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Ridgewood Farmers Market Starts Sunday June 25, 2017

RidgewoodFarmersMarket_theridgewoodblog

Ridgewood Farmers Market:

Sun, June 25, 2017 – Sun, November 19, 2017
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Train Station Parking Lot, Godwin Ave & W Ridgewood Ave

Celebrating 17 years with Farm to table, fresh and delicious produce.Ridgewood’s Farmers’ Market , Every Sunday from 9am-3pm ,westside of NJ Transit train station…Enjoy our farmers vegetables and fruit until Thanksgiving.

Stroll and get some fresh Mozzarella.
Homemade Jams-with flavors you cannot get any other place.
Fresh baked goods, preservative free.
Pickles on a stick for the kids and more.
Beautiful flowers for your yard.

FARM – and more – TO your TABLE…
for more details – info@ridgewoodchamber.com
201-445-2600

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The Ridgewood Public Library has their Adult Summer Reading Club up and running!

Ridgewood Public Library by ArtChick

photo by ArtChick

June 23,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Public Library has their Adult Summer Reading Club up and running! Ridgewood residents, call or write to register (and get a Chipotle buy one, get one free coupon). Stop by the Reference or Circulation Desks and get a raffle ticket for reading and attending any library programs. Weekly Friday drawings begin July 7 with prizes from Cupcakes by Carousel, Town & Country, new bestsellers and much more. Ridgewood residents, contact us today! (201) 670-5600, ext. 130 askridgewood@ridgewoodlibrary.org

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The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration’s 2017 theme is “Honoring Those Who Serve.”

Ridgewood celebrates the 4th of July

June 23,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is an all volunteer, community funded event that receives no direct funding from the Village of Ridgewood.  In addition to our generous sponsors and to ensure our tradition continues we need your support! Donate Now at the link below:

SUPPORT THE TRADITION!

New this year!! 50/50 Raffle – ONLY 600 tickets sold!  Grand Prize winner will receive up to  $25,000.00 with 10 additional chances to win $500.00!!  Winners will be announced before the fireworks at Veteran’s Field.  Contact us at 201-602-1922 or info@ridgewoodjuly4th.com for information on where to buy tickets!

RIDGEWOOD FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION

Please join us for the 107th annual Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration on Tuesday, July 4th, 2017.

The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration’s 2017 theme is “Honoring Those Who Serve.” The 2017 theme recognizes and honors the many men and women who dedicate their work and life to others through military, police, fire, ems or civil service.

Each year, the Fourth of July Celebration Committee chooses a theme that celebrates a certain aspect of American history or culture. The theme also serves as the basis for the float competition held among the town’s elementary schools.

Thank you for your continued support of this great tradition!

-The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee

FLAG RAISING AT WILSEY SQUARE AT 9:00 A.M.

PARADE BEGINS AT 10:00 A.M.
(RAIN OR SHINE)

EVENING ENTERTAINMENT & FIREWORKS
GATES OPEN AT 6:00 P.M.

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Ridgewood High School Makes the List of 42 N.J. high schools with the best ACT scores

standardized-testing

Updated June 22, 2017
Posted June 22, 2017

By Kelly Heyboer | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The SAT remains the top college entrance exam in New Jersey, where the majority of high school students take the multiple choice test to get into college.

But a growing number of New Jersey teens are trying their luck with the ACT exam. Last year, almost a third of graduating students took the ACT in New Jersey, according to the company that oversee the test.

For the first time this year, the state Department of Education’s School Performance Reports included the mean ACT scores reported by hundreds of the state’s high schools. ACT exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 36.

Here are the 42 New Jersey high schools where students averaged a composite score of 26 or higher, according to state data for the 2015-2016 school year.

42. (tie) Voorhees High School (Hunterdon County)

ACT composite score: 26

Percentage of students taking the ACT: 25%

42. (tie) Ridgewood High School (Ridgewood Village, Bergen County)

ACT composite score: 26

Percentage of students taking the ACT: 58%

42. (tie) Northern Highlands Regional High School (Bergen County)

ACT composite score: 26

Percentage of students taking the ACT: 60%

42. (tie) Mountain Lakes High School (Morris County)

ACT composite score: 26

Percentage of students taking the ACT: 68%

42. (tie) Moorestown High School (Burlington County)

ACT composite score: 26

Percentage of students taking the ACT: 49%

 

https://www.nj.com/education/2017/06/the_42_nj_high_schools_with_the_best_act_scores.html#incart_river_home_pop

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Ridgewood’s Observer Corps stays on top of local government

New Ridgewood Council Gets Down to Village Business

Donna M Rolando , Staff Writer, @Dmmrolando6:59 p.m. ET June 22, 2017

RIDGEWOOD — It’s not only newspaper reporters that are the watchful eyes and champions of transparency at municipal meetings these days.

The League of Women Voters of Ridgewood, a nonpartisan group that advocates for good government, has introduced a local Observer Corps program to stay on top of municipal news through a team of volunteer reporters.

“It’s intense work but if you like to write, and you’re interested in good government and love your community, it’s a good way to participate,” said Pamela Perron, coordinator of the local Observer Corps.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/2017/06/22/ridgewoods-observer-corps-stays-top-local-government/418093001/

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Menendez Judge Seeks Impartial Jury as Corruption Trial Looms

menednez_ridgewood trainstation_theridgewoodblog

By
David Voreacos
June 21, 2017, 12:18 PM EDT

Lawyers will begin questioning jurors Aug. 22 in Newark
New Jersey Democrat accused of taking bribes from top donor

A federal judge on Wednesday began trying to find 16 New Jersey residents who can be fair and impartial jurors in the September corruption trial of U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and a top donor.

Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, is accused of improperly seeking to help Florida doctor Salomon Melgen in a Medicare overbilling case, a contract dispute with the Dominican Republic and with visa applications for three girlfriends. Prosecutors say Menendez accepted nearly $1 million in campaign donations and luxury travel, including a Paris vacation, from Melgen.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-06-21/menendez-judge-seeks-impartial-jury-as-corruption-trial-looms

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RIDGEWOOD SUMMER DAY CAMP

ridgewood camp
June 22 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Summer Day Camp will again offer a diversified program of swimming, arts and crafts, games, outdoor sports, special events, and trips for Village children entering grades 1 through 6.

The six week program will be conducted weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., beginning Tuesday, June 27th, and ending on Friday, August 4, 2017.  Activities will be held on the grounds of the Stable, The Community Center, Maple Park, Veteran’s Field, Graydon Pool and Leuning Park.  Children are to bring their lunch and beverages.  The cost is $550 per child which includes optional bus transportation from local elementary schools.  All campers must also possess a 2017 Graydon Pool badge.

Please find details by clicking on the Day Camp Parent Manual and be sure to share inportant information with your camper.

Camp registration and Graydon memberships are available through Community Pass at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass.  The registration deadline for Summer Day Camp is

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So Long Crabby

philly pride flag

photo of the correct Philly Rainbow flag

June 22,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, in his recent letter to the editor Councilmen Jeff Voigt makes an impassioned plea: Don’t squash advisory board https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/readers/2017/06/20/letter-dont-squash-advisory-board/410315001/ and focuses on the misguided concept of Collective guilt. Which boils down to another attempt by a politician to use a special interest group to further his political agenda.

CRAB is nothing more than a political action committee looking to force their agenda down people throats . Recent attempts by the  group to target and undermine the current council and their vicious attacks on anyone who disagrees with their approach undermines there very mission.

The fact is CRAB is just another Aronsohn and an Company group looking to impose Hudson County Machine politics  on the Village of Ridgewood . The Latest attempt by CRAB pushing the rainbow flag did nothing to advance acceptance but created a more polarizing political situation in Ridgewood .

And finally by using Councilmen Voigts own logic the group used the wrong rainbow flag ,which according the BLM Black Lives Matter disenfranchises people of color by having them purposely excluded from the “gay coalition” .

 

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Ridgewood Planning Board approves apartment complex on South Broad Street

Clock_Ridgewood_theridgewopodblog

Mark Krulish , Staff Writer, @Mark_KrulishPublished 3:16 p.m. ET June 21, 2017 | Updated 8 hours ago

RIDGEWOOD — Two down, two to go.

After a literal 11th-hour change to the site plan, the Ridgewood Planning Board approved the application for an apartment complex on South Broad Street at the old Brogan Cadillac site.

The project, known as The Dayton, is one of four multifamily housing applications filed in the wake of a master plan amendment that rezoned areas of downtown Ridgewood for multifamily housing.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2017/06/21/ridgewood-planning-board-approves-apartment-complex-south-broad-street/414582001/

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“Clear Cut” , “turf Field” Roberta has issues with the new tree ordinance

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June 22,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, in a letter to the editor former Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld, Tree tax is a bad idea https://www.northjersey.com/story/opinion/readers/2017/06/20/letter-tree-tax-bad-idea/412244001/ . Is it just us or does anyone else find in both ironic and ridiculous that one of the people who pushed the “clear cutting” several acres of trees at Schedler Property ,in order to build a new turf baseball field has issues with the new tree ordinance ?

The ordinance regulating tree removals on private property requires a permit to remove any tree larger than 8 inches in diameter. Any healthy tree removed must be replaced, or a payment made in lieu of replacement. Key provisions of the new ordinance are outlined below.

The ordinance was specifically established to protect the Village of Ridgewood from people like Roberta Sonenfeld and Paul Aronsohn who were looking to ‘clear cut” and  turf down every inch in the Village of Ridgewood . As they say “round up the usual suspects “, we bet most readers can add a litany of names to this list.

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IRS Warns of New Phone Scam Involving Bogus Certified Letters

IRS_logo

IRS Warns of New Phone Scam Involving Bogus Certified Letters; Reminds People to Remain Vigilant Against Scams, Schemes this Summer

IR-2017-107, June 15, 2017

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today warned people to beware of a new scam linked to the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), where fraudsters call to demand an immediate tax payment through a prepaid debit card. This scam is being reported across the country, so taxpayers should be alert to the details.

In the latest twist, the scammer claims to be from the IRS and tells the victim about two certified letters purportedly sent to the taxpayer in the mail but returned as undeliverable. The scam artist then threatens arrest if a payment is not made through a prepaid debit card. The scammer also tells the victim that the card is linked to the EFTPS system when, in fact, it is entirely controlled by the scammer. The victim is also warned not to contact their tax preparer, an attorney or their local IRS office until after the tax payment is made.

“This is a new twist to an old scam,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “Just because tax season is over, scams and schemes do not take the summer off. People should stay vigilant against IRS impersonation scams. People should remember that the first contact they receive from IRS will not be through a random, threatening phone call.”

EFTPS is an automated system for paying federal taxes electronically using the Internet or by phone using the EFTPS Voice Response System. EFTPS is offered free by the U.S. Department of Treasury and does not require the purchase of a prepaid debit card. Since EFTPS is an automated system, taxpayers won’t receive a call from the IRS. In addition, taxpayers have several options for paying a real tax bill and are not required to use a specific one.

Tell Tale Signs of a Scam:

The IRS (and its authorized private collection agencies) will never:

Call to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. The IRS does not use these methods for tax payments. Generally, the IRS will first mail a bill to any taxpayer who owes taxes. All tax payments should only be made payable to the U.S. Treasury and checks should never be made payable to third parties.
Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.
Demand that taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.
Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

For anyone who doesn’t owe taxes and has no reason to think they do:

Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
Contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration to report the call. Use their IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting web page. Alternatively, call 800-366-4484.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the FTC Complaint Assistant on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.

For anyone who owes tax or thinks they do:

View your tax account information online at IRS.gov to see the actual amount you owe. You can then also review your payment options.
Call the number on the billing notice, or
Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help.

The IRS does not use email, text messages or social media to discuss personal tax issues, such as those involving bills or refunds. For more information, visit the “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts” page on IRS.gov. Additional information about tax scams is available on IRS social media sites, including YouTube videos.

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Ridgewood Crew Ends Season on a High Note!

Ridgewood Crew Ends Season on a High Note!

*Photo credit Janice Soderlund

June 21,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Crew sent two boats to Sarasota, Florida for the US Rowing Youth National Championship last weekend to close out a great crew season. The crews were eligible to compete against the fastest youth boats in the country because they placed in the top 3 in their Mid-Atlantic Regional qualifier at Mercer Lake in May.

Charles Koontz competed in the Men’s Varsity 1x and Sam Daspin and Spencer Campbell competed in the Men’s Lightweight 2x event. Both boats made the C Final for their fast events with Koontz coming in 4th in the C Final and the lightweight double coming in 4th as well.

Sending representatives from the team to US Rowing Youth Nationals tops off an impressive season for Ridgewood Crew. The championship racing season includes the Garden State Championship Regatta, City Championships, Mid-Atlantic Championships, Stotesbury Cup Regatta, SRAA National Championships, and the US Rowing Youth Nationals. The team qualified numerous boats into the finals and won many medals throughout the championship competitions.

Just to highlight some of the successes, Ridgewood Crew received 39 total medals at Garden State Championships, 22 medals at City Championships, 9 medals at the Mid-Atlantic Youth Championship, 4 medals at Stotesbury Cup, and 6 medals at the SRAA Nationals.

Of particular note was the Women’s Varsity 2x of Seniors Claire Callaghan and Jordan Wittmaack, who won Gold Medals at City Championships, Stotesbury Cup, and SRAA Nationals.

Ridgewood Crew is graduating 14 seniors this week. Of the 14, 8 student-athletes are planning to continue rowing as college athletes:

Claire Callaghan – University of Connecticut

Jordan Wittmaack –  West Virginia University

Melissa Dexter – Univerversity of Massachusetts – Amherst

Isabella DeGregorio – Boston College

Erica Lehman – Philadelphia University

Charles Koontz – Trinity College

Patrick DuBois – Saint Joseph’s University

Ian Soderlund – Marist College

All the Ridgewood Crew seniors should be proud of what they have accomplished as rowers for Ridgewood Crew.

Next, many of the athletes will enter Summer and Fall Club Rowing for Maroon Blades Rowing Club.

Any student-athletes interested in joining the team and learning to row should visit www.ridgewoodcrew.com or email row@ridgewoodcrew.com for more information.

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The annual crew banquet took place Saturday, June 17 at Park West Tavern Loft
Photos: Janice Soderland
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Live Streaming of Ridgewood High School graduation ceremony begins at 5PM

Graduation 13

June 21,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ  , Live Streaming of Ridgewood High School graduation ceremony begins at 5PM.

https://rhs.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/our_school/about_us/rhs_live_stream

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Ridgewood High School Students Excelled in Language Arts

Paris
June 21,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ,Ridgewood High School Students Excelled in Language Arts including a record number (148) of RHS French students took the National French Exam, with 52 receiving Honorable Mention certificates, 28 ranking among the top percentiles in their respective levels, and one — in a first for RHS — earning the platinum award.

RHS students in Spanish levels III, IV, and V participated in the National Spanish Exam, with 33 achieving either Gold, Silver, or Bronze national status. Brianna Patek received first place in  the state for Classroom Experience, and Maria Esteve received first place in the state for Out- side Experience, for the Level V exam. Anika Tsapatsaris and another student (name withheld) achieved second and third respectively for Level IV Class- room Experience.

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Ridgewood High School Students Bring Home Scholarships and Awards

RHS

file photo by Boyd Loving

June 21,2017

the staff of the Ridghewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, RHS senior Kumail Raza won the Rensselaer Medal and Scholarship Award for his outstanding academic achievement in math and science. RHS seniors Kathryn Kearney and Mary Lane won scholarships from the 200 Club of Bergen County and the Seeing Eye Puppy Raising Program. Mary  won a   scholarship award  from the Kinnelon Education Association.  And finally RHS Interact presidents Hayley Chelak  and Christian Seremetis, received the Walter  W. Head award from the AM Rotary for their service.