Ridgewood NJ, Super Science Saturday, is coming this Saturday March 4th, 9am to 1:30pm at Ridgewood High School 627 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07451.This is the 29th annual Super Science Saturday!
Super Science Saturday hailed as the “Greatest Science Extravaganza in Northern New Jersey,” brings fun and excitement to science through professional presenters and student projects. As a joint project of the Ridgewood Board of Education and the Super Science Saturday Volunteer Committee, we aim to bring all science lovers together for a day of fun and learning for all ages.
In an effort to make Super Science Saturday an even better experience, we have changed venues to Ridgewood High School, giving more space for student presenters in our “Hall of Science.” Our adult presenters will also have generous space throughout hallways, the Cafeteria, and the Campus Center.
Super Science Saturday will appeal to everyone from the casual observer to the aspiring scientists. Most of all, we hope to spark an interest in science among children, showing them the wonders of science. Through interactive exhibits such as a wheelchair maze, live animals, and demonstrations of chocolate making to more complex brain wiring demonstrations, Super Science Saturday will satisfy the scientific appetite of everyone.
We encourage everyone to join the fun! Check out our volunteer page to learn about getting involved. This day cannot happen without the support of dedicated volunteers. Sign up now and make this Super Science Saturday one to remember.
For information please contact :Super Science Saturday
201-300-2900 [email protected]
The underground infrastructure carrying water, sewerage, gas and electricity is essential to the lives of every business and person in the state, yet it is in a horrendous state of disrepair. As the owner of a real estate firm that secures underground easements for some of the state’s largest utility companies, I can say with confidence that our underground infrastructure is at a breaking point. If we do not invest in upgrading our underground infrastructure, it will only be a short matter of time before a critical infrastructure failure leads to a public health and safety crisis.
As an example, water suppliers estimate that New Jersey loses 33 percent of drinking water each year just through old, leaking underground pipes. This is enough clean water to fill several reservoirs. However, the few times that our underground infrastructure receives any media attention is during “large-scale” catastrophes, such as when a water main bursts, a blackout occurs, a gas pipeline explodes — or worse, we find dangerous levels of lead in our water supply.
If we do not act on improving our water infrastructure, we risk a lead-water crisis similar to that experienced by the businesses and residents of Flint, Michigan. Only after public outcry and national media attention, the U.S. Congress approved emergency infrastructure funds totaling $170 million in September 2016 to begin critical work on Flint’s lead-contaminated water delivery system. Similarly, New Jersey has water infrastructure the same age or older than Flint. We must find the means to fix New Jersey’s aging water systems before they degenerate from bad to worse.
The cost of repairs is enormous, but the cost of inaction is far greater. According to the Water Research Foundation, funding water and wastewater upgrades around the country could cost $650 billion over the next 20 years. However, as these small- and large-scale problems become more commonplace it is incumbent on our state’s elected officials and decision makers to work with our utility providers and begin crafting comprehensive plans to fix New Jersey’s hidden infrastructure. Smart infrastructure improvements now will benefit ratepayers, create jobs and generate greater investment in our state from the business community.
The New Jersey Utilities Association noted that over the past five years, six companies have spent nearly $2 billion on water delivery system upgrades. This is a good start as these infrastructure investments already have created thousands of new jobs and pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into New Jersey’s economy, all while improving utility delivery to end users.
Now the Joint Legislative Task Force on Drinking Water is diving head first into ways we can address our drinking water issues. With the Legislature and governor coming together with the business and labor community to support an increase in the gas tax that ultimately put the state’s Transportation Trust Fund on solid financial footing, I believe that the timing is right for our residents, business leaders, labor unions, and elected officials from the governor down to local mayors and council members to join together and work on a comprehensive plan to revitalize our water utility infrastructure.
The time to invest is now. Our public health and welfare depends on it.
“Today’s matured residents were yesterday’s school budget voters.
I imagine today’s residents with “Support Ridgewood Teachers’ and “Yes to Full
Day Kindergarten” signs in their yards will be tommorow’s matured residents.”
… Matured resident here, not complaining, just facts. Always voted NO on the school budget, we have the same number kids/schools enrolled in the school system now as we did back then, 1970’s. Voted no on the $1 Million Budget in the 1980’s, ..fast forward, voted no on the $100 Million Budget. There’s no end. Imagine when those downtown apartments get built, how many more school age kids will add to all the systems.
… the support Ridgewood teachers crowd, won’t become the tommorow’s matured residents in Ridgewood – they’ll be long gone once their kids are done with RHS. I know several who’ve done that and many who say this now and in neighboring towns – Glen Rock.
… know many longtime retired residents now that don’t even bother to vote the BOE budgets anymore, say why bother, they get passed anyway. It only benefits the ones who were strongly encouraged to vote for it, with kids in the system. Other towns experiencing the same.
… ask any realtor how many homes in pre-forclosure, auction, foreclosure in Ridgewood, Paramus, Saddle River, in Bergen County. A large number shown on zillow listings, $1m,$2m, $3mill.houses I know a number of seniors who have big reverse mortgages to remain in their homes, even in million dollar Saddle River homes. That revolving door may get stuck when comes time to sell – who will be able to afford to buy into high taxes?
Updated February 27, 2017
Posted February 27, 2017
Property taxes in New Jersey are the highest in the nation. Since 2000, they have doubled and have risen at over twice the rate of inflation. No wonder people are forced to move; no wonder we have the highest foreclosure rate in the nation.
Property taxpayers suffer because raising this tax is the path of least resistance. When the income tax goes up, people blame politicians in the Statehouse. For property taxes, it’s not clear who’s to blame: the state blames local governments. The towns who collect the taxes for school districts and counties blame those entities for not controlling costs. The towns, school districts and counties all blame the state for cutting state aid.
Everyone is to blame. No one is responsible.
The obvious way to control property taxes is to hold the line on expenses, but this is fraught with political consequences, especially for Democrats. Public-sector unions like the NJEA and the two police unions, whose members’ salaries and benefits are largely paid by property taxes, wield enormous influence in both general elections and, particularly, Democratic primaries.
New Jersey took a step toward allowing its cities to regulate or effectively ban the use of Airbnb Monday, with a bill aiming to ban rental agreements shorter than 30 days advancing in committee. The service, which allows app users to rent out their homes or apartments to travelers for even one-night stays, is currently unregulated in the state.
The bill’s sponsor, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, called the current lack of regulation a threat to public safety after its successful 7-0 vote in the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee.
“The current practices of short-term rental businesses lack the necessary safety precautions for our municipalities,” Vainieri Huttle said. “We want residents and tourists to enjoy the options provided by companies like Airbnb, but not at the expense of neighbors who live there on a permanent basis. This legislation creates a baseline registry that municipalities can implement as they see fit.”
You are incorrect on so many levels. First of all, the Ridgewood News and The Record have a long history of fact-checking letters to the editor and making the author correct the letter or it does not get printed. A person does not have the right to say whatever the hell they feel like when writing a letter to the editor, unless it is purely opinion. To state that Roberta Sonenfeld was “capriciously fired” by the mayor was an out-and-out lie. To state that the council is enacting scams is not an opinion, it is an indictment. A scam is an intentional fraudulent act that usually involves getting money from someone. For Ms. Semler to state that the council is involved in scams requires some kind of factual back-up (of course there is none). An opinion would be something along the lines of “I think that what they are doing is wrong” or “I think they are all out of their minds” but not to state that they are doing things that are factually untrue. The Ridgewood News was completely irresponsible in letting this letter get through and their pitiful attempts to correct or alter have fallen way short.
I’m sure it happens more than we know, but a 90 year old widow is being evicted from her home because she couldn’t afford to pay her property taxes.
She took out a reverse mortgage on the home her late husband built in 1953 to pay the property tax. Now she’s out of money and out of the house she raised her family in.
Property taxes are so bad in this state and something’s got to be done. How bad are your property taxes in New Jersey?
Advocates and immigrants urge lawmakers to make New Jersey a sanctuary state, one that will not cooperate with ICE if it makes broad sweeps of undocumented communities
Immigrants and advocates concerned about the national crackdown on the undocumented may have a sympathetic ally in legislative Democrats, but it’s doubtful Gov. Chris Christie will support any of their suggestions for protecting those born abroad who consider New Jersey their home.
Testifying to high levels of fear and anxiety among the state’s immigrant communities, a number of lawyers and advocates, as well as two undocumented young people, told an Assembly committee last Friday that the state and local governments should take steps to protect immigrants, or at least turn a blind eye to the recently launched federal crackdown on the undocumented. One even suggested that New Jersey declare itself a sanctuary that refuses to help federal authorities arrest the undocumented.
“You should consider passing a resolution declaring New Jersey a sanctuary state and risk losing federal funds,” the Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale, a Highland Park pastor whose Interstate-RISE organization recently was approved as a refugee resettlement agency, urged the Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Reform and Federal Relations Committee. Kaper-Dale, who is running for governor under the banner of the Green Party, termed the Trump administration’s executive orders and policies regarding immigration “a planned and coordinated attack based on race and ethnicity.”
I’m headed to Trenton this morning because I need legislators to know what my grandsons’ public charter school means to them.
I’m raising two African American boys in Newark and we all know in this country what can happen to African American men, especially if they drop out of school.
Uncommon Schools’ North Star Academy is providing my grandchildren with an education like nothing that I experienced for myself or for my own children.
When I hear my elected representatives speaking negatively about charter schools, I want to ask them if they have ever visited North Star Academy. If they did, they would quickly see how well it is serving my grandchildren and the other kids who attend.
There are too many lawmakers who have never stepped foot in North Star Academy, or a school like it. They have never come for morning circle. They have not met with our wonderful teachers. They have not seen how well our children are doing in class.
Washington DC, President Donald Trump promised “open doors” at the White House this week. Where the White House doors used to be closed, they are now wide open – open for the People’s Business. But, most importantly, we are translating these meetings into action.
In a statement Trump said , ” Where the White House doors used to be closed, they are now wide open – open for the People’s Business. But, most importantly, we are translating these meetings into action.
One by one, we are checking off the promises we made to the people of the United States. And we will not stop until the job is done.
✔️We will reduce taxes. ✔️We will cut regulations. ✔️We will support our police. ✔️We will defend our flag. ✔️We will rebuild our military. ✔️We will take care of our Veterans. ✔️We will fix our trade deals. ✔️We will cut wasteful spending. ✔️We will promote our values. ✔️We will rebuild our inner cities. ✔️And we will bring back our jobs and our dreams.
The forgotten men and women of America will be forgotten no longer. That is the heart of this new movement – and the future of the Republican Party.
The GOP will be the party of the American Worker. We will not answer to donors or lobbyists or special interests – but we will serve the citizens of the United States of America. Global cooperation is important. But there is no such thing as a global anthem, a global currency, or a global flag.
There is one allegiance that unites us all, and that is our allegiance to America. No matter our background, or income, or geography – we are all citizens of this blessed land. And no matter our color, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots.
We all salute the same American Flag. And we are all made equal by the same Almighty God.
As long as we have faith in each other, and trust in God, then there is no goal beyond our reach. There is no dream too large, no task too great. We are Americans. And the future belongs to us.
The future belongs to all of you. And America is about to come roaring back – Bigger and Better and Stronger than ever before.
Thank you, God Bless You, and God Bless the United States of America ”
Deploys team to Philadelphia to help with clean up and security
February 27,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA stands in solidarity with Jewish Americans this weekend as the second Jewish cemetery in the last week was vandalized. Reports indicate that over 100 tombs were broken or destroyed at the Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Philadelphia, PA.
“We are deeply troubled by these rising and ongoing attacks on our Jewish sisters and brothers and members from our Philadelphia chapter are in route to assist in clean up,” said Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah, national vice president for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA. “We call upon all Americans to stand united against this hatred and extremism.”
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community issued a statement on January 19th expressing deep concern over the waves of bomb threats at Jewish centers around the country. Sadly, these bomb threats have since continued. We stand ready to serve and protect our Jewish sisters and brothers against these acts of intolerance and hatred, and pray for our nation’s safety.
About Ahmadiyya Muslim Community: The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a dynamic, reformist and fast-growing international movement within Islam. Founded in 1889, the Community spans over 200 nations with membership exceeding tens of million. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, established in 1920, is among the oldest American-Muslim organizations. The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the only Islamic organization to believe that the long- awaited messiah has come in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) of Qadian, India. Ahmad claimed to be the metaphorical second coming of Jesus of Nazareth and the divine guide, whose advent was foretold by the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad. The Community believes that God sent Ahmad, like Jesus, to end religious wars, condemn bloodshed and reinstitute morality, justice and peace. Ahmad’s advent has brought about an unprecedented era of Islamic revival and moderation. He divested Muslims of fanatical beliefs and practices by vigorously championing Islam’s true and essential teachings
Ridgewood NJ, It’s not unusual for careers to get off to wobbly starts as young people, hampered by their lack of experience and contacts, find it difficult to achieve a firm footing.
That’s one reason they should make it a goal to find mentors who could help guide them through the rough patches.
“One of the biggest benefits of having a mentor is that person’s success can act as a catalyst for your belief in yourself,” says Lauren Davenport, CEO and founder of The Symphony Agency (www.symphonyagency.com), a marketing and technology firm.
“It’s also a way to expand your network because a mentor can introduce you to people who could help you with your career and who you otherwise might not meet.”
While mentors can be a great asset for young people in their career advancement, don’t expect the mentor to materialize out of nowhere and then do all the heavy lifting, Davenport says. Much of the onus is on the mentee to seek the relationship, cultivate it and make the most of it.
She says a few ways to do that include:
• Don’t be afraid to reach out. A simple LinkedIn search can help you find people who are currently in your dream job. Somehow, they managed to get the very thing you want. How did they pull that off? Send them a short message and tell them your aspirations. Ask if they can spare 30 minutes for you to visit their office and “pick their brains” about how they achieved success. • Do your homework. After you went to all the trouble to set up that meeting, you don’t want to show up unprepared. Learn all you can about this potential mentor with a Google search. Write down any questions you want to ask. For the meeting, dress like you already have a job with the person’s company and be 10 minutes early, Davenport says. • Join a networking organization. If reaching out to an individual isn’t in your comfort zone, seek a networking organization that focuses on career growth. Sign up for a MeetUp group taught by someone you admire. “Take notes as the person speaks,” Davenport says. “After the event, you’re also going to need to muster up the courage to introduce yourself. To find a good mentor, in most cases you really are going to need to take the first step.” • Pay attention to the mentor’s advice. You may not follow through on every suggestion, but you do need to listen to what they have to say. After all, the wisdom and experience they can provide is the whole point of having a mentor. Davenport recalls early in her career joining a networking group and trying to pitch her company to the members without success. She mentioned to her mentor her inability to generate any business. “She told me if I wanted to be taken seriously as a business woman I needed to change my wardrobe,” Davenport says. “I put away the summer dresses I typically wore and bought some tailored jackets and other clothes that helped present a business-professional look.” Soon after, business picked up.
“I still actively seek women who are in my industry and at similar career levels,” Davenport says.
“Sometimes they even work for competitors. We don’t share any company secrets, but we often are experiencing similar struggles, so we swap stories and give each other advice on how to overcome those challenges.”
About Lauren Davenport
Lauren Davenport is chief executive officer at The Symphony Agency (www.symphonyagency.com). She founded the company after discovering that businesses were struggling to understand how to implement marketing and technology to reach their full potential in the digital age. Her natural entrepreneurial drive grew the organization from a boutique consulting business into a multi-million dollar agency. She is a contributor for the New York Daily News and has been featured on PBS, ABC Action News, iHeartRadio, AMEX OPEN, and more.
Ridgewood NJ, What do purple foods, coconut and spiralizing have in common? They are the top 2017 food trends according to your local food market, Kings Food Markets Eater.com and CNN.com.
Purple Everything– The color means that ingredients contain strong level of anthocyanins, which have been shown to fight cancer, inflammation and ageing, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study. Some popular purple-food recipes include:
Coconut Craziness– The coconut craze began in 2016 with coconut flavored water, and its expansion is underway. From comfort foods to body scrub to cocktails, popular coconut recipes this year include:
Spiralize It– Whether you own a spiralizer or not, spiralized veggies are here to stay. Kings offers pre-cut spiralized vegetables, made fresh in-store, including zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potato, butternut squash and beets, so you can get cooking on recipes like:
Additionally, Kings also released its Spring 2017 Cooking Studio Calendar for all those interested in learning how to create their own trending recipes. Hint, many classes relate to the above mentioned trends!
Updated February 27, 2017
Posted February 27, 2017
By Samantha Marcus | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The average property tax bill in New Jersey rose to $8,549 in 2016. But many homeowners pay much, much more.
So which towns pay the most in the state that pays the most for property taxes?
Here are the 30 New Jersey municipalities with the highest average property tax bills, according to data from the state Department of Community Affairs.
20. Ridgewood
This Bergen County village cracks into the top 20 with a $17,180 average real estate tax bill. Schools account for about 65 percent of taxes levied there, while the municipality collects 24 percent and the county, 11 percent.
Neighbors…
28. Glen RockOf New Jersey’s 21 counties, Bergen is the most represented on this list, occupying 14 of the 30 spots. Living in this small Bergen County Borough costs, on average, $15,459 in property taxes.
25. Ho-Ho-Kus
In Ho-Ho-Kus, Bergen County, the average real estate tax bill is $15,580, $18 higher than Woodcliff Lake.
JENNIFER COFFEY AND TIM DILLINGHAM | FEBRUARY 27, 2017
With 14 counties under drought warning, the governor must release the Water Supply Plan — whether it’s ready or not
Jennifer Coffey and Tim Dillingham
With the beginning of the new calendar year, New Jersey has entered its third consecutive year of drought, with 14 counties remaining under an official drought-warning status. While winter rains and snow are helping drinking-water reservoirs refill, the drought warning remains. In six weeks, spring will bring blooming flowers, growing lawns, warmer temperatures, and increasing demands for water. Increasing demands for clean water during a time of drought in the most densely populated state in the nation is why, despite what one prominent scientist has recently written, we desperately need an updated Water Supply Plan for the Garden State.
Gov. Chris Christie’s failure to release an update to the State Water Supply Plan is threatening New Jersey’s supply of clean, fresh drinking water. On Earth Day 2015, in April, the New Jersey Senate Legislative Oversight Committee held a hearing at which experts testified on the need for an updated Water Supply Plan. Our current plan is 21 years old and 16 years overdue for an update. Committees in both houses of the New Jersey Legislature have passed resolutions directing the governor to release the draft plan immediately, yet amidst a drought warning, there is still no sign of the plan.
The Water Supply Plan works as an accounting checkbook for New Jersey’s water supplies. The goal is to ensure that we have enough clean water for residents, businesses, power production, farming, and the environment for this and future generations. The master plan includes recommendations for balancing the diverse demands on the water supply with the amount of water that replenishes the sources of that water — precipitation that feeds our shared streams, rivers, and underground water sources known as aquifers.
