Author: James

Pope Tweets Against Syria Strike, Writes Putin, Plans Saturday Vigil
By Elizabeth Dias @elizabethjdiasSept. 05, 20130

Pope Francis has written a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, host of the G-20 summit that President Obama is attending, urging world leaders to oppose a military intervention in Syria.

“To the leaders present, to each and every one, I make a heartfelt appeal for them to help find ways to overcome the conflicting positions and to lay aside the futile pursuit of a military solution,” the Pope urged. “Rather, let there be a renewed commitment to seek, with courage and determination, a peaceful solution through dialogue and negotiation of the parties, unanimously supported by the international community.”

The move is the latest in a series of efforts by the Holy See to prevent military action in the already civil-war torn region. On Sunday, the Pope declared in his Angelus teaching that Saturday Sept. 7 would be an day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria. The prayer rally will take place in St. Peter’s Square from 7 p.m. to midnight, on the vigil of the birth of Mary, the Queen of Peace. “Let us ask Mary to help us to respond to violence, to conflict and to war, with the power of dialogue, reconciliation and love,” the Pope asked people around the world. “She is our mother: may she help us to find peace; all of us are her children!”

Read more: https://swampland.time.com/2013/09/05/pope-tweets-against-syria-strike-writes-putin-plans-saturday-vigil/#ixzz2eC6glyM3

Fitting ‘Scandal’ star to campaign for Democrat Buono in N.J. governor race

Two weeks after Gov. Chris Christie campaigned with “Cake Boss” Buddy Valastro, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Babara Buono is calling in some help from a celebrity.

Kerry Washington — the star of the television hit “Scandal” — is headlining an event for the gubernatorial candidate at Montclair State University on Sunday afternoon, the campaign announced today. (Friedman/Star-Ledger)

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/09/scandal_star_to_campaign_for_buono.html#incart_river

Cory Booker file photo by Boyd Loving

Booker Continues to Waffle on Syria

 ‘Now is not the time’ to talk about Syria

HACKENSACK – Mayor Cory Booker, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, did not express his views this afternoon when asked how he would vote on a use of force resolution in Syria.

“I have a lot of thoughts about Syria but now is not the time,” Booker told PolitickerNJ.com as he left a campaign event he had scheduled here with working-class allies. (Pizarro/PolitickerNJ)

https://www.politickernj.com/68065/booker-opinion-syria-use-force-resolution-now-not-time

file photo Sen. Robert Menendez with Village Council by Boyd Loving

Menendez votes to approve use of military force in Syria

Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, voted Wednesday to authorize the use of limited force against Syria.

“This is the one indispensable nation in the world,” Menendez said after most committee members joined him in voting to approve the resolution on Syria. “It is a heavy burden, but it is also an opportunity to lead the world to a safer, more secure world. I believe we have met that burden today, and I believe we will do so as we move to the Senate floor.” (Herman/Gannett)

https://www.app.com/article/20130904/NJNEWS11/309040091/Menendez-votes-approve-use-military-force-Syria

N.J. congressional delegation is split, or silent, on Syria strike
Thursday September 5, 2013, 8:25 PM
BY  HERB JACKSON
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
The Record

Reps. Scott Garrett and Rodney Frelinghuysen said Thursday that they oppose attacking Syria, while Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. said he is still making up his mind.

The views expressed by the three North Jersey congressmen show the challenges facing President Obama as he works to marshal congressional support for a strike against Syria, particularly as members of the same party disagreed on several elements.

House members will not likely get to vote unless the Senate approves a resolution authorizing force sponsored by Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat from North Bergen, that the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Wednesday. Menendez is the panel’s chairman.

While Menendez was optimistic that the Senate would approve that resolution, possibly on Monday or Tuesday, the outcome is far from certain and Obama was calling senators Thursday from Russia, where he was meeting with world leaders. He was also rearranging his schedule for the next few days, and could make a national address.

One senator who has not said how he will vote is New Jersey’s Jeffrey Chiesa, a Republican from Branchburg whom Governor Christie appointed to temporarily fill the vacancy caused by the death in June of Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat. Chiesa said in a statement last week that the United States “must respond” to Syria’s use of chemical weapons, but he is still weighing Obama’s request.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/international/NJ_congressional_delegation_is_split_or_silent_on_Syria_strike.html#sthash.Vc2rDYXL.dpuf

PHOTO COURTESY OF DET. SGT. ERIC J. REAMY, GLEN ROCK POLICE DEPARTMENT

Glen Rock teen in jail for alleged heroin distribution facing additional charges
Thursday, September 5, 2013    Last updated: Thursday September 5, 2013, 6:48 PM
BY  REBECCA D. O’BRIEN
STAFF WRITER
The Record

A Glen Rock teen arrested at his high school in June on heroin distribution charges is again in Bergen County Jail, facing new charges for selling drugs and resisting arrest, police confirmed Thursday.

Tristan Rodas, 18, was arrested Tuesday following an investigation involving the Glen Rock Police Department and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, police said.

He is currently being held on $50,000 bail, according to the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department website; he is charged with selling heroin or cocaine, a third-degree crime, and resisting arrest.

On June 11, Rodas was arrested at Glen Rock High School and charged with two counts of heroin distribution, possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count of using a minor in committing a crime; investigators also discovered a large amount of cash at his home. Rodas spent five days in Bergen County Jail, before being released on bail. He has yet to be arraigned in that case, police said.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/Glen_Rock_teen_in_jail_for_alleged_heroin_distribution_facing_additional_charges.html#sthash.5uCSnfax.dpuf

Coffee with the Council

The Village Council will be available to meet with residents, Saturday, September 7th from 10am to Noon at The Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue.

Mayor makes another ‘unprofessional’ move

Anne LaGrange Loving

To the Editor:

The firing of Village Manager Ken Gabbert is the latest in a series of dismal episodes exemplifying Mayor Paul Aronsohn’s poor judgment as a leader in our community.

While the Village Council had the right to dismiss Dr. Gabbert without cause, I feel the taxpayers deserve a concrete reason for such a major change, especially since Mr. Aronsohn was so outspokenly determined to get rid of him. Moreover, by placing “Village Manager’s Office” on the Closed Session Village Council meeting agendas, week after week, month after month, the mayor deceived taxpayers by leading us to believe that Dr. Gabbert’s job performance was being discussed, when in fact it never was.

The dismissal of the village manager can be added to a growing list of unprofessional actions taken by our mayor, which include:

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/222626901_Letter__Mayor_takes__unprofessional_actions_.html#sthash.WjM2ILbp.dpuf

file photo Boyd Loving

Ousted village manager criticizes Ridgewood Council majority
Thursday September 5, 2013, 3:36 PM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

Actions against ousted Village Manager Ken Gabbert, particularly those taken by Ridgewood’s Council majority, were politically motivated and “devoid of any good faith,” according to a letter addressed to members of the governing body and sent last week by Gabbert’s attorney.

The Upper Saddle River resident, who spent nearly four years in the municipality’s top administrator position, had been placed on suspension effective Aug. 31 by the Village Council, and subsequently vacated his office last weekend. The move is considered the first step in permanently terminating Gabbert from the manager position.

Council members are expected to vote on a Final Resolution of Removal during their public meeting set for Sept. 18. Village Clerk Heather Mailander has been named to fill in as acting village manager.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/222568381_Ousted_village_manager_criticizes_Ridgewood_Council_majority.html#sthash.WVg0P9vN.dpuf

Rep. Alan Grayson: Syria Intelligence Manipulated
By Steven Nelson

Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., who is aggressively lobbying against a military strike on Syria, says the Obama administration has manipulated intelligence to push its case for U.S. involvement in the country’s two-year civil war.

Grayson made the accusation in an interview published Wednesday by The Atlantic and offered more detail in a Thursday discussion with U.S. News. He says members of Congress are being given intelligence briefings without any evidence to support administration claims that Syrian leader Bashar Assad ordered the use of chemical weapons.

Grayson said he cannot discuss the classified briefings, but noted details in the administration’s public, non-classified report are being contested.

https://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/09/05/alan-grayson-syria-intelligence-manipulated

Russia gave UN 100-page report in July blaming Syrian rebels for Aleppo sarin attack
By Matthew Schofield | McClatchy Foreign Staff

BERLIN — Russia says a deadly March sarin attack in an Aleppo suburb was carried out by Syrian rebels, not forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, and it has delivered a 100-page report laying out its evidence to the United Nations.

A statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry website late Wednesday said the report included detailed scientific analysis of samples that Russian technicians collected at the site of the alleged attack, Khan al Asal in northern Syria. The attack killed 26 people.

A U.N. spokesman, Farhan Haq, confirmed that Russia delivered the report in July.

The report itself was not released. But the statement drew a pointed comparison between what it said was the scientific detail of the report and the far shorter intelligence summaries that the United States, Britain and France have released to justify their assertion that the Syrian government launched chemical weapons against Damascus suburbs on Aug. 21. The longest of those summaries, by the French, ran nine pages. Each relies primarily on circumstantial evidence to make its case, and they disagree with one another on some details, including the number of people who died in the attack.

Read more here: https://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/09/05/201268/russia-releases-100-page-report.html#.UimQzX-ne8E#storylink=cpy

L’Shanah Tovah From Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan

I want to take this moment to wish all our Jewish friends and neighbors L’Shanah Tovah or Happy New Year!

The Jewish New Year known as Rosh Hashanah began tonight at sundown and runs through sunset on Friday September 6. In the Jewish calendar this is year 5774. The holiday kicks off a period of reflection and repentance culminating with Yom Kippur onFriday, September 13.

I hope all those celebrating Rosh Hashanah do so with family and friends in a memorable and meaningful way. I have learned that there is nothing more important to the Jewish people than family and tradition – the pillars upon which the children of Israel have built and maintained a special and inspiring community. I deeply respect their adherence to the laws and ceremonies handed down from generation to generation; century after century. Such respect for tradition can only be admired.

My wish this Rosh Hashanah is for all the members of our Jewish community to share their holiday traditions with those they love and cherish the most in the world.

L’shanah tovah – for a good year.

Kathleen A. Donovan