clifton merchant magazine - november 2009

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Clifton Merchant Magazine is published the first Friday of every month at 1288 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton • 973-253-4400

Clifton Comics: Thank you so muchfor the notice about my appearance atthe Clifton Comic Expo on Nov. 8 atthe Rec Center on Main Ave. I had afew people, including my nephew,alert me to it, and my mother-in-lawpicked up a copy of the October edi-tion for us. I very much appreciateyour support. The comic book imageyou used is actually part of the coverof the new issue that’s coming out!Jeff Kipnis (Author of Lightning Squirrel)

CHS 1989

October’s Butterflies: I look forwardto reading the Clifton Merchant everymonth; I always pick up a copy whenI am shopping around the neighbor-hood. A friend of ours from Santa FeSalon called to say my girls were onthe cover. What a wonderful surpriseand honor to see my twin daughters,

Julia and Samantha, on the cover ofyour October issue. When we sawthe cover, we couldn’t believe it. Wewere so excited, the girls were jump-ing up and down, but then to open upthe issue and see all three of us insidewas overwhelming.

Julia (left) and Samantha aregraduates of Patty Cakes Preschooland are currently happy kindergart-ners at School 1 (they took copiesto school for their teachers).

Samantha enjoys learning howto play guitar and Julia has a pas-sion for cooking and baking.

We have been attending theHarvestFest at Nash Park sincethey were two years old and lookforward to going every year.

Thank you so much for puttingmy daughters on the cover. We all

had great big smiles when we saw thephoto and heard from our friends.

Elizabeth BerkenboschClifton

Correction: Republican Assemblycandidate Michael G. Mecca III isnot the current Chair of the GOPStrong party, but instead the son ofthe man who holds that positionand once served as a PassaicCounty Freeholder.

Clifton Merchant Magazine1288 Main Ave. Clifton 07011

[email protected]

to theEditor

2009

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November 2009 • Clifton Merchant 4

Shades of 1970: Your August issueon the music scene for our genera-tion brought me back to a greattime. I was surprised to see myband, Purple Grass, mentioned andappreciated. Unfortunately, as iscommon, we lost track of eachother over the years.

We had two drummers and thatwas unplanned. Bob Williams andCarl Lomauro showed up at thefirst practice, and rumor has it, didnot know each other was asked intothe band. As to the name, purplewas the psychedelic color of theday and grass should be self-explanatory.

You sure did your research cov-ering many groups and musicians.Perhaps you or your readers can getsome information on a band calledThe Ride from about 1968.

On a personal note, after beingout of the music scene for almost25 years, at 54 years old, I am cur-rently back out playing guitar andpedal steel, southern and countryrock for the fun of it. Music, itseems, never leaves your system.

Larry CosdenMahwah

Above, Purple Grass of Clifton won the1970 Battle of the Bands at Paul VIRegional High School. From left:Elliot Zolt, Bob Kerns, Larry Cosden,Bob Williams and Carl Lomauro.

16,000 Magazinesare distributed to

hundreds of CliftonMerchants on the firstFriday of every month.

~Subscribe Page 81~$27 per year

$45 for 2 yearsCall 973-253-4400

Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko

Business ManagerCheryl Hawrylko

Staff Writers:Joe Hawrylko

Jordan SchwartzGraphic Artist

Rich McCoyContributors

Don Lotz, Rich DeLotto © 2009 Tomahawk Promotions

1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011

The Surftones in the old Boys Club,circa 1963, from left bass player Louie(name unknown), Tommy Graziano,Steve Giovenco and Lenny Daidone.


From left, Kevin O’Neil of IHOP, Clifton Firefighter Tony Latona,

CFD Deputy Chief George Spies and Joe Argieri of Baskinger’s.

by TomHawrylko

A Thanksgiving Tradition of Sharing


Like many industries today, profitsare off for restaurants and catering

services. But the down economy didn’tstop Kevin O’Neil and Joe Argieri fromdonating all that’s needed for the 15thAnnual Thanksgiving Day feast.

Working with Clifton Firefighters andFMBA Local 21, the Route 3 IHOP andBaskinger’s Catering make possible afree Thanksgiving Day dinner to resi-dents who might otherwise be havingtheirs alone, or who might not be able toafford one at all.

The meal will begin at 11:30 am onNov. 26 at the Clifton Senior CitizenCenter, behind City Hall at 900 CliftonAve. Seating will be limited to the first 150 residentswho respond before Nov. 12. To register, call Ann MarieLancaster at 973-470-5802. There will also be two pick-up locations for hot meals at 50 Sade St. (10:15 am) and714 Clifton Ave. (10:30 am).

This Thanksgiving Tradition of Sharing began in1994 when Deputy Chief Tom Lyons (above, whoretired in 2008) asked Kevin’s mom Maureen to donatethe turkeys. “We’ve been doing it ever since and wehope to do it for decades to come,” said Kevin. “Weeven provide the breakfast food for the volunteers.”

Since Lyons worked at Baskinger’s, heasked the Crooks Ave. landmark to help,noted Clifton Deputy Chief George Spies.“Joe is great. He gives us everything weneed to cook and serve the dinner.Utensils, aprons, a professional slicer...both these guys are quality people.”

While Spies and Firefighter TonyLatona have long been part of the workcrew, they took over coordinating theevent when Lyons retired. Dozens ofother Clifton Firefighters and their fami-lies, as well as Scout Troops and others,volunteer from the early morning hours toprep, cook and serve. “But I’m amazedthat we always need help when we clean

up,” Spies said with a laugh. So if you’d like to cleansome pots and pans and be part of a wonderful CliftonTradition of Sharing, give the number at the left a call.

Another way to help: St. Peter’s Haven seeks donationsfor its Thanksgiving Turkey Program to support shelterand pantry families. Since there is limited freezer space atthe Clifton Ave. church, frozen turkeys must be deliveredon Nov. 22, between 1 and 2 pm. The thawing birds willbe distributed on Nov. 23 at 10 am. Gift certificates tolocal food stores would also be appreciated. To request aturkey or to make a contribution, call 973-546-3406.


David Gabel may have lost hishand, but his sense of humor

is still intact. The 21-year-old fullyintends on getting a few laughs atthe annual Northern New JerseyBoy Scouts’ Halloween event.

“I can’t wait for Fright night,”he laughed, “I’m going to beCaptain Hook.”

Gabel, a 2006 Clifton HighSchool graduate, nearly lost his lifethis summer in an accident on theGarden State Parkway.

Tragedy StrikesOn Aug. 20, Gabel and his

friend, Jeff Lenik, another ’06alum, were returning home fromthe Gabel family shore house inManahawkin. The two had spentthe day replacing the wooden docksaround the house in preparation fora homecoming party for Gabel’sbrother, Ryan, who had justcompleted USMC boot camp.

They left southern New Jerseyaround 7:30 pm and immediatelyhit traffic as they entered theGarden State Parkway.

Gabel slowly meandered up thehighway in the dead heat of Augustwith the windows down and theradio blasting. By all indications, itwas just another long ride home.

But just an hour later, Gabel’slife was forever changed.

As he was approaching Exit 115for Holmdel, he felt the front end ofhis 2004 Chevy Blazer jolt.Suddenly, Gabel lost control andthe sports utility vehicle jumpedout of the slow lane and veered

sharply towards the embankmentdividing the highway.

Gabel tried to quickly correct hiserror by jerking the wheel to theright but overcompensated, rollingthe Blazer onto the driver’s side inthe fast lane of the Parkway.

The seat belt prevented himfrom being discharged from thecar, but Gabel, who was drivingwith his arm out the window at thetime, wasn’t quick enough toescape injury.

Sandwiched between the asphaltand the driver’s side door of theBlazer, Gabel’s arm was shredded bythe roadway. It was pinned beneaththe SUV, which skidded down thefast lane for nearly 100 yards beforefinally coming to a halt.

“The radio was still blastingwhen the car stopped,” Gabelrecalled. “I turned the flashlight onand that was the only time Iactually saw my hand and I justknew it wasn’t good.”

Overcoming AdversityOptimism helps David Gabel learn to live as an Amputee

Story by Joe Hawrylko

At therapy at JZV Rehabilitation, Gabel uses sticks covered in various fabrics tostimulate the damaged nerves in his arm so that he can be fitted for a prosthesis.


The bone had been split in halfjust above the wrist, leaving whatremained of his hand dangling by afew bloody strands of sinew.

But he was still alive.Knowing that he very well could

die of blood loss before even gettingto the hospital, Gabel put his scouttraining to use and instructed hisfriend to craft a makeshift tourniquetout of his belt. “Then an off-duty fire-man—I don’t know his name—putme over his shoulder and carried meto the grass,” he recalled. “The painwasn’t nearly as bad as appendicitis.”

But as he waited for the ambu-lance to negotiate the traffic thathad now built up, Gabel’s shockbegan to wear off and pain set in.

Emergency medical techniciansarrived and prepped him for thetrip to Jersey Shore UniversityMedical Center in Neptune, wheretrauma surgeons would attempt tosalvage his hand.

The Aftermath“They could have said that they

weren’t going to try and save it,”said Gabel. “I knew from seeingthat one image of it.”

The doctor’s reassuring wordswere the last thing that heremembered prior to surgery.

Gabel awoke a few hours later inthe recovery room, his sensesdulled from the morphine comingfrom an IV. He went to move hisleft hand, but there was only astump beneath layers of bandages.

His family was already by hisside, since Gabel had a goodsamaritan place a phone call at thescene of the accident. “I definitelylaughed,” said Gabel. “I specifical-ly remember that I was like, ‘Mom,look what I did this time!’”

It’s definitely an odd rection, butGabel isn’t one to dwell on a badsituation for long.

“I lost my whole hand,” he said.“but it could have been my wholearm out the window. I could havebeen out the window.”

Gabel spent less than 48 hours inthe hospital before being sent hometo continue with the most difficultpart of his recovery.

Ryan and David Gabel in SouthCarolina following Ryan’s graduationfrom Marine boot camp this summer.


Readjusting to LifeOnce his arm had sufficiently

healed, Gabel began physical thera-py three times a week at JZVRehabilitation on Broad St., wheretherapists are helping his bodyacclimate to the muscle changesfrom the operation.

Sessions typically start with amagnetic machine designed toreduce swelling and improve circu-lation. Gabel’s muscles may alsobe electronically stimulated with amachine to reduce pain.

One of the most important rolesof the therapy is to prepare Gabelfor a prosthesis. He must firstadjust to the shortened muscles inhis forearm, as he still hasdifficulty turning his elbow due tothe trauma.

Advancements in prostheticlimbs allow for electronic replace-ments that could be hardwired tomuscles and nerves.

Senses in his amputated armhave been dulled, and so therapistsmust restore Gabel’s sense oftouch. His rehabilitation includesrubbing sticks lined with varyingtypes of soft and coarse fabric overhis repaired arm.

Gabel must first show improve-ment in his muscles and nervesbefore a prosthesis can be applied.

“It will make life so much easierin the long run,” he said. “I get bynow, but having a hand againwould be a bit more convenient.”

Still, even though he anticipatesa prosthesis—and the freedom thatcomes with it—Gabel is doing hisbest to be independent without anartificial limb.

“Zipping up my sweatshirt tookabout an hour the first time, butnow I’m used to it,” he laughed.“But the other day, I had a totalstranger do it for me.”

Gabel’s optimistic attitude is thereason that his progress has beenlargely positive to this point. “I’vebeen really calm. It’s the best way todeal with it,” he said. “Being angrywon’t make August 20 go away.”

Overcoming the new challengesthat arise from his condition is amotivational boost for Gabel. Eachlittle accomplishment is anotherstep towards recovery.

He recalled a recent afternoonwhen he was home alone with onlya can of tuna fish for lunch. Gabelwasn’t about to order a pizza.

“There’s points where it’s diffi-cult,” he laughed. Gabel was ableto eat after wrangling with the canfor nearly an hour. “But I wasdetermined to eat lunch.Ultimately, I’ll do what I set out todo. I’m not going to lay in bed and

wish my arm grew back.”He’s taking a traumatic situation

in stride and probably handling theloss of a limb as best as one can.Gabel refuses help unlessabsolutely necessary and generallykeeps a positive outlook on life.He even goes as far as joking abouthis hand with friends.

In his mind, he got lucky.Gabel recalled an amputee Boy

Scout that he met just before hisaccident at Camp Turrell in NewYork, where he works annually.

“He had it worse than me,” saidGabel. The young boy had lost hisarm up to the elbow, “and he wasthere, kayaking. I didn’t think in amonth that I’d be like that.”

That anecdote is much morepoignant given his condition. Theyoung boy didn’t let his

“He’s amazing,” Ryan Gabel said of his older brother Dave. “He justkeeps on going. That really inspires me.”

Dave’s sibling had just graduated from the famed Parris Island U.S.Marine Boot Camp in South Carolina and returned to Clifton when theaccident happened. “I saw him for a couple days in the hospital before Ileft,” said Gabel. Now in training at Ft. Knox, Ky., where he’s learning theintricacies of being a crew member aboard an M1A1 Tank, he reflectedon what helps his brother through this life-changing event. “It’s really thehumor. It’s the biggest thing. He can joke about it and kept on sayinghow he’s going to be a pirate for Halloween.”

As far as Ryan’s life changer—enlisting in the Marines—the 18-year-oldsaid he made the decision to join the military as a sixth grader, when hesaw the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001. “I’ve always wantedto be a Marine,” he said. “At that point, I wanted to make a difference andbe a part of making sure something like that never happens again.”

A CHS 2008 grad, Gabel was a two-year member of the school’s Jr.ROTC. He said that challenging experience on the CHS campus is whatconfirmed his decision to select the Marines over other military branches.

Following his discharge in 2012, Gabel plans on becoming a policeofficer and may work towards a degree while in the Corps. “I haven’tmade a decision yet. I’d like to take a couple of courses when I’m in.I’ve already got credits from boot,” he said. “I want to be a canine copwhen I get out. They require two years of school or four years military.”

USMC Private First Class Ryan Gabel


amputation stop him, why shouldGabel focus on his limitations?

“I’ve played saxophone sincethe fourth grade. I can’t do thatanymore,” he said. “But drums, I

love drums. Why even think Ican’t play saxophone again? I canstill play drums.”

Gabel doesn’t anticipate hisinjury permanently derailing his

music production career. As anambitious high school senior, theCHS alum was profiled in the June2006 graduation edition of CliftonMerchant Magazine for his start-upcompany, Pulse Sound Systems.

“I can still lift stuff,” said Gabel.“I’ve still got a hand.”

Before the accident, the 21 yearold was enrolled in Montclair StateUniversity’s arts and theatreprogram for sound production, butdropped out. Once his arm iscompletely healed, he plans ontransferring to another school tocontinue his education, focusing onthe business side of music.

Gabel also has an internshipwaiting for him at the Boy Scoutsof America, which couldpotentially end up as a full time job.

Once he is fully recovered,Gabel is confident that he’ll be ableto live like the accident never evenhappened.

“Once I get my prosthetic,” hesaid, “I can do anything.”

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David Gabel and his brother, Ryan (back to camera) in 2006. Gabel, then a senior,was profiled in the June 2006 Clifton Merchant because of the sound productioncompany he started with his brother—who, David said, always has his back.


In her four years at Clifton High School, AshleyFriedman has never set foot on the upper levels of

any of the four wings. She’s never had to navigate themass of bodies that converge in between periods in thedreaded mosh pit at the South Wing intersection.

Most students would love the convenience of beingscheduled all on one floor, or the opportunity to get outof class seven minutes early.

But Friedman just wants to be a normal kid again.The senior has dystonia, a movement disorder in

which muscles spasm uncontrollably due to defectiveneurotransmitter. Her condition affects the legs andhands, potentially turning a short walk into a perilousjourney without assistance.

Friedman’s condition is inherited and did not giveher any problems until she was seven years old.

“When I was little, I started walking on my tippy toes,”she recalled. “It was the only way I was able to walk.”

The symptoms indicated the onset of dystonia inFriedman’s feet, but her physician misdiagnosed thecondition and fit her with an uncomfortable brace.

When that didn’t help, the same doctor hypothesizedthat the young child was simply manifesting a mysteriousailment to gain attention. It took more than two years anda dozen doctors to properly diagnose the disorder asdystonia, which had already spread up Friedman’s legsand had now taken up residence in her hands as well.

Naturally, as her condition worsened, Friedman’slife began to change.

She quit dancing and gave up her dream of becom-ing a cheerleader. Friedman picked up art, a hobby shestill enjoys, but even that can be nearly impossible attimes, depending on how severe her symptoms are onany given day.

Physically, dystonia prevented her from having anormal, active childhood, and the stigma of being con-fined to a wheelchair impaired her mentally.

“Kids are not very open,” Friedman said of herpeers. “This one girl invited every girl in the fifth gradeclass but me. She told me her house had a lot of stairs.”

Doctors began treating her with a number of drugs,each with varying degrees of success. Most beneficialto Friedman were botox injections to her foot, whichrelaxed the volatile muscles.

“I do ask why me, why does this happen,” she said.“But that doesn’t help anything.”

For a number of years, a plethora of different drugskept the disorder reasonably in check.

Between the medication and injections, Friedman’sbody was occasionally stable enough to do art.Unfortunately, there are always days when everything isuncontrollable. “I can sense when I’m going to have aspasm,” she said. “I can sense when I’m going to falland can try to control it.”

Medications largely kept Friedman’s dystonia in checkuntil her teenage years. However, changes in her bodynecessitated a more permanent solution: surgery.

“I was going backwards instead of forward,” sheexplained. The medications are only used to control thedisorder and over time, begin to lose effectiveness.

But the two-part operation that had been proposed car-ried potential risks. Doctors would have to drill into theskull to hardwire the brain and insert a battery pack tostimulate the defective neurotransmitter.

To mitigate the chance of infection, Friedman’s headwould be entirely shaved—a large request for anyone, letalone a young girl.

Ashley Friedman’s Clifton High School senior picture, whichwas taken prior to her June 30 brain surgery.

The Walk of Her LifeAshley Friedman overcomes Dystonia Story by

Joe Hawrylko


Because of fears of surgery andconcerns about her appearance,Friedman opted to forgo the opera-tion for more than five years.

It wasn’t until her final semestersat Clifton High that she decided tohave the necessary surgery.

“It was going to be my senior yearand I wanted to walk on the field,”said Friedman, who tried to donateher hair to Locks of Love, but wasdenied because she had dyed it.

The first operation was completedon June 30. Doctors drilled twoholes on the front and back of herhead to place the wiring.

“I was awake for the surgery,” saidFriedman. “He wanted to see mybrain activity and he can’t do that ifI’m asleep. I heard my skull crack.”

Friedman returned home only 48hours after the initial procedure andwas back in the hospital less than aweek later so doctors could placethe battery pack.

The second surgery was a success,but recovery was not as smooth. “Itwas worse, I could hardly walk,” saidFriedman. “I couldn’t get into thecar. I would get up and then laybackwards.” To correct the problem,doctors adjusted the voltage emittingfrom the battery, which must eventu-ally be replaced, since Friedmanopted out of a rechargeable.

“I can never remember to chargemy phone, let alone myself,” shelaughed.

Within a few weeks, Friedmanstarted physical therapy, and therefinally were tangible results.

“I could walk in the house. I usedwalls, but I don’t need to now,” shesaid. “It’s the first time ever I canwalk around without assistance.”

One of the first big milestones forFriedman post-surgery was helpingdo the family shop at ShopRite.

It was the first time she hadever walked in the grocery storewithout holding onto a walker or ashopping cart.

Each day since the surgery,Friedman’s health has been

improving. She still travels aroundCHS in her wheelchair with herfavorite aid, Margueritte Shackil,for precautionary measures.

But outside of the public eye,Friedman is making sure she’sready to accomplish the goal she setprior to surgery.

She shuffles around the familyapartment with short, choppy steps,determined to get her strength upfor the June graduation.

Just a matter of months ago,something as simple as getting offthe couch and going to the bath-room required assistance. The sur-gery has given Friedman independ-ence she hasn’t had in years.

There’s still lots of work to bedone in the recovery process.Friedman is likely to have anothersurgery to loosen the rigid tendonsthat were contorted into uncom-fortable positions due to years ofuncontrolled dystonia.

But even after all the doctors,surgeries and rehabilitationsessions, there will be nothing astherapeutic as walking across JoeGrecco Field to receive herdiploma on June 26.

On that day, Ashley Friedmanwill just be another kid graduatingfrom Clifton High School, ready tomake her mark on the world.

Ashley Friedman in a recent photo.

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While all of her friends areback at Clifton High School

sitting in math, science and Englishclasses, senior Sofia D’Elia, 17, is onthe set of All My Children inManhattan, taping scenes for thepopular soap opera.

The young actress portrays BaileyWelles, a teenage mother whose babywas adopted by another character onthe show, only now, Welles thinksshe might want her child back.“She’s 17 and I’m 17, so I understandwhere she’s coming from,” D’Eliasaid about her role. “It’s not some-thing that’s really far-fetched; whereshe’s coming from is really natural.”

As a 12th-grader, the advancedplacement and honors student has cutdown on her workload this year, andso she hasn’t fallen too far behind inschool. “My parents are really happyfor me,” she said. “They’ve beensupporting me through it.”

D’Elia’s father, Tony, is a formerSchool Board attorney and her moth-

er, Elinor, is a printing broker.They got their youngest child

involved in the performing arts at ayoung age. She was just five whenshe began dancing at BroadwayBound in Lyndhurst and startedacting in original musicals therewhen she was 11. “I was reallyawful at first,” said D’Elia.

“I almost wanted to quit, but I’vealways loved entertaining peopleand making them laugh.

“I’m always the class clown,” shecontinued. “I was always really out-spoken and never shy about any-thing. When I started doing theplays and stuff, I fell in love with it.

“When I got on stage, I was nevernervous. I would be nervous forsports, but never on stage.”

D’Elia played three years of vol-leyball at CHS, but had to quit forthe show, which she started workingfor in September.

“Soap operas are such a goodstarting point,” she said. “A lot ofactors and actresses started out onsoap operas. Just from the shorttime I’ve been there, I’ve learned somuch. The other actors on set havebeen there so long; they have somuch to teach.” D’Elia took a com-mercial acting class at 14 and wassigned by CESD, a talent agency inNew York City.The D’Elia family, from left: Kyle, Sofia, Tony and Elinor.

Sofia Black-D’Elia is Bailey Welles on All My Children

Story by Jordan SchwartzHigh School Drama

Sofia Black-D’Elia is a 17 year old teenage mom on ABC’s All My Children.


The CHS Drama Club presents Death of a Salesman. Cast, from from left rear, Michael Sunbury, Bhavin Shah, AnayzahThomas, Ariel DeLeon, Matthew Szewczyk and MaryKate Wrigley. Front: Roy Tejeda, Sarah Robertson, Dominick Marroneand Kurt Irizarry. Not pictured are Darlene Ramos, Fernando Cerezo and Paige Sciarrino.

Dominick Marrone is the tragic Willy Loman and SarahRobertson is his enabling wife Linda in the CHS produc-tion of Death of a Salesman. Produced by Dave Arts andstaged at the school’s JFK Auditorium on Nov. 13 and 14at 7:30 pm and on Nov. 15 at 3 pm, the Arthur Miller clas-sic is considered one of the greatest American dramas.

“It is the story of a man who misunderstood the real‘American Dream’ and instead, struggled his whole lifein pursuit of a grotesque, misinterpreted conception ofthat dream—with cataclysmic results,” noted Arts, anAmerican history teacher at CHS.

He added that Miller’s ideas for the tragedy of WillyLoman came from two sources. The first was when hisfather’s business was destroyed by the GreatDepression. His father’s sense of self-esteem and hismother’s belief in her husband were shattered and nei-ther ever fully recovered. Additionally, Miller basedWilly on one of his uncles (his father’s brother) a manArthur saw infrequently growing up. Death opened onBroadway in 1949 and ran for 742 performances. Thatyear, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a Tony Awardand the NY Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Play.

Tickets to the CHS production are $10 or $7 for seniorsand students. Call 973-470-2312. Arts also noted that theset for the play is being designed by Julie Chrobak, andwill be built by members of the CHS Stage Craft Clubunder the direction of Clifton resident Ken Kida.

(Cont’d) Sofia Black-D’Elia: While she modeled formagazines and in-store ads for Target and Walmart, herfirst paid acting gig was for a children’s improv show onABC Family—a sort of teenage Saturday Night Live.

D’Elia says she prefers comedy to drama and listsTina Fey of NBC’s 30 Rock and the legendary LucilleBall of I Love Lucy among her favorite actresses.

After graduating CHS in June, the performer planson enrolling in an acting program and is considering anumber of schools, including Rutgers University andthe California Institute of the Arts. Her goal is to oneday move to Los Angeles and continue working in tele-vision and film.

“I’m definitely going to stick with it,” D’Elia said.“I can’t see myself doing anything else at this point.”


Do you ever feel burning, tingling ornumbness in your feet and toes?Don’t ignore the symptoms—theycould be a warning sign of diabetes.

Thomas Graziano, DPM, MD, FAC-FAS, says those symptoms may becaused by diabetic peripheral neuropa-thy, or nerve damage. Neuropathy inthe feet can lead to permanent numb-ness, deformities such as bunions andhammertoes, and dry skin that cracksopen and won't heal.

“Diabetic peripheral neuropathy isnot only painful but dangerous,”says Graziano, a Fellow of theAmerican College of Foot and AnkleSurgeons with offices in Clifton. “It's aleading contributor to foot ulcers inpeople with diabetes."

In the United States, diabetes is theleading cause of peripheral neuropathyand can lead to further complications.And it’s often undiagnosed—out of the23 million Americans with diabetes,one in four don’t know they have it.

According to FootPhysicians.com,even diabetic patients who have excel-lent blood sugar control can developdiabetic neuropathy.

“When you have diabetes, especiallydiabetic neuropathy, a minor cut onyour foot can turn into a catastrophe,”says Graziano, who noted that 20 per-cent of ulcer cases require amputation.

Patients who are black, Hispanicand Native American are twice as like-ly as whites to need a diabetes-relatedamputation. The annual cost for dia-betic ulcer care in the U.S. is estimatedat $5 billion. For more information orto schedule an appointment, contactDr. Graziano at 973-473-3344 or visitwww.drtgraziano.com.

November is Diabetes Awareness Month: Know the Symptoms.Diabetics are prone to

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Dan Irizarry, the CHS PTSA President (ParentTeacher Student Association), invites parents to meet-ings held the first Monday of every month at 7:30 pm.The Dec. 7 meeting is at the CHS Annex on BrightonRd. while on Jan. 4, they are at CHS on Colfax Ave.The rest of the schedule looks like this: Feb. 1 (annex),March 1 (main), April 12 (annex), May 3 (main) andJune 7 (main). The group’s Calender Raffle sale is afundraiser to subsidize student activities. Winners areselected daily, with prizes ranging from $25 to $200,and three grand prizes of $250, $500 and $1,000.Calenders are $10 and include 90 drawings. The first

drawing is on Jan. 13, and the grand prize will be award-ed on April 12. Calenders can be obtained at CHS,school functions, through students or by e-mailingCouncilman Steve Hatala at [email protected] will be announced at clifton.k12.nj.us. Formore on the CHS PTSA, call 973-470-2312.

CHS driver’s education instructor Joseph Randazzohas been teaching kids how to drive for 32 years andestimates he’s schooled 18,000 students behind thewheel. He can often be seen around town after schooland on weekends, instructing CHS drivers-to-be how tochange lanes, parallel park and learn the road.

On Oct. 17 at Clifton SchoolsStadium, Staphany Diaz andAriel De Leon were crownedHomecoming King andQueen. Other members of thecourt included Vanessa Pinto,Jesus Cabrera, SamanthaRoman, Joseph Tahan, Heily Guzman, EmilioPolanco, Jake Wilson and Emily Urciuoli. At right, CHS driver’s ed teacher Joseph Randazzowith juniors Leart Krasniqiand Jason Garcia. Bothare members of theClass of 2011.


As a Clifton Mustang, Scott Orlovsky was a tall andlanky right-hander, filling out his 5-foot-10-inch frame

with only 150 pounds of bone and muscle. “I was just a littleguy throwing a good curveball in high school,” he said.

Under Coach Paul Pignatello, Orlovsky became an All-State pitcher his senior year in 1994. That season, he helpedlead the team to a 28-3 record, a County title and a deep runin States. “He knew a lot and was a great guy to play for,”Orlovsky said of the CHS coach. “He was a religious man;he would never curse. If he got upset, he would substituteother words for curses, but he had that personality whereyou’d listen.”

The pitcher was recruited by Princeton and Cornell, butchose to play for Johns Hopkins University after meetingwith Coach Bob Babb. “He wasn’t a dictator,” said Orlovsky,who now lives in Florham Park. “He knew the sport reallywell, but he let his players play it.”

And that’s exactly what the hurler did. Growing to 6-foot-one and bulking up to 185 pounds, Orlovsky added a fewmiles-per-hour to his fastball and became one of the mostdominant pitchers in JHU history.

The Clifton native tied the school record for career winswith 29 to go along with just three losses. His .906 winningpercentage was, at the time, a Blue Jay record.

Orlovsky still holds Hopkins records for longest winningstreak (19 games) and innings pitched (260 2/3) and ranksamong the top 15 in strikeouts (160), games started (36) andcomplete games (17).

Between 1997 and 1998, the right-hander went 21-2 andremains the only pitcher in school history to twice win 10 ormore games in a season. Orlovsky earned CentennialConference Pitcher of the Year honors in both of those sea-sons, and he was a First Team All-Centennial, All-ECACSouth and ABCAAll-Region selection in each of those years.

Orlovsky completed hiscareer with a selection as aThird Team ABCA All-American in 1998.

The pitcher led JHU to a117-45-1 record during thefour years he was there,including two CentennialConference Championships, aUAA title and two trips to theNCAA Tournament.

CHS History teacher Scott Orlovsky holds the JohnsHopkins University record with 19 consecutive wins. Heand his wife Laurie are expecting a child in March.

Blue Jay HistoryCHS teacher Scott Orlovsky is inducted into JHU HOF

Story by Jordan Schwartz


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The 1998 squad went 36-4, was ranked as high asfourth in the country and earned the top seed in theNCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional.

“We had a phenomenal team my senior year,”said Orlovsky, who has been married to his wife,Laurie, for more than two years. “I was really for-tunate to play with the guys I played with that year.”

For his efforts, the pitcher was inducted into theJohns Hopkins Athletic Hall of Fame earlier thisyear. “That was really cool,” he said. “It was areally special feeling.”

Orlovsky injured his arm towards the end of hissenior season and was forced to get a cortisone shotand eventually surgery on his rotator cuff, endinghis baseball career.

“For a while, I was upset,” he said. “You dosomething for so long, when you lose it, you miss it.After some time, I found other things to do and youpour your heart and mind into those things.”

That began by attending grad school at theUniversity of Colorado, where he took up snow-boarding—something too risky to try when he stillhad dreams of playing in the Major Leagues.

In Boulder, Orlovsky studied history and becamea teacher’s assistant. This sparked his interest in theprofession and after graduating, he got a jobteaching the subject at CHS in 2001. “Doing it inClifton makes me doubly happy because it’s whereI grew up,” he said.

Orlovsky was raised near Nash Park and attendedSchool 12 and Christopher Columbus.

As a child, he played a number of sports, but hisfavorite was baseball. The athlete’s father, Dennis(who owns an auto repair shop at the corner ofLakeview and Piaget Aves.), began teaching his sonthe game at age five. “I really didn’t want to do itwhen I first got signed up,” said the Hall of Famer.“I really wasn’t very good at all, but my father tookme out and taught me. He’s probably the reason formy success. I don’t think I would’ve done it with-out his original prodding and following through.”

Orlovsky used the CHS swim team as a way toget in shape for baseball season.

When he returned to the school as a faculty mem-ber, he helped out coaching the swim team for sevenyears. Orlovsky recently left that position becausehis wife is expecting their first child this March andhe wants to be able to go straight home after schoolto spend time with his growing family.


Bringing Out the Best in Kids is the mission and visionof the Optimist Clubs of Passaic and Clifton. That’swhy before the annual Optimist Cup ThanksgivingGame between the Indians and Mustangs, they sponsora Hot Dog Night. Held on Tues., Nov. 17 at 6:30 pm atthe Clifton Recreation Center, the event celebrates thetradition of an 81-game rivalry between the two highschools, which spans a history of 86 years.

And it’s just not the gridiron rivalry being celebratedthat night. Two girls volleyball teams, both squads ofcheerleaders and members of both marching bands willattend. A tradition for the past decade, all kids eat forfree and that’s why Optimist Club members seek thecommunity’s support. The public is invited—ticketsare $10—and we ask parents, community leaders andadults to purchase tickets even if you can’t attend.

HOT DOG NIGHTHOT DOG NIGHTHOT DOG NIGHT

On November 17, before the Optimist Cup...

The Optimist Clubs of Clifton & Passaic present...

Captains from the Clifton and Passaic football squads, who will clash in the annual Thanksgiving Day game on Nov. 26. Fromleft, is Jesus Vicioso (TE, OLB), Andre Dixon (QB, CB), Jashon Dawson (RB), George Grosz (G, DT), Nick Giordano (FB,LB), Mike Chiavetta (RB), Jorge Vicioso (LT, DT) and Nick Van Winkle (TE).


On Oct. 21, in the 10th Optimist Cup volleyball game, Clifton bested Passaic, 26-24, 25-17. Sylvia Zubek was named MVP for MikeDoktor’s Lady Mustangs, while Michelle Jimenez took home the award for Angelo Gomez’s Indians. Seniors players are picturedwith Passaic H.S. Vice Principal Ron Estrict, Passaic Optimist Club’s John Ciuppa and Clifton Optimist President Mike Gimon.

During the Nov. 17 hot dog dinner, a student athletefrom each team will say a few words about their experi-ence on and off the field and what the rivalry means tothem and their teammates. As Optimists, we hope thatthe Hot Dog Night makes the world a little smaller andgentler, as kids from the two towns get to know eachother not only as competitors but as neighbors.

Then on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26 at 10:30 am, theMustangs and Indians battle at Clifton Stadium for theOptimist Cup trophy, held by the Fighting Mustangs,who possess a 40-35-5 (see page 25) lead over theirPassaic rivals.

The Optimist Cup—along with four MVP trophies,selected by the opposing team’s athletic directors—isawarded on the field at the conclusion of the contest. Thegame will be broadcast on North Jersey 1500 WGHTwith CMM’s Jordan Schwartz doing play-by-play.

For tickets or to make a donation, call Clifton Optimistand Clifton Merchant Magazine editor and publisher TomHawrylko at 973-253-4400, Ted Munley at CliftonSavings Bank at 973-473-2200, ext. 112 or PassaicOptimist John Ciuppa at 973-470-5602.


1923 . . .Clifton 12 ......Passaic 71924 . . .Passaic 23 ......Clifton 01925 . . .Passaic 21 ......Clifton 61926 . . .Passaic 21 ......Clifton 61927 . . .Passaic 13 ......Clifton 01928 . . .Passaic 24 ......Clifton 01929 . . .Passaic 24 ......Clifton 01930 . . .Passaic 26 ......Clifton 01931 . . .Passaic 7 ........Clifton 01932 . . .Passaic 26 ......Clifton 71933 . . .Clifton 7 ........Passaic 61934 . . .Passaic 26 ......Clifton 01935 . . .Passaic 6 ........Clifton 01936 . . .Passaic 34 ....Clifton 141937 . . .Passaic 6 ........Clifton 01938 . . .Passaic 19 ......Clifton 61939 . . .Passaic 31 ......Clifton 61940 . . .Passaic 13 ......Clifton 61941 . . .Passaic 0 ........Clifton 01942 . . .Passaic 19 ......Clifton 01943 . . .Clifton 12 ......Passaic 61944 . . .Clifton 26 ......Passaic 61945 . . .Clifton 6 ........Passaic 01946 . . .Clifton 26 ....Passaic 141947 . . .Clifton 32 ......Passaic 01948 . . .Clifton 7 ........Passaic 71949 . . .Clifton 12 ......Passaic 01950 . . .Passaic 20 ......Clifton 71951 . . .Clifton 26 ......Passaic 6

1952 . . .Clifton 33 ....Passaic 121953 . . .Clifton 21 ....Passaic 201954 . . .Passaic 7 ........Clifton 61955 . . .Passaic 7 ........Clifton 01956 . . .Clifton 48 ......Passaic 01958 . . .Clifton 40 ......Passaic 71959 . . .Clifton 41 ....Passaic 211960 . . .Clifton 28 ......Passaic 61961 . . .Clifton 35 ......Passaic 71962 . . .Clifton 31 ......Passaic 61963 . . .Clifton 50 ......Passaic 01964 . . .Passaic 27 ......Clifton 01965 . . .Clifton 15 ....Passaic 131966 . . .Clifton 7 ........Passaic 01967 . . .Passaic 7 ........Clifton 71968 . . .Clifton 27 ....Passaic 101969 . . .Clifton 40 ......Passaic 01970 . . .Clifton 49 ......Passaic 01971 . . .Clifton 20 ....Passaic 121972 . . .Clifton 35 ......Passaic 61973 . . .Clifton 75 ....Passaic 121974 . . .Clifton 47 ......Passaic 6

1976 . . .Clifton 28 ......Passaic 61981 . . .Passaic 20 ......Clifton 31982 . . .Passaic 33 ......Clifton 01983 . . .Passaic 20 ......Clifton 71984 . .Clifton 16 ......Passaic 01985 . .Passaic 28 ......Clifton 71986 . .Passaic 21 ......Clifton 81987 . . .Clifton 24 ....Passaic 131988 . . .Clifton 22 ....Passaic 221989 . . .Passaic 22 ......Clifton 01990 . . .Passaic 14 ......Clifton 71991 . . .Passaic 33 ....Clifton 161992 . . .Passaic 13 ....Clifton 101993 . . .Passaic 0 ........Clifton 0 1994 . . .Passaic 12 ......Clifton 71995 . . .Passaic 21 ......Clifton 71996 . . .Clifton 23 ......Passaic 61997 . . .Passaic 22 ....Clifton 201998 . . .Passaic 25 ......Clifton 01999 . . .Passaic 20 ......Clifton 72000 . . .Clifton 21 ....Passaic 142001 . . .Clifton 20 ....Passaic 192002 . . .Clifton 19 ....Passaic 142003 . . .Clifton 17 ......Passaic 02004 . . .Clifton 48 ......Passaic 02005 . . .Clifton 7 ........Passaic 62006 . . .Clifton 14 ....Passaic 122007 . . .Clifton 18 ....Passaic 132008 . . .Clifton 28 ......Passaic 02009 . . .at Clifton Stadium

Happy Thanksgivingand many thanks foryour continued support

Surrogate Bill Bate

HOT DOG NIGHTPassaic vs. Clifton

1923 2008

INDIANS35 Wins40 Loses5 Ties

MUSTANGS40 Wins35 Loses5 Ties


To fulfill his campaign pledgeof transparency, Board of

Education President Jim Daley host-ed an open town hall meeting onOct. 6 at Main Memorial Library.

About 30 people attended theone-and-a-half-hour event in thelibrary conference room. The meet-ing was not endorsed by the BOE,and Daley’s opinions did not reflectthose of the Board.

The crowd, which included manyfamiliar faces at Board meetings,also featured Commissioners Jim St.Clair and Michael Paitchell, the lat-ter of which Daley ran with on aticket in April’s elections.

Former Board President MichaelUrciuoli, and ex-Councilmen EdWelsh and Frank Gaccione werealso present, as were former Council

candidate Roy Noonberg.Rosemawr resident Mary Sadrakulawas also there distributing petitionsto become eligible for the May 2010Council election.

“I was very pleased,” said Daley,when interviewed following themeeting. “I was glad there was across section of the community. Idon’t want it to turn into apep rally.”

The town hall meeting eliminatedthe five-minute limit for speakers,which is required at regular Boardmeetings. Citizens also receivedprompt responses, instead of waitinguntil the end of a public session.

Daley said he believes thechange in format is what kept thediscussion generally civil, unlikerecent Board meetings.

Board President Jim Daley said heplans on holding more town hall-stylemeetings in the future.

Board TransparencyBOE President Jim Daley hosts Open Town Hall Meeting



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“That’s part of it,” he said. “And not to be self-intelligent, but I don’t think I’m as much of a lighteningrod as some members on either side of the fence. I’mpretty straight forward and low key on stuff.”

But while the format was different, the topics dis-cussed were virtually the same as theones reviewed by the Board as a whole.

Daley opened the meeting by dis-cussing State funding, noting thatClifton may be out $4 to $5 million innext year’s budget. If not for a Federalstimulus package, the city would have a shortfall forthe current budget, which is $150 million.

The district must also replace fire doors to satisfyState code at an estimated cost of $1.2 million, which iscurrently not allocated in the budget.

Daley continued speaking about the district’sexpenses that make up the budget, noting that healthcare for both full and part-time employees will cost $25million, including a 14 percent increase in premiums.

The figure drew a gasp from the crowd, with many

calling for teachers and Board employees to pay inmore. Daley noted that many employees in the privatesector are making concessions, but declined furthercomment, since the Board is currently in contractnegotiations with teachers.

The discussionthen moved to thebudget surplus, whichwas $13,000 lastyear, and then $1.3million this year.

Sadrakula demanded that the Board president give anexplanation and Daley said, “I don’t even have apartial answer for you.”

He then speculated that surplus may be due to admin-istrative cuts of untenured teachers, who were laterrehired. Daley said the unclear figures were due to adisconnect between the Board and its business adminis-trator, Karen Perkins. “In my experience with Ms.Perkins, she’s a little more forthcoming than when I gothere,” he said. “But it’s not where I want it.”

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“How do you get the bestquality people on that Board?”–BOE President Jim Daley


Continuing with the theme of transparency, Daleynoted that he requested for the Board’s agenda to beplaced on the Web site by at least the Friday prior to ameeting. He also requested that SuperintendentRichard Tardalo have emails for teachers placed in aneasily accessible spot on the district site.

The discussion once again changed gears as formerCouncilman Ed Welsh spoke. He said the Board andcity residents are divided, and believes it stems fromthe actions of former Superintendent Dr. Michael Riceand Assistant Superintendent Maria Nuccetelli.

Welsh also opined that the city should look into anappointed Board. “The thing is, how do you get the bestquality people on that Board?” Daley pondered whenasked his position on the matter in a follow up phoneconversation. “It’s who is doing the appointing andwho is doing the running, and I don’t see a clear cutpattern that you would do better one way or the other.”

The discussion then shifted to the controversialBrighton Rd. CHS Annex, which still has a temporarycertificate of occupancy. Daley stated that he hasrequested a punch list on the deficiencies from Perkinsseveral times.

“I haven’t seen it yet,” he said. “It goes through Ms.Perkins’ office, but Mr. Tardalo is the superintendent andhe needs to get after her and make sure it’s produced.”

Daley also stated that the roof of the annex is in need

of repairs, which would place another financial burdenon the Board of Education. He also would like aninvestigation into the actual cost of the facilities.

“The project budget was for $15 million,” saidDaley. “It’s somewhere between $17 and $18 million.I know a number of contracts, if they’re 20 percent overthe budget, the State [Department of Education] had toapprove a change order and we’re over the 20 percent.”

Towards the end of the meeting, former CouncilmanFrank Gaccione inquired about the possibility of pur-chasing Paul VI School on Valley Rd., which is ownedby the Paterson Catholic Diocese. Daley noted that thedistrict is short on funding, but was intrigued by theprospect of a joint venture with the Clifton City Council.

“There may be grants and other monies that don’tcost local taxpayers a dime,” said Daley over the phone.“The Board doesn’t have access to Green Acres.”

The meeting concluded with a discussion about theBoard’s legal representation. In one of the only minoroutburts of the evening, Sadrakula yelled atCommissioner St. Clair over what she perceived to bea conflict of interest.

However, the Board’s president was pleased overallwith the event and the ideas it produced.

“I plan on having more and I want to get the wordout the best I can in the future,” said Daley. “Maybe wecould have them every other month.”

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Despite the cold and rainy weather,more than 50 people attended anopen forum to discuss a proposal forstudent uniforms in all of Clifton’spublic schools on Oct. 16 at CHS.

According to SuperintendentRichard Tardalo, the concept wasproposed last year by parents on thedistrict’s Advisory Council.

Prior to the meeting, studentswere sent home with surveys togauge interest from parents. Theinformation was compiled and thedistrict informed residents of theopen forum just four days before theevent took place.

“The cost would be one [reasonfor not mailing the questionnaire],but the survey was designed really tobe done by the parent, of course withtalking to their child,” said AssistantSuperintendent Maria Nuccetelli.

“That’s how we usually sendthings home. That’s not an uncom-mon practice in the district.”

The assistant superintendentrevealed the findings of the informalsurvey in a PowerPoint presentationat the meeting. It claimed thatbetween 5,000 and 6,000 responseswere received, approximately a 60percent response rate. Of that fig-ure, roughly 70 percent of parents,90 percent of staff and 100 percentof principals supported uniforms.

Dr. Nuccetelli’s presentationcited improvements in school spirit,school image and safety, as well ascost cutting for parents and reducedpeer pressure as benefits of schooluniforms. However, thepresentation did not include anycitation of scientific studies.

Instead, the district relied entirelyon empirical evidence fromadministrators in Bayonne, Kearnyand Garfield, which currently haveuniform policies.

Bayonne, which has a populationof over 60,000 and 9,600 students inthe school district, is the municipal-ity most similar to Clifton demo-graphically. However, despitenumerous efforts to contactBayonne Superintendent PatriciaMcGeehan over a two-week span,she did not return phone calls.

After the presentation, the micro-phones were opened up to the pub-lic. Of the more than 50 peoplepresent, only three speakers—twoparents and one student—were infavor of uniforms.

“Since the weather was not great,we didn’t have a good turnout,” saidNuccetelli. “We are going to

probably hold another within thenext couple of weeks.”

Those who spoke in oppositionnoted that the presentation did notgive any factual evidence to supportthe claimed benefits of uniforms.Superintendent Tardalo admittedthat studies are largely inconclusive,but cited talks with administrators inother districts.

Parents also raised concernsabout the erosion of parental andstudent rights and challengedNuccetelli’s claims that uniformswould save money by creating alimited wardrobe.

At the meeting, Nuccetelli statedthat several vendors, including onesin Clifton, have been contacted, anduniforms were available for under$20. She stated that vendors “saidthey would work with us” to addressfinancially strapped families

The 500-student CHS Annex on Brighton Rd. officially opened on Oct. 11 as cur-rent and former board members, as well as some city council members, cut the rib-bon. A community open house followed and CHS Principal Jimmie Warren is pic-tured here with potential future students, their parents and interested residents.

Clifton School Uniforms?Survey circulated, forum held on controversial proposal



who currently receive free orreduced lunch and cannot afforduniforms.

In Clifton, 3,161 students quali-fy for free lunch, and 834 qualifyfor reduced lunch. Of those fig-ures, 2,592 children eat free lunch,while 542 utilize reduced lunch.

The figures are calculated basedon the number of people in a house-hold and gross salary.

For a family of four to receivefree meals, gross income must beless than $28,664 for the year. Inaddition, families who receive foodstamps automatically qualify forfree lunch—a total of just under1,200 students.

“We’re not sure they would allqualify,” Nuccetelli said. “Somewould show hardships, some maynot. [Anonymous prospectiveYou’ve spent years saving and investing for the day when

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Though uniforms are supposed to be implemented through a consensusby parents, teachers and administrators, the ultimate responsibility falls tothe nine policy-making Board of Ed members, whose votes determinethe fate of the proposal. President Jim Daley and Commissioners KimRenta, Jim St. Clair, Norm Tahan, and Michael Paitchell all were presentat the meeting to hear community feedback.

Jim Daley doesn’t believe uniforms are a sound investment. “Both in theeconomic and strategic point of view, I don’t see the need,” said the BoardPresident, who added that the benefits of uniforms are marginal at best. “Idon’t think the district needs to address it considering the financialcondition for both individuals and the Board.”

Kim Renta is against uniforms because of the cost to taxpayers. “We’vebeen told the school uniform company will work with us,” she said. “I don’tknow what that means.” Renta also questioned if uniforms will help testscores. As a parent, she cited the need for indiviuality. Renta dislikesuniforms because of her nine years in a Catholic school.

Jim St. Clair wants to go with public opinion and cited his experience withuniforms as a student. “I’m not a big fan of uniforms,” he said. St. Clairnoted parents have a choice to send their students to private school whereuniforms are mandated and said he’d probably vote no.

Lou Fraulo, a former CHS counselor, said he didn’t see many gangs—oneof the main incentives for the uniform push—during his tenure at the school.He wants to follow public opinion, but noted the lack of statistical evidenceand said there’s more pressing needs. Fraulo would vote no if taxpayershad to pay for uniforms for financially strapped families.

Joe Yeamans is still undecided. He is doubtful of the benefits of uniformsand noted that parents asked if the questionnaire was a ‘push survey.’ “If Ihad to prioritize, I’d put uniforms last,” said Yeamans, noting that the dis-trict needs money for window, door and roof repairs, among other things.

John Traier is still not sure that the negatives outweigh the positives. “I’mconcerned about potential cost to the district of having to supply Title Oneor free and reduced lunch kids,” he said. “I think we’ve got bigger issues todeal with than dress.” Traier noted the importance of the freedom of expres-sion and there should be more enforcement of the current dress code.

Michael Paitchell believes that a uniform pilot program, “might helpimprove self-esteem, attitude, and school performance for many of our stu-dents.” However, he would vote no if it taxpayers had to foot the bill.

Norm Tahan is in favor of uniforms because of talks he’s had with otheradministrators. “I’ve talked to Kearny, Belleville and Bayonne,” said Tahan.“Overall discipline issues are reduced, kids seemed to be more focused onschool and less focused on the fashion show that goes on, and there’s lesstheft issues.”

Paul Graupe would like to follow the public’s wishes, but he noted that theturnout at the meeting differs from the survey results. As a US Armyveteran and former Clifton police officer, he personally is in favor of uniformsbut is more concerned with saving money for taxpayers.

Where do the Commissioners stand?


vendors] said they would be willingto finance a number, and give acertain number of free uniforms.They would offer parents anadditional discount.”

The assistant superintendent saidshe wasn’t sure that the districtwould have to pay for studentsreceiving free or reduced lunch.Nuccetelli said the district couldmandate a golf shirt instead of afull uniform to cut costs.

That ultimately would be decid-ed by uniform selection commit-tees. Nuccetelli believes parentswill benefit financially regardlessof the style of dress selected. Theassistant superintendent believesuniforms will reduce the need forother clothing. “What you wouldwear after school might be lessexpensive,” she said.

“It could be sweats or whatever.Whereas if you’re wearing stuff toschool, especially middle or highschool, it’s fashionable and costly.I think you’d have those after

school clothes anyway, even if youhad regular clothes.”

Nuccetelli insisted that uniformswon’t stifle individuality.

“If you look at [the students]now, they all try to look like eachother anyway,” said Nuccetelli.“Having a standard of dress orstudent uniform is another step inthat process, because whateverhappens to be the trend for that day,that’s what they try to wear.”

The Board of Ed must vote onthe uniforms at least three monthsprior to implementation.

Legally, there is legislation thatallows districts to mandateuniforms if parents, teachers andadministrations can come to anagreement on the clothing.

However, as many in the audi-ence noted, there is a distinct possi-bility of a legal challenge, whichcould potentially cost the districtthousands of dollars. But the assis-tant superintendent believes thecourts will side with the school.

“It’s been challenged in courtsand found legal to have a mandato-ry dress code policy,” saidNuccetelli. “I think the attorneywould have to rule on that at thispoint, but there is case law that sup-ports that and I’m not sure the chal-lenge would go anywhere.”

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There have been several Middle-Eastern restaurants springing upon Main Ave. between Piaget andColfax Aves., but Kamil’sLebanese Cuisine may be the mostpopular thanks to its hookahlicense.

“We’re the only restaurant in thecity to serve hookah because wewere in business prior to 2004,”said Dany Nijm, part-owner of theestablishment located at 1489 MainAve.

“What hurts us is that inPaterson, the restaurants servehookah even though it’s illegal,” heclaimed. “The problem is, it’s notenforced.”

Nijm said he and other Middle-Eastern business owners havedecided to locate in Clifton becauseit is cleaner, safer and offers moreparking than in Paterson, wheremost of their clientele resides.

Other cultural eateries in thearea include Al Khayam Restaurantat 1543 Main Ave., Baranda FineMediterranean Restaurant at 1551Main Ave. and Al-JannahRestaurant at 1462 Main Ave.

There’s even a hookah distribu-tor, Hookah Paradise, located at1275 Main Ave. Owner SimonSheik is on hand seven days a week.

Nijm, a Lebanese immigrant,patronized Kamil’s since it openedin 2002, before deciding to buy intoa portion of the business last year.

While he is at the restauranteveryday, Nijm is also an informa-tion technology project manager, anautomated teller machine businessowner and real estate investor. Thereis seating for 60 indoors and 45 out-doors at Kamil’s covered patio.

Hookah smoking is permittedboth inside and out, but most cus-tomers enjoy going outside tosmoke, especially during the

warmer summer months. “Back inthe day, only our grandmothers andgrandfathers used to smoke thehookah,” said Nijm.

“But since the invention offlavored tobacco, the youngergeneration is getting into it.”

The part-owner said Kamil’s wasaffected slightly by the recent reces-sion, but avoided a bigger impactthanks to the culture of his patrons.

Above, Kamil’s Lebanese Cuisine manager Jamil M. and part-owner Dany Nijm.

send Clifton business news to [email protected]

Three other Middle-Eastern dining establishments between Piaget and Crooks Ave. are Al Khayam Restaurant (1543 Main Ave.), Al-Jannah Restaurant (1462 Main Ave.) and Baranda Mediterranean Restaurant (1551 Main Ave.).


“Middle-Easterners don’t sitaround and watch the news andworry about money,” he said. “TheLebanese, especially, like to spendeven more than they earn.”

Kamil’s serves lunch and dinnerand is famous for its grilled kebab,chicken and hummus.

The restaurant also serveshookah in fresh fruit varietiesincluding watermelon, cantaloupe,pineapple, apple and grapefruit, aswell as flavors ranging from doubleapple and mint to grape and cherry.

Hookah is such a big deal atKamil’s that the restaurant employsthree ‘gurus,’ whose soleresponsibility is to tend to thesmoking apparatuses.

Nijm, 41, came to the UnitedStates in 1976 to escape theLebanese Civil War, and he lived inPaterson for two decades beforemoving to Cambridge Crossings.

His brother is a firefighter inPaterson and their mother resides inClifton. by Jordan Schwartz

Earlier this year, Investors Savings Bank purchased the Bloomfield-based American Bank of New Jersey, which had a branch at 500 CliftonAve. at Fourth St. Most recently, Investors, headquartered in Short Hills,completed the acquisition of six Banco Popular branches in New Jersey,including the one at 1610 Main Ave. (above) and another at 10 BotanyVillage Square East. The company also acquired $227 million in depositsfrom Banco Popular, which is based in Puerto Rico, but not any loans aspart of the deal. With the acquisition, Investors now operates 63branches throughout New Jersey from Ocean to Warren Counties.

Investors purchases Banco Popular branches


Golden Source Tile is creating a Main Ave. retail showroom while IstikbalFurniture & Bedding (below) is undergoing a major facade renovation which con-tinues from Main to Getty Ave. Both firms are at the corner of Main and Troast Ct.

Golden Source Tile at 1390 MainAve. is expanding its operation, con-verting the former Verizon space(2,000 square feet) in the same build-ing. “It will give us more room fordisplays,” said manager Alpar Uzun.

A tile importer and retailer thatsells kitchen cabinets, bathroom van-ities, ceramic tiles, glazed porcelaintiles, natural stone, hardwood floors,building supply and counter tops,


Uzun said items are imported fromvarious countries such as Brazil,Turkey, Spain and Peru.

“They refinished the entirebuilding and went from awarehouse to a retail building withplate glass windows,” said CliftonEconomic Development DirectorHarry Swanson. “This is a successstory for Clifton because he foundthe market here and has been verysuccessful at keeping the businessgoing.”

Golden Source Tile was estab-lished in 2004 and currently has sev-eral warehouses and design show-rooms in various locations totalingmore than 20,000 square feet. Theproperty is owned by EvangelosMegariotis of Ravona St.

Across Troast Ct., IstikbalFurniture & Bedding is doing anextensive renovation of its facade,which begins on Main Ave. andcontinues to Getty. Despite numer-ous attempts to contact a represen-tative, details were not available.

The Genardi building at Main and Clifton Aves. recently added ANTBookstore at 345 Clifton Ave., taking over the space once occupinedby the Clifton Main Diner. Offered are a variety of books in differentlanguages, primarily in English and Turkish. It serves as a major outletfor the publications of The Light Inc, of which it is a subsidiary, as wellas a number of major international publishers. The store also offersbook in the Spanish language, children’s literature, magazines,accessories and a large full-service cafe. It is open seven days perweek. The Genardi building underwent renovations after a fire in 2007and this store fills a long held vacancy in Downtown Clifton.

Bookstore & Cafe at Main & Clifton Avenues


The Boys & Girls Club of Clifton, which serves 5,200registered members and an additional 7,965 children, ismaking a call for donations to its 2009 Annual GivingCampaign, chaired by Cindy DeVos.

This year has been a challenging one for the Club.Due to cutbacks at all levels, it has seen a 14 percentdecrease in grants and contract awards and a five percentdrop in fundraising from Bingo. These two sourcesaccount for most of the operating budget. The goal thisyear is $45,000. Visit bgca.org or call 973-773-2697.

Serving Clifton since 1952, the Club today offersearly childhood programs, after-school and summercamp for youths, teen leadership and character develop-ment for ages 13-18, aquatic programs, swim lessons forall ages, youth sports and school site extensions. TheClub employs 19 full-time youth development profes-sionals, led by Executive Director Bob Foster.

While donations are always appreciated, he suggestedanother way to support the Club is to attend the 2009Hall of Fame dinner which is on Nov. 13 at 6:30 pm.

That’s Kevin Apologan pointing to the$45,000 figure, this year’s fundraising

goal. Also pictured in front of the Boys & Girls Club on Clifton Ave.,

first row, from left: Zoriah McCargo,Danylo Zurawski, Nia Brown,

Carlos Reynoso, Matthew Sillen,Brionia Garris, Rafael Rivera,

Raymond Romanski and Justin Ayala. They are pictured with Campaign Chair

Cindy DeVos and Executive Director Bob Foster.

1814

Proud to Represent CliftonAssemblyman Thomas P. Giblin1333 Broad St., Clifton, NJ 07013office: 973-779-3125www.assemblymangiblin.com

View The Giblin Report Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Channel 76


Please call 973-778-2222to make a private appointment withDr. Nackman during themonth of November.

A community service brought to you by...

www.njveincare.com 1355 Broad St. Clifton • 973-778-2222

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The NJRCC presents YBPNetworking Night benefiting theBoys & Girls Club will be Nov. 18 at6 pm at the Water Bar in BlissLounge on Allwood Rd. The firstdrink is free and there will be cateredfood and raffle prizes. BerkeleyCollege and Verizon-New Jerseyhave been selected as NJRCC’s2009 STAR Awards recipients. Theawards will be presented on Dec. 3at the Westmount Country Club inWoodland Park. Berkeley has sevencampuses throughout New Jerseyand New York, including DoverBusiness College in Clifton. TheChamber will also be holding aYoung Entrepreneurs event at Blisson Nov. 18. Visit njrcc.org.

Space Port, a premier state-of-the-art members only entertainmentdestination, is opening at 301 MainSt. in Paterson on Nov. 20. SpacePort is a two-level, 32,000 sq. ft.space located in the Center CityMall. Log on to spaceportnj.comor call 888-81-SPACE.

Spencer Savings Bank is teamingup with the NJRCC and BluberriesAdvertising to host the NetworkingRoyale Event, one of the largestnetworking events in the area. It’son Nov. 12 at the Royal Manor inGarfield from 5:30-9 pm. Tickets

are limited and can be purchased for$40 ($50 at the door). Call MarzenaCzachor, Garfield Branch Managerat 973-772-6700, Nick Sadowski,Bluberries Partner at 973-478-2200ext. 26 or Gloria Martini, ChamberPresident at 973-470-9300.

At a tour of the North Jersey Federal Credit Union on Oct. 15, Chief OperatingOfficer Richard Bzdek, Marketing VP James Giffin, board member John Kirk, ChiefFinancial Officer AnnaMaria Goldinak, President and CEO Lourdes Cortez, andVice Chair of the Board, Helen W. Mault, who has been a member since 1965.


From left, Stylist Tracy Callari, Owner Joyce Lehansky,Esthetician & Stylist Kasia Wojciechowska, EstheticianKristi Breen, Stylist Antoinette Felton, Stylist FranKramer, Stylist Vivi Vasconcelos. Missing from photois Lisa Trombetta.

Van Houten Ave. Welcomes The Hair Spa

The Hair Spa • 844 Van Houten Ave (near Mt. Prospect) • 973-685-9774

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE A CHANGE?Understanding how hard it can be to find a

quality, trustworthy and well-priced salon, Joyce

Lehansky has opened The Hair Spa.

“I’ve selected the best stylists who have good

knowledge of trends and styles, and created a

place where our clients can relax for a few

hours,” said Joyce, who leaves behind a career

with fashion icon Ann Taylor to open The Hair

Spa in her hometown.

“If you are ready to make a change and want

stylists, nail technicians and estheticians who

listen to your needs, ideas, and then offer you

creative style advice, you’ll find them here.”

The recently completed renovation of her

salon offers customers hair care in a beautiful

main area along with manicures, pedicures,

make-up application (or lessons), as well as

waxing, lash extensions or LCN nail treatment in

private facial spa rooms. There is also a great line

of hair and skin care products, unique to this area.

For hair, there’s Bumble and Bumble and Redken.

Our skin care line includes Guinto (call for our free

Dec. 3 event), B. Kamins, La Bella Donna Mineral

Make Up and Blinc Kiss Me Mascara.

You’ll enjoy the change at The Hair Spa. Hours

are Tuesday and Friday, 9 to 8, Wednesday and

Thursday 10 to 8 and Saturday 9 to 5.

A New York Style Salon / Spa Comes to Clifton(without those New York Prices!)



When you love what you do

for a living it shows. Just ask

KSL students pursuing a Diploma

in the Computerized Financial

Accounting Program taught by

Clifton’s Janet Carnevale.

Since 1998, she has been affil-

iated with the Mt. Prospect Ave.

school. Over the past decade,

she has helped students from all

walks of life to become well

versed in the techniques of com-

puterized accounting, as they

gain an understanding of basic

business practices.

Whether in government or pri-

vate business, every organization

needs somebody to account for

its funds and Computerized

Accounting Specialists go on to

jobs such as payroll clerk, data

entry clerk, bookkeeper, or

accounting clerk.

According to the Bureau of

Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov),

those with skills in automation

of accounting procedures earned

an annual income of around

$28,500 in the last report.

Like many KSL students, Janet

came here after the CPA firm she

worked for was downsized. While

she started her own bookkeeping

and consulting firm after being

laid-off, she realized she had a

lot to offer and some skills that

needed to be updated.

She decided to attend KSL as

a student and soon thereafter

was asked to share her knowl-

edge as a part time instructor.

Four years ago, she began

working full time and she is

proud to be on the KSL staff. “I

grew with KeySkills and like the

C o m p u t e r i z e d F i n a n c i a l A c c o u n t i n g

“KeySkills has been in Clifton for 25 years and it is awonderful resource. I am very proud of the environmentwe’ve created for our students.” Computerized Financial Accounting Instructor Janet Carnevale


50 Mt. Prospect Ave.Call 973-778-8136

Another familiar Cliftonite on the KSL staff is Hank Gola.

Students pictured with Hank and Janet

from left; Carlos, Oswaldo,

Leana and Nancy.

w w w . K e y S k i l l s L e a r n i n g . c o m

other instructors here, I am very

proud of the environment we’ve

created for our students,” said

Janet. “We have less than 18

students in a classroom. There’s

lots of one-on-one interaction.

We work with our students so

they learn at their own pace.

Keyskills has been in Clifton for

25 years and it is a wonderful

resource.”

While many KSL graduates

find employment in banks,

insurance, real estate and

business offices, some go on to a

4 year college for a BA Degree in

Accounting.

The Computerized Financial

Accounting Diploma Program

prepares students for the

advanced operations of account-

ing programs like Microsoft

Excel, Peachtree, Medisoft,

Quickbooks and others.

Students are taught basic

accounting cycles and practices

and learn how to balance the

budget, manage payroll and

other important accounting func-

tions of a small or large business.

“If you are a mom returning to

the workforce and want to add an

edge to your resume, KeySkills is

a great way to reenter the

workforce,” said Janet.

If you have been unemployed,

or are a Veteran, financial aide

may be available through the NJ

Labor & Workforce Development

Agencies and other resources.

Potential KeySkills students

may learn more about the costs

and possible financial assistance

for their tuition when they talk to

an Admission representative.

Founded in Clifton in 1985 • Classes Start on MondaysOther KSL Schools are located in Jersey City & Orange


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The late James Corrado must be looking down

proudly on what his kids and grandkids have

accomplished since he opened the flagship Corrado’s

Family Affair on Main Ave. in 1975. This year alone,

the family opened a second supermarket in the Point

View Shopping Plaza in Wayne. But their most recent

and unique addition here in Clifton is the Pet Market

on Getty Ave. across from the Garden Center.

Open 7 days and neatly organized from wall to wall,

the super-sized Pet Market is animal friendly, loaded

with great merchandise and staffed by knowledgeable

people. And deals? Pick up a 100 count box of Wee

Wee Pads for $19.99, great for housebreaking a puppy.

How about a 44 lb bag of Iams premium foods for dogs

and cats at just $29.95? These are prices and deals you

won’t find in any national chain store or wholesale club.

M o r e T h a n F r u i t s a n d V e g e t a b l e s

The newest Corrado family businesse is the Pet Market where you can get everything for your pet—except live animals.


On a recent visit, premium food

brands were $3 to $7 cheaper

than most any place else and you

will find most every brand name

food found in supermarkets.

Shop the price for Alpo, Purina,

Fancy Feast, Friskies and you’ll

find bargains. Plus, premium

lines like Iams, Eukenuba,

Science Diet, Newman’s Own and

others are offered in varying sizes

and at great prices as well.

HEALTH & BEAUTY ITEMSPurchasing FRONTLINE® Plus

for Dogs, vitamins or heart worm

medicine? Corrado’s Pet Market is

certain to be competitive on those

items too. Healthcare and beauty

supplies, from shampoos and con-

ditioners to toe nail clippers and all

types of merchandise for grooming

your animal, are also offered.

Soon shoppers will be able to

drop their dog or cat off at the Pet

Market for Professional Grooming

while they fill their grocery list at

the supermarket or the Garden

Center, both a short walk away.

CLOTHING & LEATHERSweaters, pajamas, boots, holi-

day themed outfits ... for holding

off the cold or just having fun, your

pampered pet can be outfitted

royally here. This coming week, a

new line of Wilson Leather collars,

harnesses, chokers and leashes

will be introduced and Corrado’s

Pet Market will have the complete

line—at a great price!

FISH, REPTILES, BIRDS...Gift giving time is here and

Corrado’s Pet Market offers aquar-

ium kits, habitats for little crea-

tures, hermit crab shells and sets,

bird cages and other items that

make great Christmas gifts. So

bring your pet and take a tour—

and be sure to ask for a free gift.

As one manager said: Everyone

that visits becomes a repeat customer!


1578 Main AveClifton, NJ

07011

Order Now... Ship LaterDelivered to Your Door

1-800-232-6758 1-973-340-0628

w w w . C o r r a d o s M a r k e t . c o m

Next door, Corrado’s Garden Centerturns from being a fall harvestfest intoa winter wonderland of poinsettias,wreaths, grave covers and more.

50 November 2009 • Clifton Merchant


Peter Carey wanted to serve hiscountry. So, in the fall of 1961, the

22-year-old Cliftonite went down toPaterson Local Board 38 and tried toenlist in the U.S. Army Reserve. But abronchial condition disqualified him forentry and he was turned away, while the22 other men there that day were accept-ed and boarded a plane to boot camp.

On Nov. 8, 1961, those 22 men,including seven from Clifton, perishedwhen the plane crashed in Richmond,Va. Fifty-two other recruits fromScranton, Pa. and Baltimore, Md. werealso aboard and suffered the same fate.

Some may believe Carey was sparedbecause God had a higher calling forhim—one that he fulfilled by serving aspastor at Wallington PresbyterianChurch for the past 25 years and helpingcreate the Parish Nursing program. Butthe reverend bristles at that notion.

“People say, ‘You better get downon your knees and thank God,’ but Idon’t need them to tell me to thankGod,” the 70-year-old said from hissmall office across the hall from thechurch’s surprisingly large sanctuary.

“God didn’t have plans for thoseother 74 men.”

Parish Nursing is a program at Wallington Presbyterian Church. From left, R.N.Marion Spranger, director Rev. Peter Carey and volunteer coordinator Peg Carey.

Screen Door ConfessionalRev. Peter Carey got his calling as a Clifton postman


The near-death experience, combined with growing up during war timeand air raid drills at school, contributed to Carey suffering a nervous break-down. For two years, he took medication and questioned his faith.

The 1957 Clifton High graduate was raised Catholic by his Irish Catholicfather, Peter, and Protestant mother, Emma. Carey attended the former St.Paul’s Roman Catholic school at the corner of Washington and Main Aves.for his elementary education and never missed a Sunday service.


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Peter Carey (far right on bottom) was on the 1953 CHS freshman basketball team that went 17-0. It was the first year theMustangs also won the Passaic County freshman tournament. Kneeling, from left, are Irwin Sacks, Ronnie Stern, Pete LaCorte,Carl Bondinell, Andy Yuhas, Victor Marchioni and Carey. Standing are Coach Ed Bednarcik, Bruce Carlson, Roger Fardin,Mike Novack, John Angelo, Alan Wernau and manager Gene DeLorenzo.

“I was always religious,” he explained. “If I was sick,I’d be breaking the door down to go to church.”

But in his late-twenties, Carey became a Protestant.“The God that I knew was vindictive, but I learnedthat he was also loving,” he said. “I respect theCatholic Church; it just wasn’t for me.”

The youngest child of a telephoneworker and a waitress didn’t alwayswant to be a man of the cloth.

After receiving his diploma fromCHS, Carey was accepted to MontclairState Teacher’s College (now Montclair StateUniversity), but he dropped out after one day becausehe didn’t know if he wanted to be a teacher.

The following year, he got a call from the CliftonPost Office and began his 26-year tenure deliveringmail. “I loved it,” said Carey, whose main route wasalong Lexington Ave. “I didn’t like being rained on,but I met lots of friends.”

Many of those friends came to trust the kind-heartedpostman and would often use conversations with himthrough the screen door of their homes as a form ofconfession. “People came out and they liked to talk tome,” he explained. “I guess what I said was helpful.People need to know that someone heard their pain.”

Good practice for a priest.At age 29, Carey decided that he wanted to enter the

Protestant clergy, and so he went back to school andstudied philosophy at a Rutgers campus in Paterson.He later transferred to Bloomfield College and graduat-

ed with a degree inreligion in 1975.Carey earned hismaster’s in divinityfrom Drew in 1979and was ordained

the following year, when he began as chaplain atPassaic General Hospital.

A few years later, despite having a good job with apension at the post office, the priest left his position andstarted serving full-time at Wallington Presbyterian. “Itwasn’t difficult to leave because I wanted to be aminister,” he said.

In 1984, Carey and his wife, Margaret Ann Burns fromPassaic, whom he married in November 1960, movedfrom Clifton to Wallington.

Their only child, Maryellen Lavery, now 46 andliving in Denville, had already graduated CHS in 1980.Carey added a Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew tohis resume in 1991.


“I hope that I have fulfilledwhat God wanted me to do.”–Reverend Peter Carey

Three years later, the reverendmet a nurse named MarionSpranger, and the two establishedthe Parish Nursing program.

“Hospice care gives dignity to thedying,” Carey said. “We thought wecould bring dignity to the living.”

The program involves providingmedical and spiritual care to peoplewho are sick and their families.There’s also an educational side thatworks to prevent people fromfalling ill in the first place.

Spranger, who has been in nurs-ing for more than 30 years, got the

idea from reading an article in theJournal of Christian Nursing.

“It just lit up my brain, and I wasso excited about it,” she said. “Ibrought it to Father Carey, and hethought it could work at hischurch.”

The reverend’s wife, Peg, is theprogram’s volunteer coordinatorand so she arranges service tobetween 15 and 25 individuals.

Volunteers are always needed andMrs. Carey matches their skills tothe needs of the program. Thoseinterested should call 973-779-2640.

Parish Nursing doesn’t charge thepatients any fees. Instead, thechurch finances a quarter of itsbudget and the rest of the fundingcomes from grants and donations.

Carey said he’s gotten used tospending a lot of time around sickpeople. “It used to be hard, butwhen you realize you can do some-thing to help them, you’re a hopegiver,” said the priest, who alsoserves as Protestant chaplain at St.Mary’s Hospital in Passaic.

The outreach program celebratedits 15th anniversary on Nov. 1 witha luncheon at the Wallington CivicCenter on Union Blvd.

Carey spends about two to threehours every day visiting withpatients either at their homes or inthe hospital. Once in a while, hewill even run into one of the peopleto which he used to deliver mail.

The minister also leads abereavement support group onTuesdays at 6:30 pm and lastmonth, expanded it to St. Peter’sEpiscopal Church on Clifton Ave.

Only recently did he share withthe group his story about dealingwith the loss of 74 peers nearly ahalf-century ago, and the guiltyfeelings he had from being spared.“I hope that I have fulfilled whatGod wanted me to do.”


Peter Carey, CHS ’57


It began Sunday, Nov. 5. U.S. Navy Seaman Louis F. Lynch Jr., 18, waskilled in a ship fire aboard the aircraft carrier USS Constellation. Lynch had

only been in the Navy a short time; he enlisted immediately after graduatingfrom Passaic High School in June 1961.

Upon his death, Passaic City Hall was draped with memorial bunting tohonor his memory. However, an even greater tragedy was about to unfold.

The same day Lynch lost his life, Harold Skoglund was having an earlyThanksgiving dinner with his family. The 22-year-old CHS grad, married forjust over a year, had been drafted and was getting ready to report for active dutyon Nov. 8. On that fateful Wednesday at 7 am, Skoglund and 27 other menbegan their military induction process at the Paterson City Hall Annex beforebeing bused to Newark for tests.

Before being sworn in, six men were excused and sent home for a variety ofreasons. One of the excused recruits from Clifton, Joseph Niland, was deferredfrom induction because of an unpaid traffic ticket.

The remaining 22 received their oaths, were given a box lunch and bused toNewark Airport. The plane departed at 6:30 pm and made stops in Scranton, Pa.and Baltimore, Md. to pick up additional recruits. The final destination for the 74men was Fort Jackson, S.C. where they would begin basic training.

Forty-eight years ago, a series of tragic events involving military personnel from theClifton/Passaic area shocked, saddened and struck our community. There was never agreater loss of life in a seven-day period in our city’s history than those described here.

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A Week in November, 1961


However, at about 9:15 pm, the pilot maydayed from10 miles west of Richmond, Va. The airport tower gavethe flight clearance to land at Boyd Field and preparedfor the worst. The plane approached the landing zone,but aborted because of trouble with the landing gear. Itcircled to the south in order to attempt anotherapproach. Losing altitude, it crashed in a swampymarshland. Witnesses said there were explosions afterthe impact which engulfed the plane in flames.

Thousands of onlookers created a massive trafficjam on Rt. 60, making it difficult for emergencyvehicles to get through. Others that lived closer to theairport wandered through the woods near the wreckage,hampering the efforts of police on the scene.

It took more than an hour for the first fire engine toget past the mud, trees and bystanders.

Once at the site of the crash, all the firefighters coulddo was contain the fire. Only two people survived thecrash: the pilot, who escaped from a cockpit window,and the flight engineer, who found his way out throughan emergency door.

Tragedy continued that fateful week in 1961 when onFriday, Nov. 10, Navy Photographer Second ClassDennis M. Dyt, 20, was transporting two Navy person-nel when his car went out of control and overturned nearUpper Marlboro, Md. Both passengers survived theaccident, but Dyt did not. Ironically, the Clifton residenthad less than four months to go on his tour of duty.

During that one-week period, in early November1961, 24 men between 18 and 23 years old from ourarea died tragically while in military service.

During the two weeks following the accidents, theremains of these servicemen would be identified andreturned and their funerals were held at various church-es in our community. With this article, we hope to keeptheir memories alive.

Honor those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces andcommemorate the memories of the approximately 300Cliftonites who died while in service to our nation by attendingthe Clifton Veterans Parade on Nov. 8. It begins at 2 pm onSylvan Ave., continues on Main Ave. and concludes withservices at the Main Memorial Monument near Piaget Ave.

There were seven Clifton men among the 74 aboard the transport that crashed on its way to Fort Jackson, S.C. on Nov. 8, 1961.They included, from left: Vernon Griggs, CHS ’56, Robert Rinaldi, CHS ’57, Harold Skoglund, CHS ’57 and Willis Van EssJr., CHS ’58. Not pictured are Robert DeVogel, Robert Marositz and Raymond Shamberger.

Jon Sedais Sgt. John Basilone in

HBO’s upcoming miniseries

But this was Queensland in 2007, not Guadalcanalin 1942, the soldiers were actors and the bullets

weren’t real.Seda, who grew up in Clifton, underwent two weeks

of boot camp training in Australia to prepare for his roleportraying World War II hero John Basilone in theHBO miniseries, “The Pacific,” set to debut in March.

“Basilone was an expert with the machine guns, so Ihad to learn them in and out: how to put them together,how they worked,” said Seda. “It gave us a sense ofwhat these men went through. These Marines were outthere for years and they were starving. They wereundermanned and they didn’t have enough weapons.”

The training was run by the project’s militaryadvisor, Capt. Dale Dye, who also worked on “Band ofBrothers” and Saving Private Ryan.

This was a life-changing role for Seda, who got hisfirst taste of acting by soliciting Herald News subscrip-tions door-to-door in Clifton when he was a teenager.

“We’d show up to the house and ring the bell, andI’d start with, ‘Hey, listen, I’m just one order awayfrom having a potential to get a full scholarship forcollege,” he remembered during a telephoneconversation from Los Angeles. “You’d get some sweetold lady and she just couldn’t not give you the order.Meanwhile, it’s just getting you an extra five dollars onyour paycheck.”

Growing up on Sylvan Ave., the son of a pastor atBethel Church in Passaic had no desire to enter theentertainment business.

Flipping through the 1988 Clifton High Schoolyearbook, you won’t find Seda’s picture on the drama

Portraying a Jersey HeroJon Seda assembled his water-cooled machine gun as his fellow Marinesslept in two-man tents in the South Pacific. Tomorrow, they would travel acouple miles to meet the Japanese army stationed beyond the brush.



club page. But turn to the sportssection, and you can’t miss him—carrying the pigskin as a runningback on the gridiron, pinning anopponent on the wrestling mat orposing as a shortstop in the baseballteam photo.

“I grew up wanting to be a sportsstar,” he said, adding that some ofhis best memories are of playingpick-up baseball games atWeaselbrook Park.

But after graduation, Seda got areality check when he realized hewasn’t going to be the next BoJackson.

However, that didn’t mean hewas done with athletics. “I was justrunning some odd jobs and ran intosome boxers,” he recalled.

“I grew up watching a lot offights next to my dad [Hector], andI went to Lou Costello’s gym inPaterson and started working outthere. I really loved it, so I madethat my goal to be a professionalboxer.”

Seda went on to train at DominicBufano’s gym in Jersey City andascended the amateur ranks until hefinished second at the 1989 NewJersey Golden Gloves.

After three-and-a-half years inthe ring, the Clifton native’s mother,Dharma, began to worry about herson’s safety, and attempted to dis-tract him by signing him up for act-ing classes in Manhattan.

“I did it just to please my mom,”said Seda, who has two brothers andthree sisters. “Sometimes, I didn’teven show up, but the teacher kepttelling me she saw something reallynatural inside of me and wanted meto continue a career in acting.”

The instructor got him an audi-tion for Gladiator, a boxing filmreleased in 1992 that also featuredJames Marshall, Cuba Gooding Jr.,Robert Loggia and Brian Dennehy.

Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone grew up inRaritan. He earned the Medal of Honor forgallantry at the 1942 Battle of Guadalcanal,where he held off 3,000 Japanese troops afterhis 15-member unit was reduced to two men.After receiving the military’s highest honor,Basilone returned home and toured theU.S. selling war bonds. Basilone’s buddieson Guadalcanal called him “Manila John”because he served with the Army in thePhilippines before enlisting in the USMC.

Medal of Honor recipients are generally notallowed to return to combat. However, Basilone requested a return to thefighting in the Pacific theatre. Serving with the Marine’s 27th Regiment, 5thDivision during the invasion of Iwo Jima, he and his platoon were pinneddown by enemy gunfire. He single-handedly destroyed an enemyblockhouse, allowing his unit to capture an airfield. Minutes later he waskilled by an enemy artillery round. After his death, he was awarded the NavyCross and Purple Heart, making him, what is believed to be, the only enlistedMarine in WWII to be awarded all three honors.

In Basilone’s memory, the football field at Bridgewater-Raritan HighSchool, two nearby bridges, a Navy ship and a highway in California havebeen named after him. His image is on a U.S. postage stamp, featured onthe cover of this magazine. The 28th annual John Basilone Memorial Paradewas held in the hero’s small hometown in Somerset County on Sept. 27 with6,000 spectators in attendance, including Seda and HBO crews.

New Jersey’s USMC Sgt. John ‘Manila’ Basilone

“I went to a ‘cattle call’ in New York, which is like a thousand people online, and I ended up getting a co-staring role in the film,” he recalled.

Seda, who was unloading trucks at Caldor in West Paterson on Rt. 46,working at a gym and ushering at the former Clifton Theater at the intersec-tion of Clifton and Main Aves. to pull in just $250 a week at the time, hit abig payday when he landed the role, getting paid $40,000.

“I blew all that money on a nice new car that I drove around Clifton,” helaughed. “I got a Dodge Stealth before anyone else had one.”

After discovering he could make a living as an actor, Seda quit the ring.“The truth was there was no guarantee in boxing that I would’ve made

it,” he explained. “Even the greatest fighter could get hurt in one fight andthen it’s over.

“I miss boxing, I really do. But I think it made my mom a lot happier.”Seda made the right choice as he went on to appear in Carlito’s Way

(1993) with Al Pacino and Sean Penn, Boys on the Side (1995) with WhoopiGoldberg and Drew Barrymore, Twelve Monkeys (1995) with Bruce Willis,Selena (1997) with Jennifer Lopez, and Bad Boys II (2003) with MartinLawrence and Will Smith.

“I learned a lot from those guys,” Seda said. “Pacino, I just rememberbeing on set, standing in the back and just kind of watching him work


At left, Seda at the 1989 New Jersey Golden Gloves. The Seda family, from left: Jonathan, Lisa, Madison, Haley and Jon.

to get into his character. I kind of took down notes inmy head as to how he would prepare.”

The former Mustang has also played parts on televi-sion in Ghost Whisperer, CSI: Miami and an Oct. 19episode of House, during which he played an edgy copfrom New Jersey whose family had a history of heartdisease.

Whenever Seda gets cast as a police officer, heremembers the pointers he picked up from spendingtime with his good friend, Joe Genchi, a retired CliftonPolice detective.

In preparation for his 1997-99 role as Det. PaulFalsone on NBC’s Homicide: Life on the Street, Sedaspent some time on the job with Genchi.

“I played this Italian no-holds-barred, hot-headedguy and that’s kind of how Joe is,” the actor joked.

“He took me around the precinct and he would letme look at actual homicide files.”

“It’s rewarding to see that it paid off,” said Genchi,who laughed at the notion of being hot-headed. “Heapplied what he learned here and it enhances hischaracters to make them more realistic.”

But Seda said his biggest role to date is depictingU.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. John ‘Manila’Basilone in a 10-part HBO miniseries from the creatorsof “Band of Brothers.”

“For me, portraying John Basilone for his home state... I just felt an added responsibility on this one,” saidSeda, who noted that the soldier’s death scene wasironically filmed on Feb. 19 this year.

“I had a script sent to me and I just really felt con-nected, and I was definitely meant to play this role.”

60 November 2009 • Clifton Merchant

Seda auditioned infront of the miniseries’producers, whichincluded StevenSpielberg and TomHanks.

“I was nervous, butit was more of nervousenergy,” he said. “Ifyou don’t tune themout, then you’re a nerv-ous wreck becausethey’re icons.”

“The Pacific,”which also follows thelives of two other U.S.Marines, Robert Leckie and Eugene Sledge, beganshooting in August 2007 and reportedly had the largestbudget ever for HBO at $250 million.

“It’s just such an important story to be told,” saidSeda, who moved from Maclean Rd. in Clifton to LosAngeles two-and-a-half years ago.

“It’s a voice for all those Marines that never got tolet those at home know what they were really goingthrough, and how heroic they were to help give us that

freedom that we have and cherish.”The miniseries is also a big stepping stone in the

actor’s career.“I think I’m at a point now where I don’t want to just

do anything,” he said. “I want to have stuff where I’mable to really bring out the best in the characters.

“I’d also like to produce films and have my ownproduction company, so I can bring some stuff back toClifton.”

Seda in his 1988 CHS yearbookand with Clifton Detective JoeGenchi in May 1998.

The 1987-88 CHS wrestling team went 12-3. Front, from left: Steve Banya, Fred Goldbach, Jon Seda, Alex Kenny, Todd St.Laurent and Bill Renault. Back: Ray Viola, Dave Niland, J.C. Gouse, Sean Mulholland, Bill Wagner, Cory Hefner, BillLahanas, Robb Pami, Matt Cole and Dennis Nevin.

61November 2009 • Clifton Merchant

Rosario LaCorte still remembers his mother’s anxiety back in 1966,when the 19-year-old revealed his plans to enlist in the military.

The unpopular war was being covered by hundreds of media corre-spondents, bringing the brutality of the conflict right into the homes ofAmericans. LaCorte’s mother knew her son was draft eligible andwould be deployed to Vietnam soon enough, so she begged him to picka safe branch of the military.

“I wanted to go to the Marines, but my mother didn’t want me to go,”he laughed. “I basically knew I was going to Vietnam.” But LaCorteheeded his mother’s advice and enlisted with the Navy in January 1966and was shipped to Great Lakes, Ill. for boot camp.

After completion of his training, the 1965 CHS graduate wasassigned to the USS Walke DD-723 destroyer as a high pressure pipewelder. “On a tin can ship, everything breaks and cracks because of theconstant pounding,” said LaCorte. As a result, much of his time wasspent below deck, in the bowels of the destroyer, which carried roughly200 personnel. “It would rock the ship if you turned starboard or portside,” he said. “Because it was such a small ship, each shot would throwit right or left. On that ship, you were more apt to get sick. Our tableshad metal edges so that stuff wouldn’t fall off of it.”

LaCorte and his shipmates were fortunate enough to not engage indirect combat. The USS Walke primarily served as a sea-to-land artillerycraft, generally keeping the crew out of harm’s way.

Rosario LaCorteVietnam Vet & Clifton Cop


Third Class Petty Officer Rosario LaCortenext to the artillery cannons aboard the USSWalke. He served during Vietnam and thenwent on to a career with the Clifton PoliceDepartment. Today, you’ll see him keepingthings orderly at Corrado’s Family Affair.


However, the heavy guns created an intense strain onthe vessel, keeping LaCorte busy. Working so farbeneath deck mean that there were few escape routes.A major accident could potentially trap him in thebowels of the ship. “The ship caught fire when wewere leaving California [for Vietnam],” he recalled.“The hull caught fire and we didn’t even get out of theharbor. The ship was on dry dock for months.”

LaCorte was in Vietnam for 13 months before beingreassigned to the USS Shenandoah, a destroyer tenderrepair ship. Despite leaving the war zone, he still longedto return home.

“You tend to stay in touch with family. That’s how Iwas anyway,” said LaCorte. “It’s hard though, becauseeven though you’re making new family on the ship, yourties are back home. Especially on the destroyer, sincethere’s only 200 some odd men on it. You opened up toeach other constantly.”

“You grow up real quick,” he added. “You don’t havethe family support system right behind.”

LaCorte was discharged in October 1969 as a shipfit-ter third class and returned home to a changed America.

“People know you’re in the military. Your hair isshort, especially at that time,” he said. “People had ponytails, sideburns and facial hair.”

But while the general reception to returning veteranswas negative, LaCorte did not face any resentment back

home in Clifton. He assimilated back into civilian life,returning to his pre-war job at Frank Taibi Fuel.

In 1980, he applied to become a Passaic County ParkPoliceman. His military stint made him well-prepared forthe police academy.

“It was nothing compared to Navy boot camp,”LaCorte laughed. However, budget cuts forced theCounty to let go of a number of officers, and he wasunemployed after less than a year on the force.

LaCorte then applied to the Clifton Police Department,and was hired in 1980.

“I was a patrolman. I was black and white my wholecareer,” said the Allwood resident. “Lakeview Ave.and the Botany section is where I spent most of myyears. I like those neighborhoods.”

LaCorte was a member of Clifton’s Finest for almost25 years, retiring on Dec. 31, 2003.

Shortly after ending his Clifton Police career, LaCortegot a job as the head of security at the sprawlingCorrado’s Family Affair, between Main and Getty Aves.

Soon, he plans on ending his second career to ride offinto the sunset with his fiancee of five years, ReginaCarfora, a suiting end for someone who spent years serv-ing the public.

“For about 19 years, I’ve owned a condo in SouthCarolina,” said LaCorte. “In a year or so, I’m going toretire out there.”



There I was, a 19 year old Navy Seaman, fresh out ofSubmarine School, standing in the control room of

the USS Pargo, SSN 650, a U.S. Navy Attack Submarine,some 200 feet underwater off the east coast of Florida.

I, along with my two shipmates, stood ill at ease star-ing up at Captain Kurk as he stood authoritatively onthe periscope stand. He had a reputation for being a bitoff, but his crew loved him. Rumor had it that he triedto roll this submarine completely over by repeatedlyexecuting submerged, high speed turns at flank speed.

This, of course, is an engineering impossibilitybut he wanted to test that theory. Although unsuc-cessful, he did manage to get it to lay on its side atabout a 60 degree.

“You all know what to do in a jam dive, don’t you?” “Yes sir,” we replied in unison.The three of us had been assigned TAD—Temporary

Assigned Duty—aboard this 637 Class Nuclear FastAttack Submarine for a three-week training run to PortEverglades. This was while our submarine, the USSBluefish SSN 675, was still under construction atelectric boat ship yard in Groton, Conn.

“Okay then! Each one of you will take a turn at thehelm. I will order ahead flank speed and that the sternplanes be put into full dive. However, you will not

react whatsoever until I give the order, ‘Jam dive!’ Isthat understood?”

“Yes Sir, Captain!”This would be what is known in submarine jargon as

practicing angles and dangles. Crews actually love it ...except for the cook that is. The maneuvers make hisdishes, pots and pans fly all over the galley, and he andhis gang will spend hours cleaning the mess.

The Captain singled me out as the first to attempt thejam dive and I moved to assume the helm.

“We’re at ahead two-thirds,” said the helmsman. “Wehave a two degree up bubble. And we’re at 200 feet.”

I repeated the info verbatim so he knew I understood.“Ready?” he asked.“Ready.”The helmsman unbuckled his seat belt, and while

keeping one hand on the wheel, slid out of the seat andstood up. I got in, buckled up, grasped it with both handsand he let go of the wheel.

I had done this exercise dozens of times on a trainingsimulator, but never at the helm of a real Naval vessel.

Generally, you’re expected to hold depth within twofeet and course within one degree in either direction. Butsince I was new at this, they were watching me veryclosely. Nothing less than perfection was acceptable.

“Ahead flank,” ordered the Captain.I grasped the knob on the engine order enunciator and

clicked it once ahead to ahead standard, then again toahead full, then once again to ahead flank.

The response indicator rang and the answer arrowclicked to ahead flank, telling me that the throttleman inthe engine room got the change in speed order. I felt anincreased vibration in my seat as the prop pushed our4,200-ton submarine though the water.

Writer James Fasino, pic-tured after he earned therank of Third Class PettyOfficer in 1972. He pre-viously wrote for us in theSeptember edition, recall-ing his experiences of liv-ing on his boat which wasanchored in the HudsonRiver on 9/11/01.

Jam Dive: 1970

Angles & Dangles in the Atlantic


We breached 22 knots—well over 25 miles per hour—hurtling through the water in the dark. I tensed in antici-pation, my knuckles going white as I grasped the wheel.

Briefly, my thoughts drifted back to a different timeon a dark New Jersey highway, when my hands grippeda different steering wheel ... the one on my ’66 GTO,careening down the road at high speed, side by side in adrag race with my buddy’s ’68 Chevelle.

It was a long leap in a short time span from thatscenario of an irresponsible, street racing kid to thisof a young trained torpedoman at the helm of anuclear submarine. It was just last year, but it seemedlike a lifetime ago.

“Relax, sailor,” said Captain Kurk, as he placed ahand on my shoulder. I loosened my grip slightly andtook a deep breath.

“Full dive on the stern planes!” The stern planesmansitting next to me skillfully pushed his control stick for-ward until the indicator showed full dive. The sternplanes are two wing-like devices at the rear of the subwhich are similar to flaps on an airplane.

Things began to happen rapidly and the sub noseddown abruptly. Suddenly, I was hanging by my waistfrom my seat belt, struggling to hold the stick up againstthe gravitational force. I put my feet up on the controlpanel that was now below me to brace myself.

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Around me, sailors were hangingfrom the piping, dangling in mid air.

The feet on the depth gauge wereclicking by so fast that I could onlymake out 100 feet increments as webreached 400 feet. It seemed like aneternity and it had only been a fewminutes. Then I heard it:

“Jam dive, Jam dive! Full rise onthe sail planes! Full rise on the sternplanes! All back emergency!”

Beads of sweat formed on myforehead as I struggled to reach forthe engine enunciator.

Simultaneously I threw the rudderto full left as I struggled with all mymight to pull up on the control stickto put the sail planes in full rise. Icould hear the pots and pans crashingbelow us in the galley as the cookscreamed.

I relayed the completed orders toCaptain Kurk. He responded coolly,but I was hanging on for my life. Thedepth gauge read 650, the bubbleindicator was at 85 degrees down.

We were in a high speed dive,barreling straight down into the darkdepths of the sea.

I felt a heavy rumbling in my seatas the prop started to bite into thewater to reverse our descent and Iwas pulled even harder into my seatbelt as we slowed.

The entire boat was shudderingand the hull was moaning from thestress of the increasing sea pressurearound us. As we slowed, the depthgauge was becoming more readable.

“Passing 800 feet and slowing,”said the diving officer.

“800 feet, aye,” said Kurk calmlywhile hanging form the periscopebehind me. He had unquestionedconfidence in his crew.

We descended over 600 feet in aflash and the ship slowed to a briefstop. It was standing still, on itsnose, at 830 feet below the Atlanticwhen finally we began to back outof the dive. The depth gauge started

to click back slowly ... 829, 825, 800feet. At 600 feet, the sub began tolevel and the pressure hull creakedand moaned.

At the 40 degree down angle, Icould lower my feet to the deckagain. My whole body was trem-bling, sweat was pouring from myforehead. My clothes were dampwith perspiration from the stress andshear physical exertion. We leveledoff. While I was drained physicallyand emotionally I was exhilarated. Icouldn’t wait to do it again.

“Next!” said Kurk, reminiscentof a chain style restaurant maitre d’.

For him, this was just another dayat the office. For me, the most excit-ing day of my young life.

I was relieved on the helm by thenext trainee, then took my turn onthe stern planes. The speed wasincreased to flank. I eased the stickforward smartly and the bow angleddown sharply. It was the start ofanother wild ride.

Already, I could hear the cookscreaming and everyone in the con-trol room was smiling.

It’s been more than 40 years now,but I will always remember my firstjam dive.


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a boy’s or

girl’s bike

It’s been close to 150 days sincehis last drag—the longest he’s

ever gone without smoking a ciga-rette in 30 years. And Brian Fopmacouldn’t be happier.

The Clifton motorcycle cop, a23-year veteran of the force, finallyditched the unhealthy habit earlierthis summer after being challengedby fellow officers and friends,Randy Colondres and JohnKavakich.

This isn’t the first time he’s quitsmoking—in fact, it’s probablyFopma’s sixth attempt. But thistime, he’s got extra incentive: rid-ing in the Police Unity Tour.

It’s an annual 300-mile bike rideheld in May. Some 600 officersfrom throughout the nation pedal toWashington D.C. to honor fallencomrades and raise funds for theNational Law Enforcement OfficersMemorial (policeunitytour.com).

For the past two years, Fopma,47, has been part of the tour, ridinghis police-issued Harley Davidsonon the route as he and other officerssecured side streets and highwaysso the bicyclists could ride safely.

But come May 9, 2010, Fopma isditching the leather spats and motorfor Lycra riding shorts and a self-propelled bike. He’ll be pedalingalongside Colondres, Kavakich andhis fellow officers.

“It was motivation and it kind ofgave me a goal,” Fopma said of hisdecision to quit smoking and takeup cycling. “If I do this, I’ll actual-ly be able to ride to Washington.”

The first step was to totally quitcigarettes, which can be incrediblydifficult after being hooked.

“I mostly picked it up from whenI was working at a gas station grow-ing up,” the 1981 CHS grad said ofhis habit. “I was a mechanic, and wewere smoking while working.”

Over the years, the habit pro-gressed. From a few at work to apack-and-a-half a day. He’d lightup with coffee. When he parkedhis Harley while on the job, he’dnaturally reach into his pocket for apack of smokes and his lighter.

Fopma had always been in shape,but smoking prevented him fromfully reaching his potential. Hislungs were hampered by thick blacktar and dense plaque choked offblood supply to needy muscles.

Fopma’s physician gave him anorder for Chantrex, which was ableto keep him off of cigarettes.

“You still get urges, but not asmuch as it used to be,” he said.“Maybe after a good dinner or some-thing, I could go for one.”

Finally smoke free, Fopma wentto the Allwood Bike Store and got anew set of wheels for training.

“I went on the bicycle and I waslike, ‘Oh, this is killing me and I’mnot able to breathe,” Fopma


Wheeling from Smoking


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laughed. He had not been on an un-motorized set of wheels in fourdecades. “I don’t think I went a mileon the first day.”

Eventually, his body began toadapt to the absence of nicotine andtraining became easier. Fopma ridestwo to three times a week, usuallylogging between 10 and 20 miles persession.

“I definitely feel better. I don’thave that cough where you’rehacking up your lungs that I used toget,” said Fopma. “I can see thedifference when I’m riding the bike,I have more lung capacity.”

Since the Unity Tour will test thelimit of his stamina, it is imperativethat Fopma’s health is in top shape.

Due to the health benefits ofquitting and intense training, Fopmacompleted a 62-mile ride through theRamapo Mountains in the dead heatof August. He also rode on a 50-miletour from the George WashingtonBridge to upstate New York and backlast month.

That’s quite the improvementfor someone who was goingthrough a pack-and-a-half a dayjust four months ago, especiallysince Fopma hasn’t ridden a bikesince his childhood.

“A lot of guys didn’t think I’d beable to quit. Even my wife ... shedidn’t think I was going to quit atfirst,” said Fopma. “I made up mymind and quit smoking and it reallydid change my life.”

The purpose of the Great American Smokeout is to help smokers quit.Give up the habit for at least one day, many will tell you, with the hopethat you’ll break the cycle and be motivated to quit completely. Butanyone who has beat tobacco will also tell say that quitting smoking isdifficult. Nicotine is an addictive drug, but there are resources to help.

Smokefree.gov recommends using the START method. Set a quit date.Tell family and friends of your plan. Anticipate the challenges of quitting.Remove tobacco products from your home, car and work. And Talk toyour doctor about getting help. The craving can be triggered by beingaround other smokers. Feeling stressed or depressed? That could get youreaching for your pack. Alcohol can bring about the urge to smoke as well.

For many, a cigarette is a ritual, such as having one in the car on the wayto work, starting the day with a few puffs or having a few drags on workbreak. Breaking the cycle can improve your chances of kicking the habitfor good. So if you think you are ready, try it on Nov. 19. For help, call thePassaic County Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Prevention at973-473-3366 x101 or the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345.

The Great American Smokeout is on Nov. 19


John Samra was a Clifton motorcycle officerwho died in the line of duty on Nov. 21, 2003. Tokeep his memory alive, a scholarship fund wasestablished in his name and events such as theJohn Samra Memorial 5K on Oct. 11 help fundit. Presented by the Clifton PBA and supportedby the Clifton Roadrunners, participants includednewcomers, youth, competitive runners and seniors.

The Clifton Roadrunners Annual Turkey Trotis on Nov. 14 at 10 am at Garret Mountain. The5K run and 2K walk is presented by the policedepartments of Clifton, Passaic and WilliamPaterson University located in Wayne, withproceeds going to the Police Unity Tour. Pre-

registration is $10 or $15 on race day. Info andregistration at raceforum.com or cliftonpba36.com.

John Samra Memorial 5K winners included Freddy Ruiz, Jose Carmona, Ted Mussano, Edgar Sandoval, David Gierek, DavidSilva, Alex Juarez, George Roa, Carl Demmie, Howard Goldberg, Keith Francis, Eugene Vater, Norma Millet, AnibalMartinez, Krista Bassi, Gary Anolik, Melika Ayan, Sigrid Weihenig, Ligia Vallejo and Christina Sayler.

John Samra

Memorial 5K Race


Clifton Jr. Mustangs Football’sannual beefsteak/tricky tray is onNov. 20 at 7 pm at the Boys & GirlsClub. Tickets are $45 and includedinner, beer and wine. The FlyingMueller Brothers will perform. CallRobin Gibson at 973-418-4033.

Former Cliftonite Cecilia Zalkindrecently received the 2009 FloretteAngel Memorial Child AdvocacyAward fromVOICES forA m e r i c a ’ sChildren. The1965 CHS grad-uate is executivedirector of theAssociation forChildren of NJ, aNewark-based research and advo-cacy group, where she has workedfor 25 years. Her parents are Al andMargaret Zwiazek of Union Ave.

The Red Hat Angels have alreadybegun their fundraising campaignfor the 2010 Relay for Life. Theteam will be shaking a can atneighborhood stores so watch forits mascot, CUREious Charlie.The Angels—Janet Mozolewski,Joann Mack, Chris Liszner andmany of their friends and neigh-bors—recently held a garage saleto raise money for the AmericanCancer Society. Interested in form-ing a team for the 2010 Relay? Goto relayforlife.org/cliftonnj.

Cliftonite Janet Mozolewski onceagain took part in the Avon Walk forBreast Cancer on Oct. 11. Her team,Loretta’s Ladies, raised more than$79,000 this year. You can still giveat avonwalk.org/goto/Janet.Mozo orsend a check made out to Avon Walkfor Breast Cancer to Mozolewski at78 Scoles Ave., Clifton, NJ 07012.Mozolewski recently received aSpirit Award from the New YorkMets on the field at a game.

2009 Samra scholarships recipients at the Oct. 11 run. From left: Clifton Police Sgt.Wayne Krulikowsky on behalf of his daughter Tracy, Joseph Hillyer, Brianne Sweeneyand Andrew Bandurski. Also pictured: PBA Sgt-at-Arms Det. John Kavakich, PBAState Delegate Det. Michael McLaughlin and PBA President Det. Stephen Berge.


The 33rd annual UNICO Christmas party for the girlsof the North Jersey Developmental Center of Totowa isat 6:30 pm on Dec. 1 at the Brownstone in Paterson.Begun by Michael N. Corradino, who now serves asHonorary Chair, it is currently organized by Frank andNina Corradino of Nina’s Salon on Valley Rd. Todonate, or for tickets, call Nina at 973-278-0356 or PastUNICO National President Joe Agresti at 973-473-3873.

The CHS Class of 1960’s 50th reunion is May 15 at 6pm at the Russian Hall in Little Falls. Cost is $75 andincludes dinner, dancing, a memory book and prizes.Cash bar. Call Kathy Ploch Mack at 973-618-1830 ore-mail Nancy Lewis Zink at [email protected].

A CHS Class of 1999 get-together is Nov. 28, 7-10 pmat 3 East Bar and Grill, on Rt. 3 East in Secaucus, ownedby Class’ 00 grad Frank Ponte. A $50 entrance feeincludes open bar and appetizers. Call Amy Pasternackat 201-694-2711. This event is not in place of the offi-cial 10-year reunion scheduled for the night before.

Christmas Spirit at Lambert Castle: From Nov. 7-29,rooms inside the landmark on Valley Rd. will be trans-formed into showcases of crafts and gifts. Over 200 juriedcrafters and artisans offer items of original design for sale.New and replacement items are put out daily for selection.Holiday House Boutique hours are 10 am to 9 pm on Tues.through Fri. and 10 am to 5 pm on Sat. and Sun. Entranceis a $6 donation to the Passaic County Historical Society.People may return two times to shop with that donation.Visit lambertcastle.org or call 973-247-0085 ext 200.

In a file photo, UNICO members from left, Michael N. Corradino, Nina and FrankCorradino, Andre Dimino, John Morano, Joe Agresti and Anthony Lattella.Seated is Santa (Ronaldo Giaconia) with a NJDC guest. At right, CliftonHistorian Don Lotz at the Oct. 10 Passaic County History Day at Lambert Castle,and below, the Christmas tree at the national landmark gilded age mansion.


The Clifton Arts Center Gallery will present Artists’Interpretations, an art exhibit and sale of watercolor artby the New Jersey Water Color Society. The exhibit(sample above) opens Nov. 11 and runs through Dec.19. There will be a reception open to the public onNov. 14 from 1-4 pm. Visit cliftonnj.org.

One World, Different Music and Dance Day is Dec. 5at 2 pm at the Clifton Public Library on Piaget Ave.Performers of Russian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak,Ukrainian, Albanian and Gregorian descent are invited tovolunteer to appear for one performance. To participateor for details, call Colleen H. Murray of the PhenomenalGrandmothers Chapter #1036 at 973-253-9579.

Maestro Francesco Santelli, artistic director of theClifton-based Garden State Opera, presents a double billat the YM-YWHA on Scoles Ave. on Nov. 7 at 7:30 pm.Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for seniors and stu-dents, and a portion supports the Clifton Public Schools’Adopt a Music Student program. Call 973-272-3255 orvisit gardenstateopera.homestead.com.

The 15th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. JazzFestival & Dinner is on Jan. 16 at the Church of theAssumption, 35 Orange Ave. Produced by Seifullah AliShabazz, performers include Ike Brown’s JazzProphets Ensemble, Arnetta Johnson & Subito Soundand others. Dinner is at 6 pm. Tickets are $35 or $40at the door. For more information, call 973-478-4124.

A Tribute to Doo Wop Legend Ronnie I is on Nov. 28at the Lodi Boys & Girls Club, 460 Passaic Ave. Thelate Ronnie Italiano has long been hailed with keepingthe genre alive through his United Group in HarmonyAssociation (UGHA) and at his Downtown Clifton store.Tickets are $35; call 973-365-0049.

Issue #3 of The Adventures of Lightning Squirrelcontinues a six-part miniseries written by Clifton nativeJeffrey F. Kipnis and drawn by an international team ofartists. The series takes place almost entirely in Clifton,and stars the superpowered squirrel, his arch-nemesisSwimming Lady, and her genius boyfriend Comic Man.In this issue, our hero battles an evil ice cream vendorand a slimy sewer monster, while Comic Man aids hislady-love’s efforts to destroy her furry enemy forever.The book is available at indyplanet.com.

Andy Warhol: Through a Glass Starkly is an exhibit ofWarhol’s photographic works, specifically his Polaroidshots and black-and-white silver gelatin prints at MSU’sGeorge Segal Gallery, 1 Normal Ave. in Montclair. Theexhibition runs through Dec. 12. Call 973-655-3382.

BICYCLESD

120 Market Street, Clifton www.AllwoodBicycle.com

973.574.9001

The Blessed VirginMary is a belovedicon of UkrainianCatholics. The oneat right is part of aseries of the Virginand Christ Childfeatured in a set ofChristmas cardspublished by theUkrainian NationalAssoc. A total of 12images by 12 artistsis in the package,which costs $25.For info, callTom Hawrylko at973-253-4400.


• Pork, Beef &Meat Products

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For the past 20 years my family and Ihave run our meat market at 189Parker Ave. Using traditional recipes,we prepare pork, beef and meatproducts, home-style hickory smokedham, sausage, salami and all kinds ofcold cuts. We also sell ground poppyseeds and ground walnuts and manytraditional Hungarian food ingredients.All our products are prepared withknow-how and tender love and care.In my store, or via UPS delivery, youwill receive the best— foods whichpraises the tastes and inspires the soul.

The Jozsa Family Marika, Andrew & Mike


While March 15 officially marks the 1848 inde-pendence of Hungary, this nation’s flag with a

hole cut into its center was raised on Oct. 23 at city hallto commemorate the 1956 uprising against Communistrule in the capital city of Budapest.

During the uprising, revolutionaries cutout the ‘Rákosi badge’ a state coat of armsin line with socialist heraldry closely resem-bling that of the Soviet Union’s, that wasplaced on the the national flag by Joseph Stalin’sappointed dictator Mátyás Rákos.

The Soviets had occupied the country during WorldWar II after Hungarian leaders surrendered andremained in control following the end of the conflict in1945. Stalin’s hand-picked puppets took a hold of thecountry, eliminating political opponents and dissentingintellectuals. Living and working conditions becamedeplorable, as the country was transformed into a heavyindustrialized state.

Eventually, Hungary become one of several coun-tries hidden behind the Iron Curtain. Years of oppres-sion culminated in a demonstration in Bern Square byseveral thousand students from Budapest University onOct. 23, 1956. The group marched towards Parliament,where they read a list of 16 demands.

The demonstration continued into the evening andeventually shifted over to the Magyar Radio building,where it became violent.

Revolutionaries tried to enter and broadcast theirdemands and were detained by the secret police, whothen opened fire on the crowds. Eventually, demonstra-tors got a hold of weapons meant for the police and the

bloody uprisingescalated. The fol-lowing morning,Red Army troopsrolled into Budapest,

commencing a nationwide struggle between militiasand the Russians until a ceasefire on Nov. 10.

Many Hungarians fled their native country, andsome refugees ended up in New Jersey. Parishionersfrom St. Stephen’s R.C. Magyar Church in Passaicraised more than $4,000 to house and aid some 106refugees fleeing Hungarians.

Back in Europe, members of the silenced rebellionwere rounded up by the Soviets, who executed morethan 230 revolutionaries and imprisoned thousands.Even after the revolution, people continued to come toNew Jersey and St. Stephen’s received more than 120refugee families from Hungary.

Though the 1956 revolution was ultimately quelledby the Soviets, it was the first sign of a chink in the IronCurtain. “We were the first to stand up to the Soviets,”said Laszlo Kerkey, a board member at the AmericanHungarian Museum in Passaic. For info about themuseum or revolution, visit magyarmuzeum.org.

On Oct. 23, members of the Hungarian community, led by Father Laszlo Vas (St. Stephen’s R.C. Magyar Church, Passaic) andReverend Jozsef Vasarhelyi (Hungarian Reform Church, Passaic) and city officials raise the national flag at City Hall. Thosein the revolution cut out the Soviet emblem that was placed on the flag during Russian occupation.

“We were the first to standup to the Soviets.”–Laszlo Kerkey


Photos byDerek Teixeira

Clear skies and mild weather greeted

hundreds of costumed residents in the annual

Halloween Parade and HarvestFest on

October 25. After parading down Lakeview

Ave. and into Nash Park, they enjoyed an

afternoon of games, fresh air and food (even

an apple pie baking contest!) and fun.


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Manning our Mess Hall, Cooking Good Grub: Carol Ference,Jerry Ference, Jackie Hanrahan, Bob Mantz Jr., Johnny 'Rotten'

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Melissa De Molli & Kevin Vogel announce they will marry on 11/11/11.Nicole Mokray turns 9 on Nov. 7, Nancy Hawrylko is 24 on Nov. 19and Olivia Margaret Nysk celebrated her first birthday on Nov. 4.

Birthdays & Celebrations!send us your dates and names... [email protected]

Walaa Abdelazim is 23 on, Nov. 4 notes dad, Abdul “Joseph” Elgamel.Marguerite Craig Heerschap celebrate her 102nd birthday on Nov. 14.Congrats 2009 Veterans Parade Grand Marshal George Tuzzolino.


Joe and Sue Angello will bemarried 10 years on Nov. 14 &

celebrated Joe’s 50th birthday(Nov. 6) with a trip to Greece.

CHS sweethearts Lauren Iapicca ‘00& Bryan Hackett ‘01 wed on Oct. 30.

Angela & Gerard Iapicca andJohn & Donna Hackett are parents.

1036

Crystal Lanham. . . . . . . 11/25Rachel Prehodka-Spindel 11/25Kristen Bridda. . . . . . . . . 11/26Jessi Cholewczynski. . . . 11/26Dillon Curtiss. . . . . . . . . . 11/26Bethany Havriliak. . . . . . 11/26Kelly Moran . . . . . . . . . . .11/27Sami Suaifan. . . . . . . . . .11/28Christopher Seitz. . . . . . . 11/29Kaitlyn Graham. . . . . . . .11/30Barbara Luzniak. . . . . . . 11/30Gunnar Kester turned 6 on Oct. 12


The CHS Jr. ROTC received a $500 donation fromthe Air Land Sea Marine Corps League Detachment710 of Nutley on Oct 22. Commandant Bob Jonesreported that the veterans solicited contribution at localsupermarkets and other events. In the past, Air LandSea Marine Corps League has donated to the WoundedWarriors Project, given Segways to veterans and annu-ally awards a scholarship to a student with a relative inthe service. For info, call 201-866-4484.

A benefit dinner for Cathy Boseski is on Nov. 21 at 2pm at Connelly Station, Belmar. The Cliftonite has suf-fered from Multiple Sclerosis for nearly 27 years. Theevent is sponsored by the Friends of Cathy Boseski,which is largely comprised of her pals from St. Peter’sCollege, from which where she graduated in 1974.Boseski has been married to her husband, Bill, for 33years; the couple has three children: Cara, a teacher inthe Clifton School District, Billy and Samantha.Tickets are $60 and include food and two complimen-tary drink tickets. A cash bar will follow. Call MikeMilano at 201-747-6795 or e-mail [email protected].

Jewish Family Services and the Riskin Children’sCenter within the YM/YWHA on Scoles Ave. offers abereavement and support group for parents who havesuffered the loss of a child or spouse. For times ofmeetings, call 973-777-7638 or e-mail jsfclifton.org.

Hannah Montana impersonator Courtney Searleperforms at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm on Nov. 22 atthe grand opening of the Classy Lady Boutique,in the Richfield Shopping Plaza. Located at theintersection of Allwood and Clifton Aves., owners Mark and Sondra Leinkram offer a variety of moderately pricedwomen’s fashion, including petite and plus sizes.


Nov 2009_cover TEMPLATE copy 10/30/09 11:21 AM Page 3

Tomahawk Promotions1288 Main AvenueClifton, NJ 07011

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As the owner of a business in Clifton and also aCouncilman, I invite you to live and work in our

city. We offer a great workforce, a stable city government and quality schoolswhere you can educate your children. Thanks Nick for being a Clifton advocate.

Joseph Cupoli, P & A Auto Parts1103 Main Ave., Downtown Clifton & 802 Van Houten Ave., Athenia13 Stores in North Jersey • www.paautoparts.com

Why Clifton?

Nov 2009_cover TEMPLATE copy 10/30/09 11:21 AM Page 4

clifton merchant magazine - november 2009

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