••£ ON A ROLL TEE IT UP A SOLEMN TRIBUTE Afar a strong performance The WfstfieU Area Chamber of Recruits at the John H. Stamler Monday against a lough Delbarton Commerce will host its annual golf Police Academy in Scotch Plains squad, the Scotch Plams-Fanwood outing on Oct. 10 at Shackamaxon marked the fifth anniversary of the boys soccer team has now won Golf andand Country Club in Scotch September 11 th terrorist attacks by r-_J five in a row. For that game and Mains. For details on the event, turn planting a flowering plum tree on more, see Sports, Pagm C-l. to Page B-3 the grounds of the academy's cam- pus. See the story on Page B~6. _ * 57. LO 3989 50 cents vkttxttb VtBB Vol. 21, No. 39 Serving Westf ield, Scotch Plains and Fanwood Friday, September 29,2006 Soccer teams score a 'Golden Goal' for squad State: Hi Merest Under the program, first proposed that it would help offset the cost of the THE RECORD-PRESS last May by SPFSA President James squad's new ambulance, which will Fawcett, the association would donate arrive sometime next spring. He also SCOTCH PLAINS — The average $5 to the local Rescue Squad for every urged the kids in attendance to inquire can stay this year crowd at a municipal meeting includes a goal scored by members of its traveling about the squad's cadet program, which handful of political die-hards, or maybe teams during a four-week period. As it provides training to teenagers who are a few residents upset about something turned out, Fawcett told the council interested in medical careers, once they Foley sees decision as a 'win-win,' that's happening on their block. It cer- Tuesday night, by collecting private turn 16. tainly does not include dozens and donations the association was able to After the donation was made, certifi- but neighbors are less optimistic dozens of enthusiastic, adidas-sporting double its original pledge. And given the cates were presented to each player who toens and tweons. But that was the number of teams involved and the skills scored a goal and helped to boost the «RJLTZ not be renewed. But the coun- scene at Tuesday night's Township of the young athletes — 92 players com- overall contribution. The goal-scorers THE RECORD-PRESS ty commission took the case Council meeting, as members of the bined for 155 goals during the designat- also had the chance to shake hands with to court, saying it needed Scotch Plains-Fanwood Soccer ed period — the total contribution added Mayor Martin Marks and introduce WESTFIELD — The office more time to find a new Association were honored for their par- up to $1,550. themselves to the television audience. of state Commissioner of home. Administrative Law ticipation in the "Golden Goal Award" Bob Forrester accepted the donation Education Lucille Davey has Judge Caridad Rigo initially program. on behalf of the Rescue Squad, noting (Continued on page A-2) ordered the local Board of ruled in favor of the UCESC Education to renew Union in August, and the decision County Educational Services by Davey's office affirms the Commission's (UCESC) lease key findings of her ruling. of the Lincoln School building The ruling found that it A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST for the 2006-07 school year, was unreasonable to expect affirming in large part a pre- the county commission to vious ruling by an adminis- find a new home for Hillcrest trative law judge. Academy on such short The decision, made public notice, and that the lease this week, also directs the should be renewed for the UCESC to adopt and enforce entire year because the state policies to ensure adequate commissioner "will not issue supervision of its students a directive that would result during the remainder of the in mid-year disruption of an school year. established educational pro- The UCESC has leased gram serving a particularly the school building on vulnerable student popula- Westfield Avenue for many tion." years, and most of those But the state also said years passed without inci- that the ruling should not be dent. But last year the com- construed as indicating mission began to use the site UCESC can retain use of for a new alternative pro- Lincoln School indefinitely; gram, Hillcrest Academy the county organization must South, which serves students "undertake duly diligent from the Elizabeth school dis- efforts to relocate affected trict who have been classified programs for the 2007-08 with emotional or behavioral school year." That finding is disorders. Following a series important not just to the of incidents that required a neighborhood but to the response by local police, some entire Westfield district, residents came forward to which hopes to renovate the say the program posed a building and put it to use for threat to the neighborhood. local students as a central- The Westfield school dis- ized kindergarten facility. If trict in June notified the UCESC that the lease would (Continued on page A-2) Wf. BOE reviews justification behind proposed upgrades By THERESA STULTZ listen to their concerns by THE RECORD-PRESS telling us with their vote." The board discussed set- WESTFIELD — A week ting up a steering committee after the Board of Education of 10-12 people to be key com- decided to ask voters to municators to get the mes- approve $9.3 million in proj- sage out to the public and ects to renovate three local answer any questions resi- Union County's 25th annual Harvest Fest was held Sunday at schools, district administra- dents may have. Board Traiiside Nature and Science Center in Mountainside, offering area tors reiterated the justifica- President Anne Riegel residents a unique look at life in colonial America and plenty of tions behind the improve- stressed that board members opportunities for family fun. Top left, Scotch Plains resident Frank ments at a meeting Tuesday will make an effort to be Thome, one of the driving forces behind the planned restoration of night. accessible to residents, and the Frazee House, donned period costume for the event. Above, Bonrd members expressed she said the proposed Jerry "Thundercloud" McDonald tells a traditional Mohawk story. confidence that after almost a improvements would benefit The day also featured bluegrass musical performances, colonial year's worth of deliberations, the entire community. cooking demonstrations, chances to try your hand at forgotten they have developed a pro- Foloy said the improve- BROOKS CRANDALiyCORRESPONDENT skills such as log-cutting, and a few timeless pleasures, such as a posal that will solve the ments at Lincoln, if passed by petting zoo featuring newborn chicks, severe space crunch facing voters at a Jan. 23 special the district's six elementary election, would accomplish schools while also improving three things: the condition of the middle — Create space needed to schools. accommodate special educa- Marks: Fields will be built at Ponderosa The project calls for a $6 tion, small group instruction, holder board, represents an opportunity used by both the high school teams and million renovation of Lincoln and music and art in the ele- to solve two problems at once. The coun- youth sports leagues has been a hot School for use as an early mentary schools. ty acquired the site, also known as the topic all year long. childhood center, more than — Provide improved edu- THE RECORD-PRESS Sevell Farm, in 2003 with $10 million In comments made during a phone $3 million to pay for renova- cational services to the pre- from its Open Space, Recreation and interview Monday and at Tuesday tions and a library/cafeteria school population and stu- SCOTCH PLAINS — Following a Historic Preservation Trust Fund. But night's Township Council meeting, expansion at Roosevelt, and dents placed in schools out of Monday conversation with Union the first proposal to put the site to a new Marks said there is a great deal of $200,000 to replace outdated the district because of a lack County Freeholder Chairman Alexander use — an educational children's farm enthusiasm about the new plan. Under windows at Edison School. of space. Mirabella about the future of the akin to an agricultural theme park — the proposal, the county would pay for A detailed slide show pres- — Make effective use of. Ponderosa site, there is "no question," galvanized opposition from residents construction of at least two fields nt the entation highlighted areas of the school to deal with, in his Mayor Martin Marks said, "that (the worried about a steady stream of school site, with Scotch Plains agreeing to bear Roosevelt Intermediate words, "radical imbalances of county) will be moving forward with buses trundling along the winding roads the cost of maintaining the all natural School, which enrollment." plans for an athletic site" on the 23-acre in the area. grass playing surfaces. Superintendent William According to Foley, the Cooper Road property. Instead, the latest proposal calls for A third, smaller soccer field on the Foley called "highly congest- board looked at numerous The construction of athletic fields at using the site to address the shortage of south side of the property is -also being ed." alternatives, including mak- the former farmstead, first proposed at athletic fields in the township; the "Now it's up to the public," an August meeting of the county free- scarcity and poor condition of the fields (Continued on page A-2) Foley said, "to tell us did we (Continued on page A-2) REMINDER The Westfield Area Chamber of CELEBRATE Commerce will hold its annual Festifotl sea-Commentary A-6 Obituaries B-5 www.nj.com/r«>cordpr*)»s sonal celebration in the downtown from FESTIFALL 11 a.m.-S p.m.