North Jersey bakeries say quality is the key ingredient for better business
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2014
BY ANDREW WYRICH
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
* To fend off supermarkets, local owners count on freshness, ingenuit
With more customers buying baked goods at the supermarket, North Jersey bakery owners say they are putting an emphasis on the quality of the ingredients used in their breads, cakes or cookies. They also are trying to provide a wider variety of specialty products to bring customers into their stores.
North Jersey bakers’ push toward fresher ingredients mirrors customer desires nationwide. In 2010, the International Dairy Deli Bakery Association said in its “Consumers in the Bakery” report that the freshness of products was one of the most important reasons why a customer would look to buy items at a local bakery rather than a larger chain store.
“A few years ago, every town used to have two or three little bakeries, but not anymore,” said Philip Chuck, the owner of Deb Pam Bakery in Totowa. “We try to keep things as fresh as humanly possible, and that’s what keeps us going.”
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/246821261_North_Jersey_bakeries_say_quality_is_the_key_ingredient_for_better_business_variety_in_bid_to_survive.html#sthash.FkNrAZ76.dp
THE Port Authority is obsessed with numbers. It counts cars and trucks at its bridges and tunnels, riders on its PATH trains – even gallons of paint needed to cover every girder and cable on the George Washington Bridge.
But here is a number that the bi-state agency ought to be deeply worried about: 16.
That is the number of comments from the general public on the Port Authority’s plan to spend almost $28 billion over the next decade to upgrade its bridges, tunnels, airports and the PATH system. Those 16 comments came from nine people. An additional 20 comments were discovered by the Port Authority in various social media sites. It’s not clear how many people actually made those 20 comments.
Change needed
But one message is incredibly clear. The Port Authority goes about life in what seems to be a separate, unmonitored universe from the rest of life in the New York and New Jersey region. If the agency ever plans to reform itself, that needs to change.
The Port Authority’s aloofness is not a new story. But the issue has gained renewed traction recently because of the lane closure controversy at the George Washington Bridge that not only threatens to undermine Governor Christie’s second term but any possibility that he could emerge as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2016.
At the heart of that controversy is a question of abuse of power by Christie’s aides and allies who allegedly orchestrated massive traffic jams in Fort Lee during four days last September as a way of punishing the borough’s Democratic mayor for his reluctance to endorse Christie’s reelection.
One of those allies, David Wildstein, was a high-ranking Port Authority executive, appointed by Christie. Without any oversight or even a hint of approval from anyone else in the Port Authority, Wildstein ordered the three access lanes from Fort Lee to the bridge reduced to one.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/columnists/kelly/kelly_022314.html#sthash.78i6V7rI.dpu
Reader says Like Clock Work Valley Starts Traffic Study
Valley Hospital is doing their traffic study this morning at Van Dien and Red Birch. The end of a vacation week and on a Sunday. Come on, do they really think residents are that stupid?
Would you rather pay for the overtime and have less officers on the streets, working events, and eliminate special programs like the school officer.
Or use the same cost and reduce overt time and have more police officers?
Again this town use to have almost 20 more officers then it currently has today. Retirements will continue to happen, and the ranks will fluctuate. This is why this new ordinance sound great on paper. It allows the Chief, the VC, the VM and even the town have a say on how many officers they feel they need on a yearly bases. It dosnt tie the hands of the powers to be to make the right choice if needed due to a number that know one knows how it was reached.
I guess its’s pay less today in overtime by having more officers, or pay more tomorrow in pension & health care if we have more officers ? Which is cheaper ? I’ve noticed the public safety, plus pensions & social security, and insurance (health, workman’s’ comp, other) were 51% of the Village part of the budget in 2013. This was up from 42% in 2001. These budget items are growing much faster than the overall budget, and have also grown in excess of the 2% property tax cap. If this continues, it suggests that, from a property taxpayer’s perspective, the annual increases in property taxes will not go to improve quality of life and services for residents. Instead, annual tax increases will be required to fund mandated salary and benefit obligations. So which is better ?
Reader says the Ridgewood municipal is budget is well managed and the BOE budget is where the runaway spending is
Do you want to base your conclusions on the faulty FAC report and ignore the fact that the Village provides more services at a lower municipal mil rate than all of the other towns I referred to in my post as #20 that is fine. None of the towns listed there provide garbage pickup, fully staffed fire services, recreation services for kids and seniors or a sewage treatment facility for their residents, that is a fact, and. How that is a union talking point is beyond me.
You claimed that I am only providing half of the story and I am leaving out the property taxpayer’s perspective,” I am a taxpayer, and have been a taxpayer in Ridgewood for many years. If anything is only providing half the story it’s your FAC report. It only tells half the story since it does not even consider the cost to the residents for the Board of Education (BOE). If your report included the BOE then I would have to agree that the largest portion of the Village Tax bill (BOE) has been increased at an alarming rate and is not sustainable.
How do I arrive at that conclusion? Here is the 2011 Bergen County property tax data showing the town – County – total tax levy – % County Taxes – % School Taxes % – Municipal taxes. This is the latest year available on the NJ.com by the numbers web site. There are 70 Municipalities in Bergen County. Below are 18 municipalities that have an equal or greater percentage of their municipal taxes dedicated to the school budget like Ridgewood. The other 51 municipalities have a lower percentage than Ridgewood dedicated to their school budget and a higher percentage number dedicated to their municipal services. Ridgewood’s municipal tax levy is lower than the other 51 Municipalities in Bergen county and is even below the state calculated average of 29%. You can draw your own conclusions from this data however this data clearly shows that the Village municipal budget is very well managed as contrasted with other Bergen County Communities and the overall state average. It also indicates that BOE budget is out of control and unsustainable.
Town – County – tax levy – % County – % BOE – % Municipal
Ridgewood Village Bergen $130,248,198.77 10% 65% 25%
Woodcliff Lake Borough Bergen $38,129,520.22 12% 66% 22%
Statewide total $25,643,843,500.01 18% 52% 29% of 567 municipalities
https://www.nj.com/news/bythenumbers/
This information confirms that the Ridgewood municipal is budget is well managed and the BOE budget is where the runaway spending is since the Ridgewood BOE takes a higher percentage of the total tax bill than 51 other Bergen county municipalities. The FAC report ignores this fact, and therefor is even more faulty than I originally thought.
Ridgewood bank building will transformed into nightclub for developmentally disabled adults
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2014
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE REORD
RIDGEWOOD — On Friday night, the old Bank of America building on East Ridgewood Avenue will be transformed into a nightclub — the setting for a private affair being organized for a select group of VIPs.
For the second year in a row, velvet ropes will pop up outside a Ridgewood landmark and inside, dozens of developmentally disabled adults from around the region will dance, party and laugh the night away.
The event — dubbed Club LOU Tonight — is the brainchild of Matthew Mandeli, a Ridgewood High School junior inspired by the work of his mother, Gail, with Life Opportunities Unlimited, a non-profit that manages group homes for developmentally disabled adults.
Most Americans have yet to watch any best-picture Oscar nominee: poll
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – It may be one of the best years in recent memory for high-quality Hollywood film, but two-thirds of Americans have yet to see any of the movies nominated for the best picture Oscar, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Sunday.
“12 Years a Slave” wins top British film awards as “Gravity” soars Reuters
‘Gravity,’ ’12 Years a Slave’ up for UK film gloryAssociated Press
Stars hail Scorsese at pre-Oscar nominees’ lunchAFP
’12 Years a Slave’ named best film at UK awardsAssociated Press
David O. Russell weaves Oscar pattern from his own reinvention Reuters
Among other questions, the poll asked 1,433 Americans whether they had seen any of the nine best-picture nominees, plus two other films competing in other categories. The Academy Awards will be hosted by comedian Ellen DeGeneres on March 2.
Among those who responded to the online survey, Somali piracy thriller “Captain Phillips” was the most-watched film, at 15 percent. But 67 percent said they had yet to see any of the eleven films in the poll.
The outer-space drama “Gravity” was second with 14 percent, while crime caper “American Hustle” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” Martin Scorsese’s portrait of 1990s greed and excess, each had been seen by 12 percent of those surveyed. The numbers include those surveyed who may have seen more than one of the nominees.
The survey found that 60 percent of respondents were unsure about which film should win best picture. Slavery drama “12 Years a Slave” had the most support at 9 percent.
Dinesh D’Souza Speculates on ‘Retribution’: ‘Vindictive’ Obama Sees Critics as Enemies
by Evan McMurry | 12:46 pm, February 22nd, 2014
Author and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souzaspeculated to Megyn Kelly Friday night that FBI’sindictment of him for campaign finance fraud may be Alinsky-style political retribution for his anti-Obama film 2016. Earlier this week, four Senatorssent a letter to FBI Director James Comeydemanding an explanation for what they termed the “selective prosecution” of D’Souza.
“I am a public critic of the president and I do recognize this has made me vulnerable to a form of counterattack,” D’Souza said. He added that Obama, whom he characterized as “vindictive,” had released a video response to 2016 on his website, proving the film had gotten under the president’s skin.
Plan to split California into six states gains ground
Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – A plan to divide California into six separate US states is closer to making it on to a November ballot, with organizers gaining approval to collect signatures.
The seemingly far-fetched initiative, sponsored by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, claims “political representation of California’s diverse population and economies has rendered the state nearly ungovernable.”
And on Tuesday, the California Secretary of State’s office gave the movement a boost, saying that proponents “may begin collecting petition signatures.”
At least 807,615 voters — representing eight percent of the total ballots cast for governor in the 2010 election — will need to sign the petition by July 18 to make it on to the ballot.
The proposal aims to split the state — America’s most populous with around 38 million inhabitants — into “six smaller state governments, while preserving the historical boundaries of the various counties, cities and towns.”
The YWCA Bergen County offers convenient and affordable rehabilitative exercise classes for people of all ages living with physical limitations or challenges. Our experienced and caring Aquatics Specialists conduct water therapy classes in two spacious, heated pools, and you can take advantage of a free trial session to find out if a program is right for you. Since 1985, the YWCA’s Health and Therapeutics department has continuously developed programs in conjunction with physical therapists to treat a variety of physical and medical conditions. Aquatherapy classes are designed for adults with orthopedic and/or neurological conditions. These group classes use water movement exercises to increase range of motion while strengthening muscles and improving flexibility. Aquatherapy “Plus” offers additional deep water work, swimming and advanced exercises for those in need of a challenge. One-on-one instruction is available for individuals who are unable to participate in group classes. The YWCA also offers water therapy classes specifically for those dealing with Arthritis. Gentle group exercises help increase range of motion, relieve joint stress and relax stiff muscles. All classes are held at the YWCA’s 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood location. This facility is handicapped accessible, and our Habernickel pool is equipped with a hydraulic lift to provide easy entrance and exit. For more information or to schedule an interview and free trial class, please call Linda at (201) 444-5600, ext, 348 or visit us online at www.ywcabergencounty.org.
Andrea Mitchell Plots Dem Strategy: ‘Many of Us in the Media’ Touted More Spending
By Scott Whitlock | February 21, 2014 | 17:55
This was Orwellian. On her MSNBC show, Andrea Mitchell explained the new Democratic spin on our skyrocketing national debt: “for this round of the debt ceiling debate, they had to reframe it so that it wasn’t the Democrats wanting to spend more money.” [?????] Mitchell un-self-consciously continued, “As hard as MANY OF US IN THE MEDIA TRIED to persuade people, this is money that’s already been spent, we’re just paying the bills.”Brent Bozell
MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell on Friday openly plotted strategy with a senior Democratic adviser, complimenting him on successful efforts to convince Americans think that raising the debt ceiling wasn’t “running up the credit card.” [See video below. MP3 audio here.]
Mitchell talked to Doug Hattaway, a member of Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign. She praised, “You were one of the advisors to persuade the Democrats that for this round of the debt ceiling debate they had to re-frame it so that it wasn’t the Democrats wanting to spend more money.” Mitchell unselfconsciously continued, “As hard as many of us in the media tried to persuade people, this is money that’s already been spent, we’re just paying the bills.”
MOZART to MONET-free trial – join us!
Wed, February 26, 2014
Time: 11:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Mozart to Monet starts children at 9 months and open them to the world of music and art.
Early exposure will open children up to a lifelong love and passion for the arts. This program introduces children in a kid-friendly environment and allows them a hand on experience to be involved.
FREE Trial on Wednesday, February 26
Art with a “splash” of music from 10:30am-11am
meet the instruments for ll:30am-Noon
CLASSES START AS FOLLOWS:
Meet the Instruments –
ages: 1-3 years
days: Wednesday, 11:30am-12:15am
dates: March, 5, 12, 19, 26, 2014
price: $140/4 sessions
where: 211 E. Ridgewood Ave.
lower level Bookends
Art with a “Splash” of Music
ages: 3-5 years
days: Wednesday, 10am-11:00am
dates: March 5, 12, 19, 26, 2014
price: $140/4 sessions
where: 211 E. Ridgewood Ave.
lower level Bookends
Want Mozart to Monet to come to you.
for more information:
201-543-4900
www.mozarttomonet.com [email protected]
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2014
BY JIM MCCONVILLE
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
THE RECORD
FAIR LAWN – It took a lifetime for Ridgewood to win its first District 6 wrestling title. It took just a year to get the second, thanks to a senior class that helped turn around the program over their four years.
Five Maroons were named champions, four of them seniors, as Ridgewood won the team title going away. Perhaps the biggest of those wins came from senior Andrew Moras, who knocked off defending champion Zach Hunko of Glen Rock/Saddle Brook at 195 pounds.
Down 4-1 late in the second period, Moras escaped and got a quick takedown to tie it at 4-4 entering the third period. He scored a reversal with 1:28 left in the period to grab the lead and added a late takedown to insure his 8-5 victory.
“I just had to get a feel for how he was wrestling,” Moras said of his first district title. “It was a pretty repetitive match, and he was trying to toss me. All I had to do was put my weight back and I was able to slip right out.”
“This senior class has been amazing,” Ridgewood coach Torre Watson said.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/sports/246737711_H_S__wrestling_Ridgewood_repeats_in_District_6_comes_quicker.html#sthash.BXYT2nmL.dpuf
Cooling U.S. Home Sales Only Partly Due to Weather: Economy
By Victoria Stilwell Feb 21, 2014 5:13 PM ET
Sales of previously owned U.S. homes dropped in January to the lowest level in more than a year as harsh winter weather combined with a lack of supply, strict lending rules and declining affordability to depress demand.
Purchases decreased 5.1 percent to a 4.62 million annual rate last month, the fewest since July 2012, figures from the National Association of Realtors showed today in Washington. Sales fell in all four regions of the country, indicating unusually frigid temperatures were only partly to blame.
