Trends in college funding shortchange state schools
Legislators and the governor’s staff have been focused on the controversial higher education restructuring plan during this budget cycle, all but ignoring an issue that affects many more students and their families: state college funding.
This year’s state budget — having passed both houses of the Legislature and awaiting action by Gov. Chris Christie — provides no increase in aid to Rutgers University or the state colleges, save for a $5 million boost to Rowan University, a key beneficiary of the restructuring, for its new medical school. (O’Dea, NJ Spotlight)
Low-carb diet burns the most calories in small study
By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY
A new study is raising questions about the age-old belief that a calorie is a calorie.
The research finds that dieters who were trying to maintain their weight loss burned significantly more calories eating a low-carb diet than they did eating a low-fat diet.
But some experts say these findings are very preliminary.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, was designed to see if changing the type of diet people consumed helped with weight maintenance because dieters often regain lost weight.
So scientists had 21 obese participants, ages 18 to 40, lose 10% to 15% of their initial body weight (about 30 pounds). After their weight had stabilized, each participant followed one of three different diets for four weeks. Participants were fed food that was prepared for them by diet experts. The dieters were admitted to the hospital four times for medical and metabolic testing.
Here’s a look at the three types of diets used in the new study:
A low-fat diet, which is about 20% of calories from fat, 60% from carbohydrates, 20% from protein. It emphasizes whole-grain products and fruits and vegetables and cuts way back on oils, nuts, fatty meats and other high-fat foods.
A low-carb diet, similar to the Atkins diet, with only 10% of calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, 60% from fat. This diet emphasizes beef, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, some vegetables and fruits while slashing the consumption of breads, pasta, potatoes, rice, cakes, cookies and starchy vegetables.
Ridgewood Schools roll out Five Year Curriculum Plans
At the June 18 Board of Education meeting, Greg McDonald (Technology), Basil Pizzuto (Business) and Chris McCullough (Fine and Applied Arts) presented curriculum review and planning reports for these areas.
Click here to view the Art and Music Five-Year Plan.
A reader asks ,”Is the cell tower on Barnett and First Street necessary after below described transaction between T-Mobile and Verizon?”
Verizon, T-Mobile Agree Spectrum Swap Pending Cable Deal
By Scott Moritz and Todd Shields – Jun 25, 2012 4:32 PM ET
Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. wireless carrier, agreed to sell airwave licenses to T-Mobile USA Inc., contingent on Verizon completing a $3.6 billion acquisition of spectrum from cable companies.
The exchange will allow Verizon to sell T-Mobile some of the surplus spectrum it will have in certain cities as a result of the SpectrumCo deal, which was proposed by Verizon in December. SpectrumCo is a joint venture of cable companies led by Comcast Corp. (CMCSA), which forged the accord as part of a plan to jointly market services with Verizon.
In the deal, Verizon will swap advanced wireless services, or AWS, spectrum covering 60 million people for airwaves from T- Mobile covering 22 million people plus an undisclosed payment.
The agreement with T-Mobile, which had opposed the SpectrumCo deal, is the second move by Verizon to sell spectrum pending approval of the cable airwaves purchase. In April 18, to help ease approval by the Federal Communications Commission for the SpectrumCo deal, Verizon agreed a sale of 700 megahertz A and B spectrum it bought in 2008.
Democratic lawmakers push bill requiring for-profit hospitals to post financial records to aid unions
Monday, June 25, 2012, 5:40 PM Updated: Monday, June 25, 2012, 5:44 PM
By Susan K. Livio/Statehouse Bureau
TRENTON — As the number of for-profit hospitals continues to grow in New Jersey, a bill that would require they publicly disclose information about their investors, audits and other financial records won final legislative passage today.
The bill skipped the customary committee hearing in the Assembly and was posted on the floor for a 49-22 vote with five abstentions.
The bill (A2143) passed the Senate in March and now heads to Gov. Chris Christie, who will decide whether to sign it.
Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen) has said she sponsored the bill to make the growing number of for-profit hospitals more accountable, as they clashed with labor unions and in some cases dropped contracts with managed care plans.
Ridgewood’s 102nd annual Fourth of July Celebration: Let’s Make it a Safe Celebration
Ridgewood’s 102nd annual Fourth of July Celebration will take place on Wednesday,July 4, 2012. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Born in New Jersey.”
Ridgewood’s celebration was founded in 1910 as a “safe and sane” way to celebrate Independence Day. Today, as our celebration continues, the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration Committee along with the Ridgewood Police Department, Ridgewood Fire Department and Ridgewood Emergency Services have some pointers to keep the spirit of safety that began so long ago.
Some things to consider when watching the fabulous Parade:
• Wear sun block
• Drink plenty of water
• Consider ear plugs (some of those sirens are very loud!)
• Please keep the roadways clear.
− The streets are closed to traffic, but open to parade vehicles – some of
which are very large and have poor visibility, especially turning corners.
And, while waiting for the equally fabulous Fireworks display:
• Drink plenty of water
• Consider ear plugs (some of the ‘booms’ are very loud!)
• On Veterans Field, please keep the coned-off ‘aisles’ clear for emergency access
• On Maple Avenue, please no seating – Police, Fire and EMS require open
access from the field to the main streets for emergency vehicles.
At both events, please note that there are Police Officers and EMS Personnel located throughout the areas to assist you with any and all safety issues or concerns.
While the celebration is fun – we all keep safety as our number one priority. We hope you can join us with this priority in order to keep the “safe and sane” celebration continuing for years to come.
The Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration is organized by the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration, Inc., an all-volunteer community group. All aspects of the Celebration including fireworks, bands, evening performers, insurance, police and fire personnel, are funded by voluntary participation from businesses and individuals as well as the sale of tickets to our fireworks show. The Committee is not part of the Village of Ridgewood government and receives no direct funding from the Village.
Additional information and answers to many of your questions can be found on the Ridgewood Fourth of July Celebration’s website at www.ridgewoodjuly4th.org. Please join with the Committee in 2012 as we once again “Support the Tradition!”
Compromise bill could help ease fears of collapse in solar sector, ratepayers pick up the tab
The Legislature yesterday approved a fix to prop up the state’s solar market, with both the Assembly and the Senate easily passing a compromise bill that aims to speed up a mandate requiring how much of New Jersey’s electricity should come from solar systems.
The bill (A-2966), the subject of intense lobbying by the solar sector through this past weekend, ends a six-month effort by the industry to get legislation passed to avert what some fear could be a collapse in new investments in the technology in New Jersey. Gov. Chris Christie has said he will sign the bill. (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)
Stockton, Calif., faces midnight deadline to avert bankruptcy
By Jim Christie
SAN FRANCISCO, June 25 | Tue Jun 26, 2012 2:55am IST
(Reuters) – Stockton, California was at risk on Monday of becoming the largest U.S. city ever to file for bankruptcy as the clock ticked down toward the midnight deadline of talks with creditors.
If Stockton, home to a population of 292,000 about 85 miles east of San Francisco, fails to win concessions in the talks to close a $26 million shortfall for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, City Manager Bob Deis will soon seek protection from creditors with a rare Chapter 9 bankruptcy filing.
On Tuesday evening the city council will vote on a so-called pendency plan budget crafted by Deis to guide the city’s finances during bankruptcy proceedings.
Sports fields and trails planned for Historic Schedler Zabriskie Property
June 26, 2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Plans for converting the 7-acre property Florence Schedler property off Route 17 north into sports fields and nature trails will be presented in the fall by the Village Open Space Committee.
The Village Open Space Committee held three public forums in April and May looking for public comment to determine the best use for the 7-acre parcel on Route 17 at the West Saddle River Road exit.
The usual given and take was expressed between “sports groups” pushing for ball fields and neighborhood groups namely the Ridgewood Eastside Development (RED) group looking to keep the property more pristine and perhaps develop its historical character.
Ridgewood Eastside Development (RED), formed by local neighbors wanted keep the “historic” Schedler house preserved and used as a community meeting space.
The historic Schedler Zabriskie Property is named for former owner Florence Schedler and was purchased by the village in 2009 for $2.7 million with money from an open-space tax and a $1.57 million grant. Preservationist claim the property
Senate and Assembly pass “Neighborhood destruction Act”
Both houses of the Legislature today passed a bill that would let towns buy foreclosed homes and convert them into affordable housing.
The bill (S1566) — which today passed the Senate 21-18 and the Assembly 45-33 with one absention — would form the temporary New Jersey Foreclosure Relief Corporation for five years to buy foreclosed homes.
Towns would have 45 days to decide whether to buy the houses through the state’s $268 million affordable housing trust fund; if they did, they would get a two-for-one credit against affordable housing obligations. (Friedman, The Star-Ledger)
In Arizona dissent, Scalia blasts Obama’s deportation stay, immigration policies
By Liz Goodwin, Yahoo! News | The Ticket – 14 hrs ago
In a stinging, 22-page dissent to Monday’s decision striking down most of Arizona’s tough anti-illegal immigration law, Justice Antonin Scalia criticized President Barack Obama’s announcement earlier this month that he would stay the deportation of young illegal immigrants and suggested that the federal government does not want to enforce its immigration laws.
“The president said at a news conference that the new program is ‘the right thing to do’ in light of Congress’s failure to pass the administration’s proposed revision of the Immigration Act,” Scalia, a Reagan appointee, wrote in his dissent. “Perhaps it is, though Arizona may not think so. But to say, as the Court does, that Arizona contradicts federal law by enforcing applications of the Immigration Act that the President declines to enforce boggles the mind.”
A study found long-term effects of stress may be the biggest cause of the disease
Tuesday June 26,2012
By Jo Willey
STRESSFUL lifestyles could be the key trigger for incurable Alzheimer’s disease, scientists believe.
Even the trauma of bereavement or moving home could bring on dementia.
Scientists funded by the Alzheimer’s Society are investigating the link and hope their findings could lead to new drug treatments to fight the disease.
A study at the University of Kuopio in Finland has found that the long-term effects of stress may be the biggest cause of the disease.
When stressed, our blood pressure rises as our heart beats faster and levels of the hormone cortisol in the bloodstream also increase.
Experts believe once cortisol enters the brain it starts to kill off cells there, leading to Alzheimer’s.
Donovan Will Not Allow Giants/Jets to Put Bergen County’s Economy at Risk
Bergen County Executive Kathleen A. Donovan said today that she will take immediate steps to review tax breaks given to the New York Giants and New York Jets to make certain that the teams which are attempting to create a business monopoly at the Sports Complex “no longer continue to rip off Bergen County taxpayers.”
Donovan said that her administration will explore with East Rutherford officials their ongoing litigation against the Sports Authority and also review independent action to require the teams to pay taxes on the sale of Personal Seat Licenses (PSLs). The County Executive said that she will consider taking legal action against the tax breaks given to the New York Jets in Florham Park in Morris County as well. “Everything is now back on the table,” according to Ms. Donovan.
Since 1976 the Giants and later the Jets have not paid a dime in taxes to Bergen County. Now they have built and own a $1.6 billion building and they still don’t pay any taxes to Bergen County. “That’s wrong and it needs to be corrected,” stated Donovan.
In addition the County Executive has directed the County Police to take steps to assure the safety of fans arriving and departing MetLife Stadium on game days. According to Ms. Donovan, “the New York Giants and New York Jets cite the safety and convenience of their fans as a veiled excuse for their frivolous lawsuit designed to give them a monopoly at the Sports Complex. The County Executive cited increased enforcement of traffic laws with special attention to pedestrian safety as a priority.
Donovan continued, “in their lawsuit the New York teams rely on what they call a ‘cooperation agreement’ which was agreed to, not negotiated, by former (acting) Governor Codey. I described that so-called agreement as a give-a-way then and do so again today. According to the New York teams, that agreement allows them to hold development rights ‘to build themed dining and team and other stores…’ The New York teams admit that this isn’t about the convenience of their fans. It’s about their greed and their effort to monopolize a public space to the detriment of every East Rutherford, Bergen County and New Jersey taxpayer.
She concluded, “The New York Giants and New York Jets have put Bergen County’s economic growth at risk. Unemployment in Bergen is over 7 percent, a slight decline since I took office. We still have 40% unemployment in the building trades. American Dream Meadowlands will put some 9,000 construction workers back on the job and employ an additional 15,000 full time workers. It will create an economic ripple with service jobs and venues including hotels, which pay additional taxes and reduce local burdens.”
“The New York teams have gotten their way for four decades. They have once and for all abused their free ride. It’s time they not only paid their fair share but participate as full contributing members of the business community. Our Meadowlands property is some of the most valuable real estate on the east coast and as County Executive I owe it to my constituents to protect their economic interest, not the Giants and Jets.”
Malpractice Exemption Pits Lawyers Against Volunteer Doctors
Shielding doctors who treat the poor for free from malpractice lawsuits creates two-tier system, attorneys argue
By Beth Fitzgerald, June 25, 2012
Legislation that would shield doctors from malpractice lawsuits when they give free medical care to the needy once again faces fierce opposition, but is strongly supported by doctors who volunteer their time. This same group is hoping to encourage colleagues — specialists in particular — to treat patients who can’t afford to pay.
The bills (A2178/S1165) failed to pass in the final legislative session.
Attorneys argue that the bills would unfairly prevent low-income New Jerseyans from suing doctors for malpractice, thus making malpractice litigation a privilege of those who can afford to pay for healthcare.
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