Montvale NJ, Rep. Scott Garret addressed students at Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale about the role of Congress and the importance of financial literacy.
Garrett also toured some New Jersey Businesses in Bergen County were “precision” is the name of the game at Glebar Company a manufacturer of industrial equipment in Ramsey. Less precise, however, are the mountains of rules and regulations passed down from Washington, D.C. that bludgeon businesses here at home and depress hiring in New Jersey.
Garrett also stopped by Nova Electric in Bergenfield to discuss their business and the concerns many Americans are having about the state of the economy.
Then a trip to Wallkill Valley High School ‘Stuff the Bus’ full of food to help restock the shelves at the Sussex County food pantry. Local initiative always seems more effective the big government one size fits all programs .
The deadlock between Gov. Chris Christie and elected officials over a deal to rescue Atlantic City from a mounting financial crisis has the potential to send shockwaves through some of the state’s largest cities, a credit agency said Wednesday. Matt Arco, NJ.com Read more
The 2016 season is positioned once again to provide the normally superb trout fishing opportunities New Jersey anglers have grown to expect and appreciate. The average size of the stocked trout has already exceeded the baseline target for the entire season of 10.5 inches, and we still have several weeks before the first trout is stocked into New Jersey waters.
Ten Bonus Broodstock Lakes and the breeder stocking programs will once again provide plenty of trophy size fish within a short drive from anywhere in the state. Stream flows are roaring and the lakes and ponds are at full pool from the recent rains making all of the trout stocked waterbodies ready for the 570,000 rainbow trout raised at the Pequest Trout Hatchery.Rainbow Trout, including giant broodstock, will be stocked this springTrout Stocking Regulations signs are again equipped with QR Codes! A quick scan with a smart phone brings up the entire spring stocking schedule, complete with all seven weeks of stocking following Opening Day on April 9. The schedule includes day of the week and the number of trout stocked. This helped guide anglers to other fishing opportunities throughout the state right from their favorite fishing spot.
A new type of license is now available to anglers introducing a “Buddy” to freshwater fishing. The Fishing Buddy License offers both a current and a new angler (or two new anglers) reduced price fishing licenses! The discounted licenses are available to resident anglers ages 16 to 65, or nonresident anglers over age 16, who purchase their freshwater fishing license with a “Buddy.” Eligibility requires at least one new angler.Anglers are reminded that as a result of a disease outbreak at the Pequest hatchery (2013/2014) the division is rearing Rainbow Trout only. A silver lining to this is that studies have shown that rainbows are more aggressive and more likely to fall victim to a well-presented lure or baited hook, much to the satisfaction of more trout anglers, particularly on Opening Day.For those anglers who just love to catch Brown Trout or Brook Trout, there are still opportunities out there.
Waterbodies such as the South Branch Raritan River, Pequannock River and Big Flat Brook, (to name a few) have naturally reproducing trout in them that will surprise and delight many lucky anglers with their beautiful markings and coloration.There are also waters in New Jersey that remain cool enough to support trout year round and contain holdover Brook and Brown Trout from previous stockings. Releasing Brook and Brown Trout will help preserve these opportunities well into the future. These trout, in addition to the Rainbow Trout stocked this spring from Pequest will no doubt keep New Jersey as one of the top trout fishing destinations in the East.
Ten lakes received an additional helping of large broodstock through the State’s Bonus Broodstock program. Each year a different set of waters is selected statewide, and there’s bound to be an opportunity near you. These waterbodies generally receive 30 – 50 of these extra large trout.The odds of catching a big one are in your favor if you try one of these waters: Colonial Lake (Mercer), Crystal Lake (Burlington), Grenloch Lake (Camden), Lake Ocquittunk (Sussex), Mac’s Pond (Monmouth), Manny’s Pond (Hunterdon), Mt. Hope Pond (Morris), Nomahegan Park Pond (Union), South Vineland Park Pond (Cumberland), and Whites Pond (Bergen). Bonus Broodstock Details.Anglers should be aware that most trout-stocked waters are always closed to fishing during the 3 weeks leading up to
Opening Day (March 21 – April 9, 2016 at 8 a.m.). There are several waters that remain open for fishing: Lake Hopatcong (Morris/Sussex), Mountain Lake (Warren), Prospertown Lake (Ocean), Lake Shenandoah (Ocean), Swartswood Lake (Sussex), and the section of Lawrence Brook from Davidsons Mill Rd. to Church Lane are open year round to fishing.
Catch and Release Only, Seasonal, and Year-Round Trout Conservation Areas and designated Holdover Trout Lakes are also open to fishing. However, trout caught in any of these waters during this period must be released immediately. Note that, fishing is not permitted on Seasonal Trout Conservation Areas from 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. on April 9, 2016.
Trout can be harvested from the state’s two Trophy Trout Lakes, Merrill Creek and Round Valley Reservoirs. Be sure to check the Freshwater Digest for regulations pertaining to these waters.Fish and Wildlife will place “Hook-a-Winner” jaw-tags on 1,000 Rainbow Trout stocked in the spring. Anglers who catch a Hook-a-Winner trout can claim their prize (a certificate and patch) by contacting the Pequest Trout Hatchery 908-637-4173 ext. 113.Each spring, the Division’s Pequest Trout Hatchery stocks over 570,000 rainbow trout into 88 streams and 88 ponds and lakes located throughout New Jersey. Nearly 1/3 of these trout, 183,000, will await anglers on opening day. No doubt more than a few of the 14-16″ trout stocked last fall or winter are alive and well, just waiting to be caught this spring. The majority of trout average 10½ inches but large breeders, measuring 15 – 21″, and weighing up to 5 pounds are also distributed in the early weeks of the season. The state’s sixteen major trout streams are stocked every week following Opening Day and are closed to fishing from 5 am to 5 pm on the day of stocking to allow the trout a chance to disperse.
All other waters are open to fishing on stocking days, following opening day, with most stocked at least three times. Since every county has waters that are stocked with trout, trout fishing opportunities are never too far away.Don’t forget that a fishing license and trout stamp is required to fish for trout if you are 16 years or older. Children under 16 and New Jersey residents 70 years and older can fish for free. Licenses and stamps may be obtained through one of the many license agents statewide, or online.
2016 SPRING TROUT STOCKING UPDATES / CHANGES3/1/16 – Hamilton Fire Pond (Monmouth Co.) – Dropped from stocking program.3/1/16 – Hooks Creek Lake (Middlesex Co.) – Returned to program as salinity levels for trout and other freshwater fish species have returned to suitable levels. The storm surge from Superstorm Sandy in 2012 pushed saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean into the lake resulting in unsuitable salinity levels.3/1/16 – Trout Brook – Hackettstown (Warren Co.) – Dropped from stocking program.Any deviations from the stocking schedule will be noted here, on the 2016 Spring Stocking Schedules page and on the Trout Hotline (609-633-6765).
Ridgewood NJ, Kelly Van Zile graduated from Ridgewood High School in 1992. Over the last ten years, she has worked for the New Players Company directing the students in plays and musicals. In addition, she serves as Producer of the company alongside Dr. Meg Schaefer. Kelly holds a double degree in Theater and English and also works as a corporate communications coach for Exec-Comm in NYC.
Ridgewood NJ,Fellow Ridgewood alums! To those who do not know him he is Dan Sergeyovich Krimmer . He graduated RHS in 2010. and is currently producing and going to be starring in the play “Really, Really” under the Actors Equity Association Basic Showcase Code (pending) in NYC this April.
“Really, Really” is a contemporary American play touching on the scorching realities of growing up in the Millennial generation.
The cast, producers, and director are all Montclair State BFA Acting/Musical Theater Alumni. They are currently trying to fund raise some money so please check out a Kickstarter! Any help is much appreciated and we have a lot of fun perks!!!
the staff of the Ridgewood blog Ridgewood Nj, Baby Boomers and Millennials often are portrayed as two generations that don’t always see eye to eye in the workplace.
But they may share something in common that could help bridge the generation gap.
Both groups long to find a purpose in their careers beyond a paycheck, say Jackie Dryden and Bethany Andell, co-authors of “Get Your Head Out of Your Bottom Line: And Build Your Brand on Purpose” (www.savagethinking.com).
“Millennials are not only worried about how much money they earn, but also about how they earn it,” says Andell, president of Savage Brands, which works with companies to build purposeful brands.
“They gain satisfaction from their work when they feel they are contributing to something larger and more valuable than the company’s earnings.”
Baby Boomers, idealistic in their youth, somewhere along the way became part of the system they fought to change, she says.
Now, nearing retirement, many look back and wonder what kind of legacy they will leave.
“They’re reigniting their earlier desire to add meaning to life,” Andell says.
Dryden and Andell say that tapping into the two generations’ longing for meaningful work can create an improved outlook for businesses. Here are a few reasons why:
• Everything a company says and does contributes to building its brand. Because of this, the actions and attitudes of employees are central to the brand experience for the customers. • Too many companies begin their pursuit of success by focusing on profit. Dryden and Andell say a better route to sustainable success is to flip traditional business thinking upside down and start with purpose. Purpose drives performance, they say, and performance drives profits. • Customers feel better about buying from or working with brands they connect with in some way. When they connect with the purpose for why a company exists they begin to feel as if they are a part of something meaningful, just as the employees do. This deeper relationship adds value to every interaction customers have with the company, building loyalty for the brand.
“When you have two generations – one older, one younger, but both seeking greater meaning at work – there’s an incredible opportunity,” Dryden says. “But that opportunity can only be seized if a company’s purpose and values align and connect with employees on a level beyond the bottom line.”
About Jackie Dryden
Jackie Dryden, co-author with Bethany Andell of “Get Your Head Out of Your Bottom Line” (www.savagethinking.com), is Chief Purpose Architect with Savage Brands, which works with companies to build purposeful brands. She also is author of “Just Me: What Your Child Wants You to Know About Parenting.”
About Bethany Andell
Bethany Andell, co-author with Jackie Dryden of “Get Your Head Out of Your Bottom Line,” is president of Savage Brands. She is an MBA graduate from Rice University’s Jones School of Management, a regular speaker and author of several articles recently published in the Houston Business Journal.
County of Bergen Health Services HazMat team Called to a Home in Glen Rock
April 8,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Glen Rock NJ, A County of Bergen Health Services HazMat team was called to a home in Glen Rock late Thursday evening, 04/07 after a male resident opened a “mysterious” package in the home’s basement and was exposed to an unknown white powder. The initial 911 telephone call requesting help was answered by Glen Rock PD shortly before 10 PM. The resident refused medical aid. A HazMat team was still working on scene as of Thursday at midnight. Glen Rock PD units also responded to the location, which was at 459 Prospect Street.
UPDATE: Shortly after 12 midnight, it was determined that the although the substance found was not hazardous, it was not the substance identified on the package’s label.
If the events that transpired last night do not shake your faith in the sham of a process that has transpired, nothing will. We are being held hostage by an institution that is engaging in a scorched earth policy against Ridgewood. They do not want to be a good neighbor and it is clear they would rather destroy our neighborhood than offer any real compromise.
I’m extremely disappointed that the majority of PB members did show a spine. I understand their concerns but we have to be firm in our resolve that this is not right for Ridgewood and we will continue to fight. What is the point of a Planning Board that can’t plan???
I’m sure many of you realize this, but if you haven’t made the connection yet to the Valley expansion, Garagezilla, and the increase in allowed housing density in town, let this be clear: any judge and court will. Therefore, even if you haven’t signed the garage petition yet, please consider doing so. We need to show the courts and other interested parties that we aren’t going to cause self inflicted wounds first in order to help prevent a hospital that will triple in size in a residential neighborhood.
Secondly, the upcoming VC election is more important than ever. We need to get strong defenders of our town in place because clearly the troika in charge of this town has had their own agenda. Please consider supporting Bernie Walsh and Jeff Voight in May.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood News controversial edit of “Letter to the editor” sparks further controversy on Hudson Garage and a the referendum at next general election.
According to Gail McLaughlin McCarthy ,”They edited. We gave them our attorneys contact info and they chose not to call them to fact check. ridiculous. The petition will be submitted April 12. We are confident that if a special election is called, it is because the council majority chooses to spend more money. On top of the $600,000.00 already spent according to Gwenn.
Here is the letter we actually submitted, before the editors got hold of it. We supplied backup of all statements, yet they still edited.
Ridgewood Nj, Based on the 2016 H zone Master Plan amendment being passed by the planning board – where does this leave Valley in the view of the Village residents? Many view Valley as a very bad neighbor – it pays no property taxes, doesn’t tell us its long term intentions, and filed a lawsuit against the planning boardand town council in order to achieve its expansion aims. Valley certainly has a public relations problem which it needs to address. So what can Valley do to improve its image and commitment to the Village of Ridgewood?
Here are some suggestions:
In a recent conversation I had with Jim Griffith, Village resident, Jim suggested that Valley should start investing more $$$ in the Village. This could be done potentially with the new NJ requirement for Valley to pay property taxes (even though they are a non-profit). However,rather than just giving the Village the tax dollars, Valley should make known to all residents its financial commitment to issues important to the Village such as Parks and Recreation. While Ipartially agree with Jim, I would also content that Valley is a very profitable non-profit hospital (see their December 31, 2014 financials on line; Baker Tilly, auditor’s report). Therefore as a“good neighbor” Valley should pay their fair share of property taxes. This would have amounted to $4.5 million based on their 15.5 acre campus (based on the Village tax assessor estimates). Recent suits in NJ have opened the door for non-profits to pay their fair share of taxes; as perabove. It would also be nice however, if Valley would become more involved in the Village’s interests, above and beyond paying its fair share of taxes.
Valley might consider having a Village resident on its board of Trustees (ideally a voting member), who in turn could report back to the Village on Valley. There are several committed Village residents who would do a really good job at this. This person(s) would serve the interests of the Village and help in building a partnership with Valley.
Valley should have a Village resident intimately involved in the planning and implementation of the hospital expansion/construction. Again there are several people in our Village, living near Valley, who would be great candidates for this.
Valley could develop a series of educational programs such as “good health programs” for the schools and teach them. These might include nutrition, healthy living/lifestyles, exercise programs, etc.
The key for Valley in all of this is to become a better neighbor and; to demonstrate its commitment to the Village by working with its residents.
Will this be the “kiss of death” for Richard Brooks?
April 9,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, Is Richard Brooks Campaign for Village Council over before it started? Richard Brooks the husband of Ridgewood Planning Board attorney Gail Price who seemed to have been more interested in representing Valley Hospital than the Village of Ridgewood and who’s stewardship led to Valley getting everything they wanted with no compromise in a mediation settlement .
Now to make matters worse for the Brooks campaign, the conflict of interest councilwomen of the year Gwenn Hauck who is so intertwined with Valley Hospital she can not seem to remember whether she got a check or gave a check , whether she paid her property taxes or as some allege is responsible for the mass murder of wood turtles ,an endangered species; has endorsed him. Apparently Gwenn has looked up from her ipad for a brief second and seen the light.
While some will say it was nice of her to take a break from ranting against Ridgewood residents , while others suggest that Gwenn suffers from a mild case of “foot in the mouth” disease and the Brooks endorsement is just more of the same .
Our modest suggestion is that perhaps Gail should sharpen up those resume skills , but on the other hand Valley might be hiring.
How anyone could support a candidate who is being endorsed by Gwen is beyond our comprehension :
By Catherine Herridge, Pamela K. Browne
Published April 08, 201
The extradition of Romanian hacker “Guccifer” to the U.S. at a critical point in the FBI’s criminal investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email use is “not a coincidence,” according to an intelligence source close to the case.
One of the notches on Guccifer’s cyber-crime belt was allegedly accessing the email account of Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal, one of Clinton’s most prolific advice-givers when she was secretary of state. It was through that hack that Clinton’s use of a personal account — clintonemail.com — first came to light.
Former law enforcement and cyber security experts said the hacker, whose real name is Marcel Lehel Lazar, could – now that he’s in the U.S. – help the FBI make the case that Clinton’s email server was compromised by a third party, one that did not have the formal backing and resources of a foreign intelligence service such as that of Russia, China or Iran.
“Because of the proximity to Sidney Blumenthal and the activity involving Hillary’s emails, [the timing] seems to be something beyond curious,” said Ron Hosko, former assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division from 2012-2014.
Forced Price Reduction to Worsen USPS Financial Condition by $2 Billion Per Year
Postal Service Exigent Surcharge Pricing to End April 10
April 8, 2016
Ridgewood Nj, Absent Congressional or court action to extend or make permanent an existing exigent surcharge for mailing products and services – including the Forever stamp — the Postal Service will be required to reduce certain prices on Sunday, April 10, 2016. This mandatory action will worsen the Postal Service’s financial condition by reducing revenue and increasing its net losses by approximately $2 billion per year.
“The exigent surcharge granted to the Postal Service last year only partially alleviated our extreme multi-year revenue declines resulting from the Great Recession, which exceeded $7 billion in 2009 alone,” said Postmaster General and CEO Megan J. Brennan. “Removing the surcharge and reducing our prices is an irrational outcome considering the Postal Service’s precarious financial condition.”
An order from the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) requires the 4.3 percent exigent surcharge to be reversed after the Postal Service has collected surcharges totaling $4.6 billion. As outlined in a notice filed with the PRC today, that amount is expected to be reached by April 10th.
Postal Service prices for Mailing Services are capped by law at the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers (CPI-U). However, the law does allow for exigent pricing (price increases beyond the CPI-U cap) due to extraordinary or exceptional circumstances. That was the case when the Postal Service sought and ultimately received approval for the current exigent pricing, citing the severe effects of the Great Recession on Postal Service mail volume.
However, the PRC did not accept the views of the Postal Service concerning the extent of the harm resulting from the Great Recession, and the PRC strictly limited the period of time that the Postal Service could continue to collect the exigent surcharge. While the Postal Service has experienced rapid growth in package volume over the past few years, it is not nearly enough to offset the decline in revenues from Market-Dominant products, especially First-Class Mail.
Brennan added that the Postal Service’s current pricing system, where products that generate roughly 76 percent of its revenues fall under the statutory price cap, is fundamentally unsuited to the Postal Service’s current business environment in which First-Class Mail volume continues to decline and the network costs required to provide universal service continue to rise.
According to Brennan, “our current pricing regime is unworkable and should be replaced with a system that provides greater pricing flexibility and better reflects the economic challenges facing the Postal Service.”
The surcharge removal means these First-Class Mail prices will be adjusted to the following:
“Saving for the future shouldn’t be a privilege for the wealthy, and Washington doesn’t need to put another roadblock between people and their financial goals. By ignoring the advice of the SEC and Congress, the DOL’s rule will increase the cost of retirement advice for lower- and middle-income Americans while creating a preferred class of rich investors. I will continue to fight for everyone’s right to get good financial advice because—unlike this administration—I believe in the people of New Jersey to make the best choices for their families and their futures.”Rep Scott Garrett
April 7,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Yesterday’s editorial (opening paragraphs below) point out that this set of rules is slanted to capture investment accounts with the goal of making small and medium sized savers invest in government run plans. Follow the money — those government run plans are going to lean toward investing in government paper with associated pitiful returns. That’s the conflict of interest that’s not being disclosed.
From the editorial…
President Obama’s regulators aren’t slowing down, alas. And on Wednesday they unveiled another part of their plan to push Americans out of private investment accounts and into government-run plans.
The Department of Labor says its so-called fiduciary rule will make financial advisers act in the best interests of clients. What Labor doesn’t say is that the rule carries such enormous potential legal liability and demands such a high standard of care that many advisers will shun non-affluent accounts. Middle-income investors may be forced to look elsewhere for financial advice even as Team Obama is enabling a raft of new government-run competitors for retirement savings. This is no coincidence.
Bu
Labor’s new rule will start biting in January as the President is leaving office. Under the rule, financial firms advising workers moving money out of company 401(k) plans into Individual Retirement Accounts will have to follow the new higher standards. But Labor has already proposed waivers from the federal Erisa law so new state-run retirement plans don’t have the same regulatory burden as private employers do.
This competitive advantage could be significant. Last month the board of California’s new “Secure Choice” retirement plan wrote to state legislators about their “exciting win” in Washington. They reported that employers enrolling workers in the new government-run plan “would have no liability or fiduciary duty for the plan.” Score! The California bureaucrats added that “we have been given the green light to auto-enroll workers into an Individual Retirement Account (IRA).”
Meanwhile, there are only losses for private competitors. The final rule Labor Secretary Tom Perez unveiled Wednesday is being marketed as less onerous than an earlier draft. Thus much of the financial industry is going to take a few weeks to decide on its response. But the main question is exactly how many billions of dollars in costs and lost opportunities will be visited upon investors. And how big the incentive will be to seek government options…
Location: SHARE, 113 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ Cost: $25 per person
Shared Housing Association for Ridgewood & Environs, Inc. (SHARE) will host “Just Desserts II: A Matinee of Sweet Delights and Soulful Sounds” on Saturday, April 16, 2016. This annual fundraising event will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. in Anderson Hall at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place, in Ridgewood, N.J.
Tickets are $25 per person and include an array of desserts and beverages, as well as entertainment provided by Montclair University music students under the direction of Professor Ron Levy, music director at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood. Raffle and 50/50 tickets also will be available for purchase.
Proceeds will help fund capital improvements and maintenance for SHARE’s two residences for independent seniors, located at 104 Cottage Place and 130 Prospect Street in Ridgewood. To purchase tickets, contact Marianne Bennett at (201) 670-9605 or e-mail [email protected].
SHARE, Inc. is a New Jersey non-profit that provides an affordable, home like environment for independent seniors within the Ridgewood community. For more information visit www.shareridgewood.org.
