Special Public Planning Board Meeting – March 4, 2014
PLANNING BOARD
AMENDMENT TO MEETING SCHEDULE
Special Public Meeting: Tuesday, March 4, 2014
In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Planning Board has scheduled a special public meeting and work session for TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014, in the RIDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT CENTER, 627 E. RIDGEWOOD AVENUE, RIDGEWOOD, NJ beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The Board may take official action during this Special Public Meeting. The agenda for the meeting includes the following:
1. Continued public hearing concerning a proposed amendment to the Land Use Plan Element of the Master Plan, which amendment would recommend creation of new zone districts and changes in zone district boundaries within the Central Business District and surrounding area including AH-2, B-3-R, C-R and C Zone Districts.
2. Other Planning Board business per the agenda.
The proposed master plan amendment and related exhibits are at the office of the Secretary of the Ridgewood Planning Board on the third floor of Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, New Jersey and are available for public inspection Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The amendment and exhibits are also posted as a courtesy on the Village’s website at www.ridgewoodnj.net
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.
‘Real Housewives’ stars Teresa and Joe Giudice plead guilty to fraud
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2014 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY MARCH 4, 2014, 11:56 AM
BY PETER J. SAMPSON
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Teresa and Giuseppe “Joe” Giudice, who flaunted their lavish-spending over five seasons on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy, mortgage and bankruptcy fraud charges that could send them both to prison.
The Montville couple, two of the stars of the hit Bravo reality TV show, admitted their guilt during a packed hearing in federal court in Newark.
Under their plea agreements, Joe Giudice, 43, could be sentenced to a minimum of three years but less than four years in prison, while Teresa Giudice, 41, would face a term within the range of 21 to 27 months.
Her attorney, Henry E. Klingeman, however, reserved the right to ask the judge for a sentence below the guidelines range based on family circumstances — the couple has four daughters — and her minimal role.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/arts_entertainment/Real_Housewives_Teresa_Joe_Giudice_plead_guilty.html#sthash.Hfm0DBbx.dpuf
The Village Council is moving forward with plans to replace existing on-board cameras mounted in Ridgewood patrol cars and upgrade the corresponding system at police headquarters..
Two resolutions were passed last week, one approving the purchase of two new mobile camera units and another authorizing the acquisition of the related camera-operating system. Both purchases were included in last year’s capital expenditure accounts and will be obtained under New Jersey’s cooperative purchasing program.
According to the council’s resolution, a pair of mobile camera units will be purchased in an amount not to exceed $12,554 from a Massachusetts-based firm. The cameras were described as newer, high-definition units, according to acting Village Manager Heather Mailander.
Ridgewood school district reports drop in incidents
MONDAY MARCH 3, 2014, 3:36 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The Ridgewood school district has seen a decrease in total incidents of violence, bullying, vandalism and substance abuse taking place in school and at district-sanctioned events.
And fall 2013 numbers on these incidents indicate a continued decline.
Ridgewood High School (RHS) Assistant Principal Basil Pizzuto presented the most recent state-mandated data during Monday’s Board of Education (BOE) meeting.
This past fall, there were seven total incidents discovered district-wide, he said. They included four instances of vandalism, mainly graffiti; zero incidents involving weapons; one incident of alcohol abuse; two instances of violence; and two incidents classified as “harassment, intimidation and bullying” (HIB).
Last year, there were about 33 total incidents reported in Ridgewood – versus 103 incidents about 12 years ago, most of which involved vandalism.
Ridgewood YMCA issues statement on temporary worker charged in sexual assault of minor
MONDAY MARCH 3, 2014, 6:23 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — A Glen Rock man charged with sexually assaulting a minor several years ago has not worked at the Ridgewood YMCA since early February, according to a statement issued by the facility Monday.
Abelardo Ramirez, 46, worked as a temporary maintenance worker at the “Ridgewood YMCA/YWCA as a joint employee of the Ridgewood YMCA and YWCA, Bergen County,” the statement said.
It adds Ramirez was “employed on a part-time, occasional basis, for five months ending on February 7, 2014, and previously for approximately one year and eight months as an employee of Jannet International, the company that cleans our facility.”
Ramirez was arrested Feb. 17 and charged with aggravated and criminal sexual assault, as well as endangering a minor, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
Ramirez is accused of assaulting a Bergenfield girl — now 23 — for a period of three years until she turned 18. He remains in the county jail on $350,000 bail.
“The media reported incident did not occur at our facility nor during the time Mr. Ramirez worked in our building,” the statement noted.
MONDAY MARCH 3, 2014, 12:14 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
RIDGEWOOD — Got potholes on your village street? Now, there’s an app for that.
Today is the launch of a new mobile application — accessible through Ridgewood’s official Web site — that was designed to take information about potholes in town.
The “Ridgewood Service Request” or RSR app — the brainchild of John Spano, the village’s street operations supervisor — was designed by Dylan Hansen, Ridgewood’s systems administrator.
Heather Mailander, the village’s interim manager, explained the app during the council’s meeting last week.
“We wanted to come up with an easier way for people to report potholes, especially since we have so many of them due to the weather,” Mailander said. “This will be an easier way to report them.”
Ridgewood to step up enforcement of snow removal policies
MONDAY MARCH 3, 2014, 3:24 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Ridgewood will be cracking down on property owners and contractors who violate the village’s snow removal policies, including those that require timely sidewalk maintenance and prevent private plowing into public roadways.
Local authorities stepped up enforcement on Feb. 21, but acting Village Manager Heather Mailander said last Wednesday night that regulations will be heavily enforced going forward. She said that summonses will be issued for all offenses, and in some cases, vehicles left in public streets during a snowstorm may be towed.
A lack of resources isn’t the only thing that has contributed to Ridgewood’s winter woes – in some cases, private property owners and plowing contractors might be to blame for some messy roadways.
One in Three Say They’ve Been Personally Hurt by Obamacare
By Andrew Johnson
March 3, 2014 3:46 PM
One-third of Americans say the Affordable Care Act has had a negative impact on them personally, while 14 percent say the law has helped them, according to a new Rasmussen survey. The poll finds that public dissatisfaction with Obamcare remains nearly as high as it was during the height of the website’s problems last year.
Rasmussen finds that more people say they have a “very unfavorable” opinion of the law than have a favorable opinion of it at 41 and 40 percent, respectively. Fifty-six percent of respondents said they view the law unfavorably, just shy of a high of 58 percent in November of last year. Of the 40 percent who have a favorable opinion, only 16 percent view the law ”very favorably.
By Dave Boyer and Ashish Kumar Sen
The Washington Times
Monday, March 3, 2014President Obama warned Russia on Monday of possible U.S. sanctions over its military land grab in Ukraine, but Moscow brushed aside international threats, tightening its stranglehold on Crimea and calling audaciously for a national unity government in Kiev.In Washington, Mr. Obama said the world is “largely united” against Russia’s military action and he is considering economic and diplomatic steps that would gradually isolate Russia. He criticized the government of Russian President Vladimir Putin for being “on the wrong side of history.”
“What cannot be done is for Russia with impunity to put its soldiers on the ground and violate basic principles that are recognized around the world,” Mr. Obama said. “Over time, this will be a costly proposition for Russia.”
But the U.S. and European Union floundered for solutions — while global markets panicked over the prospect of violent upheaval in the heart of Europe. Fears grew that the Kremlin might carry out more land grabs in pro-Russian eastern Ukraine, or elsewhere in the former Soviet Union, adding urgency to Western efforts to defuse the crisis.
The Hermitage, a National Historic Landmark and house museum, incorporates a stone house that was visited during the Revolutionary War by General George Washington. It was also the site of the marriage of Aaron Burr and Theodosia Prevost. Its picturesque Gothic Revival design dates to the 1847–48 renovation by the architect William H. Ranlett.
Footprints: 350 Years at The Hermitage
View this exhibition through September 30, 2014.
New Jersey celebrates 350 years of history and
at The Hermitage the “Footprints, 350 Years” exhibition running from February 1 through September 30, explores the people who lived on and visited the site. This National Historic Landmark is located at 335 North Franklin Turnpike, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423. Exhibition hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 1
to 4 pm.
“Footprints 350” begins with viewing the museum’s most recent acquisition, the 1778 letter of invitation to stop at the residence from owner Theodosia Prevost to General George Washington. Seven themes then explore the various eras of this piece of land which was inhabited for 350 years. Native Americans lived near the property and is documented by arrowheads. Clay pipes and pottery shards discovered there during an archeological dig are also on display. The Era of the Rosencrantz Family is about the family whose lives exemplified the increasing liberty in American Society and who were innovative in their professional lives and recreational endeavors. The Civil War in Bergen County recounts the family’s ways to continue their cotton production despite the scarcity of raw material.
New Jersey’s Industrial Development features a working model of the Paterson and Ramapo Railroad which was an integral part of the mill operation. The Women of The Hermitage were socially engaged with others in the Ho-Ho-Kus and Ridgewood areas. They exhibited innovative entrepreneurship establishing a successful tea room, attracting a clientele from the rise in automotive touring. A mannequin in a black and white check silk dress dates from 1900. Typical of this era, it is trimmed with black ribbon in the Greek key design. Recreation and Pastimes features both men and women of the house engaged in golf, photography and bicycling and the emerging crazes of the late nineteenth century. The Hermitage Site Today underscores the importance that the property has been as a leader in liberty for America and innovation in historic preservation in New Jersey. The exhibition concludes with images of The Hermitage before, during and after its 1970s restoration.
The Friends of The Hermitage unparalleled restoration of this important site in our region belongs to every person. “Footprints 350” became a very special project, due to its importance within the state’s history. It is not included in the current general operating budget and is funded in part by donors. The Friends are seeking partners for the exhibition. Friends Board President Richard C. Brahs, in a statement, has suggested that you contact him at The Hermitage (201) 445-8311, X104 to discuss promotional benefits for the Special Exhibition.
This exhibit is free. For more information, please call 201-445-8311, ext. 101.
The Hermitage Museum
335 North Franklin Turnpike
Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ 07423-1035
Ellen DeGeneres, the Oscars, and the Selfie That Broke Twitter
Nick Gillespie|Mar. 3, 2014 8:34 am
While hosting the Academy Awards last night, Ellen DeGeneres tweeted this selfie that quickly set a record as the most retweeted item EVAH. Her caption: “If only Bradley’s arm was longer. Best photo ever.” The traffic on Twitter was so massive the service actually couldn’t keep up for a while.
As the Los Angeles Times wrote, the popularity of the image above easily busted the previous retweet record, which was held by President Barack Obama, who sometime in 2012 tweeted, “Four more years.”
Ben & Jerry’s Nails It With New Ice Cream Flavors
Marc H
Feb 28
Ridgewood NJ, You know when you can’t decide which pint of ice cream to buy, so you end up buying two and eating way too much? Ben and Jerry doesn’t want you to go through that any more. And you know when you’re treating yourself to a sundae and eat all the fudge on top first because there’s no way around it, so you’re left with a fudge-less scoop at the bottom? Ben and Jerry really doesn’t want you to endure that either.
Fear not. The perfect scoop is within reach. With Ben & Jerry’s new flavors you can now get two flavors in one pint (except for the Salted Caramel) and a filling center running down the middle of the entire container, from top to bottom. This filling consists of fudge, caramel or raspberry jam. The new varieties include Hazed & Confused, Peanut Butter Fudge, Salted Caramel and That’s My Jam. The pints are $4.39 each and will be hitting stores in the U.S. this month.
Lawmakers joining call for casino in Bergen County
SUNDAY MARCH 2, 2014, 10:43 PM
BY JOHN BRENNAN
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
New Jersey, long a national pioneer in legal betting, has tried a host of new concepts in recent years to try to reverse the erosion of its onetime gambling dominance.
The downward trend has been most evident in Atlantic City, where casino revenues are off more than 40 percent from the 2006 peak of $5 billion — a decline that has continued despite the recent launch of online betting on casino games.
Now a growing chorus of state leaders is calling for New Jersey to go “all in” once again — with casino-style gambling at the Meadowlands Sports Complex.
“Forget all this online slots, online lottery and all that — let’s just put slot machines in at the Meadowlands and get it over with,” said state Sen. Richard Codey, D-Essex, whose sponsorship of bills backing the Atlantic City casino industry dates to the industry’s origin in the late 1970s. “We need to stop trying to put Band-Aids on a gunshot wound to the head. Let’s accept the fact that Atlantic City’s problem is ‘location, location, location’ and move on from that.”
State Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Wood-Ridge, called other steps under consideration — including plans announced last week to increase the jackpots at the casinos — “fringe elements” that are unlikely to make a major difference in a $2 billion decline that has left state tax revenues with a nearly $200 million shortfall.
“The only way to maximize gambling revenues in the state is to have a high-class casino in the Meadowlands,” Sarlo said.
“Save Our Village” lawn signs popping up in Village
March 2,2014
Boyd A. Loving
4:57 PM
Ridgewood NJ, “Save Our Village” signs are now popping up in the Village. Most have been spotted in the Ridge Elementary School area, presumably because that school’s receiving area encompasses the Central Business District, where the high density housing is proposed to be located.
12 Years a Slave was named best picture, while supporting actress honors went to the film’s Lupita Nyong’o. John Ridley won best adapted screenplay.
Overall, Gravity won the most Oscars with a total of seven, dominating the crafts categories. Dallas Buyers Club took home three awards, including wins for best actor MatthewMcConaughey and supporting actor Jared Leto.
Blue Jasmine’s Cate Blanchett was named best actress, whileAlfonso Cuaron won best director for Gravity.
Ellen DeGeneres hosted the show, which aired live on ABC. The ceremony included a “movie heroes” theme, honoring big-screen real-life heroes, superheroes, popular heroes and animated heroes, both past and present, as well as the filmmakers who have brought them to life in theaters.
