>A year ago a Ridgewood High School Student made this video.
The intention was for it to air on the Village’s public access television station, the closed circuit televisions at the High School and in the Driver Education Classes.
In light of the tragic pedestrian accident last week I think everyone should see it!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djH5p6RwVG0
Thanks,
Jeanne Johnson
>Mike Kelly: Too many hospitals spoils the bottom line
Thursday, April 2, 2009
By MIKE KELLY
RECORD COLUMNIST
For just a moment, think what good could come of $2 million.
You could, for example, buy a year’s worth of health insurance for almost 200 North Jersey families. You could educate 150 students in local public schools. You could hire 40 cops at $50,000 each.
Now consider how The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood would spend $2 million.
Valley wants to buy the state license to the defunct Pascack Valley Hospital in Westwood but never use it. By owning Pascack’s license, Valley could block a competitor hospital from opening.
This is no April Fool’s joke. It is, sadly, the latest battle in a war between North Jersey hospitals.
At issue is not improving care for sick people. Yes, hospital administrators will surely whip out their rhetorical violins and insist they are deeply worried about curing illnesses, repairing broken bones and giving life to damaged hearts. Indeed, most hospitals in the area offer top-flight care.
But another devil lurks in the shadows of this debate — a persistent worry by local hospitals about losing money.
Which brings us to Valley’s $2 million bid for Pascack’s old license.
Ever since Pascack Valley Hospital went bankrupt and closed its doors in December 2007, a funny thing happened at the remaining hospitals in Bergen County. They all turned healthy profits.
If you are trying to balance the books at your hospital, it makes sense to keep Pascack closed. Pascack is viewed as competition for the business of sick people. Indeed, a state report suggested that Bergen County had too many hospitals before Pascack closed.
But Hackensack University Medical Center bought Pascack’s campus and proposed to open a 128-bed hospital there. To other hospitals — particularly Ridgewood’s Valley Hospital and Englewood Hospital — the move by Hackensack was viewed as the equivalent of a new Shell gas station moving into a town that had been ruled comfortably by a Lukoil and a Sunoco.
In other words, Hackensack threatened Valley’s and Englewood’s profits.
In a free market, this would be just fine. But hospitals are not gas stations. Yet, on the other hand, shouldn’t Hackensack be allowed to expand its services? And, if you listen to the pleadings of many officials in the 18 towns once served by Pascack Valley Hospital, shouldn’t Pascack be able to reopen if someone puts up the money?
Valley did just that — in a back-handed way. As part of Pascack’s still-undecided bankruptcy proceedings, The Valley Hospital bid $2 million for the old Pascack license. Valley made no secret of its intentions: It plans to sit on the license and never use it. All in an attempt to keep many of Pascack’s old patients going to Valley.
In the cold calculation of hospital economics, Valley’s plan makes sense. If Hackensack is viewed as a competitor, why not find a way to beat it?
But isn’t this a pathetic strategy? The notion of hospitals fighting over customers who happen to be sick is not a matter of cold economics. This is about ruptured morals.
But this is also the state of American health care now, a grinding battle over money and marketing while doctors and hospitals struggle to make ends meet and ordinary people struggle under the crushing cost of medical insurance.
Given that state of medical affairs in America, we should not be surprised that this is where we have come: a bid to buy a hospital license merely to kill it.
But where are we going?
Read Mike Kelly’s blog at northjersey.com/freshjersey.
>IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: FORMER JERSEY CITY MAYOR BRET SCHUNDLER ENDORSES CHRISTIE
“I know we need a strong conservative leader who will stand up for middleclass taxpayers, and I believe that Chris Christie will be that kind of leader. Chris will be the tough, fiscal conservative we need to cut income and business taxes, provide property tax relief and get our state’s economy back on track.” – Former Jersey City Mayor Bret Schundler.
>Last night, Franklin Lakes School District hired Paul Arilotta as an interim assistant superintendent approving only a 3 month contract.
Timeline: 1. worked as an administrator at Ed. Center
2. Travell’s principal for 13 years
3. Filled the interim superintendent shoes for RPS 2006-2007 and wasn’t offered the permanent position
4. Went on to become East Hanover Township’s superintendent (most superintendents are offered a 3 or 5 year contract,
this is only Paul’s 2nd year in that position)
5. East Hanover places Paul on administrative leave
6. Paul becomes assistant superintendent for Franklin Lakes.
Hmm… why would Paul work his way back down the administrative chain?
>https://www.northjersey.com/news/health/Valley_Hospital_bids_2M_for_Pascacks_license.html
Valley Hospital bids $2M for Pascack’s license
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Last updated: Tuesday March 31, 2009, 7:12 AM
BY MARY JO LAYTON
NorthJersey.com
STAFF WRITER
The Valley Hospital has bid $2 million for the license of the former Pascack Valley Hospital as part of a plan to purchase the license and then terminate it so that Pascack can never reopen.
Valley’s bid is nearly three times higher than its competitor’s, Hackensack University Medical Center.
It’s the latest salvo from Valley Hospital in Ridgewood and Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, which are fighting Hackensack’s plan to open a hospital at Pascack Valley.
A bankruptcy judge will determine if the sale can proceed.
For $2 million, Valley would buy the license and then kill it. Valley and Englewood have maintained that Bergen County does not need another acute care hospital, an assessment shared by Governor Corzine’s blue ribbon panel on health care resources.
“Valley has made the higher and far better offer for the license,” attorney Paul R. DeFilippo, who is representing Valley and Englewood hospitals, wrote in documents filed in federal bankruptcy court.
Hackensack and a partner bought Pascack Valley’s building, grounds and equipment last year for nearly $49 million. Hackensack wants to open a 128-bed hospital in Westwood. It has already opened an emergency room on the site.
However, the former owners have not agreed to transfer the license to Hackensack.
Pascack Valley’s attorney, Jack Zackin, claimed the license may be a valuable asset and sought to determine the value of the license and market for it.
https://www.northjersey.com/news/health/Valley_Hospital_bids_2M_for_Pascacks_license.html
>The recent rash of pedestrian crosswalk accidents, together with the comments made by blog readers, has left me wondering what the solution is. It’s clear to me that a lot of people fall into two opposing camps. There are those that feel the pedestrian has the right of way, and unless there’s evidence that the pedestrian lurched out without looking, the driver always has the responsibility the stop and yield. This folks, is basically the law. The other camp is of the mindset that crosswalks should only be used by pedestrians after they have stopped and waited for a clearing in traffic before stepping out. This might be a sensible thing to do based upon the general lousy standard of driving, but it really makes a mockery out of having a crosswalk. Why bother having a crosswalk if you have to wait for the traffic to pass? You may as well just cross anywhere if this is what you are expected to do.
So, with minds pretty well entrenched as far as crosswalk responsibility goes, what do we do? We are wasting our time here giving the same old stories of elderly ladies darting out into crosswalks and maniac drivers who should be stopping on a dime. Minds are made up already. We have debated crosswalk responsibility to death.
Speed is a problem. I’m not talking the rare dangerous levels, but the extra 10-15 mph that is almost universally practiced. This extra speed is often enough to cause accidents due to reduced reaction times. Injury and damage is also greatly affected by higher speeds. This is also a crosswalk problem as drivers often see the person standing at the crosswalk too late, and keep going as they think a sudden stop will result in getting rear-ended. Add a cell phone to the mix and the problem intensifies.
Speeding enforcement by the Police needs to be better managed. This isn’t an anti-police statement, as I understand that speed management is taken seriously by them, but I get the impression that speeding is a sensitive subject with Village residents and the Police, and there seems to be a level which the Police will delicately straddle in order to maintain good relations. I say hogwash. If motorists know full well that there is a high level of probability of being ticketed if they speed, any anti-Police notions they have will soon go away. The Police aren’t supposed to be in a popularity contest. All I ask of them is that they are civil and honest while doing their job, which from my experience, is the norm. I actually think that the USA lags far behind our European cousins, where speed enforcement is managed mostly by automated cameras. This allows the Police to do more worthwhile things with their time, and leave speed management to machines. The good thing with machines is that they do not discriminate. You speed. You get a citation in the mail. I can tell you from living in Europe that the introduction of speed cameras revolutionized driving standards. It went from anything goes to some pretty sensible driving very quickly. Public reaction was negative, but that was expected. Has anyone got one of those tickets in the mail from NYC for running a red light? I have. Just one. You know what? I am now very respectful about my red light time management now.
Crosswalks need to be updated to the times we live in, and should have push-button operated stop lights. Drivers seem to react fairly well to traffic lights. If any of you have been to Europe in the last 20 years, you will know that it’s extremely rare to find a crosswalk that isn’t managed by stop lights. Yes, more traffic lights results in more congestion, but without them, we will not solve the problem.
>Alyssa Milano
Tuesday, March 31st – 8:00pm
Television Star of Who’s the Boss, Charmed and My Name is Earl, Alyssa Milano, will sign her new book: Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic
Paul Teutul Sr.
Thursday, April 2nd – 7:00pm
Please welcome back the Star of hit TLC show, “American Chopper” , Paul Teutul Sr. who writes his first book about what it takes to run a successful business in The Ride Of A Lifetime: Doing Business The Orange County Choppers Way!
Roy White
Tuesday, April 7th – 7:00pm
Please welcome back former New York Yankee Outfielder, Roy White. He will sign his new book: Then Roy Said to Mickey.
Harlan Coben
Monday, April 13th – 7:00pm
Ny Times Bestselling Author and local Ridgewood Resident, Harlan Coben will discuss and sign his latest thriller: Long Lost.
Tori Spelling
Thursday, April 16th – 7:00pm
Star of TV Shows, Beverly Hills 90210 and Tori & Dean, Tori Spelling will sign: Mommywood.
>
>04/01/09 7:30PM Village Council Work Session
04/09/09 8:00PM Historic Preservation Commission
04/15/09 8:00PM Village Council Public Meeting
04/22/09 7:30PM Village Council Work Session
05/06/09 7:30PM Village Council Work Session
>
Spectacular Car Crash At Pease Library
At approximately 2:05 PM on Saturday afternoon, a female driver lost control of her vehicle on Corsa Terrace, sending it careening down the embankment into the rear parking lot of Pease Library.
The driver sustained minor injuries and was transported by Ridgewood EMS to Valley Hospital. Ridgewood Police and Ridgewood Fire personnel also responded to the accident.
A vehicle belonging to an employee of Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch, parked just below the embankment, was also damaged in the accident
>
The flog is a blog run by an administrator who remains anonymous. Unlike this blog, which is run by PJ, the flog creators refuse to identify themselves. The flog was created by a ficticious duo who call themselves “andrew and sue.” Andrew and Sue seem to have no purpose but to rail against posters on PJ’s blog. It is widely believed that “Sue” is Susan Sherrill, former editor of the Ridgewood News who is a big supporter of the BOE. James Rose has identified himself as a poster on this Blog.
>By MICHAEL SYMONS • GANNETT STATE BUREAU • February 17, 2009
https://app.com/article/20090217/NEWS0301/90217078&referrer=FRONTPAGECARO– USEL
TRENTON — New Jersey’s budget deficit has grown by an additional $1.5 billion in the last month to $3.6 billion this fiscal year, Gov. Jon S. Corzine announced today.
Advertisement
In response, state officials are planning two unpaid furlough days for state employees, one each in May and June, saving $35 million. State Treasurer David Rousseau said the furloughs can be done without the consent of public worker unions, which have already objected to a proposed salary freeze.
In all, Corzine announced there will be an additional $472 million in budget cuts, $550 million in additional funds from the federal stimulus bill and $335 million in extra funds from state surpluses and trust funds.
The state also plans a tax amnesty program, which will need legislative approval, that would bring the state an additional $100 million.
This year’s deficit now exceeds 10 percent of the original budget adopted last summer. It includes a $2.8 billion shortfall in revenue, a $600 million increase in spending — including a $270 million deposit into the depleted unemployment fund, to avoid an automatic tax hike on businesses — and $135 million extra to repay debt.
“That comes with difficult choices and real pain in a lot of places,” Corzine said.
Revenue in the current budget is forecast at $29.5 billion. Collections for the upcoming fiscal year, beginning in July, are now $28.5 billion, meaning another group of budget cuts can be expected in Corzine’s March 10 budget speech.
https://app.com/article/20090217/NEWS0301/90217078&referrer=FRONTPAGECARO– USEL
>
The Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra is a regional, all volunteer, intergenerational orchestra located in Ridgewood, New Jersey. Supported by the surrounding communities and friends in neighboring areas, the orchestra serves the Northern New Jersey region with many musical and educational activities. These include the outstanding Festival Strings Youth Orchestra, which provides a unique opportunity for young string players to benefit from the experience of playing in an orchestral setting.
https://www.ridgewoodsymphony.org/
Next Concert…
Friday, February 27, 2009
at 8:00 PM
Paramus High School Auditorium
99 Century Road
Paramus, NJ 07652
●
“The French Connection”
Music of Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and César Franck
●
Featuring: Gary Graffman, piano
&
Diane Wittry,
Conductor and Artistic Director
https://www.ridgewoodsymphony.org/
>Rumors continue to swirl that Candidate Steve Lonegan and or his staff continue to duck their interview with the Ridgewood blog ,the fly thinks its a natural fit ,but questions what could be the motive for avoiding the only free market local news blog with a conservative bent in the state of New Jersey .Is there pressure from some other politico’s to stay clear or is it the non favorable treatment some New Jersey “Republicans” have received on the Ridgewood blog? Why ignore a readership of 12000 plus per month .Yes I know Ridgewood has become more synonymous with the limousine liberal set than a bastion of conservatism but what gives Steve ?
Lonegan Supporter and fly for now ……..
>
GEORGE WASHINGTON (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799). Early in his life George Washington became an experienced surveyor. Following these years, he fought in the French and Indian War. After the war he returned to Mount Vernon in 1758, married Martha Dandridge in 1759, and became a planter. That same year he became involved in politics when he was elected representative to the Virginia House of Burgesses. He was a representative until 1774 when he became a delegate to the Continental Congress. In May of 1775 George Washington was appointed Commander of the American army during the Revolution. He was the first President, (1789 1797) governing the 13 states.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865). Abe Lincoln was born into a poor family and had little formal schooling. He basically taught himself to read and write and walked long distances to borrow books. He failed in early business and political ventures, yet became President in 1861 and guided the Union through the Civil War. He shaped his own character and education as was evident in the simple language he used in his speeches. His famous Gettysburg Address was delivered in 1863. LincGln was assassinated on April 15, 1865 during a performance at Ford’s Theatre in Washington just a few days after General Robert E. Lee and his army surrendered.
https://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maggieoh/Pd/prindex.html
