JUNE 16, 2015, 1:05 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 2015, 1:09 PM
BY CHRISTOPHER MAAG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
The latest round of talks between NJ Transit and its labor unions has broken down, signaling increased tensions between the two sides over pay and benefits. Union members have been working without a new contract for four years, union leaders said.
The next step in the process requires intervention from President Obama, who must create a three-member Presidential Emergency Board to keep the sides negotiating and prevent a strike or labor lockout that could cripple the region’s economy. Nearly 955,000 people ride NJ Transit buses, trains and light rail every workday.
NJ Transit and its unions started negotiating through the National Mediation Board in 2011, soon after the old contract expired. As the process dragged on, more unions joined in, eventually creating a coalition that includes all 17 of NJ Transit’s unions, together representing 4,263 workers, said Thomas Roth, a labor consultant hired to represent the unions in the next round of negotiations. The final union, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, joined the coalition last week, Roth said.
“To have all the unions that represent all the workers on the property, it’s very rare,” said Roth, who has been involved in labor disputes for 40 years. “In fact this is the first time we’ve ever had a coalition like this.”
After years of negotiation went nowhere, the unions asked the National Mediation Board to release them from talks. On Monday the board agreed, an indication that the sides are so far apart on subjects including salary increases, benefits and work rules that an agreement now is impossible.
But near-insurmountable difficulties remain to be resolved — such as where the requisite $15 billion will come from
Two century-old tunnels that carry Amtrak and NJ Transit trains into New York City
The urgent need for new rail tunnels under the Hudson River is finally getting some serious attention after years of little activity.
At a closely watched summit of transportation leaders in New York last month, a top official from the Obama administration called Amtrak’s proposed Gateway tunnel between northern New Jersey and Manhattan “the most important rail project in the United States.” Peter Rogoff, the acting undersecretary of transportation, said the two states must act immediately to advance a plan, sparking attendees’ hopes that the highly complex, expensive, long-stalled project might finally get underway.
“It was like, ‘Whoa! We finally are hearing it from Washington,’” Martin Robins, the dean of New Jersey transportation experts and a conference participant, said after the meeting. “I wish it had come earlier.”
The sign of possible movement comes five years after Gov. Chris Christie canceledNJ Transit’s ARC (Access to the Region’s Core) tunnel project under the Hudson, citing the project’s potential high cost. It comes two and half years after Hurricane Sandy ravaged the existing, 105-year-old tunnels, raising the prospect of a long shutdown of at least one tunnel for repairs that could cripple rail travel in the near future.
“Closure of that tunnel, and the 50 percent to 75 percent reduction in capacity, would have a disastrous effect on the regional economy. That can’t be overestimated,” said Pat Foye, the executive director of the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey.
New tunnels are needed to prevent such a crisis and to allow continued economic growth, the conferees said. Rail travel across the Hudson has increased 140 percent in the past 25 years, even as auto travel has declined, and is projected to double again by 2040, according to the Regional Plan Association, which organized the conference with the Port Authority.
“This conference isn’t about transportation. It’s about jobs,” Foye said during a panel discussion. “It’s about protecting and retaining the jobs the region already has and creating the platform for future job growth. It is not an overstatement to say the region’s economic prosperity is at stake.”
But even with that looming risk and the kick in the pants from Rogoff, fundamental questions remain unanswered. Most importantly, which agency will own and direct the project? And where will the required funding, which could reach $15 billion or more, come from?
How will Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who are both under pressure to pay for other transportation needs, somehow agree to support such a massive undertaking? And what role will be played by the powerful but politically vulnerablePort Authority, which needs to spend billions on other projects and remains under a cloud of Bridgegate-related scandals?
Enhanced North Jersey Coast Line express weekend service to beach towns launches Sunday, June 21
June 15, 2015NEWARK, NJ — NJ TRANSIT is making it convenient and affordable to get to summer shore destinations with the return of express weekend rail service from Penn Station New York and northern New Jersey cities to shore communities along the North Jersey Coast Line this Sunday, June 21.
Enhanced Saturday, Sunday and holiday rail service on the North Jersey Coast Line will operate from June 21 through September 12 and utilize the agency’s dual-powered locomotives to provide a one-seat ride.
“This one-seat ride rail service from New York is a sound investment that not only gives visitors and residents easier access to some of our most popular beaches and boardwalks, it also helps take cars off the roadway and boosts tourism and the economy in our shore communities,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Chairman Jamie Fox.
“Our Shore service provides a safe and reliable way to get people where they need to be to enjoy time in the sun and expands transit options for travelers along the state’s costal region,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Veronique “Ronnie” Hakim. “NJ TRANSIT is grateful for the continued support of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA) without whom funding for this service would not be possible.”
Four round-trip express trains will operate between Penn Station New York and Bay Head. This service also features hourly train service between Bay Head and Long Branch from approximately 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Two of the round-trips will be geared to beach travelers, with an additional two round-trips providing service during the early morning and late night timeframes.
The express service will serve Penn Station New York, Secaucus Junction, Newark Penn Station, Elizabeth, Rahway, Aberdeen-Matawan, Red Bank, Long Branch, Asbury Park, and then all station stops to Bay Head, without the need of a transfer in Long Branch. A travel time savings of approximately 25 minutes is expected from the normal travel time between New York and trains such as Belmar, Manasquan and Point Pleasant.
Seating will be limited aboard the express service. Customers are strongly encouraged to purchase round-trip tickets or discounted beach packages to Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach and Belmar (a savings of $6.50) prior to the start of their trip. NJ TRANSIT beach packages are available at some ticket windows and ticket vending machines. More information on beach packages is available on njtransit.com/summer.
Customers can also purchase NJ TRANSIT tickets using MyTix mobile ticketing.
Express trains will supplement NJ TRANSIT’s regular hourly rail shuttle service between Long Branch and Bay Head, and will operate using the statewide transportation agency’s new ALP-45 dual-powered locomotives. These specialized trains will operate in electric mode between New York and Long Branch and will switch to diesel operation for travel between Long Branch and Bay Head – allowing for the one-seat ride.
The announcement follows the May 11, 2015 endorsement of the service by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA), which authorized a $273,000 allocation through the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ) to fund the new service.
Detailed schedules are available on njtransit.com.
NEWARK, NJ — Back by popular demand, NJ TRANSIT announces the return of the agency’s Music in Motion concert series set to launch this evening.
Music in Motion is a community-based initiative that allows local musicians to perform in NJ TRANSIT station facilities. These performing artists are offering their talents while customers get a glimpse of the region’s up-and-coming talent as they traverse major stations and terminals.
Performances are held every Thursday and Friday from June 4th through August 28th between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. in the Hoboken Terminal Waiting Room, Secaucus Junction Rotunda or Penn Station New York 7th Avenue Concourse.
Entertaining customers this summer are: Alex English, Bill Stone, Robert Quinn (Garden State Sax Quartet), Susyn Timko, The Foxfires, Rachel Menconi, Melanie Marie, Nathan Riehl (Sun Thief), Tim Gysin and Chris Brown.
Those who would like to audition for the upcoming 2015-2016 Music in Motion season, please e-mail [email protected].
JUNE 12, 2015, 6:47 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 2015, 9:43 PM
BY CHRISTOPHER MAAG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
NJ Transit is moving forward with its plan to close a $56 million budget gap by increasing fares and cutting service, the agency said Friday.
The decision runs counter to the sentiments of the overwhelming majority of elected officials, union representatives and commuters who spoke against the changes at a series of nine public hearings throughout the state.
NJ Transit’s proposal remains virtually unchanged from when it was first announced in April. The average rider will see fares increase by 9 percent, with the highest fare hike at 9.4 percent. Service cuts will include eliminating the last evening trains on the Pascack Valley and the Montclair-Boonton lines, and cuts to bus routes in South Jersey.
A report issued Friday by the agency included a resolution that would impose the fare hikes and service cuts. That resolution is scheduled to be discussed Tuesday at a public meeting of NJ Transit’s customer service and administration committees. The meeting, which starts at 9 a.m. at NJ Transit headquarters in Newark, will be the last time members of the public can comment on the proposal before it is presented to the full board on July 15.
Board members will likely vote on the final package then, said Nancy Snyder, a spokeswoman for NJ Transit.
In economics, experiments are rare. There is seldom a control group. But sometimes crude experiments can be done. Both the passenger and freight rail system in the US were nationalized after “common carrier” price neutrality regulation bankrupted the industries. But then freight rail was privatized, while passenger rail was kept public. Now, the US has the world’s BEST freight and WORST passenger rail.
Freight rail’s renaissance is powering the U.S. economy even without Uncle Sam’s help
By Michael Grunwald @MikeGrunwaldJuly 09, 2012
Congress is gridlocked over infrastructure. On one side, Democrats want to invest in America. On the other side, Republicans want to tighten government’s belt. But there’s one more side to this story. U.S. freight railroads will get $23 billion worth of upgrades this year, and taxpayers won’t pick up the tab. That’s because the railroads build, maintain and improve their own infrastructure and even pay property taxes on their tracks. Also, freight trains are about three times as fuel-efficient as long-haul trucks, which means they help cut smog and reduce the U.S.’s carbon emissions and oil dependence. And forget those accident-prone trains your kids watch on Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. In reality, shifting freight from roads to rails sharply reduces crashes and congestion.
We don’t think much about freight trains except when they make us wait at intersections or blow their horns while chugging through our towns. The industry evokes images of ruthless Gilded Age monopolies and hapless 1970s bankruptcies. But railroads are one of my favorite special interests–not because they’re less greedy or aggressive than other Washington lobbies but because what’s good for them really does tend to be good for us.
It’s not just that they are self-sufficient and fuel-efficient, employ 175,000 workers and have poured $500 billion into their trains, tracks and terminals since 1980. They are also quite literally the engines of our economy. America’s passenger rail is a global joke, but our freight rail is the envy of the world, carrying over 40% of our intercity cargo. Trains carry much less of Europe’s freight, which is why trucks clog Europe’s highways. And America’s rail-shipping rates are the world’s lowest, reducing the cost of doing business in the U.S.; they’ve fallen 45% in real dollars since the industry was deregulated three decades ago.
The right should love railroads because they’re proof that deregulation can work and the private sector can upgrade infrastructure. The left should love railroads because they fight global warming and provide union jobs. We all should love railroads because they bring us our stuff and keep prices down.
By Carla Astudillo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on June 08, 2015 at 11:31 AM, updated June 08, 2015 at 11:52 AM
Near what NJ Transit stops can you afford (and not afford) to buy a home?
The map below shows how much a home is worth surrounding every NJ Transit stop in New Jersey.
We found the median home values using Census data for the immediate area surrounding the train stops. For the stops in non-residential areas, like Newark Airport, we used the closest Census block to the stop.
Note: The bigger the circle stations are, the higher the home value.
Keep in mind is that home values around New Jersey train station stops are generally higher than areas further away.
JUNE 7, 2015, 10:59 PM LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, JUNE 8, 2015, 12:03 AM
BY CHRISTOPHER MAAG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
NJ Transit has a strong institutional culture of protecting the lives of its customers and workers from the dangers of trains, but a newly released study found that employees say the agency’s top leaders value on-time performance over safety and that overall, more can be done to keep workers out of harm’s way while on the job.
The findings of the $467,000 report commissioned by NJ Transit and conducted by Rail Safety Consultants of Pittsfield, N.Y., were confidential until now. And rather than an analysis of statistics on quantifiable mishaps, such as accidents, fires or switch failures, the report attempts to gauge NJ Transit’s attitudes, policies and procedures through a combination of employee surveys and inspector observations in the field.
The Record obtained the report through an Open Public Records Act request.
Survey results and firsthand observations found that train dispatchers and engineers take few risks, maintenance crews perform train and track inspections as required, supervisors speedily investigate accidents and injuries, repair shops are kept clean, and cellphone use is rare among workers on the rails.
By Carla Astudillo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on May 21, 2015 at 10:50 AM, updated May 21, 2015 at 10:52 AM
Just in time for the final public hearings on Thursday, we created an easy-to-use calculator where you can find out just by how much your fare will go up — if NJ Transit’s 9 percent fare hikes are enacted.
NJ Transit only made available the proposed fare increases for commuters going toNew York Penn Station, Hoboken and Newark Penn Station. That’s why the calculator only includes prices going to these three destinations.
The interactive will let you know just how much a one-way, round-trip, reduced and monthly passes would cost, as well as how much more you’d pay a year if you buy the monthly pass.
FROM
Ridgewood
TO
New York Penn Station
Current Proposed Change One way $9.25 $9.75 +5.4% Reduced $4.25 $4.65 +9.4% Round Trip $18.50 $19.50 +5.4% Monthly $273.00 $298.00 +9.2%
If you buy monthly passes for your commute, you currently pay $3,276 annually. With the hike, you’ll pay $3,576 — as in $300 more.
A bill that would add two members to NJ Transit’s Board of Directors advanced to the state senate for a future vote.
(Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on May 11, 2015 at 12:52 PM, updated May 11, 2015 at 12:54 PM
A bill that would add two commuters to NJ Transit’s board is rolling down the tracks toward a vote.
The bill, proposed by state Senators Nicholas Sacco, D-Bergen, and Raymond Lesnaik, D-Union, was unanimously cleared by the five members of the senate Transportation Committee Monday morning and will go to the full senate for a vote.
The bill would add two non-voting commuter members to NJ Transit’s eight member board of directors.
“It’s difficult to get public input into decisions that affect people’s lives by people who take public transportation to get to work,” Lesniak said. “By having two public members, who will be able to make a motion, to have it voted on, we will be doing better by giving (the board) more public input.”
Lesniak used the upcoming NJ Transit fare increase public hearings as an example of why riders need representation on the board. Some of them are at inconvenient locations or times for commuters to attend and voice their opinion.
The idea was supported by founders of the state’s newest commuter commuter group, the New Jersey Commuter Action Coalition. They questioned why the proposed members wouldn’t have a vote.
“If these individuals are allowed to attend meetings in their entirety and engage with the rest of the group to truly exchange ideas, I think it is a great start,” said Michael Phelan, NJCAN co-founder. “If they will sit there and observe and be asked to leave so that the adults can talk for real after the meeting, then it’s not good. Why wouldn’t these members of the public be as capable of absorbing facts and voting as those who are on the board?”
Phelan suggested that bill should require that the two commuter board members take the next two available voting seats, as they become available, and that those seats continue to be held by commuters going forward.
MAY 3, 2015, 10:59 PM LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2015, 11:09 PM
BY CHRISTOPHER MAAG
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
More buses. More trains. Big improvements, like a new tunnel under the Hudson River, and small ones, like better Internet connections. Getting home in time to tuck the kids into bed.
That’s what commuters say a proposed 9 percent jump in NJ Transit fares should help fund.
Oh, and spare riders the middle seat on trains.
“I loathe the middle seat. Who doesn’t?” said Tara Allerton, 41, an advertising executive and frequent NJ Transit commuter who wants more double-decker trains between New York City and her home in Ridgewood “to spend more time at home with my family.”
But NJ Transit officials say that the money — and some service cuts — are needed to close the agency’s $60 million budget gap.
Most transit riders said they understand that NJ Transit is not considering any service improvements, a fact confirmed by Nancy Snyder, an NJ Transit spokeswoman. Instead the proposed fare increase — the first one since a 2010 fare increase of 25 percent — is intended only to pay for basic operating expenses. But that alone won’t be enough. Late-night service cuts will be felt on the Pascack Valley and Montclair-Boonton rail lines.
“It’s a fare hike to keep the lights on, but it’s worse than that because there are service cuts,” said Janna Cherwitz, New Jersey policy analyst for Tri-State Transportation Campaign, which advocates for better mass transit.
Commuters will get their say this month, in a series of 10 hearings and public information sessions held at sites throughout the state, including Secaucus, Hackensack and Paterson. And it’s likely NJ Transit officials could get an earful.
Officials already know the agency has a problem with the on-time performance of its buses, and they know how riders feel about it. Only 69 percent of NJ Transit’s buses left on time during the first three months of 2015, according to a report presented to the agency’s customer service committee late last month. The agency received 3,459 complaints in March, according to the report. The most common problems included delayed and canceled trips, missed connections and no-show buses.
Train riders fare much better. During the 12 months that ended in March, 94 percent of trains left on time, according to NJ Transit.
Meanwhile, ridership continues to grow, increasing by 2.3 percent over the last year to 271.3 million passenger trips, a record, according to the agency’s latest financial report.
That has only increased the cries for better service, it seems.
“If they’re going to ask for more money, they should give us more trains,” said Randy Pernicone, who commutes from River Edge to his job in Manhattan as a finance executive for Anthem Insurance. “It’s frustrating.”
Michael McDaid of Ho-Ho-Kus echoed that sentiment.
“I would like to see more trains in the evenings and weekends,” said the 42-year-old, who rides the train to his job in Hoboken. “I guess they’re not really talking about that. But still, it would be nice.”
Public comment encouraged at locations across the system
April 20, 2015
NEWARK, NJ —Throughout the past five years, NJ TRANSIT held the line on fare increases while maintaining high quality services and implementing new customer amenities including MyTix, Departurevision, and MyBus Now.
However, costs such as contract services – Access Link, the organization’s paratransit service, Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and private carriers – and healthcare and benefits, general liability insurance, workers’ compensation and pensions have steadily risen. As a result, NJ TRANSIT has been left with a significant budget gap.
Although NJ TRANSIT has identified more than $40 million in reductions in overtime, fuel savings, energy and vehicle parts efficiencies, the agency still faces an approximate $60 million budget gap for the 2016 fiscal year. To close the gap, fare and service adjustments are being proposed.
NJ TRANSIT will hold nine scheduled public hearings and one information session beginning Saturday, May 16, 2015 to allow the public the opportunity to learn more about the proposed fare increases and service changes and offer comments before the plan is considered by the Board of Directors on July 8, 2015.
The proposed service and fare changes would take effect in September 2015 and on October 1, 2015, respectively. The proposed fare adjustment would be an average of 9 percent for the majority of NJ TRANSIT customers.
Beginning on Monday, April 20th, customers may log on to www.njtransit.com for additional information regarding the budget and service adjustment plan.
To ensure an inclusive public comment process, NJ TRANSIT has scheduled nine public hearings and one information session at locations across the state from May 16 through May 21. The hearings and information session will be held in the evenings and on Saturday to encourage participation.
In addition to appearing in person, members of the public also may submit comments via mail to: PUBLIC HEARING OFFICE – FARE PROPOSAL COMMENTS, ONE PENN PLAZA EAST, NEWARK, NJ 07105; online at www.njtransit.com or dropped off at Customer Service Offices. The online public comment period will be extended until 11:59 p.m., Thursday, May 21.
PUBLIC HEARINGS & INFORMATION SESSIONSSaturday, May 16, 2015 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
NEW BRUNSWICK (INFORMATION SESSION)
New Brunswick Public Library – Carl T. Valenti Community Rm.,
60 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ
Monday, May 18, 2015 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
ATLANTIC CITY
Atlantic City Rail Terminal – Lobby
One Atlantic City Expressway, Atlantic City, NJ
FREEHOLD
Monmouth County Agricultural Building
4000 Kozloski Road, Freehold, NJ
Tuesday, May 19, 2015 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
SECAUCUS
Frank R. Lautenberg Station at Secaucus Junction
County Road & County Avenue, Secaucus, NJ
CAMDEN
Camden City Hall – Council Chambers (2nd Fl.)
520 Market Street, Camden, NJ
Wednesday, May 20, 2015 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
NEWARK
NJ TRANSIT Headquarters – Board Room
One Penn Plaza East, Newark, NJ
HACKENSACK
Learning Center, 4th Floor
One Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack, NJ
Thursday, May 21, 2015 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
TRENTON
Trenton Transit Center
72 South Clinton Avenue, Trenton, NJ
MORRISTOWN
Morristown Town Hall – Senior Community Center (3rd Fl.)
By Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Email the author
on April 14, 2015 at 12:33 PM, updated April 15, 2015 at 7:31 AM
Commuters could be hit with an NJ Transit fare increase that might reach 9 percent in fiscal year 2016, based on budget documents for the coming year.
NJ Transit’s budget documents said revenue from fares would increase by 8.8 percent, from the $928.6 million earned in fiscal year 2015 to $1.01 billion in 2016, according to an Office of Legislative Services’ review of NJ Transit’s financials.
“It is not clear whether this increase in fare box revenue reflects a possible fare increase or whether this represents estimated (ridership) growth before the impacts of a possible fare increase,” said the OLS analysis.
But that growth is unlikely to come from ridership. Total NJ Transit ridership only grew by two percent between Jan. 2014 and Jan. 2015 to 270 million passenger trips, according to the last agency ridership report. That is the highest ridership since fiscal year 2009.
NJ Transit Executive Director Veronique Hakim said if the agency decides to raise fares, a package of increases and service reductions would be announced by the end of the month. Hakim also said she wants to limit a fare hike to a single digit increase after fares raised by 22 percent in 2010.
The Ridgewood blog was founded in March of 2006 by James J Foytlin aka PJ Blogger . Mr. Foytlin was born and raised in Ridgewood ,New Jersey and is a graduate of Ridgewood High School .
Ridgewood NJ, – Oct. 26, 2009 – RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — The Ridgewood blog ( https://theridgewoodblog.blogspot.com/ ) was founded in March of 2006 by James J Foytlin aka PJ Blogger .[1] Mr. Foytlin was born and raised in Ridgewood ,New Jersey and is a graduate of Ridgewood High School .[2] [3]
After many years living in New York City[4] Mr Foytlin returned to Ridgewood after a divorce and the tragic events of 9/11 . Once he settled in he noticed a lack of sufficient news coverage of local events . One day a friend from Brazil[5] showed him her home town on the internet and to Mr. Foytlin’s great surprise when he tried to reciprocate he was utterly dismayed at the absolute lake coverage of his home town. After all Ridgewood is only 18 miles from midtown Manhattan[6] the media capitol of world and there was not a single picture of Ridgewood to be found . How could this be? Ridgewood is a picturesque upper middle class village of around 25,000 located in Bergen county in northern New Jersey[7] . Founded by Dutch settlers before it became an English colony[8] . The town or village as its called is steeped in rich history and tradition .Known for a large amount of Victorian era housing , a quality school system and a family friendly atmosphere.
Though busy getting reacquainted with his home town the fact that the Village of Ridgewood was so under represented on the internet continued to disturb Mr. Foytlin. Mr. Foytlin had been writing news letters for his job in financial services since the mid 1990’s . The popular flip, off beat investment strategy news letters had become email blasts with the advent of readily accessible internet.[9] By 2004 the email blasts were converted into blog format for the One Small Voice blog (https://onesmallvoice.blogspot.com/ ). [10]
Around that time the Village of Ridgewood had finally completed it’s much anticipated and long delayed renovation of the Village hall which has been flooded out due to Hurricane Floyd.[11] The renovation was marred by huge cost over runs and lengthy delays. In 2005 it opened with great fan fare , was once again flooded with the very first rain . Mr. Foytlin was more shocked by the abject lack of responsibility taken by elected officials than the fact that the $9 million dollar renovation had to some extent been a failure . That was the breaking point and Mr. Foytlin had had enough so he decided to give , citizen journalism a go and created the Ridgewood blog in March of 2006. [12]
The birth of PJ Blogger .By this time Blogging its seems had become quite the rage and mainstream news anchors such as Dan Rather had questioned the validity of information from non professionals sitting around in their Pajama’s blogging.[13] Mr. Foytlin not a fan of Dan Rather or any of the mainstream media decided to blog under the name PJ Blogger as a play on words and to plant himself firmly in the camp of the new digital media.
Innovations by the Ridgewood blog to citizen journalism.
“The Fly” is a column on the Ridgewood blog the originates from the expression ,”I’d like to be a fly on the wall “ . The idea is that every citizen has both a unique perspective and experience and these two factors can be used to gather news and opinions about local issues. Originally only of handful of people in town participated but with time the Ridgewood blog can now count on 20–40 semi regular contributors. These post are both anonymous and signed and are largely opinion as well a breaking news.[14]
The Ridgewood blog brings a free market lassie fare point of view to local issues . Mr. Foytlin aka PJ Blogger has stated that for local issues there are only two kinds of people ;the ones who say spend what every you want because I will not be around to pay the bill and the second group which are more focused on the ,”be careful this is my money your spending” . The Ridgewood blog is dedicated to the interplay of there two groups.[15]
[1][12] the Ridgewood blog website https://theridgewoodblog.blogspot.com/
[2] Birth Certificate born in Valley Hospital , Ridgewood 04/09/1962
[3] Ridgewood High School Class 1980
[4] 444 East 86th street ,530 East 72nd
[5] Monica Rocha
[6] Mapquest
[7] United States 2000 Census, the village population was 24,936.
[8] https://www.americantowns.com/nj/ridgewood/organization/vi…
[9] Fahnestock & Co. now Oppenheimer & Co.
[10] https://onesmallvoice.blogspot.com/
[11] https://www.ridgewoodlibrary.org/localhistory/lh_vh_pease.htm
[13] https://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110005611
[14] [15] James J Foytlin
