Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, Downtown for the Holidays and Tree Lighting Celebration Friday, December 6, 2013 New this year – “for the kids” 5:30-6:30pm – Santa in the Park for the “wee tots” and a “Kids Corner” offering holiday Arts & Crafts in front of the Park along with live entertainment by the “clock” and in the stores and restaurant along E. Ridgewood Ave. Featuring the RHS Marching Band, RHS Singers, RHS Orchestra 7-8pm “on stage-live” Live Entertainment and Tree Lighting Celebration Featuring performances by Porch Light Productions, From the Top Studio, Art of Motion and Arthur Murray Dance Studio. 8:00-9:00pm “merriment” on E. Ridgewood Ave. Shh – Santa will be back in the Park Lots of music on the Avenue – two live bands, carolers, musicians Stores will be having special sales, restaurant reservation suggested.
Saturday, December 7 8:00am-10:00am Breakfast with Santa at The Office Beer Bar & Grill Reservations required 201-652-1070 10:00am-2pm – Santa arrives at Columbia Bank in a fire truck with gifts for all children attending 60 S. Broad St. 10:30AM FREE KIDS Movie at the Bowtie Warner Theatre 2:00-4:00pm Meet Santa at his house – Memorial Park at Van Nest Square Saturday, December 14 and 21 8:00-12Noon, Breakfast with Santa at The Office Beer Bar & Grill (reservations required 201-652-1070) 12Noon-4:00pm Meet Santa at his house – Memorial Park at Van Neste Square Along with other surprises – weather permitting For latest updates check www.experienceridgewood.com call 201-445-2600. See you there!
The menorah stands tall inside Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center in Ridgewood. Johanna Resnick Rosen/Candid Eye
Chanukah lights to shine in Ridgewood
This year, for the first time, a Chanukah menorah will be prominently displayed in the Village of Ridgewood, at the northwest end of Memorial Park at Van Neste Square on East Ridgewood Avenue.
According to Rabbi David J. Fine, religious leader of the town’s Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center, “while the question of a menorah on public land was a matter of some controversy in our community, the upshot is that the village is simply allowing the display, not putting up the display itself, and that we have been able to work with the wider Jewish community in Ridgewood in establishing what will hopefully be a tradition in bringing together our community in a newly imagined village.”
From left, Esther Zuckerman, Michele Opper, Rabbi David Fine, and Rabbi Elyse Frishman put the menorah together inside Temple Israel to make sure that it worked. It will be disassembled and then reassembled outside.
The menorah stands tall inside Temple Israel and Jewish Community Center in Ridgewood. Johanna Resnick Rosen/Candid Eye
Rabbi Fine said that during the summer of 2012, Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn was approached by a group of Ridgewood residents who sought to have the menorah erected.
Bergen GOP chairman: Dems suffered “humiliation” in 2013; “I’m just the messenger” on GOP civil war
By Mark Bonamo | November 22nd, 2013 – 7:42pm
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HACKENSACK – Bergen Republican Chairman Bob Yudin defended his reputation on Friday, calling Democratic claims of victory in the 2013 election cycle “spin” while continuing to assert that the ongoing civil war among Bergen Republicans is not his fault.
“The Bergen County Republican Organization had an overwhelming victory in this past election, and the Democratic Party in Bergen County suffered a huge defeat bordering on humiliation,” Yudin said in response to a recent PolitickerNJ.com interview with Bergen Democratic Chairman Lou Stellato during the New Jersey League of Municipalities conference in Atlantic City.
In a Nov. 19 interview with PolitickerNJ.com, Stellato noted that Christie failed to take out state sen. Bob Gordon (D – 38) despite the governor’s big win, and that the Democrats gained a veto-proof five-to-two advantage in the freeholder board.
“There were five elections in the county this year: the governor, the sheriff and three freeholders. The Republican Party won four out of five of them, and the one we lost we lost by a razor-thin margin,” responded Yudin, referring to the very close defeat of GOP Freeholder John Mitchell. “I will take those kind of wins anytime.”
Yudin also singled out the top of the ticket when assessing the 2013 election.
The Ayn Rand Institute Summer Internship is an extraordinary three-week program for college students and recent and high school and college graduates who are new to Ayn Rand’s books and ideas and the debate surrounding them. Each June, the program brings twenty to thirty interns to ARI’s main office in sunny Southern California, where they are immersed in an educational curriculum taught by experts in Rand’s philosophy, and gain professional experience contributing to ARI projects and programs.
The internship is an ideal way for students of all disciplines, backgrounds, and viewpoints to begin serious exploration of Rand’s ideas. The program does not presuppose agreement with or significant knowledge of Objectivism, and the classroom is an open, respectful environment where students are free to express their views.
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On top of all this, each intern is supported by a $1,200 scholarship and $500 travel stipend to help with living and transportation expenses.
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Congress eyes cover-up in handing out security clearances for Navy Yard Shooter
The federal agency charged with screening employees for security clearance offered hints about how to cut corners, and its lax policies could have led to the clearance the Navy Yard shooter needed to access the base, the House’s top investigator said.
Rep. Darrell E. Issa, California Republican and chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said his staffers have come across verbal and written policies from the Office of Personnel Management that indicate the security clearance process was short-circuited in the case of Aaron Alexis, the Navy Yard shooter.
But Mr. Issa says OPM is refusing to turn over those documents and allowing them to be viewed only behind closed doors. If he doesn’t have the documents by noon Thursday, he said, he will issue a subpoena.
Mr. Issa said he thinks the agency is trying to protect itself from embarrassment from questions about the clearance process for Alexis and for Edward Snowden, the former contractor whose leaks have exposed some of the government’s most secret spy programs.
Vision for Ridgewood street will get second look by planning board
Thursday November 21, 2013, 3:05 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
Economic and real estate climates have changed drastically since Ridgewood established a redevelopment plan specific to the North Walnut Street area, and municipal officials now believe they might require a new or revised vision for one of the most underdeveloped sections of town.
Planning Board members have been tasked with reviewing the land use standards for the zone’s existing redevelopment plan, which was adopted by the village’s governing body in 2007. The assignment, bestowed upon the board by a Ridgewood Council resolution that passed last week, comes in light of a developer’s pitch made earlier this year to bring an assisted living facility to downtown.
In June, representatives of Kensington Senior Development outlined a preliminary draft of a plan to construct a mixed-use, assisted living and retail complex at the municipal parking lot along North Walnut Street and Franklin Avenue. The company, headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., also offered to shoulder all costs of constructing a public parking garage at the site.
Kensington has not appeared before the Village Council or the Planning Board since its presentation this spring, but municipal officials have confirmed the company’s continued interest in the site. Additionally, The Ridgewood News has observed Kensington officers, including co-founder Harley Cook, at the location in recent weeks.
New Jersey Laborers Union Endorses Kathleen Donovan for Re-Election as Bergen Executive
(Hackensack. N.J.) One of the state’s most powerful unions, the New Jersey Laborers Union, endorsed Kathleen Donovan for re-election as Bergen County Executive today, citing her strong record of reforming county government, encouraging and attracting economic growth, and creating family-sustaining jobs for local residents.
With more than 20,000 members statewide–including 3,000 members of Building Laborers Local 3 and 8,000 members of General and Heavy Construction Laborers Local 472 representing Northern New Jersey–the New Jersey Laborers Union is committing its vast resources to the Donovan re-election campaign.
Laborers Vice-President and Eastern Regional Manager Raymond M. Pocino praised Donovan’s competence and commitment to Bergen County as the primary reason for the union endorsement “Since taking office three years ago, Kathe Donovan has improved county services and crafted policies that help residents and support and attract business,” said Pocino. “Our membership is greatly appreciative of what she has done to help Bergen County move forward.”
Donovan said she is extremely pleased with the endorsement of the Laborer’s union and welcomes the backing of the men and women who build our roads, construct our buildings and represent the families that are the backbone of our communities.”
Donovan, who will be seeking re-election to a second four-year term as county executive, following her 20 year career as Bergen County Clerk, said she will continue to fight for economic growth in the region, citing her support for the construction of the new $330 million LG Corporate Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs and the completion of the $3.7 billion American Dream Projection the Meadowlands. These projects are expected to create 11,000 construction jobs and 16,000 permanent jobs.
“I will continue to fight for good paying jobs in Bergen County and battle for sensible government reforms that help working families,” said Donovan.
According to Pocino, the union had very industry-specific reasons for supporting Donovan. “With regard to the New Jersey Laborers Union’s key industry—construction–Kathe Donovan has shown a keen understanding of the importance of responsible infrastructure investment and has implemented policies that raise both construction and community standards through the use of government policies such as Responsible Contractor Language and Project Labor Agreements.”
With the Bergen County Executive elections less than year away, it is anticipated that hundreds of laborers will volunteer time to the campaign through phone banking, voter registration drives, get out the vote drives, and member-to-member education. The New Jersey Laborers Union backed Kathe Donovan in 2010, as well.
The New Jersey Laborers Union is affiliated with the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), and represents more than 20,000 members statewide in various industries, including construction, clean energy, environmental remediation, sanitation and recycling, security, and education. The New Jersey Laborers are widely viewed as having been instrumental in helping to lift living standards and workplace safety for employees in construction, clean energy, and hazardous materials removal, and for developing innovative cooperative relationships with employers.
CBS Poll: 84% of Democrats Want ObamaCare Changed or Repealed
A fascinating number in Wednesday’s CBS poll is that only 7% of the American public want ObamaCare “kept in place.” A full 93% either believe that changes are needed to the law (48%) or want a full repeal (43%). This pits President Obama and Democrat lawmakers — who thus far have refused to make any meaningful changes — against 93% of the American people and 72% of Democrats.
Moreover, only 12% of Democrats want ObamaCare “kept as is.” Another 12% want it repealed.
If only 12% of Democrats want nothing changed with ObamaCare, there is no question that Democrat lawmakers and the president are defying their own base with this ongoing refusal to make any real changes to the law. Furthermore, they are blocking proposed changes, including changes proposed by fellow Democrats.
The growing narrative from the media and ObamaCare champions is that Democrats need to “stay the course.” Analyzing the Democrats’ political options, ABC’s Rick Klein writes today:
Lost in the Democratic angst over Obamacare is a simple fact of 2014 politics: They don’t really have any choice but to own it. … No quantity of votes on “fixes” now will matter in the broad messaging wars later; no lawmaker, and virtually no Democratic challenger, will be able to seal him or herself off from potential political damage.
Klein is not alone with this advice. But how exactly is that a smart play when 84% of Democrats disagree?
Davidoff Year of the Horse now available at Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood
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Census ‘faked’ 2012 election jobs report
By John Crudele
November 18, 2013 | 8:06pm
In the home stretch of the 2012 presidential campaign, from August to September, the unemployment rate fell sharply — raising eyebrows from Wall Street to Washington.
The decline — from 8.1 percent in August to 7.8 percent in September — might not have been all it seemed. The numbers, according to a reliable source, were manipulated.
And the Census Bureau, which does the unemployment survey, knew it.
Just two years before the presidential election, the Census Bureau had caught an employee fabricating data that went into the unemployment report, which is one of the most closely watched measures of the economy.
And a knowledgeable source says the deception went beyond that one employee — that it escalated at the time President Obama was seeking reelection in 2012 and continues today.
“He’s not the only one,” said the source, who asked to remain anonymous for now but is willing to talk with the Labor Department and Congress if asked.
Today’s kids less fit than parents were, study finds
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Last updated: Tuesday November 19, 2013, 11:00 PM
BY MARILYNN MARCHIONE
Associated Press
Today’s kids can’t keep up with their parents. An analysis of studies on millions of children around the world finds they don’t run as fast or as far as their parents did when they were young.
On average, it takes children 90 seconds longer to run a mile than their counterparts did 30 years ago. Heart-related fitness has declined 5 percent per decade since 1975 for children ages 9 to 17.
The American Heart Association, whose conference in Dallas featured the research on Tuesday, says it’s the first to show that children’s fitness has declined worldwide over the last three decades.
“It makes sense. We have kids that are less active than before,” said Dr. Stephen Daniels, a University of Colorado pediatrician and spokesman for the heart association.
Health experts recommend that children 6 and older get 60 minutes of moderately vigorous activity accumulated over a day. Only one-third of American kids do now.
“Kids aren’t getting enough opportunities to build up that activity over the course of the day,” Daniels said. “Many schools, for economic reasons, don’t have any physical education at all. Some rely on recess” to provide exercise.
Sam Kass, a White House chef and head of first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move program, stressed the role of schools in a speech to the conference on Monday.
“We are currently facing the most sedentary generation of children in our history,” Kass said.
12 Republican State Senators ask for more details on new NJ Common Core
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Last updated: Tuesday November 19, 2013, 7:23 PM
BY LESLIE BRODY
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Twelve Republican state senators asked Education Commissioner Chris Cerf on Tuesday for more details on the Common Core, a new set of guidelines for what students should learn in math and language arts in every grade.
In a letter released by Sen. Joe Pennacchio, R-Morris, the group asked Cerf to explain the rationale behind the guidelines, their cost, the method for tracking student performance and the assurance of privacy for student data. Pennacchio said he was not hostile to the Common Core but sought answers to questions that parents and teachers have asked.
Cerf gave presentations recently to the New Jersey Education Association and the state Board of Education on the Common Core. Adopted by New Jersey in 2010, it has the support of Governor Christie, many school leaders and the NJEA, but the union has charged that its implementation has been too fast.
In an email, Cerf applauded the senators for reaching out. “Some citizens have questions about the new state standards because they need more information, while other citizens have questions that are fueled by the spread of misinformation,” Cerf noted. “We look to clearly answer any and all questions.”
New Jersey and 44 states adopted the Common Core voluntarily – with encouragement from the Obama administration – and have begun teaching to reflect its goals. Supporters say the guidelines focus on a clearer, more rigorous set of analytical skills than past standards, and will help American children compete with peers abroad. Critics, however, say the standards actually lower expectations, will usher in too much testing, and hurt local control.
“Veni, vidi, vici”
Ridgewood NJ, RHS Latin students traveled to Yale on November 9 to compete against nationally ranked teams in Latin and classics studies.
RHS Team A, comprised of veteran Latin students, battled their way to the semi-finals. Team B, comprised entirely of sophomores and led by Peter Psathas, made it to the top ten. Latin teachers are Catherine Venturini and Stefanie Gigante. Photo: Anthony Tokarz, Ben Bechtold, Peter Psathas, Matthew Casale, Poyani Bavishi, Britta Potter and Charlotte Kahan at Yale Unversity.
BOE Votes to eliminate voter approval of the district budget
November 19,2013
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood BOE voted on Monday night to move school elections from April to November, therefor eliminating annual voter approval of the district budget.
The resolution, passed by a 4-1 vote margin with Board member Christina Krauss, who previously expressed misgivings with the prospect of taking away the public’s vote on the budget, casting the lone dissenting vote.
The Vote followed several months of discussion and solicitations of public opinion from district officials.
“The Board approved a Resolution establishing the election of members of the Ridgewood Board of Education as the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Moving the annual school election means the November general election ballot will only include school board candidates running for open seats. The school budget will not be voted on unless it exceeded the budgetary state -mandated cap.
Since the passage of the law (P.L. 2011, c. 202) in January 2012, the majority of the state’s 540 public school districts have made the switch to the November general election date. Statistics on the state’s website show that 39 districts, 15 of them located in Bergen County still hold their annual school elections in April.”
Botched ACA Rollout Hammers Obama; Job Disapproval Reaches a Career High
By Gary Langer
Nov 19, 2013 12:01am
Barack Obama has been hammered by the botched rollout of the Affordable Care Act, with disapproval of his job performance reaching a career high, opposition to the new healthcare law up sharply and evidence of potential fallout in the midterm elections a year off.
The president’s job approval rating has fallen to 42 percent in a new ABC News/Washington Post poll, down 13 percentage points this year and 6 points in the past month to match the lowest of his presidency. Fifty-five percent disapprove, a record. And 70 percent say the country’s headed seriously off on the wrong track – up 13 points since May to the most in two years.
Other ratings of the president’s performance have tumbled as well. He’s at career lows for being a strong leader, understanding the problems of average Americans and being honest and trustworthy – numerically under water on each of these (a first for the latter two). His rating for strong leadership is down by 15 points this year and a vast 31 points below its peak shortly after he took office. In a new gauge, just 41 percent rate him as a good manager; 56 percent think not.
This poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, finds that the president’s personal image has suffered alongside his professional ratings. Fewer than half, 46 percent, see him favorably overall, down 14 points this year to the fewest of his presidency. Fifty-two percent now view him unfavorably, a new high and a majority for the first time since he took office. It may matter: Personal popularity can provide a president with cushioning when the going gets rough. Losing it leaves the president more vulnerable.
ACA – Skepticism about the Affordable Care Act looks to be the driving force in Obama’s troubles. Americans by nearly 2-1, 63-33 percent, disapprove of his handling of implementation of the new health care law. And the public by 57-40 percent now opposes the law overall, its most negative rating to date, with opposition up by 8 points in the past month alone.
Intensity of sentiment is running against the law and the president alike. At 46 percent, “strong” opposition to the ACA – a new high – outpaces strong support by a record 19 points. In terms of Obama’s job performance overall, strong critics outnumber strong approvers by 2-1, 44-22 percent, with strong disapproval at another career high. He’d run evenly on strong sentiment as recently as last May.
