Location: Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 Cost: $50 per person
Ridgewood NJ, Chase away the winter blues with some Italian reds and whites! Join the Pro Arte Chorale as we escape into old world flavors, aromas and sounds, crossing the boot in delicious style. We’ll sample wines from the most stories regions of Italy, paired with classic and delicious bites.You will have a chance to socialize and also relax and listen to soprano Elizabeth Smith entertain us with arias from some of the most famous operas, accompanied by our own Janet Montgomery.
Tickets are $50 per person. Proceeds benefit Pro Arte Chorale, Inc.. A portion of your ticket price is tax deductible.
To purchase tickets, please visit our website at www.proartechorale.org, email at [email protected] or call 201-497- 8400.
Persons under the age of 21 will not be permitted alcohol.
“Unfortunately in a Democracy, some suffer because of the decisions of the majority.” Not always true, in 2010 many of my neighbors and the majority voted No, and Ridgewood taxpayers got screwed when they defeated the $84.9 million school budget.
Votes: 2,639 NO,,, 2,537 Yes…It was rejected by the voters, but the council ONLY CUT a measly $100,000 from the $84.9 Million budget. You wonder why bother to vote on BOE budgets when your vote don’t count anyway. ?
See attached link, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/28/nyregion/28schools.html
Oh, let’s build a massive parking garage, build 4 or 5 oversized apartment buildings in town, build a water park for Graydon, build a performing arts theater, renovate the library, did I miss anything else?
70% more cops per capita than any other state, making 50% more than the average cop in the US according to FBI data, why?
Many of those cops are in our suburbs manning speed traps to help pay for the cost of so many cops. So it’s a vicious circle – we’re actually paying people to drive up our auto insurance premiums just so they can justify their job.
Cut the police force by 50% by not replacing retiring cops, and put them on bronze level health benefits and 401(k) style defined contribution pension plans.
Then perhaps NJ goes up the rankings, our auto insurance premiums and taxes go down, and maybe we can afford some new investments in bridges, roads, tunnels and our schools instead of overpaying for public safety and public sector pensioners?
Ridgewood Nj, It is literally freezing outside today and Ridgewood Crew is having their annual row-a-thon in Van Neste Square from 10-3. Brrrrr….If you happen to be in town, please stop by to give these kids a boost and maybe buy a few things from the bake sale. This will keep their spirits up and it will help them raise desperately needed cash for their team.
Thanks SO much and spread the word
Ridgewood NJ, In what has seemingly become an all too common occurrence, an illegally parked vehicle that was blocking a driveway entrance on North Walnut Street, leading to a private parking lot behind 119-133 East Ridgewood Avenue, was towed from the scene under police guard after having been issued multiple parking violation summonses. Individuals waiting to enter/leave the parking lot were inconvenienced, the vehicle’s owner must now deal with the expense and inconvenience of recovering his/her vehicle (and paying the associated parking fines), and a police officer was tied up during the vehicle impound process.
This and similar incidents that have occurred on Cottage Place, Oak Street, and Chestnut Street, may have all been prevented. However, for some unknown/inexpiable reason, Ridgewood Village Engineer Christoper Rutishauser has steadfastly refused to have yellow hash marked “parking control” boxes painted on the pavement in front of private driveway entrances such as the one on North Walnut Street. Nearby Ho-Ho-Kus has several of these simple and inexpensive “parking control” schemes in use within their business district along Sheridan Avenue (see attached photos).
Just what is Mr. Rutishauser’s objection to such an idea? Is it no good only because he didn’t think of it?
Ridgewood NJ, One (1) victim of a Friday afternoon (03/03 ) two (2) vehicle crash at the intersection of Ackerman Avenue and Bellair Road in Ridgewood was transported to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center by a Ridgewood EMS ambulance. The victim is reported to have sustained non-life threatening injuries when a Chevrolet Equinox apparently broadsided a Honda Pilot. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. A crash related fluid spill was attended to by Ridgewood FD personnel. A Glen Rock PD Uniformed Patrol Division supervisor assisted at the scene with language interpretation. There was no word as to whether Ridgewood PD officers issued any summonses in connection with the incident.
Ridgewood NJ, At the end of last year, PropertyShark compiled a list of the most expensive zip codes in the U.S., and 2 New Jersey zip codes made the cut: Alpine’s 07620 landed the 44th spot on our list, and Short Hills’ 07078 landed the 88th. This year, PropertyShark took a closer look at the market and round up the most expensive zip codes in New Jersey.
The top three zip codes on our list will come as no surprise; the most expensive zip code on our list is occupied by Alpine’s 07620. with the medium price of $2,050,000. The next zip code in the state is Short Hills’ 07078, with a median home price of $1,430,000. The third priciest zip code on our list is Stone Harbor’s 08247, with a median home price of $1,110,000.
Ridgewood’s 07450 came in 26th with the median price of $712,500 with 350 real-estate transactions.
Hoboken’s 07030 ranked 33 but the small city had the largest number of residential transactions in the past year, with 830 sales closed here in 2016, at a median price of $685,000.
The methodology: In order to determine which were the most expensive ZIP codes in New Jersey, PropertyShark looked at all residential transactions closed in 2016, taking into account condo, co-op, single- and two-family homes. All package deals were excluded.
Check out the full list of New Jersey zip codes below:
Megan Burrow , Staff Writer, @MegBurrowPublished 9:26 p.m. ET March 1, 2017 | Updated 9:27 p.m. ET March 1, 2017
HACKENSACK — There was no decision Wednesday in a case before a Superior Court judge involving a petition by Teaneck Township to bar a resident from filing public records requests.
But Judge Robert P. Contillo expressed some skepticism with Teaneck’s argument that Elie Jones, a 44-year-old lifelong unemployed township resident, harassed and bullied the township staff as he filed more than 300 records requests since November under the state’s Open Public Records Act, or OPRA.
By Matthew Stanmyre and Steve Politi | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on March 02, 2017 at 2:02 PM, updated March 02, 2017 at 2:26 PM
Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex) formally called on state Attorney General Christopher Porrino Thursday to investigate the actions of the Paterson Eastside High Schools boys and girls basketball teams, which have been embroiled in controversy surrounding an influx of international and overseas players to the programs.
In a letter written by Codey and obtained by NJ Advance Media, the Senator asks Porrino to explore whether immigration laws have been violated by the district or players and if school documents were forged to make the players eligible to compete. Codey also is asking for an examination of the housing and living environments of the players.
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that“ – Martin Luther King, Jr
March 3,3017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Glen Rock NJ, Last week’s hate crime killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla, and shooting of Alok Madasani, and Ian Grillot, has shaken everyone. This in addition to the over hundred bomb threats against Jewish Community Centers, desecration of hundreds of headstones at Jewish cemeteries, and hate crimes against Black, LGBTQI, Muslim, Immigrants, and various groups of all backgrounds has left a lot of communities in anger, pain and seeking answers.
To stand up against hate, and unite in a demonstration of solidarity, strength, and community, residents of Glen Rock and neighboring towns invite everyone to a candlelight vigil for peace and unity at Boro Hall in Glen Rock, NJ.
This is a non-partisan event to showcase the strength of our community and that we are all bound to each other by our humanity.
Mr. Gurbir S. Grewal, Bergen County Prosecutor will discuss hate crimes in Bergen County, and their investigation by the BC Prosecutor’s office. Faith leaders will lead a conversation on peace, unity and creating safe spaces for everyone. Community leaders from various faiths, and organizations will be available for dialogue after the Program.
Program:
• Welcome Message by Sanjiv Ohri, Member of Religious Communities of Glen Rock and Glen Rock Indian Community
• The Star-Spangled Banner – National Anthem
• Brief Message from Bruce Packer, Mayor of Glen Rock
• Speech by Gurbir S. Grewal, Bergen County Prosecutor
• Remarks by Father Mark Collins
• Remarks and Prayer by Rabbi Jennifer Schlosberg
• Song of Peace – Let There Be Peace on Earth
When:
Saturday, March 4th, 7:00pm
Where:
Please meet us near the steps of the Borough Hall (1 Harding Plaza) in Glen Rock, NJ
Who Can Attend:
Anyone and everyone. This rally is open to everyone in all towns and bring your family.
Please invite everyone you know, and register on the EventBrite or Facebook Event, so that we can get an accurate head count.
This is a peaceful, non-partisan and non-denominational gathering.
Please dress warmly in layers
Lyrics to the National Anthem
Oh, say can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
Lyrics to Let There Be Peace on Earth
Let There Be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me.
Let There Be Peace on Earth, the peace that was meant to be!
With Earth as our Mother, we are family.
Let us walk with each other in perfect harmony.
Let peace begin with me. Let this be the moment now.
With every breath I take, let this be my solemn vow;
To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally!
Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.
Please register through Eventbrite under “Tickets” so that there is an accurate head count
Trenton, N.J. – New Jersey municipalities could get relief from building more than 200,000 low income housing units and 1,000,000 total new housing units under a bill introduced by Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi on Tuesday. The bill (A4666) imposes a moratorium on all affordable housing litigation until the end of the year.
“If we wait any longer the transformative impact on our communities will not be reversible,” said Schepisi (R-Bergen). “Now is the time for the Legislature to act.”
Municipalities have spent millions of taxpayer dollars over the years fighting affordable housing mandates in court. After a January NJ Supreme Court ruling forced towns to consider past housing needs for the first time, municipalities statewide are struggling to compensate. The far-reaching mandate increases low-income housing need by 142 percent while forcing municipalities to permit building that would accommodate a phantom 30 percent population increase.
“The court’s social engineering will devastate all 23 municipalities I represent and suburban municipalities throughout the entire state,” said Schepisi. “The legislature needs to stop ignoring affordable housing and instead should immediately act to fix this problem in a responsible manner. While we focus our energies to vote on the State bird and State butterfly our communities are being turned into mini Brooklyns. We cannot let the court legislate what is best for individual communities. This isn’t temporary; this is forever. I am circulating a resolution to every Mayor and Council in the State seeking their support for an immediate legislative solution.”
Schepisi also introduced a companion bill (A-4667) creating a short term commission that will study prior court decisions, the effectiveness of past affordable housing practices, and analyze projected population increases and corresponding housing need. The commission will hold public hearings and is required to publish a report of its findings at the end of the year.
The January court mandate would unnecessarily increase housing supply by as much as 30 percent in the next 9 years anticipating a population growth of 2.73 million. These projections would cost New Jersey taxpayers over $11.75 billion more in education alone. On the flip side, Rutger’s economists project a population increase of only .3 percent, or 219,000 people, per year until 2026
By Samantha Marcus | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on March 02, 2017 at 7:02 PM, updated March 02, 2017 at 7:57 PM
TRENTON — One of the state’s leading proponents in last year’s fight to raise the gas tax for the Transportation Trust Fund spent nearly $4.4 million lobbying last year, according to an Election Law Enforcement Commission analysis.
The Engineers Labor Employer Cooperative more than quadrupled its spending over 2015, making it the highest-spending special interest organization in 2016.
Total lobbying in the state last year reached $68.3 million, a slight drop from the year prior, but still one of the most expensive years on record, the commission said.
The engineers cooperative, embarked on an ad campaign pushing both the 23 cent gasoline tax hike and a constitutional amendment dedicating all tax revenues to the Transportation Trust Fund, beat out even the deep pockets of the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s prominent teachers union.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood PD Patrol Officer Salvatore D’Amico processed a property damage report in connection with damage to a parked 4-door BMW sedan caused by a downed tree at 1250 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood on Thursday morning, 03/02. The vehicle was able to be driven away from the incident on its own power following removal of the tree.
Ridgewood NJ, The Village council has hired Brigette Bogart of Brigette Bogart Planning and Design Professionals to serve as the village’s part-time planner, replacing the departed Blais Brancheau.
Bogart will attend planning and zoning board meetings, as well as review development applications filed by third parties, among other duties. Compensation will be an amount not to exceed $60,000.
According to the firm’s website, Brigette Bogart Planning & Design Professionals LLC was established in May of 2012 as a full service planning and design firm that recognizes the need to incorporate sustainable planning and appropriate urban design concepts into the future development projects.
Bogart has a Master of City and Regional Planning, University of Pennsylvania, 2000 and a Bachelor of Environmental Design in Architecture, North Carolina State University, 1997.
She has been awarded the 2008 NJPO Achievement in Planning for Borough of Park Ridge Rehabilitation Project,
2011 NJPO Achievement in Planning for the Township of Fredon Master Plan ,and the 2012 Recognized by Sustainable New Jersey as a member of a Certified Green Team.
Bogart previously worked for 12 years for the well-known Westwood-based planning firm Burgis Associates. In 2003, Bogart was named a Partner with Burgis Associates where she had been involved in all aspects of physical planning. Over a 12-year span, she has represented several municipalities in the review of subdivision and site plan development applications and the preparation of land use regulations as well as master plan elements. In 2010 She received her certification in Grant Writing.
Many residents may remember Bogart as the planner who testified on behalf of Citizens for a Better Ridgewood in 2014 during public hearings on the master plan amendments that would eventually rezone several parcels of land in downtown Ridgewood. Bogart said the rezoning requests “appear to be akin to spot zoning,”
She advised the Ridgewood Planning Board to engage in a cautious process, asking it to think about a “vision” for Ridgewood’s future as it moves forward. At the time their vision seemed more like Union City than Ridgewood .
Bogart herself took a cautious tone did not voice a stance against the developments, but she noted instead that the developments, though possibly at odds with Ridgewood’s best interests, would also help Ridgewood meet some of the current objectives in its master plan, such as enhancing aesthetics of certain areas downtown.
In the end, Bogart testimony reinforced the CBR’s contention that the problem was not development but “jumping from 12 units an acre to 50 units an acre seems reckless at best.”
At that time, the proposed amendments called for a density of 50 units per acre, which members of the grassroots organization CBR as well as most of the Ridgewood community, found unacceptable. Amendments were passed over a year later by the Planning Board reducing the density to 35 units per acre.
The Village Council also added two new members to the Planning Board, Carrie Giordano was appointed as the first alternate member of the board with a term that expires on June 30, 2018. Frances Barto was named as the second alternate, given a term of a little over two years that expires on June 30, 2019.
The village also engaged the Trenton-based Clark, Caton and Hintz planning firm for an amount not to exceed $35,000 to work on issues related to affordable housing.
