Hurricane Irene Anniversary, Police Merger, School Busing Top This Week's News

One year ago, Hurricane Irene blew through the Pascack Valley and caused some of the worst flooding in local history, damaging hundreds of homes and temporarily displacing some families.

Bergen County residents and police officers said they needed more information about a proposal to dissolve the Bergen County Police Department or merge it with the sheriff's office during a "listening tour" meeting in Westwood Wednesday.

The county freeholders earlier this month which would transfer the powers if the Bergen County Police to the Bergen County Sheriff's Office. After County Executive Kathleen Donovan and a non-binding referendum, freeholders announced they would hold a six-stop "listening tour" to hear opinions from county residents.

A state law on school busing has frustrated two Westwood fathers who said they don't want to send their children walking down Old Hook Road to get to the .

Joe Malley of Old Hook Road and Lou Qualliu of Bergenline Avenue said school officials told them their sons would have to walk to school because their homes fell just short of the state-mandated two-mile minimum for busing. State law requires the shortest path to be used in the measurement. Qualliu said an addition to the school may have put a rear entrance at just under two miles away. His older daughter was allowed to take the bus, he said.

When schools open for the new year next week, Meadowbrook School in Hillsdale will have new Principal Christopher Bell running the show.

Bell comes to Hillsdale from Stillwater Township, where he was the assistant principal of the district's single pre-K to sixth grade school. Before that, Bell taught second grade in Kinnelon for five years and did his student teaching in Wyckoff. He holds a degree in history from William Paterson University and a masters's degree in education leadership from Seton Hall. Bell is also the chief of the Pompton Plains Fire Department.

There's a new venue in Westwood for kids' parties and other special occasions.

Glow, which is scheduled to open next month and taking reservations now, offers party packages including glow-in-the-dark laser tag, basketball and arts and crafts, as well as a "VIP dance club" with a DJ and red carpet, according to owner Marisol Rossi.

Members of the gathered Saturday to remember Bill "Cliff" Clifford, the club's original manager who held the position for 30 years and died earlier this year.

A new memorial bench was dedicated Saturday in Clifford's name on the spot where he used to oversee the pool.

Five Corner Convenience Store, which closed a few months ago, will reopen as soon as next week under the new ownership of brothers Anand Dadawala and Apurva Rathod.

Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Jim Leggate at Jim.Leggate@patch.com, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.