Posted on Leave a comment

Westwood Regional Approves $78.9M Budget: Healthcare Costs Surge 32%, Cuts 14 Positions

IMG 20230622 092844745 scaled e1695932508661

Westwood Regional School Budget: Tax Hikes and Job Cuts Shake the District

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, The Westwood Regional School District has officially approved a $78.9 million budget for the 2026-2027 school year, but the financial blueprint comes with a heavy price tag for both taxpayers and staff.

Continue reading Westwood Regional Approves $78.9M Budget: Healthcare Costs Surge 32%, Cuts 14 Positions

Posted on Leave a comment

An Overnight Fire at This Popular Westwood Ice Cream Shop Could Have Been a Disaster

683188260 1399968275494548 649502594172908175 n

Close Call at Bruster’s: Westwood Firefighters Prevent Overnight Disaster

photos courtesy of the Westwood Volunteer Fire Department

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, It was a chilly Saturday for an ice cream run, but the heat was already on at a local favorite. The Westwood Volunteer Fire Department responded to a potentially devastating scene at Bruster’s Real Ice Cream on Broadway this past weekend, proving just how lucky a business can get when fire stays contained.

Continue reading An Overnight Fire at This Popular Westwood Ice Cream Shop Could Have Been a Disaster

Posted on 2 Comments

31 Units or 300? The Massive Legal Battle That Could Redefine Downtown Westwood

Screenshot 2025 07 14 054253

Westwood Housing War: Developer Sues for 300 Units as Borough Fights to Control Growth

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

WESTWOOD, NJ – A high-stakes legal battle is unfolding in the “Hub of the Pascack Valley.” While Westwood officials have cleared the way for a modest affordable housing expansion, a developer is pushing for nearly ten times that amount, threatening to reshape the borough’s downtown forever.

Continue reading 31 Units or 300? The Massive Legal Battle That Could Redefine Downtown Westwood

Posted on 5 Comments

Westwood & Washington Township Schools Facing $3M Crisis: Will Your Property Taxes Rise?

IMG 20230622 092844745 scaled e1695932508661

Westwood Regional Schools Face $3M Deficit: Tax Hikes and Staff Cuts Proposed to Save Budget

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, The Westwood Regional Board of Education is navigating a fiscal storm. At a recent meeting on March 24, 2026, the district introduced a $78.9 million budget designed to plug a massive $3 million hole caused primarily by skyrocketing healthcare costs.

Continue reading Westwood & Washington Township Schools Facing $3M Crisis: Will Your Property Taxes Rise?

Posted on 2 Comments

TikTok Tragedy: Westwood Trans Resident Admits to Killing Aunts After Viral Dancing Video

external content.duckduckgo 42

From TikTok to Tragedy: Westwood Resident Pleads Guilty in Brutal Double Homicide of Aunts

Alan “Alina” Abad/Evelyn Aguilar-Agustin and Anabelly Aguilar.  — alinaabad4 Tiktok/GoFundMe photos/Spring Valley PD

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ— In a chilling conclusion to a case that shocked the Tri-State area, a 20-year-old Westwood, New Jersey, resident has officially admitted to the brutal double murder of two family members.

Alan Abad (also known as Alina Abad) pleaded guilty on Tuesday, March 24, in Rockland County Court to first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. The plea comes just over a year after the horrific February 2025 attack in Spring Valley that left two women dead inside their own home.

Continue reading TikTok Tragedy: Westwood Trans Resident Admits to Killing Aunts After Viral Dancing Video

Posted on 4 Comments

Westwood Mayor Hosts Stevens Institute to Tackle Regional Flooding

649522975 1304351518182491 5021362623331801749 n 1

Flood Relief for Pascack Valley? Mayors and Stevens Institute Fast-Track “Smart” Reservoir Technology

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

WESTWOOD, NJ — A major step toward ending the chronic flooding issues plaguing the Pascack Valley took place this week, as regional leaders gathered to review a high-tech solution that could change how local waterways are managed.

Continue reading Westwood Mayor Hosts Stevens Institute to Tackle Regional Flooding

Posted on Leave a comment

Own a Piece of History? What You Need to Know About Westwood’s Certificate of Appropriateness

649223462 18312627817256967 3078324612752274358 n

Planning renovations on a historic property in Westwood, NJ? Here is your essential guide to navigating the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) process

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, If you are a proud owner of a historically designated home or business in Westwood, you know that living in a piece of local history comes with unique rewards—and a few extra steps when it comes to home improvements.

Continue reading Own a Piece of History? What You Need to Know About Westwood’s Certificate of Appropriateness

Posted on 6 Comments

Mayor Ray Arroyo Takes a Bat to Westwood’s Newest Attraction: Inside the Smash House

630386185 1382234757249528 2212549017379951663 n

Smashing Success: Westwood Welcomes “Smash House” for Creative Stress Relief

photos courtesy of Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, In an era where “yearning undefined” and cultural tension seem to be at an all-time high, Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo and the Borough Council recently celebrated the opening of a unique venue designed to handle it all: Smash House.

Continue reading Mayor Ray Arroyo Takes a Bat to Westwood’s Newest Attraction: Inside the Smash House

Posted on 5 Comments

Pascack Valley Swim Club Pleads for Relief: $40K Tax Bill Could Shut Down 60 Years of History

540833321 1479628757014059 1356030389419171891 n

Westwood Icon in Crisis: Pascack Valley Swim Club Battles to Stay Afloat for 2026 Season

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, A staple of summer life in Westwood, NJ, is facing its “most serious budgetary obstacle ever.” The Pascack Valley Swim Club, which has served the community since 1963, is struggling with a crushing combination of rising property taxes and expensive, state-mandated upgrades.

Continue reading Pascack Valley Swim Club Pleads for Relief: $40K Tax Bill Could Shut Down 60 Years of History

Posted on 1 Comment

From Vaults to Vitello: Historic Westwood Bank Reborn as Rosangelly’s Café

524456570 17854011192495719 801209259659217971 n

Dining in a Landmark: Inside the Historic Westwood Bank Turned Artisanal Cafe

photos courtesy of the Rosangelly’s Café Restaurant & BakeHouse

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

The tallest building in downtown Westwood, once the stronghold of local savings and late-night deposits, has traded currency for croissants. The iconic Westwood Trust Building at 1 Westwood Ave. has officially entered its next chapter as the home of Rosangelly’s Café Restaurant & BakeHouse.

Continue reading From Vaults to Vitello: Historic Westwood Bank Reborn as Rosangelly’s Café

Posted on 4 Comments

Westwood Police Issue Urgent Warning Over Viral Package Delivery Scam

Screenshot 2026 02 18 063143

New Amazon Package Scam Targets NJ Residents: Don’t Scan That QR Code

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, A sophisticated nationwide scam has landed in Bergen County, prompting an urgent warning from local law enforcement. If an unexpected package arrives at your door with a mysterious QR code inside, you could be one click away from identity theft.

Continue reading Westwood Police Issue Urgent Warning Over Viral Package Delivery Scam

Posted on 2 Comments

Westwood : 1950 Originals Reopens After Near-Permanent Closure

622945460 18557782714006171 7689866492322901328 n

A Burst Pipe Couldn’t Stop Him: Dan DeMiglio’s 1950 Originals Makes a Miracle Return to Westwood

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, for Dan DeMiglio, owner of the acclaimed 1950 Originals in Westwood, NJ, a broken pipe felt like a haunting case of déjà vu. Years ago, a similar plumbing disaster contributed to the closure of his previous restaurant. When a pipe burst in his 94-year-old iconic diner building this past October, DeMiglio feared the “American Dream” was finally slipping away.

Continue reading Westwood : 1950 Originals Reopens After Near-Permanent Closure

Posted on 2 Comments

One Last Kiss? Westwood’s 250-Year-Old “Kissing Tree” to Be Honored in Emotional Valentine’s Tribute

480157011 1005612141600764 2563418364683325044 n

A Terminal Diagnosis for Westwood’s “Kissing Tree”: Can This Civil War-Era Icon Be Saved?

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood NJ, In the heart of downtown Westwood, a legendary resident is fighting for its life. The iconic Kissing Tree—a towering copper beech that has stood as a silent witness to centuries of romance—has received a terminal diagnosis.

Continue reading One Last Kiss? Westwood’s 250-Year-Old “Kissing Tree” to Be Honored in Emotional Valentine’s Tribute

Posted on 15 Comments

Teresa Giudice is Back in the Kitchen: Everything We Know About Her New Restaurant in Westwood

Screenshot 2026 01 16 062953

Teresa Giudice’s Next Chapter: Inside “Il Vero,” the New Rooftop Hotspot Coming to Westwood

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwolod NJ, Bergen County is about to get a major dose of “The Real Thing.” Teresa Giudice, the iconic star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, and her daughter Gia Giudice have officially announced their newest venture: an upscale Italian restaurant named Il Vero.

Continue reading Teresa Giudice is Back in the Kitchen: Everything We Know About Her New Restaurant in Westwood

Posted on Leave a comment

A Terminal Diagnosis for Westwood’s “Kissing Tree”: Can This Civil War-Era Icon Be Saved?

480157011 1005612141600764 2563418364683325044 n

The 70-foot Copper Beech survived the Civil War and the Industrial Revolution, but a deadly fungus may finally bring it down

the staff of nthe Ridgewood blog

WESTWOOD, NJ – A somber cloud has settled over downtown Westwood as borough officials reveal a heartbreaking diagnosis for the town’s most famous resident: the Kissing Tree.

The massive copper beech, a local landmark that has stood for nearly two centuries, has been diagnosed with a terminal case of brittle cinder fungus. While the news is devastating, Westwood leaders aren’t ready to say goodbye just yet, launching a “hail mary” search for a miracle cure to save the historic giant.

Continue reading A Terminal Diagnosis for Westwood’s “Kissing Tree”: Can This Civil War-Era Icon Be Saved?