Tag: neighbors

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Reader says, “The 9/11 terrorists were able to live in neighborhoods and hatch their dangerous plots because they knew neighbors ignore neighbors”

"Our Gang" aka The Little Rascals"

“The fact that neighbors are no longer neighborly, that we cannot knock on a neighbor’s door; that we do not know our neighbors is very different from many years ago when neighborhoods were friendly; times have indeed changed. The situation now is dangerous. The 9/11 terrorists were able to live in neighborhoods and hatch their dangerous plots because they knew neighbors ignore neighbors.

Also, neighbors not knowing and being unfriendly to neighbors, increases social isolation; very dangerous because teens more likely to take drugs and alcohol when they alienated, and they will feel alienated in an unfriendly neighborhood.

The above comment about hate is what America does not need. Again it stems from alienation. The comment is an example of social media bullying”

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When does Passover 2017 end, how do you say happy Passover in Hebrew and how is the Jewish festival celebrated?

passover

This year the event started on Tuesday April 11 and will last until Monday April 17

By Becky Pemberton
12th April 2017, 8:30 am

Updated: 12th April 2017, 8:34 am

THE JEWISH Passover festival started this week and observing Jews will be taking time to enjoy the celebrations.

But what does the event celebrate and what happens during the festival?

What is Passover?

Passover is a festival in spring that Jews celebrate to remember the Israelites being freed from slavery in Egypt.

It is celebrated with friends and family who eat ceremonial meals such as Seders and cook traditional foods.

There is also a focus on helping the needy, with many communal Seders being held in public halls or synagogues.

Some Jews opt to take holidays during Passover, and some Jewish businesses may close or have reduced service during the period.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/3149569/passover-2017-jewish-festival-dates/

https://www.thesun.co.uk/living/3149569/passover-2017-jewish-festival-dates/

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Governor Christie Signs Executive Order Declaring Opioid Drug Abuse a Public Health Crisis

heroin

January 17, 2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  Intensifying his Administration’s commitment in the fight against substance abuse, Governor Chris Christie today signed Executive Order 219 declaring the opioid epidemic a public health crisis in New Jersey. The action requires the marshalling of all appropriate resources to combat its harmful effects on state citizens.

“We must take aggressive action to get this insidious crisis under control so I am calling together all resources of state government in order to save lives,” said Governor Christie. “The human cost of this epidemic is incalculable, impacting every part of life in New Jersey, affecting our education system, our health care system, public safety and the financial security of every person it touches.”

According to the U.S. Surgeon General, an American dies every 19 minutes from an opioid or heroin overdose. New Jersey’s drug overdose death rate increased by almost 22 percent between 2014 and 2015. There was a 30 percent increase in heroin deaths over the previous year and triple the number of deaths caused by the synthetic opioid fentanyl. Additionally, the CDC reports that in 2012, health care providers wrote 259 million prescriptions for opioid pain medication, enough for every adult in the United States to have a bottle of pills.

The new Executive Order creates the Governor’s Task Force on Drug Abuse Control, to be headed by Charlie McKenna, Executive Director of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, which will be charged with developing and executing a comprehensive, coordinated strategy to combat the drug-abuse epidemic by working with all areas of state government, in addition to local, federal, and private entities, as well as the Facing Addiction Task Force.

The Drug Abuse Task Force will consist of eight members, including the Attorney General and the Commissioners of Health, Human Services, Corrections, Education, Children and Families, and Banking and Insurance.

The Task Force will review current statutes and regulations that present barriers to individuals suffering from addiction to receiving treatment from rapid opiate detox centers and make recommendations to rescind or amend any such statutes or regulations to remove those barriers.  The panel is authorized to call upon any department, office, division, or agency of this state to supply it with information, personnel, or other assistance available as the Task Force deems necessary to discharge its duties. The Task Force may consult with experts or other knowledgeable individuals in the public or private sector on any aspect of its mission.

The Executive Order also directs Attorney General Chris Porrino to take all necessary steps to limit the initial prescription of opioids for acute pain and establish standards such that additional quantities may only be prescribed after further consultation with the patient.

The Order further directs Department of Children and Families Commissioner Allison Blake to ensure residential substance abuse disease treatment facilities and similar facilities utilize their existing spaces effectively, including ensuring that 18 and 19-year-olds with substance abuse problems are able to take advantage of any vacancies in existing facilities wherever appropriate.

In addition, the Governor is directing Acting Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington to develop a new, comprehensive grade-specific curriculum to educate children about the dangers of substance abuse.

“Opioid drug abuse is one of the most challenging issues facing us not only as Americans but as New Jerseyans,” said Governor Christie.  “The crisis is pervasive – impacting our families, friends, neighbors and coworkers.  The steps I am taking today through this Executive Order recognize the severity of the crisis and pull together the efforts of all state government agencies.”

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Some Readers Still Believe a super majority of your neighbors and out of town shoppers/diners would say Parking is the biggest problem in the Ridgewood

Ridegwood parking Town garage 12:10 5 24 2016

We should probably all accept that our form of government allows a small minority to rule the day. Whether you’re for or against parking that’s what essentially happened twice with four years in between events. Lost in these small minorities exerting their will is the fact that we cannot make progress on parking; an issue that, like it or not, a super majority of your neighbors and out of town shoppers/diners would say is the biggest problem in the CBD. So we fight over specific solutions.

Anyone that’s been here more than a week and a half laughed out loud when someone recently had the genius idea to build parking at the Town Garage site. Why? Because 10 or so years ago, we went through this same process with a design, bonding, etc. for a garage there. What happened? A small group of people objected and the project was killed. Fortunately our spasm this year happened before we bonded so we don’t need to service debt that won’t be used. Anyone care to go back into the meeting minutes to see if someone suggested Hudson Street as a better alternative then? Round and round we go.

So we may seem to be left with glacial progress on big issues. But maybe not. Let’s have the argument once and be done with it: let’s form a Charter Commission to review the town charter. Maybe we need a ward system, allowable under the terms of our charter, to ensure single issue (again, for or against, no difference here) council-people from one section of the village don’t rule the day. Perhaps a different charter altogether is in order. But something needs to change or we’ll find ourselves with a different kind of village leadership: leadership that wears black robes and doesn’t ever need a single vote for re-election. It’s already begun.

 

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Neighbors accuse Healthbarn of violating their lease and changing the concept of Ridgewood ‘s Habernickel park

Healthbarn USA ridgewood

file photo by Boyd Loving

August 6,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Neighbors accuse Healthbarn of violating their lease and changing the concept of Habernickel park for this businesses benefit.

Healthbarn neighbors continue to to voice concerns that Healthbarn has a max of 95 private clients plus their employees. This means an excess of 95 people could be there at one time. Once again the Ridgewood blog wonders how did this actually pass village code when the home is only allowed to hold 50 people in total?

This is a major safety issue that could lead to legal obligations that could fall on the village in an emergency situation.  Are the business’ clients aware of the dangerous situation they are putting their children in?  If a business in town was exceeding the allotted amount of patrons would they be overlooked the same way the major issues at Healthbarn are being over looked?

Early on HealthBarn’s lease was questioned by many residents. The original lease was put up on the web site for all the residents. If there were changes approved after that, to allocate them more space, or to approve them to put up dog feeding station outside their allocated fenced area – all those documents should be part of the records being provided to the residents, just like their programs and their good deeds are being promoted on the village web site as part of their marketing on our expense. The Ridgewood blog has heard that a child was bitten by a dog on the property.

A quick walk in Habernickel Park we noticed that the parking lot lights seem to be moving forward.  It is difficult to understand why lights are being placed in a park that should be closing at dusk like ALL the other parks in town.

The lighting is going to be a huge quality of life disruption for many many neighbors.  Lights were already added to the gate house in several locations to benefit this business and remain on.

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Ridgewood Code enforcement : neighbors are grinding old axes against other neighbors

Code enforcement Ridgewood

A common theme I keep hearing from my neighbors who call to question a policy or problem with the town departments is that when they question a policy which creates a hardship for issues like overnight parking code enforcement on several large home expansions the Village depts employees often say that it’s the neighbors are grinding old axes against other neighbors complaining about barking dogs,cars In the streets…unkept lots..this nanny nation mentality further foster the local government to create so many rules and codes on simple issues of common sense..if a hedge or a new addition to a back or side yard create a hazard the town should talk to them and seek a compromise rather than those codes and expanding mandates that take away too many rights like parking a legally owned car in front of the taxpayers House if expanded family number of cars exceeds the capacity of their garages and small driveways..common sense..overnight call in to the police if limited when you have no options and your children drive to school or work from their home too .A simple residents pass on back window would take care of this entire issue.I want the police doing other important things at night for the town and their administration than parking monitoring.

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Ridgewood Village Hall Caught Bullying Heath Barn Neighbors

Screenshot 2016 03 09 at 7.40.43 PM
March 10,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, More data on who was harassing the people across from Habernickel that complained about Health Barn USA.
The Village Hall caught again attacking residents who question the council majority’s decisions .
Once again the Village Hall is caught bullying neighbors .

Although one page indicates that an “anonymous phone call” triggered the NJDEP inspection, another page in the report specifically identifies Christopher Rutishauser as the complainant. A recent OPRA request offers proof positive Rutishauser call led to the complaint.

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Ridgewood Residents Reach Out to Neighbor with Multiple Sclerosis

lesley linker
December 22,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Support Lesley Ellis Linker

The friends of Lesley Ellis Linker, a 45-year-old Ridgewood, NJ mother of young children who is unable to work due to advanced Multiple Sclerosis and who has been devastated by the breakdown of her family, are seeking your help.

Lesley was diagnosed with MS at age 33, when she had almost no symptoms.  She married and had two children, now 6 and 10.  Over the past 5 years Lesley’s disease has progressed to where she is a prisoner in her own body.  She can no longer walk or stand, or see well enough to read regular print.  She is confined to a wheelchair.

Despite her hardships, Lesley has been able to parent her children consistently and lovingly.  She oversees all aspects of the children’s upbringing including dinners together, homework help, bedtime stories and most importantly, Lesley comforts them during trying times and provides them with unconditional love at all times.

In January 2015, Lesley’s husband moved out of the family home.

Despite Medicare and Social Security disability payments, the costs associated with Lesley’s care have become staggering.  Lesley’s around-the-clock home health aide alone costs over $5,000 per month, which is not covered by insurance, any governmental agency or other organization.  Lesley, her soon-to-be ex-husband, her retired schoolteacher parents, and her brother are struggling to cover these costs.  The financial and emotional strain on them is severe and cannot be sustained.

Lesley’s pre-owned handicapped-accessible van has been breaking down and cannot be repaired.  It will cost at least $55,000 to replace.  A safe mode of transportation for her and her children is critical to Lesley’s peace of mind and sense of independence, yet this cost is out of the family’s reach.

Just as important for the children, as they’ve witnessed their mother lose the ability to walk and as they’ve had to come to terms with their parents’ separation and impending divorce, is the continuity of their public school, friends and neighbors.  Yet Lesley and the children may not be able to afford to stay in their modest home in Ridgewood.   An exhausting and often very upsetting 16-month search for an even more modest wheelchair accessible apartment or other accommodation in Ridgewood has yielded nothing thus far.

Through all of the heartbreak of recent years, Lesley has been incredibly grateful to help her babies grow and has worked hard to maintain an optimistic outlook for them.  With your support, we can work to alleviate her outsized share of unfairness, sadness, humiliation and struggle.  Monies raised in this campaign will go directly toward replacing Lesley’s lift van, and any surplus will be use to defray the cost of her home health aide as well as start a fund for Lesley’s living costs.  Please help us to keep Lesley and the children safe and help restore their quality of life by contributing to this campaign.  Thank you.

Please note that donations will not be tax-deductible to the donor.  Thank you again.

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Neighbors question Ridgewood’s proposed use of Gate House

Habernickel Park Gate House

NOVEMBER 13, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY MARK KRULISH
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

A change in use for the Gate House at the Irene Habernickel Family Park has prompted the concerns of residents on Hillcrest Road and its neighboring streets as it raises several quality of life issues for them.

An ordinance and a resolution to authorize the lease and its execution were approved on Sept. 30; however, Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld announced last week the village had not yet signed the lease.

A public hearing was held last Wednesday at which neighborhood residents brought forth their own issues on the subject, which included misgivings about traffic, excess parking on streets and the use of a residential area for a business.

Green Acres, which reimbursed the village for the purchase of Habernickel Park, required the hearing for the purpose of public information and the planned recreational and educational use for the Gate House has already been deemed approvable, according to Sonenfeld.

The anticipated lessee of the Gate House is Health Barn USA, which offers year-round educational programs for children, ages 3 to 15 years. Programs are attended by 10 to 15 kids per class and the summer camp has a maximum of 25 attendees, said owner Stacey Antine. For typical programs, children are dropped off and picked up by their parents. Health Barn only receives buses for school field trips, which take place during the day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and for special needs children, said Antine.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/neighbors-question-use-of-gate-house-1.1454555

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Paramus police say neighbors helped to shut down a brothel

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Paramus police say neighbors helped to shut down a brothel

August 28, 2014, 9:10 AM    Last updated: Thursday, August 28, 2014, 6:33 PM
By MARY DIDUCH and STEFANIE DAZIO
Staff Writers
The Record

PARAMUS — The cars, driven by men of varying ages and ethnicities, would come mostly in the evening. Some would circle the neighborhood. Others would pull into the wrong driveway as they searched for 12 North Farview Ave.

The behavior was strange enough in this residential neighborhood in the heart of the borough to spur residents to contact police.

That vigilance was credited by police on Thursday for helping bring down a suspected brothel that authorities say could have been operating for two months.

“That’s the way the system is supposed to work,” Deputy Chief Robert Guidetti said. “If you see something suspicious, don’t be embarrassed. Call the police.”

As a result of the proactive residents, police began surveillance at the small, pale blue house on Aug. 8. They saw numerous cars parked in front of the house with men between 20-years-old and 50-years-old coming in and out, Guidetti said.

On Wednesday evening, Paramus police and members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office posed as johns, entered the home and were offered sexual acts at a rate of $160 an hour, Guidetti said.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/paramus-police-say-neighbors-helped-to-shut-down-a-brothel-1.1077484#sthash.t6GgZ3BT.dpuf