>Annie Zusy’s daughters to run half-marathon to raise money to fight lung cancer and promote research the Staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ – Eliza and Katie will be doing their FIRST EVER race! Both sisters will be doing a half marathon in NYC/Brooklyn on April 2nd! They’re running in honor of our mother, late councilwoman Anne Zusy . The ladies are looking to raise money and awareness for lung cancer research and prevention!
As you know, Anne Zusy passed away in June from lung cancer. Duaghters Katie and Eliza , Katie, will be running a half marathon in Queens on April 2nd in an effort to raise money to fight lung cancer and promote research for it. Their goal is to raise $1000 which has already been exceeded with the generous support of friends and many Ridgewood residents!
The sisters have set up a website set-up where people can make donations of any amount to help our cause. They are called “Team Annie” and are excited to do they’er part in fighting lung cancer. The web-site link is below:
>Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance Saturday, March 19th, 7:00 p.m.
Mount Carmel gymnasium
52 Passaic Street
The Village Caterer will be providing traditional Irish fare of corned beef and cabbage. Renowned New York City musicians Bob and Norm will be playing Irish classics and great dance music. There will also be a special appearance by the Irish Step Dancers. “This is one of our biggest fundraisers of the year, and it is a great opportunity for friends and neighbors to get together for a night of fun”, said Doug Findlay, organizer of the event.
>AOL Lays Off 20% Following Huffington Purchase By VERNE G. KOPYTOFF AOL said it would lay off 1,000 employees on Thursday in the wake of its acquisition of news and commentary site The Huffington Post.
The cuts, which represent 20 percent of AOL’s work force, also include reductions in its operations in India.
>A wake-up call for gadget lovers; Text, tweets robbing us of needed sleep, study finds By Mary Jo Layton The Record (Hackensack N.J.)
HACKENSACK, N.J. — Nearly two-thirds of Americans say they’re not getting enough sleep and late-night computer use, texting and video games are a significant part of the problem, according to a national survey released Monday.
Virtually all of Americans surveyed in the Sleep in America poll reported “very active” use of technology at least a few nights a week within an hour of bed.
“It is clear that we have a lot more to learn about the appropriate use and design of this technology to complement good sleep habits,” said David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation, which conducted the survey.
More than half of kids ages 13 to 18 text an hour before bed most nights and this group reports being the sleepiest of all, the survey found.
On average they report seven hours and 26 minutes of sleep a night on weeknights, nearly two hours shy of the nine hours and 15 minutes recommended by sleep experts.
It’s a familiar story to Dr. Tracy Carbone, a sleep expert at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., who treats a growing number of adolescents for sleep disorders which are affecting school performance, driving ability and moods and mental health.
>Abbot v. Burke fact-finding hearings: It’s all over – but the final report
The deputy attorney general was the last to speak after three weeks of hearings in the Abbott v. Burke school equity case, and she was barely into her closing statement when the judge chimed in with a question. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
>Presidents Day: more than just a Presidents Day sale
Presidents Day: How George Washington and Abe Lincoln Got Screwed Out of Their Own Holidays
Feb 20, 2011 – 10:07 PM
Happy birthdays!
This year, the holiday informally recognized as Presidents Day falls on Monday, Feb. 21. Commemorating the birthdays of two of the nation’s most beloved presidents — George Washington and Abraham Lincoln — the holiday was not always a joint celebration. Surge Desk takes a look at the birth of this mash-up federal day off.
George Washington gets his day
The father of our country was so beloved by American citizens that his birthday, Feb. 22, was celebrated across the land long before it actually became an official holiday. Congress proclaimed that date as “Washington’s Birthday” in the year 1880; starting in 1885, all federal workers were given the day off.
What’s Abraham Lincoln, chopped liver?
Unfortunately for Abraham Lincoln, his birth date was too near Washington’s; if not, he no doubt would have been granted his own holiday. But with Feb. 12 right around the corner from the 22nd, it was hard to justify two days off so close together for state and federal workers. Though Lincoln’s birthday was never formally recognized by the federal government, following his assasination in 1865, commemorations were observed by a number of states.
Have a Heart Tue, February 01, 2011 – Mon, February 28, 2011
Cupcakes by Carousel, 192 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
During the Month of February, the American Heart Association will receive $1.00 for every Red velvet heart cupcake and $2.00 for every Red velvet cake with hearts sold, to help fight heart disease in America
“It’s Raining Men” ,Thu, February 10, 2011 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM.
Red Velvet Luxe, 59 E. Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood NJ 07450
All your special someones will be cordially invited to an evening of whiskey tasting, cigars and then some, to make all your wishes come true. Start wishing, hoping and dreaming now!
Includes FREE Ballroom dance lesson with
Dance Master Lestat from 5:00pm-5:30pm.
Continued dancing 5:30pm-7:30pm
Singles and couples are welcome.
The cost to attend is $15pp or $25 per couple and includes a 20% discount coupon for a pre or post dance dinner at local Ridgewood restaurants Smith Brothers or The Office.Contact Carol Livingstone at 201-444-5600 ext 330 or email clivingstone@ridgewoodym.org
Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance
Sun, February 13, 2011
Time: 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Location: Arthur Murray Dance Studio, 257 E. Ridgewood Ave. (entrance on N. Maple Ave.)
Event Description
Valentine’s Day Dinner Dance -Join Arthur Murray Dance Studio and Mediterraneo Restaurant make your Valentine’s Day one to remember, with elegant dancing and a romantic sit down candle-lit dinner.
$90 per person, BYOB
Reservation and deposit required
Sunday, February 13, 2011
rsvp 201-389-6980 – 201-447-0022
Village History : 1828 The Naming of Godwinville ie… Ridgewood
The Naming of Godwinville (In 1828) (Ridgewood, NJ) Reprinted from Short Sketches on Passaic County History, 1935
by Edward Graf
The ceremony of naming this village, in Bergen County about four miles north of Paterson, was performed in the following manner. On the morning of January first, 1828, the persons particularly interested in the cotton industries, established at that time in the neighborhood, proceeded from Paterson with a number of friends to that place where they met a number of its inhabitants assembled on the same occasion, who had prepared a splendid Liberty pole. This pole was borne to the corner of the road, near the store of David Lydacker by the unanimous assistance of the company present. After being decorated by an elegant Gilded Liberty Cap, presented by General Abraham Godwin, at the signal given by a discharge from a six-pounder, it was raised amidst the cheers of the surrounding multitude. The flag of the United States, also presented as above, was then hoisted to the top of the pole under a discharge of canon and cheering of the assembled citizens. After this they formed and marched to the new cotton factory of Messrs, Munn and Whitehead, where an excellent collation was provided by the proprietors of the respective cotton establishments in the vicinity, of which the whole party partook, and fared most sumptuously.
Abraham Van Rypen, one of the oldest inhabitants then addressed his neighbors in the following words:
Friends and fellow citizens – as one of the oldest residents of this neighborhood, I take the liberty on this occasion of welcoming among us the gentlemen who have availed themselves of our water powers and established manufacturies, destined, I trust and at no very far distant day, to make them rich and happy – give employment to the industrious and clothe and feed the needy. Already do we see and feel the good effects of their genius and enterprise. Out property has risen in value, our recently vacant houses have become tenanted, and many new ones erected and erecting, giving to what was, as it were yesterday a wilderness, the appearance of a thriving village. Permit me therefore to give it a name whereby it may be perpetuated and handed down to posterity.
In commemoration of one of the few that now remain of that worthy band, who breasted the storm of war in defense of our liberties and independence, and which enable us at this day to sit down under our own vine and fig tree, and to enjoy uninterruptedly such happy festivity as we have on the present occasion the pleasure of partaking and to testify our respect for the Revolutionary Patriot whose company we now have the pleasure to enjoy; I propose to you for this place the name of Godwinville.
The above was received with unabounded applause and General Godwin being present made the following brief reply:
Fellow citizens, with sentiments of unfeigned gratitude, I rise to tender to you my sincere acknowledgement for the flattering compliments you have paid me, and the honor conferred in selecting my name, in preference to any other, wherewith to perpetuate your village. My sincere wish is, that it may be a rising prosperous and happy one and that its general characteristic may be that of industry and honesty, and genuine republican principles and by pursuing strictly the last three qualifications, I have no doubt of your obtaining the former ones; and that it may be the case with each and all of you, permit me to reiterate my ardent solicitude.
This reply was also received with marked approbation. The company then again formed procession and returned to the Pole and after appending to the same in handsomely painted letters the newly acquired name of the village, it being about sunset, the flag was lowered until another discharge of cannon and the company retired to their respective places of abode, apparently well pleased with the proceedings of the day.
>Questions Arise over who the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce represents ?
The President of the Chamber of Commerce, is the son in law of the owner of the North Jersey Media Group(The Record) The President (and owner) of North Jersey Media Group, Stephen Borg serves on Audrey Meyer’s Valley Hospital Presidents Council. As the connections are revealed, it is obvious why the taxpayers were on the losing end of the Valley decision.
>Golden Toilet: “I guess you don’t get much for $400,000.00 anymore.”
Reader : “I was at the field with the $400,000 toilets and decided to go in and see, they looked ok, but the soap was empty the electric was off so the toilets didn’t flush and we couldn’t dry our hands. I guess you don’t get much for $400,000.00 anymore. It was 1:00 pm. There is no money to keep the town up and it is a shame. Maybe the mayor, manager and council would like to put the large paycheck to work and do some cleaning up around town.” ( photo by Artchick.biz)
The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce has announced their new officers and Board of Directors for the 2010 to 2011 year: President Scott Lief of NJ Lenders Corp. Mortgage Bankers, Vice President Tom Hillmann of Hillmann Lighting, Secretary Aaron Galileo of ISB Mortgage Company, Treasurer Diane Friedman of Alexandrite Group, Past President Doug Seiferling of North Jersey Media Group, David Merker of Merker Insurance Group, Ed Sullivan of Sullivan Associates, Zvia Barlev of La Piazza Bistro Italiano, Michael Velicu of Mediterraneo, Walter Boyer of Bookends, Megan Fraser of The Valley Hospital, James Parks of Parks Wealth Management and Paul Vagianos of It’s Greek to Me. https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/98088909_Chamber_of_Commerce_names_new_officers_and_Board_of_Directors.html
>I was disheartened, but not surprised by the events that occurred and the subsequent reporting by The Record and Ridgewood News after last weeks PB meeting.
The media chose to report on a ‘raucous’ crowd rather than investigate efforts by Valley, Village officials and the media to silence the opposition.
Look at the facts:
The venue for the PB was moved to a location that could not handle the crowd. This should not have surprised the PB since this was not the first time that residents were shut out of a Valley hearing. In addition, at the last minute, residents were informed that parking would be limited, and they should carpool. If BF wasn’t available, should the PB have considered rescheduling?
Valley employees most of whom are not residents to fill seats are shuttled to the meeting. The Village reserved half the seats for Valley employees.
The police responded to a crowd of 250 people chanting ‘Stop Valley Now’ by calling in support from four other communities, as well as Bergen County Police and the Sheriff with canine support. Was this a measured response to an out of control situation, or was it designed to intimidate opponents?
The Bergen Record, has consistently supported Valley’s expansion plans, and their reporting has been short on facts. The editors of the record also opposed plans to reopen PVH. Does The Record editorial policy have anything to do with the fact that Mr Borg, President of the newspaper, is a member of Valley Hospital’s Presidents Council?
Valley is mobilizing it’s PR machine to divide and discredit the opposition. We have to stand together in opposition to Valley and public officials who thus far have refused to listen to residents.
At Preservation New Jersey press conference in Trenton (L-R):
Laurie Howard, Ridgewood Historian Joe Suplicki,
Preservation NJ Programs Director Stephanie Cherry-Farmer,
attorney Stuart Lieberman, Lucy Rieger, Alan Seiden,
with Graydon photos in background
What an awesome couple of weeks!
Tuesday, May 11: The candidates we endorsed won the Council election. We’ve written to you about that already—but the endorphins are still popping.
Tuesday, May 18: Preservation New Jersey (PNJ) accepted our application (submitted last November) to place Graydon Pool on its list of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Sites in New Jersey for 2010. PNJ has begun to focus more closely on locations that enhance quality of life, are environmentally sound, and, with proper maintenance and marketing, financially sustainable.
Excerpt from Graydon’s page on PNJ’s website: “As the sustainability movement grows, it seems logical that pools like Graydon, free of the chemical overload required to keep the water in concrete pools clear, be treasured and celebrated as models for sustainable development. Why shouldn’t Ridgewood’s current municipal pool stand as a statewide ‘green’ model?…PNJ encourages Ridgewood’s municipal leaders to recognize the significance of this resource and use this to promote the site….PNJ believes that proper maintenance and care, combined with accurate public education and marketing that promote and celebrate this Ridgewood landmark, could hold the keys to saving Graydon Pool as a viable and historic community resource.”
Preservation New Jersey is an independent nonprofit organization, not a state agency. Its affirmation of the need to preserve Graydon does not endow our pool with formal protection, but will increase awareness. PNJ promises to keep relaying our message and to provide ongoing help.
Ink
Stories about Graydon’s inclusion on the “10 Most Endangered” list quickly appeared in The Record, The Ridgewood News, and Patch.com.
The Record, May 21 Friday, May 21: To our delight, The Record ran a heartfelt editorial supporting not only our goal, but also our group.
Excerpts: “The recession has stalled [the RPP’s proposed concrete replacement project]….At least for now. What a relief….Happily, the good work in Ridgewood has already begun. As one committee planned for the plake’s replacement, another effort emerged to promote and modernize Graydon as it is.” Hey—they get it!
Also on May 21, The Ridgewood News published a letter from Suzanne requesting donations of these items (or the offer to purchase them) wanted for Graydon by Parks & Rec:
• croquet set
• board games with all the pieces, for Borrow a Game
• complete decks of cards
• paperbacks for adults and teens or any kind of children’s books for the Graydon Summer Lending Library
• basketball net
• perennials for planters
A request for more ping-pong tables yielded two. Prepare your backhand!
To donate new or used items or to offer to pay for their purchase, call Nancy Bigos, Deputy Director of Parks & Recreation, at 201-670-5560. Please say the Coalition sent you.
Appropriate decision: RFP held for next Council
Meanwhile, on Thursday, May 20, Councilman Patrick Mancuso, who formed the Council-appointed Graydon Pool Committee last summer, said at a meeting of the committee that he would give the current draft of a Graydon Request for Proposals (RFP) document to the next Council, taking office on July 1; they will decide what, if anything, to do with it. Our position: the RFP should be tabled.
We’re an integral presence in town
Our Coalition is now a proud member of the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and the Ridgewood Guild.
We look forward to partnering with both groups to enhance Ridgewood’s downtown, which is geographically close to Graydon, and Village life in general, as Graydon has done for 8 decades.
NEW! Bricks-and-mortar source for Preserve Graydon items
At the first Ridgewood Guild meeting on May 11 (election night!), held at Capital One Bank, Eileen Negrycz and Coalition co-chair Marcia Ringel showed our ice skater note cards to bank vice president and Guild board member John Kiernan. He immediately asked, “Can we sell these?” Bingo—the downtown venue we’d wanted for selling our items was found without having to ask!
As a result, our beautiful note cards and NEW posters (13×19 inches, horizontal) of Dorothy Warren’s “Sunday Skaters” (at Graydon) as well as our car magnets can be purchased at Capital One, 9 E. Ridgewood Ave., near Broad St. (“Keep Graydon Natural” yard signs are available only through our Graydon Store.) Thank you, Pat Hensley, for making the arrangements. And thank you, John.
Hours: M-W, 8:30-6; Th-F, 8:30-7; Sat 9-3. Phone: 201-493-3900.
Joe Suplicki and Peggy Norris answer questions
after their presentation on Ridgewood’s parks
Centennial celebration included a cake
with Graydon’s tree and island
Badge buyers enjoyed a slice of cake while waiting
Saturday, May 22: At the library, Peggy Norris, Local History Librarian, and Ridgewood Historian Joe Suplicki commemorated the centennial of the dedication of Graydon Park (then called Linwood Park) with a slide show and lecture on Ridgewood’s parks. Lucy Rieger supplied a 100th-birthday cake decorated by Marybeth Ehler, owner of Folly, the North Broad Street flower shop.
Nearby, at the Graydon Pool badge office, a long line of badge buyers took advantage of the early-bird prices and enjoyed the rest of the cake.
Summer’s coming
If you haven’t bought your badge yet, you can do so at graydon.ridgewoodnj.net.
See you at Graydon’s opening weekend, June 5 and 6 (free to Ridgewood residents).
Congratulations to all for the Coalition’s many achievements.
During a municipal budget review held on Wednesday April 14th, Dylan Hansen, the Village’s Network Administrator, publically revealed that 102 Village of Ridgewood employees are currently using cell phones that were paid for by Ridgewood taxpayers. Additionally, all monthly usages fees, in connection with business and/or personal calls, are also paid by Ridgewood taxpayers.
Clearly, the Village Manager and Village Council were either asleep at the switch or absent when cell phones were distributed at Village Hall. It is not possible that there are 102 Village employees whose positions warrant unlimited business and personal use of taxpayer provided cell phone service. This is simply an outrageous situation that must be brought to an immediate end.
The Fly has several questions for the Village Council:
1) What is the percentage of Village employees who have taxpayer provided cell phone service?
2) What is the formal approval process for obtaining taxpayer provided cell phone service?
3) When an employee retires, resigns, or is terminated, is someone checking to make certain that taxpayers aren’t continuing to provide the individual with cell phone service?
4) Is there a list kept of who has these phones or do we just know that 102 are out there? Is the list available for public viewing?
5) Is the value of cell phone service for personal use being reported as income on W2 forms?
The Fly suggests that now is the right time for Village Council members to hang up most of the Village issued cell phones.
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