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Reader calls Westwood’s Flag Problem , an “easily-predicted problem”

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rainbow flag at Ridgewood High School

Constitutional Law 101. Municipalities are certifiably insane if they imagine that it could be in any way appropriate to dance this particular two-step: 1) Evaluate in a legislative body the substance of a third-party message proposed for public display on public property; and 2) Approve such public display on municipal property because said legislative body loves that message and darn well wants to signal its approval of same.
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Why did our well-paid village attorney not put the Kibosh on this? Regardless of what one thinks of the particular message that received approval and (by now) two month’s free advertisement from our elected village legislative body, how (constitutionally speaking) can that body now legitimately say “no” to a similar-situated month-long display containing, say, an opposite message, or even any other message for that matter!?! Why did the Village’s legal counsel not lay out this easily-predicted problem in stark enough terms to persuade our illusurious council members of the utter folly of their planned course of action?

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Could the Community Relations Advisory Board of Ridgewood and Glen Rock Actions Defending Illegals Put Ridgewood Residents at Risk ?

ICE

December 20,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the staff of the Ridgewood blog has noticed on the Facebook page of the Community Relations Advisory Board of Ridgewood and Glen Rock ie CRAB , chaired by Jan Philips was an ad to help illegals resist deportation and does appear that the board is openly looking to resist federal law . The blog wonders if the Village of Ridgewood Chief of Police Jacqueline Luthcke  is in accordance with this policy ?

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ICE just reported the arrests 101 in a New Jersey operation targeting criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants and immigration violators.

ICE reports that a Mexican national in the country illegally, who has a prior conviction for sexual assault on a minor, is among 101 foreign nationals taken into custody during a five-day operation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week in New Jersey, targeting at-large criminal aliens, illegal re-entrants and other immigration violators. The operation was supported by ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) New Jersey Field Office.

Of those arrested during the operation, which was spearheaded by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), 88 percent were convicted criminals and 80 percent of them had prior felony convictions.

The New Jersey enforcement effort comes days after the agency announced a 40 percent spike in administrative arrests nationwide over last year – 92 percent of which had a criminal conviction or a pending criminal charge, were an ICE fugitive, or were an illegal re-entrant.

“The continued results of our Fugitive Operations officers and their law enforcement partners underscore ICE’s ongoing and steady commitment to public safety,” said John Tsoukaris, field office director of ERO Newark. “As part of this operation, we continue focus on the arrest of individuals who are criminal and are a threat to public safety and national security. Because of the tireless efforts of these professional officers, there are 101 fewer criminals in our communities.”

“HSI is committed to leveraging its broad jurisdiction to further public safety in New Jersey,” said Michael McCarthy, acting special agent in charge for HSI Newark.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection is extremely proud to have assisted in this operation,” said Leon Hayward, acting director for the New York Field Office. “It is through collaborative efforts, such as the one leading to these arrests, that law enforcement agencies can combat illegal acts and apprehend criminals who pose a threat to the Homeland.”

The individuals arrested throughout New Jersey were nationals of Brazil (3), Colombia (4), Congo (1), Costa Rica (3), Cuba (4), Dominican Republic (18), Ecuador (2), Egypt (2), El Salvador (7), Ethiopia (1), Georgia (1), Guatemala (6), Guyana (3), Haiti (3), Honduras (8), Jamaica (1), Korea (2), Liberia (1), Mexico (15), Nicaragua (1), Nigeria (1), Pakistan (1), Philippines (2), Peru (2), Portugal (1), Spain (2), Turkey (2), United Kingdom (1), Ukraine (1), Venezuela (1) and Vietnam (1).
These individuals were arrested in the following counties in New Jersey: Atlantic (2), Bergen (6), Burlington (7), Camden (11), Cumberland (3), Essex (14), Hudson (15), Mercer (6), Middlesex (11), Monmouth (3), Morris (1), Passaic (9), Somerset (4), and Union (6) and the following counties in New York: Kings(1), New York (1), and Suffolk (1).

They range from age 20 to 71 years old and all were previously convicted of a variety of offenses. Some of the convictions included sexual assault on a minor, child abuse, possession of narcotics, distribution of narcotics, robbery, trespassing, DUI, fraud, possession of child pornography, domestic violence, battery, receiving stolen property, theft, possession of a weapon, burglary, larceny, aggravated assault, aggravated assault on law enforcement, assault by auto, shoplifting, invasion of privacy-recording sexual act without consent, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child, and illegal reentry.
Among those arrested during this operation include:
A Mexican citizen convicted of sexual assault of a minor
A Turkish citizen convicted of possession of child pornography
A Peruvian citizen convicted of invasion of privacy-recording a sexual act w/o consent
A Colombian citizen convicted of aggravated battery and domestic violence assault
A Spanish citizen convicted of storing/maintaining child pornography
A Philippines citizen convicted of possession of methamphetamine
A Dominican citizen convicted of cocaine distribution and possession
A Guyanese citizen convicted of aggravated assault with a weapon
An Egyptian citizen convicted of possession of heroin
An El Salvadorian citizen convicted of aggravated assault with serious bodily injury
A Korean citizen convicted of distribution of cocaine

ICE deportation officers conduct targeted enforcement operations every day in locations around the country as part of the agency’s ongoing efforts to protect the nation, uphold public safety and protect the integrity of our immigration laws and border controls.
During targeted enforcement operations, ICE officers frequently encounter additional suspects who may be in the United States in violation of federal immigration laws. Those persons will be evaluated on a case by case basis and, when appropriate, arrested by ICE.

ICE continues to focus its enforcement resources on individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security. ICE conducts targeted immigration enforcement in compliance with federal law and agency policy. However, as ICE Acting Director Thomas Homan has made clear, ICE does not exempt classes or categories of removable aliens from potential enforcement. All of those in violation of the immigration laws may be subject to immigration arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States.

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Community Relations Advisory Board of Ridgewood and Glen Rock is Inserting itself in School Curriculum

CRAB

October 26,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, once again the Community Relations Advisory Board of Ridgewood and Glen Rock or CRAB for short is inserting it self we it does not belong . Sources tell the Ridgewood blog that the group is attempting to insert it self into the curriculum of the schools  and as usual pushing its agenda on students , talking about what museums they must or must not visit . Why we ask is an advisory board of the Village council spending as much as an hour and half of their time looking for ways to influence the school board. Sources on the Ridgewood School board tell us that CRAB should not be inserting itself into school curriculum .

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“What Would Yogi Do? Guidelines for Athletes, Coaches and Parents” author John McCarthy Spoke to the Community Relations Advisory Board of Ridgewood and Glen Rock Wednesday

New York Yankees Catcher Yogi Berra Holding a Baseball

Sportsmanship or being a good sport 
October 22,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

“Yogi’s core beliefs – beliefs that grew out of a time when we weren’t reading about showboating, pampered athletes, abusive, unethical coaches, and overzealous, over-indulgent parents – so that the benefits of amateur sports can be maximized. We can’t change today’s culture, its pace too fast, its reach too global. However, we can and must change the culture of sports, at least on the amateur level. To do so will require cooperation among athletes, coaches, and parents. This book, divided into three sections, is filled with specific suggestions for each part of the sports triumvirate to get us back on track. It is not meant to be read selectively by section, but rather in total, so that everyone has the same information. For too long athletes, coaches, and parents have been spoken to, or targeted in writing, as separate entities. My goal is to get them on the same page, literally. By pointing out common threads running through their respective experiences, my hope is that everyone will have a better understanding of the necessary alliances that need to be formed. It strikes me that relationships among the three parties have become increasingly adversarial, so much so that many coaches, good ones, are walking away from the profession they once cherished because they don’t feel it’s worth the hassle. Playing time, once regarded as something to be earned, has come to be regarded as an entitlement, and the battle lines have been drawn. We’ve lost the sense that we’re all in this together. The outcome has become much more important than the process. External forces-the skyrocketing cost of a college education, the saturation of sports on TV, sports talk radio and internet blogs, and social media – have eroded the once highly respected relationship between an athlete, his/her coach, and his/her parents. That distresses Yogi, and it distresses me as well. That’s why I wrote this book.” John McCarthy

Ridgewood Nj, Last night Professor John McCarthy spoke to the Community Relations Advisory Board of Ridgewood and Glen Rock providing some specific strategies to get athletes, coaches and parents on the same page. Referring to the three entities of sports as co-dependent parties, McCarthy uses Yogi Berra’s career and his own life experiences to illustrate how sports done the right way can enhance everyone’s life.

John McCarthy is an adjunct Professor at Montclair State teaching, “Coaching Principles and Problems,” in addition to, “Sports Psychology,” and “Social Problems in Sports.” McCarthy is a former two-sport, first team, nonpublic All-State athlete.  He is co-founder of the Institute for Coaching.

After many recent issues involving coaches and parents Ridgewood is in the process of rewriting the Athletic Fields and Recreational Facilities Use Policy . This includes an attempt to create a standardized grievance policy for all sports.

Current (non updated)Athletic Fields and Recreational Facilities Use Policy

This policy has been developed by the Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Board with input from the Ridgewood Sports Council and its members, the Parks and Recreation Department staff, Ridgewood High School (RHS) Athletic Director, RHS Coaches Association and its members, Board of Education staff, Ridgewood Community School (RCS) staff, additional regular field and facility users and the public.

This policy has been adopted by the Village Council and by the Board of Education as a uniform policy governing use and users of municipal and school recreational facilities. This policy is subject to ordinances of the Village of Ridgewood, Policies and Procedures of the Board of Education (in particular 3515.2 and 3515.3) and the laws of the State of New Jersey.

The policy is a comprehensive re-evaluation and re-statement of a policy originally adopted in the early 1980’s and modified in part over the years. Current demand for use and availability of programs has more than doubled.

Athletic Fields and Recreational Facilities Use Policy