Author: James

Book drive for Paterson kids gets help from unlikely sources
Thursday, February 28, 2013
BY  TATIANA SCHLOSSBERG
STAFF WRITER
The Record

PATERSON – The Big Book Drive has raised donations of perhaps thousands of books for Paterson children, but now help is being offered from all directions — from a regional food bank, to anonymous teachers, to a junk-hauling business, to a Ridgewood restaurant.

CUMAC/ECHO, the city-based regional food bank, has committed to accepting, sorting and delivering more than 1,000 books to be donated by a teacher who wants to remain anonymous.

And the removal company 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has volunteered to help transport large amounts of books in its distinctive blue, white and green trucks.

The book drive, which began last week, is being led by the Paterson Free Public Library and The Record and Herald News, with the Ridgewood and Fair Lawn libraries, and aims to collect as many books as possible to give to Paterson children to take home.

An elementary school teacher in Bergen County, also asking to be anonymous, promised to purchase $1,000 worth of books at a local independent bookstore to donate to the Paterson library.

The library wants to distribute donated books to city children in April at the opening of a new branch. Ridgewood Fare, a restaurant and catering company, offered to help supply food for the branch opening.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/193751271_Book_drive_for_Paterson_kids_gets_help_from_unlikely_sources_contributes_to_book_drive.html#sthash.bV14DsMw.dpuf

MAYOR’S OFFICE HOURS FOR RIDGEWOOD RESIDENTS – Saturday, March 2, 2013

Mayor Paul Aronsohn will be holding office hours for Ridgewood residents on the first Saturday of every month from 9:00 a.m. to Noon in the Council Chambers (Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room) on the fourth floor of Ridgewood Village Hall. The next session will be Saturday, March 2, 2013.

Village Council and Ridgewood Board Meetings

02/12/13     7:30PM     Board of Adjustment Public Meeting
02/13/13     8:00PM     Village Council Public Meeting
02/19/13     7:30PM     Planning Board Public Meeting CANCELLED
02/25/13     8:00PM     Village Council Special Public Budget Meeting
02/26/13     7:30PM     Village Council Special Public Budget Meeting
02/26/13     7:30PM     Board of Adjustment Public Meeting
02/27/13     7:30PM     Village Council Public Work Session
02/28/13     7:30PM     Planning Board Special Public Meeting
03/05/13     7:30PM     Planning Board Public Meeting
03/06/13     7:30PM     Village Council Public Work Session
03/11/13     7:30PM     Planning Board Special Public Meeting
03/12/13     7:30PM     Board of Adjustment Public Meeting
03/13/13     8:00PM     Village Council Public Meeting
03/15/13     7:30PM     Village Council Special Budget Meeting
03/18/13     7:30PM     Board of Education and Village Council Joint Meeting

Reader says We need to continue to keep Valley in check

The second that everyone read last week’s Time magazine (cover story -Bitter Pill).
It explains how all the non-profit hospitals make a fortune by substantially overcharging for just about everything. They then need to reinvest the profit in continuous growth.

Another interesting thing. If Valley is the same as the hospitals in the article, all those nice photos of fund raisers we see in the Ridgewood News every other week represent less than 1% of annual revenue.

We need to continue to keep Valley in check. If they really need to expand so dramatically, then move out of a residential neighborhood and find a nice parcel close by in Paramus in a more commercial zone.

https://www.bergen.com/topstories/Food_News_Ridgewood_Fare_holds_grand_opening_in_Ridgewood.html?photo=2&c=y

rendering of the previous Valley Expansion plan

Valley Hospital New Plan same as the Old Plan
February 28th 2013
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, It goes with out saying that more than a year after Valley’s mishandled huge expansion plan to double its size was resoundingly rejected by the residents of  Ridgewood and the Village Council  The Hospital cavalierly submitted a new proposal that is virtually identical in scope and scale.

The project filed with the Ridgewood Planning Board this week still calls for the hospital to increase significantly from 570,000 to 910,000 square feet, excluding parking and includes buildings up to 94 feet high on a site in the middle of a residential neighborhood. https://www.northjersey.com/news/Valley_Hospital_submits_new_plan_to_expand.html#sthash.BLlIn46A.dpuf

In utter disregard for the residents of Ridgewood Valley’s management seems tone def to public skepticism as to the hospital expansion leaving only neighborhood watch dog CRR looking more out of the loop apparently thinking Valley would offer a more acceptable revised plan .

One can only wonder if Valley feels so confident in its current stacked deck at Village hall ,that it will take little effort to jam this over-sized elephant  down the throats of Village residents .

Sourced:

https://www.bergen.com/topstories/Food_News_Ridgewood_Fare_holds_grand_opening_in_Ridgewood.html?photo=2&c=y

https://www.northjersey.com/news/Valley_Hospital_submits_new_plan_to_expand.html#sthash.BLlIn46A.dpuf

Christie: Obama to blame if compromise not reached on federal budget cuts
Wednesday February 27, 2013, 12:51 PM
BY  MELISSA HAYES
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
The Record

From the Political State blog on NorthJersey.com

Governor Christie said President Obama must take the blame if he is unable to reach an agreement with members of Congress that would halt automatic budget cuts, set to take affect Friday.

“The person that has to shoulder the blame is the President, because he’s the one we elect to lead,” Christie during an event in Montville Wednesday morning.

A resident asked Christie, who has worked with Democrats to pass legislation in New Jersey, why he isn’t calling Obama and offering advice for how to deal with the budget cuts, known as sequester.

“I find it kind of hard to believe that we can’t find $44 billion to cut in a $3.6 trillion budget and not bring America to its knees,” Christie said.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/Christie_Obama_to_blame_if_compromise_not_reached_on_federal_budget_cuts.html#sthash.h62z86gp.dpuf

Ridgewood’s reassessment shows decrease in overall property values
Wednesday February 27, 2013, 4:27 PM
BY  DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

The total worth of all Ridgewood property will likely decrease between 13 and 14 percent, a figure that might affect homeowners’ municipal tax bills this year, village finance officials said Monday.

Approximately 90 percent of Ridgewood’s village-wide reassessment was verified when tax assessor Michael Barker addressed the Village Council earlier this week and discussed the potential impact that new property values will have. Definitive numbers and values were not yet available.

Ridgewood is currently notifying residents of their individual results from last year’s reassessment, the first complete property appraisal since the 2008 revaluation. The reassessment, performed by Appraisal Systems Inc., is also the village’s first since the real estate bubble burst, which caused a downward spiral and rapid decline in the previously robust housing market.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/193650031_Ridgewood_s_reassessment_shows_decrease_in_overall_property_values.html#sthash.tCYa6GRm.dpuf

Candidates are Announced for April 16 School Election

The Ridgewood Board of Education will have two vacancies in the Tuesday, April 16 Annual School Election. Up for re-election are current Trustees Michele Lenhard and James Morgan, who will each run unopposed for another three-year term.

Any Ridgewood resident who is a registered voter may cast a ballot in the Annual School Election. Voting takes place at regular polling locations from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition, any registered voter may choose to cast a ballot by mail.

Click here to download a Voter Registration Application form. Registration must take place by Tuesday, March 26.https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/elections/PDFs/VoterRegEng.pdf

Click here to download a vote-by-mail / mail-in ballot application.https://www.bergencountyclerk.org/web_content/pdf/voting/Vote-By-Mail-Application.pdf

James Maddock – Rock and Americana Musician

Society Cafe Concert Series at Ridgewood Unitarian Society

The Society Café Concert Series offers a series of acoustic singer/songwriter, folk and Americana concerts at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood. Wine, dessert and coffee, all provided by local vendors, are available before the shows and during intermission. The next concert will be on Saturday evening, March 2nd, and features rock / Americana musician James Maddock. British born James Maddock was first recognized in the U.S. as leader of the band Wood (Songs From Stamford Hill – Columbia Records), when the band toured with Paula Cole and Train. Songs from Stamford Hill, which remains a fan favorite ten years later, produced a Top 5 Triple A hit (“Stay You”) and was featured on the TV drama “Dawson’s Creek”. In 2009 Maddock released the exquisite collection of songs, Sunrise On Avenue C, for which he won the 2010-11 New York Music Award for Best Americana Album. Maddock followed Sunrise in 2011 with Wake Up and Dream,which NYC’s WFUV 2011 Listener’s Poll named one of the top albums of 2011. He has just released a new album, Another Life. “His timeless songwriting style, which seems to draw from great songwriters of every era, conveys quiet confidence and lovely intimacy.” – National Public Radio Show starts at 8. We start serving wine and dessert at 7 when doors open.

Advance tickets are $20 and can be purchased via PayPal on the Society Café website, www.societycafeconcertseries.com. Tickets are $25 the night of the concert. For any booking inquiries or information about the series, contact Mark Meding at [email protected]. The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood is located at 113 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, www.uuridgewood.org. Office: 201-444-6225

Liga Privada @ Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood

A new shipment of Liga Privada has arrived!

T52’s, No. 9’s, Dirty Rats
& Feral Flying Pigs

Certain Limits May Apply

Now 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

CVS agrees to pay $650,000 after giving customers wrong prescription pills
By Star-Ledger Staff
on February 25, 2013 at 11:16 AM, updated February 25, 2013 at 10:16 PM

By Amy Ellis Nutt and Christopher Baxter / STAR-LEDGER STAFF

TRENTON —
Pills for breast cancer patients instead of chewable fluoride tablets for children; a drug for schizophrenia instead of a drug for high blood pressure; pills to fight cholesterol instead of pills to treat diabetes.

These are a few of the errors made by five CVS pharmacies in three New Jersey counties from Dec. 1, 2011, to March 24, 2012, according to a report released today by the state Division of Consumer Affairs.

In announcing that his office had concluded a nearly yearlong investigation into a medication mix-up at a CVS in Chatham last March, State Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa disclosed that CVS stores in Budd Lake, Cherry Hill, Rahway and Scotch Plains had collectively filled dozens of incorrect prescriptions by mixing different medications in the same bottles.

All of the incidents apparently occurred last March, with one incident resulting in an emergency room visit.

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/02/cvs_agrees_to_pay_650000_after.html

Tradition of Excellence ?

Ridgewood School District promotes wellness

Editors Note : better balance or encouraging laziness and failure  or maybe schools should focus on more substantive learning instead of all this PC gobble-gong ?

Monday February 25, 2013, 2:06 PM
BY  LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News

Reel Link Films, the organization behind the 2009 documentary “Race to Nowhere: The Dark Side of America’s Achievement Culture,” has featured Ridgewood High School (RHS) in documentary spots, commending its recent initiatives for student wellness. Highlighted are its homework-free school breaks and occasional “sleep-in days,” which began last June.

“It’s happening in Ridgewood, New Jersey,” said filmmaker Vicki Abeles in an email sent to supporters this January.

In an online sample letter advocating homework-free breaks, which the Race to Nowhere team encourages individuals to send to their district representatives, the team calls Ridgewood a “success story.”

But, all this begs the questions, have RHS’ breaks and later school start times been a success?

Based on the responses of some administrators and parents, some of whom may have seen their children do schoolwork during February break this past week, the answer seems to be that there have been positive changes, but some issues have stayed at the status quo.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/193083221_Ridgewood_School_District_promotes_wellness.html

file photo “Valley Renewal ” stopvalley.com BF view

Valley Hospital submits new plan to expand
Wednesday February 27, 2013, 12:05 AM
BY  MARY JO LAYTON, BARBARA WILLIAMS AND COLLEEN DISKIN
STAFF WRITERS
The Record

More than a year after its plan to double in size was rejected in Ridgewood, The Valley Hospital submitted a new proposal this week that offers little change in scale or design.

The project filed with the Ridgewood Planning Board this week still calls for the hospital to increase significantly — from 570,000 to 910,000 square feet, excluding parking — and includes buildings up to 94 feet high on a site in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

“I was under the impression that if Valley came back with a change, it would be a substantial change,” said Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh. “I’m not seeing drastic changes.”

A leader for a residents’ group echoed Walsh’s comments and predicted a tough sell for many in the community that fought Valley’s previous proposal for a $750 million expansion.

“It’s still about 75 percent bigger than the existing hospital,” said Peter McKenna, president of Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, a group that has repeatedly called for a smaller expansion.

Valley officials say the project is essential to helping one of the state’s top-rated hospitals remain competitive with cutting edge technology and single-patient rooms.

“We look forward to presenting the details of the modified plan and to demonstrating how the changes we have made will positively impact the community,” Megan Fraser, a Valley spokeswoman, said on Tuesday.

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

https://www.bergen.com/topstories/Food_News_Ridgewood_Fare_holds_grand_opening_in_Ridgewood.html?photo=2&c=y