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Car Rams Parked Vehicle in Ridgewood

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photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook
October 13,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewoood NJ, A Volvo SUV rammed into an unoccupied parked vehicle in front of 127 Walthery Avenue Ridgewood just before 8:30 PM on Tuesday, 10/13.

Ridgewood PD, EMS, and FD units responded. At least one (1) occupant of the Volvo was transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Ridgewood FD personnel addressed a minor crash related fluid spill. The Volvo was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. At least one (1) summons was issued to the Volvo’s driver.
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Special Public Hearing to Discuss Schedler Property tonight !

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Special Public Hearing – Schedler Property – October 14, 2015

The Village Council of the Village of Ridgewood shall conduct a Public Hearing in the Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room on the fourth floor of the Ridgewood Village Hall, 131 North Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ at its October 14, 2015 Regular Public Meeting, which meeting begins at 8:00 p.m.

The purpose of this Public Hearing is for the Village Council to receive comments and suggestions from the public for the Village of Ridgewood’s 2015 Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Municipal Park Improvement and Development Grant application. The Village has applied for this grant for Phase 1 work on the Schedler Park property, located at 460 West Saddle River Road, Ridgewood, NJ. Phase 1 would encompass basic infrastructure improvements to include: installation of underground utilities (water, electric, sewer); demolition of two-car garage, small shed; capping of inoperable well; selective removal of down, dead, diseased trees; site clean-up; and cut in proposed parking lot driveway entrance.

Heather A. Mailander

Village Clerk

Another Front Has Opened Up against Over Development in Ridgewood

https://theridgewoodblog.net/another-front-has-opened-up-against-over-development-in-ridgewood/

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Mother and Toddler Escape Injury after Morning Crash in Ridgewood

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photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook Page
Mother and Toddler Escape Injury after Morning Crash in Ridgewood
October 14,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A female toddler and her mother escaped injury following a crash in which their BMW SUV collided with a 4-door Chevrolet sedan at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and North Walnut Street in Ridgewood early Tuesday (10/13) afternoon.
Both occupants of the Chevrolet were transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The toddler had been properly secured in child restraint device in the back seat of the BMW. Both vehicles sustained heavy front end damage and were removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Ridgewood FD personnel attended to a minor crash related fluid spill. Ridgewood PD and EMS also responded.
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Drugs ,Fights ,Just another Exciting Week in Downtown Ridgewood

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file photo by Boyd Loving 
Welcome to Hoboken ?
October 12,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Not sure if this is a sign of things to come or just a sign of the times but these types on incidents seem to be growing in number . Ridgewood Police reported that on Saturday, October 3, 2015, a Long Branch resident reported being assaulted by another patron while dining at Fish Urban Dining in the central business district. The victim refused medical attention and did not wish to pursue criminal complaints against his/her attacker at that time.

On Monday, October 5, 2015, Detective Douglas Henky responded to a report of a woman in distress in Van Neste Park. Marissa E. Purdy, 19, of Monroe, New York was subsequently arrested and charged with possession/being under the influence of narcotics and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. Ms. Purdy’s companion, Jason J. Brown, 23, of Pomona, New York was also charged with possession/being under the influence of narcotics and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. Both parties were released on their own recognizance pending court appearance.All defendants are considered innocent until found guilty in a court of law

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Ridgewood Police Caution Residents to be Weary of “Skimming”

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October 12,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police report that on Thursday, October 1, 2015, a Hawthorne resident reported that fraudulent charges were made on his/her credit card account shortly after dining at a Ridgewood restaurant. The victim felt that the server at the restaurant may have skimmed his/her card when it was presented for payment.

Be aware anytime that a credit card leaves your possession there is the possibility that it may be “skimmed”. “Skimming” involves the card being swiped through a small handheld device easily concealed in the palm of one’s hand, that downloads the cardholders account information, which is then utilized for fraudulent purchases.
In some cases, the fraudulent charges are made by using the account number while in others an actual cloned credit card is manufactured using the cardholder’s information. Many times, these schemes occur at restaurants and gas stations where attendants take physical possession of credit cards since the credit cards leave the cardholder’s sight. This matter is under investigation by the detective bureau.
Staff members from the Ridgewood blog recommend using extra caution at , gas stations, restaurants , health care visits and car rentals .
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Telephonic or electronic communication between or among Councilmembers or between a Councilmember and a member of the public during public meetings is prohibited

gwen hauck

file photo Boyd Loving 

Ridgewood NJ, Resolution 13-87 (April 24, 2013), item #4 reads as follows:

Telephonic or electronic communication between or among Councilmembers or between a Councilmember and a member of the public during public meetings is prohibited.

This Resolution was written by Pucciarelli and Walsh in 2013. Pucciarelli initiated writing it because his conduct had been questioned as a possible violation of The Sunshine Law. He felt that a road-map for proper conduct was needed for council members. It is entitled “Village Council Meetings and Communications Protocol.” It was voted in unanimously.

When a member of the public asked the Council, in October of 2014, whether they were complying with this particular line item, Pucciarelli, Hauck, and Aronsohn all admitted that they do have their phones on and they do receive communications. Sedon and Knudsen firmly stated that they do not. Hauck was outspokenly affronted that her integrity had been called into question. Pucciarelli went on a riff about emergencies and his family having to let him know what is going on. (note to Albert – the POLICE DEPARTMENT is in the building, they can run upstairs if one of his family members calls in an emergency). Aronsohn said his wife sends him little jokey texts (how cute). No matter whether it is a family member or anyone else, these are members of the public who are in touch with members of the Council during Public Meetings.

What is the point in having the Resolution if it is not respected? What is the point of having a Sunshine Law if quiet communications are taking place during public meetings?

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Ridgewood Art Institute Fall Classes

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Ridgewood Art Institute announces Three Instructors New to this Fall’s schedule:
For New Fall Schedule click here

Oil Painting – Landscape, Seascape, Still Life & Portrait for Adults

With Instructor: Rebecca Leer
[email protected]

Wednesday and/or Thursday 10am – 1pm

Click here for additional details

Oil Painting – Landscape, Seascape, Still Life & Portrait for Adults

With Instructor: Diana Gibson
[email protected]

Wednesday and/or Thursday 7pm – 9pm

Click here for additional details

Drawing for Adults, Figure & Still Life

With Instructor: Susan Hope Fogel
[email protected]

Thursday 7pm – 9:30pm

Click here for additional details

Pastel Class
Portrait, Still Life & Landscape For Adults

This class is to be held on Friday Mornings 10 am – 1 pmin the West Studio.

If interested, please send a resume, brief class description and six JPEG images of your most recent work to:

[email protected]

Laura Paray
Education Chairman
The Ridgewood Art Institute
12 East Glen Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07450

 

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Readers asks , who is Communicating with Gwen Hauck During Council Meetings ?

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Gwenn Hauck does not need to comprehend the report. Whoever keeps writing to her during the meetings will tell her what to say. Yes, Gwenn, we see that you are busy reading and writing during meetings, we see the glow of your device shining off your glasses. Your handlers are providing most of what you say. You are best when you go off script and start rambling on about people should all be nice to each other. You need to be reminded that you are one of the nastiest people in the room. Just last week you went after Mike Sedon like a pit bull, no that is a bad analogy, unfair to the pitt bull. You were badgering him and hammering him, just as we have seen you do to Bernie Walsh, Tom Riche, Susan Knudsen and others. Honey child, you need to look in the mirror – you can lecture the crowd about how you are always so respectful, and you can reprimand the naysayers, but in fact you have shown repeatedly that you can be a class-A B*TCH.

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Village of Ridgewood Senior Citizen Survey

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Ridgewood 55 and Older Community Survey

The Ridgewood Community Center Advisory Board, comprised of Ridgewood residents, is charged by the Village Council with maintaining and improving the Community Center and serving the broader Ridgewood community. To aid in that mission we wish to learn more about the priorities, needs and concerns of Ridgewood residents age 55 and older.

Please pardon the length of this survey. We know some questions apply more to some of you than others. We truly want to learn more about everyone in this age group in Ridgewood and encourage you to share with us as much as you can.

This is an anonymous survey. Please complete the survey if you are age 55 or over and a Ridgewood resident. One survey per person. More than one person in a household is welcome to complete the survey.

Click Here

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The Rules only Apply for Some People : First the planters, then the sign, now this?

parking vote

October 11,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Anyone else would be issued property maintenance and motor vehicle summonses for driving multiple vehicles up a curb, over a public pedestrian walkway, and parking in front of a commercial establishment.

But, of course, no summonses ever issued here.

I wonder why?

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Another Front Has Opened Up against Over Development in Ridgewood

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photo by Boyd Loving

Another Front Has Opened Up against Over Development in Ridgewood

October 11,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Another Front Has Opened Up against in what the majority of residents perceive as the over development and urbanization of Ridgewood .Last week signs began to appear the Zabriskie Schedler House, more commonly now called Schedler Park or Schedler field  .

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The Schedler property boarders Route 17 north in a very quite residential neighborhood cornered between Route 17 and Saddle river.The most notable feature, of the property is the 1830s-style Dutch wood frame home, which historians have dated the construction of the home’s main section to the 1830s, though the existing kitchen wing might have predated 1825. The four separate parcels at the Schedler tract were also the site to a Revolutionary War battle and have yielded artifacts from that time.

The RBSA has been pushing for a baseball field in the location since before the property was purchased by the Village in 2009. In 2014 the RBSA sponsored candidate Residents James Albano ran for Village Council with the express purpose of pushing a baseball field in the location . Albano was crushed by a landslide loss in a council election that featured a “mysterious” email to Candidate Michael Sedon employer at the time in an attempt to pressure Sendon to drop out.

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L- R: Isabella Altano from Ridgewood Eastside Development (RED) shows the map of the proposed sports field to Freeholder John Mitchell. Aug 15 2012

In 2012 after another historic home was torn down in Paramus , the site caught the eye of Bergen County Freeholder Maura DeNicola, and Bergen County Freeholder John Mitchell who met with then Ridgewood Village Manager Ken Gabbert, Village Historian Joseph Suplicki and Freeholder Robert Hermansen to discuss the Zabriskie/Schedler house .

A grassroots organization was formed called Ridgewood Eastside Development (RED) in an attempt to protect the neighborhood and preserve the area with some alternative modest development , but mostly the focus at the time was on land making the property and preserving the trees and open space .

The council majority Paul Aronsohn, Albert Pucciarelli ,Gwenn Hauck aka the 3 amigos have as usual ignored the wishes of the vast majority of Ridgewood residents and sided with developers and special interests . https://theridgewoodblog.net/ridgewood-s-schedler-park-maps-and-information/

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Key Points from the Village Council commissioned parking study prepared by Walker Associates

hudson parking garage

File photo by Boyd Loving

Key verbatim assumptions/findings taken from the Village Council commissioned parking study prepared by Walker Associates:

Easing crowding does not, in and of itself, create a new revenue stream; it transfers revenue
from other metered spaces in the Village. The garage will likely encourage people to come
downtown who have been avoiding it due to parking constraints, but this is not a quantifiable
revenue stream and is not included in our analysis. More conservatively, we project the
following net new revenue streams for the garage:

• The 72-space Brogan Cadillac lot on South Broad Street at Essex Street and at the 92-
space Ken Smith Motors lot just east of the train tracks and north of Franklin Avenue are
going to be demolished for development. Both of these dealerships have closed and
lease out their parking. The Ken Smith Lot is permit parking for downtown employees.
The Brogan Lot accommodates commuters during the day and is leased out for
restaurant valet parking at night. We anticipate these demand streams would transfer
to the garage.

• We understand from Village staff that there are other restaurants downtown that use
valet services in private lots that would use the garage instead (probably doing away
with valet service since self-park options would be easier).

• The Village used to have 120 non-resident commuter permits, but doubled non-resident
permit rates because there was not enough space for these commuters. Currently
there are very few non-resident commuters parking in the train station area. The Village
plans to reduce the non-resident commuter rate to $875/year to increase that demand
stream again.

It is typical in downtowns that the revenue stream in a given garage is not sufficient to cover its
operating costs and debt service. Downtown parking systems are just that – systems – that rely
on pooled revenue from all resources, and especially the on-street meters (which tend to
have the highest turnover), to cover the higher cost associated with building and operating a
garage. This is the case in Ridgewood, where the net new revenue projected for the garage
is not projected to offset its expenses.

Therefore, our revenue projection includes all downtown revenue and all expenses associated with the parking system.

To operate the garage and have a revenue-positive parking utility (with funds available for other parking lot
maintenance projects), we project that the Village will increase meter rates as follows:

• In 2016, meters will be extended until 9 p.m. and meter rates on key downtown streets
will increase to 75¢.

• In 2017, 75¢ meters will be increased to $1 and the rest of the on-street and off-street
meters will increase to 75¢.

• If needed, rates would increase by 25¢ after five years.

• Commuter permit rates would increase by $25 in 2021 and 2025.

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Transformer Fire Creates West Side Power Outages Saturday Morning in Ridgewood

transformer fire

photo courtesy of Ridgewood Police Department

October 10.1015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ , the Ridgewood Police reported around 6:48 am the closing of W.Glen Ave between Oak St. and N.Monroe St. due to a transformer fire. There were power outages in the neighborhood  and PSE&G was on scene.

Power was restored on West Side of town and West Glen within a couple of hours and W.Glen was reopened to traffic soon after
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Registration for Ridgewood YWCA Fall Classes Starts October 19

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October 10,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Registration for the next session of YWCA Bergen County programs starts Monday, October 19 at 8:30 a.m. Classes run from November 1 through December 26 at the YWCA’s 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood location, and members can register at www.ywcabergencounty.org, by phone, or in person.

New for Kids & Teens: YWCA Tiger Sharks Swim Team for ages 8 to 15 years offers the best combination of team sport and individual challenge with emphasis on skill development, positive values, and competitive experiences. Synchronized Swim Team for ages 7 and older provides the opportunity to work as a team in a multi-sport environment; combining the skills of swimming, gymnastics and dance. Cooking, Art, Music & Science for ages 3 to 5 years and Art & Design, Cooking & Zumba for ages 6 to 12 years offers creativity and self-expression.

For Adults: 360 Movement Classes cross-train the body with a wide variety of challenging and motivating group fitness classes. Active Older Adult Fitness Classes provide a friendly and supportive environment to help improve member’s health and well-being. WEN: Women’s Empowerment Network provides women with ongoing support, inspiration and opportunities to connect, share, learn and lead as they travel their personal and professional paths.

Plus: Special Needs Programs, Children’s Dance, dozens of other fitness, wellness, and enrichment programs, as well as American Red Cross certified Swim Classes for swimmers at every age and level. Drop-in child care is also available at the 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood facility. Visit www.ywcabergencounty.org or call 201-444-5600 for more information.