Beware anyone who PREACHES civility. If Jan Philips is any indication, those who PREACH it do not practice it. And Jumpin Jeff Voigt, oh my gosh, he is busy trying to be kind and soft-spoken but we have seen his dark side, his outbursts, his evil doings, nope, not buying it. And they are both in the school of Aronsohn, not a school from which anyone wants to earn a degree.
Strange letter from our great communicator. What is he saying? About forgiveness. Should we forgive him for that Alice in Wonderland mad queen letter about the INCIDENT that has no name and that we should not talk about even to ask what happened. Should we forgive him for not saying one word, no response, to the anxious and desperate residents of Ridgewood at board of ed meeting when parents pleaded questions to him about what happened and how and if school faculty is going to address the student body as a whole, the student body many of whom do not know what happened and many of whom are frightened. Should we forgive Fishbein for letting his mouthpiece, board of ed president accuse the concerned , anxious residents of Ridgewood for insulting himself and Fishbein for asking relevant questions, sincere from the the heart questions about the unnamed incident, at board of ed meeting. Or should perhaps a competent communicator be the new school Supt. of Ridgewood
November 25,2017
the staff o the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Frasier Firs in Ridgewood YMCA Christmas Tree Lot are waiting for their new homes! Visit us this weekend to purchase trees, wreaths and white pine roping! Sat. hours are 9am-8pm and Sunday 10am -5pm!
112 Oak St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 · (201) 444-5600
file photo by Boyd Loving
The 2017 Thanksgiving holiday period begins on Wednesday, November 22, at 6:00 p.m. and ends on Monday, November 27 at 6:00 a.m.
November 25,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
West Trenton NJ, Millions of Americans will hit the road today and battle the holiday traffic on one of the busiest travel days of the year. At the end of the journey awaits a freshly carved turkey and all of the fixings, but you have to get there first. A few preparations and a little bit of planning could be all the difference between a hot plate of turkey or a cold sandwich. Motorists can increase travel safety by following these tips:
· Fill up your gas tank
· Check fluids (including windshield washer fluid and antifreeze)
· Check tire pressure
· Bring a mobile phone charger
· Carry a flashlight with new batteries
· Bring bottles of water and nonperishable snacks
· Don’t drive drowsy. Symptoms of driving tired are similar to those of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Use service areas to rest, stretch your legs, or grab a cup a coffee
· Let someone know your travel plans
· Check the weather forecast and plan accordingly
· Plan to leave yourself more time to get where you are going
During the 2016 Thanksgiving holiday period, there were six fatal crashes that resulted in seven deaths on New Jersey roadways. Drug or alcohol impairment was found to be a contributing factor in two of the crashes. These types of tragedies can be easily avoided by having a designated driver, using a taxi or transportation application such as Uber or Lyft, or making plans to stay with friends or family.
The New Jersey State Police will have more than 130 additional troopers statewide during the holiday period in addition to normal patrols. Troopers will focus their efforts on speeding, aggressive driving, seatbelt usage, cell phone violations, distracted driving, and DWI.
“We are doing our part by having extra troopers on patrol to help keep our roads safe, but we cannot do it alone,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan, Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Getting behind the wheel while impaired is like playing Russian roulette with not only your life, but the lives of your passengers and innocent motorists. So please don’t drink and drive and have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.”
Big end of game brawl yesterday btwn Hackensack and Teaneck.
Star Ledger had the story but Gannett / The Record did not.
And by the way, Chuck Johnson was right not to let his kids do the post-game handshake with Montclair after their supporters ran onto the field.
November 25,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, On this small business Saturday its interesting to note that the Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood was established in 1979 as a full line tobacco shop. They carry over 700 pipes, the finest cigars, and a wide selection of humidors and accessories.
They are located at 10 Chestnut Street, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450 and are open Monday – Saturday 10am – 5:30 pm
Thursday Night 6:30PM – 8:30PM
There is a Special Tasting with some Special Deals on November 29th . Call to reserve your spot now! $20 per person in The Davidoff Lounge Call (201) 447-2204 .
This is true. In most instances. Take the whole pride flag debacle. Anyone who dared say they didn’t want it hanging on village property was labeled a homophobe. When the mayor tried to consider legal ramifications, Jeff Voigt and Jan Philips went after her with cries of bigotry. It is a conversation ender. Just horrible.
November 25,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, Decorating the Ridgewood tree at Van Saun Park – Bergen County Winter Wonderland – Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen trimming the tree with Councilman Ramon M Hache and a few Ridgewood residents. The Ridgewood tree looks beautiful and lane of 70 lighted municipal trees is an enchanting entrance to Winter Wonderland! Visit Van Saun and enjoy some winter fun!
https://www.bergencountywinterwonderland.com
November 25,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, in our area are enjoying “Black Friday” shopping, our region is protected by the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team. This highly trained and equipped elite police unit trains constantly to keep you safe. When you see the Bergen County Regional SWAT Team on the streets and around shopping areas this season, take a moment to thank them for protecting us all.
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
November 25,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, A busy 0700 hour Black Friday for Paramus PD as they investigated two (2) separate MVAs that were reported 15 minutes apart, and occurred within 500 feet of one another. 1) The adult male driver of a red SUV sustained non life threatening injuries after slamming into a pole on Glen Avenue near Route 17 southbound, Paramus. He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. 2) No injuries were reported after a 4-door sedan overshot the exit ramp of Route 17 northbound at Ridgewood Avenue westbound, Paramus. Flatbed tow trucks were called to removed both wrecks from the roadway.
SCAM ALERT!
November 24,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackemsack NJ, The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office has been receiving reports of an attempted criminal scam where people are being contacted via telephone by someone claiming to be a member of our agency asking for money to satisfy a warrant for contempt of a Grand Jury appearance. The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office DOES NOT ask for money over the phone. Do not give anyone claiming to be a member of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office any payment over the phone
November 24,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, This year the Village Christmas tree will be so much more meaningful ,and reminder of a friend who is no longer with us. This years tree came from Nancy Schuh . We caught he quote on Facebook and thing it truly captures the spirit of the season .
Nancy Schuh , November 21 at 10:10am , “My tree is on it’s way to Ridgewood Avenue to be this year’s Village Christmas Tree. Tom Youmans and his daughter Kim Youmans help put up, decorate and light the village tree every year. This past May, my best friend, Tom Youman’s wife Bj passed away after a valiant fight with breast cancer. This tree I dedicate to Bj Youmans and all those keeping up the fight. “
Executive Order No. 2017-01, officially making Bergen County the first county in the state of New Jersey to adopt a $15 minimum wage for its full time county worker
” most employers cannot simply raise prices to cover the higher minimum wage, particularly in the competitive services sector”. True. But government agencies can cheerfully raise taxes and tell the folks it’s for their own good.
Minimum wages have been most strongly advocated by unions to reduce competition from non-union workers and, historically by Jim Crow and apartheid governments to reduce hiring of minorities.
The following column appeared in The Ridgewood News on November 24, 2017.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
It’s been quite a month in our idyllic community. Faced with the fallout from a serious student incident that occurred on district property after school hours, our Village has been challenged to ponder some equally serious questions. How is that Ridgewood children chose to resolve their issues with serious physical violence rather than civil mediation? Why did bystanders feel motivated to record the incident rather than rush to intervene? What part did social media play in fueling the dispute and shaping the community’s reactions, rumors, rants and pointing of fingers?
Importantly, too: With the investigation now completed and behind us, where do we go from here? How can this incident be used as an opportunity to do better?
We are asking all of those questions at the school district level, starting by examining our student policies, as you already have heard us say. I invite you to look at the policies, especially 5512, which covers Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying, and also 5600, our Student Discipline Code of Conduct. The policies, which also detail how often they are revised, may be found on our website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.
As important as the policies are, to a large extent examining them is the not-so-difficult part of the task ahead. I say this because policies are generally rules for dealing with the aftermath of incidents or instructions in how to do certain things, and we are equally intent on finding ways to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place.
Equally important is the need for all of us as individuals, as parents and guardians, mentors and coaches, residents and neighbors, to ask the above questions of ourselves. Such incidents challenge us to examine our own personal policies and behaviors, to look at how we can do better at modeling the behaviors we want our children to adopt as they grow into mature adults and assume the responsibilities as our society’s leaders of tomorrow.
For the most part, I think it’s fair to pat ourselves on the back. We do a terrific job in this community of raising responsible kids, and that is because we really are good people ourselves. We clearly have big hearts that are in the right place, proven by the endless list of ways we teach our children to try to make a difference. The full coin jars for hurricane relief, overflowing shoe collections for the needy, piles of coats and bags of groceries that are regularly collected, successful Pink Outs and Pajama Days for worthy causes, all point to the success of our parents and guardians, our teachers and administrators, in modeling strong values that align with Thanks and Giving, a favorite theme of mine and so many others at this time of year.
So how is it that a community so good at doing Thanks and Giving is facing such difficult questions at the moment? While I do not have that answer, nor the answers to the other challenging questions above, I will suggest that just as Thanks and Giving are important to our health and wellbeing as individuals and members of society, the practice of for-giving is vital, too.
Forgiveness. It takes humbleness and swallowing of pride and can be difficult. But as we know, forgiveness is also a very cathartic act, as well as the foundation for reconciliation, which is why we teach our children to say they are sorry from their earliest days.
At this time of Thanksgiving and the beginning of the magical holiday season when there is always much talk about counting our blessings and peace on earth, I’d like to encourage us all to think about forgiveness, too. It just may help us move forward, to grapple as a community with our issues in an honest and loving way.
I maintain hope that this incident and our reflections together will result in shaping us into even worthier citizens, an even stronger community, and yes, ultimately a better world that lives in peace.
Go Cowboys! And remember the Kelly Creegan Foundation’s annual Coat Drive this Saturday at Graydon parking lot!
As always, please feel free to contact me with your questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Executive Order No. 2017-01, officially making Bergen County the first county in the state of New Jersey to adopt a $15 minimum wage for its full time county workers.
Not every job is a career. If you want more money, get a skill.
It’s interesting that the Democrats use this crap to buy votes, but there will be fewer jobs as a result.
I find it very interesting that the Democrats use this issue to grandstand , but ignore the facts of how one of their own takes advantage of skilled workers. And it’s never reported in the media.
Maybe this blog can out it out there and get credit for exposing this abuse.
Dan Wolf owns Cape Air, a small regional airline that serves the northeast, the south, and Guam. They receive government subsidies for “essential air service ” to small communities in upstate NY. Cape air receives some of the highest RPMSM (revenue passenger seat miles ) in the industry. It costs more to fly from Boston to Nantucket in their ancient 9 passenger Cessna 402C than from NY to fla . In order to to work for Cape Air, the pilot/captain must have an ATP (airline transport pilot rating) which requires 1500 hours to even take th test. This requires YEARs of experience to obtain and easily $75-100,000 of training. According to the cape air website, (as of last month) the starting pay is $16.17 per hour. It’s a disgrace that this company takes advantage of skilled pilots who seek to build time and experience so they can get a better paying job with an airline that cares about their employees. Oh, and I must mention, Dan Wolf has been a Massachusetts State Senator for years. Perhaps he decided not to run again since this would be an issue. So the democrats are comfortable with paying no brain no skill fast food workers the same as their fellow democrat pays skilled pilots.
