Glen Rock NJ, A 164 pound male, black bear was captured in the rear yard of 545 Doremus Avenue, Glen Rock, on Sunday afternoon, 05/20. NJDEP Fish & Wildlife Division employees were assisted by Glen Rock PD and Tyco Animal Control Services. No injuries were reported during the capture. The bear had been perched in a tree for several hours following a chase by Glen Rock Police officers after it was initially spotted walking along Lincoln Avenue, Glen Rock. The bear was lured into the NJDEP owned trap by a bag of donuts and some molasses. He was tranquilized prior to being tagged, tattooed, and loaded into a pickup truck for transport to a NJDEP managed forest area.
Glen Rock Police thanked TYCO and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, “the bear that was found in a tree in the rear yard of a Doremus Avenue residence today was tranquilized and transported to a safe environment in Western New Jersey.”
Ridgewood Deputy Mayor Mike Sedon was not available for comment .
Ridgewood NJ, according to NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife Black bears are the largest land mammal in New Jersey. They are an integral part of the state’s natural heritage and a vital component of healthy ecosystems.
Since the 1980s the Garden State’s black bear population has been increasing and expanding its range both southward and eastward from the forested areas of northwestern New Jersey. Within the most densely populated state in the nation, black bears are thriving and there are now confirmed bear sightings in all 21 of New Jersey’s counties.
Division of Fish and Wildlife personnel use an integrated approach to managing New Jersey’s black bear population, fostering coexistence between people and bears.
The most common bear problem New Jersey’s residents experience is black bears getting into their garbage. Bears are attracted to neighborhoods by garbage odors, so properly securing your garbage is one of the best ways to prevent bears from becoming a nuisance in your community. Residents are encouraged to work within their community to make sure all garbage is secured and kept away from bears.
For tips on proper garbage management and coexisting with bears. Black bears learn very quickly and bears that are fed intentionally or unintentionally by carelessly leaving out food or garbage will associate people with food. Bears will eat almost anything including human food, garbage, pet food, birdseed and small livestock. Once they find an easily accessible food source, like garbage in a housing development, they will lose their wariness of people and may return to the available food source. These bears can become a nuisance or aggressive and may have to be trapped and aversively conditioned or destroy
Remember: Never feed bears! It’s illegal in New Jersey, and it’s dangerous. Anyone who feeds bears could face a penalty of up to $1,000 for each offense.
Report black bear damage or nuisance behavior to the DEP’s 24-hour, toll-free hotline at 1-877-WARN DEP (1-877-927-6337).
Ridgewood NJ, on April 5th it was Injury Prevention Day for National Public Health Week. Here’s important information from the Ridgewood Health Department.
Bicycle Safety
As the weather gets warmer, the Ridgewood Health Department and the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center want you to be safe when you and your family ride bicycles. Bicycle trips account for only 1% of all trips in the United States. However, bicyclists face a higher risk of crash related injury and deaths than occupants in motor vehicles.
Always Ride with Traffic and Follow the Rules of the Road
You are better off riding with the flow of traffic, not against it. Crash data tells us that getting hit from behind is extremely unlikely.
You are more predictable and visible to motorists, especially at intersections and driveways.
Ride in a straight line, not in and out of cars, and use hand signals when turning and stopping.
Obey traffic signs, signals, and lane markings and yield to traffic when appropriate, including pedestrians.
Don’t Ride on the Sidewalk
Although you might think it’s a safer option, motorists are simply not looking for bicyclists on the sidewalk, especially those riding against the direction of traffic.
At every driveway and intersection, you are at greater risk of being hit by a motorist than if you were riding on the road with traffic.
Pedestrians will thank you for riding on the road as well.
Ride on the trail, paved shoulder, bike lane, or bike route. You still need to follow the rules of the road and watch out for your fellow travelers. Ride to the right, signal your turns, obey traffic signs and signals.
Be Predictable and Visible:
Try not to be hesitant or do things that motorists and other travelers may not be expecting.
Make sure everyone can see you and knows where you are and where you are going.
If riding in the dark, use headlights, taillights, and reflectors and wear reflective materials and brightly colored clothing.
Do not wear headphones or talk on a cell phone while bicycling.
Watch for Stuff on the Road or Trail that Might Make you Fall or Swerve:
Rocks, trash, storm grates, wet leaves, potholes, gravel, railroad tracks, and even wet pavement markings can all send you flying.
Also watch for parked cars, doors opening, and cars pulling in and out of driveways.
Watch for Turning Traffic
Most car/bike collisions happen at intersections and driveways when motorists or bicyclists are turning.
At every intersection and driveway; keep a careful eye out for motorists turning right in front of you, you may be going faster than they think. Also, look for motorists turning left across your path, drivers are looking for gaps in traffic and may not be paying attention to anything other than other motor vehicles.
Wear a Helmet
“Use your head, wear a helmet.” It is the single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes.
Find the Right Helmet Fit
Make sure your child has the right size helmet and wears it every time when riding, skating or scooting. Your children’s helmet should meet the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) standards. When it’s time to buy a new helmet, let your children pick out their own; they’ll be more likely to wear them for every ride.
Make sure the helmet fits and your child knows how to put it on correctly. A helmet should sit on top of the head in a level position, and should not rock forward, backward or side to side. The helmet straps must always be buckled, but not too tightly.
EYES check: Position the helmet on your head. Look up and you should see the bottom rim of the helmet. The rim should be one to two finger-widths above the eyebrows.
EARS check: Make sure the straps of the helmet form a “V” under your ears when buckled. The strap should be snug but comfortable.
MOUTH check: Open your mouth as wide as you can. Do you feel the helmet hug your head? If not, tighten those straps and make sure the buckle is flat against your skin.
Use Appropriate Helmets for Different Activities
Children should always wear a helmet for all wheeled sports activities.
A properly-fitted bike helmet is just as effective when riding a scooter, roller skating or in-line skating.
When skateboarding and long boarding, make sure your child wears a CPSC certified skateboarding helmet.
Proper Equipment and Maintenance Are Important
Ensure proper bike fit by bringing the child along when shopping for a bike. Select one that is the right size for the child, not one he or she will grow into.
When children are sitting on the seat of the bicycle, their feet should be able to touch the ground.
Before the ride, make sure the reflectors are secure, brakes work properly, gears shift smoothly, and tires are tightly secured and properly inflated.
Long or loose clothing can get caught in bike chains or wheel spokes. Dress young kids appropriately to ensure a safe ride.
Keep an Eye Out
Actively supervise children until you’re comfortable that they are responsible to ride on their own.
Every child is different, but developmentally, it can be hard for kids to judge speed and distance of cars until age 10, so limit riding to sidewalks (although be careful for vehicles in driveways), parks or bike paths until age 10. No matter where you ride, teach your child to stay alert and watch for cars and trucks.
Children should be able to demonstrate riding competence and knowledge of the rules of the road before cycling with traffic.
Model and Teach Good Behavior
You’d be surprised how much kids learn from watching you, so it’s important for parents to model proper behavior. Wear a helmet, even if you didn’t when you were a kid.
Teach your kids to make eye contact with drivers. Bikers should make sure drivers are paying attention and are going to stop before they cross the street.
Tell your kids to ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, not against it. Stay as far to the right as possible. Use appropriate hand signals and respect traffic signals, stopping at all stop signs and stoplights. Be predictable when riding.
Stop and look left, right and left again before entering a street or crossing an intersection. Look back and yield to traffic coming from behind before turning left.
Be Bright, Use Lights
When riding at dusk, dawn or in the evening, be bright and use lights – and make sure your bike has reflectors as well. It’s also smart to wear clothes and accessories that have retro-reflective materials to improve biker visibility to motorists.
Most states require a front light but allow the use of a rear reflector. Headlights aren’t so much for bicyclists to see where they are going but for others to see them. Riding without a headlight means drivers won’t see you, and surprising motorists is never a good idea.
Ridgewood NJ, As responsible stewards of our tax dollars Mayor Susan Knudsen and Deputy Mayor Sedon, along with the Village Council, are looking at every penny spent by the municipality. Taking this approach we felt that the Village should examine its current energy bills to see if the energy sharing program we are in actually saves money verses using the local provider PSE&G for power and gas.
The Special Projects Task Force, reconstituted and renamed from the previous Financial Advisory Committee, has completed its first task focusing on this area and presented to the Village Council at its March 28 public work session.
The Village is a participant in the NJ Sustainable Energy Joint Meeting (SEM) program, which bundles towns to solicit bids from many energy providers in an attempt to achieve lower energy costs together, than a single town might be able to get on its own.
The task force went through two years of electric and gas bills for Village Hall as a representative sample of the program. This particular building was used because it represents 20 percent of the Village’s annual energy consumption and is serviced by a single meter.
Surprisingly, the results showed that the Village spent an additional 8.8 percent for gas over what it would have paid by using PSE&G and an additional 6.2 percent for electric. This equates to $6,669 throughout the two-year study period from 2016 to 2017. Extrapolated throughout the Village this is a significant amount.
In addition to the actual dollar amount there is more staff time required to reconcile the bills for the many different, and often changing energy providers.
Using this valuable study the council can make more informed decisions as to who we use to provide energy resulting in taxpayer savings going forwar
Paramus NJ, Members of the Paramus Rescue Squad used the “Jaws of Life” to free a trapped occupant from a Toyota Corolla that was involved in a two (2) vehicle collision at the intersection of Forest and Oradell Avenues, Paramus on Sunday afternoon, 02/18. The victim, who appeared to have sustained non life threatening injuries, was transported by a Paramus EMS ambulance to Hackensack University Center’s Main Campus. Both wrecks were removed from the scene by tow trucks. Paramus Police, Fire Department and Oradell Police also responded to the scene.
Paramus NJ, Paramus Police, EMS, Fire Department, and Rescue Squad personnel responded to aid the entrapped adult female driver of a 4-door passenger sedan involved in a 2-vehicle crash at the intersection of Carl Place and Paramus Road, Paramus on Saturday afternoon, 02/10. Members of Paramus Rescue 7 used the “Jaws of Life” to remove the driver’s side door of the victim’s vehicle in order to free her. She was transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center’s main campus. A paramedic team from The Valley Hospital assisted Paramus EMS. Both vehicles involved in the crash were removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck.
Paramus NJ, Paramus Police, Fire, and EMS responded to aid the adult female driver of an older model BMW coupe who became entrapped in her vehicle following a Tuesday morning, 01/23, crash in front of 688 Paramus Road (TD Bank) , Paramus. On the boarder of Ridgewood and Paramus . Paramus Road and Ridgewood Avenue experienced delays through most of mid day according to Paramus Police .
The victim, who sustained non life threatening crash related injuries, was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. The wrecked BMW was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck.
Ridgewood NJ, Ok Trump Haters this is your big chance , A LIMITED Quantity of Fire & Fury by Michael Wolff will be available on Monday, January 8th at Bookends in Ridgewood. Sure most of its made up ,but hey , “what difference does it make”.
You can preorder TODAY by calling the store (201)445-0726
Be it Trump Anxiety Syndrome, Impeachment Fantasy Syndrome or Trump Derangement Syndrome, the country is in the throes of a major epidemic, with no known cure and some pretty scary symptoms.
According to Justin Raimondo is the editorial director of Antiwar.com ,Trump Derangement Syndrome being the worst of the bunch and the most serious .TDS victims routinely compare Trump to Hitler: Time magazine ran an opinion piece that asked “Just how similar is Donald Trump to Hitler?” The answer: “The comparison between Hitler and Trump is so poignant” because “both men represent their personal character as the antidote to all social and political problems.”
Raimondo goes on , “The mid-level stages of TDS have a profound effect on the victim’s vocabulary: Sufferers speak a distinctive language consisting solely of hyperbole.”
“As TDS progresses, the afflicted lose the ability to distinguish fantasy from reality. Despite Trump’s expressed desire to “work something out” for the so-called Dreamers – those brought here as very young children – Trump’s critics continue to harp on this issue. Immigration advocate Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, who has a very bad case of TDS, inadvertently revealed this mind set when he said: “Before anyone falls into the trap of believing that Trump is ‘softening’ on immigration, they should remember that we’ve seen this movie before.”
New York, New York , according to New York Police sources a would-be suicide bomber detonated an explosive device underground near the bustling Port Authority Bus Terminal is a former New York City cab driver who told investigators he carried out the attack for revenge, law enforcement sources said. Subways were rerouted this morning and the Port Authority Bus Station was evacuated during the morning rush.
There were also disruptions on the Seventh and Eighth Avenue lines, as well as the shuttle between Grand Central Station and Times Square. Service should return to normal before evening rush hour, transit officials said.
The bomber Akayed Ullah, 27, is believed to be from Bangladesh and was living in Brooklyn, told authorities in sum and substance from his hospital bed: “They’ve been bombing in my country and I wanted to do damage here,” sources said.
Ullah, who officials say is a former city cab driver whose license has lapsed, set off a “low-tech” what some have described as a homemade pipe bomb strapped to his midsection around 7:20 a.m. inside the subway passageway between West 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue and West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue.
Oradell NJ,The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Bergen County SPCA are requesting information from the public regarding a wounded Akita-mix dog that was left at Oradell Animal Hospital on November 3, 2017 and subsequently euthanized due to its injuries.
At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday, November 3, 2017, the Bergen County SPCA and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office received information that a two-year-old Akita-mix dog was left at Oradell Animal Hospital by two men who travelled in a black Lincoln Navigator with New York license plates. The dog appeared neglected and had suffered injuries, which included a swollen hind leg, suggesting it had been trapped or otherwise tethered. The men provided differing accounts, one claiming they found the dog in the woods in Mahwah and another that it was found at a construction site in Bergen or Rockland County. The two men then left without entering the animal hospital or providing identification. It is unclear if the two men are good Samaritans.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Animal Cruelty Task Force at 201-226-5632, or the Bergen County SPCA at 201-573-8900.
Phil Murphy Governor-elect wants to raise $1.3 billion for state spending
November 10, 2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, A New Jersey millionaire’s tax boost will be Democrats’ top priority highest-ranking state lawmaker Senate President Steve Sweeney.Governor-elect Phil Murphy, has vowed to enact the increase. With that revenue, plus higher corporate taxes and fees from plans to legalize marijuana sales, the strapped state budget will gain $1.3 billion, Murphy has said.
The top 1 percent of earners in New Jersey about 17,000 residents provide about 40 percent of the state’s income-tax revenue, according to the New Jersey taxation division. The provision previously vetoed by Christie would have increased the tax rate on income above $1 million from 8.97 percent to 10.75 percent. That would raise approximately $615 million in annual revenue, according to the state office of legislative services.
If the increase were passed, high earners might face a second dose of pain from Washington: The tax bill under consideration in the U.S. House would eliminate an existing provision that allows for deducting state tax payments from federal taxes.
Murphy, 60, promised to reduce the nation’s highest property taxes and make full payments to the least-funded U.S. pension system ,create a sanctuary state and to bolster the middle class with more spending on education and health care.
New Jersey has led nation for the largest number of residents leaving for lower-cost places to live. Among them were Omega Advisors Inc. chairman Leon Cooperman and Appaloosa Management LP founder David Tepper, billionaires who moved to Florida. The state’s highest in the nation taxes and anti -business regulations have often been cited as the reason for its slow recovery from the national recession.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water will be performing system flushing. This work will include the operation of fire hydrants at flow velocities sufficient to remove naturally occurring minerals that have precipitated out of the water and settled. This may temporarily discolor the water so we will be conducting this activity late at night to minimize the effect on consumers. There are no health concerns associated with the minerals that get stirred up, but residents are urged to avoid doing laundry while crews are working. Ridgewood Water will notify residents using the Swiftreach calling system in advance of the work in their specific areas. Residents may register to receive these calls by clicking on the SwiftH2O link on the bottom of this page.
-To determine which flushing route you are in, or to see a video on the hydrant flushing process, please click here:
Flushing will begin in Route 1 on Monday, October 16th, between 9:00pm and 4:30am.
Tips for our customers:
Tap water may be discolored while crews are flushing in your area (9:00pm-4:30am) so you should avoid the use of washing machines and dishwashers during those hours. Even when it is discolored, the water is safe for consumption.
Discolored water may linger in your pipes after the flushing work has been completed. If so, run the cold water until the water runs clear.
Check at a nearby faucet for discolored water before using the washing machine or dishwasher. Wait until the water runs clear at the tap before doing laundry or running the dishwasher. If your laundry inadvertently becomes stained, DO NOT PUT YOUR LAUNDRY IN THE DRYER. Rewash clothes immediately using detergent and a rust remover such as “Red B Gone”. This product will be available from Ridgewood Water if needed. Most rust removers can also be used on stained fixtures such as sinks, tubs, and toilets.
If water pressure or water volume at the tap seems unusually low after flushing has been completed in your area, check your faucet aerators for trapped particles.
Glen Rock NJ, An individual dressed in a bear costume with a GoPro camera strapped to its chest and a large dog in tow, was observed standing outside of a Glen Rock elementary school at afternoon dismissal time on Friday, 10/13. Glen Rock Police received at least one (1) 911 telephone call about the individual from a concerned parent, and dispatched a uniformed patrol officer and a uniformed patrol supervisor to investigate. Responding units located the “bear with dog” two (2) blocks away from the school. The individual was identified as a local juvenile male. He was interviewed and then escorted back to his home and released to his mother. The intent of standing in front of the school dressed in a bear costume with an attached GoPro and dog was not made public.
Paramus NJ, A two (2) vehicle Wednesday afternoon, 09/27, collision in front of Bergen Community College’s Paramus campus sent an SUV careening off of the roadway, narrowly missing a bus shelter, and toppling a traffic light before coming to a stop. One (1) occupant of the vehicle was trapped inside, which required members of the Paramus Rescue Squad to use the “Jaws of Life” to free her/him. The injured person was transported by ambulance to a local hospital. Paramus Road northbound was temporarily closed at the College’s entrance due to the crash. Both vehicles were removed by flatbed tow trucks. Paramus Police and Fire Department personnel responded to the incident also.
Public Interest Legal Foundation found numerous enforcement flaws for the National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter)
September 13,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, The Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) today released Garden State Gotcha: How Opponents of Citizenship Verification for Voting Are Putting New Jersey’s Noncitizens at Risk of Deportation.
After a six-month review of New Jersey county voter registration files, the Public Interest Legal Foundation found numerous enforcement flaws for the National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter) that unnecessarily expose noncitizens to future naturalization challenges and even deportation without clearly-justified reforms.
616 admitted and officially recorded noncitizens in 11 counties engaged on some level with the NJ voter registration system; Nine percent of aliens self-reporting their status also cast ballots prior; 76 percent of noncitizens found in the system admitted their immigration status at the outset; 75 percent of noncitizens were invited to register while receiving driver’s licenses or in other government transactions like community college admissions or public schools; and Six counties, including one “sanctuary county”, claimed to have never seen noncitizens registered or applying to vote.
“New Jersey offers eye-opening lessons,” PILF President and General Counsel J. Christian Adams said. “A limited inquiry found that hundreds of noncitizens are documented throughout voter records, typically because a bureaucrat offered them an application. Some were even asked after presenting a Green Card. That broken system is propped up by an honor code proven repeatedly to fail. Many illegally voted. Some claimed they didn’t know they were registered until an immigration agent called. All will likely face an inquiry if they decide to become Americans.”
“It’s time to have a serious discussion about modernizing our Motor Voter law and determine how we can verify citizenship in the process,” Adams added. “Anyone who disagrees exposes Americans to vote dilution and helps write one-way tickets for deportees.”
In the absence of regular data-sharing arrangements between federal officials and the State, the ability of election officials to identify aliens on the voter rolls in real time is almost nonexistent. Voter registrars are stuck waiting for noncitizens to contact them, usually in a panic, admitting to registering despite their ineligibility. Such reactionary maintenance was typically due to pending naturalization applications.
“New Jersey’s only defense to alien registration is the hope that aliens who get on the voters rolls will self-report,” the new PILF study notes. “Without proactive verification mechanisms built into the voter registration application process, cascading negative consequences are sure to follow for eligible and ineligible voters alike.”
After reviewing thousands of pages of voter records, Motor Voter arises as a contributing factor for why so many alien residents are getting trapped in the voter registration system.
Years of official and third party pressure on state agencies to register more voters has apparently driven some offices to become overly aggressive in offering applications to those that do not qualify.
No uniform protections were apparent for noncitizens to be shielded from voter registration after they presented identification clearly documenting their ineligibility.
The current, two-year voter record retention cap can create difficulties for naturalization applicants required to show proof of previous activity.
