Author: James

file photo Boyd Loving

Study: More Adults Text & Drive Than Teens
March 28, 2013 10:13 AM

The study was conducted by Dallas-based carrier AT&T, which has been spearheading a campaign to end distracted driving.

The company surveyed more than 1,000 drivers and found that nearly half of all adults admit to texting on the road. This is compared to 43 percent of teens who confess to texting while driving.

https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2013/03/28/study-more-adults-text-drive-than-teens/

photo by William Thomas

CANINE HEALTH ALERT!

NEW CASES OF CANINE INFLUENZA VIRUS IN ESSEX, HUDSON, AND MORRIS COUNTIES

The Bergen County Department of Health Services and the New Jersey Department of Health has informed us of a new outbreak of Canine Influenza Virus. This outbreak covers a much wider area than previously experienced. We recommend vaccination for all dogs at the Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital. Essentially, all unvaccinated dogs exposed to the virus will contract the disease and nearly 80% will develop clinical signs of illness. Most will survive with mild illness, approximately 20% will develop serious pneumonia, and up to 8% may die of infection. If your dog has not be vaccinated, we strongly urge you to do so.

VACCINATE TODAY TO OFFER YOUR DOG THE BEST PROTECTION: REDUCED CLINIC FEES

We are holding special, limited clinics, where the vaccine will be administered for the fee of $25 without the customary office visit fee. Dogs not previously vaccinated will require a booster vaccine two weeks later. This offer is only valid through April, so please call us today at 201-447-6000 to schedule your pet’s vaccination!

If your pet has already been vaccinated, please share this post with friends and family!

Thank you for allowing us to protect all of our canine friends and to offer the very best care and service to your pets.

The Doctors and Staff of the Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital

EASTER IN RIDGEWOOD

Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce

Saturday, March 30th 10:00am to 11:00am BREAKFAST WITH THE EASTER BUNNY at The Office Beer Bar & Grill. Reservations required: 201/652-1070. In Memorial Park at Van Neste Square – 11:00am to 2:00pm 11:00am BEN & JERRY’S EGG HUNT in the Park – Weather Permitting. Families will be able to take PICTURES WITH THE EASTER BUNNY. ACTIVITIES for children in the Park and Maps available for location of in-store activities. SPONSORS – Ridgewood News; Feeney Funeral Home; ConnectOne Bank; Ben & Jerry’s

The Raising Cost of Catastrophes

Daily chart: The amount of insured losses in 2012 exceeded $77 billion, making it the third costliest year since 1970. Losses from man-made disasters amounted to $6 billion. The sum includes the partial sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, fires at offshore drilling platforms in Nigeria and the North Sea, and an explosion at a Venezuelan oil refinery. View today’s chart on insured losses since 1970 https://econ.st/XHjExh

Do politicians eyeball every catastrophe as a money maker ?

 

Planning Board Special Public Meeting – April 1, 2013 at 7:30PM

PLANNING BOARD

AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE

Called: Work Session & Special Public Meeting: Monday, April 1, 2013

In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled a special public meeting and work session for MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2013, in the VILLAGE HALL COURT ROOM, 4th Floor, 131 NORTH MAPLE AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The Board may take official action during this Work and Public Meeting at which time the Board will have discussion/approval of consultants for H Zone Amendment Hearings.

All meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.

Jane Wondergem

Secretary to the Board

Girl Scout Troop 353 with the County Executive. The Park Ridge Scouts lead the K9 Veterans Day Crowd in the Pledge. — at Bergen County, NJ.

Bergen County Executive Donovan recovering from mild stroke triggered by back pain
Last updated: Thursday March 28, 2013, 10:03 PM
BY  JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER
The Record

Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan suffered a mild stroke brought on by intense pain caused by multiple stress fractures in her back, county officials said Thursday.

The stroke occurred last Friday, the same day she was admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center for the back pain. It was triggered by a spike in Donovan’s blood pressure, but the symptoms, which included slurred speech, were not immediately apparent because of the medication doctors gave her to ease her pain, said Jeanne Baratta, Donovan’s chief of staff.

As Donovan’s blood pressure returned to normal levels, the stroke symptoms subsided, Baratta said. A battery of tests that followed found no signs of any permanent damage, she said.

“She’s doing very well,” Baratta said. “She’s text messaging me, she’s sending emails”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/Officials_Bergen_County_exec_Donovan_had_minor_stroke_triggered_by_back_pain.html

SPRING IS HERE! THINK ICE CREAM!

Ridgewood NJ , Come enjoy the taste of spring on Tuesday, April 2 at Ben and Jerry’s. The Ridgewood High School Baseball team will be there scooping up your favorite flavors starting at 7:30 p.m. Please come out and support Ridgewood Baseball.

Congressman Scott Garrett Presented the Silver Medal for Outstanding Service to RHS Senior Heesung Son

Ridgewood NJ, Congressman Scott Garrett Presented the Silver Medal for Outstanding Public Service to RHS Senior Heesung Son .

RHS senior Heesung Son received the Congressional Award Silver Metal for his voluntary public services.

To earn the award, Heesung completed over 200 hours of public service by playing his violin for the elderly in nursing homes and spending time with physically disabled children at Camp Sunshine. He also completed physical fitness and exploration goals. Congressman Scott Garrett presented the award at a ceremony at The Little Theatre on March 27.

 

Carlos Frías Art featured at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood

Ridgewood NJ, Carlos Frías long thought he would be spending his days painting and exhibiting his latest artisticendeavors, but his life’s work took a back seat to the working life.

Fortunately, all that opportunity also pays for lots of art supplies and offers a fresh perspective, and so returning to his formal training as a fine artist,Carlos has enhanced his repertoire with new series and conceptual images.

Not too long ago, Carlos earned his BFA in Painting from Parsons School of Design in New York City.It was the next natural step after receiving his Associates in Painting and Illustration from Altos de Chavón School of Design in the Dominican Republic. Carlos’s many accolades serve as a testament to his commitment and talent as an artist, but what he now craves is the personal success that comes only with time and experience.

Carlos’s latest works reflect a new intention. They incorporate his desire to create subtly stimulating and provoking pieces with the aim of reminding his audience of humanity’s ties to its fleeting present and ensuing past. In his pieces Carlos evokes his childhood in the Dominican Republic, then a journey to a new life, and his constant endeavor to coalesce yet appreciate all of the individual elements that have brought him to where he is today, somewhere between here and there.( https://carlosfrias.com/biography.html )

The exhibit runs through April 7 at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place. Hours are by appointment. Call 201-444-6625.

 

file photo Boyd Loving

More Details : Ridgewood fire official has legal fees reimbursed
Thursday March 28, 2013, 3:33 PM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

The appeal included letters from the current and former fire chiefs, which were favorable toward DuFloucq and Albano, as well as a note from DuFloucq.

DuFloucq’s letter, according to the ruling, stated that he was not brought in for a second interview “but rather was offered the second vacancy when he was called into the village manager’s office during the week of July 18.”

The commission found that Gabbert made the promotions without proper reasoning for two separate dates. Both promotions should have the same appointment date of June 27, 2011, according to the report.

The promotions were also made despite regulations set forth in the New Jersey Administrative Code, specifically rules regarding preference to veterans if no other candidate was ranked ahead, the ruling said. Had DuFloucq earned the first promotion, Albano would have been next in line and would have been the preferred selection, based on his veteran status, for the second vacancy. But since Kozielski was promoted ahead of DuFloucq, Albano was never the first on the list.

“It appears that DuFloucq’s later appointment date was aimed at circumventing the Civil Service rules governing veteran’s preference. In this regard, as a result of the determination that both appointees should have the same appointment date, [Albano] was improperly bypassed,” the ruling stated.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/200483771_Ridgewood_fire_official_has_legal_fees_reimbursed.html?c=y&page=2

Photo by Boyd Loving

Budget number crunch continues in Ridgewood
Thursday March 28, 2013, 3:36 PM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

Of the 13 personnel reductions proposed to trim the fat from a working $44 million spending plan and reduce this year’s municipal tax levy, Ridgewood officials will consider eliminating at least one department supervisory position.
Ridgewood Chief Financial Officer Stephen Sanzari and Village Manager Ken Gabbert go over budget numbers at a meeting on Tuesday.

Village council members expect to discuss that move as well as other budgetary bullet points, which were identified during a special meeting earlier this week. The potential restructuring of three specific jobs and how the salary shift will impact the feasibility of realizing a zero percent tax increase for 2013 will also be discussed, likely at the council’s April 3 work session.

At press time, the council and village finance officials were still seeking a combination of new revenue and expense reductions totaling between $470,000 and $500,000, the threshold needed to equal last year’s tax levy. Based on the preliminary budget numbers used this week, the average Ridgewood taxpayer would see a 1.5 percent increase over last year’s taxes, or roughly $70.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/200484441_Budget_number_crunch_continues_in_Ridgewood.html

Obamacare

The Secret Republican Plan to Repeal ‘Obamacare’
And why the fight is far from over.
By Chris Frates
March 28, 2013 | 6:09 p.m.

A few minutes after the Supreme Court issued its landmark decision upholding President Obama’s health care law last summer, a senior adviser to Mitch McConnell walked into the Senate Republican leader’s office to gauge his reaction.

McConnell was clearly disappointed, and for good reason. For many conservatives, the decision was the death knell in a three-year fight to defeat reforms that epitomized everything they thought was wrong with Obama’s governing philosophy. But where some saw finality, McConnell saw opportunity — and still does.

Sitting at his desk a stone’s throw from the Senate chamber, McConnell turned to the aide and, with characteristic directness, said: “This decision is too cute. But I think we got something with this tax issue.”

He was referring to the court’s ruling that the heart of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, the so-called individual mandate that requires everyone in the country to buy health insurance or pay a penalty, was a tax. And while McConnell thought calling the mandate a tax was “a rather creative way” to uphold the law, it also opened a new front in his battle to repeal it.

https://www.nationaljournal.com/daily/the-secret-republican-plan-to-repeal-obamacare-20130327

 

Village Hall Closed Good Friday

Village Hall, Sanitation and Recycling services suspended due to Good Friday closure.