Schroeder Business Troubles, Westwood Break-In Top This Week's News

The U.S. Army has suspended all business with two companies owned by State Assemblyman Robert Schroeder, according to a report on NJ.com, and a bank which gave Schroeder mortgages for two Hillsdale properties used by the companies filed complaints to evict them Tuesday.

The Army alleged the companies, All Points International and Hercules Global Logistics, failed to pay subcontractors and deliver tents for work in Afghanistan, according to the report.

In further trouble for the two companies, a rent receiver filed a pair of complaints Tuesday to evict them from two Hillsdale properties the Oritani Bank had given Schroeder mortgages for. 

Cops Nab Westwood Break-In Suspect

A suspect wanted for allegedly breaking into a Westwood apartment Thursday morning was arrested in Orangetown, N.Y., according to Westwood Police Chief Frank Regino.

Police received a call from a woman after 10:30 a.m. Thursday saying that a man had broken into her Westwood Avenue apartment. The man had apparently broken a window on the street entrance of the building and then kicked in the door of the woman's apartment, Regino said.

The man, 49-year-old Robert Driscoll of Spring Valley, N.Y., was apparently an acquaintance of the woman and may have been her boyfriend.

Witnesses said Driscoll fled the scene down Center Avenue and police in Pascack Valley towns were alerted to look for a white Lincoln Town Car headed north. 

Lakeland Bank Sues Assemblyman Schroeder

Lakeland Bank is suing State Assemblyman Robert Schroeder after he allegedly failed to make payments on more than $500,000 he owes the bank, according to a complaint filed last week.

The bank loaned Schroeder $500,000 in May 2011, with a maturity date of July 2012, according to the complaint. The bank is now demanding the full sum of the outstanding loan with interest, about $506,000, because Schroeder was allegedly late making payments.

Hillsdale Seeking More Bids For Dam Engineer

Hillsdale officials are making a second attempt to find an engineer who specializes in dams toreview United Water's plan to upgrade the damat the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir.

Officials, citing concern that the project could increase flooding along the Pascack Brook, had initially sent out a call for bids over the summer, with a limit of $10,000 to spend on the project. Mayor Max Arnowitz previously told Patch he hoped to have an engineer finish a report by September.

They only received one response, with a quote of $12,500, according to borough administrator Jonathan DeJoseph.

Now the borough is going to make a second call for bids, and they're upping the limit to $12,500. DeJoseph said they hope to get more responses with the higher budget.

New Curriculum Coming For Pascack Valley Schools

The Pascack Valley Regional High School District is working with the local K-8 districts from its four towns to better coordinate curriculum and staff development through a new Regional Curriculum Office which opened this past summer.

The first big project the office is undergoing is the development of a new K-12 social studies curriculum to be used at schools in all four towns, according to Regional Curriculum Office Director Dr. Barry Bachenheimer. The goal of the project is to ensure all students finish at the same point each year, while stil giving the districts leeway in how they operate.

Hillsdale Police Promote Officer to Sergeant

Hillsdale has decided to promote Police Officer Sean Smith as the borough's newest sergeant, according to Police Chief Chip Stalter.

Smith has been with the Hillsdale Police Department for about 15 years and serves as the D.A.R.E. officer and coordinator with schools, according to Stalter.

Stalter said that almost all of the borough's officers applied for the promotion, and all were good candidates for the position.

Hillsdale Artist Wins 'Best in Show'

The Hillsdale-based artist Lauren Ennist won the prize for "best in show" at the 48th annual Art in the Park show in Van Saun Park last weekend.

Ennist works with oil paints and mostly makes portraits because she enjoys making a connection with the subject by observing how they present themselves to the world and what they do, even if it's just a stranger she took a photo of.

"Whenever I paint a still life or a landscape, I feel like someone is missing," Ennist said.

Hillsdale Accepts Emergency Equipment

The Hillsdale Council passed two ordinances during their meeting this week to accept donated emergency equipment.

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.