RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Short term room rentals are big business in the New York area, but towns in northern New Jersey are moving to ban them and homeowners could face fines.
Suzanne Warfield told CBS2’s Meg Baker that she thinks of herself as a super host — renting a room in her home for more than two years now, and charging $100 a night — she made more than $14,000 in 2016.
Now, the Village of Ridgewood has put a ban on short-term rentals.
“The village has legitimate concerns about party houses, that’s not me. I am a single woman, enjoy living in this community, and being able to rent a bedroom is allowing me to stay in my home during difficult financial times,” she said.
Many of her guests are repeat customers with ties to the area, or couples looking for a new home.
“Three sets of grandparents who come into town to visit their grandchildren,” she said.
In Ridgewood, there are 63 homes playing host to Air BnB. The village had 3,000 guests in 2016.
Ridgewood’s mayor said the niche travel industry had not been addressed with zoning rules until now.
The Ridgewood Public Schools are committed to providing a safe environment for personal growth and learning, which is why we are sending you this letter. While alcohol abuse, primarily in the form of binge drinking, tops the list of substance abuse problems seen in students, the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, those same drugs found in medicine cabinets across our country, is a growing and serious problem. This behavior is not only dangerous; it is also illegal.
In Ridgewood, we have seen a significant increase in prescription drug abuse, especially Xanax. This rise has been brought to our attention through reported incidents of “under the influence” behavior, as well as an increase in students’ self-reporting of their own misuse of prescription drugs.
Most often, these prescription drugs come in the form of: • Stimulants (Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin) that are used by students to “get in the zone” to stay awake to study or party.
• Pain Relievers (OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin) and Tranquilizers and sedatives (Valium, Xanax) that are used by students recreationally to get high, or to cope with the stress of academics, social pressures or family crises.
We work closely with the Ridgewood Police Department on these issues and strive in our schools to promote awareness about the risks associated with the abuse of prescription medications, but our parents are on the front line to educate and protect their children from the dangers of substance abuse. Unfortunately, when confronted with the issue of substance abuse, many parents are quick to say “not my child.” We need, however, to accept the reality that our children may be engaging in substance abuse.
The reasons vary as to why high school age students experiment and abuse prescription drugs. All students are susceptible to feeling pressure to fit in socially and excel academically. Many may not even know that they are doing something wrong when they pop a “friend’s” Percocet to relieve a headache or take Adderall to cram all night for an exam. Students are also more likely to engage in risky behaviors like binge drinking, marijuana, cocaine, other prescription drugs, and even heroin and methamphetamines. Mixing prescription drugs with alcohol or illicit drugs, or crushing and snorting pills, maximizes their effects. These behaviors can lead to permanent organ damage, stroke, heart attack, overdose or even death.
Regardless of the reasons, studies consistently show that teens think prescription medications are a safer alternative to illicit street drugs like cocaine or heroin. Taking any medications without a prescription or medical oversight, or using them in a manner or at a dosage not advised by a healthcare provider, is a risk to a student’s health.
Below are some simple practices you can do to help your child:
1. Stay engaged with your child. Find ways to talk to your child about his/her emotional wellbeing. This dialogue can go a long way to help boost their confidence to “do the best they can” when juggling academic, co-curricular and social demands. Suggest healthy ways to handle stress.
2. Take precautions. If you or someone in the family takes one of these type of prescription medications for legitimate medical reasons:
• Keep medications locked in a safe place.
• Pick a few times a year to properly dispose of any unneeded or expired medications. Don’t save them for a rainy day.
• If you notice that pills or bottles are missing, take steps to talk with your child and provide supportive counsel.
• Look for warning signs and symptoms of drug abuse and take action. Contact your pediatrician or family physician, your school’s Crisis Intervention Counselor at 201-670- 2700 (Kevin Feeley, GW and RHS, ext. 20573; Lauren DePinto, BF and RHS, ext. 20574), or 800-662-4357.
Attached is a summary of warning signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse, along with some resources for further inquiry.
On Monday, February 13, 2017, at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center at Ridgewood High School, Dr. Tim Silvestri will present “The New Social Norms at Ridgewood High School.” In addition to Dr. Silvestri’s presentation, we will be discussing the contents of this letter. We urge you to please join us at this important meeting, which is open to all high school and 8th grade parents.
We will be sending out further information on this important topic over the next few weeks.
Sincerely yours, Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools
Thomas Gorman,Ed.D Principal,
Ridgewood High School Katherine Kashmanian, Ed.D.
Principal, George Washington M.S Anthony Orsini Principal,
Benjamin Franklin M.S. C:
Ridgewood Board of Education Chief J. Luthcke, Ridgewood Police Department Ridgewood Public School Staff Members Note: The majority of the content of this letter was taken from the Educate Before You Medicate National Council on Patient Information Education.Ridge
Mary Jo Layton , Staff Writer, @MaryjolaytonPublished 12:03 p.m. ET Jan. 30, 2017
The medical center announced plans last week to move its main campus to Paramus, pleasing many Ridgewood neighbors.
It took a decade, but the David vs. Goliath battle many Ridgewood residents waged against The Valley Hospital’s proposed expansion ended Friday with a champagne party at Pete McKenna’s house, the epicenter of the resistance.
Ridgewood NJ, 2016-2017 RHS Maroon & White Series Continues On Thursday, February 2, the Ridgewood High School Department of Fine and Applied Arts will present the third Maroon & White Music Recital and Art Exhibit for the 2016-17 school year. The third of five such events for this year, the concert will be held in the newly renovated RHS Learning Commons beginning at 3:45PM, followed immediately by a reception and gallery opening in the Carroll Art Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public.
The recital will feature four outstanding musicians, presenting a varied program and will begin with a performance by Jacqueline Johnson, a junior soprano vocalist who has performed as a member of the All State Choir, who will perform Tu lo sai by Giuseppe Torelli, Romance by Claude Debussy and The Sky Above the Roof by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Sophomore trombonist Nik Gambardella will continue the program with a performance of the Menuet from Johann Ernst Galliard’s Sonata No. IV. Isaac Peabody, also an All State Choir member in his junior year, will perform Stefano Donaudy’s Spirate pur, spirate, Franz Schubert’s Das Fischermädchen, and Sea Fever by John Ireland. Jonathan Negron, an accomplished All-Bergen County trumpet player in his junior year, will round out the recital by performing Preludio, Aria e Scherzo by Ennio Porrino, a transcription of Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, and Chet Baker’s I Can’t Get Started.
Following the concert, the February Maroon & White Art Exhibit will officially open in the Carroll Art Gallery. The exhibit will include original works by seven highly accomplished students in a variety of media. The work of senior Maxine Earl varies from realistic, abstract and illustration, all relating to her concentration on influenced emotion. Anna Koontz, a junior, experiments with many different media, with an emphasis on markers and oil pastels. Sophia Swanson, sophomore, creates whimsical illustrations and ethereal portraits using pencil, pen, and colored pencil and has experimented with chalk pastel and watercolor paint, while this exhibit’s other sophomore artist Sarah Taggart, specializes in ceramics. Senior Danielle Testa creates artwork that displays emotions and provokes thought using media from colored pencil to paints to photography, and Julia Yoon, junior, uses oil pastel and pencil drawing to express color and texture in her artwork.
The Maroon and White Recital Series began in 1964 as a means of highlighting outstanding Ridgewood High School musicians in a featured solo capacity. Over the past five decades, the series has expanded to include art exhibits as well as a recital featuring only dancers. Musicians and dancers are selected through competitive audition, while artists are chosen after an extensive portfolio revue. Past Maroon & White recitalists include Jonathan Spitz, principal cellist with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Elizabeth Ostling, associate principal flutist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the piano duo of Sarah and Susan Wang, renowned Broadway singer/dancer Ali Stroker, Stephanie Buesser, dancer with Ballet West, New York City choreographer Yael Nachajon, Broadway director Marc Bruni, jazz organist Jared Gold and many others. The list of past artists includes Lauren Roth of Lauren Roth Art, renowned illustrator Kyle McCullough, Giovanni Forlino, whose work can be seen on display at the Getty and Guggenheim museums, plus a host of professional freelance artists who work in a wide variety of visual art related fields.
Upcoming Maroon & White Recital/Exhibits will take place on March 9, April 6 (Dance) and April 27. All recitals are held in the RHS Learning Commons, with the exception of the dance recital, which takes place in the Little Theater. For more information, please contact the RHS Department of Fine and Applied Arts at 201-670-2800 x. 20542.
Persistence is a hot topic among education researchers these days and for good reason: It’s critical for success in school and beyond. Here are 8 tips for nurturing this quality in your child.
by: Hank Pellissier | January 25, 2017
Determined, diligent, tenacious, persistent — we use these adjectives to describe Olympians, spelling bee champions, entrepreneurs, and success stories of all kinds. Do they describe your child?
Angela Duckworth, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, brought this stick-to-it quality to the attention of educators and the public with her 2013 book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Gritty people, Duckworth’s research shows, finish what they start, overcome obstacles, and achieve their goals.
Researchers continue to examine how so-called “soft,” noncognitive skills like grit affect academic success as it becomes increasingly clear that these qualities are even more predictive of achievement than intelligence or talent. While there’s still much to learn about teaching kids to buckle down and work hard, research suggests there are lots of ways parents can support the development of this mindset. Here are eight ways to nurture grit in your child over time.
Sunday, February 5th 2017 from 12:00 noon – 4:30pm
Ridgewood High School
Ridgewood, NJ
Students will be selling door to door on 2/5/17 with a delivery March 4th-5th, 2017
Prices as follows:
Navel Oranges – $26.00
Red Grapefruits -$26.00
Citrus Sampler – $35.00
Fresh Fruit Medley (orange, apples,pears) $26.00
Orders accepted until 02/16/17. Please contact: Eileen Karanikolas: [email protected] for more information. Orders/ checks made out to RHS Band Assoc and can be mailed c/o Eileen Karanikolas 33 Lenox Avenue, Ridgewood , NJ 07450
For more information on the band program and a list of events, visit www.rhsbands.org
Ridgewood NJ, RHS alumnus David Madden hosted the National History Bee and Bowl at Ridgewood High School for the 8th consecutive year in January. Twelve teams comprised of over 50 Ridgewood students competed against students from over 65 high schools.
Four RHS Varsity teams and one JV team made it to the playoffs, with two of those teams advancing to the second round. These students** have now also qualified to compete in the National Championship in Washington D.C. in April: Varsity Team: Ben Amos, Matthew Zachem, Joonho Jung -JV Team: Philip Terman, Cameron Blaire.
** Two additional students do not have media permission to be named.
Ridgewood is a destination. If you park them they will come. Parking is not just for commuters. It’s for restaurant goers, shoppers and patrons of other businesses. But sadly that ship has sailed. So Ridgewood’s reputations as the town with no parking will continue to proliferate, drivers will continue circling as pedestrians continue having accidents, and the types of businesses we would like to attract will avoid us without assurance of parking for customers. Lack of forward thinking is keeping us locked in a past that is no longer viable and now the damage is beginning to show as businesses leave town. Ridgewood is not a mall, and we should not equate failing Macy’s or Sears with Ridgewood’s CBD, which offers a completely different experience of boutique shops and specialty stores, restaurants and pretty park. I don’t come to town to get my shoes fixed or my nails done. I come to Ridgewood because it’s a nice place to go. The parking garage was a good idea, the study was done, the plans were made – it should have moved forward
It’s true it seems–the Ridgewood library is walking (running?) away from its traditional role as a book lender. E-books are not so convenient or popular a vehicle for substantive reading yet to justify this shift. Sad to say this, but those who run the Ridgewood library may be just as bored with the crucial job of improving the substantive knowledge of the general public as the school district is becoming with respect to the K-12 students. It’s all about process now. There is no longer any need for people to have a solid foundation of raw knowledge in a broad variety of subjects, a ‘la the classic “liberal arts” education. No, today they need only use their cell phones to do a targeted web search (and forget the results five minutes later). So teaching them the bare minimum of how to do a digital search is the only role that really matters for a library or high school. /s
In accordance with the provisions of the “Open Public Meetings Act,” please be advised that the Zoning Board of Adjustment will hold a special public meeting on Tuesday, January 31, 2017, at 7:30 p.m. in the Village Hall Court Room, 131 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ.
The Board may take official action during this Work and Public Meeting at which time the Board will hold a public hearing concerning an appeal to the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Village of Ridgewood from the order, determination, or decision by the Building Department.
All meetings of the Ridgewood Zoning Board of Adjustment (i.e., official public meetings, work session meetings, pre-meeting assemblies and special meetings) are public meetings which are always open to members of the general public.
Ridgewood NJ, in recent comments, Pope Francis said he is concerned about what he calls a “hemorrhage” of priests and nuns from the Catholic church. For decades, the Catholic church in many developed countries has seen the number of priests and nuns on the decline.
The pope on Saturday told participants at a Vatican gathering on religious life that the loss of clergy is weakening the church.
Pope Francis said that first among the factors causing nuns and priests to quit their vocations is a society that discourages lifelong commitments. Francis later lamented that many conduct their lives based on “a la carte” choices.
Ridgewood NJ, on Saturday ,Village of Ridgewood Mayor Susan Knudsen attended the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for “Get In Shape For Women” at 51 Chestnut Street, Ridgewood . www.getinshapeforwomen.com
I do not commute to NYC so naturally I do not see commuter parking as the main problem for the CBD.
Online shopping has cut into the sales at Macy’s, Sears and other large dept stores. They and a lot of other retailers will be closing stores. This business dynamic is hurting local stores and large retailers.
What brings shoppers to town? Maybe it is time to do a CBD survey.
People now come to eat and run errands. I do not buy clothing in town. I go to the post office, bagle store, and drug store. I may not go often but the shoe repair shop is a godsend. I have lunch and dinner in town (not at the restaurants that were aggressively lobbying for the garage). BYOB makes great restaurants affordable.
I don’t know if you can draw shoppers back to town. The malls are having a difficult time keeping customers.
A Financial Advisory Committee could have worked if established properly. Unfortunately, the reality is that it’s being used for the wrong purposes and conflicts of interest abound. Now that we have a CFO, which was not the case at the time, the committee should be disbanded. They and their leader Aronsohn are using it to beat a political horse, as intended. Their official voice needs to be silenced asap. They are not experts in this field. While financial disclosure agreements would be important if their (highly questionable) recommendations were to continue, which they should not, residents should not have to supply such things. QED, kill the committee. As for Mayor Knudsen’s so-called conflict of interest, what is this, Fox News, pounding away at untruths in the hope that they will become facts? Only Jim Griffiths thinks that where her parents live is an issue. So they live sort of near there–so what? Many, many residents who live in every corner of town agree that the opinion on the dispensation of Schedler of everyone who lives in that area deserves far more consideration than that of anyone who doesn’t. And they have been most gracious in accepting the idea of a small ballfield. If I lived there I would say NO to all of it.
