Legislator calls for criminal investigation into Kean University’s $219K conference table
November 24, 2014, 10:13 AM Last updated: Monday, November 24, 2014, 10:22 AM
By PATRICIA ALEX
Staff Writer |
The Record
A state legislator on Monday asked for a criminal investigation into Kean University’s failure to get competitive bids for the purchase of a $219,000 conference table made in China.
Assemblyman Joseph Cryan, D-Union said he is drafting a letter to ask the Attorney General’s office to review Kean’s process in waiving the bidding for the table, which cost as much as ten times more than similar furniture purchased by other schools.
The Record reported today that Kean’s leaders had agreed to spend up to $270,000 for the 22-foot circular table that was installed in the rooftop conference space of the new Green Lane building at the taxpayer-supported school in Union Township.
Reader says If the Mayor and his Amigos invited everyone that they have be uncivil to they would have to rent out MetLife Stadium
Did the mayor personally invite Tom Riche, Bernie Walsh, Ken Gabbert, and John Ward to this feel good session?
The meeting sounds like it could be a good one. I would like to see former Council members return to commenters microphone and share their views on today’s happenings.
“And how about Tony Merlino, Steve Sanzari, Marcia Ringel…..surely he invited them since he has always been so civil toward them.”
If the Mayor and his Amigos invited everyone that they have be uncivil to they would have to rent out MetLife Stadium
Reader says Forget it Mr. Mayor. You have set the tone with your horrible group of three, you guys are nasty and vindictive, way WAY worse than anyone who speaks up at meetings.
This thing stinks on so many levels.
1. The mayor has absolutely no right to tell us how to speak, unless of course threats are made or profanity is used. Other than that, we as US citizens can say what we want at public meetings. 2. We are not in kindergarten. We do not need to be told how to behave. This is so embarrassing for him, actually for all of us, to have our government “leader” telling us to go play nice in the sandbox. 3. He himself does not behave in a civil manner at all times, and even though he winds up being apologetic he will do it again and again and again. Some of the many examples of his uncivil behavior are listed in earlier posts on this thread. 4. The Deputy Mayor is a million times worse than the Mayor. He absolutely cannot keep his hot temper in check and he makes snide comments on a regular basis. He is everything that a leader, a public figure, should NOT be. He really is so much lower than the Mayor. 5. Councilwoman Hauck is, likewise, quite capable of spitting venom and sarcasm from the dais and she does it often.
All in all, this meeting is a ridiculous folly. Paul must want to posture as a great peacemaker, a world diplomat. Forget it Mr. Mayor. You have set the tone with your horrible group of three, you guys are nasty and vindictive, way WAY worse than anyone who speaks up at meetings.
Reader says Mr. Aronsohn – you made your bed, now lie in it.
So let me get this perfectly straight, after Mayor Aronsohn and his 2 sidekicks have PUBLICLY:
1) Belittled Tom Riche, accusing him of an inappropriate business relationship with the Village 2) Accused former Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh of trying to get a parking ticket fixed 3) Conducted a scathing performance review of former Village Manager Kenneth Gabbert which led to his firing 4) Interrogated Police Chief John Ward insinuating that he violated a number of Village policies by hiring 2 new police officers. Then, after the Chief was cleared of any wrongdoing by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, refusing to offer an apology of any sort 5) Lashed out at numerous taxpayers during the public comment section of Council meetings (Marsha Ringle, Ellie Gruber, Anne Loving, Boyd Loving, Ron Verdicchio, William Corcoran, Frank Delvecchio, and more)
Now all of a sudden they’re asking for “Civility in our Public Discourse?”
Message to you Mr. Aronsohn – you made your bed, now lie in it.
Can social media do more to push Small Business Saturday?
NOVEMBER 24, 2014 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY JOÃO-PIERRE S. RUTH
SPECIAL TO THE RECORD |
THE RECORD
* Marketing push to harness the power of apps, social media
As North Jersey retailers gear up for Small Business Saturday this week, some groups hope to drum up extra foot traffic with the help of tweets and status updates on social media.
The Upper Main Alliance in Hackensack and the Englewood Chamber of Commerce are two of the many organizations that hope to draw customers on Saturday to local shops with a marketing push — which includes leveraging Facebook, Twitter and even Foursquare.
Small Business Saturday, now in its fourth year, is the brainchild of American Express to get more people to shop, ostensibly while using their credit cards, at local businesses across country. The idea is that small businesses will offer deals or discounts specifically for the day.
Albert Dib, executive director of the Upper Main Alliance, said some 166 retailers and restaurants in the city are members of the alliance, which is the core target of Small Business Saturday. Word will be spread, he said, across the different social media platforms about the deals being offered at shops in Hackensack for the day. The alliance is an advocate for the city’s business improvement district and works in conjunction with the city to address needs of the business community.
The Mayor will host a meeting on civility in our public discourse Monday, November 24 at 7:30pm in Village Hall, why cant we all just get along?
The Mayor Paul Aronsohn will host a meeting on civility in our public discourse on Monday, November 24, 7:30pm at Village Hall, and the Ridgewood blog asks, “why cant we all just get along?” all day Monday join the conversation !
Specifically, the Mayor would like to begin a community-wide conversation about ways in which we can elevate public discourse and improve the way in which people publicly treat each other … whether it be at a Council meeting … on a ball field … in an online discussion … or anywhere else.
the entire day will be sponsored by MrBeer
all fake IPs sent by the same sender inquiring minds want to know ? I am sure the Deputy Mayor and the Mayor can fill you in ……
Anonymous 192.110.164.130 Submitted on 2014/11/23 at 6:28 pm
Shame it wasn’t you that he pushed down the steps moron foytlin.
SNL Cold Open – Obama Shoves The Schoolhouse Rock Bill Down The Capital Steps 0View Post Select commentAnonymous 107.189.154.193 Submitted on 2014/11/23 at 3:53 pm
We actually could get along, if you foytlin weren’t such an ASSHOLE!
Why cant we all just get along ? 9View Post Select commentAnonymous 107.189.154.13 Submitted on 2014/11/23 at 10:02 am
Sorry, you were a dumb ass way before automation became popular foytlin.
Automation Makes Us Dumb 3View Post Select commentanonymous 107.189.154.13 Submitted on 2014/11/23 at 7:35 am
Hey foytlin, I wonder what stupid moronic stuff you will post today……moron.
30,000 missing emails from IRS’ Lerner recovered 0View Post Select commentanonymous 192.110.164.130 Submitted on 2014/11/22 at 5:07 pm
And one really, really dumb one running this blog!
Once devastated, wild turkey populations make big comeback 6View Post Select commentanonymous 104.161.12.125 Submitted on 2014/11/22 at 5:06 pm
Not as creepy as flaky foytlin #1
VILLAGE LEAF REMOVAL 7View Post Select commentanonymous 108.61.29.147 Submitted on 2014/11/22 at 8:32 am
Good morning moron foytlin, I just can’t wait to see what stupid shit you have to say today.
Ridgewood residents grow frustrated with planner’s housing testimony 6View Post Select commentanonymous 108.61.29.147 Submitted on 2014/11/21 at 3:34 pm
I think that the moron jimmy boy foytlin needs counseling and training in anger management.
Civility in our public discourse or Silencing Dissent 63View Post Select commentanonymous 108.61.29.147 Submitted on 2014/11/21 at 3:13 pm
I am confused is Foytlin the Village Idiot or the Village moron?
Gymboree on East Ridgewood Avenue now shuttered 12View Post Select commentanonymous 192.110.164.130 Submitted on 2014/11/21 at 10:30 am
Hey moron foytlin, did your wife divorce you because you couldn’t get it up or because she found out you were like Gov. McCreepy?
Reader says with 500-700 new units at a bare minimum, water and sewer will need upgrades 2View Post Select commentanonymous 107.189.154.13 Submitted on 2014/11/21 at 10:29 am
Hey moron foytlin, did your wife divorce you because you couldn’t get it up or because she found out you were like Gov. McCreepy?
Ridgewood plans to seek new CFO 4View Post Select commentanonymous 148.163.116.219 Submitted on 2014/11/21 at 10:29 am
Hey moron foytlin, did your wife divorce you because you couldn’t get it up or because she found out you were like Gov. McCreepy?
Civility in our public discourse or Silencing Dissent 63View Post Select commentanonymous 107.189.154.13 Submitted on 2014/11/21 at 10:28 am
Hey moron foytlin, did your wife divorce you because you couldn’t get it up or because she found out you were like Gov. McCreepy?
Reader says Previous Reports make it obvious that the densities being proposed in ridgewood are too dense. 3View Post Select commentAnonymous 67.159.5.242 Submitted on 2014/11/21 at 4:03 am
Good morning gay boy moron foytlin. How many cocks did you suck last night besides Tom Richies cock?
Reader asks an increase of 300-500 new residential units how might affect Village Services ,Schools ,Water ,Recreation and so on 5View Post Select commentanonymous 192.110.164.130 Submitted on 2014/11/20 at 8:22 pm
Hey moron foytlin, are you aware that everyone thinks you are the village ASSHOLE?
Toyota Highlander winds up on front lawn following Ridgewood crash 8View Post Select commentanonymous 192.110.164.130 Submitted on 2014/11/20 at 3:45 pm
Hey gay boy foytlin, I am just wondering, what color and shade of lipstick do you wear when your giving your asshole buddy tom a blow job?
Toyota Highlander winds up on front lawn following Ridgewood crash 8View Post Select commentanonymous 192.110.164.130 Submitted on 2014/11/20 at 3:44 pm
Hey gay boy foytlin, what color and shade of lipstick do you wear when your giving your asshole buddy tom a blow job?
Reader says Mr. Aronsohn’s, Mr. Pucciarelli’s and Mrs. Hauck’s continue to behave as though “rules are for others”. 21View Post Select commentAnonymous 67.159.5.242 Submitted on 2014/11/20 at 1:34 pm
Moron James foytlin was the one who did a mc creepy on his wife that’s why she divorced him. Foytlin is as queer as a three dollar bill!
Reader says When the developers financial interests matter more than the increased burden on residents they are no longer representing our best interests 14View Post Select commentanonymous 192.110.164.130 Submitted on 2014/11/20 at 9:54 am
Hey moron foytlin, for once I agree with you. Now that’s a first.
Tree Lighting Celebration 11View Post Select commentanonymous 148.163.116.203 Submitted on 2014/11/20 at 9:11 am
#4 your not a woman you are a transvestite jimmy boy.
Reader says When the developers financial interests matter more than the increased burden on residents they are no longer representing our best interests 14View Post
Downtown Ridgewood for the Holidays
Sat, December 06, 2014
Time: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood NJ
Santa is in Ridgewood-bring your list!
8:00am-10am Breakfast with Santa-The Office Beer Bar & Grill
10:00am Santa arrives at Columbia Bank* in his Fire Truck
10:30am FREE Movie at Bowtie Warner Theatre “Nightmare Before Christmas”
2:00-4:00pm Visit Santa at his house – Memorial Park @ Van Neste Square
Kilwins serving Hot Chocolate
For more details, please call us at 201-445-2600 or email [email protected] www.experienceridgewood.com
TOMORROW (Saturday, November 22nd) NEWT & CALISTA GINGRICH at Bookends Ridgewood
NEWT & CALISTA GINGRICH will discuss and sign there new books: BREAKOUT and FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA at 1:00pm…
Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings. Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable. While we try to insure that all customers coming to Bookends’ signings will meet authors and get their books signed, we cannot guarantee that all attendees will meet the author or that all books will be signed. We cannot control inclement weather, author travel schedules or authors who leave prematurely. Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 201-445-0726
Scott with Old Tappan resident Soyoung Park, the winner of the 2014 Congressional Art Competition
Rep Scott Garrett Statement on Obama’s Unconstitutional Amnesty
Nov 20, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), founder and Chairman of the Congressional Constitution Caucus, issued the following statement after President Obama announced that he would violate his oath to uphold the Constitution and grant approximately 5 million illegal immigrants work permits:
“After repeated admissions that the Constitution precludes him from granting amnesty, President Obama has chosen to cast aside his oath to uphold the supreme law of the land and is going to grant amnesty anyway. The president’s frustration with Congress, as the Washington Post’s editorial board noted, ‘doesn’t grant the president license to tear up the Constitution.’ No provision of the Constitution grants the president the power to change the law simply because the president disagrees with Congress. This sets a fatal precedent – is there no longer any limit to a president’s power?
“Today, President Obama has also turned his back on American workers and law-abiding immigrants. At a time when American workers are desperate for jobs, the president has decided to unfairly reward those who have blatantly broken the law with blanket amnesty and work permits, allowing them to directly compete with American workers for jobs that are hard to find already. I am committed to undoing the damage this unconstitutional action will have on our republic.”
BACKGROUND: As the New York Times’ Michael Shear pointed out, President Obama has already explained why he cannot do this:
In a Telemundo interview in September 2013, Mr. Obama said he was proud of having protected the “Dreamers” — people who came to the United States illegally as young children — from deportation. But he also said that he could not apply that same action to other groups of people.
“If we start broadening that, then essentially I’ll be ignoring the law in a way that I think would be very difficult to defend legally,” Mr. Obama told Jose Diaz-Balart in the interview. “So that’s not an option.”
During a news conference in Australia, he said that his earlier answers about the limits of his executive authority were prompted by people who asked him whether he could enact, by fiat, a bipartisan immigration bill that had passed the Senate, which would have provided a path to legalization for more of the 11 million unauthorized immigrants here.
“Getting a comprehensive deal of the sort that is in the Senate legislation, for example, does extend beyond my legal authorities,” Mr. Obama said Sunday. “There are certain things I cannot do.”
The president was pressed on that very issue during a Google Hangout in February 2013. An activist asked whether he could do more to keep families from being “broken apart” while Congress remained gridlocked on immigration legislation.
“This is something that I have struggled with throughout my presidency,” Mr. Obama said. “The problem is, is that I’m the president of the United States, I’m not the emperor of the United States. My job is to execute laws that are passed.”
Reader says with 500-700 new units at a bare minimum, water and sewer services will need upgrades
At a bare minimum, water and sewer services in NJ will need upgrades. We have water restrictions every summer, so hard to imagine that problem goes away. There have been many articles in past year on need to upgrade sewers.
As noted, traffic will be a nightmare, particularly at the Broad st intersection (now proudly sporting a nice bike lane) despite the experts believing these people will walk everywhere they go.
Schools will have to be re-districted at minimum for elementary, and maybe middle school. I don’t know how close to capacity the HS is, but I suspect it’s close.
I think the “experts” projected some ridiculously small number of students, but I think we all know better.
The council needs to balance the costs of all of these upgrades with the benefit of the tax revenues the projects would generate. To a certain extent, it is likely an all or nothing proposition, as if they reject 1 and allow another, we’ll be in court fighting that, too.
Readers says the council can issue a non-binding referendum to get a sense of whether residents like the Idea or Not
Reader also suggests the Village Planner should other opportunities of employment
The council can issue a non-binding referendum to get a sense of whether residents like the idea or not (this is what Upper Saddle River just did, when it was voted down 11-1).
There is also a way for residents to petition for a referendum vote of the ordinance that made this whole process possible, 3066.
What I would love to know is a way to petition to get Blais fired. He was almost incoherent last night, answering few questions, and admitting that no independent studies were done (all studies on impact were paid for by builders). We have no sense of the financial burden to the town nor is it relevant in his opinion. Traffic, number of new school children are also not a problem…well, because the builders say so.
That snippet of an article does not represent at all just how clueless Brancheau sounded. We have no concrete numbers on anything basically: the number of units, number of new schoolchildren, costs to village, new traffic/accidents, burden on facilities, etc. All figures to date have been derived from the builder’s research and there have been 0 independent studies. If there is ever a transcript available it should be required reading before deciding what is or is not a fair minded report.
About Brancheau and his research abilities: You all need to remember back during the first round of the Valley expansion when, after many hearings, it was suddenly revealed that the project was hundreds of thousands of feet larger than they had been discussing — Brancheau had failed to count the basement floors!
Brancheau said it was difficult to predict the future, but that his numbers suggested that for every five units built, there would be one additional child signing up for instruction.
“There will be some impact,” Brancheau explained. “The schools are at capacity now
Study: Kids Don’t Eat Much of Healthy School Lunches Kate Scanlon / @scanlon_kate / November 17, 2014
Healthier lunches have become available in schools across the nation.
But students aren’t eating them.
According to a new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study, “Nearly 6 in 10 [students] put a vegetable on their tray, but only a quarter actually eat even a single bite.
The researchers observed the eating habits of 274 children in 10 New York City public schools. The students were in kindergarten through second grade.
According to the press release, researchers “watched to see whether each of the six-through-eight-year-olds chose a fruit, vegetable, whole grain, low-fat milk and/or a lean protein, taking before and after photos of the trays.” They discovered:
While 75 percent of the kids chose the lean protein (the entrée), only 58 percent chose a fruit and 59 percent chose a vegetable. And among those who put the various types of food on their trays, only 75 percent took even a single bite of the protein, while only 24 percent ate a bite of their vegetables.
Researchers also noted that there are several factors that influenced how much food the students ate, such as the presence or absence of their teacher, the noise level in the cafeteria, the length of the lunch period and even the size the pieces of food had been cut into.
“We have been thinking that if young children choose healthy food, they will eat it,” said Susan Gross, a research associate at Johns Hopkins. “But our research shows that is not necessarily so.”
According to Daren Bakst, a research fellow in agricultural policy at The Heritage Foundation:
This study simply supports what school nutrition officials have been saying. There’s major food waste. It’s difficult to conclude that a law called the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act is a success when the kids are hungry—you can’t be healthy if you are hungry all the time. Getting the kids to eat should first and foremost be the primary concern.
However, the entire debate surrounding the new school nutrition standards often misses a fundamental question. Do we need federal bureaucrats and Michelle Obama to dictate how kids should eat through this program, or should parents, possibly along with local governments, make decisions regarding nutrition? Specifically, it is a question of whether we respect federal bureaucrats and their one-size-fits-all approach more than parents who know the best interests of their children.
Memoire has just added a prix fixe menu on Friday, Saturday .Memoire is a BYOB , located on Chestnut street thats has a sophisticated ambience ,with excellent service , but as they say the draw is most definitely the food.
Memoire is now offering its two-course, $28 prix fixe menu every Friday and Saturday between 5 and 6 p.m. It is also available between 5:30 and 9 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday.
The Perfect Storm – Battling the Prescription Drug and Heroin Epidemic
Presented by Ridgewood Public Schools
State of New Jersey Drug Initiative Coordinator Douglas Collier will address district parents and guardians next week on the growing problem of prescription drug abuse and heroin addiction among school-age children. The program, “The Perfect Storm: Battling the Prescription Drug and Heroin Epidemic,” will be presented on Tuesday, November 18 at Benjamin Franklin Middle School auditorium, 335 N. Van Dien Avenue, Ridgewood, from 7-9 p.m.
The program, which will include practical prevention strategies and resources, is free and open to the adult public. Mr. Collier works in the state’s Office of the Attorney General, Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice. He retired as a Special Agent in the Drug Enforcement Administration, Mr. Collier’s presentation is part of the 2014-2015 Curriculum Outreach Program for parents and guardians, developed by the Department of Curriculum,
Instruction and Assessment. The series consists of individual evening presentations throughout the school year, focusing on current topics in education. For more information, please contact the office of Cheryl Best, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment at 201-670-2700, ext. 10532 or [email protected].
Reader says How about we get someone other than a builder, developer or spokesperson for the developer to write letters
How about we get someone other than a builder, developer or spokesperson for the developer to write letters. Then I might take you half seriously.
Would the author of this piece be the same Louis J Reynolds that owns LJ Reynolds construction in Ridgewood? The website mentions they are multi family property pros. If so, no conflict of interest here folks, move along, nothing to see.
https://ljreynolds.com/
WOW! You really can’t make this stuff up. Damn Hudson County contractor (specializing in multi-family conversions) newbie living in the Heights. Those of us who have been around a while and have put kids through RHS can tell you, with certainty, that many families move into rental units in Ridgewood for a limited duration just to have their kids go through RHS. My kids friends live in a one bedroom with two parents and a sibling. How? Two kids kids share the bedroom and mom/dad sleep on the pull-out couch, that’s how. And then they move on after 4 years or so.
Mr Reynolds, why did you move to Ridgewood instead of Hoboken? Did you like our low density feel, our good schools, etc? I didn’t move here for the urban vibe.
