The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Hackensack NJ, In light of the coronavirus pandemic, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco just announced that the county schools will close and transition to online learning until further notice, starting tomorrow at 3pm. The county executive and officials had been discussing throughout the day the potential of closing the school districts. On Tuesday, Tedesco declared a state of emergency in the county, where there are 13 presumptive positive cases of coronavirus, which has resulted in 1 death.
Continue reading All Bergen Schools To Shut Down Starting Friday
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Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco today issued the following statement concerning the status of Bergen County’s 75 school districts:
“Today I hosted a meeting with Executive Leadership of the Bergen County Association of School Administrators (BCASA) to discuss the possible transition from on-site learning to off-site distance learning. In conjunction with the Bergen County Health Officer, further updates will be forthcoming either later today or into tomorrow regarding the status of all Bergen County’s 75 school districts. We are confident in the ability of Bergen’s teachers, staff and administrators to take action as necessary.”
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Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco today announced that there are 10 “presumptive positive” cases of COVID-19 identified in the County by the New Jersey Department of Health.
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Hackensack NJ, In light of the death of a 69 year old Little Ferry resident, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco has declared a State of Emergency for the County of Bergen — New Jersey’s largest County.
A copy of the Bergen County State of Emergency declaration is below and attached:
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Hackensack NJ, Statement from Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco COVID-19 Presumed Positive Test-Bergen County :
“As I stated yesterday in my press conference ” we know the COVID-19 virus will happen in New Jersey and if it should happen in Bergen County we will be prepared and ready” now that a presumed positive test result has occurred here in Bergen County I have been in contact with Mayor Sokolich and have offered the full support of county government. Our Bergen County Health Officer has been in contact with the local health officer offering any assistance they made need. I have been in contact with the Governor Phil Murphy’s office and will continue to do so. As more information is gathered we will work with our local municipal partners to get it out to the public. Again, Bergen County, through its Office of Emergency Management, Health Department and other county agencies, are prepared and are taking all appropriate action to address the situation despite the very low risk COVID-19 poses to the general public.
by Jim Arakelian
Midland Park NJ, Nothing to see here folks. One-party rule is killing us with corrupt pay to play. According to the “The Record” Two days before Bergen County’s freeholders awarded a $5 million contract to a Midland Park contractor to restore the Teaneck Creek, records show that a second company owned by the contractor’s brother gave County Executive Jim Tedesco’s reelection campaign a $2,500.
The county says there is no connection between the donation and the contract and that the county does not track political contributions. Bergen County Jim Tedesco, a Democrat, is up for reelection next in 2022
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Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco has announced that several drop-in cooling centers throughout the county will remain open this weekend to help residents stay cool during the current heat wave.
It is recommended that residents stay indoors if possible from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. when the sun is at its strongest and burns and heat strokes are more likely to occur. All age groups are at risk for heat stroke so please take necessary precautions if you have to be outdoors, including wearing sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses and staying properly hydrated.
Continue reading Bergen County Cooling Centers to Remain Open This Weekend to Address Heat Index
photo courtesy of Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco
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Haworth NJ, Bergen County has officially kicked off (tee’d off?) the 2019 Bergen County Golf Season! All 6 of our county public golf courses are open! Booking tee times has never been easier through our digital booking portal: https://golfbergencounty.com/tt_book/.
Continue reading Bergen County Golf Season Has Officially Tee’d Off
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Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announced the launch of the Hackensack Transit Connector bus routes, which will connect Hackensack’s train stations and bus terminal with the County Administrative complex. Joined by Bergen County Freeholders Tom Sullivan, Tracy Zur, Germaine Ortiz, and Mary Amoroso, Hackensack Mayor John Labrosse and Deputy Mayor Kathleen Canestrino, and representatives from the New Jersey Transportation Planning Authority and the Hackensack Main Street Alliance, Tedesco applauded the partnership between local, county, state, and federal government for making this project possible. Using grant funding from the NJTPA, with additional funding provided by Bergen County, the transit connector routes will help reduce the number of personal vehicles on the roads and provide better public transit access to those without vehicles and individuals with mobility issues. There is no fee or residency requirement to use the transit connector.
Continue reading Bergen County Launches Hackensack Transit Connector
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Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco called on Bergen County Sheriff Mike Saudino to step down, in the aftermath of a WNYC report that alleges Saudino made racist comments about African-Americans and Attorney General Grewal, calling him ‘the guy in the turban’.
Continue reading Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco on Saudino: ‘He Should Step Down’
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Trenton NJ, New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti today announced $161.25 million in County Aid to help make infrastructure improvements on the local level. This funding was doubled in Fiscal Year 2018 to become the largest County Aid grants in New Jersey history and this year’s grants maintain that amount provided to counties across the state.
July 28,2018
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Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco today issued the following statement on last night’s tragic accident involving a Bergen County Department of Public Works employee in Saddle River, Bergen County, New Jersey:
“Yesterday, our Bergen County family suffered a tragic loss. Thomas Epper, 48, a two-year heavy equipment operator in our Department of Public Works Mosquito Division, was fatally injured while performing routine tree-clearing in the Saddle River in Saddle River, New Jersey. The Bergen County family mourns with the Epper family. I want to thank the first responders for their heroic actions together with the work crew that was present at the time.
Please join us in keeping the Epper family in your prayers and thoughts.”
photo courtesy of Bergen County
June 2,2018
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Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco was joined by County Mosquito Control Division Director Warren Staudinger and County Entomologist Matt Bickerton to release a school of fathead minnows, which feed on mosquito larvae, in Borg’s Woods Nature Preserve in Hackensack. The release of these fish is an environmentally friendly practice used in tandem with other methods to control the mosquito population and prevent mosquito-borne illness. It is part of an annual countywide effort, including a public awareness campaign, to reduce the mosquito population and educate the public about these illnesses and how to protect themselves and their neighbors. Included below are photos of the fish release
April 27,2018
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Hackensack NJ, 5th District Republican candidate Steve Lonegan said he was stunned today to learn of allegations of possible illegal actions at the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office.
As reported in northjersey.com, the Sheriff’s Office is now the target of a lawsuit brought by former finance director, Omid Bayati, who says he was retaliated against after blowing the whistle on alleged unlawful activities, including “inappropriate vendor deals” and a plan to use $7.5 million in federal money “to keep the budget flat during County Executive James Tedesco’s reelection campaign.”
In a lawsuit, filed on April 20, 2018, in Bergen County Superior Court, it is alleged that in violation of State Law, that a meeting was held in “late 2017” in which “ a meeting was called by the County for all Department heads in relation to the budget. At that meeting, the County CFO noted that it was an election year for the County Executive and therefore there needed to be a zero percent increase in the budget. In order to accomplish this, they decided to rely upon funding from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to partially fund the Sheriff’s Office
Bergenfield Mayor, and Bergen County Executive candidate Norman Schmelz has asked the United States Department of Justice to investigate the Bergen County Executive’s Office, including the Office of the Chief Financial Officer of Bergen County, for conspiring to use Federal Funds to aid in the reelection of Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco.
Lonegan noted ,“John McCann was the right hand man of Sheriff Michael Saudino, a Democrat, while these alleged activities were going on. He was his chief counsel and he is implicated in all of this,” Lonegan stated. “If Mr. Bayati is telling the truth, it means John McCann disregarded the evidence presented to him and failed to investigate his claims. His job was to protect taxpayers, not the Democrat he worked for and not the Democratic County Executive.”
“A disturbing pattern seems to be emerging here regarding John McCann. Is it incompetence or is it corruption? The people in District 5 deserve answers. What did John McCann know and when did he know it?”
Mayor Schmelz, wrote, “If these allegations are true, then the public needs to know, who was involved, what was agreed upon, and how much taxpayer dollars are being used for political purposes.”
Schmelz continued, “The allegations are clear that Federal Tax dollars (and possibly state and local tax dollars as well) are being used for political purposes, instead of providing essential services in a proper manner.”
The Schmelz letter continued, “It is inconceivable and outrageous that such illegal activities are taking place in the offices of the Bergen County Executive. Each person who had knowledge of such activities should immediately come forward, divulge what they know, and resign forthwith. Anything less than that is unacceptable.”
Schmelz concluded, “I ask that the Department of Justice investigate these allegations presented in a court of law, that if true contain a clear and compelling picture of illegality at the highest levels of government. This breach of trust, is devastating to hard working taxpayers who demand their tax dollar be spent on essential government services, not for political agendas as is alleged.”
