Ridgewood Public Library has artist’s work on display
MARCH 27, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY EILEEN LA FORGIA
STAFF WRITER |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Medy Bozkurtian’s “Spring Fever” exhibit at the Ridgewood Public Library evokes renewal and hope, something the artist feels we all need.
Enjoying the exhibit earlier this week was a familiar pastel artist from the village, Ethel Jamroz.
“My mother and I stop in every month – we enjoy the art shows,” said Nancy Jamroz.
The 26 watercolor and oil paintings represent some of Bozkurtian’s favorite places from her travels. “Provence Poppies” and “Mediterranean Vista” were inspired by France, “Capri Corner” and “Hills of Tuscany” by her many trips to Italy and “Café on Lake Lucerne” by Switzerland.
“After the Rain” and “Morning Walk” are two of her latest paintings. They were done after she returned last year to Bulgaria where she was born. They depict scenes in the historic section of Plovdiv, one of the oldest cities in Europe with a 6,000-year history.
“Having escaped Communism in the 60s, it was an emotional experience for me to return to a free Bulgaria after so many years,” she said. She sketched there and then painted the scenes in watercolor when she returned home.
“Being of Armenian descent, I also painted scenes like ‘Welcoming Committee’ in a mountain valley in Armenia with an old church in the background,” she said. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide said the artist noting that it is close to her heart.
MARCH 27, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2015, 8:27 AM
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Celebrate poetry
To the Editor:
Here is an invitation to our friends and neighbors to celebrate National Poetry Month in April 2015.
Established by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, it is the largest literary celebration in the world with schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers and poets celebrating poetry’s vital place in our culture.
Visit poets.org and learn the many ways you can celebrate with your family and friends, and sign up for a “poem in your pocket” day, April 30. Many of our New Jersey teachers will be having “dear poet” projects.
Special treat on Tuesday, April 7 at 1:15 p.m. at the Ridgewood Public Library, The College Club of Ridgewood will bring Renée Ashley, one of our best known New Jersey voices and popular nationally recognized New Jersey poet. She is a beloved member of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Graduate low residency program in Creative Writing and Literature and will present “The Magical Art of Reaching Into Us,” telling her poetry story and sharing poems with our members and friends to come. Join us.
And for those who have enjoyed New Jersey Geraldine A. Dodge Foundation’s Poetry Festivals, Ashley will be joining with other New Jersey poets at “Jersey Voices: Rediscovering the Poetry State,” on April 24 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center at 8 p.m.
Bob Reimer, 92-year-old Ridgewood Public Library “Read to Papa” volunteer and WWII veteran, celebrated his last week working with the Children’s Department on Feb. 9. Bob came to the library to read to young children in October 2013, telling stories, reading and getting to know the patrons and staff. Bob is relocating to Pennsylvania to be with family. Front row from left: Robin Ritter, Bob Reimer and Lois Brodie. Back row from left: Amy McLaughlin, Gina Mitgang, Ashley Loria and Roberta Panjwani.Bob Reimer with Marion Flanagan. Marion introduced the Ridgewood Public Library to Bob Reimer in October 2013 when she met him at the SHARE home on Cottage Place.
Longtime Ridgewood Library volunteer is moving to Pennsylvania
February 27, 2015 Last updated: Friday, February 27, 2015, 12:31 AM
By Submitted By marion Flanagan
The Ridgewood News
When Robert “Bob” Reimer agreed to read to preschool children at the Ridgewood Public Library as part of its weekly “Read With Nana and Papa” program, some friends at his local senior residence, SHARE, asked, “Why would you do that?”
Reimer, 92, saw the intergenerational offering as an opportunity. His daily routine needed some zip — and how likely was it that his $2 in weekly lottery tickets would ever fund his dream trip to Monte Carlo?
Reimer eagerly signed up for the program and in less than a year has built a loyal following of tykes, who sit beside him on the bench every Tuesday morning to listen not only to picture books, but also to the narratives of his past. Parents huddle round as well, drawn to Reimer’s warm, affable glow like a campfire and rapt as he spins yarns about his hardscrabble life on a 640-acre South Dakota farm during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl.
Commodore John Barry, Hero of the American Revolution
Programs at the Ridgewood Public Library
Irish in the American Revolution Discussion
Irish in the American Revolution, Monday, March 2, 7pm.
Todd Braisted shares his research about the Irish who fought with the Patriots, the British, the Hessians and the French during the American Revolution.
Ridgewood Library Offers Knit One Read Too
Tue, March 03, 2015
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Ridgewood Public Library, 125 N Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
NEW* Knit One Read Too, instructional session, Tuesday, March 3, 7pm.
Learn or help others to knit, crochet, embroider, stitch as we preview best of new books. Group size limited, registration required. Please visit Reference desk, www.ridgewoodlibrary.org or contact Victoria at 201-612-5600, ext. 133.
Reading Marathon Closing Celebration
Mon, March 02, 2015
Time: 4:00 PM – 5:00 AM
Location: Ridgewood Public Library, 125 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Reading Marathon Closing Celebration: Bash the Trash, Monday, March 2, 4-5pm.
“Serious” musicians find a melody in their trash. Register now.
*Note: this is a rescheduled performance from a snow day.
Unbroken: The Great Zamperini Disscussion at the Ridgewood Library
Unbroken: The Great Zamperini
Wednesday, March 11, 6:30pm. Documentary screening and discussion about Louis Zamperini’s WWII crash and POW experience.
Speaker: Rick Feingold. Free, all welcome. Light refreshments.
In North Jersey, libraries of tomorrow are ready to turn the page
JANUARY 25, 2015, 9:24 PM LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2015, 10:05 PM
BY NICHOLAS PUGLIESE
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
It looks like a scene from Google headquarters. A group of young inventors darts around the room, tackling a new experiment each week: build a flying machine, print a 3D object, design a new instrument, make an explosion with Popsicle sticks. The energetic buzz is punctuated by the occasional exclamation, “That’s so cool!”
But this is no Google headquarters. This is the Hillsdale Public Library, and its dedication to hands-on collaborative learning exemplifies a movement by libraries nationwide to redefine themselves in the digital age.
“Rather than it being a solitary place to come on your own, we’re seeing it now as a place for people to come together and share their expertise,” said Dave Franz, the library director. While libraries were created to give people access to information, he added, now they are being expanded to include access to tools.
Franz was among the first in the state to dedicate a section of the library to do-it-yourself endeavors — what he calls a “makerspace.” In 2011, he cleared out an unused office — about the size of a walk-in closet — and jampacked it with the most modern, sexiest gadgets he could find: an iMac video-editing station, a stop-motion camera, a digital fabric-cutter, a 3D printer, robotics kits, soldering tools, and a dizzying array of craft supplies.
Ridgewood NJ, Since the Ridgewood blog had come up more than once in the last few civility meetings Mayor Aronsohn and Jan Philips reached out to us for an invite so we updated our Last Will and Testaments and graciously accepted .The meetings of the Civility Round Table are held on Tuesday’s, once a month at 7:30 PM in the Ridgewood Village Hall Senior’s Lounge. Residents are encouraged to attend .
The meeting started promptly at 7:30 and was to my mind well attended given the time of the year . Jan Phelps hosted the meeting , with Mayor Aronsohn and Councilwomen Hauck . Everyone introduced themselves representing various groups and organizations in the Village , from the BOE , the Planing Board , the Ridgewood Library ,several local clergy , the HSA’s , RBSA and may other fine organizations that serve Ridgewood as well as a few residents . The purpose as stated by the Mayor is to create a more civil discourse in the Village .
Civility is about more than just politeness, although politeness is a necessary first step. It is about disagreeing without disrespect, seeking common ground as a starting point for dialogue about differences, listening past one’s preconceptions, and teaching others to do the same. Civility is the hard work of staying present even with those with whom we have deep-rooted and fierce disagreements. It is political in the sense that it is a necessary prerequisite for civic action. But it is political, too, in the sense that it is about negotiating interpersonal power such that everyone’s voice is heard, and nobody’s is ignored. https://www.instituteforcivility.org/who-we-are/what-is-civility/
The group seemed to agree that Ridgewood is a town where people like to excel , and that drive and those expectations create a very passionate , as you can see from blog comments and opinionated populace . People care about their community and thats a good thing , but many felt that sometimes we all go a bit to far .
We looked at the causes of incivility , the when and why .Sheila Brogan long time BOE member , felt that todays parents had a lot of additional pressure and worried that in todays world their kids would have a hard time doing as well as they have done . She went on to speak about the changing times and how one could expect to have several careers over a life time ,all this she though made being a parent a lot harder than it was in the past and a lot more pressure .
We managed to go till 8:08 be for someone mentioned the elephant in the room, “I want to talk about the blog”…….
I learned a lot , mostly that I am glad I can sit in my PJ’s drinking coffee writing a blog getting yelled at by anonymous commenters ,and don’t have a tuff job like the RBSA people who are pulled in many directions ,by so many demands all at once .
There were interestingly a surprising large amount of blog enthusiasts there some open and some secret admirers .
While I could see there were some sore spots , like turf fields , PSEG ,sports issues , Valley Hospital , the Village Hall renovation and alas Marty Brooks the daggers were lowered for the night .
While anonymity of blog posters took a hit as expected some pointed out that even on facebook were you know who everyone is the comments can be even nastier . A resident put it down to a type of “keyboard bravado.”
PJ’s Rules
1) Stick to issues don’t make it personal
2) Don’t take anything personal
M. Forni’s 25 Rules:The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct
1. Pay attention
2. Acknowledge others
3. Think the best
4. Listen
5. Be inclusive
6. Speak kindly
7. Don’t speak ill
8. Accept and give praise
9. Respect even a subtle “no”
10. Respect others’ opinions
11. Mind your body
12. Be agreeable
13. Keep it down (and rediscover silence)
14. Respect other people’s time
15. Respect other people’s space
16. Apologize earnestly and thoughtfully
17. Assert yourself
18. Avoid personal questions
19. Care for your guests
20. Be a considerate guest
21. Think twice before asking for favors
22. Refrain from idle complaints
23. Give constructive criticism
24. Respect the environment and be gentle to animals
Harding Pharmacy and Liquors! : Bolger Heritage Center, Ridgewood Public Library
Check out this awesome picture recently donated by Myron Lesh of Harding Pharmacy and Liquors! Ridgewood Commercial Company, selling carriages, farming implements, etc. was established ca. 1904. The building has changed little over the years and is now the site of Harding Pharmacy and Liquors.
Our collection grows by donations, enabling us to share more of Ridgewood’s history.
We’re open whenever the library is – set up an appointment and stop by and say hi!
OCTOBER 24, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2014, 12:31 AM BY EILEEN LA FORGIA STAFF WRITER | THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Photographer always ready for ‘perfect’ shot
Isaac Stackell’s photos are on display this month at the Ridgewood Public Library.
He calls the show a collection of images he created over the past 30 years. When asked where his favorite landscape scenes are, he said, “Anywhere the light is right. It could be at any given moment – you don’t know when that is going to happen.” He always has his camera with him.
Stackell does product photography for a large New York City photo equipment retailer – B&H Photo, a job that he says is precise and controlled – the exact opposite of landscape photography.
“Landscape photography is unexpected, not always planned – it adds a lot of excitement,” he noted. “Even though you go with something in your mind, nature might have a surprise for you.”
Stackell photographed some iconic structures close to home. On display are: “Verrazano Fog” with a cruise ship passing under. “Empire State Building in the Morning Mist” was photographed from the subway station right outside Penn Station. “It’s my favorite building – I’ve shot it many different seasons, time of day, and from different locations.”
Matthew VanDyke will speak on Oct. 24 at the showing of “Point and Shoot.”
Ridgewood Library’s film fest inspires action
OCTOBER 10, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014, 12:31 AM BY JODI WEINBERGER STAFF WRITER THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
It’s a personal connection that was the spark for Matthew VanDyke to leave a comfortable life in Baltimore and fight among the rebels in the Libyan Revolution.
VanDyke had been looking for a change of pace, and a sense of purpose, when he began his travels on a motorcycle through Africa and the Middle East with a plan to make an adventure film along the way. His transformation to freedom fighter came after striking up a friendship with other Libyan rebels who were preparing to fight against the authoritarian rule of Muammar Gaddafi.
The footage he captured, including six months of solitary confinement, was compiled by award-winning documentary filmmaker Marshall Curry into a moving story about a young man who leaves his life unsure of his path to someone who develops what VanDyke said is a “calling” to make a contribution and effect change in a foreign region.
When asked during an interview this week about what would make him put his life on the line for another country, VanDyke said it was a “very personal mission for me.”
Bolger Heritage Center, Ridgewood Public Library. Do you have an Arrow Yearbook looking for a new home? Is it from 1912, 1915, 1944, 1966, 1972, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1993, 1997, or 2011?
Ridgewood resident brings family’s history to life
AUGUST 25, 2014 LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 2014, 3:22 PM BY BY JODI WEINBERGER STAFF WRITER
In 2012, John Dabney was newly retired and looking for a project to fill his time.
He began researching his family’s history with the goal of learning more about his past, but the personal exploration quickly grew to an “extended family investigation” that took him all over the country interviewing relatives.
Not long after his research began, he connected with a third cousin and award-winning author Joseph Dabney, who had also been collecting family history, and the two decided over a lunch in Georgia to combine their efforts into a book.
Called, “The Dabneys of South Carolina, A Family History in Stories and Pictures,” the book traces the family to 1795 with the birth of Alexander Dabney, who emigrated from Ireland to South Carolina.
From that start, John and Joseph Dabney were able to track down 2,500 Dabneys in 1,700 families and conducted more than 250 interviews with relatives in almost every state.
“I figured I would travel with my wife and do as much research as needed and ended up doing seven to 10 hours of work a day,” John Dabney said.
However, a lot of the research, as he discovered, could be done right in Ridgewood.
A Retiree Digitizes 27 Million Old Newspaper Pages in His Living Room (and Libraries Fight to Catch Up)
Jim Epstein|May. 18, 2014 1:00 pm
Last March, I profiled Tom Tryniski, an eccentric retiree who has digitized (so far) about 27 million newspaper pages working alone in his living room and has made them free for anyone to search. (Click above to watch the video or click here to read the article.) The story offered an example of Tryniski’s prowess: In 2003, the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL)spent $400,000 digitizing the first 62 years of theBrooklyn Daily Eagle, which was among the most widely read and influential papers in 19th century America. A decade later, the library was still raising money to finish the remaining 52 years of the Daily Eagle’s run. In the meantime, Tryniski digitized all 115 years of the paper in about five months working alone.
The BPL has caught up. The entire run of the paper is now digitized and the library just launched a beautiful new portal that makes it easy to search. The BPL Daily Eagle site is far more limited than Tryniski’s—he’s digitized 639 newspapers including several other Brooklyn titles—but it’s quite a bit faster and easier to use.
So how much did the BPL pay to finish the job? Absolutely nothing.
Readers respond to Councilwomen Gwen Hauck’s Ridiculous Ridgewood Library Comment
“It is an expensive department, but it’s not near as expensive as the police department and fire department. I would like it to be up there in that same echelon,” Hauck said
Really.
So you want the library budget in the same echelon as a 24/7 365 days a year department budget to include state and federal mandated training and equipment.
The library also benefits from private funding through the Friends of the Library organization and the Library Foundation, Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck said. But, according to Hauck, the library should be shouldered by the village.
“It is an expensive department, but it’s not near as expensive as the police department and fire department. I would like it to be up there in that same echelon,” Hauck said.
Duh? Are you friggin’ kidding me? Earth calling Gwenn, Earth calling Gwenn, come in please Gwenn! Police and fire operate 24/7/365 with specialized equipment and personnel. Including state and federal mandated training ?
Funny isn’t it. Loads of talk from Village Hall about shared services and using the County services when possible but no talk at all about combining municipal libraries and getting rid of some administrative overhead in the process. We could easily combine with HoHoKus, Midland Park, and Glen Rock, could we not?
Noble as libraries have been over the years, it’s hard to justify increasing public funding for Ridgewood’s. Such is the price we pay for past extravagances. As for Mrs. Hauck, she should probably keep her head down and steer clear of any other potential conflicts of interest at the taxpayers’ expense. In advance of the predictable counterpoint – I’ll concede that her advocating for another of her personal crusades is “legal” but it just continues to look bad.
Any of these name look familiar?
Library Board of Trustees John Johansen President
Elisa R. Legg Vice-President Arlene Sarappo Secretary
Gail Campbell Treasurer James Mazzo
John Saraceno Jayne Schroeder
Gwenn Hauck Village Council Paul Aronsohn Mayor
Linda Diorio Superintendent’s Delegate Dr. Daniel Fishbein Superintendent of Schools
2013 – 2014 Directors
Betsy Giordano, President
Shoshana Feiner, Vice-President/Sec
Stephen Petrick, Treasurer
Marie Bicks
Tony Damiano
Catherine Donnelly
Kathleen M. Entwistle
Janet Fricke
Kathleen Gatens
Paul Goldberg
Jeffrey Karpf
Helen Kim
Cara Murray
Anne Ramsey
Rahul Sharma
Melanie Stern
Associate Directors
Glenn F. Jorgensen, Founding President
Harlen Coben
Dan Cummings
Elia Desruisseaux
Thomas Dougherty
Josh Grunat
Jacque Harlow
Gwenn Hauck ****
Phyllis Heilborn
Teresa Hutchins
Michele Lenhard
William J. Meakem
Barbara Moreira
Ellen Quinn
Joan Popkin
Deborah Primiano
Albert Pucciarelli *****
Fred Strype
Ridgewood NJ, April 9, 2014 – The Ridgewood blog was founded in March of 2006 by James J Foytlin aka PJ Blogger .[1] Mr. Foytlin was born and raised in Ridgewood ,New Jersey and is a graduate of Ridgewood High School .[2] [3]
After many years living in New York City[4] Mr Foytlin returned to Ridgewood after a divorce and the tragic events of 9/11 . Once he settled in he noticed a lack of sufficient news coverage of local events . One day a friend from Brazil[5] showed him her home town on the internet and to Mr. Foytlin’s great surprise when he tried to reciprocate he was utterly dismayed at the absolute lake coverage of his home town. After all Ridgewood is only 18 miles from midtown Manhattan[6] the media capitol of world and there was not a single picture of Ridgewood to be found . How could this be? Ridgewood is a picturesque upper middle class village of around 25,000 located in Bergen county in northern New Jersey[7] . Founded by Dutch settlers before it became an English colony[8] . The town or village as its called is steeped in rich history and tradition .Known for a large amount of Victorian era housing , a quality school system and a family friendly atmosphere.
Though busy getting reacquainted with his home town the fact that the Village of Ridgewood was so under represented on the internet continued to disturb Mr. Foytlin. Mr. Foytlin had been writing news letters for his job in financial services since the mid 1990’s . The popular flip, off beat investment strategy news letters had become email blasts with the advent of readily accessible internet.[9] By 2004 the email blasts were converted into blog format for the One Small Voice blog (https://onesmallvoice.blogspot.com/ ). [10]
Around that time the Village of Ridgewood had finally completed it’s much anticipated and long delayed renovation of the Village hall which has been flooded out due to Hurricane Floyd.[11] The renovation was marred by huge cost over runs and lengthy delays. In 2005 it opened with great fan fare , was once again flooded with the very first rain . Mr. Foytlin was more shocked by the abject lack of responsibility taken by elected officials than the fact that the $9 million dollar renovation had to some extent been a failure . That was the breaking point and Mr. Foytlin had had enough so he decided to give , citizen journalism a go and created the Ridgewood blog in March of 2006. [12]
The birth of PJ Blogger .By this time Blogging its seems had become quite the rage and mainstream news anchors such as Dan Rather had questioned the validity of information from non professionals sitting around in their Pajama’s blogging.[13] Mr. Foytlin not a fan of Dan Rather or any of the mainstream media decided to blog under the name PJ Blogger as a play on words and to plant himself firmly in the camp of the new digital media.
Innovations by the Ridgewood blog to citizen journalism.
“The Fly” is a column on the Ridgewood blog the originates from the expression ,”I’d like to be a fly on the wall “ . The idea is that every citizen has both a unique perspective and experience and these two factors can be used to gather news and opinions about local issues. Originally only of handful of people in town participated but with time the Ridgewood blog can now count on 30–50 semi regular contributors. These post are both anonymous and signed and are largely opinion as well a breaking news.[14]
The Ridgewood blog brings a free market lassie fare point of view to local issues . Mr. Foytlin aka PJ Blogger has stated that for local issues there are only two kinds of people ;the ones who say spend what every you want because I will not be around to pay the bill and the second group which are more focused on the ,”be careful this is my money your spending” . The Ridgewood blog is dedicated to the interplay of there two groups.[15]
[1][12] the Ridgewood blog website https://theridgewoodblog.blogspot.com/
[2] Birth Certificate born in Valley Hospital , Ridgewood 04/09/1962
[3] Ridgewood High School Class 1980
[4] 444 East 86th street ,530 East 72nd
[5] Monica Rocha
[6] Mapquest
[7] United States 2000 Census, the village population was 24,936.
[8] https://www.americantowns.com/nj/ridgewood/organization/vi…
[9] Fahnestock & Co. now Oppenheimer & Co.
[10] https://onesmallvoice.blogspot.com/
[11] https://www.ridgewoodlibrary.org/localhistory/lh_vh_pease.htm
[13] https://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110005611
[14] [15] James J Foytlin
Come learn about lots of camps and summer programs in our area. Monday, March 31 from 6 to 8PM – Ridgewood Library Auditorium. This event will include options for children of all ages – will help parents get information about lots of camps and summer activities in one, casual, open house setting. Find out about activities in the area – most of which were invited based on recommendation from Ridgewood parents – engage in conversation with representatives, pcik up registration forms, and get all of your questions answered.
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