…The fly has learned that Paul Aronsohn supporters are fleeing in droves after last night’s pathetic display of arrogance.
The CRR people have launched a “Dump Aronsohn” campaign behind the scenes. It seems that the mood now is to make sure Aronsohn doesn’t get reelected AT ALL!!
The Ridgewood moms feel strongly that Jane S. will round out the Council with another female voice to compliment Bernie Walsh.
Keith is earning praise left and right for staying above the political fray and really showing his leadership by not getting sucked into Aronsohn’s political ploy.
Aronsohn continues to take outside $ from State political operatives that have no affiliation with Ridgewood (check his ELEC NJ filing). He also continues to reap the benefit of free medical benefits for his entire family with a $5.00 COPAY. Wow don’t we all wish we had a $5.00 COPAY? ALL AT RIDGEWWOD TAXPAYER EXPENSE. That single benefit amounts to a 1000% raise for Paul over his $3000.00 per year Council salary.And he has the nerve to make a big deal about a 6% raise for the Village Manager. Yes that’s right 6%..not 12% as he would like you to believe. Check the records, it’s all public information…
Due to budget constraints the Village of Ridgewood May day parade has been canceled
In many countries, May Day is also Labor Day. This originates with the United States labor movement in the late 19th Century. On May 1, 1886, unions across the country went on strike, demanding that the standard workday be shortened to eight hours. The organizers of these strikes included socialists, anarchists, and others in organized labor movements. Rioting in Chicago’s Haymarket Square on May 4th including a bomb thrown by an anarchist led to the deaths of a dozen people (including several police officers) and the injury of over 100 more.
The protests were not immediately successful, but they proved effective down the line, as eight-hour work days eventually did become the norm. Labor leaders, socialists, and anarchists around the world took the American strikes and their fallout as a rallying point, choosing May Day as a day for demonstrations, parades, and speeches. It was a major state holiday in the Soviet Union and other communist countries.
Labor Day is still celebrated on May 1 in countries around the world, and it is still often a day for protests and rallies. In recent years, these have often been targeted against globalization.
May Day is related to the Celtic festival of Beltane and the Germanic festival of Walpurgis Night. May Day falls exactly half a year from November 1, another cross-quarter day which is also associated with various northern European pagan and neopagan festivals such as Samhain. May Day marks the end of the unfarmable winter half of the year in the Northern hemisphere, and it has traditionally been an occasion for popular and often raucous celebrations. As Europe became Christianized the pagan holidays lost their religious character and either changed into popular secular celebrations, as with May Day, or were merged with or replaced by new Christian holidays as with Christmas, Easter, Pentecost and All Saint’s Day. In the twentieth century, many neopagans began reconstructing the old traditions and celebrating May Day as a pagan religious festival again.
FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A
* FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL OF SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT…NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHEAST NEW YORK…
* FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING.
* RAINFALL WITH A COLD FRONT PASSING THROUGH TONIGHT SHOULD BE LESS THAN A HALF INCH. THIS FRONT WILL THEN STALL JUST TO THE SOUTH ON SUNDAY…AND SERVE AS THE FOCUS FOR HEAVY RAIN SUNDAY AFTERNOON AS AN INTENSIFYING COASTAL STORM MOVES NORTHWARD AND
TRANSPORTS CONSIDERABLE ATLANTIC MOISTURE ALONG WITH IT.
* RAINFALL WITH THE COASTAL STORM WILL BEGIN SUNDAY MORNING…AND BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES LATER SUNDAY AFTERNOON. THE HEAVIEST RAIN SHOULD OCCUR DURING THE FIRST HALF OF SUNDAY NIGHT IN THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA…WESTERN LONG ISLAND AND THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY…AND OVERNIGHT SUNDAY NIGHT IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT AND EASTERN LONG ISLAND…WITH HOURLY RAINFALL RATES APPROACHING AN INCH PER HOUR IN THE HEAVIEST RAIN BANDS.
* TOTAL RAINFALL OF TWO AND ONE HALF TO THREE AND ONE HALF INCHES…WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS…COULD CA– USE SIGNIFICANT FLOODING OF URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS…AND FLOODING OF FAST RESPONDING SMAL STREAMS. HARD DRY GROUND DUE TO LACK OF RECENT
RAINFALL…AND STORM DRAINS THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN CLEARED OF WINTER DEBRIS…MAY ACTUALLY CONTRIBUTE TO ADDITIONAL RUNOFF IN THESE AREAS. MAIN STEM RIVERS ARE UNLIKELY TO EXPERIENCEFLOODING.
The Ridgewood blog Urges all residents to support Jim Morgan for Board of Education and vote ‘NO’ to the Ridgewood School budget PJ Blogger and the Staff of the Ridgewood blog April 16,2012
(RIDGEWOOD-NJ) So another Ridgewood School Board election is upon us and once again residents are asked to vote for the school budget and support the usual cast of community members who will speak with one voice for the Ridgewood school district .
The BOE has asked taxpayers once again to tighten their collective belts ,while it spends lavishly on copper roofs for the dilapidated Board of ed building on Cottage place that has long out lived its usefulness and should have been condemned and raised years ago .
The criticisms of the BOE are the same now as at anytime in the last 10 years, which can be boiled down to a few key issues ; 1) the BOE always puts its politics ahead of educations and the taxpayers ,this has been made abundantly clear over the years where not only has the BOE actively opposed all school reform but now even takes time out of their regular meetings to issue proclamations on opposing teacher tenure reform or immediately writing off Mike Doherty’s “Fair School Funding Act” which could potentially save the Village over $40 million. It still some what astonishes this poster that the BOE so often and so willing goes on record in opposition to both taxpayers ,parents and students. This leads to why most longtime resident remain skeptical as to the well scripted claims of “getting tough on the teachers union ” and assume the day after the election another huge give away will be announced.
2) The BOE has demonstrated a clear lack of transparency and will tolerate no dissension.We all saw how the so called “Math Moms” who were good enough to meet with the President of the United States yet were harassed and dare I say “bullied’ out of town for simply pointing out the folly of a math program that does not include simple addition and is primarily prescribed for inner city youth and not Ridgewood’s over indulged affluent children. The recent public spat with popular former RHS Principal Jack Lorenz added one more layer of disenchantment and reminded residents once again that taxpayers and the BOE are often working at cross purposes.
3) The rush to turf and the expansive use of field lighting all hours of the night has done nothing but make the BOE once again look beholden to sports groups and tone deaf to critics who questioned the wisdom of turfing in a flood zone .Yes I would agree that the turf has opened up field usage time but at what cost and who are these people playing sports all hours of the night? It is time for us all to recognize that flooding is not a one off event but a regular part of life in Ridgewood and we should expect the $30,000 plus bill after almost every rain event ,this seems to mitigate any cost savings promised with the turf and cut the tur’sf life expectancy significantly again erasing claimed cost advantage. The other issue that has rankled so many is lack of turf fields in the Willard school district . Many still find it odd that an overwhelmingly large amount of voters in that district embraced the “turf bond” yet remain deprived of virtues turf fields.
However we do commend the renewed emphasis on math and science at the schools but given the ridiculousness math program many remain skeptical as to its value .It is also of note that the BOE has since the Jack Lorenz debacle made a effort to better communicate or at lest give the appearance that it is interested in comunication . It appears to be only one way but it is nice to see the BOE be more forthcoming with their intentions.
Lets face it there is little danger in voting NO on the school budget .While BOE has so often extolled dangers and disastrous consequences of voting down the School Budget ,it would seem little risk given the propensity of the Village Council to make only a token cuts and send the budget back to the board. The Village council has a very full plate cleaning up the mess created since the late 1990’s by irresponsible fiscal policies and has neither the time nor the expertise to tackle the school budget especially one as formidable as Ridgewoods.
Unlike the BOE we prefer vigorous debate and are very skeptical of the “speaking with one voice” concept . While many of you have experienced the total distaste the BOE has for public participation at their meetings we suggest a more vigorous debate could have spared the schools the “dumb dumb” math program as well as some of the other “folly’s ” that have befallen our once great school system .This is not to diminish the effort by many residents, tutors and teachers who still hold the high standards that once made Ridgewood Schools the envy of the nation and yes they were that good.
It is time to make the “Tradition of Excellence ” something more than a bumper sticker slogan and it is no longer responsible just to sit back and claim the “state mandates’ are lowing standards or cling to the “happy beat Newark mentality that has taken over the school system in recent years. In a field of same old ,same old, yes men or women only one candidate has shown any fortitude in this years contest and that is Jim Morgan .Morgan is the one candidate that can make his presence known on the board and will bring a fresh voice to school issues. Morgan considered the outsider by many has clashed with the BOE from time to time in the past on field issues and some even call him the anti-sports group candidate. While he is clearly not beholden to sports groups the label of anti-sports is a bit of a stretch. Morgan has given a voice to all those who question flood zone turf and policies that promote field lights on till 10 pm giving voters a sensible alternative to the “turf town” crowd . Morgan, who served on the Ridgewood Education Foundation’s board for 15 years has a keen grasp of issues relating to schools and the simply fact that his candidacy has been met with such hostility from the likes of BOE regular Charles Reilly shows how effective one voice of descent can be. The Ridgewood blog fully endorses Jim Morgan for BOE.
>Curb Appeal: Building Value AND Pride of Ownership By Michael Fidanza
I spent almost all of yesterday taking advantage of the great weather and doing some new planting. It’s amazing what just a few new shrubs can do to change the look of your house. It was a great feeling to step back to the curb and take a look at the new landscaping; it was a beautiful, yet subtitle, change for the better.
During the past couple of weeks, I have toured some properties that are beautiful on the inside but a little tired on the outside. Maybe it’s the weather or avoiding the issue of changing the exterior – sometimes we let things go too long.
Unfortunately, the outside of your home is the first impression a guest sees. Without even a little bit of upkeep, visitors can be turned off before they even reach the door.
You may not even realize that your exterior needs sprucing up! Remember, in one year, we have been through a water shortage, a windstorm, a hurricane and a pre- Halloween snowstorm. The residual effects may have left you with a few things to It’s always a good time to make improvements to your home’s exterior; not just because you may want to sell your house but because it affects how you feel.
Pride of ownership translates into everything you do and creates a synergy that extends into the rest of the house.
These are just a few areas that do not require a lot of work but pay big dividends. Just by having a great lawn instead of a good lawn makes a huge difference.
When it comes time to sell, it’s not like you are in a scramble to get the outside done PLUS you get to enjoy your home more until that day comes.
Don’t let your home become that dull place you spend half you life at. A great looking exterior is the key to a homeowner’s happiness.
Michael is a licensed Realtor here Ridgewood. You may contact him at
>‘Buffett Rule’ Election year gimmick By Dana Milbank, Published: April 11
President Obama admits it: His proposed “Buffett Rule” tax on millionaires is a gimmick.
“There are others who are saying: ‘Well, this is just a gimmick. Just taxing millionaires and billionaires, just imposing the Buffett Rule, won’t do enough to close the deficit,’ ” Obama declared Wednesday. “Well, I agree.”
>America’s Debt Is Greater than Entire Eurozone’s (and U.K.’s) Combined Debt 11:12 AM, Apr 10, 2012 • By DANIEL HALPER
America’s debt is currently $15.1 trillion, while the Eurozone (which includes France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others) has a combined debt of $12.7 trillion. (All dollar amounts are in U.S. dollars, and the data refers to closing 2011 numbers.)
The Eurozone is larger than the United States, so America’s debt per capita also exceeds the Eurozone’s. According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. has a population of 313 million, whereas the Eurozone has a population in excess of 331 million.
>An incident in Ridgewood on the corner of Monte Vista and Heights
Last night, Mary was walking home from a friend’s house with two boys and another girl. She was supposed to get a ride from the other girl’s parents, but they decided to walk instead. On the corner of Monte Vista and Heights, a black four door car with jersey plates stopped and they asked for directions. While they were stopped, one of the boys (blonde, tall, 17-20 years old) got out and approached one of Mary’s friends. He asked where he was from and when he answered “Ridgewood,” the guy punched him and knocked him to the ground and started choking him. Somehow, he got away and they all ran to my house, then I called the police. The boy is fine, but they are all shaken up. One of the police officers said the exact same thing happened in Glen Rock the night before.
I’m writing to tell you all because you have middle schoolers, too. I hope you spread the word because obviously, the police don’t think it’s important to have information that there is a group of young men preying on innocent kids. Please spread the word and tell your kids not to talk to ANY stranger in a car.
Obviously, the list of people I’m sending this to is not comprehensive. We’re getting ready to leave on our trip, but I did think this was important enough to take a few minutes.
NJ Residential Foreclosure Transformation Act Affordable Housing Next Door
Join us 7 pm, Tuesday April 10th At the Larkin House 380 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff (1/4 mile North of Stop & Shop on the right) More Information: 201 891-5918 [email protected] www.westbergenteaparty.com Count Down to NOBAMA
>Americans brace for next foreclosure wave By Nick Carey GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio | Wed Apr 4, 2012 7:09pm EDT
(Reuters) – Half a decade into the deepest U.S. housing crisis since the 1930s, many Americans are hoping the crisis is finally nearing its end. House sales are picking up across most of the country, the plunge in prices is slowing and attempts by lenders to claim back properties from struggling borrowers dropped by more than a third in 2011, hitting a four-year low.
But a painful part two of the slump looks set to unfold: Many more U.S. homeowners face the prospect of losing their homes this year as banks pick up the pace of foreclosures.
“We are right back where we were two years ago. I would put money on 2012 being a bigger year for foreclosures than 2010,” said Mark Seifert, executive director of Empowering & Strengthening Ohio’s People (ESOP), a counseling group with 10 offices in Ohio.
>NFP Big Miss: 120K, Expectations 205K, Unemployment 8.2%, “Not In Labor Force” At New All Time High Tyler Durden on 04/06/2012 08:32 -0400
March NFP big miss at just 120K. Unemployment rate declines from 8.3% to 8.2%. Futures slide, for at least a few minutes before the NEW QE TM rumor starts spreading. The household survey actually posted a decline in March from 142,065 to 142,034. Considering Birth Death added 90K to the NSA number, the actual number was almost unchanged. And as always, as we predicted when Goldman hiked its NFP forecast yesterday from 175K to 200K saying “if Goldman’s recent predictive track record is any indication, tomorrow’s NFP will be a disaster”, Goldie once again skewers everyone. Finally, Joe LaVorgna’s +250,000 forecast was just 100% off… as usual.
The unemployment rate drops to 8.2% for one simple reason: the number of people not in the labor force is back to all time highs: 87,897,000.
Former Ridgewood High School principal Jack Lorenz gives BOE candidate Jim Morgan huge endorsement April 2,2012 the staff of the Ridgewood blog
(Ridgewood-NJ) In what can only be characterized by a lack of confidence in his former colloquies former Ridgewood High School principal Jack Lorenz has come out endorsing the anti-establishment BOE candidate Jim Morgan in the upcoming school board election.
Lorenz who was popular and well respected even by this blog which is frequently critical of the current school board . Lorenz left Ridgewood in what many consider unfortunate circumstances .His tenure at the Ridgewood high school was marked by a revitalization in educational priorities but after much friction with the BOE he called it quits .
Lorenz gave the Morgan campaign a huge boost by lending the endorsement of an educational insider to a campaign that up till now has attracted primarily the dissatisfied and growing “NO” to the budget vote in town. Morgan is seen by many as an outsider who has locked horns with the BOE in the past and while his positions on turf fields and field lighting are well known he is still a stranger to many on other school related issues.
Morgans push for more transparency in BOE affairs has been embraced by critics but viewed with disdain by cottage place and its supporters.Yet with the ever increasing “NO ” to the budget vote in town and the BOE’s support continuing to weaken Ridgewood voters may be more inclined than ever to ad outsider on the school board.
ADP report: Jobs increase, but ‘we aren’t stepping up to the next level’
Private-sector nonfarm employment grew by 209,000 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in March, according to the national employment report released today by Roseland-based Automatic Data Processing, which revised its February numbers upward to 230,000, from the initial report of 216,000.
The numbers were slightly above consensus expectations, but held no surprises, said Joel Prakken, chairman of Macroeconomic Advisers LLC, which co-authors the monthly report with ADP. (Tarbous, NJBIZ)
What they are doing: While school reform and funding issues roil New Jersey’s political scene, the state Board of Education’s agenda is a relatively light one today. One policy area up for vote is a change in the competency testing required for incoming elementary school teachers.
Teacher testing: The board will take up final adoption of a resolution to adjust what incoming elementary teachers need to know to pass the national Praxis exam. The exam is already required for new teachers, testing them on their knowledge and skills. But New Jersey will be participating in a new version that sets more rigorous requirements for passing all four different subject area tests: language arts, math, science and social studies. The board will set the state’s required passing scores on the exam. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
…The fly has learned that Paul Aronsohn supporters are fleeing in droves after last night’s pathetic display of arrogance. 
