FBI examines handling of sensitive information during former secretary’s term
At least 671 emails she sent or received now contain classified information
State Department releases latest batch of Democratic presidential hopeful’s emails
BY ANITA KUMAR AND GREG GORDON
McClatchy Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON
Hillary Clinton appears to have overcome an investigation of her role in the 2012 deadly attacks in Benghazi, Libya, but she still faces a months-long FBI inquiryinto the handling of sensitive information while she was secretary of state.
The FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, which opened its review this summer after classified information was found in emails transmitted over Clinton’s private email server, is under pressure to act quickly, as Clinton is in the midst of running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2016.
Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump on Saturday announced a plan to reform the veterans health system at a rally in Norfolk, Va.
“We’re going to take care of those wounded warriors and we’re going to take care of our vets better than anybody.”he said, speaking in front the USS Wisconsin — the same spot where now-Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) was formally introduced as Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012.
Trump promised that in his administration, veterans would receive better healthcare more quickly.
“The plan will ensure our veterans get the care they need, wherever and whenever they need it,” he said.
Trump said that he would institute policies that would see Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities competing with non-VA hospitals. He said that under his plan, any veteran could go to a doctor that accepts Medicare and receive care.
In a winding indictment of the VA system, he targeted Veterans Health Administration hospitals that came under fire in the last year for keeping long wait lists of veterans who needed crucial care.
“Think about me going to my doctor’s office and waiting four days,” he said. “If I wait 15 minutes, I’m angry as hell at the doctor.”
Trump said the VA system needed to be maintained but reformed.
Ridgewood NJ, its official tonight is the night , the time moves back one hour at 2 a.m. local time Nov. 1; unless your out and about or doing some late night tick or treating you should reset your clocks before going to bed so you won’t arrive at appointments an hour early tomorrow .
While many question whether anyone in New Jersey really knows what time it is .Arizona and Hawaii are now the only two states that do not observe daylight saving time. During daylight saving time, parts of Arizona match up with Pacific Time instead of the Mountain time zone that the state is in. U.S. territories where time simply does not have the same meaning like Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Marianas also do not observe daylight saving time.
In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed the Uniform Time Act into law, making daylight savings time the law of the land . The U.S. Department of Transportation is the keeper of daylight saving time.
So why does it exist ; one argument for daylight saving time is that fewer accidents happen during daylight hours, so extending morning daylight in winter and evening daylight in summer results in a slight reduction in automobile accidents.
The idea behind daylight saving time is to take advantage of daylight hours and save energy. This theory has come under debate inn recent years ,with many “daylight deniers ” out there . In 2008 federal Department of Energy study, U.S. electricity use decreased by 0.5% for each day of extended daylight saving time, resulting in a savings of 0.03% for the year as a whole.
While the savings may seem small in percentage terms, in absolute terms, if the theory is true added up to 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours ,which is enough to power about 122,000 average U.S. homes for a year.
Others point to the time change is actually is rooted in an agricultural society. The idea of “extending” daylight was meant to provide more time to work in the fields.Remember humanity spent most of its pre-Edison existence siting around in the dark .
The staff of the Ridgewood blog would like to put forth one more theory , and that is golf . As we have witnessed through US modern history a good game of golf can not be under estimated by any administration with extended daylight adding much to handicaps .
Most pollsters will tell you that the majority finds it more a nuisance rather than benefit but, they secretly take pleasure in their friends and coworkers who show up late or early the next day .
Halloween Reading : Reviving Witchcraft
By Kate Carlson | Published 10/29/15 7:32am
When people hear “Witch” most will associate it with an evil woman with a big nose, pointed black hat and a broomstick.
Most are unaware there is a community within Central Michigan University that identifies as Witches year-round.
The end of October is a sacred time for many religions, specifically those who practice Witchcraft and other contemporary Pagans. Their holy day, Samhain, the traditional Celtic holiday focused on the end of the harvest and preparations for winter, falls on Halloween.
Practicing Witchcraft as either a Witch or Wiccan usually falls under the umbrella of Paganism, explained religion professor Dr. Laurel Zwissler. Paganism is usually classified as the practice of reviving ancient religions in conjunction with a spiritual appreciation for the earth.
“There are so many misunderstandings about what Witchcraft as a religion is, it makes sense to me that a lot of people would choose to be a little more private about their beliefs,” Zwissler said. “I do know there is a Pagan presence on campus.”
The population of people who practice Witchcraft is difficult to track, mostly because of the stigma attached to the minority religion, and lack of brick and mortar places of worship, Zwissler said. In popular culture Witches are typically portrayed as cartoon characters and are demonized. The fictitious myth of a Witch that exists in the media does not reflect people who actually practice the religion, but is still associated with them. That does not stop some, however, from practicing their religion despite negative backlash and lack of religious diversity on campus.
Roze Bentley has identified as a Witch for 20 years. The Mount Pleasant student is studying religion and said she instantly found a community within a registered student organization formed for religious diversity, Open Grove Society, upon arriving at CMU.
“A lot of people have a very negative, visceral reaction to the word ‘Witch,’” Bentley said. “There’s a stereotype of a harmful person, and really the religion is completely the opposite of that.”
Witchcraft practices have deep roots in feminism, and have self-care as a central message to the faith.
John Mitchell with Fair Lawn Council Candidates John Gil and Marc Zharnest with my Freeholder running mate Daisy Ortiz-Berger and Fair Lawn Mayor John Cosgrove. — withJohn Gil, Daisy Ortiz Berger and John Cosgrove at NJ TRANSIT-Radburn.
By Paul Nichols
Thursday, Oct 29, 2015
Republican candidates for Bergen County Freeholder John Mitchell, Ken Tyburczy, and Daisy Ortiz-Berger launched a campaign video debunking Democrat’s claims of millions in savings and tax cuts.
Last month Democrats aired a commercialfeaturing Freeholder Chairwoman Joan Voss in a make-believe classroom. Voss credits candidates Tanelli, Zur and Sullivan with $200 million in savings by consolidating Bergen County’s law enforcement. The spot also says the candidates created a budget with “no tax increase” and cut “$8 million” in spending.
It is apparent that the classroom Joan Voss was filmed in was not a math class.
Ridgewood NJ, This is exactly the sort of program I envision the RHS Alumni Association creating, sponsoring and providing volunteers for. Until today I had never heard about this program for students interested in health care professions. It is in its 10th year. Please read:
“Dr. Earl Wheaton, RHS ’46, returned to school to talk with Caroline Richards’ (RHS ’91) current 10th grade RAHP students about medical ethics. Dr. Wheaton, who helped initiate a medical ethics department at Valley Hospital spoke about the need for such a department and how doctors and staff use four basic principles to negotiate tough ethical decisions regarding patient care. Here he explains the possible scenarios one might consider as he or she fills out an advance directive. The issue of medical ethics connects to the 10th grade curriculum through four texts – Flowers for Algernon, Frankenstein, Better and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks – as students try to answer the overarching questions, “Just because we can do something, should we?” and, “What responsibilities do we have to those to whom we commit ourselves?”
RAHP (Ridgewood Academy of Health Professionals) is a three year, interdisciplinary program for students who think they might be interested in the health care professions. Students enjoy group explorations to Valley Hospital and 1:1 mentorships with its professionals, as well as integrated English, science and health classes. The program is celebrating its tenth year.”
Please join us on Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to noon at Jack Daniels Motors – Porsche, located at 335 Route 17 South in Upper Saddle River. Learn about men’s health and take advantage of free screenings and information centers, all while exploring the newest models on display at the largest Porsche dealer in the area. You may win the use of a Porsche for a weekend!
Attend two special presentations:
The Weekend Warrior – Joint Pain, at 9:30 a.m.; and Heart Disease at 11 a.m.
Screenings and information centers will include:
Cholesterol
Diabetes
PSA for Men ages 50 to 74
Pulmonary Function
Skin and Colon Cancer
Blood Pressure
Heart Health
Fitness
Prostate Health
Back Pain
Smoking Cessation
And much, much more!
Ridgewood Police Encourage Safety first for Halloween
October 29,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, To help ensure a safe Halloween weekend we will have additional marked and unmarked police units deployed throughout the weekend. Once again Ridgewood Police Officers will be handing out Glow Sticks to Trick or Treaters tomorrow while on patrol. The Glow sticks help increase visibility of pedestrians. You can also stop by the Police Desk and pick up glow sticks. We would also like to thank Ridgewood PBA Local 20 for their donation of glow sticks to supplement our Halloween Safety Program
Here are some tips for helping keep young ones safe on Halloween:
Motorists
• Slowdown in residential neighborhoods and obey all traffic signs and signals. Drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit to give yourself extra time to react to children who may dart into the street.
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs. In dark costumes, they’ll be harder to see at night.
• Look for children crossing the street. They may not be paying attention to traffic and cross the street mid-block or between parked cars.
• Carefully enter and exit driveways and alleys.
• Turn on your headlights to make yourself more visible – even in the daylight.
• Broaden your scanning by looking for children left and right into yards and front porches.
Parents
• Ensure an adult or older, responsible youth is available to supervise children under age 12.
• Plan and discuss the route your
trick-or-treaters will follow.
• Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along established routes.
• Teach children to stop only at well-lit houses and to never to enter a stranger’s home or garage.
• Establish a time for children to return home.
• Tell children not to eat any treats until they get home.
• Review trick-or-treating safety precautions, including pedestrian and traffic safety rules.
• Make sure Halloween costumes are flame-retardant and visible with retro-reflective material.
Trick-or-Treaters
• Be bright at night – wear retro-reflective tape on costumes and treat buckets to improve visibility to motorists and others.
• Wear disguises that don’t obstruct vision, and avoid facemasks. Instead, use nontoxic face paint. Also, watch the length of billowy costumes to help avoid tripping.
• Ensure any props are flexible and blunt-tipped to avoid injury from tripping or horseplay.
• Carry a flashlight containing fresh batteries, and place it face down in the treat bucket to free up one hand. Never shine it into the eyes of oncoming drivers.
• Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking in streets if possible.
• If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic.
• Look both ways and listen for traffic before crossing the street.
• Cross streets only at the corner, and never cross between parked vehicles or mid-block.
• Trick-or-treat in a group if someone older cannot go with you.
• Tell your parents where you are going.
Tips courtesy of AAA
Contact your local AAA club for more tips and information about Halloween safety. br>
Public Hearing – Habernickel Park – November 4, 2015
VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
The Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood will hold a Public Hearing on November 4, 2015 at a Special Public Meeting, during their regularly scheduled Work Session, which begins at 7:30 P.M. in the Ridgewood Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey for public comment on the following:
Changing the use of the house at 1057 Hillcrest Road, Block 1103, Lot 16.01, Ridgewood, NJ, located in the Irene Habernickel Family Park from a residential lease to an educational and recreational programing lease.
A public hearing is required pursuant to NJDEP Green Acres Rules N.J.A.C. 7:36-25-6 et. seq. for a change in purpose or use of funded or unfunded parkland.
Documents relating to the proposed development are available for examination by the public at the Village Manager’s Office of the Ridgewood Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oral comments and testimony will be heard at the public hearing. Written comments may be submitted before the date of the hearing or within two weeks from the date of the public hearing.
Written comments or inquiries should be directed to Nancy Lawrence, NJDEP Green Acres Program, Bureau of Legal Services & Stewardship, Mail Code 501-01, P.O. Box 420, Trenton, NJ 08625-0420 and Janet Fricke, Assistant to the Village Manager, Ridgewood Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07451 or by telephone at (201) 670-5500, Extension 204 or by email to: [email protected].
OCTOBER 30, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015, 12:31 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Schedler woods must be preserved
To the Editor:
When it comes to the Schedler property, we mustn’t be naughty and we can’t afford to be nice.
We mustn’t be naughty and remove a majority of the trees for a 90-foot athletic field, but likewise a “nice park” as many residents recommend won’t do either.
Ridgewood, Bergen County, America and the rest of the world is experiencing an environmental crisis of unprecedented proportions due to a dire lack of what we now call wildscapes: undeveloped land where our ecological system can flourish.
Because we have so few remaining acreages of woods and forests, the balance of plants and wildlife required to produce food, the quality of our air and water is seriously threatened.
There has always been a “necessary reason,” as it is phrased, for woods to be replaced by development.
We are told we need another shopping mall, a strip mall, another housing development, another parking lot, another athletic field. You name it and there is an excuse for trees to be chopped down.
But now the time has arrived where it is vital that to preserve every acre of remaining woodland.
Therefore, it would be irresponsible to develop Schedler to any degree whatsoever.
Let our 7 acres of Schedler become a beacon, a lodestar, perhaps even accruing the power of a meme, communicating that we in Ridgewood know that those wild woods left alone are of the utmost value.
Ridgewood NJ, The staff of The Ridgewood Blog has learned that on Thursday, 10/29, a Ridgewood Police department officer observed two (2) pieces of excavating equipment being operated on a Village street in violation of the NJ State Department of Motor Vehicle (NJDMV) regulation requiring vehicle registration and liability insurance.
The equipment was being operated by a contractor hired by the Village of Ridgewood to perform leaf removal services. Use of the equipment was suspended, at the request of Ridgewood PD, until such time that it complies with NJDMV requirements.
On Wednesday night October 28, Councilwoman Susan Knudsen asked that a letter which is posted on the Village of Ridgewood website be removed. This letter, supporting the Hudson Street Garage project, indicates that it comes from an entire committee, which it turns out is not the case. Councilwoman Knudsen’s polite request was summarily dismissed by you.
This leads me to ask: Who controls the Village of Ridgewood website? It is paid for by the taxpayers. I am not sure who asked and authorized that the letter (as well as another one supporting the Hudson Street Garage) be put on the VOR website in the first place, but all indications are that it was you, since you have been liberally quoting the letter as “another endorsement for our parking garage.” The VOR website is not your personal website (again, it is being paid for by taxpayers), so if you choose as Mayor to have a letter posted to support a project that you endorse, then another Council member has an equal right to have the letter removed. Last I checked, each councilperson has an equal say in matters of government and policy.
I personally do not believe that such letters have a place on the VOR website at all. But, since you clearly disagree with me, then I respectfully request that you post Councilwoman Knudsen’s letter, which appears in The Ridgewood News today, on the VOR website immediately. The entire community has a right to see all sides of the issue. As Councilman Sedon emphatically stated on Wednesday, people should vote any way they wish. Deputy Mayor Pucciarelli wrote similar sentiments in a published letter last week. Enthusiasm for, or against, any project in the Village is the right and responsibility of our elected officials. Overstepping the bounds of your one-vote authority is completely wrong.
For your convenience, I have pasted Councilwoman Knudsen’s letter below, and have also provided a hyperlink to it. Failure to either remove the “endorsement” letters from the VOR website, or to post Councilwoman Knudsen’s letter alongside them, will clearly indicate that you place your judgment, position, and “power” above that of another elected official.
Ridgewood News Letter: Be informed before you vote
October 30, 2015
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
To the editor:
Last Friday, readers of this newspaper may have been surprised to read a letter to the editor (“HPC supports parking garage”) from the chair of the Historic Preservation Commission stating that the HPC had endorsed a plan for a Hudson Street parking garage. Their instincts were correct: it’s not true.
In the letter, Vincent Parrillo asserted that the HPC “supports approval of the parking garage and encourages all residents to vote ‘yes’ for the Nov. 3 referendum.” Not so; in fact, Mr. Parrillo introduced the Oct. 8 HPC meeting (not Oct. 15, as the letter stated) as a “courtesy review” of garage drawings, stating the HPC does not vote on such approvals. I was there as council liaison.
The architectural firm selected by the council to prepare drawings showed components of a proposed design to HPC members, who asked questions and made suggestions. The meeting was entirely informational. HPC members did not approve the garage. At no time did the Village HPC discuss approval.
The letter, on official letterhead, has since been posted on the Village website. It was also published by The Ridgewood News in print and online. It’s been highlighted in the mayor’s communications, signed and sent by him through his personal email account, pressing voters to approve the garage.
Obtaining voter approval is the only reason for next Tuesday’s nonbinding referendum. Voters should therefore consider the following.
The proposed garage would occupy the entire 100-by-300-foot corner of Hudson Street, becoming the largest building in the Central Business District. At 50 to 66 feet high, it would tower over adjacent 25-foot buildings, meeting or exceeding the height of proposed multifamily housing that has been publicly repudiated as out of place in our historic downtown.
All existing on-street parking on Hudson would be eliminated, as would some spaces on South Broad. Traffic patterns on Hudson and nearby roads would be reversed. The garage would be cantilevered over 300 feet of the Hudson Street sidewalk with an additional two feet extending over the street. An additional 300-plus vehicles will be added to the already congested intersection.
To subsidize the project, the Village would increase meter rates throughout town and extend meter hours to 9 p.m. where they now end at 6 p.m. If Parking Utility revenues fell short, Ridgewood taxpayers would be held responsible for the bond and be sole guarantors of the principal and interest.
Voting “yes” would mean: “We 26,000 residents agree to pay lots more for parking, $15 million for a garage plus likely cost overruns, and maintenance and repairs forever.”
Voters harboring doubts about the wisdom of this project should consider carefully how they vote on Nov. 3. This is not a vote “for parking” but a choice about the height and mass of the proposed structure and whether Ridgewood taxpayers accept responsibility for being sole guarantors of a $15 million bond.
Be informed and vote.
Councilwoman Susan Knudsen
Village of Ridgewood
Dear Roberta,
Please immediately remove the Historic Preservation Commission letter, dated 10/23/15, from the Village website. (reference:https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2015HPCPGLStatement.pdf)
The letter does not accurately reflect the Historic Preservation Commission meeting held on October 8, 2015. Minutes and audio are available from Michael Cafarelli or I can send a direct link to access.
Thank you,
Susan
Dear Susan,
As you know from the email we received today at 2:57 PM, Vince Parrillo stands by the letter and has affirmed through polling all of the HPC members today (one could not be reached) that they all agree that the letter truly reflects the HPC position.
Thanks, Roberta
Best regards,
Roberta
Roberta Sonenfeld Village Manager 201-670-5500, ext. 203
Ridgewood NJ , Mysterious fliers appeared in residents mail boxes this Friday afternoon urging residents to vote NO on the central business district garage project.
The sender was not relieved. Perhaps the persons who sent the mailing are fearful of reprisal and don’t want to say who they are.
According to disclosure rules if you spend less then $2100 ( I think) you don’t have to disclosed to anyone who contributed. Looks like a few people put up big buck to do this. I guess they were tired of the 3 Amigos using the Village web site to post their spin on the garage.
October 30, 2015, 01:00 pm
By Ben Kamisar and Jonathan Easley
The Republican National Committee on Friday pulled out of a planned Feb. 26 debate with NBC News amidst a revolt by candidates after Wednesday’s CNBC debate.
“While debates are meant to include tough questions and contrast candidates’ visions and policies for the future of America, CNBC’s moderators engaged in a series of ‘gotcha’ questions, petty and mean-spirited in tone, and designed to embarrass our candidates,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus wrote in a letter to NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack.
Since CNBC is an NBC Universal property, “We are suspending the partnership with NBC News” for its Feb. 26 debate.
Priebus’s email panned CNBC for “inaccurate or downright offensive” questions, specifically singling out a question to Donald Trump, who was asked whether he was running a “comic book” version of a presidential campaign.
“What took place Wednesday night was not an attempt to give the American people a greater understanding of our candidates’ policies and ideas.
Debates can mean big money for networks, which charge premium prices to advertise for the event. CNBC reportedly charged about $250,000 for a 30-second ad during Wednesday night’s debate — similar to reported prices for the previous CNN debate.
The decision is the RNC’s response to the rumbling of complaints that bubbled over during the debate, when Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) and other bashed the moderators for political bias and unfair questions. Immediately after the debate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s campaign manager confronted the network backstage over how little time his candidate received.
GOP front-runner Donald Trump came out in support of the RNC’s decision Friday afternoon.
OCTOBER 29, 2015, 6:19 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2015, 11:22 PM
BY STEVE JANOSKI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
The weeks leading up to the Oct. 22 stabbing death of Suzanne Bardzell of Midland Park were marked by a fearful series of events as alleged killer Arthur J. Lomando was charged repeatedly with threatening, terrorizing and harassing the mother of two, according to police records released Thursday.
The files document nearly a dozen alleged incidents — several leading to criminal complaints filed by Bardzell and police in Midland Park and in Teaneck, where the victim worked as a private-school teacher — that preceded the killing of the 48-year-old in the driveway of her Godwin Avenue home.
The records were released by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office as a result of an Open Public Records Act request by The Record.
