Special holiday Fuentes have arrived!
Opus X
Anejo
and more!
Available now at
The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood
~Gary, Barbara and Collin
The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood
The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood | 10 Chestnut Street | Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
Phone: 201-447-2204 | Email: [email protected]
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00AM – 5:30PM and Thursday Night 6:30PM – 8:30PM
Chris Christie slams Supreme Court as ‘out of control’ over affordable housing ruling
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie today sounded off against one his favorite targets, calling the state Supreme Court “outrageous” and “out of control” for ordering his administration to come up with a new plan for affordable housing in the state’s cities and suburbs.
“Our folks are consulting with outside consultants to work on the drafting of new rules,” Christie said at a Statehouse news conference.
“What I’ll tell you is I think it’s outrageous. I think the whole thing is outrageous. I think the fact that a court thinks that it’s within their purview to order an executive branch operation to actually go through a rule-making procedure is outrageous. And it’s why the Supreme Court is so out of control.”
In September, the high court gave the state five months to write regulations to increase the minimum number of affordable-housing units towns must build for their poorest residents. The Republican governor and a group of mayors wanted more flexibility. (Portnoy/Star-Ledger)
New Jersey among states to receive share of $280M in early learning grants
New Jersey won $44 million Thursday in a federal grant competition aimed at lifting the quality of child care programs and their staffs.
One of six states to share $280 million in the latest round of the Obama administration’s Race to the Top contest, New Jersey plans to create training academies for center employees and develop a Consumer Reports-style rating system to help parents shop around online.
Several enthusiastic advocates predicted the grant would spur better child care in a state that has lacked consistent standards for curriculum, staff credentials and supplies among various types of providers, including centers and family settings.
“If a center gets a low rating it will be embarrassed into improving,” said Veronica Ray, president of the New Jersey Head Start Association. “No center wants to be low man on the totem pole when it affects enrollment.”
The Early Learning Challenge grant is part of the Obama administration’s push to invest in babies, toddlers and preschoolers so they start kindergarten ready to learn. The president has called for a $75 billion, 10-year investment in federal-state partnerships to provide preschool for all poor and moderate-income 4-year-olds, but critics have called the idea far too expensive and unrealistic. (Brody/The Record)
Dream Act Passes, Grants In-State Tuition to Undocumented Immigrants
But compromise and conditional veto leave advocates on both sides of the issue unhappy with outcome
Thursday’s passage of what’s been called the Dream Act — which guarantees tuition equality to undocumented immigrants — has left advocates on both sides of the issue feeling slighted.
The bill, which will be signed on Friday, grants in-state tuition status at New Jersey public colleges to undocumented residents who have lived in the state for at least three years. It will effectively cut tuition in half for most of them. (Kalet/NJSpotlight)
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/13/12/20/dream-act-passes-grants-in-state-tuition-to-undocumented-immigrants/
Study: Your Dog Probably Recognizes Your Face — Even In Photos
December 19, 2013 2:05 PM
HELSINKI, FINLAND (CBS) – Your dog may be able to recognize your face in a photo.
That’s the latest from the University of Helsinki, which published the results of its study in the journal Animal Cognition this December.
According to Science News Daily, the researchers had dogs look at facial images of familiar humans (such as their owner) and other dogs in the family, as well as unfamiliar humans and dogs they’d never encountered. Then the researchers measured the dogs’ eye movements as they viewed the photos.
Scientists say that while the dogs viewed the faces of other dogs for longer than the human faces (backing up findings from previous studies), the canines studied also studied the faces of familiar humans for longer than unfamiliar ones.
https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/12/19/study-dogs-able-to-recognize-familiar-faces-in-photos/
Housing, jobs data weaken, but overall economic picture still upbeat
By Lucia Mutikani
WASHINGTON Thu Dec 19, 2013 1:45pm EST
(Reuters) – U.S. home resales hit a near one-year low in November and new filings for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, putting a wrinkle in an otherwise brightening economic picture.
The reports on Thursday came a day after the Federal Reserve gave the economy a vote of confidence by announcing that it would reduce its monthly $85 billion bond buying program by $10 billion starting in January.
“Things have not changed. It’s still a marginally rosier outlook in the short-term,” said Jacob Oubina, senior U.S. economist at RBC Capital Markets in New York
https://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/19/us-economy-jobless-idUSBRE9BI0OP20131219
Partisan Gridlock Impacts State Supreme Court
December 18, 2013
Senator Kevin O’Toole
Headlines of a government shutdown, stalemate over the debt ceiling, a never ending budget crisis or nominees not receiving hearings, are all we see coming out of Washington. Partisan gridlock, bickering and a failure to do the work of the American people seems to be the norm there. Under the leadership of Governor Christie we have accomplished many great things – in a bipartisan manner.
But there remains one major hurdle that my Democratic colleagues across the aisle can not seem find the bipartisanship to accomplish – a full compliment of justices on the state Supreme Court.
The framers of our state’s constitution spell out in Article 6, Section 6 item 1 that “The Governor shall nominate and appoint…the Chief Justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court.” The constitution, in the same section, very clearly and expressly defines the role of the state Senate as that of “advice and consent.” Since our constitution was adopted in 1948, legal scholars cannot recall a time when we have gone 3 years without a full compliment of justices. Those same scholars cannot remember when the highest court in our State has relied so heavily upon “replacement justices” to adjudicate the law.
My Democratic colleagues say they are concerned with the “partisan” composition of the Supreme Court and that Governor Christie is trying to appoint justices who share his vision. The irony of that statement is that after this past November’s election, 61% of New Jerseyeans share that same “vision” as Governor Christie. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle fail to mention that since our constitution was adopted we have had six Democratic governors and each has had a Democratic majority on the Supreme Court. To put that into perspective, since 1948 the court has had a Democratic majority for 50 years compared to only 13 years of a Republican majority.
Only now, under Republican Governor Chris Christie, Democrat Senators bemoan having a third or fourth justice with a “Republican” designation. However, when for over 50 years, 4 out of the 7 justices had a “Democrat” designation it was of no consequence. This partisan hypocrisy is astounding.
Recently we have seen Governor Christie nominate imminently qualified and ethnically diverse candidates to the Supreme Court, only to have my Democratic colleagues rebuke the first Asian American nominee and first openly gay African American nominee in humiliating fashion, including the unprecedented leaking of confidential personal information. They let the nomination of current Associate Justice Anne Patterson languish for 392 days until she received a hearing. Nominees David Bauman and Robert Hanna have been waiting for over a year – still with no hearing date in sight.
The only nominee to receive a hearing was Justice Fernandez-Vina whose hearing was within 40 days of his nomination and he was confirmed within 70 days. Prior to Governor Christie’s election, the state Senate has traditionally heard nominees within 60 days of their nomination by the then governor. This practice occurred with a Democratic Governor and a Republican controlled Senate, and vice versa.
We recently passed the one year anniversary of the nominations of David Bauman and Robert Hanna to the state Supreme Court and on the heels of the US Senate passing a resolution to prohibit the filibuster of nominations to the federal courts, I have introduced a resolution (SR-132) to change the Senate rules calling for all nominees to the state Supreme Court to receive a hearing within 90 days of their nominations.
If our predecessors in the Senate could thoroughly interview and deem qualified nominees of the past within an average of 60 days, then surely we are capable of doing so in 90. There is no justifiable reason, beyond politics as usual, for our highest court to continue without a full compliment of judges when there are two nominees waiting for us in the Senate to do our jobs. The record speaks for itself; nominees can be thoroughly vetted within 90 days and given hearings.
Claims to the contrary are disingenuous at best and mired in political gamesmanship at worst. For my Democratic colleagues to continue denying New Jerseyeans a complete and constitutional Supreme Court is an abdication of their duties. The only way we can continue effectively serving the residents of New Jersey is by suppressing partisan demons and returning to the practice that has proven to be immensely successful – bipartisan cooperation.
Obama Administration Knew of Healthcare.gov Security Risks Before Launch
Documents show 19 vulnerabilities left unaddressed before Oct. 1
BY: Elizabeth Harrington
December 19, 2013 2:07 pm
Documents provided to the House Committee on Government Oversight and Reform reveal that the Obama administration knew of security vulnerabilities within Healthcare.gov prior to Oct. 1, but launched the website anyway.
Chairman Darrell Issa (R., Calif.) said Health and Human Services (HHS) officials showed a “disturbing lack of judgment” by going ahead with the site’s launch and putting Americans’ personal information at risk.
Results of a security assessment conducted by a contractor on the site, MITRE Corporation, found that 19 security vulnerabilities remained unaddressed on Oct. 1.
Eleven of the 19 vulnerabilities “significantly impact the confidentiality, integrity and/or availability of the system data,” MITRE said.
https://freebeacon.com/obama-admin-knew-of-healthcare-gov-security-risks-before-launch/
Speak out on Master Plan amendment
Friday, December 20, 2013
The Ridgewood News
Speak out on Master Plan amendment
Angie Stoehr
To the editor:
I am so disappointed in our local government. I attended another Planning Board meeting regarding the Master Plan amendment, which will allow high density development in our village. Not one citizen was given the opportunity to participate in what was called an Open Public Meeting. Not one.
Ridgewood has maintained its charm and character for decades in an ever-increasing urban county for one significant reason, the Master Plan, which has restricted over-development. I am for development at all the proposed sites, but within the context of the current Master Plan. To change the density from 12 people an acre to 50 people per acre is too much, too fast. The board claims to have “studied” traffic and education fallout from each of these high density developments. These studies have been supplied or paid for by the developers on a case-by-case basis and all claim little traffic impact and a low increase in school attendees. Apparently, listening and accepting all testimony and studies from developers is all that is required to move forward in a decision that will forever change our village.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/236674441_Letter__Speak_out_on_Master_Plan_amendment.html#sthash.HJEQo8MS.dpuf
Ridgewood school district to give more funds for Learning Commons project
Thursday December 19, 2013, 3:27 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
The Learning Commons project will soon go out to bid again, now that the Board of Education (BOE) has approved an additional $528,000 from its capital reserve account to be allocated toward the project.
According to Superintendent Daniel Fishbein, the plan is for the Ridgewood High School (RHS) library renovation project to go out to bid again by the beginning of January, so construction can begin this summer and be completed by the following school year.
“We have looked at the drawings and made some changes,” he said. “Hopefully, it will bring the cost of the plan down.”
The BOE also said the district could move forward with two other projects in addition to the Learning Commons, all proposed by Fishbein at Monday’s BOE meeting.
Developer gets OK to move soil for Ridgewood shopping center
Thursday December 19, 2013, 3:30 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
Just weeks after receiving site plan approval from the Planning Board, a real estate developer has obtained the endorsement for a major soil moving permit from the Ridgewood Council.
Council members last week established several conditions while granting the engineering firm representing Burroughs Poole LLC the permit and permission to begin the excavation and grading required for a proposed retail shopping center. The project will be situated at two currently vacant lots along Route 17 south near Paramus Road in Ridgewood.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/236608411_Developer_gets_OK_to_move_soil_for_Ridgewood_shopping_center.html#sthash.UMbNZPaJ.dpuf
‘Unusable’ information will delay Medicaid for N.J. poor
Friday December 20, 2013, 12:10 AM
BY LINDY WASHBURN
STAFF WRITER
The Record
State officials said Thursday that thousands of poor people who applied for health coverage using the federal government’s website are unable to be enrolled because of serious glitches in the system.
New Jersey Medicaid said information it received from the federal insurance marketplace for about 25,000 residents who qualify for free health coverage from New Jersey’s program for the poor is “unusable.”
Their applications can’t be processed, and they can’t yet be enrolled for coverage that is supposed to begin on Jan. 1, said Nicole Brossoie, assistant commissioner of the state Department of Human Services, which runs Medicaid.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/health/Unusable_information_will_delay_Medicaid_for_NJ_poor.html#sthash.ghyKTg0M.dpuf
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Stolen car recovery – engine still running
December 19,2013
Boyd A. Loving
5:02 PM
A stolen Volkswagen Jetta,, reportedly taken in Rochelle Park, was recovered by an alert Ridgewood PD Patrol Officer (Salvatore D’Amico) on Thursday afternoon. The vehicle was found parked illegally in front of the Connect One Bank, 171 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood just before 4 PM. The car’s engine was running and several women’s purses were observed on the front passenger seat. A Rochelle Park detective responded to the scene to photograph the vehicle and it was subsequently removed by flatbed tow truck to be processed for fingerprints. Police on the scene would not comment on the exact location of theft, or if the keys were left in the vehicle at the time.
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Port Authority Transparency Sought in New Bill
ONE QUESTIONS WHERE WAS TRENTON WHEN THE BRIDGE AND TUNNEL FARES WENT UP TO $13?
A New Jersey Assembly member is reintroducing legislation, already vetoed once by Gov. Chris Christie, to increase transparency at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle’s bill would require external audits of Port Authority spending, and more convenient hours for public hearings wheretoll hikes are proposed.
Huttle, D-Englewood, said she is putting the measure back on the table while the recent and ongoing “Bridgegate” scandal remains in the public consciousness. (Cutter/NJ101.5)
https://nj1015.com/port-authority-transparency-sought-in-new-bill-audio/
‘One Newark’ Reform Plan Proves Divisive Even Before Official Release
Superintendent’s plan calls for sweeping changes to address poor academic performance and exodus to charter schools
The public battles over Newark school closures, consolidations and other reconfigurations have started up anew.
State-appointed Superintendent Cami Anderson this week has begun to unveil her “One Newark” plan for remaking what she called the “portfolio” of the city schools, as they face a growing exodus of students to charter schools while grappling with greater needs and tighter budgets.
The families and staff of 15 schools most affected by Anderson’s plan heard details at meetings held last night across the city. Another 15 affected schools are to host meetings tonight.
An internal draft of the plan appears to lay out a sweeping and complicated series of moves, ranging from transforming Weequahic High School into separate single-gender academies to recruiting charter organizations to manage low-performing elementary schools.
There are proposals for “redesigning” some schools, “dissolving” others and “re-siting” still others. But what that means is not always specified, and Anderson’s plan does not give a timeline for these changes. (Mooney/NJSpotlight)
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/13/12/18/one-newark-reform-plan-proves-divisive-even-before-official-release/
