Month: September 2011

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>Study Points to WTC Cancer Link

>Study Points to WTC Cancer Link
Rates Among Firefighters Who Were at Site Higher Than for Those Who Weren’t

Firefighters who worked at Ground Zero are 19% more likely to have cancer than their colleagues who did not work at the site, according to newly published research that could pave the way for government payments to those suffering from some types of cancer.

The research marks the first substantive findings on the difficult question of whether working at the World Trade Center site increased cancer risk. For years, firefighters, police officers and construction workers have argued that there is overwhelming anecdotal evidence that work at Ground Zero caused cancer, while researchers continue to caution that it will take 20 or 40 years to prove such a link.

Published in the Sept. 3 issue of the Lancet, the research led by Dr. David Prezant, the head doctor for the New York Fire Department, concludes that an association between World Trade Center exposure and cancer is “biologically plausible” due to findings of “a modest excess of cancer in exposed firefighters.

https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904583204576544713561820254.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTTopStories

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>The Pulse: Bullying wrong, but N.J. law may go too far

>The Pulse: Bullying wrong, but N.J. law may go too far
By Michael Smerconish
Inquirer Columnist

With children back or heading back to school, educators in New Jersey are struggling with the realization that they will need to implement what’s known as the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, which went into effect Thursday. There are 18 pages of “required components” to the new law, yet school administrators complain that they’ve been given no resources to meet the mandates.

For example, within one day of a bullying incident, principals must begin an investigation, and twice a year superintendents must provide reports to Trenton detailing all episodes. Getting lots of attention is that in one district, East Hanover, Crimestoppers will accept anonymous text messages, calls, or tips on alleged bullying incidents to its website, and then forward the information to school and local police officials.

Richard G. Bozza, the executive director of the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, told the New York Times, “”I think this has gone well overboard.”

https://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20110902_The_Pulse__Bullying_wrong__but_N_J__law_may_go_too_far.html

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>NJ Teacher evaluation gets a new start

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NJ Teacher evaluation gets a new start

The timing may not be intentional, but the Christie administration’s announcement yesterday of its pilot teacher evaluation system in 11 districts came almost to the day on a conspicuous anniversary.

It was a year ago — and a week — that Gov. Chris Christie fired Bret Schundler as his education commissioner over what was a mishap on the state’s failed application for federal Race to the Top money, a grant that aimed to put in place this very evaluation system statewide.

A firestorm erupted and accusations flew, and tensions only heightened over how the administration was going to handle Christie’s central quest to tighten teacher accountability — without a $400 million federal grant to help pay for it.

Needless to say, and admittedly for other reasons, too, Christie’s relations with the teachers unions, who had an on-again-off-again relationship, with Schundler only worsened.

A year later, the system that would directly tie teacher evaluation to student achievement is seeing a distinctly calmer roll-out with yesterday’s announcement of the pilot. A top official of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) even used the words “cautious optimism.”  (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0902/0329/
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>NJ Supreme Court gets new lineup

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NJ Supreme Court gets new lineup

There’s a new face on the New Jersey Supreme Court and another vacancy.
Attorney Anne Patterson was privately sworn in on Thursday, more than a year after Gov. Chris Christie nominated her to become a justice. She replaces Justice Roberto Rivera-Soto, who left the court on Wednesday.

The change was part of a deal Christie brokered with Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney, who had blocked her nomination out of frustration with Christie.

The Republican governor became the first governor in recent memory not to renominate a sitting justice for tenure when he declined to reappoint Justice John Wallace, the court’s only black member.

Christie instead chose Patterson, a corporate lawyer from his hometown, in May 2010 to replace Wallace. Christie said he wanted to remake a court that conservatives said meddles too much in affairs that should be handled by lawmakers and governors.

The stalemate was finally broken in the spring when Christie agreed to instead nominate Patterson to replace Rivera-Soto, who announced his plans to retire after Democrats called for his ouster.  (DeFalco, Associated Press)

https://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110902/NEWS02/309020014/Supreme-Court-gets-new-lineup?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|State
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>Three buildings see bulk of summer construction at Ridgewood schools

>Three buildings see bulk of summer construction at Ridgewood schools

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011
BY JOSEPH CRAMER
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

With the start of the new academic year a week away, Ridgewood students and teachers have school on their minds. But due to the construction work accomplished this summer as a part of the district’s bond referendum projects, some of the buildings they will be returning to may look a little different.

Last school year saw major expansions to Hawes and Ridge schools to allow for more classrooms and other rooms, in addition to capital improvements. Construction on Hawes School is fully complete and Ridge School is now finishing up with “detail-work,” according to Superintendent Daniel Fishbein. Both schools will be ready for the start of school.

Major work this summer has been centered on three Ridgewood schools: Willard, George Washington Middle School (GWMS) and Ridgewood High School (RHS). While most goals have been met in terms of timeframe, work is expected to continue on all three buildings throughout the school year.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/128704533_Three_school_buildings_see_bulk_of_summer_construction.html

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>Cell Tower : T-Mobile – ATT

>Clearly the above is of interest to the residents of Barnett Place. But what is also interesting is as part of the break up fee (if the deal does not go through), T-Mobile will obtain “extra U.S. radio spectrum for T-Mobile.”  Therefore, this may affect T-Mobile’s application, as regardless of whether the deal goes through, T-Mobile will obtain extra radio spectrum which could affect their application.

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>Ridgewood Garage and Estate Sales

>Ridgewood Garage and Estate Sales


I’m a Ridgewood Resident, would like to have my Estate sale on the following date(s)
Saturday September 3rd & Sunday September 4th
From 10am – 6pm
Rain or Shine
Address: 28 Leroy Place, Ridgewood,NJ (crnr of South Broad)
Furniture, books, toys, household items, indoor lighting items


Moving Sale 9/3-9/4 (Sat-Sun) 9am-3pm
414 Morningside Road, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (Across Street from Parkwood Deli on Glen Ave, at Midland Park border)
Baby and Kid Toys and Clothes
Couches, Chairs, Tables, Dining Room Table Set, Desks, Drafting Table, Dressers
TV’s, Books, Bookcases, Wicker Furniture Set, Dishes, Pots, Pans, Lamps
Glass vases, Purses, Weights, Exercise Equipment…

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>Offshore wind could be moving closer to reality

>

DonQuiote theridgewoodblog.net

Offshore wind could be moving closer to reality



If offshore wind developers get their way, state officials will decide what projects will move forward along the coast of New Jersey sometime around December 2012.

At least that is the tentative timeframe suggested by developers working with the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) on how the projects will be funded and how the wind farms will be awarded offshore renewable energy certificates (ORECs) for the electricity they generate.
The Christie administration is aggressively pushing offshore wind projects, hoping they will spur the creation of thousands of green manufacturing jobs to supply wind turbines, cables and countless other parts.
The proposal emerged from a series of stakeholder hearings held in Trenton this past month on how the wind farms will earn ORECs for the power they produce and how power suppliers will pay for the certificates.  (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0831/2229/

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>High hopes for medical pot in N.J.

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High hopes for medical pot in N.J.

With New Jersey in need of an economic boost, medical marijuana advocates say the state should not overlook the lift the drug can provide when it’s expected to become legally available at the end of the year.
The newly minted medical marijuana law will allow New Jersey to begin cashing in on what is a nearly $2 billion market for states with similar laws, Thomas Leto, president of the U.S. Medical Marijuana Chamber of Commerce, said at a news conference Wednesday.

Leto speculated there will be a surge of new New Jersey residents — those exiting neighboring states, such as New York, where the drug isn’t legal.

“There will be new spending, new jobs and new businesses,” Leto said.
Leto said 20 companies traded on the New York Stock Exchange have investments in marijuana dispensaries and ancillary businesses. New Jersey is joining 15 other states and the District of Columbia in allowing the growing, sale and use of medical pot.  (Jordan, Ganentt)

https://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110901/NEWS01/309010016/High-hopes-medical-pot
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>Nation History Day Contest Videos

>

At our contest this June we had a record number of participants with over 2,700 students. Naturally we captured all the excitement and adventures that took place during the week and we have developed a short video that highlights the experiences of the students, teachers and parents who participated.

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>Ridgewood Water customer: Let $3,500 bill be a warning

>Ridgewood Water customer: Let $3,500 bill be a warning

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
BY REBECCA GREENE
FOR SUBURBAN NEWS
MIDLAND PARK SUBURBAN NEWS

MIDLAND PARK — Chris Rittenger said he was shocked when he received a bill from Ridgewood Water for $3,500.

The bill reflected the difference between how much water he actually used and how much water the company had estimated he used over six years.

The Fairhaven Drive resident said that until he received his most recent quarterly bill, he hadn’t realized the bills he’d been paying for the past six and half years had not been based on actual use at his home.

“Every time we received a bill, we paid it,” he said in an interview last week. “If we had known it was costing us much more to use the water, we would have curtailed our use.”

Rittenger, who has a family of six, said his wife is home and would have been available to let a meter reader in to determine actual consumption during that time.

And when Ridgewood Water recently posted a notice on his door asking to read the meter, he complied.

“When we received the bill, we called them right away, because they said we had to pay in 10 days,” he said. “They suggested we have the meter tested for accuracy. We did — and it proved to be accurate.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/128862038_Customer___3_500_bill_is_one_bad_call_.html

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>We’re powerless in the face of the alternative-energy lobby

>

We’re powerless in the face of the alternative-energy lobby

I have seen the future and I don’t like it.

I’m talking about alternative energy. I’ve spent the past four days looking for it.
Early Sunday morning, a tree took out a power line across from my house. Ever since, I’ve been trying to find an alternative to the energy that flowed so reliably from my electric outlets for so many years.

I called JCP&L to report my outage. I got an answering machine. The next morning, another answering machine called back to say my power had been restored. It hadn’t. That answering machine gave me a number to call, just in case I still didn’t have power. I called and got another answering machine.
In the midst of all this, I had to recharge my cell phone. I plugged it into my car’s 12-volt outlet. The car battery died.  (Mulshine, The Star-Ledger)

https://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2011/09/were_powerless_in_the_face_of.html
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>Ridgewood school district adjusting to new anti-bullying policy

>Will all the kids that don’t behave become a target of the new anti bulling policy?


Ridgewood school district adjusting to new anti-bullying policy

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011
BY JOSEPH CRAMER
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

New Jersey’s Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act will officially take effect at the start of the coming school year, bringing with it changes to definitions and procedures concerning incidents of harassment.

The act, passed in January in part as a response to the nationally publicized suicide of Ridgewood High School graduate Tyler Clementi, is considered to contain some of the strictest anti-bullying laws in the country. The revisions to the existing Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying policy were formally adopted on second reading at the July 18 Board of Education (BOE) public meeting.

On Aug. 16, a letter was sent from Superintendent Daniel Fishbein to district parents regarding the new act and explaining the changes they can expect.

“This important new law sets strict formal parameters for a core value to which the Ridgewood Public Schools has long been committed: that respectful behavior fosters a rich and challenging learning environment,” Fishbein said in the letter.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/128619303_Ridgewood_school_district_adjusting_to_new_anti-bullying_policy_.html