The daughter of the man who invented the plastic grocery sack, Kristen Brown, is leading a grassroots effort to change behavior in New Jersey towards reuse. In partnership with Kings Super Markets, 46 New Jersey schools are taking the School Reuse Challenge this fall. The Challenge is a fundraiser that pairs schools with local grocery stores to ignite the switch from disposable plastic and paper bags to reusable. To prove their commitment to sustainability, Kings is offering to donate thousands of dollars to participating NJ schools.
The following schools in your area are participating:
Hawes Elementary School ECLC of New Jersey Ho Ho-kus Ridgewood High School- Environmental Club
Be Part of the Evolution!
For more information, please see attached press release.
Charitable Donations to the Town. I am fundamentally opposed to “pay to play,” but the situation involving the Bolger Foundation deserved more respect. The next councilperson should actively recruit civically-minded philanthropists like Mr. Bolger to keep the bills down for everyone else.
Public Access. Democracy works best when all its citizens are informed. At present, only select cable providers broadcast our town council meetings. This is a disservice to both the council and the people it serves, and I would like to correct it.
Graydon Pool. I am an advocate of most anything that moves our town forward. But progress can’t run rough-shod over our neighbors on fixed and moderate incomes. Any renovations to Graydon should be tempered by its impact on the average taxpayer.
Land Use. Habernickel Park, the corner of Linwood and Paramus Road, the Schedler lot, the Brogan Cadillac site… these are properties that people have high emotions about. As councilman, I would like to host a “town hall” meeting to foster an open dialog about the issues surrounding these spaces.
Local Administrators. There is little that council can do about D.O.E. salaries, which are determined by the Board of Education. But council can—and should—revisit the salary and fringe benefits awarded to our most senior employees. The public should also be made aware of what provisions have been implemented in the wake of municipal layoffs in various village departments.
Procurement. Our purchasing orders and contracts deserve a full, transparent review. If elected to council, I would like to facilitate just that.
Commerce. The market will ultimately determine where our ratables go, but we still need to support our friends and neighbors downtown: our local merchants who pay taxes, bring in revenue, and add to our culture. Pedestrian Safety. Ensuring pedestrian safety is a top priority. I support the planning board in its recent attempts to make our downtown more pedestrian friendly, and I would sincerely like to work with them in any effort to make our roads and crosswalks safer for our children and families.
Property Taxes. I would bring an entire career of budget and finance experience to the council. As the Budget Officer for New Jersey’s third largest city, I have 19 years of professional experience balancing very large, complex, and nuanced municipal budgets. In this economy, families are tightening their wallets. In the absence of municipal aid and other sources of funding… so, too, must our beloved Ridgewood.
Valley Hospital. Valley is my neighbor. My house is three blocks away. I have lived through prior renovations and I support this one. Let me be clear: I have a vested interest in opposing any renewal that is outside the letter of the law (we all do), but—within reason— we owe it to ourselves to keep our families healthy and our hospital current. If elected, I will monitor Valley’s construction compliance, in accord with their obligation to our town and its character.
Services and Programs. Like most Ridgewood residents, I support increased efficiency in municipal services like sanitation, snow removal, and road resurfacing. I’d like to go one stop further, though, and mention the value of our family programs: our Fourth of July parade, our Memorial Day Run, our tree lighting ceremony… these are the hallmarks of our community, and they need to be preserved.
Youth and Family. Ridgewood is a great town. So many people are proud to call it home. Among other things, we have great schools, great commerce, and fine dining. In times of crisis, we come together as friends and neighbors. We have an authentic character. As a lifelong resident, I have a vested interest in preserving and promoting our character in pursuit of the common good.
Transparency in Government. Here, I’ve spelled out my positions on some hot-button issues—even the most contentious ones. I recognize my opinions won’t bode well with everyone, but that’s politics: the choice is yours. Nevertheless, I hope you’ll consider the honesty with which I have stated my case, and I hope you will contact me if you have additional questions or concerns: [email protected]
Looks the BOE is at it again rumors have been circulating for some time that the “drivers ed program” is once again the target of BOE for budget cuts . At a Recent BOE meeting the “financials” were looked over for the community school , and a “review” of programs was held looking at which programs met their financial targets. Not surprising the drivers education program was singled out as missing the mark with a short fall of a bit under $18,000 .
The board claims almost every program at the community school broke even including ,music photography and encore. Sports, you guessed it make the largest contribution to renues with a large assortment of programs. Personnel costs , cars and equipment are all being pointed at for the financial under performance of the “drivers ed program”and the BOE is considering raising fees ,but like last time bets are the program is going to get the axe and parents will once again be held hostage and forced to kick in more doe.
>Are New Jersey public officials required to report a bribe? Monday, October 11, 2010 By MIKE KELLY RECORD COLUMNIST
Imagine this scene.
A mayor of a New Jersey town meets with a developer who wants to build an office complex. The developer asks for a hassle-free approval for the project and hands the mayor a bag of cash – a classic bribe.
The mayor refuses the money, but then faces this question: Does the law require him to call police and report that a bribe has been attempted?
In New Jersey, the answer is no.
As our tarnished state endures yet another public corruption trial – this time, involving Ridgefield Mayor Anthony R. Suarez in federal court in Newark — it’s worth pointing out that our anti-bribery laws have a massive hole.
Yes, taking a bribe is a crime. But not blowing the whistle on an attempted briber is not.
Shocked? Don’t be. This is New Jersey. Loopholes are like potholes. We live with them.
We all know that officials are not supposed to take bribes – hopefully, this is not shocking news. But what may be shocking to some is that public officials don’t have to tell anyone if someone tries to attempt to bribe them.
full story: https://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/kelly/104688144_A_hole_in_our_laws_against_bribery.html
>BOOKENDS October: Apolo Ohno,Meadowlark Lemon,Kat Von D,Rick Springfield
Rick Springfield Wednesday, October 13th @ 1:00pm Musician, Rick Springfield, will sign his new book: Late, Late at Night. Books available: Oct. 12th
Kat Von D Wednesday, October 27th @ 7:00pm Star of L.A. Ink. Kat Von D, will sign her new book: The Tattoo Chronicles. Books available: Oct. 26th.
Meadowlark Lemon
Thursday, October 28th @ 4:30pm Legendary Harlem Globetrotter, Meadowlark Lemon, will sign his new book: Trust Your Next Shot. Books available: Oct. 15th
Thursday, October 28th @ 7:00pm Gold medal-winning Speed Skater, Apolo Ohno, will sign his new book: Zero Regrets. Books available: Oct. 26th
“Perhaps the Police should spend a little less time harassing motorist and bit more time getting back to real Police work and an obvious mistake like this would have been avoided?”
Ok folks sorry for the misunderstanding the staffs comment above has nothing to do with the Ridgewood Police Department at all! . The Term “Police” was used in general generic terms. Obviously there is no nuclear power plant in Ridgewood ..yet .
But we do stick by the statement the the “Police” should be more involved in the pursuit of terror suspects where ever they are working and keeping the public safe. After all the “Police” can kick your door down if your 17 year old enjoys a beer with you while watching a football game . The “Police” can also pull you over with almost any excuse on the road and in Municipal court their word goes unchallenged. Obvious drivers get many tickets they deserve ,but using the Police as tax collectors or letting unions decide what is or is not “Police” business is totally unacceptable. If you can pull over a young driver because he or she does not have the right color sticker on his or her car, then you can certainly expect the “Police” to pay some attention when the known Al Quada operative is working at your local nuclear power plant .
As for “over zealous ticketing”, lets face it its true in many places and statistically easy to prove.Since I travel a lot and I find if I avoid certain towns I just don’t get any tickets at all end of story .So if you feel a town is over zealous the Ridgewood blog suggests you boycott it ,never spend any money there ever . It is a lot easier than you think .I no longer frequent the Jersey Shore for this very reason there are just too many over places to go to the beach , who needs the hassle.
Before he was rounded up in a sweep of suspected Al Qaeda terrorists in Yemen, Sharif Mobley was a laborer at five nuclear plant complexes in Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Authorities are investigating whether he might have had any access to sensitive information that would have been useful to terrorists.
Edwin Lyman, a senior staff scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists, a watchdog of the nuclear power industry, said the case raises questions about security at the nation’s nuclear power plants — even though Mobley has not been linked to any wrongdoing at any of them.
Some of the information used to give temporary workers like Mobley clearance comes from other nuclear power companies and is sometimes incomplete, Lyman said.
“The real question is: Was there information that the NRC or utilities could have seen that would have led to his disqualification?” Lyman asked.
Meanwhile, a law enforcement official said Friday that the U.S. government was aware of Mobley’s potential extremist ties before Yemeni officials arrested him, but did not provide a time frame or details about what exactly was known about him.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Friday that Mobley worked between 2002 and 2008 for contractors who did work at the Salem and Hope Creek plants in New Jersey; the Peach Bottom, Limerick and Three Mile Island facilities in Pennsylvania; and Calvert Cliffs in Maryland.
Officials at PSEG Nuclear, which runs the complex in New Jersey, say he carried supplies and worked on routine maintenance mostly during periodic refueling outages, when hundreds of contracted employees descend upon the plants.
full story: https://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/03/12/al-qaeda-suspect-worked-nuclear-plants/
>“Not My Kid: What Every Parent Should Know About Youth Suicide Prevention” THIS Wednesday, October 6, 7:30 p.m., Benjamin Franklin Middle School Auditorium, 335 North Van Dien Avenue.
Parents, staff and adult community members are invited to this important presentation, given by Scott Fritz and Maureen Underwood of the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide. Scott Fritz is a father who lost a child to suicide, and a founder of the society. Maureen Underwood is a clinical social worker and nationally recognized expert in youth suicide prevention.This presentation is for adults only and will include an opportunity for questions.
For more information contact Dr. Fishbein’s office at (201) 670-2700, ext. 10530. Information about the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide can be found at www.sptsnj.org .
>Charter Schools : Christie airs plan to ease charter-school creation
Christie airs plan to ease charter-school creation
Gov. Christie outlined a proposal to improve and expand school choice in New Jersey at a town-hall meeting in Hoboken on Thursday, urging lawmakers to overhaul state law to allow charter schools to be established more easily. (Lu, The Philadelphia Inquirer)
McDonald’s Corp. has warned federal regulators that it could drop its health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 hourly restaurant workers unless regulators waive a new requirement of the U.S. health overhaul.
The move is one of the clearest indications that new rules may disrupt workers’ health plans as the law ripples through the real world.
Trade groups representing restaurants and retailers say low-wage employers might halt their coverage if the government doesn’t loosen a requirement for “mini-med” plans, which offer limited benefits to some 1.4 million Americans.
The requirement concerns the percentage of premiums that must be spent on benefits.
While many restaurants don’t offer health coverage, McDonald’s provides mini-med plans for workers at 10,500 U.S. locations, most of them franchised. A single worker can pay $14 a week for a plan that caps annual benefits at $2,000, or about $32 a week to get coverage up to $10,000 a year.
>Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) to propose bill allowing property tax hike larger than 2% cap N.J. lawmaker to propose bill allowing property tax hike larger than 2 percent cap
TRENTON — Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Cryan (D-Union) will announce legislation Thursday proposing towns be allowed to temporarily exclude the cost of public safety personnel under a new law capping annual property tax collection increases at 2 percent. (Megerian, The Star-Ledger) https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/nj_assemblyman_proposes_bill_a.html
Sweeny to Hanson: Why so informal with important issues?
OCEANPORT – Questioning why such important decisions were taken up by such an informal commission, State Sen. President Steve Sweeney (D-West Deptford) told Jon Hanson, “I don’t think you as a developer would jump into (an investment like Xanadu) based on a decision (made so informally).” (Carroll, PolitickerNJ) https://www.politickernj.com/sweeney-hanson-why-so-informal-important-issues
>THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN UPTON NY HAS ISSUED AN
* URBAN FLOOD ADVISORY FOR MINOR FLOODING OF POOR DRAINAGE AREAS IN… HUDSON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY… BERGEN COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY… ESSEX COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY… UNION COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY… ROCKLAND COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK… BRONX COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK… NEW YORK (MANHATTAN) COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK… KINGS (BROOKLYN) COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK… RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND) COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK… FAIRFIELD COUNTY IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT… WESTERN NEW HAVEN COUNTY IN SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT… PASSAIC COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY… WESTCHESTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK… SUFFOLK COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK… NASSAU COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK… QUEENS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK…
>McNerney: Wining, Dining, Chauffeuring on the Taxpayer Dime
Kathe Donovan today charged Democrat County Executive Dennis McNerney with “allowing political cronies to wine, dine and ride at taxpayers’ expense.”
According to Ms. Donovan, “The Record reports that BCIA Executive Director and McNerney ally Ed Hynes ran up an $800 monthly expense account paid for by Bergen taxpayers. And where was much of this money spent? At Bergen County watering holes frequented by other McNerney cronies.” Ms. Donovan charged that this practice has gone on for years and is consistent with other McNerney abuses.
“McNerney had the county police chauffeuring political boss Joe Ferriero until the practice was uncovered by the Record and McNerney was forced to end it.” Donovan said that McNerney “defended the practice” noting that the Record reported on November 6, 2004 that McNerney, “did not think Ferriero should have to reimburse the costs for the ride.” Donovan said she was appalled that McNerney thought it appropriate for political bosses to ride on the taxpayers’ dime to places like Atlantic City and Yankee Stadium. McNerney went on to tell the Record “Joe (Ferriero) is a season ticket holder, and in return, we went to the Stadium Club, and I bought food there with him, Rather than me paying for the ticket, I paid for the food and drinks.” Donovan added, “and the taxpayers paid for the transportation.”
Donovan compared this abuse to reckless Democrat charges that she used Port Authority helicopters for six rides when she was chair of the bi-state agency. Donovan said that the use of the helicopter came in the wake of the initial attack on the World Trade Center in 1993.
“Those rides took place over 15 years ago. It was a common practice at the time. It has never been a common practice, however, for political bosses and cronies to be chauffeured by the Bergen County Police at taxpayer expense. This and other abuses are going to stop when I’m county executive. The days of wine and roses are coming to an end.”
