Readers Not Very Sympathetic to Ridge School Traffic Woes
Say wait till they build another 500 housing units in the middle of town
Solution= let the kids walk to school. Problem solved. When I grew up we walked to school. We did not need ‘helicopter parents’.
Have police start giving tickets to these parents and it will change.
I’ve got a great idea — lets build another 500 housing units in the middle of town so that we have more traffic past Ridge and all our schools every morning. Could someone suggest this please to the planning board and Village council. I bet no one has thought of that idea yet.
If they build new housing units, the taxpaying new residents will have just as much right to attend the school as your children. Chances are, since you have children in school you are also a new resident. So the last person to move here wants the door shut to others. So typical. Here’s a unique idea, let the kid WALK to school.
Same thing at the preschools, First Pres and the school in the church by stop and shop. The cars line up with no regard for the motorists who need to drive on the double yellow line to pass them.
It is the parents who create the safety problems. Their convenience is more important than the safety of the adults & children who travel these roads.
do you really expect a 4 year old to walk to preschool? Or for a parent to walk their kid there, 15 minutes each way, before getting on a train or driving to work? Cut them some slack for Christ’s sake. It’s common knowledge to avoid schools / bus routs certain times of the day. Take a different route! If you simply must go to S&S at that time of the day, go in the back way.
After 2nd grade, my kid’s walking. Maybe she’ll get a ride to a few blocks away as my wife heads out to work, but I can’t see getting dropped off at school…for the reason mentioned above.
Opportunities remain scarce for young people after years of debt-fueled government spending
Washington, DC – (4/5/13) – Generation Opportunity, a national, non-partisan organization advocating for Millennials ages 18-29, is announcing its Millennial Jobs Report for March 2013. The data is non-seasonally adjusted (NSA) and is specific to 18-29 year olds:
The youth unemployment rate for 18-29 year olds specifically for March 2013 is 11.7 percent (NSA).
The youth unemployment rate for 18-29 year old African-Americans for March 2013 is 20.1 percent (NSA); the youth unemployment rate for 18-29 year old Hispanics for March 2013 is 12.6 percent (NSA); and the youth unemployment rate for 18–29 year old women for March 2013 is 10 percent (NSA).
The declining labor force participation rate has created an additional 1.7 million young adults that are not counted as “unemployed” by the U.S. Department of Labor because they are not in the labor force, meaning that those young people have given up looking for work due to the lack of jobs.
If the labor force participation rate were factored into the 18-29 youth unemployment calculation, the actual 18-29-unemployment rate would rise to 16.2 percent (NSA).
Evan Feinberg, President of Generation Opportunity and one of the first Millennials to run for Congress, issued the following statement:
“March was another lost month for my generation. Young people are finding fewer opportunities and are being saddled with the costs of our country’s unsustainable deficits.
“Some people will try to blame the laughably small cuts to government spending known as the sequester – but aside from the Post Office, government actually added 9,000 jobs last month.
“After years of deficit spending and government meddling in the economy, 1 in 6 of us don’t have a job. Half of us are doing no better than a part-time job. All the while, we are all stuck with a bill that keeps getting bigger. It’s like we’re the last one to leave the bar and everybody else ran out without paying their tab.”
Accusations fly in brawl at ‘Real Housewives of New Jersey’ event
Thursday, April 4, 2013 Last updated: Thursday April 4, 2013, 10:57 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS AND VIRGINIA ROHAN
STAFF WRITERS
The Record
RIDGEWOOD — The Posche II boutique’s grand opening was anything but posh when fists started flying at a “Real Housewives of New Jersey” event last weekend.
And now, village police have been fielding cross-complaints of assault and threats.
The bloody brawl erupted inside an East Ridgewood Avenue hair salon, which was not yet open, as television cameras rolled on Jacqueline and Christopher Laurita and Giuseppe “Joe” Gorga, who allegedly took on a Paramus man.
The fights have come to be expected at “Housewives” events — and Posche events in particular.
New Jersey parents joining nationwide boycott of state standardized tests
Thursday April 4, 2013, 12:13 AM
BY LESLIE BRODY
STAFF WRITER
The Record
A handful of New Jersey families will join an increasingly vocal national group boycotting state standardized tests this |spring, in the belief that they hinder true learning, fail to measure students’ skills, waste time and squander money.
This fledgling revolt comes at a time when education officials in New Jersey and elsewhere are relying more heavily on test scores to evaluate teachers, principals and schools, with the strong backing of President Obama and the vehement opposition of powerful teachers unions.
Jean McTavish, a Ridgewood mother and principal of an alternative high school in New York, said her 10-year-old son, Zak, used to stress out simply seeing the owl in the logo of the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge test, or NJ ASK. Zak and his 13-year-old brother, Ian, won’t be taking the tests this May.
Reader says , The truth behind Valley’s fantasy is the massive structure is simply already too big to expand any further
I am glad the Bergen article used the correct measure — the Hospital is going to severely expand, not reduce. Valley tried to get through the night talking about “reductions” in its expansion plans. The truth behind Valley’s fantasy is the massive structure is simply already too big to expand any further, and certainly not on the obese scale presented at last night’s meeting.
From what Valley said last night: The buildings and parking garage will be expanded with a 90% increase in density to what is there now, nearly double the current size. Maximum height will go up to almost 100 feet, further dwarfing surrounding properties. The plan still calls for the same number of parking spaces (2000) so it seems school children and other pedestrians will still face the same amount of increased traffic, despite the claim that certain operations will be conducted elsewhere. There will still be massive excavations impacting our underground water streams, requiring the destruction of bedrock and requiring hundreds of thousands of trips through town by dump trucks carrying off debris. Linwood avenue will be expanded in order to allow for the increased traffic and construction vehicles. (Does this mean the taking of private property from Linwood homeowners?) Today’s technology, we are told, requires larger, single occupancy rooms, yet we are not assured tomorrow’s technology and profit seeking won’t mean large singles are turned into double or triples (and maybe that’s the real reason for the increased number of parking spots.) The loading zone for trucks, with their noise, exhaust, etc., are all being moved down next to BF middle school and the playing fields.
All in all, Valley made it clear that to remain on par with other regional hospitals serving the NorthEast, it needed to expand even if the expansion did not otherwise fit within its space or the neighborhood. Once again, we are being asked to sacrifice our the Village so Valley can remain economically profitable with other major hospitals.
The Mayor asked a very interesting question: last time a prime justification for doubling the Hospital’s size was that overnight hospital beds were needed because of the shrinking number of hospitals. Why then, the Mayor asked, does Valley need the same number of beds as identified in the last expansion plans when Pascack Valley has re-opened down the road. Valley’s answer this time was that it wanted what it wanted. A particularly galling response when one considers Valley uses its financial might (relying on Ridgewood resident donations and funding of Valley’s tax-free status) to fund litigation opposing entities like Pascack Valley from administering to the sick.
I thought one of the most interesting points was not articulated well enough and Valley skirted away from it. Their opening presentation noted that other options, such as moving the entire baby birthing and care operations to another location, was not “feasible.” Valley later explained it was too costly, but it absolutely refused to provide any support for this saying the issue was “private.” In other words, Valley is asking the Village to change its way of public life, while saying the reasons are “private.” Hopefully the Planning Board will see through Valley’s thinly veiled reasons for wanting to expand. I would like to see the Board return to that at the next meeting, and if Valley won’t justify or explain this as one of the reasons for expanding, then the Board should refuse to consider the unavailability of other locations as a reason for expansion.
All in all, a good night for Ridgewood residents who respectfully presented question after question to Valley’s hired guns who sounded absolutely charming, but by the end of the night revealed that, as with the past plan, “these are the things that Valley wants” and that, in and of itself, is the reason the Village should cave and give it to them.
VOTE NO TO THE SCHOOL BUDGET. Ask your neighbors to do the same, ignoring the fact that the two people running for the school board are incumbents.
Then watch the council let the budget go through anyway, as happened last time it was voted down. There is little down side .Still a good thing to do. Schools have been bludgeoning parents and kids for years about this. They need to shut it down.
Any Ridgewood resident who is a registered voter may cast a ballot in the Annual School Election on April 16.
Any registered voter may cast a mail-in ballot. Mail-in ballots must be completed and returned to the County Clerk by the close of polls on Tuesday, April 16.
An Easter Message from Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan
I want to wish all our Christian families in Bergen County a very Happy and glorious Easter Sunday. I hope you get to spend this very special day with your friends and family reliving your long held traditions. On another note, I want to thank the many people who have offered me their good wishes for a speedy recovery from the back problems that required me to seek medical attention. Your cards, flowers and messages of support mean a lot to me and are giving me added motivation to get through the rehabilitation process.
I look forward to returning to my full time duties as County Executive as quickly as possible. In the meantime, my staff continues to keep me updated daily on county business and to forward me all pertinent information about the operations of county government.
Sponsored by Ridgewood Recreation and the NJ Governor’s Council
on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Village teens have the opportunity to come together as both George Washington and Ben Franklin Middle Schools join to form a “mixer”. Each evening offers students a chance to get acquainted with future classmates while enjoying music and dancing with DJ Sound Illusion, refreshments, fun and games.
6th Grade – Friday, April 12th, 7:30 to 9:30 pm
7th/8th Grades – Friday, April 19th, 7:30 to 9:30 pm
(Ridgewood teens only)
The Anne Zusy Youth Center, 131 N. Maple Avenue
(NOTE: all parents must drop off and pick up youth in the rear lot
of Village Hall at the Community Center entrance.)
A donation of $8 will be requested at the door. All donations will benefit the Community Center.
Adult chaperones are always needed. Please contact the Recreation Office at 201-670-5560 if you are able to volunteer.
Editors note : the Record always omits the fact that the only one making out from an increased gas tax are unions . An increase in gas taxes is a direct payoff to unions looking to get reelected .Years of mismanagement of the High Way trust fund is not even acknowledged . The fact is the state does a terrible jobs allocating resources and spending money . residents have already payed for good roads and bridges , yet politicians since Jim Mac greevey have failed to deliver .In our town look at all the waste , a $9 million Village Hall renovation that was nothing less than a total fiasco as well as many $400,000 golden toilet projects ,it is a wonder anything get done …
Analysis: N.J. gas tax still taboo
Friday March 29, 2013, 11:14 PM
BY JOHN REITMEYER AND KAREN RO– USE
STAFF WRITERS
The Record
New Jersey commuters should get used to idling in traffic, making sudden detours when a bridge fails an inspection and standing on overcrowded railcars.
That’s because the $1 billion state fund that pays for transportation upgrades is tapped out, able to pay only the debt it has accrued over the past decade and leaving a transportation system ranked among the worst in the country with little money for repairs and improvement. And there is no political will in Trenton, by Republicans or Democrats, to increase New Jersey’s 10.5-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax, which provides the main cash for the state Transportation Trust Fund.
With Governor Christie seeking a second term this year, and gearing up for a possible presidential run in 2016, he is unlikely to push to raise the gas tax. In fact, he’s repeatedly dismissed talk of increasing the tax, even when asked in the wake of superstorm Sandy if it could be a tool to help fund the state’s recovery.
And Democrats, who control the Legislature and have been critical of how Christie has handled transportation spending, have not put forward a plan to fix the state’s transportation problems. They too lack the political courage to push a tax hike, especially with all 120 seats in the Legislature on the November ballot this year.
Filling your gas tank may not hurt as much for the rest of the year.
After surging nearly 60 cents from late December to a $3.79 peak Feb. 27, prices have fallen for 25 of the past 29 days. Nationally, regular-grade gas now averages $3.65 a gallon — about 26 cents below year-ago levels. USA Today
Amanda Knox “anxious” as Italy’s high court weighs her acquittal of roommate murder
By Associated Press, Updated: Monday, March 25, 7:16 AM
ROME — Amanda Knox was “very anxious” as Italy’s top criminal court heard arguments Monday from prosecutors appealing her acquittal in the murder of her roommate, her lawyer said.
“She’s carefully paying attention to what will come out,” attorney Luciano Ghirga said as he arrived at Italy’s Court of Cassation. “This is a fundamental stage. The trial is very complex.”
Prosecutors are asking the high court to throw out the acquittals of American Knox and her Italian ex-boyfriend in the murder of 21-year-old British student Meredith Kercher, and order a new trial.
The information in this section is a working document of Village Finance and Village Manager’s Office.
The Village Council approves the 2013 budget, after a thorough process of which these documents are the current discussion following department requests and CFO/Manager negotiations with the department.
Included in this folder are:
1.) 2012 Budget Newsletter (for reference) – Click Here
2.) 2012 Adopted Budget – Click Here
3.) 2013 edited budget discussion presented at 1-30-13 Council workshop
Pages 1 -14
General, budget options: base, zero increase, zero tax increase
Timeline (page 1-2)
Amount to be raised by taxation (page 3)
Budget Revenue (pages 4-6)
Budget Appropriations (pages 7-12)
Discussion of potential revenue increase (pages 13-14)
Please understand, this is not a final document. It will not be voted on by the Council in this form. There will be opportunities for you, if interested, to appear before the Council and comment or question the proposed 2013 Budget prior to final adoption by the Council. In addition to Council meetings the meeting times of department discussions with the Council will be posted on the Village’s website – www.ridgewoodnj.net
For the Report
https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/2013VillageBudgetStatus.pdf
For Proposed modifications to the 2013 Village budget,
https://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/manager/20130312BudgetMod.pdf
