North Edition
NO BRIDGE TOO FAR
Closter • Demarest • Harrington Park • Haworth • Northvale • Norwood • Old Tappan • Rockleigh NORTHERN VALLEY
RATEPAYER ADVOCATE SAYS SUEZ PROPOSAL ‘JUST WRONG’
FEBRUARY 24, 2020 NORTHERN VALLEY
LAWMAKER CALLS FOR OPT-OUT OF INCLUSIVE LESSONS
Proposal comes ahead of new lawʼs implementation
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
Should be rejected In its brief, the state Division of Rate Counsel, which represents ratepayers statewide, said that Suezʼs two-year pilot customer lead line replacement proposal should be rejected because it seeks to charge nearly 200,000 ratepayers for improvements to property not owned by the utility—and make a nearly 10% profit on work not permitted under existing utility law. Suez proposed a customer lead line replacement effort last March after revealing that 15 of 108 homes tested above federal lead levels for drinking water in late 2018. Following the disclosure and pushback from public officials, Suez initiated an expedited lead line replacement effort for utilityowned lead service lines, vowing to replace 25 percent of its lead
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BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
Photo courtesy Dave Frieder
A state ratepayers advocate filed a motion in mid-February that charges Suez North Americaʼs proposed customer lead line replacement program “is contrary to both federal and state law that has existed for more than a century” and that public utilities are only allowed to charge ratepayers for investment in utility property “that is used and useful in the public service.” The Suez customer lead replacement proposal offers to replace lines for $1,000—payable in a lump sum or over a year-long installment plan—with Suezʼs 200,000 ratepayers picking up the cost difference via a long-term surcharge on bills. Suez estimates most replacements cost $3,000 to $5,000, with some up to $8,000.
Closter resident Dave Frieder’s new photographic retrospective spans more than two decades of his work documenting the views from atop New York City’s iconic bridges. Above, he balances on a cable of the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge. of photographs—featuring up-close and panoramic BY MICHAEL OLOHAN views taken from high atop nearly two dozen New OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS York City bridges. Titled “The Magnificent Bridges of New York CLOSTER—If you have a fear of heights, you may not want to look too closely at the scores of never-before- City,” the beautifully illustrated photographic compiseen high-altitude views that illustrate Closter pho- lation took nearly three decades—from conception to tographer Dave Friederʼs newly released collection Continued on page 3
Sowore trial delayed to March 11 due to prosecution BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
HAWORTH—A Nigerian federal high court justice adjourned the trial Feb. 13 of journalist and former Nigerian presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, a Haworth resident, until midMarch to give the prosecution additional time to provide a video compact disc to the defense team. Both human-rights activists Omoyele Sowore and his co-defendant, Olawale Bakare, are now to stand trial March 11–13 on amended Sowore charges of “treasonable felony
FRIDAY KNIGHT FARE
The Norwood Knights of Columbus will serve up Lent-approved eats at this weekʼs Legendary Fish Fry.
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and conspiracy.” The case was postponed Feb. 13 due to the prosecution not having provided copies of video compact discs to the defense team that they plan to rely on during the trial. Both are on trial for inciting revolution against the Nigerian government and attempting to bring down the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, according to media reports from Nigeria. On Feb. 12, the first day of the trial, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu struck the previous seven-count Continued on page 5
Before school districts statewide are scheduled to introduce new LGBTQ-inclusive lessons this September, a state Assemblyman introduced a bill Feb. 13 that would allow parents to “optout” children from such lessons and receive a voucher to place their child in a private school more in line with their beliefs or religion. The state law to include LGBTQ-inclusive lessons in middle school and high school curricula was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy in January 2019, and mandates all school districts implement such lesson plans in September 2020. Before Murphy signed the LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum law, it was approved by a 52-vote majority in the Assembly and a 27-vote majority in the Senate, drawing wide bipartisan support from state legislators. State Assemblyman Robert Auth (R-Old Tappan) introduced the bill, A-3000, that provides parents “choice” in removing their son or daughter from LGBTQ lessons that they do not want their child exposed to. ʻChoice and toleranceʼ “My bill is about allowing parents choice and tolerance for all views,” Auth told Northern Valley Press Feb. 14. Auth initially introduced legislation Feb. 4 to enable parents to
See AUTH page 64
B ck in time...
We honor the history of a Livingston Street building thatʼs soon to be replaced by apartments.
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