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New Jersey Pushes “Complete Streets are for everyone”

suicide bike lane

September 13,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

 

Ridgewood NJ, the state of New Jersey along with  the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center (BPRC) is pushing a plan to make your streets safer and more user friendly for ,pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles with a series of planning and design initiates .

According to there website , “Complete Streets are for everyone. They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users… [so that] pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation users of all ages and ability are able to safely move along and across [the street].”

The Complete streets program  is being spearheaded  by the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center (BPRC) assists public officials, transportation and health professionals, and the public in creating a safer and more accessible walking and bicycling environment through primary research, education and dissemination of information about best practices in policy and design. The Center is supported by the New Jersey Department of Transportation through funds provided by the Federal Highway Administration.

The Village of Ridgewood signed a Complete Streets Resolution back in 2013 , ( https://njbikeped.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Ridgewood-Complete-Streets-Resolution.pdf ) and while some efforts have been a success like well defined ADA compliant highly visible cross walks and curbs other attempts , like the “suicide bike lane ” and traffic easing under the trestle have been an unmitigated failure .

DecorativeCrosswalks theridgewoodblog.net

What are the Components of Complete Streets?

Pedestrian Component: defined as “the clear area located between the curb and the adjacent building frontage” . Key Complete Streets design elements for this component include appropriate sidewalk widths and ADA accessible curb ramps
Building and furnishing: refers to “street furniture, elements of buildings that intrude into the sidewalk, and commercial activities that occur on the sidewalk…” and includes design elements such as bicycle parking, pedestrian-scale lighting, benches/street furniture, and street trees
Bicycle: addresses “bikeways and other facilitates within the public right-of-way…” and includes design elements such as bicycle lanes (regular, buffered, contraflow, etc.), cycle tracks, share-use paths, shared lanes/sharrows, and bike route signs
Curbside Management: relates to “facilities between the cartway and the sidewalk” and includes design elements such as on-street car parking, on-street bicycle parking, loading zones, and transit shelters.
Vehicle/Cartway: describes the “portion of the public right-of-way that is intended primarily or exclusively for motor vehicle use…” [11] and includes design elements such as appropriately sized lane widths, speed humps/tables, raised medians, chicanes, and preferred/exclusive bus lanes
Urban Design: addresses “policies related to those aspects of urban form that affect Complete Streets” such as driveways, utilities, and stormwater management.
Intersection & Crossing:  includes treatments that “…facilitate safe movement of all modes at intersections” [13] including high-visibility crosswalks (striped, raised, etc.), curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, bike boxes, and a variety of signal treatments (e.g., pedestrian countdown clocks, HAWK/RRFB signals, bicycle signals, etc.).

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Ridgewood High School Hosts Annual “Super Soccer Saturday” Event Six Games Starting At 9:30 AM

soccer-ball1_theridgewoodblog

September 10,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, On Saturday, September 23, 2017, the Ridgewood High School boys and girls soccer programs will come together to host Super Soccer Saturday (SSS). On this special day for soccer players of all ages, more than 200 youth and high school players and their families will gather to celebrate the beautiful game of soccer.

All three levels of the boys and girls high school soccer teams will play home games on the stadium field at Ridgewood High School. The girls will face Wayne Hills and the boys will take on Northern Valley – Demarest. The game schedule is as follows:

Freshman Girls: 9:30 am Freshman Boys: 11:30 am
JV Girls: 1:30 pm JV Boys: 3:30 pm
Varsity Girls: 5:30 pm Varsity Boys: 7:30 pm

A highlight of SSS is the parade of youth players from the Ridgewood Soccer Association and Maroons Soccer Club who accompany the varsity teams onto the field during the
pregame ceremonies.

New this year… the NY Red Bulls freestyle “Street Team” will be performing during halftime at both varsity games, and will host an interactive station for youth soccer fans.
The NY Red Bulls Street Team has been combining street style with soccer for years, wowing audiences outside Red Bull Arena and pushing the boundaries of what is possible
with a soccer ball.

All members of the Ridgewood community are encouraged to come to SSS and support the high school players. Fans will enjoy a variety of food concessions and can purchase
Ridgewood Soccer apparel. Attendees should be sure to stop by one of the 50/50 raffle stations to buy a ticket for a chance to win 50% of all raffle ticket sales. The winner will be
drawn at 9:00 pm and need not be present.

Many local businesses have kindly agreed to sponsor SSS. All proceeds support the soccer programs and Michael Feeney’s BEST DAY EVER, Inc., a local non-profit created
in memory of Michael Feeney to enable families with ill children to enjoy a “Best Day Ever.”

SSS will offer fun for the entire family, including a bounce house, tattoo station and youth soccer activities. In between games, youth players can participate in the SSS “Take a
Kick” contest and try to score a goal with one of several beloved youth soccer coaches guarding the net.

The Ridgewood High School Soccer programs seek to develop soccer players to their fullest athletic and academic potential, and to encourage them to become good citizens in
the community. SSS will provide an opportunity for players to be their best, both on and off the field.

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Village of Ridgewood Wants to Become New Jersey’s First Bee City

Ridgewood swarm of bees

file photo by Boyd Loving

September 9,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Resident Frank Mortimer Jr. put forward the idea to the Village Council that Ridgewood should become the first Bee City in New Jersey . The Ridgewood Wildscape association is also a big supporter
and has previously done plantings at Twinney’s Pond Park  and Kings and Gypsy Pond Parks.

So what’s a Bee City ?Bee City USA fosters ongoing dialogue in urban areas to raise awareness of the role pollinators play in our communities and what each of us can do to provide them with healthy habitat.
The Bee City USA program endorses a set of commitments, defined in a resolution, for creating sustainable habitats for pollinators, which are vital to feeding the planet.By becoming a Bee City USA affiliate, local leaders can improve their community’s environment, eating habits, and even economy.

A “honey bee” is any member of the genus Apis, primarily distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests from wax. Currently, only seven species of honey bee are recognized, with a total of 44 subspecies, though historically six to eleven species are recognized. The best known honey bee is the Western honey bee which has been domesticated for honey production and crop pollination. Honey bees represent only a small fraction of the roughly 20,000 known species of bees. Some other types of related bees produce and store honey, including the stingless honey bees, but only members of the genus Apis are true honey bees. The study of bees, which includes the study of honey bees, is known as melittology.

In the United States, there are over 4,000 species of native bees. Familiar bees visiting garden flowers are the colorful, fuzzy, yellow-and-black striped bumblebees, metallic-green sweat bees, squash bees, and imported honeybee. These flower-seeking pollen magnets purposefully visit flowers to collect pollen and nectar for food for themselves and their young.

Pollination, quite simply, is the way many plants reproduce. Since plants are immobile, they require assistance with their reproduction, and that’s where pollinators come in. They take pollen from one plant to another, thereby making plant reproduction possible.

But in recent years some scientists think the world’s bees are in trouble, addressing the underlying problems contributing to their demise, from the use of dangerous pesticides to the destruction of their habitat, is painfully slow. While this issues is still up for debate. When it comes to actually working out why the bees are dying the confusion is even greater. Some Scientists think something called the varroa mite is partly responsible for the bee emergency. They suck the blood of infected insects, weakening their immune systems.

An industrious worker bee may visit 2,000 flowers per day. She can’t carry pollen from that many flowers at once, so she’ll visit 50-100 flowers before heading home. All day long, she repeats these round trip flights to forage, which puts a lot of wear and tear on her body. A hardworking forager may live just 3 weeks.

A single honey bee worker produces about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime. For honey bees, there’s power in numbers. From spring to fall, the worker bees must produce about 60 lbs. of honey to sustain the entire colony during the winter.It takes tens of thousands of workers to get the job done

Looking to save the bees ,Beekeeping  has become very popular in recent years along with the positive view of the healing powers local honey especially the view local honey helps fight allergies.

The maintenance of honey bee colonies, commonly in hives, by humans. A beekeeper (or apiarist) keeps bees in order to collect their honey and other products that the hive produces (including beeswax, propolis, pollen, and royal jelly), to pollinate crops, or to produce bees for sale to other beekeepers. A location where bees are kept is called an apiary or “bee yard”.

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Village of Ridgewood Moves Forward on Maple Field Replacement

turf_theridgewoodblog

September 8th 2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ. the Maple Park turf field is in need of a major update , the Village will apply to Bergen County Open Space funding for the 50/50 matching grant to replace the turf at Maple Field. The Village plans to use Bergen County Open space funds, Village open space funds and money from the capital budget . The decision has been made to replace the 12 year old field due to is heavy use and deteriorated condition.

Resident Boyd Loving asked if the Village expected to receive any money from the class action suite filed against the manufacturing over the fields not living up to their expected life span? Village Attorney Matt Rogers explained that there were on going talks with Field Turf to defray costs of a replacement field and will be made public when negotiations are concluded .

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Manhattan U.S. Attorney And FBI Assistant Director Announce Securities And Wire Fraud Charges Against Craig Carton of WFAN And Michael Wright of Upper Saddle River

Craig Carton of WFAN

September 7,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York NY, Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that CRAIG CARTON and MICHAEL WRIGHT were arrested this morning and charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit those offenses.

As alleged, CARTON, WRIGHT, and another individual (“CC-1”) worked together to induce investors to provide them with millions of dollars, based on representations that the investor funds would be used to purchase blocks of tickets to concerts, which would then be re-sold on the secondary market. CARTON and CC-1 purportedly had access to those blocks of tickets based on agreements that CC-1 had with a company that promotes live music and entertainment events (the “Concert Promotion Company”) and that CARTON had with a company that operates two arenas in the New York metropolitan area (the “Sports and Entertainment Company”). In fact, neither the Concert Promotion Company nor the Sports and Entertainment Company had any such agreement with CARTON, WRIGHT, or CC-1, or any entity associated with them. After receiving the investor funds, CARTON, WRIGHT, and CC-1 misappropriated those funds, using them to, among other things, pay personal debts and repay prior investors as part of a Ponzi-like scheme.

CARTON and WRIGHT will be presented later today in Manhattan federal court.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged, Craig Carton and Michael Wright deceived investors and raised millions of dollars through misrepresentation and outright lies. Their schemes were allegedly propped up by phony contracts with two companies to purchase blocks of concert tickets, when in fact, Carton and Wright had no deals to purchase any tickets at all. As alleged, behind all the talk, the Wright and Carson show was just a sham, designed to fleece investors out of millions ultimately to be spent on payments to casinos and to pay off other personal debt.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Carton and Wright thought they could get off easy by allegedly paying off their debts with other people’s money. They then attempted to pay off investors with money that would eventually become future debt, as alleged. We see this time and time again, the rise and fall of a Ponzi scheme destined for failure. The truth is, the time will come when your luck runs out. Unfortunately for those arrested today, that time is now.”

According to the Complaint unsealed today Manhattan federal court[1]:

In the fall of 2016, CARTON, WRIGHT, and CC-1 exchanged emails and text messages regarding their existing debts. On September 5, 2016, for example, WRIGHT emailed CARTON and CC-1, “for the sake of our conversation tomorrow,” and outlined “the debt past due and due next week.” WRIGHT listed several apparent creditors, to whom he, CC-1, and/or CARTON were personally indebted for over a million dollars. WRIGHT listed eight possible options for repaying the debt, including “Run to Costa Rica, change name, and start life all over again – may not be an option.” CARTON responded to WRIGHT and CC-1, stating “don’t forget I have $1m coming tomorrow from ticket investor[.] will need to be discussed how to handle.” On September 7, 2016, CARTON emailed WRIGHT and CC-1, referenced a potential investor (“Investor-1”) in an upcoming holiday concert tour, and suggested “borrow[ing] against projected profits” on that investment.

Later in the fall of 2016, CARTON began negotiating with a hedge fund (the “Hedge Fund”) regarding a transaction in which the Hedge Fund would extend CARTON capital to finance CARTON’s purchase of event tickets, which CARTON would then re-sell at a profit. In early December 2016, CC-1 texted CARTON and WRIGHT and discussed using the Hedge Fund’s capital “to repay debts,” and not for the purchase of tickets.

The next day, December 7, 2016, CARTON emailed the Hedge Fund five agreements between (i) CC-1 and a company controlled by CC-1 (the “CC-1 Entity”) and (ii) the Concert Promotion Company. In each of the purported agreements, the Concert Promotion Company agreed to sell the CC-1 Entity up $10 million worth of tickets to different concert tours. However, as alleged, these agreements were fraudulent and had not, in fact been entered into by the Concert Promotion Company.

The following day, the Hedge Fund and CARTON executed the revolving loan agreement (the “Revolving Loan Agreement”), under which the Hedge Fund agreed to provide CARTON with up to $10 million, for the purpose of funding investments in the purchase of tickets for events. The Revolving Loan Agreement provided, in sum and substance, that the proceeds of the loan would be used only to purchase tickets pursuant to agreements for the acquisition of tickets, including the agreements with the Concert Promotion Company and for limited business expenses. The Hedge Fund would receive a share of the profits from the resale of the tickets.

The Hedge Fund then sent $700,000 to the CC-1 Entity to finance the purchase of tickets pursuant to the agreements between the CC-1 Entity and the Concert Promotion Company. CC-1, however, then sent this money to a bank account controlled by WRIGHT, who then, on December 12, sent $200,000 to CARTON’s personal bank account (the “CARTON Bank Account”), which CARTON then wired to a casino. Also on December 12, WRIGHT sent another $500,000 to an individual who had previously lent CARTON $500,000, which was due to be repaid that day.

Later in December 2016, the Hedge Fund sent an additional $1.9 million to the CC-1 Entity, to finance the purchase of tickets pursuant to agreements between the CC-1 Entity and the Concert Promotion Company. Once again, the Concert Promotion Company had not entered into any such agreements. CC-1, WRIGHT, and CARTON engaged in text messages regarding the disposition of these funds. Some of the money was used by CC-1 to repay two individuals who had previously invested with CC-1 in a related scheme involving the purported investment in the resale of tickets, and by CARTON to pay casinos and to pay Investor-1 a purported return on an earlier investment in a ticket-related venture.

CARTON also induced the Hedge Fund to wire $2 million to the Sports and Entertainment Company, based purportedly on an agreement he had with the Sports and Entertainment Company (the “Sports and Entertainment Company Agreement”). The Sports and Entertainment Company Agreement purportedly gave an entity controlled by CARTON (the “CARTON Entity”) the right to purchase $2 million of tickets to concerts at one of the venues operated by the Sports and Entertainment Company. CARTON, among other things, sent the Hedge Fund a copy of the Sports and Entertainment Company Agreement that purportedly had been signed by the chief executive officer of the Sports and Entertainment Company. However, this agreement was fraudulent and had never been entered into by the Sports and Entertainment Company or signed by the chief executive officer.

On December 20, 2016, when the Hedge Fund wired the $2 million to the Sports and Entertainment Company, CARTON contacted the Sports and Entertainment Company and told them, in sum and substance, that the wire had been sent in error and should be sent to the bank account for an entity operated by CARTON and WRIGHT, for which WRIGHT is the signatory. After the money was rewired to that account, WRIGHT wired $966,000 to WRIGHT’s personal bank account and $700,000 to the CARTON Bank Account. CARTON then wired approximately $188,000 from the CARTON Bank Account, including at least $133,000 in wires to several casinos.

* * *

CARTON, 48, of New York, New York, and WRIGHT, 41, of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, one count of wire fraud, and one count of securities fraud. The conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The securities fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the FBI and thanked the Boston Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed civil charges against CARTON and CC-1 in a separate action. He added that the FBI’s investigation is ongoing.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan F. Quigley and Elisha J. Kobre are in charge of the prosecution.

The allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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Downed Tree blocks North Monroe Sunday Morning on Ridgewood Midland Park Boarder

tree falls in ridgewood

photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

September 4,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Midland Park NJ, A downed tree blocked a section of North Monroe Street in Midland Park and Ridgewood on Sunday morning, 09/03. Midland Park Police and Ridgewood Police responded to the incident along with Ridgewood Emergency Services. The tree was removed by an employee of the Village of Ridgewood’s Shade Tree Division. No injuries, property damage, nor utility outages were reported,

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Back to School : Having Trouble Getting a Good Nights Sleep 

sleep_deprivation

August 31,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

 

Ridgewood NJ, The Valley Hospital is pleased to announce that the Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Apnea Center is expanding its services to now offer Behavioral Sleep Coaching for children, from newborns to teens. The new service offers effective treatment for the psychosocial, psychological and environmental factors that commonly interfere with sleep.

“Sleep coaching utilizes proven approaches to build healthy sleep habits so that children can get a better night’s sleep,” said Stephanie Zandieh, M.D., M.S., Director of Pediatric Sleep Medicine at Valley. “Whether we are helping a child overcome his fear of the dark or teaching a toddler to fall asleep without her parent in the room, we work collaboratively with patients and their families to develop treatment plans that are uniquely suited to each child’s specific needs.”

Studies show that as many as 25 to 40 percent of children experience sleep difficulties such as stalling or protesting at bedtime, difficulty falling or staying asleep, or nighttime fears. If left untreated, these sleep problems can become chronic and lead to difficulties with learning, memory and concentration, declining academic performance, impulsivity/hyperactivity and poor emotional control. A child’s sleep problems can also disrupt the family and create negative parent-child dynamics.

“Proper sleep is essential to every child’s growth and development,” said Kim Cahill, R.N., M.S.N., A.P.N., CPNP-PC, who leads the Behavioral Sleep Coaching program. “Through face-to-face meetings and regular follow-up, we identify and eliminate the roadblocks that interfere with quality sleep, so that a child can feel great, have fun, learn more and perform his or her best.”

Fortunately, many sleep problems can be resolved through Behavioral Sleep Coaching. The underlying principle of the approach is that healthy sleep is a learned behavior. Valley’s experienced and knowledgeable team works with patients and their families to systematically introduce behavioral change, such as developing a consistent sleep schedule and a regular, relaxing bedtime routine. Families are involved at every step of care to help children attain the foundations of good sleep for the rest of their lives. Although each plan of care is unique, treatment can generally be completed in two to four sessions.

Dr. Zandieh and Ms. Cahill work collaboratively to accurately diagnose and treat sleep disorders. During an initial consultation, they will meet with patients and their families to obtain a complete medical and sleep history and perform a physical exam. If there are medical symptoms, such as snoring, increased body movements during sleep or excessive daytime sleepiness that are contributing to a child’s sleep problems, the child may first need specific medical treatment.

Dr. Zandieh is board-certified in sleep medicine, pediatric pulmonology, and pediatrics. As a pediatric sleep medicine specialist for more than 18 years, she has been devoted to providing comprehensive care to children from infancy to young adulthood.

Ms. Cahill has 17 years of experience in pediatric sleep medicine and is licensed through the New Jersey Board of Nursing and certified as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner through the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB), meeting the highest national standards for the care of pediatric patients.

Patients may be referred to the Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Apnea Center by their pediatricians, other physicians, or parents may call directly to make an appointment. The Center is credentialed with most major insurance companies and sleep coaching services are generally covered by insurance. Please contact the Center for a list of participating insurance plans.

For more information about The Valley Hospital Pediatric Sleep Disorders and Apnea Center visit www.ValleyHealth.com/PediatricSleep.  To make an appointment at the Center, please call 201-447-8152.

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Top 20 Count Down Ranks Ridgewood High School Number 5

RIDGEWOOD MAROON FOOTBALL12976921_810105139122012_7749683283141002550_o

August 28,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood HS Football kickoff dinner was August 26 . The Ridgewood Football season kickoff dinner was hosted by the scholarship committee. .Ridgewood Scholarship Committee President Rich Barclay remarked that Ridgewood football will surpass $1 milion in scholarship money this season.

The Legendary Ridgewood Football Head Coach Chuck Johnson spoke at kickoff dinner along with Senior starter Vincent Riggio and Senior Tight End Pete Marshall spoke to the crowd.

According to Varsity Aces the Football Public School Top 20 Countdown ,Ridgewood ranks Number 5 in our pre-season poll.

Schedule :

9/8 @ Hackensack (Hackensack, NJ)
Location: Hackensack High School

9/15 Paramus (Paramus, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

9/28 @ NV – Old Tappan (Old Tappan, NJ)
Location: NV – Old Tappan High School

10/6 Passaic (Passaic, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

10/13 Bergen Tech (Hackensack, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

10/20 @ Kennedy (Paterson, NJ)
Location: Kennedy High School

10/27 Passaic County Tech (Wayne, NJ)
Location: Ridgewood High School

11/4 @ Eastside (Paterson, NJ)
Location: Eastside High School

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Long Time Ridgewood Resident Joins Ridgewood Office of Special Properties as a Broker Associate

Christina Sippel
August 22,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ , Special Properties Real Estate Services, LLC, an exclusive affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, has welcomed Cristina (Cristy) Sippel, a Ridgewood resident of more than 30 years, as a Broker Associate at its Ridgewood, NJ office. The addition of Sippel is just part as part of the agency’s ongoing expansion throughout the region.

Cristy Sippel is high-energy and brings deep industry contacts and expertise from her career in advertising to her work in real estate.  As a part of the Ridgewood community for over three decades, she brings an extensive knowledge of the Village, and the surrounding region, to her clients. Cristy also brings a larger world perspective, having had the opportunity to live in many different states and countries around the world during her life.

Following a successful career in advertising, real estate was a logical transition. With the diverse knowledge and perspective of the advertising world, Cristy is adept at developing some of the most creative and unique marketing programs for each property listing.

With three children in the Ridgewood schools, and a graduate of Ridgewood High School herself, she can often be found cheering on the local high school sports teams or walking her long-haired dachshund, Oscar, around town.

Cristy is deeply involved in the community, serving in a variety of capacities for the local school system and other charitable organizations in the region. She has also been a board member of the Social Service Association since 2004 and a team member of Raphael’s Life House in Elizabeth since 2012. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston College in Marketing.

Special Properties Real Estate Services embraces the history and traditions of its flagship brokerage location in Saddle River, NJ, into an expanded, modern presence in Mahwah, Franklin Lakes, and Ridgewood, NJ. With a staff of accomplished real estate brokers, its clients across northern New Jersey and southern New York are provided with customized, personalized services, backed by the luxury real estate brand of Christie’s International Real Estate. Special Properties provides local expertise with global connections. For more information, call (201) 962-9552.

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Ridgewood Police Rescue Stranded Turtle

Ridgewood Police Rescue Stranded Turtle

photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

August 21,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police Patrol Officer Brandon Donnelly was assigned to protect a seemingly stranded turtle at the Bergen County Wild Duck Pond Park on Sunday afternoon, 08/20. While waiting for the arrival of a representative from the Bergen County Animal Shelter in Teterboro, Officer Donnelly engaged in Community Policing activity by passing out “police officer badge” stickers to several young citizens who had walked over to see the large turtle. The reptile was safely relocated to a more suitable habitat by an animal control officer approximately 90 minutes after Donnelly was dispatched to the scene.

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Rutgers University-New Brunswick astronomer offers tips for safe viewing the Solar Eclipse

Solar Eclipse

photo by Margaret Morse

August 20,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Americans will be treated to a spectacular total solar eclipse on Aug. 21 in an approximately 70-mile-wide zone stretching from the Northwest to the Southeast.

In New Jersey, a partial eclipse will begin at about 1:20 p.m., peak at about 2:45 p.m. and end shortly before 4 p.m. that day.

The moon will block about 70 percent of the sun at the state’s northern border to 80 percent in Cape May, according to Carlton “Tad” Pryor, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

“A total solar eclipse is always very dramatic,” Pryor said. “The sky gets dark, animals and birds go quiet as if it’s nighttime and it’s a little bit cooler outside.  The partial solar eclipse that will be visible in New Jersey is much more subtle, but will be noticeable if you know what to look for.”

Watch a YouTube video on the solar eclipse

Tips for Safe Eclipse Viewing

Because it is unsafe to look directly at the sun, Pryor said anyone wishing to see the phenomenon must protect their eyes with specially made and certified filters, or by observing the eclipse indirectly.

Direct viewing can be done safely with No. 14 arc welder glass or with eclipse viewing glasses that meet the following criteria outlined by NASA:

  • Have certification information with a designated ISO 12312-2 international standard
  • Have the manufacturer’s name and address printed on the product
  • Not be used if more than three years old, or with scratched or wrinkled lenses

Homemade filters or sunglasses – even very dark ones – are NEVER safe for looking directly at the sun.  There are reports of potentially unsafe eclipse glasses appearing for sale, so be sure to buy eclipse viewers from reputable vendors.

Pryor offered a few suggestions for safe, indirect viewing.

If the sky is clear at around 2:45 p.m. on the day of the eclipse, stand in a leafy tree’s shadow and look at the ground.  The smallest spots of sunlight will make little crescent shapes, showing the sun’s apparent shape as the moon crosses in front.

Another method is to make a small hole in a piece of cardboard with the tip of a pencil or pen and project the light onto a white piece of paper, he said. For a better view, put the hole over a mirror and reflect the light onto a more distant white piece of paper or white surface.

Total eclipses in the Continental U.S. are unusual, with the last one unfolding in 1979, Pryor said. Hawaii experienced one in 1991, and New Jersey will have to wait until May 1, 2079, to get one. Even then, the total eclipse will be visible only in the northern two-thirds of the state and will occur only a few minutes after sunrise, so it won’t be easily visible.

“An eclipse is a remarkable phenomenon,” Pryor said. “It was always regarded as signifying something important. Some people thought something was eating the sun and tried to make noise to scare it away. But the ancient Greeks understood what was happening and could start to predict some of these phenomena.”

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UPDATE : Water Main Replacement Project at Stream Crossings in the Village of Ridgewood

RidgewoodWaterLogo_theridgewoodblog
August 20,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water’s contractor, Fred Devens Construction, has begun site clearing and necessary road work in preparation for the water main replacements at each of the below stream crossings.  Unfortunately, tree/shrub removal is required at each of these locations to access specified work areas. We remain sensitive to the environment and landscaping will be restored. As construction work is scheduled to continue into the winter months, final restoration of trees/shrubs is planned for the Spring of 2018.

Linwood Ave. at the Saddle River
North Irving St. at the HoHoKus Brook
East Ridgewood Ave. at the HoHokus Brook
Spring Ave. at the Hohokus Brook

Fred Devens Construction will continue to coordinate with the Ridgewood Police Department for all traffic control measures as needed. We anticipate that there will be ongoing road closures and detours at these locations depending on the schedule of construction activities. The next phase of construction will be focused on the E. Ridgewood Ave. stream crossing, followed by the N. Irving stream crossing. For project updates, please check back on our website or like us on Facebook @RidgewoodWater.

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Refunds for late NJ Transit trains? NJ lawmaker says yes

Ridgewood_Train_station_train-_is_coming_theridgewoodblog

By Joe Cutter August 16, 2017 11:20 PM

A bill sponsored by Assemblyman Rob Clifton, R-Monmouth, would force NJ Transit to offer a free replacement ticket to a rail rider if their train is more than an hour late.

Clifton points out that a similar idea was offered for awhile by SEPTA in Pennsylvania before it was discontinued.

“We heard from the customers and the commuters about the issues. You guys (New Jersey 101.5) reported, actually, back in April, about customer service issues, customer complaints and the delays. There was a hearing back in April before your story, where folks got up and addressed their complaints.”

Clifton says this refund idea is all about improving the customer experience for NJ Transit rail riders. The independently run NJ Transit reports that 13 percent of their trains in June were late.

Read More: Refunds for late NJ Transit trains? NJ lawmaker says yes | https://nj1015.com/refunds-for-late-nj-transit-trains-nj-lawmaker-says-yes/?trackback=tsmclip

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New York Knickerbockers Hire Ridgewood native as director of basketball strategy

Knicks

August 12,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the New York Knickerbockers announced the hiring of Ridgewood native Michael Arcieri as director, basketball strategy and Fred Cofield as scout.

Arcieri was brought in by General manager Scott Perry who is in the process of reshaping the Knicks front office .

Arcieri is one of five additions to the front-office , including Gerald Madkins has been named assistant general manager, Craig Robinson as vice president, player development and G League operations, Harold Ellis as director, player personnel, and Fred Cofield as scout.

Arcieri, spent the past five seasons with Orlando, most recently serving as director of basketball operations during the 2016-17 season after being the director of basketball administration since 2012-13. His responsibilities included: CBA operations and legal counsel and compliance, salary cap and roster management, contract drafting and execution, player trade and negotiation assistance, budget development and oversight, as well as player evaluation. Prior to joining Orlando, he was on the team counsel with Texas (Developmental League) and a high school coach at Old Tappan, NJ. He was raised in Whitestone (Queens) and Ridgewood, NJ and is a graduate of Bergen Catholic HS, Wesleyan University and Brooklyn Law School.

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Village Council Summer Highlights from August 9th Meeting

Village Council

Village Council Summer Highlights

1. VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD MASTER PLAN – Planning Board Master Plan update: funding for the Village Master Plan is in place and the Planning Board advanced the undertaking at the annual reorganization meeting on July 18. A Master Plan Committee was appointed to assist the Planning Board, the Ridgewood Village Council and the public with the Master Plan process including, but not limited to: project education, scheduling, milestones, budgeting, public engagement and participation, and to ensure an open and transparent process. Committee members include Mayor Susan Knudsen, PB Vice-chairman Joel Torielli, Planning Board members Debbie Patire and Melanie McWilliams. **Chairman Richard Joel will be substituting on an interim basis as needed. The Master Plan Committee is a preliminary step prior to formally advancing the Master Plan process. 


2. As one of the most used sports fields the turf at Maple Park is now in need of replacement. Installed more than decade ago, the replacement will allow the field to continue to facilitate a variety of sports programs throughout the year. The Maple Park Turf Replacement is subject to a public hearing scheduled for August 9, 2017.


3. Purchasing the Elks Club Property allows for future planning ensuring a more efficient utility benefiting Ridgewood Water customers. The Water Capital Ordinance for $1,600,000 includes the purchase price of $1.1 mil for the property and $500,000 to renovate the building from the Water Utility Capital Fund. 


4. Summer “School” ordinances: Amending Chapter 265 will prohibit stopping on portions of West Ridgewood Avenue allowing a safer approach to vehicular traffic around the Ridge School. Additionally, Enacting Title 39 on All Public School Properties authorizes the Ridgewood Police Department to enforce traffic and parking regulations on Board of Education property. Ordinance 3612 protects Ridgewood taxpayers from the unlawful enrollment of students in Ridgewood Public Schools through the Village Municipal Court.


5. Direct Village Planner to conduct a study for Redevelopment of the Hudson Street Municipal Parking Lot, allowing the Village more options moving forward with garage construction plans that could potentially save significant taxpayer dollars and build time.