APRIL 30, 2015, 11:06 PM LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015, 11:10 PM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
What a difference a digit makes.
Bergen County officials revealed this week that a simple error may result in a $10 million shortfall in the money available to pay for a new public works facility in Paramus.
Everyone agrees that the facility, which is expected to open by September, will cost about $18 million.
When the freeholders approved a $115 million bond issue in 2012 to pay for the facility and the new justice center in Hackensack, the facility’s cost was listed as $18 million, county officials said.
But in April 2014, the board approved a revised bond of $147 million to add a sixth floor to the justice center.
That’s when someone apparently “dropped a 1” in the paperwork and recorded the cost of the Paramus facility as $8 million, County Administrator Dominic Novelli said in an interview.
Those documents were not available on Thursday, county officials said.
APRIL 29, 2015, 5:13 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015, 5:13 PM
BY KIBRET MARKOS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Two attorneys were arrested and charged with simple assault on Wednesday after they got into a heated dispute that turned into a fist fight at the Bergen County Courthouse in Hackensack, authorities and witnesses said.
Costantino Fragale, 42, and Jeffrey Mandel, 43, were in a deposition in a room on the fourth floor about 1 p.m. when the dispute erupted, said Anthony Cureton, spokesman for the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, which is in charge of security at the courthouse.
“There were verbal arguments, and there was a fight,” Cureton said. He said he did not know what caused the dispute.
Witnesses said they heard a commotion in a jury-deliberation room that doubles as an attorney conference room, and later saw one of the attorneys had a bloodied face. More than a dozen sheriff’s officers showed up at the scene and broke up the fight, they said.
Fragale and Mandel were later released without bail.
TRENTON — For Assemblyman Anthony Bucco (R-25), yesterday’s press conference in Trenton was like watching a “bad horror movie.”
Reacting to Senate President Steve Sweeney’s announcement that he plans to push for another millionaire’s tax in this year’s budget, Bucco said today that the state doesn’t “need a proposal that hurts our already struggling economy.” Republicans in general have scoffed at the idea of instituting a tax levied on the state’s top income earners, saying it would drive business from the state. (Brush/PolitickerNJ)
Official Parkway and Turnpike merchandise is closer to hitting the shelves and possibly landing under your Christmas tree.
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which runs both highways, approved a three- year contract with a Kennebunkport, Maine company to market the iconic logos of the two toll roads to companies that would produce and sell the merchandise.
The cost and risk to the authority for testing the merchandising market? Nothing, said John O’Hern, deputy executive director. The marketing company would receive 50 percent of royalties due to the authority. Other companies that have turned to the company, Synchronicity, include the Wham-O toy company and candy maker Tootsie roll.
Synchronicity would develop the items and the authority has the right to review the items, O’Hern said. The company was the only one to submit a proposal after the authority advertised earlier this year.
An agent would negotiate the use and licensing of the logos on other products and how much a manufacturer would pay. Revenue probably wouldn’t start being earned for two years, and likely would be $100,000 or less, O’Hern said.
APRIL 29, 2015, 10:52 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015, 10:57 PM
BY JIM NORMAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
WYCKOFF — A police officer investigating a report of a possible burglary went to the wrong home and fatally shot a German shepherd dog that lunged at him and bit him on the boot, Police Chief Benjamin Fox said Wednesday.
Fox said police received the call at 3:45 p.m., reporting the possible break-in at 621 Lawlins Road. Patrolman Kyle Ferreira responded and mistakenly went to 622 Lawlins Road, Fox said.
Ferreira received no answer when he knocked on the front door of the wrong house, Fox said, so he went to the rear of the house and let himself into the back yard through an unlocked fence gate. When he got to the rear of the house, the patrolman saw an open window and believed he had found a possible point of entry for a burglar, Fox said.
Ferreira drew his revolver and approached the window, believing he might encounter a burglar, but “a large, growling German shepherd lunged out the open window, bit the officer on his right foot and latched onto his boot,” Fox said in a statement.
Kaja Whitehouse, USAToday5:19 p.m. EDT April 28, 2015
Despite Michael Corbat’s success since taking over as CEO in 2012, Citigroup shareholders complained bitterly at the company’s annual shareholder meeting Tuesday over the lagging stock price.
“You guys say how great you are, and I think you’re not so great,” said Russell Forenza of Ridgewood, N.J. “You guys always get your money. The shareholders got zero,” said Forenza, who has been a shareholder since 1977. He lost $1.5 million due to the stock’s recent declines, he said in an interview.
Citigroup stock (C), which Tuesday rose 22 cents to $53.02, is below where shareholders think it should be, especially long-term shareholders who saw the stock trade upward of the equivalent of $400 and even $500 for years before plummeting to $15 in 2009.
“I told my husband we should have sold that stock,” said Sylvia Hack in an interview. The New York City resident said she lost roughly $500,000 on Citigroup. After the company’s 1-for-10 reverse stock split in 2011, she saw her stake dwindle from 4,800 shares to 480 shares.
It’s not just long-term shareholders who are concerned, either. Corbat and Citigroup Chairman Michael O’Neill fielded questions Tuesday about why the stock still trades at a discount to its tangible book value, or roughly $58 a share, when other peers have already surpassed this benchmark. Tangible book value is a measure of what shareholders would get if a company were to liquidate.
“We’re doing everything we can to get the stock price back up,” O’Neill told shareholders at the meeting in downtown Manhattan. “We understand that it has been a rough ride for you and the audience. But it’s taking time,” O’Neill said of the stock, which is down 66% over the last decade.
APRIL 28, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2015, 2:48 PM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Print
The Ridgewood Guild will present its Fifth Annual International Film Festival on Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30 at the Bow Tie Cinema, Ridgewood; and on Friday, May 1 at the Ridgewood Public Library.
Red carpet festivities will begin at 6 p.m. each night, with film programming running in two theaters simultaneously beginning at approximately 7 p.m. Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn will be on hand to open the festivities on Wednesday, April 29.
“There were so many high-caliber entries from around the world this year, the executive committee felt the time had come to expand the festival from two nights to three,” Film Festival Chairwoman Lynne Clements said in a news release.
Chef Elie Kahlon of Novo puts the finishing touch on a salmon dish.
April 29, 2015
By Curt Schleier
Diners at Novo, in Ridgewood, New Jersey, likely appreciate the spices, imported from the Middle East, that accent their meals. Some might even be aware that their food was cooked on an open-flame oven called a taboon or that a special Arabic steamer was used to prepare the couscous.
But will they get that every dish comes with a heavy dollop of memory, forged in the Israeli-born chef’s upbringing? Hard to say. But the chef in question, Elie Kahlon, certainly hopes so.
But for the Middle Eastern music that’s piped into the dining room at Novo, the restaurant/s look and feel seem less Mediterranean than American contemporary, with modern fixtures lighting chic wooden tables. Yet it all works quite well, thank you.
In fact, the Record, the local paper, recently called Novo “arguably North Jersey’s best new restaurant.” It had been In business less than half a year when it earned 3½ out of 4 stars from the paper’s restaurant critic last January.
Ridgewood Looks to Purchase equipment from Fair lawn skate park
APRIL 29, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015, 12:43 AM
BY TRACEY PUTRINO
MANAGING EDITOR |
COMMUNITY NEWS (FAIR LAWN EDITION)
Fair Lawn – The borough will be making some money off the skate park equipment that it purchased five years ago but did not use.
Borough Manager Jim Van Kruiningen told the council at the April 21 work session that the borough has an interested buyer in some of the equipment.
A skate park was built in 2010 on a tennis court on 30th Street and Pellack Drive at the Warren Point Annex. It was open for 13 days before being closed, explained Van Kruiningen. It was shut down after residents complained about after-hours use, noise and trash.
Since then the equipment, which Van Kruiningen said was purchased for $45,390, has been kept in the parks department facility. The funding for the skate park was part of a matching grant with the county, but the borough did not get the matching funding since the park was not put in place.
“This has been five years and I think it is time that we at least try to get something back,” he said.
Officials in the Village of Ridgewood reached out to Superintendent of Parks and Recreation James Graff and expressed an interest in purchasing some of the equipment. After reviewing the pieces, they ended up selecting six pieces out of the 13 for use at a skate park near Graydon Pool.
“It is my recommendation that we sell the equipment to Ridgewood,” said Van Kruiningen.
He suggested selling the equipment for $7,500, which is about 35 percent of the original cost. The six pieces Ridgewood wants were valued at $22,000 when the borough purchased them.
Besides getting some money from the equipment, Fair Lawn residents can also take advantage of using the skate park in Ridgewood.
“They will allow our residents to go there,” Van Kruiningen said.
The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ, is one of only 182 hospitals nationwide that have received straight A’s for patient safety in seven consecutive score reports.
29-Apr-2015 11:05 AM EDT
Ridgewood NJ, For the seventh consecutive time, The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ, has been recognized for its dedication to patient safety by being awarded an A grade in the Spring 2015 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from preventable medical errors, injuries and infections within the hospital. The hospital is also being recognized as a “Straight A’s” hospital, as it has never received a grade lower than an A from the Hospital Safety Score since the Score first launched in June 2012.
Hospitals nationwide received Hospital Safety Scores of A, B, C, D, or F based on how well they protect patients accidents, errors, injuries and infections. The Hospital Safety Score report was released today by The Leapfrog Group, an independent, national not-for-profit organization of employer purchasers of health care.
Of the more than 2,500 general hospitals issued a safety score in the Leapfrog report, only 782 — roughly the top 31 percent — received an A in this round. Valley is one of only 182 hospitals nationwide that have received straight A’s in all seven reporting periods since 2012.
“We are pleased and proud to once again receive an “A” for patient safety, and particularly proud to be among the select group of ‘Straight A’s’ hospitals” said Audrey Meyers, President and CEO of The Valley Hospital and Valley Health System. “This top grade is a reflection and a result of our longstanding focus on and commitment to patient safety and quality care.”
“The Valley Hospital’s achievement of Straight A’s validates its achievement in preventing harm within the hospital, and we are proud to recognize the efforts of the care providers and staff,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, which administers the Hospital Safety Score.
To see Valley’s full score, and to access consumer-friendly tips for patients and loved ones visiting the hospital, visitwww.hospitalsafetyscore.org or follow The Hospital Safety Score on Twitter or Facebook. Consumers can also download the free Hospital Safety Score mobile app for Apple and Android devices.
APRIL 29, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 2015, 10:15 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Representatives from the World Mission Society Church of God returned to the Planning Board on April 21 with a revised site plan for work that has already been completed, as well as proposed seepage pits.
Attorney Marc Leibman and Engineer Robert Costa previously appeared before the board on March 3 and discussion revolved around a revision of spaces in the parking lot as well as lighting and the seepage pits to aid drainage on the Godwin Avenue property.
At the end of that meeting, the board asked Costa and Leibman to touch base with the village’s professional staff to work out a safer parking setup and less impactful lighting scheme.
Parking spaces deemed unsafe by the village staff were removed and Costa said the entire parking lot will be restriped to better conform to the necessary aisle width to allow safe travel for vehicles.
Spaces compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, including one that was adjacent to a refuse area, were moved to the eastern side of the building at the request of village professionals.
Costa said that side of the building also provides handicap access to the church. The plans show a striped or painted crosswalk that forms a path into the building for those with special needs.
APRIL 30, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY REBECCA GREENE
CORRESPONDENT |
WYCKOFF SUBURBAN NEWS
Wyckoff — Two mayors having difficulty getting hold of each other has resulted in a stalemate when it comes to solving issues residents are having with their Ridgewood Water bills.
Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney and Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn say they have made attempts to speak to each other and both are expressing frustration about the time between returned phone calls and emails.
The Village of Ridgewood operates Ridgewood Water, a utility that serves Wyckoff, Midland Park, Glen Rock and Ridgewood. Wyckoff residents have been complaining about large bills they have recently received that reflect actual use versus estimated use going back several years.
When one resident complained at a recent Township Committee meeting about the $1,071 “surcharge” bill he received, Rooney told the resident he has tried several times to contact Aronsohn to resolve the issue. He said his attempts prior to the committee meeting were unsuccessful.
7 of the 10 counties in America with the highest property taxes are in N.J., study says
By Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
April 28, 2015 at 12:36 PM, updated April 28, 2015 at 1:12 PM
Counties in New Jersey dominate the top 10 nationwide for property taxes, according to data compiled by real estate Web site Zillow.
It’s no secret that New Jersey homeowners are hit with some of the highest property taxes in the nation. But just how high, relative to other parts of the country, might be a bit of a shock.
A typical homeowner in Bibb County, Ala., paid just $228 in property taxes in 2013,according to an analysis by Zillow, the real estate website. Compare that to someone paying the median in Paramus or Ridgewood in Bergen, who shelled out $9,546 — about 45 times as much.
The Homeland Security Department is a bloated bureaucracy, too large and disparate to effectively manage as one entity.
Such was the takeaway from a report on 60 Minutes, the famed news magazine program on CBS. The report focused on a series of interviews with DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, who defended the department and the progress it has made to better coordinate its 240,000-person workforce and its array of components.
“Johnson’s department has never been more central to the War on Terror,” 60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl said. “But it has come under almost constant criticism for, over the years, weak management and low morale.”
She added Johnson faces a “management nightmare,” as DHS agencies and sub-agencies have no clear common functionality binding them together.
“This department is a disparate amalgam of things that don’t fit together very well,” said Clark Ervin, the former DHS inspector general. “Making the department work, making it more effective and efficient, economical, is a security issue. To the extent the department isn’t optimally performing, that is a security deficiency.”
The report spent little time explaining how DHS came together in its current form. After the terrorist attacks of September 11, the George W. Bush administration and lawmakers determined domestic security efforts were spread too far apart in the sprawling federal bureaucracy, and bringing them together would improve coordination of protection efforts. No matter the origins, 60 Minutespostulated DHS’ structure was unsustainable.
Susan Loyer, @SusanLoyerMyCJ5:46 p.m. EDT April 27, 2015
RUTGERS – University officials reported late Monday afternoon that they are working to restore Internet service.
“The Rutgers University network is currently experiencing technical difficulties,” spokesman Steve Manas said. “OIT (Office of Information Technology) staff are aware of the issue and are working to restore services.”
Manas said status updates will be provided when they become available.
Numerous posts on Twitter earlier in the afternoon reported issues with the Internet.
