>Rationalizations justifying the high school’s disappointing placement rate at Ivy and equivalent colleges very disappointing
I hear a lot of rationalizations justifying the high school’s disappointing placement rate at Ivy and equivalent colleges.
What I don’t hear from most of these comments is an awareness that we have a problem that needs to be addressed. When our top kids can’t get into the nation’s top colleges or earn National Merit Semifinalist status, then alarm bells should be going off and people should start thinking about how to fix the problem instead of trying to act like nothing is wrong
>Ridgewood Chamber Guide features Valley Hospital Centerfold
Last week Village residents were subjected to one of the most insulting Valley propaganda to date! The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce delivered, door to door, the newest version of the Chamber Guide featuring a centerfold considered “obscene” by many Ridgewoodians! The multi-media image mixing actual imagery with renderings, coupled with an incredibly misleading paragraph of text suggesting the proposed expansion is a fait accompli, should be offensive to any Villager especially members of our Village Council.
A word of caution to the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce: a huge majority of Ridgewood Residents, who actively shop downtown Ridgewood, are opposed to the massive expansion plan of Valley Hospital. For a time Valley engaged in a little PR scheme sending “scrubs” into the business district to give the illusion of a “presence” in our shops. That illusion quickly dissipated as most Valley “scrubs” are not Ridgewood Residents nor are they interested in supporting our Village Downtown.
While it is true the Chamber guide is paid for with advertising dollars, and Valley paid for the centerfold to advance their propaganda, page 16 only serves to exacerbate the matter since it seems Valley garnered more “face time” in the guide than any other entity. There is no distinction as to what is a paid advertisement nor a disclaimer that a Valley Hospital maintains a position on the Chamber Board of Directors.
Ridgewood Chamber President, Tom Hillman, should immediately issue a statement that Valley’s advertisement is exactly that and by no means should the centerfold ad be construed as an endorsement of the massive Valley expansion by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce.
>Ouch: 1.9 Million Fewer Americans Have Jobs Today Than When Obama Signed Stimulus Tuesday, June 14, 2011 By Matt Cover
(CNSNews.com) – Twenty-eight months after Congress passed President Obama’s signature economic stimulus law, and nearly one year after he declared the summer of 2010 to be “Recovery Summer,” 1.9 million fewer people are employed.
In February 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that 141.7 million people were employed. By the end of May 2011 – the last month for which data are available – that number had fallen to 139.8 million, a difference of 1.9 million.
Applications are now being accepted for the Waiting List for the Ridgewood Senior Housing Apartments located on Ridge Road in Ridgewood, NJ.
Beginning Wednesday, June 1, 2011, applications are available by mail or in person –
Housing Authority of Bergen County, Occupancy Dept., 25 Rockwood Place, Suite 205, Englewooe, NJ 07631-4963 – from 9AM to 4PM, Monday through Friday.
In order to be placed on the Waiting List, applicatins must be postmarked or received at the Housing Authority no later than Wednesday, July 13, 2011. After this date will be closed and applications will no longer be accepted.
Applications will be placed on the waiting list by the date and time that it was received at the main office.
In order to be eligible to apply, applicants must be 62 years old or older, and or deemed disabled. Total household annual gross income cannot exceed the following income limits: 1 person – $32,300 or 2 persons $36,900
Anyone see the new Ridgewood Chamber Guide 2011? Right in the centerfold is an artists rendition of the new North Building and new entrance to the Valley Hospital. Do they think we’re stupid?? It’s not going to look anything like this. When are they going to come clean on this? They make it look like there is going to be all this space, when in reality they’ll need a shoehorn to squeeze in there.
All of the renditions coming from Valley have been inexcusably misleading. We have yet to see a true plan, drawn to scale. We have seen no view at all from Linwood Ave, or Steilen, —and this is downright scary!
Valley hospital is a big business that is steamrolling over the people of Ridgewood.
There are better alternatives to Solar Panels on Poles
The panels are ugly and seem to be hap-hazardly installed on the poles. They are also very low on the pole. I don’t expect that my utility bill will be reduced by this obtrusive initiative. Even if my bill does go down, it will not compare to the decline in my home value, do to the “institutional looking” solar panel on the telephone pole in front of my house. I undertstand that PSE&G owns the poles. But, I fail to understand how they can be permitted to adversely Impact the aesthetics of our neighborhood. Is there a way to sue PSE&G to halt this poorly conceived plan?
A far better approach would have been to work with businesses install large square footage of panels on top of industrial/commercial buildings, instead of utility poles in residential neighborhoods.
>Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Evening Activities Summer’s Best Entertainment Value
Monday, July 4, 2011 Alternate Date – Tuesday, July 5, 2011 Veterans Field, Ridgewood, New Jersey
July 4th in Ridgewood is a very special day that our entire area looks forward to all year. This year’s theme is “Celebrate the Constitution.” The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee is an all-volunteer community group that coordinates the day’s events and does not receive direct funding from the Village of Ridgewood.
While the Parade is free, Fireworks Tickets are required for entrance to Veterans Field. Donations for Fireworks Tickets are one of the Celebration’s largest sources of income. Ticket sales cover the evening entertainment which begins at 6:00 P.M., the fireworks at dark, as well as the bands in the parade, additional security and traffic control. Come early and enjoy some great entertainment.
After performing in our parade Illumination Twirlers will be our first performer of the evening. They have participated in the parade for over thirty years and are an important part of our celebrations. We look forward to another wonderful show. They hold state, regional and national titles including an AA National Team Championship. In 2008, the girls performed in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as members of the All Star Twirlers. The girls also compete in a wide variety of individual events including Dance Twirl, 2 Baton Twirling, 3 Baton Twirling and Freestyle. They are accomplished in many areas.
Long time sponsor and participant, Miss Patti’s School of Dance, will perform two short dances. One is a patriotic tap dance with dancers in military costumes. The other will be the Betsy Ross Rockettes. Children from ages 2 1/2 through teen are welcome at Miss Patti’s. All children experience the wonder and joy of dance in an environment that nurtures their individual creativity and personal growth.
Sit back and enjoy these timeless classics, or if you’re *In the Mood* get up and dance! The Manhattan Dolls blend beautiful ballads with your favorite toe-tapping tunes, and of course, in classic USO fashion, takes some time to honor our brave men and women in the military. From boogie woogie to the blues, The Manhattan Doll celebrate the best the Great American Songbook has to offer.
The Patriot Brass Ensemble is the first and only professional brass group dedicated to serving Veterans. The Patriot Brass Ensemble functions, works, and sounds much like the “premiere” active duty military bands in Washington DC. They spend many hours studying military protocol so they can seamlessly fill in for these bands who, unfortunately, rarely perform for Veterans’ events due to cutbacks and availability. Long-term goals include annual concerts at every Veterans’ Hospital in the United States, and the establishment of mobile groups that perform for individual events, such as fundraisers, ceremonies, parades, holidays, weddings and interments nationwide. The Patriot Brass Ensemble strives to return the humanity to the Veterans who have sacrificed so much serving our county with their full devotion and honor.
We welcome back Doug Angel and The Fallin’ Angels exhibition skydiving team. Weather permitting their tea will land on Veteran’s Field at 8:00 P.M.. The Ridgewood July 4th Celebration Committee thanks Roy Tarvin and Tarvin Realtors for once again sponsoring the team. Look for the American flag as well as the Tarvin banner.
At dusk, Fireworks Extravaganza will put on a fabulous show. Each year we have one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in our area. The very best viewing area is right on Veteran’s Field. The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee thanks Applebee’s for sponsoring the finale of our fireworks display.
For many years the cost of our tickets remained the same while our costs increased. This year we have increased our ticket prices. It was a decision that the Committee did reluctantly in the face of rising costs. To keep the ticket prices as reasonable as possible for attendees, while covering costs, pre-sales of tickets are being made available through a wide range of local businesses.
Tickets to the Evening Entertainment and Fireworks will be on sale June 1 at various locations as well as on our website, www.Ridgewoojuly4th.org. Buy your tickets in advance for $8.00 and save over 50% off the gate price of $15.00.
For the fifth year, readers of (201) magazine named our parade and fireworks as best in their Best of Bergen 2010 readers poll. Additional information and answers to many of your questions can be found on the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration’s website at www.ridgewoodjuly4th.org. Please join with the Committee in a very special 2011 Fourth of July celebration as we once again “Support the Tradition!”
Listen my children and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; Hardly a man is now alive Who remembers that famous day and year.
Church Picnic: June 12 beginning 11:30 a.m. Annual Parish Picnic this Sunday. Come one. Come all to our picnic. Following 10:15 a.m. worship. Menu fare: Sub sandwiches, chicken fingers, coleslaw, tossed green salad, pickels and chips. There will be cold drinks and cookies, brownies and ice pops. We’ll have live music and games for children. All this for the cost of $5.00 per person with a maximum of $10.00 per family. So come, join the fun and meet us on the church lawn, facing Stop and Shop, just outside the main doors. Stop by and see us whether you are curious about Christ Church, happen to be in the neighborhood or just want to be part of the fun that day—you are welcome here. The Cottage Place church parking lot will be closed that day. Bring your friends and family. Visit us at www.christchurchridgewood.org or call the office for more information 201.652.2350
During the summer months, water usage increases dramatically due to lawn irrigation. Water conservation is a fact of life and it is also the law. The State of New Jersey Department of Enviromental Protection requires that each community maintain a water conservation program.
Beginning May 1 and continuing through September 30 of each year, Stage I Water Restrictions are in effect.
Stage I (Normal): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days, as defined below. Irrigation using a hand-held hose shall be allowed at any time.
Stage II (Moderate): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days as defined below. Irrigation using a hand-held hose is allowed on any day except Monday.
Stage III (Moderate – Severe): Mandatory restriction of irrigation limited to alternate days as defined below. Manual sprinklers may be operated between the hours of 7:00 am to 9:00 am and 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Automatic in-ground sprinklers may be operated between the hours of 1:00 am to 4:00 am. Irrigation using a hand-held hose is allowed on any day except Monday. There shall be no irrigation of any kind allowed on Mondays.
Stage IV (Severe – Critical): Prohibits irrigation at any time. The Village Manager may under certain conditions allow irrigation using a hand-held hose.
Alternate Day Irrigation Defined Irrigation of properties with odd-numbered addresses shall be permitted on odd-numbered days, while irrigation of properties with even-numbered addresses shall be permited on even-numbered days.
>Garrett Calls On GAO to Investigate SIPC, the Trustee and SEC’s Actions in Madoff Case
WASHINGTON, June 3, 2011 –
Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, today called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the actions of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), the Trustee in the liquidation of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities, LLC (BLMIS), and the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) involvement and oversight of this major liquidation.
“The SIPC Trustee in the Madoff case has been pursuing policies that are in direct conflict with the goals of protecting investors, maintaining fair, orderly and efficient markets, and facilitating capital formation. These goals, of course, are the central mission of the SEC, which supposedly supervises SIPC, but has been asleep at the switch.
“The Trustee’s actions are also inconsistent with SIPA, which is why we introduced H.R. 757, the Equitable Treatment of Investors Act – to ensure the law is followed as it was intended to be.
“The SEC Inspector General has raised questions concerning the SEC’s oversight of trustee and attorney’s fees in the Madoff liquidation. There are also major concerns regarding the Trustee’s actions in regards to fairness to defrauded innocent investors as well as their impact on the U.S. taxpayer. Since the SEC has informed its Inspector General that a near-term inspection of SIPC is unlikely, we, on a bipartisan basis, have turned to the GAO to undertake a comprehensive evaluation.”
Garrett was joined in his request by Chairman Peter King (R-NY), Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Representative Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), all of whom are cosponsors of H.R. 757, the Equitable Treatment of Investors Act. Correspondence between the Subcommittee and SIPC, which is referenced in the GAO letter, are attached.
>Obamcare : Judges seemed receptive to arguments from critics challenging the health reforms asunconstitutional
Healthcare overhaul fight in pivotal Atlanta court
By The Associated Press Published: June 08, 2011
ATLANTA (AP) – The latest round in the fight over President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul was held Wednesday in the federal appeals court in Atlanta.
A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments on whether to reverse a Florida judge’s ruling that struck down the law. The judges seemed receptive to arguments from critics challenging the health reforms as unconstitutional during the three-hour hearing.
>PSE&G Suggests Ways to Keep Cool and Manage Energy Costs this Summer Reduction in electric prices also will help lower customers’ bills
(June 7, 2011 – Newark, NJ) – PSE&G residential customers will pay 4.9 percent less for electricity this summer as the result of a price reduction that took effect June 1. Even so, demand for electricity rises as the weather gets hot and people turn on fans and air conditioners, and so the utility is offering the following tips to help customers reduce energy use and control costs.
• Install a programmable thermostat. If health conditions permits, raise the setting from 73 to 78 degrees. You can save 3 to 5 percent on your air conditioning costs for each degree you raise the thermostat. • Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home. If you have central air conditioning, close off vents to unused rooms. Keep filters clean. • Plant shade trees close to the house on the south and west sides. • Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. Eliminate air leaks between window air conditioners and windows with foam insulation or weather-stripping. • Turn off power sources. TVs, computers and other electronic devices draw power when they are in standby mode or turned off but still plugged in. Plug electronics into power strips and turn off the power switch when the items are not in use. • Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use 75 percent less electricity and burn more coolly than incandescent bulbs. CFLs are especially handy in hard-to-reach fixtures and won’t need to be replaced for about five years. • Use timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting. • Delay heat-producing tasks such as laundry until later in the day. Wash full loads, using cold water whenever possible. • Run the dishwasher at night, using the shortest cycle that will get the dishes clean. If manufacturers’ directions permit, turn the dishwasher off before the dry cycle or use the air dry feature if your machine has one. • Take short showers. They use less hot water than a bath. • Replace old appliances with new energy efficient Energy Star appliances. • Unplug the extra refrigerator in your garage or basement and use it only when necessary. Refrigerators that are only 10 years old can use twice as much electricity as new Energy Star labeled models. • If possible, install whole-house fans that bring in cooler night-time air that can pre-cool a house and reduce energy use in the daytime if heat is kept out by closing windows and shades. • Take advantage of PSE&G’s Home Energy Toolkit. It helps you analyze your home energy use and then provides customized energy saving tips. To access the Home Energy Toolkit, log in to My Account at pseg.com. To view demonstrations of how to save money in your home, visit PSEG’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/psegvideo (PSE&G Summer Energy Savings Tips). We encourage you to share the information with family and friends.
Opening Day at Graydon Pool : I think they did a nice job
But here is an idea every Saturday should be free, but the cost could be covered under sponsorship. Sell the “day” to a single sponsor who gets naming and display rights.
This is a subscription business in the end, they should treat it as one. The people who want to “keep Graydon” as it is should turn their efforts towards this as a project. I bet the walk up gate they make on a normal day is peanuts in comparison to what they could do on naming rights, and the margin is all in concessions. It is a win/win.
> Chronic unemployment worse than Great Depression The unemployed have, on average, remained unemployed longer than in the 1930s; Employers wary of job gaps in resumes
(CBS News) There is an unfortunate adage for the unemployed: The longer folks are out of a job, the longer it takes them to find a new one.
CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy reports that the chronically unemployed face the hardest road back to recovery, and that while the jobs picture may be improving statistically on a national level, it is not for them.
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