Ridgewood NJ Unfortunately, we will have to change tomorrow’s race to an organized 4 mile group run, and move the actual competitive event to Sunday.
We were informed just today that the Ridgewood Police Department are unable to staff this event. Obviously, this information came at the last minute, and is far beyond our control.
The good news is that, we will still meet and run 4 miles. We will still have all the amenities of the event, and we will still have a great Thanksgiving Morning. The bad news is that those of you running on a competitive level, will have to hold off until Sunday.
We do apologize for any disappointment caused, but we do look forward to a fun event tomorrow and then again on Sunday.
Details for Tomorrow:
Meet at Benjamin Franklin Middle School
Start time: 9am.
Distance 4 mile – Fun group run.
Kids Fun: We will still have a kids fun run on the track at 10am.Details for Sunday:
Full competitive Race, with Chip Timing
Start: Benjamin Franklin Middle school
Time: 9am
Distance: 4 mile Race.
Please bring your Race Number.*All entries will be deferred to Sunday’s race. Unf
“…I love being a trooper..Helping people. It’s what this is all abou ” -Trooper I Robert Ravotto
November 25,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Newark, N.J., Catching speeders is one of the things troopers do on the Turnpike. Trooper Robert Ravotto, Detective I Jason Kazan, Trooper II Robert Ciecwisz, and Detective Robert Kilmurray caught a different kind of speeder yesterday when they assisted with the swift delivery of a baby girl on the southbound side of the New Jersey Turnpike.
The expecting mother was being driven by her husband to her doctor for a check-up when her water surprisingly broke, which was prior to her due date. The couple called 911 and stopped at milepost 106.5 where they waited for responding troopers and first aid.
Troopers Kazan, Ciecwisz, and Kilmurray arrived at 2:43 p.m. Just two minutes later, at 2:45 p.m., they successfully helped mom deliver a baby girl. As they provided first aid to both, Trooper I Robert Ravotto, a certified EMT, arrived to assist. Trooper Ravotto immediately tied the umbilical cord, wrapped the baby in a blanket, and cleared her airway. The troopers continued to provide first aid to both until the first aid squad arrived, which was delayed due to traffic conditions.
Mom and baby were transported to University Medical Center in Newark where they were last reported as doing well. All of the assisting troopers were commended by University staff for their efforts, which helped prevent mom and baby from going into shock due to the cold and windy weather conditions.
Glenn Harlan Reynolds10:18 a.m. EST November 16, 2015
How can students too spoiled to tolerate debate weigh opposing political arguments? They can’t.
In 1971, the United States ratified the 26th Amendment, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18. In retrospect, that may have been a mistake.
The idea, in those Vietnam War years, was that 18-year-olds, being old enough to be drafted, to marry and to serve on juries, deserved a
vote. It seemed plausible at the time, and I myself have argued that we should set the drinking age at 18 for the same reasons.
But now I’m starting to reconsider. To be a voter, one must be able to participate in adult political discussions. It’s necessary to be able
to listen to opposing arguments and even — as I’m doing right here in this column — to change your mind in response to new evidence.
This evidence suggests that, whatever one might say about the 18-year-olds of 1971, the 18-year-olds of today aren’t up to that
task. And even the 21-year-olds aren’t looking so good.
Americans for Prosperity: Benevolence, The Latest Victim of NJ’s High Taxes
New Jersey Ranks 46th in the Nation for Charitable Giving
Ridgewood NJ, New Jersey’s confiscatory tax climate is responsible for the highest property taxes and worst business climate in the country, but it is also having another deleterious effect. Today, New Jersey ranks among the least philanthropic states in the country according to a new report from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
“The season of giving is upon us, yet how sad is it that New Jersey has reached the point where people can no longer afford to be as generous as they would like to be because of high taxes,” remarked AFP state director Erica Jedynak. “We might as well refer to our income tax as the anti-benevolence tax.”
The ALEC report, State Factor: The Effect of State Taxes on Charitable Giving, examined data from 1997-2012 and revealed an inverse correlation between taxes and charitable giving. As stated in the report’s conclusion, “[I]ndividuals in states with high taxes donate less and individuals in states with lower taxes donate more.” New Jersey placed 43rd on ALEC’s list for the period 1997-2012 and 46th for the period of 2008-2012.
“As Ronald Reagan said, ‘the spirit of voluntary giving [is] ingrained in the American character.’ So it is with New Jerseyans of good will who would no doubt love to give more to causes they care about and to help those who are impoverished or sick,” said Jedynak.
“Yet, instead of being able to donate more to causes that dispense charity with a warm heart and lift people up, their hard-earned money is filtering through the cold hands of bureaucracy and ensnaring people in dependency.”
“There is little compassion in that, and it’s just one more reason we need ease the tax burden on New Jersey families.”
courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
November 25,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A Honda Civic and a Toyota Corolla collided at the intersection of South Maple Avenue and Dayton Street in Ridgewood on Wednesday afternoon at approximately 1 PM. Ridgewood PD, EMS and FD units responded to the collision.
Both drivers refused medical aid, but each of the vehicles was heavily damaged, requiring their removal by separate flatbed tow trucks. Ridgewood FD personnel attended to a minor crash related fluid spill. There was no word at the scene as to whether any summonses were issued by police.
It seems that South Jersey-based Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3) is continuing his charm offensive in the northern part of the state as he continues to angle for a likely 2017 gubernatorial run. Today, Sweeney joined Republican Senator Kevin O’Toole (R-40) for an event at Newark’s North Ward Center to honor O’Toole for his dedication to the mission of the center: to help underserved populations. Alyana Alfaro, PolitickerNJ Read more
NOVEMBER 25, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY JOHN BRENNAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
The sale of $1 billion in government bonds — a key financing element to ensure there is sufficient funding to complete the American Dream Meadowlands shopping and entertainment complex — may not be issued until early next year, officials said.
Tony Armlin, vice president of development and construction for Triple Five, the Canada-based conglomerate that is building American Dream, had said in an interview in September that the bonds would be issued “in the next several weeks.” But Debbie Patire, a Triple Five spokeswoman, confirmed Tuesday a revised timeline for issuing the bonds that executives at the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority first described last week.
That state agency is expected to issue about $350 million in bonds that will be repaid to institutional investors via the transfer of Triple Five’s annual tax savings through a state grant.
“We continue to work aggressively toward a sale of the bonds prior to the New Year — but, given the holidays, there is a potential that this could shift to after the new year,” Patire said.
Triple Five, which built and operates the Mall of America in Minnesota, was brought in to revive construction on the long-dormant American Dream project, then known as Meadowlands Xanadu, in mid-2011; company executives have projected as recently as September that it will open in the fall of 2017. It is unclear if that opening date will have to be pushed back in light of the revised timetable for issuing the bonds.
The sports authority agreed in August to replace the Bergen County Improvement Authority as the issuer of those bonds, with Armlin of Triple Five saying at the time that the sports authority was better positioned to issue them “within 30 to 60 days,” or by mid-October.
I recently noticed that Ridgewood police have used to their advantage new pine trees that have been planted in front of the Bergen County utility shed on Franklin Turnpike behind a park-and-ride lot. This provides perfect cover for their vehicles to monitor speeding cars heading north on Franklin Turnpike.
Prior to the tree planting, police would monitor from this location but be visible. Certainly their visibility deterred or reduced the likelihood of speeders. Now their camouflage doesn’t deter, but it facilitates the choice to speed and for Ridgewood to issue summonses and garner revenue.
So is the Ridgewood Police Department in the business of deterring vehicular violations and related accident risks, or only issuing summonses? How would police feel if I was able to get permission from one of the property owners to post a sign on Franklin Turnpike stating, “Speed trap ahead hiding behind the trees — slow down.”
It seems to me this would be a win/win for all drivers, reducing the likelihood of speeding and preventing accidents. But revenues may be reduced.
NOVEMBER 24, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2015, 11:45 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
(This article is the second of an ongoing series examining the Schedler property and the issues surrounding it.)
In the springtime, a common sound heard around the village’s parks is the distinct metallic “ping” of an aluminum bat making solid contact with a baseball.
With a robust baseball program, Ridgewood is home to many ball fields at its numerous parks scattered all around town, but the need for one specific size field has become entangled with one of the village’s most sensitive issues.
The Ridgewood News has already explored the concerns held by residents in the neighborhood that plays home to the historic Zabriskie-Schedler house and property, where a full-size 90-foot baseball field has been proposed.
However, it may be the last place remaining to install such a field, driving the Ridgewood Baseball Softball Association (RBSA) to donate money to the village as part of a matching grant opportunity from Bergen County that would allow the proposed Phase One portion of the project, which consists of a cleanup in the woodlands on West Saddle River Road, to begin.
While there has always been a need for more fields in Ridgewood, the completion of the state-of-the-art track and field complex at Benjamin Franklin Middle School in 2011 put a tremendous strain on the resources available to the RBSA, said President Jim Albano.
Previously, that field was home to one of the village’s two “60-90” fields – a diamond consisting of 90-foot basepaths and a pitcher’s mound that sits 60 feet, 6 inches from home plate. BF was also home to a smaller, multi-purpose field with a dirt infield.
BID NO. 028-2015 – WATER BILLING AND DATA COLLECTION/PROCESSING SERVICES
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Sealed bid proposals will be received by the Village of Ridgewood, in the Courtroom, Level 4 of Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451 on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 10:30 a.m. prevailing time, and then publicly opened and read aloud for following project:
BID NO. 028-2015 – WATER BILLING AND DATA COLLECTION/PROCESSING SERVICES
The work shall include all of the equipment and material necessary to perform this task and in accordance with the requirements of the Village of Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451 as needed and described in these specifications.
Specifications and bid forms may be obtained by mail or in person from the office of the Director of Operations, Ridgewood Water, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451, telephone (201) 670-5521, for a non-refundable fee of $10.00, per set of bid documents. Documents may be examined or picked up in person between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Operations Division, Ridgewood Water, Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07451, Monday through Friday. Prospective bidders requesting bid documents be mailed to them shall be responsible for providing their own postage/delivery service remuneration. No Specifications and/or Proposal forms shall be given out after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 8, 2015.
The contractual obligation of the Village of Ridgewood under this Contract for these items is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds from which payment for this Contract can be made.
Prices quoted must be net and exclusive of all Federal, State and Local Sales and Excise Taxes. Bids may be submitted prior to the bid opening in person or by mail, addressed to the Office of the Village Clerk. The Village assumes no responsibility for loss or non-delivery of any bid sent to it prior to the Bid opening.
Each bid must be enclosed in a sealed envelope with the name of the bidder thereon and endorsed, BID responding to BID NO. 028-2015 – WATER BILLING AND DATA COLLECTION/PROCESSING SERVICES, Do Not Open Until December 9, 2015 at 10:30 AM and must be accompanied by all required forms.
Any award or awards may be made at a later or subsequent time or meeting of the Village Council. All required schedules, that is required forms are to be submitted on the forms attached to the bid documents. No other forms will be accepted.
The successful bidder shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Prevailing Wage Act, as determined by the New Jersey Department of Labor. All contractors, their subcontractors, and material suppliers shall comply with all applicable provisions of the Public Works Contractor Registration Act, pursuant to Public Law 1999 Chapter 238 and the Contractor Business Registration Program, pursuant to Public Law 2004 Chapter 57.
The successful bidder shall furnish and deliver to the Village of Ridgewood a performance and payment bond (Schedule F) in the amount of 100 percent of the accepted bid amount as security for the faithful performance of the Contract. Additionally, the successful bidder shall furnish policies or Certificates of Insurance required by the Contract. In default thereof, said checks and/or bonds and the amount represented thereby shall be forfeited to the Village of Ridgewood as liquidated damages, not as a penalty.
Proposals submitted by Bidders and/or Bidder’s Insurance Company(ies) not chartered in the State of New Jersey, must be accompanied by proper certificate(s) from the Secretary of State, indicating that such Bidders, Bidder’s Insurance Company(ies), and/or Surety Company(ies) is (are) authorized to do business in the State of New Jersey. The Village of Ridgewood reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality or to accept a bid which, in its judgment best serves the interest of the Village. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of sixty-days (60) after the date and time set for the opening of bids.
“BIDDERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF P.L.1975, C. 127. (NJAC 17:27) regarding Affirmative Action, and Executive Order No. 11246 regarding equal employment opportunity, as amended”. A complete statement as to these requirements is included in the specifications.
By Order of the Village Manager Publication date: November 20, 2015
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water will be performing a water system flushing beginning November 30th in Glen Rock and Ridgewood .Hydrant Flushing will proceed late at night at velocities sufficient enough to remove naturally occurring minerals .Each hydrant will be flushed from 5 to 60 minutes . Residents may experience water discoloration . Work will begin at 9pm and finish by 430am the next day . Residents will be notified by reverse Robo call
Hydrant Flushing – Update
Hydrant flushing in Ridgewood was suspended this week and will continue starting on Monday, November 30th, weather permitting. Below is the revised Public Service Announcement : Click Here
Location: Benjamin Franklin Middle School, N. Van Dien Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Event Description
Thursday, November 26, 2015
The Ridgewood Thanksgiving Day Run
Racefaster would like to invite you and your family to attend our inaugural Ridgewood Thanksgiving Day Run. It’s a sanctioned 4 mile race beginning and ending at Benjamin Franklin Middle School. Stop by the Racefaster Store, 211 E. Ridgewood Ave, for discounted registration rates.
Thanksgiving Day Service – November 24th – Senior Bus Available
All are invited to attend the Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service to be held at the Old Paramus Church on Tuesday, November 24 at 7:30PM.
The Senior Bus will be available for transportation for this service. Reservations for the bus can be made at 201/670-5500 x203
Old Paramus Church to Host Community Thanksgiving Service, Nov. 24
Complete with a community choir, the Interfaith Religious Group of Ridgewood Thanksgiving service will be held at Old Paramus Church on Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 24. The participating congregations will share the different expressions of their own faith as they all give thanks together. The community choir invites anyone interested to join them as they rehearse under the direction of Stewart Holmes, Old Paramus Choir Director, beginning at 6:45 p.m. immediately before the service.
Old Paramus Church is located at 660 East Glen Ave., Ridgewood. It is handicapped accessible and there is ample free parking. Additional questions may be addressed to the church office weekdays, from 9 to 1:30 or visit the church website, www.oldparamus.org
Village Hall and The Stable will be closed on November 26 & November 27, 2015, in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. On November 27th, there will be east side garbage collection, recycling pick-up for Area 8, and the Recycling Center will be open. The Police Department, on the second floor of Village Hall, will be open on both days. All offices will open again on November 30, 2015 at 8:30 a.m.
Worldwide travel alert issued by State Department over terror threats
BY TOBIAS SALINGER, KERRY BURKE, GINGER ADAMS OTIS
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Updated: Tuesday, November 24, 2015, 8:41 AM
Travel at your own risk.
Just in time for the holidays, the State Department issued a global travel alert to U.S. citizens warning of the increased likelihood of terror attacks by legions of terrorists — including the murderous Islamic State.
The terse warning, posted on the State Department website Monday, said American travelers should use “particular caution” in the coming weeks and through Feb. 24.
“Current information suggests that (ISIS), Al Qaeda, Boko Haram and other terrorist groups continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions,” the State Department wrote.
The possible attacks could include “a wide variety of tactics … targeting both official and private interests,” the State Department added.
