The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
>Barack Obama made politics cool again,but now most students have moved on
For college students, it’s so not ‘08
On college campuses where Barack Obama made politics cool again, most students have moved on.
They’ve quit bugging their friends about change, they’re no longer trying to sign up new voters and the knock-on-door day trips now draw only the most hard-core. (Negrin, Politico)
https://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/44093.html#ixzz13MVIZ6Ma
>Assembly bill would bind arbitrators in effort to keep tax hikes in check
TRENTON – Ask a New Jersey mayor what he or she needs most to keep property-tax increases in check and chances are you’ll hear about changing the salary-arbitration process for police and firefighters. (Lu, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
>CRR was directed to the tread over the weekend. Whoever posted this tread implies that this was done on behalf of CRR.
CRR states categorically that this thread was NOT issued or sanctioned by CRR, its Steering Committee or Officers. CRR does NOT condone personal attacks innuendo or slander.
Paul Gould on behalf of Concerned Residents of Ridgewood
Village Council Elections: We feel Steve will look out for the majority of Ridgewood residents
1110, Steve clearly has a platform other than Valley. at least as much as any of the other candidates. read the ridgewood news profile. all of the candidates like graydon more or less in its current form, want to improve the downtown, want to lower taxes somehow, etc.
who’s Steve running against?
Forenza – a Valley shill
Lembo – effectively a Valley shill (he worked there and his wife works there. how do you think he’ll vote?)
Train – has some good ideas but is unelectable
Wellinghorst has proven government experience (no matter how much some foes try to belittle it. just like bernie walsh was belittled for her experience). What the town will gain from Steve’s experience, both as an attorney and with his work as a planning board attorney and on the zoning board, is another perspective on the direction this town is headed. the previous administration totally caved to Valley (changed the laws to let Valley rewrite the zoning and then the PB rubberstamped Valleys recommendations) as opposed to listening to residents about what they want. We feel Steve will look out for the majority of Ridgewood residents. Ridgewood CAN improve without setting forth dangerous precedents regarding the growth of business in this town. And make no mistake about it, Valley is a business.
We’ve said all along that we are not against Valley. We feel that Valley has tried to go to the well one too many times when it comes to its ambition of becoming a truly regional medical center in our town. We fully support modernization within reason and hope that any savings that can be obtained by scaling back expansion in Ridgewood can be channeled into a cooperative agreement with Hackensack or an alternative provider to improve the Pascack Valley facility.
So, please recognize that the CRR does respect Valley’s purpose and mission but insists that Valley’s wants need to be sensitive to the impact on the neighborhood and the Village as a whole. As it stands, Valley has not done a whole lot of compromising on any material issues.
>Gov. Christie extends deadline to consider Hudson River rail tunnel
TRENTON — It appears the deadline has been extended to determine whether to continue the biggest public works project under way in the nation.
Gov. Chris Christie had said he would tell U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today whether he would stand by his decision to scrap a new rail tunnel linking the Garden State with New York City. (The Associated Press)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/gov_christie_extends_deadline.html
>BREAKING: CRR ENDORSES STEPHEN WELLINGHORST
Concerned Residents of Ridgewood has decided to endorse Stephen Wellinghorst in the upcoming Nov 2nd election for Council.
Over the last month CRR has reviewed each candidate’s, platform, statements made by the candidates in the media, witnessed their performance at the debate, and most importantly, interviewed each candidate personally. The personal interviews covered a wide range of topics including; revitalizing downtown, the current fiscal crisis, parking, Graydon Pool, Valley, safety, and the candidate’s vision for Ridgewood.
“We are looking for a candidate that fulfills the following criteria”, said Paul Gould, spokesperson for the group. “Credibility, aligned with our platform on a broad range of critical Village issues, electability, and the candidate’s ability to work with the existing Council. We feel that Stephen Wellinghorst scores best on all these measures and so he has received CRR’s endorsement for Nov 2nd.”
Asked about the current situation with the legal case Gould said that, membership of CRR continues to grow from all neighborhoods and people’s resolve remains strong. “We are currently focused on building up our legal fund and preparing for the court battles that are coming” he said. “We call on new members to join us in this fight to preserve Ridgewood’s character in the interests of all Ridgewood residents.”
>Candidates’ Night Bombshell – Russell Forenza and Louis Lembo Reveal Ties to The Valley Hospital
During Wednesday evening’s Candidates’ Night, candidates for Village Council Russell Forenza and Louis Lembo revealed that they each have a close relative who is currently employed by The Valley Hospital. In Mr. Lembo’s case, it is his wife. Mr. Forenza did not reveal who the relative is.
This being the case, The Fly questions whether either of these gentlemen could legally vote on any ordinance involving The Valley Hospital if they were elected to the Village Council?
Thoughts anyone?
>Audit of N.J. Turnpike Authority finds $43M in waste during tough economy
Who knew that there is a business that gives bonuses for shoveling snow or working on your birthday, that throws a $10,000 event that nobody attends and pays for an employee bowling league?
Where is this workplace paradise?
That would be your own New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
“It’s amazing when you peel back the curtain — sometimes you see waste and corruption,” Peter Kennedy of New York City said between Exits 12 and 11. “It’s upsetting when you see the perks.”
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/audit_of_nj_turnpike_authority.html#incart_hbx
>
Contrary to popular belief, drivers in red cars don’t get ticketed more often than their less-flashy comrades. Middle-aged males with a thing for foreign brands, on the other hand, had better watch out.
Men who drive a Volkswagen GTI or Mercedes-Benz CLS-63 AMG are twice as likely to get a ticket than the average driver. If they’re in a Hummer, they might as well plan on it–drivers of the Hummer H2 face more than triple the chances of a citation.
“It’s the combination of the male driver driving the big old Hummer and a mid-life kind of person feeling good,” says Bob U’Ren, senior vice president at Quality Planning, a San Francisco-based company that validates policyholder information for auto insurers. “That’s the magical combination that drives some of these things.
To determine the cars most likely to get a ticket, Quality Planning’s analysts looked at traffic violation data from February 2009 through February 2010, counting the number of violations racked up by different car models. To account for the difference in number of cars on the road, they averaged the violation count per 100,000 miles driven. Vehicles that have been discontinued for more than 10 years were not included in the analysis.
The most-ticketed car on the road, the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, is a two-door luxury convertible–suggested retail price for a SL550 Roadster is $102,600. Drivers of these cars are four times more likely to get a ticket than the average person.
Luxury coupes and sedans dominate our list: Only one SUV (the Hummer H2) and two hatchbacks (the Scion xB and Volkswagen GTI) appear on the top 10, and no minivans or wagons.
In fact, according to Quality Planning data, 8 of the 10 least-ticketed cars are SUVs and minivans. U’Ren says that’s because drivers who carry multiple passengers–especially young passengers in car seats–significantly alter the way they drive. (For example, it’s likely many drivers of No. 3, the Scion tC coupe, aren’t toting kids.)
Our list of the cars most likely to get a ticket includes only two autos manufactured by Detroit’s Big Three, both of them discontinued: the Hummer H2 and the Pontiac Grand Prix. Drivers of GM’s discontinued sedan are almost twice as likely than the average commuter to be ticketed behind the wheel.
Another standout on the list: the Toyota Camry. Not known for its glamour or luxury, it makes the list for reasons having little to do with its mainstream popularity. U’Ren says there’s a large segment of Camry drivers who are proportionally disposed for violations: older women, who are less likely to be driving with kids. It’s also important to remember that this segment includes the Solara coupe–a sportier version than the ho-hum Camry sedan. “Sixty percent of those drivers are female, and they’re a little bit older–50 years old on average,” U’Ren says. “That’s the profile of the type of person that would buy and drive a Camry and Solara–and drive it quickly.”
Full Story:
https://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/1546/Cars-Most-Likely-To-Get-A-Ticket
>CHECK-OUT HUNGER RETURNS FOR 20th ANNIVERSARY YEAR
HILLSIDE, N.J. – Check-Out Hunger, an annual front-end awareness and fund raiser for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, will be marking its 20th year milestone this fall. This campaign, which began in New Jersey, is run at supermarket chains across the northeast.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey reports that need for nutritious food is up 30-40 percent at its partner agencies (soup kitchens, pantries, shelters, etc) this year.
In 2009 Check-Out Hunger crossed the $2 Million plateau for the first time. The campaign raised $2,093, 086 for food banks across the state. Since 1992, millions of people have supported the program at food markets and online at https://www.checkouthungernj.org/.
Participating food markets include A&P, Food Basics, Foodtown, Kings, Pathmark, Shop Rite, Super Fresh, Wawa, and Wegmans.
This campaign was developed by the Community FoodBank in conjunction with the New Jersey Food Council and supermarket chains with headquarters in New Jersey. Currently the Community FoodBank of New Jersey administers the regional campaign with 14 chains for 32 food banks and affiliates in 9 states and the District of Columbia.
The Community FoodBank of New Jersey, a member of Feeding America, distributed 35 million pounds of food in the last year to people in need in 18 of New Jersey’s 21 counties. Its staff and volunteers fight hunger and poverty not only through the distribution of food and grocery products, but by education and training, and by creating new programs to meet the needs of low-income people. The Community FoodBank of New Jersey has earned Charity Navigator’s highest honor, a four-star rating.
>School Reuse Challenge Fundraiser
The daughter of the man who invented the plastic grocery sack, Kristen Brown, is leading a grassroots effort to change behavior in New Jersey towards reuse. In partnership with Kings Super Markets, 46 New Jersey schools are taking the School Reuse Challenge this fall. The Challenge is a fundraiser that pairs schools with local grocery stores to ignite the switch from disposable plastic and paper bags to reusable. To prove their commitment to sustainability, Kings is offering to donate thousands of dollars to participating NJ schools.
The following schools in your area are participating:
Hawes Elementary School
ECLC of New Jersey Ho Ho-kus
Ridgewood High School- Environmental Club
Be Part of the Evolution!
For more information, please see attached press release.
Natalia Fuentes
MY ECO
Office: 206.718.5048
Mobile: 803.517.6515
natalia@getmyeco.com
www.getMYECO.com
>Village Council Elections : Russell Forenza hits the world wide web https://sites.google.com/site/russforenza/
Charitable Donations to the Town. I am fundamentally opposed to “pay to play,” but the situation involving the Bolger Foundation deserved more respect. The next councilperson should actively recruit civically-minded philanthropists like Mr. Bolger to keep the bills down for everyone else.
Public Access. Democracy works best when all its citizens are informed. At present, only select cable providers broadcast our town council meetings. This is a disservice to both the council and the people it serves, and I would like to correct it.
Graydon Pool. I am an advocate of most anything that moves our town forward. But progress can’t run rough-shod over our neighbors on fixed and moderate incomes. Any renovations to Graydon should be tempered by its impact on the average taxpayer.
Land Use. Habernickel Park, the corner of Linwood and Paramus Road, the Schedler lot, the Brogan Cadillac site… these are properties that people have high emotions about. As councilman, I would like to host a “town hall” meeting to foster an open dialog about the issues surrounding these spaces.
Local Administrators.
There is little that council can do about D.O.E. salaries, which are determined by the Board of Education. But council can—and should—revisit the salary and fringe benefits awarded to our most senior employees. The public should also be made aware of what provisions have been implemented in the wake of municipal layoffs in various village departments.
Procurement. Our purchasing orders and contracts deserve a full, transparent review. If elected to council, I would like to facilitate just that.
Commerce. The market will ultimately determine where our ratables go, but we still need to support our friends and neighbors downtown: our local merchants who pay taxes, bring in revenue, and add to our culture.
Pedestrian Safety. Ensuring pedestrian safety is a top priority. I support the planning board in its recent attempts to make our downtown more pedestrian friendly, and I would sincerely like to work with them in any effort to make our roads and crosswalks safer for our children and families.
Property Taxes. I would bring an entire career of budget and finance experience to the council. As the Budget Officer for New Jersey’s third largest city, I have 19 years of professional experience balancing very large, complex, and nuanced municipal budgets. In this economy, families are tightening their wallets. In the absence of municipal aid and other sources of funding… so, too, must our beloved Ridgewood.
Valley Hospital. Valley is my neighbor. My house is three blocks away. I have lived through prior renovations and I support this one. Let me be clear: I have a vested interest in opposing any renewal that is outside the letter of the law (we all do), but—within reason— we owe it to ourselves to keep our families healthy and our hospital current. If elected, I will monitor Valley’s construction compliance, in accord with their obligation to our town and its character.
Services and Programs. Like most Ridgewood residents, I support increased efficiency in municipal services like sanitation, snow removal, and road resurfacing. I’d like to go one stop further, though, and mention the value of our family programs: our Fourth of July parade, our Memorial Day Run, our tree lighting ceremony… these are the hallmarks of our community, and they need to be preserved.
Youth and Family. Ridgewood is a great town. So many people are proud to call it home. Among other things, we have great schools, great commerce, and fine dining. In times of crisis, we come together as friends and neighbors. We have an authentic character. As a lifelong resident, I have a vested interest in preserving and promoting our character in pursuit of the common good.
Transparency in Government. Here, I’ve spelled out my positions on some hot-button issues—even the most contentious ones. I recognize my opinions won’t bode well with everyone, but that’s politics: the choice is yours. Nevertheless, I hope you’ll consider the honesty with which I have stated my case, and I hope you will contact me if you have additional questions or concerns: Russ.Forenza@gmail.com
>BOE looks to dump “drivers ed”
Looks the BOE is at it again rumors have been circulating for some time that the “drivers ed program” is once again the target of BOE for budget cuts . At a Recent BOE meeting the “financials” were looked over for the community school , and a “review” of programs was held looking at which programs met their financial targets. Not surprising the drivers education program was singled out as missing the mark with a short fall of a bit under $18,000 .
The board claims almost every program at the community school broke even including ,music photography and encore. Sports, you guessed it make the largest contribution to renues with a large assortment of programs. Personnel costs , cars and equipment are all being pointed at for the financial under performance of the “drivers ed program”and the BOE is considering raising fees ,but like last time bets are the program is going to get the axe and parents will once again be held hostage and forced to kick in more doe.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
>Are New Jersey public officials required to report a bribe?
Monday, October 11, 2010
By MIKE KELLY
RECORD COLUMNIST
Imagine this scene.
A mayor of a New Jersey town meets with a developer who wants to build an office complex. The developer asks for a hassle-free approval for the project and hands the mayor a bag of cash – a classic bribe.
The mayor refuses the money, but then faces this question: Does the law require him to call police and report that a bribe has been attempted?
In New Jersey, the answer is no.
As our tarnished state endures yet another public corruption trial – this time, involving Ridgefield Mayor Anthony R. Suarez in federal court in Newark — it’s worth pointing out that our anti-bribery laws have a massive hole.
Yes, taking a bribe is a crime. But not blowing the whistle on an attempted briber is not.
Shocked? Don’t be. This is New Jersey. Loopholes are like potholes. We live with them.
We all know that officials are not supposed to take bribes – hopefully, this is not shocking news. But what may be shocking to some is that public officials don’t have to tell anyone if someone tries to attempt to bribe them.
full story:
https://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/kelly/104688144_A_hole_in_our_laws_against_bribery.html
>BOOKENDS October: Apolo Ohno,Meadowlark Lemon,Kat Von D,Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield
Wednesday, October 13th @ 1:00pm
Musician, Rick Springfield, will sign his new book: Late, Late at Night.
Books available: Oct. 12th
Kat Von D
Wednesday, October 27th @ 7:00pm
Star of L.A. Ink. Kat Von D, will sign her new book: The Tattoo Chronicles.
Books available: Oct. 26th.
Meadowlark Lemon
Thursday, October 28th @ 4:30pm
Legendary Harlem Globetrotter, Meadowlark Lemon, will sign his new book: Trust Your Next Shot. Books available: Oct. 15th
Thursday, October 28th @ 7:00pm
Gold medal-winning Speed Skater, Apolo Ohno, will sign his new book: Zero Regrets.
Books available: Oct. 26th
>Al Qaeda Suspect Worked at PSE&G Nuclear Plant
“Perhaps the Police should spend a little less time harassing motorist and bit more time getting back to real Police work and an obvious mistake like this would have been avoided?”
Ok folks sorry for the misunderstanding the staffs comment above has nothing to do with the Ridgewood Police Department at all! . The Term “Police” was used in general generic terms. Obviously there is no nuclear power plant in Ridgewood ..yet .
But we do stick by the statement the the “Police” should be more involved in the pursuit of terror suspects where ever they are working and keeping the public safe. After all the “Police” can kick your door down if your 17 year old enjoys a beer with you while watching a football game . The “Police” can also pull you over with almost any excuse on the road and in Municipal court their word goes unchallenged. Obvious drivers get many tickets they deserve ,but using the Police as tax collectors or letting unions decide what is or is not “Police” business is totally unacceptable. If you can pull over a young driver because he or she does not have the right color sticker on his or her car, then you can certainly expect the “Police” to pay some attention when the known Al Quada operative is working at your local nuclear power plant .
As for “over zealous ticketing”, lets face it its true in many places and statistically easy to prove.Since I travel a lot and I find if I avoid certain towns I just don’t get any tickets at all end of story .So if you feel a town is over zealous the Ridgewood blog suggests you boycott it ,never spend any money there ever . It is a lot easier than you think .I no longer frequent the Jersey Shore for this very reason there are just too many over places to go to the beach , who needs the hassle.
thanks
PJ Blogger
Al Qaeda Suspect Worked at 5 U.S. Nuclear Plants
Published March 12, 2010 | AP
https://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/12/al-qaeda-suspect-worked-nuclear-plants/
Before he was rounded up in a sweep of suspected Al Qaeda terrorists in Yemen, Sharif Mobley was a laborer at five nuclear plant complexes in Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Authorities are investigating whether he might have had any access to sensitive information that would have been useful to terrorists.
Edwin Lyman, a senior staff scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, a watchdog of the nuclear power industry, said the case raises questions about security at the nation’s nuclear power plants — even though Mobley has not been linked to any wrongdoing at any of them.
Some of the information used to give temporary workers like Mobley clearance comes from other nuclear power companies and is sometimes incomplete, Lyman said.
“The real question is: Was there information that the NRC or utilities could have seen that would have led to his disqualification?” Lyman asked.
Meanwhile, a law enforcement official said Friday that the U.S. government was aware of Mobley’s potential extremist ties before Yemeni officials arrested him, but did not provide a time frame or details about what exactly was known about him.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday that Mobley worked between 2002 and 2008 for contractors who did work at the Salem and Hope Creek plants in New Jersey; the Peach Bottom, Limerick and Three Mile Island facilities in Pennsylvania; and Calvert Cliffs in Maryland.
Officials at PSEG Nuclear, which runs the complex in New Jersey, say he carried supplies and worked on routine maintenance mostly during periodic refueling outages, when hundreds of contracted employees descend upon the plants.
full story:
https://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/12/al-qaeda-suspect-worked-nuclear-plants/
