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Posted on March 13, 2014June 27, 2021 by James — 1 Comment

Ridgewood family escapes injury but loses electricity when tree crashes into home

Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood family escapes injury but loses electricity when tree crashes into home
March 13,2014
Boyd A. Loving
1:19 AM

All members of a Ridgewood family with young children escaped injury when a large tree came crashing through the roof of their single family home on Wednesday night. The incident occurred in the 400 block of Farview Street between 11:30 and 11:45 PM. Ridgewood Police and Ridgewood Fire Department personnel rushed to the scene in response to a 911 telephone call from a concerned neighbor who witnessed the incident. Electric service to the home was severed when the tree fell, but a troubleshooter from PSE&G responded to the scene in a bucket truck, and restored power within 60 minutes. Damage to the home appeared moderate; the family was permitted to remain inside as firefighters checked the structure to ensure there were no natural gas leaks or broken pipes. A fire official on the scene identified the tree as one belonging to the Village of Ridgewood; a Village tree crew was expected to remove the tree on Thursday morning. All fire and police units cleared the scene as of 12:45 AM on Thursday.

Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving

Posted on March 13, 2014June 27, 2021 by James — 1 Comment

Ridgewood one of 34 NJ Towns to Receive Grants for Community-Based Sustainability Projects

Ridgewood one of 34 NJ Towns to Receive Grants for Community-Based
Sustainability Projects
March 12, 2014

Trenton, NJ (March 12, 2014) –Today, Sustainable Jersey announced the 34 New Jersey towns that were selected for Sustainable Jersey Small Grants funded by the PSEG Foundation at Camden’s City Hall in Camden, New Jersey. Since 2009, Sustainable Jersey has distributed approximately $1,375,000 in grants to New Jersey municipalities to help towns make their communities more livable, environmentally friendly and prosperous.

“Supporting municipalities as they do innovative sustainability projects is a cornerstone of our organization’s mission,” said Sustainable Jersey Board Chair Pam Mount. “These grants help ensure that important sustainability projects at the community level can get done. Congratulations to all the grant recipients.”

“PSEG is committed to being a steward of the environment and making meaningful contributions to the communities it serves,” said Ellen Lambert, president of the PSEG Foundation and director of Corporate Responsibility. “We are proud to support this program and to fund projects that will make life better in neighborhoods throughout New Jersey.”

The 12 towns that received the $20,000 and $10,000 grants proposed projects that provide sustainable solutions to everyday challenges. Organic curbside waste recycling, hawk habitat restoration, a commuter bike depot, rain gardens, community educational campaigns, sustainability ordinances and more have been added to the list of initiatives that the Sustainable Jersey Small Grants program is funding. New Jersey is the first state in the nation to have a comprehensive sustainability program for communities that links certification with strong state and private financial incentives, and a fully resourced program of technical support and training. Currently, 72 percent of New Jersey’s towns and cities (406 towns across all 21 counties) have registered to become Sustainable Jersey certified.

SUSTAINBLE JERSEY SMALL GRANTS RECIPIENTS:

Four $20,000 Grant Recipients: Camden, Lawrence, Linden and Montclair
Eight $10,000 Grant Recipients: Brick ($7,250), Ewing, Hammonton, Maplewood, Montville, Springfield, Stillwater and Winslow
Twenty-two $2,000 Capacity-Building Grant Recipients: Bordentown City, Clinton, Evesham, Kearny, Kinnelon, Lebanon, Long Beach, Mahwah, Mansfield, Margate, Monroe, Moorestown ($750), North Haledon, Ridgewood, Roosevelt, Seaside Park, Somerdale, Upper Township, Warren Township, Washington, Wayne and West Milford

Over 100 municipalities submitted proposals that were judged by an independent Blue Ribbon Selection Committee. The Sustainable Jersey grants are intended to help local governments make progress toward a sustainable future in general, and specifically toward Sustainable Jersey certification.

Recipients of $2,000 Sustainable Jersey Capacity-Building Grants

Bordentown City, Burlington County
Clinton, Hunterdon County
Evesham, Burlington County
Kearny, Hudson County
Kinnelon, Morris County
Lebanon, Hunterdon County
Long Beach , Ocean County
Mahwah, Bergen County
Mansfield, Warren County
Margate , Atlantic County
Monroe, Gloucester County
Moorestown, Burlington County ($750)
North Haledon, Passaic County
Ridgewood, Bergen County
Roosevelt, Monmouth County
Seaside Park, Ocean County
Somerdale, Camden County
Upper Township, Cape May County
Warren Township, Somerset County
Washington , Warren County
Wayne, Passaic
West Milford , Passaic

Posted on March 13, 2014March 12, 2014 by James — 1 Comment

ObamaCare’s Secret Mandate Exemption

ObamaCare’s Secret Mandate Exemption

HHS quietly repeals the individual purchase rule for two more years.

Updated March 12, 2014 3:13 p.m. ET

ObamaCare’s implementers continue to roam the battlefield and shoot their own wounded, and the latest casualty is the core of the Affordable Care Act—the individual mandate. To wit, last week the Administration quietly excused millions of people from the requirement to purchase health insurance or else pay a tax penalty.

This latest political reconstruction has received zero media notice, and the Health and Human Services Department didn’t think the details were worth discussing in a conference call, press materials or fact sheet. Instead, the mandate suspension was buried in an unrelated rule that was meant to preserve some health plans that don’t comply with ObamaCare benefit and redistribution mandates. Our sources only noticed the change this week.

https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304250204579433312607325596?mod=WSJ_Opinion_LEADTop&mg=reno64-wsj

Posted on March 12, 2014March 12, 2014 by James — 10 Comments

‘Save Ridgewood’ group protests new apartments proposed for former commercial area

‘Save Ridgewood’ group protests new apartments proposed for former commercial area

Originally published: March 11, 2014 8:06 PM
Updated: March 11, 2014 8:48 PM

RIDGEWOOD – Concerns over increased traffic and school overcrowding have sparked a battle over several new apartment complexes in Ridgewood.

Some residents in the upscale community have formed a grassroots movement called “Save Ridgewood,” which is fighting to block three proposed apartment complexes from going up.

The group says the three- and four-story buildings would change Ridgewood’s small town charm. They are also concerned hundreds of new residents could create traffic and parking problems.

https://newjersey.news12.com/news/save-ridgewood-group-protests-new-apartments-proposed-for-former-commercial-area-1.7360992

Posted on March 12, 2014June 27, 2021 by James — 9 Comments

Tesla Stores May Be Closed After N.J. Blocks Direct Sales

Tesla Stores May Be Closed After N.J. Blocks Direct Sales

Governor Chris Christie’s administration blocked Tesla Motors Inc. (TSLA), the electric-car maker that doesn’t have franchised retail dealers, from direct auto sales in a move the company said could shutter its only two stores in New Jersey.

The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, which includes members of Christie’s cabinet, unanimously approved the proposal yesterday in Trenton, delaying public comment on the matter until after the hearing. Tesla said it learned only a day earlier, after months of negotiations, that the rule change was coming to the most densely populated U.S. state, which is important for reaching customers in the New York metro area.

Christie “has gone back on his word,” Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said on Twitter prior to the vote. “His administration, under pressure from auto dealers, may shut down Tesla in NJ as soon as today.”

Tesla is battling dealers state by state to secure or protect the right to sell its cars directly to consumers. Auto dealers in Ohio, New York, Minnesota,Georgia and elsewhere in the past year have sought to block Tesla from directly retailing its models, arguing that independent retailers are better for shoppers and owners of vehicles. Texas dealers successfully backed a law setting the nation’s toughest restrictions on Tesla. Arizona, Colorado andVirginia also imposed limits. (Ohnsman and Dopp/Bloomberg)

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-11/tesla-stores-may-be-closed-after-n-j-blocks-direct-sales.html

Posted on March 12, 2014March 12, 2014 by James — 1 Comment

COAH Meeting Canceled After State Supreme Court Issues Temporary Stay

COAH Meeting Canceled After State Supreme Court Issues Temporary Stay

Appellate panel had ordered fair-share housing agency to hold its first meeting in 10 months.

Just 18 hours before the NJ Council on Affordable Housing was to hold a court-ordered meeting, which would have been its first in 10 months, the agency cancelled that meeting after the state Supreme Court issued a temporary stay of the order late yesterday afternoon.

The stay issued by the state’s highest court’s one-page order put a hold on last Friday’s extraordinary Appellate Division ruling that COAH meet by 9:30 a.m. today to begin working on rules for municipalities to provide their “fair share” of housing for low- and moderate-income residents as required under the state Supreme Court’s so-called Mount Laurel rulings.

Soon after the Supreme Court issued its temporary stay, the state Department of Community Affairs posted a that it had cancelled the meeting. Spokesmen for DCA and the state Attorney General’s office both declined comment. The meeting cancellation notice stated that the meeting “has been cancelled because the Supreme Court’s Order stayed the Appellate Division’s Order of March 7, 2014, which constituted the legal basis for holding the emergency meeting.”

Prior to early 2011, COAH used to hold monthly meetings. The council is supposed to have 12 members, but currently only half the seats are filled. (O’Dea/NJSpotlight)

https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/14/03/11/coah-meeting-canceled-after-state-supreme-court-issues-temporary-stay/

Posted on March 12, 2014June 27, 2021 by James — Leave a comment

The RAI Young People’s Scholarship

The RAI Young People’s Scholarship
March 12,2014
12:43 PM

Dear Member;

The Ridgewood Art Institute is pleased to be the recipient of a $10,000 grant from the Copper Beech Foundation. The grant may be used for one or more scholarships to be awarded to a deserving high school senior or seniors who is currently enrolled as a member of the Ridgewood Art Institute and is planning to pursue a career in art. The scholarship will be paid directly to the school of higher learning or college, which the recipient will attend.

The recipient will be selected after a review of completed applications. A qualified panel will consider such factors as; talent, financial need, awards & distinctions, dedication to their art, work ethic, and participation in the activities of the Ridgewood Art Institute. The scholarship and its amount will be awarded at the sole discretion of the Board of Trustees.

Students, who wish to apply, must submit the 2014 Members Scholarship Application Form by April 7, 2014 — (click here for more information and application downloads). Please include at least two letters of recommendation. Worthy candidates will be invited to a portfolio review where they will be expected to bring six examples of their original work. The recipient(s) of the scholarship will be notified by letter before May 5, 2014.

Sincerely,

Joel Popadics
Education Chairman

Posted on March 12, 2014June 27, 2021 by James — 1 Comment

Bookends Bookstore Robert Wagner, Today at 7:00pm

Bookends Bookstore Robert Wagner, Today at 7:00pm

TONIGHT @ 7:00PM!!!

ROBERT WAGNER will sign his new book:YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS

Robert Wagner, Today at 7:00pm .Bookends Bookstore in Ridgewood, New Jersey

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!

UPCOMING SIGNINGS Signings/Meetings
Can’t make a signing?
We take phone orders for signed copies.
Call now at 201-445-0726!
email us at [email protected]

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

Posted on March 12, 2014June 27, 2021 by James — 8 Comments

Reader says politicians mismanaged the pension funds and stole money from the pension system

file photo by Boyd Loving

Reader says politicians mismanaged the pension funds and stole money from the pension system

If those funds were invested like they were suppose to be, earning dividends, capital gains and interest, and the State of New Jersey didn’t give every county and municipality a “pension holiday” where the county and municipalities did NOT pay into the pensions as they were suppose to. Again money lost because it wasn’t invested properly…. because politicians mismanaged the pension funds and stole money from the pension system.”

I think Christie agrees: he inherited a state pension system that was broken and on the verge of collapse. He has to make up a lot more to close the underfunding gap, I don’t dispute that. But the fact of the matter is that promises that have been made are too generous. We can’t roll back what’s already been promised, but we can try to limit the growth in these liabilities for state taxpayers and property owners. Limiting the compound annual growth in these costs is a good thing for the long-term health of the state and will help to keep the pension plans solvent.

Remember that rising property taxes compound just like investments do. The higher the base, the larger the effect. Private sector workers don’t get COLAs and haven’t seen wage increases since the financial crisis; they have to save for their retirement and pay much more for healthcare than municipal workers.

Posted on March 12, 2014March 12, 2014 by James — 1 Comment

Planning board cannot make major changes to Valley Hospital expansion plan, board’s attorney says

Planning board cannot make major changes to Valley Hospital expansion plan, board’s attorney says

TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2014, 11:06 PM
BY BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — The Planning Board cannot substantially change The Valley Hospital’s plan to nearly double in size — even if it wanted to after a year of expert testimony and procedural discussions, according to the board attorney’s interpretation of law.

Although the board can make small alterations in language or items that do not affect the project’s scale, it can either approve or reject the plan but it cannot make major changes to the master plan amendment submitted by Valley, said Gail Price, the board attorney.

“The board can’t make any changes that could be considered arbitrary, capricious or unreasonable,” Price said, based on a pending court case involving the hospital and a group of residents opposed to the project. But she added that what constitutes a “substantial change is a gray area.”

“It’s not black and white,” Price said.

Even those opposed to the plan have said they support Valley’s effort to expand and renovate. They are just vehemently against the proposed size of the project, which will include a 94-foot-tall building and structures that will cover 43 percent of the 15-acre site, compared with the current 16 percent. Some have said they would be happy with a 20 percent to 25 percent expansion.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/Ridgewood_planners_attorney_says_major_changes_by_board_not_allowed_in_Valley_Hospital_expansion_plan.html#sthash.EfgxQD5I.dpuf

Posted on March 12, 2014March 11, 2014 by James — 1 Comment

EXCLUSIVE PNJ POLL: Lonegan with huge lead in CD3; 60% of GOPers Think Bridgegate has Impacted Christie’s Future

EXCLUSIVE PNJ POLL: Lonegan with huge lead in CD3; 60% of GOPers Think Bridgegate has Impacted Christie’s Future

By PolitickerNJ Staff | March 11th, 2014 – 3:04pm
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PolitickerNJ hired a national polling firm to survey primary-voting Republicans in the 3rd Congressional District, where three candidates hope to replace Republican Congressman Jon Runyan, whose retirement after only two terms shocked the political establishment.

According to the poll of 300 primary voters in CD3 by Advantage Research, Steve Lonegan holds a commanding lead over his two would-be rivals, with 41% of voters expressing support for the former Bogota mayor and 2013 US Senate candidate.

Toms River councilman Mo Hill is a distant second with 11% of Republican support and establishment favorite Tom MacArthur, the former mayor of Randolph, barely moves the needle, netting only 2% of Republican support.

https://www.politickernj.com/71948/lonegan-huge-early-lead-cd3-60-gop-voters-think-bridgegate-has-impacted-christies-future

Posted on March 12, 2014March 11, 2014 by James — Leave a comment

Labor Force Participation Hits Record Low for Americans in Their 20s

Labor Force Participation Hits Record Low for Americans in Their 20s
March 11, 2014 – 11:09 AM
By Ali Meyer

(CNSNews.com) – The labor force participation rate in 2013 for Americans in their twenties hit the lowest level recorded since 1981, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics started releasing employment data on people in the full age bracket of 20 through 29.

The labor force participation rate for people ages 20 through 24—which BLS has been tracking since 1948—hit a 42-year low in 2013.

Since 2008, the last year before President Barack Obama took office, the number of Americans in their twenties who were not in the labor force during the average month has climbed from 8,756,000 to 10,511,000—an increase of 1,755,000 or 20 percent.

– See more at: https://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/ali-meyer/labor-force-participation-hits-record-low-americans-their-20s#sthash.HnTO2vDq.dpuf

Posted on March 11, 2014March 11, 2014 by James — 5 Comments

Watch Cory Booker Claim He ‘Drove To Hawaii’ As A Teenager During Climate Talkathon

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Watch Cory Booker Claim He ‘Drove To Hawaii’ As A Teenager During Climate Talkathon

I actually subjected myself to watching the snore-a-thon last night where Democrats in the Senate incredulously spoke at each other demanding that someone, somewhere, with maybe some legislative power, do something, anything, about the fantasy of climate change. Yes, legislators were demanding of themselves that they do something. Democrats who control the Senate, by the way.

While you try to wrap your mind around that self-absorbed bit of self-serving political theater, take a break and enjoy the clip above where Cory Booker actually begins to muse nostalgically about first getting his driver’s license as a teen in New Jersey. His eyes turn misty as he remembers the “only trip” he ever took was to drive to Hawaii, and it was a beautiful – wait, what?!

Listen, I’m no Christopher Columbus, but I’m pretty sure even Magellan couldn’t traipse his way from Jersey to the island paradise of Hawaii in a car. Mostly because he probably couldn’t drive a car, but also because there’s more than 2,000 miles of ocean between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland!

https://www.ijreview.com/2014/03/120531-watch-cory-booker-claim-drove-hawaii-teenager-climate-talkathon/

Posted on March 11, 2014March 11, 2014 by James — 16 Comments

Ridgewood planning board told it can’t make changes to Valley Hospital expansion plan

Ridgewood planning board told it can’t make changes to Valley Hospital expansion plan

TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 2014 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY MARCH 11, 2014, 11:09 AM
BY BARBARA WILLIAMS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD – For a year, residents opposed to The Valley Hospital’s plan to nearly double in size have been attending hearings, sitting through hours of testimony and questioning experts in their effort to get the village Planning Board to scale back the project. On Monday night, they learned the board will not amend the proposal.

Gail Price, the board attorney, told residents at yet another hearing that the board could accept or reject the master amendment that would allow the hospital to expand, but it couldn’t make any changes. Price said the board could reject the application and then write an entirely new amendment and start the process over.

“To say I’m mad is an understatement,” said Pete McKenna, president of a group opposed to the project, Concerned Residents of Ridgewood. “I just wasted another year of my life here only to find out the board doesn’t have the latitude to make any changes.”

Valley is seeking an amendment to the village master plan that will allow them to construct a building that will rise to 94 feet high, if rooftop mechanicals are included, in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The project also calls for construction closer to the neighboring middle school.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/ridgewood/Ridgewood_planning_board_told_it_cant_make_changes_to_Valley_Hospital_expansion_plan.html#sthash.2o15Yagg.dpuf

Posted on March 11, 2014March 11, 2014 by James — Leave a comment

MOMS Club Annual Movie Fundraiser

MOMS Club Annual Movie Fundraiser

Frozen and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

Ridgewood and Glen Rock MOMs Club will hold a Movie Fundraiser on Saturday, March 22 at 10AM at the Bow Tie Warner Theater at 190 E. Ridgewood Avenue, in Ridgewood. Attendees can choose to see either Frozen or Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs2. Admission is $10 per person and includes unlimited popcorn and soft drinks. All proceeds will be donated to support local charities. MOMS Club is dedicated to providing part – and full-time at-home moms and their children with support and a variety of activities. Further information: www.MomsClubOfRidgewoodNJ.org to learn about membership, contact [email protected]

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