YELLSEA, AN 18-MONTH -old yellow lab, has spent more than a year by Ho-Ho-Kus native and Ithaca College junior Sydney Hogue’s side. The pair go everywhere together: from the seemingly mundane, like the grocery store and classes during Hogue’s busy days as a double major in theater production and design/stage management, to the exciting: Disney World, Six Flags Great Adventure, hikes in and around “gorges” Ithaca and the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York. No matter th

IT WAS AT A HALLOWEEN party, of all places, that a beloved Christmas tradition, not to mention a love story, began in 1974. Carol and George Dakes, married 46 years, met at the bash through mutual friend Christine Finley and her husband at the time, Phil. The music-loving group quickly realized that they had a coveted “SATB” among them: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass. They had to sing something! And since the only thing they all knew by heart were Christmas carols, that’s wh

THE MONTH OF DECEMBER can feel like a slog for many students at Northern Highlands. It’s when seniors finalize college applications and first semester grades are wrapping up. The race to the finish line can be stressful; thankfully, the holidays and upcoming festivities act as a beacon of light, incentivizing students to work hard so they can fully relish the celebrations, not to mention some R&R over winter break. “I celebrate Christmas with my family,” says Lulu St. Pierre,

IN THE MILITARY , a wingman refers to the second aircraft in a flight formation. The lead aircraft is responsible for guiding the flight to accomplish the mission; the wingman’s job is to support the lead and have its back by doing everything possible to allow it to focus on completing the task. It’s in this spirit that United States Marine Corps veterans and brothers Jay and John Neagle named their venture, Wingman Business Solutions, which aims to bring the integrity and co

FOR NINA ZALTZMAN , daily yoga practice is essential to her ability to stay present in the moment and calm her body and mind—particularly during life’s tougher seasons. It’s a gift to her, and one she hopes to share with students at Ho-Ho-Kus Yoga, the studio she opened nearly 13 years ago. At the peaceful space nestled downtown on Sycamore Avenue, she says all are welcome—from experienced yogis to those hoping to begin their journey in the ancient practice. Each is made to f

ABOUT A YEAR AGO , Chris Flug turned to St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church Rev. Cathie Sklenar-Studwell looking to volunteer. He had recently returned to college part-time, moving from an engineering major several years earlier to a humanities major with a history/anthropology track at Ramapo College of New Jersey. He found himself learning a lot about society—how it functions and the ways in which it fails to take care of people, he says, and began to feel directionless desp

RIGHT HERE IN  Ho-Ho-Kus, an absolute historical gem sits on Franklin Turnpike, set back from the road. The Hermitage is a history buff’s delight, perhaps best known as a stop for George Washington and his troops during the Revolutionary War and the site of Aaron Burr and Theodosia Prevost’s wedding.   And with all that history (along with a notably ominous presence that the Gothic Revival style Victorian home commands) there are bound to be some rumors of hauntings.   Take i

IT WAS THE FAL L of 2020 and more than six months into the pandemic when sisters Missy McCloskey and Cassie Cavallo began to worry about...

NINE MONTHS AFTER a fire devastated the building on North Franklin Turnpike where Tojo’s Restaurant is located, the eatery has reopened...

DR. SALVATORE J. FORCINA compares his life’s journey to a small seed blowing in the wind and finding landfall not on rich, fertile soil,...

CJ EINHORN FOUND  something they didn’t know they needed within the Northern Highlands Theater Company: a chosen family.   “I didn’t know...

THERE’S A STORY about Jack Woodbury that his wife, Janet Woodbury, feels sums him up perfectly. One day, the pair were walking toward Ho...

FUN FACT: Joe Costa’s baseball glove is older than many of the players that now participate on the Ho-Ho-Kus/ Saddle River Softball...

JUST ONE MILE down the road from each other in Ho-Ho-Kus are two schools. One, ECLC of New Jersey, serves the needs of students ages 5...

SITTING IN HER living room, surrounded by bins of yarn and embroidery floss, Erin Medico works diligently to create her next...

IN A DAY AND AGE that seems to be rife with chaos, Cathie Sklenar- Studwell, the reverend of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, began...

IT WAS AN off-the -cuff remark from a friend that would end up shaping Ed Havens’ life so significantly. He was 18 and had just...

FOR MORE than 10 years, Lauren Gaul lit up the stage at Radio City Music Hall and beyond as one of the famed Rockettes. And though she...

WHEN DR. LINDA Bovino-Romeo takes over as superintendent of Ho-Ho-Kus Public School this July, it will not only be the start of a new...

WHEN THREE FAMILIES partnered to construct an apartment building on a two-block plot of land that they own in the heart of charming...