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Did this N.J. mall finally solve our holiday parking nightmares?

Westfield Garden State Plaza

By Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on December 01, 2016 at 7:50 AM, updated December 01, 2016 at 7:56 AM

PARAMUS — A New Jersey mall has come up with a 21st century answer to a problem that has plagued generations of holiday shoppers: finding a parking space.

Westfield Garden State Plaza partnered with MyPark, a Miami company that allows shoppers to reserve a parking space by using a downloadable app. The specially modified parking spaces are equipped with a gate that remains upright until the person who reserved the space uses the app to bring the gate down.

The mall announced the rollout Wednesday. A total of 33 spaces, located near the entrance to Nieman Marcus, will be available at a cost of $10 for four hours each, NorthJersey.com reported.

The mall has nearly 11,000 parking spaces for shoppers at its more than 300 stores. The Garden State Plaza sees about 18 million visits a year, according to figures provided by Westfield.

The MyPark service is already available at a few other locations, including six properties in Florida, but the company plans to introduce it at several more locations in 2017.

https://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2016/12/watch_this_space_nj_mall_debuts_reserved_parking.html?ath=9c46bfc08d76232bb5a5e00eeaf0bfa2#cmpid=nsltr_stryheadline

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Supreme Court: Bloomfield cameras exempt from OPRA

village council meeting assult

file photo Village Council Meeting altercation

 

Erin M Roll , NorthJersey5:27 p.m. EST November 29, 2016

A Bloomfield resident’s search for township security camera footage has encountered a roadblock at the state Supreme Court.

The court overturned a prior Appellate Division ruling that said that Patricia Gilleran had the right, under the state’s Open Public Records Act, to view footage taken by the security cameras on the exterior of the Municipal Building.

The court’s Nov. 22 decision ruled that the security footage was not open to general public access under the state’s public records laws.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/essex/bloomfield/2016/11/29/supreme-court-bloomfield-cameras-exempt-opra/94611110/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics

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AS DROUGHT WORSENS, RENEWED CALLS FOR RELEASE OF LONG-OVERDUE WATER PLAN

B3HXXR

JON HURDLE | NOVEMBER 29, 2016

Water-supply advocates argue that plan — last updated in 1996 — can’t deal with current shortages, possible pollution from sewage treatment plants

Drought has deeply depleted the water level at New Jersey’s Spruce Run Reservoir.

As New Jersey’s drought worsens, state advisers on water supply are renewing their call on the Christie administration to release a blueprint for water planning that has not been publicly updated since 1996 despite a legal requirement to do so every five years.

The Water Supply Advisory Council, a group of water company executives, nonprofits, and water users, is expected to urge Gov. Chris Christie and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin to publish a new version of the Statewide Water Supply Plan that was submitted to the governor’s office in 2012 and has not been seen in public since.

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/16/11/28/as-drought-worsens-renewed-calls-for-release-of-long-overdue-water-plan/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics

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McGreevey prison program moving from church at center of FBI investigation

Jim_McGreevey_by_David_Shankbone_theridgewoodblog

By Sara Jerde | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on November 29, 2016 at 4:53 PM, updated November 29, 2016 at 4:59 PM

PATERSON — A non-profit prison re-entry program housed in a Paterson building at the center of an FBI investigation is moving mid-December to another facility nearby to accommodate more people.

The FBI raided Paterson city offices earlier this month searching for documents related to the renovation of a Montgomery Street property where the non-profit New Jersey Re-Entry Corporation is located.

Gov. James McGreevey, who helps administer the program, acknowledged Tuesday that the investigation “expedited” the non-profit’s relocation, but that the organization had planned on moving to another space to help more people.

“It expedited our plans as we had the intention of developing or providing increased space to accommodate a greater number of clients,” McGreevey said. “It seemed an appropriate time to secure a different site.”

https://www.nj.com/passaic-county/index.ssf/2016/11/mcgreevey_prison_program_moving_from_building_at_center_of_fbi_investigation.html?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics#incart_river_home

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Dozens of towns have turned Municipal Courts into ATMs to boost their local budgets

Ridgewood_-Village_Hall_theridgewoodblog

NJ Assembly Judiciary chair: Study municipal courts

Kala Kachmar , @NewsQuip11:24 a.m. EST November 29, 2016

The chairman of the Assembly’s Judiciary Committee said Monday he wants state lawmakers to study municipal court reform after an Asbury Park Press investigation called the fairness of the system into question and showed how municipalities increasingly rely on court fines for revenue.

“(The story) gives cause to take a step back and think this is an area that we should study and look at to determine if there should be legislative fixes,” said state Assemblyman John McKeon, D-Madison, chairman of the Judiciary Committee. “Justice should be just that at all levels.”

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, R-Little Silver, said the Press report raised issues that should be a concern of every elected official.

“We have to stop looking at motorists as ATM machines,” he said. “You want to remove any profit motivation from police enforcement of any kind. When tickets are written that don’t improve safety, it doesn’t help anybody. It’s not a reasonable way to raise revenue.”

https://www.app.com/story/news/investigations/watchdog/government/2016/11/29/legislature-fix-municipal-courts/94559102/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics

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Once-prominent N.J. attorney has law license suspended

Bergen_county_court-House _theridgewoodblog

By Sara Jerde | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on November 28, 2016 at 2:21 PM, updated November 28, 2016 at 5:47 PM

TRENTON — A prominent Bergen County lawyer recently had his law license suspended for admitting that he secretly helped his business profit while serving as a borough attorney.

The state’s Disciplinary Review Board agreed to have Dennis Oury’s three-year suspension retroactive to when he was first temporarily suspended in November 2009.

Joseph Ferriero, left, walks in 2008 with his attorney Joseph Hayden, center and fellow co-defendant Dennis Oury. (Photo by Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Oury, along with former Bergen County Democratic Organization leader Joseph A. Ferriero, created a companycalled Governmental Grants Consulting and marketed it to North Jersey towns, including the town Oury served as a lawyer for, without disclosing their ties to the company.

https://www.nj.com/bergen/index.ssf/2016/11/once-prominent_nj_attorney_has_law_license_suspended.html#incart_most-read_news_article

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Ridgewood Artist and Author To Read their New Children’s Fiction Entitled “Little Karl” at Bergen Community College

martin-l-and-eric-r

November 29,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood

Bergen Community College
Child Development Center
Activities day, November 30th  ,10am

Paramus NJ, Lifelong Ridgewood resident, and local artist E. A. Santoli has teamed up with children’s book author M. Earl Smith to publish their first work of children’s fiction. Entitled Little Karl, the story recounts a day in the life of Little Karl, who, while touring his hometown with his mother, becomes acutely aware of the many injustices in his world. Through several familiar scenarios,Karl attempts to rationalize the world and his place in it, which leads him to embrace the values of fairness and equality in direct challenge to the unhappiness he sees everyday.

Beginning around 10:00am, Martin will read the book to the children and then after the story,  he will discuss the book with the children and Eric will write down their ideas with illustrations.

After the story discussion, we will have activities set up in two classrooms that relate to the story line for children to participate in. For example, the story has a little dog in it that is hungry and needs to be taken care of. We will set up a pretend “veterinarian office”  for children to pretend to take care of the little dog” Another idea we came up with is Eric and Martin can sit with the children and they can write their own stories with Eric helping them illustrate it. Martin will have a book signing table to purchase the book.

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Midland Park Fire Department Rescues Man on Roof

Midland Park Fire Department Rescues Man on Roof

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook Page

November 29,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ, Midland Park FD’s ladder truck was dispatched to rescue a man from the roof of a building located at 27 Faner Road, Midland Park on the morning of Monday, 11/28. The individual was uninjured; he had been on the roof installing a satellite dish and was unable to safely descend via the ladder he’d climbed up on. Midland Park PD and Wyckoff PD units assisted with traffic control during the rescue process.

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Ho Ho Kus Police uniformed patrol officer safely recovered an uninjured dog that had wandered onto the tracks

HoHoKus PD uniformed patrol officer safely recovered an uninjured dog

photos courtesy of Boyd Lovings Facebook page

November 29,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Train traffic on NJ Transit’s Bergen County and Main Lines was temporarily halted through HoHoKus on Tuesday morning, 11/29, while a HoHoKus PD uniformed patrol officer safely recovered an uninjured dog that had wandered onto the tracks after escaping from a yard on Hillcrest Road in Ridgewood. The dog ran after a deer and never looked back; this according to its adult female owner. Tyco Animal Control Services also responded to the incident. HoHoKus PD had received multiple 911 calls from train passengers who saw the dog wandering the tracks and dispatched two (2) patrol units to the area to recover it. The dog was wearing a collar with a tag bearing the cell phone number of its owner.

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Welcome to Trumplandia: How this N.J. town reflects national trends

Clinton vs

By Mark Di Ionno | The Star-Ledger
on November 27, 2016 at 8:53 AM, updated November 27, 2016 at 12:41 PM

Welcome to Trumplandia: How this N.J. town reflects national trends

Chuck Monjoy couldn’t find a Donald Trump sign, so he made one.

He took a cardboard box, drew the word “TRUMP” with a heavy black felt-tip pen, then propped it up outside his commercial property on Route 9 in the Forked River section of Lacey Township.

The fact that he couldn’t find a Trump sign struck him as unusual. Lacey is a large municipality in Ocean County, one of the reddest regions of New Jersey.

And in this election, Lacey was the second reddest of the red.

In New Jersey towns with more than 10,000 people, only nearby Lakewood had a greater percentage of voters (74.4) who pulled the lever for president-elect Donald Trump.

https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/11/welcome_to_trumplandia_jersey_town_reflects_nation.html#incart_river_home

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New professor watchlist to identify professors who profess a radical agenda in lecture hall

young frankenstien

 

November 28,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, A new professor watchlist, brought to you by Turning Point USA. The list has been compiled of professors who profess a radical agenda in lecture halls.

 

Welcome to the Professor Watchlist, brought to you by Turning Point USA.
This website is an aggregated list of pre-existing news stories that were published by a variety of news organizations throughout the past few years. While we accept tips for new additions on our website, we only publish profiles on incidents that have already been reported somewhere else.

TPUSA will continue to fight for free speech and the right for professors to say whatever they wish; however students, parents, and alumni deserve to know the specific incidents and names of professors that advance a radical agenda in lecture halls.

Below are professors who are currently featured on The Watchlist. Check out our full listing to see if any of your professors have made the list.

https://www.professorwatchlist.org/

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Ridgewood Resident Collecting Holiday Donations for Elderly Residents of Bergen Regional

Bergen_regional_medical_center_theridgewoodblog

Hi Ridgewood,
I’m helping with a Holiday event at Bergen Regional hospital. Many (sadly most) of the elderly residents have no family and very few comforts. I’m collecting items to bring to make life a little better.

I spoke to the manager, we could really use these items for residents, male and female, ages 60-90:
NEW:
Socks
Underware
Bras (many female residents have none)
Throw blankets for the beds
Make up
Jewelry (can be dollar store stuff)
Headphones
Hairbrushes
Sweatpants/sweatshirts
Nightgowns

Are you upgrading your TV? Consider donating your old one, the facility supplies cable but residents need their own TV, many residents have nothing to watch in their rooms.

My address is 365 Gilbert St. I’ll put a rattan box on the porch or will come pick up stuff. Please share, and thank you!!

(I’m happy to do the shopping if anyone wants to donate gift cards as well).

ALL DONATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY DECEMBER 15th

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Glen Rock Customers of Ridgewood Water hit With Billing Error

ridgewood water bill

file photo

November 27,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Glen Rock NJ, Ridgewood Water is reporting a billing error for its Glen Rock Customers :

Glen Rock Residents- Billing Update

ATTENTION GLEN ROCK CUSTOMERS:

During an automated step in Ridgewood Water’s bill review process, a portion of customers in Glen Rock have erroneously received bills based on estimated readings. These customers have been identified and will be sent a corrected bill based on actual usage. If your bill states “Actual Read” please disregard this message as you were not affected and will not be receiving a new statement.

Should you need further assistance with this matter please contact our Customer Service Department at 201-670-5520 or via email: [email protected].

Ridgewood Water apologizes for the inconvenience.

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N.J.’s economy may weaken over next decade, report says

for sale Ridgewood_Real_Estate_theRodgewopodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

By Brent Johnson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on November 23, 2016 at 6:30 AM, updated November 24, 2016 at 12:19 AM

TRENTON — After seeing the state’s unemployment rate shrink significantly last year, New Jersey’s economy is expected to slow down over the next decade, according to predictions in the latest economic forecast from Rutgers University.

Meanwhile, the United States as a whole faces economic uncertainty as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office, the report from the Rutgers Economic Advisory Service says.

The report predicts the Garden State will experience a “weaker-looking” economy through 2026, one that includes a leveling off of its unemployment rate. Meanwhile, the state’s real domestic product is likely to suffer and its population growth to sputter.

https://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/11/njs_economy_may_weaken_over_next_decade_report_say.html

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New Assemblyman Named in NJ’s 40th Legislative District

Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney

Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney beats out challengers

By Alyana Alfaro • 11/22/16 9:33pm

WAYNE, N.J. – The headquarters of the Passaic County Regular Republican Organization was bursting at the seams on Tuesday night as county committee members flooded the building to decide which of three candidates would fill the legislative district 40 vacancy created when former Assemblyman Scott Rumana resigned to become a judge in the Passaic County Superior Court. Wayne Republican Leader Michael Marotta, Wyckoff Mayor Kevin Rooney and outgoing Bergen County Freeholder Maura DeNicola all put their names into consideration for the spot.

https://observer.com/2016/11/new-assemblyman-named-in-njs-40th-legislative-district/?utm_campaign=Observer_NJ_Politics&utm_content=New%20Campaign&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=New%20Jersey%20Politics