Author: James

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Retirement Planning for Small Businesses at Arcola Country Club

Arcola Country Club
Retirement Planning for Small Businesses
Wed, November 02, 2016
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Location: Arcola Country Club, Paramus Rd., PAramus, NJ 07652

SPEAKERS
Craig Castner
Retirement Plan Counselor
American Funds
SPONSOR
American Funds
Cocktails and Hors d’oeuvres will be served.

ABOUT THIS WORKSHOP Would you like to know more about which type of retirement plan might be best for your business? If the answer is “yes,” you’re not alone. Unfortunately, many business owners have little time to learn how their business may benefit from a retirement plan as it gets lost among the numerous day-to-day responsibilities associated with running a business. Get answers to your questions:

•I don’t think I have enough employees: Learn about plans for businesses of every size, whether you have 3 or 300 employees.
•Plans are too expensive: Retirement plan solutions are more affordable and your employees can help pay for annual costs. You may also qualify for federal tax credit which can pay for start-up costs during the first three years of the plan – up to $500 per year.
•What if the economy gets worse? A number of retirement plan solutions offer flexibility in how you run the plan. You can adjust employer contributions, according to your circumstances and profitability.
•It sounds complicated. Today’s small-business plans are relatively easy to set up and operate. Some have no annual IRS reporting requirements. So you can focus on what’s really important —running your business.
RSVP
Email Anita Srivastava at [email protected] or 201-251-6538
Posted on by — 1 Comment

Apple demolished by Microsoft at their respective PC events

Bill gates

Published: Oct 29, 2016 3:50 p.m. ET

Who would have thought that at back-to-back hardware events in the year 2016, Microsoft Corp.’s would prove the much more innovative and exciting one over Apple Inc.? Times are a-changing.

On Wednesday, Microsoft MSFT, -0.38% unveiled the Windows 10 Creators Update that includes 3D imaging tools; new virtual-reality headsets that can be used through a HoloLens platform on Windows PCs; live broadcasting for Xbox; a $2,999 enterprise-grade desktop called Surface Studio that essentially folds into a table-sized tablet; the Surface Dial, which is an input device for Surface products that lets users toggle between different menu items by twisting it like a doorknob; and the Surface Book i7.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-demolished-by-microsoft-at-their-respective-pc-events-2016-10-27

Posted on by — 2 Comments

Days of cheap gas coming to a sad end in New Jersey

gas tax nj

BY BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI
THE RECORD

JACKSON  — The end has come for a long-celebrated tradition for Pennsylvania and New York drivers: Starting Tuesday, cheap gas in New Jersey is a thing of the past.

Cheap gas has long been the siren that lured drivers in neighboring states to New Jersey. And since residents there pay the highest property taxes in the nation, drivers have always seen the low fuel prices as one of the ways to keep down the cost of living in the nation’s most densely populated state.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/days-of-cheap-gas-coming-to-a-sad-end-in-new-jersey-1.1685132

Posted on by — Leave a comment

PARCC test results explained

standardized-testing

BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER

STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
During Monday’s Board of Education (BOE) meeting, Assistant Superintendent Stacie Poelstra made a presentation about the performances of Ridgewood students in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) tests.

She noted that Ridgewood did very well, explaining that the district’s students “far exceeded the cross state (the eight states that still partake in PARCC testing) and New Jersey’s passing grades.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/asst-superintendent-explains-parcc-results-1.1684115

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Municipal tax offices have been slow to respond to a tepid real estate recovery, especially in modest neighborhoods

for sale Ridgewood_Real_Estate_theRodgewopodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

BY DAVE SHEINGOLD
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Homeowners at the lower end of North Jersey’s housing market — still suffering disproportionately from the real-estate slump — are now taking another hit in the form of inflated property tax bills that may be costing them hundreds of dollars extra per year.

An analysis by The Record shows that municipal tax offices across the region have been slow to respond to a prevailing trend of the recent tepid recovery — property values in most towns rising more slowly in modest neighborhoods — saddling those homeowners with an increasingly larger share of the property tax burden.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/municipal-tax-offices-have-been-slow-to-respond-to-a-tepid-real-estate-recovery-especially-in-modest-neighborhoods-1.1685223

Posted on by — 6 Comments

New SARPD chief wants greater bond with community

Chief_John_Ward_theridgewoodblog

By Kevin Kunzmann
Pocono Record Writer

The floor of John Ward’s office is littered with boxes of medals, plaques, framed certificates and memorabilia. Ward is nearly one full month into his tenure as Stroud Area Regional Police, and he’s still not sure what from his 36 years of work should hang on the walls of his corner office.

The hope for the former police chief of Ridgewood, New Jersey, is that he could cover the walls with his work in the Poconos.

Ward was announced as the new SARPD chief in late September, ending a half-year long absence from the position after William Parrish took the position of campus police chief at East Stroudsburg University. Ward was put through an interview process with four different groups — members of the police commission, community leaders, local officials and current SARP staff.

https://www.poconorecord.com/news/20161029/new-sarpd-chief-wants-greater-bond-with-community

Posted on by — 14 Comments

Reader says I am not gong to argue with anyone on Facebook and I am voting NO on Full-day Kindergarten

kindergarten-cop-comedy

Those supporting it on Facebook probably are surprised that there are few coming forward against it. I am not gong to argue with anyone on Facebook and I am voting NO.

I admire Martin Walker for clearly articulating his views on issues. I agree with him 100% about full day K. I just can’t be bothered arguing with neighbors about this. There is a middle school teacher posting about this all the time. How would you like to go on record against full day K and then get her for a teacher?

Posted on by — 11 Comments

Jobs Working for the Village of Ridgewood

village-hall-theridgewoodblog

JOB POSTING – HR PROFESSIONAL P/T

VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD is seeking an individual to fill the Civil Service position of P/T Assistant Personnel Technician.  The Professional will assist in reviewing and making recommendations for establishment and improvement of HR policies, procedures and practices; must have exp. as HR professional in public sector as well as knowledge of Civil Service; a SPHR or PHR certification is pref’d.  Send detailed cover letter and resume to: Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager, Village of Ridgewood, 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450.  Application deadline:  11/14/16.  Village of Ridgewood is EOE.

JOB POSTING – ASSISTANT WATER SUPERINTENT

The Village of Ridgewood is seeking an Assistant Water Superintendent for the Water Distribution Facility. Qualified individual must minimally have current NJDEP W-2, and the ability to advance to W-3 or higher licenses in the future.  Strong leadership skills required, as well as at least 5 years’ experience in water distribution maintenance, repair, upkeep, and operation, and at least 2 years’ supervisory experience.  Please send resume and salary requirements to Sharyn Matthews, HR Director, 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450 [email protected]

JOB POSTING – ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Administrative Assistant to Director of Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch, located in Ridgewood, NJ. Perform fiscal responsibilities including payroll, purchasing, processing invoices, bank statement reconciliation, and budgeting. Experience with QuickBooks preferred. Provides clerical and administrative support including preparing mailings, entering data, preparing routine documents, correspondence, spreadsheets, and reports, creating and maintaining personnel files, maintaining office supply inventory.   Must possess excellent communication skills (both verbally and in writing), strong interpersonal skills, maintain confidentiality, be well organized, and able to handle several projects simultaneously.  Thorough working knowledge of Microsoft Word and Excel required, as well as excellent keyboarding skills.  Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch is EOE.  Send resume and cover letter, to Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager, Village of Ridgewood, 131 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450 by 11/10/16.

JOB POSTING – DISPATCH CENTER DIRECTOR

The Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch in Ridgewood, NJ, is searching for a Dispatch Center Director. Manage operations and administration of the communications center serving Ridgewood and Glen Rock, as well as other public safety jurisdictions.

Responsible for employee hiring, training, evaluation and disciplinary issues. Oversees all operational features of the Dispatch Center, including maintenance of equipment and records; develops and oversees center’s annual budget.

Minimum of a B.S. in Criminal Justice, Business Administration, Electronic Engineering, or other related field. 2 years prior experience in public safety dispatching, valid CPR cert., Emergency Medical Dispatcher Cert. and Basic Telecommunicator Cert. required. Previous supervisory experience required.

Ridgewood and Glen Rock are both EOE Employers

Send cover letter and resume, including salary requirements to:

Heather Mailander, Acting Village Manager/Village Clerk

Village of Ridgewood

131 North Maple Avenue

Ridgewood, NJ 07451

[email protected]

Posted on by — Leave a comment

FBI in Internal Feud Over Hillary Clinton Probe

fbi-jackets-generic

Laptop may contain thousands of messages sent to or from Mrs. Clinton’s private server

By
DEVLIN BARRETT
Updated Oct. 30, 2016 4:58 p.m. ET

As federal agents prepare to scour roughly 650,000 emails to see how many relate to a prior probe of Hillary Clinton’s email use, the surprise disclosure that investigators were pursuing the potential new evidence lays bare tensions inside the bureau and the Justice Department over how to investigate the Democratic presidential nominee.

Metadata found on the laptop used by former Rep. Anthony Weiner and his estranged wife Huma Abedin, a close Clinton aide, suggests there may be thousands of emails sent to or from the private server that Mrs. Clinton used while she was secretary of state, according to people familiar with the matter. It will take weeks, at a minimum, to determine whether those messages are work-related from the time Ms. Abedin served with Mrs. Clinton at the State Department; how many are duplicates of emails already reviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and whether they include either classified information or important new evidence in the Clinton email probe.

The FBI has had to await a court order to begin reviewing the emails, because they were uncovered in an unrelated probe of Mr. Weiner.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/laptop-may-include-thousands-of-emails-linked-to-hillary-clintons-private-server-1477854957

Posted on by — Leave a comment

SECOND AQUATRACK UNIT DEPLOYED BY NJ TRANSIT FOR LEAF CLEANING

Ridgewood Train Station

file photo by ArtChick

October 28, 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT is stepping up its annual battle against Mother Nature and fallen leaves on the rails.  Based on the success of its original leaf-clearing unit, NJ TRANSIT is deploying a second AquaTrack machine throughout the fall season.

The equipment is a high-pressure power-washing system which removes leaves and oily residue from the tracks in an effort to prevent train delays caused by “slippery rail” conditions.

The second AquaTrack unit will allow the cleaning process to maintain a larger coverage area in helping to prevent delays.

“While there is no way to completely eliminate the effect Mother Nature has on the railroad, the AquaTrack unit has had great success in prior years when it comes to managing leaf-related slippage on our rails,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Steve Santoro.  “By utilizing these two highly specialized pieces of equipment, we can keep the rails free and clear of fallen leaves, which increases safety and keep trains running on time.”

Fallen leaves left on rail tracks can cause a condition known as “slippery rail” – a challenge facing all railroads in the Northeast and other parts of the world where deciduous trees are prevalent.  The decaying leaves create an oily residue that coats the rails and causes poor traction.  The decreased train speeds, in turn, create delays.

The AquaTrack system has been in use by NJ TRANSIT since October 2003.  It consists of two 250-horsepower diesel-engine units mounted on a flat car with an operator control cab.  Two pressure-pump units dispense water up to 20,000 pounds-per-square-inch directly to the top of the rail. The process uses 17 gallons of water per minute.

Traditionally, the original AquaTrack operated primarily on the M&E and Montclair-Boonton lines, which are particularly challenged including the hilly areas around Glen Ridge and Summit stations, washing the rails twice a day Monday through Friday—once overnight and again during midday hours.  On weekends, the Pascack Valley and Main/Bergen County lines are usually covered.  The addition of a second unit will add cleaning on the Raritan Valley and North Jersey Coast Lines.

In addition to AquaTrack, NJ TRANSIT also strategically spreads sand on the rails in front of peak-period trains to increase traction.  NJ TRANSIT also trims trees to help stem the amount of leaves on the tracks.  The leaf clearing operation runs from mid-October through mid-December.

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Rep. Scott Garrett Gets Recognized as A Champion for Taxpayers and Small business

Scott Garrett Bergen County
October 30,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Every time any of us look at our paycheck, we are painfully reminded that taxes are too high.
Since taking control two years ago, Bergen County Democrats have RAISED COUNTY TAXES (not even including school and municipal) by a STAGGERING THIRTY FOUR MILLION DOLLARS — that’s more than FIVE TIMES THE INFLATION RATE!

While , CD5 Rep, Scott Garrett received both Club for Growth’s Defender of Economic Freedom award , the National Federation of Independent Business’s Guardian of Small Business Award and the National Taxpayers Union’s Taxpayers’ Friend award.

Garrett said , “I am proud to have received the Club for Growth’s Defender of Economic Freedom award, the National Federation of Independent Business’s Guardian of Small Business Award, and just this week, the National Taxpayers Union’s Taxpayers’ Friend award. These awards are given to Members of Congress that support policies to fix our broken tax code and revive our country’s economy. They also serve as a reminder that the fruits of your labor belong to you, not politicians or faceless bureaucrats that seek to reward special interests.”

Garrett continued , “Taxes should be designed to meet the legitimate needs of government and no more. That starts with fixing the broken tax code to make it should be simpler, fairer, and lower so that it is not only easy to do your taxes, but at critical moments in life – such as starting a family or buying a home – you have greater peace of mind. The tax code should encourage free enterprise so that wages can rise, jobs can be created, and opportunity for all Americans can be expanded. Simply put, the tax code should promote a vibrant American economy where all families can thrive.

Garrett concluded , “New Jerseyans are frustrated by bureaucrats who continuously waste tax dollars. You should not be forced to compete with powerful special interests over the money you earned. You deserve a tax system that puts the taxpayer first. That’s why I am fighting to keep more of your money in your own pocket instead of sending it to Washington to be wasted by bureaucrats.”
Posted on by — Leave a comment

Four Years after Super Storm Sandy Governor Christie Reviews Progress

Sandy theridgewoodblog.net
October 30,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, On Friday, Governor Christie discussed the progress our state has made four years after Sandy as his administration continues to work with homeowners, business owners, and communities to rebuild and safeguard against future storms. He also conducted a small business tour in Seaside Heights, a community heavily impacted by Sandy.It is no doubt that so much more needs to be done and some homeowners are still struggling four years later trying to cut through the
the red tape .
The Governor outlined investments in rebuilding our infrastructure, getting families back in their homes and protecting our shores after Sandy including:
  • Nearly $2.5 billion in utility infrastructure hardening & resilience investments
  • More than $2 billion in FEMA public assistance directed towards recovery projects
  • Five large-scale NJ Transit projects designed to better safeguard critical components of our transportation grid
  • $7 million to fund Retail Fuel Station program to allow gas stations expedited access to back-up power during an energy emergency
  • Coordinated effort with Army Corps of Engineers to build 11 new coastal and flood protection projects statewide
  • More than $1.6 billion in federal housing assistance to help Sandy-impacted families
  • Majority of 7,600 homeowners participating in Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation program are back in their homes
  • Expanded Blue Aces program, allowing residents in flood-prone areas to sell homes damaged by Superstorm Sandy
  • $207 million dedicated to support economic revitalization in Sandy-affected communities through the Stronger NJ business programs.

The Christie administration is committed to finishing the job on Sandy recovery, revitalization and resilience efforts.

Posted on by — 5 Comments

There have been a lot of firsts in this Election, but a Presidential candidate under active F.B.I. investigation?

hillary-clinton-what-difference-does-it-make

October 30,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, With just over a week , left to Election Day, the F.B.I. delivered a bombshell and heavy blow to Hillary Clinton, announcing that they are re-opening their investigation into her reckless use of a private e-mail server. New information unearthed from the investigation into Anthony Weiner’s under-age sexting scandal prompted the F.B.I. to inform Congress that Clinton is the target of a renewed probe.

To many observers, it has become obvious the American political system is breaking down. It’s been crumbling for some time now, and the establishment knows it and they are terrified of Donald Trump presidency. Trump the so-called  “vulgarian at the gate”, is a symptom of a broken system , and the agent of change .

Perhaps the public has had it’s fill of Clinton Inc and it’s decades of lies and cynicism . Friday’s FBI announcement that it had reopened an investigation of her emails while secretary of state may be a sign that enough is enough and decades of cottuption are coming to an end .

Democrats like DNC Chairwoman Donna Brazile & Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, who have sung the praise of F.B.I. Director Comey in the past, are now lashing out as the Clinton campaign begins its tail-spin in the wake of this stunning development.

There have been a lot of firsts in this Election, but a Presidential candidate under active F.B.I. investigation? Gravely concerning for the future of our country and immediately qualifying Clinton as our next Commander-in-Chief.

Posted on by — 4 Comments

Reader says I’d much rather have had an arborist identify potential problems and have the Village of Ridgewood pay to deal with it

Tree_main__on_stevens_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

Planning and accident prevention are not brain surgery, yet we just can’t do it. Here’s hoping you will approach the council, BOE, Parks-Rec-Conservation Board, Streets Dept head, and anyone else who can control this before winter sets in and it becomes increasingly difficult for tree work to be done. They can always find money for their pet projects. For my increasing number of tax dollars I’d much rather have had an arborist identify potential problems and have the town pay to deal with it, even if it involved bringing in temporary workers, than lighting up Van Neste, say. Do we always have to wait until someone is hurt? Or a BMW?

Posted on by — Leave a comment

EMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH WILL CELEBRATE 125th ANNIVERSARY

Emmanuel Baptist Church
October 30,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Emmanuel Baptist Church, founded in 1891, is celebrating its 125th Anniversary Year with special festivities being planned for the weekend of November 12th and 13th.

The Dedication Ceremonies for the Chapel and newly renovated Peace Lounge as well ,as the Anniversary Tree plantings are open to the public on Saturday, November 12th at 2:30 pm.

The public is invited to the “Emmanuel through the Years” Concert at 3:30pm and a brief reception in the Pastor’s Lounge at 4:30pm after the concert on Saturday, November 12th. Organist Linda Sweetman-Waters, instrumentalist Dave Dallon, soloists Dr. Edward Schmiedecke and Liz Ludwig, and Emmanuel’s Artistic and Music Director John Giresi will perform at the concert.

Saturday Night Supper on November 12th and the luncheon on November 13th is for congregation and invited friends. The public is invited to 10:30am Sunday Worship Service.

Emmanuel is located at 14 Hope Street, at the corner of Hope Street and East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. Emmanuel has offered several events, such as the participation in the Ridgewood 4th of July Parade, the Community Pasta Dinner, and the opening of the 1999 Time Capsule to acknowledge the anniversary year, according to Marilyn Clark, Anniversary Chairperson.