>Education Online: Cybercharters come online in New Jersey
Back when New Jersey’s charter school law was enacted in 1995, online learning was more futuristic than realistic, barely a notion for lawmakers to ponder, let alone regulate. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0131/2336/
>Judge puts NJ gift-card seizure law on hold
A federal judge has temporarily stopped New Jersey from going ahead with a plan to seize unused money on gift cards and travelers checks. (The Associated Press)
https://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/InsidePage.aspx?cId=dailyrecord&sParam=35683371.story
>Oil over $100 as Egypt protests intensify
By Javier Blas in Geneva, Roula Khalaf in London, Michael Peel in Cairo and agencies
Published: January 31 2011 19:12 | Last updated: January 31 2011 23:27
Oil prices broke through the $100 a barrel level for the first time in more than two years, amid market fears that Egypt’s turmoil will hit oil flows.
Although both the Suez Canal and a pipeline linking the Red Sea with the Mediterranean continue to operate, the popular uprising to unseat Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s president, has brought much of the rest of the economy to a halt.
https://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8653aec4-2d6c-11e0-8f53-00144feab49a.html#ixzz1ChoS0sWH
>Nearly 11 Percent of US Houses Empty
Monday, 31 Jan 2011
By: Diana Olick
CNBC Real Estate Reporter
I usually find the quarterly homeowner vacancy and homeownership report from Census pretty lackluster, but the latest one released this morning was anything but.
America’s home ownership rate, after holding steady for a while, took a pretty big plunge in Q4, from 66.9 percent to 66.5 percent. That’s down from the 2004 peak of 69.2 percent and the lowest level since 1998.
Homeownership is falling at an alarming pace, despite the fact that home prices have fallen, affordability is much improved and inventories of new and existing homes are still running quite high.
Bargains abound, but few are interested or eligible to take advantage.
https://www.cnbc.com/id/41355854
>Ridgewood Knights of Columbus to Host Annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance
Ridgewood-NJ-February 1, 2011: The Ridgewood Knights of Columbus Council #1736 is once again proud to be sponsoring its annual St. Patrick’s Dinner Dance on Saturday, March 19th, beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Mount Carmel gymnasium at 52 Passaic Street in Ridgewood.
The Village Caterer will be providing traditional Irish fare of corned beef and cabbage. Renowned New York City musicians Bob and Norm will be playing Irish classics and great dance music. There will also be a special appearance by the Irish Step Dancers.
Tickets are $45 each. Payment can be mailed to:
Doug Findlay
211 Circle Ave
Ridgewood 07450
Come out and celebrate St. Patrick’s with the Ridgewood K of C!
>
BOE Responses to Neighbors’ Concerns Regarding Field Improvements at Ridgewood High School
January 28, 2011
https://www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us/modules/groups/homepagefiles/cms/923620/File/Responses%20to%20Neighbors.pdf?sessionid=94d07294cbeee4d5127c6775af2542af
>Judge strikes down healthcare reform law
By Tom Brown
MIAMI | Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:45pm EST
(Reuters) – A federal judge in Florida struck down President Barack Obama’s landmark healthcare overhaul as unconstitutional on Monday, in the biggest legal challenge yet to federal authority to enact the law.
U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson, appointed to the bench by Republican President Ronald Reagan, ruled that the reform law’s so-called individual mandate went too far in requiring that Americans start buying health insurance in 2014 or pay a penalty.
“Because the individual mandate is unconstitutional and not severable, the entire act must be declared void. This has been a difficult decision to reach, and I am aware that it will have indeterminable implications,” Vinson wrote.
Referring to a key provision in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, he sided with governors and attorneys general from 26 U.S. states, almost all of whom are Republicans, in declaring it unconstitutional.
“Regardless of how laudable its attempts may have been to accomplish these goals in passing the Act, Congress must operate within the bounds established by the Constitution,” the judge ruled.
https://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/31/us-usa-healthcare-ruling-idUSTRE70U6RY20110131?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews
>Message from the Valley Hospital
Ridgewood NJ- The Valley Hospital is pleased to introduce our new website for The Valley Renewal. Just visit www.TheValleyRenewal.com for updated factual information on the project.
This project is needed to preserve Valley’s ability to provide quality care. In order to continue to serve the residents of Ridgewood with quality healthcare programs and services, Valley must renew. Just like the important investments we make in our schools to preserve their effectiveness, healthcare facilities must evolve.
As in the past, Valley plans to develop facilities that are tastefully designed and carefully constructed. We share great concern for our schoolchildren, families and neighbors. As caregivers, we are particularly sensitive to making sure that our project is constructed with the utmost care.
We welcome your support and encourage your comments and questions through our new website.
>Nanny State : N.J. Senate committee to consider bill that would require schools to conduct classes about dating violence
-We would suggest a greater focus on reading, writing arithmetic and history –
N.J. Senate committee to consider bill that would require schools to conduct classes about dating violence
Schools in New Jersey might have to conduct classes about dating violence.
The Senate Education Committee today will consider a bill that would create a task force to develop a policy to address dating violence. (The Associated Press)
https://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/01/nj_senate_committee_to_conside_3.html
>Valley Renewal: Readers Speculate over the accuracy of “renderings”
Ridgewood NJ- I am still trying to digest the level of dishonesty revealed in that mailed brochure of a few weeks ago.
Please—everyone realize that those “renderings” were not only misleading for what they attempted to show, but truly dishonest in what they didn’t show.
Those drawings show the Valley expansion when it is only HALF done—-Phase I only!!!! Of course, this is not made clear in the brochure. Strange—why would Valley fail to show us the finished product? They don’t want us to know what it’s really going to look like!!!!!!
>Christie administration quietly signs controversial ratepayer-subsidy bill
Bury the controversial news late on a Friday.
That is the conventional wisdom, and it apparently held true this past weekend when the Christie administration quietly signed a bill that would give power plant developers a lucrative ratepayer subsidy to build up to 2,000 new megawatts of generating capacity in New Jersey. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0130/2024/
>Teacher contract negotiations: Lean times and hard bargains
As New Jersey’s school leaders begin drafting budgets for next year, lean economic times are continuing to play out at in the one place that matters most: the contract bargaining table. (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)
https://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0130/2244/
>Outrageous teachings by new Ground Zero(aka the Mike Bloomberg) mosque big
By ISABEL VINCENT and MELISSA KLEIN
Last Updated: 1:19 PM, January 30, 2011
Posted: 1:19 AM, January 30, 2011
The new imam at the Ground Zero mosque and cultural center believes people who are gay were probably abused as children and that people who leave Islam and preach a new religion should be jailed.
Abdallah Adhami’s remarks on homosexuals, religious freedom and other topics have brought renewed criticism of the proposed community center and mosque near the World Trade Center site, which purports to be an inclusive organization.
Adhami, in a lecture on the Web site of his nonprofit, Sakeenah, says being gay is a “painful trial” caused by past trauma.
“An enormously overwhelming percentage of people struggle with homosexual feeling because of some form of violent emotional or sexual abuse at some point in their life,” he says. “A small, tiny percentage of people are born with a natural inclination that they cannot explain. You find this in the animal kingdom at some level as well.”
He says gays must fight this “propensity.”
“When a religious leader of his standing opens up his mouth and spews this kind of ignorance and hateful statements, it does put his greater judgment into question,” said Fred Sainz, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay-rights group.
Adhami also notes that if a Muslim leaves the faith and “preaches their views, they’re jailed.”
https://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/gz_imam_gay_flay_K8wAYsyKlADqlz8Et5CuTP
>Valley should be applauded in their endeavor to make it an even better hospital but not at the expense of the Village
Ridgewood NJ- Yes, let’s focus on the issue…Valley Hospital needs to modernize & many residents agree with this, yes, even those with signs on their lawns. But, in 1983 the council was concerned about a 25% increase in lot coverage.Times change but we are still essentially a village of residents.So why NOT be concerned with a 200% plus increase in site coverage today?!?! – in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
This will affect ALL of the Village no matter where you live. Valley should be applauded in their endeavor to make it an even better hospital than it is today, but not at the expense of the Village. The expansion as it is proposed is just too big. Valley is at a crossroads; at this stage there have been too many expansions & it is time for both the Council & Valley to reconsider gains & losses.
>Valley Renewal Ad :Looking for Facts are not Attacks
Ridgewood NJ- I fail to see the personal attacks. The issue is an ad was placed in the newspaper by people who for the most part have a financial interest in valley hospital. uncovering the fact that valley is the employer for many listed is not a personal attack it is only stating the facts that should have been listed along side each persons name on the ad. residents of ridgewood have seen the faces of CRR for many years and know who they are. the people on the ad were not very honest when they did not disclose that valley employs them.
Personally i think the hospital should modernize and i dont know anyone who disagrees . but putting such a massive complex there is just to much. they should revisit the plan on a smaller scale.
No matter what your position i think you should disclose if you are employed by the hospital or have any personal gain.
