Author: James
New Jersey Choral Society to perform Opera with Teatro Grattacielo
October 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The New Jersey Choral Society is excited to announce their collaboration with New York’s Teatro Grattacielo for a concert production of Vittorio Gnechhi’s opera, “Cassandra”, on October 8, 2016. The performance will be held at The Gerald Lynch Theater at John Jay College, 524 West 59th Street, NY, starting at 8:00pm. The New Jersey Choral Society Festival Youth Chorus will participate on-stage in the part of the “bambinos”.
The New Jersey Choral Society, based in Ridgewood, NJ, is one of the state’s most prestigious choral groups, well-known for presenting outstanding and unique programs of diverse repertoire. Since its founding in 1980, NJCS has grown to an ensemble of about 90 auditioned singers from around the tri-state area. The choir performs under the baton of dynamic conductor Eric Dale Knapp, accompanied by Linda Sweetman-Waters. The NJCS Festival Youth Chorus, formerly established in 2015, is directed by Noelle Dachis.
Teatro Grattacielo, founded in 1994 by current Artistic Director, Duane Printz, produces performances of works in the Italian operatic repertoire that are rarely heard in the United States. Ms. Printz was honored this year by Opera Index for her work with these forgotten masterpieces. The premiere of Vittorio Gnecchi’s “Cassandra” was conducted by Arturo Toscanini in 1905, but fell into obscurity within 10 years. The October 8, 2016 performance will be conducted by Maestro Israel Gursky.
Advance tickets are $25.00 and $50.00. For more information visitwww.grattacielo.org. Tickets are available at www.ticketcentral.com.
No Injuries were Reported in a Two Vehicle Crash in HoHoKus
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving
October 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ho Ho Kus NJ, No injuries were reported in a two (2) vehicle crash at the intersection of East Saddle River Road and Bogert Road in HoHoKus on Wednesday morning, 10/05. Both vehicles sustained heavy damage and were removed by a flatbed tow truck. HoHoKus PD, FD, and EMS personnel responded. Ridgewood PD provided traffic control assistance.
Ridgewood Firefighters Annual Open House
October 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47 invite you to join them for their annual Open House. Demonstrations, tours and light refreshments.
201 E Glen Ave
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
(201) 444-4226
Open 24 Hours
https://fmbalocal47.org/
Reader questions whether we can afford Full-day Kindergarten with the hundreds of apartments that are being built downtown
Here is my biggest concern with the proposed all day kindergarten. Although conceptually there are pluses, I question whether we can afford it. And I think one of the biggest reasons we won’t be able to afford it has to do with the hundreds of apartments that are being built downtown. These apartments will be marketed to those with two income earners and young families. Our schools are going to be one of the largest drivers of families to those units. I question whether we will be able to afford the influx of new elementary age students as it is, and that problem will be compounded if we have to double the number of kindergarten seats both for existing children and new children. I worry that we are going to need to construct new classrooms at our elementary schools – – and I am not sure that cost has been factored into the equation. I simply haven’t seen enough to convince me that the $110 tax increase is going to cover the costs of new residents from the multifamily housing units. Particularly if we have to build new classrooms to accommodate these new students, then the $110 number may be multiplied very quickly.
We keep proposing to add more and more to our town without thinking through how each addition takes away from the whole. Those pushing for all day kindergarten need to also get involved in other aspects of our town as well so they can view and work towards making sure things remain in balance. It may be a great idea, but does it fit with the needs and budget of the town as a whole? If we are going to keep adding hundreds of new residents, will we be able to afford ideas such as all day kindergarten and are we going to need to cut back on other Village and school services in order to balance our budget?
October 5th Village of Ridgewood Work Session Recap
photo by Boyd Loving
October 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ellie Gruber and Jeanne Epiphan gave a presentation on the state of Gypsy and Kings Pond. Invasive species is a huge problem as well as a dilapidated dam. Wildscape felt at the very least a fence should be put in place that would help to mitigate the encroachment of damaging species of plants such as Japanese Knotweed. Tim Cronin said that permits from the DEP would be necessary but the preliminary work could begin if the council agreed. Jeff Voigt suggested including the Eagle Scouts in the project. A scout leader was present and said that it could be done. The council agreed to move forward on the project beginning with the fence.
Next on the agenda was a presentation by the village engineer and resident Jeanne Johnson on the availability of a grant for the purpose of pedestrian safety and alternate transit opportunities ( bikes) for municipalities. Better stop lights, bike lanes, refuge islands etc. Mayor Knudsen felt that she would need more information as there had been many complaints regarding the Garber Square do to the so called improvements ie “traffic easing” and “suicide bike lane”. The council will read the plans and come to a decision. The grant application is due November 10th.
Parking was next on the agenda and the council continued its discussion on how best to increase parking options in the CBD for shoppers, employees and commuters. One idea was to try a pilot program at the Chestnut Street Lot which would use a kiosk which accepts coins, credit cards and Park Mobile. This seemed doable and the council authorized going forward with this program. Much talk over fees throughout the town at the meters and the lots . Heather will be working on the several ordinances needed to address the changes.
It was obvious how hard the council is working to improve parking and to mindful of the cost to the village.
Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon explained changes in our tree replacement program which includes allowing the village to examine trees on private property and if a tree had a diameter larger than 6 inches, it could not be taken down unless it was deemed diseased, dead or a hazard. Trees that are taken down would need to be replaced by the property owner or 150 dollars paid to the village for a tree planting in another location. The hope is to replenish or depleting shade tree stock with municipal funds, grants and stricter guidelines for property owners.
A thin blue line is to be painted between two yellow lines on Linwood Avenue to show support for our police force.
Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser seemed to contract “foot in mouth disease”,when talking about the Village tree stock he used the term Ghetto Palms to describe a tree that grows in Patterson ,saying “The Paterson Palm. A tree that grows best in ghettos.” he would like to eradicate in Ridgewood. It was said in a somewhat derogatory manner and both Anne and Boyd spoke about this during public comment. They were highly offended. Other felt it was a dumb and insensitive comment.
THE RIDGEWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT IS TAKING BACK UNWANTED PRESCRIPTION DRUGS OCTOBER 22, AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS
October 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, On Saturday, October 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Ridgewood Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will give the public its 12th opportunity in six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. Bring your pills for disposal to the Ridgewood Police Desk at 131 North Maple Ave. (The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches.) The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Last April, Americans turned in 447 tons (over 893,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 5,400 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,200 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 11 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 6.4 million pounds—about 3,200 tons—of pills.
This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines—flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash—both pose potential safety and health hazards.
For more information about the disposal of prescription drugs or about the October 22 Take Back Day event, go to the DEA Diversion website or call the Ridgewood Police Department 201-652-3900.
New Jersey Transit thanks Commuters for their Patience
October 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, New Jersey Transit would like you to know; We are grateful to all of our customers for your patience and support during this difficult time.
Nearly one week ago, tragedy struck at Hoboken Terminal when one of our customers lost her life following a devastating train accident. No words can adequately express our sincere condolences to the family of Mrs. Fabiola Bittar de Kroon and we extend our heartfelt sympathies to the injured onboard Pascack Valley Line Train #1614.
We know this is not an optimal commuting environment and that many of our customers have experienced longer wait times and overcrowding due to the ongoing circumstances.
As work progresses to stabilize and secure Hoboken Terminal, we have redoubled our efforts to provide parallel service across multiple modes to address the needs of those who utilize the station either as point of origin or terminus or as a pass through to other transportation outlets.
The loss of track space at Hoboken Terminal has had the greatest impact on our scheduling and is a key contributor to the crowded conditions our customers are experiencing. NJ TRANSIT employees are working non-stop to return Hoboken Terminal to service for our commuter rail customers.
To provide you with options, an alternate service plan is available and can be found on our website at www.njtransit.com. The alternate service plan is updated in the afternoon for the following days commute.
Additional trains and shuttle bus service have been added. Schedules have also been adjusted to reflect a more realistic timetable given the temporary limitations of the system.
Again, during peak travel (6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.) the system is experiencing overcrowding. To address this condition, we have had trains and buses on certain lines (Main, Bergen, Pascack Valley, Port Jervis, and Montclair-Boonton and North Jersey bus routes) functioning in a “skip stop” fashion. This means as we become aware of overcrowding at stations and stops further down a route, when we can, we send an additional bus or train to fill in behind those vehicles that passed by regularly scheduled stops.
Again, we know these are trying times and we are striving to provide as much service as possible in a safe and efficient manner. Our efforts remain focused on restoring regular service across our system as soon as we are able with safety at the forefront. We encourage our customers to refer to our website atwww.njtransit.com for additional information or contact our customer service office at 973-275-5555 (Operator-assisted 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.).
Gottheimer Tax, Favoring Washington Special Interests Not New Jersey Families
October 6,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Garrett for Congress released a new ad today exposing Josh Gottheimer’s support for outrageous spending and taxes.
“It’s Josh Gottheimer’s tax – outrageous Washington spending. Gottheimer supports spending millions of your tax dollars on studies to determine if a bumblebee is hairier than a squirrel, to monitor shrimp on a treadmill, and like wine tasting parties in India. All at your expense. Even worse, reports show the Gottheimer tax raises your taxes by thousands. Josh Gottheimer. Bad on spending and bad on taxes. Wrong for New Jersey.”
Josh Gottheimer has repeatedly touted his support for outrageous spending, like that contained in HR 2029, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016. In addition to this wasteful spending, which means higher taxes for Fifth District residents, Gottheimer’s “family member” Hillary Clinton’s tax rates are devastating for New Jersey families. Congressman Scott Garrett has consistently fought against wasteful spending, and has always advocated for lower taxes.
Here are just a few ridiculous spending items on which Josh Gottheimer wants to spend Fifth District tax dollars:
- Daily Caller: Back To The Gym — Feds Pay For Shrimp To Hit The Treadmills Again! “Shrimp will once again run on a treadmill at taxpayers’ expense. A National Science Foundation funded-experiment that tested how sickness impaired shrimp mobility by putting the crustaceans on a treadmill made an uproar in the media and in Congress nearly five years ago. Yet the NSF has once again given tax dollars to the same researchers to put the would-be seafood on a cardiovascular workout regime.”
- Sen. Jeff Flake: Government Studies That Will Leave You Scratching Your Head. Despite their size differences, a grey squirrel and a bumble bee both have about three million hairs. The researchers looked at microscope images to count the number and sizes of hairs of hundreds of animals.
- Citizens Against Government Waste: India Wine Tasting. “[T]he report proposes eliminating the Market Access Program (MAP), which aims to help agricultural producers promote U.S. products overseas. However, MAP is really a corporate welfare program that funnels millions of dollars to large, profitable corporations and trade associations that can well afford to pay for their own ads. Eliminating MAP would save taxpayers $1 billion over five years.”
Under a Hillary Clinton/Josh Gottheimer tax plan, families will see tax increases no matter their income bracket.
This is Why You Vote for Scott Garrett ,Garret rips Secretary Lew for not playing by the same rules as the rest of us
Winners and losers from the vice-presidential debate
photo Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine
By Chris Cillizza October 4 at 10:49 PM
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine stood toe-to-toe for 90 minutes in the lone vice presidential debate of the 2016 election. I watched, tweeted and took some notes on the best and the worst of the night that was. There was a lot more bad than good.
My picks are below.
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Winners
* Mike Pence: From the very beginning, Pence was the more comfortable of the two men on the debate stage. Pence repeatedly turned to the camera when he answered questions, making clear he understood that the real audience wasn’t in the room but watching on TV. The Indiana governor was calm, cool and collected throughout — a stark contrast to the fast-talking (and seemingly nervous) Kaine. Did Pence respond to Kaine’s dozens of attacks on Donald Trump? Only sort of. What Pence seemed to be doing was making the case for Pence-ism, a, dare I say it, compassionate conservatism — a case for Pence 2020 or 2024. Regardless, Trump will very much take it, as Pence’s performance will offer a reset of sorts for a campaign that is scrambling badly due to self-inflicted wounds from the nominee. Win or lose next month, Pence did himself real good in the eyes of the Republican world on Tuesday night.
DESPITE TTF DEAL, IT’S STILL UNCLEAR WHEN ROADWORK WILL RESUME IN NEW JERSEY
file photo by Boyd Loving
JOHN REITMEYER | OCTOBER 4, 2016
Christie’s executive order idled some 3,000 construction workers during the warm weather. Can it be lifted in time to make a dent in outstanding projects?
With the political impasse over transportation funding that has gripped Trenton for the past three months now settled, New Jersey lawmakers are scheduled to vote tomorrow on the legislation that will hike the state’s gas tax by 23 cents. The proposed increase already has Gov. Chris Christie’s endorsement and is expected to pass with bipartisan support.
But still uncertain is exactly when Christie will be willing to lift a hold on state-funded road, bridge, and rail projects that’s been in effect since July and how much that shutdown, which sidelined an estimated 3,000 construction workers, has impacted New Jersey’s economy and its residents. In some places, local officials simply ignored the construction freeze since the state money had already been promised, but others were concerned about possible fines and are now anxious to see the road crews return to work.
Christie, a Republican, announced on Friday that he is ready to sign off on the gas-tax increase needed to renew the state Transportation Trust Fund since Democrats who control the Legislature say they will authorize more than $1 billion in new tax cuts. If approved and signed into law this week, the gas tax increase isn’t expected to go into effect immediately, but officials say it would likely be in place by the beginning of November at the latest.
Still, the construction freeze remains in effect and Christie’s office offered no clear idea yesterday of when it will be rescinded.
Opponents call N.J. 23-cent gas tax hike deal ‘insane’ and ‘appalling’
By Samantha Marcus | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on October 04, 2016 at 5:16 PM, updated October 04, 2016 at 7:52 PM
TRENTON — With the state Legislature poised to approve a 23-cent-a-gallon increase in the gas tax Wednesday — along with a decrease in the sales tax and the elimination of the estate tax — budget analysts and consumer advocates complained bitterly on Tuesday that the average New Jerseyan would pay a lot more at the pump while getting little in the way of tax breaks.
Various efforts by the governor and legislative leaders to replenish the Transportation Trust Fund have repeatedly brought these groups together to warn that the tax cuts will benefit a relatively few wealthy residents while undermining such Democratic priorities as environmental oversight, funds for education and aid for the state’s poorer residents.
The latest tax plan, the result of negotiations between Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, and Democratic leaders in the Senate and Assembly, eliminates the estate tax, raises the Earned Income Tax Credit for the working poor, eliminates taxes on much pension and retirement income, slightly reduces the sales tax and creates a tax break for veterans.
The 23-cent-per-gallon increase on gasoline sold in the state will finance an eight-year, $16 billion transportation program that will draw another $16 billion in federal matching dollars.
Deadline to Register to Vote is Rapidly Approaching in Ridgewood
photo courtesy of Dana Glazer
October 5th,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Voter-registration deadlines are quickly approaching in advance of the Nov. 8 general election. If you want to exercise your right to vote be it for or against Trump or Clinton or Full-Day Kindergarten you need to be registered to vote .There is still time if you still need to register to vote – or aren’t sure if you’re registered – here’s what you need to do before casting your ballot.
In the State of New Jersey :
– New Jersey’s deadline to register is Oct. 18.
– Check whether you are already registered at the New Jersey Department of State’s website.
– If you need to register, fill out the form for your county and bring or mail it to thecounty commissioner of registration or superintendent of elections for your county.
– The deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is Nov. 1.
Speaker Paul Ryan Endorses Rep. Scott Garrett
October 4,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, In an odd turn of events Rep. Garrett has received an endorsement from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan.
It has been well documented that Garrett has had a sometime contentious relationship in the GOP leadership .
“Throughout my tenure in Congress, Scott Garrett has been a consistent voice in Washington working to protect taxpayers,” said Ryan. “He has been a reliable ally in the fight to reduce wasteful spending and to balance the budget.”
Ryan’s endorsement emphasizes Garrett’s record as a consistent conservative leader who can get results in Washington D.C.
“I am proud to receive the support of Speaker Ryan,” said Garrett. “The Speaker is a principled leader on reining in our federal budget, and I look forward to continuing to work with him in the future. There are many serious issues that need to be tackled in the next Congress, and I am eager to continue to help to solve problems to help the people of New Jersey and the Fifth District.”
