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The Ridgewood Art Institute’s First Annual Plein Art Show

Ridgewood Art Institute

the ridgewood art institute’s first annual plein art show
Sun, February 11, 2018 – Fri, March 02, 2018
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Location: The Ridgewood Art Institute, 12 East Glen Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

The Ridgewood Art Institute’s First Annual Plein Art show
On View: February 11th-March 2nd, 2018 from 10am to 3pm daily
The Ridgewood Art Institute is located at:
12 East Glen Ave
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Please contact 201-652-9615 with questions or visit their website at www.ridgewoodartinstitute.com

Ridgewood NJ, Plein Air painting is about leaving the four walls of your studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists.

Please join us for our first art show to exclusively feature Plein Air sketches by our members. All pieces in this show will have been done while on location, with no further reworking done in studio. The results reflect a freshness and immediacy that can only be achieved by working in this manner.

Classes are offered on an open enrollment basis, and can be joined at anytime.

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TODAY’S FEATURED WALKTOBERFEST TOUR:THE ED CENTER

BOE_theridgewoodblog

TODAY’S FEATURED WALKTOBERFEST TOUR:
THE ED CENTER (49 Cottage Place)
Oct. 20th
10am to 11am

Ridgewood NJ, One of the Village’s most important historical structures, the Education Center houses our school district’s administrative offices, along with notable photos of historic Ridgewood and current artwork by our student body.Superintendent, Dr. Dan Fishbein, will lead the tour of this massive Romanesque Revival building.
It has gone through multiple changes through the years. beginning as the Ridgewood School, when it opened in 1895. It has since been the community’s middle school and high school and presently serves as Ridgewood’s Board of Education Center. Meet Dr. Fishbein at the front doors at 10am tomorrow and learn even more!
Register through RidgewoodWalks.com

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RIDGEWOOD WATER Climate Change of Gross Negligence ?

abominable-snowman-520169

AN EVENING WITH DR. DAVID ROBINSON
NEW JERSEY STATE CLIMATOLOGIST
                        RIDGEWOOD WATER RIDGEWOOD PARKS & RECREATION
&
THE RIDGEWOOD ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (REAC) ARE PLEASED TO HOST A
PUBLIC FORUM
ON
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2017
7:00 – 8:30 PM
RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY   ●   125 N. MAPLE AVENUE

ROBINSON WILL BE DISCUSSING:
THE CHANGING CLIMATE IN THE STATE
WEATHER
DROUGHT
EFFECTS OF THE CHANGING CLIMATE ON UTILITIES LIKE RIDGEWOOD WATER

PLEASE VISIT THE EVENTS CALENDAR ON THE RIDGEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY’S WEBSITE OR REGISTER DIRECTLY AT:
https://water.ridgewoodnj.net/ccevent/

SPACE IS LIMITED. ALL RIDGEWOOD WATER CUSTOMERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND.
Dr. David A. Robinson is a professor in the Department of Geography at Rutgers University and also serves as New Jersey’s State Climatologist. His research interests are in applied climate, especially related to New Jersey, and in climate dynamics and change, particularly focused on global snow cover. He is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and sits on climate advisory committees for the National Academy of Sciences and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  He has chaired two National Research Council panels and the American Meteorological Society’s Polar Meteorology and Oceanography Committee, and is a past president of the American Association of State Climatologists. Dr. Robinson was recently elected a Fellow of the American Meteorological Society and has received a NOAA Environmental Hero award, as well as the Lifetime Achievement award of the Association of American Geographer’s Climate Specialty Group.

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New Jersey Pushes “Complete Streets are for everyone”

suicide bike lane

September 13,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

 

Ridgewood NJ, the state of New Jersey along with  the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center (BPRC) is pushing a plan to make your streets safer and more user friendly for ,pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles with a series of planning and design initiates .

According to there website , “Complete Streets are for everyone. They are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users… [so that] pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and public transportation users of all ages and ability are able to safely move along and across [the street].”

The Complete streets program  is being spearheaded  by the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center (BPRC) assists public officials, transportation and health professionals, and the public in creating a safer and more accessible walking and bicycling environment through primary research, education and dissemination of information about best practices in policy and design. The Center is supported by the New Jersey Department of Transportation through funds provided by the Federal Highway Administration.

The Village of Ridgewood signed a Complete Streets Resolution back in 2013 , ( https://njbikeped.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Ridgewood-Complete-Streets-Resolution.pdf ) and while some efforts have been a success like well defined ADA compliant highly visible cross walks and curbs other attempts , like the “suicide bike lane ” and traffic easing under the trestle have been an unmitigated failure .

DecorativeCrosswalks theridgewoodblog.net

What are the Components of Complete Streets?

Pedestrian Component: defined as “the clear area located between the curb and the adjacent building frontage” . Key Complete Streets design elements for this component include appropriate sidewalk widths and ADA accessible curb ramps
Building and furnishing: refers to “street furniture, elements of buildings that intrude into the sidewalk, and commercial activities that occur on the sidewalk…” and includes design elements such as bicycle parking, pedestrian-scale lighting, benches/street furniture, and street trees
Bicycle: addresses “bikeways and other facilitates within the public right-of-way…” and includes design elements such as bicycle lanes (regular, buffered, contraflow, etc.), cycle tracks, share-use paths, shared lanes/sharrows, and bike route signs
Curbside Management: relates to “facilities between the cartway and the sidewalk” and includes design elements such as on-street car parking, on-street bicycle parking, loading zones, and transit shelters.
Vehicle/Cartway: describes the “portion of the public right-of-way that is intended primarily or exclusively for motor vehicle use…” [11] and includes design elements such as appropriately sized lane widths, speed humps/tables, raised medians, chicanes, and preferred/exclusive bus lanes
Urban Design: addresses “policies related to those aspects of urban form that affect Complete Streets” such as driveways, utilities, and stormwater management.
Intersection & Crossing:  includes treatments that “…facilitate safe movement of all modes at intersections” [13] including high-visibility crosswalks (striped, raised, etc.), curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, bike boxes, and a variety of signal treatments (e.g., pedestrian countdown clocks, HAWK/RRFB signals, bicycle signals, etc.).

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Remembering those we lost on September 11th 2001

9/11 September11_grim_theridgewoodblog

September 11,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, remembering those we lost on September 11th 2001 ; Richard Blood, Michael Carroll, Daniel McGinley, James Munhall, Charlie Murphy,  Steven Paterson, Michael San Phillip, Bruce Simmons,  Steven Strobert,  Gina Sztejnberg,  Jon Vandevander,  and Christopher Wodenshek.

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Village of Ridgewood Moves Forward on Maple Field Replacement

turf_theridgewoodblog

September 8th 2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ. the Maple Park turf field is in need of a major update , the Village will apply to Bergen County Open Space funding for the 50/50 matching grant to replace the turf at Maple Field. The Village plans to use Bergen County Open space funds, Village open space funds and money from the capital budget . The decision has been made to replace the 12 year old field due to is heavy use and deteriorated condition.

Resident Boyd Loving asked if the Village expected to receive any money from the class action suite filed against the manufacturing over the fields not living up to their expected life span? Village Attorney Matt Rogers explained that there were on going talks with Field Turf to defray costs of a replacement field and will be made public when negotiations are concluded .

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Village Council Summer Highlights from August 9th Meeting

Village Council

Village Council Summer Highlights

1. VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD MASTER PLAN – Planning Board Master Plan update: funding for the Village Master Plan is in place and the Planning Board advanced the undertaking at the annual reorganization meeting on July 18. A Master Plan Committee was appointed to assist the Planning Board, the Ridgewood Village Council and the public with the Master Plan process including, but not limited to: project education, scheduling, milestones, budgeting, public engagement and participation, and to ensure an open and transparent process. Committee members include Mayor Susan Knudsen, PB Vice-chairman Joel Torielli, Planning Board members Debbie Patire and Melanie McWilliams. **Chairman Richard Joel will be substituting on an interim basis as needed. The Master Plan Committee is a preliminary step prior to formally advancing the Master Plan process. 


2. As one of the most used sports fields the turf at Maple Park is now in need of replacement. Installed more than decade ago, the replacement will allow the field to continue to facilitate a variety of sports programs throughout the year. The Maple Park Turf Replacement is subject to a public hearing scheduled for August 9, 2017.


3. Purchasing the Elks Club Property allows for future planning ensuring a more efficient utility benefiting Ridgewood Water customers. The Water Capital Ordinance for $1,600,000 includes the purchase price of $1.1 mil for the property and $500,000 to renovate the building from the Water Utility Capital Fund. 


4. Summer “School” ordinances: Amending Chapter 265 will prohibit stopping on portions of West Ridgewood Avenue allowing a safer approach to vehicular traffic around the Ridge School. Additionally, Enacting Title 39 on All Public School Properties authorizes the Ridgewood Police Department to enforce traffic and parking regulations on Board of Education property. Ordinance 3612 protects Ridgewood taxpayers from the unlawful enrollment of students in Ridgewood Public Schools through the Village Municipal Court.


5. Direct Village Planner to conduct a study for Redevelopment of the Hudson Street Municipal Parking Lot, allowing the Village more options moving forward with garage construction plans that could potentially save significant taxpayer dollars and build time.

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Reader says Regionalization of you local police force doesn’t save money (ask the county sheriff how his merger is doing)

county sheriff theridgewoodblog.net

file photo by Boyd Loving

The regionalization of you local police force doesn’t save money (ask the county sheriff how his merger is doing), it adds to the response time of calls and believe it or not every ridgewood cop has lived in this town at one point or another. Knowing your work environment makes a significant difference in quality.

The schools argument is even more significant. Bad schools = less desirable place to live. Name me one large regional school district that performs in comparison to Ridgewood or Glen rock etc.

I have said this before but living here is not cheap and unfortunately if you can’t afford to live here you should not expect a cut in services to enable your continued residency. Living here is not for everyone and certainly not everyone can afford it. But those who can want what we have now. That includes rear yard garbage pickup.

If you want regional services. The Poconos are close by.

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Reader says its time for Regionalization of the Police Departments and School Systems in Bergen County

ridgewood police

file photo by Boyd Loving

I don’t think that the police department touches the lives of residents the same way that our teachers and administrators do. A regional board of ed could lead to our children traveling further to school, no more local control and less parental input.

I do not feel the same about RPD. the officer patrolling does not know me and I do not know him/her. It really does not matter. When I visit other towns and cities their school system does not matter to me. They have police departments protecting and serving. As in Ridgewood, I do not know the oficers and it does not matter when they do their job.

Regionalization would allow a more efficient use of police officers and less administration.would save money. New Jersey has hundreds of towns and police departments.

A regional school system would save money too. Education is personal, teachers touch the lives of every child. Once a successful merger of police departments is achieved we could look to see what practices could be applied to schools.

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District boasts above-average dyslexia detection and response program

BOE_theridgewoodblog

Ryan Stolz, CorrespondentPublished 9:44 a.m. ET July 1, 2017 | Updated 9:44 a.m. ET July 1, 2017

In a presentation to the Board of Education Monday night, Director of Special Services Dr. Kim Turner detailed the process in which Ridgewood Public Schools tests kids for Dyslexia.

According to Turner, the testing process, and the way in which Ridgewood ensures students are being properly aided in the classroom, goes well beyond what the State of New Jersey requires by law.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2017/07/01/district-boasts-above-average-dyslexia-detection-and-response-program/436061001/

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House passes Kate’s Law, as part of broader illegal immigrant crackdown

ICE Arrests

June 30,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Washington DC, in a vote of 257 to 157, with one Republican voting no and 24 Democrats voting yes, the US House of Representatives passed ,”Kate’s Law”.

The House also passed a bill that would deny federal grants to sanctuary cities . Kate’s Law, would increase the penalties for deported aliens who try to return to the United States.

Kate’s Law is named for Kate Steinle, a San Francisco woman killed by an illegal immigrant who was in the U.S. despite multiple deportations. The two-year anniversary of her death is on Saturday.

Statement from President Donald J. Trump on House Passage of Kate’s Law and No Sanctuary for Criminals Act :

“During my campaign, I met many grieving families who all had the same plea: lawmakers must put the safety of American families first.  Today, I applaud the House for passing two crucial measures to save and protect American lives.  These were bills I campaigned on and that are vital to our public safety and national security.  The first bill, Kate’s Law, increases criminal penalties for illegal immigrants who repeatedly re-enter the country illegally.  The bill is named for Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times.  Every year, countless Americans are victimized, assaulted, and killed by illegal immigrants who have been deported multiple times.  It is time for these tragedies to end.

The second bill, the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, restricts taxpayer grant money to cities that prevent their police from turning over dangerous criminal aliens to federal authorities.  Sanctuary cities are releasing violent criminals, including members of the bloodthirsty MS-13 gang, back onto our streets every single day.  Innocent Americans are suffering unthinkable violence as a result of these cities’ reckless actions.  The House bill also includes what is known as Grant’s Law and Sarah’s Law.  These provisions, which prevent the release of dangerous criminals awaiting removal proceedings, are named for two slain Americans whose parents I spent time with during the campaign.

The implementation of these policies will make our communities safer.  Opposing these bills, and allowing dangerous criminals back into our communities, our schools, and the neighborhoods where our children play, puts all of us at risk.

Now that the House has acted, I urged the Senate to take up these bills, pass them, and send them to my desk.  I am calling on all lawmakers to vote for these bills and to save American lives.”

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Reader says you are wrong and you bought into the fake arguments raised by Arohson, Pucciarli and the developers

Ridgewood 3 amigos

you are wrong and you bought into the fake arguments raised by Arohson, Pucciarli and the developers. Yes, we have requirements, but no, we did not need to line Saraceno’s and the other developer’s pockets in order to address these issues.

We were sold up the river, pure and simple, by a mean spirited and self-serving duo of public officials – – remember, they voted to make these projects the law as they were leaving office. They are carpetbaggers who have no place in our Village life.

We have now entered a new phase for life in Ridgewood thanks to the duplicitous duo. And we need to be ready for it. We are now going to much more like New Brunswick than a Ho-Ho-Kus or Glen Rock. We need to work hard to maintain the value of our properties, our schools and other public services as we deal with an influx of people that will totally drain our infrastructure.

Regrettably, it is not clear what the “new” council is doing to address and deal with the issues that lay ahead. Attention must now be focused on bringing them into focus, but as others on this thread have said, that ain’t going to happen if we all stay home and silent..

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Ridgewood Village Council Special Public Meeting and Work Session

Village Council

VILLAGE COUNCIL SPECIAL PUBLIC MEETING

JUNE 28, 2017

7:30 P.M.

1. Call to Order – Mayor

2. Statement of Compliance with the Open Public Meeting Act

MAYOR: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided

by a posting on the bulletin board in Village Hall,

by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”

3. Roll Call

4. RESOLUTIONS

17-170 Award Contract – Infra-red Paving Restoration

17-171 Reject Bids – Central Valet Parking Services

17-172 Authorize Application to the Bergen County Historic Trust Fund – Zabriskie-Schedler House, Phase 2

17-173 Authorize Application to the Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund – Turf Field at Maple Park

17-174 Annual Renewal of Liquor Licenses

17-175 Set Public Hearing Date for Settlement Negotiation

5. Adjournment

VILLAGE COUNCIL WORK SESSION

THE RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE COUNCIL’S

PUBLIC WORKSHOP AGENDA

JUNE 28, 2017

7:30 P.M.

1. 7:30 pm – Call to Order – Mayor

2. Statement of Compliance with Open Public Meeting Act Mayor: “Adequate notice of this meeting has been provided by a posting on the bulletin board in Village Hall, by mail to the Ridgewood News, The Record, and by submission to all persons entitled to same as provided by law of a schedule including the date and time of this meeting.”

3. Roll Call – Village Clerk

4. Flag Salute/Moment of Silence

5. Public Comments (Not to Exceed 3 Minutes per Person – 40 Minutes in Total)

6. Presentation – Open Space Survey Findings

7. Discussion

a. Ridgewood Water

1.  Award of Contract – Infrared Asphalt Restoration

b. Budget

1. Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Grant Application

c. Operations

1. Purchase of Property

d. Parking

1. Rebid Central Valet Services

8. Motion to Suspend Work Session and Convene Special Public Meeting

9. Special Public Meeting – See At tached Agenda

10. Motion to Adjourn Special Publc Meeting and Reconvene Work Session

11. Discussion (Continued)

a. Ridgewood Water (continued)

1. Lease of Property for Co-Location of Wireless Telecommunications Antennas – Glen Avenue Tank Location

2. Award Contract – Polyphosphate Pumps for Corrosion Control

3. Award Professional Services Contract – Cedar Hill Reservoir Improvements

b. Parking

1. Train Station Parking

2. Update on Parking Garage

3. Clinton Avenue Parking – Safety Concerns

c. Budget

1. Declare Fire Department Equipment Surplus

2. Award Contract Under State Contract – Tires

3. Award Contract Under State Contract – Police Handguns, Holsters, & Magazine Pouches

4. Award Contract Under State Contract – Two Police Patrol SUVs

5. Award Contract Under State Contract – Lifts and Support Stands – Fleet Services

6. Award Contract Under National Joint Powers Alliance – Front End Loaders with Snowplows

7. Award Contract Under National Joint Powers Alliance – Two Sanitation Trucks with Snowplows

b. Policy

1. Boards and Committees – Fields Committee

2. Endorse Bergen County Open Space Trust Fund Program – The James Rose Center

3. Title 59 Approval – Painting Curbs Yellow

4. Options for Glenwood Road Railroad Crossing

5. Amend Chapter 145 – Fees – Tree Protection

6. Garber Square Bike Lane

e. Operations (continued)

1. Appoint Clean Communities Coordinator and Recycling Program Coordinator

2. Municipal Complex Parking Lot Changes

12. Manager’s Report

13. Council Reports

14. Public Comments (Not to Exceed 5 Minutes per Person)

15. Resolution to go into Closed Session

16. Closed Session

A. Legal – COAH; Valley Hospital

B. Personnel –

C. Contract Negotiations –

17. Adjournment

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Get in Shape For Women is Offering Summer Specials

get in shape

Posted: Thursday, June 17, 2017

We are running 2 specials right now –
6 weeks Jump Start Package $279
Student Summer Special $199 per month

51 Chestnut Street
Ridgewood, NJ 07450
201-444-4464
www.getinshapeforwomenridgewood.com

140 Franklin Turnpike
Waldwick, NJ 07463
201-207-8590
www.getinshapeforwomenwaldwick.co

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James Rose Center in Ridgewood, Makes List of N.J.’s 10 most endangered historic sites for 2017

James Rose

May 19,2017
PJ Blogger

Ridgewood NJ, The James Rose Center, a nonprofit landscape research and study foundation, is housed in what was the home of the late landscape architect James Rose.

Unfortunately during a wind storm last year, a large tree uprooted and caused significant damage to the roof garden and adjacent structures . The damage also revealed other structural problems with the home leading to expensive repairs that are necessary to make the property safe.

If you do not know James Rose  was a real character . A true iconoclast  . Along with Garrett Eckbo and Dan Kiley, James  Rose was one of the leaders of the modern movement in American landscape architecture. I had the opportunity to meet him many times in the late 70’s and very early 80’s.  He would always make an impression .Love him or hate him , you would never forget him. Rose was known for his out spoken hi-jinks and his cavalier way of making you feel like an idiot. He was brilliant, creative and someone who always thought out side the box. That would however get him in trouble from time to time .I credit him with my appreciation of gardening and landscaping.

I had  a landscaping business at the time and he gave me a signed copy of his book , “Gardens Make Me Laugh” which fundamentally altered the way I looked at the world. It is most likely the single most obnoxious gardening book ever written. The off beat book had an over sized influence on my life. The book is loaded with gardening and philosophy antidotes and is also one of the main reasons I was never accepted into the college of my choice . I used the book for all my college essays and apparently admissions offices did not share Mr. Rose’s and my sense of humor. However during my early college days I actually got a job based on the fact that I knew who James Rose was .

His most famous quote , “The problem is you live here” is one of the guiding principles of the Ridgewood blog to this day

To make a donation : https://jamesrosecenter.org/donations/donate/