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Two Men Indicted for Operating Large-Scale Heroin Mill in Penthouse of Fort Lee,Luxury High-Rise

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Fort Lee NJ, Two men were indicted today for operating a heroin mill out of a penthouse apartment unit in luxury, residential high-rise tower in Fort Lee, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Richard Fernandez, 36, and Carlos Mosquea-Diaz, 36, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl. Fernandez is also charged with possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime. 

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On this Day in 1865 the United States Abolished Slavery

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photo  courtesy of the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, on this day in 1865, the United States of America abolished slavery with passage of the 13th Amendment!It was the first amendment to the Constitution in more than 60 years, as the initial 12 amendments occurred shortly after the Constitution was adopted.

There were still approximately 40,000 slaves remaining in Kentucky alone were freed by the 13th Amendment.”Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”

The 13th amendment, along with the 14th & 15th, is one of the trio of Civil War amendments that greatly expanded the civil rights of Americans.

Today also marks what would have been Jackie Robinson’s 100th birthday. In 1947, Jackie Robinson became the first black player in the most popular sport in America, and helped change the way the country thought about racial integration.

If is often said the ,Babe Ruth changed baseball , while Jackie Robinson changed America.

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Governor Phil Murphy and Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police Warn of Big Freeze

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Governor Phil Murphy and Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police and Director of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, have authorized an early dismissal for all state offices due to today’s winter weather.

The Governor has initiated a staggered closing for state offices beginning at 1:30 PM this afternoon. The early dismissal does not include essential employees, who shall remain until the normal close of business. Private companies and business should dismiss their employees at their own discretion. No state of emergency has been declared at this point.

“Winter weather and a dramatic drop in temperatures are expected today and into this evening and throughout the night,” said Governor Murphy. “When you are on the roads, please use extreme caution and allow road crews plenty of room to keep the roads clear. Once you get home, the best thing to do is to stay in. Our overarching goal is for everyone to get home safe.”

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New Jersey Is the State Where Immigrants Have the 3rd Biggest Economic Impact

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, With immigration reform remaining one of the biggest policy issues in 2019 and border security taking center stage in the longest government shutdown in history, the personal-finance website WalletHub today released its report on 2019’s Economic Impact of Immigration by State as well as accompanying videos.

According to the American Immigration Council , New Jersey hosts 500,000 undocumented immigrants comprised 24 percent of the immigrant population and 5.4 percent of the total state population in 2014.
604,615 people in New Jersey, including 204,946 born in the United States, lived with at least one undocumented family member between 2010 and 2014.

During the same period, 1 in 11 children in the state was a U.S. citizen living with at least one undocumented family member (180,580 children in total).

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Reader says ,”easier to talk about grandiose ideas like saving oceans, planet earth, etc”

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“Unfortunately it’s much easier to talk about grandiose ideas like saving oceans, planet earth, etc. But when it comes to local issues most people are paralyzed from fear and don’t want to get involved or/and offend their local (and friendly) politicians who they see on daily basis. Other aspect of it is apathy and ignorance. But arsenic and lead in our drinking water is not something we should take lightly. Town-wide well water testing should follow in my humble opinion. If Suez can pay for lead testing I am sure Toll Brothers can afford arsenic testing as well. Between 19 Meadowbrook Road and 1 Lake Street projects (both include Pleasant Brook) Toll Brothers will gross close to half a billion of dollars in gross real estate sales if not more. There should be provisions for water testing in such enormous construction projects in the middle of small town that relied on well water for decades. Why destroy something others had been preserving for us generations? When I moved to Upper Saddle River in 2006 they called it “bucolic community” and now we have over 150 acres of pure desert in the middle of the town. Very sad what’s becoming of this lovely community.”

https://qz.com/1105035/2-million-americans-are-drinking-high-levels-of-arsenic-in-their-well-water/

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Murphy Grants Tax break to Hollywood ,but Raises Taxes on Jersey Shore Rentals

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) questioned Governor Murphy’s motive to provide a multi-million dollar tax subsidy to Hollywood’s film industry while simultaneously increasing taxes that negatively impact New Jersey’s shore homeowners and the summer tourism industry.

“Governor Murphy’s tax break for the Hollywood film industry stands in stark contrast to his tax hike on New Jersey shore house renters,” Pennacchio said. “While the Hollywood-connected elite will enjoy $425 million in subsidies, beach renters could pay up to an additional 14 percent in taxes. This could amount to hundreds of dollars in fees on what was once an affordable family vacation. The owners of these shore rentals are also paying an unfair price, on top of the already high taxes and operational costs required to maintain their properties.

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Governor Murphy Tours Hudson River Tunnel with Legislative Leadership and Congressional Delegation

Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

WEEHAWKEN NJ, Governor Phil Murphy today toured the North River Tunnel with state legislative leadership and members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation. The 108 year old North River Tunnel has been in disrepair and in dire need of replacement since extensive damage was caused by Hurricane Sandy.

“The rehabilitation of the existing North River Tunnel and construction of the new Hudson Tunnel is crucial to the tri-state area, and in particular New Jersey,” Governor Phil Murphy said. “It is time for the Trump administration to prioritize the needs of commuters and our nation’s economy, and commit to funding the Gateway Program.”

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Public Health Concerns Continue to be Raised Over Arsenic Runoff From Toll Brothers Site in Mahwah, Upper Saddle River and Saddle River

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Derek Michalski of GREENUSR  and the Staff of the Ridgewood blog 

Mahwah NJ, Mahwah Environmental Commission and its members were apprised over the weekend by Derek Michalski of the situation in USR and ongoing concerns regarding alleged arsenic and lead pollution. Also they were provided with new aerial surveillance video documenting that Toll Brothers is using underground and above ground pumps to dewater “colloidal clay” directly into Pleasant Brook. After full year of Stop Work Order one might think the situation would get better not worse. However USR aquifer is still being destroyed in front of our eyes and the NJ residents who live along the path of the Pleasant Brook are clearly at risk. According to a local physician “the unfortunate reality is that we won’t see real evidence of arsenic issues for 20 years. The time is now to insure the health of those at risk. If this is not done, it is truly a failure of government to perform its primary role in society”.

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Reader says , “students were forced to participate “

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“The RHS administration made plans for those who chose not to participate and for those who had a different gun perspective and they met during the walkout. I thought it was handled very well and having attended college in the 60’s , I have never forgotten our attempts at protest and or solidarity.”
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This is not true in practice.
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Ask students who went to see the protest then chose to not participate — forced to participate.
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Also “plans for those who chose not to participate” – i.e. corraling students into a room inside the building smacks of “seperate but equal” segregation.

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Reader says , “Gorman should move to Chicago and be an Obama-style community organizer”

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“Students should NEVER get the warm and fuzzy from adults when thinking about setting their own class schedule once the add/drop deadline has passed, regardless of what the political issue du jour happens to be. What if the students simply wanted to hold an ice cream social? Would the administration and the school board not have considered that unworthy and told them “cut class and suffer the consequences?”. No, it’s only when certain kool-aid drinking students scratch the sixties retreads’ special spot do their political hind legs go twitching and they become all luvvy duvvy and compliant like Gorman did. Absolutely pathetic and partisan.
Gorman only set about to scandalize and corrupt a much smaller group of naive second amendment supporters to similarly cut class and hold their own protest (inside the building and out of range of the videocameras of Gorman’s friends in the press, of course) to give himself the thinnest of a solomon-like veneer in the eyes of those of us who tend not to think too deeply about the menace of government-sponsored political action. Gorman should move to Chicago and be an Obama-style community organizer if that’s what floats his boat and leave the job of a high school principal to someone who actually wants to maintain or improve RHS’s academic performance and reputation.”

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At the Ridgewood Public Library

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SUN, JAN 27  2PM | Sunday Concert: Vent Nouveau
Ensemble plays hidden gems: wind, brass & percussion. All welcome, donations greatly appreciated.

TUES, JAN 29 and THURS, JAN 31  1-2:30PM | ESL for Adults: English in Action 
Practice idioms and popular usage of phrases in given cultural situations. $30/RW; $75/visitor for winter session (Jan 3-Feb 28). Registration required. Questions? Victoria at 201-670-5600, ext. 133 or [email protected].

TUES, JAN 29  2:15PM | Memoir Writing Group
What’s your story? Registration required, no writing experience needed. Register here or contact Kerri at [email protected].

TUES, JAN 29  6PM | 2018 Tax Updates
Get latest advice from CPA and tax professionals about newest tax laws. Space limited, registration required. Register here or contact Toni at 201-670-5600, ext 123 or [email protected]

WED, JAN 30  4PM | World Language Café: Spanish
Practice foreign languages with fluent speakers. Registration required. Register here or contact Larissa at 201-670-5600, ext. 130 or [email protected]
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Ridgewood Public Schools Annual School Board and Budget Vote

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The 2019-2020 Ridgewood Public Schools budget will be voted on by registered voters in the Annual School Election on Tuesday, April 16. 

The following links go directly to pages on the Bergen County website.

How to:

Register to vote
The registration deadline is 21 days before an election. The deadline for registering to vote in the Annual School Election (April 16) is Tuesday, March 26.

Vote by mail
A registered voter may apply for a Mail-in Ballot by mail up to seven days prior to the election, or apply in person until 3 p.m. on the day before the election. Mail-in Ballots must be postmarked no later than Election Day and received no later than 48 hours after polls close, or returned in person before the close of polls on Election Day. The deadline to apply by mail for a Vote-by-Mail Ballot for the Annual School Election (April 16) is Tuesday, April 9. The deadline to apply in person at the County Clerk’s Office for a Vote-by-Mail Ballot for the Annual School Election is Monday, April 15 at 3 p.m.

FAQs on voting
Answers to general questions on registering to vote and voting

Please note: The office of the Bergen County Superintendent of Elections is the primary source for full information on voting and elections. Please consult the Bergen County website for more information at https://www.co.bergen.nj.us/about-superintendent-of-elections.

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PHILL MURPHY RECALL PETITION FILED WITH STATE

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, the process to recall Phil Murphy is officially under way . A petition to recall Phil Murphy has been filed and last Thursday, the state of New Jersey acknowledged receipt of the letter of intent filed by New Jersey residents Monica Brinson, Terry Becak and Patty Hoch.

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Governor Murphy Must Submit Himself To Ethics Panel Investigation Over Sky Blue FC Conflicts

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  Following reports yesterday that Governor Murphy was directly involved with the recruitment of a draft pick for his professional women’s soccer team, Sky Blue FC,it has come to light that Governor Murphy may have violated state ethics laws. 

Hometown soccer star Julia Ashley told reporters she would rather leave the country than play for Murphy’s soccer team. Murphy called her personally, and unsuccessfully, to convince her to stay. Sky Blue FC  made news recently for the poor conditions to which it subjects its female members. 

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Senate President, Assembly Majority Leader focus on pension overhaul, benefits reform and property tax relief at Rowan event

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, while Murphy Administration called on liberal activists, to push back against state Senate President Stephen Sweeney’s big plan to fix New Jersey’s long-term fiscal problems , Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald tonight warned that New Jersey won’t be able to make critical investments in education, transportation, higher education and social services unless it enacts major structural reforms to address the looming budget crisis fueled by runaway pension and benefit costs.

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