Emerson • Hillsdale • Montvale • Park Ridge • River Vale • Township of Washington • Westwood • Woodcliff Lake
PA S C AC K VA L L E Y ’ S H O M E TO W N N E W S PA P E R
VOLUME 27 ISSUE 37
NOVEMBER 27, 2023
PARK RIDGE
‘A TOWN COMMUNITY Holiday CENTER IDEA WITH HEART’ Shopping 2023 pantry turkey drive helps set holiday tables LIVES ON FOR 2024
Guide
Mayor Misciagna bullish on project suspended over cost increases
See page 11
WESTWOOD
BY MICHAEL OLOHAN OF PASCACK PRESS
FIRE FOLKS WISH US A SAFE HOLIDAY Get the facts on dry leaves, string lights, candles, extension cords
SEASON
Fire Chief James Voorhis reports that the Westwood Fire Department was called 29 times for emergency assistance in October. Fortunately none of the calls turned out to be for a serious fire. Voorhis said the 29 emergency calls, four training drills and one maintenance sessions held in October required approximately 470 hours of volunteer time.
By the numbers • Voorhis told Pascack Press that the department was called out of town five times in October, to assist the Emerson Fire Department three times and the River Vale Fire Department twice. (Local fire crews received assistance from the Emerson Fire Department one time.) • Automatic fire alarms were received 11 times in October. Although no fires existed at any of these incidents, a full fire department response is required. Firefighters check the entire building to determine if an actual fire exists.
See FIRE on page 64
H
Helping Hand Food Pantry Turkey Drive 2023 fielded hundreds of donated frozen turkeys and a generous haul of side dishes and other food donations. A major donor: Inserra ShopRite of Hillsdale, below, which handed over 80 turkeys for the cause.
BY JOHN SNYDER OF PASCACK PRESS
ELPING HAND Food Pantry Turkey Drive 2023 gratefully accepted hundreds of donated frozen turkeys and hams and a treasury of side dishes and other food donations. One major supporter: Inserra ShopRite of Hillsdale, whose team handed over 80 turkeys for the cause. The drive, Saturday, Nov. 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hillsdale
Continued on page 23
5ZOLTAN HORVATH PHOTOS
Mayor Keith Misciagna, flush with a re-election win on Nov. 7, told Pascack Press that he hoped to revitalize efforts to build a community center after increasing costs had forced the council to cancel the project. The issue was raised at an October council meeting, only weeks before Election Day. Misciagna told us on Nov. 20, “I believe we can reopen the discussion now with the new council so Iʼm hopeful we can come up with a plan going forward.” The mayor said the projectʼs cost went up significantly during and after the Covid pandemic. “Previously we thought we could get it done for $3 million to $4 million. The newest numbers ranged from over $5 million to over $8 million. I sensed that there may be support for it now. I have always been committed to building a Rec center but other projects took priority. Now itʼs my hope we can revisit and restart the project,” Misciagna said. $750,000 from The James developer Most of approximately $750,000 received from the devel-
See CENTER on page 84
IT’S AN HONOR
B ck in time...
Alyssa Finch of River Vale is selected for the 2024 High School Honors Performance Series at Carnegie Hall. PAGE 26
Many in the Pascack Valley went back in time in November 1981—and no one needed a DeLorean to do it.
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