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U.S. News & World Report Ranks Ridgewood High School No. 24 in New Jersey and No. 577 in the country

RHS

May 10,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, U.S. News & World Report released its annual list of best high schools in the country. The U.S. News rankings include data on more than 20,500 public schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Schools were awarded gold, silver or bronze medals based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college.

New Jersey high school students are assessed in math and English language arts via the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, or PARCC, exams. High school students are required to study a world language to graduate, according to the New Jersey Department of Education.

Ridgewood High School was ranked No. 24 in New Jersey and No. 577 in the country.

US News ranked Ridgewood High School 24th within New Jersey. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement® course work and exams. The AP® participation rate at Ridgewood High School is 60 percent. The student body makeup is 48 percent male and 52 percent female, and the total minority enrollment is 28 percent. 

The US News Score card :

  • College Readiness Index
    55.5
  • AP® Tested
    60%
  • AP® Passed
    89%
  • Mathematics Proficiency
    69%
  • Reading Proficiency
    68%

To compare, Princeton is similar is size  :

Princeton High School is ranked #230 in the National Rankings and earned a gold medal. Schools are ranked based on their performance on state-required tests and how well they prepare students for college. Read more about how we rank the Best High Schools.
All rankings:
#230 in
National Rankings
#9 in
New Jersey High Schools
#95 in
STEM High Schools

 

College Readiness Index
71.6

AP® Tested
76%

AP® Passed
92%

Mathematics Proficiency
48%

Reading Proficiency
71%

 

 

 

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Sign Petition: “Stand up to Clear Cutting in Ridgewood”

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May 10,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Neighbor, please help and share! The destruction of approximately 250+ trees left fellow residents and their homes exposed to Route 17 and hazardous elements.

It is a violation of State and Village Code to remove a mandated buffer. In utter disregard of residents, the laws of this state and municipal land use approvals, the owners unilaterally truncated the required buffer (as seen in picture).

On 5/17/18, 4:30pm, this matter will be heard at Ridgewood Municpal Court (the public can attend). Please sign this online petition asking the Village of Ridgewood to fully enforce code and order full restoration of the required buffer. You can also print a copy of the online letter and PM me for pickup or mailing address.

For more details and background go to….
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/433/753/776/

Sign Petition: “Stand up to Clear Cutting in Ridgewood”
Margaret Sullivan Prosecutor Village of Ridgewood 131 N Maple Ave Ridgewood, NJ 07450 Re: Commons at Ridgewood Summons: SC 015063 Violation: Chapter 190-94d
thepetitionsite.com

 

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Society Cafe Concert Series Presents the Annual Two Piano Festival

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May 9,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Society Cafe Concert Series presents The Annual Two Piano Festival on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 3:00 pm at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place. Duo piano teams will perform a wide selection of music for two pianos, including works by Bach, Dvorak, Stravinsky and Disney. The Festival raises money for a scholarship for a student pianist awarded by The Professional Music Teachers’ Guild of NJ. There will be a reception after the concert.
$20 admission via PayPal at www.societycafeconcertseries.com, or by calling 201-444-6225. $25 at the door.

Sun, May 20, 2018
Time: 3:00 PM
Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place, Ridgewood, NJ 07450

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Governor Comes Clean on Cost of State Raises

Phill Murphy -Sara Medina del Castillo

May 9,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, while you been buy on the local election campaign Governor Murphy just handed out a nice payback to the unions that got him elected .Governor Phil Murphy said at the time he doesn’t know the cost to taxpayers of raises he gave to 35,000 New Jersey state workers, members of a union that supported his candidacy.

Assemblywomen Holly Schepisi  said , “Maybe these raises are warranted, maybe they aren’t, but how could our Governor authorize them without having some idea of what they would cost the taxpayers of New Jersey???
P.S. it’s over $148 million ”

UPDATE: Below please find today’s press release from the Governor’s office which discusses preliminary increased costs of $149 million.
State of New Jersey
Murphy Administration Releases Total State Cost of Contract Settlement with the Communication Workers of America, AFL-CIO
Trenton – Today, the Murphy Administration released the total projected state cost of its recent contract settlement with the Communication Workers of America, AFL-CIO:
The total projected state cost of the contract is approximately $148.9 million.
Of this total, $78 million is related to the unprecedented suspension of step increments and clothing allowances by the Christie Administration dating back to FY 2016.
A fiscal year breakdown of the projected costs may be found below. Retroactive payouts for FY 2016 and FY 2017 are assumed in the Fiscal Year 2018 adjusted appropriation:
FY Payout Total
FY16 Retro $24.0 million
FY17 Retro $34.7 million
FY18 Retro $41.4 million
FY 19 Projected $48.8 million
Grand Total $148.9 million
Because of the duration of the retroactivity and the details of the contract negotiations, final totals will not be available until programming is completed.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-02/murphy-says-he-doesn-t-know-cost-of-raises-he-just-gave-workers

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Knudsen and Sedon overwhelmingly RE-ELECTED to Village Council

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The “washed-out” whiteboard is where the numbers of votes were recorded. Standing in front of the board are Mayor Susan Knudsen on the left and Deputy Mayor Michael Sedon on the right.

Once again the people have spoken.

Susan Knudsen and Michael Sedon won today by 1,000+ votes–over 59% of the vote. In descending order of number of votes, including all polling stations and absentee ballots:

Susan Knudsen: 2989
Michael Sedon: 2973
Alexandra Harwin: 2040
Janice Willett: 2025

We would not be bullied. We would not be lied to. We would not sit back and watch dedicated public servants be insulted and wrongly, shamefully accused of bizarre things.

As the challengers’ campaign went low and lower, Susan and Mike remained cordial and respectful. They could easily have replied in kind, but refused.

That’s the kind of person we want and need to lead us: a person who displays character and integrity and who tell the truth…all the time and without thinking about it.

All six grassroots groups in town endorsed the winning candidates. Our constituencies understood the falseness and manipulation behind the scenes in a council election unlike any Ridgewood has ever seen–fortunately.

Such tactics must not be plied upon us again. If it’s tried, it will fail.

Ridgewood is an old but forward-looking place. We are inclusive and we welcome debate. We reject mudslinging. Candidates must tell us what they have to offer. It’s that simple.

To the tiger in the zoo, Madeline just said, “Pooh pooh!”
To the mailers straight from Hell, voters answered, “LOL!'”

Congratulations to our reelected council members.

Endless thanks to every voter and to the large number of people who worked tirelessly to get out the vote. Mike knocked on more than 1,600 doors.

When the hate mailers began to arrive, donations began to pour in.

“That’s what Ridgewood is all about,” Mayor Knudsen said tonight. “That is why we love Ridgewood. We want to make sure the Ridgewood of future generations is the Ridgewood that we love today. As a community, we stand together.”

Like the results of the last council election two years ago, this is a historic win for Ridgewood. Outside interests will not, shall not, oversee our Master Plan. Developers will not have a “council majority” putting out the welcome mat. Development will be contained and controlled as befits the Village. The garage will not be ‘Zilla.

In all but three districts, the winning candidates had the most votes.

A district-by-district breakdown of election results, showing votes cast for each candidate, percentages, and totals, is usually posted in a table on the village website shortly after the results are in.

A small map showing the borders of each voting district can be found on the village calendar, one page in from the back cover.

Following long tradition, our reelected council members will be sworn in at noon on July 1 (a Saturday this year) in the 4th-floor courtroom at Village Hall. At that time the mayor and deputy mayor for the next two years, having been selected by the council privately, will be announced.

The public is invited to the biannual “reorg” meeting, as always. Refreshments are usually served afterward at the library, but it’s too soon to tell.

Speaking of refreshments, we are typing this at a table in a corner of a raucous and joyous victory party. Time to partake. Good night!

Swimmingly,
The Preserve Graydon Coalition, Inc., a nonprofit corporation
“It’s clear—we love Graydon!”
[email protected] PreserveGraydon.org

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Lawyer and Elder Law Radio Host Indicted on Charges He Stole $1.9 Million from Elderly Clients

robert novy1

May 8,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ,  Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a prominent Ocean County attorney who hosted a radio show and taught seminars on elder law was indicted today on charges that he stole approximately $1.9 million from elderly clients. The victims generally did not have close relatives to guard their interests and in some cases suffered from dementia.

The Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau obtained a 10-count state grand jury indictment charging Robert Novy, 66, of Brick, N.J., with the following crimes:
Theft by Unlawful Taking (2nd Degree – Two Counts)
Misapplication of Entrusted Property (2nd Degree – Three Counts)
Theft by Deception (2nd Degree – One Count)
Money Laundering (1st Degree – Two Counts)
Money Laundering (2nd Degree – Two Counts)

The charges are the result of an ongoing investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau, assisted by the New Jersey Division of Taxation Office of Criminal Investigation. The case was referred to the Division of Criminal Justice by Ocean County Surrogate Jeffrey W. Moran. Novy also was investigated by the New Jersey Office of Attorney Ethics, which issued an ethics complaint against him on Jan. 26, 2016, and assisted the Division of Criminal Justice.

As an expert in elder law, Novy hosted a bi-monthly radio program “Inside the Law,” which focused on topics of concern to senior citizens. He was arrested on Oct. 18, 2016. Detectives executed a search warrant at his firm, Novy & Associates, on Ridgeway Avenue in Manchester, seizing billing records and other evidence. The Attorney General’s Office obtained court orders freezing over $3.5 million in assets held by Novy and his firm and appointing a trustee to oversee the firm’s business operations.

“Novy allegedly stole nearly $2 million from vulnerable clients, preying on seniors who were frail and isolated and who trusted him as their attorney to guard their life savings,” said Attorney General Grewal. “It is hard to imagine a more callous personal and professional betrayal.”

“We allege that Novy systematically drained his clients’ assets, laundering funds through various bank accounts and charging unauthorized fees to enrich himself and his firm,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We urge anyone with relevant information about Novy and his handling of client funds to contact our office.”

The indictment alleges that from 2009 through 2016, Novy stole approximately $1.9 million from six elderly clients. The investigation is ongoing, and the Division of Criminal Justice is looking at numerous additional suspicious financial transactions involving funds of other clients of Novy.

The investigation revealed that Novy allegedly stole funds from elderly and deceased clients who often did not have a close relative to claim their estate or challenge Novy’s actions. He allegedly used the stolen funds for his own benefit, paying personal and business expenses. Novy gained control through wills, powers of attorney, and trust documents, making himself the sole financial decision-maker for the clients. When clients had sizeable assets in the form of an annuity or life insurance policy, Novy allegedly directed insurance companies to redeem the policies and send the money directly to him. In some cases, when challenged by trustees or relatives about particular funds that had been withdrawn from client accounts, Novy claimed they were “administrative errors” and repaid the funds.
The indictment alleges that Novy engaged in three different schemes by which he stole funds from the six clients:
In one scheme, Novy is alleged to have simply transferred funds from his clients’ personal bank accounts or from his clients’ liquidated personal assets into his own bank account. Novy allegedly stole $322,342 from four of the six victims through this criminal scheme.

In the second scheme, Novy allegedly transferred funds from his clients’ personal accounts or liquidated assets into IOLTA (Interest on Lawyer Trust Account) sub-accounts that he controlled. The powers of attorney executed by the victims legally required Novy to place their assets into independent trust funds selected by the victims that would manage their assets, so the act of placing the funds into accounts that he controlled constituted a theft by Novy. It is alleged that Novy stole $929,026 from three of the six victims through this criminal scheme.

In the third scheme, Novy allegedly transferred client funds from various accounts – including the clients’ personal accounts, the clients’ IOLTA sub-accounts, or the firm’s attorney trust account – into the firm’s operating and disbursement accounts. Novy allegedly excessively billed the clients for power of attorney fees without any supporting invoices. Novy allegedly stole $659,457 from three of the six victims through this criminal scheme.
The money laundering counts allege that Novy engaged in transactions involving the stolen funds and the various accounts – primarily his attorney trust accounts and/or attorney business accounts – through which he concealed the source of the stolen funds and used them to promote his criminal activities.

Novy allegedly stole $1.9 million from the following six victims – all residents of Ocean County, N.J. – and/or their estates:
Brick Township woman who died in 2015 at age 88. Alleged theft: approximately $738,457.
Manchester Township woman who suffered from dementia and died in 2014 at age 87. Alleged theft: approximately $650,700.
Brick Township woman who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and died in 2013 at age 85. Alleged theft: approximately $242,305.
Manchester Township woman who currently is 98. Alleged theft: approximately $130,000.
Point Pleasant woman who suffered from dementia and died in 2015 at age 87. Alleged theft: approximately $103,843.
Waretown woman who died in 2013 at age 85 (and her husband who died in 2011 at age 92). Alleged theft: approximately $45,520.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Mary C. Jacobson in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Ocean County, where Novy will be ordered to appear in court at a later date for arraignment.

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North Jersey Partners Organizer of Harnessing the Power of the Millennial Workforce

NoJerseyPartnersMillennialWorkforceEvent2018

May 6,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Montclair NJ, North Jersey Partners brings you this event with the support of our generous sponsors:

Montclair State University, New Jersey Health Care Talent Network, NJIT Construction-Utilities Talent Network/TDC, Life Sciences Talent Network, NJMEP Advanced Manufacturing Talent Network, NJMEP Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Talent Network and the New Jersey Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Talent Network.

Employers, business owners and human resource professionals are cordially invited to attend our FREE spring event!
Executives from Bayer, Investors Bank, NJ Advance Media, Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health, SUEZ and Wawa will share how they have embraced this generation of workers and achieved workplace success. You will also have the opportunity to hear from millennials actively engaged in the workforce who will share their insights into the unique strengths of and challenges facing their generation in today’s labor market.
Millennials will comprise 40% of the workforce population by 2020.
Is your business prepared?

Parking is available at the Red Hawk parking deck on campus. Park on the 5th floor, if possible. The parking fee is $6.00 for a half day and $12.00 for a full day.

Date and Time
Fri, May 11, 2018
8:30 AM – 12:00 PM EDT

Location
Feliciano School of Business
Montclair State University
1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07043

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In honor of Air Quality Awareness Week, The Department of Environmental Protection and the Ridgewood Health Department would like to share some tips to reduce air pollutants

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May 7,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, In honor of Air Quality Awareness Week, The Department of Environmental Protection and the Ridgewood Health Department would like to share some tips to reduce air pollutants:
• Turn off vehicle engines while waiting in line to save money, fuel, and benefit public health. Do not idle your car.
• Develop good driving habits. Combine automobile trips to reduce “cold starts.” Choose a cleaner commute by carpooling, using public transportation, bicycling or walking.
• Have your vehicle’s emission codes read if the check engine light comes on, to determine what maintenance issues need to be addressed. Ensure personal or fleet vehicles are properly maintained and inspected at licensed inspection facilities when required. For more information, visit: www.njinspections.com/
• Refuel vehicles during cooler evening hours to reduce evaporation of gasoline, a volatile organic compound capable of forming ozone. Ask the gas station attendant to stop refueling your car when the nozzle clicks off, and to avoid overfilling or dripping fuel. Any additional gasoline after the first click may not reach your vehicle’s gas tank, although you will pay for it. Tighten gas caps securely.
• Maintain an energy-efficient vehicle. Keep vehicle tires properly inflated to increase gas mileage and reduce emissions.
• Turn off lights when leaving a room. Turn off the air conditioning and turn up the thermostat while away from home. These actions can save money, as well as reduce pollution.
• Check the local forecast using the Air Quality Index (AQI) at www.njaqinow.net/ before painting, mowing the lawn or doing other activities that cause air pollution. If it’s an orange or red day, which typically means the temperature is hot or uncomfortable, postpone projects that use solvents or engines.
• Get a low-cost air quality sensor and monitor local air quality.
• Consider an electric vehicle when it’s time to buy your next car. Visit www.drivegreen.nj.gov to assess affordability, find state and federal incentives, and learn about charging options.
• Plant trees and support programs that help maintain a healthy tree canopy.

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Weinberg Endorsement of Harwin Key to High Density Development Efforts in Ridgewood

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May 7,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood Nj, don’t think this Village Council Election is all about high density house and forced over development ,think again ,Harwin is bragging all over the internet on her endorsement of “high density”  Senator Loretta Weinberg.

Weinberg has continually promoted over development in Bergen County .

Harwin: So grateful to be endorsed by Loretta Weinberg, NJ State Senate Majority Leader and women’s leadership pioneer.
“Now, more than ever, we need to elect strong, progressive women, and it is in that spirit that I hope Alexandra Harwin gets elected to the Ridgewood Council. She’s smart. She’s thoughtful. And she would bring to Village Hall a welcome mix of energy, passion and integrity. Ridgewood is lucky to have Ali Harwin. I hope you vote for her on Tuesday, May 8.”
— Senator Loretta Weinberg — with Alexandra Harwin and Loretta Weinberg.

Senate Democrats Block Cardinale’s Efforts to Provide Affordable Housing Relief
June 20, 2017

Citing pleas from both local officials and residents who are concerned with the cost and impact of building thousands of new units of affordable housing on their little remaining open space, Senator Gerry Cardinale (R-39) attempted to force Senate votes yesterday on a pair of bills he sponsors that would provide temporary relief to municipalities. Both efforts were immediately blocked by the majority Senate Democrats.

Senate Democrats blocked votes on a pair of bills sponsored by Sen. Gerry Cardinale that would provide affordable housing relief to municipalities. (Pixabay)
“We’ve heard repeatedly from mayors, councilmembers, and residents that their towns cannot absorb the thousands of units that the Fair Share Housing Center has demanded they build,” said Cardinale. “It’s clear that the Legislature must regain control of a housing policy that the New Jersey Supreme Court has recklessly advanced beyond its mandate and at the expense of property taxpayers and local communities. I’m saddened that New Jersey Democrats continue to support an activist Court that wants to pave over New Jersey.”

The bills Cardinale attempted to advance, S-3080 and S-3081, would impose a moratorium on affordable housing litigation and establish an “Affordable Housing Obligation Study Commission,” respectively.
Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg stood on both occasions for Senate Democrats to table Cardinale’s motions to relieve his bills from the stalled committee process and bring them to the Senate floor for consideration.
“There aren’t too many people in Bergen County who are happy with the expensive affordable housing policies that Majority Leader Weinberg continues to defend,” said Cardinale. “I’m surprised she’s fighting so vigorously for overdevelopment, crowded schools, and higher property taxes throughout Bergen County.”

Cardinale’s efforts on the Senate floor followed a well-attended public meeting held by the 39th District legislators last week to hear the substantial concerns of public officials.
Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi and Assemblyman Bob Auth (both R-39) sponsor the identical versions of Cardinale’s bills in the General Assembly, A-4666 and A-4667, and have been strong advocates for affordable housing reform.
“The Fair Share Housing Center has issued local municipal obligations that would require just about every open field and every wooded lot in Bergen County to be replaced with high-density housing,” added Cardinale. “Democrats may be happy with that, but we’re not. We’ll keep fighting to preserve our towns and protect our property taxpayers.”

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CDC has put out a Create a Tick-Safe Zone for Your back Yard

CI Lifelong Landscape Design pg118 stone snail

May 6,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, according to the NJ Health Department ,the number of Lyme disease cases increased by 17 percent from 2016 to 2017 and they’ve more than doubled since 2006, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,432 cases in New Jersey. Last year, there were 5,091!

It seems every year we get dire warning of tick bits and Lyme disease, so what is a resident to do if you still want to enjoy the great outdoors during the summer months ?

The CDC has put out a Create a Tick-Safe Zone Through Landscaping. So if you can make your yard less attractive to ticks depending on how you landscape. Here are some simple landscaping techniques that can help reduce tick populations:

Clear tall grasses and brush around homes and at the edge of lawns.
Place a 3-ft wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas and around patios and play equipment. This will restrict tick migration into recreational areas.
Mow the lawn frequently and keep leaves raked.
Stack wood neatly and in a dry area (discourages rodents that ticks feed on).
Keep playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and trees and place them in a sunny location, if possible.
Remove any old furniture, mattresses, or trash from the yard that may give ticks a place to hide.
Refer to the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station’s Tick Management Handbook[PDF – 8.53 MB] for a comprehensive guide to preventing ticks and their bites through landscaping.

Apply Pesticides Outdoors to Control Ticks
Use of acaricides (tick pesticides) can reduce the number of ticks in treated areas of your yard. However, you should not rely on spraying to reduce your risk of infection.
If you have concerns about applying acaricides:
Check with local health officials about the best time to apply acaricide in your area.
Identify rules and regulations related to pesticide application on residential properties (Environmental Protection Agency and your state determine the availability of pesticides).
Consider using a professional pesticide company to apply pesticides at your home.

 

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Ridgewood Arts Foundation Note Card Project ,”Impressions of Ridgewood”

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May 5,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Arts Foundation Note Card Project ,”Impressions of Ridgewood” . The Ridgewood Arts Foundation is calling any artist with a connection to Ridgewood to submit artwork for consideration in an exquisite note card fundraising project entitled ,”Impressions of Ridgewood” .The rendering can represent any artistic method (photography, impressionism, expressionism, realism, pointillism…) and need reflect only the artist’s impression of a location in Ridgewood. Submission deadline is June 1, 2018.

Submit Application on ridgewoodartsfoundation.org

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2018 Municipal Budget Hearing , Municipal Election, Dog Licenses and Summer at Graydon

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May 4,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, in the latest Village eNotice, Village Manager Heather Mailander explained that the Municipal Election, to elect two members to the Village Council, will take place on May 8, 2018. The polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and will be held in your usual polling place. All registered voters will receive sample ballots in the mail, prior to the election. If you are unable to go to the polls, you may vote in person, up until 3:00 p.m. on May 7, 2018, by going to the Bergen County Clerk’s Office, One Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack, NJ.

The Public Hearing and consideration for adoption for the 2018 Municipal Budget will be held at the Village Council’s Regular Public Meeting on May 9, 2018 beginning at 8:00 p.m. The budget is posted on the Village website and a budget newsletter will be mailed to all residences, prior to May 9th.

The Health Department would like to remind residents that 2018 dog license renewals are due during the month of June. A $20 late fee will be charged for all renewals received after June 30, 2018.

The Ridgewood FREE dog rabies clinic and micro chipping event will be held on May 16 from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Graydon Pool Parking Lot on Northern Parkway.

The Health Department will be sending renewal notices via email. If you do not have an email address please call our office and request a renewal to be mailed to you. Renewal applications may also be obtained by visiting our website at www.ridgewoodnj.net or coming in person to the Ridgewood Health Department, 131 North Maple Ave., during regular business hours.

New Jersey law requires owners of all dogs seven months of age or older to be registered with the town where they live. In order for the license to be issued, the owner must present proof that a licensed veterinarian has vaccinated the dog against rabies and that the duration of immunity from that vaccination does not expire before May 1, 2019. To receive the discount for a spayed or neutered pet, proof must also be provided.

Summer is almost here ,Graydon Pool will open on June 2nd, and will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on that day. The Recreation newsletter, which will be mailed to all residences in a few weeks, will have a family coupon for up to $40 off registration for Ridgewood residents, which expires July 15, 2018. Proof of residency will be required. Registration can be done online at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass or in person at the Graydon Pool badge office on May 12th and May 19th from 10:00 a.m. to Noon. In addition, once the pool opens, registration will be done at the badge office, during regular pool hours.

Summer Day Camp registration, for Ridgewood children entering grades 1 through 6, is now open. This popular Day Camp usually has a waiting list, so please sign up as soon as possible. Registration is available online at www.ridgewoodnj.net/communitypass.

Please share this information with your neighbors. For continuing updates, please see the Village website at www.ridgewoodnj.net.

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NJBIA Analysis Shows New Jersey Dead Last in Regional Business Climate Competitiveness

for sale Ridgewood_Real_Estate_theRodgewopodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

May 3,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Trenton NJ, With New Jersey’s legislature weighing new tax hikes during budget season, the New Jersey Business & Industry Association released an analysis today that finds the Garden State already ranked last in the region for business climate competitiveness.

“This analysis should serve as an opportunity to reclaim our competitiveness and to improve the state’s economy through comprehensive planning, not excessive taxation,” said NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka. “There is no better time than now to recognize the growing challenges of doing business in New Jersey and our competitive disadvantage with neighboring states.”

NJBIA tracked six individual business costs—minimum wage rate, top income tax rate, top corporate tax rate, sales tax rate, property taxes as a percentage of home value, and the top unemployment tax rate – and compared New Jersey’s rates with those of Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania.

Applying a scoring system to the most and least competitive regional rates, New Jersey finished last of the seven states by a considerable margin.

New Jersey currently ranks last out of all states in the region in top income tax rate (8.97 percent), sales tax rate (6.625 percent) and property tax paid as a percentage of home value (2.16 percent). New Jersey is also sixth out of seven states in top corporate tax rate (9 percent). The Garden State has the third lowest minimum wage rate in the region at $8.60 per hour and, more positively, has the lowest top unemployment tax rate in the region of 5.8 percent.

However, it’s foreseeable that New Jersey’s overall regional business climate could further decline with discussions of a minimum wage increase to $15 per hour, proposals to raise the top income tax rate for those making more than $1 million, and consideration of a Corporate Business Tax increase. These are in addition to the added costs brought on by the mandatory paid sick leave bill signed into law and the proposed sales tax increase to 7 percent.

“It’s important to recognize that New Jersey businesses are already paying their fair share when it comes to tax rates and the additional cumulative costs that are being discussed and proposed could result in stagnation of our businesses, reduced staffing and hours or automation, according to our members,” Siekerka said. “We need tax and regulatory reform to address structural deficits in our economy, such as public pension and health benefits costs, and school funding. We cannot tax our way out of these challenges.”

Using data compiled by NJBIA policy analyst Nicole Sandelier, NJBIA scored the regional rates from 1 (most competitive in the region) to 7 (least competitive). New Jersey’s cumulative regional business climate score was 31 after totaling the six rates. Delaware has the best regional score at 17, followed closely by Maryland at 20. Pennsylvania (23) and New York (24), New Jersey’s largest outmigration states, finished third and fourth, respectively.

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Living to 100: Lessons in Maximizing your Potential at any Age

dr perls1

May 3,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, On May 17th at 7 PM at the Ridgewood Community Center in Village Hall at 131 N. Maple Avenue; Age Friendly Ridgewood, The Valley Hospital, Van Dyk Healthcare, and the Ridgewood Parks and Recreation Department will host our first Community Health Talk with Dr. Thomas Perls. Dr. Perls is a geriatrician and researcher in the study of aging at Boston University School of Medicine. He also leads the National Institute on Aging-funded New England Centenarian Study (the NECS), the largest study of people living to 100 years and beyond in the world. In addition, he directs the Long Life Family Study at Boston University. These studies are leading the way in finding out how and why centenarians and their children, who are in their seventies and eighties, live the vast majority of their lives disability-free.

Dr. Perls is the author of Living to 100: Lessons in Maximizing Your Potential at Any Age and over 120 academic publications on extreme longevity and the avoidance of age-related diseases. Dr. Perls has appeared on 60 Minutes, CBS Sunday Morning, The Today Show, Good Morning America, nightly news programs, and NPR.

Centenarians and supercentenarians, those living to 110 and over, represent a new paradigm of aging; rather than “the older you get the sicker you get,” the centenarian study is finding that “the older you get, the healthier you’ve been”! Though genetics plays an important role in living to 100 and beyond, most people should be able to live to nearly 90 in exceptional health. These 25 to 30 years beyond age 60 of good health could mean a gold mine of new possibilities and vast potential for today’s Baby Boomers and future generations. People of all ages and those working with older adults are encouraged to come for what will be an intriguing and thoughtful discussion of healthy lifestyles and aging.
Parking for this talk will be available at Village Hall and at the Graydon Pool parking lot. A shuttle bus will be available to bring people from the Graydon Pool parking lot to Village Hall that evening.
Please RSVP by May 15 using the link above.

Living to 100: Lessons in Maximizing your Potential at any Age
Thursday, May 17, 2018, 7:00PM – 9:00PM

For more information contact [email protected] or call (201) 632-1554.
Location Village Hall – The Annie Zusy Youth Center
131 N Maple Ave
Ridgewood
NJ
07450
USA
201-670-5500

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RIDGEWOOD’S SIX LARGEST RESIDENT ADVOCACY GROUPS ENDORSE KNUDSEN AND SEDON FOR VILLAGE COUNCIL

knundsen and Seden

May 3,2018

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood, NJ – Ridgewood’s six largest grassroots advocacy groups have released their Village Council endorsements and all support incumbent Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Michael
Sedon. Each group has a unique focus – Concerned Residents of Ridgewood (CRR), addresses Valley Hospital redevelopment issues, Friends of Schedler promotes a neighborhood friendly plan for the
Schedler farm, Ridgewood Citizens for Reasonable Development (RCRD), champions proper master planning, while challenging overdevelopment, Preserve Graydon and Ridgewood Wildscape Association
seek, respectively, to preserve Ridgewood’s historic pool, open space and landscape, while Ridgewood Chinese American Association serves the town’s growing Chinese American community and advocates
on important village issues. However, all groups are unified in their endorsements, noting the candidates’ attention to hearing residents and acting upon their desires for appropriate development
that preserves Ridgewood’s character. In recent years, Ridgewood has faced a series of large-scale development issues that brought turmoil to the community, including four major high-density housing
proposals, rebuilding Valley Hospital, constructing a downtown parking garage and a plan to turn the wooded Schedler Farm property into a full-size baseball facility.

CRR’s endorsement letter noted Knudsen and Sedon’s role in effecting a plan in which Valley Hospital will construct a new facility nearby in Paramus, rather than on the tighter confines of its current site in
an area of single-family homes. Group President, Pete McKenna, wrote “Susan and Mike have been steadfast defenders of rational development… under their leadership, the council bravely stood up for
the Village in court, and they remained firm in their support of a settlement that was sensible for Ridgewood.

RCRD’s endorsement letter indicated “For many years, Susan and Mike’s positive words and actions have been closely aligned with our cause” of “ensuring that Ridgewood thrives with fitting development
and proper master planning. The group’s spokesman, Dave Slomin applauded Knudsen and Sedon’s role in “spearheading Ridgewood’s first new Master Plan in over three decades.”

Friends of Schedler lauded how these candidates created a “government of inclusion, while Preserve Graydon’s letter indicated how Knudsen and Sedon “Care, observe, research, respond” and “Will make
sure the upcoming Master Plan overhaul does not shortchange Graydon – or the village.

On a civic level, RCRD’s Slomin noted how “so much of the division and negativity we experienced in recent years is gone.” RCRD used to send supporters to every Planning Board and Council meeting to
take notes and look out for unpublicized development issues, but their endorsement indicates “for the past two years, we have been able to call off that guard.”

All the endorsements can be read in full at www.voteridgewood.com/endorsements.html