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Senior star Nate Smith totaled 301 yards rushing and receiving (259 in the first half) and four scores. His four touchdowns were on plays of 94, 57, 39 and 24 yards. Senior defensive back David Webb tallied three of the team’s five interceptions, and Highland Park blanked rival Metuchen 36-0 in the Central Jersey, Group 1 Semi-Finals. They will play Asbury Park for the championship. (Video by Michael Monday/The Star-Ledger) -
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Empty storefronts, development are Roselle Park issues
Candidates for an open council seat in Roselle Park's 2nd Ward agree the borough's top priority should be attracting business and ratables, and both are dismayed with a settlement that will set up a payment in lieu of taxes for developer Avalon Bay.
"For the last five years, the town has stagnated. It has become complacent," said Democrat Michael Peterson, who is running for a seat vacated by retiring Republican councilman Rick Matarante. "We're losing businesses -- we have more than twenty empty storefronts."
Peterson ran against Matarante three years ago and lost by 103 votes.
One economic development, Peterson supports former Mayor Helen Ryan's long-standing goal of developing a family property by the Roselle Park train station. Peterson said he's followed the issue for three years, and talked with current council members about it.
Republican Joseph Accardi, who is opposing Peterson for the seat, agrees with him that Ryan should be allowed to develop the property.
Another issue in the campaign is the recent settlement agreement between Roselle Park and developer Avalon Bay, which plans an upscale luxury apartment complex for a long-vacant industrial property that was once the Romerovski factory on West Westfield Avenue. The agreement ends a lawsuit against the borough and allows the developer to build without paying taxes for 30 years. Instead, Avalon Bay will pay a payment in lieu of taxes, which some residents worry won't cover the cost of municipal services and schooling for children at the development.
Accardi said this week he is a friend of Matarante, but he also attacked the council's original decisions that led to the Avalon Bay agreement.
"It reduces the available income for the community when Avalon Bay comes in, and they don't pay their fair share," Accardi said.
In the 5th Ward, Democrat David Jacobs, 41, will take on incumbent Republican council president Michael Yakubov, 26, who seeks a second term on the council.
Jacobs said this week Avalon Bay is a major concern.
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