The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood 10 Chestnut Street Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450
Phone: 201-447-2204 Email: [email protected]
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00AM – 5:30PM and Thursday Night 6:30PM – 8:30PM
Tag: Ridgewood Schools
>West side (vs) East side is it real or just a state of mind?
>
Given the results of the recent school referendum the staff of the Ridgewood blog is wondering if there really is a West side (vs) East side mentality in Ridgewood ?
Our “East side” friends claim they only became aware of this gulf at RHS or if as kids we were involved in joint Village activities like Ridgewood Football or Ridgewood baseball /soft ball. There seemed to be a certain level of favoritism. However some of our “West side” friends have asserted that it is a “West side ” institution to assume that the “East side ” is the wrong side of the tracks sorta speak and if you want to test the waters just mention ‘school redistricting” at any “West side” cocktail party.
>one can’t put fault on the buildings from keeping kids from excelling in academics.
>Interestingly, reading from that report of Americas best high schools, is a school listed as #30 in Nashville, College readiness 87%. “where the roof leaks, kids eat lunch in the hallways, and rats sometimes raid the vending machines.” “That hasn’t stopped the students from learning or getting into Ivy League schools such as Harvard.”
One major challenge all of the nation’s best public high schools are facing is how to continue to challenge students despite budget pressures. Although the federal stimulus money has helped many school districts retain teachers who otherwise would have been laid off, many schools are finding it difficult to renovate—or even maintain—their older buildings. At Martin Luther King Academic Magnet High School in Nashville, No. 30 on the list, students and faculty have found ways to achieve in a 1930s-era building in which the roof leaks, kids eat lunch in the hallways because the cafeteria is too small, and rats sometimes raid the vending machines. “All of Nashville should be concerned that we are educating the best and brightest in a broken-down building,” says Shunn Turner, principal of MLK high school.
That hasn’t stopped the students from learning or getting into Ivy League schools such as Harvard. “With all the amazing teachers, students, counselors, and staff, there was no need to focus on why the lockers didn’t open half the time or why the soccer team changed outside,” says Jake Rudin, an ’09 MLK graduate who currently is a freshman at Cornell University. MLK schools College readiness 87%.
Can’t help but notice further on report – Ridgewood schools college readiness 56.0% not even in top 100list. Conclusion: one can’t put fault on the buildings from keeping kids from excelling in academics.
>Downtown shopping districts have changed dramatically over the decades.
>Downtown shopping districts have changed dramatically over the decades. What was once known as the ‘hub’ of great shopping towns had gradually dispersed to the malls. The great seasonal sales with long lines of shoppers waiting for doors to open in downtown shop areas of Ridgewood, Hackensack and Paterson have disappeared. The department stores of the Meyer Brothers, Quackenbush, Sealfons, MacHugh, many jewelry stores and specialty shops are gone from the downtowns, and they’re not coming back. The retail trend has been the malls and highways, location and variety that draws foot traffic and free parking.
Heard a few shop owners moved out of CBD to nearby towns, because of the high rents in Ridgewood. Its well known, the rents drove out the smaller specialty merchants in the 70’s, in 80’s recession and 90’s even greater mall expansions. Its not just in the CBD, the retail sector in general has been hit hard with the current economy, some large chains closed locations and offer online shopping to cut overhead. With the closing of shops in small towns and also as malls struggle, small stores come and go there too, will our only option become the virtual online shopping? I hope not. The parking meters are a deterrent, people have to hope they have change in their pockets, if they keep them, roll back the meter fees, the increase was not the right thing to do.
>Rasmussen Reports Fifty-six percent (56%) of U.S. voters now oppose the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats.
>Fifty-six percent (56%) of U.S. voters now oppose the health care plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats. That’s the highest level of opposition found – reached three times before – in six months of polling.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 40% of voters favor the health care plan.
Perhaps more significantly, 46% now Strongly Oppose the plan, compared to 19% who Strongly Favor it.
>Perfect Pita
>
https://perfectpitanj.com/index.html
Perfect Pita began as just as a kosher food take-out restaurant and expanded into a counter style sit in food eatery after their reputation for serving very good kosher food at reasonable prices. Perfect Pita is very popular kosher food restaurant for people who enjoy Middle Eastern dishes such as Moroccan pot roast and falafel as well as the Cholent which the traditional Sabbath stew of meat, beans, vegetables and potatoes.
About little over a year ago, the store front next door became available and Perfect Pita expanded into a sit down restaurant featuring a party room which can seat more people.
Perfect Pita’s kosher counter staff is extremely friendly and our service dependable as well as fast to please our customers “on-the-go” lifestyles.
Today people of all backgrounds are enjoying the middle eastern taste that Perfect Pita has to offer. From Hummus with falafel, to Beef shish kebab, Perfect Pita Restaurant will satisfy your middle eastern taste bud as well as your wallet!
https://perfectpitanj.com/index.html
Our Perfect Pita Hours:
Sunday thru Thursday
11 AM to 9 PM
Summer: Fri. 9 am to 3 pm
Winter Fri. 9 am to 2 pm
Perfect Pita
13-22 River Road
Fair Lawn, NJ
Tel: 201 794-8700
>Gov.-elect Chris Christie said he plans to cut expenses at every level of government
>
Christie planning to cut government expenses, enact tax reforms
By ANDREA CLURFELD
GANNETT NEW JERSEY
https://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091215/NEWS/912150337/1098/POLITICS
Gov.-elect Chris Christie said he plans to cut expenses at every level of government and enact measures to make sure “we won’t be pushing problems downstream to local taxpayers.”
In an exclusive interview with the Asbury Park Press, Christie said he will use many of the ideas that came out of the 2006 special legislative session on property taxes as well as those laid out by the Press in its “Fighting New Jersey’s Tax Crush” series published in September and October.
“We need to reform the (tax) system from top to bottom,” Christie said.
High on the governor-elect’s list is eliminating loopholes in the 4 percent cap on annual increases in municipal government spending. The cap has been in place for years, but allows a number of exemptions for budget items ranging from health care costs to bond payments. The result has been annual property tax increases that exceed the rate of inflation.
Christie said he wants to enact reforms that will “make it a hard cap. Right now, we have a Swiss cheese cap.”
Christie said he also would:
Change the rules of binding interest arbitration in public employee contract negotiations to make sure arbitrators adhere to new cap standards.
Put the brakes on “teacher contracts that increase salaries by 4 to 5 percent and then, on top of it, layer on to it health benefit increases and pension expenses increases.”
Review mid-level management jobs at school boards statewide because “we no longer can have that plethora of mid-management … that are not necessarily bringing quality to the classroom.”
Should Christie find his reforms stalled, he said he would call for a constitutional convention. The Legislature and voters would have to approve such a convention, which would give elected delegates the power to reform the state’s tax system by presenting voters with amendments to the state constitution. The last convention was held in 1966 to increase the number of lawmakers.
“I want the voters to give me two years to fix it without a convention,” he said. “If we get to the mid-term (elections) in 2011 and I report to voters that, despite my best efforts, we haven’t been able to get this done because systemic forces are blocking us, then we have to change the system. And I will call for a constitutional convention.”
William G. Dressel Jr., executive director of the New Jersey State League of Municipalities, said that if the state is “going to be fair, then the most egregious driver of property taxes must be addressed — binding arbitration. That is a budget buster. And that is one area in which Governor-elect Christie won’t budge.”
https://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20091215/NEWS/912150337/1098/POLITICS
>Senate Health Care Bill Would Force Some Middle Class Families to Pay $15,200 Yearly
>Senate Health Care Bill Would Force Some Middle Class Families to Pay $15,200 Yearly Insurance Fee, According to CBO Analysis
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
By Terence P. Jeffrey, Editor-in-Chief
https://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=58533
(CNSNews.com) – Forget the public option. Even without it, the health care bill presented in the Senate by Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) would make some middle-class American families pay what amounts to a $15,200 annual federally-mandated insurance fee, according to facts revealed in analyses published by the Congressional Budget Office.
The fee would result from the facts that the bill requires individuals—but not employers—to purchase health insurance plans and that families that earn up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level would be given government subsidies to purchase insurance in government-regulated insurance exchanges while families earning more than 400 percent of the federal poverty level would be denied government subsidies.
A family of four—two parents and two children—earning $88,200 would be at 400 percent of the poverty level this year, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A family of four earning $88,201, therefore, would not be eligible for a federal subsidy to buy insurance under the Senate health-care bill. If the mother and father in such a family could not get employer-based health insurance—because their employers decided not to buy their workers insurance—the family would be required by law to purchase a policy with its own money that would cost an estimated $15,200 per year, according to the CBO.
The basic facts demonstrating that this would be the case if the Senate health care bill were to become law were presented in letters that the CBO sent to Sen. Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) on November 18 and to Sen. Evan Bayh (D.-Ind.) on November 30. The letters are available on the CBO Web site
https://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=58533
>High Noon 4 Healthcare
The government takeover of health care will dramatically change the way we receive care and ultimately, the quality and access we expect today. More importantly, what is at stake is the relationship Americans have with their government – from one where we decide which insurance to buy and how to spend our own money to one where Washington bureaucrats mandate how and where you spend your own money.
But it’s not just about money. On a more fundamental level, our basic freedoms and beliefs are being attacked under what will be the largest expansion of government in the history of the United States. Bigger government will leave all Americans more dependent and less free to follow our own dreams. In short, the outcome of this battle will determine the trajectory of many more battles to come and we need your help to stop it.
Today, members of the NJ Tea Party Coalition will be joining Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D., Sen. Jim DeMint, Laura Ingraham, Americans For Prosperity, Tea Party Patriots, Freedom Works and other like-minded organizations as we tell the Senate: “Hands off our health care!” The Democratic leadership is trying to get to a final vote this week, so the timing couldn’t be better for us to take this stand.
If you were unable make it to Washington or to your local Senate office, please call your Senators’ offices at 1:30 p.m. You can find your Senator’s contact information on our website: Join Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D., Sen. Jim DeMint, Laura Ingraham, AFP President Tim Phillips and our 15 coalition partners as we tell the Senate: “Hands off our health care!” The Democratic leadership is trying to get to a final vote this week, so the timing couldn’t be better for us to take this stand.
If you cannot make it to Washington or to your local Senate office, please call your Senators’ offices at 1:30 p.m. You can find contact information for Senators Lautenberg and Menendez on our website: https://www.njteapartycoalition.org/Contact-Your-Senator.html
There are still several Senators who may be swayed NOT to vote for the Healthcare Bill now moving through the Senate. Their Washington phone and fax numbers are listed below.
Senator Ben Nelson (NE) – 202-224-6551 (Ph) / 202-228-0012 (F)
Senator Blanche Lincoln (AR) – 202-224-4843 (Ph) / 202-228-1371(F)
Senator Mary Landrieu (LA) – 202-224-5824 (Ph) / 202-224-9735 (F)
Senator Joe Lieberman (CT) – 202-224-4041 (Ph) / 202-224-9750 (F)
Senator Jim Webb (VA) – 202-224-4024 (Ph) / 202-228-6363 (F)
Senator Bill Nelson (FL) – 202-224-5274 (Ph) / 202-228-2183 (F)
Senator Evan Bayh (IN) – 202-224-5623 (Ph) / 202-228-1377(F)
Please keep our members in your thoughts and prayers as they make the trek to Washington in defense of Liberty.
We also wish a Happy Hanukkah to all who are in the midst of celebrating the Festival of Lights.
On behalf of our Committee,
Tim, Michele, Rae and myself,
Brian
>The Valley Hospital Recognized for Providing an Outstanding Inpatient Experience
>J.D. Power and Associates Reports:
The Valley Hospital Recognized for Providing an Outstanding Inpatient Experience
For a Seventh Consecutive Year
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.: 10 December 2009 – The Valley Hospital, a 451-bed hospital in Ridgewood, N.J., has been recognized for service excellence for a seventh consecutive year under the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital Program.SM This distinction acknowledges a strong commitment by The Valley Hospital to provide “An Outstanding Inpatient Experience.”
“In earning this distinction for seven consecutive years, The Valley Hospital has truly demonstrated its commitment to service excellence,” said Kevin Lieb, senior director of provider programs at J.D. Power and Associates. “Providing patients with a consistently positive experience is crucial, particularly with the high value placed on the service aspects of their hospital stay.”
The service excellence distinction was determined by surveying recently discharged patients from The Valley Hospital about their perceptions of their hospital stay and comparing the results to the national benchmarks established in the annual J.D. Power and Associates National Hospital Service Performance Study.SM
The telephone-based research conducted among The Valley Hospital patients focuses on the five key drivers of patient satisfaction with their overall inpatient experience. These drivers, which were identified in the national study, are speed and efficiency; dignity and respect; comfort; information and communication; and emotional support.
The Valley Hospital exceeds the national benchmark study score for inpatient satisfaction and performs particularly well, compared with the national study, in speed and efficiency. The hospital receives notably high ratings for the nurses’ promptness in responding to the call button, and for the speed and efficiency of tests and treatments personnel.
The hospital also performs well relative to the national study for the nurses’ concern about controlling pain and the courtesy of the nurses.
Nearly three-fourths of The Valley Hospital patients surveyed say they would return to the facility if needed, while more than 70 percent say they “definitely will” recommend the hospital to others.
“It is an honor to be recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for providing exceptional care and service to our patients, and we are particularly proud that Valley has been recognized seven times in a row,” said Audrey Meyers, president and CEO of The Valley Hospital. “At Valley, we recognize how important it is to provide our patients with an outstanding hospital experience. It is this commitment that has allowed us to again be recognized in the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital Program.”
Nongovernmental, acute-care hospitals throughout the nation are eligible for the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital recognition for inpatient, maternity, cardiovascular, emergency and outpatient services. Distinction is valid for one year, after which time the hospital may reapply for this recognition.
About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, Web intelligence and customer satisfaction. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.
About The McGraw-Hill Companies
Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP) is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor’s, McGraw-Hill Education, Platts, Capital IQ, J.D. Power and Associates, McGraw-Hill Construction and Aviation Week. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2008 were $6.4 billion. Additional information is available at https://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.
Media Relations Contacts:
John Tews
J.D. Power and Associates
Director, Media Relations
5435 Corporate Drive, Suite 300
Troy , MI 48098
USA
(248) 312-4119
[email protected]
Maureen Curran Kleinman
The Valley Hospital
Media Relations
Ridgewood , NJ
USA
(201) 291-6310
[email protected]
>Graydon: Greetings of the season
>The Graydon Store is open for business.
Downtown for the Holidays. We were proud to participate in the Chamber of Commerce’s Downtown for the Holidays event on December 4. People gravitated to our table looking for ways to answer questions from others about why Graydon must be saved. We enjoyed sharing this important issue with the community.
Holiday Bazaar. Our fundraiser on Sunday, November 29, was a success. Read about it in Marcia and Suzanne’s letter from last Friday’s Ridgewood News. Their letter also appeared in last week’s Villadom Times.
Online store. Our virtual doors are open. Car magnets, note cards, and yard signs are available at the Graydon Store (or through a link from the PreserveGraydon.org website). Our many faraway supporters, as well as those closer to home, can receive the magnets and cards by mail. Yard signs are delivered in person within a reasonable radius. It’s not too late to order Happy New Year cards with your personal message printed inside. (Want custom cards in time for Christmas? Ask us and we’ll ask the printer.)
The Preserve Graydon Coalition was founded IN Graydon only five months and one week ago. How much has been accomplished in that time thanks to the Coalition’s dedicated workers and supporters! There’s lots more to come in 2010, and 2009 isn’t quite over yet.
Swimmingly,
Marcia Ringel and Suzanne Kelly, Co-Chairs
The Preserve Graydon Coalition, Inc., a nonprofit corporation
“It’s clear—we love Graydon!”
[email protected]
www.PreserveGraydon.org
>Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President
>
Barack Obama’s Poll Numbers Continue to Slide …
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 24% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -18.
As the health care plan struggles in the Senate, public opposition remains stable. Fifty-six percent (56% ) oppose the plan working its way through Congress while just 40% favor it. In Nevada, the health care bill is causing problems for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s bid for re-election.
>In honor of its one-year anniversary, Pizza Fusion is passing down savings to its customers.
>12/14/09 — In honor of its one-year anniversary, Pizza Fusion 33 Godwin Ave.
Ridgewood, NJ 07450 Phone: 201-445-9010 Fax: 201-445-9020 https://www.pizzafusion.com/ridgewood is passing down savings to its customers.
On December 15 only, Pizza Fusion in Ridgewood will be selling personal organic cheese pizzas for $1 dollar only. Normally Pizza Fusion’s personal pizzas start at $6each, presenting customers a $5 savings on this special day. For large pizza orders, Pizza Fusion is offering another special — buy any 1 large pizza and get 1 pizza of equal or lesser value for only 1 cent.
“We’re looking forward to celebrating the first of many successful years in Ridgewood,” Nick Morin, co-owner of Pizza Fusion Ridgewood, states. “We encourage everyone to take advantage of these special offers, as we thank the residents of Bergen County for their patronage.”
Pizza Fusion’s well rounded menu offers something for everyone, from traditional pizzas and sandwiches to its extensive offering of handcrafted, specialty pizzas, like Four Cheese & Sundried Tomato, Sausage & Tri-Colored Peppers or the popular Founder’s Pie. Pizza Fusion’s award-winning, organic salads offer a tasty meal for a quick lunch or healthy dinner. Beyond its organic offerings, Pizza Fusion also offers a number of menu items for selective eaters, including vegan, vegetarian, lactose-free, and gluten-free pizza and other options.
Pizza Fusion Ridgewood’s anniversary offers described above are available for dine-in or takeout (no delivery). The $1 personal pizzas are limited to one per person; toppings are additional.
Pizza Fusion is considering Area Developer and Franchise candidates to open several locations throughout New York and New Jersey. For more information on Pizza Fusion opportunities, visit: https://franchise.pizzafusion.com.
About Pizza Fusion
Pizza Fusion combines a fresh, organic menu with an industry-leading environmental approach to restaurant service in chic dining destinations built to LEED certification standards. Pizza Fusion specializes in gourmet, organic pizza, ciabatta sandwiches, salads, and desserts. For additional information, visit: https://www.pizzafusion.com.
For editorial inquires, contact:
Eric Haley
Vice President of Communications
Pizza Fusion
2200 West Cypress Creek Rd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Office: (954) 449-7244
Fax: (954) 449-4957
>Time to face facts…
>Ridgewood NJ Economic Downturn on CBSnews
From October 18, 2009
While Nero Fiddles and Rome burns there are now almost 40 vacancies in the central business district of Ridgewood. This blog over the last 3 years has warned time and time again that if things continue in the direction they are going our Village would be in jeopardy . The Village Council and the BOE have continued on a spree of tax and fee increases ,bad planning and irresponsible spending while our traditions and institutions have been degraded and or destroyed. What once made us special and unique is now under siege from the very people that should be protecting the Village. Weather it is the $9 million dollar Village Hall reck-avation , ill conceived parking rate increases ,a “stupid” math program ,$375,000 for a gold plated bath room and the complete and utter destruction of the “Home for the Holiday” tradition coupled with the desecration of the Village Christmas Tree ,yes its called a CHRISTMAS TREE! The Village has continued to move away from all the things that made this a great community .
Now before we blame Bush or the global economic meltdown ,it was all to obvious to most of us that for many years the number of residents connected to financial services was very significant. The fact that Ridgewood had over 16% of its work force employed in financial services was well known and was an often discussed FACT . Apparently it was well know by everyone except the Board of Ed and the Village Council and perhaps many of the merchants in town that never seem to be opened. Wall Street provided us with a gravy train to milk for every political whim . Alas the party is over ,Wall Street is no more .
There is still time to prepare for the new reality,while I do agree that the schools and fields are looking a bit shabby to say the least,and a proper long there capital investment and student population strategy is necessary ,this didn’t just come about since the last BOE election. Past experience has show that the schools seem to have become more a fiefdom for consultants and the NJEA than the place to prepare students to meet the challenges of the future or at lest prepare them to meet the requirements of the high quality college education. Nor did the failing of the down town magically appear since October 2008. In stead of the TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE that the village was known for where both the BOE and VC would over deliver and under promise at a reasonable price has now been turned on its head . Our Village is now stuck on over promising and under delivering where all projects are decided not on there merritt but on whether they cost enough ,with the most expensive option being the preferred option but seldom being the best option.
It is time for everyone to step up and take responsibility for the disastrous situation we find ourselves in . We have to make some hard choices . First the VC needs to take a look at all the commercial fees it charges ,like the ICE machine fee a left over from the horse and buggy Ice man days and bite the bullet and get rid of all these commercial fees that make the down town uncompetitive. These fees must be reduced or gotten rid of. Next the Village Council in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce must work a lot harder to actually promote the village downtown to retailers and other merchants . Many towns like Englewood, Tenafly and Westwood have been impacted by the flight of retailers too a much lesser degree than Ridgewood. Take a look for yourself. Perhaps many of Ridgewood fine Realtors can also contribute to this marketing effort. Restoring the “Home for the holidays” to its former glory is also an excellent way to promote the town.
As for the schools a focus on preparing young minds for attending a high quality universities should be the only priority .In the “old days” Ridgewood Schools would brag about how many of its graduates would go on to college and how many would attend prestigious Ivy league schools. Now all I hear to the constant lowering of standards and the ” I glad we beat Newark, attitude”. Folks Ridgewood has nothing in common with a city like Newark what so ever ! This kind of attitude is both insulting and ridiculous and you should be grateful everyday that we don’t live with the kind of problems a city like Newark has to deal with.This town was build on “GREAT SCHOOLS” ! If we raise our expectations instead of the constant lowering of them we will once again return to the “TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE” we are so fond of exposing.
There is no reason in a town with so many opportunities for young people to have a government run community center . We have facilities at Graydon, the Ridgewood Public Library and the Stable just to name a few as well as many church ,synagogue ,private schools and the YMCA to provide all the needed support for absent parents . Again Ridgewood is not Newark !
Many residents have suggested that we get rid of the parking meters all together ,and there for get rid of all the costs to service and maintain the meters ,some feel that like the Garden State Parkway ,Ridgwood would lose less money with no meters at all . This may or may not be true I don’t know.
In the past we have made many suggestions ,while initially po-poed many have been adopted . What ever the case it is time to go back to some of the tried and true ideas that made Ridgewood such a Great Place to live . Some ideas will work and some will fail but anything is better than sticking to the current coarse of government assisted suicide for the Village.
In the next couple of months the Ridgewood blog is going to roll out a series of articles on both the History of the Village, the Tradition of Excellence and suggestions for what it may take to restore the luster to the Village. We encourage you to participate as much as possible in the discussion. We are looking to foster solutions which means that full and open debate is expected and required and those with bad intentions will be outed.
thank you,
PJ Blogger
and the Staff of the Ridgewood blog



