FBI Statement on the Shooting in Parkland, Florida
February 16,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Washington DC, On January 5, 2018, a person close to Nikolas Cruz contacted the FBI’s Public Access Line (PAL) tipline to report concerns about him. The caller provided information about Cruz’s gun ownership, desire to kill people, erratic behavior, and disturbing social media posts, as well as the potential of him conducting a school shooting.
Under established protocols, the information provided by the caller should have been assessed as a potential threat to life. The information then should have been forwarded to the FBI Miami Field Office, where appropriate investigative steps would have been taken.
We have determined that these protocols were not followed for the information received by the PAL on January 5. The information was not provided to the Miami Field Office, and no further investigation was conducted at that time.
FBI Director Christopher Wray said:
“We are still investigating the facts. I am committed to getting to the bottom of what happened in this particular matter, as well as reviewing our processes for responding to information that we receive from the public. It’s up to all Americans to be vigilant, and when members of the public contact us with concerns, we must act properly and quickly.
“We have spoken with victims and families, and deeply regret the additional pain this causes all those affected by this horrific tragedy. All of the men and women of the FBI are dedicated to keeping the American people safe, and are relentlessly committed to improving all that we do and how we do it.”
Washington DC, The Department of Justice announced that a grand jury in the District of Columbia today returned an indictment presented by the Special Counsel’s Office. The indictment charges thirteen Russian nationals and three Russian companies for committing federal crimes while seeking to interfere in the United States political system, including the 2016 Presidential election. The defendants allegedly conducted what they called “information warfare against the United States,” with the stated goal of “spread[ing] distrust towards the candidates and the political system in general.”
“This indictment serves as a reminder that people are not always who they appear to be on the Internet,” said Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. “The indictment alleges that the Russian conspirators want to promote discord in the United States and undermine public confidence in democracy. We must not allow them to succeed. The Department of Justice will continue to work cooperatively with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and with the Congress, to defend our nation against similar current and future schemes. I want to thank the federal agents and prosecutors working on this case for their exceptional service.”
According to the allegations in the indictment, twelve of the individual defendants worked at various times for Internet Research Agency LLC, a Russian company based in St. Petersburg, Russia. The other individual defendant, Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin, funded the conspiracy through companies known as Concord Management and Consulting LLC, Concord Catering, and many subsidiaries and affiliates. The conspiracy was part of a larger operation called “Project Lakhta.” Project Lakhta included multiple components, some involving domestic audiences within the Russian Federation and others targeting foreign audiences in multiple countries.
Internet Research Agency allegedly operated through Russian shell companies. It employed hundreds of persons for its online operations, ranging from creators of fictitious personas to technical and administrative support, with an annual budget of millions of dollars. Internet Research Agency was a structured organization headed by a management group and arranged in departments, including graphics, search-engine optimization, information technology, and finance departments. In 2014, the agency established a “translator project” to focus on the U.S. population. In July 2016, more than 80 employees were assigned to the translator project.
Two of the defendants allegedly traveled to the United States in 2014 to collect intelligence for their American political influence operations.
To hide the Russian origin of their activities, the defendants allegedly purchased space on computer servers located within the United States in order to set up a virtual private network. The defendants allegedly used that infrastructure to establish hundreds of accounts on social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, making it appear that the accounts were controlled by persons within the United States. They used stolen or fictitious American identities, fraudulent bank accounts, and false identification documents. The defendants posed as politically and socially active Americans, advocating for and against particular political candidates. They established social media pages and groups to communicate with unwitting Americans. They also purchased political advertisements on social media.
The Russians also recruited and paid real Americans to engage in political activities, promote political campaigns, and stage political rallies. The defendants and their co-conspirators pretended to be grassroots activists. According to the indictment, the Americans did not know that they were communicating with Russians.
After the election, the defendants allegedly staged rallies to support the President-elect while simultaneously staging rallies to protest his election. For example, the defendants organized one rally to support the President-elect and another rally to oppose him—both in New York, on the same day.
On September 13, 2017, soon after the news media reported that the Special Counsel’s Office was investigating evidence that Russian operatives had used social media to interfere in the 2016 election, one defendant allegedly wrote, “We had a slight crisis here at work: the FBI busted our activity…. So, I got preoccupied with covering tracks together with my colleagues.”
The indictment includes eight criminal counts. Count One alleges a criminal conspiracy to defraud the United States, by all of the defendants. The defendants allegedly conspired to defraud the United States by impairing the lawful functions of the Federal Election Commission, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of State in administering federal requirements for disclosure of foreign involvement in certain domestic activities.
Count Two charges conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud by Internet Research Agency and two individual defendants.
Counts Three through Eight charge aggravated identity theft by Internet Research Agency and four individuals.
There is no allegation in the indictment that any American was a knowing participant in the alleged unlawful activity. There is no allegation in the indictment that the charged conduct altered the outcome of the 2016 election.
Everyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. At trial, prosecutors must introduce credible evidence that is sufficient to prove each defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, to the unanimous satisfaction of a jury of twelve citizens.
The Special Counsel’s investigation is ongoing. There will be no comments from the Special Counsel at this time.
Ridgewood NJ, the National Weather Service has posted a Winter Storm Watch New York City, Southern Connecticut, Northeast New
Jersey, Long Island, and Rockland as well as Westchester Counties in New York.
…WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING
THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING…
* WHAT…Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 7
inches are possible.
* WHERE…New York City, Southern Connecticut, Northeast New
Jersey, Long Island, and Rockland as well as Westchester
Counties in New York.
* WHEN…From Saturday evening through early Sunday morning.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Plan on difficult travel conditions.
Significant reductions in visibility are possible.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant
snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue
to monitor the latest forecasts.
Washington Township NJ, The New Jersey Choral Society continues its Jubilee Season with The Key of B- Billy Joel, The Beatles and Beautiful. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of artist-in- residence Linda Sweetman-Waters, the NJCS Pops Spectacular highlights iconic music of legendary artists Billy Joel, Carole King and The Beatles. Performances will be held on Saturday, March 10 at 8:00 pm and on Sunday, March 11 at 3:00 pm at the Immaculate Heart Academy, 500 Van Emburgh
Ave., Washington Township.
Ms. Sweetman-Waters will be featured on piano, accompanied by the Pops Spectacular Band.Several talented soloists and a vocal ensemble from the chorus will also perform. The concerts will include classic songs such as Billy Joel’s “Piano Man,” “Everybody Has a Dream,” “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” a medley of hits from The Beatles including “In My Life,” “Hey Jude,” “Let It Be,” “Yesterday,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Got to Get You into My Life,” as well as songs from Carole King’s best-selling album, Tapestry, and the Broadway musical, Beautiful.
Advance tickets are $25.00 for adults and $22.00 for students, seniors, and patrons with disabilities (add $10.00 if purchased at the door). A 10% discount for groups of 10 or more is also available. Come one hour prior to performance time for The Inside Line, a complimentary lecture for all ticket holders, presented by Seth Saltzman. For reservations or more information, visit www.NJCS.org or call the New Jersey Choral Society at (201) 379-7719.
Established in 1980, the New Jersey Choral Society is one of the state’s most prestigious choral groups, well-known for presenting outstanding and unique programs. Under the direction of Eric Dale Knapp, NJCS performs three major concerts annually in Bergen and Essex counties. They have performed at Carnegie Hall and the White House and have toured internationally in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, China, Australia, England, France and Italy. In 2017, they received “honorable mention” in the Jersey Arts People’s Choice Awards for “Best Choral Group” in New Jersey.
Immaculate Heart Academy is wheelchair accessible. Funding has been made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
Dear Parents/Guardians, On February 28th, Dr. Caren Baruch-Feldman will be presenting “Developing Grit, Self-Control, and a Positive Mindset: The Keys to Success.” This program will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the George Washington Middle School auditorium. Dr. Baruch-Feldman is the author of The Grit Guide for Teens: A Workbook to Help You Build Perseverance, Self-Control, and a Growth Mindset. She is a clinical and school psychologist who believes in inspiring a growth mindset. Dr. Baruch-Feldman uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help children and adults with depression, anxiety, stress, ADHD, and weight loss. She is an expert in coducting psycho-educational evaluations for children experiencing school-related difficulties and has trained hundreds of teachers, parents, children and health care professionals by giving workshops and lectures through the country.
IRS will Review Christie Executive Order
Feb 15, 2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
WASHINGTON D.C. , U.S. Representatives Leonard Lance (NJ-07) and Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) hosted a meeting on Capitol Hill Thursday with Acting IRS Commissioner David J. Kautter. The IRS previously issued a ruling stating it would allow the deductibility of 2018 property taxes paid in 2017 only if the property taxes had been assessed in 2017. Lance and Gottheimer urged that the deduction should be expanded to include all 2018 property taxes paid in 2017, regardless of the date of assessment.
“Our meeting was productive. Over $300 million dollars in property tax prepayments were made by my constituents in late 2017 and I will continue to make the case that all 2018 property tax prepayments be fully deductible on 2017 tax returns. These payments were made in good faith and some payments were made before the IRS issued its unfair ruling. I also raised the important issue of comity between federal and state governments. The day the IRS issued its ruling, Governor Christie issued an executive order directing municipalities to accept property tax prepayments for all of 2018. I gave the Commissioner a copy of Governor Christie’s executive order to review,” said Lance, who was the first lawmaker to address the prepayment issue.
“New Jersey needs lower taxes for residents and for businesses of all sizes, especially after Tax Hike Bill gutted the State and Local Tax Deduction. Today, Rep. Leonard Lance and I sent the IRS Commissioner a clear, bipartisan message: don’t change the rules mid-game on New Jersey taxpayers. Allow the full deduction of all 2018 property tax prepayments. While I was encouraged by today’s meeting, I will continue to hold the IRS’s feet to the fire and fight for tax relief for North Jersey,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5).
Earlier this year, Lance wrote to Kautter and requested the Agency reconsider IRS Advisory IR-2017-210 issued on December 27, 2017 regarding the tax deductibility of prepaid state and local property taxes. That ruling stated the IRS would allow the deductibility of 2018 property taxes paid in 2017 only if the property taxes had been assessed in 2017. Lance suggested the deduction should be expanded to all 2018 property taxes regardless of the date of assessment and introduced H.R. 4803, which would mandate it. Gottheimer is a cosponsor of H.R. 4803.
President Trump signed the Tax Act into law on December 22, 2017. The law clearly prohibits individuals from deducting the prepayment of future state and local income taxes, but does not mention whether or not the prepayment of state and local property taxes would be deductible. This led many individuals to prepay their entire 2018 property tax liability prior to the issuance of the IRS Advisory, believing that it would be deductible on their 2017 tax returns. Governor Christie issued an executive order on December 27, 2017, mandating that all municipalities in the State accept the prepayment of property taxes for the entirety of 2018. This action caused many more New Jersey residents to prepay their 2018 property tax bill than would otherwise have been the case.
“I will continue to seek either a bipartisan legislative solution or an IRS ruling fixing this problem. I thank Commissioner Kautter for his time and interest. I will continue to press the issue in Congress and with the IRS,” concluded Lance.
Ridgewood NJ, Let us not forget that Ms. Alexandra Harwin, reported to soon be seeking election to the Ridgewood Village Council, is being backed by two (2) individuals (former Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn and former Ridgewood Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld) who have both been fined by the State of NJ in connection with ethics violations related to misuse of public funds.
Furthermore, photographs and witnesses accounts indicate that Ms. Sonenfeld, while serving in her former official capacity of Ridgewood Village Manager, attempted to interfere with the constitutional rights of citizens to assemble in a public place (Van Neste Memorial Park) for purposes of collecting signatures in support of a referendum ballot; a ballot that Ms. Sonenfeld was opposed to.
The Ridgewood Blog suggests Ms. Harwin heed to George Washington’s famous words: “It is better to be alone than in bad company.”
Clearly, Mr. Aronsohn and Ms. Sonenfeld are considered by most Ridgewood taxpayers as being bad company.
February 15, 2018 Dear Nutley Parents, Staff and Community, Tonight, the district administration became aware of a security threat. The police are actively investigating. As it gets later in the evening, we have decided to err on the side of safety and close schools tomorrow, February 16, 2018. We will use one of our two remaining emergency days and close the Nutley Public School district, for all students, staff and personnel. All evening events at our schools for Friday, February 16 will be canceled, as well. Schools will reopen, after winter break, on Monday, February 26 for students and teachers and the district offices will reopen on Tuesday, February 20. As both the Superintendent of the Nutley Public Schools and as a parent, and because of the nature of the world in which we live, there was no other decision to be made. Please rest assured that the safety and security of all our students and staff in the Nutley Public Schools remains our first priority. Sincerely, Dr. Julie Glazer
Just when you think Halaby could not sink lower, guess what, he sinks lower. How in the world could Susan (or anyone) control what people post anonymously? We all know that Jeff Voigt posts on the blog regularly, as do many others like Gwenn Hauck’s husband when he was smearing lies about Mike Sedon. Aronsohn reads the blog before he gets out of bed every morning. Pucciarelli reads it and was known to blast the blog even in the midst of a eulogy. It strikes me as hilarious that Halaby slams the blog when he in fact is a loyal reader.
Halaby does not understand that the blog is alive. It is an organism. It cannot be controlled. It has a life of its own, a mind of its own. It is fed by people who wish to speak their opinions but fear backlash from friends and neighbors. When someone posts on Facebook, people go after them relentlessly if they disagree. It intimidates well-meaning people from ever speaking their minds. But here on the blog, people can say what they really mean. And it is hugely beneficial to both the posters and the readers. The blog serves an outstanding purpose. Hell, even those who criticize it are reading it all the time. Even in CRAB meetings where so-called “civility” is the order of the day, the members obviously read the blog relentlessly, quote the blog, and take actions based on what they read on the blog. Thank you James Foytlin for providing this forum. LONG LIVE THE BLOG
Ridgewood NJ, In a unanimous vote, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors approved the proposed alignment of the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail’s planned expansion into Bergen County as described in the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact statement dated March 2017. The selection of the “Locally Preferred Alternative” is required as part of the federal environmental review process.
The Board action also authorizes the submission of the Locally Preferred Alternative to the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority Board of Trustees for designation and inclusion in their Long-Range Regional Transportation Plan.
During Project Development the project sponsor must select a Locally Preferred Alternative; get the Locally Preferred Alternative adopted into the fiscally constrained metropolitan transportation plan; and complete the environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
By selecting the Locally Preferred Alternative at this time, NJ TRANSIT will be able to initiate design and engineering activities upon completion of the Final Environmental Impact Statement and receipt of the Record of Decision from the FTA, in advance of requesting entry into Project Development.
Locally Preferred Alternative
The Locally Preferred Alternative consists of a 10-mile two-track extension of the HBLR from its current terminus at Tonnelle Avenue northward to the Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, generally utilizing CSX Transportation’s Northern Branch running track. The project will construct a total of seven stations in North Bergen, Ridgefield, Palisades Park, Leonia, and Englewood (three stations) and parking for approximately 2,740 vehicles. Service is proposed to operate from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. with six-minute headways during the peak period and 15-minute headways during the off-peak period. It is estimated that the project will serve 12,370 passengers per average weekday in the year 2030.
See attached map for a visual of the route of the Locally Preferred Alternative.
Sadly, once again I must write to address another tragic school shooting, this time in Parkland, FL. Although far from Ridgewood, this senseless act hits close to home because it has taken the lives of innocent children and adults and torn the very fiber of a vibrant community.
While every event of this nature is unique and we always hope that it would never happen in our Village, we are realistic in our approach to safety in the Ridgewood Public Schools. Our top priority is to assure the safety of our students and staff. For this reason, we have security protocols in place at each of our buildings that are regularly reviewed for their effectiveness, including locked entries, ID swipe cards and the recent hire of a school safety officer. Our safety plan also includes a strong partnership with the Ridgewood Police Department and other first responders up to the county level and beyond. The importance of these relationships cannot be overemphasized, nor the value of the safety drills that we regularly practice with our students and staff; as seen in the Parkland shooting, these drills are a critical component to maintaining calm order and minimizing harm.
Events like yesterday’s shooting are frightening for everyone, most especially for children. Please do not shy away from discussing this incident with your children while reassuring them that they are safe. Professionals advise the following:
• Don’t project your fears onto your children. • Limit access to the repetitious news cycle. • Be honest. I know that you join me in thoughts and prayers for the Parkland community. I do believe that at this difficult time the victims, their families, the first responders and the entire school district of students and staff would very much appreciate our sincere condolences as they try to cope with this tragedy and find a way to move forward. Sincerely, Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools
Ridgewood NJ, In a unanimous vote, the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors approved Kevin Corbett as the next Executive Director of NJ TRANSIT during the regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting today. The appointment is effective starting on Monday, February 19, 2018.
“Kevin is taking on one of the toughest jobs in New Jersey – turning NJ Transit around and restoring it as a world-class transportation agency that our commuters can rely on. Every New Jerseyan who takes the train or bus every day, and the thousands of employees who show up for work, deserves visionary leadership committed to getting this system right. Kevin’s confirmation signals that we have begun the difficult process of rebuilding NJ TRANSIT and, in time, regaining commuters’ trust in the system,” said Governor Phil Murphy.
“I would like to thank Governor Murphy and the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors for the opportunity to serve the state of New Jersey,” said incoming Executive Director Kevin Corbett. “I look forward to working with the dedicated men and women of NJ TRANSIT in restoring the transportation system to the national leader it once was, providing safe and reliable service and boosting economic development in New Jersey.”
Prior to incoming Executive Director Corbett’s appointment, he served as Vice President, Cross Services at AECOM, one of the world’s premier transportation and infrastructure companies. In this role, Mr. Corbett drew on the extensive resources from across AECOM’s various business lines to provide optimal solutions for AECOM’s clients.
AECOM projects that Mr. Corbett was Principal-In-Charge of or actively served in a management role included Moynihan Station Phase one, Amtrak’s Gateway Program, Second Avenue Subway – Phase one, Penn Vision, Penn Station Critical Improvements, One WTC Interim Loading Dock, Post-Sandy PATH Restoration and other related regional resiliency and restoration projects. Previously, Mr. Corbett was responsible for the global marine and freight business for DMJM+HARRIS, a legacy AECOM company, as well as other AECOM subsidiaries.
In the civic realm, Mr. Corbett currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Regional Plan Association (RPA) and is Co-Chair of its Transportation Committee. He also serves on the board of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York & New Jersey (President), Tri-State Transportation Campaign and The New York League of Conservation Voters (Chairman).
Mr. Corbett is a graduate of Georgetown University and serves as a Blue & Gold Officer for the U.S. Naval Academy.
Ridgewood NJ, PSEG today announced a joint promotion with BMW of North America to offer PSE&G customers $10,000 off the best negotiated price for a new BMW i3. The promotion is open to customers of PSE&G and is available Feb. 15 through April 30, 2018.
“PSE&G is proud to partner with BMW of North America – not just a leader in electric cars, but also a customer of PSE&G,” said Courtney McCormick, Vice President, Renewables and Energy Solutions for PSE&G. “We hope this offer will encourage our customers who might be in the market for an electric vehicle to give the BMW i3 serious consideration.”
In addition to the $10,000 rebate off MSRP from BMW, customers could be eligible for up to $7,500 federal tax credit. Sale of the all-electric i3 is not subject to sales tax in New Jersey.
“The BMW i3 is the best-selling premium electric vehicle in the world,” said Magnus Aspegren, Strategy Manager, Electromobility at BMW of North America. “With a range of up to 114 miles on a single charge and the same uncompromised driving performance typical of every BMW model, the BMW i3 is also proof that driving electric is as practical as it is fun.”
The BMW incentive and potential federal tax credit together equal roughly one-third of the base i3 model price. The BMW incentive is off the best offer negotiated with a dealer and is given at the time of sale.
To take advantage of this offer, a PSE&G customer must download a PSEG\BMW Customer Information Form at PSEG.com/goelectric and take it to any authorized BMW dealership (the dealer can be outside the PSE&G territory) along with a copy of their PSE&G bill.
For more information, go to PSEG.com/goelectric
In 2016, PSEG received recognition from the state of New Jersey for its leadership in promoting electric cars and investing in electric car infrastructure. These efforts include:
PSEG runs the largest electric car employee incentive program in the state with more than 45 chargers installed at company locations.
In October 2017, PSE&G, in partnership with EVgo, installed two fast chargers at the Molly Pitcher Service Area on the New Jersey Turnpike.
PSE&G has provided 135 car chargers to 23 New Jersey hospitals, colleges and businesses to encourage their employees to commute in electric cars.
PSE&G has 17 electric cars in its company fleet, as well as many partially electric-powered trucks.
