9/11 Anniversary Prompts More Transit Security
By Dino Flammia September 10, 2013 5:24 AM
Mass transit officials are on high alert this week as we mark the twelfth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
“We know we’re a target, as is every transit agency in the country,” said Jim Weinstein, executive director of New Jersey Transit. “So we take this seriously.”
While he wasn’t willing to share specifics, understandably, Weinstein said special efforts are underway from the agency’s police department. People can expect more cops, as well as K9 units, in major bus and train hubs across the state.
Federal officials have learned that the visibility of a police officer is the best deterrent to terroristic activity, according to Weinstein.
All residents are invited to view the 9/11 Portraits Exhibit in the Belcher Auditorium at the Ridgewood Library. The exhibit will be open beginning September 3 and be up for the month of September. This exhibit of portraits of “Ridgewood’s 12” offers a place for all to remember and reflect.
Mark was shown where he made a mistake in stating in a footnote that delegates from Vermont belatedly attended the constitutional convention in Philadelphia in 1787. In reality, Vermont was not even a state until 1791. Before that it was a disputed territory between New Hampshire and New York. So Vermonters were not asked to nor were they qualified to attend the Philadelphia convention. He gave his challenger no credit for reading his book carefully and bringing this non-trivial mistake to his attention. He then refused to sign the book on the page where the footnote appeared and showed distinct signs of impatience and annoyance when he opened the front of the book and began to sign it.
At this point, Mark was challenged about Cruz’s eligiblity. But the challenge did not happen as Mark said it did. The challenger asked this: “Under what possible definition of the term natural-born Citizen does your friend Ted Cruz qualify to be president?” At this same time the challenger placed an annotated copy of an earlier TheRidgewoodBlog posting repeating CNN’s recent article questioning Cruz’s eligibility, and was pointing at the document. After cursing at the challenger , Mark replied: “I never said he was a natural-born Citizen.”, upon which his challenger said: “But you must be a natural-born Citizen to be President!”. Mark then said: “No you don’t!”, and the challenger said “Yes, you do. Read the Constitution.” Levin was showing no signs of changing his tune. The challenger then turned around and left the booksigning. There was no time during any of this dialogue for Mark to ruminate on the challenger’s motivations or talk about Canada or Cruz’s mother or anything like what he said on his Radio program
Readers asks Why is Heather A. Mailander capable enough to fill in but not to actually be appointed to the position
Why is she capable enough to fill in but not to actually be appointed to the position. Another woman running a dept and not being recognized. She is better than Gabbert and Ten Hoeve
Heather Mailander would make an excellent choice for Village Manager. She is highly capable, has a tremendous work ethic, she knows the town and she well respected and liked by both Village employees and residents. Most importantly she has good common sense………..which is in short supply in Village Hall.
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N.J. car insurance rates, already the nation’s highest, on the rise
Sunday, April 28, 2013 Last updated: BY RICHARD NEWMAN
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Northjersey.com : News
N.J. car insurance rates, already the nation’s highest, on the rise
Sunday, April 28, 2013 Last updated: Sunday April 28, 2013, 10:39 AM
BY RICHARD NEWMAN
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Vehicles damaged by superstorm Sandy, such as this car in Moonachie, are not the reason regulators have approved rate increases for 26 New Jersey insurance companies so far this year.
Auto insurers are raising rates in New Jersey this year, in some cases by double digits, unwelcome news for motorists in the nation’s highest-priced market.This time, motorists might be willing to cut the insurance companies some slack in light of the hundreds of millions of dollars they paid to policyholders whose sedans and SUVs were wrecked by superstorm Sandy in October.
However, insurers and the state regulator say Sandy is not the reason the state has approved rate increases for 26 insurers so far this year. The rate hikes are driven by factors such as losses related to Tropical Storm Irene and the Halloween nor’easter from two years ago, medical costs that are trending higher, reinsurance expenses and lackluster forecasts of investment income, industry experts say.
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.
Will the Zabriskie Schedler House, in Ridgewood become the next turf field
Reader says to save money, quit buying land and taking it off the tax rolls to make soccer fields
If you want to save money, quit buying land and taking it off the tax rolls to make soccer fields. The horse farm, if its worth the $10 million we got hosed for at the time of purchase, equates to about $250,000 per year of taxes no longer coming in.
Citizens park was paid for with donations from long time residents, whose names appear on the placque. It was for a PARK, not a soccer field, with obnoxious loud people blocking up the traffic there, along with the nite lights. Its disgusting how a nice green park became a brown mudfield to accommodate the newbies here.
All across the nation, there are strange, unheard of laws that sit in the back of the books and most people go their entire lives without knowing they exist. Even with a Morgan Chu resume containing years of legal experience, one still might not know about all of these stipulations. Here are some of the strangest laws from all over the United States:
In California, they have recently restructured one of their long-standing laws that had to do with hunting. Specifically, there was a law saying California residents could use dogs in order to hunt mammals. Now that they’re reworded the law, the state of California has decided that while hunting is still legal, dogs are no longer allowed to be used to hunt bears or bobcats.
Back in the 1800s, New York created a law that is still very much valid today. This law states that under no circumstances are people allowed to walk around New York wearing masks, scarves, or anything that might hinder others’ abilities to see their identity. Sometimes exceptions are made for large events, especially on Halloween, but ninety percent of the time, no masks are allowed in New York.
In an effort to keep the state safe in the case of an emergency, Florida actually has a law written in the books that dictates all public doors must open outwards. It’s designed so people can quickly leave a building in a panic rather than fiddling trying to figure out how to open the door. Anyone who owns a public building but doesn’t adhere to this regulation will be found guilty of a third degree felony.
In Maryland, motorists need to be careful what they say. While driving down any highway or street, or walking down a sidewalk, no one is allowed to behave in any type of disturbing or offensive manner. This includes excessive anger and profanity. If Maryland law finds out that a resident behaved improperly within earshot of someone else, they will be charged with a misdemeanor.
In Illinois, there is a law that mandates certain homeowners pay what is essentially a rain tax. What this law means is that those homeowners who – at the discretion of the law – have areas on their property where excessive water can collect after a storm will need to pay a special tax. High roofs and long paved driveways are the two most common reasons people need to pay this tax, and the money being paid into it is allegedly going toward the extra work the city has to take in order to deal with the run-off from these properties.
Reader says Anything that the Valley Ridgewood location can’t fit should be done in Paramus
Parking Garages, Apartment Buildings, Turf Fields, Sports Fees, Rental and Garage Sale permits, $700 Dangerous Dog Licenses, Obscene Field Lighting, Insane Town Raises…All mean NOTHING compared to what VALLEY will cause!
Wake up Ridgewood and believe that Valley will eventually get what they want. This is really what this town doesn’t need and everything else is a minor distraction. The size and scope of this over expansion is the tip of the iceberg. Yes, we will allow them to overbuild. The only question now is to what extent??
This is not new news.: Valley, will raise your taxes (way more than 2% a year)! Valley, will cause major traffic issues (throughout the town, not just surrounding areas). Valley, will increase such a strain on the existing infrastructure that this affluent town will never recover.
Some believe this issue is between Valley and the people who live around Valley. If you are one of those then you are part of the problem. I only ask that you educate yourselves and understand the harm for the entire town.
Valley, can expand and should expand at their Paramus location. They should upgrade their Valley location to single rooms. The amount of rooms they will reduce to should be in line for today now that Pascack Valley has reopened. Please save our town and save Valley from over building. Yes, i said it. Please save Valley from over expanding based on Pascack Valley. Logical Sense has to prevail!
Times have changed drastically now due to Pascack Valley. I am amazed that Valley continues to ask for more than they ever deserved. Valley, is now saying, we won’t do as much underground because this ground water foundation issue is the problem why we can’t get approval? So we’ll just add another level of above ground parking…problem solved. Can we get our H Zone and Permits now? NO, should still be NO…should always be NO!
I’m sick and tired, of being sick and tired over Valley! I don’t think someone will save us. WE MUST ALL SAVE US. Please wake up and get the facts. Decades of NO should now not be okay. The H Zone and the existing building limits should apply to all, including Valley. These rules and laws we’re put in place to protect all of us. It was sad to hear a sitting planning board member stating that Valley needs to expand. Very sad to hear that the very people voting on this issue don’t really understand the long term issues. Since Valley pays NO TAXES, ask yourself who do you think is going to pay for the additional services? RIDGEWOOD WILL, we have no other option.
So what should Valley do? Yes, we all want a State-of-The-Art-Hospital; so they renew within their existing Ridgewood walls. Anything that the Ridgewood location can’t fit should be done in Paramus. This should have been started by Valley years ago before Pascack Valley. Valley, you shouldn’t get what you are currently asking for…End of Discussion!
It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century. He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D. Although his father was a Christian deacon, it has been suggested that he probably took on the role because of tax incentives and there is no evidence that Patrick came from a particularly religious family. At the age of 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family’s estate. They transported him to Ireland where he spent six years in captivity. (There is some dispute over where this captivity took place. Although many believe he was taken to live in Mount Slemish in County Antrim, it is more likely that he was held in County Mayo near Killala.) During this time, he worked as a shepherd, outdoors and away from people. Lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for solace, becoming a devout Christian. (It is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity during his captivity.)
St. Patrick: Guided By Visions
After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice—which he believed to be God’s—spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.
To do so, Patrick walked nearly 200 miles from County Mayo, where it is believed he was held, to the Irish coast. After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation—an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary. Soon after, Patrick began religious training, a course of study that lasted more than 15 years. After his ordination as a priest, he was sent to Ireland with a dual mission: to minister to Christians already living in Ireland and to begin to convert the Irish. (Interestingly, this mission contradicts the widely held notion that Patrick introduced Christianity to Ireland.)
St. Patrick: Bonfires and Crosses
Familiar with the Irish language and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional ritual into his lessons of Christianity instead of attempting to eradicate native Irish beliefs. For instance, he used bonfires to celebrate Easter since the Irish were used to honoring their gods with fire. He also superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now called a Celtic cross, so that veneration of the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish. Although there were a small number of Christians on the island when Patrick arrived, most Irish practiced a nature-based pagan religion. The Irish culture centered around a rich tradition of oral legend and myth. When this is considered, it is no surprise that the story of Patrick’s life became exaggerated over the centuries—spinning exciting tales to remember history has always been a part of the Irish way of life.
Register now for Summer Camp!
Open House March 23 from 4-6PM.
Summer Camp registration is now in full swing and spots are filling up quickly so please register early to insure you get the sessions you want.
For further details, please visit www.ridgewoodymca.org
Also Save the date for Kids Night Out on Friday, March 19 at the Y! This month’s theme will be Happy St. Patrick’s Day and the kids will enjoy crafts, snacks, movies, and of course lots of FUN!!! For more information contact the YMCA at 201-444-5600 or visit their website at www.ridgewoodymca.org
Readers say It’s truly a perfect storm. We have a mayor whose political ambition exceeds any sense of responsibility to his constituents
It’s truly a perfect storm. We have a mayor whose political ambition exceeds any sense of responsibility to his constituents, a deputy mayor with his own personal agenda and a naive third wheel that will vote for whatever the other 2 tell her to. Please, Bernie hold your ground and make a stink whenever something smells.
Might does not make right. Through a fluke in local electoral politics, raw power is being exercised now. We shouldn’t be surprised that the result is not what the voters and taxpayers of Ridgewood would wish to see. I hope Councilwoman Walsh hangs tough and calls a spade a spade,
ON THE RECORD, whenever the majority on the council is trying to pull a fast one. The duties of office must feel surprisingly burdensome, particularly when one is obliged to assume the role of exorcist as Ms. Hauck’s head slowly spins around, Mayor Aronsohn begins to float out of his seat, and Mr. Pucciarelli starts uttering heinous epithets in a low, menacing voice.
February 6, 2013 7:41 AM
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ– The U.S. Postal Service has announced that it will stop delivering mail on Saturdays but continue to deliver packages six days a week under a plan aimed at saving about $2 billion, the financially struggling agency says. Saturday mail cutback would not begin until August.
The move allows the USPS to focus on package delivery which has increased by 14% since 2010, At the same time technology which aids in package delivery has caught up with the delivery of letters and other mail declining significantly with the ever increasing use of email and other Internet based technologies. .
Under the new plan, mail would still be delivered to post office boxes on Saturdays. and Post offices now open on Saturdays would remain open on Saturdays.
The Postal Service for some time has advocated shifting to a five-day delivery schedule for mail and packages . The US Postal Service is an independent agency that gets no tax dollars for its day-to-day operations but is subject to congressional control.
The agency would need congressional approval to make the change and It was not immediately if that would be forth coming or even necessary.
Patrick R. Donahoe, postmaster general , says Postal Service market research and other research has indicated that nearly 7 in 10 Americans support the switch to five-day delivery as a way for the Postal Service to reduce costs.
