Rep Scott Garrett responds to President Obama’s ‘deal’ with Iran
Ridgewood NJ, President Obama’s ‘deal’ with Iran is no deal for the United States or our allies. Rather, it continues this administration’s pattern of negotiation, where the United States gives but receives nothing in return.
I am deeply dismayed that we are so quick to free up billions of dollars in assets and revenue streams that Iran can use to further finance international terror or restart its nuclear program. If, months from now, Iran wants to renege on this ‘deal’ and resume its pursuit of nuclear weapons, it won’t be any further from developing a bomb than it is today.
Once again, President Obama’s foreign policy ‘win’ weakens America, her allies, and our position in the world.
Schumer: Iran wins in nuclear agreement
November 24, 2013, 12:11 pm
By Bernie Becker
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) panned the new nuclear agreement with Iran on Sunday, insisting it “does not seem proportional.”
Schumer, the No. 3 Democrat in the Senate and a strong supporter of Israel, said that Iran got much more than it gave up in the deal.
Some Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill have said that Congress could move forward with further sanctions legislation against Iran, but to delay its implementation for six months to allow time to gauge the deal.
But Schumer would only say Sunday that the agreement makes sanctions more likely, even as he said that he hoped the Obama administration met its goal of hoping to eliminate Iran’s ability to create a nuclear weapon.
“This disproportionality of this agreement makes it more likely that Democrats and Republicans will join together and pass additional sanctions when we return in December,” Schumer said in a statement. “I intend to discuss that possibility with my colleagues.”
Under the deal finalized this weekend, Iran faces relaxed sanctions, at least temporarily. In exchange, Iran agreed to tougher outside inspections and to cap its nuclear stockpile.
Ridgewood Chamber of Commerce, Downtown for the Holidays and Tree Lighting Celebration Friday, December 6, 2013 New this year – “for the kids” 5:30-6:30pm – Santa in the Park for the “wee tots” and a “Kids Corner” offering holiday Arts & Crafts in front of the Park along with live entertainment by the “clock” and in the stores and restaurant along E. Ridgewood Ave. Featuring the RHS Marching Band, RHS Singers, RHS Orchestra 7-8pm “on stage-live” Live Entertainment and Tree Lighting Celebration Featuring performances by Porch Light Productions, From the Top Studio, Art of Motion and Arthur Murray Dance Studio. 8:00-9:00pm “merriment” on E. Ridgewood Ave. Shh – Santa will be back in the Park Lots of music on the Avenue – two live bands, carolers, musicians Stores will be having special sales, restaurant reservation suggested.
Saturday, December 7 8:00am-10:00am Breakfast with Santa at The Office Beer Bar & Grill Reservations required 201-652-1070 10:00am-2pm – Santa arrives at Columbia Bank in a fire truck with gifts for all children attending 60 S. Broad St. 10:30AM FREE KIDS Movie at the Bowtie Warner Theatre 2:00-4:00pm Meet Santa at his house – Memorial Park at Van Nest Square Saturday, December 14 and 21 8:00-12Noon, Breakfast with Santa at The Office Beer Bar & Grill (reservations required 201-652-1070) 12Noon-4:00pm Meet Santa at his house – Memorial Park at Van Neste Square Along with other surprises – weather permitting For latest updates check www.experienceridgewood.com call 201-445-2600. See you there!
Let foreign gambling companies do business in N.J., lawmaker proposes
ATLANTIC CITY — A state lawmaker today unveiled a measure that would let international online gambling companies base their operations in New Jersey and be licensed by its tough casino regulators.
State Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), the prime backer of the state’s online gambling law, says his legislation would attract companies based overseas to relocate to New Jersey. The companies would serve up games of chance — including sports betting — to foreign players.
“Why would companies want to set up operations in New Jersey?” Lesniak said at a news conference today inside the Atlantic City Convention Center. “Well, we’ve got a great reputation for oversight and regulation. These companies, now located in Gibraltar or Isle of Man or any other offshore places, don’t have the stability — the stamp of approval — that gives a lot of credibility to their product.”
Under the bill, which has not yet been introduced in the state Legislature, the companies would be subject to New Jersey’s 15 percent sales tax on internet gaming with one big caveat: They would be given credit for any taxes paid to other jurisdictions. (Hutchins/Star-Ledger)
Menendez, Booker supported change in filibusters to stifle debate
Sen. Bob Menendez said joining in Thursday’s vote to change Senate rules to end filibusters of most Obama administration appointees was not an easy decision.
“But the abuse of rules and the unprecedented obstruction against this President by the other side have brought us here,” Menendez, a Democrat from North Bergen, said in a news release. “Their refusal [to allow majority votes] is not because they believe any of the nominees to be unqualified, but because they want to obstruct action in the Senate.”
The Democratic majority approved a change in Senate rules saying that it will only take 51 votes, instead of the 60 previously needed, to end debate on nominees for judicial and executive posts, except the U.S. Supreme Court. Both Menendez and Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat from Newark, supported the change. (Jackson/The Record)
Tension and Flaws Before Health Website Crash
By ERIC LIPTON, IAN AUSTEN and SHARON LaFRANIERE
Published: November 22, 2013 835 Comments
WASHINGTON — On a sultry day in late August, a dozen staff members of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services gathered at the agency’s Baltimore headquarters with managers from the major contractors building HealthCare.gov to review numerous problems with President’s Obama’s online health insurance initiative. The mood was grim.
Despite the behind-the-scenes crisis, the president expressed confidence about the exchange just days before its grand debut.
The prime contractor, CGI Federal, had long before concluded that the administration was blindly enamored of an unrealistic goal: creating a cutting-edge website that would use the latest technologies to dazzle consumers with its many features. Knowing how long it would take to complete and test the software, the company’s officials and other vendors believed that it was impossible to open a fully functioning exchange on Oct. 1.
Government officials, on the other hand, insisted that Oct. 1 was not negotiable. And they were fed up with what they saw as CGI’s pattern of excuses for missed deadlines. Michelle Snyder, the agency’s chief operating officer, was telling colleagues outright, “If we could fire them, we would.”
Interviews with current and former Obama administration officials and specialists involved in the project, as well as a review of hundreds of pages of government and contractor documents, offer new details into how tensions between the government and its contractors, questionable decisions and weak leadership within the Medicare agency turned the rollout of the president’s signature program into a major humiliation.
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Ridgewood petition over 65-foot PSE&G utility poles declined by BPU
Friday, November 22, 2013 Last updated: Friday November 22, 2013, 6:07 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
The Record
TRENTON — A petition by Ridgewood officials — seeking the continuation of a moratorium on utility pole installations throughout residential sections of the village — was denied Friday by the state’s Board of Public Utilities.
RECORD FILE PHOTO
Ridgewood residents complained to officials, saying the poles would diminish property values and pose health and safety considerations.
The BPU, which held its meeting inside the State House Annex Building, voted unanimously to reject Ridgewood’s petition, which also sought a change in the routing being utilized by Public Service Electric & Gas as they work to connect substations in Fair Lawn and Paramus.
The board’s decision means that installations of 65-foot wooden poles along Hope Street and Spring Avenue can resume at PSE&G’s discretion.
A spokeswoman for the utility said Friday the work was not yet scheduled to resume in Ridgewood.
I realize that everyone has been rightfully frightened as a result of yesterday’s alleged slashing/ attempted robbery and I would like to take this opportunity to alleviate your fears and concerns.
After an exhaustive investigative effort we can now confirm that there was not, nor is there now any current threat to public safety or our children from the alleged slashing/attempted robbery incident which was reported to our police department yesterday.
As many of you have witnessed our community takes the safety of our children very seriously and will mobilize and take all necessary steps to ensure their safety. I would like to thank everyone for their support and cooperation in this matter.
Please be assured that we will continue with our increased presence in and around our schools along with patrols both marked and unmarked which have been in place since the previous attempted luring incident earlier this month.
I will apologize for not being able to provide more details on the matter, however there are portions of the investigation which are still ongoing.
New Jersey Laborers Union Endorses Kathleen Donovan for Re-Election as Bergen Executive
(Hackensack. N.J.) One of the state’s most powerful unions, the New Jersey Laborers Union, endorsed Kathleen Donovan for re-election as Bergen County Executive today, citing her strong record of reforming county government, encouraging and attracting economic growth, and creating family-sustaining jobs for local residents.
With more than 20,000 members statewide–including 3,000 members of Building Laborers Local 3 and 8,000 members of General and Heavy Construction Laborers Local 472 representing Northern New Jersey–the New Jersey Laborers Union is committing its vast resources to the Donovan re-election campaign.
Laborers Vice-President and Eastern Regional Manager Raymond M. Pocino praised Donovan’s competence and commitment to Bergen County as the primary reason for the union endorsement “Since taking office three years ago, Kathe Donovan has improved county services and crafted policies that help residents and support and attract business,” said Pocino. “Our membership is greatly appreciative of what she has done to help Bergen County move forward.”
Donovan said she is extremely pleased with the endorsement of the Laborer’s union and welcomes the backing of the men and women who build our roads, construct our buildings and represent the families that are the backbone of our communities.”
Donovan, who will be seeking re-election to a second four-year term as county executive, following her 20 year career as Bergen County Clerk, said she will continue to fight for economic growth in the region, citing her support for the construction of the new $330 million LG Corporate Headquarters in Englewood Cliffs and the completion of the $3.7 billion American Dream Projection the Meadowlands. These projects are expected to create 11,000 construction jobs and 16,000 permanent jobs.
“I will continue to fight for good paying jobs in Bergen County and battle for sensible government reforms that help working families,” said Donovan.
According to Pocino, the union had very industry-specific reasons for supporting Donovan. “With regard to the New Jersey Laborers Union’s key industry—construction–Kathe Donovan has shown a keen understanding of the importance of responsible infrastructure investment and has implemented policies that raise both construction and community standards through the use of government policies such as Responsible Contractor Language and Project Labor Agreements.”
With the Bergen County Executive elections less than year away, it is anticipated that hundreds of laborers will volunteer time to the campaign through phone banking, voter registration drives, get out the vote drives, and member-to-member education. The New Jersey Laborers Union backed Kathe Donovan in 2010, as well.
The New Jersey Laborers Union is affiliated with the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), and represents more than 20,000 members statewide in various industries, including construction, clean energy, environmental remediation, sanitation and recycling, security, and education. The New Jersey Laborers are widely viewed as having been instrumental in helping to lift living standards and workplace safety for employees in construction, clean energy, and hazardous materials removal, and for developing innovative cooperative relationships with employers.
Ridgewood Named as one of the best places to find a job in New Jersey
November 21, 2013
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , According to a study done by Nerdwallet Paramus, Ridgewood, Fair Lawn and Bergenfield are among the best places in New Jersey for job seekers .
NerdWallet crunched the numbers to find the best places for job seekers in New Jersey by asking the following questions:
1-Is the city growing? We assessed growth in the working-age population, ages 16 and older, from 2009 to 2011 to ensure that the city was attracting workers and exhibiting a trend of upward population growth.
2-Can you afford to live in the city comfortably? We looked at a city’s median household income to see if workers made a good living. We also analyzed the monthly homeowner costs, including mortgage payments, to see if the city had a reasonable cost of living.
3-Are most people employed? We looked at the unemployment rate.
NerdWallet Concluded that Ridgewood is a close proximity to New York City . Ridgewood saw a 2.7 percent increase in the working-age population from 2009 to 2011, and households earn a median income of $154,348 in 2011, the highest on the list. Additionally, the unemployment rate in August 2013 was only 5.4 percent.
Valley Health Systems head quartered in Ridgewood is a large employer in the region. and Bergen County’s Economic Development Corporation provides local businesses the information and resources necessary to expand.
Now we don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade , but when did Ridgewood become affordable ? and what exactly has Bergen County’s Economic Development Corporation done for the CBD in the town and many commuters might argue that the daily commute is not so inexpensive .
So it looks like we are left with Valley Hospital ,its a nice plug but we are not sure Valley has been a boom for economic growth in the community ?
Today’s kids less fit than parents were, study finds
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Last updated: Tuesday November 19, 2013, 11:00 PM
BY MARILYNN MARCHIONE
Associated Press
Today’s kids can’t keep up with their parents. An analysis of studies on millions of children around the world finds they don’t run as fast or as far as their parents did when they were young.
On average, it takes children 90 seconds longer to run a mile than their counterparts did 30 years ago. Heart-related fitness has declined 5 percent per decade since 1975 for children ages 9 to 17.
The American Heart Association, whose conference in Dallas featured the research on Tuesday, says it’s the first to show that children’s fitness has declined worldwide over the last three decades.
“It makes sense. We have kids that are less active than before,” said Dr. Stephen Daniels, a University of Colorado pediatrician and spokesman for the heart association.
Health experts recommend that children 6 and older get 60 minutes of moderately vigorous activity accumulated over a day. Only one-third of American kids do now.
“Kids aren’t getting enough opportunities to build up that activity over the course of the day,” Daniels said. “Many schools, for economic reasons, don’t have any physical education at all. Some rely on recess” to provide exercise.
Sam Kass, a White House chef and head of first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move program, stressed the role of schools in a speech to the conference on Monday.
“We are currently facing the most sedentary generation of children in our history,” Kass said.
12 Republican State Senators ask for more details on new NJ Common Core
Tuesday, November 19, 2013 Last updated: Tuesday November 19, 2013, 7:23 PM
BY LESLIE BRODY
STAFF WRITER
The Record
Twelve Republican state senators asked Education Commissioner Chris Cerf on Tuesday for more details on the Common Core, a new set of guidelines for what students should learn in math and language arts in every grade.
In a letter released by Sen. Joe Pennacchio, R-Morris, the group asked Cerf to explain the rationale behind the guidelines, their cost, the method for tracking student performance and the assurance of privacy for student data. Pennacchio said he was not hostile to the Common Core but sought answers to questions that parents and teachers have asked.
Cerf gave presentations recently to the New Jersey Education Association and the state Board of Education on the Common Core. Adopted by New Jersey in 2010, it has the support of Governor Christie, many school leaders and the NJEA, but the union has charged that its implementation has been too fast.
In an email, Cerf applauded the senators for reaching out. “Some citizens have questions about the new state standards because they need more information, while other citizens have questions that are fueled by the spread of misinformation,” Cerf noted. “We look to clearly answer any and all questions.”
New Jersey and 44 states adopted the Common Core voluntarily – with encouragement from the Obama administration – and have begun teaching to reflect its goals. Supporters say the guidelines focus on a clearer, more rigorous set of analytical skills than past standards, and will help American children compete with peers abroad. Critics, however, say the standards actually lower expectations, will usher in too much testing, and hurt local control.
In November 1863, President Abraham Lincoln was invited to deliver remarks, which later became known as the Gettysburg Address, at the official dedication ceremony for the National Cemetery of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania, on the site of one of the bloodiest and most decisive battles of the Civil War. Though he was not the featured orator that day, Lincoln’s 273-word address would be remembered as one of the most important speeches in American history. In it, he invoked the principles of human equality contained in the Declaration of Independence and connected the sacrifices of the Civil War with the desire for “a new birth of freedom,” as well as the all-important preservation of the Union created in 1776 and its ideal of self-government.
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
More than 50 apply for village manager’s position in Ridgewood
Monday November 18, 2013, 12:12 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
The Ridgewood News
Members of Ridgewood’s governing body will begin interviewing candidates this month in an effort to fill the village’s top administrative post, with the first of four special meetings scheduled for Monday, Nov. 25.
Ridgewood has been operating without a full-time village manager since Aug. 31, when the Village Council terminated Ken Gabbert from that position. Village Clerk Heather Mailander has been serving as the acting village manager since Sept. 1.
The village manager acts as Ridgewood’s chief executive and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the municipality. Duties of note include overseeing the village’s $45 million municipal budget and approving various personnel hiring and promotion decisions.
More than 50 individuals submitted résumés for consideration, and the council is still determining which of the applicants will be interviewed.
“All council members have reviewed each and every résumé, and all council members are working together to determine which candidates are interviewed. It’s a completely collaborative process,” Mayor Paul Aronsohn said.
