Category: village of ridgewood

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Special Public Meeting of Village Council, Tuesday, September 8th Parking Garage

Village Council

file photo by Boyd Loving

For anyone with an interest in the proposed $15 million parking garage, this meeting is a “do not miss” event.

VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD

VILLAGE COUNCIL

SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING

SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

7:30 P.M.

1.   Call to Order – Mayor

2.   Statement of Compliance with the Open Public      Meetings Act

3.   Roll Call – Village Clerk

4.   Flag Salute and Moment of Silence

5.   Comments from the Public (Not to exceed 5 minutes per person – maximum of 30 minutes in total)

6.   Presentations by Vendors

7.   Synopsis by Parking Steering Committee

8.   Village Council Comments

9.   Comments from the Public (Not to Exceed 5 minutes              per person – maximum of 30 minutes in total)

10.  Adjournment

 

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Audition for Ridgewood Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company’s production of Ruddigore!

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Tues. 9/8 and Thurs. 9/10, 7:30-9:30 pm
At the Community Church of Glen Rock, 2nd Floor on 354 Rock Road (one block east of Maple Avenue) in Glen Rock, NJ.

Full Show Performance Dates and Locations:
Sun. 11/22, 2:00 pm – Heritage Village in Southbury, CT
Sun. 11/29, 2pm, at Fair Lawn Community Center, Fair Lawn, NJ
Sat. 12/12, 7:30 pm, at Ridgewood United Methodist Church, Ridgewood, NJ
Sun. 12/13, 2:00, at Ridgewood United Methodist Church, Ridgewood, NJ

Concert Schedule:
Sat. 10/24, 2:00 pm – Fort Lee Public Library, Fort Lee, NJ (concert)
Thurs. 11/5, 8:00 pm – 5 Star Premiere Residence, Teaneck, NJ (concert closed to the general public)
Sun., 11/8, 2:00 pm – Springfield Free Public Library, Springfield, NJ (concert)
Sun. 11/15, 2:00pm – Finkelstein Memorial Library, Spring Valley, NY (concert)

Stage Director: Nell White

We suggest you audition even if you have 1-2 conflicts.
Some roles may be double cast due to our long schedule.
Please email [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

Please be prepared to sing either a song from the show or a piece that best shows your vocal quality. 32 bars or a little more is fine. Bring your music if not singing a piece from Ruddigore. An accompanist will be provided. If possible, please bring a head shot and résumé if you have never sung with us in the past. No appointment is necessary. Break a leg!

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Ridgewood’s amnesty program yields about 30 applications

village-hall-theridgewoodblog

SEPTEMBER 2, 2015    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2015, 9:55 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Ridgewood’s first amnesty program officially came to a close late last month, as residents took advantage of the chance to have work performed on their home without a permit inspected and approved with no administrative penalties levied by the village.

The amnesty period began on April 20 as a way to follow up with the “hundreds” of requests for permits found when Building Department Director Thomas Yotka took over last year.

There was acknowledgement on the part of village officials that past delays in the Building Department could have been partly responsible for residents potentially having work done in their homes without a permit.

The entire program was voluntary and had to be initiated by the homeowners themselves. The Building Department and village as a whole did not seek out violators.

By offering the amnesty to residents, it would eliminate potential safety hazards in the village and additional headaches for those trying to buy or sell a home, officials said.

The program came to an end on Aug. 21.

 

https://www.northjersey.com/news/amnesty-program-provides-permits-1.1402297

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Juvenile Ridgewood Resident reports “Home Alone” home invasion

home alone
September 01,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Police report that on the morning of Thursday August 27, 2015 a juvenile male Olivia Street resident called 911 to report that an unidentified adult male had entered his/her residence and was yelling loudly. The caller was home alone with his/her younger sibling when they heard the disturbance on the first floor of the home and dialed 911. Responding officers who found the front door of the home open immediately removed the juveniles from the inside before searching for the man. As the residence was being searched an officer at the scene observed that the door of a motor home parked in the resident’s yard was also open.

Craig E. Andrews (48) of Ridgewood subsequently approached officers outside the home shouting incoherently, Andrews who was not wearing clothing appeared agitated and continued to come closer aggressively approaching the officers and the juveniles. He was arrested at the scene and charged with burglary, 2C:18-2a(1), criminal trespass, 2C:18-3, obstructing administration of law, 2C:29-1a, lewdness, 2C:14-4b(1), possession/being under the influence of marijuana, 2C:35-10a(4) and possession of narcotics paraphernalia, 2C:36-2. Bail was set at $40,000., it was posted by a family member and Andrews was released pending Ridgewood Municipal Court appearance.
All defendants are considered to be innocent until found guilty by a court of law.
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MAYOR’S OFFICE HOURS FOR RESIDENTS -Saturday, September 5th

Paul_Aronsohn_dunking_theridgewoodblog

Ridgewood Nj, Mayor Paul Aronsohn holds office hours for Ridgewood residents on Saturday’s every month. Mayor Aronsohn will meet with residents on Saturday, September 5th from 9AM to Noon in the Council Chambers (Sydney V. Stoldt, Jr. Court Room) on the fourth floor of Ridgewood Village Hall.

For an appointment to meet with the Mayor, please call the Village Clerk’s Office at 201-670-5500 ext. 206. You may come to the Mayor’s office hours without an appointment, but those with appointments will be given priority.

Village Council and Board Meetings for September 

09/08/157:30PM Board of Adjustment Public Meeting
09/09/157:30PM Village Council Public Work SessionN
09/15/157:30PM Planning Board Public Meeting
09/16/158:00PM Village Council Public Meeting
09/22/157:30PM Board of Adjustment Public Work Session
09/29/157:30PM Board of Adjustment Public Meeting
09/30/157:30PM Village Council Public Work Session

Seeking Ridgewood Residents to Volunteer for Planning Board and Shade Tree CommissionThe Village Council is looking for residents who are interested in volunteering to serve on the Planning Board or the Shade Tree Commission.

The Planning Board reviews site plans and subdivision applications; prepares, adopts, and amends the Master Plan; makes recommendations to the Village Council regarding amendments to developmental regulations and the official map.

The Shade Tree Commission works closely with the Parks and Recreation Department, the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee, and the Green Team to promote awareness and education of the residents as well as advise and provide recommendations to the Village Council in promoting and sustaining a safe and productive shade tree resource. Members will preferably have forestry or tree backgrounds or hold the designation of a certified Arborist.

All interested residents should fill out a Citizen Volunteer Leadership form (found on the Village website), and send it along with a cover letter indicating on which board(s) the resident wishes to serve, and a biography or resume to:

Heather Mailander, Village Clerk
Village of Ridgewood
131 North Maple Avenue
Ridgewood, NJ 07451

Deadline for submissions is September 10, 2015.

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NEW JERSEY CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY LAW CHANGES EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1,2015

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Any child under the age of 8 years old and a height of 57 inches shall be secured as follows in the rear seat of a motor vehicle:

a. A child under the age of 2 years and 30 pounds shall be secured in a rear-facing seat equipped with a 5-point harness.

b. A child under the age of 4 years and 40 pounds shall be secured as described in (a) until they reach the upper limits of the rear-facing seat, then in a forward-facing child restraint equipped with a 5-point harness.

c. A child under the age of 8 and a height of 57 inches shall be secured as described in (a) or (b) until they reach the upper limits of the rear-facing or forwardfacing seat, then in a belt positioning booster seat.

d. A child over 8 years of age or 57 inches in height must be properly secured by a seat belt.

If there are no rear seats, the child shall be secured as described above in the front seat except that no child shall be secured in a rear-facing seat in the front seat of any vehicle that is equipped with an active passenger-side airbag. The aforementioned is acceptable if the airbag is de-activated.

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Reader asserts “distracted driving” is caused by boredom from driving so slowly.

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The 25 mph speed limit is more dangerous than 35mph.
The rate of travel is so slow that your mind wanders.
You are lulled by the slow rate of speed to think you are able to safely perform other tasks – like texting – you feel confident in your ability to perform these tasks due to the slow rate of travel.
–
A 35mph (or even 30mph) speed limit is inherently safer since it requires more concentration by the driver but is still well within the capabilities of virtually every driver (unlike say a 100mph speed limit which requires even more concentration, knowledge and reactions but is beyond the capabilities of many drivers).
–
The village wide 25mph edict is another wrong headed politically correct decision that has the reverse results of its intent – making our streets more dangerous rather than safer

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Driver Loses Control and Hits Tree in Ridgewood

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photo courtesy of Boyd Loving Facebook
Driver Loses Control and Hits Tree in Ridgewood
August 30,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ , The female driver of an older model Honda CRV sustained non-life threatening injuries after losing control of her vehicle, which then left the roadway, striking a fence and a tree at approximately 9:00 AM Sunday, 08/30 in front of 259 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood.

The victim was transported by a Ridgewood EMS ambulance to The Valley Hospital. Ridgewood PD is investigating the cause of the crash. The wrecked vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck.

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Ridgewood Police Investigate $4000 worth of Missing dry cleaning

Dry_clean_rack
August 30th 2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood POlice report that on Monday August 24, 2015 a Heights Road resident reported that sometime between August 18, 2015 and August 24, 2015 someone had removed clothing valued at approximately $4000. from outside of his/her home where it had been delivered by a cleaning service.

 

Details such as sizes and or dress sizes , nor the gender of  the clothing where not released by the Ridgewood Police

The matter is being investigated by the detective bureau.

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Workman Electrocuted Himself with Floor Sander in Ridgewood

West_Side_Presbyterian-_Church_theridgewoodblog
August 30,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewoood NJ, Ridgewood Police report that on Saturday August 22, 2015 police and fire units responded to the West Side Presbyterian Church on the report that a man had been electrocuted while working in the basement.
At the scene a worker was found unresponsive on the floor near an electrical box. He was transported to Hackensack Medical Center by the Ridgewood Volunteer Ambulance Squad.
It was later learned that the man had been attempting to connect a floor sander directly to the electrical box. This is not an accepted way of powering any type of equipment and electrical boxes and connections should only be handled by properly licensed technicians.
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Hiring a home improvement contractor: the do’s and dont’s

building-contractors-5

AUGUST 30, 2015    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, AUGUST 30, 2015, 6:51 AM
BY MELANIE ANZIDEI
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Beth Blum of Paramus thought renovating her kitchen in the spring of 2014 would be a simple way to keep her mind off things.

“I had just become widowed and I wanted to do something for myself,” said Blum. “I didn’t look into it.”

Blum took the word of an old friend, who recommended ABC Construction for the job. She didn’t do any research on the contractor, and didn’t hesitate when the contractor asked for $6,000 before work began.

What she got was a kitchen that did not pass municipal inspections, cabinets that were left in boxes, water lines that were disconnected and a contractor who wouldn’t answer the phone. She later found other dissatisfied customers through a simple online search.

“I didn’t check anything, but once I did, then I got scared,” she said.

https://www.northjersey.com/towns/renovate-without-the-headaches-1.1400844

 

Top tips : Before hiring a home improvement contractor:

Get written estimates from at least three contractors.
Investigate financing options for your project.
Do not pay for the entire project upfront and do not pay with cash.
Obtain a written contract.
Ask for a lien waiver.

Source: NJ Division of Consumer Affairs.

For more tips on hiring a contractor, visit:njconsumeraffairs.gov/News/Consumer%20Briefs/hiring-home-improvement-contractors.pdf

To check the registration status of a HIC, visit:newjersey.mylicense.com/verification/

Warning signs

Beware if a contractor:

Asks for more than a third of the total payment before work begins.
Demands cash.
Tells you there is no need for a written contract.
Only has a PO Box as business address.
Does not have a Division of Consumer Affairs registration number.
Approaches you first.

Source: NJ Division of Consumer Affairs

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Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce 2015 Fall Car Show

Rgwd _carshow09_therisdgewoodblog

August 30,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Its that time of the year again and the Annual Fall Car Show, presented by the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Friday, September 11th, 2015 from 6:00-9:00pm.

Don’t miss this FREE chance to stroll through Ridgewood’s historic, bustling downtown area, filled with 400 cars from the years 1930 to 2015! This year, the Car Show will take place around Memorial Park at Van Neste Square and on E. Ridgewood Ave.

This year the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce 2015 Car Show is dedicated to the memory of those who died on 9/11. A special “Memorial Award” will be given out by Duxiana of Ridgewood.

Promising to be the best EVENING car show of the fall! Bring the entire family and take your picture under the huge American flag suspended between two hook and ladder fire trucks! 

Come see the Ridgewood High School Marching Band in their first performance of the season. The RHS Maroon Men acapella group will start the evening off with the Star Spangled Banner. Listen and dance to a live band, have dinner at one of Ridgewood’s many restaurants, and see the wide variety of cars, from muscle cars and hot rods to current models and crazy designs.

It’s also not too late to register your very own car! For more information about registering or just the Car Show itself, call us at 201-445-2600 –

[email protected] – www.experienceridgewood.com. If there is a threat of rain, please check the Ridgewood Chamber website for any changes.

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Trial lawyers circle Ashley Madison

ashleymadison

By Katie Bo Williams – 08/29/15 11:14 AM EDT

The infidelity website Ashley Madison is fighting for survival after a hack that exposed the personal information of up to 37 million people.

Class-action lawsuits are flooding the parent company of the website, with people seeking millions of dollars in damages for having been revealed to the world as having sought extra-marital affairs.

At least four lawsuits seeking class-action status have been filed in the United States, including two in California, one in Texas and one that was filed in Missouri before the data dump.

In Canada, two leading firms have filed a $578 million class-action suit on behalf of users who were outed.

All four U.S. cases has been filed on behalf of anonymous clients and accuse Ashley Madison and its parent company, Avid Life Media, of failing to adequately protect sensitive information.

The plaintiffs argue Ashley Madison knew about its security deficiencies but did nothing to address them — an allegation that they say is supported by internal company communications also released by the hackers.

The suit filed in Los Angeles this week also accuses the company of emotional distress and violating privacy laws.

https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/252203-trial-lawyers-circling-ashley-madison

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THE RIDGEWOOD GUILD 2015 JAZZ FEST with Headliner, Antoinette Montague!

Antoinette Montague

THE RIDGEWOOD GUILD 2015 JAZZ FEST

with Headliner, Antoinette Montague!
Join us at Memorial Park at Van Nest Square in Ridgewood NJ on Sunday, September 13th, 12-6PM for an afternoon of “Women Leaders in Jazz”

Opening the festival is Sharel Cassity’s “Elektra” Band
Sharel–sax, flute, effects
Ingrid Jensen–trumpet, effects
Shamie Royston–keys
Linda Oh–electric & upright bass
Allison Miller-drums.

Jazzmeia Horn is bringing to Ridgewood ‘The Artistry of Jazzmeia Horn’ and will include…
Victor Gould- Piano
Dezron Douglas- Bass
Darrian Douglas- Drums
Patrick Bartley- Tenor Sax
Phantom Knoet -The Knowledge Dropping Poet
Jamie Philbert- Dancer
Jazzmeia Horn- Vocals. The ensemble just performed at Dizzys club Coca-Cola.

Antoinette Montague’s
World Peace in the Key of Jazz with
Danny Mixon, keys
Bobby Sanabria, drums
Paul Beaudry, bass
Jay Hoggard, vibes
Solomon Hicks, guitar

It will be an alfresco afternoon with 16 local restaurants offering small plates; a beer/ wine garden; raffles and prizes.

Admission is five dollars to keep the music flowing, FREE for 18 and under. VIP tickets [;priority seating and free drink – to be consumed at the wine & beer garden];. Tickets available online, at Mango Jam [;41 N. Broad St, Ridgewood, NJ]; and at the door.

For more information go to www.ridgewoodguild.com