The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
>Court decision clouds future of wineries in N.J.
The winter pruning began this week at Four JG’s Orchards & Vineyards in Colts Neck, where the grapes growing on 40,000 vines eventually will turn into bottles of cayuga and chambourcin wine. (Diamond, Gannett)
>Christie study terms N.J. tax break dud
A New Jersey program designed to lure shoppers to urban centers with tax breaks has done little to prop up local economies and should be dismantled, a study released by the Christie administration Thursday said. (Fleisher, MarketWatch)
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/christie-study-terms-nj-tax-break-a-dud-2011-02-24
>Gov. Christie says N.J. pensions system could go broke by 2020
Governor Christie says that if changes aren’t made to the state pension system it will go broke by 2020. (The Associated Press)
>Jewelry Cleaning Week
Fri, February 25, 2011 – Sat, March 05, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Location: Joaillier, 196 E. Ridgewood Ave, Ridgewood NJ 07450
Event Description
Spring is right around the corner so open your jewelry boxes and check out what needs to be cleaned!
Joaillier is offering Free jewelry cleaning and
inspection(1 piece only).
You also get 25% off all jewelry cleaners, polishing cloths and jewelry organizers.
>Shutdown skedaddle: Congress deserted as deadline looms
By Stephen Dinan-The Washington Times
With the clock ticking to a March 4 government shutdown, you might imagine the Capitol would be buzzing with lawmakers seeking to cut deals, make impassioned speeches and do everything they could to strike a deal on spending.
You’d be wrong.
House lawmakers stayed until 4:41 a.m. Saturday to finish up a spending bill to keep the government open, and sent it over to the Senate — only to be met with an empty chamber. Senators had closed up shop two days before and went home for a 10-day break to honor George Washington’s birthday.
“We will do our work, but where is the Senate? They’re on vacation,” said Rep. Denny Rehberg, a Montana Republican and member of the House Appropriations Committee who ran part of the floor debate over cutting spending for the new health care law. “Here we are knocking up against a March 4 deadline and they’re missing the deadline again.”
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/24/shutdown-skedaddle-congress-deserted-deadline-loom/
>Village Council Strikes Down Capital Request form Ridgewood Water
the Staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ- The village council has decided strike down a $4.2 million capital request to upgrade water meters for Ridgewood Water . The Utility has long argued that the upgrade was needed to give the customers a more accurate read on their water usage .
Ridgewood water serves 60,000 customers in Ridgewood , Wyckoff, Midland Park and Glen Rock .Wyckoff, along with Glen Rock and Midland Park, initiated a lawsuit over rate hikes Ridgewood Water imposed in December of 2009 and again in 2010. Water bills have increased a whooping 26 percent since December of 2009.
Ridgewood Waters current system of reading meters over the phone lines has been criticized by customers who are suspicious of its accuracy . Advances in technology have also made the current system obsolete. The utility claims a complete switch to radio meters would solve the problems.
The utility has suffered from a very poor public image in recent years with huge rate increases , annual water shortages, slow communication and questions of water quality many customers have lost confidence.
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The Ridgewood A.M. and Bergen Community College Rotary Clubs have joined forces to host a Benefit Jazz Concert from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Ciccone Theater, Bergen Community College, 400 Paramus Rd., Paramus.
The concert features six top-flight jazz musicians that you would ordinarily see at the Blue Note in NYC, but our concert is close to home, involves no cover charge, costs for drinks and parking, etc. Parking at the college is free and plentiful. And the acoustics in Ciccone Theater are fantastic.
Much of the concert will be devoted to Latin jazz, one of the latest trends in the music world. The infectious beat will have all of us tapping our feet.
The concert benefits Community Blood Services, Social Service Association of Ridgewood and Vicinity, and Bergen Community College scholarships for needy students. These organizations provide essential health, human services and education for Bergen County residents.