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I don’t know if snowman building is a good idea. You never know how they might turn out
Tag: Ridgewood Schools
>CNN Poll: Majority says government a threat to citizens’ rights
>Washington (CNN) – A majority of Americans think the federal government poses a threat to rights of Americans, according to a new national poll.
Fifty-six percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday say they think the federal government’s become so large and powerful that it poses an immediate threat to the rights and freedoms of ordinary citizens
The Golden Toilet : Government has become a self perpetuating beast
>Come on, is this a surprise to anyone? This is just one more example of how inefficient and costly Government is. Take a look at the cost of the bandshell bathrooms. Is there anyone who doesn’t believe that a private contractor couldn’t have built those for a fraction of the cost the Village spent?
Government has become a self perpetuating beast; enacting regulations (to protect the people!) which require people to enforce, require extra hours and costs to adhere to them and thus driving up costs for everyone else. The private sector has profit as motivation, government has service as its mandate. Government should not be running businesses that private enterprises can provide cheaper.
Did you see what happened with the school system up in Providence the other day? They fired every single teacher in the system. One of the alternatives they are looking at is hiring a private contracter to provide teachers and manage the school system. Think they can do it cheaper?
>Snow, Snow Snow
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>THE RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26
>WEATHER ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26
Posted Thursday at 6:50 p.m.:
THE RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, DUE TO THE WINTER STORM. ALL BEFORE-AND-AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOR FRIDAY ARE ALSO CANCELED.
PLEASE CONTINUE TO CHECK THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES REGARDING SCHOOL-RELATED
>Public Still Not Buying "Obamacare"
>A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey :
Twenty-five percent of people questioned in the poll say Congress should pass legislation similar to the bills passed by both chambers, with 48 percent saying lawmakers should work on an entirely new bill and a quarter saying Congress should stop all work on health care reform.
>Village of Ridgewood was offering "free" garbage service : We’ve been trashed!
>For years, the Village of Ridgewood was offering “free” garbage service to local schools. After getting caught and held accountable, it then solicited bids to collect schools’ garbage and found the town (public sector) losing bid was 2 times more expensive than a private contractor’s winning bid. (town bid $130K vs private bid of $62K)
The town’s operations manager unwittingly explains why his garbage hauling bid lost so badly to the private sector: “I can’t say that we can compete with private industry. We have to account for the equipment, and they can spread it over a whole lot bigger territory.”
No, duh – it’s called efficiency and economies of scale (and in his case, waste, featherbedding and inefficiency). Of course, to fully realize this cost saving, the town gov’t needs to sell equipment and reduce hours (or compensation) for its operations employees, who presumably have less work to do. Let’s hope they do — and pass along that savings on to taxpayers.
Original article:
>Ridgewood Art Institute : Diana K. Gibson- Oil Painting Workshop
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Diana K. Gibson- Oil Painting Workshop
Painting Brass and Copper
Sunday, March 14, 2010 10AM to 4PM
Snow date, March 21, 2010
Ridgewood Art Institute
12 East Glen Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
The workshop will take place in the north lit west studio of the RAI. The class will start with a brief discussion about how to approach the north lit subjects. How to use a prismatic palette will be discussed in detail. Students will have their choice of several different brass and copper still life setups to paint from. Study of massing, values, edges, atmosphere, mood and prismatic light effects will be strongly emphasized. A brief demonstration will be offered. Bring your lunch. Kitchen facilities are located on site.
More details:
Learn how to make metal luminous! Working from life, students will be taught to simplify and compose a still life painting through the usage of form, composition, color, perspective, planes, and light. How to use a prismatic palette will be discussed in detail. Study of massing, values, relationships, edges, progression, atmosphere, mood and prismatic light effects will be strongly emphasized. Students will have their choice of several different north-lit brass and copper still life setups to paint from. Beginning and advanced students will benefit from individualized attention. This one day workshop is appropriate for painters of all levels of skill. Those new to oil painting are especially welcome. A supply list is available.
For more information visit the artist’s website: https://www.dianakgibson.com/
>Move over, investment bankers. The next victims of populist backlash are going to be state- and local-government workers
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Banker Bonus Anger Is Shifting to Government Workers
Commentary by Joe Mysak
Feb. 24 (Bloomberg) — Move over, investment bankers. The next victims of populist backlash are going to be state- and local-government workers.
As usual, it’s all about the numbers, except this time we’re not talking about dollars in a bonus check. No, this time it’s about numbers of jobs.
Businesses have fired 8.5 million people, or 7.4 percent of those on the payroll when employment peaked in December 2007. Local governments kept hiring through September 2008, and since then have fired 141,000 workers, less than 1 percent of the 14.6 million they had at the top, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In good times, few people focus on how government payroll expands, or how elected politicians raise salaries and enhance pensions and benefits. Americans like government services, and their public officials are happy to comply with their wishes.
Now the good times are over, at least for a while, and Americans find themselves with local-government payrolls that in many cases remain at record levels. They also now see unions refusing to reduce headcount, and are forced to wonder what planet the union bosses are on.
https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aPQaYEiezekQ
>Empirical evidence to support their claims that CMP is a "dismal failure"
>In response to “They have no empirical evidence to support their claims that CMP is a “dismal failure” in Ridgewood.”
Oh, but we do. Fortunately the Asbury Park Press makes all NJASK data for the last few years accessible to everyone. So let’s do our own Middle School Achievement Monitoring Study and examine the percent advanced proficient data for our middle school grades.
Laurie Goodman has pledged to provide parents with accurate information, and so I am sure she will confirm these numbers, even though the news ain’t good.
Over the last 4 years in the 3 middle school grades, only one of our 12 classes scored above the mean for J districts. Meanwhile top schools like West Windsor Plainsboro and Cranbury were above the mean in all 12 classes. Haddonfield was above the mean in 10 of the 12. One out of 12 isn’t very good for RPS, is it?
More bad news – if we compare each of our cohorts to their own performance when they were in elementary school, ALL of them are worse relative to the mean. Since Ridgewood was re-classified as a J district in 2005, ALL five fourth grade classes have been above the mean, and four out of five 3rd grade classes were above. You can verify for yourself that our 8th graders were 7.6 above the mean and our 7th graders were 7.3 above the mean back when they were in 4th grade. The underperformance of our middle school kids is very real and unmistakable. It’s uncanny that EVERY class that comes through declines so steeply after encountering CMP. My goodness, this is sad.
There’s more. In 2007 and 2008, our 7th graders’ scores were closer to the mean of the AB districts (Newark, etc.) than to the highest performing J districts. But yes, in 2009 our 7th graders actually scored closer to Cranbury than to Newark!!! Finally! Is this the “improvement” that Laurie is referring to?
So, is this the empirical evidence that you wanted? Are their enough data points for you to conclude that CMP is a dismal failure in Ridgewood? If not, there’s more – stay tuned.
And one last comment to the concerned parent who wrote “I want a good foundation for college prep.” You have every right, in fact an obligation, to insist on a math program that prepares your child for college. I’m sure you did not move to this town so that your kid could use Newark’s remedial math program.
>Gov. Chris Christie : Stop hiring lobbyists and end “golden parachute” payouts
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N.J. Gov. Christie cracks down on state’s independent boards and authorities
Governor Christie ordered hundreds of state boards, authorities and commissions to stop hiring lobbyists and end “golden parachute” payouts, and said Tuesday that some of those agencies could eventually be eliminated altogether. The agencies also face new restrictions on travel expenses, all part of an executive order issued by Christie, his 15th since taking office last month. Roughly 700 boards, authorities and commissions operate in New Jersey. But not all of them – including the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, a frequent target for Christie – fall under the control of the governor’s office. (Reitmeyer/Young, The Record)
>Honoring a Fallen Soldier
>I am proud to pay tribute to Sergeant Christopher Hrbek, a Marine that recently was killed in action in Afghanistan by cosponsoring legislation to designate the United States Post Office building located at 216 Westwood Avenue in Westwood, New Jersey the “Christopher R. Hrbek Post Office.”
His dedication to his country and fellow soldiers represents his tremendous sense of loyalty and selflessness. Christopher Hrbek is a true American hero. Chris will never be forgotten by his family, friends or the country he fought for.
Sergeant Christopher Richard Hrbek was a field artillery cannoneer with 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune, stationed in Afghanistan. Hrbek was an active member of his community in Westwood, New Jersey as a volunteer firefighter for nine years. In 2003 in response to the attacks on September 11, 2001, he enlisted with the United States Marines. He heard the call of duty and he answered it.
As a Marine, he served multiple tours of duty which included combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. On December 23, 2009, under enemy fire he saved the life of his sergeant major who stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device. For this he was to be awarded a Bronze Star with a combat “V”. He set the highest example of someone who is willing to risk their own life to save others.
On January 14, 2010, he stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device and died in service of his country.
He is survived by his wife, Jamie Lynn Wengerter; mother and stepfather, Cheryl and James Hodges; father and stepmother James and Gail Hrbek; sisters and stepbrothers Amy Dellentash, Lori Hrbek, Jim and Beau Hodges.
The entire New Jersey delegation in the House of Representatives is cosponsoring the bill. I have also coordinated with Senator Frank Lautenberg, who will be introducing the companion bill in the Senate, cosponsored by Senator Robert Menendez.
Sincerely,
Scott Garrett
Member of Congress
>Healthcare Reform : dispute over reopening Pascack Valley Hospital
>Next stop in dispute over reopening Pascack Valley Hospital is the Appellate Division of state Superior Court
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
BY LINDY WASHBURN
The Record
STAFF WRITER
https://www.northjersey.com/news/85019202_A_victory_for_Pascack_foes_.html
The next stop in the fight over whether Hackensack University Medical Center should be allowed to reopen Pascack Valley Hospital will be the Appellate Division of Superior Court, after a ruling Monday from state Superior Court Judge Peter E. Doyne.
Doyne declared that the proper jurisdiction for determining if the state’s Permit Extension Act of 2008 applies to the Westwood hospital license is the Appellate Division, not Superior Court.
That appeal could take as long as a year — and it would center solely on whether the deadline for reactivating the license could be extended beyond last Dec. 28, not on whether Hackensack’s application to do so should be approved.
The two hospitals opposed to reopening the Westwood hospital considered Monday’s ruling a victory. The longer the region goes without a hospital in Westwood, the harder it will be to prove that one is needed, they say.
“A new and unnecessary hospital only serves to weaken” the health care system in Bergen County, said Megan Fraser, a spokeswoman for The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. “Since it opened its doors almost 60 years ago, Valley has welcomed patients from the Pascack Valley area.”
Englewood Hospital and Medical Center said through its spokeswoman that “Our dedicated physicians, nurses and other staff members have been providing uninterrupted, high-quality care to surrounding communities since [Pascack Valley Hospital] closed, and we continue to assist local towns, expand outreach efforts and provide more health care services to these communities.”
In the 28-page decision, Doyne expressed frustration with the “procedural machinations” in the case. But the question before him was narrow, not a substantive one about the public’s health care needs, he wrote.
“One is compelled to wonder whether the interests of Bergen County residents are best served by mandating the licensing process start anew,” he wrote, particularly since the problem “may have been caused by a misunderstanding of various procedural requirements.”
But that, “unfortunately, is beyond the province of this court.”
Hackensack said Monday it was still “100 percent committed” to opening the hospital. “We will take all the necessary steps, including having our case heard in the Appellate Division,” said spokeswoman Anne Marie Campbell.
Without an extension, Hackensack’s current application to reopen the hospital is moot. It still might ask the state Health Department for a new declaration that a hospital is needed in the region, with an accompanying call for applications, according to an attorney representing the department. But that process could take three to four years, Deputy Attorney General Susan J. Dougherty said in court Friday.
full story…
https://www.northjersey.com/news/85019202_A_victory_for_Pascack_foes_.html
>Bus Trip for Thursday -Protest Government Takeover of Healthcare
>“Americans for Prosperity” has once again joined with the NJ Tea Parties to provide buses to Protest Government Takeover of Healthcare – Press Conference (outside 30 min –to ensure attendees like Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid hear our message as they head inside) and Meeting following in the GW Hotel Ballroom.
Located half a block down from the Blair House where Obama will be holding his Press Conference to begin ramming this through, we will show our OUTRAGE over this arrogant push for Socialized Medicine (get people thinking of it as a RIGHT and dress it up later).
Americans for Prosperity are holding their own Critical Care: The Patients’ Summit to deliver a simple message: the American people have rejected this trillion-dollar takeover of health care. So Congress should start over from scratch, or better yet, focus on policies that create jobs and get our economy moving again.
Do we want to allow Healthcare to become a guaranteed RIGHT, allowing the government to control 1/6 of the economy AND many of our personal healthcare decisions? Republicans have already served notice they’ll continue to oppose it. They want Obama to start over with the goal of producing a more modest bill that tries to curb costs and helps small businesses and people with health problems secure coverage.
The summit at Blair House, the White House guest residence, will be televised live on C-SPAN and perhaps on cable news networks. It represents a risky and unusual gamble by the administration that Obama can save his embattled overhaul through persuasion — on live TV.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday he would participate, but insisted Obama and congressional Democrats would be wrong to push the bills they wrote in the House and Senate.
You know, they are saying: ‘Ignore the wishes of the American people. We know more about this than you do. And we’re going to jam it down your throats no matter what.’ That is why the public is so angry at this Congress and this administration over this issue,” said McConnell, R-Ky, speaking on “Fox News Sunday.”
Thursday’s meeting will take place nearly a year after Obama launched his drive to remake health care — a Democratic agenda item for decades.
If you wish to go and wish to leave from Bogota (Bergen County) register now by emailing: [email protected] …..
Give your name and the number of people in your group and if we can fill the bus ….AFP will provide the bus gratis; donations to AFP will be appreciated if you are so able but the intent is to FILL THE BUS
LOCATION: BOGOTA: 24 River Road, Bogota, NJ 07603 — Departure 4:00 AM
If we cannot get enough people to go or other locations south are better for you, you can still go with AFP if you wish at other locations…
Morristown, Wall (Commuter lot north of exit 98 food and fuel on Parkway)& Atlantic City.
Please contact Chris with your at (201)487-8844 (DO NOT CONTACT CHRIS IS YOU WISH TO LEAVE FROM BOGOTA- -JUST EMAIL MICHELE PER ABOVE).
>Senate confirms Christie nominees Eristoff, Solomon
>Senate confirms Christie nominees Eristoff, Solomon
The full Senate Monday confirmed Andrew Eristoff as state treasurer and Superior Court Judge Lee Solomon to head the state Board of Public Utilities. Another of Governor Christie’s key nominees, acting Education Commissioner Bret Schundler, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday morning for a hearing. After about 90 minutes of testimonly, the panel opted to continue the hearing on the former Jersey City mayor’s appointment. Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), objected to Eristoff’s appointment, saying he had a couple of concerns, including Eristoff’s stand on targeted tax cuts. “New Jersey needs targeted tax cuts” to create jobs, Lesniak said. He said Eristoff’ was “very, very constrained with some limited support for them” in his appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee today. (Ackermann, The Record)
