snowstorm parking rules to get westfield council …they age, is available on the town’s website....

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Snowstorm Parking Rules ToGet Westfield Council Review

By BRIAN TRUSDELLSpecially Written for The Westfield Leader

WESTFIELD – Town council willlikely revisit parking regulations re-garding snowstorms during the fall, theconsequence of January’s blizzard thatdropped more than two feet of precipi-tation over a weekend and wreakedhavoc throughout the region.

The parking issue was one of severalMayor Andy Skibitsky and town ad-ministrator Jim Gildea addressed withThe Westfield Leader in an hour-longchat at borough hall on Friday.

Prohibiting parking on snow-cov-ered roads during storms was the leadrecommendation of a “Post Event Re-view: The Blizzard of 2016” report

produced by Mr. Gildea and his staff.The 26-page report, which also sug-gested an ordinance to prohibit resi-dents and business owners from plac-ing shoveled snow into the street, newradios in Department of Public Worksvehicles and the continued fleet man-agement practice to replace vehicles asthey age, is available on the town’swebsite.

“The main one is restricting parking.The question is how far will it go,” Mr.Gildea said. “And also consideringother things like penalties for blowingsnow back on the street. It’s really moreso for commercial property downtown,taking the snow and putting it back onthe street you’ve already plowed or

putting it on someone else’s property.“It’s trying to regulate some of these

things the best you can.”Mr. Gildea said there has been some

public comment, mostly supportive ofthe stricter parking, and that the townwill wait to receive more before mov-ing forward.

“There will be a learning curve,” Mr.Skibitsky said. “And probably, if this ispassed, there will be some type of, Idon’t know if ‘grace period’ is the rightword, but some leeway at first.”

Mr. Gildea also gave an update andoutlined several construction projects,including the $450,000 redesign – paidfor via a federal grant – of the intersec-tion of Elm and North Broad streets,four road repaving projects that alreadyhave begun and 10 more that are sched-uled for September.

New traffic lights were installed atthe Elm-North Broad intersection lastweek. A small amount of electrical workstill remains, the old traffic lights mustbe removed and then some final con-crete work is needed to complete theproject, said Mr. Gildea, who has beendoubling as town clerk for Claire Graysince early August.

Ms. Gray is due back in her officenext week after undergoing surgery,Mr. Gildea said.

Other noticeable changes aroundtown include the arrival of eight newWestfield blue-branded trucks for theDPW, including a $300,000 garbagetruck that is the first the town has boughtsince 1990.

Mr. Gildea also said residents willbegin to notice later this month work onMindowaskin Park across the streetfrom the municipal building. The big-gest most visible activity will be thedredging of the lake.

That will start with the lowering ofthe algae-covered pond, then a “fishsalvage” to transfer the fish to Surprise

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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Westfield Adult SchoolReturns With New Affiliation

Bd. Approves Leave for Renwick,Okays Nelson as Acting Principal

By MEGAN K. SCOTTSpecially Written for the Westfield Leader

WESTFIELD — The once uncer-tain future of the Westfield AdultSchool has been settled.

The school, which discontinuedoperations last year amid decliningenrollment, decreasing revenue andthe departure of several board mem-bers, will reopen on Monday, Sep-tember 19, as part of The Adult Schoolof the Chathams, Madison andFlorham Park. Catalogs were mailedto residents in Westfield and surround-ing communities last week. Registra-tion began on August 24.

“In a town where education is highlyvalued, it is good to see that opportu-nities for adults to learn another lan-guage, to sharpen skills, and be partof dynamic discussions will onceagain be accessible,” WestfieldSchools Superintendent MargaretDolan said in an email. “We arepleased to continue to offer WestfieldHigh School in the evening for thispurpose.“

The Westfield Adult School Asso-ciation was a nonprofit that servedWestfield and more than 20 surround-ing communities. It offered enrich-ment courses for adults in severalcategories including business, com-puters and social media, arts, cook-ing, languages and real estate. Theschool had offered as many as 130classes in one semester.

The revitalized school will offermore than 50 courses on Mondaynights at Westfield High School inareas ranging from arts and crafts tomusic to computers. Specific classesinclude “How to (Finally) Write YourBook,” “Empanadas - the PerfectPocket Food,” “Lose Weight withHypnosis,” and “Great Decisions2016 Series,” an eight-week programwhere students discuss key foreign

policy issues, as featured in the 2016Foreign Policy Association briefingbook.

The school will also offer yoga,dance and fitness classes courses atlocal studios, such as tap dancing,barre, Zumba and hooping hoopla, aworkout which uses hoops larger andheavier than hula hoops to build corestrength and tone the entire body. Forthe first time, all English as a SecondLanguage classes will be free.

Westfield residents also will haveaccess to the more than 300 classesheld at other Adult School locationsin Florham Park, Basking Ridge,Madison, Bernards Township andChatham.

The Westfield Adult School, whichwas founded in 1938, discontinuedoperations after the spring 2015 se-mester, citing financial challenges.Spring enrollment in the classes was420, down from 918 in the spring2012.

The school lost its executive direc-tor that June and the board presidentresigned in September. With a boardthat had shrunk to six members from12 to 15, some questioned whetherthe model was still viable. The schoolcost about $20,000 per semester tooperate, which included space rental,insurance, instructor fees, the print-ing and mailing of the course catalogand the executive director position.Those expenses were generally cov-ered by the enrollment fees.

“We began to look at joining forceswith a larger organization when itbecame apparent it would becomedifficult for us to continue as a com-pletely independent organization,”former Westfield Adult School Co-President Randy Rosenfeld statedearlier this summer. “The missionand business operations of The Adult

By BRIAN TRUSDELLSpecially Written for The Westfield Leader

WESTFIELD – Derrick Nelsonwas formally introduced to theschool board at its Tuesday meetingand approved as acting principal ofWestfield High School, while hispredecessor Peter Renwick wasplaced on a leave of absence retro-active to April 18.

Mr. Nelson’s appointment byschools superintendent MargaretDolan was announced to district

personnel and parents in a August10 memo. Mr. Renwick has been onmedical leave, according to districtofficials, for an undisclosed reasonsince March.

The board’s action was its firstpublic statement on Mr. Renwicksince he took his leave, and camefollowing an approximate 30-minute closed executive session.With only board member CharlesOstroff absent, the members unani-mously approved the leave withoutcomment.

Board attorney Derlys Gutierrezwould not specify why the leavewas effective through Wednesday,February 1, the date listed for Mr.Nelson’s term as acting principal.

She said the date was “for now”and would not comment on the typeor reason for Mr. Renwick’s leave.

“Based upon the advice of legalcounsel, the board and the adminis-tration cannot comment on Mr.Renwick’s leave as it is a confiden-tial personnel issue,” Ms. Gutierrezsaid in an emailed statement.

Additionally, Mabel Huynh wasintroduced and installed as actingassistant principal at Westfield HighSchool through February 1, taking

Mr. Nelson’s place.Mr. Nelson had been an assistant

principal at Westfield High Schoolsince July 2012 and had previouslybeen the assistant principal atRoosevelt Intermediate School. Ms.Huynh has been a chemistry teacherat Westfield High for 14 years andwill join fellow assistant principalsJim DeSarno and MaggieMcFadden.

The appointments were only twoof dozens of personnel issues ap-proved at Tuesday night’s meetingfrom an agenda that was a quarter-of-an-inch thick. The meeting ofthe board was its first in over twomonths.

Ms. Dolan also reported to theboard on the district’s 10 schools’annual self-assessment of their anti-bullying efforts, as required by statelaw.

She explained a committee com-prised of each school’s administra-tion, teachers and a parent, rates theschool at the end of each schoolyear on “eight core elements” – andvarious sub elements – on a scale ofzero (not meeting requirements) tothree (exceeding requirements).

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Fred T. Rossi for The Westfield LeaderPROMOTION...Scotch Plains mayor Kevin Glover, left, swears in Paul Belfordas a captain pf the township police department on Tuesday night with his wifeTheresa holding the Bible at his side.

Glover Questioned OverPay Raise for Manager

Brian Trusdell for The Westfield LeaderWHAT’S HAPPENING...Westfield Town Administrator Jim Gildea, standing left, and Mayor Andy Skibitsky, seated, gaveThe Westfield Leader an update of various projects and developments around the town at a meeting last Friday.

By FRED T. ROSSISpecially Written for The Westfield Leader

SCOTCH PLAINS — Mayor KevinGlover said he was merely followingpast practice when he authorized a sal-ary increase earlier this year for town-ship manager Al Mirabella.

At Tuesday night’s township councilmeeting, Republican CouncilmanLlewellyn Jones questioned the mayor,a Democrat, about the salary increase,which Mr. Jones said he discoveredwhen reviewing the township bill listfor August.

Mr. Glover recalled that he had dis-cussed the matter with an unspecifiednumber of council members, but notwith the entire council during a formalsession.

The mayor also claimed that previ-ous mayors had done likewise. Town-ship attorney Robert Renaud, who wasnot present at this week’s meeting, willbe asked to look into the propriety ofthe mayor’s action.

The council also discussed the prop-erty at the corner of Westfield Avenue

and Westfield Road, a residential lotthat has sat undeveloped except for abasement foundation for about eightyears.

In recent months, especially, neigh-bors and others have complained aboutwhat they see as the property’s unsight-liness. Mr. Mirabella said he had talkedrecently with the property owner aboutcalls from neighbors who, the managersaid, “are tired of how it looks.”

Mr. Mirabella pointed out that theproperty is maintained, the grass is cutand snow is shoveled.

Building inspector Robert LaCostatold the council that a building permitwas issued in November 2007, but astate law enacted a year later extendedall permits, and that a newly enactedlaw extended the expiration date ofpermits in counties affected by the 2012Superstorm Sandy.

That law means such permits expireat the end of this year, with a six-monthgrace period ending June 30. At thattime, Mr. LaCosta said, the property

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Courtesy of Myka CampbellROW, ROW, ROW...Simon Thompson, left, and veteran canoe builder JohnNieroda test out a cedar strip boat in Brightwood Park in Westfield. No leaks werereported.

GOOD DEED...Westfield fifth graders raised more than $220 on August 25during a bake sale outside Feast Catering for the No Kid Hungry campaign, whichprovides meals to children during the summer who normally receive meals atschool. Pictured, from left to right, are: Riley Roth, Sean O’Brien, Leah Wang,Sara Burrick, Allie Constantinou and Kate Giglio.

Thursday, September 1, 2016 The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES A Watchung Communications, Inc. Publication

Westfield Leader only

Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Allstate New Jersey Property and Casualty Insurance Co., Bridgewater, NJ, Allstate New Jersey Insurance Co. © 2016 Allstate Insurance Co. 1882

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Spend Your Advertising Dollar Where It Counts! In Print and On The Net 24/7

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LEADER GOES CARIBBEAN...The Venturinos of Westfield, left to right,Paige, Coral, Taylor and Ralph, take time to read their Westfield Leader whileon vacation in the Caribbean on the island of Grenada.

GREETINGS FROM PELE…Jackson, Griffin, and Clayton Garnecki pose withthe Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele and a recent copy of The Westfield Leader aftera 4 1/2-mile bike-hike out to the lava flow of the Kilaeua Volcano.

Courtesy of Mitch HarrisREADING ON ‘THE ROCK’...Westfield kids Alicia and Cooper Harris take atour of the former federal prison on Alcatraz Island near San Francisco, notori-ously known as "the rock". The Harrises get a glimpse of solitary confinement cellon "D" block with The Westfield Leader as their only contact to the outside world.

St. Bart’s Fest, SchoolMarks Summer’s EndBy FRED T. ROSSI

Specially Written for The Westfield Leader

SCOTCH PLAINS — With summerin its waning — and still hot — days, thefall calendar in Scotch Plains is a fullone, starting with the annual St.Bartholomew/UNICO Italian Festivalover the four-day Labor Day weekendand followed by the opening of the newschool year.

The festival — which honors SanNicola di Bari, the patron saint of thetown of Montazzoli, Italy, from whichmany Scotch Plainsers emigrated 100years ago — runs from 4:30 p.m. to10:30 p.m. on Friday, September 2,Saturday, September 3, and Sunday,September 4, and from 1:30 p.m. to 8p.m. on Monday, September 5.

Live music, food, rides, games andnightly 50-50 raffles will be featured atthe festival, which started in 1974.

For school-age children and teenag-ers, there will be time for one moregood night’s sleep before summer va-cation formally ends and schools openon Tuesday, September 6.

Various orientations for students andparents are scheduled for later this weekand next week in advance of the newschool year, which also will feature thedebut of full-day kindergarten classes.

Labor Day also marks the traditionalstart of what looks to be a busy politicalseason in Scotch Plains.

Democratic Mayor Kevin Glover isseeking a second term in Novemberand will be opposed by three candi-dates: Republican Alexander Smith andtwo independents, former RepublicanMayor Nancy Malool and the Rever-end Keith Owens.

The township council seat currentlyheld by Democrat Colleen Gialanellaalso will be up for grabs, with Demo-crat Luisa Bianco and Republican TedSpera vying to fill the seat.

All the candidates have agreed totake part in a forum sponsored by TheScotch Plains-Fanwood Times onWednesday, October 26.

The township council met Tuesday

and will resume its schedule of meet-ings on Tuesday, September 20.

The planning board has its next meet-ings set for Monday, September 26,while the zoning board of adjustmentwill meet on Thursday, September 8.

The zoning board also will hold aspecial meeting on Thursday, Sep-tember 22, to resume its consider-ation of an application to significantlyexpand the size of the Ashbrook Nurs-ing and Rehabilitation Center onRaritan Road.

Two hearings already have been heldon the three-phase project, which, ifapproved, would begin with construc-tion of a 14,000-square-foot, five-storyrehabilitation facility at the rear portionof the rectangular-shaped property.

The building will include 90 beds.Phase two will be a 15,000-square-foot, three-story assisted-living facilityat the front of the property nearestRaritan Road with 60 beds.

The third phase will be a 17,000-square-foot, four-story skilled-nursingfacility where the present building issituated and will include 90 beds.

The annual Scotch Plains Day streetfair will take place on Park Avenue inthe downtown business district on Sun-day, October 9.

The popular Farmers Market contin-ues every Saturday through Novemberin the municipal parking lot next totown hall.

The Friday night movie series windsup tomorrow on the Alan AugustineVillage Green.

The Thursday night summer con-certs will wrap up this evening with aperformance by the rock/soul groupGoodWorks.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Westfield BOE

Scotch Plains-FanwoodPreps for Kindergarten

No school received a perfect scoreof 78, although Edison andRoosevelt Intermediate schoolscame closest with 77 points each.Westfield High School had the low-est score, 70.

Six of the 10 schools scored thesame or better than the previous year.

Ms. Dolan also reviewed the dis-trict and policy goals for the up-coming year, which were unani-mously approved.

She repeated both sets, which in-cluded improving coping and resil-iency skills for students, improvingoutreach to parents and teacher uti-lization of online resources as thedistrict goals. Improving communi-cation between the various boardcommittees and the full board aswell as participation in board work-shop on governance were adoptedas the board’s goals.

District business administratorDana Sullivan reported that the sum-mer installation of new digital pub-lic address systems at all 10 schoolshad been completed and were in theprocess of being tested.

Additionally WiFi upgrades hadbeen completed at all elementaryschools and new fire alarm systemsat three schools also had been in-stalled.

They had not yet been tested, shesaid, so the old systems would beoperational on the opening day ofschool next Thursday, September 8.

The items were part of a $12.6million bond referendum approvedby voters in January.

Other infrastructure projects in-cluded the installation of new boil-

By ROBYN ORR-GIOFFRESpecially Written for The Westfield Leader

SCOTCH PLAINS — Eighteensections of full-day kindergartenclasses will be spread over the ScotchPlains-Fanwood school district’s fiveelementary schools this year, super-intendent Margaret Hayes said.

The new program is being accom-modated in four classrooms that wereadded to Evergreen ElementarySchool and two to William J. McGinnElementary.

Council member Evan Murray toldthe board “the final touches” are be-ing completed in preparation for thefirst day of school. Classes begin Tues-day, September 6.

“We have more work to do but weare very optimistic that the class-rooms will be ready for September6,” Ms. Hayes told The WestfieldLeader.

She confirmed all of the teachershave been hired and have had properstaff development over the summer,in preparation for the new program.

“Now we are just waiting for themto finish those last little touches onthe rooms.” Dr. Hayes commented.

Newly hired faculty have been pre-paring for the opening of school. Newstaff orientation took place onWednesday and Thursday of last weekand will be completed on Friday ofthis week.

Ms. Hayes told the board it hadbeen a “wonderful” two days with thenew staff and faculty members were“uniformly enthusiastic.”

Board president Nancy Bauer re-layed that administrators, supervisorsand principals attended the orienta-tion “to support the new staff” and tomake them feel welcome. A total of29.5 positions, teachers and staff, wereadded to support the new full-dayprogram.

Mr. Murray reported that amongthe summer projects that were com-pleted or are in their final phases werewindow and roof replacement, asbes-tos tile removal and door insulation.

Additionally, water was tested forlead and results indicated no prob-lems. The only exception was akitchen sink with a dripping faucet,which has been replaced.

In other matters, the board is con-templating the purchase of a newschool bus.

As reported by Mr. Murray, the dis-trict owns a fleet of six 54-seat buses,one of which is in need of a new enginethat costs approximately $24,000.

“All the buses in the district werepurchased at the same time” so in thenext three years all six buses will atone point need to be replaced, Mr.Murray said.

He indicated he believed it to beprudent to replace the buses one at atime.

New buses will run on gasoline asopposed to the diesel models the dis-

trict has and will have air condition-ing.

Business Administrator DeborahSaridaki emphasized the need forbuses with air conditioning.

“The concern is the special needsstudents,” she said, noting that somestudents’ individual education plans(IEPs) specify the need for air-condi-tioned transportation.

Mr. Murray, responding to a ques-tion from resident Michael Lewis,said that a gasoline-powered bus withair conditioning costs $92,597.

Additionally Mr. Lewis questionedwhether or not there was a “mandate”in place about transporting studentswith air conditioning.

Mrs. Saridaki assured Mr. Lewis“there is no such mandate.”

In discussing her annual districtsummary progress report, Ms. Hayessaid the Wellness Committee is look-ing to create a school “wellness week”sometime in October.

The Wellness Committee will lookto expand water bottle filling sta-tions, which currently exist at thehigh school and Terrill Middle School,to other schools in the district “toencourage the kids to drink morewater,” Ms. Hayes said.

Opportunities to purchase a veganmeal, an option only offered at thehigh school, could possibly be madeavailable to different schools in thedistrict.

The board plans to meet on twodates this month; Tuesday, Septem-ber 20 and Tuesday, September 27.

ers at Jefferson and Wilson elemen-tary schools. Ms. Sullivan said thepipes to the new boilers were nowbeing installed with completion ex-pected by Saturday, October 15.

The board also heard a reportfrom newest member Amy Root,who took the seat of Mitch Slater.Mr. Slater announced his resigna-tion in the spring and attended hislast meeting in June.

Mrs. Root, a former bank exam-iner with two Westfield High Schoolboys, is finishing the final six monthsof Mr. Slater’s term.

She noted that Westfield HighSchool had been ranked No. 87 inthe country by Newsweek in its an-nual ratings out of nearly 16,000high schools.

It was second among “open en-rollment” schools in New Jersey.Chatham High School was numberone in the state.

The ratings considered factorssuch as graduation rates, collegeenrollment, weighted SAT and ACTstandardized test scores, counselorto student ratios and enrollment,she said.


SP Council


Adult Sch.School are an excellent fit withWestfield so the board decided thiswas the best path forward.”

The Adult School of the Chathams,Madison and Florham Park wasfounded in 1937 and is one of the firstindependent, nonprofit communityeducation organizations establishedin the state. It receives no govern-ment funding; all costs are financedby enrollment fees and donations.Space is donated by the local schoolboards. Last year, enrollment wasmore than 4,000.

“We have missed operating in thecommunity,” Ms. Rosenfeld, now aboard member of the Chathams AdultSchool, said in an email. “We hopeWestfield area residents will takeadvantage of the renewed opportu-nity to learn a new skill, gain someknowledge in a new area or just havean engaging experience with othercommunity members.”

More information can be obtainedby calling The Adult School of theChathams, Madison and FlorhamPark at (973) 443-9222 or visiting itswebsite at www.theadultschool.org

owner, who claims he is actively tryingto sell the property, could apply torenew the permit.

In other business, Mr. Mirabella saidthat he is working with the townshiprecreation commission on finding anew director of parks and recreationafter acting director Stephen Dahl re-signed in August to relocate out of state.

Mr. Mirabella said 42 resumes hadbeen received from interested candi-dates and that the commission had win-nowed the list to 16.

The first round of interviews beginsthis week, he said. Until a permanentreplacement is named, Mr. Mirabella’sassistant, Margaret Heisey, will over-see the department on a temporarybasis.

Also on Tuesday, Mayor Gloverswore in Paul Belford, a 21-year vet-eran of the township police depart-ment, as the new captain. Mr. Belford,a Westfield native, joined the depart-ment in 1995. He was promoted tosergeant in 2004 and to lieutenant twoyears later. In 2012, he was assigned ascommander of the detective bureau.Mr. Belford hails from a family longinvolved in law enforcement, with hisbrother having served in the Westfieldpolice department and two nephewscurrently in the patrol division in ScotchPlains.


ParkingLake in the Watchung Reservation. Thelake will then be drained before thedredging, stacking and drying of thelake bed material begins.

The process – last done approxi-mately 30 years ago -- is designed todeepen the lake from its current 2 feet to6-8 feet. It could take several months.

“The biggest piece is the dredging ofthe pond,” Mr. Gildea said. “It’s an uglyprocess, but very necessary.

Next year will include repairing andreplacing the pathways along with lightupgrades in the park. One of the finalpieces will be the planting of 10,000native species of fauna, Mr. Skibitskysaid. That will be done in partnershipwith the New Jersey Audubon Society.

The renovations are in anticipationof the centennial of the park in 2018.

Among legislative concerns men-tioned by Mr. Skibitsky was the Down-town Task Force appointed by the mayorin July, which is headed by zoningboard chairman Bill Heinbokel andtasked with anticipating the future needsof businesses in the downtown area.

The task force has been divided intothree subcommittees to focus on: land-owners, retailers and realtors. Amongits duties are to examine zoning laws,such as which businesses are prohib-ited from ground floor retail space –like medical practices, and considerwhether the concerns that instigated theregulation are still valid.

Mr. Skibitsky expects the task forceto complete its investigation and reportback by the first quarter of next year.

“But I’ve told the task force, if youhave an idea you think is a winner,‘Don’t wait until the report is com-plete,’” he said. “‘Give it to me.’”

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SEVENTY FIVE CENTS(908) [email protected] 57th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 35-2016 Published Every Thursday Since 1959

www.timesnj.comUSPS 485200

Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J.Thursday, September 1, 2016

PPPPPAAAAAGE INDEXGE INDEXGE INDEXGE INDEXGE INDEXRegional ........ 2-3Editorial ........ 3-5Police ............ 2Community ... 6-7Obituary ........ 6

Education ...... 14-15Sports ............ 9-13Real Estate .... 9-16Classifieds ..... 13A&E .............. 15-16

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Westfield Adult SchoolReturns With New Affiliation

WESTFIELDWEST

Westfield West Office • 600 North Avenue West, Westfield, NJ 07090 • 908-233-0065 • ColdwellBankerHomes.com© 2016 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity

Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. #600NORTH

Whether Your Real Estate Needs are Local, National, or InternationalYour Move Is Our Move and We’re Ready to Assist You

Every Step of the Way.

Extraordinary Professionals.

By MEGAN K. SCOTTSpecially Written for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times

WESTFIELD — The once uncer-tain future of the Westfield Adult Schoolhas been settled.

The school, which discontinued op-erations last year amid declining enroll-ment, decreasing revenue and the de-parture of several board members, willreopen on Monday, September 19, aspart of The Adult School of theChathams, Madison and Florham Park.Catalogs were mailed to residents inWestfield and surrounding communi-ties last week. Registration began onAugust 24.

“In a town where education is highlyvalued, it is good to see that opportuni-ties for adults to learn another lan-guage, to sharpen skills, and be part ofdynamic discussions will once again beaccessible,” Westfield Schools Super-intendent Margaret Dolan said in anemail. “We are pleased to continue to

offer Westfield High School in theevening for this purpose.“

The Westfield Adult School Asso-ciation was a nonprofit that servedWestfield and more than 20 surround-ing communities. It offered enrichmentcourses for adults in several categoriesincluding business, computers and so-cial media, arts, cooking, languagesand real estate. The school had offeredas many as 130 classes in one semester.

The revitalized school will offer morethan 50 courses on Monday nights atWestfield High School in areas rangingfrom arts and crafts to music to comput-ers. Specific classes include “How to(Finally) Write Your Book,”“Empanadas - the Perfect Pocket Food,”“Lose Weight with Hypnosis,” and“Great Decisions 2016 Series,” an eight-week program where students discusskey foreign policy issues, as featured inthe 2016 Foreign Policy Associationbriefing book.

The school will also offer yoga, danceand fitness classes courses at local stu-dios, such as tap dancing, barre, Zumbaand hooping hoopla, a workout whichuses hoops larger and heavier than hulahoops to build core strength and tonethe entire body. For the first time, allEnglish as a Second Language classeswill be free.

Westfield residents will also haveaccess to the more than 300 classes heldat other Adult School locations inFlorham Park, Basking Ridge, Madi-son, Bernards Township and Chatham.

The Westfield Adult School, whichwas founded in 1938, discontinuedoperations after the spring 2015 semes-ter, citing financial challenges. Springenrollment in the classes was 420, downfrom 918 in the spring 2012.

The school lost its executive directorthat June and the board president re-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

Scotch Plains-Fanwood SchoolsPrep. for Full Day Kindergarten

CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

By ROBYN ORR-GIOFFRESpecially Written for TheScotch Plain-Fanwood Times

SCOTCH PLAINS — Eighteen sec-tions of full-day kindergarten classeswill be spread over the Scotch Plains-Fanwood school district’s five elemen-tary schools this year, superintendentMargaret Hayes said.

The new program is being accom-modated in four classrooms that wereadded to Evergreen Elementary Schooland two to William J. McGinn Elemen-tary.

Council member Evan Murray toldthe board “the final touches” are being

completed in preparation for the firstday of school. Classes begin Tuesday,September 6.

“We have more work to do but we arevery optimistic that the classrooms willbe ready for September 6,” Ms. Hayestold the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times.

She confirmed all of the teachershave been hired and have had properstaff development over the summer, inpreparation for the new program.

“Now we are just waiting for them tofinish those last little touches on therooms.” Dr. Hayes commented.

Newly hired faculty have been pre-paring for the opening of school. Newstaff orientation took place on Wednes-day and Thursday of last week and willbe completed on Friday of this week.

Ms. Hayes told the board it had beena “wonderful” two days with the newstaff and faculty members were “uni-formly enthusiastic.”

Board president Nancy Bauer re-layed that administrators, supervisorsand principals attended the orientation“to support the new staff” and to makethem feel welcome. A total of 29.5positions, teachers and staff, were addedto support the new full-day program.

Mr. Murray reported that among thesummer projects that were completedor are in their final phases were window

and roof replacement, asbestos tile re-moval and door insulation.

Additionally, water was tested forlead and results indicated no problems.The only exception was a kitchen sinkwith a dripping faucet, which has beenreplaced.

In other matters, the board is contem-plating the purchase of a new schoolbus.

As reported by Mr. Murray, the dis-trict owns a fleet of six 54-seat buses,one of which is in need of a new enginethat costs approximately $24,000.

“All the buses in the district werepurchased at the same time” so in thenext three years all six buses will at onepoint need to be replaced, Mr. Murraysaid.

He indicated he believed it to beprudent to replace the buses one at atime.

New buses will run on gasoline asopposed to the diesel models the dis-trict has and will have air conditioning.

Business Administrator DeborahSaridaki emphasized the need for buseswith air conditioning.

“The concern is the special needsstudents,” she said, noting that somestudents’ individual education plans(IEPs) specify the need for air-condi-

St. Bart’s Fest, SchoolMarks Summer’s EndBy FRED T. ROSSI

Specially Written for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times

SCOTCH PLAINS — With sum-mer in its waning — and still hot —days, the fall calendar in ScotchPlains is a full one, starting with theannual St. Bartholomew/UNICOItalian Festival over the four-dayLabor Day weekend and followedby the opening of the new schoolyear.

The festival — which honors SanNicola di Bari, the patron saint of thetown of Montazzoli, Italy, fromwhich many Scotch Plainsers emi-grated 100 years ago — runs from4:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday,September 2, Saturday, September3, and Sunday, September 4, andfrom 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday,September 5.

Live music, food, rides, gamesand nightly 50-50 raffles will be fea-tured at the festival, which started in1974.

For school-age children and teen-agers, there will be time for onemore good night’s sleep before sum-mer vacation formally ends andschools open on Tuesday, Septem-ber 6.

Various orientations for studentsand parents are scheduled for laterthis week and next week in advanceof the new school year, which alsowill feature the debut of full-daykindergarten classes.

Labor Day also marks the tradi-tional start of what looks to be a busypolitical season in Scotch Plains.

Democratic mayor Kevin Gloveris seeking a second term in Novem-ber and will be opposed by threecandidates: Republican AlexanderSmith and two independents, formerRepublican mayor Nancy Malool andthe Reverend Keith Owens. Thetownship council seat currently heldby Democrat Colleen Gialanella alsowill be up for grabs, with DemocratLuisa Bianco and Republican TedSpera vying to fill the seat.

All the candidates have agreed totake part in a forum sponsored byThe Scotch Plains-Fanwood Timeson Wednesday, October 26.

The township council met on Au-gust 30, and then will resume itsnormal schedule of on Tuesday, Sep-tember 20. The planning board hasits next meeting set for Monday, Sep-

Fred T. Rossi for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood TimesPROMOTION...Scotch Plains mayor Kevin Glover, left, swears in Paul Belford as a captain pf the township policedepartment on Tuesday night with his wife Theresa holding the Bible at his side.

Glover Questioned OverPay Raise for Manager

Photo courtesy of Robert CozzolinaNEARING THE 19TH HOLE…Fellow golfers and spectators watch one of the last foursomes on the final night of theThursday Night League at Shackamaxon County Club in Scotch Plains.

David B. Corbin for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood TimesEXPECTING TO HAVE AN A++ SEASON...The Raider soccer boys (light blue)had an active scrimmage with Morristown in Scotch Plains last week. The Raidersare anticipating an A++ season. The Raiders will host Plainfield in their seasonopener on Thursday, September 8, at 4 p.m. then will host Westfield on Saturday,September 10, at 3 p.m. See story on page 9.

By FRED T. ROSSISpecially Written for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times

SCOTCH PLAINS — MayorKevin Glover said he was merelyfollowing past practice when he au-thorized a salary increase earlier thisyear for township manager AlMirabella.

At Tuesday night’s township coun-cil meeting, Republican CouncilmanLlewellyn Jones questioned themayor, a Democrat, about the salaryincrease, which Mr. Jones said hediscovered when reviewing the town-ship bill list for August.

Mr. Glover recalled that he haddiscussed the matter with an unspeci-

fied number of council members, butnot with the entire council during aformal session.

The mayor also claimed that previ-ous mayors had done likewise. Town-ship attorney Robert Renaud, whowas not present at this week’s meet-ing, will be asked to look into thepropriety of the mayor’s action.

The council also discussed the prop-erty at the corner of Westfield Avenueand Westfield Road, a residential lotthat’s sat undeveloped except for abasement foundation for about eightyears.

In recent months, especially, neigh-bors and others have complained

about what they see as the property’sunsightliness. Mr. Mirabella said hehad talked recently with the propertyowner about calls from neighborswho, the manager said, “are tired ofhow it looks.”

Mr. Mirabella pointed out that theproperty is maintained, the grass iscut and snow is shoveled.

Building inspector Robert LaCostatold the council that a building permitwas issued in November 2007, but astate law enacted a year later ex-tended all permits, and that a newlyenacted law extended the expirationdate of permits in counties affectedby the 2012 Superstorm Sandy.

That law means such permits ex-pire at the end of this year, with a six-month grace period ending June 30.At that time, Mr. LaCosta said, theproperty owner, who claims he isactively trying to sell the property,could apply to renew the permit.

In other business, Mr. Mirabellasaid that he is working with the town-ship recreation commission on find-ing a new director of parks and recre-ation after acting director StephenDahl resigned in August to relocateout of state.

Mr. Mirabella said 42 resumes hadbeen received from interested candi-dates and that the commission hadwinnowed the list to 16.

The first round of interviews be-gins this week, he said. Until a perma-nent replacement is named, Mr.Mirabella’s assistant, MargaretHeisey, will oversee the departmenton a temporary basis.

Also on Tuesday, Mayor Gloverswore in Paul Belford, a 21-year vet-eran of the township police depart-ment, as the new captain. Mr. Belford,a Westfield native, joined the depart-ment in 1995. He was promoted tosergeant in 2004 and to lieutenanttwo years later.

In 2012, he was assigned as com-

Courtesy of Myka CampbellROW, ROW, ROW...Simon Thompson, left, and veteran canoe builder JohnNieroda test out a cedar strip boat in Brightwood Park in Westfield. No leaks werereported.

Scotch Plains - Fanwood Times onlyPage 8 Thursday, September 1, 2016 The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES A Watchung Communications, Inc. Publication

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LEADER GOES CARIBBEAN...The Venturinos of Westfield, left to right,Paige, Coral, Taylor and Ralph, take time to read their Westfield Leader whileon vacation in the Caribbean on the island of Grenada.

Snowstorm Parking Rules ToGet Westfield Council Review

GREETINGS FROM PELE…Jackson, Griffin, and Clayton Garnecki pose withthe Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele and a recent copy of The Westfield Leader aftera 4 1/2-mile bike-hike out to the lava flow of the Kilaeua Volcano.

Courtesy of Mitch HarrisREADING ON ‘THE ROCK’...Westfield kids Alicia and Cooper Harris take atour of the former federal prison on Alcatraz Island near San Francisco, notori-ously known as "the rock". The Harrises get a glimpse of solitary confinement cellon "D" block with The Westfield Leader as their only contact to the outside world.

By BRIAN TRUSDELLSpecially Written for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times

WESTFIELD – Town council willlikely revisit parking regulations re-garding snowstorms during the fall,the consequence of January’s bliz-zard that dropped more than two feetof precipitation over a weekend andwreaked havoc throughout the region.

The parking issue was one of sev-eral Mayor Andy Skibitsky and townadministrator Jim Gildea addressedwith The Scotch Plains-FanwoodTimes in an hour-long chat at boroughhall on Friday.

Prohibiting parking on snow-cov-ered roads during storms was the leadrecommendation of a “Post EventReview: The Blizzard of 2016” re-port produced by Mr. Gildea and hisstaff. The 26-page report, which alsosuggested an ordinance to prohibitresidents and business owners fromplacing shoveled snow into the street,new radios in Department of PublicWorks vehicles and the continuedfleet management practice to replacevehicles as they age, is available onthe town’s website.

“The main one is restricting park-ing. The question is how far will itgo,” Mr. Gildea said. “And also con-sidering other things like penaltiesfor blowing snow back on the street.It’s really more so for commercialproperty downtown, taking the snowand putting it back on the street you’vealready plowed or putting it on some-one else’s property.

“It’s trying to regulate some of thesethings the best you can.”

Mr. Gildea said there has been somepublic comment, mostly supportiveof the stricter parking, and that thetown will wait to receive more beforemoving forward.

“There will be a learning curve,”Mr. Skibitsky said. “And probably, ifthis is passed, there will be some typeof, I don’t know if ‘grace period’ isthe right word, but some leeway atfirst.”

Mr. Gildea also gave an updateand outlined several constructionprojects, including the $450,000 re-design – paid for via a federal grant– of the intersection of Elm andNorth Broad streets, four road re-paving projects that already havebegun and 10 more that are sched-uled for September.

New traffic lights were installed atthe Elm-North Broad intersection lastweek. A small amount of electricalwork still remains, the old traffic lightsmust be removed and then some finalconcrete work is needed to completethe project, said Mr. Gildea, who hasbeen doubling as town clerk for ClaireGray since early August.

Ms. Gray is due back in her officenext week after undergoing surgery,Mr. Gildea said.

Other noticeable changes around

town include the arrival of eight newWestfield blue-branded trucks for theDPW, including a $300,000 garbagetruck that is the first the town hasbought since 1990.

Mr. Gildea also said residents willbegin to notice later this month workon Mindowaskin Park across the streetfrom the municipal building. The big-gest most visible activity will be thedredging of the lake.

That will start with the lowering ofthe algae-covered lake, then a “fishsalvage” to transfer the fish to Sur-prise Lake in the Watchung Reserva-tion. The lake will then be drainedbefore the dredging, stacking and dry-ing of the lake bed material begins.

The process – last done approxi-mately 30 years ago, is designed todeepen the lake from its current 2 feetto 6-8 feet. It could take severalmonths.

“The biggest piece is the dredgingof the pond,” Mr. Gildea said. “It’s anugly process, but very necessary.

Next year will include repairingand replacing the pathways along withlight upgrades in the park. One of thefinal pieces will be the planting of10,000 native species of fauna, Mr.Skibitsky said. That will be done inpartnership with the New JerseyAudubon Society.

The renovations are in anticipationof the centennial of the park in 2018.

Among legislative concerns men-tioned by Mr. Skibitsky was the Down-town Task Force appointed by themayor in July, which is headed byzoning board chairman Bill Heinbokeland tasked with anticipating the fu-ture needs of businesses in the down-town area.

The task force has been divided intothree subcommittees to focus on: land-owners, retailers and realtors. Amongits duties are to examine zoning laws,such as which businesses are prohib-ited from ground floor retail space –like medical practices, and considerwhether the concerns that instigatedthe regulation are still valid.

Mr. Skibitsky expects the task forceto complete its investigation and re-port back by the first quarter of nextyear.

“But I’ve told the task force, if youhave an idea you think is a winner,‘Don’t wait until the report is com-plete,’” he said. “‘Give it to me.’”


Adult School


SP Council

signed in September. With a board thathad shrunk to six members from 12 to15, some questioned whether the modelwas still viable. The school cost about$20,000 per semester to operate, whichincluded space rental, insurance, in-structor fees, the printing and mailingof the course catalog and the executivedirector position. Those expenses weregenerally covered by the enrollmentfees.

“We began to look at joining forceswith a larger organization when it be-came apparent it would become diffi-cult for us to continue as a completelyindependent organization,” formerWestfield Adult School Co-PresidentRandy Rosenfeld stated earlier thissummer. “The mission and businessoperations of The Adult School are anexcellent fit with Westfield so the boarddecided this was the best path for-ward.”

The Adult School of the Chathams,Madison and Florham Park wasfounded in 1937 and is one of the firstindependent, nonprofit communityeducation organizations established inthe state. It receives no governmentfunding; all costs are financed by en-rollment fees and donations. Space isdonated by the local school boards.Last year, enrollment was more than4,000.

“We have missed operating in thecommunity,” Ms. Rosenfeld, now aboard member of the Chathams AdultSchool, said in an email. “We hopeWestfield area residents will take ad-vantage of the renewed opportunity tolearn a new skill, gain some knowl-edge in a new area or just have anengaging experience with other com-

mander of the detective bureau. Mr.Belford hails from a family long in-volved in law enforcement, with hisbrother having served in the Westfieldpolice department and two nephewscurrently in the patrol division inScotch Plains.

Leave Approved for Renwick,Nelson Named Acting Principalmunity members.”

More information can be obtainedby calling The Adult School of theChathams, Madison and Florham Parkat (973) 443-9222 or visiting its websiteat www.theadultschool.org

By BRIAN TRUSDELLSpecially Written for The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times

WESTFIELD – Derrick Nelsonwas formally introduced to the schoolboard at its Tuesday meeting and ap-proved as acting principal of WestfieldHigh School, while his predecessorPeter Renwick was placed on a leaveof absence retroactive to April 18.

Mr. Nelson’s appointment byschools superintendent MargaretDolan was announced to district per-sonnel and parents in a August 10memo. Mr. Renwick has been onmedical leave, according to districtofficials, for an undisclosed reasonsince March.

The board’s action was its firstpublic statement on Mr. Renwick sincehe took his leave, and came followingan approximate 30-minute closed ex-ecutive session. With only boardmember Charles Ostroff absent, themembers unanimously approved theleave without comment.

Board attorney Derlys Gutierrezwould not specify why the leave waseffective through Wednesday, Febru-ary 1, the date listed for Mr. Nelson’sterm as acting principal.

She said the date was “for now”and would not comment on the typeor reason for Mr. Renwick’s leave.

“Based upon the advice of legalcounsel, the board and the adminis-tration cannot comment on Mr.Renwick’s leave as it is a confidentialpersonnel issue,” Ms. Gutierrez saidin an emailed statement.

Additionally, Mabel Huynh was in-troduced and installed as acting assis-tant principal at Westfield HighSchool through February 1, takingMr. Nelson’s place.

Mr. Nelson had been an assistantprincipal at Westfield High Schoolsince July 2012 and had previouslybeen the assistant principal atRoosevelt Intermediate School. Ms.

Huynh has been a chemistry teacherat Westfield High for 14 years andwill join fellow assistant principalsJim DeSarno and Maggie McFadden.

The appointments were only twoof dozens of personnel issues ap-proved at Tuesday night’s meetingfrom an agenda that was a quarter-of-an-inch thick. The meeting of theboard was its first in over two months.

Ms. Dolan also reported to theboard on the district’s 10 schools’annual self-assessment of their anti-bullying efforts, as required by statelaw.

She explained a committee com-prised of each school’s administra-tion, teachers and a parent, rates theschool at the end of each school yearon “eight core elements” – and vari-ous sub elements – on a scale of zero(not meeting requirements) to three(exceeding requirements).

No school received a perfect scoreof 78, although Edison and RooseveltIntermediate schools came closestwith 77 points each. Westfield HighSchool had the lowest score, 70.

Six of the 10 schools scored thesame or better than the previous year.

Ms. Dolan also reviewed the dis-trict and policy goals for the upcom-ing year, which were unanimouslyapproved.

She repeated both sets, which in-cluded improving coping and resil-iency skills for students, improvingoutreach to parents and teacher utili-zation of online resources as the dis-trict goals. Improving communica-tion between the various board com-mittees and the full board as well asparticipation in board workshop ongovernance were adopted as theboard’s goals.

District business administratorDana Sullivan reported that the sum-mer installation of new digital publicaddress systems at all 10 schools hadbeen completed and were in the pro-cess of being tested. Additionally WiFiupgrades had been completed at allelementary schools and new fire alarmsystems at three schools also had beeninstalled.

They had not yet been tested, shesaid, so the old systems would beoperational on the opening day ofschool next Thursday, September 8.

The items were part of a $12.6million bond referendum approvedby voters in January.

Other infrastructure projects in-cluded the installation of new boilersat Jefferson and Wilson elementaryschools. Ms. Sullivan said the pipesto the new boilers were now beinginstalled with completion expectedby Saturday, October 15.

The board also heard a report fromnewest member Amy Root, who tookthe seat of Mitch Slater. Mr. Slaterannounced his resignation in thespring and attended his last meetingin June.

Mrs. Root, a former bank examinerwith two Westfield High School boys,is finishing the final six months of Mr.Slater’s term. She noted that WestfieldHigh School had been ranked No. 87in the country by Newsweek in itsannual ratings out of nearly 16,000high schools. It was second among“open enrollment” schools in NewJersey. Chatham High School wasnumber one in the state.

The ratings considered factorssuch as graduation rates, college en-rollment, weighted SAT and ACTstandardized test scores, counselorto student ratios and enrollment, shesaid.


Kindergartentioned transportation.

Mr. Murray, responding to a ques-tion from resident Michael Lewis, saidthat a gasoline-powered bus with airconditioning costs $92,597.

Additionally Mr. Lewis questionedwhether or not there was a “mandate” inplace about transporting students withair conditioning.

Mrs. Saridaki assured Mr. Lewis“there is no such mandate.”

In discussing her annual district sum-mary progress report, Ms. Hayes saidthe Wellness Committee is looking tocreate a school “wellness week” some-time in October.

The Wellness Committee will lookto expand water bottle filling stations,which currently exist at the high schooland Terrill Middle School, to otherschools in the district “to encourage thekids to drink more water,” Ms. Hayessaid.

Opportunities to purchase a veganmeal, an advantage only offered at thehigh school, could possibly be madeavailable to different schools in thedistrict.

The board plans to meet on two datesthis month; Tuesday, September 20 andTuesday, September 27.


St. Bart’stember 26, while the zoning board ofadjustment will meet on Thursday,September 8.

The zoning board also will hold aspecial meeting on Thursday, Sep-tember 22, to resume its consider-ation of an application to signifi-cantly expand the size of theAshbrook Nursing and Rehabilita-tion Center on Raritan Road.

Two hearings already have beenheld on the three-phase project,which, if approved, would begin withconstruction of a 14,000-square-foot,five-story rehabilitation facility atthe rear portion of the rectangular-shaped property.

The building will include 90 beds.Phase two will be a 15,000-square-foot, three-story assisted-living fa-cility at the front of the propertynearest Raritan Road with 60 beds.

The third phase will be a 17,000-square-foot, four-story skilled-nursingfacility where the present building issituated and will include 90 beds.

The annual Scotch Plains Day streetfair will take place on Park Avenue inthe downtown business district onSunday, October 9. The popular Farm-ers Market continues every Saturdaythrough November in the municipalparking lot next to town hall.

The Friday night movie serieswinds up tomorrow on the Alan Au-gustine Village Green, while theThursday night summer concerts willwrap up on Thursday, September 1.

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Thursday, September 1, 2016 The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION

DRUG DOSE...Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Direc-tor Gene Jannotti, right, presents a $400 grant to Garwood Police Chief BruceUnderhill to purchase Narcan, a drug that can be injected or administered vianasal spray, for the department to use in emergencies to counter the effects ofopioids like heroin and prevent death from a drug overdose.

Westfield Graduate Pleads GuiltyIn Five-Year-Old Fatal Car Crash

ELIZABETH — A formerWestfield resident and native pleadedguilty Monday to second-degree ve-hicular homicide in a car crash nearlyfive years ago that killed an Old Bridgeman and seriously injured a womanfrom Garwood, the Union CountyProsecutor’s Office announced.

Robert McGowan, 30, a WestfieldHigh School graduate who had movedto Trumbull, Conn., before the acci-dent and was elected to its town coun-cil in November, is scheduled to besentenced Friday, October 14, beforeNew Jersey Superior Court JudgeScott Moynihan, the prosecutor’s of-fice said in a release.

Mr. McGowan was indicted twoweeks after he was elected to theTrumbull council and resigned thatpost two weeks later.

The prosecutor’s office said Mr.McGowan was driving along CliftonStreet in Westfield on October 1, 2011,when he ran a stop sign at the inter-section of Tice Place and struck thecar driven by Peter Tyliczka, 69.

Despite wearing his seatbelt andthe airbag in his 2001 Cadillac de-ploying properly, Mr. Tyliczka wasthrown from the vehicle and died.

His then-61-year-old girlfriend,

Kathy Grecco, was seriously injuredand transported to a local hospital,where she spent months undergoingtreatment and therapy, theprosecutor’s office said.

An investigation involvingWestfield police, the Union CountyPolice Department’s Fatal AccidentReconstruction Team, and theprosecutor’s office’s Homicide TaskForce determined that Mr.McGowan’s blood-alcohol concen-tration at the time of the crash was0.08 percent, the limit at which one isconsidered intoxicated in New Jer-sey.

Two and a half years earlier, Mr.Tyliczka was arrested and chargedwith driving while impaired (DWI)and reckless driving after he drovethrough a police barricade at a DWIcheckpoint in Westfield at MarylandStreet and Grandview Avenue.

Mr. McGowan will be required toserve at least 85 percent of his termbefore the possibility of parole underNew Jersey’s No Early Release Act,the prosecutor’s office said.

Prosecutor’s office spokesmanMark Spivey declined to comment onwhy the accident investigation tookfour years.

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WESTFIELDFriday, August 19, Bamidele

Badmus, 45, was arrested during amotor vehicle stop at North Avenueand Tuttle Parkway for contempt ofcourt out of Watchung in the amountof $600. Badmus was released onrecognizance by Watchung with aSeptember 7 court date.

Friday, August 19, Marc Nissim,40, of Westfield was arrested on anactive Westfield traffic warrant, withbail of $165, pursuant to turning him-self in at police headquarters. He wasprocessed and released after postingthe requisite bail.

Friday, August 19, a resident of the800 block of Carleton Road reportedthe theft of a black-and-teal-colored“Specialized Ariel” women’s moun-tain-style bicycle and damage to thebicycle lock through criminal mis-chief. According to the victim, thebicycle was secured with a one-piecewire bicycle lock to a fence at thesouth-side train station lot at approxi-mately 11:45 a.m. on August 19. Whenthe victim returned at approximately2:45 p.m., the bicycle had been re-moved and the wire lock was cut inhalf and left on the ground. The bi-cycle is valued at approximately $469.

Saturday, August 20, Samas Eutsey,19, of Westfield was arrested on anoutstanding Westfield warrant, with$625 bail, pursuant to a traffic stop inthe area of East Broad Street andSouth Euclid Avenue. Eutsey wastransported to police headquarters,processed and held in lieu of bail.

Saturday, August 20, MeghanBrody, 24, of Westfield was arrestedon charges of driving while intoxi-cated (DWI), possession of less than50 grams of suspected marijuana andpossession of drug paraphernalia,pursuant to a traffic stop in the area ofNorth Avenue and Crossway Place.She was transported to police head-quarters, where she was processedand released with a summons to aresponsible adult.

Saturday, August 20, Trenton L.Boyer, 26, of East Orange was ar-rested at the Cranford Police Depart-ment on a $394 Westfield warrant.Boyer posted bail and was released.

Saturday, August 20, Logan Streit,27, of Toms River was arrested at theBerkeley Township Police Depart-ment on two Westfield warrants, withbail in the amount of $1,500.

Sunday, August 21, Danny Earp,55, of Newark was arrested on anoutstanding Westfield traffic warrant.He was transported to Westfield po-lice headquarters from the GarwoodPolice Department, processed andreleased after posting $81 bail.

Monday, August 22, Jonathan B.Debevoise, 32, of Westfield was ar-rested on an outstanding Fanwoodtraffic warrant subsequent to a motorvehicle stop. He was transported topolice headquarters, processed andreleased after posting $89 bail.

Monday, August 22, Jose M. Cruz,29, of Piscataway was arrested subse-quent to a motor vehicle stop on out-standing warrants from NorthPlainfield, with bail set at $750, andPlainfield, also with bail set at $750.He was transported to police head-quarters, processed and released af-ter posting the full cash bail.

Monday, August 22, a resident ofMillburn stated that an unknown sus-pect stole her pink iPhone 5 from therear parking lot of the 700 block ofWest South Avenue. The victim statedthat the approximate value of the sto-len cell phone is $300.

Tuesday, August 23, Daniel A. Ca-ballero-Porciuncul, 37, of Silver

Springs, Md. was arrested on an out-standing Linden warrant subsequent toa motor vehicle stop. He was trans-ported to police headquarters, processedand released after posting $200 bail.

Tuesday, August 23, police arrestedtwo people in Plainfield pursuant to amotor vehicle pursuit. Terrell Alston,Jr., 18, of Plainfield was charged witheluding, resisting arrest, unlawful tak-ing and criminal mischief. He wastransported to police headquarters andwas unable to post bail of $25,000(no 10-percent cash alternative). Di-vine Lindsey, 19, of Elizabeth, whowas charged with resisting arrest, alsowas transported to police headquar-ters for processing. Lindsey was un-able to post $2,500 bail (no 10-per-cent cash alternative).

Wednesday, August 24, a residentof the 600 block of West Broad Streetreported a burglary, theft and crimi-nal mischief at the home, which oc-curred between August 18 and 19.One or more suspects entered theresidence, causing damage and steal-ing air conditioning equipment.

CRANFORDTuesday, August 16, David Cruz,

23, of Garwood and John Logan, III,32, of Westfield were arrested andcharged with possession of heroinand possession of paraphernalia, af-ter a motor vehicle stop at the inter-section of East North and ElizabethAvenues when police received an alertthat the vehicle was unregistered viathe Automatic License Plate Reader.During an investigation at the scene,police located heroin on both thedriver, Cruz, and a passenger, Logan,authorities said. Both men were ar-rested, processed and released pend-ing a Superior Court appearance. Cruzwas issued a motor vehicle summonsfor an unregistered vehicle.

Friday, August 19, Hector Iglesias,19, of Washington was charged withpossession of less than 50 grams ofsuspected marijuana and possessionof paraphernalia, after a motor ve-hicle stop at the intersection of MyrtleStreet and Rod Smith Place for amotor vehicle violation. During aninvestigation at the scene, police lo-cated marijuana inside the vehicle.Iglesias, a passenger in the vehicle,was arrested, processed and releasedpending a Municipal Court appear-ance. The driver was issued a motorvehicle summons for having an un-clear license plate.

Sunday, August 21, Daniel B. Wil-son, 30, of Valdosta, Ga. was arrestedand charged with simple assault anddisorderly conduct. While on routinepatrol in the area of East North andSpringfield Avenues, police witnessedan assault in progress. Upon conclud-ing an investigation at the scene, po-lice placed Wilson under arrest. Hewas transported to Cranford policeheadquarters, where he was processedand released pending a MunicipalCourt appearance. The victim refusedmedical attention at the scene.

Monday, August 22, FabianKearney, 46, of Newark was arrestedon charges of possession of heroin;possession of prescription pills andpossession of paraphernalia, after amotor vehicle stop at the intersectionof Centennial Avenue and CayugaRoad for operating a vehicle whilehaving its high beams illuminated.During an investigation at the scene,police located heroin and prescriptionpills (Alprazolam) inside the vehicle.The driver, Kearney, was arrested, pro-cessed and released pending a Supe-rior Court appearance. Kearney alsowas issued motor vehicle summonsesfor having a controlled dangerous sub-stance (CDS) in a motor vehicle andfor operating a motor vehicle with itshigh beams illuminated.

KIWANIS CARES...During a recent meeting, members of the Kiwanis Club ofGreater Westfield donated personal hygiene products for the Somerset Houseproject that provides necessities for teens who are transitioning from foster careto the adult world. This will be an ongoing charity for the local Kiwanis Club.Pictured, from left to right, are: members Brian Dwelle, Steve Whitlock, ClubSecretary Marvin Gersten and Vice-President Jeffrey Christakos with some of thedonations of toothpaste, shampoo and soap.

Area Synagogue to Hold‘Shabbat Under the Stars’

SPRINGFIELD — TempleSha’arey Shalom, 78 South Spring-field Avenue, Springfield, will cel-ebrate “Shabbat Under the Stars” onFriday evening, September 9, on thetemple property. Both members andnon-members are invited to this an-nual outdoor event. The service willbegin at 7 p.m. and will be precededby an optional outdoor Italian buffetdinner at 6 p.m. Participants are wel-come to attend just the service orboth the dinner and service.

There is no charge to attend theservice, but tickets for the dinnerare $12 per person, with a maxi-mum of $48 per family. Attendeesare encouraged to bring blankets

and lawn chairs and to enjoy anevening of community and worship.For more information or to pur-chase tickets for the dinner, call thetemple office at (973) 379-5387.

Temple Sha’arey Shalom is amid-size Reform congregation af-filiated with the Union for ReformJudaism (URJ). The temple servesSpringfield and surrounding townsin Union, Essex and Somerset coun-ties. The synagogue welcomes chil-dren, young adults, singles, seniorscitizens and families.

Shabbat services are creative andvaried, and the temple offers a widearray of educational, informational andsocial programs and entertainment.

Bramnick, Codey to Combine ForcesFor “Bipartisan Comedy Night”

NEW BRUNSWICK — FormerNew Jersey Gov. Richard Codey andAssembly Minority Leader JonBramnick (R-LD21, Westfield) willjoin for a “Bipartisan Comedy Night”at the Stress Factory Comedy Club tobenefit mental health causes.

Mr. Codey, a Democrat who served

twice as acting governor after theresignations of Christine ToddWhitman and Jim McGreevey, andMr. Bramnick, a Republican who hasbeen in the Assembly since 2003, willbe joined by other politicians andcomedians for the event on Tuesday,September 20.

Commentary

Casale-Petro QuestionDown To Crunch TimeGarwood officially has been de-

bating what to do about the CasaleSheet Metal and Petro Plastics prop-erties for more than two years. Thatstretches to seven if you consider theNJ Transit study that examined it andwhat to do with the aging relics, andgoes to decades if you consider howlong the factories have actually beensitting abandoned and blighted alongSouth Avenue next to the railroadtracks.

Crunch time has arrived.Come Tuesday, September 13, the

municipality’s borough council willhold a public hearing and, likely, voteon a “redevelopment plan” for the5.3-acre plot.

The plan, given the blessing of thetown’s planning board four monthsago, would not approve the massiveproject envisioned by some for thesite. But it would be a big step towardit. The plan would redefine the zon-ing for the area from industrial toresidential/commercial. It would setlimits, albeit not many according toits critics.

While in the strictest sense the planwould be a mere change in zoninglaws for the site, in actuality the plansare a lot further along than that — atleast in concept.

Ed Russo of Carlstadt’s RussoDevelopment, which is building asimilar-sized project in Harrison nextto Red Bull Arena, already has pur-chased the Petro property and has acontract to buy the Casale factory.

Mr. Russo has unveiled what hevisualizes for the site — a four-story,315-unit apartment complex with re-tail space, parking deck, pool, openpublic area...the works. At one point,it even included a rooftop puttinggreen.

The artist’s renderings are impres-sive — and far better that what’s atthe corner of South and Center now.

The council vote will not put itsimprimatur on those details, but itwill provide the OK for the biggestissue — the 315 apartments and theretail space.

Proponents of the redevelopmentplan have touted ridding Garwood ofone of — if not the — biggest eye-sores in town. The Garwood Paper-board factory is in the same category.

It will clean up an industrially toxicsite and, above all, give the town a

new — or at least a higher — taxableproperty.

Critics claim it’s too big, that it willincrease the borough’s population by12-13 percent in one swoop. Traffic,already congested on South Avenue,will become considerably worse. Andthe often-hailed tax benefit, they say,has been superficially explained atbest.

They are dubious of claims that theproject will minimally impact theschools — especially if the developer(i.e. Russo) is allowed to make aPILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) —and not put substantially more de-mands on the municipal government(police, fire, DPW, office staff).

The justification for the size of theproject has been the egregious deci-sion by the New Jersey Supreme Courtmore than 40 years ago with its MountLaurel ruling that requires every townin the state to provide its “fair share”of “affordable” housing. If towns don’tmeet the court’s arbitrary numbers, itallows developers — like Russo — tobuild pretty much what they want solong as they include “affordable”housing.

It’s worth noting many who sup-port the redevelopment plan inGarwood are Democrats, who on onehand blame Mount Laurel yet supporttheir party’s platform and candidatesstatewide that hail the concept of “af-fordable housing”. There are a fairnumber of Republicans, too.

The Casale-Petro properties areslated for approximately 31 units ofaffordable housing, just under 10 per-cent. Other, smaller, projects in thearea — like Fanwood’s Station Square— was approved earlier this year forseven affordable units in a 35-unitbuilding — 20 percent.

If the Casale project used the samepercentage, its size would be cut inhalf — about 150 units — andGarwood would still have its 30 “af-fordable units”.

Mr. Russo has said with the toxiccleanup expected to cost $5 millionor more (in a total project to runbetween $60 million-$70 million),anything fewer than 315 units “is noteconomically feasible.”

Of course we only have his wordfor that, and nobody — at least pub-licly — has asked for more. And hehas the Supreme Court on his side.



DWI CheckpointSet In Cranford

CRANFORD — The CranfordPolice Department has announcedthat it will conduct a D.W.I. Check-point within the township from 9p.m. on Friday, September 2, until3 a.m. on Saturday, September 3.

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A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES Thursday, September 1, 2016 Page 3

Union County 9/11 MemorialPlans Are Set at Echo Lake

UNION COUNTY — Members ofthe community are invited to honorthe memory of the 60 Union Countyresidents who perished in the 9/11attacks by visiting the Union CountySeptember 11th Memorial, Sunday,Sept. 11th from the morning hoursuntil 9 p.m. at Echo Lake Park inMountainside.

Members of the Union CountySheriff’s Office will provide a uni-formed Honor Guard standing watchat the memorial from 6-9 p.m. and thepublic will be able to bring and lightcandles in memory of those lost in theattacks.

Prior to the event, the CountyFacebook page will mark the 15thanniversary of the attacks by remem-bering a resident who was killed inthe attacks, beginning September 1stand continuing for 59 more days.

“We honor those who perished inthe attacks and remember the manyacts of bravery that occurred that day,”said Freeholder Chairman BruceBergen. “Being so close to New YorkCity, there are very few in UnionCounty who did not personally knowsomeone, or the family of someone,killed or affected. The County memo-rial provides a location that allowsfor peace and reflection that gives usstrength and inspiration to continueforward.”

The Union County September 11th

Memorial honors those lost in theattacks using design elements thatinclude two girders from the WorldTrade Center arranged within a fivesided area representing the Pentagon,and an Eternal Flame representingthose who died in Pennsylvania. TheFlame also honors members of theArmed Services and emergency re-sponders.

In addition to these elements, thenames of the 60 deceased UnionCounty residents are etched into thememorial.

Dedicated on Sept. 13, 2003 thememorial was constructed throughprivate donations including in-kindwork by labor unions and materials atcost.

The Freeholder Board worked withresidents of Cranford, Elizabeth,Kenilworth, Linden, Mountainside,Rahway, Scotch Plains, Summit,Union and Westfield in planning andbuilding the Memorial.

It is located near the SpringfieldAvenue entrance of Echo Lake Parkon the border of Mountainside andSpringfield.

For additional information on theUnion County September 11th Me-morial, or information on visitationhours, contact the Union County Of-fice of Public Information at 877-424-1234 or visit online atwww.ucnj.org/9-11-memorial.

Westfield to CommemorateAnniversary of 9/11 AttacksWESTFIELD -- The 15th annual

observance of the September 11 ter-rorist attacks will be held with a com-munity gathering on the anniversaryof the assaults at the September 11Memorial Park on North Avenue atEast Broad Street.

The ceremony will begin at 6:30p.m. with opening remarks fromMayor Andrew Skibitsky. Localclergy will offer prayers followed bythe presentation of the ceremonialwreath by an honor guard.

Each year, the ceremony concludeswith a period of silent reflection andshow of community support.

“The events of 9/11 affected somany people in so many different

ways, and continues to do so,” MayorSkibitsky said in a release. “It hasbeen my observation that many peopledo not grieve or reflect the same wayeach year – some reflect on the loss,some reflect on the healing and re-covery since, some reflect on the re-solve of the American people – itdepends on where they are personallyin the process.

“By offering the opportunity forsilent reflection, this part of the cer-emony allows people to reflect pri-vately but not be alone, and it alsoaffords those who want or need toreach out to others to do so.”

The ceremony will be held rain orshine.

County to Meet with Mountain BikersOver Watchung Reservation Access

MOUNTAINSIDE -- UnionCounty Parks Department officialswill meet with interested mountainbikers regarding recommendationsfrom the Watchung Reservation TrailsMaster Plan that would create a sepa-rate trail for bikers.

The meeting will be held Thursday,October 20 at 7 p.m. at the TrailsideNature and Science Center at theWatchung Reservation inMountainside.

There is no sign-up or reservationrequired.

Parks representatives and a con-sultant will present information onthe new trail to the group, and answerquestions. The meeting is intendedfor interested bikers only. In a re-lease, county officials said they willhold separate meetings for hiking and

equestrian trails later this year.The issue was discussed most re-

cently at the August 18 meeting of theUnion County Board of Chosen Free-holders.

LUNCH FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE...Local volunteers join Aswm. AnnetteQuijano, center front (D-LD20, Elizabeth), and Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan,second row fourth from left, to make sandwiches at the Elizabeth Coalition toHouse the Homelessfor the assemblywoman’s fourth annual “Hunger Doesn’tTake a Vacation” food drive.

Kenneth Donnelly Asks WestfieldersFor Support in November Election

I would like to take this opportu-nity to announce that I will be runningin the special election this Novemberfor [Westfield] Town Council in theSecond Ward. In May, I had the honorof being appointed to serve as a Sec-ond Ward councilperson after VickiKimmins announced her resignation.I would like to thank Vicki, on behalfof all our residents, for the outstand-ing job she did serving Westfield andthe Second Ward.

My wife and I are nine-yearWestfield residents, and proudRoosevelt and Wilson School parentsof three children. Since being ap-pointed, I have been meeting withresidents of the Ward to discuss vari-ous concerns and have been workingto keep everyone updated on the workour Mayor and Council have beendoing. While this work has been bothchallenging and rewarding, havingthe opportunity to serve the residentsof the Second Ward – my friends andneighbors – is truly special. We arelucky to have exemplary leadershipin our Town and Ward that has keptthe town portion of our property taxeslow, and our community an exampleof government done right. We gener-ally don’t need to think twice aboutthe quality of our schools, the safetyof our families and our Mayor andCouncil’s respect for the tax dollarswe contribute – and that’s how itshould be. My goal is to ensure we

continue on this positive path, whilebringing a new perspective to councilleadership.

I hope to receive your continuedtrust and support this November.Please contact me with any questionsor concerns [email protected] [email protected].

Kenneth DonnellyWestfield

Kenneth Donnelly

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A Great Place To Live And Raise AFamily Comes From Its Citizens

I am deeply saddened on the pass-ing of Frank Russo. He was a goodfriend, caring and kind. He truly lovedour Township, the place he proudlycalled home.

My friendship with him was trulyspecial, one that I will always cherish.So many of you have recently sharedwith me that he was a joy to be with ashe embodied and always brought to aconversation a spirited love of fam-ily, community and country.

Often I have said that what makesour Township a great place to live andraise a family comes from its citizens,and Frank personified the best of us.He was fun to be with, caring, thought-ful, unselfish, always willing to lend ahelpful hand.

Frank was a member of the “Great-est Generation,”, a WWII veteran, asergeant in the Marines who served inthe Pacific, before ending his militaryservice our Nation would call uponhim again to serve, this time in theKorean War where his valor wouldhave him promoted to Captain.Frank’s love of country and servicewas always evident as he frequentlywore his Marine cap, and it was with

great pleasure and pride that I urgedhim to accept an invitation to be hon-ored as the Grand Marshall of theTownship’s Memorial Day paradewhich at first he humbly was reluctantto do, but following some proddingfrom family and friends, he finallygraciously agreed.

Frank gave so much to his Nation,community and his church, and thoughI have many fond memories of him, Iwill always be grateful for the oppor-tunity I had to work beside him on theBoard of the Township’s senior hous-ing complex where under his watchhis invaluable financial experienceprovided extraordinary guidance thatenabled the municipality to provideaffordable living within our town-ship.

I know I am speaking for all thatknew him when I say that althoughgone he will never be forgotten. Tohis loving family, thank you for shar-ing him with us, may God bless andcomfort you always. God’s speedFrank. “Semper Fi”

Mayor Kevin GloverThe Township of Scotch Plains

Head-On Vehicle Crash Blocks TrafficOn North Avenue For Three Hours

GARWOOD — Traffic wasblocked in both directions on NorthAvenue and detoured onto SecondAvenue for three hours last Fridayafter a pick-up truck and a school buscollided head-on, police said.

The driver of the truck was trans-ported to University Hospital in New-ark, Garwood police Capt. DougStoffer said. His condition was notavailable, Capt. Stoffer said.

Two others were treated at the sceneby the Garwood First Aid Squad.

“There were no kids on bus oranything, thank God,” Capt. Stoffersaid.

The driver of the bus was treated atthe scene as was the driver of anothervehicle who swerved to miss the acci-dent, which occurred about 12:30p.m., left the roadway and struck an-other moving vehicle, he said.

The driver of the fourth vehiclewas not injured.

The cause of the crash was stillunder investigation, Capt. Stoffer said.

Veterans Adminstration Staff to HelpVets at Rep. Lance’s Westfield OfficeWESTFIELD — Officials from

the Veterans Administration will beavailable to residents at the districtoffice of Rep. Leonard Lance (R-NJ7) on Thursday, September 8, toassist constituent veterans or familymembers with a variety of issues.

Caseworkers from the V.A. will beavailable from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. atthe congressman’s office at 425 North

Avenue East in Westfield. They willbe able to answer inquiries V.A. ben-efits, compensation, pension, insur-ance, loan guaranty, vocational reha-bilitation and employment and edu-cation benefit programs, Mr. Lance’soffice said in an email. All inquirieswill be welcome but the release en-couraged appointments be made bycalling the office at (908) 518-7733.

www.goleader.com

Exercise Class ForCranford SeniorsCRANFORD — The township’s

park’s and recreation department isseeking new participants for its Se-nior Healthy Bones low-impact exer-cise program on Monday evenings.

All Cranford senior residents areeligible for the class at the CranfordCommunity Center at 220 WalnutStreet.

Those interested in the programare encouraged to call the center at(908) 709-7283.State Okays Funds

On Housing BondsTRENTON — The state govern-

ment-affiliated agency that works tofinance affordable housing in NewJersey has awarded $225 million in“fund reservations” for 21 projects ,including two in Plainfield andWoodbridge.The Housing and Mort-gage Finance Agency (HMFA) awardswill allow the issuance of tax-exemptbonds to fund the construction and/orrehabilitation of about 2,700 units.

Fifty units are scheduled for thenew Elmwood Gardens project inPlainfield and another 85 at the RedOak Apartments in Woodbridge,.

Recipients were selected follow-ing an invitation to developers seek-ing the 4 percent low income housingtax credits to apply for tax exemptfinancing reservations.


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The ScotThe ScotThe ScotThe ScotThe Scotch Plains–Fch Plains–Fch Plains–Fch Plains–Fch Plains–Fanwoodanwoodanwoodanwoodanwood

TTTTTimes imes imes imes imes Since 1959Since 1959Since 1959Since 1959Since 1959

Members of:New Jersey Press Association • National Newspaper Association • Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce

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Legal Newspaper for the County of Union, New Jerseyand for Westfield, Mountainside, Scotch Plains, Fanwood, Cranford and Garwood

Letters to the EditorABCDICTIONOPQRSTDECEPTIONUVWXYZ

TM

DDDDDiction Deception

Letters tothe Editor

State LD-22Sen. Nicholas Scutari (D)

1514 E. Saint Georges Ave.Linden, N.J. 07036(908) 587-0404

Asm. Jim Kennedy (D)34 E. Cherry St.Rahway, N.J. 07065(732) 943-2660

Asm. Jerry Green (D)17 Watchung Ave.Plainfield, N.J. 07060(908) 561-5757

State LD-21Sen. Thomas Kean, Jr. (R)

425 North Ave. E.Westfield, N.J. 07090(908) 232-3673

Asm. Jon Bramnick (R)251 North Ave. WestWestfield, N.J. 07090(908) 232-2073

Asm. Nancy Munoz (R)57 Union Place, Suite 310Summit, N.J. 07901(908) 918-0414

LD-21 includes Westfield,Mountainside, Garwood,Summit and Cranford.

7th Congressional DistrictRepresentative Leonard Lance (R)425 North Avenue E., Westfield, NJ 07090(908) 518-7733

LD-22 includes Scotch Plains,Fanwood, Plainfield, Clark andLinden.

[email protected], [email protected]@njleg.org, [email protected]@njleg.org, [email protected]

12th Congressional DistrictRep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D)850 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 201, Ewing, N.J. 08628(609) 883-0026[Fanwood, Plainfield and most of Scotch Plainsare in the 12th Congressional District]

[Westfield, Mountainside, Garwood, Summit and Cranfordare in the 7th Congressional District]

Responsible Integration of MountainBiking at Watchung Reservation

I am writing in response toLawrence Russo’s August 25 letteragainst legalization of mountain bikeriding (MTB) in Watchung Reserva-tion. Like Mr. Russo, I am also alifelong Union County resident, andalong with over 30 pro-MTB Countytaxpayers, attended the August 18Freeholder meeting. I was one of eightwho spoke in favor of safe, respon-sible integration of mountain bikingat Watchung Reservation. On behalfof many fellow members of theWestfield MTB community, I wouldlike to summarize our position whileaddressing Mr. Russo’s concerns.

MTB riding was legal at WatchungReservation until the mid 90s, when aban was put in place by Union County.Back then, MTB riding was brandedan “extreme” sport, practiced by amore daring demographic. Perhapsthis antiquated reputation informs Mr.Russo’s opinion, but the fact is MTBriding has grown and matured in thelast two decades, developing a morediverse and mature user base. Biketechnology, including disc brakes,suspension, kid-sized bikes, and “fattire” bikes have made the sport saferand more accessible for all ages andabilities.

The process of re-openingWatchung Reservation trails to MTBshas been going on for several yearsunder the leadership of JORBA (Jer-sey Off Road Bicycle Association).Non-profit JORBA was founded in1999 and local volunteer membersoversee trail maintenance at 21 NJparks. All of these parks have anexceptional track record of integrat-ing hikers, bikes, horses and othertrail users without incident. WatchungReservation, at 2,200 acres, is largerthan the two nearest multi-use parkscombined (Morris County’s LewisMorris Park-1154 acres; SomersetCounty’s Washington Valley Park-705 acres). Watchung Reservation hasample space to safely accommodateall trail-user groups, and is the ideallocation for the first and only legalMTB trail network in Union County.

Russo’s claim that bikes do moretrail damage than hikers is simplyfalse. Numerous studies conclude traildamage from bikes is equal or lessthan damage caused by hikers. MostMTB riders avoid riding wet trails. Inaddition, JORBA’s trained volunteertrail crews actively repair and re-route trail-sections subject to flood-ing, so mud-prone spots are mini-mized and trails become passable in awider range of weather conditions.

JORBA trail crews participate in regu-lar trail maintenance and improve-ment sessions, contributing thousandsof free labor hours per year to insuretrails are safe and enjoyable for ALLtrail users. In fact, JORBA has docu-mented over $1 million in volunteerlabor hours for maintenance of NJtrails.

Russo also expressed concern forhiker safety in the presence of MTBriders. Trail etiquette is commonknowledge among MTB riders andtrailhead signs support this etiquette:bikes always yield to hikers andhorses. In addition, MTB riders playa similar role on the trails that skipatrollers play on the slopes. At theFreeholder meeting, several MTB rid-ers spoke of providing first-aid toinjured trail-runners, directions to losthikers, and a sense of security for solohikers in a large and often desolatepark. Quite simply, the presence ofMTB riders at Watchung reservationwill make the experience safer andmore enjoyable for all trail users.

One need only tour the nearestJORBA-maintained parks (Washing-ton Valley, Lewis Morris, and Allaire)to see evidence of the positive impactof MTB riders at our parks, the im-peccable condition of the trails andharmonious integration of hikers,bikes, and horses. Those of us whofrequent Watchung Reservation knowthat many of the trails are in poorshape, suffering from neglect and ero-sion. As a JORBA volunteer, I canguarantee that when we are grantedlegal access to maintain and improvethe trails at Watchung Reservation,the trails will transform to the level ofquality and safety their users deserve.

At the August 18 meeting, Free-holder Chairman Bergen informed usthat a plan to re-introduce bikes to theReservation is forthcoming. We ap-plaud this decision, and as membersof the Union County MTB commu-nity, our request to the Freeholders isto insure transparency in the process,expedite lifting of the ban, and makesure our recommendations are heardto insure a safe, enjoyable, sustain-able trail network.

Jamie Meiselmanand Westfield riders:

Andrew Stillufsen, Joe Weiss,Tom Gockel, Ben Abel, Boris Shir,

Eddie Rubiera, Greg Kuyat,Glenn Johnson, Evan Topilow,

Mike Dardia, Meredith Dardia,Jim Kim, Sven Migot, Sean Sullivan,

Jeff Pinkin, Gregory Talmont,Alec Penn

Believe, SupportPolitician Who?

This is turning point of historicalimportance for all of us. Would youbelieve a politician who stands upbefore a crowd and states an action toappease worried citizens and thenwith disregard goes behind closeddoors to undo what was just publiclystated?

Would you trust someone whovoted against getting necessary equip-ment so citizens would have equip-ment on hand for emergency situa-tions so you wouldn’t have to hireoutside private contractors at addi-tional taxpayer cost? Would you re-ward someone who disregards thehiring process and appoints a personwith ethical baggage to an importantposition? Would you support some-one who willingly would try to sacri-fice an organization that has beendoing a great job for us for manyyears and that it won’t happen again?

Would you vote for a change thisNovember!

Bob FoxScotch Plains

Commuters Will PayUnless Pt. Ath. Reform

The Port Authority’s search for anew chief executive has stalled due touncertainty in the agency’s futurestructure and governance, and plansfor a new Manhattan bus terminal toreceive New Jersey commuters havebegun to fall apart.We need an ex-tremely experienced leader to headthe Port Authority and direct the tensof billions of bus, rail and airportprojects that are on the horizon.

“Until we finish the legislative pro-cess of reforming the agency, how-ever, it’s unlikely that we’ll be able tohire someone who is capable of get-ting critical projects like the Manhat-tan bus terminal back on track.

It’s an absolute certainty that NewJersey commuters will suffer longercommutes and higher fares and tollsif the Senate President continues toplay political games by further delay-ing final legislative approval of PortAuthority reforms.

Senator Tom Kean, Jr.Westfield

Burdened By Educ.-Related Property Taxes

I read with interest Assembly Re-publican Leader Bramnick’s letterpertaining to school funding (SP Timesdated August 25, 2016).

As Mr. Bramnick supported an in-crease in the gasoline tax to funddeficits in the Transportation TrustFund, his “friends across the aisle”need Republican support to get itdone, and Governor Christie wishesto preserve his image of opposition tooutright tax hikes, the solution seemsobvious: condition passage of the oneto passage of the other.

Everyone wins, including peoplein his own district burdened by edu-cation-related property taxes.

Michael LewisFanwood

Scotch Plains Dems DisregardThe Facts in Letter to Editor

Last week’s screed against Repub-lican candidate for Mayor Al Smithby Ray Szpond, vice-chairman of theScotch Plains Democrats, was con-sistent only in its consistent disregardfor the facts. Mr. Szpond called thelast two years “fiscal stability”. Per-haps he needs to look at his propertytax bill – it went up a lot each year!!

$7.5 million dollars of new debthas been approved by Mayor Gloverand the Democrats in just two years.Items that previously were in the op-erating part of the budget (such aspolice cars and computers) are nowbeing purchased with bonds that wewill have to pay later (with interest) –all so that Mayor Glover can claimthe municipal portion of the taxesdidn’t go up.

Debt spending, and overall spend-ing, is up huge at Scotch Plains townhall. This is no surprise as MayorGlover is now following the AlMirabella – Union County playbookof debt upon debt, and the tax hikeswill inevitably follow when the billscome due. Mr. Szpond didn’t men-tion how much the county taxes (andspending and debt) are up over thelast 2 decades under unanimous

Democrat control! That’s what is instore for Scotch Plains thanks toMayor Glover.

Part of this year’s big property taxincreases come from the school por-tion of the budget. Just like the townhas increased spending, so have theschools. But at least the school boarddidn’t issue bonds to finance its spend-ing, and at least we know we’re get-ting new services for it in the form offull-day kindergarten.

One of the richest ironies is Mr.Szpond’s claim of tax stabilizationthrough shared services. It was noneother than Mayor Glover who told theBoard of Education at the shared ser-vices committee meetings to go solvetheir parking problem at Park MiddleSchool on their own property. Nowthey are spending $600 thousand tobuild a parking lot on a soccer field.That’s $600 thousand added to ourtaxes this year with Mayor Glover’s“leadership” at shared services.

Finally, Mr. Szpond concluded hisletter with a personal affront that Mr.Smith should simply call the town tohave his branches removed. Firstly,Mr. Smith never said that he hadbranches to be removed – rather hesaid that many residents had com-plained to him about the lack of branchremoval by the town. Secondly, if Mr.Szpond was paying any attention hewould have heard at last month’s coun-cil meeting and in a letter from Mr.Mirabella in the August 18 edition ofThe [SP-F] Times that the town hastold residents that it will not pick upbranches from homeowner’s trees andthat residents could pay $20 toWestfield for a one-time dumpingpermit and haul the branches them-selves.

You’re entitled to your own opin-ion, Mr. Szpond, but not your ownfacts.

Rich FortunatoScotch Plains

Commentary About The Garwood Casale Development

IntroductionThis models the proposed Casale

project with the cost of governmentto outline a financial plan for GarwoodBorough. No other options for theproposed project are evaluated suchas “Reduce the Scope”, “Do Noth-ing” or “Make a Park”.

Financial PlanA financial plan is essential. Any

plan involves risks whereby someelements will not be achieved and/orthe outcome will not be exactly ashoped. Therefore the plan must havea success scenario where somethingis gained and risk is minimized.

The plan must guard against a worst-case scenario and limit downsideimpacts. A break-even plan itselfwould be wrong. A plan with a lossscenario would be a disaster for thetaxpayers.The proposed project, com-pared to the size of Garwood, is oneof the largest in New Jersey, pro-jected to increase the population ofthe borough by 12 percent. This workis done to encourage the boroughgovernment to develop the best pos-sible financial plan and present it tothe public for consideration.

Cost of GovernmentIn 2016, property taxes pay for

87.2 percent of the $19.6 millionGarwood cost of government ($8.3million for schools; $7.9 million formunicipal services and $3.4 millionfor county tax). Cost of governmentincreases 3 percent per year com-pounded such that 2019 cost is pro-jected to be $21.4 million given nochange in population and no develop-ment. There are 1,778 taxable entitiesthat share the property tax burden($9,618 average per entity). Taxableentities are comprised of a mix ofresidential, retail and industrial.

Casale Project SummaryIn 2019, the planned Casale devel-

opment would add 315 apartmentsand nine retail stores to the Garwoodtaxable entities. A population increaseof 500 is projected, raising the total to4,726 residents (4,226 plus 500) – anincrease of 12 percent. It is projectedthat the population increase wouldadd $2.53 million to the cost of gov-ernment. A significant uncertainty inthe cost increase estimate is that forschools, perhaps comprising up to$1.06 million of the $2.53 millionincrease based on 55 new school en-rollment at a 2019 per child cost of$19,346 per year.

Discussion1. Things are complex. It is impor-

tant that the current numbers are com-plete based on what is known. Theend game is to come up with a planthat is a winning scenario with mini-mum risk. The Garwood council isseeking help based on their requestfor proposal (RFP) approval for ne-gotiation lawyers. However, the bestnegotiators can’t help if they don’tknow what a winning plan is.

2. Capital Recovery – Garwood isfaced with spending $2 million to 2.5million now for a fire truck, profes-sional services, etc. Liken to a mort-gage, how much would Garwood haveto be paid back each year for the next10 years to be made whole?

3. How should the cost of newretail units be handled? The currentGarwood costs include retail —Shoprite, etc. are in the mix already.So using the current mix as a basis, isrelatively solid.

4. Several calculations were madeto assess the population increase ex-pected from the project. Garwood’scurrent residents per taxable entityrate was used as the starting point.The starting point is probably highbecause this compares apartments tomostly residential homes that existnow in Garwood. The developer esti-mates that the project would add 500people (1.6 people per apartment in-cluding 20 new school enrollments).How many school enrollments is awild card and an expensive item.

What basis is there to judge, and/orcontrol, the actual numbers that wouldresult? Would the 32 to 130 afford-able housing units skew the numbersfurther?

5. Garwood current taxes are basedon 25 percent of homes having chil-dren enrolled in the school system(the lowest rate in Union County). Bycomparison, Westfield has about thehighest rate at over 40 percent, whichsubstantially increases their propertytax.

6. Generally, the cost of local gov-ernment is proportional to popula-tion. It escalates (3 percent per yearcompounded).

7. The more Garwood improvesthe town, the higher the county taxwill be.

8. Sewers: RVSA needs a guaran-teed minimum amount of money topay off substantial bond debt. If everytown in the RVSA system reducedsewer flows by 10 percent, assess-ments would still be the same.

9. All schools in the state spendabout $18,000 per student in 2015

(except higher for failed Abbott dis-tricts). State aid softens the blow onproperty taxes. Garwood gets about10 percent of its school budget asstate aid. Westfield gets about 4 per-cent. What will state aid be in thefuture? Who knows? It is unlikely toget better. So, a plan must consider allof these uncertainties.

ConclusionsGarwood must receive from this

project all costs of government.PILOT payments (payments in lieu

of taxes) that bypass any of the costsof government must be rejected. Pro-visions for risk and uncertainty mustbe added to the planning.A plan thatis only break even is illogical, other-wise why bother and why take therisk? It is most likely that this projectwill not reduce the property taxes ofexisting residents.

FeasibilityThis analysis indicates that for

Garwood to break even, $2.5 millionper year of increased revenue is re-quired. Given risk and uncertainty,$3 million per year (based on 2019dollars, escalated at 3 percent peryear compounded) should be the fig-ure to be included in the financialplan. Is this feasible for the projectwhereby 315 apartments are taxed at$9,500 per year? Should school en-rollment estimates change to plan forlower school costs, about $500,000per year plan cost reductions wouldresult. If so, $2.5 million per yearwould be required by Garwood. Atthis level, the apartments would betaxed at about $8,000 per year.

Recommendations1. Verify/update the numbers in

this report. Update the numbers aschanges to the project occur.

2. Conduct project feasibility.Evaluate Garwood borough, rentersand developer expectations.

3. Consult with all applicable enti-ties to obtain input (schools, county,RVSA, police, state, etc.).

4. Contact and review projects fromother towns. Review their five-yearfinancial results. Where has this beendone before?

5. Immediately - prepare andpresent the financial plan to the pub-lic, regardless of how preliminary.Confirm that it is feasible for thedeveloper.

6. Present the proposed developeragreement to the public.

7. Hold a voter referendum seekingresidents’ approval.

8. List the alternatives.

2016 Government Expense ($MM) 2016 Government Revenue ($MM)

E1 Schools

E2 Municipal

E2 County

R1 School Aid plus misc.

R2 Municipal Aid plus misc.

R3 County, n/a

R4 Property Tax (87.2% of Total)

ET $19.6 MM Total Expense RT $19.6 MM Total Revenue

Data from newspaper and Borough Website (difference due to rounding of values)

Other 2016 Data Reference Cash Flow Calculator

Z1 Sewer Assessment (included in E2)

Z2 School Enrollment

Z3 $ Cost per Enrollment

Formulae:

ET = RT

ET = E1+E2+E3

RT = R1+R2+R3+R4

Below are four arcane words, eachwith four definitions – only one is cor-rect. The others are made up. Are yousharp enough to discern this deception ofdiction?

If you can guess one correctly – goodguess. If you get two – well-read indi-vidual. If you get three – word expert. Ifyou get all four – You must have a lot offree time!

All words and correct definitionscome from the board game DictionDeception.

Answers to last week’s arcane words.1. Spetches – The trimmings of skins

and hides, used for making glue2. Drepanium – In botany, a sickle-

shaped cyme3. Shote – A young pig4. Limocolous – Living in mud

CARUCAGE1. An uproar; clamor2. A wolverine; badger3. An itinerate tinker; vagrant; gypsy4. Act of plowing

SMARAGDINE1. Pertaining to a gray cobalt arsenide

used as a blue pigment2. Pertaining to the emerald3. Scarred; grooved4. Having a look of disdain; sneering

WHIRRET1. A perforated steel plate through

which pipe or wire is drawn to reduce itsdiameter

2. To slap; to annoy3. A small flesh-eating mammal re-

lated to the weasel, stoat and martens4. A buzzing sound as made by the

rapid movement a bird’s or insect’s wingsLILT

1. One of the holes of a wind instru-ment

2. To brush or comb3. A gay, graceful song4. A marsh at a river’s mouth

See more letters on page 5

BIKER BEEHIVE

Union County FreeholdersElizabeth, New Jersey

(908) 527-4200Al Faella, Mgr. [email protected]


When Public Input Is Frowned UponBy Government, Democracy WithersFor those involved in Garwood, we

are well aware of the very large andvery high-density project proposedfor the Casale Factory property onSouth and Center. The readers of TheWestfield Leader this year have seenmany letters written from January tonow by Garwood locals and officialsregarding this project. However, Icannot shake this feeling that some-thing is missing throughout this wholeprocedure. When one looks at thecriteria, that the proposed projectwould increase Garwood’s popula-tion by 10 percent, housing units by17 percent and push the rental ratio to50 percent rentals, concerns are raisedand should be discussed carefullybetween the government entities andthe public.

This project was kept pretty muchlow profile and not advertised whilebeing discussed in the planning boardmeetings in late 2015. The peoplewould have not been aware be it notfor coverage of The Westfield Leader.Since I am normally involved in mytown as a volunteer or an appointee,I wrote a letter with suggestions forleverage in negotiations of the bor-ough and approximately 20 sugges-tions as to Garwood achieving infra-structure items toward the bettermentof our town. In subsequent meetingsI asked twice about the letter and PB(planning board) Chair Greet’s re-sponse was, “we received your letter,thank you.” We heard not even apossibility of review or opinion. Then,thanks to a group of residents, the lasttwo planning board meetings had 150residents in attendance, most criticiz-ing the size of the project. However,again, we heard not even a possibilityof review or opinion toward the resi-dents concerns, and the planningboard then approved the Casale rede-velopment plan and forwarded it tothe [M&C] mayor and council fortheir review and vote.

In a July council meeting publiccomment period, I asked what are thepowers and the authority that the coun-cil has toward their vote. The bor-ough attorney basically gave a disser-tation on the procedure of a redevel-opment plan but never gave an opin-ion toward what powers the councilhas. I asked again and did not get aclear answer. People in the councilroom that night agreed that the ques-tion was never answered. By the nextcouncil meeting, I had researched astatute, and noted to the council thatthey have the power to amend orrevise the plan and asked exactly what

was meant by amend or revise. Noone answered nor thanked me for myefforts. Leading up to the next councilmeeting, I wrote a letter to the M&Cpointing out that no one on the gov-erning bodies had experience withthe redevelopment ordinance nor withsuch a large proposed project. For theeducation of not only myself and thepublic but the M&C themselves, myletter asked 11 questions regardingspecific input that the council mayhave prior to the vote. I asked thisletter be given to the borough attor-ney since he may be versed on such anordinance. I pointed out that answer-ing these questions would give a goodidea to the public just what concernsand issues they should note to thecouncil for their deliberation. Twice,in the public comment period I hadasked Mayor Lombardo to pleaseanswer the questions in the letter.Only one councilor responded towardmy question about the “point of noreturn” where the project size couldnot be changed, and she said that theSeptember 13th public hearing is notconsidered the point of no return. Butshe may be misled on that fact. For thebalance of questions, the public heardnot even a possibility of review oropinion. So the public, the mayor andcouncil and its professionals left themeeting without a clue as to what thepublic hearing and council vote reallyis all about or what is supposed to beachieved.

From my research, this redevelop-ment project appears to have violatedthe Garwood Master Plan and eventhe fair share housing plan that wassubmitted and approved by a judge,and is four times more dense as themaster plan calls for that property. Ido not know if this project is proper ornot. To me, the metrics noted aboveappear to be too much of an outlier.We find that other professionals out-side of Garwood agree it’s too large.But the public is left out of the loopand is not even being educated as tohow they should formulate any argu-ments to the M&C since the publicdoes not even know what the mayorand council is able to do leading up totheir vote. The public has been lockedout of the governmental process ex-cept for public hearings, which are bylaw. When public thirst for knowl-edge and input is frowned upon bygovernment entities, democracy with-ers and dies; and so does the commu-nity.

Bruce PatersonGarwood

Letters to the EditorGarwood Redevelopment, Citizens AskFor Compromise Before It’s Too Late

Hopefully We Have Seen the Last ofMr. Giaimis and His Supporters

An interesting piece in the Star-Led-ger this week reported that Jerry Giaimis,the former Scotch Plains municipal man-ager, was fired this past week from hisnew position as municipal township ad-ministrator of Raritan Township afterbarely more than one year on the job. Thenews that Mr. Giaimis has been termi-nated from the same post in Raritan Town-ship after only a short time on the jobshould come as no surprise to the resi-dents of Scotch Plains. Giaimis ruledtownship government in Scotch Plainswith a dictatorial fist, demeaning to bothresidents and employees and followingthe partisan lead of the then Republican-controlled council.

Mr. Giaimis’ future in Scotch Plainsbecame seriously in doubt as a result ofthe imminent change in leadership of thetownship council following our last elec-tion in 2014. Apparently seeing the writ-ing on the wall, Giaimis resigned and theoutgoing lame duck Republican councilmembers needlessly voted to award himover $100,000 in severance pay, a com-pletely uncalled for golden parachute,adding insult to injury to Scotch Plainscitizens. In short, this was a veritable giftof Scotch Plains taxpayer’s money to aman who by all rational accounts was adisaster for Scotch Plains, outrageouslypushed through by Republicans after theylost the election.

It is unclear exactly why Mr. Giaimiswas let go in Raritan Township. Butclearly something serious must have oc-curred that caused the Raritan council, asit was reported, to call for an emergencyexecutive session for the purpose of re-moving him from his position. But mygreatest fear about Giaimis’ story isn’twhat he’s done in the past, but what hemight do in the future if the Republicans

regain control of our town council. Re-publican mayoral candidate Al Smithwas a strong supporter of Giaimis andmany believe he intends to bring himback to Scotch Plains if he is electedmayor.

The only elected official at the timewho continually challenged the heavy-handed tactics of Giaimis, and who ve-hemently opposed his golden parachuteof taxpayer monies, was Mayor KevinGlover. That alone is reason enough tosupport Mayor Glover for re-election:Scotch Plains simply can’t afford fourmore years of Smith and Giaimis.

Fortunately, Scotch Plains has movedon for the better since Giaimis’ depar-ture. We’ve seen an emergence of cul-tural activities such as outdoor concertsand movies, the first Fourth of July fire-works celebration in the 28 years thatI’ve lived in Scotch Plains and a volun-teer effort to beautify the downtown area.Notably, all these activities have beenfunded largely through donations. Wehave seen substantial progress on resto-ration of the Shady Rest Golf Club atScotch Hills, a historic site of nationalsignificance neglected to the point ofnear condemnation under previous Re-publican administrations. And the formerTerry Lou Zoo property, which lay dor-mant for over a decade under previousRepublican administrations, is showingsigns of life as a community garden anda passive park for all to enjoy.

Moreover, all of these and many moreimprovements in town have been imple-mented without tax increases for the lasttwo years. Indeed I for one am hopefulthat we have seen the last of Mr. Giaimisand his supporters.

John ThompsonScotch Plains

A vote to adopt the ordinance forthe proposed 315-unit apartment re-development project on South andCenter Streets in Garwood by Bor-ough Council is set for Tuesday, Sep-tember 13 at 7 p.m. at Lincoln School.We are hoping many Garwood resi-dents will come and speak out aboutour town’s future.

Many of us have made a concertedeffort to learn about the transit devel-opment plan by attending councilmeetings, reaching out to councilmembers and the mayor to answerour questions. Most Garwood resi-dents agree that the redevelopment ofthe Casale and Petro property wouldbe a welcome change, but the sheerdensity of 315 units is hard to accept.Although it seems that a transit-ori-ented development – with rents set torange from $2,200-$3,300 a month –is “smart growth” as indicated byresearch, no one knows the full im-pact this will have on our town. Thetarget population will be“millennials,” “divorced singles” and“empty-nesters.” (These rents seemquite high for millennials, many whoare forced to live at home with steepcollege loans to repay on entry-leveljob salaries.)

But when a proposal like this willincrease the town’s population by 13percent (as cited by the developer,Russo Development), or likely more,one must question how this will im-pact the town’s infrastructure, trafficand services on this small town ofonly 8/10ths of a square mile. Also,this population percentage does notaccount for the vacant property acrossthe street from this development (cor-ner of South and West Street) or thePaperboard building on North Av-enue, which if more apartments areplaced, could push our rental to own-ership ratios to 70 percent.

Although many residents would likethe number of units planned lowered,we need to come up with options incase this plan is adopted. It was statedat the public planning board meetingin April that the builder cannot gobelow 280 to 290 due to the cleanupcost of the land in order to make aprofit. We have nothing but the build-

ers word on this assertion. With thatsaid, if the amount cannot be low-ered, it would make sense for thecouncil to investigate the option ofhaving a mixture of rental and pur-chased units as well as renting todoctors and other businesses outsideof just the nine retail stores that thedeveloper has included in the plan.

Another issue that has been broughtup is our town’s low-income housing(COAH) obligations. Based on re-cent court decisions, the number haschanged and changes every 10 years.Neighboring towns like Westfieldhave decided to put large projects onhold until a firmer decision is made.According the council meeting onAugust 23, it was stated that Garwoodneeds 99 more units for low/moder-ate income housing as the worst casescenarios but the number is not yetfixed due to lawsuits since pendingregarding this issue. Our understand-ing is Garwood just needs a workingplan of providing low/moderate hous-ing, and it would be best for our townto work toward a goal to provide this.The developers should not hold thisover our heads as the reason why theyneed to build so many units.

There is no question that redevel-opment is good for Garwood. Weunderstand that these lots of land areprivate property and that Petro Plas-tic property is already owned by RussoDevelopment. What is needed is com-promise. Examining options of hav-ing rentals and purchased units, plusmore space for businesses to rent canonly help our town financially. Thiswill also help manage the number ofrentals. We encourage the residentsto stay informed on this issues andupcoming issues regarding the prop-erty across the street from this siteand the Paperboard property. We arehopeful that the council, cayor andplanning board will pursue alterna-tive options for mixed-use occupancyas a compromise if this proposal goesthrough, and listen to the residents ofGarwood.

Denise RidenteConcerned Citizens of Garwood

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Former Dem Councilman Assails GWGOP Over Development Reticence

“I’m concerned about the optics,”Garwood Councilman Mathieu said atthe last council meeting expressing hisconcern about council members votingon adoption of the South Avenue Rede-velopment Plan at the September 13public hearing. He wants residents tobelieve that it will be first time thecouncil members hear this plan. I be-lieve that Garwood residents should beconcerned about CouncilmanMathieu’s inability to make a decision.Wasn’t he elected to make decisions?Shouldn’t he be more concerned aboutthe merits of the plan instead of ‘op-tics’?

It’s funny how the councilman wasn’t‘concerned about the optics’ when hetreated Garwood senior Pat DiFabiodisrespectfully and rudely at a publicmeeting a few years ago when Mr.DiFabio expressed a counter opinionthan Mr. Mathieu. He wasn’t ‘con-cerned about the optics’ when he em-barrassed the entire borough with hisethnic slurs against Italian Americansplaying bocce ball. He wasn’t ‘con-cerned about the optics’ when he at-tempted to humiliate former RosellePark Mayor Joseph Accardi who wasproviding Garwood residents with hisredevelopment experience at a publicsession just this past April.

Every other week throughout theirterm council members receive infor-mation packets for upcoming meet-ings. They are asked to make decisionson items on the following council meet-ing agenda. The week before planningboard meetings - which Mr. Mathieuhas been council liaison since January– receive information packets on appli-cations upon which they must vote.Diligent council and board membersseek information before, and ask ques-tion during, their meetings. They casttheir vote yes or no. They make deci-sions. Council members Mathieu, Sarnoand Cuccaro don’t like to make deci-sions until they conduct surveys ofGarwood residents and see which waythe particular residents they speak towant them to vote. They prefer referen-dums on subjects upon which they areafraid to cast their votes.

I was fully aware when I voted torestructure the Department of PublicWorks and save the borough thousandsof dollars that I might lose my Novem-ber election. But I cast my vote for whatI believed – and still do – was the bestdecision for Garwood. No elected coun-cilman since (including Mr. Mathieu)has proposed to return the departmentto its former structure. It must be work-ing as our same DPW staff continues todo a great job. (Even though councilmembers Mathieu, Sarno and Cuccarovoted against their beloved DPW con-tinuing to be able to do a great job whenthey voted against buying a new gar-bage truck. Seems a bit disingenuous,doesn’t it?) Council members who saythey will only vote the way residentswant them to vote might as well resigntheir positions and replace themselveswith polling machines. When every

Garwood voter votes, the machineswill tell us the decisions for the bor-ough. I don’t think that Garwoodianswant that to be their representative gov-ernment.

Councilman Mathieu – like mostGarwood residents – has been aware ofthe South Avenue redevelopment foryears. He has had the plan itself sincethe planning board reviewed it monthsago. Council members are not beingasked to vote after one public meetingon the subject, but many. His ‘opticalconcern’ is nothing more than anotherstalling tactic. Since the council al-ready agreed to vote after Labor Day –at Mr. Mathieu’s request – he is nowemploying a new tactic to just delay thevote until after November when hehopes to have a new Republican oncouncil to vote against it. I submit thatCouncilman Mathieu is more concernedabout his election than he is aboutGarwood. His team has finally publiclyrecognized that most residents supportsome type of development on the prop-erties – admitting that it has to be betterthan the current situation. The redevel-opment process is long, and the Sep-tember vote is just one of many more tocome – including a future vote on den-sity. Considering Mr. Mathieu neverhad a problem voting the night of apublic hearing in the past six years, heshows that his concern is for his elec-tion, not Garwood.

Bill NierstedtGarwood

Watchung Reservation: WhenIrresponsible People Manage It

The recent editorial [letter to edi-tor] by one Lawrence Russo shouldnot have been published. For starters,Mr. Russo’s argument is littered withfalse information and slanderous lies.

Mainly, it is not illegal to ride bikesin Watchung Reservation. There is nosuch law or ordinance anywhere onthe books. More importantly is thefact that under his watch, as self-described chainsaw crew member, hehas totally failed at his position. Thosetrails are so destroyed through mis-management and laziness that theyare not only dangerous for cyclistsbut anybody that wishes to use themis at risk of serious injury. There arecomplete washouts, loose rocks, cliffs,fallen trees, overgrown plants, holes,mud spots and mismanaged waterrunoff. He and his group of trail “main-tenance” cronies are negligent in theirresponsibilities and should immedi-ately resign and permit another welltrained, responsible and proven trailmaintenance group in there. A groupsuch as JORBA.

Throughout New Jersey and thenation on a whole, there are numer-ous examples of what happens whentrail systems are accessible to all citi-zens. Mountain bikers have proventhat their involvement is beneficial.Success stories abound. Trails suchas Fountainhead Regional Park inVA, Swan Creek Park in WA, BullMountain, GA, Oak Mountain, AL,and many, many others are shiningexamples of parks that were onceneglected but have been restored forthe shared use of all. Cyclists arewell-organized professionals that are

trained in the maintenance and careof trail systems. They are respectfulof their environment and good stew-ards of the trails. For example, hikerswill walk around a mud puddle therebywidening the trail whereas cyclistswill ride through the puddle flatten-ing down the dirt and leaving the trailas narrow as possible. It has also beenproven that a typical hiking boot dis-turbs the trail more that a standardmountain bike tire. Mountain bikersleave as little disturbance as possible.

There are rules they follow abouteach other and what do to when ap-proaching hikers. It is a well-orga-nized and well-supported community.The false caricature that Mr. Russopaints is simply false. Mountain bik-ers are not vulgar drunkards rippingdown the trails and swearing andscreaming at hikers. Mountain bikersare professionals, accountants, attor-neys, doctors, and contributing mem-bers of the community. It’s an expen-sive sport and the threshold to partici-pate precludes this.

Watchung Reservation is a beauti-ful natural resource and through themismanagement and wonton neglectof a few, the park is useless to all thatlive in Union County. What could bea world-class example of what a parkshould be is an embarrassment and aperfect example of what happenswhen irresponsible people are left tomanage it. It’s past time for thoseguys to step aside so the park can beenjoyed my all, not just the grumpyfew.

Thomas DunnCranford

There Is No Law to Enforce re: BikeTrails in Watchung Reservation

Last week the SP-F Times pub-lished a letter from a reader detailinghis perceived fears should mountainbikes be permitted on the trails of theWatchung Reservation. Mr. Russopaints a picture, which would leadone to believe the trails are jammedwith gangs of rowdy mountain bik-ers, destroying everything in theirpath. He claimed continued trail dam-age is due to the huge tires on moun-tain bikes (an alleged banned activ-ity) and finally he cast himself as oneof the “keepers of the trail”, a nobleendeavor.

After setting the stage with thatopening, how could anyone not agreewith him when he asks for CountyPolice enforcement of existing lawsbasing his argument on the fact thatonly one ticket has been issued in thepast 10 years?

Mr. Russo, could you point out

specific law, regulation, or ordinancethat the County Police should en-force? Were you aware the singleticket issued that has you so upset wasdismissed because there was no ordi-nance that could be cited to upholdthe alleged violation?

What does exist is signage erectedsome time ago banning bicycles onthe trails. Why these signs wereerected is anyone’s guess becausethere is no public record in the ar-chives of Union County indicatingthe topic of cycling was discussed, anordinance proposed, public commentsought and finally voted upon. So Mr.Russo, given there is no law to en-force, do you think it is reasonableone group of residents of UnionCounty should be denied access to apublic space over another?

Henry LubinskiFanwood

Watchung Reservation Needs to GetJORBA Involved for Bike Trails

How can horses be permitted in theWatchung Reservation while bikesare banned? I don’t have the thou-sands of dollars required to ride ahorse there, but I do have an old bike,which I would rather ride there thantake my life in my hands riding theroads of New Jersey with all the textersdriving their SUV’s with their knees.

The trails in the Watchung Reser-vation are in terrible condition, be-cause they are not properly designedor maintained. Union County needs

to get JORBA (Jersey Off Road Bi-cycle Association) involved like atthe Washington Valley Park inSomerset County, where the trails arein great shape.

We, the mountain bikers of UnionCounty, want access to the WatchungReservation trails and transparencyin the process of the Freeholders de-cisions regarding access to theWatchung Reservation.

Tom GockelWestfield


– Obituaries –

John A. Boughtwood

John Alec Boughtwood, 79, HadLong Career In Reinsurance Industry

John Alec Boughtwood, 79, ofWestfield passed away unexpectedlyat home on Monday, Au-gust 22, 2016.

A native of the UnitedKingdom, John was bornin Billericay, Essex, in1937 and was a veteranof the Royal Air Force.John and his familymoved to the UnitedStates in 1977 as part of a40-plus-year career in thereinsurance industry.Prior to his retirement in2001, he was employedby Aon Benfield in NewYork City.

John was a great fan of jazz andclassical music. He also loved sports(especially the New York Yankees)and had a lifelong love of travel. Hewas blessed to have made many goodfriends on both sides of the Atlanticand beyond.

Mr. Boughtwood is survived by asister, Margaret, of Winchester, United

Kingdom; a son, Timothy, and hisfiancée, Lesley, of Long Branch, N.J.;

a son, David, and daugh-ter-in-law, Paula, of EastGreenbush, N.Y., and adaughter, Kathryn, of NorthPlainfield, N.J., as well asfour loving grandchildren,Anna, Christopher, Ethanand Nicholas.

He was predeceased byhis wife, Elizabeth (néeWells), in 1999.

Visitation and a lifecelebration were held onFriday, August 26, at theGray Funeral Home, 318East Broad Street ,

Westfield. For online condolences,go to grayfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations maybe made to Cerebral Palsy of NorthJersey (CPNJ) online at cpnj.org/how-to-help/ or CPNJ, 220 South OrangeAvenue, Suite 300, Livingston, N.J.07039.

September 1, 2016

Scotch Plains Rescue Squad:Teens and Prescription Drugs

Parents are usually diligent abouttalking to their kids about drugs andalcohol. However, when they think ofdrugs, most tend to focus on mari-juana, heroin, cocaine and other well-known street drugs. Often overlookedare the drugs sitting in their own medi-cine cabinets.

Prescription drug abuse among teensis a national health crisis. A surveylaunched by The Partnership atDrugfree.org, in conjunction with theMetLife Foundation, “showed that 24percent of high school students —more than five million kids — haveabused these medications.” Many havedone so before their 14th birthdays. Italso showed that 56 percent of thesedrugs were found right at home. Friendsare also a common source of differenttypes of drugs. Kids who are on Ritalinand Adderall will sometimes sharethese drugs with schoolmates who donot suffer from ADHD.

There also seems to be a miscon-ception among not only teens buttheir parents as well that prescriptiondrugs are somewhat safer than streetdrugs. After all, they were dispensedby a doctor. However, any drugs takenthat are not used to treat a particularsymptom or prescribed for a particu-lar individual whose weight and tol-erance are taken into account canlead to dangerous consequences.

Therefore, it is important to keeptrack of all medications and keep themin a safe place. Some painkillers, likeOxycontin, contain opioids, which canmimic the effects of heroin. Takingthese can cause low blood pressureand a slow breathing rate, and in somecases, can actually suppress breath-

ing. Anti-anxiety medications and seda-tives such as Xanax and Valium canalso cause these symptoms along withmemory problems. Overdoses oftenlead to coma and death. Stimulants,such as Ritalin and Adderall, can causeheart problems, dangerously high bodytemperatures, high blood pressure, aswell as seizures and hallucinations ifnot taken as directed.

If you notice any of these symptomsin your teenage son or daughter (or anyperson), call 911 to obtain medicalhelp immediately. There are medica-tions such as Narcan that can reversethe effects of narcotics, and possiblysave his or her life. This is why it iscrucial to get help as soon as possible.

The Scotch Plains Rescue Squad isa volunteer organization of Neigh-bors Helping Neighbors. With over90 volunteers, the squad answers callsnot only in Scotch Plains but in sur-rounding towns as well when needed.Besides answering calls, the publicwill see squad ambulances at manyspecial events held in town, such asScotch Plains Day, the Memorial DayParade, high school football games,and the summer concerts on the Vil-lage Green. The squad also is avail-able to provide demonstrations forBoy Scout and Girl Scout troops,clubs and any other group that may beinterested in what the squad does. Inaddition, the squad lends out wheel-chairs, crutches, canes and other as-sorted medical equipment free ofcharge. Members of the communityare encouraged to reach out to thesquad if there is something the squadcan do for them. The squad can bereached [email protected] (908) 322-2103 for non-emergen-cies.

* * *Contributing Author: Susan

Baldani, a life member of the ScotchPlains Rescue Squad.

Fall Registration Is OpenFor Westfield Recreation

WESTFIELD — The WestfieldRecreation Department has an-nounced that registration is open forall Fall programs. Among the offer-ings for adults are a Tai Chi programon Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and a ZumbaFitness Class on Mondays at 7:30p.m. There also is Cardio Tennis onTuesdays or Sunday mornings at 9:30a.m. or 10:30 a.m.; no playing expe-rience is necessary.

The department additionally willoffer Adult Tennis for beginners andintermediate levels on Sundaysstarting the end of September. Adultenrichment courses include AdultFashion and Guitar for beginners orthose just needing a “refresher” les-son. Details on each program areavailable on the department’swebsite, westfieldnj.gov/recreation.

After-school enrichment pro-grams for youngsters include Fash-ion Design, Junior Science Lab,Creative Art Lab, Lego Tech Plus,Dining Etiquette, Social Etiquette,Voice Lessons, Intro to Rock, andLego-Engineering. Classes arescheduled to start the end of Sep-tember. Kids also can participatethis fall in Tennis and Golf Clinics,Fall Camps, as well as weeklyUnited Soccer Academy Soccerclasses and weekly USSI Multi-Sports classes. Sport classes areoffered for ages 2 to 14. Parent &Me classes also are available. Fordetails on all programs, check the“Rec Room” brochure.

There also is an opportunity to signup for Fall Camps for when children areout of school. The USA and USSIinstructors will host mini-camps for

ages 3 to 14 on the following dates:October 3, 4, 10 and 12 and November10 and 11. Soccer, Lacrosse, Track andField, Multi-Sports and Golf are just afew of the sports available. Also, backby popular demand, the “Get Better 3-on-3 Basketball Challenge” with CoachJames Lane will be featured on Tues-day, October 4, for grades 6 to 9. Inter-ested persons are advised to registerearly, as all classes are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

For additional information, visitthe website westfieldnj.gov/recre-ation for a copy of “The Rec Room”program brochure. Interested personsalso are invited to visitFaceBook.com/WestfieldRecreationor contact the Westfield RecreationDepartment at 425 East Broad Street,Westfield, at (908) 789-4080 or by e-mail at [email protected].

Cranford Rec. PlansFall Registration

CRANFORD — The CranfordRecreation and Parks Department hasannounced that registration for fallprograms (Session 1) will begin onSaturday, September 17, at 9 a.m., atthe Cranford Community Center. Par-ticipants may register in person oronline at register.communitypass.net/cranford. The Cranford CommunityCenter is located at 220 Walnut Av-enue.

A department brochure was mailedto all Cranford residents and also canbe found online at cranford.com/rec.For more information, call (908) 709-7283. These programs are forCranford residents only.

SUPPORT FOR LIBRARY...Fanwood Memorial Library Director Dan Weiss,second from left, expresses appreciation for the 2016 Union County Library Grantthe Fanwood Library recently received from the Union County Board of ChosenFreeholders. He is joined by Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, far left,Freeholder Al Mirabella and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski.

Fanwood Library AmongCounty Grant Recipients

FANWOOD — The FanwoodMemorial Library has received a grantin the amount of $7,498.34 from theUnion County Board of Chosen Free-holders. The grant was awarded Au-gust 18 as part of the 2016 UnionCounty Library Grant awards.

The county grant program is fundedwith non-tax dollars for the benefit oflocal, non-school libraries. It is de-signed to help libraries upgrade fa-cilities, programming and materialsthat directly benefit children’s litera-ture and activities.

“It’s wonderful to have the supportof the Union County Freeholders whohave, for the second year now, pro-vided this generous grant to librariesin the county,” commented FanwoodLibrary Director Dan Weiss. “Thefunding will be used to great effecthere in Fanwood and have a directand positive impact on our ability toserve the community.”

The Fanwood Memorial Library,located at 5 Forest Road, will use the

funds to support a storytelling seriesfor children, robotics programs forteens and tweens, books and otheritems such as the new library bookbike. The library book bike isFanwood’s small-town answer to abook mobile. The mobile programwill take the library directly out intothe community.

Fanwood Mayor Colleen Mahradded, “The library book bike willhelp our library’s resources reachmore Fanwood residents, and makereading more accessible to those whocan’t visit the library in person.”

The Library Grants Program is partof Freeholder Chairman BruceBergen’s “Union County at Work andPlay” 2016 initiative for countywideeconomic development and qualityof life improvements. For more infor-mation on all of the 2016 Chairman’sInitiatives, visit ucnj.org. Further in-formation about the Fanwood Me-morial Library and its programs isavailable at fanwoodlibrary.org.

Mountainside Library PostsPrograms For September

MOUNTAINSIDE — TheMountainside Public Library hasreleased its schedule of programsfor September. Patrons are remindedthat the library will be closed onSaturday, September 3, throughMonday, September 5, in obser-vance of Labor Day.

Tuesday Night Movies will includeBurnt (R) on September 6; TheDresser (not rated) on September 13;My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (PG-13) on September 20, and Hail, Cae-sar! (PG-13) on September 27. Allfilms will be screened at 6:30 p.m.

Brown Bag Academy will con-tinue on Mondays in September at1:15 p.m. The Great Courses Sum-mer School session has ended andthe Fall Semester began on August22 with a new course. Participantshave an opportunity to broaden theirknowledge without homework orexams. Featured will be lectures byProfessor Stephen Ressler of theUnited States Military Academy atWest Point on “Everyday Engineer-ing: Understanding the Marvels ofDaily Life.” Attendees are encour-aged to bring their lunch; coffee,tea and cookies will be served fordessert. Interested persons are urgedto come early to ensure a seat.

The Friday Opera on Film series,sponsored by the T. Robel Hill Foun-dation, will return for its fifth seasonon September 9 at 1 p.m. MenaClemson will present the ever-popularCarmen by Georges Bizet, starring ayoung Placido Domingo as Don Joséand Elena Obraztsova as Carmen. Di-rected by Franco Zeffirelli, this 1978recording of a legendary performancefeatures the Orchestra and Chorus ofthe Wiener Staatsoper under the direc-tion of Carlos Kleiber.

Saturday Musical Getaways will

feature “Happy Trails: Country Clas-sics” on Saturday, September 10, from2 to 3 p.m. Gerard and Diane Barrosof “A Carole King Tribute” fame willreturn to the library for another per-formance from their repertoire. Thistime, the husband and wife/keyboardand guitar duo will perform a uniquemix of country pop hits throughoutthe years, by such artists as LindaRonstadt, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson,Lady Antebellum, Eddie Rabbitt,Johnny and June Carter Cash andsome “one-hit wonders” as well.

“Guided Meditation for InnerPeace” will be presented on Thurs-day, September 15, at 7:30 p.m. SallyYounghans will return after a summerbreak for her monthly yoga series.Each month participants explore andexperience the most talked-about, evi-dence-based meditation techniquesfor inner peace, overall well-beingand stress reduction. This month Ms.Younghans will explore the CountingBreath Technique — a simple tech-nique that individuals can access any-time, anywhere they need it.

“Social Security Workshop” willtake place on Thursday, September29, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Neil Bergerdeveloped a seminar for employeesentitled “67 is the New 65 — SocialSecurity Basics” while director ofhuman resources at a major corpora-tion. He will present an expandedand revised version of this program.A separate talk on Medicare will bescheduled in the future. Mr. Bergeris not affiliated with a financial orga-nization, nor is he selling a service orproduct.

To register for these programs, visitthe library or call (908) 233-0115. TheMountainside Public Library is lo-cated at 1 Constitution Plaza,Mountainside.

CSH Slates Free WorkshopSept. 29 on Planned Giving

MOUNTAINSIDE — TheChildren’s Specialized Hospital(CSH) Foundation will host a freeworkshop on planned giving on Thurs-day, September 29, from noon to 2p.m., at Echo Lake Country Club,515 Springfield Avenue, Westfield.The workshop will feature a paneldiscussion on the Charitable IRA withplanning experts Barbara Franz-Doyle, Esq., Michael Miller and Tho-mas Phelan, Esq.

A non-profit organization, CSHserves children and adolescents fac-ing special health challenges — fromchronic illnesses and complex physi-cal disabilities like brain and spinalcord injuries to developmental andbehavioral issues like autism andmental health.

Working with parents and families,CSH’s award-winning doctors, re-searchers and pediatric specialistsdepend on the generosity of donors todiscover new and innovative ways to

help more children overcome theirhealth challenges. All donations godirectly to helping the hospital pio-neer new specialized children’s careand serve more children in need.

An individual age 70½ years oldor older can use a Charitable IRA asa simple way to donate to a non-profit and receive tax benefits inreturn. A person can give up to$100,000 from their IRA directly toa qualified charity without having topay income taxes on the money.There is no longer an expiration dateso donors are free to make annualgifts now and well into the future.

The workshop will include lunch.Interested persons are asked to respondby Thursday, September 22, to (908)301-5561, or [email protected].

For more information about plan-ning a future gift with the Children’sSpecialized Hospital Foundation, visitchildrens-specialized.org/giving.

St. Bart’s LuminariesTo Commemorate 9/11SCOTCH PLAINS — St.

Bartholomew the Apostle RomanCatholic Church will commemorate15 years since the terrorist attacks ofSeptember 11, 2001 by lighting aluminary for each person who per-ished on 9/11 and displaying them onchurch grounds after a special 5 p.m.Mass on Saturday, September 10.

Individuals can sponsor a luminaryfor $5, with the proceeds going to theWTC Memorial Gold Club Scholar-ship, which provides college scholar-ships to those affected by 9/11.

The church is located at 2032Westfield Avenue, Scotch Plains. Formore information on sponsoring aluminary, visitstbcommunityoutreach.com or con-tact Elaine Coupe, Community Out-reach director, at (908) 322-5192,extension no. 141.

ESL Classes OpenTo Summit ResidentsSUMMIT — This fall, Literacy New

Jersey will offer English as a SecondLanguage (ESL) classes to assist theCity of Summit’s immigrant popula-tion. They will be held at Summit HighSchool, 125 Kent Place Boulevard,Summit. Registration for Fall ESLclasses will take place on Thursday,September 8, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.,in Room 112 at the high school.

Students of all levels are welcome.Volunteer tutors, trained and certi-fied by Literacy New Jersey, willlead the classes. Lessons will be or-ganized around topics of general in-terest to students, such as family,health, shopping and American cus-toms and practices.

Classes are limited to Summit resi-dents over the age of 18, and will startoff once a week on Thursday eveningsfrom 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Beginning inOctober a conversation class will beadded on Tuesday nights. The classesare free; there is a small fee for books.

For more information or to regis-ter, call Literacy New Jersey at (908)486-1777 or [email protected].

A MOTHER’S STORY...Ty, second from right, a former Raphael’s Life Housemom who shared her experience at last year’s golf tournament dinner, is picturedwith Cranford residents and golf committee members, from left to right, DonnaMaginelli, Barbara Bilger, Ann Beams and co-founder of Raphael’s Life House,Edie Coogan. This year’s benefit will take place on Monday, October 3, at theColonia Country Club.

Golf Tourney to BenefitRaphael’s Life House

AREA — The 13th Annual GolfTournament to benefit Raphael’sLife House will be held on Mon-day, October 3, beginning at 10a.m., at Colonia Country Club. The$225 golf fee includes a full break-fast, barbecue dinner with cock-tails, and many raffle prizes andgolf contest awards. This year thetwo “Hole-In-One” prizes are a2016 Buick from Miller BuickGMC in Woodbridge and a Rolexwatch donated by Martin Jewelersin Cranford.

Raphael’s Life House, foundedby Cranford residents Edie Cooganand Mary Orrico, is CovenantHouse New Jersey’s Mother ChildProgram, and provides non-sectar-ian transitional housing for home-less, pregnant women and theirbabies when born, for up to oneyear. The goal is to assist the womenin establishing an independent liv-ing situation for themselves andtheir babies.

The house shelters 12 women at

one time. Each mother shares quar-ters with her baby in a safe, homeyenvironment. The women in the pro-gram are 18 to 23 years old, alco-hol- and drug-free, mentally andphysically capable of caring forthemselves and their babies, andwilling to obey the house rules whileeither working or going to school.

Since opening in December1993, Raphael’s Life House hascared for and housed more than600 women and babies.

Ruth and Tom Sharkey ofCranford are sponsoring this year’stournament, and there also are sev-eral levels of tournament sponsor-ships still available, as well as adpages in the tournament ad jour-nal. All proceeds from the golf tour-nament will be used for the solebenefit of the women and babieshoused at Raphael’s Life House.

For information on tickets, spon-sorships or journal ads, contact AnnBeams at (908) 272-5608 [email protected].

Kenilworth Hist. Soc. OffersMohegan Sun Excursion

KENILWORTH — TheKenilworth Historical Society willhost a bus trip to Mohegan Sun Ca-sino in Uncasville, Conn., on Satur-day, October 22.

The trip will depart at 8 a.m. from St.Theresa’s School parking lot, 540 Wash-ington Avenue, Kenilworth, and returnto Kenilworth at approximately 9 p.m.The $53 cost includes motor coachtransportation, an approximate six-hourvisit to the casino, which additionallyhouses a wide range of distinctive shopsand popular restaurants, and a package

that includes a $15 coupon for thecasino’s buffet or another type of meal,and a $10 free bet coupon.

There will be complimentary doorprizes on the bus. For further informa-tion and reservations, call (908) 709-0434 or (908) 709-0391. As space islimited on this popular outing, it issuggested that reservations be madeearly to ensure availability. Payment isrequested by Wednesday, October 12.

Gift certificates for the trip are avail-able for purchase. Proceeds will ben-efit the Kenilworth HistoricalSociety’s circa 1880 Oswald J.Nitschke House by helping to defraythe cost of an elevator that makes thenewly restored “living history” mu-seum and cultural arts center fullyaccessible to everyone.

Other events that the KenilworthHistorical Society will present this fallinclude “Twist and Shout With TheBeatles” Dinner and Show on Friday,September 23, for which advance res-ervations by Friday, September 9, arerequested by calling (908) 709-0434or (908) 709-0391; the KenilworthCommunitywide Garage Sale theweekend of October 1 and 2; “FourCenturies in a Weekend at the NitschkeHouse,” featuring a living history pro-gram and exhibit entitled “JamesArthur: The Story of 100 Houses in100 Days,” on October 15 and 16;Oktoberfest dinner and entertainmenton Sunday, October 23, and an “Old-Fashioned Christmas at the NitschkeHouse” on Sunday, December 4.

The Kenilworth Historical Societyis an independent, volunteer-based,non-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) or-ganization dedicated to the research,preservation and interpretation of theOswald J. Nitschke House, local his-tory and culture.

SHERIFF’S SALESHERIFF’S FILE NO.: CH-16003712

SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEYCHANCERY DIVISION

UNION COUNTYDOCKET NO. F-019527-15

Plaintiff: HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AS INDEN-TURE TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTEREDNOTEHOLDERS OF RENAISSANCE HOMEEQUITY LOAN TRUST 2007-1

VS.Defendant: RICHARD J. KOLLMAR AND

JOAN L. KOLLMARSale Date: 09/28/2016Writ of Execution: 05/21/2016By virtue of the above-stated writ of execution

to me directed I shall expose for sale by publicvendue, at the Union County Administration Build-ing, 1st Floor, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, Eliza-beth, New Jersey on Wednesday, at two o’clockin the afternoon of said day. All successful bid-ders must have 20% of their bid available in cashor certified check at the conclusion of the sales.

The judgment amount is: ***Five HundredSeventy-Four Thousand Four Hundred Twenty-Three and 38/100*** $574,423.38.

PROPERTY TO BE SOLD IS LOCATED IN:Borough of Mountainside, County of Union, inthe State of New Jersey.

PREMISES COMMONLY KNOWN AS: 320Cherry Hill Road, Mountainside, New Jersey07092.

TAX LOT # 10, Block # 5.16.APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS: 000.322 ACNEAREST CROSS STREET: SAWMILL

ROADTaxes:Current through 2nd Quarter of 2016*

*Plus interest on these figures through date ofpayoff and any and all subsequent taxes, waterand sewer amounts.

Total Upset: ***Six Hundred One ThousandFour Hundred Fifteen and 51/100*** $601,415.51together with lawful interest and costs.

The sale is subject to any unpaid taxes andassessments, tax, water, and sewer liens andother municipal assessments. The amount duecan be obtained from the local taxing authority.Pursuant to NJSA 46:8B-21 the sale may also besubject to the limited lien priority of any Condo-minium/Homeowner Association liens which mayexist.

Surplus Money: If after the sale and satisfac-tion of the mortgage debt, including costs andexpenses, there remains any surplus money, themoney will be deposited into the Superior CourtTrust Fund and any person claiming the surplus,or any part thereof, may file a motion pursuant toCourt Rules 4:64-3 and 4:57-2 stating the natureand extent of that person’s claim and asking foran order directing payment of the surplus money.The Sheriff or other person conducting the salewill have information regarding the surplus, ifany.

There is a full legal description on file in theUnion County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff reserves the right to adjourn thissale for any length of time without further adver-tisement.

Joseph CryanSheriff

Attorney:STERN & EISENBERG, PC1040 NORTH KINGS HIGHWAY SUITE 407CHERRY HILL NEW JERSEY 08034(609) 397-92004 T - 09/01, 09/08, 09/15& 09/22/16 Fee: $191.76

Calvary Food CourtTo Benefit Squad

CRANFORD — The CalvaryLutheran Church, 108 Eastman Street,Cranford, will host an InternationalFood Court to benefit the CranfordFirst Aid Squad from noon to 2 p.m.on Sunday, September 11.

Participants will have an opportunityto sample foods from area restaurants.An ambulance, fire truck and police carwill be available for children’s tours.Music also will be featured. The chargeis $10 per person. For more informa-tion, call (908) 276-2418.


Rev. Smith to Preach AboutPeace at Cranford Church

CRANFORD — The Service andMission Team of the First Presbyte-rian Church of Cranford has an-nounced that the Reverend BrooksSmith will preach on PeacemakingSunday, October 2.

A native of Chicago, Ill. and Al-bany, N.Y., Reverend Smith was se-nior pastor of the Watchung AvenuePresbyterian Church in NorthPlainfield for 30 years. Prior to com-ing to Watchung Avenue, he servedchurches in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohioand Allentown, Pa.

Reverend Smith received hisbachelor’s degree in economics andhistory from Wesleyan University andhis Divinity Degree from ColgateRochester Divinity School. He alsoholds a Master of Science degreefrom the New School University innon-profit management.

A longtime activist for peace, Rev-erend Smith in 1964 participated inthe Mississippi Freedom SummerProject which shaped his call to be apastor. In the early 1980s, he partici-pated in the Presbyterian Church pro-gram “Witness for Peace,” which sentrepresentatives to Nicaragua to wit-ness the turmoil that was raising havocin that country. While at WatchungAvenue Presbyterian Church, he ledhis youth groups on annual missiontrips to the Dominican Republic,Mexico and Nicaragua and has led

mission trips to other countries inCentral and South America. Duringhis time at Watchung Avenue, he ledthe creation of a housing corporation,opened an after-school program andstarted a refugee center. He also servedon the Advisory Board for Presbyte-rian Disaster Assistance which in-cluded making a trip to Haiti after theearthquake there.

Currently, Reverend Smith is theParish Associate at the Bound BrookPresbyterian Church. Other activitiesinclude serving as chairman of theDisaster Preparedness and ResponseCommission of the Presbytery ofElizabeth, working with the UnionCounty Long Term Recovery Groupfor Hurricane Sandy and volunteer-ing his experience and energy withPeaceworks, an organization work-ing to better the lives of the poor inNicaragua. He also will once againlead the First Presbyterian Church ofCranford’s Mission Trip to Nicara-gua in January.

Reverend Smith and his wife, Gail,a retired guidance counselor and di-rector, reside in North Plainfield. Theyhave two sons, Steven and Drew, andthree grandchildren.

The First Presbyterian Church ofCranford is located at 11 SpringfieldAvenue. Sunday services are at 10a.m. For further information, call thechurch office at (908) 276-8440.

Jumble Store ReopensWith Special Sales Coming

CRANFORD — The Junior Leagueof Elizabeth-Plainfield (JLEP) hasannounced that The Jumble Store, itsnon-profit thrift shop located at 110Walnut Avenue, Cranford, has re-opened for the 2016-2017 year. Do-nations received during the summerare now available for purchase, so theJLEP encourages customers to shopearly for the best selections.

The Jumble Store is open Wednes-day and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.;Thursday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., andSaturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It isclosed Sunday through Tuesday.Donations are welcome during storebusiness hours.

The Jumble Store serves as theprimary fundraiser for the JLEP. Allproceeds help fund the Career Closet,which provides free career wear towomen re-entering the workforce; theTeen Closet, which provides résuméand college application instruction,

and free career wear to underservedhigh-school seniors; and collegescholarships to deserving high-schoolseniors.

The JLEP also has posted the datesfor upcoming special sales at theJumble Store.

The Bag Boutique kicked off Au-gust 31 and will continue throughSaturday, September 3.

A Halloween Costume Sale will beheld Saturday, September 24.

A Winter Coat Sale will take placeFriday and Saturday, October 14and 15.

Interested persons are invited tofollow The Jumble Store onFacebook – thejumblestore;Twitter@jlepjumblestore; andInstagram — thejumblestore.

For more information, contact (908)276-0222 or [email protected].

READY TO JUMBLE...The Jumble Store, operated by the Junior League ofElizabeth-Plainfield, has now reopened for the 2016-2017 season, with recentdonations available for purchase. It is located at 110 Walnut Avenue, Cranford.

CARNIVAL KIDS...The Cranford Public Library recently completed its annualSummer Reading Program, the theme of which was “On Your Mark, GetSet…Read!” Together, the children of Cranford read for 16,757 hours. Theprogram ended with a carnival August 11 celebrating the hard work of all theSummer Reading participants. More than 300 people braved the heat to playgames, win prizes, create crafts, have their faces painted by an artist fromArteVino, and take a spin on the Fun Bus. For a list of other programs coming up,visit the library Webpage at cranford.com/library.

UCTC Hebrew School OffersGrades K-2 at No Charge

WESTFIELD — The UnionCounty Torah Center HebrewSchool offers a stimulating yetfriendly environment where chil-dren embrace their Jewish rootsand gain a true sense of Jewishpride, no matter their level of ob-servance or affiliation.

The Torah Center Hebrew Schoolis an innovative school that pro-vides an academic and enjoyableenvironment where children ac-quire a broad knowledge of Juda-ism through a motivating and chal-lenging venue. Through Hebrewreading, writing, Jewish history,holidays and more, the studentsgain an appreciation for the joys,

values and traditions of their heri-tage as it is vividly brought to lifeby the dedicated and enthusiasticteachers whose creativity and dy-namism make every lesson a uniquelearning experience.

Jewish values and tradition aretaught and brought down to thechildren in a creative, joyful, hands-on and interesting way. The hands-on learning style encourages thechildren to be active rather thanpassive learners.

“Our school’s underlying ap-proach is for the children to enjoythe time spent at Hebrew School sothat they are left with positive ex-periences and a greater apprecia-tion for Jewish education,” ex-plained Shira Nashofer, director ofthe Hebrew School. The programis thus carefully blended withgames, incentives, crafts, familycelebrations and other exciting ex-tracurricular activities.

The Hebrew School is located atthe Torah Center, 111 Laurel Place,West, Westfield. Classes are heldon Sunday mornings from 9:30 a.m.to noon. The Torah Center is offer-ing an extra incentive for parentsto send their children before thirdgrade through not charging for Kin-dergarten to second grade. Bar andBat Mitzvah preparation also isprovided. No synagogue affiliationor membership is required. Toschedule an appointment, call (908)789-5252 or [email protected].

9/11 Memorial ServiceIs Set In Cranford

CRANFORD — The CranfordWorld Trade Center Committee andthe Cranford Clergy Council will hosta 9/11 Memorial Service on Sunday,September 11, at 7 p.m. It will takeplace in Cranford’s WTC Park atSpringfield and North Union Avenues.

This event will honor those wholost their lives in the September 11,2001 attacks including family, friends,first responders and all who wereaffected by this tragedy. All are wel-come to attend. In case of inclementweather, the service will be held at theFirst Presbyterian Church across thestreet from the park.

For more information, call JerryDobbins at (908) 447-2492.

Genealogical Society to HostCounty ‘Meet and Greet’

WESTFIELD — Representativesfrom area libraries and historical so-cieties will present their stories anda snapshot of the materials they haveto offer at the general meeting of theGenealogical Society of the WestFields (GSWF) on Thursday, Sep-tember 8, at 1 p.m. It will take placeat the Westfield Memorial Library,550 East Broad Street, Westfield.

“We are promoting these collec-tions so that we can develop a ca-maraderie and share information andresources,” said GSWF PresidentNancy Humphrey. “As it is now,each project is a ‘re-invention ofthe wheel’ and drains time and re-sources. We hope to develop com-mon ideas and goals and invite thepublic to take advantage of the manywonderful materials that these or-

ganizations possess. The Internetdoes not offer everything and it isnot a substitute for hands-on per-sonal contact.”

This meeting will introduce repre-sentatives from several organizationswho will give a short overview oftheir collections and any other infor-mation that they feel is important torelate. “We had such a great responseto our invitation that we quickly re-alized that we need a second date,”said Ms. Humphrey. That secondmeeting will take place at a date laterin the fall to be announced.

The public is invited to bothevents, as always, and they are freeof charge. The presentations will befollowed by refreshments, and thevarious “ambassadors” will be avail-able for questions and commentsfrom all. Handouts and Internet linkswill be offered as well.

Before After

Time to “Deflate YourWeight” at Jeni-Fit Studios

Ms. Tara Meagher and Kyle Nelson

Ms. Tara MeagherTo Wed Kyle Nelson

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Best of all, it will give you a fitbody and mind. Join the challengethis September and have the chanceto win a new Fitbit®! The client withthe most significant percentage ofbody weight lost wins a Fitbit®!

Members of DYW describe Jeni-Fit Studios as a fitness family. “It’sunlike other options out there. At Jeni-Fit no matter what size or fitnesslevel, every member feels comfort-able. The talented staff goes aboveand beyond to guide you. DYW willmake you accountable.” DYW is tai-lored to each client’s unique needs,goals, fitness aptitude and lifestyle.

The DYW program supports cli-ents with weekly in-person discus-sion groups, a private FaceBook com-munity, text support messages andexercise accountability. Your teamincludes coaching from a registereddietitian, a whole health nutritionist,a psychologist and Nationally Certi-fied Trainers. DYW is an exclusivewhole health program that empowersyou to change.

Jeni-Fit Studios is the area’s pre-mier concierge fitness company lo-cated at 345 North Avenue inGarwood. To keep exercise fun andsustainable, the studio offers a vari-ety of exercise options for men,women and teens in an intimate set-ting with dedicated instructors. Pro-grams include Spin, Barre, Boxing,Circuit Classes, Shred, TRX,Kettlebell, Yoga and more.

DYW will run from September 21-November 16.

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Jeni-Fit Studios….. Where ChangeHappens. Ready? Our motto at Jeni-Fit is: “if it doesn’t challenge you, itdoesn’t change you.” Mention thisarticle to receive a free DYW wel-come gift.

Paid Bulletin Boardgoleader.com/form/bulletin




Plaintiff: NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLCVS.Defendant: VANITA CLAIBORNE, OVER-

LOOK HOSPITAL, MIDDLESEX SURGERYCENTER, ACB RECEIVABLES MANAGEMENTINC CENTER FOR AMBULATORY PAIN MAN-AGEMENT & ASSIGNEE OF AMBULATORYANETHESIA CARE

Sale Date: 09/28/2016Writ of Execution: 05/17/2016By virtue of the above-stated writ of execution


The judgment amount is: ***One HundredEighty-Eight Thousand Nine Hundred Nine and50/100*** $188,909.50.

The property to be sold is located in the TOWNOF WESTFIELD in the County of UNION, andthe State of New Jersey.

Tax Lot 2 Block 4002 f/k/a Lot 5 Block 506.Commonly known as 612 Ripley Place,

Westfield, New Jersey 07090Dimensions of the Lot are (Approximately)

137.50 x 50 x 137.50 x 50.Nearest Cross Street: Situated on the South-

erly line of Ripley Place, 125 feet from the South-easterly line of Cocciola Place.

Total Upset: ***One Hundred Ninety-FourThousand Six Hundred Eighty-Four and 35/100***$194,684.35 together with lawful interest andcosts.

The sale is subject to any unpaid taxes andassessments, tax, water, and sewer liens andother municipal assessments. The amount duecan be obtained from the local taxing authority.Pursuant to NJSA 46:8B-21 the sale may also besubject to the limited lien priority of any Condo-minium/Homeowner Association liens which mayexist.




Joseph CryanSheriff

Attorney:SHAPIRO & DENARDO, LLC - ATTORNEYS14000 COMMERCE PARKWAY SUITE BMOUNT LAUREL, NEW JERSEY 08054(856) 793-30804 T - 09/01, 09/08, 09/15& 09/22/16 Fee: $185.64




Plaintiff: DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONALTRUST COMPANY AS TRUSTEE FOR THEHOLDERS OF NEW CENTURY HOME EQUITYLOAN TRUST, SERIES 2005-A, ASSETBACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES

VS.Defendant: MARC I BRODY; MIRIAM BRODY,

HUSBAND AND WIFE; JPMORGAN CHASEBANK, NA; SILVER REPORTING SERVICES;EDWIN SILVER, PRESIDENT



The judgment amount is: ***Six HundredNinety-Eight Thousand Four Hundred Ninety-Two and 20/100*** $698,492.20.

MUNICIPALITY: WestfieldCOUNTY: UNION; STATE OF NEW JERSEY.STREET & STREET NO: 994 Woodmere Drive.TAX BLOCK AND LOT: BLOCK: 201 fka 154;

LOT: 50 fka 29.DIMENSIONS OF LOT: 138.33 feet x 148.90

feet.NEAREST CROSS STREET: Sunnywood

Drive.SUPERIOR INTERESTS (if any):WESTFIELD TOWNSHIP/SEWER ACCT#131

holds a claim for taxes due and/or other munici-pal utilities such as water and/or sewer in theamount of $170.00 as of 01/01/2016.

Total Upset: ***Seven Hundred Thirty Thou-sand Seven Hundred Forty-Two and 95/100***$730,742.95 together with lawful interest andcosts.




Joseph CryanSheriff

Attorney:POWERS KIRN - COUNSELORS728 MARINE HWYPO BOX 848 - SUITE 200MOORESTOWN, NEW JERSEY 08057(856) 802-10004 T - 08/25, 09/01, 09/08& 09/15/16 Fee: $181.56




Plaintiff: DITECH FINANCIAL LLCVS.Defendant: MAURO A. DIGIUSEPPE; DEBRA

L. DIGIUSEPPESale Date: 09/14/2016Writ of Execution: 04/27/2016By virtue of the above-stated writ of execution


The judgment amount is: ***Three HundredEighty-Two Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty-Oneand 98/100*** $382,961.98.

Municipality: FanwoodStreet Address: 81 Shady Lane, Fanwood,

New Jersey 07023.Tax Lot: 30, Tax Block: 77Approximate dimensions: 77.22 x 103.49 x

104.07Nearest cross street: Highview Court.Total Upset: ***Three Hundred Ninety-Three

Thousand Four Hundred Ninety-Eight and 92/100*** $393,498.92 together with lawful interestand costs.




Joseph CryanSheriff

Attorney:PLUESE, BECKER & SALTZMAN, LLC20000 HORIZON WAYSUITE 900MOUNT LAUREL, NEW JERSEY 08054(856) 813-17004 T - 08/18, 08/25, 09/01& 09/08/16 Fee: $150.96




Plaintiff: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.VS.Defendant: PATRICK JOSEPH BURKE JR.,

HIS HEIRS, DEVISEES, AND PERSONAL REP-RESENTATIVES, AND HIS, THEIR OR ANY OFTHEIR SUCCESSORS IN RIGHT, TITLE ANDINTEREST; MARGARET A. BURKE, INDIVIDU-ALLY AND AS EXECUTRIX OF THE ESTATEOF KEVIN M. BURKE, DECEASED; SEANBURKE, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS ADMINISTRA-TOR OF THE ESTATE OF PATRICK JOSEPHBURKE, JR., DECEASED; DONALD MEE; ROB-ERT J. FALLON, M.D.; STATE OF NEW JER-SEY; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA



The judgment amount is: ***Four HundredNine Thousand Two Hundred Sixty-Nine and 66/100*** $409,269.66.

Property to be sold is located in the BOR-OUGH of FANWOOD, County of UNION, Stateof New Jersey.

Premises commonly known as: 7 RAINIERROAD, FANWOOD, NEW JERSEY 07023-4402.

BEING KNOWN as LOT 13, BLOCK 72 on theofficial Tax Map of the BOROUGH of FANWOOD.

Dimensions: 80 FEET X 161 FEET X 45 FEETX 150 FEET.

Nearest Cross Street: GLENWOOD ROAD.Advertise subject USA’s right of redemption:Pursuant to 28, U.S.C. Section 2410, this sale

is subject to a 1 year right of redemption held bythe United States of America by virtue of its lien:

Patrick Joseph Burke Jr. a single person TOSecretary of Housing and Urban Development,dated 11/03/2008 and recorded 11/13/2008 inBook 12593, Page 337. To Secure $570,000.00.

Total Upset: ***Four Hundred Nineteen Thou-sand Seven Hundred Eighty-Three and 08/100***$419,783.08 together with lawful interest andcosts.

Subject to any unpaid taxes, municipal liens orother charges, and any such taxes, charges,liens, insurance premiums or other advancesmade by plaintiff prior to this sale. All interestedparties are to conduct and rely upon their ownindependent investigation to ascertain whetheror not any outstanding interest remain of recordand/or have priority over the lien being fore-closed and, if so the current amount due thereon.

If the sale is set aside for any reason, thePurchaser at the sale shall be entitled only areturn of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shallhave no further recourse against the Mortgagor,the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney.




Joseph CryanSheriff

Attorney:PHELAN HALLINAN, DIAMOND & JONES, PC400 FELLOWSHIP ROADSUITE 100MOUNT LAUREL, NEW JERSEY 08054(856) 813-55004 T - 08/25, 09/01, 09/08& 09/15/16 Fee: $234.60

Acoustic Soul DueAt Community Ctr.

CRANFORD — The Friends ofthe Cranford Public Library willsponsor an evening of country mu-sic featuring Acoustic Soul on Mon-day, September 12, at 7:30 p.m., inthe Cranford Community Center.

Acoustic Soul includes JoanneClendining on guitar and vocalsand Geno Samero on guitar andvocals. Admission is free and allare welcome. The Cranford Com-munity Center is located at 220Walnut Avenue, Cranford.

For information on other upcomingprograms sponsored by the Friends ofthe Cranford Public Library, or to learnmore about the Friends organization,visit the Cranford Public Library webpage at cranford.com/library.

Mr. and Mrs. John P. Meagher ofWestfield have announced the en-gagement of their daughter, Tara, toMr. Kyle Nelson, son of Mr. and Mrs.Thomas Nelson of Maple Grove,Minn.

The bride to be is a member of theWestfield High School Class of 2005.She received her bachelor’s degree inpsychology from Fairfield Univer-sity in 2009 and completed a master’sdegree in education at Fordham Uni-

versity in 2011. She is currently em-ployed as a school teacher in NewYork City.

The future bridegroom graduatedfrom Maple Grove High School,Maple Grove, Minn., in 2006. Hereceived a degree in management in-formation systems from the Univer-sity of Minnesota, Duluth in 2010. Heis employed with The Ralph LaurenCorporation. The couple plan to wedin May of 2017.


THE WEEK IN SPORTSSports Section

Pages 9-13

©2016 Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act.Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker® and the Coldwell Banker logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

Office: 908-233-5555 x 202 • Direct: 908-301-2038 • email: [email protected] • Broker/Sales Associate

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OBLACHINSKI QB; BAKIE, McGOVERN RUNNING BACKS

Cougar Footballers Look toMaintain ‘Winning Tradition’

By DAVID B. CORBINSpecially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Stats have been entered in the bookthat has shown last year’s CranfordHigh School football team that fin-ished with a 12-0 record and wonanother North Jersey, Group 3, Sec-tion 2 championship had broken nearlyevery scoring and rushing record in

school history. Now, this year’s Cou-gars are faced with maintaining thatwinning tradition.

“There’s a lot of new faces. It’sgood to have developed a winningattitude and winning tradition but Ineed guys, who haven’t played, tostep up and be able to play varsityfootball. I need guys, who haven’t

led, to step up and lead,” CougarHead Coach Erik Rosenmeier said.“Those are my two biggest areas ofconcern.”

The Cougars do return a few veter-ans with good credentials such asseniors Ryan Bakie, Brian McGovern,Alex Esposito, Tom Armstrong, Sean

MURRAY, ELLMAN, PETERSON SELECTED CAPTAINS

Raiders Are Expecting an A++Performance in Boys Soccer


Pieces of a superb puzzle all seemto be coming together and the ScotchPlains-Fanwood High School boyssoccer team expect to have the rightfit to have an A++ season. The Raid-ers had an A season last year withanother conference title and fifthstraight Union County Tournament

(UCT) title with a 1-0, overtime winover Elizabeth but fell short with aloss in the North Jersey, Section 2,Group 4 semifinal to finish 20-2-2.

In all, it was the Raiders’ 26th con-ference title and 19th UCT title (17thfor Head Coach Tom Breznitsky, whojumped his 41-year career won/loss/tie record to 696-161-58. In additionto the return of a host of fine veterans

who also played in Costa Rica duringthe summer, this season the Raiderswill also enjoy the services of fourathletes, who played academy soccerlast year — senior Andrew Murray,juniors John Murphy, Jr. and TomDeVizio and sophomore Rock Valian.

“The four kids, who have returnedfrom the academy, were not on that

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12


See more preseason sportsIn September 8 Edition

David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader and The Times

MIXING IT UP WITH BRUINS...The Cougars, in blue, mix it up with the North Bergen Bruins in a Quad scrimmage withthe Carteret Ramblers and the Warren Hills Blue Streaks at Memorial Field in Cranford on August 26.

See more photos –goleader.com Ballhoo Sports

See more photos – goleader.com Ballhoo Sports


ROCKING WITH MO-TOWN...The Raiders, in light blue, refined their skills in a scrimmage with the Morristown Colonialsin Scotch Plains last week. The Raiders are anticipating an A++ season and will open against Plainfield on September 8.


Are You Readyfor Some Football?

Westfield School Boosters Association

For the benefit of Westfield High School athletics and scholarships.

Contact John Fuller at [email protected]

or reserve your space today atwww.westfieldboosters.com

Place your ad NOW for theWestfield High School Football Program

Place your personal or business ad in the Fall Football Programpublished for the full season at every home game.

Devil’s Den

By BRUCE JOHNSONSpecially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Delpopolo Joins the ListOf Westfield Olympians

Westfield native Nick Delpopololast month became the third Westfieldnative/WHS athlete to be a two-timeOlympian, joining diver BobClotworthy (1952, 1956) and wres-tler Chris Campbell (1980, 1992).Dave Perkowski (1968) swam at the1968 Olympics.

Delpopolo, 27, was born PeterPerovic in Montenegro and wasadopted in 1990 at the age of 2 byDominic and Joyce Delpopolo ofWestfield.

He is currently the top-ranked judoathlete in America and on Aug. 8 hefinished seventh at the 2016 Games inRio De Janiero. That’s the same spothe was going to finish at the 2012London Games before he was sus-pended after testing positive for mari-juana following the event. He laterclaimed he had accidentally eaten abrownie laced with pot.

Delpopolo attended McKinley El-ementary and Edison Intermediateschools. He was actively involved inthe town’s PAL programs in football,wrestling and soccer.

“My passion for sports grew im-mensely in Westfield,” he toldtapinto.net.

Delpopolo was bitten by the judobug at the age of 5. His parents tookhim to the Cranford Judo and KarateCenter, where he met Yoshisada(Yone) Yonezuka, a former Olympiccoach. By age 10 his parents allowedthe youngster to move to Glenville,N.Y., to live and train with ’92 Olym-pian Jason Morris. He enrolled atBergen Catholic High – a 25-minutedrive – where he made the wrestlingteam as a freshman. But a major kneeinjury during his sophomore yearended his wrestling days. Judo be-came Delpopolo’s full-time passion.

By 2010 he was a rising star in thesport, having won gold medals at theUS Open (and six other major compe-titions), a silver medal at the USAJudo Senior Nationals (and two oth-ers), a bronze at the USA World Cup,and finishing ninth at the World Cham-pionships.

Following his Olympic suspensionin 2012, Delpopolo quickly found outwho were his real friends. He wasabandoned by judo coaches and spon-sors, ridiculed by internet trolls andgiven a six-month ban from competi-tion. One woman in town called hima “piece of s—t” to his face.

“It was my fault,” he toldnytimes.com of the brownie incident.

“It was a stupid move, a bad move. Iwas excited, I made the team. Thestress was off my shoulders and I said,‘I can relax, take my foot off the gasfor one day.’ I did and that’s whathappens.”

Somehow he found the innerstrength to return to training.Delpopolo and his girlfriend CarrieChandler, a five-time national judochampion, lived what can best bedescribed as a Spartan lifestyle, whilehe trained in Opa-locka, Fla., north ofMiami.

His long trial by fire was success-ful, as he once again made the USOlympic judo team.

And while Rio De Janiero didn’tbring him the hoped-for medal, it didbring him back to the Olympics, andthe world of judo. He’s going to havesurgery for a torn labrum in his shoul-der, an injury that he’s competed withsince November. And while he’s con-sidering a run at a third Olympics,2020 in Tokyo, another option couldbe Mixed Martial Arts, although that’sa long-shot.

But whatever happens, Delpopolohas only to look at his life’s path to seehow very, very, very far he has come.It’s a story truly made for ESPN’s 30for 30 documentary series.

“I constantly stop and think abouthow lucky I am,” Delpopolo toldnj.com. “I could be living an entirelydifferent life in an entirely differentworld. No one understands that betterthan me.”

Younger sister Helen (WHS, ’11)was also adopted by the Delpopolosfrom that same orphanage in 1993,and she’s also quite an athlete, too.Nationally ranked in sumo and judo,Helen was the 2015 national sumomiddleweight champion. As an eighth-grader at Edison in 2006-07, shewrestled on the intermediate schoolteam along with Christian Barber,Tony Pafumi, Mike Kalimtzis, TroySkibitsky, Ellis Opoku, Kieran Cline,Eric Gozdieski, Garrett Prior, KyleSaggio, Luke Gibbons and JeyYingling, among others.

Oh, and about those WHS Olympi-ans we mentioned earlier:

Clotworthy (’49) won a bronzemedal in 1952 at Helsinki, Finland,and then captured a gold medal in1956 at Melbourne, Australia. TheMountainside native was a three-timestate champion at WHS and went onto star at Ohio State. He later hadseveral coaching jobs, most notably

Princeton. He was inducted into theWestfield Athletic Hall of Fame in1994.

Perkowski (’65) was a three-timestate 100-yard breaststroke champ atWHS (and also swam on three win-ning medley relays). He later starredat Indiana University under coachDoc Counsilman. He swam the 100-meter breaststroke in 1968 at MexicoCity, finishing ninth. He was inductedinto the WAHOF in 1998.

Campbell (’73) won the state 168-pound wrestling championship in1973 for WHS, bowing to both teamsand both stands after each match of a26-0 season. At the University of Iowahe won two NCAA titles and four Big10 championships. He later was worldchampion and was top-ranked in 1980,when the U.S. Olympic team boy-cotted the Moscow Games. An injuryruined Campbell’s chances at 1984gold (he was No. 1 ranked when hewent down) but after a five-year ab-sence he returned to the sport andcaptured a bronze medal at 190 poundsin Barcelona. He was inducted intothe WAHOF in 1994.

In other semi-Westfield Olympics-related stuff …

Alan Ford was in the Navy whenthe 1944 Games were canceled due tothe war; he would’ve been a medalfavorite since he won NCAA titles atYale in the sprint freestyles and back-stroke. But after three years basicallyout of the pool, he returned to trainingfor the 1948 London Games and cap-tured a silver medal in the 100 free.He lived in town from 1962-67 andhelped out a little with the Westfield Yswim team. His son Randy lettered asa sophomore freestyler on the 1967WHS swim team, but the family thenmoved to Michigan. Alan Ford, whopassed away in 2008, was inductedinto the International Swimming Hallof Fame in 1966.

Wellington (Ducky) Ross won fourstate titles (100, 220 twice each) atWHS in 1933 and ’34. His 1997 obitu-ary in the Baltimore Sun noted that hemade the 1936 Olympic team as afreshman at Morgan State. But hismother reportedly wouldn’t let himcompete because he wasn’t keepingup his grades. That would’ve been theBerlin Games, also known as the HitlerGames, when American sprinter JesseOwens (who once lost a race to Ross,according to that obit) stuck it upGermany’s Aryan butt. Ross will beinducted posthumously into theWAHOF this Nov. 21.

Finally, Rick Ley (’69) was onceagain among the hurdles set-up crewat this summer’s US Olympic Trialsin his hometown of Eugene, Ore.During his three years heaving theshot on the WHS track team, Ley keptasking coach Walt Clarkson for achance to run in the sprints. In hisfinal WHS dual meet, against Clarkon the Friday before Memorial Dayweekend, Clarkson gave in to Ley’spleas and entered him in a non-scor-ing heat of the 100-yard dash. Withlittle advance notice, borrowed spikesand no practice with starts off theblocks, Ley won his heat in 10.1.Clarkson turned to an assistant coachand said, “What have we done?” Thenext week, at the Highland Park Re-lays, Clarkson put Ley on the anchorleg of a 4x100 relay that set a schoolrecord with a 44.5. That relay in-cluded Kevin Kelly, Tom Fennell andJim Loftman.

After the meet Ley joined swimteam captain Pete Klaiber and six oth-ers for a camping/canoe trip in WhartonState Park in South Jersey. Six of thoseguys – Klaiber, Ley, Bob Roth, MarkShames, Kevin Stanley, all ’69ers, andBrian Stanley (’70) – will be gettingtogether this weekend in Idaho foranother of their occasional mini-re-unions. (Brian Stanley is the father ofPat (’08), a starting guard on the WHSfootball team in 2007.)

IN PASSINGBrud Davis, a Little League coach

and official in the 1960s and ’70s,passed away on July 20 at age 88. Aformer star football player at Nutley,he was the husband of Nancy, and thefather of WHS athletes Jeff, Bobby,John and Tricia.

Connie Cosenza passed away onJuly 22 at age 83. She was the wife ofthe late Charles Cosenza, and themother of WHS athletes Chuck,Annemarie and Christine.

Scotty Moore, the guitarist behindthe songs of Elvis Presley, passed awayon June 28 at age 84. He played on“That’s All Right,” “Mystery Train,”“Hound Dog,” “Heartbreak Hotel,”“Blue Suede Shoes,” and “JailhouseRock,” among thousands of others.

Clarence (Choo-Choo) Coleman, aregular catcher on the early New YorkMets teams, passed away on Aug. 15at age 80.

St. John Paul II EliminatesSt. Francis, 10-2, in Playoffs

By ALEX LOWESpecially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

St. John Paul II erupted for six runsin the bottom of the third inning on itsway to eliminating St. Francis, 10-2,in the St. Bart’s Oldtimers SoftballLeague playoff played on August 24at Farley Field in Scotch Plains. Be-hind a pair of RBI singles from JimKilleen and lights out pitching fromJohn Veglia, St. John Paul II handedeighth-seeded St Francis its secondloss of the playoffs thus eliminatingthem and ending their season. St. JohnPaul II, which had defeated St. Vincentbefore losing to second-seeded St.Wolfgang needed the win to keeptheir playoff run going.

St. John Paul II got on the boardfirst with a pair of runs in the firstinning. Peter Costello reached afterSt. Francis third baseman ChrisJohnston booted a ground ball thatcould have been the second out of theinning. Instead, Costello would scorelater on a high bloop single down theleftfield line by Robert Stratton.Killeen then brought Stratton in toscore with an RBI single to center.

The game seemed destined to be apitchers duel between Veglia and higharc hurler Howard Bialos of St. Francis.Bialos kept St. John Paul off the boardin the second inning as his rainbowdeliveries consistently found the strikezone. Unfortunately for St. Francisbatters, Veglia was doing an even bet-ter job at keeping them off balance.Through the first three innings Vegliahad allowed just one hit, while gettingSt. Francis to hit into a key double play

in the top of the second.The St. John Paul II hitters finally

figured out Bialos in the third, reach-ing him for five singles and six runs.Bialos was not helped by his defense,which committed a pair of errors inthe fateful inning. Thomas Ulichnyand Costello led off with singles andStratton walked to load the bases. LouBalestriere ripped an RBI single toleft to make it 3-0. Killeen followedwith his second RBI single. Vegliaand Daniel Schneyder each drove in arun on sacrifice flies.

“Bialos throws a really high arc,”said John Paul’s Costello. “He mayhave the highest arc of anyone in theleague other than Harold Hopler. It canbe tough to time your swing to thatkind of pitch. It really comes down outof the sky. We began to get the timingdown a little bit in that third inning andgot some sold hits against him.”

Meanwhile, Veglia was mowingdown the St. Francis batters with acombination of flat early pitchesmixed in with higher arc pitching asthe game progressed. Through fiveinnings Veglia allowed just two hits.

“Every game I begin by trying tofind the strike zone with some flatterpitches,” said Veglia. “You try to mixit up as the game goes along so theyremain off balance. They have a coupleof very good hitters in their lineup, soany time you can walk away allowingjust two runs you are going to takethat.”

Trailing 9-0, St. Francis finallyscored in the sixth inning, beginningwith back-to-back singles from

Michael Kozlowski and Eric Fisher.Salvatore Gano singled to load thebases with just one out. Bialos deliv-ered an RBI sacrifice fly to left-cen-ter. But hopes for a big inning werecut short when Mike Surbrug linedout to second baseman Balestriere,who reached to his left, probably sav-ing a run.

“I still feel that on my palm,” saidBalestriere later. “It was a shot.”

Ulichny drove in an insurance runin the St. John Paul II half of theinning with an RBI single into leftfield.The hit scored Schneyder, who hadearlier singled.

St. Francis made one last run in theseventh. Ron Labin lashed a bullet tostraightaway center that he leggedinto a double then scored on a sac flyby Ted Florio. But as had been thecase all game, St. Francis could notfigure out Veglia and went down onback-to-back fly balls to end the game.

Veglia went the distance, allowingjust six hits, in recording the victory.St. John Paul II will need to win twomore games to advance to the cham-pionship game.St. Francis 000 001 1 2St. John Paul II 206 101 x 10

ALL-CORBIN TEAMARRIVES SEPT. 8The 19th annual All-Corbin

Team will appear in the Septem-ber 8 issue of The Westfield Leaderand The Scotch Plains-FanwoodTimes. Be Ready!

FSPY Swim Team Places FifthAt Long Course Nationals

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains “Y”swim team set a number of long courseteam and state records at the 2016National Championships in India-napolis, IN. Along with setting newrecords, a number of swimmers setnew personal bests. The team fin-ished fifth overall among 112 teamsimproving from last year’s eighthplace finish and Coach Chris Karelusreceived Coach of the Meet Honors.

Marlise Moesch, Sarah Davis,Darlene Fung and Amanda Banasiakposted a time of 1:46.04 in thewomen’s 200-meter freestyle relay toplace first, while setting a new teamrecord. In the 400-meter medley re-lay, Fung, Moesch, Rachel Maizesand Monika Burzynski swam to a firstplace victory in a time of 4:21:64 andsetting a new team record.

In the 200-medley, Moesch, RachelMaizes, Burzynski and Sara Davis seta time of 1:57:36 finishing second

and setting a state record. Burzunskiearned a state record in the 100-but-terfly with a time of 1:01:74.

Chris Bondarowicz finished sec-ond in the 200-breaststroke with atime of 2:21:90 resulting with a newteam record. Josh Cohen finishedeighth in the 800-free and 14th in the100-free. Kevin Fleck finished 18thin the 1,500-free with a new teamrecord. In the women’s 100-free,Moesch placed fourth with a time of57:43, Davis finished seventh with atime of 58:25.

Congratulations to Matt Auda,Banasiak, Olivia Barcia,Bondarowicz, Burzynski, Eric Chang,Cohen, Davis, Logan D’Amore, ErikaFrazier, Fung, Nick Heath, Fleck,Brian Kenny, Zack Kronheimer, DeeDee Maizes, Rachel Maizes, Moesch,Michael Rash, Macie Schaper, AlanShao and Julie Stankiewicz for theirperformances.



Alex Lowe for The Westfield Leader and The Times

MOVING UP ANOTHER NOTCH...St. John Paul II eliminated St. Francis, 10-2, to step up another rung on the ladder tothe St. Bart’s Oldtimers Men’s Softball League Championship game to be held on Labor Day.

The FSPY swim team placed fifth at the Long Course National Championship


Area stores that carry The Westfield Leader and The Scotch Plains – Fanwood TIMES

King's Supermarket300 South Ave. (Leader)

Shoprite Supermarket563 North Ave. (Leader)

7-11 of Mountainside921 Mountain Ave. (Leader)

Westfield Tobacco & News108 Elm St. (Leader)

Baron's Drug Store243 E. Broad St. (Leader)

Krauszer's727 Central Ave. (Leader)

Westfield Mini Mart301 South Ave., W. (Leader)

7-11 of Westfield1200 South Ave., W. (Leader/Times)

Kwick Mart Food Store190 South Ave. (Times)

Scotch Hills Pharmacy1819 East 2nd St. (Times)

Mountain Deli2385 Mountain Ave. (Times)

Wallis Stationery441 Park Ave. (Leader/Times)

7-11 of Garwood309 North Ave. (Leader)

PITONZO SCORES WINNER ON SEMPLE’S RBI SINGLE

St. Max Nips Wolfgang, 15-14,To Play for St. Bart’s Crown


Opportunities had arisen due tomultiple errors and both teams man-aged to capitalize in a St. Bart’sOldtimers Men’s Softball Leagueplayoff semifinal showdown betweentop-seeded St. Maximilian and sec-ond-seeded St. Wolfgang at BrooksidePark in Scotch Plains on August 24.The winner would immediately bepresented with its ticket to play in theLeague Championship game on La-bor Day, while the loser would be castinto the losers’ bracket to competeonce more for its chance to advance

to the heralded championship game.Aware that it is much better to have

the “bird in the hand” now, each teamamplified their intensity and each teammanaged to grasp the lead a few times.However in the bottom of the seventhinning with the score tied, EdVillaverde lashed a leadoff single toright-center but was thrown out at-tempting to stretch it to a double. RichPitonzo followed with a single to leftthen strutted to second on a walk toFrank Vecchione. Jay Semple steppedto the plate and slashed a single toright to bring Pitonzo gloriously home,earning St. Max a 15-14 victoryand their ticket to appear on thefield on Labor Day.

Each team totaled 20 hits butone of the contributing factors tothe outcome may have been thatSt. Wolfgang pitcher PeteChemidlin yielded six walks,while St. Max pitcher JohnDeitch allowed only two. Bothpitchers did walk a batter withthe bases loaded. Another factorwas a chain of errors that re-sulted in a seesaw shift in thelead during the middle innings.

As far as hitting went, St. Maxman Steve Burton, who scoredonce, sizzled a two-run singleand thumped an RBI triple. PaulBifani went 3-for-4 with an RBIand scored three times. RichMcNanna rapped three singles,scored once and had an RBI.Semple reached base in all fourof his plate appearances, whichincluded a double and a runscored.

Bob Camisa led the Wolfgang witha two-run double, a two-run singleand another single, while scoringtwice. Mike Markowycz singled threetimes, scored twice and had two RBI.Reinaldo Santiago singled twice,scored twice and had a pair of RBI.Chris Paterek, scored once, rapped anRBI triple and singled. Ara Movsesianwhacked an RBI triple and an RBIsingle.

Two errors helped St. Max scoreonce in the bottom of the first. Bifanireached on a force out to second,moved to third on an error and scoredon McNanna’s single to left. St. Max

added three runs in the second. Pitonzoreached on a throwing error, FrankVecchione singled to right and Semplereached on an error as Pitonzo scored.Jason Virgil looped an RBI singleover first and Coady Brown added anRBI groundout.

St. Wolfgang awakened to scorethree in the third. Andrew McClellandscribbled a single past short, BrianWeber ricocheted a single into centerand Markowycz lined a two-run singleto center and scored himself when therelay went awry.

St. Max stretched its lead to 6-3, in

REINHARD, BIRKEL, CARAYANNOPOULOS CAPTAINS

Blue Devil Soccer Boys StressDefense with Jr. Sr. Strength


Experienced junior/senior talentand a very strong focus on defensecould place this year’s Westfield HighSchool boys soccer team directly intothe mix of the upper echelon for con-ference, county and section honors.Although the Blue Devils finishedwith a 9-7-2 record last year, theywere matched with some of the tough-

est teams in the state and still man-aged to allow slightly over one goalper game.

“We are all juniors and seniors [onvarsity]. We have no sophomores orfreshmen this year. We have 15 com-ing back from last year, so that adds alittle bit of bonus for us,” Blue DevilHead Coach Eric Shaw said. “Theyknow what is expected on a day-in-day-out with the conference, Eliza-

beth, Scotch Plains, Union, us and wepicked up Seton Hall Prep, Plainfield,Princeton. Our schedule is packedjust like anybody else in our confer-ence. It’s always good. It’s alwayscompetitive.”

Against those offensive power-houses mentioned, very stubborn de-fensive play can keep the Blue Devilsin contention with any opponent.

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WESTFIELD BLUE DEVIL CAPTAINS...Pictured left to right are seniors Kevin Reinhard, Cullen Birkel and LoukasCarayannopoulos, who have been selected as the Blue Devil boys team captains.


LEAPING FOR THE THROW...St. Wolfgang first baseman Nate Mangiris leaps for the wildthrow as St. Max player Steve Mavrakis ducks for safety in the first inning at Brookside Park.


PLOWING INTO THIRD...St. Max Man Frank Vecchione plows into third base beforeSt. Wolfgang’s Reinaldo Santiago can make the tag in the fourth inning.

the third. Steve Mavrakis lined a singleover third, Bifani chopped a singleover third and Burton wiggled histwo-run single by second. St.Wolfgang responded with three in thefourth to tie it 6-6. Santiago singled,Eric Hastrup reached on a force outand Camisa yanked a two-run doubleto left. Movsesian bounced an RBIsingle past short.

Two more Max men scored in thefourth. Vecchione walked, Sempledropped a double over third, RussVoorhees tapped an RBI single to leftand Virgil beat out an infield RBIsingle towards first.

St. Wolfgang plated sixin the fifth to seize a 12-8lead and only one runwould have scored ifChemidlin’s two-out pop-per would not have beendropped. Hastrup fol-lowed with an RBI singleand Camisa drilled a two-run single. Paterek andMovsesian added RBItriples.

The lead was shortlived as Max replied withfive in the fifth, begin-ning with Bifani’s sharpinfield single andBurton’s long RBI tripleto right-center. McNannaand Villaverde singled toload the bases and Pitonzodrew an RBI walk.Vechione’s RBI force outto short ignited a pair ofthrowing errors and aclearing of the bases.

Trailing 13-12, theWolfmen tallied two inthe sixth. Rich Polhamus(2-for-3) singled to left.Weber’s fly to right wasdropped and Markowyczdribbled a 15-foot single.Anthony Blasi drew anRBI free pass andSantiago lofted an RBI

sac fly to right. In the Max sixthinning, Matt Marino drew a one-outwalk, Mavrakis singled and Bifanihooked an RBI single to knot thescore. After a fly out to right, Deitchwas intentionally walked andMcNanna lined out to left.

A pitcher (Deitch)-to-short(Mavrakis)-to-first (Burton) doubleplay ended Wolfgang’s seventh thenPitonzo and Semple delivered St. Maxto the championship game with theirheroics.St. Wolfgang 003 362 0 14St. Maximilian 132 251 1 15


Blue Devils Stress Defense with Jr. Sr. StrengthCONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Raiders Expecting A++ Performance in SoccerCONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Cougar Gridders Look to Keep Winning WaysCONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Bryson and Anthony Ramirez andjunior Dylan Budnik.

“We’ve got some good players com-ing back but the difference on lastyear’s team were guys like [Lucas]Ramadan, [Mike] Bellrose and Grady.These were guys who stepped up,played and started that hadn’t startedbefore,” Coach Rosenmeier pointedout. “The guys who have the experi-ence are going to have to lead us, notjust in terms of telling us what to dobut in terms of how hard they aregoing to play and how well they aregoing to play.”

As had been in the past, a number ofplayers could be called upon to playoffense and defense.

“Our skill guys tend to go bothways but we try to do our best in theline to platoon. Our goal is the certainskill guys will play a lot of both waysbut our goal up front is to have thatoffensive lineman go one way,” CoachRosenmeier said. “I am trying to getto that point. Right now, we are goingto have a lot of guys going both waysbut I don’t want that to be the situationin the line. In our defense and line-backers, you have to have guys whoneed to run, so in the line, I don’t wantanybody going fulltime both ways.”

The Cougars will go with a three-man line on defense with Espositobeing on nose along side Armstrongand junior John Markase. Senior An-drew Joseph and junior Jack Carrollwill also work in the line.

The linebackers are expected to besenior Patrick Hoey in the middlewith Budnik, senior Chris Curry andBryson.

“I really like Bryson and Budnik.Bryson was a fulltime starter, Budnickplayed a lot as the only sophomore inthe program. We are solid there. PatHoey has been the guy up to this point

in the preseason but that’s a highpriority position, so he’s going to haveto show he deserves to stay there,Coach Rosenmeier emphasized.

The defensive backfield is built onspeed with juniors Josh and JosiahCadet and senior Brian Oblachinskiat the corners, Bakie at safety andstrong safety McGovern on the leftand seniors Josh DeChillo and EricShapiro on the right.

“Our defense is built on speed.Those guys in the secondary have alot of responsibility and Bakie is likeanother linebacker. He has to beequally good on the passes, on therun. We think he’s a special playerback there right in the middle of thedefense. We are going to have to relyon Bakie, ‘Obo’ and McGovern,Armstrong and Espo. Those are theguys. We got five guys back on de-fense, so that’s the more experiencedgroup, so we are going to have to bevery good on defense at the beginningof the year until our offense catchesup,” Coach Rosenmeier said.“McGovern as a strong safety weexpect to be a force on the run but alsoplay in the secondary. With Obo andthe Cadets, speed gives us a littleopportunity to play some Man, putmore pressure on the offense.”

Oblachinski has taken over the reinsat quarterback. Bakie, McGovern andJosh Cadet will be the running backs.Curry, senior James Wozniak and jun-ior Jake Bradford will be on the end.On the line, will be Budnik and Carroll(left tackle), Ramirez and senior OwenMcDermott (left guard), senior TomDiMartino and junior Kevin Easse(center), Esposito and Matt Anstatt(right guard) and Armstorng and se-nior John Weston (right tackle).

“To have McGovern and Bakie backand Ramirez, that’s our only return-ing starters on offense. The expecta-tions offensively are still high. Wehad opportunities last year to get someguys into the game. These guys aren’t

brand new but they have never started.When you have a new quarterbackand linemen, our defense is ahead ofour offense right now,” CoachRosenmeier said.

Last year the Cougars had a verybalanced running/passing game.

“We were very balanced last year.Coach Ciccotelli really wanted to bebalanced and we took that as a lessoncoming into this year,” CoachRosenmeier stressed. “I have beenhappy with the way Brian has beenthrowing the ball in the preseason.Bakie has had as many passing yardsas he had rushing yards. I think he willbe a problem for every defense thatwe face.”

Special teams play was very spe-cial last year with exceptional cover-age and kicking. Oblachinski is ex-pected to work the punting and extrapoints, while sophomore JackMcAleavey will kick off. The Cadetbrothers will return kickoffs and Bakiewill return the punts.

“We consider it one third of thegame and we will put pressure onfrom our kickoffs to our extra pointteam through our Rugby punter. Idon’t want to give the ball away. Iwant to keep it,” Coach Rosenmeieremphasized. “When our special teamsare out there it doesn’t mean we aregoing to turn the ball over. We arelooking for the opportunities outsideor the fake. It’s going to be somethingthat we are going to be ready to do. Ifthe other team is not ready, we aregoing to take advantage. Same thingon extra points. I would rather havetwo points than one.”

The Cougars got a test in their Quadscrimmage against Carteret, NorthBergen and Warren Hills on August26 then they will host Somerville onFriday, September 9, at 7 p.m.

trip. We started fundraising and plan-ning in October and at that time theywere not available,” Coach Breznitskyexplained. “Those four are startersand will take our team to the nextlevel. Without those four guys, I wouldsay that we were a B+. With these fourguys, we go to A++.”

Senior co-captain/goalkeeper SeanMurphy could also figure to be anA++ player. Murray had extensiverange and agility and it paid off whenhe permitted only 16 goals in the 24games for a 0.667 goals per gameaverage. He also recorded 10 shut-outs.

“Sean was All-State, preseason All-American. He’s already committed toMonmouth in the footsteps of BrianMeredith who now plays for San Josein the MLS. Sean has gotten betterand better every year. Six-Four, 185pounds! You got a keeper that size nottoo many people are going to score.

Coupled with the four defenders infront of him it gives us an absolutelya great, great defense.”

The other two captains, centermidfielder Ryan Peterson and PatrickEllman could also be considered to bein that lofty echelon.

“Ryan is definitely a D1 candidate.He will probably couple together withJohn Murphy. We decided to go withPatrick, who has the last two years

been our left back, we are moving himinto a striker/center forward position.At 6-2, 190 lbs, he’s exceptionallystrong and people are going to find itvery difficult to knock him off theball.”

Presently, junior Aaron Shack willbe the backup goalkeeper to Murray.The defensive backs consist ofDeVizio, Andrew Murray, seniorsAndrew Borik and Steve Scarcellaand juniors Jack Brady and Max More.In the midfield will be Murphy, Jr.,seniors Peterson and David Walker,juniors Jon Schwab and BenEssenfield and sophomores Alex andMichael Ferrara. The forwards willbe seniors Ellman, Robert Viglioneand Robert Devine-Gelling andValian. Others may step into the act asthe year progresses.

“Many of the players are inter-changeable, the midfielders and for-wards. One of the things that we have

is the depth. We could very easily beplaying 17-18 guys without drop-ping off very much at all, Those aretwo of the things you look for andhope for during the course of theseason,” Coach Breznitsky said. “Wealso have a great group of seniorleadership.”

The trip the Raiders took to CoastRica has been quite enriching, notonly as an athletic experience, but

also as a life-learning experience.“We go for 10 days, play six games

against youth professional teams, firstdivision teams. We couple it all to-gether with having a little bit of cul-tural aspect of it. One of the highlightswe go to a community center wherekids may only have one parent, finan-cially poor. We spend an hour thereand we bring a variety of differentgifts to give to them,” CoachBreznitsky said. “Every single kidthat we have taken, that’s the high-light of their trip. The benefits aretraining, experience playing againstthat level and the bonding among theplayers they face.”

The Raiders will open at home withPlainfield on Thursday, September 8,at 4 p.m. and will host Westfield onSaturday, September 10, at 3 p.m.Since Coach Breznitsky has 696 winstucked in his belt, game Number 4could be a very historical showdown

when they host Elizabeth on Thurs-day, September 15, at 4 p.m., espe-cially since the Minutemen was theteam that beat the Raiders in the sec-tion semifinals last year.

“They had not beaten us in 15games, so sometimes eventually theodds go against you. If you go by pastyears, Elizabeth and Westfield andUnion a little bit are the top in ourconference,” Coach Breznitsky said.

“That’s the key. In preseason that’swhere our focus has been again. Ithink that if we can keep the goalsout of the back of the net, that givesus a fighting chance every match.Certainly we focus on attacking andkeeping possession but good teamswill defend first and then attack intransition and winning the ball,”Coach Shaw said.

The last line of defense belongs tosenior co-captain Cullen Birkel, whohas performed admirably in the past.Last year the rangy Birkel made 104saves and recorded seven shutouts.The average goals against was 1.05.Birkel was selected All-Union CountyFirst Team (Union County Confer-ence All Coaches — UCCAC) andalso received All SCANJ (SoccerCoaches Association of New Jersey)honors.

“I think there is some pressure ongoalkeepers in the end because theyare on the last line but he thrives onthat. Most goalkeepers do. They liveon that hero/goat type of thing and hewants to be the hero,” Coach Shawsaid. “He understands that that onegoal can make the difference eitherway. It’s a battle mentality for him andhe has been great for us the last coupleof years. Looking forward to it for thisyear as well.”

Senior co-captain Kevin Reinhardwill be controlling the defenders asthe center back. Last year he was amaster of defense but also netted threegoals, was selected All-UC First Team,was the team’s Defender of the Yearand received All-SCANJ recognition.Senior second-term co-captain/midfielder Loukas Cayannopoulos,Mr. Hustle, who has been the playsetter and was quite accurate on cor-ner kicks last year, is expected to dothe same this season.

“Certainly we spent the last coupleof days working on that, working onour shape and organization with

Cullen our leader in the back. FromKevin as a center back and hopefullywhen Loukas when he’s a littlehealthier in the middle of the field.”

Joining Reinhard in the back willbe seniors Charlie Baldwin, SamBennett and Walter Peregrim and jun-iors Mark Walter, Graham Studwelland San Sokolin.

In addition to Carayannopoulos,who is considering playing at MIT,the Blue Devils return a host of expe-rienced midfielders such as seniorsGabe Romaro, Max Kaplan and JoeContreras Aguirre and juniors MikeBirle, Lee Beauchamp, GeorgosAngelides and Tate Kronick.

“We got lot of good guys in themiddle who can play with their feet,obviously starting with Loukas,Georgos Angelides, Birle who hasbeen here since his freshman year,Lee Beauchamp, Gabe Romaro. Wehave Max Kaplan. We expect a lotfrom those guys. We expect them tokeep the ball and keep the pace mov-ing as well as defending but also get-ting it to the attack along with our twostrikers,” Coach Shaw said.

One very noticeable striker, seniorOwen Prybylski, could clear out thebox and set himself up for severalpotential goals. Last year he was se-lected All-UC Second Team andnamed the team’s Offensive Player ofthe Year. Prybylski also received All-SCANJ recognition. Other returningmembers of the “Strike Force” aresenior Owen Ripperger and juniorAlex Fonseca. Another addition issenior Pierre Titti who transferred inlast season.

“We are excited about having himhere,” Commented Coach Shaw.

The Blue Devils must be preparedin a hurry since the regular seasonbegins with three straight away gameswith Seton Hall Prep on Thursday,September 8, at 4 p.m., Scotch Plains-Fanwood on Saturday, September 10,at 3 p.m. and Elizabeth on Tuesday,September 13, at 4 p.m.

“It’s important that we challengeourselves,” Coach Shaw said.

PUBLIC NOTICETOWNSHIP OF SCOTCH PLAINSUNION COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

NOTICE is hereby given that sealed bidswill be received by the Township of ScotchPlains (here-inafter called the “Owner”)for:

PUBLIC LIBRARY HVACREPLACEMENT PROJECT

Sealed bids for the above named Con-tract, which comprises the replacement ofHVAC equipment for the Public Library inScotch Plains, New Jersey, will be re-ceived at the Court Room, First Floor,Town Hall, 430 Park Avenue, Scotch Plains,New Jersey 07076 on September 21, 2016,at 10:00 a.m. prevailing time, at which timethey will be publicly unsealed and thecontents publicly announced.

The work includes the furnishing of alllabor, materials and equipment necessaryto complete the work as shown on theDrawings and as described in the Specifi-cations. The work consists of the removalof the existing air conditioning systemsand the provision and installation of newair conditioning systems including associ-ated architectural, structural and electricalwork, and all else necessary for comple-tion of the project. The work is located atthe Public Library, 1927 Bartle Avenue inthe Township of Scotch Plains. The workshall be completed within 150 calendardays of the Contractor’s receipt of writtenNotice to Proceed.

No bid will be received unless in writingon the forms furnished, and unless accom-panied by bid security in the form of a bidbond, cashier’s check, or a certified checkmade payable to the Township of ScotchPlains in an amount equal to 10% of theamount of the total bid, but not exceeding$20,000.

The bid shall be accompanied by a Cer-tificate of Surety on the form included in theContract Docu-ments, from a surety com-pany licensed to do business in the Stateof New Jersey, which shall represent thatthe surety company will provide the Con-tractor with the required bonds in the sumsrequired in the Contract Documents and ina form satisfactory to the Owner’s Attorneyand in compliance with the requirementsof law.

Bidders must use the prepared bid formwhich is contained in the Contract Docu-ments. Each individual proposal must beseparately enclosed in a sealed envelopeaddressed to the Township Clerk, 430Park Avenue, Scotch Plains, New Jersey07076 marked on the outside with thenumber of the contract(s) and name of theproject being bid on.

No bids will be received after the timeand date specified, and no bids will bereceived by mail. Bids shall be received bycourier service (date and time recorded) or

shall be hand delivered. The Owner shallaward the Contract or reject all bids within60 days of bid opening, except that thebids of any bidders who consent theretomay, at the request of the Owner, be heldfor consideration for such longer period asmay be agreed. A copy of N.J.S.A. 40A:11-23 is included in the Section entitled “LocalPublic Contract Law” of this specification.

The Owner will evaluate bids and anyaward will be made to the lowest, respon-sive, responsible bidder in accordancewith N.J.S.A. 40A:11-6.1. A copy of N.J.S.A40A:11-6.1 is included in Section entitledLocal Public Contract of this specification.The Owner reserves the right to reject anyor all bids and to waive minor informalitiesor irregularities in bids received.

The qualification and reclassification ofbidders will be subject to the statutoryprovisions contained in N.J.S.A. 40A:11-25 to 32 (“Local Public Contract Law”). Acopy of N.J.S.A. 40A:11-25 to 32 is in-cluded in the Section entitled “Local PublicContract Law” of this specification.

All bid security except the security of thethree apparent lowest responsible biddersshall be returned, unless otherwise re-quested by the bidder, within ten (10) daysafter the opening of the bids, Sundays andholidays excepted, and the bids of thebidders whose bid security is returnedshall be considered withdrawn.

Each bidder must submit with his bid asigned certificate stating that he owns,leases or controls all the necessary equip-ment required to accomplish the workshown and described in the Contract Docu-ments. Should the bidder not be the actualowner or leasee of such equipment, hiscertificate shall state the source from whichthe equipment will be obtained and, inaddition, shall be accompanied by a signedcertificate from the owner or person incontrol of the equipment definitely grant-ing to the bidder the control of the equip-ment required during such time as may benecessary for the completion of that por-tion of the Contract for which it is neces-sary. The bidder shall comply with thedocumentation requirements set forth inthe Article of the Information for Bidders,entitled, “Bidder Submissions”.

The successful bidder will be required tosubmit bonds and proof of insurance on orbefore execution of their respective Con-tracts as explained in the Contract Docu-ments.

Bidders are required to comply with allrelevant Federal and State Statutes, Rulesand Regulations including but not limited tothe applicable provisions of Title VI of theCivil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (42USC 2000d2000D4A), the discriminationand affirma-tive action provisions of N.J.S.A.10:21 through 10:24, the New Jersey Lawagainst Discrimination, N.J.S.A. 10:51, etseq., the rules and regulations promulgatedpursuant thereto, the State requirement for

bidders to supply statements of ownership(N.J.S.A. 52:2524.2) and the State require-ment for submission of the names andaddresses of certain subcontractors(N.J.S.A. 40A:1116).

The Contract Documents (Drawings andSpecifications) may be obtained by pro-spective bidders upon a non-refundablepayment of $100.00 for each set of full-sized drawings and specifications at theScotch Plains Engineering Office, 2ndFloor, Town Hall, located at 430 Park Av-enue, Scotch Plains, New Jersey 07076between the hours of 9:00 am and 3:00PM. Contract Documents will be availablebeginning September 1, 2016. Questionsregarding the bid must be made to MichaelLaPilusa via e-mail:[email protected]. All ques-tions must be received on or before Sep-tember 12, 2016 at 4:00 pm.

A Pre-Bid meeting will be held at theScotch Plains Public Library on Septem-ber 9, 2016 at 10:00am.

If the Contract is awarded, no refundswill be given. If for any reason the Contractis not awarded, refunds will be made tobidders pursuant to N.J.S.A. 40A:1124(b)when the Contract Documents are returnedin reasonable condition within 90 days ofnotice that the Contract has not beenawarded.

Pursuant to N.J.S.A. 10:531 et seq.,bidders are required to comply with therequirements of P.L. 1975 c. 127, NJAC17:27.

Each Bidder must submit with his bid an“Ownership Disclosure Statement” and“Non-Collusion Affidavit” on the forms in-cluded in the Contract Documents.

Bidders and their subcontractors of anytier must comply with all applicable provi-sions of the Public Works Contractor Reg-istration Act, P.L. 1999, c. 238 (N.J.S.A.34:11-56.48) and the New Jersey Prevail-ing Wage Act (N.J.S.A. 34:11-56.25).

Pursuant to P.L. 2004, c.57 (N.J.S.A.52:32-44) effective September 1, 2004, allbusiness organizations that conduct busi-ness with a New Jersey governmentagency are required to be registered withthe State of New Jersey. Bidders and theirsubcontractors must submit proof that atthe time of the Bid they are registered withthe New Jersey Department of Treasury,Division of Revenue by submitting a copyof their Business Registration Certificateprior to Contract award.

It is the purpose of this Notice to Biddersto summarize some of the more importantprovisions of the Contract Documents.Prospective bidders are cautioned not torely solely on this summary, but to read theContract Documents in their entirety.

By Order of the Township of ScotchPlains

BOZENA LACINATownship Clerk

1 T - 9/1/16, The Times Fee: $167.79

PUBLIC NOTICEPUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICETOWNSHIP OF CRANFORD

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL

PERSON TO PERSON TRANSFER

TAKE NOTICE that an application hasbeen made to the Township of Cranford, 8Springfield Avenue, Cranford, New Jersey07016, for a Person-to-Person transfer toFDCH LLC, trading as Cranford Hotel Inc.,1 South Union Avenue a/k/a 2 WalnutAvenue, Cranford, New Jersey 07016 ofthe Plenary Retail Consumption License #2003-33-006-004 heretofore issued toCranford Hotel Inc., 1 South Union Avenuea/k/a 2 Walnut Avenue, Cranford, NewJersey 07016.

The person(s) who will hold an interest inthis license are:

Frank DiTullio, III, 117 Chatham Lane,Point Pleasant, New Jersey 08742 and

David Carracino, 46 Wadsworth Ter-race, Cranford, New Jersey 07016.

Objections, if any, should be made inwriting to Tara Rowley, Municipal Clerk,Township of Cranford, 8 Springfield Av-enue, Cranford, New Jersey 07016.

FDCH LLCP.O. Box 865

Cranford, New Jersey 070162 T - 08/25 &09/01/16, The Leader Fee: $53.04

PUBLIC NOTICETOWN OF WESTFIELD

INVITATION TO BID

Sealed proposals will be received by theTown of Westfield in the Council Cham-bers at the Municipal Building, 425 EastBroad Street, Westfield, New Jersey, at10:00 AM prevailing time on Wednesday,September 21, 2016, for the “2016 IM-PROVEMENT OF FIRST STREET IN THETOWN OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY”.

The work under this Proposal includesthe furnishing of all labor, materials andequipment necessary to complete the workas shown on the Contract Drawings anddescribed in the Contract Specifications,and Proposals shall be in accordance withsuch Drawings and Specifications and theterms proposed in the Contract. The majoritems of work under this contract include,but are not limited to, the following in esti-mated quantities:

400 tons of 2 inch thick Hot Mix AsphaltSurface Course

3,200 square yards of Milling, Variablethickness

1,350 square feet of Concrete Walk, 4inches Thick

1,200 square feet of Concrete Walk, 6inches Thick

1,000 linear feet of Granite Block CurbAll bidders must submit with their

bid a copy of their New Jersey Busi-ness Registration Certificate. Failureto submit proof of registration will dis-qualify the bid.

Proposals shall be in writing on the formsfurnished and must be delivered at theplace and before the hour above men-tioned, and must be accompanied by acertified check or bid bond payable to theTown of Westfield in an amount equal to atleast ten percent (10%) of the base amountof the bid, but not less than $500.00 normore than $20,000.00. (N.J.S.A. 40A:11-21) Each bid must also be accompaniedby a Surety Company Certificate statingthat said Surety company will provide thebidder with the required Performance bondin the full amount of the Contract (N.J.S.A.40A:11-22), by a Non-Collusion Affidavitand a Contractor’s Qualification Statement,Statement of Ownership, on the formsincluded in and explained in the contractdocuments.

Bidders are required to comply with therequirements of N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq.and N.J.A.C. 17:27 and must pay work-men the prevailing wage rates promul-gated by the New Jersey State Depart-ment of Labor and Industry for this project,copies of which are on file in the Office ofthe Town Engineer.

Plans and specifications may be seen orobtained at the office of the Town Engi-neer, Public Works Center, 959 North Av-enue West, Westfield, New Jersey. TheMayor and Council reserve the right toreject any bid, and to waive any informalityin any bid, if in the interest of the Town, it isdeemed advisable to do so.

Kris J. McAloonTown Engineer

1 T - 9/1/16, The Leader Fee: $60.69




THREE RAMBLERS ON A COUGAR...Three Carteret Ramblers pile on a Cougar receiver as he goes out of bounds in aQuad scrimmage between Carteret, North Bergen and Warren Hills at Memorial Field in Cranford on August 26.


RAIDER TEAM CAPTAINS...Pictured left to right, Patrick Ellman, Sean Murray and Ryan Peterson have been selectedas team captains. The Raider boys are expecting to have another banner season.

Probitas Verus Honos


PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICE PUBLIC NOTICETOWNSHIP OF CRANFORD NOTICE OF LIEN SALE OF PROPERTY

FOR NON-PAYMENT OF TAXES, ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER MUNICIPAL CHARGES

Public notice is hereby given that I, Catherine Hendrickson, Collector of Taxes of the Township of Cranford, County of Union, Stateof New Jersey will sell at public auction on TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016, in the Mayor and Council chambers at the TownshipMunicipal Building, 8 Springfield Avenue, Cranford, New Jersey, at 10:00 o’clock in the morning, or at such later time and place to whichsaid sale may then be adjourned, all of the several lots and parcels of land assessed to the respective persons whose names are setopposite each respective parcel as the owner thereof for the total amount of municipal liens chargeable against said lands respectively,in accordance with N.J.S.A. 54:5-1 et seq. as computed to the 20th day of September 2016.

Take further notice that the hereinafter described lands will be sold for the amount of municipal liens chargeable against each parcelof said land assessed as one parcel, together with interest and costs of sale exclusive, however, of the lien for taxes for the year 2015.Said lands will be sold at the lowest rate of interest bid, not to exceed 18%. Payment for said parcels shall be made prior to the conclusionof the sale in the form of cash, certified check or money order or other method previously approved by the Tax Collector or the propertywill be resold. Properties for which there are no other purchasers shall be struck off and sold to the Township of Cranford at an interestrate of 18%.

At any time before the sale I will accept payment of the amount due on any property with interest and costs. Payments must be in theform of cash, certified check or money order.

Industrial properties may be subject to the Spill Compensation and Control Act (N.J.S.A.58:10-23, 11 et seq.), the Water PollutionControl Act, (N.J.S.A.58:10A-1 et seq.) and the Industrial Site Recovery Act (N.J.S.A.13:1K-6 et seq.) In addition, the municipality isprecluded from issuing a tax sale certificate to any perspective purchaser who is or may be in any way connected to the prior ownerof operator of the site.

In the event that the owner of the property is on Active Duty in the Military Service, the Tax Collector should be notified immediately.The lands to be sold are described in accordance with the last tax duplicate as follows:

BLOCK LOT QUALIFIER OWNER NAME PROPERTY LOCATION AMOUNT TYPE 109 12 BARREIRO: FERNANDO & MARIA D 96 KENILWORTH BLVD 299.82 S 118 19 NEWMARK: JEFFREY & JUDY 2 AMHERST RD 8,361.26 TS 123 5 GAROFOLA: LISA SCHWARTZ 38 HARVARD RD 7,516.68 T 125 16 FIORE: JOHN & CAREN 12 BROWN TERR 139.00 S 126 17 HOEFLING, KENNETH & CARMELA 33 BROWN TERR 220.32 S 130 40 MORIN: ROBERTA 110 MAKATOM DR 17,340.25 TS 138 41 GARBER: AUDREY LYNNE 3 MIDDLEBURY LN 13,848.16 TS 143 10 DEGENHARDT: FREDERICK III & LISA 472 BROOKSIDE PL 8,965.61 T 145 22 MC NEIL: GENE P & LOREAL T 20 INDIAN SPRING RD 251.01 S 147 7 BROOMELL: JOHN L JR 9 ARNET PL 169.12 S 151 24 DOBBINS: LEAH 803 SPRINGFIELD AVE 12,888.49 T 164 3 DI GIOVINE: GREGORY A & JANICE M 509 SPRINGFIELD AVE 191.90 S 198 1 REBIMBAS: ROBERT & DIANE 112 PARK DR 166.16 S 203 4 HARRIAT-GRANT, ELAINE 614 RIVERSIDE DR 20,011.45 TS 203 21 FIORE: ANDREW, TANIA 87 GLENWOOD RD 222.86 S 205 6 MILLER, CAROL J 22 BROOKDALE RD 272.52 S 215 1 CONTRERAS,CARLOS & MARTINEZ,GISELA 510 RIVERSIDE DR 200.78 S 217 10 DONNELLY: EDWIN I JR & LORI ANN 11 NORMANDIE PL 285.17 S 218 8 FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOC 525 CLAREMONT PL 149.04 S 219 15 BUTTELL, MARGARET A 30 HENLEY AVE 127.21 S 226 15 BELLANTE: ROBERT & KATHERINE A 105 ORANGE AVE 213.71 S 241 20 TANSEY, LINDA J 181 LOCUST DR 187.29 S 243 2 MALONE, PATRICK MANOLAY 201 OAK LN 87.91 S 243 8 ZAKRZEWSKI: EDWARD & LINDA 215 OAK LN 11,007.99 TS 262 5 -C0A5 - - VENNETTILLI: ADAM & EILEEN 30 SPRINGFIELD AVE - C0A5 250.04 S 265 2 -C083B- - BAILEY: VINCENT 217 PROSPECT AV APT 8-3B 173.62 S 266 1.03 -C0209- - WALLDEN, EMILY 8 RIVERSIDE DR - UNIT 209 190.95 S 267 3 RYDER: FRANCES ESTATE 208 ORANGE AVE 234.71 T 274 12 CARDONA, RICCARDO 22 PARKER AVE 169.12 S 285 3 MARMAROU, ALKMINI 110 GARDEN ST 9,511.41 TS 291 4 MAC NAMARA: JOHN & JANET 1000 ORANGE AVE 155.94 S 294 18 NEUHAUS: ROBERT K & BONNIE 100 BIRCHWOOD AVE 8,634.33 T 320 9 WOLFE: JAMES & SHIRLEY 16 ELIZABETH AVE 220.98 S 334 7.02 FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOC 30 CARPENTER PL 169.12 S 402 5 WELLS FARGO BANK N A TR 4A BURNSIDE AVE 106.91 S 402 11.01 HURLEY: EDWARD & BARBARA 12 BURNSIDE AVE 123.53 S 406 11 DURKIN: MICHAEL 107 BESLER AVE 467.02 S 407 21 JOBACK: JEFFREY 119 ROOSEVELT AVE 408.67 S 409 2 SMITH, MICHAEL T, LISA M, ET ALLS 205 BURNSIDE AVE 379.01 S 412 11 BROGAN: THOMAS & DEBORAH 128 HILLCREST AVE 73.77 S 418 22 STUNE: HARRY 42 HILLCREST AVE 2,326.71 T 419 3 DAVITT, MICHAEL J & TIFFANY M 45 HILLCREST AVE 5,016.30 T 419 13 REILLY: KEVIN & FINKELSTEIN: MARLA 202 UNION AVE S 114.97 S 420 9 MENDEZ: JOEL 88 BENJAMIN ST 227.90 S 434 18 BURKE: JAMES T & KELLY R 335 UNION AVE S 1,717.47 T 437 4 ESKA: DOROTHY J, LAURIE A 35 ROGER AVE 1,304.49 TS 445 26 GRASZ: CHRISTOPHER PAUL ESTATE 14 CONNECTICUT ST 16,705.10 TSO 473 10 MEIER: WILLIAM E 25 SOUTH AVE W 15,963.51 TS 491 23 CAETANO: HELDER & SUSANA/VICENTE: J 367 WALNUT AVE 230.83 S 493 10 ROBINSON: CORY & JEAN 44 HAWTHORN ST 264.95 S 498 8 HOLIAN: MARGARET MARY 314 HIGH ST 9,785.31 TS 501 4 TERRY: DANIEL C & KELLY A 114 PINE ST 131.20 S 505 2 CRANFORD PARK REALTY LLC 600 LINCOLN PARK E 157,281.09 TS 505.02 1 -C0402- - RICE: ALYSON W 402 LINCOLN PARK E 169.40 S 509 1 CAMERON: FRANCIS 1 THOMAS ST 183.99 S 515 4 HARDER: JAMES 18 BURCHFIELD AVE 166.16 S 518 6 BARRERA: GEIMAN & SANDRA 7 LAWN TERR 113.75 S 518 10 PEARL, ILENE 403 ELM ST 136.96 S 519 13 BURCHER: MICHAEL & ROBYN 10 BROAD ST 217.01 S 528 20 VETTER: RAYMOND M / ARCURI: PAULA 127 SEVERIN CT 7,766.10 TS 533 18.01 NORTHLIGHT REALTY INVESTMENT GROUP 21 QUINE ST 13,250.86 T 542 16 VANDERMEIREN: JEFFREY & PATRICIA 1 BEHNERT PL 201.74 S 547 7 MONTES: DAVID JEFFERSON & REBECCA 45 MENDELL AVE 2,626.52 T 571 5 MATLOSZ: PAWEL 214 DIETZ ST 232.30 S 572 13 TORRES, ALINA 602 HORY ST 276.31 S 580 19 HARRIS: EDWARD J & DONNA K 9 OMAHA DR 303.49 S 581 13 WOFSY: GREGORY & JUDI 5 OSAGE DR 190.59 S 598 27 WYATT: ISOBEL 388 CENTENNIAL AVE 202.03 S 599 1 WISEMAN: STEVE & DOLORES 501 CENTENNIAL AVE 222.86 S 599 10 DANIELS: MICHELE L & SHIRLEY A 11 BUCHANAN ST 178.84 S 601 2.02 KHOCHAFIAN, ALEX 15 BUCHANAN ST 168.00 S 602 23 MC GILL: EVELYN C 3 MC CLELLAN ST 688.45 S 603 3 WARD: BENJAMIN & BESSIE 18 BUCHANAN ST 91.36 S 610 2 STAPINSKI: STANLEY J & DOLORES 3 YARMOUTH RD 288.13 S 611 6 CALAVANO: JOSEPH & NINA 8 CAYUGA RD 4,508.28 TS 612 11 LO GIUDICE: STEPHEN C & LAURA 1 SAMOSET RD 32.96 S 640 9 BARA: FREDERICK & MARY ANN JACKSON DR REAR 276.74 T

T-Property Taxes W-Water S-Sewer E-Electric O-Other A-Sp Assmnt 1-Misc 2-Board Up 3-Demolition

Catherine Hendrickson, Collector of Taxes4 T - 08/25, 09/01, 09/08 & 09/15/16, The Leader Fee: $1028.16

CLASSIFIEDS

PONTERIO, LEAHY TO LEAD RAIDERS

Raiders Have Big ShoesTo Fill in Girls Volleyball

Alex Lowe for The Westfield Leader and The Times

RAIDER V-BALL SENIORS...Pictured, left to right, are: Stephanie Poterio (8),Callen Leahy (1), Kelsey Werkheiser (5), Abby Sadel (4) and Kendall Calefati (3).

By ALEX LOWESpecially Written for The Westfield Leader and The Times

Adrienne Stack returns for her 12thseason at the helm of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood girls volleyball team. Afterascending to the semifinals of theUnion County Tournament last sea-son, Stack knows that expectationsare high. Having lost five seniors,including standout performersCaroline Yessman and FallonGoldberg from last season’s 13-9 statequalifier, the 2016 Raider team willnot only have big shoes to fill butmany ghosts to vanquish.

“We have a lot of work that has tobe done,” said Stack. “There are bigshoes to fill and we need to be moreconsistent. I think some of the girlsare afraid of the ghosts from last yearat this point. We need for them to findtheir way and realize that this is theirteam now.”

Some of those concerns were ondisplay as the Raiders hosted a highlytalented Bridgewater-Raritan team ina scrimmage held on August 25 in theScotch Plains gym. The Raidersstruggled to keep pace with the power-ful Panthers, dropping three consecu-tive sets (19-25, 10-25, 15-25) whilefailing to communicate on the court.

“We struggled with our passing to-day,” said Stack. “You can’t score ifyou have trouble passing, especiallyagainst a team like this one. We’ve gotto do a better job with that.”

The Raiders return five seniors tothis year’s roster led by setterStephanie Ponterio and outside hitterCallen Leahy. As a junior, Ponterio

earned Second Team All-County hon-ors and led the team with 300 assists.Ponterio also had 45 aces and 176service points.

Leahy chalked up 83 kills last yearand will be counted on for more of thesame this season.

“Callen Leahy is a great leader forus on the court,” said Stack. “As withmany of our girls, we need her to beconsistent.”

Abby Sadel and Kendall Calefatiare the other seniors slated to see ac-tion at the outside hitter spots. KelseyWerkheiser is another senior who willfactor in on the opposite side.

Junior Hannah Finan will likelyhandle the middle hitter position.Stack knows that Finan needs to be abig factor in the middle if the Raidersare to compete with the heavy hittersin the county. As a sophomore, Finanshowed that she was on the verge ofbecoming just that. Finan tallied 76service points, 44 kills and 24 blockslast year and until the scrimmageagainst Bridgewater-Raritan, sheseemed to have picked up where sheleft off.

“Hannah was on fire in a tri-squadscrimmage we had yesterday againstBelleville and Harrison,” said Stack.“We need for her to be a force on thecourt.”

Junior Caraid McGovern (23 Kills)and sophomore Maggie Leahy arealso in the mix at middle hitter. JuniorRachel Breit sets up at the importantLibero position where she will gener-ally receive the serve or dig the at-tack. Breit contributed 124 servicepoints and 24 aces last season.

Juniors Jordann DeVore, IsabellaHurtado and Sabrina Ramos will ro-tate in as needed. DeVore is an oppo-site hitter. Hurtado fills the role ofdefensive specialist and Ramos pro-vides another outside hitter option.

Last season Scotch Plains-Fanwooddefeated Johnson and Linden beforelosing to Union Catholic in the semifi-nals of the Union County Tournament.The Raiders will get the 2016 seasonstarted at Johnson on September 8.

Union County Senior 50+Softball Playoff Results:

Contact Lens & Vision 5, CranfordVFW 4

Terrific pitching and defense fromboth teams held down the scoringuntil the bottom of the 7th when CLVplated two runs for the come frombehind victory in Game 1. Contact’sPeter Byer led the way with two hits,Neil Kaufman tripled in the first andmoved up the runners in the seventhbefore Ken Zierler tied the game witha clutch single and Kerry Gelb won itwith a line drive base hit.

The Lensmen turned three doubleplays by Zierler and Timmy Walsh insupport of pitcher Howard Bialos.For The VFW, Jerry Gaeta, DavePringle, Bob Ghiretti and DaveDrechsel all were 2-for-3.Deegan Roofing 5, Linwood Inn 4

Solid defense by both teams keptGame 1 a low scoring affair. Offen-sively for The Roofers were RickyMcMahon (3-for-3, 2B), John Garced(2 hits) and Scott Mugele (double, 2walks, 3 RBI), supporting winningpitcher Doug Fischer. For the Tap

House, who turned three double plays,Mike DiRienzo and Joe Lynch had apair of hits, Joe Sarica blasted a homerun and Jeff Villani had two RBI.Riverside Inn 10, AJ Jersey 3

Tom Wolansky led the Riversideattack with a booming first-inningtriple in Game 1. Joe Hrubash, MarioFastiggi and Anthony Abbaleo eachcontributed two hits apiece for TheBarmen. Shortstop John McClungprovided stellar defense. For AJ,David Ciarrocca had three hits.Deegan Roofing 19, Linwood Inn 2

Deegan pitcher Pete Appolito scat-tered a handful of hits behind somesolid defense and a 26-hit offensiveattack. Scott Mugele (4-for-4, 2B, 3B, 6RBI), James Knobby Nardello (4-for-4, 2 2B, 3B, 4 RBI), and Farlan Alusik(4-for-4, 2B, 3 RBI) led the Roofers.Kevin Spellman had three hits and MartyMarks added a home run. For the TapHouse, Steve Lerner and MacKowaleski had a pair of hits each.

Deegan Roofing wins the series 2-0 completing a perfect 27-0 season,and winning their third consecutiveUCSSL 50+ A Division champion-ship.Contact Lens and Vision 12,Cranford VFW 7

CLV tallied six runs in the openingframe on eight consecutive hits. PeterByer, Neil Kaufman, Kerry Gelb, TimWalsh, Eddie Quinn, Chad Swensen,Joe DeRosa, Jeff Balish, BobbyBeiner, Howard Bialos, AnthonyMiccio and Dave Rothenberg all madesignificant contributions to theLensmen offense. Dave Drechsel was3-for-3 for VFW, while Bob Ghiretti,Nick Pace and Phil McGovern hadtwo hits each.

Contact Lens and Vision wins the50+ B Division playoff title, 2-0.AJ Jersey 11, Riverside Inn 6

With a two-run lead going into thefinal inning, Dave Tibbals and MikeRosenberg singled to drive in a com-bined three runs, securing the win forAJ in Game 2. Ken Shea, JeffHoffman, Howard Greco and JeffArkin had two hits apiece, whileChuck Serafin had a clutch two-runhit in the fifth, all in support of win-ning pitcher Leo White, who domi-nated on the mound and contributedtwo hits. Riversider Dennis Maluchnikhad two singles and a double.Riverside Inn 19, AJ Jersey 5

In the final game of the 2016 UCSSLseason, Game 3 of the 50+ C Divisionchampionship, Riverside pounded out25 hits, which led them to a decisive19-5 win over AJ Jersey. It isRiverside’s first playoff championshipin 10 years. Riverside finished with arecord of 19-10, easily the most winsin the 15-year history of the team.

Mario Fastiggi pitched another out-standing game. Tom Wolansky ledthe team with six RBI on three hits.Steve Falco also had three hits. James

Massarelli, Pete Osborn, Bill Moore,Anthony Abbaleo, Mario Fastiggi,Paul Newton, John McClung and JoeHrubash had multiple hits. DaveTibbals had two hits, including a triple,and 2 RBI in a losing cause.

Courtesy of UC Senior League officer Rich Grossberg

C DIVISION 50+ CHAMPS...The Riverside Inn was first in the 50+ C Divisionduring the regular season as well as playoff champions. Pictured, left to right, are:kneeling; Joe Hrubash, Tom Wolansky, John McClung, Dennis Maluchnik andMike Garcia; standing, Rich Conklin, Pete Osborn, Rich Polonitza, Paul Newton,Tom Murray, Mark Merriman, Mario Fastiggi, James Massarelli and SteveFalco. Missing from photo: Anthony Abbaleo, Bill Moore and Eddie Malko.


BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

The Board of Adjustment of the Townof Westfield, New Jersey will meet onSeptember 12, 2016 in the Council Cham-bers at the Municipal Building, 425 EastBroad Street, Westfield, New Jersey at7:30 p.m. to hear and consider the follow-ing appeals for bulk (c) and/or (d) variancerelief from requirements of the WestfieldLand Use Ordinance.

Pierre-Alain Sur, 565 First Street.Applicant is seeking approval to constructa detached garage contrary to sections12.04F1, 12.04F3 and 13.01B of the LandUse Ordinance. Ordinance allows a maxi-mum building coverage of 20%. Proposedis 26%. Ordinance allows a maximum build-ing coverage with a front porch of 24%.Proposed is 29.6%. Ordinance requires aminimum distance of an accessory struc-ture from the principal structure of 14 feet11 inches. Proposed is 5.12 feet.

Andrew Calcagno, (Flat Iron Realty,LLC.), 44 Elm Street. Applicant is seek-ing approval for preliminary and final majorsite plan approval with d variance relief toconvert an existing retail use to a mixeduse with retail on the first floor, residentialon the 2nd and 3rd floor, and a roof terrace/deck contrary to sections 11.25E4 and11.25A8 of the Land Use Ordinance. Ordi-nance allows a maximum building heightof 40 feet. Proposed is 44.25 feet. Ordi-nance limits residential use to the 2nd or3rd floor of a building. Proposed is a roofterrace/deck.

James Todd Mitchell, 617 LawrenceAvenue. Applicant is seeking approval toconstruct a second story addition contraryto section 11.08E5 of the Land Use Ordi-nance. Ordinance requires a minimumstreet side yard setback of 20 feet. Pro-posed is 15.7 feet.

WGW1, LLC., 318 Marlboro Street.Applicant is seeking approval to constructa new home with an attached single car-garage contrary to sections 11.09E5 and11.09E6. Ordinance requires a minimumstreet side yard setback of 20 feet. Pro-posed is 13.02 feet. Ordinance requires a

minimum side yard setback of 10 feet.Proposed is 5 feet.

Joshua & Joanna Schlitzer, 435Sandford Avenue. Applicants are seek-ing approval to construct an addition con-trary to section 12.04F1 of the Land UseOrdinance. Ordinance allows a maximumbuilding coverage of 20%. Proposed is20.75%.

Caryn Panarese, 650 Willow GroveRoad. Applicant is seeking approval toremove the existing glass enclosed porch,and construct a finished porch additioncontrary to section 11.07E5 (per section12.03D) of the Land Use Ordinance. Ordi-nance requires a front yard setback of 34feet (EFYD). Proposed is 27 feet.

Anthony Tomasello, 529 DownerStreet. Applicant is seeking approval toconstruct an addition and a detached ga-rage contrary to sections 12.04F1 and11.12E6 of the Land Use Ordinance. Ordi-nance allows a maximum building cover-age of 20%. Proposed is 22.6 %. Ordi-nance requires a minimum side yard set-back of 10 feet. Proposed is 9.32 feet.

Anthony & Lara DeVita, 945 Cleve-land Avenue. Applicants are seeking ap-proval to construct a 2nd floor addition anda 2 1/2 story addition contrary to sections11.09E5, 11.09E7, 12.04F1, and 11.09E12of the Land Use Ordinance. Ordinancerequires a minimum street side yard set-back of 20 feet. Proposed is 12.45 feet.Ordinance requires a minimum rear yardsetback of 35 feet. Proposed is 27.65 feet.Ordinance allows a maximum buildingcoverage of 20%. Proposed is 22.4%. Or-dinance permits a maximum eave heightof 22 feet. Proposed is 28.5 feet.

Variances, waivers or exceptions fromcertain site plan details or relief from re-quirements may be sought as appropriate.Plans and application are on file in theoffice of the Town Engineer, 959 NorthAvenue West, Westfield, New Jersey andmay be seen Monday through Friday from8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Linda JacusBoard Secretary

1 T - 9/1/16, The Leader Fee: $87.21

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICESUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY

CHANCERY DIVISIONUNION COUNTY

DOCKET NO. F-004924-16FILE NO. 21304-16

NOTICE TO ABSENT DEFENDANT

(L.S.) STATE OF NEW JERSEY TO:AHMAD HUSSAIN; MRS.AHMAD HUSSAIN, WIFE OFAHMAD HUSSAIN;

YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED ANDREQUIRED to serve upon PELLEGRINOAND FELDSTEIN, LLC, plaintiff’s attor-neys, whose address is 290 Route 46West, Denville, New Jersey, an Answer tothe Complaint filed in a Civil Action, inwhich PRO CAP III, LLC BY ITS CUSTO-DIAN US BANK is the plaintiff and AHMADHUSSAIN, ET ALS; are defendants, pend-ing in the Superior Court of New Jersey,Chancery Division, UNION County andbearing Docket No. F-004924-16 withinthirty-five (35) days after September 1,2016 exclusive of such date. If you fail toanswer or appear in accordance with Rule4:4-6, Judgment by Default may be ren-dered against you for relief demanded inthe Complaint. You shall file your Answerand Proof of Service in duplicate with theClerk of the Superior Court of New Jersey,Hughes Justice Complex - CN 971, Tren-ton, New Jersey 08625, in accordancewith the Rules of Civil Practice and Proce-dure.

You are further advised that if you areunable to obtain an attorney you may com-municate with the Lawyer Referral Serviceof the County of Venue and that if youcannot afford an attorney, you may com-municate with the Legal Services Office ofthe County of Venue. The telephone num-ber of such agencies are as follows: Law-yer Referral Service 908-353-4715 - LegalServices Office 908-354-4340.

THE ACTION has been instituted for thepurpose of foreclosing the following taxsale certificate:

1. A certain tax certificate 13-00022,sold on 10/17/2013, dated 10/18/2013,and was recorded on 12/27/2013 in Book13711 at Page 376, made by TERRIMALANDA, Collector of Taxes of UNION,and State of New Jersey to PRO CAP III,LLC BY ITS CUSTODIAN US BANK andsubsequently assigned to plaintiff, PROCAP III, LLC BY ITS CUSTODIAN USBANK. This covers real estate located inUNION, County of UNION, and State ofNew Jersey, known as LOT 16 BLOCK2202 as shown on the Tax AssessmentMap and Tax Map duplicate of UNION andconcerns premises commonly known as1502 OAKLAND AVENUE, UNION, NewJersey.

YOU, AHMAD HUSSAIN, are made partydefendant to the above foreclosure actionbecause you are the owner of a propertywhich is the subject of the above entitledaction.

YOU, MRS. AHMAD HUSSAIN, WIFEOF AHMAD HUSSAIN, are made partydefendant to the above foreclosure actionbecause plaintiff has been unable to deter-mine whether defendant AHMADHUSSAIN is married, and if married, thename of AHMAD HUSSAIN’s spouse. IfAHMAD HUSSAIN is married, the plaintiffjoins MRS. AHMAD HUSSAIN, WIFE OFAHMAD HUSSAIN as a defendant for anypossessory or marital rights you may have.DATED: August 25, 2016

Michelle M. Smith, ClerkSuperior Court of New Jersey

PELLEGRINO & FELDSTEIN, L.L.C.Denville Law Center290 Route 46 WestDenville, New Jersey 07834(973) 586-23001 T - 9/1/16, The Leader Fee: $73.95

PUBLIC NOTICESCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD

BOARD OF EDUCATIONNOTICE OF MEETINGS

(In Compliance with Open PublicMeetings Act – Chapter 231)

*Addendum toRegularly Scheduled Meetings*

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board ofEducation will meet on Saturday, Septem-ber 10, 2016 at 8:30 a.m. to noon for aspecial meeting for Board Self-Evaluation.Meeting will take place in the Administra-tion Building, Evergreen Avenue & CedarStreet, Scotch Plains.

No action will be taken.

1 T - 9/1/16, The Times Fee: $15.30

HOME HEALTH AIDE

Certified Aide seeks position tocare for sick or elderly during thenight or days. Good References.(973) 763-1438 or (201) 407-1903

GARAGE SALE

Lots of great condition, qualityitems: PB Side table(s), PBlamp(s), shades of light rug(s), PBbaskets, fabric bins, pictures, Hal-loween costumes, kids section,seasonal items and much more!

Saturday, September 3rd9 am - 1 pm

543 Parkview Ave, Westfield

FREELANCERS WANTEDStrong, detail-oriented writerswith professional demeanorneeded to cover localgovernment meetings. Must beable to meet deadlines, knowhow to write a lead, and takean active interest in their beatsin order to develop newsstories. Please emailresume and clips to:

[email protected]

ASIAN ANTIQUES WANTED

All Other Antiques Welcome.High Prices Paid for Asian AntiquesNorth Plainfield Antique Gallery1006 RT22 E. North Plainfield, NJAsk for Joseph (973) 641-8053

FITNESS EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

Body By Jake FIRMFLEX TotalBody Trainer. Complete WorkoutExercise Machine. SpaceSaving Design, Padded Bench,Adjustable Height & Resistance.Perfect For Home or Dorm!Excellent Condition. $75.

Call (908) 654-6091

TOWNHOUSE FOR RENT

WESTFIELD - CowperthwaiteSquare RenovatedTownhouse: 55& older. Living room, dining room,new kitchen/ granite, stainlessappliances, family room/ fireplace,2 Bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths. 1 new, 2updated, full basement, garage.AC, hardwood floors - 1st floor.Laundry room - 2nd floor. $3,200per month. Available 9/15 or 10/1.Email: [email protected]

or call (908) 233-2520

CRANFORD OFFICE TO SHARE

Seeking Professional toShare Cranford Office

Furnished private office,Conference Room, Break Room,Access to copier and fax, Ampleoff street parking, Walkingdistance to downtown Cranford.$950 a month including utilities.

Email: [email protected]

Are you tired? Let me help you!Experience & Excellent Work

Residential, Apartments,Commercial, Offices

Free Estimates 100% GuaranteedReferences Available

(908) 510-2542

DEYCI’S CLEANING SERVICES




HISTORIC PRESERVATIONCOMMISSION

Public Notice for Kay Abesamis &Frederik Westerling, 522 Elm Street, Block1104, Lot 4, Westfield, New Jersey 07090.Applicants are seeking approval from theWestfield Historic Preservation Commis-sion for a one story addition to the kitchenand removal of an existing deck. Otheritems included are replacement of the ex-isting windows and rebuilding the existingfront porch to match the original.

All zoning requirements will be met. Ar-chitectural drawings are available at theWestfield Administrator’s office at 425 EastBroad Street, Westfield, New Jersey.

The hearing will be on Sep 26, 2016,7:30pm at 425 East Broad Street, Westfield,New Jersey 07090.

Kay Abesamis & Frederik Westerling522 Elm Street

Westfield, New Jersey 070901 T - 9/1/16, the Leader Fee: $21.42


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A FRACTION OF THE COST OF TRADITIONAL DIVORCE

Students Earn Degrees fromThe University of Vermont

SCOTCH PLAINS-FANWOOD –Scotch Plains-Fanwood PublicSchools will welcome back approxi-mately 5,500 students to a full day ofschool on Tuesday, September 6. Thefaculty and staff are particularly ex-cited that the first class of full-daykindergarten students will be joiningus. Finishing touches are being madeto the additions at Evergreen andMcGinn Schools. These additionswere financed through the operatingbudget, which is within the state man-dated cap requirements, and the com-munities will not bear additional costsassociated with referendums.

Over 345 kindergarteners will bewelcomed into 18 classes across thedistrict. The program is staffed by acombination of returning kindergar-ten teachers, teachers who asked totransfer to kindergarten, and teacherswho are new to our district. Theyhave collaborated throughout the sum-mer to plan for this exciting programfocused on student centered learningand guided by the New Jersey De-partment of Education’s Kindergar-ten Implementation Guidelines.

Our Preschool Program continuesto provide services for early child-hood learning in a cost effective man-ner. Tuition is being maintained at therate of $3,100 and tuition does notapply to classified and at-risk stu-dents. Enrollment is continuous andnew students are welcome.

Several staff members are takingon new roles in the district. LisaRebimbas, formerly Park MiddleSchool principal, is now our new Di-rector of Special Services. JocelynDumaresq, formerly the District En-glish Language Arts Supervisor, isPark Middle School’s new principal,and Elizabeth McKenna, formerly anEnglish teacher at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School is the newDistrict English Language Arts Su-pervisor.

During the summer months, manyof our teachers participated in profes-sional development to enhance theupcoming school year organized byJoan Mast, Assistant Superintendent,and our district supervisors. The SPFSummer PD Academy was well sub-scribed this year, and teachers from

all grade levels engaged in a varietyof workshops ranging from Art His-tory for Global Perspectives to For-mative Assessment and Co-TeachingStrategies. Google Classroom fea-tured students working with teachersin a collaborative learning environ-ment.

Summer curriculum work enrichesschool programs. This summer thefocus was on integrating elementarylanguage arts and social studies, Me-dia Center experiences for kindergar-ten and first grade, connecting mathand literature in primary grades, ex-panding the middle school ConnectedMath Program to sixth grade, revis-ing the Full Option Science Program(FOSS) units in kindergarten throughgrade five, and aligning middle schoolscience with the Next GenerationScience Standards (NGSS).

Scotch Plains-Fanwood HighSchool (SPFHS) will be offering anew Advanced Placement course inEnvironmental Science. Students willmake good use of a new greenhouse,donated by Thomas Hargreaves, asthey design experiments in plant sci-ence. Updated learning resources sup-port programs and eleventh andtwelfth grade students in You and theLaw as well as Advanced PlacementEuropean History will be using newtexts and online resources.

New teachers participated in anintensive three-day orientation pro-gram and on September 1 and 2,professional development and staffmeetings prepared everyone for thenew school year. Again this year, ahighlight of the opening of schoolprogram was our “Teachers TeachingTeachers” workshop that focused ondeepening understanding of studentengagement.

Under the guidance of DeborahSaridaki, School Business Adminis-trator, and Anthony Miranda, Build-ings and Grounds Director, the skilledbuildings and grounds crews and cus-todians accomplished many summerprojects including upgrades on inte-rior doors as well as classroomreconfigurations needed for new pro-grams. In addition, roof improvementshave been made at Park MiddleSchool and Coles, McGinn andSchool One. New HVAC units havebeen installed for Park’s second floorand Brunner’s second floor. McGinnhas a new boiler. Coles and Ever-green have new windows and pavingprojects were completed at Coles,Evergreen and McGinn.

Back-to-School evening presenta-tions are planned for ElementarySchools on Thursday, September 22,Middle Schools on Thursday, Sep-tember 15, and SPFHS on Thursday,September 29. For a complete calen-dar of school events for the 2016-2017 school year, as well as a calen-dar of athletic competitions, pleasevisit our website at www.spfk12.org.

BURLINGTON, V.T. – Some2,329 students were awarded a vari-ety of bachelor's degrees during theUniversity of Vermont's 215th com-mencement ceremonies on May 22.Approximately 502 advanced degreeswere awarded by the UVM GraduateCollege, and 106 took the oath ofHippocrates following the awardingof their M.D. degrees.

The following local students wereamong the graduates:

Oliver Bevan of Westfield gradu-ated with a Bachelor of Science inEcological Agriculture.

Alan Chu of Westfield graduated

with a Bachelor of Science in Micro-biology.

Danielle Manginelli of Cranfordgraduated with a Bachelor of Sciencein Professional Nursing.

John Stelmach of Westfield gradu-ated with a Bachelor of Science inChemistry.

Maximillian Archambault of ScotchPlains graduated with a Bachelor ofScience degree in CommunicationScience and Disorders.

Chartered in 1791, UVM was thefirst college or university in the UnitedStates that did not give preference toa religious sect in its charter.

Kutztown UniversityAnnounces Degrees

SELINSGROVE, Penn. – AmandaEkstrand, of Scotch Plains, was namedto Susquehanna University's dean'slist for the spring 2016 semester.

The dean's list recognizes studentswho achieve a grade point average of3.4 or higher out of a possible 4.0 for the

semester. To qualify, students must com-plete a minimum of 12 semester hours.

Ekstrand is a creative writing ma-jor in the class of 2016. A 2012 gradu-ate of Scotch Plains-Fanwood, she isthe daughter of Harry and CarolEkstrand.

KUTZTOWN, Penn. – KutztownUniversity has conferred degrees onnearly 1,500 students during the win-ter and spring terms. Kutztown Uni-versity announces degree confermenttwice a year, once in the winter andonce in the summer. Commencementexercises are held in May and De-cember; however, students finish theirrequirements for graduation through-out the entire year. The followingstudents have been awarded degreessince the winter 2016 announcement.

Rebecca C Jackson of Westfield -Bachelor of Science in EducationDegree in Special Education.

Brianna Lynn Palumbo ofMountainside - Bachelor of ScienceDegree in Psychology.

Hofstra Tells SpringDean’s List StudentsHEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Hofstra

University congratulates the studentsnamed to the Spring 2016 Dean's Listfor their outstanding academicachievement. Students must earn agrade point average of at least 3.5during the semester to make the Dean'sList.

Moises Philippsborn Rosenbach ofCranford.

Gabrielle Sully of Cranford.Salve Regina Univ.Announces Dean’s List

NEWPORT, R.I. – The followinglocal residents have been named tothe Dean’s List for the Spring 2016semester.

Brooke Binder of Cranford, whograduated on May 15 from SalveRegina University.

Francis Quigley of Scotch Plains, asenior at Salve Regina University.

Lynn Earns BaldwinWallace Dean’s List

BEREA, O.H. – Matthew Lynn ofWestfield, a graduate of WestfieldHigh School majoring in music the-atre, has been named to the Dean'sList for the spring 2016 semester atBaldwin Wallace University, accord-ing to Stephen D. Stahl, Provost. Stu-dents who receive at least a 3.6 GPAfor seven or more graded hours in asingle semester are named to theDean's List.

Davis Earns Dean’sList at Roger WilliamsBRISTOL, RI – Tyler Davis, a resi-

dent of Cranford, has been named tothe Spring 2016 Dean's List at RogerWilliams University in Bristol, R.I.

Full-time students who complete12 or more credits per semester andearn a GPA of 3.4 or higher are placedon the Dean's List that semester.

Local Students Graduatefrom Albright College

READING, Penn. – Albright Col-lege held its 157th Commencementceremony on May 22. Diplomas wereawarded to traditional, AcceleratedDegree Programs and master's de-

gree students.Raymond Osterman of Scotch

Plains graduated with a bachelor ofscience degree in computer science/digital media.

Jessica Leonardis of Mountainside,graduated cum laude with a bachelorof arts degree in sociology: familystudies/Spanish.

Diplomas were presented byAlbright President Lex O. McMillanIII, Ph.D. World-renowned publichealth advocate John R. Garrisondelivered the Commencement ad-dress.

Reseter Named toPresident’s List at Elon

ELON, N.C. – Nicole Resetar hasbeen named to the President’s List forthe 2016 spring semester at ElonUniversity.

The President’s List is composedof students with no grade below an A-minus in a minimum of 12 semesterhours.

Nicole, from Garwood, attendedALJ High School in Clark and will bestudying in Australia at the Univer-sity of the Sunshine Coast inQueensland in the Fall.

Haines Recognized forAcademic Achievement

SCRANTON, Penn. – EmilyHaines of Westfield was among thegraduate students recognized for aca-demic achievement at The Universityof Scranton's post-baccalaureate de-gree commencement, which was heldon May 28 on campus.

Students Make Dean’sList at Georgia TechATLANTA, GA – The following

students have earned the distinctionof Dean's List at the Georgia Instituteof Technology for Spring 2016. Thisdesignation is awarded to undergradu-ate students who have a 3.0 or higheracademic average for the semester.

Samantha Loop and ArielleMargulies of Scotch Plains.

Casey Hewett Namedto Dean’s List at

Merrimack CollegeNORTH ANDOVER, Mass. –

Casey Hewett of Mountainside wasnamed to the Merrimack CollegeDean's List for Spring 2016.

Clemson UniversityAnnounces Dean’s List

CLEMSON, SC – Local residentshave been named to the Dean's List atClemson University for the spring2016 semester.

They are: Kevin M. Kaiser ofCranford, who is majoring in Math-ematical Sciences.

Emily Renee Roman of Cranford,who is majoring in Nursing.

Kelly Lynn Schoustra of Cranford,who is majoring in Financial Man-agement.

Peter Sargent Mebane of Westfield,who is majoring in Mechanical Engi-neering.

Kathryn Margaret Sullivan ofWestfield, who is majoring in Eco-nomics.

To be named to the Dean's List, astudent achieved a grade-point aver-age between 3.50 and 3.99 on a 4.0scale.

O’Brien of WestfieldEarns Dean's List

SCRANTON, Penn. – ShannonO'Brien of Westfield was among stu-dents added to The University ofScranton Dean's List for the fall 2015semester after publication of the listin January of 2016.

Rosenblatt ReceivesDegree from G.A. Tech.

ATLANTA, G.A. – DanielleRosenblatt of Scotch Plains has earneda Bachelor of Science in MechanicalEngineering from the Georgia Insti-tute of Technology in Atlanta.

Rosenblatt was among approxi-mately 3,000 undergraduate andgraduate students who received de-grees.

Ullery Graduates atWPI CommencementWORCESTER, Mass. – On May

14, on the Worcester Polytechnic In-stitute (WPI) campus quadrangle, 907bachelor's degrees were awarded dur-ing the university's 148th commence-ment ceremony.

Heather Ullery of Scotch Plains,was awarded a bachelor of sciencedegree in psychological science withdistinction.

Area StudentsGraduate from

Washington and LeeLEXINGTON, Virg. – The follow-

ing area students graduated from Wash-ington and Lee University on May 26.

Daniel Jared Pesin, of ScotchPlains, received a B.S.C. degree. Mr.Pesin majored in Accounting andBusiness Administration.

Krysta Michele Huber, ofWestfield, received a B.A. degree.Ms. Huber majored in Journalismand Mass Communications.

SPIRIT AWARD...Spirit Awards, the highest non-academic honor a student atSaint Peter’s Prep can receive, were presented to students at a recent liturgy,continuing a 36-year Prep tradition of recognizing the unsung heroes of the schoolcommunity. Fanwood resident Christopher Maloney, '16, second from left, wascited for his openness to growth, adherence to core values, and genuine kindness.He was also recognized for excellent work in campus ministry, particularly onimmersion trips and retreats. Christopher is the son of Kathy and Brian Maloneyand is a graduate of Holy Trinity Interparochial School. He will continue hiseducation at Loyola University Maryland. Pictured, from left to right are:Principal James C. DeAngelo,'85, Christopher , President Kenneth Boller, S.J.,and Dean of Student Life Anthony Locricchio, '96.

Local Students EarnDean’s List at Norwich

NORTHFIELD, V.T. – The fol-lowing students have been recognizedon the dean’s list at Norwich Univer-sity for the spring 2016 semester:

Nicole Kimberly Skickova andAndrew Thomas Ciccarino of ScotchPlains.

Oak Knoll AnnouncesUpper School Grads.SUMMIT — Oak Knoll School of

the Holy Child held its 88th com-mencement ceremony on June 12, inSummit. The 56 graduates kept withschool tradition and donned whitegowns and gloves, and carried peachroses.

Oak Knoll School would like tocongratulate its Westfield graduates:Catherine Korth, who will be attend-ing the University of Notre Dame,and Rachael Molina, who will beattending Fordham University.

Oak Knoll School of the Holy Childis a Catholic, independent school,coeducational from kindergarten tograde six and for girls in grades sevento 12.

Wegbreit GraduatesFrom Univ. of RochesterROCHESTER, N.Y. – Jacob

Alexander Wegbreit, a resident ofWestfield, graduated from the Uni-versity of Rochester on May 15 witha bachelor of science degree in chemi-cal engineering.

Jacob is the child of Joyce Wegbreitand Steven Wegbreit, and a graduateof Westfield High School.



Millen, of Westfield,Earns degree fromClark University

WORCESTER, Mass. – HannahJ. Millen, of Westfield, received adegree from Clark University onSunday, May 22.

Ms. Millen graduated cum laudewith a bachelor of arts in historyand art history.

D’Auria Graduatesfrom Widener Univ.

CHESTER, Penn. – Joseph D'Auriaof Scotch Plains graduated from Wid-ener University recently with a bach-elor of science in environmental sci-ence.

Schetelich Named toWheaton Dean’s ListWHEATON, Ill. – Wheaton Col-

lege student James Schetelich ofScotch Plains was named to theDean's List for the spring 2016semester.

SP-F Grad. Named toDean’s List at Susquehanna


PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN Check website for sign up information and eligibility

SEPTEMBER 2016 EVENTS AT THE WESTFIELD MEMORIAL LIBRARY

550 East Broad Street, Westfield 908.789.4090 www.wmlnj.org Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:30 am - 9:00 pm

Friday & Saturday 9:30 am - 5:00 pm Re-Opening on Sundays from 1:00 - 5:00 pm on September 18

Closed September 3-5 for Labor Day Weekend Closed September 16 for Staff Training Day

PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS (Check website for sign up information)

9/13 10:00 am Coloring for Adults-all materials supplied; tea & coffee, too

9/17 1:30 pm Design a Modern Victory Garden

9/20 7:00 pm NJ’s Economy by Dean Hughes of Bloustein School of Planning & Policy

9/23 1:30 pm TGIF! Madness of Jerry Lewis (video)

9/24 2:00 pm Special Ed Law-What Parents Must Know by advocate Greer Gurland, Esq

9/28 7:00 pm “Future of Journalism” for the Hale Speaker Series by Brian Carovillano

9/30 1:30 pm TGIF! Classic Movie Week: “Quartet”

9/20 & 27 1:00 pm Afternoon Fun for 4’s & 5’s

9/21 & 28 10:30 am Time for 3’s Storytime

9/22 & 29 10:30 am 2’s on Thursday Storytime

9/23 & 30 10:00 am Playgroup for Babies up to 23 months

POPCORNPOPCORNPOPCORNPOPCORNPOPCORN

One Popcorn, Poor — Two Popcorns, Fair — Three Popcorns, Good — Four Popcorns, Excellent

Sausage PartyFood Orgy

2 & ½ popcorns

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The Westfield LeaderThe Scotch Plains – Fanwood

TIMES

908-232-4407

By MICHAEL S. GOLDBERGERfilm critic

Contemplating Sausage Party, anR-rated, animated food orgy in moreways than one, I’m reminded of whata fellow journalist once opined at ablock party: “You know what’s wrongwith you film critics? You see so manymovies that when you chance uponsomething different, you just go crazy.”

Thus, I’m proud to report that whilethe very bawdy, irreverent, sometimeshilarious and ultimately overcooked“Sausage Party” is certainly differ-ent, I’m managing to contain myself.While featuring some fine writingand direction from a gaggle of popu-lar, Hollywood humorists, perhapsit’s the cartoon venue that inspiressome of the deleterious juvenility. Inany case, that, and the limitations ofjust how far one can take an anthropo-morphic parody keep the movie fromoverriding my internal judgementmeter. I am no crazier than I wasbefore I saw this film.

But beware, dear reader, whetherD.A.R. member in good standing, leftycosmopolitan, inhibited biddy or free-thinking debaucher who hasn’t beenright since Al Goldstein’s “Screw”(magazine) halted publication, knowthat Sausage Party may cross yourline of good taste. Perhaps inspired by,and harking back to Ralph Bakshi’s X-rated Fritz the Cat (1972), based onRobert Crumb’s era-defining comicstrip, there is a dual-edged dynamicthat promotes its naughtiness. Cartooncharacters talking lasciviously is bothfunny and, well, a bit unseemly.

Now that these warnings both onthe label and on the accompanyingsheet of precautions have been dulynoted, and I’m fairly confident thatsome poor, unwitting viewer won’tbe abashed to the point of utter mad-ness by this modern, cinema versionof the French postcard, on to the plot.A cast of terrifically voiced grocerieslive a charmed life at Shopwell’s su-permarket, flirting, exchanging storegossip and kibitzing with the glibabandon of food with a far off “useby” date. From soup to nuts, theirjoviality is promoted by the knowl-edge that The Great Beyond awaits.

In other words, though there’s not amilk bottle or a can of beans whocould tell you what it’s like, they’veno doubt that there’s an afterlife. Butwhen a jar of honey mustard rejectedby its purchaser is returned to theshelves, having thus bitten the forbid-den fruit he tells what he’s seen. Noth-ing is ever quite the same atShopwell’s. Doubt pervades. It’s justtoo unthinkable to imagine and re-calls Charlton Heston’s horror afterhis discovery in Soylent Green (1973).

Of course the mustard’s contentionmust be investigated, and what bettersearcher of truth in this matter than anall-American hot dog? Excellently

verbalized by Seth Rogen, he is ap-propriately named Frank. Oh, theyrefer to him as a sausage, but he’sdoubtless the frankfurter sub-species,and probably a pork-beef blend, skin-less, 8-to-a lb., if I’m interpreting theartist’s brushstrokes correctly. Butwhat it doesn’t say on the package’srequired FDA nutrition info is thatFrank is an exceptional example ofhis brand, the wiener version of aColumbus or a Marco Polo.

Note that before the mustard’s proc-lamation, Frank had the AmericanDream all planned. He had no doubtthat he and Brenda (Kristen Wiig), acoquettish bun, were made for eachother, and that they would live hap-pily ever after in hot dog heaven. Butnow it’s off on a hero’s journey withsome of his fellow comestibles. Theyvisit the liquor aisle, where they im-plore the wisdom of Firewater (BillHader), the bottled representation ofa Native American and the store’sresident oracle.

Meanwhile, Barry (Michael Cera),a fellow hot dog attempting to escapefrom his suspected fate, finds himselfin the outside world, where he windsup in the disheveled digs of Druggie,a Shopwell’s employee and junkievoiced by James Franco. There, theslacker injects himself with bath salts,which allows him to see Barry not asa mere, inanimate weenie, but as afellow being. Of course the truce endswhen the crystals wear off and thedope addict attempts to boil Barryinto a dirty water dog.

Up until this point, the risqué hu-mor, a blend of political and sexualsatire chock full of metaphors, drawssome novel thoughts from the inno-cent and then shattered beliefs of thevarious foodstuffs. The filmmakersessentially add a comic book-likeaddendum to the atheistic adamancyBill Maher advanced in his“Religulous” (2008). But when thevaliant victuals justifiably stage a re-volt against the humans who theyonce believed were gods, frame-cram-ming rambunctiousness attempts tosubstitute for creativity and nuance.

The ribald innuendos, initially cut-ting edge, become adolescently ob-sessive in the manner of a leering childwho, having just learned a new curseword, must repeat it ad nauseam. Whileit’s to be applauded for its ebullientdetermination to flex its 1st Amend-ment rights, it becomes obvious that,while it might prove an amuse-bouchefor the broadminded, there’s just notenough food for thought in SausageParty to make it a main entrée.

*** Sausage Party, rated R, is a Co-

lumbia Pictures release directed byGreg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon andstars the voices of Seth Rogen, KristenWiig and Michael Cera. Running time:89 minutes.

Curtain Call TheatreClasses at CDC Theatre

NOT KIDDING AROUND...Children in kindergarten through eighth grade candiscover the fun of performance at CDC Theatre Curtain Call classes.

CRANFORD – Registration is openfor Curtain Call theatre classes atCDC Theatre, in Cranford, NewJersey’s oldest community theatre.Act One, for students in grades K-four, meets Mondays, from 3:30 to5:30 p.m. and begins September 19.Act Two, for students in grades five toeight, meets Wednesdays, from 3:30to 5:30 p.m. and begins September

21.The 2016 fall sessions will work

towards a workshop production ofAlice in Christmas Land on Decem-ber 17. Tuition is $250 for the 13-week program.

Registration forms and more infor-mation may be found by visiting theCDC Theatre website atwww.cdctheatre.org.

Westfield Student AwardedHickory Tree Scholarship

STIRLING – The Hickory TreeChorus chapter of Sweet AdelinesInternational will award its annual$1,000 scholarship to MadeleineRosenthal, a graduating senior atWestfield High School, during aJuly 13 public performance at theShrine of St. Joseph in Stirling.

Ms. Rosenthal has been involvedin choral singing since elementaryschool, and this year was Presidentof the Westfield High School cho-rus, which is comprised of six en-sembles. Ms. Rosenthal has been asoloist in the chorus and jazz band,and sang soprano in the New JerseyAll-State Women’s Chorus. She hasplayed the lead role in Westfieldhigh school musicals the past threeyears, and was named OutstandingSupporting Actress by MontclairState Foxy Awards for her role inThe Cherry Orchard. This fall, Ms.Rosenthal will attend the Univer-sity of Cincinnati, College Conser-vatory of Music, studying voice,songwriting, music production, andmusic business.

Hickory Tree Chorus is an award-winning women’s chorus singing

popular music in four-part acappellaharmony, barbershop style. The cho-rus welcomes interested singers tovisit one of its weekly rehearsals atthe Shrine of St. Joseph, 1050 LongHill Road, in the Stirling section ofLong Hill Township. Performance,membership, and more informationat hickorytreechorus.org

Scene Study ClassesEnrolling at Dreamcatcher

SUMMIT – Dreamcatcher Reper-tory Theatre, professional Theatre inResidence at the Oakes Center inSummit, will offer two levels of FallScene Study classes for adults andteens beginning October 19, with afree introductory workshop onWednesday, October 5.

Film and theatre director and act-ing instructor Alex Craig Mann willteach the six-week Scene Study forTeens and Adults classes. Level One,for students who have little or noformal acting training, runs fromOctober 19 through November 23 onWednesdays from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. atthe Oakes Center, 120 Morris Avenuein Summit. Level Two, for studentswith acting training and experience,runs from October 20 through De-cember 1 on Thursdays from 7 p.m. to10 p.m. (no class on Thanksgiving) atMONDO, 426 Springfield Avenue inSummit.

As an introduction to the instructorand his methods, Dreamcatcher willoffer a free workshop on Wednesday,October 5 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. atthe Oakes Center. This workshop isan opportunity to get to know Mr.Mann and his approach to the craft ofacting and training actors, as well asto begin the hands-on process of work-ing on your prepared material. After

an introductory conversation, you areinvited to get up and perform mono-logues, scenes or audition sides thatyou’ve selected and rehearsed for theworkshop. Mr. Mann will then workwith students on their pieces, direct-ing them on the spot and seekinginput from the rest of the group. Reg-istration is required by [email protected], or bycalling (908) 514-9654.

The six-week scene study classesare primarily designed as a collabo-rative endeavor in which the actorslearn to direct themselves. Mr. Mannwill guide the actors to create a scenethat adheres to the story dictated bythe writer and incorporates as dy-namic a performance as possible.

These classes are designed for theNew Jersey actor who is looking forprofessional instruction without thecost and inconvenience of travellingto New York. Mr. Mann has a longcareer both in front of and behind thecamera. He has recently relocated tothe east coast after having taught atthe Beverly Hills Playhouse for manyyears. More information can be foundon his website,www.alchemistmann.com. The costfor either Scene Study class is $315.

Municipal and street parking is avail-able for the class held at MONDO,including a garage directly behind thebuilding. At Oakes, parking is avail-able in the lot behind the theatre onAshwood Avenue and at the SummitRecreation Center on Morris Avenue.Both facilities are wheelchair acces-sible. To register for the classes or forinformation on any of DreamcatcherRepertory Theatre's programs, pleasevisit www.dreamcatcherrep.org or con-tact Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatreat The Oakes Center, 120 Morris Av-enue, Summit, NJ 07901, (908) 514-9654.

WF Residents GraduateFrom Tulane UniversityNEW ORLEANS, L.A. – Tulane

University awarded degrees to nearly3,000 graduates on May 14 at theMercedes-Benz Superdome in NewOrleans.

Sarah Morasso of Westfield, gradu-ated from the School of Architecturewith a Bachelor of Architecture, andSchool of Architecture with a 5 YearMaster of Architecture.

Taylor Friss of Westfield, gradu-ated from the Freeman School ofBusiness with a Bachelor ScienceManagement.

Abigail Sawers of Westfield, gradu-ated from the School of Liberal Artswith a Bachelor of Arts.

Amanda Earl of Westfield, gradu-ated from the School of Liberal Artswith a Bachelor of Science.

Rafaella Jakubovic of Westfield,graduated from the School of Scienceand Engineering with a Bachelor ofScience.

Dean’s List Announcedat Alvernia UniversityREADING, Penn. – The following

students have been named to AlverniaUniversity's Dean's List for the spring2016 semester. To be eligible for theDean's List, students must carry asemester GPA of 3.5 or better andtake a minimum of 12 credits. Localhonorees include:

Sara Hayes of Scotch Plains. Ms.Hayes is studying Criminal Justiceand is a graduate of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

Jessica Howard of Scotch Plains.Ms. Howard is studying OccupationalTherapy and is a graduate of ScotchPlains-Fanwood High School

Tiffany Inacker of Scotch Plains.Ms. Inacker is studying Early Child-hood Education with Special Educa-tion and is a graduate of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School

Esteves Named toSimmons Dean’s ListBOSTON, Mass. – Charlotte

Esteves of Cranford was named to the2016 spring semester dean’s list atSimmons College in Boston.

To qualify for dean’s list status,undergraduate students must obtain agrade point average of 3.5 or higher,based on 12 or more credit hours ofwork in classes using the letter gradesystem.

Area Students Graduatefrom Lafayette College

Area Students ReceiveDegrees at Miami Univ.

OXFORD, O.H. – Miami Univer-sity awarded 3,889 degrees to stu-dents during spring commencementexercises on May 14.

Local students who received de-grees include:

Samuel Baldwin of Westfield -Bachelor of Science in Business,majoring in Information Systems .

Maura Colwell of Westfield - Bach-elor of Arts, majoring in StrategicCommunication .

Kailey Decker of Westfield - Bach-elor of Arts, majoring in StrategicCommunication .

Allie Merkelson of Westfield -Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Strate-gic Communication .

Considered one of eight original"Public Ivies" in the country, MiamiUniversity is located in Oxford, Ohio.

EASTON, Penn. – The followingstudents have graduated fromLafayette College in Easton, Pa. Theywere among 568 undergraduate stu-dents in the Class of 2016 awardeddegrees during the College's 181stCommencement.

Students include:Jacqueline Cirincione of Scotch

Plains graduated from Lafayette andearned a bachelor of arts in environ-mental studies .

David Jennings of Mountainsidegraduated from Lafayette and earneda bachelor of science in neuroscience.

Morgan Miller of Cranford gradu-ated summa cum laude from Lafayetteand earned a bachelor of arts in math-ematics-economics Phi Beta Kappa,Omicron Delta Epsilon, Pi Mu Epsi-lon.

Audrey Peterson of Westfieldgraduated from Lafayette and earneda bachelor of science in mechanicalengineering .

Mia Spitz of Westfield graduated

from Lafayette and earned a bachelorof science in biology with honors inbiology .

Charles Timko of Scotch Plainsgraduated from Lafayette and earneda bachelor of science in civil engi-neering .

Lafayette is a top liberal arts col-lege with 2,450 students and 215 full-time faculty that offers a wide varietyof undergraduate degree programsincluding engineering. With closeproximity to New York City and Phila-delphia, Lafayette has one of the high-est endowment-per-student rates inthe nation. This means ample re-sources to fuel student research, andprovide opportunities for studyabroad, internships and field work. Itmeans outstanding facilities, Divi-sion I sports, and funding for 250student groups on one of the mostbeautiful campuses in the country.

Marist College TellsSpring 2016 Dean’s List

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The fol-lowing students have been named tothe Marist College Dean's List for theSpring 2016 semester:

Theresa Lotano of Westfield is amember of the Class of 2018 and ismajoring in Social Work.

Evan McElheny of Westfield is amember of the Class of 2019 and ismajoring in Computer Science.

Gianna Popola of Garwood is amember of the Class of 2016 and ismajoring in Criminal Justice.

Catherine Sabatino of Westfield isa member of the Class of 2017 and ismajoring in Psychology/Special Edu-cation.

Rigano Graduates fromSimmons College

BOSTON, Mass. – Traci TinaRigano, a Scotch Plains resident,earned a Master of Social Work fromthe School of Social Work at SimmonsCollege in May.

Simmons College is a private uni-versity located in the heart of Boston.

Hartnett Recognized AsSUNY New Paltz

Scholarship RecipientNEW PALTZ, N.Y. – SUNY New

Paltz celebrates students for receiv-ing a variety of different scholarshipsduring the 2015-2016 academic year.

Annabelle Hartnett of Cranford,was awarded the New New YorkerScholarship.

During the 2015-16 academic year,the SUNY New Paltz Foundation pro-vided student scholarship awards to-taling nearly $300,000 to 171 studentrecipients. The College guaranteedfour-year awards to an additional 123students through institutional funds.

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Fall in Love With the NewSeason of Area Theatre Offerings

593 Birch Avenue, Westfield $850,000. Located in the Gardens, this magical home evokes visions of gracious living amid archways, thick walls, copious windows, gleaming hard-wood floors and essential updates including a designer kitchen. There are two master suites, a roof top patio, updated baths and lovely yard.

919 Grandview Avenue, Westfield $429,900. The inviting front porch opens to the living room with fireplace and the formal dining room with columned entry. A breakfast nook com-pletes the kitchen while three bedrooms and a full bath fill the second floor. The fenced backyard with patio adds to allure of this home.

36 Willow Road, Summit $979,000. Tucked away on a quiet, tree-lined street, yet close enough to numer-ous amenities, this beautifully tailored home welcomes you with im-pressive foyer, gourmet eat-in kitchen that opens to the family room, palatial master suite, junior suite, rec room and fenced yard with patio

15 York Lame, Edison $609,000. Situated at the end of a lovely cul-de-sac, this distinguished brick Ranch offers unsurpassed one floor living. An easy flow is highlighted by French doors, hardwood floors, spacious rooms, two fireplaces, custom built-ins and an expansive yard with patio and in-ground pool.

1039 Lawrence Avenue, Westfield $1,200,000. Residing on one of Westfield’s most notable avenues, this quintessen-tial Center Hall Colonial features 5 bedrooms, hardwood floors, eat-in kitchen with granite countertops, sliders to the expansive deck with hot tub & panoramic view of the 100 x 200 idyllic park-like property.

316 St Georges Place, Westfield $1,290,000. This recently constructed home combines designer details with an open floor plan, crafting an idyllic venue. Highlights: box beam ceil-ings, mahogany inlay floors, top-of-the-line appliances, finished base-ment with custom built-ins, speaker system and a bluestone patio

AT THE BALLET...Olga Kifyak as Odette and Eugeniy Svetlitsa as Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake at the Union CountyPerforming Arts Center on Friday, September 23.

Russian Grand Ballet BringsSwan Lake to Union Co. PAC

By SUSAN MYRILL DOUGHERTYSpecially Written for The Westfield Leader and

The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Times

AREA - As kids get ready to goback to school, adults should startfilling their calendars with date nightswith area theatre. And there is plentyof it right here in Union County.

Westfield Community Players(WCP) at 1000 North Avenue West inWestfield is opening their season onSaturday, October 15 at 8 p.m. withthe classic And Then There Were Nonewhich runs three weekends. WCPloves to present classics like thismystery by Agatha Christie. The inti-mate theatre offers, like all other the-atres, a series ticket that provides asubstantial discount. Tickets may bepurchased at their 24-hour tickethotline at (908) 232-1221 or by goingto their website to see the completeseason atwww.westfieldcommunityplayers.org

The professional theatre of Pre-miere Stages at Kean University inUnion, 1000 Morris Avenue in Union,opens its season in the intimate ZellaFry Theatre with the winner of their2016 Play Festival, Les Cruces byVincent Delaney. The professionalcompany offers performances from

September 1 to 18 on Thursday, Fri-day and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. and3 p.m. matinees. For tickets, call thebox office at (908) 737-SHOW (7469)or see exceptional season offerings atother campus venues - Wilkins The-atre, Enlow Recital Hall and the ZellaFry Theatre on their website:www.keanstage.com.

Dreamcatcher Repertory Theatre inthe Oakes Center 120 Morris Avenue,Summit is presenting The How andWhy by Sarah Treem from September22 to October 9. Treem’s story showswhere evolution and emotion collide inthis sharp play about science, family,and survival of the fittest. Twelve pro-fessional actors present a year-long sea-son that includes plays, improv com-edy, a holiday special, new play read-ings and a community outreach pro-gram. For tickets at the one-time churchnow turned community center, checkthe website, www.dreamcatcherrep.orgor call (800) 838-3006.

Another area based theatre - Alli-ance Repertory Theatre – resides in abuilding named Mondo at 426 Spring-field Avenue in Summit, in a tinybasement theatre. Alliance Rep con-sistently presents unique plays, andtheir season opener falls into this cat-

egory. The Vandal, is by actor/play-wright Hamish Linklater. The three-person play, called “darkly humor-ous,” showcases what happens whena boy and a woman meet and sharestories while waiting for a bus onecold night. The show runs September30, October 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15 withFridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. andThursday night and Sunday night at 7p.m. Call (908) 472-1502 or checkout their website atwww.alliancerep.org.

Cranford Dramatic Club’s (CDC)season begins with the ambitiousmusical Assassins, scheduled for Fri-days and Saturdays at 8 p.m., October7, 8, 14,15, 21 and a 2 p.m. perfor-mance on October 15. A multipleTony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins combines StephenSondheim's signature blend of stun-ning lyrics and beautiful music with apanoramic story of America’s cultureof celebrity and the violent meanssome will use to obtain it. For moreinformation about the theatre at 78Winans Avenue in Cranford, seewww.cdctheatre.org or call (908)276-7611.

The Producers, starts Paper MillPlayhouse’s season off with a bang.The Tony award-winning regionaltheatre boasts professional actors atthe 22 Brookside Drive, MillburnTheatre. The original Broadway hit,which starred Nathan Lane and Mat-thew Broderick, swept the Tonyawards. Paper Mill’s version runsSeptember 28 to October 23 with theexception of Monday and Tuesdaynights. Call (973) 376-4343 or ordertickets online at www.papermill.org.

Union County Performing ArtsCenter (UCPAC) has an abundanceof riches with a season of plays, mu-sicals and individual performances attheir separate spaces: 199 seat -Hamilton Stage, the Mainstage (arenovated Vaudevillian Theatre) andthe Loft, a black box stage area in themain building. For more informationof the upcoming impressive perform-ers and performances scheduled forthis fall at 1601 Irving Street inRahway, use their websitewww.ucpac.org or call (800) 840-9227. Plenty of well-lit parking isavailable for their theatres as part ofthe cultural revitalization of down-town Rahway.

Now is the time to secure tickets soyou can brag, like the people who sawthe original “Hamilton,” you were “inthe room where it happened.”

RAHWAY – The Russian GrandBallet is pleased to announce theperformance of Pyotr IlyichTchaikovsky’s Swan Lake in Rahway,on Friday, September 23 at the UnionCounty Arts Center.

The troupe brings the classic bal-let to life with Russia’s brightestballet stars to perform the full-lengthproduction. The tickets to the SwanLake through Buy Tickets

The Russian Grand Ballet has es-tablished a reputation for talent andversatility by touring the world withboth full-length traditional balletsand shorter ‘divertissements.’ ItsBallet Master, VladimirTroshchenko, is highly dedicated tothe timeless tradition of classicalRussian Ballet.

The Honored artist of UkraineOlga Kifyak will be dancing Odile/Odette, with The Honored artist ofUkraine Eugeniy Svetlitsa as PrinceSiegfried. Antonina Radiyevskaya,Viktoriya Velasquez and Constantine

Mayorov will be performing SwanLake Pas de Trois for the 35-cityNorth American tour.

“There’s a good reason why SwanLake is so often called the ‘ballet ofall ballets’ – the combination of pureromanticism, the story about loveand deception and Tchaikovsky’sfamous ballet music all continue toreach new generations of audiences,”said Troshchenko.

Swan Lake, based on Russian folk-lore and German legend, follows aheroic young prince as he works tofree the beautiful swan maiden froman evil spell. The ballet is in three actswith two intermissions, with music byTchaikovsky, choreography by MariusPetipa and Lev Ivanov, and libretto byVladimir Begichev and Vasily Getzer.Running time is approximately twohours and 30 minutes.

For more information, please con-tact Anastasia Heathcote [email protected] or(310) 666-8922.

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OBLACHINSKI QUARTERBACK; BAKIE, McGOVERN RUNNING BACKS, DEFENSIVE BACKS

Cougar Footballers Look to Maintain Winning TraditionBy DAVID B. CORBIN

Specially Written for The WestfieldLeader and The Times

Stats have been entered in thebook that has shown last year’sCranford High School footballteam that finished with a 12-0record and won another NorthJersey, Group 3, Section 2 cham-pionship had broken nearly ev-ery scoring and rushing record inschool history. Now, this year’sCougars are faced with main-taining that winning tradition.

“There’s a lot of new faces. It’sgood to have developed a win-ning attitude and winning tradi-tion but I need guys, who haven’tplayed, to step up and be able toplay varsity football. I need guys,who haven’t led, to step up andlead,” Cougar Head Coach ErikRosenmeier said. “Those are mytwo biggest areas of concern.”

The Cougars do return a fewveterans with good credentialssuch as seniors Ryan Bakie, BrianMcGovern, Alex Esposito, TomArmstrong, Sean Bryson and An-

thony Ramirez and junior DylanBudnik.

“We’ve got some good playerscoming back but the differenceon last year’s team were guys like[Lucas] Ramadan, [Mike] Bellroseand Grady. These were guys whostepped up, played and startedthat hadn’t started before,” CoachRosenmeier pointed out. “Theguys who have the experienceare going to have to lead us, notjust in terms of telling us what todo but in terms of how hard theyare going to play and how wellthey are going to play.”

As had been in the past, a num-ber of players could be calledupon to play offense and defense.

“Our skill guys tend to go both

ways but we try to do our best inthe line to platoon. Our goal is thecertain skill guys will play a lot ofboth ways but our goal up front isto have that offensive lineman goone way,” Coach Rosenmeier said.“I am trying to get to that point.Right now, we are going to have

a lot of guys going both ways butI don’t want that to be the situa-tion in the line. In our defense andlinebackers, you have to haveguys who need to run, so in theline, I don’t want anybody goingfulltime both ways.”

The Cougars will go with a three-man line on defense with Espositobeing on nose along sideArmstrong and junior JohnMarkase. Senior Andrew Josephand junior Jack Carroll will workin the line.

The linebackers are expectedto be senior Patrick Hoey in themiddle with Budnik, senior ChrisCurry and Bryson.

“I really like Bryson and Budnik.Bryson was a fulltime starter,Budnick played a lot as the onlysophomore in the program. We

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE







are solid there. Pat Hoey has beenthe guy up to this point in thepreseason but that’s a high prior-ity position, so he’s going to haveto show he deserves to stay there,Coach Rosenmeier emphasized.

The defensive backfield is builton speed with juniors Josh andJosiah Cadet and senior BrianOblachinski at the corners, Bakieat safety and strong safetyMcGovern on the left and seniorsJosh DeChillo and Eric Shapiroon the right.

“Our defense is built on speed.Those guys in the secondary havea lot of responsibility and Bakie islike another linebacker. He has tobe equally good on the passes, onthe run. We think he’s a specialplayer back there right in themiddle of the defense. We aregoing to have to rely on Bakie,‘Obo’ and McGovern, Armstrongand Espo. Those are the guys. Wegot five guys back on defense, sothat’s the more experienced group,so we are going to have to be verygood on defense at the beginningof the year until our offense catchesup,” Coach Rosenmeier said.

“McGovern as a strong safety weexpect to be a force on the run butalso play in the secondary. WithObo and the Cadets, speed givesus a little opportunity to play someMan, put more pressure on theoffense.”

Oblachinski has taken over thereins at quarterback. Bakie,

McGovern and Josh Cadet will bethe running backs. Curry, seniorJames Wozniak and junior JakeBradford will be on the end. Onthe line, will be Budnik and Carroll(left tackle), Ramirez and seniorOwen McDermott (left guard),senior Tom DiMartino and juniorKevin Easse (center), Esposito

and Matt Anstatt (right guard)and Armstorng and senior JohnWeston (right tackle).

“To have McGovern and Bakieback and Ramirez, that’s our onlyreturning starters on offense. Theexpectations offensively are stillhigh. We had opportunities lastyear to get some guys into thegame. These guys aren’t brandnew but they have never started.When you have a new quarter-back and linemen, our defense isahead of our offense right now,”Coach Rosenmeier said.

Last year the Cougars had a verybalanced running/passing game.

“We were very balanced lastyear. Coach Ciccotelli reallywanted to be balanced and wetook that as a lesson coming intothis year,” Coach Rosenmeierstressed. “I have been happy withthe way Brian has been throwingthe ball in the preseason. Bakiehas had as many passing yards ashe had rushing yards. I think hewill be a problem for every de-fense that we face.”

Special teams play was veryspecial last year with exceptional

coverage and kicking. Oblachinskiis expected to work the puntingand extra points, while sopho-more Jack McAleavey will kickoff. The Cadet brothers will re-turn kickoffs and Bakie will re-turn the punts.

“We consider it one third of thegame and we will put pressure onfrom our kickoffs to our extrapoint team through our Rugbypunter. I don’t want to give theball away. I want to keep it,”Coach Rosenmeier said. “Whenour special teams are out there itdoesn’t mean we are going toturn the ball over. We are lookingfor the opportunities outside orthe fake. It’s going to be some-thing that we are going to beready to do. If the other team isnot ready, we are going to takeadvantage. Same thing on extrapoints. I would rather have twopoints than one.”

The Cougars got a test in theirQuad scrimmage againstCarteret, North Bergen and War-ren Hills on August 26 then theywill host Somerville on Friday,September 9, at 7 p.m.

More photos on next page





Cranford Cougar Footballers Look to Maintain Winning Tradition This Season







Scotch Plains-Fanwood Raiders Are Expecting an A++ Performance in Soccer





St. Maximilian Nips St. Wolfgang, 15-14, to Play for St. Bart’s Championship






Commentary

Casale Sheet Metal and PetroQuestion Down To Crunch Time

Garwood officially has beendebating what to do about theCasale Sheet Metal and PetroPlastics properties for more thantwo years. That stretches toseven if you consider the NJ Tran-sit study that examined it andwhat to do with the aging relics,and goes to decades if you con-sider how long the factories haveactually been sitting abandonedand blighted along South Av-enue next to the railroad tracks.

Crunch time has arrived.Come Tuesday, September 13,

the municipality’s borough coun-cil will hold a public hearing and,likely, vote on a “redevelopmentplan” for the 5.3-acre plot.

The plan, given the blessing ofthe town’s planning board fourmonths ago, would not approvethe massive project envisionedby some for the site. But it wouldbe a big step toward it. The planwould redefine the zoning for thearea from industrial to residen-tial/commercial. It would set lim-its, albeit not many according toits critics.

While in the strictest sense theplan would be a mere change inzoning laws for the site, in actu-ality the plans are a lot furtheralong than that — at least inconcept.

Ed Russo of Carlstadt’s RussoDevelopment, which is buildinga similar-sized project in Harrisonnext to Red Bull Arena, alreadyhas purchased the Petro prop-erty and has a contract to buythe Casale factory.

Mr. Russo has unveiled what hevisualizes for the site — a four-story, 315-unit apartment com-plex with retail space, parkingdeck, pool, open public area...theworks. At one point, it even in-cluded a rooftop putting green.

The artist’s renderings are im-pressive — and far better thatwhat’s at the corner of South andCenter now.

The council vote will not put itsimprimatur on those details, butit will provide the OK for thebiggest issue — the 315 apart-ments and the retail space.

Proponents of the redevelop-ment plan have touted riddingGarwood of one of — if not the —biggest eyesores in town. TheGarwood Paperboard factory isin the same category.

It will clean up an industriallytoxic site and, above all, give thetown a new — or at least a higher— taxable property.

Critics claim it’s too big, that itwill increase the borough’s popu-lation by 12-13 percent in oneswoop. Traffic, already congestedon South Avenue, will becomeconsiderably worse. And the of-ten-hailed tax benefit, they say,has been superficially explainedat best.

They are dubious of claims thatthe project will minimally impactthe schools — especially if thedeveloper (i.e. Russo) is allowedto make a PILOT (payment in lieuof taxes) — and not put substan-tially more demands on the mu-

CARNIVAL KIDS...The Cranford Public Library recently completed its annualSummer Reading Program, the theme of which was “On Your Mark, GetSet…Read!” Together, the children of Cranford read for 16,757 hours. Theprogram ended with a carnival August 11 celebrating the hard work of all theSummer Reading participants. More than 300 people braved the heat to playgames, win prizes, create crafts, have their faces painted by an artist fromArteVino, and take a spin on the Fun Bus. For a list of other programs comingup, visit the library Webpage at cranford.com/library.

Head-On Vehicle Crash Blocks TrafficOn North Avenue For Three Hours

GARWOOD — Traffic wasblocked in both directions onNorth Avenue and detoured ontoSecond Avenue for three hourslast Friday after a pick-up truckand a school bus collided head-on, police said.

The driver of the truck wastransported to University Hospi-tal in Newark, Garwood policeCapt. Doug Stoffer said. His con-dition was not available, Capt.Stoffer said.

Two others were treated at thescene by the Garwood First AidSquad.

“There were no kids on bus or

anything, thank God,” Capt.Stoffer said.

The driver of the bus was treatedat the scene as was the driver ofanother vehicle who swerved tomiss the accident, which occurredabout 12:30 p.m., left the road-way and struck another movingvehicle, he said.

The driver of the fourth vehiclewas not injured.

The cause of the crash was stillunder investigation, Capt. Stoffersaid.

nicipal government (police, fire,DPW, office staff).

The justification for the size ofthe project has been the egre-gious decision by the New JerseySupreme Court more than 40years ago with its Mount Laurelruling that requires every town inthe state to provide its “fair share”of “affordable” housing. If townsdon’t meet the court’s arbitrarynumbers, it allows developers —like Russo — to build pretty muchwhat they want so long as theyinclude “affordable” housing.

It’s worth noting many whosupport the redevelopment planin Garwood are Democrats, whoon one hand blame Mount Laurelyet support their party’s plat-form and candidates statewidethat hail the concept of “afford-able housing”. There are a fairnumber of Republicans, too.

The Casale-Petro properties areslated for approximately 31 unitsof affordable housing, just under10 percent. Other, smaller,projects in the area — likeFanwood’s Station Square — wasapproved earlier this year forseven affordable units in a 35-unit building — 20 percent.

If the Casale project used thesame percentage, its size wouldbe cut in half — about 150 units— and Garwood would still haveits 30 “affordable units”.

Mr. Russo has said with thetoxic cleanup expected to cost$5 million or more (in a totalproject to run between $60 mil-lion-$70 million), anything fewerthan 315 units “is not economi-cally feasible.”

Of course we only have hisword for that, and nobody — atleast publicly — has asked formore. And he has the SupremeCourt on his side.

Probitas Verus Honos







CRANFORDTuesday, August 16, David

Cruz, 23, of Garwood and JohnLogan, III, 32, of Westfield werearrested and charged with pos-session of heroin and possessionof paraphernalia, after a motorvehicle stop at the intersection ofEast North and Elizabeth Avenueswhen police received an alertthat the vehicle was unregis-tered via the Automatic LicensePlate Reader. During an investi-gation at the scene, police lo-cated heroin on both the driver,Cruz, and a passenger, Logan,authorities said. Both men werearrested, processed and releasedpending a Superior Court ap-pearance. Cruz was issued amotor vehicle summons for anunregistered vehicle.

Friday, August 19, HectorIglesias, 19, of Washington wascharged with possession of lessthan 50 grams of suspected mari-juana and possession of para-phernalia, after a motor vehiclestop at the intersection of MyrtleStreet and Rod Smith Place for amotor vehicle violation. During

an investigation at the scene,police located marijuana insidethe vehicle. Iglesias, a passen-ger in the vehicle, was arrested,processed and released pendinga Municipal Court appearance.The driver was issued a motorvehicle summons for having anunclear license plate.

Sunday, August 21, Daniel B.Wilson, 30, of Valdosta, Ga. wasarrested and charged with simpleassault and disorderly conduct.While on routine patrol in thearea of East North and Spring-field Avenues, police witnessedan assault in progress. Upon con-cluding an investigation at thescene, police placed Wilson un-der arrest. He was transportedto Cranford police headquarters,where he was processed and re-leased pending a Municipal Courtappearance. The victim refusedmedical attention at the scene.

Monday, August 22, FabianKearney, 46, of Newark was ar-rested on charges of possessionof heroin; possession of prescrip-tion pills and possession of para-phernalia, after a motor vehiclestop at the intersection of Cen-tennial Avenue and Cayuga Roadfor operating a vehicle while hav-ing its high beams illuminated.During an investigation at thescene, police located heroin andprescription pills (Alprazolam)inside the vehicle. The driver,Kearney, was arrested, pro-cessed and released pending aSuperior Court appearance.Kearney also was issued motorvehicle summonses for having acontrolled dangerous substance(CDS) in a motor vehicle and foroperating a motor vehicle withits high beams illuminated.

DWI CheckpointSet In Cranford

CRANFORD — The CranfordPolice Department has an-nounced that it will conduct aD.W.I. Checkpoint within thetownship from 9 p.m. on Fri-day, September 2, until 3 a.m.on Saturday, September 3.

9/11 Memorial ServiceIs Set In Cranford

CRANFORD — The CranfordWorld Trade Center Committeeand the Cranford Clergy Councilwill host a 9/11 Memorial Serviceon Sunday, September 11, at 7p.m. It will take place inCranford’s WTC Park at Spring-field and North Union Avenues.

This event will honor those wholost their lives in the September11, 2001 attacks including fam-ily, friends, first responders andall who were affected by thistragedy. All are welcome to at-tend. In case of inclementweather, the service will be heldat the First Presbyterian Churchacross the street from the park.

For more information, call JerryDobbins at (908) 447-2492.

Rev. Smith to Preach AboutPeace at Cranford Church

CRANFORD — The Service andMission Team of the First Presby-terian Church of Cranford hasannounced that the ReverendBrooks Smith will preach onPeacemaking Sunday, October2.

A native of Chicago, Ill. andAlbany, N.Y., Reverend Smith wassenior pastor of the WatchungAvenue Presbyterian Church inNorth Plainfield for 30 years. Priorto coming to Watchung Avenue,he served churches in CuyahogaFalls, Ohio and Allentown, Pa.

Reverend Smith received hisbachelor’s degree in economicsand history from Wesleyan Uni-versity and his Divinity Degreefrom Colgate Rochester DivinitySchool. He also holds a Master ofScience degree from the NewSchool University in non-profitmanagement.

A longtime activist for peace,Reverend Smith in 1964 partici-pated in the Mississippi FreedomSummer Project which shapedhis call to be a pastor. In theearly 1980s, he participated inthe Presbyterian Church program“Witness for Peace,” which sentrepresentatives to Nicaragua towitness the turmoil that was rais-ing havoc in that country. Whileat Watchung Avenue Presbyte-rian Church, he led his youthgroups on annual mission trips tothe Dominican Republic, Mexicoand Nicaragua and has led mis-sion trips to other countries inCentral and South America. Dur-ing his time at Watchung Av-enue, he led the creation of ahousing corporation, opened anafter-school program and starteda refugee center. He also servedon the Advisory Board for Pres-byterian Disaster Assistancewhich included making a trip toHaiti after the earthquake there.

Currently, Reverend Smith isthe Parish Associate at the Bound

Brook Presbyterian Church. Otheractivities include serving as chair-man of the Disaster Prepared-ness and Response Commissionof the Presbytery of Elizabeth,working with the Union CountyLong Term Recovery Group forHurricane Sandy and volunteer-ing his experience and energywith Peaceworks, an organiza-tion working to better the lives ofthe poor in Nicaragua. He alsowill once again lead the FirstPresbyterian Church of Cranford’sMission Trip to Nicaragua in Janu-ary.

Reverend Smith and his wife,Gail, a retired guidance counse-lor and director, reside in NorthPlainfield. They have two sons,Steven and Drew, and threegrandchildren.

The First Presbyterian Churchof Cranford is located at 11Springfield Avenue. Sunday ser-vices are at 10 a.m. For furtherinformation, call the church of-fice at (908) 276-8440.

Acoustic Soul DueAt Community Ctr.CRANFORD — The Friends of

the Cranford Public Library willsponsor an evening of countrymusic featuring Acoustic Soul onMonday, September 12, at 7:30p.m., in the Cranford Commu-nity Center.

Acoustic Soul includes JoanneClendining on guitar and vocalsand Geno Samero on guitar andvocals. Admission is free and allare welcome. The Cranford Com-munity Center is located at 220Walnut Avenue, Cranford.

For information on other up-coming programs sponsored bythe Friends of the Cranford Pub-lic Library, or to learn more aboutthe Friends organization, visit theCranford Public Library web pageat cranford.com/library.



Exercise Class ForCranford SeniorsCRANFORD — The township’s

park’s and recreation depart-ment is seeking new partici-pants for its Senior HealthyBones low-impact exercise pro-gram on Monday evenings.

All Cranford senior residentsare eligible for the class at theCranford Community Center at220 Walnut Street.

Those interested in the pro-gram are encouraged to call thecenter at (908) 709-7283.

Hartnett RecognizedAs SUNY New Paltz

Scholarship RecipientNEW PALTZ, N.Y. – SUNY New

Paltz celebrates students forreceiving a variety of differentscholarships during the 2015-2016 academic year.

Annabelle Hartnett ofCranford, was awarded the NewNew Yorker Scholarship.

During the 2015-16 academicyear, the SUNY New Paltz Foun-dation provided student schol-arship awards totaling nearly$300,000 to 171 student re-cipients. The College guaran-teed four-year awards to anadditional 123 students throughinstitutional funds.





Local Letters to the EditorWhen Public Input Is Frowned UponBy Government, Democracy WithersFor those involved in Garwood,

we are well aware of the verylarge and very high-densityproject proposed for the CasaleFactory property on South andCenter. The readers of TheWestfield Leader this year haveseen many letters written fromJanuary to now by Garwood lo-cals and officials regarding thisproject. However, I cannot shakethis feeling that something ismissing throughout this wholeprocedure. When one looks atthe criteria, that the proposedproject would increase Garwood’spopulation by 10 percent, hous-ing units by 17 percent and pushthe rental ratio to 50 percentrentals, concerns are raised andshould be discussed carefullybetween the government enti-ties and the public.

This project was kept prettymuch low profile and not adver-tised while being discussed inthe planning board meetings inlate 2015. The people would havenot been aware be it not forcoverage of The Westfield Leader.Since I am normally involved inmy town as a volunteer or anappointee, I wrote a letter withsuggestions for leverage in ne-gotiations of the borough andapproximately 20 suggestions asto Garwood achieving infrastruc-ture items toward the better-ment of our town. In subsequentmeetings I asked twice about theletter and PB (planning board)Chair Greet’s response was, “wereceived your letter, thank you.”We heard not even a possibilityof review or opinion. Then, thanksto a group of residents, the lasttwo planning board meetings had150 residents in attendance,most criticizing the size of theproject. However, again, we

heard not even a possibility ofreview or opinion toward the resi-dents concerns, and the planningboard then approved the Casaleredevelopment plan and for-warded it to the [M&C] mayorand council for their review andvote.

In a July council meeting publiccomment period, I asked whatare the powers and the authoritythat the council has toward theirvote. The borough attorney basi-cally gave a dissertation on theprocedure of a redevelopmentplan but never gave an opiniontoward what powers the councilhas. I asked again and did not geta clear answer. People in thecouncil room that night agreedthat the question was never an-swered. By the next council meet-ing, I had researched a statute,and noted to the council thatthey have the power to amend orrevise the plan and asked exactlywhat was meant by amend orrevise. No one answered northanked me for my efforts. Lead-ing up to the next council meet-ing, I wrote a letter to the M&Cpointing out that no one on thegoverning bodies had experiencewith the redevelopment ordi-nance nor with such a large pro-posed project. For the educationof not only myself and the publicbut the M&C themselves, my let-ter asked 11 questions regardingspecific input that the councilmay have prior to the vote. Iasked this letter be given to theborough attorney since he maybe versed on such an ordinance.I pointed out that answering thesequestions would give a good ideato the public just what concernsand issues they should note tothe council for their deliberation.Twice, in the public comment

period I had asked MayorLombardo to please answer thequestions in the letter. Only onecouncilor responded toward myquestion about the “point of noreturn” where the project sizecould not be changed, and shesaid that the September 13thpublic hearing is not consideredthe point of no return. But shemay be misled on that fact. Forthe balance of questions, thepublic heard not even a possibil-ity of review or opinion. So thepublic, the mayor and counciland its professionals left themeeting without a clue as towhat the public hearing and coun-cil vote really is all about or whatis supposed to be achieved.

From my research, this rede-velopment project appears tohave violated the Garwood Mas-ter Plan and even the fair sharehousing plan that was submittedand approved by a judge, and is

four times more dense as themaster plan calls for that prop-erty. I do not know if this projectis proper or not. To me, themetrics noted above appear tobe too much of an outlier. Wefind that other professionals out-side of Garwood agree it’s toolarge. But the public is left out ofthe loop and is not even beingeducated as to how they shouldformulate any arguments to theM&C since the public does noteven know what the mayor andcouncil is able to do leading up totheir vote. The public has beenlocked out of the governmentalprocess except for public hear-ings, which are by law. Whenpublic thirst for knowledge andinput is frowned upon by govern-ment entities, democracy with-ers and dies; and so does thecommunity.

Bruce PatersonGarwood

Garwood Redevelopment, Citizens AskFor Compromise Before It’s Too Late

A vote to adopt the ordinance forthe proposed 315-unit apartmentredevelopment project on Southand Center Streets in Garwoodby Borough Council is set forTuesday, September 13 at 7 p.m.at Lincoln School. We are hopingmany Garwood residents willcome and speak out about ourtown’s future.Many of us have made a con-certed effort to learn about thetransit development plan by at-tending council meetings, reach-ing out to council members andthe mayor to answer our ques-tions. Most Garwood residentsagree that the redevelopment ofthe Casale and Petro propertywould be a welcome change, butthe sheer density of 315 units ishard to accept. Although it seemsthat a transit-oriented develop-ment – with rents set to rangefrom $2,200-$3,300 a month –is “smart growth” as indicated byresearch, no one knows the fullimpact this will have on our town.

The target population will be“millennials,” “divorced singles”and “empty-nesters.” (Theserents seem quite high formillennials, many who are forcedto live at home with steep collegeloans to repay on entry-level jobsalaries.)But when a proposal like this willincrease the town’s populationby 13 percent (as cited by thedeveloper, Russo Development),or likely more, one must ques-tion how this will impact thetown’s infrastructure, traffic andservices on this small town ofonly 8/10ths of a square mile.Also, this population percentagedoes not account for the vacantproperty across the street fromthis development (corner ofSouth and West Street) or thePaperboard building on North Av-enue, which if more apartmentsare placed, could push our rentalto ownership ratios to 70 per-cent.Although many residents would

like the number of units plannedlowered, we need to come upwith options in case this plan isadopted. It was stated at thepublic planning board meeting inApril that the builder cannot gobelow 280 to 290 due to thecleanup cost of the land in orderto make a profit. We have noth-ing but the builders word on thisassertion. With that said, if theamount cannot be lowered, itwould make sense for the councilto investigate the option of hav-ing a mixture of rental and pur-chased units as well as renting todoctors and other businessesoutside of just the nine retailstores that the developer hasincluded in the plan.Another issue that has beenbrought up is our town’s low-income housing (COAH) obliga-tions. Based on recent court de-cisions, the number has changedand changes every 10 years.Neighboring towns like Westfieldhave decided to put large projectson hold until a firmer decision ismade. According the councilmeeting on August 23, it wasstated that Garwood needs 99more units for low/moderate in-come housing as the worst casescenarios but the number is notyet fixed due to lawsuits sincepending regarding this issue. Ourunderstanding is Garwood justneeds a working plan of provid-ing low/moderate housing, andit would be best for our town towork toward a goal to providethis. The developers should nothold this over our heads as thereason why they need to build somany units.There is no question that rede-velopment is good for Garwood.We understand that these lots ofland are private property andthat Petro Plastic property is al-ready owned by Russo Develop-ment. What is needed is compro-mise. Examining options of hav-ing rentals and purchased units,plus more space for businessesto rent can only help our townfinancially. This will also helpmanage the number of rentals.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE





Former Dem Councilman Assails GWGOP Over Development Reticence

“I’m concerned about the op-tics,” Garwood CouncilmanMathieu said at the last councilmeeting expressing his concernabout council members votingon adoption of the South AvenueRedevelopment Plan at the Sep-tember 13 public hearing. Hewants residents to believe that itwill be first time the council mem-bers hear this plan. I believe thatGarwood residents should be con-cerned about CouncilmanMathieu’s inability to make a de-cision. Wasn’t he elected to makedecisions? Shouldn’t he be moreconcerned about the merits ofthe plan instead of ‘optics’?

It’s funny how the councilmanwasn’t ‘concerned about the op-tics’ when he treated Garwoodsenior Pat DiFabio disrespectfullyand rudely at a public meeting afew years ago when Mr. DiFabioexpressed a counter opinion thanMr. Mathieu. He wasn’t ‘concernedabout the optics’ when he embar-rassed the entire borough withhis ethnic slurs against ItalianAmericans playing bocce ball. Hewasn’t ‘concerned about the op-tics’ when he attempted to hu-miliate former Roselle Park MayorJoseph Accardi who was provid-ing Garwood residents with hisredevelopment experience at apublic session just this past April.

Every other week throughouttheir term council members re-ceive information packets forupcoming meetings. They areasked to make decisions on itemson the following council meetingagenda. The week before plan-ning board meetings - which Mr.Mathieu has been council liaison

since January – receive informa-tion packets on applications uponwhich they must vote. Diligentcouncil and board members seekinformation before, and ask ques-tion during, their meetings. Theycast their vote yes or no. Theymake decisions. Council mem-bers Mathieu, Sarno and Cuccarodon’t like to make decisions untilthey conduct surveys of Garwoodresidents and see which way theparticular residents they speakto want them to vote. They pre-fer referendums on subjects uponwhich they are afraid to casttheir votes.

I was fully aware when I votedto restructure the Department ofPublic Works and save the bor-ough thousands of dollars that Imight lose my November elec-tion. But I cast my vote for whatI believed – and still do – was thebest decision for Garwood. Noelected councilman since (includ-ing Mr. Mathieu) has proposed toreturn the department to itsformer structure. It must beworking as our same DPW staffcontinues to do a great job. (Eventhough council membersMathieu, Sarno and Cuccarovoted against their beloved DPWcontinuing to be able to do agreat job when they voted againstbuying a new garbage truck.Seems a bit disingenuous, doesn’tit?) Council members who saythey will only vote the way resi-dents want them to vote mightas well resign their positions andreplace themselves with pollingmachines. When every Garwoodvoter votes, the machines willtell us the decisions for the bor-ough. I don’t think thatGarwoodians want that to be theirrepresentative government.

Councilman Mathieu – like most

Garwood residents – has beenaware of the South Avenue rede-velopment for years. He has hadthe plan itself since the planningboard reviewed it months ago.Council members are not beingasked to vote after one publicmeeting on the subject, butmany. His ‘optical concern’ isnothing more than another stall-ing tactic. Since the council al-ready agreed to vote after LaborDay – at Mr. Mathieu’s request –he is now employing a new tacticto just delay the vote until afterNovember when he hopes to havea new Republican on council tovote against it. I submit thatCouncilman Mathieu is more con-cerned about his election than heis about Garwood. His team hasfinally publicly recognized thatmost residents support sometype of development on the prop-erties – admitting that it has tobe better than the current situa-tion. The redevelopment processis long, and the September voteis just one of many more to come– including a future vote on den-sity. Considering Mr. Mathieunever had a problem voting thenight of a public hearing in thepast six years, he shows that hisconcern is for his election, notGarwood.

Bill NierstedtGarwood

Local Letters to the Editor

We encourage the residents tostay informed on this issues andupcoming issues regarding theproperty across the street fromthis site and the Paperboard prop-erty. We are hopeful that thecouncil, cayor and planning boardwill pursue alternative optionsfor mixed-use occupancy as acompromise if this proposal goesthrough, and listen to the resi-dents of Garwood.

Denise RidenteConcerned Citizens of Garwood

221 Facebook MembersProbitas Verus Honos

GW Redevelopment,Ask for Compromise

Jumble Store ReopensWith Special Sales ComingCRANFORD — The Junior

League of Elizabeth-Plainfield(JLEP) has announced that TheJumble Store, its non-profit thriftshop located at 110 Walnut Av-enue, Cranford, has reopenedfor the 2016-2017 year. Dona-tions received during the sum-mer are now available for pur-chase, so the JLEP encouragescustomers to shop early for thebest selections.

The Jumble Store is openWednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to8 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to5 p.m. It is closed Sunday throughTuesday. Donations are welcomeduring store business hours.

The Jumble Store serves as theprimary fundraiser for the JLEP.All proceeds help fund the CareerCloset, which provides free ca-reer wear to women re-enteringthe workforce; the Teen Closet,

which provides résumé and col-lege application instruction, andfree career wear to underservedhigh-school seniors; and collegescholarships to deserving high-school seniors.

The JLEP also has posted thedates for upcoming special salesat the Jumble Store.

The Bag Boutique kicked offAugust 31 and will continuethrough Saturday, September 3.

A Halloween Costume Sale willbe held Saturday, September 24.

A Winter Coat Sale will takeplace Friday and Saturday, Octo-ber 14 and 15.

Interested persons are invitedto follow The Jumble Store onFacebook – thejumblestore;Twitter@jlepjumblestore; andInstagram — thejumblestore.

For more information, contact(908) 276-0222 [email protected].

READY TO JUMBLE...The Jumble Store, operated by the Junior League ofElizabeth-Plainfield, has now reopened for the 2016-2017 season, with recentdonations available for purchase. It is located at 110 Walnut Avenue, Cranford.





Clemson UniversityAnnounces Dean’s ListCLEMSON, SC – Local residents

have been named to the Dean'sList at Clemson University for thespring 2016 semester.

They are: Kevin M. Kaiser ofCranford, who is majoring inMathematical Sciences.

Emily Renee Roman ofCranford, who is majoring inNursing.

Kelly Lynn Schoustra ofCranford, who is majoring in Fi-nancial Management.

Peter Sargent Mebane ofWestfield, who is majoring inMechanical Engineering.

Kathryn Margaret Sullivan ofWestfield, who is majoring inEconomics.

To be named to the Dean's List,a student achieved a grade-pointaverage between 3.50 and 3.99on a 4.0 scale.

Salve Regina Univ.Announces Dean’s ListNEWPORT, R.I. – The following

local residents have been namedto the Dean’s List for the Spring2016 semester.

Brooke Binder of Cranford, whograduated on May 15 from SalveRegina University.

Francis Quigley of Scotch Plains,a senior at Salve Regina Univer-sity.

Reseter Named toPresident’s List at ElonELON, N.C. – Nicole Resetar

has been named to thePresident’s List for the 2016spring semester at Elon Univer-sity.

The President’s List is composedof students with no grade belowan A-minus in a minimum of 12semester hours.

Nicole, from Garwood, attendedALJ High School in Clark and willbe studying in Australia at theUniversity of the Sunshine Coastin Queensland in the Fall.

Curtain Call TheatreClasses at CDC Theatre

NOT KIDDING AROUND...Children in kindergarten through eighth grade candiscover the fun of performance at CDC Theatre Curtain Call classes.

CRANFORD – Registration isopen for Curtain Call theatreclasses at CDC Theatre, inCranford, New Jersey’s oldestcommunity theatre. Act One, forstudents in grades K-four, meetsMondays, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.and begins September 19. ActTwo, for students in grades fiveto eight, meets Wednesdays,

from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. and be-gins September 21.

The 2016 fall sessions will worktowards a workshop productionof Alice in Christmas Land onDecember 17. Tuition is $250 forthe 13-week program.

Registration forms and moreinformation may be found by vis-iting the CDC Theatre website atwww.cdctheatre.org.

Esteves Named toSimmons Dean’s ListBOSTON, Mass. – Charlotte

Esteves of Cranford was namedto the 2016 spring semesterdean’s list at Simmons College inBoston.

To qualify for dean’s list status,undergraduate students mustobtain a grade point average of3.5 or higher, based on 12 ormore credit hours of work inclasses using the letter gradesystem.

Marist College TellsSpring 2016 Dean’s ListPOUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The fol-

lowing students have beennamed to the Marist CollegeDean's List for the Spring 2016semester:

Theresa Lotano of Westfield isa member of the Class of 2018and is majoring in Social Work.

Evan McElheny of Westfield is amember of the Class of 2019 andis majoring in Computer Science.

Gianna Popola of Garwood is amember of the Class of 2016 andis majoring in Criminal Justice.

Catherine Sabatino of Westfieldis a member of the Class of 2017and is majoring in Psychology/Special Education.

Area Students Graduatefrom Lafayette College

EASTON, Penn. – The follow-ing students have graduatedfrom Lafayette College in Easton,Pa. They were among 568 un-dergraduate students in theClass of 2016 awarded degreesduring the College's 181st Com-mencement.

Students include:Jacqueline Cirincione of Scotch

Plains graduated from Lafayetteand earned a bachelor of arts inenvironmental studies .

David Jennings of Mountainsidegraduated from Lafayette andearned a bachelor of science inneuroscience .

Morgan Miller of Cranfordgraduated summa cum laudefrom Lafayette and earned abachelor of arts in mathemat-ics-economics Phi Beta Kappa,Omicron Delta Epsilon, Pi MuEpsilon.

Audrey Peterson of Westfieldgraduated from Lafayette andearned a bachelor of science inmechanical engineering .

Mia Spitz of Westfield gradu-ated from Lafayette and earneda bachelor of science in biology

with honors in biology .Charles Timko of Scotch Plains

graduated from Lafayette andearned a bachelor of science incivil engineering .

Lafayette is a top liberal artscollege with 2,450 students and215 full-time faculty that offersa wide variety of undergradu-ate degree programs includingengineering. With close prox-imity to New York City and Phila-delphia, Lafayette has one ofthe highest endowment-per-student rates in the nation. Thismeans ample resources to fuelstudent research, and provideopportunities for study abroad,internships and field work. Itmeans outstanding facilities, Di-vision I sports, and funding for250 student groups on one ofthe most beautiful campuses inthe country.



Davis Earns Dean’sList at Roger WilliamsBRISTOL, RI – Tyler Davis, a

resident of Cranford, has beennamed to the Spring 2016 Dean'sList at Roger Williams Universityin Bristol, R.I.

Full-time students who com-plete 12 or more credits per se-mester and earn a GPA of 3.4 orhigher are placed on the Dean'sList that semester.

Hofstra Tells SpringDean’s List Students

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Hofstra Uni-versity congratulates the stu-dents named to the Spring 2016Dean's List for their outstandingacademic achievement. Studentsmust earn a grade point averageof at least 3.5 during the semes-ter to make the Dean's List.

Moises Philippsborn Rosenbachof Cranford.

Gabrielle Sully of Cranford.

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