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Ridgewood High School

Lifestyle
3X Oscar Winner From Bergen County Nabs 9th Nomination 3X Oscar Winner From Bergen County Nabs 9th Nomination
3X Oscar Winner From Bergen County Nabs 9th Nomination New Jersey will be well represented at the 96th Annual Academy Awards. Thelma Schoonmaker, a graduate of Ridgewood High School, was nominated for Best Film Editing for "Killers of the Flowers Moon." Schoonmaker is a longtime collaborator of director Martin Scorsese and has been nominated for nine Oscars, winning for "Raging Bull," "The Aviator" and "The Departed." "Killers of the Flowers Moon" is a 206-minute epic Western about the murder of the Osage people in 1920s Oklahoma after oil is discovered on their tribal land. The movie received 10 nominations, including Best Picture.  Edwa…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
With Ridgewood Still Mourning Sudden Death Of Teen, Newborn Is Delivered By Village Responders With Ridgewood Still Mourning Sudden Death Of Teen, Newborn Is Delivered By Village Responders
With Ridgewood Still Mourning Sudden Death Of Teen, Newborn Is Delivered By Village Responders A little over a week after responding to the heartbreaking death of an 18-year-old Ridgewood man, village responders helped deliver a blessing. It began with a 911 call received by Public Safety Telecommunicator Stephany Estrada at 10:35 a.m. Oct. 12: A 38-year-old Upper Boulevard resident was in labor, the woman's husband told her. It was his wife's third pregnancy and the contractions were already close together, he warned. Estrada had village police, firefighters and EMS at the home in under five minutes. Using 911 emergency guide cards, she assisted the woman's husband until they got t…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
Former Ridgewood Football Player Preston Stott Dies, 18: 'Determined, Always Cracking Us Up' Former Ridgewood Football Player Preston Stott Dies, 18: 'Determined, Always Cracking Us Up'
Former Ridgewood Football Player Preston Stott Dies, 18: 'Determined, Always Cracking Us Up' The Ridgewood community is mourning the loss of former football player and student Preston Stott. According to his obituary, Preston died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 18 years old. He graduated from Ridgewood High School in 2023, and was a linebacker on the school's football team. "Our Ridgewood High School community is in pain after the sudden passing this week of Class of 2023 alumnus, Preston Stott," RHS Principal Jeff Nyhuis said. "Preston was a compassionate young person who made RHS a better place even after he graduated. Preston loved playing football for the Maroons an…

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by Cecilia Levine
Obituaries
NJ Football Player Dawayne Inniss Dies Day After 38th Birthday: 'Gentle Giant' NJ Football Player Dawayne Inniss Dies Day After 38th Birthday: 'Gentle Giant'
NJ Football Player Dawayne Inniss Dies Day After 38th Birthday: 'Gentle Giant' Dawayne Andre Inniss died on Tuesday, May 30, a day after his 38th birthday.  Inniss was a standout football player at Ridgewood High School, leading the Maroons to a state title in 2003 when he was a senior. A fundraiser has been set up to assist with funeral arrangements.  As of Thursday, June 8, almost $18,000 has been raised. My friend Dawayne ( Andre Inniss ) passed away suddenly on Tuesday 😔 This guy didn't have a mean bone in his body, and... Posted by Erika Gramsch on Thursday, June 1, 2023 A funeral will be held on Thursday, June 15 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic…

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by Sam Barron
News
'SWATTED' AGAIN: Bogus Gun Call Empties Ridgewood HS 'SWATTED' AGAIN: Bogus Gun Call Empties Ridgewood HS
'Swatted' Again: Bogus Gun Call Empties Ridgewood HS What proved to be a prank call about someone with a gun at Ridgewood High School triggered an emergency response on Monday. The school was cleared but everyone was allowed to return a short time after the late-morning "swatting" call on April 17 brought a number of tactical officers from the village and the Bergen County Regional SWAT team. Swatting is more than a nuisance. It unnecessarily causes anxiety and fear -- which, of course, is usually the intent. A Bergen County Regional SWAT Team responded to Ridgewood High School on Monday, April 17.Kyle Mazza/UNF News for DAILY VOICE It a…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
5 Ridgewood Teens Involved In Head-On Crash 5 Ridgewood Teens Involved In Head-On Crash
5 Ridgewood Teens Involved In Head-On Crash Five Ridgewood teens avoided serious injury when their SUV slammed head-on into a utility pole. A large contingent of police, firefighters and EMS units responded after the Nissan Pathfinder rounded a curve, knocked down a "No Parking" sign and crashed on narrow Marshall Street near Ridgewood High School late Friday afternoon Jan. 27. Four of the teens were released to their parents at the scene. One was taken by ambulance to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood for further evaluation. Four of the teens were released to their parents at the scene and one was taken by ambulance to The Valle…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
'We Lost A Hero': Aneurysm Takes Beloved Bergen Educator, Firefighter, Church Music Leader, 49 'We Lost A Hero': Aneurysm Takes Beloved Bergen Educator, Firefighter, Church Music Leader, 49
'We Lost A Hero': Aneurysm Takes Beloved Bergen Educator, Firefighter, Church Music Leader, 49 Death came suddenly and without warning for beloved educator, firefighter and church music director Basil Pizzuto of Saddle Brook, leaving legions who knew him shocked, saddened and more than a bit shaken. Pizzuto, an assistant principal at Ridgewood High School, was at work when an aortic aneurysm struck on Wednesday, Nov. 23, a day before he and loved ones had expected to celebrate both Thanksgiving and his 50th birthday. It was a gut punch that spread through multiple communities of those who knew and loved Pizzuto -- from the village's public schools to the Saddle Brook Fire Department…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Sports
2X US Open Beer Chugger Is North Jersey Native 2X US Open Beer Chugger Is North Jersey Native
2X US Open Beer Chugger Is North Jersey Native Megan Lucky and her beer had deja vu at the US Open. The North Jersey native who last year went viral for chugging her beer at the tennis games has done it again. View this post on Instagram A post shared by US Open (@usopen) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Megan Lucky (@meglucky53) The Ridgewood High School grad, 26, became an instant hit when she downed her drink in just under 8 seconds at the US Open in 2021. And so when the cameramen inside of Louis Armstrong Stadium made eye…

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by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
NJ Native Who Was Broadway's First Wheelchair Bound Actor Expecting First Baby NJ Native Who Was Broadway's First Wheelchair Bound Actor Expecting First Baby
NJ Native Who Was Broadway's First Wheelchair Bound Actor Expecting First Baby It's another first for New Jersey's Ali Stroker. The Ridgewood native, who became Broadway's first wheelchair-bound actor in 2015, is expecting her first child with husband David Perlow. The couple made the announcement on their first wedding anniversary on Instagram, calling it a "dream come true." "We are having a baby!!! The newest member of the team is arriving in November! A dream come true!!" the post reads. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ali Stroker (@alistroker) Stroker grew up in New Jersey and became paralyzed at tw…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
ALL CLEAR: Bogus Call Locks Down Ramsey HS, Shelters Other Schools In Place ALL CLEAR: Bogus Call Locks Down Ramsey HS, Shelters Other Schools In Place
ALL Clear: Bogus Call Locks Down Ramsey HS, Shelters Other Schools In Place SWATTING AGAIN (UPDATE): A bogus call locked down Ramsey High School while sending at least one other area school into shelter, bringing a massive police response that stoked parents' fears. In the end, there was no shooter, no weapons, no arrests, no injuries. "Law enforcement investigated the threat with no credibility," read a 12:03 p.m. tweet from RHS on Thursday, April 7. "No report of any injury to students or staff. "RHS will be dismissing early today. Updates on dismissal procedures will be forthcoming." Meanwhile, RHS remained in lockdown status. An intensive search of the pr…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
UPDATE: 'Jilted Boyfriend' Bomb Threats Plague NJ High Schools UPDATE: 'Jilted Boyfriend' Bomb Threats Plague NJ High Schools
Update: 'Jilted Boyfriend' Bomb Threats Plague NJ High Schools It's becoming too familiar: A male caller tells police he's a jilted boyfriend who intends to shoot or blow up a school. Streets are closed, students are locked down or sheltered in place and bomb-sniffing dogs are brought in. Sometimes parents become fearful and converge on the school. It happened three times in Bergen County this past week. Hackensack High School was targeted twice, once prompting a brief evacuation and another time a shelter-in-place. It happened again on Friday, April 1 at Ridgewood High School. "A male caller called the main police number spoke with central dispatch…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
Ridgewood Native Andrea Bernstein Dies, 36 Ridgewood Native Andrea Bernstein Dies, 36
Ridgewood Native Andrea Bernstein Dies, 36 Ridgewood native Andrea Bernstein died on Aug. 27 at Hackensack University Medical Center. She was 36 years old. Andrea played softball for Ridgewood High School and went on to attend nursing school, working in the operating room for several years, her obituary from the Feeney Funeral Home says. She is survived by her 5-year-old son, Connor; Connor's father, Michael Bernstein; parents William and Cheryl Schroen; her sister Caitlin Schroen; grandmother Jean Schroen; and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Services were held Sept. 2 at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Ridgewood. Interm…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
39 NJ Public Schools Ranked Among Best In America By U.S. News 39 NJ Public Schools Ranked Among Best In America By U.S. News
39 NJ Public Schools Ranked Among Best In America By U.S. News U.S. News & World Report has released is latest rankings of the best public high schools in America. Thirty-nine of those are in New Jersey and rank among the top 10 percent in the nation. "Families can use the Best High Schools rankings to see how schools compare at the national, state and local level on factors like graduation rates and college readiness," said Anita Narayan, managing editor of Education at U.S. News.  "The rankings also provide insight into academic performance among underserved groups." High Technology High School was ranked the No. 1 STEM school this ye…

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by Cecilia Levine
Obituaries
Ridgewood Native, Rutgers Grad Mason Angus Dies, 24 Ridgewood Native, Rutgers Grad Mason Angus Dies, 24
Ridgewood Native, Rutgers Grad Mason Angus Dies, 24 Ridgewood native and Rutgers University graduate Mason Angus died on Feb. 27. He was 24 years old. Mason graduated from Ridgewood High School (2014) and Rutgers University (2019), with a bachelor's of science and economics, his obituary said. He had been working for Wiley Publishing in Hoboken, having recently been promoted to a configuration manager just prior to his death. Mason was passionate and extremely knowledgable about basketball, and created a YouTube channel dedicated to analyzing players, his obituary says. A memorial service will be held Sunday, March 7 from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
COVID-19 Cases Reported At These Bergen, Passaic County Schools COVID-19 Cases Reported At These Bergen, Passaic County Schools
Covid-19 Cases Reported At These Bergen, Passaic County Schools More North Jersey schools are going remote due to increasing COVID-19 cases. All Fair Lawn schools will go remote Dec. 7 until Jan. 15. The Edison School and Fair Lawn BOE offices were remote as of Monday, Nov. 23.  The high school and Memorial Middle School went remote Nov. 19, while Warren Point and Forrest School were expected to return to in-person learning on Nov. 30. Ridgewood Schools reported nearly two dozen cases since the beginning of the academic year. An additional four cases were reported this week: Two each at Benjamin Franklin Middle School and Ridgewood High School. T…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
COVID-19: North Jersey District Reports 8 More Cases, Bringing Total To 19 Since September COVID-19: North Jersey District Reports 8 More Cases, Bringing Total To 19 Since September
Covid-19: North Jersey District Reports 8 More Cases, Bringing Total To 19 Since September A North Jersey school district reported an additional eight COVID-19 cases in the last week. Since September, Ridgewood has reported 19 cases. The most recent cases were reported at the following schools: Nov. 13: One case at Hawes Elementary School linked to out-of-school exposure. No close contact was found and therefore only the individual and family members are quarantined.  Nov. 12: One case at Somerville Elementary School linked to out-of-school exposure. No close contact was found and therefore only the individual and family members are quarantined.  …

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
Numerous COVID-19 Cases Reported At Several Bergen County Schools Numerous COVID-19 Cases Reported At Several Bergen County Schools
Numerous Covid-19 Cases Reported At Several Bergen County Schools Several Bergen County schools are reporting COVID-19 cases. Individuals tested positive at Northern Valley Demarest, Ridgewood and Ramsey high schools this week.  NVD switched to remote learning Nov. 10 and will resume in-person learning Nov. 18, Superintendent James Santana said in a tweet. NV Old Tappan was also closed for contact tracing, he said. Ramsey High School reported two positive on Tuesday, Nov. 10, and closed the same day pending recommendations from the borough's health officer. Additional cases were reported earlier this year at Ramsey HS and the Eric S. Smith School. …

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
COVID-19: Ridgewood Schools Report 11 Cases Since September COVID-19: Ridgewood Schools Report 11 Cases Since September
Covid-19: Ridgewood Schools Report 11 Cases Since September Eleven COVID-19 cases have been reported in the Ridgewood School District since September.  Ridgewood schools last month delayed in-person learning until January, but are continuing classes with a hybrid plan. Here's the timeline of the cases reported, according to letters issued by Schools Superintendent Daniel Fishbein: Wednesday, Nov. 4: Two cases at George Washington Middle School Monday, Nov. 2: One case at George Washington Middle School Oct. 28: One case at Orchard Elementary School Oct. 27: One case at GW Middle School and one case at Ridgewood High School Oct. 23: One…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Ex-Ridgewood High School Athlete Charged With Slashing Tires On Police Car, Other Vehicles Ex-Ridgewood High School Athlete Charged With Slashing Tires On Police Car, Other Vehicles
Ex-Ridgewood High School Athlete Charged With Slashing Tires On Police Car, Other Vehicles A former Ridgewood High School wrestler and football player was charged Thursday with slashing tires on several vehicles in his neighborhood, as well as on a village police car. Peter Breiter, 20, “used a knife to deflate the tires while he was walking past the vehicles on Saturday [Jan. 11],” Police Chief Jacqueline Luthcke said. Breiter, who works as a produce clerk, was charged with criminal mischief, interference of transportation and weapons possession following an investigation that began with the discovery of the damage, the chief said. Seven reports in all were filed by residents w…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Detectives Investigate Swastikas Found In Ridgewood High School Bathroom Detectives Investigate Swastikas Found In Ridgewood High School Bathroom
Detectives Investigate Swastikas Found In Ridgewood High School Bathroom Three swastikas were found in a Ridgewood High School bathroom stall last month, village police said Sunday. The swastikas were discovered "rubbed on a surface" of the stall on Oct. 18 and were being treated as a bias crime, police said in a release issued Sunday by Detective Sgt. Michael W. Lembo. "The surface was cleaned and there was no permanent damage," the release says. Ridgewood detectives were investigating.

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
HEADS UP: Two Fields Won't Be Open For Ridgewood 4th Of July Fireworks Show HEADS UP: Two Fields Won't Be Open For Ridgewood 4th Of July Fireworks Show
Heads UP: Two Fields Won't Be Open For Ridgewood 4th Of July Fireworks Show If you expected to watch the Ridgewood 4th of July fireworks show from Stevens Field or the one at the high school on Thursday, you'll have to make other plans. The turf on both is being redone, closing the facilities. "We usually get a few thousand people sitting on the fields," Police Chief Jaqueline Luthcke said. "This definitely threw a monkey wrench into the plans." Alerts have been sent to village residents and merchants, but, as Luthcke noted, many spectators come from miles around. "It's never been a sanctioned place," the chief said. "The village just allowed it to happen." Ther…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
BERGENFEST: Local Teens Organize Massive Bergen County Music Festival BERGENFEST: Local Teens Organize Massive Bergen County Music Festival
Bergenfest: Local Teens Organize Massive Bergen County Music Festival Hundreds of people are expected to turn out for a music festival organized by Bergen County teens. Bergenfest is a "local concert on a global mission" with Wé McDonald of NBC's "The Voice" headlining the June 29 event. Held at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Ridgewood, the concert is for non-profit humanitarian organization TEEEM: The Empathetic Entrepreneur Equality Mission. TEEEM raises funds and awareness toward world-wide community needs and includes students from across North Jersey. BergenfestContributed Each high school is dedicated to a particular country: Ridgewood H…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
RANKINGS: These North Jersey Schools Scored Among Top 50 In State RANKINGS: These North Jersey Schools Scored Among Top 50 In State
Rankings: These North Jersey Schools Scored Among Top 50 In State New Jersey released its grades for public schools, ranking each one on a scale of 0 to 100.  Nineteen schools in Bergen, Morris and Passaic counties scored among the top 50 in the state. Critics say the ratings are "oversimplified" and state officials say the grades aren't a fair representation of all that a school has to offer. The grades were based on four-year graduation rate, five-year graduation rate, progress toward English language proficiency, English proficiency, math proficiency and chronic absenteeism. Here are the schools that earned the highest grades in Bergen, Morris a…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Swastika Carved Next To Star Of David In Ridgewood HS Girls Bathroom Stall Swastika Carved Next To Star Of David In Ridgewood HS Girls Bathroom Stall
Swastika Carved Next To Star Of David In Ridgewood HS Girls Bathroom Stall Ridgewood High School became the latest target of hate symbols when someone carved a swastika next to a Star of David in a girls' bathroom stall, authorities said. Although he found Monday night's discoveries “shocking and disturbing,” Schools Supt. Daniel Fishbein said, “I am proud to say that it was a student who discovered the graffiti -- which was small in size and not easily visible -- and reported it.” “While it seems to follow a copycat pattern of recent instances of swastikas found on the campuses of other schools in our Bergen County area," Fishbein said, "in no way does the repeat…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Swastikas, Racist Graffiti Spread From Pascack Valley HS To Hills Swastikas, Racist Graffiti Spread From Pascack Valley HS To Hills
Swastikas, Racist Graffiti Spread From Pascack Valley HS To Hills A recent rash of hate symbols that have confounded officials and angered parents have spread from Pascack Valley High School to Pascack Hills. This time, swastikas and a racial slur against black were found Friday in a bathroom at Pascack Hills High in Montvale, Schools Supt. P. Erik Gundersen confirmed.It marks the first such recent incident at PHHS, joining three in less than two months at PVHS. Gundersen, finding himself having to address the troubling issue yet again, said district officials have two specific objectives -- educating the public and making sure whoever was respo…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: More Hateful Symbols Reported Found At Pascack Valley High School UPDATE: More Hateful Symbols Reported Found At Pascack Valley High School
Update: More Hateful Symbols Reported Found At Pascack Valley High School UPDATE: A recent rash of hate symbols that have confounded officials and angered parents have spread from Pascack Valley High School to Pascack Hills. https://pascackvalley.dailyvoice.com/police-fire/swastikas-racist-graffiti-spread-from-pascack-valley-hs-to-hills/745334/ ****** ORIGINAL STORY: As calls for healing intensified, more symbols of hate were found at Pascack Valley High School -- for what is now the third time in less than two months, officials said. Students said homophobic and racial slurs were drawn on plaques honoring former high school players on one of the baseball …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
WARM YOUR HEART: Bergen Boy With Stage 4 Cancer Surprised By NJ State Police Chopper WARM YOUR HEART: Bergen Boy With Stage 4 Cancer Surprised By NJ State Police Chopper
Warm Your Heart: Bergen Boy With Stage 4 Cancer Surprised By NJ State Police Chopper PHOTOS: For a few moments Wednesday, young Cole McKeon of Waldwick and his family could think of something other than his Stage 4 cancer. New Jersey State Police Trooper Evan Curtiss, a Ridgewood High School graduate and village Emergency Services member, piloted the chopper that landed Wednesday behind Ridgewood police headquarters. Village PBA Local 20 requested the visit so that Cole – whose dad, Kevin, is a Ridgewood police officer and mom, Stephanie, a schoolteacher – could see the helicopter up close. Neuroblastoma is “a fast-moving cancer that is in a form of a tumor near a kidney a…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
New Rankings: These North Jersey Schools Are Among Best In State New Rankings: These North Jersey Schools Are Among Best In State
New Rankings: These North Jersey Schools Are Among Best In State New Jersey is home to some of the nation’s finest schools -- but which high schools are at the top the list? Niche on Wednesday released its 2019 rankings, which are “based on rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education.” Using a weighted scale including academic grades (60 percent), teacher’s grades (10 percent), culture and diversity (10 percent), parent-student surveys (10 percent) and other factors, Niche determined the top high schools throughout the country. "The 2019 Best Public High Scho…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
Hackensack School Ranked Third Best In New Jersey Hackensack School Ranked Third Best In New Jersey
Hackensack School Ranked Third Best In New Jersey A new ranking by U.S. News and World Report has ranked 23 of New Jersey's schools among the 500 best in the U.S. Five of those schools ranked in the top 10, including two from Bergen County. The list, one of the most prominent national rankings, puts Bergen County Academies at No. 2 in the state and No. 43 in the U.S.  Right below it at No. 3 in New Jersey is Bergen County Technical High School in Teterboro, which is ranked No. 58 best in the U.S. Topping off the list at No. 1 in the state and No. 22 in the country is Monmouth County's High Technology High School. Other Bergen County scho…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Slow News Day: Bear-Tailing Reporters Flock To Ridgewood Slow News Day: Bear-Tailing Reporters Flock To Ridgewood
Slow News Day: Bear-Tailing Reporters Flock To Ridgewood UPDATE (3 p.m.): A fugitive black bear who gave authorities the slip in Paramus a day earlier was brought down safely from a Ridgewood tree Tuesday afternoon. ****** RIDGEWOOD, N.J. -- What began as a blow-by-blow bear hunt exploded Tuesday when a young black bear who gave authorities the slip in Paramus on Monday climbed another tree -- this time in Ridgewood -- and reporters came running. Village police cordoned off an area around a Circle Avenue home during the standoff while Carol Tyler, the president of Tyco Animal Control Services, conducted an impromptu news conference across the st…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Lifestyle
Teens Used Nor'easter To Help Cancer-Fighting Baby From Cliffside Park Teens Used Nor'easter To Help Cancer-Fighting Baby From Cliffside Park
Teens Used Nor'easter To Help Cancer-Fighting Baby From Cliffside Park If anything good came from last week's Nor'easter, it was the quick-thinking and handy work of the Ridgewood High School hockey team. Senior athlete Joe Rahaim capitalized on the storm to help his coach, Anthony Katchen, whose 1-year-old baby Austin is battling an aggressive form of cancer. Rahaim -- who owns an odd jobs business -- rallied his teammates and a few of his employees to help shovel snow for 31 area residents. The team donated all $4,000 in proceeds and donations to the Katchens of Cliffside Park. "It was much more than I would have ever expected from people who don't ev…

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by Cecilia Levine