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N.J. Residents Deceived into Paying Scammers via Western Union Can Apply for Compensation from Settlement Fund

IRS Scam

file photo by Boyd Loving

November 19,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced today that New Jersey residents who were deceived into sending payments to scammers using Western Union’s wire transfer service can now apply for compensation from a $586 million fund related to a multi-state settlement with Western Union in which New Jersey participated.

According to Porrino, New Jersey residents may be eligible to receive compensation if they were the victim of a fraud-induced money transfer using Western Union services between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017.

New Jerseyans who reported to Western Union, or to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, that they were the victim of such a scam may soon receive a claim form in the mail. The claim form will be sent from the Settlement Administrator of a related federal settlement within the next two weeks.

The form will contain instructions explaining how consumers may file their claim to receive compensation. Consumers who do not receive a claim form in the mail but believe they may have an eligible claim can visit www.westernunionremission.com or call 1-844-319-2124 for more information on how to file a claim.

Filing a claim is free, so consumers should not pay anyone to file a claim on their behalf.

No one associated with the claims process will call to ask for consumers’ bank account or credit card number. All completed claims forms must be mailed back to the Settlement Administrator by February 12, 2018.

“Unfortunately, con artists use all types of ruses and tall tales to convince people to wire them money – and they sometimes succeed. Some of these ‘send money’ scams may appeal to the target’s humanitarianism or love of family, while others may suggest the would-be victim needs to wire money in order to claim a big sweepstakes prize,” Porrino said.

“The position of the states in this matter was that Western Union must be more vigilant going forward,” Porrino said, “but consumers can protect themselves, too, by exercising great caution in the face of overtures asking that they send money. If a person is being told a loved one is in need or in danger, we urge that he or she proceed with deliberation and make every effort to authenticate the story independently. And if a supposed ‘bargain’ or ‘contest prize’ sounds too good to be true, it probably is. We recommend that they not take the bait.”

Announced by Attorney General Porrino in January 2017, a multi-state settlement with Western Union Company resolved an investigation by the participating states focused on fraud-induced money transfers – specifically, the wiring of money by unwitting consumers to third-party con artists using Western Union’s wire transfer service.

Under the settlement, Colorado-based Western Union was required to develop and put into action a comprehensive anti-fraud program designed to help detect and prevent future incidents in which consumers who are the victims of fraud utilize Western Union to wire money to those defrauding them.

New Jersey was a member of the multi-state Executive Committee that spearheaded the Western Union investigation. Deputy Attorney General Cathleen O’Donnell, assigned to the Division of Law’s Consumer Fraud Prosecution Section, and Division of Consumer Affairs Chief Investigator Laurie Goodman, as well as Investigator/Team Leader Aziza Salikov, handled the Western Union matter on behalf of the State.

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Reader says Wouldn’t it be nice to only pay for what you’re going to use?

road work

Wouldn’t it be nice to only pay for what you’re going to use? Senior Centers only paid for by seniors. Graydon Pool funded by the little tikes brave enough to swim there. The town could issue a pass for those willing to fund road repairs! ‘Sorry sir, it appears you did not contribute to the pothole repair on Linwood Ave last summer. You’ll need to go around…’ These shared communal expenses are such a nuisance. Why should I have to pay to fund the Fire Department with their big, fancy, red and extremely expensive trucks if my house isn’t the one burning to the ground? Perhaps they could bill the careless culprit after the flames are out and the embers cool off? The idea to create an environment that attracts residence from varying age, interests and yes even income (hard to believe that we’re not all rich), is so passé. So what if the families with kids thinned out and moved to other, more affordable communities and therefore changed the trajectory of the future of Ridgewood? Does it matter if the High School kids who scoop ice cream at Ben and Jerry’s or make espresso at Ridgewood Coffee Company are no longer filling those jobs? Maybe some of those senior citizens will be looking for some extra tip money to fund the Senior Center!I think we may be on to something!

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Bergen County Towns Vote to Reject Forced Overdevelopement thru Affordable-housing

CBD high density housing

November 18,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hillsdale NJ, Ballot questions were overwhelmingly approved in four Bergen County towns, Residents in Hillsdale, Park Ridge and River Vale voted this month in support of non-binding questions that called for the towns to stop issuing permits for large-scale housing projects until statewide affordable-housing rules are established. Dumont voters also approved a question that asked if the state Legislature should make appointments to the Council on Affordable Housing board and amend the Fair Housing Act. In each case residents voted against forced overdevelopment, did not want high-density apartments in their towns,  and they particularly reject high-density apartments built because of builder’s remedy lawsuits.

In 2015, the state Supreme Court ruled that municipalities should bypass the non-functioning Council on Affordable Housing and go directly to trial court judges to determine their affordable-housing obligations. Since then, many towns have been involved in costly litigation involving the Fair Share Housing Center, an affordable-housing advocacy group, to determine how many units of low- to moderate-income housing they constitutionally must provide.

Fair Share Housing has been accused of setting affordable-housing numbers that are unrealistic in relation to the ability of the town to absorb such significant housing levels. The fact is with housing comes infrastructure, police, fire, schools, sewage and water . Many politicians have referred to the Fair Housing Act as the “developers full employment act”

Local lawmakers are hoping Trenton is listening . Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi, drafted the questions passed in Hillsdale, Park Ridge and River Vale. Schepisi, R-River Vale, has been at the forefront of efforts to come up with a statewide affordable-housing solution. She believes there is a more responsible way to meet obligations to provide low- to moderate-income housing and has been covered on this blog extensively .

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The Ridgewood High School Alumni Association is currently accepting nominations for this year’s Distinguished Alumni event

RHS_theridgewoodblog

November 18,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood High School Alumni Association is currently accepting nominations for this year’s Distinguished Alumni event. The event will take place on Thursday, March 22, 2018. The deadline for nominations is January 15th, 2018.

Please submit all nominations via the website (RHSalumniassociation.org) under the contact us section. Please make sure to include the full name of graduate, year of graduation and a brief write up detailing the person’s distinguished achievements. Any questions or inquiries can be sent directly to [email protected]

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Ridgewood Water Continues to Make Progress With Water Main Upgrade

Ridgewood Water

November 18,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water has offered an update on the Water Main Replacements at Stream Crossings. Ridgewood Water announced  in July it was going to upgrade water mains at four stream crossings. Water mains were to be replaced at four stream crossing :

Linwood Ave. at the Saddle River
North Irving St. at the HoHoKus Brook
East Ridgewood Ave. at the HoHokus Brook
Spring Ave. at the Hohokus Brook

Construction activities have been completed at the East Ridgewood Avenue stream crossing and nearly completed at the North Irving Avenue stream crossing.  Final testing and tie-ins will be completed this week at North Irving Street.

In the meantime, Devens Construction will mobilizing to the third stream crossing, Spring Avenue on or about Tuesday, November 14th.  Construction activities will include setting up temporary fencing for pedestrian traffic and moving equipment and materials on site, followed by sheet piling of the stream bed and construction of the new water main.  We anticipate approximately six (6) weeks for completion of the Spring Avenue stream crossing barring any unforeseen conditions.

Devens Construction will be coordinating with the Ridgewood police who will be directing traffic around work areas on an as-needed basis.   Expected work hours will be Monday through Friday, 7am – 5:30pm, weather permitting and possible Saturday workday.

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New Jersey Transit Offers Early Getaway Service for Thanksgiving Week and Extra Service on Thanksgiving Day

Ridgewood_Train_station_train _is_coming_theridgewoodblog

November 18, 2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Thanksgiving is a time of family and food and NJ TRANSIT is offering additional trains and buses this Thanksgiving and to make it even easier for customers to unite with family and friends, travel to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, or get started on holiday shopping at various malls throughout the state. Plus, feel free to bring your holiday helpers as kids ride free* the entire long weekend!

NJ TRANSIT will once again offer “early getaway” rail and bus service on Wednesday, November 22, for the benefit of customers leaving work early, and to provide additional capacity for customers traveling to Newark Liberty International Airport. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving is typically the busiest day of the year at Newark Airport’s rail station, with ridership levels about twice that of a typical weekday. Customers are urged to purchase their tickets early – round trip preferably – to avoid lines or download NJ TRANSIT’s mobile app available free at the App Store and Google Play.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 23, NJ TRANSIT will add extra trains and buses to the schedule in the morning and midday hours to accommodate customers traveling to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Then on Friday, November 24, traditionally the busiest shopping day of the year, enhanced bus service will be offered to shopping centers throughout New Jersey and additional trains will operate to and from New York.

NJ TRANSIT customer service representatives and volunteers will be deployed at major facilities throughout the holiday weekend to assist customers with their travels.

For complete schedule and fare information, customers may visit njtransit.com or call 973-275-5555.

On Wednesday, November 22, trains will operate on a weekday schedule on all lines with additional “early getaway” service from New York Penn Station, Newark Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal starting at 1 p.m. on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines. Newark Light Rail, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and River Line Light Rail service will operate on a weekday schedule. Bus schedules vary by route—customers are advised to check their timetables or visit njtransit.com for schedule information. Selected routes will operate on special holiday schedules to match service with ridership demand, including early getaway service from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and on the No. 64 and 68 bus routes from the Hudson River waterfront between noon and 4:30 p.m. to accommodate the heaviest travel, with less frequent service during the traditional rush hour and later in the evening due to lower ridership. Special holiday timetables are available on njtransit.com.

On Thanksgiving Day, November 23, trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule. To accommodate customers traveling to and from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, NJ TRANSIT will add extra trains on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex and Port Jervis lines. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule; Newark Light Rail and River Line will operate on a Sunday schedule. Holiday bus schedules vary by route—bus customers are advised to visit njtransit.com. Selected bus routes will operate extra service to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal for customers attending the parade.

Note: Thanksgiving shoppers: Service on the No. 111 bus route from New York to the Jersey Gardens Mall in Elizabeth will begin operating at 8:15 a.m. Thanksgiving morning, November 23. The No. 40 will operate on a special holiday schedule serving Jersey Gardens all night long. Service on the No. 163, 171, 175 & 770 bus routes to Garden State Plaza in Paramus will operate on a Saturday schedule to serve the mall all day.

On Friday, November 24, one of the busiest shopping days of the year, trains will operate on a modified weekday schedule on all rail lines with additional New York-bound trains between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast and Morris & Essex lines. Customers are encouraged to travel early, if possible, when ridership is light. There will be adjustments to morning peak period service on the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast Lines, with select trains either not operating or combined with other trains due to expected light ridership. Customers should visit the printable schedule page at njtransit.com or use the “Station-to-Station Trip Planner” for Friday’s rail schedules. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule. Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. River Line will operate on a weekday schedule. Holiday bus schedules vary by route—customers are advised to visit njtransit.com.

Extra bus service to New Jersey malls

Starting Friday, November 24 and continuing through December 26, NJ TRANSIT will offer additional bus service to major New Jersey shopping destinations to accommodate extended store hours and busy shopping times throughout the day. Throughout the holiday shopping season, extra trips or expanded service will be offered on several bus routes serving malls and shopping centers throughout the state, including Garden State Plaza, Jersey Gardens, Livingston Mall, Harmon Meadow/Mill Creek in Secaucus, Willowbrook Mall, Wayne Towne Center Mall and West Belt Mall.

*Kids ride free on NJT

For the Thanksgiving holiday, NJ TRANSIT’s Family Super Saver Fare, which allows up to two children 11 and younger to travel free with each fare-paying adult, will be in effect from 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 22 until 6 a.m. Monday, November 27.

NJT Travel Tips :

Check Schedules in Advance: Additional service will be provided on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Plan your trip online to take advantage of extra trains and buses.
Travel Early on Friday, November 24: On Friday, NJ TRANSIT rail lines will operate on a modified weekday schedule with additional trains during the late morning hours. Avoid the crowds by traveling during the traditional peak-period (6-9 a.m.) when ridership is light.
Allow Extra Travel Time: Traffic congestion during the holidays may affect bus travel times to and from New York City, so customers should plan accordingly.
Ticketing: Purchase round-trip tickets at the start of your trip to speed your return. Use ticket vending machines or see a ticket agent, if available, to avoid possible surcharges. Bus customers departing Port Authority Bus Terminal are reminded that tickets must be purchased before boarding the bus.
Luggage: Travel as light as possible. Passengers with luggage or packages should use the overhead racks or designated luggage spaces. On multilevel trains, customers with large bags should use the mezzanine levels at the ends of each car.
Bus Gate Changes: Some gate changes have been made at Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York. Customers are reminded to check the public timetable for new departure gate information.

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Small Business Saturday Coming November 25th

CBD Ridgewood by ArtChick

photo by ArtChick

November 18,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, ‘Tis the season to Shop Small®! On main streets across America, small businesses are getting ready to welcome customers on Small Business Saturday, celebrated this year on November 25th. Results from the 2017 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey, released today by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) and American Express, show six in ten (61%) U.S. consumers are aware of Small Business Saturday going into the day, and of those, 82% plan to shop at a small, independently-owned retailer or dine at a small, independently-owned restaurant on the day.

Created by American Express in 2010 as a way to help small businesses get more customers, Small Business Saturday is held annually on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. Now entering its eighth year, the day is embraced by independent merchants of all kinds—from traditional brick and mortar retailers to service providers to e-commerce businesses. And as consumer shopping habits continue to evolve, they are prioritizing small businesses – even those online: the report found that 59% of consumers said they are likely to seek out a small, independently-owned retailer when shopping online on Small Business Saturday.

“Small Business Saturday provides people an opportunity to discover and celebrate the variety of small businesses that make their communities thrive,” said Elizabeth Rutledge, Executive Vice President, Global Advertising & Brand Management at American Express. “Beyond visiting their favorite go-to spots, shoppers say Small Business Saturday inspires them to visit places they have not been to before and would not have otherwise tried.”

Consumers Will Make Small Businesses a Big Part of Holiday Shopping Plans
Among those who are aware and who plan to shop on Small Business Saturday this year, 65% say the main reason they will support local, independently-owned retailers and restaurants is because they value the contributions small businesses make to their community.

The 2017 Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey found:

As much as 80% of all consumers surveyed say at least some of their holiday shopping will be done at small, independently-owned retailers or restaurants;
Three-quarters (75%) of all consumers surveyed are planning on going to one or more small businesses as part of their holiday shopping;
90% of all consumers surveyed agree it is important for them to support small, independently-owned restaurants and bars;
Of consumers who are aware of Small Business Saturday, 89% agree that the day encourages them to Shop Small all year long, not just during the holiday season;
For those who are aware and who plan to shop on Small Business Saturday, 44% plan to spend more this year compared to last year.
Nine-in-Ten U.S. Consumers (90%) Say Small Business Saturday® Has Had a Positive Impact on Their Community.
90% of consumers aware of the day say Small Business Saturday inspires them to explore new independently-owned retailers and restaurants.

“Supporting small businesses is critical to the health and livelihood of our national economy and local communities,” said NFIB CEO and President Juanita Duggan. “We are proud to partner with American Express to bring attention to the importance of small business and look forward to another successful Small Business Saturday.”

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Thanksgiving Weekend Deadliest Holiday on our Roads with Drunk Driving Claimed 800 Lives from 2012-2016

Honda Civics collide Ridgewood Police Ridgewood Fire Deparrtment4

file photo By Boyd Loving

November 18,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is reminding the millions of Americans who will travel over the Thanksgiving holiday to plan ahead for a non-drinking driver to get them safely to their destination.

From 2012 to 2016, drunk driving crashes killed more than 800 people over the long Thanksgiving weekend, making it the deadliest holiday on our roads (6 p.m. Wednesday to 5:59 a.m. Monday).

“Thanksgiving is a time for families and tradition, and each of us can do our part to prevent the 100 percent preventable tragedies caused by drunk driving,” said MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church, whose 18-year-old son Dustin was killed in a teen drunk and drugged driving crash. “Please take advantage of the many options for getting home safely — a designated, non-drinking driver, rideshare, taxi or public transportation.”

In addition to MADD’s Tie One On… for Safety® red ribbon holiday campaign, MADD joins the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in urging everyone to “Make It to the Table: Don’t Drink and Drive this Thanksgiving Eve.” On Nov. 22, the day before Thanksgiving, MADD will blitz its social media channels with reminders to plan ahead by designating a non-drinking driver, using public transportation, rideshare or taxi if plans include alcohol.

MADD encourages everyone to spread the word on Nov. 22 and throughout the holiday season by using MADD’s holiday hashtag #HomeForHolidays, along with #buzzeddriving and #designateddriver.

“Thanksgiving Eve is just the beginning of the busy holiday season, and MADD will be out in full support of law enforcement’s efforts to protect our roads through New Year’s Day,” said Sheehey-Church. “Our wish is for everyone to make it home for the holidays.”

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Judge Rules No Tepees for Ramapough Lenape Nation at Split Rock Sweetwater Prayer Camp Site

Ramapough Lenape Nation

November 18.2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, Superior Court judge Roy F. McGeady ruled on Friday that the Ramapough Lenape Nation had violated local zoning laws when they erected tepees on its Mahwah property. In his decision the judge rejected the tribe’s arguments that they had a constitutional right to the tepees, which are used in religious ceremonies. While the judge issued his ruling supporters of the Ramapough Lenape Nation wore red in solidarity .

Judge Roy F. McGeady explained ,“There’s a big difference between praying on the property or conducting religious ceremonies, and creating a structure to do a religious ceremony – a church, a cathedral,”

McGeady ordered the tribe to pay more than $13,000 in fines for summonses issued on the tepee violations. However, he threw out additional summonses accusing the tribe of moving soil and erecting a renewable energy system without permission. The ruling ends a year-long Mahwah Indian War saga that began with a small colony of tepees placed on the tribe’s Halifax Road property last fall.

Split Rock Sweetwater Prayer Camp was formed in October of 2016 in solidarity with the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Led by Ramapough Lenape Nation, the camp was erected to educate the public on the impending crises of the AIM and Pilgrim pipelines that threaten the local water supply in our region. Pipeline ruptures cause severe damage to our sacred waters and endanger our families and wildlife. Even with these dangers, Spectra Company is still pushing for the AIM and Pilgrim pipelines to be completed.

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Helpful tips to avoid fraud on Cyber Monday

worldwide-are-not-prepared-for-cyber-threats

November 17,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, With the holidays right around the corner, shoppers are preparing for the biggest online shopping event of the year, Cyber Monday. During this annual, event consumers are at high risk for online fraud and need to be aware of how to not become a victim.

Antwayne Ford a government IT/cybersecurity expert and President/CEO of Enlightened, an Information Technology (IT) and Management Consulting firm provided some helpful tips to the Ridgewood blog to avoid fraud on Cyber Monday.

Some of his tips include:

Keep Computer Security Updated: Make sure your operating system, web browser, and anti-virus are up to date in order to avoid any viruses causing damage to your machine.
Avoid Clicking Email Links:  these coupons could be a scammer trying to lure you to a fake version of a legitimate shopping site to steal your information.  Instead, take note of the coupon code and then manually enter the store’s website where you can enter the coupon at checkout to receive any discounts.
Avoid Click on Ads: Hackers are getting more sophisticated at targeting your information by attaching malware to ads that run in the background when you click on them.
Avoid Public Wi-Fi: I know we all love using public Wi-Fi because it provides users with free access to the internet, but public Wi-Fi is NOT secure.  It is relatively easy for a hacker to fake (also known as spoof) Wi-Fi access and steal your personal information as you surf the web.  Even if a hacker doesn’t spoof the Wi-Fi, they can still use tools to look at all the internet traffic happening on the Wi-Fi and possibly steal your information that way

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New Jersey Teachers Union (NJEA) Spent $5.7M of Union Dues on Election Activities in November

Ridgewood Teachers

November 17,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, According to recent filings with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) , the New Jersey Education Association spent about $5.7 million in union dues on the recent general election. It did so through Garden State Forward, a Super PAC (political action committee) that the teachers union founded four years ago.

The amount spent was almost seven times more than the NJEA spent from voluntary donations to its regular PAC. NJEA communications director Steve Baker confirmed that all the roughly $5.7 million came from membership dues. Many NJEA members erroneously believe teachers union spent only funds from voluntary donations on recent political battles .

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Reader Issues a Warning from Habernickel Family Park

Schedler Property in Ridgewood

SCHEDLER PARK

Updated Schedler Grant Application Click Here

For the Bergen County response regarding the Schedler Grant Click Here

Below are the Site Development Plans prepared by the Ridgewood Engineering Department.

Click Here for Part 1A
Click Here for part 2B
Click Here for Part 3 C, D, E

Maps – Revisions
Schedler Map Rev 8 – October 7, 2015

InfoClick Here for the Schedler Park and House Grant Timeline – as reported by the Village Manager at the September 16, 2015 Village Council Public Meeting. Wednesday, August 12th the Village Council discussed the use of the Schedler property.

They voted on the following resolutions:
Click Here for Schedler Property Resolution including House Click Here for Resolution to apply for Schedler House Grant

Reader Issues a Warning from Habernickel Family Park ……Or they can call it passive and put all kinds of parks and rec sports on it while travel sports are going on at the same time all the while a business is cashing in on our tax dollars with up to 25 cars dropping off and then again an hour later picking up clients and this goes on for hours in a PARK that is also used for baseball , soccer and lacrosse; there is NO passive in Ridgewood. With all this happening at once the neighborhood streets already in terrible shape are more dangerous then ever and at time impassable by pushing parking onto the street because guess what, we gave away 12 spots in the parking lot to a private business. Or they could always keep the schedler Home and restore it then rent it out for way below market value, use tax payers money to put in lights, cameras, walkways and provide all kinds of services for a private business to flourish in a neighborhood. So be weary of any decision on the table…our voices do not matter!!!!

 

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Reader says Social media is like fuel to a fire

facebook-dislike-theridgewoodblog

The parents are to blame-if my kid got into a fight just a few days prior, you bet they would not be allowed to go out that weekend…I don’t care who started the fight, who won the fight, or who was in the right or wrong-my teen would be sitting at home for the next few weeks to “cool off”, (WITHOUT his/her phone) Social media is like fuel to a fire-shut it off and the fire dies. Maybe the parents didn’t know about the prior fight-that would be a different issue to deal with all together-called communication…

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Lawsuit Accuses Ridgewood Schools of a Cover up and Violating it’s Own “Cyber Bullying” and Social Media Policies

Ridgewood High School theridgewoodblog.net 3

November 17,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, looks like the Ridgewood blog was not the only one with unanswered questions about the fighting incident that took place at Stevens and Brookside fields. We recently observed that the ,

“Ridgewood High School “ANTI BULLYING POLICY” was adapted in 2016 , it has very clear rolls for students , parents and staff, While the kids involved in the incident have gotten all the attention , the little public information that is available about the incident and what led up to the incident would lead anyone to suspect the Ridgewood High School anti bullying policy , despite years of finger wagging was not followed and it appears that not only were students documented to be in violation of the policy but clearly so were some staff and parents .”

https://theridgewoodblog.net/so-the-question-remains-for-the-ridgewood-school-system-who-knew-when-did-they-know-and-why-did-they-not-act/

After an investigation of the incident the Ridgewood Police  charged a 14-year-old with aggravated assault and simple assault. The 16-year-old was charged with simple assault.

Which all let us to ask , “who knew ,when did they know and why did they not act?”

Looks like we were not alone Fort Lee attorney Rosemarie Arnold delivered two notices of intent to Ridgewood High School on Thursday stating that the parents of a 16-year-old boy intend to sue the Board of Education, high school principal Thomas Gorman and superintendent Daniel Fishbein because they allegedly violated their own policies regarding bullying and social media, sounds just like our article .

According to their website the Law Offices Rosemarie Arnold is based in Fort Lee Law and represents clients In New Jersey And New York. On their website they claim , ” we are a strong voice for victims of negligence.”
Aronold seems to go after big cases an is not afraid of a little attention. On her home page it states, “Our law firm receives significant attention in professional publications and major media outlets due to our success in high-profile cases.”

In the notice Arnold claims that the Ridgewood High School “did not implement proper social media and bullying policies and procedures’ .The notice also accuses Ridgewood High School of “not enforcing the meager policies they had in existence — therefore, students knew there were no penalties for violation of the policies, creating a culture of unrelenting bullying and harassment.”

Arnold went even further by accusing the school and district officials of a cover up, “to protect the school’s reputation and the reputation of the child of a teacher in the district.”
Arnold has also filed suit against SNAP Inc., the Delaware-based parent of Snapchat, as well as 47 unidentified students who “instigated, incited, aided or abetted and filmed the beating of the victim.”

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Former public works inspector who stole nearly half a Million Dollars in Parking Meter Quarters Spotted in Ridgewood

thomas rica coin boy

November 17, 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood’s former public works inspector who stole nearly half a million dollars in loose parking meter quarters from the village was seen on Thursday working in the Village. Yes Thomas Rica working at a job site on Valley View Avenue in Ridgewood, on Thursday afternoon, (11/16/2017).

For those who do not remember Rica said he stole $460,000 and received no jail time, according to a plea deal  he reached with the county prosecutor’s office. A judge later upheld the agreement for five years’ probation, which disappointed local officials  and taxpayers . Rica was forced to pay back at least half of the money .

Auditors later found that nearly $850,000 was in fact stolen from the now-infamous coin room where collected parking meter quarters were stored.  Reader pointed out at the time that the “coin boy” stole the equivalent of 50 lbs of quarters a day from Village hall.  This fact made it hard to believe that he acted alone ,but not coconspirators ever came to light.

It appears as though Rica drove the dump truck pictured here and was observed operating the mini-excavator.  The equipment is owned by Della Rica & Sons, Inc. of Glen Rock, a company we believe is owned by Thomas’s brother Randy.  So although there were rumors that Thomas got a job as a pipeline inspector, it appears as though he’s working locally for his brother.

Police were on the scene because of the open trench and work taking place in the roadway  was being done without the proper notification to the police department (generally the contractor is billed for a police officer to guard the excavation on an overtime basis , we guess Randy somehow didn’t know that?).

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