>The Ridgewood YMCA and the Diabetes Foundation will be hosting “Everything Diabetes Day”
The Ridgewood YMCA and the Diabetes Foundation will be hosting “Everything Diabetes Day” at the Y (112 Oak Street, Ridgewood) on Saturday, November 20th from 1:30 – 5:30 PM. This FREE event is for children and adults with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or at risk for diabetes. Free screenings will include blood pressure, blood sugar, eye screenings and foot screenings. Certified Diabetes Educators will be on hand to discuss nutrition, exercise, weight loss, complications, risk factors and prevention, among other things. Lots of information and giveaways will also be available. Call Chris at 201 444 5600 ext. 339 for more information or to pre-register today. Open to all!
>Department of Community Affairs audit reveals problems and irregularities
It was big pot of federal stimulus money aimed at jump-starting the state’s economy, but an audit of a weatherization program found only a fraction of the $119 million allocated to New Jersey has been spent, and some of that went to unreasonable expenditures. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
>People’s Tool Kit’ offers ways to rein in spending
If you’re impatiently waiting for state government to deliver the much-ballyhooed toolkit, a good-government group is pitching some do-it-yourself projects it says can ease your property taxes. (Symons, Gannet)
>GOP freeholders-elect tap Caliguire for transition chair
The Bergen County Republican Freeholders-elect today announced their selection of former freeholder Todd Caliguire of Ridgewood to chair their transition team. (Staff, PolitickerNJ)
Two months ago, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that the federal stimulus legislation would pay for the purchase of hundreds of controversial full-body scanners.
“Through the Recovery Act, we are able to continue our accelerated deployment of enhanced technology as part of our layered approach to security at airports nationwide,” Napolitano said at the time.
The number of scanners has roughly doubled since Napolitano’s announcement and they are now found in 68 U.S. airports, and the Transportation Security Administration says the controversial devices have proven to be a success.
“We have received minimal complaints,” a TSA spokeswoman told CNET yesterday. She said that the agency, part of DHS, keeps track of air traveler complaints and has not seen a significant rise.
A growing number of airline passengers, labor unions, and advocacy groups, however, say the new procedures–a choice of full-body scans or what the TSA delicately calls “enhanced pat-downs”–go too far. (They were implemented without much fanfare in late October, amid lingering questions (PDF) about whether travelers are always offered a choice of manual screening.)
Unions representing U.S. Airways pilots, American Airlines pilots, and some flight attendants are advising their members to skip the full-body scans, even if it means that their genitals are touched. Air travelers are speaking out online, with a woman saying in a YouTube video her breasts were “twisted,” and ExpressJet pilot Michael Roberts emerging as an instant hero after he rejected both the body scanning and “enhanced pat-downs” options and was unceremoniously ejected from the security line from Memphis International Airport.
One lawsuit has been filed and at least two more are being contemplated. There are snarky suggestions for what TSA actually stands for, attempts at grope-induced erotic fiction, and now even a movie.
These privacy concerns, and in a few cases even outright rebellion, come as an estimated 24 million travelers are expected to fly during the 2010 Thanksgiving holiday season. One Web site, OptOutDay.com, is recommending what might be called strict civil obedience: it suggests that all air travelers on November 24, the day before Thanksgiving, choose “to opt-out of the naked body scanner machines” that amount to “virtual strip searches.”
“Is sports participation important for kids and their future?” is a red herring. Willingness to assault the fields’ countless neighbors all over town (and no, I do not live near any fields) with lights, noise, badly parked cars, and unruly participants, and acting as if that is par for the course, is callous and unforgivable.
NIMBY? The entire town is our back yard. Sure, the owners knew there were fields there when they bought their houses, but didn’t realize they were moving next to Yankee Stadium. And this appalling situation goes beyond even that.
THE LOOK OF THE TOWN IS CHANGING FOR THE WORSE because of the unacceptable clout of those who are not working for the greater good, as they claim. Merely driving around Citizens Park one night I was nearly blinded by the lights and gasped in shock. The poles are higher than the trees, the lamps are much too bright, and the whole setup is hideous 24 hours a day. Encountering the sudden glare after driving down a dark street may well cause traffic accidents. What about the waste of electricity when we’re about to have incandescent light removed from our lives?
What about blackouts, brownouts, surges? The whole thing is simply appalling. Why couldn’t just one field have been set up with lights and everyone invited to see how it looked? The answer would have been “Dreadful–get it out of there.” But no–hurry hurry, install them all and it’s too late. The town must stop accepting big donations (in this case, not nearly big enough to cover the tab) for things that are inherently bad and not generally wanted.
And when neighbors reasonably complain, they are ignored or insulted. How can things have come to this pass? Anybody who had anything to do with installing these lights and P.A. systems should be replaced. Learn who they are and VOTE in the spring.
Park Steakhouse, which was originally suppose to move into Radiccio’s on Franklin Turnpike, is taking over Winberie’s and also bought their liquor license.
They were suppose to open the steakhouse in the Radiccio’s spot with a limited liquor license that the town sold last year. I am curious where did that money go??
Basically, the limited liquor license does not allow for a regular bar area.Park will now re-sell that license.
>Poll finds widespread support for state worker layoffs
Poll finds support for state worker cuts
TRENTON, N.J. — A new poll finds widespread support for state worker layoffs, furloughs and wage freezes to combat New Jersey’s fiscal woes. (The Associated Press)
>Gov. Christie backs off plans for 1,200 N.J. employee layoffs
TRENTON — State workers may not face layoffs in January after all — and they may be able to take Black Friday off even though Gov. Chris Christie wants them to work. (Friedman, The Star-Ledger)
Gov. Christie, speaking with kids in Trenton at a boys and girls club, said what a lot of other New Jersey residents think about most districts closing schools so the teachers’ union can convene at the Shore for an annual conference. (Ingle, Asbury Park Press)
A plan offered by the leaders of President Barack Obama’s commission to reduce the federal deficit might work. It just won’t happen.
The co-chairmen proposed a $3.8 trillion deficit-cutting plan yesterday that would trim Social Security and Medicare, reduce income-tax rates and eliminate tax breaks including the mortgage-interest deduction. It would reduce the annual deficit from $1.3 trillion this year to about $400 billion by 2015 and start reducing the $13.7 trillion national debt.
“Mathematically it apparently works,” said Stan Collender, a former Democratic House and Senate budget analyst and managing director of Qorvis Communications in Washington. “Politically, it is going to have a lot of trouble getting support from more than just the two co-chairs.”
The plan would raise gas taxes, slash defense spending and farm subsidies and bring down health-care costs by clamping down on medical malpractice suits. The Social Security retirement age would rise to 68 in about 2050 and 69 in about 2075.
VETERAN’S DAY : Ceremony to Honor Veterans in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square All are Invited to Attend –
American Legion Post 53 presents – Thursday, November 11th at 11AM – Ceremony to Honor Veterans in Memorial Park at Van Neste Square in the center of Downtown Ridgewood. Bring a blanket, sit on the grass or benches; warm-up with coffee and bagels to HONOR OUR VETERANS!
>NIMBY NONSENSE : Small grass roots organizations are the foundation for a democracy
NIMBY NONSENSE! Your argument is ridiculous to say the least. Small grass roots organizations are, and will continue to be, the foundation for a democracy. I was against the December Bond and voted NO but the pro-bond got their vote out. Before I criticized neighborhood action groups I would demand there be no more December bond elections. Demand those questions be put to voters in November!
You can actually minimize the those neighborhood action groups by putting many of these issues to the voters since have a vested interest in maintaining the Village while keeping taxes reasonable. On a November ballot the results probably would be: TURF/Willard Bond (NO), field lights (moot), Valley (NO), Cell tower (NO), redistrict (YES), water tower(not sure), preserve Graydon (YES), all volunteer fire department (possibly), etc.
To suggest one rep from each school district is unbelievable. Maybe the HSA should run town council. Let’s suggest one person from each age group and an even number of men and women. Perhaps town council should have one business owner from CBD, one person to represent each sport and some who represent the art community, one green person and one to represent each special interest group in town including one fireman, one policeman and one teacher and one BOE member. let’s not.
The Village of Ridgewood is expected to introduce an ordinance Wednesday, Nov. 10, authorizing a 5 percent water rate hike in 2011 for residents its water company serves in Wyckoff, Midland Park and Glen Rock.
The action follows a 21 percent increase in the water rate in 2010, which Wyckoff is contesting in court.
The towns learned by letter last month that the water company was raising the water rate by 3 percent above a projected increase of 2 percent. The news triggered a meeting on Thursday, Oct. 28, among officials representing Ridgewood, Glen Rock, Midland Park and Wyckoff.
The meeting was not open to the public, but sentiment about the prospect of another increase was uniform among officials of the three neighboring municipalities.
“Frankly, we think it’s inappropriate and unwarranted,” Midland Park Mayor Joseph Monahan said.
In the letter dated Wednesday, Oct. 20, to Midland Park Borough Administrator Michelle Dugan, Ridgewood Village manager Kenneth Gabbert said “the utility will be moving forward with its capital plans. These capital projects require a down payment, which must be included in the operating budget.”
The letter states improvements to a tank in Wyckoff and the installation of radio-read water meters will impact future budgets.
Wyckoff filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the township, Glen Rock and Midland Park against the village in the summer protesting the 2010 water rate hike of 21 percent.
“We don’t feel they [Ridgewood officials] provided proper justification for the 21 percent increase that they imposed on rate payers a year ago, so clearly we don’t feel that an additional 5 to 15 percent is justified,” Wyckoff Mayor Rudolf Boonstra said, adding that township officials haven’t discussed the prospect at length because the rate hike has not been finalized. “We don’t want to speculate on something that hasn’t happened yet.”
Former Wyckoff Mayor and Hackensack attorney Joseph Fiorenzo, who is representing Wyckoff pro bono, said the additional 5 percent rate hike “would certainly become object of the ongoing legal proceeding.”
“As I understand, Ridgewood continues to do the same thing to justify this, which is asking the rate payers to effectively subsidize the Village of Ridgewood’s operating budget by imposing upon the rate payers significant operating costs of the Village of Ridgewood in the form of overhead costs, police salaries, pensions and the village manager’s salary,” Fiorenzo said in an interview Thursday, Nov. 4. “All of these things are part of the justifications which are completely without any legal basis.”
With the proposed increases, the water rate would be $4.20 per 1,000 gallons. Nearby water utilities charge as much as $4.79 per 1,000 gallons, according to Ridgewood officials.
full story: https://www.northjersey.com/community/events/106889153_Officials_deem_proposed_5_percent_rate_hike__inappropriate__.html
