Posted on 19 Comments

Judge rules no conflict for ex-Ridgewood councilman

Ridgewood 3 amigos

file photo by Boyd Loving

Nicholas Katzban, Staff Writer, @NicholasKatzban Published 7:38 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017 | Updated 8:41 p.m. ET Aug. 29, 2017

A Superior Court judge in Bergen County ruled Tuesday that a former Ridgewood councilman was not in conflict when he voted to rezone areas of downtown for multifamily homes, a council move that caught the ire of some residents who decried the push toward higher densities in their sleepy bedroom community.

Following four major amendments to the village’s master plan in 2015 that nearly tripled the allowable density in certain municipal zones, a group calling itself Ridgewood Citizens for Reasonable Development sued the Village Council, looking to block the ordinances that codified those amendments.

The group alleged that then-Mayor Paul Aronsohn and Councilman Albert Pucciarelli had discussed and approved the ordinances despite two separate conflicts of interest.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2017/08/29/judge-rules-no-conflict-ex-ridgewood-councilman/612683001

Posted on 2 Comments

Men’s only – Cigars & Scotch Networking at The Tobacco Shop and Davidoff Lounge in Ridgewood

tsoprcigar

Monday, September 18, 2017
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: The Tobacco Shop and Davidoff Lounge, 10 Chestnut St., Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Join us for a very unique evening of football, cigars, scotch and lots of networking !

Please call 201-445-2600 or email [email protected] to RSVP.

Cigars are kept in a state-of-the-art walk-in humidor. Enjoy Davidoff, Avo, Camacho, Padron, Ashton and many more. For pipe smokers, or those who roll their own cigarettes, we have over 40 fine tobacco blends, as well as a large selection of pipes. Experience a wide selection of cigars in one of our two lounges. Relax and unwind in our custom leather smoking chairs.

Tobacco Shop

www.tobaccoshop.com
10 Chestnut St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 · ~59.3 mi
(201) 447-2204

Posted on 4 Comments

The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce and The Ridgewood Guild Team up to Create a more Connected and Vibrant Ridgewood Community

CBD Ridgewood by ArtChick

file photo by ArtChick

August 30,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, There are two events coming up in the Village. These events are designed to help us create a more connected and vibrant community. Numerous organizations are collaborating on this effort. The Village of Ridgewood has given their endorsement as has the Chamber of Commerce and The Ridgewood Guild.

The first event is a forum which will be held at the Ridgewood Public Library the evening of September 26. It is titled, Moving Forward Together: Fostering a Pedestrian Friendly Community. There are several panelists who will speak about the benefits of experiencing our village on foot. When we encourage residents to walk whenever possible we strengthen our bond as a community, we add to our personal health and well-being and we create a safer environment for pedestrians.

The second event is a village-wide, month-long walking initiative that will take place during October titled Walktoberfest. Guided walks are being scheduled to entice residents to learn more about our village and its businesses. There will be historic, architectural, food, fashion, beauty, parks, interfaith and municipal building tours available.

Posted on Leave a comment

Amazon and Whole Foods Market Work Together to Make High-Quality, Natural and Organic Food Affordable for Everyone

whole_foods_theridgewoodblog

August 29,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Amazon and Whole Foods Market today announced that Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Market will close on Monday August 28, 2017, and the two companies will together pursue the vision of making Whole Foods Market’s high-quality, natural and organic food affordable for everyone. As a down payment on that vision, Whole Foods Market will offer lower prices starting Monday on a selection of best-selling grocery staples across its stores, with more to come.

In addition, Amazon and Whole Foods Market technology teams will begin to integrate Amazon Prime into the Whole Foods Market point-of-sale system, and when this work is complete, Prime members will receive special savings and in-store benefits. The two companies will invent in additional areas over time, including in merchandising and logistics, to enable lower prices for Whole Foods Market customers.

“We’re determined to make healthy and organic food affordable for everyone. Everybody should be able to eat Whole Foods Market quality – we will lower prices without compromising Whole Foods Market’s long-held commitment to the highest standards,” said Jeff Wilke, CEO of Amazon Worldwide Consumer. “To get started, we’re going to lower prices beginning Monday on a selection of best-selling grocery staples, including Whole Trade organic bananas, responsibly-farmed salmon, organic large brown eggs, animal-welfare-rated 85% lean ground beef, and more. And this is just the beginning – we will make Amazon Prime the customer rewards program at Whole Foods Market and continuously lower prices as we invent together. There is significant work and opportunity ahead, and we’re thrilled to get started.”

“It’s been our mission for 39 years at Whole Foods Market to bring the highest quality food to our customers,” said John Mackey, Whole Foods Market co-founder and CEO. “By working together with Amazon and integrating in several key areas, we can lower prices and double down on that mission and reach more people with Whole Foods Market’s high-quality, natural and organic food. As part of our commitment to quality, we’ll continue to expand our efforts to support and promote local products and suppliers. We can’t wait to start showing customers what’s possible when Whole Foods Market and Amazon innovate together.”

Here’s what will be new in Whole Foods Market stores on Monday and what customers can expect over time as the two companies integrate:

Starting Monday, Whole Foods Market will offer lower prices on a selection of best-selling staples across its stores, with much more to come. Customers will enjoy lower prices on products like Whole Trade bananas, organic avocados, organic large brown eggs, organic responsibly-farmed salmon and tilapia, organic baby kale and baby lettuce, animal-welfare-rated 85% lean ground beef, creamy and crunchy almond butter, organic Gala and Fuji apples, organic rotisserie chicken, 365 Everyday Value organic butter, and much more.
In the future, after certain technical integration work is complete, Amazon Prime will become Whole Foods Market’s customer rewards program, providing Prime members with special savings and other in-store benefits.
Whole Foods Market’s healthy and high-quality private label products—including 365 Everyday Value, Whole Foods Market, Whole Paws and Whole Catch—will be available through Amazon.com, AmazonFresh, Prime Pantry and Prime Now.
Amazon Lockers will be available in select Whole Foods Market stores. Customers can have products shipped from Amazon.com to their local Whole Foods Market store for pick up or send returns back to Amazon during a trip to the store.

This is just the beginning – Amazon and Whole Foods Market plan to offer more in-store benefits and lower prices for customers over time as the two companies integrate logistics and point-of-sale and merchandising systems.

Whole Foods Market will continue to grow its team and create jobs in local communities as it opens new stores, hires new team members, and expands its support of local farmers and artisans. The company will maintain operations under the Whole Foods Market brand, preserve its high standards and commitment to providing the finest natural and organic foods, and continue to source from trusted vendors and partners around the world. John Mackey will remain as CEO and Whole Foods Market’s headquarters will stay in Austin, Texas.

Posted on 21 Comments

Ridgewood may skirt bid process on new garage

Hudson Street lot

 

Nicholas Katzban, Staff Writer, @NicholasKatzban Published 10:37 a.m. ET Aug. 28, 2017

Two years ago, the Village of Ridgewood proposed to ease its parking crunch by building a garage in the Central Business District.

As the chosen site for the project still lays in disrepair, and the council aims to designate the area “in need of redevelopment,” some locals and officials are beginning to question how a seemingly straightforward objective has grown so long in the tooth.

Seeking to streamline the process, the council unanimously approved a resolution on Aug. 9 to hire the village planner, Brigette Bogart, to determine whether the Hudson lot meets the criteria for an area in need of redevelopment.

That option was presented to council members by Village Attorney Matthew Rogers during a workshop meeting the prior week. Rogers explained the designation would allow the village to negotiate directly with a chosen contractor, rather than work through a public bidding process, to “save some time, save some money” and “be able to approach this in a faster and more efficient manner.”

 

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2017/08/28/ridgewood-could-skirt-bid-process-new-garage/568778001/

Posted on 7 Comments

Village of Ridgewood 2017 Paving Notice

roadwork

August 29,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, During milling and paving, access to your driveway will be restricted for the entire day while work is being done in front of your home. It will be best to park on a side street for the entire day. Work will start daily at 7:00 a.m. Schedule is pending weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances.
Jovan Mehandzic, will be the Village’s on-site inspector. If you have any questions, concerns or special needs, please contact Mr. Mehandzic preferably by email at [email protected]. Otherwise you can reach them on their cell phones at 201-523-0158 (Jovan M) .Finally, make a copy of this notice and place it on the dashboard of your vehicle when you park on a side street

2017 Paving Notice
The Village Council has awarded the paving contract to J.A. Alexander., to resurface your
street. The follow is the anticipated schedule.
MILLING SCHEDULE
Monday, August 28
Stevens Avenue
(Grove Street to Corella Ct)
Brookside Avenue
(E. Ridgewood Avenue to Spring Ave)
Tuesday, August 29
Bedford Road
(Morningside Rd to Wellington Rd)
Bogert Avenue
(E.Glen Avenue to Meadowbrook Ave)
Wednesday, August 30
S. Hillside Place
(W. Ridgewood Ave to S. Monroe St)
S. Monroe Street
(W. Ridgewood Ave to Godwin Ave)
PAVING SCHEDULE
Thursday, August 31
S. Hillside Place
(W. Ridgewood Ave to S. Monroe St)
S. Monroe Street
(W. Ridgewood Ave to Godwin Ave)
Friday, September 1
Stevens Avenue
(Grove Street to Corella Ct)
Brookside Avenue
(E. Ridgewood Avenue to Spring Ave)
Tuesday, September 5
Bedford Road
(Morningside Rd to Wellington Rd)
Bogert Avenue
(E.Glen Avenue to Meadowbrook Ave)

Posted on 5 Comments

Top 20 Count Down Ranks Ridgewood High School Number 5

RIDGEWOOD MAROON FOOTBALL12976921_810105139122012_7749683283141002550_o

August 28,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood HS Football kickoff dinner was August 26 . The Ridgewood Football season kickoff dinner was hosted by the scholarship committee. .Ridgewood Scholarship Committee President Rich Barclay remarked that Ridgewood football will surpass $1 milion in scholarship money this season.

The Legendary Ridgewood Football Head Coach Chuck Johnson spoke at kickoff dinner along with Senior starter Vincent Riggio and Senior Tight End Pete Marshall spoke to the crowd.

According to Varsity Aces the Football Public School Top 20 Countdown ,Ridgewood ranks Number 5 in our pre-season poll.

Schedule :

9/8 @ Hackensack (Hackensack, NJ)
Location: Hackensack High School

9/15 Paramus (Paramus, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

9/28 @ NV – Old Tappan (Old Tappan, NJ)
Location: NV – Old Tappan High School

10/6 Passaic (Passaic, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

10/13 Bergen Tech (Hackensack, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

10/20 @ Kennedy (Paterson, NJ)
Location: Kennedy High School

10/27 Passaic County Tech (Wayne, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

11/4 @ Eastside (Paterson, NJ)
Location: Eastside High School

Posted on Leave a comment

Ridgewood Board of Education Regular Public Meeting Monday 5pm

BOE_theridgewoodblog

August 28,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, BOE regular public meeting Monday August 28,2017, 5pm-7pm .

At all regular meetings, two opportunities are provided for citizens to make comments. The public comment periods will be scheduled after presentations and approximately 6:00 p.m. or just prior to the end of the meeting, whichever occurs first. The first opportunity may be limited by the presiding officer to conclude at about 5:30 p.m. in order for the Board to continue with its scheduled agenda.

The second opportunity will occur at about 6:00 p.m. at the discretion of the presiding officer taking into consideration a break point in the agenda.
At every opportunity for public comment, citizens are invited to comment on subjects on the agenda or general topics. At the discretion of the presiding officer, public comments may be permitted at other times. Persons wishing to speak must, upon being recognized, rise, sign in, and state their names and addresses. Each speaker shall be limited to four minutes. The Board Recorder will note the time. A speaker who has not finished in the allotted time will be directed by the presiding officer to summarize quickly and relinquish the floor within 30 seconds. Comments shall be limited to issues. If personal remarks or discourteous statements are made, the presiding officer shall require the speaker to stop. No person will be recognized for a second time until all others asking to speak have been heard.

BOE agenda:

https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/UserFiles/Servers/Server_207516/File/Our%20District/Board%20of%20Education/Board%20Business/08-28-17.pdf

Board Members
Mr. B. Vincent Loncto, President
[email protected]

Mr. James Morgan, Vice President
[email protected]

Ms. Sheila Brogan
[email protected] 

Ms. Christina Krauss
[email protected]

Ms. Jennie Smith Wilson
[email protected]

Posted on 1 Comment

atlantic steward bank presents 7 keys to enhancing social security

social-security-card

Mon, September 18, 2017
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Location: Ridgewood Library, 125 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Social Security continues to play a critical role in a retirement strategy.
Is yours taking full advantage of what Social Security offers? I can help.
Together, let’s rethink your retirement benefits.
I’ll share seven keys to enhancing Social Security benefits:
• Keys to help you understand the basics of Social Security, including
when you should start taking benefits.
• Keys that take a deeper dive into Social Security, such as working
in retirement.
• Finally, taking the next step with the Rethinking Retirement Strategies

Space is Limited –
Call to RSVP by Friday, Sept. 8th:
Paul Pellegrine at (201) 444-7100 ext. 7503
email: [email protected]

Posted on 1 Comment

24th Annual Ridgewood Car Show – “The Best Night Time Car Show In New Jersey”

Car Show 2015 1
photo by Boyd Loving
Fri, September 08, 2017
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Location: E. Ridgewood Ave. and Memorial Park, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

The Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce presents their….24th Annual Car Show

It has been said that this is the best night time car show in NJ.

Over 400 cars from all over the USA.

The parking is on a first come basis starting around 4:00pm.

Pre-registration will be available until 9/7/17 at $20. If you have pre-registered, put your car certificate on your windshield and you will be waved on.

On 9/8/17 all registration will be done at the show at $25. Enter to register on Walnut and Franklin Ave. (across from TD Bank).
You will be given a certificate for your windshield.
NO ONE will be allowed in without a car certificate.

For pedestrian safety, the police have told us NO-ONE is allowed to leave before 9pm…when they will open the streets.

This is a charity event, proceeds go towards scholarships for kids going to college.

To register your car call 201-445-2600,
[email protected].

Sponsorships Available-call 201445-2600.

Posted on Leave a comment

Return to Ridgewood helps Mondanile finish new Ducktails release

Ducktails album

Robert T Warburton, Staff WriterPublished 8:24 a.m. ET Aug. 25, 2017 | Updated 12:03 p.m. ET Aug. 25, 2017

Guitarist Matt Mondanile knew that finally, it was time to leave Los Angeles.

It was early February. Work on the new Ducktails album, his sixth, had stalled. The Ridgewood native had been toiling for months on the project. In 2016, Mondanile left Real Estate, the successful indie band he helped start after college, to channel all his creative resources into the side project turned primary occupation. But not enough was getting done.

It was also obvious that L.A. had become part of the problem. Mondanile was tired of having to drive everywhere. Tired of sharing a house with five roommates. Tired of the rented rehearsal space turned DIY recording studio. Even the incessantly nice weather was getting on his nerves. “I got tired of the sun, to be honest,” he said. “I felt like a total foreigner in California.”

After four years on the Coast, it was time, Mondanile knew, to go home. He moved back to Ridgewood.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2017/08/25/return-ridgewood-helps-mondanile-finish-new-ducktails-release/588955001/

Posted on 19 Comments

Reader compares Landscapers to Terrorist

1973 with Revson, Gordy and Allison pushing off after "Gentlemen Start Your Engines!"

photo 1973 with Revson, Gordy and Allison pushing off after “Gentlemen Start Your Engines!” Indy 500

Gas blowers and trimmers make an airplane engine like noise. In addition to landscapers (which are more like terrorists) to make it worse my neighbors choose to do their landscaping at anytime on a weekend. It could happen at 8AM in the morning on a Saturday, 4PM on a Sunday, sometimes it happens at 8PM on Saturday. I understand the infatuation with perfect landscaping but a good neighbor should be considerate of other neighbors. There are little kids still asleep at 9AM on a Saturday or Sunday. One of the joys of living in the suburbs is the peace and quietness of a sunny weekend where you’d like to hear nothing but bird singing. Just when you’re sipping your coffee and trying to find where that beautiful bird is hiding the engine starts and you feel like germans are coming to bomb.
If you depend on the town to enforce any rules forget about it. They are totally incapable of doing so.

Posted on 2 Comments

Easy Back to School Recipes for Ridgewood Students

peanut butter granola

August 25,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, According to Google Trends, “school lunches” and “school lunch ideas” were the top rated Google searches last summer and fall surrounding back-to-school recipes. With such a heavy search emphasis on lunch ideas for children, Kings created four easy-to-make recipes for fun lunchtime eats:

Do you have the next Chef Emeril or Rachael Ray in your house? Our Kings parent and child Cooking Studio classes offer top-notch, hands-on experiences your young chefs will love. New classes are released monthly so be sure to check out the Kings website and sign up before they sell out!

 

Posted on 1 Comment

NEW BOOK “THE MODERN PARENT’S GUIDE TO FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL NETWORKS”

education concept - students looking into phones and tablet pc a

HOW TO KEEP KIDS SAFE ON FACEBOOK, SNAPCHAT, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, ONLINE APPS + MORE

August 25,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, How can you keep children safe on social networks like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Twitter, and protect their privacy on online apps? At what age should kids be allowed on these services? And what’s the best way to monitor their social media activity – as well as address any concerns that may come up?

You’ll find answers to these questions and more in new book , by author Scott Steinberg ,THE MODERN PARENT’S GUIDE TO FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL NETWORKS (https://www.AKeynoteSpeaker.com/Parents) – the ultimate guide to navigating today’s fast-moving social media landscape and keeping kids safe on the Internet – out today from bestselling keynote speaker and trends expert Scott Steinberg. Providing the answers that parents and teachers need to know to teach responsible social media habits, protect children’s privacy, and make social networks a more positive part of household and classroom life, THE MODERN PARENT’S GUIDE TO FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL NETWORKS offers crucial insights for equipping kids with all the tools that they to succeed in a connected world.

Designed to help kids and parents stay ahead of fast-changing online apps, and services, the book provides a vital resource for managing the use of high-tech devices and navigating today’s rapidly-evolving social media landscape. Important questions you’ll find answered inside include:

• How can you keep kids safe on social networks?
• Which types of information are OK to share on the Internet?
• What’s the best way to handle online and high-tech threats?
• How can you teach responsible online habits?
• What can you do to manage your family’s online reputation?

Want to keep your family safe? Know who your kids are connecting with? Teach positive online habits? Don’t miss THE MODERN PARENT’S GUIDE TO FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL NETWORKS – a must-read for any adult raising children in the digital and online age.

The book can be ordered at https://www.AKeynoteSpeaker.com/Parents

THE MODERN PARENT’S GUIDE TO FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL NETWORKS presents a groundbreaking guide on how to keep kids safe on social media services, how to protect their privacy online, and what parents need to know about popular social networks like Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, and more. Designed to help kids and parents stay ahead of fast-changing online apps and services, it’s a vital resource for navigating today’s fast-evolving social media landscape. THE MODERN PARENT’S GUIDE TO FACEBOOK AND SOCIAL NETWORKS decodes the world of social media for today’s family and offers a complete range of expert hints, tips and solutions for ensuring that parents and kids alike can enjoy healthier and more rewarding experiences online. Topics covered include the use of social networks; keeping kids safe online; managing the use of high-tech devices and apps; and more.

Author Scott Steinberg was recently named the Master of Innovation by Fortune magazine, award-winning professional speaker Scott Steinberg is among today’s top trends experts and futurists, as seen in 600+ outlets from CNN to Time and The Wall St. Journal. The bestselling author of Make Change Work for You: 10 Ways to Future-Proof Yourself, Fearlessly Innovate, and Succeed Despite Uncertainty and Millennial Marketing: Bridging the Generation Gap, he heads management consulting and market research firm TechSavvy Global, which helps clients identify and adapt to emerging trends. A top-rated keynote speaker and the host of Next Up on NewsWatch, he provides presentations and training workshops at events, meetings and conferences. His website is www.AKeynoteSpeaker.com

Posted on Leave a comment

The Natural Swimming Hole In New Jersey You’ll Want To Visit Before Summer Ends

Ridgewood Graydon Pool

When it comes to swimming spots, New Jersey isn’t lacking. We’ve got gorgeous ocean beaches all along our coast, river beaches, lake beaches, bay beaches, municipal pools, quarries, waterparks… If you’d like to take a dip, the Garden State has got you covered. Of course, there are more New Jerseyans than swimming spots, so some can get crowded. If you’re looking to discover a hidden gem, here it is.

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-jersey/nj-natural-swimming-hole/