Arohnson is enough of a politician to have seen the gathering winds of suburban change and the undercurrent of discord that was building up. Then, he exploited. He used fear of change to create an appealing political message averring managed growth based on shared values. Once he had his triumpherate in place, however, he then set about reoraganizing things according to his own myoptic view. As he was fond of saying, he wanted to remodel Ridgewood in the pattern of the Brunswicks. Developers, hospital administrators, restaurant owners and others drove pick up trucks through his naivete, arrogance, stupidity and, yes, greed, and we taxpayers are left with the mess and the tax burden.
But, its wrong to blame this one target (no matter how blameworth it is ). The truth is we all bear responsibility for having allowed the exploitation to take place. And now the question is what are we really doing to undo what was done and put us back on track.
Absolutely there should be a more professional search process…. However, when talking about government related, other factors are involved. It’s not the private sector. Yes there may be SOME nepotism in RWood but it’s a LOT worse elsewhere and the ones that people bring up aka some certain police officers, the requirements, tests and training ensure that the brightest and best are hired, even though some local town cranks don’t believe it…. the other part is that there are a number of residents who will make a lot of noise and whine when an outside hire is not “attuned” to issues in our “quaint village”. Plus spending our precious tax dollars for professional recruitment will bring howls of protest as well. But yeah, the idea is a good one.
While it sounds good on paper and given the experience with former Village manager who had zero experience as a town manager and little experience in finance sounds like a very good idea . Long time residents will recall the “Marty Brooks fiasco” , for which the Ridgewood Schools District paid a significant sum of money to attract and hire a deeply flawed candidate , Marty Brooks of TERC math fame . Fortunately Brooks declined and the Village and the School system dodged a bullet on that one and was saved .
I know that taking away islands is Knudsen’s idea. I mean that she is working in the spirit of Aronsohn and gang, continuing their work so to speak. Therefore Aronshon and gang get a bonus, a reward. Aronsohn and gang overdeveloped the town as much as possible, but didn’t think of islands at train station. Knudsen did think of it, continuing to tear away at what provides safety and attractiveness to the town. A narrow path at train station makes it virtually impossible for shoppers at farmers market to traverse the area. Commuters will find it much more dangerous to get to their parked cars.
. If CBD is sometimes too crowded to park , so is Westfield Garden State Plaza. And so is Paramus Park Mall and Fashion Center sometimes too crowded. Hey, this is Bergen County. One million people live here.
Hudson St. is the worst possible intersection for a parking garage. Too congested,creating a traffic mess. The garage will never pay for itself; raising parking meter rates to one dollar will keep people away.
Newark NJ, Newark police have deployed extra security to protect Sen. Cory Booker in response to a death threat against the former mayor, officials said Saturday.
In a statement, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said police were working with U.S. Capitol Police to protect the New Jersey Democrat.
“The Newark Police Division has been notified by the United States Capitol Police (USCP) regarding a threat on the life of New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and his family members,” Baraka said. Members of the police division’s executive protection unit were assigned to provide security.
NJ Senator Cory Booker had slammed the ‘repugnant’ call for killing of Jews by Imam of Jersey City Mosque. In his letter to Ahmed Shedeed — the president of the Islamic Center of Jersey City, Booker excoriated Elkasaby’s remarks as “repugnant,” “dangerous,” and “unconscionable.” Death threats followed, a fatwa in the opinion of some experts .
The media has speculated on everything from the Alabama special election , Net Neutrality to grandstanding .
Representatives for Booker’s office and the U.S. Capitol Police would not comment on the threat.
Officials did not disclose more details on the nature of the threat or say if there were any arrests.
Ridgewood NJ, A Hoboken-bound Main Line New Jersey Transit train struck and killed a man west of the Paterson station at about 2 p.m. Saturday. Shutting down main line service for a little under 2 hours .
According to New Jersey Transit no customers were on board when the Main Line train hit the man, who was on the tracks. Train service was suspended between Ridgewood and Kingsland station for the investigation, as of 3:40 p.m. Further delays were caused by Amtrak track work leading to New York Penn Station.
NJ Transit was investigating the incident, and there was no immediate indication why the man was on the tracks.
Ridgewood NJ, On Dec. 6, the faithful commemorated a bishop in the early church who was known for generosity and love of children. Born in Lycia in Asia Minor , modern day Turkey around the late third or fourth century, St. Nicholas of Myra is more than just the inspiration for the modern day Santa Claus .
St. Nicholas, the original person behind the Santa Claus legend. Known as Nicholas of Myra .The bishop was noted for his unbridled generosity .
Interestingly enough, he played a role in a key event in Christian history, as he answered a request in 325 by the Roman emperor Constantine and took part in the First Council of Nicaea. During that council, leaders of the early Christian church including Nicholas approved the Nicene Creed and settled on a date for the Easter celebration.
St. Nicholas became associated with Christmas because of the tradition that he had of giving secret gifts to children. It is also conjectured that the saint, who was known to wear red robes and have a long white beard, was culturally converted into the large man with a reindeer-drawn sled full of toys because in German, his name is “San Nikolaus” which almost sounds like “Santa Claus.”
Interesting enough, letters weren’t sent to Nicholas until long after his death. While he was recognized as a saint, “letters to santa “didn’t start coming from children until more than 900 years later. They were not seen as toy requests as much as written prayers. The St. Nicholas Center records the first letter as being sent by a little girl at some period after the year 1200.
Class I Recall 129-2017
Health Risk: High Dec 16, 2017
Washington DC, Piller’s Fine Foods, a Waterloo, Canada establishment, is recalling approximately 1,076 pounds of ready-to-eat salami and speck products that may be adulterated with Salmonella, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
The ready-to-eat speck prosciutto and salami items were produced on Sept. 22 and Oct. 12, 2017, respectively. The following products are subject to recall: [View Labels (PDF only)]
Vacuum-sealed random weight plastic packages containing “Black Kassel Piller’s Dry Aged D’Amour Salami” with Best Before date of May 12, 2018
Vacuum-sealed random weight plastic packages containing “Black Kassel Piller’s Dry Aged Speck Smoked Prosciutto” with Best Before date of May 12, 2018.
These items were produced in Canada and were shipped to distribution centers in California, Illinois, Michigan, New Jersey and New York.
The problem was discovered when an FSIS sample of the ready-to-eat salami product was confirmed positive for Salmonella. There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products.
Consumption of food contaminated with Salmonella can cause salmonellosis, one of the most common bacterial foodborne illnesses. The most common symptoms of salmonellosis are diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating the contaminated product. The illness usually lasts 4 to 7 days. Most people recover without treatment. In some persons, however, the diarrhea may be so severe that the patient needs to be hospitalized. Older adults, infants, and persons with weakened immune systems are more likely to develop a severe illness. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact their health care provider.
FSIS and the company are concerned that some product may be frozen and in consumers’ freezers.
Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on the FSIS website at www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls.
FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen. The only way to confirm that meat and poultry products are cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature, https://1.usa.gov/1cDxcDQ.
Media and consumers with questions regarding the recall can contact Trent Hilpert, President, Piller’s Fine Foods, at (519) 743-1412 ext. 240.
Well, the previous council and their committees got everything they wanted. That is the reality.
Multi family housing, parking garage, athletic filed at Schedler and to boot a bonus prize for hard work…. tearing away the lovely islands at the train station and putting in a narrow pathway and calling it just as attractive. Aronsohn and his gang must be laughing hard at that one while they sip their champagne. They got an unexpected reward!! Even they would never have suggested tearing away that lovely greenery. Clunk heads , the current council, clunk heads.
or maybe no….
well we do not have a parking garage and we might not ever. The proposed field at Schedler is way smaller than Don Delzio and his denizens proposed. The train station parking lot re-furb will be way WAY better than a gargantuan garage.
Aronsohn and his gang are meeting with lawyers and spending lots of money trying to figure out how to save the remains of their reputations from ethics charges, charges of lying about parking-app contracts, etc. Not a lot of champagne flowing there.
Hackensack NJ, Congratulations to the graduates of the Bergen County Police Academy Class 119 and Ridgewood’s newest Officers Ptl.Hector Perez and Ptl.Miguel Torres.
Graduation night for the police recruits of the most recent basic training class at the Bergen County Law & Public Safety Institute (AKA the Bergen County Police Academy). This marks the celebration of hard work, studying, testing, and proving themselves to their drill instructors and classroom instructors.
Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal was on hand along with Sheriff Saudino of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco.
Prosecutor Grewal provided remarks to the graduating class as they now embark on a long career in law enforcement.
Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco praised the class , “The Bergen County Police Academy graduate men and women of the finest caliber, and yesterday Police Class 119 join those ranks. I wish Class 119 the best of luck and success as these newly sworn officers embark on their new careers. Thank you for choosing to answer the call to protect and serve. Be safe! ”
Congratulations to all! Stay safe. Go forth and serve by representing the profession and your badges with dignity and respect each and every day.
photo courtesy of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office
December 17,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office wants to remind you that in this Holiday season , “If you see something, say something.”
The RDT is on patrol again this weekend, adding a specialized uniformed presence at the busy shopping malls in the Paramus area, as well as Van Saun County Park’s Winter Wonderland.
The RDT serves Bergen County and its 70 municipalities (the largest county in NJ with almost 1 million residents) to mobilize special resources as needed, or in proactive ways. RDT is a Shared Services project by the BCPO, select municipal police departments, and the State of New Jersey to multiply resources. BCPO detectives assigned to RDT are specially trained in community policing, patrol, and counter-terrorism, as well as other backgrounds that make them highly useful and very effective.
The current council has put bids in for a garage design. They are determined. The field at Schedler with parking spaces and bathrooms will take away enough trees to reduce all wildlife, like the eagles and make the place ugly and full of pollution. The cost of the field and golden bathrooms and parking spaces will be gargantuan. Sedon said he doesn’t care HOW MUCH IT COSTS THE TAXPAYERS. Sedon said it will be done over a period of years and budgeted little by little.. That is cheaters talk. It will still cost taxpayers the same, big raise in taxes overall.
As for those lovely islands at the train station.
” Refurbish” is another SUBURBAN euphemism that means destroy nature for a perceived financial gain. that will make an environment, ugly, polluted, dangerous. By golly, oh jolly let the people who live in the rain forests and lands where wild animals dwell , chop down trees, poach for ivory and sell skins of wild animals. They are POOR and trying to SURVIVE. What example are we rich folds showing them. We can’t save a measly seven acres. When eagles are threatened and leave their nest they die. WHO CARES A CRAP about that.
This town is about as good as it gets when it comes to attracting these chancers and crooks to our political process.
1. It’s wealthy
2. It’s mostly disconnected from the goings-on being that many of the adults work long Wall St hours and the wealthy wives are far too preoccupied with lunches and social activities.
3. It’s a very transient population. People move in so that their kids go through the schools – then move on.
4. The majority are Democrat and have a macro view of Democrat politics, having no clue as to the small town crookery that exists in local politics.
Ridgewood NJ, Village Manager Heather Mailander sent out an email with a list of Year-End News from the Village of Ridgewood starting with the Sale of 2018 Ridgewood Parking Permits (RPP), Final Leaf Collection, Public Valet in Central Business District, Winter Reminders, and Village Hall Holiday Hours.
SALE OF 2018 ANNUAL RIDGEWOOD PARKING PERMITS (RPP)
The 2018 Annual Commuter (Ridgewood Parking Permits – RPP) will go on sale December 18, 2017 at 8:30 a.m., at the Reception Desk in the lobby of Village Hall. All applicants must bring their driver’s license and vehicle registration(s) for car(s) they wish to list on their permits, as the RPPs allow up to 3 cars on each hang tag. The RPPs allow commuters to park in designated Ridgewood parking lots without having to pay the parking meters. The following is a summary of the Ridgewood Parking Permits (RPPs) and their prices:
Premium RPP – $1,000 annual fee – allows Ridgewood residents to park in the Train Station lot, Hudson Street lot, Prospect Street lot, and all Ridgewood lots, including Route 17 Park and Ride lot. A maximum of 210 Premium RPPs will be sold, on a first come, first served basis.
Non-Premium RPP – $750 annual fee – allows Ridgewood residents to park in Chestnut Street lot, North Walnut Street lot, Cottage Place lot, and Route 17 Park and Ride lot.
Park and Ride RPP – $750 annual fee – this price is for both Ridgewood residents and non-residents, and allows parking in the Route 17 Park and Ride lot.
Non-resident RPP in Central Business District – $1,500 annual fee – allows non-residents to park in the Cottage Place lot.
Ridgewood Resident Sticker – Free – All Ridgewood resident commuters who wish to park at the train station must bring in their driver’s license and vehicle registration(s) to obtain a free Ridgewood Resident sticker. Free Ridgewood Resident stickers will also be issued to all Ridgewood residents purchasing RPPs.
The Village will accept checks, cash, or credit cards (with a 3% transaction fee to the user) for payment.
There are also Central Business District (CBD) Employee stickers and hang tags that may be purchased by those who work in the CBD and allows parking at designated meters in the North Walnut Street and Cottage Place lots.
For more information, please visit our website: www.ridgewoodnj.net.
FINAL LEAF COLLECTION
The Village is currently picking up leaves in Section D, and that section should be finished by Christmas, weather permitting. The final leaf placement dates for the entire Village will be December 23rd through January 1st. After January 1st, do not place any more leaves into the street, along the curbline. Our leaf crews will pick up the leaves, beginning January 2nd. After January 1st, residents having additional leaves to dispose of must keep them on their property, until the spring.
PUBLIC VALET IN CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT
The Village Council has funded a Public Valet in the Central Business District on Friday and Saturday nights, from 6:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., throughDecember 30th. The location is Van Neste Square, by the park, and the cost is $5 per vehicle. Come and enjoy a night in the Central Business District with family and friends, during this holiday season, with easy parking through the Public Valet.
WINTER REMINDERS
We have already experienced a couple of snowfalls this month. As a reminder, when it snows or is icy, please place your garbage cans at the end of your driveway for collection. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our Village employees safe.
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.
HOLIDAY HOURS
All Village offices will be closed on December 25th, December 26th, and January 1st, in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
Wishing you and yours a joyous holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year!
this letter was also published NorthJersey 7:03 a.m. ET Dec. 15, 2017
In regard to the federal tax reform debate, it’s amazing to read the many letters to the editor justifying the deduction of local taxes because New Jersey gets so little back from the U.S. government in comparison to other states. New Jersey’s disgraceful local taxes have nothing to do with the federal government or with the actions of other states and everything to do with the reckless fiscal mismanagement brought about by elected officials of both parties.
We have a pension system that will never be solvent unless it undergoes major reform. We have a public educational system supported by billions of dollars in spending — much of which is siphoned off before it ever gets to the classroom, and thus resulting in a failure of education in our major cities. We have more than 500 municipalities with a duplication of services that’s unique to New Jersey. And we have government workers making salaries and benefits together with retirement packages that are out of control and continue to escalate.
Rather than looking to the federal government for a handout so New Jersey can continue its profligate spending, we should be demanding sound solutions to our fiscal mess from our elected leaders.
Hawthorne NJ, Hawthorne Police & Fire Department units responded to a Friday evening, 12/15, rollover crash on the lawn of 56 Forest Avenue, Hawthorne. The male driver of a 1994 Jeep Cherokee was uninjured in the crash. A hydraulic lift tow truck righted the vehicle before its removal from the scene.
