Many weekday commuters struggle to exit trains as the number of riders is increasing and construction compounds the problem
By
MELANIE GRAYCE WEST and
ANDREW TANGEL
March 20, 2017 4:13 p.m. ET
The morning rush has become the morning crush for some NJ Transit commuters arriving at New York Penn Station.
The scene plays out like this: When a train pulls in, commuters queue up for the doors and arrive on a platform that is both narrow and jammed, people shoved together elbow to elbow. To exit from the platform, commuters sometimes encounter an onslaught of passengers trying to catch another train or a crush of passengers from an arriving train.
Sometimes the escalator is going down instead of up, the narrow stairwells are packed single file or, in a truly frustrating situation, a new stairwell is gated.
The morning commute for thousands already ends at the much maligned Penn Station. Now, some say, the escape from Penn Station is worse, with platforms more jammed than ever as the number of commuters increases.
In 2016, average weekday boardings at Penn Station numbered 94,859 people, up from 92,314 in 2015 and 87,130 in 2014, according to Nancy Snyder, a NJ Transit spokeswoman. Each weekday, about 57,000 NJ Transit customers use Penn Station platforms between the hours of 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., according to Nancy Snyder.
Ridgewood Nj, Roots Steakhouse & Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood will host a “Davidoff 702 Dinner” on March 28th at 6pm at the Davidoff Lounge and then 7pm at Roots Steak House .
Tickets are $125 and you will receive at 3 coarse meal and 2 Davidoff 702 cigars . Tickets are limited .Call (201)447-2204 by March 22nd .
“One of the most iconic blends to ever come from Davidoff was the original 702, a limited edition cigar that was met with accolades. This year, Davidoff has released a cigar under the guise of that brand name, that is significantly different then the original release. The most obvious is the wrapper. The original release features a 702 Connecticut wrapper, while this time around it features a 702 Habano wrapper. The other difference is the cigar is released in a multitude of sizes that are the same blend as their corresponding lines, with a different wrapper.” Cigar Review
“It is time to unexpect. Davidoff Masterblenders have taken on the challenge to reimagine and reinvent our most iconic cigars –2000, Special R, Special T, Aniversario No. 3 among others – and give them an exciting twist for those seeking a more intense, bolder taste experience. These cigars, that have defined and refined Time, are wrapped in the new 702 ‘Habano’ wrapper from Ecuador to give them a bolder edge. The 702 Series is an exciting opportunity for those who have not yet had the chance to discover, or may want to rediscover, these iconic cigars,” explained Charles Awad, Senior Vice President Global Marketing and Innovation at Oettinger Davidoff AG in a press release.
10 Chestnut St
Ridgewood, New Jersey
@TheTobaccoShopOfRidgewood
Call (201) 447-2204
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.
Revised Budget Resolution
Approval: Revised Resolution for Adoption of the 2017-2018 Preliminary Proposed Budget for Submission to the Executive County Superintendent of Schools
It is recommended that the Board approve the following revised resolution:
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:
Dr. Fishbein Budget Tax Levy General Fund $ 100,503,229 $91,519,173 Special Revenue Fund $ 1,378,767 $ 0 Debt Service Fund $ 3,683,597 From: $ 3,265,784 To: $ 3,265,783 Total Budget $ 105,565,593 From: $ 94,784,957 To: $94,784,956 The district has proposed programs and services in addition to the Core Curriculum Content Standards adopted by the State Board of Education.
Information on this budget and the programs and services it provides is available from the school district. There should be raised for the General Fund Tax Levy $91,519,173 for the ensuing School Year: (2017-2018).
UPDATE FOR SANITATION PICK UP – WEEK OF MARCH 20TH
Update on Sanitation Pick-Up
March 20,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Due to the recent snow storm and a prediction of additional snow over the weekend , placing solid waste at the curb will be extended into next week. Regular rear-yard pickup will resume Monday, March 27th. We thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
JOHN LATKA, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT ELECTRIC & GAS OPERATIONS – PSE&G
Ridgewood NJ, You may have seen dramatic TV coverage of manhole covers popping off in the street and hurdling through the air. While rare in our service area, manhole covers sometimes become dislodged. The root cause varies; however, these incidents all have two ingredients: combustible fumes and an ignition source.
During the snowy months and spring thaw, the flammable gases are often caused by the salt we put on roads and sidewalks to keep us safe from slippery snow and ice. Other sources of potentially dangerous fumes include sewer lines, gas pipes, decaying organic matter, and the disposal of combustible materials in the streets.
In the late winter and early spring, salty runoff can make its way down a manhole shaft and compromise the insulation around electric cables. The cables begin to smolder, releasing gases like carbon monoxide, methane and hydrogen. In high concentrations, all that’s needed to release this energy is a spark.
Manhole covers serve an important purpose. They keep debris from falling into our electric vaults, keep unauthorized people out and ensure we can provide you the safe, reliable electricity service you expect from PSE&G.
We have 28,547 manholes in our system. Underneath their 400-pound cast iron covers are vaults measuring 6 feet high, by 12 feet long and 8 feet wide. The vaults house high-voltage electric cables about the size of your fist in diameter. Multiple cables are bundled together and wrapped in insulation. Those cables feed transformers that step down the high voltage electricity to a level suitable for distribution to homes and businesses.
We have another 11,251 “hand holes” that are covered by the small, rectangular metal covers you most often see in urban areas. These smaller vaults house low-voltage lines that bring electricity to individual customers such as small businesses, apartment buildings, or street and traffic lights. The covers on these hand holes don’t pop often. The lower voltage, combined with a smaller space, make it less likely to trap and ignite gas.
Manhole incidents in our system happen very infrequently. However, if you see something suspicious, like a manhole spewing smoke, it is important to report it. Call 911. Also, be sure to call PSE&G if you see a manhole or hand hole cover ajar or in any way out of place. It could be a sign of a problem lurking underneath.
A bishop in Sicily has banned known mafia criminals from acting as godfathers at baptisms in churches in his diocese.
Michele Pennisi, bishop of Monreale, near Palermo, said Friday he had issued a decree to that effect in a bid to challenge any notion that the bosses of organized crime have a paternalistic side to them.
“The mafia has always taken the term Godfather from the Church to give its bosses an air of religious respectability, whereas in fact the two worlds are completely incompatible,” the bishop told AFP.
Pennisi’s diocese includes Corleone, a vendetta-haunted village inland from Palermo which was the birthplace of Don Corleone, the fictional Godfather in Mario Puzo’s novel and Francis Coppola’s films.
In February the bishop made headlines by criticizing a priest who had allowed the son of one of Sicily’s most notorious mobsters, Toto Riina, to act as godfather at a baptism.
Thursday, March 23 at 6:45 PM – 9 PM Namaste Organic Spa 30 Franklin Ave, Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
Guess who’s back!
Ridgewood NJ , Namaste Organic Spa is very excited to have Bhante Sujatha .
Rumi says “what you seek is seeking you”… perhaps it’s true. The evidence of the power of our minds is undeniable.. The ancient texts of the Buddha tell us that no external condition can be the cause of our happiness, only the mind has that ability. When people understand how they are influenced, the root causes of struggle and what we can do with our minds to make things better, sustainable happiness and radiant joy are the result. My life as a Buddhist monk has given me a front row seat to incredible transformation within so many people as I teach them how to empower the mind and cultivate the qualities that will help you find strength and happiness, as well as give you a burning desire to add more love to the world. When we understand our mind, we begin to re-shape our behavior and feelings about so many things… it’s the most loving act of service one can do for themselves and the world.
Connect with your natural healing power with the gentle guidance of Bhante Sujatha, Buddhist monk from Blue Lotus Temple in Woodstock, IL. This 2-hour workshop has been life-changing for many of its participants, regardless of religious background. The teaching is centered around the cultivation of self love, for without healthy self love, you cannot be fully present to love anyone or anything else.
Proceeds go to Bhante’s Incubator Project in Sri Lanka
Bhante will do his book signing after the workshop and his CDs are also avilable for purchase.
Bhante Sujatha, a 35+ year Buddhist Monk, is singularly focuses on adding more love in the world. Bhante teaches loving-kindness meditation to people around the globe for all those seeking the art of happiness and contentment. His approach to meditation is deep and simple, bringing core Buddhist teachings to everyone in a way that is practical and easy to understand. A joyful, radiant, funny and wildly energetic monk, Bhante will help you obtain peace that can only be found in deep silence. He is originally from Sri Lanka and is the head monk / abbot of the Blue Lotus Buddhist Temple and Meditation Center in Woodstock, IL.
Bhante believes his purpose is not only to teach meditation, but also, “teaching people how to be happy.”
Fee: $35 (Checks or Cash)
*First come, first serve basis*
Space limited. Advanced registration required (cash or check) by Sunday, March 19, 2017. Stop by the spa or mail payments to: 30 Franklin Ave. Ridgewood, NJ 07450.
RHS & Network for Responsible Public Policy Host Climate Forum
Forum at RHS considers climate policy Climate Crisis Panel Discussion March 23 2017 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM Location: RHS Campus Center
Reader , “Relentless advancement of an ideological agenda. Politics, propaganda, “intellectual” intimidation, naked cooptation of the previously respectable apparatus of scientific discovery and exposition. Like-minded zealots bent on transforming this country and the world according to their twisted, godless mindset. We must continue to fight this scourge.”
Climate Change the new Religious Cult
Posted Dec 16, 2016 by Martin Armstrong
This is the picture that was used to start the global warming movement that man supposedly created. Of course, since the weather is not consistently warmer, they changed the term from “global warming” to “climate change.” They pointed to everything from pollution, cutting down trees, exhaust from cars and buses, and even attributed it to cows farting, but they never provided any historical proof of real climate change outside of a normal cycle.
I lived in London in 1985 when the buses spewed out black smoke. It was horrible and hard to breath. That is the kind of pollution that we all want to eliminate. We want clean water and clean air — absolutely. But cutting down trees and diesel-spewing buses do not change the historic climate cycle — it just makes where you live nasty.
Science was turned on its head after a discovery in 1772 near Vilui, Siberia, of an intact frozen woolly rhinoceros, which was followed by the more famous discovery of a frozen mammoth in 1787. You may be shocked, but these discoveries of frozen animals with grass still in their stomachs set in motion these two schools of thought since the evidence implied you could be eating lunch and suddenly find yourself frozen, only to be discovered by posterity.
Ridgewood NJ, According to Backgroundchecks.org Ridgewood came in ,in the top 50 safest places to live in New Jersey .Ranking number 47,and scoring a top 10 in Bergen County and Passaic County . Ridgewoood scored well despite have a larger population than many of the top place towns, a larger school district , a local hospital and easier commuter access with a train , bus station and highway park and ride .
Rounding out the Bergen County and Passaic County list were :
The Backgroundchecks.org list was compiled based on FBI violent crime stats and proprietary BackgroundChecks.org research data. Rates are normalized per 100,000 residents with the state average being 261 for violent crime and 1,734 for property crime. This is calculated by taking (# of crimes/population) * 100,000.
The website described #47 Ridgewood in glowing terms , “Located in Bergen County, Ridgewood is a village that is home to 24,900 residents. Just 20 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan, Ridgewood is considered a suburban bedroom community and was included on Money’s list of Best Places to Live in the U.S. The violent crime rate here is 43.6, and residents of Ridgewood have a 1% chance of being affected by property crime.”
Ridgewood NJ, Join us on Sunday, May 7th as we Hike or Bike to support Family Promise of Bergen County. Choose your route – 3 mile hike or bike OR 15 mile bike. We begin and end at Van Neste Square in Ridgewood. Fun for everyone with food, music, games, prizes, giveaways and more!
PLUS – Hike or Trike for kids under 5 and under! Free with adult registration.
Click here to register now!
Form a team with your family, friends, colleagues, school,
congregation, scout troop, sports team, etc.!
Create your own fundraising page! Have fun!
Family Promise is the only organization in Bergen County that provides shelter and support to homeless, working families with children. Thank you for your support.
Ridgewood NJ, Lesleypalooza – a month long effort to support my friend Lesley Linker, a soon-to-be single mother who is fighting an aggressive form of multiple sclerosis.
Specifically, we are trying to raise enough money so Lesley can cover the increasing costs of her medical care / support and so she and her two young kids can stay in their home.
To that end, I have two requests:
1. Visit Lesley’s “Go Fund Me” Page – Please visit the Lesleypalooza Go Fund Me page to learn more about Lesley, her kids and their situation and to make a donation of any size.
2. Forward This Message – Please forward this message to all of your friends, families and colleagues so that they can learn about Lesley’s situation … make a donation … and forward this email to all of their friends, families and colleagues.
Our goal is to reach as many people as possible over the next month.
For more information, please visit the Lesleypalooza Facebook page.
March 20, 2017 Education Center Regular Public Meeting 7:30 p.m.
AGENDA * * * * * MEETING REGULATIONS
Ridgewood NJ, At all regular meetings, two opportunities are provided for citizens to make comments. The public comment periods will be scheduled after presentations and approximately 9:00 p.m. or just prior to the end of the meeting, whichever occurs first. The first opportunity may be limited by the presiding officer to conclude at about 8:00 p.m. in order for the Board to continue with its scheduled agenda. The second opportunity will occur at about 9:00 p.m. at the discretion of the presiding officer taking into consideration a break point in the agenda. At every opportunity for public comment, citizens are invited to comment on subjects on the agenda or general topics. At the discretion of the presiding officer, public comments may be permitted at other times. Persons wishing to speak must, upon being recognized, rise, sign in, and state their names and addresses. Each speaker shall be limited to four minutes. The Board Recorder will note the time. A speaker who has not finished in the allotted time will be directed by the presiding officer to summarize quickly and relinquish the floor within 30 seconds. Comments shall be limited to issues. If personal remarks or discourteous statements are made, the presiding officer shall require the speaker to stop. No person will be recognized for a second time until all others asking to speak have been heard.
Ed Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ
DescriptionThe 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, After at lest 10 years of water restrictions Ridgewood Water is now pushing “environmental changes” as an excuse for poor service.
A series of missteps has led Ridgewood Water from one disaster to another characterized by massive excuse making and under investment.
The fact is that poor management decisions have even resulted in a lawsuit that could have a significant impact on Village finances. A long-pending class action lawsuit of $14M against Ridgewood Water was brought by Midland Park, Wyckoff and Glen Rock and is now in state Superior Court in Hackensack.
at the 39:00 mark, 39:14 “several wells down due to contamination issues, historic data back in 1978, there were 61 wells in operation, today 34 wells. Good majority of those that are out, are due to contaminates, not caused by us, but over the years, may be caused by adjacent properties or over pumping the acquifier over the years.”
According the the Village of Ridgewood website there will be a non stop series of events promoting and attempting to establish “climate change” as the reason behind Ridgewood Waters failure to deliver proper service to Ridgewood residents.
2017 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR RIDGEWOOD WATER
March 29th – The Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC), in conjunction with Ridgewood Water, will be hosting a presentation on issues relating to local water resources. The Ridgewood Water service area is under a State drought warning and continued Stage 2 watering restrictions. Changes in local municipal water restrictions are proposed which will make these conservation efforts permanent. Mike Furrey, Chair of the New Jersey Section of the American Water Works Association and president of AGRA Environmental & Laboratory Services will address the audience on the state of the water industry and Ridgewood Water’s “Journey from Rain to Drain”. Information on what customers can do to conserve water will also be presented and made available. The event will take place from 7:30 – 9 pm in the Senior Center at Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ, on the first floor.
April 6th – The Ridgewood Public Library, Ridgewood League of Women Voters and the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC) will present a documentary screening and discussion on the movie, “Tapped”. This film explores the role of the bottled water industry and its effects on health, climate change, pollution and the environment. Dave Scheibner, Ridgewood Water Business Manager, will also speak at the event which will take place from 7 – 9 pm in the Ridgewood Library Auditorium, 135 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ.
April 6th – The Wyckoff Environmental Commission’s FLOW Green Film Festival will feature The Highlands Rediscovered. Following the movie will be a discussion with Sean Gilson of the NJ Highlands Coalition and updates on conservation and contaminants from Ridgewood Water’s Director of Operations, Richard Calbi Jr. The film starts at 7 pm in the Wyckoff Public Library, 200 Woodland Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ.
April 23rd The Conservancy for Ridgewood Public Lands and the Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC) in partnership with Ridgewood Water welcomes your participation at this year’s Earth Day event focusing on water conservation and featuring Ridgewood Water’s “Journey from Rain to Drain” as well as educational exhibits, food, musical entertainment, petting zoo, crafts, dog parade, giveaways and more. The event will be held from 11 am – 2 pm at Van Neste Memorial Park, E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ.
Sept. 14th – The Ridgewood League of Women Voters, in conjunction with Ridgewood Water, will host a water forum. Discussion topics to be announced this summer. The event will take place from 7:30 – 9 pm in the Senior Center at Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ, on the first floor.
Oct. 18 th – The Ridgewood Environmental Advisory Committee (REAC), in conjunction with Ridgewood Water, will be hosting a presentation on issues relating to weather and drought. Dr. David Robinson, New Jersey State Climatologist, will address the audience on the changing climate in the state and the effects on utilities like Ridgewood Water. The event will take place from 7:30 – 9 pm in the Senior Center at Village Hall, 131 N. Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ, on the first floor.
Snowstorm Stella brought over eight inches of snow to the Village this week, and many of us are still digging out. I want to thank the residents for staying indoors and not traveling during the storm. Due to your assistance, only two motor vehicle crashes were reported and our crews doing the plowing were better able to manage the snow removal, in an attempt to keep the roadways clear.
Our crews doing the plowing and salting did a good job on the roads, despite the fact that they were challenged by large amounts of snow falling in a short amount of time. In addition, there was sleet mixed in with the snow, and bitter cold temperatures, which turned many streets to ice. Our crews doing the plowing also spent two nights clearing out both the streets and the parking lots of the Central Business District, the train station lot, and the Park and Ride lot. Many of you contacted the Village to let us know where there were ice or snow issues, which allowed us to address them as quickly as possible. We appreciate the feedback, because there is always room for improvement.
Due to the continued cold temperatures and the possibility of more snow in the coming days, all garbage must continue to be brought to the end of your driveway (not in the street), for the safety of our Village employees. This will continue through March 24th. Backyard collection of garbage will resume on March 27th, weather permitting.
