While President Obama runs around the world trying to make the Guinness Book of World Records for Presidential firsts, his administration continues to work what sure looks like a checklist of petty personal vindictiveness masked by misguided self –righteousness. Donald Scarinci, PolitickerNJ Read more
June 2,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Registration is open for the 2016 SUMMER MUSIC ACADEMY, which provides exciting performing opportunities and lesson groups for young musicians. Under the direction of BFMS Orchestras Director Carol Sharar, new offerings include guitar lessons and drum set lessons. Visit the Ridgewood Community School website for more information and a link to online registration: https://ridgewood.rcs.
June 1st 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Stage I will be in effect starting today June 1st and will continue through August 31st. If conditions warrant, irrigation will be prohibited on additional days of the week up to and including a total ban on irrigation.
Compliance with the initial restrictions will reduce the likelihood that more severe controls will be needed. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Stage I (Moderate) – Mandatory restriction of irrigation to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays for properties with odd-numbered addresses and Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays for properties with even-numbered addresses. Irrigation using a hand-held hose shall be allowed at any time. No irrigation shall be allowed on Mondays except for the use of a hand held hose.
Stage II (Severe) – Mandatory restriction of irrigation to Tuesdays and Saturdays for properties with odd-numbered addresses and Wednesdays and Sundays for properties with even-numbered addresses. No irrigation shall be allowed on Mondays, Thursdays, or Fridays except for the use of a hand held hose. Irrigation using a hand held hose shall be allowed at any time.
Stage III (Pending/Critical) – Mandatory restriction of irrigation to the use of a hand held hose on Tuesdays and Saturdays for properties with odd-numbered addresses and Wednesdays and Sundays for properties with even-numbered addresses. No irrigation of any kind shall be allowed on Mondays, Thursdays, or Fridays.
Stage IV (Critical) – Irrigation is prohibited at any time. Exceptions for irrigation using a hand held hose may be allowed under conditions prescribed by the Village Manager of the Village of Ridgewood.
When you’re planning for kitchen renovation in New Jersey or NYC, choosing sustainable building materials is a great way to do your part to reduce your carbon footprint and avoid contributing to industries that cause environmental problems. Choosing kitchen countertops is a major kitchen design consideration, providing a key focal point as well as a crucial workspace. There are many types of materials to choose from, from recycled materials to quarried natural marble.
At All Kitchen, we work with homeowners in New Jersey and New York to find sustainable kitchen design solutions. These kitchen countertop materials are a renewable and eco-friendly alternative to more problematic traditional materials, helping you create a sustainable lifestyle without sacrificing beautiful design.
These kitchen countertop materials provide chic, appealing alternatives to options like natural stone, which may involve environmentally damaging mining practices, or synthetic materials, whose manufacture may emit pollution. Choosing an ecofriendly material for your kitchen counters is a great way to create sustainable kitchen design that’s as beautiful as it is environmentally responsible.
Reclaimed wood countertops bring a rich personality and history to your kitchen. Kitchen design provides ample opportunity to make use of reclaimed wood, from countertops to kitchen cabinet installation. Unlike brand new wood, the aging process in reclaimed wood creates a rich patina. In some cases, the woods themselves may no longer be available new. For example, American Chestnut was a popular wood for cabinetry and furniture, until chestnut blight nearly eradicated the entire North American population of these trees. However, some homeowners have managed to find reclaimed American Chestnut wood.
Butcher block countertops provide an interesting opportunity to incorporate salvaged and recycled wood into your kitchen design. Because butcher block is made from many smaller pieces of wood, it can be created from reclaimed or repurposed materials, like old shipping pallets or demolished buildings.
Bamboo is an unusual but highly versatile sustainable alternative to wood for countertops, cabinets, and other kitchen essentials. Bamboo isn’t wood at all– it’s actually a grass. Maturing in only five to seven years, bamboo is incredibly renewable compared to pine or hardwood trees, which take decades to mature completely. Bamboo stalks are sliced into thin strips, then pressed together into a durable wood-like material that comes in both horizontal and vertical grains. Bamboo is even stronger than many hardwoods, and will not swell or contract due to moisture.
Believe it or not, recycled paper can be fashioned into durable, attractive kitchen countertops. Made from a combination of post-consumer recycled paper and environmentally friendly petroleum-free resins, and pigments. The texture of the product is quite similar to soapstone, and it’s stain resistance makes it easy to maintain. Over time, they develop a warm patina. One drawback to recycled paper countertops is that they’re not particularly heat resistant, and could be damaged by temperatures over 350 degree Fahrenheit.
Recycled glass countertops are a durable, sustainable alternative to natural stone like marble or granite. Made from numerous tiny pieces of recycled glass held together with cement or resin polymer, their mosaic look is truly unique. Available in many color schemes, recycled glass kitchen counters have a distinctive “wow” factor that complements many colorful modern kitchen designs.
Stainless steel is a perennial favorite for sleek, contemporary kitchen designs. They can be made with up to 60% recycled materials, making stainless steel a surprisingly sustainable option. With top-notch durability and easy cleaning, stainless steel is suitable for even the most demanding commercial kitchen environments.
At All Kitchen, we work with homeowners in north New Jersey and NYC to bring their design visions to life. We’ve created many beautiful, unique, sustainable kitchens using renewable materials, energy-conserving room design and appliances, and other features that can help you minimize your household’s carbon footprint. From bamboo countertops and cabinets, to dazzling counters made from sparkling fragments of 100% recycled glass, we’ll help you find design solutions that perfectly blend sustainability, beauty, and functionality.
By THOMAS KAPLANMAY 29, 2016
WASHINGTON — Donald J. Trump, the Manhattan real estate mogul who boasts about his wealth, maintains a fleet of aircraft and sells his own brand of neckties, paid respects on Sunday to an incongruous constituency.
“Look at all these bikers,” Mr. Trump, standing before a crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial, said with admiration. “Do we love the bikers? Yes. We love the bikers.”
Mr. Trump was addressing a gathering at the 29th annual Rolling Thunder motorcycle run, a vast event over Memorial Day weekend that is dedicated to accounting for military members taken as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action.
Bikers assembled at the Pentagon before riding en masse into the nation’s capital, with many dressed in leather vests covered in patches, their bikes rumbling throughout the afternoon.
For the blunt-spoken Mr. Trump, who likes to stress his desire to strengthen the military and improve how veterans are treated, the gathering provided a receptive audience, if one where he might otherwise seem out of place.
photo by Melanie McWilliams
A little Rain and Overcast Skies Can’t Stop the 41st Annual Fred D’Elia Ridgewood Run
May 30th 2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the rain holds , it was wet but the 41st Annual Fred D’Elia Ridgewood Run .The first race of the day starts at 8:15 with the wheelchair racers and the 10k at 8:20 am.
The top finishers for the 10k were : First place finisher of the 10k was Tadesse Yae Dabi at an unofficial time of 29:49. And at 34:58 our first women finishes the race, Bose Gemeda Asseta.
The top Garden State finisher was Rob Albano.
The rain continued to hold and at 10:15 am the 5k got under weigh.
This years the Run also Honored Toshiko “Toshi” d’Elia (1/2/30 – 2/19/14 )the Co-founder of The Ridgewood Run, and legend in the running community, as well as an inspiration to all.
All the volunteers did a great organizing and hosting the event.
Good evening. This is Mayor Paul Aronsohn with a special announcement about our Memorial Day activities. In light of the expected rain storms, we are making contingency plans.
Regarding the American Legion Sponsored Memorial Day Service scheduled for 11am … the Service will be conducted rain or shine, but if it is raining, we will hold the Memorial Day Service in Mount Carmel Church at the same time, 11am.
Regarding the North Jersey Masters Ridgewood Run scheduled to start at 8:15am … the Run will also happen rain or shine, UNLESS the weather becomes dangerous.
For both events, I urge you to check the Village website for the latest information. Our website is www.ridgewoodnj.net .
And for more information on the Ridgewood Run, please visit www.ridgewoodrun.com.
Thank you. Have a great holiday. And please be safe.
photo by Boyd Loving
May 29,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The two major events on Memorial day in the Village of Ridgewood today . First there is the Fred D’Elia Ridgewood Run at Veteran’s Memorial Field, Monday at 8 a.m. and the American Legion Post 53 will host a service at Memorial Park Monday at 11 a.m. in Van Neste Square on East Ridgewood Avenue.
The Ridgewood Run is the premier road race in northern New Jersey and one of the longest running races in the tri-state area and the Village of Ridgewood Memorial Day commemoration is honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Please leave plenty of time for travel the Fred D’Elia Ridgewood Run leaves many roads inaccessible .
The Ridgewood Run is a rain or shine event. In the event of dangerous weather, updates will be posted here and on our Twitter page. You may also call the race hotline at (973) 333-483
May 28,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Could it be that Ridgewood Schools are NOT closed for Columbus day this year?
Columbus Day first became an official state holiday in Colorado in 1906, and became a federal holiday in the United States in 1937, though people have celebrated Columbus’s voyage since the colonial period. In 1792, New York City and other U.S. cities celebrated the 300th anniversary of his landing in the New World. President Benjamin Harrison called upon the people of the United States to celebrate Columbus Day on the 400th anniversary of the event. During the four hundredth anniversary in 1892, teachers, preachers, poets and politicians used Columbus Day rituals to teach ideals of patriotism. These patriotic rituals took themes such as citizenship boundaries, the importance of loyalty to the nation, and celebrating social progress.
Many Italian-Americans observe Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage, the first occasion being in New York City on October 12, 1866. Columbus Day was first enshrined as a legal holiday in the United States through the lobbying of Angelo Noce, a first generation Italian, in Denver. The first statewide Columbus Day holiday was proclaimed by Colorado governor Jesse F. McDonald in 1905, and it was made a statutory holiday in 1907. In April 1934, as a result of lobbying by the Knights of Columbus and New York City Italian leader Generoso Pope, Congress and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed October 12 a federal holiday under the name Columbus Day.
Since 1970 (Oct. 12), the holiday has been fixed to the second Monday in October, coincidentally exactly the same day as Thanksgiving in neighboring Canada fixed since 1959. It is generally observed nowadays by banks, the bond market, the U.S. Postal Service, other federal agencies, most state government offices, many businesses, and most school districts. Some businesses and some stock exchanges remain open, and some states and municipalities abstain from observing the holiday. The traditional date of the holiday also adjoins the anniversary of the United States Navy (founded October 13, 1775), and thus both occasions are customarily observed by the Navy (and usually the Marine Corps as well) with either a 72- or 96-hour liberty period.
May 27, 2016 10:31 PM
“This knocked me out. So sickening. Just sadness…think of all these people. They’re gone,” Oscars said. “I remember the Vietnam war and how friends went to war, and bodies came back. Somehow, it has to be taught that this is not a good idea. This is actually stupid.”
The memorial was dedicated to service members who were listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War.
George Francisco is the Vice President of the Venice Chamber of Commerce. He also runs a nonprofit called Veterans Foundation Incorporated.
“It’s a desecration. I mean it’s very simple. There’s no sort of other way around it. It isn’t graffiti,” Francisco said.
https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2016/05/27/vandals-deface-vietnam-war-memorial-in-venice/
file photo by Boyd Loving
May 26,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The two major events on Memorial day in the Village of Ridgewood are the Fred D’Elia Ridgewood Run at Veteran’s Memorial Field, Monday at 8 a.m. and the American Legion Post 53 will host a service at Memorial Park Monday at 11 a.m. in Van Neste Square on East Ridgewood Avenue.
https://www.ridgewoodnj.net/
Airport screening delays have caused more than 70,000 American Airlines (AAL.O) customers and 40,000 checked bags to miss their flights this year, an executive for the airline told a U.S. congressional subcommittee on Thursday.
A shortage of staff and a surge in air travelers have created a nightmare scenario for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA), with airport wait times in places like Chicago stretching beyond two hours.
While TSA is taking steps to shorten lines such as hiring more full-time officers, it lacks the staffing to handle peak travel times this summer, Administrator Peter Neffenger said on Wednesday.
American, the world’s largest airline, wants TSA to create a senior internal role focused on traveler concerns, said American Airlines Group Inc Senior Vice President for Customer Experience Kerry Philipovitch. The request comes days after Neffenger shook up TSA’s management, removing the head of security operations, Kelly Hoggan.
Philipovitch also recommended that TSA consider reinstating a risk-based screening program that it canceled last year because of high-profile lapses.
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-security-american-airline-idUSKCN0YH1KV
Does your home have unusually low water pressure, affecting more than one room? If you’ve ruled out a faulty water pressure reducing valve or faulty indoor plumbing pipes as the cause of the problem, it’s possible that you could have a leaking water main line.
Your home’s water main carries potable water from the city mains at the street into your plumbing system.
If it’s cracked or leaking, the pressure inside the line is reduced, which can cause low water pressure throughout your home.
At A1 Sewer water main services, we’re always available for same-day service for residential and commercial water line repair in NJ. To get your water line fixed today, with certified local plumbers arriving in as little as 45 minutes from your call, call us any time at 201-645-0888.
Like drain pipes and sewer laterals, your main water line can crack, corrode, or sustain other damage that causes water to leak out. Unlike sewer and drain pipes, the water inside the water main is pressurized. If it’s cracked or leaking, the pressure inside is reduced. This can lower the water pressure throughout your home.
Leaking water mains can be difficult to detect since they’re buried underground and aren’t readily visible without camera inspection from a plumber. However, there are noticeable signs that can indicate that your water line is cracked and leaking.
Some of the most common signs of a leak in the water main line include:
You’ll need an experienced contractor for water line repair. If the pipe cannot be fixed easily, we may recommend water line replacement instead. The feasibility of fixing the pipe can depend on the age of the pipe, the material it’s made from, and whether the pipe has had any previous repairs.
Like sewer pipes, water lines can often be repaired using trenchless techniques that avoid the need for disruptive excavation. Epoxy pipe relining is well suited to patching holes and cracks in a water pipe. This process can be carried out with only minimal digging, and the corrosion-resistant liners can last up to 50 years after installation.
If your water line is severely damaged from corrosion and other age-related processes, or has burst due to winter freezing, it might be best to have it replaced completely. If your water main was built prior to the 1980s and is made from galvanized steel, it may be at the end of its expected service life.
Copper pipes last anywhere from 50-70 years, as long as they aren’t in a particularly corrosive soil environment. The service life of plastic pipe is still unknown, as this material is fairly new, and few PVC and PE water lines have failed so far. Plastic pipe may very well last up to 100 years.
At A1 Sewer & Drain Services, we provide a full range of sewer, drain, water main, and general sewer services in NJ. You can call us any time for same-day water main repair service, including 24-hour emergency repairs for burst water main, at 201-645-0888.
May 26,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, hashtag #RockOneSock RPD is rocking one sock for the Rock One Sock Challenge: Post a “footsie” wearing one sock as a symbol of hope for our nation’s missing children and challenge three others to do the same! #RockoneSock this May in honor of National Missing Children’s Month.
Please visit https://www.rockonesock.org to learn more.”
Missing children’s issues do not affect every household, but we wanted to give the average person a chance to show that they stand in solidarity with missing children and their families. Our goal is to take something tangible and make a viral phenomenon that bringshope and inspiration to National Missing Children’s Day (May 25, 2016). During the month of May, we’re asking everyone to wear one sock, take a “footsie” (a picture or video of your feet with one sock) and post it to social media using the hashtag #RockOneSock. Continue to spread awareness and support by tagging friends to either do the #RockOneSock challenge or make a donation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Let it start a conversation with your friends and family!
Special offers include money-saving beach packages; Kids ride free all weekend with Family SuperSaver Fare
May 25, 2016
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT will kick off the Memorial Day weekend with “early getaway” rail and bus service on Friday, May 27, for the benefit of customers leaving work early. To help speed the getaway, customers are reminded that they can enjoy the convenience of purchasing tickets through the MyTix feature of the NJ TRANSIT mobile app. Besides giving customers a jump on the unofficial start of summer, NJ TRANSIT is making it easy and affordable to get to fun in the sun around the state with a variety of discounted packages.
On Friday, May 27:
Extra outbound trains will operate on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex, and Port Jervis lines starting at approximately 1 p.m.
One outbound Pascack Valley train (#9653, leaving Hoboken at 2:51 p.m.) will extend its existing service to terminate in Spring Valley.
Extra buses will operate from the Port Authority Bus Terminal on more than two dozen bus routes starting around noon. Visit njtransit.com for details.
All light rail systems will operate on regular weekday schedules.
On Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29:
The Bay Head-Long Branch shuttle is enhanced to hourly service (8 a.m.-10 p.m.)
Weekend shuttle service resumes between Toms River and Seaside Park on bus route no. 137. The bus leaves Toms River at 11:25 a.m. with the return departure from Seaside Park at 6:25 p.m. This service runs every weekend and holiday through the end of June, when direct service resumes from New York on bus route no. 137 and Newark bus route no. 67. See schedule for details.
All light rail systems will operate on regular Saturday/Sunday or Weekend schedules.
On Memorial Day, Monday, May 30:
Trains will operate on a weekend/major holiday schedule on all lines.
The Bay Head-Long Branch shuttle is enhanced to hourly service (8 a.m.-10 p.m.)
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule.
Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule.
River Line will operate on a Sunday schedule.
Bus schedules vary by route—customers are advised to check their timetables or visit njtransit.com for schedule information. Many routes serving shopping malls will operate on weekend/holiday schedules. Consult timetable for details. NOTE: Buses may be subject to detours and service delays for Memorial Day parades through various towns. See njtransit.com for details.
Summer Savings
With Memorial Day marking the “unofficial” start of the summer recreational season, this weekend is a great time for customers to take advantage of NJ TRANSIT’s discounted travel packages to destinations including the Jersey Shore, Six Flags, Monmouth Park and Liberty Science Center:
Beach Packages: Save up to $5.00 on admission to one of five beaches— Long Branch, Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Bradley Beach and Belmar—by purchasing round-trip train fare and a discounted beach pass for one price at NJ TRANSIT ticket vending machines (choose “Beach/Monmouth Park Packages” and select “Beach Package”) or at ticket windows. Customers can purchase the package at all NJ TRANSIT rail stations, excluding stations on the Atlantic City Rail Line. Beach Packages go on sale on the following four Fridays: May 27, June 3, 10 and 17 at 7 a.m. and are valid throughout the weekend and on holidays. Beach Packages will be available daily starting Saturday, June 18 and continuing through Labor Day, Monday, September 5.
Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari or Hurricane Harbor: Save up to $30 by purchasing round-trip bus transportation and park admission together. NJ TRANSIT provides express bus service to Six Flags from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York and Newark Penn Station.
Monmouth Park: Board a train anywhere on NJ TRANSIT’s rail system, excluding Atlantic City Rail Line stations, and save $5.50 when you travel to Monmouth Park Racetrack. Simply purchase a package to Monmouth Park from NJ TRANSIT ticket vending machines (choose “Beach/Monmouth Park Packages” and select “Monmouth Park”) or at ticket windows, and receive round-trip transportation, Grandstand Admission and an official track program for $3.50 plus the regular cost of a round-trip rail ticket.
Liberty Science Center: Beginning June 1, save $5 per person for up to four general admission, combo ticket and/or all-access passes when you travel on NJ TRANSIT and show your ticket, pass or fare receipt at Liberty Science Center. General admission passes include live science demonstrations, hands-on labs, and a variety of daily activities. Combo and all-access passes provide options for films and premium exhibits.
Visit njtransit.com for more information on NJ TRANSIT summer travel deals.
On weekends, kids ride free on NJ TRANSIT
Every weekend, families riding NJ TRANSIT can save with the Family SuperSaver Fare, which allows two children 11 and younger to travel free with each fare-paying adult. For the Memorial Day holiday weekend, the program will be extended and in effect from 7 p.m. Friday, May 27 until 6 a.m. Tuesday, May 31.
By STEVEN LEE MYERS and ERIC LICHTBLAUMAY 25, 2016
WASHINGTON — The State Department’s inspector general has sharply criticized Hillary Clinton’s exclusive use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, saying she had not sought permission to use it and would not have received it if she had.
In a report delivered to members of Congress on Wednesday, the inspector general said that Mrs. Clinton “had an obligation to discuss using her personal email account to conduct official business” with officials responsible for handling records and security but that inspectors “found no evidence” that she had requested or received approval from anyone at the department to conduct her state business on a personal email.
The report also said that department officials “did not — and would not — approve her exclusive reliance on a personal email account to conduct Department business.”
It also added new detail about Mrs. Clinton’s motivation for using the private server, which she has said was set up for convenience. In November 2010, her deputy chief of staff for operations prodded her about “putting you on state email or releasing your email address to the department so you are not going to spam.” Mrs. Clinton, however, replied that she would consider a separate address or device “but I don’t want any risk of the personal being accessible.”
The report, as well as an F.B.I. investigation and other legal challenges seeking information about her use of the server, is certain to keep alive a controversy that has shadowed Mrs. Clinton’s campaign for the presidency. The events have all come to a climax just as she is close to defeating Senator Bernie Sanders for the Democratic presidential nomination.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/26/us/politics/state-department-hillary-clinton-emails.html?_r=0
