Ridgewood NJ, Approximately 50 gallons of cooking oil spilled into a Village of Ridgewood municipal parking lot on Wednesday morning, 06/28. Officials from the Village’s Health, Police, Fire, Engineering, and Sanitation departments responded to investigate the incident. Fire department personnel applied an absorbent material to the affected surface areas and a private contractor was called to undertake a thorough clean up process. It is believed that 55 gallon drum containing the cooking oil was inadvertently knocked over by a refuse removal contractor trying to access a nearby garbage dumpster.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood residents have a tradition of their own, they start setting out chairs along the Fourth of July Parade route on North Maple Avenue as early as this weekend.
The placing of chairs along the parade route is a village tradition dating back over 50 years. While we do get complainers generally is a lot of fun and often a bit competitive over spots .
The Police leave the chairs alone and some people tie up their , to keep them together and from blowing out into the street.
Normally by July 3, most of the parade route for this year’s the 107th annual Ridgewood Fourth of July Parade will be lined from beginning to end with chairs.
The parade starts at 10 a.m. July 4, and the theme of the 2017 Fourth of July Celebration is “Honoring Those Who Serve.”
Ridgewood NJ, Professional Golfer and Ridgewood High School Alum Debbie O’Connell kicked off her new book Golf Positive! Live Positive! at in Ridgewood on Monday night .
Her book launch started Monday night featuring a book signing at Bookends in Ridgewood. Today my launch on Amazon offers Golf Positive! Live Positive! FREE on Kindle. Click here to get your copy https://amzn.to/2thONSy Enjoy!!
“The Mission is to enhance the lives of individuals through positive learning experiences while enhancing golf skills and knowledge. Golf-Positive will use the game of golf as a tool to influence positive results in many facets of life. Experience and enjoy the positive spirit and energy Golf-Positive will illuminate. Join Debbie in her journey as she strives to reach her full potential by helping you to reach yours!”
According to Debbie, it’s nearly impossible to be a negative pessimistic person and have a happy positive life.
You will get what you focus on in life. Pay attention to your thoughts and words and make sure they are positive.
If you want to live a happy positive life be sure your thoughts and words are positive.
It’s important to watch your language! Below find a list of disempowering words and the empowering word you can say and think in its place. If you change your language and your thoughts, your life will be even better!
Ridgewood NJ, The highest percentage of home burglaries happen during the summer months.According to Ooma (www.ooma.com)—a leading DIY home phone and security company—there are 6 basic inexpensive steps homeowners can take to deter and react to break-ins.
**6 TIPS TO KEEP YOUR HOUSE SAFE FROM BREAK-INS DURING SUMMER TRAVEL**
#1 MIND THE FRONT DOOR
34% of break-ins occur at the front door. Install a smart doorbell that routes to your phone, and use tools like two-way speakers to give visitors the impression someone is home. Also install video cameras and view visitors on your phone, no matter where you are.
#2 WHEN A DOOR CLOSES, MAKE SURE A WINDOW DOESN’T OPEN
23% of break-ins occur through first-floor windows. Use classic sash locks to keep windows locked, and install wireless motion sensors to be alerted if a window is raised.
#3 CHECK YOUR A/C
A popular summertime burglary entry point: pushing in a window A/C unit. Install motion sensors near window A/C units, and consider uninstalling window A/C units if you’re leaving town.
#4 CALL 911 REMOTELY
Knowing someone is breaking into your house doesn’t help if you’re on a beach several hours away—unless you have a way to call 911 to your home’s local emergency dispatchers with a feature such as Ooma’s Remote 911.
#5 BEWARE OF SLIDING DOORS
Sliding doors are another popular entry point, as the locks are generally easy to pick. Install physical barrier bars in the tracks, and set up motion detectors in the vicinity.
#6 KEEP THE LIGHTS ON
Integrate light timers or smart lights that you can control with your phone to make your home look lived-in and deter break-ins.
Ooma Home Security [https://www.ooma.com/home-security/]—the first and only DIY smart home phone service to integrate four security features—offers remote 911, as well as motion, door, window, and water sensors.
Nicholas Katzban , Staff Writer, @NicholasKatzban7:03 p.m. ET June 27, 2017
RIDGEWOOD — The Planning Board approved an application Monday night to build a five-story mixed-use development on the former site of Ken Smith Motors. Though board members and residents alike shared concerns regarding the project’s effects on the village’s downtown, a more than 30-year-old legal battle out of North Brunswick sealed the 6-1 approval.
The project would include 66 residential units, 5,500 square feet of retail and 150 parking spaces, all of which fall well within permitted ratios under the village’s master plan, which forced the hands of several board members, otherwise wary of the plan as submitted.
Yet another business survey has found that New Jersey has one of the worst tax climates for small businesses, but those numbers may not be telling the whole story.
The Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council’s Small Business Tax Index 2017 ranked all 50 states on how friendly their tax climates are to small businesses. New Jersey finished second to last overall, beating out only California. The result has not changed since the SBE’s survey was done in 2014.
The five states with the friendliest tax climates for small businesses:
1. Nevada;
2. Texas;
3. South Dakota;
4. Wyoming;
5. Washington state.
Conversely, the five states with the worst tax climates:
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission is offering village residents an opportunity to improve the beauty and value of their properties with its Adopt-a-Tree program. Property owners have until June 30th to submit an application to have a tree planted in the median (village owned property) in front of their home.
Residents are able to select a tree from an approved list of native species, specifically chosen for their ability to provide shade and flourish close to the street. If the application meets all the criteria (i.e. doesn’t interfere with underground utilities, power lines), property owners pay a fee to cover the cost of purchasing and planting the tree, which happens each autumn.
As part of the process of obtaining a new tree, residents also agree to the maintenance of the newly planted tree, such as ongoing watering, weeding, and mulching.
Don’t miss out on this wonderful opportunity to improve the air quality and curb appeal of your home. Applications can be found on the Shade Tree Commission’s website, www.ridgewoodshadetree.org and are due by June 30th.
Additional questions or comments can be sent to Monica Buesser, mbuesser@gmail.com.
About the Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission
The Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission’s (STC) purpose is to protect, preserve and enhance the shade trees in the village. Shade Trees are defined as trees planted next to streets on the Village’s property. The STC’s goals are to foster public-private partnerships to 1) educate the community about the contribution shade trees make to the Village environment and, 2) increase the number of shade trees in the village by actively promoting community tree planting programs.
I wish I knew as well, but we have to trust the police – many of whom if not most – live in town, with their kids, so you can believe they have our best interests at heart. No report of this activity is very likely on purpose for a valid reason. It may be something as simple as any news would hamper an ongoing investigation. Call me naive if you like, but I personally believe if the police had to report on something that might hurt the town’s reputation – but would make us safer – I believe they would then still report it.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police, Fire, and EMS units, along with several Glen Rock Police officers, responded to aid the five (5) victims of a Tuesday afternoon, 06/27, rollover crash at the intersection of Kenilworth and Laurel Roads in Ridgewood. Two (2) adults and three (3) children sustained non life threatening injuries in the incident. All victims were transported by ambulances to local hospitals for treatment. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by tow trucks. Ridgewood Police issued one (1) crash related summons. Fire Department personnel addressed a crash related fluid spill.
Ridgewood NJ, Please support the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Inc. by purchasing a 50/50 Raffle Ticket from a participating vendor.
ONLY 600 TICKETS WILL BE SOLD. GRAND PRIZE OF $25,000.
All proceeds go to the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration.
Here are the vendors:
Backyard Living – 235 Franklin Avenue, Ridgewood
ConnectOne Bank – 171 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood
Daily Treat – 177 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood
Goffle Brook Farms – 425 Goffle Road, Ridgewood
Hillmann Electric – 133 E. Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood Auto Wash – 450 S. Broad Street, Glen Rock
Ridgewood Cycle Shop – 35 N. Broad Street, Ridgewood
Town and Country Apothecary – 60 E. Ridgewood Avenue
The Wine Seller – 6 W. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood
Ridgewood NJ,Cornered by the deal former Mayor Paul Aronsohn cut with developers including resident John Saraceno, Monday night the village planning board had no legal choice but to approve Saraceno’s site application at the former Ken Smith Ford lot on Franklin. Now Saraceno will build a 66 unit, 5 story apartment complex at one of the village’s busiest, and most dangerous intersections. Taxpayers will be on the hook for the massive upgrades to traffic signals that result through the CBD, those costs could total more than $1,000,000.
Saraceno’s apartments at Maple and E. Ridgewood Ave. are up for discussion next.
The massive over-development of Ridgewood is supported by former village manager Roberta Sonnenfeld and 2015 failed council candidate Evan Weitz. Both are thought to be considering runs for village office in 2018.
Ridgewood NJ, After reading the letter former Ridgewood Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld sent to the Ridgewood news ,readers near Habernickel Park were furious. Many thought she had some nerve complaining about new tax & added fees when she was one of the main people who put a FOR profit business in Habernickel Park.
If you look back at neighbors complaints & concerns which were never considered when they went ahead with the plan to change the gatehouse to recreational & educational space you will better understand what they are talking about.
First off the owner of the business Stacey Antine & Roberta graduated Bergen Leads together even though Roberta denied helping Stacey get her business into Ridgewood everyone found it odd since the class was about 10 students.
Healthbarn only pays $3,700 a month for rent never increasing over her 5 year lease, way below the price of an average rental in Ridgewood. Plus in addition they got 12 parking spots & a garden the size 50 feet X 100 feet. The property tax alone on the size of her garden would be around $10,000.00 a year. The previous renter paid about the same for no extra land & no parking spots.
This business was given 12 parking spots for her employees & patrons yet every other business in town have to pay for meters. Basically she is given about $1,200.00 a month worth of parking for free & displacing parents from parking in the lot for sports practice & games….forcing them to park in the street.
This business is now at the tax payers expense having to under go $20,000.00 worth of construction to the entrance of the gate house to make it handicap accessible for the business. If this was still rented to a family this wouldn’t have had to cost the tax payers $20,000.00 it could of been a simpler fix to the all ready front steps.
This business was also given by the town through tax payers dollars
1. Stadium lights for the parking lot only since her classes go past 9pm on some nights
2. Security camera with direct feed to the police & village hall
3. Fire hydrant was needed because it is a business & a added hose for watering her garden
This business also get full garbage pick up & recycling from the village. No other business in town gets this service they have to use an outside provider.
Parks & rec maintain her property which they didn’t do when it was a rental property. Parks & rec advertises on the website for this business making it seem like this is a partnership & residents benefit from this business. That is NOT true we as tax payers get 0% from her business. The village doesn’t advertise for any other business in town so why must they do for her? When you see the ad on parks & rec it will directly you bring you to Healthbarn so then you can sign up for classes or buy her cookbook which none of it brings in revenue to the village…crazy how much we help her make money all the while residents keep having to pay higher taxes & getting charged fees.
Healthbarn USA offer classes that directly compete with the village classes offered thru parks & rec yet parks & rec continues to advertise for this business….a tad shady!
The present & past business manager ever took the time to punch the numbers he/she would realize the loss of rent the tax payers are incurring. The amount of tax payers dollars already spent to get this business up & running & the continued expenses (mentioned above). Police have been called more because of the added traffic & illegal parking of her buses so that I am sure is an added burden to the police.
The neighborhood got slapped in the face with this business. Neighbors keep sending photos to VC about all the violations to the lease but yet nothing has changed the Village continues to support her financially by advertising for her & giving her full access to parks & rec’s resources.
One would wonder HOW this happened……answer Roberts & her friends. Roberta should be careful what she is complaining about in the paper because her past isn’t perfect.
Are we owed an explanation in the police blotter? They report on shoplifting and underage drinking. At times they add the name of local residents for the enjoyment of the neighbors.
They should tell us what happened. Were the neighbors ever in danger? Are individuals in custody or are they still living in the house?
Ridgewood PD should provide adequate info, not all the gory details, but enough for us to know if we are safe.
Folks have tried to change the Aronson laws that were passed to allow these projects to go forward. The basic enabling law was repealed by the new council. Other attempts were made. But, frankly, due to a lack of backbone on the Council, the Aronson Apartment projects are going forward.
This council and planning board could have done a whole lot more, but they chose not to for reasons only they can explain – – ask them. let them know how you feel. And, don’t forget to let Aronson know how you feel as well about the changes he made to our community in his pathetic pursuit of his personal goals.
Bottom line, however, is that if people don’t speak up, nothing is going to be done to stop the next round of over-development.
