Local organizations across North Jersey protested Thursday — marching on streets, rallying in communities with speakers, protesting on the local level at congressional offices or hanging banners and staging walk-ins at schools — as part of May Day 2025, which  commemorates the historic struggles and gains made by workers and the labor movement families impacted by immigration enforcement and local community groups rallied at Independence Park on Van Buren street before marching to the Peter Rodino Federal Building on Broad Street They were demanding workplace protections against Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and protesting immigration registries immigration detention centers and the Israel-Palestinian war Protesters gathered in Oradell to express their frustrations with the Trump administration in one of the many May Day demonstrations going on throughout the state He is a criminal and he is sending people who are not criminals to other countries The hypocrisy is disgusting,” said Linda Banzaca More than 100 people demonstrated at Oradell Avenue and Kinderkamack Road on Thursday afternoon by the Oradell Post Office Many held signs while people passing by would honk their horns in support The protest lasted about two hours before nearly everyone departed by 6 p.m Freedom of speech was on the minds of many protesters Many at the demonstration were concerned with the Trump administration stripping away civil liberties and losing democracy in the process “The rule of law with judges and not listening to court orders We’re going into fascism and authoritarianism and that’s scary It scares me when people are arrested for peacefully protesting,” said Melissa Reichert of Hillsdale along with her husband and another fellow Bergen County protester LiAnn Plutnicki said they have participated in demonstrations across the state including ones in Teaneck She said she continues to call state representatvies in New Jersey and other states a member of the Democrat Club in Washington Township said she is fed up with this administration “I’m passionate about saving woman’s rights My grandmother fought for my rights and I feel we are going backwards My daughter is 20 years old and believes her body is taken over," said Fox fights or injuries broke out in the protest Three police officers were visible at the scene who is a former teacher in the Closter school district was at the Oradell protest with her son Mason as she voices her concern on the Trump administration slashing federal programs: “We rely on Medicaid There is chaos in the government right now but we are not going to give up." Friel was also waving a mini LGBTQ+ flag saying “everyone deserves to love who they love,” she said A protester who wished to be remain anonymous and is scared of the Trump administration’s stance transgender issues: “RFK and his health administration completely wrecking havoc on the trans community In some states they are making it harder for trans people to exist.” The protester believes there is a reason for hope we can’t forget peaceful protests have contributed to so much change in the past.” 200 turn out in DenvilleJennie Gauss-Myers of Rockaway Township her husband and son were among the 200 or so protesters who lined a 100-yard stretch of Diamond Spring Road in Denville at a busy intersection cheering the many motorists who honked in support as they drove by She's already been to three anti-Trump protests including the Hands-Off protest in Morristown on April 5 and another in West Caldwell it has been very validating to come to these and see you're not alone," she said Many of the over 1,000 demonstrations and rallies expected in every state and abroad on May 1 – historically known as May Day or International Workers' Day which spurred other nationwide protests this year is helping organize the demonstrations along with labor unions student groups and other grassroots organizations 50501 protests today: Are there May Day protests near me? Here's what to know in NJ The Newark event featured speakers who decried the raids and detentions that have taken across New Jersey and nationwide since Donald Trump return to the presidency They also held signs that read “Abolish ICE Detention” and “No ICE Contracts.” the 100 protesters made their way out of the park and marched about a mile to the Peter Rodino Federal Building on Broad Street in downtown Newark Some of them yelled through megaphones toward the building where Immigration and Customs Enforcement has an office “We have to take care of each other in this moment You see a lot of our community members are missing today because there’s a lot of fear in our communities and it’s real,” Haydi Torres an organizer with Movimento Cosecha New Jersey “The repression and the persecution that our communities are living with right now is difficult for a lot of families So we have to honor that and also honor the resistance of everybody who’s here today.” Others during the rally in the park and later at the federal building spoke of the need to shut down detention centers like the existing Elizabeth Detention Center and the pending Delaney Hall on the outskirts of Newark the civic engagement and advocacy manager for the Palestinian American Community Center in Clifton spoke of how Palestinians and other ethnic groups are targets of the government’s detention push “The struggle to shut down New Jersey’s detention centers is our struggle too,” Twam said we are all targeted by systems that criminalize The event was one of several across New Jersey There was also a large rally with New Jersey immigrant advocates held in Philadelphia Thursday morning in front of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals There were oral arguments given in court in New Jersey’s appeal of a federal judge’s ruling in 2023 that allowed the Elizabeth Detention Center to stay open despite a state ban on local jails entering into contracts to house federal immigration detainees The rally was organized by Movimiento Cosecha New Jersey which works to protect undocumented immigrants by protesting Lori Comstock and USA Today contributed to this report For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community please subscribe or activate your digital account today Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates An 18-year-old student at River Dell High School is facing criminal charges after police say she posted a threat online to "shoot up the school." The post was discovered on social media Friday morning and reported to local authorities by the FBI around 9:55 a.m. according to Lieutenant David Gangemi of the Oradell Police Department​ Police determined the post came from a female senior at the high school Nearby schools were also placed on lockdown “out of an abundance of caution,” police said River Dell administrators and the school’s Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer helped coordinate the response Responding officers located the student inside the building She was removed safely and taken to Oradell Police Headquarters for processing Under the direction of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office the student was charged with making Terroristic Threats and Causing False Public Alarm She was released on a summons and is scheduled to appear in Bergen County Court no firearms were present and while the police response to the school was large and swift our officers have trained for these scenarios and today’s incident was managed both quickly and efficiently,” Gangemi said The school resumed normal operations about 35 minutes after the initial response and continued its day on a regular schedule one of the country’s longest-running community theater companies will close its 92nd season with Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music running weekends from May 3 through June 1 at the Little Firehouse Theatre Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m There are no performances Memorial Day weekend (May 23–25) Tickets are $32 and can be purchased at bcplayers.org or by visiting the box office during regular hours Based on Ingmar Bergman’s 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night A Little Night Music is a sophisticated romantic musical set in early 20th-century Sweden where mismatched couples and unresolved pasts spark an unforgettable summer weekend Sondheim’s harmonically rich score—written entirely in waltz time—features the beloved ballad “Send in the Clowns.” enchanting” and “a stylish celebration of romantic love.” Brendan Gill of The New Yorker wrote that it “comes as close as possible to being the perfect romantic musical comedy.” opened in 1973 and earned 12 Tony Award nominations with musical direction by Victoria Casella and choreography by Diana Baer the BCP production explores themes of longing regret and desire with equal parts wit and heartbreak Sondheim set for himself the challenge of writing the entire score based upon variations of the waltz,” Bell said “As the characters’ stories span several generations—from the young and to ‘those who remember’—there is a way into this story for everyone I have certainly found more in the text and score every time I’ve worked on it.” is a BCP life member and three-time past president and served as musical director for productions including Company The cast includes Brooke Olivia Ginsberg of North Caldwell as Fredrika Armfeldt; Marian McCabe of Tappan as Madame Armfeldt; Sky Monroe of Morristown as Desiree Armfeldt; Sean Lynch-Littlejohn of Ridgewood as Frederik Egerman; Katherine Hope Stelma of Bloomfield as Anne Egerman; Damon Quattrocchi of Stony Point as Henrik Egerman; Brendan Lynch-Littlejohn of Ridgewood as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm; Nina Lionetti of Westwood as Countess Charlotte Malcolm; Katrina Michalewski of Hoboken as Petra; and Eric Najimian of Verona as Frid The Liebeslieder Singers are played by Lori Feiler-Fluger of River Edge The production team includes Jen Bancks (producer) Nikki Alvarado (assistant to the choreographer) Marci Weinstein and Carey Gsell (set decor) Barry Reed and Kelly Gebman (sound operation) Susan Kaufman and Felicia Benson-Kraft (costumes) Laura Dinoia and Margie Druss-Fodor (properties) Production photography is by Richard Frant Performances are at the Little Firehouse Theatre Your group sales and benefit night inquiries can be directed to 201-261-4200 A talkback session with the cast and crew will be held following the performance on Friday Discounted advance tickets for students 25 and under with valid ID are available for $19 by phone or in person available at the box office beginning 30 minutes before curtain Seating is available for patrons with mobility needs who can transfer from a wheelchair; call the box office to reserve These seats are released for public sale two weeks before the performance if unclaimed Free parking is available at the Park Avenue municipal lot across the street and municipal lots behind Town Hall and the library on Church Street For more information or to purchase tickets, visit bcplayers.org nonprofit community theater company dedicated to presenting quality productions for the enrichment of the community Easter nostalgia: Shiny shoes and Sunday best All content on this website is the property of The Press Group and is protected by copyright. Reproduction, distribution, or use of any material without prior written permission is strictly prohibited, unless otherwise stated. To report any misuse, please contact us at PascackPress@ThePressGroup.net Four people were hospitalized in a three-vehicle crash Thursday morning April 24 at the border of Oradell and Paramus including one that had overturned near Oradell Avenue Oradell police say four people were hospitalized with minor injuries Officers from both Oradell and Paramus responded along with the Oradell Fire Department and Holy Name EMS A kitchen fire that started at a rehabilitation and assisted living facility was extinguished early Saturday morning in Oradell Township in Bergen County The fire broke out in a CareOne facility on 600 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell a long-term rehab and nursing care provider has locations across North Jersey and in several municipalities in Bergen county The management did not immediately respond to a request for comment was put out quickly without any damage to the facility Oradell Township Fire Chief Terry Moran told northjersey.com The fire department responded immediately to a call about the fire at around 6:45 a.m and the fire team stayed in the building to assist residents after it was put out Fire inspectors arrived to inspect and investigate the cause of the fire None of the residents were taken to hospital Weather watch: When will it start snowing today in North Jersey? Here's how much snow will fall On Saturday morning, there were still no updates on the facility's Facebook page despite the fire units and emergency responders arriving at the facility by 7 a.m A post showed pictures of residents celebrating Valentine's Day "There was a fire in one of the kitchen appliances," Moran said We moved some of the people to areas on the first floor just to keep them in safe The Oradell Fire department responded Thursday night to an electrical fire just a few blocks down in another building on the 800 Kinderkamack block on Thursday night after a smoke haze was reported in its basement according to a post on the Fire Department's Facebook page At least one person was hospitalized after a fire broke out at a nursing home in Oradell on Saturday morning A fire broke out at CareOne in Oradell Saturday morning The fire reportedly started in the facility’s kitchen prompting a massive response from firefighters across Bergen County who assisted Oradell Fire Department crews in extinguishing the blaze Several ambulances and paramedics were dispatched to the scene to provide medical support While at least one person was taken to a hospital by ambulance Firefighters worked quickly to contain the flames The cause of the fire remains under investigation River Dell Regional High School and middle school went into a temporary lockdown Friday morning due a threat made online by a student The Oradell Police Department received a notification from the FBI about a possible threat at the school A social media post from a student who threatened to "shoot up the school," provoked the lockdown the department said in a news release Friday evening Police located the student responsible for the post The student was removed from the school and charged with a third degree charge of making terroristic threats as well as a third-degree count of causing false public alarm the high school went on lockdown after communicating with the town police department Superintendent James Albro added in statement The middle school was also put into a shelter-in-place at around the same time The investigation by Oradell and Bergen County police officers ended after 30 minutes and authorities allowed class activities to resume shortly after There is no active threat to any of the River Dell schools River Edge Mayor Thomas Papaleo thanked the school and police officials for their swift actions "I'd like to commend the superintendent and staff of River Dell Regional High School for their fine execution of their emergency protocol," Papaleo said in a statement "I would like to commend the chiefs of Police of River Edge and Oradell as well as the responding officers of River Edge and Oradell." ORADELL— Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County broke ground on a new single-family home at 480 Reis Ave. the fifth in the borough and the 31st in the county The projected move-in date for the family will be April 2026 The groundbreaking on Monday "will make the dream of homeownership a reality for one family in Bergen County," said Habitat Board President Jonathan Senos "The availability and affordability of the current housing inventory and starter homes for families in New Jersey is severely depleted."   corporations and donors to finance and build housing for hardworking families under the supervision of licensed professionals Habitat housing applicants must pass credit and criminal background checks and be able to finance a zero-interest mortgage They are also required to perform 400 volunteer hours of service on the construction of the home they will occupy MAHWAH CONTRIBUTION Mahwah student club raises money to build a home with volleyball tournament. Here's why "The continued partnership between Habitat Bergen and the Borough of Oradell to construct additional housing within the borough and support our mission to construct additional homes within Bergen County is paramount to closing the gap on the housing shortage which exists in our county," said Senos The projects are funded through a combination of federal and local grants as well as corporate and individual donations "The Borough of Oradell is thrilled to be working with Habitat on another project in town to provide housing opportunities for our workforce the process by which they select a family who then helps build their future home makes this an extremely meaningful project," said Oradell Mayor James Koth III For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Bergen County, visit habitatbergen.org Editor's Note: This story was updated on March 12 to correct the name of the Habitat Board president to Jonathan Senos as well as his attribution to a quote Oradell came together to celebrate its own Olympic gold medalist with a homecoming parade and festival that drew a large crowd on a sunny and her hometown showed just how proud it was It honored the youngest member of Team USA by closing its downtown streets for the celebration This was just the third time in the town's 130-year history it has done such a thing who called Rivera “a trailblazer” and “a true champion.” fire and rescue squads led a procession on Kinderkamack Road and Ridgewood and Oradell avenues ending on Prospect Avenue across from Oradell Public School Thank you for coming out today and showing all of your love,” Rivera said From Oradell to Olympics: Inside Hezly Rivera's rapid rise to U.S. gymnastics team county and state officials recognized Rivera’s achievements on a makeshift stage set up on the grass in front of the school where people first realized her talent The lawn was flooded by young cheerleaders and athletes who wanted her autograph Her rise to the top didn’t surprise Christine Tenhoeve who coached Rivera at Eastern National Academy of Gymnastics in Paramus when Rivera was just 5 years old who attended the festivities with her family "She stood out because she was so focused and hardworking.” Where she's going: Gymnast Hezly Rivera commits to LSU, continuing NJ connection with Livvy Dunne hot pretzels and other festival fare while live bands played classic rock There was a basketball clinic organized by Rivera's father while the younger crowd giggled at the bouncy house and slid down a giant inflatable slide "It’s an amazing day to honor Hezly and all the children of Oradell and River Edge for their accomplishments in athletics and academics," said Robert Graham an Oradell member of the River Dell High School Board of Education "It’s also a great opportunity for the community to come together and enjoy each other’s company." who attended the event with her 5-year-old son said he enjoyed seeing a local hero up close "He was so excited because we watched the Olympics and he couldn’t believe he was seeing an Olympian in person He even got a little medal that they threw from the float," Brettschneider said also beamed with excitement when Rivera waved at the crowd showing off sparkly decorations on her face "I’m looking forward to going to the food trucks next!" There was something special about the warm fall day They were not taking for granted one of the last days of sunshine or the sense of local pride the gathering created "It’s a special community event where we all come together to celebrate," said resident Caroline Wichman and I think today is a great reminder of how close-knit our town really is." Henry Rivera agreed as he alternated between teary-eyed and exuberant as he made one of the last speeches of the day “I want to thank each and every one of you that came to support Hezly … You don’t know how proud that makes me as a dad Lawrence Talis, co-founder and chef at Blue Steel Pizza Co. and 7 Doors Down Ramen in Bloomfield an Italian spot in Oradell that opened in May 2024 citing the opportunity to reach a broader audience with his unique food He's working under Ora co-founder and executive chef Tom Silvestri "It was a little melancholy leaving Blue Steel I'm super proud of what we did there between the two restaurants," Talis says "I think in the end we suffered from location but as far as really taking that growth to the next level where people are coming and they're not just coming for pizza." Talis says he's hoping to "show more of his personality on the menu" at Ora over the coming months through specials Already he's seeing the benefit of a larger group of patrons and a clientele eager to order unique dishes "The other day I did a pork chop special; it was kind of my style thing — a pork chop giambotta — and we sold out in three hours," he says "The amount of pork chops we sold that night it might have taken me a month to sell at Blue Steel." Silvestri launched Ora in May 2024 as a "freestyle Italian restaurant," with a menu of pasta Talis believes he was brought in to "shine." who was born in Brooklyn and raised in Springfield graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and cut his chops at various restaurants before opening Blue Steel Pizza Co in Bloomfield in 2020 and 7 Doors Down Ramen Co Talis has won fans far and wide for his unique approach to cooking — "From the minute I got into food, I never wanted the stuff that everyone else wants," he told NorthJersey.com in 2022 "I love cacio e pepe but I have no interest in making it How much better is my version going to be?" He says he leaves Blue Steel and 7 Doors Down with fond memories and no hard feelings and I think it’s a bigger market and a bigger opportunity to shine Matt Cortina is a food reporter for NorthJersey.com/The Record Meet NorthJersey.com's adoptable pets of the week for April 4 Each week, NorthJersey.com would like to highlight adoptable animals from local shelters and rescues or volunteer with a North Jersey animal shelter or rescue and know of some animals who are in need of a loving fur-ever home please send a photo description and adoption information to amwallace@gannett.com to have your adoptable pets featured in the next edition This week we are featuring Chauncey and Zorro from Cat Crew Rescue in Oradell foster based rescue that focuses on homeless cats and kittens in Bergen County and beyond Chauncey is a loving and affectionate male tabby who is approximately 4 years old loves other cats and is a very gentle soul He is a low maintenance cat with his favorite activities being playing and basking in the sun He walks with a limp due to some nerve damage to his left front paw climbing stairs and cat trees without issue He bonds easily with humans and is just looking for a forever home where he can be your loving companion Visit PetSmart for your food, supplies and accessories Zorro is an 8-month-old kitten who would make a wonderful companion He is described by Cat Crew Rescue as playful affectionate kitten who loves to snuggle as much as he likes to play If you are interested in meeting Chauncey or Zorro email the rescue at Info@catcrewrescue.com Hezly Rivera was on stage with NBC's 'Today' show less than one day after a moment changed her life and doubled her social media following Like so many others, Rivera was having a hard time wrapping her head around it all. The 16-year-old from Oradell punched her ticket to the Olympic games after an underdog run through the United States gymnastics trials on Sunday in Minneapolis She is believed to be the first Olympian from the small Bergen County borough and easily the youngest of five qualifiers on her American team Even the most decorated gymnast of all-time has to marvel at her rapid rise through the sport "Can you even drive yet?" said teammate and four-time gold medalist Simone Biles whose road to Paris started in Paramus a little over a decade ago She began training at ENA Gymnastics at age 5 after attending a friend's birthday party at another facility and impressing the staff members there she was logging about 30 hours a week under the watchful eye of ENA head coach and co-owner Craig Zappa By the time she moved to Texas a few years ago to train at an elite club under Valeri and Anna Liukin it was clear that Rivera was bound for big things "A lot of girls get into gymnastics because they want to be an Olympian," Zappa said you started to see that this kid had something special that she could actually someday get there if all cards lined up but the mental fortitude and drive to be able to attain it." the women's gymnastics program will start with the qualification rounds on Sunday Koth III said discussions have already started at town hall about ways to honor Rivera "We've thrown some ideas around about hosting a watch party to be able to cheer her on while she's off to the Olympics," Koth said "My wife did reach out to her dad via Facebook to see if they come back to the area at times to visit family and friends we'd really like to do something to recognize this honor that she's achieved What an awesome opportunity for a young athlete to be able to go onto the world stage and compete for a medal." Rivera wasn't considered a frontrunner to make the United States team The Washington Post found that the average medalist age at the last summer games in Tokyo was 20.6 in gymnastics – more than four full years ahead of the rising high school junior On top of that was the competitive nature of the United States team which has four returning Olympians – Biles That left one ticket for all the other Olympic hopefuls such as Kayla DiCello and Skye Blakely the two athletes who outscored Rivera at the 2024 Winter Cup in February But when DiCello and Blakely both went down with Achilles injuries "This kid was really level-headed," Zappa recalls She was really coachable and eager to learn and be the best she could be." North Jersey's Gymnast of Year applauds former teammate Hezly RiveraA graphic on the NBC Sports telecast showed the sacrifice and unusual schedule made by Rivera: training from 8 to 11 a.m. then back to training for another three hours Zappa said it was common for Rivera to travel to a national camp every month or two for five days on end Some required long-distance trips to Utah or Ohio "It's a lot," says Avery Lauterback, a former ENA teammate and the reigning North Jersey High School Sports Awards' Gymnast of the Year "You're not like another kid who goes home from school and get to play a rec sport or hang out with friends You go right from school to practice and from practice to home and then you have school work to do Your life isn't as loose of a schedule as if you didn't do gymnastics She's competing at a college showcase in New Hampshire but still made sure to flip on her hotel room TV to follow her former teammate at the Olympic trials even through all her success and all her amazingness," Lauterback said "Gymnastics only carries you so far in life but outside of it I feel like alongside with her amazing dedication to the sport TV viewership went up 24% at the Olympic trials for women's gymnastics with about 7.6 million tuned in on Sunday night Diehard fans back in Bergen County are optimistic that Rivera's presence on the bigger stage can drive popularity back home "I think it will definitely motivate a lot of people from small towns to believe they can accomplish things just like she did," Lauterback said Having a local gymnast is just going to take it to the next level." Bergen County native Hezly Rivera secured her spot on Team USA Sunday night when she was chosen by the U.S gymnastics selection committee to compete alongside Simone Biles Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey at the upcoming Paris Olympic Games Rivera is the youngest member of the team and the only one making her Olympic debut "Do you even drive yet?" Biles asked her on the TODAY Show Monday morning with Rivera responding Rivera currently lives in the Dallas area where she is coached by Valeri and Anna Liukin parents and coaches of Nastia Liukin who won the all-around competition in the 2008 games She has been competing in gymnastics since the age of 5 when she attended a friend's birthday party at a gymnastics facility, according to Olympics.com While at the party Rivera stood out so much that her parents were approached by the staff who suggested that she try out for the team Over the last couple of years Rivera has competed in multiple national competitions including the 2023 Winter Cup Gymnastics Championships and the 2024 Winter Cup The Paris games will be her fourth competition on the international stage Her first was at the 2022 DTB Pokal Cup in Germany She also competed at the Junior World Championships and the 2024 Jesolo Trophy in Italy earlier this year following the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Trials Rivera is preparing to head to Paris to compete in her first Olympic Games "It feels so surreal," she said on the TODAY Show "I cannot believe that I am here right now I'm so excited to represent team USA at the Olympics." Since the Team USA announcement late Sunday evening the young gymnast has seemingly been met with endless support and excitement I was rooting for her on day 2 and she was exceptional Then watching her dad after she was chosen Let's go team USA!" said one commenter on Rivera's Instagram So proud she is representing USA I think she will surprise everyone at the Olympics," said another Instagram commenter Of course you can't forget about Rivera's parents who has also gained some media attention for his heart-warming reactions during the televised coverage of the trials "Watching the parents as their daughter is announced always gets me teary eyed," said one user on X "Hezly Rivera's dad was the one who stood out the most and pure joy for his daughter was so sweet." "Chills when Hezly Rivera was selected for the Olympic team especially the pride of her dad that was so evident with tons of social media users hoping to see more of Rivera's parents during the Olympic games The women's gymnastics competition in Paris will begin on Sunday, July 28 with five qualifying rounds, per NBC Olympics' breakdown of the gymnastics competition format According to Olympics.com Every gymnast will compete during the qualification rounds which serve as qualifiers for the team final four athletes will compete in each event only counting the top three scores An athlete attempting to qualify for the all-around final has to perform in all four events they will only be in contention for the team finals and the individual event finals three athletes can compete on a specific apparatus for each team and all three scores will be added up The team with the highest cumulative team score According to The Athletic Rivera's routines on the uneven bars and the balance beam will be "the key elements" to her piece in the "team-building puzzle" as those two apparatuses are slight weak spots for the combined team of Biles In order to qualify for the all-around final Rivera will have to compete on all four apparatuses during the qualifying rounds and finish in the top 24 To advance to the apparatus finals she must be one of the top-eight scorers on any given apparatus in qualifying only two gymnasts per nation will be eligible to compete in each apparatus final A new Italian restaurant is officially opening its doors on Kinderkamack Road in Oradell as ORA will hold its grand opening on June 12 with a ribbon-cutting and cocktail party for invited members and a hard launch for the public the next day according to ORA's Marketing President Nader Ashway "These new American approaches is all about fresh taking from lots of different styles and regions and applying it to traditional Italian flavors," said Ashway "how it is usually served in an Asian style with wasabi and cilantro or the California style with Mango and guacamole but our chef takes the raw tuna and he does it with traditional Italian dishes like eggplant It's a classic example of taking a new American approach and adding Italian flavors," said Ashway The food is about excellent local ingredients and presented in an elegant environment that still feels very relaxed,” said Silvestri in the ORA opening press release Other unique menu items include a "savory cannoli" which is called the caviar cannoli The cannoli itself is made out of parmesan and instead of a sweet cream is a chive whipped mascarpone and then instead of chocolate chips it is rolled in royal Ossetra caviar The wide selection on their menu goes even further salads and what Ashway calls the highlight of the small plates The Italian restaurant features a wood-fire oven at the end of the bar where a half-dozen pizzas will be cooked with a light and soft texture white pizza and a roasted mushroom with caramelized onions and truffle honey to name a few roasted half chicken scarpariello and whole roasted orata ORA will dry age steaks and chops in house with traditional rib eyes filets and New York strips and rotating specials including lamb chops ORA will present a daily special for each day of the week Some examples of the specials are braised Wagyu short ribs on Thursdays and a 100-layer Lasagna Bolognese on Sundays The extensive beverage menu contains original craft cocktails made from a mixologist Local and international beers are served on tap and non-alcoholic mocktails are offered at ORA A selection of wine is also on the menu with “Wines for the Table,” priced at $60 a bottle with a two-story building that contains a main dining room bar area and rooms for private events which can hold more than 250 combined seats An additional outdoor dining area will be right outside the eatery during spring and summer months about 50 in the bar area and between 120 and 130 for the private event area All different types of events from communions small weddings and more are welcomed at ORA An architect from Garrett Singer Architecture and Design that helped develop the restaurant said the place is "designed in the style of a modern farmhouse and design finishes that evoke the Italian countryside." ORA was approved by Oradell's zoning board back in May of 2021 but a few setbacks on construction caused a delayed opening The building of the restaurant took twice as long as it should have because the footprints of the previous site were not stable enough to build their new structure Reservations are recommended and can be made on their website through the application Toast Hezly Rivera came to Paris as the fresh-faced Olympic rookie She will return home with a new gold medal around her neck Powered by a brilliant performance by Simone Biles women's gymnastics program returned to the top at the Olympic team finals on Tuesday at Bercy Arena team has reached the podium and its first Olympic championship since the 2016 Summer Games was not selected for an event in the team finals but competed in the qualification rounds on Sunday in the uneven bars and balance beam She is the youngest of nearly 600 American athletes at this year's Olympics and the lone rookie on the U.S The United States finished the team finals with 171.296 points to hold off Italy in second (165.494) and Brazil in third (164.497) Biles closed out the night with a floor routine en route to her eighth Olympic medal passing Shannon Miller for the most by an American gymnast Hezly Rivera is showing the world that age is just a number is making her Olympic debut as a member of the United States women's gymnastics team native is the lone rookie on her team and the youngest American athlete Olympic trials in late June when she won gold on the balance beam FROM ORADELL TO THE OLYMPICS: Inside Hezly Rivera's rapid rise to U.S. gymnastics team "It feels incredible − this doesn't have to happen too often, so I'm very excited to be the youngest team member of the group," Rivera told ABC's 'Good Morning America' "I felt so happy and super excited because this is what I've been working for my whole life So for it to finally come true is so exciting and so surreal." NJ OLYMPIANS: Our guide to NJ athletes at the 2024 Paris Games Follow along here for updates on Rivera throughout the Olympics Hezly Rivera makes her debutRivera scored a 13.900 in the uneven bars and 12.633 in the balance beam in the qualifying rounds on Sunday Rivera did not advance to the individual finals in either event Rivera still has a chance to earn a medal with the United States qualifying for Tuesday's Team Final with an overall score of 172.296 Rivera was not selected for an event in the finals but cheered on the rest of Team USA from the sideline Rivera was not selected to compete in an individual event in the Team Final on Tuesday when the United States chases overall gold for the third time in four Olympics Rivera finished with the lowest score by an American in both her events: the balance bar and uneven bars Women's Olympics gymnastics scheduleSunday July 28: Women's qualification at 3:30 a.m ET) and women's floor exercise final (8:23 a.m Hezly Rivera was the supportive rookie cheering on teammates on the way to Olympic gold the 16-year-old gymnast was the main attraction at a watch party inside Oradell Public School About 50 people showed up there on Tuesday afternoon when Rivera and the U.S women's gymnastics team climbed to the top in the Team Finals in Paris "The words I heard coming out of the kids were a sense of pride for the town," Oradell mayor James Koth said There was a lot of excitement for the team in general competing." The excitement continues to grow around Rivera who became the first Olympic champion from Oradell and the youngest athlete on Team USA at this year's Summer Games And while she's done competing after failing to make it through the qualifying rounds Rivera is still in France to watch the rest of the individual finals Her first morning as an Olympic champion started with a sit-down interview on NBC's TODAY in the shadow of the Eiffel Towel. "It's so surreal being here with this amazing group of girls," Rivera told NBC "I'm so proud of this team and everything we've worked so hard for." While Rivera moved to Texas two years ago to train at WOGA Gymnastics A town billboard on a busy intersection of Kinderkamack Road reads: "LET'S GO HEZLY RIVERA white and blue balloons line the entrance of Oradell Public School where Rivera attended second and third grade Tuesday's watch party had a distinctly patriotic theme with flags "My wife Sam has been in contact with her dad pretty regularly," Koth said "Their outlook on things was so positive and so enthusiastic for their daughter We are hoping to have them back in town at some point if or when they come back to visit We've expressed that we would really like to honor her for her accomplishments." Rivera accomplished quite a bit at Bercy Arena despite being left off the United States lineup for the team finals she is the only teenager on her squad – riding shotgun with Simone Biles (27) That experience could push her to even greater heights in Los Angeles in 2028 her former coach at ENA Gymnastics in Paramus She knows that she can do things and she's confident when she does it and she believes in herself." Team USA athletes who win gold receive $37,500 from the national Olympic committee not to mention the chance for lucrative endorsements Rivera also joined an exclusive club by making the Olympic team in women's gymnastics in her first year on the senior level Only five other Americans have matched that feat in the last 40 years "It's a phenomenal accomplishment," Koth said very happy for her and very excited for her She has an extremely bright future ahead of her." Bergen County authorities have arrested 28-year-old Vashawn A. Davis of Paterson in connection with the drug-induced death of 26-year-old Tyler Kallensee, who was found unresponsive in his Oradell home last summer. Oradell Police responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting an unconscious man at a private residence Kallensee was pronounced dead at the scene Indicators of a possible drug overdose were evident prompting an immediate investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Task Force and the Oradell Police Department Months of investigation revealed that Kallensee had ingested fentanyl which was traced back to Davis as the source of the fatal dose.  authorities formally charged Davis with causing Kallensee's death through the distribution of the narcotic Detectives also discovered that Davis was already in custody at the Bergen County Jail for an unrelated matter when the new charges were brought against him Davis remains held at the Bergen County Jail awaiting court proceedings related to these charges The case continues to be under investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Task Force An Oradell police sergeant is suing the borough saying there were concerted efforts to sabotage his career and dismantle his supervisory authority that says the borough and Police Department have failed to stop Lt David Gangemi's years-long "crusade" to force him out which included verbal and physical threats to provoke fights and salacious and false allegations against him says the relentless hostile and harassing acts have caused him permanent cardiovascular disease filed in state Superior Court in Bergen County Liguori says Gangemi and other officers were aware he was susceptible to heart complications but due to the persistent stress Gangemi allegedly inflicted upon him Liguori cites a multitude of violations under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination specifically due to his age and his illness as well as violations under the Conscientious Employee Protection Act saying he was subjected to retaliation for reporting Gangemi multiple times The suit says Liguori has "suffered immeasurably" as he watches his career "tumult into a dead end" and he endures the "reality of being scapegoated framed and targeted" for alleged acts that he says Gangemi has manufactured says he has developed eating and sleeping disorders and Oradell Mayor James Koth III were not returned Gangemi also did not respond to a request for comment The 97-page suit details internal strife within the department and says Gangemi has "continued along this dastardly path along the deviance trail" that will inevitably lead to his promotion to chief of police Liguori says "superiors in Oradell government" have fueled Gangemi's "beliefs he is above the law" and have set a plan in motion to "without good cause," remove Police Chief William Wicker which will ultimately force his retirement "Chief Wicker has given up trying to run an out of control police department," the suit says adding that the chief allegedly "cannot safely secure his retirement" should he continue to take aggressive action to control Gangemi's actions Wicker did not respond to requests for comment it will allegedly free up budget money by attrition with the hiring of a young officer at a lower salary allowing a higher salary to be given to the new chief while saving taxpayer money "It is both direct and indirect act of classic age and handicap discrimination," the suit says Placing Gangemi as chief of police would "almost automatically" lead to the demise of Liguori's career with no chance of promotion or upward mobility which he says would lead him into a forced retirement Liguori's claims also detail workplace harassment that involved Gangemi constantly yelling at him and surveilling him Gangemi's alleged verbal "bullying" and his openness to ostracize and belittle Liguori in front of other officers The suit says the Oradell government promoted Gangemi to lieutenant "knowing he had serious deficits" due to his "unwillingness to enforce the laws of New Jersey and carry himself in a professional manner." Gangemi, who has been on the force for over 25 years, was promoted to lieutenant in March of 2022 The suit says the Police Department and the borough had a responsibility to investigate Liguori's numerous oral and written complaints of discrimination and retaliation through their Human Resources or Internal Affairs departments but failed to do so The Oradell Police Department has a chief of police, two lieutenants, five sergeants, one detective and 14 patrol officers, its website shows. Wicker was promoted to police chief in January 2017 He had served as the department's officer in charge since April 2015 after the retirement of Frank Florio under what were considered controversial circumstances Gangemi was paid $176,716 and Liguori was paid $161,600 in 2023 Email: lcomstock@njherald.com; Twitter: @LoriComstockNJH or on Facebook Hezly Rivera of Oradell made the U.S. Olympic gymnastics squad late Sunday evening Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey ― four athletes who were also on the team for the Tokyo games in 2021 Joscelyn Roberson and Leanne Wong will travel to Paris in July as alternates who is the youngest member of the team at age 16 has earned two first place all around finishes as a junior at national competitions She took another all-around at the 2023 Winter Cup PARIS OLYMPICS: When are Opening Ceremonies? Your questions answered but grabbed a gold medal on the balance beam When the team was announced after the trials ended in Minneapolis Rivera said she was "ecstatic" about making the team and credited her family and the sacrifices she and other have made to achieve this goal Men's U.S. Olympic gymnastic teamThe men's gymnastic team is also set, with Frederick Richard Stephen Nedoroscik and alternates Shane Wiskus and Khoi Young going to Paris.