Ad Populos, Non Aditus, Pervenimus Published Every Thursday Since September 3, 1890 (908) 232-4407 USPS 680020 Thursday, September 23, 2010 OUR 120th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 38-2010 Periodical – Postage Paid at Rahway, N.J. www.goleader.com [email protected] SEVENTY FIVE CENTS Westfield Firefighter Saves Mother And Son from Point Pleasant Surf By BENJAMIN B. CORBIN published report, Raechel Fisher, 31, into the ocean. Mr. Cerchio was the Specially Written for The Westfield Leader of Gloversville, N.Y. and her son, Zack, first on scene and went right out to help WESTFIELD – An off-duty had gone to the water’s edge so the boy the mother and son.” Westfield firefighter and Scotch Plains could wash the sand off his feet, but After reaching the victims, Mr. resident rescued a 10-year-old child they quickly were engulfed by strong Cerchio tried to talk to the mother and and the child’s mother Sunday in Point waves. child, but they were in shock. The boy Pleasant. Mr. Cerchio, a former athlete, teacher finally spoke and stated that he could Firefighter Louis N. Cerchio, III, 37, and coach, raced to the ocean, tossing swim, but his mother could not. With was with his wife and two children at his cell phone in the sand before enter- this information, Mr. Cerchio said, the beach, where he had once been a ing the water. His wife, Lisa, 32, re- “Everything will be okay. We will use lifeguard, when the incident occurred. trieved it and called 9-1-1. the waves to help us get in.” At around 12:25 p.m., he overheard a Point Pleasant Police Chief Kevin R. As the trio struggled to get to shore, woman saying, “They are in trouble; O’Hara told The Westfield Leader, “A two waiters from a boardwalk tiki bar they need help.” 10-year-old was playing by the water took boogie boards from a display at the The woman was talking about the when a wave came and washed him out establishment and rushed to the water to mother and child, who had been swept into the ocean. Then his mother went in help pull the victims onto the beach. out into the ocean. According to a after him. Both were then swept further Finally, after battling the heavy surf brought on by Hurricane Igor, Mr. Cerchio got the mother and son to the shore. Mr. Cerchio stated, “Once we got to shore and I knew we were safe, I just collapsed on the beach, exhausted.” After catching his breath, Mr. Cerchio got up and was greeted with hugs and Benjamin B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader WRESTLING THE WAVES TO SAVE LIVES...While off duty Sunday, Westfield Firefighter Louis N. Cerchio, III jumped cheers from onlookers who had watched into 10-foot-high breakers, swam out and saved a 10-year-old child and the child’s mother from being swept out to sea in Point the 12-minute rescue unfold. Pleasant. The well-conditioned Scotch Plains resident and SP-F High School graduate is noted for his athletic prowess statewide In a fortuitous twist of fate, Mr. in high school wrestling, and he was a Division I All-American 167-pound wrestler for Seton Hall University. See story at left. Cerchio said his wife had originally suggested going to Belmar that day, but that they went to Point Pleasant instead because a surf tournament was being Central Ave. Residents Continue held in Belmar. A Division I All-American wrestler at Seton Hall University, Mr. Cerchio also wrestled as a student at Scotch Airing Objections to Pedestrian Light Plains-Fanwood High School and later By LAUREN S. BARR Mayor Andrew Skibitsky asked Sontz, who previously ran for Third served as an assistant coach there. He Specially Written for The Westfield Leader Mrs. Carluccio what her education Ward councilman, presented the additionally started an intermediate- WESTFIELD — At Tuesday was in traffic engineering, and Mrs. council with a signed petition to rein- school wrestling program at Roosevelt night’s town council conference ses- Carluccio said the town’s traffic safety state the crossing guard who was School in Westfield and also was a sion, Central Avenue residents Adina engineer is “obviously an idiot.” eliminated at Central Avenue and Sy- Paul Lachenauer for TheWestfield Leader member of the coaching staff at David Enculescu and Maria Carluccio con- Ms. Enculescu said she is now camore Street, and urged the council A LONG TRADITION...William McVay awaits the opening of the Azure Brearley High School in Kenilworth. tinued to voice their objections over a breaking the law in order to back out to “find the money to restore the Masada Masonic Lodge in Cranford on Sunday for the cornerstone-laying Chief O’Hara said, “My department, new pedestrian crossing traffic light of her driveway because she has to crossing guard.” He said that when he ceremony at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Cranford. See story on Page 3. the Point Pleasant First Aid squad and that has been installed on Ms. cross a solid white line or block the was out collecting signatures, he told dive team responded, but thank God, Enculescu’s property. crosswalk. She again stated that the people that he was with the Demo- they were not needed.” Mrs. Carluccio said that while her crosswalk should have been placed at cratic Committee and still collected Freeholders Oppose Holding * * * * * * * property has not been affected, she the intersection of Clover Street and more than 70 signatures with only For more information, we recom- has been circulating a petition to have Central Avenue. She complained over three refusals. mend reading the fine story by Nic the traffic light moved, as she said it not being notified about the project Public Safety Committee Chair- Up ARC Tunnel Project Corbett of The Star-Ledger, published is “not a safe spot…to say nothing of and told the mayor and council that woman JoAnn Neylan said that the By PAUL J. PEYTON now have from Summit or from Eliza- September 22, 2010, which also ap- what you did to my neighbor’s prop- she “will not stop until I die” in order council is going to have a traffic safety Specially Written for The Westfield Leader beth, those hopes are going to be dashed pears on NJ.com. erty.” to have the light moved and said, “It’s officer acting as a crossing guard at ELIZABETH – The Union County [by the Governor’s decision].’” a crime what has happened to me.” the intersection until the new traffic- Board of Chosen Freeholders passed a He said the Christie administration’s When Mayor Skibitsky questioned crossing signal is operational. She resolution last Thursday opposing the decision to halt the project “has put in Long-Time Scotch Plains Twp. why Ms. Enculescu felt that drivers also said that the mayor and Third temporary shutdown of an $8.7-bil- extreme serious jeopardy” outside would be more likely to stop for pe- Ward Councilman Mark Ciarrocca lion rail tunnel to New York City. The funding sources “on a project that is destrians at Central and Clover ver- have volunteered to each give one project, known as the Trans-Hudson desperately needed.” Clerk Barbara Riepe to Retire sus the traffic light at her property, week to help with the walking school Express Tunnel or Access to the “I can’t for the life of me understand By FRED T. ROSSI The second ordinance modifies Fourth Ward Councilman James bus program. Councilwoman Neylan Region’s Core (ARC) Mass Transit why this Governor would put that Specially Written for The Westfield Leader township recycling rules to bring them Foerst interjected, “So long as it’s not said she would rather not have elimi- Tunnel Project, is expected to double kind of money into jeopardy,” Mr. SCOTCH PLAINS — Township into line with various state and county- in front of her property.” nated any crossing guards, but town rail capacity to the city. Sullivan said. “So, if you live in clerk Barbara Riepe confirmed this mandated recycling standards. “I stand behind the project,” Mayor finances necessitated the elimina- Board Chairman Dan Sullivan, Westfield, good luck trying to get a week that she will be retiring effec- Deputy mayor Bratti emphasized that Skibitsky told Ms. Enculescu. He also tions, and she does not “want this to Union County’s representative on the one-seat ride into New York City in the tive November 1, wrapping up a 52- homeowners will see no changes to said that if a child or pedestrian is become an ugly political issue.” North Jersey Transportation and Plan- next few years.” year career working for the munici- recycling procedures. Both ordi- injured at the crosswalk, “it won’t be Mayor Skibitsky said the govern- ning Authority (NJTPA), said mem- Summit Councilwoman Ellen pal government, the last 23 years nances will be voted on at the council’s because of design.” ing body has to listen to its experts bers of the 13-county NJTPA board in Dickson, a Republican Freeholder can- heading the clerk’s office. Mayor October 5 meeting. The mayor had asked that public and make decisions given its budget 2007 “all voted unanimously to ap- didate, said she attended a breakfast Nancy Malool told The Westfield The council also approved, by a 4- comments be limited to three min- constraints because “that’s what lead- prove this project.” He said $3 billion meeting recently in which the ARC Leader that the township council, 1 vote, an increase in towing fees that utes, and after Ms.