Author: James

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A dog is a Ridgewood Students Best Friend

Vicious_dog_theridgewoodblog

Dogs help Ridgewood students lower stress levels

JANUARY 28, 2016    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016, 11:41 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Ridgewood High School students in the midst of stressing over midterm exams were given a reprieve over the past couple weeks, thanks to the timely arrival of some therapy dogs.

Robert Bell, the district’s supervisor of wellness, worked in conjunction with a non-profit called Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs in order to bring five specially trained canines to the high school over four mornings, allowing students to relax between exams and forget about their studies for a while.

“It’s a great opportunity for the kids,” Bell said, noting that the students really seemed to be enjoying themselves, as evidenced by the laughter ringing up and down the hallway.

According to Bell, Ridgewood High School is the first public school to attempt such a de-stressing technique. The program is often used at colleges and universities.

“In all of our research, we haven’t found a public high school that has tried this,” Bell said. “We specifically went for professionally trained dogs, working with outside organizations, bringing in five dogs a day and putting them in different locations throughout the building.”

He explained that the high school’s version of the event is a litmus test, by which the district’s administrators will decide if it is worth bringing to other Ridgewood schools. He also noted that other public schools have contacted the high school about the program.

“We get a lot of phone calls about it, just how this process is working,” Bell said. “I think there’s interest out there at the public school level.”

While the program seems to be an enjoyable one, it is also economically feasible, according to Bell.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/dogs-help-ridgewood-students-lower-stress-levels-1.1501207

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Ridgewood school board, union fail to reach settlement

obamacare_theridgewood blog

JANUARY 29, 2016    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Ridgewood Board of Education (BOE) and Ridgewood Education Association (REA) have failed to reach a settlement despite protracted negotiations, BOE President Sheila Brogan reported during a meeting on Monday.

The two sides met on Jan. 20, and the main sticking point continued to be healthcare contributions. A new proposal presented by the school board was rejected by the REA.

Brogan said the “comprehensive” proposal addressed issues that had been raised during previous negotiation sessions and modified the district’s “original proposal in a number of significant ways.”

“Our offer was designed to address the REA’s goal of increasing the actual take-home pay of its members without jeopardizing the district’s financial position,” Brogan said.

“The REA did not respond with a comprehensive proposal of their own,” she continued. “They chose to focus only on the amounts their members contribute towards their healthcare benefits.”

REA members, however, believe that the BOE did not make a real effort to come up with terms that would be acceptable to both parties. They also said a counteroffer was not seriously considered by the board.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/meeting-fails-to-yield-settlement-1.1501672

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Should the state investigate questionable behavior by local government officials?

pro garage signs 2

 

A Senate committee Thursday voted 5-0 to dissolve local and county ethics boards and turn the responsibility of investigating the questionable behavior of any government official to the State Ethic Commission. Susan K. Livio, NJ.com Read more

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Readers Question Ridgewood Waters Involvement in Snow Removal and Leaf Pick up

RidgewoodWaterLogo_061912_rn_tif_

It was also recently reported that the Village’s new code enforcement officer (Ms. Tracey Jeffrey) was observed on South Monroe Street driving a vehicle with Rigewood Water logo emblazoned on the door. However, I suppose that the argument could be used that enforcement of the leaf pick up rules impacts water quality.

I observed countless vehicles emblazoned with the Ridgewood Water emblem engaged in snow removal activities on Ridgewood streets following last week’s blizzard. So it appears as though there is some merit to the lawsuit.

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Why on earth would Ridgewood leap into bed with the BCIA????

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ

file photo by Boyd Loving

From the archives: Local towns paying heavily for Bergen County loan program meant to save time, money

DECEMBER 28, 2009, 8:47 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JULY 22, 2010, 2:41 PM
BY STEPHANIE AKIN AND CHRISTOPHER SCHNAARS
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD

This story was originally published Dec. 28, 2009.

A Bergen County loan program touted as a quick and easy way for local governments to pay for big-ticket items has instead plunged some of them into long-term debt.

The five-year-old Municipal Banc was supposed to let cash-strapped towns bypass conventional borrowing methods and get county-backed loans for emergency services and public works projects. The program promised 24-hour loan approval with no red tape, backed by the county’s AAA credit rating.

Most towns and school districts that used the program borrowed only what they needed and spent the money quickly. Many praised the program for its convenience and low fees.

But some towns took out loans for items as inexpensive as rope and firefighter boots, borrowed money long before they intended to make purchases and paid interest on money they never spent. In some cases, their applications were approved even though they provided little information about how the money would be used.

From 2004 to 2008, Rutherford, Fair Lawn and Hackensack let a total of more than $1.6 million in loans sit idly in Commerce Bank accounts while taxpayers paid more than $200,000 in interest and fees. Fair Lawn, for example, waited four years to buy a $130,000 generator.

“That’s like saying, ‘I’m going to buy a house, I’m going to pay a mortgage and interest on the house, but I’m not going to move in for three or four years,’” said Joseph Tedeschi, a Fair Lawn councilman.

TD Bank took over the program after it bought Commerce in March 2008.

Five consultants that donated more than $450,000 to Bergen County Democrats from 2004 to the end of 2008 were paid at least $1.8 million for professional services by the Bergen County Improvement Authority — the agency that oversees the Municipal Banc — including more than $180,000 for services tied to the loans.

Those consultants included Dennis Oury, the former counsel for the BCIA and the Bergen County Democratic Organization. Oury, who pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges in September, collected more than $1.1 million from the BCIA during that period. Oury resigned from the BCIA in early September 2008 after federal officials accused him of fraud.

The program auditor, Ferraioli, Wielkotz, Cerullo & Cuva, also was the auditor in three of the towns that were the heaviest users of the program: Fair Lawn, Hackensack and Rutherford.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/from-the-archives-local-towns-paying-heavily-for-bergen-county-loan-program-meant-to-save-time-money-1.1243384

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Ridgewood Planning Board continues review of master plan

VillageHall_floods_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

JANUARY 29, 2016    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

During last week’s Planning Board meeting, Village Planner Blais Brancheau explained some changes he recommended the board make to the master plan.

Brancheau began by reading from the current master plan, discussing housing, changes in population in the village and historic preservation, among other topics.

One change he recommended was updating the master plan regarding soil removal.

“Right now, we have three levels of soil permit procedures: a ministerial, a minor and a major permit,” he said. “We don’t need that level of difficulty to do a soil movement permit, where you’re going to get both Planning Board and council approval to move soil. One or the other should suffice.”

Another change he said would be beneficial was updating the master plan in terms of flooding zones.

Brancheau explained that the federal government has been making changes to its flood area designations, and that these should be reflected in Ridgewood’s master plan.

Chris Rutishauser, the village engineer, noted that this would be done as soon as possible, since people who would potentially be in flood zones may need to purchase flood insurance, and should know sooner rather than later if they required it or not.

Brancheau also pointed out that flood areas prohibit certain activities, such as building houses in some locations, making it even more important that the changes be updated as soon as possible.

https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/town-government/master-plan-review-continues-1.1501713

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Ridgewood Police and Rep. Scott Garrett Remind Everyone Calls Demanding Payment from the IRS are a FRAUD

irs
January 27,2016
the staff of the Rkidgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, Congressmen Scott Garrett confirmed his offices have received some calls about this IRS fraud. Please spread this information from the U.S. Department of the Treasury to friends and family so they know to be on the lookout for these phony phone calls.
Sources tell the Ridgewood blog that scammers feel people are more vulnerable near tax time . 

The IRS generally contacts people, first, by mail – not by phone – about unpaid taxes. The IRS will not ask for payment using a prepaid debit card, a money order.

“The IRS is Calling Me? Can This Be For Real?” (TIGTA PSA English) 60 seconds

Fraud is real. Just hang up on Fraud. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration is warning taxpayers to be on high alert for scammers who impersonate IRS employees in aggressive phone calls that demand money. Don’t believe them; just hang up! For more information and to report a contact, visit us at www.tigta.gov.

https://youtu.be/K_ewrxB4J54

Ridgewood Police :

Several residents reported having received a phone call from a man identifying himself as Dennis Gary with the treasury department, The caller requests that you call him back to avoid an enforcement action from the IRS. This is a scam do not call the number back. One of several numbers tied to the scam is 303-479-3380.

The IRS does not:

1 Call you to demand immediate payment. They will not call about taxes you owe without first mailing you a bill.

2 Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the chance to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

3 Require you to use a certain payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.

4 Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

5 Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement to have you arrested for not paying.

If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what to do:

• If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 to talk about payment options. You also may be able to set up a payment plan online at IRS.gov.

• If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to TIGTA at 1.800.366.4484 or at www.tigta.gov.

• If phone scammers target you, also contact the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov. Use their “FTC Complaint Assistant” to report the scam. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” to the comments of your complaint.

. Remember, the IRS currently does not use unsolicited email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issues. For more information on reporting tax scams, go to www.irs.gov and type “scam” in the search box.

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FBI’s Hillary Clinton email investigation not letting up

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

By Julian Hattem – 01/28/16 06:00 AM EST

Six months after it began, the federal investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server shows no signs of slowing down.

Former FBI officials said the length of the probe is not unusual and speculated that a decision on whether to file charges against Clinton or her top aides could come later this year, during the heat of the general election campaign.

“I don’t know that there’s any magical cutoff date,” said Ron Hosko, the FBI’s former assistant director of the criminal investigative division and a 30-year veteran of the bureau.

For Democrats, the extended investigation has become a source of some anxiety, with Republicans gleefully raising the prospect of the Democratic presidential front-runner being indicted.

“It does give pause to Democrats who are concerned that there may be another shoe to drop down the road,” said Andrew Smith, a political science professor at the University of New Hampshire.

The government has been examining the former secretary of State’s private email server since last July, when the inspector general for the intelligence community issued a security referral noting that classified information could have been mishandled.

That referral came months after Clinton acknowledged that she had exclusively used a personal email address housed on a private server during her tenure as secretary.

The scrutiny of her email practices has mounted since then, with more than 1,300 emails that passed through her server found to contain information that has since been classified, some at the highest levels.

https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/267269-fbis-clinton-investigation-not-letting-up

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Sanders camp suspicious of Microsoft’s influence in Iowa Caucus

Bernie Sanders

01/27/16 06:05 PM—UPDATED 01/28/16 12:56 PM

By Alex Seitz-Wald

DES MOINES, Iowa – The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is raising questions about the involvement of Microsoft in the Iowa Caucuses, now just days away, and has built a independent system to check the official results.

For the first time this year, Microsoft partnered with the Iowa Democratic and Republican Parties to provide a technology platform with which the parties will run their caucuses. The software giant created separate mobile apps for each party, which officials at hundreds of caucuses across the state will use to report out results from individual precincts to party headquarters for tabulation.

The arrangement has aroused the suspicions of aides to Sanders, whose regularly warns that corporate power and the billionaire class are trying to hijack democracy. Pete D’Alessandro, who is running the Iowa portion of Sanders’ campaign, questioned the motives of the major multinational corporation in an interview with MSNBC: “You’d have to ask yourself why they’d want to give something like that away for free.”

The Sanders campaign has built their own reporting system to check the results from the official Microsoft-backed app. It has trained its precinct captain on using the app, which is designed to be as user friendly as possible, and the campaign will also staff a hotline system as further redundancy.

“It’s just a way that our folks can have an app that we trust to get the numbers to us in a timely fashion,” D’Alessandro said. “I’m always going to be more for sure on the stuff that my people had control over the entire time… If there are any problems, we can spot them right away.”

Other Sanders aides noted that Microsoft employees have donated several hundred thousand dollars to Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton over her career, and questioned why the Iowa Democratic Party didn’t partner with a software company based in Iowa.

https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/sanders-campaign-suspicious-corporate-influence-iowa-caucus

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Sonic Booms Reported in Northeastern U.S.

UFO

Shock waves traveling faster than the speed of sound were likely caused by nearby aircraft

By

ZOLAN KANNO-YOUNGS

Tremors felt in parts of the northeastern U.S. on Thursday, including New York’s Long Island area and southern New Jersey, were the result of a series of sonic booms, a regional seismologist said.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/sonic-booms-reported-in-northeastern-u-s-1454018777?mod=e2tw

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Ridgewood Board Of Education Meeting Fedruary 8th 7:30pm

BOE theridgewoodblog.net

BOE Meets on February 8 at 7:30 p.m.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, February 8, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.

The public is invited to attend the meeting at the Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Floor 3. The meeting may also be viewed on FiOS channel 33, Optimum channel 77 or from computers via the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website.FiOS channel 33, Optimum channel 77 or from computers via the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website.

Click here to view the agenda for the January 25, 2016 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the December 21, 2015 Regular Public Meeting.

Click here to view the minutes of the January 4, 2016 Reorganization/Regular Public Meeting

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Zika virus could become ‘explosive pandemic’

asian-tiger-mosquito

28 January 2016

US scientists have urged the World Health Organisation to take urgent action over the Zika virus, which they say has “explosive pandemic potential”.

Writing in a US medical journal, they called on the WHO to heed lessons from the Ebola outbreak and convene an emergency committee of disease experts.

They said a vaccine might be ready for testing in two years but it could be a decade before it is publicly available.

Zika, linked to shrunken brains in children, has caused panic in Brazil.

Thousands of people have been infected there and it has spread to some 20 countries.

Would it be wrong to eradicate mosquitoes?

The Brazilian President, Dilma Roussef, has urged Latin America to unite in combating the virus.

She told a summit in Ecuador that sharing knowledge about the disease was the only way that it would be beaten. A meeting of regional health ministers has been called for next week.

Writing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Daniel R Lucey and Lawrence O Gostin say the WHO’s failure to act early in the recent Ebola crisis probably cost thousands of lives.

They warn that a similar catastrophe could unfold if swift action is not taken over the Zika virus.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35425731

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Investment gains for N.J.’s pension fund fell sharply last fiscal year

Wall-Street

JANUARY 27, 2016, 6:44 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016, 8:26 PM
BY SALVADOR RIZZO
STATE HOUSE BUREAU |
THE RECORD

Investment gains for New Jersey’s $79 billion pension fund fell sharply in the fiscal year that ended June 30, and those pension investments are in negative territory so far this year, state officials reported Wednesday.

Christie administration officials and the State Investment Council had acknowledged in July that, with 11 months of data, the pension fund was likely to see a sharp drop in its rate of return for fiscal year 2015. Now, with all 12 months of data, the state announced that it achieved investment gains of 4.16 percent, a tumble from 16.87 percent in the previous year.

New Jersey’s pension fund is the 17th largest in the country and 33rd largest worldwide – investing in everything from real estate, private equity, commodities, stocks, hedge funds and more. Nearly 780,000 public workers and retirees are beneficiaries of the pension system, meaning they depend on the success of those investments.

The state Supreme Court has said that public workers are entitled to their pension checks “when due.” If the money does not come from investment gains, it would have to come from state taxpayers or public workers.

The fund’s performance is in negative territory so far this fiscal year, down 3 percent for the July-through-December period, officials added.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/investment-gains-for-n-j-s-pension-fund-fell-sharply-last-fiscal-year-1.1500166

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Ridgewood Schools Presents SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAY on FEBRUARY 27

Super_Science_-Saturday_theridgewoodblog

SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAY IS FEBRUARY 27

Super Science Saturday 2016, the celebration of science and technology in our daily lives, returns for its twenty-seventh year on Saturday, February 27, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Ridgewood High School, 627 East Ridgewood Avenue. Admission is free. Students are invited to sign up and exhibit at www.supersciencesaturday.org.

Admission is Free

The three-session presenters’ workshop begins on Thursday, February 4 and continues on February 11 and 25, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. The cost is $20. Click here for workshop details and registration information.

Full details of the day, including registration forms, can be found on the Super Science Saturday website atwww.supersciencesaturday.org.

Click here for the latest Super Science Saturday flyer.

Super Science Saturday is proudly presented by The Foundation  (https://www.ridgewoodedfoundation.org/) and  the Valley Hospital (https://www.valleyhealth.com/).