Tag: Ridgewood Public Library

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Reader says the typical resident moves after their kids graduate

for sale Ridgewood_Real_Estate_theRodgewopodblog

…I am a ‘new’ resident with non-school age children who has paid $120k in taxes over the last 4 years. And some ‘old’ 25+yr residents made a pretty penny when they sold their house to me to decamp to Florida….

Anyone who purchased property anywhere 25 years ago can sell it for more than they paid for it. BFD. Home values in 07450 did not outpace the increase of any other town. It’s called inflation. And the IRS allows a slight exemption to those selling, but does not index it for inflation.

So your point is moot. (Resident here since 1969 paying lots of taxes and never had any children in the schools). There has always been a gradual turnover/migration out of here when the typical resident moves after their kids graduate. The obvious point being made is that if you increase that level of seniors leaving (who subsidize those with school age children ) it will cost the remaining residents exponentially more.

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Reader says Ridgewood Residents have never had a tax increase they didn’t like

BOE_theridgewoodblog

Yes , everyone payes taxes but it is the long time residents who are burdened with the annual tax increases. Were you around when Ridgewood had the bright idea of adding a pool to the high school so the snowflakes did not have to travel to the YMCA? Fortunately, common sense prevailed and the pool was voted down. Not everyone has a bottomless bank account.
Take a look at the curriculum and see where some non-essential classes could be eliminated.
The all-knowing Board of Education eliminated shop class and an auto mechanic class a number of years ago because the residents thought these classes were below “Ridgewood educational standards ” and “decreasing enrollment”. These career paths can lead to financial independence as young adults. But I digress…

Final thoughts…Ridgewood never had a tax increase they didn’t like and they definitely don’t believe in the term ” budget neutral”.

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Reader says I know plenty of people at the pool this summer who want it open in September

Mobi Chair at Graydon delivered June 14 2013 Tim Cronin Dir. Parks Rec lifeguards 4

file photo by Boyd Loving Mobi Chair

How do you know there is no demand for Graydon to be open weekends in Sept. until summer ends. around Sept. 21.

I know plenty of people at the pool this summer who want it open in Sept.

It could be a PART OF THE POOL that is open. Not espensive for one or two lifeguards.

There is a demand and a big one for Sept. weekends.

As for that handicapped ramp. No one uses it. The kids play on it. And that is dangerous. Climbing the bars.
No wheel chair has ever rolled down that ramp into the deep water . And that is a good thing. The wheel chair denizen would have drowned. I am at Graydon everyday and I see on one uses it. No one walks down that ramp either . It is slippery.

In Allendale at Crestwood they have moveable rubber MOBI Mats for crippled people and they work excellently.

That is what we wanted what I wrote a letter about in the Record and spoke about at town meetings. But Aronsohn gang won out.

Believe me folks, no one uses that ugly ramp. I know because I am at Graydon everyday.

Also concrete area around ramp is uncomfortable on your feet. not soft like sand.

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New Jersey Choral Society Youth Choir Auditions

New Jersey Choral Society Youth Choir Auditions

August 24,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, We are very excited to announce New Jersey Choral Society’s 2017-18 Jubilee Season Celebrating Linda Sweetman-Waters’  30th Anniversary Season! We will be studying Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, join in song with a “Celebration of Carols” and launch our first Global Rhythms youth concert. We will be auditioning students grades 6-12 for two separate youth choirs this year, Choraleers (our treble ensemble) and Chorale (our SATB chorus).

Auditions will be held on Monday, August 28th from 4-6 pm at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, 169 Fairmount Road, Ridgewood, NJ. (Please visit our website at https://njcs.org/current-njcs-si…/njcs-youth-chorus-auditions where audition materials are posted.  Materials need to be emailed to the director at [email protected] and audition fees can be delivered at audition.  Once forms are submitted, an audition time will be assigned by the director. Students must schedule an audition time prior to audition.  Feel free to email with any questions you might have.  Please share this opportunity with any friend or student that would benefit from study in our program!

One parent remarked after hearing a concert June 2016: “This experience has been amazing for [my daughter] and for us! She loves to sing but was reluctant in the beginning. That reluctance has turned into an absolute love of singing with NJCS and The Festival Youth Chorus!!!” At the conclusion of this concert year, six students were featured on Belle’s recent Pop Single entitled “Unified” (which can be viewed at https://www.bellesongs.com).  A number of our families traveled to Italy to watch their students perform in Verdi’s Requiem at Teatro Sociale and remarked that it was a “life-changing experience.”   It is our hope to impact the youth of Northern New Jersey in a similar and profound way.

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the Ridgewood blog loves your comments

troll

August 24,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood

Beverly NJ, In a recent report , “The Great Tech Panic: Trolls Across America” , WIRED magazine cited Beverly, New Jersey as home of the country’s most active internet commenters.

The WIRED article says that Beverly, a tiny city on the Delaware River between Trenton and Philadelphia with a population of 2,513, has 114 residents that were responsible for 150,151 comments in a 16-month period. That’s an average of 1,317 comments each., wow !

While the Ridgewood blog thrives on “comments ” and at times comments have been criticized for being highly controversial in nature , the exchange of information has had a net positive effect in the Village . The debate often centers around the balance between what is appropriate , politically correct  and whats just too far .

The Administrators try to balance free expression without letting commentators devolve into  3rd grade name calling.Sometimes it works and sometimes not. With most of the egregious comments coming from allies of the former mayor ,who also happen to be the biggest complainers about the blog.

The Ridgewood blog has been criticized at times for not posting certain comments and of coarse the blog has its share of trolls  and creepy stalkers . Several local stalkers seem to be suffering from deep physiological mental disorders and or drug and alcohol abuse issues.

Experience and data have demonstrated that often a troll on a particular topic  , is a quality poster on many other topics.

The Wired article analyzed 92 million comments over a 16-month period, written by almost 2 million authors on more than 7,000 forums and did seem to have the traditional media bias .

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Ridgewood Turtle No House Pet

Ridgewood Police Rescue Stranded Turtle

August 24,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ , when Ridgewood Police Patrol Officer Brandon Donnelly was assigned to protect a seemingly stranded turtle at the Bergen County Wild Duck Pond Park on Sunday afternoon,https://theridgewoodblog.net/ridgewood-police-rescue-stranded-turtle/, many readers commented that it must have been a slow news day .

However a reader adds , “In case no one noticed, that turtle is not a cute harmless species. Our Police Officer was doing his job protecting the public from a dangerous animal. That creature can take a mean bite out of people. That is why it is called a snapping turtle. Would you have wanted your innocent child losing a finger or worse when he/she went over to “pet the cute turtle”?”

The common snapping turtle is noted for its combative disposition when out of the water with its powerful beak-like jaws, and highly mobile head and neck (hence the specific name serpentina, meaning “snake-like”).

While much new research out there seems an attempt to dispel  the myth of a highly aggressive predator , experiences in Saddle River in my childhood would suggest this is one animal like a shark or alligator that one  should give a wide birth and not encourage . The dinosaur-ish  looks , sharp beak and unpredictable nature make them wholly inadequate as house pets

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Reader says Ridgewood is a nice place because those of us long time residents care about this place

CBD Ridgewood by ArtChick

file photo by ArtChick

All of you new arrivals are being subsidized by the seniors. They have no kids in school , many of us NEVER have, but enjoy th ambiance of the village and get nothing for our taxes.

If more seniors decide to bail out for the nice 55 and over communities , our former homes will be filled with new residents with school age children. As such, it will dramatically increase your taxes as the already bloated school budget rises to accommodate the new students.

Ridgewood is a nice place because those of us long time residents care about this place, unlike the new crop of temporary residents that come here for 10 years then bail out when their kids are out of school, and beat feet back to NYC….sticking the rest of us with the tab for all of your “Yes” votes on the school budgets and spending on soccer fields and water park dreams.

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National Dog Day is this Saturday, August 26th!

Vicious_dog_theridgewoodblog

photo by William Thomas

August 234,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, National Dog Day is this Saturday, August 26th!On that day we will be celebrating all breeds and honoring all family and working dogs that keep us safe and give us unconditional love!Help us celebrate National Dog Day this Saturday by showing your four-legged friend some extra love with a big hug or an extra treat!

National Dog Day is celebrated August 26th annually and was founded in 2004 by Pet & Family Lifestyle Expert and Animal Advocate, Colleen Paige, also the founder of National Puppy Day, National Mutt Day and National Cat Day and many more philanthropic days to bring attention to the plight of animals and encourage adoption. The date of August 26th is significant, as it’s the date that Colleen’s family adopted her first dog “Sheltie” when Colleen was 10 years old.

National Dog Day celebrates all dogs, mixed breed and pure. Our mission is to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of dogs that need to be rescued each year and acknowledges family dogs and dogs that work selflessly each day to save lives, keep us safe and bring comfort. Dogs put their lives on the line every day…
for personal protection, for law enforcement, for the disabled, for our freedom and safety by detecting bombs and drugs and pulling victims of tragedy from wreckage, now they’re detecting cancer and seizures…things even humans cannot do. NDD was adopted into New York State Legislation in 2013.

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We Live in Fear of the Online Mobs

gay flag ridgewood

Internet shaming spreads everywhere and lives forever. We need a way to fight it.
by
Megan McArdle
@asymmetricinfoMore stories by Megan McArdle

‎August‎ ‎22‎, ‎2017‎ ‎9‎:‎06‎ ‎AM‎ ‎EDT

James Damore, the author of the notorious Google memo, has had his 15 minutes of fame. In six months, few of us will be able to remember his name. But Google will remember — not the company, but the search engine. For the rest of his life, every time he meets someone new or applies for a job, the first thing they will learn about him, and probably the only thing, is that he wrote a document that caused an internet uproar.

The internet did not invent the public relations disaster, or the summary firing to make said disaster go away. What the internet changed is the scale of the disasters, and the number of people who are vulnerable to them, and the cold implacable permanence of the wreckage they leave behind.

Try to imagine the Damore story happening 20 years ago. It’s nearly impossible, isn’t it? Take a company of similar scope and power to Google — Microsoft, say. Would any reporter in 1997 have cared that some Microsoft engineer she’d never heard of had written a memo his co-workers considered sexist? Probably not. It was more likely a problem for Microsoft HR, or just angry water-cooler conversations.

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-08-22/we-live-in-fear-of-the-online-mobs

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‘The leading edge of a much larger iceberg’: New Jersey high school disbands football team

RHS football

file photo by Ramon Hache

WEST WINDSOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. — The nationwide forces that are beginning to uproot football have converged at a place called High School North.

Demographic shifts, concussions, single-sport specialization and cost — among the same issues that have caused youth football numbers to plummet around the country in recent years — have led West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North to drop varsity football this season. The Knights, with a roster of 37 players, will play a junior varsity schedule.

High School South, the other secondary school in the district, might have to do the same next year, along with high schools from four other neighboring jurisdictions, West Windsor-Plainsboro Schools Superintendent David Aderhold said.

The moves reflect a crisis for football all over the country, but one that has accelerated in this New York City bedroom community.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/the-leading-edge-of-a-much-larger-iceberg-new-jersey-high-school-disbands-football-team/2017/08/22/e13b6516-836e-11e7-82a4-920da1aeb507_story.html?utm_term=.b48fb86d7c6c

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Reader says I am a senior who would love Graydon open anytime in Sept. after Labor Day, but I don’t count

Graydon_bike_theridgewoodblog

….The problem with weekends after Labor Day is that everyone has pushed past summer and is I to soccer practice and birthday parties and lacrosse and cross country, you name it. Weekends are booked from the moment the school bell rings. Sad, but true……

Glen Rock pool is open after Labor Day on weekends. Correct me if I am wrong.What about adults who want to use Graydon Sept. weekends. Oh, I get it , I am a senior who would love Graydon open anytime in Sept. after Labor Day, but I don’t count. Why is it always the kids and not the adults and NEVER the seniors who are taken into consideration for fun things. That crappy senior center, with dottering exercise classes and trips where the main event is a fattening lunch, SCREW THAT. No healthy senior would join that. I sure in hell wouldn’t. And I am in my mid seventies.

 

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Ridgewood Fire Department addresses cooking grease spill

Ridgewood Fire Department addresses cooking grease spill

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving

August 23,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, It what seems to becoming an all too frequent occurrence, Ridgewood Fire Department personnel were again called to address a spill of cooking grease generated from a local restaurant. The latest spill occurred on Tuesday morning, 08/22 in front of 16 Chestnut Street, Ridgewood. Members of Ridgewood FD Engine Company #35 and Rescue Company #42 applied an absorbent material to the affected area.

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Chief of Department James Van Goor, who was on the scene, advised the restaurant owner to hire a private contractor for final cleanup. Ridgewood Health Department officials were also notified of the incident. Ridgewood Police provided traffic control as firefighters worked at the location.

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Long Time Ridgewood Resident Joins Ridgewood Office of Special Properties as a Broker Associate

Christina Sippel
August 22,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ , Special Properties Real Estate Services, LLC, an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, has welcomed Cristina (Cristy) Sippel, a Ridgewood resident of more than 30 years, as a Broker Associate at its Ridgewood, NJ office. The addition of Sippel is just part as part of the agency’s ongoing expansion throughout the region.

Cristy Sippel is high-energy and brings deep industry contacts and expertise from her career in advertising to her work in real estate.  As a part of the Ridgewood community for over three decades, she brings an extensive knowledge of the Village, and the surrounding region, to her clients. Cristy also brings a larger world perspective, having had the opportunity to live in many different states and countries around the world during her life.

Following a successful career in advertising, real estate was a logical transition. With the diverse knowledge and perspective of the advertising world, Cristy is adept at developing some of the most creative and unique marketing programs for each property listing.

With three children in the Ridgewood schools, and a graduate of Ridgewood High School herself, she can often be found cheering on the local high school sports teams or walking her long-haired dachshund, Oscar, around town.

Cristy is deeply involved in the community, serving in a variety of capacities for the local school system and other charitable organizations in the region. She has also been a board member of the Social Service Association since 2004 and a team member of Raphael’s Life House in Elizabeth since 2012. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston College in Marketing.

Special Properties Real Estate Services embraces the history and traditions of its flagship brokerage location in Saddle River, NJ, into an expanded, modern presence in Mahwah, Franklin Lakes, and Ridgewood, NJ. With a staff of accomplished real estate brokers, its clients across northern New Jersey and southern New York are provided with customized, personalized services, backed by the luxury real estate brand of Christie’s International Real Estate. Special Properties provides local expertise with global connections. For more information, call (201) 962-9552.

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It’s the taxes, silly: How high taxes in New Jersey hurt the middle-class and small businesses the most

Ridgewood_Real_estate_theridgewoodblog
file photo by Boyd Loving
What is the Most Pressing Issue for the Village of Ridgewood

August 21, 2017 at 8:01 AM

We still have five months to go in 2017 and New Jersey has already topped several lists this year we all wish it hadn’t. With long-term liabilities mushrooming to 360 percent of total assets, New Jersey was ranked the state with the worst fiscal health in the country for the third consecutive year by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

For the fifth consecutive year, New Jersey saw more residents leave than any other state, with 63 percent more departures than arrivals.

According to recent McKinsey study, New Jersey has been among the worst states for economic growth, with GDP increasing an average of just 0.3 percent between 2005 and 2015 – nearly five times lower than national GDP growth over the same period.

There’s not one single explanation for all of these trends, but there is oneparticular list New Jersey sits atop that comes pretty close to providing an answer: our state has the worst business tax climate in the nation, according to the independent nonprofit Tax Foundation, an unfortunate distinction the state has had for the last three years.

High taxes make New Jersey less attractive to businesses and residents. Skeptics often claim this is an exaggeration and that few actually move just because of taxes. But even if we put aside departures like the high profile move made by fund manager David Tepper to Florida a few years ago, those opposed to lowering tax rates have to reckon with the fact that most people are leaving for new job opportunities. Why aren’t these opportunities in our state? Perhaps it has something to do with the uninviting business environment created by unnecessarily high taxes.

The common refrain from opponents of tax cuts, especially cuts for businesses, is that they only benefit big corporations and the wealthy. But in many cases high taxes hurt the middle-class and small businesses more than the rich and powerful. Here are a few examples:

https://www.njbiz.com/article/20170821/INDINSIGHTS/170829999/its-the-taxes-silly-how-high-taxes-in-new-jersey-hurt-the-middleclass-and-small-businesses-the-most

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Ridgewood Public Schools does not tolerate any acts of hate or negative speech in our buildings or on our property.

RHS_Sign_theridgewoodblog

Dear Parent or Guardian,

The recent events in Charlottesville have compelled me to write to you this afternoon. The horrific and
vile images on our screens emphasized the unfortunate and misguided behavior of real people with real
hate in their hearts towards others who look or believe differently from themselves.

Having watched those expressions of hatred and violence with horror and disbelief, I want to stress to
you and reassure you that the Ridgewood Public Schools does not tolerate any acts of hate or negative
speech in our buildings or on our property. Our district is a community of people from many different
backgrounds, nationalities, beliefs and protected classes, and we insist that our students and staff
practice tolerance and respect at all times through clearly articulated goals for respectful and inclusive
behavior. We also go one step further, by finding ways to highlight and celebrate both differences and
similarities.

As we ready for the opening of school and a peaceful and welcoming start to a new year, I encourage
you to talk about the school environment in your discussions with your family about the recent events in
Charlottesville. Please know that we are here to assist you and feel free to reach out to your child’s
principal, or to me, at any time.

Enjoy the rest of your summer.
Sincerely yours,
Daniel Fishbein, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools