The high school senior qualified to audition for all-state choir, but he’d also been invited to interview for the prestigious Jefferson Scholarship, which promised a full ride to the University of Virginia worth $125,000. He couldn’t be in both places at the same time.
“Unfortunately,” warned the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, “the flexibility will have to come from the choral organization, or you will have to choose between the two.”
The Virginia Choral Directors Association was just as uncompromising. It cautioned that only an illness “severe enough that continued participation would be harmful to the student’s health” would excuse the 17-year-old choir president from a full day’s attendance.
The annual mating dance between high school seniors and the nation’s colleges and universities is under way, and it’s not pretty. Class of 2020 decision letters will go out at month’s end, even as tuition and fees rise faster than inflation, producing about $107 billion in education debt last year, according to the College Board.
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Art Institute is proud to offer college scholarships to high school seniors who will be majoring or minoring in art. If you are a member of Ridgewood Art Institute, please fill out the attached form to be considered. Worthy candidates will be expected to bring six pieces of original artwork on April 29, 2017 for the Board of Trustees review.
Print an apllication Here. Deadline is April 15, 2017
In addition, Our Summer Schedule for Young People is attached. You can find it online here.
As someone who is on the fence about the garage to begin with – the FAC presentation did nothing to convince me this is what the town needs. How can the council and residents get an accurate idea of the financial impact of the garage if the numbers are not even accurate for the current proposal. This presentation, while well-intentioned, was a waste of time for all involved.
VILLAGE COUNCIL WORK SESSION QUICK NOTES
MARCH 22, 2017
Public Comments: A variety of topics were covered by residents during public comment including, and most noteworthy, statements regarding parking Bogert/Cambridge and Pomander parking restrictions. Some residents reiterated their perception of a safety concern while others touched on personal challenges resulting from the changes and exacerbated safety concerns. Both topics were listed as agenda items for discussion.
FAC Assessment in Paying for a Parking Garage: Committee members reviewed the Parking Utility and garage funding based on the Walker Report.
Cambridge and Bogert Parking Restrictions: Striking a balance addressing safety concerns around the curved area closest to Glen while implementing a modified parking schedule 50’ beyond the second curved intersection. A modified ordinance will be introduced in April allowing changes to coincide with the end of school.
Train Station Parking Lot: Suggested by a former Planning Board member to somewhat reduce the grassy island allowing for the addition of about 25 +/- parking spaces. This does NOT require removal of the entire green space and trees. The remaining island should allow for ample grass, trees, flowers, urns and an appropriately meandering walkway. As stated during the meeting, this idea will require further evaluation.
Pomander Walk/Sherman/Stanley Place: April introduction to temporarily suspend parking restrictions on one side of Pomander.
Ridgecrest – Graydon: an initiative to allow Ridgecrest senior citizens to spend time at Graydon Pool for free or at a reduced rate.
Schedler Park Plans: Project development of a community park for all ages to possibly include pedestrian nature paths, bird watching, children’s play space & equipment and low impact exercise areas.
Kings Pond Area Cleaning Program: moving forward!
Citizens Safety Advisory Committee – Standardized Form for Requesting Parking Changes: a recommendation to standardize the procedure for requesting parking changes and/or restrictions in residential areas. Over the years CSAC has made many safely recommendations to Council; most changes are welcome but some have created unanticipated issues in adjacent areas. Implementing a formal process to ensure residents are properly notified of impactful changes by providing detailed information to VC. Still in draft document form.
***these are only brief notes/highlights and not intended as minutes
Next meeting: Village Council Special Public Budget Meeting
Monday, March 27, 2017, 5:30PM
Bogart/Cambridge is less a council issue. The council were fooled on how the original ordinance was implemented. The Village Engineer decided it was easier to just to have no parking 500 feet down each street which he admitted to at the council meeting. Regardless of who did what, the majority of the neighbors on the blocks affected we’re never informed of what was going on. Communication was abysmal, that should be a council issue moving forward. Kudos to the Mayor for suggesting a new form and process be followed, but the people affected by these decisions should also have input into the decision making process. Aren’t they supposedly working for ALL of the people in the village.
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Arts Council, wants share with you a very special and unique event that is happening at our Earth Day Fair one month from now. Check out the video to learn more. Hope to see you at our Emerging Artists Gallery event. Please share with others. Thanks!
Please join the Ridgewood Arts Counci at Ridgewood’s Earth Day fair on Sunday April 23rd 11am-2pm in Van Neste Park to be a part of this exciting event. For more information and to sign-up please email [email protected]
Ridgewood NJ, Eighteen children of all ages participated in making twenty blankets for Project Linus as part of Emmanuel’s Sunday School Christian Education program in a one hour blanket making session on March 12th. Women of Emmanuel sponsored the event and supplied the soft plush material for the project.
Marilyn Clark, head of Women of Emmanuel and Church Council Moderator, stated, “It was a fun day! The children were able to make beautiful blankets for a worthy cause. You could see how pleased and proud they were with the blankets they made. Their smiles said it all.”
Leslie Maltz Taylor, a representative from Project Linus, led the one hour blanket making session during Sunday school at Emmanuel. Emmanuel will donate the completed blankets to Project Linus, a non-profit organization that provides homemade blankets to children in need.
Emmanuel, founded in 1891, is celebrating its 125th Anniversary Year and maintains a tradition of community outreach. Emmanuel is located at 14 Hope Street, at the corner of Hope Street and East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. The building is ADA accessible and all are invited to attend.
Ridgewood NJ, There’s no need to travel to New York City to enjoy a performance of George F. Handel’s Messiah Parts II and III, a classical music high point of the Easter season. You can simply travel to West Side Presbyterian Church in Ridgewood, where the Oratorio Choir and Orchestra (directed by Deborah Holden-Holloway) will present the Messiah on Sunday, April 9 at 3:00 p.m.
Part II focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus, ending with the glorious “Hallelujah Chorus.” Part III features some of the most uplifting and triumphant music of the Messiah, including “I Know That My Redeemer Lives,” “The Trumpet Shall Sound” and the culimating chorus, “Worthy is the Lamb.”
Featured performers: Kristine DiMauro-Gonzalez, soprano, of West Milford; Apryl Beddingfield-Helder, mezzo-soprano, of Fair Lawn; Kevin Hanse, tenor, of Fair Lawn; Robert Preuss, tenor, formerly of Glen Rock; and David Langan, bass-baritone, of Ridgewood.
Tickets are not required, but early arrival is suggested. A free-will offering will be received.
Sunday, April 9 at 3 PM – 4:30 PM
West Side Presbyterian Church Ridgewood, NJ
6 S Monroe St, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
Our roads are a shambles,beyond the winter frost freeze and expanding pothole excuses …; the ongoing maintenance and milling of our main and secondary roadways are completely inadequate.meanwhile we are looking at tearing up the safety median at the train station raceway.Incredible..
Utility companies cut and run while highly paid village police offices yes on pseg perdiem and we pay their benefits and pensions while they stand by texting and witness the crime.North Pleasant Fairway and so many other main streets are like a war zone on our cars ,runners and bicyclist.
No real solutions offered outside of its on a list..ill tell my car repair guy so that he can plan to hire many more repair folks for Tires,Suspensions Shocks ,underbody and other serious car damage invoicing to Vor taxpayers.Its simply unacceptable .town in a serious downward spiral .
comment was specific to the Bogart Parking Issue we thought it held a lager context
They don’t give a dam what property owners nor what their right are. You are just one of the many little people who pay high Taxes and keep them employed.They know better and file an obscure legal notice In the abandoned property notice in some unread obscure legal notice newspaper that no one buys or reads .Its a CYA OPERATION.Town loves signs tho.New form of urban pollution and loss of basic Freedoms of property owners.
….the fly has noticed that with every new suggestion for parking changes there is a concerted push to undermine the Mayors efforts .Who could believe that here in “turf town” that people suddenly are concerned with an empty strip of grass at the Ridgewood Train Station. Mind you years of neglect didn’t seem to make an impact. Every new suggestion is attacked by the same group that brought you “Garagezilla” an ill fitting monstrosity with its sole purpose was creating taxpayer funded parking so private developers didn’t have to. Recent events on Bogart and Cambridge suggest a further attempt to undermine the Village council efforts ,with engineering over reach and a failure to communicate. The Financial Advisory Committee’s recent debacle with their “alternative facts “garage report gave away the game proving unequivocally that the FAC is behind attempts to undermine Mayor Susan Knudsen as they were with previous Mayor Kieth Killion.
I would like to know where this issue was “broadcast, publicized, and discussed,”for, in my “ignorance,” it took me completely by surprise! I, like many others, walked outside one day to find signs posted in my yard. How could so many of us have been so busy “driving our SUV’s and drinking lattes,” which, by the way, I do not have nor do! It seems those of us who are directly affected by this ordinance should have been included in the many discussions referred to and been given the opportunity for input. I was not even aware of these proclaimed discussions. This, happening as it did, seems to have been quite purposefully secretive and it makes one wonder if it is a power/ego issue rather than a safety issue. I, like another, would like to see a copy of said safety study. I would also like statistics on the recent number of implied incidents requiring this ordinance. Also, as another mentioned, it seems strange that there is parking allowed nearest the school where many children enter and exit but none halfway down quiet streets further away. I hope the Council will take another look at this situation which seems to be more of an inconvenience for a number of people than a solution to what may or may not be a problem.
Dear Great Friends at the Ridgewood blog , ROAD ADVISORY FOR WEST GLEN AVENUE – WEEKS OF 3/26/17 AND 4/2/17
The PSE&G work on West Glen Avenue has been completed, and the long-awaited milling and paving of West Glen Avenue will take place over the next couple of weeks, weather permitting, as follows:
Week of 3/26/17: Beginning March 28th, milling will take place on West Glen Avenue, from North Maple Avenue through at least the far side of Upper Boulevard. On that day, the street area by the underpass, next to the Ridgewood Art Institute, will be closed. On March 29th and March 30th milling will continue until it is completed.
Week of 4/2/17: On April 3rd and 4th, paving will take place on West Glen Avenue. The street area by the underpass will be closed again, when that area is being paved.
There will be long detours in place during the milling and paving, and Police Officers will be able to help guide motorists, as needed. The Police Officers will also assist residents on West Glen Avenue in traveling to and from their homes during this work.
Please plan alternate routes during these two weeks. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Become a Sponsor and Take Home a Beautiful Original Framed Painting. Every Sponsor goes home with a painting.
Reception: Sunday, April 9th, 2017 2-4pm
Exhibition Dates: Friday, April 7th- Friday, May 5th, 2017
Gala Drawing: Friday, May 5th, 2017 8pm
Ridgewood NJ, The Sponsor Show is our most popular annual event at the Ridgewood Art Institute, providing sponsors an opportunity to acquire a beautifully framed original painting, from the collection donated by our outstanding artists and instructors. In addition to wonderful landscapes and still lifes, several of our professional artists offer the chance to commission a portrait or pet painting. On the night of the Gala Drawing, the name of each sponsor is randomly called to choose their favorite painting. For only $275, become a sponsor and begin creating your painting “wish list” at our Opening Reception, or anytime during the exhibition dates. Proceeds from the show go directly toward the Institute’s efforts to promote fine arts in our community.
Once again we are offering gift certificates. You can become a sponsor yourself, and you can purchase a gift certificate for a friend or family member to join you as a sponsor. A personally selected painting is a wonderful gift for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, weddings, or any special occasion.
A limited number of sponsorships are sold each year, so don’t miss out on this exciting event! Sponsorships can be purchased on line at www.ridgewoodartinstitute.org.
For more information , visit our website www.ridgewoodartinstitute.org and click “Art Exhibits”.
Ridgewood NJ, During Wednesday evening’s Village Council Work Session, Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser was asked to ascertain the feasibility of adding approximately 40 additional parking spaces at the Ridgewood train station. Mayor Susan Knudsen suggested that additional parking spaces might be added by removing the large, grass & tree covered center island in the current parking lot.
The fact is Ridgewood commuters need the parking, and this is a small price to pay along with perhaps a smaller far less ambitious parking facility on Hudson street.
The reality is that on weekends and during large events ,such as the Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce car show there is not enough parking.
After extensive observations the Ridgewood blog concludes it is going to take a multi-pronged effort to create viable solutions for the Village . The fact is everyone is going to have to give something.
1) First we need to get as many commuters off the Street of the central business district as possible . Parking for Commuters needs to be a minimum of 12 hours . This can be done by creating more parking at the train station and the bus station but also by using more carpooling , uber etc..and dare we say a massive increase in bicycle parking to get people to their point of departure.
2) Employees in the central business district MUST park in the allocated employee parking spaces . Lack of use of the designated spaces is egregious . We suggest a carefully coordinated ticket blitz to encourage compliance .
3) Instead of increasing fees for parking meter rates , increase meter hours so that restaurant patrons can relieve some of the burden from merchants .
4) The Valet parking seems to cause more trouble than its worth unless the cars are parked clearly offsite ,like Graydon pool lot in the evenings.
5) For their part the Ridgewood blog would suggest merchants pick some night during the week to stay open late so someone who actually has a competitive job could consider shopping in the central business district . We are convinced that the only stores that can thrive and survive in the current climate are those that make them selves destination retailers.
6) Finally access to the central business district which no one is talking about is a far bigger issue than parking . The traffic easing project under the train trestle has vitally cut off the West side of town from the East side. Not to mention the danger imposed by slowing response time for emergency vehicles .
The garage on Hudson will create major traffic congestion , while Linwood Ave and Ridgewood Ave remain the only viable way to get in and out of town. Approaches from the west side ,Godwin and West Ridgewood Ave are now all most impassable , however the approach from Prospect Street seems very under utilized.
For Westsiders if you add the current issues on Glenwood road , it far faster and easier to go to Midland Park, Wyckoff , Allendale and other towns north to shop than head to down town Ridgewood.
The Ridgewood blogs observations have concluded that not only is their not enough parking during peak hours ,but changes in vehicular traffic are literal choking off commerce to the Central Business District .
