June 21,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood Nj, from the Village of Ridgewood website a litany of real-estate numbers . Since 2012 the Village averaged 343 -364 sales . The 2018 numbers are in,complete if you are looking to see if the new tax laws are effecting sales .
https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/village-government/departments/assessor/home-sales-information
June 189,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Join the Ridgewood Guild in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square for family fun and entertainment. We show films great for the whole family on a 25 foot screen and professional sound system. Bring snacks, a picnic blanket, and get ready for a great evening with your community. All movies are on Wednesdays and start at sundown (approximately 9pm in June and July and 8:30pm in August). In case of rain (or other inclement weather), or the latest information, check the Ridgewood Guild Facebook page.
Dear Parents/Guardians and Staff,
It has been an exciting academic school year and I would like to wish all of you a safe and happy summer.
Over the summer, we will be sending out important notifications regarding the new school year. Since Skyward Family Access is our district’s primary mode of communication, we ask that you please take the time now to login to Skyward Family Access and ensure that we have your most recent address, phone and email information. If you need assistance with Skyward, please email [email protected].
Thank you all, and we look forward to seeing you again in the fall.
Congratulations to our Graduating Seniors!
Sincerely,
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
There are people in high places of government, of wealth, of influence – that all want to see their power at least maintained and, if possible, increased. A corollary of their goal is to reduce/remove the power of the individual citizen as much as possible. Since the power of the individual cannot be reduced to zero while the 2nd Amendment of our Constitution is in effect, they seek to diminish the effect of that Amendment by any means possible.
Every THINKING person knows that gun laws only penalize law-abiding citizens; criminals do not, by definition, obey laws – they are CRIMINALS. But the passage of more strict gun laws in NJ is not without some intended effects:
1-it further chips away at the 2nd Amendment
2-it makes Murphy look like he’s “taking action” against “gun crime”.
3-it makes older law-abiding gun owners more apt to move out of NJ – which would be wonderful for the Left.
NB – for a high-level view of where the USA is as a country today, look up “The Tytler Cycle of Democracy”.
REMEMBER: it’s not the wand, it’s the magician…
Ridgewood High School Principal Calls “Student Led Walkout ” a “powderkeg”
file photo by Boyd Loving
I thought I was the only one who lives like this! However, I succumbed to pressure to join FB when we moved to a rural area after a job loss and the high property taxes in NJ. The Ridgewood Library and BCLS is wonderful. The little rural town where I live now has extremely limited hours and caters to a large retired population and their social needs, i.e., library hours on Wed. are 10-2 – not exactly user friendly for people who work or even students. Lots of resources are spent on children’s programs which are actually a good thing because rural communities do not have “neighborhoods” like we had in Ridgewood. I miss the library and Ridgewood in general but it just became too expensive for us to continue living there. I wonder how many others would be one good paying job loss away from relocating also.
Gotta love that RW water is giving advise or suggestions on any best practice, management ideas, or cost control.
Ridgewood Water should be a course study in management ineffectiveness, lack of foresight and planning, and inability to provide sufficient product. In any real world they would be out of business in short order.
The only thing that lacks real leadership more then RW Water is the Village Council who allows this to ridiculous situation to continue year after year.
Reader says I drive past the Town Garage name is so ironic , has its own weed museum.On the left side of property where the white cinderblock wall already collapsed onto the employee parking spaces i think its referred to as the chestnut parking lot.Amazing that the town has avoided in dealing with this dangerous junkyard.UTILITY and town trucks often stage operations there and that misuse supports the use of that property in its abandoned condition.A joke ? Far from it when seen by a visitors or customers eye.
June 20,2018
by Christian Barranco
Christian Barranco, of Pompton Lakes, is a union electrician and the Labor Liaison to the New Jersey Organization for Economic Growth, a Wayne-based political action group supporting economic growth.
Trenton NJ, Democrats in the New Jersey Legislature recently introduced and moved through committee a bill to end the abusive practice that allows public-sector workers to bank unused sick days. The bill is bitterly opposed by public-sector unions. But we think the fight is worth it. If legislators show an uncommon amount of courage, New Jersey taxpayers can rid themselves of this absurd fiscal burden and bring public-sector workers in line with everyday working people.
As a union member, I can say with authority that no worker in the private-sector trades in New Jersey gets to bank unused sick days and vacation days and walk away at retirement with a five- or six-figure lottery check. Most private-sector trade unionists don’t even get sick days or vacation days at all. In our professions, if you don’t go to work you don’t get paid, period. And most private sector workers must either use their sick days and vacation days or they lose them; they’re not a supplement retirement fund and should never have been allowed to be used as one by the public sector. But decades of limp leadership in Trenton from both Democrats and Republicans allowed the practice to get to absurd heights — or from the taxpayer’s standpoint — ridiculous lows, forcing some towns to even borrow money to pay off retiring employee: ABSURD!
According to one report in NJ Spotlight, Jersey City public workers had amassed $116 million in banked days last year — and when the former police chief retired, he was due $512,000 in unused day. Newark owes its public workers $52.5 million. The County of Passaic, according to one filing, owes approximately $76 million in unused sick and vacation days to its employees.
Think of the things that could be done with that money, starting with property tax relief. Roads and bridges could be rebuilt, or parks upgraded for all of us to enjoy if we had a conscientious and responsible government.
Teacher union leaders are aghast
The teachers union leaders — who mistakenly believe that they are part of the larger labor movement — are aghast that the Democrats would betray them and take away their cherished perk. It is arrogance that makes them feel that way. It’s long past time when the system was corrected to protect private-sector workers who pay the indefensible perks granted to public-sector employees.
The teachers complain that the perks are necessary to make up for a lack of raises. Nonsense. If public employees in general think they are so underpaid that they need to game the system to get compensated for unused sick and vacation days, they can always jump to the private sector and see how the rest of us live.
Under the proposed legislation, every public employee would be able to keep whatever amounts they have earned up to the effective date of the law. Those who had already saved at least $7,500 would earn no more. Those who have not, and new hires, would be able to bank up to $7,500 in sick time, but most would not be paid for it. Instead, individuals could use the value of their accumulated sick time to pay for either health insurance premiums or co-pays over the first five years after retirement. Only veterans could receive a cash payment for future unused days.
The legislation is not ideal, but it is far better than anything Republicans have come up with and far more courageous than Democrats ever dared to be — until now.
We know the proposal is in part a retaliation against the notorious NJEA teachers union for funding a campaign against Sen. Steve Sweeney last fall. Regardless of the motivation, the objective is a worthy one. If the NJEA is going to be corrected for its abuses of influence, and it helps the average taxpayer, that’s great news. Motivations for the legislation are not the issue, the results are. If homeowners and small business owners are no longer forced to fund expensive going-away presents for retiring public employees, that’s a good thing.
It will be interesting to see which lawmakers cave in to the NJEA pressure. Look for the weak-willed lawmakers who are in office only to keep collecting a paycheck to either appease the public-sector union bosses or sneak into a corner and hide. Those that do, should be held accountable next year when the state Assembly members will face re-election. Let’s keep an eye on who votes for the taxpayers and who caves into the abusive deals with the NJEA.
June 20,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, according to Mayor Susan Knudsen , “A thread on a Facebook group suggests a lack of communication about the June 11 Hudson Street Parking Garage Open House. This is an incredibly important time for Ridgewood and Village Council wants the public to be fully informed about everything we do…. especially when deliberating the design, funding, construction and details of the Hudson Street Parking Garage.
Keeping the record straight, and fully transparent, the May 23, 2018 Village Council meeting outlined the Hudson Street Parking Garage timeline that included the following:
June 5th Village of Ridgewood Planning Board courtesy review (PUBLIC MEETING)
June 11th Open House for the Public 7-8 (PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE)
June 14th Ridgewood Historic Preservation Commission courtesy review (PUBLIC MEETING)
The same information was (and still is) posted on the Village website, social media platforms, emailed via a community organization, and the June 11 Open Public House was announced again on June 6 during the manager’s report. Additionally, I posted the same information to my Mayor Facebook page along with the specific information about the June 11th Open House.
This has been a transparent process and for anyone to suggest otherwise is absolute nonsense.
Questions and comments about the garage are always welcome AND encouraged – email [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected]
Enjoy the attached video for information, layout, design, and specifics or visit ”
https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/180605RPBPGarage.pdf
Reader says , LOL Murphy was too busy crying about the media “releasing” his sons medical records. This is a perfect example of how gun control and tighter gun laws are not going to stop much or ANY of our countries gun violence. This was a gang rivalry which means 99% of the guns used we’re probably bought off the black market, has nothing to do with people who are willing to buy a gun legally, Same thing with columbine, all the guns those kids had we’re from the black market as well. The liberals don’t understand that you can take all the gun stores THAT DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY. Eventually, good guys won’t have guns, bad guys will….and that’s when humanity starts screwing itself over, but after all….that’s what the liberals want.
So what no protests ,or school walk outs , no blame the NRA? The facts remain the same controlling legal gun ownership has almost no impact on gun violence . “This was gang warfare. And it’s probably the most common form of gun violence seen in major cities on a yearly basis. But nobody is talking about it the way they will if a deranged white guy with a rifle commits the far more rare mass shooting of that type. There’s a gun violence problem here that could be addressed, making a serious difference. But places like Baltimore, Maryland and Chicago, Illinois still have municipal leaders who can’t bring themselves to pass harsher laws to put away first-time offenders who commit gun crimes. They prefer to focus on justice reform, emptying the prisons more quickly and blaming the police.” https://hotair.com/archives/2018/06/18/mass-shooting-nobody-will-march/
June 19,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Enjoy free musical performances under the stars, Tuesdays and Thursdays, throughout the summer at the Kasschau Memorial Shell at Veteran’s Field (located behind the Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue). Programs include Broadway tunes, Calypso, Reggae, Jazz, Best of Rock and Soul, Country Western, Ultimate Billy Joel Tribute Band and so much more. No fee to attend.
Find details in the following link:
June 19,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, TONIGHT is one of our most popular walking tours from last October: “ARTS and ARCHITECTURE”
What Time: 6 pm.
Where We Meet: the “Art Barn” (Ridgewood Art Institute) at 12 East Glen Avenue (at the corner of Oak and Glen).
Join RIDGEWOOD WALKS for an exciting and informative tour through some of the most historic and unique structures in the village, that also house nonprofit art and history organizations. Tour Ridgewood Art Institute’s historic building and learn about many professional and amateur artists who hone their craft inside this spectacular Ridgewood gem. Next, head to the Art Gallery at the Stable, the building that once housed the horses of Ridgewood’s aristocrats. Look around the interior of this rustic structure and enjoy the many pieces of art by local artisans. The next stop is the Bolger Heritage Center for Genealogy and Local History at the Ridgewood Public Library. They house a stunning amount of information about Ridgewood—they may even have historic information about your street or house! The interior walls are covered with photos of our village’s past. Our final stop is the James Rose Center on East Ridgewood Avenue. The JRC is by far the most unique building in the village. There is simply too much to say about the James Rose Center, it is truly spectacular.
SIGN UP HERE: https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/2329381/false#/invitation
June 19,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, this comes up almost every year. The Village has even gone as far as to press charges on a plastic sheep .
The rules seem to be unevenly applied in the past .
Reader says “The restaurants Ad Hoc sidewalk patio table walls are growing in number
look at chestnut corner burgher restaurant..they are made of steel..try getting up on to the sidewalk from a parked car ..good luck….then add in the flower pot plantings further narrowing the walks ..these are even worse for elders and handicapped pedestrians exiting a car or assist a ride buses even during off hours..are these permitted by town?”
Boyd Loving , “The Village’s Code Enforcement Official has been observed in the past with a tape measure in hand checking to ensure restaurants were not encroaching on the ADA required passage widths of sidewalks. I know of at least one (1) restaurant that was issued a summons for an alleged encroachment. If you have a specific complaint, you could refer it to the Code Enforcement Official. See link to her name, e-mail address, and phone number below.”
Photos courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
June 19,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, its that time of the year again for all gardeners when you may find a little poison ivy growing in your garden , So we posted from the CDC away to identify these poisonous plants.
POISONOUS PLANTS (lead photo)
Plant Identification
The old saying “Leaves of three, Let it be!” is a helpful reminder for identifying poison ivy and oak, but not poison sumac which usually has clusters of 7-13 leaves. Even poison ivy and poison oak may have more than three leaves and their form may vary greatly depending upon the exact species encountered, the local environment, and the season. Being able to identify local varieties of these poisonous plants throughout the seasons and differentiating them from common nonpoisonous look-a-likes are the major keys to avoiding exposure.
Poison Ivy
Eastern poison ivy is typically a hairy, ropelike vine with three shiny green (or red in the fall) leaves budding from one small stem
Western poison ivy is typically a low shrub with three leaves that does not form a climbing vine
May have yellow or green flowers and white to green-yellow or amber berries
Poison Oak
Photos courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
Typically a shrub with leaves of three, similar to poison ivy
Pacific poison oak may be vine-like
May have yellow or green flowers and clusters of green-yellow or white berries
Poison Sumac
Photos courtesy of U.S. Department of Agriculture
Woody shrub that has stems that contain 7-13 leaves arranged in pairs
May have glossy, pale yellow, or cream-colored berries
June 19,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water reminds us that lawn watering is a HUGE contributor to summer water consumption. You can help conserve water and save money by installing a dripline system or a “smart controller” on your existing automatic irrigation system or even for your hose.
When it comes to a home’s irrigation system, a little maintenance goes a long way. Properly managing your irrigation system can help you reduce your annual outdoor water use by nearly 8,800 gallons, equivalent to the amount of water used to take 500 showers!
If you’re not a DIY type, go with a WaterSense pro. Certified professionals apply specific techniques and technologies to boost water efficiency. Irrigation pros with the skills and knowledge assessed by a WaterSense labeled certification program can help you improve the health and water use of your outdoor space.
