Category: Village of Ridgewood

>Posted on Sat, May. 2, 2009

tp://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20090502_New_Jersey_GOP_gubernatorial_candidate_Christie_backs_school_vouchers.html
New Jersey GOP gubernatorial candidate Christie backs school vouchers

By Cynthia Burton
Inquirer Staff Writer

New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Christopher J. Christie pledged yesterday to create a school voucher program that allows students from failing districts to attend schools in districts that accept them.

In a conference call about the state’s fiscal crisis, Christie decried the high costs of education in 31 mostly poor districts where the state is under a court order to spend additional money. About 55 percent of state education aid goes to those districts – known as the Abbott districts – which educate about 23 percent of New Jersey’s students.

Christie would address the cost problems, in part, by giving parents vouchers for schools outside of those failing school districts. That means, for example, a student in Camden could attend school in Cherry Hill, as long as Cherry Hill agreed to accept the voucher.

Speaking of poor educational outcomes in some of the state’s Abbott districts, he said, “In those districts, we need to increase competition to make sure we get a better educational product.”

Though long-discussed, New Jersey does not have a school voucher system. It does have charter schools, which Christie said he would expand.

“You have to bring more charters and more competition to those Abbott districts,” he said. “If you do that, you will bring costs down because charter schools are spending less and producing better results.”

Christie’s voucher plan differs from a plan by his Republican primary opponent Steve Lonegan, which would not allow students to attend schools outside their district.

“Steve has a fake voucher program – I have a real one,” Christie said.

Lonegan said he wanted “to drive competition within a school district. One of the critical elements to economic growth is to reopen closed schools.”

Allowing students to take their vouchers and attend school outside their towns and cities “would siphon students off to other cities and leave behind empty schools and empty neighborhoods,” Lonegan said.

In the news conference, Christie also chided Gov. Corzine, a Democrat, for revenue projection shortfalls. The governor announced Thursday that the state’s projected revenue between now and June 2010 would be as much as $2 billion less than expected.

Christie said revenue projections should have given more weight to rising unemployment levels, which, in turn, have lowered the state’s income tax collection.

Contact Cynthia Burton
at 856-779-3858
or cburton@phillynews.com.

>A story in the Sunday Record contains this pgh:

The marchers originally intended to continue into Ridgewood and protest in front of The Valley Hospital, but they turned back at the Ridgewood line, because the village denied Birkner parade and public assembly permits for the march. A lawyer hired by the village warned him in writing that if he proceeded into Ridgewood, the marchers would be subject to “appropriate legal action, damages and any other enforcement costs incurred by the Village of Ridgewood.”

1)How did the newspaper know the village of Ridgewood denied a permit (The article contains no attribution for this statement.)
2)What was the reason for the denial
3)What is the name of the lawyer
4)Who in the village government hired this lawyer
5)Was the lawyer hired for this specific purpose

>Features reviews of restaurants and local businesses

Puzo’s at 16 West Ridgewood Ave (201)445-3332 features a large selection of gourmet pizza’s and customized specialized pizza’s. More than just a pizza parlor Puzzo’s offers a full range of Italian favorites as well as hot and cold sandwiches. The atmosphere is friendly fun and casual making Puzo’s a great place to grab quite bit for lunch.

Email the blog if you have any of your own ideas jamesfoytlin@optonline.net

>I was infuriated by the members of the BOE, who seemed to be patting themselves on the back for raising our taxes, AGAIN, in last week’s RN article about the budget! Does anyone else agree that the BOE does NOT have a mandate to propose a budget that uses every bit of Trenton’s “allowable” annual increase, every year.

Isn’t it the BOE’s responsibility to try to deliver a budget that does NOT increase automatically every year? Only infrequently and in unusual circumstances should the annual allowable increase actually be used.When is enough really going to be enough?

If Rudy Giuliani could reduce or eliminate 23 different taxes in NYC during eight years, why can’t Ridgewood manage to even hold taxes (let alone reduce them)? In the past six years the average increase from the BOE has been 4.59% per year and the cummulative increase from the BOE in that time has been over 25%. This is a disgrace. Our BOE members don’t seem to understand that it is NOT “OK” to keep dipping into our pockets. Perhaps it is time to take back control of our village’s educational destiny from the teachers’ union…

>BOARD OF EDUCATION

Ridgewood, New Jersey

Special Public Meeting/Public Hearing on the Budget

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Education Center

>”I am a student in Ridgewood, and several of my friends are homosexual or bisexual. Gay people can’t help their sexuality, just like straight people can’t help theirs. Homosexuality is just another thing that people discriminate against, and aren’t schools supposed to help lessen that discrimination? Prejudice against skin color is horrible, but when you discriminate against love- well, that’s just sickening.We have Black History Month. We have Women’s History Month. We learn about the things that they had to go through to get the same rights as white guys, yet there is always a hullabaloo when someone tries to stand up for gay rights.So, are you against organizations sponsoring schools, or are you against taxpayer’s money being used this way (and BTW, staying silent doesn’t exactly cost a whole lot) or are you just HOMOPHOBIC?Oh. I’m reading the above comments…you know, I really had no idea that so many homophobes live in Ridgewood. They make me sick, they really do. My stomach begins to churn when I read their words. I bet that NONE of them even know a single gay person, so why don’t they shove their stupid homophobic comments up their arses? “

>Recall — Firm Press Release
FDA posts press releases and other notices of recalls and market withdrawals from the firms involved as a service to consumers, the media, and other interested parties. FDA does not endorse either the product or the company.

Menu Foods Issues Recall of Specific Can and Small Foil Pouch Wet Pet Foods
Contact:
Sarah Tuite
(416) 848-1703

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — Emporia, KS — March 16, 2007 — Menu Foods, Emporia, Kansas, is initiating a North American recall of dog and cat food manufactured in its “cuts and gravy” format between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. There has been a small number of reported instances of cats and dogs in the United States (none in Canada) becoming sick from kidney failure after eating the affected products. There have been approximately ten deaths reported.

Consumers who have product which is being recalled should stop using it and return it to Menu Foods in accordance with the procedure found at www.menufoods.com/recall. This procedure will be available from 6 a.m. Saturday March 17, 2007. If your dog or cat is showing any signs of kidney failure, consult your veterinarian.

The recall includes an extensive list of brand names and lot numbers. In order to determine whether cat and dog food is subject to recall, consumers should refer to the comprehensive list of products at www.menufoods.com/recall. This list of products will be available from 6 a.m. Saturday March 17, 2007.

Menu Foods voluntarily recalled the products after learning of complaints of vomiting and renal failure in dogs and cats following their consumption of product produced between December 3, 2006 and March 6, 2007. FDA has been apprised of this action.

Following feedings of the product, some cats and dogs refused further feedings, while others exhibited signs of renal failure (signs of renal failure include loss of appetite, lethargy and vomiting) and others died from renal failure. Menu Foods has undertaken extensive testing of the products in question, employing both internal and external resources, but to date has been unable to confirm any causal relationship to our product. Specifically, tests of some affected products have not revealed the cause of sickness, and testing will continue until a better understanding of the facts has been achieved.

Menu’s products are distributed to supermarkets, pet specialty stores and mass merchandisers across the United States. It can best be identified by reference to the list of products found at www.menufoods.com/recall. This list of products will be available from 6 a.m. Saturday March 17, 2007.

Menu Foods is notifying its customers by telephone and mail and is arranging for the return of all recalled products. The products were distributed throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico.

While the number of complaints has been relatively small, Menu Foods is taking this proactive step out of an abundance of caution, because the health and well-being of pets is paramount to Menu Foods.

Consumers with questions may contact Menu Foods at 1-800-551-7392.

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>Well if your looking a causal and interesting dinning experience check out Joel’s at 14 Oak Street (201)493-9477 , the food is excellent .At Joel’s there is a unique twist on many standard dishes . The presentation is enticing and the service grand and friendly so if you looking around town and not up to fine dinning but have an inquisitive pallet Joels’ has something for everyone .

A Mano : Chestnut Street at Franklin : Ridgewood, NJ : 201.493.2000 , an upscale pizzeria, serving real Neapolitan style pizza. The freshness of the ingredients is readily apparent. The brick ovens give a very warm ambiance. Considering the place had just opened service was good with the staff looking to find there grove. A Mano is a pizza lover’s delight and could easily win converts.

Bagelicious 19N. Broad Street (201)652-9421 ,so you thought you could only get good bagles in NYC ,not so Bagelious has some the best around .Dont forget to ask about some of their special combo sandwiches

Email the blog if you have any of your own ideas jamesfoytlin@optonline.net

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