The Sky is the Limit Executive chef of Luce Restaurant in Caldwell, Anthony Pucciarello, is branching out on his own this fall. Pucciarello, and his wife, Barbara, of Caldwell, will be opening a new eatery at the former Crave Restaurant and Lounge location at 168 Passaic Ave., in Fairfield. The new restaurant, Cielo, which means sky in Italian, will be a family friendly place with an active bar, outdoor seating, and for an extra-special experience, a chef's table in the kitchen. “We are hoping to have a chef’s table that will be behind glass and a brick oven pizza bar,” he said.  Fans of …

Pancakes for Pack 9 The Cub Scouts of Pack 6 are making breakfast! On Saturday, Oct. 15, from 7:30 to 11 a.m., the scouts will hold their annual Pancake Breakfast at the Presbyterian Church of West Caldwell. Adults eat for $6, and senior citizens and children 12 and under are just $3 each. The breakfast benefits the West Caldwell Pack’s events and activities. These Shoes are Made for Walkin’… Each year, nearly two million CROP Hunger Walkers, volunteers and sponsors hit the pavement, raising money to help end hunger and poverty around the world. On Sunday, Oct. 24, from 2 to 5 p.m., people …

Columbus: Age of Discovery It's fall and that means music at Caldwell College. On Tuesday, Oct. 4, at 8 p.m., in the Alumni Theater, the College kicks off its Fall Concert Series with a spirited performance of Columbus: Age of Discovery by the Early Music Players. Dressed in period garb and playing reproductions of historical instruments, such as the recorder, viola da gamba, krumhorn, gemshorn, early flute and percussion, the ensemble will perform a variety of lively and rhythmic music, from the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella to the New World. Founded in 1972, the group has performed …

Singing Families Save the Children The Music Together Band and Friends are coming to Caldwell for a special concert that will benefit Save the Children. The organization will hold two one-hour "Families Singing for Families" benefit concerts on Sunday, Sept. 25, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., at the Caldwell United Methodist Church. This is the first family concert since 2008 when the group celebrated its 10-year anniversary. The 2008 concert raised funds for Theresa Reilly, who lost her two very young children. Tickets are $10 per person or $25 per family in advance, or $12 per person or $30 per …

I’ve Always Wanted to Have a Neighbor Just Like You As the residents of Fairfield continue to clean up after Hurricane Irene, friends, organizations and local businesses continue to think of new ways to help their neighbors. On Friday, Sept. 16, several families and organizations contributed to a fundraising dinner event for those affected by the storm. The Knights of Columbus, Hollywood Pizzeria and Puzo Pizzeria supplied food for the fundraiser. A highlight of the event was the donation of two gas boilers and two gas furnaces, including full installation, by Bornstein Sons, Inc., a third …

Pencils, Books and Patch at the Caldwell Farmers Market Did you catch The Patch at the Caldwell Farmers Market? Caldwells Patch Local Editor Teresa Akersten, Advertising Sales Manager Timothy Drummond and Essex County Regional Editor Elizabeth Moore spent a day at the Caldwell Farmers Market collecting a carload of back-to-school supplies donated by generous readers. On Friday, Sept. 2, the Patch team collected items that included backpacks from Smith & Company, Caldwell, notebooks, pencils and more, all of which were donated to the Caldwell Food Pantry, 14 Park Ave. Patch water bottles, pens…

ADHD and Autism Awareness Did you know that the month of September is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Awareness Month? In support of the children and their families that struggle with these conditions, Dr. Marco Ferrucci of The Chiropractic Source in Caldwell will present Help the Hope Benefit, on Sept. 22, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Help the Hope is a 90-minute seminar that will explore the underlying causes of these challenging disorders and introduce the latest findings in treating them, while raising money for the Children’s Autism Hope Project. Children’s Autism Hope …

Park Conservancy Celebrates 10  Years The Grover Cleveland Park Conservancy invites you to celebrate its 10th anniversary and a decade of improvements to our local park. The anniversary event, scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 18, at Luce Restaurant, Caldwell, includes a sit down dinner with wine and piano music. Dinner includes several appetizers, including bruschetta, marinated eggplant, and fresh mozzarella served family style; a choice of pasta, either pasta with broccoli, sun-dried tomato and garlic, or pasta with fresh tomato sauce; a choice of entrees, including Chateaubriand, halibut …

A Knit and a Prayer Do you enjoy knitting or crocheting? Looking for a new project or two? Consider joining the Prayer Shawl Ministry at the Lumen Center. Two nights each month, the group meets to knit and crochet together, creating shawls for those in need of comfort. Don’t know how to knit or crochet? Members will be on hand to show you the simple stitches you need to create these works of art. The group is open and there is no fee to participate. Simply bring your own wool and needles. Get-togethers are scheduled for September 15 and 29, October 13 and 27, November 10, and December 7 and …

Caldwell College Chips In Organizations throughout our towns have been stepping up to help those in need, and Caldwell College is no exception. On Saturday, August 27, nearly 250 incoming freshmen at the college took part in the school’s second annual community service day, performing a variety of service tasks, including helping families prepare meals and moving students into resident halls prior to Hurricane Irene. Student volunteers helped at a variety of non-profit organizations, including churches and schools, to prepare classrooms for the school year and cook meals for families. …

With access to many areas of Fairfield opening again, the devastation of Hurricane Irene soon will be evident in new ways as some home and business owners are allowed to return. However, all About Town friends and neighbors are pitching in to help those in need.  But, what is the best way to help? How do you donate or pitch in? Several businesses, organizations and religious institutions are offering easy ways for everyone to help.  Donations Are Needed The Fairfield Conservation and Sportsmen’s Association (FCSA) will accept donations to help the community and residents of Fairfield. …

The West Essex Foundation for Education will host its second annual Golf Invitational on Thursday, Sept. 22, at the Mountain Ridge Country Club, West Caldwell. Registration and breakfast will begin at 8 a.m., with shotgun at 9 a.m. and lunch served at 1:30 p.m. Golfing and full day of events costs $275 per golfer. Or enjoy lunch, cocktails and prizes for $50. Proceeds will benefit the WEFE Educational Grant Fund, which was established to fund West Essex Regional High School students and teachers with grants for educational purposes. According to Sandy Costa, WEFE Trustee, “Numerous grants …

I'm Going on a Picnic and...Both St. Aloysius and Notre Dame Roman Catholic Church are preparing for their Parish Picnics. On Sunday, Sept. 18, both churches will hold their annual picnics for parishioners on their respective lawns from 1 to 4 p.m. There will be lots of fun for the kids and plenty of good food for everyone to enjoy.  Interested in helping out? Members of St. Aloysius can contact Amy Conahan at 973-228-0813, or aconahan@comcast.net. Eighth and ninth graders in need of community service hours can volunteer, have fun with friends, and earn hours at the same time. Members of …

Praise for the ParkLike the improvements that have taken place in Grover Cleveland Park over the last 10 years? Want to celebrate a job well done and let those involved know that you like what you see? Come and celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Grover Cleveland Park Conservancy!Members of the all-volunteer conservancy will hold an anniversary celebration acknowledging the group's many accomplishments on Sunday, Sept. 18, at Luce Restaurant, Caldwell. The dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. and tickets are $45 per person. For more information, to purchase tickets or to RSVP, call 973-618-9154 or e-…

Windows and Word Looking to improve your computer skills? Wish you knew more about Microsoft Windows and Word? Then, stop by the Caldwell Public Library and sign up for a free computer workshop. Thanks to a grant received by the N.J. State Library from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Library will offer the two workshops. The first workshop on Wednesday, August 17, will focus on Microsoft Windows. The second workshop is on Wednesday, August 24, and will focus on Microsoft Word. Both programs are offered from 4 to 8 …

Rotary’s Recipe for Supporting Autism Center Take several dozen golfers, add one annual golf outing, and a dash of the Rotary Club of the Caldwells and what do you get? A check for $17,500! Presented to Caldwell College’s Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis, Rotary president Jon Wolgemuth delivered the check to college president Dr. Nancy Blattner at a luncheon held on the college campus. Rotary Club members who attended the luncheon were also treated to a tour of the Center. Blattner thanked the Rotary Club of the Caldwells for the generous gift, telling them that the gift will …

Farmers Market Week There seems to be a holiday or special event to celebrate almost every week. This week, August 7 to 13, New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher officially kicked off Farmers Market Week in New Jersey, asking residents and visitors to stop at local farmers markets and buy Jersey Fresh foods. Currently, the Garden State boasts 147 community farmers markets, 12 of which are new this year. Farmers at the markets sell produce picked at the peak of ripeness within 24 hours of sale to ensure the best taste and highest quality.  “Farmers markets bring the farm to a …

Recreational Activities A friendly reminder that registration is underway for fall athletic activities at the West Caldwell Recreation Department. Fall offerings include Volleyball for girls in grades six to eight, Soccer for students entering grades two through eight, and Cross Country Track for students entering grades four through eight. All three programs have a Friday, Sept. 2 registration deadline. For more information, call 973-226-3621 or visit the West Caldwell-Caldwell Recreation Office. An Adjustment to the Heat Looking for a fun way to stay cool? Stop by the West Caldwell Public …

Creative Compositions Yes, summer is a time for students to take a break from the pencils and the books, but it is also a time to do some of the things they enjoy. On Monday, August 8, at 7 p.m., student and pianist John Franek will share with visitors at the West Caldwell Public Library what it is he likes to do—compose music and play piano. Franek, a sophomore at James Caldwell High School, will entertain library goers with a combination of well-known and original music compositions. Franek has studied piano with teacher Janet Hein, North Caldwell, for the past several years and hopes to …

New CWCEF Website Unveiled The Caldwell-West Caldwell Education Foundation's (CWCEF's) website contains a lot more information these days.  The non-profit organization—well known for its annual Taste of the Caldwells event—supports the school district with teacher mini-grants, extraordinary grants, and equipment purchases outside of the normal budget. “As our involvement in the community and list of programs grew, we grew out of our existing site,” said Marie Lanfrank, chairperson of the CWCEF. “The new website makes it much easier to navigate our programs, fundraisers and special projects, …