The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra is a regionally based, auditioned orchestra located in Ridgewood, New Jersey. For over 80 years, the RSO has served northern New Jersey with high quality performances, internationally renowned guest soloists and unique education opportunities for young musicians through our Young Musicians Festival.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, with nearly 80% of U.S. adults saying they will take some sort of road trip this summer, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2022’s Best & Worst States for Summer Road Trips.
Continue reading New Jersey Ranks 6th Worst State for Summer Road Trips in 2022
The summer might be some people’s favorite time of the year because it is associated with crazy beach parties, but when it is extremely hot outside, you may be tempted to stay at home. The peak of summer comes with unexpected heat waves that are bound to leave you feeling uncomfortable and irritable, which might lead you to overwork your AC by leaving it on 24/7. However, if your unit does not receive annual maintenance, it may suddenly stop working. Because you definitely do not want this to happen, especially in August, the hottest month of the year, it might be time to look into hiring an AC cleaning company to keep your unit in tip-top shape. If you do not know how to choose the best company, just try the next few tips.
Continue reading How to Find the Most Reliable AC Cleaning Service
file photo by Boyd Loving
July 29,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Starting Tuesday, August 1, village residents may buy a badge for the rest of the summer (through Labor Day) at half price.
Half-price Graydon badges are valid for the last 35 days of the swimming season–5 full weeks of fun in the sun (weather permitting).
Late-season badges, offered to Ridgewood residents only, cost $60 per adult (versus $120 for full season) and $55 per child (versus $110 for full season).
Order online through CommunityPass at ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass or in person at the Graydon badge office.
Celebrate steamy August and early September at the beach in our back yard. Kids returning from camp can enjoy a dip with friends old and new…build sand castles…cool off with ice cream on the patio…play volleyball and other games…pass the deep-water test…chill out before school starts.
HOURS OF OPERATION, August 1 through Labor Day (end of season)
Tuesday, August 1, through Sunday, August 13:
10 AM to 7:30 PM (7 days a week)
Monday, August 14, through Sunday, September 3:
Weekdays (Monday through Friday): noon to 7:30 PM
Weekends (Saturday and Sunday): 10 AM to 7:30 PM
Monday, September 4 (Labor Day):
10 AM to 7:30 PM
July 6,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Kasschau Shell offers free shows every Tuesday and Thursday in July and the first week of August.
Schedule :
https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/images/Ridgewood/Kasschau_Shell_-_2017_Schedule.pdf
file photo by Boyd Loving
April 22,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Few things are as much fun as splashing around at the beach or in a backyard pool, but not every child is confident about taking the plunge.
“For some children, the idea of getting in the water and trying to swim can be a bit frightening,” says K.J. Hales, author of It’s Hard to Swim, the second and most recent addition to the Life’s Little Lessons by Ellie the Wienerdog educational picture book series (www.ellietheweinerdog.com).
“But with the proper positive reinforcement, they can overcome their fears and discover just how much fun swimming can be.”
May is National Water Safety Month, a good time for parents to consider teaching their children how to swim. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports swimming lessons for most children 4 years and older. Water safety classes can also reduce the risk of drowning in younger children, the pediatrics group reports, but advises that because children develop at different rates, not all will be ready to swim at the same age.
Hales, who offers teachers’ guides and educational activities to go along with the lessons in her books, says she chose swimming as one of Ellie the Wienerdog’s adventures because it’s a valuable skill that all children should learn.
“Most children are around water in some form, whether it’s a pool, a river, a pond, a lake or the ocean,” she says. “So learning to swim isn’t just for fun. It’s also important for safety.”
The Pediatric Academy cites several water-safety tips for parents, including:
• Never – even for a moment – leave small children alone or in the care of another young child while in bathtubs, pools, spas or wading pools, or near irrigation ditches or standing water.
• Empty water from buckets and other containers immediately after use.
• To prevent drowning in toilets, young children should not be left alone in the bathroom.
• Closely supervise children in and around water. With infants, toddlers and weak swimmers, an adult should be within an arm’s length. With older children and better swimmers, an adult should be focused on the child and not distracted by other activities. Bath seats cannot substitute for adult supervision.
• If children are in out-of-home child care, ask about exposure to water and the ratio of adults to children.
• If you have a pool, install a four-sided fence that is at least 4-feet high to limit access to the pool. The fence should be hard to climb (not chain-link) and have a self-latching, self-closing gate. Families may consider pool alarms and rigid pool covers as additional layers of protection, but neither can take the place of a fence.
• Parents, caregivers and pool owners should learn CPR.
• Do not use air-filled swimming aids (such as inflatable arm bands) in place of life jackets. They can deflate and are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
• All children should wear a life jacket when riding in a boat. Small children and non-swimmers should also wear one at water’s edge, such as on a river bank or pier.
“When Ellie finally swims, she realizes that learning something new is wonderful and if you give it a try, you can do anything you wish,” Hales says. “This is a lesson I hope all children will take to heart, not only when learning to swim, but also when facing any challenge that comes their way.”
About K.J. Hales
K.J. Hales (www.kjhales-author.com) is author of the educational children’s books series, Life’s Little Lessons by Ellie the Wienerdog (www.ellietheweinerdog.com). The latest book in the series is It’s Hard to Swim. The purple wiener dog character is based on Hales’ own dachshund by the name of, you guessed it, Ellie.
photos by Boyd Loving
July 3,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood bog
Ridgewood NJ, lets face it ,its convenient, there is plenty of parking , no jelly fish or sharks and when mother nature turns up the heat Ridgewood residents continue to flock to Graydon pool to cool down.
2016 SEASON
Regular Season
Saturday, June 4 through August 14, 2016
Daily, 10 am to 7:30 pmand when mother nature turns up the heat
**Holiday** – July 4th, close 4 pm
Late Season
Monday, August 15 through Labor Day, September 5, 2016
Weekdays – 12 noon to 7:30 pm
Weekends/Holiday – 10 am to 7:30 pm
CONTACTS
Pool Manager’s Office – 201-670-5500, ext 7002 (in season)
Badge Office – 201-670-5500, ext 7003 (in season only)
Recreation Office at The Stable- 201-670-5560
recreation@ridgewoodnj.net
GRAYDON MEMBERSHIP RATES
RESIDENT MEMBERSHIPS – Village priced memberships are available to Ridgewood residents, non-residents who pay local property taxes to the Village of Ridgewood, and employees of the Village of Ridgewood and Board of Education. Proof is required.
ADULT – $120.00
CHILD – (ages 2-15, under 2 free) $110.00
SENIOR – $30.00 (62 and older)
PERMANENT DISABLED – $30.00
DAILY PASS – $10.00
BADGE REPLACEMENT – $5.00
NON-RESIDENT MEMBERSHIPS – The Village Council and the Ridgewood Department of Parks and Recreation are pleased to invite all families in the surrounding area to join the Graydon Pool facility for the 2016 summer season.
ADULT (ages 16 and up) – $200.00
CHILD (ages 2-15) – $175.00
GUEST PASSES (must be accompanied by 2016 season member)- $10.00
BADGE REPLACEMENT – $5.00
Special offers include money-saving beach packages; Kids ride free all weekend with Family SuperSaver Fare
May 25, 2016
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT will kick off the Memorial Day weekend with “early getaway” rail and bus service on Friday, May 27, for the benefit of customers leaving work early. To help speed the getaway, customers are reminded that they can enjoy the convenience of purchasing tickets through the MyTix feature of the NJ TRANSIT mobile app. Besides giving customers a jump on the unofficial start of summer, NJ TRANSIT is making it easy and affordable to get to fun in the sun around the state with a variety of discounted packages.
On Friday, May 27:
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.
One outbound Pascack Valley train (#9653, leaving Hoboken at 2:51 p.m.) will extend its existing service to terminate in Spring Valley.
Extra buses will operate from the Port Authority Bus Terminal 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.
On Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29:
The Bay Head-Long Branch shuttle is enhanced to hourly service (8 a.m.-10 p.m.)
Weekend shuttle service resumes between Toms River and Seaside Park on bus route no. 137. The bus leaves Toms River at 11:25 a.m. with the return departure from Seaside Park at 6:25 p.m. This service runs every weekend and holiday through the end of June, when direct service resumes from New York on bus route no. 137 and Newark bus route no. 67. See schedule for details.
All light rail systems will operate on regular Saturday/Sunday or Weekend schedules.
On Memorial Day, Monday, May 30:
Trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule on all lines.
The Bay Head-Long Branch shuttle is enhanced to hourly service (8 a.m.-10 p.m.)
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. Many routes serving shopping malls will operate on weekend/holiday schedules. Consult timetable for details. NOTE: Buses may be subject to detours and service delays for Memorial Day parades through various towns. See njtransit.com for details.
Summer Savings
With Memorial Day marking the “unofficial” start of the summer recreational season, this weekend is a great time for customers to take advantage of NJ TRANSIT’s discounted travel packages to destinations including the Jersey Shore, Six Flags, Monmouth Park and Liberty Science Center:
Beach Packages: Save up to $5.00 on admission to one of five beaches— Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach and Belmar—by purchasing round-trip train fare and a discounted beach pass for one price at NJ TRANSIT ticket vending machines (choose “Beach/Monmouth Park Packages” and select “Beach Package”) or at ticket windows. Customers can purchase the package at all NJ TRANSIT rail stations, excluding stations on the Atlantic City Rail Line. Beach Packages go on sale on the following four Fridays: May 27, June 3, 10 and 17 at 7 a.m. and are valid throughout the weekend and on holidays. Beach Packages will be available daily starting Saturday, June 18 and continuing through Labor Day, Monday, September 5.
Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari or Hurricane Harbor: Save up to $30 by purchasing round-trip bus transportation and park admission together. NJ TRANSIT provides express bus service to Six Flags from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York and Newark Penn Station.
Monmouth Park: Board a train anywhere on NJ TRANSIT’s rail system, excluding Atlantic City Rail Line stations, and save $5.50 when you travel to Monmouth Park Racetrack. Simply purchase a package to Monmouth Park from NJ TRANSIT ticket vending machines (choose “Beach/Monmouth Park Packages” and select “Monmouth Park”) or at ticket windows, and receive round-trip transportation, Grandstand Admission and an official track program for $3.50 plus the regular cost of a round-trip rail ticket.
Liberty Science Center: Beginning June 1, save $5 per person for up to four general admission, combo ticket and/or all-access passes when you travel on NJ TRANSIT and show your ticket, pass or fare receipt at Liberty Science Center. General admission passes include live science demonstrations, hands-on labs, and a variety of daily activities. Combo and all-access passes provide options for films and premium exhibits.
Visit njtransit.com for more information on NJ TRANSIT summer travel deals.
On weekends, kids ride free on NJ TRANSIT
Every weekend, families riding NJ TRANSIT can save with the Family SuperSaver Fare, which allows two children 11 and younger to travel free with each fare-paying adult. For the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the program will be extended and in effect from 7 p.m. Friday, May 27 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 31.
U.S. Split Along Racial Lines on Backlash Against Police, Poll Finds
By JANET HOOK
Americans are bracing for a summer of racial disturbances around the country, such as those that have wracked Baltimore, with African Americans and whites deeply divided about why the urban violence has occurred, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll has found.
A resounding 96% of adults surveyed said it was likely there would be additional racial disturbances this summer, a signal that Americans believe Baltimore’s recent problems aren’t a local phenomenon but instead are symptomatic of broader national problems.
When asked to explain recent events in Baltimore and other cities that have seen confrontations between police and members of the African-American community, blacks and whites viewed the situation differently.
Asked to choose between two possible explanations for recent events, 60% of blacks said they reflected “long-standing frustrations about police mistreatment of African Americans.” Some 27% of black respondents said the disturbances were caused by people who used protests over an African American man dying in police custody “as an excused to engage in looting and violence.”
But among whites, the balance of opinion flipped: 58% said people were seizing an excuse to loot, while 32% said the events reflected long-standing frustrations with police.
While most people in the survey predicted further racial disturbances this summer, a smaller share expected them to hit close to home. The poll found that 53% of whites and 46% of African Americans said it was likely there would be a racial disturbance in the metropolitan area nearest to them.
Full results of the new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, including public opinion of the 2016 presidential contenders, will be released on Monday evening.
