The Record, Bergen County, NJ

A Sign That Things Are Slow to Change

Parents will appreciate what Rich Cruse did to keep his daughter out of harm's way. The retired Mahwah truck driver built a 4-foot-square sign that said "DANGER BLIND DRIVEWAY AHEAD" and planted it on the sloping property of Sandy Cruse's next-door neighbor, John Bartelew.

Four More Students Have Mrsa ; Cases in Englewood, Elmwood Park, Clifton

Four more students in North Jersey have been infected with MRSA, the drug-resistant bacteria. Two unidentified students at Memorial High School in Elmwood Park are "responding positively to treatment" for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, school Superintendent Joseph F. Casapulla said in a letter to parents.

Suspects in Armed Robberies Arrested ; Charged in Holdup in Cliffside Park

Police have arrested three men suspected in a series of armed robberies in Fairview, Cliffside Park and possibly other towns the past few weeks. Although the three had been charged with one of the holdups as of Thursday, they may face additional counts in other robberies, said Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli.

Barnert Attracts 'Serious' Interest ; at Least 13 Groups Consider Bidding On Hospital

A number of groups have expressed interest in buying bankrupt Barnert Hospital, a first step in bidding for the facility. Peter Betts, the Paterson hospital's interim chief executive, said that, so far, 11 groups have signed non-disclosure agreements, allowing them to look at thousands of confidential documents pertaining to the finances and operations of the hospital. Two additional groups are in the process of signing the agreements, Betts said.

Oakland Pins Revival On Its 'Gateway' Project ; but Not Everyone Is Sold On the Plan

OAKLAND The empty lots fringed by weeds that surround Tony's Brothers Pizza & Restaurant seem an unlikely spot for the downtown's revival. The property is separated from the downtown core by railroad tracks, pedestrians have to cross busy West Oakland Avenue to get there and the businesses slated for the site, including Starbucks, Walgreens and Columbia Bank, are chain stores.

Graffiti Artists Go for Guinness ; Drawn-Out Drama in North Jersey

PARSIPPANY Bergen County Technical High School students will continue trying today to break the Guinness world record for the longest graffiti scroll. The graphic design students from the school's Paramus campus began spray-painting messages and quotes about safe teenage driving Thursday on paper scrolls. Their goal is to paint the graffiti on at least 2,000 feet of the paper.

Recycling Event Is Bcua's Last of Year

The Bergen County Utilities Authority will hold its last major recycling event of the year on Saturday. Automobile tires and used electronics equipment will be accepted. The BCUA will also sell home composting bins for $42.

Hot-Dog-Eating Contest Is the Stuff of Champions

TOTOWA Some dunked their wiener buns in water to make them easier to swallow. Others shoveled two hot dogs at a time down their gullets. But the secret to quickly ingesting a gut-busting 11 hot dogs in five minutes was "eat the hot dogs, then catch up with the buns," said Mark Tracy of Wanaque.

Web Site Cleared of Data Seen Useful for Terrorists

CLIFTON A Board of Education member reluctantly has deleted information from his Web site that a city official said could be used by terrorists to attack city schools. At Tuesday night's board meeting, Michael Paitchell, who arrived with his lawyer, said he deleted classroom numbers from his Web site, michaelpaitchell.com, last week.

New Milford Man's Body Found in River

PATERSON The body found in the Passaic River on Wednesday night was that of a 27-year-old New Milford man who died from an apparent drug overdose, a city police spokesman said Thursday. "It's an overdose, pending a toxicological exam by the state medical examiner's office in Newark," Detective Lt. Anthony Traina said.The death of the man, identified as George Timm, does not appear to be of a suspicious nature, Traina said.

'Green' Cop Suv Is Saving Green ; Westwood Predicts $21,000 Per Year

WESTWOOD It has been rolling through borough streets for only a week, but the Police Department's new Ford Escape hybrid sport utility vehicle is already saving taxpayers money, officials say. The new "green" patrol car is the first hybrid to be used as a patrol car on the East Coast, say Westwood officials.

Dead Woman's Family Sues Con Ed Over Blast

HAWTHORNE It wasn't an easy decision. The family even waited months before retaining a lawyer. But relatives of a 51-year-old pharmaceutical company executive, who died after a steam pipe explosion in New York City this summer, knew they had to do something. The family of the borough resident who died of a heart attack following the explosion on July 18 filed a lawsuit against Consolidated Edison on Wednesday.

Clifton Jcc Set to Reopen Today ; Leak of Strong Bleach Forced Evacuation

CLIFTON The Jewish Community Center was set to reopen this morning after a leak of more than 250 gallons of a bleach substance used to disinfect swimming pools caused the evacuation of 200 children and adults. "Everything's cleaned up," the center's assistant director, Rosanne Mendelowitz, said late Thursday afternoon.

Paterson Council, Mayor in Fight Over Dinner Expenses

PATERSON Mayor Joey Torres has put a halt to city-funded dinners for the City Council, irritating the members, who recently questioned the administration's request for up to $21,000 for bottled water. Torres said the water issue was not why he stopped City Clerk Jane Williams-Warren from buying a meal for the council's workshop Thursday.

'Run for George' Shines Light On Pancreatic Cancer

When George Rubis learned he had pancreatic cancer a decade ago, doctors told him there was little they could do. He died 15 months later at age 63. Rubis' family wants to help others face better odds. The fifth annual "Run for George" will raise money for pancreatic cancer research, with a 5K race or walk in Englewood Cliffs on Nov. 18.

Fair Lawn Fliers Rip Open-Space Proposal ; Criticize Gop Ties to Citizens Group

FAIR LAWN Democratic candidates for Borough Council distributed fliers this week accusing the community activist group Concerned Citizens Reclaiming Fair Lawn of co-opting the Republican slate. The Democratic fliers refer to a "CCRF/Republican Tsunami" that will funnel all open-space money to one neighborhood.

Neighbors Object to Large Tent at Temple

ENGLEWOOD A group of residents is objecting to a large tent in the back parking lot of a synagogue in their East Hill neighborhood. Bruce Rosen, a lawyer representing at least four households, wrote to the city attorney Wednesday asking Englewood to rescind permission for the tent or face legal action.

State Needs Help to Meet Climate Goals

To combat global warming over the long term, New Jersey needs technology that doesn't exist yet. That gloomy assessment was a key finding of the final report of New Jersey's Energy Sustainability Project, released earlier this week at a Rutgers conference on climate-change solutions for New Jersey.

Here's Your Chance to 'Ask Epa'

Got a question for federal environmental regulators? Then log on to epa.gov and participate in a new weekly Internet program called "Ask EPA." A top Environmental Protection Agency official will field from eight to 12 questions submitted by the public either in advance or during the session on a regular basis.

'Dead Man Walking' Author to Speak

POMPTON LAKES Sister Helen Prejean, author of the book "Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States," will speak at St. Mary's Church next Friday. Prejean, active in prison ministry for more than 25 years, is one of the most well-known voices speaking against the death penalty. Her 1993 book was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and was the basis of the 1996 film "Dead Man Walking."