Aito of i» Meddbwfan**" Beginning with its April 22 issue, W^t fisnbtt will mail to all the residents of Wallington. The newspaper's new total circulation will be 40,304. Established 1894 www. Loader Newspapers, net Thuisday, April 15. 2010 Superintendent in Rutherford to retire 24 hours By Susan C. Moeller SENIOR REPORTER RUTHERFORD — Leslie O'Keefe, longtime super- intendent of schools in Rutherford, will retire July n minutes 1. The administrator gave her three-month notice to the Board of Education Thursday, April 1. The news came in the wake of Rutherford's budget crunching, which will result in several layoffs and pro- gram cuts throughout the district. O'Keefe, who has served as superintendent for 10 years, was vocal during the Board's March 31 budget presentation that the circumstances involving Rutherford and its loss of state aid are devastating. "It gives me an enormous amount of pain" to stand here and say these things, O'Keefe said to assembled board members and parents. The cuts are "beginning the disman- tling of an outstanding school district." But, current events are not the reason O'Keefe is choos- ing to end her career. "I have been doing this for a really long lime," she said during an interview with The leader. While the governor's "assault on education" made the Please see RETIRE on Page A5 Garbage plan draws gripes Raising funds for kids PHOTO BY SUSAN C MOELLER one pedal a! a By Susan C. Moeller $115,000, depending on SENIOR REPORTER the cost per ton to dump refuse, explained Council By John Soltes 24 hours Children," Bob said. "It's been almost RUTHERFORD — When President Joseph DeSalvo, EDITOR IN CHIEF During a recent interview, Bob six years since he passed, so I just want- the Rutherford Borough who initiated the vote on proudly wore a sweatshirt sporting ed to give back to the organization that Council voted March 22 the issue. RUTHERFORD — From midday a picture of Troy, his son who died helped us out so much. Every dime to stop picking up com- "We have employees in on April 30 until midday on May 1, before the age of 2 from a hereditary that comes in goes right to Tomorrows mercial garbage, there was town losing their jobs. We Rutherford resident Bob Koper will retinoblastoma a few years ago. Joining Children." very little discussion. But, have employees in town work to achieve a seemingly impos- Bob for the talk were Sensei Dan Chances are there will be quite a changing the trash plan has going part time." sible goal. Rominski and Sempai Kim Christian, few dimes coming in. been equivalent to open- Reducing garbage pickup But don't bet against this 51-year- the husband-wife team that runs The Sensei Dan and Sempai Kim, along ing a Dumpster-sized can of also frees up Department of old local. DOJO, a martial-arts school on Park with Bob, have asked the outlying worms. Public Works employees to Bob, who has been blind most of his Avenue in Rutherford where the bike- community to step forward and help Now, some business own- conduct other maintenance life due to a degenerative eye disease a-thon will take place. out with donations and creative fund- ers air asking the Council work that has not been get- known as retinitis pigmentosa, will ride "This will be my 10th time doing it raisers. The community has responded to reconsider its decision. ting done. on a stationary bicycle at Rutherford's for all types of charities," Bob said of in kind. The Rutherford Downtown The DOJO for more than 24 hours. By his 24-hour journey. From officials with the New Partnership has also outlined Business concerns the end of his marathon he will likely But this occasion is extra special Meadowlands Stadium offering a free other options it believes will The borough has a have traveled more than 500 miles, and extra personal. This is the first behind-the-scenes tour of the new ease the municipal budget "severe budget problem," without moving a foot. time Bob, who prefers to go by the last facility to local restaurants and piz- crunch and stop trash and acknowledged Robin This monumental task is fueled by name Koper for privacy reasons, is tak- zerias offering hundreds of dollars in trash-related problems from Reenstra-Bryant, executive Koper's determination to raise money ing part in a biking fund-raiser in his gift certificates, Bob's bike-a-thon has crowding out business on director of the Rutherford for the Tomorrows Children's Fund at hometown and the charity this time is inspired a newfound family. There is a Park Avenue. Downtown Partnership, Hackensack University Medical Center Tomorrows Children's Fund, an orga- complete schedule of events for locals as she addressed a spe- and also to honor a little boy — Bob's nization that helped Bob and his wife, to take part in, from watching The Borough perspective cial meeting of the group little boy — whose .birthday will be who is also blind, during a difficult Honeymooners" (one of Bob's favorite Eliminating commercial Thursday, April 8. But, stop- remembered when he finishes his gru- time in their lives. TV shows) during the late-night hours garbage pickup will save Please see GARBAGE eling and emotional bike ride. They took care of my son at the Rutherford approximately on Page A6 last month of his life at Tomorrows Please see BIKE on Page AS RFanksTmeVG5nter.:com FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES, CALL: (201) 310 5161 OR E-MAIL: ADVERTISE LtAPERNFWSPAPFRS NET • m Students •yStNonCMeAr SENIOR Riporre* RUTHERFORD — A group of Rutherford High ProfessloMl nuiKlal Services LTD School students attend- ed the district's Board of lift tatToity, Flu for Tumi i— Education meeting Monday, April 12, to ask that a fine Piufmlonpj, UraonoU arts teacher, Steven Mett, not be laid off. The students' sentiments Contact our offic lor a axm*alion SOI -Ml -1O4O were clear from their match- ing T-shirts, emblazoned with the words, "Save Our School." The demonstration was a response to the Board's budget proposal, developed after the state announced LAW OFFICE OF DONNA J. that $1.8 million would be cut from the district's aid for 2010-11. For its part, the Board placed blame for the steep budgets cuts, necessitating PerxmaiiProftsskmalReprtKmtkm 26 layoffs, at the feet of the fHOTOBYARHMEKKNtY Famify Law. Divorce, CUtd CtaUxty, Students turn out to protest the decision to possibly lay off one of the teachers at Rutherford High state, and particularly Gov. School at a recent Board of Education meeting, Monday, April 12. _____ Will, Living Wills, Powen-tf-Attonuy, Chris Christie. Expungement of Criminal Records. Before the state aid reduction, the Board and the high school representa- tion is really destroying a allowed to retain his job. its administrators had pre- tive on the Board. lot of opportunities," Ryan The document had 457 sig- pared a budget that was in Others who addressed said, noting that photogra- natures, according to Shova. When you need a good lawyer... \ the best interests of both the Board were more spe- phy, which Mett teaches, is "I applaud the students the district and the commu- cific. one of the students' favorite tonight with 'Save Our ANTHONYJ.RIPOSTA, nity, Board President Thorn The teacher that is being electives. School,' " said Casadonte, Certified by the Supreme Court The students, who asked as he outlined some of the Casadonte said during the cut is "one of the best," said of NJ as a Civil Trial Attorney meeting. Patrick Ross, a high school the Board not to let Mett district's successes and its COUNSELLOR AT LAW 4p The original propos- student. go, painted a picture of a attempts to control costs. al had a zero percent tax To date, the budget is not man who cares for students, "We feel the exact same Call today for a free phone consultation increase, and only seven lay- final, Casadonte clarified in spends time with them, way." offs. an interview after the meet- mentors them, encourages Casadonte recommend- 201-991-0067 ing. No one has been laid them. But, with the aid reduc- ed, since most of the stu- 432 Ridge Rd., North Arlington, NJ tion factored in, further cuts off at this point. "Mr. Mett really cares dents don't have the oppor- wwwJlipostaLaw.com were necessary to bring the But, the Board's pro- about his students and wants tunity to vote, that they write budget in at a 3-percent tax posed cuts have been specif- them to succeed," one stu- 457 letters to Christie. increase. ic enough for staff members dent concluded. Rutherford Students are worried to determine whose jobs are Matt Shova, another about the quality of their on the line. student, gave the Board a Contact Susan Animal Hospital education, said Avani Singh, "Eliminating this posi- petition asking that Mett be at 201-+38-870O 755 RuthwfonJ Aw.- Ruthffert, NJ Meal L. Beefier DVM • DABVP Director • Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Surgical Services-Laser Surgery AvaUh ~". POLICE BLOTTER Dogs, Cats S Exotics-Speaal Interest in Ferrets S Dertfsty • In-ttouse Laboratory, Enooscopy, Denial The items included in the blotter are not the coin slot had been removed from The vehicle was parked on Chestnut 201.933.4111 intended to be an exhaustive list of criminal a coin-operated washing machine in Street, off Exton Avenue between April wwKlUHO.com incidents in the South liergen area. the building. The slot was found in a ji and April 6, according to the victim.