September 17th 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Your opinions matter to us! The Ridgewood Public Library survey available here: https://www.ridgewoodlibrary.org/survey
There are also iPads available at the Library Service Desks if you prefer to fill out the survey in person.
September 16,2017
From the Office of Mayor Susan Knudsen
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood officials are proud to introduce the Ridgewood Estate Card, a new property tax savings program now available to Ridgewood property owners. The program offers a debit like card that offers a reward on purchases that is automatically applied to reduce Ridgewood property taxes billed to the cardholder. An even greater level of reward is offered at participating local and online merchants. Tax rewards are applied annually to the third quarter tax bill.
Visit RidgewoodEstateCard.com to learn more about this exciting opportunity and to sign up for the program. Once signed up, one will receive their card via US mail in 5-7 business days. Each time the card is used, a percentage of that purchase is earned toward property tax reduction. Reward amounts are listed in both the cardholder’s online account and on the easy to use Card Rewards mobile app.
Ridgewood’s Mayor Susan Knudsen stated, “The Ridgewood Estate Card is an exciting program helping Ridgewood property owners save toward their property taxes while encouraging local spending.” The program is being offered by the Village and administered by Municipal Cards, LLC.
Local Ridgewood merchants are beginning to participate in the program and presently there are already over 3,200 online merchants offering bonus rewards. A full list of participating merchants can be viewed at RidgewoodEstateCard.com by clicking on the “Rewards” page.
Ridgewood residents are encouraged to take advantage of the program by signing up online at RidgewoodEstateCard.com. Questions can be submitted to [email protected].
Local merchants interested in participating may visit LocalCardRewards.com to enroll or email [email protected].
September 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood YMCA announces the fall schedule of free community workshops on health and wellness topics. Each workshop is led by an expert in their respective industry.
Workshops will be offered on alternating Wednesdays each month and will be available during the day and evening hours to accommodate working adults.
Upcoming workshops are Creative Energy, Funding Your Child’s Education, Power Up with Protein, Healthy Eating Habits for the Holidays and Raw Foods for Busy People. Please visit our website www.ridgewoodymca.org for detailed information on the workshops and to RSVP.
The Ridgewood Y has also partnered with our local Rite Aid Pharmacy for an onsite flu clinic to be held on Thursday, September 21 from 10 a.m. until 12 noon at the Ridgewood YMCA. Most insurance companies will cover the cost of a flu shot and Medicare part B covers the shot for seniors. Please bring your health insurance card with you. If you have any questions about the flu clinic, please call Rite Aid Pharmacy at 201.447.3424.
The Ridgewood YMCA is located at 112 Oak Street, Ridgewood, NJ. Tel: 201.444.5600
September 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Craft & Art Street Fair will be tomorrow September 17,2017 from 12 PM – 5 PM along East Ridgewood Ave. Ridgewood, N.J.
The fair features 175 exhibitors with arts, photography & crafts, a large food court, a kidz area with pony rides, a petting zoon & inflatables & all day music. Held rain or shine.
Parking 31 %
Unelected Special Interests 6.9 %
Urbanization 11 %
Taxes 33.1 %
CBD 2 %
Development 7.3 %
Cost of Living 8.7 %
September 16,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the long running Ridgewood blog poll gave us an interesting take on what residents feel are the biggest issues in the Village . As expected taxes garnered 33.1 % of the vote , trailed by a close second Parking with 31% .Urbanization came in a distant 3rd with 11% followed by cost of living 8.7% , surprisingly development at 7.3% ,unelected special interests 6.9% and last the Central Business District (CBD) with a mere 2%. The CBD number may be more of a parking issue and a cost of living or Urbanization issue but despite all the hub bub from certain sectors ,no one seems to think its an issue .
While our crack staff concluded that even if you combined Urbanization and development it still only came in with 18.3% , which was still a distant 3rd . Adding unelected special interests ie developers and out side political interference that would still leave it in 3rd place with a 25.2%.The conclusion being that most residents do not object to development but perhaps its the size and scale that seem to raise the ire .
Taxes as expected is the number one issue in town and in New Jersey and its also the number one reason for people leaving the state , the assumption being residents vote with their feet and see no evidence that taxes will even stabilize anytime soon. Feeding the say yes to everything because your moving out on graduation day and most likely meaning that all the “Age Friendly” Ridgewood stuff is just a complete waste of time.
We don’t think the polls told us anything different that we expected , but given all the talk from local officials about trees, ball fields , schools , the CBD, quality of life issues , most readers seem ready to park their cars in a new state as soon as soon as the graduation pronouncement is made.
September 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Board of Education invites you for coffee. Members of the Ridgewood Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein will host residents for coffee and casual conversation on three separate occasions this school year.
The first date for Coffee and Conversation is Wednesday, October 18 from 7-8:30 p.m. Future dates are March 21 and May 16, 2018.
The gatherings will take place at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood. Residents are welcome to drop in and share their thoughts, questions, suggestions and concerns with Board members and Dr. Fishbein.
file photo by Boyd Loving
September 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Recycle your unwanted documents and papers by safely shredding them! Give your paper a safe retirement ….Shred it!
Saturday, September 23, 2017 from 9AM (No early arrivals) to 12:30PM – Rain or Shine! NEW LOCATION – Graydon Pool, 200 Northern Parkway, Ridgewood. (Our event ends when the truck is full)
-Watch your documents on camera as they are securely shredded by Shred-It
-Place items for shredding in a paper bag or a cardboard box only. NO PLASTIC BAGS
-Limit five (5) file-size boxes per vehicle
-Free to all Ridgewood Residents and businesses ONLY
-YES – Cancelled Checks, Computer Printouts, Copy Paper (all colors) Envelopes, Letterhead, Stationary, etc.
-NO Binder Clips or Binders, No Plastics, No Shipping Envelopes, No Photos, No Carbon paper, No Non-paper Items
-For additional program information, please visit us online at www.ridgewoodnj.net and click on Government>Departments>PublicWorks>Recycling
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
September 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, No injuries were reported following a crash in which a Toyota Camry would up hydroplaning off an entrance ramp to Route 17 northbound in Ridgewood on Thursday afternoon, 09/14. Ridgewood PD responded to the incident. A hydraulic lift tow truck removed the damaged vehicle from the scene.
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page
September 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A tracking K9 was deployed in the search for an adult male dementia patient who wandered away from a Ridgewood nursing home on Thursday afternoon, 09/14. The patient was missing for over two (2) hours before being located by a Ridgewood Police patrol officer at a strip mall on Route 17 southbound in Paramus. Prior to being found at the strip mall, the patient had also been spotted on the front porch of a single family home near the intersection of Route 17 and Linwood Avenue. Two (2) Ridgewood Police patrol officers returned the unharmed man to the nursing home just prior to 3:00 p.m.
file photo by Boyd Loving
“As a public official,” Schwager told the court, “what the defendant did might be labeled stupid, wrong or inconsiderate, but we cannot prove it was criminal beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Nicholas Katzban, Staff Writer, @NicholasKatzban
HACKENSACK — Three separate harassment complaints against Ridgewood Councilman Jeffrey Voigt were dismissed Thursday after the the prosecuting attorney determined there was insufficient evidence to prove a criminal act had taken place.
The harassment complaints against Voigt were filed by residents Lorraine Reynolds and Boyd and Anne Loving, who alleged that the councilman had made their cellphone numbers, emails and home addresses known to the public when he posted copies of their requests for public records — known as OPRA requests — on Facebook in May.
The plaintiffs testified that while their cellphone numbers, email and home addresses were visible in the councilman’s posts, he had obscured the same personal information for other persons listed on the records requests.
“Mr. Voigt took the time to block out personal information about others, but not mine,” said Anne Loving during a July hearing before Judge Roy McGeady. “I felt personally targeted.”
AP Scholars are announced
September 15,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, One hundred thirty-four students at RHS have been named AP Scholars by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college level Advanced Placement Examinations. About 18 percent of the more than 1.9 million high school students worldwide who took AP Examinations in May 2016 performed at a sufficiently high level to merit such recognition.
The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on the students’ performance on AP exams. At RHS: 3 students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4.0 or higher on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams; 47 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams; 33 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams; and 54 students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher.
file photo
September 14,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, According to the Ridgewood Police a recently apprehended thief claimed unlocked cars with valuables are an open invitation to steal . The thief described the process where by he walks down a street casing the targeting the area for unlocked cars and cars with keys in them.
The Ridgewood Police Department would like to remind residents to lock your cars, even in your own driveway. Do not leave valuables visible in your vehicle at any time.
September 14,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, at the Village council meeting Wednesday night Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon spelled out a very aggressive agenda for Village Shade Tree.
This year Village Shade Tree under Parks and Rec inspected 225 sites where trees have been taken down , and found 114 remain suitable for planting trees . All are targeted for a new tree after the fall planting sometime in October to November.
The adopt a tree program has now grown from 11 to 27 trees.
Thanks to the engineering department the Village also now looks at streetscapes when streets are do for repaving, this process added over 100 additional trees planted putting totally trees planted this year to 241 up from zero three years ago.
There will be also be an addition effort to rehabilitate trees wells in the central business district to improve CBD tree survival rates.
All these efforts combined make the target for this year 250 new trees planted in the Village.
September 14,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ptl. Zachary Knudsen responded to a Glenwood Road residence on the morning of September 9, to investigate the report of a motor vehicle which had been stolen overnight. The victim reported the vehicle was left unlocked, with a key in the vehicle, and the homeowner discovered the vehicle was missing in the morning. The Ridgewood Detective Bureau located the stolen vehicle in Paterson, N.J. a short time later and as a result of a joint investigation, the Paterson Police Department arrested two individuals.
PVL train tickets will be cross-honored on Main/Bergen County Lines
September 13, 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Due to grade crossing repairs and signal and track maintenance work, NJ TRANSIT is replacing trains on the Pascack Valley Line with buses on weekends and during midday hours on weekdays beginning on Sunday, September 17 and continuing through Saturday, October 28.
This does not effect Ridgewood Main line and Bergen line passengers , but will impact Montvale , Park Ridge , Woodcliff Lake, Hillsdale, Westwood, Emerson, Oradell , River Edge , River Edge New Bridge Landing , Hackensack Anderson Street, Hackensack Essex Street , Teterboro , and Wood Ridge .
Expect larger crowds on Main line and Bergen line during midday hours and late nights .
During this time, Pascack Valley Line tickets and passes will be cross-honored on the Main/Bergen County Lines trains. At Secaucus Junction, Coach USA buses – which are replacing Pascack Valley Line trains – will arrive and depart from Platforms 9 and 10. Bus times may vary from train times at some station stops. Customers should visit the NJ TRANSIT website for specific schedule times.
While busing is in effect, all Metro-North customers from Spring Valley, Nanuet and Pearl River may use their monthly/weekly commutation passes for travel on Metro-North’s Hudson Line between Tarrytown and Grand Central Terminal.
Monday through Friday, midday hours
On weekdays, during the midday hours, buses will operate in two sections:
Between Spring Valley and Secaucus: There will be several buses operating as express and local between Spring Valley and Secaucus. Customers should be mindful of the signage denoting whether they are express or local buses before boarding. Some buses will operate between New Bridge Landing and Secaucus, making all stops except Teterboro. Teterboro customers may use NJ TRANSIT’s No. 161 Bus, which stops at Industrial Avenue and Route 46.
Note: For Train 1622, buses will operate in three sections: New York State Express between Spring Valley and Secaucus (no local stops in New Jersey); between Montvale and Secaucus, operating express between New Bridge Landing and Secaucus; and between New Bridge Landing and Secaucus, making all stops except Teterboro.
While the busing is in operation during the midday hours, shuttle trains for Pascack Valley Line customers will operate between Secaucus and Hoboken.
Saturdays and Sundays
Local and New York State buses will operate between Spring Valley and Secaucus. Customers traveling between Secaucus and Hoboken should use Main and Bergen County Line trains.
NOTE: For You Night Owls :Bergen County Line Train 69, which operates to Port Jervis and normally departs Hoboken at 12:40 a.m., will depart Hoboken 5 minutes later, at 12:45 a.m. Pascack Valley Line customers traveling from Hoboken and connecting with the last substitute bus from Secaucus will use Train 69.
Teterboro Station customers should note that the last weekend outbound bus of the night will stop at Teterboro ONLY by request.
