The Record, Bergen County, NJ

Du Pont Donating Land to Halt Suit ; Wanaque Tract Is Next to Highlands

WANAQUE - Du Pont will donate 73 acres of land in the borough as part of a settlement over contaminated groundwater. The land, north of where Route 287 winds through Wanaque, is adjacent to the Highlands and will become part of the Ramapo State Forest, the state Department of Environmental Protection announced Monday. The company also is donating several other sites throughout the state.

Collision with Deer Hospitalizes Cyclist

WEST MILFORD - A Totowa woman was flown to Morristown Memorial Hospital after the motorcycle she was riding struck a deer Sunday afternoon. Charles Scelba, 56, and his wife, Angela, 48, were riding their 1999 Harley-Davidson along Macopin Road around 2:40 p.m. Near Gould Road, a deer jumped in front of them. The motorcycle then sideswiped the guardrail and fell on its side.

Paterson Catalogued ; Library of Congress Opens City Collection to the Public

PATERSON - Anybody can now log on for a close-up look at Paterson's workers - long the heart and soul of the city that became the country's first industrial center. The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., chose "Working in Paterson: Occupational Heritage in an Urban Setting" from among its vast archives as one of the few collections to be made widely available to the public in a special catalog and over the Internet.

County Fair Offers a Chance at Idolhood

WEST PATERSON - Warm up your vocal cords. The county fair is here and organizers are on the hunt for local crooners. The second annual Passaic County Fair kicks off Wednesday afternoon at the Garret Mountain Reservation, running through Sunday evening. The gates open at 3 p.m. Wednesday, with no admission fee.

Cyclist Badly Hurt in Clifton Accident

CLIFTON - Police are investigating a Sunday night accident that left a motorcyclist in critical condition. The 9 p.m. incident occurred when Wojciech Wyszolmirski, 33, struck a parked car on Hamilton Avenue while riding a Honda 1000 RR sport bike, authorities said. He lives on Hamilton Avenue.

Manager Blew Whistle On Inspector ; Action Led to His Firing, Garfield Suit Claims

GARFIELD - City Building Inspector James Mazzer isn't the only city official who had a problem. So did Joe Migs. But while Mazzer's problem was that he had his license revoked by the state in May for conflicts of interest - and was subsequently suspended without pay by the city - former City Manager Joseph Migliaccio's problem was Mazzer.

Pupil's Art Wins Seal of Approval ; Ridgefield Revels in New Official Logo

RIDGEFIELD - William Davis is at his best when he's using his artistic skills to re-create images real or imagined. The 18-year-old has had a gift for sketching, drawing and painting for as long as he can remember, dating back to when he would scribble cartoon characters and draw automobiles in grade school.

Municipal Budgets Get High-Tech Adjustment ; Meadowlands Towns to File Electronically

TRENTON - The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs is moving into the digital age. The DCA will allow towns to submit electronic budgets and eliminate paper, and will test the new one- year pilot program in the 14 municipalities that make up the Meadowlands. "This program will allow New Jersey government to serve residents more effectively by increasing efficiency, reducing burdensome paperwork and making information readily available," said Susan Bass Levin, chairwoman of the Meadowlan...

N.J. Wants Stories Behind Names On Vietnam Memorial

He was a pint-size Marine with a big heart. Sgt. John "Little John" Preziosi of Elmwood Park taught Vietnamese villagers about insecticides, modern irrigation practices and ways to dig wells.

Deer Birth Control to Be Tested in Morris ; May Be a Solution to 'Urban' Animals

Wildlife experts call them "urban deer," the growing number of bucks, does and fawns in New Jersey that would be better off in wooded spaces. These urban dwellers, who mainly live in small parks, corporate campuses, and back yards, never need fear the hunter's bullet or bow. State law prohibits the firing of a weapon within 450 feet of any building.

Petition Demands an End to Roundabout

CLIFTON - Danny Derti can't stand the Allwood Road roundabout and he knows 2,200 people who say they agree with him. Derti, who owns Taste of Tuscany in the Styertowne Shopping Center, has collected 2,200 signatures on a petition calling for the elimination of the roundabout where Allwood Road and Bloomfield Avenue meet and installing a traffic signal there.

Bodega Owner Charged in Holdups ; Poor Sales Led Him to Turn to Crime, Police Say

CLIFTON - Police charged bodega owner Mildred Casado in connection with a street mugging, saying he likely turned to a life of crime to subsidize a failing business. "He's only owned [the bodega] since December," Detective Capt. Robert Rowan said. "It isn't doing well, so he turned to street robberies."

Well-Versed in Winning ; Teamwork Succeeds Twice for Budding Poet, 8

Jack Campbell knew it was the right thing to do - so he made the pass and allowed the glory to go to his teammate. The 8-year-old learned a valuable lesson that many adults still don't grasp. Now he's passing that lesson on.

Two Teens Arrested in Carjack, Holdup ; Police Say Pair Robbed Deliveryman

CLIFTON - The hungry callers placing a takeout order with a Garfield Chinese restaurant were looking for more than moo shu pork. They allegedly robbed the deliveryman of $70 at gunpoint and stole his car. They also grabbed the food before fleeing.

Fair Lawn High School Gets New Principal

FAIR LAWN - Longtime Principal Elizabeth Panella is retiring from Fair Lawn High School and will be replaced by James Marcella, principal at Memorial Middle School. Panella's retirement was announced at a school board meeting last week. Panella has served 17 years as principal.

Heat? What Heat?

Frances Langford; Singer-Actress ; Visited Troops with Bob Hope

Frances Langford, the 1930s and '40s singer known for her warmth and rich voice who traveled widely with Bob Hope entertaining troops in World War II, died Monday at her home in Jensen Beach, Fla. She was 92. Ms. Langford, who dropped out of Hollywood in the mid-1950s but kept performing for many years at the Outrigger, a restaurant she owned in Jensen Beach, died of congestive heart failure, her lawyer, Evans Crary Jr., said.

Obituaries

EVON D. "PROPHET" BAILEY, 59, of Paterson died Saturday. He was born in Jamaica. He had worked for Honeywell Corp. for 20 years. He was a member of Kingdom Business Ministry. Arrangements: Bragg Funeral Home, Paterson. ANNA LATEULERE BARATTA, 80, of Lyndhurst, formerly of Hoboken, died Monday. She had been a production worker for various lighting companies. She was a parishioner of Sacred Heart R.C. Church and a member of the Friendship Club, both in Lyndhurst. Arrangements: Ippolito-Stellato...

Accidental Drowning Puzzles Man's Friends

CLOSTER - A 23-year-old man found at the bottom of a backyard pool during the weekend died by accidental drowning, police said Monday. Hee Park of Norwood was found by friends around midnight Sunday at 50 Trautwein Crescent, minutes after they had gone indoors to change clothes after a night of swimming, police said.

Robbery Suspect Caught After Chase

ELMWOOD PARK - After a four-town chase, police caught the man who allegedly robbed Walgreens of $80 on Monday. An officer suffered broken fingers when the suspect, Jeffrey Dekmar of Stockholm, resisted.