Category: Uncategorized
Retailers offer apps, Wi-Fi for Black Friday shopping
Retailers offer apps, Wi-Fi for Black Friday shopping
November 27, 2014 Last updated: Thursday, November 27, 2014, 8:30 PM
By JOAN VERDON
STAFF WRITER |
The Record
This Black Friday, which actually begins tonight, on Thanksgiving, getting shoppers to reach for their smartphones is almost as important to retailers as getting them to reach for their wallets.
While retailers spent the beginning of this week engaged in some of the traditional preparations for Thanksgiving night and Black Friday — stocking shelves, having door-buster specials stacked and ready to go in backrooms and warehouses, unpacking merchandise — some of the most important advance work for this weekend began right after Black Friday 2013, when retailers realized they needed to make it easier to shop by phone.
The country’s largest retailers are greeting customers this weekend with new or upgraded mobile apps that perform functions such as steering them through the store to find a specific item; comparison shopping for them and issuing a refund if they didn’t get the best price; and letting them scan for discounts while shopping.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/stores-get-more-connected-1.1142597
NJ home building on track for best year since 2006
https://www.northjerseyprobuilders.com/ridgewood-nj-07450-general-contractor.html
NJ home building on track for best year since 2006
November 28, 2014 Last updated: Friday, November 28, 2014, 1:21 AM
By KATHLEEN LYNN
* Rentals lead way, thanks to tight mortgage standards, flat incomes
Powered by a surge in multifamily construction, home building in New Jersey is on track for its strongest year since 2006.
Builders have taken out 23,738 building permits through October, up 18 percent from the same period last year, according to data released this week from the U.S. census — and more than 60 percent of the permits have been for multi-family units. The multifamily percentage is the highest since 1964, said Patrick O’Keefe, an economist with CohnReznick, an accounting firm in New York and Roseland. As recently as the 1990s, multifamily projects accounted for about 15 percent of the home construction in the state.
O’Keefe expects builders to start more than 27,000 housing units in the state this year — coming close to the long-term averages above 30,000 a year, after dipping to lows averaging around 13,000 a year during the housing bust.
Rentals are leading the way, especially along the Hudson River. Bergen and Hudson counties have accounted for about 30 percent of the state’s home-building activity so far this year, heavily weighted toward multifamily construction.
Ridgewood leaders host discussion on civility
Ridgewood leaders host discussion on civility
November 28, 2014 Last updated: Friday, November 28, 2014, 12:31 AM
By Jodi Weinberger
STAFF WRITER |
The Ridgewood News
Ridgewood leaders came together this week to discuss the need for more civility in public discourse.
With many divisive issues taking hold of Ridgewood over the last few years – Valley Hospital, multifamily housing, cell tower applications, the Graydon ramp, the Schedler debate, and Skype votes, among others – leaders believe that often conversations about these matters are hijacked by incivility.
Mayor Paul Aronsohn, who called for the meeting and invited community volunteers from various boards and houses of worship, led the meeting along with Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck and the Rev. Jan Phillips, head of the Community Relations Advisory Board of Ridgewood and Glen Rock.
A handful of residents also showed up to the Nov. 24 meeting to participate.
“This is not about stifling the conversation,” Aronsohn said. “We think this will enrich the conversation. Ridgewood is a community that thrives on discourse and interaction.”
Hauck said fostering civility is particularly challenging as it is a broader, societal issue that expands well beyond the village.
“How can we be more of a ‘we’ community in a ‘me’ world?” Hauck said. “Even as adults we struggle with cooperation, but we need to work together.”
https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/leaders-focus-on-fosteringthe-good-1.1142831
Ridgewood leaf collection is starting to pick up
file photo Boyd Loving
Ridgewood leaf collection is starting to pick up
NOVEMBER 26, 2014 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2014, 11:52 AM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Village refrigerators post-Thanksgiving may tell a different story, but on village streets, there are fewer leftovers.
Leftover leaves, that is.
Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld has reported receiving positive resident input, and fewer complaints, thanks to Ridgewood’s new “no leaf left behind” program. The initiative includes the reintroduction of rakers and the outsourcing of pickups in the leafiest area of Ridgewood.
The ongoing effort is in response to residents’ chief complaint with village leaf pickup in past years: a mess of leaves left on the street.
Now, officials said, the village needs residents to help with the initiative, since many leaves have yet to fall.
So far this year, 13,933 cubic yards of leaves have been picked up. In 2013, the total number was 35,967 cubic yards, according to a Nov. 21 village email blast sent out by Sonenfeld.
“Most of our resident comments still relate to the schedule… As a reminder – if we get to your area earlier than we have indicated, we will be back,” she said. “The fact that the season is running better also has to do with each of you; following guidelines on what can be in the piles, as well as keeping the streets open so that we can work, makes us all more effective.”
https://www.northjersey.com/news/village-leaf-collection-is-starting-to-pick-up-1.1141644
Village Hall & Lester Stable Offices Closed Today December 2 Planning Board Meeting Cancelled
Village Hall & Lester Stable Offices Closed Today December 2 Planning Board Meeting Cancelled
Village Hall & Lester Stable Offices Closed November 27 and 28
Village Hall and Lester Stable offices will be closed on Thursday, November 27 and Friday, November 28 in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday. Sanitation and Recycling will be picked up on Friday, November 28. If there are icy conditions on Friday, we ask you to bring the garbage to the curb for collection.
Happy Thanksgiving to All!
NOTICE – December 2 Planning Board Meeting Cancelled
PLANNING BOARD
NOTICE OF CHANGE IN MEETING SCHEDULE
12/02/14
CANCELLED: Tuesday, December 2, 2014
In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board meeting of DECEMBER 2, 2014 in the Village Hall Court Room has been cancelled. The next Planning Board meeting is scheduled for December 16, 2014 at BENJAMIN FRANKLIN MIDDLE SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, 335 N. Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ at 7:30 p.m.
All meetings of the Ridgewood Planning Board (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.
Michael Cafarelli
Secretary to the Board
Santa makes an early visit to South Irving Street
Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Santa makes an early visit to South Irving Street
November 27,2014
Boyd A. Loving
7:18 PM
Santa Claus dropped by unexpectedly at a home on South Irving Street on Thursday afternoon where 1-year old Declan and his 5-year old sister Delia were having a Thanksgiving meal with their grandparents.
Declan was a slightly unnerved by the surprise visit and kept his distance, but Delia sat right down near Santa, and had a nice 15 minute conversation with the fat man from the North Pole.
Santa did not arrive empty handed; Declan was the recipient of a toy vacuum cleaner, and Delia found a Play Doh kit when she unwrapped her present.
Mr. Claus arrived in a bright red SUV, which he told Delia he uses on every day of the year except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, and was gone in a flash 15 minutes after his arrival.
As he waved goodbye to Declan and Delia, Santa did reveal that retired Ridgewood Police Department Captain and former Ridgewood Mayor Keith D. Killion was the person who wrote the North Pole and requested Santa make an early visit to South Irving Street.
Thank you Keith!
Photos by Boyd Loving
OPEC Policy Ensures U.S. Shale Crash, Russian Tycoon Says
OPEC Policy Ensures U.S. Shale Crash, Russian Tycoon Says
By Will Kennedy and Jillian Ward Nov 27, 2014 10:04 AM ET
At today’s prices of just over $70 a barrel, drilling is close to becoming unprofitable… Read More
OPEC policy on crude production will ensure a crash in the U.S. shale industry, a Russian oil tycoon said.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries kept output targets unchanged at a meeting in Vienna today even after this year’s slump in the oil price caused by surging supply from U.S shale fields.
American producers risk becoming victims of their own success. At today’s prices of just over $70 a barrel, drilling is close to becoming unprofitable for some explorers,Leonid Fedun, vice president and board member at OAO Lukoil (LKOD), said in an interview in London.
The five worst places to drive in the United States
file photo by Boyd Loving RT 17
The five worst places to drive in the United States
Millions of people traveling for Thanksgiving will face daunting traffic problems that critics say have been magnified by Washington’s inability to move a long-term bill to pay for new highway projects.
With a nor’easter bearing down on the Eastern Seaboard this Thanksgiving, it’s expected to be an especially brutal few days on the road.
Congress hasn’t approved a long-term highway bill since 2005, and it’s become much more difficult to move legislation since then because of a variety of reasons, including the end of earmarks that directed money toward specific lawmaker-backed projects and a financial crisis and recession that made it tougher to move big-budget bills.
Business groups, labor unions and other players have pressed Congress since then to focus on infrastructure, but to little avail.
The crisis is getting worse in some ways, too, since the gas tax used to fund most highway improvements hasn’t been raised in decades and can no longer keep up with the need, according to advocates such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
1. Interstate 110 in Los Angeles
2. Interstate 80 in San Francisco
3. Interstate 35 in Austin, Texas
4. Interstate 678 in New York
The West Coast and Texas don’t have a monopoly on bad roads.
New York City ranked sixth on the INRIX traffic scorecard. It is also home to the worst road in the East Coast, according to Texas A&M in the form of a 3.1 mile stretch of highway running from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to the Bronx.
Known as Van Wyck Expressway, the road produced 690 hours of delays per mile and 1,086 wasted gallons of gasoline.
5. Interstate 95 north and south of Washington, D.C.
https://thehill.com/policy/transportation/225464-the-five-worst-places-to-drive-in-the-united-states
Friendsgiving, a new tradition to be thankful for
Friendsgiving, a new tradition to be thankful for
By Ellen McCarthy November 25
Shauna Alexander’s Friendsgiving story began in the traditional way: She was avoiding her family.
“I was having some tough times with my parents — as one does when they’re 25,” she recalls. “It was just growing pains with the folks.”
So, instead of going home to New York for Thanksgiving that year, Alexander lied and told her parents that she had to work on Friday and was stuck in Washington.
Then she went out and bought the video game “Rock Band,” cooked a bunch of food and invited all her friends who were left in town over for dinner.
The evening was laid-back and boozy and so, so much fun. That was five years ago — and Alexander hasn’t been home for Thanksgiving since.
She is among those who ardently believe in the superiority of a Thanksgiving spent with friends. Benefits: no travel, no drama and the ability to sleep in your own bed, assuming that you don’t pass out on your buddy’s couch. It’s not that Friendsgiving advocates aren’t thankful for family. They definitely are. Just, you know, from a distance.
“There’s something to be said for friends being the family you choose, as cliche as that statement is,” says Alexander, now 31. “You get to be with people you actually want to be around, and aren’t just obligated to be around — crazy aunts and uncles and brothers you might not get along with.”
Village of Ridgewood Leaves and Snow Update November 26th
Village of Ridgewood Leaves and Snow Update November 26th
Dear Residents.
I want to give you another quick update on the status of our leaf collection. We are currently experiencing equipment malfunctions with our sweepers and leaf vacs causing us to have to slow down in our leaf removal efforts. The good news, however, is that yesterday, we hit an all-time record of picking up 2,000 cu. yds. of leaves in one day! This beats our previous record of 1,500 cu. yds. from last year, and represents a determined effort to meet our schedule given the weather predictions for today.
Also, we are now in the process of switching over to snow removal mode (e.g. putting plows on vehicles) which will also have an impact on our leaf collection today.
While it has been our intent to meet our leaf pick up schedule before the Thanksgiving holiday, we may not be able to do so due to these new weather conditions. We will resume normal collection after the holiday.
In addition, if snow and icy conditions continue on Friday, I would like to ask residents on the East Side to please bring your garbage to the curb for collection.
Wishing you a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!
Best regards,
Roberta Sonenfeld
Governor Chris Christie Declares State of Emergency As Winter Storm Hits New Jersey
file photo
Governor Chris Christie Declares State of Emergency As Winter Storm Hits New Jersey
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Trenton, NJ – With Winter Storm Cato expected to impede transportation and travel throughout New Jersey, Governor Chris Christie today declared a State of Emergency, authorizing the State Director of Emergency Management to activate and coordinate the preparation, response and recovery efforts for the storm with all county and municipal emergency operations and governmental agencies. Commuters are asked to use extreme caution while traveling across the state.
“Today’s storm is expected to produce travel hazards and potentially cause power outages throughout the state,” said Governor Christie. “I’ve authorized state officials to take all necessary action to prepare, and my Administration will continue monitoring conditions throughout the remainder of the storm. With higher than normal traffic volume due to the Thanksgiving holiday, I strongly encourage all New Jerseyans to drive carefully so that they and their families arrive safely at their destinations. “
Already affecting parts of the state, Winter Storm Cato is expected to continue into the evening, bringing rain, snow, mixed precipitation, and strong winds.
STORM ANNOUNCEMENT: ALL AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ARE CANCELED TODAY
file photo
STORM ANNOUNCEMENT: ALL AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES ARE CANCELED TODAY
Due to the winter storm, all after-school and evening events and activities scheduled in the Ridgewood Public Schools are canceled for today, Wednesday, November 26.
Happy Thanksgiving! Drive safely!
Ridgewood Office of Emergency Management
file photo Boyd Loving
Ridgewood Office of Emergency Management
https://oem.ridgewoodnj.net/index.php
Village of Ridgewood Websites:
Ridgewood Board of Education – (201) 670-2600
Village of Ridgewood – (201) 670-5500
Ridgewood Emergency Services – (201) 670-5570
Ridgewood Fire Department – (201) 444-4224
Ridgewood Police Department – (201) 652-3900
Ridgewood Department of Public Works – (201) 670-5584
Ridgewood Parks & Shade Tree – (201) 670-5565
Ridgewood Engineering Department & Signal – (201) 670-5500 x238
Ridgewood Sewer & Polution Control – (201) 670-5575
Ridgewood Health Department – (201) 670-5500 x502
Ridgewood Building & Zoning Department – (201) 670-5500 x506
Utility Company Information:
Emergency sewer service in NJ – 201-645-0888
Ridgewood Water – (201) 670-5520
PSE&G – (800) 436-7734
Verizon & FiOS (800) 837-4966
Cablevision & Optimum – (973) 279-6660
Other Agency Information:
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – (800) 621-3362
National Weather Service
New Jersey State Police OEM
New Jersey Department of Environment Protection – (877) 927-6337
New Jersey Department of Transportation – 5-1-1
New Jersey Office of Homeland Security
Bergen County OEM
Bergen County Police Department (201) 646-2700
Bergen County Sheriffs Office – (201) 336-3500
Bergen County Prosecutors Office – (201) 646-2300
Citizens Corps
American Red Cross – (973) 797-3300
Ready.Gov
Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) – (973) 645-3666 – New Jersey Office
Port Authority Police Department – (800) 828-7273
New York Police Department (NYPD) – (646) 610-5000
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – (973) 792-3000 – Newark Field Office
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) – (973) 776-1100 – New Jersey Division Office
United States Secret Service – (973) 971-3100 – Newark Office
United States Marshalls Office – (973) 645-2404 – Newark Office
United States State Department – (202) 647-4000
Other Ridgewood Links:
The Valley Hospital – (201) 447-8000
Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce – (201) 445-2600
Free Parking available Friday and Saturday at the Park West Tavern
Free Parking available Friday and Saturday at the Park West Tavern
Free Parking on Friday and Saturday
The Park West Tavern is proud to announce that we will be offering free parking in a secured lot on Friday and Saturday evenings.
5:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Starting November 28th, 2014
The lot is located next to the Wells Fargo Bank at 41 North Walnut St, Ridgewood NJ, approximately one block away from the entrance to the restaurant. There will be an attendant in place as well as a sign clearly visible from the street.
