Clifton Merchant Magazine - October 2010

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

629 Clifton Ave • Clifton

973-777-7364459 Chestnut St • U

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

October 2010 • Clifton Merchant 4

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are distributed tohundreds of Clifton

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Call 973-253-4400

Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko

Business ManagerCheryl Hawrylko

Graphic Designer

Rich McCoy

Staff Writer

Joe Hawrylko

Contributing WritersIrene Jarosewich, CarolLeonard, Rich DeLotto,Don Lotz, Jack DeVries© 2010 Tomahawk Promotions

1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011

I love eating apple pies. And for the last 10 or so years

I have been given one of the best jobs in Clifton—to

judge the annual Apple Pie Baking Contest presented by

the Recreation Department. It’s part of the annual

Halloween Parade & HarvestFest, which is on Oct. 24.

But this year I won’t be a judge as I will be at the 100th

anniversary celebration of my parish, St. Nicholas

Ukrainian Catholic Church, in Passaic.

But if you have kids, don’t miss it. The Parade begins

at noon on Lakeview Ave. and East 4th St. From there,

kids, parents and even animals in costumes proceed to

Nash Park, where the costume judging will take place.

It’s free to enter and prizes are awarded. HarvestFest

continues untill 4:30 where kids can take a hayride, paint

pumpkins, visit the petting zoo and explore carnival

booths, rides and food stands. Games and rides range in

price from a quarter to a dollar. Pre-purchase $5 bags of

tokens at the Rec. Dept. and beat the lines.

And if you see Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man or the

Cowardly Lion from our cover, tell them I said hello.

by Tom Hawrylko

2010 Halloween Parade & HarvestFest

2008 Apple Pie BakingContest Blue Ribbon win-ner Lilyan Borrelli withher son Vincent. Will shemake a comeback in thisyear’s bake-off? Judges atleft include Ray Mauro,Stella Madey, John Biegel,Anna Rose LoPinto andPaul Oliver. Not picturedis Myrt Petty. For info onthe contest and the parade,call 973-470-5956.


Free PumpkinGiveaway!

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________

Phone: ____________________________________________________________

E-mail: ___________________________________________________________

Color the pictureand bring to

Coldwell Banker789 Clifton Ave.

Clifton, N.J.after October 21

to receive your:

Free Pumpkin &Trick or Treat Bag

1 per child under(10 years of age).*While Supply Lasts


Clifton Merchant Magazine1288 Main Ave. Clifton 07011

[email protected]

to theEditor

2010

VFW 7165 sends thanks to all who supported the Brooke Van Beveren

Benefit on Sept. 19. Over $8,000 was raised for Brooke, who is battling

Hodgkins Lymphoma. Additional donations can be sent to the VFW Post

7165, 491 Valley Rd., Clifton 07011 and it will be forwarded. Please

remember the Boys & Girls Club is also holding a Beefsteak for Brooke on

Nov. 12. The $40 ticket includes food, soda, beer and entertainment.

VFW 7165 Veterans & Canteen Club

It’s been almost a year now since we moved to our retirement home.We especially look forward to receiving the magazine each month and

reading about friends we’ve made and notable places in Clifton – over the

last 39 years.

And the July 2010 issue – we were really surprised to read the “Top of

the Class of 1980” story! Our son John had not told us about his interview

with Carol Leonard – only that (on about July 1st) he would like to see the

Clifton Merchant Magazine after we’ve finished reading them.

John is our oldest of five children, all CHS graduates, and, all of whom

we are very proud. Incidentally, John’s brother Chris also became a doctor

and they live only minutes apart. Our three girls also live close together in

the Randolph-Rockaway area. Thanks for keeping us connected.

Bill and Judy Taylor, Highland

October is Breast Cancer AwarenesssMonth and no one knew this better

than our Donna, who lost her battle on

July 7, 2009. Courageous and humble,

she lived her life, supported her family

and never complained. Every October,

Donna would send a gift to signify her

fight and determination to end breast

cancer, with this simple note: Don’tForget to Get Your Mammo, Love Me!It is a message we hope you’ll share.

Joan and Marty Neville

Donna (Neville) Pizzimenti “Don’tForget to Get Your Mammo... Love Me!



by Christopher de Vinck

You just have to know where to look, and to know

exactly how to prepare yourself for the harvest moon and

for the witch’s arrival on Halloween.

As is our routine in the autumn season, my wife Roe

and I drove to Warwick, New York to pick apples a few

weeks ago. After collecting a bag of Red Delicious, and

Macintosh apples, we had a picnic on the orchard grass,

and headed home.

As we re-entered New Jersey, as we drove down

through the northern tip of Sussex County, we came

across a small, brown sign with black letters: Fresh Eggs.

We drove by, and on second thought, we turned the

car around, returned to the little sign, and pulled left into

a narrow driveway.

There, on a small hill, sat a small red barn like a happy

rooster bathing in the afternoon sun. Outside the barn

was a wide table filled with pumpkins, apple cider, and

surrounded with pots of yellow and red

chrysanthemums. Roe wanted a dozen fresh eggs. I

wanted a fat, orange pumpkin and to follow the poet

John Greenleaf Whittier’s suggestion. He was the

influential Quaker poet of the 1800’s who wrote in his

poem Pumpkins about the fruit that he loved as a boy, the

“ugly faces we carved in its skin, glaring out through the

dark with a candle within!”

The woman who owned the property walked out to

greet us, and when we asked if there were any more

eggs, she said, “Yes. I’ll pulled them from the nests and

wash them for you.” We spoke a bit, I saying how she

discovered paradise; she saying that she had six children,

that her husband was a carpenter, and that she

maintained the seasonal roadside stand as a hobby.

As the woman in her black boots and long, lovely hair

walked to the hen house, Roe and I stepped into the barn

where, just for the fun of it, there were haystacks and

pumpkins, cornstalks and chrysanthemums arranged, it

seemed, for the cover of the old Saturday Evening Post.On the barn door was a poster from the 1950’s of an

illuminated pumpkin that looked, also, like the moon.

The moon is a bright orange pumpkin in autumn, the

harvest moon hanging in the darkness like a Japanese

lantern on a stick, looming down on us.

Autumn in New Jersey is just as charming, and just as robust as autumn in New England.

Sweet Cider...



Each Halloween the street lights on our dark road, like

little moons, guide trick-or-treaters up the narrow,

concrete walk that leads to our front door. I like watching

tiny hands reaching out of their devil or witch costumes

as I offer a bowl filled with chocolate Milky Ways and

Hershey bars.

Twenty years ago, when my daughter was five-years-

old, she was a witch for Halloween. Roe sewed the

costume, and searched the stores for just the right

pointed hat. My favorite part of the costume was Karen’s

red sneakers visible under the long, black skirt decorated

with moons and stars.

Perhaps the reason we like Halloween so much is

because it is the day that reminds us of our own youth,

when we could all pretend to be something other than

who we are, when we could be a little mischievous, toss

eggs, soap windows, and join Huckleberry Finn and Tom

Sawyer out behind the old school building and smoke

acorn pipes and feel just fine.

Whittier reminded us about ourselves in his little

poem: “When we laughed round the corn-heap, with

hearts all in tune, our chair a broad pumpkin, — our

lantern the moon, telling tales of the fairy who traveled

like steam in a pumpkin-shell coach, with two rats for

her team!”

It has been reported that New Jersey farmers

experienced a bumper crop of pumpkins this year

because of the heat and well-timed rainfall.

I like autumn and Halloween because it makes me

think of paradise: a sumptuous roadside stand, the little

sneakers in the attic that once fit my grown daughter,

pumpkins on a door sill

The 19th century American novelist Willa Cather

wrote in her famous novel My Antonia, “I was something

that lay under the sun and felt it, like the pumpkins, and

I did not want to be anything more. I was entirely happy.

Perhaps we feel like that when we die and become a part

of something entire, whether it is sun and air, or

goodness and knowledge.”

I like autumn in New Jersey because it makes me feel

happy, as if I am a part of something good as the cold air

swirls around us and the apple cider is sweet.

Dr. Christopher de Vinck, a graduate from Teachers College,

Columbia University, is the Language Arts Supervisor at

Clifton High School; an adjunct professor of English

Education at Montclair State

University, and the author of 12 books.

His best know work is The Power of the

Powerless (Crossroad Books) a book

on the struggles and joys of loving his

severely disabled brother. This essay is

from his upcoming book ‘Moments of

Grace: Days of a Faith Filled

Dreamer.’ to be published next Spring.

But I am done with apple-picking now.Essence of winter sleep is on the night,

The scent of apples: I am drowsing off.Robert Frost from After Apple Picking

What was once the site of a controversialplan to build a McDonalds restaurant

will soon be home to the new Allwood Diner.

Brothers George and Gus Logothetis and

George’s wife Anastasia purchased the Jubilee

Park Diner on Allwood Road in April from

previous owner Tony Prekas. They have been

renovating the building since mid-July and

expect it to be ready for a grand opening under its

new name later this month.

Wanting to retire, Prekas had signed a 20-year

lease agreement with McDonalds last year. But

following an outpouring of objection from

community residents to its plans to operate a 24-

hour drive-through business, McDonalds

withdrew its application for approval from the

city’s Board of Adjustment in January.

Photos and story by Carol Leonard

From Corporate Controversy

to Familial Opportunity

Gus Logothetis with Anastasia and George Logothetis.



A clause in the lease allowed Prekas to terminate if

McDonalds did not get city approval for the project

within a year. Meanwhile, the Logothetis brothers had

been looking around to purchase a diner in the area for

about two years.

Their father, Jimmy Logothetis, has been in the diner

business all of their lives. He currently owns the State

Street Grill in Bloomfield, which they have helped him

manage. Their cousins are the owners of Rutts Hut.

“I grew up in the diner,” said George, 29, who holds a

marketing degree from Seton Hall University. “Owning

my own diner is something that I always wanted to do.”

George said that he would pass by the Jubilee Park

from time to time and would think to himself what a nice

spot it was for a diner.

So, when the McDonalds deal fell through, he and his

wife and brother began negotiating with Prekas to buy the

business. They closed on the purchase on April 4.

The Logothetises knew that they wanted to renovate

the diner and change its name, but they decided to run the

business under the Jubilee Park name for a few months

before they started making the changes.

“We wanted to get to know the customers and for them

to get to know us,” George said. “A lot of people were

very ecstatic that we were taking over. They wanted to

keep a diner here.”

The Logothetises had a large rendering on display of

what the new diner would look like and they received a

lot of positive feedback, especially from some of the

longtime customers.

On July 16 the Jubilee Park Diner officially closed and

construction was soon underway.

Workers gutted the inside of the building and started

putting up a whole new outside facade. Anastasia, 29,

who grew up in Greece and holds a degree in interior

decorating, is the main influence behind the new design,

which will include earth tone colors inside and outside.

She worked in collaboration with architect Giuseppe

Munafo to incorporate her own ideas into the plans,

which she describes as a combination of American and

European styles. “We wanted to get away from the

stainless steel look and do something more modern,” she

said. “I wanted to make it warm and cozy.”

Younger brother Gus, 26, who graduated with a degree

in business management from Berkeley College, is very

happy about the new venture.

“We have very high standards and we’re determined to

do well here,” he said. “We’re in this for the long run.”

The new Allwood Diner will offer “a typical diner

menu,” George said. “But it will be very good quality

food.” The Logothetis brothers are confident that their

customers will like what they’re served because their dad

and their uncle Tommy will be in the kitchen as the

executive chefs.

They hope to bring back the regular customers who

came to the diner when it was the Jubilee Park as well as

attract new ones from the residential and business

communities. They also expect to expand their hours.

The past few months have been a bit of a whirlwind

time for the young Logothetises, who admit that they

been feeling a bit overwhelmed. They originally expected

to complete renovation and have the new diner opened by

mid-September, but construction delays have caused

them to bump back their opening about a month. On top

of that, George and Anastasia, who just celebrated their

first wedding anniversary on Aug. 28, are expecting their

first child in February.

“It’s all happening so fast,” George said.

The Logothetises are planning to have two grand

opening celebrations, one which will include a ribbon-

cutting ceremony with the mayor and other officials from

city hall, and another for family and friends.

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For such a little plot of real estate, theFierro and Sons lot sure holds a lot

of memories. The triangular swatch of

land, located on Marshall St. in Paterson,

a stone’s throw from where Hazel Ave.

and Broad St. intersect, has been in the

family since 1957, when Robert Fierro

purchased it.

“We just sold gas back then,” said Bob

Fierro pictured below right with his broth-

er Joe and their dad, Robert. “It used to be

a park years before that and then it became

a dumping ground. My grandfather Rocco

bought it and then dad and Uncle Pete

helped him built a gas station here.” Now,

a half century later, the pumps are long

gone, removed sometime in the 70s.

Story by Joe Hawrylko

Making it on a Triangle

3 Generations of Fierros

Joe and Bob Fierro, with their dad Robert. Top, Robert’s brother Pete in a1960 photo. At left, founder Rocco Fierro in the 1950’s.


Since that time, some four decades later, it has been a

used car lot, featuring 30 or so vehicles which seem to

fill every inch of the macadem and concrete, sans a little

house where the three men share an office. “I started

working here when I was young, around 15,” recalled

Bob. His brother, Joe, helps run the store and has been

there for just under three decades as well.

“I’m fond of saying that I bought cars before I even

drove them,” continued Robert. “I’d be at the high

school and I’d call my dad, ‘Hey, I just bought you a car,

come and get it.’”

But the used car market has evolved since those days.

The buyers have changed, the cars on the market are dif-

ferent, and people expect more for less.

“The problem with low end cars now is that people

want you to stand behind a car that has all these miles,”

he said. Times have changed as well, especially for

younger first time car buyers. Bob said kids have

become more picky, and parents more apt to spend a bit

more for newer car with more safety features.

“I had a 69 Camaro, with different primer color

everywhere,” he chucked of his days with a first car, as

a high school senior, back in 1975. “That was the clean-

est rust bucket on the block.” But despite the changing

tastes, the Fierros have stuck with what the old stand by:

Detroit-made vehicles. “We deal with mostly American

cars because of the price,” he explained.

Fierro said the vehicle price range is between $500

and $5,000. “I don’t do much of the auctions. We do get

new car dealer trade-ins a lot. We try to fill orders if we

can, but it’s mostly family type vehicles. But we’ve real-

ly found our niche with blue collar American models.”

“We get a lot of second car buyers, workers looking

to make a dollar stretch. I get a lot of people saying that

they want a car that gets from point A to point B. Well

how far is point A from point B??” he laughed. “We

also have buses, pick-ups, commercial vehicles...”

Dealing with the Fierro father and son team is a love

it or leave it experience and return customers appreciate

it that not much has changed at this family enterprise.

“We still get people saying, ‘Oh, my grandfather

bought his first car here!’” laughed Bob. “Or, ‘I remem-

ber when you were this small and I bought a car from

your father. It’s name recognition. We make it comfort-

able. Easy. No heavy sales pressure.”

That might sound like hyperbole, but consider this:

The company has survived with no internet marketing

and no advertising. And it’s not the aesthetics of the

place that draw customers either—Bob readily admits

that the 70s era wood paneling in the sales office is

probably only appealing to him.

It’s a business built on a good family name, friendly

service and trust. “It’s like a time warp,” he laughed.

“We just got rid of the rotary phone.”



It’s a small place that seems as if it hasn’t changed abit in the past decade or so, besides the new screen

door out front and the fresh paint on the facade. Inside

this Clifton Ave. deli it is tight—if there’s more than a

half dozen people inside it’s going to be crowded.

“We’ve had the place for 31 years,” said MaryAnn

Haring, who owns the store with her husband, Harry.

“We just were looking around and noticed that this place

was for rent. We thought it was an excellent piece of real

estate.”

Located just a few blocks from CHS and directly

across the street from the Board of Education office, the

deli is in the perfect area to support a business. Teachers

and education administrators heading into the high

school or BOE building often stop by for breakfast.

“Everyone wants something on the way to work,”

MaryAnn stated. The store gets a lunch rush and then

the day ends. That means mornings at MaryAnn’s Deli

begin before sun up. Harry is the morning man, up at the

store by 5 am to do prep work. MaryAnn comes in a bit

later, but she also stays to close. It’s a bit of a compro-

mise for the couple, who have been married 25 years.

The store’s location means that it draws in students

leaving Clifton High School later in the afternoon during

the school year. Lunch is also popular with workers in

the area.

“It’s more from local businesses,” she added. “Some

are just local people as well.”

“A lot of people have been coming here for 20 years

or more,” added Harry.

But building up that pool of faithful customers takes

years. The most basic component to success starts in the

kitchen.

“I come from an Italian family that loves to cook and

loves to bake,” smiled MaryAnn. “My mom is a great

cook and great baker.”

But there is certainly a business element, and without

that, even the best chef in the world will have trouble

staying afloat.

“You just find good ingredients, see how much you’re

paying and figure in room for profit,” said MaryAnn.

Though the couple said they did originally scope out

some competitors to see pricing, they said it mostly relies

on trial and error.

“Other stores probably look at our menu now because

we’ve been here so long,” Harry quipped.

Though they were a bit apprehensive when first open-

ing the store, the Harings found that it really wasn’t an

exact science behind figuring out how to price food.

The couple has found that a far greater challenge is

introducing new meals to satisfy different tastes and

diets. Just like clothing, there’s fads in the food industry.

“Harry has taken over a lot of the cooking,” admitted

MaryAnn.

“How many ways can you do turkey?” Harry asked

rhetorically. “Years ago, there wasn’t wraps and now

everyone is health conscious. Twenty years ago, no one

had paninis and now you have to have them.”

It may not look like it at first glance, but there is a lot

more going on behind the counter than it seems. Sure,

getting up early can be tiresome, but when you do

something you enjoy, it really doesn’t matter. “I just

love to cook,” smiled MaryAnn.

30 Years & Evolving

Changing with Tastes

If you are looking for a new shopping experience,

then stop at 259-161 Crooks Ave. in Clifton. You

can’t miss it—just look for the window display, com-

plete with statues of saints and deities. Inside is a

warehouse-sized retail shop and wholesale showroom

with a large selections of herbs, bath salts, candles,

crystals, jewelry, books, incense and other spiritual and

magical paraphernalia. The products are both high

quality and affordable. What is this new retail establish-

ment? Or should we say old retail establishment?

You would have just discovered Botanica San

Lazaro and the Inner Peace Center, which has served

the spiritual needs of Clifton and the surrounding

region for the last half century.

Founded in downtown Paterson in 1959 by Lupe

Jiminez, a door-to-door jewelry salesman who decided

to focus on his religion and passion for helping the poor

and elderly, Botanica San Lazaro was from the begin-

ning a family venture.

Lupe and his wife, Rose, started the Botanica in

Paterson, where it became not only a store, but a tem-

ple. Every Sunday, Lupe offered prayer services at

which all were welcome. Today, Rose, her daughter,

Maggie, and grandsons Orlando and Lorenzo run the

business since Lupe’s passing 16 years ago.

Although the Botanica now operates in Clifton, it

remains a regional landmark and a home of tradition—

offering prayer, teaching and healing services to those

in need, just as Lupe did. “Our grandfather was very

spiritual,” Orlando explained. “His gift was the power

of prayer.”

Like Grandfather Lupe, the family continues to edu-

cate and guide their customers based on their individual

needs. “It’s a family atmosphere here,” added the

founder’s daughter, Maggie. “People enjoy the positive

energy and the personal and private touch we offer.

Many customers are so loyal and appreciate us and we

feel the same about them. We always consider our

clients’ input and feedback.”

This personal touch helps contribute to the close

ties that the Botanica enjoys with its customers, many

of whom have been visiting the store for decades.


Story by Joan Velardi

At the Inner Peace Center...

They Made it on a Prayer

Top, the late Lupe Jiminez, and above, from left, hisgrandson Orlando Martes, CHS 1992, Maggie, Rosaand Lorenzo, CHS 1998.


Call Clifton’s Brian Kulesa today and install a new & affordable underground sprinkler system at your home or business!

Since the move, the business has grown to include the

Inner Peace Center, which hosts classes and events on

the second floor of the building. Current ongoing

classes include 21 Divisions, Yoga, meditation, Feng

Shui, Hinduism, and how to create an altar.

And in line with the family’s mission to support all

beliefs, the Botanica sells religious items from a wide

variety of religions including Christianity, Hinduism,

Wicca, Santeria, Palo, Buddhism and ancient spiritual

faiths from Central America to Egypt. The Inner Peace

Center hosts an annual puja in appreciation of clients,

family and friends. The puja brings peace and protec-

tion to those in need and is lead by a Hindu priest who

travels to Clifton from Queens.

Orlando says this openness is an integral part of the

Botanica. “We keep our doors open to everyone, so all

can gather and shop comfortably regardless of your

beliefs or spiritual paths. We strive to maintain that

vision.” And the two CHS grads are also expanding.

The brothers now offer embroidery and printing

services and have also introduced a new line of cloth-

ing called Forever Flyy. Clients can custom design T-

shirts and clothing for their individual faith.

For customers seeking guidance, Orlando offers

spiritual readings on-site. “Since moving to Crooks

Ave., we may have lost some of our old customers.

Perhaps, they haven't realized that we had just moved

locations,” said Rosa. “We are excited about our store

and enjoy seeing new faces that discover Botanica San

Lazaro’s Inner Peace Center. It’s not only a store—it’s

a gathering place.”


Residents of Allwood and nearby neighbor-hoods don’t have far to travel anymore to

pick up a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The new Market Street Farm store opened last

December in the storefront that, for many years,

was home to the Allwood Pharmacy.

Located next to Allwood Dentistry and two

doors down from Quick Chek, the market has

become a favorite place to shop for many resi-

dents of the Styertowne Apartments as well as

parents with children at School 9.

Owner Jennifer Lee (at right) and her husband

James have been in the produce business for more

than 25 years. The couple owns another farm mar-

ket store in NYC and they had been looking

around for a second location in the Clifton area

when they came across the vacancy on Market St.

“The rent was acceptable and it looked like a nice

neighborhood with good opportunities to develop

the business,” Lee said.

Story by Carol Leonard

They keep if fresh...

The Allwood Farmers



The smell of fresh fruits and vegetables permeates the

air as you enter the store, and the rainbow of colors of

everything from red ripe strawberries and tomatoes to

green, yellow and orange peppers, purple eggplants and

a variety of lettuces, spinach and bunches of fresh herbs

is a sight to behold.

A small dairy section includes milk, eggs and cheeses

as well as yogurt, kefir and hummus. You can also pick

up fresh rolls and bread, dried spices, jarred sauces,

honey, pasta, bottled juices or a fruit cup or vegetable

platter that Lee cuts up fresh each day. They even have

bouquets of fresh flowers.

Lee’s husband does all of the shopping for the pro-

duce, traveling to the Hunts Point Market in the Bronx

about four to five times a week, and to local farms dur-

ing the growing season.

Lee oversees the operation of the store and tries to

meet and talk with the customers as often as possible.

“I want them get to know me and my workers,” she

said. “I try to make it a comfortable and cozy place to

shop.” Lee feels that the friendly atmosphere and person-

al attention that she provides helps her compete with the

larger supermarkets for business.

“It’s a tough time in the economy,” she said. “This

was the worst year in all of the 25 years we have been in

the business, so we have to do what we can to increase

cash flow.”

Recently, she has been trying to expand her stock of

convenience grocery items that some of her customers

have requested.

“They tell me that they want to be able to come here

for more of their groceries instead of traveling to the

malls and big supermarkets,” she said.

Lee also packages up some of the produce to discount

for a quick sale, which is a benefit to customers who may

be on a fixed income or are looking to get the most for

their money.

Longtime Allwood resident Leslie DePoto was happy

to see the farm market move into the storefront space

that had been vacant on Market Street for more than two

years after the pharmacy closed.

DePoto often stops by the market on her way home

from work to pick up fresh vegetables to use for dinner.

“I like to support the local businesses, and their prices

are fabulous,” she said. “You can’t beat it.”

DePoto also likes the fact that she can often find

unusual fruits and vegetables such as celery root and dif-

ferent types of eggplants and melons in the store that

aren’t available in the produce aisles of the larger chain

supermarkets.

The Market Street Farm store is open seven days a

week, from 8 am until 8 pm.

Lee is at the store for part of every day and she said

she plans to keep the market open 365 days a year.

“It’s a demanding kind of business, but it’s what we

know,” she said, waving her hands across the aisle. “My

husband’s family has been in the business since his

uncle came to this country many years ago.”


f

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Maybe it’s the shaggy beard,or the lack of a sharp suit, but

Neil Sabatino sure doesn’t seem

like the head of a record label. And

that’s exactly why his two year old

business, Mint 400 Records,

already has some 20 up and coming

bands signed.

Artists trust him, because years

ago, he was in the same position.

“I’ve been in the music industry

since 1994,” said Sabatino, who

also works as a teacher in Bergen

County. “Once of the bands that I

was in, Pency Prep, ended up mov-

ing about 100,000 CDs when we

released in 2000.”

And the Cliftonite is still a musi-

cian, going on over a decade with

his band, Fairmont, the group that

spawned the label.

“Two years ago, I originally just

wanted to put stuff our for my band

we saw that there was a need for a

local label,” he said. “There was a

lot of great bands that we were

playing with. We’re dealing with

every aspect of what a record label

would have to deal with for my

band. For other bands, it’s kind of

like a management label. We’re

trying to keep it as low cost as pos-

sible and to be as economic as pos-

sible.”

Sabatino first decided to explore

the other side of the music industry

after some unpleasant experiences

with more prominent record labels.

According to him, the bottom

line was the motivating factor in

every decision. You could have all

the talent in the world, but if you

aren’t playing the ‘in’ genre at the


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m

moment, good luck. Labels also

determined everything from album

listings to the frequency of shows.

At Mint, Sabatino only takes on

projects that interest him—most of

the signed bands have an indie rock

sound like Fairmont. And when a

band is signed, his involvement in

the project is up to the artists.

“We’re just trying to be a man-

agement label that’s taking on all

aspects and just pointing them in

the right direction. It’s kind of like

a stepping stone for smaller bands

to get them to the level they need to

get signed by a bigger label,” he

said. “We try to cut our artists a

check every time we’re getting

money, even if they’re not getting

much. We’ve been on labels where

we’ve had to wait a year, a year and

a half for a check.”

“They know they can trust us,”

continued Sabatino. “They know

we will show our bank statements if

they ever don’t trust us for some

reason. We’re on top of every

aspect of their career, with recom-

mendations for what to do next.”

And due to his many years in the

industry as a musician, Sabatino has

a number of connections in the

North Jersey music scene. As his

stable of artists grows, he’s able to

do showcases at a number of venues

to gain exposure.

“We’re creating a community of

local bands to trade shows with and

trade fanbases with,” said Sabatino.

“Fairmont does really well at The

Clash Bar, so we can pull bands

from Jersey City to play with us

there and they can take us to Jersey

City where they draw.”

Because his label releases its

music almost exclusively online—

pressing albums only on request—

Mint required almost no start up

money. Sabatino relied on his expe-

rience within the industry (and part-

ner AJ Tobey) and connections to

create an environment that supports

artists. He’s identified a niche for

emerging local bands, and can help

them navigate the tricky areas of the

business.

“We’re succeeding right now

because bigger labels put out to

publishers two or three months in

advance,” he said. “It gets reviews

and people start instantly uploading

your stuff and sharing it. We’re not

doing full scale publicity campaigns

for them. Most people won’t

upload smaller bands that are just

getting out there. If they want our

stuff, they have to buy it.”

“As the music market keeps get-

ting more and more saturated, I feel

like a lot of labels are putting out

utter crap,” said Sabatino. “I’m

hoping that, because we’re really

picky with who we put out there,

maybe it’s not going to be this year

or the next, but someone’s eventual-

ly going to look back and say, hey,

they have a stellar catalog that we

really should listen to.”


Krystyna Bladek’s journey to America fromMaziarnia, 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 con-

tinues today.

Along the way, Krystyna’s passion for her new coun-

try and her strong will and resolute determination

resulted in a successful business, as well as citizenship

for herself and her four younger brothers and one sister.

“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. I wanted to have souvenirs of

my travel, so when the ship docked in London, I took a

$2 sightseeing tour and bought six postcards for

another $1. I ran out of shampoo and spent another 75

cents to buy some on the ship. I eventually landed in

New York with $1.25,” she said, matter-of-factly.

Shortly after arriving, she met her husband, John,

who hailed from the same hometown as Krystyna.

“I knew his family, but not him,” Bladek recalled. A

week before the wedding, John’s car was stolen so, “we

really started out with nothing,” she said, and when

their son was born nine months later, the young family

knew life would not be easy. Krystyna was deter-

Krystina Bladek leaving Poland on October 29, 1971 and pictured on the following page in a recent photo.

Story by Joe Torelli

From Poland to Passaic...

Held Up, then Motivated



mined, however, to meet the challenges.

Within six months she acquired her

Green Card and worked the second shift

at the Royal Paper Company, a job she

held for the next 15 years while John

worked the dayshift in area factories.

To save money, she learned to sew

and made most of her family’s clothes.

She also attended ESL classes for a

year at CHS, earned a GED diploma,

and became a US citizen in 1977. Just

prior to that, in 1976, she and her hus-

band were able to make the down pay-

ment on the Clifton house in which

they still live.

Bladek got into the travel agency business after

injuring her back at work. Unable to continue at Royal

Paper, she entered into a partnership in Passaic Park

with a close friend. After a harrowing holdup at knife-

point, she wanted to move the agency to Clifton. When her partner balked at the idea, she struck out

on her own and opened Krystyna’s Travel which is now

located at 542 Van Houten Ave. in Athenia.

“I always believed the one thing you can’t make up

for in life is lost time,” Bladek said. “You have to seize

opportunity when it becomes available. I wanted to stay

in America, be successful, and raise

my family here, so I did everything I

had to do as soon as I could do it to

make sure that would happen.”

The real turning point in her life, she

said, was the day she became an

American citizen. “I felt so good,” she

recalled. “I remember feeling that

America is now my country. You are a

different person when you become a

citizen, and since that day, I encourage

every permanent resident I meet to

apply for citizenship.”

Bladek feels so strongly about citi-

zenship that she said any immigrant

who stays in America for five years should not be

allowed to remain unless they have applied to become

a citizen. “It is better for us as a society for people to

become citizens,” she said, adding, “to remain strong

and safe, we need citizens who have invested their lives

in this country.”

But she also believes the government needs to be

more sensitive to immigrants who apply for citizenship

than it is today. Referring to the many immigrants she

knows, and to the many reports of widespread indiffer-

ence by INS agents, Bladek said, “People who apply


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Back in 2002, Alina, then just

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manager. “Young people have the

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hard to make sure that they will

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A future star player taking some swings in one of the batting cages. Debbie and Joe LoCarro in the pro shop.

In today’s economy, many small businesses inClifton and elsewhere are struggling to make ends

meet. But at Lefty’s Sports Academy, which specializes

in training baseball and softball players, business is

booming.

Located in an old warehouse building on Bloomfield

Ave., the facility includes five batting cages, training

tunnels for pitching, hitting, catching and fielding les-

sons, and a pro shop.

Owner Joe LoCarro and his wife Debbie opened

Lefty’s seven years ago. LoCarro’s father had owned

the building since the late 1960s, operating a toy distri-

bution business for a while in part of the facility and

renting out the rest of the 45,000 square foot warehouse

space, before retiring in 1993.

With a degree in psychology from Widener

University in Pennsylvania, LoCarro had worked as a

youth counselor for a number of years in Pennsylvania

and Delaware before returning to the area to join his

father in the warehouse business.

Before opening Lefty’s, LoCarro said he and his wife

were exploring some ideas for starting a new business at

the site.

“I really enjoy working with kids and I was looking

for a way to get back to doing that in some kind of busi-

ness,” he said.

While they were growing up, LoCarro’s two daughters

were softball pitchers and his son was a talented baseball

player, so he spent a lot of time taking them to pitching

and hitting lessons at other training facilities in the area.

With more and more youth players getting involved

in travel teams and higher level play in recent years,

LoCarro felt there would be a growing need for this type

of business.

It took some time for him to get approval from the

city’s zoning board to proceed with his idea for a sports

academy, but LoCarro was determined to make it hap-

pen. Lefty’s opened in June 2003 and LoCarro and his

wife have never looked back on their decision to start

the new business.

Within the first year, the demand for use of the train-

ing tunnels in the rear of the facility for individual and

group lessons and rental by Little League, high school

and travel teams for indoor practice had grown beyond

what LoCarro expected. He decided to expand the orig-

inal 6,500 square foot area back another 3,500 feet

Story and photos by Carol Leonard

Game Changer took them from..

Warehouse to Batting Cages


into the empty warehouse space. And he still has more

room for growth.

LoCarro contracts with 10 baseball and softball

instructors, most with playing experience at the college

level, and even a few who have played in major league

baseball. Clifton’s own Joe Rivera, head baseball coach

at Clifton High School, is among those on the Lefty’s

staff. The coaches set their own fees for lessons.

LoCarro gives a great deal of credit to his instructors

for the success of his business. “First and foremost,” he

said, “I wanted to bring in coaches who were good

working with kids and families and who cared about the

kids they were coaching. They’ve all been great in

developing a following and bringing in new business.”

Lefty’s is open year-round, but its busiest time starts

in January, when players are training with their teams or

taking lessons to get ready for the spring season. During

this peak time, LoCarro said, up to 500 players per week

make use of the facility.

The success of the pro shop, located in the front of

the building, is also something that has surprised

LoCarro. The store is stocked with a variety of baseball

and softball equipment, from bats and balls to gloves,

helmets, catcher’s equipment and apparel.

“We try to keep our prices competitive,” LoCarro

said. “We usually offer a better deal than you can find in

the big box stores or on the internet.”

Last year Lefty’s was designated as a Wilson

DeMarini Demo House, one of only 35 in the country,

LoCarro said. Customers can pick out a Wilson

DeMarini bat in the pro shop and try it out for free in

one of the batting cages or during a hitting lesson before

deciding if they like it enough to buy it.

Asked why he thinks that Lefty’s has continued to

thrive while other businesses in the area have been fal-

tering, he commented that even when money is tight

parents always put their children first and do what they

can to help them reach their goals.

Lefty’s sponsors Little League teams in Clifton and

Bloomfield as well as baseball travel teams in the 13-

and-under, 15-and-under and 18-and-and under age

groups. Known as Lefty’s Lightening, the travel teams

play in leagues and competitive tournaments throughout

the summer and fall.

LoCarro usually travels with the 18-and-under team,

many of whose players have aspirations of continuing

to play in college. He said he often reaches out to

coaches at schools that players on the team are interest-

ed in and counsels the youngsters on their academic

and athletic plans.

Even if you’re not a diehard baseball or softball

enthusiast, there’s something for everyone at Lefty’s. A

lot of young Little Leaguers and weekend warrior adult

softball players often stop in just to take some swings in

the batting cages.

Tokens for the cages are $1.25 for 12 pitches or you

can get 10 tokens for $10. The facility also hosts birth-

day parties, which include use of the batting cages, and

offers a program for strength and agility training. And,

there are special camps during school vacation breaks.

For more information about Lefty’s, stop in most any

day or go to www.leftyssportsacademy.com.

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Additions • Alterations


ELECTION DAY is November 2

Profiles on Candidates forPassaic County Sheriff & FreeholdersVoters will head to the polls acrossthe nation on Nov. 2. Here in

Passaic County, local races could

vastly alter the political landscape.

With the departure of long time

Sheriff Jerry Speziale, the door is

open for a change in power. The

Democrats have pinned their hopes

on a career cop and political new-

come in Cliftonite Richard Berdnik.

Meanwhile, the Republicans will go

with Felix Garcia, a former employ-

ee of the Sheriff’s Dept., who left

under a cloud of controversy and

later sued his former boss, Speziale.

In the Freeholder race, two seats

are open and the Republicans have

an opportunity to swing the balance

of power on a body that has been

under Democrat control for years.

Republican challengers Walt Garner

and Tomas Gomez will face incum-

bents Terry Duffy and Pat Lepore.

The race for Congress is a

rematch of the 2008 election, in

which Bill Pascrell Jr., a Democrat

with 14 years of tenure, defeated

Roland Straten by a 72 to 27 percent

margin. Due to space limitations, we

were not able to conduct

Congressional interviews.

Candidates for Congress: Roland Straten and William Pascrell

With the sudden departure of longtime Sheriff JerrySpeziale just over a month ago, Passaic County

Democrats had to quickly come up with a replacement

candidate. After securing the backing of Passaic County

Democratic Chair John Currie and Congressman Bill

Pascrell, 30 year Clifton officer Richard Berdnik has

emerged as the party’s selection.

“I was active in the PBA but I never held office,” said

Berdnik, a Clifton Police Lieutenant. “It’s been some-

thing I’ve really always thought about. It’s considered an

honor to be sheriff. It’s something I’ve always aspired to

do. When former Sheriff Speziale left, the opening was

created and I just put my name in.”

The Democrats’ bid to retain its hold on the Sheriff’s

position rests on the shoulders of political newcomer.

“I guess the fact is I’m running on my qualifications.

It is very clear I’m not a politician,” said Berdnik. “This

is my first time running for public office. My concern is

the taxpayers and the citizens of Passaic County. I expect

to represent their interests.”

Given the state of the nation’s economy, smart spend-

ing will likely be the focus in November. In the months

leading up to the election, the Sheriff’s Department

spending has come under scrutiny, with calls to scale

back funding. Berdnik said he’s heard these complaints,

adding that he plans to continue to explore cutting efforts

that started in 2008.

“We’re in tough economic times, that’s clear. We must

balance between public safety and fiscal responsibility,”

explained Berdnik. “The way I plan to do that, if elected,

is to go in there and do a full assesment of each and every

division in the Sheriff’s Dept.”

The candidate also said that would like to reestablish

the role of the Sheriff’s Dept. “Maintaining the jail,

maintaining the safety of the court house,” he stated.

“There’s a civil process too. Warrants and serving papers.

There’s also an enforcement bureau and a community

policing aspect of that.”

Though the presence of Sheriff units at County parks

like Weasel Brook or on County roads like Main Ave. has

been criticized in the past, Berdnik feels that having addi-

tional officers is generally beneficial.

“By patrolling the County parks and the handling of

responsibilities there allow Clifton, Passaic or whatever

municipality to focus their efforts elsewhere,” he

explained. “Some of the things the County is involved in,

like crime scene investigations, that allows for cities to

put an additional officer on its streets. It’s important that

the sheriff be able to communicate effectively with city

officials, city leaders and, of course, local police chiefs.”

Though he acknowledged that review is necessary to

make sure that municipal and county services do not

overlap, Berdnik said mosts times the units coexist and

benefit residents.

“It’s only fair that you have a period of time for

reviewing what’s being done and how things are being

done,” said Berdnik. “To implement positive change,

you require an assesment period to see where you can

combine services or do other changes.”

Such reorganization may free up bodies or funding to

bolster special programs like the internet crimes unit.

“They seek to arrest people that prey on our children,”

the candidate explained. They have an excellent record,

150 arrests at least and they haven’t lost a case.”

Berdnik said that a department-wide reorganization

will put money and manpower where it is most needed,

supporting street crimes and narcotics units, and pro-

grams for seniors to create awareness about internet

scams, identity theft and other issues.

“You can either be proactive and attempt to stop crime

before it happens, or you could be reactive,” said

Berdnik. “Unfortunately, being proactive is hard to

measure. It’s hard to say what you’re trying to prevent.

It’s hard to measure, but [taking a proactive approach] has

definitely had an impact.”


CANDIDATE FOR SHERIFF

Richard Berdnik


Felix Garcia has over 30 years of experience in thefield of law enforcement, and the former Passaic

County Sheriff’s employee hopes that will entice voters

looking for a change this fall.

“During the campaign, I’ve been speaking and saying

that the jail was neglected by the administration,” he said

of the Paterson based facility.

“[Former Sheriff Jerry Speziale, who recently

dropped out of the race] wanted a brand new jail and in

today’s economy, we cannot afford that brand new jail,”

he continued. “It would cost $300-400 million dollars,

and then it’s an issue of where do you put it?”

Garcia said he has an intimate knowledge of the jail,

having served there for 14 years as Underwarden, and

six more as Warden. However, his departure, nearly nine

years ago, was not smooth.

Garcia was terminated by Speziale in 2003, not long

after he was the focus of a corruption probe headed by

the Attorney General’s Office. No chargers were

filed—the investigation was due to allegations that he

used inmates for his own personal work—but Garcia

never got his job back. He later successfully sued his

former employer and was awarded a settlement.

But despite the manner in which he lost his job,

Garcia is adamant that the jail, which is the focus of a

current lawsuit due to the deplorable conditions, was in

great shape when he left it.

“When I was there, everything passed inspection with

flying colors,” he said. Garcia went on to identify the

problems at the facility.

“The conditions of the jail, in general, ...the plumbing

has to be fixed, the electricity, the fire sprinklers.... num-

ber one has to be safety, both for the men and women

working there and our inmates,” he continued. “Also,

the food. One of the main concerns is the food. When a

man is hungry, you got to feed him. You can’t mess with

the food, it’s got to be brought up to standards.”

After the jail has been brought up to acceptable stan-

dards, Garcia said he’d like to explore the practice of

accepting out-of-county inmates to create revenue.

The candidate said the County lost $15-20 million in

state funding because the jail was overburdened due to

the conditions of the facility. With improvements, he

said the County can accept state and federal inmates

again and add to Passaic County coffers.

“The more money we bring back, the less money the

Freeholders have to raise from taxpayers,” said Garcia.

“When I was there in 2001, our budget was $45 million.

We had over 2,100 prisoners and 500 employees.

Compare that to the previous administration: The budget

was always close to $100 million, with 900 prisoners and

800 employees.”

“We have to do more with less in today’s economy.

Taxpayers can’t afford it,” he continued. “This depart-

ment cannot afford to be run the way it has in the past.”

Garcia said he’d like to review the budget and find

areas to save money.

“The main goal is once I get in there, I want to change

the budget,” he explained. “The current budget is gen-

eral. I’d like to see one for the jail, for Sheriff’s officers

and a budget for non-essential services. It allows you to

break it down easier, and that’s how you make cuts.”

Garcia said he’s reluctant to talk about any of his pro-

posed cuts this early in the race. However, he reiterated

his commitment to protecting the courts, running the jail

and maintaining County roads and parks.

“I will assist any department that needs help from the

Sheriff at any time,” Garcia said of the role of the office.

“I’m not just going to come into Clifton and put men

there without the Chief of Police knowing about it.

We’re there to assist, not to take over.”

All Candidate Profiles by Joe Hawrylko

CANDIDATE FOR SHERIFF

Felix Garcia


Even though he’s running for his third term asFreeholder, Terry Duffy doesn’t really see himself as a

politician. He views himself as an independent thinker

and entrepreneur who is elected to solve problems.

“I’m a conservative Democrat in a Democrat area,”

explained Duffy, who makes his living as the owner of

Duffy’s Riverside Grill and its neighboring bar in

Paterson. “Over time, I’ve learned that the solution to

many of our problems are just a phone call away.”

“I’m just a blue collar worker trying to represent the

middle class,” he added. The candidate, a resident of

West Milford, said his ability to work with members of

both parties and reach consensus is his greatest asset. It’s

allowed him to address issues in a timely fashion.

“I like to think that I stand proudly by my record,”

said Duffy, who was first elected in 2004. “We made

cuts, starting in 2007, all the way through. We’ve been

ahead of the curve with the governor.”

The candidate said that the Freeholders cut nearly 18

percent of the County workforce—much of it in the

Sheriff’s Dept.—more than 400 jobs in total.

“We were beaten up and still beaten up for that,” said

Duffy, adding that the County has had a hiring freeze for

nearly six years. “It saved $10 million. We had to do

that. It just made sense for the County.”

And that candidate said he’s still looking for ways to

trim fat. Recently, Duffy called for a bi-partisan review

of the Sheriff’s Dept. He said such aggressive measures

are necessary have allowed the Freeholders to keep tax

hikes under 4 percent annually. Duffy expects this year’s

to come in at around 3.3 percent.

It’s not just the candidate saying that the Freeholders

have been more fiscally responsible. Moody’s Investors

Service recently upgraded Passaic County’s bond rating

due to recent maneuvers to better manage the budget,

debts and assets, such as the County Golf Course.

“If you’re going to be in the golf course business,

you’ve got to be competitive,” said Duffy. At the begin-

ning of his last term, the Freeholders had considered sell-

ing to course to cover a budget shortfall. However, the

County instead chose to begin layoffs, and reinvested in

the course, boosting profits and at the same time, provid-

ing a unique and affordable course for the public.

“If you can come on board and make it a little bit for

everyone, you’ve been successful,” Duffy said of his

motivations to seek relection. “But there’s still projects

on the table.” He cited the Preakness Healthcare Center

in Wayne. “It was a dilapidated, old building. We had to

get them out of there. The State said fix it or close it,”

said Duffy. “As beds fill up, it will pay for itself in the

not so distant future.”

Duffy did take issue with claims that Preakness was ill-

conceived and build inefficiently. “$60 million, I never

saw that number,” said the Freeholder, refering to claims

that the project was budgeted at that number and bal-

looned to $90 million. He did note the State signed off on

the original plans, but prior to opening, raised issues about

okayed amenities, delaying completion and raising costs.

Duffy said he’d like to continue championing open

space upon re-election. The Open Space and Farmland

Preservation Trust Fund has awarded some $10 million

to aid local municipalities.

“Our senior services program is second to none,” he

added. Duffy also expressed his pride in Camp Hope,

located in West Milford, “Government goes at its own

pace. It’s not just me voting up there,” he said of the nine

member board. “You’d like to run it like a business, but

with all the parts, it’s not that simple.”

And where can the elected body find savings? Most

every division of government. “Any department needs to

be looked at periodically,” Duffy said of the Sheriff’s

Dept. “But I think Rich Berdnik is the best guy for the job.

We work well together. We take his advice seriously.”

FREEHOLDER CANDIDATE

Terry Duffy


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Like his running mate Tomas Gomez, Walt Garnerisn’t approaching this race as a politician, but as a busi-

nessman with more than three decades of experience in

sales management. “I understand what a good business

climate is and what a small business has to do to survive

in this economy,” said Garner, who owns a computer

maintenance company based in Hawthorne.

In his mind, that makes him an ally of other entrepre-

neur in the County, and it makes him a perfect candidate

to come in and clean up what he views as wasteful spend-

ing by the current crop of Freeholders. “Government and

business are not the same thing, but business principles

have a spot in politics,” explained Garner.

The most immediate problem is the wild spending,

which has elevated the County’s tax rate to astronomical

rates. But Garner said that the issue extends beyond just

today or tomorrow. What about the future of Passaic

County? To illustrate his concerns, he explained a meet-

ing he had while still an employee of Bell Atlantic.

“Our business problem then was our cost of service is

high and at some point, people start using less of your

service out of necessity, affordability or other options,” he

said. “If we want to be viable, we have to look at our

costs, all of our productivity tools and the whole organi-

zation, up, down, left, right. We have to squeeze out inef-

ficiencies and look for cost savings, while always remem-

bering that we have to provide quality service.”

“We’re at the backs against the wall time,” Garner said

emphatically. “We’ve been making serious mistakes for

40 years and it’s all collapsed right around the same time.

We’ve made unsustainable economic decisions at all lev-

els that hampered job creation.”

“What I want to do is get the County government back

to the point of just focusing on the government services

at an affordable price,” he said. “What are the core gov-

ernment services that the city can deliver efficiently, and

what is the best cost? Running the Sheriff’s office, pro-

tecting the jail and court rooms, PCTI, PCC and then

we’ve got the various social services that are the safety

net that we’ve got to maintain.”

Beyond that, everything is up for review. One of the

main projects that Garner would like to evaluate is the

controversial Preakness Healthcare Center.

“Is that a service that wouldn’t be addressed better in

the private sector?” he asked rhetorically. “It was sup-

posed to be $50 or $60 million—I am not sure of the exact

total cost—but it’s coming in closer to $100 million. It’s

like the Schools Construction Corporation—was it $1 or

$2 billion that we lost? No one knew for sure.”

“You can’t foresee everything, but double the money?

You’ve got to hold people accountable,” he continued.

“Everything is wide-eyed optimism, everything was a

best case scenario. We have complete uncertainty in

Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.”

“The problem with government is that it has no natural

competitors,” Garner asserted.

The candidate also said he’d like to put pressure on

politicians at the State level to change the way that

education funding is handled.

The candidate said he’s willing to look at any means of

cutting costs. “We’re at $420 million a year now, but

because we bond for operating expenses, you’re not sure

exactly what those operating costs are because it’s buried

in a debt payment,” Garner continued. “The American

can only afford to spend a certain amount on government,

and we’ve not only met that, we’ve exceeded it.”

Part of the recovery is attracting businesses and jobs

back to the County. Garner said that businesses will

return, due to the County’s ideal location to highways and

New York City, but only once taxes are lowered. That, he

says, will take strong, innovative leadership. “I hate small

ideas—I love big ideas. Maybe if they don’t work out,

five small ideas will come out of it,” said Garner.


Walt Garner


For Freeholder Pat LePore, his ideals shape his policies.

That’s why he’s so bothered by critics who deride the

Preakness Healthcare Center as a waste. It goes against

what he believes the role of the government is.

“It says a lot about us as people, what we call the

human race, “ said LePore. “As a government, we have

an obligation to take care of people who can’t take care

of themselves. We’ve got to supply a quality of life for

people who need it the most.”

“Did we have to do it? No, but caring others is a

requirement that goes beyond dollars and sense,” he con-

tinued. “We spend billions of taxpayer dollars on stadi-

ums and other projects. I think we can find a little for

Preakness.”

LePore also derided critics who said the project budg-

et was misleading, or that the plans were shortsighted.

“I wish people had an opportunity to see the condition

of Unit 1 and then to see the finished building today,” he

said. “The old one would have never complied with stan-

dards.”

“Give me a project of that magnitude that doesn’t

have a change order. You can’t find any,” he continued.

LePore added that preliminary testing did not reveal

water under the facility, which later altered plans. And

noted that the State, which had signed off on original

plans, forced the County to make many last minute

changes.

But as much as he views the government as a body

designed to care for its constituents, LePore realizes that

he must also practice fiscal responsibility. The candidate

says that he track record proves he is capable of making

necessary, tough decisions on budgets.

“The operating budget has been flat for six years,” said

the Freeholder. “If you add in inflation, it has actually

decreased. We use bonding as a tool. We’re trying to get

a way from a yo-yo budget. Interest rates have been his-

torically low, so bonding can cost the taxpayer very little.”

LePore was adamant that County layoffs two years

ago, which trimmed nearly 18 percent of the workforce or

some 400 employees, trimmed personnel to near bare-

bone levels.

“With a 2 percent cap in place, no you cannot make

additional cuts without devastating services,” he said.

“You can cut whatever, but at the end of the day, you are

cutting services.”

LePore also referenced Moody’s Investors Service,

which looks positively on the County’s actions.

“An independent agency realizes what we’re doing.

Our bond rating went up twice in the past 18 months,” he

said. “Before it was fashionable to cut, we were doing it.”

The majority of those cuts were in the Sheriff’s

Department, which oversees the County Jail, another

point of concern for LePore. The facility has come under

fire in recent years for overcrowding and unhospitable

conditions. Step one to addressing the issue was ending

the practice of accepting out-of-area inmates for money.

“We realized early on that we had to ween ourselves

off of generating money from inmates,” said LePore, who

is not in favor of a new building, but said repairs are nec-

essary. “It’s irresponsible. It shows how out of touch he

is,” said the Freeholder. “The candidate [Republican

Felix Garcia] running for the top law enforcement posi-

tion in the County is advocating breaking the law.”

LePore said he’d like to bring change on a State level.

“I’ve asked our State government to consider taking

over the prosecutor’s office,” he explained. The office is

funded by the County, but the prosecutor does not answer

to the Freeholders. “We’re looking for ways to reduce

County government.”

The Freeholder said skeptical voters can look at his

track record. “I’m a full time public servant,” said

LePore, who is also the Mayor of Woodland Park. “I

think I’ve had a good impact for the last few years.”


Pat LePore


Tim and Toby with their dad Tom.

“As we reflect on the past &consider the future, we hope

you find peace & health.”

1313 Van Houten AvenueClifton, NJ 07013

Phone 973 546-2000Timothy J. Bizub, Mgr.

NJ Lic. No. 4022

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Tomas Gomez may not have political experience buthe believes that his background in business is far more

important, given Passaic County’s infamous standing in

the country. “We hold a record and I’m not proud of it,”

he said. “We have the highest property tax per capita in

the nation.” But the native of the Dominican Republic,

who emigrated to the country in 1973, thinks his expert-

ise can help reverse that dubious record.

“In 2001, I became the general manager of the Essex

County Airport. When I took it over, it was in economic

distress,” said Gomez, who served three years in the

Army and 19 years in the Air Force Reserve. “They were

three quarters of a million in the red and that was due to

previous debt the airport incurred to build it up. Those

bonds have been completed and paid, and now the airport

is up by over a million dollars, and I’m proud to be a part

of the reason why.” It all comes back to a simple

philosophy for Gomez: Being fiscally responsible.

“Today, with the downswing of the economy, we

have to implement the attitude of doing more with

less,” he explained. “We have to be more efficient in

the utilization of our resources.”

The candidate said that the incumbent Freeholders

haven’t been doing that. “The primary issues in Passaic

County the past eight years are that the Board of Chosen

Freeholders have gone into a wild spending mode, getting

money from everywhere and spending it,” he explained.

“But we have not seen any quality of service increase, or

any service being added.”


Tomas Gomez


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“There’s nothing concrete, nothing that reimburses the

taxpayer expenses,” continued Gomez. He took aim at

the Preakness Medical Center in Wayne, which critics

have derided as an unnecessary project that was poorly

designed and plagued with delays that inflated the cost.

Gomez explained that private company rivals are

already in the vicinity of Preakness, and that there is noth-

ing at the facility to entice someone to choose the

County’s option over a private facility.

“I don’t think they did a feasibility study to see if

there’s a real need,” said Gomez, who claims that the pro-

jected was budgeted for around $60 million and rapidly

ballooned to $90 million. “They just started building.

And now we need to lease or sell it to a private corpora-

tion that will really make it profitable. The government

will probably take too long to recoup the money that the

Passaic County taxpayers have to pay for.”

The candidate would like to do a county-wide review

of departments to identify problem areas. He would then

address issues or take proper measures to cut the losses if

a department is inefficient. The candidate said that the

Sheriff’s Dept. has been among the worst offenders for

wild spending.

“There’s always been a little friction due to the lack of

identification of the real job and responsibilities of the

County Sheriff,” he said. Gomez noted that the County

patrols its parks, but questioned if a cop patrolling a park

in West Milford could be better used in Paterson, where

crime is higher. He would also like to understand where

the Sheriff’s money is spent, and have the Freeholders

exercise more control over department’s spending.

“It’s not just to go out and buy toys. I think you can go

ask any Freeholder: Have we done an inventory of what

the Sheriff owns? No,” said Gomez. “Maybe we could

spend more money on prevention. I don’t know. There’s a

$94 million budget and the Sheriff spends it at his leisure.”

“Any time they needed an injection of revenue, they

go grab whatever resources the County has and see how

they can sell it or do construction or something along

those lines instead of thinking, is this the right thing to do

at this time?” he said, referencing the plans (which have

been since scrapped) to sell the County golf course. “You

get an injection of $2-3 million, but you lose that source

of revenue.”

Gomez said that the spending by Freeholders also

affects business in the County. He said that companies

are aware of the logistical benefits of setting up shop in

Passaic County, but are reluctant due to the high taxes.

“If you see that the body that controls the County is

raising taxes out of control and is not financially stable,

you think, can my people afford to work for me in Passaic

County? Can I?” said Gomez. “We’ve got to keep it sta-

ble. People have to be able to know what the raise is

going to be each year.”


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Victor Stojanow, (1992), Robbie Vargo, (2001), Lou Poles, (1951) Bob Knight, (1958), Scott Orlovsky, (1994).

These Mustangs pictured above, plus members of the

1972-1973 Football Teams and the 1997-1998 Girls

Softball Squads, will be inducted into the CHS Athletic

Hall of Fame at a banquet on Oct. 17 at noon at the

Brownstone. In last month’s magazine we profiled the

inductees and told more of their glory days and their

lives since CHS. Come to the banquet to help them

relive the old times. Tickets are $40. Installation din-

ners are held about every year and a half and the selec-

tions are made by a committee based out of the CHS

Athletic Department. For tickets or more details on the

Hall of Fame, call 973-470-2282 or 973-470-2324.

CHS 2010 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees

Ralph Cinque Jr., (1993), Eddie Joe Curreri, (1961), Jamie Farley, (1992), Nikki Krzysik, (2005), Lester Lembryk, (1994).

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Clifton CupBy Jack De Vries

The

Which Fighting Mustang team was better—the legendary 1946 squad coached by Joe Grecco

or the powerful 1973 team led by Bill Vander Closter?Our story brings Fantasy Football to a whole new level!


Thanks to a crack in time or a

bit of magic—pick any

explanation that fits—the

game played in Clifton School

Stadium that afternoon was one

straight out of the Twilight Zone,

involving players as unlikely as

Shoeless Joe Jackson gliding across

the Field of Dreams.

On that day, Bobby Boettcher

ran again and Denny Kleber was

determined to stop him.

Only a chosen few remember the

game that was truly played that day.

They tell the story quietly, expect-

ing not to be believed. They start by

describing a blue sky that began to

change as the game approached,

and then hearing thunder rumble in

the distance.

Here’s how they describe what

really happened:

It starts as a beautiful fall after-

noon, an ideal day for football.

Then, from the west, the wind picks

up and blows cold across the field,

up through the concrete stands and

through the press box. Announcer

Bob Zschack feels the chill and

wishes he had put on the extra pair

of socks his wife Marlene told him

to wear.

The buzz usually preceding a

game grows quiet and uneasy; fans

sense something strange about to

happen.

Time stops. The shadows grow

darker. Thunder crawls closer, and

the Clifton and Passaic players and

fans stare at the sky, watching a

large dark cloud rush over the old

Doherty Silk Mill on Main Ave.

and settle over the field.

Suddenly, a single lightning bolt

shoots through the clouds, striking

the middle of the gridiron—scorch-

ing the grass at midfield and send-

ing a charge through the long-for-

gotten sprinkler system buried

underneath the grass. Like every-

one, Coach Bill Vander Closter is

shocked by the lightning—his eyes

fixed where the bolt landed.

When he raises them, he cannot

believe what he sees—or doesn’t

see—across the field.

“Passaic,” Vander Closter says,

gazing across the empty gridiron,

“they’re gone—the entire team’s

disappeared.”

Visitors from the PastAs Passaic vanishes, an old

school bus makes a right turn off

Route 46 into the stadium parking

lot. It slows as it gets close to the sta-

dium’s brick wall, as many teenage

faces press against its windows.

Bob Zschack

—

What people remember of that Thanksgiving Day in 1973 was watching a 75-12pasting of Passaic High Indians by the Mustangs. The win capped off Clifton’ssecond consecutive undefeated season and featured four touchdowns by runningback Jim Jenkins and three by Ken Ritoch. That’s if you listen to what the fans,players, and coaches think they saw happened or believe what was written in thenewspapers. What took place is a far different story.


“Ditch,” sophomore Jimmy

Haraka whispers to teammate Ray

Malavasi, “somebody built a stadi-

um while we were in Virginia.”

“It ain’t possible,” says Malavasi,

his eyes wide. “Hey, Jim… I don’t

remember driving here after the

Oyster Bowl ended.”

Incredibly, the entire Mustang

team has been plucked from 1946

after losing to Granby High, 6-0.

Though the exhibition game is their

first defeat of the season, the play-

ers feel like winners, knowing their

victory was stolen after an official

waived off an obvious touchdown

by running back Bobby Boettcher.

The bus pulls to a stop near the

field house. The bus door opens.

Joe Grecco, the 32-year-old coach

of the Mustangs, leads his players

through the gate and onto the field.

“Stay close, men,” he says to

his 1946 team, already in uniform

and pads. “I don’t know why were

here or how they finished building

the stadium, but we’re going to

find out.”

Over the PA system, a stunned

Bob Zschack says, “Ladies and

Gentlemen… don’t ask me where

the Passaic team’s gone, but… a

small herd of the 1946 Clifton

Mustangs have just taken the field.”

The two Clifton head coaches

meet at midfield as the players stare

at each other. There are 37 Mustangs

from 1946; over 100 Clifton players

from 1973 face them—a white,

maroon, and gray wall.

“If I didn’t think I was seeing

things,” says Vander Closter, “I’d

swear you really are Joe Grecco.”

“Who are you,” asks Grecco, “and

what is that team doing on our prac-

tice field? Who built this stadium?”

Thunder rumbles in the distance

as the storm moves away. The sky

brightens again.

“I’ll answer your questions, but I

think we’re supposed to settle this,”

says Vandy, peering over Grecco’sBobby Boettcher’s hundred yard stare.


shoulder at Bobby Boettcher hold-

ing a football. Grecco looks past

Vander Closter, noticing the many

players—bigger than his bunch,

their helmets shinning and shoulder

pads bursting from their jerseys.

Big, Grecco thinks, and maybe big

and slow. His dark eyes sparkle as

he imagines them trying to catch

Boettcher.

“Nineteen-forty-six has been a

hell of a year,” he says, grinning

at Vandy. “Why should it end?

We’ll kick-off.” The coaches

return to the sidelines, gathering

their players around them.

“They call that team across the

field Clifton’s greatest,” says

Vandy. “Even now, the old-timers

say they would’ve beaten us. Let’s

show why we’re the best Mustang

team ever and send them back in

history where they belong.”

On the other side, the 1946

Mustangs gather around Grecco.

“I don’t how this stadium got

here, but I have a feeling what you

men did this year—in our confer-

ence and in Norfolk, Virginia—has

something to do with it. At the ban-

quet before the Oyster Bowl, Mr.

Gacy said he’d get you this field—

though I don’t know how he got it

built so fast.

“But I do know this: that team

on the other side has a Mustang

painted on their helmets. As we

take the field of battle, let us show

them why only one team should

have that honor. When the dust set-

tles, we’ll show why only one team

is worthy of being called the

Fighting Mustangs!”

The players run on to the field,

lining up across from each other.

Zschack looks around to the

stunned faces around him. Herald-

News writer Augie Lio says, “Bob,

they’re gonna play.”

Over the PA system, Zschack’s

announces, “Ladies and gentleman,

I never imagined myself saying this

but… Bob Cisternino to kick off

for the 1946 team. Jim Jenkins

back to receive for the 1973

Mustangs.”

“Joe,” says assistant coach Juk

Porter to Grecco, “we ended up in

the future—that’s why this stadium

is here.”

“Then we’ll show them why it

was built,” Grecco bellows back.

Cisternino’s kickoff is a long

end-over-end boot that Jenkins

fields on the 25 yard line. He

shakes one tackler before Ted

Kukowski knocks him out of

bounds at the home team’s 36.

Dale Oosdyk leads his team out

on the field. At 6'4", he towers over

the old school Mustangs. In the

defensive huddle, the 5'5" Russ

Calo says about Oosdyk, “High

pockets is about to get a lesson.”

“Watch No. 32,” says team cap-

tain George Tahmoosh, eyeing

Jenkins, “he looks fast.”

While the 1946 squad expects a

hand-off to Jenkins, Oosdyk fakes

to his running back and drops

back to pass. The 1973 offensive

line holds, giving their quarter-

back time. Oosdyk fakes once to

end Jerry Andrewlavage, freezing

defensive back Skippy Del

Favero, and then floats a long

bomb down the sideline.

Andrewlavage runs under it and

catches the pass 20 yards from the

end zone, racing in for the touch-

down. His extra point gives the

1973 Mustangs a quick 7-0 lead.

The score ignites the crowd,

which temporarily forgets the

game’s supernatural conditions

and roars its approval.

“Del Favero, pay attention out

there,” Grecco roars. “No mis-

takes!” Later, Del Favero tells

equipment manager Dominick

Cammaroto, “I didn’t believe he

could throw the ball that far.”

Return of the Single WingBefore kicking off, Vandy gath-

ers his defensive team, knowing

how the 1946 team will attack.

“Remember last year when Passaic

Valley ran the old single wing

against us?” he asks. “That’s what

those boys will do.”

In 1972, PV coach Steve Gerdy

had dusted off the ancient single

wing offense against the Mustangs,

hoping to confuse Vander Closter’s

4-4-3 Notre Dame-inspired

defense. The results were disas-

trous as Clifton crushed the

Hornets, 44-0.

“And watch No. 41,” Vandy

warns. “That’s Bobby Boettcher—

he’ll get the ball most of the time.”

The 1973 Mustangs line up, and

Andrewlavage kicks off. Boettcher

fields at the 11 yard line, shakes a

tackler at the 20, and jukes his way to

his 29 yard line before being buried

under an avalanche of tacklers.

James Jenkins

o

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“Alright, fellas,” quarterback

Jack Lennon says in the huddle.

“Let’s run 43.”

Grecco’s single wing offense

depends on deception and misdirec-

tion, with linemen rushing to a single

point of attack to block and spring

the ball carrier. Vander Closter’s

defense aims to disrupt the other

team’s attack, blitzing often and

striking before the offensive team’s

plays develop.

On the first play, Boettcher takes

the ball and slips between tackle

Doug Lawrence and guard Calo.

Ritoch flies from his linebacker

spot, but Boettcher sees him, mov-

ing his hip just enough to slip past.

He crosses midfield before being

pulled down by Greg Wichot.

In the stands, fan Harry Murtha

rises, now openly rooting for the

1946 team. “Let’s go, Bobby!” he

yells. “Show them what you can

do!” He’s soon joined by other fans

who watched the 1946 Mustangs in

their youth, and the crowd becomes

divided in its loyalty.

Though many of the 1973

Mustangs have faced the single

wing offense once before, the 1946

squad runs it to perfection—the

result of hours spent directed by

Grecco’s booming voice. With each

play, the line jumps and Boettcher

knifes through like a slippery eel,

growing closer to the goal line.

Though not as fast as Jenkins,

Boettcher possess incredible field

vision, anticipating the 1973

defenders and avoiding them with a

half step or twist.

The 1946 Mustangs drive down

to the 3-yard-line, with Boettcher

carrying the ball each time. On

first and goal, he carries right and

attempts a jump pass to a streaking

Cisternino in the end zone.

Boettcher releases and is drilled

by a blitzing Ritoch, who pounds

the 1946 star into the turf. The

pass ticks off Cisternino’s hands,

with Bob Bel Bruno defending on

the play.

Ritoch pins Boettcher to the

ground, glaring into his eyes.

“You relics are going down

today,” he snarls.

In an instant, fullback Bob Pityo

pulls Ritoch off, joined immediate-

ly by Tahmoosh, Calo, and the rest

of the 1946 team.

“Get off him, bird-cage face,”

Pityo screams at Ritoch, taking note

of the gray face mask bars the 1973

team wears on their helmets. “You

want to go at someone, try me!”

As Ritoch starts to leap at Pityo,

he’s grabbed by Kleber, who wres-

tles him away. “Calm down,

Truck,” Kleber says. “We need

you—don’t get thrown out.”

On the next play, the 1946 squad

goes back to the run, with the deter-

mined Pityo opening a hole for

Coach Grecco with his Fighting Mustangs of 1946.

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


Boettcher, who races in for the

touchdown. The extra point by

Boettcher is good, and the game is

tied, 7-7.

The game remains knotted until

halftime. Despite two long drives,

the 1973 Mustangs cannot score.

After a 66-yard run by Dom Fego

to the 1946 team’s ten yard line,

Oosdyk drops the snap where it is

recovered by Kukowski.

After stopping the 1946

Mustangs on their next drive—the

highlight a bone-jarring hit of

Lennon by Paul “Mooch” Millar—

the 1973 team is again halted by a

tipped pass interception by Del

Favero.

At halftime, the coaches meet

with their teams. Outside of the

mistakes, Vander Closter is

pleased with his offense, but wor-

ries that his defense has not yet

adjusted to stopping the single

wing (Boettcher already has 147

yards rushing). Vandy again

explains stopping the offense, his

chalk breaking several times on

the blackboard as he pounds out

where his players must attack.

Grecco knows his boys are in for

the fight of their athletic lives. He

now sees the 1973 team is big,

strong, and fast, and knows only a

methodical ground attack chewing

time off the clock will give his

team a chance.

“Men,” he says, his voice rising,

“when you look across that field,

know you are the inspiration for

their power, their numbers, and this

field. But also know there can be

only one victorious team.

“Will it be you? Will you show

them why we are the real Fighting

Mustangs?

The 1946 team lifts their chins,

forgetting their fatigue. They rise as

one and begin to cheer, running

past their coach onto the field. One

of the hinges on the visitor’s locker

room door gives way, and the door

hangs crooked after the team rushes

through. Grecco smiles and

whispers to himself, “Maybe that’s

a good omen.”

Unwelcome GuestWord has spread through the city

of the strange game going on, and

fans rush to the stadium. More tick-

ets are sold during halftime than

before the game. The fans fill up

the stands and ring the field before

the Clifton police finally shut down

the ticket windows for the day.

Over 15,000 are there now—

many to cheer the Mustangs of the

past. Outside the stadium, fans ring

the stadium, some climbing its

brick walls and sitting on top to

watch.

With the crowd now split almost

equally behind each team, the 1946

Mustangs take the kickoff and

begin another drive. Spurred on by

the fans’ cheers, Lennon directs his

team down the field with Grecco

and the rest of the 1946 players

roaring from the sideline, urging

them on.

The snake-hipped Boettcher is

like a ghost—weaving his way

through the 1973 line, earning five,

six, and seven yards with each

carry. Near midfield, he fires a pass

to Rope deVido, who eludes defen-

sive back Ed Evers to make the

catch and run to the opposing 10

yard line before being caught by

Mike Molner.

The 1946 offense is stopped on

the next three downs, with Kleber

and Allan Kanter making big plays

to stall the drive. On fourth and

goal, believing his team will need

more than three points to win,

Grecco decides to go for the

touchdown.

Coach Vander Closter lays down new strategy for the 1973 Mustangs.


With the stadium roaring as

one—half the fans cheering for a

stop, the other half cheering for a

score—Boettcher takes the pitch

from Lennon and runs wide, sprung

by a block by Pityo. He slips two

tacklers before sprinting to the cor-

ner of the end zone.

Across the field, Wichot, one of

the fastest of the 1973 Mustangs,

bolts toward Boettcher, gaining

with each stride. With the 1946 All-

American about to cross the goal

line, Wichot leaps, hurling his body

like a missile at the ball carrier. He

catches Boettcher at the goal line,

driving him down into the turf.

The stadium goes silent, waiting

to see the official’s call. He stands

over the fallen players, staring

down at the goal line. For a second,

his arms seem to twitch upward…

but freeze. Boettcher stares up,

waiting for the official’s arms to

signal a touchdown.

The signal never comes.

In an instant the stadium erupts

in howls and cheers. The 1946

team is denied—Boettcher is down

at the one, giving the ball back to

the 1973 team.

As Boettcher rises, the howls get

louder. Across his midsection is the

white chalk of the goal line.

Grecco is livid, screaming at the

official, “How can you make that

call,” he yells, saliva shooting

through the gap is his front teeth.

“He was in—look at his uniform!”

The official turns and walks

away from Grecco. As he goes, the

1946 coach remembers where he

has seen the official before.

“Looks like our friend from the

Oyster Bowl followed us back

through time from Virginia,” he

says to his team on the sidelines.

The score remains knotted at 7-7

through the third quarter and into

the fourth. Though the ‘73 team

moves the ball well, they are

stopped in the red zone twice by an

inspired 1946 Clifton defense.

Last DriveBut on offense, the 1946 team’s

attack stalls, with the larger 1973

defenders adjusting to the single

wing’s misdirection and swarming

to the ball. Only third-down quick

kicks by Boettcher avert disaster by

pinning the 1973 team deep in its

own territory.

With seven minutes remaining in

the game, Oosdyk leads the 1973

Mustangs out on the field. A wind-

driven Boettcher punt traveling

over 60 yards has pushed the ball

back to the 1973 team’s 15 yard

line. Passing against the wind will

be tough, and Vander Closter

knows that his team will have to

run the ball to win.

As the teams line up for what

will be the game’s final drive, 1973

captain Joe McGonigle looks

across the and studies the 1946

players. “They’re tired,” he says,

“bone tired—they’ve all been play-

ing both ways.

“Alright, guys,” he yells to the

rest of the offensive line, “let’s

drive them back into history.”

McGonigle’s line mates Charlie

DiGiacomo, Chris Conrad, Bob

Lucas, and Chet Stuphen nod to

their captain and prepare for their

final push. On the other side of the

ball, Malavasi settles into his wide

stance and growls, “Ain’t gonna

happen!” Despite Malavasi’s best

efforts, it does.

Oosdyk unleashes Jenkins and

Fego on the ‘46 Mustangs and only

saving tackles by Boettcher,

Lennon and deVido prevent touch-

downs.

On the field, the cold wind

picks up, sweeping around the

players and chilling the fans ring-

ing the field. The sky turns gray

and thunder again rumbles.

With two minutes remaining, the

1973 Mustangs are on their oppo-

nent’s 25 yard line. The wind blows

stronger.

On the sideline, Vandy tells

assistant coach Emil Chaky, “No

field goal with this breeze. We’re

going to have to take it to them—

right to the end zone.”

After a run by Jenkins brings the

ball to the seven yard line, Vandy

calls time out, setting the 1973

Mustangs up for their final plays.

Less than a minute remains. On

first down, Oosdyk pitches to Fego,

who runs to the one yard line

before being tackled by Malavasi.

With seven seconds left in the

game, the teams walk to the line for

one last play.

Thunder rumbles closer and the

sky turns a gunmetal color. Oosdyk

barks signals and the 1973

Mustangs spring to life. Jenkins

takes the hand-off and flies up and

over the line, met by Malavasi and

Cisternino, who has sprung from

the weak side to hit the ball carrier

Ken Ritoch


m

in midair. The three come crashing

down—a tangle of arms, legs, and

torsos.

The official runs from the side to

make the call. Peeling back

Cisternino’s shoulder, he sees

Jenkins holding the football, lying

across the goal line. The official

shoots his arms upward signaling

touchdown as the gun sounds.

The 1973 Mustangs have defeat-

ed the 1946 Mustangs, 13-7.

As the teams move to their side-

lines—one ecstatic with victory,

the other downcast and defeated—

Vandy beckons Grecco to meet him

at midfield. “Coach,” Vandy says,

“your boys played an incredible

game. Now I understand why your

1946 team is so special to many

people.”

“I’ve never seen so many great

players,” Grecco replies, pointing

to the 1973 Mustangs. “You could

field three teams. We never played

a better opponent.”

“Look around, Joe,” Vandy says,

gesturing to his sideline and the

thousands packing the stands. “You

had a lot to do with this.”

“It seems that someday in the

future,” says Grecco, looking back

at Vandy, “that I’ll leave my team

to a good coach.”

After they shake hands and begin

walking back to their sidelines,

Vander Closter stops and calls out

to Grecco. “Coach,” he says smil-

ing, “don’t get discouraged against

Montclair. It will take time, but

we’ll get them.” Grecco, unsure

what he means, nods and smiles.

The fans are standing and cheer-

ing for both teams.

The 1946 players remain hud-

dled around Grecco, not knowing

what will happen next. Vandy sees

this, and directs his entire team to

spread across the sideline. The

1973 Mustangs cover the length of

the field from end zone to end zone.

Vandy begins to applaud, quick-

ly joined by his players—a tribute

to Clifton’s first great team of the

Grecco-Vander Closter era. Across

the empty gridiron, Kukowski rais-

es his helmet to the sky. The rest of

the 1946 Mustangs do the same,

saluting the great 1973 team they

would help inspire.

Suddenly, a dark cloud again

races over the old Doherty Silk

Mill and settles over the stadi-


um. Like before, a bolt of lightning

leaps out of the cloud and strikes

the center of the field—stopping

the cheering and pushing the 1973

players back.

When they look back across the

field, the 1946 Clifton Mustangs

and their coach are gone, replaced

by a defeated Passaic team.

And the papers wrote...The players have no memory of

what took place that day. The news-

paper stories say Clifton pounded

Passaic, 75-12, the perfect end to a

perfect season. There is no account

of the hard-fought victory against

an opponent that gave the ‘73

Mustangs all they could handle.

Yes, there is no written memory

or recollection of that day… except a

curious note in a Clifton policeman’s

record. He writes of an abandoned

bus that looked like it came straight

out of the forties, which remained

parked next to the Clifton School

Stadium long after the fans had gone

home that Thanksgiving Day.

The bus was later sold by the

city after no one claimed it. The

buyer, Chuck Ranges, drove it to

his junkyard, where it was turned

into scrap metal. And a door to the

past was forever closed.

Friends: I am supporting Felix Garcia for Sheriff—Here’s Why:

As a proud member of the Clifton Police Department for almost 30 years, I have had the great fortune

of serving with many individuals of impeccable character who put their lives on the line for the public good on

a daily basis. One of the best at protecting the interests of our fellow citizens of Passaic County is my friend,

Felix ‘Phil’ Garcia, the Republican candidate for Sheriff.

Felix is the only candidate running for Sheriff with experience in corrections. Having served in the leader-

ship of the Passaic County jail for eighteen years of his thirty-one year career, ultimately rising to the position

of Undersheriff, after serving as Warden. He also understands the needs of local police departments, having

started his career as a Paterson Housing Police Officer. He is the only candidate in the race with experience

in managing a multi-million dollar operation and a seven-hundred plus member law enforcement agency.

Over the past decade, Passaic County has been beset by fiscal mismanagement. This lax approach to

spending has resulted in the highest county tax-levy in America, according to Forbes magazine. Under the

leadership of Felix Garcia, the citizens of Passaic County will have a ‘watchdog’, yet someone who will con-

tinue to provide the professionalism and security that we have come to expect from our enforcement officials.

We are at a crossroads. There is only one man in this race that can truly ameliorate the Passaic County jail,

and the Sheriff’s Department as a whole. That man is Felix Garcia. Please vote Row ‘A’ on November 2nd.

paid for by Lieutenant Patrick J. Ciser, (retired CPD)

Chuck Ranges who collected the

abandoned bus (at left) and years

later, turned it into scrap metal.


Among the honorees, top, from left, Al Carline, John Gogick, Kent Bania, Ed Welsh. Bottom row: Rob Haraka, MaryAnn

Goodwin, Nicole Krzysik, Chris Karcz. At right is our favorite Boys & Girls Club cover from September 1999.

Like scores of kids growing up in Clifton, TomDiDonna found a place he could call home at the Boys

Club. On the following pages, we tell more about his

times at the Club as he is among the Class of 2010

inductees to the Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame. Others,

by decades, include: 1950’s: Al Carline and John Gogick.

1960’s: Kent Bania and Ed Welsh. 1970’s: Tom DiDonna,

and Gary Hughes. 1980’s: Rob Haraka and MaryAnn

Goodwin. 1990’s: Jennifer Paci and Steve Sokolewicz.

2000’s: Nicole Krzysik and Chris Karcz. They will be

feted at the Club on Oct. 22 from 7 to 11 pm in a catered

affair with music, food, beer, wine, nostalgia and more

than a few tales from the past. Advance tickets, at $40,

are a must. Call 973-773-0966 for info.

Boys Club Hall of Fame & Fun Night Oct. 22


Many people today don’t know a lot about Tom

DiDonna’s years as coach of the Clifton Boys

Club Junior Varsity basketball team. A few old pictures

remain showing him and his team.

But Tom DiDonna remembers.

He recalls the 16 winters spent driving his players to

games throughout New Jersey in the old Boys’ Club

van. He can visualize himself stalking the sideline at

the Clifton gym, as fans pounded on the steam radiators

behind their seats to make noise.

And he can still see the scoreboard—minus a few

lights—telling if his team was ahead or if he should call

for the full-court press. But most of all, DiDonna

remembers his players—the kids that made the years

worthwhile.

“People don’t realize how long I coached,” says

DiDonna, who lives in Clifton’s Maple Valley section

with his wife Karen and daughters Kim, 28, and

Kristina, 20. “Sixteen years is a long time.”

“Led by John Haraka, this might have been one of my most physical teams,” Tom DiDonna recalled of the 1979 squad.“What they lacked in style, they made up for it with an strong inside game. As you can see by the picture, they also gotalong with the Cheerleaders.” Below, DiDonna in 1973 with a Carlos Santana ‘fro and Bob Holly, a future WashingtonRedskins quarterback. Tom DiDonna is being inducted to the Boys Club Hall of Fame on Oct. 22.

Story by Jack DeVries

As a Kid, then Coach, Tom DiDonna at the Boys Club


a


DiDonna was born in Paterson in 1952.

When he was in the third grade, he and his

mother, brother, and sister moved to Clifton.

“We lived at 944 Van Houten Avenue, next

door to the Grande Saloon,” DiDonna, 58,

says. “Moving there was probably the best

thing that ever happened to me—that’s when

I joined the Clifton Boys’ Club. I was

exposed to athletics, swimming, the game

room—it was a great place for a kid to

belong.”

After sixth grade DiDonna moved back to

Paterson and attended John F. Kennedy High

School. But he continued going to the Boys’

Club, taking two long bus rides from

Paterson to get there.

“(Executive Director) Al Abruscato let me

maintain my membership after I moved,” he

recalls. “I had such strong ties to the club. Friends like

John Glowacki and Jack Marshall were like brothers to

me.”

“In my junior year of high school, I got involved

with the Boys’ Club’s overnight camp, Camp Clifton. I

started as a counselor-in-training, an unpaid position,

and the next summer, I became a counselor. Al took a

chance on me—I was a little rough around the edges.”

As a counselor, DiDonna earned $33 every two

weeks and ran the camp’s athletic department—his first

coaching experience. He also developed his basketball

skills, playing in a before-breakfast league with other

camp staff, including former Clifton Councilman Ed

Welsh, and friends Gary and Bob DaGiau.

In 1971, Abruscato asked the 19-year-old DiDonna

to work in another unpaid position—that of JV basket-

ball team coach for the 12-13-year-olds.

DiDonna as a counselor at the Boys Club back in the 1970’s.



“I thought it was a joke

when Al and gym director Vic

DeLuca asked me,” DiDonna

remembers, “but they saw

something in me that I didn’t

see myself. And I realized

coaching was a way to give

back to the Boys’ Club—a

place that had given me so

much.”

DiDonna got a baptism of

fire that first season.

“We took our lumps,” he

says. “I didn’t know about

breaking full-court presses or

things like that.”

In one game, Dave

Pignatello got leveled at

Newark’s South Ward Boys’

Club. “The referee, who they

pulled out of the stands, didn’t

call a foul. When I saw that, I

got whistled for a technical,

then almost thrown out of the

gym. I wasn’t going to let my players get hurt, and the

kids respected that.”

The next season, DiDonna’s team featured athletes

like Mike Bednarcik and Walter Munk, a player he

remains close to. After the 1972 season, Munk recruited

a group of Clifton Biddie League Champions for the

Boys’ Club team.

“The 1973 team was my best,” DiDonna states. “We

went 29-3 behind the likes of Bob Holly, Dennis Tarrant

(son of former CHS and college coach Dick Tarrant),

Scott Oosydyk, Brian Murphy, and Carl Williams. We

won the Greater Newark Tournament and beat South

Ward to do it.”

DiDonna’s teams rarely had a losing season. Over a

decade later, his 1985 squad won the North Jersey

Junior Basketball Championship.

“Recruiting wasn’t easy,” DiDonna remembers. “We

competed against the CYO and recreation leagues for

players. But the Boys’ Club offered better competition.

A kid might score 30-40 points in the rec league, but

he’d work for his 10 points against the Passaic and

Newark teams we faced.”

DiDonna quit coaching after the 1987 season. After

spending four nights a week out during the season, he

wanted time for family, which now included daughter

Kim, then age five.

“This talented 1973 team went 29-3 while taking on the best from Paterson,Passaic, Newark, Hoboken,” said DiDonna. “Bob Holly, the team leader, went onto be a three sport star at CHS, Quarterback at Princeton University and a mem-ber of the Super Bowl Champ Washington Redskins.”


One former player, John Haraka, who went on to

coach at Passaic Valley High School, admires

DiDonna’s legacy.

“Tom should be remembered and it’s about time he

got some recognition,” Haraka says. “All those years,

he taught and groomed players for Clifton High’s

basketball team for no salary and little recognition.”

DiDonna also influenced Harraka’s own coaching

career. “He was well-liked by the players and so

dedicated—Tom was always at the gym. As a coach

today, I still use things I learned from Tom, especially

his positive approach in working with players.”

In the years following, DiDonna became active in

Clifton’s Central Division athletic program through

daughter Kim’s teams.

“I coached Kim’s basketball team when she was in

fifth grade and did that four years,” DiDonna says.

The difference between coaching the sexes?

“This team could beat you inside or out,” DiDonna wrote of his 1986 squad, led by Sam Poulis. “An extremely closeknit group. Knowing that this would be my 15th and final season, they sent me off with my first NNJBL Championship.”


“Girls are a bit more tem-

peramental,” he explains,

“but they’re coachable—easy

to work with.”

DiDonna treasures the

friends he made coaching the

Boys’ Club team.

“People like Bill and Brian Shaughnessy and their

family, Tim O’Brien and his dad, John Fego, Sam

and Mike Poulis, Carl Williams, Bob Holly and his

late father, Walter Munk, John and Robbie Haraka

and their mom and dad, so many others—these

players and parents remain very special to me.”

During his girls’ elementary and high school

years, DiDonna, who works for a courier agency,

had coached daughter Kristina’s soccer team as part

of the Clifton Stallions rec and travelling programs.

And recently, while

his daughters are way

past those youth and high

school days, DiDonna is

a volunteer on the side-

lines again, coaching rec

programs and also shar-

ing coaching duties at the

club’s indoor league.

To his former players,

DiDonna says, “I’d tell

them, ‘Once you leave

the team, it doesn’t end

there.’ They might not

know it, but I still think of

them. Before my daugh-

ters, those kids were like

my own children.”

Tom’s home team today above in a recent photo: Tomwith Kristina, 20, wife Karen and Kimberly, 28. At leftin 1970 at Camp Clifton, from left, Bob Da Giau,Frank Berkey, Tom DiDonna and Ed Czyganowicz.Below, in last season’s Boys Club Indoor SoccerLeague with co-coach Will Rubio and the team.


From candy, chocolates & costumes,

to pumpkins, mums & fall produce,

there is one neighborhood store

that offers all of your family’s

Halloween needs under one roof—

the Paulison Avenue ShopRite!

Although he was born in Nutley, JonathanKotulak considers Clifton his hometown. Jon

was only three years old when he moved with his

family to Clifton and his first memories growing up

began at Grove Hill Pre-School. Jon then attended

School #2 and Woodrow Wilson Middle School, both

of which were only a short walk from his house. Since

there is no shortage of sports opportunities for Clifton’s

youth, Jon was able to play Little League baseball on a

team that won the 1992 City Championship, Clifton Jr.

Mustangs football, and Clifton City’s Western Division

basketball on a team coached by his dad.

“I met my best friends at School 2 and Woodrow –

people I’m still friends with today,” Jon said. He

attended Seton Hall Prep, an all boys high school in West

Orange, “I still kept in touch with my Clifton friends and

ended up integrating them with my Seton Hall friends, so

now we all hang out together,” Jon explained.

Looking back, some of his best memories of growing

up in Clifton revolve around spacious Robin Hood Park,

which was conveniently located down the street from his

house. “We would all get together to hang out there and

as we got older, we would drive around the Clifton

Commons. We also played football behind School 2, but

mostly we would hang out at people’s houses all over

Clifton,” Jon reminisced.

He attended Stonehill College, in Easton, Mass.

where, during sophomore year, he met Kristin Felice.

Since Kristin lived in Derby, Connecticut, they

managed the one and a half hour drive between Derby

and Clifton to see each other during the summers. Jon

and Kristin dated for seven years, became engaged in

2007, and started looking for a house to call their own.

“I like going to places that are familiar to me, like

Verona, Nutley, North Caldwell, and Cedar Grove,” Jon

said, “But since I grew up here, I had always liked the

Richfield and Montclair Heights sections. There are good

parks and a good school system, like Holster Park and

School 16, which are just a few blocks away from us.

Clifton’s also conveniently located close to fun places

like the city, Giants Stadium, and Hoboken.” Jon then

added, “I also wanted to stay near my family and a lot of

my friends still live in the area.”

When asked about her feelings regarding their move to

Clifton, Kristin answered, “I had always lived far away

from home, so this wasn’t a difficult adjustment.” While

Jon is her main basis for Clifton, it was important that


Why Clifton?So Many Talk of Moving On...This Couple Just Bought Here

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“Clifton has enough transportation options to make my

daily commute to New York City reasonable. It’s also nice

having his family nearby, in case we need something.”

Jon’s job is also conveniently located close by. “I

currently work two minutes down the road on Route 46.”

Having been coached by his father as a child, Jon has now

come full circle by working as an accountant alongside

his dad at Kotulak & Company, PC.

With proximity to their respective jobs in mind, Jon

and Kristin worked with realtors, Ralph and Fran Sinisi,

to find a home. “We looked at almost 150 houses, so they

were saints in terms of patience,” Jon said, smiling.

“We didn’t really know what we wanted and we were

unfamiliar with the process,” Kristin said. “We were

proactive in the search, but almost every house we looked

at had something wrong with it, whether price, condition,

backyard...” Jon added. “We finally chose this split-level

because we liked the corner property and its immaculate

landscaping gave a good first impression.”

When asked if home ownership is everything they had

imagined it to be, both Kristin and Jon laughed. “We

were a little overambitious in our initial plans. We got

married on October 24, 2009, went on an immediate

honeymoon, closed on the house five days after that, and

immediately ripped up the entire thing,” Jon said. “We

lived with Jon’s parents for three months while we

worked on it and finally officially moved in on New

Year’s Day 2010,” Kristin said. During that time, they

tore up all the carpets and trim in the house, replaced all

the doors, fixed the wood floors, and painted all the

rooms. “All the manual labor that wasn’t a skilled job,

we did on our own,” Jon said. “With the help of friends

and family, we managed to do all that while both working

full-time jobs,” Kristin said.

While considering their overall experience as first-

time home buyers, Jon said, “It was a lot of work and

very challenging, but in the end, definitely worth it.

There’s still a lot that needs to be done, but we’re waiting

to save up for our next big project.”

Since their one year wedding anniversary is quickly

approaching, Jon and Kristin summarized their year

together as “very active and very busy.” “We could have

had a lot more fun and less stress by just getting an

apartment, but it’s a good investment and something to

grow into,” Jon said. “My only advice is: Don’t try to do

everything at once!” Kristin added.

As far as their plans for the future, Jon and Kristin

hope to stay in their new house for at least five to ten

years. “We’ll stay until we outgrow these three

bedrooms,” Kristin said, alluding to children in the future.

Since Kristin hopes to eventually work in New Jersey to

avoid commuting and Jon plans to continue working with

his father, they have a bright future ahead of them living

in the town of Clifton.



With the economy still turbulent, it’s understand-

able that many are reluctant to spend money

unless it is absolutely necessary. If you’re one of these

people and you’re looking for a home, you’ve perhaps

already considered forgoing a realtor and listing the

house yourself.

Did you know that you’ll probably end up costing

yourself much more in the long run?

Tony Sanchez, broker and manager at Weichert

Realtors of Clifton on Passaic Ave., said that by not

understanding the real value of your home, you run the

risk of either listing it at too low of a price, or setting it

so high that people don’t even come visit.

“We always hear people say that their home is worth

this much because that’s what they read on some web-

site. Most of those sites aren’t accurate; they just look

at overall sales,” he explained. “They don’t go into the

house as we do as agents. We see houses every day.

We see the upgrades that may or may have not been

made. And we can compare the seller’s house to others

in the neighborhood, as well as other recent sales.”

Sanchez has been in the industry for a decade, and

has a number of accolades to his name, including a

2009 NJAR Circle of Excellence Silver Award, and

while he was ana agent, he was number one for sold

listings in Bergen and Passaic Counties.

That’s the kind of experience you can’t get from a

website: The knowledge of all the nuances in pricing a

home. It’s not just location, location, location, but it’s

also the age of the home, the local market, the quality

of the neighborhood and its schools and much, much

more. And a good realtor will work to meet your

demands.

“What I like to do is engage in brainstorming with

the owner,” said Nicholas Tselepis, owner of Nicholas

Real Estate. “Where do I think the market is going to

go, and where do they think it’s going to go? And

where do they want to be in a year or two from now?”

After putting a home on the market, if the property

doesn’t receive any interest in those first few, crucial

weeks, it’s likely because the seller is asking too much.

And taking extra time to move a home costs—a lot.

“If it’s on the market for four, maybe five or six

months, it can depreciate as much as half a percent a

month,” said Sanchez. “Now a property that’s worth

maybe $350,000 if it was priced right is now work

$340,000 or $345,000. People think they need buffer

room to negotiate, they don’t want low ball offers.

Sometimes I’ll tell them that I’d rather see them turn

down ten offers than never see one. You can’t negoti-

ate an offer that you don’t get.”

And it’s also beneficial to have a realtor once you’re

trying to hammer out a deal.

“We negotiate, but we remove the emotional factor,”

said Tselepis. “If you call a potential buyer, you give

up bargaining power because you look desperate.

We’re professionals, we don’t get paid unless we sell,

so we make the call from a professional point of view.”

Juan Rivera, the Broker and Manager at the

Coldwell Banker located at Clifton and Colfax Aves.,

agreed with his peers.

Selling without a Realtor?Some have tried that way but in today’s market, experience pays





“We see examples of this every single day: Price the

property right and it goes in a week or two. Price it

wrong and you miss the boat and you’re stuck for three

to four months,” he said. “Pricing right now is key.

Before it was all location, location, location. Now it’s all

price, price, price.” He said that people sometimes try to

sell a home on their own try to save commission fees

and weed out lowball offers, but it generally backfires.

“Time is of the essence. When a property that is for

sale by owner is at a price that it’s not going to move, it’s

costing them money,” added Rivera. “By the time they

get to us, the price is even lower than it was—it’s cost-

ing them even more money; ten, fifteen... maybe

$20,000 more.”

The notion that doing your own listing will ensure

good offers from legitimate buyers is also misleading.

“The reason to go to sell on your own is to save the

commission and they’re trying to save money too,”

explained Weichert’s Sanchez. “Well you both can’t get

the commission, so someone is losing out in the long

run.” He noted that the types of homes on the market has

drastically changed over the course of the decade, making

it even more important to get your house sold quickly.

“In 2003, 2004, 2005, you were competing against

your neighbors who were selling,” explained Sanchez.

“Now it’s all bank-owned properties and short sales. It

drives the market down because they just want to sell

and the longer you have to wait to sell, the larger the pos-

sibility that these kind of houses can be on your block.”

Utilizing a real estate agency also allows for unparal-

leled exposure. An agent can show a home while you

work, and can it on multiple listing services.

“What it really comes down to is the condition of the

home, the price and the realtor you chose,” said Tselepis.

“If you’re doing it for sale by owner and you’re

working your own job, you’re not marketing the

house,” said Sanchez. “We’ve got 85 agents and we’re

here at the office seven days a week. People call on a

house and we have all these agents that can help get it

sold. People can’t get their house sold if they’re work-

ing and can’t show it.”

“We can negotiate, but remove the emotional fac-

tor,” said Tselepis, explaining another pratfall of selling

on your own. “If you call a potential buyer, you give

up bargaining power because you look desperate.

We’re professionals, we don’t get paid unless we sell,

so we make the call from a professional point of view.”

“Houses that are priced right sell typically sell with-

in 95 to 98 percent of the asking price,” stated Sanchez.

Those homes typically move fast too. “The most activ-

ity is when you first list a home, the first three weeks.

It’s new inventory, everyone wants to see new stuff.”

Sherry & Barry Rosenfeld are the 2nd generationowners of Dundee FloorCovering.

Family Owned since 1927

Call us for an

estimate on:

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Dominic V. Caruso has beennamed the Professional Lawyer ofthe Year by the Passaic County andNew Jersey State Bar Associations.Given annually to attorneys who,by virtue of their conduct, compe-tence and demeanor, set a positiveexample for the legal profession,the award luncheon is on Oct. 6 inNew Brunswick. Keynote speakeris US Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

Caruso attended St. Philip’s R.C.grammar school and was a memberof the Charter Class (1971) at PaulVI High School. He is a graduate ofMontclair State and attended SetonHall School of Law in Newark wherehe served as Notes/ CommentsEditor of the Seton Hall Law Review.He was admitted to practice law inNew Jersey in 1979 and has been inprivate practice since.

He started his legal career at amajor defense litigation firm inNewark and later gained trial expe-rience at a smaller firm in PassaicCounty. Since 1989 he has special-ized in civil litigation, practicing asa solo in his Route 46 Clifton office.

Caruso served as President of thePassaic County Bar Association in2005 and now serves as a trustee ofthe NJ State Bar Association. Hehas been certified by the SupremeCourt of New Jersey as a TrialAttorney. Fluent in Italian andSpanish, he resides in NorthHaledon with his wife of 30 years,Eileen, and their son, Justin.

Mustang Pride Inc. is a 501C3 not-for-profit charity dedicated toorganizing fundraising events andsoliciting corporate and individualdonations to upgrade and improveschool facilities throughout theClifton Public School District.

“While we will certainly intendto accept private donations,Mustang Pride hopes to acquire thebulk of our funds through corporatesponsorships and/or grants,” wroteKim Renta. “Our hope is to be ableto improve our school facilitieswithout further burdening the tax-payers of Clifton.”

She said Mustang Pride isfocused on raising funds to installartificial turf at the high school sta-

dium and supplement moneyalready designated by the CliftonBOE to upgrade the KennedyAuditorium at CHS

The group’s first fundraiser is aWalk-a-Thon on Nov. 27 at MainMemorial Park. Form a team but firstget an entry form and more details bywriting to [email protected].

The Coalition for Brain InjuryResearch is sponsoring its annual

“Cure for Traumatic Brain Injury

Walk-a-thon” on Oct. 17, dedicated

to Clifton’s Dennis John Benigno.

Registration for the 3-mile walk

will start 9 am at the Clifton City

Hall Campus and follow a route

through the surrounding neighbor-

hood. Proceeds will benefit the

search for a cure. Walkers, sponsors

and donations are welcomed. Brain

injuries strike without warning

causing a lifetime of suffering for

victims and families. For further

information, call 973-632-2066.

Dominic Caruso will receive the2010 Lawyer of the Year Awardon Oct. 6 in New Brunswick.


Clifton Savings Bank hosted a contingent of Japanese bankers from JA Bank on Sept. 21 at 2:00pm at its Van HoutenAve. headquarters. This was the Bank’s third occasion of welcoming groups of bankers from Japan who wish to seethe operation of a successful community bank, noted John A. Celentano, Jr., Chair.

The 2nd annual Kick-A-Thonpresented by the Clifton Martial

Arts Academy is at noon at Chelsea

Park on Oct. 16. “The goal is to do

500 kicks in an hour,” explained

Jim Meghdir, Sensei of the

Academy, at 891 Bloomfield Ave.

“Our students go to friends, fami-

lies, teachers and neighbors to solic-

it donations. If some one pledges 1

penny per kick, they give $5.

If some one else wants to pledge 3

cents per kick, that’s $15, and so

on.” This year’s beneficiary is St.

Jude’s Children’s Hospital. Last

year, the events raised over $1,500

for the Clifton-based Cure Breast

Cancer Foundation. The event is

open to all. In case of rain, the

event will be held in the Academy.

To contribute or participate,

call Meghdir at 732-763-5696. The Walk for the Cure for Diabetesis Oct. 17 at Medco Healthcare in

Franklin Lakes. Registration is at

9:00 am and the 5K walk begins at

10:00 am. “This is our 6th year

walking for Hannah (pictured above)

since she was diagnosed at the age of

6,” wrote mom Ellen Anolik. “It is

free, open to the public, kid friendly

and food is provided.” The person

who raises the most money this year

will receive four AMC movie passes

courtesy of team Hannah’s Bananas.

Join the team and get a ‘famous’

Hannah’s Bananas tee shirt. To get

involved, email Ellen Anolik at

[email protected].

Jodi Neumann and Grace Lisbona of the Clifton Adult Opportunity Center,and Disabilities Event Chair John Filippone and Grand Knight CarlosRoco of the Knights of Columbus St. Philip The Apostle Council 11671.The group was recently presented with a $3,000 check by the Knights.


ATHENIA Street Fair: September 19


Assumption of the Holy VirginOrthodox Church parishioners, at

35 Orange Ave. will celebrate the

75th Anniversary of the founding of

their parish on Nov. 6 and 7. Great

Vespers and a Memorial Service

will be served on Nov. 6 at 5 pm,

followed by refreshments and fel-

lowship in the Fr. Lucas Olchovy

Memorial Hall.

On Nov. 7 at 9 am, His Grace,

The Right Reverend Michael,

Bishop of New York and the

Diocese of New York and New

Jersey, will celebrate the

Hierarchical Divine Liturgy which

will be followed by a Banquet at

The Brownstone.

Established in Clifton in 1935,

under the leadership of its founder,

the Very Rev. Lucas Olchovy, as

well has his successors, the Very

Rev. Stephen Kachur and the Very

Rev. Dimitri Oselinsky, the parish

continued in its mission, striving to

be a haven of peace, hope, charity

and love. “I am only the fourth priest

in the 75 year history of this parish,

which is a true testament to the lov-

ing, charitable spirit of our parish-

ioners,” said the current Pastor, the

Rev. Stephen Evanina. “It’s a won-

derful parish in a wonderful city.”

For more on the anniversary, go to

www.holyassumptionclifton.org.

Rick's American Bar & Grill is finally being torn down after years of specu-lation. Demolition crews are pictured here on Sept. 24. In recent years, cityofficials said another chain drugstore will replace the iconic watering hole,once known as the Penguin Inn. Photo by A.J. Sartor.


Clifton celebrated Homecoming on Sept. 24 with a 33-12 winover Eastside. This year’s King and Queen are Itati Aburto andChristopher Alvarez. The court included Linette Genao andMichael Ciappi, Victoria Pugliese and Alvro De La Barra, EktaaRana and Max Egyed and Lelya Zeidan and Oscar Gonzalez. Atright, that’s a Clifton touchdown on the way to a 34-6 victoryaway at Teaneck on Sept. 16. Photos by Graeme Carmichael.The next Mustang homegame is on Oct. 29 against Kennedy.


Music has been a life long

passion for Justin Noll.

Growing up in a home that did not

have cable TV, he spent his time

listening to music as he played with

his toys.

Perhaps Noll’s most poignant

memory of his childhood was when

he first discovered The Beatles

Yellow Submarine movie.

“I grew obsessed with the sheer

color, vibrance and happiness it

bestowed upon my world,” he said

of the film and its score. Noll

found his passion, and just a few

years later, picked up the violin in

the fourth grade.

“My world changed so much

after that,” he recalled. “I suddenly

started appreciating more than just

a guitar, bass and drums in a song.

I found classical music quite

appealing. My musical interest

skyrocketed when I learned that I

could play the music from my

favorite video games on the violin.

My mind was blown.”

It wasn’t until he reached CHS

that his musical tastes matured. A

friend introduced him to

orchestrated video game music, and

from there, he began exploring other

genres.“Up until then I listened to,

at most, ten bands,” said Noll.

“I started listening to ska, pop,

synthpop, rap and hip-hop. In high

school, I found so many others who

listened to more than just what was

playing on Z100,” he continued. “I

could finally have a conversation

about the trumpet part in a Reel Big

Fish song or how the Red Hot Chili

Peppers created a unique sound that

nobody could replicate. I was

finally among people who

understood what music really

meant to me.”

To the CHS senior, this month’s

Student of the Month, every song

has a deep, personal meaning.

Cake’s Friend is a Four Letter Wordinvokes memories of unreliable

friends from his past. The iconic

Beatles tune With a Little Help FromMy Friends makes him think of all

the true friends he has made.

“Music personifies and

encompasses all aspects of me,”

Noll wrote in an email. “Ranging

from the highs and lows of my life

to the beauty and flaws in my

personality.” This year, his peers

recognized his unique personality

in naming him Senior Class

President. To get there, he needed

a little help from his best friend

(and Vice President) Edd Flor.

“It was as if all our childish

thoughts of taking over the world

had manifested themselves through

these results,” Noll laughed. “If

following my maxim has gotten me

here, I guess I can get anywhere I

want to with it.”

CHS Student of the Month Story by Joe Hawrylko


Eleanor Roosevelt was the first President’s wife to hold

press conferences, write a newspaper

column and travel widely. She was

admired and criticized by many. In

Meet Eleanor Roosevelt hosted by

Clifton’s Hamilton House Museum

at noon on Oct. 16, she steps out of

history to share with frankness and

humor some of the struggles and

experiences of her extraordinary life.

In Elena Dodd’s portrayal (inset), Mrs. Roosevelt’s dis-

tinctive speech and dynamic personality enliven this inter-

active program, which include tea and luncheon. Visitors

will interact with Mrs. Roosevelt as this carefully

researched program is based on Mrs. Roosevelt’s autobi-

ography, letters, speeches and articles. Clifton’s Hamilton

House Museum is an 18th Century Dutch gambrel-roofed

homestead, which is located at 971 Valley Rd. Advance

tickets only, which are $25. Call 974-744-5707.

The 10th anniversary of the Clifton Arts Center andSculpture Park will be marked at a gala on Oct. 17 at 4

pm at the Upper Montclair Country Club. Built in the

early twentieth century and listed on the National Register

of Historic Places, the CAC is housed in a former US

Animal Quarantine Station which was skillfully updated.

Tickets are $70 or $135 per couple; children ages 5

through 12 are $30. Call 973-473-8122 or 973-472-5499.

Blue State Productions, theater in residence at St. Peter’s

Episcopal Church on Clifton Ave., announced it will pres-

ent the Tony Award winning Broadway drama HavingOur Say Feb. 11-26 as part of Black History Month. This

will be followed by the musical Godspell in April.

Auditions for Having Our Say are Dec. 3 and 4. Godspellauditions are Jan. 7 and 8. Volunteers for behind the scenes

are also needed. No pay, non-equity. Call 973-472-9445 or

email [email protected] for more details.

The Empire Brass will perform at the JewishCommunity Center on Scoles Ave. on Oct. 24 at 3 pmfor the 3rd Annual Sequoia Concert. Information aboutSequoia and tickets for the concert are available atwww.jfsclifton.org or call 973-777-7638.


Kathleen Kellaigh, Betsy Newberry, Jack Pignatello, Sandy Robertson, Charles G. Timm, John Bertrand

Arsenic & Old LaceTheater League of Clifton Presents:

Arsenic and Old Lace, a comedy by Joseph Kesselring, will be presented

by Theater League of Clifton, TLC, at School 3 on Washington Ave., on

Oct. 15, 16, 17 and 22, 23 and 24. On Fridays and Saturdays the show

begins at 8 pm and on Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets are $15 and $10 for stu-

dents and seniors. There will be a two

for one opening night special, Oct. 15

only. The Clifton cast is pictured here.

Written in 1939, Arsenic and Old Laceis best known through the film adapta-

tion starring Cary Grant and directed

by Frank Capra. For info on TLC and

its programs, call 973-458-9579 or

visit theaterleagueofclifton.com.

Stephanie Peterson, Geoffrey Waumans

Christian Scott, George M. Morgan, Gerard Scorziello, John M. Traier


Susan Borthwick ate 1.09 pounds of chicken wing meat ineight minutes on Sept. 5 in the ninth annual NationalBuffalo Wing Festival in Buffalo, NY. She came back toher Highview Ave. home with the title of Amateur ChickenWing Eating Competition Champ and is pictured herewith Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, another world renown titleholder. Who knows where this title will take her?

Dr. Barry Raphael is the local advocate for SmilePink, a campaign to encourage women and men to

show their support of early breast cancer testing by

adding a stylish Pink Swarovski Crystal to their smile.

The facts are sobering. Every two and a half min-

utes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. One

in eight American women will be diagnosed with

breast cancer in their lifetime. Over 200,000 will be

diagnosed this year and 40,000 of them will die from

the disease. Breast cancer also occurs in men. In fact,

over one thousand men will be diagnosed this year.

The Pink Swarovski Crystal is applied to the tooth

with a temporary dental adhesive. It is safe, and

takes less than a minute to apply It is just as easy to

remove and will be done free of charge.

The Smile Pink campaign was developed by Dr.

Anthony Vocaturo from New Jersey Center of

Cosmetic and Restorative Dentistry in Bayonne after

his family was impacted by the disease.

It is part of Smile for the Cause, a program that

offers hope, strength, and encouragement to sur-

vivors and their families

Smile Pink will contribute 100% of donations it

receives to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Call Dr. Barry Raphael at 973-778-4222 for details or

visit http://www.smilepink.com.


Clifton FMBA Local 21thanks the following sponsors

• Athenia Mason Supply

• The Apprehensive Patient & Poller Dental Group

• State Farm Agents Tom Tobin & Bill G. Eljouzi

• Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

• Joseph Lauritano Landscaping

• Tenafly Pediatrics

• Wee Care Child Care Center

• The New Bairn School

• Shook Funeral Home

• Thomas P. De Vita, Esq.

• IHOP Restaurant of Clifton

• Carl G. Zoecklein, Esq.

• Clifton Moose Lodge Chapter 657

• P&A Auto Parts

• Assemblyman Thomas Giblin

• Members of Clifton PBA Local 36

10,000 copies of this book are being distributed to students in

Grade 3 and below during October, Fire Safety Month. To receive

a copy, visit Fire Headquarters in City Hall or call 973-470-5801.

You’re a Neighbor,Not a Number.

Thomas Tobin973-779-4248

Bill G. Eljouzi973-478-9500

The Ocean County male alumni of CHS 1960 will

hold a luncheon at the Lamp Post Inn, Route 9,

Bayville, on Oct. 26 at 1:30 pm. Recent get togehters

have been held and attract a dozen or so alumni, some

who even travel from North Jersey and the Philadelphia

area. For info on this and other events, call George

Kulik at 848-333-8761 or email [email protected].

The CHS 1961 50th class reunion is on Oct. 14, 2011.

To attend and for more details, write to CHS Class of

1961, PO Box 3749, Wayne, NJ 07474, call 973-650-2719

or email [email protected].

CHS classes from 1971 through 1974 host a reunion on

Oct. 30 at the Regency House Hotel in Pompton Plains. The

$85 ticket includes buffet, dessert, entertainment and open

bar from 7 pm to midnight. For info, call Bill Geiger

(973-557-3613) Diane Gangi Ohland (973-284-1054).

The Passaic High School Classes of 1964 and 1965have a combined reunion on Oct. 9 from 7 to 11 pm at

the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Fairfield. Call Charles

Cannata, PHS ‘64 at 973-773-7769 or Paula Rudolph,

PHS ‘65 at 973-339-9102 or [email protected].

On Columbus Day, Oct. 11, the Passaic-Clifton Chapter

of UNICO National will raise the Italian flag on the

lawn in front of Clifton City Hall at 5:45 pm. UNICO

Chapter President David D’Arco said NJ Supreme

Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner will be the Keynote

Speaker. The Chief Justice is a 1978 graduate of

Passaic High and also a recipient of the UNICO

Chapter Scholarship Award that year. After speeches,

pastries and coffee will be served. The event is free and

open to all; anyone wishing to obtain more information

can call Dave D’Arco at 973-685-7479.

J

J

J


Sarah Bekheet . . . . . . . . . 10/1Melissa Szwec. . . . . . . . . 10/2Awilda Gorman. . . . . . . . 10/3Ashley Messick . . . . . . . . 10/3Charlene Rivera. . . . . . . . 10/3Grace Robol . . . . . . . . . . 10/3

Frank Antoniello. . . . . . . . 10/4John Brock Jr. . . . . . . . . . 10/4Kimberly Ferrara . . . . . . . 10/4Kayla Galka . . . . . . . . . . 10/4Lisa Junda . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/4Alan Merena. . . . . . . . . . 10/4

George Hayek turns 84 on October 1. Michael Biondi will be 18 on October 10. The Angello twins,Renee Kimiko and her brother Jeffrey Joseph, say it is fine to be 9 on October 4.

Birthdays & CelebrationsSend dates & [email protected]

Frances & Saverio Greco, celebrate their 19th wedding anniversaryon October 26. Congratulations to Jim & Anna Schubert whocelebrated their 27th wedding anniversary on September 11. HappyAnniversary to Orest & Barbara Luzniak who will be married 30years on October 11. Charlie & Dana McCarrick weddinganniversary is October 23. Luba Voinov married David Rees onSeptember 25 at Holy Ascension Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Bruce Merena . . . . . . . . . 10/4Rosalie D. Konopinski. . . . 10/5Kyle Takacs . . . . . . . . . . . 10/5Gene D’Amico. . . . . . . . . 10/6Tom Marshall. . . . . . . . . . 10/6Nicole Nettleton . . . . . . . 10/6 Christopher Phillips. . . . . . 10/7Jilian Fueshko . . . . . . . . . 10/8Nick Kacmarcik . . . . . . . . 10/8Rich Montague . . . . . . . 10/10Kyle Zlotkowski . . . . . . . 10/10Eileen Patterson . . . . . . . 10/11Anthony Shackil. . . . . . . 10/11Gunnar Kester . . . . . . . . 10/12Michael D. Rice . . . . . . . 10/12Stepanie M. Palomba. . . 10/13Kimberly Beirne . . . . . . . 10/14Lil Geiger . . . . . . . . . . . 10/14Mary Anne Kowalczyk . . 10/14Andrea Kovalcik . . . . . . 10/15Stephen Kovalcik . . . . . . 10/15Marianne Meyer . . . . . . 10/15Rachol Pong . . . . . . . . . 10/16Nicole Zlotkowski . . . . . 10/16Nancy Hromchak. . . . . . 10/17Devin DeVries . . . . . . . . 10/18Matthew Fabiano. . . . . . 10/18Edward Holster, Sr. . . . . 10/18Jamie Norris . . . . . . . . . 10/18Brian James Grace. . . . . 10/19Kristen A. Hariton . . . . . 10/19Rocky S. Angello (woof!) 10/20Joan Bednarski . . . . . . . 10/20Jean Chiariello . . . . . . . 10/20

Elizabeth Feinstein marriedGreg Gardner on September 24at Westmount Country Club.

Smile Pink!

See Dr. Barry Raphaeldetails on page 78.


1036

Lea Dziuba . . . . . . . . . . 10/20Patrick M. Doremus Jr. . . 10/21Eugene Osmak . . . . . . . 10/21Katelyn Smith . . . . . . . . 10/21Toni Van Blarcom . . . . . . 10/22Daniel Atoche . . . . . . . . 10/23John Bross. . . . . . . . . . . 10/23Allison Beirne . . . . . . . . 10/24Sandra Kuruc . . . . . . . . 10/24Heather Sito . . . . . . . . . 10/24Paul G. Andrikanich. . . . 10/25Matthew McGuire . . . . . 10/26Peter Salzano . . . . . . . . 10/27Kristofer Scotto . . . . . . . 10/27Nicole Keller . . . . . . . . . 10/28Ashley Gretina . . . . . . . 10/29Joan Statzer . . . . . . . . . 10/29Lindsay Berberich. . . . . . 10/30Raymond Romananski . . 10/31Josef Schmidt. . . . . . . . . 10/31

Noel Oliver turns 6on October 16.

Nancy Csaszar celebrates abirthday on October 3.


US Army 2nd Lt. Stephen Messineowas Killed in Action on Feb. 18, 1944,in Italy, at the Anzio Beachhead. Over

six decades later, Anita Scangarello

stopped in our office to ask us to

remember her uncle, a 1935 CHS

grad—and all those who served our

nation during times of war and peace.

With this photo at the right, we do

that and ask that we all turn out along

Main Ave. on Nov. 7 for Clifton’s

Annual Veterans Parade. Step off is at

2 pm from Sylvan Ave., with the CHS

Marching Mustangs at the lead.

As a cavalcade of veterans, antique

military equipment and other bands

and performers follow, the parade con-

tinues along Main, ending with servic-

es at the War Monument in Main

Memorial Park. Those who served in

the military are invited to march.

Come out and support those who

served. For info, call John Biegel or

Keith Oakley at 201-774-6666.

The Messineo siblings in Dutch Hill,back in 1943. From left: Eleanor,Josephine, Stephen and Angeline.

Everyone wants to put their bestfoot forward, but people withtoenail fungus go to great lengthsto keep their feet under wraps.Not only is toe fungus ugly andembarrassing, it's also easy tocatch. It thrives in wet environ-ments such as nail salons andlocker rooms, even in the privacyof your own shower.

An Alternative to Topical and Oral Treatments, Laser Kills Fungus Instantly

New Treatment for Fungus-Free Feet Thomas Graziano, MD, DPM,FACFAS, a Clifton foot andankle surgeon, said once thefungus gets under a toenail, it'sdifficult to treat. Topical solu-tions don't always work and oralmedications carry a risk of sideeffects which can be hard on thebody.

Dr. Graziano is offering newpainless and effective lasertechnology to treat toenail fun-gus introduced recently at theAmerican Podiatric MedicalAssociation Annual Conference.

The laser passes through thenail without damaging it andvaporizes the germs, killing thefungus that lives under the nail.It had been utilized by top podi-atric surgeons in California butis now available here in Cliftonby Dr. Graziano.

“This new laser is much moreeffective than lasers I used yearsago. It travels through the nail tothe level of the nail fungus andkills the fungus instantly,” said Dr.Graziano. “We go in certain pat-terns to make sure we get everylittle millimeter of the nail plate.”

The procedure takes less thana half hour and, while resultsaren't immediate, the toenail willgrow out normally in nine to 12months, in most cases. Reportsshow the laser is 88% effective,better than anything else on themarket, said Dr. Graziano.Call 973-473-3344 for details.

Tomahawk Promotions

1288 main avenue

Clifton, nJ 07011

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Clifton Merchant Magazine - October 2010

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