Politics & Government

Week in Review: Berkeley Heights and Mountainside

Council meeting, fencing team and Hall of Famers highlight the past week.

Mountainside Borough Council Approves Agreement For July 4th Fireworks

The Mountainside Borough Council authorized an agreement for the 2011 July 4th fireworks display, along with several other expenditures, at the February 15th Council Meeting.  

The Borough of Mountainside will provide $7,500 towards the fireworks, and anticipates donations of $3,750 each from both the Mountainside Volunteer Fire Company and Mountainside PAL, making up the $15 thousand agreement with Garden State Fireworks. The annual fireworks show will take place on July 4th, at Deerfield Park, with a rain date of July 5th.

The Council also introduced an ordinance to appropriate $190,000 for the resurfacing of Pembrook Road, which would likely take place during the summer. As well, the council approved a temporary budget appropriation to provide additional funding for snow removal. 

The Borough Council accepted a Municipal Drug Alliance Grant in the amount of $15,769 from the Union County Department of Human Services Division of Planning, which required the Borough match 25 percent of the grant, equaling $3,942. The funds will be used to provide education services for substance abuse prevention to the community.

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County Baseball Association Hands Out Annual Awards at Hall of Fame Ceremonies

With more than 200 people in attendance, the Union County Baseball Association celebrated its 75th Annual Hot Stove League Dinner last Sunday by honoring its long-time president, inducting three county sports legends into its Hall of Fame, and recognizing scholastic athletes.

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The special honoree at this year’s awards dinner was Jim Iozzi of Scotch Plains, the long-time president of the association which runs and promotes youth baseball programs in the county.

“We give the kids an opportunity to have fun … to get outdoors, to get away from Facebook, to get away from texting, to get away from other electronic devices and play some baseball,” Iozzi said in his keynote speech on Sunday.

The association inducted into its Hall of Fame Coach Robert “Bobby” Brewster of Westfield High School, Coach Jack Byrnes of Union Catholic High School and American Legion Baseball, and Brian Sheekey of Roselle Catholic High School. The three men join the ranks of Phil Rizzuto of Hillside, Jeff Torborg of Mountainside, Willie Wilson of Summit, Elliott Maddox of Union and a long list of legends of the national pastime.

GLHS Girls' Fencing Beats West Windsor-Plainsboro South 18-9, advances to State Semis

Excitement was abundant as the Governor Livingston Lady Highlanders got set to fence the Lady Pirates from West Windsor-Plainsboro South in a quarterfinal matchup at Columbia Middle School in Berkeley Heights.

The Highlanders were able to ride a 9-0 performance from its Epee squad, as well as a 5-1 record from its starting Saberists, to clinch the meet—and a berth into the final four of the state team tournament—at 14-4 before winning by a final score of 18-9.

“We knew that we could hold our own on all three weapons, and the minute we were able to take out the first Saber, I think the rest fell into place," said Highlanders’ head fencing coach Vince Paragano. “We were concerned. (The Pirates) are an excellent team, they’re well-coached, and they’ve got excellent fencers. We were just a bit better tonight.”

The Highlanders have a big test next Tuesday, when they will host a talented Northern Highlands squad in the state semi-finals. For a test such as this, the Highlanders seem to agree that mental preparation is going to be the key to advancing to the state championship round.

“We have videotape of Northern Highlands, and we’re going to run through the video tape with the kids starting tomorrow night," added Paragano. “We videotaped their last-round match, and are breaking it down to try to pick up some tendencies.”

The meet against Northern Highlands will take place at Columbia Middle School on Tuesday, February 22, with a start time of 7:00 p.m.


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