Ridgewood NJ, Don’t these photo simulations look a lot like the ones on the “anonymous mailer” Mr. Aronsohn can’t seem to shut up about?
More, and more importantly:
During the Wednesday evening, December 2nd Ridgewood Village Council Work Session, Mayor Paul Aronsohn vowed that the parking deck (garage) will be built, even in the absence of a 4 vote “super majority” vote of the Village Council, which would be required to bond the debt service.
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli revealed that “they” have already discussed an alternate (and completely legal) plan of having the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA) issue bonds for the project if the 4 vote “super majority” isn’t obtained.
At a minimum, this would add an additional $750k in BCIA fees to the project, plus an as yet to be determined interest fee each year for 30 years.
The staff of The Ridgewood Blog will attempt to keep you fully abreast of developments along this front, although we are sure a person or persons at Village Hall will do everything in their power to keep information away from us.
MAGIC SHOW FEATURING JOE FISCHER – Monday, December 28th, 11:30 am at the Anne Zusy Youth Center, Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood. Tickets are $5 for all attending (under 2 free).
A show that is sure to amaze.
Be sure to watch for “Secrets of Magic” during our winter session – a 6 week class of behind the scene magic with Joe Fischer, with take home tricks each week.
ARCTIC ANIMALS ART CAMP WITH ABRAKADOODLE – Monday and Tuesday, December 28 and 29, 10 am to 12 noon each day, at the Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood. Grades K-3. $90, all materials provided ($100 non-residents).
Calling all animal lovers! Students will use clay and paint in this camp while learning about some snowy friends! From igloos and polar bears to chilly moose, a fun time will be had by all!
CHILDREN’S CRAFT WORKSHOP WITH MRS. C. – Monday, December 28th, 1 to 3 pm, at the Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood. Grades 2-6. $30, all materials provided ($40 non-residents).
Use your creativity and imagination while learning simple techniques required to draw, paint, and finish a project of your choice. All materials included. Bottle dolls, wood painting, basket weaving, tile painting, beads, jewelry, and a lot more!
TRIVIA MANIA WITH MAGIC CUBE – Tuesday, December 29th, 1 to 2:15 pm, at The Anne Zusy Youth Center, Village Hall, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood. Grades 3-6. Tickets are $5 for all attending.
Come enjoy a live interactive trivia game show with buzzer system, lighting and sound effects, fun contestant games, musical competitions, audience participation activities, prizes, and two exciting co-hosts.
MYTHBUSTERS WITH EDUCATION EXPLORERS – Tuesday, December 29th, 1 to 3 pm, at The Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood. Grades 1-5. $45, all materials included ($55 non-residents).
Explore science the Busters Way! Children will participate in a variety of hands-on experiments that put common “myths” to the test. Using scientific method and children’s innate curiosity, they will have fun exploring many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) principles.
Purchase of tickets for the shows or registration for the program offerings may be made either online at Community Pass, www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass or in person at The Stable, 259 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
For additional information, or if special accommodations are needed, kindly contact the Recreation office at 201-670-5560
Ridgewood NJ, In just under 2 weeks, Patrolman John Ward Jr will be running the Honolulu Marathon in memory of Officer Chris Goodell of Waldwick Police and Officer Chris Birch of Midland Park Police. Thanks to dozens of generous donations, he is on track to reach and exceed his goal of raising $5,000 to be donated to the Christopher Goodell Scholarship Fund and Special Olympics New Jersey in Chris Birch’s name. If you haven’t already, please consider making a donation.
Retail Store Sales Fell 10% Thanksgiving Weekend as Online Gains
Lauren Coleman-Lochner LaurenLochner
December 1, 2015
U.S. holiday shoppers spent more of their time last weekend online and less in line.
Consumer spending at brick-and-mortar retail locations in the U.S. fell 10 percent to $20.4 billion over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, according to ShopperTrak. The Chicago-based research firm gathers sales and traffic data from receipt information and devices in stores.
Retailers cut back on Thanksgiving hours, rolled out discounts earlier this year and ran more of their bargains online, putting less pressure on consumers to rush out for discounts after their turkey dinners or the next morning. The strategies also contributed to a 26 percent increase in online sales over the weekend, according to International Business Machines Corp. But even after the brick-and-mortar drop, ShopperTrak maintained its forecast that those sales will rise 2.4 percent this holiday season.
“The success of the holiday season doesn’t hinge on the performance of a single day,” said Bill Martin, ShopperTrak’s founder. “Seven out of the top ten sales days still remain, and December is anticipated to be strong.”
ShopperTrak’s forecast for the holiday season is weaker than that of the National Retail Federation, which has predicted a 3.7 percent sales gain for November and December.
Spending Less
The shoppers that did hit the mall last weekend may have kept a lid on spending. About half of Americans shopped on Black Friday this year, similar to last year, the International Council of Shopping Centers said Tuesday. But 55 percent said they spent the same or less than last year, according to a survey of 1,016 adults the trade group commissioned from Opinion Research Corp.
Janeen Price, who was shopping with her daughter in Greensboro, North Carolina, over the weekend, said she was a more serious Black Friday bargain-hunter in previous years. Now, her kids are grown up and she doesn’t feel the need to butt heads with other shoppers, said Price, 50.
DECEMBER 1, 2015 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2015, 9:45 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
(This article is the third of an ongoing series examining the Schedler property and the issues surrounding it.)
In the woods on the edge of Route 17 in Ridgewood stands a brown farm house. Drivers traveling the speed limit on the highway would be hard-pressed to spot it, and it is best they don’t in the interest of automobile safety. But even those taking a trip on West Saddle River Road might miss it if they are not paying attention.
Yet that little brown house is considered a remarkable piece of history that at least some residents in the Village of Ridgewood believe is worth preserving for future generations.
The Zabriskie-Schedler house has become the subject of much speculation and discussion since the village purchased the 7-acre property in 2009. Current plans propose a 90-foot baseball field with multi-purpose overlay field, which has caused some residents in the neighborhood to worry about their quality of life while others are also concerned about the fate of the historic house.
Somewhat miraculously, the Schedler house has had few owners in its approximately 180 years and it may be one of the reasons the house has stood for so long in the middle of an otherwise developed region of New Jersey.
Ridgewood NJ, A male juvenile who was riding a bicycle sustained a non-life threatening leg injury after being struck by a pickup truck at the intersection of North Van Dien and Linwood Avenues in Ridgewood on Tuesday, 12/01 at about 4:45 PM. The victim was transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital. Ridgewood PD, EMS, and FD units responded to the scene.
We had Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Did you know that today is Giving Tuesday? If you haven’t already, please donate to our “Heartbeat of the RCB” Percussion Fundraising Campaign!
The percussion (drums) section is the heartbeat of any musical ensemble and percussion section of the Ridgewood Concert Band (RCB) is no exception. The percussionists of the RCB keep the pulse of the music and add color and texture to the music that we play each season.
The Ridgewood Concert Band is committed to making a substantial contribution to the music and artistic life of our community by providing audiences with the highest level of wind music performances. In order to perform at the highest level our musicians need the highest level quality instruments. Most band members provide their own personal instruments because they play just one instrument (eg. clarinet, trombone). However, the percussion music includes such a wide variety of instruments (marimba, xylophone, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, snare drum….just to name a basic few!) that a percussionist may play three, four, or five instruments in the course of just one piece! Because a percussionist simply cannot own, store, and transport EVERY percussion instrument, the RCB has a selection of percussion equipment that it owns for its members to use. However, after 33 seasons the equipment being used is showing its age and it is time to provide instruments that match the quality of the percussionists playing them.
This Percussion Fundraiser is being spearheaded by the Ridgewood Concert Band Society (RCBS), which is a group of donors and members that are committed to supporting the creative endeavors of the ensemble and insuring that the RCB can be financially sound both today and in the future. The RCBS has created this Percussion Fundraiser in order to purchase items off of the “Percussion Section Wishlist”, including a vibraphone and a set of timpani.
Please consider putting your support behind this endeavor to make sure the heartbeat of the RCB remains strong!
December 1,2015
Ridgewood the staff of the Ridgewood blog
NJ, Planning Board Meeting tonight 7:55 p.m. – 9:15 p.m. – Continued discussion of the reexamination of the Master Plan and development regulations – Residential Land Use.
Our Master Plan has not had a thorough re-examination in 30 years. According to our Village Planner, Blais Brancheau, 90% of the language needs to be re-written. This is a huge undertaking for our planning board. Please attend.
Ridgewood NJ, We would like to wish farewell to Ridgewood Detective Douglas Williams who finished up his last day of work today after 29 years. Doug joined the Ridgewood police Department in 1986, prior to working in Ridgewood Detective Williams worked for the New Jersey Department of Parole and the Union County Prosecutors Office. Good luck in your retirement Doug.
photo of The Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus courtesy of the Ridgewood Guild Facebook page
December 1,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, On Saturday, November 28, 2015 The Ridgewood Guild sponsored its fifth annual Winterfest, to coincide with Small Business Saturday!
Memorial Park at Van Neste Square set the stage with special holiday performances by The Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus and Declan Power!
Despite the dreary weather the park was in a festive mood ,the horse drawn hayrides circled around town, cookies, candy canes, complimentary hot chocolate as well as a trackless train ride and more! To many the the Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus singing on the hayride was a big hit.
Its was a great way to kick the holiday season in gear and support your local businesses!
photo courtesy of the Ridgewood Police
December 1,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police report that the Route 17 N. exit ramp to E. Saddle River Rd. and E. Glen Ave. will remain closed due to a cleanup from an overturned tractor-trailer. Route 17 southbound traffic delayed due to rubbernecking
Hudson Street Parking Deck – Message from the Village Manager
Click Here
Ridgewood NJ, According to Village Hall residents will have an opportunity to chime in on the parking garage design on December 2nd. The three designs presented included the original structure, as depicted on Villlage of Ridgewood (VOR) site, with 405 spaces (130,000sq ft), a modified version with 355 stalls (120,000sq ft) and the lowest profile version with 305 stalls (109,000 sq ft). The cost per stall decreases for each added level:
405 stalls @ $28,000 = 11.5 mil
355 stalls @ $29,300 = 10.4 mil
305 stalls @ $31,000 = 9.5 mil
You can see the higher you go the more efficient the project becomes IF, of course, those spaces are utilized.
As far as the design, it is exactly as shown at the informal meetings. The 355 version indicates a lower profile along Hudson St but retains the same height along Broad. The 305 version includes
the lower profile on both Broad and Hudson. For some reason I didn’t include the heights in my notes but will ask Roberta for those details. Each version includes cantilevering over the entire Hudson St sidewalk with an additional 20″ cantilever extending over the street. The cantilevers were depicted in the original design and, I believe cannot be eliminated due to the lot width.
Also Mayor Aronsohn sent an email (personal email) to residents regarding the three garage designs and process moving forward. His letter indicates surprise ,surprise higher cost for each version likely based on factoring in the original $500,000 bond.
Please share your thoughts and questions with us regarding the deck so that your feedback can be considered by the Council as they deliberate on this important issue at the December 2nd Council Meeting……please also consider coming to that meeting to share your opinions. You can email me at [email protected] or call 201-670-5500, ext. 203.
Ridgewood police officer Robert Hirsch handles his last assignment, escorting the Christmas tree
November 30,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, After 30 years of serving the Village Of Ridgewood police officer Robert Hirsch handles his last assignment, escorting the Christmas tree from Dorchester Avenue to North Broad Street where it will be lit this Friday during the annual downtown for the holidays celebration. Officer Hirsch joined the Ridgewood Police Department in 1985 prior to that he worked for New Jersey Transit as a police officer. We wish Bobby the best in his retirement.
Notice of Closure due to Repairs – Nov 30 – 2 weeks
The Glenwood Road stairway from Upper Boulevard to the Ho-ho-kus Train Station will be closed to all pedestrians starting Monday, November 30, 2015. The closure will last approximately 10 to 14 days, depending on the weather.
The closure is necessary so that portions of the stairway can be repaired in response to several recent complaints. Pedestrians are advised to plan alternate routes during the closure.
Glenwood Road itself will also be closed to traffic.
Ridewood NJ, Reader posts , “Paul Aronsohn – the same Paul Aronsohn that contacted one of my clients and tried to convince him not to stop using my services. All because I do not support Mr. Aronsohn’s policies. I ask you, what gives Mr. Aronsohn the right to interfere with my business operations? The answer is, he has no right to do so but he thinks because he is the mayor of Ridgewood and I’m a resident of Ridgewood, he can get into my personal business. Time to contact an attorney about Mr. Aronsohn’s big mouth.”
We have heard this story all to often , most are familiar with the attempt to derail Mike Sendon’s campaign with a despicable and cowardly email to his employer . And most are keenly aware that this was a third rate low life attempt to disenfranchise Ridgewood voters .
Advertises on this blog have been attacked and subtly threatened , fake blogs have been set up by local failures to attack this blog the list goes on and on.Playing favorites may not be a crime but it is terrible governance. Bringing Hudson County politics into Ridgewood is lowering the entire standing of this town and its residents . The bad news for the purveyors of this garbage is that this isn’t Hudson County and its never going to be . Elections come and go but Ridgewood will always be Ridgewood .
