Village of Ridgewood : Sanitation Collection at the Curb on Thursday
To ensure collection of your garbage tomorrow, March 7th, please place your garbage at the curb. Due to weather conditions and safety, collection may need to be curtailed tomorrow. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Super Science Saturday – Fun and Learning for the Whole Family on March 9
Whether your interests range from robotics, to auto-guided planes or hatching baby chicks, Super Science Saturday features interesting exhibits for everyone. This celebration of science and technology, now in its 25th year, will be from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 9 at Ridgewood High School, 627 East Ridgewood Avenue.Admission is free.
New exhibits this year include how solar energy works, demonstrations on polymer chemistry, rockets powered by Alka Seltzer, displays of gliders from the Bergen County Academy of Model Aeronautics and the Ridgewood High School orchestra showcasing the science behind musical instruments. Other highlights include a Franklin Institute show on “Life in Space,” hundreds of exhibits and demonstrations, the “Great Paper Airplane Contest,” the Bergen Community College solar telescope and model rocket launches on the high school football field.
A special guest this year will be Amy Freeze, meteorologist with WABC-TV in New York. She will demonstrate how scientists measure atmospheric pressure, wind currents and other factors to make weather predictions.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Super Science Saturday has a special activity this year: attendees are invited to participate in a 25-foot egg drop contest. Attendees of all ages will be supplied with kits, which they can use to protect their eggs from breaking on
impact.
Each year, Super Science Saturday attracts hundreds of student exhibitors, and interactive demonstrations from dozens of amateur and professional scientists. Students from any school system, as well as adult hobbyists and professional scientists, are invited to share their love of science with the community.
Started by a Ridgewood science teacher and a handful of students and parents in 1987,Super Science Saturday is a non-competitive event designed for fun, understanding and appreciation of science and technology in our daily lives.
Super Science Saturday is funded by The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood’s not-for-profit hospital, and Ridgewood Education Foundation, which provides grants to enhance and support the quality of education in Ridgewood public schools.
Economic Optimism Plunges To 15-Month Low; 59% Say U.S. In Recession
By Ed Carson, Investor’s Business Daily
Posted 09:58 AM ET
With tax hikes and rising gasoline prices sapping consumers’ pocketbooks and politicians preaching sequester gloom and doom, the IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism Index plunged 5.1 points in March to 42.2, the lowest since December 2011.
The federal economic policies confidence gauge fell 11% to 35.5, also a 15-month low. The six-month outlook index cratered 18% to 38.8, the worst since October 2011. The personal financial outlook reading lost 4.4% to 52.2, though that’s still above the neutral 50 level separating optimism and pessimism.
January personal income tumbled 3.6%, the worst monthly drop in 20 years, in the wake of fiscal cliff tax hikes on payrolls and high earners. Gasoline prices climbed day after day. Stock prices have wobbled as Italy’s inconclusive election revived concerns about the eurozone and global economy. Meanwhile, President Obama has been campaigning across the country, warning that automatic spending cuts will have a disastrous impact on government services and the economy. The sequestration just took effect this month.
Small wonder the overall index’s 10.8% decline was the worst since August 2011. That’s when Standard & Poor’s downgraded U.S. sovereign debt during the debt ceiling fight. To end the standoff, the White House proposed the sequester, which Obama now derides as “dumb” cuts.
https://news.investors.com/economy/030513-646760-ibd-tipp-economic-optimism-index-dives-in-march.htm
Parents, Coaches: Know the Risks of Concussions in Youth Sports The Valley Hospital is Offering Concussion Testing
February 27, 2013
Ridgewood NJ, To assist parents and coaches in protecting young athletes from the serious head injuries that can result from returning to play too soon after a suffering a concussion, The Valley Hospital Sports Institute offers the ImPACT Concussion Management Test. ImPACT (Immediate Post Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) is an innovative computerized evaluation system that assesses the effects and severity of a concussion and helps determine when it is safe for an athlete to return to contact sports following a concussion.
ImPACT testing is suitable for athletes ages 12 and older. It is a 20-30 minute neurocognitive test battery that has been scientifically validated to measure the effects of sports-related concussion. Typically, in the preseason each athlete is given a baseline test. And, when a concussion is suspected during the season, a follow-up test is administered to see if the results have changed from the baseline. This comparison helps to diagnose and manage the concussion. Follow-up tests can be administered over days or weeks so clinicians can continue to track the athlete’s recovery from the injury.
The Sports Institute recently enhanced its Concussion Management Program with the addition of the Biodex Biosway Balance testing unit. The test takes about 5 minutes and provides a psycho-motor assessment of concussion injuries. Athletes should be tested in the preseason to gather baseline information that can be used for comparison in the event of a concussion to assess the extent of the injury and the athlete’s readiness to return to activity.
Since most high schools in the area have the testing in place already, the Sports Institute is providing this service primarily for the recreation and town-sponsored youth sports teams for athletes ages 12 and older.
The next scheduled baseline testing sessions will take place on Thursday, March 21. Two sessions will be held at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at Valley’s Kraft Center, located at 15 Essex Road in Paramus. The tests will be conducted in the 3rd Floor Computer Lab.
Pre-Registration is required, as space is limited. The fee is $25. Space is limited. Please call 201-447-8133 for more information and to register.
A concussion is a brain injury. Concussions are most commonly caused by a bump or blow to the head, but, can also be caused by a sudden deceleration or acceleration of the head. In either scenario, the brain, suspended inside the skull and surrounded by fluid, continues to travel with momentum until it “bangs” up against the skull – causing a brain-bruising injury – or concussion. What may seem to be a mild bump or blow to the head can be serious.
You can’t see a concussion. Signs and symptoms of a concussion can show up right after the injury, or may not appear or be noticed until days or weeks after the injury. If your child reports any symptoms of concussion, or if you notice the symptoms yourself, seek medical attention right away. Common symptoms include: headache, dizziness, feeling foggy, nausea, fatigue and confusion. Common signs include memory loss, a loss of balance and coordination, and changes in personality. Concussion severity varies widely, and the number of signs and symptoms vary also – serious injuries may show few symptoms.
Although less common, bleeding in the brain can occur with some head injuries. Loss of consciousness, mental status deterioration and worsening symptoms raise the concern for a bleeding injury. An athlete does not need to lose consciousness (black out) to suffer a concussion. In fact, less than 10 percent of concussed athletes lose consciousness.
An athlete who suffers a concussion can be at risk for a condition known as Second Impact Syndrome if he or she returns to sports before full recovery. Second impact syndrome is a life-threatening condition in which a second concussion occurs before a first concussion has properly healed, causing rapid and severe brain swelling. Second impact syndrome can result from even a very mild concussion that occurs days or weeks after the initial concussion.
“Second Impact Syndrome can be prevented,” Donald Tomaszewski, Director of The Valley Hospital Sports Institute. “Don’t allow an athlete to return to sports after a concussion until their symptoms have completely resolved and they have been cleared by a medical professional experienced in treating concussions.”
In New Program RHS pushes exercise to improve Test Scores
March 4, 2013, 10:27 AM
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , we have all known for years from peak performers that regular exercise increases productivity in the the work place , particularly those in high stress ,high pressure jobs. Now that knowledge is being applied to students in hopes of in creasing their test scores.
A recent Danish study released last year, concluded that students who walked or biked to school actually performed better overall on a concentration test than those who were driven to school. Eating regular meals also helped concentration, the study found.
The Ridgewood News is reporting that Ridgewood High School (RHS) educators, have concluded that students need good nights sleep, a good meal and some activity to perform their best. Hoping that more exercise will improve test outcomes at RHS.https://www.northjersey.com/news/194829961_Ridgewood_students_shaping_up_for_test.html
This week, school administrators will launch a new voluntary exercise program for RHS juniors with the idea of improving their High School Proficiency Assessment (HSPA) testing on March 5, 6 and 7.https://www.northjersey.com/news/194829961_Ridgewood_students_shaping_up_for_test.html
RHS will voluntary exercise classes of about 15 to 20 minutes to be offered before the HSPA tests at 7:05 a.m. in Gym 1 for interested students who are willing to get to school early. Then, whether or not they participate in an activity, immediately before their exams begin, all juniors will be offered water and free snacks of fruit, yogurt and granola bars.https://www.northjersey.com/news/194829961_Ridgewood_students_shaping_up_for_test.html
Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn and Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck Engage in Political Grandstanding on pointless gun resolution
Monday, March 4, 2013
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn and Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck are working to draft a pointless resolution that will take a stance against gun violence, gee is there really anybody for gun violence?
According to the Bergen Record discussions at a recent council meeting were inspired by an equally pointless resolution adopted by the Village Board of Education, which calls for more gun control as well as more funding for educational programs and mental health services.
The Council and the BOE owe it to taxpayers to focus on the business of the Village instead of grand standing on do nothing politically motivated resolutions spurred on by the horrific tragedy in Sandy Hook Connecticut.
Looking to capitalize and make cheap political points off this horrific tragedy is both in bad taste and totally disingenuous . With gun crime being disproportionally felt in the Black community and primarily generated by gang violence with young people it boarders on offensive when it only becomes an issue because white kids in the suburbs die. Gangs reportedly operate in 41 percent of urban schools, 26 percent of suburban schools, and 20 percent of rural schools.
According to the International Association of Chiefs of Police ,”The criminal acquisition and use of firearms in the United States continues to plague law enforcement officials and the communities they serve. The increase and spread of violent crime, in particular crimes committed by juveniles, must be specifically addressed to decrease the number of gun-related deaths and injuries that negatively impact the quality of life in our communities. Easy access to firearms by prohibited possessors directly affects the level of violent crime in America today.”
The fact is when it comes to gun crime , “Blacks were disproportionately represented as both homicide victims and offenders. The victimization rate for blacks (27.8 per 100,000) was 6 times higher than the rate for whites (4.5 per 100,000). The offending rate for blacks (34.4 per 100,000) was almost 8 times higher than the rate for whites (4.5 per 100,000).”
“Males represented 77% of homicide victims and nearly 90% of offenders. The victimization rate for males (11.6 per 100,000) was 3 times higher than the rate for females (3.4 per 100,000). The offending rate for males (15.1 per 100,000) was almost 9 times higher than the rate for females (1.7 per 100,000).”
“Approximately a third (34%) of murder victims and almost half (49%) of the offenders were under age 25. For both victims and offenders, the rate per 100,000 peaked in the 18 to 24 year-old age group at 17.1 victims per 100,000 and 29.3 offenders per 100,000.”
(These are all direct quotes from a United States Department of Justice report released by the Obama Administration in November of 2011.)
https://www.redstate.com/2013/01/09/the-real-gun-violence-problem/
https://www.ojjdp.gov/pubs/gun_violence/sect01.html
https://www.theiacp.org/PublicationsGuides/Projects/GunViolenceReduction/BJAInitiatives/tabid/320/Default.aspx
dispite the hoopla no noticeable impact
Sequester a whole lot of nothing
NJ won’t feel the worst of sequester, experts say
Saturday March 2, 2013, 11:49 PM
BY ANTHONY CAMPISI
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
The Record
Predictions of mayhem have been flying fast and furious in the days leading up to the deadline for the $85 billion in across-the-board federal spending cuts known as the sequester.
But as officials and experts in New Jersey got a closer look, a different reality has emerged: The state will not feel much pain in the immediate future, and even long term, it is likely to be spared the worst of the cuts.
Though federal domestic spending will be facing a 9 percent cut, which will lead to reductions in New Jersey programs ranging from school aid to childhood vaccinations, the Christie administration expects the immediate impact on the state’s budget to be modest.
The administration has set aside money in the budget for the next fiscal year starting July to protect the “ability to provide critical services” in the event that politicians in Washington couldn’t break their impasse on the federal budget. But the amount is just $3 million.
State Treasurer Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff said last week that the worst effects of the sequester won’t be felt until the coming fiscal year.
“The agencies have indicated to us that they don’t think the impact in the current fiscal year will be that significant,” he said.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/NJ_wont_feel_the_worst_of_sequester_experts_say.html#sthash.hIProO0m.dpuf
Ridgewood Open Houses Sunday March 3
March 1, 2013 By Michael Shetler
Open Houses in Ridgewood, NJ
Starts: 03/03/2013 01:00 pm
Duration: 3 hours:
Ridgewood, NJ
07450
Michael Shetler is a local resident and NJAR Circle of Excellence recipient (2009, 2011) who is happy to serve you in this area. For more information about any of these local homes for sale please call Michael at 201.421.0506 cell or 201.445.4300 office.
Address List Price Bedrooms List Broker
1 258 STEILEN AVE $450,000 4 TERRIE O’CONNOR REALTORS/RIDGEWOOD
2 610 ROBERT ST $450,000 4 WEICHERT REALTORS RIDGEWOOD
3 115 ACKERMAN AVE $475,000 4 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
4 490 VAN EMBURGH AVE $534,900 3 WEICHERT REALTORS RIDGEWOOD
5 614 ELLINGTON RD $544,000 4 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
6 426 VAN BUREN ST $565,000 3 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
7 319 NORTHERN PKWY $629,900 3 GILSENAN & CO.
8 669 ARCADIA RD $639,900 4 VENTURE VR REALTORS
9 143 SPENCER PL $669,000 3 GILSENAN & CO.
10 906 HILLCREST RD $675,000 4 GILSENAN & CO.
11 296 PROSPECT ST $719,000 5 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
12 415 OAK ST $806,000 4 WEICHERT REALTORS RIDGEWOOD
13 198 ORCHARD PL $815,000 4 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
14 18 KENILWORTH RD $1,079,000 5 WEICHERT REALTORS RIDGEWOOD
15 305 BEECHWOOD RD $1,159,900 4 MARRON GILDEA REALTY, INC. RIDGEWOOD
16 252 MCKINLEY PL $1,160,000 4 TARVIN REALTORS
17 355 CREST RD $1,218,000 5 PROMINENT PROPERTIES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY-RIDGEWOO
18 279 BELLAIR RD $1,249,000 5 TARVIN REALTORS
19 296 WESTGATE RD $1,249,000 5 TARVIN REALTORS
20 302 MANOR RD $1,329,000 5 TARVIN REALTORS
21 776 WOODFIELD CT $1,595,000 5 TERRIE O’CONNOR REALTORS/SDLRV
22 223 MANOR RD $1,750,000 6 COLDWELL BANKER, RIDGEWOOD
23 500 KNOLLWOOD RD $2,095,000 6 TARVIN REALTORS
24 200 N MURRAY AVE $2,295,000 5 TARVIN REALTORS
25 330 BEDFORD RD $2,399,000 5 KELLER WILLIAMS VILLAGE SQUARE REALTY
26 135 SUNSET AVE $2,495,000 5 SOLUTIONS REALTY, LLC
For Glen Rock open houses visit Glen-Rock.com
– See more at: https://ridgewood-nj-real-estate.com/open-houses-sunday-march-3/#sthash.1dY8oyVl.dpuf
https://ridgewood-nj-real-estate.com/open-houses-sunday-march-3/
Americans renouncing citizenship to become British thanks to tax rise
By David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent
9:30PM GMT 02 Mar 2013
The number of people giving up their US citizenship to become British has surged thanks to complex tax rules introduced by the American tax authorities.
London-based American lawyers, who specialise in tax and immigration, report a threefold increase over the last five years in the number of American citizens who are giving up their citizenship – a process known as “renunciation”.
Across the world 1,781 Americans renounced their citizenship in 2011 compared with just 231 in 2008, when US tax laws changed, although it remains unknown how many are adopting British rather than any other nationality.
Many decide to give up their American citizenship after tiring of the lengthy US tax return process, which requires them to pay tax on their total income regardless of where they live.
“There’s no question that the number of people renouncing their US citizenship is increasing,” said Diane Gelon, a US tax and immigration lawyer based in London.
Financial Update on Ridgewood Community School, Cafeteria ,Infant /Toddler Development Center and Budget
Assistant Superintendent for Business Angelo DeSimone provided a mid year update on revenues from the three entities.The community school is at a break-even point; spring season provides the largest income and is yet to come. The cafeteria shows a flat increase that reflects a profit minus the expenses for required equipment purchases. The Infant /Toddler center is struggling financially; administrators are reviewing the program and how to make it more competitive.
Budget Update Assistant Superintendent for Business Angelo DeSimone gave a status report on the 2013-2014 budget preparations. Board trustees now have in hand a budget for all appropriations (all line items); the next step is to balance the budget.
March Meeting Dates of the Board of Education are Revised The March 4 regular public meeting of the Ridgewood Board of Education has been moved to Wednesday, March 6 at 7:30 p.m.The March 25 regular public meeting of the Ridgewood Board of Education has been changed to Wednesday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Please note that these meetings will be streamed live via the district’s website only. They will not be aired live on FiOS or Optimum TV channels . The webcasts of the meeting will be available via the district website, usually within 48 hours.
Tiger Team Recommendations: Establish a Five Year Staffing Strategy
The Village should establish a five-year staffing plan that incorporates anticipated attrition, compensation
rates for new hires, outsourcing, civilianization opportunities and modeling of efficient staffing levels.
Personnel costs, staffing levels, and service offerings are some of the main drivers of the excessive operating costs of the Village. Historically, when one Village employee retires, another is hired as a replacement with little or no attempt to reengineer other employees’ duties to consolidate
positions or reduce cost.
Across the Village, a significant number of employees are near or currently eligible for full -time retirement benefits. These long-term employees are at th
e highest end of the pay scale and it is critical for Village management to evaluate the cost – benefit for them tocontinue working for the Village or attempt to accelerate their retirements and replace them, if necessary, with lower cost employees . This must be facilitated nunder collective bargaining agreements . In order to properly evaluate this, the concessions from existing employees, as well as the terms of contracts for new hires must be known. There fore, this analysis should be performed in conjunction with collective bargaining agreement negotiations, in collaboration with
the FOB, and in alignment with the Strategic Financial Plan.
The manner in which services are delivered must be closely evaluated for every service offering throughout the Village. If the Board of Education can save hundreds of thousands of dollars by terminating the use of Village services and outsourcing them, it is only logical that the Village itself could save significantly larger amounts by doing the same. As referenced throughout this report, Village management must carefully evaluate the cost-benefit of outsourcing the delivery of all service offerings.
The analysis of all of these components requires coordination among numerous departments and Village management. In order to more effectively manage future personnel levels and compensation/benefit costs, in terms of the immediate and long-term impact , the committee believes it is critical for management to develop a five-year staffing plan.
Woodward’s Not Alone – Fmr. Clinton Aide Davis Says He Received White House Threat
8:39AM Thursday
February 28, 2013
WASHINGTON — Bob Woodward isn’t the only person who’s received threats for airing the Obama administration’s dirty laundry. It seems anyone is a potential target of the White House these days – even former senior members of the Clinton administration.
A day after Woodward’s claim that a senior White House official had told him he would “regret” writing a column criticizing President Obama’s stance on the sequester, Lanny Davis, a longtime close advisor to President Bill Clinton, told WMAL’s Mornings on the Mall Thursday he had received similar threats for newspaper columns he had written about Obama in the Washington Times.
Davis told WMAL that his editor, John Solomon, “received a phone call from a senior Obama White House official who didn’t like some of my columns, even though I’m a supporter of Obama. I couldn’t imagine why this call was made.” Davis says the Obama aide told Solomon, “that if he continued to run my columns, he would lose, or his reporters would lose their White House credentials.”
https://www.wmal.com/common/page.php?pt=WMAL+EXCLUSIVE%3A+Woodward%27s+Not+Alone+-+Fmr.+Clinton+Aide+Davis+Says+He+Received+White+House+Threat&id=8924&is_corp=0
Christie at Elmwood park
State aid to North Jersey towns flat under Christie budget plan
Wednesday, February 27, 2013 Last updated: Wednesday February 27, 2013, 6:31 PM
BY JOHN REITMEYER
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
The Record
Related: North Jersey proposed municipal aid by town
The state will increase spending by more than $1 billion under Governor Christie’s proposed budget, but North Jersey towns and most others across the state that faced additional costs after superstorm Sandy will get no additional aid to help hold down property taxes.
Total state aid for municipalities again remained flat in the $32.9 billion budget Christie put forward earlier this week, and town-by-town aid figures released by the administration Wednesday show no increases for every community in Bergen and Passaic counties.
Local municipal officials were not surprised, but no less upset to be getting the identical aid payment they received last year from Trenton even as their costs continue to go up.
“When it’s flat, that’s just wrong,” Ridgewood Mayor Paul Aronsohn said. “This is taxpayers’ money that goes to Trenton, and they decide how much we get back. Flat sounds good, but the fact is it is a decrease in state aid.”
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/State_aid_to_North_Jersey_towns_flat_under_Christie_budget_plan.html#sthash.AdRMVFlN.dpuf
Candidates are Announced for April 16 School Election
The Ridgewood Board of Education will have two vacancies in the Tuesday, April 16 Annual School Election. Up for re-election are current Trustees Michele Lenhard and James Morgan, who will each run unopposed for another three-year term.
Any Ridgewood resident who is a registered voter may cast a ballot in the Annual School Election. Voting takes place at regular polling locations from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition, any registered voter may choose to cast a ballot by mail.
Click here to download a Voter Registration Application form. Registration must take place by Tuesday, March 26.https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/elections/PDFs/VoterRegEng.pdf
Click here to download a vote-by-mail / mail-in ballot application.https://www.bergencountyclerk.org/web_content/pdf/voting/Vote-By-Mail-Application.pdf
Readers say Healthcare is the biggest scam in this country
The article Bitter Pill: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us even made Medicare out to be a hero, believe it or not. The real reason for the valley expansion is nicely explained here.
Something to think about: I had an emergency operation that cost 19000 and change. My insurance paid for it sans the deductible. About a year later I’m discussing the cost of the operation with an employee from valley. She said ” your insurance didn’t pay 19000 dollars for that operation they probably paid between 8800 and 9300 for. BUT if I did’t have insurance I would be on the hook for the whole 19000, And in nj the hospital could put a lein on my house for the payment. If the hospital can charge the ins co. those figures why do they get away with beating up the uninsured for whole inflated bill?
Most relevant to Ridgewood is the expose of the hospitals amazing profits, and need to continually expand, buy doctors’ practices, etc. The pay of their executives, their p.r., all at the expense of the residents.
Its not the doctors or the nurses who benefit, it is the hospital and the health care industry itself. The hospitals are scrambling to play down this amazing story, but they cannot.
The non profit argument is a myth, and even if some people want P.I.L.O.T it is a false argument, cause it wouldn’t matter to the hospitals bottom line, they make so much money and they would use this as an argument to expand.
