Month: December 2011

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>Port Authority changes reason for toll increase

> Port Authority changes reason for toll increase

Remember this summer’s bridge and tunnel toll increases that were needed to help pay for redeveloping the World Trade Center? It looks like the extra money isn’t going there after all.

In legal filings in November, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said none of the money from the toll increases will be used for the World Trade Center but will instead be used for the agency’s Interstate Transportation Network that includes bridges, bus terminals and other transportation buildings.

The filings came in response to a lawsuit filed by AAA of New York and New Jersey, which tried unsuccessfully to stop the increases from taking effect in September. In the suit, AAA argues that the World Trade Center is not a transportation center and, therefore, the toll increases are being illegally collected to pay for it.  (Associated Press)

https://online.wsj.com/article/AP4afddc1fc5d046d48da9f9e363f6317f.html

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>Pascack Valley Hospital Closer To Reopening

>Pascack Valley Hospital Closer To Reopening
November 30, 2011 9:22 AM

WESTWOOD, NJ (WCBS 880) – The reopening of a North Jersey hospital is one step closer to reality.

The state health planning board has approved Hackensack University Medical Center‘s plan to reopen the old Pascack Valley Hospital as a 128-bed facility. The health commissioner has 120 days to decide.

The hospital flatlined in 2007.

“The reality is that patients don’t have access to the hospital beds. There’s been hospital closures in Paterson and Passaic over the last three years as well as Pascack Valley Hospital, which have decreased the number of available hospital beds in the Bergen-Passaic region,” said Westwood mayor John Birkner.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/11/30/pascack-valley-hospital-closer-to-reopening/

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>Village Seeking Volunteers to Serve on Library Board and Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Board

>Village Seeking Volunteers to Serve on Library Board and Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Board

The Village Council is looking for residents who are interested in volunteering to serve on the Library Board of Trustees and the Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Board.

The Library Board of Trustees is the governing board for the Ridgewood Public Library and its employees. The Board of Trustees works with the community to establish Library policy. They also secure funds to carry on services to the public, and set goals and objectives.

The Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Board recommends rules for use and monitors recreation facilities. The Board coordinates community recreation programs and develops and updates the long-range Master Plan for recreation in the Village.

All interested residents should fill out a Citizen Volunteer Leadership form (found on the Village website under “Forms”), and send it along with a cover letter indicating on which board or committee the resident wishes to serve, and a biography or resume to:

Mayor Keith Killion
Village of Ridgewood
131 North Maple Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ 07451

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>Charter schools sue state, claiming they’ve been shortchanged

>Charter schools sue state, claiming they’ve been shortchanged


A group of Jersey City charter schools have sued the Christie administration to correct what they say has been a stark underfunding of their schools, throwing a twist into the ongoing debate over how New Jersey’s charters are paid for.

The four charter schools — Learning Community, Golden Door, Soaring Heights, and Ethical Community charter — have petitioned acting education commissioner Chris Cerf to address what has been a longstanding disparity in the how Jersey City and several other districts’ charter schools are funded.

In the petition, the schools contend that they are put at a unique disadvantage because of Jersey City’s massive property tax abatements, which draw the school district additional state aid – called adjustment aid — that is not shared with the charters.  (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/1130/0053/
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>Poverty rate for school-age kids growing faster in N.J. counties

>

Poverty rate for school-age kids growing faster in N.J. counties

Poverty rates for school-aged children increased by a statistically significant rate in more than 60 percent of New Jersey’s counties between 2007 and 2010, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates for income and poverty released today.

Nationally, that was the case in a little over 20 percent of counties, according to the Census Bureau.
Thirteen of New Jersey’s 21 counties experienced significant poverty rate increases for families with children ages 5 to 17 in that time span: Bergen, Camden, Cape May, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex and Union counties.  (Symons, Gannett)

https://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies/2011/11/29/poverty-rate-for-school-age-kids-growing-faster-in-n-j-counties/
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>Susan McCorkindale, Saturday, December 3rd, 1:00pm at Bookends

>

Susan McCorkindale theridgewoodblog.net

Susan McCorkindale, Saturday, December 3rd @ 1:00pm
Former Ridgewood Resident, Susan McCorkindale, will sign her book:  500 Acres and No Place to Hide.

Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.

While we try to insure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed.  We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.

Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ   07450   201-445-0726

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>All Seasons Chamber Players perform concert, Dec. 11

>All Seasons Chamber Players perform concert, Dec. 11

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2011
TEANECK SUBURBANITE

The All Seasons Chamber Players will return to the Ridgewood Public Library Sunday afternoon, Dec. 11 for a 3 p.m. concert. The popular classical ensemble has been performing at the Ridgewood Library annually for many years. This concert is part of the Sunday Afternoon Performance Series of the Friends of the Ridgewood Public Library.

The library, located at 125 North Maple Ave. in Ridgewood, provides excellent concert facilities and is handicapped accessible. There is a $3 suggested donation at the door. Refreshments may be purchased at the snack shop at intermission. For more information or directions, call the library at 201-670-5600.

The program, entitled Vive la France! will offer three centuries of chamber music by famous French composers from the baroque era to the 20th century. The featured work will be a musical tour de force – Maurice Ravel’s great Piano Trio in A Minor (1914). The program will also include a baroque Trio Sonata in D by Jean-Marie Leclair; the tuneful and playful Dolly Suite for Piano Duet by Gabriel Faure; and the ever-popular Sonata for Flute and Piano by Francis Poulenc. Robert Lawrence, co-director for programs, will introduce each piece to the audience with personal spoken program notes.

https://www.northjersey.com/community/events/134807113_Chamber_Players_to_perform_.html

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>Council needs to get itself together

>Letter: Council needs to get itself together

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2011  
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Council needs to get itself together

To the editor:

What is going on with the Village Council? They clearly have their heads buried in the sand. Let’s start with the situation at Ridgewood Water: more than 26 percent increase over two years; lawsuit pending from neighboring towns alleging misappropriation on funds; meters that haven’t been read in more than a year without any notification to customers; software update to read meters that is more than a year and a half overdue; no notification to customers now that the technology is in place and the meters need to be retrofitted. Now the council is going to pass another special ordinance to override the 3 percent yearly increase ordinance; another 5 percent increase bringing the total for three years to more that 30 percent. Ridgewood Water is being completely mismanaged by Frank Moritz and the council needs to take action.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/134479783_Letter__Council_needs_to_get_itself_together.html

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>NJ state parks could open up to logging business under Legislature bill

>NJ state parks could open up to logging business under Legislature bill


Private companies might get the green light to launch commercial forestry and logging businesses in New Jersey’s state parks under a bill making its way through the state Legislature.

The proposal to allow the state Department of Environmental Protections to award a five-year contract to a project manager to oversee a forestry harvest program has drawn the ire of environmentalists, who say the legislation has no guarantees that public access to the parks will not be affected by falling timber.
“They’re going to cut down trees, and there’s no need for it,” said West Orange resident Carol Rivielle on Tuesday, a day after she attended an Assembly Environment Committee hearing on the commercial forestry bill. Rivielle is a member of the League of Humane Voters.  (Jordan, Gannett)

https://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20111129/NJNEWS10/311290046/NJ-state-parks-could-open-up-to-logging-business-under-Legislature-bill
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>Perth Amboy may become a hub of wind turbine industry

>

DonQuiote theridgewoodblog.net

Perth Amboy may become a hub of wind turbine industry

Perth Amboy officials are pursuing state help to turn a 100-acre waterfront site into a hub of wind turbine manufacturing, hoping to bring hundreds of green-energy jobs to the Middlesex County city.
A bill in the Assembly would expand a law that targets aid for a new port in Paulsboro, Gloucester County. Companies that set up wind energy facilities in Paulsboro can grab shares of up to $100 million in state tax credits.

The amendment would make other sites eligible for the tax breaks in support of offshore wind — including Perth Amboy, where green manufacturing companies would have easy access to major highways and rail lines as well as Newark Liberty International Airport, a city official said.  (Jordan, Gannett)

https://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20111127/NJNEWS1002/311270043/Perth-Amboy-may-become-a-hub-of-wind-turbine-industry
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>Medical pot growers face a new hurdle

>Medical pot growers face a new hurdle


It took years for advocates of medical marijuana to sell New Jersey lawmakers on the idea of allowing certain patients to legally use pot.

An even bigger task, some advocates are now finding, may be persuading towns to approve places for them to do business.

Eight months after being selected by the state, only two of six groups approved to grow and sell marijuana to qualifying patients have firm sites. Others have run into stiff local opposition, including in Burlington County.
Ken Wolski, executive director of the Coalition for Medical Marijuana of New Jersey, watched residents of Upper Freehold rally Tuesday against a proposed legal pot farm in their town.
“It struck me,” Wolski said, “as townsfolk with torches and pitchforks chasing them out of town.”  (Mulvihill, Associated Press)

https://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20111126_Medical_pot_growers_face_new_hurdle.html
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>Former N.J. State Police lieutenant picked to run medical marijuana program

>Former N.J. State Police lieutenant picked to run medical marijuana program


A retired State Police lieutenant was named today to run the state’s fledgling medical marijuana program that is expected to begin operating next year, Health and Senior Services Commissioner Mary O’Dowd announced.
John H. O’Brien Jr., a 26-year veteran and retired lieutenant of the New Jersey State Police, and “an expert in the use of FBI and New Jersey criminal history record systems,” will begin on Dec. 5, according to O’Dowd’s announcement.

John H. O’Brien Jr., a 26-year veteran and retired lieutenant of the New Jersey State Police, and “an expert in the use of FBI and New Jersey criminal history record systems,” will begin on Dec. 5, according to O’Dowd’s announcement.  (Livio, The Star-Ledger)

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/11/former_nj_state_police_lieuten.html