>Decorated WWII veteran from Glen Rock inducted into Wall of Fame
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012 BY RICHARD DE SANTA STAFF WRITER GLEN ROCK GAZETTE
The late Thomas Lawson Hawkins, a Glen Rock native and decorated member of the famed World War II Tuskegee Airmen, has been selected for induction in the Ridgewood High School (RHS) Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame. Flight Officer Hawkins was killed in the line of duty in Italy on March 7, 1945.
Glen Rock Borough Historian Sue Tryforos nominated Hawkins for the honor last year, after extensively researching his service with the famed squadron of African-American fliers for an article that appeared in the Glen Rock Gazette in January 2011. Tryforos was notified of his selection by the RHS administration in January.
Born in 1923 in Springfield, Mass., Hawkins moved to Glen Rock with parents William and Rebecca as a young child. The family resided in homes on Hamilton Avenue and Broad Street before settling on Dean Street by 1941.
Fluoridation Opposition is Scientific, Respectable & Growing Carol S. Kopf
4,038 professionals (including 331 dentists and 518 MD’s) urge that fluoridation be stopped citing scientific evidence that ingesting fluoride is ineffective at reducing tooth decay and has serious health risks. See statement: https://www.fluoridealert.org/professionals-statement.aspx
Eleven US EPA unions representing over 7000 environmental and public health professionals are calling for a moratorium on fluoridation.
The CDC reports that 225 less communities adjusted for fluoride between 2006 and 2008. About 100 US and Canadian communities rejected fluoridation since 2008.
In Nebraska, 53 out of 66 towns voted not to fluoridate in 2008 and 2010, reports the PEW Foundation.
Tennessee, once 99% fluoridated, is now down in the low 90’s, according to the American Dental Association News.
In 2011 the following US cities stopped fluoridation: Holmen and Grantsburg, Wisconsin; Welsh, Louisiana; Mechanicsville, Iowa; Hartland, Marcellus and Mt. Clemens, MI; Fairbanks and Palmer, Alaska; Spring Hill, Lawrenceburg & Hohenwald, TN; Philomath, OR; Pottstown, PA; College Station and Lago Vista, Texas ; Spencer, Indiana; Naples, NY; Pinellas County and Tarpon, FL; Amesbury, MA and Yellow Springs, Ohio . In 2012: Myerstown, Pennsylavnia
In Canada: Lake Shore, Ontario; Calgary, Slave Lake and Taber, Alberta; Flin Flon, Manitoba; Verchères, Québec; Lake Cowichan and Williams Lake, BC; Moncton and Dieppe, New Brunswick. In 2012: Amherstburg, Ontario; Bolivar, Missouri.
Many cities are considering stopping fluoridation including New York City
New York State communities which have already stopped or rejected fluoridation include: Elba, Levittown, Canton, Corning, Johnstown, Oneida, Carle Place, Rockland County, Suffolk County, Western Nassau County, Albany, Beacon, Poughkeepsie, Riverhead, Central Bridge Water District, Homer, Ithaca, Rouses Point and Amsterdam.
Adverse health effects of ingested fluoride: https://www.FluorideAction.net/health
>VOICE OF THE PEOPLE: WHO SHOULD GOVERN THE GLOBAL INTERNET? SueT
Several weeks ago I “congratulated” the citizens of this great land on their having defeated the SOPA(Stop On Line Piracy Act ) in the House, and the PIPA (Protect Intellectual Property Act ) in the Senate.Through their out cries, along with industry leaders, these pieces of legislation were put on the back burner and sent back to committees for further review. Some signers even spoke up against what they had been a part of. They had no idea of the loop holes that were contained in what appeared to be merely a “protective arm from Internet piracy” supplied by the federal government. Hmm, sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, the doors to revision are now open and the Senate is currently holding secret meetings on the subject, under the careful tutelage of Democrat Harry Reid himself, and other big government pundits. Is it time for Americans to step up to the plate again?
Meanwhile, a paradigm of societal change reigns supreme in the halls of government. How then, can the people begin to understand what is taking place before their very eyes, and behind the scenes? Challenges to our way of life are being spawned daily. Extreme ideologues from both sides of the aisle are creating and supporting “big government legislation” daily. In turn, the president issues “executive orders” regularly, consistently by passing the congress, while the constitution lies dormant in its confines.
Let’s, for example, take the Internet once again, our marvelous vehicle for the instant acquisition of knowledge from every conceivable place on the planet, including from friends and neighbors.
Now, according to reliable Washington sources, the Democrats in the Senate are pushing for another Internet Control Bill. This will be labeled as ” New Cyber Security Bill.” Again, another reasonable and timely measure is being worked on. If there were problems with the content of the previous bills, ” What were they?” Why are the discussions behind closed doors.
Now, to add another dimension to all of this, one must look further to the United Nations, of all places.Go to the UN website and put in IGF ( Internet Governance Forum ) started in 2006, with forums which are currently meeting around the world. The latest yearly get together took place in the United States, at the Georgetown University Law Center. Representatives from around the world are creating the grand utopian design for the “Internet,” under the governing body of the United nations. How timely is our legislation? After all, Rome was not built in a day, either. Now, read this plan for yourself.
So, clearly it is time to contact your representatives, in both the House and Senate, and watch for the “Internet Cyber Security Bills” regularly, and hold their feet to the fire. Accountability is the name of the game!
Let’s hear” THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE ” once again on this CRITICAL ISSUE!Americans should be ringing the “Bells of Freedom” around the world for all to hear, beginning right here in suburbia!
>Group Forces Congressional Hearing On Big Sis’ Twitter, Drudge Spying Homeland Security is monitoring the web for anti-government sentiment and signs of social unrest Steve Watson Infowars.com February 9, 2012
A privacy advocacy group has swayed Congress to hold a hearing next week into the Department of Homeland Security’s practice of monitoring social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as media reports and organizations, including The Drudge Report.
The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) recently obtained close to 300 pages of documents, as a result of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, detailing the federal agency’s “intelligence gathering” practices on the web.
Among the documents were guidelines from DHS instructing outside contractors to monitor the web for media reports and comments that “reflect adversely” on the agency or the federal government.
>Council Candidate Gwenn Hauck responds to the fly....
Well, this was a truly sad, weird article for me to read this morning…. My name is Gwenn Hauck, and I am running for Village Council this year, because it is something I have always wanted to do. My reasons for running have nothing to do with any particular agenda I promise you. Unlike other people I think there are a lot of topics to care about in Ridgewood, not just Valley Hospital. I am a good person who is offering to participate in local politics, a thing more people should do! I simply love everything about Ridgewood and everything about New Jersey. I’m a life-long resident of the town who has experience on lots of committees and boards and with kids. I believe I am an easy person to work with and I have always been a peace-maker! Please do not make me out to have agendas with anyone. It isn’t true and it isn’t fair. What we really need is one happy, healthy Ridgewood again.
>the fly wonders what surprises does Valley Hospital have in store for Village residents?
the fly has leaned that Jacques Harlow is back in action and it’s no surprise that Jacques Harlow has held a grudge against certain current council members since he was soundly defeated in the 2008 election.It’s no surprise that Jacques Harlow is a staunch supporter of Valley Hospital expansion and he is not pleased with the currents council vote.It’s no surprise that Jacques Harlow and Guenn Hauck served together on The Ridgewood Public Library Foundation Board of Directors.It’s no surprise that like Jacques Harlow, Guenn Hauck is a staunch supporter of Valley Hospital expansion.It’s no surprise that Jacques Harlow is Guenn Hauck campaign manager for her up coming bid for a council seat.
So the question is. What surprises does Valley Hospital have in store for Village residents?
Village Hall : That piece of land has flooded for centuries
That piece of land has flooded for centuries. There is a reason a portion of Ridgewood, including the plain surrounding Village Hall, was fertile farm land. The brook would overflow its banks and deposit good soil.
The basement of the Elks club (now Village Hall) was always a storage area and nothing more. The Village never should have redesigned it for other use.
Before we go further, I would like to know what became of the lawsuits that folks discussed filing against the architect, Poskanker, and/or the builders. Was there any merit to suing them? Did they escape liability with the claim that, “well, its flood plain, what do you expect”?
Moreover, its an absolute crime if any Village building department or engineering department employee who oversaw this ill-fated project is still on the Village payroll, let alone working on this project. Some view this as the Mancuso/Pfund great big white elephant that cost us all millions. I hate to think that Keith Killion wants the same legacy.
Also, I would like to know why the current architects and builders think this round is going to be any different. And, let’s make sure they have assets or insurance in case they fail.
You can’t change or fool mother nature. Flood zone is flood zone. And remember, it is not only the overflowing of the Ho-HoKus brook. The other factor is the many underground streams that criss cross Ridgewood, flowing only during the rainy season. And that means that patches of land such as the Village Hall piece can flood every year, while a neighboring patch such as the Library’s, might only see water every 50 years.
This seems to be a tremendous waste of money and I have heard no good reason why we are doing it. Change the basement back to storage. Reconfigure the building itself. Or, use the money to add on to the building. But don’t waste it on space that is going to flood.
>Ridgewood Co-op Hosts Movie Day at The Warner Quad Feb 22nd
Looking for something fun to do on Feb 22nd? Join The Cooperative Nursery School of Ridgewood for Movie day at The Warner Quad at 190 E. Ridgewood Avenue in Ridgewood. The featured movie is Rio and starts at 10:00am. The cost for tickets is $8. Children under 2 are free. The price includes unlimited popcorn and drinks. All the money raised will go to support the Co-op. If you have any questions, please call the school’s office at (201) 447-6232 or email [email protected] .
>Ridgewood BOE approves solar panels on the roofs by Verterra Renewable Energy
The Board approved the submission of the project to install photo voltaic cells (solar panels)on the roofs of the buildings listed below, by Verterra Renewable Energy, to the Department of Education. The Board will not be seeking a ROD grant for this project. This project was not included in the 2005 Long Range Facilities Plan list of projects to be completed; therefore, the Long Range Facilities Plan does need to be revised.
o Glen School o Hawes Elementary School o Orchard Elementary School o Ridge Elementary School o Somerville Elementary School o Travell Elementary School o Benjamin Franklin Middle School o George Washington Middle School o Ridgewood High School
Interesting to note that Glen school made the list.
>Former Democratic congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper,: I Wouldn’t Have Voted for Obamacare If I’d Known About HHS Rule 12:46 PM, FEB 7, 2012 BY JOHN MCCORMACK
Former Democratic congresswoman Kathy Dahlkemper, a Catholic from Erie, Pennsylvania, cast a crucial vote in favor of Obamacare in 2010. She lost her seat that November in part because of her controversial support of Obamacare. But Dahlkemper said recently that she would have never voted for the health care bill had she known that the Department of Health and Human Services would require all private insurers, including Catholic charities and hospitals, to provide free coverage of contraception, sterilization procedures, and the “week-after” pill “ella” that can induce early abortions.
>Government Dependency Index Shoots Up 23% Under President Obama By JOHN MERLINE, INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY Posted 08:02 AM ET
The American public’s dependence on the federal government shot up 23% in just two years under President Obama, with 67 million now relying on some federal program, according to a newly released study by the Heritage Foundation.
The conservative think tank’s annual Index of Dependence on Government tracks money spent on housing, health, welfare, education subsidies and other federal programs that were “traditionally provided to needy people by local organizations and families.”
The increase under Obama is the biggest two-year jump since Jimmy Carter was president, the data show.
SUPER SCIENCE SATURDAY Get ready for Fair – Feb 15, 29 & March 7
Save the Date: Super Science Saturday Returns on March 10: Workshop Registration is Underway Billed as the largest science extravaganza in northern New Jersey, this year’s Super Science Saturday is scheduled for March 10 at the high school, from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Once again, a three –session workshop is being offered to student presenters on Wednesdays, February 15 and 29 and March 7, from 3:45 -5:45 p.m. To sign up, contact Mel Powers by Wednesday, February 8 at 201-394-2408 or [email protected]. Cost is $25. The Ridgewood Library will help students choose projects and create material lists over Winter Recess, February 21-25. For more information, contact the Children’s Center at the library or visit the Super Science Saturday website at www.supersciencesaturday.com.
>House Passes Garrett Budget Process Reform Legislation Budget and Accounting Transparency Act would put GSEs on budget and require fair value accounting for federal credit programs Feb 7, 2012
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Vice Chairman of the House Budget Committee, today applauded House passage of H.R. 3581, the Budget and Accounting Transparency Act. Introduced by Garrett in December as part of a comprehensive set of budget process reform measures, H.R. 3581would bring government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on-budget and require fair value accounting for federal credit programs.
“If we truly are committed to balancing the budget and paying down our debt, we need to fully disclose all of our existing liabilities. Otherwise, any attempt to correct our country’s spiraling debt crisis will be nothing but a desert mirage,” said Garrett after the bill passed the House. “The American people are tired of Washington’s parlor games; they want to see their leaders be open and honest about the true extent of our debt crisis. This bill not only gets us to a point where we can fully understand the severity of our country’s financial troubles, but provides the transparency we so desperately need to prevent runaway spending in the future.”
The Budget and Accounting Transparency Act would do the following:
Requires fair value accounting for federal credit programs. The executive branch and Congress would be required to use “fair value” accounting in calculating the costs of federal credit programs that consider not only the borrowing costs of the federal government, but also the costs of the market risk the federal government is incurring by issuing a loan or loan guarantee. This reform would bring federal budgeting in line with private sector cost-estimating practices.
Requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct a study on extending this fair value methodology to federal insurance programs, which are currently accounted for on a cash-flow basis.
Brings Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on-budget to recognize the budgetary impact of these housing-related government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs). Since the financial crisis these enterprises have become the explicit financial responsibility of the federal government and these reforms would ensure that the budgetary implications of that fact are reflected in the federal budget.
Requires the CBO and OMB to conduct a study on the use of budgetary terms related to money collected by the federal government, which has become jumbled and inconsistent over the decades.
Requires that agencies make public the budgetary justification materials prepared in support of their request for use of taxpayer dollars.
A Patch insider tells Romenesko readers that the AOL-owned hyperlocal news sites plan to cut staff and freelance budgets and start producing “easy, quick-hitting, cookie-cutter copy.” Examples: Best Ofs, and features like “What’s happening to this vacant storefront?”
The Patch source adds: “This morning we just got word of the hiring of Rachel Fishman Feddersen in the newly created position of Chief Content Officer. She was editor in chief of Parenting.com and held leadership posts at Ladies Home Journal, Disney’s Family.com and was, most recently, editorial director of The Parenting Group. Brian Farnham, our Editor In Chief, now reports to her.”
>Bishop: New Mandate Goes Against Catholicism By Jon Berg Published: February 5, 2012, 10:00 PM
SIOUX FALLS, SD – A new mandate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is causing a lot of controversy within the Catholic church.
Bishops from across the country, including right here in South Dakota, say the rule compromises religious freedom.
Hundreds of thousands of Catholics attended mass across the country Sunday, and many were told about the new healthcare mandate that religious leaders believe is a violation of the church’s beliefs.
“It’s a core issue of freedom of religion and freedom of conscience, Bishops all across the country are responding in the same way because we feel as if our freedom of religion, our ability to live out the church teachings are being compromised by this regulation that’s come out of the department of human services,” Bishop Paul Swain with the Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese said.
