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The Pro Arte Chorale Presents “The Golden Age of Broadway”

Pro Arte Chorale

photo credit (c) Paul Donohoe Photography

MUSIC and DANCE

February 9,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

RIDGEWOOD, NJ, The Pro Arte Chorale under the direction of NYC based music director, Steven Fox, presents “The Golden Age of Broadway”. The distinguished Newark Arts High School Chorus will join Pro Arte in songs from South Pacific, Porgy and Bess, Carousel and West Side Story. Sunday, March 13 at 3:00 pm at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 N. Van Dien Ave.. $25/$20 and $10 for students. 201-497-8400. proartechorale.org.

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Six Ridgewood High School Students Receive Maroon Award

RHS_theridgewoodblog

February 9,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewoood NJ, On January 26, six RHS students received the Maroon Award at a breakfast ceremony. The six award recipients for 2016 are Jack Simpson, Maggie Rapaport, Kathryn Kearney, Olivia Sullivan, Thomas Carmona and Aiden Gibney. Students are nominated for this award by teachers who know them best and observe the little things that they do every day to help out the school community or their fellow students. The Maroon Award was created to recognize students who do the little things right when no one is looking and help make RHS a better place.

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Casino Royale in North Jersey ?

casino royale 1967 596

N.J. Assembly committee advances resolution to give voters a say on North Jersey casino expansion

An Assembly committee on Monday approved a resolution that would allow voters statewide to decide in November whether to permit two new casino licenses to be issued in the northern half of the state. John Brennan, The Record Read more

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Judge allows Glen Rock man accused of scamming investors to remain free on bail

glen_rock_theridgewoodblog

FEBRUARY 8, 2016, 2:17 PM    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2016, 4:56 PM
BY PETER J. SAMPSON
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

A judge on Monday denied the government’s request to revoke the bail of a Glen Rock man who prosecutors alleged had begun to scam new investors while awaiting sentencing for bilking more than $3 million from 15 victims.

Without conducting a hearing, U.S. District Judge William J. Martini issued an order rejecting the government’s bid to detain Paul Mancuso, 49. The judge also set a new sentencing date of March 8.

Last week, lawyers for the government and Mancuso gathered in Martini’s Newark courtroom for a hearing on the bail revocation request when the hearing was abruptly canceled. An aide to the judge said Monday that he based his ruling on the papers that had been previously filed with the court.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/judge-allows-glen-rock-man-accused-of-scamming-investors-to-remain-free-on-bail-1.1508105

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Mandatory pension payment equals Automatic Tax Increase

Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi

Why mandatory pension payment would be worst idea ever for N.J.

Through a ballot question in November, voters are expected to decide whether New Jersey’s constitution should require the state to make regular payments to its $80 billion public pension debt. Paul Brubaker, NJ.com Read more

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Ridgewood Municipal Court Screening finds Marijuana

marijuana
February 9,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, On Thursday, February 4, Ridgewood Police officer Lt. Glenn Ender was screening individuals prior to entering municipal court. Mr. Labeat Cefa placed his personal belonging in a tray prior to passing through a metal detector. Among the personal items placed in the tray was a marijuana cigarette.

Mr. Labeat Cefa, is a 37-year-old Albanian immigrant and graduate from Ridgewood High School., was placed under arrest and issued a summons for possession of marijuana. He was released pending a future court date.

Police Records indicate Labeat has previous arrests, including for marijuana, in Florida, and was awaiting trial on grand larceny charges from this past October out of New York City. Unsure if he was contacted by the Alumni Association.

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Wyckoff Democrat launches campaign against Scott Garrett, Bailouts ,Bailouts and More Bailouts

Joshua S

February 8,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Wyckoff NJ, Former White House speechwriter  officially will seek to oust U.S. Rep. Scott Garrett (R-5th Dist.) with an announcement Monday afternoon in Northvale. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) is scheduled to be there as well.

The Wyckoff Democrat Gottheimer is a former speech writer for President Bill Clinton and worked in corporate strategy for Microsoft. He grew up in North Caldwell and has lived for the past four years in Wyckoff with his wife and two children.

“Scott Garrett isn’t pro-family,” Gottheimer said. “He’s not pro-business. He’s Dr. No. Dr. No to everything, and that hurts families here in New Jersey.”

So what is Josh Gottheimer for ? In one word BAILOUTS!

At a September possible Democratic candidate Gottheimer fundraiser that came less than a week after James Cicconi, the RINO Republican head of external affairs at AT&T Inc., and JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s Peter Scher hosted another one for the Democrat.Attendees included executives from Blackstone, Comcast, Verizon, McGraw Hill, U.S. Telecom Association, Tribune Media, United Health, Ogilvy & Mather, Raben Group and Akin Group. The invitation for the event had said it was “an excellent opportunity to oust one of the most conservative members of the House of Representatives.”

Bloomberg News, which was the first to report plans for the Cicconi fundraiser, said some business executives had already been growing tired of Garrett. They were apparently bothered by his vote against big spending former Speaker John Boehner,and were troubled that he has opposed the crony driven , taxpayer funded corporate welfare,  Export-Import Bank.

Garret also strongly opposes bailouts and in 2010 said , “The American people are tired of the safety net that has been provided to Wall Street. They want to put an end to the continued bailouts, and the bill currently under consideration in the Senate fails to accomplish this task. Wall Street is not afraid of this bill – as a matter of fact, Goldman Sachs, the same bank that has been charged by the SEC with fraud — and which also happens to have been President Obama’s single largest corporate donor in 2008 — has endorsed much of it. Goldman supports the bill because they know that it gives them and others an advantage in the marketplace by allowing their shareholders and creditors to be bailed out if they get into trouble because of the risks they take. …. We must end the era of bailouts and stop rewarding banks like Goldman Sachs with regulation that fails to protect American taxpayers.”

This stand against corporate bailouts and industry sponsored Dodd Frank has made Garrett unpopular in certian parts of the business community . In 2011 Garrett issued a strongly worded statement on Dodd Frank and the institutionalized “too big to fail policy”  , “In the wake of the financial crisis of 2008, Democrats insisted that more regulation was the answer to our problems and that they had the right prescription to address the ailments of our financial system.  As it turns out, the 2,000 page bill they produced was not the right solution.  One year after it was signed into law, Dodd-Frank has done little to prevent another financial collapse, it has failed to streamline and simplify regulation, and it has actually codified ‘too big to fail’ and taxpayer bailouts into statute.  When the American people asked for limited government, less burdensome regulation, debt reduction and, most importantly, job creation, this was hardly the solution they had in mind.”

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Ignoring the Economic flaws in the BCIA Financed Hudson Garage in Ridgewood does not mean they do not exist

Parking 2/8/16
February 9,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, We continue to hear this argument time and time again from the Mayors friends , “Those who are opposed to the garage should make a fact filled and compelling financial study of the project on their own to support the notion that it should not be built. No one has done this so far and hence a level of confusion exists that the people who are against it have not presented any concrete data to support their position that it will be bad for the village and will not sustain itself. Show me that data so all can make a rational and informed decision, My hunch is the data does not exist. In all likelihood the garage will loose some money during the first and possibly the second year of operation and then it will get up to full capacity and from there on will earn far above its projected break-even point. The demand clearly exists, there is not a lot you can do to screw it up so it should make a lot of money for the Village. Clearly if we adopted some of the earlier proposals the garages proposed would now be all paid off and we would be swimming in profits of a huge magnitude. Remember when the cost / space was calculated to be $1500/space. for a 580 car garage over Ken Smith. if only that were build we would be swimming in money today…..and all of our taxes would be far lower due to the huge cash flow thrown off from that project. Do not defame the garage project. It could turn out to be a real winner.!!.”
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Nice dream….
In reality , “love an optimist! But, we have gone through the numbers and questioned the council numerous times. Read the Walker Report, which can be found on the Village Website. It says, perhaps on page 2, that the garage will not be self-funding. It will, as has always been the plan, be funded by increased meter rates all throughout downtown. That exact scheme has been asked for by Mr. Sedon and others, but nothing concrete has been said. Walker mentions eventually raising rates to !.00, increased hours until 9pm, increasing enforcement, not allowing meters to carry over, etc The council will be taking away some of their tools by saying they won’t raise rates saturday night (so as not to punish 5:30 Mass at Mt. Carmel) and now with BCIA you can’t charge commuters more than Ridgewood residents.”

“Furthermore, the actual bonding through BCIA is more expensive than Ridgewood bonding ourselves, and many in municipal finance question the assumptions used. Also, the building will go over budget as Albert promised himself. Lastly, there is demand for parking but currently you can always – always- find parking on street in that area of town. (in front of NY SPorts, up prospect etc.). The garage is not that much closer and it is a shame businesses were never able to convince their employees to park over there as that is what really takes street parking.”

Of coarse there is also the county politics and perhaps the real story;

“The answer is simple if we step back and look from a higher level. The garage will be built near the old Cadillac dealership to provide parking for the apartments that will be built there. The village mayor needs the support of those developers to fund his political aspirations and to do so needs to get the garage built as big as possible in that location to show his compliance and ensure donations for his next office run.

The apartments will be built as soon as the lawsuits begin, COHA judgements line up, and the remaining council fall in place. Makes some sense”

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N.J. anti-bullying law draws fresh scrutiny

school kids

FEBRUARY 8, 2016, 10:01 PM    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2016, 6:33 AM
BY HANNAN ADELY
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

When a junior at Fair Lawn High School with pro-Palestinian views was accused of bullying after celebrating that a pro-Israeli classmate had stopped following her on Twitter, many believed she was being silenced because of her opinions. Why else, they wondered, would the school want to investigate her?

While it may have been baffling to outsiders, the bullying probe was hardly a surprise in New Jersey, where insults and conflicts, even isolated ones, often result in formal inquiries. That’s because New Jersey’s anti-bullying law put tough requirements on schools to take swift action to report on accusations of bullying, intimidation and harassment.

When the law was signed in 2011 after the suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, it was considered a landmark piece of legislation to protect students from harm and a model for the country. By nearly all accounts, the law has made schools safer. But critics say that it goes too far, pushing schools to investigate all or most allegations and sometimes hurting the very students it was designed to help.

A state anti-bullying task force has recommended changes to the state code that would give principals discretion in handling cases. It also said that there should be an investigation whenever a case involves a power imbalance, such as when one student is perceived to be weaker or less popular. The state has not taken action on those recommendations, although the state education commissioner is expected to discuss the task force’s findings at a Board of Education meeting Wednesday.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/n-j-anti-bullying-law-draws-fresh-scrutiny-1.1508225

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FBI formally confirms its investigation of Hillary Clinton’s email server

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

02/08/16 05:30 PM—UPDATED 02/08/16 05:46 PM
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By Pete Williams

In a letter disclosed Monday in a federal court filing, the FBI confirms one of the world’s worst-kept secrets: It is looking into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.

Why say this at all, since it was widely known to be true?  Because in August in response to a judge’s direction, the State Department asked the FBI for information about what it was up to.  Sorry, the FBI said at the time, we can neither confirm nor deny the existence of any investigation.

Now, in a letter dated February 2 and filed in court Monday, the FBI’s general counsel, James Baker, notes that in public statements and congressional testimony, the FBI “has acknowledged generally that it is working on matters related to former Secretary Clinton’s use of a private email server.”

Baker says the FBI has not, however, “publicly acknowledged the specific focus, scope or potential targets of any such proceedings.”

He ends the one-paragraph letter by saying that the FBI cannot say more “without adversely affecting on-going law enforcement efforts.”

The letter was filed in one of the Freedom of Information Act cases brought against the State Department over access to documents from Hillary Clinton’s time as secretary of state.  This one was filed by Judicial Watch.

https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/fbi-formally-confirms-its-investigation-hillary-clintons-email-server

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Bloomberg says he is eyeing 2016 run for the White House

VH1 Save The Music Foundation Holds A Press Conference

Oliver Ralph in London, Demetri Sevastopulo in New Hampshire and Matthew Garrahan in New York

Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire media owner and former New York mayor, has stated for the first time that he is considering a run for US president, a move that would dramatically reshape the 2016 race for the White House.

Speaking to the Financial Times, the founder of the eponymous financial information group criticised the quality of the debate in the presidential race. He said that he was “looking at all the options” when asked whether he was considering putting his name forward.

“I find the level of discourse and discussion distressingly banal and an outrage and an insult to the voters,” Mr Bloomberg said in an interview, before adding that the US public deserved “a lot better”.

https://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/2/b6d1fc34-ce9f-11e5-831d-09f7778e7377.html#axzz3zcl8e9uu

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‘Red flag’ against accused doctor Gangaram Ragi; details emerge on ‘weird’ exam, dispute over case

joseph-ferriero-file-photojpg-928e8ceb2b5dc8b1_large

Joseph Ferriero

FEBRUARY 7, 2016    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2016, 12:18 PM
BY JEAN RIMBACH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

It’s been a year since federal prosecutors quietly dropped a bombshell in the corruption trial of Joseph Ferriero, one that raised troubling questions about the justice system in Bergen County.

Without offering details, they alleged that a decade ago the onetime Democratic Party leader, since convicted on racketeering and fraud charges, had secretly received nearly $500,000 to influence the case of a Teaneck dermatologist accused of sexually assaulting two women patients. In a prosecution that still is surrounded by many questions, the doctor, Gangaram Ragi, was allowed to enter a program that spared him a trial on charges that could have yielded a prison sentence and lifetime registration as a sex offender. And while fining him and barring him from treating women, state licensing officials allowed him to continue his practice.

Since news broke of the government’s assertion — contained in court filings and court transcripts — and in the wake of a series of articles by The Record, the state has toughened its disciplinary process for doctors accused of sexual misconduct with patients.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/red-flag-against-accused-doctor-gangaram-ragi-details-emerge-on-weird-exam-dispute-over-case-1.1507331

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Join Club Kidville in Ridgewood

Kidville
Join Club Kidville!

Choose the monthly plan that fits your schedule…

Single Class Membership:
$99 Per Month
includes one class per week and
unlimited playspace access

Double Class Membership:
SAVINGS OF $50/month
$149 Per Month
includes two classes per week and
UNLIMITED playspace access

Unlimited Class Membership:
THE BEST OFFER
$199 Per Month
includes UNLIMITED classes per week and
UNLIMITED playspace access

Add a Sibling:
Only $50 more per month to add an additional child to your membership!

FEBRUARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Join us at these upcoming events & activities for Kidville families and new friends!

FREE Trial Class Week
week of February 8th
Enjoy a complimentary trial class (new members) and a surprise after class to show how much we love our Kidville family!
RSVP via Eventbrite – CLICK HERE.

Valentine’s Day Party
Save the Date: Friday February 12th
Join us for our annual Valentine’s Day celebration. Your family will enjoy Mini Photo Sessions, Take-Home Art Project, Open Gym and Yummy Snacks.
RSVP via Eventbrite – CLICK HERE.

President’s Day: Kidville is OPEN for Classes
+
Special Open Play from 9:00 am – 3:30 pm

Monday, February 15th
Children are invited to join us for a special all-day open play*!
Please call 201-493-1234 to be put on the open play list.
Playspace is limited to 30 children at a time for safety. Admission is on a first-come/first serve basis.

Kidville Ridgewood | 38 Oak Street | Ridgewood | NJ | 07450

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Pressure on Lynch to step aside in Clinton email probe

Attorney General Loretta Lynch

By Julian Hattem – 02/08/16 06:00 AM EST

Loretta Lynch is on the edge of the spotlight, about to be dragged to the center.

If the FBI finds sufficient evidence to launch a criminal investigation into Hillary Clinton or one of her top aides for mishandling classified information, Lynch’s Justice Department will have to decide whether or not to press ahead.

Even if no evidence of wrongdoing is found, Clinton’s many critics are unlikely to take the word of an appointee of President Obama’s, and will doubt that justice has been served.

Already, top Republicans are calling for a special prosecutor to be brought in and evaluate the situation.

No. 2 Senate Republican John Cornyn (Texas) took to the floor of the Senate last week to call for a special counsel to be appointed “because of the conflict of interest by asking Attorney General Lynch to investigate and perhaps even prosecute somebody in the Obama administration.”

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) agrees that Lynch ought to consider a special counsel, a spokesperson said, to reassure the country that decisions are made “without regard to any political considerations.”

The Justice Department, however, has so far declined the request.

https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/268456-pressure-on-lynch-to-step-aside-in-clinton-email-probe

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New DUE location in Ridgewood looking to be Open Next Week

DUE
February 8,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, DUE has left its old location for a new, much bigger, more comfortable location just four doors down the street at the former “Natalie’s” location!

They hope to open next week, so stay tuned for information about the grand re-opening of DUE!