The Serving our Community Go Speed Racer, Go! Since 1888 Millburn grad is executive Item producer of new movie. May 1, 2008 See A3 75 cents weekly of Millburn and Short Hills www.theitemonline.com IN CELEBRATION OF SPRING – AND HER YOUTH EDUCATION Board grilled over silence By Harry Trumbore Drawn by rumors about dis- of The Item sention between board members and school Superintendent The status of two top school Richard Brodow over a personnel administrators remains uncertain issue, presumably Romano’s con- after questions from the audience tract, more than 200 residents, regarding the administrators’ con- teachers and administrators tracts were deflected by the Board attended the board’s March 10 of Education president Monday meeting in a show of support for night. the superintendent. The board meeting was relative- Since that meeting, board pres- ly uneventful until members passed ident Samuel Levy repeatedly has over a public hearing that was list- said a decision about Romano’s ed on the agenda regarding the contract was forthcoming. terms of the contract with the assis- Levy Monday night announced tant superintendent for curriculum the public hearing of Romano’s and instruction. contract will be carried over to the The assistant superintendent, next meeting, scheduled for Frank Romano, was hired in April Monday night at Glenwood 2007 and is under contract School. through June. Several ex-board members rose Although board members have to speak during the public com- not discussed Romano’s contract ments portion of the meeting. openly, it has been the subject of “The board has a number of widespread speculation in the school community. SEE BOARD, PAGE B5 STAFF PHOTO BY ADAM ANIK Township resident Helena Daniel, 5, romps under the cherry blossoms in Taylor Park on Friday, celebrating spring weather RUSH DELIVERY and her childhood. ENTERTAINMENT Paper Mill plans to close scene shop in move to save $600,000 By Anthony G. Attrino tume pieces will be sold as part of about 10 years, Miller said. Three facility, Miller said. of The Item an ongoing effort to help the Paper years ago, then-CEO Michael Gen- The theater was also responsible Mill with its naro sold the Edi- for paying the utilities and taxes on The Paper Mill Playhouse financial prob- son building with the property, Miller said. plans to save up to $600,000 a year lems. ‘Most regional theaters in the idea of one After selling the building, the in overhead costs by closing CEO Mark the United States do not day closing the Paper Mill was no longer eligible its Middlesex County scene shop W. Jones said in shop altogether, for its nonprofit status and began and laying off eight full-time press reports have their own scene Miller said. paying high property taxes, Miller employees, the theater’s that the sale is shops. It’s a luxury…’ But Gennaro’s said. spokesman, Shayne Miller, said part of an ongo- departure from Miller said the Paper Mill will Tuesday. ing effort to Shayne Miller, the Paper Mill put outsource the designing of sets. STAFF PHOTO BY JIM CONNELLY “Most regional theaters in the streamline those plans on “We’re still going to be designing Keith Rush of the Millburn High School varsity baseball team United States do not have their operations at PAPER MILL SPOKESMAN hold. our own shows,” Miller said. own scene shops,” Miller said. “It’s the Paper Mill, The sale “We will have complete artistic prepares to toss a pitch Saturday afternoon in a Greater a luxury having your own shop.” which nearly closed its doors last brought about cash, but also caused control.” Newark Tournament first-round game against 14th-seeded The scene shop, located in Edi- year. The theater’s budget is $18.6 the Paper Mill to incur additional In addition the Paper Mill has its Glen Ridge. The junior right-hander tossed a complete game son, will close July 31, Miller said. million. costs. own scene shop, Miller said. two-hitter, pacing the third-seeded Millers to a 10-0 victory Miller confirmed that thousands Discussions about closing the The Paper Mill began paying “an “It’s small, but we do have one,” and a berth in this Saturday’s quarterfinals against Montclair. of props, furniture, scene and cos- scene shop had been ongoing for enormous amount of rent” on the he said. See story on C1. In Classifieds Vol. 121 No. 18 CLASSIFIEDS D6, D7 MOVIES A7 Child hurt COMMUNITY D1 OBITUARIES B4 For more classifieds, see pages D6, D7 For home delivery, Driver charged in Millburn Avenue Quail Ridge Masonry, LLC To place a classified ad in The Item of Millburn call 888-504-4280. COMMUNITY EVENTS A4 PUBLIC NOTICES D4 wreck. See A2 All Masonry & Repairs and Short Hills, and our other community Foundations, Pavers, Brick Steps newspapers, call 1-800-891-9467. EDITORIAL A4 PUZZLES A6, D1 Record-setting performance & Concrete Hardscapes FREE Est. • Fully Ins. Please recycle. EDUCATION B1-B3 RELIGIOUS NEWS B4 Miller relay team sets meet mark. ➧ At least 25% recycled newsprint 201-475-1112 100% recyclable ENTERTAINMENT A6, A7 SPORTS C1-C8 See C1 Discover A New Level Of Luxury In Real Estate W374230-01 Each office independently 508 Millburn Avenue • Short Hills, NJ • 973-467-8522 owned & operated A2 Thursday, May 1, 2008 The Item of Millburn and Short Hills www.TheItemOnline.com GUARANTEED! On-Time Pick-Ups and Arrivals 24 Hour Limousine Service - 1-877-546-6428 HAVING A ‘CLOTHES MIND’ ABOUT A GOOD CAUSE 973.482.3200 973.467.0120 W374304-01 [email protected] Limousines % For All Occassions 10 off with this ad. The Item NJ Registered Professional Development Provider Established 1975 Certified Teachers All Instruments for Every Age Kindermusik Classes for ages 0 to 7 College Prep Division W278973-01 River Walk Plaza 256 Morris Avenue 34 Ridgedale Ave. Springfield,256 Morris NJAvenue 07081 East Hanover, NJ 07936 Springfield (973)(973) 467-4688 467-4688 STAFF PHOTO BY ANTHONY G. ATTRINO (973)17103-01 428-0405 E E42095-01 Teresa Lawrence drops off old clothes Thursday afternoon at a donation bin in the parking lot of the American Red Cross on Millburn Avenue. Donated clothes are picked up by the vendor We Collect for a Cause, sorted and sold. A percentage of the profits are given to the local chapter and used to help pay for programs and services. Donated clothes may also be picked up from home by calling 866-468-7228. POLICE Custom Landscape Design and Construction Patios • Walkways • Stone Walls Rock Gardens • Quality Shrub Maintenance Careless driving is charged Over 25 Years Experience after crash hurts 4-year-old Call By Harry Trumbore escaped serious injury April 21 strom last week at The Mall at ping bags was clothing valued at 973-386-1679 W374414-01 of The Item after a large tree limb crashed onto Short Hills. $1,294, police said. They charged his car. One shopper said her child was the woman, Janee Fisher, 18, of Police said Michael S. Torticill, The teen told police that short- using a stall and the adjoining stall Brooklyn, N.Y., with shoplifting. 32, of Saddlebrook, was sitting in ly before 1 p.m. he was driving appeared to be locked, although According to police, three his car on Millburn Avenue at 2 south on Old Short Hills Road, fol- no one’s feet could be seen. The female friends of Fisher’s were p.m. April 21, waiting for a red lowing a trailer truck. Near the woman used a third stall and hung observed milling around in a mall light at the intersection with Ridge- intersection with Farley Road, the her purse on the hook. After she parking lot. When they were NEED COMPUTER HELP? wood Road. Next to him in the left trailer caught on a cable television and her child left the restroom, she approached, one of them ran away lane was Linda N. Nwoko, 45, of wire and knocked the large branch discovered her wallet was missing. and had to be forcibly returned to WE’LL TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOU. Newark in her SUV. And headed from a tree, according to reports. Wallets were missing from purs- the lot. right in their direction in the wrong The falling tree limb smashed es of two other shoppers who used Around the same time, police lane was an SUV driven by the teen’s windshield and damaged the facility, police said. noticed a black Suzuki SUV near- Stephanie A. Weber, 21, of South the roof. The afternoon of April 24, a by was parked diagonally with its • PC & Mac Expertise• Troubleshooting • Wired & Wireless Networks Orange. Police said the driver was not Nordstom housekeeping employee engine running. Police approached • Back-ups/Recovery • Virus/Spyware/Trojan Removal & Protection According to witnesses, Weber’s injured, but his car was towed from who entered the restroom saw a and found Kaseam Phillips, 19, of • Installation - New Computer, Printer, Ipod, Camera vehicle sideswiped Torticill’s car the scene. woman in a stall reaching over for Paterson sitting in the back seat. and crashed head-on into Police are investigating four something in adjoining stall. Phillips was asked for his driver’s • Upgrades - Memory, Drives, Windows, Applications Nwoko’s SUV. Weber told police incidents of criminal mischief When she saw that she was license and when police opened she had just made a left turn onto reported Sunday afternoon. being observed, the woman in the the door to take it, they observed Computer Services, LLC Millburn Avenue from Vaux Hall A homeowner on Lupine Way stall left the restroom.