Dispute over naming Clifton Park park over deceased publisher

  Eyewitness NewsCLIFTON PARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A battle over a name as a renowned Harvard professor and attorney is threatening to organize a loud and determined crusade if a New Jersey city approves renaming a park after a beloved local publisher.

"Chester Grabowski is an anti-semitic racist bigot," said Alan Dershowitz.

The Harvard law professor doesn't hold back when it comes to Chester Grabowski.

Grabowski was the publisher of the Post Eagle in Clifton.

He died 6 months ago, and some have suggested a park or a street should be named after him.

Because, his son says he did a lot of good for a lot of people.

"People stop us every day and say if it wasn't for your dad and thanks for your father," said Mathew Grambowski.

Mathew is a councilman in Clifton and says his father knew presidents, kings and even the pope.

0He doesn't defend some of what his father said, but doesn't believe he was a bigot either, and is horrified by what Dershowitz has been saying.

"And if you're saying that's why he shouldn't be honored, what about the people who do have reason to honor him?" He asks.

But Deshowitz says nothing but his family should ever bare Grambowski's name.

"He told the Polish people to be mad at the Jews for killing Christ... He was a horrible man," he said.

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Clifton officer arrested after standoff in Pennsylvania

  Eyewitness NewsDOYLESTOWN, Pa. -- Authorities say a New Jersey police officer accused of opening fire with a high-powered rifle after a standoff at his estranged wife's Philadelphia-area home had called police himself to report a dispute.

Police say 42-year-old Clifton Township officer Richard Klementovich faces 14 attempted homicide counts after Sunday's 10-hour standoff in Doylestown.

Police say Klementovich called them. Acting chief Dean Logan says an envelope was found in the driveway addressed to police that said Klementovich was an officer and had 2,000 rounds of ammunition. Officers were soon under fire, and one suffered minor injuries.

Klementovich surrendered with help from Clifton Township police. The department says he's a 14-year veteran who also served in the Gulf War.

Court records say he has been unable to post bail; no defense attorney is listed.

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Fire tears through home in Clifton, New Jersey

  Eyewitness NewsCLIFTON (WABC) -- Firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze that tore through a home in Clifton, New Jersey, early Tuesday.

The flames broke out at the 2 1/2-story home on Hazel Street, near West 7th Street, around 4:30 a.m.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy flames on all three floors, and the upper floor and roof suffered heavy damage. Two residents were injured, but both are expected to survive. They were treated for smoke inhalation at St. Joseph's Medical Center.

In total, 10 members of two families were evacuated by responding firefighters.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

CLICK HERE for images from the scene.

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Worker jumps into vat of acid in Clifton to save colleague

  Eyewitness NewsCLIFTON, N.J. (WABC) -- A man survived a 40-foot fall into an acid tank in Clifton, New Jersey, rescued by some quick-thinking co-workers.

The accident happened at Swepco Tubing, which makes metal tubes.

Fire officials say a roofing company employee jumped into a vat of nitric acid to save a co-worker who fell 40 feet through a roof and into the tank.

Relatives say 44-year-old Martin Davis suffered a broken rib, punctured lung, and burns on his legs and side. He's in critical condition.

Clifton Fire Chief Vince Colavitti says 51-year-old Rob Nuckols was on the ground floor and jumped into the vat. He was waist-high in acid while he and three others pulled Davis out. Nuckols was treated for burns.

The company's website shows vats used in that process, some which contain acid baths for those tubes. Fire Chief Vince Colavitti says the company was adding a second roof above an existing roof, which was apparently weakened by the chemicals below, when it collapsed, and the worker fell into the vat of acid. A 9-1-1 call brought hazmat units and firefighters.

The acid was reportedly 40 to 70 percent strong.

Swepco declined to comment, but fire Chief Colavitti says the vats contain acid at 40 to 70 percent concentrate. The roofer works for Garcon Enterprises out of Flemington, New Jersey, but no one answered the phone there.

OSHA, the Passaic Health Department, and Clifton's Buildings department are all investigating the accident. The fire department says Garcon Enterprises did not have a permit to do the roofing work.

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Female Clifton teacher accused of sex with student

  Eyewitness NewsCLIFTON (WABC) -- A high school teacher in Clifton, New Jersey, is under arrest Wedneday, accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student.

Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Gary Giardina said 26-year-old Kristin Leone, a history teacher at Clifton High School, was arrested Monday following an investigation.

Clifton police detectives conducted interviews, executed a search warrant and collected evidence relating to the allegations, which demonstrated that Leone engaged in sexual conduct with the boy on two separate occasions.

Leone is charged with sexual assault, endangering the welfare of a child, criminal sexual contact, luring and enticing a child and official misconduct.

She was released on $100,000 bail.

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Clifton, NJ cop seen on tape slapping teenager

CLIFTON, New Jersey (WABC) -- A Clifton, New Jersey police officer is facing questions after appearing on tape throwing a punch at a teenage boy.

The video shows 15-year-old Alex Cruz going at it with a Clifton police officer in a video plastered all over YouTube.

First he's pushed to the ground, but he gets up and runs at the officer and appears to slap him across the face and an all out altercation breaks out.

"He pushed me and hit me and the other cop came and choked me," said Cruz.

Alex has a cut under his eye and a court ordered electronic monitor around his ankle.

Telling his story Exclusively to Eyewitness News, he says he was just trying to break up a fight between his girlfriend and another girl when the officers showed up.

"He said I hit him before everything happened and I didn't," adds Cruz.

Clifton police have seen the video and are investigating but so far standing by the officer's use of force.

"Whatever force is reasonable in overcoming the force the suspect is using against the officer," said Det. Robert Bracken.

And what's more, police say once they finally got him cuffed, his attitude didn't get any better.

"Upon arrival at headquarters he continued his belligerent aggressive behavior toward officers... He began spitting on the floors of the police department," adds Cruz.

Even though Alex says he did nothing wrong, he would do something different next time.

"I could have let them do what whatever," he adds.

No one involved says the officer didn't hit Alex, the question is, was he justified in doing so.

Alex will face his charges in juvenile court. The Internal Affairs investigation continues, but the officer remains on active duty.

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