Category: Uncategorized

>State Education Commissioner Chris Cerf says teachers are ‘owed a debt of gratitude’ for the achievement

New Jersey schools continue to improve their overall national ranking on the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress, the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America’s students know and can do in various subject areas.

Between 2009 and 2011, New Jersey maintained its ranking as the 2nd highest performing state in the country in grade 4 and 8 reading, and improved from 5th to 4th in grade 4 math, and from 5th to 3rd in grade 8 math, the state Department of education announced Tuesday.

https://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/nj-schools-ranked-among-best-in-the-united-states

>WHO’S GREEDY? Obama Gave 1% to Charity, Romney Gave 15%

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and his wife Michelle gave $10,772 of the $1.2 million they earned from 2000 through 2004 to charities, or less than 1 percent, according to tax returns for those years released today by his campaign.

The Obamas increased the amount they gave to charity when their income rose in 2005 and 2006 after the Illinois senator published a bestselling book. The $137,622 they gave over those two years amounted to more than 5 percent of their $2.6 million income.

Read more: https://nation.foxnews.com/mitt-romney/2012/01/24/whos-greedy-obama-gave-1-charity-romney-gave-15#ixzz1kUttCFFa

>Ridgewood Concert Band – Midwinter Misicale

Experience the Sound of the Ridgewood Concert Band – Friday, February 3 at 8pm, West Side Presbyterian Church, 6 S. Monroe St, Ridgewood. Prelude Concert featuring Lakeland Regional High School at 7:30pm; Concert at 8pm. Program Highlights – Barry Centanni, solist, Concerto for Timpani; Lincolnshire Posy; Molly on the Shore; Strange Humors; selections from the Lion King. Tickets: Adult $20; Senior $15; STudent $7. Children under 13 free with paying adult. Information 201/493-9030

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Ridgewood firefighter Whistle blower Kevin Reilly awarded $3.5 million
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

(RIDGEWOOD-NJ) The jury awarded him $3.5 million on Monday to Ridgewood Firefighter Kevin Reilly . Reilly claimed that he reported two incidents in which firefighter safety was at risk to his supervisors and no corrective action was taken .Reilly claimed the violations were caused by his supervisors themselves . Later the supervisors retaliated by passing him over for promotion to lieutenant and gave him unflattering reviews without his knowledge.

Reilly’s allegations claimed the supervisors actions put him in danger during the 2009 Woodside fire.Reilly claimed the deputy chief at the time ordered him to enter the structure although Reilly had limited air supply, the low-air alarm then went off while he was inside the structure and the deputy chief then took Reilly’s radio and flashlight and ordered him to exit the structure without his basic safety equipment..

The article in the Bergen Record did not name the deputy chief and the fire chief involved ,but sources close to this blog have named Jim Bombace as his superior and Mark Bombace was the other lieutenant.

Though readers are skeptical over the size of the verdict award many support Kevin Reilly’s actions. One reader went on to say ,”I do not know Kevin Reilly, but he has my respect and admiration. Not knowing the particulars in the case, I have to believe that the 6-0 verdict to award him 3.5M must have been warranted. Can you imagine what the judgment would have been had Kevin been critically injured or worse yet killed while on the job … 10M? This is a very expensive lesson for the Ridgewood Fire Department … let’s hope they learned it. God bless you Kevin Reilly for going the distance and keeping your fellow firefighters safe.”

>Snow and Ice must be removed from Public Sidewalks

The Ridgewood Police Department would like to remind residents that Village Ordinance 249-1 states that snow and ice be removed from the public sidewalks abutting residential properties within 24 hours of the end of the storm. Commercial properties must be cleared by 9:00 AM the next morning. For the safety of all of the citizens this should include access to the street, especially the corners and crosswalks.

>Ron Paul Slams “Out Of Control Police State” After Rand Paul Detained By TSA
 
Congressman renews his call to abolish agency that “gropes and grabs” Americans
Steve Watson
Infowars.com
January 23, 2012

GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul issued the following statement on his campaign website this afternoon, following his son Rand’s treatment at the hands of the TSA in Nashville.

https://www.infowars.com/ron-paul-slams-out-of-control-police-state-after-rand-paul-detained-by-tsa/

>Devolve Transportation Spending to States
By Daniel Horowitz
Jan 19, 2012 Issues: Constitution

One of the numerous legislative deadlines that Congress will be forced to confront this session is the expiration of the 8th short-term extension of the 2005 surface transportation authorization law (SAFETEA-LU).  With federal transportation spending growing beyond its revenue source, an imbalance between donor and recipient states, inefficient and superfluous construction projects popping up all over the country, and burdensome mass transit mandates on states, it is time to inject some federalism into transportation spending.

Throughout the presidential campaign, many of the candidates have expressed broad views of state’s rights, while decrying the expansion of the federal government.  In doing so, some of the candidates have expressed the conviction that states have the right to implement tyranny or pick winners and losers, as long as the federal government stays out of it.  Romneycare and state subsidies for green energy are good examples.  The reality is that states don’t have rights; they certainly don’t have the power to impose tyranny on citizens by forcing them to buy health insurance or regulating the water in their toilet bowels – to name a few.  They do, however, reserve powers under our federalist system of governance to implement legitimate functions of government.  A quintessential example of such a legitimate power is control over transportation and infrastructure spending.

The Highway Trust Fund was established in 1956 to fund the Interstate Highway System (IHS).  The fund, which is administered by the DOT’s Federal Highway Administration, has been purveyed by the federal gasoline tax, which now stands at 18.4 cents per gallon (24.4 for diesel fuel).  Beginning in 1983, Congress began siphoning off some of the gas tax revenue for the great liberal sacred cow; the urban mass transit system.  Today, mass transit receives $10.2 billion in annual appropriations, accounting for a whopping 20% of transportation spending.  Additionally, the DOT mandates that states use as much as 10% of their funding for all sorts of local pork projects, such as bike paths and roadside flowers.

As a result of the inefficiencies and wasteful mandates of our top-down approach to transportation spending, trust fund outlays have exceeded its revenue source by an average of $12 billion per year, even though the IHS – the catalyst for the gasoline tax – has been completed for 20 years.  In 2008, the phantom trust fund was bailed out with $35 billion in general revenue, and has been running a deficit for the past few years.  Congress has not passed a 6-year reauthorization bill since 2005, relying on a slew of short-term extensions, the last of which is scheduled to expire on March 31.

https://garrett.house.gov/devolve-transportation-spending-states

>O’Toole: Must Continue Work of Reforming New Jersey in New Legislative Session

Dear Friends:

On January 10, 2012, the New Jersey Legislature was sworn in for the 215th Session. On that day, Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean announced the committee assignments of the Republican members.

I have been honored by Senator Kean to be re-appointed to two of the most crucial committees, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee, to ensure that the Governor’s reform agenda is carried out.

“My friend, Senator O’Toole’s tenure in the Senate and the Assembly has been one of tireless advocacy for reform in order to make New Jersey a more affordable place to live, work, and raise a family,” Republican Leader Kean said of O’Toole. “As a member of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee, he will be in the forefront as we enter this extremely challenging period in state history.”

“I look forward to working with him to further our agenda of tax reform, job creation, and fiscal responsibility. Additionally, Senator O’Toole is an accomplished attorney who possesses the leadership ability and the skills to accurately evaluate gubernatorial nominees,” concluded Kean.

As the Governor outlined in his State of the State Address on January 17, 2012, a tremendous amount of hard work and bi-partisanship has gone into getting our state to this point in a very short two years, however, there still is more to be done. In the coming Legislative Session, I look forward to implementing the proposals outlined by Governor Christie, such as a 10% income tax cut for every taxpayer, reforming education, and continuing the economic revival of our state.

Here is a link to the text and video of the Governor’s State of the State Speech: https://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/552012/approved/20120117c.html

>New Jersey Governor Chris Christie wants all tax brackets cut by 10 percent

(Reuters) – All New Jersey income tax brackets should be cut 10 percent, Governor Chris Christie proposed on Tuesday, saying the state was on the comeback trail due to harsh budget measures taken last year.

The governor, a Republican, in his annual State of the State address also recommended a series of changes in education, including some on teacher tenure and layoff criteria that likely will be opposed by unions.

He also condemned a ruling by the New Jersey’s top court on school funding and called for changes in the criminal justice system, including a ban on bail for violent offenders and mandatory drug treatment programs for non-violent drug users instead of jail.

He called on the top state court to “admit” that its decision requiring poor, often urban schools to get increased funding was “a failure” because pupil performance at those schools has not improved.

https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/17/us-christie-idUSTRE80G23620120117

>Recovery at risk as Americans raid savings
By Jilian Mincer and Jonathan Spicer
NEW YORK | Tue Jan 17, 2012 8:50am EST

(Reuters) – More than four years after the United States fell into recession, many Americans have resorted to raiding their savings to get them through the stop-start economic recovery.

In an ominous sign for America’s economic growth prospects, workers are paring back contributions to college funds and growing numbers are borrowing from their retirement accounts.

Some policymakers worry that a recent spike in credit card usage could mean that people, many of whom are struggling on incomes that have lagged inflation, are taking out new debt just to meet the costs of day-to-day living.

https://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/17/us-recovery-risk-idUSTRE80G08320120117

>Garrett Disapproves of President’s Request to Raise Debt Ceiling
Jan 12, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Vice Chairman for the House Budget Committee and Chairman of the Budget and Spending Task Force for the Republican Study Committee (RSC), issued the following statement today after President Obama requested that the statutory debt ceiling be raised by another $1.2 trillion:

“New year, same president, same story—zero fiscal discipline, surging debt and failed leadership.  In the face of mounting evidence that our country’s debt crisis is reaching a tipping point, warnings from the president’s own bipartisan debt commission and repeated outcries from the American people, the Obama administration now wants to pile another $1.2 trillion of debt onto the backs of our children and grandchildren.

“Time and again, House Republicans have brought forth real solutions to address our fiscal crisis only to be met with empty chairs at the negotiating table because of the president’s refusal to step up and lead on the single, greatest threat to our country’s future.  While the president and Senate Democrats hit the campaign trail with divisive rhetoric and more empty promises, House Republicans will remain in Washington working on solutions to balance the budget and pay down the debt.”

>Paul Aronsohn: Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice shame on you

So let me get this straight. First Paul Aronsohn shows up to that newly formed Citizen for a Better Ridgewood meeting and sits “in a listening capacity”. No other council members are invited.

Then he attends the Chamber Meeting and where he is the Liaison and a member poses the question as to whether or not they can endorse a “re-election or new endorsement”. Aronoshon is present and says nothing. No other council member is in attendance.

Fool me once, shame on me, fool me twice shame on you.

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BILL COSBY ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK 2012
Published 01/13/2012 – 12:11 p.m. CST

NEW YORK, NY – Bill Cosby today announced his full support for National School Choice Week (January 22-28, 2012), organizers announced this morning.

“I strongly support National School Choice Week because all children in America should be able to access the best schools possible,” Cosby said. “We have a moral and societal obligation to give our children the opportunity to succeed in school, at work, and in life. We cannot meet that obligation unless parents are empowered to select the best schools of their children. I encourage everyone who wants to see a transformation of American education to get involved in National School Choice Week.”

https://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/National_News/BILL_COSBY_ANNOUNCES_SUPPORT_FOR_NATIONAL_SCHOOL_CHOICE_WEEK/54995

>Let the debate continue if you wish but I fail to understand the negative comments about Keith
Ed Sullivan

Let the debate continue if you wish but I fail to understand the negative comments about Keith. He is not party to this matter and to deride him is simply gratuitous and unwarranted. In my book Keith cares deeply about Ridgewood. Although we may not always agree on an issue, I have tremendous respect for the man and for the efforts he puts forth on behalf of our Village. Few people know the countless hours he spends in Village Hall dealing with matters that would drive most people up a wall. Unfortunately his tenure as Mayor occurred at time when we experienced the worst economy since the Great Depression. Everyone is unhappy with everything and he just happens to be a convenient whipping boy for woes not of his doing or choosing. If you feel he is wrong on an issue call him or come to a Council meeting and let him know, but do so professionally and with courtesy. The man deserves at least that much respect.

>Chamber of Commerce President Tom Hillmann says not true 

Wow… I’m not a regular reader of this blog since I’ve heard you cannot believe some of the articles, and this article confirms that to me. The question brought up by a board member at our monthly meeting was… can the Chamber make any re-election or new endorsements? We reviewed the section in our bylaws forbidding political endorcements and we moved on. Hardly “heated discussion” and there was no absolutely no mention of Mr. Aronsohn or his performance as liason or council member. Seems like someone has an hidden agenda and is misinforming the public.

Tom Hillmann
Chamber of Commerce President