“Then in February the FDA rejected Teva’s generic EpiPen application. In June the FDA required a San Diego-based company called Adamis to expand patient trials and reliability studies for still another auto-injector rival.
Mrs. Clinton claims the EpiPen price hikes show the need for price controls, and she says she’ll require drug makers to “prove that any additional costs are linked to additional patient benefits and better value.”
The government thwarts competition, and so a life-saving Epi-Pen costs $500 where it was just $100 in 2008. When you have a monopoly, you can charge anything you like. The solution is not government price controls, Hillary, but increased competition.
Alieta Eck, MD For Real Health Care Reform
By Eugene Scott, CNN
Updated 1:32 PM ET, Thu August 25, 2016
Washington (CNN)The incredible increase in the cost of EpiPens, auto-injectors that can stop life-threatening emergencies caused by allergic reactions, has hit home on Capitol Hill.
One Democratic senator whose daughter has allergies has called for action and another Democratic senator’s daughter is CEO of the company responsible for the price hike.
Sen. Joe Manchin said Thursday Mylan, the company which manufactures Epipens which is headed by his daughter, is responding to constituent and lawmaker questions.
“I am aware of the questions my colleagues and many parents are asking and frankly I share their concerns about the skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs,” the West Virginia Democrat said in a statement. “Today I heard Mylan’s initial response, and I am sure Mylan will have a more comprehensive and formal response to those questions.”
His daughter, Heather Bresch who is Mylan’s CEO, announced Thursday the company is taking steps to make the product more affordable, including providing $300 savings cards to cut the price in half, though she told CNBC the health care “system” needed to be fixed.
on August 25, 2016 at 7:47 AM, updated August 25, 2016 at 11:12 AM
TRENTON — Two New Jersey residents and a Florida man are accused of running an auto-theft ring that recruited 14 others to scam people trying to sell cars on Craigslist, authorities said.
The trio — Luther Lewis, 38, of Piscataway, Tyisha Brantley, 36, of Scotch Plains, and Justinas Vaitoska, 39, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. — were indicted Wednesday by a grand jury in Mercer County, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino said in a release.
Authorities said the operation used fake bank checks to buy cars from online sellers and flip them at car dealerships in New Jersey. The scam netted $107,250 from 10 vehicles, which had a total value of $248,650, according to authorities.
Lewis, Brantley, Vaitoska are accused of running the scheme from May to November of 2015. They sent others to pose as buyers for a payout of $300 to $1,000 per car, authorities said.
Ridgewood NJ,Patrolman Patrick Elwood assists with traffic as a new flag pole is installed at the Ridgewood Post Office this morning. The new flag pole replaces the original flag pole installed in 1937.
Ridgewood NJ, Earlier this summer, Governor Christie proposed a solution to New Jersey’s two most pressing issues; the failure of urban education and high property taxes.
In 1985 Abbott Districts were created as a result of the first ruling of Abbott v. Burke, a case filed by the Education Law Center. The ruling asserted that public primary and secondary education in poor communities throughout the state was unconstitutionally substandard.
The Abbott II ruling in 1990 had the most far-reaching effects, ordering the state to fund the (then) 28 Abbott districts at the average level of the state’s wealthiest districts.
The low-income districts began to receive the extra aid .The Abbott ruling led to the current school funding formula crisis allowing failing school districts to spend as much as $33,699 per pupil in tax dollars, while high‐performing school districts spend less than half of that per student.
In what could be one of the largest failures in social engineering ,leading to excessive spending by a select few and chronically failing school districts,who have received billions more in state taxpayer dollars over the past three decades than hundreds of successful school districts.
According to the Mercatus Center at George Mason University,”While it is difficult to compare academic achievement across time periods, evidence indicates that Abbott money has had little effect on improving student performance. ”
Mercatus Center went on , “The lackluster performance of these schools is also related to the fractured relationship between beneficiaries and providers. Abbott districts receive the majority of their funding from state aid rather than local tax revenues. The incentive to make optimal use of this funding and to monitor school performance is minimal. In addition, taxpayers in districts receiving state aid may not be benefiting from lower property taxes, because officials in local government prefer to work the increased revenue into their budgets, rather than returning it to taxpayers via a municipal tax cut.”
That’s where Governor Christie steps in with his Fairness Formula. The Fairness Formula will provide equal education funding for every pupil throughout the state, valuing every child equally. Under the Fairness Formula, all public school districts would receive $6,599 for every enrolled student, plus continued funding for special education. This will give every child an equal chance at success.
With this new formula, 75% of all New Jersey districts would get more state aid than they do today. The biggest driver of New Jersey’s nation‐high property taxes is the ineffective and unfair state school funding formula. The Fairness Formula will not only be equal for students it may also provide hundreds or even thousands of dollars in annual property tax savings for New Jerseyans in most communities. The potential property tax savings that would be realized under the Fairness Formula is a strong benefit to New Jersey’s economy as a whole. Business owners are burdened by New Jersey’s highest in the nation property taxes and chased to more affordable states due to New Jersey’s many other non‐competitive taxes that have been enacted by Democrats.
A byproduct of the Fairness Formula is a renewed interest in alternative options for educational choice.
Recently Atlantic City passed a resolution unanimously by the Democrat-dominated body for a non-binding referendum in time for the November ballot : REGARDING SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND TAX CREDITS.
WHEREAS, The City Council of Atlantic City is empowered with the authority to submit nonbinding referendum questions to the public in order to ascertain the sentiment of legal voters; and NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Atlantic City hereby submits the following questions to be printed upon the official ballots to be used at the next ensuing General Election as follows: “Shall the State of New Jersey designate the City to begin offering vouchers to families with children ages 6-16 so they can select the school they want their children to attend?” “Shall the State of New Jersey designate the City of Atlantic City to begin offering property tax credits to families with children ages 6-16 who choose to homeschool?
The revolutionary resolution was created by freshman GOP Councilman Jesse Kurtz, who is himself an NJEA member, New Jersey’s largest teachers union.
According to Matthew Chingos of the Urban Institute ,”School choice policies aim to break the link between where children live and where they go to school. They seek to interrupt the cycle of poverty by providing low-income children with access to high-quality educational options that will boost their chances of long-term success. Choice programs come in several flavors, including charter schools, which are publicly funded but independently operated; private school vouchers, which cover all or part of private school tuition; and open enrollment plans (sometimes called public school vouchers) that allow parents to send their child to any public school in the district. When done right, school choice programs can be powerful tools in the fight against poverty.”
photo Scott Garrett rail car safety in Bergen County
August 25,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, Garrett for Congress released the following statement regarding candidate debates for the 2016 congressional election:
“Rep. Scott Garrett is pleased to accept invitations from WRNJ Radio and Rabbi Steven Pruzansky to debate Democratic challenger Josh Gottheimer. This will be a great opportunity for voters in the Fifth District to hear directly from the candidates about each of their ideas, that is if Josh Gottheimer has any ideas of his own. So far, Josh Gottheimer has only demonstrated his abilities as a liar about ScottGarrett and an apologist for Hillary Clinton.”
Ridgewood NJ, On Sunday, September 25, 2016 our Nation honors our Gold Star Mothers and families. The Presidential Proclamation in 2011 commemorating this day pronounces, “As members of a grateful Nation, we owe a debt we can never repay, but hold this sacred obligation forever in our hearts, minds, and actions. We honor their sacrifice, and stand with our service members, military families, and Gold Star families as they have stood for us.”
The American Legion Post 53 and Ridgewood NJ’s Blue Star Families are committed to bringing awareness to our community and to commemorate the sacrifices these mothers and their families have made for our Country.In the aftermath of World War I, Washington D.C. resident Grace Darling Seibold formed an organization called Gold Star Mothers to support the moms who had lost sons and daughters to the war. Grace’s son, First Lieutenant George Vaughn Seibold, was an aviator killed in combat over France in 1918. In 1928, the small D.C.-based group decided to nationalize its efforts. In 1936, a joint congressional resolution established the last Sunday in September as
Gold Star Mother’s Day. The Gold Star Mothers grew from a support group of 60 women to today’s extensive nationwide network with tens of thousands of members and hundreds of local chapters.
In Ridgewood, NJ the Gold Star Mother’s Day Committee will sponsor our fourth annualevent commemorating Gold Star Mother’s Day on Sunday, September 25, 2016. There will be a short ceremony starting promptly at 7:00 p.m. and hundreds of luminaries will be lit to honor Gold Star Mothers and their families. But in addition, our goal is to see thousands of other luminaries lit throughout Ridgewood and other towns on September 27th to honor the Gold Star Mothers and families!
Luminaries will be available for a donation before the ceremony at the following
location:
Residence of Bob Paoli, Commander American Legion Post #53,at 368 N. Pleasant Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. 07450
Call 201-445-1738 to arrange time to pickup
Everyone also can stand with us in honoring the Gold Star Mothers and families by
helping to raise awareness through:
talking to your family, friends, and neighbors about the event;
joining us at Van Neste Park; and,
supporting this event with a donation (please make checks payable to the American
Legion Post #53, write “Gold Star event” on the memo line, and send it to the American Legion Post #53, P.O. Box 1525, Ridgewood, NJ 07450).
Thank you for your support and cooperation,/s/ Ridgewood, NJ Gold Star Mother’s Day Committee.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” George Santayana
Ridgewood NJ, by destroying Village history and discarding those who made sacrifices in our past are we not trampling on the very foundations of what made the Village of Ridgewood ,the Village of Ridgewood?
There are hundreds of commemorative bricks in Van Neste Memorial Park and large commemorative markers associated with the 1995 restoration project, are we so willing to disregard the people and the past ?
And if you are willing to sacrifice the past,who’s decision is it anyway ? A Village employee trying to make political points?
History is what makes you who you are. In Van Neste Square there is a memorial dedicated to Abraham Godwin. Abraham Godwin was born July 16, 1763. He was a Soldier, Statesman, artist, poet, engraver, and a very talented musician. As a soldier Abraham went to Fishkill joining his brother, Captain Henry Godwin’s regiment, the Fifth of the Line, January 17, 1777, as a fife major. The regiment was ordered to Fort Montgomery to lay the chain across the Hudson River. He was in the Governor’s life guard at Schenectady protecting the frontier at Lake Otsego under General Sullivan during the Finger Lakes campaign and at Yorktown, where he witnessed the surrender of Cornwallis to Washington.
Before Ridgewood got its name, it was called Godwinville in his honor. Godwin Avenue is now named after him. There are various other war memorials in Van Neste Square as well.
No one is against “change” but why is it the politicians always look to “fix” things that are not broken ? Why must we always “change” the good but never change the bad?
Why must we destroy and denigrate our history but put up with a “3rd world water system” ? If your looking for change how about changing Ridgewood Water instead, so we do not have water restrictions every summer?
We should memorialize this caper with a village plaque to hubris and for the future generations to Trust but first Verify.Could have turned out quite differently without the hard and determined efforts to overcome those developers and some whom they called to dance to their opportunistic tune.
First of all why is Christopher Rutishause e-Mailing plans for the park to Bill Gilsenan? Why is Gilsenan getting involved in the park? Im tired of all the so called Demigod running this Village. Paul Vagianos, John Saraceno Ed Sullivan, Tom Hillman and now Bill Gilsenan. Their names were not on the Village ballot for council. This council has to watch very closely what goes on because there has always been a small group self proclaimed Demigod who try to run this town from behind the scenes. Simply voting out the 3 Amigos is not going to stop this because its Systemic.
VM, Assistant to the VM, HR, Village Engineer, Superintendent of Parks and Rec. and the above named are running this town not the new council. Poster just need to reflect back to some of the fiascos that have happen in the last 4 years to find the common thread. Wise up new Village Council and get a grip on this. Don’t let them distract you while they plan or plot.
Ridgewood NJ, Another bombshell uncovered as a result of a recent Open Public Records Act request –
In an e-mail dated July 27, 2016 from Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser to Bill Gilsenan, the Subject of which is: “Van Neste Park,” Mr. Rutishauser writes:
“We are thinking of renovating the brick walkways, relocating some of them, installing a small protective fence along the South Walnut Street wall area (so no one falls off the wall), maybe crate [sic] a small stage area, upgrade/add water fountains, and maybe even turn the monument eagle to the correct orientation.”
No “small stage area” was ever mentioned during the Village Council Work Session of August 3, nor during the Village Council Public Meeting of August 10, nor is a “small stage area” included as part of a proposed project plan diagram prepared by the Village of Ridgewood Engineering Division, Christopher J. Rutishauser, P.E. (initials J.M. also noted on the plan). However, the aforementioned plan does indicate that walkways now located in the center of the park will be removed, creating a moderately sized, circular shaped, open/vacant space.
The staff of The Ridgewood Blog surmises that this open/vacant space is the intended location for the “small stage area” referenced in Mr. Rutishauser’s July 27, 2016 e-mail, and that for some as yet unknown reason, this fact was kept under wraps – not mentioned to Village Council members, not included as part of a project plan diagram, and definitely not mentioned during two (2) separate open public meetings.
What is the intent of this “small stage area” and why was it never mentioned? Did Mr. Rutishauser himself come up with the idea, or was it brought to him by someone else? Fenced off park, small stage area – it would seem this sets the stage (no pun intended) for concerts/performances/shows to be regularly held at this location. If this is the case, what organization(s) will be sponsoring them? Might this explain the need to build an $11.5 million parking garage two (2) blocks away?
Ridgewood NJ, if have noticed your having trouble getting to work on time ,its true you are the NJT rail on-time performance data, found in NJ Transits annual report, calculates the percentage of trains that arrive on-time to their destination.
The current data shows that while the Main/Bergen County Line on time performance has actually improved from 2011 to 2015 , you connection to New York Penn Station at Secaucus Junction has suffered significant deterioration.
The Northeast Corridor commuter trains (NEC) are the now the most frequently late, and more of them are arriving later.The NEC has had the lowest percentage of on-time trains every year for the past five years. It’s been getting worse, falling to a low of 89.9 percent on-time in 2015 after reaching a five year high in 2013 of 94.4 percent.
NJT considers a train late if it arrives to its final destination six minutes after its scheduled time.The performance measures are in fiscal years, which for NJ Transit starts July 1 and goes through June 30.
Trenton, NJ – Governor Christie today visited the Randolph, New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) agency to announce additional initiatives aimed at reducing MVC wait times and customer costs. These new proposals and improvements to existing programs will cut transaction times and make it easier for drivers to access services.
“Providing excellent customer service at MVC and throughout state government has been a key component of my administration,” said Governor Christie. “MVC is continually looking for ways to enhance the customer experience and streamline the transaction process. With these new initiatives, customers will have more options to conduct their business either online or at a variety of locations with some express options. “
To reduce demand at the end of the month, Governor Christie is calling on the legislature to pass a bill that would change driver license and registration expiration dates to drivers’ birthdays instead of the last day of the month.
To encourage use of MVC’s online tools, by October 1st, MVC will eliminate online transaction fees. MVC will continue to post on its website updated wait times at each agency location and identify low-volume agencies, as well as offer online scheduling of driver tests and online suspension/restoration appointments.
Starting in early 2017, MVC will launch two mobile agency units that will be able to perform all transactions that existing agencies can with the exception of driver testing and titles. They will be deployed in the event of unforeseen agency outages and also will be utilized to service the needs of varying populations. MVC also is working with AAA to develop a system for customers to be able to renew their registration through certain AAA offices.
“AAA is proud to work with several states to provide motor vehicle services at our offices,” said Cathleen Lewis, Director of AAA Northeast Public Affairs and Government Relations. “We look forward to working with the administration to provide similar services for the State of New Jersey.”
To reduce the time of license renewal transactions, many agencies have implemented a driver’s license express process, which allows customers to bypass the ID check stations. MVC also has increased the number of Enhanced Digital Driver’s License cameras in 10 of its busiest agencies – Bakers Basin, Springfield, East Orange, Turnersville, Somerville, South Plainfield, Edison, Rahway, North Bergen, and Wallington.
MVC has started the process of converting to a central issuance system to issue IDs from a central location rather than through individual agencies, which will reduce transaction times and ensure maximum security throughout the process.
Earlier this year, Governor Christie ordered enhanced customer service training for MVC employees which focused on fundamental customer service skills, such as active listening, effective communication, and conflict resolution. Training already has been provided to all MVC executive and senior staff, Agency Services Coordinators, Regional Managers and Agency Managers. Customer complaints are currently being tracked by region, which allows the MVC to identify more quickly trends in areas needing improvement in specific agencies or geographical areas of the State.
Having a small social network is as bad for your health as smoking, according to a new study. Researchers from Yale University showed that a person’s position in the social network is associated with blood markers of stress. They discovered that the more people who would call you a friend the lower the levels of fibrinogen, a predictor of heart attack and stroke, in your blood. However, reeling off a long list of those we consider friends does not have the same effect. The number of friends and relatives named by an individual, reflecting the perceived social network, is only weakly related to fibrinogen levels. The association between social isolation and fibrinogen is comparable to the effect of smoking, and greater than that of low education, a conventional measure of socioeconomic disadvantage, the scientists said. What matters is how others see us, not how we see them.
Ridgewood NJ, Building a trusting relationship with a financial professional is important because you’ll be sharing information about your assets and income, and you’ll want to feel confident when acting on any advice you receive.
But be wary of becoming too close, says Dennis Notchick, an Investment Advisor and Certified Financial Planner with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group (www.safeguardinvestment.com).
“People often become good friends with a broker who’s not doing a very good job for them,” Notchick says. “Even when they begin to realize they aren’t getting their money’s worth, they can’t bring themselves to break the ties. The personal relationship has come to mean more to them than their bottom line.”
Notchick recalls once when a couple in their 60s came to him to discuss whether there were better options for their money. Based on their financial professional’s advice, they had invested $1 million in variable annuities.
“Variable annuities can be very expensive,” Notchick says. “The fees can range from 3 to 4 percent per year, so I pointed out to the couple that they were being charged exorbitant fees and could reduce $30,000 or more in costs.
“The husband was on board and ready to make a change, but the wife was hesitant. She didn’t want to jeopardize that friendly relationship they had with their broker. They decided to stay where they were, paying over $30,000 in fees each year, just because they want to keep that friendship.”
So what should people do when they want to find an advisor they can trust, but don’t want to go overboard with the relationship?
For starters, Notchick suggests they ask these questions:
• Is the advisor a fiduciary? The fiduciary standard says that the financial professional must always act in a client’s best interest. Many advisors, at least right now, are held to a lesser standard. Their advice only needs to be generally suitable for the client, which allows these professionals to steer clients to investment products that are more profitable for the advisor. Beginning in January 2018, a new U.S. Department of Labor rule will be in full effect and require that all financial professionals meet the fiduciary standard when providing retirement advice. Some brokers call themselves fiduciaries – but how can you tell which hat they are wearing when giving you that advice? • What licenses does the advisor have? If an advisor only has a securities license, then you will only receive securities-related advice. If an advisor has an insurance license, you will only receive insurance-related advice. Make sure you work with an advisor who understands both worlds and creates a plan based on the client’s philosophy, not someone else’s. • What’s the advisor’s experience? It’s worth knowing not only how long the advisor has been in the business, but more importantly what kind of training and experience he or she has. For example, Notchick says, those who earn the Certified Financial Planner designation must go through extensive training and pass a rigorous exam, but real world knowledge/experience of all the areas of financial planning are also critical.
“Certainly, it’s important to have an advisor you can trust, but you still want to keep the relationship professional,” Notchick says. “When that relationship becomes more like a friendship, high fees almost always mean the investor will pay the price.”
About Dennis Notchick
Dennis Notchick, CFP is a Registered Investment Advisor Representative and Certified Financial Planner with Safeguard Investment Advisory Group (www.safeguardinvestment.com) in San Diego, Calif. He has nearly a decade of experience as a financial professional, and holds Series 3, 7, and 63 and 65 Securities Licenses and a California Life/Health Insurance License. Notchick has a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from California State University Northridge.
by: Lorena Inclan, Action News Jax Updated: Aug 23, 2016 – 9:01 AM
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has identified a man killed in a dog attack as 83-year-old Michael Downing.
Downing was killed by his neighbor’s dogs at about 4 p.m. Friday, officials said.
The hole in the fence where witnesses said the dogs came through is now boarded up.
Witnesses Mackenzie Partin and Eddie Edwards said Downing’s body may have been dragged into the dog’s yard because they saw his body on the other side of the fence.
The Franklin Arms apartment community is mourning the loss of Downing, whom they described as a helpful neighbor and happy man.
“He always had a big smile on his face,” said neighbor Mark Jones.
Police roped off an area near the Dumpster where Edwards and Partin spotted the body.
“By far it’s probably the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life,” said Partin. “There was only 30 percent left of his body probably.”
