Jersey City BOE limits public comments at meetings – Will Ridgewood follow suit?
By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal
The Jersey City school board approved a measure this week that significantly curtails when residents can speak at board meetings and stops recording those comments on video, actions critics say are an effort to silence them.
The changes force all speakers to notify school officials at least one day in advance if they want to make general comments or speak on a specific agenda item. Previously, notice was only required for general comments.
The measure also prohibits any speaker from speaking more than once, as opposed to once for an agenda item and once for a general comment. Instead of two sessions of public comment that act as bookends to the monthly meetings, there will be one instead.
End to school lunch deliveries leaves bad taste in Ridgewood
THURSDAY JANUARY 16, 2014, 3:23 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A non-compete clause in the Ridgewood school district’s contract with its food-service provider took the spotlight at Monday’s Board of Education (BOE) meeting, where several parents and business owners voiced disapproval with the superintendent’s recent decision to discontinue outside vendor lunch deliveries.
Superintendent Daniel Fishbein’s letter to parents about last week’s decision listed concerns about delivery people who are strangers, illegal parking and administrative time spent sorting out the lunches, but the non-compete clause was not mentioned in the letter. Several residents and local business owners brought up the non-compete clause on Monday.
Fishbein said after the meeting that though Pomptonian Food Services had not yet contacted him about the contractual issue, he was personally concerned about the breach of contract.
Study: Space not big enough for Ridgewood, Glen Rock to share garage
THURSDAY JANUARY 16, 2014, 3:11 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS AND RICHARD DE SANTA
STAFF WRITERS
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The land adjacent to Ridgewood’s water treatment facility is large enough to house a new village maintenance garage, but a recently conducted feasibility study revealed the tract cannot jointly accommodate Glen Rock’s Department of Public Works.
Since late last year, the two neighboring municipalities had been examining the Ridgewood-owned property in Glen Rock as a possible relocation site for their respective DPW operations. Both agreed to split the costs of two studies, which were performed by Ramsey-based Conklin Associates.
An ad-hoc committee comprised of officials from each town reviewed the results of the feasibility study last week, according to Ridgewood Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli, who said the report had a “very complex analysis because of the wetlands and other riparian issues surrounding the property.”
Albin Court resident questions legality of “Cell Site on Wheels” at Exxon on the Run
January 16,2014
Boyd A. Loving
5:43 PM
Ridgewood NJ, During Wednesday night’s Village Council meeting, a resident of Albin Court questioned the legality of a “cell site on wheels,” reportedly installed without permits at the Route 17 southbound Exxon on the Run. The resident claims that the installation has been there since at least November; another member of the audience claims to have seen it there since sometime last summer.
Council members disavowed any knowledge of circumstances surrounding the cell site installation claiming they had no idea who owned the equipment, nor if any permits were granted in connection with its operation.
Acting Village Manager Heather Mailander was directed to investigate the matter and respond directly to the resident with answers.
Publicly available documents indicate that within the last few years, at least two (2) cell phone companies have sought to construct a new tower(s) near the intersection of Franklin Turnpike and Route 17. 125 foot monopole style towers were proposed for the NJDOT Park & Ride/salt shed property, the Ridgewood Water Department property near Twinney Pond, the Valleau Cemetery, and 611 Franklin Turnpike (existing cell tower would be torn down and replaced with a new one).
An individual who represented himself as the owner/operator of Exxon on the Run advised a staff member of the Ridgewood Blog that the equipment on his property is owned by AT&T Wireless, and that AT&T is using the “cell site on wheels” because of antenna wind loading issues with their existing tower at 611 Franklin Turnpike. The individual also claimed that AT&T had tried to negotiate for space at the NJDOT Park & Ride, but was unable to do so.
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving Tractor trailer tangles with rotted tree in Ridgewood
January 16,2014
Boyd A. Loving
4:04 PM
LANDSCAPE ORIENTATION
Ridgewood NJ, A rotted tree fell on a tractor trailer in front of 594 Spring Avenue, Ridgewood early Thursday afternoon resulting in the loss of cable television service to the home’s occupants, and the closure Spring Avenue between Kenilworth Road and South Pleasant Avenue for approximately 2 hours while crews worked to free the truck and remove debris. The truck driver was uninjured when the tree fell. The large truck wound up on the ordinarily quiet residential street due to a posted detour on nearby East Ridgewood Avenue because of an on-going PSE&G pole replacement project. Village of Ridgewood Shade Tree Department personnel used a bucket truck and chain saws to facilitate removal of the tree’s branches and trunk. The truck was able to drive away on its own power after the tree was removed. Damage to the vehicle appeared to be centered on the tractor’s wind deflector. It is believed that the tree was hit by the truck’s trailer, causing it to fall.
by Imara Jones
Wednesday, January 15 2014, 7:00 AM EST
As the White House prepares to launch a major economic opportunity effort, record high unemployment among black and Latino youth underscores how essential it is to create job opportunities for young people of color.
The critical issue here is that the ages of 16 to 24 are make or break years for lifelong earning potential. With one out four blacks and one out of six Latinos under the age of 25 without work, a generation of youth of color risks falling behind.
The situation for black and Latino unemployed youths is so alarming that leading think tanks and economists are raising red flags about it at a staggering pace. One report on the topic by Demos, the public policy organization, argues that the “exclusion of young people of color” from job opportunities “weakens the promise of America.”*
It’s a Jersey Thing: Why Chris Christie – or Any Pol From the Garden State – Can’t Go National
Nick Gillespie|Jan. 15, 2014 5:32 pm
I’ve got a new column up at Time.com which discusses what being from New Jersey means for Chris Christie, the embattled governor of the greatest state in the country. Snippets:
Shows such as The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire only make sense in a place like New Jersey, where everyone has a chip on their shoulder, is hustling to make a buck, and is desperate for prestige (as South Park memorably summarized it in 2010, “It’s a Jersey thing”). That’s the reason, too, that Abscam, the FBI sting operation that informs the plot of the acclaimed new movie American Hustle, was centered around Atlantic City and took down mostly New Jersey politicians, too. Even more than the typical elected official, Garden State pols want money, power, and respect.
But as Tony Soprano (played so memorably by the late Jersey native James Gandolfini), could tell you, the same forces that spur ambition and success also carry within them their own demise. It quickly becomes difficult to know when serious lines are being crossed or the wrong messages are being sent to the people around you….
It’s telling that in his rise to national prominence, Gov. Christie captured headlines less for what he did than how he did it. Where other Republican governors have implemented major structural changes to collective bargaining (Wisconsin’s Scott Walker) or educational policy (Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal), Christie has essentially governed as a big-government conservative, spending more money each year he’s been in office and doling out conventional corporate welfare to favored constituents. The State of the State address he delivered yesterday didn’t change any of that.
What’s made him famous — or infamous, depending on your politics — was his willingness to shout down teachers, reporters, and even voters that he deemed idiots or worse. In short, it’s his Jersey attitude, not his policies, that have put him on top of potential Republican presidential candidates….
End of Extended Benefits Makes Hard Times Even Harder for Jobless in NJ
Unemployed fear they’ll hit bottom soon as they fall through gaping hole in safety net
Kathy Vanco of Rahway has been out of work for six months. She has been surviving on a biweekly unemployment check of about $700. That came to an end this week, however, and now she may have to dip into her savings to make ends meet.
“Without unemployment, I won’t be able to pay the car insurance, and forget about health insurance,” she said.
A year ago, Vanco would have been eligible for up to 47 weeks of emergency unemployment benefits – for a total of 73 weeks of aid — but the federal program expired on December 28 and has not been renewed, having stalled in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. Unemployed workers now are eligible only for the 26 weeks of state assistance.
An estimated 90,300 unemployed New Jerseyans who were receiving emergency benefits were cut off late last month when a House and Senate budget deal did not include an extension. Another 89,100 jobless workers in the state will see their regular state unemployment benefits run out over the next six months. All workers who qualified for state benefits would have been eligible for the federal extension when the state aid expired. (Kalet/NJSpotlight)
The ceaseless nightmare of Hurricane Sandy victims has a new twist: More than a year after their homes were wrecked, hundreds of people face yet another hurdle that could further delay relief.
The reason is that New Jersey, unlike New York, requires a letter from a local flood expert to certify a home is substantially damaged before relief money is awarded. That may be a reasonable guard against fraud, but the implementation, again, has been botched.
Some towns helped storm victims get these letters, due today. Others didn’t. The result is a bureaucratic mess, housing advocates say.
Sandy victims in less proactive towns say they knew nothing about this requirement until late November or well into December. That’s when the state warned 900 storm victims — nearly 1 in 4 people approved for rebuilding grants — that they’d be bumped to the waiting list unless they could get this letter in by Jan. 15.
Which means that after making it all the way to the finish line, they might lose their long-awaited relief money. Today was a hugely important deadline. Why were so many apparently caught unaware?
The blame falls on both state and local officials. The state agency in charge of the rebuilding program, the Division of Community Affairs, requires these letters to be written by a full-time floodplain manager. That’s a position many towns don’t have. (Star-Ledger Editorial Board)
Bergen County freeholders want hearing with PA officials over GWB lane closings
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 15, 2014, 11:46 PM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
The Bergen County freeholders want the Port Authority’s chairman and its New Jersey commissioners to appear before them to explain their roles in the controversial lane closings that clogged traffic at the e George Washington Bridge for four days in September.
The invitation stems from a vote on Wednesday to table a last-minute attempt by the newest freeholder to call for the resignation of Port Authority Chairman David Samson and the New Jersey commissioners.
Freeholder James Tedesco asked the board to back a call for the resignations based on the unfolding scandal over what many see as an attempt to use the closing of the local toll lanes in Fort Lee as political payback against the borough’s Democratic mayor.
Tedesco, a former Paramus mayor, took the unusual step of waiting until last night’s meeting to submit his resolutions. He explained that he had spent 12 to 14 hours leading up to the meeting preparing the resolutions and could not get them to the board sooner.
But after several freeholders said they needed more time to consider the resolutions, the board unanimously voted to table them for 30 days so they could hear from Samson and the commissioners.
YWCA Bergen County January Vacation Day Program Includes Trip to FunPlex in East Hanover, NJ Ridgewood, NJ—December 11, 2013 – YWCA Bergen County is offering its Vacation Day program for children in grades K-6 on January 20, 2014. Trip includes transportation, unlimited foam frenzy & bumper cars, 20 game tokens, pizza and soda. The YWCA Vacation Day program provides full day care from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on designated school holidays. Based at the YWCA’s 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood facility, the program is supervised by the YWCA’s trained child care staff. The fee is $55 per child per day for families that are currently participating in YWCA Before or After School programs, and $75 for non-participating families. Advance registration is required. To register call 201-444-5600, ext. 352 or visit www.ywcabergencounty.org for details and registration forms. YWCA Before and After School Programs are offered at schools in seven Bergen County districts: Allendale, Cresskill, Dumont, Old Tappan, Oradell, Ridgewood, and Westwood. An after kindergarten program is available in Oradell. All programs are licensed by the State of New Jersey, Department of Children & Families.
NJ TRANSIT has created a limited edition commemorative pass for Super Bowl Week 2014 – called SUPER PASS.
The special $50 pass is valid for unlimited travel from Monday, January 27 through Monday, February 3, 2014 on all NJ TRANSIT rail, bus, light rail and Access Link services throughout New Jersey, including travel to and from Newark Liberty International Airport and New York City.
If you’re planning to travel to the Super Bowl and other fun activities during the week – SUPER PASS is for you. Take advantage of the savings and enjoy the convenience of not having to purchase tickets for every trip.
We also know you’ll want to keep this unique collectible as a valued souvenir of Super Bowl XLVIII. Each 3 7/8″ X 5 1/2″ pass will feature its own unique QR code and serial number.
This limited edition pass will only be available here until January 20, 2014. Your SUPER PASS, along with a matching lanyard to hang the pass around your neck, will be mailed to you in advance of Super Bowl Week.
BUY YOUR SUPER PASS HERE AND BE READY FOR ALL THE EXCITEMENT!
Second real estate agent accused of having sex in Wayne home claims she was blackmailed
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 15, 2014, 5:48 PM
BY JOHN PETRICK
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Suit: Real estate agents used Wayne home for sex
Robert Lindsay; Jeannemarie Phelan.
A former Wayne real estate broker who was sued last month along with a male colleague for allegedly having sex numerous times in a client’s vacant home joined him in filing a countersuit Wednesday accusing the homeowner of attempted extortion.
Jeannemarie Phelan, a former Coldwell Banker agent, filed a countersuit in state Superior Court in Passaic County accusing Wayne homeowner Richard Weiner of demanding $990,000 or else he would file a lawsuit and release video of the trysts that was taped by the home’s security cameras.
“This is tantamount to extortion,” said Woodland Park attorney Kal Geist, representing Phelan. He said that while his client’s actions may not have been appropriate, they were not the basis for a lawsuit and did not cause the Weiners any harm.
Suit: Real estate agents used Wayne home for sex
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2013 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY DECEMBER 23, 2013, 5:50 PM
BY JOHN PETRICK
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
A former president of the Passaic County Board of Realtors is accused in a lawsuit of steering potential buyers away from a couple’s vacant Wayne home so he could use it for “sexual escapades,” which were captured on hidden cameras.
RHS DANCE TEACHER HELPS TO ELIMINATE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS
RHS Dance Teacher Jennifer Landa will choreograph a collaborative performance by local dance groups that will join together to raise awareness and remove the stigma associated with mental illness.
The performance, coordinated by the Paramus Stigma-Free Zone, will be on Saturday, January 25 at the Paramus Park Mall. The performance aims to raise awareness and remove the stigma associated with mental illness.
There will be shows at 2:30, 3, and 3:30 p.m. The RHS Dance Company will participate as one of several goups in the piece, entitled “Let’s Help.” For more information visit the Paramus NJ Stigma-Free Zone at www.ParamusStigmaFree.org.
More Than 11 Million Young People Have Fled Facebook Since 2011
According to one analyst estimate
Skeptics of Facebook’s business model have long pointed to anecdotal evidence that the social network is losing its luster with teens as evidence that the firm will ultimately be unable to justify its $140 billion valuation. Indeed, even Facebook itself admitted last fall that it had lost younger users. “”We did see a decrease in [teenage] daily users [during the quarter], especially younger teens,” Facebook chief financial officer David Ebersman said during a call with analysts.
But it’s always been difficult to gauge exactly what the magnitude of this lost interest has been. On Wednesday, the digital consultancy iStrategy Labs released a study that draws from Facebook’s Social Advertising platform to glean exactly how many young users have left the social network in recent years. The resulting estimates are pretty staggering. According to iStrategy, Facebook has 4,292,080 fewer high-school aged users and 6,948,848 college-aged users than it did in 2011.
