FROM THE HEART
ALPINE • CLOSTER • CRESSKILL • DEMAREST • ENGLEWOOD • ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS • HARRINGTON PARK HAWORTH • NORTHVALE • NORWOOD • OLD TAPPAN • ROCKLEIGH • TENAFLY NORTHERN VALLEY
Hometown Heroes go above, beyond Gottheimer lauds many from Northern Valley in roundup
U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) honored local lifesaving first responders, veterans, volunteers, community leaders, and residents during his Fifth District Hometown Heroes Ceremony, held at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood. Gottheimer honored more than 20 residents as Fifth District Hometown Heroes to acknowledge their dedication to helping improve the lives of their neighbors, families, and communities. Among many other heroes, Gottheimer honored Edan Alexander of Tenafly, a 19-year-old Tenafly native who was taken hostage by Hamas in the October 7 attack against Israel; Chief John McLoughlin and the Demarest Fire Department, a team of firefighters who saved the life of a man trapped under a boulder during a rainstorm; and Andrew Woods, a 20-year long volunteer EMT who has responded to more than 250 calls every year since 2007. “We are lucky to have so many unsung heroes in our communities here today, whose quiet power of service goes on every day without the recognition they truly deserve. They just do it because they care. Today is their day. Without the people we are recognizing today, our communities would not be as strong as they are, and North Jersey would not be the great place that it is,” said Gottheimer. He added, “They all come
See HEROES page 34
Annika Castillo, a junior, earned a win in the Academy of the Holy Angels’ Dec. 5, 2023 Poetry Out Loud dynamic recitation contest. And there’s so much more to the story!
SEE PAGE 16
JANUARY 2024
A SMASHING COUNTY OPEN SUCCESS! Accolades wing in for AHA tennis players past, present NORTHERN VALLEY
SPACE GRANTS DELIVER
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
H
Above: The 2023 AHA Varsity Tennis Team at Newark Academy. Inset: Title winner Jaime Carlin in action. Coach Meaghan Williams says, “I try to focus on the positive in each young lady. I try to continuously learn new ways to help the players improve their games physically and mentally…”
OLY ANGELSʼ tennis players are continuing the Academyʼs dynasty with a series of exciting achievements. AHAʼs varsity standouts at fall 2023ʼs Bergen County Womenʼs Coaches Association Tournament include first singles
title winner Jaime Carlin (ʼ27) of Norwood, and first doubles runners-up Stephanie Chan (ʼ24) of Closter and Evangeline “Eva” Cho (ʼ25) of Harrington Park. Carlin, Chan, and Cho have been named 2023 First Team, All-County for their athletic 4COURTESY PHOTO
accomplishments. In addition, alumna Erin Ha (ʼ23), who plays tennis for Yale, has received the J. Barry Stan-
Continued on page 12
A unanimous Bergen County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 13 approved nearly $800,000 in Open Space grant funds for seven Northern Valley towns for a variety of park improvement projects: • $125,000 for Cresskill; Crawford Park Phase 2 Sports field lighting and new playground; • $146,730 for Demarest, Wakelee Field: Turf infield of softball field, drainage improvements; $125,026 for Englewood: Herring Field; Turf field for baseball and football, fencing and goal posts; • $100,000 for Haworth; Memorial Field: Dugouts, bocce courts, basketball court and fencing repairs; • $80,000 for Northvale, Hogan Park: Remove & replace fencing at baseball and softball fields; • $146,730 for Norwood: Kennedy Field ADA-accessible playground; and • $60,111 for Old Tappan; Old Tappan Golf Course installing drainage piping, plus renovations of
See GRANTS page 144
OUR VALLEY GIVES
B ck in time...
Among the season’s most popular holiday charity programs: the Englewood Holiday Toy Drive and the Mary Jane Sisca Holiday Gift Drive.
An aerial photo provides a glimpse into how Englewood looked on a winter’s day, 1914. Racing through the picture: Palisade Avenue.
See page 5
See page 4
Safest All-Laser LASIK
World Class Surgeon. 80,000+ Procedures performed
Just $1795 per eye!
FREE Consultation (888) 678-4341
LASIK SPECIAL! Limited time offer. Flex and HSA accounts accepted!
www.diamondvision.com