HESAA Loan Program revises its rules to benefit grieving families.
February 1,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
UPPER MONTCLAIR NJ , A student loan program that had placed parents of deceased students in an unthinkable situation has now been changed. The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) program previously required parents of a deceased child to continue to pay their NJ CLASS / HESAA loans as a co-signer. However, New Jersey legislators have recently amended the program’s terms and conditions.
John Crosby, CFP®, ChFC, CAS, CLTC, CRPC®, and Advocacy Chairperson for FPANJ, was thrilled at the change in the loan program.
“This change came a result of all the advocates fighting for the same Terms and Conditions available for Federal Student loans in the event of death or disability of the borrower or co-borrower. We are grateful for everyone who testified on behalf of families who were devastated by the impacts of the HESAA rules.”
An article in the New York Times that detailed one family’s nightmare in dealing with their son’s death and his student loans through HESAA finally spurred discussion among New Jersey State Senators. In August 2016, Crosby had spoken to several of the legislators and those that officially testified to explain the process of borrowing, the liabilities of the co-signer vs. co-borrower and their un-forgivable legal obligations. Some had called the program “predatory” and “loansharking,” and testimony led to a unanimous vote by the Higher Education Committee to approve S-743, requiring HESAA to forgive the student loan of someone who dies before completely repaying it.
Crosby has counseled clients in similarly tough situations with HESAA. The program also had been characterized with extraordinarily stringent rules that can easily led to financial hardship. Loan repayments could not be adjusted based on income, and few breaks are given for unemployment or other hardship.
“This is truly the power of advocacy for the greater good,” Crosby said. “FPANJ continues to act as a resource in educating legislators on topics like these. Now we are just happy that parents in this situation can start to move forward in healing.”
2. Statement of Compliance with Open Public Meeting Act
Mayor: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”
3. Roll Call – Village Clerk
4. Flag Salute/Moment of Silence
5. Public Comments (Not to Exceed 3 Minutes per Person – 40 Minutes in Total)
6. Discussion
Ridgewood Water
Award Professional Services Contract – USEPA Compliance Services for Evaluation of Groundwater Wells
Item Moved to 6.c.5.
Authorize Change Order – Installation of Backup Power at Critical Facilities
Award of Contract – Furnish and Delivering Sodium Hypochlorite – Second Year
Award of Contract – Servicing and Repair of Potable Water Pumping Facilities – Second Yearb. Parking
Central Business District Non-residential Parkingc. Budget
Deferred School Tax for 2017
Appropriation Reserve Transfer Resolution
Sewer Fees for Significant Dischargers – Wastewater Collection System
Sustainable Jersey PSE&G Grant
Award Professional Services Contract – Review of HVAC System Operation at Village Hall
Award of Contract – Maintenance of Irrigation Systems – Water Fountains
Graydon Pool – Fees and Improvementsd. Policy
New Recycling Regulations
Establishment of an International Club
7. Review of February 8, 2017 Regular Public Meeting Agenda
8. Manager’s Report
8. Council Reports
9. Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)
10. Resolution to go into Closed Session
11. Closed Session
A. Legal – RCRD, Valley Hospital, Affordable Housing Litigation
Ridgewood NJ, some reminders for the snowy weather .
Sanitation – Please remember to bring your garbage to the end of your driveway at the curb when snow & ice are forecast for our area.
Sidewalks – Snow must be removed from all residential sidewalks within 24 hours of the snowfall. This is especially important on school walking routes.
Superintendent no longer willing to wait for Legislature to fix the problem, says ‘We are going to become the aggressor on this issue’
Kingsway superintendent James Lavender and other school officials announce their legal challenge to New Jersey’s school-aid formula.
School officials in communities all over New Jersey have complained for years about state education-funding inequities, and now lawmakers are holding a series of hearings on the issue — giving clear indications that they plan to address the school-aid problems in the next state budget.
But that new spending plan won’t go into effect until July, and officials representing the Kingsway Regional School District in South Jersey say they can no longer wait on the State House to fix a system that is shorting their students more than $11 million in state aid this year.
Instead, Kingsway regional superintendent James Lavender said district attorneys will be filing a legal brief this week with the state Supreme Court as they attempt to join a new phase of school-aid litigation that Gov. Chris Christie has been seeking to initiate since last year. But unlike Christie, who wants a complete overhaul of the state school-aid law that was enacted in 2008, the Kingsway district is instead pushing only for the invalidation of a “hold harmless” provision that for years has allowed some districts to avoid losing school aid even as others, including Kingsway, have been shortchanged.
By Christopher Baxter and Matthew Stanmyre | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 30, 2017 at 4:34 PM, updated January 30, 2017 at 8:00 PM
TRENTON — A leading state senator said Monday she will formally urge the state Attorney General’s Office to investigate the top U.S. maker of artificial sports fields, FieldTurf, after the company failed to answer key questions about its sales practices.
During a hearing, Sen. Nellie Pou (D-Passaic) led more than 90 minutes of questioning of the Canadian-based FieldTurf’s CEO, Eric Daliere, focusing on why company officials did not notify all customers of problems with its turf after they became apparent to executives.
“If it was clear that it happened to enough customers throughout the country, early enough, why weren’t actions, the appropriate actions taken?” said Pou, the chairwoman of the Senate Commerce Committee.
Daliere offered a spirited defense of the company, noting that nearly all of the fields in question in New Jersey made it through their eight-year warranty period and emphasizing that the problems with its Duraspine turf did not create a safety hazard for those who used the field.
Reader offers some more practical tips on how to raise a kid that won’t quit:
1. Keep Score in sports 2. Make them get a job that makes real money (from someone other than the parents) ASAP 3. Clean up after themselves 4. Earn perks – do your chores or you don’t get TV, phone, lessons, sports, to attend that party, etc… NO or very, very rare exceptions 5. Don’t buy them everything – they’ll figure out how to get it if it is really important to them 6.They must take care of/look out for/defend/protect siblings 7. Teach them to cook – they should always be able to feed themselves 8. Don’t be their friend, be their parent
Ridgewood NJ, in order for the Financial Advisory Committee to be an effective part of the Village governance the following criteria have to be met:
Publish clear and realistic by-laws Post agenda’s of all meetings Post minutes of all meetings promptly All members must sign Financial disclosure forms All members must sign NDA’s or non-disclosure forms
These are professional standards that are used and commonly accepted everywhere in the world.
In the real world this is how you run a financial decision body. You also attempt to fill the committee with people who have some experience in finance, not failed or “wannabe” politicians who are promoting their own secret agenda.
Unfortunately, until these criteria are met any Financial Advisory Committee or FAC decision should be viewed with maximum suspicion and nothing more that a joke, a joke that could get the Village involved in massive lawsuits.
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO
6 PM EST THIS EVENING…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER
ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM THIS MORNING TO
6 PM EST THIS EVENING.
* LOCATIONS…INTERIOR PORTIONS OF THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY,
NORTHERN PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AND SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD
COUNTY.
* HAZARD TYPES…SNOW.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS…1 TO 4 INCHES.
* TIMING…LATE THIS MORNING UNTIL EARLY THIS EVENING.
* IMPACTS…ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL MAKE UNTREATED SURFACE
SLIPPERY…MAKING DRIVING DIFFICULT AT TIMES.
* TEMPERATURES…IN THE UPPER 20S.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS…
AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
RIDGEWOOD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) — Short term room rentals are big business in the New York area, but towns in northern New Jersey are moving to ban them and homeowners could face fines.
Suzanne Warfield told CBS2’s Meg Baker that she thinks of herself as a super host — renting a room in her home for more than two years now, and charging $100 a night — she made more than $14,000 in 2016.
Now, the Village of Ridgewood has put a ban on short-term rentals.
“The village has legitimate concerns about party houses, that’s not me. I am a single woman, enjoy living in this community, and being able to rent a bedroom is allowing me to stay in my home during difficult financial times,” she said.
Many of her guests are repeat customers with ties to the area, or couples looking for a new home.
“Three sets of grandparents who come into town to visit their grandchildren,” she said.
In Ridgewood, there are 63 homes playing host to Air BnB. The village had 3,000 guests in 2016.
Ridgewood’s mayor said the niche travel industry had not been addressed with zoning rules until now.
The Ridgewood Public Schools are committed to providing a safe environment for personal growth and learning, which is why we are sending you this letter. While alcohol abuse, primarily in the form of binge drinking, tops the list of substance abuse problems seen in students, the misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, those same drugs found in medicine cabinets across our country, is a growing and serious problem. This behavior is not only dangerous; it is also illegal.
In Ridgewood, we have seen a significant increase in prescription drug abuse, especially Xanax. This rise has been brought to our attention through reported incidents of “under the influence” behavior, as well as an increase in students’ self-reporting of their own misuse of prescription drugs.
Most often, these prescription drugs come in the form of: • Stimulants (Adderall, Concerta, Ritalin) that are used by students to “get in the zone” to stay awake to study or party.
• Pain Relievers (OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin) and Tranquilizers and sedatives (Valium, Xanax) that are used by students recreationally to get high, or to cope with the stress of academics, social pressures or family crises.
We work closely with the Ridgewood Police Department on these issues and strive in our schools to promote awareness about the risks associated with the abuse of prescription medications, but our parents are on the front line to educate and protect their children from the dangers of substance abuse. Unfortunately, when confronted with the issue of substance abuse, many parents are quick to say “not my child.” We need, however, to accept the reality that our children may be engaging in substance abuse.
The reasons vary as to why high school age students experiment and abuse prescription drugs. All students are susceptible to feeling pressure to fit in socially and excel academically. Many may not even know that they are doing something wrong when they pop a “friend’s” Percocet to relieve a headache or take Adderall to cram all night for an exam. Students are also more likely to engage in risky behaviors like binge drinking, marijuana, cocaine, other prescription drugs, and even heroin and methamphetamines. Mixing prescription drugs with alcohol or illicit drugs, or crushing and snorting pills, maximizes their effects. These behaviors can lead to permanent organ damage, stroke, heart attack, overdose or even death.
Regardless of the reasons, studies consistently show that teens think prescription medications are a safer alternative to illicit street drugs like cocaine or heroin. Taking any medications without a prescription or medical oversight, or using them in a manner or at a dosage not advised by a healthcare provider, is a risk to a student’s health.
Below are some simple practices you can do to help your child:
1. Stay engaged with your child. Find ways to talk to your child about his/her emotional wellbeing. This dialogue can go a long way to help boost their confidence to “do the best they can” when juggling academic, co-curricular and social demands. Suggest healthy ways to handle stress.
2. Take precautions. If you or someone in the family takes one of these type of prescription medications for legitimate medical reasons:
• Keep medications locked in a safe place.
• Pick a few times a year to properly dispose of any unneeded or expired medications. Don’t save them for a rainy day.
• If you notice that pills or bottles are missing, take steps to talk with your child and provide supportive counsel.
• Look for warning signs and symptoms of drug abuse and take action. Contact your pediatrician or family physician, your school’s Crisis Intervention Counselor at 201-670- 2700 (Kevin Feeley, GW and RHS, ext. 20573; Lauren DePinto, BF and RHS, ext. 20574), or 800-662-4357.
Attached is a summary of warning signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse, along with some resources for further inquiry.
On Monday, February 13, 2017, at 7 p.m. in the Campus Center at Ridgewood High School, Dr. Tim Silvestri will present “The New Social Norms at Ridgewood High School.” In addition to Dr. Silvestri’s presentation, we will be discussing the contents of this letter. We urge you to please join us at this important meeting, which is open to all high school and 8th grade parents.
We will be sending out further information on this important topic over the next few weeks.
Sincerely yours, Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D. Superintendent of Schools
Thomas Gorman,Ed.D Principal,
Ridgewood High School Katherine Kashmanian, Ed.D.
Principal, George Washington M.S Anthony Orsini Principal,
Benjamin Franklin M.S. C:
Ridgewood Board of Education Chief J. Luthcke, Ridgewood Police Department Ridgewood Public School Staff Members Note: The majority of the content of this letter was taken from the Educate Before You Medicate National Council on Patient Information Education.Ridge
Mary Jo Layton , Staff Writer, @MaryjolaytonPublished 12:03 p.m. ET Jan. 30, 2017
The medical center announced plans last week to move its main campus to Paramus, pleasing many Ridgewood neighbors.
It took a decade, but the David vs. Goliath battle many Ridgewood residents waged against The Valley Hospital’s proposed expansion ended Friday with a champagne party at Pete McKenna’s house, the epicenter of the resistance.
Ridgewood NJ, 2016-2017 RHS Maroon & White Series Continues On Thursday, February 2, the Ridgewood High School Department of Fine and Applied Arts will present the third Maroon & White Music Recital and Art Exhibit for the 2016-17 school year. The third of five such events for this year, the concert will be held in the newly renovated RHS Learning Commons beginning at 3:45PM, followed immediately by a reception and gallery opening in the Carroll Art Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public.
The recital will feature four outstanding musicians, presenting a varied program and will begin with a performance by Jacqueline Johnson, a junior soprano vocalist who has performed as a member of the All State Choir, who will perform Tu lo sai by Giuseppe Torelli, Romance by Claude Debussy and The Sky Above the Roof by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Sophomore trombonist Nik Gambardella will continue the program with a performance of the Menuet from Johann Ernst Galliard’s Sonata No. IV. Isaac Peabody, also an All State Choir member in his junior year, will perform Stefano Donaudy’s Spirate pur, spirate, Franz Schubert’s Das Fischermädchen, and Sea Fever by John Ireland. Jonathan Negron, an accomplished All-Bergen County trumpet player in his junior year, will round out the recital by performing Preludio, Aria e Scherzo by Ennio Porrino, a transcription of Franz Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, and Chet Baker’s I Can’t Get Started.
Following the concert, the February Maroon & White Art Exhibit will officially open in the Carroll Art Gallery. The exhibit will include original works by seven highly accomplished students in a variety of media. The work of senior Maxine Earl varies from realistic, abstract and illustration, all relating to her concentration on influenced emotion. Anna Koontz, a junior, experiments with many different media, with an emphasis on markers and oil pastels. Sophia Swanson, sophomore, creates whimsical illustrations and ethereal portraits using pencil, pen, and colored pencil and has experimented with chalk pastel and watercolor paint, while this exhibit’s other sophomore artist Sarah Taggart, specializes in ceramics. Senior Danielle Testa creates artwork that displays emotions and provokes thought using media from colored pencil to paints to photography, and Julia Yoon, junior, uses oil pastel and pencil drawing to express color and texture in her artwork.
The Maroon and White Recital Series began in 1964 as a means of highlighting outstanding Ridgewood High School musicians in a featured solo capacity. Over the past five decades, the series has expanded to include art exhibits as well as a recital featuring only dancers. Musicians and dancers are selected through competitive audition, while artists are chosen after an extensive portfolio revue. Past Maroon & White recitalists include Jonathan Spitz, principal cellist with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Elizabeth Ostling, associate principal flutist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the piano duo of Sarah and Susan Wang, renowned Broadway singer/dancer Ali Stroker, Stephanie Buesser, dancer with Ballet West, New York City choreographer Yael Nachajon, Broadway director Marc Bruni, jazz organist Jared Gold and many others. The list of past artists includes Lauren Roth of Lauren Roth Art, renowned illustrator Kyle McCullough, Giovanni Forlino, whose work can be seen on display at the Getty and Guggenheim museums, plus a host of professional freelance artists who work in a wide variety of visual art related fields.
Upcoming Maroon & White Recital/Exhibits will take place on March 9, April 6 (Dance) and April 27. All recitals are held in the RHS Learning Commons, with the exception of the dance recital, which takes place in the Little Theater. For more information, please contact the RHS Department of Fine and Applied Arts at 201-670-2800 x. 20542.
Sunday, February 5th 2017 from 12:00 noon – 4:30pm
Ridgewood High School
Ridgewood, NJ
Students will be selling door to door on 2/5/17 with a delivery March 4th-5th, 2017
Prices as follows:
Navel Oranges – $26.00
Red Grapefruits -$26.00
Citrus Sampler – $35.00
Fresh Fruit Medley (orange, apples,pears) $26.00
Orders accepted until 02/16/17. Please contact: Eileen Karanikolas: [email protected] for more information. Orders/ checks made out to RHS Band Assoc and can be mailed c/o Eileen Karanikolas 33 Lenox Avenue, Ridgewood , NJ 07450
For more information on the band program and a list of events, visit www.rhsbands.org
Ridgewood NJ, RHS alumnus David Madden hosted the National History Bee and Bowl at Ridgewood High School for the 8th consecutive year in January. Twelve teams comprised of over 50 Ridgewood students competed against students from over 65 high schools.
Four RHS Varsity teams and one JV team made it to the playoffs, with two of those teams advancing to the second round. These students** have now also qualified to compete in the National Championship in Washington D.C. in April: Varsity Team: Ben Amos, Matthew Zachem, Joonho Jung -JV Team: Philip Terman, Cameron Blaire.
** Two additional students do not have media permission to be named.
Ridgewood is a destination. If you park them they will come. Parking is not just for commuters. It’s for restaurant goers, shoppers and patrons of other businesses. But sadly that ship has sailed. So Ridgewood’s reputations as the town with no parking will continue to proliferate, drivers will continue circling as pedestrians continue having accidents, and the types of businesses we would like to attract will avoid us without assurance of parking for customers. Lack of forward thinking is keeping us locked in a past that is no longer viable and now the damage is beginning to show as businesses leave town. Ridgewood is not a mall, and we should not equate failing Macy’s or Sears with Ridgewood’s CBD, which offers a completely different experience of boutique shops and specialty stores, restaurants and pretty park. I don’t come to town to get my shoes fixed or my nails done. I come to Ridgewood because it’s a nice place to go. The parking garage was a good idea, the study was done, the plans were made – it should have moved forward
