Sarah Nolan , Staff Writer, @sarnolan5:59 p.m. EST December 22, 2016
The borough’s affordable housing obligation would be cut from 278 units to 30 under the proposed agreement.
HO-HO-KUS — The borough will build 13 homes for low- to moderate-income residents and a developer will reduce the number of houses it builds in town as part of proposed settlement agreements announced by borough officials this week.
Borough Administrator William Jones shared overviews of the proposed agreements with the Fair Share Housing Center and Chamberlain Developers at a Borough Council meeting Tuesday “in the hopes of ending what has been a year of speculation and wild rumors that have carried on,” he said.
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page Tractor Trailer Rollover Impacts Christmas Shoppers Using Route 17 and Route 4
December 22,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Paramus NJ, A flatbed tractor trailer carrying building materials rolled over on Route 4 Westbound after exiting the ramp from Route 17 Southbound on Thursday morning, 12/22. The truck driver was uninjured in the mishap. Local lanes of Route 4 Westbound were closed between Route 17 Southbound and the Garden State Parkway until the scene was cleared of the wrecked vehicle and debris. Response by Paramus PD, Paramus EMS, Bergen County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, NJ State Police, and NJDOT.
Paramus Police :The ramp from route 17 south to route 4 west is closed. Local lanes of Route 4 westbound will be closed, at route 17.Local lanes of Route 4 westbound will be closed until further 3:30 pm.
Ridgewood NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal announced the arrest of FRANCIS TATTOLI (DOB: 06/07/1992) of 258 Summer Street, Apartment 1B, East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, December 18, 2016, on charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon. The arrest is the result of a joint investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Squad under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department under the direction of Sheriff Michael Saudino, and the East Rutherford Police Department under the direction of Chief Lawrence Minda.
On Saturday December 17, 2016, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office received information from the East Rutherford Police Department that a 25-year-old female was attacked inside of 258 Summer Street, a multi-unit dwelling. The victim, identified as MONET THOMAS (DOB: 02/14/1991) of 184 Devon Street, Kearney, New Jersey, was found unresponsive and was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center in Hackensack, NJ, where she remains in critical condition.
An investigation by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Squad and the East Rutherford Police Department revealed that on Saturday, December 17, 2016, MONET THOMAS visited an acquaintance in a different apartment at 258 Summer Street. Shortly after 9:00 p.m., THOMAS left the dwelling at 258 Summer Street. Upon her return a short time later, TATTOLI attacked her, including with a knife; her body was later discovered just inside the doorway of TATTOLI’s first floor apartment. TATTOLI subsequently fled his apartment, but was soon apprehended by East Rutherford Police a short distance from the home.
As a result of the investigation, TATTOLI was arrested and charged with one count of Attempted Murder, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1a(1), a first degree crime, and one count of possession of a weapon, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C: 39-4D, a second degree crime. The Honorable Bonnie Mizdol, A.J.S.C. of Bergen County set bail at $2,000,000.00 with no ten percent option. TATTOLI appeared today before the Honorable James J. Guida, J.S.C., for a first appearance and entered a not guilty plea, and his bail was continued.
Bergen County Prosecutor Grewal states that these charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Prosecutor Grewal would also like to thank the East Rutherford Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance in this investigation.
By Claude Brodesser-Akner | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on December 15, 2016 at 3:23 PM, updated December 15, 2016 at 3:25 PM
TRENTON — A bipartisan bill that would add 20 new judges to New Jersey’s courts to help reduce the number of people in jail only because they can’t afford to post bail cleared the budget committees in the Senate and Assembly on Thursday.
The reform “will help make the state’s judicial system fairer and more effective with standards based on public safety rather than the ability to pay” for bail, said Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), one of its co-sponsors.
Currently, the average criminal defendant in New Jersey spends more than 10 months in jail awaiting trial, but in 40 percent of the cases, it’s only because they cannot afford to post bail.
CDC: Walk This Way! Taking Steps for Pedestrian Safety
December 18,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, According to the CDC and as many readers have noted over the years on the Ridgewood blog it is important to take steps to be safe when walking on roadways. This includes exercising caution at intersections and crosswalks and increasing your visibility at night by wearing retro-reflective clothing and carrying flashlights.
Walking is good for your health, and it’s good for the environment too. But before you head out on foot for a stroll, power walk, or errand, there are important safety tips to remember.
What’s the problem?
Pedestrians—people who travel by foot, wheelchair, stroller, or similar means—are among the most vulnerable users of the road.
In the next 24 hours, on average, 430 people will be treated in an emergency department for traffic-related pedestrian injuries.1 In the next 2 hours, on average, one pedestrian will die from injuries in a traffic crash.2
A total of 4, 735 pedestrians were killed in traffic deaths in 2013,2 and more than 156,000 were treated in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries. With numbers like these, it’s critical to understand the risks and learn how to stay safe.
Who’s at risk?
Pedestrians of all ages are at risk of injury or death from traffic crashes, but some people are at higher risk.
Male pedestrians are more likely to die or be injured in a motor vehicle crash than females.2
Teen and young adult (ages 15-29 years) pedestrians are more likely to be treated in emergency departments for crash-related injuries compared to any other age group.1
The rate of pedestrian death generally increases with age.2
In 2013, 34% of all pedestrians killed in traffic crashes had a blood alcohol concentration of greater than or equal to 0.08 grams per deciliter.2
As pedestrians, children are at even greater risk of injury or death from traffic crashes due to their small size, inability to judge distances and speeds, and lack of experience with traffic rules.
One in five traffic deaths among children ages 14 and under are pedestrian deaths.2
Take Steps for Safety
Whenever you’re walking, keep these tips in mind:
Whenever possible, cross the street at a designated crosswalk or intersection.
Increase your visibility at night by carrying a flashlight and wearing retro-reflective clothing.
It’s safest to walk on a sidewalk, but if one is not available, walk on the shoulder and face traffic.
Avoid distractions such as electronic devices that take your attention off the road.
By Mark Di Ionno | The Star-Ledger
on December 18, 2016 at 8:45 AM
On Friday afternoons, about 70 Muslims arrive at a municipal center for weekly prayers. They include an African-American disabled veteran and an Italian octogenarian, but most are men in their 30s and 40s, wearing ID badges from local companies.
Blue rugs are laid out, wall to wall, in two meeting rooms. Worshipers face the direction of Mecca.
On Sunday mornings, in the same town, Muslim families arrive at a public grammar school, where the cafeteria is used for Islamic religious study. On this day, three dozen children are given treats to celebrate Mawlid al-Nabi, the birthday of the prophet Mohammad. They recite poems about his teachings.
This community is not Jersey City or Paterson, both known for large Muslim populations.
It’s Bernards Township, the community recently sued by the federal Department of Justice for denying a local Islamic society’s request to build a mosque in the Liberty Corner section of town.
And while the use of town-owned buildings by Muslims demonstrates the need for a local mosque, it also suggests the town might not be as bigoted as outsiders think.
What follows is a story filled with such nuances because facts are what people make them. Let’s compare two cases that came before the town by religious organizations on the same stretch of road in the Liberty Corner section of the township.
Mohammad Ali Chaudry, president of the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge (ISBR), submitted his first application to build the mosque on April 20, 2012. It was denied last December after 39 hearings.
The Presbyterian Church down the street filed an application for a property improvement in 2011. It was denied after two hearings, and church did not appeal.
Glen Rock NJ, An adult male resident of Glen Rock was struck by a motor vehicle at the intersection of Ackerman Avenue and Rock Road in Glen Rock on Thursday evening, 12/15. The victim sustained non life threatening injuries to his arm and lower extremities. He was transported by a Glen Rock EMS ambulance to The Valley Hospital. A paramedic unit from The Valley Hospital assisted Glen Rock EMS with on scene evaluation of the patient. The driver of the vehicle involved in the incident remained at the scene and was cooperating with Glen Rock PD.
Glen Rock NJ, two (2) youths walking home from school were struck by separate motor vehicles within five (5) minutes of one another just blocks apart in Glen Rock on Thursday afternoon, 12/15. The first incident (accompanying photos) occurred on Hamilton Avenue near Rock Road – the victim here reportedly sustained non life threatening injuries to both knees and was transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital. The second incident occurred at the intersection of Harristown Road and Thurston Terrace – the victim of that incident also transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital with a non life threatening foot injury. Glen Rock PD and EMS responded to both locations. Ridgewood PD provided assistance at the intersection of Harristown Road and Thurston Terrace.
JOHN REITMEYER, ILYA MARRITZ, AND SUSAN BERFIELD | DECEMBER 13, 2016
American Dream’s developers argue that they’re not just building a mall, they’re creating a global destination
This is the second installment of Mall Madness, a five-part series on the American Dream retail and entertainment complex under construction in the Meadowlands. The series was produced through a reporting collaboration between WNYC, NJ Spotlight, and Bloomberg Businessweek. The first story and the third story, and fourth story are also available online.
As the retail industry undergoes a massive transformation thanks to new technology and online shopping, is there any mall out there that can be considered “Internet-proof?” Maybe not, but that’s exactly what Triple Five, the developer of the American Dream megamall in the Meadowlands, is betting on.
American Dream, the garish, multicolored complex that sits alongside the New Jersey Turnpike in East Rutherford, is designed to be not just a mall, but a giant entertainment destination, featuring an amusement park, full-size ice-skating rink, indoor ski slope, waterpark, towering observation wheel, and, oh yes, some stores, too.
Ridgewood NJ, Working closely with Environmental Defense Fund and Google Earth Outreach, Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE&G), New Jersey’s largest utility, is reducing methane leaks from its natural gas distribution system much faster than before, thanks to new technology developed by EDF, Google and Colorado State University. The technology is helping the utility prioritize which aging pipes are replaced first during its three-year, $905 million gas infrastructure replacement program.
The key breakthrough is measuring the volume of gas escaping, and not just the number of leaks. Using data gathered by a specially-equipped Google Street View mapping car, PSE&G was able to reduce methane emissions from targeted areas by 83 percent, and do it more quickly than otherwise possible. PSE&G achieved this emission reduction by replacing 35 percent fewer miles of pipe than if the utility had not used the data gathered by EDF and Google. The typical cost of replacing a mile of gas line on PSE&G’s system is about $1.5 million to $2.0 million.
Leaks like those targeted by the project don’t usually pose an immediate safety threat. But leaking natural gas – which is mostly methane – has a powerful effect on the climate. That’s because methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over a 20-year timeframe. These leaks are a persistent challenge for utilities, particularly in the Northeast, where natural gas infrastructure is older.
“Reducing methane emissions is one of the quickest ways we have to protect the climate. PSE&G deserves a lot of credit for making this a priority. It takes courage to invite an environmental group to come sniffing around for leaks on their system,” said EDF President Fred Krupp. “By tackling these leaks faster, PSE&G will achieve a lot more environmental benefit for their infrastructure dollars. That’s good for their customers, and good for New Jersey.”
EDF and partners began publicly testing their new way to measure natural gas leaks in 2014. Intrigued by the methodology, PSE&G asked to collaborate with EDF to measure leaks in portions of their natural gas distribution system slated for replacement. By 2018, PSE&G plans to replace up to 510 miles of aging cast-iron and unprotected steel gas lines, under a program approved a year ago by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.
“Under our $905 million program, we are accelerating the modernization of our gas system, replacing 170 miles of pipe each year versus an average of 54 miles in the past,” said Ralph LaRossa, president and COO of PSE&G. “Reducing methane is a serious challenge for utilities, but also a big opportunity. Using the data from EDF, we are able to keep safety paramount, while achieving more environmental value, at less cost and more quickly than before, which benefits both our customers and the climate.”
Maps of the project areas and more data on the results are online here.
PSE&G gave EDF information on the location and type of gas lines in target areas. A Google Street View car spent six months gathering millions of readings over hundreds of miles of roadway in some of the most densely populated areas in New Jersey, including parts of Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties. The team used algorithms refined over several years to assess the vast data stream. PSE&G replaced sections with the highest company rankings first, and used EDF’s ranking to prioritize the rest, locking in methane reductions quickly while keeping safety the top consideration.
The mapping cars found an average of about one leak for every mile of gas line within grid areas where leak flow rate was quantified. The maps represent a snapshot in time and may not reflect current leaks. A number of the leaks identified through this collaborative project have already been repaired or eliminated through the replacement of cast iron pipes, including all leaks deemed hazardous by PSE&G’s existing leak grading system.
“We are excited that new technology powered by Google can play an important role here, to advance the measurement, analysis, and communication of environmental information,” said Karin Tuxen-Bettman, program manager for Google Earth Outreach. “Making this information more accessible can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
A two-minute video on the EDF/Google Earth Outreach mapping project is here.
Utilities in New York and California are already publishing dynamic maps of their natural gas leaks. Sharing geographically-attributed leak data can help regulators and ratepayers track utilities’ leak management performance, and ensure cost-efficient emission reductions. For its part, PSE&G is leading the way in using leak data to make better management decisions, demonstrating that new and improved data can maximize the benefits of pipeline replacement programs.
Nicholas Pugliese and Bob Jordan, Staff Writers8:21 a.m. EST December 14, 2016
A fast-tracked bill that would allow governments to forgo publishing budgets, bids for services and other public records in newspapers and instead post them exclusively online triggered debate Tuesday among legislators, who were split on its potential impact on New Jersey’s media landscape.
Supporters framed it as a cost-saving measure for taxpayers in an age when digital news consumption is increasingly the norm. It was denounced by opponents as an assault on the state’s newspapers that would result in less investigative reporting, staffing cuts in newsrooms and reduced governmental transparency.
By Myles Ma | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on December 13, 2016 at 10:48 AM, updated December 13, 2016 at 12:59 PM
Bergen County has grown more diverse in the period since the recession, fostering growing Hispanic and Asian populations, but has also shed white and especially black residents.
The black population fell by more than 7 percent in Bergen County when comparing Census data from 2005-2009 and 2010-2015. The white population fell by more than 5 percent.
Anthony Cureton, president of the Bergen County chapter of the NAACP, said many black people he knows have moved to the South, where it’s cheaper.
By Sara Jerde | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on December 13, 2016 at 1:16 PM, updated December 13, 2016 at 2:36 PM
MAHWAH — The state agreed with Ramapo College that an associate professor violated workplace discrimination laws when she made a crude comment.
The associate professor, identified only by the initials “M.V.” in the state civil service commission’s decision, was accused of calling her colleague a “fat b—-” during a Law and Society Convening Group meeting.
The female professor who made the complaint filed a complaint in 2014, stating that she was subjected to sex and gender discrimination and further retaliation after “M.V.” called her a “bully” and a “tattletale.”
It’s not clear if M.V. has been formally punished for her comments by the college. A college spokeswoman did not immediately have a comment.
An investigation by the college’s Office of Affirmative Action and Workplace Compliance determined that M.V. violated state policy with her crude comment, but that there was nothing to substantiate the claim of retaliation.
The professor who made the complaint argued that her work has been affected because she has not been able to attend the meetings when M.V. is present.
The new Record layout and reporting sucks. First of all, they have early cut offs so they miss reporting sports events that end at reasonable times. Secondly, they seem to give the bare minimum local coverage now. Finally they or printing in 1 point font so it’s barely readable.
The only reason I continue getting the record and the Ridgewood news is the local reporting otherwise I get everything else on the net.
Questioning renewing unless they get there act together
