Road project in Ridgewood causes traffic, concerns
MAY 23, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 23, 2014, 12:31 AM BY DARIUS AMOS STAFF WRITER
Municipal officials maintain that an imminent street improvement project, when completed, will boost overall traffic safety and aesthetics in and around Garber and Wilsey squares. Several Ridgewood residents, however, contend that the finished job might have unintended and unwanted consequences.
Construction preparation is already underway for the Garber Square Complete Streets Project. This week, crews began cutting asphalt along Garber Square and will continue work on Ridgewood’s west side from Godwin Avenue to Franklin beneath the New Jersey Transit train trestle. In addition to a full paving job, the scope of the project includes the addition of bicycle lanes and a median island as well as the reduction to a single lane for each direction of traffic at the underpass.
In an informational letter distributed this week by Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld, she explained that the project is intended to address pedestrian safety at Garber Square and at the corner of Franklin Avenue and Broad Street.
“Pedestrians will more easily and safely walk to and from the train station elevator area along the street by the Pease Library,” according to the letter. “We are bumping out the curb at Franklin and North Broad Street to reduce the crosswalk length, while providing better visibility of pedestrians to motorists.”
Fournier: VA Scandal ‘One of the Lowest Points’ of Obama’s Presidency
By Andrew Johnson May 22, 2014 10:15 AM
President Obama’s poor handling of the mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs could plague his presidency as an all-time low point, saysNational Journal’s Ron Fournier.
“The fact of the matter is the political response to this thing has been both dishonest and way too weak,” he said on Wednesday’s Special Report. “I think this may be one of the lowest points of his presidency.”
Fournier said not only has the Obama administration been misleading in its response to allegations of incidents of malpractice in VA facilities across the country that led to the death of several veterans waiting for care, but also that President Obama has failed to live up to his promise to improve the department.
“The president has known the VA has been a mess for a long time, and hasn’t done anything to get it fixed,” he said. “It’s gotten worse recently — at least for the last two years, we’ve known we’ve had these problems and nothing’s been done.”
Christie Embraces Irresponsible Spending says credit agencies are the ‘same group of folks who allowed the financial crisis to occur’
TRENTON – Don’t put too much stock in those Wall Street rating agency downgrades, says Gov. Chris Christie.
The governor, whose administration has been at the helm during six credit rating downgrades over the course of his tenure to date, says he’s not worried about additional downgrades. Christie said he finds it interesting they “continue to downgrade the people who try to act responsibly,” but added he doesn’t live in fear of rating agencies.
“No, I don’t fear it,” he said Wednesday during a Statehouse news conference.
“This is the same group of folks who allowed the financial crisis to occur,” he said, arguing they “sat on their hands collecting huge fees” from clients during the financial collapse and essentially got paid “to look the other way,” he said.
“I don’t know how much credibility these places have,” Christie said. (Arco/PolitickerNJ)
CD3 CANDIATE TOM MACARTHUR’S YORK INSURANCE : FAR MORE THAN THREE ISOLATED INCIDENTS
Wednesday, May 21st, 2014 @ 5:29PM in News, Press Releases
May 21, 2014
LAVALLETTE, NJ – In a very clear contrast this morning on Dom Giordano’s radio program, former mayor Steve Lonegan proved to voters that he’s the only conservative in this race.
As predicted, liberal Tom MacArthur repeatedly distorted his own record, misrepresented Steve Lonegan’s record, and provided very little substance to which conservatives can identify.
Most disappointing is MacArthur’s continual denial of any wrongdoing in relation to the hundreds of families across the country left victimized by his York claims adjustment company.
“We handled over a million claims when I was running York and the best Steve can do is come out with three that he says prove some terrible thing. There are some lawsuits in insurance. But three out of over a million?” (Dom Giordano Debate, 5/21/2014)
Let’s pump the brakes, Tom. You’re entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
Tom MacArthur’s company has been hit with far more lawsuits over delayed claims or unfair payouts on claims than just the three egregious acts documented time after time.
Lawsuit upon lawsuit arose on Tom MacArthur’s watch. Some were settled after he claims to have left the company, but each and every incident listed below was set in to motion while he was at the helm of York.
A FEW OF THE MANY AB– USES SUFFERED AT THE HANDS OF TOM MACARTHUR’S INSURANCE COMPANY
York Was Cited for Over 100 Violations for Mishandling Claims in the 2008 Sayre Fire in Sylmar, California
Victim Gary Rivera was given a lowball value by York, then illegally stalled through reassignment to multiple adjusters; hundreds of others had the same problems. (SC Public Radio, 12/23/2009)
The State of California took enforcement action but York paid only a $285,000 settlement. (Law360.com, 9/26/2012)
Watch this ad featuring Sylmar fire victims Jodene and Doug Finch.
York Refused to Pay Claims Following 2008 Hurricane Ike
York Did Not Handle Houston Baptist University’s Claims in good faith. (The Collegian, 9/8/2010) Only after being sued, York paid a large settlement and required a confidentiality agreement. (The Collegian, 2/24/2011)
Tom MacArthur’s company has been sued repeatedly for slow walking claims of victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, Hurricane Ike in Texas, and Hurricane Ivan in Florida.
The following chronological list of suits contain but a few of the most egregious summaries of the lawsuits filed against MacArthur and York:
– On November 18, 2002, York and their client Providence Co. were successfully sued in federal court for failing to pay out an insurance policy in a timely manner. The Court concluded that Providence and York “adopts an excessively narrow interpretation” of their insurance policy so as not to have to pay out. (CAT Internet, et al v. Providence Co., et al).
– On June 20, 2003, York Insurance Company successfully exploited a technicality to avoid paying out a bodily injury claim filed against by Houston Well Center, Inc. (York Insurance Company v. Houston Wellness Center, Inc.)
– On February 7, 2005, The Bearington Collection sued York and its client, Providence Washington Insurance Company for breach of contract and failure to pay out. York and its client, Providence Washington Insurance Company, quickly settled.
– In 2005, York sued for slow walking payments to Hurricane Ivan victims in Florida, something that they were later accused with Hurricane Ike victims in Texas. Their client, Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, faced a “bad faith” lawsuit due to the way it handled hurricane payment claims in 2004.
– In 2005, York Claims Services and their client, Lloyd’s of London, was sued by Ken Shaw, president of the Red River Warehouse in Monroe, Louisiana. Red River Warehouse had flooded and a representative of York Claims Service repeatedly low-balled on the costs of the damage. York settled with Red River in 2007.
– In 2006, Timothy Nicholes was badly injured when he was hit by an under insured motorist. He sued York Claim Services and their client, New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG subsidiary, after they ignored his injury claim for months. York and New Hampshire settled out of court just three months later.
– In 2007, Jeffrey Trauth, a property and business owner in New Orleans, Louisiana, had his principal place of business and rental properties flooded by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and filed suit against York for repeatedly slow walking his hurricane damage claims. The money to pay for the damage done came out of Trauth’s pockets. York Claims Service and its client, Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation “deliberately and in bad faith underadjusted [Trauth’s] claims, and paid them less than [Trauth] was owed under their policy, employing many illegal and captious tactics along the way,” according to a complaint filed against York. York settled out of court after two years of litigation.
– In 2008, York Insurance Services Group was sued by The Sportman’s Company of Hattiesburg, Inc for slow-walking on property damage claims. In 2011, Jerry and Kris Chernik sued York Risk Services Group and their client Lexington Insurance Company for breach of contract. Again, in 2011, Stephen McGue sued York Risk Services Group and their client New Hampshire Insurance Company for slow walking claims.
– In September 2009, Dollar Rent-A-Car settled in a lawsuit with York Claims Services for slow-walking payment for a customer who had gotten into an accident in Las Vegas. (Travelers Indemnity Company of America v. Dollar Rent-A-Car)
– In December 2009, Houston Baptist University sued York, and their client ACE American Insurance Company, an AIG subsidiary, for slow walking and delaying payment of hurricane damage sustained to one of their buildings. York was forced to settle, according to the Daily Mail.
– In October 2010, Kynto Ventures, LLC, sued Chubb Custom Insurance and York Risk Service Group. Again, York was accused of slow-walking claims. https://dockets.justia.com/docket/texas/txsdce/4:2010cv03803/813237
– In 2013, York Risk Services was again successfully sued by Kent State University Board of Trustees for slow walking payment for $2.1 million in damages from an early 2009 construction project when MacArthur was CEO. https://www.courtlistener.com/ca6/5btE/kent-state-university-board-of-trustees-v-lexingto/
According to PACER, Several Additional Lawsuits Have Been Filed Against MacArthur’s York Company:
Robin Zahran and Karen Zahran vs. York Insurance Company
CAT Internet Services, INC; Internet Supply, INC. vs. York Insurance Company
Robin Zahran, Karen Zahran vs. York Insurance Company
Houston Wellness Center, INC. vs. York Insurance Company
Bearington Collection, INC. vs. York Insurance Company
Elmer Amendt vs. York Insurance Company
Desimone Aviles vs. York Claims Service
Houston Baptist University vs. York Claims Service
William Johnson vs. York Claims Service
Red River Warehouse vs. York Claim Service
Timothy Nicholes vs. York Claims Services
Jeffrey Trauth, Trauth Design Management LLC. vs. York Claims Service
Jeffrey Trauth, Trauth Design Management LLC. vs. York Claims Service
Jerald M. Alexander vs. York Claims Service
Martin Sokoloff vs. York Claims Service
Lynn K. Bailey vs. York Claims Service
Guadalupe Magally Escobar vs. York Claims Service
Calofe Enterprises, LLC vs. York Claims Service
Leisure Life Senior Apartment Housing vs. York Claims Services
Democrat Congressman: ‘We’ve Proved That Communism Works’
Democratic Florida Rep. Joe Garcia — fresh off being caught eating his own earwax on camera — was caught red-handed (or is it yellow-fingered?) in another gaffe this week, claiming that low crime rates in border cities with lots of federal immigration workers is proof that “Communism works.”
Garcia made the comment during a Google hangout he convened last week to talk about comprehensive immigration reform with supporters. The Democrat attempted to point out how, for all their talk about limited government, many Republicans are fine spending loads of government money on border security.
“Let me give you an example, the kind of money we’ve poured in,” he said. “So the most dangerous — sorry, the safest city in America is El Paso, Texas. It happens to be across the border from the most dangerous city in the Americas, which is Juarez. Right?”
“And two of the safest cities in America, two of them are on the border with Mexico,” Garcia continued. “And of course, the reason is we’ve proved that Communism works. If you give everybody a good government job, there’s no crime.”
Christie puts off property-tax rebates to ease budget problems
MAY 21, 2014, 11:39 PM LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2014, 11:47 PM BY JOHN REITMEYER AND MICHAEL LINHORST STATE HO– USE BUREAU THE RECORD
Senior citizens, disabled residents and other homeowners who are among the more than a million people enrolled in New Jersey’s Homestead program will not get their property tax relief this year.
That relief — in the form of a credit on annual property tax bills — is again being delayed by Governor Christie and his administration, who blame another bad budget year.
The latest delay means people won’t see this benefit until May 2015 — nearly two years since the last time the tax-relief credit was available.
“When you’re running out of money, you’ve got to manage your cash carefully,” Christie said on Wednesday, defending the decision to delay the credit as part of a plan to reduce his proposed budget by $1.7 billion. “You’ve got to prioritize your bills and decide which ones you absolutely must pay.”
Christie has now postponed the Homestead program three times since taking office in early 2010. Property taxes in New Jersey are still rising, but not by as much as they had when Christie took office and before he pushed for a 2 percent cap on increases. But they are still growing, to a record high statewide average of $7,988 last year.
Millennial Vote/FacebookLast week Youth Engagement Fund and Project New America released a new survey on millennial ideology. Millennials—roughly defined as those aged 18 to 33—are my people. I tend to stick up for us. I tend to take heart in this generation’s support for marriage equality and ending the drug war, among other things…
But holy geez Gen Y, this is a poor showing. On measures from “creating jobs” to “making college affordable” to “protecting the rights of women,” millennials overwhelmingly said they favored greater government involvement. And when asked whether they would rather have government “off their backs” or “on their side,” 59 percent of millennials voted for friendly paternalism.
For the survey, Harstad Strategic Research polled more than 2,000 18- to 31-year-olds in March and April 2014. Of course, it should be noted that Youth Engagement Fund, Project New America, and Harstad are all progressive organizations. Maybe there’s some subtle linguistic bias driving these results?
The Ridgewood Taxpayers’ Association is looking to reactivate.
The Ridgewood Taxpayers’ Association is a non-profit corporation.
organized in the state of New Jersey in 1993 .
The purposes of the Ridgewood Taxpayers’ Association are as follows :
*To monitor and analyze of the Village and Board of Education ;
*To provide recommendations to the Village and BOE on how to operate on a cost effective basis ;
*To monitor the actions taken by the state of New Jersey , Bergen County the BOE and any governmental entity which has or may have an impact on the taxes of the Village of Ridgewood ;
*To provide information to the citizens of the Village of Ridgewood on the operation of their government and costs associated therewith :
*To promote local, regional and state legislation for the fair taxation of Ridgewood residents ;
*To evaluate candidates for public office .
Membership is available to residents of Ridgewood or anyone who maintains a business address in the Village of Ridgewood .
The Ridgewood Taxpayers’ Association is looking for Board Members and those interested should email there resume and a short cover letter to: [email protected]
U.S. utility’s control system was hacked, says Homeland Security
By Jim Finkle
BOSTON (Reuters) – A sophisticated hacking group recently attacked a U.S. public utility and compromised its control system network, but there was no evidence that the utility’s operations were affected, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS did not identify the utility in a report that was issued this week by the agency’s Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team, or ICS-CERT.
“While unauthorized access was identified, ICS-CERT was able to work with the affected entity to put in place mitigation strategies and ensure the security of their control systems before there was any impact to operations,” a DHS official told Reuters on Tuesday.
What science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM”) Shortage? The sector isn’t seeing wage growth and has more graduates than jobs. By Steven Camarota
The idea that we need to allow in more workers with science, technology, engineering, and math (“STEM”) background is an article of faith among American business and political elite.
But in a new report, my Center for Immigration Studies colleague Karen Zeigler and I analyze the latest government data and find what other researchers have found: The country has well more than twice as many workers with STEM degrees as there are STEM jobs. Also consistent with other research, we find only modest levels of wage growth for such workers for more than a decade. Both employment and wage data indicate that such workers are not in short supply.
Reports by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), the RAND Corporation, the Urban Institute, and the National Research Council have all found no evidence that STEM workers are in short supply. PBS even published an opinion piece based on the EPI study entitled, “The Bogus High-Tech Worker Shortage: How Guest Workers Lower U.S. Wages.” This is PBS, mind you, which is as likely to publish something skeptical of immigration as it is to publish something skeptical of taxpayer subsidies for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
He KNEW! Obama told of Veterans Affairs health care debacle as far back as 2008
The Obama administration received clear notice more than five years ago that VA medical facilities were reporting inaccurate waiting times and experiencing scheduling failures that threatened to deny veterans timely health care — problems that have turned into a growing scandal.
Veterans Affairs officials warned the Obama-Biden transition team in the weeks after the 2008 presidential election that the department shouldn’t trust the wait times that its facilities were reporting.
“This is not only a data integrity issue in which [Veterans Health Administration] reports unreliable performance data; it affects quality of care by delaying — and potentially denying — deserving veterans timely care,” the officials wrote.
The briefing materials, obtained by The Washington Times through the Freedom of Information Act, make clear that the problems existed well before Mr. Obama took office, dating back at least to the Bush administration. But the materials raise questions about what actions the department took since 2009 to remedy the problems.
In recent months, reports have surfaced about secret wait lists at facilities across the country and, in the case of a Phoenix VA facility, accusations that officials cooked the books to try to hide long wait times. Some families said veterans died while on a secret wait list at the Phoenix facility.
Architects detail designs for proposed housing developments in Ridgewood
MAY 16, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2014, 12:31 AM BY DARIUS AMOS STAFF WRITER
Though planning and school impact considerations, among other areas of concern, have stimulated more scrutiny than building design, the architects of three downtown multifamily housing proposals were put through cross examination and public questioning at last week’s Planning Board meeting.
Board members are currently hearing three developers’ combined application to amend Ridgewood’s master plan to essentially rezone portions of the Central Business District and permit high-density apartment complexes as an acceptable use of land.
Last Tuesday’s hearing was the latest meeting in a process that stems back more than two years. It also bridges the course to a June 3 meeting, where traffic experts for each proposal are expected to begin testimony.
Enclave design
Architect Bruce Englebaugh explained the details of the Enclave, which his firm Minno and Wasko Architects designed for developer 257 Ridgewood Avenue LLC. The Enclave, as proposed, includes 52 dwelling units and approximately 30,000 square feet of retail space built along North Maple Avenue on property currently occupied by the Hallmark Floor Company and Arthur Murray Dance Studio.
“We tried to go through downtown Ridgewood and analyze the architectural vocabulary. We took that, analyzed it and put it in our building,” Englebaugh said, explaining the varied design elements. “We started with a homogenous façade. Through feedback, we started to subdivide the façade to make it look more like buildings in downtown Ridgewood.”
According to Englebaugh, one of the key elements was the reduction of the Enclave’s fourth story. The adjustment, he said, makes the building’s top level unnoticeable when viewed from the ground level on North Maple Avenue.
Property owner John Saraceno and Englebaugh reviewed the site’s projected parking layout. Both testified that the proposed plan incorporates 134 parking stalls, 56 of which will be reserved for public use. In comparison, the site currently boasts 74 parking spots with roughly 14 of those reserved, Saraceno said.
NEW YORK (AP) — Courting powerful Jewish donors for the second time in two months, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called Sunday for a more aggressive foreign policy that defends American values abroad — even in “in some very messy, difficult places.”
“The rest of the world watches in desperation and hope that America will realize and act upon once again its indispensable place in the world,” Christie, a prospective Republican presidential contender, said in a keynote address Sunday at the Champions of Jewish Values International awards gala in New York. “We must lead.”
He charged that America must represent the strongest military and economic power, but also “the strongest moral power for what is good and what is right in the world.”
The appearance offered Christie a second chance to impress deep-pocketed Jewish donors after stumbling in a recent speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition. Sunday’s event also featured Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey and major political donor Sheldon Adelson.
The gathering comes as donors — none bigger than Adelson — begin to size up the crowded field of potential Republican presidential candidates ahead of the 2016 contest. While billed as a nonpartisan affair, there were political references throughout the evening.
Asked if he was running for president, Perry told reporters: “I’m being governor for the next nine months. To be real honest with you I don’t know what I’m gonna do after that.”
REGISTER NOW FOR RIDGEWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT SUMMER PROGRAMS
Elementary Summer Enrichment Program (Summer Adventure 2014) for Pre-kindergarten through Grade 5 students. Classes to be offered include reading, writing, mathematics, science, children’s theater, dance, computers, cooking, sporting activities, and art. The program will run five days a week from 8:30 a.m.-3p.m. for six weeks, June 30 through August 8. There will be three two-week sessions. The program is offered through the Ridgewood Community School and is tuition-based.Click here to go the the Summer Adventure 2014 web page.
Preschool Special Needs Summer Program for students currently in the Preschool Special Needs Program. The summer school will be held four hours per day, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., four days per week, for four weeks, from June 30 through July 24. The program will be held at Glen School and is tuition-free.
Elementary K-5 Special Needs Summer Program for students who are currently in Kindergarten through Grade 5 in self-contained programs during the school year at Hawes, Travell and Willard Schools. The summer school will meet from 8:30-11:30 a.m., five days per week for four weeks, June 30 through July 25. This program will be held at Ridge School and is tuition-free.
Summer RISe Program for students who are currently in the RISe Program. Classes for the elementary program will meet at Ridge School five days per week from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., for four weeks, June 30 through July 25. Classes for the George Washington Middle School RISe Program will meet at Ridgewood High School five days per week from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for four weeks, June 30 through July 25. Classes for the Glen Pre-K RISe Program will meet at Glen School four days per week from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for five weeks, June 30 through July 31. This program is free for Ridgewood residents.
New Players Summer Program, an intensive theater experience for students in Grades 5 through 12. The program will run from June 30 through August 3. The Senior Company, a group of over 50 high school students, will produce two plays and one musical production. The Junior Company, a group of 90 students in Grades 5 through 8, will produce five plays, all written by alumni of the New Players Program. In addition, the Summer New Players Program provides employment for 25-30 students, who work as lighting and set technicians, costume and sound assistants, and directors for the Junior Company. This is a tuition-based program.Click here to download the Junior New Players enrollment application for 2014.
Ridgewood High School Summer School Program. Summer School will run from June 30 through July 31, 2014. There are two class periods. The first period will be held from 8-11a.m.; the second period will be held from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. This is a tuition-based program.Click here to go to the RHS Summer School web page.
The Summer Music Academy provides lessons and performing opportunities for beginning, intermediate and advanced level musicians. Students from all districts are welcome! Program highlights include string orchestras, jazz bands, woodwind, brass and percussion ensembles, drum set classes and the 2014 Guitar Camp. All students are encouraged to join this dynamic program.
Click here for the brochure and registration form.
Sign Up for Space Camp at Hawes School
Two sessions: June 27 – July 11 or July 14 – July 25
Is your son or daughter interested in Space? Have they completed grades 2-4? Sign them up for summer space camp where they learn astronomy by going into a planetarium, build and launch model rockets, learn about the history of flight, solve problems in groups, play space games, enjoy physical fitness (rope climbing, zip lining, and more), perform experiments and make art projects. It’s going to be a blast!
10th Annual Wiffle for Cancer Tournament on Sunday, June 1 The 10th Annual Wiffle for Cancer Tournament takes place on Sunday, June 1, 2014, at Ridgewood High School, 627 East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, starting at 12:00 noon. Online registration for the tournament is available at www.wiffleforcancer.org. Teams consist of 3 to 5 players and the registration fee is $50 per team. Each participant in the tournament will receive a 2014 tournament t-shirt. Tournament sponsorship opportunities are also available, and additional donations are always welcome. All proceeds of the tournament will benefit the Nick Currey Fund for Ewing Sarcoma Research. The Fund was established in memory of Nick Currey, Ridgewood High School Class of 2004, who lost his 14-month battle against Ewing sarcoma on November 3, 2005. So come out, have some fun and do some good! For further information about the tournament and the Nick Currey Fund, please visit our website, www.wiffleforcancer.org, or contact Ralph Currey at [email protected].
