Free lawn renovation workshop scheduled
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2012
GLEN ROCK GAZETTE
Midland Park-based R&S Landscaping will host a free lawn renovation seminar at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12, at Backyard Living, located at 235 Franklin Ave. in Ridgewood.
The 90-minutes workshop will explore the best practices for revitalizing a lawn after the stress of the summer drought and heat. It is designed for homeowners who like to spend time in their yards; specifically those who want to use natural practices to improve the health and appearance of their property.
Rocky Bilyeu, maintenance division manager at R&S, will discuss the contrast between traditional methods and exploring the popular use of safe, all-natural soil rejuvenation through applications of compost and compost tea.
To reserve a space, call R&S at 201-447-6205.
For more information about R&S Landscaping, visit www.rscape.com.
Oscar Rivera, second from left, received surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm at The Valley Hospital though the Teaneck Rotary’s Gift of Life program. From left to right: Mariano Brizzio, M.D., Cardiac Surgeon, The Valley Columbia Heart Center; Mr. Rivera; Claudia Rivera; Paul Platek, Host Father; Carmen Platek, Host Mother; and Raymond Hough, The Gift of Life Committee Chair.
Oscar Rivera of Honduras Receives “Gift of Life” at The Valley Hospital
September 6 ,2012
Valley hospital
Ridgewood NJ, At age 34, Oscar Rivera was well acquainted with physical challenges. Born prematurely with severe congenital defects, he had endured several surgeries over the years to correct potentially life-threatening disorders. But nothing had prepared him for the news that he had a serious and complicated heart abnormality that could prove fatal if not immediately corrected. One day, while working at his job as a teacher in his home town of Comayagua, Honduras, Oscar lost consciousness going up some stairs. At the urging of his wife, Claudia, he went to his local doctor, who immediately sent him to a specialist in Honduras’ capitol city of Tegucigalpa. After several extensive tests, Oscar received the diagnosis: he had a large aortic aneurism and a faulty aortic valve, both of which needed to be repaired immediately. Without the surgery he would have two to three weeks at most to live.
Because the cost of the needed surgery was prohibitive and not covered by his insurance, Oscar returned home fearing the worst. Little did he know that life would soon begin to orchestrate several small miracles that, within a few short weeks would lead to the ultimate gift of a new lease on life. While he pondered his options, Oscar’s students and fellow teachers got busy raising funds in the hope that someone would be willing to take on his case. At the same time, Oscar’s brother searched the Internet for possible sponsors for his treatment. By chance he found the website of Cardio Start, a voluntary organization of cardiac surgeons who provide lifesaving surgery for patients in third world countries, and gave them Oscar’s grave prognosis. In another piece of luck, the information was forwarded to Mariano E. Brizzio, M.D., a cardiac surgeon at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey, who had recently arranged for several third world heart patients to receive their surgeries free of charge at Valley. Upon seeing the urgency of the case, he determined to do the same for Oscar.
Against all odds, the pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place and a picture of hope began to emerge. Dr. Brizzio arranged for Oscar to be sponsored by the Rotary Club’s Gift of Life program, which donates funds to hospitals willing to provide life-saving surgery for patients who cannot afford it. Although the program was created for children, the organization was willing to take on Oscar’s case. The Rotary Club also provided Oscar with a Spanish-speaking host family, Carmen and Paul Platek of Teaneck, who have been active Rotarians for many years. In terms of the surgery itself, Valley Hospital agreed to donate the medical services required for Oscar’s surgery.
On July 5, Oscar and his wife arrived at Newark International Airport, tired, speaking very little English, and not knowing what to expect. By the following Monday, Oscar was wheeled into surgery where his heart was successfully repaired by Dr. Brizzio. That same week, Dr. Brizzio was honored with The Rotary Club’s Gift of Life “Humanitarian Award” at Season’s restaurant in Washington Township.
Today Oscar is on his way to a full recovery and a bright future. He and Claudia are looking forward to returning home to rejoin their 4-year-old son, Oscar, Jr., and the many friends and supporters who helped set this miracle in motion. When asked about how this experience has changed his view on life, Oscar replied, “I feel like I have been born again, that I have a purpose, and I feel blessed that so many people worked so hard to make this possible for me.” Dr. Brizzio is hoping to create a foundation that would fund similar surgeries for adult third world patients in the U.S.
For more information about The Rotary’s Gift of Life program, call 201-689-6000. For more information about Valley’s cardiac surgery program, please call 201-447-8377.
The rise of home expansions
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2012
BY DONNA ROLANDO
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD NEWS
THE RECORD
It cannot be said that Rich and Bernadette Galli of Washington Township rushed into anything. Even after realizing they needed a house that could grow as their children grew – and a home office with solitude – the Gallis spent roughly two years combing the real-estate market before deciding to stay put.
The architect William J. Martin, above, in new storage space created from his plan for the Gallis, who enjoy the veranda of their recently expanded home in Washington Township.
They chose the same address – on Robinwood Road — but not the status quo, joining a rising number of homeowners who have decided to expand or renovate.
“Last fall we saw things turning around,” said their architect, William J. Martin of Westwood.
Because economies of scale — making bigger projects more cost-effective — it’s common today for renovation work to mean expansion, Martin said.
“I’ve been busier than I’ve ever been,” said one Mahwah builder, Ed McCauley, and it’s renovations – not new construction – that are filling his calendar with work, partly a product of the real estate slump.
“I don’t think people were so quick to take losses [in equity],” he said. “It motivates them to stay put.”
A poll by the American Institute of Architects reflects a nationwide reversal in the six-year trend toward smaller home sizes. While the change is evident in custom and luxury homes, the AIA expects that “the strongest sector will continue to be improvements to existing homes.”
Stephen Melman, director of economic services for the National Association of Builders, said homeowners are starting to go beyond recession-based maintenance and repair, “back to the way things used to be” for renovations.
Severe thunderstorms with Freak Tornado Warnings Wreck Havoc in North Jersey
September 9 2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ ,Rare tornado warnings were issued yesterday after severe weather hit the tri-state area on Saturday knocking down trees ,creating flooding and damaging power lines.
Tornado watches in this part of the country are fairly uncommon, but a tornado warning coupled with a more urgent advisory to seek shelter because of existing tornadic weather conditions is very unusual. There were no actual tornados reported in Northern Jersey, although several were reported elsewhere in the New York tri-state region.
Overcast sky’s , damaging rains and heavy winds were all in play here for much of the day and the fast moving line of storms packed a punch, though fortunately less than originally feared.
Over 10,000 PSE&G customers in New Jersey were left without power, with a concentration in Passaic, Essex and Bergen counties with the Village of Ridgewood among areas that sustained the most damage, with trees and wires down in a dozen locations.
NJ Transit reported that two trains were delayed just after 6 p.m. when a tree branch fell across a track in Glen Rock, with a handful of passengers on both east- and west-bound trains disembarking and boarded trains on an another track while workers spent about 45 minutes clearing away the tree.
The quick-changing weather also affected many outdoor events, forcing a storm delay in a college football game at MetLife Stadium and delaying the men’s semifinals and causing the women’s singles finals to be rescheduled for today at the U.S.
Eastwood says his convention appearance was ‘mission accomplished’
By PAUL MILLER
Published: September 7, 2012
AFTER A week as topic No. 1 in American politics, former Carmel Mayor Clint Eastwood said the outpouring of criticism from left-wing reporters and liberal politicians after his appearance at the Republican National Convention last Thursday night, followed by an avalanche of support on Twitter and in the blogosphere, is all the proof anybody needs that his 12-minute discourse achieved exactly what he intended it to.
“President Obama is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American people,” Eastwood told The Pine Cone this week. “Romney and Ryan would do a much better job running the country, and that’s what everybody needs to know. I may have irritated a lot of the lefties, but I was aiming for people in the middle.”
Breaking his silence
For five days after he thrilled or horrified the nation by talking to an empty chair representing Obama on the night Mitt Romney accepted the Republican nomination for president, Eastwood remained silent while pundits and critics debated whether his remarks, and the rambling way he made them, had helped or hurt Romney’s chances of winning in November.
But in a wide-ranging interview with The Pine Cone Tuesday from his home in Pebble Beach, he said he had conveyed the messages he wanted to convey, and that the spontaneous nature of his presentation was intentional, too.
“I had three points I wanted to make,” Eastwood said. “That not everybody in Hollywood is on the left, that Obama has broken a lot of the promises he made when he took office, and that the people should feel free to get rid of any politician who’s not doing a good job. But I didn’t make up my mind exactly what I was going to say until I said it.”
Eastwood’s appearance at the convention came after a personal request from Romney in August, soon after Eastwood endorsed the former Massachusetts governor at a fundraiser in Sun Valley, Idaho. But it was finalized only in the last week before the convention, along with an agreement to build suspense by keeping it secret until the last moment.
Meanwhile, Romney’s campaign aides asked for details about what Eastwood would say to the convention.
“They vet most of the people, but I told them, ‘You can’t do that with me, because I don’t know what I’m going to say,’” Eastwood recalled.
And while the Hollywood superstar has plenty of experience being adored by crowds, he said he hasn’t given a lot of speeches and admitted that, “I really don’t know how to.” He also hates using a teleprompter, so it was settled in his mind that when he spoke to the 10,000 people in the convention hall, and the millions more watching on television, he would do it extemporaneously.
“It was supposed to be a contrast with all the scripted speeches, because I’m Joe Citizen,” Eastwood said. “I’m a movie maker, but I have the same feelings as the average guy out there.”
Eastwood is a liberal on social issues such as gay marriage and abortion, but he has strongly conservative opinions about the colossal national debt that has accumulated while Obama has been president, his failure to get unemployment below 6 percent, and a host of other economic issues.
“Even people on the liberal side are starting to worry about going off a fiscal cliff,” Eastwood said.
BULLETIN – EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
516 PM EDT SAT SEP 8 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON NY HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR…
NORTHERN BERGEN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY…
ROCKLAND COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK…
* UNTIL 545 PM EDT…
* AT 514 PM EDT…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES WEST OF
RIDGEWOOD…OR NEAR WAYNE…MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
RAMSEY…MONSEY…PEARL RIVER…NANUET…TAPPAN…ORANGEBURG…NEW
CITY…UPPER NYACK…NYACK AND HAVERSTRAW
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR…IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND…OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM…MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING…DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.
Romney, Obama, & Simpson-Bowles: Comparing the Tax Plans
Reform Target Should be Simple Code that Treats All Taxpayers Equally
Washington, DC, September 6, 2012—Among the tax reform plans of the major presidential candidates, Mitt Romney’s proposal to lower rates and eliminate credits and deductions comes far closer than that of President Obama to the widely-praised and bipartisan framework of the Simpson-Bowles tax reform commission, according to a new analysis from the Tax Foundation.
The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, co-chaired by Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, was established by President Obama in 2010 as a bipartisan effort to rein in the national debt. The Commission’s final report included recommendations for dramatic reform, including eliminating tax expenditures across the board and cutting the top marginal tax rate to as low as 23%, down from President Obama’s favored top rate of almost 40%.
“Politics is the art of the possible and Simpson-Bowles shows us what was almost possible in 2010,” said Tax Foundation Chief Economist William McBride. “On the plus side, Simpson-Bowles shows us how significant revenue can be raised by lowering tax rates and eliminating tax expenditures. However, its major failing is that it raises taxes on investment, which would raise no additional revenue and only exacerbate the current anti-saving, anti-investing bias in the tax code.”
Mitt Romney’s plan aims for a Simpson-Bowles style reform, with lower rates and fewer tax expenditures, but without additional penalties on saving and investing. The top rate on personal income would be 28% and the bottom rate would be 8%, making the rate structure more progressive than under Simpson-Bowles. In terms of tax expenditures and simplification, Romney has said he would target credits and deductions for “people at the high end” while preserving some preferences targeted at the middle-class such as deductions for mortgage interest and charitable giving.
President Obama’s tax plan, however, is largely at odds with any commonly held notion of tax reform, including Simpson-Bowles. It would result in dramatically higher tax rates, on the order of 50% to 90% higher than the Simpson-Bowles rates on personal income and investment income. While the president has voiced support for eliminating tax expenditures, his specific proposals tend to add more than are taken away, although he has proposed limiting them for high-income earners. Not only does this fail to simplify the tax code, it fails to spur the economy, ultimately resulting in insufficient tax revenue and perpetual deficits.
Real tax reform would produce a tax code that is simple and treats all taxpayers equally. It would also treat all consumption equally, whether that consumption occurs now or, as a result of saving, later. This would best be accomplished by lowering tax rates on saving and investment to match the current zero tax rate on consumption.
Tax Foundation Fiscal Fact No. 327, “Romney, Obama, & Simpson-Bowles: How Do the Tax Reform Plans Stack Up?” by William McBride, is available online.
The Tax Foundation is a nonpartisan research organization that has monitored fiscal policy at the federal, state and local levels since 1937. To schedule an interview, please contact Richard Morrison, the Tax Foundation’s Manager of Communications, at 202-464-5102 or morrison@taxfoundation.org.
FACT CHECK: Have 4.5 Million New Jobs Been Created Under Obama?
Lachlan MarkaySeptember 6, 2012 at 2:31 pm
It’s no secret that employment is the top concern for Americans. It stands to reason, then, that politicians will be hyping their proposals for job creation, and touting their respective records on that front.
This week in Charlotte, NC, a number of speakers — including the keynote, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro — touted job growth under President Obama by citing what seems like an impressive figure: “Despite incredible odds and united Republican opposition, our president took action, and now we’ve seen 4.5 million new jobs,” Castro said.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former White House chief of staff, cited the same number. “Our economy has gone from losing 800,000 jobs a month, to adding 4.5 million private-sector jobs in the last 29 months,” Emanuel claimed.
Both statements are misleading, though Emanuel’s is more factually grounded than Castro’s. The Chicago mayor is correct, but his decision to focus only on the last 29 months is a deliberate attempt to inflate the president’s record on job creation. Castro’s statement, which did not include a time frame, is even more misleading.
Under President Obama, the U.S. economy has created a net 415,000 private-sector jobs – less than 0.2% of the 155 million-member American workforce. Castro and Emanuel chose the window that they did — beginning in January 2010 — in order to maximize the apparent job growth under Obama.
TSA Kicks Woman Off Flight For Bad Attitude, wow are we in trouble
Screener admits move was retaliatory and had nothing to do with security
TSA continues Harassment Policy of american citizens
Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars.com
Friday, September 7, 2012
A TSA screener admitted to a woman traveling through Houston Airport that she was prevented from boarding her flight for retaliatory reasons as punishment for a bad attitude rather than any genuine security threat, after the woman refused to allow TSA agents to test her drink for explosives.
The audio and video in the clip above is scratchy, but the woman is heard saying, “Let me get this straight, this is retaliatory for my attitude, this is not making the airways safer it’s retaliatory.”
“It pretty much definitely is,” the TSA screener responds.
The incident began when the woman refused to allow TSA agents to carry out a controversial policy where they test drinks for explosives that are purchased by passengers after they have already passed through security.
“This was inside the terminal at the Houston airport,” the woman writes on her You Tube channel. “I was not allowed to board a plane (even though I had already been through airport security) because I drank my water instead of letting the TSA “test” it. The TSA agent finally admitted that it wasn’t because they thought I was a security risk – it was because they were mad at me!”
White House to miss deadline for report on ‘fiscal cliff’ budget cuts
By Erik Wasson – 09/07/12 01:37 PM ET
The White House on Friday said it will miss the legal deadline for delivering a report to Congress on the spending cuts from sequestration that are scheduled to take effect in 2013.
Spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on Air Force One that the report will be coming next week.
Under the terms of the Sequestration Transparency Act signed in August, President Obama was to tell Congress by Friday how the administration plans to implement the $109 billion in automatic cuts mandated by the Budget Control Act.
The Office of Management and Budget has repeatedly failed to make legal deadlines. It delivered its presidential budget proposals and mid-session updates late both this year and last year.
New Jersey Reports First death related to West Nile Virus Death
September 8, 2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Health officials in New Jersey are confirming the first case of a death related to the West Nile virus. Authorities say an elderly Burlington County man died earlier this week after being hospitalized on August 26th.
According to CBS news, the man developed symptoms of fever, weakness, and respiratory distress on August 20th, and was hospitalized nearly a week later. He remained hospitalized till his death. ( https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2012/09/07/new-jersey-reports-first-west-nile-virus-death-in-burlington-county/ )
This is the first time a West Nile virus-related death has been reported in New Jersey since 2010, when two people died and the state reported 30 confirmed cases.
To date, more than half of the counties in New Jersey have reported at least one confirmed case of West Nile virus. Ocean County has the most confirmed cases in the state, with three.
The elderly and people with a weakened immune system are most at risk of developing serious health complications related to West Nile Virus .
It is recommended that anyone in these two groups should take extra precautions against mosquito bites, such as wearing long-sleeved shirts, using repellent, and eliminating pools of standing water around the home, which are prime breeding grounds for mosquitos.
Stage II Water Restrictions Lifted by Ridgewood Water
September 7, 2012
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Village Manager Kenneth A. Gabbert announced today that Ridgewood Water Utility Stage II water restrictions, which mandate limitations of outdoor irrigation to alternate odd-even days, are being lifted as of September 7, 2012.
The Stage II water restrictions were mandated July 10, 2012 in order to envoke conservation measures and curtail water usage, keeping average pumping demands at a safe level. The purpose of this initiative was to reasonably limit water usage on a daily basis so as to avoid the high peak usage surges encountered in previous years when irrigation bans were put into effect. The early implementation of the restrictions have proven to be an effective conservation measure while allowing regular watering and maintenance of properties.
Washington, D.C., September 4, 2012—The federal estate tax, temporarily reduced to zero as recently as 2010 but now set to increase dramatically in the coming year, is a failure by even the most generous standards and should be permanently eliminated, according to a new analysis from the Tax Foundation.
“The estate tax fails to raise significant revenue and reduce inequality, causes serious damage to capital accumulation by reducing savings, and also has high compliance costs,” said Tax Foundation economist Scott Drenkard. “Its repeal would increase economic growth and some studies even find that it would raise tax revenues.”
A recent study issued by the Republican staff of Congress’ Joint Economic Committee detailed many of the failings of the estate tax, calling for either a significant reform or outright repeal of the estate tax. The report, which referenced four separate Tax Foundation studies and testimonies, reached similar conclusions to those which Tax Foundation analysts have reached with regard to the estate tax.
This new analysis, however, strengthens the case for repeal with additional evidence of the compliance burdens inherent to the estate tax. These costs are larger than is often understood, so much so that tax revenue is likely to actually increase upon repeal in the coming years.
Research has indicated that income and capital gains tax revenues will increase significantly if the estate tax is repealed even without an increase in economic growth. Several articles have found that repeal would be revenue neutral over all, or even revenue positive, over a 10 year period if both the tax changes and economic growth are considered together.
Tax Foundation Fiscal Fact No. 326, “The Estate Tax: Even Worse than Joint Economic Committee Republicans Say” by Scott Drenkard and David Block, is available online.
The Tax Foundation is a nonpartisan research organization that has monitored fiscal policy at the federal, state and local levels since 1937. To schedule an interview, please contact Richard Morrison, the Tax Foundation’s Manager of Communications, at 202-464-5102 or morrison@taxfoundation.org.
YWCA Before and After School Programs operate each day during the school year at Hawes, Orchard, Somerville, Ridge, Somerville, and Willard
Schools. Children enjoy healthy snacks, participate in games, art projects and outdoor play, and are given time do homework. The YWCA staffs each school with a Site Supervisor and Recreation Counselors who are ready and waiting before the dismissal bell rings. Children may enroll at any time during the school year. Financial assistance is available to income-eligible families.
YWCA Before and After School Programs are licensed by the State of New Jersey, Department of Children & Families. Before School Program hours: 7:15 a.m. – first bell of school After School Program hours: dismissal time until 7 p.m. Onsite programs offered at: For information call 201-444-5600, ext. 352, or for a registration form visit www.ywcabergencounty.org.
The Ridgewood Soccer Association (RSA) is now registering for Fall Kinderkickers
The Ridgewood Soccer Association (RSA) is now registering for Fall Kinderkickers, open to boys and girls who are 4-5 years old in preschool and kindergarten. Registration takes place through the RSA website at www.ridgewoodsoccer.org.
RSA late-fee registration for fall soccer is still in progress. Programs include in-town for Grades 1-4 and travel for Grades 5-12 (players in Grades 9-12 are eligible to play on a co-ed Division 2 team). Also available are a special needs program for 6-14 year-olds
and Fall Kinderkickers for 4 and 5 year-olds in preschool and kindergarten. For full details and access to the online registration system, visit www.ridgewoodsoccer.org. Address questions to registrar@ridgewoodsoccer.org. Visit the new RSA store at www.fieldhouse.com/rsa for official
RSA attire; all purchases help support the Ridgewood Soccer Association.
