Ridgewood NJ, A college student from New Jersey was murdered after she got into a car driven by a predator, not the Uber driver she expected. This week, police charged a suspect with picking up a young woman who called for Uber at a bar in Manhattan, drugging and assaulting her in a motel near the airport in Newark. These are two of a growing list of similar incidents.
Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney increases safeguards with his legislation helping riders confirm the identity of their ride-share drivers.
Ridgewood NJ, The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) is issuing this fraud alert to warn citizens of recent reports that publically available law enforcement telephone numbers, including those of DHS OIG Field Offices, are being used in a two-part spoofing scam targeting individuals throughout the country.
Ask any casual observer where you’ll find the best poker rooms in the U.S., and nine out of 10 will tell you that they’ll be in Vegas. But those of you who live closer to the East Coast will know that Atlantic City offers as much poker than its more famous counterpart. New Jersey is fast becoming a well-known destination for poker lovers, and aside from the air quality, it’s easy to see why.
Not only are there tons of great casinos in the city, but the entire state of New Jersey has embraced the gaming culture for what it is. And that’s a chance to play cards and have fun. With legislation even allowing for nonresidents to play online poker in the state, there’s now more than one reason to visit our great state.
Interestingly enough, the success of New Jersey’s foray into online poker has seemingly brought even more attention to the state, with poker tourism now believed to be at record highs. Industry heavyweights such as 888poker, who run their online operations from New Jersey, have undoubtedly helped up the ante, so to speak. As we said, there are now plenty of reasons for poker players to come here, but when it comes to live poker venues, they’re probably here to play at one of the poker rooms we’ve listed below.
WSOP Poker Room at the Wild Wild West Casino
With 42 tables in a bustling poker room, there’s no shortage of live action in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) room at the Wild Wild West Casino. Buy-ins start from $50 while there are regular tournaments with prize funds of up to $5K on offer. Regulars at the WSOP room have mentioned that while the staff is quite professional, it lacks that friendly atmosphere that you’ll find at one of our other poker rooms on this list.
Open 24/7, the poker room has a nice, modern feel and is extremely well-maintained, as it should provided it’s only been open for about five years. For a decent choice of games and a clean environment, this is a great option.
Harrah’s Poker Room
Coming in a little smaller than the WSOP room at the Wild Wild West Casino, Harrah’s poker room boasts 40 tables open 24/7. The room runs a bad beat jackpot and a Hand of the Hour prize of $350 from 12 p.m. right through to 10 p.m. It’s a nice touch that makes guest players feel welcome and part of the local crowd.
Harrah’s is clean, and the tables are well-looked after, with highly skilled staff throughout the room. The daily tournaments set this poker room apart, making it a great choice for players looking for something a little more challenging than a regular game. It’s not quite as popular with the last poker room on our list, and at times, some of the tables are quiet but don’t let that fool you. This one is still a great poker room.
Golden Nugget Poker Room
As one of the smaller poker rooms on this list, the action at the Golden Nugget is somewhat limited. There are only nine tables, so that means you may need to wait for a seat to get a game. However, the smaller venue makes for a real cozy atmosphere and a friendlier vibe from both staff and regulars at the tables. We like the smaller venues, but for some, smaller can mean poorer quality tables and less professional staff. Thankfully, that’s not the case here.
Yes, we’re here for the poker, but we have to mention that for four hours of cash play on Friday and Saturday, you can take advantage of a free buffet. And it’s not your usual not-very-tasty, free food buffet. It’s delicious, and there are plenty of options available. Yep, that’s great poker in a friendly environment with free food to go with it. It doesn’t get much better than that! Well, it does.
Borgata Poker Room
Set in the luxurious Borgata Casino Resort & Spa, the Borgata poker room has over 80 tables. That means that no matter when you arrive, you’re likely to find a seat at a table for some Texas Hold ‘em. The poker room is quite modern and is one of the most hi-tech and cleanest in the city. It’s also home to two stops on the World Poker Tour, and as such, has some of the most professional staff you’ll come across.
With so many tables open 24 hours a day, there’s always a great buzz about the room. This atmosphere tops off by the fact that there are some great bonuses and comps to be had for people that sign up as members. You might even get an invite to a regulars-only party. By all accounts, this is the best poker room in the city, and we have to say, we agree. For the sheer volume of games going on at any one time, this place tops the list as the best room in the state. But add to that the fact that it’s a well-managed venue with great promotions and wonderful staff, and you could have one of the best poker rooms in the country.
So, where are you having your weekend home game this time around? Are you sticking to the same old home game playing for chips and pennies? Or are you thinking that it’s time to get out there and see where the real action is? Grab your buddies, get your gaming clothes on (sunglasses are a must!) and get over to one of the poker rooms on our list. As far as we’re concerned, you won’t find better rooms in the city than the ones listed above. But remember, if you win big, it was us that sent you there!
May 11th, 1647 – Peter Stuyvesant arrives in New Amsterdam to replace Willem Kieft as Director-General of New Netherland, the Dutch colonial settlement in present-day New York City.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Midland Park NJ, according the Bergen County Historical Society , stone houses of Bergen County, an endangered species with no protection? .
Ramsey NJ, In a letter hand-delivered to the Board of Public Utilities meeting today, Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips blasts Rockland Electric’s request for a rate hike despite their inadequate storm responses and poor customer service record.
“Rockland Electric’s initial reason for the increase is higher customer satisfaction. I believe customers would be more satisfied by simply receiving higher quality service without a rate increase,” wrote DePhillips (R-Bergen).
River Vale NJ, Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi says that banning all plastic bags will , “disproportionately negatively impact poor working mothers “
Schepisi said on Facebook ,”This measure will disproportionately negatively impact poor working mothers in this State. Ban all bags, paper and plastic at grocery stores? How is someone who doesn’t have a vehicle, who uses public transportation, who needs to pick up groceries on her way from work, bring these groceries home? It’s great that a wealthy Senator from New Jersey picked up a radical idea while on his vacation but this isn’t feasible. We should all work on reducing plastic use in N.J. but we don’t have to be the most extreme in every legislative proposal.”
Little Ferry NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of HIRALBAHEN BHAVSAR (DOB: 8/20/1989; married; and un-employed) of 310 Liberty Road, Apartment # 35, Little Ferry, N.J. on a charge of Murder and Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Little Ferry Police Department under the direction of Chief Ralph Verdi, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Anthony Cureton.
Hackensack NJ, Following the arrest of Elmwood Park’s Mayor Frank Caramagna on election fraud charges, a group of Republican lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal requesting his office provide guidelines that would allow the N.J. Division of Elections to issue rules to county superintendents of elections for the purpose of ensuring a secure vote-by-mail process.
The statistics are in and if you’re a millennial, you have every reason to worry. It’s a well-known fact that student loans are a burden to the current generation. This is despite the millennials owning bachelor’s and master’s degrees. On the other hand, it’s these loans that made it possible for them to acquire tertiary level education.
A recent release showed student loans are now just shy of $1.5 trillion ($1.48). To put this into perspective, it is 1.5 times the credit card debt owed by Americans.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why millennials are unable to find that ever-elusive financial freedom. According to a study done by MagnifyMoney, a millennial with a student loan is worth a mere 25 percent of what a fellow millennial without a loan is worth.
With such disparity, it’s also clear where their income disappears to. Graduating may bring lots of joy, but the journey to the top of the hill is only beginning. Take a look at how fellow millennials struggle with student loans.
The Net Worth Divide
The rift in the net worth of people with student loans and those without continues to widen as the years go by. For example, in 1989, less than 35 households with student loans had only 13% less in net worth, compared to their counterparts without the burden.
Fast forward to 1998, and this figure is almost triple, with the rift widening to 36%, which means the household with a student loan averaged at $68,687 in net worth while those without averaged at $108,146.
Almost two decades later, the gap between the two households stands at a whopping 75%. Those with student loans average $29,087 while millennials without average $114,376. This means those without loans pocketed more than $85,000 than those shackled with loans.
While a college degree can command a lucrative salary, the income will only go toward clearing the debt thereby hindering you from achieving financial freedom.
A Dry Bank Account
Student loans are great since they finance your dreams. However, reality checks in after graduation. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a job, and the income will go toward offsetting the debt. This is the point where your dream of financial freedom dims.
According to studies, those with student loans use a huge chunk of their paycheck to pay off their loans, thus drying their bank accounts. These graduates have an average of $5,500 while those without holds almost double that amount, $10,180.
This creates a chain reaction where these millennials end up taking on more credit card debt as a result of reduced liquid cash. In fact, they form 55% of those with student debts, while those without makeup 32%. Furthermore, they also have huge balances, $2,888 compared to $1,476 for those without.
Reduced Retirement Savings
The chain reaction continues. Since the millennials have less money in their bank accounts, it’s only logical for them to cut down spending on various household items. Even doing so may not be enough to cover the monthly expenses.
This means no left-over to put away as savings for your retirement. The debt-free millennials have an average of $39,905 stashed away on retirement savings. This is $18,745 more than their counterparts with $5000 quick realistic loans, who have $21,160 saved.
However, you can change the narrative by starting to save for your sunset years as early as possible. Remember, these savings work like compound interest. Even a small contribution toward your IRA or 401(k) has the power to grow over time.
Homeownership
If saving for retirement is a struggle, then you can already imagine what kind of effort a millennial with a student loan will need in order to own a home.
The Joint Center for Housing from Harvard revealed that close to 21 million households used over 30% of their income to pay rent.
This is even as income remains stagnant, and rent costs continue to soar, making it difficult for one to realize the dream of owning a home. With student loans, the dream is even further away than expected thereby reducing the number of millennial graduates owning homes—34 percent compared to their counterparts at 36 percent.
Even if they managed to buy a home, their value is much lower, and a massive mortgage is staring right back at them. Those without loans have home values standing at 5% more than those with them. In figures, this $165,000 versus $157,000.
Since it’s difficult to raise the down payment required to pay for a home, these homeowners end up taking on more debt to finance their dream. According to the research done by MagnifyMoney, this translated to an average mortgage of $104,000 compared to $98,000 for those without debts.
The Solution
Taking on loans at a young age may not be the best strategy. However, the best way to tackle this problem is by finding ways to clear the debt as soon as possible. Here are some:
Make extra payments. Take a deeper look at your budget and cut down on expenses. The excess money can go towards making extra payments. This will save you the money you’d have paid in interest.
Ask for a raise at work. Sometimes, the solution to your woes lie in a salary increase. If this doesn’t work, you can change jobs altogether. You can also consider starting a side job to supplement your main income.
Apply for the loan forgiveness program, This is a viable option, especially if you work in the public sector, for example as a teacher.
You can also look for private and state-based programs, which can help you repay the debt. Some employees also offer student loan matching programs, which can help you clear your loan.
Student loan refinancing is also a worthy option. With this method, you have the chance to repay the loan at a reduced interest rate. However, this will only work if you have good credit and income. This will, in the long run, save you the money you’d have paid in interest. Moreover, you’ll be able to clear the loan faster.
While student loans may help you get a college education, the aftermath may be more difficult to handle when the government starts demanding what you owe them. Nevertheless, it’s not the end of the road because there are methods you can use to achieve financial freedom, as highlighted in this article.
Hackensack NJ, The Bergen County Mosquito Control Division, founded in 1914, has the goal of reducing the number of nuisance and disease-transmitting mosquitos within the county. The division employs numerous field-tested techniques in its efforts to control mosquito outbreaks and the insects’ impact on Bergen’s residents. All of this work is done with minimal impact on the environment. The program can be summarized as follows:
Ridgewood NJ, Congressman Josh Gottheimer has been invited to a public town hall on April 22 by a coalition of 13 grassroots groups who are his constituents in NJ Congressional District 5. While the Representative’s attendance is not expected, residents are encouraged to attend, ask questions, and share their concerns with their representative and each other. Everything will be shared with the Congressman following the event.
Hackensack NJ, “Hundreds of Hackensack public school employees received an anonymous email on Saturday night clearly threatening their jobs, based on the outcome of tomorrow’s election. These employees are paraprofessionals — they work in the classroom as teacher aides and they are absolutely essential to our school district’s success. As BOE President, I want them to know that their jobs are absolutely safe no matter who wins. All of the candidates running on Tuesday are supporting the current school budget. There is no “state monitor” and no one’s job is at risk.
Since this dirty trick was obviously done to benefit Timothy Hoffman’s campaign and urges people to vote for his ticket, I am calling on him right now to denounce this blatant scare tactic, condemn this email and identify its source. It is absolutely shameful to scare these employees and their families. Only Tim Hoffman can clean this up right now.”
Madison NJ, this has been reported by the Police in Madison New Jersey . They are warning about a phone scam that has recently targeted some local residents.
According to Police, residents should be an the alert for the “One Ring Phone Scam” where automated phone numbers intentionally ringing one time, repeatedly, and frequently at random intervals.
Dumont NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of WILLIAM G. GALLAGHER (DOB: 6/11/1988; single; and self-employed as a website designer) of 36 Erie Street, Dumont, New Jersey on the charges of Distribution Of Child Pornography, greater than 25 files (415 files) and Possession Of Child Pornography, greater than 1,000 files (1,015 files). The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti.
On Friday, April 5, 2019, members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Cyber Crimes Unit executed a search warrant at the residence of William G. GALLAGHER during the course of a months-long Internet child pornography investigation. The investigation revealed that GALLAGHER used the Internet to view and possess more than 1,000 digital files depicting nude or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children, and distributed more than 25 files, also depicting nude or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children.
Emerson NJ, John McCann is hoping the second time is a charm , the seasoned campaign veteran and lawyer announced on his Facebook page that he will challenge John Gotteimer in the 5th Congressional District . Vastly outspent McCann came within striking distance in 2018
” I am pleased to announce my candidacy for Congress. All 18,000 plus of you have been tremendous supporters through the last campaign. That is why I am asking you to join me one more time so we can finish the job.”
