Serving Summit, Springfield and Mountainside .WWW.LOCflLSOUBCE.COM Playground to Road closing notice The pinion of Mountain Ave open next month between Morris Avenue and Cald- iell I'lacc will be closed to a Construction in progress at Walton chicuiar traffic on Sept. 16 iroi approximately 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. ft By Tracy A. Politowic* n't be ready for the opening of school ic sixth annual Springfield Chan " Managing Editor next week, he projected it would be er of Commerce Street Festival SPRINGFIELD — The long- completed by the end of September. nd Craft Fair. awaited playground at the Edward V. Although there is caution tape sur- The festival will run I Walton Early Childhood Center is now rounding the work area, neighborhood a.m. m 5 p.m. on the closed section being constructed. children have already discovered the lf'Mountai Director of Buildings and Grounds work in progress Residents who live along the Michael Moore had said he hoped the "We can ice where kids have slid ;Iosed section nf Mountain Aveni equipment and mulch ground cover down the slide said Moore There may park their vehicles in Taw would be installed by the end of this were muddy footprints ;hip week, but that was before the recent The playground was funded by the s viihout bout of rainy weather. money raised by the Walton Pla> use the parking meter for that day. "The last few days really slowed ground Fund committee and dona "No Parking" signs will be post- (the installation) down," said Moore tions by the Rauoppi family and the ed along Mountain Avenue th on Tuesday. "It's the kind of Ihing that Wilt" Fami1> Foundation Township night before the event and wil throws a monkey wrench into any resident Zygt Wilfis. a tormer business remain in effect until the event i schedule." partner of Fnnk RaLioppi who died finished and the street is reopened. Once those installations are com- last year. The festival will lake place, rai plete. Moore said they "wili be con- Calls to the district s business Photo B) B tracting with someone to put a fence in administrator Matthew Clarke to Artist Tim Gow hangs his 'Winter Bamboo,' an original Chinese brush painting, at Bouras place." determine the exact cost of the play Gallery in Summit. His work is on exhibit at the gallery through October. Donations now being Also on the to-do list for the play- ground were not returned by press ground project is the ordering of a sign time. The amount of the playground accepted for Sibrary indicating the name of the playground, fund was approximately $100,000, The Friends of the Springfie "Frank Racioppi Memorial Park." according to Schachter. Free Public Library are now accept- Resident exhibits at gallery Former PTA President Kristin Moore said there would probably m donations ol hardback and Schachter, who is in charge of the be a ribbon-cutting ceremony to offi- By Joan M. Devlin many islands and inlets. It has a current like the ocean and paperback books for their annua Walton Playground Fund committee, cially open the park, although it was Staff Writer many moods that Gow has captured on canvas. book sale to benefit the library. said a sign plan was created by Design too soon to project a date for the event. SUMMIT — His passion for painting was suppressed Bolton Landing is on the lake, also a prime summer Books should be clean and i A Sign, a Springfield company. It seems as if the ribbon-cutting for years as he worked in the business world, but once Tim community. Gow lives there half of the year, spending the generally goot! condition. Adult and "We are waiting for the (Racioppi) won't be the last step. "Although the Gow retired in 2002, he set out to follow his dream — he winter months in his home in Summit. hildren's books arc welcome, family to approve the sign," said playground is for all ages, we would began painting. "My goal is to crystallize pn paper both the worldly and textbooks and Reader's Digest con- Schachter. like to get more pieces for the smaller densed books arc not accepted, Gow has brought his spectacular collection of watercol- spiritual beauty of people and nature," said Gow. He has However, she didn't believe the use kids," said Schachter. "We are moving ors to Summit's Bouras Gallery, which is now featuring his successfully done this, with not just his watercolors, but 'ompact discs, cassettes of the playground would be delayed along, slowly but surely." •tine jewelry may he also donut- paintings through October. also his Chinese brush paintings. for such details. "1 don't have the final Tmcv A. Politowicz can be reached His work includes serene summer scenes, landscapes His work is featured on two floors of the gallery. On the say, hut I can't imagine they would a! 90S-6S6-7700, ext. 115, or TlieOb- with beautiful fall colors, nature paths and primeval trails. first floor are examples of meticulous Chinese art, flowers >t'iimions may be dropped off a hold up the kids." stzi'vci*(&)Itiiglo calsource. com. Many of his works were inspired by the Lake and bamboo and scenes from the Adirondacks. For exam- iim-ary on Mondays, Wednes While Moore said there was ,t Editor's note: See Page 4 for a George/BoIton Landing area ple, downstairs, there is a striking painting called "Don't day : .si'.d Thursdays from 10 a.m. ti "Vood chance" the playground would- photo of the construction. See MAN, Page 2 ji.in.. and Tuesdays, Fridays Lake George itself is very large 365 miies long with '-iitHirtiays from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m all 973- - S'MO. New FMG school Offices closed Tin- offices of this ncwspapei supervisor named /ill t;c closed Sept. 4 in observance By Karen Koch 'f L-ibor Day. We wil! reopen Sept. Correspondent 5. SPRINGFIELD — Freehold resi- he newspaper wil I he pub- dent Michael Plias was selected as the *1 Thursday. Sept. 7. new school supervisor at the Florence he deadlines for die Sept. M. Gaudineer Middle School. His on arc as follows: appointment, effective Aug. 15, result- ! .eiters to Ihe editor —- Friday, ed from the opening created by the promotion of former supervisor Dave Rennie to principal of the James Cald- well Elementary School — as reported - [ L 1 rid l in the July 6 edition of The Observe! "I've always wanted to be involved Di , friil \ no in in educational administration and supervision. You are helping to devel- I sMiicd i\t is ui, T op lives, which ts exceptionally grati- d i\ p m fying to me," said Plias. "Being Whu (jLirt On Ind v 4 involved in educational administration is basically a calling — I want to help every child in the school." i ill of IUI ii.uli. Plias, 32, has worked in the Free- Michael Plias T h ipp> hUidiy hold district, in kindergarten through seventh grade, including time as a students respond to respect and has social studies teacher in the middle always implemented this belief. "I . __b> Bj Barbara hoMorib school and as a fifth-grade teacher. have found that, if you treat children SkEAK Wfif Ten-year-old Dustin Krienke peers down the new water slide at the Mountainside Com- Due to his love for athletics, particu- with respect, they usually conform to Should Spnn field munity Pool under the watchful eyes of lifeguard Christine Bennett. larly basketball and football, he has expectations," he said. propo ed ordinance to coached a middle school girls' basket- Plias said he was very excited recover emergency ball team. about ihe upcoming year. "The admin- fees for 1-78 and Water slide opens at pool He said he has wanted to be a istration is great here, including Mr. Route 24 he passed? teacher since elementary school. Kielty, who, in my eyes, is an amaz- ing, incredible principal," said Plias. * Yes, the town needs "As a kid, I just found it amazing Purchase price of$100K paid at 'no cost to the taxpayers' how teachers were lending a hand to "I'm looking forward to working with more income By Kevin Kessler Elizabeth was awarded the contract. After these test runs proved suc- educate all children," he said. him and the staff and, especially, the • No, there are too many Staff Writer "There were some subcontrac- cessful, the first riders from the pub- The educator grew up in Highland students of Florence M. Gaudineer questions remaining MOUNTAINSIDE — Members tors," said Disko, "but the bulk of the lic were selected through a raffle Park with his parents and twin brother Middle School. In this position, I will of the Mountainside Community work was done by Jo Med." conducted at the pool. before moving to Freehold in 1988, make myself as visible, approachable Jo Med placed orders with vari- Over a period of two weeks, pool where he graduated from Freehold and as accessible to the parents, the and enjoy the facilities. A new ous manufacturers to obtain the members were able to fill out raffle High School. Plias then attended Rut- staff and the students." SI00.000 waier slide has been pieces needed for the slide. cards to win their chance to be the gers University for his undergraduate Character education is supported CltLkon THE OBSERVER delightinc pooi-goers for nearly "While this was being fabricated. first to ride the slide. degree and St John's for his master's by Plias, who has used cooperative three weeks.