Mahwah - THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG.

Posted on March 20, 2019 March 20, 2019

Two Local New Jersey Men Arraigned In Reverse Mortgage Scheme

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, A Passaic County, New Jersey, man and a Bergen County, New Jersey, man have been arraigned for their respective roles in a reverse mortgage scheme that took advantage of several elderly homeowners, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.

Rafael Peralta, 46, of Clifton, New Jersey, and Philip Puccio Jr., 40, of Mahwah, New Jersey, were indicted Feb. 8, 2019, by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and six counts of bank fraud. They were arraigned March 15, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court.

Posted on March 19, 2019 March 18, 2019

Justice Department Files Statement Of Interest In Religious Land Use Case Brought By Ramapough Mountain Indians Against The Township of Mahwah

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, The Department of Justice today filed a Statement of Interest in U.S. District Court in New Jersey supporting claims by the Ramapough Mountain Indians (Ramapough) that the Township of Mahwah, New Jersey, violated the tribe’s rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person’s Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) by interfering with religious assembly on tribal property known as “Sweet Water.”

“RLUIPA protects the rights of all religious communities to worship on their land free from discriminatory barriers and unlawful burdens,” New Jersey U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. “Our office will continue to vigorously enforce the rights guaranteed by RLUIPA and take steps to ensure that it is applied correctly in our District.”

Posted on March 19, 2019 March 18, 2019

NJ Acknowledges Historic Recognition of Powhatan Renape, Ramapough Lenape Nations

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced today that New Jersey has entered into separate settlement agreements with the Powhatan Renape Nation and the Ramapough Lenape Nation by which the State acknowledges it has officially recognized the two tribes as American Indian Tribes since 1980.

Under the settlements, the State agrees that New Jersey’s recognition is intended to qualify the tribes for all federal and state benefits and services for which State-recognized tribes are eligible. Among those benefits and services are “all privileges provided by the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990.”

Posted on January 12, 2019 March 23, 2019

BREAKING : TOLL BROTHERS APPLE RIDGE SITE HAS REALEASED OVER 24 LBS OF ARSENIC DUST INTO LOCAL WATERWAYS

49345185 1958257714227365 1395881112982519808 o

photo by Derek Michalski

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Upper saddle River NJ, its been claimed that Toll Brothers has committed an unprecedented environmental disaster at Apple Ridge (The Preserve at USR & Mahwah) impacting the entire Saddle River Valley with irreversible ecological damage

According to a report just issued , “The Toxicological Impact of the Toll Brothers’ Apple Ridge Development to the Saddle River Valley Ecosystem and Its Residents” claims runoff from “the 110-acre site formerly known as the Apple Ridge Country Club. The name Apple Ridge harkens back to the land’s origins at the turn of the 20th century as an apple orchard owned by the Carlough family. The tract of land mostly lies within the borders USR and Mahwah with a smaller portion of land extending into Ramsey. In 2013, this magnificent property was sold by the Carlough family to a developer with the intent of building high-density housing. When the boroughs of USR and Mahwah balked at the idea of allowing high-density housing the property was sold to Toll Brothers for the development of 78 single family homes.”

Posted on December 16, 2018 January 20, 2019

Unbridled Heroes Project Founders Honored at Home Town Heroes Awards

48213546 362586737870162 8219755037249765376 n1

photo courtesy of Ridgewood Mayor Ramon Hache

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, Friday, December 14, U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) hosted his third Hometown Hero Awards, honoring North Jersey residents who have made outstanding contributions to our community. Fifth District Hometown Heroes Awards were presented to community leaders, first responders, veterans, members of the business community, students, and seniors to recognize their dedication to improving the lives of their neighbors, families, and all Jersey residents.

Congressman Gottheimer (NJ-5) said, “Today’s awardees are bound by a shared sense of duty – to their families, their communities, and their country. They are our veterans, our firefighters, our first responders, our educators, and our family – our brothers and sisters and our sons and daughters. None of these people stood up because they sought recognition, they did it because they wanted to do what was right. That’s what Jersey Values are about and that’s what makes me certain that we live in the greatest country in the world. On behalf of the Fifth District, I couldn’t be more proud to honor these Hometown Heroes today.”

Mark and Amy Steppe were honored as 5th Congressional District Hometown Heroes for their military service and their Unbridled Heroes Project. The Steppes founded The Unbridled Heroes Project as a way of helping other veterans. The organization rescues abused mustangs and pair them with veterans in need of healing at their Allendale facility.

Posted on December 4, 2018 January 20, 2019

Ridgewood Looking to restore and Preserve Iconic Bus station

22496078 763257363860299 2092087136933745913 o 11

file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood ‘s Historic Preservation Commission has “identified the Ridgewood bus station building as having historic significance to the village. The bus station designed by architect J. Robert Gilchrist, is of the 1950s mid-century modern school of design .

Gilchrist, who died in 2008, was a prominent Bergen County architect, whose projects include Continental Plaza in Hackensack and International Crossroads in Mahwah.

Continue reading Ridgewood Looking to restore and Preserve Iconic Bus station

Posted on November 7, 2018 January 20, 2019

Mahwah Mayor First Bergen Official in Over 25 years to be Recalled from Office

photo Mayor Bill Laforet

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, Mayor Bill Laforet was recalled from office on Tuesday night. The defeat for Laforet who twice won reelection was spearheaded by a local group called MahwahStrong.
The Mahwah mayor will become the first public official in Bergen County to be recalled in over 25 years.

Continue reading Mahwah Mayor First Bergen Official in Over 25 years to be Recalled from Office

Posted on November 2, 2018 January 20, 2019

Call of Suspicious Activity Results in Arrests on Cliff Street in Ridgewood

17758482 674194916099878 5468265401284820757 o

file photo by Boyd Loving

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Police report that patrol units were dispatched to Cliff Street on October 26th for a report of suspicious activity in progress. Patrol units located a person matching the description provided by the caller in the area and upon further investigation a second involved male party was located. As a result of the investigation, a 28 year-old male from Mahwah, N.J. was arrested and charged with hindering apprehension by providing false information, possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and drug paraphernalia. The second male, a 28 year-old from Jefferson, N.Y. was also arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance and drug paraphernalia. Both arrestees were transported to Ridgewood Police headquarters, served with criminal complaints and then transported to the Bergen County Jail.

Posted on October 19, 2018 January 20, 2019

Ridgewood Child’s Library Card used to Rack up Over $1000 in Overdue Fines

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, according to North Jersey Media a village child’s library card was fraudulently used to rack up over $1,000 in fines borrowing items from local area libraries.

Sources say ,at least 46 items were fraudulently checked out of two Bergen County libraries using a 12-year-old Ridgewood boy’s library card. The Items were checked out from both Mahwah and Wyckoff libraries and the Ridgewood resident has received an overdue notice of $1,000 fine notice.

Continue reading Ridgewood Child’s Library Card used to Rack up Over $1000 in Overdue Fines

Posted on October 18, 2018 January 21, 2019

BREAKING : Toll Brothers Has Stopped ALL Pumping Activities into Pleasant Brook in Upper Saddle River

44211382 1859752700744534 1260030730474356736 o1

photo by Derek Michalski

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Upper Saddle River NJ, after 10 months of questionable practice of pumping mud into Pleasant Brook Toll Brothers stopped ALL pumping activities into the brook over the weekend. Houses, pumps and generators used to power these pumps were also removed from 19 Meadowbrook Rd. construction site In Upper Saddle River.

Continue reading BREAKING : Toll Brothers Has Stopped ALL Pumping Activities into Pleasant Brook in Upper Saddle River

Posted on October 16, 2018 January 21, 2019

FBI indicates Interest in potential Clean Water Act Violations and Possible Cover Up at Apple Ridge in Mahwah

43190322 688884098154463 604693341866557440 n

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Upper Saddle River NJ, according to Derek Michalski the moderator of the Facebook group GreenUSR, “After proposing on this site an Environmental Debate between incumbent Josh Gottheimer and his opponent John McCann reporter from CBS News called and interviewed me for the story. When I announced this on October 13, 2018 I immediately noticed that mud is no longer being pumped into Pleasant Brook/Saddle River. Today I spoke to the same reporter and she confirmed that she has also reached out to NJDEP and NJ Department of Agriculture for comments. Immediately after she spoke to them Roy Otto from Bergen County Soil Conservation Department called me. When I asked him what sparked his sudden interest in our situation after 10 months of NOT RETUTNING ANY CALLS he said “let’s not talk about what caused me to call you””.

Continue reading FBI indicates Interest in potential Clean Water Act Violations and Possible Cover Up at Apple Ridge in Mahwah

Posted on October 7, 2018 January 21, 2019

Major Breakthrough in a 10-month Investigation in Toll Brothers Alleged Sludge Pumping into Local Brooks from the Apple Ridge Development in Mahwah

photo by Derek Michalski , Pictured: Chairman of Mahwah Environmental Commission Richard Wolf documenting ongoing pollution at Toll Brothers construction site in Mahwah and Upper Saddle River.

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Upper Saddle River NJ, Major breakthrough in a 10-month community investigation started back in January 2018 by GreenUSR activist and resident of Upper Saddle River Derek Michalski.

Ramsey, Mahwah, Upper and Saddle River. Over the weekend residents from Ramsay, Mahwah and Upper Saddle River met for the second weekend in a row on the property that was featured in April 23, 2018 CBS New York Evening News coverage. We all remember Channel 2 Lisa Rozner’s report from 5 months ago about those infamous hoses pumping mud into Upper Saddle River stream directly from 100 acre site that had arsenic in the past.* Since that day very little has been done to stop the mud pumping that is occurring now 24/7 according to eyewitnesses. Last weekend the site was visited by Richard Wolf, Chairman of Mahwah Environmental Commission. This weekend Councilwoman Janet Ariemma took initiative and also met with residents and visually inspected continuous mud discharge into the Pleasant Brook.

Continue reading Major Breakthrough in a 10-month Investigation in Toll Brothers Alleged Sludge Pumping into Local Brooks from the Apple Ridge Development in Mahwah

Posted on September 28, 2018 January 21, 2019

Unprecedented environmental disaster in one of the richest zip codes in America

42596448 1833905203329284 1869563538410831872 o1

photo by Derek Michalski

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Upper Saddle River NJ, Derek Michalski once again fills us in on the ongoing battle over Pleasant Brook and the unprecedented environmental disaster in one of the richest zip codes in America . Toll Brothers‘
Apple Ridge Project in Mahwah has been alleged to be pumping mud into local tributary’s down stream in Upper Saddle River and Saddle River .

Continue reading Unprecedented environmental disaster in one of the richest zip codes in America

Posted on September 23, 2018 January 20, 2019

BREAKING: Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet “There will be NO deer culling in Mahwah Not happening”

photo by William Thomas

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, Major Policy Announcement around 1:50 pm Sunday September 23rd , posted on GreenUSR Community FB Page by Mahwah Mayor William Laforet:

“There will be NO deer culling in Mahwah , Not happening .Mahwah has a huge conservation area, our tag line is “Bergen County Parkland”
No matter what the Council President says.”

Mahwah Mayor Bill Laforet

Posted on September 18, 2018 January 20, 2019

Beginning of a New Eruv: AG Grewal Announces Settlement of Discrimination Lawsuit Against Mahwah Township

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mahwah NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced today that the State and Mahwah Township have entered into a settlement agreement that resolves a lawsuit brought by the State in 2017 after Mahwah adopted two allegedly discriminatory ordinances – one banning non-residents from using Mahwah’s public parks, the other banning the posting of “lechis” on utility poles located within the municipality. Lechis are plastic strips that denote the boundaries of an eruv used by Sabbath-observant Orthodox Jews.

Continue reading Beginning of a New Eruv: AG Grewal Announces Settlement of Discrimination Lawsuit Against Mahwah Township