N.J. rejects plan for wind power farm off Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY — New Jersey energy regulators have taken the air out of a $188 million plan to build a wind power farm off the coast of Atlantic City.
The state Board of Public Utilities rejected a proposal by Fishermen’s Energy to build a windmill farm three miles off the state’s southern coast, deciding it was too risky financially.
Its five turbines would have generated about 25 megawatts of electricity. But it depended on a mixture of subsidies and federal grants to make sure ratepayers didn’t have to pay soaring bills.
Environmentalists decried the move, saying the state has squandered an opportunity to provide clean energy.
Jeff Tittel of the New Jersey Sierra Club says the board did not consider the benefits of reduced air pollution. (Parry/Associated Press)
Sweeney says Atlantic City should keep Casino monopoly for now
State Senate President Stephen Sweeney has ruled out a casino in the Meadowlands for now,The Record reports.
Speaking in Atlantic City today, the powerful South Jersey Democrat said suggestions by other legislators that the time was right to start looking into the feasibility of a casino anywhere other than Atlantic City was harmful to that city’s ability to attract investors, the newspaper reported.
“Listen, as long as I’m alive and I’m the Senate president, we’re not moving [such bills],” the paper quoted Sweeney (D-Gloucester) as saying. “I made a deal, and my word is good. We’ll talk about it after the five years. That’s when we would start having a discussion” about whether casino gambling can take place elsewhere than in Atlantic City.
Sweeney was among several elected officials at a news conference during which they voiced strong support to New Jersey’s ’s bid to overturn a federal law that has allowed just casinos in Nevada to accept bets on sporting events. (Khavkine/Star-Ledger)
CD3 Primary: Ocean County Republican Establishment awards the line to MacArthur
TOMS RIVER – The vaunted Ocean County Republican Organization tonight threw its support behind former Randolph Mayor Tom MacArthur in the 3rd Congressional District, cementing him as the establishment GOP pick in the Republican-leaning district and triggering a carpetbagger primary war.
Denied organization support, former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan – like MacArthur a newly energized seaside denizen down here – intends to run as a party renegade, he said.
On Saturday, the western Burlington half of the 3rd on Saturday likewise gave MacArthur the line, bolstering his chances in a June GOP showdown.
“Lonegan drove the Ocean and Burlington organizations together,” concluded a Democrat, who offered his insights hours before the convention. The Ocean portion of the district contains 54,267 registered Republican voters; the Burlington half 61,294.
Past primaries between the two machine operations in this district have been contentious. (Pizarro/PolitickerNJ)
Ridgewood Concert Band’s Conductor Dr. Chris Wilhjelm Receives Honor
March 19,2014Ridgewood NJ, Dr. Chris Wilhjelm, conductor and music director of the Ridgewood Concert Band and band director at Pascack Hills High School, has just been elected to the American Bandmasters Association. This storied organization, founded in 1929 by Edwin Franko Goldman, Albert Augustus Harding, and John Philip Sousa, has been the premier association of professional conductors and composers active in the band world for 85 years. Dr. Wilhjelm is first New Jersey high school educator to be invited in the association’s history. He joins only two additional New Jersey residents, Dr. William Berz, professor of music at Rutgers University (formerly Director of Bands), and Dr. John Pastin, former director of the United States Navy Band, and currently Dean of the School of Performing Arts at Rowan University.
Dr. Wilhjelm thanks his sponsors, Dr. Dennis Zeisler, president of the American Bandmasters Association, Loras Schissel, director of the Virginia Military Band and the Blossom Festival Band, Dr. Timothy Rhea, Director of Bands at Texas A&M University, and Colonel Arnald Gabriel, retired director of the United States Air Force Band and one of the most honored musicians in the nation. He also extends his thanks and appreciation to all of the members for this honor.
Dr. Wilhjelm is deeply appreciative of the decades of support received from his family, friends, colleagues, and students for making this award possible.
PARCC Field Test Goes Online as Exam Moves Closer to Full Development
Kudos and controversies aside, New Jersey is about to undergo a sea change in the way it evaluates students, schools, and teachers.
PARCC is finally here — or at least pretty close.
Starting on Monday, more than 1,200 schools across New Jersey will start field-testing the new online state exams that are part of the 17-state Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC).
The testing is a change in the way New Jersey assesses how its public schools are performing and students are learning, fully aligned with the national Common Core State Standard.
For the first time, the tests will be administered entirely online. (Mooney/NJSpotlight)
Water quality board to meet for the first time in 4 years
TRENTON — A board that helps set standards for drinking water quality in New Jersey will meet for the first time in four years, The Star-Ledger has learned.
Gov. Chris Christie today appointed three members to the Drinking Water Quality Institute, a three-decade old panel created to craft rules governing how many contaminates should be allowed in tap water.
The Republican governor appointed Laura Cummings of Nutley, Keith Raymond Cooper of South Brunswick and George Van Orden of Madison.
The 15-member institute — made up of scientists from academia and the water industry — will begin meeting again in April or May, according to Larry Ragonese, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection. The board has not held a meeting since early 2010, around the same time its chairman resigned.
“The board stopped meeting because we ended up with less members than we needed,” Ragonese said, adding that the administration was preparing new appointments when it was delayed by Hurricane Sandy.
Environmentalists have complained that the board’s dormancy made it more difficult to ensure the state was addressing water quality issues. (Hutchins/Star-Ledger)
New Players presents: The Wiz March 20 at 7:00 March 21 at 8:00 March 22 at 2:00 and 8:00 and March 23 at 2:00 . Ticket order forms are available through the link below: https://www.rhsnewplayers.com/forms/WizTicketForm2014.pdf
And book your table now for the special performance of the Bostonians at Park West on March 20th at 5:00. 20% of the proceeds will be donated to NPC.
Sheriff Saudino Warns Bergen County Residents of “Jury Duty Fraud”
March 19, 2014 at 3:48pm
HACKENSACK, N.J. – The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office has received numerous complaints from Bergen County residents with regards to a jury duty phone scam. The individuals perpetrating this fraud, claim to be members of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and accuse residents that they have missed jury duty and that there is a warrant for their arrest. The individuals posing as Sheriff’s Office employees tell residents that in lieu of being arrested, they must provide a credit card number and/or prepaid debit card to pay a fine. Once the fine is paid, the warrant (which is fictitious) will be lifted. For example, on one occasion last week, the caller instructed the victim to transfer money using prepaid debit cards such as Green Dot Money-Pak to wire the money.
The individuals whom are committing this fraud are utilizing pre-paid cell phones with a “201” area code designation to appear as if they are from the Bergen County area. This juror fraud is not isolated to Bergen County. It has occurred in neighboring counties as well as other states.
“If a government agency is to contact you via phone, it will be done utilizing a bona fide publicized government phone number” said Sheriff Michael Saudino. “All notices regarding jury duty come through the mail, including summonses to report for jury duty, and failure to report for jury duty. These notices are mailed directly from the New Jersey Judiciary Jury Management Office and give you specific information on who to contact, and how to comply with the summons.”
The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and local police departments are aware of this matter and are currently investigating it. Sheriff Saudino advises Bergen County residents that “You should not give out any personal information or identification over the phone, and are advised not transfer any money using prepaid debit cards on behalf of a government agency. If you are being asked for your personal information from an unsolicited phone number, hang up immediately and notify your local authorities.”
“No Government agency will tell you to make payments to them through a bank or wire transfer. It is incumbent on all residents to be alert and it does not hurt to take the time to verify these incidents with us.” says Sheriff Saudino.
Anyone who believes they may also have been exposed to this or a similar type fraud is asked to contact either the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office at 201-646-2222,www.bergentip.com, or your local police department.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding jury duty, please refer to the Bergen County Superior Court Jury Management Office atwww.judiciary.state.nj.us/juryreporting/bergen, or contact the jury office at 201-527-2290.
Funds sought for improvements at Ridgewood Community Center
MARCH 19, 2014, 12:00 AM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 2014, 11:04 AM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
Organizers at the Ridgewood Community Center, having recovered most assets lost during Hurricane Irene, are hoping to raise money to purchase items that will enhance users’ comfort, convenience and experience.
At the request of a new fundraising arm of the Community Center Advisory Board, the village is preparing to distribute letters soliciting monetary donations from various individuals and businesses. Donations received by Ridgewood will be added to an existing recreation trust fund, which banks money for recreation and community center uses, according to acting Village Manager Heather Mailander.
The fundraising campaign will initially begin by approaching specific individuals.
“We’ll send [the letter] to people I know have an affinity to the community center. It’s a small list of donors,” said Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck, liaison to the advisory board. She added that the committee hopes to generate between $10,000 and $15,000 during the first wave of donations to offset the costs of various wish list items.
Readers find it hard to believe Ridgewood meter thief acted alone and went unnoticed for so long
Shocking! And as expected, no comment from our illustrious mayor on the one thing he should be commenting about. What a joke Ridgewood is becoming. But, Roberta will fix everything, Paul promises.
No way he was the only one. The only way he even gets to the point where he is comfortable stealing a half million dollars in quarters is if there is a pre existing culture of entitlement that facilitates this kind of behavior. Same thing happened in Hoboken about 10 years ago (only it was $1M). And we all know how squeaky clean that city is.
$460,000 is 1% of our Village annual budget and no one noticed ? Makes you wonder what else goes missing every year ?
He took the money over a 2 year period. Someone in finance didn’t notice a quarter of a million dollar shortfall 2 years in a row?
How can this be, he must of paid some one off, what a scam. and don’t tell me that no others new about this. bull shit. right ,right, come on .he is lucky that he did not meet big bubba . he would of never lasted in the joint.
But Village officials steadfastly refuse to offer any other payment option for meters and parking kiosks other than cash, thus making it easier for employees to continue helping themselves. There are so many security breaches in the collection process, none of which officials will admit to in public.
Reader says ,The Central Business District is in nobody’s back yard
The Central Business District is in nobody’s back yard – Rewriting the Master Plan to allow its overdevelopment will affect all of us. Your use of the term “NIMBY” makes no sense here. That term has become the rallying cry of special interest groups in town that have completely hijacked the agenda on what is best for Ridgewood moving forward. By all appearances, this has been fine with our Council and Planning Board as they each pursue their personal agendas. Hats off to residents that are taking matters into their own hands and getting involved in the process.
Obamacare premiums to skyrocket
March 19, 2014, 06:00 am
By Elise Viebeck
Health industry officials say ObamaCare-related premiums will double in some parts of the country, countering claims recently made by the administration.
The expected rate hikes will be announced in the coming months amid an intense election year, when control of the Senate is up for grabs. The sticker shock would likely bolster the GOP’s prospects in November and hamper ObamaCare insurance enrollment efforts in 2015.
“The increases are far less significant than what they were prior to the Affordable Care Act,” the secretary said in testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee.
Her comment baffled insurance officials, who said it runs counter to the industry’s consensus about next year.
“It’s pretty shortsighted because I think everybody knows that the way the exchange has rolled out … is going to lead to higher costs,” said one senior insurance executive who requested anonymity.
The insurance official, who hails from a populous swing state, said his company expects to triple its rates next year on the ObamaCare exchange.
The hikes are expected to vary substantially by region, state and carrier.
Flimsy regulation, outdated drug education, irresponsible prescribing practices and myriad barriers to treatment have enabled and exacerbated a growing crisis of heroin and opiate addiction among New Jersey youth, according to an ambitious — and long-delayed — state task force report released Tuesday.
The 88-page report, the result of two years of research, public hearings and official review, offers a wide range of policy recommendations, from public awareness campaigns and strengthened oversight of doctors to insurance reform and expanded treatment programs. It also firmly places New Jersey among a group of northeastern states, from Pennsylvania to Maine, grappling with an alarming surge of heroin addiction.
“The skyrocketing use of heroin and other opiates has become the number one health care crisis confronting New Jersey,” the report says. And the numbers are stark: Nearly two-thirds of the state’s 1,294 drug-related deaths in 2012 involved opiates, including heroin. In 2012, there were more than 8,300 admissions to state-certified substance abuse treatment programs for prescription drug abuse — an increase of nearly 700 percent over the past decade.
The Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse received the report Tuesday and posted it on the council website later in the day. But despite enthusiasm among lawmakers and officials, it remains to be seen whether the proposed reforms will gain traction.
The report and its 18 recommendations do not differ substantively from a confidential October draft of the report obtained and written about by The Record in December: at the time, the council and Governor Christie’s office exchanged blame for its delayed release.
New Jersey’s task force report appears to be the first of its kind and scope, but other states across the Northeast have raised alarms about the rise in heroin addiction. (O’Brien/The Record)
JUST SOLD! 320 Meadowbrook Ave, Ridgewood NJ
Michael Fidanza
March 19.2014
9:11 AM
We are in a strong Real Estate market in early 2014. However, at the same time last year, we had almost 50% more houses for sale. Do you know someone looking to buy, sell or invest in a home? Let me and The Nuber Team go to work for you.
If you are thinking of selling your home, visit our site, SmartHomePrice.com. Whether your serious or just curious, SHP helps you determine the RIGHT value for your home and not some arbitrary ‘zestimate’. Buyers are starting their home search online and SHP helps you get more for your home when it comes time to sell.
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I love to help anyone with their Real Estate needs. Always feel free to contact me if you have a question and I’m happy to answer. When it comes to something as important as your home, it pays to have the right team on your side.
March is MS Awareness Month! Cupcakes by Carousel will donate $5.00 for every 6 pack of cupcakes purchased and 10% for every individual cupcake purchased.
After selling gourmet cakes wholesale for almost 30 years, we decided that it’s time to branch out from the family bakery business, founded by our father in 1965, and open a sister company, Cupcakes by Carousel to sell mini-versions of our delicious 7″ and 10″ cake creations.
Carousel Cakes has a long history of making fine desserts; we sell our cakes to more than 700 restaurants in the tri-state area. Local restaurants and gourmet grocers include Aldo & Gianni Ristorante in Montvale, Valentino’s of Park Ridge, the Clinton Inn Hotel in Tenafly. Manhattan customers include Zabar’s, the private Friars Club, EJ’s Luncheonette and the American Museum of Natural History.
Ridgewood, Englewood and Montclair are wonderful New Jersey towns, and we are so happy to be a part of these communities. We offer a full range of cupcakes for kids of all ages. We have mousse-filled cupcakes, baby cakes sold by the dozen and tons of flavors to choose from. Also, traditional frosted cupcakes and those piled high with crumbled cookies or candy. We have cupcake versions of Carousel’s different lines of white, mousse and chocolate cakes and the Red Velvet cake that made it onto Oprah Winfrey’s “O” list and the Blue Velvet which was one of her “Favorite Things” for 2012!
Our family warmly welcomes you to our New Jersey cupcake shops. Our goal is to bring a big smile to everyone who comes to visit us, and keep you coming for many yummy years to come.
Cupcakes by Carousel
192 East Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ
(next to the movie theater)
201-389-3090
Ridgewood Hours:
Monday: 10 to 6
Tuesday: 10 to 9
Wednesday: 10 to 9
Thursday: 10 to 9
Friday: 10 to 9
Saturday: 10 to 9
Sunday: 12 to 7
