L_L '.: '- GAHDEN BLOOMS An outdoor '1 classroom will be created at Lawyon G. Johnson Mid- dle School, 1 ,'*•£*? .Incorporating The eagle, Summit, in memory of THURSDAY.JULY 2, 2009 Santiago Abut, a deceased student. TD Bank approved; opponents muli appeal Page 3 By Paul Greulich ect. At the June 24 meeting, the were on hand for the meeting. subdivided into two lots^ : Staff Writer board voted unanimously in favor The amount of time the CCUC The 3,800 square-foot, single- UNION — A controversial of the application.' has to file an appeal was not known story bank would be built on the application to build a TD Bank at a Paula Borenstein, a member at press time. larger of the lots, a 2.1-acre parcel. busy intersection near the Elizabeth Concerned Citizens of Union In addition to citizens, elected The remaining 1,1-acre space border, hap won the support of the County, said she and niany others officials in Hillside and Elizabeth would be donated to Union County local Zoning Board, much to the are disappointed by the outcome. have voiced opposition to the pro- for open space. chagrin of a concerned citizens "We're considering an making posal, which calls for the 3.2-acre Lauren McClintock, media rela- group that collected more than appeal," Borenstein said, who site at the intersection of North tions associate for TD Bank, would CONGRATS GRABS! 1,000 signatures opposing the proj- noted dozens of Union residents Avenue and Morris Avenue to be See RESIDENTS, Page 11 Youths throughout Union County have graduated from high school Page 16-23 j Hugs all around Heroes welcomed home By'John O'Reilly Staff Writer' LINDEN —They were in the presence of greatness and they RIGHT ON TARGET knew it. County officials help celebrate School 9 students belted out the opening of the new archery range at 0ak.R)d|^,f>wK.in'/;/ii.\j,4 patriot hymns as Lt, Michael Sbjka ) of RoseJle and Sgt, Gus Paez of Page 24 Linden greeted most of them for the first time on June 22. The pair recently returned from their posts in Iraq and visited the school. Not only were they met by the faces of their own children, but hundreds of others who have been sending them care packages, con- taining lotion, chocolate chip cook- ies, and cranberry juice, in the past i'cw months. Beyond the snacks and necessities, packages also included GOING COUNTRY letters from tht students thanking Country group Mustang Sally will soldiers. perform at the county's Summer Arts Festival Wednesday. The visif was organized by Page 26 teachers Jennifer DeTrolio and JoAnn Lord for K-Kids, or Lin- den's junior Kiwanis Club. IN THIS ISSUE The soldier detailed their expe- Police Blotter 2 riences across the Atlantic, bringing Community Calendar 8 with them gas masks and Kevfar Letters to the Editor 9 helmets. They even discussed how School Zone 13 their camouflage uniforms work, County News 24 showing off a patch that can be Arts & Entertainment 26 seen at night with infrared cameras Obituaries 31 to find soldiers. Healthy Living 34 Photo By Barbara Kokkalis The pair discussed the harder Sports 35 Tonaz Cherisne, 4, hugs Willie, a hors«s at Rahway Center Partnership's Four parts of their journey too. "Every Classified 48 Paws Pet Fair in Downtown Rahway June 27. day is a Monday," National rci siejEiinaiLSii See SOLDIERS, Page 11

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u Place your own Ciassified ads at your own convenience PAGE 2. — THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009 LOCALSOURCE.COM UNION COUNTY LOCALSOURCE :Key component CLARK BRBEFS See fireworks Sat Clark Fourth of July celebration will include rides, music and food on the municipal grounds. Fire- works will be at Arthur L. Johnson High School, 365 Westfield Ave., at 9 p.m. The rain date is Sunday. 'Dreams' a success ; For the first June 7, a "Field of Dreams" event for special needs children was held at Arthur L. Johnson High School. The event included a petting zoo, pony rides, soccer shots, tee ball; lacrosse goalie shots, football throws, water balloon toss and many other activities, ending with a tug of war battle hosed down by the Fire Department, The event was sponsored by Clark Wrestling and ALJ Football team, Ralph Bernar- do, director of recreation; Linda Schneider, director of special serv- ices at ALJ, EMS and the Fire Hillside police Detective Donald Wilkenfeld, right, gives the keys to three new radio cars to Lt. Richard Floyd, Department. fleet supervisor. The cars were purchased using a $150,000 grant from the Internal Revenue Service. Plans are underway for next year's event. HILLSIDE BRIEFS Police warn car burglaries on the rise Linden Ratrway Lots, 901 Mountain Avenue. HPL hosts free events Ricardo Rivera Paniagua, • Warren Dinkins Jr., 40, of Rah- According to police reports, Pio- 23, and Johany Lazu Feliciano, way was arrested by Clark police neer speakers and a radio, and a Hillside library will hold the fol- 32, both of Elizabeth were Clark officer George Marmarou at 10:12 Garmin GPS were taken from a lowing free upcoming events: arrested at 3:31 p.m. June 23 • On June 18, at 7:45 p.m., p.m. June 17, at Clark Police 1994 Honda. A Pioneer television, • Today: Adult computer class, for criminal mischief, burglary police responded to a report of a Department, and charged with an and radio, and a GPS unit were Internet Two, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Regis- and theft. Officers responded to burglary at Bartell Park. The inci- outstanding warrant, in the amount taken from a 1990 Honda. ter: call 973-923-4413. a report the two suspects bur- dent is under investigation. of $508, for contempt of court and • David Roberts, 42, of Kissim- • Tuesday: Adult computer glarized a 1994 Chevrolet • Sajade Pray, 31, of Newark motor vehicle violations. mee, F.la,, was arrested at 12:22 class, Digital Photos, 11 to 12:30 wagon. One of the men was was arrested by officer George Springfield p.m. June 24, and charged with p.m. Register: call 973-923-4413. allegedly in possession of an Marmarou at 1:23 a.m. June 21, in • On June 20, police responded driving while intoxicated. • Wednesday: Chess for ages 6 Ipod, later determined to the vicinity of Radian Road and to two separate motor vehicle bur- • On June 22, at 2:58 p.m., and up at 6 p.m. Adult computer belong to the owner of the vehi- Ruddy Place, for hindering appre- glaries in the parking lot of Big police responded to the reported class, E-mail, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Regis- cle. hension. ter: call 973-923-4413. City police say vehicle bur- He was subsequently turned Alliance team to meet glaries are on the rise, and area over to Newark Police Department, Hillside Municipal Alliance will residents should take greater where he was wanted on a warrant www.localsource.com meet at noon Wednesday, in the precautions to make sure they in the amount of S500 for contempt Municipal Building Court Room. are not victims. of court. j Internet Directory CRAFTS ^FURNISHINGS I Burgdorff ERA http://www.burgdorff.com Crossroads Christian Fellowship http://www.ccfou.org | DaunnoDevelopmentCo http://www.dauonodevelopment.com The Antique Center of Red Bank ERA Village Green , http://www.eravillagegreen.com Antique Forest Hill Properties Apartments http://www.springstreet.com/propid/389126 ^Center JRSRealty , http://www.century21jrs.com of Red Bank f Mountainside Hospital http://www.AtlanticHealth.org 100 Dealers ^ Summit Area Jaycees , All Specialties http://www.angelfire.com/nj/summitjc Open Daily ll-5/Sun. 12-5 West Front St., & Bridge Avo. * • Suburban Essex Chamber of Commerce,,.http://www.suburbanessexchamber.com/sec. c Red Bank, NJ 07701 (732)842-4336 I Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad http://www.summitems.org (732) 842-3393 Unit 109 off the Turning Point , http://www.turningpointnj.org Garden State Parkway West Front St., & Bridge Avenue Red Bank 732-842-4336 f Union Center National Bank http://www.ucnb.com UNION COUNTY LOCALSOURCE LOCALSOURCE.COM THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009 — PAGE 3 Student's memory !3ank Owned Commercial Property Prime Upstate NY Location in Lake George. lives on in garden 9,000 Sq. Ft., 3 Unit Retail Space. By Joseph M. D'AIise $995,000.00 Staff Writer SUMMIT — Since the tragic Please call Emma Conneli at Realty USA death of Santiago Abut in March (518)798-4318. 2008, Lawton C. Johnson Summit Middle School Parent-Teacher Organization has explored the Summer Hot Spot! best way to honor his memory. The result: a classroom built among the living. Former PTO president, Mary Ann Bauer presented the idea of creating the 1,500 square-foot outdoor classroom in the court- yard at the center of the middle school building. "This is a very peaceful place, perfect tor an out- door classroom," Bauer said. The courtyard is currently overgrown and unused by the school. The garden classroom is expected to provide students with the opportunity to expand their learning experience to the world . Santiago of nature. expected to cost approximately "Not only will the classroom $16,500, with hand-landscaping be a meaningful memorial to a in the confined area costing the RICH Giwes You a Choice! classmate, but it will help develop most money. Money for the proj- the key learner attitudes of moti- ect is expected to be gathered vation, discovery and creativity through private donations — a for both staff and students at the letter was sent to all parents of school," Bauer said. middle school students, asking for Santiago was in eighth-grade financial aid. Santiago's younger when he suddenly passed away sister, Victoria's, soccer team has due to complications from Addi- already chipped in $5,400 it son's Disease, an endocrine or raised during the iall — money hormonal disorder he was not was donated to the team for every diagnosed with until after his goal it scored. death, leaving the student body, The PTO is currently accept- friends, family and teachers to ing bids from contractors. mourn. He was involved in school According to Bauer, the project theater, baseball and had even will be completed this summer attempted to organize a school and should be available for teach- chess club before his death, ers to use in the fall. according to Bauer. Santiago's father, Daniel, "Our students and middle explained how moved he was school community were deeply when the community came FOR AiY GOLD JEWELIY affected by the loss of Santi," said together to honor his son. "He Superintendent Nathan Parker, loved his school. It was very (DIAMONDS » PLATSNyii * WATCHES) "The creation of the outdoor important to him," he said. classroom will certainly be a Donations for the outdoor meaningful tribute to his memo- classroom in honor of Santiago j|B| | J0^ § | Since 1890 ry" Abut should be sent to Rcgina WM.S.KlLtl&SONg • In Business Since 1890 The classroom will contain Hill, LCJSMS, 272 Morris Avc, four 10-foot paver circles sur- Summit, NJ 07901. Checks NJ's Largest Pawnbrofer/Jeweier • lry$tW©!thy ailCi rounded by sod. On each paver, should be made payable to 10-foot round game tables and "LCJSMS PTO." benches will be placed to honor Joseph M. D'AIise can be UNION:' 1000 Stuyvesant Ave NO. PLA8NFSELD: 579 Rt 22 W Abut's passion for chess, accord- reached at 908-686-7700, ext. (Corner of Morris Ave) (Next to Ray's Sport Shop) ing to Bauer. 124, or editor lal@thelocal- 908-687-7002 Rich's Pawn - 908-754-2580 She said the entire project is source.com, BELLEVILLE; 163 Washington Ave NIWARKj 857 Broad St 973-623-1616 973-759-2468 BRIEFS selected. Each was awarded with a www.rlchpawnnj.com • 866-964-RICH (7424) $50 U.S. Savings Bond. 1, Offer Expires 8/2/2009 * Limit one per transaction. In celebration of Memorial Day, Only applicable for purchases. Linden elementary school kids Fall soccer planned grades K through 8 were offered Linden Department of Public O/ MORE the opportunity to particpate in a Property and Community Service's n Little Kickers fall soccer clinic has Memorial Day Contest. The theme WM.S. was: "What Memorial Day Means been planned for city girls and to Me." Kids submitted approxi- boys, ages 4 and 5. The clinic will Mi's Largest Pawnbroker/Jeweler mately 1,100 posters for the con- be held five consecutive Saturdays: WITH THIS GQiWti JLS test, with a total of 23 winners Sept. 19, 26 anli Oct. 3, 10,17. PAGE 4 — THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2009 LOCALSOURCE.COM UNION COUNTY LOCALSOURCE Solar panels at high school How to reach us: Union County LocalSource is published every Thursday by Worrall Com- tops list of desired projects munity Newspapers, an independent, family owned newspaper company. Our offices are located at 1291 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union, N.J. 07083. We are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday. Rahway school board seeks $34 million for capital projects To subscribe: By Ryan O'Reilly "It will help create electricity grants. "The state has grants avail- Union County LocalSource is mailed to the hqrnes of subscribers for deliv- Correspondent on the roof that we can actually able for construction, and we're ery every Thursday. One-year subscriptions in Union County are available RAHWAY — Improvements to sell back to the utility company so on line for that," he said. "We for $20.00, two year subscriptions for $38.00. College and out-of-state sub- the curriculum and facilities are a its almost like a commodity," expect some of the projects will be scriptions are available. You may subscribe by phone by calling 888-753- funded 47 percent from state 2455 and asking for the circulation department. top priority for the Board of Edu- Buglione said. News items: cation, especially if it means earn- Justin Tupik, Board of Educa- grants and funds." For information or to report a breaking news story, call 908-686-7700 and ing money for city schools. tion vice president and chairman Buglione said the solar panels ask for editorial. Union County LocalSource accepts news releases and During their June 11 meeting, of the Building and Grounds are important lo the project, but opinion pieces by e-mail. Our e-mail address is district officials proposed a $34 Committee, said a $730,000 Cus- the main push behind the referen- editorial@thelocalsource,com. E-mail must be received by 9 a.m. Monday million capital projects referen- tomer Onsitc Renewable Energy dum is the need to improve the to be considered for publication that week. dum voters can weigh in on this rebate — offered through the math and science departments at Postmaster Please Note: fall. "We've been looking at our state's Clean Energy program — the high school. "We're trying to Union County LocalSource (USPS 648-480) is published weekly by Wor- facilities during the past few to support the solar additions get more students to go to college rall Community Newspapers, Inc., 1291 Stuyvesant Avenue, Union, N.J. 07083. Mail subscriptions $20.00 per year in Union County, 50 cents per years, and some of our areas need came at the perfect time, consider- and major in math and science," copy non-refundable. Periodicals postage paid at Voorhees, NJ, and addi- improving," Superintendent Frank ing the poor state of the economy. he said. tional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Union County Buglione admitted. "If we did not accept the grant for He explained more students LocalSource P.O. Box 341, Voorhees, NJ. 08043-0431. Among the proposed projects the solar panels within a year of should consider majoring in math are the construction of twelve new being accepted, we would lose it," or science because it is where the instructional spaces at Grover Tupik said. future lies for employment oppor- Cleveland School and the addition The CORE program helps tunities. ,of solar panels on the roofs of both organizations implement renew- "Rahway is a community that the high school and middle school able energy technologies and sys- looks toward the future, and we — this could be a key source of tems. The systems will help an want education to be a part of revenue for the district upon com- organization produce ils own elec- that." pletion, according to Buglione. tricity, while protecting the envi- If the capital projects are .The solar panels could- gener- ronment, according to its Web site. approved by voters Sept. 29, dis- ate as much as $123,000 annually Buglione assured school offi- trict officials hope to accept bids EXIT EXCLUSIVE REALTY in revenue, while saving nearly cials are working to the keep the on the plan by spring, and begin Maria A. Gomes 152 Central Avenue, Clark, NJ 07066 $49,Q0O each year in the districts out-of-pocket costs for the capital construction by next summer. Cell: (201)207-5766 Office: (732)381-3948 electrical bills, according to proj- projects as low as possible, saying Editorial Can be reached at Fax: (732)381-3995 ect architect Paridy Veisz Fraytak, the Board of Education has 908-686-7700 ext. 121, or editori- a firm based in Trenton. already applied for several state [email protected].

Must See Fla. man embezzles $900,000 in Linden from photo supply company By Colleen Roache use the card to fund a $2,500 trip to Orlando, Fla. Sev- Correspondent eral years ago, in 2002, Gonzalez used the company MOUNTAINSIDE — The former technology chief card to pay for a Royal Caribbean cruise with his wife, at Comstock Images Inc. in Mountainside admits he which cost, more than $10,060. On another occasion, This residential home has 3 bedrooms and. 1.5 bathrooms with embezzled approximately $900,000 from the interna- he paid for,air fare, restaurant bills and Walt Disney central air/heating. Hardwood floors throughout. Also includes a tional supplier of professional photography images. World tickets for his family and friends. He then sent finished basement with a laundry area. Price: $275,000 ,