Washington DC, The Department of Justice today issued a memo on federal marijuana enforcement policy announcing a return to the rule of law and the rescission of previous guidance documents. Since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in 1970, Congress has generally prohibited the cultivation, distribution, and possession of marijuana.
In the memorandum, Attorney General Jeff Sessions directs all U.S. Attorneys to enforce the laws enacted by Congress and to follow well-established principles when pursuing prosecutions related to marijuana activities. This return to the rule of law is also a return of trust and local control to federal prosecutors who know where and how to deploy Justice Department resources most effectively to reduce violent crime, stem the tide of the drug crisis, and dismantle criminal gangs.
“It is the mission of the Department of Justice to enforce the laws of the United States, and the previous issuance of guidance undermines the rule of law and the ability of our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners to carry out this mission,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “Therefore, today’s memo on federal marijuana enforcement simply directs all U.S. Attorneys to use previously established prosecutorial principles that provide them all the necessary tools to disrupt criminal organizations, tackle the growing drug crisis, and thwart violent crime across our country.”
Ridgewood NJ, the National Weather Service continues to issue a wind chill advisory for Ridgewood and Bergen County .
* WHAT…Very cold wind chills expected. The cold wind chills
will cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed
skin. Expect wind chills to range from 10 below zero to 20
below zero.
* WHERE…Portions of northeast New Jersey, southern Connecticut
and southeast New York.
* WHEN…Until 8 AM EST Sunday.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.
Ridgefield NJ, NJSP Troop D Turnpike Patrol Division investigated a tractor trailer fire that took place on a ramp associated with the Vince Lombardi Service Area in Ridgefield on Friday afternoon, 01/05. The fire was extinguished by Ridgefield Fire Department personnel. The tractor’s driver escaped the fully engulfed rig unharmed. A heavy duty tow truck removed the charred remains from the roadway.
by George Becker, M.D., Director, Emergency Department, The Valley Hospital
Ridgewood NJ, Believe it or not, winter has officially begun! And, although there has been a lack of significant snowfall and cold temperatures in our area, we should still be prepared for the possibility of more seasonable weather.
Typical winters in the Northeast are beautiful, especially after a fresh snowfall. However, as many of us know, the arrival of snow means that it is time to dust off our shovels and get to digging! We understand that shoveling snow is our winter norm, but did you know that shoveling snow can actually pose a serious cardiac health risk to some of us?
In fact, although most people are not in danger from shoveling, the American Heart Association (AHA) still shares useful tips for anyone shoveling snow in the winter. To begin with, the AHA recommends that those who don’t exercise on a regular basis, those that have a medical condition, or those that are middle age or older consult with a doctor before shoveling.
The AHA also has the following general tips for staying safe while shoveling:
Take frequent rest breaks during shoveling.
Don’t eat a heavy meal prior or soon after shoveling.
Use a small shovel or consider a snow thrower.
Don’t drink alcoholic beverages before or immediately after shoveling.
Be aware of the dangers of hypothermia.
Learn the heart attack warning signs and listen to your body.
Some signs that you might be having a heart attack are pain in the chest, arm(s), back, neck, jaw or stomach. You might also break out in a cold sweat, feel short of breath, nauseated, lightheaded, or uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness in the center of your chest.
If you are concerned that you may be having a heart attack, you should not hesitate about seeking medical treatment—every minute is crucial when experiencing a heart attack. Call 911 immediately or head directly to the closest emergency room.
Our Emergency Department, located at 223 N. Van Dien Avenue in Ridgewood, NJ is open 24/7, 365 days a year and is staffed with physicians who are board certified in emergency medicine.
Posted on January 17, 2017 by George Becker, M.D., Director, Emergency Department, The Valley Hospital :
Fair Lawn NJ , Apparently the “Tax the Rich” philosophy of New Jersey lawmakers only applies to when Trenton taxes the rich and not anyone else . The “Taxing the Rich” mantra has driven the state to fiscal suicide and has become a euphemism for taxing everyone on everything .
Today, in a desperate last ditch attempt to prop up Trenton, Congressman Josh Gottheimer and Governor-elect Phil Murphy have joined together to offer a new Tax Plan for New Jersey. Murphy and Gottheimer’s “Hail Mary” Tax Bill looks to restore State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction by providing a tax deduction for taxpayers who make charitable contributions to their state or other local governments.
The two will be joined by Congressman Bill Pascrell and the mayors of Fair Lawn, Paramus and Park Ridge who all expressed support for the plan and their eagerness to implement it, with state support, in their communities. The Tax Hike Bill took a two-by-four to the State of New Jersey, gutting the State and Local Deduction (SALT), sharply limiting New Jersey’s property tax deductions, and imposing a massive Tax Hike on Jersey families and businesses. The Tax Hike Bill was largely paid for on the backs of New Jersey taxpayers and, according to experts, will bring property values down by as much as twenty percent and send businesses and jobs to other states.
Plan restores the value of the State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction by providing a tax deduction for taxpayers who make charitable contributions to their state or other local governments. States and local governments can establish or support funds that pay for local services, including schools, law enforcement, and infrastructure. Taxpayers can make “voluntary contributions” to these funds, for which they will receive an offsetting tax credit. The contributions will be deductible for federal tax purposes under existing law, even for those who pay the alternative minimum tax. This structure effectively restores the benefit of the lost state and local tax deduction to the extent of the contributions for most taxpayers who itemize.
The plan also does not to restore any level of fiscal sanity to the state on New Jersey .
Ridgewood NJ, continued attacks on the mayors sons has begun to erode confidence in the ability of the police department to do its job. It ‘s only a matter of time before attorneys begin to argue that discrepancies in the police hiring process force the hiring of unqualified officers .
The attacks led by Don Delzio , and his cadre of pro garagzilla , pro RBSA turf field at Schedler and pro over-development of Ridgewood on the mayor have had the net effect of degrading the entire Ridgewood police force .
The fact is Ridgewood is a civil service police department like it or not you have to pass a test and a physical test and a psyche exam not matter who mommy or daddy is. If you look back 6 or7 years ago John Ward was the chief in Ridgewood and he couldn’t get his second son on the job. If the boss cant get his own son hired it doesn’t say much for nepotism. There is also the rule of 3 the hiring authority has to pick from the top 3 candidates if you are not there you have to wait.
Mayor Knudsen’s husband is a police officer. It is very common for children in professions of this nature to follow in their parents foot steps. My brother was career army. All his children considered military service. My two nephews are NYC Firemen. Their grandfather was a big wig official in The NYC Fire Department. The tests for Fire and Police are rigorous and we do hire Ridgewood residents first and foremost and as far as police It is a civil service appointment and the guidelines are strictly enforced.
Ridgewood is civil service and village council has no control over hiring. New Jersey Civil Service dictates all hiring procedures. Don and his friends if they are so interested should apply below:
Applications are available for The New Jersey Civil Service Commission Law Enforcement Examination. The Ridgewood Police Department uses the eligibility list provided by the State to hire candidates. The test is given every three years.
1. Applicants must be citizens of the United States as of August 31, 2016.
2. Applicants must meet the residency requirements of the appointing jurisdiction as of August 31, 2016 and may be required to maintain continuous residency in that jurisdiction up to and including the date of appointment.
3. Applicants must be high school or vocational high school graduates, or possess an approved High School Equivalency Certificate by August 31, 2016.
4. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age as of August 31, 2016. Applicants for Municipal Police Officer and its bilingual variant positions cannot be over 35 years of age (one is considered over 35 on the day of his/her 35th birthday) as of August 31, 2016, unless they meet the exceptions in “Maximum hiring age requirement for Municipal Police Officer” as indicated on the Fact Sheet. NOTE: The age 35 maximum hiring requirement applies only to Municipal Police Officer and its bilingual variants.
5. Appointees will be required to possess a driver’s license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
6. Appointees may be required to pass thorough medical and drug screening, and psychological/psychiatric examinations. Failure of any of these is cause for removal from that title area.
7. Appointees will be required to successfully complete a training program mandated by the NJ Police Training Commission. This training must be completed prior to enrollment in the Police and Fire Retirement System.
8. After you complete and submit your online application, you will receive a confirmation page which includes a link and access code to the Candidate Preparation Guide. Please print your confirmation page prior to going to the link.
An abbreviated application is used for this title. Information regarding education, experience, licenses/certifications, training or internships is not collected.
The Ridgewood Police Department provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, The Ridgewood Police Department complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment New Jeesey. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Glen Rock NJ, A BMW SUV slid off of Harristown Road in Glen Rock on Friday, 01/05 and crashed through a fence. No injuries were reported by the vehicle’s adult male driver. Glen Rock Police responded. The seemingly undamaged BMW was removed from its predicament by a hydraulic lift tow truck.
Isn’t it time to say “yes some people LOVE Health Barn” but how much is it costing the Village of Ridgewood? As has been pointed out, their activities spread over much of the property rent free while preventing residents from having access to “Their park”. They take many more than their assigned parking spots, for free. They even serve alcohol on Village property! Has anyone checked into the insurance they need? Or is she “self insured” by Ridgewood? A drinker gets into an accident? Ridgewood has the deep pockets and it is OUR property on which the drinking occurred. I’m willing to bet that she has not told her insurance company that she allows alcohol to be served there. She certainly doesn’t want her basic policy (if she has one) to be raised to cover that. Why should she? So far Ridgewood has provided immediate free response to all her requests. Susan, as much as you love them, you have said their costs to the village should be counted in. So why doesn’t the council do a true economic evaluation (and read the Green Acres law) and give the residents a true perspective? So far the only “Green” in this whole boondoggle seems to be her bank account! Ridgewood, instead, apparently is happy to allow her freedom, at no additional cost, to do anything she wants. That leads to red ink for us. You can’t keep avoiding reality. Villagers will not shut up until some honest answers are presented by the Council. We’ve been asking for several years; how long are you going to continue to not acknowledge we have a problem? And if you claim there is no problem, please give us honest answers that prove it!
Trenton NJ, Many firefighters, emergency medical technicians and other volunteer first responders in New Jersey are being told to leave their posts for six months.
Many volunteer first responders come from the ranks of the local town employees .
The State of New Jersey is saying that technically these volunteers hold two positions and must terminate from both positions in order to qualify for retirement benefits, when they retire .
State law says there must be a six-month separation of service from the town retires from before he can receive any compensation from the town again or else he puts his pension in jeopardy.
State Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi (R-Westwood) said many towns rely heavily on volunteer services. Thus, she introduced a bill two years ago that would get rid of the six-month separation for firefighters.
“Went through committee unanimously; went through the entire senate unanimously,” Schepisi said.
The problem is that the bill has not been put up for a final vote in the assembly. If it is not voted on by this week, it expires.
Only Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Secaucus) can bring the bill up for a vote. Schepisi said he assured her it would move forward, but so far, it has not
Assemblywomen Holly Schepisi , “For my NJ friends please call your state assembly representatives and ask them to get Assembly Bill A-536 posted for a vote by Speaker Vincent Prieto on Monday. Our volunteer firefighters and EMS face losing their pensions if they continue to volunteer after retirement from a State, school or municipal job. My bill fixes this absurd requirement but time is running out.”
Let’s look at what Jeff Voigt run his campaign on. He misled us with all his fancy signs & quotes. What a liar….. people voted for him & what he told us be wanted to do for the Village. Such a big disappointment for the residents & for the residents who thought he shared the same views.
Seems this business is ruffling a lot of feathers. Maybe if questions were answered there would not be such negativity.
If the business did not misrepresent itself back in 2015 and was transparent about the activities it was actually offering the village may have all said NOWAY! But because of the BS that was fed to everyone it seems like the ones in the know are wrong
If the business had nothing to hide or worry about it would not need losers like Jeff and Roberta to advocate for it
The whole thing is a sham just like Jeff and his buddies and his lies to friends and neighbors to get office
Hackensack NJ, according to Bergen County officials for the past six months the county has been working to make it easier for our municipalities to borrow county owned equipment to meet local needs. These new shared service agreements allow the county to swiftly cut through the red-tape that was previously associated with these requests. These agreements are open to every Bergen County municipality and we encourage local leaders to pursue these opportunities if they have not already done so!
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen spelled out her position on Facebook , “My position about placing a business in a public park in the middle of a residential zone MUST NOT be confused with my opinion about the business itself. Healthbarn is a successful, active business with a variety of offerings for all ages including weekend children’s birthday parties.It is adorable. Stacey should be commended for her success and charitable work.
However, I stand by my “NO” vote (abstained in September 2015 due to lack of information and opposed in February 2016) for several reasons including a failure to follow GA procedures in the correct order likely tainting the outcome of the Public Hearing requirement. Again, my liking or supporting a business and/or the proprietor has no bearing on the discussion of appropriate location; the issue was the placement of a business in a Village residential zone. ”
But Mayor Knudsen once again took no prisoners with here condemnation of Councilmen Voigt attacking a Ridgewood resident for questioning so clearly a poorly thought out decision by the previous Aronsohn led council ,the 3 amigos, ” I take great exception to any member of the Ridgewood Village Council resorting to name-calling of residents who express concerns about impact to a neighborhood or tax dollars. Such name-calling is an attempt to bully into capitulation and represents an abusive vilification of residents for merely disagreeing. Village Council members must be held to a higher standard, by themselves and by residents. “
Ridgewood NJ, Village Manager Heather Mailander reminds everyone that , “We experienced a substantial snowfall today, along with windy conditions and extremely cold temperatures. Our crews have been working since early this morning, clearing the ice and snow.”
Garbage collection today on the west side was extremely difficult, due to the icy conditions. Because of this continued extreme weather, please place your garbage cans at the end of your driveway for collection, until further notice. Please follow this practice of placing your garbage cans at the end of your driveway any time there is a snow/ice event. Remember that after the snow/ice event, until there is a clear path to your rear yard garbage cans which is free of ice and snow, continue placing your garbage cans at the end of your driveway. Recycling barrels will continue to be picked up at the end of your driveways, as usual. We appreciate your assistance in keeping our Village employees safe.
As a reminder, all sidewalks in residential districts must be cleared within 24 hours of the snow falling. Please do not place snow into the street; instead, place it back onto your own property. In addition, if you have a fire hydrant on your property, please clear it of any snow accumulation.
