Author: James

Kitchen House’ author to speak at Friends of the Ridgewood Library Luncheon
Friday, March 15, 2013
BY  JANE HARLIN
CORRESPONDENT
The Ridgewood News

Kathleen Grissom’s debut novel, “The Kitchen House,” has become a bestseller in much the same way that a snowball picks up momentum rolling down a hill. Published in 2010, the novel’s popularity has grown steadily through word of mouth, reaching number 23 on the New York Times Trade Paperback Fiction Bestsellers list this week, and averaging four-and-a-half stars on Amazon after more than 1,000 reviews.

Positive reviews from local book clubs led to Grissom being asked to speak at the annual Friends of the Ridgewood Library Author Luncheon, to be held Wednesday, March 20 at Seasons in Washington Township.

“We learned that “The Kitchen House” was and is very popular at the various book clubs in and around Ridgewood,” said Friends of the Library President Nancy Kontos. “In fact, the library can’t keep up with the reserves. It doesn’t even make it on the shelf before it’s checked out again.”

https://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/books/198395381_Kitchen_House__author_to_speak_at_Friends_of_the_Ridgewood_Library_Luncheon.html

Ridgewood, NJ, High School Nude Photo Scandal; Students Investigated For Online Pic-Swapping Ring
By Staff Reporter on March 14, 2013 11:55 AM EDT

A high school in northern New Jersey is giving its students until Monday morning to delete nude photos of themselves and other classmates or they will face criminal charges.

Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood, N.J., is in the midst of a police investigation after a number of female students sent nude photos to a male classmate. The photos, unbeknownst to the females, were posted online for other classmates to see.

Several students and parents told the Ridgewood Patch that multiple Ridgewood students sent the photos using the Snapchat application. The app is supposed to delete photos between two and ten seconds after the picture is sent to the other person. This has led to the social media site being used more frequently for sexting, which is the sending and receiving illicit photos.

The scenario turned into a girl’s worst nightmare as an unidentified male student took screenshots of the nude photos and proceeded to create and post the photos on an Instagram account. Once the photos were put on the site, it began being passed and shared online.

“Everybody got it in 10 minutes,” one unnamed student said. “They show their faces right in the picture, so you know it’s them. It’s so dumb.

https://www.idigitaltimes.com/articles/15951/20130314/ridgewood-nj-high-school-nude-photo-scandal.htm

Ridgewood Council hopes for no tax increase
Thursday March 14, 2013, 5:24 PM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

The Ridgewood governing body hopes to produce a 2013 budget containing a zero percent municipal tax increase, but council members agree that their efforts should not result in employee layoffs.

A preliminary spending plan detailed by Village Manager Ken Gabbert last week represented a 1.5 percent tax increase over last year, upping the average tax bill by $225. The proposal included roughly $600,000 of added revenue and expense reductions, but still left the council searching for another $460,000 in order to reach a flat tax.

The total budget, offered this month as merely a working draft, stood at $44.9 million, a figure that did not include any staff reductions or layoffs. In comparison, the 2012 total budget was $45.2 million.

“We’re under last year’s budget by $240,000 … but because of the way structure is, there is still a tax increase,” Gabbert said. “The task was to keep the tax collected from the residents equal to 2012.”

The difference between last year’s tax levy and the figure based on the 2013 draft is $1.1 million.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/198254521_Ridgewood_Council_hopes_for_no_tax_increase.html

Ridgewood School District Superintendent Daniel Fishbein responds to reports of Ridgewood students “sexting and cyber bullying at RHS

Click below to read a letter sent today to Grades 6-12 parents and guardians, regarding the use of social media apps to send inappropriate messaging via cell phones and computers.

Children found to have created transmitted or possessed am illegal image /movie maybe charged under New Jersey Statute 2c:24-4 “endangering the Welfare of a children.

This comes just weeks after schools revised there PDA and technology policies incorporating Internet-based programs, applications and videos into their lesson plans, as well as allowing childern to bring and use laptops, smart phones and tablets to schools .

Ridgewood Police also report that on March 6, 2013 two Ridgewood Board of Education employees from George Washington Middle School reported that I pads had been stolen from their classrooms. The thefts had occurred in the past and are under investigation by the Ridgewood Detective Bureau.

Yesterday RHS Principal Tom Gorman sent out email to staff apologizing for not talking to them about the situation sooner .

Ridgewood Police Announce Amnesty for SEXTER’s till March 18th 7am

https://tinyurl.com/ckckd9h

Ridgewood Police use RHS “Sexting” Scandal as opportunity to Raise Revenue for the Village  
March 14,2013
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Readers report Ridgewood PD out in force ticketing Media vehicles. A reader reports ” I watched the cops give out several tickets on cottage to news vans parked in front of the boe building i guess the cops saw this as a money making opportunity”

While others and we suspect media outlets criticize police actions ; “Do the Ridgewood police have nothing better to do than to harass news media organizations trying to cover the event by bullying them about parking near the high school? Get a real job boys!

Rex Brown at Bookends Thursday, March 14

Ridgewood NJ , Thursday, March 14 @ 6:00PM,Bassist for Band Pantera, Rex Brown, will sign his new book: Official Truth, 101 Proof  .Books available March 12th.

Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change. Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.

While we try to insure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed.  We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.

Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ   07450   201-445-0726

Mississippi first state in the nation to pass ‘anti-Bloomberg bill

Bill bans local limits on portion sizes and requirements to post calorie counts

The bill was authored by state Sen. Tony Smith, a Republican who owns the Stonewall’s BBQ chain, who said government shouldn’t tell people what they cannot eat.

By Kristen A. Lee / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Tuesday, March 12, 2013, 7:59 PM
Updated: Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 9:00 AM

Mississippi passed its ‘anti-Bloomberg bill,’ which doesn’t limit portion sizes or force restaurants to post calorie counts, ideas pushed by Mayor Bloomberg in New York City.

Lawmakers in Mississippi — the most obese state in the nation — have overwhelmingly approved what they’re calling the “anti-Bloomberg bill.”

It would ban communities from requiring restaurants to post calorie counts on menus or limit portion sizes, as Mayor Bloomberg tried to do with his proposed ban on large sodas.  Also forbidden: any local rule banning toys from being distributed with kids’ meals.

The governor is expected to sign it.

Read more: https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/passes-anti-bloomberg-bill-bans-limits-portions-posting-calorie-counts-article-1.1286804#ixzz2NVH6lfUe

Sexting at Ridgewood High School under investigation
Wednesday March 13, 2013, 7:59 PM
BY  CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
The Record

RIDGEWOOD — Police are investigating the alleged transmission of nude photos between a number of Ridgewood high school students, a school official said this week.

Hours after sending a letter home to parents about what he characterized as “improper behavior,” Ridgewood Superintendent Daniel Fishbein told the Record Wednesday that officials learned Friday that naked photos of male and female students were making the internet rounds.

“It is under an active police investigation right now, so I can’t really discuss it,” Fishbeing said. “This did not happen in school; it was just brought to the attention of school personnel and that’s when we called the police in.”

Fishbein’s letter — which was sent to parents of both middle and high school students — claims students used social media apps to share “naked or semi-naked” images.

“Some of our Ridgewood High School students may be engaging in this improper behavior,” reads the letter. “This matter is a serious issue that demands a prompt and appropriate response.”

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

Ridgewood High School Students Have “Fun with Physics” Thanks to a Grant From The Valley Hospital and The Ridgewood Education Foundation
March 11, 2013

Ridgewood NJ, Students at Ridgewood High School recently participated in a new program called Fun with Physics in all Sciences, thanks to a classroom grant funded by The Valley Hospital and The Ridgewood Education Foundation.

Fun with Physics was presented by Dave Maiullo, from the Department of Physics and
Astronomy at Rutgers University.  The demonstration used smoke, fire, and many other processes and techniques to demonstrate principles of physics in a real-world context.

The Valley Hospital has made a generous donation to the Ridgewood Education Foundation (REF) to support health and science programs in the Ridgewood Public Schools.  This is one of 5 classroom grants Valley co-funded with the REF this year.  The Ridgewood Education Foundation supports programs in the classroom and the community that enhance educational excellence in Ridgewood public Schools.

Shown here, left to right are:  Sandy Kunzle, Biophysical Science Teacher, Ridgewood High School; Tom Gorman, Principal, Ridgewood High School; Roberta Sonenfeld, Vice President, Ridgewood Education Foundation;  Dave Miaullo, Head, Physics Department Physics Outreach Program, Rutgers University;  Megan Fraser, Vice President, Communications and Marketing, The Valley Hospital; Harold Nelson, Physics Teacher, Ridgewood High School; Nancy Reilly, Physics Teacher, Ridgewood High School; and Kyle Narcoonis and Joey Reichert, Assistants, Physics Department Physics Outreach Program, Rutgers University