Marijuana proponents hold their breath on medical pot and legislation
As New Jerseyans wait to learn whether the state Senate will follow its peers in the Assembly to pass a bill to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, the first medical marijuana dispensary within New Jersey’s borders may be little more than a month away from opening. More than two years after former Gov. Jon Corzine signed the bill legalizing medical pot, the Greenleaf Compassion Center is preparing to open in Montclair in early September and is already growing the maximum three strains of grass in preparation for opening day. (Nurin, NJ Spotlight)
Physician group warns costs of digital records may threaten solo practices
While the New Jersey Health Information Technology Extension Center has reached a milestone in getting primary-care physicians to implement electronic health record systems, the head of a physicians group said increasing costs could halt further adoption in the state.
“For solo practitioners like me, the biggest obstacle is the cost and the amount of time you spend in implementing the system. It cost me about $30,000 of my personal earnings to do this, and for other groups it could be substantially larger,” said Dr. Salvatore Bernardo Jr., president of the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians. (Eder, NJBIZ)
Judges won’t have to pay more toward their pensions and benefits, despite a reform law
Judges won’t have to pay more toward their pensions and benefits, despite a reform law passed last year that was supposed to affect all state employees.
The state Supreme Court today ruled legislators can’t increase the amount judges pay toward their benefits, because doing so would violate a constitutional ban on cutting judicial salaries.
The constitutional prohibition is designed to insulate judges from retribution when they make politically unpopular decisions.
Tuesday’s decision upholds lower court rulings that exempted judges from the sweeping pension and benefit reforms signed into law by Gov. Chris Christie last year. (Kaltwasser, NJBIZ)
NSA whistleblowers: Government spying on every single American
Published: 25 July, 2012, 01:55
The TSA, DHS and countless other security agencies have been established to keep America safe from terrorist attacks in post-9/11 America. How far beyond that does the feds’ reach really go, though?
The attacks September 11, 2001, were instrumental in enabling the US government to establish counterterrorism agencies to prevent future tragedies. Some officials say that they haven’t stopped there, though, and are spying on everyone in America — all in the name of national security.
Testimonies delivered in recent weeks by former employees of the National Security Agency suggest that the US government is granting itself surveillance powers far beyond what most Americans consider the proper role of the federal government.
…STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT BERGEN…BRONX…FAIRFIELD… HUDSON…KINGS (BROOKLYN)…NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)…NORTHERN ESSEX… NORTHERN NASSAU…PASSAIC…QUEENS…ROCKLAND…SUFFOLK AND WESTCHESTER COUNTIES…
AT 843 AM EDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM OSSINING TO NANUET
TO RAMSEY TO 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WEST MILFORD…OR ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM OSSINING TO NANUET TO RAMSEY TO WEST MILFORD…AND
MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
UM Study: Sexting May Be Normal Dating Behavior For Internet Generation
ANN ARBOR — For young adults today who were weaned on iPods and the Internet, the practice of “sexting,” or sending sexually explicit photos or messages through phones, may be just another normal, healthy component of modern dating.
University of Michigan researchers looked at the sexting behavior of 3,447 men and women ages 18-24 and found that while sexting is very common, sexting isn’t associated with sexually risky behaviors or with psychological problems.
The findings contradict the public perception of sexting, which is often portrayed in the media and elsewhere as unsavory, deviant or even criminal behavior, said Jose Bauermeister, an assistant professor at the UM School of Public Health and co-principal investigator of the study.
Ridgewood, Paramus enter into shared services agreement for vehicle maintenance
WEDNESDAY JULY 25, 2012, 1:13 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
TOWN NEWS
The Ridgewood Village Council signed a one-year shared services agreement with Paramus, with village’s neighbor providing vehicle maintenance services on an as-needed basis.
The resolution earned unanimous support from council members and was passed via consent agenda last Wednesday; however, it did not go into the books without some uncertainty from the public.
Prior to the council’s vote, resident Boyd Loving questioned the resolution, particularly its necessity while considering that the village has a fully functional public works garage.
“My concern is that the taxpayers are paying for the operation of the village garage. It’s my belief that the village garage is supposed to be repairing all village-owned vehicles,” Loving told the council. “If the garage is staffed, they handle all of our vehicles. And if vehicles are being sent out for repair at another location, does that mean the staff at the garage can be reduced so taxpayers can realize some cost savings?
State certifies red-light cameras, ticketing likely to resume soon
Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday night said all of New Jersey’s red-light cameras have been certified, so towns may soon be able to resume issuing tickets for the devices that have quickly multiplied across the state.
Five weeks ago, the state suspended all but 22 of the 85 cameras in New Jersey after it was determined that the amber lights at those intersections might not have given motorists enough time to get through.
Tickets had not been issued for the red-light cameras in question while the DOT directed towns to conduct speed surveys at the intersections. The cameras photograph vehicles and their license plates when drivers run red lights. Tickets are then mailed to the vehicles’ owners. (Frassinelli and Portnoy, The Star-Ledger)
The state is considering cutting its funding for new energy efficiency and renewable energy projects almost in half, a consequence of the Legislature’s and Christie administration’s decision to divert hundreds of millions of dollars from New Jersey’s clean energy program.
In a draft proposal circulated by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities last week, the budget for the clean energy program would allocate $339 million in new spending, a sharp reduction from the $651 million proposed by the agency last December.
The cuts are a result of the diversion of money raised from gas and electric customers to help homeowners and businesses find ways to reduce their energy use, and promote the development of cleaner sources of producing electricity, primarily solar and wind. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
CBO to employers: Obamacare has $4B more in taxes than expected
July 24, 2012
Business owners will pay $4 billion more in taxes under President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA) than the Congressional Budget Office had previously expected.
“According to the updated estimates, the amount of deficit reduction from penalty payments and other effects on tax revenues under the ACA will be $5 billion more than previously estimated,” the CBO reported today. “That change primarily effects a $4 billion increase in collections from such payments by employers, a $1 billion increase in such payments by individuals, and an increase of less than $500 million in tax revenues stemming from a small reduction in employment-based coverage, which will lead to a larger share of total compensation taking the form of taxable wages and salaries and a smaller share taking the form of nontaxable health benefits.”
In short, CBO revised the Obamacare tax burden upward by $4 billion for businesses and $1 billion to $1.5 billion for individual workers.
Despite the ridiculous comments made by New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg Governor Christie reiterates again that it is not appropriate to try to politicize the tragedy in Colorado
Christie reiterates now isn’t the time to talk gun control, says Bloomberg should show ‘restraint’
Gov. Chris Christie reaffirmed his position that now is not the appropriate time to talk about gun laws in the state and nation.
The governor, speaking on 101.5 FM, said he would not be lured into a discussion on gun control in the immediate wake of the movie theatre massacre in Colorado that left 12 people dead and nearly 60 others injured.
Christie said “there’s plenty of time to debate the merits” of gun control, but it’s appropriate to “keep a respectful distance” by allowing families to first mourn the loss of their loved ones. (Arco, PolitickerNJ)
Gallup : Democratic Voting Enthusiasm Down Sharply From 2004, 2008 Republicans more enthusiastic than in 2008
by Jeffrey M. Jones
PRINCETON, NJ — Democrats are significantly less likely now (39%) than they were in the summers of 2004 and 2008 to say they are “more enthusiastic about voting than usual” in the coming presidential election. Republicans are more enthusiastic now than in 2008, and the same as in 2004.
Registration for the Ridgewood YMCA’s fall 2012 sessions opens Monday, August 6 at 8:30am. The 9 week session lasts from September 4 to November 4.
Available classes include parent-child classes, karate, tennis, soccer, basketball and more!
Brand-new programs are also included on the schedule, such as “Intro to Teen Strength and Wight Training”, an introductory class to strength and weight training for teens ages 13-18. A complete listing of the Ridgewood Y program offerings is available at www.ridgewoodymca.org.
Registration is available online at www.ridgewoodymca.org, in person at the Y, or by phone at 201.444.5600. Active membership is required to register.
The Ridgewood YMCA is located at 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450.
“Fart bag” Incident creates disturbance at Little Theater
July 25,2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog / Ridgewood Police Blotter
Normally we don’t report on Police Activity in the Village but we found the recent rash of summer silliness to good to pass up.
On July 19 2012 an Oradell resident reported that he had parked his vehicle at 1200 East Ridgewood Avenue. When he returned to his vehicle he observed a white male hitting the window of his vehicle. The window broke and a GPS was stolen. The matter is under investigation by the Ridgewood Detective Bureau. Well that sounds like serious police business .
On July 19 2012 at 9:20 PM patrol responded to Ridgewood High School on a disturbance in the Little Theater. During a play performance three juveniles entered the theater and set off “Fart Bags”, disrupting the play. The matter is under investigation by the Ridgewood Detective Bureau. Not sure if “Fart Bags” are serious jail time .
On July 20, 2012 three separate incidents of a white sedan driving past pedestrians and throwing eggs at them were reported. The matter is under investigation by the Ridgewood Detective Bureau. No mention as to whether the eggs were “free range ” on not.
On July 24 2012 at 11:30 PM Patrol responded to the area of Amsterdam Avenue on a report of juveniles damaging street signs. A search of the area was conducted and two juveniles that were involved in tearing the signs from the ground were located. The juveniles were released to the custody of their parents pending Family Court Action. Parents break out your check books
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
US Supreme Court health-care ruling will increase uninsured, budget office says
TUESDAY, JULY 24, 2012 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY JULY 24, 2012, 4:23 PM
BRIAN FALER
BLOOMBERG NEWS
THE RECORD
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court decision that threw out part of President Obama’s health-care overhaul will cut the law’s cost and leave more people uninsured, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
About 3 million fewer Americans will receive insurance coverage as a result of the court decision, which voided a provision to require states to expand Medicaid coverage for the poor, the nonpartisan agency said Tuesday. The cost of expanding coverage will shrink by $84 billion, CBO said.
It is the first official cost estimate of the court’s June 28 decision to uphold the 2010 law’s requirement that most Americans carry health insurance or pay a penalty.
