Tag: Ridgewood Fire Department

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Saraceno’s Apartments: By the Numbers

Saraceno's Apartments: By the Numbers
May 1,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The “rendering” of new apartments at Broad and Franklin by John Saraceno’s architect leaves a lot to be desired, like a connection to reality for starters. So let’s break down the reality of what Saraceno is planning. Built on the former home of the Ken Smith car dealership, the 66 unit apartment with thousands of square feet of retail space is allowed under new village laws championed by Ridgewood resident Saraceno and then-mayor Paul Aronsohn.

Frontage:

Franklin St- 198 feet
Chestnut St- 119 feet
Height: 5 stories, putting it above all neighboring buildings and higher than the train station. Saraceno says his 5 story building is 50 feet high. The “tower” is 57 feet. The new Chestnut apartments several hundred feet away are four stories and 53 feet high.

Parking:

155 parking spots, the arches at the ends of the building on Franklin and Chestnut are the lot entry/exits. The Chestnut entry is near the new 43 unit high-density apartments being built on the old vehicle inspection station lot.

Reminder:

Saraceno and Aronsohn, who partnered to raise the density in this area to 35 units, said these two and three bedroom apartments won’t have a lot of school age families. The Ridgewood school budget has grown ~25% in less than 10 years on just about flat enrollment.

The Saraceno, Aronsohn, Hauck, and Pucciarelli dream of turning Ridgewood into high-density heaven is just a few months away. The most densely populated county in the most densely populated state in the union is about to get more crowded. Ridgewood used to be a place to get away from that, no more.

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Hard times for Whole Foods: ‘People say it’s for pretentious people. I can see why’

whole_foods_theridgewoodblog

The upscale grocery chain is valued at almost $12bn, but six straight quarters of declining sales have led to speculation of a takeover bid. What went wrong?

Lunchtime customers at Whole Foods in Manhattan’s Union Square had little trouble expressing the shortcomings that have led the once high-flying, organic-focused retailer to become linked with a takeover.

“I love the sushi, but I wouldn’t shop here except maybe for a special ingredient,” said Argentinian software designer Benjamin Vinas. “People say Whole Foods is for pretentious people, and I can see why. It’s too expensive. I don’t have the budget.”

Vinas was not the only customer to express a similar point of view. Others said that for their groceries they went several blocks north and west to lower-cost rival Trader Joe’s, where products may not be so exquisitely selected but are, in general, more uniformly discounted.

Maria Johnson, a postgraduate student, said Whole Foods’ pricing, with some items marked competitively and other expensive, was inconvenient.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/apr/29/whole-foods-hard-times-retail

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Ridgewood School Board Meeting Public Hearing Prior to Voting on the Proposed $105 Million 2017-2018 school budget

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May 1 2017 7:30 PM to 7:30 PM
Location Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ
The public is invited to attend the meeting, or watch it live on Fios channel 33, Optimum channel 77, or on the “Link in Live” tab of the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us.

Ridgewood NJ, 2017-18 School Budget Info:

On Monday, May 1, the Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a public hearing prior to voting on the proposed 2017-2018 school budget. The hearing will be held at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Click here to view the following budget summary in PDF format:

https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_207516/File/Announcements/2016-17/One%20Page%20Summary%204.17.pdf

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Ridgewood Schools Parent / Guardian Survey is Coming in May

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April 30,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood district parents and guardians will have the opportunity to provide anonymous feedback to the Board of Education in May, through a satisfaction survey distributed by email.

The 2016-2017 satisfaction survey will solicit parent / guardian opinions in a variety of areas, ranging from the quality of their children’s education to their satisfaction with school facilities. The middle school and high school surveys will also include questions on the district’s 1:1 Chromebook Initiative, which distributes laptops to all students in grades 6-12 for use at school and home.
The survey period will run from Tuesday, May 8 through Friday, May 19. All district parents and guardians with email addresses on file with the district will be sent a link to the brief survey for each school that their children attend. Instructions will be included to complete the questionnaire based on their youngest child’s experience at each school.
The surveys are set up to be completely anonymous and cannot be tracked back to responders. Survey results will be collated and shared with the community and used by the Board of Education and administration as part of their evaluation of district policies and practices. A dedicated email address has been set up to take questions or concerns about the 2016-2017 satisfaction survey at survey17@ridgewood.k12.nj.us
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Ridgewood council weighs changes to train station lot

Ridgewood transtation grass theridgewoodblog.net

Mark Krulish , Staff Writer, @Mark_Krulish2:57 p.m. ET April 27, 2017

RIDGEWOOD — In an effort to add parking spaces at the train station, the council is weighing a plan to reduce the size of a grass median and create new spots for compact cars.

The design, presented by Village Engineer Chris Rutishauser to the council Wednesday, calls for narrowing the island on the western side of the train tracks by 4.5 feet to accomodate parking for compact cars on both sides of the median. The new layout would add 41 spots.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2017/04/27/ridgewood-council-weighs-changes-train-station-lot/100970076/

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FREE HISTORICAL PORTRAYAL OF JACKIE KENNEDY ONASSIS – MAY 2

JACKIE KENNEDY ONASSIS

April 29,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Bergen County is sponsoring a free event – “A Historical Portrayal of Jackie Kennedy Onassis” presented by the American Historical Theatre – Tuesday, May 2 at 11 a.m. in Village Hall Court Room.  All are welcome!

CLICK HERE for flyer and details

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Reader says rainbow-flag dust-up at Village Hall was a pre-planned “astroturf” event

red_carpet_entrance_camera_flashes

There were a lot of beautiful people from out of town in Ridgewood for some kind of Hollywood-style movie premiere (on a smaller scale) at the Warner Quad theater yesterday evening. Dollars to donuts the rainbow-flag dust-up at Village Hall was a pre-planned “astroturf” event brought to us courtesy of these glamorous visitors who doubtlessly regard Ridgewood as just another flyover town populated by provincial rubes in dire need of progressive enlightenment

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Reader says whole flag episode had the “Aronsohn touch”

3 amigos in action Ridgewood NJ

file photo by Boyd Loving

I don’t think the point was merely that they spoke and left, but that they left as a group, confirming the impression that the entire display had been organized and orchestrated rather than representing a number of individuals who wished to make statements on the same issue. Yet they had previously been told that this issue would be on the agenda of the following council meeting, which would have been the time to discuss it. And if anybody does not recognize the Aronsohn touch, they have not been watching. And by the way, I am not very interested in hearing what somebody who lives in Elmwood Park (or wherever it was) thinks about which flags should fly in Ridgewood.

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Reader says the only flag I want to see in the middle of the village is the flag of the USA

4thofJuly_flag_theridgewoodblog

So, someone who is gay feels very proud of himself. Fair enough, it is his business. Now to express his pride he wants a flag flying in the middle of the village. Why? Can’t I also have a flag flying for myself? I am very proud of being a straight man. Where is the equality here? I claim I am being discriminated if a rainbow flag goes up and mine doesn’t. The only flag I want to see in the middle of the village is the flag of the USA which represents the pride of all Americans be it straight, gay, yellow, brown, black, white or whatever you want to be. In my opinion if you feel like the US flag doesn’t represent you you need to fly your own flag in your property.

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Reader says Critics Habernickel, Schedler and expansion of Citizens Park are using ,” alternative facts”

Save Our Schedler Members & Friends at the Schedler House3

file photo by Boyd Loving

The following info was taken from the 2010 “Open Space Committee Report to The Village Council”: The Village has been highly successful in securing state and county Green Acres Funds of approx. 5.1 million dollars toward the 10 million dollar acquisition cost of the three properties: Habernickel, Schedler and expansion of Citizens Park. We still remain eligible for additional grants in the amount of 2.1 million dollars for the properties. At a previous council meeting at the time, former VM James Ten Hove said the price of a large field at Schedler would be about 9 million dollars. The council dismissed any development there due to the cost and lack of funds. When I hear people say we paid over 7 million dollars of tax payers money for the Schedler property, I think they must be referring to ” alternative facts.”

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Reader , Yep, you must be new in town if you think this is the worst council ever

Village Council Meeting

file photo by Boyd Loving

you must be new in town if you think this is the worst council ever. This council is honest and is not in the pockets of the developers like Aronsohn and his crew were. Unlike the previous people, there are no ethics violations pending against any of them (Aronsohn and Sonenfeld). Unlike the previous group, no one on this council attempted to destroy a person’s career in order to keep them from running for office (Aronsohn). Unlike the previous council, no one on this council has conflicts of interest with developers and Valley (Hauck, Aronsohn, Pucciarelli). Unlike the previous council, this council engages in friendly dialog with people who come to meetings instead of calling them names like terrorist, stalker, etc (Hauck, Pucciarelli, Aronsohn, Sonenfeld). Unlike the previous council, this council does not have their spouses posting trash about their colleagues on social media (Hauck). Unlike the previous council, no one has signed a police complaint against any of them for their outrageous behaviour. Yep, you must be new in town if you think this is the worst council ever.

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Ridgewood Police, EMS, and Fire dispatched to NJT Bus

Ridgewood Police

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving

April 28,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police, EMS, and Fire Department personnel were dispatched to aid an adult male who reportedly fell off of a NJ Transit bus at the intersection of East Ridgewood and North Pleasant Avenues late Thursday afternoon, 04/27. Preliminary results of an on-scene evaluation conducted by EMTs determined that the victim was apparently uninjured from the fall, but likely highly intoxicated. He was transported by ambulance to The Valley Hospital for further evaluation/examination. The bus was released by Ridgewood PD and continued on its route.

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Gay Pride flag over Ridgewood Village Hall ?

gay flag

April 28,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, at Wednesday nights council meet ,Jan Phillips once again attempted to strong arm the council in the name of civility by pushing them to hang a Gay Pride flag over Village Hall. Many will remember her  as the one who called everyone “GRANDSTANDERS” who objected to Aronsohn’s giant garage fiasco.

If Susan and company do not put the flag up, Jan will make it her mission to brand all of them as anti-gay which is completely untrue.

A reader wrote us ….

So, Last night as I was watching the Village Council meeting from the comfort of my easy chair,  I could hear what sounded like a rather large crowd and wondered what everyone might be there for.  Could it be Schedler?  Clinton Avenue?  Parking?  I was pretty surprised when people started going up to the microphone talking about hanging the Gay Pride flag over Village Hall.  This was obviously an orchestrated demonstration of power and pride by people who fully support inclusion, welcoming, understanding, and civility toward non-heterosexuals.   I am one of those people.  I not only support LGBTQ, but I support all minorities, everyone who is marginalized, I support interracial and inter-religious marriage, immigrants’ rights, religious freedom, inclusion of all with physical handicaps, and every single nationality on our planet.  I do not support, however, putting up one flag to indicate acceptance of one group that has most unfortunately been discriminated against.  If the Village Council opts to do this, then what is to stop someone who wishes to have the Confederate flag hang over Village Hall for one month, or perhaps the newest addition to the lineup, the “Straight Flag.”  We could wind up with the flag of the month, pretty much diluting the overall message of inclusion.  I like to think that our Village welcomes everyone.  It is not necessary to hang a flag to indicate that one group is accepted, when in fact all “groups” are accepted.   I was about to get in my car and drive over to the meeting to say this, but I was afraid I would be branded as anti-gay.  Sadly, a quick condemnation of someone for stating their feelings is all to common, and I would be devastated if I had to start defending myself.  I hope that our elected officials will be able to say “no” to this request.  Although the request is well-intended, hanging this one flag welcoming one group would be wrong.
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NJ TRANSIT ANNOUNCES SPRING RAIL SCHEDULE TIME CHANGES

ridgewoodtrainstation_theridgewoodblog1

April 27,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,  NJ TRANSIT’s spring rail schedule change continues the effort to best match equipment and timetables to customers’ travel needs.  Highlights of the plan, to go into effect on May 7th, include adding additional seating capacity to ease overcrowding on heavily traveled trains and adjusting the schedules on certain trains to provide improved connections at Secaucus and Newark Penn Station in response to customer feedback.  An additional weekday evening stop at Newark Airport also will be available for North Jersey Coast Line customers.

The following is a summary of some of the improvements:

Easing weekday overcrowding:

Main Line train #1206, the 8:22 a.m. arrival in Hoboken from Waldwick, will add an additional car, making it a total of seven cars.

Extended connection times at Secaucus:

Eight Main/Bergen County (ML/BC) and Pascack Valley Line (PVL) trains in the late afternoon and early evening will depart Hoboken several minutes later to extend connection times at Secaucus from seven minutes to ten minutes.  This is in response to customer feedback received at a recent “We Are Listening” forum in Secaucus suggesting improved connection times.

#1271 – (BC) Departs Hoboken 2 minutes later at 6:02 p.m.
#1175 – (BC) Departs Hoboken 3 minutes later at 7:18 p.m.
#1277 – (BC) Departs Hoboken 1 minute later at 8:41 p.m.
#1127 – (ML) Departs Hoboken 1 minute later at 7:46 p.m.
#1129 – (ML) Departs Hoboken 1 minute later at 8:46 p.m.
#1641 – (PVL) Departs Hoboken 3 minutes later at 7:29 p.m.
#1643 – (PVL) Departs Hoboken 3 minutes later at 8:23 p.m.
#1645 – (PVL) Departs Hoboken 2 minutes later at 9:44 p.m. to Spring Valley

Adjustments to accommodate customer travel patterns

NEC train #3817, the 6:34 a.m. departure from PSNY to Trenton will depart PSNY 5 minutes later at 6:39 a.m.
NEC train #3897, the 12:14 a.m. departure from PSNY to Trenton will arrive in Trenton 6 minutes later at 1:55 a.m.
NJCL train #3269, the 5:34 p.m. departure from PSNY to Long Branch will no longer stop at Secaucus to improve Raritan Valley Line connections at Newark Penn Station. Train #3267 will add a Secaucus stop at 5:35 p.m.
NJCL train #3271, the 5:52 p.m. departure from PSNY to Long Branch will depart PSNY 3 minutes later at 5:55 p.m.

NJCL train #3283, the 8:22 p.m. departure from PSNY to Long Branch, will make a stop at Newark Airport at 8:46 p.m.

IMPORTANT CUSTOMER NOTE:  Customers are advised to carefully check the new timetables, which are available at major stations and online at www.njtransit.com, for changes that may affect their itinerary.  Customers with questions may call NJ TRANSIT at 973-275-5555

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Deadly Superbug Fungus Hits Tri-State Hospitals, CDC Says

Bike Valley theridgewoodblog.net 77

April 26, 2017 6:42 PM

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — The Centers for Disease Control says a deadly superbug fungus has hit hospitals in the United States, primarily in the Tri-State Area.

As CBS2’s Meg Baker reports, it’s an infection that can easily be misidentified and become deadly, and now health officials are on high alert.

“The organism can be spread patient to patient as well as environmental surfaces which make it unique in that regard,” Dr. Neil Gaffin said.

Gaffin is an infectious disease specialist at the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey — which has not had any cases of the dangerous superbug.

He explains it’s a yeast known as Candida auris that is being spread around hospitals, mainly around New York and New Jersey.

https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/04/26/deadly-superbug-fungus/