The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
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Ridgewood NJ, an Evening of Classical Music. Bring a chair, get a snack from one of Ridgewood’s many shops and enjoy the beautiful sounds of the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra ‘s String Quartet and Wind Quintet. The groups will perform selected opera arias, Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto, Rossini’s Overture to the Barber of Seville, and pieces from Gershwin, Joplin, and William Grant Still.
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Ridgewood NJ, join the Ridgewood Guild as we begin our 12th season of Movies in the Park on Wednesday June 16 with the 70th anniversary of the classic film A Streetcar Named Desire. The film stars Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh. The movie begins approximately 9:00 PM when the sun goes down.
file photo by Boyd Loving
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Ridgewood NJ, the American Legion Post 53 will host a Memorial Day service at Van Neste Park on Monday.
Continue reading Ridgewood to Hold Memorial Day Service at Van Neste Park on Monday
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Ridgewood NJ, With all the discontent surrounding the pandemic and national politics I thought it would be a good idea to divert our attention to an earlier time for a fictional “coming of age” story that I wrote about Chris Bronson, a 1969 graduate of Ridgewood High School. “Return to Shandalee: 1969 and The Summer of Love” is partly set in Ridgewood, NJ with references to Valley Hospital, Woolworth’s, Ridgewood Avenue, Van Neste Park, and many other places and people whose names I changed. Anybody from New Jersey over sixty reading my book can understand the references to “the Jersey shore,” foregone Catskill resorts, antiquated summer camps, and the current events of the time. All others who first fell in love when they were teenagers will understand the angst of it all but should be comforted by the tale of the central characters and how it shaped their future. “Shandalee” is a 5-Star novel available through Amazon in Kindle or paperback. It should take your mind off 2020!
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Ridgewood NJ, The Village of Ridgewood’s Pedestrian Mall has been an enormous success. Starting on June 20, the central business district streets have been closed every Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 10 pm allowing shoppers and diners to enjoy being outdoors in a safe, fun environment. Musicians are scattered throughout the mall during the dinner hours, and there are live bands in Van Neste Park every Sat and Sun evening. Other types of entertainment are sprinkled in through the day, such as puppeteers and The Ridgewood Irish Dancers, who perform on the square every Sunday at 4 pm.
Continue reading Ridgewood’s Pedestrian Mall will be closed on Saturday, July 4, and Sunday, July 5
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Ridgewood NJ, LGBT Pride Month occurs in the United States to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBT people have had in the world and the Village of Ridgewood has posted its support in Van Neste park on the newly erected flag pole with a “Rainbow” or “Pride” flag.
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Ridgewood NJ, the Ridgewood blog staff has discovered more rats at Van Neste Park. The rat infestation appears worse than originally reported.
There are currently 4 major construction projects in Ridgewood’s central business district and it would seem that the development is stirring up unwanted guests.
The Ridgewood central business district is already dealing with a growing homeless problem, rats only add to the perception the Village’s best days are far behind it.
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Ridgewod NJ, Eighth annual Gold Star Mother’s Day commemoration sponsored by the Ridgewood Gold Star Mother’s Day Committee to be held on Sunday, September 30, 2018, and starting promptly at 7:00 p.m. at Van Neste Park, Ridgewood, NJ, as our Nation honors our Gold Star Mothers and families.
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Ridgewood NJ, On Sunday, September 30, 2018 our Nation honors our Gold Star Mothers and families. The Presidential Proclamation in 2011 commemorating this day pronounces, “As members of a grateful Nation, we owe a debt we can never repay, but hold this sacred obligation forever in our hearts, minds, and actions. We honor their sacrifice, and stand with our service members, military families, and Gold Star families as they have stood for us.” The American Legion Post 53 and Ridgewood NJ’s Blue Star Families are committed to bringing awareness to our community and to commemorate the sacrifices these mothers and their families have made for our Country.
Continue reading Gold Star Mother’s Day Ceremony ,September 30th
September 7, 2017
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Ridgewood NJ, On Sunday, September 24, 2017 our Nation honors our Gold Star Mothers and families. The Presidential Proclamation in 2011 commemorating this day pronounces, “As members of a grateful Nation, we owe a debt we can never repay, but hold this sacred obligation forever in our hearts, minds, and actions. We honor their sacrifice, and stand with our service members, military families, and Gold Star families as they have stood for us.” The American Legion Post 53 and Ridgewood NJ’s Blue Star Families are committed to bringing awareness to our community and to commemorate the sacrifices these mothers and their families have made for our Country.
In the aftermath of World War I, Washington D.C. resident Grace Darling Seibold formed an organization called Gold Star Mothers to support the moms who had lost sons and daughters to the war. Grace’s son, First Lieutenant George Vaughn Seibold, was an aviator killed in combat over France in 1918. In 1928, the small D.C.-based group decided to nationalize its efforts. In 1936, a joint congressional resolution established the last Sunday in September as Gold Star Mother’s Day. The Gold Star Mothers grew from a support group of 60 women to today’s extensive nationwide network with tens of thousands of members and hundreds of local chapters.
In Ridgewood, NJ the Gold Star Mother’s Day Committee will sponsor our seventh annual event commemorating Gold Star Mother’s Day on Sunday, September 24th, at Van Neste Park. There will be a short ceremony starting promptly at 7:00 p.m. and hundreds of luminaries will be lit to honor Gold Star Mothers and their families. But in addition, our goal is to see thousands of other luminaries lit throughout Ridgewood and other towns on September 24th to honor the Gold Star Mothers and families!
Luminaries will be available for a donation before the ceremony at the following location:
Residence of Bob Paoli, Commander American Legion Post #53,
at 368 N. Pleasant Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. 07450
Call 201-445-1738 to arrange time to pickup
Everyone also can stand with us in honoring the Gold Star Mothers and families by helping to raise awareness through:
talking to your family, friends, and neighbors about the event;
joining us at Van Neste Park; and,supporting this event with a donation (please make checks payable to the American Legion Post #53, write “Gold Star event” on the memo line, and send it to the American Legion Post #53, P.O. Box 1525, Ridgewood, NJ 07450).
August 9,2017
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Ridgewood NJ, yes it’s FREE ,tonight , Wednesday 8/9 around 8:00pm at Van Neste Park , the Ridgewood Guild sponsors ‘Moonstruck” – Join us and enjoy this romantic comedy founded on emotional abandon and poignant truth. Not content with one romance, it involves five or six, depending on how you count, and conceding that some characters are involved in more than one. Play our trivia game and win prizes!
photo by Boyd Loving
April 24,2017
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Ridgewood NJ, Conclusion and awards ceremony of the “Daffy Dog Parade” at the Daffodil Festival And Earth Day Celebration at Van Neste Park.
First of all, it’s not your town, and if you think Van Neste is an oasis of calm, you’re living in a time warp. Ridgewood has become a small city and don’t even think about blaming past councils, boards or the chamber. The residents of the village have collectively allowed this to happen as its median set of values is now drastically different than it was 30 years ago.
“median set of values” what is that? Translate: Do you mean, crowded , noisey, Hobokeny, Times Square, For me , I have lived here about 40 years, it still has that oh so wonderful small village feel and charm quality, and listen when I sit my old ass in Van Neste which I do often, it is quiet, an oasis of peace and charm coupled with natural beauty, trees, plants, grass and past citizen nostalgia (bricks, monuments) amidst the hustle and bustle of the downtown. Let’s keep the downtown no more developed than what it is. It is a really small space, so villagey and quaint. Don’t stuff it.
This is what I experience at Van Neste Park. Peace, calm , tranquility, beauty. I want to keep it that way.
And when I say it is MY TOWN, I am speaking POETICALLY, Of course it is OUR TOWN. I am trying to express my love and appreciation for what Ridgewood has and what I want to preserve. I am sorry you don’t understand. Take literature 101.
Was walking around VN a couple weeks ago, and by that bench at the SE corner of the park there were no less than three empty fifths of Majorska, empty cigarette packs, and a couple broken beer bottles. Whoever made that mess had plenty of time to do it. No cops to roust them, and nobody to clean up after.
You would think that simply cleaning the park would be a step in the right direction, but instead we have $ to enrich some contractor by pulling all the bricks and pouring concrete.
But by all means, blame the teachers for your high taxes.
