EMERGENCY MINIMUM DAY/EARLY DISMISSAL ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 21
1.20.14 at 11 p.m.:
Dear Parents/Guardians/Staff,
Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 21, weather conditions are expected to deteriorate after school begins. All students will be dismissed at the Emergency Minimum Day schedule as follows:
Ridgewood offering a run-up to Super Bowl
MONDAY JANUARY 20, 2014, 3:02 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
Ridgewood will celebrate the arrival of the Super Bowl with waterside bonfires, chili cook-offs, live music and discounts galore — family-fun events designed to attract out-of-town visitors.
Ridgewood’s Pre-Game Celebration will run for a week before the big game and was organized by the Chamber of Commerce with involvement from various other village organizations.
The village had initially been singled out as a destination for Super Bowl attendees by the game’s local host committee, but “frankly, things didn’t work out,” according to Mayor Paul Aronsohn.
Ridgewood remained determined to do something to commemorate the Feb. 2 game in East Rutherford.
WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
527 AM EST MON JAN 20 2014
…WINTER STORM BECOMING MORE LIKELY TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT…
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEW YORK HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT.
* LOCATIONS…EASTERN PASSAIC AND WESTERN BERGEN COUNTIES.
* HAZARD TYPES…SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 4 TO 7 INCHES.
* WINDS…NORTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES…IN THE TEENS TO LOWER 20S DURING THE DAY…AND
SINGLE DIGITS TO TEENS AT NIGHT.
* VISIBILITIES…ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF MILE AT TIMES.
* TIMING…SNOWFALL WILL BEGIN LATE TUESDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE INTO TUESDAY NIGHT WITH HEAVIEST SNOWFALL EXPECTED TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
* IMPACTS…FALLING BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL CA– USE HAZARDOUS TRAVEL AND WALKING CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA… POSSIBLY IMPACTING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING COMMUTE. EXTREME COLD AND LOW WIND CHILLS COULD CA– USE FROST BITE. DRESS APPROPRIATELY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAS
America’s Number One Prescription Sleep Aid Could Trigger ‘Zombies,’ Murder and Other Disturbing Behavior
Ambien is becoming better known for triggering bizarre behavior than it is for treating insomnia.
January 15, 2014 |
This article first appeared in The Fix, which features coverage on addiction and recovery, straight up.
On March 29, 2009, Robert Stewart, 45, stormed into the Pinelake Health and Rehab nursing home in Carthage, North Carolina and opened fire, killing eight people and wounding two. Stewart’s apparent target was his estranged wife, who worked as a nurse in the home. She hid in a bathroom and was unharmed. Stewart was charged with eight counts of first-degree murder; if convicted, he could face the death penalty. Even though there was evidence that Stewart’s actions were premeditated (he allegedly had a target), Stewart’s defense team successfully argued that since he was under the influence of Ambien, a sleep aid, at the time of the shooting, he was not in control of his actions. Instead of the charges sought by the prosecutors, Stewart was convicted on eight counts of second-degree murder. He received 142 – 179 years in prison.
Bridgeaplooza Democrats are wary of overplaying their hand on Christie…oops too late
Democrats, especially those outside New Jersey casting an eye toward the 2016 presidential race, are excited that investigations sparked by the George Washington Bridge scandal might bring down Governor Christie.
But the reality, some Democrats say, is that the investigative committees created in the state Senate and Assembly face a risk of shooting too high and missing, thus giving Christie a way to say he’s done nothing wrong.
“We have to be careful that this isn’t seen by the public as just a political game, a game of ‘Gotcha’ against the governor,” said Rep. Rush Holt, D-Mercer.
Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr., the Paterson Democrat whose district includes Fort Lee, was more blunt.
“If we make this a Democrat versus Republican thing, we’re stupid,” Pascrell said. “We need to simply get the facts out and let the chips fall where they may.”
What happened with Bill Clinton may provide an example. A broad swath of the public was outraged that the president had sex with an intern and lied about it. But after a failed attempt led by Republicans in Congress to impeach Clinton for lying in a civil deposition about cheating on his wife, public opinion eventually turned, to the point that today Clinton is arguably one of the most popular Democrats in the country.
To be sure, the comparison has flaws. Clinton’s redemption took a long time, and his offense could never be explained away as the act of overzealous aides who played hardball politics a little too roughly. (Jackson/The Record)
Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno says allegation by Hoboken mayor Zimmer is untrue
Monday, January 20, 2014 Last updated: Monday January 20, 2014, 1:16 PM
BY MATTHEW MCGRATH AND JOHN REITMEYER AND MICHAEL PHILLIS
STAFF WRITERS
The Record
In a forceful personal denial, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno today said allegations that she tried to coerce the mayor of Hoboken to approve a redevelopment plan to benefit politically connected firms in exchange for Superstorm Sandy relief are “wholly and completely false.”
Speaking inside a fire hall in Union Beach before a day of service honoring the late Martin Luther King Jr., Guadagno said Dawn Zimmer’s accusation caught her by surprise.
“Mayor Zimmer’s version of our conversation in May 2013 is not only false, but is illogical and does not withstand scrutiny when all the facts are examined,” Guadagno said. “Any suggestion that Sandy funds were tied to the approval of any project in New Jersey is completely false.”
Guadagno did not take any questions from reporters gathered for the event after offering her statement.
Green Fade-Out: Europe to Ditch Climate Protection Goals
By Gregor Peter Schmitz in Brussels
The EU’s reputation as a model of environmental responsibility may soon be history. The European Commission wants to forgo ambitious climate protection goals and pave the way for fracking — jeopardizing Germany’s touted energy revolution in the process.
The climate between Brussels and Berlin is polluted, something European Commission officials attribute, among other things, to the “reckless” way German Chancellor Angela Merkel blocked stricter exhaust emissions during her re-election campaign to placate domestic automotive manufacturers like Daimler and BMW. This kind of blatant self-interest, officials complained at the time, is poisoning the climate.
But now it seems that the climate is no longer of much importance to the European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, either. Commission sources have long been hinting that the body intends to move away from ambitious climate protection goals. On Tuesday, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported as much.
Bridgeaplooza : Bergen Record Continues to Push Hoboken mayor’s tenuous claims
Hoboken mayor worried no one would believe Christie threats
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2014 LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY JANUARY 19, 2014, 10:44 PM
BY MINJAE PARK
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD
HOBOKEN — Mayor Dawn Zimmer said she didn’t go public with her claim that the Christie administration threatened to withhold Superstorm Sandy aid if she didn’t fast-track a politically connected real estate project because she feared no one would believe her.
In interviews on Sunday, many of her constituents said her story rang true, especially after the scandal that has emerged related to the September traffic jam in Fort Lee caused by closures to access lanes to the George Washington Bridge that have been linked to Christie’s former deputy chief of staff, Bridget Anne Kelly.
Missing North Jersey couple found dead in Wayne garage
SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2014 LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY JANUARY 19, 2014, 9:37 PM
BY STEFANIE DAZIO AND MINJAE PARK
STAFF WRITERS
THE RECORD
A missing North Jersey couple was found dead Sunday morning in the garage of the woman’s Wayne home, authorities and family members said, after their disappearance nearly a month ago prompted local and state police search efforts.
Jorge E. Rodriguez, 24, of Garfield, and Melissa A. Pereira, 25, of Wayne, were reported missing Dec. 30. Their bodies were discovered around 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Passaic County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Michael DeMarco said in an email.
A medical examiner will conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the manner and cause of death, DeMarco said, and Wayne police and the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating the deaths.
Twitter profiles show the couple in love for more than two years. On Dec. 27, the day the couple was last seen, Pereira tweeted “weekend with my everything 🙂 #lovehim.” On Oct. 14, Rodriguez sent out a note saying “I love my princess” with Pereira’s handle and a smiley face. The last tweet on his timeline is a re-tweet of Pereira’s Dec. 4 message that said “adore you.”
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/garfield/Missing_North_Jersey_couple_found_dead_in_Wayne_garage.html#sthash.Xp40Jg5J.dpuf
Mental health risk to children trapped in ‘toxic climate’ of dieting, pornography and school stress IAN JOHNSTON
Monday 20 January 2014
Children are living in an “unprecedented toxic climate” in which they skip meals to stay thin, are bombarded by pornographic images and fear they will be failures amid a “continuous onslaught of stress at school”, according to research published today.
A poll commissioned to coincide with the launch of a national campaign found 40 per cent of 11 to 14-year-olds said they missed meals for weight-loss reasons, while a similar proportion said their relationships with other children had been affected by watching pornography online.
Half of children and young people had been bullied and more than half believed they would end up being a failure if they did not get good exam grades. The charity YoungMinds said the UK was sitting on a “mental health time bomb” and that action is needed by the Government, schools and parents to help young people cope with the pressures of modern life.
Ridgewood Knights of Columbus Donate Proceeds of Stickball Tournament to Social Service Association
Ridgewood-NJ-January 20, 2014: The Ridgewood Knights of Columbus Council #1736 made a donation to the Social Service Association of Ridgewood. The donation was made with proceeds from the Knights’ stickball tournament, which is played annually on Passaic Street in Ridgewood. Denise Vollkommer of the SSA described the many services offered to families in area, such as food through vouchers and their on-site food pantry, as well as emergency rent and utility assistance. She explained how many families have been affected during the economic crisis. SSA’s goal is to provide ongoing support to families in need, made possible with the help of generous donors.
For more information on the Social Service Association, go to https://www.ssa6.org, or call (201) 444-2980.
Multi-space Parking Pay Station at Chestnut Street lot is a “lemon” says Village official
January 19,2013
Boyd A. Loving
6:49 PM
The Chestnut Street Municipal Parking Lot multi-space pay station is a “lemon.” So says Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser, who categorized the unit as such during remarks made at a recent Village Council Work Session. Mr. Rutishauser’s remarks came in response to questions raised by Village Council members, who are now considering installation of a single, multi-space pay station (not the same brand used on Chestnut Street) at the Route 17 Park & Ride facility.
Data obtained via an Open Public Records Act request does indeed show many trouble reports associated with the Chestnut Street unit. When the unit is out of service, which seems to happen most often in damp/rainy weather, parking fees can’t be collected. Also, if a parking summons is inadvertently issued during a time when the unit has been reported as out of service, Violations Bureau and/or Municipal Court personnel are required to void the summons if it is challenged (not to mention the inconvenience of individuals having to appear at Violations or Municipal Court).
The staff of The Ridgewood Blog wonders why this unit remains in service if it is so problematic. Are the total revenues lost when the machine was broken less than, equal to, or greater than what it would have cost to add a second unit, or to replace the existing machine with a better model? Not to mention the hassle associated with making a trip to Village Hall if you receive a summons in error.
The Ridgewood Blog also believes that there’s a lesson to be learned here. And that lesson is, have a back up unit in place when deploying automated, multi-space pay stations in large municipal lots. The revenue you’re able to continue collecting, and the savings in the administrative time being spent voiding summonses,, may more than make up for the extra money spent on an additional unit.
Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce the election of Ann Limberg, of Mahwah, and Debra Taylor, of Franklin Lakes, to its Board of Trustees.
Ms. Limberg is managing director and Northeast division executive for U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management. In this role, Limberg oversees the wealth management business for the Northeast division, serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families and non-profit institutions.
Previously, Limberg served as New Jersey state president for Bank of America. She joined Bank of America in April 2004. Previously, Limberg held senior leadership positions in retail banking and private banking at NatWest and Citibank. Limberg has been recognized by NJBIZ as one of the 50 Most Powerful Nonprofit Board Members in New Jersey, the Executive Women of New Jersey’s Salute to the Policy Makers, and NJBIZ’s New Jersey’s Best 50 Women in Business and Top 25 Women of Influence.
Ms. Taylor is the principal of Taylor Financial Group, LLC, a full service wealth management firm located in Franklin Lakes, NJ. She focuses exclusively on wealth management for high-net-worth individuals, corporations and servicing the needs of tax exempt organizations. Debra takes a holistic approach to these areas, incorporating her legal expertise and tax background to provide integrated solutions to clients.
Debra graduated from Drew University in three years with a B.A. in Political Science, magna cum laude. She received several honors while there, most notably, election to Phi Beta Kappa. Three years later, Debra graduated from Cornell Law School, where she was elected Book Review Editor of the Cornell Law Review and served as a teaching assistant. While at Cornell, Debra also served as Symposium Editor of the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy and received American Jurisprudence Awards for excellence in corporate law and trial advocacy. After graduation, Debra served as a law clerk to The Honorable John F. Gerry, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Let me get this straight. This political blog is based in New Jersey and after 20 subpoenas are issued for the office of the Governor of New Jersey, you only have one article and its about the Governor’s fall girl. Ok, so much for Laissez-faire Point of View to New Jersey State. Nothing to see here. You must think she dreamed the whole thing up herself. She’s a secretary, for crying out loud. What makes anyone think she makes policy decisions like shutting down the George Washington Bridge. She gets coffee and relays messages for the Governor. Anyone thinking she has anything to do with this is delusional. Is Christie that big of a con man that he can convince one person that this rogue employee hatched up some scheme of political payback that looks eerily similar to all the payback schemes he has been involved with. He is vindictive, petty, a bully and I can only hope that she finally wakes up and spills the beans on her “fine” boss.
Unfortunately John people are more worried about the lunch delivery ban at the High School , perhaps if the press would have put half the energy they have in this story in to the last 500 corruption scandals in New Jersey over the last 20 years and far bigger ones at the national level you might actually have a point but alas the media particular the north jersey media has ignored over looked or po po-ed everything so the public is just numb to it.
Does anyone else think its hysterical that someone from Hudson County would call anyone a crook?
Bridgeaplooza :The scandal is MSNBC
BY JENNIFER RUBIN
January 18 at 7:00 pm
The bridge scandal started out as a test for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R). Now it has become a test for the media. MSNBC, which long ago stopped being a news outlet in the sense of going out to find facts and is largely indistinguishable from Democratic Party talking points, has been going 24/7 since the bridge story broke. No surprise. But then Saturday MSNBC decided to throw even the pretense of journalism overboard.
Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer speaks to the media in 2009. (Mel Evans/Associated Press)
It ran with a claim from Mayor Dawn Zimmer of Hoboken claiming Christie withheld Sandy relief funds to gain approval for a business development. Christie’s office put out a quick denial of the allegations, as did the developers. MSNBC says the mayor has a personal diary that corroborates her claim — a diary that has yet to be released, reviewed or verified. Rather than, you know, investigate the story, MSNBC threw it out on the air hoping others would follow. The Hill had the good sense to note this mayor had changed her story from earlier claims that the funds were denied for not backing him for governor.
Then Saturday afternoon Christie’s team had enough. It put out a written statement:
MSNBC is a partisan network that has been openly hostile to Governor Christie and almost gleeful in their efforts attacking him, even taking the unprecedented step of producing and airing a nearly three-minute attack ad against him this week. Governor Christie and his entire administration have been helping Hoboken get the help they need after Sandy, with the city already having been approved for nearly $70 million dollars in federal aid and is targeted to get even more when the Obama Administration approves the next rounds of funding. The Governor and Mayor Zimmer have had a productive relationship, with Mayor Zimmer even recently saying she’s ‘very glad’ he’s been our Governor. It’s very clear partisan politics are at play here as Democratic mayors with a political axe to grind come out of the woodwork and try to get their faces on television.
In short, the Hoboken mayor has been all over the place, claiming different things have been for retribution. With no correspondence or other documented communication with the governor, we’re supposed to take a personal diary that could have been written at any point in time as reliable? A professional news operation must be more than simply a bulletin board for partisans.
The scandal is MSNBC
BY JENNIFER RUBIN
January 18 at 7:00 pm
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The bridge scandal started out as a test for New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R). Now it has become a test for the media. MSNBC, which long ago stopped being a news outlet in the sense of going out to find facts and is largely indistinguishable from Democratic Party talking points, has been going 24/7 since the bridge story broke. No surprise. But then Saturday MSNBC decided to throw even the pretense of journalism overboard.
Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer speaks to the media in 2009. (Mel Evans/Associated Press)
It ran with a claim from Mayor Dawn Zimmer of Hoboken claiming Christie withheld Sandy relief funds to gain approval for a business development. Christie’s office put out a quick denial of the allegations, as did the developers. MSNBC says the mayor has a personal diary that corroborates her claim — a diary that has yet to be released, reviewed or verified. Rather than, you know, investigate the story, MSNBC threw it out on the air hoping others would follow. The Hill had the good sense to note this mayor had changed her story from earlier claims that the funds were denied for not backing him for governor.
Then Saturday afternoon Christie’s team had enough. It put out a written statement:
MSNBC is a partisan network that has been openly hostile to Governor Christie and almost gleeful in their efforts attacking him, even taking the unprecedented step of producing and airing a nearly three-minute attack ad against him this week. Governor Christie and his entire administration have been helping Hoboken get the help they need after Sandy, with the city already having been approved for nearly $70 million dollars in federal aid and is targeted to get even more when the Obama Administration approves the next rounds of funding. The Governor and Mayor Zimmer have had a productive relationship, with Mayor Zimmer even recently saying she’s ‘very glad’ he’s been our Governor. It’s very clear partisan politics are at play here as Democratic mayors with a political axe to grind come out of the woodwork and try to get their faces on television.
In short, the Hoboken mayor has been all over the place, claiming different things have been for retribution. With no correspondence or other documented communication with the governor, we’re supposed to take a personal diary that could have been written at any point in time as reliable? A professional news operation must be more than simply a bulletin board for partisans.
