>the Ridgewood Blog had 5325 Independent host visits and received 12055 hits, from Tuesday, May 1, 2007 to Thursday, May 31, 2007 thank you again for all your support.
>We remain the number 1 Local News site in New Jersey
14 thoughts on “>We remain the number 1 Local News site in New Jersey”
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>Local new site is a big stretch. More like gossip/editorial column.
Merriam-Webster definition of a blog: a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer.
>Local new site is a big stretch. More like gossip/editorial column.
its looks like over 5000 people think you’re wrong
>Sorry but you and your buddies do not determine what is news and what isn’t any more, but it’s nice to know you know how to use the dictionary
>well it was NEWS to me that the schools were teahcing my kids math with sock puppets…
>it was news to me that Brooks is on TERC’s payroll
>It was news to me that someone is trying to make at least $600K off the Village from flipping the former Town Garage property.
>it was news to me the village idiot was a patriot ?
>It was news to me that the proposed new parking garage is not for the better of the town ,but for NJT
>Plainview is enjoying the blog also – especially the materials about math and Brooks.
>I believe the word “news” was used in generic form, as in providing information.
One certainly wouldn’t find the above referenced informantion in the “Ridgewood News,” now would we?
This site is like the NY Post, as the Ridgewood News is to the NY Times.
Someone has to keep them honest, afterall the Ridgewood News is controlled by the real estate companies, who also happen to control the BOE and Village Council.
So, you wont find an idependent source of “news” from the Ridgewood News, leaving only this blog for an alternative to the propaganda peddled by Susan Sherrill and company.
>Local new site is a big stretch. More like gossip/editorial column.
Gossip is defined as “easy, fluent, trivial talk.” I find little on this blog trivial. Instead it is hugely informative. Is the quality of education our children are recieving trivial?
The “news” you read in most newspapers are the result of information fed to editors and reporters by publicists and public relations executives. You must not have any idea how the news media operate and what constitutes “news” within that discipline.
Your ignorance is showing.
>Thanks PJ! Someone has to give us the truth!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks again!!!
>I would like more coverage on whats going on over at the emerald palace. I hear they are putting out bids to put a marina in the parking lot??
>Opponents say Bigger isn’t better.
Ridgewood News Article June 8 – A Response!
An article that appeared in the Ridgewood News on June 8, 2007 misrepresented the position of the Concerned Citizens of Ridgewood. The article’s author spoke to residents then invited the hospital’s paid staff to provide detailed response to each comment – effectively giving Valley Hospital the “last say” and setting the tone of the story and twisting the facts.
Below is a detailed response to the “points” raised in the article.
– The Concerned Citizens of Ridgewood.
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Point One
Article: “The hospital feels that unless the Village relaxes its zoning specifications, Valley will continue to lack space for diagnostic…services”.
Response: Valley hospital’s own mission statement states, “The Valley Hospital serves the community by healing and caring for patients, comforting their families and teaching good health“.
Valley Hospital has lost sight of its own mission. It currently has over 430 licensed beds; far greater than required to service the needs of Ridgewood and the adjoining local communities. A number of government and private studies have shown that there is already an oversupply of beds in Bergen County. Valley should return to its original mission and focus on the community where it is located. If more space is required for equipment and it can not work within the confines of its current footprint, then it should reduce the number of beds to make room.
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Point Two
Article: “Those opposed to Valley’s expansion…contends…a small community does not need state-of-the-art technology to provide excellent service.”
Response: This is simply WRONG. What the Concerned Citizens of Ridgewood contend is that expanding the hospital to allow it to upgrade all 430 beds will make the hospital too big. A plan that is focused on modernizing the hospital within its current size limits is more appropriate for the Village.
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Point Three
Article: “The pollution will not be a problem. They … had … meetings with schools…will put up vibration monitors…install barriers for sound …monitor air quality…put up mesh…to stop dust and dirt particles.”
Response: Anyone who has walked past a building site in New York City knows that, despite efforts to contain dust and sound within the site, much of it spills over into the surrounding area. The main conduit of sound is the ground and during the last expansion of the Hospital in 1998, they paid compensation to homes that were cracked and damaged by the vibrations due to construction. Building sites in the city are surrounded by thick plywood barriers to a height of 10’ – yet the noise heard on the sidewalk is often still so loud that children can be seen putting their hands over their ears. Can you imagine how loud the construction will sound in quiet Ridgewood which does not have the noisy city as background noise?
Vibration monitors and air monitors will not stop noise and pollution leaving the site – they just help Valley defend law suits that might result later from health effects.
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Point Four
Article: “I think that they [Valley] is approaching it in the right way…”
Response: If Valley Hospital felt that their message was good enough to be supported by the majority of the community, then why did they choose to focus their efforts on working on ordinance and zoning changes rather then successfully engaging the community?
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Point Five
Article: “Valley’s people contend that since its proposal will not add any more beds…”
Response: During the Planning Board meeting on May 1st, one of the board members pointed out to Valley, that its own study stated that the number of beds was expected to rise from 435 to 464.
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Point Six
Article: “due to…technological advances, Valley will need 14’ per floor…”
Response: At the May 1st planning board, Valley was questioned on the height details and they conceded that the expected height of the proposed structure was 80’. (The height of a 6 storey residential high rise). The 24’ of services on the top of each building is planned to cover 80% of the entire roof space and so is really almost an additional two storeys.
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Point Seven
Article: “We should want Valley to expand to meet the needs of our community”
Response: We want Valley to conform to the needs of the community.
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Point Eight
Article: “I think we have tried to communicate the expansion in every way, shape and form… Meyers”.
Response: Valley has failed to explain to the public their expansion plans, because 90% of the people we polled said that they had no idea about the expansion. Some said they heard that Valley was planning to make a few improvements, but was unaware of the scale and the impact on the Village. In our poll only a few people knew of proposed Village master plan change.
Other than idealistic “artists impression” drawings, Valley has still to produce the precise details of its plans. They even stated to the planning board on May 1st, “The Hospital will not be bound by any models, plans or drawings…”
In other words, the hospital wants the village to give them the legal freedom to do what they want today and in the future.
Missing Items
The Ridgewood News article failed to cover the main issue regarding the proposed Village Master Plan changes.
In the words of Chuck Collins the attorney for the hospital, the reason they what the master plan changed is to: “support…ongoing and favorable zoning ordinance amendments over the years.”
This means: we have not seen the last of this. If the master plan is changed, then Valley will want to continue to change ordinances that limit setbacks, building height etc to build even bigger structures.