N.J. State Council on the Arts awards more than $15.8 million to nearly 800 arts organizations
The state Council on the Arts has awarded $15.8 million in state and federal funding to nearly 800 arts organizations, programs, projects and artists in the 21 counties, the agency announced on Tuesday.
The council’s 2011-12 awards were distributed through several programs including $13.9 million in 196 matching grants to organizations and $1.8 million in 28 co-sponsored initiatives that support state and regional partnerships which attempt to advance arts education, showcase New Jersey artists, increase access to the arts for people with disabilities, foster arts in community development, and promote the arts statewide.
N.J. Council on the Arts forced to make cuts across-the-board to save Newark Museum
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts was forced to play the role of King Solomon today, making across-the-board cuts to the majority of its traditional grantees so it could award money to help save a new applicant, the Newark Museum.
One of the state’s cultural gems, the museum was given $1 million to help stave off the crisis created when it lost the $2 million it usually receives from the Legislature. (McGlone, The Star-Ledger)
Drill baby Drill : Christie gas plan, drilling debated
The formal debate over Gov. Chris Christie’s push to rely more on natural gas as part of New Jersey’s future energy policy was launched Tuesday at a public hearing attended by hundreds of environmentalists, power company officials and members of the public.
Administration officials said New Jersey’s energy pricing stands to improve from the state’s proximity to abundant Marcellus Shale gas reserves in northern and western Pennsylvania. But the drilling process has raised safety and environmental concerns. (Jordan, Gannett)
>Ridgewood council approves salary contracts for management, non-union staff
TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2011 BY KELLY EBBELS STAFF WRITER THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Ridgewood’s managerial and non-union staff – with the exception of the village manager and police chief – will no longer receive automatic raises, but will be eligible for incentive bonuses based on performance evaluations.
The Village Council voted to approve the changes at a meeting this month by approving two ordinances – one for managerial staff and the other for non-union staff.
Councilman Paul Aronsohn voted against the proposal, contending that incentive bonuses don’t make sense in a time of financial belt tightening.
Christie blasts critics of new judge Sohail Mohammed
A lawyer who defended Muslims detained after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks was sworn in as a New Jersey Superior Court judge on Tuesday, as Gov. Chris Christie called those who criticized his nomination ignorant.
The appointment of , 47 years old, angered some conservatives, who said they were concerned about the influence of Sharia law, an Islamic code of law. (Fleisher, The Wall Street Journal)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2011 BY MICHAEL GARTLAND STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
Bergen County should examine why a recent law-enforcement consolidation study by a New York consulting firm cost $623,000, three freeholders said this week.
A memo from within the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office dated Dec. 17, 2010, noted that the California-based Matrix Consulting Group submitted a $49,000 bid to compile a report about consolidating Bergen County law enforcement agencies. The memo recommended that the county choose Guidepost Solutions, which submitted the only other bid, because it was far more qualified and did not have any conflicts of interest.
Now, some members of the Bergen County Freeholder Board are calling on the county’s new Office of Asset Recovery to weigh the expenditure.
>Man falls off platform at Ridgewood train station
TUESDAY, JULY 26, 2011 BY KELLY EBBELS STAFF WRITER THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A man who fell off the Ridgewood train platform around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday has been transported to The Valley Hospital for a head injury. He was unconscious but breathing, police said.
A witness said that the man staggered across the platform, then fell off onto the southbound tracks.
“He hit his head really hard, crashed onto the tracks, and then he didn’t move after that. He didn’t move a wink,” said Beverly Wilson, who was one of a few people on the platform who called call 911. “I was just hoping the train wouldn’t come, because it was due in, like, five minutes. I was like, ‘Oh, God, I don’t want to see this man die in front of me.'”
“I’m still shaken up,” she added. “I hope he’s going to be OK.”
Ridgewood NJ – At approximately 8:15 PM, a pedestrian was struck by a motor vehicle and injured at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Cottage Place.
The victim was transported to The Valley hospital with non life threatening injuries. Ridgewood Police issued one summons in connection with the incident; to the driver of the vehicle for failure to yield to a pedestrain in a crosswalk.
>Ridgewood fills open captain positions on fire department
MONDAY, JULY 25, 2011 THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
With the appointment last week of Chris DuFlocq to captain, the village now has a full staff of managers for the Ridgewood Fire Department.
Two captains’ positions were vacant, with John Sharo retiring in May and Phil Francis retiring last September. Robert Kozielski Jr. was sown in as captain two weeks ago. Paul Monton remains as the third captain.
>PSE&G : The old street light scam is back in the news once again
the fly wonders if the Village is still paying the same rate to PSEG even though some 250 plus street lights have been out or missing the better part of this decade..
Seems the old street light scam is back in the news once again . Several years ago a Village resident and engineer noticed the case of the disappearing street lights and reported it to the Village council . The resident met with disdain and was written off by the powers that be . Since that time sources at the County Seat have confirmed this is a county wide problem.
Inside sources tell the fly the the Village is charged by PSEG for a certain number of street lights , yet often when a light goes dark its is never replaced or in some cases when a utility pole is removed or replaced the light is not put back on the pole .
The Mayor has noticed the Village is still paying the bill for these lights regardless and the fly is “sure” that PSEG is making every effort to adjust the Villages electric rate for the missing lights , hummmm I wonder….
08/02/117:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting 08/03/117:30PMVillage Council Work Session 08/09/117:30PMBoard of Adjustment Public Meeting 08/10/118:00PMVillage Council Public Meeting 08/16/117:30PMPlanning Board Public Meeting
New Jersey lawmaker says states can offer online gambling within borders
A New Jersey lawmaker says individual states have the legal right to offer in-state Internet gambling within their own borders.
State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, wrote late last week to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asserting that position.
He said he will introduce legislation in November to address the main concerns expressed by Gov. Chris Christie in March when the governor vetoed a bill that would have made New Jersey the first state in the nation to legalize in-state Internet gambling. (Parry, The Associated Press)
Advocates and Christie administration continue to clash over solar
By the numbers, New Jersey’s solar industry is racking up some pretty impressive milestones. More than 10,000 solar systems installed statewide. A total of 380 megawatts of electricity generated from those panels. A record 42 megawatts installed in June, involving 520 new solar projects.
Citing those milestones, the Christie administration yesterday defended its plans for developing new sources of renewable energy, a commitment called into question by some clean energy advocates ever since the release of a draft Energy Master Plan (EMP) last month. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
>Ridgewood Water : Summer Water Restrictions What it all means
During the summer months, water usage increases dramatically due to lawn irrigation. Water conservation is a fact of life and it is also the law. The State of New Jersey Department of Enviromental Protection requires that each community maintain a water conservation program.
Beginning May 1 and continuing through September 30 of each year, Stage I Water Restrictions are in effect.
Stage I (Normal): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days, as defined below. Irrigation using a hand-held hose shall be allowed at any time.
Stage II (Moderate): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days as defined below. Irrigation using a hand-held hose is allowed on any day except Monday.
Stage III (Moderate – Severe): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days as defined below. Manual sprinklers may be operated between the hours of 7:00 am to 9:00 am and 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Automatic in-ground sprinklers may be operated between the hours of 1:00 am to 4:00 am. Irrigation using a hand-held hose is allowed on any day except Monday. There shall be no irrigation of any kind allowed on Mondays.
Stage IV (Severe – Critical): Prohibits irrigation at any time. The Village Manager may under certain conditions allow irrigation using a hand-held hose.
Alternate Day Irrigation Defined Irrigation of properties with odd-numbered addresses shall be permitted on odd-numbered days, while irrigation of properties with even-numbered addresses shall be permited on even-numbered days.
