By Max Pizarro • 11/22/16 3:21pm
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against Bernards Township, alleging a violation of the Religious
Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA). The suit comes in response to the township’s denial of zoning approval to allow the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge to build a mosque on land it owns. At the time of the Islamic Society’s zoning request, construction of places of worship was a matter of right.
November 23,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Oradell NJ, According to the Oradell Police Department Endangered Missing Person Donald Richard had been located safely and is receiving medical attention. The Oradell Police Department would like to thank everyone who helped search for Mr. Richard and who shared our post.
**Endangered Missing Person**
The Oradell Police Department is attempting to locate Donald Richard of Oradell. Mr. Richard is 79 y/o, M, white, 5’8″ and 160 lbs. Mr. Richard was last seen on 11/21/16 at 5:00 PM walking south on Forest Ave. Mr. Richard was wearing sneakers, blue jeans and a blue LL Bean down jacket. Mr. Richard suffers from Alzheimers and Dementia. If you come into contact with Mr. Richard contact the nearest police department. Please help us locate Mr. Richard safely by sharing this post and spreading the word.
photos courtesy of Boyd Lovings Facebook page
November 22,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Washington Twp NJ, A portion of heavily traveled Pascack Road in Washington Township was closed in both directions due to an unstable utility pole on Monday afternoon, 11/21. A PSE&G representative informed Washington Township PD that it could take up to eight (8) hours to repair the damage. Police officers above and beyond those deployed on a standard shift were called in to assist with traffic control.
file photo by Boyd Loving
Michael L. Diamond , @mdiamondapp5:51 p.m. EST November 18, 2016
Buy Photo
SPRING LAKE HEIGHTS – President-elect Donald J. Trump’s mix of tax cuts and transportation spending could give New Jersey’s economy a boost. And his move to crackdown on immigration and free trade agreements could slow it down.
The result: The state’s economy is expected to grow slightly faster next year, but still fall short of the U.S., an economist for TD Bank said Friday.
““The possible scenarios are very wide for next year,” said Derek Burleton, TD Bank’s deputy chief economist. “I think we have to be honest with each other.”
By Sara Jerde | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on November 20, 2016 at 12:24 PM, updated November 20, 2016 at 8:42 PM
RIVER VALE — The mayor of River Vale said he’ll research ways to control the town’s deer population, but he won’t consider a hunt for them, NorthJersey.com reported.
Mayor Glen Jasionowski told the publication that he’d form an advisory committee to research solutions.
“Under my administration, there will never be a hunt in my town,” Jasionowski reportedly said.
Ridgewood NJ, Shine generously for the benefit of our homebound
clients. Your holiday donation helps our “meals on
wheels” program bring meals to those who need them most.
A Gift that Shines. Need a gift this holiday season for the person who has everything? Give a donation to Community Meals, Inc. and we will send a card to
acknowledge your holiday gift in his or her honor.
No gift-wrapping required!
Our volunteers are truly “stars” who bring a warm
meal and a bright smile to our clients in Allendale,
Glen Rock, Ho-Ho-Kus, Midland Park, Ridgewood,
Waldwick and part of Saddle River.
Community Meals, Inc.
c/o Christ Church
105 Cottage Pl
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
201-447-8295
www.communitymealsonwheels.org
file photo Boyd Loving
America’s bridges need work.
November 20,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, So do some of the nation’s buildings – both old and new – that were designed to avoid collapsing during an earthquake or other major catastrophe, but aren’t quite up to the task of remaining inhabitable after disaster strikes.
“Earthquakes are possible just about any place, not just in California,” says Douglas P. Taylor, president of Taylor Devices (www.taylordevices.com), which manufactures seismic dampers that protect structures during such events as earthquakes and high winds.
“New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and many other places that you don’t usually think about can have seismic activity as Oklahoma recently did. If buildings, bridges and other structures aren’t designed to withstand the shock, they can endanger the lives of drivers and the building’s occupants.”
Taylor says these structural problems are more widespread than most people realize. Some of the issues include:
• Bridge aging and deterioration. Across the United States, 58,500 bridges are structurally deficient, according to a report by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association. That represents about 9.5 percent of the nation’s bridges. “That’s definitely a concern for the people who use those bridges every day,” Taylor says. From a technological standpoint they can be fixed, but Taylor says he worries the money to do so isn’t coming any time soon, at least in part because the nation’s debt makes it difficult for the government to make the appropriate investment in the nation’s infrastructure.
• Older buildings without proper earthquake-resistant engineering. Some older buildings aren’t designed to withstand a seismic event. For example, many of the old brownstone apartment buildings in New York have “virtually nothing holding them together if the building whips back and forth,” Taylor says. Anything made of brick or concrete also can be problematic.
• The limits of building codes. Current building codes require that a new building be constructed so it won’t collapse during a major earthquake. But even when they remain standing, buildings can sustain enough damage to cause them to be condemned and therefore unusable. “People think that if they move into a brand new building that meets all the modern building codes, that their building will perform well during earthquakes and they will be able to inhabit them immediately after a seismic event,” Taylor says. “They also think the contents of the building, including personal items, will be intact. This is simply not true.” In this case, he says, a lack of awareness may be a major factor in keeping the necessary fixes from happening.
“I think you can look at the nation’s vulnerability in this area as a bad news and good news situation,” Taylor says. “Clearly, the bad news is the potential hazard for people and property. The good news is that we’re not facing something that’s unsolvable. We as a nation just need to recognize that these problems exist and have a determination to address them.”
About Douglas P. Taylor
Douglas P. Taylor is president of Taylor Devices (www.taylordevices.com), which manufactures seismic dampers that protect structures during such events as earthquakes and high winds. He is inventor or co-inventor of 34 patents in the fields of energy management, hydraulics and shock isolation. In 2015, he was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame by NASA and the Space Foundation.
Glen Rock NJ, Thanksgiving Day 5K and Kids Fun Run in Glen Rock on Thanksgiving morning. It is going to be a wonderful family event and we are expecting a great turnout!
1. We are hosting the packet pick up in our Ridgewood store (11 N. Broad Street) for the three days leading up to Thanksgiving so it would be a great chance for the Ridgewood businesses to get involved and promote their brands/companies to the hundreds of runners that will be coming in to pick up their race packets and tshirts.
2. There is endless opportunity for the Ridgewood businesses to promote at the race.
3. Come out and run the race! There is a 5K (run/walk) and a Kids Fun Run. All levels are welcome to join in on the 5K. A lot of Ridgewood residents have already signed up but we really want to get the word out there that this fun family event is just around the corner.
4. Spread the word! As we all know, this is key to success so if people are busy Thanksgiving week and cannot participate, we would love to have everyone spread the word, hang posters in the stores, put lawn signs outside their stores/houses!
RaceFaster
11 N Broad St
Ridgewood, NJ
1-844-rfaster
James & the Giant Peach’
Rehearsals: Nov 30 – Jan 25, 2017
Wednesday & Friday 3:30PM – 5:30PM
Grades 1-5
Academy Jr Spring 2017 Musical
‘Shrek Jr’
Rehearsals: Mar 08 – May 04, 2017
Wed. & Fri. 3:30PM – 5:30PM
Grades 1-5
Porch Light Productions
555 Broad Street
Glen Rock, NJ 07452
(T) 201.857.3520
(E) [email protected]
Ridgewood NJ, Four 18th Street gang members from Bergen County, New Jersey, and Rockland County, New York, were charged today with various offenses arising from their armed robbery of a Hawthorne, New Jersey, bar and the violent carjacking of a taxi that took place shortly afterwards, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Wilbur Jonathan Barahona, 20, of Ridgewood, New Jersey, Guillermo Carillo-Iraheta, 19, of Suffern New York, Juan Chiliseo-Vega, 19, of Suffern, and Jostin Reyes, 21, of Waldwick, New Jersey, were charged by complaint with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, carjacking, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and kidnapping. All four appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.
Balmore Carillo-Iraheta, 19, of Suffern, and Oscar Avalos-Cortez, 22, of New City, New York, are also charged in the same complaint with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. They had their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk on Nov. 1, 2016 and U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark on Nov. 10, 2016, respectively. All six defendants, with the exception of Avalos-Cortez, have been detained. Avalos-Cortez was released on a $150,000 unsecured bond.
According to the complaint:
On Dec. 25, 2016, Barahona, Guillermo Carillo-Iraheta, Chiliseo-Vega, Reyes, Balmore Carillo-Iraheta, and Avalos-Cortez robbed a bar at gunpoint in Hawthorne, New Jersey, while Avalos-Cortez operated the getaway vehicle.
Later that evening, Barahona, Guillermo Carillo-Iraheta, Chiliseo-Vega, and Reyes robbed a taxicab driver at gunpoint, hit the taxicab driver in the head with a beer bottle, and sliced his throat with a knife before leaving him on the side of the New York State Thruway near Woodbury, New York. The taxicab driver survived.
The kidnapping charge carries a maximum potential penalty of life imprisonment. The carjacking charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 25 years in prison. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The charge of brandishing a weapon in connection with the carjacking offense carries a mandatory penalty of seven years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, as well as the Ridgewood and Hawthorne Police Departments, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen D. Stringer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office General Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Glen Rock NJ, on Sunday, November 20th ,2016 at 10:00 am the Glen Rock Volunteer Ambulance Corp. and the Ridgewood Ambulance and Emergency Services will be conducting a drill at Glen Rock Middle and High School.
By Alyana Alfaro • 11/10/16 4:51pm
After President-elect Donald Trump’s victory during Tuesday’s general election, the Republican brand seems strengthened nationwide. The party now has control of the White House, the U.S. Senate and the House. However, that nationwide strength stands in contrast to the GOP’s beleaguered position in New Jersey.
In the Garden State, the Republican brand has been struggling with Governor Chris Christie’s alleged role in the Bridgegate scandal. That connection has impacted the once-popular governor to such a point that his approval rating currently stands at only 19 percent among New Jersey residents. In Bergen County—the state’s most populous—Republicans have been on a steady losing streak over the last few elections. This year, the GOP in Bergen officially lost all representation at the county level and managed to pick up a congressional seat in the previously Republican held district 5. And, while a Republican won the presidential election, a significant portion of NJ Republicans—including 2017 gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli and likely candidate Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno—separated themselves from Trump and were unwilling to publicly endorse him throughout the election.
photo courtesy of Boyd loving’s Facebook Page
November 16,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Glen Rock FD personnel used the “Jaws of Life” to free the adult male driver of a Jeep from his vehicle after it collided with a 4-door sedan at the intersection of Harristown Road and Elm Avenue in Glen Rock on Tuesday evening, 11/15. The victim was transported by a Glen Rock EMS ambulance to The Valley Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. A flatbed tow truck removed the Jeep (minus its driver’s side door) from the scene. Glen Rock PD is investigating the crash.
By Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on November 14, 2016 at 9:09 AM, updated November 14, 2016 at 1:26 PM
Many municipalities allow residents to pay their property taxes online.
But at least two New Jersey municipalities aren’t disclosing the fees that are charged to certain online taxpayers.
The lack of disclosure is a big problem.
Josh Needle of Fanwood said he tried to make an online payment on Aug. 1, the date his property taxes were due.
The system gave the option of paying by credit card or by e-check. He chose the e-check.
Needle said a pop-up message warned there was a $1.05 convenience fee.
By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on November 14, 2016 at 8:56 AM, updated November 14, 2016 at 5:22 PM
A strange thing is happening in the world of gas prices.
Discount prices at some gas stations aren’t such a discount anymore and are being separated by less than a dime a gallon from gas prices at some name brand stations.
Naturally, the caveat in finding those prices is smart shopping and access to a state highway with a selection of gas stations. But the numbers are bearing this out, which can be seen by checking the map on GasBuddy.com before getting behind the wheel.
A survey of gas station on Route 22 in Union on Friday yielded a Sunoco and an Exxon priced at $2.19 a gallon, within seven cents a gallon of an unbranded Fuel Stop. Route 28 in Cranford was a little higher, with a Sunoco priced at $2.25 while a generic station named “Gas” was at $2.15, GasBuddy reported.
