The Week in Review

The Board of Health is reminding residents to avoid contact with wildlife after a possible rabid fox attack near the High Mountain Reserve in Wayne last week.

The borough council introduced a $15.7 million budget this week, and despite slight increases to the operating budget and total tax levy, the average Franklin Lakes homeowner will save $58 on the municipal portion of the 2011 tax bill, thanks to the property value adjustment competed last year.

Homeowners will also see a decrease in the local schools portion of the tax bill, with a 3.1 percent reduction to the tax levy. If approved in the April 27 election, the average home assessed at $1,032,252 pay around $360 less.  

At the Planning Board this week the hearing for a surgical center on Tice Road was delayed due to a conflict with the neighbors. The center’s plans require several variances and the two parties are trying to work out a compromise before returning to the board. 

The zoning board heard an application from T-Mobile for a 130-foot “monopole” style cell phone tower disguised as a flag pole behind the Urban Farms Shopping Center.

 In police news, local officers joined the thousands of union emergency service workers in the state at a protest in Trenton on Thursday.Patch interviewed Traffic Officer Robert Lyons, who talked about investigating two fatal accidents a month apart. 

In the blotter this week: A North Haledon woman accused of stealing and cashing checks from a Franklin Lakes home was arrested Tuesday. A resident reports phone phishing scam, a driver charged with drug possession. A man was charged withCriminal mischief at the Stop & Shop on Franklin Avenue and theft was reported in the schools. 

In high school sports, the Ramapo Sabrists took the state championships. Ramapo Cheerleaders competed in the Nationals at Disney World and placed second in the division and sixth overall.

In hockey, Ramapo beat Indian Hills 5-0 in the first round of the Public B state championship on Tuesday and in celebration of Goalie Carl Boomhower’s 18th birthday on Thursday, the Raiders went on to win over Kinnelon 4-3 in over time

The Raiders boys basketball team beat Bergenfield 63-59 in the the first round of the North I Group III state tournament but went on to lose 84-46 to Teaneck. 

After surviving a scare in the state tournament opener against Old Tappan, the Lady Raiders battle back for a 46-41 victory on Tuesday. On Thursday, the girls beat the Jefferson Falcons 54-40 moving on to the sectional semifinals.

Former Israeli Paratrooper Joseph Yudin spoke at Temple Emanuel on High Mountain Road on Tuesday. Yudin who was raised in Wyckoff discussed the current Mideast turmoil. 

Last but not least, our Mom Patch column wrote about her reliance on technology and challenges readers to disconnect from technology and engage in the real world—but not until you read her column.