the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, USDA is aware that people across the country have received suspicious, unsolicited packages of seed that appear to be coming from China. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection, other federal agencies, and State departments of agriculture to investigate the situation.
photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Director of Special Programs. Dr. Michelle Fenwick presented an overview of 28-21 STEPSS: School Transition and Employment Program for Student Success. This program is an in-district transition to adulthood program for students ages 18-21, who have met state graduation requirements but continue to need more time and skill development before entering independent or interdependent adulthood. Dr. Fenwick explained that this program has been in the works since before the 2017 Special Education Review when this was identified as an area for growth for the Special Programs Office. The development of the program has included tours of other transitional programs, professional development on transition, meetings with other transition coordinators who were already engaged in 18-21 year-old programs, focus groups, surveys, and tours of potential sites. The philosophy of STEPSS that is shared with Ridgewood Public Schools and the Department of Special Programs is to provide specialized instruction and support services for meaningful readiness for employment and independence. Dr. Fenwick explained that the STEPSS team includes members of the IEP team that have worked with a student from the age of 14. The daily schedule of the program will consist of an instructional component and a community-based component. The benefits of the STEPSS Program include continuity of learning from our in-district special education programs, training and practice within our community, and cost-effectiveness of offering our own program as opposed to sending students to out-of-district programs. Recent events suggest Dr. Fenwick has his work cut out for him .
Click here to view the PDF of the presentation.
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the death of unarmed black man George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer was a flash-point for US race relations, setting off massive protests that spread around the world, including Ridgewood .
The demonstrations endorsed the simple messages that “black lives matter”, that the blood of minorities is not cheap and the injustices they face, past and present, must be addressed much more vigorously.
Continue reading Black Lives Matter Promotion of Antisemitism Unsettles Ridgewood Residents
photo by Boyd Loving
“We live among-st idiots in this town. Why are people so stupid to publicly criticize the police on social media?? Don’t they realize that the police are reading their comments and remembering their names. Remember, the police have the means to find out everything about you. Where you live. What you drive. I have many friends who are cops. The one thing they remember are those who complain or even press charges against them. Some have gone so far as pulling over the complainers and giving them tickets for crossing the center line in the street or even tires touching the parking lines. A few have even waited outside a bar or restaurant to pull he/she over for DUI. Is it worth all the money you will spend, and your reputation for defending a kid who obviously has no respect for authority. The police are a tight brotherhood that stick together. These are the men and women we call when something goes wrong. Why would you jeopardize your safety and well being by complaining about something that you weren’t even involved in. Mind your business. It’s that simple. I commend the Ridgewood police department for keeping our streets safe. For the agitators out there remember, “revenge is a dish served cold.”
photo by Boyd Loving
“Ridgewood is a nice bubble for a BLM protest. They got their arrest and a “cause” to harp on. Now they wait with cell phones to “document “ bad behavior. They are all over the cyclist arrest because it was just toddlers on bikes.
Some local political activists have invested a lot of their credibility in the Ridgewood Black Liberation Movement. Contacting the press and seeking attention. It is Slacktivism at its best. Demonstrate in a nice park after latte at a local coffee company. Stay in your $1m plus home and pretend to be saving the world. Decry White Privilege while being the very embodiment.”
photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Glen Rock NJ, on Sunday July 26 at 3:54 p.m. the Glen Rock Police reported that multiple reports were received concerning a group of 25 to 30 juveniles riding bicycles in a reckless manner along Lincoln Avenue on both the street and sidewalks intentionally blocking traffic and creating dangerous conditions for vehicles and pedestrians, as well as themselves. A Special Officer on patrol in the area was able to locate the group on Doremus Avenue, however, the cyclists refused to yield for the Special Officer who requested a supervisor to respond. As a Patrol Sergeant and regular Police Officer arrived the group continued on Doremus to Ackerman Avenue and then onto Broad Street into Ridgewood as they continued to ignore officers’ instructions to move to the side of the roadway. The matter was turned over to the Ridgewood Police Department as they entered their jurisdiction.
“You Can’t ask for money for a problem you created murphy. Shouldn’t have kept small businesses closed for so long. You destroyed lives to save lives. Now alot of us will have to move because even with any federal aid you will raise taxes. You put all your hopes into federal money and on top of that the people you keep asking for money you paint them as villains. Money doesn’t grow on trees; we are already heading towards hyperinflation. You’ve already proven you can’t manage a state budget. You spend money like water and refuse to make the necessary cuts needed to balance the budget. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. From the republican side we blame your leaders for their decisions for their irresponsible spending. You can scream, cry, threaten, complain but at the end of the day you’ll be held accountable for NJ’s suffering. Obviously democratic leadership has created more poverty like it does in every democratic run state. Learn how to manage your funds and stop playing victim. You shut down NJ and then locked up, fined, & threatened to revoke license to any small business that tried to reopen to survive this pandemic. Those were your executive orders nobody else’s. You will be held accountable. NJ needs new leadership, republican leadership but since that wont ever happen NJs economy will never get better because all democrats do is spend & raise taxes. Someone take Murphy’s checkbook away already.”
photo by Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, this is not the first time Ridgewood has had issues with “ride outs’ in September 2019 a group of cyclists was allegedly on its way to disrupt motor vehicle and pedestrian traffic near a Starbucks restaurant in Ridgewood. when an adult female pedestrian was struck and injured in Glen Rock.
Continue reading In 2019 a “Ride Out” Struck a Pedestrian in Glen Rock
…the fly suspects a set up of Ridgewood Police with tackled cyclist , elements in Ridgewood’s High School community, fringe groups and certain out of favor out of power local factions are attempting to get to the mayor by bashing Ridgewood Police and attacking the mayors sons who are on the force . The Ridgewood Police continue to be concerned that these protests may result in dangerous consequences
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, In New Jersey, anyone under 17 years of age that rides a bicycle or is a passenger on a bicycle, or is towed as a passenger by a bicycle must wear a safety helmet. … All helmets must be properly fastened and fitted.
Looks like many young people not wearing helmets , the Ridgewood Police should ticket every single child and every parent for encouraging law breaking.
Continue reading NJ Helmet Law Requires Tickets to Ridgewood Bicycle Flash Mob
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Due to the Governor’s Executive Order 104 citing the CDC’s recommendation for cancellation or postponement of gatherings of fifty or more people, the Regular meeting will be held utilizing videoconferencing.
“Taking such a man into your home is both dangerous and possibly hazardous. Some, who are merely down on their luck, can be helped but the untrained should never take in anyone with a true mental condition. This man obviously has a mental problem. The Police can keep taking him to Bergen Pines, but he can’t be kept there unless he agrees to treatment. One of the “Defund the Police” suggestions is to keep a specially trained social worker on staff who can be called to go with a police officer to try to defuse this situation. Most officers, however, have been trained to deal with this themselves and, in Ridgewood at least, that would probably be a duplication of services.”
photos courtesy of Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police took one (1) individual into custody on Sunday afternoon, 07/26, in connection with an incident involving a “flash mob” group of bicyclists making their way through the Village’s central business district. The bicyclists were initially observed disrupting traffic on Lincoln Avenue in Hawthorne. They then made their way through a residential neighborhood of Glen Rock before heading into Ridgewood on South Broad Street. No police officers were injured in the incident. The remaining cyclists scattered after the arrest was made. A police supervisor reported that the individual taken into custody was likely a minor. He was transported to Ridgewood Police headquarters for processing. Police at the scene did not reveal what charges would be pressed. Dozens of civilians witnessed the the incident unfold and the subsequent arrest.
Continue reading Ridgewood Police Break Up “Flash Mob” Disrupting Traffic
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, in the latest E-Notice from the Village Manager Heather Mailander said that a small number of young people in Ridgewood recently tested positive for COVID-19. The close contacts of these individuals will be notified to allow for self-quarantine and symptom monitoring for fourteen days.
Continue reading A Small Number of Young People in Ridgewood Suddenly Test Positive for COVID-19
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, according to Rasmussen Reports opposition is growing to efforts by the political left to defund the police, with most Americans convinced that such a move will lead to more violent crime.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 66% of American Adults now oppose reducing the police budget in the community where they live to channel that money into more social services. That’s up from 59% in early June when we first asked this question. Just 23% favor defunding the cops where they live, down from 27% in the previous survey. Eleven percent (11%) are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
Continue reading Most Americans say “Defunding Police”will Result in More Violent Crime
