Perhaps the parents could take a little of it too. Too many excuses. Too many parents who would rather blame a teacher than hold a kid responsible. Of course I don’t mean to tar all parents with the same brush, but the numbers get worse each year. Little Jimmy cheated? Well then the test must have been too tough. He didn’t have enough time to study because of his four hour practice after school. His class load is too tough because he must impress that school with his course selection not his work. Kids need challenges, responsibilities and accountability if they are going to grow. But you push a kid to do better and you get resistance. It’s not just about the grades, it’s about the education too. The kids need to hear that from home as well as from school.
>VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL REGULAR PUBLIC MEETING
JUNE 8, 2011 8:00 P.M.
3300 – Amend Salary Ordinance for Management Personnel – Amends this salary ordinance to reflect that management personnel are receiving a 0% salary increase in 2010 and 2011. In addition, management personnel are eligible for an incentive increase of 0% – 4% over the two- year period, based on a performance evaluation, with one-half of the incentive increase being paid from January 1, 2010 and the other one-half of the incentive increase being paid from January 1, 2011.
3301 – Amend Salary Ordinance for Non-Union Personnel – Amends this salary ordinance to reflect that non-union personnel are receiving a 0% salary increase in 2010 and 2011. In addition, non- union personnel are eligible for an incentive increase of 0% – 4% over the two-year period, based on a performance evaluation, with one-half of the incentive increase being paid from January 1, 2010 and the other one-half of the incentive increase being paid from January 1, 2011.
In another indication of the fast-paced growth of New Jersey’s solar market, two of the state’s four electric utilities ranked in the top 10 nationally in adding solar power in the past year, according to a new survey. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
Sweeney to introduce bill to change pension, benefits system for N.J. public workers
Despite slim support from his party and unrest in the Assembly, State Senate President Stephen Sweeney said yesterday he would introduce a bill to overhaul health and pension benefits for the state’s 500,000 public employees and have lawmakers take it up next week.(Renshaw, The Star-Ledger)
>Village Council members unanimously pass a 7.39 percent tax hike
Spending plan to increase taxes in Ridgewood
THURSDAY, JUNE 9, 2011 BY KELLY EBBELS STAFF WRITER THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
With Village Council members unanimously passing a 7.39 percent tax hike on Wednesday, residents now have a complete look at their local taxes for this year: an average increase of $416, rounding out the total 2011 tax bill to an average of $15,510 per household.
The Village Council approved the restoration of $35,000 in funding for the Ridgewood Public Library. The library will still, however, have to close for nine Sundays and two Fridays this summer. The numbers are based on an average home value of $797,422, which has dipped by about $2,100 since last year.
Water Main Break Closes Linwood Avenue For Hours by Boyd Loving
A water main break occurred shortly before 7:00 PM this evening on Linwood Avenue near Sollas Court. Ridgewood Police and Emergency Services have Linwood Avenue blocked in both directions between Paramus Road and North Pleasant Avenue. The road is expected to remain closed for several hours as crews from Ridgewood Water repair the break. A large section of the roadway has collapsed and will need to be replaced. Ambulances have been directed to take alternate routes to reach The Valley Hospital’s emergency room.
During the summer months, water usage increases dramatically due to lawn irrigation. Water conservation is a fact of life and it is also the law. The State of New Jersey Department of Enviromental Protection requires that each community maintain a water conservation program.
Beginning May 1 and continuing through September 30 of each year, Stage I Water Restrictions are in effect.
Stage I (Normal): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days, as defined below. Irrigation using a hand-held hose shall be allowed at any time.
Stage II (Moderate): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days as defined below. Irrigation using a hand-held hose is allowed on any day except Monday.
Stage III (Moderate – Severe): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days as defined below. Manual sprinklers may be operated between the hours of 7:00 am to 9:00 am and 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Automatic in-ground sprinklers may be operated between the hours of 1:00 am to 4:00 am. Irrigation using a hand-held hose is allowed on any day except Monday. There shall be no irrigation of any kind allowed on Mondays.
Stage IV (Severe – Critical): Prohibits irrigation at any time. The Village Manager may under certain conditions allow irrigation using a hand-held hose.
Alternate Day Irrigation Defined Irrigation of properties with odd-numbered addresses shall be permitted on odd-numbered days, while irrigation of properties with even-numbered addresses shall be permited on even-numbered days.
>The Ridgewood Historical Society will host its first “Best Burger” Barbecue on Saturday June 11
The Ridgewood Historical Society will host its first “Best Burger” Barbecue on Saturday June 11 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Schoolhouse Museum.
For $7 a person, five Ridgewood restaurants will provide burger samples. The participating Ridgewood restaurants are:
The Daily Treat, 177 E. Ridgewood Avenue MacMurphy’s, 8 Godwin Avenue The Office, 32-34 Chestnut Street The Park West Tavern, 30 Oak Street Smith Brothers, 51 North Broad Street
There will be two judgings for this event – the “Best Burger” based upon the popular vote of participants, and the “Best Burger” as determined by a panel of judges.
The Judges for this event are Joy Hamburger, cookbook author and Curator of the Schoolhouse Museum; Keith Killion, Mayor of Ridgewood; Joan Groome, Executive Director, Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce; and Drew Nieporent, noted restaurateur and owner of the Tribeca Grill, NOBU and Corton.
NOTE: Only 200 tickets will be sold for this event. Tickets are priced at $7 a person, and can be purchased at the Schoolhouse Museum in Ridgewood on Thursdays and Saturdays from 1:00–3:00 p.m. and Sundays 2:00–4:00 p.m.
To purchase tickets by mail, send a request and self-addressed stamped envelope to The Schoolhouse Museum, 650 E. Glen Avenue Ridgewood, NJ 07450 (make checks payable to the Ridgewood Historical Society.)
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to sample some of the best burgers in Ridgewood! In addition to great burgers, there will be turn of the century games for children and live music.
The Schoolhouse Museum is open on Thursdays and Saturdays from 1:00–3:00 p.m. and Sundays from 2:00–4:00 p.m. We arrange group tours by appointment. For more information call the museum at 201-447-3242 or send us an e-mail.
>John Adams – “What do we mean by the American Revolution?”, Letter to H. Nile, February 13, 1818 by The Founders, Religion and Government on Thursday, June 9, 2011 at 6:35
“The American Revolution was not a common event. Its effects and consequences have already been awful over a great part of the globe. And when and where are they to cease? But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments of their duties and obligations. This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people, was the real American Revolution.”
Gov. Christie to unveil public-private school partnership plan
Gov. Chris Christie will announce legislation Thursday to create public-private partnerships to run some schools in New Jersey, three people with knowledge of the plan said tonight. (Megerian, The Star-Ledger)
New Jersey’s Republican governor and Democratic state Senate president reached a deal Wednesday on legislation that would make public employees pay more for pension and health benefits, but Assembly Democrats refused to go along, leaving the bill’s prospects in doubt. (Delli Santi and DeFalco, The Associated Press)
A year after announcing a major effort to privatize about 40 government services in order to save $210 million, the Christie administration is finishing up details on its two most significant deals to date: the transfer of operations of New Jersey Network (NJN) to outside management and the private leasing of the state’s two racetracks. (O’Dea, NJ Spotlight)
>Garrett Calls On GAO to Investigate SIPC, the Trustee and SEC’s Actions in Madoff Case
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2011 –
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, today called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the actions of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), the Trustee in the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, LLC (BLMIS), and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) involvement and oversight of this major liquidation.
“The SIPC Trustee in the Madoff case has been pursuing policies that are in direct conflict with the goals of protecting investors, maintaining fair, orderly and efficient markets, and facilitating capital formation. These goals, of course, are the central mission of the SEC, which supposedly supervises SIPC, but has been asleep at the switch.
“The Trustee’s actions are also inconsistent with SIPA, which is why we introduced H.R. 757, the Equitable Treatment of Investors Act – to ensure the law is followed as it was intended to be.
“The SEC Inspector General has raised questions concerning the SEC’s oversight of trustee and attorney’s fees in the Madoff liquidation. There are also major concerns regarding the Trustee’s actions in regards to fairness to defrauded innocent investors as well as their impact on the U.S. taxpayer. Since the SEC has informed its Inspector General that a near-term inspection of SIPC is unlikely, we, on a bipartisan basis, have turned to the GAO to undertake a comprehensive evaluation.”
Garrett was joined in his request by Chairman Peter King (R-NY), Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), all of whom are cosponsors of H.R. 757, the Equitable Treatment of Investors Act. Correspondence between the Subcommittee and SIPC, which is referenced in the GAO letter, are attached.
>CNN Poll: Obama approval rating drops as fears of depression rise
By: CNN Political Unit
(CNN) – President Barack Obama’s overall approval rating has dropped below 50 percent as a growing number of Americans worry that the U.S. is likely to slip into another Great Depression within the next 12 months, according to a new national poll.
>57% of Likely U.S. Voters see the president as more liberal than they are
Most voters still believe President Obama is more liberal than they are, while just one-out-of-four say they share the same ideological views as the president.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 54% of Likely U.S. Voters think Obama is more ideologically liberal than they are, while only 13% view him as more conservative. Twenty-four percent (24%) say their political views are about the same as the president’s. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
The number who see the president as more liberal than they are stayed at 57% in three-out-of-four previous surveys conducted since August of last year. That number climbed to 61% in late February. The number who view the president as more conservative ranged from nine percent (9%) to 12% in that same period.
