The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
HACKENSACK , NJ — Train service on NJ Transit’s Pascack Valley Line has resumed after a tragic incident in Hackensack Thursday morning, in which a woman was fatally struck by a commuter train, officials confirmed.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
RIDGEWOOD, NJ – A key pedestrian staircase at the Ridgewood Train Station, providing access from East Ridgewood Avenue to the tunnel beneath NJ Transit’s Bergen/Main Line tracks, has been closed since May 14, 2024, following a dramatic crash involving an Infiniti SUV.
Continue reading Ridgewood Train Station Pedestrian Staircase Repair to Move Forward
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
WESTWOOD, NJ — A potentially disastrous Fourth of July evening in downtown Westwood was averted thanks to the swift and coordinated actions of local first responders and utility crews, according to Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
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
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Newark NJ, A detective in the New Jersey Transit Police Department has filed a lawsuit alleging racial harassment, workplace retaliation, and obstruction of justice by his supervisor — the latest in a troubling pattern of discrimination and misconduct accusations facing NJ Transit in recent years.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
TRENTON, NJ — in a significant leadership change on the Gateway Development Commission, Governor Phil Murphy has replaced Janine Bauer, a long-serving member and transportation attorney, with Victor Herlinsky Jr., an attorney and political insider with experience in regional governance.
Continue reading Governor Phil Murphy Removes Gateway Commissioner Who Asked Too Many Questions
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
WOOD-RIDGE, NJ — Once the site of a 138-acre aircraft engine assembly plant owned by Curtiss-Wright Corp, the land now surrounding the Wesmont Train Station has been transformed into one of Bergen County’s most ambitious redevelopment success stories. With state funding totaling $47.5 million, a new NJ Transit stop, and thriving residential, recreational, and educational amenities, the borough of Wood-Ridge has reinvented itself—though not without controversy.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Englewood NJ, after 25 years of promises and planning, commuters and local leaders are once again facing disappointment as the long-awaited Hudson-Bergen Light Rail extension to Englewood has been delayed—this time due to bureaucratic holdups over a federally mandated environmental study.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
SOMERSET, NJ — The New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) has officially released its 2025 Blueprint for a Competitive New Jersey, a 28-page, forward-thinking policy guide designed to help lawmakers, gubernatorial candidates, and local leaders create a more business-friendly, innovation-driven economy in the Garden State.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, In a decisive vote on June 10, members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) approved a new labor contract with NJ Transit, ending years of stalled negotiations and bringing wage increases for nearly 450 rail engineers.
More companies are saying “back to the office,” but are employees really listening?
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, from JPMorgan’s hardline stance to Electronic Arts joining the RTO trend, the pressure to return to the office—either full-time or on a hybrid basis—is growing. Yet, despite mandates, the real question remains: Are these policies actually effective?
Continue reading Return to Office in 2025: Why RTO Mandates Still Aren’t Working
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, New Jersey Transit train on the Pascack Valley Line struck and killed a man near the Clinton Place crossing in Hackensack on the morning of May 22, according to NJ Transit officials.
Continue reading NJ Transit Train Fatally Strikes Man in Hackensack Near Clinton Place Crossing
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Office of Public Integrity & Accountability (OPIA) today announced the filing of criminal charges against a NJ Transit employee who allegedly engaged in a years-long scheme to sell phones purchased with NJ Transit funds for personal profit, unlawfully earning hundreds of thousands of dollars.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Newark NJ, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was detained on Friday, May 9, after refusing to leave a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility located at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey. The confrontation has sparked national attention, drawing in federal authorities, congressional representatives, and immigration policy critics.
Continue reading DHS Arrests Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at ICE Facility
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, a tentative agreement between NJ Transit and the Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) was reached on May 7, offering a temporary sigh of relief for thousands of bus and light rail riders across New Jersey. However, the threat of a rail strike still looms as negotiations continue with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET).