The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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NEW JERSEY — Beloved public television characters — including Big Bird — are facing an uncertain future as New Jersey’s PBS station, NJ PBS, announces layoffs amid deep state and federal funding cuts.
Continue reading Big Bird Gets the Ax: NJ PBS Hit by Massive State and Federal Funding Cuts
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Trenton, NJ — New Jersey residents are facing steep electric rate hikes this summer, with many pointing fingers at Governor Phil Murphy’s controversial Energy Master Plan (EMP) including Gubnatorial Jack Ciattarelli — a green energy overhaul projected to cost $1.4 trillion by 2050. While Democrats in Trenton continue to blame climate change, data centers, and outside market factors, critics argue the real problem stems from Murphy’s own policies.
Candidate Pledges to End Offshore Wind Projects and Reintroduce Natural Gas and Nuclear Power
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Somerville, NJ — Gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli is sounding the alarm on what he calls an “avoidable energy crisis” in New Jersey, pointing to skyrocketing utility bills and failed green energy initiatives as the primary culprits. Ciattarelli took aim at Democratic nominee Mikie Sherrill and Governor Phil Murphy for championing offshore wind energy and electric vehicle mandates, which he argues are driving energy costs out of control.
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RIDGEFIELD, NJ — A disturbing lawsuit has been filed against the Ridgefield Public Schools and several district officials, alleging that a Jewish-Cuban student endured years of relentless bullying, physical assaults, and antisemitic and racist harassment — all while school leaders failed to protect her or intervene appropriately.
photo courtesy of Dumont Volunteer Fire Department
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DUMONT, NJ – July 14, 2025 — Dumont Volunteer Fire Department responded to a lightning strike at a home on Davies Avenue while the area was under a Flash Flood Warning. Firefighters urged residents to remain cautious and avoid navigating flooded roadways.
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Ridgewood NJ, Artificial turf fields have long promised durability and safety, but many field owners found out the hard way that those claims didn’t hold up. Now, in a major legal turn, FieldTurf USA has agreed to a nationwide settlement exceeding $50 million in a class-action lawsuit involving its controversial Duraspine synthetic turf product.
Continue reading FieldTurf Settles $50M Class-Action Lawsuit Over Defective Synthetic Turf Fields
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CRESSKILL, NJ — Did a whistleblower complaint about alleged safety violations at a Cresskill-run summer camp—managed by a councilwoman’s relative—ultimately cost the borough’s parks and recreation director his job?
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PARAMUS, N.J. — Quick action by the Paramus Police Department led to the arrest of two Newark men at Westfield Garden State Plaza on Wednesday, July 16, after they attempted to flee in a stolen vehicle.
file photo
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FORT LEE, NJ – Nearly a year after the fatal police shooting of 24-year-old Victoria Lee, family, friends, and community members gathered in Fort Lee on July 19 to honor her memory and protest a grand jury’s decision not to charge the officer responsible.
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PARK RIDGE, NJ – A growing group of Park Ridge residents has launched a campaign to recall Board of Education member Robert Fisher Jr., arguing that his move to Tennessee makes him unfit to represent the local community.
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ORADELL, NJ — Authorities are investigating the death of a 52-year-old man discovered Wednesday at a residence on Battle Place, Oradell Police confirmed.
Continue reading Oradell Police Investigating Death of 52-Year-Old Man on Battle Place
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving
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RIDGEWOOD, NJ — A large tree fell early this morning in the 400 block of South Pleasant Avenue, blocking traffic and disrupting utility services to at least one single-family home, according to local reports. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
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NEW JERSEY — A new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll reveals that New Jersey residents are largely dissatisfied with how the state government is handling critical issues, particularly taxes, cost of living, and public transportation. The report, conducted between June 13 and 16, 2025, paints a picture of a public increasingly frustrated with both state and national leadership — a sentiment expected to shape the upcoming 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election.
Continue reading New Eagleton Poll: New Jerseyans Frustrated Over Taxes, Affordability, and Transit
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TRENTON, NJ — Hundreds of thousands of New Jersey public employees, including teachers, police officers, and local government workers, could face major health care premium hikes in 2026, according to new recommendations presented by the state Treasury Department on July 9.
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TEANECK, NJ — A New York man was arrested and charged after allegedly harassing and robbing a Teaneck couple in connection with an official government action taken against his business, according to Teaneck Police Chief Andrew McGurr.
