Ridgewood NJ, I have received word from several sources that an NJDEP inspector recently uncovered evidence of illegal dumping at the Village’s compost site on Lakeview Drive.
The illegally dumped materials were reported to be composed of concrete; word on the street is that they might be old sidewalks and curbing dumped there by a contractor who worked in the past for the Village.
Further word is that a Village employee MAY have knowingly authorized the disposal of these materials there; this has not been confirmed as yet though.
Let’s wait and see if anyone’s head rolls as a result of the huge fine sure to be levied by NJDEP, and paid for, of course, by taxpayers.
JULY 17, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MATTHEW SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Memorial Park at Van Neste Square will be the scene this Sunday of a modern spin on William Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet.” The production continues the annual tradition of free “Shakespeare in the Park” sponsored by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce.
The play’s full name is “Romeo & Juliet: Political Warfare,” which should give insight to what the modern spin is. The tragedy will explore the feud between the Montagues and Capulets, a prominent pair of warring families, while focusing on the way that such a conflict can be viewed in terms of today’s politics.
“What makes Shakespeare’s work so classic is that it can be adapted in many ways,” said Ryan Pifher, owner/director of Porch Light Productions, the company presenting the play. “This summer, we are taking ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and setting it during a modern political campaign where the Capulets and Montagues are both running for control. This backdrop seemed fitting as we are now seeing the beginnings of our own presidential race take place.”
Over sized Load backs up traffic and delays Valley Hospital paramedic unit
July 17,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blogRidgewood NJ, Yesterday Two (2) tractor trailers, each carrying over sized loads consisting of prefabricated structures, caused major traffic jams in Ridgewood on Friday morning, 07/17 after one (1) of the trucks snagged a set of overhead wires on North Maple Avenue resulting in a section of that road being closed for almost two (2) hours.
Fortunately, phone and cable TV service to only one (1) home was affected, but while Ridgewood PD officers analyzed how they could escort the troublesome trucks out of town without causing additional wires to be taken down, traffic began to build as a result of the road closure. Officers eventually settled upon a route used by a previous segment of the truck caravan, and both trucks were seen crossing the border into Paramus shortly after 12 noon. No injuries were reported during the incident.
One more serious issue a paramedic unit from The Valley Hospital was delayed responding to a life threatening emergency call in Paramus as a result of getting caught in one (1) of the traffic jams caused by the incident.
the staff of the Ridgewood blogMenendez will reportedly be making a speech at the Ridgewood train station today Friday at 11 AM. If you stop by you might get a glimpse of him and our mayor standing next to one another. The speech is reportedly about NJ Transit.Our guess , US Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) will most likely call for increases in long-term, dedicated Federal funding to repair and upgrade the nation’s crumbling infrastructure . Menendez will refer to the economic and environmental reasons why increased investments are necessary, as well as the lesser-talked-about national security imperatives”Menendez may also mentioned New Jersey’s Gateway Project his first question to Therese McMillan, Acting Administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. The project includes the replacement of the Hudson River tunnels and the Portal Bridge – both of which are over 100 years old and in serious danger of failing in the near future. Menendez has stressed in the past he wants the U.S. to be well-positioned to undertake big, visionary transit projects.
If we get lucky he might bash the Presidents Iran deal or chat on the juicy of his federal indictment .
JULY 16, 2015 LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2015, 3:37 PM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
The Village Council took the next step toward allowing more residential buildings in the Central Business District with the introduction of five ordinances pertaining to the master plan amendments approved by the Planning Board in June.
All five ordinances were introduced by a 3-2 margin with Mayor Paul Aronsohn, Deputy Mayor Albert Pucciarelli and Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck voting in favor and Councilman Michael Sedon and Councilwoman Susan Knudsen voting against introduction.
Knudsen asked the council to table the introduction of each based on receiving a copy of the ordinances for the first time at the beginning of last week’s work session meeting.
“At that exact moment we received five ordinances, which were a total of 40 pages of complicated, detailed information regarding the changes to the master plan,” said Knudsen. “And I felt at that time because we had just received those documents at 7:30, we didn’t have an opportunity to have discussion and question the village planner in a proper work session.”
JULY 13, 2015 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, JULY 13, 2015, 10:58 AM
BY MATT SCHNEIDER
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
A bus pulled into the parking lot of the village’s First Presbyterian Church earlier this month, carrying some precious cargo: A group of New York City-area children, being brought into the suburbs for two weeks of enjoyment with a host family.
The visit is organized by the Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit organization that was founded with the purpose of getting children out of low-income city areas and into the fresh, open air for a few weeks.
The families open their homes to, in many cases, a complete stranger.
Many of the host families were excited for their young charges to arrive, already thinking ahead to the bevy of fun activities they planned.
“We’re doing a softball camp together, and then we’re going to watch the fireworks, watch the Fourth of July parade together,” said Charlotte Reis, whose family welcomed Kaleigh Joseph of Jamaica, Queens, into their home. Charlotte’s mother, Kim Reis, added that they would probably go swimming as well.
Alicia Joel, who is hosting for the first time, said that the family was looking for fun volunteer activities to do as a group.
“Our son is 15 and we were looking for volunteer activities for him this summer,” she said, adding that she “was looking up different things” and decided that hosting someone “would be a great opportunity that we could all do together as a family.”
It has been a very interesting month. Since my first post I have connected with old high school friends who have active or recovering addicts in their families. I have been contacted by people who are living the nightmare of Addiction as parents, spouses, children and friends of addicts as well as addicts themselves. Many have shared powerful stories of recovery. I have written or spoken the words ‘I am sorry for your loss’ too many times to count, though we really do need to keep counting… Every person we lose leaves a gaping hole in the world. That hole will swallow us all if the tide is not turned.
I did not intend to start a blog, and I am a bit unsure of where to take it from here. I am, after all, just the Mom of a recovering addict who posted a bit of a hissy fit to her Facebook after learning of another senseless death. I don’t think I can keep tossing out hissy fits, it would get old pretty quickly. I have decided that I will post when something is swirling around in my head enough to make me sit down and write about it, since that’s what happened the first time. It may be a few things in a short amount of time, followed by a lull. We’ll just have to see where this blog leads me.
This is a new journey and I’m glad for the company of all who would like to walk this path with me. We have certainly walked it alone for far too long.
Today’s thought: What could I have done differently?
This question haunted me for many, many years. Should I have taken him back to school to get a forgotten book? When he left his report on the counter in fifth grade should I have left it there instead of bringing it to school? He had ADD so organizing was hard for him. Did I do too much? Did he never learn to be accountable for his own actions? Was I too worried about him failing a stupid sixth grade math test? Should I have let him fail and learn the result of not putting in the work instead of making him study against his will? Should have, would have, could have were constantly swirling in my head. Tiny voices blaming, blaming…
Yes, I should have let him fall on his face when he was little. The consequences of their errors grow as they do. I didn’t have to catch him when he fell —- I was holding on so tightly he never really fell. And when he went away to college he fell hard. So yes, I should have let him fail more when he was young.
In all honesty, that is the one thing I feel I could have changed. I don’t know what else I could have done differently that would have gotten him to ‘just say no’ to drugs. Above is an old newspaper clipping of my son and his friends from the neighborhood with their ‘just say no’ signs. They marched around the neighborhood chanting. He wore his D.A.R.E. (Drug Addiction Resistant Education) T-shirt forever. We spoke about drugs and drinking and sex. Once, when my son was a freshman in high school he had some friends over. Two of the girls brought booze into my home in soda screw top bottles (OK, lesson one: no outside drinks allowed in my home). They also had some joints on them. My son and his friend came to me and told me what was going on. THEY CAME AND TOLD ME. Parents were called, girls cried, drama ensued. BUT HE TOLD ME. How, then, did this kid end up a freakin’ heroin addict? The one who told. The one who knew better. No matter how much we think ‘they’ve got this’, they don’t. Life is not black and white, and adolescence is the murkiest of grays.
3480 – Bond Ordinance – Pre-construction Funding for Hudson Street Parking Garage ($500,000)
Ridgewood NJ, The Village Council approved the $500K “preliminary” expense by a 4-1 vote with Knudsen being the only “no.”
Wording for the “bogus” non-binding referendum passed unanimously. Expect property taxes to jump as a result. There is no way in the world parking utility revenues will ever be able to completely pay off the principal and interest on a $15 million bond.
Brendan Corcoran Proclamation
July 15th 2015
Boyd A. Loving
Ridgewood NJ, Presentation of New Jersey State Senate Proclamation made during the Ridgewood Village Council meeting held on Wednesday, July 15 from State Assemblyman David Russo, (R) District 40, to Ridgewood Fire Department Lieutenant Brendan Corcoran for his Guinness World Record Breaking Full Firefighters’ Gear Run on Memorial Day, 2015. Pictured with Lt. Corcoran and Assemblyman Russo is Corcoran’s 5-year old daughter, Cailin.
Ridgewood NJ, normally we do not publish theses comments , because they lack even the most rudimentary understanding of basic economics and are an attempt to lie and mislead the public, but from time to time we find it necessary to publish these types of comments to show how the powers that be attempt to manipulate
the local taxpayers.
“Ridgewood is being groomed for cash cow status by a handful of entrepreneurs who have invested in the old BoA building, the Old Post Office, Park West among others. They’ve spent a considerable amount of money to open establishments in the CBD, and now want to increase the foot traffic needed to make them profitable. Notice that Kidville has no parking? If the clientele is all based in CBD apartments, no parking will be needed.
I find it fascinating that the readers of this “Laissez-faire” blog have a problem with any of this. This is business at work, and the Master Plan is the only thing in the way. Or are we all NIMBY Libertarians here? Regulation is bad, unless it preserves something near and dear to our hearts? You can’t have it both ways.
Property values, especially those within walking distance of the CBD, will only go up as dining an recreation options multiply.
My only problems with the whole agenda is that it relies on New Jersey Transit’s deteriorating service to transport all the new residents to work in NYC. That, and the schools will suffer. I’m already making a backup plan for my daughter if the High School goes the way I think it will between now an when she is in 9th grade.”
This gave everyone and exceptional laugh .There is so much wrong with this comment showing the level of dishonesty that some are willing to go in an attempt to “get over”
first a definition :
lais·sez-faire ˌlesā ˈfer/ noun
a policy or attitude of letting things take their own course, without interfering. synonyms:noninterventionist, noninterventional, noninterfering; More
ECONOMICS abstention by governments from interfering in the workings of the free market. “laissez-faire capitalism” synonyms:free enterprise, free trade, nonintervention, free-market capitalism,market forces “an agenda that embraces the concept of laissez-faire”
Humm no where in the definition of lais·sez-faire does it say taxpayers will finance , and bear the risk for ill conceived business ventures ,in exchange for campaign donations due to changes in existing laws making these ventures possible ie the change in the master plan .
Private enterprise works because it rewards and punishes risk takes .
What you have hear is better known as Crony Capitalism
Crony capitalism is a term describing an economy in which success in business depends on close relationships between business people and government officials. It may be exhibited by favoritism in the distribution of legal permits, government grants, special tax breaks, or other forms of state interventionism.
Which the above comment carefully avoided saying and we corrected : “you missed the Hudson county democrat machine which our mayor represents and is here to milk this town for all its got , the only business people getting deals down town are those contributing”
Our suggestion for the above poster is to move back to Hoboken , its a far better fit for the kind of place you want to live .
For those looking to enlighten themselves on basic economic theory we recommend :
Economics in One Lesson: 50th Anniversary Edition Paperback – September 25, 2008
by Henry Hazlitt (Author), Steve Forbes (Foreword)
Village of Ridgewood Council Meeting Wednesday July 15, 2015- 7:30pm, Court Room The Village of Ridgewood Council will be voting for the future of a parking garage in Ridgewood
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce looks to rally the troops tonight to push through the parking garage readers say not so fast .
“Where will the shopper/diners/employees park during construction? A net loss of 80 spots at any given time for three years. Let me remind you $.50/hour per meter. 80 spaces x $.50/space = $40/hour. $40 x 12 hour day = $480/day. $480/day x 465 days x 3 years = $525,600 revenue loss during construction. About the same amount that could pay for the parking study commissioned by the 3 Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”
Skimmed the linked (Walker)report and my heart sank at the photos. This is not suitable. Walk down Hudson St. with a building sticking out over our heads? How is this appropriate? The noise, the traffic, the smells, people rushing around at rush hour–forget sitting on the sidewalk at Sook or Natalie’s, or probably even inside. Who wants to listen to/look at/smell that thing? The mayor and deputy mayor are so proud to be pushing for this? Burn in hell, guys.”
“How can we even consider something that costs this much money? We will never get it back in any way. Let NJ Transit and CBD building owners pay for it. The turf was bad enough.”
“Of course the wording is misleading. They have every intention of misleading the public on this. They are trying to shove this parking garage down our throats and they want to be able to say that we all approved it.”
“As sure as you’re born, a parking garage erected by Ridgewood’s village government will be co-opted for use by out-of-town commuters in accordance with the preferences of those seeking to dismantle New Jersey’s deeply ingrained “home rule” tradition and replace it with a new oligarchical style of regional government. Imagine a regional, multicounty board of overseers populated by Gwen Hauck-type cloned hand-puppets easily manipulated by namelesss, faceless third-party wealthy power brokers. That’s what many forward-thinking progressive statists see in their dreams. They don’t give a whit about mere business owners and their parking concerns…”
“My questions:
1. What happens if parking revenues fall short of expectations?
2. What is the proposed parking fee structure for the new garage?
These are very important questions and I will explain why. For the first one, the answer is pretty obvious. The Village taxpayers will be on the hook for it as the construction bond cannot be reneged on just because you hoped there would be enough revenue. The second one will absolutely dictate the success or failure of the entire project. Any fee structure that is more than street parking will completely disincentivize most people from using the garage. They will circle the blocks until a street space frees up, or they will go somewhere else to eat/shop. As I’ve stated before, this garage will represent the parking location of absolute last resort, and I predict it will be viewed in years to come as one of those “what were they thinking” buildings.”
From the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce :
PARKING GARAGE
We invite everyone to attend next weeks Village of Ridgewood Council Meeting
Wednesday July 15, 2015- 7:30pm, Court Room
The Village of Ridgewood Council will be voting for the future of a parking garage in Ridgewood…
we encourage everyone who knows that the future of Ridgewood’s business district depends on this very important vote- **needed are 4 yes’s from the Council members**
Please attend the meeting,voice your concerns at the public form and show your support for a parking garage. It’s been 88 years since Ridgewood’s needed a parking garage…NOW IS THE TIME! pu Save our “downtown”! see you there.
Wednesday, July 15th @ 7:00
Starring on Broadway, in theaters and concert halls, and Cofounder of BROADWAY BARKS, a charity that finds homes for shelter animals, Bernadette Peters, will sign her new Children’s book:Stella and Charlie: Friends Forever
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
First In Line Certificate use is the the discretion of Bookends. Blackout dates may apply.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.
While we try to ensure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely.
Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726
Some medicines can may make you aggressive, suicidal or even homicidal Include drugs for high cholesterol, asthma or acne, or even the Pill Researchers found that taking statins can make some women violent
By JOHN NAISH FOR THE DAILY MAIL
PUBLISHED: 17:05 EST, 13 July 2015 | UPDATED: 23:54 EST, 13 July 2015
When you take a commonly prescribed drug for a physical condition such as high cholesterol, asthma or acne, or even the birth control Pill, you may be alert for signs of physical side-effects. But such medicines can harbour a more insidious danger: they may make you aggressive, violently jealous, suicidal or even homicidal.
This little understood threat was highlighted this month when researchers found that taking statins to lower cholesterol and prevent heart problems can make some women aggressive and violent, reports the authoritative science journal PLOS ONE.
About seven million Britons a day take statins and the NHS warns side-effects can include headaches, nausea and pain in muscles and joints, but in a study of 1,000 people researchers at the University of California, they also found a link between statins and aggression, particularly in postmenopausal women over 45.
As sure as you’re born, a parking garage erected by Ridgewood’s village government will be co-opted for use by out-of-town commuters in accordance with the preferences of those seeking to dismantle New Jersey’s deeply ingrained “home rule” tradition and replace it with a new oligarchical style of regional government. Imagine a regional, multi-county board of overseers populated by Gwen Hauck-type cloned hand-puppets easily manipulated by nameless, faceless third-party wealthy power brokers. That’s what many forward-thinking progressive statists see in their dreams. They don’t give a whit about mere business owners and their parking concerns…
A parking garage that close to the train station and bus stop would be sufficient to serve commuters. The street level spaces near the should all be limited to 3 hors for the benefit of CBD businesses and their customers. Oh, and parking should be free on Sundays. Okay, now someone else can be king for a day…
The chamber wants it for increase parking for the business but you say it for the commuters. Can’t have it both way. And if you think that the commuter are going to get off the train and eat and shop in Ridgewood I don’t think so. Commuter just want to get home after a long day. On a side not if they get off the train after 5:30 they couldn’t shop anyway all the store are closed. Which is it?
If it is meant to be a place for long-term commuter parking, then I can see a better chance of it working. For this to happen, the existing all-day parking bays at/near the train station and the bus station will need to be changed to meters that only allow short-term parking intended for shoppers and diners.
The parking garage under consideration would be constructed across the street from Our Lady if Mount Carmel Church. Has this location been determined to be the best? What happened to the lot across the street from TD Bank on Franklin Avenue? Wasn’t that lot condemned for the purpose of erecting a parking garage? And wasn’t a bond issued at the time that we never used to build the structure?
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