Tag: Ridgewood Village Hall

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Pro Arte Chorale Announces 2016-2017 Season

Pro Arte Chorale Announces 2016-2017 Season
September 1,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Our upcoming concert season “Musical Works of Art” will begin November 20 th with a 4:00 pm performance of Brahms’ beautiful Ein Deutsches Requiem. Our Summer Sing on August 15 and 29 featured this magnificent work, giving interested singers the chance to join their voices with Pro Arte and experience the joy of choral singing. Our March 26 th concert at 4:00 pm will feature a selection of Opera Choruses, which will include collaboration with a high school chorus. Our final concert, June 10 th at 8:00 pm will be an all-Bruckner program featuring 6 Motets and his Mass in E Minor. Interestingly, Bruckner is known mostly for his symphonies, but he was a church musician as well, and his music for the Roman Catholic liturgy is considered to be amongst the finest of the last 150 years. We are excited to present our 2016-2017 season and remain deeply grateful for the support we receive from our funders and audience members. We look forward to seeing you at our concerts and events!

The Pro Arte Chorale, a 50-member volunteer chorus based in Ridgewood, is committed to enriching the lives of its members and its audience by exploring many musical traditions. The Pro Arte Chorale welcomes voices in all sections. We will be hosting auditions throughout the season, starting in early September on Monday nights @7pm. Singers interested in auditioning will be asked to prepare a piece of music that best highlights their voice, and will also be tested for range and reading ability. To schedule an audition, please contact us via email (info@proartechorale.org) or via phone (201) 497-8400. We rehearse on Monday nights, 7:30 – 10:00pm at The Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Ridgewood.

The Pro Arte Chorale is lead by Maestro Steven Fox. Maestro Fox is also the artistic director of Clarion Music Society in New York, and the music director for Musica Antiqua St. Petersburg in Russia which he founded in 2001 at the age of 21. He has a distinguished background in sacred music, having served as Acting Director of Music at historic Trinity Church, Wall Street from 2009-2010 and Cantorial

Soloist at the majestic Temple Emanuel in New York City from 2009-2013. Maestro Fox has given master classes and clinics at Dartmouth College, Julliard School and Yale University, where he served for two years as preparatory conductor of the Yale Schola Cantorum. He graduated a Senior Fellow with High Honors from Dartmouth College and with Distinction from the Royal Academy of Music, London, where, in 2010, he was named an Associate for ‘remarkable achievement in and contribution to his field in music’. Recognized as a leader in his generation of conductors, Steven has been called an “esteemed director” by The New Yorker, “visionary” by BBC Music Magazine, and ‘a conductor to watch’ by Seen and Heard International.

The Pro Arte Chorale is sponsored in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment of the Arts. All performances are held in ADA compliant venues with handicapped accessible parking, ramps, elevators and restrooms. Large print programs are available.

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9 Rules of Brain-Healthy Eating in Ridgewood

RidgewoodFarmersMarket_theridgewoodblog

September 1,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, “If you are going to eat right to think right, it is critical to make sure your food is loaded with proper nutrients that your body is able to properly digest.”

Over the years, clinical neuroscientist and brain imaging expert, Dr. Daniel Amen has refined nine rules of brain-healthy eating.

9 Rules of Brain-Healthy Eating

  1. Think “high-quality calories” and not too many of them.
  2. Drink plenty of water and not your calories.
  3. Eat high-quality lean protein throughout the day.
  4. Eat smart carbohydrates (low glycemic, high fiber).
  5. Focus your diet on healthy fats.
  6. Eat from the rainbow.
  7. Cook with brain-healthy herbs and spices to boost your brain.
  8. Make sure your food is clean as possible.
  9. If you’re having trouble with your mood, energy, memory, weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, or skin, make sure to eliminate any foods that might be causing trouble, especially wheat and any other gluten-containing grain or food, as well as dairy, soy, and corn.

Daniel Amen, M.D. heads Amen Clinics, which are located in Orange County, Calif., Atlanta, San Francisco, New York City, Washington, D.C., and the Seattle area. He has written numerous books, including “Healing ADD” and “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life.” Dr. Amen also has appeared as a guest on such TV shows as “The View” and was a consultant for the movie “Concussion.”

Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce Farmers Market
Sun, June 26, 2016 – Sun, October 30, 2016
Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Location: Train Station Parking Lot, Godwin Ave & W Ridgewood Ave

It is here! Sundays  June 26, 2016 – October 30, 2016
9:00am – 3:00pm

Enjoy “Farm to Table”
Ridgewood Train Station
Parking Lot West Side

or call 201-445-2600

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NJ TRANSIT OFFERS ‘EARLY GETAWAY’ SERVICE FOR LABOR DAY WEEKEND

Ridgewood Train Station

photo by ArtChick

Kids ride free all weekend with Family SuperSaver Fare

August 31, 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, there will offer “early getaway” rail and bus service on Friday, September 2, for the benefit of customers leaving work early for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

To help speed the getaway, customers are reminded that they can enjoy the convenience of purchasing tickets through the MyTix feature on the NJ TRANSIT mobile app.On Friday, September 2, extra outbound trains will operate on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex and Port Jervis lines starting at approximately 1 p.m.  Extra buses will operate from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and the Hudson River Waterfront on more than two dozen bus routes starting around noon.  Visit njtransit.com for details.  All light rail systems will operate on regular weekday schedules.

REMINDER: Effective September 3, 2016 12 bus routes servicing the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York will have departure gate assignments changed.  Selected routes will be changed as of Saturday, September 3rd with other routes being changed mainly during the weekday PM peak and evening hours as of Tuesday, September 6th.  Check njtransit.com for details.

On Labor Day, Monday, September 5, trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule on all lines.  Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule. Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule.  River Line will operate on a Sunday schedule.  Bus schedules vary by route—customers are advised to check their timetables or visit njtransit.com for schedule information.

Customers are reminded to check njtransit.com for their individual bus timetables for the weekend as departure times will vary by route.

For complete schedules and fares, visit njtransit.com or call 973-275-5555.

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Reader says No More Kicking the Can down the Road for the Ridgewood School Board

Ridgewood EA teachers protest

Will the kicking of the can continue with the Teachers contract??? Now is the time to stop this nonsense!!

Let’s hope we can at least put a dent in the can! One would think the REA has gotten the message by now. It would appear that most of Ridgewood (excluding the teachers who actually live in town) oppose their union’s demands. Why are we paying our teachers more than surrounding towns with better or comparable ratings? There goes your real estate values. Wyckoff, Allendale, HoHoKus, Franklin Lakes, Upper Saddle River are all lovely towns with lower taxes. I just can’t get that photo of those teachers’ and their mean, arrogant and angry faces out of my mind. The blonde and one next to her wearing sunglasses look particularly nasty! If they knew who my child was I’m sure there would be ramifications in the classroom for this comment!

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Time to Clean Up the Town Garage in Ridgewood

Town Garage Ridgewood
September 1,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the residents in Ridgewood reject the idea the town is run by an”anti-development majority opinion”. The objection most have with the proposed development projects is that they do little to help improve the central business district and do almost nothing to address some of the current problems . A typical example is the newly misguided proposal of destroying Van Neste park . The simple fact is that it will like most of the current proposals that will do nothing to fix the town garage property and issues dating back to 2007.

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Readers have previously stated the, “Previous councils also spent over $1.0 million on “environmental studies” with funds raised from the previous Village garage bonding. They were looking to remediate the land on a old gas station site and the site of the old Town Garage. What happened to those studies????”

In 2007 , the Town Garage has a checked past and was featured in a series of articles on the Ridgewood blog ,”The current hot discussion topic among those who monitor Village Hall happenings is how an out of town firm was able purchase the Town Garage property from right out under the noses of Village Council members. Village ownership of the subject property (see posted photo) is seen as key to the successful construction of a municipal parking garage.” https://theridgewoodblog.net/the-town-garage-120-franklin-avenue-the-eye-of-the-storm/

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More Recently the Town Garage was featured prominently in the parking lot discussion for the central business district in Ridgewood .” the Town Garage site and the village owned property in that area.  The DEP declared it a remediation site 10 years ago.  Nothing has been done and their is an underground water stream running through the property that is compromised by seepage from the hydraulic and diesel fuel tanks still buried there,  The village spent 35,000 dollars to identify what needed to be done several years ago and I have not heard a thing until last weeks meeting at the very end where the council discussed briefly the abandoned property ordinance, eminent domain and the fact that there is a toxic flume at the site which is adding to the contamination and needs monitoring so as to minimize the effect on the water and I believe wells were mentioned.  I have more information which I will forward to you.  Saw in old minutes where Keith Killion and Pat Mancuso saw the need to clean the site and put a garage there.  It is so much more centrally located and would be used by employees, shoppers ,diners as well as commuters more readily than HUdson Street.”
https://theridgewoodblog.net/town-garage-site-in-ridgewood-and-the-village-owned-property-in-that-area-still-a-dep-declared-it-a-remediation-site/

The fact remains the Town Garage property must be cleaned up and made safe . It is one of many properties down town that need major rehabilitation . A rehabilitation in keeping with and consistent with the over all small town feel of the Village of Ridgewood .
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Ridgewood Schools Prep For Back to School

RHS_theridgewoodblog
Annual Re-registration is Underway
The annual online Skyward re-registration is open. Parents and guardians, to update your information, please log on to Skyward Family Access via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us. Click here for details.

School Starts on September 6
Students will return to school on Tuesday, September 6 (minimum day schedule). Opening Day for teachers and support staff is Thursday, September 1.

Back-to-School Night Schedule
Click here to view the schedule.

BOE Meets on September 12, 2016 at 7:30 p.m.
The Ridgewood Board of Education will hold a Regular Public Meeting on Monday, September 12, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Board Room at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place. The public is invited to attend the meeting or view it live via the district website at www.ridgewood.k12.nj.us using the “Live BOE Meeting” tab on the district website, or on Fios tv channel 33 or Optimum 77

Coffee and Conversation Dates Are Announced
The Board of Education and Superintendent Dr. Daniel Fishbein will host residents for coffee and casual conversation on three separate occasions this school year. The first date for Coffee and Conversation is Wednesday, October 19 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Education Center, 49 Cottage Place, Ridgewood. Future dates will follow on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 and Wednesday, May 17, 2017. All residents are invited to drop in to share their thoughts, questions, suggestions and concerns.

FAQ on Full-Day Kindergarten: Vote is November 8
The November 8 election ballot will include a question for residents about implementing full-day Kindergarten in Ridgewood. To learn more about full-day Kindergarten, please click here for a FAQ sheet, updated on August 23, 2016. Please click here to go to other Full-Day K documents that are located in the Full-day Kindergarten Exploratory Committee folder on the Curriculum web page.

2016-2017 Community Outreach Program Series Starts October 18
The Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment Department will again offer free presentations for parents and guardians throughout the 2016-2017 school year. The topic is Well-being. Click here for information on the series, which is co-sponsored by The Valley Hospital with support from The Foundation and the Home and School Associations.

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Ridgewood PSE&G Glen Avenue Update – August 31,2016

PSEG_truck_theridgewoodblog

Dear Nattering nabobs of negativism,
I just wanted to provide you with an end-of-August update on the large PSE&G Energy Strong Gas Glen Avenue modernization project that has been periodically causing traffic delays in the Village  throughout the summer.  The good news is that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the major infrastructure work will  be done by this Friday.  The other good news is that the planned work has been completed on East Glen so there should be no detour issues impacting Travell School.

Over the next two days, the intersection of Monroe and Glen will be closed while work is being done; this will cause a significant detour and associated traffic problems.   Please try to avoid this route as much as possible.

In the next several weeks, through late September, individual service line hook-ups will be scheduled with homeowners along West Glen.  These hook-ups could result in intermittent lane closures.

Thanks for your patience during this period – we have been fortunate that,  in working closely with PSE&G,  they were able to complete the most impactful part of this project within the summer months. We are also fortunate that this major PSE&G project of modernization to our gas lines enhances the safety, cleanliness and reliability of the services that we rely on.

We are almost at the finish line!

Best,
2
Roberta Sonenfeld
Village Manager
201-670-5500, ext. 203

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Ridgewood Firefighters Visit the NJ Fireman’s Home

Ridgewood Fire

photos courtesy of the Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47

August 31,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Members of the Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47 visited the NJ Fireman’s Home in Boonton recently. Each Friday in the summer months the Northern District of the NJFMBA has sent a local to help out at the resident’s picnics. This is our second year doing this and we hope to be a part of this for a long time, for it is a great day for all.

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Y.O. Cigar Event This Saturday at the Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood

Y

August 31,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Saturday September 3rd ,from 10 am to 2 pm, stop by and meet Yaxel Ortiz and watch the master cigar roller make fresh Y.O.’s.

Yaxel Ortiz the super boutique cigar maker from Cuba has now produced his first blend fro his new factory in Nicaragua available in only a select group of retailers .

The Tobacco Shop of Ridgewood
10 Chestnut Street
Ridgewood, New Jersey 07450

Phone: 201 – 447 – 2204

Email: info@tobaccoshop.com

Hours:
Mon – Sat: 10AM – 5:30PM
Thursday Evening: 6:30PM – 8:30PM

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The Ridgewood Public Library is Ready for the Fall

Ridgewood Public Library Book Club

August 31,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Anybody ready for Fall? Before you get your sweaters out of storage, visit the Ridgewood Public Library in person or online and get your reserves in for some of the best new literary Fall releases. Here’s an insider tip: reserve The Nix by Nathan Hill. It’s a horrible title, but a great book about a man trying to either ruin or reconnect with the mother who left him.https://buff.ly/2bMLvdt

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Looking for something new to read? Try a new novel by a debut author.

We all know the best place to go for book recommendations is the Ridgewood Public Library, but when you can’t get to us, check out some of these awesome sites for book lovers.

https://buff.ly/2bzixxb

Do you want to join a book group? Are you in a book group and want some book recommendations? The Ridgewood Public Library can help. Visit our Book Group page online to see what we’re reading this month https://buff.ly/2bABnHM or stop by the Circulation Desk and ask for one of our Reader’s Advisors who can help you find your book group’s next great read.
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Reader says the sky is not falling in Ridgewood

Ridgewood Village Council

file photo by Boyd Loving

This just in: the sky is falling!!!!!

Ridgewood schools are still ranked highly, and even are ranked above Tenafly by several organizations. Niche.com also rates the entire Ridgewood public school district as 7th best in the state (Tenafly is 15).

As far as the real estate market goes, I am certainly no realtor, but I can tell you that homes around $1M in the Upper Ridgewood area (near Willard School) are still going in bidding wars and for above asking price. I have several friends who recently purchased in the area and some who are currently looking for a larger house within Ridgewood, and these are the stories I hear. In some cases I have heard that 20% down isn’t even enough for houses $1M+.

Some countervailing thoughts:
1. Wall St/Finance mostly drives the top of the market. That end is definitely soft and will remain that way. One might argue that the huge bonuses created a market segment that is inherently unsustainable. The 4k-5k sq ft homes are definitely going to be hard to sell. If you are around the $1MM mark there remains a robust market
2. A home should not be viewed as a real estate investment. Historically, residential real estate keeps pace with inflation over time (decades). In the short term there are of course peaks and valleys. I have been in Ridgewood for almost 40 years, so I have seen dramatic increases and long flat periods. that’s real estate.
3. School system is in decline? Based on these arbitrary metrics from magazines trying to sell copy? I don’t see it.
4. Taxes in Ridgewood have always been high. This is not a new development.
5. I am an early baby boomer. I am still here. When and if I leave Ridgewood it will have nothing to do with the real estate market or the school system–it will be a lifestyle decision.
6. Apart from the unpleasant crew (Aronsohn et al) that recently tried to disrupt the fabric and culture of this village, this has been a very nice place to live and raise kids for many years. It will continue to be. Take the long view–don’t plan your life around the ups and downs of the real estate cycle.

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RIDGEWOOD TRAFFIC ALERT – MILLING AND PAVING ON VILLAGE ROADS – SCHEDULE

Road_work_theridgewoodblog

TRAFFIC ALERT – MILLING AND PAVING ON VILLAGE ROADS – SCHEDULE

August 31,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, In preparation for road paving, on Monday, August 29th milling and paving  will begin on Kenilworth Road, Linwood Avenue (between Oak and Maple) and Robinson Lane (between Walnut and Cottage ).  See planned schedule below.

Schedule –

August 29th – Kenilworth – Milling

August 30th – Kenilworth – Paving

August 31st – Linwood (Oak to Maple), Robinson (Walnut to Cottage) – Milling

September 1st – Linwood (Oak to Maple), Robinson (Walnut to Cottage) – Paving

This work could take several days.

Please allow time for potential delays in  traveling on or near these roads.

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Reader here is some more sobering news for Ridgewood

for sale Ridgewood_Real_Estate_theRodgewopodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

The economic argument above is all I needed to counter your complete fantasy of $1MM houses being in great demand, but let me also comment on the rest.

2. The 40 years that you claim to have been in Ridgewood for happened to be the 40 years when the financial sector exploded in size, and NYC being the financial center benefited tremendously. Additionally, home ownership steadily increased to an all time high in 2004. Unless you have not read the news for 8 year now – all of that is GONE. That is history. Finance is rapidly shrinking, homeownership is at lower than it has ever been since 1984. This despite mortgage rate being lower than it has been in forever.

3. Those ‘arbitrary rankings’ are what new homeonwers make their decision based on. And who will I believe – what multiple magazines claim or what you claim? And how is it that school districts like Short Hills, West Windsor and Tenafly are unaffected by the randomness of those surveys?

4. If taxes were already ‘high’ shouldn’t they stop rising then? What is the logic of already ‘high’ taxes going even higher – for no additional services whatsoever?

5. For a vast majority of people without money to burn, it is a rational decision based on their own income and costs vs. quality of services. I just pointed out that the equation is very unfavorable right now when it comes to Ridgewood.

6. The long view is that the state of NJ is bankrupt given how horribly underfunded its pensions are. Militant union will not let their benefits be haircut. So you are looking at combination of significantly higher taxes, fewer services and constant disruptions from striking unions. Math is math. The bill will come due – the can can only be kicked down just so much further down the road!

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PSE&G to Begin Saturday Work to expedite the upgrade project in Ridgewood

PSEG Gas leak

file photo by Boyd Loving

PSE&G TRAFFIC ALERT – SATURDAY WORK

August 30,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Village of Ridgewood, in an effort to expidite the conclusion of this project and to minimize traffic interference, has met with PSE&G and  has agreed to allow working on Saturdays to expedite the upgrade project.

Saturday work takes place generally from 7am to 5pm; with some need to mobilize in advance to be ready to work.  PSEG has brought in extra manpower and will be working on Saturdays into the 3rd week of September.

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Reader say Hold The Line Ridgewood Board of Education

REA Members come out to greet our Board of Ed

I sincerely hope our Board of Education can remain strong against these union boss Thugs. ( I hate to say it because many teachers don’t want to picket and would be happy to sign what is offered. Their top officers have nothing better to do than prove how superior they are to other leaders and would gladly use “Sticks and stones” since it appears “names will never hurt our RBA.”) And students, you will get better recommendations from people who actually know you than a teacher who has lots of students.

Teachers in Ridgewood complain about being paid less than other “professionals” or similarly educated folks – just a crock! (Really do not consider their behavior “professional” in any respect.) They have it made in our town and are holding the taxpayers hostage. Most of us are tired of your whining and livid at how you are taking this out on the kids and most of us do not speak up because we know you will retaliate against our children. Shame on you!

My vote is “NO” until the BOE settles the teacher contract. I have a feeling I am not alone in my thinking. My kids are in High School now. I am in NEED of teacher recommendations, etc……. I’ll be darned if I will support a tax increase for 5/6 year olds to socialize.