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Tuesday, apr 16

Matt Speiser

Community Editor

mspeiser@dailyvoice.com

Matt Speiser's Contributions

Business

Rutherford Hair Stylist Overcomes Tragedy, Finds Success RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Doctors gave Rutherford hair stylist Manny Padron 48 hours to live when he was just 19. The Newark native had just been pulled from a car accident that killed one person and put another in a coma. But he bounced back -- with a new attitude. "An experience like that really puts things into perspective," Padron, now 34, told Daily Voice. The communications degree he was pursuing at Bloomfield College no longer mattered. Nor did Padron's dream of becoming an actor, especially since the accident left his face disfigured. Padron kept returning to the one thing he…

by Matt Speiser

06/02/2016

Events

Hackensack Comedy Troupe Organizes Show With Eastwick Culinary Arts Program HACKENSACK, N.J. — Hackensack improv comedy troupe "Howdy Stranger" will perform at the Oak Banquet Hall at Eastwick College on Friday, June 3. The event is hosted by Eastwick College's new culinary arts program. Students in the program will be making and serving food for the event. There is also a cash bar. The Hackensack Creative Arts Team (CAT) organized the event. CAT is comprised of volunteers who look for new ways to promote the arts in Hackensack as part of the city's downtown revitalization plans. "Hackensack is bringing a wide variety of art forms to its downtown,&q…

by Matt Speiser

06/01/2016

Police & Fire

Fair Lawn Police Continue Popular ‘Coffee With A Cop’ FAIR LAWN, N.J. — Fair Lawn police are continuing their extremely popular “Coffee With a Cop” series on Thursday, June 16. The department encourages citizens to come and discuss community issues, build relationships – and drink free coffee — from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Land & Sea Restaurant, 20-12 Fair Lawn Avenue. Part of a massive effort by local police nationwide, Coffee With A Cop “provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the department’s work in Fair Lawn’s neighborhoods,” Sgt. Brian Metzler said. “The majority of contacts law enf…

by Matt Speiser

06/01/2016

Neighbors

River Vale Teacher Transforms Grief Into Animal Rescue RIVER VALE, N.J. — Lisa Adamek of River Vale couldn't help think about her recently-deceased pet chihuahua, Nikita, as she read a Facebook post about a pitbull named Sasha who was about to be euthanized at an overcrowded inner-city animal control shelter "I knew I had to do something," the special education teacher said. Adamek contacted a local animal rescue and was able to save the dog's life. She eventually began volunteering at the rescue, eventually working her way up to vice president. Adamek wanted to do more, so last September filed for nonprofit status for her own rescu…

by Matt Speiser

06/01/2016

Sports

Ridgewood Crew Medal At National Championships In Ohio RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — The Ridgewood High School boys and girls junior varsity crew teams each brought home a bronze medal from the Scholastic Rowing Association of America (SRAA) National Championship in Dillon, Ohio over the weekend. Ridgewood High School sent ten rowing crews to Dillon for the national championship. CLICK HERE for complete results.

by Matt Speiser

05/31/2016

Sports

Englewood Cliffs 8U Travel Team Wins Bergen Memorial Charity Tournament ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — The Englewood Cliffs 8U Travel Baseball Team bested 16 other teams to win the Bergen Memorial Charity Tournament in Demarest over the Memorial Day weekend. The Hawks pitching staff struck out 51 batters while giving up six hits and no earned runs en route to a 5-0 record during the tournament. They bested Washington Township 11-1 in the championship game on Sunday. The team is comprised of Theo Choi, Austin Kim, Luke Senatore, Jason Chao, John Polowitz, Gabriel Rozenfeld, Matthew Civan, Ethan Dai, Charles Jinn, Joseph Maimone, Grant Choi, June Kim and Manager Tom Po…

by Matt Speiser

05/31/2016

Business

Wyckoff Trainer Sees Path To Success With Family-Friendly Mud Runs WYCKOFF, NJ – Wyckoff trainer Brad Vaccaro watched curiously as mud-caked runners crossed the finish line during a "Warrior Dash" in New York State. Vaccaro, a former track athlete from Saddle Brook, couldn't understand why anyone would subject themselves to a brutal 5K with mud-soaked tracks and an obstacle course. But as runner after runner crossed the finish line that 2011 day, Vaccaro saw the forest for the trees. "I saw how many people were competing and how much they all paid and I thought 'Holy Moly, that's a lot of money,'" the Saddle Brook native said. While …

by Matt Speiser

05/31/2016

Neighbors

DVLovers: Hackensack Couple Travels The World Together HACKENSACK, N.J. — Scott and Katy Miller have a framed map of the world in the living room of their Hackensack apartment. The map is dotted with over 25 red pushpins, marking the places the young married couple has traveled to during their 13-year relationship -- including Iceland, New Zealand, Indonesia, Peru, Thailand and the Dominican Republic. "We just love seeing the world together and experiencing different cultures," said Katy, 34, who married Scott, 33, in 2010. Katy, who is a planning manager for a corporate retailer in Hackensack, and Scott, a financial planning and ana…

by Matt Speiser

05/31/2016

Neighbors

Hasbrouck Heights Professors Launches Caregiver Website HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J. — Justin Watrel was thrust into a very unfamiliar world when his father suffered a stroke. There were nurses to deal with, rehab centers to visit, outpatient programs to consider and long phone conversations with therapists and doctors. "My father needed my support, and I had no idea what I was doing," said Watrel, a professor at Bergen County Community College. "Working a full-time job and being a caregiver can drive you completely crazy." Watrel found the support he needed through the Post Stroke and Disabled Support Group, a state Department o…

by Matt Speiser

05/31/2016

Schools

Fort Lee Couple's Dream Of Local Preschool Comes True FORT LEE, N.J. — Jinah Choi and J.R. Pacheco talked about a lot as the 158 bus wound its way up River Road from Port Authority in New York City to its final destination in Fort Lee. The friends, who were studying early childhood education together at New York University, discussed homework, family and their shared dream to one day open a preschool of their own. After four years of bus rides, they realized they had more than a friendship. "He would always talk to me about the stuff he would do on the weekends with his kid nieces and nephews and I thought that he would probably be a rea…

by Matt Speiser

05/27/2016

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