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Outrage in Ridgewood: Engineer’s New Bike Lane BLOCKS Parking in Front of Homes on South Pleasant

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From Bike Lane Dream to Parking Nightmare: Ridgewood Residents Furious After Grant Money Kills Street Parking on South Pleasant

screen shots from original presentation May 2024

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

RIDGEWOOD, NJ — The Village of Ridgewood is once again embroiled in controversy over a new bicycle infrastructure project, sparking outrage among residents of the Pleasant Avenue neighborhood. This time, the issue isn’t a “bike lane to nowhere,” but a newly implemented restriction on street parking on South Pleasant Avenue that residents were explicitly told would not happen.

The latest project, spearheaded by Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser, utilized grant money to create a new bike lane—but in a major development, the project has now effectively banned residents from parking in front of their own homes.

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19 Year Old Hackensack Man Arrested on Child Porn Charges

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of 19-year-old JONATHAN D. VELOZ of Hackensack, NJ, on the charge of possession of child sexual abuse material. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck.

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From Flood Risk to Future-Proof: Bergen County Pumps $1.7M Into Saddle River Park Restoration!

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Huge Win Against Flooding? Bergen County Restores Key Duck Pond Amid $7 Billion River Overflow Risk

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

PARAMUS, NJ — Saddle River County Park, a sprawling 577-acre oasis that connects six Bergen County towns, is well-known for its scenic trails—and unfortunately, its persistent flooding issues. However, the County of Bergen is tackling the problem head-on, celebrating a major ecological restoration project while simultaneously seeking further funding to mitigate the immense financial risks posed by river overflow.

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The Battle of the Branch: Why Ridgewood is Both Planting and REFUSING Hundreds of Shade Trees

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Ridgewood’s Green Paradox: 79 Saplings Planted, But 40% of Homeowners in the West Saddle River Road area Said NO Trees!

photo courtesy of the Ridgewood Shade Tree Commission

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood, NJ, is famous for its beautiful, tree-lined streets, but the village is currently facing a surprising division over its canopy.

This past Saturday, an enthusiastic group of volunteers, organized by the Shade Tree Commission, successfully planted 79 new saplings in the Willard neighborhood as part of the Village’s “Adopt a Sapling” program, which launched in 2023. To date, the program has planted just shy of 200 young trees, showing a strong community effort to “re-tree” Ridgewood.

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Gridlock Alert! Why Ridgewood Traffic is Worse Than Usual This Fall

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Why is Ridgewood Traffic a Nightmare Right Now? Unexpected Utility Work and Road Projects Clogging Maple Avenue

photo courtesy of the Village of Ridgewood

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, if your commute through Ridgewood,  has felt particularly painful lately, you’re not alone. Residents and commuters are experiencing heavier than usual traffic congestion due to a confluence of ongoing utility projects and critical infrastructure work being performed both by Bergen County and PSE&G.

Understanding what’s happening beneath the asphalt can help you plan your routes and ease some of the frustration.

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Ridgewood Honors Its Own: 9/11 Memorial Trees to be Replaced Using Open Space Fund

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Sacred Ground Preserved: Ridgewood Village Council Approves Funds to Restore 9/11 Memorial Trees Honoring 12 Lost Residents

photo courtesy of the Village of Ridgewood

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, with the November election right around the corner and an open space ballot question hanging on the line .The Village of Ridgewood, NJ, is taking action to ensure its solemn tribute to the heroes and victims of September 11, 2001, remains a strong and vibrant symbol of remembrance. While we believe the Village has failed in its remembrance of 9/11, using 9/11 to promote the open space ballot question is extremely bad taste.

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20 Years of Activism: Teaneck International Film Festival Unveils Explosive Lineup!

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20th Anniversary TIFF Lineup Revealed! Get Ready for 8 Days of Activism, Drama, and Can’t-Miss Films in Teaneck, NJ.

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Teaneck NJ, the Teaneck International Film Festival (TIFF) is ready to roll the credits on its monumental 20th anniversary with a powerhouse lineup that’s more relevant and urgent than ever. Dubbed “Activism: Making Change,” this year’s festival will run from November 6 – 13, 2025, transforming Teaneck, NJ, into a hub for social conscience, compelling cinema, and thought-provoking discussion.

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Pink Power Play: How Ridgewood High Cheerleaders are Tackling Breast Cancer!

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Ridgewood High Cheer Squad Jumps Into Action: Selling T-Shirts to Tackle Breast Cancer!

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood High School (RHS) Varsity Cheer Squad is flipping the script on community service this month, turning their team spirit into a powerful force for breast cancer awareness and fundraising.

Under the direction of dedicated Coach Erica Cassler and the leadership of Captains Molly Hanrahan, Emily Kaufman, Keelin Sullivan, Mia Lake, and Erianna Gonzalez-McCutcheon, the squad has launched an inspiring campaign centered around a simple, yet meaningful item: breast cancer awareness T-shirts.

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880 Rabbis Condemn Anti-Zionism Following Mamdani Interview: A National Call to Action

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Mamdani posts smiling photo with NYC imam tied to 1993 terror bombing

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

New York NY, nearly 900 rabbis from across America—specifically 880 as of 10 a.m. on October 23rd—have publicly signed an open letter titled “A Rabbinic Call to Action: Defending the Jewish Future,” condemning what they term the “political normalization of anti-Zionism.”

The letter, published by JewishMajority.org, was issued in direct response to comments made by New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee, during a Fox News interview where he appeared to dodge questions regarding Hamas.

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Ridgewood Locals Are Rethinking Their Daily Flow Due to Remote Work

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Ridgewood has always had its own rhythm: early trains, packed cafes, and evenings that settled down quietly into the suburbs. That rhythm has changed. With more people working remotely, daily life seems different. Commutes have disappeared, schedules have loosened, and homes have become offices.

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Open Space or Slush Fund? Ridgewood’s Turf War & League of Women Voters Under Fire

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Ridgewood’s ‘Open Space’ Tax Exposed? Turf Battle Heats Up, Puts League of Women Voters on the Spot

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, the political temperature in Ridgewood, NJ, is soaring as the controversial topic of artificial turf fields and the Village’s Open Space Trust Fund takes center stage. A recent statement by the League of Women Voters (LWV) regarding the turf expansion has drawn significant public criticism, leading many to question the transparency and accountability of local political groups and committees.

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Pompton Lakes Teacher Accused of Taping Student to Desk Surrenders Teaching License

Lenox Hill Elementary Teacher Todd Lewis Agrees to Permanently Relinquish Certificates Amid Investigation

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

POMPTON LAKES, NJ—A former elementary school teacher at Lenox Hill Elementary School in Pompton Lakes, who was accused of using masking tape to secure a student’s head to his desk, has permanently forfeited his right to teach in New Jersey.

Todd Lewis voluntarily agreed to relinquish both of his teaching certificates to the New Jersey State Board of Examiners in August 2025, effectively ending his career in the state’s public school system.

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Former Pathmark on Route 17 Hackensack Gets Major Asian Supermarket Upgrade

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G Mart Fills Decade-Long Void on Major Retail Strip with 25,000 Sq. Ft. of Global Specialties

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

HACKENSACK, NJ—The massive, long-vacant retail space on Route 17 South in Hackensack has finally found a vibrant new anchor. The former Pathmark building, which closed nearly a decade ago after the supermarket chain’s bankruptcy, is now home to G Mart, a major new Asian specialty grocery store.

The opening of the approximately 25,000-square-foot G Mart in late September injects new life into the highly-trafficked corridor, which has struggled to fill the void left when the 58,000-square-foot Pathmark shut its doors in 2015. While a Planet Fitness occupies a portion of the original structure, a large section of the building has sat empty for years.

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Dam Secrets Hinder Flood Safety: Westwood Mayor Calls Out Veolia & State Agencies Over Critical Reservoir Study

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Major Obstacle in Flood Modeling: Stevens Tech Team Stymied by Lack of Data

photo courtesy of Westwood Mayor Ray Arroyo (2012)

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Westwood, NJ—The ongoing study into flood mitigation in the Pascack Valley is running into a significant roadblock: a lack of crucial operational data regarding the Woodcliff Lake Reservoir.

On October 16, 2025, Mayor Ray Arroyo hosted Professor Marouane Temimi and a colleague from the Stevens Institute of Technology at the Westwood Community Center to update about 40 residents on the Forecast Informed Reservoir Operation (FIRO) study.

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Traffic Alert: Route 4 Bridge Replacement Project to Widen Major NJ Bottleneck to Six Lanes! 

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$74 Million Project in Teaneck Promises Relief for GWB-Bound Commuters—But Brace for Six Years of Construction

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

TEANECK, NJ—Commuters relying on Route 4 for access to the George Washington Bridge and Manhattan can finally look forward to a major upgrade—but the wait will be long. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) has confirmed a multi-year, multi-stage project to replace the 91-year-old Route 4 bridges over Palisade Avenue, Windsor Road, and the CSX Railroad in Teaneck.

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