MARCH 28TH EAST SIDE SANITATION COLLECTION NOT COMPLETED
March 29,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Village website reports that due to equipment breakdown, the East Side sanitation collection was not completed Tuesday, March 28. On Wednesday, March 29 Village crews will collect the remaing East Side sanitation before beginning the West Side Bulk Collection scheduled for 3/29.
Honors and Awards 2016 – 2017 School Year
March 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood students continue to excel in March with awards going to Ridgewood High School Latin students,RHS cheerleading squad ,DECA students and Ridgewood swimmers.
(3.27.17 )This month the Ridgewood High School Latin students, under the direction of Stefanie Gigante and Jay Lucci, competed in “Certamen,” a quiz bowl-style game of classical knowledge. The upper level team, comprising AP students, took home first place in the northern division, and the Latin II team also took home first place honors. The winners will be moving on to the state level of competition at the convention in April.
(3.20.17)The RHS cheerleading squad won First Place in their division at the national championship in Virginia Beach. In addition, Alex Alberta won the High School Scholarship Award over hundreds of other contestants.
(3.9.17)Ninety-five DECA students attended the DECA State Conference in Atlantic City over February break. RHS students did well in the preliminary rounds and came in third place behind two larger schools. In each role play event, the top six students/teams, and the top five students/teams in papers will now go to ICDC in Anaheim, CA, with over 30 students qualifying to move to the national competition. In addition, Rusluan Diaz was also elected as an NJ State DECA officer for the 2017-2018 school year.
(3.9.17) Ridgewood swimmers this year broke nine previously held Ridgewood High School records. Senior Jessica Chau achieved records in four events, the 200 IM, 100 Backstroke, 100 Breast and the 100 Butterfly. Six others also set records in individuals and relays. Six RHS swimmers qualified to race at the NJSIAA Individual State Meet in Gloucester. Both the boys and girls dominated the Big North Freedom division, capturing first place finishes at the championship meet.
March 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, On Wednesday, March 29, the Ridgewood High School Bands will perform their annual Spring Concert. The concert, which will be held at West Side Presbyterian Church, begins at 7:30 PM and admission is free. This concert will feature the school’s three curricular bands – the Symphonic Band, Concert Band, and Wind Ensemble – and will feature a varied, exciting program.
file photo by Boyd Loving
March 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The PSE&G work on West Glen Avenue has been completed, and the long-awaited milling and paving of West Glen Avenue will take place over the next couple of weeks, weather permitting, as follows:
Week of 3/26/17: Beginning March 28th, milling will take place on West Glen Avenue, from North Maple Avenue through at least the far side of Upper Boulevard. On that day, the street area by the underpass, next to the Ridgewood Art Institute, will be closed. On March 29th and March 30th milling will continue until it is completed.
Week of 4/2/17: On April 3rd and 4th, paving will take place on West Glen Avenue. The street area by the underpass will be closed again, when that area is being paved.
There will be long detours in place during the milling and paving, and Police Officers will be able to help guide motorists, as needed. The Police Officers will also assist residents on West Glen Avenue in traveling to and from their homes during this work.
Please plan alternate routes during these two weeks. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
Nothing emanating from the Financial Advisory Committee can be assumed to be well intentioned. Continued pressure to build a structure that not only is unneeded but also failed a binding referendum bears the whiff of Aronsohn’s dogged instructions to his minions. Let us never forget that his political career, even his bids for Ridgewood Council, has been financially supported by construction unions throughout the state; the apartments we may face downtown being closely allied with this. But that garage, which he may well have promised absolutely, still figures in his dreams, and he still has an eye on higher office. Maybe by age 50 he will finally realize that he will never go farther than local mayor (now hated), abandon his political aspirations, let us alone, and get a real job. May that day come soon. And may he move away, too.
March 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein will host residents for coffee and casual conversation on Tuesday, March 28. The casual meeting will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood. All residents are invited to drop in to share their thoughts, questions, suggestions and concerns.
The final 2016-2017 Coffee and Conversation is planned for Wednesday, May 17.
Superintendent’s Monthly Column: What’s Your Story?
Click here to read Dr. Fishbein’s monthly column for The Ridgewood News, March 10 edition.
Preliminary 2017-2018 School Budget
At the March 6 Board of Education meeting, Business Administrator Dr. Alfredo Aguilar presented the preliminary 2017-2018 budget, which is based on a .97% local tax levy increase. The total preliminary budget is $105,565,593, which would mean a $184.39 annual tax increase on the average assessed Ridgewood home of $696,093.
Click here to view the preliminary budget presentation as a PDF.
Following discussion, the Board approved the following resolution for Adoption of the 2017-2018 Preliminary Proposed Budget for Submission to the Executive County Superintendent of Schools:
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Ridgewood Board of Education, to approve the 2017-2018 school district preliminary proposed budget, as follows, for submission to the Executive County Superintendent of Schools:
There should be raised for the General Fund Tax Levy $91,519,173 for the ensuing School Year: (2017-2018).
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook
March 28,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police, Fire Department, and EMS personnel aided two (2) victims of a Monday morning, 03/27, motor vehicle crash that took place on Route 17 southbound just north of Linwood Avenue, Ridgewood. A pickup truck rear ended a van; two (2) occupants of the van were transported by separate ambulances to local hospitals with non life threatening injuries. A flatbed tow truck removed the van from the scene. The pickup truck appeared to have been undamaged. Traffic flow on Route 17 southbound in the crash vicinity was significantly restricted, which caused major backups.
photo by Boyd Loving
March 27,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, we have been informed that the information previously posted on Ridgewood High School Summer School was outdated.
If you are thinking of hiring a tutor this summer or putting your child in a summer academic or enrichment program, Ridgewood High School’s Summer School may have the programs you are looking for. RHS Summer School is not just remedial classes anymore, we are now offering High School & Middle School Enrichment Classes as well as Test Preparation classes including; College Essay Writing, Intro to Geometry, Algebra II and Pre-calculus, Honors Geometry and Algebra II, Financial Literacy and Entrepreneurship, and SAT and ACT Prep Classes.
https://tinyurl.com/rhssummerschool ”
Published: Mar 23, 2017 1:19 p.m. ET
The high school senior qualified to audition for all-state choir, but he’d also been invited to interview for the prestigious Jefferson Scholarship, which promised a full ride to the University of Virginia worth $125,000. He couldn’t be in both places at the same time.
“Unfortunately,” warned the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, “the flexibility will have to come from the choral organization, or you will have to choose between the two.”
The Virginia Choral Directors Association was just as uncompromising. It cautioned that only an illness “severe enough that continued participation would be harmful to the student’s health” would excuse the 17-year-old choir president from a full day’s attendance.
The annual mating dance between high school seniors and the nation’s colleges and universities is under way, and it’s not pretty. Class of 2020 decision letters will go out at month’s end, even as tuition and fees rise faster than inflation, producing about $107 billion in education debt last year, according to the College Board.
March 27,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Art Institute is proud to offer college scholarships to high school seniors who will be majoring or minoring in art. If you are a member of Ridgewood Art Institute, please fill out the attached form to be considered. Worthy candidates will be expected to bring six pieces of original artwork on April 29, 2017 for the Board of Trustees review.
Print an apllication Here. Deadline is April 15, 2017
In addition, Our Summer Schedule for Young People is attached. You can find it online here.
As someone who is on the fence about the garage to begin with – the FAC presentation did nothing to convince me this is what the town needs. How can the council and residents get an accurate idea of the financial impact of the garage if the numbers are not even accurate for the current proposal. This presentation, while well-intentioned, was a waste of time for all involved.
file photo by Boyd Loving
VILLAGE COUNCIL WORK SESSION QUICK NOTES
MARCH 22, 2017
Public Comments: A variety of topics were covered by residents during public comment including, and most noteworthy, statements regarding parking Bogert/Cambridge and Pomander parking restrictions. Some residents reiterated their perception of a safety concern while others touched on personal challenges resulting from the changes and exacerbated safety concerns. Both topics were listed as agenda items for discussion.
FAC Assessment in Paying for a Parking Garage: Committee members reviewed the Parking Utility and garage funding based on the Walker Report.
Cambridge and Bogert Parking Restrictions: Striking a balance addressing safety concerns around the curved area closest to Glen while implementing a modified parking schedule 50’ beyond the second curved intersection. A modified ordinance will be introduced in April allowing changes to coincide with the end of school.
Train Station Parking Lot: Suggested by a former Planning Board member to somewhat reduce the grassy island allowing for the addition of about 25 +/- parking spaces. This does NOT require removal of the entire green space and trees. The remaining island should allow for ample grass, trees, flowers, urns and an appropriately meandering walkway. As stated during the meeting, this idea will require further evaluation.
Pomander Walk/Sherman/Stanley Place: April introduction to temporarily suspend parking restrictions on one side of Pomander.
Ridgecrest – Graydon: an initiative to allow Ridgecrest senior citizens to spend time at Graydon Pool for free or at a reduced rate.
Schedler Park Plans: Project development of a community park for all ages to possibly include pedestrian nature paths, bird watching, children’s play space & equipment and low impact exercise areas.
Kings Pond Area Cleaning Program: moving forward!
Citizens Safety Advisory Committee – Standardized Form for Requesting Parking Changes: a recommendation to standardize the procedure for requesting parking changes and/or restrictions in residential areas. Over the years CSAC has made many safely recommendations to Council; most changes are welcome but some have created unanticipated issues in adjacent areas. Implementing a formal process to ensure residents are properly notified of impactful changes by providing detailed information to VC. Still in draft document form.
***these are only brief notes/highlights and not intended as minutes
Next meeting: Village Council Special Public Budget Meeting
Monday, March 27, 2017, 5:30PM
Bogart/Cambridge is less a council issue. The council were fooled on how the original ordinance was implemented. The Village Engineer decided it was easier to just to have no parking 500 feet down each street which he admitted to at the council meeting. Regardless of who did what, the majority of the neighbors on the blocks affected we’re never informed of what was going on. Communication was abysmal, that should be a council issue moving forward. Kudos to the Mayor for suggesting a new form and process be followed, but the people affected by these decisions should also have input into the decision making process. Aren’t they supposedly working for ALL of the people in the village.
March 26,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Arts Council, wants share with you a very special and unique event that is happening at our Earth Day Fair one month from now. Check out the video to learn more. Hope to see you at our Emerging Artists Gallery event. Please share with others. Thanks!
Please join the Ridgewood Arts Counci at Ridgewood’s Earth Day fair on Sunday April 23rd 11am-2pm in Van Neste Park to be a part of this exciting event. For more information and to sign-up please email rac@ridgewoodnj.net
Ridgewood NJ, Eighteen children of all ages participated in making twenty blankets for Project Linus as part of Emmanuel’s Sunday School Christian Education program in a one hour blanket making session on March 12th. Women of Emmanuel sponsored the event and supplied the soft plush material for the project.
Marilyn Clark, head of Women of Emmanuel and Church Council Moderator, stated, “It was a fun day! The children were able to make beautiful blankets for a worthy cause. You could see how pleased and proud they were with the blankets they made. Their smiles said it all.”
Leslie Maltz Taylor, a representative from Project Linus, led the one hour blanket making session during Sunday school at Emmanuel. Emmanuel will donate the completed blankets to Project Linus, a non-profit organization that provides homemade blankets to children in need.
Emmanuel, founded in 1891, is celebrating its 125th Anniversary Year and maintains a tradition of community outreach. Emmanuel is located at 14 Hope Street, at the corner of Hope Street and East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. The building is ADA accessible and all are invited to attend.
