DUI Lawyers in Wayne, NJ

Decades of planning, three years of construction and a $32 million grant laid the groundwork for the Pompton Valley Rail Trail, a 5.1-mile multi-use pedestrian and bicycle path running between Pequannock and Wayne.

Representatives of the Morris County Park Commission and Department of Public Works, the Passaic County Board of County Commissioners and Pequannock Township gathered on May 29 behind Pequannock Town Hall to officially open the trail to the public.

Paved over the former New York, Susquehanna & Western Railroad’s Greenwood Lake Branch rail line, the path runs from River Drive in Pequannock to Mountain View Boulevard in Wayne, near NJ Transit’s Mountain View Station.

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The path, which includes entry points compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, was designed both for recreational use and for commuters seeking an alternative route to the train station.

“This project shows how transportation alternatives can reshape communities,” Chris Vitz, Morris County engineer and director of public works, said in a release. "Residents now have a safe, scenic way to walk or bike to the train station, helping reduce car traffic."

Construction began in 2022 and was funded by a $32 million federal grant administered by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority.

Nearly $11 million was spent on design and right-of-way purchases, and construction cost about $21 million, officials said. Construction began in June 2022.

Landmark bridge spans the Pompton River

Safety features added to the project include upgraded crossings with high-visibility signals, clear signage and tactile surfaces for visually impaired users. A landmark bridge spanning the Pompton River was among the final elements completed.

“This project not only connects folks to the Mountain View train station in Wayne, but also brings us one step closer to our vision for a much larger regional trail network,” said Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett, who has been a member of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority board of trustees since 2013.

Morris County Park Commission Director Dave Helmer said he expects the path to attract 150,000 to 200,00 visitors a year.

“This new trail provides a safe and scenic way to walk or bike to the train station, cutting down on car traffic and helping everyone breathe a little easier," Morris County Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen said. "The 10-foot-wide paved path is fully accessible and has multiple entry points, allowing residents to step onto the trail right from their neighborhoods."

One down. One to go.

The Super Football Conference crowned a champion out of its North Tournament on Wednesday in top-ranked Ridgewood.

On Friday, an SFC-South champion will be crowned, with defending champion Wayne Valley taking on unbeaten Bayonne.

The chase for a second-straight sectional championship has seen Wayne Valley, the No. 16 ranked team in the NJ.com Top 20 rankings, get on a hot streak over the past few weeks.

Wayne Valley has won four in a row, which includes its 21-20 double-overtime victory over No. 17 Paterson Eastside in the semifinals of the SFC-South Tournament.

No. 8 Bayonne, on the other hand, is one of the fastest rising teams across the N.J. girls flag football community in its first season on the gridiron.

Led by senior quarterback Janaya Meyers and a stellar defensive unit, Bayonne stands undefeated heading into its first sectional final.

How can Bayonne continue its undefeated roll to a first-ever sectional title? What does Wayne Valley need to do to knock off the Bees and repeat as champions?

Here’s a look at both teams heading into the SFC-South championship game. The winner will advance to the North/Central state tournament.

No. 16 Wayne Valley (8-2) at No. 8 Bayonne (9-0)| BRACKET

Head Coach: Andrew Imperatore (19-3-1 since last season)

Playoff Road

Offense: There is an array of talent at the skills position surrounding senior quarterback Delilah Morelli. Sophia Biroc, Taylor Tielemens, and Alexa and Sophia Benacquista are all capable of busting out for a big play when they get the ball in their hands. Biroc has two games this season with three or more rushing touchdowns. The junior tailback rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown in the SFC-South semifinal against Paterson Eastside.

Wayne Valley found itself down, 20-13, when it got its offensive possession during double overtime against Paterson Eastside in the sectional semifinal.

Morelli dropped a perfect nine-yard touchdown pass to Tielemens to bring the Indians within one point of a tie. Wayne Valley decided to go for the two-point conversion and the win. The move worked out swimmingly for Wayne Valley. Morelli fired a five-yard pass to the end zone that was hauled in by junior Anna Coppolecchia to send the Indians to the SFC-South championship for the second straight year.

Morelli had two touchdown passes in the sectional semifinal. The senior tossed eight touchdown passes in the sectional tournament last year to help Wayne Valley win the SFC-South title.

Defense: Six of Wayne Valley’s eight wins this season have come in a shutout. Dating back to last spring, Wayne Valley has shut out its opponents 15 times. When Wayne Valley scores two or more touchdowns in a contest, they are 18-1-1 over the last two seasons.

What to expect

Wayne Valley holds a championship pedigree you can’t overlook, especially after knocking off previously unbeaten Paterson Eastside in the SFC-South semifinals. They are also battle-tested this spring, with both of their losses coming in one-score games to No. 5 Elizabeth and No. 9 Newark Central. Expect Wayne Valley to keep itself within striking distance of Bayonne throughout the SFC-South final.

Head Coach: Tico Baret (9-0 in first season)

Playoff Road

Offense: Senior quarterback Janaya Meyers has steered the offensive ship for Bayonne all spring. Meyers stands with 1,916 total yards of offense from under center and has racked up 30 total touchdowns. Junior Tatyanna Watson is Meyers’ go-to target on the outside with 26 catches for 376 yards and seven touchdowns. Watson also has 257 yards and a touchdown out of the backfield for the Bees.

Sophomore Kimora Cooper is another key weapon to watch out for on the Bayonne offense, with her six touchdown catches this spring.

Defense: It’s no secret that a lot of Bayonne’s success this season has come from its stellar play on defense. Bayonne has recorded seven shutouts this season and has only allowed three touchdowns all season. Watson is the unit’s top tackler, while Meyers leads the team with seven interceptions.

What to expect

Bayonne has risen to the top of the state behind Meyers and its defense. There is the question of whether the Bees have been tested or not this season. The best offensive unit Bayonne has faced was back in its season-opener against Newark Central, which was without star wide receiver Serenity Muhammad. Bayonne allowed two touchdowns that game and saw freshman phenom Taylor Jones rush for 160 yards against them. That said, Bayonne as tigted the screws on defense since during its last eight games. If Bayonne can keep the Wayne Valley offense in check, Meyers has shown all season she can make plays to win a game.

Steven Bassin can be reached at SBassin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @SBassin_Sports

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NorthJersey.com

WAYNE — A new grocery store that specializes in Mediterranean delicacies has opened in the township.

Viva Foods, in a former hair salon at 2252 Hamburg Turnpike, shares an address with an auto-repair shop and a massage parlor.

It sells all-natural honeys, assorted pastas, herbal teas, olive oils and pickled vegetables.

Many of its products are supplied by European brands that are hard to find at other neighborhood markets. They include Kadino frozen pastries from North Macedonia, Radenska mineral water from Slovenia and Schogetten bite-size chocolates from Germany.

It also stocks dairy items and refrigerator staples.

The grocery store posted on its Facebook page that it sells bacon, jumbo eggs and organic milk from Byrne Hollow Farm in Cortland, New York.

The market is part of an explosion of Middle Eastern establishments now open in Wayne.

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In a little more than a year, the township welcomed a halal grocery store on Route 23 south and a restaurant serving traditional dishes from that region at Willowbrook Mall. Most recently, Dervish Turkish Restaurant opened its second location, connected to a hotel on Route 46 east.

Viva Foods also offers fresh loaves of bread delivered from Taskin Bakery & Café, a family-owned business on Hazel Street in Paterson.

The grocery store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. For the latest information about its merchandise on sale, visit its website at vivafoods.shop.

Philip DeVencentis is a reporter for NorthJersey.com. For access to the most important news in your community, subscribe or activate your digital account.

Email: devencentis@northjersey.com

WAYNE — Parents will pay more to put their children in an after-school program, while the K-12 district is saving hundreds of thousands of dollars by no longer having to subsidize it.

The program at all nine elementary schools was outsourced to an Illinois-based company because the Board of Education faced a $7.1 million budget deficit, and privatization was identified as a way to address that shortfall.

The district funded much of the operation to keep registration fees low for working families, and officials said they cannot afford to do that.

“It would mean more staffing cuts and more cuts to programs, which we don’t want to do,” said Lauren Kazmark, the assistant schools superintendent.

Trustees passed a resolution on April 24 to award a contract for before- and after-school care services to Right at School, which runs programs in at least 165 districts in 20 states.

The company was among five agencies that responded to a request for proposals. It will pay the district an annual rental fee of $300,000 plus a 15% share of revenue that it collects through the program, now with more than 1,000 students.

The district administration reviewed those proposals and recommended Right at School due to its flexible options, overall value and promise to maintain safety, among other factors.

Students spend their time in the current program by finishing homework, making arts and crafts, and playing table games.

The new program, called Right Club, will also include built-in homework time and group activities.

It also features an expertly designed curriculum — its trademarked Disguised Learning — to engage students in science experiments and songwriting competitions, the Right at School website says.

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Families now pay $190 per month to have a single child in the district after-school program, called Wrap Up, every day of the week. An extra fee of $170 is charged for each sibling.

Under the privatized model, which begins in September, prices will increase to $298 per month for one student and to $268 for each additional student. The costs vary depending on how many days per week they participate and whether they attend the before-school program.

Officials said the costs are competitive with those at area school systems and far less than what the district would have asked for next year if privatization had not been considered.

But parents with children in the program said they were more concerned about the quality of care than its effect on their pocketbooks.

Jennifer Beesley, who enrolls a child at Theunis Dey School, cited news reports about alleged abuse by company employees.

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“A sales pitch is one thing — their track record is different,” Beesley told the school board on May 1.

“I don’t think that our district should ask our teachers to do more with less if you’re not willing to do the same,” she added. “If you can’t do more with less, then please don’t do worse.”

Julie Lyon, the vice president of national partnerships for Right at School, said to trustees that the company would hire the same staff on the district payroll. The current program has 44 caregivers, plus breakfast assistants, door monitors and site leaders.

“We want them to be part of our program,” Lyon said of the employees. “That’s really important to us.”

Right at School will host a virtual forum for parents to learn about its program on May 19 at 6 p.m. To register, visit the district website at wayneschools.com.

Philip DeVencentis is a reporter for NorthJersey.com. For access to the most important news in your community, subscribe or activate your digital account.

WAYNE, NJ – It turns out Wayne was right about the elevators at the new residential development currently being constructed on Valley Road Extension in Wayne, NJ. According to an appeals court ruling last week that overturned two previous lower-court decisions that went against the township, the Wayne Planning Board did not act in “’bad faith,” and previously paid court fines to AvalonBay must be returned to Wayne.

Prior to receiving their approval to build this development, Wayne Township compelled AvalonBay Communities to install elevators in three of the smaller buildings which are part of this 15-building development. The township argued that the elevators were necessary for first responders who would need to get a gurney up to the top floors and then bring a suffering patient down the stairs.

AvalonBay dug-in after agreeing to installing elevators in two of the three smaller buildings but wouldn’t budge on the third elevator in Building E. So, Wayne Township attempted to force the issue by passing a resolution in early 2023 that would force AvalonBay to install that elevator.

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AvalonBay challenged the move in Passaic County Superior Court, calling it a “stealth resolution,” and argued it breached the settlement agreement and reflected bad faith.

They won, which invalidated the supplemental resolution, struck the elevator requirement for Building E, and awarded the developer over $140,000 in attorney fees and delay penalties.

But Wayne Township still felt they were in the right and appealed.

On Thursday, the appellate court’s ruling was shared, and Wayne Township had won.

The appeals court found that "the assertion that the supplemental resolution was adopted without notice to Avalon does not, on its own, provide clear and convincing evidence to support a finding of bad faith.”

The appellate ruling restores the Planning Board’s requirement for an elevator in Building E and cancels the financial penalties previously awarded to AvalonBay.

The residential project, which looks like its almost fully constructed, is being contructed on either side of Barbour Pond Road at Valley Road Extension, with a townhouse complex (55 units) on the southern side and four multi-unit condo/apartment buildings on the northern side. The largest building (320 units – four and a half stories) on the northern side has four elevators and surrounds a four-story parking garage.

Three smaller buildings (C, D & E) will hold 98 units total and, because of the slope of the property, C and D will be four-and-a-half stories tall in the front and three-and-a-half stories in the back. Building E is an even three-and-a-half stories. The half-stories are due to lofts on the top floors. These are the buildings that Wayne Township forced AvalonBay to install elevators.

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