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Old horse barn in Ridgewood has ‘the right feel’

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Old horse barn in Ridgewood has ‘the right feel’

MAY 12, 2014    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, MAY 12, 2014, 6:08 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER

Representatives from two architecture firms sang similar praises for the cosmetic appearance of a former horse barn in Ridgewood. Now the Village Council is hoping that one of the companies will determine whether that structure, located at the Irene Habernickel Family Park, can be repaired and repurposed for use by recreation officials as well as the general public.

The horse barn project is the next phase of the village’s multi-step plan to convert the entire 10-acre property on Hillcrest Road, which Ridgewood purchased from the Habernickel family in 2004, into a public facility. Over the years, county and state grants helped fund the installation of playing fields, a parking lot and passive recreation areas at the site.

With the public’s increasing use of the land, Ridgewood safety and recreation department supervisors have said the park lacks certain amenities, but those accommodations could potentially be housed in a renovated horse barn. Officials said the building, which has weathered over time, could be restored to include adequate shelter from rain and lightning as well as provide space for restroom facilities.

At a council meeting last month, two separate architects briefly outlined their proposals for work on the barn. The architects recently responded to the village’s request for proposals and were identified by engineering and recreation officials as the viable bidders.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/old-horse-barn-in-ridgewood-has-the-right-feel-1.1014606#sthash.jdXOyHGo.dpuf

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Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital Adopt-A-Pet Day, Sunday, May 18th

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Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital Adopt-A-Pet Day, Fun for the Whole Family!  Join us this Sunday, May 18th from 11am-4pm! 

On Sunday, May 18th, from 11:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M., the Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital will be holding its 8th Adopt-A-Pet Day at 320 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. 

Normally held in September, the events have been so successful in finding homes for pets, Dr. Dean J. Cerf, Hospital Director, now holds the event twice a year. Dr. Cerf says, “There is nothing like experiencing the joy of a pet’s unconditional love, and we hope to help as many pets as possible get a second chance to share that love.” The hospital opens its doors and parking lot to over 30 shelters and rescue groups, who will bring dogs, cats, birds, and exotics for adoption.
The entire staff of the Ridgewood Veterinary Hospital is passionate about this cause and volunteers hours before and during the event to make it run smoothly. At the last event, over 1000 people attended and more than 300 animals were placed with loving families. Keith Harris, Hospital Administrator, says, “Our slogan is ‘Open your heart and home to a friend for life,’ and we invite people to help us adopt more pets at this event than ever before.”
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Moody’s downgrades New Jersey credit rating

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Moody’s downgrades New Jersey credit rating

MAY 13, 2014, 8:45 PM    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014, 8:46 PM
BY JOHN REITMEYER
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
THE RECORD

For the third time this year a major Wall Street ratings agency has lowered New Jersey’s credit rating, citing revenue shortfalls and other budget problems.

Moody’s Investors Service announced Tuesday that it was downgrading the state’s credit rating by one step because of New Jersey’s “weakened financial position resulting from recurring revenue shortfalls and ongoing reliance on non-recurring resources.”

Last month, the state Department of Treasury made public an $807 million budget shortfall and said it was largely due to income tax collections falling short of the estimates used to support state spending. The gap between what officials expected to collect in taxes and what people actually paid is the latest in a series that Governor Christie has had to deal with since taking office in early 2010.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/moody-s-downgrades-new-jersey-credit-rating-1.1015225#sthash.Zvl9HiI4.dpuf

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These election results send a clear message to special interest groups like Valley, the developers and sad to say now, the sports lobby

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These election results send a clear message to special interest groups like Valley, the developers and sad to say now, the sports lobby

These election results send a clear message to special interest groups like Valley, the developers and sad to say now, the sports lobby. What a disaster for youth sports in this town to have been dragged down by a handful of agenda driven zealots who somehow felt that the only way to get a new field was to get one of their own on the Council. And then there’s our opportunistic Mayor who thought that he could parlay that zeal into getting another inexperienced one issue candidate to vote with him.

Great work by the CRR and CBR to shine a light on the issues and get the vote out. I hope they continue to work together to shut down the current Master Plan Amendment processes. Now it’s time to get the 2007 Ordinance off the books before the next wave of special interests come along to amend the Master Plan for their own gain.

Good luck to Mrs. Knudson and Mr. Sedon.

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Psychiatrist’s view: Yik Yak is most dangerous app I’ve ever seen

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Psychiatrist’s view: Yik Yak is most dangerous app I’ve ever seen
By Dr. Keith Ablow
Published May 09, 2014
FoxNews.com

Click here to read a letter from Dr. Fishbein to Ridgewood parents and guardians, regarding the negative use of the new social media app Yik Yak by teens.

Here’s something important our society seems to be afraid to say out loud: Despite its name, “social media” is an inherently antisocial medium.

As a psychiatrist I can tell you that Facebook contributes to narcissism, depression and impaired interpersonal relationships. This likely happens because users craft appealing profiles of themselves, twisting their stories along the way, fooling themselves into thinking they have hundreds or thousands of “friends” and finally using a keystroke to block unwanted feedback.

Thank you, Mark Zuckerberg.

But the new Yik Yak app, originally designed for college campuses, is the most dangerous form of social media I’ve ever seen.

Yik Yak can turn a school into a virtual chat room where everyone can post his or her comments, anonymously.  Untruthful, mean, character-assassinating short messages are immediately seen by all users in a specific geographic area.

According to ABC News: “Yik Yak works like an anonymous bulletin board, displaying messages from people in a user’s area that can be voted ‘up’ or ‘down’ on the page.  Tyler Droll, founder and CEO of Yik Yak, said the app was designed to be like ‘a city’s central plaza or campus bulletin board.’”

“‘Yik Yak users interact with everyone around them,’ Droll said.

“’Yakking’ is the welcoming, authentic and anonymous version of tweeting.”

Translation:  Anyone using Yik Yak can turn a school into a virtual chat room where everyone can post his or her comments, anonymously.  Untruthful, mean, character-assassinating short messages are immediately seen by all users in a specific geographic area.

If a student writes, “Susie has an STD,” there’s no way to know if the “yak” is true. But hundreds of other students may see the electronic message, leaving it to the target to defend herself.  

Psychologically, Yik Yak actually removes all pretense of being a person with empathy, genuinely connected to other human beings.

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/05/09/psychiatrist-view-yik-yak-is-most-dangerous-app-ive-ever-seen/

 

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2013 Annual Report – Ridgewood Fire Department

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2013 Annual Report – Ridgewood Fire Department

Fire Headquarters 
201 East Glen Avenue 
Ridgewood, NJ 07450

201-444-8822
March 2014
Dear Mrs. Mailander,
On behalf of the members of the Ridgewood Fire Department, I am pleased to present you with the 2013 Annual Report. This report provides a summary of the departments activities from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013. In this report, you will learn about the personnel, facilities, equipment, and programs that serve you and our residents. You will learn that our primary mission is to take care of our citizens, some who are having the “worst day of their lives.” You will also learn how we deliver this vital service through Fire Prevention,
Public Education, and Emergency response. You will see how the Firefighters are continually focused on improvements, implementing best practices, and developing performance enhancements in all areas of our Department. In 2013, there were many changes in Fire Department staffing.
There were four retirements, one promotion, and three new appointments. The Fire Department is a proactive organization staffed with 40 professional firefighters, dedicated to the delivery of service to the citizens and visitors of Ridgewood. We proudly deliver this service through two fire stations strategically located throughout the Village.
As our Village copes with budget restraints, the expectation of our citizens to have quality emergency service has not changed. This department will work hard to meet these demands, continually striving to be one of the finest Fire Departments in the country. Every member of the Ridgewood Fire Department endeavors to insure that our budget is fiscally sound, comprised of wise choices and decisions that best provide fire services to the Village. We strive to make our partnership with the Village of Ridgewood stronger and will never take for granted the support we receive from our community.
In 2013, we placed in service a new fire engine for the fire station located at 311 West Glen Ave. We also outfitted all the firefighters with new state of the art firefighting gear and personnel bailout system. The fire engine, firefighting gear, and bailout system was paid for by a grant from the Assistance to Firefighting Grant Program that covered 90% of the cost. On behalf of all of the Career and Volunteer Firefighters and the Administrative Staff of the Ridgewood Fire Department, I would like to thank you, the Village Council, and the residents of Ridgewood for their continued support. Without this support we would not be able to carry out our mission.Respectfully Submitted,James Van Goor, Chief

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The Ridgewood Fire Department has issued its 2013 Annual Report. Click Here to read the report.
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Eric Holder: No Plans at DOJ to Investigate Secret Waiting Lists and Veteran Deaths at VA Hospitals

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Eric Holder: No Plans at DOJ to Investigate Secret Waiting Lists and Veteran Deaths at VA Hospitals

3:07 PM, MAY 13, 2014 • BY JOHN MCCORMACK

Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday that the Department of Justice doesn’t have any plans to investigate allegations that veterans placed on secret waiting lists at VA hospitals died while waiting for care.

“Well, obviously these reports if they’re true are unacceptable, and the allegations are being taken very seriously by the administration. But I don’t have any announcements at this time with regard to anything that the Justice Department is doing,” Holder told reporters at a press conference.

“This is something on our radar screen at this point, but there is an investigation being done by the [VA] inspector general, and we’ll see what happens as a result of that inquiry and other information that comes to light in some form or fashion,” Holder added.

https://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/eric-holder-no-plans-doj-investigate-secret-waiting-lists-and-veteran-deaths-va-hospitals_792719.html

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Knudsen, Sedon win Ridgewood Council seats

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Knudsen, Sedon win Ridgewood Council seats

MAY 13, 2014    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014, 9:28 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER

Knudsen and Sedon received 2,723 and 2,588 votes, respectively. Jim Albano received 1,021 votes.

Voting results will be declared official after review by the Bergen County Board of Elections.

During her campaign, Knudsen, who serves as vice chair of the Ridgewood Board of Adjustment, displayed her knowledge of municipal concerns and issues, particularly addressing the potential of overdevelopment that might result from a hospital expansion and downtown multifamily housing projects. She was adamant when suggesting that Ridgewood consider repealing an ordinance that permits developers to apply for master plan changes.

Sedon had pledged his commitment to Ridgewood, saying he hoped to streamline local government in ways that would stabilize taxes while improving municipal services. A village resident for four years, Sedon noted that he grew fond of the municipality while an employee with The Ridgewood News.

Though Knudsen and Sedon did not formally create a ticket, several grassroots organizations linked the two through endorsements. Among the groups to support both candidates were the Citizens for a Better Ridgewood, Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, the Preserve Graydon Coalition and Ridgewood Eastside Development.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/knudsen-sedon-win-ridgewood-council-seats-1.1015227#sthash.SSg2g1Le.dpuf

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Its all about “fees” Christie changes course on fee hikes

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Its all about “fees” Christie changes course on fee hikes

Everything but spending cuts

MAY 12, 2014, 10:29 PM    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, MAY 12, 2014, 10:29 PM
BY JOHN REITMEYER
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
THE RECORD

Two months ago, Governor Christie proposed a $34.4 billion budget, promising “no new taxes on the people of New Jersey.”

Now his administration is detailing nearly two dozen fees and fines that he wants increased — none of which was made public at the time.

The tax policy changes would increase revenue for five different state departments.

They include boosting the $2 fee added to motor vehicle fines to fund the state’s forensic DNA lab by 75 cents. The fingerprint fees for non-criminal background checks would go from $30 to $45.

Home improvement contractors would be forced to pay $110 instead of $90 to register with the state, and $90 instead of $75 to renew their registration.

The state’s Division Alcoholic Beverage Control, which regulates the sale of alcohol in New Jersey, would also increase fees across the board, according to Christie’s proposal.

For state taxpayers and businesses, the new fee and fine hikes — 23 in all, according to information made public last week by the state Department of Treasury — would mean giving more money to Trenton. But for Christie, a Republican seen as a possible contender for his party’s 2016 presidential nomination, the increases might pose a political problem.

He frequently and very publicly attacks Democrats for raising fees and taxes — including many of the same lawmakers he now needs to pass this budget.

And even as Democrats have questioned Christie’s proposal, which would bring in an estimated $32 million in new revenue, the governor is blaming the Democrats for having to hike the fees and fines in the first place.

“Quite frankly, I’ve had my teeth kicked in by this administration that we’ve raised taxes 115 times,” said Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee Chairman Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, when the issue came up during a meeting Thursday. “We’ve all been kicked around about how many taxes and fee increases we’ve voted on it recent years.”

After the meeting, Sarlo said it will take Republican votes to get the increases Christie wants adopted to balance his budget.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/christie-changes-course-on-fee-hikes-1.1014656#sthash.YpAsjTuy.dpuf

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JENNY MCCARTHY TONIGHT @ 7:00PM at Bookends

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JENNY MCCARTHY TONIGHT @ 7:00PM at Bookends 

JENNY MCCARTHY will sign her new book: STIRRING THE POT!!!

Jenny McCarthy Tuesday, May 13th @ 7:00pm

Co-host of The View, Jenny McCarthy, will sign her new book: Stirring The Pot
Books available May 6th

Bookends is a legendary New Jersey Landmark! We are known for our incredible author events and have hosted well over 1,000 authors in the past 15 years!

All books MUST be purchased from BOOKENDS for any of our events and a valid Bookends receipt must be presented for entry.

Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.

While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.

Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726

Missed one of our events? We have Signed Books from some of our recent signings. Call the store to order 201-445-0726.

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Ridgewood PD responds to report of stranded snapping turtle

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Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood PD responds to report of stranded snapping turtle
May 12,2014
Boyd A. Loving
8:48 PM 

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police Department Patrol Officer Shayne James (left) and an unidentified representative of HoHoKus based Tyco Animal Control (right) observe a female snapping turtle that became stranded on a ledge within the man-made waterfall at the Irene Habernickel Family Park on Hillcrest Road in Ridgewood on Monday, 05/12.  It was decided to leave the turtle in place and check back in several days to determine whether it freed itself on its own.  The Tyco representative believes the turtle laid eggs somewhere in the Park and is now in the process of heading back to her usual habitat.

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Village of Ridgewood May and June Planning Board Meetings

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Village of Ridgewood May and June Planning Board Meetings

PLANNING BOARD AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE

Special Public Meetings: May 20, June 2, June 3, June 9, June 17

In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled special public meetings for:

? Tuesday, May 20, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Center at Ridgewood High School, 627 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan.

? Monday, June 2, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan.

? Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing concerning a proposed amendment to the Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan which would recommend changes in zone district classifications and boundaries within the Central Business District and surrounding area including AH-2, B-3-R, C-R and C Zone Districts.

? Monday, June 9, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium at the Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 335 North Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan.

? Tuesday, June 17, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in the Student Center at Ridgewood High School, 627 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey, at which time the Board will continue the public hearing on the proposed H-Hospital Zone amendment to the Master Plan.

The Board may take official action during this Work and Public Meeting

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Reader says what I really want to hear from the RBSA is how are they going to fix the IRS Issues

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Reader says what I really want to hear from the RBSA is how are they going to fix the IRS Issues

The sports groups are out in full force. Just got a “Mid-Season Update from RBSA President Jim Albano” telleing me what’s been going on in RBSA-land but no discussion of their IRS issues which is what I’d really like to know about. I haven’t gotten an RBSA message in years since my kids are already in college.Also got another one from a RBSA trustee urging me to vote for Jim Albano because he is the ONLY candidate concerned about our youths (funny, my kids played ALOT of sports with the Knudsen kids and Susan has been the photog for the RHS football and Mike has young ones who will play sports). I never heard Susan or Mike say that didn’t support the recommendations of the open-space committee and I’ve been listening but I could be wrong.Disingenous, at best.

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Reader says The IRS sent the RBSA a loss of tax exempt status in 2011

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Reader says The IRS sent the RBSA a loss of tax exempt status in 2011

According to the IRS website, a letter went to every organization that had lost its tax-exempt status due to failure to file forms. This letter was sent in 2011. Somebody at the RBSA received it…and filed it.

When the treasurer took off some years ago, wouldn’t the president have been expected to find somebody to review the books and make sure everything was in good shape?

This didn’t happen yesterday, either.