SPECTRUM FOR LIVING PARTNERING UP WITH ALEX AND ANI FOR CHARITY BY DESIGN EVENT IN RIDGEWOOD, NJ
RIVER VALE, NJ (April 2015) – On Tuesday, April 14th will be hosting a Charity by Design event that will benefit Spectrum for Living. 15% of all sales between the hours of 6P.M. and 8P.M. will go directly to Spectrum for Living to help continue to provide services and care for adults with developmental disabilities.
“CEO, Founder and Creative Director of Alex and Ani, Carolyn Rafaelian, created Charity by Design, which serves as a unique division focused solely on giving and making the dreams of charitable organizations come true. Charity by Design empowers non-profit organizations both on a national and local scale to reach their goals by sharing their mission through the power of positive energy and creative design.” (www.alexandani.com)
If you are interested in shopping and cannot join us on April 14th on Wednesday, April 1st [email protected]. Orders may also be placed by phone at 201-857-0911. All orders placed prior to April 14th in store or by email, do not forget to mention you wish to take part in the Spectrum for Living fundraising event. Orders benefitting Spectrum cannot be placed online.
Currently, Spectrum for Living facilities and services touch the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities in over 100 New Jersey communities. Spectrum for Living is one of New Jersey’s most respected and recognized not-for-profit organizations assisting adults with developmental disabilities in Bergen, Passaic, Middlesex and Monmouth counties. Spectrum provides a wide array of housing, medical, clinical, habilitative, social and educational services to more than 200 residential consumers and hundreds of community clients.
For more information, please contact Spectrum for Living at (201) 358-8000 or at [email protected]. in the Ridgewood store or by placing an email order to will be held until the day of the event. *Whether shopping
Target agrees to pay $10 million to settle lawsuit from data breach
WASHINGTON Thu Mar 19, 2015 6:19am EDT
(Reuters) – Target Corp (TGT.N) has agreed to pay $10 million in a proposed settlement of a class-action lawsuit related to a huge 2013 data breach that consumers say compromised their personal financial information, court documents show.
Under the proposal, which requires federal court approval, Target will deposit the settlement amount into an interest bearing escrow account, to pay individual victims up to $10,000 in damages.
The claims will be submitted and processed primarily online through a dedicated website, according to the court documents.
The proposal also requires Target to adopt and implement data security measures such as appointing a chief information security officer and maintaining a written information security program.
“We are pleased to see the process moving forward and look forward to its resolution,” said Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder.
Thank you so much for all your loyalty and emails , it has been brought to our attention that some comments have been lost in the last couple of days . Please be advised that comments have been lost do to all the site up dates and are not I repeat not a result of any “Hacking” activity or the Mayors new civility policies
If you dont see your comment please repost !
thank you again and sorry for the inconvenience
James aka PJ Blogger and the the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Novo in Ridgewood bringing new tastes and flavors to North Jersey
MARCH 18, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015, 4:01 PM
BY ESTHER DAVIDOWITZ
FOOD EDITOR |
THE RECORD
Executive chef Elie Kahlon is sitting in the elegantly subdued 74-seat dining room of Novo in Ridgewood, arguably North Jersey’s best new restaurant. In front of him is a big, plastic bag stuffed with smaller plastic bags that hold spices he had brought back from his last trip to his native country, Israel.
“I don’t like to use local spice,” said the dark-haired, olive-skinned Kahlon in heavy-accented English.
The 6-foot, 4-inch Ridgewood resident quickly opens bag after bag, sniffing and tasting what’s inside: Moroccan coriander, Middle Eastern curry, dried Persian lime, dried sumac flowers, a Mideast cinnamon-like clove, Tunisian paprika … “You see how red the paprika is,” he says, holding up its see-through bag. “It’s so much better than the paprika you can get from anywhere else.”
Many food lovers would argue that Kahlon’s food is not only better than the fare found in most North Jersey restaurants — The Record gave the five-month-old restaurant a 3 1/2-out-of-4 star review in January — but it is unlike much, if not all, food found in the area. His is a refined modern Mediterranean cuisine; think foods of the Middle East and North Africa, elevated by the use of sophisticated, most often, French cooking techniques.
He uses a Middle East open-flame oven, called a taboon, to sear and roast meats, vegetables and flatbreads; a couscoussier, an Arabic double-chambered food steamer, to make his own couscous; a dehydrating machine to produce dried-out fruits popular in Mideast dishes, including lemons, oranges and olives, which he uses to make crusts for fish or garnishes for salads.
The Obama administration sets new record for denying, censoring government files
MARCH 18, 2015, 1:41 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015, 1:41 PM
BY TED BRIDIS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration set a new record again for more often than ever censoring government files or outright denying access to them last year under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act, according to a new analysis of federal data by The Associated Press.
The government took longer to turn over files when it provided any, said more regularly that it couldn’t find documents, and refused a record number of times to turn over files quickly that might be especially newsworthy.
It also acknowledged in nearly 1 in 3 cases that its initial decisions to withhold or censor records were improper under the law — but only when it was challenged.
Its backlog of unanswered requests at year’s end grew remarkably by 55 percent to more than 200,000. It also cut by 375, or about 9 percent, the number of full-time employees across government paid to look for records. That was the fewest number of employees working on the issue in five years.
Tweets, FaceBook, Instagram and other social media being tracked! Not only by the NSA, but by Pearson Education and the NJ Department of Education!!
MicheleNJTPC
CRITICAL UPDATE – COMMON CORE
We recently wrote about this story that appeared last week concerning the PARCC tests. This is a follow up with more troubling news.
Bob Braun, former Star Ledger education reporter, reported about the surveillance of students’ social media following their taking of the PARCC test at Watchung Regional HS, and the superintendent’s reaction. Pearson asked, through the NJ Department of Education, that the students be disciplined, on account of their tweets concerning the test. The NJDOE contacted the school district and forwarded Pearson’s request to the district. One student was suspended as a result, but the superintendent’s e-mail to her colleagues has also been posted, expressing concern about the compromise of student privacy.
This story has now exploded across NJ and the nation, as other reports of Pearson snooping into student social media accounts have surfaced. Now, in addition to the Watchung Regional School District. Two high schools in the HANOVER PARK REGIONAL HS District (three blocks from my house), and COLUMBIA HIGH SCHOOL in Maplewood HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR CASES OF PEARSON’S SNOOPING.
Worse – Pearson has confirmed their interests in maintaining test security through monitoring of student social media, and a call this morning to the NJ Department of Education defended the practice as not violating student privacy, because it was obtained not through the school district, but through information posted “publicly” on social media, by the students themselves. PLEASE, PLEASE – read Bob Braun’s entire blog, for which the link appears above. He indicates that his story has NOT been covered by the Star Ledger, for which he used to work!!!
As a result of this news, NJ Commissioner of Education, David Hespe, and Pearson have been called before the NJ Assembly Education Committeethis Thursday at 10:00 a.m. in Trenton to answer questions.
PLEASE CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING. UNLESS PARENTS AND THE PUBLIC ACT DECISIVELY, THERE IS NO DOUBT THIS UNIMAGINABLE AND OUTRAGEOUS BEHAVIOR, MONITORING OF STUDENT DATA AND ABRIDGEMENT OF EVERYONE’S FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO FREE SPEECH WILL CONTINUE!!!.
PEOPLE GET THE GOVERNMENT THEY DESERVE!!! FAILURE TO ACT WILL ASSURE THAT THIS MONITORING WILL CONTINUE !!!
Here is an excerpt from Braun’s FaceBook blog:
Bob Braun’s Ledger
March 15, 2015
The Brave New World of testing expands
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BLOG: HANOVER – Two other New Jersey school districts-Hanover Park Regional in East Hanover and South Orange-Maplewood-were notified by state officials that “monitoring”-spying?- Twitter traffic revealed students had used social media accounts to post a forbidden messages regarding the PARCC tests. No surprise, really-it’s happening everywhere, including Maryland where a state official said he gets daily reports from Pearson, the publisher of the standardized tests. on what students are saying about testing on their internet accounts.
“PARCC has a very sophisticated system that closely monitors social media for pretty much everything (comments like the one you shared, test item questions that students use cell phones cameras and take),” said Henry Johnson, the state assistant education commissioner in Maryland. The state, like New Jersey, has a contract with Pearson.
“We get those reports daily.”
Let’s run that one by you again:
“PARCC has a very sophisticated system that closely monitors social media for pretty much everything….”
The phrase “pretty much everything” aptly describes the broad reach of how this brave new world of testing and cooperation with government works. Pearson will say-as it told the Washington Post-that it is doing it for “security” reasons.
But security is itself a broad term. Here is what the State of New Jersey and Pearson agreed encompassed the idea of security and its possible breach-it’s codified in the testing manual developed by the state and sent out to all the districts:
“Revealing or discussing passages or test items with anyone, including students and school staff, through verbal exchange, email, social media, or any other form of communication.”
Another opportunity for repetition for emphasis here-discussing? Any other form of communication?
So, if children come home from school and their parents ask-“How was your day, sweetheart?” and the children talk about a really dumb question on the PARCC, they will be violating the rules and be subject to whatever punishment is meted out for cheating-as a blogger did who learned from a child who hadn’t taken the test that there was a passage on it about The Wizard of Oz.
In addition, research into Pearson has shown that by students logging on to take the test, their district-held “personal” information is forwarded on to Pearson, then to Amazon Cloud servers – where the only remaining protection is a “promise” that whatever companies it is then shared with will have and honor a privacy policy. Pretty risky, given the hundreds of millions of dollars being spent to promote Common Core.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Read the entire Braun blog, and FORWARD THIS ON TO EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST!!!! To do this, please use the “forward” buttons at the top and bottom of this e-mail, rather than using your own server to forward, as you may unwittingly “unsubscribe” yourself from our e-mails if someone you sent it to “unsubscribes”.
2. Let’s show up in Trenton on Thursday. Three other bills are on the agenda, in addition to Hespe and Pearson being called to testify. I am told that testimony must be on the bills, not on the privacy issue alone. Therefore, I would suggest that you address your remarks to A4268, that establishes a PARCC task force (deja vu all over again!). Click here for a link to the text of the bill. You will see it looks a whole lot like the bill proposed last spring and ultimately voted on and passed, almost unanimously by the Assembly. This is like tying your child to the train track as the train approaches, but telling him to relax, you’re going to study how fast it is coming, how far it will go, how many people are on board, whether you CAN stop it, etc.!!!
3. Call and/or e-mail all of the contacts for Senate and Assembly Ed committees, and the Governor’s office.
4. Call and/or e-mail your own 2 assembly representatives and your state senator.
GOP Seeks Higher Pension Contributions for Feds, Much Lower Spending for Civilian Agencies
By Eric Katz
March 17, 2015
This story has been updated.
House Republicans have once again called on federal employees to contribute more to their retirement, bringing back the effective pay cut in their fiscal 2016 budget blueprint.
Following the precedent set by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who no longer sits on the House Budget Committee, new Chairman Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., included a pension contribution hike for feds as part of the $5.5 trillion in total savings the budget proposed over the next 10 years.
“In keeping with a recommendation from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, this budget calls for federal employees—including members of Congress and congressional staff—to make greater contributions toward their own retirement,” thelegislative text stated.
While the plan did not specify exactly how much pension contributions would increase, the commission on fiscal responsibility – known as the Simpson-Bowles Commission – recommended “gradually” increasing federal civilian pensions “so that new federal employees ultimately pay about one-half the cost of their pensions, and existing federal employees pay one-quarter.”
A Budget Committee spokesman confirmed that the 50-50 split would amount to a 6.35 percent contribution level from feds, the same level Ryan’s budget recommended last year.
Ridgewood Schools Budget and Strategic Planning Update
2015-2016 Preliminary Budget Information
Budget includes district staff, academic offerings, extra curricular activities, and transportation; as well as continuing to maintain and improve district facilities
2.00% Local Tax Levy Increase – Within the current state cap
2.04% Overall Levy Increase – Local Tax Levy + Debt Service Levy
$2,566,160 in State Aid – down $37,124 from FY15 (Debt Service Aid).
$1,694,488 Expenditure Increase
Click here to view the presentation on next year’s school budget, given at the March 9, 2015 Board of Education meeting.
Strategic Planning Update
Student Achievement
Communication
Technology
Diversity
Facilities
The Board of Education has approved strategic planning goals.Click here for details..
Ridgewood planners start debating new housing rules
MARCH 19, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — A majority of the village’s Planning Board voiced support Tuesday night for a proposed master plan amendment that, if approved, would clear the way for high-density multifamily housing complexes downtown.
Public deliberations on the long-sought change to Ridgewood’s master plan began during the Planning Board’s meeting on Tuesday, with most members agreeing such developments would enhance the village while filling various housing needs.
However, those same Planning Board members said the amendment needed some minor tweaking before it could be considered for a final board vote.
Specifically, several of the board’s members said the amendment’s height and density limitations are an issue.
The master plan amendment would increase the amount of units allowed per acre to between 40 and 50 from 12, and raise restrictions on building heights to 55 feet from 50.
Mayor Paul Aronsohn, who sits on Ridgewood’s Planning Board, endorsed the housing complexes that have been pitched by the three developers that first applied for the master plan change little more than five years ago.
Bergen County freeholders agree to enlist ‘Pothole Killer’
MARCH 18, 2015, 7:49 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015, 8:05 PM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
In the seemingly endless war against potholes, Bergen County officials are bringing back a big weapon: “the Pothole Killer.”
The freeholders voted unanimously to spend up to $60,000 to rent the pothole patching system from Patch Management Inc., a company based in Fairless, Pa.
The vote came after County Executive James Tedesco made a last-minute personal request for the device, which he described as far more effective than the so-called “hot patch” method the county has been using this winter.
The truck costs $9,000 a month to rent. Tedesco said the county was also exploring whether to buy the unit at a cost of about $700,000 and make it available to the 70 towns in the county as a shared service.
Tedesco said the potholes filled by the truck, which the county has used in the past, are guaranteed to stay filled for up to a year if the equipment is used properly.
He said the system had a long snout-like attachment with a compressor that blows out any water in the pothole and dries it.
Starbucks hit by ‘cascade of negativity’ after ordering staff to talk racism with customers: Vice President forced off Twitter as angry public turns on ‘patronizing’ project
Howard Schultz, boss of Starbucks, told baristas to write ‘RaceTogether’ on cups in an effort to stimulate debate about racism Twitter users quickly branded the campaign ‘patronizing’ and ‘cringe-inducing’, and subjected executives to a wave of mockery One user pointed out that no black people featured in publicity photographs for the campaign Corey duBrowa, a Starbucks PR executive, was forced to delete his Twitter account as he felt ‘overwhelmed by the volume and tenor of the discussion’
By JAKE WALLIS SIMONS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 03:51 EST, 18 March 2015 | UPDATED: 11:07 EST, 18 March 2015
Twitter has ruthlessly mocked Starbucks campaign for the company’s new anti-racism campaign in which baristas talk to customers about race issues while serving their coffee.
One user tweeted, ‘I don’t have time to explain 400 years of oppression to you & still make my train’, while another pointed out, ‘y’all realize there are no coloured hands in the press photos right’.
A third speculated, ‘maybe Starbucks actually wanted to get people of all races & ethnicities to join hands and make fun’.
Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3000260/Starbucks-PR-fail-Twitter-mockery-causes-coffee-executive-delete-account-customers-say-NOT-want-talk-racism-ordering-coffee.html#ixzz3UouRuuSZ
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Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli has scheduled a CBD Panel Discussion for March 18, 2015 from 7:30PM to 9:00PM; with an “open mike” from 7:30 to 8:00PM. It will be held at Christ Episcopal Church located at the corner of Franklin venue and Cottage Place. The discussion will focus on Parking with a panel comprised of Paul Vagianos, Charles Di Marco, Janet Fricke and Paul Aronsohn.
Midland Park-based weekly newspaper shutters after a quarter century
MARCH 18, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015, 10:26 AM
BY LYNN BRUGGEMANN
CORRESPONDENT |
MIDLAND PARK SUBURBAN NEWS
MIDLAND PARK – The Villadom Times, a family-owned weekly newspaper serving a dozen communities in Northwest Bergen County, shut down its presses with its March 18 edition.
“It was just time for me to retire,” said Ester Vierheilig, who has operated the newspaper with her husband, Albert, for more than 25 years. “I appreciate the loyalty of my readers and the business community for all these years.”
According to the newspaper’s home page on the Internet, the free publication had a circulation of 47,461 in northwest Bergen County.
Lew employs the “Sargent Schultz” defense “I know nothing”
Garrett Grills Treasury Secretary Lew on Clinton Emails
Treasury Secretary Lew: No Recollection of Clinton Email System
U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew was pulled into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s email controversy Tuesday as House Republicans grilled him on what he knew as her top operations officer .
Mr. Lew, who was Mrs. Clinton’s deputy secretary of state for management and resources between 2009-2010, said he had no recollection of conversations about Mrs. Clinton’s private email system.
“While you were at state, were you also responsible for enforcing the department policy regarding the use of personal email accounts and record retention?” Rep. Scott Garrett(R., N.J.) asked at a House Financial Services hearing on U.S. international financial policy.
Mr. Lew said he was “responsible for a vast array of responsibilities.”
When Mr. Garrett asked if he was responsible for the State Department’s policy regarding emails, Mr. Lew said: “I don’t recall having a lot of conversations, any conversations that I remember, on that.”
one of New Jersey’s many sins of the past Jon Corzine
Christie not responsible for ‘sins of the past’, but says he’s committed to fixing them
FREEHOLD — Appearing comfortable in this overwhelmingly Republican town, where former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won solidly over President Barack Obama in 2012, Gov. Chris Christie went about reassuring residents this afternoon that he is not responsible for the “sins of the past” that have left the state facing major fiscal problems — but that he won’t shy away from solving them either. (Brush/PolitickerNJ)
