the staff of the Ridgewood blog and Photos by Boyd Loving
Ridgewood NJ, it was a beautiful fall evening to host the Annual Fall Car Show, presented by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce. The Village was buzzing with energy and filled with a wide variety of cars, from muscle cars and hot rods to current models and unique designs , with cars ranging from the years 1930 to 2015!
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce dedicated the 2015 Car Show to the memory of those who died on 9/11 and a special “Memorial Award” was given out by Duxiana of Ridgewood.
The huge American flag suspended between two hook and ladder fire trucks! The Ridgewood High School Marching Band gave their first performance of the season and the RHS Maroon Men acapella group started the evening off with the Star Spangled Banner.Many of Ridgewood’s fine restaurants were open for business.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015, 9:26 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The Village Council held a special meeting Tuesday to continue the discussion on a parking garage for Hudson Street.
Six firms responded to the village’s request for proposal (RFP) for the garage; that number was narrowed down to four before the meeting began.
“We went through talking about each firm’s strengths, weaknesses and fees, and we’ve come down to four firms that are most qualified to serve the village,” said Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli. “They’ll be presenting their concepts, their designs, their thought processes on what this parking garage will look like.”
The governing body will now deliberate on the proposals, and should narrow its choices by the next council meeting, officials said.
Here is a look at what the council will be discussing.
In July, the Ridgewood Board of Education (RBOE) announced that contract negotiations with the Ridgewood Education Association (REA), which began in February 2015, were moving from official mediation through the NJ Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) to the fact-finding stage, also through PERC. Our first fact-finding session will be held on September 16, 2015.
During this time, the teachers and secretaries continue to receive their full salaries and benefits and work under the terms, conditions and protections of the expired contract that began on July 1, 2012, and ended on June 30, 2015.
It is important to remember that our teachers and secretaries are working within the contractually specified hours listed below and that drop-off and pick-up times at our schools must be followed:
Elementary schools: 8 a.m.-3:35 p.m.
PLEASE DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF PRIOR TO 8:35 A.M. AND PICK UP AT 3 P.M.
Middle schools: 7:45 a.m.-3:20 p.m.
PLEASE DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILD OFF PRIOR TO 7:45 A.M. AND PICK UP AT 2:55 P.M.
Ridgewood High School: 7:40 a.m.-3:15 p.m.
DROP OFF AND PICK UP WILL BE THE SAME
In addition, please understand that during this stage in the negotiations, teachers may decline to do some activities that fall outside of the contract. For example, they may decline to chaperone overnight/after school field trips, decline to participate or volunteer in activities that they had in the past, or may adhere to the 7.5 hour daily contract hours by arriving and leaving on time each school day. If any such actions occur that result in changes or cancellation of certain activities, school principals and other administrators will explain the reason why.
Many parents have offered to volunteer and take over these responsibilities. Some activities can be sponsored or supervised by parents, while others can’t for various insurance and personal liability reasons. Please see your principal for guidance.
While changes to activities may be an unfortunate reality during this period, it is important to stress that the RBOE and REA are working towards an agreement that satisfies both parties. Throughout the State of New Jersey, negotiations are taking place between teacher associations and Boards of Education. The vast majority of contract negotiations, almost 80 percent, are not completed prior to the expiration of the preceding contract.
Finally, if the fact-finder is unsuccessful in mediating an agreement, both parties will present their “case,” and a written report will be prepared that will be made public 10 days after they receive his non-binding findings.
Thank you in advance for your understanding as the RBOE and REA work through this process and complete the negotiations in the shortest time possible.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015, 12:33 PM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
In response to a request by a local grassroots organization, village officials have decided to extend the public hearing on multifamily housing in Ridgewood’s Central Business District (CBD) to a second evening.
A statement submitted to The Ridgewood News on Thursday by Citizens for a Better Ridgewood (CBR) called for the Village Council to reschedule its public hearing on the ordinances that would approve the changes made to the master plan passed by the Planning Board in June.
The public hearing is scheduled for Sept. 16, which is the same night that four village schools – Hawes, Ridge, Somerville and Willard elementary schools – have their annual back-to-school nights scheduled.
On Friday morning, representatives from CBR sent the statement along with another message urging the mayor and council to reschedule or add more opportunities for residents to voice their concerns for the ordinances.
Mayor Paul Aronsohn replied that village officials could not have known about the conflict when the hearing was originally scheduled in June and noted residents were encouraged to speak on the topic at any meeting during the two months between introduction of the ordinances and the scheduled hearing.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05), Chairman of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, delivered the following opening remarks at a Joint Oversight & Investigations/Capital Markets Subcommittee hearing entitled “Preserving Retirement Security and Investment Choices for All Americans”:
Congressman Scott Garrett’s opening remarks as prepared for delivery:
Every day, millions of Americans look to a broker dealer or investment adviser for guidance on what to do with their hard-earned savings and to help them achieve a secure and prosperous retirement
Once a privilege enjoyed only by the super-wealthy, personalized investment advice and access to the financial markets is now something that can be enjoyed by Americans of all income levels
The 2008 financial crisis and the current market turmoil have highlighted the importance of such advice, as numerous studies show that investors who work with a financial professional receive better and more consistent returns on their investments, while those who invest on their own often times make the mistake of “buying high and selling low”
In fact, the Department of Labor estimated in 2011 that people who invest without the benefit professional advice make errors that can cost them $114 billion every year
That makes it all the more curious that this same Department of Labor is now marching forward with a regulation that will upend the ability of Americans to receive such guidance and which threatens the retirement security of the most vulnerable within our society
When President Obama announced the rulemaking earlier this year, a release from the White House stated that the rule “…is taking a step to crack down on those…Wall Street brokers…who don’t put the best interest of working and middle class families first.”
But in looking down our panel of witnesses today and in reading through some of the 2,300 comment letters received by the DOL, it’s pretty clear that the biggest impact of this rule is going to be felt far from Wall Street – and millions of middle or lower income households may ultimately have no place to go for advice
Moreover, the SEC continues to contemplate implementation of a uniform fiduciary standard under Section 913 of the Dodd-Frank, a rulemaking that remains unsupported by empirical data and which could directly conflict with a DOL rule
So it’s clear that the time for Congress to act is now – and I want to commend Mrs. Wagner of Missouri for her continued leadership on this issue and for again putting forth a thoughtful piece of bipartisan legislation that will help preserve access to financial advice for Americans of all income levels
I thank our witnesses again and look forward to the discussion today
So the New York Times asked me to write a “Room for Debate piece based on this prompt: “Can companies excel without making workers miserable?”
It is a theme that had never occurred to me. As I point out in my mini-essay, companies are very profitable and workers overall aren’t miserable. So is this speculative or something? Or does it reflect a certain world view about what brings humans deep satisfaction?
As my boss Arthur Brooks has written, “In other words, the secret to happiness through work is earned success. It is deeply satisfying to apply our skills and create value in our lives and in the lives of others. No wonder Americans who feel successful in the workplace are twice as likely to say that they’re happy overall. This means economic opportunity is critical. That’s what enables us to find the job that suits our skills and advance through hard work. Opportunity is the gateway to a key source of human happiness.”
Fellow RFD essayist Guy Kawasaki argued something similar: “The bottom line is that if you want to be happy at your job, find one that is psychologically rewarding with adequate compensation — in short, one that enables, encourages and even requires good work. But good work is hard. And when you want to have fun, go to Disneyland.”
So it’s important to have an economy that creates jobs, gives people necessary work skills, makes sure work pays, and requires work for welfare. Others disagree and propose a guaranteed basic income with no conditions. Here is an interesting counter by Andrew McAfee, coauthor with Erik Brynjolfsson of The Second Machine Age, a book whose predictions about technological change and automation have been cited by guaranteed income proponents:
The Ridgewood News editorial today highlights in the importance of the September 16 Village Council meeting for the future of our village, and asks the Mayor and Council, “What’s the Hurry?” (see link below)
The Ridgewood News approached CBR to make a statement about how the Village Council intends to rush the vote to approve ordinances that would allow high density housing, and asked our opinion on holding the public hearing on a night that conflicts with many Back-to-School nights. (see our statement to the Ridgewood News below)
We have asked the Mayor and Council to reschedule the meeting. We urge YOU to also email the Mayor and Council and ask them to either reschedule the public hearing, or to schedule additional opportunities for public comment in the future on this very important matter. The email addresses are below. Also, please continue to reach out to friends and neighbors and encourage everyone to attend this vital meeting on Wednesday, September 16.
East Ridgewood Ave in the central business district will be closed beginning at 4:30pm for the chamber of commerce fall car show.
Ridgewood NJ, The Annual Fall Car Show, presented by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Friday, September 11h, 2015 from 6:00-9:00pm. Don’t miss this FREE chance to stroll through Ridgewood’s historic, bustling downtown area, filled with 400 cars from the years 1930 to 2015! This year, the Car Show will take place around Memorial Park at Van Neste Square and on E. Ridgewood Ave. The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce 2015 Car Show is dedicated to the memory of those who died on 9/11. A special “Memorial Award” will be given out by Duxiana of Ridgewood. This is the best EVENING car show of the fall! Bring the entire family and take your picture under the huge American flag suspended between two hook and ladder fire trucks! Come see the Ridgewood High School Marching Band in their first performance of the season. The RHS Maroon Men acapella group will start the evening off with the Star Spangled Banner. Listen and dance to a live band, have dinner at one of Ridgewood’s many restaurants, and see the wide variety of cars, from muscle cars and hot rods to current models and crazy designs
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police report that on Saturday September 5, 2015, a William Street resident reported a suspicious interaction with a suspicious man while holding a garage sale at his/her residence. The man asked if he could enter into the resident’s home to look at other items that he might be interested in purchasing and he persisted until the homeowner allowed him to do so.
At some point the man became extremely pushy and initially refused to leave the home when asked, making the homeowner uncomfortable. This is a frequently reported pattern of behavior by persons looking to take advantage of these situations often targeting the elderly or unsuspecting citizens and often times working in unison with an accomplice known as a “distraction scam”.
Ridgewood Police urge residents to , “Use great caution when allowing any strangers entrance to your home.”
The New York Times reported last month that an IG investigation was looking into complaints that military officials skewed intelligence assessments about the United States-led campaign in Iraq against the Islamic State to provide a false, Obama-approved narrative about their progress.
Now, in an exclusive for the Daily Beast, Shane Harris and Nancy A. Youssef report on a “revolt” by more than 50 intelligence analysts who are sick and tired of seeing their honest assessments about the campaign turned into unrealistic “happy talk.”
The spooks working out of the U.S. military’s Central Command “have formally complained that their reports on ISIS and al Qaeda’s branch in Syria were being inappropriately altered by senior officials,” the Daily Beast reports.
Some of those CENTCOM analysts described the sizeable cadre of protesting analysts as a “revolt” by intelligence professionals who are paid to give their honest assessment, based on facts, and not to be influenced by national-level policy. The analysts have accused senior-level leaders, including the director of intelligence and his deputy in CENTCOM, of changing their analyses to be more in line with the Obama administration’s public contention that the fight against ISIS and al Qaeda is making progress. The analysts take a more pessimistic view about how military efforts to destroy the groups are going.
The large number of analysts who complained to the Pentagon inspector general hasn’t been previously reported. Some of them are assigned to work at CENTCOM, the U.S. military’s command for the Middle East and Central Asia, but are officially employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency.
The complaints allege that in some cases key elements of intelligence reports were removed, resulting in a document that didn’t accurately capture the analysts’ conclusions, sources familiar with the protest said. But the complaint also goes beyond alleged altering of reports and accuses some senior leaders at CENTCOM of creating an unprofessional work environment. One person who knows the contents of the written complaint sent to the inspector general said it used the word “Stalinist” to describe the tone set by officials overseeing CENTCOM’s analysis.
Many described a climate in which analysts felt they could not give a candid assessment of the situation in Iraq and Syria. Some felt it was a product of commanders protecting their career advancement by putting the best spin on the war.
Some reports crafted by the analysts that were too negative in their assessment of the war were sent back the chain of the command or not shared up the chain, several analysts said. Still others, feeling the climate around them, self-censored so their reports affirmed already-held beliefs.
Ridgewoood NJ,Rep Scott Garrett R-NJ 5th District ,voted NO on the Obama Admin , seemingly suicidal Nuke Deal with Iran .Garret made his strongest statement yet on the Administrations latest foreign Policy fiasco .
The somberness of the 14th anniversary of 9/11 ,Garrett commented that , “We will never forget those we lost. We will never forget those who ran into danger to help their fellow man and woman. We will never forget that evil forces still conspire to destroy our very way of life. And we will never forget those who sacrifice everything to defend our freedom.”
Garrett adressed the Iran Nuke deal vote specifically saying , “Today I voted against this terrible Iran nuclear deal. If enacted, this deal will give Iran sanctions relief and a path to obtaining a nuclear weapon while jeopardizing the security of the United States and its allies. It will allow Iran to generate weapons grade nuclear materials in 15 years, possess intercontinental ballistic missiles in eight years, and receive a multi-billion dollar financial windfall in sanctions relief to fund their nuclear program.
As a member of the special committee that implemented sanctions on Iran, I understand the severity of this situation. The Obama Administration failed the American people, it failed our allies around the world, and it failed future generations that will live in a more dangerous world with a nuclear-armed Iran. This fight isn’t over. I will continue to do everything in my power to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of known terrorists”
SEPTEMBER 10, 2015, 7:09 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015, 7:10 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — A swastika was found on a stop sign in the village earlier this week, sparking an investigation by detectives.
Ridgewood police said vandals used gold spray paint to mark up the sign, at the corner of Northern Parkway and Colonial Road.
While a sacred, auspicious symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, the swastika has become associated with hate and prejudice since being used by Germany’s Nazi Party in the 1930s.
A police spokesperson did not comment on whether the event was being handled as a “bias incident.”
This is the second swastika to catch the attention of the Ridgewood police within the last month.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Ridgewood resident John Katzianer will receive the Volunteer of the Year award from Project Literacy of Greater Bergen County at a presentation scheduled for Sept. 17.
“It feels great,” Katzianer said about being chosen for the award, adding that working for the organization is “absolutely rewarding.”
Project Literacy, which teaches adults valuable learning skills, is run by volunteer tutors. Each year, awards are given to those who go above and beyond, and this is Katzianer’s year.
“The awards ceremony recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the field of adult literacy and honors individuals, companies and organizations for their dedication in providing the gift of literacy to adults who confront life in Bergen County without the skills to effectively communicate,” the organization said.
“This is the 27th year the award has been given to a volunteer tutor who has excelled in bringing the light of literacy into the darkness of illiteracy for an adult by working one-to-one with students who have basic educational needs,” said Christopher Stout, executive director of Project Literacy.
Katzianer, a 26-year veteran of Verizon, “is a seasoned math teacher and has been volunteering his skills to provide one-to-one tutoring at Project Literacy since 2012,” the organization said.
SEPTEMBER 11, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The village Planning Board heard and approved a minor site plan application last week to convert the former Pompanoosuc Mills site into a PNC express branch and add a handicap accessible ramp.
The plan calls for a 4- by 6-foot Americans with Disabilities Act compliant ramp to be constructed at the front of the building facing East Ridgewood Avenue and the tenancy of a wealth management office occupying the second floor and a portion of the first floor of the building along with an automated teller machine (ATM) lobby.
Currently, there is no handicap accessibility at all. The only way a handicapped individual can access the bank is to use the rear door of the building and take the elevator to the ATM or wealth management offices. The first floor will contain an ATM and three conference rooms and employees will work out of cubicles on the second floor facing North Maple Avenue.
At the bank’s main entrance, the express branch and the wealth management office will share a common vestibule, allowing customers to access either area of the building.
In front of the building, a ramp on the western side of the entrance with decorative aluminum railings that carries customers up 21 inches will be built next to the set of stairs already in place.
The compact design of the ramp created the need for a variance to be granted by the Planning Board. The building is compliant with the 12-yard setback from the sidewalk required, but the ramp will encroach 7 feet into the setback where only a 5-foot encroachment is allowed.
Ridgewood Council to hold hearing on multifamily housing
SEPTEMBER 10, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2015, 9:35 PM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The subject of multifamily housing will take center stage at the Village Council’s public meeting on Sept. 16 as the governing body prepares to take action on the related zoning ordinances and hear a last round of comments from the public.
After years of public work sessions and hearings to allow testimony by attorneys and experts for three developers and comments from residents who expressed either satisfaction or concern, the Ridgewood Planning Board ultimately voted to pass the new amendments. They were then sent to the council in the form of an ordinance.
If the ordinances are approved next week, several parcels of land in the village’s Central Business District will be rezoned for housing with densities as high as 35 units per acre and building heights of 50 feet. The original amendments allowed for developments of up to 50 units per acre, but were scaled back due to the concerns of board members and residents.
Four parcels of land are currently slated for re-zoning: The old Brogan Cadillac site on South Broad Street, which would be designated as an AH-2 zone for purely residential development; the old Sealfons building on North Maple Avenue between East Ridgewood Avenue and Franklin Avenue and the Ken Smith property on Franklin Avenue, which would be put in the B-3-R zone for residential or mixed-use development; the C-R zone, a small lot on Chestnut Street for residential or mixed-used development; and the C-zone, which wraps around the C-R zone and is intended only for commercial uses.
