The Y encourages parents to sign up kids for day camp beginning June 20.
May 21,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, This summer, the Ridgewood YMCA’s day camp program is offering kids the best summer ever through an enriching and learning experience to help kids get more out of the summer break – more learning, more exploration and more achievement. Through a mix of fun and educational activities aimed at improving well-being, kids will try new adventures, learn and master new skills, share and trade interests with friends, and get plenty of high-fives along the way.
Working with SEER Analytics to find out how camp benefits kids, the Y recently surveyed nearly 30,000 parents and caregivers with kids enrolled in camp at nearly 190 Y associations nationwide. Ninety-two percent of parents/caregivers said they agreed the Y’s day camp program helped kids make new friends. In addition, 83 percent said they agreed the program helped their kids discover what they can achieve, while 87 percent agreed their child felt a sense of belonging at their Y camp.
“At the Y, we know that when kids are given an opportunity to accomplish things, make friends and feel like they belong, they are comfortable expressing individuality and feel more confident, connected and supported,” says Gary Imhoff, Director of Marketing and Membership at the Ridgewood YMCA. “We are focusing on these youth development areas to ensure that kids in our day camp program go home with so much excitement for all they’ve accomplished and enjoyed that they can’t wait to come back the next day.”
The Y’s day camp activities focus on helping kids grow socially, emotionally, cognitively and physically. These activities include team-building games, swim lessons, youth sports, creative projects and more.
As a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, the Y offers so much more than a place to play and have fun. Through a holistic approach to youth development, the Y nurtures the potential of children and teens from birth to career to help them achieve in school and life. Through day camp and other youth development programs, the Y is working to keep kids active and address gaps in learning when school is not in session.
Ridgewood YMCA’s Summer Day Camp Program begins June 20 and registration is now open. Online registration is available at www.ridgewoodymca.org/camp.
Ridgewood NJ, As older Americans approach retirement, many may be realizing their financial planning isn’t what it should have been.
That could mean they need to postpone retirement – or abandon the idea altogether.
“Most people don’t spend much time even thinking about retirement,” says Stephen Ng, author of “10 Financial Mistakes You Should Avoid: Strategies Designed to Help Keep Your Money Safe and Growing” (www.stephenngfg.com).
“They see it as a far-off time when they will have magically accumulated the money they need to jet around the world, pay for their grandchildren’s education, or otherwise have fun.”
That leaves them unprepared for the reality, Ng says. They may need to work part-time just to get by. It’s possible they will outlive their money.
“There’s no reason to work hard your whole life, but end up without the money you could have had because you failed to avoid common mistakes people make,” Ng says.
He says three examples of avoidable errors are:
• Failing to understand taxation. Most money is taxable right away, but in some cases, such as with individual retirement accounts, taxes can be deferred. A third category, Ng says, is tax-free money. Examples of tax-free investments include municipal bonds, life insurance proceeds and 529 education savings plans. “Your goal should be to shift as much taxable money as possible into the tax-deferred or tax-free categories,” he says. • Acting without enough specialized advice. You might assume one financial advisor could handle all your investment needs. But that’s not necessarily the case, Ng says. The strongest plans usually benefit from multiple specialists. An eldercare attorney could be helpful for those 60 or older. A certified public accountant could assist you with tax-avoidance strategies. An estate-planning attorney can help minimize estate and inheritance taxes. • Failing to appreciate the longevity risk. Medical advances allow people to live longer, but that creates a problem. Americans today are more likely than previous generations to outlive their money. They also are more likely to need a nursing home or some other form of long-term care, which can be expensive. “It’s important to ask yourself whether you have enough money to handle expenses for as long as you live,” Ng says. “Do you have enough to cover inflation? To cover long-term care? To cover healthcare?” The sooner people address the longevity risk, he says, the more prepared they may be to live a rich life.
Ng insists there’s still time for those nearing retirement to make amends – at least to some degree – if they haven’t planned for what lies ahead.
“I can’t stress this enough,” Ng says. “It’s never too late to formulate a plan. We can’t change the past, so the time to get started is now.”
About Stephen Ng
Stephen Ng, founder and president of Stephen Ng Financial Group, is author of “10 Financial Mistakes You Should Avoid: Strategies Designed to Help Keep Your Money Safe and Growing” (www.stephenngfg.com). Ng is a Chartered Life Underwriter, Chartered Financial Consultant and a Certified Estate Planner. He is also an Investment Advisor Representative with SagePoint Financial, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. He regularly holds financial management, retirement investing and insurance planning seminars at businesses, churches and non-profit organizations.
Securities and investment advisory services offered through SagePoint Financial, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC and a registered investment advisor. Insurance services offered through Stephen Ng Financial Group, LLC, which is not with SagePoint Financial, Inc. or registered as a broker-dealer or investment advisor.
This is absolutely ridiculous. Why the heck in this day and age can’t these people manage their email messages. They are paid plenty. If someone sends them an email the bounce-back should be timely. It should not be six months old. Shows a total disregard for the citizens who want to contact them. Maybe a minor issue compared to some, but really if you can’t manage the small stuff then the big stuff is insurmountable.
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Nancy Bigos
Thank you for your most recent email.
Please know that I will be away from my office beginning Friday evening, April 1, and returning Tuesday, April 12th, 2016.
Feel free to contact Administrative Assistant, Marge Anderson, 201.670.5560 [email protected]. for assistance with day to day operations or for further information. For urgent matters please use my cell phone 201.407.0076.
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Tim Cronin
I will be out of the office on vacation, returning Monday, November 30th. Should you need immediate assistance, please contact Deputy Director Nancy A. Bigos [email protected] or by telephone to the Recreation Office at 201-670-5560.
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Roberta Sonenfeld
Dear Residents, Businesses and Village Staff,
I will be out of the office beginning Tuesday, May 17th, returning Tuesday, May 31st. Rich Calbi ([email protected]) will be my deputy.
Beth Spinato (201-670-5500 ext. 203) can also address any issues you may have.
why are you so interested in Valley increasing it’s business? To bring more traffic, more people smoking on our sidewalks, more employees parking on our streets, more of our police and fire department time spent filing reports of theft and unruly behavior? Maybe you are looking forward to talking to the residents of Steilen Ave who have been dealing with noise and light violations from Valley for years or maybe you are just looking forward to driving into Ridgewood and seeing a 1700 car garage at the intersection of Linwood and Van Dien. Won’t that look beautiful! Maybe they can make the lights that will shine from it 24 hrs a day in a residential neighborhood color coordinated for the holidays. Maybe we should turn the houses on either side of you into high density housing in order to fulfill our fair housing. It will only take 8 months of construction for that, not 6 years. What’s the matter? Just because you bought a house in a residential zone that doesn’t allow hdh doesn’t mean things can’t change, right? In just the same way that Valley’s lot cannot be turned into apartments, Schedler cannot be a 7-11, so just stop with that stupid argument. And yes, the car dealerships should be developed, but changing the density in our cbd from 12 units per acre to 36 was unnecessarily excessive. 24 units per acre would have brought the same benefit without as much downside. Unless of course all you’re concerned about is maximizing the profits of developers. Here’s a word for you to ponder…moderation. Is that so hard to achieve? Bigger is not always better.
This is a busy time of year as we are all getting ready for the summer – making plans for family activities and to enjoy the outdoors! In fact, you are hearing from the Acting Village Manager as Roberta is enjoying a well-deserved vacation.
The Ridgewood Water Department is making summer plans for water distribution during this season of high demand and wants to remind all customers of the rules so they can comply. We have learned from past experience that mandatory restrictions actually benefit everyone so we can provide enough water to meet the residential demand as well as needed reserves and water pressure for public safety.
Please review the annual plan below that will go into effect Wednesday, June 1st. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of following the rules at each stage so we can use our water resources to everyone’s best advantage.
Summer Water Restrictions Village Code Chapter 269, Article IV
Stage I will be in effect each year starting on 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.
With everyone following the water restrictions from the beginning of the season, hopefully we will all benefit with less severe restrictions during the later months of summer. As in the past, there will be Village staff supporting our compliance efforts.
If you have any questions about the water restriction plans, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
We appreciate your support.
Thank you.
Richard Calbi, Jr.
Director of Operations
For Roberta Sonenfeld, Village Manager
Ridgewood NJ, Announcing the 2nd annual Good Life Ridgewood Festival- September 25, 2016 11am-3pm!
If you participated last year- you already have your registration email- If you are looking to participate this year, email [email protected] to get the registration info ASAP as spots are going fast!
See you in September!
How Healthy is Bergen County? 2016 Rankings of NJ’s Healthiest Counties Bergen Surprised Us!…...
According to the the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute annual rankings of New Jersey’s healthiest counties, Bergen County is ranked fourth out of the state’s 21 counties. Hunterdon County is the top ranked healthiest county for the seventh consecutive year.
Rankings are created by collecting current data on 35 factors that measure quality and “quantity” of life and the percent of the population that lives to 75 and older. Education, income levels, crime rates, proximity to grocery stores, parks and community recreational facilities, the availability of health care, and tests that monitor water and air quality are also factors.
Complete 2016 List of New Jersey’s Healthiest Counties
1. Hunterdon County
2. Morris County
3. Somerset County
4. Bergen County
5. Sussex County
6. Middlesex County
7. Monmouth County
Visit countyhealthrankings.org for more information about the 2016 New Jersey Healthiest County rankings.
I grew up in the age of Tinker Toys and Erector Sets. Both were meant to inspire me to be a maker instead of a consumer.
My first real tool was a wood-burning engraver that had such a short chord it was almost impossible to use. When I started using it, I burned myself more than once and nearly started a fire at the house. How in the world they sold this to kids in those days is now a mystery to me.
I was in Silicon Valley in the late 1970s, and I started to get more interested in the Homebrew Computer Club and similar user groups where people could get together and talk about tech-related interests. This was how I first got interested in computers.
Along the way, the idea of creating technology got sidelined as I instead started to write about it, chronicling its history. This led me to eventually become a computer research analyst instead of an engineer. This was probably a good thing, since I loved to take things apart but had very little interest in putting them back together. And I would have been a lousy programmer or tech designer. But this did allow me to watch the birth of the tech industry close up, witnessing how it developed and has impacted our world over the last 35 years.
Fast forward to today, and I am very excited about the Maker Movement. The more I look into it, the more I believe that it’s very important to America’s future. It has the potential to turn more and more people into makers instead of just consumers, and I know from history that when you give makers the right tools and inspiration, they have the potential to change the world.
So what is the Maker Movement? I found Adweek’s definition to be right on the money:
The maker movement, as we know, is the umbrella term for independent inventors, designers and tinkerers. A convergence of computer hackers and traditional artisans, the niche is established enough to have its own magazine,Make, as well as hands-on Maker Faires that are catnip for DIYers who used to toil in solitude. Makers tap into an American admiration for self-reliance and combine that with open-source learning, contemporary design and powerful personal technology like 3-D printers. The creations, born in cluttered local workshops and bedroom offices, stir the imaginations of consumers numbed by generic, mass-produced, made-in–China merchandise.
Ridgewood NJ, Today Donald J. Trump released the much-anticipated list of people he would consider as potential replacements for Justice Scalia at the United States Supreme Court. This list was compiled, first and foremost, based on constitutional principles, with input from highly respected conservatives and Republican Party leadership.
Mr. Trump stated, “Justice Scalia was a remarkable person and a brilliant Supreme Court Justice. His career was defined by his reverence for the Constitution and his legacy of protecting Americans’ most cherished freedoms. He was a Justice who did not believe in legislating from the bench and he is a person whom I held in the highest regard and will always greatly respect his intelligence and conviction to uphold the Constitution of our country. The following list of potential Supreme Court justices is representative of the kind of constitutional principles I value and, as President, I plan to use this list as a guide to nominate our next United States Supreme Court Justices.”
Steven Colloton
Steven Colloton of Iowa is a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, a position he has held since President George W. Bush appointed him in 2003. Judge Colloton has a résumé that also includes distinguished service as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, a Special Assistant to the Attorney General in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, and a lecturer of law at the University of Iowa. He received his law degree from Yale, and he clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Judge Colloton is an Iowa native.
Allison Eid
Allison Eid of Colorado is an associate justice of the Colorado Supreme Court. Colorado Governor Bill Owens appointed her to the seat in 2006; she was later retained for a full term by the voters (with 75% of voters favoring retention). Prior to her judicial service, Justice Eid served as Colorado’s solicitor general and as a law professor at the University of Colorado. Justice Eid attended the University of Chicago Law School, and she clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas.
Raymond Gruender
Raymond Gruender of Missouri has been a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit since his 2004 appointment by President George W. Bush. Judge Gruender, who sits in St. Louis, Missouri, has extensive prosecutorial experience, culminating with his time as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri. Judge Gruender received a law degree and an M.B.A. from Washington University in St. Louis.
Thomas Hardiman
Thomas Hardiman of Pennsylvania has been a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2007. Prior to serving as a circuit judge, he served as a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania since 2003. Before his judicial service, Judge Hardiman worked in private practice in Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh. Judge Hardiman was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from Notre Dame.
Raymond Kethledge
Raymond Kethledge of Michigan has been a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit since 2008. Before his judicial service, Judge Kethledge served as judiciary counsel to Michigan Senator Spencer Abraham, worked as a partner in two law firms, and worked as an in-house counsel for the Ford Motor Company. Judge Kethledge obtained his law degree from the University of Michigan and clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy.
Joan Larsen
Joan Larsen of Michigan is an Associate Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court. Justice Larsen was a professor at the University of Michigan School of Law from 1998 until her appointment to the bench. In 2002, she temporarily left academia to work as an Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel. Justice Larsen received her law degree from Northwestern and clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia.
Thomas Lee
Thomas Lee of Utah has been an Associate Justice of the Utah Supreme Court since 2010. Beginning in 1997, he served on the faculty of Brigham Young University Law School, where he still teaches in an adjunct capacity. Justice Lee was Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department’s Civil Division from 2004 to 2005. Justice Lee attended the University of Chicago Law School, and he clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas. Justice Lee is also the son of former U.S. Solicitor General Rex Lee and the brother of current U.S. Senator Mike Lee.
William Pryor
William H. Pryor, Jr. of Alabama is a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. He has served on the court since 2004. Judge Pryor became the Alabama Attorney General in 1997 upon Jeff Sessions’s election to the U.S. Senate. Judge Pryor was then elected in his own right in 1998 and reelected in 2002. In 2013, Judge Pryor was confirmed to a term on the United States Sentencing Commission. Judge Pryor received his law degree from Tulane, and he clerked for Judge John Minor Wisdom of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
David Stras
David Stras of Minnesota has been an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court since 2010. After his initial appointment, he was elected to a six-year term in 2012. Prior to his judicial service, Judge Stras worked as a legal academic at the University of Minnesota Law School. In his time there, he wrote extensively about the function and structure of the judiciary. Justice Stras received his law degree and an M.B.A. from the University of Kansas. He clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas.
Diane Sykes
Diane Sykes of Wisconsin has served as a judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit since 2004. Prior to her federal appointment, Judge Sykes had been a Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court since 1999 and a Wisconsin trial court judge of both civil and criminal matters before that. Judge Sykes received her law degree from Marquette.
Don Willett
Don Willett of Texas has been a Justice of the Texas Supreme Court since 2005. He was initially appointed by Governor Rick Perry and has been reelected by the voters twice. Prior to his judicial service, Judge Willett worked as a senior fellow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, as an advisor in George W. Bush’s gubernatorial and presidential administrations, as Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy, and as a Deputy Attorney General under then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. Justice Willett received his law degree and a master’s degree from Duke.
Ridgewood NJ, file this under you cant make this stuff up. Nancy Bigos email has an away message saying she will be back on April 12. A month ago. Tim Cronin has an away message on his email that he will be back November 30 and please contact Nancy Bigos. And Roberta Sonenfeld is away now until May 31. Ok, Roberta’s makes sense, because she wants to use up her time before she gets the boot. But the other two?????
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Nancy Bigos
Thank you for your most recent email.
Please know that I will be away from my office beginning Friday evening, April 1, and returning Tuesday, April 12th, 2016.
Feel free to contact Administrative Assistant, Marge Anderson, 201.670.5560 [email protected]. for assistance with day to day operations or for further information. For urgent matters please use my cell phone 201.407.0076.
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Tim Cronin
I will be out of the office on vacation, returning Monday, November 30th. Should you need immediate assistance, please contact Deputy Director Nancy A. Bigos [email protected] or by telephone to the Recreation Office at 201-670-5560.
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Roberta Sonenfeld
Dear Residents, Businesses and Village Staff,
I will be out of the office beginning Tuesday, May 17th, returning Tuesday, May 31st. Rich Calbi ([email protected]) will be my deputy.
Beth Spinato (201-670-5500 ext. 203) can also address any issues you may have.
CRR Alleges 2016 Master Plan Amendment to Allow Valley’s Expansion Was An Improper Settlement of Valley’s Lawsuit Against the Planning Board; Cites Conflict of Interest of Board Attorney; and Finds Fault with Prior Planning Board Processes.
May 16,2016
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ. Concerned Residents of Ridgewood, Inc. (CRR), a New Jersey not-for-profit corporation, filed a Complaint on May 12 th, in the Superior Court of New Jersey against the Planning Board of the Village of Ridgewood and Valley Hospital Inc., demanding that both the 2016 and 2010 Master Plan Amendments tailored to Valley Hospital’s immediate and long-term growth plans be declared null and void. CRR is represented by Michael B. Kates of the law firm of Kates Nussman Rapone Ellis & Farhi, LLP, of Hackensack.
On April 5, 2016, the Planning Board reversed itself and voted to settle the lawsuit that Valley Hospital had filed against the Board in 2014 for rejecting a proposed Master Plan Amendment that would have allowed Valley to more than double in size at the Ridgewood site. The “settlement”reduced Valley’s proposed development from 1,240,000 square feet to 1,206,000, whichrepresents an insignificant 3% reduction in the size of the proposed expansion that was denied in 2014.
CRR’s Complaint questions the motivation behind such a capitulation on principle and sets forth several flaws and improprieties in both the process and reasoning the Board used in arriving at that settlement. Pete McKenna, CRR President, commented, “It is astounding that our Planning Board would capitulate to Valley Hospital for this almost immaterial reduction in the immensity of Valley’s proposed expansion. Neither this settlement, nor the manner in which it took place andwas enshrined as a Master Plan Amendment, are in accordance with the Municipal Land Use Law.”
In another Count of its Complaint, CRR asserts that the process culminating in the settlement was compromised by a conflict of interest, stemming from the fact that the Planning Board’s attorney, Gail Price, did not recuse herself and her firm from advising on the settlement at the same time that her husband, Richard Brooks, was a candidate for Village Council and was expounding in public on his positions on the Valley litigation. This conflict was brought to the Board’s attention by a resident attorney (not CRR), in a letter and during hearings on the settlement, calling for the appointment of outside counsel to replace Ms. Price’s firm, Price, Meese, Shulman and D’Arminio PC. But the Board disregarded the conflict, failed to investigate it, and made no public announcement as to its position following closed session discussions. CRR asserts that the failure to disclose what transpired in closed session, in and of itself, is a violation that should render the settlement null and void. CRR president McKenna contends there may be more to the issue, saying “the conflict issue raises other serious questions about how this settlement process was handled by the Board, and we intend to get some answers in this lawsuit.”
In a further Count of the Complaint, CRR asserts that the Board, at the direction of attorney Price, committed major procedural errors during the Board’s consideration of Valley Hospital’s proposed Master Plan Amendments, dating back to 2006. The Complaint focuses particular attention on how Ms. Price applied Ridgewood’s Ordinance 3066 in a way that severely restricted the participation of CRR and the residents, created prohibitively narrow standards for evidence to be put forth by the community, gave disproportionate control of the proceedings to Valley, and ultimately, in CRR’s words, “turned the master plan process upside down”. As set forth in the Complaint, the Planning Board attorney wrongly precluded any modification of the Amendment proposed by Valley, stating that such a narrow approach was “in contravention of the Municipal Land Use Law’s vesting of absolute discretion in the Planning Board to craft a Master Plan according to the Board’s understanding of the public interest and not according to the narrower interest of any property owner.” In sum, Ms. Price’s handling of the Master Plan Amendment hearings pervasively skewed the process in Valley’s favor.
Regarding the conflict of interest issue, CRR believes Mr. Brooks’ pursuit of public office to be laudable, and in fact recognizes his considerable contributions to our Village. The fault here, CRR contends, lies with the candidate’s spouse who is a government official and who does not recuse herself or her law firm from concurrent mediation and settlement discussions that concern the largest single development project in Village history. CRR also stated that it resolved to take this action during the first week of May, but did not want it to appear to unfairly influence Mr. Brooks’ candidacy or the municipal election; therefore, the organization purposefully delayed filing its Complaint until the election had ended.
“Concerned Residents of Ridgewood does not take legal action lightly, and realizes such action incurs an unfortunate expense to Village taxpayers and even more to those residents who will donate to CRR to fund our legal effort; however, due to the continued mismanagement of the Master Plan process and the potentially dire and irreversible consequences of the Master Plan Amendment of 2016, we feel bound to take this action to protect the character of the Village and the wellbeing of the community, and most importantly, the welfare of children attending BF Middle School who would have to endure more than six years of construction during phase one of the expansion,” Mr. McKenna further stated.
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Looking for sustainable solutions for kitchen cabinet installation in NYC?
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For many homeowners in New Jersey and NYC, choosing new kitchen cabinets isn’t just a matter of aesthetic preferences and budget considerations. Sustainability is also a concern. Many cabinets are mass-produced in factories, from woods and other materials whose ecological impact might not be positive.
If you’re remodeling your kitchen, installing kitchen cabinets made from bamboo can be a great way to “go green” without sacrificing quality or appealing design. Bamboo cabinets have a unique visual appeal that catches the eye, and it’s one of the most renewable cabinet materials out there.;
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Kitchen cabinets came into fashion during the first half of the 20th century, and ever since then, they’ve been an indispensable part of any modern kitchen. Cabinets are traditionally constructed from many kinds of wood, including birch, maple, pine, oak, hickory, cherry, and even mahogany. But when most people think about installing kitchen cabinets made from natural wood, they don’t think of bamboo.
Bamboo isn’t really wood. Botanically speaking, it’s actually a grass– but don’t let that fool you into underestimating it. Bamboo is strong, sturdy, and well suited to building furniture. Like “true wood,” bamboo is a composite material with a high strength-to-weight ratio. In fact, its compressive strength and tensile strength exceed that of other woods. Like wood, it can be stained, and comes in different grains. In Asia and the South Pacific, bamboo has been used for centuries as a versatile building material.
Most importantly, bamboo is renewable, making it a great choice for custom kitchen cabinet installation. Hardwood trees like oak and maple take decades to reach maturity, but bamboo grows and matures in only five to seven years. Bamboo can be replenished much faster than a forest of hardwood trees. Bamboo plants also remain intact after harvesting, allowing it to regenerate for future harvests.
Incorporating Bamboo Cabinets into Kitchen Design
Bamboo is more aesthetically versatile than you might think, and comes in different grains. This is partially due to how bamboo “wood” is made. As you probably know, bamboo is a tall, narrow grass. How can it be made into cabinet wood?
Bamboo can’t be milled into planks in the same way that pine or hardwood can. Instead, bamboo stalks are sliced into very thin strips, then laminated together into planks. The orientation of the individual strips determines the grain orientation.
Vertical grain bamboo uses the outer edges of the strips to form the outer surface of the wood. This results in a finer, narrower grain.
Horizontal grain bamboo is laminated together at the edges, using the wider faces as the front.
Vertical grain tends to look a bit more like traditional wood, while horizontal grain has a distinctive surface.
Choosing Bamboo Kitchen Cabinets
Some common considerations surrounding bamboo kitchen cabinet installation include:
Quality construction. Bamboo cabinets can range from budget RTA cabinets to high-end custom cabinetry.
Adhesives and finishes. You want bamboo cabinets that are made with low VOC (volatile organic compound) finishes and low-formaldehyde materials. This helps prevent problems with indoor air quality in your home.
Dimensional stability. Bamboo doesn’t swell or contract as much as wood, which can help prevent stuck drawers or warped surfaces in moist areas.
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photo (Left to right) Carmen Rodriguez-Peralta, Elizabeth Ostling, and John Ferrillo at Boston area performance earlier this season.
Boston Symphony musicians to perform in Ridgewood June 12
May 16,2016
the astaff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Boston Symphony Orchestra Principal Oboe John Ferrillo and Associate Principal Flute Elizabeth Ostling are performing a concert Sunday, June 12, 3 p.m., at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 155 Linwood Avenue, in Ridgewood. Admission is free, with an offering taken to benefit Young Life Bergen County.
Ferrillo lived in Ho-Ho-Kus during 16 years with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra. Ostling, raised in Ridgewood, is also the Principal Flute of “America’s Orchestra,” the Boston Pops. Joining them will be pianist Carmen Rodriguez-Peralta, who chairs the music department at Middlesex Community College. Ferrillo and Ostling have led their respective orchestral sections under many of this generation’s most renowned conductors, at Symphony Hall in Boston, the Tanglewood summer festival, Carnegie Hall, on national and international tours, and for many recordings and broadcasts.
The program includes three works by J.S. Bach, Igor Stravinsky’s witty “Pulcinella” suite that evokes 18th Century Italian music, an offertory by W.A. Mozart, two brief contrasting pieces by French modernist Olivier Messiaen, Charles-Marie Widor’s Romantic era suite for flute, and Enrique Iturriaga’s “Vendor’s Call and Dance” performed by Rodriguez-Peralta, a specialist in the music of her native Latin America.
Ferrillo has been a member of the San Francisco Symphony and a concerto soloist with the Boston Symphony. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music with John deLancie and has participated in the Marlboro and other major summer music festivals. He teaches at the New England Conservatory and Boston University, and was formerly on the faculties of the Juilliard School and Mannes School in New York.During her high school years Ostling was the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra’s piccoloist, principal flute of the All-State Orchestra, first-chair flute of the All-Eastern Band, a concerto competition winner at the Juilliard Pre-College, and then studied at the
Curtis Institute. She won the first prize at the Koussevitzky Competition for Woodwinds, and has premiered two compositions written expressly for her. She has soloed with the Boston Pops and New Jersey Symphony. She teaches at Boston University.
Rodriguez-Peralta is a Temple University graduate and did further study at Catholic University and the Juilliard School. She has offered piano performances, master classes, and lectures throughout the U.S. and internationally, and was an Artists International Young Musicians Audition winner. Of her debut, The New York Times said she is “a thoughtful musician; her playing is full of intelligence and poetry… a pianist well worth hearing.”Young Life Bergen County, the beneficiary of the recital’s offering, is a branch of an interdenominational Christian organization that works with 2 million teens and is currently celebrating its 75th anniversary. The area program, launched by local sponsors in late 2014, features lively high school Club events, “Wyldlife” for middle and junior high students, Campaigners small-group meetings, and week-long summer camps at nearby Lake Champion and other facilities.
Ridgewood NJ, Today May 17th is the deadline to register for New Jersey presidential primary. The GOP is settled but Democrats can still feel the Bern (Bernie Sanders ) or vote for Hillary Clinton.
In New Jersey, both the Republicans and the Democrats hold their primaries on the same day. This year it’s June 7.
If you are not registered, you need to register by May 17 in order to cast a primary ballot. (Use these links if you can’t remember if you are registered or if you’re looking for your polling location.)
New Jersey does not have online voter registration, Burns said.
“You have to print the form out, physically sign it, and mail it in,” she said. Forms are available through the state Division of Elections website, at county board of elections, at municipal town halls, and at social services agencies such as motor vehicle offices.
People can also call the League office to request that one be mailed to them. That number is 800-792-VOTE (8683).
On the registration deadline day, May 17, most county board of election offices will be open until 9 p.m.
In order to register in New Jersey you must be:
A citizen of the United States
At least 18 years old
A resident of your county for at least 30 days before the election
And not currently serving a sentence, probation or parole because of a felony conviction.
Ridgewood NJ , in April Village Manager Roberta Sonenfeld responded to an email voicing safety concerns over the facility.
Neighbors say that the business Healthbarn USA Inc. was put before the safety of the residents of the community i.e. painted crosswalks as promised and signage for parking on one side of the street is astounding. Yet amazingly all of the work was done by the town for this business’s 4/1 start date.
The Village has now added lighting in a park that closes at dusk is another issue along with the fact the Ridgewood Water has been there 3 days in a row working to get the business Heathbarn USA a sprinkler for her garden. A garden that is on Green acres property but not for public use to my understanding.
Residents wonder how classes are approved to go until 9:00 when Ridgewood parks close at dusk. I understand that the lights were in the original plan 6 or so years ago, but the fact that they were never needed and are coming at this time seems more than coincidental.
Residents questions remained unanswered ,what is the current pricing for the lights ? Who paid for the village water to be tapped into for the business’s personal needs of water for her private garden? and who will be paying that water bill? Will this business follow water restrictions when in effect?
Soccer and baseball have started we are already seeing the effect of this large business be given 12 parking spots. This is causing Ridgewood tax payers to have no choice but to park on the street since the lot is now being taken away. There are no designated spots for Healthbarn, therefore these private clients are and will continue to utilize the entire parking lot. Residents of Ridgewood and the teams they are hosting for sports are being pushed into the street.
What is the effect of this commotion with 25 plus kids in a small home and 25 plus cars an hour will do to the natural habitat green acres is suppose to protect. Will not the lights deter the natural habitat that the owls maintain there at dusk.
Finally residents are demanding to know what is the percentage of Ridgewood children paying to attend this business? and again how is it a benefit to our town? Since the Village stated over and over at meetings “this would be a tremendous benefit to Ridgewood” Tax payers deserve an explanation of why this is a good thing?
Many neighbors actually feel as it is an imposition and very destructive to the neighborhood and to the park itself. The $3700.00 rent that this business is paying ( as did a family who were the tenants before paid ) does not seem like a fair trade off for all that is being taken away from the community and neighborhood.
Dear All,
I would like to clarify, address and correct the details in some of the recent correspondences regarding the Health Barn at Habernickel Park.
SPRINKLER SYSTEM: Let me start with the claim that a sprinkler system has been installed by the Village for the use of the Health Barn. This is not true. No sprinkler system has been or will be installed. Health Barn will be paying for any water that it uses. We have their usage metered separately. They will also be required to follow any watering restrictions that Ridgewood Water implements.
SUMMER SCHOOL BUSING: Ms. Rubin mentions that Health Barn is advertising on their website that they will be providing busing for children in the summer day camp program. We cannot find any reference to this on Health Barn’s website at all norwill this be occurring. Please provide the back-up for this claim.
RIDGEWOOD ATTANDANCE IN THE PROGRAMS: As far as the details surrounding the residences of the children in Health Barn’s classes, Ms. Antine is required by the lease to provide quarterly reporting that will be reviewed by Parks and Rec. This report is not due until June 30, 2016. I can provide some recent experiences with regard to where the children live that frequent her classes. Thursday’s seedlings class consisted of 12 children, all of whom were Ridgewood residents. Yesterday, there was a seedlings class of 6 young children – they were all from Ridgewood from the Hillcrest neighborhood. Also yesterday I observed an older children’s class of about 8 children none of whom were Ridgewood residents. As of yesterday morning, the enrollment for next week’s school break camp has 15 children, 9 of whom are Ridgewood residents.
As a reminder, by Green Acres rules, this is a park that is open to all, not just Ridgewood residents.
LIGHTING: Another issue mentioned was the lighting. Ms. Vellis is correct that the downward facing lights were in the original plans for Habernickel. They are in fact a safety feature that should be there regardless of Health Barn. As with other Village properties, these lights will be on from dusk to dawn.
HOURS OF OPERATION: The Gate House hours at Habernickel are in line with other Village buildings particularly the Stable; this is distinct from park hours. Ms Antine’s latest class ends at 9:00PM and then cleanup is required. The Stable, as an example, is open until 11PM.
OWLS:
We appreciate and celebrate owls in our parks. We cannot move their nests nor do we want to. We don’t see any issue with the various park activities at Habernickel and the well-being of the owl.
OUTSIDE THE PROPERTY:
As far as the changes regarding no parking signs, striping, etc. The no parking signs have been installed on the south side of Hillcrest. Striping cannot be done until the weather warms up – as soon as that occurs, our Signal Department will stripe.
In Closing:
In speaking with Stacy, she has always been steadfast in her resolve to be a good neighbor and to listen to the neighbors around her. In that spirit of cooperation, she would like to invite the neighbors to the Gate House so that you can see firsthand the significant improvements to the interior as well as discuss the programs and any other questions you may have. Please let Janet and myself know if this is of interest to you and we can make this offer to others in the neighborhood….and also let me know if you have any other questions.
Best, Roberta
Best regards,
Roberta
Roberta Sonenfeld Village Manager 201-670-5500, ext. 203
Frustrated travelers are turning to the complaint box in growing numbers as long lines and delays getting through airport security result in missed flights.
Complaints filed on such topics as courtesy and processing time surged in March to the highest levels in the past year, according to the Department of Transportation’s monthly Air Travel Consumer Report released Monday.
Reports filed over the time it took U.S. Transportation Security Administration to screen passengers grew more than 10-fold, to 513 this past March from 48 in March 2015. Concern about lack of courtesy by TSA screeners increased more than three-fold, to 1,012 in March from 294 a year ago.
Other categories of complaints on the screening process and travelers’ personal property were also at the highest levels recorded in the past year, according to DOT. A spokesman for the TSA didn’t immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment on Monday’s report.
