Luker auditioned and was accepted into the Boston Conservatory where he majored in Drama and minored in Musical Theatre. Luker said he was an average student at Paul VI, but excelled in Boston because he was really having a good

and so much of life was ahead of us,” he said. “I don’t miss the times when Paul Antolowitz, aka ‘The Animal,’ used to shove me into a locker. I haven’t seen or talked to Paul in over 20 years, but he was a good friend, who always made me laugh, even when he was stuffing me into lockers.” Luker said he looks forward to seeing the members of his cross country team and everyone else he went to school with. “High school did indeed help me get where I am today,” he concluded. “It all goes back to auditioning for the school musical on a dare.”

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time. At the Conservatory, he appeared in more than 32 plays and musicals, and performed in summer theatres between terms. He graduated first in his class in 1976. Luker has been in the entertainment business ever since. He was in the Broadway musical 42nd Street, and toured nationally in the musical Footloose. He has been a principal actor in numerous regional theatres, played Santa in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in Detroit, appeared in solo shows at more than 500 elementary schools, worked for the “Bobbie Gentry/Jim Stafford Show” in Las Vegas, performed in many clubs and at state fairs, industrial shows, off Broadway and cruise ships. The actor has also appeared on a number of television shows, including Cosby, Law and Order, Hope and Faith, One Life To Live, and As the World Turns. In addition, Luker has been nominated for a Barrymore as “Best Leading Actor in a Musical” for the show Dear World. Today, Luker owns a condo in Union City, where he lives with his wife of 13 years, Susie Noona. She is a talented entertainer and food stylist who is often seen at the Institute of Culinary Education in Manhattan Luker said he hopes to attend his upcoming Paul VI reunion if he is not booked for a show. “I think the thing I miss about high school looking back, is the fun of youth, where everything was new

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Protecting His Community Paul Ogden has been in law enforcement for three decades Paul Ogden saved his first life when he was just 10 years old. That’s when he rescued a two-yearold child from drowning in the rain-swollen Pearl Brook. “I was always interested in being either a Clifton firefighter or police officer,” said Ogden. “Honestly, I was drawn to the action and the opportunity to serve others.” The 1972 Paul VI grad decided to take both the police and firefighter exams, and in July 1977, the Clifton Police Department called. While in the patrol division and then plainclothes tactical squad, Ogden enrolled at William Paterson College and attended school at night majoring in Criminal Justice. In 1982, he moved to the Passaic County Prosecutors Office and was assigned to the Homicide and Special Investigations Unit. “Working in the Prosecutor’s Office was a tremendous learning experience and it exposed me to some of the most serious investigations in Passaic County.” But in late 1983, Ogden returned to his roots. Three decades later, he’s still in Clifton, as a detective with the city’s Anti-Crime Unit. “I am fortunate to be among some of the hardest working detectives in Passaic County, where we address narcotics, street crimes, warrants and gang related issues,” he said. It was his four years at Paul VI that focused his desire to serve the community. “The school stressed compassion, camaraderie and pride in achieving goals,” he said. But looking back to eighth grade, Ogden had no desire to attend Paul VI. 64

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Paul Ogden in his 1972 Paul VI High School graduation photo and today.

“My parents dragged me there and I was kicking and screaming all the way. I wanted to attend CHS like my older brother and sister,” he said. This all changed the first week when Ogden met students from other sections of Clifton, as well as West Paterson, Little Falls and Passaic. During his high school days, Ogden wrestled and played football, basketball and baseball. “I can remember the entire school, including teachers, coming out for football games to support us,” he said. “At the away games, students would even take several booster buses to watch us play. The student body would help fire up the Paul VI Patriots and it was important that we played our best in front of our peers.” Paul VI played its home games at Clifton Stadium. “It was great to see everyone get involved,” said Ogden. “I will never forget Daria Finn dressed as a

Patriot (the school’s mascot) and riding her horse around the field when we scored a touchdown.” Ogden’s fondest memories of his high school days included the “Battles of the Bands” that were held in the auditorium every Sunday afternoon during the winter. “This gave all the kids throughout the area the opportunity to meet and enjoy listening to the local rock bands that were basically formed in neighborhood garages,” he said. After graduation, Ogden first worked in construction throughout Ocean County but heard Thompson Printing in Clifton was hiring. His reference? Two classmates, Patty and Peggy Thompson. “The Thompsons are a wonderful family,” he said. “I will always appreciate the opportunity they gave me to learn and work in the printing business.” Today, Ogden lives in Wayne with his wife, Carol, and three sons, Paul, 23, Dave,19, and Bryan, 17.

Senior members of the 1971 Paul VI varsity football team. Kneeling, from left, Richard McDermott and Roy McTernan. Standing, from left, Henry Patterson, Steven Jakimec, William Donnelly, Kevin McKenna, Paul Ogden, Joseph Brower, Kenneth Scarpa, Joseph Rothong, Gary Szilagyi and Joseph Maran.

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had the fortune to be part of Wayne Hills state championship football teams in 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007,” he said. Ogden said he will make every attempt to attend the class reunion. “I miss the people and the strong togetherness we had. We were like a family and respected one another,” he said. “No one person was better

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than the other no matter what their economic or social status was. We all socialized with each other, it didn’t matter if you were an athlete, nonathlete, great student, or not so great student. You could not be judged by your clothing because we all wore uniforms. When someone lost a loved one we all lost a loved one. We rallied around each other.”

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Being a catholic high school grad, Ogden has tried to raise his children with the same beliefs and values instilled in him as a teen. “My faith,” said Ogden, “still plays an important part in my life.” Ogden’s sons have also followed in their father’s athletic footsteps as well. “We have enjoyed watching the boys grow up where all three

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September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Paul VI Trio Remain Tight William Foley, John Maso and Richard Loftus still friends Many high school friendships gradually fade away, but one Paul VI trio managed to beat the odds and has stayed in touch for nearly 40 years. As the three old friends gathered around a picnic table for some burgers and beers recently, Richard Loftus, William Foley and John Maso shared memories that they said seem like just yesterday. “I am happy that I’ve been involved in the reunion because it has helped to start getting people back in touch with one another,” said Loftus, who co-chairs the Class of 1972 reunion committee. Loftus said his high school memories mostly involve the wrestling and baseball teams. He reminisced with Foley and Maso about his first wrestling match, which he won.

Paul VI buddies William Foley, John Maso and Richard Loftus have remained friends over the past 40 years and now bowl together in the St. Phillips Friday night league.

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“I’ll always remember the cheers and the reactions of everyone in the stands,” he said. Loftus also joked about having to run around the gym dressed in sweats the day before a match trying to reach his goal weight. The Paul VI Trio remember Foley whistling some “stupid French song” in Madam Du Pan’s class. Foley said he got into so much trouble that he had to write in French “I will not whistle in class” 100 times on the board. Foley was a high jumper on the track team and recalled a funny story involving fellow student Paul Ogden. He said they were stuffing the track nets with foam outside of the school when Ogden randomly jumped out of his classroom window and landed head first right on top of the nets. “He nearly gave his teacher a heart attack!” said Foley. Maso was also a part of the track and cross country teams. He recalls roaming the second floor halls with Pete Knapik, Mark Mulick and Denis Rorke. “We were being pursued by the assistant principal, Mr. Hollar, when we quickly ducked into the teachers lounge and there was Mr. John Barrett, a biology teacher,” said Maso. “He let us hide out and told the V.P. that we weren’t there.” Maso said after Mr. Barrett saved their butts, he convinced them all to join the cross country team. “From that first encounter with Mr. Barrett, to him coaching us to stardom, teaching us in biology and earth science, and to a few visits with him and his family in Plattsburg, N.Y., he has become a good friend. Today, we still send Christmas cards and pictures of our family,” said Maso. One memory that is crystal clear to all three guys and probably many people their age was the

The 1971 Paul VI varsity cross country team. Front row, from left, Dennis Meehan, J. Trudeau, Marc Lawlor, Mark Mulick and Matthew Daly. Back row, Steve Luker, Peter Knapik, John Maso and David Kastenko.

Vietnam War draft. “We all had to register back then,” said Loftus. “We were scared,” said Foley. The Paul VI grads remembered watching the television every morning to see whose Selective Service number might be called. Fortunately for them, the draft ended during their senior year and the three boys didn’t have to go to war. After high school, Loftus studied accounting at St Peters College in Jersey City. He’s worked for Verizon in New York City for the past 24 years and lives in Clifton with his wife of 25 years, Shirley, and son, Sean. Loftus remains an active member of St. Philips Parish on Valley Rd. where he volunteers as a lector and was a charter member of the Knights of Columbus. Recently, he has also been preparing to enter the voice-over business and has been part of a

group that has purchased a twoyear-old race horse that should have its first race very soon. Foley attended Boston College where he studied business and general management. Today, he has a son, William Patrick Foley IV, and is living in Upper Montclair. He currently works for Vacumet Corp. in Wayne. Loftus and Foley have been friends since first grade and were best men at each other’s weddings. Maso graduated NJIT with his Masters degree in Engineering Management and is currently working for Kean University as Director of Facilities. He lives in Clifton with his wife and high school sweetheart Joan Maso. These days, the Paul VI trio bowls together for the St. Phillips Friday night league where they meet weekly to roll their bowling balls down memory lane.

Writer Carolyn Maso, CHS 2007, studies journalism at Seton Hall University and is the daughter of Paul VI alums Joan (Fabbroni) and John Maso. September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

The Spirit of Paul VI Everyone remembers School Director Father Thomas Suchon When you ask anyone who attended Paul VI to list their favorite memories of high school, one of the names that always pops up is that of Father Thomas Suchon. The school director died tragically young, of cancer, in 1976. He was just 38 years old.. “Father Suchon was a huge presence in the school and if I close my eyes, I can still see and smell the lingering cigar smoke in the hallways,” said 1972 graduate, Larysa Martyniuk. Many athletes remember Father Suchon attending their events. Paul Ogden, another ’72 grad, said his favorite memory was seeing the school director roaming the sidelines of the football games like Vince Lombardi. “He was always encouraging us, especially in the early years when we did not have a senior class yet. He did not allow any trash talk or cursing, he made that clear and wanted us to talk with our pads and not our mouths no matter what tricks the other team tried to pull,” said Ogden. “Sometimes, I think we played to win for Father Suchon who put all this together, the new school and the sports programs.” Others remember a lighter side of the legendary Father Suchon—as a music director. “He planted the seeds, along with my own father, for my love of music and harmony, which I still have the pleasure of continuing today,” said Joan Maso. Whether he was teacher, coach, or friend, Father Suchon was there when Paul VI students needed him. As 1972 graduate William Foley put it: “He ran that place with an iron fist.”

Director of Paul VI, Rev. Thomas J. Suchon, passed away in 1976, but prior to his death, he could always be seen encouraging the Patriots football team from the sideline.

The Valley Rd. school under construction in 1966 on the former site of the Great Notch Nursery. Note our city’s namesake cliffs in the background. Today, the former Paul VI serves as a regional catholic elementary school. 68

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

High School Sweethearts John Maso and Joan Fabbroni have been wed for 32 years It was freshman year in homeroom class. It wasn’t love at first sight but she found him attractive and funny. All his friends knew he liked her too but he said he had “no time for a girlfriend” and let her get away. Two years passed, and John Maso finally realized his mistake. Her name was Joan Fabbroni and she was soon to become the love of his life. The two began dating during junior year of high school, separated for six months in senior year, but started dating seriously again right after graduation. They have been together ever since. “I fell in love with Joanie Fabbroni,” recalled John. “It was easy to fall in love with him,” echoed his wife. “And once I did, I was hooked.” At Paul VI, John was a part of the cross country team while Joan was a majorette. They both look back with fond memories of those years. “We both took the time to grow up with our friends and had good times in high school,” said Joan. After high school, John attended William Paterson College, but after one semester, he decided that college wasn’t for him and he “went out to make the green stuff we all need—money.” John worked in construction while Joan studied to become a nurse at Rutgers University. The two married on June 19, 1976. Two weeks after their honeymoon John “entered the world of pizza” for three years when he opened his own Pizza Stop in the

Joan and John Maso at a high school dance and the married couple today.

South Jersey town of Marlton. Changing course and looking for a better way to make a living, John ended up at Stevens Institute of Technology in the facilities department for the next 20 years. “I then realized I would need a degree to get ahead,” said Maso, who earned his B.S. at the State University of New York and a masters at NJIT. Joan took a more traditional route as she went on to become a nurse in Passaic at what is now called St Mary’s Hospital. “Paul VI reinforced the value of having pride in my faith and community service. It is nice working in a small community hospital, with some pretty terrific people, caring for the sick,” she said. The two have been married for 32 years, spending most of their time together in Clifton with their three daughters, Laura, 29, Michelle, 26, and Carolyn,19.

“My mother told me that I was blessed to have three daughters and I agree with her whole heartedly everyday,” said John. Coming from a Catholic family and high school has made both John and Joan’s roots and personal beliefs very deep. They have tried to raise their family in this same manner. Today, they are active members of St. Phillips Parish where Joan takes part in the contemporary music group along with fellow Paul VI alum Tim Holly. “Paul VI was fun with good memories and good people,” said Joan. Looking back at his sometimes turbulent years as a teen, John echoed what many other grads had to say about the values instilled by their days at Paul VI. “My high school years molded me with the internal strength that I now turn to at times,” said John. “I learned that if I want something, to work at it and the goal will be achieved.” September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

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The Voice of the Jersey Shore Clifton’s Mike McGuire hosts WJRZ’s morning show Mike McGuire was like millions of American children growing up in the 1960s. He’d put a Beatles record on his turntable and sit for hours in his room singing along to John, Paul, George and Ringo. But unlike many of his peers, Mike would start talking before the music even began. “From the time I was 10, I was playing DJ in my own room, putting the intros on the 45s, just like the big guys on the radio,” said McGuire, who was raised on Harding Ave. in what’s now called Downtown Clifton. “I’d have my own little radio show in my mind.” Mike attended the former St. Paul’s (now Pioneer Academy on Washington and Main) for his elementary education and Paul VI for high school.

Story by Jordan Schwartz While some Catholic parents may have frowned upon their children listening to rock n’ roll music, McGuire said his mother and father were a little more understanding. “My dad thought the Beatles were a fluke. ‘Give them two years and they’ll be gone,’ he’d say. My mom seemed to be okay with the band. You had to be when you had five kids all playing Beatles out of their bedrooms,” recalled McGuire, who has three brothers and one sister. Mike remembers his dad, Jack, asking his son what the deal was with John Lennon saying the Beatles “were bigger than Jesus,” but the young McGuire explained that the comment was taken out of context. After graduating Paul VI in

Paul VI ’71 grad Mike McGuire has been a radio disc jockey for 32 years.

1971, he went to Englewood Cliffs Junior College for two-and-a-half years before transferring to William Paterson College to complete his major in Speech Communications. There, McGuire got his start in radio at the school’s station.

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“Since I was 10, I wanted to be a DJ, but I was very, very shy, so I didn’t do anything about it until I got to college,” the 55-year-old remembered. After picking up his degree in 1976, McGuire got his first fulltime radio job at “some really dumpy station in Wildwood” for nine months. There, he received the nickname ‘Spyder’ after signing up for a ski trip. Olympic skier Spider Sabich was in the news at the time because he had been fatally shot by his celebrity girlfriend Claudine Longet, and so McGuire’s coworkers bestowed the name upon him. The program director changed the ‘i’ to a ‘y’ because he thought it was cooler. The DJ’s next gig was in State College, Pa., where he got whipped into shape for two years by a “crazy” general manager. Spyder McGuire returned to New Jersey in 1979 to begin a 20year stint at a station in Atlantic City. In September 1999, he moved to his current job at WJRZ in

The McGuire boys in front of their Harding Ave. home on Easter in 1959. At left, is the father, Jack, in back, are Spyder and Tom, and in front, are Jim and John.

Manahawkan, where he hosts the morning show and plays the greatest hits from the ’60s to the ’80s. Once in a while, Spyder will make a Clifton reference on the air about something like Rutt’s Hut and he’ll immediately get calls

from transplanted Cliftonites living in South Jersey. Not much has changed for Mike McGuire over the past four decades. He’s still introducing Beatles records, only now, he gets paid for it.

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A more recent photo of the McGuire family. From left, Spyder, his sister Sharon, his mother Anita, and his brothers Jim, John and Tom.

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September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Clifton’s Fulbright Scholar CHS ’04 Kathleen Bakarich is studying in Germany Story by Jordan Schwartz A Nobel Peace Prize winner, the President of Brown University and the Chairman of the Board at Intel Corporation are just some of the previous recipients of the Fulbright U.S. Student scholarship. This year, 2004 Clifton High School alum Kathleen Bakarich joins this prestigious group. The recent Fairfield University grad left in August for an 11-month stay in Germany, where she will be doing research and taking classes in international accounting and European Union business at the Johann Wolfgang GoetheUniversity in Frankfurt. “I’ve always been interested in the international side of business and I studied German for four years at CHS,” said Bakarich in an interview conducted before she left. The School 3 and Christopher Columbus Middle School alum is one of more than 1,450 Americans who are traveling abroad for the 2008-2009 academic year through the Fulbright program. The most recent Cliftonite to receive the award was Carlos Lopez, who went to Australia in 2005. Bakarich wrote her thesis at Fairfield on the political and social factors that affected German accounting after WWII and throughout the second half of the 1900s. She then expanded this research to propose studying the impact the EU has had on the country’s accounting for her Fulbright trip. “The trip is a great opportunity to just see other cultures and other ways of doing business,” she said.

Kathleen Bakarich outside her Washington Ave. home. She left for Germany in August on an 11-month trip, during which she will study international accounting.

“It’s a way to gain more experience with a different perspective of where business and people are coming from.” When Bakarich returns next summer, she will begin her job at RSM McGladrey, a public accounting firm in New York City. She’d like to eventually get her MBA and work abroad in the international side of accounting. Bakarich graduated third in her class from CHS, where she also played outside hitter on the volleyball team.

At Fairfield, she was a member of the Jesuit Honor Society, Business Honor Society, and Foreign Language Honor Society. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with the highest GPA in the Charles F. Dolan School of Business Kathleen was also involved in community service, spending one spring break in Portland, Maine with eight classmates, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. In addition, she was an officer in the Accounting Club, helped with Office of Admissions’ events, and was an accounting tutor. September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

The Ultimate Fighter

Story by Jordan Schwartz

Brooke Mullen is training to become an MMA expert When you see Brooke Mullen’s petite frame, you could imagine her doing somersaults and cartwheels across a gymnastics floor. What you may not envision is her applying arm bars and choke holds in a caged octagon that is the Ultimate Fighting Championship ring. “I’ve always liked to beat up the boys,” said the 2008 Clifton High School grad, who began training in June at Jerry Jones Ultimate Martial Arts on Franklin Ave. in Nutley. “I’ve been a gymnast my whole life and I always wanted to do something that I could do when I grow up,” she said. “I figured I could get somewhere with fighting, so my boyfriend and I decided to sign up.” Mullen grew up a tomboy, wrestling with her older brother, Eric.“He used to beat me up all the time,” she remembered. “I was his punching bag.” But that was just fine for Brooke, who admits she prefers hanging out with guys rather than girls. “I always wanted to be ‘Daddy’s Little Boy’ instead of ‘Daddy’s Little Girl,’” she laughed. As a little girl, Brooke would climb the furniture and jump down the stairs, so her mom signed her up for gymnastics at the age of one. “I didn’t really have a life when I was little,” she admitted with no regrets. “It was all about training and I loved it.” Mullen became a star pupil at Rick’s All American Tumbling in Fairfield, where she now teaches. When she got to CHS, Brooke immediately joined the gymnastics team, earning numerous All-League and AllCounty honors. Last year, Head Coach Judy D’Argenio told Clifton Merchant Magazine that she 76

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Former CHS gymnast Brooke Mullen is trading in her leotard for a black belt in mixed martial arts.

credited her senior captain for her leadership and ability to keep the rest of the girls focused and organized. Mullen also competed on the outdoor track team at Clifton High. She specialized in the pole vault, but also participated in the hurdles, triple jump and high jump. This past spring, Brooke was part of the first outdoor track squad in school history to capture the state sectional crown, and only the second in the past 34 years to win the Passaic County title. So how does a young woman make the transition from gymnastics and track to hand-to-hand combat? Apparently, the sports have a lot more in common than you might think. “I’m kind of used to falling and getting beaten up from gymnastics,” said the athlete. “If

you’re a gymnast, it gives you the flexibility and the mindset to take more damage. You know how to fall properly so you don’t break your arm or anything.” The fighting background will come in handy if Mullen accomplishes her goal of becoming an FBI field agent. She’s attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan to study forensic science. The Main Ave. resident decided she wanted to work for the government during her junior year of high school when she joined the ROTC program. Meanwhile, Mullen continues to train six hours a week from Tuesday to Saturday at Jerry Jones. She often stays after class to perfect her technique, and then goes home and watches UFC fights on television with her boyfriend and fellow CHS ’08 alum, Danny Platt.

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Mullen is hoping to become good enough to make the school’s competition team, which is currently made up of nearly all men. “I won’t hit a girl,” she said with a smile. They’re lucky.

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Sandy Grazioso knows the horrors of war too well. Her brother, George Fornelius, lost his life while serving with the Marines during the Korean War. But nothing could prepare her for the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when she lost her two sons in the World Trade Center. Sandy tried reaching her sons on their cell phones upon hearing of the attack, but, like other concerned kin, was unable to get through. Both were in Tower One when the first plane struck at 8:46 am. Tim, who would have turned 43 on Oct. 4, 2001, worked for Cantor Fitzgerald and was the chief operating officer for over-the-counter trading, and chief Nasdaq trader for Cantor Fitzgerald Securities. He worked on the 104th floor. John, 41, worked on the 105th floor as a salesman for the Cantor Fitzgerald subsidiary, eSpeed. The brothers grew up on Lisbon St. with their sister, Carolee and all attended Clifton High School. Tim was Class of 1976; John graduated in 1978. Both played varsity football before college, getting married and settling down with their new families out of town. Though John moved to Middletown and Tim to Gulfstream, Fla. (Tim commuted via plane to Florida every weekend), their lives had deep Clifton roots. Their great-grandfather, Gustave Fornelius, who emigrated from Sweden around 1900, was one of the founders of Athenia Steel and later became a City Councilman. When he died in 1935, he was the superintendent of the steel company. As Tim and John’s day on the job turned into tragedy, Clifton resident and Port Authority Police Officer John Skala was called to do what he did best, help others. 78

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

THREE NEIGHBORS by Rich DeLotto written in November, 2001

Tim Grazioso

John Grazioso

Normally stationed at the Lincoln Tunnel, Skala was ordered to report to the Twin Towers shortly after the first jet hit the north tower. As he

was known to do, Skala ran to the place where lives were in danger. The 31-year-old officer had the chance to escape harm but entered the World Trade Center in an attempt to help the wounded. One of his co-workers reported that Skala emerged from the Trade Center, grabbed a first aid kit and re-entered the burning towers. He was the only one of his unit not to escape the wreckage. His friends and family say Skala’s life ended the way he lived: taking care of other people. In fact, when he wasn’t on duty as a policeman, Skala was a paramedic with the Passaic/Clifton Mobile Intensive Care Unit. Spending time with family and friends was his other passion. In total, Clifton lost nine sons and daughters on 9/11. In addition to the three mentioned here, the other six were Edward C. Murphy, Kyung ‘Kaccy’ Cho, Ehtesam U. Raja, Edgar H. Emery, Zuhtu Ibis and Francis Joseph Trombino.

John ‘Yash’ Skala

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

2008

Clifton Merchant Magazine

Letters to the Below, are some of the letters we received regarding our August stories on members of the CHS graduating classes of 1948, 1958, 1968, 1978, 1988 and 1998. Thanks so much for the great article about my life since 1958. I also thoroughly enjoyed reading your other stories—not only my classmates—but about all the other generations of Cliftonites, too. Bette Intelisano Gaver, CHS Class of ’58

The French President: I appreciate the time and talent invested in the article you wrote about me being the President and Chief Operating Officer at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan.

John C. Bilenski in 1958.

Karate Chopping MS: Writer Jordan Schwartz is tremendously talented. I was blown away by his eloquence. His words inspired me to keep doing what I’m doing... one kick at a time!

Remembrance: Congratulations on another great edition. I just wanted to let you know about another Mustang from the Class of 1958. Staff Sgt. John C. Bilenski was killed in action on July 3, 1968 while serving aboard a CH-46 Marine helicopter, during his second tour of duty in Vietnam. John married Jean O’Dell in early 1965.

Miriam Santana, Class of ’88 Passaic Park

Rich DeLotto Veterans Remembrance Committee

Gary Apito, Class of ’78 Totowa

Margaret Westervelt Sventy in 1948.

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Corrections: In our August edition, we incorrectly stated that J. Michael’s Florist is on Ackerman Ave, when it is actually on Parker Ave. In addition, in the story about 1948 CHS grad Andy Sventy on page 12, we misidentified his wife, Margaret Westervelt Sventy. The photo of Margaret appears below. The picture we published was actually of fellow ’48 graduate Catherine Wolf. We regret the errors.

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Help Fight Hunger! The owners and employees of Cuellar Family Markets want to help make our community a better place to live and work. That’s why we participate in the ShopRite Partners In Caring program. Since 1999, ShopRite has donated more than $11 million to over 1,400 local and national charities to fight against hunger. These donations would not be possible without the help of our caring customers and the 70 food industry manufacturers who have chosen to be a part of the ShopRite Partners In Caring program. Join us by looking for the ShopRite Partners In Caring shelf tag when you shop—and by participating or sponsoring in the community events at our supermarket ...

Participate or Sponsor a Walker!

See store for details.

Come dunk your favorite store manager Sat. & Sun., Sept. 13 & 14, 11 am to 7 pm.

Sept. 21 WalkaThon Paulison Avenue 7 am to Midnight 7 Days A Week ShopRite 503 Paulison Ave., 973-471-0868 82

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Cuellar Family Markets

When we first reported last month on Jack Fina’s visit to CHS for the 1947 Autumn Serenade, we had only a few pieces of information on him, which we found online. However, thanks to readers like Marie Giunta, a 1942 CHS grad, we now are able to piece together the life of the Clifton musician, who went by the moniker, ‘The Ten Most Talented Fingers On Radio.’ Born Aug. 13, 1913 in Passaic, Fina became a bandleader, songwriter and pianist. Though his enrollment at CHS is not mentioned anywhere other than the 1948 CHS yearbook, it can be assumed that he would be a graduate of either the Class of 1929 or 1930. Fina received his education at the New York College of Music, and broke into the business playing piano in Clyde McCoy’s band in the early 1930s. However, his big break didn’t come until 1936. In that year, Fina joined Freddie Martin’s band on the piano and the

CHS ‘29 or ’30 grad Jack Fina.

accolades followed. He appeared on Martin’s famous recording of “Tonight We Love” and his reputation would continue to grow. While with the noted musician, Fina wrote famous pieces such as “Bumble Boogie”, “Dream Sonata” and “Piano Portrait.” He and Martin worked together for 10 years, splitting up in 1946 after Fina decided it was time to set out on his own. Fina formed his own 16-piece band and had his inaugural per-

formance at the historic Claremont Hotel on the Oakland/Berkely border in California. By this time, Fina had garnered national attention and was playing in some of the top venues in the country. Some of the more notable performances included The WaldorfAstoria Hotel in New York City, the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and the Balinese Room in Galveston, Texas. Also around the peak of his popularity, Fina appeared in several films, most notably Melody Time (1948) and Disc Jockey (1951). Sometime in the 1950s, Fina reduced the size of his band, settled in San Francisco and opened a talent agency. During the following decade, Fina spent eight years working with a small band as the entertainment at Beverly Hills Hotel. On May 14, 1970, Fina suffered a heart attack at the hotel during an engagement and passed away at the age of 56.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

SEE The imagination of your masterpiece...

HEAR The excitement of your song...

TASTE the art of your culinary success!!

Call for our Fall Catalog: 973.470.2438 In person registration at Clifton High School

September 4th & September 8th — 6 – 9 PM Senior Citizen registration 3:3 0 – 5 PM

Classes Begin Monday, September 18 www.clifton.k12.nj.us 84

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

The Theater League of Clifton’s production of The Laramie Project has been pushed back until Oct. 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12 at School 3. The story is about the events that led to Matthew Shepard’s death in Larmie, Wy. in 1998. The play chronicles the life of the town before and after the murder. The play is directed by Joseph Schreck, Jr. and produced by Mark Peterson. Call 973-472-9445. Crafters Wanted! St. Andrew’s Craft Fair will be held Oct. 25 from 10 am to 6 pm and Oct. 26 from 8:30 am to 4 pm at 400 Mt. Prospect Ave. Call 973-773-4120. The Bard of Dutch Hill, James D. Gwyn, will be reading his poem, “The Burning Bed,” at the Paterson Poetry Center on Nov. 8. He finished first in the 2008 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Contest sponsored by the Poetry Center at PCCC. The Garden State Opera will present Don Pasquale, Gaetano Donizetti’s sunny opera buffa masterpiece, on Nov. 22 at 7:30 pm at CCMS. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Clifton Public School’s Adopt a Music Student program, which helps students with financial hardships acquire an instrument for music lessons from the district. Tickets are $20 (credit cards accepted) and can be purchased online at www.gardenstateopera.org or by calling 973-272-3255. The Botany Blues Pub Crawl is Sept. 20 from 8 pm to 12 am. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 the day of. A ticket gets you into all four venues: Johnny’s, The Italian American Co-op, The Parker Inn and Rossi’s Tavern. Scheduled to perform are Dean Shot, The Victoria Warne Band, Jimbeau & the Retrocasters and Chaz DePaolo. Call 973-5468787 or visit historicbotany.com.

BAPS Charities holds Walkathon: The Clifton chapter of BAPS Charities (Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purshottam Sanstha) is holding its annual walkathon on Sept. 21 at 854 Bloomfield Ave. In keeping with its walkathon theme, “Building a Better Community, One Step at a Time,” a part of the proceeds from this year’s walkathon will go to the CPD. For info, visit bapscharities.org or call 973-234-8324.

Clifton State Farm agent Thomas Tobin appeared on the TV show Jacked.

Using quality Benjamin Moore paints

Sarge Painting

Robert Sandri 973-773-0280

• Gutter Cleaning • Exterior/Interior • Powerwashing • Spackling • Decks Cleaned/Sealed • Fully Insured • NJ Licensed

The Children of Safety Town made a visit to Fire Station Five this summer.

Bring in a collectible and find out whether it’s “trash” or “treasure” during the Clifton Hamilton House Museum’s first Antiques Appraisal Show hosted by professional appraisers and radio personalities Leon Castner and Brian Kathenes. The event is Sept. 14 at 971 Valley Rd. at 2:15 p.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. Reservations must be made by Sept. 5 by calling 973744-5707. Admission is $15 (includes one appraisal and light refreshments).

R.E.N. REMODELING INC.

Clifton’s Add-A-Level Specialist •Dormers •Additions•Alterations •Kitchens•Bathrooms•Decks•Windows • Guaranteed • Fully Insured • Local References

Call Bob Noll at:

973-773-1978 N.J. Contractors License #: 13VH00088700

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

1751

Elvis on the Avenue: Stamps, like this one, will be featured at the Clifton Fall Stamp, Cover and Postcard Show on Sept. 27 from 10 am to 5 pm and Sept. 28 from 10 am to 4 pm at the Community Rec Center on Main Ave. There will be up to 25 dealers, admission is free and there will be separate door prizes for each day. Call 973-470-5956 or visit cliftonnj.org/stamp for info.

Clifton State Farm agent Thomas Tobin was featured on the premiere episode of the A&E series Jacked: Auto Theft Task Force. The show features the Auto Theft Task Force in North Jersey, known as “The Wolf Pack,” a crew of highlytrained officers who track and arrest car thieves. Tobin, a State Farm agent in Clifton for nine years, commented on how drivers can protect their cars and contents. For tips on ways to avoid being “jacked,” visit www.StateFarm.com. Genealogy Club: On Sept. 13 at 10 am, the Passaic County Historical Society Genealogy meets at Lambert Castle on Valley Rd. to hear James Lewis, Librarian of the New Jersey Room at the Newark Public Library, discuss genealogical resources. Call 973-247-0085, ext. 200. Fish N’ Chips Dinner: The First Presbyterian Church of Clifton on Maplewood Ave. hosts a fish n’ chips dinner on Sept. 19, 5 to 7 pm. Tickets are $7.25 for children and $12 for adults. It includes homemade dessert and takeout is available. Call 973-523-1272.

Your Future Begins

1228

PCTI PASSAIC COUNTY TECHNICAL INSTITUTE

Adult Education 45 REINHARDT ROAD • WAYNE

http://www.pcti.tec.nj.us Adult High School: Adult students are able to complete their High School education and receive a High School Diploma. This program is fully approved by the New Jersey Department of Education and the Passaic County Technical Institute Board of Education. FREE to all interested adults. Call 973-389–4101.

Adult Learning Center:

Apprenticeship Program: Carpentry, Electrical, Machine Shop, Plumbing and Heating are available. For information call 973-389–4101.

Licensed Practical Nurse Program:

GED Testing Center: Take the State GED Tests at Passaic County Technical Institute. For information call 973-389-4388

We offer Adult Basic Education, English as a Second Language, Civics Education, and courses to earn a GED. For information call 973-684–0106.

Passaic County Technical Institute also sponsors a year long full–time days Practical Nursing Diploma Program which prepares the student to sit for the New Jersey Board of Nursing Licensed Practical Nursing Exam. Call for brochure... 973-389-2020.

Evening Career & Continuing Education Courses: • ACCA Refrigerant Handlers Certification • Accounting I • Administrative Medical Assistant • Advertising Art and Design • Auto Body I & II • Automotive I & II • Blueprint Reading I & II • Cisco Academy • Computer Aided Drafting Basic/Advanced • Computer Keyboarding • Computer Repair Certification • Computer Survival Toolkit • Culinary Arts • Dietary Managers • Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement • eBay • Engineering Drawing • Entrepreneur • Electricity I & II • Excel • Fireman’s Black Seal Licenses • Food Service • Golf • Heating

• Home Remodeling & Improv. • House Framing I & II • Housewiring • Industrial Wiring I & II • Intro to the Internet & E-Mail • Intro to Computer Programming • Intro to the Web Page Design • Machine Shop I, II, & III • Manicuring • National Electric Code • Networking for Home & Small Business • Nurses Aide • Nutritional Cooking • Personal Computer I, II & III • Plumbing I & II • Plumber’s License Prep • Power Point • QuickBooks • Real Estate Salesperson Licensing • HVAC/R • Small Engine Repair • Sign Language • Skin Care • Stained Glass • Swimming • Welding Basic or Advanced • Word 2000 / XP

More Than 300 On-Line Courses Are Offered Each Month:

Visit http://www.ed2go.com/pcti 86

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

In-Person Registration Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 6:30 - 9 pm September 9, 10 & 11 16, 17 & 18

For Info, Call 973-389-4101 CLASSES BEGIN SEPT. 22ND

Members of the Sacred Heart Class of 1964 recently held a reunion. From left to right, Cheri (Taylor) Burbank, Dolores Montalbano, her sister MaryAnn, John Schaffner ’65, Ann (Muscato) Schaffner, Laura Andreotta, Jane (Guman) Fahrenfeld, Ralph Andreotta, John Patire, Aldo Putignano, Steve Christopher, Barbara Cordaro and Rosanne (Triolo) Skurla.

Join Hannah—the Top Banana— Anolik, her family and team, Hannah’s Bananas, and thousands of other walkers in the 4th annual Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes. The two-mile walk will leave from Medco Headquarters in Bergen County at 10 am (registration starts at 9 am) on Oct. 19. Lunch and tshirts are provided with each donation. For more info, donations, or to join the team, visit jdrf.org or call Ellen Anolik at 973-779-2875. Register now for SAT prep courses at CHS. High school students who plan to take the SAT I test on Nov. 1 or Dec. 6 may register for classes available on Saturday mornings and weekday evenings, beginning Sept. 6. Tuition is $275, which includes study guides, and a pre-test and post-test. Call 973-470-2342. The CHS Class of June 1948 will hold its reunion on Oct. 18 at the Valley Regency, 1129 Valley Rd., from 1 to 5 pm. The $50 ticket covers the luncheon buffet, which features 35 selections of food. Dress casual. Checks can be made to CHS Reunion Committee, 98 Washington Ave., Clifton, 07011. For more information, call Barbara Bush Griffith at 973-478-8672.

The Clifton Fighting Mustangs will host their annual beefsteak fundraiser tricky tray on Sept. 19 at 6:30 pm at the Boys & Girls Club. Tickets are $30 and checks can be sent to PO Box 843, Clifton, 07015. This event is BYOB. For more information, call Carl or Tammy Gebbia at 973-772-6288.

Clifton’s Hannah Anolik will be walking once again to cure juvenile diabetes. Contact her mom Ellen if you’d like to participate or donate.

Sacred Heart School Class of 1964 held its third bi-annual reunion on Aug. 16. The first reunion was held in 2004 on the 40th anniversary of its graduation. The event was so well received, that it was decided to have a reunion every two years. Classmates came from as far as Tennessee for the gathering. If you were a member of this class and have not been contacted, or if you would like to have a reunion for another year’s class, call Steve Christopher at 973-546-3843.

Optimist Clubs Hot Dog Night: The game of football reunites the sister cities of Clifton and Passaic, as the Indians and Mustangs fight for pride, respect and bragging rights in their Thanksgiving Day gridiron war this year in Passaic. But before the big game, they will make peace in an unusual way: eating hot dogs. This Nov. 19 event is organized by members of the Passaic & Clifton Optimist Clubs as a way for the players to get to know one another. Be a Friend of Youth—the club’s slogan—and join us at our Clifton & Passaic Optimist Clubs Hot Dog Nite on Nov. 19 at 6:30 pm at the Clifton Rec Center on Main Ave. Tickets are $10 in advance to help fund and support this event. For info, call Clifton Optimist Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400. September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

A listing of Street Fairs and Church Festivals... St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church picnic is Sept. 7, noon to 8 pm at 216 President St., Passaic. Call 973-471-9727. St. Andrew’s RC Church Carnival is until Sept. 7 on Mt. Prospect Ave. Info at www.standrew-cliftonnj.org/carn.htm. St. John Kanty Church picnic is Sept. 7 at 1 pm on Speer Ave. Call 973-471-9620. The Athenia Street Fair is Sept. 14. Stroll Van Houten Ave. to shop and enjoy the day. Call 973-471-9620. Ukrainian Orthodox Holy Ascension Church picnic is also Sept. 14, noon to dusk, 635 Broad St. Call 973-471-8131. Downtown Clifton International Street Fair (pictured) is Sept 28. Stroll along Main Ave., noon until 6 pm. Call 973-253-1455. Botany’s International Festival is Oct. 19, 11 am to 5 pm in Village Square and a portion of Lake Ave. Call 973-546-8787.

WEE CARE

This Fall: After-School

Pick-Up @ Schools 2 & 5

C HILD CARE CENTER

• Infant & Toddler Program • Precious ’s • Pre School & Pre K Program • Open am to pm • After School Pick Up

• When public schools are closed we’re open! • Weekly Chapel

(from School and School )

Melissa Jaycox, Director • First Presbyterian Church 303 Maplewood Ave. Clifton • 973.523.7704 88

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

% 10 S

OFF

IBLING

DISCOUNT 1170

“Messenger Boy [George Wiley] rode rings around Joe Nelson and Nat Butler.” The Delawanna Field Club baseball team; comprised of As collected & edited by Clifton Historian Don Lotz M. Dawson p, Hammond c, Elliot Bygone News provides a glimpse 1st, Howarth 2nd, Thompson s, into the events occurring in Grey 3rd, Conlon LF, Moore CF, Acquackanonk (now Clifton) and G. Dawson RF; met the 100 and 50 years ago. While topPassaic Independents, Brooklyn ics illustrate the evolution of a Hustler Field Club, and Bergen rural Acquackanonk Township Stars during September. into the Clifton of today, no Delawanna was again visited doubt readers will also notice by miscreant chicken thieves how some issues seem timeless. when three broke into the September 1908 Delawanna Avenue coop of A. H. Herbert Young’s quick actions Velders. The brazen thieves saved the lives of his sisters struck while the Velders were Grace and Jessie. The trio were having supper. canoeing on the Passaic River at Mr. Velders saw them through The Acquackanonk Township Committee Mountainside; “the girls were the open kitchen window and used Henry Hohenstein’s Clifton Hotel paddling with Herbert seated in startled them to flee before takYou’ve saving and investing for the day when on Mainspent Ave. foryears meetings, circa 1908. the middle of the canoe,” when ing even a single chicken. putatwork behind you and enjoy the things you “the canoe upset and the occu- you“incan a barn Delawanna at one RETIREMENT IS NO TIME pants thrown into the water.” love. o’clock Theshould change on that day is But Monday the onlymorning.” thing that TO STOP PREPARING Herbert grabbed Grace, “swam fight moved out of Essex County your strategy. with her to the upturned canoe” into Delawanna, because “the vigand left her with the vessel. ilance of the authorities in that spent years saving and Edward Jones, we can create aYou’ve strategy to help ensure Jessie was saved as she was At section caused the pugs and their investing for the day when you “going down for the last time.” thetrain can putfor work you and of sports to skidoo money you’ve savedacross will be there youbehind throughout enjoy the things you love. But the Unconscious, Jessie was taken the [county] line into what your retirement. So you may look forward to a steady, stable only thing that should change on to the Wimpus Canoe Club boatproved to be safer territory.” that day is your strategy. to come. house and was revived by atten- income Mack for wonyears the contest in the At Edward Jones, we can create a dant John Edwards, while fourth round. strategy to help ensure the money out why it Township makes sense to talk with your Herbert swam back to the canoe To find The Acquackanonk you’ve saved will be there for you and retrieved his other sister. Edward Committee met at Hohenstein’s throughout retirement. Jones financial advisor aboutyour your retire-So The sibling’s parents arrived Hotel on Sept. 1. The treasurer you may look forward to a steady, ment savings, call today. with their carriage and returned stable income for years to come. reported a cash balance of To find out more, call today. all to their Ackerman Ave. home. $249.18. Poormaster expenses Cy Yannarelli Cy Yannarelli, CFP Market Gardener Gottlieb were $102.50 and the clerk Financial Advisor Max “discovered a case of beer Financial received $10.50 forAdvisor licenses and . 730 Broad Street hidden in a clump of bushes wagon plates. W. H. Peck and W. Clifton, NJ 07013 730 Broad Street Suite 2 along the roadside in Piaget M. Anderson granted a 973-777-9620 Clifton,were NJ 07013 Ave.” The beer is presumed to be license for operating “a moving Open 8 AM - 6 PM 973-777-9620 www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC Sat. 9-1 part of the goods stolen earlier picture show at Dayton Avenue.” www.edwardjones.com from Plog’s Hotel. “Mr. Plog, At Clifton Race Track bicyclist Member SIPC upon hearing of the find, insisted Jake De Rosier missed a record by that Mr. Max return the beer.” 4 & 3/5 sec completing 5 miles in Kingsland residents William 4 min 52 & 1/5 sec. In the ten mile Mullen and William Mack boxed motor paced race local cyclist

Bygone News

RETIREMENT IS NO TIME

TO STOP PREPARING

FOR RETIREMENT. FOR RETIREMENT.

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

A barn dance hosted by the Clifton Recreation Club was being scheduled for October 1st in the Lexington Ave. carriage house of D. E. Burrows. “Many of the young men are anxiously waiting and hoping they will be among the lucky invitees, as the club has upon its roll the prettiest young women in the township.”

September 1958 The Clifton City Council rejected Councilman Augustine La Corte’s resolution “to forestall construction of a new high school until after the matter had been placed before the voters on a referendum by a 5 – 2 vote.” Councilman William R. Brogan was the other vote cast in favor of La Corte’s resolution. Mayor Stanley Zwier’s proclamation announced “Mustang Band Month.” Forty rounds of boxing at Clifton H. S. Stadium provided proceeds to support the Mustang Band Rose Bowl trip fund. “A special four round exhibition between Ernie Durando, Bayonne middleweight and Sal Ria, of West New York” was the highlight of the event. Student admission was $0.90, general admission $1.50, and 500 ringside seats sold for $2.50 each.

The month of August recorded a $154,103 increase in new building activity, over the previous August, to $723,312. “permits were issued for a large industrial plant in the Allwood section, a post office building containing a store in Richfield, 14 one-family homes, one two-family home and a swimming pool.” Quentin Roosevelt Post American Legion set Oct. 6 for the installation of its new officers. “They are Anthony Calandriello, Commander; Alfred Leigh, First Vice Commander; William Powers, Second Vice Commander; Charles Lotz, Third Vice Commander; Hector Alaya and Frank Swanson, Sergeant at Arms. Also Jack Kuepfer, Adjutant; Charles Kittner, Finance Officer; John Olson, Chaplain; Andrew D. Mason, Jr., Service Officer; Edward Feld, Judge Advocate; and Charles R. Stephan, Historian.” The First Presbyterian Church of Clifton on Clifton Ave., installed its new pastor, the Rev. J. Willis Horton during regular services on Sunday, September 28th. Rev. Horton served two years in World War II and “was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action for saving another American soldier’s life behind enemy lines.”

On Sept. 8, 1958 , Pfizer, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, officially opened a sales and distribution center in Clifton at 230 Brighton Rd. Pictured above, from left, are Dee Phillips, Ann Vinciquerrra, Eileen Klingman and Marilyn Palm. In the inset, from left at a July 2006 reunion at Mario’s, Cliftonites Evelyn Donley, Lorraine Martin, Bernie Liskiewicz, Ann Vinciquerrra and Ron Meola, the person who “turned the key and closed the Brighton Rd. plant” when it closed in 1999. 90

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

From nonsurgical solutions to the latest surgical techniques, Dr. Thomas A. Graziano can help your feet be

Beautiful & Comfortable Every Step Your Life of

Minimally Invasive Surgical Techniques • Permanent solutions for heel pain, bunions, hammertoes and more • Performed on an outpatient basis— there’s no hospital stay • Up to 300% less invasive than traditional methods • Reduce recovery time

Custom-Made, Lightweight Orthotics • Simple nonsurgical solutions to prevent future foot problems • Made especially for you to fit discreetly in your shoes • Providing needed support & weight distribution

• Reconstructive foot & ankle surgery • Diabetic foot disease • Podiatric medicine This office accepts Medicare and participates with most insurance carriers.

There are about 12,000 podiatrists in the United States, according to the Department of Labor, and Clifton podiatrist Thomas Graziano is one of only six who hold both a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (D.P.M.) and a Doctor of 1033 Medicine (M.D.) degree.

T HOMAS GRAZIANO MD, DPM

Clifton Ave., Clifton • 973-473-3344

www.drtgraziano.com

Practice Limited to Disorders of the Foot & Lower Leg Board Certified in Foot & Ankle Surgery Fellow American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Birthdays & Celebrations! send us dates & names... tomhawrylko@optonline.net Happy Anniversary to Mike & Karen Hrina on Sept. 20.

Ed Holster Sr. & Linda Portaro were engaged on July 20. Michael Capwell …………9/1 Allison Di Angelo …………9/2 Bill Federowic ………………9/3 Dave Gabel ……………….9/3 Sharon Holster …………….9/4 Joseph Shackil ……………9/4 Eric Wahad …………………9/4 Christy Gordon ……………9/5 Mohammed Othman ……9/5 Ana Stojanovski. …………9/6 Darren Kester ………………9/7 Eddie Bivaletz …………….9/8 Shannon Carroll ………….9/8 Geoff Goodell. …………….9/9 Annamarie Priolo ………….9/9 George Andrikanich ……9/10 Nicole Moore ……………9/10 Ronnie Courtney ……….9/11 Andrew Orr ……………….9/11

Donna and Rob Carpentier were wed on Sept. 14, 1996. 92

September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

Andrew Shackil …………9/11 Lee Ann Doremus ………9/12 Wayne Funke ……………9/12 Sarah Bielen ………………9/14 Anthony Dorski …………9/14 Manny Monzo ……………9/15 Stacey Corbo …………….9/16 Nancy Ann Eadie ………9/16 Joe Genchi ……………….9/16 Jaclyn Scotto ……………9/16 Kathleen Gorman ………9/18

Frank Hahofer celebrated his 95th birthday Aug. 7 with his wife Lydia, who will be celebrating her 93rd on Sept. 4. Amanda Meneghin ……9/18 Dawn Smolt ………………9/18 Daniel Smith ………………9/18 Gloria Turba ………………9/18 Mickey Garrigan…………9/19 James Graham …………9/19 Sara Gretina………………9/21 Lynne Lonison ……………9/21 Annamaria Menconi ….9/21 Peter Skoutelakis ……….9/21 Belated congratulations to Tom & Theresa Albanese of Las Vegas, who marked their 55th wedding anniversary on Aug. 8.

Married on Aug. 8 were Joseph Francis Rodenbaugh and Rebecca Jean Sonta. Valerie Carestia …………9/22 Beverly Duffy …………….9/22 Timothy St. Clair ………….9/22 Keith Myers ………………9/23 Brian Salonga. ……………9/23 Brian Engel ………………9/23 Pam Bielen ………………9/25 Deanna Cristantiello.……9/25 Donato Murolo. …………9/25 Corey Genardi ………….9/26 Barbara Mascola ……….9/29 Thomas E. Moore ………9/29 Mary Perzely …………….9/29 Lauren Hrina …………….9/30 Ryan Lill.……………………9/30

Ahmad Aref is 8 on Sept. 5 & his brother Abdullah Aref celebrates his first birthday Sept. 21.

Visit us in Downtown Clifton: 1103 Main Ave • 973-473-4999 Carly (13) & Cheryl Hawrylko (50) share a Sept. 12 birthday.

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

Two Stores In Clifton Dorothy Knapp celebrates a birthday on Sept. 12.

973-473-1997

973-473-4999

802 Van Houten Ave • Clifton Mon-Fri 8-6pm • Sat 8-5pm • Sun 9-1pm

1103 Main Ave • Downtown Clifton Mon-Fri 8-6pm • Sat 8-5pm • Sun Closed

Our Other Locations: 201.843.8040

201-845-8353

136 Essex St • Rochelle Park Open Sundays

101 Route 46 West • Saddle Brook Open Sundays

201.391.3333

973-857-2600

5 Hawthorne Ave • Park Ridge New Location

614 Pompton Ave • Cedar Grove New Location

201. 261.0411 59A E. Ridgewood Ave • Paramus New Location

973.338.9292 1278 Broad St • Bloomfield New Location

973-694-2228 1168 Hamburg Turnpike • Wayne New Location

973-423-1700 93 Goffle Rd • Hawthorne New Location 1036

Tiffany Wright and Brian Cook (you may recognize them from Shopper’s Vineyard) married on July 19.

Visit us in Athenia: 802 Van Houten Ave • 973-473-1997 September 2008 • Clifton Merchant

People & Pets Ever notice that pets sometimes resemble the people who care for them? Or that the traits of humans are often reflected in the creatures they select as a pet? Here are two photos of some neighbors and their pets. In future editions, we may publish other combinations, so please submit nominations. Send photos of you and your (or your friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) animals to Clifton Merchant Magazine, 1288 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton, 07011, or e-mail us at tomhawrylko@optonline.net. Be sure to include your name and phone number.

Todd Friedman with Floyd and Buster. Floyd is a four-year-old Cockapoo with a tennis ball obsession and Buster is a three-year-old Wheaton Terrier who will do most anything for a treat. Both go to work with Todd at the Post Net store on Valley Rd. six days a week. However, Sundays, Todd reported, is for hiking.

September 2008 â&#x20AC;˘ Clifton Merchant

Hair stylist and Luddington Ave. resident Gino Arturo and his two-year old Shih tzu Twinkie both seem well-coifed.

C U LT U R E D

S T O N E

‘Imagine Your Clifton Home with Cultured Stone’

THENI THENIA

MASON MASON SUPPLY SUPPLY

973.253.0570 973.253.0570 From Lakeview Ave • Enter on Mina Ave

Tomahawk Promotions 1288 Main Avenue Clifton, NJ 07011

PRSRT STD US Postage PA I D CLIFTON, NJ

PERMIT NO. 1185

NICHOLAS TSELEPIS Broker/Owner

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

1624 Main Ave. Clifton, NJ 07011

Office: 973-340-1202

973-859-2270