Tag: Ridgewood NJ

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Historians put Ridgewood’s past in the spotlight

(new) Old Paramus Church

Historians put Ridgewood’s past in the spotlight

OCTOBER 23, 2014    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014, 3:12 PM
BY LAURA HERZOG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Green open spaces, cows in the pasture, tiny wood fences, barns, mills, dirt roads, oat fields…

This scene might not necessarily scream “Ridgewood.”

Yet, it was Ridgewood in the mid-1800s.

Antique photographs, newspaper excerpts, agricultural output, internal squabbles – and even drunken tavern debauchery – were all featured in “The Birth of Ridgewood, 1865-1876: From Post Office to Township,” a presentation that has now been given twice at the Ridgewood Public Library by local historians (and married couple) Joe Suplicki and Peggy Norris.

Suplicki grew up in Ridgewood, and Norris is a 21-year reference librarian at Ridgewood Library.

The presentation – given for the second time during an afternoon last month to about 30 people – was a product of about 17 years of work, according to Norris. The first presentation in February attracted 150 attendees.

To put the presentation together, Elmwood Park residents Norris and Suplicki dated old photographs (that may have been taken by farmer Alfred Demarest Terhune) back to the 1865-1876 time period by finding the landmarks present, and not present, in each photo.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/historians-put-past-in-spotlight-1.1116763#sthash.p9EYWfrk.dpuf

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Bergen, Ridgewood target parking

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Bergen, Ridgewood target parking

OCTOBER 25, 2014    LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER | 
THE RECORD

RIDGEWOOD — The county and village could soon be partnering to address parking problems in an attempt to attract more shoppers to the downtown and ease the crunch for residents.

The Bergen County freeholders unanimously voted on a resolution earlier this week authorizing the transfer of nearly $180,000 from the county planning department’s budget to the Bergen County Improvement Authority.

Ridgewood officials have been meeting with representatives from the BCIA over the past year to discuss a partnership for a multistory parking garage, which would likely be built downtown on Hudson Street.

“I am grateful to Chairman David Ganz and the entire Freeholder Board for their leadership and partnership,” said Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn.

“Working together with BCIA Executive Director Rob Garrison and his board, I am increasingly confident that we can make a Ridgewood parking deck a reality,” Aronsohn added.

The BCIA will meet next on Nov. 6 to consider funding a study of the parking situation throughout the village, while making suggestions for improving it.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen-village-target-parking-1.1117894#sthash.pWm99iBB.dpuf

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Driver plows straight through Ridgewood garage and keeps going

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Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Driver plows straight through Ridgewood garage and keeps going
October 24,2014
Boyd A. Loving
5:29 PM

Ridgewood NJ, A Walthery Avenue, Ridgewood resident drove her Lexus sedan into her driveway, through a closed door of a detached garage, out the back wall of the garage, into a neighbor’s back yard, into another neighbor’s chain link fence, then turned around in a back yard, drove down a driveway, onto a street, turned around a corner, and then back into her own driveway where she parked.  Ridgewood PD, EMS, FD, and code inspection all responded  to the driver’s 911 telephone call reporting the accident.  There were no witnesses to the event.  The driver was uninjured.  The vehicle sustained moderate to heavy front end and undercarriage damage.  The code inspector deemed the garage structurally sound, despite the heavily damaged back wall.  An investigation as to the crash’s cause remains under investigation by Ridgewood PD.

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Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving

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Ridgewood residents seek support for restorations at Kings Pond

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Ridgewood residents seek support for restorations at Kings Pond

OCTOBER 24, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014, 12:31 AM
BY JODI WEINBERGER
STAFF WRITER | 
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

George Shabet brought a dead 3-foot carp to a council meeting in 1976 to prove a point: Kings Pond needed to be cleaned up.

Thirty-eight years later, he’s again trying to hook the council to take action on the pond, though this time with a more chummy approach.

He went before the governing body on Oct. 8 with only a sheet of paper containing his talking points, asking the council to consider appropriating money in the 2015 budget for dredging and dam repair.

At 334 Lakeview Drive, Kings Pond is virtually an extension of the Shabet’s front yard. They raised six children and now entertain 16 grandchildren and one great-grandchild by the water’s edge, canoeing and fishing in the summer and ice skating in the winter.

The pond, located between Lakeview Drive and Mountain Avenue, is home to more than 40 species of birds and other wildlife. Although at one point the depth was about 3 feet, Shabet said the legs of the herons that come to feed stick up out of the water, meaning in some spots the pond is only a few inches deep.

The pond is also adjacent to the village’s leaf composting facility, where trucks drive in and out consistently throughout the day.

On Tuesday, Councilman Michael Sedon and Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck visited the Shabets with optimism that the pond’s shoreline could be cleaned up. Upon seeing it, they realized the job would require more effort and more funds.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/residents-seeking-support-for-restorations-at-kings-pond-1.1116983#sthash.KmJw3Uge.dpuf

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Rep. Scott Garrett calls new Hudson River train tunnel vital

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Rep. Scott Garrett calls new Hudson River train tunnel vital

OCTOBER 23, 2014, 11:35 PM    LAST UPDATED: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2014, 11:42 PM
BY HERB JACKSON
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT | 
THE RECORD

Rep. Scott Garrett said Thursday that a new train tunnel should be built under the Hudson River “sooner rather than later” because the potential closing of one or both of the existing tunnels owned by Amtrak “would be a nightmare.”

But Garrett, in a meeting with the editorial board of The Record, said leaders in New Jersey and New York should reach an agreement first on what share of the cost they would bear if they want Washington to become involved.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/rep-scott-garrett-calls-new-hudson-river-train-tunnel-vital-1.1116958#sthash.KITPPupd.dpuf

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What constitutes “repeat parking” and why is it banned?

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What constitutes “repeat parking” and why is it banned?
October 24,2014
Boyd A. Loving
9:31 PM (6 hours ago)

“Repeat parking” is the act of feeding a parking meter beyond the maximum permissible time posted for parking at a specific location.  Example:  if the posted time limit for parking at meters on East Ridgewood Avenue is 3 hours between 9AM and 5PM, it is unlawful to leave your vehicle in place at any meter there for longer than 3 hours during the noted time period, even if you’ve put additional money in the meter.

Why is “repeat parking” banned?  “Repeat parking” is banned to facilitate turnover in parking spaces.  Retail merchants in particular believe that people are more likely to patronize stores when parking spaces are readily available nearby.  If there were little to no turnover in parking places, merchants believe patrons would become frustrated and spend their money in communities other than Ridgewood.

This is how “repeat parking” is described on the Village’s official PARKING GUIDE:

REPEAT PARKING/FEEDING METER
Is not permitted. Once the maximum time on the 
meter is passed, the vehicle must be moved not 
only out of that spot, but out of that lot or to a 
new street.

https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/20131127PM.pdf

YOUR OPINION WANTED:  Does it make sense to permit the movement of a vehicle to another lot, or to another street, once it has been parked for the maximum permissible time, or does this defeat the main objective of creating turnover so that parking spots are readily available?  Please weigh in below.

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No “Golden Toilets ” for Habernickel

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No “Golden Toilets ” for Habernickel

Habernickel horse barn renovation scrapped for now – prefab building maybe
October 22,2014
Boyd A. Loving
12:45 AM 

Ridgewood NJ, Based on the recommendation of Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Council members have seemingly nixed plans to undertake an expensive renovation of the Irene Habernickel Family Park’s horse barn.  The renovation project was being considered to satisfy a need for permanent restrooms and shelter from inclement weather at the expansive park located on Hillcrest Road.

Sonenfeld suggested that a prefabricated restroom may be a less expensive alternative, with preliminary estimates in the $60K – $90K price range.  A $60K grant may help offset costs.

Many of you may remember that the restroom project at Vets Field wound up costing taxpayers almost $400K, and those commodes were constructed in an existing building.

Pay close attention to this one folks . . .

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How Asset Forfeiture Allows Cops to Steal from Citizens

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How Asset Forfeiture Allows Cops to Steal from Citizens
A Virginia lawmaker takes on policing for profit.
A. Barton Hinkle | October 22, 2014

In September Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Chairman of the Congressional Constitution Caucus, and Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), Co-Chairman of the bipartisan Crime Prevention and Youth Development Caucus, today introduced H.R. 5502, the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration (FAIR) Act, to protect Americans from having their property seized without the due process of law.  The FAIR Act makes a number of changes to civil asset forfeiture laws to restore the constitutional protections guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment.

The FAIR Act would ensure that Americans are innocent until proven guilty by requiring the government to meet a higher legal standard before seizing an individual’s property.  This legislation would raise the standard to seize assets from a preponderance of evidence to a higher standard of clear and convincing evidence.  In addition, the FAIR Act would eliminate the practice of equitable sharing and eliminate all profit incentives by requiring that all funds seized by the federal government go into the general treasury fund.

It probably seemed like a bright idea at the time: Let the police seize the ill-gotten gains of alleged drug dealers and other suspected criminals and sell it, using the proceeds to buy much-needed crime-fighting gear.

Unfortunately, the process—civil asset forfeiture—did not require convicting anybody of a crime. In fact, it didn’t even require charging anybody with a crime. Not surprisingly, this led to rampant abuse, which has been abundantly documented for many years. Various reform efforts, including a 2000 federal law, have been unable to stop what’s become known as policing for profit.

But Virginia lawmaker Mark Cole is going to give it another shot. That’s as good a sign as any that civil asset forfeiture has jumped the shark.

You can’t get much more conservative than Cole, a Republican who represents Spotsylvania in the General Assembly, without falling off the edge of the political spectrum. Cole supports “traditional family values” — so much so that he voted against appointing a Richmond prosecutor and former Navy pilot to a judgeship because he was gay. Cole has sponsored legislation to deny government benefits to illegal immigrants. And to strip state funding for abortions even in cases where the fetus has “gross and totally incapacitating physical deformity or mental deficiency.” And to rewrite a state prohibition against guns in schools so private schools could set their own rules. Four years ago, he sponsored a bill to protect people from having microchips implanted in their bodies, in part because such microchips might be used as the “mark of the beast” described in Revelations.

On his website, Cole boasts of supporting law enforcement. “Public safety and emergency services are Mark Cole’s top priorities,” reads a quote from Stafford County Sheriff Charlie Jett. “He helped ensure that funding was available for pay raises for deputies and state troopers. He has been a strong voice for us in Richmond.”

But policing for profit has gone too far, even for Cole. In anticipation of the 2015 legislative session, he already has filed a bill (HB 1287) that would forbid asset forfeiture without a conviction—and even then only after all appeals have been exhausted.

https://reason.com/archives/2014/10/22/how-asset-forfeiture-allows-cops-to-stea

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Overnight Milling Project at Garber Square in Ridgewood

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photos by Boyd Loving

Overnight Milling Project at Garber Square 
October 21,2104
Boyd A. Loving

Ridgewood NJ, Garber Square, Ridgewood was closed in both directions (eastbound and westbound) to all vehicular traffic from 2000 hours on Monday, 10/20/2014, through 0600 hours on Tuesday, 10/21/2014 to allow for milling of the road surface in preparation for paving.  This work was performed in connection with a major streetscape project approved by the Ridgewood Village Council.  In addition to paving, the project will include the addition of bike lanes in both directions, the reduction of traffic lanes from two lanes to one lane, and a median island.

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photos by Boyd Loving

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Ribbon cut for new cigar lounge in Ridgewood

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Ribbon cut for new cigar lounge in Ridgewood

OCTOBER 17, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014, 12:31 AM
BY BETSY MURPHY
CORRESPONDENT |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Barbara and Gary Kolesaire, owners of The Tobacco Shop, held a grand opening of their brand new Davidoff Smoking Lounge last week.

It was an elegant affair, featuring a red carpet for those entering the Chestnut Street establishment. On the ground floor, people were sharing wine and conversation, nibbling from an array of hors d’oeuvres; others settled in on balcony chairs, cigars in hand.

The Kolesaire’s sons were greeting arrivals.

Scott Kolesaire, 29, spent three years in the family business and is now with Davidoff’s AVO division in Florida. AVO, he tells listeners, “is named after the man, a jazz musician, who wrote ‘Strangers in the Night’ for Frank Sinatra.”

Tim, 26, is in finance, but assures listeners he remains a cigar enthusiast.

“Because I smoked a pipe,” Gary says, recalling how he got into the business. “I graduated from college and started to go to the Wooden Indian on Ridgewood Avenue. I’m a people person. It was something I loved.”

He beams and says, “Here we are, 35 years and still expanding.”

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/ribbon-cut-for-new-cigar-lounge-1.1111319#sthash.vVRWu3YE.dpuf

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Minivan and pickup collide in Ridgewood

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Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving
Minivan and pickup collide in Ridgewood
October 15, 2014
Boyd A. Loving
6:03 PM

Ridgewood NJ, A Ford pickup truck collided with a Chrysler Town & Country minivan at the corner of Robinson Lane and Oak Street, Ridgewood at approximately 2:15 PM on Wednesday, 10/15.  The minivan driver sustained a minor injury, but refused medical aid.  The pickup truck driver was uninjured.  A flatbed tow truck removed the minivan from the scene.  The pickup truck drove off on its own power; damage to it was limited to a dented front bumper.  The pickup truck driver told police that the minivan had run a stop sign.  Police at the scene did not say if any summonses had been issued in connection with the crash.  Ridgewood PD, EMS, and FD responded.

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Photo credit: Boyd A. Loving

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6th Annual “Access Ridgewood” Disability Awareness Program

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6th Annual “Access Ridgewood” Disability Awareness Program

6th Annual Access For All Weekend – October 17 – 19

Ridgewood CAN !!!

Ridgewood Community Access Network

Three-Day Program to Feature Education, Entertainment, Religious Services

The Ridgewood Community Access Network (CAN) will be hosting the 6th annual “Access Ridgewood” disability awareness program October 17-19.

“The purpose of this three-day program will be to promote a better understanding and appreciation of the special needs and special gifts of people with disabilities,” explained Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn. “In so doing, it will provide a great opportunity for our entire community to come together to learn, to share and to embrace an issue — disability — that affects every person and every family … either directly or indirectly.”

Among our special guests for the weekend will be U.S. Senator Cory Booker, Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan and Bergen County Director of Disability Services James Thebery.

“I look forward to joining Mayor Aronsohn at this year’s ‘Access Ridgewood’ disability awareness program,” said Senator Booker. “This annual event is made possible by the generosity of so many, and it is a wonderful showing of how communities can come together to raise awareness and appreciation for people with disabilities.”

Below is the program for the weekend:

Friday, October 17

– Schools Program: All of our public schools will address the topic of disability through film, discussion or other means. The format for each school will vary, but most programming is expected to take place in the morning.

– Seniors Program: Seniors will be invited to a special program entitled, “When Clutter Becomes a Problem.” This event will take place in Village Hall at 10:00am.

– Family Party: Young children and their parents will be invited to a fun party at which they can create a mask with special art instructor Marcia Matthews, listen to music by Marlene Pillow and eat lots of fun food. This event will take place in the Library auditorium at 5:00pm.

– Teen Dance Party: Students – middle school and older – will be invited to a “Twilight” dance party with DJ and refreshments. This event will take place in Village Hall at 7:30pm.

Saturday, October 18

– Community Fair: The entire community will be invited to enjoy performances and a fashion show including children of different abilities. Local organizations will also be on hand to share information about programs and services. Food and refreshments will be served. This event will take place in the Village Hall courtyard and Library auditorium from 12:00pm to 3:00pm.

At 1:00pm, Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan will kick-off the performances in the library, and Bergen County Disability Services Director James Thebery will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

At 1:40pm, U.S. Senator Cory Booker will kick-off the fashion show in the library, and NJTV’s Marie DeNoia Aronsohn will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

Sunday, October 19

– Interfaith Service: The entire community will be invited to an interfaith service at the First Reformed Church in Ridgewood. Led by Pastor Judy Broeker, the service will include clergy from various local houses of worship. This event will take place at 303 Prospect Street at 7:00pm.

Throughout the weekend, some of the other houses of worship will include a discussion of disability issues in their respective services.

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Ward’s Pumpkin Patch

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Ward’s Pumpkin Patch

Officially open for the season! Come visit Ward’s Pumpkin Patch for pumpkins, cornstalks and hay bales. Today only: get a FREE mini pumpkin when you mention that you Like us on Facebook.

Freshly baked apple and pumpkin pie — just a few left!

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Since 1940, the Ward family has operated Ward’s Pumpkin Patch in Ridgewood, New Jersey. We offer the best quality and selection of pumpkins, gourds, and squash in Northern New Jersey.

We have pumpkins to make common Jack-O-Lanterns as well as giant pumpkins, tiny munchkins, and gourds in unusual shapes. We offer mums, cornstalks, haystacks as well as a rotating selection of fall decorations. One of our most popular items is our painted pumpkins featuring cartoons, sports, and Halloween themes. Take an adventure on our new barrel ride, always free for our visitors! And on weekends leading up to Halloween we offer face painting, goat feedings, and other events. Check our website often for our calendar schedule. Bring your entire family for a fall outing at Ward’s Pumpkin Patch!
General Information
Hours:
Open every day in October from 10am to sunset.

Directions:
GPS Ridgewood Park & Ride – we are directly across the highway Northbound

Directions:
We are located 45-minutes north of New York City in the Village of Ridgewood in Bergen County just off Highway Route 17. To get there, travel North on New Jersey Route 17. Just after the West Saddle River exit, round the bend, and then make a quick right-hand turn into the second driveway. The turn into the driveway is quick afterwards! The entrance to the driveway is right before the “Ward’s Farm” sign. Stay safe and alert!

Our address is 552 Route 17, Ridgewood, NJ 07450. If you have GPS, program it to Ridgewood Park & Ride. We are directly opposite of the park and ride on the northbound side of the highway.

For details about the types of pumpkins and gourds we carry, click on the “Info” page of our website.

Contact Us:
Follow us on Twitter for up-to-date info, pictures from the patch, and pumpkin carving ideas @NJ_PumpkinPatch.

Call us at 201-523-0824 or email us at [email protected].

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Bergen Freeholders to vote on funding parking study for Ridgewood

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Bergen Freeholders to vote on funding parking study for Ridgewood

OCTOBER 13, 2014    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2014, 3:41 PM
BY JODI WEINBERGER
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Bergen County Freeholders are expected to vote on a resolution at their Oct. 22 meeting that would likely fund a $100,000 parking study in the village.

MARION BROWN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Several Ridgewood business owners have claimed that the village’s metered parking lots are full by 9 a.m. Most spots are taken by commuters and employees, leaving no spaces for downtown shoppers, they said.

The village has been in talks with the Bergen County Improvement Authority (BCIA) for more than a year about a partnership that would ideally result in the county building a 450-space parking garage at the site of the Hudson Street lot, where there are currently only a couple dozen 12-hour metered parking spots.

The county would own and operate the garage, which the village would pay for over the course of 20-30 years from the revenue from the garage.

To put the plan into motion, the freeholders and the county executive both need to sign off on the transferring of funds from the county’s planning department to the BCIA through the approval of the resolution.

To that end, Mayor Paul Aronsohn invited Freeholder Chairman David Ganz, who sets the agenda for the freeholder meetings, to Ridgewood last Tuesday to view the Hudson Street lot and observe the parking challenges in Ridgewood.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/freeholders-set-vote-on-funding-study-for-ridgewood-1.1108474#sthash.1PJNA6l7.dpuf

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A different approach to traditional fall gardening

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A different approach to traditional fall gardening

OCTOBER 10, 2014    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014, 12:31 AM
BY BETTY WIEST
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Fall is a fabulous time for plantings in your perennial garden. But are you tired of the mums, asters, cabbage and kale that seem to flood the landscape? OK, there are many instances that these plants are rightfully engaging whether used singly for or massed. They are reliable and last fairly long into the fall season. Depending on the weather, kale/cabbage can last well into January.

There are several other outstanding plants noted for their performance in the waning months of the year. Here are some of my favorites:

Montauk daisies are at the top of my list for fall color. I rank them as a superb plant with its pure white petals, yellow center and shiny thick waxy leaves. Montauk daisies are herbaceous perennials and confirm to the “classic” daisy look similar to Shasta daisies. Taxonomists have decided (after the third try) to currently classify it Nipponanthemum nipponicum. You can find it in Montauk, Long Island but it is indigenous to Japan and a plant of China. It is happiest when grown in full sun. It can grow to a height of 3 feet, but I discovered that if you pinch it back around July 1 (or remember by the 4th of July), the stems will not get so leggy. This past growing season I managed to pinch back a large mass of them on my front walkway; another smaller section by my driveway was not pinched back (I just forgot). The plants by the walkway are looking real good with strong stems and plenty of blooms; the ones by the driveway are long and leggy, spilling out onto the drive and making for fine footwork trying to avoid them when I get out of the car. Montauk daisies can withstand frost; freezing temperatures will brown the leaves and ruin the flowers.

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/community-news/recreation/a-different-approach-to-traditional-fall-gardening-1.1106617#sthash.HVp8ZShK.dpuf