By BRIANA KEENANFOR PASCACK PRESS WOODCLIFF LAKE—Pursuing a career in the music industry can be competitive, especially at a young age. Many aspiring artists have dreams of gaining a large following in the music industry, […]
WESTWOOD—Celebrate Westwood BIZhub Committee invites Westwood’s small business owners and operators to a presentation on Wednesday, May 24 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Westwood Regional High School (WRHS) to learn more about the opportunities […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council adopted a nearly $16 million 2023–2024 municipal budget at its May 2 meeting, adding $46.32 to an average homeowner’s annual taxes — an increase of 1.6% over last year. The council voted […]
MONTVALE—The Pascack Valley Regional High School District approved a $62.7 million 2023–2024 budget at its May 1 board meeting, an overall increase of 3.27% in local tax levy from the prior year’s budget. The $56,393,349 […]
PARK RIDGE—Here’s a throwback that only the long-timers will remember. The Pascack Inn used to stand on the north side of Madison Avenue between Hawthorne Avenue and the railroad tracks, a spot that locals came […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A traffic consultant for the proposed Four Seasons Marketplace at Pascack Road and Washington Avenue said that recent traffic counts and pre-Covid traffic volumes show “high operating levels of service” at the busy […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The Pascack Valley’s 10 mayors sent a letter to a Senate committee recently to express their support for a bill that calls for a “pause,” until July 1, 2028, on implementing a fourth round […]
PASCACK VALLEY—American Legion Post 162 of Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake and Old Tappan received a generous donation from the Hillsdale Police Benevolent Association (PBA) Local 207 to cover the tuition for two students at New Jersey […]
WESTWOOD—The Westwood Borough Council adopted a $21 million 2023–2024 municipal budget at its April 18 meeting that raises an average homeowner’s annual taxes by $95, said borough officials. On an average assessed home of $496,700, […]
HACKENSACK—The Township of Washington Police Department, which participates in the Bergen County Cyber Crimes Task Force, was one agency Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella thanked May 5 in announcing the arrest of a Bergen County […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A parent who was pushing her 2-year-old in a stroller on Wayne Place and was nearly hit by a distracted driver over a year ago alleged to Township Council that the adults in […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Westwood Regional School Board president Michael Pontillo appointed an ad hoc committee April 27 to review the age-appropriateness of topics in the state-mandated health and physical education curriculum. The move followed a public […]
EMERSON—The following article appeared in The Paterson News on May 12, 1905. In the early 20th century, Etna was the name for what is now the Borough of Emerson. The crime in question took place […]
HILLSDALE—A public forum to discuss “next steps” for the Hillsdale Public School District to take on the century-old George G. White Middle School is set for Thursday, June 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the middle […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Westwood Regional School District board unanimously approved a $73.5 million 2023-2024 budget and a local tax levy of nearly $59 million, an increase of 1.37% in overall tax levy to Westwood and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council unanimously approved moving forward with a $900,000 county open space grant application for the 3.2-acre tract at 450 Pascack Road on May 1, with a dozen residents voicing support for […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After six budget meetings over the last month spent questioning department heads, reviewing expenses, and reducing costs where possible, the Township Council voted, 4-1, on April 24 to introduce a $15.6 million municipal […]
PARAMUS—The Bergen County Technical School District held a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, April 18, to mark the beginning of construction for a new Career and Technical Education School at their Paramus Campus. The new Career […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Increasing flights by jet aircraft headed to Teterboro Airport are “very hectic” over the weekends above borough skies and need to be addressed, Mayor Carlos Rendo said in a Facebook Live broadcast on April […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A professional engineer from Emerson — who previously questioned the use of LIDAR data to determine whether an unnamed tributary to the Musquapsink Brook is a regulated waterway — told Pascack Press that […]
PARK RIDGE—Saturday, May 20 is designated a day of community service for more than 450 Rotary Clubs — 12,000 folks across five states and one country — who will volunteer for an unprecedented Rotary Day […]
DEMAREST—Imagine having the chance to attend a world-renowned university where you immerse yourself in a class that was tailor-made for you. Each spring, students from the Academy of the Holy Angels enjoy this exciting opportunity […]
PARK RIDGE—Two East Brook Elementary School fourth graders, backed by a generous school community, recently made a lovely gift to a children’s hospital in Ukraine. Caroline Parks and Devon Stine decided to run a fundraiser […]
MONTVALE—The borough looks to acquire more than 8 acres of farmland for possible recreational and community uses, its second major land purchase within the last year, said the mayor in an email and Facebook Live […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Organizers of a Ramadan charity dinner at the Westwood Community Center on Saturday, April 15 report a huge success — a critical piece of hardware is inbound for a 9-year-old brain cancer survivor — […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Who remembers Washington Township’s Fair Play Club? Maybe you were a member of this club as a youngster, or you had a brother who was. Ridgewood Road resident Edward Barber single-handedly started the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Westwood Education Association (WEA) plans to “converge on the Board of Education meeting tonight to urge the board to stop sharing false information on the health and physical education curriculum content taught […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The 31st Annual Friends of the Pascack Brook Kids Fishing Contest set for Saturday, April 29 has been postponed due to anticipated poor weather. The Borough of Hillsdale broke the disappointing news Thursday morning. […]
PARK RIDGE—One lucky ticket matched all five numbers drawn winning the $1,405,135 Jersey Cash 5 jackpot from the Thursday, April 20, drawing. The winning ticket was sold at Krauszer’s, 127 Park Ave., according to New […]
PARK RIDGE—The weather is warming in our little corner of the world, and people are getting outside more. If you lived in the Pascack Valley around 1900, one of the familiar faces you might have […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Following approvals of a redeveloper for 188 Broadway’s planned 46-unit development and a required escrow account at the April 17 meeting, the next steps for the redeveloper include creating a redeveloper’s agreement in conjunction […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A gigantic largemouth bass has been spotted at the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir, weighing a whopping 300 pounds and sporting a hungry look. Meet Finn, the Green Gobbler, a massive fish sculpture with an even […]
PARK RIDGE—Homeowners are likely to face an approximate $122 municipal tax increase in 2023 based on the $17.3 million preliminary budget introduced at the April 11 Borough Council meeting. However, the council president told residents […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township engineer said the unnamed tributary that runs behind Meisten Street homes — and behind a proposed 17,100-square-foot retail plaza near the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue nexus — is not a regulated waterway […]
MONTVALE—Montvale’s proposed $21.9 million 2023–2024 municipal budget shows a nearly 2% increase in property tax rates, costing an average homeowner an extra $62.05 yearly versus last year’s average $58.33 increase, said the borough administrator. A […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—It’s going to be epic. Former resident Matt Perrone is bringing his musical fundraiser on epilepsy — EpiPalooza IV— home to the Garden State. The show is at Debonair Music Hall in Teaneck […]
WESTWOOD—Westwood residents, thanks in advance for being a part of 2023 Westwood Arbor Fest tree planting celebrations. In 2022, the Westwood Shade Tree Advisory Committee in conjunction with Westwood’s Department of Public Works planted 37 […]
PARK RIDGE—Borough Council members heard from several residents April 11 on pressing problems affecting their daily lives, including youngsters trespassing on private property as a shortcut to a park and another homeowner facing flooding on […]
WESTWOOD—Brian McCarron, 52, of Fourth Avenue is released on bail pending a court date after he was taken into custody following a brief standoff with police. McCarron is alleged to have pointed a shotgun in the […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council has cleared a $50,400 feasibility study to help determine whether the public works facility can be retrofitted to minimize flooding impacts or whether a new DPW facility is needed to be constructed […]
HILLSDALE—After highly successful 125th Anniversary events in March and April, including a birthday celebration, a Hillsdale’s Got Talent celebration, a square dance, and a Bagels with the Bunny Easter event, more 125th anniversary events are […]
PARK RIDGE—A century ago, Park Ridge High School’s senior class brought down the house with its production of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice,” presented in the school auditorium April 20–21, 1923. In 1923 Park Ridge’s […]
HILLSDALE—Suzi Gerace of Dream Makers Art Studio & Gallery, 101 West St., invites you to an open house to celebrate the Garden State’s “Upcycling Day,” Sunday, April 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Gerace’s […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—With Police Chief John Burns retiring at the end of 2023 — and his terminal leave beginning approximately May 1 — the department celebrated four command staff promotions at the March 20 Borough Council […]
PASCSCK VALLEY—Not everyone goes on to college after high school. Many graduates go on to the military or trade school or travel, or straight to work or other adventures. Some of us need extra help […]
WESTWOOD—You’re invited to a Ramadan charity dinner at the Westwood Community Center, 55 Jefferson Ave., on Saturday April 15. All proceeds go to Grace’s Gold Ribbon Gang for a little girl’s adaptive stroller. Kids are […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Check out the podcast “Hope Through Shattered Dreams.” Gina Franco launched this “hope and grief” podcast on Feb. 16, the fourth anniversary of daughter Dominique’s passing. Franco tells Pascack Press, “We raised $7,000 for […]
HILLSDALE—The results are official: Nearly 37% of local voters cast ballots in Hillsdale’s $82.7 million school bond referendum to replace the century-old George G. White Middle School with voters turning thumbs down by a final […]
PASCACK VALLEY—An upcoming meeting between local officials, administrators and police chiefs from three towns and Veolia North America hopes to iron out unresolved concerns over the long-discussed nature trail and its planned Earth Day grand […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Four of five Pascack Valley mayors up for reelection will likely face challenges this November based on Primary Election candidates running in opposing parties. An incumbent Republican mayor will need to mount a write-in […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A traffic impact analysis review done by Boswell Engineering states that traffic to and from a proposed 17,100-square-foot strip mall “can be significantly higher” than estimates provided by the applicant, owing to restaurant […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Local authorities have announced a traffic advisory: Washington Avenue Road Closure Monday, March 27 through Wednesday, March 29. Washington Avenue will be closed to westbound traffic between 7:30 and 5:30 p.m. on those […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Pascack Valley High School Tri-M Music Honor Society students and their advisor, Mrs. Argine Safari, performed a free concert on Sunday, March 5 for the residents at the Jewish Home at River Vale. Some […]
HILLSDSALE—The borough decided on March 16 to wait and see results from neighboring Westwood’s anticipated drone study of Pascack Brook waterways before deciding whether to fund a similar study in hopes of mitigating flooding. However, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The applicant pursuing a 17,100-square-foot strip mall in place of five single-family homes at Pascack Road and Washington Avenue has signed off on a postponement of a sixth hearing. Originally set for March […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The ranks of candidates filing to run for council seats in most Pascack Valley towns — and mayoral contests in Montvale, Hillsdale, Park Ridge, Westwood and Woodcliff Lake — will likely increase as the […]
PARAMUS—Josh Gottheimer (D-5) says he’s going to announce action against automakers discontinuing AM radio in electric vehicles. Should AM be discontinued, he warns, public safety would be put at risk. Backed by local officials and […]
HILLSDALE—By a nearly 2-1 margin, local voters defeated the $82.7 million school bond referendum to replace the century-old George G. White Middle School, despite a continuous communication and outreach effort for months by school officials […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Zoning Board of Adjustment on March 13 approved a 154-student private Apple Montessori School preschool for 95 Linwood Ave., nearly 15 months after the township attempted to buy the 1.5-acre site for […]
HILLSDALE—If you’ve got hidden talent —or better yet — not so hidden talent, then make sure you upload a video showcasing your talents to the “Hillsdale’s Got Talent” website soon. And soon means March 10, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township engineer said March 6 that he would request a copy of the remote-sensing data from the proposed 4 Seasons Marketplace’s consulting engineer to evaluate it for correctness. Questions have been raised […]
PARK RIDGE “Remember the Maine!” That was the patriotic battle cry that accompanied the United States’ entry into the Spanish-American War in 1898. A U.S. Navy battleship called the Maine had been sunk by a […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Bid specifications for construction of the new DPW facility will likely go out by June as the first step to soliciting contractor bids for a new public works complex behind town hall, said […]
PARK RIDGE—The Borough Council unanimously passed two ordinances Feb. 28 for hiring up to five special law enforcement officers — retired, armed police officers — for the school district’s two elementary schools and high school. […]
HILLSDALE—The borough’s 8,000-plus registered voters may head to polling stations at Anne Blanche Smith School and Pascack Valley High School on Tuesday, March 14 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. to vote yes or no […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Congratulations to The Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce 2023 Citizens of the Year: the Napoletano Vitale family and Dee Gillen. They’ll be honored at the 2023 Citizen of the Year Awards Dinner Tuesday, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An application to construct an Apple Montessori preschool/daycare for up to 154 toddlers at 95 Linwood Ave. — where a defunct Charlie Brown’s restaurant stands — gets its first Zoning Board of Adjustment […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Zoning Board of Adjustment meets in a hybrid special session on Monday, March 13 at 7:30 p.m. for Apple Montessori School’s application to build a 154-student daycare on the former Charlie Brown’s […]
Note: This item was edited March 5 to remove reference to a mental health fair preceding the keynote. The fair has been removed from the offering. MONTVALE, NJ—Saying that “It is said that surrendering is […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, NJ — Fun news via Pascack Press reader Joanne Toole: “Our Lady of Good Counsel Church Women’s Group celebrated member birthdays at a recent meeting. The ladies shared their baby pictures and […]
HAWORTH, NJ — There’s an exciting Scouting BSA program in Haworth. Scouts BSA includes Cubs (open to boys and girls grades K–5) and Scouts (boys and girls ages 11–17). Cub Pack 373 and Scout Troop 73 […]
CLOSTER, NJ — The United States was embroiled in the Civil War, but West Street in Closter presented a tranquil scene in this photograph taken in the winter of 1863. On the right side of the […]
CLOSTER, NJ—You’re invited to help celebrate one of Bergen County’s most remarkable and effective residents and leaders at “Sophie Heymann: Her Life and Legacy,” running Saturday and Sunday, March 11 and 12 from noon to […]
WESTWOOD—The Westwood Woman’s Club is offering a scholarship to a graduating high school student. The scholarship is open to all female graduating seniors residing in Westwood or the Township of Washington, regardless of which high […]
ENGLEWOOD, NJ — Englewood Health’s bariatric surgery program has achieved reaccreditation from the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). This national mark of distinction reflects Englewood Health’s commitment to providing multidisciplinary, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The governing body has a special meeting on Monday, March 6 at 7 p.m. to discuss the reconstruction of the pool shell. In executive closed session, mayor and council will discuss litigation and risk […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Resident Saba Khan and other celebrants invite you and your family to the township’s first Ramadan crescent moon lighting ceremony, Sunday, March 19 at 6 p.m. at Town Hall, 350 Hudson Ave. “The […]
NOTE: This story was updated March 8 to reflect the new date for the free senior citizen matinee. The date was changed in light of the Hillsdale School District’s special election. HILLSDALE, NJ—Pascack Valley High […]
HILLSDALE—The Hillsdale 125th Anniversary Committee kicked off a year of celebrations on Feb. 21 with a presentation on local history by Sean Smith, author of “Images of America, Hillsdale.” The full-house event, hosted by the Hillsdale Free […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Knights of Columbus Council 5427 of the Township of Washington held its 12 Annual Wine Tasting at Seasons on Feb. 4. Jim Dugan reports for the council, “The night was a huge […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE —Mayor Carlos Rendo said he would appoint an advisory committee and seek ideas from the public about developments they might like to see on approximately 20 acres at BMW’s massive borough campus soon […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township Council approved a nearly $117,000 proposal, Feb. 21, for continued soil and groundwater monitoring at the former DPW facility grounds, required as part of its state-regulated environmental cleanup of gasoline and diesel […]
RIVER VALE —The Township Council approved a bid for $51,360 for the yearly leasing of ground space for cell tower use at 640 Rivervale Road — including annual increases — at its Feb. 13 meeting. […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—An ordinance that provides for an “unnecessary expansion” of the police department — according to one councilman — was approved by a 4-1 council majority at the Feb. 13 Borough Council meeting. Except for […]
WESTWOOD—Hearing someone shout Fire! in a crowded theater is such cause for panic that this scenario is often used as an example of the limits of free speech. It was just that sort of chaos […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Council approved parking restrictions on Wayne Place and White Birch Road — near Washington school — on Feb. 21. Parking restrictions on a side street near the township’s major shopping plaza are set […]
LOS ANGELES—Park Ridge resident Catherine Tallman has been accepted into the “QU in LA” program from Quinnipiac University and is working for a production company specializing in crime documentaries. Her spring semester, now based in […]
WESTWOOD, NJ—The governing body meets on March 7 at the Municipal Complex, 101 Washington Ave., a work meeting of the mayor and council. Closed session starts at 7:30 p.m. The public session starts at 8. […]
HILLSDSALE, NJ—Official mail-in ballots for the 2023 March Special School Election were mailed out on Feb. 23 to the voters with active vote by mail requests Only voters with active vote by mail requests will […]
BERGEN COUNTY, NJ—The League of Women Voters of Bergen County – Inter-League Organization (ILO) will mark Women’s History Month with a live webinar, Celebrate Women’s History in the Making, on Thursday, March 23 from 7:30 […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An applicant planner told the Zoning Board of Adjustment Feb. 28 that the five lots at 660-682 Pascack Road are “particularly suitable” to accommodate a neighborhood retail plaza as the primary reason the […]
TENAFLY—Save the date, March 5 at 4 p.m., for an author event with Nora Neus, Emmy-nominated producer, writer, and journalist, who will be in conversation about her new book, “Muhammad Najem, War Reporter: How One […]
PARK RIDGE—When the old Campbell wampum mill was photographed at the start of the 20th century, it was already a relic of days gone by in the Pascack Valley. The mill, which stood on the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Years before a shovel hit the dirt to construct the large shopping center on Pascack Road in the Township of Washington, there was the Washington Center. The structure, originally built in the late […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township attorney said Feb. 21 that the town has not yet filed to condemn 450 Pascack Road and will continue negotiations despite calls from nearly a dozen residents to purchase the 3.2-acre […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township Council members selected an all-brick facade for the roughly $5 million public works facility to be built behind the town hall. The project will replace the former DPW facility in the same […]
HILLSDALE—A $50,400 proposal to provide conceptual drawings, designs and cost estimates for possible floodproofing building alternatives at the flood-prone public works facility likely will come before the Hillsdale Council at its March 16 meeting. Councilwoman […]
HILLSDALE—A newly released video on why residents should vote to approve the $82.7 million bond referendum to replace George G. White Middle School was sent to parents and posted on the district website as school […]
MONTVALE—Alisha R. Foley began her law enforcement career in 1997 with the Montvale Police Department. At her formal swearing-in ceremony on Feb. 14, she became the first female in the department’s history to attain the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Following 19 record-breaking seasons coaching at Immaculate Heart Academy, Maria Nolan P ’08, has declared the 2022 volleyball season as her last. She officially announced her retirement on Feb. 6. If you have […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A Meisten Street resident speaking out against the way a proposed strip mall is eyed for his neighborhood — and adjacent to the busy Pascack Road—Washington Avenue intersection — says he hopes to […]
EMERSON—Borough officials heard presentations Feb. 7 from two regional emergency dispatch centers — and appeals from four local dispatchers — as the mayor and council considered options to reduce increasing costs to operate its municipal […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE —A redevelopment plan ordinance that will allow 46 housing units — 37 apartments and nine townhomes — at 188 Broadway was introduced by a 4-1 vote Feb. 13 and sent to the Planning […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Mayor Carlos Rendo told residents Jan. 25 that he hoped officials “could find other avenues to fund the (Tri-Boro) ambulance corps that don’t involve taxpayer dollars” during his first Facebook Live question and answer […]
WWRSD—A beloved K-12 art contest, exhibition, and fundraiser launched in 2012 as Hurricane Sandy relief, no stranger to colorful new vistas and perspectives, is changing things up after this 11th anniversary exhibition wraps. Westwood Gallery […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council unanimously approved accepting a $438,750 county Open Space grant, Feb. 6, to help reimburse acquisition costs for the former Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club. Steven Cascio votes yes on […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—When is a regulated waterway no longer a regulated waterway? That’s the question Meisten Street resident Michael Agnello posed to local officials and the answer appears to depend on who you talk to. […]
WESTWOOD—As today’s kids get ready for a long Presidents’ Day weekend, here is a look back at a long-ago school that was named for Honest Abe. The kids in this early 20th century photo are […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—When is a regulated waterway no longer a regulated waterway? That’s the question Meisten Street resident Michael Agnello posed to local officials and the answer appears to depend on who you talk to. […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council approved a resolution of support Feb. 14 for a long-proposed 1.5-mile Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Nature Trail — due to open on Earth Day, April 22 — while expressing concerns about future trail […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A new code enforcement officer has issued at least seven property code violations to properties causing public nuisances including three vacant, decrepit properties at the Pascack–Washington intersection, and one to 450 Pascack Road, […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Congratulations to the Pascack Valley Regional Dance Team for placing first place in Small Varsity Pom at the elite Seventh Annual Dance Team Union National Championship. The story could all but write itself at […]
EMERSON—Students from the Emerson Jr.-Sr. High School invite you to their performance of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s production of “Cinderella,” a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. Evening performances are […]
HILLSDALE—Former town business administrator Christopher Tietjen, who resigned in January 2022 after serving nearly two years to take a similar position in Wayne, has decided not to take the temporary Chief Municipal Finance Officer (CMFO) […]
WESTWOOD—Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Mark Winters, 76, of Kennedy Terrace, for desecrating human remains and aggravated assault on law enforcement officers. The charges are the result of an investigation conducted […]
WESTWOOD REGIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT—Superintendent Jill Mortimer wrote families on Feb. 14 to say she anticipates that the Board of Education at its meeting Thursday night will approve the hiring of Ken Rota as interim superintendent […]
EMERSON—Borough department heads, including police, public works, and ambulance corps officials offered preliminary budget proposals Feb. 4 during a special budget workshop prior to future introduction of a 2023-2024 municipal budget. No overall budget figure […]
EMERSON—Borough officials heard presentations Feb. 7 from two regional emergency dispatch centers — and appeals from four local dispatchers — as the mayor and council considered options to reduce increasing costs to operate its municipal […]
PARK RIDGE—By Industry We Flourish. Those four words appear on Park Ridge’s borough crest, but the motto didn’t just come out of nowhere. These days it’s mostly history-minded people who have heard of Mittag & […]
MONTVALE—The PHHS PFA Parent Academy presents “Body Image Issues: Helping People to Love Themselves, Inside and Out” on Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. at Pascack Hills High School Media Center, 225 W. Grand Ave. The […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A March Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing date is possible on a new site plan application by Apple Montessori Schools to build a 154-student preschool on the former Charlie Brown’s property. As soon […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Zoning Board of Adjustment authorized an independent traffic study Jan. 24 of the proposed 17,000 square-foot-plus retail complex called “4 Seasons Marketplace” proposed at the Pascack-Washington intersection, and results are expected at […]
HILLSDALE—Borough officials were taken aback recently to discover that should the $82.7 million school bond referendum pass in March, it will reduce the borough’s available bonding capacity by $24 million to about $43 million, a […]
PARK RIDGE—Borough Council members voted, Jan. 16, to table a Republican-led resolution to terminate the employment of the borough’s administrator, but noted that contentious issue is likely to be raised at the council’s Jan. 24 […]
HILLSDALE—It was a moment in time captured: A view into downtown Hillsdale in the winter of 1978. The first thing most will notice in the photograph above is the police booth, which was still in […]
MONTVALE—Two weeks after the hit revival closes on Broadway, St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale presents Stephen Sondheim’s “Into the Woods,” a clever musical intertwining the plots of a rich roster of Brothers Grimm […]
PASCACK VALLEY—When you call for an ambulance in Westwood, the local ambulance corps volunteers — many who are trained as emergency medical technicians — are likely to be there in about 10 minutes or less […]
HILLSDALE—The owner of a silver Nissan Altima smelled something burning from his car, pulled over, and saw flames from his engine. He called emergency services and was standing by, the crisp blue morning of Monday, […]
PARK RIDGE—The borough’s annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 3 saw two new council members, Republicans Bruce Goldsmith and Gregory Hoffman, sworn in before nearly 50 residents, including family, friends, and well-wishers. Bruce Goldsmith was sworn […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Two new council members, Benjamin Pollack and Nicole Marsh, were sworn in Jan. 5 to create an all-Democratic Borough Council to work along with two-term Republican Mayor Carlos Rendo. Jennifer Margolis, whose term expires […]
PARK RIDGE—Fifty years ago, Pascack Mental Health Center opened for business at 114 Kinderkamack Road, Park Ridge. Its door was unadorned metal, calling no attention to itself on the side of the building, which now […]
HILLSDSALE—The challenge intrigued, its aims ambitious: “We are seeking help to create a logo that will be used for a variety of purposes, including the website, correspondence, social media platforms, signs, etc. Help us create […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Desserie Morgan earned a council presidency for a second consecutive year, on Jan. 3 posting a 5–0 vote of members. The annual reorganization meeting put Dr. Steven Cascio in the vice president slot, […]
HILLSDALE—The Hillsdale public school district will receive $5.4 million in state aid — more than originally expected — if voters approve an $82.7 million school bond referendum to replace the century-old George G. White Middle […]
PARK RIDGE—A store employee reportedly admitted to having fondled and kissed the breasts of an underage girl in the back of Krauszer’s Food Store on Park Avenue after giving her THC pens on Jan. 6. […]
WESTWOOD—The borough ran a lively, productive, and well attended 129th reorganization meeting at the Community Center on Jan. 3, aided in its pomp by a procession of the Westwood Volunteer Fire Department Color Guard. Republican […]
EMERSON—During the borough’s Jan. 3 annual reorganization meeting, 2021 Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli — a former Somerset County assemblyman and county freeholder — had the honor of swearing in Republican Mayor Danielle DiPaola for […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Come on in! Pull up a seat! Merusi’s Tavern was at 62 Broadway at the corner of Lincoln Avenue. The photograph above, from the Pascack Historical Society’s archives, was snapped in January 1941. That’s […]
PASCSCK VALLEY—A recent request from the Tri-Boro Volunteer Ambulance Corps — which serves Montvale, Park Ridge and Woodcliff Lake — for up to $100,000 per town appears to have the general support of the three […]
HILLSDALE—Christina Conti, 21, has everything going for her. She’s the oldest of three, a junior at Montclair State University studying marketing, and was her high school Class of 2020 valedictorian. Recently arrived in the borough […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—To minimize unsightly window signage in commercial zones throughout the township, the council unanimously passed an ordinance Dec. 19, 2022 to restrict indoor window signs to a maximum of 40% of window space. […]
MONTVALE—A new police chief, a new borough administrator, a new borough attorney and three reelected Republican council members —along with other borough professionals — were sworn in on New Year’s Day during an hour-plus reorganization […]
PARK RIDGE—Join the fun at a spin fundraiser at Vision Sports Club in Pearl River, N.Y. on what would have been Park Ridge resident Dominique Franco’s 25th birthday. The event is Sunday, Jan. 8 from […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE —Coffee, conversation, and community will be served up monthly at Mayor Carlos Rendo’s “Coffee With the Mayor” sessions, starting in mid-January at at Whole Foods Market, 500 Chestnut Ridge Road. Rendo told Pascack […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—At the annual reorganization meeting of the Westwood Regional School district board, held Jan. 5 in the Hurley Theater in the high school, Westwood’s Michael Pontillo was elected BOE president. Kristen Pedersen was […]
HACKENSACK—Thee Bergen County Board of Commissioners held their annual reorganization meeting on Jan. 4 to swear in three newly re-elected commissioners and attend to New Year’s housekeeping. Commissioner Thomas J. Sullivan, president of IBEW Local […]
EMERSON—Longtime schools superintendent Brian P. Gatens wrote the community on Jan. 4 to announce — with gratitude for opportunities he’s had to help guide the district’s growth — that he’s stepping down to start a […]
MONTVALE—Having stood for decades at Spring Valley Road and Summit Avenue, Jerry’s Villa was the scene of so many banquets, parties, weddings, and other events that it was more of a landmark than just a […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Faced with declining volunteer membership, increasing numbers of calls, more high-density developments — plus calls from assisted living facilities and nursing homes that have stretched the resources of the Tri-Boro Volunteer Ambulance Corps to […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Unity Bank and its employees have donated $30,400 to 19 food pantries in New Jersey and Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania — including Helping Hand in Hillsdale, at Hillsdale United Methodist Church. The funds were contributed […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE —Mayor Carlos Rendo expressed disappointment Dec. 22, 2022 that at least five years of mayor and council efforts to establish a long-sought Galaxy Gardens passive park at Woodcliff Avenue and Werimus Road have […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Borough Council has voted to accept the Planning Board’s recommendation to designate 188 Broadway as a “non-condemnation redevelopment area” and approved its planning consultant to create a redevelopment plan for the 3.3-acre site. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An anticipated influx of schoolchildren — from a variety of causes — is driving an expansion plan for Washington Elementary School, 600 School St. According to superintendent Jill Mortimer to families on Dec. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The 2022 president and a regular member of the board of the Westwood Regional School district, both from the township and with time left in their terms, have quit the board. Frank Romano […]
WESTWOOD—After more than six months investigating the tragic case of Laura Ann Parker — the teen went missing in 1984 and was found dead of questionable “natural causes” (and in unusual circumstances) — a journalist […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Annual reorganization meetings and end-of-year (sine die) sessions fill local Pascack Valley government agendas in the first week of 2023, with Montvale starting off first at noon on New Year’s Day. The first meetings […]
WESTWOOD REGIONAL DISTRICT—Three departing trustees were honored for their service to Westwood Regional School District Board of Education, the K-12 school district serving families in Westwood and Washington Township. Two of the trustees lost reelection […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari told council members on Dec. 19 that preliminary plans he posted on the township website were a “starting point” for discussion and consideration of future uses at the former private […]
HILLSDALE—After nine years of service to Hillsdale as a councilman and council president, Frank Pizzella on Dec. 13 — his last official meeting — heard words of praise from the mayor, fellow council members, and […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Approximately $760,000 in 2022 Bergen County Open Space grants was awarded to six towns in Pascack Valley by a unanimous vote of the Bergen County Commissioners at their regular meeting on Dec. 14. Overall, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—It has been a busy time for Township of Washington firefighters. Beyond their usual job of keeping us safe, there have been fire truck escorts for Santa Claus, and Christmas tree sales at […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Following the borough planner’s finding that a 3-acre-plus site at 188 Broadway met two criteria that qualified it as “an area in need of redevelopment” under state law, the Planning Board voted overwhelmingly Dec. […]
HILLSDALE—Less than two months after his initial one-year contract was renewed for three years — through December 2025 — business administrator David Troast has resigned, effective Dec. 16, citing “a great divide” between the mayor […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An applicant traffic expert testifying Dec. 20 for 660 Pascack LLC’s “4 Seasons Marketplace” retail proposal said the 17,000-square-foot shopping mall’s traffic impact at peak traffic hours would be “inconsequential” to overall traffic […]
HILLSDALE—Less than two months after his initial one-year contract was renewed for three years — through December 2025 — business administrator David Troast has resigned, effective Dec. 16, citing “a great divide” between the mayor […]
FAIR LAWN—U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) honored “local first responders, veterans, life-saving bystanders, volunteers, community leaders, and residents” during his Fifth District Hometown Heroes Ceremony, held at the Fair Lawn Community Center. Gottheimer honored more […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The long-awaited Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Nature Trail — a 1.5-mile ribbon of walking path along the reservoir’s eastern boundary — is likely to open by Earth Day, April 22, 2023, said a water utility […]
HILLSDALE—Would you like to swap the free community center to be built by redeveloper CP Hillsdale — as part of its community benefit giveback for increased housing density — in exchange for a $750,000 payment […]
PASCACK VALLEY—If you watched any of the World Cup men’s soccer showdown in Qatar you surely saw what Park Ridge Mayor Keith Misciagna qualified as his top local news story of 2022. Amid land use, […]
HILLSDALE—The public schools superintendent told Borough Council members Dec. 13 that he was anticipating “upwards of $2.5 million” in state education aid to help reduce the tax impacts from a proposed $82.5 million school bond […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A third Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing on a proposed 17,000-square-foot retail development — 4 Seasons Marketplace — near the Pascack–Washington intersection is set for Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m. Meanwhile, neighbors […]
WESTWOOD—We are sad to report the passing, the morning of Dec. 11, of former Westwood mayor Skip Kelley, vice president of the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce and a leading light of Bergen County. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township Council approved a more than $60,000 change order on Dec. 5 for removal and disposal of asbestos from the old firehouse, which must be completed before demolition, said the township’s business administrator. […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Forty-four members of the 2022 Pascack Hills High School Broncos were recognized at the Nov. 21 Borough Council meeting for their amazing 7-0 regular season. On hand: the mayors of Woodcliff Lake and Montvale. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON —The Township Council voted 5-0 on Dec. 5 to move forward with full schematic drawings of a nearly $5 million Department of Public Works facility after a presentation by the architect where […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township Council members hope to soon decide whether they should accept a $439,000 Bergen County Open Space grant to offset the purchase of the former swim club, 6.1 acres on Ridgewood Boulevard North, […]
HILLSDALE—Congratulations to the Pascack Valley High School girls varsity soccer team, which finished the year with a 14-6-1 record and posted an impressive 9-1 record in the Big North National Conference. This secured the team […]
WESTWOOD—How about this blast from the past! We go back 45 years to the holiday season of 1977, when this advertisement for Town & Country Music came out. It was an era when enjoying music […]
HILLSDALE—Before approving an engineering consultant to conduct a $9,500 environmental feasibility study on a community center at Stonybrook Swim Club, the mayor and council learned that it could cost $2 million to $3 million, versus […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Borough Council voted, 5-0, on Dec. 6 to approve an agreement with 188 Broadway LLP that will allow the developer to place 46 housing units at 188 Broadway — 37 rental units and […]
MILLBURN—The 2022 Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series concludes this month with an examination and discussion about what current data reveals about the path of the opioid epidemic. The webinar will be presented by […]
WESTWOOD—A large part of Westwood Avenue used to be lined with houses. The image above, from the early 1900s, probably was taken around this time of year — the trees are mostly bare. The perspective […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The Pascack Valley Mayors Association, which represents eight Pascack Valley towns plus Oradell and Old Tappan, will continue to fight into 2023 for membership on the Teterboro Airport noise committee despite the committee’s October […]
WESTWOOD—The reaction was immediate and mixed. As soon as Jack’s Café posted it was saying goodbye and thanks after 16 years as a mainstay of dining in the proud hub of the Pascack Valley, late […]
PASCACK VALLEY—For 2022’s General Election on Nov. 8, the Borough of Emerson again topped all eight Pascack Valley towns in percentage of total voter turnout, with 56.27% of eligible voters casting ballots. That’s greater than […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Emerson school superintendent Brian P. Gatens notes that “Now that December will soon be upon us and we begin to move towards the winter months, school districts begin to watch the weather reports with […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Sunday, Dec. 4, Holocaust survivor Itu Lustig, of Brooklyn, N.Y., turns 94. She is celebrating her birthday by sharing her incredible story with teens and community. This is the first time she is sharing […]
PARK RIDGE—As we enjoy these last weeks of autumn and trees shed the last of their leaves, we go back to a similar time of year long ago. The photograph above was snapped in Park […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—At least two residents of nearby Northgate Townhomes complex, including the condo association president, have written letters to the Zoning Board of Adjustment giving input on the nearly 17,000-square-foot proposed 4 Seasons Marketplace […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Scout troops, school groups, businesses, service organizations, families and thoughtful individuals heeded the call this year and showed up laden with frozen turkeys, Thanksgiving table trimmings, and supermarket gift cards. It’s fair to say […]
HILLSDALE—By spring 2023, residents can expect to get some options and cost estimates from the borough engineer as to the best ways to protect the Department of Public Works building, at 371 Washington Ave., from […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari has suggested the town repurpose hundreds of thousands of dollars it’s in line to receive from the Bergen County Open Space Fund for its purchase of the 6.1-acre former Township […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Hypothetical businesses to be located at the proposed “4 Seasons Marketplace” at the Pascack-Washington intersection will close by 11 p.m., said the applicant’s attorney at the Nov. 15 Zoning Board hearing. Moreover, the […]
PASCACK VALLEY—This week we turn back 80 years, to 1942, to when A&P published this advertisement a few days before Thanksgiving. The Pascack Valley had a couple of A&P locations at the time. A smaller […]
HILLSDALE—Aeon Fitness and Gymnastics hosted a Handstand Walk for Kids Challenge on Thursday, Oct. 27, supporting life-saving pediatric cancer research. Their competitive team gymnasts, 75 girls and boys, fundraised for participation in the Handstand Walk. […]
EMERSON—The Emerson Public School District is charging toward the 2023–2024 football season in need of a new cooperative sports program. With only 10 Cavaliers confirmed for next season, Emerson finds it can’t field a team […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After noting a cost difference of about $580,000 but a structural lifespan of nearly double its steel competitor, council members were told that it appears a masonry building is worth the extra money […]
MONTVALE—The Pascack Hills Players invite you to their stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” in the Pascack Hills Auditorium Nov. 17–19 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. Playwright Kate Hamill’s […]
DEMAREST—Three outstanding vocalists from the Academy of the Holy Angels, based in Demarest, have been named to the 2023 Carnegie Hall Honors Performance Series: Caroline Ko of Hoboken, Victoria Velasco of Woodcliff Lake, and Isabella […]
MONTVALE—An attorney for 16 municipalities, including Montvale, suing Gov. Phil Murphy to restart the Council on Affordable Housing said they expect arguments to be filed by January 2023 before the Superior Court judge hearing the […]
WESTWOOD—The Recreation Department’s Forever Young Pickleball Program netted its first award in a pickleball tournament, Oct. 29, when Jed Schaiman, of Westwood, and Cynthia Toth, of River Vale, took home a third-place medal in the […]
EMERSON—Mayor for a Day has its privileges, and for Patrick M. Villano Elementary School sixth-grader Hunter Sapio that came in the form of a resolution he introduced and that the Borough Council unanimously approved during […]
WESTWOOD—Westwood Regional Middle School guidance counselor Caitlin “Ms. Fab” Fabrocini completed the 2022 TCS New York City Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 6. She ran the event in 341 minutes. With 50,000 runners, and spectators all along the […]
MONTVALE—By the end of November, the Montvale Chamber of Commerce’s new website likely will featuring promotions, money-saving offers, and videos of shopkeepers and business owners showing you more reasons than ever to shop local. “We […]
HILLSDALE—School officials said they will be pitching the benefits of an $82.5 million referendum for a new middle school to replace the dilapidated, century-old George G. White middle school at a December Borough Council meeting. However, […]
PASCACK VALLEY—This week in history: A fire at Etna. We go back 120 years, to mid- November 1902, when a fire took out two homes in Emerson—or as it was called then, Etna. While the […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Municipal election results are in and contested races showed a mixed result, with both Republicans and Democrats winning seats and Emerson’s incumbent Republican mayor Danielle DiPaola — alleged by her opponent delaying the Emerson […]
PASCACK VALLEY—School board elections here, generally viewed as non-partisan affairs, appeared to draw more voter interest Nov. 8 as local and regional school boards deal with issues such as state-mandated curricula, including revised sex education […]
PASCACK VALLEY—This week in local history: A chilly challenge. We go back 130 years to November 1892, when Republican Frederick Van Riper and Democrat Gilliam Ackerman made an election wager that would see the loser […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An appeal from the township administrator to Bergen County Executive James Tedesco III to use county space to store seasonal public works vehicles and equipment was turned down by the county executive, said […]
HILLSDALE—Helping Hand Food Pantry Turkey Drive 2021 fielded 350 donated frozen turkeys and a generous haul of side dishes and other food donations. This year, with the bite of Covid felt less sharply in the […]
HILLSDALE—Not much gets past crossing guard Dorothy “Dottie” Higinson, who’s been shepherding students safely to and from George G. White School, 120 Magnolia Ave., in all seasons — arrivals and dismissals — for 32 years. […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A new borough recreation director and special events coordinator started Oct. 24 after being hired by a 5-0 Borough Council vote at the Oct. 17 meeting. Councilman Steven Falanga was absent from the meeting. […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo said that the Pascack Valley Mayors Association would devise a new plan at its Nov. 9 meeting in its fight against noise pollution from private jets that overfly the […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Borough Council has approved a contract for $80,000 in technology upgrades planned for the borough-owned Tice Senior Center, courtesy of state Covid-19 grant funds. Borough administrator Tom Padilla told Pascack Press that funds […]
EMERSON—Local enthusiasts of America’s fastest-growing sport now find themselves in a pickle.After moving to look at potential sites for four new pickleball courts recently, the Borough Council on Nov. 1 decided to drop its pursuit […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Registered voters in the Pascack Valley were mailing in ballots and heading to early voting locations in River Vale and Woodcliff Lake — early voting started Oct. 29 and ends Nov. 6 — […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali tells Pascack Press that the borough hopes soon to take possession of the 28.4-acre parcel at 127 Summit Ave. for approximately $4.5 million. The borough plans to use the property mostly for […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Atkins Glen has been a part of the culture of the Pascack Valley for generations. A deep ravine cut through the sandstone by the Bear Brook, the spot is a rare natural gem […]
PARK RIDGE—The most competitive local school board race Election Day, Nov. 8, is in Park Ridge, where six candidates are vying for two open three-year seats: Erin Kate Comeau, Timothy J. Carroll, and the teams […]
HILLSDALE—A unanimous council has voted to override Mayor John Ruocco’s partial veto of an ordinance that provides the police department “flexibility” to hire when circumstances such as retirements and resignations might leave the department without […]
HILLSDALE—A unanimous Borough Council approved a $290,000 bond ordinance, Oct. 25, for the reconstruction of three streets, after concerns about possible utility work that could wreck the repairs were mostly eased. The work will be […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo told Pascack Press on Oct. 24 that the New Jersey State League of Municipalities Legislative Committee has voted to endorse S-790, a bill by state Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-River […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An applicant approved to build a 44-unit rental apartment complex off of Van Emburgh Avenue — including seven affordable units — will appear before the Planning Board to eliminate one of two single-family […]
HILLSDALE—It’s true: Hillsdale has trees that date back 150-plus years to Civil War days; In addition to hosting a wide range of native and introduced vegetation, Hillsdale residents co-habit with wildlife such as toads, mink […]
WESTWOOD—Save the dates: Thursday, Nov. 17 to Saturday, Nov. 19 is the the final Shop the Hub event of 2022. Retail stores and restaurants across Westwood are invited to participate by offering featured sales, specials, […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The United Nations paused on Oct. 11 to mark the 10th Annual International Day of the Girl. This event, Girls Speak Out, is a call for girls’ rights that attracts participants from far and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari said Oct. 17 that he would send a formal, written request to Bergen County Executive James Tedesco III seeking county accommodations for township public works equipment now stored at the […]
WESTWOOD—“The holidays will soon be upon us, and once again we look forward to your participation in the best parade of the year!” That’s according to the Home For the Holidays Committee, which notes last […]
WESTWOOD—Improving a home’s safety and functionality dramatically increases the ability of older people to live independently and remain in their homes in order to effectively age in place. With that in mind, Westwood For […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The applicant attorney for a proposed 17,000-square-foot-plus retail “neighborhood center” near the well-traveled Pascack–Washington Avenue intersection said Oct. 18 that the site was “appropriate” for commercial development and would not have a significant […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The borough’s 4,985 voters will face a contested election for two council seats, left vacant by the departures of one-term incumbent Republican Stephen Falanga and longtime Democratic incumbent Angela Hayes. Republican council candidates are […]
WESTWOOD—With this photograph we go back 90 years to Westwood High School’s football team of the 1932 season. What makes this one extra special is that the individual players signed it — and we are loving […]
PARK RIDGE—The borough’s 7,279 voters have a contested race for two council seats as incumbent Democrats Robert Metzdorf and Kelly Epstein are challenged by Republicans Bruce Goldsmith and Gregory Hoffman. The incumbents on their records […]
WESTWOOD—The borough’s 8,422 voters face a contested local council race, at least partly, as incumbent Republicans Robert Bicocchi and Beth Dell face a challenge from Democrat Lesley Whyard for the two open council seats. Dell […]
MONTVALE—The Pascack Hills Marching Broncos gave it their all at the Midland Park Performing Arts Parents’ Music in the Park XXV competition on Sunday, Oct. 9, squaring off against programs from around northern New Jersey. […]
EMERSON—In advance of the Board of Education election on Nov. 8, all school and community members are invited to attend a candidate forum moderated by the League of Women Voters on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at […]
WWRSD—The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley (LWV) with the assistance of Westwood Regional High School PSO, will hold a public forum for this year’s school board candidates. The League of Women Voters, a […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An $875,000 bond ordinance introduced unanimously Oct. 3 provides for various local improvements including funding for the police, fire and public works departments, and improvements to the Pascack Road-Washington Avenue intersection and town […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Three Pascack Valley towns — Emerson, Park Ridge, and Woodcliff Lake — have contested races between Democratic and Republican candidates for two open council seats in each town; Westwood has a three-way race […]
HILLSDALE—The Hillsdale Borough Council recently approved the redevelopment plan for the former Waste Management site following more than two years of collaboration between the public officials and residents of the community. The redevelopment plan for […]
CLOSTER—The 8th Annual Joey’s Fund Charity Car Show went all out on Sept. 18, raising $13,500 for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Care Center. This year, Joey’s Fund also donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and St. […]
MONTVALE—Complaints about deer were increasing in September and Mayor Michael Ghassali said Sept. 13 that he was not sure what the borough could do without regional assistance. Ghassali said he had fielded many phone calls […]
EMERSON—Jeanine Lamatina — the wife of immediate past mayor Louis Lamatina, under whose administration a downtown mixed-use redevelopment project featuring 147 apartment units was approved in late 2018 — is running for mayor on a […]
PASCACK VALLEY—This week in 1925, the Park Ridge Local newspaper published a front page story with the the following headline: “Farm property is being bought for development.” In 2022 those words would be ominous. With […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The Hillsdale Hawks and River Vale Raiders youth football and cheer teams enjoyed spending the day together, Sunday Oct. 9, by attending the New York Jets vs. Miami Dolphins game at MetLife Stadium in […]
EMERSON—While Emerson’s mayoral candidates — Republican incumbent Danielle DiPaola and Democratic challenger Jeanine Lamatina — top the ticket, two Borough Council seats are contested by two incumbent Republicans who are squaring off against two little-known […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An improved major intersection and a new Emergency Services Building might not be the only two improvements coming to the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue crossroads. Two new retail buildings comprising more than 17,000 square […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—We asked our local board of education incumbents and challengers to rank their school board’s responsiveness, suggest ways to reduce the schools’ tax burden on residents, and add any information that they wanted voters […]
WESTWOOD—Mayor Ray Arroyo has written the members of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly committees that have been tasked with reviewing S790/A4200, which would require reservoirs to implement flood control measures. He requested of the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON— Township Council members requested Oct. 3 that its consulting architect provide additional renderings for a new DPW facility at town hall that incorporates design options that include the use of brick and […]
PASCACK VALLEY— Nearly 58,000 registered voters in our eight Pascack Valley towns will be able to vote early in-person starting Oct. 29 through Nov. 6 as they cast ballots for a congressional race, Bergen County […]
MONTVALE—Around 1910, Garret Hering’s saw mill was on Grand Avenue across from where the Montvale Post Office now stands. In the autumn, beginning at the turn of the century, the building was also a cider […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali joined with 12 other municipalities — from 10 additional counties statewide — to file a Superior Court lawsuit in September to compel Gov. Phil Murphy to appoint new members to the Council […]
HILLSDALE—This past summer, Alexandra Lambrinos, now an eighth-grader at George G. White Middle School, traveled to Gothenburg, Sweden and participated in the Gothia Cup, the world’s largest and most international soccer tournament, often referred to […]
PASCACK VALLEY—A news report from October 1960 lamented the loss of Bergen County farmland. At the time, the latest census data showed that Bergen was down to 384 farms, totaling about 7,500 acres. We didn’t […]
HILLSDALE—Hundreds of people turned out in downtown Hillsdale Sept. 24 for the Eighth Annual Joan’s Joy Child Safety Festival, drawn to messages of love, unity, and standing up for good. All the proceeds of the […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The borough’s architect estimated recently that construction costs for a proposed 1.2-acre Galaxy Gardens passive recreation park — at the nexus of Werimus Road and Woodcliff Avenue — might be reduced by nearly $600,000 […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Nearly $2 million of Bergen County Open Space funds likely will go to 16 towns in the Pascack and Northern valley later this year, according to preliminary recommendations made by the Bergen County Open […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township Council members urged the mayor Sept. 19 to press its architect to look further into using a steel building to house the DPW, including one with second-floor office space or one for […]
HILLSDALE—Council members re-established a new Shared Services Committee by a 5-0 vote Sept. 13 to look into savings for the borough on expensive items as well as local and regional projects and services. Councilwoman Abby […]
HILLSDALE—Fries and a Coke, anyone? We have a sneaking suspicion that many people reading this pulled up a seat at this luncheonette counter on more than one occasion. You could buy anything from a barbecue […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Less than three months after the Township Council voted not to purchase the 1.45-acre former Charlie Brown’s property, at 95 Linwood Ave., the site’s previous bidder, Apple Montessori Schools, has submitted an application […]
HILLSDALE—A district website on its $82.5 million referendum to replace the 100-year-old George G. White Middle School went live on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Superintendent Robert Lombardy said in an email, “As many of you may […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township of Washington holds its Annual Fall Festival for residents on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Memorial Field on Pascack Road, rain or shine. Admission is free. […]
PASCACK VALLEY—We asked our regional board of education incumbents and challengers to rank their school board’s responsiveness, suggest ways to reduce the schools’ tax burden on residents, and add any information that they wanted voters […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Feast your eyes! In July, the township library finally had the chance to host a special LEGO Community Program, delayed from 2020. Youth Services Librarian Marie Joyce told Pascack Press on Sept. 15 […]
HILLSDSALE—“In an effort to continually improve its athletic and recreational facilities, the Borough of Hillsdale authorized its engineering firm, Colliers Engineering, to proceed with design of a plan to upgrade its existing Centennial soccer and […]
PASCACK VALLEY—A local nonprofit “flood solution” organization is gathering online signatures and pressing state officials to support legislation that requires water utilities to operate the state’s 700-plus reservoirs with regional flood control in mind as […]
MONTVALE—The name McDonald’s stirs up a lot of nostalgia for Pascack Valley natives of a certain age—but their fond memories have nothing to do with Happy Meals or Big Macs. Rather, they think of steak […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A non-profit organization that establishes virtual “villages” and provides resources and volunteers to help seniors age in place — in their homes and neighborhoods — is holding an information meeting on Sept. 28 […]
HACKENSACK—The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office announces open enrollment for its 27th Citizens Police Academy Class, a 10-week course designed to give residents a working knowledge of law enforcement policies and tactics. Bergen County residents 18 […]
MONTVALE—The reunion committee for Pascack Hills High School Class of 1977 has announced its 45th reunion schedule. Many events are planned throughout the weekend. Friday, Oct. 7 — The Saloon Rooftop bar in Pearl […]
WESTWOOD—A spokesman for NJ Transit confirms that at Monday at approximately 9:47 a.m., Pascack Valley line train 1605, which departed Hoboken at 8:56 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive in Spring Valley, N.Y. at 10:10, […]
EMERSON—When this photo was taken, in 1930, this building, at 184 Kinderkamack Road in Emerson, was home to Bamond’s Grocery Store. Note the Ford Model A coupe. The store was founded and owned by Rocco […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township Council members said Sept. 6 that they would rather ask the Bergen County executive to help them store excess Department of Public Works equipment and vehicles temporarily instead of returning to Our […]
MONTVALE—Less than a quarter mile from the longstanding, Dairy Queen at one of Montvale’s busiest corners lies the borough’s sole remaining working farm and farm stand — DePiero’s Farm Stand and Greenhouses — at 156 […]
TRENTON—Two 39th District legislators have introduced measures aimed at greater municipal government transparency — including town councils, school boards and planning/zoning boards. The measures require advance meeting notice online and call for links to “relevant […]
MONTVALE—Congratulations to Montvale’s Briana Keenan, proud recipient of a $1,000 American Heart Association scholarship under the American Heart Challenge, “a school-based program that helps middle and high school students feel good about their health while […]
MONTVALE—The Borough Council unanimously approved a bond ordinance Aug. 30 to purchase a 28-acre tract at 127 Summit Ave. for approximately $4.6 million, following a closed session meeting where they agreed to make revisions in […]
ASCACK VALLEY—Westwood mayor Ray Arroyo says the nonprofit, advisory New Jersey League of Municipalities has signaled it will formally endorse legislation sought by the 10-member Pascack Valley Mayors Association: S-790 and its companion, A4200. The […]
WESTWOOD—Mayor Ray Arroyo shared this update with Pascack Press and on Facebook on Aug. 31: On April 5, the mayor and council adopted a resolution of disapproval regarding the continuation of the bus terminal use […]
HILLSDALE—Teenager Annie Li is determined to bring balance to STEM classes — by leading them herself at the Hillsdale Library. That’s via a library update forwarded us by adult programming coordinator Adam Keeble, who notes […]
WESTWOOD REGIONAL—Following an hour-plus debate, the Westwood Regional school board voted, 5-4, on Aug. 25 to implement lesson plans that teach the state-mandated health and physical education standards, including controversial sex education topics for middle […]
PARK RIDGE—If you think small-town politics is bad today, you should have seen Park Ridge of the late 19th century. The coming of the railroad in 1870 had brought a new suburban population to Park […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Justin G. Tsai, a local senior emergency responder and former first lieutenant of the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps — now a self-described “medical shield and sentry for many of America’s most prominent celebrities […]
WESTWOOD—The borough has hired two special law enforcement officers to work in the Westwood Regional School District elementary schools starting this year. At a special Aug. 29 virtual council meeting, the borough approved resolution 22-215, […]
HILLSDALE—Resident Kevin G. Donatello, a Westwood Regional School District fifth-grade teacher, was selected Aug. 22 to serve on the Hillsdale Board of Education for the remainder of the 2022 calendar school year. The vote was […]
ORADELL—Bergen County Players (BCP), one of America’s longest-running little theater companies, will open its 90th season with one of the most ambitious productions ever mounted by BCP: “Ragtime: The Musical.” Performances begin Saturday, Sept. 17 […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The Hillsborough Township School Board in Somerset County appointed former interim Pascack Valley Regional High School District superintendent Daniel Fishbein as its interim superintendent, effective Aug. 23 through June 2023 at an annual reported […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Last week we featured the old St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Montvale, sometimes called the Old Stone Church, designed in 1895 by Woodcliff architect Samuel Burrage Reed. With school fast approaching—sorry, kids!—this week we […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Taxpayers from throughout Bergen County will likely know within weeks — by the Bergen County Board of Commissioners’ Sept. 7 meeting — how much of more than $4 million in county 2022 Open Space […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council approved a new business administrator, the vote 3-2, on Aug. 15, at the end of a five-plus-hour regular meeting. Welcomed aboard was Mark C. DiCarlo, who served 26 years as […]
WESTWOOD—Residents are advised there will be a special meeting of the mayor and council on Monday, Aug. 29 at 12:30 p.m. over Zoom (here’s the link) to discuss Resolution #22-215: Appointment of Westwood SLEO III James […]
RIVER VALE—Construction and renovations at River Vale schools have been underway this summer, as the district modernizes facilities to improve comfort and efficiency and bolster educational opportunities for students in grades pre-K through eight. All […]
WESTWOOD REGIONAL DISTRICT—Shelley LaForgia, principal at Westwood Regional Middle School, is passing that baton to an interim principal as she moves to a new role: director of personnel for the Westwood Regional School District, which […]
NEWARK—A former pastor at St. Andrew Church in Westwood who resigned in 2018 amid allegations of sexual misconduct from over three decades ago has been reassigned as chaplain to a Catholic resource facility in Newark […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari told Township Council members at their Aug. 15 meeting that there will not be enough space at a proposed newly designed $4.5 million public works facility to be built at […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A township eighth-grader has entrepreneurship in focus, earning fans as an amateur sports photographer over the past year and setting her sights on a career in the field. Ellorie Roberts, 13, is a […]
MONTVALE—This week 125 years ago, Montvale’s first lady faced down the town marshal. He threatened to take her church organ; she threatened to shoot him. Here is that story. The former St. Paul’s Episcopal Church […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Meals on Wheels North Jersey celebrates its 50th anniversary at a gala on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at Old Tappan Manor. Guest of honor is the irrepressible Margaret Cook, who developed the local […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—No injuries were reported though property damage was obvious as fire ripped into 467 Pascack Road, across from a bustling Memorial Field, on the afternoon of Friday, Aug. 12. Small explosions punctuated the […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The published minutes of the July 11 Borough Council meeting — the most recent minutes approved — show a lively conversation prompted at the public microphone, with topics ranging from the municipal budget to this […]
HILLSDALE—Saying “It’s the dawn of a new day for child safety,” the Joan Angela D’Alessandro Memorial Foundation has announced its Eighth Annual Child Safety Festival, Saturday, Sept. 24 at the Joan Angela D’Alessandro White Butterfly […]
WESTWOOD—While the recent heat and humidity in the Pascack Valley has been pretty brutal, let’s all take a moment to be grateful for a couple of things: first, the fact that air conditioning has been […]
WESTWOOD—September, for decades tinged with grief, also sees the return of at two major local sporting events, both of which celebrate the community and the power of inspiration. The Second Annual Haydn S. Smith Memorial […]
HILLSDALE—A unanimous Borough Council voted Aug. 9 to approve a redevelopment agreement with CP Hillsdale LLC to move forward on a four-story, 255-unit, multifamily luxury apartment complex in the borough’s redevelopment zone. The complex is […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali has a vision for the 28-acre wooded lot on at 127 Summit Ave. and he’s making his best pitch for resident and council support. On Aug. 9, he wrote residents, appending a […]
PARK RIDGE—This has been a season of celebration and pride for the Rotary Club of Park Ridge. The evening of July 10 at Hearth & Tap in Montvale was no exception. Past District Governor Bonnie […]
PARK RIDGE—The Park Ridge Rotary Charitable Foundation has, with pleasure, granted college scholarships to four graduates of Park Ridge High School this year. The scholarships are available to students who live in Park Ridge, Montvale […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley (LWVNV) elected and installed its 2022-2022 board of directors and officers at its 76th annual meeting. The LWVNV outlined its plans to provide voters with information […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari says a fall grand opening/open house is likely for the nearly $6 million emergency services building on Washington Avenue, now nearing completion. Speaking with Pascack Press last week, he said […]
EMERSON—Congratulations and hats off hard-charging Emerson 3/4 softball, young ladies who won 16 consecutive games on their way to becoming crowned champions. The team went undefeated in the regular season, won the prestigious Ramsey Rumble […]
HILLSDALE—A key piece of the borough’s redevelopment plan for a four-story, 255-unit, luxury apartment complex on Patterson Street — the redeveloper’s agreement — likely will be formally introduced at the Aug. 9 council meeting. The […]
RIVER VALE—The town council on July 25 approved the hiring of a consultant to handle construction management services for the proposed $13.3 million public safety complex anticipated to begin construction in spring 2023. The $378,000 […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The County of Bergen’s protect to overhaul the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection is delayed a week or two. Motorists are advised to check the township police department’s social media posts for updates, and […]
WESTWOOD REGIONAL—A revised dress and grooming policy for teaching and support staff was introduced July 19 with some trustees voicing concerns about looking professional in light of a recent “loosening” dress code among a small […]
HILLSDALE—The Hillsdale Board of Education approved a new one-year $155,000 annual contract for the school’s business administrator on July 19, reappointing Sacha Pouliot for a one-year term beginning this July 1 and ending June 30, 2023. […]
HILLSDALE—Dominick Scozzafava, a Boy Scout in Troop 109, has launched a compassionate Eagle Scout project and seeks your help. “My project’s objective is to make cancer patients as comfortable as possible during treatment. Every donation […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali appointed a 16-member planning committee representing local stakeholders and interest groups at the July 26 council meeting to begin planning for a community center and town pool estimated to cost upward of […]
WESTWOOD REGIONAL—School trustees voted, 8-0, on July 19 to restructure the often contentious public comment period by allowing two three-minute opportunities for the public to comment: once on agenda items and on non-agenda items. Previously, […]
PARK RIDGE—The Second Annual Extra Innings Softball Tournament is set for Saturday, Aug. 6, on Park Ridge’s Sulak and Davies/Memorial fields. Organizers say the event has 12 teams signed on and will raise funds for […]
U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) honored local first responders, veterans, life-saving bystanders, volunteers, community leaders, and residents during his Fifth District Hometown Heroes Ceremony, held at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center July 22. Gottheimer honored […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After years of delay and anticipation, long-needed improvements to the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection — one of the township’s busiest crossroads — is set to begin this week and likely continue for six […]
HILLSDALE—River Edge State Farm Agent Anita DaSilva has a strong history of demonstrating what it means to be a Good Neighbor. DaSilva recently presented Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County with a $10,000 grant from […]
HILLSDALE—Following criticism that school district officials have not provided townwide public outreach about the proposed $82.5 million George G. White Middle School replacement referendum set for spring, school trustees approved a public relations contract July […]
EMERSON—Superintendent of Schools Brian P. Gatens says the Board of Education has been working with the Borough of Emerson to help secure the hiring of SLEO-III police officers for both Memorial and Villano elementary schools […]
HILLSDALE—Several council members are asking senior residents to show up at the Aug. 9 council meeting and let them know whether they want a separate community center. The council voted, 5-1, on July 12 to […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Preliminary plans for a traffic signal at the Garden State Parkway north Exit 168 ramp entrance onto Washington Avenue are anticipated “in the near future,” said the mayor at the July 11 council […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Bergen County Commissioners were expected on July 20 to approve an ordinance preventing the use of a deadly method of controlling the Canada goose population. The technique is rarely, if ever, used in Bergen […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—With intense focus placed upon mental health services nationwide in the wake of recent mass shootings in schools and other public places, the Pascack Valley Regional High School District recently requested proposals from […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—As the tropical weather continues during another hot and hazy New Jersey summer, the former private Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club remains closed for a third straight year as its new owners […]
HILLSDALE—A redevelopment agreement and long-term financial agreement to construct a 255-unit luxury apartment complex on a former waste transfer site on Patterson Street — estimated to generate nearly $40 million for the borough over three […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali unveiled a preliminary $15 million plan for a new community center and town pool at the July 12 Borough Council meeting, saying “an overwhelming majority of the public” are in favor of […]
PARK RIDGE—Public school trustees have voted a two-year extension of the superintendent’s contract through 2026, irking some parents who have complained about his management style and his initial reluctance to stand up this year’s graduating […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Neighbors of the BP Station at 2631 Cleveland Ave. have petitioned the Zoning Board of Adjustment with reasons not to approve all of the requests from BP Products North America, as stated in […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—wo young ladies who’ve just graduated area high schools and are planning to go into the medical field have been helped along by scholarships in memory of someone who would have recognized them […]
EMERSON—The borough attorney says construction on Emerson Station, the 147-unit residential mixed use complex, including 15,000-square foot of retail space downtown, is progressing — but the legal process between the redeveloper and borough is moving […]
WESTWOOD—The governing body on June 28 adopted resolutions authorizing the borough’s electric vehicle charging station initiative to move forward, including project management, design services, working with charging provider Blink, and striping of the charging stalls. […]
PARK RIDGE—Citing the extended period of dry weather and three of its wells offline pending treatment for PFOA, the Borough of Park Ridge Water Department wrote consumers on July 14 to say it is forced […]
HILLSDALE—In fulfillment of its commitment to inform the public of ongoing redevelopment efforts, the Borough of Hillsdale and its professionals will make a presentation during the regularly scheduled, duly noticed Borough Council meeting on Tuesday, […]
HILLSDALE—A school board official said that a George G. White referendum website will likely be up and online by fall to provide information and answer questions about the March 2023 referendum on a proposed $82.5 […]
PARK RIDGE—The Park Ridge Police Department is proud to recognize Archibald “Archie” Harvey as a hometown hero, the department’s PRPD Veteran of the Quarter. Harvey was born on March 5, 1931, in San Francisco, Calif. […]
MONTVALE—When Ben Levin, a 19-year-old Montvale resident and 2022 graduate of Pascack Hills High School, was 10, he wrote a version of a Harry Potter story focused on his Jewish faith. He named the main […]
RIVER VALE —Township Council approved a base bid for four new pickleball courts at the Mark Lane Athletic Complex on June 27, one that was nearly $60,000 above the open space grant funding awarded for […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An annual municipal audit recommended seven changes be made in the township’s fiscal management procedures and incorporated into a corrective action plan to be developed and made publicly available within 45 days, or […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A sign advertising the availability of the 1.5-acre 95 Linwood Ave. site of the former Charlie Brown’s restaurant went up within days of the Township Council’s June 21 early-morning vote to cancel its […]
EMERSON—Flooding concerns are a regional problem requiring regional solutions, say the Pascack Valley’s mayors, but Emerson’s mayor and engineer say the time is near to help provide some short-term relief for high-priority flooding issues plaguing […]
PARK RIDGE—Flags and banners celebrating “national commemorative months” will likely soon be flown at a “celebratory dedicated area” near the Borough Hall, according to an ordinance approved at the June 28 Borough Council meeting. Council […]
HILLSDALE—Approximately 50 parents showed up at Ann Blanche Smith Elementary School on June 28 for a forum on New Jersey’s updated health and physical education curriculum, including topics such as sex education, gender identity and […]
HILLSDALE—The governing body will meet behind closed doors on Wednesday, July 6 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the status of the redevelopment agreement being negotiated with a developer proposing a four-story, 250-unit luxury apartment complex […]
HILLSDALE—Mayor John Ruocco reached out to borough taxpayers with their estimated third quarter property tax bill for 2022. He said final reconciled fourth quarter 2022 and preliminary 2023 bills will go out once the county […]
HILLSDALE—The Planning Board raised significant concerns with several changes proposed by the Borough Council in its efforts to accommodate the current redeveloper proposing a four-story, 250-unit luxury rental complex as the first redevelopment project in […]
HILLSDALE—Approximately 70 properties near and around the borough’s downtown will be reviewed and evaluated to find out if they meet any of the state’s statutory criteria as properties in need of rehabilitation. That’s per a […]
PARK RIDGE—Not letting up even for a moment, Park Ridge triplets Kelly McCullough, Karen McCullough Dell’Aglio, and Kathy McCullough-Widmer will be riding their bikes 83 miles in the next Pan-Mass Challenge, a bike-a-thon that raises […]
HILLSDALE—Two public works employees were recognized for “courageous and lifesaving actions” that both took to help pull a Hazelwood Avenue man to safety in late May after he entered Pascack Brook’s swift currents and was […]
MONTVALE—In 2018, Julie Griggs, a 2010 graduate of Pascack Hills High School and Montvale native, was living in Manhattan for a six-week physician’s assistant program. She was rooming with her friend and fellow Penn State […]
EMERSON—The Borough of Emerson was named a 2021 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, based in Lincoln, Neb., to honor its commitment to effective urban forest management. Emerson achieved Tree City USA recognition […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Knights of Columbus Mother Seton Council #5427 held its Scholarship Awards Night on Tuesday, June 14 at the Council Hall, 79 Pascack Road. And as the council does every year at this time, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Five-plus years after its purchase, and following $400,000 in remediation costs due to soil contamination from prior uses, the long-planned passive park proposed at the former Galaxy Gardens site at Werimus Road and Woodcliff […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Life is good for Justin G. Tsai, a nearly seven-year EMT and member and past first lieutenant with the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Tsai, of Paramus, whom we’ve had in these pages as […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Washington Township Falcons are the 2022 Bergen County Charity Classic 12U Town Champions! The boys went undefeated over Memorial Day weekend to land on top of a pool of 12 teams and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The protest signs can come down. The 1.5-acre, 95 Linwood Ave. property, formerly a Charlie Brown’s restaurant, will not be purchased by the township due to environmental concerns, the Township Council president told […]
HILLSDALE—Several residents from local neighborhoods facing increased flooding due to recent storms — even small rain events — appealed to Borough Council members at the June 14 meeting for assistance and help to mitigate the […]
HILLSDALE—A nearly $13,000 contract was awarded to planning consultant DMR Architects to undertake a “rehabilitation investigation study” of properties near the downtown commercial area to see what potential properties may qualify for a future rehabilitation […]
HILLSDALE—School Board President Shane Svorec announced her resignation “with mixed emotions” at the June 13 board meeting after serving seven-and-a-half years on the board in various roles, including president, vice president and a trustee on […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Bergen County Commissioners on May 18 approved a nearly $2 million Bergen County contract to improve traffic circulation at the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection. Preliminary work to upgrade culverts and drainage at the […]
PARK RIDGE—Congratulations to the Park Ridge Girls Middle School softball team on their dramatic come-from-behind 11-10 win against Wyckoff in 10 innings on Monday June 6. They are now the NBMSIAL Champions. With this win […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—At least two members from the Westwood Regional School District board said May 26 that they would work together to help draft a letter about the need for gun reforms and increased funding […]
HILLSDALE—The Hillsdale Board of Education voted unanimously June 13 to go ahead with an estimated $82.5 million school bond referendum in March 2023 to replace the century-old George G. White Middle School. The June 13 […]
WESTWOOD—The Cardinal Alumni vs. Cancer basketball game hat was scheduled for January was postponed due to an abundance of caution. Now it’s on for Friday, June 17 at 6 p.m. at Brookside Park in Westwood. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An environmental consultant investigating older uses of the 95 Linwood Ave. site for gas station operations has found indications of a possible underground storage tank and piping and recommends $12,000 to $17,000 more […]
EMERSON—One of the borough’s oldest buildings — the DeBaun House, built in the 1770s — is down, reduced to rubble in a day’s work. The scene at the former American Legion Post 269 drew a […]
WESTWOOD—For the second consecutive season the Bergen Pirates are set to play four home games at Westvale Field. The Pirates, a former member and three-time champion (2016, 2017, 2018) of the now defunct North Jersey […]
PASCACK VALLEY—More than 25,000 alumni of Pascack Hills and Pascack Valley high schools can now network via the Pascack Valley Regional Hub, or PVR Alumni Hub, a database of alumni from the two regional high […]
RIDGEWOOD—Assemble and pack 10,000 meals in two hours? That’s what 92 members and friends of West Side Presbyterian Church were able to accomplish for Rise Against Hunger, a growing global movement to end hunger by […]
PVRHSD—Increasing opportunities for social and emotional learning, improving student-staff relationships, and enhancing diversity by including new content into school curriculum, such as LGBTQ+ history, were recommendations heard at the June 6 Pascack Valley Regional High […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After first publicly voting 3-2 to nix a “supplemental” Phase 2 study of 95 Linwood Avenue to determine if alleged underground storage tanks may be present near the front of the site, Councilman […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Charlie Saul, a senior baseball player at Pascack Valley High School, will graduate high school later this month alongside the rest of his classmates. Afterward, most of his peers will move on and pursue […]
HILLSDALE—For students, staff, and all others on the campus of Pascack Valley High School, cell phone service is virtually non-existent. Without being connected to the school’s Wi-Fi network — permission for access is rare — […]
HILLSDALE—If you were there, you knew: Hillsdale’s Access for All Committee’s 2nd Annual Art Show, showcasing some of the best artwork in the Pascack Valley and from further afield, made a strong statement at the […]
PASCACK VALLEY—While most municipal Republican and Democratic party races were uncontested in the June 7 Primary Election, Republican voters selected candidates for Congress’s Fifth District, along with Bergen County executive and county commissioner races in […]
NORTHERN VALLEY—Words of empathy and caring, and a smiley face, marked just one of dozens of letters exchanged between two classes of third-grade pen pals following one of America’s darkest days: the terrorist attacks of […]
MONTVALE—A nearly $1.7 million bond ordinance was approved unanimously by Borough Council members May 31 that provides funding for a new fire engine pumper, two new police sport utility vehicles, and various recreational field improvements. […]
PARK RIDGE—The Borough Council approved a $17.3 million municipal budget on May 24 that increases local taxes an average $133 yearly — including a budget increase of slightly over $400,000 from last year with a […]
WESTWOOD—At the May meeting of the Friends of the Westwood Library, President Liz Bellamy and Scholarship Chairwoman Carmela Stark awarded the Shy Touba Memorial Scholarship to Michaela Keenan, who is pursuing an MLS degree at […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An average homeowner here will pay another $140 in annual taxes for the $14.3 million 2022-2023 municipal budget the council approved, 4-1, at its May 16 meeting. During a seven-minute discussion, with no […]
RIVER VALE—Deer–vehicle collisions have increased over the last two full years from 2020 to 2021, with police accident reports showing about a 20% increase. A Pascack Press review found a large percentage of those accidents […]
EMERSON—A community forum will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wed., June 8 by the Emerson Public School District to discuss implementation of the new statewide Comprehensive Health and Physical Education standards in grades K through […]
PARK RIDGE—Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D5) said he would try to “claw back” more than $16 million in federal funds for Park Ridge to help pay for upgraded water treatment filtration systems to remove so-called “forever […]
PASCACK VALLEY —Thousands of Pascack Valley voters will be eligible to vote in June 7’s Democratic and Republican primary elections, although few competitive contests occur in Pascack Valley’s eight communities. Both Democratic and Republican voters […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo took to Facebook to apprise residents after what he called the most recent “no-name storm” caused flooding in the Westwood–Hillsdale area over Memorial Day weekend. He compared his borough’s office […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Jennifer LaRocca has put together one of the most prolific careers in the history of women’s lacrosse at The College of New Jersey. The Pascack Valley High School alum and River Vale native […]
HILLSDALE—Hillsdale Public Schools Superintendent Robert Lombardy told about three dozen senior residents at a May 26 public forum that using the state’s property tax “senior freeze” program was one way they might limit their local […]
PVRHSD—Interested in running for a seat on the board of education? The Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education will have two vacancies — one from River Vale and one from Woodcliff Lake […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON–An investigation using ground-penetrating radar to locate suspected underground storage tanks used for fuel oil at 95 Linwood Ave. focused on the parking lot area of the 1.5-acre property and found no signs […]
Update: This meeting is cancelled. The township clerk says on the morning of June 2, “Please note that there was an issue with the publication of this meeting for this evening and the meeting needs […]
HILLSDALE—Police Chief Robert Francaviglia, a second-generation Hillsdale police officer, serving since 1993, recently had the pleasure of promoting two officers: Lt. Mike Camporeale and Sgt. Matt Buesser; and swearing in three new officers: Sean Marro, […]
WESTWOOD—At the mayor and council work session of April 5 the governing body approved a plan presented by Councilwoman and Parking Authority Liaison Cheryl Hodges to install four dual Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations […]
HILLSDALE —The Borough Council met behind closed doors on May 23 over the 250-unit, four-story luxury rental complex proposed on 5.4 acres formerly occupied by a Waste Management waste transfer station. The session, held to […]
By Marnee Rosen Special to Pascack Press PVRHSD—The Pascack Hills boys lacrosse team just posted one of its most successful seasons in school history. The Broncos finished 13-4 and broke the program record for wins, set […]
Editor’s note: This event originally was scheduled for June 2 but due to inclement weather was moved to its new date. This article was revised accordingly. HILLSDALE—You’re invited to help celebrate Asian American cultures in […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Twice in the past several years the prominent address of 188 Broadway has been in the news as an applicant’s plans for 60 apartments — and then 53 apartments — were rejected by a […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township officials revealed that the 6.1-acre former Washington Township Recreation Club on Ridgewood Boulevard North was foreclosed upon in January and asserted “a real estate developer was ready to purchase this land to […]
WESTWOOD—Fellow aviators, fellow Westwoodians, and so many more whose lives were touched and are guided by the historic wartime and peacetime service of Pvt. Roscoe Draper were honored to salute him on his 103rd on […]
HILLSDALE—Eighty-nine percent of parents and residents who responded to an informal survey taken following three parent information forums held at the middle school favored the full replacement of George G. White Middle School, estimated to […]
WESTWOOD REGIONAL—Following a wide-ranging 90-minute discussion of what sensitive or inappropriate topics the new state-mandated health curriculum might require teachers to cover, the Westwood Regional School District voted, 9-0, on May 12 to approve a […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Although the Township closed on the 6.1-acre former private Washington Township Recreation Club on Ridgewood Boulevard North on April 29, a consultant’s environmental report dated April 7 found that further environmental investigation of […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—An effort to review and reform the 20-plus-year-old Open Public Records Act (OPRA) initiated by a countywide municipalities organization was endorsed by the Woodcliff Lake Borough Council, 4-0, on May 16. The resolution, No. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After repeated citizen requests for a traffic study at the soon-to-be-acquired $1.35 million 95 Linwood Ave. site, the town’s business administrator told residents May 16 that no study can be done until the […]
Update: This meeting is cancelled. The township clerk says on the morning of June 2, “Please note that there was an issue with the publication of this meeting for this evening and the meeting needs […]
WESTWOOD—Westwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps (WVAC) reports a surge in a new type of member: recent retirees. These members have found a fulfilling part-time role in the corps, and encourage others to do the same. Leadership […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township officials revealed that the 6.1-acre former Washington Township Recreation Club on Ridgewood Boulevard North was foreclosed upon in January and asserted “a real estate developer was ready to purchase this land to […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Although the Township closed on the 6.1-acre former private Washington Township Recreation Club on Ridgewood Boulevard North on April 29, a consultant’s environmental report dated April 7 found that further environmental investigation of […]
HILLSDALE—The state site remediation manager for the former Alexander Cleaners property at 127 Broadway said that contamination in underground aquifers there meets or is below state water quality standards, at the May 10 Borough Council […]
PARK RIDGE—In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month and in concert with the Mayors Wellness Program, PKRG-TV will present a three-part series of programs “to enhance the well-being of our town” that focus on topics […]
HILLSDALE—A nearly $27 million school district budget was approved, 4-0, at the April 25 school board meeting. The measure will raise average taxes approximately $119 annually — slightly under 2% —said the Hillsdale Public School […]
MONTVALE—The 25-unit income-restricted or low-income apartment complex planned for 159–161 Summit Avenue, at the intersection with Craig Road, plans to break ground this fall, according to its developer. Called Cornerstone at Montvale, the complex will […]
RIVER VALE —The Township Council has approved a nearly $19 million 2022-2023 budget that raises an average homeowner’s taxes by 3.1%, or approximately $98 annually, said the township’s business administrator and chief financial officer. Council […]
HILLSDALE—Following a nearly hourlong discussion May 3 between the mayor and council over whether to increase municipal taxes by about 1%, the Borough Council approved, 5-1, a $16.5 million municipal budget that increases taxes 1.2%. […]
PASCACK VALLEY—An official from a Bergen County nature preserve told approximately a dozen residents at River Vale Public Library on May 6 that homeowners should learn to coexist with deer, take care to minimize deer […]
EMERSON— Brownie Troop 97609 charmed the Emerson Volunteer Ambulance Corps (EVAC) on April 24 in a visit. The scouts toured the ambulance and learned from volunteers about the important things EVAC does when someone calls […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council’s five-member majority criticized a proposal from councilman Zoltán Horváth — supported by Mayor John Ruocco — to bring up a discussion of a public referendum for the General Election on the council’s […]
WESTWOOD—Congratulations to Michael Saul, who stepped up from the cadet ranks and on May 3 was sworn in as a probationary firefighter with the Westwood Volunteer Fire Department — adding to his new credentials as […]
PARK RIDGE—Residents at the James, the 240-unit, five story luxury mixed-use development at 87 Madison Ave. on Kinderkamack Road that began rentals last summer, have told Pascack Press that the landlord has hit residents with […]
PARK RIDGE—The Borough Council narrowly introduced a $17.3 million 2022 municipal budget on April 26 that includes a 9.5% increase in expenses and an average $133 annual increase on homeowners. The budget introduction was approved […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Three days after the Township closed on its $750,000 purchase of a 6.1-acre former Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club, the council sought public input, May 2, on a county open space land […]
Westwood Public Library says, “What’s Your Alibi? Here’s the 4-1-1. We’re really looking forward to this party.” And you’re invited. The details: Who: A fun night for singles, couples, friends and families (everyone has to […]
RIVER VALE—At the applicant’s request, the fourth and likely final hearing on a proposed 13 townhome, two-apartment complex development on 1.25 acres on Rivervale Road, known as Collignon Estates, was rescheduled for Wednesday, May 25 […]
RIVER VALE—Approximately $2.3 million in bonds for municipal projects and River Vale Country Club improvements are up for approval before the Township Council at its May 9 meeting. The two bonds, one approximately $1.5 million […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Rockland and Bergen counties are home to many creative residents, a number of whom can be seen playing your favorite covers of popular music at local venues on any given day. However, singer/songwriters in […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Congratulations to Chris Eagar, valedictorian of the Westwood Regional High School Class of 2022. On Friday, April 29, Eagar announced he’s made “the very exciting decision” to commit to the University of Miami. […]
WESTWOOD—The Woman’s Club of Westwood Inc. invites you to its Spring Antique Appraisal Show, with RZM Fine Arts & Antiques Inc., on Sunday, May 15 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Woman’s Club of Westwood clubhouse, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The community is invited to come together with Mayor Carlos Rendo and others on May 14 from 1 to 4 p.m. in support of Ukraine. Led by Rendo with local Ukraine activists Ola Parks […]
MONTVALE—The Borough Council approved a $21.3 million municipal budget April 26, at an increase of about $1.34 million, or an approximate 6.7% increase over the 2021 tab. However, overall, local taxpayers will likely see a […]
WESTWOOD—If you don’t yet know the difference between a flight, a growler, and a crowler you’ll need to visit Westwood’s new craft brewery to update your beer vocabulary — and find out what’s on tap […]
PVRHSD—The Pascack Valley Regional High School District board voted, 6-0, on April 25 to approve a $65.5 million annual budget for 2022-2023. The budget had previously been reviewed and approved by the county superintendent, said […]
WWRSD—Parents spoke to what they see as the pros and cons of new state health curricula that feature topics such as anatomy, puberty, and gender identity — and one called for a stop to the […]
AHA adds 27 to ranks of National Art Honor Society; Emma Yale of Westwood is chapter president DEMAREST—Some of the Academy of the Holy Angels’ best fine artists have been inducted into the National Art Honor […]
RIVER VALE—Congratulations to Lauren Kalfus, third-place winner of a 2022 STANJ Governor’s Award, for her comedic monologue as Madison in Pascack Valley Regional High School’s performance of “Night Night, Roger Roger.” STANJ, or the Speech and […]
EMERSON—The Borough Council decided to move forward, April 19, with a proposed November referendum to ask taxpayers to create a municipal Open Space Trust Fund that will impose a small tax on homeowners to help […]
WESTWOOD—Happy 150th anniversary of Arbor Day! You’re invited to attend the ceremonial planting of an Eastern redbud at Gritman Pond Park (Meadow Road entrance) on Saturday, April 30 at 10 a.m. The Borough of Westwood’s […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Three of the eight Pascack Valley communities broadcast the meetings of local land use boards — planning and zoning boards — either live via the Zoom platform or live on community access television stations. […]
EMERSON—Borough officials said an approximately $20,000 locally based lightning detection system would be installed on fields and parks within two months to help provide better lightning warning detection than the current system offers. The current […]
HILLSDALE—Within a day of posting a video sharing her thoughts on the 49th anniversary of the loss of her daughter, Joan Angela, Rosemarie D’Alessandro fielded dozens of messages of love. The 16-minute video was Rosemarie’s […]
RIVER VALE—A proposed 15-unit development on 1.25 acres at Collignon Way and Rivervale Road — including 13 townhomes and 2 apartments, will have a fourth hearing, in-person, on Wednesday, at Town Hall on April 27, […]
MONTVALE—Field renovations completed at Pascack Hills High School in 2017 have created long-term soil erosion problems that have damaged an athletic field and track, says a lawsuit filed by Pascack Valley Regional High School District. […]
PARK RIDGE—A $2.2 million bond ordinance was introduced April 12 by the Borough Council to pay for water treatment systems at three Park Ridge Water wells to remove so-called “forever chemicals” that include PFOA contaminants, […]
Pascack Press salutes the Pascack Valley’s high-achieving alumni of our area high schools. Here’s what they’ve been up to lately, according to their schools and families… David Sklar of the Township of Washington is graduating […]
HILLSDALE—Following strong concerns voiced April 12 by a local restaurateur hoping to offer expanded al fresco dining to meet customer demand, Mayor John Ruocco requested that a councilman “quickly draft” a resolution to help reinstate […]
HILLSDALE—The borough’s engineering consultant estimated a new artificial turf field, renovations and redesign at Centennial Field will cost approximately $3.5 million, including about $45,000 in preliminary engineering costs which were approved April 11 by the […]
HILLSDALE—When the Hillsdale Board of Education meets on Monday, April 25 it’ll take up the adoption of a final 2022–2023 budget, approved at the March 21 board meeting and advertised April 18. Current General Expense […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Former Police Chief Anthony Jannicelli has been recognized as L.E.A.D.er of the Year by Law Enforcement Against Drugs & Violence (L.E.A.D.), a nationwide nonprofit committed to protecting communities from drugs and violence. The award […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Only one Pascack Valley primary election — where parties choose their General Election candidates — is contested in the Pascack Valley, with some political parties putting up an incomplete slate of candidates or incumbents […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council has set a special meeting for Monday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at town hall and on Zoom to discuss amendments to the redevelopment plan for a new proposal for a 250-unit, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Without a comment on April 11, the Borough Council passed a flag-flying ordinance, 5-0, that limits the display and flying of flags on municipal property to six types, excluding the Pride Flag and others […]
WESTWOOD—When seconds mean the difference between life and death, you need the right tools for the job — you also need people well trained in those tools’ use — not just the how, but the […]
HILLSDALE—The architect hired by Hillsdale’s school board presented four options April 11 for repairing or replacing the century-old George G. White Middle School. Options range in price from $25.5 million, for conduct minor renovations and […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A proposal for 15 high-end townhomes on Rosengren Court — part of an agreement originally approved in the borough’s 2017 affordable housing settlement — will seek preliminary and final site plan approval on April […]
HILLSDALE—A redevelopment proposal for a 250-unit, four-story luxury rental apartment complex spanning 5.4 acres — with potentially 400 new residents — was presented April 6 to residents who raised questions about traffic, flooding, public safety, […]
EMERSON—The Borough Council introduced a $14.5 million municipal budget on April 5 that includes a “very small” 2.7% increase over 2021’s budget, which is estimated to cost an average homeowner approximately $97 extra in yearly […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Congratulations to Westwood Regional High School Senior Connor Munson, who was accepted with well-deserved fanfare into the United States Air Force Academy. At his signing ceremony, at the high school on March 4, […]
PARK RIDGE—Mayor Keith Misciagna wrote to residents — “my Park Ridge family” — on April 1 with March updates, including the problem of trash resurfacing now that Memorial Field is open. He said, “It is […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Three of eight Pascack Valley government bodies broadcast local council meetings on public access television or electronic platforms — such as YouTube or Zoom — that enable residents to watch government in action, or […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Residents of Washington Township and Paramus who live near the proposed DPW facility at 95 Linwood Avenue — the former Charlie Brown’s restaurant — criticized the plan for two hours during the April […]
WESTWOOD—The April 5 mayor and council work session was packed, with presentations on World Trade Center steel for the 9/11 Memorial and an Eagle Scout candidate’s proposal for a final project. The council heard from […]
HILLSDALE—The Hillsdale Fire Department Carnival runs Monday, April 18 through Saturday, April 23, at the west borough parking lot. The schedule is Monday–Friday, 6 to 11 p.m. and Saturday, 2 to 10 p.m. Bracelet nights […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The 30th Annual Kid Fishing Contest, sponsored by the Friends of the Pascack Brook, is on for Saturday, April 30 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine. All kids 4–16 are invited […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali wrote residents on April 6 to say he was excited to inform them that Valley Health System has committed to occupy 60,000 square feet of a new medical building to be built […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali defended the Borough Council and himself against charges that he mishandled a Black History Month event where he disinvited award-winning African American filmmaker Timothy Ware-Hill from a library children’s book reading. Meanwhile, […]
HACKENSACK—In celebration of 2022 National Preservation Month in May, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco III and the Board of County Commissioners are pleased to announce the winners of the 2022 Bergen County Historic Preservation Awards. […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council introduced a $16.5 million budget on April 5, with an approximate 1% increase, or $96,876, that will nudge local homeowner taxes by $27 annually. However, Borough Finance Committee Chair Abby Lundy also […]
MONTVALE—Visitors to local athletic fields and parks can anticipate seeing fewer geese — and less geese droppings — over the upcoming weekends thanks to a nearly $4,000 “geese harassment” amendment that the Borough Council approved […]
WESTWOOD—The mayor and council are meeting at the Municipal Complex on Tuesday, April 5 for a pair of work sessions. The closed session is at 7:30 p.m.; the open session is at 8. According to […]
WESTWOOD—A new pavilion will be coming soon to Brookside Park, possibly by the late summer or fall thanks to an $85,000 appropriation from the Recreation Trust Fund approved March 15 by the Borough Council. The […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A low bid approaching $300,000 was received March 24 to undertake the Causeway Streetscape Project, a beautification project delayed by bids received last year that were hundreds of thousands over what the Borough Council […]
MONTVALE—The Pascack Valley Regional High School District board introduced a tentative $65.3 million budget for 2022-2023 at a special meeting March 21. The amount us up 1.59% over last year. The vote was required before […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Fire departments in the Pascack Valley and Northern Valley have joined a mammoth undertaking in donating used firefighting gear and equipment to Ukrainian fire departments and rescue services under siege. With Russian forces […]
HILLSDALE—Build on site, build across the street, or just renovate the place? Those are the options facing school board trustees and administrators as they move toward an upcoming special meeting on the fate of the […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Booster doses of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine will be available Wed., April 6 at the Waldwick Health Clinic for individuals with immune deficiencies and adults 50-plus who have received the one-dose or two-dose vaccine […]
RIVER VALE—Two-term Republican Mayor Glen Jasionowski, a presence on the Township Council dais for a decade as mayor and a councilman, will not be running in November’s General Election. Council President Mark Bromberg said he […]
NORTHERN VALLEY AREA—Two years after suspending operations amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Pascack Press’s sister newspapers, Northern Valley Press and Northern Valley Press South, have returned to service. Family owned and based in Westwood, The Press […]
HILLSDALE—Claremont Development LLC of Morristown is holding an open town forum at Hillsdale Borough Hall, 380 Hillsdale Ave., at 7 p.m. on April 6 to discuss the redevelopment of the industrial area. Mayor John Ruocco, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A proposal to convert a mixed-use nonconforming 150-year-old residence at 216 Broadway into a six-apartment building that will be restored to its original Italianate-style design with a cupola was approved unanimously March 30 by […]
WESTWOOD—Westwood Gallery is pleased to present original paintings and prints by Westwood artist Maud Guilfoyle in an exhibit of her Orchid series, opening Saturday, April 2 from 4:30 to 6 p.m., coinciding with Shop the […]
EMERSON—Emerson Station’s redeveloper’s attorney, seeking an accommodation for a 100% affordable, seven-unit building at 129 Kinderkamack Road, has yet to answer nine questions posed by the governing body. Without those answers, says Borough Attorney […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Mayor Carlos Rendo said March 21 that council members were waiting to receive copies of the newly adopted Master Plan — adopted on March 16 by the Planning Board — and council discussion was […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An architect hired by the township presented preliminary plans March 21 for a residential-style DPW building and garages at the former Charlie Brown’s restaurant site at 95 Linwood Ave. A half-dozen neighbors said […]
RIVER VALE—The Joint Planning Board is set to take up what could be the final hearing for a development of 13 townhouses with two affordable apartments at the corner of Rivervale Road and Collignon Way […]
HILLSDALE—Mayor John Ruocco has requested that the three state representatives from the 39th District propose legislation to amend the nearly 50-year-old state Open Public Meetings Act and make agreements and attachments noted on meeting agendas […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A special Zoning Board meeting on March 30 likely will feature final expert testimony, public comment, and a board vote on an application to construct and restore a six-unit apartment building in a 150-year-old […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Among the many individual, family, and group donations of local humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine — under siege by Vladimr Putin of Russia since Feb. 24 — the township police and public […]
MONTVALE—The president of the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education wrote school families on March 25 to say that at the board’s March 28 meeting, Sarah Bilotti will be on the agenda […]
WWRSD—The Westwood Regional School District Board of Trustees approved a budget for next year of $70,494,970, which includes $55,000 for a retired police officer to round out district security. In an 8–0 vote on March […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Borough Council unanimously introduced a flag-flying ordinance March 21 that limits the display and flying of flags on public property to six types. The measure excludes the Pride Flag, which was at the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—On Wednesday, March 23, at approximately 1:21 a.m. the WTPD received a report of an armed carjacking in the area of 150 Pascack Road. According to the department in a statement around noon, “Patrol […]
WESTWOOD—Mayor Ray Arroyo, the Borough Council, the Police Department, and the Volunteer Fire Department were among those remembering the late ex-Westwood fire chief James Mawdsley Sr. with love and respect following his passing, March 5, […]
EMERSON—A former grant writing consultant hired in 2016 and again in 2017 on a six-month contract has filed a lawsuit against Emerson to recoup a percentage of nearly $1 million in grants that the borough was […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali says he, the borough engineer, the Planning Board chairman, and members of the Economic Development Committee met with leadership from KPMG on March 15 and came away with good news: “KPMG confirmed […]
PARK RIDGE—The Park Ridge Board of Education honored the district’s fall 2021 sports standouts at its Feb. 28 meeting. Presented by Chris Brown, honors went to: Girls Cross Country – NJIC Patriot Division Champions, NJIC […]
EMERSON—Scores of friends, family and fellow officers crowded Borough Hall council chambers March 15 to celebrate as the Emerson Police Department promoted three officers, including one captain and two lieutenants. The session’s first half-hour was […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—After more than a year of meetings, debates, surveys and public input at 12 committee meetings and six Planning and Zoning Board meetings, the Planning Board voted March 15, overwhelmingly, to approve the newly […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—One councilman voted against an ordinance that mandates visible house numbers, saying he opposed it over freedom concerns. Ordinance 22-05, requiring visible house and building numbers “to be affixed to all such structures” […]
EMERSON—Mayor Danielle DiPaola said the total reported positive cases of Covid-19 for January were 315 and the total reported positive cases of Covid-19 for February were 28. Reporting at the March 15 meeting of the […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley (LWVNV) invites the public to learn about the League of Women Voters and attend a virtual meet and greet conducted by the League of Women Voters […]
MONTVALE—Four of the six baseball/softball fields at the Memorial Drive Athletic Complex are planned for infield upgrades this summer, based on a planned contract with Colliers Engineering and Design up for approval at the March […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township is applying for full reimbursement of its $800,000 anticipated cost to purchase the 6.4-acre former Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club to the county’s Trust Fund Land Acquisition Program, although it […]
MONTVALE—A public hearing is set for March 29 on final approval of a proposal to construct 25 low- or moderate-income units on a 3-plus-acre borough property on Summit Avenue. The siting, for Montvale Family Apartments, is […]
WESTWOOD—It might be called an infamous claim to fame: the self-described Hub of the Pascack Valley may soon host the Garden State’s sole surviving Kmart discount store, in Westwood Plaza at 700 Broadway. The only […]
WESTWOOD—Congratulations and thanks to The Iron Horse, where the party continues, its owners and many, many friends kicking off a year of revels to mark this local institution’s 50th glorious anniversary. Boasting now more than […]
PARK RIDGE—Pascack Historical Society, gearing up to celebrate its 80th birthday, still has demolition and repairs ahead of it after a water pipe burst in Ellen Berdais Hall — the main venue of the society’s […]
HILLSDALE—A councilman on the borough’s Economic Development Committee has reported on several new ideas toward boosting commerce, increasing foot traffic and safety, and creating more dining options downtown. In a brief presentation, “Rethinking Streets,” Councilman Frank […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The cost of the new emergency services building, taking shape on Washington Avenue and tentatively scheduled for move-in this spring, has increased by at least $216,785, about 4% over its original estimate. That’s […]
MONTVALE—A split Pascack Valley Regional Board of Education failed to pass an updated school employee vaccination policy at the Feb. 28 meeting, a move that leaves the original policy in effect, requiring district employees to […]
WESTWOOD—Celebrate Westwood invites us all to help laud the countless ways in which volunteers have improved Westwood and the greater Pascack Valley. Visit the gallery installation “Picture The Hub: Giving Time,” March 14–April 30 at […]
WESTWOOD REGIONAL DISTRICT—A trustee’s remarks at a late January school board meeting — tying then-district policy on unvaccinated students to the 1954 court decision that ruled segregation of Black students in public schools was unconstitutional — erupted […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari confirmed at the March 7 Township Council meeting that a new Department of Public Works headquarters will be constructed at 95 Linwood Ave., the 1.45-acre former home of a Charlie […]
EMERSON—Whether Emerson Station’s redeveloper needs to get local zoning approval to construct seven offsite affordable units at 129 Kinderkamack Road — now zoned for commercial and mixed-use multifamily — is a question that could wind […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Residents wishing to preview the borough’s newly updated 2022 Master Plan — scheduled for a Planning Board vote on Wednesday, March 16 at 5 p.m. — can access the 95-page document here. The document […]
RIVER VALE—America’s fastest growing paddle sport, pickleball, will soon be coming to the township’s Mark Lane Athletic Complex thanks to dozens of resident requests and a recent $77,340 Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund grant […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Approximately $900,000 in emergency appropriations will be used to purchase and install three granular activated carbon vessels for the treatment of man-made toxins, linked to certain cancers and other ailments, at three local water […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Bids for the Causeway Streetscape Project, which originally came in hundreds of thousands of dollars over previous estimates mainly due to upgraded fencing, are being solicited again but with new specs and no fencing […]
WESTWOOD—The former police pistol range on a quarter-acre slice of Westvale Park, at Harrington Avenue and Sand Road, will be permanently deeded as open space and converted into a passive park following remediation, according to […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Is there a more important time than now to hear the story from the last remaining survivors? That’s the question, more than rhetorical, leading the announcement to a guest speaker event on Sunday evening, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A change order for an additional $30,000 cost from Tekcon Construction, Somerset, to use concrete instead of asphalt on the front driveway apron of the new Emergency Services Building on Washington Avenue is […]
PARK RIDGE—Congratulations and a sharp salute to Dick Bozzone, one of the hardest-working veterans in the valley, recognized with a day in his honor, Feb. 24, on the occasion of his 90th birthday. At the […]
EMERSON—Students from Emerson Jr.-Sr. High School invite you to their production of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” with music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, concept by Rebecca Feldman, and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Two consultants hired to perform due diligence studies on the township’s planned $800,000 purchase of the 6.5-acre Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club will be paid a combined $15,150 for the land survey […]
MONTVALE—At least a dozen families who previously attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Church have either voluntarily left or been banned from the church and its premises by the pastor, due to “words and actions which perpetuate […]
HILLSDALE—At the March 1 meeting of the mayor and council, the governing body approved the hiring of David Troast, of Hawthorne, as borough administrator, effective March 3. Troast’s gross pay is $129,000. His contract is […]
WESTWOOD—Knights of Columbus Council #2188 and Spectrum for Living both came out as winners as the 2022 Super Bowl came to a close on Sunday, Feb. 6. Grand Knight Frank Mariconti told Pascack Press on […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Nearly 800 area residents should recently have received a letter notifying them that their water comes through a lead service line, a notice required under legislation Gov. Phil Murphy signed 2021. Suez North America, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council on Feb. 22 hired two consultants to undertake a property survey and environmental site assessment at the 6.5-acre Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club, 464 Ridgewood Boulevard North. The council […]
RIVER VALE—Questions over building height, stormwater drainage, traffic, and open space dominated the third Joint Planning Board hearing for Collignon Estates on Feb. 16. The proposal is for a four-building, 13-townhome development on two adjacent […]
RIVER VALE—The town council hired a consultant Feb. 14 at nearly $378,000 for management and daily supervision of construction at the proposed $12.5 million public safety complex. That’s according to the township’s business administrator and […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—After purchasing the property for $1.65 million in early 2018, and spending another $400,000 to remediate contaminated soil at the site, the Borough Council has hired an architectural firm to design a passive park […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The borough public works superintendent recommended that a six-unit apartment building proposed for 216 Broadway should be serviced by a private trash hauler and said the tenants of six units would produce an “excessive” […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A proposed comprehensive Master Plan update to help guide the development of the borough has drawn sharp opposition from several residents and a local watchdog group opposed to overdevelopment. The document is expected to […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Congratulations to the 2021–2022 Westwood Cardinals Girls Bowling Team, winner of the NJSIAA Group 1 State Championship, held this year on Feb. 14 at Bowlero Lanes in North Brunswick. According to Westwood High School […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The work of Park Ridge artist David Strauss will be featured in a one man show at The Gallery in New York City, March 1–12. The show revels in a representative sample of the […]
WESTWOOD—It’s nice when promises are kept, sweeter still when they’re warm promises, flaky of crust and rich and wonderful. If we were to dream, these would be promises inspired by New Orleans’ French Quarter, where […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The Community Chest of Eastern Bergen County is accepting applications for its Fifth Annual High School Young Women’s Leadership Awards. This year, seven awards will be given to outstanding students identifying as female, […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Emerson Mayor Danielle DiPaola and Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo — like many of their peers in the Pascack Valley — urge their residents affected by airplane noise or noise pollution from small jets heading […]
EMERSON—In addition to providing an update on local mayors’ efforts to help resolve Teterboro Airport noise pollution overhead, Mayor Danielle DiPaola and Borough Administrator Robert Hermansen gave updates on several town initiatives at the Feb. […]
WESTWOOD—LGBTQIA+ identifying individuals and their allies of all ages are invited to join Parkside Community Church “in a worship service celebrating the ‘Ecstatic, Expansive and Elastic’ gospel that proclaims there is room for all in […]
PARK RIDGE—A Feb. 8 council vote to name State Sen. Holly Schepisi (R-39) rate counsel for the borough’s Board of Public Works, which manages its water and electric utilities, has drawn ire from officials who […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Woodcliff Lake police officers took the Valley Chabad Teen Leadership Initiative up on its invitation to attend a recent CTeen event. On Feb. 10, the officers brought coffee and donuts and shared a bit […]
MONTVALE—Speakers would get three minutes at the public microphone, down from the current five if a Pascack Valley Regional High School Board policy change passes on second reading, Feb. 28. On Feb. 7, trustees voted, […]
MONTVALE—The Diversity and Inclusion Committee is calling for Mayor Michael Ghassali’s apology for his unilateral banning of an award-winning filmmaker they’d scheduled with the public library to read a respected picture book next week in […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Superintendent Lauren Barbelet says a community concern over a middle school teacher’s approach to a lesson on totalitarian regimes is under investigation. Barbelet gave us a statement at press time and invited follow-up. She […]
HACKENSACK—Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Francisco Barrera-Capistran, 36, a married contractor of Homasassa, Florida, on aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault by contact and endangering the welfare of a child charges. The […]
WESTWOOD—Congratulations to this year’s bounty of talented young artists, the 14 finalists in WWRSD has heART, in the Westwood Regional Art Department and Westwood Gallery’s 10th Annual program. The K-12 finalists and their families enjoyed […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Looking to help emergency responders quickly identify local homes and businesses — and to honor the late councilman Arthur J. Cumming, who spearheaded the idea — the mayor and council hope to pass […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari said the town is no longer bound to preserve Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club, urging the council on Feb. 7 approve a nearly $792,000 bond ordinance and an $800,000 […]
HILLSDALE—Mayor John Ruocco told the borough council on Feb. 8 that developing a plan to move the public works facility from its flood-prone location should be a higher priority than siting a new community center […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The time is now to pre-register for Alumni in Recovery’s “A Walk to Remember,” set for April 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Westvale Park, 235 Harrington Ave., Westwood. The event supports […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Now entering its 16th year, Bergen LEADS is accepting applications for the class of 2023. Strengthening the community by developing leaders has been the legacy of Bergen LEADS since 2006. Since its inception, more […]
EMERSON—Friends, family, and fellow officers applauded as Mayor Danielle DiPaola and Police Chief Michael Mazzeo swore in two new recruits at the Borough Council’s Jan. 18 meeting. Jared Chichizola and Thomas P. Solimando were welcomed […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Sharing municipal services, large equipment purchases, and public works equipment has been a common practice among Pascack Valley towns for decades in efforts to save taxpayer dollars, minimize property tax increases, and streamline services. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Westwood Regional School District Superintendent Jill Mortimer wrote families in Washington Township and Westwood on Feb. 7 to note that, in light of Gov. Murphy’s announcement the same day — that the mask […]
RIVER VALE—The multifamily Collignon Estates complex proposed along Rivervale Road now includes two new rental apartments, one fewer townhome, and one fewer variance. A virtual second hearing before the Joint Planning Board on a revised […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Given the downward local trend of the pandemic, Westwood Regional School District superintendent Jill Mortimer says she’ll no longer require unvaccinated, asymptomatic students/staff to quarantine or Test to Stay if they become close […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali has challenged residents to join together to help shed 1,000 total pounds, assisted by gym owners, trainers, and Zumba dancers and instructors. He says this year’s mayor’s fitness challenge, March 1 – […]
RIVER VALE—The River Vale Board of Education has awarded contracts for bond referendum construction projects at all three district schools, paving the way for major building work this summer. The contracts were the first approved […]
HILLSDALE—A special meeting of the mayor and council is set for Thursday, Feb. 10 at 4 p.m. on Zoom. The purpose of the meeting is for the governing body to enter into closed session to […]
ORADELL—Bergen County Players (BCP), one of America’s longest-running little theater companies, say it’s excited to present the knockout, mile-a-minute, show-within-a-show-stopping “Moon Over Buffalo,” opening on Feb. 12. Under the direction of Rachel Alt, this slapstick […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The new five-year contract signed by the Westwood Regional School District with superintendent Dr. Jill Mortimer provides $242,500 in base salary for 2022 and more than $262,000 by the fifth year of service […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Woodcliff Lake Councilwoman Jacqueline Gadaleta, who has emerged as a leading voice in the Pascack Valley for changes to operations at Teterboro Airport that could help with airplane noise pollution here, says she’s optimistic […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Mayor Carlos Rendo told the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce Breakfast With the Mayors on Jan. 26 that 16 affordable housing units will be built on Highview Avenue in late 2022 or early […]
Just outside our service area are Oradell and Old Tappan, whose mayors also were invited to present at the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce annual mayors breakfast on Jan. 26. Because the challenges and […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali says five new major projects will bring 950 new housing units to the borough this year, starting in April. He says half will be senior living and assisted living, and half will […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Days after Westwood regional K-12 trustees offered contrasting views on the district’s quarantine protocols for the unvaccinated and un-boosted, newly appointed superintendent of schools Dr. Jill Mortimer wrote families with an update on […]
Editor’s note: The Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted a virtual “Breakfast With the Mayors” on Jan. 26. Invited were the mayors of Montvale, Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake, River Vale, Old Tappan, Hillsdale, Washington […]
RIVER VALE—An applicant engineer and architect for the proposed Collignon Estates townhome development provided testimony Jan. 26 to the Joint Planning Board on key aspects of a proposed four-building, 14-unit townhome complex on two adjoining […]
EMERSON—Mayor Danielle DiPaola said that at least six businesses have opened or reopened in Emerson in 2021 and noted the borough is a “pass-through town” without the commercial district most towns have. Speaking at the […]
HILLSDALE—Mayor John Ruocco told the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce on Jan. 26 that negotiations are ongoing with a developer to prepare a plan for the former Waste Management site near downtown Hillsdale. The […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Beginning his remarks to the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce Breakfast With the Mayors on Jan. 26, Mayor Peter Calamari — who was reelected for a second consecutive term in November 2021 […]
WESTWOOD—Mayor Ray Arroyo was unable to attend the annual Breakfast With the Mayors, hosted by the Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce, on Jan. 26, but he was prepared with updates on business and economic […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The Pascack Pi-oneers are donating collected food items to the Tri-Boro Food Pantry in Park Ridge and Helping Hand Food Pantry in Hillsdale. The Pascack Pi-oneers are the 2017 FIRST World Champions, and have […]
HILLSDALE—Mayor John Ruocco wanted an explanation at the Feb. 1 Borough Council meeting why his four-page letter sent to the state’s advisory Government Records Council in November — on what documents should be made publicly available […]
HILLSDALE—The Hillsdale Public School District Board of Education hired an architect on Jan. 17 to design and complete bid specifications for nearly $1.1 million in school upgrades planned in 2022 and 2023, including a new […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Questions about trash pickup, a proposed cupola’s height, fire safety and whether the applicant’s proposed six-unit rental building at 216 Broadway should be granted a use variance dominated the second Zoning Board hearing on […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Two of nine area mayors attending the Pascack Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce annual mayors breakfast on Jan. 26 said that they would work to bring together a coalition of mayors and other officials […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council unanimously approved a two-year contract Jan. 24 with Northwest Bergen Regional Health Commission, reflecting a 3.75% overall increase, following questions about what the township was getting for the increased cost. […]
HILLSDALE—The borough has lost its business administrator and DPW superintendent, two men who allegedly have clashed since the rise of the Covid pandemic. Mayor John Ruocco told residents in an email the night of Friday, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township recently submitted a $1.3 million bid for the former Charlie Brown’s property at 95 Linwood Ave. that matched a bid submitted earlier by Apple Montessori Schools for the same 1.45-acre parcel […]
MONTVALE—Young singer-songwriter Liv Sullivan has followed up her first song and music video release, 2021’s I Would, with “Don’t Come Around.” Both releases are out on Spotify and other music platforms. Sullivan, a theater student […]
MONTVALE—In recognition of her admirable and lengthy public service, and in tribute of a life well lived, the governing body on Jan. 3 resolved that the Montvale Free Public Library shall bear the honorary name […]
WWRSD—Westwood Regional School District board president Frank Romano III told families on Jan. 18 that at its regularly scheduled public meeting the board will appoint Dr. Jill Mortimer to superintendent of Westwood Regional Schools. The […]
MONTVALE—By the next Borough Council meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 25, officials hope to learn whether the firehouse roof needs additional repairs — or possibly replacement, as suggested by a roofing repair contractor. After a roof leak […]
HILLSDALE—The Temporary Steering Advisory Committee for a Community Center and Turf Field told the Borough Council on Jan. 11 that it hopes to present options to the public for its review and feedback at the […]
MONTVALE—Sealed bids for major physical improvements to Pascack Valley’s two high schools — including restroom renovations, roof replacements, and HVAC upgrades — are due soon, with construction to likely commence by July 1, said the […]
RIVER VALE—The township Joint Planning Board has set the first public hearing on a proposed project of four three-story multifamily buildings that would comprise a 14-unit townhome development on 1.25 acres on Rivervale Road. None […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A two-year contract renewal with the Northwest Bergen Regional Health Commission — which provides “professional and efficient public health and environmental services” to the residents of the communities it serves — was tabled […]
WESTWOOD—As planets go, Earth is pretty wonderful, what with its morning kiss from the Sun, its water oceans, its atmosphere, its moon and seasons, and its generous magnetic field, which protects fragile and abundant life […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Woodcliff Lake PFA Parent Academy invites parents from all towns in the Pascack Valley to its first event of the year — “How to Address Anxiety and Covid-related Mental Health Issues in Your Child” […]
HILLSDALE—Mayor John Ruocco told residents in an email the night of Friday, Jan. 21 that two key personnel have announced their resignations. Borough Administrator Christopher Tietjen has announced his resignation with an expected departure date […]
EMERSON—Mayor Danielle DiPaola and many others delighted in an observation at the 118th Annual Reorganization Meeting of the Borough of Emerson, Jan. 4, where new council members were sworn in following 2021 victories. “There’s one […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A victorious incumbent Democratic councilwoman and her running mate were sworn in on Jan. 6 to the Borough Council and welcomed warmly by Republican Mayor Carlos Rendo. The meeting was remote, due to the […]
PASCACK VALLEY REGIONAL—Nearly a dozen residents gave their views on the kind of superintendent they want for the Pascack Valley Regional High School District, speaking out Jan. 5 in an online forum moderated by a […]
HILLSDALE—Mayor John Ruocco reserved the back chunk of his State of the Borough address on Jan. 4 to decrying a perceived lack of transparency on council and pushing against surprise bylaw changes that stripped him […]
HILLSDALE—Stonybrook Swim Club likely will have a net revenue of about $300,000 for the 2021 pool season — and it’s repaid a borough loan taken out to cover expenses in 2021. Lisa Spadafino, with the […]
HILLSDALE—Amendments over the mayor’s role in participating on standing committees, reporting on committee work, and getting the “last word” at every council meeting were approved, 5-1, at an often contentious Jan. 4 Borough Council reorganization […]
PASCACK VALLEY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT—Approximately 100 students likely will join the two regional high schools from almost 1,000 new housing units expected to be built over the next five years. That’s according to a […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township allegedly has its sights set on 95 Linwood Ave., the former Charlie Brown’s Fresh Grill and steakhouse — long languishing behind a Realtor sign saying “available” — and is prepared to acquire […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council unanimously introduced a $761,900 bond ordinance at a special Jan. 13 meeting, part of a planned $800,000 offer on the Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club, approximately 6.5 acres on […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council has advertised a special public meeting for Thursday, Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m. to introduce a pair of bond ordinances authorizing the acquisition and financing of two parcels. Which parcels […]
HILLSDALE—New restrictions on the mayor’s role in participating on standing committees, reporting on committee work, and getting the “last word” at every council meeting were approved, 5-1, at an often contentious Jan. 4 Borough Council […]
EMERSON—The Borough Council emerged from a closed executive session on Dec. 28, 2021 and unanimously approved one resolution related to affordable housing and another related to property deeded to the Emerson Station redevelopment. Resolution 269-21, […]
EMERSON—Council President Kenneth Hoffman was honored with a plaque at the Dec. 28, 2021 sine die meeting, a token of thanks for his many years of service to Emerson. Hoffman, a Republican, fielded words of […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After new councilwoman Daisy Velez and returning incumbents Mayor Peter Calamari and councilman Tom Sears were sworn in at the Jan. 3 reorganization meeting, the council voted, 5-0, to appoint Desserie Morgan council president […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Acting Westwood Regional School District Superintendent Jill Mortimer says the district has “a clear direction from multiple groups of stakeholders” to proceed with the hiring of a Class II officer for duty at […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—After removing nearly 7,700 lead-contaminated water lines throughout Bergen and Hudson counties since 2019, Suez North America — which serves 870,000 residents in both counties — said its lab results showed the lowest […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Of nearly $19 million allocated countywide for 2021 open space and park improvement projects, six of our eight Pascack Valley towns received nearly $500,000 in matching grant funds from the Bergen County Open […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Acting Westwood Regional School District Superintendent Jill Mortimer says the district now has “a clear direction from multiple groups of stakeholders,” following a survey, to proceed with the hiring of a Class II […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township has a second chance to put an offer on the Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club, 6.4 acres on Ridgewood Boulevard North, as soon as this month. Trustees of the private […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—As more than 1,000 housing units go on the market in upcoming years in nearby Montvale and Park Ridge, Woodcliff Lake’s mayor has asked his borough attorney to weigh in on options that the […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Woodcliff Lake Mayor Carlos Rendo tells Pascack Press that it is important for Pascack Valley towns to be proactive, not reactive, in creating a new affordable housing system in 2025. He also wants to […]
MONTVALE—Pascack Valley Regional High School students, staff, parents and residents have an opportunity on Wednesday, Jan. 5 at 7:30 p.m. [this is virtual only, via Zoom] to express opinions on their expectations for a new […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The GFWC Paskack Junior Woman’s Club has announced the winners of its 2021 Holiday Lights Contest, and what amazing homes they are! Organizers told Pascack Press the contest aimed to “encourage a sense of […]
PASCACK VALLEY—With Montvale holding its annual Borough Council reorganization meeting at noon on Sunday, Jan. 2, other Pascack Valley towns hold reorg meetings Monday and Tuesday, with a majority choosing Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022 to […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Your glory days are hardly over, if in fact they’ve yet begun. The playing field calls. Conquer is a mobile app that facilitates participation in athletic competition. Users create and join local pick-up sporting […]
WESTWOOD—The mayors of all 10 towns in the Greater Pascack Valley are invited to present their annual town updates over breakfast in Westwood, and you’re invited. The breakfast meeting and presentation are open to the […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—While an applicant attorney said the conversion of first-floor retail space at 216 Broadway to rental apartments will “bring an important old and new asset” back to the borough, a half dozen residents criticized […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Three Westwood Regional School District board members were honored for their years of service at the Dec. 16 regional board meeting — their final official meeting — with praise from fellow board members […]
HILLSDALE—Kids of all ages joined Pascack Pi-oneers FIRST Robotics Team 1676 for its annual Fall for STEAM Fair on Saturday, Dec. 11. Foot traffic was joyously heavy at the event, at Pascack Valley High School […]
As we look back at 2021, one story stands out as arguably the most remarkable and far-reaching: the ongoing work of Rosemarie D’Alessandro and the Joan Angela D’Alessandro Memorial Foundation. Also called Joan’s Joy, the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Council members said that the architect overseeing construction at the nearly $6 million Emergency Services Building will be asked to appear before council at its second January meeting to help clarify nagging questions […]
HILLSDALE—The Board of Education voted on Dec. 13 to approve an $18,000 study to look at the local district’s population trends and likely impacts on the district’s two grammar schools and George G. White Middle […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Two council members said they foresaw substantial delays in the Emergency Services Building’s completion — now with a final completion date of March 2022 — and one even claimed that there appeared to […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Baking and hot cocoa kits, upcycled clothes, custom jewelry, locker organizers, healthy eating plans and cookbooks, and school spiritwear featured among the items shoppers snapped up at the innovative TREP$ Marketplace, at Woodcliff Middle […]
PVHRSD—An online community survey and an in-person community forum will take place over the next few weeks as Pascack Valley Regional High School District school officials and a search consultant begin the process for acquiring […]
WESTWOOD—The holiday spirit has taken over the Westwood Community Center as residents came together to participate in art, crafting, food pantry donations and the reprisal of the Recreation Department’s Holiday Decorating Contest. The holiday season […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Preliminary and unofficial results from a Westwood Regional School District survey on hiring special law enforcement officers — known as SLEOs — for each of six district schools shows that most parents and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Council members agreed in early December that something needs to be done to improve safety at the Van Emburgh–Washington Avenue intersection before two recently approved developments add traffic to the trouble spot. Both […]
MONTVALE—The votes are in, and the special election bond referendum of Dec. 14 has passed, meaning the way is clear for significant upgrades, including construction, at Memorial Elementary School and Fieldstone Middle School. Turnout was […]
MONTVALE—What were they thinking? Nobody was injured, though many were frightened after two boys from Monsey, 14 and 16, accosted fellow passengers on a commuter bus — with a fake gun and exploding fireworks — the […]
HILLSDALE—Preliminary estimates for a community center and turf field provided by a consultant total nearly $16 million, said the mayor at the Dec. 7 council meeting. No decisions on whether to move forward on a […]
HILLSDALE—Trustee Michael Fronte, a Hillsdale resident and three-year board member, was honored Dec. 13 for his three years of service to the Pascack Valley Regional High School School District. The Dec. 13 session was Fronte’s […]
MONTVALE—Operation BBQ Relief, a nonprofit organization that supports communities following a natural disaster with hot meals to those in need and on the front lines, will be distributing hot meals in Montvale on Saturday, Dec. […]
HACKENSACK—Officials from Bergen and Passaic counties have reached terms on a new agreement where the Bergen County Jail will soon assume the care and custody of all Passaic County inmates. According to a Dec. 15 […]
HILLSDALE—Preliminary estimates for a community center and turf field provided by a consultant total nearly $16 million, said the mayor at the Dec. 7 council meeting, although no final decisions whether to move forward on […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The 4th Annual Moms Charity Flag Football game is in the books, and what a game it was. When the dust settled, the Hillsdale Lady Hawks were four-time champions — this time brushing back […]
BY MICHAEL FITZSIMMONSFOR PASCACK PRESS WESTWOOD—Westwood’s Home for the Holidays celebration made a triumphant return Saturday, Dec. 4 — a spectacular and mild evening with a huge turnout. More than 30 groups marched and rode down […]
PASCACK VALLEY HS DISTRICT—Students at Pascack Hills and Pascack Valley high schools, along with staff and parents in the district, will be given school climate surveys in early 2022, part of a continuing effort to […]
HILLSDALE—Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County kicked off its latest Pascack Valley home build with a livestreamed celebration in the borough: the groundbreaking ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 8 at noon at 2 Chestnut St. The nonprofit […]
HILLSDALE—Public school district officials likely will discuss concerns and final due diligence reports on a nearby site to construct a new George G. White Middle School on an open lot on Magnolia Avenue. Trustees will […]
EMERSON—A Covid-19 vaccine clinic for booster doses and third doses of the Moderna vaccine will be held Monday, Dec. 13 from noon to 2 p.m. at Emerson Senior Center, 20 Palisades Ave. The event is […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—At a meeting devoid of public comment, the Planning Board voted, 7-1, on Dec. 1 to approve Franklin Court Management LLC’s 44-unit multifamily inclusionary rental complex and two single-family homes off of Van […]
MONTVALE—Local voters will decide the fate of a $29.4 million bond referendum to enhance school facilities, upgrade heating and air conditioning, and renovate and add restrooms — all to help maintain small class sizes — […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Two pairs of vehicles were involved in near-simultaneous crashes, northbound and southbound on the Garden State Parkway near East Glen Avenue, on the afternoon of Friday, Dec. 10. Photos that freelance photographer Boyd […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—An application to convert a mixed-use residential and retail building at 216 Broadway with three units and retail space into a multifamily, six-unit residential structure will be heard Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. before […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—While the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection is slated for major improvements in spring, several unoccupied homes — with broken windows, peeling paint, and dilapidated exteriors — mar the intersection’s northwest corner and have […]
PARK RIDGE—The Park Ridge Board of Education has called a special meeting for Monday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. at the High School Little Theater to discuss a request from Emerson to include football in […]
MONTVALE—The Montvale Borough Council has unanimously approved the appointment of Theresa Sileo Cudequest to serve out the remainder of former councilwoman Rose Curry’s term. Cudequest served on the Montvale council 2011–2015 and served and volunteered […]
RIVER VALE—An estimated 200 people turned out for the menorah lighting in River Vale on Tuesday evening, Nov. 30. The annual event, sponsored by Valley Chabad and hosted by the Township of River Vale, was […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Residents should get at least one more opportunity to provide input on a new comprehensive Master Plan update — now costing up to $70,000 — before it advances from the Planning and Zoning boards […]
MONTVALE—A new voluntary state high school climate improvement survey will be administered to students early next year with final results likely by spring 2022, said the Pascack Valley Regional High School District’s supervisor of diversity, […]
Correction: The print version of this story says Holdrum is getting new classrooms; in fact it is getting classroom renovations. Also, we listed Fieldstone school, which is part of an unrelated but concurrent schools effort […]
EMERSON—Congregation B’nai Israel, an innovative, conservative Jewish synagogue, is welcoming prospective new members with a six-month free trial membership during the period Jan. 1 through June 30, 2022. By taking advantage of the trial membership, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Film producer and Westwood native Michael W. Gray is hosting a Q&A with Frank Jasper, who played the iconic role of Brian Shute in the 1985 motion picture “Vision Quest,” a coming-of-age romantic […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Council members introduced an ordinance revision in November to prohibit use of a bow and arrow on private property — although concerns were raised about restricting archery practice and its bearing on a possible […]
WESTWOOD—Saying that it is estimated that 1 in every 10 residents of Bergen County are food insecure, Parkside Community Church elder and food pantry coordinator Lisa Bontemps told Pascack Press on Nov. 23 that her […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Jake Comito, who graduated Pascack Valley High School in 2013, has parlayed his love of statistics, whimsy, and time with family and friends into a new company, Games Over Coffee.Jake Comito grew up in […]
EMERSON—An internet broadcasting service that will allow council to stream meetings “live,” archive sessions online, and provide close-ups of council members and speakers and presenters during public meetings will be evaluated soon as council considers […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Emerson Mayor Danielle DiPaola said that her borough had the highest voter turnout of our eight Pascack Valley towns during the Nov. 2 gubernatorial election — and the second highest turnout of registered voters, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Following a meeting that included no public comment, the Planning Board voted, 7-1, on Dec. 1 to approve Franklin Court Management LLC’s 44-unit multifamily inclusionary rental complex and two single-family homes off of […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Police are seeking leads in the wake of a motor vehicle accident on Hampshire Road on Tuesday, Nov. 30, that left a landscape worker unconscious and unresponsive. The Washington Township Police Department said […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Before the first major snowstorm of winter arrives, borough officials introduced an ordinance to limit the amount that they will reimburse residents should their mailbox be damaged by a borough snow plow operator and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Westwood Regional Board of Education voted, 5-4, to allow its members to also serve as officers in volunteer parent organizations — such as PTOs, PSOs, clubs, Little League and Boy/Girl scouts — […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Planning Board members are likely to vote Wednesday, Dec. 1 on whether to approve a 44-unit apartment complex and two single-family homes off of Van Emburgh Avenue following several hearings where questions were […]
EMERSON—Liberty Subaru, a longtime local car dealership offering sales and service on Kinderkamack Road, has requested preliminary and final minor site plan approval, including a use variance, to use vacant space currently near the dealership […]
PARK RIDGE—The borough’s first Diversity and Inclusion Committee was created on an ad hoc basis for 2021 at the Nov. 9 Borough Council meeting — and likely will become a permanent council committee for 2022 […]
PARK RIDGE—A second round of bids for renovations to Borough Hall was rejected when the three submitted bids “were higher than the price estimated for the completion of the project,” noted a resolution approved unanimously […]
WOOCCLIFF LAKE—Congratulations to the 9U Woodcliff Lake Warriors baseball team, which on Sunday, Nov. 14 played River Vale in the championship game at home and came out on top. It was an exciting game with […]
WESTWOOD—State Superior Court Judge Estela M. De La Cruz has ordered a recount of the borough’s Nov. 2 municipal election, finding cause and no objections in a petition filed by Councilwoman Jodi Murphy. Murphy, one […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali wrote residents on Nov. 23 to say Councilwoman Rose Curry has decided to step down for personal reasons. He said the chairman of the Republican committee, Chris Roche, will submit three […]
TRENTON—Assemblyman Robert Auth was honored by Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey for defending religious liberty, family values and pro-life measures in the New Jersey Legislature. He received the 2021 Guardian of the Family Award […]
PVRHSD—The Pascack Valley Regional High School District school board voted to hire a superintendent search consultant Nov. 15 to help in replacing P. Erik Gundersen, who left at the end of June following 27 years […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Once a landscape architect is hired — said likely this December or early January 2022 — borough officials say they’re hoping to get designs for a long-awaited passive park at Woodcliff Avenue and Werimus […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Knights of Columbus Mother Seton Council #5427 of the Township of Washington is conducting its annual Winter Food Drive to collect non-perishable food goods to help the needy through local food pantries. Personal hygiene […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Following the count of provisional ballots Nov. 15, the final vote tallies for mayor showed first-term Mayor Peter Calamari, a Republican, beating back a strong challenge from Independent councilman Michael DeSena, 1,846 votes […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A special mayor and council meeting will be held Monday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m. on Zoom to discuss the Broadway Causeway project that recently came in at hundreds of thousands of dollars over […]
HILLSDALE—A councilman on the Economic Development Committee said the committee soon will identify five downtown areas “that could use some sprucing up” as a first step in revitalization efforts. Councilman Frank Pizzella said the committee […]
WESTWOOD—This week we go back a century to a much different Pascack Valley — one in which a good portion of the land was still occupied by farms and the exciting events of the poultry […]
HILLSDALE—District officials will consider moving forward on a bond referendum in 2023 to replace George G. White School if a potential site across from the middle school on Magnolia Street clears due diligence. The district […]
MONTVALE—More than 80 people took part in the public school district’s $29.4 million bond referendum virtual forum on Nov. 10, in advance of the special election it’s called for Tuesday, Dec. 14. At the session, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Nearly a dozen parents had made inquiries or opted children out of some health lessons as of Nov. 16, after the Westwood Regional School District wrote K-5 parents and guardians to give them background […]
WWRSD—Police are investigating an alleged threat made against Westwood Regional High School, and the school community is reacting after a student was injured in a campus altercation. That’s according to Acting Superintendent Jill Mortimer, writing […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Borough Council on Nov. 8 tabled a proposed ordinance that would have restricted flag-flying on public property to the U.S. flag and certain governmental flags, prohibiting other flags including the Pride flag, which […]
HILLSDALE—A disagreement between the Hillsdale Soccer Association and borough professionals over whether Centennial Field is safe to play on, since new silt drains were installed to improve field drainage, might be decided by the borough’s […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Borough Council voted, 4–1, on Nov. 8 to authorize up to $70,000 — an increase of $20,000 — to complete a circulation and utilities study required to finish the update of its Master […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Faced with much higher than expected bids for improvements to Centennial Causeway, Borough officials told their business administrator Nov. 8 to request a state grant deadline extension so they might re-bid the project and […]
HILLSDALE—Can you hear me now and can you see me now? The answers to both will be yes for all residents early next year should the Borough Council purchase and install new audio and video […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali has thrown his personal support behind a nearly $30 million school bond referendum vote to be held Dec. 14 to upgrade the borough’s middle and elementary schools. On Nov. 8, he wrote […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari says the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which operates the Garden State Parkway, conveyed it is interested in a traffic signal at GSP Exit 168 and Washington Avenue “as soon as […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Legal, building code, variance and affordable housing issues that should be considered when deciding whether to approve Franklin Court Management LLC’s proposal to build a 44-unit apartment complex and two single-family homes off […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Additional classrooms might be needed at schools in the Westwood Regional School District, which serves Westwood and the Township of Washington, as trustees look at new development rising in the township. Trustees at […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Township Council Vice President Desserie Morgan had the pleasure, Nov. 8, of helping to recognize the outstanding work of some of the township’s most dedicated volunteers: bright young ladies who helped make the […]
WESTWOOD—Mayor Ray Arroyo, one of the valley’s most visible and engaged champions of vaccines in the fight against Covid-19, is fielding messages of love and support after he recently tested positive for the virus. He […]
WESTWOOD—The Westwood High School yearbook for 1944–1945 featured this page of students who, having reached enlistment age prior to graduation, had already joined the military during World War II. On the cusp of manhood, these […]
HACKENSACK—Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco III and the Board of County Commissioners announce that all Bergen County veterans and active duty servicemembers can enjoy a free round of golf at any of the county’s six […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council Special Temporary Steering Committee on the Community Center and Fields has focused on the West Parking Lot in the center of town and the east parking lot at Stonybrook Swim Club, adjacent […]
WESTWOOD—A borough survey that polled residents of the Pascack Valley on the impact the Covid-19 pandemic had on their commuting patterns and spending habits was a success, with Mayor Ray Arroyo reporting that 561 people […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—An appeal has been filed to overturn the Zoning Board of Adjustment’s unanimous July vote rejecting 188 Broadway LLP’s plan to build a 53-unit apartment complex. Plaintiff objects to the board’s determination that the […]
EMERSON—One of the borough’s oldest buildings — the DeBaun House built in the 1770s — faces demolition after efforts to preserve the historical structure and American Legion meeting place failed to sustain the 250-year-old structure. […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—The Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce 2021 Citizen of the Year Awards Dinner, held Oct. 14 at Seasons Catering in the Township of Washington, honored stellar recipients for their selfless contributions to […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Both local Open Space public questions were overwhelmingly approved by voters Nov. 2 in Woodcliff Lake and Park Ridge. In Woodcliff Lake, nearly 70% of voters voted in favor, with 1,189 voters saying yes […]
PARK RIDGE—Bond funding for a new synthetic turf field as well as street and road improvements is expected to be available following the Nov. 9 council meeting. Park Ridge’s Borough Council approved a $590,000 bond […]
WESTWOOD—Erin Pav of Westwood attended the 2021 American Civil Liberties Union Advocacy Institute, a week-long virtual event held over the summer. The Academy of the Holy Angels junior was an ideal candidate — Pav is […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—A likely vote on the Causeway Streetscape Project is expected at the Nov. 8 meeting of the mayor and council. Bids for beautifying Centennial Causeway — the borough’s gateway spanning the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The governing body is taking up a required second vote on an ordinance defining what flags may be flown on municipal property. Residents are welcome to weigh in at the hearing, set for Nov. […]
PARK RIDGE—A second round of bids for minor renovations to the Borough Hall is due Nov. 2, following the council’s rejection of four previous bids ranging from $143,300 up to $214,000 in mid October. Officials […]
MONTVALE—The public schools superintendent says the Dec. 14 referendum on nearly $30 million in facility upgrades at Fieldstone and Memorial schools did not meet deadlines to be put before residents at the much busier Nov. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Capitol Seniors Housing, a leading senior living investment and development firm, has broken ground and started construction on The Chelsea at Washington Township, an assisted living and memory care community. The 76,700-square-foot, two-story […]
RIVER VALE—Due to strong public interest in major improvements proposed for Edgewood Country Club, the application’s first Joint Planning Board public hearing has been moved from Oct. 27 on Zoom to a special session on […]
MONTVALE—Student representatives from Pascack Valley and Pascack Hills regional high schools revealed their schools’ winning mascot logo selections for the Panthers and Broncos at the Oct. 25 Pascack Valley Regional High School District school board […]
EMERSON—An application by Emerson Redevelopers Urban Renewal LLC for seven affordable units at 129 Kinderkamack Road, in the central business district, agreed to as part of the Emerson Station redevelopment project gets its first Land […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Park Ridge and Woodcliff Lake are asking residents via public questions on the Nov. 2 ballot to renew local Open Space funds. And New Jersey is asking voters to consider two public questions on […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—In a first, the Valley Chabad Teen Initiative recently held an illuminating mother and daughter event just for teens, grades 8–12, and their moms. The ladies bonded over cheese boards, salads, sushi, and soup, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—With a rare October nor’easter bearing down, acting Westwood Regional School District Superintendent Jill Mortimer wrote parents just after 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 26 to say her buildings and grounds supervisor visited […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The two candidates for mayor revealed nearly diametrically opposed views Oct. 12 for the future of the 3.2 mostly wooded acres at 450 Pascack Road should it be acquired by the township via […]
WESTWOOD—More than 20 local agencies and businesses came together on Saturday, Oct. 9 for Westwood Thrive, a day-long event in Veterans Memorial Park that showcased the resources, information and community available to older adult residents […]
WESTWOOD—This year’s Westwood Public Library Summer Reading Program followed the American Library Association’s theme “Tails and Tales,” with much of the programming surrounding issues related to animals. One programs offered was the Junior Animal Activists Club, […]
PARK RIDGE—A proposal to bond nearly $600,000 to replace the flood-destroyed artificial turf at Memorial Field/Davies Field likely will be reimbursed by Federal Emergency Management Agency funds the borough expects to receive soon. A public […]
RIVER VALE—The public is invited to a hearing on Zoom on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 7:30 p.m. to hear an application from Edgewood Golf Course Realty LLC, owners of Edgewood Country Club, to make major […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A major Bergen County builder and a local homeowner have filed a lawsuit against township officials for what they allege is nearly a year’s delay in obtaining the permits necessary to construct a […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Patrick J. Camilli, 57, who is unemployed, of 41 Lexington Court, on charges of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Following a half-hour discussion Oct. 18, council members agreed informally to refer future municipal projects to the Planning Board for review but didn’t go so far as to approve administrative procedures or an […]
EMERSON—Construction on the borough’s 147-unit, 15,000-square-foot retail mixed-use Emerson Station redevelopment project has been suspended due to soil contamination found at a former dry cleaner site. Construction Code Official Richard Silvia said at the mayor […]
HILLSDALE—The agreement between the “conditional redeveloper” of the former Waste Management property and Hillsdale calls for a six-month deadline to complete a redeveloper’s agreement and requires the redeveloper deposit $25,000 in escrow to reimburse borough […]
HILLSDALE—The 28th Annual Kids Fishing Contest, sponsored by the Friends of the Pascack Brook, delighted families and friends on Saturday Oct. 16 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children, 4–16, were invited to fish the […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Borough on Oct. 20 announced that Party City Holdings Inc., “the global celebrations leader,” will move its new U.S. headquarters here, to the empty ESAI building, 100 Tice Boulevard, in the second half […]
WESTWOOD—Thanks in advance for your support of Eagle Scout candidate Ilay Guler from Boy Scout Troop 350 by purchasing a Candy Gram to be delivered on Oct. 30 or 31. Troop 350 will deliver your […]
HILLSDALE—Borough Council members agreed Oct. 12 to approve hybrid meetings — allowing Zoom callers to offer public comment at an in-person council meeting — starting in early 2022. The new meeting format combines an in-person […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council introduced two ordinances Oct. 12 to authorize nearly $800,000 in bonding for improvements at the borough-owned Stonybrook Swim Club and various capital improvements, including a new DPW dump truck costing almost $200,000. […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—The Pascack Valley Mayors Association has written Bergen County Executive James Tedesco III to file for a FEMA grant “to assess flooding solutions that span waterways in the Pascack Valley.” The letter, sent […]
HILLSDALE—The borough’s public works director said that the borough needs to make immediate repairs to its damaged salt storage shed and replace hundreds of tons of salt that washed away during flooding caused by remnants […]
EMERSON—Inadequate facilities at a borough-owned house on Locust Avenue and the recreation center will be reconfigured and enhanced to allow personnel from the Emerson Volunteer Ambulance Corps to spend long day shifts or sleep overnight […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Saturday, Oct. 23, River Vale and Woodcliff Lake will host the first in-person early voting allowed in Bergen County under a 2021 state law that expanded early-voting opportunities. New Jersey’s early voting continues […]
MONTVALE—Under pressure from parents and an Italian teacher at Pascack Valley High School, Pascack Valley Regional High School District school trustees decided Oct. 11 to table a resolution that would have cancelled student trips scheduled […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—County Executive James J. Tedesco III has written to Mayor Peter Calamari and the Township Council to confirm the County of Bergen expects to proceed with the public bidding process for the Intersection […]
Pascack Press posted a version of this story in this space on Oct. 12 and revised it Oct. 14: TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Residents had their say at the Oct. 12 candidates forum, signaling priorities and frustrations […]
PARK RIDGE—Park Ridge Rotary is supporting the Alzheimer’s Association Greater New Jersey chapter as a select level sponsor of the 2021 Walk to End Alzheimer’s, is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds […]
MONTVALE—The borough’s advisory Diversity and Inclusion Committee donated six books for the K-8 public schools’ libraries that highlight Hispanic characters and culture in honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, running this year from Sept. 15 […]
RIVER VALE—Nearly all 24 affordable rental apartments built first as part of a 249-unit Fairways at Edgewood luxury townhome and condominium development have been leased and likely will be occupied by the end of October. […]
WESTWOOD—The borough’s new land use measure to help reduce flooding impacts by requiring new residential access roads and parking lots to be raised one foot above “base flood elevation” is up for a hearing on […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Carlstadt-East Rutherford (Becton) Regional High School District announced with pleasure that its chief school administrator and superintendent, Dr. Dario Sforza, has been honored in NJBIZ’s 2021 Forty Under 40 Award program. Sforza, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Valley Chabad Friendship Circle has launched its 2021 Fall Sports League, offering soccer, T-ball, kickball, and other mainstream recreational sports, for children with special needs. The program runs Sunday, Oct. 17 through mid-November at […]
WESTWOOD—Home For the Holidays, the unofficial start to the holiday season in the Pascack Valley, is set for Saturday, Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. and organizers tell Pascack Press they’re looking forward to a terrific […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After a brief discussion Oct. 4, councilmen Steven Cascio and Michael DeSena said that the township should present its future development projects to the appropriate local land use board for review on a […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Woodcliff Lake Senior Association and the League of Women Voters are sponsoring a Candidates’ Night on Thursday, Oct. 21 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Woodcliff Lake Senior Center. According to the […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Westwood Regional School District parents who have concerns about topics raised in the state’s updated health and physical education curriculum for elementary, middle and high school students might be able to opt out, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Planning Board members and residents questioned the testimony of an applicant traffic engineer at the second public hearing held via Zoom Oct. 5 for a 44-unit multifamily complex, plus two single family homes, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Acting superintendent Jill Mortimer reports the temporary boiler at Washington Elementary School is operational, and the school will welcome students and staff members back to their building on Tuesday, Oct. 12. The facility, […]
RIVER VALE—The average township homeowner likely will see an approximate $185 annual property tax increase over 30 years due to the $13.3 million bonding necessary for a proposed one-story, 18,000-square-foot new Public Safety Complex planned […]
HILLSDALE—A virtual Planning Board public hearing is set for Thursday, Oct. 14 at 7:30 p.m. on an expected amendment to designate an inclusionary housing overlay zone for a maximum of 28 housing units per acre […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—The Pascack Valley Mayors Association has written Bergen County Executive James Tedesco III to file for a FEMA grant “to assess flooding solutions that span waterways in the Pascack Valley.” The letter, sent […]
HILLSDALE—The former Waste Management transfer station near downtown could be the first property to be redeveloped in the borough’s new redevelopment zone. Two development companies who plan to offer a possible multifamily or mixed-use project […]
HILLSDALE—The pros and cons of five potential sites for a new community center and a new artificial turf field — estimated at $10 million — were highlighted Oct. 5 by an architect hired by council […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A neighbor of 450 Pascack Road cannot purchase two small township-owned properties abutting his property at least until township negotiations for 450 Pascack move further along, which the township attorney estimates is “going […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—An 80-year-old patient in an ambulette, and the driver taking her to care, were hospitalized following a collision with a Nissan Frontier in front of 731 Washington Ave., at Meisten Street near Seasons, […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Michael Ghassali reported the following updates on Sept. 25… Borough/capital projects Montvale 2021 Road Program: PSEG completed the first phase of paving in August, with the following roads scheduled for October: Azalea, Cardinal, Crest, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Following a unanimous Planning Board approval of the 66-unit Viviano American Dream Estates single-family and townhome development, the board must vote on a resolution of approval.Officials will then formulate a developer’s agreement on […]
MONTVALE—Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on Huff pond and the new trail and the inlets the borough built this summer. That’s according to Mayor Michael Ghassali, who adds, “Unfortunately, we will have to empty the pond […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The candidates have agreed and the moderator and venue are locked in: Tuesday, Oct. 12 at 8 p.m., at council chambers, with WCTV-NJ to televise and stream live — no Zoom required — […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A second public hearing on Franklin Court Management LLC’s 44-unit inclusionary rental development on Van Emburgh Avenue, which includes two market-rate single-family homes, is set for the Planning Board on Oct. 6 at […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps is eager to move into the new Emergency Services Building as soon as it’s ready, now on track for the first two weeks of January 2022. That’s […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The new year likely will be a happy one for local volunteer firefighters, ambulance crews, and residents alike, according to the town’s Emergency Services Building architect, who predicts personnel and equipment will be […]
RIVER VALE—Thousands of walkers, runners and volunteers participated in NJ Sharing Network’s 5K Celebration of Life Walk and USATF-certified race at the organization’s headquarters in New Providence on Sept. 12. The event, presented by Hackensack […]
MONTVALE—An average district taxpayer will have to pay about $325 more per year for “likely” 25 years under a $29.4 million school bond referendum that aims to add classrooms and upgrade facilities at the borough’s […]
Correction: Due to a reporting error we gave an inaccurate account of the vote. Looking back at the meeting video, we revised this web story on Oct. 4. We apologize to the board members whose […]
WESTWOOD—Two borough car washes and an oil change shop routinely underpaid their employees, some of whom worked 70-hour weeks without overtime pay, the United States Department of Labor announced on Sept. 30. The offending employers […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A nearly $200,000 soil remediation effort to remove 950 tons of contaminated soil at the former DPW headquarters is scheduled to begin Oct. 4, said Mayor Peter Calamari at the Sept. 20 council […]
MONTVALE—The Pascack Hills High School classes of 1970 and 1971 have planned a joint 50th reunion for Saturday, Nov. 13 at the Park Ridge Marriott. The big event begins with a cocktail hour, leading into […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The borough’s annual Oktoberfest is set for Saturday, Oct. 2 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Rinzler Field. Enjoy a fun-filled fall day with a biergarten, petting zoo, pumpkin patch, inflatables, balloon artists, and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A proposed measure to mandate new review and notice requirements on Township Council development projects — spurred by residents’ issues with the new Emergency Services Building — was delayed until the Oct. 4 […]
RIVER VALE—While the full local tax impacts of River Vale’s proposed $13.3 million bond issue for its long-discussed Public Safety Complex have yet to be revealed by officials, one resident recently told the council it […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari told the council Sept. 20 that Bergen County officials were expected to give final approval to the long-awaited Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection improvement project with work likely to begin in […]
MONTVALE—An expert on deer and other wildlife addressed the governing body at the council’s final meeting of the summer, saying in part that “there is no real solution for deer control in Bergen County.” Carol […]
HILLSDALE—Guests are in for a bigger than usual Joan’s Joy Child Safety Fest, in person on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Hillsdale Train Station. The seventh annual event features a […]
MONTVALE—Some half-dozen residents concerned about the district’s mask and Covid quarantine policies raised issues at the Pascack Valley Regional High School District’s Sept. 13 board meeting. While the residents raised issues about Covid quarantine rules […]
MONTVALE—The Pascack Valley Regional School District’s interim superintendent promised Sept. 13 that future student surveys would be provided in advance to parents — and other interested taxpayers — who want to see them. Five residents […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After nearly two decades of wrangling over affordable housing and disputes with neighbors, the Township Planning Board voted Sept. 22 to approve the Viviano American Dream project that includes a 66-unit development on […]
WESTWOOD—More than 35 individual garage sales are expected the weekend of Sept. 25 and 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for the Westwood-wide Garage Sale hosted by Celebrate Westwood. The event is through a […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township holds its 12th Annual Fall Festival for residents on Saturday, Oct. 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Memorial Field on Pascack Road, rain or shine. Admission is free. Parking […]
PASCACK VALLEY—American Legion Post 162 of Hillsdale, Woodcliff Lake, and Old Tappan seek the names of local active duty members of the military for the post’s Cards and Letters to the Troops program. The post […]
Editor’s note: This story was revised Sept. 23 with comments from Deputy County Clerk Steve Chong after it was posted Sept. 22 as breaking news based solely on the borough’s notice to residents. EMERSON—Residents are […]
EMERSON—The portrait of notable Emersonian Peter Pepe will hang at Borough Hall once again. It was entrusted back to the borough by Pepe’s daughter Isabell Elliott during a recent visit. According to Councilwoman Jill McGuire, […]
MONTVALE—A borough man recorded and shared “sexually suggestive” images of three young children while he was alone with them, according to authorities who raided his home on Tuesday. John A. Bell, 39, a married software […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Two men ditched a stolen Jeep in motion after Township of Washington police officers gave chase, with the driver aiming to be overlooked in a garbage can and his passenger breaking his arm […]
EMERSON—The borough’s downtown redeveloper owes slightly more than $64,000 in back taxes for 2020 on nine properties in the redevelopment zone, a situation that the borough attorney says shows the redeveloper “has unclean hands and […]
PARK RIDGE—On the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11th attacks, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) took part in a remembrance ceremony at Park Ridge’s Veterans Park — to honor the members of the North Jersey […]
PASCACK VALLEY—More than a dozen people waited on line the morning of Sept. 15 outside the Community Center on Jefferson Street in Westwood to speak with Federal Emergency Management Agency workers in the aftermath of […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A special Planning Board meeting scheduled for Sept. 22 might conclude nearly two decades of hearings, lawsuits, objections and delays in the long-running Viviano American Dream Estate’s 66-unit development planned on 14 acres […]
MONTVALE—Public schools superintendent Darren Petersen told Pascack Press that the district will be placing an approximately $30 million school referendum up for a vote tentatively set for Tuesday, Dec. 14. District officials said it was […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Our towns and boroughs marked a solemn 20th anniversary of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 on Saturday, gathering in vigil and prayer, in the laying of wreaths, in the shining of lights […]
WESTWOOD—The borough is working to see how it can fill gaps in service after the board of trustees of the nonprofit Thomas J. Riley Senior Center at Westwood House announced that the center is closing […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Interim Superintendent Jill Mortimer trumpeted “We did it! The school year is off to a wonderful start” in her message to the school community on Sept. 10, a week after devastating Tropical Storm […]
BY RAY ARROYOSPECIAL TO PASCACK PRESS WESTWOOD On the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the evening hour drew us to Veterans Memorial Park to remember, with solemn sadness, the people we’d lost on […]
WESTWOOD—You’re invited to enjoy food, fun, and festivities on Saturday, Sept. 18 from noon to 3 p.m. at Parkside Community Church, 3rd Avenue and Park. The annual event was cancelled last year due to Covid […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township’s volunteer firefighters joined the Northeast’s battle against Hurricane Ida’s ravaging remnants, determined to protect life, limb, and property from rising water. And flooding at Washington Elementary School knocked the facility out […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A new neighbor of a 3.2-acre tract at 450 Pascack Road — the subject of a $430,000 acquisition try by the township — wants to know what the governing body plans to do […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Several Pascack Valley towns offer contested council races for the Nov. 2 General Election. The Township of Washington features the only mayoral challenge, and a call has arisen there for a televised debate. Meanwhile, […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—The Borough of Hillsdale needs to do more to educate residents — particularly new arrivals — about its evacuation procedures after Category 4 Hurricane Ida slammed into Louisiana and its remnants then chewed […]
WESTWOOD—Save the date: Oct. 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., when local senior citizen service providers team up with Westwood For All Ages for Westwood Thrive. It’ll be an afternoon of fun, information, resources, […]
WESTWOOD—The borough’s Office of Emergency Management has knocked out its after-action meeting following the destruction wrought by Tropical Depression Ida Sept. 1 and into Sept. 2, and then the DPW teamed up with Westphal Waste […]
HILLSDALE—Following debate on whether to move ahead on the borough’s stalled redevelopment or its downtown revitalization, the Borough Council agreed to hold off hiring coordinators for those efforts and allow the borough to complete an […]
MONTVALE—Public schools superintendent Darren Petersen says that Tuesday, Dec. 14 is the tentative date for a special school bond referendum vote to tackle important projects. Meanwhile, a proposal from a public relations consultant the district […]
HILLSDALE—Demarest Farms invites you and your family to celebrate the most magical time of the year at its one-of-a-kind light show — the largest Halloween light show in New Jersey. At Orchard of Lights, take […]
HILLSDALE—There are no language barriers at the exercise class for seniors at the Hillsdale House. Lois Kohan, public health nurse at the Hillsdale Board of Health, wrote in on Aug. 30 to share a photo […]
PASCACK VALLEY—A new public service announcement produced by Park Ridge’s PKRG-TV — and airing on its public access channel — highlights local experts and takes aim at vaccine hesitancy while urging viewers to get vaccinated […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Local officials conceded on Aug. 30 that they could do little to alter the scale of the new Emergency Services Building — which some neighbors assert is higher than the architect’s original plan […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Editor’s note: Dick Bozzone, historian and past commander of Cpl. Jedh C. Barker American Legion Memorial Post 153, chairman of the post’s Centennial Committee, submitted the following reminiscences on the occasion of the 20th […]
MONTVALE—The meeting of the Pascack Valley Regional High School Board of Trustees on Aug. 30 was productive, with members: Approving board and district goals; Agreeing on “The Road Forward” policy regarding state Covid-19 guidance in […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Of six valley towns with school board races slated for the Nov. 2 General Election, only River Vale offers a competitive contest. However the regional school board races offer more choices as local […]
MONTVALE—The Montvale Board of Education on Aug. 30 cleared spending up to $50,000 this year, with an option for annual reappointment, on a communications firm specializing in bond referendum communications. The resolution notes the firm, […]
WESTWOOD—Good luck and give ‘em heck to the three young athletes from Westwood who are bound for the Major League Baseball Pitch Hit & Run regionals at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Two of Bergen County’s first-ever early voting polling places, ahead of the Nov. 2 General Election, are in River Vale and Woodcliff Lake. According to Bergen County elections officials, there will be eight […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The boroughs of Montvale and Westwood have already begun preparing for a plastic bag ban that will take effect in New Jersey next year. The legislation — which was signed into law by Gov. […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Residents interested in voicing their opinions on the borough’s newest passive park at the former Galaxy Gardens site at Werimus Road and Woodcliff Avenue have until Aug. 31 to submit a survey posted on […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The borough, in competition with White Plains, N.Y. is in talks with Party City USA to establish its national headquarters here. According to Mayor Carlos Rendo at the Aug. 16 meeting of the governing […]
RIVER VALE—The township’s volunteer fire department and volunteer ambulance corps are sponsoring two open houses in September for residents interested in getting in training and hours with either service. The sessions are Sept. 18 and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Westwood Regional High School seniors James Stickel, of the Township of Washington, and Kaley Klapisch, of the Borough of Westwood, were chosen as high school student representatives to the Board of Education following […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—While the governing body in closed session pondered next steps to acquire a mostly wooded tract at 450 Pascack Road in closed session Aug. 9, a new neighbor on Pascack Road claimed that […]
RIVER VALE—The Township Council approved a $13.3 million, 40-year bond issue in July to construct a new 18,000-square-foot public safety complex on 3.25 acres at the corner of Rivervale Road and Prospect Avenue at an […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township plans to acquire the last of 16 property easements needed for Bergen County to undertake an intersection overhaul at the often-congested Pascack Road–Washington Avenue nexus. That’s according to Township attorney Kenneth […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A second public Planning Board hearing on the 44-unit inclusionary development planned for Van Emburgh Avenue was postponed after its Aug. 18 hearing was cancelled. As of press time, no new hearing date […]
HILLSDALE—Congratulations to Pascack Valley High School senior Delia Collis, inaugural Joan Angela D’Alessandro Memorial Foundation Stand Up and Do Something Scholarship recipient. The award was bestowed by Hillsdale’s tireless activist Rosemarie D’Alessandro, who formed the […]
PARK RIDGE—Mayor Keith Misciagna wrote “to my Park Ridge family” on Aug. 13 with a message touching on his family’s thoughts at the end of summer vacation “as we prepare for my youngest son to […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari was happy to share on his Facebook page his impressions of the BStreetBand’s Aug. 13 concert at Memorial Field. The music — and cheers — belting far into the neighborhoods […]
WESTWOOD—The mayor and Borough Council congratulated the 10U girls summer travel softball team as champions, giving each player a certificate of achievement, and provided updates on the pandemic and memorial signs and benches at its […]
WESTWOOD—The fighting young ladies of the Westwood Softball Association’s 10U summer travel team drove their steamroller of a regular season into an unusual postseason win, but it’s one they’re entitled to revel in. With hard-charging […]
EMERSON—Mayor Danielle DiPaola says she has several people interested in the Borough Council seat just vacated by first-term member Carl Carbo, and notes that the incumbent has served the borough honorably and will be missed. […]
PASCACK VALLEY—The first trip of Emerson and Westwood’s shared senior bus service commenced from Emerson Borough Hall to the ShopRite of Emerson on Aug. 4, with Westwood Council President Beth Dell, Emerson Mayor Danielle DiPaola, […]
MONTVALE—The Pascack Valley Regional Board of Education laid out the district’s plans for the coming school year at a retreat on Aug. 4, amid a new wave of Covid-19 in New Jersey and a national […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Amid critiques of the Township of Washington’s new two-story emergency services building, which is taking shape on Washington Avenue, one councilman said roofing problems at the project were not unique in the Pascack Valley. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township of Washington lacks not a bit for beloved pet and working animal companions, but a particular cat, horse, and guinea pig are the winners of the Township of Washington Public Library’s […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township of Washington locked down a nail-biter of a championship game, 8-5, against River Edge while fans packed Westwood’s Sherry Field on Friday, July 30. According to Falcons coach Jenn Cenicola, Township […]
WESTWOOD—The borough remains open to a shared service agreement on recreation with the Township of Washington, months after the Borough Council said it had not heard back on its proposal for just that in advance […]
HILLSDALE—The Cornerstone Restaurant & Bar, at 84 Broadway, won a reprieve to keep its outdoor dining area, with large white canopy, open until Aug. 23. Beyond that, the quest continues. Local officials and state Sen. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Paramus Police Department announced on Aug. 2 the arrest of Terrence T. Smith, 19, of Newark, over the possession of a stolen vehicle and eluding police. On Monday, Aug. 2 at approximately […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A property appraisal using the sales comparison approach for 450 Pascack Road — a 3.2-acre mostly wooded tract long-sought by the Township — values the property and its buildings at approximately $430,000. Lately, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The average borough homeowner will see an approximately $250 increase in municipal taxes over last year as a result of the nearly $14 million budget the Borough Council approved, 5-0, on Aug. 2. Council […]
PARK RIDGE—A crowd of residents and stakeholders filled the luxury lobby lounge at The James on Aug. 3, taking in the new upscale rental community that its developer says “stands as a beacon of the […]
RIVER VALE—Congratulations to Safety Town. The program for River Vale and Hillsdale children eligible to enter public or parochial kindergarten in September, and non-resident children who will be attending St. John’s Academy in Hillsdale, delivered […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Montvale resident Arlene Fultenberg watched her grandfather work to become a citizen and take care of his family once moving to the United States from Poland. With his legacy in mind, she was […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—After volunteer firefighters and several public officials raised issues over the new emergency services building (ESB) on Washington Avenue, the roofer admits to a faulty installation and promises to tear out all shingles […]
WESTWOOD—Residents of Emerson, Hillsdale, Montvale, Park Ridge, River Vale, the Township of Washington, Westwood, and Woodcliff Lake, your views are among those sought in a survey aiming to show changes and opportunities stemming from the […]
EMERSON—An impressive 75 borough volunteers turned out to the senior center on June 30 for the inaugural volunteer appreciation dinner, recognizing all it takes to make borough programs — ranging from recreational to life-saving — […]
WESTWOOD—Following his official swearing in as deputy police chief at a borough meeting June 22, Capt. Jay Hutchinson received a larger, and ceremonial, swearing in to the post at the July 20 meeting of the […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—More than 200 residents who replied to the borough’s master plan survey seemed to voice a strong consensus: The community does not want multi-family, high-density rental apartments in town. That’s according to the borough’s […]
MONTVALE—As usual, Olivia Sullivan came to her private keyboard lesson expecting to test her vocals with her teacher, Brianna Musco. But instead, after hearing lyrics that Livy strung together, Musco knew it was time to […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Almost two years after Life Scout James Stickel of Troop 321 oversaw the dedication of his veterans memorial at the public library, he has been recognized for attaining his Eagle Scout rank — […]
HILLSDALE—Shane Svorec, a lifelong writer who resides in Hillsdale with her husband, three children, rescue dogs, and chickens, has a message that she’s delighted to share with readers — and they, in turn, are showing […]
EMERSON—There are no answers yet as to plans for the continuation of the Armenian Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (ANRC) in Emerson or elsewhere, with borough officials saying they have no updates on the 70 Main […]
EMERSON—The Emerson Public School District now serves as a model for other school districts in an ongoing book series. Emerson’s teaching approach of social-emotional learning — a set of principles for students to develop self […]
HILLSDALE—The Borough Council voted, 4-0, on July 21 to override Mayor John Ruocco’s partial veto of up to $100,000 for funding feasibility studies, restoring funds for studies on a community center, and the turfing of […]
PARK RIDGE—Mayor Keith Misciagna posted a glowing update on business investment in Park Ridge, and noted lively events were on the calendar for the rest of the year. “We are finally going to celebrate the […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—After three hours of testimony July 20, on whether a legal principle that says a case cannot be judged again if it is substantially similar to one that was already decided, the Zoning Board […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Despite nearly 2:1 support for licensed adult-use recreational cannabis in the Pascack Valley — and statewide — almost every Pascack Valley town has declined to clear the way for any of six types […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Mayor Carlos Rendo and police officials awarded the department’s first annual Nancy Flower Memorial College Scholarship to Julia Funke, a recent Pascack Hills High School graduate, during a July 1 ceremony at Borough Hall. […]
EMERSON—The Fine-Edelstein family and the Gift of Life Marrow Registry call upon those aged 18–35 in good health to visit Congregation B’nai Israel for a stem cell matching recruitment event on Sunday, July 25 from […]
PARK RIDGE—On Aug. 7, triplets Kelly McCullough, Karen McCullough-Dell’Aglio and Kathy McCullough-Widmer will be riding their bikes 83 miles in the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge (PMC). This will be the 17th year that the sisters will be […]
MONTVALE—According to head coach Mark Cieslak, the “concept of together” was one element that led to the remarkable success of St. Joseph Regional High School’s 2021 baseball season. The Green Knights defeated Delbarton, 17-2, to […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Following questions from more than a half-dozen residents quizzing the applicant’s planner about the appropriateness of multifamily housing proposed for 188 Broadway, the Zoning Board agreed to continue hearing the 53-unit application at a […]
HILLSDALE—Families, students, and revelers generally turned out in droves for the 28th Annual Hillsdale Fire Department Carnival, enjoying rides, games, music, and classic midway food and treats. Anticipation only grew in the days leading up […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Congratulations to the dozens of residents of the Fifth Congressional District — including seven from the Pascack Valley — who earned distinction July 9 as Fifth District Hometown Heroes in a ceremony at […]
HILLSDALE—Over the objections of the mayor and one councilman, the Borough Council approved up to $100,000 in funding July 13 for a proposal by DMR Architects to provide feasibility studies on a community center and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A final hearing on the two-decade-old Viviano project, which is poised to erect dozens of housing units as “American Dream Estates” on 14 acres at 463 Van Emburgh Ave., is scheduled for the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Residents speaking at a three-hour meeting of the mayor and council on July 12 called for greater oversight of the emergency services building rising on Washington Avenue, and raised alarm over what they […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Should dogs be allowed in the borough’s newest park and well, how would you feel about a central fountain? Those are just two questions on the survey residents are being asked to weigh in […]
EMERSON—Emerson celebrated the second annual opening of its Enchanted Forest, a whimsical, fantastical wonderland, behind the offices of the Board of Education, on a clear June 11. Organizer Daniela Musano said the installation, powered by […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Pascack Road southbound was shut down at Washington Avenue the morning and afternoon of July 13 after a white tractor-trailer carrying scrap metal components snapped on the road, its deck broken and sidewalls […]
EMERSON—The Borough Council approved a “developer’s agreement” July 6 with Emerson Redevelopers Urban Renewal that provides specific guidelines for project development — including its 29 affordable housing units — on the long-stalled and litigation-plagued Emerson […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Councilmembers hoped to have the architect for the new emergency services building—under construction on Washington Avenue near the current firehouse—appear at the July 12 council meeting to answer residents’ concerns about the structure’s […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Naomi Theisz, a member of the Washington Township Volunteer Ambulance Corps, is offering to connect residents to a free Emergency Medical Responder course in an effort to increase the number of riders for […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—The Bergen County Juvenile Fire Prevention Program — the only service of its type in the county — needs monetary donations and fire safety volunteers to rejuvenate the program. It’s aiming to save […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Of the three remaining easements needed before Bergen County can set the Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection project on its 2021 schedule, one was approved June 21 and the township likely is heading to […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari said June 24 that he believed the township budget could support buying both the 6.4-acre Washington Township Swim Club and the 3-acre mostly wooded parcel at 450 Pascack Road long-sought […]
PARK RIDGE—A crossing guard who helped safely cross students thousands of times over 51 years of service was honored by the Park Ridge Police Department June 23 during a ceremony where they named an intersection […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—A new flight pattern for Teterboro Airport is expected to take fewer planes over homes in the Pascack Valley and other Bergen County towns –– so long as pilots follow it. The Federal […]
WESTWOOD—The Fourth of July enjoyed its musical accompaniment in grand style at Veterans Memorial Park, with a free performance by the Westwood Community Band at the historic bandstand. The audience, on blankets, lawn and beach […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—While Pascack Valley’s eight municipalities will gross nearly $7 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to be paid out in 2021 and 2022, the first piles of cash comprising about half of […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Dr. Frank Romano III of Washington Township was selected, 6-0, as Westwood Regional School District Board of Education president at the June 30 meeting. The move allows communication with the board following the […]
WESTWOOD—An Emerson motorist traveling southbound on Lafayette Avenue in the wee hours June 21 lost control of her car around the bend at Ridgewood Road and crashed through a fence, shed, and retaining wall—then into […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Approximately 950 tons of soil will be excavated from two areas at the former Department of Municipal Facilities building, and those areas backfilled with clean soil as part of an extensive $193,450 remediation […]
RIVER VALE—The township council heard updates from the mayor, administrator, and engineer about ongoing projects at its meeting on Monday, June 28. Members touched on marijuana sales and discussed a proposed ordinance to waive building […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Zoning Board members likely will vote July 20 on whether a legal principle, “the thing has been judged,” applies to 188 Broadway LLP’s proposal for a 53-unit apartment complex. If members vote that the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The Township Council voted, 4-1, at its budget hearing of June 24 to support a $1 million bond for the acquisition of the private 6.39-acre Washington Township Swim and Recreation Club on Ridgewood […]
MONTVALE—More than 200 homes on the west side of the borough might continue to have water pressure issues unless a Suez tank is replaced—with two tanks—local officials and Suez said at a town hall on […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—In February 2020, Azure Bush and her mom headed to a pet store in Lodi to look at snakes for her younger brother. But after seeing a rabbit that had recently been dropped […]
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN AND MATTHEW WIKFORSOF PASCACK PRESS MONTVALE—The borough’s inaugural Pride in the Park event June 13, celebrating the local LGBTQ+ community amid Pride Month, delivered a message of inclusion and community and witnessed […]
Update June 25, 2021: Mayor Peter Calamari and fellow advocates for this purchase have succeeded; Councilman Michael DeSena changed his June 21 no vote at the June 24 council meeting to yes, paving the way […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The Zoning Board of Adjustment is set to meet on Tuesday, June 22 over whether to approve a revised 53-unit rental apartment complex at 188 Broadway. The session picks up where a contentious 3-hour-plus […]
WESTWOOD—The Township of Washington did not take the Borough of Westwood up on its offer to enter a shared services agreement for the borough’s recreation programs for this summer, but the invitation is open for […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Congratulations to the Washington Township Falcons Softball Team (Team Sayers), who won the 3/4 minors softball title at Gardener Field on Sunday evening, June 13. The Falcons beat River Edge in a 5-2 […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Mayor Peter Calamari told the Township Council on June 9 that the long-awaited Pascack Road–Washington Avenue intersection improvement project will likely be included as part of Bergen County’s 2021 road enhancement program. Calamari […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Beyond James Viviano’s 66-unit American Dream Estates, two continuing development applications comprising a total 10 new homes that may be built in the township likely will be discussed at the June 16 Planning […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township might be receiving approximately $50,000 less for its Affordable Housing Trust Fund due to the proposed 66-unit Viviano project being reduced from its original 73 units and taking the number of […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—The centennial celebration of Woodcliff School, paused in 1995, resumed and even outdid itself last week, reaching through its participants toward the year 2045—a future that, maybe this time around, will include flying cars. […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Bergen County and Pascack Valley voters chose Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli from four challengers in the June 8 Republican primary election to oppose incumbent Democratic governor Phil Murphy in the Nov. 2 General […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—Attorneys for the township and an applicant proposing to build a reduced 66-unit subdivision—including 42 single-family homes and 22 townhomes—agreed at a June 2 hearing to iron out unresolved issues, including how many […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township might be receiving approximately $50,000 less for its Affordable Housing Trust Fund due to the proposed 66-unit Viviano project being reduced from its original 73 units and taking the number of […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—Woodcliff Lake is the only one of eight Pascack Valley towns where a primary election challenge between Democratic council candidates occurs June 8, with two incumbent council members each teaming up with new […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA—This fall’s election features a gubernatorial challenge with incumbent Democrat Phil Murphy facing off against a Republican challenger to be determined in the June 8 primary. For the Nov. 2 election, Bergen County […]
PARK RIDGE—Save the date for these fun summer activities at Veterans Park Gazebo, 84 Park Ave., across from the train station. All times are 6:30 to 8 p.m. July 1: No Discipline (reggae) July 8: […]
WESTWOOD—As Westwood approaches its return to pre-pandemic life following changes in state guidelines for the vaccinated, Durene Ayer was recently appointed as borough administrator to lead the transition to normalcy. “I think one of the […]
RIVER VALE—Congratulations and job well done to Police Lt. John J. DeVoe, who is turning his decades of service to the township into something greater still. DeVoe completed his final walk-out from the River Vale […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Emerson became the latest Pascack Valley town to move forward with a complete ban on any of the six classes of recently state-approved marijuana businesses. An ordinance to prohibit all cannabis-related enterprises was introduced, […]
WESTWOOD—The Borough Council met in person for the first time since March 2020 at its work session held on June 1. All members were in attendance at the Municipal Center except member Robert Bicocchi, who […]
WESTWOOD—Hackensack Meridian Health Pascack Valley Medical Center has donated four AEDs (automated external defibrillators) to the Westwood Volunteer Fire Department. The AEDs will be used to help keep community members safe in the event of […]
MONTVALE—Pascack Valley Regional High School District board trustees voted, 7–1, in mid-May to approve spending $172,350 for a “moderate” mascot rebranding plan to replace the retired Indian and Cowboy mascots with new mascots on signage, […]
PASCACK VALLEY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT—¡Felicitaciones! The Pascack Valley Regional High School District announced with pride that Elena Spathis, Pascack Valley High School world language teacher, has been selected as the Foreign Language Educators of […]
PASCACK VALLEY—Almost 9,000 voters will be casting primary votes at two new locations in Hillsdale during the June 8 primary election—at an elementary school and the regional high school—that provide an overall safer environment and […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—The township attorney told the governing body on May 17 that he expected to receive a final property appraisal for 450 Pascack Road “soon,” and that once negotiations begin for the 3.2-acre tract […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON—A long-delayed development proposal for 14 acres off of Van Emburgh Avenue known as the American Dream Estates was reduced from 73 units to 66 units with no variances needed and will be […]
HILLSDALE—Spring is in the air, and hung with pride at the Hillsdale Train Station, in a project that’s brought out some of the finest art from across Bergen County. At Hillsdale’s Access For All’s first […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Attorneys for the borough and 188 Broadway LLP sparred throughout a four-hour first hearing May 25 for a revised application to construct a 53-unit apartment complex at 188 Broadway that includes construction of a […]
Westwood Regional – Following allegations that a top school board official plagiarized a letter sent to district parents to praise the departing superintendent, at least two board members—Michelle Sembler and Michael Pontillo—called for the resignations […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Two borough councilmen are joining the fight against the borough’s disproportionately high regional school district tax bills by demanding answers from the state about why local taxes went up an average $545 this year […]
WESTWOOD—The mayor and council were delighted to present a proclamation to Lebanon Baptist Church at their meeting, held over Zoom, on May 19: WHEREAS, Lebanon Baptist Church, a respected member of the religious community in […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—The League of Women Voters of Northern Valley (LWVNV) reminds all citizens New Jersey’s Primary Election takes place on Tuesday, June 8. To prepare voters in Bergen County for what they need […]
MONTVALE—Mayor Mike Ghassali apprised residents of top items of public interest last week, including items we’ve been reporting. He touched on the adoption, May 11, of the 2021 municipal budget; the introduction of a ban […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Councilwoman and Master Plan Committee Chair Josephine Higgins said survey feedback that residents gave on the town’s vision, the Broadway Corridor, and the borough’s short- and long-term challenges was excellent, and that more would […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE—Mayor Carlos Rendo told council members May 17 that he wants to move ahead with efforts to gather public input and put out a request for proposals to advance plans for a long-discussed Galaxy […]
PASCACK VALLEY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT—Pascack Valley and Pascack Hills high schools will operate in a hybrid fashion for the remainder of the school year. District trustees heard out many parents pushing for a return […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—We didn’t want to let another issue go by without honoring our area librarians and army of library staff and volunteers. We just passed National Library Week, and oh—also chalk it up […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Congratulations to the Pascack Hills wrestling team, which enjoyed a banner year amid this Covid-rocked season. Hills won the Bergen County Small School Team of the Year award for the second time in the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—The Township Council approved a new one-year contract May 3 for grant consultant GLD Associates of Summit, although concerns were raised on several occasions by at least one councilman over the firm’s […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—The borough should create a revitalization plan “vision” for its downtown to help with securing grants and to guide commercial development there, a planning official said at the May 10 council meeting. Following a […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—After a nearly four-hour contentious budget meeting, where several council members accused the mayor of misleading the public about tax increases, the council voted, 5–1, to approve a $15.6 million budget and increase an […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Local dignitaries joined developer The S.Hekemian Group to celebrate the grand opening of Workplace North Market on May 12. The ribbon-cutting marked completion of the 52,000-square-foot-flagship office building at what looks like an exciting […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Congratulations to Aria Anahita Chalileh of Montvale Girl Scout Troop 94006, whose 12 years of service have culminated in her Gold Award, the most prestigious Girl Scout honor. The award, bestowed April 30 by […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—For the second time in two weeks, the Pascack Valley has seen an embattled schools superintendent resign, bound perhaps for greener pastures. This week it’s Dr. Raymond A. González, Superintendent of Schools […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—The borough’s first female police officer also stands front and center in the department’s first all-female shift. Sgt. Liz Zimmerman, Police Officer Amanda Turrin, and civilian dispatcher Amna Hijab found themselves sharing the night […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—The Borough Council has approved an ordinance to regulate the use of the basketball courts on Memorial Drive, aiming in the mayor’s words to answer complaints about “adults using the courts with loud music […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Fair Share Housing Center has announced lotteries for preliminary applications for affordable housing units in Montvale and Park Ridge and elsewhere in the Garden State. In a notice it sent via email […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—P. Erik Gundersen, superintendent of the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education, tendered his resignation on April 21 and is set to depart on June 30. He said he has accepted […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—The borough is thanking 110 residents who showed up to clean up on the weekend of April 10. “Montvale’s 2021 Clean-up Day was late this year but still a huge success. We had 110 […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—The Township Council has approved a $60,600 lease with Our Lady of Good Counsel Church to harbor DPW vehicles on 35 parking spaces—the lot behind the rectory—for two years. The deal obligates […]
EMERSON, N.J.—The borough’s redeveloper partner has filed a federal suit against Emerson over what it says is local interference with its contractual rights, bad-faith construction delays, and racial discrimination by local officials in effectively preventing […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—The pandemic and a dreary winter? No problem. The Thomas J. Riley Senior Center is reopening, with limited capacity, on May 3. And its friends at Celebrate Westwood are cheering the news, […]
RIVER VALE, N.J.—On Tuesday, April 20, River Vale’s 8,561 registered voters can head to the polls 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to decide whether to spend $42.5 million to upgrade its three district schools, which […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—The Township Council authorized negotiations to begin toward acquisition of Washington Township Swim & Recreation Club, the private nonprofit social club on Ridgewood Boulevard abutting the Garden State Parkway, at a purchase […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—In what would be an about-face for the township if the plan is executed, the town is preparing to rent 35 parking spaces at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church for $2,500 […]
RIVER VALE, N.J.—The River Vale Public School Board of Education is hosting an online forum for voters to hear from architects, financial advisers and school staff—and each other—on the district’s $35.7 million facilities referendum, which […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Mayor Peter Calamari checked in with residents on March 17 to wish them a blessed St. Patrick’s Day—and to say how much he’s appreciated their support as he recovers from the coronavirus. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Republican Councilman and Planning Board member Arthur Cumming has resigned, citing failing health. In his letter of resignation March 3, Cumming said he was stepping down at his doctor’s advice, adding, “It […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—The four mayors representing the towns comprising the Pascack Valley Regional High School District have written a sharp letter to the superintendent and Board of Education on the board’s approval of new mascots for […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Following nearly three hours of emotional debate March 8, plus efforts by several trustees to delay the naming of new school mascots, the Pascack Valley Regional High School District Board of Education voted, 5–4, […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) delivered Meals on Wheels to North Jersey seniors on March 1, meeting with volunteers in Westwood and then making stops at Fifth District homes in Emerson—including local […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—The Township Council on Feb. 16 approved a bill to conduct a property appraisal of 450 Pascack Road, abutting Memorial Field, only eight months after the property’s developer withdrew an application to […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—A new passive park for walking, talking, daydreaming, and generally enjoying nature might soon be coming to the borough. The borough engineer said recently he hopes to have the 2.1-acre former Galaxy Gardens […]
PASCACK REGIONAL, N.J.—Congratulations and job well done to two of the most impressive student news organizations in the state, operating right here in the Pascack Valley. Pascack Valley High School’s PV Student Publication and Pascack […]
PASCACK REGIONAL DISTRICT, N.J.—After students from both Pascack Valley Regional District high schools proposed their three mascot options to be voted on by their schools, several board members and parents criticized the selection process. One […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—After months of discussion and debate, the final mascot recommendations are in: Pascack Valley High School chose the Panthers; Pascack Hills High School chose the Broncos. Now it’s up to the Pascack Valley Regional […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Congratulations and job well done to Pascack Valley High School sophomore Diego Mercado, a student in Matthew Morone’s English II class, who was named a round-four finalist in the Second Annual New York Times […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Reduce the density. Reduce the height. Keep it age-restricted to 55 and over—and by all means, keep the publicly accessible walking trail in the plans. That was the parting advice that Planning Board Chair […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—The Borough Council has unanimously agreed to refund nearly $4 million in commercial taxes to BMW of North America LLC, for the tax years 2009–2012 as part of a settlement that was contested […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Has the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Nature Trail been approved? That depends on whom you ask. A state environmental protection agency spokesman said that in April 2019 the state’s Watershed Property Review Board […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Congratulations to Ava Messina, recipient of the William Mundhenk Character Recognition Award, which acknowledges a student at St. John’s Academy for his or her good manners, respectful attitude, cooperation, generosity of time and talent, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—One of America’s fastest-growing sports might soon be coming to a converted tennis court in the borough, thanks to a $33,700 state matching grant. Officials said the grant will be used to help […]
PARK RIDGE, N.J.—In a year of monumental changes around the world, photographers in 2020 filled a vital role in creating a visual record of the times. Park Ridge photographer Julia Chang-Lomonico is one of many […]
EMERSON, N.J.—The borough attorney has called the borough’s redevelopment partner “incompetent” and says there are major problems with agreements the previous administration struck with it, including lack of an enforceable timetable for completion. A lack […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—The mayors of Montvale, Park Ridge, and Woodclif Lake report good news following a call with state officials and the Bergen County health department. Referring to a call on Feb. 11, Montvale […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) joined the parents of Alyssa Alhadeff—a Woodcliff Lake native who lost her life in the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., in […]
TRENTON—New Jersey’s second-longest- serving legislator, Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen), DDS, passed on Saturday, Feb. 20 after a brief illness. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Cardinale went on to become a respected public servant, successful dentist, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—A developer whose previous application at 188 Broadway was rejected will appear before the ZBA on Tuesday, Feb. 23 with a similar proposal for a two building complex with 60 apartment units. Zoning […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Mayor Michael Ghassali’s February projects report has no new information relative to a vaccination site in town, but work with other towns in the area continues with that goal in mind. “In the meantime, […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—The Borough Council approved a $50,000 plan to perform a comprehensive review and update of the Master Plan on Feb. 8, after arguing whether it should be paid for via a five-year emergency […]
PASCACK REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT—It’s an exchange of valentines like no other. To kick off their second semester, the Pascack Regional High School District Communication Department engineered a surprise for teachers and students. Teachers secretly […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Congratulations are pouring in for Phillip Langner, Bergen County Board of Commissioner Bergen County Veteran of the Week for Feb. 3. Calling him a great man in receipt of a very well […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—While the Patterson Street Redevelopment project and downtown rehabilitation have traction heading into 2021, a long-discussed community center for all residents has yet to come into focus. Throughout November and December 2020, residents for […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Fair Share Housing Center, “the only public interest organization entirely devoted to defending the housing rights of New Jersey’s poor through enforcement of the 1975 Mount Laurel doctrine,” is launching a podcast. […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Mayor Ray Arroyo had more to say than his time allowed at the Jan. 27 session of the 2021 Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce Mayors Breakfast, held on Zoom this year instead of […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—A developer whose previous application to build a two-building, 60-unit apartment complex at 188 Broadway was rejected has applied with a similar proposal to the Zoning Board, citing years-long declines in office space […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage New Jersey and its residents, especially first responders throughout the state facing the brunt of the physical and mental toll of the virus. The exhaustion these […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—The Pascack Valley Regional High School District’s award-winning robotics competition team—which is as devoted to community causes as it is to preparing young people for the future—has set Valentine’s Day as its […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Three mayors in towns that encircle a long-awaited Woodcliff Lake Reservoir Nature Trail are ready and willing to work with Suez water to make the trail a reality and hope that occurs […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—In ranging remarks at the recent Greater Pascack Valley Chamber of Commerce Mayors Breakfast, Mayor John Ruocco said the borough is waiting for expressions of interest from developers following the passage of the borough’s […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Eight Bergen County Republican mayors in the 39th legislative district, including four from the Pascack Valley, have written to State Sen. Gerald Cardinale asking him not to run for re-election and to […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Mayor Peter Calamari has pulled back from siting temporary DPW parking adjacent to Sherry Field, and on town-owned land behind the Dog House Saloon & Grill, after potentially affected residents spoke out […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Bibi’z Restaurant and Lounge, struggling to survive amid Covid-19 shutdowns and restrictions, got a new lease on life with financial support from an online fund supporting small businesses. The Barstool Fund, created by Barstool […]
EMERSON, N.J.—Mayor Danielle DiPaola and the borough’s two new councilmembers addressed the 117th Annual Reorganization Meeting of the Borough of Emerson on Jan. 4, with the mayor reporting on an uptick in Covid-19 cases—and progress […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Congratulations to George M. DeRosa, recent New Jersey Fifth District Hero, an American Legion Post 162 past commander—and ongoing recruitment dynamo—and all-around Hillsdale-area champion. To his long list of life accomplishments he […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—A majority of Pascack Valley mayors, who just met for an annual confab, acknowledged that 2020 was a mixed bag for businesses due to Covid-19 closures. Moving forward, they expressed hope for […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—The mayors of Woodcliff Lake, Park Ridge, and Montvale have banded together to provide alternatives for residents hoping to secure a Covid-19 vaccine apart from the state’s sprawling and under-supplied network of […]
EMERSON, N.J.—Congratulations to Francesca Ianora, who enjoyed “Francesca Ianora Day” in the borough Jan. 23 in honor of her 100th birthday. As Mayor Danielle DiPaola noted with a photo spread on the borough’s Facebook page, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Speeders take heed: radar signs to warn you to slow down and keep to the speed limit are going up on streets where local police know we tend to exceed the legal […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—An excavator and large container were seen Jan. 22 at the former Galaxy Gardens site at Woodcliff Avenue and Werimus Road, with long-delayed soil remediation work at the former Galaxy Gardens site set […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Three Pascack Valley mayors are frustrated with Suez North America’s delays in approving a long-awaited nature trail around Woodcliff Lake Reservoir that all three towns had approved nearly two years ago. Mayors […]
PARK RIDGE, N.J.—Superior Court Judge Gregg Padovano found the borough’s much-contested affordable housing settlement to be “fair, reasonable and appropriate” and granted a preliminary judgment of compliance and repose at a fairness hearing held Jan. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Michael D. Rosen, 32, single and unemployed, of Sutton Way, on charges of possession of child pornography, possession of controlled dangerous substances, and […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Gov. Phil Murphy approved $58 million in funding for police body-worn cameras on Dec. 23, 2020, the money to help reimburse local police departments for camera purchases. Murphy mandated the cameras effective […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—The Borough Council on Dec. 29, 2020 approved a resolution on a $268,042 contract with DTS Trucking LLC of Hawthorne for construction services to maintain and repair Huff Pond. The base bid was the […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—The Planning Board decided Jan. 5 that a land use variance was not needed for a Waypoint Residential Services’ proposed 157-unit active-adult senior living complex off of Summit Avenue, although at least two members […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—Former Democratic Mayor Josephine Higgins and running mate Richard A. Schnoll were sworn in as Woodcliff Lake’s newest council members Jan. 6. Exiting members Nancy Gross and Brian Singleton heard praise from the […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Residents are speaking out against a change to the composition of the Zoning Board of Adjustment following the Township Council’s reorganization meeting Jan. 4. Late in the nearly two-hour meeting, which was […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Some wore face coverings, some did not, and some newly elected members were in council chambers while others remained secure at home. But Pascack Valley municipal councils held combined annual end-of-year and […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—Resident Marcelo Velez, a vice president at Columbia University, has been charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault by sexual contact, and endangering the welfare of a child. Authorities allege Velez assaulted the […]
PARK RIDGE, N.J.— Longtime Volunteer Fire Department member Mark “Cookey” Eisen needs a kidney transplant. According to Mayor Keith Misciagna in an appeal to residents last week, “Mark has spent 30 years serving his community […]
RIVER VALE, N.J.—The township is not investing in another drone survey to gauge the local deer population and is backing off altogether on its idea to manage that population. At least for the foreseeable future. […]
EMERSON, N.J.—Resident Daniela Musano has ideas about community building and place-making that, fortunately, she also acts on. Over the summer, during the lockdown, she, her daughter, and a few friends created an enchanted forest behind […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Virtual handshakes, well wishes, and congratulations will greet new and returning Pascack Valley council members as 2021 begins with small reorganization meetings being held in person at town halls and broadcast remotely. […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Parking spaces at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church—at a cost of $2,500 per month—will not be needed for DPW vehicles as alternate locations were found, Mayor Peter Calamari reported at the […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Mayor Michael Ghassali took to email on Dec. 26 to advise on cleanup and power restoration following a messy storm overnight into Christmas. Wind gusts reached 67 mph in New York City. Here in […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—Despite more than $48,000 approved by the Borough Council in July for site remediation and environmental oversight at Galaxy Gardens—site of a future park—no remediation has been done mostly due to COVID-related staff […]
HACKENSACK—County Executive Jim Tedesco announced on Dec. 23 that the County of Bergen in partnership with Bergen New Bridge Medical Center anticipates the arrival of 1,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine within the next […]
AS 2020 COMES TO A CLOSE, I think we can all agree that this has truly been a year to remember. No one could have predicted the impact the pandemic would have on our lives, […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Not seven swans a-swimming but rather seven Cardinals a-cheering! Going door to door, a squad of Junior Cardinals cheerleaders, whose program has merged those of the Westwood and Washington Township rec programs, […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—As he suggested he might after the controversial ordinance passed Dec. 8, Mayor John Ruocco has vetoed several parts of Ordinance 20-15, adopting the Patterson Street Redevelopment Plan, warning the measure could add 1,100 […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Be careful out there. Gov. Phil Murphy has issued a state of emergency for New Jersey ahead of a nor’easter snowstorm that could bring more than a foot of snow to some […]
GLEN ROCK, N.J.—Congratulations to the Pascack Valley residents who star in Rep. Josh Gottheimer’s December 2020 roster of Fifth District Hometown Heroes. The class of first responders, veterans, students, life-saving bystanders, volunteers, teachers, community leaders, […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Joseph and Josephine Morelli came to America from Italy in 1907 with their three young children and a secret that would go undiscovered for 80 years. Through four generations the family ran a restaurant […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—George Merrill, eighth-grade social studies teacher at Fieldstone Middle School, says his students are famous but don’t know it: “Well, famous to future historians,” he says. Those historians will see Merrill’s students through their […]
BY MATTHEW WIKFORSSPECIAL TO PASCACK PRESS MONTVALE, N.J.—An act of volunteerism became an act of spreading holiday cheer for Woodcliff Middle School students Nina Indugula, Astrid Velozo, and Avery Maloney. The girls collected more than […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Following almost three hours of public comment, including an angry outburst between a councilman and mayor, the Borough Council Dec. 8 easily approved the Patterson Street Redevelopment Plan, 5–1, with the mayor noting the […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Only one of eight Pascack Valley towns has plans to have police officers wear body cameras starting Jan. 1, 2021, with most chiefs responding to a Pascack Press survey expressing confidence in […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Mayor Michael Ghassali reached out to residents Dec. 4 to urge their awareness of a school project in Village of Chestnut Ridge across the borough’s northern border in New York State. “This project, which […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Police Chief Michael R. Pontillo and the Westwood Police Department were among the first to congratulate the Junior Cardinals football team on their Junior BCJFL championship win Nov. 28 at Westvale Park. On their […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—New Jersey and nationwide, a much-debated question among business owners and business advocates is whether the traditionally busy holiday shopping season will be enough to sustain struggling local businesses, restaurants and shops. […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Michele Carcich DeVincenzo observed “a few amazing things resulted from my last-minute decision to join a flag football team as a 42 year old woman.” The obvious, she said: Her team, the Hillsdale Lady […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—At approximately 4 a.m. on Dec. 6, a vehicle was stolen from the driveway of a house on Willow Street. Two other vehicles in the area, which includes Clark Field, were also […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Congratulations to the Hillsdale Hawks senior football team for culminating their undefeated season in a 27–7 Super Bowl victory over Glen Ridge on Friday, Nov. 27. The contest was fought on neutral territory: Washington […]
PARK RIDGE, N.J.—Faced with the prospect of builder’s lawsuits that could add hundreds more market-rate and affordable units in the borough—on the former Sony property and elsewhere—the Borough Council has approved a settlement agreement that […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Celebrate Westwood invites residents and neighbors to stroll downtown on Dec. 5 to enjoy the sights, sounds, scents, and sales of the 2020 holiday season in the Hub of the Pascack Valley. Stroll the […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Helping Hand Food Pantry Turkey Drive 2020 took in a flock of approximately 400 donated frozen turkeys and an unprecedented haul of side dishes and other food donations. The event, at Hillsdale United Methodist […]
EMERSON, N.J.—Mayor Danielle DiPaola expressed her pride in how “the family town” came together to help three families left homeless in the wake of a three-alarm fire last Monday. No injuries were reported in the […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—The devastating loss. The trauma, sometimes relived for years. For some survivors, that’s the end of the story. For others, there’s that grief plus a rarity: purpose, passion, and toil toward a safer and […]
PARK RIDGE, N.J.—A proposed settlement agreement headed to Borough Council vote Nov. 23 permits a developer to build 448 multifamily housing units—including 68 affordable rental units—on a 30-acre tract of former Sony property at the […]
PARK RIDGE, N.J.—You’re invited to the Upper Pascack Valley 52nd Annual Interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. The online event is hosted by Pascack Reformed Church in Park Ridge. The Rev. Marc […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Pascack Valley High School presents its fall play, “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” (stay-at-home version) Nov. 19–21, online only. Performances are at 7 p.m., with a 1 p.m. Sunday matinee. Narrators Skylar Fay, a senior, […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—After hundreds of provisional paper ballots local voters cast at the polls were tallied, the once razor-thin vote lead for Park Ridge Republicans William Fenwick and John Cozzi turned into comfortable victory […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—A mature red oak at Clark Field was no match for the strong wind gusts that swept over North Jersey on Sunday night, uprooting and crashing down through the chain link fence […]
PASCACK VALLEY VOTERS turned out in high percentages for the highly contested Nov. 3 Presidential Election, with Washington Township voters topping our eight covered towns with slightly more than 77 percent turnout. With the caveat […]
HACKENSACK—Bergen County Clerk John S. Hogan today announced that his office has modernized the reporting of election results. “The new enhanced system has many user-friendly features including webpage auto-refresh results, color-coded for easy navigation, pie […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Family and friends cheered him on, kept him hydrated, and were at the finish line to help him celebrate. On Sunday, Oct. 18, resident Ian Sager won—frankly, crushed—what his wife dubbed the COVID-26.2, a […]
HACKENSACK—Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announces that all Bergen County veterans and active duty service members can enjoy a free round of golf at any of the county’s six golf courses from Wednesday, Nov. 11 […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—A long-stalled and controversial plan to construct 73 housing units—including 48 single-family homes and 25 townhomes—on a 14-acre property, is likely to be heard by the Planning Board before year’s end, say […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Home for the Holidays Parade 2020 is taking the year off due to health and safety concerns, but there is still plenty to celebrate. The Celebrate Westwood team is pleased to announce the kick-off […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—An area pastor, chief diversity officer, and mental health advocate hosted a virtual conversation Oct. 15 to explore ways to build and maintain “an inclusive community” in Pascack Valley, following a summer […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—A 3.2-acre strip of land at 450 Pascack Road that residents and local officials have recently discussed preserving as either open space or land for future school expansion is now listed as […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Our headline for the event in 2019: Thousands Cheer Parade at Westwood’s Home for the Holidays. This year—you guessed it—it’s a different story. On Nov. 2, the Westwood Home for the Holidays Committee confirmed […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—An incident with a drone earlier this year put the increasingly popular aerial surveillance tools on the Borough Council’s radar. Hoping to address safety and privacy concerns raised in a local incident involving a […]
HACKENSACK—More than 2,500 newly registered voters were added to eight Pascack Valley towns over the past year, according to a Bergen County Superintendent of Elections report. Compared to registered numbers last November, the added 2,508 […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—A week before Election Day, nearly 51% of registered Bergen County voters had returned mail-in ballots, said county elections officials, and officials were busy counting the unprecedented number of voters As of […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—It’s a sad ending to a 63-year success story, as Our Thrift Shop, at 245 Old Hook Road, finds itself with only weeks left to serve. The last day of sales is Nov. 15. […]
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—The Woodcliff Middle School Community prides itself as one dedicated to service, giving, and meeting the needs of those in need. Even with the challenges of COVID-19, these values remain at the heart […]
HACKENSACK, N.J.—Pascack Press went behind the scenes Oct. 24 for a supervised tour of Bergen County Board of Elections operations, seeing trained and careful workers do their part to ensure a reliable and accurate count. […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Most Planning Board members gave the borough’s newly proposed Patterson Street Redevelopment Plan mixed reviews Oct. 20 and the mayor graded it “incomplete,” saying it had failed to fully consider potential impacts. While most […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—While the match-up Nov. 3 between President Donald J. Trump and former Vice President Joseph R. Biden takes center stage nationally, New Jersey’s ballot also features three public questions that will be […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Candidates are competing for three open seats on the nine-member Westwood Regional District Board of Education this election. Voters in Westwood will seat one member; Township of Washington voters will seat two. […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Shortly after Westwood Regional School Superintendent Raymond A. Gonzalez announced a 14-day closure of the Westwood Regional School District’s physical spaces over Covid-19, the borough has announced a pause on kids’ activities. According to […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—A new message from the superintendent of the Westwood Regional School District is coinciding with a parent protest, organized over social media, at the high school campus after families were informed on […]
By MATTHEW WIKFORSSPECIAL TO PASCACK PRESS PARK RIDGE, N.J.—Halloween has come early to 138 Ridge Ave., as skeletons, ghosts, tombstones, a mausoleum, a real hearse, and even a 10-foot-tall animatronic Grim Reaper decorate Matt and […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County hosted Homes for Hounds on Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Habitat ReStore in Westwood.Habitat volunteers formed five teams and began building and decorating dog houses in mid-September. Friends […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—It’s last call for Golden Dynasty restaurant in Hillsdale. The local staple, serving Hunan-, Szechuan-, and Cantonese-style food for nearly 30 years, announced it would be open for takeout-only through Sunday, Nov. 1, and […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Craft beer aficionados likely will have a new—and local—destination in summer 2021: Westwood’s recently approved Five Dimes Brewery, to be opened at 247 Westwood Ave. A unanimous Zoning Board of Adjustment approved Five Dimes […]
MONTVALE, N.J.—Mayor Michael Ghassali shared a slew of town updates in a recent note to residents. Here are a few highlights: Election. Ballots have been mailed to registered voters and should be received by Oct. […]
PARK RIDGE, N.J.—A long-discussed new Community Recreation Center—partially paid for by the developer of a five-story, 240-unit downtown retail-apartment complex—began to take shape Sept. 22 when the Borough Council hired an architect on retainer to […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—After receiving a warning from police for violating noise limits while holding outdoor events—and a half-dozen pleas from nearby residents at a September council meeting to stop the noise—township staple Seasons Catering […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Municipal clerks and county elections officials urge registered voters to fill out and return vote by mail ballots as soon as possible to avoid delays, with several return options available in lieu […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—Beginning the first week of October, Westwood’s residents and visitors will be able to pay for parking on their mobile devices, in partnership with ParkMobile, the leading provider of smart parking and mobility solutions […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Members, families, and friends of the township’s volunteer fire and ambulance services cheered on the afternoon of Sept. 27 as officials dug shovels into a box of earth at the current firehouse […]
WESTWOOD, N.J.—The next Zoning Board hearing is Oct. 5 at 8 p.m. Depending on board concerns and time allotted, the Zoning Board might vote on the application then. A third virtual hearing on the revised […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—Residents opposed to a once-proposed multifamily independent senior living apartment and townhome complex at 450 Pascack Road—recently withdrawn by the applicant—have asked the Township Council to take action for a conservation easement […]
NORWOOD, N.J—Park Ridge Volunteer Firefighter Michael Bruno is unstoppable, last week mounting another equivalent 110 flights of stairs on his second annual Sept. 11 tribute. He did it in full gear this year, adding his […]
PASCACK VALLEY AREA, N.J.—Increased public education efforts, a dozen more secure drop boxes for mail-in ballots countywide, and early counting of mail-in ballots from Bergen County’s nearly 651,000 registered voters will occur this fall for […]
TOWNSHIP OF WASHINGTON, N.J.—A 2017 graduate of Westwood Regional Jr./Sr. High School who wants to help young artists in strange times is putting together an outdoor show highlighting the work of 20 Garden State artists. […]
DEMAREST, N.J.—A Planning Board hearing will be held Oct. 7 on a site plan application by F.E. Alpine Inc. for 24 townhouses on five lots on Duane Lane—a development the borough agreed to when it […]
RIVER VALE, N.J.—The governing body on Sept. 14 took its first look at a preliminary design for an estimated $12.5 million, 18,000-square-foot one-story-with-basement public safety complex on 3.25 acres at the corner of Rivervale Road and […]
BY MATTHEW WIKFORSSpecial to Pascack Press In order to encourage residents to fill out the 2020 U.S Census, Park Ridge Mayor Keith Misciagna and Montvale Mayor Mike Ghassali started a friendly rivalry to see which […]
Plans are advancing for an addition and renovation of Emerson Borough Hall—now estimated to cost $12 million—with the recent hiring of an architect, and final conceptual drawings being prepared for council consideration later this year. […]
A website snafu that caused a nearly hourlong delay led to rescheduling a Zoning Board of Adjustment public hearing on an 85-unit, 95-bed assisted living facility proposed on Pascack Road to Tuesday, Sept. 15, at […]
A teen romantic drama filmed in large part at Emerson Junior-Senior High School during summer 2019 debuted Aug. 21 on Amazon Prime video and the mayor and a councilwoman gave the new film and its […]
A newly hired special redevelopment attorney will likely recommend Sept. 8 whether the borough should focus entirely on its stalled redevelopment plan in an effort to fulfill its affordable housing settlement by February 2021 or […]
Since mid-July, the Westwood Chamber of Commerce’s 30-second commercial titled “Our Hometown Is Your Hometown” has run numerous times on News12 New Jersey in hopes of generating more visitors and paying customers for the borough’s […]
About 16 months after New Jersey approved Alyssa’s Law to mandate installation of silent panic alarms in public elementary and secondary schools statewide, Florida’s governor signed a similar law to improve school security there—the site […]
A 26-year-old New York driver responsible for hitting and injuring two women while attempting to escape in his car in Montvale has been arrested following an incident early on Friday, Aug. 14 at the Garden […]
Space may be the final frontier, but to a 2011 Park Ridge High School graduate, it’s his future. Park Ridge alum Robert Hales joined the Air Force following graduation in October 2011 and will enter […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Police found a 48-year-old father of three from the borough on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 6, in River Vale after his vehicle careened down a steep incline and came to rest partially submerged in the […]
An Oakland Street homeowner’s “Black Lives Matter” sign was vandalized Aug. 5 with blue spray paint and the phrase “Blue Lives Matter” painted prominently on his garage door and picket fence, according to a police […]
It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Westwood’s volunteer firefighters. They were already out at another call on the morning of Saturday, Aug. 1, when a report came in of smoke coming from the […]
Concerns about how “active adult” residents of a proposed 157-unit senior complex at 127 Summit Ave. will be able to exit the grounds on foot was debated by Planning Board members and applicant professionals July […]
A dog park grant discussion July 13 had local officials and residents barking at each other over the grant’s future cost. Although the Township Council voted 3–2 to submit a dog park proposal for a […]
Nearly two-and-a-half weeks after the predominantly mail-in July 7 primary election, Bergen County elections officials finally certified the results and one top official told Pascack Press that “if [the governor] does this again there’s going […]
Improper disposal of used surgical masks and gloves—used by residents to protect others and themselves from potentially spreading coronavirus—will officially be illegal and punishable by a fine or jail time under a new ordinance introduced […]
HILLSDALE, N.J.—Nine candidates filed for four open seats on the Pascack Valley Regional District Board of Education that are up for grabs Nov. 3 during a year marked by one of the board’s most divisive […]
An Aug. 7 legal showdown will occur in Superior Court, Hackensack, between attorneys for Englewood Cliffs’ Republican Mayor Mario Kranjac and four Democratic council members over the mayor’s accusations the group tried to “usurp his […]
An applicant traffic consultant for a 100-bed assisted living facility proposed at 620 Pascack Road said the facility will generate “much less traffic” than a previous tennis and fitness facility there and have no impact […]
Looking to show support for struggling local eateries, the Hillsdale Borough Council July 14 unanimously approved a resolution to close a portion of Washington Avenue near Broadway that will create a 2,100-square-foot outdoor dining area […]
A last-minute upgrade to replace a malfunctioning sprinkler system at the LaTrenta recreation complex will boost field improvement project costs nearly 20 percent, said the borough engineer. Borough Council members approved a $70,000 change order […]
After a nearly two-hour closed session meeting July 21, Park Ridge’s Borough Council voted unanimously to approve a “partial settlement agreement” with a developer to “create a realistic opportunity” for 50 affordable units at a […]
Approximately $48,000 in additional costs for site remediation and environmental oversight at Galaxy Gardens is required to clean up remaining gasoline contamination found on site, revealed the borough engineer at the Council’s July 13 meeting. […]
Town officials in River Vale and Montvale were thinking cold thoughts in early July when both agreed to set up a joint snow account to help weather “unplanned or extraordinary costs” due to winter’s ice […]
A first Planning Board hearing is scheduled July 21 at 7:30 p.m. for a proposal to redevelop property at 12 Railroad Avenue— currently a Citgo station—into a 2,899-square-foot convenience store with three gasoline pumps and […]
A lightning detection system —turned off in May due to Westwood Regional Middle School construction—has become a flashpoint among residents, a council member, the mayor and Westwood Regional School District over concerns about public safety […]
An applicant planner for a proposed three-story, 157-unit “active adult” residential complex at 127 Summit Ave. told Planning Board members July 7 that its construction will help “balance the housing stock available” and help the […]
A proposal for a first-ever downtown Westwood microbrewery—to be called Five Dimes Brewery—was presented June 29 before the Borough Zoning Board of Adjustment and is expected for a second hearing in early August. The brewery, […]
At least a dozen Township residents opposed to a proposed 48-unit senior “adult independent living” complex planned for a 3.1-acre parcel at 450 Pascack Road are mobilizing opposition to it based on its high density […]
The Township of Washington Knights of Columbus held its annual summer food drive on Saturday, June 27, with volunteers going door-to-door all over the township to pick up the donations left on people’s front porches. […]
Breaking News: The FEMA testing site at Bergen Community College in Paramus reached capacity on Sunday, March 22 in less than one hour. The site is closed for the day and will reopen Monday, March […]
NEW JERSEY—Gov. Phil Murphy today ordered all 9 million state residents with non-essential jobs to indefinitely stay at home, announcing new restrictions on civilian life designed to suppress the spread of Coronavirus, or COVID-19. “We […]
NEW JERSEY—New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal spoke by phone March 16 to the state’s police chiefs and other chief law enforcement executives, telling them: “Faced with this unprecedented health crisis, our work as […]
The Pascack Valley Mayors Association wrote an open letter to the community urging us all to heed warnings about Coronavirus and calls to social distance. Dear Residents of the Pascack Valley: We write today to […]
UPDATE: The Coronavirus testing site at Bergen Community College has reached maximum capacity and is closed for the day, Friday, March 20. PARAMUS, N.J.—A drive-thru Coronavirus testing center at Bergen Community College is now open, […]
WASHINGTON, D.C.—America is at war against the novel Coronavirus COVID-19, President Donald Trump said March 18. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is at a level-one response nationwide, with confirmed COVID-19 cases in all 50 states. On […]
HACKENSACK—An executive order calling for the shut down of all non-essential commerce—a measure the County Executive claimed was necessary to save lives and slow the spread of the novel Coronavirus COVID-19—has been rescinded at the […]
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