The staff stopped counting at 1200 people on Saturday, June 5. Pool manager Steve Diamond said it was the biggest opening day crowd in 5 or 6 years.
Open for business: Last weekend Graydon had its biggest opening day in 5 or 6 years, said pool manager Steve Diamond. What a great community gathering place!
The water sparkled. Gone were the algae seen on Memorial Day. Deputy Mayor Keith Killion stopped by. Mayor David Pfund arrived with his family and took a dip. Also on hand appreciating the large crowd were Council members-elect Tom Riche and Bernie Walsh.
Operation in June: Saturday/Sunday: 10 am to 7:30 pm Mon.–Fri. through June 25: Noon to 7:30 pm June 28–30: 10 am to 7:30 pm
Have you bought your badge yet? If not, here’s how:
Ridgewood, Midland Park, and Ho-Ho-Kus residents: Join here https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/department_detail.cfm?dept_id=41 or at the badge office at Graydon until 7 pm any day.
Graydon admirers from any other town may be sponsored with this application form by an adult Ridgewood resident holding a current badge. Allow up to a week for processing of sponsored applications.
Graydon on parade Lucy Rieger seeks participants for a possible celebration of Graydon Park’s centennial in Ridgewood’s Independence Day Parade on Monday, July 5. This will happen only if volunteers come forward quickly. To participate or help, please contact her at [email protected] or 201-826-5086 (cell).
Lots more summer fun to come. Send us your photos of Graydon activities. Swimmingly,
Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office : Rocco John Benedetto, 36, of Mahwah, is charged with vehicular homicide in the death of Dorothy Scordato, 80, of Allendale.
RIDGEWOOD — A Mahwah man has been charged with vehicular homicide in an accident that killed an 80-year-old woman Friday afternoon.
According to Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli, Rocco John Benedetto, 36, of Mahwah, was found to be intoxicated and under the influence of drugs when he caused a three-car accident that killed Dorothy Scordato, 80, of Allendale.
Investigators said Benedetto was traveling south on Route 17 in Ridgewood, near East Saddle River Road, just before 2 p.m. Friday when his 2009 Mercedes Benz struck Scordato’s 2005 Honda Element. Scordato lost control of her car, veered across several lanes and was ultimately struck by a 2008 Honda Civic driven by a New York woman, Molinelli said. The New Yorker was not charged.
Numerous 911 calls summoned Ridgewood police, who found Scordato badly injured behind the wheel of her car, Molinelli said. Scordato was taken to Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, where she died of her injuries.
Molinelli said Benedetto drove on for another half mile before pulling off the highway and calling police. He is charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, driving while intoxicated and being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance.
>Village Council sets Novermber Election to fill vacant seat left by Anne Zusy
As reported in the Ridgewood News it now appears the Village Council will not fill the seat left vacant by the death of Anne Zusy. There will be no short term appointee appointed by the council to fill the vacant seat. Councilwomen Zusy, died earlier this month of complications from lung cancer and has severed in the council since 2008.
The “Zusy” seat will be on the ballot in November and anyone interested in running for the position can file a petition at Village Hall. The deadline to file will be sometime in September with a final date to be announced. The winner in the November election will serve out the remainder of Zusy’s term. The new council members Thomas Riche and Bernadette Coghlan-Walsh will be sworn in July 1.
Inspired by J. K. Rowling’s compelling stories and characters – and faithful to the visual landscapes of the films – this completely immersive environment will bring the wonder and magic of the Harry Potter books and films to life.
From the front archway of Hogsmeade to the immensity of Hogwarts castle, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will feature:
*The Hogwarts Express at Hogsmeade station
*Dragon Challenge including a twin high-speed roller coaster with many iconic elements from the Triwizard Tournament
*The Three Broomsticks and adjacent Hog’s Head pub serving traditional British fare and drinks including Butterbeer and pumpkin juice
*The Owl Post which will send letters with a certified Hogsmeade postmark and will sell official stamps from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
*Zonko’s, a joke shop with a collection of tricks and jokes, including Extendable Ears, Boxing Telescopes and Sneakoscopes
*Ollivanders wand shop, an incredible interactive experience where the wand chooses the wizard
*Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, a thrilling new state-of-the-art attraction, located in Hogwarts castle, which uses entirely new technology to bring the magic, characters, and stories of Harry Potter to life in ways never before imagined.
For more details, speak with a travel professional at:
RIDGEWOOD — The Ridgewood Board of Education (BOE) issued a statement Friday regarding a petition sent to school officials urging the BOE to ask the village’s Planning Board to commission an environmental impact study.
The study, the petition states, should be conducted before the Planning Board votes on a Master Plan amendment required for Valley Hospital’s “Renewal” plans to move forward.
At a Planning Board meeting on Monday night, at least four residents pleaded with the board to hire a specialist to conduct the environmental impact study. The residents believe the study will help predict the future effects of any construction at the site and the surrounding area.
A group of parents with children in the Ridgewood Public Schools made a last-ditch effort to request the study and crafted a petition June 3. The petition, which began circulating June 4, asked the superintendent of schools and the Board of Education to press the Planning Board for the study.
Ridgewood Board of Education President Michele Lenhard and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel Fishbein issued the following statement Friday:
“In keeping with the Board and superintendent’s responsibility to ensure the safety, health and education of the district’s students, we respect the concerns of the community members who signed the petition and we appreciate their request for more information via an environmental health impact study prior to the Planning Board’s vote.
“We agree that an independent environmental study is important. Such a study is typically completed as part of a full site review, once the Planning Board has examined detailed engineering and architectural plans and approved construction. Whether that timetable should be altered and an environmental impact study conducted prior to the vote to amend the Master Plan cannot be determined by the Ridgewood Board of Education. We trust the Village Planning Board, as the body responsible to ensuring our community’s interests and protecting the health of all residents, to make such determinations as they see necessary.
“Safeguarding the health and safety of our students is the number one priority of the Ridgewood Board of Education and school administration. In testimony submitted to the Planning Board on June 17, 2009, we voiced specific health, safety, and educational concerns that may arise should the Master Plan be amended and the Valley Hospital expansion go forward. If an amendment is approved, it will be important to clarify how acceptable levels of air quality can be maintained for the duration of the Valley Hospital Renewal Project. Should the Valley Renewal project proceed to construction, we will work closely with the Village Engineer and Valley Hospital administration to make sure that the Ridgewood Public Schools students and staff are fully safeguarded.”
Although nearly 700 people signed the petition in four days, the Planning Board could not officially accept it into the record since its attorney, Gail Price, said the signatures could not be verified. She did, however, accept the petition as part of an unofficial file on the proceedings.
“Petitions are not admissible in evidence in proceedings such as the Planning Board area unless everyone who signed the petition is present,” Price said. “It certainly can be accepted into the file that’s being kept on behalf of this matter, and I recommend that that happen.”
>Route 17 is closed. I live on Walthery, a small side steet which is currently gridlocked. I can’t get in or out of my driveway. Called the police, they told me that there was nothing they can do. Do we really need more Valley traffic????
>Join Us Monday In Trenton As We Fight To Preserve Our Health Care Freedom! The battle over Obamacare is now front and center in New Jersey. Now is the time for you and me to take a stand against the federal takeover!
Legislators in Trenton are pressuring Governor Christie not to join the multi-state lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Obamacare. They will be proposing a resolution to do just that this Monday morning. Americans for Prosperity activists will be going to Trenton to stop them! The bill being proposed, SCR108, is a resolution stating: “Urges Governor not to join lawsuit against enforcement of new federal health reforms.” The resolution is being sponsored by 12 Democrat lawmakers:
Lesniak, Raymond J. as Primary Sponsor Vitale, Joseph F. as Primary Sponsor Sweeney, Stephen M. as Co-Sponsor Buono, Barbara as Co-Sponsor Gill, Nia H., Esq. as Co-Sponsor Gordon, Robert M. as Co-Sponsor Weinberg, Loretta as Co-Sponsor Cunningham, Sandra B. as Co-Sponsor Norcross, Donald as Co-Sponsor Whelan, Jim as Co-Sponsor Ruiz, M. Teresa as Co-Sponsor Rice, Ronald L. as Co-Sponsor
You and I need to send these legislators a message that we expect them to stand up for our rights and the sovereignty of our state. Join your fellow activists to testify at this hearing on Monday in Trenton. Let’s make sure our elected officials hear us loud and clear!
The hearing will take place at the statehouse: Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee Monday, June 14, 2010 – 10:00 AM Meeting – Committee Room 1, 1 st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
Look forward to seeing you there as we stand up for our health care freedom!
As Gov. Christie tries to cover budget deficits and create a spending plan for the fiscal year starting July 1 taxpayers can support, it surprises some he hasn’t gone for an obvious saving — changes to that $9 billion railroad tunnel under the Hudson. It and just not practical the way it is designed. Moreover, the whole thing is paid for by New Jersey and the federal government. New York won’t touch it. (Ingle, Gannett)
Gov. Christie on Wednesday named former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice Peter G. Verniero chairman of a panel that screens judicial nominations, apparently sending a message that he will not back down from his decision against renominating Justice John E. Wallace Jr. to the Supreme Court. Christie named replacements for the entire Judicial Advisory Panel, whose seven members abruptly resigned last week. Six of them cited as their reason Christie’s decision not to renominate Wallace. (Lu, Inquirer)
>Hospitals getting more charity care funds Wednesday, June 9, 2010 Last updated: Wednesday June 9, 2010, 8:15 AM BY MARY JO LAYTON The Record STAFF WRITER
Hackensack University Medical Center is facing $3.5 million in charity care cuts while St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson is the state’s biggest winner with an additional $7.4 million in proposed funding, state officials announced Tuesday.
Overall, 72 New Jersey hospitals are targeted to receive $665 million, an increase of $85 million in state and federal funding to treat patients who are uninsured or can’t pay for their care, said Health Commissioner Dr. Poonam Alaigh.
“This funding increase clearly demonstrates Governor Christie’s commitment to maintain and strengthen the health care safety net for New Jersey’s most vulnerable residents when they need it most,” Alaigh said.
“Despite the state’s current fiscal crisis, the governor has made charity care a priority,” Alaigh said.
The governor’s proposed budget also changes the funding formula and makes it more equitable to all hospitals, but still protects the hospitals that treat the highest volume of low-income patients, officials said.
The state raised the minimum a hospital can receive from 5 cents on the dollar to 15 cents, and reduced the three-tier funding formula to two tiers, officials said.
At St. Joseph’s, charity care represents 14.1 percent of total charges, the third-highest rate in the state, which is why the hospital is receiving more funding. The data were released late in the day and officials at several North Jersey hospitals were unavailable for comment.
The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood provides the lowest percentage of charity care based on overall charges — 1.6 percent, according to New Jersey Hospital Association data from last year. In the proposed budget, the hospital is scheduled to lose more than $545,176, according to data released Tuesday.
THE CO-OP’S STUDENTS BOARD THE TRAIN IN SEARCH OF COMMUNITY HELPERS
To wrap up their lesson plans about community helpers, the students from The Cooperative Nursery School of Ridgewood’s 2s classes recently boarded the train in Ridgewood and headed to Ramsey in search of community helpers. After a stop for bagels and juice, the students visited the Ramsey fire and police stations to meet their real life heros in person.
A nonsectarian school ending its 42nd year, The Co-op offers morning and afternoon classes for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds, as well as Mommy & Me classes and a new Kindergarten Enrichment class. The school’s seasoned professional teaching staff members guide students toward social, emotional and physical well-being. Children learn and play in an environment ideally suited to their needs as developing individuals. The program encourages independence, self-discipline and a love for school.
Setting the school apart from other nursery schools, The Co-op is organized and run by the parents, which enables the parents to actively participate in their child’s early learning experience. Music, physical education, field trips, indoor and outdoor play time and an in-house library are just a few of the experiences to which the children are exposed as supplements to the daily education plans.
There are still openings in many of the classes. Please call the school at (201) 447-6232 for more information or to schedule a visit to the school. The school is located at 100 Dayton Street in the center of Ridgewood.
A DataUniverse analysis of school administrators’ pay shows that 91 of them make more than $200,000 a year. And that’s eight times the number that made that much just five years ago. The analysis showed that 9,061 administrators and supervisors were paid a total of $1.1 billion and that’s up 13 percent from five years ago. The governor is paid $175,000 a year. (Ingle, Gannett)
PSE&G’s Electric Rates to Change Modestly Under Agreements Approved by New Jersey Board of Public Utilities
(June 7, 2010 – Newark, NJ) – Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) announced that its customer electric rates will change slightly as a result of a decision today by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU).
The rates reflect the net effect of the BPU’s approval for PSE&G to implement a modest increase in base electric distribution rates offset by a customer refund that will be effective during the next two years.
On a related front, the Board deferred action on the company’s request to increase gas distribution revenues by $26.5 million until a future agenda meeting.
In today’s action on the company’s first rate request in nearly four years, the BPU approved provisions in two separate agreements PSE&G had reached recently with the BPU staff, the Public Advocate and the NJ Large Energy Users Group.
• The company will receive $73.5 million in additional electric revenue, which would increase the average residential customer’s bill for 7,360 kilowatthours of electricity usage by about $12 per year, or 0.9 percent. This customer’s monthly summer electric bill for 780 kilowatthours would increase by about $3, or 2.4 percent.
• The company agreed to refund $122 million to customers during the next two years to resolve a long-standing issue regarding the Market Transition Charge (MTC) which was part of the state’s deregulation law implemented in 1999. When the refund is factored in, the average residential customer’s electric bill will only increase about $1 per year for the next two years.
Commenting on the Board’s actions today, Ralph LaRossa, PSE&G president and COO, said:
“PSE&G is extremely proud of its excellent safety and reliability record. Since our last rate case in 2006, we have made substantial investments in our electric and gas delivery systems to keep those commitments to the people of the New Jersey. We recognize, however, that we need to strike a balance between the need for additional revenue and today’s tough economic realities. We will take whatever steps are necessary to operate our business within the parameters of this decision.”
LaRossa added that resolving the outstanding issues regarding the collection of the MTC will offset the rate increase for customers during the next two years.
“The issue of whether we still owed customers money from these charges has been lingering for the past few years,” he said. “We believe it is in the best interests of the company to finally put these issues behind us.” The company had already returned $225 million in MTC charges a number of years ago.
When the rate increase request was filed in May 2009, the company had asked the BPU to approve $230.6 million in additional electric and gas distribution revenue. During the course of the year-long review, the request had been modified to $204 million. The final settlement agreement included an increase of $100 million in additional electric and gas revenues with a return on equity of 10.3 percent.
Ridgewood parents fearful of The Valley Hospital’s plan to double in size have collected hundreds of signatures in a petition requesting an environmental and health impact study before the Planning Board votes on changes to the master plan that would permit the $750 million project.
Canvassing at schools and sports fields, parents are making a last-minute push in advance of tonight’s Planning Board meeting, the final public hearing before what many say will be the board’s most consequential vote.
The petitions, circulated at all six elementary schools, will be presented to Superintendent Daniel Fishbein today, resident Lorraine Reynolds said. The superintendent, principals and the school board are being asked to request the study.
“The main part of their job besides education is to protect the kids,” said Reynolds, a mother of three who has a child at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, which borders the hospital.
As more parents have come to understand the scope of the project, they have become more concerned, parents who were circulating the petitions said. Reynolds said some parents were so happy to sign her petition when she approached them after school and at her son’s lacrosse game that they gave her hugs and kisses.
With construction expected to last more than six years for Phase One of the project, parents are concerned about the impact on Benjamin Franklin, which nearly half of the village’s students attend at some point. One building, which could reach 94 feet high with the rooftop mechanicals, would be constructed 40 feet from the middle school property. The parents worry that years of construction, increased traffic, dust and noise will affect their children’s learning as well as their health.
Despite increasing pressure from the community, neither the superintendent nor the Board of Education has taken a position on the proposed project. “It’s not our call to make,” Fishbein said. “It’s the Planning Board’s call to make.”
