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>Movin’ on out: More New Jersey residents opting to flee

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Movin’ on out: More New Jersey residents opting to flee

Many people may be leaving Las Vegas these days, but many more have been exiting New Jersey.
An annual study released Wednesday by United Van Lines — the nation’s largest moving company — shows that Garden Staters are moving out at a high rate. New Jersey and Illinois are tied for the largest outbound migration, with 60.5 percent of those moves involving people heading out.

“This is certainly not the kind of list we want to be at the top of,” said state Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney of Gloucester County.  (Cooney, Gannett)
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>Redistricting Commission : Garrett and Rothman look like odd men out

>Redistricting Commission : Garrett and Rothman look like odd men out


New Jersey’s Congressional Redistricting Commission will wrap up its new map before Christmas, and it’s beginning to look like Congressmen Steve Rothman (D-9) and Scott Garrett (R-5) will be the two getting coal in their stockings.

While the commission continued to meet behind closed doors last night, all indications are that Rothman, an early supporter of President Obama in his 2008 primary campaign against Hillary Clinton, will be facing off against Garrett, the most conservative member of New Jersey’s House delegation, in a matchup of incumbents in a redrawn district stretching across the state’s northern border.  (Magyar, NJ Spotlight)

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>New Jersey American Water seeking a 15 percent rate hike

>New Jersey American Water seeking a 15 percent rate hike


New Jersey American Water is seeking an average 15 percent rate increase for 2012, prompting one local official to call the request “obscene.”

The Voorhees-based company, which has 640,000 customers in 188 municipalities in South Jersey and across the state, says it needs the increase to help pay for the more than $300 million it has invested in infrastructure this year.

Burlington County Freeholder Director Bruce Garganio is calling on officials of other counties and mayors to join forces to fight the proposal.  (Helfer, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
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>Board of Education Trustee screening deadline nears

>Board of Education Trustee screening deadline nears
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2011  
BY ALLISON PRIES
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

The state Department of Education mailed notices to 465 school board members and charter school trustees last week to remind them of the Dec. 31 deadline to have their criminal histories checked.

If they don’t comply with the new law by next week their “membership on the board must immediately cease,” according to the Education Department.

A state law signed in May by Governor Christie requires the people who make decisions on local school policies and spending to be fingerprinted and have their backgrounds studied for any criminal offenses. School board members who fail the screening are barred from serving. Disqualifying crimes include murder, robbery, luring of a child, assault and drug possession or distribution.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/136052173_Trustee_screening_deadline_near.html

By the numbers
Public boards of education

Number of school board members: 4,707
Number who have completed the screening: 3,797
Number who are in the process of being screened: 89
Number who have been disqualified: 9
Charter schools

Number of school trustees: 231
Number who have completed the screening: 218
Number who have been disqualified: 4
Source: New Jersey Department of Education
Nine board of education members — including one from Ringwood — and four trustees were forced to step down, according to data from the state.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/136052173_Trustee_screening_deadline_near.html

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>Ridgewood Christmas Tree Lighting 2011

>Ridgewood Tree Lighting 2011
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce is involved in many events throughout the year. https://www.ridgewoodchamber.com/events/gallery.php

The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary organization of individuals, businesses, professionals and organizations dedicated to advancing the commercial, professional, civic and general interests of our community.

The Chamber Office is now located in the heart of the Central Business District. Most members are able to walk to the office when in need of assistance, have a meeting in the Chamber Office, and/or be part of an event. Please stop by and visit our new office at 27 Chestnut Street (take elevator the 1st floor).

For more information about the Chamber, please call 201.445.2600 or email [email protected].

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>Medicaid changes on track to revamp long-term care

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Medicaid changes on track to revamp long-term care
New Jersey’s efforts to revamp Medicaid are on track, according to the governor’s policy advisors who spoke Tuesday at a conference presented by the Common Sense Institute of New Jersey, a public policy think tank.
New Jersey is seeking sweeping changes to the $11 billion state and federal Medicaid program, which provides healthcare to about 1.3 million low-income residents.
In its “comprehensive Medicaid waiver” submitted in September, New Jersey seeks to provide more care to the elderly and the developmentally disabled at home and in the community rather than in nursing homes and other residential institutions.  (Fitzgerald, NJ Spotlight)
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>N.J. personal income growth was weak in third quarter

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N.J. personal income growth was weak in third quarter

Personal income of New Jersey residents grew by 0.1 percent from July through September — a weakening of the pace from the previous two quarters, according to federal statistics.

The state matched the national growth rate for the third quarter, according to a U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis report released today. Personal income in New Jersey had grown by 0.8 percent in the second quarter and 2.3 percent in the first quarter.

While the largest component of personal income — wages — grew in the quarter, this was offset by a decline in transfer payments like unemployment insurance and Social Security. Wages increased by 0.4 percent, while transfer payments fell by 0.6 percent.  (Kitchenman, NJBIZ)

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>Far left Rothman looks to blame Tea Party Republicans for failure of 2 month extension on payroll tax break

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Far left Rothman looks to blame Tea Party Republicans for failure of 2 month extension on payroll tax break

With buzz building out of Heldrich negotiations concerning the possibility of a redistricting-induced matchup between U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman (D-9) and U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-5), Rothman went into vigorous campaign mode, emphasizing his opposition to the Tea Party wing of the GOP.

That happens to be the Garrett wing of the party.

Rothman voted against the House Republicans’ rejection of the bipartisan Senate compromise on the payroll tax cut.  (Staff, PolitickerNJ)

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>Who rules in Trenton? Apparently, ‘Seinfeld’

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Who rules in Trenton?  Apparently, ‘Seinfeld’

Were Thursday’s legislative sessions really all about nothing?

In a preemptive strike on Thursday morning, Republican leaders in the Assembly and Senate sent out statements indicating their displeasure with what was not on the board list for voting that day.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr., R-Union, and Assembly Minority Leader Alex DeCroce, R-Morris, said the nearly 100 bills up for vote in the Senate and Assembly did not contain action on the major issues of the day — sick-leave and civil service reform among them. They called the gathering of the Legislature that day the “Seinfeld Session.”  (Staff, Gannett)

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>Newark Schools to adopt national college entrance exam

>Newark Schools to adopt national college entrance exam


Not satisfied with New Jersey’s state tests, the new superintendent of Newark schools will turn to a national college entrance test to help her gauge whether high school students are meeting college and career needs.
Superintendent Cami Anderson said she would start testing students this year on the ACT, a college entrance exam comparable to the SAT, which is popular in the South and Midwest. The testing would start in 8th grade with some of ACT’s companion exams for the younger grades.

The move is one of Anderson’s most sweeping yet in trying to improve the high schools in New Jersey’s largest and arguably most troubled district, where only about half of incoming 9th grade students graduate four years later.  (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)

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>AOL Needs ‘Immediate Action,’ Investor Says

>AOL Needs ‘Immediate Action,’ Investor Says
By Edmund Lee – Dec 21, 2011 12:50 PM ET

AOL Inc. (AOL), losing as much as $500 million annually in its display advertising business, must take “immediate action” to stem shareholders’ losses, activist investor Starboard Value LP said.

Starboard, which said it holds a 4.5 percent stake, sent AOL a letter dated today that outlines its poor performance, estimating the Internet company sees “staggering” operating losses in display ads.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-21/aol-should-take-immediate-action-to-stem-losses-investor-says.html

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>Legislators seek to expand open-records law (OPRA )

>Legislators seek to expand open-records law (OPRA )


Two Republican lawmakers want to pull back the curtain on the state’s public records law by removing some provisions that exempt legislators.

Assemblyman John Amodeo and Assemblyman-elect Chris Brown, both of Atlantic County, plan to introduce in January a bill to allow the decade-old Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to apply to communications between legislators and other governmental agencies.

“Legislators should be as open and transparent as every other public official in New Jersey,” said Amodeo. “Removing this exemption will provide assurance to the public that their elected officials are working for them, not special interests.”  (DeFalco, Associated Press)

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>Director of Professional Nursing Practice at The Valley Hospital Recognized by State Nursing Organization

>Director of Professional Nursing Practice at The Valley Hospital Recognized by State Nursing Organization

The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce that Mary Jo Assi, MS, RN, NEA-BC, FNP-BC, AHN-BC, Director of Professional Nursing Practice and Research, has been recognized with the Professional Recognition Award from The Organization of Nurse Executives/New Jersey (ONE/NJ).

The Professional Recognition Award is presented to a ONE/NJ nurse leader who demonstrates nursing leadership through a professional achievement or accomplishment that has made a significant impact on nursing.

As Director of Professional Nursing Practice and Research, Mary Jo is responsible for overseeing program-based and direct-care specialty clinicians and Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) for Palliative Care, Holistic Services, Clinical Quality, the Heart Failure Program, and Interventional Cardiology.  She is also responsible for APN credentialing and administrative oversight of the Nursing Research Program, and the Center for Advancement of Holistic Knowledge and Practice, which includes on-going program development and furthers the application of holistic nursing practice at Valley.

Mary Jo was presented with her award on December 9th at the ONE/NJ annual Holiday Meeting and Awards Brunch.

The Organization of Nurse Executives/New Jersey is been the professional organization for nursing leaders in all practice settings.  The Organization of Nurse Executives/New Jersey (ONE/NJ) is affiliated with the New Jersey Hospital Association (NJHA) and is also affiliated with the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE).

https://www.valleyhealth.com/valley_newsdesc.aspx?newsid=1143

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>Shop Ridgewood : Cupcakes by Carousel

>Cupcakes by Carousel
192 East Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ
(next to the movie theater)
201-389-3090

Ridgewood Hours:
Monday: 10 to 6
Tuesday: 10 to 9
Wednesday: 10 to 6
Thursday: 10 to 9
Friday: 10 to 9
Saturday: 10 to 9
Sunday: 11 to 3:30

After selling 7″ and 10″ cakes wholesale for almost 30 years, we decided that it’s time to branch out from the family bakery business, founded by our father in 1965, and open a sister company, Cupcakes by Carousel in Ridgewood, New Jersey to sell mini-versions of our 7″ and 10″ cake creations.

Carousel Cakes has a long history of making fine desserts; we sell our cakes to more than 700 restaurants in the tri-state area. Local restaurants and gourmet grocers include Zeytinia Fine Food Marketplace in Oakland and Englewood, Aldo & Gianni Ristorante in Montvale, Valentino’s of Park Ridge, the Clinton Inn Hotel in Tenafly. Manhattan customers include Zabar’s, the private Friars Club, EJ’s Luncheonette and the American Museum of Natural History.

Ridgewood is a wonderful town, and we are so happy to be here right next to the movie theater. We offer a full range of cupcakes for kids of all ages. We have mousse-filled cupcakes, baby cakes sold by the dozen and tons of flavors to choose from. Also, traditional frosted cupcakes and those piled high with crumbled cookies or candy. We have cupcake versions of Carousel’s different lines of white, mousse and chocolate cakes and the red velvet cake that made it onto Oprah Winfrey’s “O” list!

Our family warmly welcomes you to our little cupcake shop. Our goal is to bring a big smile to everyone who comes to visit us, and keep you coming for many yummy years to come.

https://www.cupcakesbycarousel.com/about.html

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>Businesses sued over accessibility

>Businesses sued over accessibility

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2011
BY STEPHANIE AKIN
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

HACKENSACK — Three city businesses, including The Shops at Riverside, are the latest targets of a Florida-based advocacy group that has sued hundreds of retailers nationwide for allegedly failing to follow federal handicapped accessibility guidelines.

The lawsuits filed by The National Alliance for Accessibility and Denise Payne, the group’s president, claim that the shopping mall, the Saks store in the mall and a Hooters restaurant across Route 4 violate several building regulations put in place by the federal Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990.

Payne, who lives in Florida, discovered unmarked handicapped parking spaces, excessively sloped curbs and problems with the bathrooms, among other issues, when she visited the businesses, the Dec. 5 lawsuits allege. Payne has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, according to court documents.

The group wants the businesses to address the alleged problems and pay its attorney’s fees.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/135843133_Businesses_sued_over_accessibility.html