Passaic County Courier

The Changing Face Of New Jersey

2007-01-15T11:14:00.000Z

NEW JERSEY / ETHNIC MIGRATION & SOCIO-ECONOMICS CHANGING THE FACE OF MANY NEW JERSEY TOWNS

"New Jersey has always been an ever-changing state, but the most recent chapter of this cycle is a little different," said Clement Price, a professor of history at Rutgers-Newark with a special interest in race and race relations. "For the first time, New Jersey seems to be on a path where it will no longer be a predominantly white state."

The Changing Face Of New Jersey

The ethnic and racial makeup of towns large and small is shifting rapidly, and in some cases dramatically.

~ BY ROBERT GEBELOFF AND MARY JO PATTERSON
Star-Ledger Staff

New Jersey is changing faster than ever, in more places than ever before.

It can be seen in the faces of children crowding Chinese language classes in an affluent suburb. Or at a Colombian lunch counter in a former Morris County mining town. Or in the movement of African-American city dwellers to once segregated subdivisions.

During the last few years, the ethnic communities that make up New Jersey have been rearranging themselves so quickly that entire neighborhoods or towns have acquired a new look or language, often in less time than it takes for a generation of students to go through grammar school.

The 2000 Census, the last major survey of New Jersey's ethnic and racial makeup, is more than a half-decade old and already dated.

To get a clearer picture of the state's radically shifting demographics, The Star-Ledger analyzed recent school enrollment data and found whites declining in number in all but the wealthiest communities; Hispanics replacing African-American families in some of the poorer cities; blacks moving in large numbers into middle-class towns; and Asians establishing new enclaves all over.

Immigration, meanwhile, once confined largely to the cities, is reshaping towns across the state.

The signs are often obvious. Parsippany, for example, is home to two Hindu temples (and is about to get two more). Bodegas and other Hispanic-oriented shops seem to be sprouting everywhere in Belmar. In many traditionally white towns, Protestant churches with shrinking memberships are often opting to lease space to dynamic immigrant congregations.

Now and then over the past year, demographic change has stirred conflict. In Bogota, a flap arose over a Spanish-language billboard advertising fast food. In Morristown, the rights of day laborers to congregate in the street became a live-wire issue. In Edison, tensions between the growing Asian population and the town's mainly white police force exploded into a near-riot.

In most towns though, the impact is much more subtle.

Over the next four days, The Star-Ledger will examine rapidly diversifying communities that have flown mostly below the radar: tiny Wharton Borough in Morris County, home to many new Hispanic immigrants; sprawling West Orange, in Essex County, which has experienced a surge of black and Hispanic school enrollment; booming Montgomery Township in Somerset, suddenly a dream destination for Asian families; and Union Township, a once-segregated suburb in Union County where race no longer dictates where you live.

Unlike the Census, which is taken only once a decade, the racial and ethnic backgrounds of New Jersey's 1.4 million public school students are collected each year. While those numbers may not exactly mirror a town's population as a whole, demographers believe they indicate where a town is headed, since young families with children are often at the core of community life.

And in some towns, the changes this decade have been dramatic.

Between 2000 and 2006, nearly 100 of 623 New Jersey school districts for which enrollment data was available saw the percentage of minority students rise by at least 10 percentage points, the analysis showed.

Overall, 85 percent of the state's school enrollment growth can be attributed to Hispanic and Asian students. White enrollment increased in only a handful of towns, mostly islands of wealth such as Kinnelon Borough in Morris County, or Rumson in Monmouth, where few blacks or Hispanics live.

By combing through the last six years of school enrollment data, collected by districts every fall and reported to the N.J. Department of Education, The Star-Ledger found:

Since the start of this decade, more than 300 school districts have lost white enrollment, while 28 districts, in 13 counties, have gone from white-majority to white-minority. The overall makeup of the student body is now less than half white in 96 districts, or about 1 in 6.

Latino enrollment is up in six out of seven districts statewide since 2000, with 50 districts having seen an increase of 10 or more percent in Latino students.
The growth in the number of Asian students has been most pronounced in New Jersey's wealthiest districts. At the start of the decade, 1 in 11 students in affluent towns was Asian; today, the number is 1 in 8.
Black enrollment has declined in the state's poorest school districts and risen in the suburbs. Many of those same suburbs are simultaneously losing whites.
Black enrollment has declined in the state's poorest school districts and risen in the suburbs. Many of those same suburbs are simultaneously losing whites.

"In the '50s and '60s, the suburbs were a way people saw to shield themselves from diversity," said Eric Oliver, a political scientist at the University of Chicago. "With the diversification of the suburbs, you're going to see these issues coming to the fore again."

Maria Guareno was a physical therapist who lived a comfortable married life in Colombia, with a house and pool and hired help to fix the family's meals. But when her marriage ended in divorce, she decided to seek a better economic future in the United States.

She and her two children landed in Wharton, where a cousin already lived. Maria eventually remarried; her new husband, Rafael, is a construction worker originally from the Dominican Republic.

She ended up renting a three-bedroom apartment in a massive three-family home built a century ago for railroad workers. When she first arrived in Wharton seven years ago, there weren't nearly as many immigrant families; now, just about all of her neighbors are from abroad.

Her daughter, Paola, is a senior at Morris Hills High School. A thoughtful 17-year-old, Paola plans to go to college, where she hopes to study psychology or criminology. She said she likes school, but often feels socially isolated.

"I don't fit in with the white kids because I'm Spanish, but I don't fit in with a lot of the Spanish kids because I speak English," she said.

The Guarenos said they haven't faced any overt discrimination in Wharton, where Latino school enrollment has soared 75 percent since 2000. However, like other recent immigrants, Paola said she sometimes senses the distrustful stares of store merchants and non-Latino neighbors.

Many other towns -- poor and middle-class alike -- are experiencing a huge influx of Hispanic families. They include Red Bank, Freehold, Belmar, New Brunswick, Plainfield and Belleville.

In three of these towns -- Red Bank, New Brunswick and Plainfield -- Hispanic children are actually replacing the black population in the schools, enrollment data show.

They are people like Roger Smith, whose family moved from Newark to Union Township in 2002. His daughter was 3 at the time.

"I grew up in Newark, in the Central Ward," said Smith, 54, a youth worker for a nonprofit agency in Essex County. "The education I got growing up wasn't the best. That's why we moved to Union."

Smith said he started his house search in Maplewood, and "bumped into Union by mistake." The two towns adjoin. Smith liked like the look and feel of the place.

"I wanted a multiracial community," he said. "In Union , everybody is getting along with each other. Neighbors talk to each other. You won't find neighborhoods dominated by one ethnic group any more. Them days are winding down."

His daughter, meanwhile, is a second-grader at Union's Hannah Caldwell Elementary School. Smith said he was "very pleased, at this point" with her progress.

"My daughter's class has Indians, Brazilians, Africans, African-Americans," Smith said. "It's an amazing sight to see, and the best part is, you see them all getting along with each other."

Asians, meanwhile, are transforming many towns, especially in Central Jersey. Among 30 school districts reporting a significant increase in Asians since 2000 were South Brunswick, Montgomery, Edison, Monroe, Carteret and Parsippany.

While the Asian population is increasing everywhere, it is growing fastest in the state's wealthiest towns. Affluent Montgomery in Somerset County, for example, has attracted a sizable population of Chinese and Indian families in recent years.

"A lot of Asian people live in Pike Run," a huge new development built on farmland in the northern end of town, said Cindy Cen, a Montgomery real estate agent who was born in China. "They like that the houses are new, the town has good schools, and it's a good commute. There's also a Chinese supermarket in South Brunswick. Life is very easy in Montgomery."

At the start of this decade, northern New Jersey was one of the most diverse, yet one of the most segregated, regions of the country, according to demographic studies.

As it becomes even more diverse, sociologists and others are watching to see if it becomes more integrated residentially -- or whether segregation persists.

"If you ask most Americans if they embrace the idea of racial equality, they say, 'No problem,'" said Oliver, the University of Chicago professor. "But if you look at the reality of where people live, it's still a highly segregated country."

One of the biggest unknowns is how Latino immigrants will be assimilated, he said.

"This is a real interesting question," he said. "(Some people ask) 'Why don't they participate in our parades?' They don't feel they are members of the community yet."

Douglas Massey, a Princeton University sociologist who has written extensively about race, thinks skin color will prove key.

He believes light-skinned Latinos will follow the pattern of European groups and quickly assimilate. For dark-skinned Latinos, it will be more problematic, he predicted.

"The way most groups have moved up over time is taking one step up the economic ladder, and translating that into a step up the residential ladder," Massey said.

"African-Americans have a much harder time translating income gains into residential gains that would later translate into further mobility," he said.

Hispanics who do not have legal status here will also have problems melting into the culture, according to Massey.

Mexicans, in particular, may encounter hostility because of public rhetoric that has "racially demonized them" -- including the U.S. government's plan to build a 700-mile fence between the United States and Mexico, Massey said.

For decades, many social scientists and the media have accepted the idea that, once the share of minority residents in a neighborhood reaches a certain critical mass, the neighborhood "tips" and whites leave.

The concept was introduced in 1957 by Martin Grodzins, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, who wrote that a very particular threshold of minorities precipitated white flight from a neighborhood.

"White residents, who will tolerate a few Negroes as neighbors, either willingly or unwillingly, begin to move out when the proportion of Negroes in the neighborhood or apartment building passes a certain critical point," he wrote. "This 'tip point' varies from city to city. Once it is exceeded, they will no longer stay among Negro neighbors."

In 1972, Thomas Schelling, an economist at the University of Maryland, wrote about tipping in a chapter of a book on neighborhood racial segregation. He also argued that whites flee a neighborhood in large numbers once a threshold is reached.

In recent years researchers have tested the validity of the theory, using detailed Census tract information available since 1970.

Their conclusions differ.

Neighborhoods -- and schools -- do indeed "tip" when minorities comprise a certain share of the populations, according to one recent study. Actual tipping points differ according to neighborhood, but center around 13 percent, the study said.

Still, tipping points of 25 or 30 percent are "not uncommon" and some racially tolerant neighborhoods may never tip, said Jesse Rothstein, one of the study's co-authors and an economics professor at Princeton University.

Rothstein and his colleagues found tipping took place irrespective of the socioeconomic status of minority residents. "We put in different measures of class and income, to see if they drove race out of the model. They never did," he said.

The study lumped together all nonwhites, but whites may actually react differently to different racial groups, Rothstein said.

"It's hard to get precision on that," he said, as widespread Asian and Hispanic immigration is relatively new in many parts of the country.

Another scholar came to a different conclusion.

While many urban American neighborhoods did go from mostly white to mostly minority from 1970 to 2000, the main factor was residents' desire to leave cities and old suburbs for newer suburbs, not tipping, according to William Easterly, a New York University economist.

Racially mixed neighborhoods, with a sizable white minority, can remain stable, he wrote.

History teaches that immigrants and minority groups have found a mixed reception in this country, says Price, the Rutgers professor.

"We've reacted sometimes in a democratic way, and oftentimes we have not," he said. "Blacks and browns were run out of town, and some Europeans such as Jews and Italians had to work to be seen as 'white,'" Price said.

Whether Latinos will also be perceived as whites remains to be seen, he said.

Price, who is African-American, grew up in Washington, D.C., during the 1950s. When he was 9, his family moved from a mostly black neighborhood to a mostly white area of the city, Brookland. By the time he was 16 or 17, he said, most of the whites had left.

While the civil rights movement and its ripple effect have undermined the racism of that era, Price said, a form of white flight based on concerns about property values and stability remains.

"One of the privileges of whiteness has always been to move on," he said.

Robert Gebeloff may be reached at rgebeloff@starledger.com or (973) 392-1753; Mary Jo Patterson at mpatterson@starledger.com or (973) 392-4215.

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Wayne Township Burglaries Frazzle Residents

2007-01-05T20:13:00.000Z

WAYNE TOWNSHIP / TOWNSHIP BURGLARIES FRAZZLE RESIDENTS

Wayne Police Dectective Captain Paul Ireland said, "It's very possible whoever it was, was checking door knobs if different homes, trying to find one that was unlocked and then went into them."

Cat Burglar On The Prowl In N.J.

Police Warn Residents In Wayne To Be Careful

John Slattery
Reporting

(CBS) WAYNE, N.J. Police in Wayne, NJ are urging residents to make sure their homes and parked cars are securely locked, after two homes were burglarized in the early morning hours of Wednesday.

One of the homes is on Heights Road where Tanya Kellstrom lives with her husband and children. She said, "It was quite scary." But she didn't know her home and car were entered until after it was over.

Same thing a half-mile away on Nellis Drive where Omar Sayyed lives with his family. "My mom and my sister were very scared. I'm not the kind of person who gets frazzled."

Wayne Police Dectective Captain Paul Ireland said, "It's very possible whoever it was, was checking door knobs if different homes, trying to find one that was unlocked and then went into them."

At the home on Nellis Drive, one of the garage doors was open, which police say was an invitation for someone to try the inside door. It was unlocked, and Omar Sayyed said whoever it was went right for an unoccupied, first floor bedroom.

He explained, "They really quickly went for my mom 's purse and money. They took the entire purse and some jewelry out of the drawers."

At the home on Heights Road, it was a side door that opened into an office, where Tanya Kellstrom, said the loss ranged into the thousands of dollars.

"Three computers, a cell phone, a leather jacket, a list of things ... We were asleep or we were up and just didn't hear 'em," she said.

Also a number of cars in the area were entered and valuables taken.

Police dusted for prints but came up with nothing. The houses and the cars that were hit all had the doors unlocked.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Wayne detective bureau at 973-633-3530.

All logos, trademarks and postings on this site are property of their respective owner(s).

"They really quickly went for my mom 's purse and money. They took the entire purse and some jewelry out of the drawers."

Cat Burglar On The Prowl In N.J.

wcbstv.com

January 04, 2007

Police in Wayne, NJ are urging residents to make sure their homes and parked cars are securely locked, after two homes were burglarized in the early morning hours of Wednesday.

One of the homes is on Heights Road where Tanya Kellstrom lives with her husband and children. She said, "It was quite scary." But she didn't know her home and car were entered until after it was over.

Same thing a half-mile away on Nellis Drive where Omar Sayyed lives with his family. "My mom and my sister were very scared. I'm not the kind of person who gets frazzled."

Wayne Police Dectective Captain Paul Ireland said, "It's very possible whoever it was, was checking door knobs if different homes, trying to find one that was unlocked and then went into them."

At the home on Nellis Drive, one of the garage doors was open, which police say was an invitation for someone to try the inside door. It was unlocked, and Omar Sayyed said whoever it was went right for an unoccupied, first floor bedroom.

He explained, "They really quickly went for my mom 's purse and money. They took the entire purse and some jewelry out of the drawers."

At the home on Heights Road, it was a side door that opened into an office, where Tanya Kellstrom, said the loss ranged into the thousands of dollars.

"Three computers, a cell phone, a leather jacket, a list of things ... We were asleep or we were up and just didn't hear 'em," she said.

Also a number of cars in the area were entered and valuables taken.

Police dusted for prints but came up with nothing. The houses and the cars that were hit all had the doors unlocked.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Wayne detective bureau at 973-633-3530.

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The People In Your Neighborhood

2006-12-23T17:43:00.000Z

LITTLE FALLS - PASSAIC COUNTY- WAYNE TOWNSHIP / REFLECTIONS ON LIFE IN NORTH JERSEY NOT TOO LONG AGO

Ashley Richards

Growing up in Little Falls, New Jersey, just 30 minutes outside of the city (New York City - is there any other?) it felt very much like a small town at times. Everyone pretty much knew everyone else, or you at least knew of everyone else.

Summers meant spending the day at the pool, and by fall it was time for full days of school. So the weekends were spent with the more cautious older kids who never ventured into Mean-Green land.

The People in Your Neighbourhood

In Mountain View there are characters I see on a regular basis. The homeless man that dances with an invisible partner. The rotund bearded man who wears a kilt and leather wide-brimmed hat and waits for the bus to get to his high-tech job. (Yes, he’s in high-tech; I’ve seen him waiting to go home in front of a Mountain View company.) However, the characters from my childhood hold more magic for some reason.

Pete And RePete

Two characters everyone knew were the twins that we would see walking around town together all the time. We called them Pete and RePete. I have no idea if one of them was even called Pete. That is what we called them. And their names were passed from one generation of children to the next.

In my memory they’re walking down Main Street wearing dark grey work pants and dark grey jackets (always pressed), carrying lunch pails or a book (it was something), brown short-cropped hair, and horn rimmed glasses. They were completely synchronous - walked in step, swaying their arms at the same pace. They seemed to have the same internal beat - their hearts probably had beat at the same rate since they were in utero and everything else just fell into place. Seemingly, they were inseparable and one-in-the-same.

Riding through town in the backseat of my parent’s sky blue Chevy Caprice, I’d do some Pete/RePete spotting. It was a little treat to watch them in their little world. It meant my world was as it should be with the reassuring consistency of Pete and RePete walking to and from work together. (I had no idea where they were going, but as they were adults they must have been on their way to work or back home from it. That’s what adults do.) And yet, I always found myself asking what would it be like to always have another person with you - never being alone? If one died, how would the other survive if he’s never been alone in his entire life?

Over the years, white streaks appeared on the sides of their heads. They seemed to do aging synchronously too. Slowly I saw less and less of them. Did they retire? Or was it as I grew older my daily route changed and theirs didn’t? I don’t know what happened to them. Did they ever know we called them Pete and Re-Pete? They must have.

Mr. Mean-Green

Another character lived on my street. We called him Mr. Mean-Green. He was probably more a neighbourhood character, rather than a town character. He was obsessed with his lawn and garden, and would stand guard over it while sitting on his front porch. If we got an inch too close to his front lawn, he would glare. God forbid we ever stepped on that lawn. Boy, would we get yelled at, or worse yet he’d talk to our parents. We wouldn’t even dare bring a dog anywhere near that lawn. They had small terriers, but they never pooped on that lawn. That’s what the neighbours’ lawns were for. So even though there was a sidewalk there, I would cross the street just to avoid going anywhere near Mean-Green land.

The formidable Mr. Mean-Green was no match for my curiosity though. I don’t know if he ever knew about my explorations of his backyard. I can only imagine that he didn’t, because I don’t remember my mom giving me a talking-to about them. You see there was an unfortified entry point into his backyard. I lived on the side of the street that had fairly level properties. On the other side of the street, where he lived, the backyards dropped off into a gully that had a brook running through it. This brook was the highway to adventure. On the weekends I would follow the older kids through tunnels to areas yet unexplored by me. During the week while they were in school, I would go back to the brook to the places we had been.

One of the places the older kids always by-passed was Mr. Mean-Green’s portion of the gully. They always stayed in the brook there where it decided to dig deeper into the ground, so that we would have had to climb up vertical walls to get out. But I would peak over the edge of the brook while my older sister begged me to keep up. To me it looked like something out of Alice in Wonderland. Vast areas of perfectly even, soft, green grass, with a bridge over the brook that led to a secluded garden area rimmed with flowers. It was too much temptation for a little girl to resist. So one Spring weekday, I climbed out of the brook to the garden. I didn’t stay too long. But it was so exciting to be in the forbidden territory where there was a table set surrounded by flowers that was just dying to be used for tea parties. Oh Alice would have loved this place, and a little girl could play tea party for hours.

Mrs. Mean-Green must have spotted me perched up on her look-out, the back porch. She started coming down the hill with her terriers. I was terrified of dogs, even small ones that I could have crushed just by sitting on them. My memory gets hazy here. I can’t remember if she talked to me or if I got away. I do remember clambering down the side of the brook and jumping from rock to rock to reach the safety of the Freeland’s portion of the brook, where I could run back home undetected. But silly little me returned a few more times that Spring to play. After that Spring I never got out of the brook there again. Summers meant spending the day at the pool, and by fall it was time for full days of school. So the weekends were spent with the more cautious older kids who never ventured into Mean-Green land.

There are more characters like the man that supposedly chased kids out of his yard with a shot gun and the purple house lady. But this post is getting too long and travelling down memory lane is probably boring for anyone other than me.

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N.J. Bears Smarter Than Government Leaders

2006-12-16T22:03:00.000Z

WEST MILFORD / NEW JERSEY BEARS SMARTER THAN GOVERNMENT LEADERS

One town in New Jersey has been trying to do something about nuisance bears for so long, I’m not sure they can remember when the process started. West Milford was supposed to purchase bear-proof garbage cans with money from a grant issued by the DEP. It’s been an embarrassment to the town and to the DEP because they can’t get it done.

I Think Bears In New Jersey May Be Smarter Than Government Leaders

~ By Tom Remington

New Jersery’s commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, called off the 2006 bear hunt. One of the reasons Lisa Jackson gave in cancelling the hunt was because she didn’t think the newly approved Bear Management Plan included enough non-lethal ways of dealing with bear problems and complaints from residents. Of course a simple bear hunt would have reduced numbers, reduced complaints, provided for a healthier bear population and wouldn’t have cost the state anything as the cost would be absorbed through hunter license and permit fees. But that’s not the New Jersey way!

At least one town in New Jersey has been trying to do something about nuisance bears for so long, I’m not sure they can remember when the process started. West Milford was supposed to purchase bear-proof garbage cans with money from a grant issued by the DEP. It’s been an embarrassment to the town and to the DEP because they can’t get it done.

This was all part of a plan to see if bear-proof garbage cans would reduce the number of complaints from residents. The plan was to purchase 3,075 cans and distribute them to 1,525 homes in selected areas most affected by bears. When the proposal was announced, the garbage haulers wanted to renegotiate their contract with the town because of increased labor costs of having to unscrew the lids of all the garbage cans before emptying them. (Of course it wouldn’t be all of them because we know that many people won’t bother to take the time to screw the lids on anyway. Heck, they won’t buckle a seat belt, why would they take the time to screw on a lid to a stinking old garbage can?)

Then the town council couldn’t make up its mind whether to buy a cheaper version of the screw-of lids or a more expensive kind of spring-loaded lid. Finally, the bids went out but within a couple of months they had to rebid the process all over again because they failed to provide detailed information necessary for contractors to make accurate bids.

Believe it or not, it does get worse. The company that won the bid, Compliant Solutions, secured a contract to manufacture 3,075 screw-off lid garbage cans for a price of $176,000. Yes, folks that’s $57.24 a can ... and oh, by the way, you expected handles to come for that price?

Compliant Solutions said they would be happy to drill the holes and put handles on the cans but that would be another negotiated price.

“That’s four holes per handle, and four handles per can,” Township Manager Richard Kunze said Thursday. “That’s a lot of holes.”

Representatives of the winning bidder, Compliant Solutions of Elmwood Park, were at the council meeting to demonstrate the rubberized critter cans with the screw-off lids. The company offered to drill the holes, but said it would have to pass the labor costs on to the township.

But the town couldn’t just pay Compliant to put the handles on because it might create some real legal messes when complaints from the losing bidders began pouring in.

Now the town still doesn’t have bear-proof cans. I wonder if the New Jersey Supreme Court would have ruled differently about the bear hunt if they had known that the same DEP that stopped the bear hunt was the same DEP that couldn’t get a town to “find more non-lethal ways” of dealing with bears.

Just think how simple and cost effective one simple little 5-day bear hunt could have been. No problem!

Tom Remington

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State Assembly Passes Civil Union Bill

2006-12-15T02:02:00.000Z

NEW JERSEY / STATE ASSEMBLY PASSES CIVIL UNION BILL

Under orders from the New Jersey Supreme Court to give equal benefits to same-sex couples, members of the Assembly chose civil unions instead of gay "marriage" as the means to comply with the court's order.

New Jersey Assembly Passes Civil Union Bill

Lawmakers in the Garden State this afternoon voted 56-19 in favor of creating civil unions, The Associated Press reported.

Last month the justices ruled that the state must either allow same-sex couples to marry or create civil unions that provide the same legal rights and benefits.

Civil unions are legal partnerships that allow gay couples all the protections and benefits of marriage, but which stop short of being called "marriage." Both Vermont and Connecticut have similar civil-union laws and California has a similar domestic-partnership law.

The New Jersey Senate is expected to vote on the bill soon. If it passes, the legislation would be sent to Gov. Jon Corzine for signature. If he signs the bill, which he has promised to do, it would take effect 60 days later.

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Senior Citizen Christmas Dinner Planned

2006-12-14T21:53:00.000Z

PASSAIC COUNTY / SENIOR CITIZEN CHRISTMAS DINNER PLANNED

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 13, 2006

Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Department of Senior Services have planned a Christmas dinner on December 25.

Passaic County seniors will feel the love of the season at this special Christmas Day celebration.

Christmas Dinner Planned For Passaic County Seniors

The Event:

Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders and Department of Senior Services have planned a Christmas dinner on December 25.

Passaic County seniors will feel the love of the season at this special Christmas Day celebration.

While most will enjoy the Christmas Holiday surrounded by family and friends, there are many of our elderly neighbors who might otherwise not have that joy.

When:

Monday, December 25, 2006
12:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Where:

Passaic County Department of Senior Services
Suite 200
930 Riverview Drive (at the Totowa Business Center)
Totowa, New Jersey 07512

Transportation is available.

Sponsors:

Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Reservations:

Call 973-569-4060

Recognition:

Sincere appreciation is extended to our volunteers for their compassion and willingness to change their Christmas Day tradition in rder to share it with others.

This event is funded through private donations.
Contributions are being accepted and are greatly appreciated.

Contact:

Mary Kuzinski, Director,
Passaic County Senior Services
973-569-4060

Dolores Choteborsky,
Passaic County Public Information Officer
973-569-5050

www.passaiccountynj.org

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Virgin Mary Tree Stump Moves To New Location

2006-12-14T21:01:00.000Z

PASSAIC CITY / VIRGIN MARY TREE STUMP SHRINE TO BE MOVED TO PERMANENT LOCATION

The stump was to be moved to a nearby church, but a group of business owners of Mexican heritage from New Jersey and New York raised money for a permanent shrine, which has a devoted following of Mexican and Polish immigrants.

Virgin Mary Tree-Stump Shrine On The Move

The Virgin Mary tree-stump shrine in Passaic, N.J..
CBS

(CBS) PASSAIC, N.J. -- Now, the site is getting a permanent shelter to replace the plywood lean-to that the city dismantled two months ago.

Passaic cited safety concerns after the makeshift roof collapsed amid prayer candles, flowers and rosary beads.

The stump was to be moved to a nearby church, but a group of business owners of Mexican heritage from New Jersey and New York raised money for a permanent shrine, which has a devoted following of Mexican and Polish immigrants, the Herald News of West Paterson reported in Tuesday's newspapers.

"It was just time that the Mexican community came together as one to focus on helping the community," Maria DeDios, treasurer of the newly formed United Mexican Chamber of Commerce, told the newspaper. "The shrine has brought us together and it shows what unity can do."

One volunteer worker, Laurencio Barrios, a native of Mexico who lives in Passaic, smoothed mortar on bricks at the site on Monday.

"I'm taking extra care, because it's for the Virgin," he said.

Work is to be done by Dec. 12, the holy day of the Virgin of Guadalupe, a manifestation of the Virgin Mary who is the patron saint of Mexico.

Landscaper Jaime Delgado, who is overseeing construction, said he has secured permits for work on the state-owned land from the city and the state Department of Transportation.

The DOT had no immediate comment Tuesday.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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Paterson Police Seek Possible Serial Rapist

2006-12-14T20:29:00.000Z

PATERSON / POLICE HUNT FOR POSSIBLE SERIAL RAPIST

Young women in the community say they are concerned, enough to take extra precautions on the streets.

"Life is getting tough, and everybody needs to be careful," Kys said.

"I'm a woman, and I know I'm pretty," Paterson resident Nicole Atkinson said. "Some guys, you never know what they're really after. So you just have to be careful. Now you have to think twice."

Paterson Police Hunt For Possible Serial Rapist

Officials say two reported rapes have striking similarities

Eyewitness News

(Paterson - WABC, December 1, 2006) - The search is on in New Jersey for a rapist who police say is pulling woman right off the street.

There have been at least two attacks so far, according to authorities.

Police say they think the attacker, in both cases, is the same man.

One victim is a 25-year-old woman. The other, a 16-year-old girl.

Both rapes were reported in Paterson this week.

That's where we find Stacey Sager with the story.

"I worry about it," Paterson resident Yudel Kys said.

And Kys isn't the only one.

Police in Paterson say they are very concerned about two sexual attacks in just three days.

Authorities say the latest attack was Wednesday night at East 39th Street.

Two days earlier, in broad daylight, the teen was reportedly attacked on East 19th Street.

Police say they haven't ruled out a connection because of similarities between the two attacks.

"One of the key similiarities is that they were grabbed from behind and dragged into the backyards," Lieutenant Richard Reyes said.

And the victims in both cases were also similar. Both were young Hispanic women. And each gave a similar description of the attacker. But neither victim saw his face.

Young women in the community say they are concerned, enough to take extra precautions on the streets.

"Life is getting tough, and everybody needs to be careful," Kys said.

"I'm a woman, and I know I'm pretty," Paterson resident Nicole Atkinson said. "Some guys, you never know what they're really after. So you just have to be careful. Now you have to think twice."

Police are asking anyone with information to call.

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Religious Education Expands For The Disabled

2006-12-14T20:19:00.000Z

NEW JERSEY / RELIGIOUS EDUCATION EXPANDS FOR THE DISABLED

Families who would have preferred religious school must enroll their child in public school programs instead. But religious educators are expanding their resources and finding new ways to deliver religious studies to special-education students.

Teachers use a special curriculum for students with disabilities, one that breaks down the steps of religious education into smaller bits, which are easier to understand.

EDUCATION

Religious Special Ed Growing

~ By MERRY FIRSCHEIN
STAFF WRITER

A shortage of programs and lack of funding make it difficult for parents to find appropriate religious education for children with learning disabilities.

In many cases, families who would have preferred religious school must enroll their child in public school programs instead. But religious educators are expanding their resources and finding new ways to deliver religious studies to special-education students.

A new school for special-needs Orthodox Jewish children recently opened in North Jersey -- giving some parents an alternative to an after-school program run in River Edge.

Choices are still somewhat limited for Catholic parents looking for the same sort of full-time parochial education, but many parishes also hold after-school programs. The Newark Archdiocese, which includes Bergen County, tries to mainstream children with learning disabilities, and has special-education classrooms or resource rooms within various church schools, said the Rev. Kevin Hanbury, the archdiocese's vicar for education and superintendent of schools.

The Sinai School, an Orthodox Jewish private school for children with learning disabilities, has been a blessing for Laurie Gopin of Bergenfield.

The removal of a brain tumor when he was 18-months-old left Gopin's son, Shmuel, now 5, with some communication delays. Gopin and her husband enrolled him in a Bergenfield afternoon public school program last year because the district could address his disability. But the family was still not satisfied; they wanted him to learn about his Orthodox Jewish heritage.

"We wanted him to be in a religious setting, especially because he loves all the religious aspects of school," said Gopin, of Bergenfield. "We felt at this time that a religious program would benefit him and make us feel more comfortable."

Funding is the main reason there is no Catholic equivalent to the Sinai School, said Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the archdiocese. "To provide that full range of services that public districts tend to do, it's a lot more money than we can afford," he said.

Catholic parents pay about $3,500 for an elementary education, and about $8,000 to send a child to parochial high school within the archdiocese, Goodness said. Parents pay a nominal fee, $80, if they can afford it, for an after-school program at St. John the Evangelist Church in Bergenfield, said Paula Andrade, who oversees all religious education in the parish.

Tuition is $27,500 a year at Sinai School. The school also is funded through private donations and the Jewish Federation, a non-profit umbrella organization. It is not eligible for state funding because it is religiously affiliated.

Catholic after-school education is all parish-based, said Ronald Pihokker, director of the archdiocesan office of catechetics. And it's up to each church to educate their children. There also are several "magnet centers, parishes that open their doors to children with severe special needs in different areas of the diocese," he said.

Sinai is the only Jewish private school in Bergen County completely dedicated to children with learning disabilities.

The school, housed in a wing of Yavneh Academy in Paramus, has 18 students, from 4½ to 10 years old, in three classes: a kindergarten, a first/second-grade class, and a third/fourth-grade class. Students are grouped according to ability and not solely by age.

There are five Catholic parish centers in the Newark Archdiocese, and two in Bergen County: St. John the Evangelist in Bergenfield and St. Anne's in Fair Lawn, said Ann Masters, director of the archdiocesan department for pastoral ministry for persons with disabilities. Fifty parishes in the archdiocese provide some sort of inclusive religious education. Of those, 26 are in Bergen County, she said.

The Tuesday night CCD program at St. John, which is 30 years old, was created for children who need in-depth attention, such as those who have autism. The special-education program is open to any family in the diocese.

There also is an after-school program for Jewish students with disabilities. The twice-weekly Jewish Education for Special Children program, held in River Edge, instructs children from Bergen and Passaic counties from all streams of Judaism and with a wide range of disabilities, said the school's director, Rabbi Yisroel Schwab.

Curriculum for children with learning or developmental disabilities is adjusted but still gives the education that mainstreamed children receive. The lessons at Sinai are multi-sensory.

When the children learned the story of Abraham and Sarah leaving their home to go to Canaan, the children played with toy camels in a sand table, kindergarten teacher Shulamis Fishman said.

Hands-on lessons, which also include learning a chapter of the Torah, are important in "trying to make spiritual and religious ideas concrete in [the children's] minds," she said.

At St. John, special-needs children are prepared for each sacrament as they begin to understand religion and faith, and not solely by age, said Andrade.

This year, 18 students from age 6 to about 40 attend the hour-long Tuesday night sessions. The program introduces the students to Catholic tenets and themes of each week's Mass, Andrade said.

The teachers use a special curriculum for students with disabilities, one that breaks down the steps of religious education into smaller bits, which are easier to understand, Andrade said.

And though the philosophy of religion can be difficult for anyone to grasp, the students understand the basic tenets of their faith.

"These kids understand better than many adults, because they know that Jesus is their friend and loves them," Andrade said. "They don't have a hard time with that concept. And they believe it."

E-mail: firschein@northjersey.com

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County Freeholder Meeting Agenda [12-12-06]

2006-12-14T19:06:00.000Z

PASSAIC COUNTY / FREEHOLDER REGULAR MEETING AGENDA [12-12-06]

THE PASSAIC COUNTY BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS

December 12, 2006

[Publicly Published by: NJPASSA@govdelivery.com on:
Thu, 14 Dec 2006 16:57:39 G.M.T. +0000 (11:57 A.M. E.S.T.)]

1. Announcement of the Open Public Meeting Law.

2. Roll Call:

Present:

Duffy
Rosado
James
Way
Gallagher
Director Evans
Lepore

Absent:

3. Invocation.

4. Pledge of Allegiance

5. Approval of Minutes: November 28, 2006

6. Motion to suspend the Regular Order of Business

7. Bond Ordinance #2006-15, providing a supplemental appropriation of $225,000 for the study and improvement of Hazel Street in and by the County of Passaic, New Jersey and authorizing the issuance of $225,000 Bonds or Notes of the County for Financing part of the appropriation.

7a. Motion to open the public hearing on Bond Ordinance #2006-15

7b. Director: Does anyone present desire to be heard on the Bond Ordinance?

7c. Motion to close the public hearing

7d. Motion to adopt Bond Ordinance #2006-15

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, December 12, 2006, Page 2

8. Bond Ordinance #2006-17, amending Bond Ordinance #99-13 of the County of Passaic, New Jersey finally adopted July 13, 1999 in order to amend the description of the project.

8a. Motion to open the public hearing on Bond Ordinance #2006-17

8b. Director: Does anyone present desire to be heard on the Bond Ordinance?

8c. Motion to close the public hearing

8d. Motion to adopt Bond Ordinance #2006-17

9. Bond Ordinance #2006-18, amending Ordinance #06-02 to revise the the amount of the cancellation of proceeds of obligations not needed for their original purposes, reducing the amount $1,045,339.39 to $197,857.30 and the transfer of such proceeds to the Capital Surplus Fund of the County of Passaic, New Jersey.

9a. Motion to open the public hearing on Bond Ordinance #2006-18

9b. Director: Does anyone present desire to be heard on the Bond Ordinance?

9c. Motion to close the public hearing

9d. Motion to adopt Bond Ordinance #2006-18

10. Bond Ordinance #2006-19, amending Ordinance #06-01 to revise the amount of the cancellation of previously authorized appropriations, reducing the amount from $871,091.16 to $843,190.95

10a. Motion to open the public hearing on Bond Ordinance #2006-19

10b. Director: Does anyone present desire to be heard on the Bond Ordinance?

10c. Motion to close the public hearing

10d. Motion to adopt Bond Ordinance #2006-10

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, December 12, 2006, Page 3

11. Motion to resume regular order of Business

12. Freeholder Committee Reports:

a. Administration & Finance (James)

b. Health, Education & Community Services (Lepore)

c. Human Services (Lepore)

d. Planning & Economic Development (Rosado)

e. Public Works (Gallagher)

f. Law & Public Safety (Duffy)

g. Energy (James)

13. Communications:

C-1 Borough of Bloomingdale, November 27, 2006, Requesting permission to close a portion of Paterson-Hamburg Turnpike (Main Street) on December 10, 2006 from LaSala’s Corner to Sloan Park from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. for their annual Holiday Stroll, all as noted in the communication

C-2 Our Lady of Fatima, November 28, 2006, requesting permission to hold a procession on December 12, 2006 between 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. starting at 32 Exchange Place onto Passaic Avenue and Main Avenue, all as in the communication

C-3 Borough of Hawthorne, December 7, 2006, requesting permission for the Hawthorne Education Foundation to solicit contributions on December 16, 2006 from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at various County Road locations in the Borough, all as noted in the communication

14. Oral Portion:

Motion to open the Public Portion of the meeting

Motion to close the Public Portion of the meeting

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, December 12, 2006, Page 4

15. Resolutions – Consent Agenda:

R-06-757 Resolution whereas the County of Passaic in a litigation matter entitled Darlene Myers vs. City of Paterson, is desirous of assigning the Case to the law firm of DeYoe Heissenbuttel & Buglione, LLC for defense which firm is included in the pool of qualified Outside Counsel and/or Special Litigation counsel for a fee not to exceed $7,500.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-758 Resolution whereas the County of Passaic in a litigation matter entitled Afolabi Babalola vs. Passaic County Juvenile Detention Center, is desirous of assigning the Case to the law firm of Ester Suarez, Esq. for defense which firm is included in the pool of qualified Outside Counsel and/or Special Litigation counsel for a fee not to exceed $7,500.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-759 Resolution whereas the County of Passaic in a litigation matter entitled Manuel Spruill vs. Brian Bendl, is desirous of assigning the Case to the law firm of Goodman, Galluccio & Chessin for defense which firm is included in the pool of qualified Outside Counsel and/or Special Litigation counsel for a fee not to exceed $7,500.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-760 Resolution whereas the County of Passaic in a litigation matter entitled Mae Gresham vs. Marrocco Funeral Home, is desirous of assigning the Case to the law firm of Joseph M. Wenzel, Esq. for defense which firm is included in the pool of qualified Outside Counsel and/or Special Litigation counsel for a fee not to exceed $7,500.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-761 Resolution whereas the County of Passaic in a litigation matter entitled Wallace Athill vs. Jerry Speziale, is desirous of assigning the Case to the law firm of Goodman, Galluccio & Chessin for defense which firm is included in the pool of qualified Outside Counsel and/or Special Litigation counsel for a fee not to exceed $7,500.00, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, December 12, 2006, Page 5

R-06-762 Authorizing an award of contract to Essex County Harley Davidson, Bloomfield, NJ for the furnish and delivery of (5) 2007 Harley-Davidson FLHPI Roadking Police Motorcycle for the Passaic County Sheriff Department in Exchange for (6) six 2005 and (2) 2004 Harley Davidson FLHPI Roadking Police Motorcycles net cost to Passaic County after trade $12,939.95, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-763 Authorizing an award of contract to Woodruff Energy, Inc. Bridgeton, NJ for the Supply & Delivery of Natural Gas for the Passaic county Facilities contract period December 1, 2006 to November 30, 2007 in the amount of $8.50 for the cost of gas and +Up-Charge cost of $3.57 with a flat unit price of $12.07, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-764 Resolution that the 170th Organizational Meeting of the Board will be held on Tuesday January 2, 2007 at 5:30 p.m., all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-765 Resolution that there exists a need for a 2005 Passaic County Board of Social Services Retiree Fringe Benefits Cost Project and the Administration and Finance Committee reviewed this matter at its meeting and is desirous of entering into an agreement with Technical Analyst for Government, Inc. of Rutherford, NJ not to exceed the amount of $10,500.00for one year, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-766 Resolution hereby authorizes that the Passaic County Office of Emergency Management file a grant application with the NewJersey State Police for a fiscal year 2007 Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan Grant, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-767 Resolution appointing Lucinda Corrado as the Superintendent of the Passaic County Preakness Healthcare, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-768 Resolution that the worked performed by Colonnelli Bros., Inc. for the Preakness Avenue Storm Drain Emergency be and the same is hereby accepted and the Director of Finance is hereby authorized to make payment to said company on the next bill list, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, December 12, 2006, Page 6

R-06-769 Resolution for the Rehabilitation of the Highland Avenue Bridge, Structure No. 1600-55 and Van Winkle Avenue Bridge, Structure No. 1600-54 over Weasel Brook in the City of Clifton, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-770 Resolution for the preparation of a Central Services Cost Allocation Plan for 2005, entering into an agreement with Technical analysts for Government, Inc. of Rutherford, NJ not to exceed the amount of $17,500.00 for one year, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-771 Resolution, which establishes a Restricted Parking Space for Persons with disabilities at 247 North 8th Street in the Borough of Prospect Park, NJ, all as, noted in the Resolution

R-06-772 Resolution that certain balances be and are hereby cancelled and that the residual amount of $629,689.43 be transferred to the current fund as Miscellaneous Revenues Note Anticipated, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-773 Change Order No. 2 in connection with the project known as the Preakness Avenue Storm Drain emergency in the addition amount of $4,732.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-774 Change Order No. 1 in connection with the project known as Preakness Avenue Storm Drain emergency in the deduction amount of $2,230.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-775 Resolution authorizing the Department of Economic Development to submit an application to the New Jersey Department of Labor, Office of Customized Training, for grant funds to develop Training Grant from the NJ Department of Labor for 6 companies at $22,000.00 for each company for a total grant request of $132,000.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-776 Resolution appointing the following people to the Advisory council on the Disabled in Passaic County, Cindy Simon, Dixie Stokem, James Seath, Lois Hamilton, Vernon Allen, Mary Ann Basileo and Linda Wilson for a term of three (3) years, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, December 12, 2006, Page 7

R-06-777 Resolution authorizing the execution of an amended Grant Agreement for weatherizing and conservation of energy of the homes of elderly, handicapped and low-income persons within Passaic County with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-778 Resolution authorizing the execution of the Grant Agreement for weatherizing and conservation of energy of the homes of elderly, handicapped and low-income person, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-779 Appointing Phyllis Stankus of Totowa and Stephen Cerniglia of Ringwood to the Senior Advisory Council to a term of three (3) years commencing immediately and ending November 30, 2009, and also re-appointing Robert Steinmeyer of Haskell, Louis Ciallella of Haskell and Dominic DiNardoof Paterson for a term of two (2) years commencing immediately and ending November 30, 2008, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-780 Resolution that the County of Passaic currently contracts with the State of New Jersey, Department of Human Services, division of Addiction Services to administer grant and aid funding for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment and Prevention programs for the County, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-781 Resolution approving the Plans and Specification for the Superstructure Replacement of Davidson Street Bridge Structure No. 1600-56 and Hope Avenue Bridge, Structure No. 1600-57 Over Weasel Brook in the city of Clifton, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-782 Resolution appointing Anthony J. DeNova to serve as Acting Clerk to the Board on a temporary basis while Ms. Havasy is on leave without additional compensation, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-783 Resolution hereby authorizing the acceptance and execution of an amended Grant Agreement with NJTPA/NJIT as it concerns the Subregional Transportation Planning Program for FTA fund in the amount of $24,603.75 with an increased in county match in the amount of $6,150.94, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, December 12, 2006, Page 8

R-06-784 Requesting approval for the Insertion of a Special Item of Revenue in the 2006 Budget Pursuant to N.J.S. 40A:4-87 (Chapter 159 P.L. 148) Weatherization DHS Grant in the amount of $70,825.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-785 Requesting approval for the Insertion of a Special Item of Revenue in the 2006 Budget Pursuant to N.J.S. 40A:4-87 (Chapter 159 P.L. 148) Aging Area Nutrition Grant Program in the amount of $1,530,803.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-786 Requesting approval for the Insertion of a Special Item of Revenue in the 2006 Budget Pursuant to N.J.S. 40A:4-87 (Chapter 159 P.L. 148) Aging Area Plan Grant Program in the amount of $339,588.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-787 Resolution authorizing transfers between appropriations #3, all as noted in the Resolution

16. New Business

17. Personnel

18. Bills

19. Certification of Payroll

20. Receipt of Departmental Reports

21. Adjournment

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Passaic City Fire Department Chief Retires

2006-12-06T15:36:00.000Z

PASSAIC CITY / FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

Zayatz said he felt his biggest contribution to the Fire Department during his tenure was that he wrote its standard operating procedures and that he acquired the Urban Area Security Initiative foam tanker.

During his extensive career, he has fought numerous blazes, including the infamous Eighth Street blaze on Labor Day in 1985 that wiped out 20 acres of thriving businesses and multifamily homes.

Passaic Fire Chief Announces Retirement

December 1, 2006

New Jersey - Passaic Fire Chief Timothy Nicholas Zayatz on Wednesday announced that he plans to retire early next year after 33 years of service. "I decided to hand it over to someone else," said the 57-year- old Passaic native, who is now a Vernon resident. Zayatz said he will officially retire in February. He was sworn in as chief in April 2005, and was one of the three deputy chiefs who had rotated the position after former Chief Ronald Freeman went on sick leave last year.

Zayatz's salary is $122,812. During his extensive career, he has fought numerous blazes, including the infamous Eighth Street blaze on Labor Day in 1985 that wiped out 20 acres of thriving businesses and multifamily homes.

A year earlier he fought a high-rise fire at the Carlton Towers on Aycrigg Avenue that resulted in the mass evacuation of tenants.

Zayatz said that he would continue to teach at the fire academy.

Keith Furlong, a spokesman for Mayor Sammy Rivera, said the mayor will soon be meeting with the fire director to go over a list of candidates to succeed Zayatz.

Written by The Record

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What Ever Became Of Paterson's WPAT Radio?

2006-12-04T02:50:00.000Z

PATERSON / MEDIA - RADIO: WHAT EVER BECAME OF RADIO STATIONS WPAT - AM / FM?

For many years, the station, along with its FM counterpart, would broadcast a beautiful music format. In 1951, its Gaslight Revue program debuted. It was a skilfully assembled montage of music pieces that would become widely imitated within the industry. Indeed, it was so popular that albums of its selections and segues were made and released. WPAT was the essence of a mellow sound and feel; the requirement for different programming between the AM and FM was met simply by repeating the previous week's AM programs in a slightly different order on FM.

What Ever Became Of Paterson's Radio Stations -- WPAT - AM / FM?

WPAT - AM 930 KHz

WPAT is the callsign of a radio station licensed to Paterson, New Jersey. Located at 930 kHz in the medium-wave AM band, the station runs paid ethnic programming.

WPAT first went on the air in 1941, originally from their studios in Newark, New Jersey, before eventually moving to new studios on Church Street in Paterson and finally from their last studio on Broad Street in Clifton, New Jersey.

The station for many years would be owned by Capital Cities Communications until 1985, when the company would buy ABC. As a result of FCC regulations at the time, the company decided to sell WPAT AM and FM, due to the fact that ABC already owned WABC and WPLJ. The stations would be sold to Park Communications.

In the early 1990s both frequencies of WPAT evolved to an adult contemporary format. In addition, WPAT would start to offer programming different from those of its FM counterpart. This programming would include sporting events that would normally be on WFAN whenever WFAN was carrying another event, public affairs shows, Broadway shows, and Sunday mass.

In January 1996, WPAT-FM would be sold to SBS, and would switch to a Spanish language adult contemporary format. Around the same time, WPAT would be sold to Heftel Broadcasting (now Univisión Radio), and would switch to a Mexican music format on March 26. Eventually, the station would start adding ethnic and paid programming, and in 1997, the station would become all-Korean. By the next year, the station's ownership would change again when its current owners, Multicultural Broadcasting, would buy the station in exchange for WNWK (now WCAA) at 105.9 FM. The new owners would switch the station's format to its current paid ethnic programming format.

WPAT's AM transmitter is still located in Clifton at the old Broad Street studios.

WPAT - FM 93.1 MHz

WPAT-FM, known on-air as "93.1 Amor," is a radio station with a Spanish-language adult contemporary format. Located on 93.1 FM, the station, which is licensed to Paterson, New Jersey, serves the New York City Metropolitan area.

WPAT-FM signed on in 1957 from their studios in Newark, New Jersey. They eventually moved to new studios on Church Street in Paterson, and would later move to their last studio on Broad Street in Clifton, New Jersey before the station adopted its current format.

The station, along with its AM counterpart, would be owned for many years by Capital Cities Communications. This would change in 1985, when the company would buy ABC. As a result of FCC regulations of the time, the company decided to sell WPAT-AM and -FM, due to the fact that ABC already owned WABC and WPLJ. The stations would be sold to Park Communications.

WPAT-FM


Broadcast Area	New York, New York
Branding	93.1 Amor
First Air Date	1957
Frequency	93.1 (MHz)
Format	Spanish Adult Contemporary
ERP	6000 watts
Class	B
Callsign Meaning	W PATerson (WPAT's city of license.)
Owner	Spanish Broadcasting System
Website	http://www.931amor.com

For years WPAT operated both stations with a beautiful music format. In the early 1990s, WPAT-FM would gradually switch to an adult contemporary format, and from October 1994 to their sign off in January 1996, the station was known as "Today's 93.1". In November 1995, the Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) agreed to purchase the 93.1 FM license and transmitter. The building and intellectual property was excluded from the sale. The building, the AM transmitter, and 930 AM license would be sold to Heftel Broadcasting (now Univisión radio), which was another company specializing in Spanish-language programming.

On January 19, 1996 at 11:59 PM, WPAT-FM ceased being an English language broadcaster when control of the station was switched over to the new owners. WPAT-FM D.J. Karen Carson did the last airshift for the station's adult contemporary format that day, and Operations Director Ken McKenzie would give a farewell speech right before the format change. Immediately after the station signed off from Clifton, the new Spanish-language adult contemporary format signed on from Manhattan, and the station would begin calling itself "Suave 93-1" ("Smooth 93-1"). Eventually, the station would be known by its current nickname, "93.1 Amor" ("93.1 Love").

WPAT-FM's Manhattan transmitter was originally located atop of the World Trade Center in New York City, but it was destroyed as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks. The station's transmitter was eventually moved to the Empire State Building.

All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details.)

Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

Jim Hawkins' WPAT AM 930 Transmitter Page

WPAT Antenna Array
11/6/1998

WPAT "E-Z 93" 930 kHz, Paterson, NJ - 1965
5 KW

Transmitters and Auxiliary Equipment

WPAT GATES 5KW Transmitter Pair.

The far transmitter was the newer model BC5P2 main transmitter. The foreground is the former main transmitter which was an older GATES 5KW model BC5P.

Closeup of 5KW GATES BC5P transmitter.

WPAT equipment - crystal exciter/oven, audio compander and other audio equipment, Ampex reel-to-reel deck, program logger tape machine.

The Gates BC5P in the foreground was replaced by a Gates MW-5 before 1979. Alan Kirschner, engineering supervisor (WA2UCV) replaced the Gates BC5P2 in the background with a Nautel Ampfet 5 solid state tarnsmitter. The rest of the equipment shown here was long gone when Alan started at the station in 1979.

Transmitters are located in Clifton, NJ along the Garden State Parkway, just north of the Bloomfield Exit. Four towers with capacity hats are close to the Parkway. Some photos show equipment scattered and in disarray because they were in the midst of remodeling the entire station. WPAT was for many decades, an easy listening station. Within the last 5 years, they gradually phased out easy listening, replacing it with and increasing the amount of soft-rock with the slogan "No more sleepy elevator music!" Too bad, I liked to relax to "sleepy elevator music" in my easy chair and read or just relax. After all, I don't feel like being "cool" ALL the time, especially after a hard day's work! Then, suddenly they were bought out and are now a Spanish speaking station.

Studio

WPAT Studio Console

View of studio and announcer through control room window with mixer console in foreground.

[ Photo Courtesy Of Ken Lamb ]

WPAT-FM IGM-770 Automation Machine

Federal 196-A Transmitter, Circa 1953

RF Output Section of Federal 196-A (left)
Using F-5680 Triodes (right)

From: "electronics" Magazine Jan 1953
Federal Tube Advertisement

The advertisement from which the above images were taken shows a letter of approval
from CE Earl F. Lucas

Other WPAT Equipment

Robert Sudock - WB6FDF Anchor, Amateur Radio Newsline and Assistant Director of Engineering at KTTV, Los Angeles, recalls the equipment in this photo.

At the top of the photo is a General Radio modulation monitor.

The device used to log the station was known as a SOUND SCRIBER. It uses 2-inch wide tape, has a transverse set of scanning audio heads, and recorded 24 hours on one of those spools. Something in the back of my head makes me want to say a week per reel, but I'm sure it is really only 24 hours per reel. Anyway ... The linear tape speed was 15/16 or 15/32 IPS, the quality not much better than about 3 KHz (sorry, KC in those days). The recording was obviously monaural and the factory stamped the time-of-day on the back of the tape as a time index. So, if you started at midnight, you lined up the 0000 with the pointer. Every few inches you would see 0015, 0030, 0045, 0100 ... 2300, 2315, 2345, etc. That's as accurate as it got.

Let's see what I remember of the control panel:

The clear lens housed an NE-51 which was used to indicate modulation levels. Next, the power / record level and playback volume control. The dark lens on the right was another NE-51 used as the pilot light.

The lever switch pointing to 7 o'clock is the record / play selector. In the center a 1/4-inch earphone jack. The lever switch pointing to about 4 o'clock was used to engage the drive mechanism. Winding forward and reverse was done by hand. Note the reel keepers double as cranks.

Below the control panel is a mu metal shield covering the heads. Note the tape is bent into the shape of a half-tube (180 degrees) as it passes over the heads. The long path permits the gradual shape to and from flat.

The tape moves from left to right. Below the take-up reel at about 7 o'clock and just beneath the tape is what we would call "tracking" on our VCR but really more imitates the framing adjustment on a motion picture projector. This was a mechanical adjustment to move transverse tape tracks directly over the rotating heads. Remember there is no control track or sprocket holes to line things up.

The device below the Sound Scriber is a Hewlett-Packard Broadcast Modulation and Frequency Monitor. I don't recall the model. I'll try to describe what's on the front panel, but it's been more than 25 years! The unit was designed as a calibrated, precision receiver. Monitoring frequency was determined by a crystal in a temperature-controlled oven. It also had a high fidelity 600 ohm balanced audio output -- nominally 1 mw at 0 dBm.

The left-hand meter shows "FREQUENCY DEVIATION" from center frequency. I was only aware of an FM monitor, however, if an AM unit was made, then the full scale was +/- 30 CPS (+/- 20 CPS is maximum deviation allowed from the FCC assigned carrier frequency). For FM, the scale would be +/- 3 KC with +/- 2 KC the FM tolerance.

Next, is the HP name plate with serial and model numbers.

To the right is the "PEAK MODULATION INDICATOR". This is a lamp that flashed when the modulation exceeded a preset level. Used more as a warning ... hey, you're too loud!

To the extreme right, the modulation meter. In two scales, the top scale is calibrated in "PERCENT MODULATION" with 100% being the maximum allowed. The bottom scale was calibrated in dB. I may be mistaken, but 100% (in FM at least) is something like +22 dBm. Remember this is modulation, not audio.

Below the name plate, a slot cut in the panel to observe the mercury thermometer built onto the crystal oven's wall. As I recall, 85 degrees Centigrade was the target for "CRYSTAL TEMPERATURE".

To the right of the temperature slot is a pot that set the threshold for the peak flasher. Not titled, the scale markings were 50% to 120% in ten percent increments with 5% hacks.

A metal door covered the controls at the bottom of the chassis. The flat, oval piece centered above the controls is a ferric strip for the door magnet to grip.

The power switch at the bottom left is for the amplifiers and panel lights. The temperature sensitive components remained powered. For servicing, another power switch on the rear panel shut the entire unit down.

Next, are two fuses -- I think. These look line banana jacks for audio monitoring, but the panel label for the left item sure seems to read 2 AMP. As I say, it has been more than 25 years.

To the right is a trimmer for "FREQUENCY CALIBRATE."

The large knob in the center is the CALIBRATE - OFF - OPERATE knob. In the upper (calibrate) mode, the unit would mute and disconnect from the outside world. You would then be free to adjust the two pots to the immediate right. The first, "SET TO ZERO" would center the frequency deviation meter. The next, set to 100% (I can't recall the exact nomenclature) would calibrate the modulation meter to the 100% hack.

With the selector in "OFF," the unit would be fully powered but muted. This was the mode most stations used at sign-off (if they did sign-off). Once the transmitter was shut down, you were presented with hi-fi white noise. Since there was no squelch, there had to be a way to keep things quiet without powering the amplifiers down. This was it.

The last position is "OPERATE." If my niece heard me explain this one, she'd say "Duh!"

The last switch, "MODULATION POLARITY" allowed selection of + or -.

WPAT History in a Nutshell

The following information was obtained and condensed from the book "The Airwaves of New York" by Bill Jaker, Frank Sulek and my good friend Peter Kanze. I highly recommend this book as a handy source of New York Radio History as well as for additional information and details on WPAT, left out of this text.

WPAT began broadcast in 1941 on a frequency of 900 KHZ as a Paterson, NJ station. The first studios were located in the Exchange Building at 115 Ellison St., which had been the home of the O'Dea Temple of Music and WODA calling itself "North Jersey's Own Station." One year after sign-on, WPAT added studios at 1060 Broad St. in Newark, which was formerly used by WAAM and WNEW. In 1943 WPAT moved out of the old Temple of Music to new studios at 7 Church Street in Paterson. Joe Franklin (the "Wizard of Was"), who is now on WOR from 12AM to 5AM Sunday mornings on WOR was one of the first talk show hosts on WPAT.

After being purchased by the North Jersey Broadcasting Company in 1949, WPAT was granted full-time status and moved to 66 Hamilton Street in Paterson. At that time, 75% of the day was programmed with Country music and the evening was reserved for continuous "Easy Listening" music. Gaslight Review, the hallmark of WPAT began in 1951 and was one of the most-copied formats in radio ("Cocktails for Two" on WWJZ, "A Touch of Velvet" on WADB).

On February 1, 1948, WPAT was one of the first stations to broadcast on the FM band on 103.5 MHZ. It began with the call WNNJ before becoming WPAT-FM. A windstorm blew the antenna down, but at the time, there were so few listeners, that it wasn't until March 1957, when WPAT-FM returned to the air on a frequency of 93.1 MHz. Notably, this was the frequency which was used by Major Edwin Armstrong's pioneering FM station KE2XCC. As an added bonus, WPAT could now identify itself as 93 on both AM and FM dials.

The studio was combined with the transmitter site at Broad Street and Hepburn Road, Clifton in 1957. In 1959, the combined facilities moved to a new building at that location.

In 1961 WPAT was sold to Capital Cities Broadcasting Corporation for $5 million. When FCC regulations required AM/FM pairs to operate separately, WPAT merely staggered the tapes that were used for each "Gaslight Revue." By 1969 WPAT's Arbitron rating was 16, which was half of the market-leading rocker WABC but double the numbers for classical WQXR.

In 1984, WPAT became the first AM stereo station in New Jersey.

Over the years between 1970 to 1996, WPAT gradually changed its formats through a number of transitions from Easy Listening or Beautiful Music to Soft Rock.

In March 1996, the biggest change occurred when WPAT was sold to Heftel. The station was then converted to a Spanish-Speaking station.

BACK TO "JIM'S RADIO AND BROADCAST TECHNOLOGY" MAIN PAGE

[WPAT Letterhead - Reduced Here In Size To Fit Width - Click To View Larger Format ]

High Quality Streaming Audio

For more information on WPAT, visit Charles Sanzone's Internet Jukebox 2 page.

[ Listen to 5 hours of vintage WPAT streaming audio clips from 1967, 1977, 1980 & 1992 ]

Last Updated July 21, 2002

These WPAT recordings are dedicated to Jeff Long (RIP) who worked at WPAT in the 1980s.

The WPAT and Gaslight Revue selections on this site were originally broadcast on WPAT FM 93.1 to the New York City metropolitan area. WPAT gets its call letters from Paterson, New Jersey but it's studio and AM transmitter antenna were last located on Broad Street in Clifton, NJ. In the mid 1990s, WPAT was sold and now provides Spanish programming.

THE RECORDINGS:

The selections presented here were recorded from 1967 till 1992 while they kept their Easy Listening format. The earliest recordings I made from their FM signal were to collect some quality stereo instrumental music with my first stereo tape recorder, a Lafayette. WPAT used to publish a monthly guide "The Gaslight Revue Program Guide." They would list every song they were going to play for the next month from 7 PM to Midnight, which were titled "Gaslight Revue." From the hours of 8 PM to 10 PM, WPAT would transmit in FM stereo. The program during the hours just before Gaslight Revue was called "Limelight."

I finally subscribed to their guide during the last 6 months of its publication which ended in January 1968. I recorded four, 1-½ hour reels of tape using the last guide to select the songs to record. These 4 tapes are not presented here.

All the selections presented here were recorded without the use of the guide. Also, while most tapes were recorded in stereo, you will be hearing them in mono so that 28,800 BPS modems will get an uninterrupted music flow.

The June 1967 "Gaslignt Revue" tape was prior to my guide subscription. By the time of the 1977 tape, WPAT was a 24 hour a day stereo broadcast station, and had dropped the name "Gaslight Review." The tapes recorded in 1977 and 1980 were not originally intended to be kept. These tapes were recorded to test something out; a recorder, a tape or a way of recording. However, the music was so good, that I never erased them.

In the 1990s, WPAT was already progressing away from Easy Listening and slowly added more and more light rock tunes to the mix. When my children were infants, my wife and I found that we could keep WPAT on all night to soothe the crying. I noticed that the rock tunes were absent at night. I was inspired to make an 8 hour overnight recording of WPAT in Sept. 1992 which became my last recording of them. One hour of this tape is presented here. This tape was recorded on a VHS stereo Hi-Fi recorder. Soon after that last recording, WPAT went full time rock-and-roll.

THE FALL OF EASY LISTENING:

One of the WPAT personalities was Ken Lamb. Here, is Ken's account of what was going on:

"... Ken Lamb, operations manager, program director and on-air announcer. As one easy listening station after another changed music direction, Ken would assure the audience that WPAT would never change. But all good things come to an end including Ken's tenure at WPAT. His last day on the air was September 16, 1987."

"Ken went on to host, "The Special of the Week'," a nationally syndicated weekly easy listening show that premiered in November 1987 and was heard in over 125 markets at it's peek! Jeff Long was the program's founding producer until his death on December 22, 1987. Ken promised Jeff, on his death bed, that his name would remain in the shows credits as long as it continued! Ken made good on his vow and thus Jeff's name remained alive!

By the way, Ken says he has copies of every show in the series and still hears from it's listeners! (kenlamb@webtv.net)

"In April of 1988, Ken added to his work load, becoming operations manager of WCTO, a Long Island, New York easy listening station. But he left in the spring of 1990 because he knew that WCTO would soon be changed to a rock music format by its owner, Greater Media.

"Ken joined the announcing staff at ABC where he is today! Heard on the ABC-TV network, mostly in the daytime hours. The Special of the Week went off the air in the Spring of 1991 as the easy listening format began to fade away!"

From the listener's point of view as station after station in the NYC area was changing from the Easy Listening format to rock, Ken always promised "We [WPAT] will never let you down by switching our format." Then one summer it seemed like, Ken finally took that long deserved vacation, so it seemed. Two weeks, a month, two months went by, and no Ken.

Months later he is heard on WCTO, Smithtown, NY. Under his direction, WCTO was playing music similar to WPAT. Ken also was being heard on the syndicated program "The Special Of The Week" when Jeff Long passed away.

With Ken programming WCTO, his promise continued "We [WCTO] will never let you down by switching our format." After a year or so, Ken took another vacation, so it seemed. Two weeks, a month, two months went by, and no Ken. Then suddenly one morning, the music died, and rock-and-roll ruled on WCTO!

Within a few weeks of the format change on WCTO, WPAT went full time rock-and-roll. It was almost like the end of a war between the last 2 stations playing the Easy Listening format. WPAT was not going change its format as long as some of it's listeners might be wooed away by WCTO. With the end of Easy Listening music on WCTO, WPAT was free to change format (finally). Now rock-and-roll ruled on WPAT too. WHUD, a Westchester, N.Y. station that carried "The Special Of The Week" also followed suit. No more Easy Listening Music in the NYC area! There were other formats that aired, hits of the 40's through 90's, but none could be called Easy Listening.

There are Easy Listening stations in other markets, CA, FL, NH, TX, VA, but none in NYC. Now we have the Internet, and everyone can listen to my recreated legacy that was WPAT and link to FL station WKTZ and TX station KNCT for listening. Unfortunately the recently imposed Internet music charges have removed CA station KWXY and NH station WEZS from the Internet. We really miss KWXY and WEZS.

WPAT OWNERSHIP:

In the 1960s, WPAT was owned by Capital Cities Communications. In the 1980s Capital Cities bought American Broadcasting Company (ABC). However, Capital Cities now owned too many stations in the NYC area and decided to sell WPAT to Park Communiations. (Disney eventually bought Capital Cities / ABC some years after WPAT was sold to Park). Park used the extensive WPAT library of music to improve the other Park stations. It was under Park management that Ken Lamb left and the format changed to rock-and-roll. It almost seems that under Park, WPAT was in a war to get more listeners so the station could be sold at a higher price. When the station was sold to a Spanish broadcasting concern, the letters WPAT were kept.

OTHER WPAT FACTS:

WPAT broadcast on both AM and FM. Both had the dial position of "93." They were 93.1 MHz on FM and 930 KHz on the AM dial! Most NYC stations had AM and FM facilities because an early way to transmit stereo was to use AM for one channel and FM for the other. WPAT always broadcast the identical same program on AM and FM until the FCC ruled separate programming for large listening audiences like NYC. WPAT's answer to that ruling was to broadcast the same tapes first on the AM then one week later on the FM during prime time hours of 7 PM to midnight. Even after they dropped the guide in 1968, you could listen to a tune on the AM and record the selection one week later on the FM. Of course one person couldn't be listening on the AM for next week while recording on the FM for this week.

Several years later, they used a different scheme to play similar music on AM and FM. In spite of the separate programs on AM and FM, the news and commercials were the same. At first the music on the AM was faded down when when the FM was ready for commercials and news. Later on, they used 2 copies of the same news report, one for each station, so there was no need to fade.

WPAT was always a highly technical station. When Jeff Long let me visit, in 1980, they had 2 racks that formed an "L" in the studio on Broad Street in Clifton, N.J. One rack was the AM programming and the other the FM. Each were similarly equipped with 4 Scully 14" playback decks, commercial cartridge stack, news cartridge slot, and automatic time announcer. One of the differences between the AM and FM racks was the audio processor optimized for AM and the other optimized for FM. The Scullys produced the high quality music automated in either a 1-2 sequence or a 1-2-3-4 sequence. The commercial cartridge stack held all the commercials for the month one each for the AM and FM. The automatic time announcer would have an even minute cartridge and an odd minute cartridge. Every minute one of the tapes would advance and the other was still free to give a time announcement. The AM cartridge would announce the time and "WPAT AM 93," and the FM cartridge would would announce "WPAT FM 93."

In the FM transmitter 60s, the FM transmitter was improved. Once the World Trade Center was completed, the FM antenna and transmitter was moved there in the 70s. When I visited in the 80s, the FM rack in the studio had control and communication with the transmitter at the Trade Center. The AM transmitter and antenna was right there by the studio. The AM antennas were (and may still be) 4 top hat antennas in a square configuration. When I was a block away, my AM car radio sounded almost like FM. When I visited they had the 2 old water cooled tube transmitters as standby in case the 2 mono Gates solid state AM transmitters would both be down. When they got their stereo AM transmitters in the late 80s, Ken Lamb said he could see them carting out the 2 old transmitters, which I would assume were the tube ones. I'm sure they kept those solid state mono ones as standby.

They would always have pairs which they alternated between so that maintenance could be performed while reamining on the air. They would alternate at times of the day when the transmitter power or pattern needed to change at dusk and dawn. Ken made it a point to make this switch over between commercials, songs or even between words while he was speaking on the air. They called him the "old smoothie" because he didn't want any technical noises. Jeff showed me some old switches Ken had him remove because they made too much noise on mike.

They also had a generator to run the whole studio and AM transmitter in case of power failure (without air conditioning).

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Taxpayer-Funded Illegal-Alien Boondoggle

2006-12-02T16:10:00.000Z

NEW JERSEY / ARROGANT, DEFIANT ILLEGALS REFUSE TO UTILIZE LAKEWOOD'S $40,000 TAXPAYER-FUNDED DAY-LABORER MUSTER ZONE

DailyRecord.com

"I think it's a travesty. It's outrageous. Taxpayer dollars paid for this," Frank Shallis of Bound Brook said at the new muster zone.

Shallis represented the New Jersey chapter of the Minutemen, an activist anti-illegal immigration group.

The township has spent close to $40,000 to install the muster zone.

Muster Zone Doesn't Fly With Day Laborers

Day workers not showing up at new $40,000 Lakewood site

~ BY JOHN VANDIVER
GANNETT NEW JERSEY

Lakewood, N.J. -- It's 6 a.m., it's cold, and the concrete slab where the day laborers are supposed to gather is empty.

The only people on the scene on Swarthmore Avenue -- about three miles from downtown -- are a TV news crew and some local citizen watchdogs.

By 7 a.m. Monday, the picture looks much the same. It's not much different an hour later, either.

There was no mustering at the muster zone Monday, where Lakewood's day laborers have been told they should wait for work in the mornings. Instead, the men are gathered where they always have, Clifton Avenue.

"Everybody wants to stay here," says Marco Gonzalez, 29, a per-diem worker waiting for his ride outside a coffee shop.

Photos: DAVE MAY / GANNETT NEW JERSEY

Day laborers gather Monday morning in downtown Lakewood in protest of the new muster zone -- installed at a cost of nearly $40,000 in response to merchants' complaints. 'Everybody wants to stay here,' said Marco Gonzalez, 29, one of the workers. No one showed up at the new muster zone.

Advocate Luis Morales surveys Lakewood's new muster zone at 8 a.m. Monday.

Police officers patrol up and down Clifton [Avenue] issuing tickets and warnings to contractors parking illegally.

Shortly after 7 a.m., Gonzalez sees his ride approach. He whistles loudly to the passing van and runs to jump aboard.

The van, though, is parked illegally and gets the attention of an officer on the other side of the street, who approaches the driver.

"Nobody has a license. Nobody is driving this truck. You parked in handicap," said Capt. Gregory Miick, in questioning the driver.

The van is later towed away. Many other contractors apparently are opting to simply stay away, as traffic is unusually sparse, according to observers.

Advocates and opponents

On Monday, day laborer supporters carried signs that chastised the township for initiating a relocated muster zone. Activists, local and from out of town, talked of how the policy is inhumane and unsafe.

Members of New Labor, a New Brunswick organization, were handing out cards to contractors, advising them on township ordinances and parking rules downtown.

"It looks like they're going after the contractors -- strangle the source," said Carmen Martino, who's part of a Rutgers University program that examines occupational safety concerns.

There were also opponents of illegal immigration on the scene, opposed to both the muster zone and those who employ undocumented workers.

"I think it's a travesty. It's outrageous. Taxpayer dollars paid for this," Frank Shallis of Bound Brook said at the new muster zone.

Shallis represented the New Jersey chapter of the Minutemen, an activist anti-illegal immigration group.

The township has spent close to $40,000 to install the muster zone.

Mayor Meir Lichtenstein, the chief proponent of the zone, said the Township Committee is trying to improve conditions for business downtown.

Complaints from merchants that the assembled day workers are bad for business were a driving force behind the plan.

"One of the consequences is the day laborers will have a hard time to get work there (downtown). I hope the laborers will see to take advantage of"the muster zone, Lichtenstein said.

The workers have opposed going to the new muster zone for several reasons, safety being chief among them. Many workers ride bikes, and the route to the zone from downtown is regarded as perilous.

Larry Simons, a citizen watchdog, was at the new muster zone early Monday and said walkers could be killed if they attempted the journey on bike or foot.

"Whose conscience is it going to be on? The mayor's?"Simons asked.

Lichtenstein said there are alternatives to riding bikes, such as a township bus that loops from downtown to the industrial park.

"I have to say, we want to govern humanely, and I need to govern the local issues," Lichtenstein said.

Gerardo Perez, vice president of Hispano Power, a local advocacy group for the laborers, said he wants to meet with the mayor about "Plan B."

Plan B is to set up an assembly zone closer to downtown, a location the workers themselves would agree to oversee and keep clean, Perez said.

"That's our part," Perez said.

Lichtenstein didn't rule out another location.

"I will talk with any group that wants to work with me,"Lichtenstein said.

While the concerns of merchants have been cited as one of the reasons for the muster zone move, some business owners weren't happy Monday.

"I hope they're not going after poor people," said Dave Raj, owner of Bakery Coffee Shop at the corner of Clifton and First Street.

"Nobody's here. This is our busy time," added Amanat Shah, coffee shop manager.

A small group of workers shuffled in and out of the shop, drinking coffee and reading Spanish-language newspapers.

"All these guys, they just come here for work. They're not doing damage to no one,"said Michael Maximiliani, 28, who sat in the coffee shop while he waited for his employer to show up.

The same contractor picks him up every day. But when Maximiliani learned that contractors were being ticketed, he ran outside looking for his ride.

Back at the muster zone, coffee and doughnuts waited for the men who never showed.

"I'm not surprised," said June Stitzinger-Clark, pastor at Christ United Methodist Church.

The church hired a person, Luis Morales, to serve as an advocate for the workers at the zone.

For one month, Morales will be on the scene, keeping an eye out for the workers' safety and their rights.

Morales, who sat in his car waiting for the workers, smoked a cigarette and read a newspaper.

"We have no idea if they will come," he said.

After one month, if the new zone remains basically unused, there will be no point in the church maintaining a continued presence at the zone, Stitzinger-Clark said.

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The Legend Of Clifton's Infamous Gates Of Hell

2006-12-02T00:04:00.000Z

CLIFTON / THE LEGENDS OF THE GATES OF HELL PROMISE SPINE-TINGLING ENCOUNTERS WITH THE BURNING FIRES OF THE UNDERWORLD

FreeRepublic.com

Ghostly Claim To Fame Called Bunk

NorthJersey.com | 10.30.06 | BRIAN SPADORA

CLIFTON -- The legends of the Gates of Hell promise spine-tingling encounters with the burning fires of the underworld. But those who venture into the maze of drainage tunnels off Paulison Avenue are more likely to confront burnouts under the influence. Visitors to Internet chat rooms devoted to the Gates of Hell share stories of bloody rituals, evil sprits and a secret room that houses a glowing human skull. As far as the Police Department is concerned, there is no skull -- but plenty of knuckleheads. "It's been mostly juvenile situations," police Detective Capt. Robert Rowan said of activity in the area.

The entrance to the Gates of Hell can be found in a wooded area down the hill from a railroad line. The first pipe looks like a narrow, empty swimming pool about eight feet deep. Water runs down the center of the long, wide pipe toward Weasel Brook Park. In the other direction, the pipe leads to a cave-like entrance that begins the maze of underground tunnels. The entrance walls and the first few tunnels are covered with graffiti. The painted words fall into several categories: obscene (the usual four-letter words and rude comments about so-and-so's mother), incomprehensible ("Gutter Ballet" and "Wyoming Mike") and, the largest category, graffiti that aspires to be spooky ("This Way To Where the Children Are Buried").

The most unsettling thing about the tunnels is that they are absolutely dark. There are also occasional loud noises, most likely from NJ Transit commuter trains that roar overhead. Other than that, the Gates of Hell is pretty standard teenage stuff. On a recent exploration of the tunnels, a reporter walked as far as an intersection of several tunnels, where rushing water made continuing the journey impossible. Perhaps the most truthful bit of graffiti reads, "There Is Nothing Here." It is not clear how old the tunnels are or how long they have been a destination for daring (or bored) teens, said Rowan. But he said mischievous activity picked up around the Gates of Hell after a recent book recounted some of the lore surrounding the site. The book, "Weird N.J.: Your Travel Guide to New Jersey's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets," was published in 2003 by the creators of a magazine of the same name.

The entrance to Clifton's infamous Gates of Hell,
police say, may be inviting to thrill seekers,
but the only frightening aspect of venturing
into the drainage tunnel underworld
is facing arrest for vandalism or trespassing.

The Weird N.J. Web site has a page devoted to the Gates of Hell. "Satanic sacrifices, bones everywhere, decaying carcasses, and upside down crosses, anything dealing with the darkness in human nature was supposedly down there," said one writer, identified only as Ralph S. A writer named Jeff H. described a mystical guardian at the entrance of the tunnels: "Red Eyed Mike is the spirit that guards the entrance of the tunnel. If you knock on the railroad ties above the entrance three times, you will hear a loud horn blast emanate from within the tunnel. I have heard this horn, not every time I've tried this, but it has sent me running so fast that I nearly broke my leg. I've also encountered rocks being tossed out of the tunnel with no apparent deliverer. I've also seen a small figure, about three feet high, sprint out of the tunnel faster than any human being can move, and take off towards the tunnel that leads to Weasel Brook Park. I was later told that this was Red Eyed Mike."

SPOOKY SITES

The Gates of Hell is one of several supposedly spooky sites in North Jersey. Here are a few others, past and present:

Clifton

Albino Village -- The story originated in the 1900s and by the 1960s, people would visit the entry tunnel and shacks that were supposedly left behind by a colony of albinos.

West Milford

Demon's Alley -- About eight houses were said to have been abandoned, and remained full of furniture and clothing. According to rumors, murder, satanic worship and cult killings may have taken place there.

Totowa

Annie's Road -- It's claimed that this road is haunted by the ghost of a woman who died there. Some say it was her wedding night and others say it was her prom night. Either way, some believe that this stretch of roadway is haunted by her spirit and covered in her blood.

Several visitors to the Gates of Hell in recent years have looked for Red Eyed Mike, only to find the men in blue. In November 2003, a 26-year-old Totowa man was arrested on weapons charges after police caught him with several knives near the tunnels. A 22-year-old Avenel man was arrested on an outstanding warrant. Police were called to the scene, because the man was swept away by rushing water as he explored the tunnels. They found him soaked and shivering in the woods by the nearby Passaic River. These tales of misfortune have not dissuaded more recent visits. Brian Olave, 17, and Rafael Polanco, 16, both of Clifton, said they wandered down into the Gates of Hell a couple of years ago. Their reason for going? "There's levels, and the more levels you go down, you can find the door to hell," Rafael said. The boys said they did not make it that far, but were there long enough to experience some pretty eerie stuff. "I had a brand new phone," Brian said, holding his cell phone. "I poked it out. It died automatically!" The boys nodded, resting their case.

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794

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Compromise Bill Provides Equality For All

2006-11-30T01:53:00.000Z

NEW JERSEY / COMPROMISE BILL WOULD PROVIDE EQUALITY FOR ALL -- WITHOUT REDEFINING MARRIAGE

An equal-benefits bill would grant any two people in the same household access to benefits and rights similar to those of marriage -- but would be blind to the relationship of the people involved.

Under the Equal Benefits Act, people would have an easier time dealing with pensions, property transfers and hospital visits.

Compromise Bill May Protect Marriage in New Jersey

Act would grant benefits and rights without consideration of the relationship of the people involved.

November 29, 2006

New Jersey lawmakers are considering a proposal that might satisfy the state Supreme Court’s demand for same-sex marriage or its equivalent, as well as pro-family efforts to protect marriage from redefinition.

An equal-benefits bill would grant any two people in the same household access to benefits and rights similar to those of marriage -- but would be blind to the relationship of the people involved.

Under the Equal Benefits Act, people would have an easier time dealing with pensions, property transfers and hospital visits – rights generally already available through legal contracts. Len Deo, president of the New Jersey Family Policy Council, told Family News in Focus the key is it does not create special rights based on homosexuality.

"This bill takes away the issue of sexual behavior," he said, "and just looks at people getting rights."

But Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality, said nothing short of redefining marriage would satisfy his group.

"Without the label 'marriage,' the real world will not consistently recognize our relationships," he said. "Marriage is not so much an institution as it is whatever the two people in the marriage make of it."

While the benefits plan is not seen as a perfect solution by either side, Glen Lavy, an attorney with the Alliance Defense Fund, said given the court’s restrictions, it’s the best that can be done.

"This equal-benefits contract proposal is the best way to satisfy the requirements of the New Jersey Supreme Court," he said, "while at the same time limiting the harm to marriage."

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Visit the New Jersey Family Policy Council Web site.

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Proposed Property Tax Reduction Plan Exposed

2006-11-29T17:24:00.000Z

NEW JERSEY / PROPERTY TAXES: TAX REDUCTION PLAN PROPOSES UNCONSTITUTIONAL, TIERED TAX INEQUALITY UNDER GUISE OF "SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT" - CALLS FOR MARXIST STATE GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER, MERGER AND CONTROL OF COUNTIES & MUNICIPALITIES

Democrat Proposed ... Republican Sponsored & Endorsed ...

Under the plan to cut the highest property taxes in the nation, lawmakers are considering:

• a 20-percent credit for households earning less than $50,000 per year;

• a 15-percent credit for households earning from that figure to perhaps $150,000 per year;

• a 10-percent credit for remaining households earning up to $300,000 per year.

Tax Cut Plans Range From 10 To 20 Percent For NJ Homeowners

The sweeping property tax breaks that lawmakers vowed to bring to New Jersey homeowners would offer more relief to those with lower incomes, according to a plan discussed Monday by the state senate president.

Senate President Richard J. Codey said households that earn less than $50,000 per year would get a 20 percent credit against their property taxes. Most others would get credits ranging from 10 to 15 percent, he said, and stressed that details of the entire plan have yet to be finalized. The proposals require approval by the Legislature, which is controlled by Democrats.

Codey said that, under the plan to cut the highest property taxes in the nation, lawmakers are considering:

• a 20 percent credit for households earning less than $50,000 per year;

• a 15-percent credit for households earning from that figure to perhaps $150,000 per year;

• a 10-percent credit for remaining households earning up to $300,000 per year.

Codey stressed the final plan hasn’t been decided and said a 20-percent credit could still go to people earning more than $50,000 per year.

“We’re rounding third base and going toward home plate in terms of working out the final details,” he said.

Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. announced on Nov. 9 plans to give a 20-percent average property tax credit to most homeowners.

While they then said most relief would go to households earning less money, they didn’t detail how the breaks would be disbursed.

Codey said the possible scenario would bring an average 20-percent cut for most New Jerseyans, and said a full 20-percent credit would be geared toward households earning less than $50,000, because they carry the biggest burdens.

“They see 20 to 25 percent of their income go to property taxes,” said Codey, D-Essex.

The average New Jerseyan pays $6,000 per year in property taxes, twice the national average.

The credits would replace the property tax rebate checks sent by the state to homeowners, though the checks may remain for senior citizens.

Households that earn more than $200,000 per year aren’t eligible for rebate checks, but Codey said the cap will almost definitely be raised to $300,000 per year for the direct credits.

Roberts and Codey met with Gov. Jon S. Corzine on Monday to discuss their plan.

“The goal is to make sure that the property tax relief plan is as fair as can be and helps those who need it the most,” said Roberts, D-Camden.

Roberts has also noted that 95 percent of New Jersey households make less than $300,000 per year.

Minority Republicans countered that they want all homeowners to get a 20-percent property tax credit.

“This thing has to be across the board to everyone,” said Assemblyman Joseph Malone, R-Burlington.

Malone, the top Republican on the Assembly Budget Committee, said property taxes should also be frozen statewide for three years to ensure homeowners see their 20-percent cut sustained. He did not have specifics on how to accomplish that goal, and Codey questioned a plan that lacked details.

“I guess I have to wait for snow in July,” he said.

Meanwhile, on Monday, a special committee that worked on ideas to lower property taxes through government consolidation officially endorsed 18 recommendations released last week.

The panel’s co-chairmen, Sen. Bob Smith and Assemblyman John Wisniewski, both D-Middlesex, said the committee will work to draft legislation and hold hearings on the bills before they go to the Legislature for final votes.

Smith highlighted the plan to create a permanent special commission that would annually recommend which municipalities should be merged. He also touted as key a plan to create powerful county school superintendents appointed by the governor and with authority over local school spending.

He also said a rural county should be the first to try a proposal that would allow one county to voluntarily form a countywide school district so the state can track whether it would help save money without hurting education.

Republicans said the ideas didn’t go far enough to force consolidation.

“Too many of the recommendations will nibble at the edges,” said Sen. Joseph Kyrillos, R-Monmouth, sponsor of the municipal merger commission plan.

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Lawmaker PushesTraditional Marriage Definition

2006-11-29T16:25:00.000Z

NEW JERSEY / LAWMAKER PUSHES FOR CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT DEFINING TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE

Cardinale told Cybercast News Service that the proposed amendment would "clearly set forth that marriage is a term, or a state, that can only be applied to a union of one man and one woman, and add that to our constitution so that it is not subject to the vagaries of the personal biases of a judge's decision in the future."

NJ Lawmaker Pushes For Traditional Marriage Definition

~ By Monisha Bansal
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
November 29, 2006

CNSNews.com) - A New Jersey state senator is pushing for a constitutional amendment that will limit marriage to a union between one man and one woman.

Republican Gerald Cardinale's move follows a New Jersey Supreme Court ruling that gave the state's legislature six months to allow same-sex couples to "marry" or to enter into civil unions that hold the same legal benefits as marriage.

"The court does not have the authority - as I read the constitution - to order the legislature to pass a bill," Cardinale said. "They can do a lot of things, but they are not the whole government."

"We're dealing with a decision of the New Jersey Supreme Court, and the court has indicated that we need to do certain things within a certain period of time, so I thought this was a good thing to do in response to the court decision."

Cardinale told Cybercast News Service that the proposed amendment would "clearly set forth that marriage is a term, or a state, that can only be applied to a union of one man and one woman, and add that to our constitution so that it is not subject to the vagaries of the personal biases of a judge's decision in the future."

Cardinale said the amendment would not in any way preclude civil unions, domestic partnerships, "or any other name we might give to items of that nature."

Steven Goldstein, chairman of the homosexual rights group Garden State Equality, said the amendment would have little, if any, impact.

"It's dead on arrival," Goldstein told Cybercast News Service . "There's not a prayer that a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage could ever pass - not a prayer.

"The measure is being laughed at in both houses of the New Jersey legislature," he said. "There are no more than a dozen votes in a very big state legislature, and it's just not going to pass."

Goldstein added, "This is a very progressive state. New Jersey has long been at the forefront of gay rights, and frankly social issues across the board.

"Whatever the trend nationally, New Jersey is very different on gay marriage," he said. "It's a state where significant numbers - millions in fact - favor marriage for gay couples."

Democrats control both houses of the New Jersey Legislature.

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Toxic Dump Returns To Superfund List

2006-11-29T01:57:00.000Z

RINGWOOD / FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S FORMER TOXIC DUMP RETURNS TO SUPERFUND LIST

The federal Environmental Protection Agency, now overseeing Ford's fifth cleanup, has been under fire over past incomplete cleanups and announced the re-listing on Tuesday.

In its ongoing efforts to correct matters, the EPA's own Office of Inspector General has invited the public to a hearing next week on how the agency has interacted with residents of the dump area.

Dump Returns To Superfund list

~ Jan Barry and Barbara Williams, The Record (NJ)

RINGWOOD -- Ford's former toxic dump is officially back on the list of the country's worst polluted spots, making national history as the only Superfund site ever relisted.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency, now overseeing Ford's fifth cleanup, has been under fire over past incomplete cleanups and announced the re-listing on Tuesday.

In its ongoing efforts to correct matters, the EPA's own Office of Inspector General has invited the public to a hearing next week on how the agency has interacted with residents of the dump area. Of specific interest is any public perception that EPA staff supervising cleanups were influenced by the fact that the majority of residents near the remote site in Upper Ringwood are minorities and members of the Ramapough Mountain Indian tribe.

Meanwhile, New Jersey's senators and a congressman have told the federal government to get paint sludge, left from Ford's dumping four decades ago, out of parts of Ringwood State Park given to the state by Ford.

In a letter this week, Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. asked EPA Regional Administrator Alan Steinberg to "remove the sludge and other toxics" found in recent tests of a flooded pit at the long-abandoned Peters Mine. The mine, at the end of Peters Mine Road, is next to a hiking trail in the state park and is adjacent to several homes.

FAST FACTS

* The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has relisted Ford's former dump site in Ringwood as a national Superfund site.

* New Jersey's senators are calling for all of the toxic waste to be removed from Ringwood State Park.

* In response to residents' complaints about the cleanup effort, the EPA's Office of Inspector General is holding public comment meetings Oct. 5 at the Ringwood Library, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.

"Leaving contamination from a Superfund site within a state park which is used by thousands of people is completely unacceptable," the lawmakers wrote in a letter sent Monday.

They also pointed out local residents' concerns that raise "serious questions about how much additional sludge may be in various mine shafts around the area and how much of a risk it may present to the Wanaque Reservoir, a drinking water source for 2 million people." The reservoir is about a mile downstream of the dump area.

Saying it is the EPA's duty to "determine the full extent of the contamination," the lawmakers stated "it would be unacceptable to walk away from the site, only to discover once again that massive amounts of sludge were still left behind."

EPA spokesman Ben Barry said the agency is having Ford's contractors drill more holes to test the water in the Peters Mine, but no further soil investigation is scheduled.

"The sludge we found there is not predominant material so we're not sure if it's impacting the water," Barry said. "But there is an ongoing investigation of the groundwater in the pit area."

Ford spokesman Jon Holt also said the pit is being investigated and that "Ford intends to appropriately address all issues related to its historical disposal at the site."

The sludge came from Ford's Mahwah assembly plant, which used the Ringwood site as a landfill in the 1960s and 1970s. Ford has had to return repeatedly in the past dozen years to remove contamination found by residents.

The area was declared a Superfund site in 1983. Last year, The Record found in its Toxic Legacy special report that the EPA, which was supposed to supervise the cleanup, instead relied upon Ford's claims that it had thoroughly investigated the site and removed the most dangerous materials. Based on that claim, the EPA removed Upper Ringwood from the Superfund list in 1994.

"While cleanup work has been progressing all along, now that this is an official Superfund site, the community can apply for grant funds to obtain technical assistance to help them better evaluate the ongoing work at the site," Steinberg said in a statement on Tuesday.

Kevin Madonna, one of the lawyers representing the residents in a suit against Ford for personal injury and property damages, said relisting the site "really vindicates our clients' claims that the hazardous waste remaining in the community is a grave threat to human health and the environment."

The relisting had been expected since April. A month later, the federal government recommended health tests of neighborhood residents to see if lead, arsenic and hazardous chemicals in Ford's waste contributed to illnesses in the community.

The EPA is doing an investigation into why the site was declared clean in 1994. It is also looking at whether "racial, cultural or socioeconomic factors" contributed to the incomplete cleanup.

All contents copyright (c) by the authors and creators.

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Township's Teenagers Duped On Caffeine

2006-11-29T00:55:00.000Z

WAYNE TOWNSHIP / TEENAGE STUDENTS DUPED ON CAFFEINE

Bismarck, North Dakota

Montgomery, Alabama

"Coffee is a stimulant," Hausman said. "It increases heart rate; it increases blood pressure. It has been shown to disrupt kids' sleep patterns. In high quantities, it makes us irritable, and it'll certainly do that to kids."

"One cup of coffee is not going to harm a child, but in light of all the other caffeine consumption in most children's diets, you might want to ask, 'Why are you consuming that cup of coffee? Is it just to look cool?'"

New Crew's Brew

Youngsters Make Coffee Brew Of Choice

~ By Kristen A. Graham
McClatchy Newspapers

PHILADELPHIA - The customer marched up to the counter of the Treehouse and placed her order for a one-shot espresso.

She was 8, an elementary schooler waiting with her parents while her sibling practiced an instrument at a nearby shop.

"The sister was getting music lessons, and she was getting coffee lessons," said Treehouse owner Randy Van Osten, who waited on the java-loving youth. "Some parents let their kids drink caffeine at a really young age. I have kids that come in that are probably 10 or 11."

Three years ago, when Van Osten bought the cozy coffeeshop in the center of Philadelphia, he wasn't expecting the younger set to guzzle his coffee, flavored lattes and espressos. But he got schooled quickly, and now pours hot and cold drinks, depending on the season, for before- and after-school crowds.

The days when coffee was served as an adults-only beverage, a taste acquired in dorm cafeterias and all-night study sessions, are long gone. As coffeehouses, both national and local, pop up on every corner, their new java flavors and products lure younger and younger customers.

Chalk up the spike to the easy availability of the beverage and all its variants. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the number of specialty coffee retailers has tripled in the last decade. In 2005, all retail locations accounted for $11 billion in sales, up more than 14 percent over the last year's figure.

Although no specific statistics are available on how many young people drink coffee and at what age they pick up the habit, the number is large and growing, said Suzanne Brown, owner of Atlanta-based Brown Marketing Communications and an expert in the international coffee business.

Mostly, it's been driven by the hangout that the coffeehouse offers. In the 1980s, many Gen-Xers hung out in arcades; today, the Echo Boom (ages 11 and up) looks to Starbucks and such as their gathering place.

"It's such a hip place to go," Brown said. "And it's something that's condoned by parents - there's no alcohol served there. It's a safe environment."

It's also a place to get more than just coffee. Every coffeehouse has its range of sweet, caffeinated "gateway" drinks - from Frappuccinos to mocha swirl lattes - that get teens' taste buds primed for joe.

At the Gryphon Cafe in Wayne, N.J., on a recent Friday afternoon, a group of 14-year-olds were celebrating the weekend their favorite way - with conversation and coffee.

Most of the teenagers - freshmen in high school, for the most part - have been downing cups of java in its myriad forms since middle school at least.

They sat on the comfy couches of Gryphon's airy upstairs room, drinking caffeinated beverages that packed a powerful punch, with the air of no-big-deal.

"It's almost like there's a coffee culture now," Eric Greene said, pointing to his friend Julian Gal's steaming white mug. "I see that, and I want it. I love coffee."

Matthew LaVan is an old pro.

"I've always liked coffee - I've been drinking it since I was a little boy and my sister was a little girl. I'd drink it more often, but tea's easier," said LaVan, who attends Haverford Prep and who mostly sticks to decaf, at his parents' suggestion.

The friends are typical among their peers, they said.

"You'll always see people walking down the hallways with big cups of coffee during the first couple periods," said James Deslaurier.

Giant cups of coffee didn't start showing up in his classmates' hands once they got to high school - the affinity for java from Starbucks, from Wawa, from Dunkin' Donuts predates that, he said.

"There were people wandering the halls drinking coffee in middle school," Deslaurier said. "I was like, 'We're 12-year-old kids. I don't think we need it.' This one person had a big mug she carried around to every class."

Cheryl Hausman, a physician at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, agrees with Deslaurier: 12-year-olds probably don't need the extra caffeine and sugar present in coffee drinks.

"Coffee is a stimulant," Hausman said. "It increases heart rate; it increases blood pressure. It has been shown to disrupt kids' sleep patterns. In high quantities, it makes us irritable, and it'll certainly do that to kids."

Still, said Hausman, medical director of the Primary Care Center at University City, the old wives' tale that coffee stunts children's growth is just that.

"One cup of coffee is not going to harm a child, but in light of all the other caffeine consumption in most children's diets, you might want to ask, 'Why are you consuming that cup of coffee? Is it just to look cool?'" she said.

Don't rule it out. Parked on a couch enjoying the Treehouse's open-mike night recently, a group of young coffee drinkers said that for them, the coffee experience was more about community than taste.

Melissa Kendall, 19, is a coffee aficionado from way back, having acquired the habit at age 15.

"It was more like a social thing. My friends were drinking it," said Kendall, who samples coffee a few times a week, but not at home.

Even the job of serving it has a certain mystique.

"Being a barista is a whole profession," Brown said. "They're hip, they're entertaining. There's a whole championship contest, and the winners get paid more. They entertain the audiences."

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Freeholder Agenda - Regular Meeting [11/28/06]

2006-11-27T22:11:00.000Z

PASSAIC COUNTY / FREEHOLDER AGENDA - REGULAR MEETING [11/28/06]

AGENDA FOR THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PASSAIC COUNTY BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS

November 28th, 2006

1. Announcement of the Open Public Meeting Law.

2. Roll Call:

Present:

Duffy
Rosado
James
Way
Gallagher
Director Evans
Lepore

Absent:

4. Pledge of Allegiance

5. Approval of Minutes: November 13th, 2006

6. Motion to suspend the Regular Order of Business

7. Bond Ordinance #2006-14, providing a supplemental appropriation of $5,500,000.00 for various repairs and improvements to County Buildings and Grounds in and by the County of Passaic, New Jersey and authorizing the issuance of $5,225,000.00 Bonds or Notes of the County and Financing part of the appropriation.

7a. Motion to open the public hearing on Bond Ordinance #2006-14
7b. Director: Does anyone present desire to be heard on the Bond Ordinance?
7c. Motion to close the public hearing
7d. Motion to adopt Bond Ordinance #2006-14

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, November 28th, 2006, Page 2

8. Bond Ordinance #2006-16, providing for the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of various bridges in and by the County of Passaic, New Jersey, and appropriating $6,652,000.00 therefore from the Capital Fund of the County.

8a. Motion to open the public hearing on Bond Ordinance #2006-16
8b. Director: Does anyone present desire to be heard on the Bond Ordinance?
8c. Motion to close the public hearing
8d. Motion to adopt Bond Ordinance #2006-16
Motion to resume regular order of Business

9. Freeholder Committee Reports:

a. Administration & Finance (James)
b. Health, Education & Community Services (Lepore)
c. Human Services (Lepore)
d. Planning & Economic Development (Rosado)
e. Public Works (Gallagher)
f. Law & Public Safety (Duffy)
g. Energy (James)

10. Communications:

C-1 The New Jersey Foundation for Dance and Theatre Arts, November 20th, 2006, re: requesting the Board’s permission to hang a banner across Ringwood Avenue, in the vicinity of Union Avenue, Wanaque, on December 16 and 17, 2006, all as noted in the communication

11. Oral Portion:

Motion to open the Public Portion of the meeting
Motion to close the Public Portion of the meeting

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, November 28th, 2006, Page 3

12. Resolutions – Consent Agenda:

R-06-729 Resolution re-appointing John Bleeker to serve as a Member of the Passaic County Construction Board of Appeals for a four (4) year term commencing January 1, 2007 and terminating December 31, 2010, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-730 Resolution approving the one-year option to renew the Contract with Dynamic Claims Management, Inc. for Ambulance Billing Services for the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department commencing December 1, 2006 and terminating November 30, 2007, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-731 Resolution approving the one-year option to renew the Contract with the Paterson Police Athletic League for the Passaic County Project Vision Grant Program commencing December 15, 2006 and terminating November 14, 2007, at a cost of $43,000.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-732 Resolution authorizing a Public Hearing scheduled on the 12th day of December 2006, Room 220 at 5:30 PM in the Passaic County Administration Building to consider the adoption of a Modified Updated and Revised Solid Waste Management Plan for the County of Passaic, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-733 Resolution authorizing the sale of used, obsolete and surplus vehicles and equipment in the County of Passaic, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-734 Resolution authorizing Transfers between Appropriations #2, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-735 Resolution authorizing an Award of Contract to Prime Pest Control of West Paterson, N.J. in the amount of approximately $25,224.00 for the Contract Period of November 1, 2006 through October 31, 2007, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, November 28th, 2006, Page 4

R-06-736 Resolution authorizing an Award of Contract to United States Elevator, Inc. of Fairfield, N.J. in the amount of approximately $236,520.00 for three (3) years effective November 1, 2006 through October 31, 2009, for full maintenance and service of thirty-seven (37) elevators in various locations, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-737 Resolution hiring Joseph A. Lozito Jr. of Wayne to perform necessary services as a Medical Director for the Passaic County Juvenile Detention Center on an as-needed basis, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-738 Resolution requesting the Director of the Division of Local Government Services to approve the insertion of an additional item of revenue in the budget for the year 2006 in the sum of $853,234.00, which item is now available as revenue from a grant award from the State of New Jersey, Department of Law and Safety, Homeland Security Grant, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-739 Resolution requesting the Director of the Division of Local Government Services to approve the insertion of an additional item of revenue in the budget for the year 2006 in the sum of $4,161.00 as revenue from a grant award from the State of New Jersey, Department of Human Services, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-740 Resolution requesting the Director of the Division of Local Government Services to approve the insertion of an additional item of revenue in the budget for the year 2006 in the sum of $1,328,700.00 as revenue from a grant award from the State of New Jersey, Department of Human Services, Special Initiative and Transportation, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, November 28th, 2006, Page 5

R-06-741 Resolution requesting the Director of the Division of Local Government Services to approve the insertion of an additional item of revenue in the budget for the year 2006 in the sum of $368,717.00 as revenue from a grant award from the State of New Jersey, Department of Labor and Workforce Development New Jersey (PIC), all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-742 Resolution authorizing the Clerk to the Board to advertise in a paper of local circulation, the award of contract for RFP on operating a Cafeteria in the Passaic County Court House, 77 Hamilton Street, Paterson, N.J., all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-743 Resolution authorizing an award of contract to M. Tucker Co., Inc. of Paterson, New Jersey for the Food Service Equipment for Preakness Hospital Healthcare Center, in the amount of $1,150,043.33, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-744 Resolution authorizing an additional one (1) month extension to Correctional Health Services (CHS) of Verona, New Jersey for utilization services and comprehensive medical, drug and laboratory services for inmates at the Passaic County Jail, in the amount of $169,000.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-745 Resolution accepting the work performed by Underground Utilities Corp. for the wall rehabilitation at 1452 Union Valley Road for Final Payment in the amount of $6,510.03, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-746 Resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement between Robert D. Rento, M.D. of Little Falls, New Jersey and the County of Passaic, as stated in the proposal for medical services, with a total maximum upset fee of $17,000 for the calendar year 2007, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, November 28th, 2006, Page 6

R-06-747 Resolution awarding a contract for “Professional Services” Contract in connection with the drafting, consideration and adoption of Bond Ordinance #2006-18 to McManimon & Scotland of Newark, New Jersey, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-748 Resolution appointing Taya J. Yancey of Paterson, New Jersey as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Passaic County Community College for the term provided by law, i.e. effective immediately and terminating on October 31, 2008, replacing Edward Farmer, who resigned, all as in the Resolution

R-06-749 Resolution recommending the award of contract under Local Public Contract Law, specifically N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4.1 et seq. to Diamond Pharmacy Services of Indiana, PA for RFP on Pharmaceutical Services for Passaic County Jail in the approximate amount of $1,750,000.00 a year for the period of three years, January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2009 with two 1-year options, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-750 Resolution awarding a contract as a “Professional Services” Contract in connection with the drafting, consideration and adoption of Bond Ordinance #2006-17 to McManimon & Scotland of Newark, New Jersey, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-751 Resolution awarding a contract under Local Public Contract Law, specifically N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4.1 et seq. to Cross Match Technologies of Palm Beach Gardens, FL for RFP on Livescan, AFIS, and Card Scanning for the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department for a period of one year, December 1, 2006 to November 30, 2007 and 1-year option for Part A, in the approximate amount of $67,294.00, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, November 28th, 2006, Page 7

R-06-752 Resolution awarding a contract under Local Public Contract Law, specifically N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4.1 et seq. to County Business Systems, Inc. of Pennington, NJ for RFP on Scanning, Imaging, Indexing an Document Management for various Passaic County Departments and Institutions in the amount of $22,649.40, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-753 Resolution awarding a contract under Local Public Contract Law, specifically N.J.S.A. 40A:11-4.1 et seq. to Spex Forensics of Edison, NJ for RFP on Livescan, AFIS, and Card Scanning for the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department for a period of one year, December 1, 2006 to November 30, 2007 with two 1-year options for Part B in the amount of $98,507.00 and Part C in the amount of $111,300.00, for a the total amount $209,807.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-754 Resolution authorizing the cancellation of ordinances and debts, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-755 Resolution awarding a contract under Local Public Contract Law, specifically N.J.S.A. 40A:1-4.1 et seq. to Large Doc Solutions of Clark, NJ for RFP on Scanning, Imaging, Indexing and Document Management for various Passaic County Department and Institutions for Section 2 (County Clerk) for $170,821.00 and Section 3 (Engineering) for $25,000.00, for a total amount of $195,821.00, all as noted in the Resolution

R-06-756 Resolution awarding a contract for “Professional Services” Contract in connection with the drafting, consideration and adoption of Bond Ordinance #2006-19 to McManimon & Scotland of Newark, New Jersey, all as noted in the Resolution

Regular Freeholder Board Meeting, November 28th, 2006, Page 8

13. New Business

Revised Supplemental Debt Statement as of November 28, 2006

1. Revised and Re-introduced Bond Ordinance #2006-15, providing a supplemental appropriation of $225,000 for the study and improvement of Hazel Street in and by the County of Passaic, New Jersey and authorizing the issuance of $225,000 Bonds or Notes of the County for Financing part of the appropriation.

1a. Motion to introduce Bond Ordinance #2006-15, on first reading

2. Bond Ordinance #2006-17 amending Bond Ordinance #99-13 of the County of Passaic, New Jersey finally adopted July 13, 1999 in order to amend the description of the project.

2a. Motion to introduce Bond Ordinance #2006-17, on first reading

3. Bond Ordinance #2006-18 amending Ordinance #06-02 to revise the amount of the cancellation of proceeds of obligations not needed for their original purposes, reducing the amount from $1,045,339.39 to $197,857.30 and the transfer of such proceeds to the Capital Surplus Fund of the County of Passaic, New Jersey.

3a. Motion to introduce Bond Ordinance #2006-18, on first reading

4. Bond Ordinance #2006-19 amending Ordinance #06-01 to revise the amount of the cancellation of previously authorized appropriations, reducing the amount from $871,091.16 to $843,190.95.

4a. Motion to introduce Bond Ordinance #2006-19, on first reading

14. Personnel

15. Bills

16. Certification of Payroll

17. Receipt of Departmental Reports

18. Adjournment

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Wayne Hills Development Meeting Scheduled

2006-11-27T15:42:00.000Z

WAYNE TOWNSHIP / WAYNE HILLS DEVELOPMENT MEETING SCHEDULED

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2006

Professor Anton Nelessen of A. Nelessen Associates will present the survey guidelines and conduct a group discussion concerning the development of the Wayne Hills area. Topics include commercial development and roadway infrastructure.

WAYNE HILLS STUDY AREA MEETING TO BE HELD

PATERSON – Passaic County Planning Department will host a visual preference study meeting concerning the Wayne Hills area 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 28 at the Wayne Municipal Building, 475 Valley Road.

Professor Anton Nelessen of A. Nelessen Associates will present the survey guidelines and conduct a group discussion concerning the development of the Wayne Hills area. Topics include commercial development and roadway infrastructure. A. Nelessen Associates has been contracted to complete this study and vision plan.

The public is invited to participate. For further information, call 973-569-4048.

Contact:

Dolores Choteborsky,
Passaic County Public Information Officer
973-569-5050

www.passaiccountynj.org

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11/28 Freeholder Meeting To Be Held In Clifton

2006-11-27T15:26:00.000Z

PASSAIC COUNTY - CLIFTON / NOVEMBER 28TH COUNTY FREEHOLDER MEETING TO BE CONDUCTED IN CLIFTON

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2006

The Freeholders travel to different locations to hold their regular meetings during the year and they have chosen Clifton for their next meeting place.

PASSAIC COUNTY FREEHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD IN CLIFTON

PATERSON –Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders will hold their next meeting in the Clifton City Hall Chambers at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 28.

The Freeholders travel to different locations to hold their regular meetings during the year and they have chosen Clifton for their next meeting place.

The conference meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. The regular meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will include the public portion of the meeting when residents can address the Freeholder Board.

Contact:

Dolores Choteborsky,
Passaic County Public Information Officer
973-569-5050

www.passaiccountynj.org

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Ex-Car Salesman Convicted Of Odometer Scheme

2006-11-26T23:58:00.000Z

PATERSON / EX-CAR SALESMAN CONVICTED OF ODOMETER SCHEME

Ramadan, a former sales representative for an auto sales company in Paterson, N.J., looked for vehicles listed in the classified advertising sections of newspapers and automobile publications with high mileage and one-owner histories, and mailed documents misrepresenting the actual mileage on vehicles he handled.

On the approximately 100 vehicles he is alleged to have tampered with, he increased their apparent value by an average of $2,000 each.

Prosecutors said he removed entertainment equipment from a 1998 Lincoln Navigator and claimed it had been stolen.

Ex-Car Salesman Guilty Of Scheme With Odometers

~ BY TOM CAMPBELL
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Nov 23, 2006

A federal judge sentenced a former used-car sales representative Tuesday to 37 months in prison for rolling back the odometers on about 100 vehicles.

Abraham Jamil Ramadan, 32, of Chesterfield County pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of mail fraud. From 1998 through 2004, according to the U.S. attorney's office, Ramadan mailed documents misrepresenting the actual mileage on vehicles he handled.

He is a former sales representative for an auto sales company in Paterson, N.J.

Ramadan looked for vehicles listed in the classified advertising sections of newspapers and automobile publications with high mileage and one-owner histories. On the approximately 100 vehicles he is alleged to have tampered with, he increased their apparent value by an average of $2,000 each.

The court imposed a forfeiture order for $200,000, representing the illegal proceeds of Ramadan's scheme, the U.S. attorney's office said. The court ordered him to pay restitution of $23,305.75 to Motors Insurance Corp.

He was also ordered to repay $9,740.66 received on a fraudulent insurance claim in 2002 from Farmers Insurance Exchange. Prosecutors said he removed entertainment equipment from a 1998 Lincoln Navigator and claimed it had been stolen.

The case against Ramadan was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Wingate Grant.

Contact staff writer Tom Campbell at tcampbell@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6416.

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Hawthorne Couple Open Hearts To Special Students

2006-11-26T23:24:00.000Z

HAWTHORNE / ST. ANTHONY PARISH COUPLE BRIGHTENS LIVES OF SPECIAL STUDENTS

Diocesan News

Living out the stewardship of the diaconate, Deacon Forshay and his wife have opened their hearts to children with autism and multiple disabilities and invited them to their summer home at the beach.

Visit To Beach Brightens Lives Of Special Students

~ By Cecile San Agustin
The Beacon (www.patersondiocese.org)

HAWTHORNE, N.J. (The Beacon) -- As summer concluded, the students at the Phoenix Center in Nutley, N.J., could look back on a collection of summer memories to last for a lifetime thanks to Deacon George Forshay and his wife Mary, parishioners of St. Anthony Parish here.

Living out the stewardship of the diaconate, Deacon Forshay and his wife have opened their hearts to children with autism and multiple disabilities and invited them to their summer home at the beach.

Geraldine Gibbia, co-founder and executive director of the Phoenix Center said, “For many of these students, it is their first experience of the shore. Some of them have never seen the ocean before. To see their eyes when they spy a wave for the first time, or catch their first crab or feel the lake¹s breeze on their faces as they zoom in the boat with ‘Captain George,’ as they call him, this is surely seeing the face of God.”

The couple became involved with the Phoenix Center, when Gibbia, a former parishioner of St. Anthony, would invite fellow parishioners in ministry to the school back in 1991. Gibbia, who moved to Wycoff, N.J., and now attends a parish closer to home, still kept in touch with many friends from the parish including Deacon Forshay and his wife. When their daughter Lauren became a teacher at the school, the Forshays got more involved with the Phoenix Center.

Mary Forshay, who is a lifelong parishioner at St. Anthony, said, “Dr. Gibbia took Lauren under her wing when she decided to do teaching instead of finance. We would visit the school when they would have concerts and see what wonderful work the Phoenix Center was doing. That¹s when we thought the students give us so much, its time to give back to them.”

For the past two years, the Forshays and 10 to 12 students and staff members would take a road trip to Manasquan Beach every Wednesday in July. “Captain George” would take the children for a ride in his speedboat, teach them to crab and along with Mary, sets up a tent city on the beach. Mary also prepares a barbecue with hot dogs, hamburgers, chips, watermelon, lemonade and her “very special castle cake,” said Gibbia.

For Forshays, this newfound tradition now makes summer complete. They are looking forward to bringing the students from the Phoenix Center to the shore again next summer. So moved by the experience, the Forshays remember sitting down together one day reflecting. They remember they started to cry because of the lives they¹ve changed and in fact because their lives were also changed.

“We plan on doing this as long as we are able to,” said Deacon Forshay, who is director of Browning-Forshay Funeral Home here.

Mary recalls fondly, “One of the kids said on the way home from one of the trips that was the best vacation they ever went on. Even if it was just for few hours.”

Bringing the kids to the shore also got many of the Forshay¹s shore house neighbors involved. “That first year we did this, they kind of looked at us and wondered ‘what are George and Mary doing?’” he said.

This Christian witness the couple gave, inspired their neighbors this year to give a helping hand.

“They are very welcoming and hospitable. You just feel how much they care about the kids and that it¹s all about the kids,” said Gibbia “George and Mary are really living out their ministry.”

Msgr. George Hundt, pastor of St. Anthony¹s, said, “George and Mary are certainly faith-filled people. They are just generous in terms of wanting to help others. That comes out in a lot of different ways not only in the parish here but their various connections to organizations.”

Deacon Forshay, who was ordained to the diaconate in 1995, felt the call to the diaconate right from college and has called his service, “a wonderful, wonderful journey.”

At St. Anthony¹s, the Forshays are involved with the parish¹s hospitality ministry and are also helping build the community¹s commitment to be a full stewardship parish.

The Forshays definitely credit their desire to give to the students because of the staff at the Phoenix Center who they consider “the real heroes who serve the children every day.”

Currently, 145 students are enrolled at the school and the staff has a 1:1 ratio with the children ensuring all their needs are met. The school serves children from 54 towns and nine counties with most students coming from Passaic, Essex and Morris County, N.J. Called the Phoenix Center so students like the ancient phoenix may have a second chance to rise to new freshness, the school focuses on the development and education of children with severe development disabilities and their families.

One of the hopes the Forshays have because of this experience is that more and more people get involved with helping others.

“Everything we do in the name of Jesus Christ is our Christian duty and that is to help and share with others. It makes you want to do more when you give to people and we are thankful to God we are able to do that,” said Deacon Forshay.

“The Forshays, in my mind, embody what stewardship is all about. They live in such a way so they may give to people and seek the ways they can,” said Msgr. Hundt.

This story was made available to Catholic Online by permission of The Beacon (www.patersondiocese.org), official newspaper of the Diocese of Paterson, N.J.

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Home Rule & Taxes - A Religion In New Jersey?

2006-11-26T22:59:00.000Z

NEW JERSEY / HOME RULE AND TAXES - A RELIGION IN NEW JERSEY?

Although there has been a realization of the ineffectiveness of home rule, it persists to the extent that it has been forcing people and businesses out of the state because of the tax burden. It also creates financial hardship on many people who choose to stay in New Jersey. It is essential to be aware of what home rule is and the impact that a reliance on home rule has on property taxes.

Tax Burden Imposed By Home Rule Drives People Away

~ LOUISE RISCALLA
Home News Tribune Online

New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the country. It was reported that property taxes are an average of $5,900 per home before any rebates and continue to rise. The time has come when people are insisting they can no longer afford these high taxes, and want the governor and lawmakers to do something about it.

Home rule has been a system of government since the 1600's. The Home Rule Act of 1917 gave municipalities the ability to tax, have their own police and fire departments, school system, and to provide for local welfare and health. Home rule is a policy and procedure for taxation. New Jersey has 566 municipal and 21 county governments, 616 school districts, 478 police departments, 186 fire districts, and the state bureaucracy. For many years there have been concerns about the rapid spread of municipal government and viability of home rule. For example, in 1931 a number of residents became concerned about the proliferation of local government because of the large number of towns. The Commission to Investigate County and Municipal Taxation and Expenditures stated that there was a duplication of services and municipalities were providing services that were no longer efficient. In 1967 the late Mayor Louis Bay II of Hawthorne, then president of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, stated his concerns about the viability of home rule. The February 1988 issue of New Jersey Monthly magazine reported that former governor Brendan Byrne said home rule drives practically every political decision in the state and called home rule ". . . a religion in New Jersey."

Municipalities depend on property taxes to pay their bills. The only way to pay for the persistent increase in municipal and school spending is to increase property taxes, create more land, or develop existing land into tax ratables such as office buildings, shops, housing developments, etc. Development of the land into ratables can promote congestion and sprawl. Every square inch of New Jersey seems to be incorporated by a specific municipality, so that municipalities can't expand its territory. Some municipalities may run out of land to be developed, resulting in even higher taxes. Poor planning is a byproduct of home rule.

At one time local government and emergency services were composed of volunteers. Volunteerism has declined in favor of a reliance on full-time employees, many of whom are trained professionals, to handle local government jobs. Home rule creates many jobs and a lot of people can profit from home rule. A high-priced town administrator, administrative assistants, consultants, planners, lawyers, school administrators, etc., are hired by local governments and paid with money obtained from taxes. Many high-price administrators could retire early enough for a pension funded by taxpayers and then start a second career such as a consultant for a municipality, also paid by taxpayers.

If there were fewer municipalities, there would be fewer jobs and consulting opportunities, with the result of lower taxes. The long-standing inability to end home rule by consolidating local governments seems to be a combination of local politicians who want to preserve their principalities, labor unions that are paid to obtain benefits and increase salaries for their members, and partisan politicians who want to secure employment contracts for their relatives, friends and campaign contributors. As a consequence, home rule could be a breeding ground for corruption.

The state has provided financial incentives to get municipalities to share services and consolidate, which is an effective way to reduce property taxes. It was reported that Marc Holzer, a Rutgers University professor of public administration, said in his testimony before the Legislature's property tax committee that from 3 percent to 5 percent of the cost of government could be saved by sharing services. Counties, municipalities and schools spent approximately $20 billion in property tax dollars in 2005, so that there is a significant savings to residents by sharing services. A Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll taken in July of this year found that almost 80 percent of the people interviewed were willing to share public works services with a neighboring town, 70 percent would merge fire and police departments, and 58 percent would consolidate school districts. There is an increasing willingness among municipal government officials, including Edison and other communities, to join in inter-local service agreements. There appears to be a growing recognition of the need to approach planning on a regional basis. It has been proposed that a regional approach be taken to air pollution, water and sewage treatment, and growth management because municipalities in and of themselves cannot deal with these areawide problems.

Now is the time to end the tax burden imposed by home rule that continues to drive people and businesses out of New Jersey and creates financial hardship for many of those who remain. It can be done. It is up to the politicians, lawmakers and residents to make it happen.

"Be Counted" columnist Louise Riscalla, Ph.D., is a resident of Edison. "Be Counted" columnists are members of the public. Their opinions are not those of the Home News Tribune.

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Paterson Leads N.J.'s Gang Violence

2006-11-26T21:51:00.000Z

PASSAIC COUNTY - PATERSON / GROWING GANG VIOLENCE STANDS AT FRONT AND CENTER

Although gang violence is recognized as a statewide issue, Passaic County, specifically the city of Paterson,stands at the front and center.

Gang violence has been prevalent in the state since the early 1980s.

Currently, there are an estimated 31,000 gangs in the nation, claiming 850,000 members, including more than 17,000 in New Jersey as of 2003.

Lawmakers Aim To Arrest Growth In Gang Violence

~ BY MICHAEL RISPOLI
GANNETT STATE BUREAU

TRENTON -- As gang violence in the state grows, state lawmakers are seeking to pass laws helping stem the problem before it spreads further.

The Senate Law and Public Safety Committee heard testimony Monday for the third time this year from anti-gang and prevention groups on pending proposals, which include gang education seminars for school administrators, students and teachers and increasing penalties in gang-related crimes such as recruitment of minors and community gun possession.

Duane Dyson, chairman of the nonprofit Violence Prevention Institute, said reviews of gang violence programs from the last 10 years found they did not produce the results they were looking for and that the problem is spreading.

"The state of New Jersey cannot afford to allow youth violence to run rampant," said Dyson. "This is not just an urban problem. This is a New Jersey problem."

Although gang violence is recognized as a statewide issue, Passaic County, specifically the city of Paterson, was front and center at the hearing.

Members of the Passaic County Sheriff's Department and the Paterson police department gave a graphic, startling presentation on gang violence in the county. Pictures of gang related deaths and testimony from gang members drove home the reality of the situation.

"It was unnerving. It makes you realize what is really going on," said Sen. John Girgenti, D-Passaic, chairman of the committee.

Dalton Price, detective for the Paterson police gang unit, stressed the direness of the situation.

"This is not something that is just on television. This is not a joke. This is for real. We don't want to believe it, we wish it didn't exist, but it does exist," Price said.

Gang violence has been prevalent in the state since the early 1980s, when West Coast gangs spread to New York and New Jersey. Currently, there are an estimated 31,000 gangs in the nation, claiming 850,000 members, including more than 17,000 in New Jersey as of 2003.

The average age range for gang members is between 12 and 24 years old, with members beginning as early as 7 years old. Ninety-five percent of those in gangs are high school dropouts.

Javier Castellanos, detective of the Passaic County Sheriff Department and head of the Passaic County Gang Intelligence Unit, has given seminars on gang education and prevention but said more needs to be done.

"We have to come up with something on the state level where we can educate all these kids and reach them before the gang members do," said Castellanos.

Three bills moved onto the full Senate for consideration, but action on two was delayed.

Members of the committee fundamentally supported all of the bills but expressed reservations on specifics, such as how school administrators would be educated on the subject and how to uniformly apply gang education across the state. The appropriateness of some of the gang prevention material to be shown to elementary school children was also a concern for some lawmakers.

Michael Rispoli: mrispol@gannett.com

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Bear Hunt Debate Stirs Local Passions

2006-11-26T21:15:00.000Z

WEST MILFORD / BEAR HUNT DEBATE STIRS LOCAL PASSIONS

DailyRecord.com

"There's a lot more bears out there once you stop the hunt, and the incidents escalate."

"It's inevitable that sometime down the road we're going to have a tragedy," said Bucco. "Once something happens, everybody's going to say 'Why didn't you do something about it?'"

Bear Hunt Debate Stirs Local Passions

Activists praise Corzine, but others warn bruin numbers are on the rise

~ BY TEHANI SCHNEIDER
DAILY RECORD

Local activists who have vehemently opposed lethal methods to control the state's black bear population commended Gov. Jon Corzine's decision that all but canceled this year's bear hunt, while others warned that a hunt is needed to curb the increasing bruin numbers.

Corzine's request to seek non-lethal alternatives in lieu of the hunt was praised by Lynda Smith, director of the West Milford-based Bear Education and Resource Group.

"The non-lethal alternatives really do work but haven't been given a chance in New Jersey,"said Smith, who cited Colorado, California and Canada as areas where the alternatives have been implemented successfully.

But state Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Boonton, said he doesn't agree non-lethal measures are the answer.

"We've tried education ... but that doesn't seem to work. There's a lot more bears out there once you stop the hunt, and the incidents escalate,"said Bucco, who signed a joint statement, along with state Sen. Robert Littell and Littell's daughter, Assemblywoman Alison McHose, both R-Franklin.

The statement, issued to the governor's office Monday, said the state Supreme Court had approved the bear management policy from the New Jersey Fish and Game Council. Canceling the hunt, the legislators wrote, was a matter of public safety for the people of northwestern New Jersey.

"It's inevitable that sometime down the road we're going to have a tragedy," said Bucco. "Once something happens, everybody's going to say 'Why didn't you do something about it?'"

Elaine Makatura, spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said the total number of bear sightings, reported damage by bears and nuisance bear complaints have decreased statewide by 18.9 percent since the beginning of the year, following last December's hunt.

"I believe that there is no one reason the complaints have gone down, but a number of reasons, with the possibility of the hunt being one of them,"Makatura said.

Other possible reasons include weather, drought and availability of food sources for the bears in their natural habitat, she said.

However, Bucco said he believes the decreasing number of bear complaints is a direct consequence of the hunt, a theory that Sparta resident Marilyn Schwartz agreed with.

Schwartz, who is pro-hunt but not a hunter, said she believes the hunt is necessary.

"Black bears are probably the most docile of all bears, but also the most unpredictable,"said Schwartz, adding she sees a female bruin amble through her yard every so often.

"We leave her alone. She's nonchalant. She doesn't cause any trouble. She doesn't really bother anybody," Schwartz said. "Most black bears are non-aggressive. The problem is when they stop fearing humans."

That problem is exactly what concerns Bucco.

"We've had reports of bears on the back porches of homes, breaking in to look for food and peering into windows," Bucco said. "It's pretty scary."

In Montville, more than a dozen bear sightings were reported to police in the past month in both the Montville and Towaco sections of the township, said township police Capt. Ed Rosellini.

But most residents have grown accustomed to seeing the animals, as the number of reports in the township have increased over the past decade, he said.

"Most of the people in the area are aware of them now,"said Rosellini, who added the bruin reports tend to be more frequent in October.

"It's that time of year and they're trying to bulk up before they go into hibernation," he said.

Montville resident Gladys Nemirow believes the reports are exaggerated.

"Every person who sees one bear coming through the neighborhood picks up the telephone and calls the police," said Nemirow. "One bear, and one bear alone will travel quite a distance."

Nemirow, who wrote letters of thanks to both Corzine and DEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson on their anti-bear hunt stance, said she thinks police should tell residents not to call unless a bear is picking through their garbage or acting aggressively.

"Unless they're seeking out food or protecting their cubs, they are no threat to people,"she said.

Smith, whose group advocates training police and animal control agencies in bear control tactics, said she also believes a mandatory averse conditioning program should be set for all municipalities statewide.

"Right now it's pretty much up to each municipality to decide how involved they're going to get in bear control,"she said. "There should be a statewide mandate to prove they're actively implementing this program."

Tehani Schneider can be reached at (973) 428-6631 or tschneider@gannett.com.

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Lakeland Bank To Retain ATM Fees

2006-11-26T20:33:00.000Z

WEST MILFORD / LAKELAND BANK TO RETAIN $1. PER TRANSACTION ATM FEE

DailyRecord.com

Typically a bank will bill a customer twice for withdrawing cash from a machine owned by someone else: the bank's fee, generally $1 to $2, plus the transaction cost imposed by the ATM's owner.

Banking On ATM Fees

Effect of dropping charges on average customer unclear

~ BY TIM O'REILEY
DAILY RECORD

With free checking accounts largely an industry standard, banks seeking a competitive edge have started to chip away at ATM fees.

Using a bank's own ATM is universally free, but typically a bank will bill a customer twice for withdrawing cash from a machine owned by someone else: the bank's fee, generally $1 to $2, plus the transaction cost imposed by the ATM's owner.

According to the research firm Bankrate.com, ATM fees are projected to total $4.2 billion nationwide this year and to make an important contribution to bank profits in the obscure "other income" line.

But a handful of banks have dropped their fees and will absorb the fees of others, sometimes only if an account remains above a minimum balance.

Whether others will follow is a point of debate.

Almost all banks adopted free checking accounts about four years ago after that gained popularity among community banks and credit unions.

PNC decided in August to waive all ATM fees if a customer averages a $2,500 monthly balance, in part to induce people with multiple accounts to consolidate them there.

"People don't like the idea of paying just to get access to their money," PNC spokesman Patrick McMahon said.

No Charge To Use ATMs

TD Banknorth, trying to make a name for itself in New Jersey after its purchase of Hudson United Bancorp of Mahwah early this year, announced in June that it would not charge for use of ATMs at all.

Among customers of the Parsippany branch of Commerce Bank, which dropped its fees several years ago and waived other charges last year if a customer keeps a $2,500 minimum daily balance, the concept gets good reviews.

"I think it's fantastic," said Neil Smith of Parsippany. "I think the banks are overcharging for it."

Gabrielle Hoyt of Parsippany said, "It's one of the things I like about this bank."

However, the benefit of waiving ATM fees to the average consumer is not as clear as it was with free checking, Bankrate.com senior financial analyst Greg McBride said.

Tying no ATM fees to a minimum balance of $2,500 may not pay off because the savings would not equal the interest earnings lost in a checking account, he said.

"All you really have to do is plan your cash needs ahead of time," he said. "Friday night comes at the same time every week."

Tom Ficcio of Denville, another Commerce customer, said the bank's ATM fee policy made no difference to him because he confined his transactions to the bank's machines.

Some in the banking industry believe that Washington Mutual's experience points to the limited appeal of dropping ATM fees.

The bank has quietly shelved an experiment of letting anyone use its ATMs for free but has dropped its fee for customers using non-Washington Mutual machines.

However, it does pass on the machine owner's charge.

"I think the jury is still out on this," said Jeffrey J. Buonforte, executive vice president and chief retail officer of West Milford-based Lakeland Bank.

"Sadly enough, we are in an industry where we give profitable things away."

He said Lakeland plans to keep its $1-per-transaction ATM fee plus passing on the other bank's charge partly because the income helps fund other services and partly to recoup the costs imposed by the companies that process the transactions.

In addition, bank officers are concerned that it is hard to measure the financial impact of dropping all ATM fees.

Instead, Lakeland prefers to sway customers by other means, such as offering an interest-bearing checking account with no minimum balance for customers with direct deposit of their paychecks.

He said the bank also is looking at linking up with other ATM networks to provide a greater geographic spread of free machines.

"There is so much emphasis put on fees that we forget about quality of service," Buonforte said. "We at Lakeland like to think that matters."

However, he added that the bank was watching to see which way customer sentiments flow.

"Whether we will maintain our (ATM policy) down the road remains to be seen," he said.

Tim O'Reiley can be reached at (973) 428-6651 or toreiley@gannett.com.

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County Clerk's Office To Open Evenings

2006-11-26T01:08:00.000Z

PASSAIC COUNTY / COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE TO OPEN EVENINGS

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 22, 2006

The County Clerk’s main office on 401 Grand Street in Paterson will be open from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the Freeholders’ meeting nights which are typically the second and fourth Tuesday of every month.

Passaic County Clerk’s Office Offers Extended Evening Hours

Paterson, NJ - Karen Brown, Passaic County Clerk, is pleased to offer extended evening hours. In light of the new passport regulations that will go into effect in January of 2007, there will be an increasing demand for passports. Effective January 23, 2007, all persons traveling by air to and from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda will be required to have a Passport.

In an effort to meet this increasing demand, the County Clerk’s main office on 401 Grand Street in Paterson will be open from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the Freeholders’ meeting nights which are typically the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. In addition to passports, the public will have access to the full complement of services offered by the office during the day. These evening hours will be in addition to the County Clerk’s satellite program, which expands services to each of the municipalities within Passaic County. “This is a great way to make the services of the office more accessible and to accommodate the public,” says Karen Brown, Passaic County Clerk.

The extended hours will go into effect starting with the Freeholder meeting on Tuesday, November 28, 2006.

You can contact the Passaic County Clerk’s Office
at (973) 225-3632 for further information

Contact:

Karen Brown,
Passaic County Clerk
973-225-3632

www.passaiccountynj.org

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Passaic County Courier

The Changing Face Of New Jersey

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The People In Your Neighborhood

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Black Bear Blog

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WPAT "E-Z 93" 930 kHz, Paterson, NJ - 19655 KW

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Studio

Federal 196-A Transmitter, Circa 1953

Other WPAT Equipment

WPAT History in a Nutshell

High Quality Streaming Audio

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Diocesan News

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Paterson Leads N.J.'s Gang Violence

Bear Hunt Debate Stirs Local Passions

Lakeland Bank To Retain ATM Fees

County Clerk's Office To Open Evenings

WPAT "E-Z 93" 930 kHz, Paterson, NJ - 1965
5 KW