Clifton Merchant Magazine - January 2011

Clifton Merchant Magazine • Volume 14 • Issue 7 • July 3, 2009

The DecadeThat Was

Stories that Helped

Shape Clifton from

2000 to 2010

Healthy New Year!Suggestions

for Keeping Those

Shape-up Resolutions

Mustang HoopsHistory

We Remember

CHS Coach

Emil Bednarcik

CHS Student of the Month

Michelle Lima: Soccer,

Lax and Studies

Keep Her Focused

This Year’s #1 Resolution:

RAISING YOUR

629 Clifton Ave • Clifton

973-777-7364459 Chestnut St • U

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470 Clifton Ave • Clifton

973-546-6977

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

January 2011 • Clifton Merchant 4

As Clifton Grows, So Do We By Tom Hawrylko

As you have come to expect, we bringyou a mixed bag of news, features

and photos every month. On�the�facing�page,�we�open�with�a�pow-

erful� essay� by� Christopher� de�Vinck,� the

Language�Arts�Supervisor�at�CHS,�and�the

author�of�12�books.� �We�began�publishing

his� work� a� few� months� ago� and� it� has

become�a�popular�feature.�

On�page�81,�you’ll�find�another�personal

essay� celebrating� the� life� of� legendary

Mustang� Basketball� Coach� Emil

Bednarcik,�written�by�Jack�DeVries.� �Jack

has� been� with� us� almost� from� the� begin-

ning.� � He� is� a� homegrown� Lakeview� kid

and�another�accomplished�writer�who�loves

to�paint�his�tales�of�history�and�sports�with

great�photos�and�anecdotes

In�between�are�70�pages�of�other�stories

and�photos�of�Clifton�residents,�its�schools,

businesses�and�politics.�Written�and�coordi-

nated�by�Joe�Hawrylko,�there�are�accounts

of� the� accomplishments� of� our� young

Mustangs,�a�review�of�2010�in�photos�and

words,� even� a� glimpse� to� the� significant

events�of�this�past�decade.�

Reviewing� this,� I� must� say

that�thanks�to�people�like�Chris,

Jack�and�Joe,��Clifton MerchantMagazine has� become� a� diaryof� our� city,� a� good� and

respectable� reader’s� magazine.

I�am�proud�to�be�at�the�helm�of

this� publication� and� to� write

these�words:�As Clifton Grows, So Do We.As�we�enter�our�16th�year�of�publication,

our� goal� is� to� continue� to� be� the� diary� of

Clifton,�a�publication�that�evolves�with�our

city�and�documents�the�changes.��

Our�magazine�is�here�thanks�to�you—the

advertisers�who�invest�in�our�pages�and�the

readers� and� subscribers�who� look� forward

to�our�monthly�photos�and�stories.��

To� all� of� you,� I� offer� my� thanks� and

pledge� that� we� will� continue� to� cover

Clifton� like� no� other� publication� can.�We

have�a�couple�of�things�going�on�for�us�to

make�that�statement:��our�size,�the�style�and

our�content.�That’s�our�niche.

To�stay�as�the�leading�publication�of�our

city,�we�need�your�help.�Please�send�us�more

notes,� news� and� photos� about� your� neigh-

bors�and�friends.��With�your�input,�we�will

continue� to� produce� a�magazine� that� truly

reflects,� reports� and� acknowledges� all� the

good�things�going�on�in�our�community.��

Our�magazine�is�here�thanks�to�you�and

we�are�here�to�serve�Clifton.

16,000 Magazines

are distributed tohundreds of Clifton

Merchants on the firstFriday of every month.

Subscribe Page 42

$27 per year $45 for 2 years

Call 973-253-4400

Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko

Business ManagerCheryl Hawrylko

Graphic Designer

Michael Strong

Staff Writer

Joe Hawrylko

Contributing WritersIrene Jarosewich, CarolLeonard, Rich DeLotto,Don Lotz, Jack DeVries© 2011 Tomahawk Promotions

1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011

We are proud to pub-lish the 5th edition ofthe Map of Clifton.Subscribers will getone mailed to theirhomes. Others canget a copy at partici-pating advertisers.Turn to page 45 forlocations where youcan pick up the 2011Map of Clifton at nocharge.

On Our CoverAmericans have the lowest savings rate in thedeveloped world. We met with Richard Bzdek,Jeff Angello, Bart D’Ambra and others to discusssavings strategies. See the story on page 68.


The�next�morning,�my�wife�Roe

spoke�about�Karen's�difficult�night,

the� pain� in� her� foot.� “Perhaps

someone�ought�to�look�at�it.”

Our� regular� doctor� didn't� have

Sunday-morning� hours,� so� we

thought�it�best� to�take�Karen�to�the

emergency� facility�on� the�highway.

Twenty�minutes� later,� I� carried�my

daughter�into�the�lobby�of�the�small

brick�building.

After� my� wife� and� I� filled� out

some� forms,� we� were� quickly

introduced�to�a�young�doctor.�X�rays

of�the�foot�were�taken.

“A�simple�bone�chip,”�the�doctor

pointed� out.� “I� am� not� qualified� to

wrap�the�foot.�You'll�need�to�see�an

orthopedic� surgeon.� He'll� know� if

she�needs�a�soft�or�hard�cast.”

Two�days�afterward,�Roe�stepped

into� the�orthopedic�surgeon's�office

with�Karen�and�the�X�rays.

After� the� new� doctor� examined

Karen's�foot�and�looked�at�the�films,

he�said�to�Roe,�“There�is�something

more�here.�It�isn't�a�bone�chip.�The

first�doctor's�diagnosis� is�an�honest

mistake.� You� see� here?”� The

surgeon� pointed� it� out� to�my�wife.

“This� does� look� like� a� chip� on� the

bone,�but�it�is�really�quite�normal.”

Roe�looked�at�the�black-and-gray

film�illuminated�against�the�light.

“But� look� here,”� the� doctor

continued.�“Do�you�see�this�bone?�It

is�much�larger�than�the�others�in�her

foot.�That�concerns�me.”

And�so�began�the�very�first�time

any�of�our� children�was� threatened

by� a� force� beyond� a� mother's� and

father's�protection.

“What�does�it�mean?”�Roe�asked.

“I’d� like� to� order� some� tests� on

Karen:�a�bone�scan,�a�blood�test,�and

an�MR.”

“But�what�does�it�mean?”

“Well,�that�bone.�It�is�abnormally

large.�There's�a�reason:�an�infection,

a� fracture,� perhaps� a� tumor.� These

tests�will�begin�to�tell�us�more.”

The� tests� told� us�more.�The�MR.

indicated� that� her� bone� was� not

broken.�The�blood�test�didn't�detect�an

infection.� The� bone� scan� pointed� to

the�flare-up�in�Karen's�foot.�After�three

weeks�of�tests,�the�orthopedic�surgeon

looked�at� the�results�and�urged�us� to

take� Karen� to� the� Sloan-Kettering

Cancer�Center�in�New�York�City.

I� will� never� forget� the� image� of

nine-year-old�Karen�walking�through

the�hospital�doors�clutching�the�large

x-ray�envelope�against�her�chest.

“We�really�can't�tell�what�is�going

on� in�Karen's� foot�at� the�moment,”

the� new� doctor� told� us� after

examining� the� x-rays.� “She� will

have�to�have�a�biopsy.”

I� thought� a� biopsy� would� be� a

simple�needle�inserted�into�the�bone.

“I’d� like� to� admit� Karen� on

Monday,”� the� doctor� said.� “I’11

perform� the� surgery� on� Tuesday

morning,�and�if�all�goes�well,�Karen

can�go�home�on�Wednesday.”

“Excuse�me,”� I� said.� “What� did

you� say?� Karen� will� have� to� stay

overnight?”

Not�until�I�was�home�and�Karen

was� in� bed� did� I� fully� understand

what� was� happening.� The� doctors

suspected�that�Karen�had�cancer.

We�live�our�lives�in�the�rhythms

of�drama,�between�ordinary�routines

and�sudden�jolts.�I�had�thought�until

this� point� in� my� life� that� I� could

protect�my�children.�

The�poet�Derek�Walcott�said�that

he� liked� growing� up� in� the

Caribbean.�Living�so�close�to�the�sea

as�a�child,�he�said,�gave�him�a�sense

of� things� larger� than� he� was� out

there,�things�vast�and�powerful.

There� is� no� power� on� this� earth

greater�than�death.�I�am�still�foolish

enough,�or�young�enough,�to�believe

I�can�fight�death�as� it� tries� to�press

against� my� daughter.� I� was� a

madman,� believing� in� my� superior

strength�in�opposition�to�so�vast�and

powerful�a�thing,�this�cancer.

On�the�morning�of�the�biopsy,�an

anesthesiologist� stepped� up� to

Karen’s� bed� and� placed� a� green

surgical�cap�on�my�daughter's�head.

As�Karen�tucked�her�long�brown

hair� under� the� cap,� the� doctor� told

her�she�looked�like�a�fashion�model.

The�only�thing�Karen�had�wanted

to�bring� to� the�hospital�was�Penny,

her� new� Disney� Dalmatian

The agony of an ill childBy Christopher de Vinck

One September many years ago my young daughter, Karen, woke upin the middle of a Saturday night with severe pain in her right foot.

“Mommy, it hurts so much.” I vaguely heard the commotion as I slidback into sleep.

plush� dog� with� its� pink� name� tag.

Penny� traveled�with�Karen� through

the�admissions�office.�Penny�sat�on

Karen’s� lap� when� the� intravenous

tube�was�thrust�into�her�vein.

Just� as� the� nurse� began� to� push

Karen� toward� the� operating� room,

my�wife�reached�over�to�take�Penny,

for� we� were� told� our� daughter

couldn't� have� anything� with� her

during�surgery.��

“Oh,�Karen�can�take�Penny,”�said

the�nurse,�with�her�beautiful�Dutch

accent.��

As� Karen� was� wheeled� away

from� us,� she�waved,� Penny� tucked

under�her�arm.

We� all� endure� hints� of� anguish

differently.�I�wanted�to�stop�the�play,

send� the�director� to� lunch,� take�Roe

and�Karen�home�and�forget�the�whole

thing.�I�was�able�to�teach�Karen�how

to�ride�a�bicycle.�I�was�able�to�comfort

her�when�she�had�a� fever.� I�couldn't

take�her�away�from�the�surgeons.

Roe�and� I� spent� the� longest� two

hours�of�our�lives�sitting�together�in

the� hospital� lobby� as�we�waited� to

hear�the�biopsy�results.

The�morning�sun�leaned�against�us.��

Finally,� down� the� hall,� I� could

see,�among�the�hospital�crowds,�our

doctor�in�his�green�surgical�gown.

“It�looks�good.�I�saw�no�evidence

of�cancer,�no�evidence�of�a�tumor�or

an� infection.� I� think� it� is� a� stress

fracture.� The� bone� in� her� foot

sustained�a�trauma�of�some�sort.�The

bone�is�bent�and�her�body�thinks�it�is

broken,� so� her� immune� system� is

simply� trying� to� repair� the�supposed

damage.�We�couldn't�tell�this�without

the�biopsy.�She’s�going�to�be�fine.”

Roe� and� I� were� allowed� to� be

with� Karen� right� after� the� surgery.

Our�daughter�was�curled�up�under�a

blanket.� A� mist� of� steam� was

pumped�around�her�face.

“Is� she� all� right?”� I� asked� the

nurse.

“She’s�fine.�She's�just�waking�up.

The�steam�helps�her.�The�doctor�said

your�daughter� is� fine.�We�don't�get

much� good� news� in� this� recovery

room.”��

I�pulled�Karen’s�blanket�over�her

bare� shoulders,� and� there,� on� the

other� side�of�her� little�bed,� I� found

Penny,� wearing� a� green� surgical

mask�and�cap.

Roe�and�I�celebrate�and�sing�that

Karen� doesn’t� have� cancer.� We

human�beings�ought�to�celebrate�and

sing� in� praise� of� men� and� women

who�devote�their�lives�to�a�career�so

filled� with� stress,� sadness� and,

sometimes,�joy�at�Sloan-Kettering.��

We� can� be� grateful� for� the

development� of� scientific� research

and�discoveries,�but�let�us�not�forget

that�someone�took�the� time�to� tie�a

little�hat�and�mask�around�a�toy�dog

just� so� a� child� could� wake� up� and

smile�no�matter�what�the�outcome�of

her�test.

Vast�and�powerful�indeed.��



Strength�In�NumbersClifton�-�Listings�Sold�2010

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January Vinnie Gulardo, owner of The Hair Place at Clifton Ave. and Clifton Blvd., is oneof many small business owners in town celebrated in the January edition.

Hirings and Retirement in the Month of January

2010

However, that figure is still eight short of

the number called for by the Clifton Police

Department Table of Organization. The

CPD was able to scrape together money for

the hirings because of an agreement

between the City Council and the Board of

Education to pay $500,000 towards keep-

ing the School Resource Officers in CHS,

the Annex and middle schools.

A 17 year old was stabbed in the back in

a brawl on Jan. 4 that involved 8-10 people

from Clifton and Paterson. Police were

unsure if the incident was a result of gang

activity or an ongoing dispute. Some of the

people arrested have ties to local gangs.

Rosemarie Harvey, city resident for

51 years, wins $50,000 on Who Wants to

be a Millionaire. She was profiled by this

magazine in January.

The City of Clifton swore in five new police officers to ringin the New Year: Jeffrey Eelman, Justin Varga, AlexanderZamora, Sean Connor and Nigel Gough. The fiveindividuals—all Veterans—were sworn in at a ceremony

on January 5. The total number of Clifton cops now stands at 150.

Vinny Colavitti Sr., shown here in a 1998 photo with his sons Kevin (left)and Vinny Jr., retired from the Passaic Fire Department on Jan. 1 after 41years of service. The Cliftonite’s two sons took after pops: Kevin is aLieutenant with the PFD and Vinny is a Captain in the Clifton FireDepartment.

The city expects to save approximately $1 millionthis coming year by replacing old bulbs and light fix-

tures with energy efficient lights. The new install-

ments are expected to last up to 100,000 hours, use 30-

40 percent less electricity and contain less mercury.

An agreement between exiting Governor Jon

Corzine and his replacement, Chris Christie, results in a

number of appointments to various posts. In the process,

four Clifton residents were tapped.

Vicki Citrino, was named to workers’ compensation

judge was approved by the Senate on Monday. BOE

commissioner John Traier was nominated to serve on the

Commission on Civil Rights. Salaheddin

Mustafa, was under consideration for

appointment to the Board of Higher

Education Assistant Authority.

Councilman Peter Eagler was appointed

to the Commission on New Americans

and the Eastern European-American

Heritage Commission in the Department

of State.

The BOE began to take steps to

replace outgoing assistant superintend-

ent Dr. Maria Nuccetelli, whose contract

expired on March 15. Nuccetelli, the

former Passaic county Superintendent of

Schools, was perhaps best known in

Clifton for her spearheading of a failed

campaign to bring school uniforms to the

district last year. The Board, interested

in hiring from within, had set its eyes on

CHS Principal Jimmie Warren. His name was pulled

from consideration later that month. Many had ques-

tioned if the position was even necessary, claiming that

the district is top heavy with administrators.

Controversial plans to demolish the Jubilee Dineron Allwood Rd. and replace it with a McDonalds are

scrapped. With many residents against the plan, the

Council and Board of Adjustment came out against it as

well, leading diner owner Tony Prekas to activate a

clause in his lease with McDonalds to void the contract.

The property was later renovated by the Logothetis

family and opened in December as the Allwood Diner.

The January edition celebrated small businesses. Pictured above are some members of the Clifton Licensed BeverageAssociation. From left is CLBA President Fred Barnes of Dingo’s Den & Dingbatz, Rob Corujo of Pub 46 and JoeyBarcellona of Bliss Lounge. The Fifth Annual CCMS Cut-A-Thon to support Locks of Love took place on Jan. 25.

Steph Gore, Brielle Murray, Danielle Karcz and Sarah Block bartended atThe Clif Tavern on Clifton Ave. at a Jan. 30 fundraiser for Murray’s friendwhose family was in Haiti for the Jan. 12 earthquake. Bar owner Skip Kazerdonated a portion of his proceeds and the girls raised $1,000. Above right:Clifton High School Student of the Month Luis Urdanivia, a senior, is pro-filed in the January Clifton Merchant Magazine.


With support from Rob Corujo of Pub 46 and Joey Barcellona of Bliss Lounge, the

2010 Police Unity Tour members had a good start to reaching their $22,000 fundraising

goal. On Dec. 10, Pub 46 kicked things off with the first fundraiser. That was followed by

the Jan. 22 Cocktails for a Cause at Bliss Lounge. While the fundraising tends to be fun-

filled, the theme of the ride says it all—We Ride For Those Who Have Died. The mis-

sion is to remember every police officer killed in the line

of duty, including our brother, Clifton Police Officer John

Charles Samra whose end of watch was November 21,

2003. For more on the 2011 tour and fundraising plans,

see page 90 or go to www.cliftonpba36.com. To make a

donation, call Clifton Police Officer John Kavakich at

973-470-5897 or Tom Hawrylko at 973-253-4400.

Clifton Family SuperBowl Party Feb. 7

Mayor James Anzaldi (above, with volunteer Marie Angelloof American Coin & Stamp on Main Ave.) stopped by theBoys & Girls Club to volunteer and serve hot dogs to thecrowd. The girls at the right were some of the several hun-dred individuals and families that showed up for the alco-hol-, drug- and gambling-free event.

February Love is in the air—February featured stories about love, romance and marriage—as the cover couple Mike and Kate Urciuoli illustrate. 2010

Several hundred Cliftonites stopped by the Boys & GirlsClub on Feb. 7 for the annual Family Super Bowl Party, aalcohol, drug and gambling-free event that is put togethereach year with the help of generous sponsors. The Club

opens its gym and pool for fun and games. This year, the familieswatched on two big screen TVs as the New Orleans Saints defeatedthe Indianapolis Colts by a score of 31-17.



February also marked the beginning of the CliftonMerchant 2010 Council Race coverage. Six candi-

dates were vetted by the City Clerk for the race by the

February deadline and interviewed in Feb: Mayor

James Anzaldi, incumbents Steve Hatala, Peter Eagler,

Matt Ward, Frank Fusco and challenger Dave D’Arco.

It is announced that Sal Anzaldi will take over as

head coach of the CHS Lady Mustangs softball pro-

gram. As a preview to the season, writer Carol Leonard

spoke with the 63 year-old retired Clifton principal and

teacher, who has spent more than 30 years on both sides

of the softball field fence as a parent, coach and fan of

the game. In the wide ranging interview, Anzaldi dis-

cussed his philosophy of coaching, his reasons for tak-

ing the position and his plans and dreams for the future

of the CHS softball program.

Jorge and Ada Arana on their wedding day June 27, 1982. Vijay and Joyti Bhatia who married in 1994. Lisa DeGregorywith Billy Meltzer who wed on June 6, 1981. Don and Melissa Jaycox celebrated 35 years of mariage on Aug. 25.

Top left, clockwise: SalAnzaldi, the new LadyMustangs softball coach.Najat Helwani is the CHSStudent of the Month.Legendary CHS boys soc-cer coach Fernando Rossipassed away on Feb. 23.In his 23 year career, the60 year old compiled arecord of 353-95-51,including a StateSectional Title in 1994.

Hair Expressions730 Broad Street • Clifton

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CHS seniors modeled tuxedos from

Deluxe Formal Wear and gowns from

Angelica-La Faye Fashions. Hairworks

Urban Oasis, Lunar E Clips,

Santa Fe Hair and

Nail Salon, Guy

Anthony Hair

Salon and Nina’s

Hair Salon all

assisted in making

the students look

their best. St.

Philip’s Knights of Columbus donated

flowers, and AGL Welding supplied the

helium for balloons.

The money generated from this event

went towards Project Graduation, which

was held after the field walk on June 23

later that year.

Councilman JoeCupoli breaks the

news in the CliftonMerchant Magazinethat he will not seek

re-election in May

after just one term in

office. Cupoli cited

the inefficiency of

government, the

negative influences in the communi-

ty and his commitment to his busi-

ness, P&A Autoparts, and his family,

as the reasons for not seeking re-

election. He also indicated that he

may possibly consider running for a

Board of Ed seat in the future.

The Cupoli feature led the politi-

cal coverage in March, which con-

tinued with profiles on the following

candidates: Dan Brown, Joe Chidiac,

Roy Noonburg, Suzanne Sia, George

Silva and Andy White. Candidate

Mary Sadrakula opted not to partake

in interviews after failing to return several

messages left for her in the weeks leading

up to our press deadline.

Prom Fashion ShowMarch 10

March Councilman Joe Cupoli announces that he will not seek re-election in anexclusive and wide ranging interview with Clifton Merchant2010

The Clifton High School Prom Fashion Show ushered inthe month on March 10. Held in The Venetian in Garfield on March 10, the event was a success, withseveral local businesses donating goods and services to

support this vital fundraiser for graduating seniors.

Students modelsome wears andstyles at the PromFashion Show onMarch 10 at TheVenetian. At right,CHS Student of theMonth JennieTietjen.

Meet the Candidates Night was

held on March 12 at Bliss Lounge,

955 Allwood Rd., from 4 to 9 pm.

The event was sponsored by Bliss

owner Joey Barcelona and members

of the Clifton Licensed Beverage

Association, with support from

Clifton Merchant Magazine.March also saw the Board of Ed

race deadline, with a total of ten

people having filed to qualify on the

ballot. Incumbent Norm Tahan filed

but would later drop from the race.

City resident and longtime BOE

Council Anthony D’Elia was

appointed as West New York’s assis-

tant town attorney on Feb 17. He

served as the Clifton BOE attorney

for nearly two decades.

Clifton hires its first female firefighter, Angelina Tirado. The 26

year old is the daughter of Alberto

Tirado, a Cliftonite and Passaic Fire

Fighter who died in the line of duty

in 2001. Also taking the oath of

office as firefighters that day were

John Bradley and Patrick Cassidy.

EPA recognizes Clifton for out-

standing partnership in EPA recy-

cling programs. City Recycling

Coordinator Al DuBois said the city

will receive the award at a ceremo-

ny in Virginia later in March. Since

joining the EPA WasteWise

Program in 1994, Clifton has peren-

nially ranked among top cities

nation wide.

Governor Chris Christieannounces a state-wide cut of more

than $800m in funding. Clifton will

lose more than $7m, more than a

quarter of state aid it received last

year.


Gary Giardina was sworn in as Clifton’s 9th Police Chief on Friday, March 26.About 500 people attended the ceremony which included people from most everyneighborhood in the city, elected officials, and public safety officials from neigh-boring municipalities. Also in attendance were the two prior chiefs. From left,Frank Lo Gioco, who served from March 1, 1990 to May 31, 2002. He was fol-lowed by Robert Ferreri who held the office from June 1, 2002 to March 1, 2010.

In the March edition, Jeff Labriola and Clifton Police Captain Robert Rowan were profiled. The two were honored on May2 at the Passaic-Clifton Optimist Awards Dinner. The recipients, from left to right, were Labriola, Friend of Youth Award,Rowan, Judge Joseph J. Salerno Respect for Law Award, Barbara Watterston, Community Service Award and Jake Kuepfer,Clifton Optimist Lifetime Achievement Award.


The rest of the results are as follows:

Kim Renta, 2,674, Barbara Novak, 2,254,

Jack Houston, 2,235, Phil Binaso, 2,175

and Joe Fazio, 1,056. Gina Marie Scaduto,

who filed to run and later unofficially

withdrew, received 508 votes.

The $114 million budget was defeatedby a 3,721 to 3,640 vote, meaning the

Board and City Council must hold meetings

to determine what alterations—if any—to

make. The small margin in the budget

election was surprising, as Governor chris

Christie urged voters to defeat budgets at the

polls in light of the recession. Statewide,

more than half of all budgets failed.

Renta, who served two consecutive

terms on the Board, was the only

incumbent in the race. Jim St. Clair

announced earlier in the year that he would

not seek re-election after just one term on

the Board. Norm Tahan, a longtime

commissioner and Clifton Deputy Fire

Chief, initially planned to defend his seat

but pulled his name from the ballot before

the filing deadline.

This election was considered more

important than in the past because of the

fractured nature of the Board, which

became divided due to overcrowding and

spending issues over the past few years.

Those up for re-election represented three

seats of the ‘Board majority’, which was

comprised of Renta, Tahan, St. Clair, Lou

Fraulo and John Traier. The opposing

faction was represented by Board

President Jim Daley, Michael Paitchell, Joe

Yeamans and Paul Graupe.

On April 28, the new Boardcommissioners held the annual

reorganization meeting and re-appointed

Daley as President and selected Paitchell

as Vice President.

Council coverage also continued inApril, with profiles on Anthony Genchi,

Demikoff, Passenti &Kowal win in BOE race

Voters went with the familiar face in the April 20 elec-tion, with former Board President Wayne Demikoffplacing first with 3,086 votes. Newcomer GaryPassenti had 3,047 votes and Mary Kowal, another

former commissioner, captured the final spot with 2,783 votes.

BOE candidates Wayne Demikoff, Gary Passenti, Mary Kowal, Kim Renta, Barbara Novak, Jack Houston, and Joe Fazio.Candidate Phil Binaso refused to sit for an interview with this magazine and provided no photo.

April Cliftonite and former Mustang Nikki Krzysik goes pro in Women’sProfessional Soccer and is profiled by Clifton Merchant in April2010

Jeffery Lao — CHSStudent of the Month

Joe Kolodziej and Joan Salensky.

Brothers Ray and Matt Grabowski,

and Frank Gaccione declined

interview requests in April.

Casey Hawrylko and friends

Becca Potocki and Victoria Petrovic

raised over $1,000 for the April 16

Relay of Life at Montclair State.


The Passaic County Elks CerebralPalsy High School held School SpiritWeek April 26-30. Students at theUnion Ave. school made their ownfloats and had a parade in theCandyland theme. Staff and studentsalso held a chicken barbecue throw-down, a powder puff football gameand other events. For info on Clifton’sthree CP centers, call 973-772-2600.

Bottom: On April 29, NYC FirefighterJoe O’Donnell (second from left),assists in training. From left: CliftonFirefighters Eric Marshaleck, PeteSchmidt, Dave McCann and FrankYodice. Kneeling is Lt. Brett Blake andFirefighter Will Espinoza.


Despite the criticism the Council had

received over the last four years, four of

five incumbents that ran for election—

Anzaldi, Steve Hatala, Peter Eagler and

Matthew Ward—retained their seats.

Only Frank Fusco failed in his re-election

bid. Longtime Councilwoman Gloria

Kolodziej retired the previous summer,

and Joe Cupoli did not run.

Joseph Kolodziej was listed as a chal-

lenger, but the former BOE President and

son of Councilwoman Kolodziej was

hardly new to politics. Mary Sadrakula

and Matthew Grabowski earned their

seats despite not having any political

background.

Other familiar faces in the race included

former Councilman Frank Gaccione, who

lost his seat in a failed re-election cam-

paign in 2006. Joseph Chidiac, George

Silva and Roy Noonburg also ran in that

same year unsuccessfully.

Make it six: Jim Anzaldiis elected mayor again

By the time he is up for re-election again in May of 2014,there will be a full generation of Cliftonites that haveonly known Jim Anzaldi as mayor. The son of a Passaicmailman earned his sixth term on May 11 with 5,667

votes—nearly 1,400 more than second place.

James Anzaldi Steve Hatala Peter Eagler Mary Sadrakula

MatthewGrabowski

Matthew Ward JosephKolodziej

May We present a Tribute to Clifton’s Fallen Heroes of Vietnam and share theirstories of honor & sacrifice and to keep their memories eternal2010

Domenica Perrone, CHS Student of theMonth, also wrote for the Merchant in theJune Graduation edition.

Council Results Pg. 49


Excessive high heel wear will lead to neuromas,hammer & claw toes, bunions or bone spurs. The solution?Wear higher versions only briefly, use insoles and as alast resort, consider minimally invasive surgery.


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Edna Siver considers herself very

lucky to be living a modestly com-

fortable life in these hard economic

times. But the spry great grandmoth-

er who just turned 94 grew up during

the Great Depression of the 1930s, so

she knows what it’s like to have to

make ends meet. She shares her life

story in the May edition

Ellie Schimpf will reach a mile-stone that many others of us hope

that we, too, will achieve someday

in good health and with a sound

mind. On May 20, Schimpf will cel-

ebrate her 90th birthday. In another

interview, she share her secret to a

long life: Love and be Loved

Clifton celebrated MemorialDay with the parade and ceremonies

in Allwood, Downtown Clifton,

Athenia and Albion. The Avenue of

Flags sported 1,400 banners to

honor vets. The Field of Honor for

those killed in action was dedicated

on May 30.

Frank Fusco RaymondGrabowski

Suzanne Sia Dan Brown

Dave D’Arco Frank Gaccione Andy White Joan Salensky

Joseph Chidiac George Silva Roy Noonburg Anthony Genchi


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Mustang seniors taketo Clifton Stadium

Atotal of 654 seniors donned Mustang maroon capand gowns on June 23, trotting across the turf of JoeGreco Field to receive a diploma. For the CliftonHigh School seniors pictured here, it was a day

they’ll never forget.

The stands were packed full with more

than 5,000 spectators, who watched on in

wonderful warm weather, a stark contrast

to the storm that hung overhead in the pre-

vious year’s graduation ceremony.

After the seniors left the stadium as

graduates, they trekked back to the high

school, where the students loaded up into

buses for Project Graduation. The annual

drug and alcohol free event is held at a

June Clifton fights cancer: The annual Relay for Life event took place on June 12 at Clifton Stadium raising $78,000 in memory of the fallen2010

secret venue each year and is chaper-

oned by volunteers and teachers.

Because of fundraising efforts, such

as the Prom Fashion show and other

events, and support from the PTSA,

the tickets were just $65 this year, a

$15 reduction. Students partied

overnight and were returned home

safely in the morning.

Project Graduation CoordinatorMary Ann Cornett also got assis-

tance from the Passaic-Clifton

UNICO, which donated $500 to the

cause. UNICO hosted its annual

Spring Concert at Bliss Lounge on

June 4. Bliss owner and UNICO

member Joey Barcelona graciously

hosts this annual event, which acts as

a major fundraiser for the organiza-

tion, which in turn donates money to

the high school.


Our June edition features 72 pages of the hopes, dreams and photos of Clifton

kids who graduated from CHS and other high schools. Above are five of the kids

featured on our pages: Corey Meyer, Chelsea Rae Alessio, Andrew Nader Saad,

Lauren Hrina and Vasil Martiko. At left, CHS Student of the Month Ariel

DeLeon.


Hoey tragically passed away two years

in an accident at the age of 17. His family

preserves him memory through a number

of avenues.

A scholarship for graduating CHS sen-

iors is awarded each year and family has

created the Jimmy Hoey Memorial

Foundation, which

allowed the Hoeys to

raise funds to purchase

two horses for the

Somerset Handicapped

Riding Stables. The Foundation also assists

two handicapped Boy Scout troops.

The Second Annual Jimmy Hoey

Memorial Golf Outing was held on July

19 at the Greenbrook Country Club,

North Caldwell. Proceeds went to bene-

fit numerous charitable causes in honor of the for-

mer CHS Student.

July The Reunion Edition: Clifton Merchant looks back at CHS classes ending inZero... CHS ‘41, 51, ‘61, ‘71, ‘81, ‘92, ‘01, tell us your stories this year!2010

David Nicholas

Jimmy Hoey

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The Fourth Annual David’s Day, a fundraiser to

benefit The David Nicholas Foundation, was held on

July 10 at the Masonic Lodge on Van Houten Ave.

David Nicholas Porter was just four years old when he

passed away due to a Wilms’ tumor. The family cele-

brates his memory with David’s Day: a motorcycle ride

and barbecue, complete with green decorations—

Dave’s favorite color. Visit www.thedavidnicholas-

foundation.org.

The annual Downtown Clifton Salsa Night was held

on July 16 at the public lot at Main and Clifton Aves. The

event featured live music and dancing, and was sponsored

by Investor Savings Bank and the Downtown Clifton

Economic Development Group.

From left to right: Katerina Dimitratos, a CHS 2005 grad, competed in the Miss United States Pageant in Las Vegas from July 9-16..Former Clifton Merchant graphic designer Andre Olave and Maggie DeMolli wed on July 1. BOE Commissioner Wayne Demikofflooks back at his glory days as a Mustang on the gridiron in the July Edition.

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With garbage piled as high as the ceil-

ing, crews in protective gear were forced

to shovel out waste in order to get to the

distressed animals that were all over the

house. Owner Joanne Zak, who worked

for the state government social services

agency and previously volunteered at an

animal shelter, told authorities that she

had rescued the animals, which were in

crates lined with several inches of feces.

A total of 25 dogs were removed from

the home and placed in the care of the

animal shelter. Though four had to be

euthanized, the shelter cleaned up the

animals and a number were adopted by

compassionate Cliftonites. Zak was

Big Animal Cruelty Bustin Brighton Rd. Home

Emergency crews reported to calls of a possible gas leak at

179 Brighton Rd on Aug. 5. However, workers discov-

ered that the odors emitting from the home were not from

natural gas, but from the filth and animal excrement that

had accumulated from more than two dozen dogs and cats.

August Celebrate Mustang Musicians—the Merchant August edition is all aboutartists who have called Clifton home over the years.2010


charged with 27 counts of animal

cruelty—25 for the dogs and two

for a pair of dead cats found on the

property—and was forced to clean

up the property within 30 days

before being permitted to return.

The Rec Department’s TakeBack the Park clean up program

continued on Aug. 7 at Nash Park.

The program called on volunteers

to help spruce up their neighbor-

hood parks over the course of the

summer.

The August music edition fea-tured a number of unique andinteresting artists and musiciansthat call Clifton home. Above isDoug Orey, who moved toClifton, where his grandparentslived, to pursue his musicalcareer. Above right are JaredStyles and Chill Bill—known toEarth dwellers as Dan and JoshBertelli—of the trippy quartet,Mr. Pants and the AdventureSoundtrack.

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The August cover band, TheO>Matics! These Clifton subur-ban rockers, from left, are JamieO>Matic, Chris O>Matic andMark O>Matic. Check outO>Matic music, videos, comicsand more at the band’s website,www.omatics.net.

Judge Scott Bennion is reap-

pointed to his position at the Aug.

11 Council meeting by a 6-1 vote.

Newly elected Councilwoman

Mary Sadrakula was the dissenting

vote, stating that she prefered that

Bennion have a face-to-face meet-

ing with the Council prior to

appointment.

CPD Lt. Richard Berdnik is

named as the Democrat selection

for the upcoming Passaic County

Sheriff election. His predecessor,

Jerry Speziale, unexpectedly

resigned to take up a new job.


The Jades, circa 1965, at the CHS talent show: Roy Parian, Wayne LoPresti, Tom Kondra, Craig Parian, FredSakacs. The band won 11 of 13 battle of the band competitions and opened for The Rascals in Wayne.

The Jades

Pat Egan, CHS 2005, puts his teaching career on hold to pursue his dream: stagemanagement in theater He is pictured above left in his 2004 Thanksgiving Dayfinale as CHS Drum Major and, at inset, current.

Above, Jordan Kaplan blends hisJewish faith into his folk rock music.Below, Queen of Peace senior andCliftonite Melanie Rodriguez, whotook 3rd in the National Song forthe Earth contest


The squads were comprised of up to 20

individuals and hailed from around the

area. Members of the local Fire and Police

departments also fielded teams. Each

squad was tasked with raising at least

$1,500—most eclipsed that number easily.

On Sept. 25, men and women alikedonned heels in a walk-a-thon sponsored

by the NJ Coalition for Battered Women

and the Prosecutor’s Office to protest rape,

sexual assault and gender violence. The

march took place at 11:30 am in Jubilee

Park. According to Frank Baird, founder

of the march, one in three women has

experienced gender violence in her life-

time and a woman is raped every 90 sec-

onds in America. The event raised

approximately $5,000.

K of C Tank Pull raises$75K for Wounded Warriors

Twenty teams competed in the Knights of Columbus

0645 Tank Pull Challenge on Sept. 12 in a fundraiser

that benefited the Wounded Warrior Project. The

event was held at Oak Ridge Park on Clifton Ave.

Dave Ogden (left)and Nick Cvetic ina current photo andas Jr. Mustangs.

Susan Bivaletz helps her husband Steven getinto a pair of high heels. Bryan McGuire alsodonned pumps.

September The 2010 Clifton High School Athletic Hall of Fame inductees are profiled in the September edition of the Clifton Merchant Magazine.2010


The squads were comprised of up to 20

individuals and hailed from around the

area. Members of the local Fire and Police

departments also fielded teams. Each

squad was tasked with raising at least

$1,500—most eclipsed that number easily.

On Sept. 25, men and women alikedonned heels in a walk-a-thon sponsored

by the NJ Coalition for Battered Women

and the Prosecutor’s Office to protest rape,

sexual assault and gender violence. The

march took place at 11:30 am in Jubilee

Park. According to Frank Baird, founder

of the march, one in three women has

experienced gender violence in her life-

time and a woman is raped every 90 sec-

onds in America. The event raised

approximately $5,000.

K of C Tank Pull raises$75K for Wounded Warriors

It was a football clash that pit-

ted friend versus friend. On Sept.

4, Nick Cvetic, a 2007 CHS grad,

faced off against his old pal and

former Cliftonite, Dave Ogden, as

Cvetic’s Colgate University

Raiders edged the Monmouth

University Hawks 30-29 in

Hamilton, NY. The two first met

on the Junior Mustangs Football

Team in 1995 and remained friends

after Ogden’s family moved to

Wayne a few years later. The sen-

iors ended their college careers at

the conclusion of the season.

CHS soccer alum played a

charity game on Sept. 25 to raise

funds for the Coach Fernando

Rossi Scholarship. Rossi had

passed away in February at the age

of 60. The legendary coach had

compiled a record of 353-95-51,

with one State Sectional Title in

1994.

Knights of Columbus members Tony Latona, Carlo Santelli, Ken Molnar, chair John Hughes and Ray Lill.

www.stefanandsons.com

Krystyna Bladek’s journey to Americafrom Maziarnia, Poland began in 1971 with

a steamship ticket she had worked to pay

for, and a five dollar bill that her mother had

managed to save. The two-week visit she

planned with her aunt in Passaic turned into

a 30-year love affair with America that

continues today. As the owner of Krystyna

Travel on Van Houten Ave., she was one of

several small business owners profiled in

the October edition. “I was 19 and quite

fearless when I decided to visit the US,”

she recalled. “It didn’t bother me at all

that I had only $5 to my name.”

The John Samra Memorial 5k took

place on Oct. 24. The event, sponsored

by the Clifton PBA and Clifton

Roadrunners, included both amateur and

competitive runners. Former Clifton

Merchant writer Alicia Feghhi was

placed first for women, with a time of

23:14. Male winner Hector Rivera set a

new course record with 16:06.

The UNICO Columbus Day Fundraiser

with the Clifton Stallions Soccer Club was

held on Oct. 1 at the Boys & Girls Club.

Entertainment was provided by Clifton’s

own, Kayla’s Krew and Brookwood.

Boys & Girls Club Hall ofFame honors members

Several thousand young children have passed through the

Boys & Girls Club over the years. On Oct. 22, the

organization celebrated its past by inducting generations

of members into its Hall of Fame in a fun-filled,

nostalgic event, which his also a major annual fundraiser.

Among the B&GC honorees, top, from left, Al Carline, John Gogick, Kent Bania, Ed Welsh. Bottom row: Rob Haraka,MaryAnn Goodwin, Nikki Krzysik, Chris Karcz. At right is our favorite Boys & Girls Club cover from September 1999.

October Clifton’s annual Halloween Parade and HarvestFest Parade took place onOct. 24 with spooky costumes and lots of fun in Nash Park2010



f

The Clifton Science andTechnology Festival was held on

Oct. 24 and 24 at CHS and

designated areas of Caldwell

Airport. It was one of 50 satellites

held across the nation in which

students, parents and educators

participated in the free event,

organized by BOE VP Michael

Paitchell, who is also the executive

director of the NJ Applied Science

and Technological Council.

Cliftonite Jenny Sichel was one

of 500 rowers that took to the Passaic

River in the 10th Annual Head of the

Passaic Regatta on Oct.17. Her

father, Bill, was a volunteer this year

due to injury, but had previously

competed in the past few events.

Readers are treated to a fantasyfootball tale by writer Jack DeVries

who pits the 1946 Mustangs and the

1973 football teams in a unique story

of The Clifton Cup!

CHS Hall of Fame inductees. Top from left: Bob Knight, Eddie Curreri and Lou Poles.Middle: Scott Orlovsky, Jamie Farley and Lester Lembryk. Bottom: Ralph Cinque,Victor Stojanow and Robbie Vargo. Other inductees included Nikki Krzsik and the 1972-73 Fighting Mustangs and 1997-1998 Lady Mustangs Softball Team.

CHS Student of the MonthJustin Noll.

Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. easily

defeated Republican challenger Roland

Straten for the second straight year. The

Democrat will have served eight terms

when he is up for re-election in two years.

Though the Pascrell victory was expect-

ed, the Passaic County Sheriff race was a

battle right up to election day.

Initially regarded as a long shot for the

position, Republican Felix Garcia was sud-

denly given new life after the unexpected

departure of former Sheriff Jerry Speziale

(D), who took up a job with the Port

Authority. The Democrats supported

Richard Berdnik, a Clifton officer of 30

years with no political experience. The

Sheriff race was particularly nasty, with the

Garcia camp questioning Berdnik’s

involvement in a lawsuit brought against

Clifton by a former cop, stemming from

incidents following 9/11. Garcia was

dogged by allegations that he was simply

out for revenge. The former Passaic

County Sheriff Officer worked under

Speziale and was let go amid a cloud of

controversy. Garcia was the target of a

probe because of claims that he used

detainees to do work on his property.

Dems buck nat’l trend,win in Passaic County

Though the backlash against Democrats was felt

nationwide—the party lost the House and nearly the

Senate as well—Passaic County residents gave the

Dems a vote of confidence by returning all incum-

bents in a clean sweep.

November John Greco, CCMS technology teacher, lacrosse coach, tragically passesaway on Nov. 4 at the age of 33. He is remembered in the Dec. CMM.2010

Above from left: Local business owner and activist George Silva is named legislative aid by Assemblyman Thomas Giblin. Thewinners from the Nov. 2 election, starting top left, going clockwise: Bill Pascrell Jr., Richard Berdnik, Pat Lepore and TerryDuffy. Above right, CHS Student of the Month Melanie Ciappi.


Though never found guilty, Garcia

was let go by the county and later

sued Speziale for discrimination.

The Fall Season for the Clifton

Marching Mustangs came to a close

in November. First, the band per-

formed on Nov. 20 at the 11th annu-

al West Milford Military Tattoo con-

cert and then later at the annual

Thanksgiving Day clash between

Clifton and Passaic.

In that game, the Mustangs were

dominant enroute to a 42-0 victory

over the rival Indians. Senior run-

ningback Joe Chiavetta led the way

with two rushing touchdowns.

Clifton racked up 273 yards on the

ground, while the stifling Mustang

defense limited the Indians to just 49

total yards. It was the end of a nice

bounceback season for the Mustangs,

who missed the playoffs despite post-

ing a 7-3 record.


Election Results

House of Representatives 8th DistrictRoland Straten (R) 28,489

* Bill Pascrell Jr. (D) 50,513 Raymond Giangrasso 784 Write-In 187 Total 79,973

SheriffFelix Garcia (R) 42,770

Richard Berdnik (D) 57,069 Write-In 77 Total 99,916

Board of Chosen FreeholdersWalter Garner (R) 42,526 Tomas Gomez (R) 42,593

* Terry Duffy (D) 53,283 * Pat Lepore (D) 51,866Anthony TJ D’Apolito 2,925 Write-In 90 Total 193,283

Nov. 2 unofficial results from thePassaic County website. * denotesincumbent. There was no incumbentfor the Sheriff race. Democrat JerrySpeziale opted to not seek re-election.

At the Nov. 20 dedication of the PBA gym to honor fallenClifton Police Officer John Samra, from left, retired CPDLt. Les Goldstein, members of the Samra family, andretired CPD Officer Ross La Corte. He coordinated refur-bishing the gym to honor Samra, a motorcycle officer(right) who was killed in the line of duty on Nov. 21, 2003.

Tuberculosis fear gripped city resi-

dents during the holiday season. The

month started off with the relevation

that a Clifton High School student had

been diagnosed with an active case of

the highly contagious disease. The dis-

trict then announced that about 125 stu-

dents who would be in close contact

with the infected individual were tested,

and 30 of those came back positive for

exposure to TB. Though each of those

children were asymptomatic, the district

instructed the families of students with

positive tests to get a chest x-ray, which

would confirm if an individual has

active TB.

On Dec. 2, CHS principal Jimmie

Warren was accused by the parent of a

special needs student of exposing him-

self and inappropriately touching the

woman. She alleged that Warren had

arranged a meeting in a local hotel so

that the two could discuss her son’s

school issues more freely. Warren

Turmoil in the CliftonSchools in December

Tuberculosis, retirements, principal transfers and sex scan-

dals. It was a busy month in the Clifton Public Schools,

as staff and Board of Education members had to deal

with a number of controversies.

December Our city is home to hundreds of unique, family owned stores where youcan find almost anything when you Shop Clifton First!2010

CCMS students staged a protest on Dec. 22 in support of CCMS Principal Adam Piotrowski, who will be moved to WWMS.CHS VP Sue Peters will take over on Jan. 3. Above right, CCMS students and staff remember John Greco in the Decemberedition of the Clifton Merchant Magazine.



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turned himself in a few days later

and was placed on paid leave. As

a tenured employee, he may return

to his position if he is found to

have committed no wrong doing.

Longtime Woodrow WilsonMiddle School Principal William

Hahn retired on Dec. 23, citing

Governor Chris Christie’s plans to

restructure pension for educators

as his reason for leaving. Hahn

had been at the helm of the Van

Houten Ave. school since 1986.

To fill the void, the district opted

to transfer popular CCMS Principal

Adam Piotrowski. CHS VP Sue

Peters would take his place.

In response to the changes, stu-

dents at CCMS and parents from

the HSA coordinated a protest in

front of the school on Dec. 22.

Around 150 students participated

in the event.

The Great Atlantic & PacificTea Co., the parent company which

operates 129 A&P. Pathmark,

Superfresh and Food Basics stores

in New Jersey, filed for Chapter 11

bankruptcy protection on Dec. 12.

The Montville-based company has

struggled in recent years due to

competition from big box discount

stores and a weak economy. All

stores are expected to remain fully

stocked and open. There are two

Pathmark locations in Clifton—on

Paulson Ave. and in Botany

Village—and one Food Basics just

across the Clifton-Passaic border

on Van Houten Ave.

Clifton Police Department Lt.and Sheriff-Elect RichardBerdnik retired from his post in

Clifton on Dec. 31 and will offi-

cially take the helm of the Passaic

County Sheriff’s office on Jan. 3 at

a ceremony at PCTI in Wayne.

After a 2-alarm fire destroyed this family’s apartment on Dec. 20, members of the CliftonFMBA Local 21 pooled together funds to purchase gifts for the children.


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ProjectWatch

Downtown Clifton at the

Passaic border seems to be

a center of development as

workcrews are busy renovating and

expanding a block long building at

the Hadley Ave. intersection. Peaks

and points of interest have been

added to the structure to offer a dra-

matic cityscape to passerbys. The

building offers five retail spaces on

the ground floor (only one of which

is currently filled, a liquor store) and

an equal amount of office space on

the second floor.

Next door, the former Bellin’s

Swim Club and adjacent Teddy’s

Restaurant, is now history. The

entire property at the Passaic border

on Main Ave. has now been leveled.

The on again off again project by

developer Peter Evgenikos began in

2007 as a three story mixed-use com-

plex. This summer his attorney was

before the Zoning Board for a third

time where he received approval for

a 6,800 sq. ft. retail building and

3,000 sq. ft. restaurant. Work has still

not yet commenced.

At the top of page, a two story structureat the intersection fo Main and HadleyAves. adds a dramatic cityscape toDowntown Clifton. Next to that reno-vation, a vacant lot stands idle on prop-erty which once was Bellin’s Pool.


International Delights, a Long

Island-based supplier of upscale

breakfast pastries is set to open its

Brighton Rd. facility. International

Delights is a major wholesaler, serv-

ing the region’s hotels, restaurants

and food establishments.

“They doubled the size of the

building,” Economic Development

Director Harry Swanson said. “It’s

over 200,000 sq. ft. They’re moving

administrative offices, warehousing

and distribution. They’re taking the

whole Long Island operation and

moving it to Clifton.” Swanson said

he believes that the building will be

fully operational in the first quarter.

It was unclear how many jobs it will

add to the city’s workforce but he

expects the opening to have a posi-

tive impact on area businesses.


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ProjectWatch

International Delights on Brighton Rd. has added this sprawling facade toBrighton Rd. creating new headquarters for the firm, which is relocated fromLong Island. Their website states they have “over 100 dedicated employees(who) bake, pack and ship exquisite pastries 365 days a year.” How many arecoming to the Clifton location is unknown.


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ProjectWatch

The three landmark office

buildings at the intersection

of Bloomfield Ave. and

Brighton Rd. which were until

2009 the headquarters of Linens ’n

Things were sold in Aug. 2010 and

are undergoing extensive

renovations.

Renamed the Allwood

Atrium Office Park, renova-

tions include outfitting for

high speed connectivity, all

new interior construction and

a four story atrium as a cen-

terpiece.

Among the principals in

the Paramus-based firm

KABR Group which pur-

chased the property is Mitchell

Adelstein who also owns an office

park at Colfax and Mt. Prospect

Ave. and the former PNC Bank

building in Downtown Clifton.

At an impromptu meeting in

December at the Brighton Rd.

property, Adelstein said the rear

building in the complex has been

sold to a physician’s group who

will outfit the structure for med-

ical suits and an surgery center.

While an office supply company

has moved into an entire floor in

one of the other structures, KABR

is currently renovating the grounds

and the property and expects to

lease space to companies seeking

up to 20,000 square feet. The com-

plex consists of just over 164,000

square feet and has plenty of park-

ing on site.

Some of the principals ofthe former AllwoodBrighton Office Center—now the Allwood AtriumOffice Park—from left,Dan Lowenstein, JohnSardo, Mitchell Adelsteinand Donna McLaughin infront of one of the struc-tures in late December.

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At the corner of Allwood Rd.

and Main Ave. in

Delawanna, the Russo

Development continues work on a

large project which replaced the for-

mer Automated Data Processing site.

“Russo Development has built a

very high tech, modern office

building with electronic data

transmission as its base,” said

Swanson. It has been long rumored

that the unnamed tenant is Credit

Suisse Bank, a large international

investment firm. Data centers serve

as back up offices should a major

disaster happen in Manhattan.

Construction seems to be nearing completion on this high tech building inDelawanna which will house back room data storage for an international bank-ing concern. Across from the structure on Main Ave., the former Century Buffethas now reopened as the Ocean Buffet.



ProjectWatch

The Clifton Office of EconomicDevelopment assists businessesrelocating to or reinvesting inClifton. Director Harry Swansonshould be your first call as he isessentially the city’s businessombudsman. Call 973-470-5200.

The Clifton Revolving LoanProgram is a vehicle that thefinance department uses to pro-

vide loans. Working with variousbanks, the city helps businessesthat qualify to get a low cost, longterm loan for 2 percent underprime. Call City Treasurer KimKientz at 973-470-5789.

The Downtown EconomicDevelopment Group overseesthe Special Improvement District(SID) along Main Ave. from the

Passaic border to Piaget Ave.The group collects an extra taxmatched by city and state fundswhich is reinvested in the area.For info, call Angela Montague at973-253-1455.

The Historic Botany Village SIDis an advocate in Clifton’s oldestneighborhood, which includesBotany Plaza. This fund financesprograms in Botany, located off ofClifton Ave., near Garfield. For info,call the Clifton Historic BotanyDistrict President John Penkalskiat 973-546-9813 or VPJoeNikischer at 973-546-8787 or goto www.historicbotany.com.

The Passaic County Office ofEconomic Development is anadvocate for companies in thecounty’s 16 communities. To dis-cuss large scale real estate proj-ects, finding info on energy initia-tives and cost saving training pro-grams—or most any issue as itrelates to Passaic County busi-ness and industry—call DeborahHoffman at 973-569-4720.

The North Jersey RegionalChamber of Commerce is anadvocate for business and indus-try and hosts networking events,and often arranges meetings toaddress specific topics. Fordetails on membership, go tonjrcc.org, or call Director GloriaMartini at 973-470-9300.If you are opening a business ofany kind which handles food,you will need to visit the CliftonHealth Department (973-470-5758) to pick up its nine-step listof procedures and attend foodhandling classes.

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000102040506070809’10

Over the last decade, 132 editions of this magazinehave been published. That’s several thousandnews articles and features about politics, culture,

sports and other topics... but in that 11 year sliver ofClifton’s illustrious history, a select few of those stories juststood out more than others. Some spanned across most ofthe decade, while others, like the 2006 and 2010 CityCouncil elections, shaped it in just two days. The follow-ing pages recap some of those memorable times...

DECADE

03

THAT WAS

THE


T H E D E C A D E T H A T W A S

Quick, besides the later half of

this past decade, when was the

last time that Clifton was

considered a perennial con-

tender on the gridiron?

The answer would be the 1980s, when

cellphones were the size of a cinderblock and

former NFLer Dave Szott was still clearing

holes in the trenches for the Mustangs.

Once the legendary Coach Vandy called it

quits at the end of the 1979 season, the pro-

gram began a gradual fall from grace.

Political interference from the Board of

Education led to the firing of three succes-

sive coaches—John Lischak, Jack Jones and

Dennis Heck—despite winning records. The

program went into a free fall.

After middling success in the 80s, Clifton

had just one playoff appearance—a loss to

Wayne Valley in 1997—over the span of

nearly two decades.

At the start of the new millenium, things

were supposed to be different in Clifton. The

city had a big name, fire and brimstone coach

in Chet Parlavecchio, who played under Joe

Paterno at Penn State and later had a short

stint in the NFL. For the first time in a while,

fans began to expect positive results.

However, Parlavecchio started out slow—

hired to start the 1999 season, the coach had

compiled a 11-29 record in his first four sea-

sons at the helm. That record—and the over

$90,000 in salary it cost per year to keep

Parlavecchio in Clifton—began to

CHAMPIONS!Mustang QB Anthony Giordanoran another one in as the eighthseeded Mustangs stunned topseeded North Bergen 15-8 onNov. 10, 2006.

By Joe Hawrylko


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attract attention, but Parlavecchio

and his supporters were quick to

point out that the culture had

changed in town.

Players took a newfound pride in

the team and progress, even if

incremental, was being made. The

freshman team strung together a

few impressive years of football

and those players were moving up

in the system. Parlavecchio’s

prized possession was Luis ‘Kiko’

Mangual, a D1 prospect

RB/QB/LB who defected from Don

Bosco Prep for Clifton.

With those elements in the

coach’s favor, the Mustangs final-

ly put together a .500 record in the

2003 season, going 6-4 before

bowing out of the playoffs in the

first round.

But not long after achieving that

elusive milestone, Parlavecchio

was gone and the district was once

against searching for a new coach.

Eventually, the Board of Education

settled on Ron Anello, who mel-

low demeanor starkly contrasted

his predecessor.

Anello, who was a rival Montclair

Mounty when he played on Friday

nights as a kid, took over the pro-

gram for the 2004 season. He put his

stamp on the team—a bruising run

game out of the Wing-T, efficient

quarterbacking and a suffocating

D—and the Mustangs started to

resemble a squad that might be able

to compete each year.

But as much as things began to

look up, not even the most optimistic

football parent could have realisti-

cally expected the 2006 season.

With a stable of talented running

backs and the D in top form, Anello

found the missing piece in quarter-

back Anthony Giordano, whose

gutsy play allowed the Mustangs to

squeeze out of many tight situations.

Clifton started the season with its

first opening day victory since 1998,

a win over Kennedy, but then

dropped the next match against

Teaneck. The team lost two more

games down the stretch and

appeared to be in trouble before sud-

denly coming together.

After a must-win victory over a

powerful Ridgewood squad, the

Mustangs scored two major upsets

over St. Joe’s and North Bergen and a

final win over Randolph for the right

to face Eastside for the State Crown.

On Dec. 2, 2006, with more than

8,000 Mustang faithful at Giants

Stadium in The Meadowlands,

Clifton crushed the Eastside Ghosts

26-0 for its first State Title since the

Vandy heydeys in the 70s.

The victory also signified the

return to respectability for the

Mustangs, who are no longer door-

mats but perennial contenders.


Mustang pride was contagious in 2006 with a steady supply of able bodied fans on the sidelines and in the stands. Below, theGroup IV State Champions celebrating on the field at Giants Stadium on Dec. 2, 2006.


000102040506070809’10

03


L ove her or hate her, she’s the newface of Clifton politics. Mary

Sadrakula, the Rosemawr resident

who made her name as a vocal opponent of a

proposed school on Latteri Park, earned a

Council seat in the May 2010 election and

embodies the sentiments disgruntled voter

base that has become as vocal as it is disillu-

sioned with the status quo.

Though she’s not the first, Sadrakula is by far

the most outspoken of the recent batch of ama-

teur politicos who have made or attempted to

make the jump from resident to elected official.

Not afraid to question anyone on the public pay-

roll, Sadrakula was a regular at the podium on

Tuesday nights, loudly admonishing the Council

on whatever the hot issue was for the month.

While the behavior instantly made her rec-

ognizable, it has also given Sadrakula her fair

share of enemies along the way.

She’s been dismissed as cantankerous by

her opponents, blasted in the media by former

Councilman Joe Cupoli and flat out refused to

sit for an interview with this publication in the

months leading up to the May 2010 Council

Election. At the same time, Sadrakula’s pen-

chant for standing up and asking why instead

of playing nice has endeared her to voters,

which propelled her into a Council seat for the

next four years.

POLITICS By Joe Hawrylko


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It’s vaguely similar to the anger and outrage that has

captivated the disgruntled voters across the nation and

spawned the Tea Party movement. Such an ascension to

power might not have been possible just a few years ago.

Back in 2002, the political climate was decidely more

placid. The national economy was still good, the munic-

ipal budget was modest and the Council had managed to

keep taxes fairly stable from year to year. Layoffs and

furloughs were hardly buzzwords at the time.

It’s no wonder that voters weren’t too receptive to the

calls for change being put forth by challengers. Bob

Sidoti, Beverly Cholewczynski and Frank Fusco, the lat-

ter of whom served a term on the Council in 2006, were

the most outspoken of the challengers, campaigning on a

platform of change.

However, all six incumbents in the race placed, and the

final seat was won by Frank Gaccione, who had never

served as a public official but was hardly new to the

Clifton political machine.

“...Frank knows the infrastructure in town and through

his company, he’s worked the sewers all over Clifton.

That’s what makes him a good addition to the Council,”

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the late former Councilman Les

Herrschaft told Tom Hawrylko in the

May 2002 Clifton Merchant (p55).

“I think the Council wants to work

with him.”

However, sometime between that

election and the 2006 race, things

began to change. Voters began to

sour on the incumbents, many of

which had been in power for a num-

ber of years.

Massive housing projects and

sprawling commercial developments

proposals were frequent and often

supported by the Council as a means

of increasing rateables. However,

municipal tax rates continued to rise, as did traffic and

congestion, while the quality of life declined due to the

additional strain on resources and infrastructure. The

Council was also highly influental in the search for a new

school location.

Things came to a head in 2006, as the city geared up

for the Council elections. In the span of four years, the

voter thoughts changed from ‘Who can seemlessly inte-

grate with the old politicos’ to ‘Who can offer us some-

thing new?’

Candidate interviews reflected

these sentiments; challengers like

Tony Latona, Matt Ward and others

lamented that the old guard had

become out of touch, while incum-

bents tended to rely on experience and

preserving the ‘big city with a small

town feel’ of Clifton.

Voters decided change was in the

best interest of the city and ousted four

incumbents. However, the mostly

inexperienced replacements some-

times found that change was hard to

come by. It requires a consensus, and

that often doesn’t come quickly.

Four years later in the 2010 Council

race, economic woes, a budget crisis, and other issues,

plus two vacant Council seats, created another perfect sit-

uation for an outspoken challenger. And with years of

hands-on experience as an neighborhood activist for the

preservation of Latteri Park, Schultheis Farm and a variety

of other causes, Sadrakula was almost a perfect candidate

for voters unhappy with the establishment.

The Rosemawr resident placed fourth in the election, tops

for any challenger. Now the question is can a government

watchdog be as effective from the inside.

James Anzaldi ............ 5,911 Antonio Latona .......... 5,659Peter C. Eagler .......... 5,514 Joseph Cupoli ........... 4,793Gloria J. Kolodziej ......4,445 Steven Hatala, Jr. ..... 3,864Frank C. Fusco .......... 3,786

Matthew J. Ward .......... 3,703Stefan Tatarenko .......... 3,583Roy Noonburg .............. 3,577Joseph W. Chidiac ........ 3,397Edward Welsh ............... 3,136 Donald R. Kowal ........... 3,037 George J. Silva ............. 3,029Frank Gaccione ............ 2,887Alam Abdelaziz .............. 1,397

James Anzaldi ............... 5,667Steve Hatala .................. 4,251Peter Eagler ................... 4,071Mary Sadrakula ............. 3,277Matthew Grabowski ....... 3,181Matthew Ward ............... 3,170Joseph Kolodziej ........... 2,968

Frank Fusco ...................... 2,816Raymond Grabowski ........ 2,808Suzanne Sia ...................... 2,690Daniel Brown .................... 2,683David D’Arco..................... 2,586Frank Gaccione................. 2,478Andrew White ................... 2,276Joan Salensky ................... 1,985Joseph Chidiac.................. 1,753George Silva ...................... 1,655Roy Noonburg................... 1,422Anthony Genchi ................. 1,123Robert Klinger ...... 306 (write-in)Joseph Cupoli ........ 30 (write-in)

City Council Election Results

James Anzaldi* ............. 8,899Gloria J. Kolodziej* ........ 7,375Steven Hatala Jr.* ......... 6,535Ed Welsh*...................... 6,326Don Kowal* ................... 5,895Stefan Tatarenko* .......... 5,701Frank Gaccione............. 5,352

Bob Sidoti ........................4,352Alina Bladek .....................4,050Beverly J. Cholewczynski .3,768Frank C. Fusco .................2,914Douglas H. Burg ...............1,727

2002 2006 2010

*Incumbent

Always colorful, Les Herrschaftenjoyed handicapping the CliftonCouncil elections in this publication.


000102040506070809’10

03


POLITICS 2.0When Dr. Michael Rice

accepted the job asSuperintendent in 2002, he

knew he was taking over a troubled and

growing school district of over 10,000 stu-

dents. But the Michigan native probably

would have never imagined that he’d be such

a divisive figure, not just in Board politics,

but in the community as a whole.

The Clifton School District had already

completed additions at Clifton High and

Woodrow Wilson Middle School in the 90s,

and saw voters approve School 17 in 2002,

but projections indicated that as many as

1,000 additional students could be added in

the next five years. From day one in July

2002 up until his departure in 2007, Rice’s

goal was to find a solution to overcrowding.

In an effort to win support to for the

changes he was hired to advocate for, Rice

held a meeting in Sept. 2002 and unveiled

what he called his ‘six points of focus’:

Communications and Relationships, Strategic

Planning, Connecting to Students, Residency,

Curriculum Alignment and The Budget.

By the end of his tenure in the summer of

2007, most of the issues were addressed in

some manner.

Three consecutive budgets passed with him

at the helm, compared with just three in the last

eleven prior to Rice’s arrival. Residents also

approved eight of 12 voter questions—includ-

ing the controversial CHS Freshman Annex on

Brighton Rd. Voters also approved full day

kindergarten, among other improvements.

Rice’s tenacity in lobbying for approval

from commissioners and voters pushed

school issues into news headlines and made

him the face of the overcrowding debate that

shaped a decade of Board politics.

Not one to shy away from expressing his

opinion at a meeting or giving a quote to a

reporter, Rice’s greatest asset was bringing

awareness to the issues that he felt were impor-

tant. Whether it was in news headlines or just

gossip at the morning coffee shop, his persist-

ence got people talking about the problems and

positive happenings in the school district.

Rice and his team of paid professionals, vol-

unteers and community advocates had a signifi-

At left, Dr. Michael Rice, who served as CliftonSuperintendent from 2002 to 2007. He current-ly occupies the same position in Kalamazoo, MI.

By Joe Hawrylko


18141814

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

View The Giblin Report Thursday at 9 pm, Channel 76

cant hand in the passing of three con-

secutive budgets. Rather than refer

residents to Clifton Public Access for

an impersonal overload of funding

information, open forums on the

budget were held and Rice and Board

members pitched the plan to voters.

His first budget as superintend-

ent passed in 2003. And while it

was still only 17 percent of regis-

tered voters came out, the 6,278

figure was an improvement of

almost 1,000 from the year prior.

Rice campaigned for the con-

struction of a new school with sim-

ilar vigor, holding a series of open

forums dubbed the Case for Space.

Starting in the Fall of 2003, Rice

and district officials would present

up to date information about the

most current school proposals and

then open the podium to residents.

The goal was to drive home the

concept that less overcrowding

meant better marks and an

improved learning atmosphere.

Students and teachers at CHS

talked about classrooms in the cafe-

teria and tightly packed hallways.

Parents voiced concerns about safe-

ty. Some blamed illegal students

and others wondered if schools

were necessary.

But people were talking, attend-

ing meetings or watching Channel

77. Overcrowding had become a

city-wide issue, even to people who

previously had little interest in

Board of Ed matters.

With rapidly changing plans and a

carousel of potential sites like

Athenia Steel, Brighton Rd., Latteri

Park, Schultheis Farm and others,

NIMBY—Not In My Back Yard—

became a rallying cry for residents

who might have a new school built in

their neighborhood.

Various groups formed to protect

special interests. The first and per-

haps most prominent was Clifton

Unite, a sizable contingent of

Rosemawr voters who organized to

block a school on the Board-owned

Latteri Park.

Petitions were distributed to build

on certain sites and not on others.

Entire elections were essentially

determined by a candidate’s pre-

ferred location for a school.

With so many potential votes at

stake due to the placement of a

school, the City Council became

highly influential in the process

heading into the 2006 election and

held several joint meetings with the

Board. At once such event in March

that year, former Councilman Ed

Welsh stated, “Clifton deserves filet

mignon, but instead they get Rice.”

The play on words illustrated

just how the entire situation had

evolved. No longer was it just

about addressing overcrowding—

money, political influence, park

space and votes were at stake.

And because the superintendent

had gone to such lengths to bring

overcrowding to the discussion

table he became inseparable from

the issue. Rice’s methods captivat-

ed some, alienated others, but were

mostly successful.

Even in defeat, there were some

bright spots. The 500-student

Brighton Rd. Annex was eventually

built in spite of 17 lengthy Zoning

Board meetings and cost overruns.

And although the Latteri referendum

was defeated in December 2006, vot-

ers approved walkways at CHS to

create hallway space and over 20 per-

cent of registered voters hit the polls.

And while he left the district in

2007 for the same job in Michigan,

Rice’s impact is still felt. Though

public opinion regarding overcrowd-

ing has swayed due to the economy

and questions about the accuracy of

enrollment projections, and the com-

pletion of the walkways, it’s still a

heavily debated issue.

One may or may not have agreed

with his goals or his methods, but

without Rice, the overcrowding dis-

cussion may have never taken place.


000102040506070809’10

03


DEVELOPMENT

Though 650 units of new housingwere being placed in the earth

just down the road at Cambridge

Crossings on Colfax Ave., it was a proposal

for 17 townhouses on Grove St. that invigor-

ated residents, prodding them to finally take

a stand on overdevelopment in 2003.

With the massive Cambridge Crossings

project at the former Shulton Property near

the high school being

effortlessly pushed

through in August

2001, most would have

predicted the C&L

Developers would easi-

ly get the needed vari-

ances to build town-

homes in a neighbor-

hood zoned for single

family dwellings.

However, in January

2003, locals learned of

the plan to build three

multi-home buildings

on two and a half acres

of what used to be

occupied by a barn.

About 125 residents

pooled money, hired an

attorney and pledged to

stop C&L from

destroying preserve their quaint, single-fam-

ily piece of suburbia.

Eventually, compromise was reached—a

long battle ended with C&L opting to scrap

its plans and instead place eight single fami-

ly home, in accordance with local zoning.

Though the actual number of units saved

in insignificant when compared with the city-

wide numbers, the repercussions of the high-

ly publicized debate on Grove St. had a last-

ing impact, bringing overdevelopment vs rat-

able debate to headlines, keeping it Clifton

political lexicon for the entire decade.

The Clifton Merchant covered the contro-

versy on Grove St. and also printed a series

of petitions with over 1,300 signatures

against the develop-

ment. The months of

news coverage resulted

in a heightened com-

munity awareness

about overdevelop-

ment.

The Merchant’s No

More Housing editorial

campaign urged lead-

ers to curb housing

until the Master Plan

was updated to reflect

the evolving city.

With some 80,000

people stretched out

over about 12 square

miles, open space is a

rarity in Clifton. As

such, when land

becomes open, devel-

opers typically try to

cram in as much as possible to maximize

profits, often at the expense of city services

and quality of life.

City officials, on a never ending search for

rateables to lower the tax levy, are forced to

make a choice. More often than not, extra

income for the municipality outweighed the

The August 2004 Clifton Merchant focused onthe Four Seasons housing development onGarret Mt. With over 800 units of housing,most of it in neighboring Woodland Park, it isperhaps the most visible development.

By Joe Hawrylko


concerns of residents pleading

NIMBY—Not In My Back Yard.

In our October 2003 edition,

some of the other major projects at

the time were listed:

• Cambridge Crossings, Colfax

Ave. 637 Units were underway

• K Hovnanian at River Road, a

proposed 18 townhomes that would

connect with 76 more in Passaic

• K Hovnanian Riverwalk I & II at

Kingsland and River Rds was

recently completed — 246 units

• Senior Horizons, 125 age-restrict-

ed units in Athenia Steel, was being

built

• A proposal for 390 units on

Dundee Island

• Chanda Arms: 40 age-restricted

apartments recently replaced a farm

on Allwood Rd.

Economic Developer Harry

Swanson precisely summed up the

entire debate about overdevelop-

ment vs rateables in a story from

that same edition about a meeting

for K. Hovnanian’s River Road

when he asked the crowd, “Are we

so rich that we can walk away from

$100,000 a year coming in?”

But the question has always

been, at what cost?

Over the past decade, the

answers are becoming a bit more

clear.

While the relatively small Grove

St. proposal perhaps ignited the

debate about overdevelopment, it

was Four Seasons by K. Hovnanian

off of Valley Rd. that forced the

issue into the face of Clifton resi-

dents. Developers reshaped the

cliff that overlooked Valley Rd. and

Rt. 46, moving tons of earth, hun-

dreds of trees and displacing untold

wildlife to make way for more than

800 units of housing that straddles

the Clifton - Woodland Park border.

Though opposition from resi-

dents did little to stop the project

from being approved, once work

was visibly underway, many

Cliftonites were left wondering,

how did this happen?

Because of the Grove St. contro-

versy and the outrage over the

clearing of the mountain, politi-

cians were forced to talk about

overdevelopment.

The issue dominated headlines,

leading it to became a major topic

in subsequent elections, and for the

rest of the decade.

In February 2003, approximately 125 residents near Grove St. banded together to hire an attorney and fight plans to place 17townhouses in a neighborhood zoned for single family homes. After a long battle, the developer relented and scaled back plansto conform ot the zoning regulations. The photo was taken in January 2003.


000102040506070809’10

03


DOWNTOWNS

Downtown Clifton and HistoricBotany Village are two separate

organizations which manage and

promote those older shopping districts as good

place to shop, live, invest and recreate.

But all SIDs (Special Improvement

Districts) are not the same. While most are

restricted exclusively to businesses, Botany

has both residential and business property

owners serving on its Board of Directors.

Botany is only the second SID of the 89 in

New Jersey to have done so.

As with all Special Improvement Districts

in New Jersey, the CHBD imposes a supple-

mental tax on its members. Since its incep-

tion in May 2005, the additional money—a

surcharge on regular property taxes—is col-

lected by the city and returned to improve the

Botany Village and Botany Plaza in a variety

of ways, from special events to advertising.

Owners of one-family and owner-occu-

pied two family homes in the Botany district

are exempt from paying the special assess-

ment. The majority of the money raised by

the special tax, approximately 88%, is con-

tributed by businesses even though residen-

tial properties comprise more than half of

CHBD membership.

Historic Botany encompasses about 80

businesses along Randolph, Dayton and

Parker Aves., including Pathmark, K-Mart and

all stores and offices in Botany Plaza, as well

as 36 residences in the district.

Funds are used to hire supplemental cleaning

and maintenance crews, purchase additional

lighting for district parking lots and to operate a

community safety patrol on weekend evenings.

Like Botany, Downtown Clifton has had a

business advocacy group to promote the dis-

trict for decades. But it was not until 1999 that

By Tom Hawrylko


merchants and property owners in

Downtown Clifton formally organ-

ized a SID. By that time, the district

which covers some 300 businesses

in an area that spans Main Ave. from

the Passaic border to Piaget Ave. was

in decline.

An obvious eyesore at the time

was the long closed Clifton Theater,

then at the crossroads of Main and

Clifton Aves. Next to it at Main and

Madison was vacant land, where the

former Knights of Columbus build-

ing was. Plans were in the works to

turn that parcel into a US Post Office

but negotiations had stalled.

Downtown leaders decided a cor-

nerstone was needed to launch the

redevelopment and to match their

moniker as Clifton’s Rising Star.

Working in public private part-

nership, the city, Downtown Clifton

and Clifton-based developer ARC

Properties announced that a 15,000

square foot Walgreens Super Drug

Store would be built on the theater’s

footprint. When completed in Sept.,

2001, the building would feature a

clock tower, plaza seating and some

green space at the intersection.

Ultimately, planners expected

that combined with the new post

office (which opened in June, 2003),

Downtown Clifton would again

become a destination for shoppers.

Demolition of the old theater

began in Dec. 2000 (the city pur-

chased and razed the K of C building

in Aug., 2000) and that work did

indeed launch the new Downtown

Clifton. While not a shopping desti-

nation, Downtown Clifton today is

home to many medical and profes-

sional offices as well as dining and

specialty stores. The boards and

managers of Downtown Clifton and

Historic Botany are now part of the

city’s political landscape and trusted

partners with government officials.

Athenia and Lakeview merchants

and business owners have also

formed advocacy groups over the

past decade. In 2002, the long dor-

mant Athenia Business Association

was revitalized and by November of

that year helped the city to attract a

$250,000 grant for streetscape

improvements. Since that time, the

group has produced a popular annu-

al September Street Fair and other

events to promote its 100 members.

In Oct. 2007, about 25 shop owners

and residents in Lakeview formed a

group to promote that district. While

the most visible effort is their holiday

decorating program, the group also

hosts sales promotions, neighborhood

clean-ups and networking events.

Unlike Historic Botany and

Downtown Clifton, the Lakeview and

Athenia groups do not collect an addi-

tional tax for their efforts but rely on

voluntary contributions.

Facing page in 2006, Historic Botany leaders: John Damiano, Judy Francis,Joe and Arlene Nikischer and their son Joe, Josephine Fabi and John Penkalski.Above, DCEDG Board President Pat DeLora Jr., Bob Ambrosi of ARCProperties, developer of Walgreens, and the late City Manager Bob Hammer inDec. 2000, when demolition for the Clifton Theater began.

Unlike Downtown Clifton and Historic Botany, the Athenia Business Association,which represents merchants along Van Houten Ave., is not a SID. Seen here atan early meeting in 2002, George Shevchuk, Gina Yarrish, Dave, Alberta andGreg Lacki, Matt Grabowski and Krystyna Bladek.

o


000102040506070809’10

03


The story of the decade forClifton was also the story of thedecade for the nation, maybe

even the world – the completely unexpected

September 11 attacks by al Qaeda terrorists

on the World Trade Center in New York City,

the Pentagon in Northern Virginia and the

attempted attack on either the White House

or Capitol in Washington DC that was abort-

ed over a field in Pennsylvania. The year

2001 was still the beginning of the new mil-

lennium, but it was most definitely the end to

America’s modern age of innocence, a brutal

and shocking awareness that we were vio-

lently despised by some, and that our open-

ness as a nation made us very vulnerable.

The collapse of the Twin Towers is still a

deeply painful event for millions who live in

our tri-state area. We watched the buildings

collapse before our eyes, watched loved ones

disappear, watched as others we know and

love rally as heroic first-responders. We con-

tinue to thank the Lord for those who sur-

vived. Few will forget the hours, the days

they prayed as they waited to hear news

about friends and family who lived, worked,

traveled through lower Manhattan.

Clifton lost nine people that terrible day in

2001: Kyung Cho, Edgar H. Emery, John

Grazioso, Timothy Grazioso, Zuhtu Ibis,

Edward C. Murphy, Ehtesham U. Raja, John

P. Skala, and Francis Joseph Trombino.

Their names are memorialized at a monu-

ment to victims of the 9/11 attacks near City

Hall, which was unveiled a year after the

tragedy. To commemorate those who died, a

service is held annually beside the monument.

Since the raging fires left no bodies, this

memorial is also the place where, throughout

the year, small flags and flowers are placed by

friends and family who come to pay their

respects to their loved ones who perished.

Tuesday September 11, 2001, dawned

warm and sunny in our town. Clifton Mayor

John Anzaldi recalls that he was watching

TV when he heard the report of the first plane

crash, which was believed to have been a

small airplane that had strayed off course.

“Then I saw the second plane crash into the

tower and it became clear that something

9/11/01

On the Sundayevening following9/11, Clfiton resi-dents gathered atcity hall for aprayer vigil andcandle light memorial service.

By Irene Jarosewich


horrible had happened.”

He left home and went to an ele-

vated spot on Grove Street from

where the Twin Towers could be

seen. He saw the grey clouds of

smoke in the distance from the fires

burning in the towers; then he saw

the landmark spires collapse. Even

now, the memory is stressful.

Since there were warnings that

other buildings in North Jersey

could be hit, City Hall closed

down. Bob Hammer, city manager

at the time, called in dump trucks

filled with sand to block entrances

to the municipal complex.

Anzaldi recalls how the next day

he came into City Hall and ran into

then-Captain Robert Ferreri. The

police captain began to explain that

he needed to inform the mother of a

police officer that her son had per-

ished in the collapse. “So the first

person I learned about that had died

in 9/11 was Port Authority police

officer John Skala – and that’s what

made it really real. I knew Johnny

well. He was a good young man.

Then, one by one, I began to hear of

other names – most of whom I knew,

or knew about,” said Anzaldi.

A prayer service was held on the

steps of city hall the Sunday fol-

lowing 9/11. Many hundreds

attended, led by several religious

leaders of local congregations. This

was a period when people sought

out places of worship. On the day

of the tragedy, and during the fol-

lowing days, St. Paul Roman

Catholic Church on Second Ave.

opened their doors and kept them

open all night and day. “All over

town, the churches just filled up,”

said Anzaldi, “as people

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Sandy Grazioso at Clfiton’s 9/11 memori-al in a recent photo and her children in aphoto from 1980. From left, Tom (CHS‘76), Carolee ((‘80) and John (‘78).



sought solace. They came together

in support. It was truly amazing.”

He also recalls how many older

residents of Clifton later told him

that the destruction of the World

Trade Center was “your genera-

tion’s Pearl Harbor. And for the

first time, I truly understood how

shocked my parents must have felt

when they learned about the bomb-

ing of Pearl Harbor.”

“The suicidal fanatics behind

9/11 frightened us and even the

strongest were frightened,” said

Anzaldi, “since the attack was so

unexpected. It was shocking for us

to find out that there are people

who so hate us, who hate America,

this great country, so deeply.”

In turn, the mayor noted, “Now,

after many years have passed, I see

that what come out of this terrible

event was our strength as a country.

And at the time, it was also the

strength of the leadership in New

York. Who can forget the leader-

ship of Mayor Giuliani? People

everywhere were able to rise to the

occasion.”

America did rise to the occasion.

Nonetheless, the void in the lives of

those that knew and loved Kyung

Cho, Edgar H. Emery, John

Grazioso, Timothy Grazioso, Zuhtu

Ibis, Edward C. Murphy, Ehtesham

U. Raja, John P. Skala, and Francis

Joseph Trombino is felt profoundly.

And, there is not a soul who looks

at the Manhattan skyline and does

not see the emptiness at the southern

tip, a void that Clifton resident Jim

Fasino calls “a black hole of death

and destruction that will forever mar

memory and would the heart.” ˚

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Pictured are some of Clifton’s Top Seniors from the Paramus Catholic High School Class of 2011. Alexandra Czajkowski – GPA: 95 – SATs: 1880Alexandra is President of the Japanese Club. She also participates in the Bridges Outreach volunteer program and contributes to PC’s Literary Magazine.

Chelsea Gamarra: GPA: 95 – SATs: 1800Chelsea is part of PC’s Core Leadership Retreat Team, as well as the Spanish, Polish, and Model UN clubs. She is also an athlete on the Varsity Swim Team and a member of the National Honor Society and International Language Honor Society.

Damian Stobierski – GPA: 101 – SATs: 2360Damian is a founding member of the Robotics Club. He also participates in the Science League, Math League, Quiz Bowl Team, Chess Club, and Ambassador Club. He is President of the National Honor Society and a member of the International Language Honor Society. Damian will be attending Yale University in the Fall.

Ericka Medina: GPA: 95 – SATs: 1860Ericka is Vice President of PC’s Model Congress and a member of the French Club, Ambassador Club, and Drumline. She writes for the school newspaper and belongs to the National Honor Society and International Language Honor Society.

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126 courses, including 26 Honors and 16 AP level courses.

Cost effective tuition for families.

Large school offerings, small class size.

Stable, strong, and focused on the future.

Clifton students from the Class of 2010 were accepted to such prestigiouscolleges and universities as: Columbia, Fairfield, Fordham, Holy Cross, NYU, Penn State, Seton Hall, Stevens Instituteof Technology, and the University of Miami.

Photo: Tim Macdonald, Image Art Studio


Raising SThis Year,Make YourNumber 1Resolution:

YOUR

Along with champagne, noisemakers, and kiss-es from the one you love, no New Year’s Eve

celebration would be complete without a New

Year’s resolution. Exercise more, eat less, quit

smoking –we begin each January determined to

change something for the better.

As America enters the third year of a financial crisis, it is

time once again to assess our personal finances.

Though difficult to change that which is going on in the

country overall, improving one’s own financial situation may

be the top resolution for 2011. According a recent national sur-

vey, 77 percent of Americans aspire to improve their personal

By Irene Jarosewich

From left, Ann Kursar

of Valley National Bank,

Richard Bzdek of North Jersey

Federal Credit Union, Jeff Angello

of American Coin & Stamp and

Bart D’Ambra of Clifton Savings.


SavingsYOUR

finances in the coming year, most notably, increase

their rate of savings.

Back in the mid 1980s, the savings rate in America

began a 20-year nosedive. Deregulation offered the

average consumer easier access to the stock market and

fueled a 20-year love affair with real estate. Cheap

imports pumped up consumption. In 1984, the annual

personal savings rate in America was at about 10 per-

cent. By June 2005, America hit rock bottom. The

national median savings rate was zero.

Not a cent. Nothing. Zilch. Consumer debt had out-

paced consumer savings and in August 2005, The

Christian Science Monitor wrote, "Americans have

stopped saving for a rainy day. Instead, they are living

paycheck to paycheck, depending on credit cards to

get them through emergencies, and hoping that the ris-

ing value of their homes will give them a retirement

nest egg."

In 2008, as people began to hunker down in response

to the crisis, the annual savings rate crept up to 1.5 per-

cent. In 2009, the financial crisis again provoked a rise in

the rate nationwide, followed by a drop in 2010. Overall,

Americans still have the lowest rate of savings in the

developed world – less than 5 percent annually.


Surprisingly, some of this attitude has remained with

us. The retirement planning firm TIAA-CREF conduct-

ed a survey in the fall of 2010 to which a full 39 per-

cent of respondents, all working age, replied that they

are not saving for retirement.

Again, nothing. Not a cent.

The company then began a publicity

campaign - Raise the Rate! – to motivate

Americans to increase their rate of sav-

ings. Raise the Rate! received plenty of

media attention that pointed out the time-

worn truth: the best person to take care of

you – is you.

Back to BasicsThe only real way to increase your

savings, notes Joe Bionci, a registered

representative of Genworth Financial in

Clifton, is to figure out how much you

are spending first. “I tell my clients that

they must first record every penny they

spend for at least a week. It should be a

month, but at least a week. Then we

begin to develop a budget. Then goals.

Then strategy. But first, you need to get

to the basics. Every person is different; no one size fits

all formula for financial security. Factors such as age,

health, inheritance, goals result in a different choices.

But everyone needs a budget to start.”

Staying in shape financially, takes discipline said

Bionci, just like exercise and quitting smoking, and

you’ll feel better, too.

In addition to discipline, information is critical.

“People need to be educated. They can go to a planner,

but they need to be knowledgeable themselves,” said

Bionci, who believes that mandatory financial educa-

tion should begin as early as 7th grade. Education about

personal finances is no less important for adults, Bionci

underscored, “I have both men, and women, in their

40s and 50s, come in here and tell me that they have no

clue about their finances and point to their spouse, who

takes care of everything. Then tragedy

strikes, illness, death, divorce, and they

are completely unprepared.”

Other basics include start saving early,

and if too late for early, then start now,

even if small amounts. “And always pay

yourself first,” said Bionci, “it will add to

your sense of security and, believe it or

not, self-confidence.”

Bart D’Ambra, chief operating officer

for Clifton Savings Bank, adds reducing

your expenses to the list of basics and

that includes judicious use of credit,

which means not acquiring lots of debt.

“The rule of thumb,” he said “is the time

that it takes to pay for something should

not outlast that which you bought.

Charged a vacation. Don’t take another

one until you’ve paid it off. Bought a car

– don’t buy a new one until it’s paid off.

Save for what you want. Can’t afford it, don’t buy it.”

Piling on credit card debt and folding one loan into

another is a strategy that has sunk many households.

Ann Kursar, vice president and district sales manag-

er for Valley National Bank, includes paying attention

to your credit score as a part of fixing your finances.

“We are experiencing the most devastating economic

climate since the Great Depression. What may work for

one person may not work for another. The only sugges-

tion I would have is to maintain good credit if possible

and balance your household budget as best you


“It’s not only thereturn on your

money, it’s also thereturn of yourmoney,” said

Bart D’Ambra.

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can. Always look for a way to cut your costs and max-

imize the earning potential of your money.”

In order to fix your finances, the back

to basics approach is really a commit-

ment to changing your lifestyle, to man-

aging your money for life. “It’s a philos-

ophy,” said Richard Bzdek, chief operat-

ing officer of North Jersey Federal Credit

Union, “I really have seen little old ladies

who never made very much money, who

have managed what they had to live on

and retired quite well. It’s a commitment

to yourself.”

Starting earlyFinancial planners will explain that the

reason why it is so important to start sav-

ing early is the value of compounding,

where you earn interest not only on the

original amount, but on added interest, and

the “Rule of 72”.

The Rule of 72 is a rule of thumb for

how long it takes to double savings. For example,

$10,000 at 5 percent will take about 14.5 years to get to

$20,000 (divide 72 by 5,

which equals 14.5). This

rule starkly shows the

importance of starting

early.

At today’s rates on sav-

ings accounts, CDs and

money markets, that

seems like a long time and

low number, but as

D’Ambra pointed out “it’s

not only the return on your

money, it’s also the return

of your money,” some-

thing that cannot be said

about many recent real

estate investments or stock

market bubbles of the past.

Bionci of Genworth

underscored the impor-

tance of paying into a

401(k) for retirement. “Lots of people aren’t taking

advantage of the match that their employers offer. That’s

a key thing to do. Find the money; otherwise, you’re

throwing money away. And starting early means you

won’t have to pay as much to catch up later.”

Kursar notes that to encourage early saving, Valley

National Bank offers good rates on Kids

First Savings Club accounts to promote

savings for customers' children.

At North Jersey Federal Credit Union,

saving incentives also start early with the

Kids Kash Klub. NJFCU will deposit three

dollars into a child’s account for each A on

a report card, up to $15 per year.

Cut expenses The point of tracking your expenses is

to see where your money goes. Invoking

the proverbial four dollar latte, Bionci

pointed out, “drink 10 of those a month,

that’s $500 a year. You should fund your

401(k) first. Thirty years ago, people

didn’t drink lattes and their lives were

fine. Not having money for retirement is

not fine.”

D’Ambra of Clifton Savings returns to

credit card debt. “You can’t really save if you keep

accumulating debt,” he said. The interest on most cred-

it cards now averages around 16 percent in America.

Reducing interest on credit card debt is one of the most

important expenses to cut. Eliminate the debt and inter-

est, and don’t run it back up, underscored D’Ambra,

again invoking the discipline rule.

One way to save and avoid credit card debt is to use

the old-fashioned holiday savings account. “North

Jersey Federal Credit Union actually offers a slightly

higher rate on these accounts to encourage savings,”

said Bzdek, “so that our customers don’t get the credit

card hangover in January.”

Cut expenses by shopping around and reducing

ubiquitous user or convenience fees. Decide how much

that convenience is really worth to you. New financial

fees, in particular, need to be scrutinized and compared.

NJFCU still offers free checking and no debit card

usage fees, said Bzdek, a potential savings of $20-$50

per month per household, or $600 per year. Online bill

pay, offered by most places, saves you five to ten bucks

a month on postage, or up to $120 per year.

Refinancing a mortgage at today’s lower rates is an

excellent way to reduce expenses. According to Kursar,

Valley National offers a unique possibility – a $499

Home Mortgage Refinance Program. “While other mort-

gage lenders charge thousands of dollars in fees,


“To keep your sav-ings only in dollarsover the long haulis nothing short of

insanity,” saidJeff Angello.

“Always look for away to cut your

costs and maximizethe earning poten-

tial of your money,”said Ann Kursar.

we handle the entire process for just

$499,” she said.

Non-traditional savingsWhen most people think of savings,

the first thing that comes to mind is sav-

ings accounts, CDs, money markets,

other fixed-rate of return products. The

US Department of Commerce, which

tracks consumer savings, does not

include investments such as stocks and

real estate in the savings category,

because of the variable rate of return.

Today’s cushion could be tomorrow’s

bottom of the barrel, which we have seen

with the recent housing bubble, as well

as the tech bubble ten years ago.

Also not included are non-traditional

investments, such as gold.

However, that does not deter Jeff

Angello, owner of American Coin and

Stamp Company on Clifton’s Main

Avenue, who believes that buying gold

and silver is the best way to save.

The interest rates on traditional savings products,

even with compounding, do not keep pace with infla-

tion, said Angello. “Officially, we’re told

that the inflation rate is only three per-

cent, but think back ten years and add up

what you’re paying more in taxes, gaso-

line, tolls, food, insurance – the actual

cost of living has gone up way more than

three percent per year.”

According to Angello, an individual’s

savings cannot really be separated out

from the national economy and factors

such as the US trade deficit, the overall

budget deficit, bailouts and the printing

of money are devaluing the dollar. He

explains it this way, “If a family spends

more than they are earning, they will go

bankrupt, and others must pick up that

debt. But if the family had a magic print-

ing press in their backyard and printed

more money, but not backed by anything

except hope for the future – well that’s

what our government is doing.”

“To keep your savings only in dollars

over the long haul is nothing short of

insanity,” he said, “gold has been money since time

immemorial, it’s still the international standard.”

Gold is a limited commodity, and though the price may


“The days ofconspicuous

consumption arebehind us. Spendwisely and withinyour means,” saidRichard Bzdek.

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fluctuate, Angello believes that it will

never drop back too low in his lifetime.

“My customers are savvy investors,”

said Angello, who sells gold bullion in his

store, “seeking an alternative to the dollar.”

Reality-checkThe slight uptick in recent years in the

rate of savings is the result of a nationwide

reality-check, said Bzdek of North Jersey

Federal. “With bailouts and financial tur-

moil, people are looking for security and

safety. It’s clear that they need to protect

themselves.”

The uptick, however, is not the same

everywhere. And of course, it all

depends on the capabilities of individuals

to save and their expenses.

Kursar notes that at Valley National in

the Clifton area, “deposits have decreased

as more and more of our customers strug-

gle to pay monthly bills, pay off debt and

basically weather the storm of this

unprecedented crisis. High unemployment, lower wages

and a sluggish economy impacted the spending and sav-

ings habits severely over the past several years.”

So even if you do all the hard work,

setting a budget, discipline your spend-

ing, commit to saving, D’Ambra of

Clifton Savings confirms the hard reality

that many people face these days – you

cannot save what you do not have.

Whereas people may have overspent

in the past, and therefore did not save, the

current truth is that many people find it

difficult to save because of a rise in

expenses—think college tuition, for

example— as well as continued unem-

ployment or underemployment.

“Yes,” said D’Ambra, continuing, “I

can’t entice you to save if you don’t have

the money.”

For those who do have expendable

income, when asked about the mixed

message consumers are receiving “to

spend more to stimulate the economy”

and “to spend less, and save more to help

yourself,” Bzdek replied, “The days of

conspicuous consumption are behind us.

Spend wisely and within your means. If everybody

manages their money efficiently, these efficiencies will

translate into the economy.”

“Thirty years ago,people didn’t drink

daily lattes andtheir lives were

fine. Not havingmoney for retire-ment is not fine,”


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For those who don’t know the longtime Clifton resident Matt Kida here ishis story. Graduating CHS in 2003, Mattwas and remains, an active member inthe community. He was the Mustangtrack team captain, made Eagle Scout inTroop 7 at St. Paul’s Church and was amember of the CHS Stage Craft Club,constructing sets for annual perform-ances.

After graduating in 2003, Matt stud-ied carpentry and cabinetmaking atJohnson College in Scranton, PA, grad-uating in 2005.

Apprenticing under his father KenKida and other Master Carpenters, Matteventually formed Matt KidaConstruction & Remodeling LLC.Looking back in their mentoring, Mattsays that without their expertise andsuperior teaching skills, he wouldn’t bewhere he is today.

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From basic construction and remod-eling projects to the most extreme, Mattcan handle it all, as well as general con-tracting and construction management.He offers free on site estimates at yourlocation, at your convenience along withemergency services 24/7.

These days, the 25-year old remainsactive in the community—volunteeringat CHS by building sets for the perform-ances twice a year, along with donatingtime to the Clifton Theatre League.

And true to the ideal of passing italong, he also helps Boy Scouts achievetheir goal of Eagle Scout.

Master Carpenter and Clifton residentMatt Kida does baths, kitchens andeverything in between. Pictured herein 2001 with CHS Track coach JohnPontes and Matt’s sister Jamie. CallMatt at 973-650-3383 for an estimateon your project and follow Matt KidaConstruction on

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A recent article in HEALTHbeat,

an online newsletter published by

Harvard Medical School, states that

membership in a health club or fit-

ness center can provide three major

benefits to those who want to

embark on an exercise program:

motivation and companionship,

instruction and supervision, and

equipment and facilities that you

probably don’t have at home.

The article goes on to point out

the importance of finding the right

club for you. Among the factors to

consider are the size and atmosphere

of the facility, the qualifications of

the staff, the type of equipment and

programs they have to offer, whether

their hours are convenient for you

and, of course, whether their mem-

bership fees and extra charges fit

within your budget.

Clifton and the surrounding area

certainly has its share of fitness

centers to choose from, including

Lucille Roberts in Styretowne

Shopping Center, NY Sports Clubs

on Main Ave. right next to Costco,

and LA Fitness, located in the

Promenade Shops complex on

Route 3 and Allwood Rd.

These large full-service centers

offer a full range of the latest exer-

cise and weight training machines

and other equipment, personal and

small group training, and a variety

of fun and challenging classes,

from yoga and Pilates to zumba and

spinning, and even a more chal-

lenging class called “boot camp.”

Both LA Fitness and NY Sports

Clubs have men’s and women’s

locker rooms, while LA Fitness

also has a pool, sauna and hot tub,

a full size gymnasium for basket-

ball and a racquetball court.

If exercising in a smaller person-

alized setting is more your style,

you may want to check out a couple

other places that we visited.

Tucked away on Van Houten

Ave. next to Walgreen’s near the

corner of Mount Prospect Ave. is In

Step Fitness, a club for women

only, which is owned and operated

by Laurie Kirwan.

Getting

FITFor the New YearBy Carol Leonard

C L I F T O N ’ S N E W Y E A R ’ S R E S O L U T I O N S

If you are like many other people, you probably have pledged amongyour New Year’s resolutions to shed a few pounds by getting more

exercise. Maybe you have even decided to join a fitness center this yearto help you meet your goals.

A lifelong Clifton resident and

CHS graduate, Kirwan opened In

Step Fitness about three years ago

after working as a certified personal

trainer at two other franchise clubs.

“I’ve been a dancer and exercis-

er all my life and I enjoy helping

people change their lives through

exercise,” she said.

The program at In Step Fitness is

centered on circuit training, in

which participants move among 20

different equipment stations, each

intended to work a different muscle

group. After one minute, an audible

message tells you it’s time to move

on to the next station. When you

complete your workout at the last

station, you start over again at the

first station.

“It’s a 40-minute non-stop work-

out designed to elevate your heart

rate and strengthen your muscles

and bones,” Kirwan said. “Strength

training is very important for

women.”

While her clients go through the

circuit, Kirwan keeps a close eye

on them to make sure they’re work-

ing the equipment the right way

and with correct form

“Most people when they first join

a club don’t know how to work out,”

she said. “In this small setting, I’m

able to provide the instruction and

encouragement that they need. And

my clients like the fact that it’s a

women’s only center.”

Kirwan’s little gym also includes

a row of stationary bikes and other

weight- training equipment that

participants can use after they com-

plete the 40-minute circuit session,



if they want to burn some extra

calories or just challenge their fit-

ness level.

Kirwan likes to describe her club

as a friendly little place where

everybody knows your name.

“It’s not just about exercise,” she

said. “We all share ideas about diet

and nutrition and people bring in

recipes that I hang on the bulletin

board. It’s a very supportive envi-

ronment, and I think that’s impor-

tant for motivation.”

Kirwan offers three, six and 12

month membership plans at In Step

Fitness. They start at $35 per

month, depending upon the length

of the membership. She also offers

a special rate for mother/daughter

memberships to encourage girls

and younger women to join and

exercise with their moms.

Adjacent to the gym, Kirwan has

a dance room with a professional

dance floor. Here, she offers

instruction in adult tap and ball-

room dancing as well as classes in

zumba, yoga and kickboxing. You

don’t have to be a member of the

gym program to sign up for these

classes, but members get a discount

on the class fee. For the new year,

she hopes to add classes in Pilates

for adults and zumba for children.

“With the increasing concern

over childhood obesity, I want to

get more kids involved in exer-

cise,” she said.

To learn more about In Step

Fitness, call Laurie Kirwan at 973-

778-7837, or visit her Web site at

www.instepfitness.com.

Other fitness centers for women

only in Clifton include Lucille

Roberts, located in the rear of the

Styertowne Shopping Center (973-

249-2966); Curves, at 621 Van

Houten Ave. (973-777-3771), and

Divas Fitness for Women, which

just moved to a new location at 302

Clifton Ave. (973-470-8585).

A more high-tech version of cir-

cuit training is available for both

men and women of all ages just a

short ride from Clifton. Located at

453 Main St. in Little Falls, Pearl

Personal Training is owned and

operated by Jeff Todd and Eric

Murphy.

The centerpiece of their facility,

which Todd refers to as a “fitness

studio” rather than a gym, is a

Kinesis wall.

Kinesis by Technogym uses a

three dimensional continuous-loop

pulley system to allow for 360

degree rotational motion. Four pan-

els of grips, cables and weight

stacks enable participants, under

the direction of a trainer, to com-

bine resistance and strength train-

ing with cardio and Pilates-yoga

type exercises.

Murphy describes the program

as a more functional approach to

exercising because it simulates the

realistic movements of everyday

life, such as squatting to pick up an

object and lifting it onto a shelf.

“I like to call them smart moves,”

he said. “Rather than working just

one muscle group at a time, you’re

working multiple muscle groups

with each set of exercises, and it

burns more calories per minute.”

The Kinesis circuit training sys-

tem takes about 50 minutes to com-

plete, and it can be personalized by

the trainer for the level of fitness of

each client. Murphy and the other

certified trainers at Pearl usually

combine the workout with other

traditional training move-


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ments such as lunges, stair work

and the use of free weights.

The facility also includes other

high end Technogym equipment,

including a machine that simulates

the movements of ice skating,

which clients can use to further

enhance their fitness training.

Pearl offers both one-on-one and

small group training, all by appoint-

ment and preregistration only. Fees

range from $20 a session for 10 ses-

sions of small group training, to $65

a session or less for one-on-one

training, depending upon the num-

ber of sessions you take. There is no

membership fee required.

For a complete list of fees and

other information about the pro-

gram, call Pearl Personal Training

at 973-837-8202, or look at their

Web site at www.pearlpersonalfit-

ness.com.

If working up a sweat in a gym

isn’t your idea of having fun while

exercising, you may want to check

out the aquatics program at the

Clifton Boys & Girls Club.

Located at the corner of Clifton

and Colfax Aves., the Boys & Girls

Club offers programs mostly for

the community’s youth population.

But through its Martini Foundation

Aquatics Center, which encom-

passes a 33-meter heated pool,

adults can enjoy lap swimming as

well as participate in swimming

lessons and water exercise classes.

There is also a special program for

people with arthritis, offered in

conjunction with the Arthritis

Foundation and the North Jersey

Arthritis Center.

Water exercise, whether it’s

swimming or water aerobics, pro-

vides a great workout to improve

muscular strength, cardio-respira-

tory endurance and flexibility.

“It uses every muscle in your

body, and there’s no pressure or

shock to your joints,” said Corinne

Miskowsky, assistant aquatics

director at the club. “Even people

who have trouble walking can

walk and exercise in the water.”

To use the Aquatics Center, you

must have a Boys & Girls Club

membership, which is $60 per year

or $50 for those ages 55 and up.

Lap swimming is $25 per month

($20 per month for 55 and older).

Swimming lessons and water aero-

bics classes are $60 for 10 ses-

sions.

If you plan to use the pool year

round, the best value is to purchase

an Adult Silver membership for

$250 a year or a Senior Gold mem-

bership for $200 a year if you’re

55 or over. Both of these member-

ships include all adult swims and

family membership swims as well

as discounts for swimming lessons

and water aerobics classes.

For more information about the

aquatics program, call the Clifton

Boys & Girls Club at 973-773-

2697, or visit the Web site at

www.bgcclifton.org. Click on

“Programs” in the left side menu

and scroll down to “Aquatics.” On

that page you can click on the

“Program Booklet for 2010-11” to

view the complete schedule of lap

swimming, lessons and aerobics

classes. The adult section is near

the end.



Inever played for Coach Emil Bednarcik; I

was never good enough. In 1974, there were a

lot of kids in Clifton like me – ones with intra-

mural league games, too short or slow to play

high school ball.

Which isn’t as bad as it sounds. In those days, the

high school graduated nearly 1,000 students, and the

ones who played basketball for the Mustangs

were the best of the best. There were

Clifton Rec. and CYO teams in the

city that were better than some

nearby high school squads.

But getting back to Coach

Bednarcik. He wasn’t coach-

ing anymore then – just a full-

time gym teacher. He was

standing on the sidelines,

watching us shoot hoops during

class. One of my friends, Joe

Doherty, took the ball and hoisted

one up from deep in the corner that hit

nothing but the bottom of the net.

In those days, there was “courtesy,” which

meant you threw the ball back to the shooter until he

missed. Joe launched another bomb – swish, and anoth-

er – swish. The great set shooter Jerry Lucas played for

the Knicks then, and Joe was doing a great imitation of

him, throwing shots up from farther and farther away.

Coach Bednarcik watched him and began to walk

under the basket. “Let him shoot,” he yelled to a few

kids blocking Joe from standing behind the top of the

key. He grabbed a ball and threw it back. Joe shot

again, nailing another one. I could see everything else

drifting away from Coach Bednarcik – his eyes seeing

only Joe, the arc of his shot, and the swish of the ball

through the net. “Keep going,” he yelled as another of

Joe’s shots fell through the hoop.

The two of them stayed there as the rest of the kids

drifted toward the sideline. Joe hit at least ten straight

before missing, with Coach catching every one.

It didn’t mater that Joe was one of those slow kids who

shot from the shoulder like players did in the 1950s and

would never play varsity ball. It didn’t matter that Emil

Bednarcik wasn’t Clifton’s basketball coach anymore.

What mattered was the game and a true shot dropping

cleanly through the net – a moment in time that lit up the

old coach’s eyes. The kind of moment made possible by

hundreds of hours of playing basketball for no

reward except the love of the game.

A moment in time that said a lot

about Emil Bednarcik’s life.

Generations of Clifton students

and players remember Coach

Bednarcik as a diminutive man

who coached the Mustangs bas-

ketball team and helped his

brother Ed coach the baseball

team. But decades before,

Bednarcik had been like them – a

CHS student-athlete – one who loved

sports almost more than anything.

Learning games at School No. 12 and

No. 10, he became a four-year varsity starter in

baseball and basketball, and captained the hoop team his

last two years. A second baseman, pitcher, and outfield-

er, Bednarcik played errorless ball his entire junior year

and was part of Clifton’s 1923 state championship team.

Taking his game to the next level, Bednarcik became

a varsity basketball and baseball starter at both Panzer

and Upsala Colleges, graduating from Upsala with a

B.S. degree in education.

In 1934, Bednarcik took his first and last job. He was

hired to teach physical education at his alma mater

Clifton High, and would become the school’s head bas-

ketball coach in 1936. His new coaching position gave

him no financial reward. For his first 12 years,

Bednarcik would coach the Mustangs for nothing, then

earn a $50 stipend in seasons that followed. To make

extra money, Bednarcik and area coaches would referee

each other’s high school team games.

Cl

Of

By

MUSTANG H PS HISTORYCoach Emil Bednarcik

By Jack De Vries

During World War II, Bednarcik

left Clifton to serve as an American

Red Cross Field Director in Australia

attached to the U.S. Army Air Corp.

He returned to the Mustangs when

the war ended and enjoyed perhaps

his best years as coach.

“The teams of the mid-1940s

were very special to Coach

Bednarcik,” says John Kostisin, a

player on the 1949 team and who

would succeed Bednarcik as head

basketball coach in 1972. “Not

only were those teams successful,

the players on those teams enjoyed

success later in life. Ray Van Cleef

became a doctor, Hal Corizzi

became a coach, Don Parsons and

Elmer Gall did well, as did many

others. That meant a lot to him.”

The 1940s were a turning point

for the diminutive coach and

Clifton basketball. No longer

would other area powerhouses

laugh at the school. The 1945 and

‘46 Mustangs went 40-3 on the

hardwood, with the 1946 squad

opening the season with 21 straight

wins, finishing 22-1.

Despite the success, in both sea-

sons, the Mustangs were upset in

the state tournament. But in 1947,

despite being a .500 regular season

club, Bednarcik’s team roared into

the state sectional finals before

being eliminated.

“During those years,” says

Kostisin, “he finally had the talent

to win. As a coach, he was an inno-

vator. Passaic would come into the

gym and start their three-man

weave and we’d go into a switching

defense and shut them down. They

and a lot of other teams had more

talent than us, but, because of

Coach Bednarcik, we won games

we had no business winning.”

Howie Stier, Jr., a point guard on

Bednarcik’s 1961-64 clubs, says his

coach’s eye for the game never

wavered. “I became a freshman bas-

ketball coach under Hal Corizzi at

Ramapo High School,” recalls Stier.

“Both of us had played under Coach

Bednarcik, and I’m sure Hal used a

lot of his teachings at our school.

When we’d go to coaching clinics,

Coach Bednarcik was always there,

keeping up with the game.”

But basketball was not the only

thing important to Bednarcik. He

was also committed to his students.

“He was a great guy,” says Stier,

“always very fair to me. Sometimes,

he might have been a bit too nice and

a few players would take advantage

of him. But you never questioned

his commitment to the kids – he

helped so many people.”


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13th

MUSTANG HOOPS HISTORY

CHS 1945-46 team: From left, standing: Coach Bednarcik, Van Cleef, Torcivia,Atkinson, Bulyn, Hatala, Dull, Olson, Gall, Corrizzi, Parsons and Dr. Gerow.

Sitting: DeLotto, Wolf, Donall and Gibnavdi.

“One of the best things that happened to me in my

life,” says Kostisin, “was living two blocks away from

the Lower Weasel Brook playground that Coach

Bednarcik ran during the summer. He ran a terrific

playground and softball program that attracted kids

from both Clifton and Passaic. At one time, he and his

brother Eddie were responsible for 33 city play-

grounds.” Bednarcik coached Clifton into the early

1970s, but finally stepped down. Kostisin, his assistant

coach for 12 years, was given the head job, one he reluc-

tantly accepted.

“I would’ve been his assistant for 30 years,” he says.

“But when he resigned, Coach Bednarcik agreed that I

should take his place. Until his death, we were close.

He’d come to the games, call me on the phone to talk

about them afterward, or just call to talk basketball. He

was a big fan of the college game, not the pros, because

he enjoyed the strategy and movement behind basket-

ball. He stayed connected to the game his entire life.”

During his 42 years as coach, Emil Bednarcik had

only a few losing seasons, with his teams winning close

to 500 games and capturing the Passaic Valley

Conference Championships in 1945, 1946, 1949, and

1959. He also worked as a high school and college bas-

ketball referee for 37 seasons.

In September 1977, Emil Bednarcik died at home

while eating lunch. He was 71. For an athletic man, the

Clifton coach’s death came at a relatively young age,

but he never really left his players.

He lives in their memories to this day.

f


1971-72 CHS team. Kneeling, left: Joe Dluhy, John Paoloni, Mark Kosuth, Mark Semon. Standing: Coach Emil Bednarcik, Stanley Blondek (Manager) Rich Conrad, Bob Harboy, Don Sisto, Art Schumann,

Ken Bradford, Paul Pignatello, Ken Jurcisin and Mike Messina (Manager)

Clifton Super Bowl Family DayBe a Sponsor of this Alcohol-Free Party on Feb 6th

$100 Checks should be made payable to: Boys & Girls Club of Clifton

note: Super Bowl PartyMail to: Clifton Merchant Magazine1288 Main Ave. Clifton, NJ 07011

Questions regarding donations? Call Tom Hawrylko @ 973-253-4400

21 Club

To date, our 21 Club Sponsors include:1) Jim & Rita Haraka & Family2) Rotary Club of Clifton3) Optimist Club of Clifton4) Assemblyman Thomas P. Giblin5) In memory of Florence, George H. Trinkle Jr, and George H. Trinkle III

6) Barbara Dougherty in memory of Henry Dougherty

7) Clifton Police PBA Local 368) Clifton Firefighters FMBA Local

Please Contribute $100

and Become a

21 Club Sponsor!


In the Lima household, playing

sports is a family tradition. Each

of the four siblings—Ariella, ‘04,

Chris, ‘06, Daniel ‘06, and

Michelle—played soccer from a

young age in the Clifton Stallions

Rec League and travel clubs.

“I’ve been playing soccer since I

was about four,” said the CHS

senior, who played four years on

the Mustang girls soccer and

lacrosse teams. “It’s a big family

thing for us.”

It was her love of sports that led

to a hobby that Lima hopes to turn

into a career: athletic training.

“In my freshman year, I sprained

my ankle and I started going to the

Athletic Trainer’s office,” she said.

“Eventually, I was in there all the

time, before practice to get

wrapped, after practice...”

Athletic Training Director Tom

Cutalo—better known as Trainer

Tom—noticed that Lima had

become a regular fixture around the

office and invited her to join the

Athletic Training Club at the start

of her sophomore year.

“In the beginning of my junior

year, I decided that I wanted to start

looking into studying athletic

training in college,” said Lima. “I

love sports and I love being around

athletes. Athletes just want to push

and push and get back out there.

It’s motivating.”

Thus far, she’s applied to a

number of schools and acceptances

are just starting to come in.

Marywood University in Scranton,

PA and Rowan University is

Glassboro, NJ have said yes and

Lima is sitting down for an

interview with Westchester

University later this month.

“Westchester has the oldest

athletic training program,” said the

senior. However, she’s particularly

keen on Rowan, since trainer

Meaghan Conti, an alum, spoke of

it highly. Lima had her boss write

her letter of recommendation.

There are about 17 members in

the athletic training club. Students

attend games and assist with

everything from taping before

games to injuries sustained in play.

Because of soccer and lacrosse,

Lima was most active with the

athletic training club in the winter.

“The team calls me Mama

Lima,” she laughed. “I’m always

caring for my teammates when they

have injuries or anything.”

Lima also has recently become

interested in coaching, a hobby she

got into last year with her friend

and teammate, Atati Aburto. The

two coach a pair of squads at the

Boys & Girls Club: the Lazers in 6

to 7 year olds, and the Sting in 8 to

9. Each team has one practice and

one game per week.

Lima and Aburto also got some of

the younger girls from the high

school team involved as well.

Sophomore teammates Jenny

Delana and Shannon Guzman began

coaching a rival squad in the league.

“They kicked our butts,” Lima

begrudgingly admitted. “But we

play them twice, so we’ll see how

that goes next time around.”

“It’s so cool to see them get

older,” Lima said of the children

she coaches. She has some

returning players, and others

recognize her despite being on new

teams.

“I like being busy,” she said. “I

can’t stand doing nothing.”

CHS Student of the Month By Joe Hawrylko

CHS Training Directors Meaghan Conti and Tom Cutalo with Student of theMonth, Michelle Lima.


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The 33rd annual dinner for thewomen of the North JerseyDevelopmental Center was held

on Dec. 22 at The Brownstone. The

event is annually sponsored by

UNICO, with assistance from Nina

and Frank Corradino of Nina’s

Salon in Clifton, who solicit friends

and clients for donations. Nina and

Past National President Joseph

Agresti of the Passaic Valley

Chapter co-chaired the event, which

had been chaired by Michael N.

Corradino since 1977. Guests were

treated to food, entertainment and a

visit from Santa. For more about

UNICO, call 973-808-0035 or

email [email protected].

The School 5 HASA will host a

beefsteak/silent tricky tray on Feb.

11 from 7 to 11 pm at the Boys &

Girls Club, 181 Colfax Ave.

Tickets are $40 and include food

and drink (or BYOB if you prefer),

as well as some door prizes. There

will also be a 50/50 raffle and the

Flying Mueller Brothers perform.

No door tickets nor children under

18. Call Marilyn Mitchell at 973-

569-1305 or Deana Shukaitis at

973-345-3438 or email Marilyn at

[email protected].

Nina Corradino, at center, with Santaand guest at the Dec. 22 dinner.


CHOOSE YOUR NEW CAREER SPRING 2011Offering over 70 Evening Career & Continuing Education Courses, Monday through Thursday evenings. Classes are held at PCTI from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Check-out our brochureonline for actual times and dates of specific courses you mightbe interested in.

ADULT EDUCATION

IN-PERSON REGISTRATION FORCAREER & CONTINUING EDUCATION

Tues, Wed, Thurs, 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. January 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20

ONLINEREGISTERINGMADE EASY!

www.ssreg.com/passaicUse our online system to

register from home!Online Registration is Ongoing!

Passaic County Technical Institute, 45 Reinhardt Road, Wayne, NJ 07470

See our complete brochure atwww.pcti.tec.nj.us

or for more information call 973.389.4101Classes Begin February 7, 2011

Choose from over 250 online classes EVERY MONTH!

CHOOSE YOUR NEW CAREER AT PCTILICENSED PRACTICAL NURSE (LPN) PROGRAMA day and evening Practical Nursing Program is offered which prepares students for the NJ Practical Nursing Licensure Exam. For more info and an application packet, call 973.389.2020 or visit www.pctiLPN.org

GED TESTING CENTERTake the State GED Tests in English or Spanish at PCTI. For info call 973.389.4388 or visit www.pcti.tec.nj.us/ged

ESL/CIVICS CLASSES ARE AVAILABLE IN THE EVENINGInterested candidates may call for more information 973.689.8322, Mondays through Thursdays from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m.

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS: �Carpentry, Electrical, Machine Shop, Plumbing and Heating are available. For more information, call 973.389.4101

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Meghan Brophy was installed asYouth Bishop on Dec. 5 at St

Peter’s Episcopal Church to cele-

brate the feast of St. Nicholas and

the role of children in the life of the

church. The installation of a Youth

Bishop is a medieval custom which

has been revived in Anglican

Churches in the 19th and 20th cen-

turies. Brophy is the first female

Youth Bishop at St. Peter’s.

The Clifton Arts Center Gallerywill present Colors of Shadow and

Other Works by Adel Gorgy, an

exhibit and sale of photography art.

The exhibit opens Jan 19 and runs

through Feb. 26. There will be a

reception open to the public on Jan.

22 from 1 to 4 pm. Admission is

$3. The Arts Center is on the City

Hall campus, 900 Clifton Ave. Info

at www.cliftonnj.org.

Choice, a doo wop band fromJersey City, will be among six

groups at the 16th annual Martin

Luther King Jazz Festival & Dinner

on Jan. 15 at the Church of the

Assumption, Orange Ave., Clifton.

Advance tickets for concert and

dinner are $35; call 973-478-4124.

1232

Benjamin Moore Paints and much more...

Able Hardware745 Van Houten Ave.

973.773.4997Mon.-Fri. till 7pm

Sat. till 5pm


Shaun LaGala .................... 1/1Becca Potocki ..................... 1/1Connie Zangara ................. 1/1Chrissy Cetinich.................. 1/2Matthew Delaney................ 1/2Amanda Esposito................ 1/2Kristin Reilly........................ 1/2Steven Hrina....................... 1/3Rosalie Konopinski .............. 1/3Ray Krenc .......................... 1/3Emily Zawicki ..................... 1/3Mohamad Bekheet.............. 1/5Missy Fazio........................ 1/5Alexander Ortiz.................. 1/5Vicky Petrovic ..................... 1/5Jeremy Delaney .................. 1/6Gay Eaclie ......................... 1/6

Larry Homsany ................... 1/8Amanda Curtiss .................. 1/9Ariana Hryckowian............. 1/9Joseph Perzely .................... 1/9Fatma Bekheet .................. 1/10Ronald Calo..................... 1/10Richie DeMarco................ 1/10Katy Sokolik ..................... 1/11Nicole Unis ...................... 1/11Megan Duffy .................... 1/12Daisy Colman................... 1/13Joe Musleh ....................... 1/14Mark Stuart ...................... 1/14Kyle Santiago................... 1/15Susan Hernandez ............. 1/16Jennifer Montanile............. 1/16Steve Nikithser, Jr.............. 1/16

Skylar De Santis celebrates her 6th birthday on Jan. 17. Joe Frost turned 106 on Jan. 1. Happy belated to Lindsey Neering who turned 25 on Dec. 30. Belated greetings to Michael Hrina who celebrated a birthday on Dec. 16. Happy Birthday to Cindy Hawrylko who turns 20 on Jan. 22.

Susan Angello celebrates her53rd birthday with Rocky and Joey on Jan. 25.

Birthdays & CelebrationsSend dates & [email protected]


1036

Matthew Soprano........... 1/16Skylar De Santis ............. 1/17Anna Tatarenko .............. 1/17Kim Barilari .................... 1/18Erica Pangilinan ............. 1/19Lindsay Dueben.............. 1/20Luke Falzo...................... 1/20Payton Bogatch .............. 1/21Douglas Ciallella ............ 1/21Matthew Gorun .............. 1/21Daniel Shackil ................ 1/22Evelyn Montague............ 1/23Catherine Coloccia......... 1/24Greg Collucci................. 1/24Jamie Mikolajczyk .......... 1/24Larissa Unis.................... 1/24Robert Duffy ................... 1/25Ashley Gagnon .............. 1/25Debbi Koch.................... 1/26Michelle Nahass............. 1/26Karen Rice ..................... 1/26Gianna Caramucci ......... 1/27Nicholas Grippo ............ 1/27Scott Crawford ............... 1/28Patrick Ferrara III ............ 1/28Robert C. Henn .............. 1/28Stephanie Smith.............. 1/28Alexis Camp .................. 1/30Donna Chipura .............. 1/30Laura Kuruc.................... 1/30Sean Sabo..................... 1/30Evangeline Joy Kohler ..... 1/31Jessica Sonn................... 1/31

It’s late but Nicole Cornett

wed Sean Cefalo Aug. 14!


CHEIDEMANNERNEST T.

AGENCYS1297 MAIN AVENUE • CLIFTON

(973) 478-5967 or 800-43-HOUSE

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Bonds for Administrators, Custodians & Executors

Check Us Out on Facebook!

Wine, food, music, cigars. That’s whatyou’ll enjoy at the 12th AnnualWinemaking Competition presented byCorrado’s on Jan 28 at 6 pm at TheVenetian in Garfield. Hundreds of ama-teur vintners enter their best bottles forreview and recognition. Sample from anendless selection of wine and mangia thenight away. Admission is $95 ticket;reserve a table of 10 at $85 per person.Enter your homemade wine until Jan 15.Call Jimmy Corrado (at right) at 973-340-0848 or go to www.corradosmarket.com.

Joey Barcellona opens the doors of his Bliss Lounge onAllwood Rd. on Friday, Jan. 21 from 4 to 10 pm in abenefit for the members of the Clifton Police Unity Tour.The crew (at left) will ride bicycles from Clifton toWashington, DC on May 9-12 to bring awareness to offi-cer killed in the line of duty and to raise funds for anational monument. There will be raffles, drink specials,prizes and more. Go to blisslounge.net for info.

DOWNTOWN�

Angela M. Montague, Executive DirectorDowntown Clifton Economic Development Group, Inc.1119 Main Ave., Clifton, NJ 07011 Phone: 973-253-1455

[email protected]

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DOWNTOWNClifton

From Accounting Services to Tax

Preparation to Banking and Investments

Advisors, Downtown Clifton offers many

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financial season — and year round!

The Downtown Clifton Business District — Clifton’s Rising Star and your

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Main Ave. from the Passaic border to Piaget Ave.

• 6 “Shopper’s-Free” Parking Lots

• Over 300 Businesses and Services

• Directory, Discount Coupons & more info at www.downtownclifton.com

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Clifton Merchant Magazine - January 2011

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