West Bergen Tea Party will host Scott Garrett on August 9

West Bergen Tea Party will host Scott Garrett on August 9

West Bergen is proud to be hosting Scott Garrett 7 pm, Tuesday, August 9 at the Larkin House, 380 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff. The Larkin House is 1/4 mile North of Stop & Shop on the right. Mark your calendar, let's give Scott the credit he deserves.

 More information: 201 891-5918, Conservative_Caucus@verizon.net

How Would You Fix Medicare and Medicaid? 6 Hospital Leaders Respond

How Would You Fix Medicare and Medicaid? 6 Hospital Leaders Respond
Written by Bob Herman | August 01, 2011

To say a lot rides on the country's Medicare and Medicaid programs might be an understatement. Months of national debt ceiling talks have involved the slashing of Medicare and Medicaid funding, but uncertainty continues to hang about their futures. Hospitals are closely intertwined with Medicare and Medicaid, and six hospital leaders weigh in on the issues and obstacles that face the two biggest insurance programs in the United States.

Questions: What are some of your ideas on how Medicare and Medicaid can be fixed? How fixable are they, and what problems and hurdles need to be overcome?

http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/hospital-financial-and-business-news/how-would-you-fix-medicare-and-medicaid-6-hospital-leaders-respond.html

Valley Hospital going door to door

Valley Hospital going door to door

Ridgewood NJ- A friend living near the northwest corner of town reports that someone with a Valley Hospital name tag appeared at the door the other day asking how they felt about construction at Valley Hospital. He assured them, for one thing, that construction would be confined to the existing footprint and not require taking any additional land.

Even that apparently simple statement is disingenuous--a distortion of the immediate truth and a blatant untruth regarding the long-term plan. Nor is that any way to take an objective survey.

Valley's collecting support for the construction project from unsuspecting, inadequately informed residents, clearly intended for use in the upcoming Council hearings and possibly the lawsuit, is unacceptable. The transmission of biased information is even more unacceptable. Valley is desperate and will obviously stop at nothing. One can only hope that the Council sees through this ruse and ignores whatever faux statistics may emerge from this "survey."

My doorbell rang the other day when no one was expected. Following a longtime personal policy, I did not answer it. Now I'm sorry I didn't.

.

Gov. Chris Christie Surprised To Learn He Supports Port Authority Toll Hike

Gov. Chris Christie Surprised To Learn He Supports Port Authority Toll Hike

TRENTON, NJ (WCBS 880) - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he just found out through a newspaper that he supports raising Hudson River tolls by $2.

“I read that story this morning. It’s completely wrong. There has been no plan presented to me to raise tolls on the Hudson River crossings,” Christie said on Tuesday. “I spoke this morning with the chairman of the Port Authority to see if there was something I was missing.”

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/06/07/gov-chris-christie-surprised-to-learn-he-supports-port-authority-toll-hike/

Pols pooh-pooh 'absurd' Port Authority scheme demanding $15 tolls at Hudson River crossings

Pols pooh-pooh 'absurd' Port Authority scheme demanding $15 tolls at Hudson River crossings
BY KENNETH LOVETT AND JONATHAN LEMIRE
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Sunday, August 7th 2011, 4:00 AM

The head of the state Senate's Transportation Committee Saturday slammed the Port Authority's proposal to nearly double tolls at the three Hudson River crossings - and demanded that Govs. Cuomo and Chris Christie halt the hike.

The plan would deliver a painful blow to drivers, who would be forced to pay $15 next month to enter the city through the George Washington Bridge and the Holland and Lincoln tunnels. Tolls now are $8 for cash-paying drivers.

"The Port Authority's proposal to dramatically raise tolls is both absurd and insulting to the overburdened residents and businesses who will be forced to pay substantially more to use the bridges and tunnels," said Sen. Charles Fuschillo (R-Nassau).

Fuschillo, who chairs the powerful Transportation Committee, could call hearings to investigate the plan, but even he acknowledged that it would be up to the governors of New York and New Jersey to stop it.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/08/07/2011-08-07_pa_toll_plan_is_absurd_sez_senator.html#ixzz1UKvZHqNQ

Soo Hyeon Park : money will NOT bring the child back

Soo Hyeon Park : money will NOT bring the child back


I was standing right next to the woman in the shallow end at the ropes when she noticed her son missing...she called out to her husband in Korean I assume telling him she could no longer 'see' her son...she then sent her daughter out of the pool to alert the guards...I watched the entire thing unfold from the moment the mother next to me called out when she couldn't see him to the end. You can all speculate as much as you want as half of you weren't even there. 


There's no reason Graydon doesn't have dive ready equipment instead of waiting 20 minutes for the Ridgewood Fire Dept. I remember seeing tanks in the 70's when Mr. Yearing was in charge. Clear water isn't an answer...a girl just drown in a clear water town pool...noticed by a teen and by the time she was pulled out, she was dead. I agree parents should be JUST as vigilant as life guards. I saw NO fooling around by guards that day and they all did their job professionally. As for losing a brother...I have. I don't think anyone is being insensitive. I had heard that day at the pool that the 13 year old couldn't swim in deep water...whether that's true or not I don't know. 


I'd like to see Graydon preserved, I remember when kids couldn't swim in the deep end without passing a test. Perhaps no child should be in the deep end without a bracelet so guards can see who's sneaking around (cuz kids do, let's be honest) It was a sad day and all I can say is the mother knew her child was in the deep end or near it and guards can't see EVERY child every second of the day and that's why parents should be watching as well. I can't tell you the answer, but 30 million will NOT bring her child back and it won't take away any pain or any suffering, but if the town is found guilty, they will have to pay up! 

S&P downgrades U.S. credit rating for first time

S&P downgrades U.S. credit rating for first time

By Zachary A. Goldfarb, Published: August 5 | Updated: Saturday, August 6, 12:35 AM

Standard & Poor’s announced Friday night that it has downgraded the U.S. credit rating for the first time, dealing a symbolic blow to the world’s economic superpower in what was a sharply worded critique of the American political system.

Lowering the nation’s rating to one notch below AAA, the credit rating company said “political brinkmanship” in the debate over the debt had made the U.S. government’s ability to manage its finances “less stable, less effective and less predictable.” It said the bipartisan agreement reached this week to find at least $2.1 trillion in budget savings “fell short” of what was necessary to tame the nation’s debt over time and predicted that leaders would not be likely to achieve more savings in the future.

“It’s always possible the rating will come back, but we don’t think it’s coming back anytime soon,” said David Beers, head of S&P’s government debt rating unit.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/sandp-considering-first-downgrade-of-us-credit-rating

LINKER: JULY JOBS REPORT FURTHER EVIDENCE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES INSUFFICIENT TO BOOST SAGGING ECONOMY

LINKER: JULY JOBS REPORT FURTHER EVIDENCE ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES INSUFFICIENT TO BOOST SAGGING ECONOMY

(Ridgewood, NJ): Conservative Republican U.S. Senate candidate from New Jersey Ian Linker issued a statement this morning about the latest monthly jobs report:

“The numbers released this morning continue to demonstrate that the Administration's economic policies have failed - miserably.  Yes, the monthly unemployment rate dipped from 9.2 to 9.1% and the economy added 115,000 jobs last month, but the drop is attributable to the chronically unemployed giving up their job search and the added jobs are insufficient to keep pace with population growth and have a real impact on the labor market."

"The actual working population in America is at its lowest level since the early 1980s right after Jimmy Carter finished destroying the economy. The similarities between our current President and President Carter are striking. Neither President would embrace pro-growth economic policies that have proven time and again to work by adding jobs and reversing economic stagnation and their only answer to an economic crisis is more government control and more government spending."

"The Administration and its Democratic colleagues have no idea how to reverse this perilous situation.  Throwing money at the problem has not worked and this President apparently knows of no other way to fundamentally address the abysmal jobs market. The President's job training and unemployment benefits extension proposals are simply insufficient to address the magnitude of the problem."

"We suffer from a leadership vacuum in this country. Americans need political leaders with courage, principles, and integrity that are more concerned with the current state of the economy, than they are about raising money for their reelection campaign. Until we elect leaders of this caliber we will continue to slide down this dangerous path."

Concern over racial profiling against Hispanic passengers at Newark airport continues

Concern over racial profiling against Hispanic passengers at Newark airport continues in wake of report

An internal TSA report finding that Hispanic passengers were racially profiled at Newark Liberty International Airport has revived concerns that security screeners may have engaged in racial profiling at airports nationwide.

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, has written to Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole, demanding that a program designed to detect suspicious behavior at airports be suspended because it may be biased.  (Strunsky, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/concerns_of_discrimination_aga.html

Shocker: Pilot Licenses Issued to 27 on Terror List

Shocker: Pilot Licenses Issued to 27 on Terror List

Michael Cutler -- August 3, 2011

(Excerpts
A recent New York Times article was extremely disturbing. The report was entitled: "27 Deemed to Be Threats Held Aviation Licenses". This news article was based on a report (pdf document) issued by the Inspector General (Internal Affairs) that has oversight responsibility for the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration).

The article stated that that the FAA has no meaningful handle on those to whom that agency has issued pilots' licenses.

Yet the magnitude of the incompetence of the FAA is nothing short of insane - just consider this excerpt from the New York Times news report:
The new report, by the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security, found that the F.A.A. had Social Security numbers of only about 750,000 people out of the 1.3 million names in its Airmen Registry, and that among those for whom it had numbers, more than 15,000 of them did not match the Social Security database for name, sex or date of birth. By law, the F.A.A. cannot require a Social Security number, the report noted, and as a result, "T.S.A. may not identify U.S. citizens who have provided false biographic information to receive an airman certificate."
Not all of the discrepancies represent a potential security threat; the report said that more extensive study over the past few years found that 8,000 of the license holders were dead.

The report offers no details about the 27 individuals whose certificates were canceled, but does indicate the poor state of federal records, almost a decade after the Sept. 11 attacks. An initial computer scan found about 29,000 certificates that matched names on the government's Terrorist Screening Database, but further study found that 28,500 of the matches were invalid; 506 were turned over for closer scrutiny, yielding the 27 names.

The above quote addresses the issue of US citizens but in reality not only citizens may have pilots' licenses that enable them to fly over our nation. There have been many aliens who have succeeded in acquiring United States citizenship via fraud, including a woman, several years ago, who was a citizen of Lebanon and came to the United States on a student visa. She entered into a sham marriage that enabled her to become a naturalized citizen; she then went on to become an FBI Special Agent and then joined the CIA. Her deception was discovered when she accessed databases without authorization.

Simply stated, you cannot have it both ways. Undocumented aliens are illegally present in our country and the fact they are "undocumented" means that they have no reliable, verifiable way of proving who they are. False identities serve as a camouflage for criminals and terrorists the same way that changes in color enable certain creatures to hide in plain sight, often among their intended victims.
This is why I have come to refer to Comprehensive Immigration Reform as the "Terrorist Assistance and Facilitation Act."

Read the complete article here............
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.10080/pub_detail.asp

PSEG Power to shut down Hudson I plant

PSEG Power to shut down Hudson I plant

The state is getting its wish: PSEG Power's Hudson I plant will close, a step that could save ratepayers millions of dollars that otherwise would be needed to keep the aging facility in service to maintain the reliability of the regional power grid.

PJM Interconnection, the independent operator of the regional grid, this week told PSEG Power it could retire the plant, a step the power supplier has been advocating for the past several years. The decision marked a reversal for PJM, which repeatedly argued the unit is needed to keep the lights on, especially given delays in building a controversial transmission project through the heart of the New Jersey Highlands.  (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0805/0201/

Obamacare : Jackpot for hospitals in New Jersey

Obamacare : Jackpot for hospitals in New Jersey

By Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - An obscure provision tucked into the federal health-care law has turned into a jackpot for Massachusetts hospitals - and a plus for those in New Jersey - while upsetting officials in other states because the money will come from their hospitals.

http://www.philly.com/philly/health_and_science/126813048.html

Ridgewood Library's summer programs stay afloat

Ridgewood Library's summer programs stay afloat

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2011
BY JOSEPH CRAMER
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

In the face of furloughs and other cutbacks to compensate for two years of budget cuts, Ridgewood Public Library summer programs have been "vibrant" despite strains on staff and circulation, according to Director Nancy Greene.

The village cut its municipal allocation to the library by $41,750 in 2011, representing a nearly 2 percent decrease from 2010. Combined with an $11,000 drop in state aid to the library and a nearly $39,582 increase in costs for staff pensions and health benefits, this revenue loss meant a $92,332 budget gap that library administrators had to bridge.

"What gets lost when we lose funding is staff and books," Greene said.

To this end, the library initiated staff furloughs - cutting back employee hours by closing all nine summer Sundays through Labor Day weekend and three additional Fridays throughout the year. The library also cut the book budget, which is traditionally used to buy new books and movies, as well as replace classic texts and maintain an online database.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/126819578_Summer_programs_stay_afloat.html

MENENDEZ SUPPORTS FAILED MEASURES TO CREATE JOBS

MENENDEZ SUPPORTS FAILED MEASURES TO CREATE JOBS

(Ridgewood, NJ): On Thursday, conservative Republican U.S. Senate candidate from New Jersey Ian Linker denounced Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) for his support of failed job creation policies supported by other Democrats, including President Obama. Proposals on the table include an infrastructure bank and extension of unemployment benefits.

Linker questioned, "Why is it when Democrats like Bob Menendez talk about how to create jobs - usually when they're afraid of losing their own - their proposals include more government-funded projects or subsidies/incentives?”

“These policies have failed miserably - they simply don't work. Democratic jobs policies redistribute wealth and take money from one group of taxpayers or incur more debt and spend it on another group, usually temporary infrastructure projects. The stimulative effects from these jobs, if any, wear off after the project ends. Not only does the Democrats' jobs agenda fail to create permanent jobs but it also requires we spend more money we don't have, adding even more to our $14.3 trillion mountain of debt,” Linker said.

Linker continued, "unemployment has been hovering near 10% and millions more have been out of work for way too long in this country. Although Democrats now finally claim to be focusing on jobs, their proposals are conveniently timed, as several of them, including Menendez and President Obama, are now actively campaigning for reelection. Their proposals are nothing new, however. Democrats have tried stimulating the economy and creating jobs through deficit spending for decades - it simply doesn't work."

Linker added, "To create permanent jobs we need to unleash market forces. My plan to facilitate private sector job and economic growth includes ending uncertainty through comprehensive regulatory reform and reforming the corporate and individual tax codes to close loopholes and expand the tax base. We would level the playing fields making more proportional individual and corporate tax liability. We would bring down marginal rates, eliminate the double taxation of capital gains and dividends, and, as has happened throughout history after such reform is enacted, sit back and watch the economy grow and the free market hire millions currently unemployed."

Former Ridgewood Resident, Susan McCorkindale,Saturday, August 6th at Bookends

Former Ridgewood Resident, Susan McCorkindale,Saturday, August 6th at Bookends 

Susan McCorkindale,Saturday, August 6th @ 2:00pm
Former Ridgewood Resident, Susan McCorkindale, will sign her new book: 500 Acres and No Place to Hide.Books available Aug. 2nd

Appearing authors will only autograph books purchased at Bookends and must have valid Bookends Receipt.
Availability & pricing for all autographed books subject to change.
Bookends cannot guarantee that the books that are Autographed will always be First Printings.
Autographed books purchased at Bookends are non-returnable.
Please call the store for details.

Bookends, 211 E. Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ   07450   201-445-0726

We The Stupid

We The Stupid 
by Ann Barnhardt

I stand here in abject stupefaction. The so-called "right" in this republic is being so thoroughly rolled and defeated that I am struggling to come up with an adequate violent submission metaphor that does not involve prison rape . . . and they honesty think that they're "winning." Really? You call this winning?

·           - Obama gets over $2 Trillion to spend before the 2012 election
·           - There are no real spending cuts
·           - There is a massive tax increase effective January 1, 2013

Obama is going to be handed something in excess of $2 Trillion -- and he has made it perfectly clear that he will spend every penny of it before the November 2012 election. That's why he kept saying, " . . . so we don't have to do this again", meaning raise the debt ceiling again. The debt ceiling would only need to be raised if all of the money had been spent. Therefore, he has stated very clearly that he will spend every penny of any debt ceiling increase. He is going to burn through $2 Trillion-plus in the next sixteen months. This was the Obama regime's plan from day one. Geithner appeared before Congress in early May and told them this in no uncertain terms. This outcome has been a known quantity all along.

There are no spending cuts in this plan. It is all accounting fraud. Saying that you are not going to spend money in Afghanistan ten years from now is not spending cuts. Even if you accept the $1 Trillion in cuts over ten years propaganda that is only $100 Billion per year, which is essentially meaningless relative to the size of the problem. Furthermore, even a miniscule uptick in interest rates, which given the massive debasement of our currency is now a mathematical certainty, will completely consume that $100 Billion per year. It's all a joke.

Read the entire article at: http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/08/we_the_stupid.html

New Jersey Places 4th in University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research State Entrepreneurship Index July 2011

New Jersey Places 4th in University of Nebraska-Lincoln Bureau of Business Research State Entrepreneurship Index July 2011

The index, developed by economists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Bureau of Business Research and Department of Economics, evaluated the following components: a state’s percentage growth and per capita growth in business establishments, its business formation rate, the number of patents per thousand residents, and gross receipts of sole proprietorships and partnerships per capita.

Each state was assigned a ranking based on the state’s performance compared to the nationwide average.New York leads the nation for a second time with a score of 2.34. South Carolina was last with a score of 0.07.The State Entrepreneurial Index combines detailed data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the IRS Statistics of Income Bulletin, the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Statistical Abstract.

See here : http://ucommxsrv1.unl.edu/downloadables/pdf/SEI_StateTable.pdf

1 New York 2.34 1 None
2 Washington 2.17 3 Up 1
3 Massachusetts 2.04 9 Up 6
4 New Jersey 1.93 12 Up 8
5 Oregon 1.93 45 Up 40
6 Louisiana 1.61 16 Up 10
7 Illinois 1.57 11 Up 4
8 Oklahoma 1.55 15 Up 7
9 Texas 1.54 34 Up 25
10 New Hampshire 1.49 14 Up 1

http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/morning_call/2011/08/texas-among-top-ranked-entrepreneur.html

Ho Ho Kus Brook : Dredging is temporary and only makes the problem worse

Ho Ho Kus Brook : Dredging is temporary and only makes the problem worse


Dredging is temporary and only makes the problem worse. It concentrates the flow of water forcing it move faster and gives it more strength causing more erosion. A shallow flat flood plain slows the water down and causes less damage.

The cure to the problem is to either limit the area a property can cover in impermeable material so there is less runoff and more percolation into the ground at the source, or condemn the houses that keep getting flooded. If you want to live next to a pretty stream or on a lovely barrier island, be prepared to lose your investment.

There are many natural disasters that happen that should be supported with tax dollars. Poor building practices and siting choices isn't one of them.


 

No-waiting-in-line driers license renewals coming

No-waiting-in-line driers license renewals coming

New Jersey drivers will be able to renew their licenses without heading to a Motor Vehicle Commission office starting next year, the agency’s top executive said at a legislative hearing Thursday.

MVC Chief Administrator Raymond Martinez acknowledged that some customers have experienced long lines in recent months, though he said the problems generally have been limited to six or seven locations.  (Symons, Gannett)

http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/20110804/NJNEWS/308040033/No-waiting-line-drivers-license-renewals-coming?odyssey=nav|head

NJ SMART to track students through high school

NJ SMART to track students through high school

The aspect of NJ SMART -- the state's school data system -- that has gotten the most attention is its promised ability to link individual teachers to student test scores. That linkage is at the center of Gov. Chris Christie's proposals to revamp how teachers are evaluated and ultimately granted or denied tenure.

But the information the system will deliver about the students themselves may well be just as compelling and revealing.

Starting next school year, NJ SMART will begin reporting detailed data on graduation rates for every high school -- including what happened to students who didn't finish, officials said.  (Mooney, NJ Spotlight)

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0805/0154/

Failing Upwards : Jon Corzine rumored as possible replacement for Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

Failing Upwards : Jon Corzine rumored as possible replacement for Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner

As speculation about how long Timothy Geithner will remain as U.S. Treasury secretary simmered today, former Gov. Jon Corzine’s name began to bubble up as a possible replacement.

Corzine, considered for the nation’s top financial office after Obama was elected, has emerged on speculative short lists as someone who could take over if Geithner exited before the president’s first term expires.

Several sources close to Corzine while he was still in public office said today the former governor has always had an interest in holding the job.  (Gibson and Rizzo, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/speculation_of_us_treasury_sec.html

Sweeney, Norcross, Amodeo lose AFL-CIO endorsement

Sweeney, Norcross, Amodeo lose AFL-CIO endorsement

Senate President Steve Sweeney along with Sen. Donald Norcross and Assemblyman John Amodeo, both of South Jersey each failed to gain the backing of the AFL-CIO at its endorsement conference today. Senate President Steve Sweeney along with Sen. Donald Norcross and Assemblyman John Amodeo, both of South Jersey each failed to gain the backing of the AFL-CIO at its endorsement conference today.  (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)

http://www.politickernj.com/50030/sweeney-norcross-lose-afl-cio-endorsement

Ridgewood’s firefighters agreed to major mid-contract concessions

Ridgewood’s firefighters agreed to major mid-contract concessions

Editorial: Kudos on concessions

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2011
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

What an unfamiliar revelation it was when the details of contract concessions between the Ridgewood Fire Department and the Village of Ridgewood were announced last week.

Ridgewood’s firefighters agreed to major mid-contract concessions, including a much-reduced starting salary that will save millions of dollars for the Village of Ridgewood over time. The starting base salary for new firefighters went from $44,800 to $32,000, which allows the village to hire more firefighters for less money.

And since 12 Ridgewood firefighters are scheduled to retire by the end of the current contract, that means big savings will kick in soon. Based on just starting salaries, if all 12 positions are filled with new firefighters, Ridgewood taxpayers will get a $153,000 tax break due to the concessions made.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/126819428_Kudos_on_concessions.html

A special offer from Joaillier Fashion Jewerly!

A special offer from Joaillier Fashion Jewerly!

Semi Annual Summer sale
just for you!

Joaillier Fashion Jewelry is offering you a 20% off of your next purchase. Present this coupon (http://tinyurl.com/3j5a664) at our Ridgewood Location and receive the discount. Discount is valid on all Regular priced merchandise. 

Come and check out our new selection of under $30 fashion Baubles and Receive discount on them as well!!!

We appreciate your business, and hope you will shop with us again!

Don't forget Side Walk Sale Days August 4th, 5th, and 6th.

Cell Towers : Its Déjà vu all over again and again

Cell Towers : Its Déjà vu all over again and again 

As James know, I attended the Village Council Special Public Meeting last night where the Cell Tower issues were raised by citizens and discussed a bit. 

It got me thinking about the Hohokus NJ Transit discussions that T-Mobile had with NJ Transit, which I obtained through an OPRA request and are attached. I have reviewed them and have two quick points:

1. Discussions began between NJ Transit and T-Mobile in the Fall of 2007. Discussions were consistent through the end of 2007. Indeed, a draft drawing of the tower was approved by NJ Transit. (See Drawings included herewith, Stampled "APPROVED"). Then T-Mobile sort of drops off the map for a couple of months, and NJ Transit wonders what is going on. (See March 5, 2008 email from Angela Battle to Tom Woods). T-Mobile then responds on March 6, 2008 stating they are "100% interested." (See March 6, 2008 email from Jim Bissell to Angela Battle and Tom Woods). T-Mobile again goes dark and there are no discussions apparently through October 29, 2008. (See October 29, 2008 email from Angela Battle to Allen Kratz). Then in December of 2008 an email from NJ Transit to Jim Bissell again confirms that T-Mobile is interested. (See December 2008 emails between Allen Kratz and Jim Bissell).  After that, there are no discussions. It is my position that T-Mobile did not sufficiently attempt to place a tower at the HHK Train Station. The public needs to know this. NJ Transit was clearly interested in moving forward and T-Mobile did not follow up. I would appreciate one or both of you posting the attached discussions on your websites so the public can know what happened. They deserve to know it.

2. See the October 18, 2007 email from Gerald Obert to Angela Thomas indicating that "I don't have any objection with respect to potential for lessee to contaminate the property based on anticipated activity". The public should know there is potential contamination to the property from these cell towers. 


Chick here to see documents : http://tinyurl.com/3rgoyom

BF's address is 335 N. Van Dien. So technically, they are in violation of Ridgewood's water restrictions

BF's address is 335 N. Van Dien. So technically, they are in violation of Ridgewood's water restrictions

I keep noticing, even on rainy days, the sprinkler system is on watering the field at BF.
After last nights drenching rain, I passed by this morning at 6:15 and they were going full blast.

Didn't they put in a rain sensor? Today is an even day, August 4th.
BF's address is 335 N. Van Dien. So technically, they are in violation of Ridgewood's water restriction of irrigating on odd and even days. Or because village property, the can do what they want? Wonder what "their" water bill is going to be?

Ridgewood residents request a consultant for cell tower proposals

Ridgewood residents request a consultant for cell tower proposals
THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2011
BY KELLY EBBELS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Residents opposed to the installation of cell towers in Ridgewood returned to the Village Council on Wednesday, where they strenuously argued for village codes to be changed to implement a more stringent policy on limiting tall towers. Residents also asked the village to obtain an independent consultant to advise officials on proposals from vendors.

The residents argued that alternative technologies exist instead of cell tower monopoles. The alternatives may be more expensive for telecommunications companies, they said, but would minimize intrusion in neighborhoods.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/126781833_Residents_request_a_consultant_for_cell_tower_proposals.html

Super Cellars : Tasting Schedule / Upcoming Events

Tasting Schedule / Upcoming Events
Visit our “Calendar” on our homepage banner
@ www.Supercellars.com
Or Click Below
http://www.supercellars.com/calendar?id=vJp5uYIr

Friday…Beer Sampling 5pm till 7pm
Saturday..Wine Sampling 11am till 6pm

John P Gray
"Son"
Patrick & Sons Super Cellars
32 South Broad St
Ridgewood,NJ 07450
(p) 201-444-0012
(f) 201-444-3070
(e) john@supercellars.com

Is the solar sector headed for a fall?

Is the solar sector headed for a fall?

New Jersey’s solar industry is thriving, so much so that it may undermine the business model designed to ensure its success.

In fact, that industry executives yesterday called on the state to take steps to deal with an oversupply of solar renewable energy certificates (SRECs), the primary means of financing projects large and small.

The glut of solar projects -- there now are more than 10,000 statewide, although not all earning credits—has led to a precipitous drop in the price of SRECs, a trend worrisome to industry lobbyists. They argue that the drop, if it continues, poses a risk of undermining New Jersey’s aggressive efforts to promote the clean energy technology.  (Johnson, NJ Spotlight)

http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/11/0803/2327/

KAYAKING INSTRUCTION

KAYAKING INSTRUCTION

Ridgewood Parks and Recreation is pleased to offer kayaking at the Graydon Pool facility. Instruction, provided by Betty Wiest, a member of the Hackensack River Canoe and Kayak Club, will include the basics of kayaking; safety, the various types of boats, equipment and use, proper entry, paddle strokes, and boat control. Participants can expect to get wet; comfortable clothing and water shoes are recommended. All equipment is provided by Eastern Mountain Sports, Paramus, NJ. Participants should meet at the Stable parking lot before each session.

The fee per session is $50.00

Instructional Sessions/ Rain or Shine

Saturday, July 9th, 8:30-10:30 a.m.
Saturday, August 13th, 8:30- 10:30 a.m.
Saturday, September 10th, trip to Monksvilee Reservoir (details to follow)
Class space is very limited and early registration is encouraged. Register online at Community Pass (under Village Parks and Recreation) or in person or by mail to The Stable, 259 North Maple Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450. Kayaking Registration : http://mods.ridgewoodnj.net/pdf/recreation/Kayaking2011.pdf

Registration Starts August 15 for YWCA Fall Classes!

Registration Starts August 15 for YWCA Fall Classes!

Registration for the next session of YWCA Bergen County programs starts Monday, August 15 at 8:30 a.m. Classes run from September 6 through November 5, 2011, and members can register at www.ywcabergencounty.org, by phone, or in person. 

New for Adults: Sleek Physiques, a cardio program based on the popular Lotte Berk Method® and barre fitness classes, combines isometric exercises and orthopedic stretches to strengthen and tone. Or go for an intense, calorie-burning workout with Boxing or Kickboxing lessons in a group or 1-on-1 setting with a certified instructor.

New for Kids & Teens: Beauty Bootcamp (girls age 6-11) is packed with fun fitness and beauty-focused activities designed to help girls gain self-confidence and good health. Be F.A.S.T. (grades 6-8) offers speed and agility training for middle-schoolers who enjoy running for fun or want to get in shape for team sports. Science and World Cultures classes for children ages 3-5 have been added to a class schedule that also includes soccer, Spanish, cooking, Tea Party and Lil’ Dragons Judo.

Enrichment for Afternoon Kindergarteners: Helps develop pre-reading, pre-math and socialization skills for 5 and 6-year-olds in a fun-filled environment.

The YWCA offers dozens of other fitness, wellness, and enrichment programs for kids, teens, adults, and seniors, as well as American Red Cross certified swim classes for swimmers at every age and level. Drop-in child care is also available at the 112 Oak Street , Ridgewood facility. Visit www.ywcabergencounty.org for details or call 201-444-5600 for a free brochure


.

Readers Voice Concern over Cyclists

Readers Voice Concern over Cyclists 

Great tips! I think other tips would be to ride single file not in a massive group and to obey all of the rules of the road as required by law! How many times have we been in a car at a red light and watched a biker merely slow and then blow through the light!! The rules of the road apply to all!!! Obey them!!!

Why is there no enforcement of people riding 3 and 4 across in the roads - especially the busy ones? I'm all for biking, but not like that - it's a hazard to everyone involved, bikers and drivers. And you see it all too often on many streets. Yet, you never see it enforced.. like way too many other things.

Ridgewood Schools: UPDATE on NJ ASK Student Reports

Ridgewood Schools: UPDATE on NJ ASK  Student Reports

The district has been advised by the New Jersey Department of Education that individual student reports from the Spring 2011 administration of NJASK for grades 3 through 8 are scheduled to be received by the district in early September. It is expected that these reports will be distributed to parents before the end of September.

Solutions sought for Ho-Ho-Kus Brook bank erosion

Solutions sought for Ho-Ho-Kus Brook bank erosion

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2011  
BY JODI WEINBERGER
OF SUBURBAN NEWS
WALDWICK SUBURBAN NEWS

Waldwick – A borough resident who lives virtually on the Ho-Ho-Kus Brook is again asking for help shoring up its embankment, which was compromised by spring storms.

The brook, which flows between Dow and South Dow avenues, Brearly Crescent, Salrit Avenue in the borough and Andover Terrace in Ridgewood, is considered a selling point for homes in the area when it babbles peacefully, but Michael Hansen has seen another side of it: He remembers when the water reached the mailbox of his home on Dow Avenue during Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and fears what would happen in similar conditions if the brook’s bank is not reinforced.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/126749273_Banks_go_with_flow_.html

Criminal background checks for BOE members

Criminal background checks for BOE members


I detest any state intrusion into privacy. Including that of our feel good BOE when it comes to their knee jerk nanny state proclivities.

BOE members may be in our schools but are never alone with any children other than their own. Three of which don't have kids in the school system at all.

This is just another attempt by dopey politicians to prevent something that doesn't exist. More political posturing by Trenton et el.

They should be more concerned with the educational abuse perpetrated upon youngsters by lousy curriculum and dead beat teachers and the unions that protect their incompetence.

Technology leaving many New Jersey schools behind

Technology leaving many New Jersey schools behind

Consumers may gobble up the latest iPad or smart phone, but financially strapped schools are having a harder time keeping up with technology.

Lisa Thumann, a senior specialist in Technology Education at Rutgers University, told teachers Wednesday at a Technology Conference at Richard Stockton College that there's a misconception about how much technology exists in schools - a lot of it is old and does not work well anymore.

"There are still teachers with just one or two computers in their classroom," Thumann said.

She said what students view online also deserves more scrutiny, as schools try to balance filtering out offensive and noneducational material with giving teachers and students broad access to information.  (D’Amico, Press of Atlantic City)

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/technology-leaving-many-new-jersey-schools-behind/article_7a68ff10-be21-11e0-b2ce-001cc4c03286.html

Cellphone data sought by ACLU

Cellphone data sought by ACLU

Information on how and when New Jersey police departments use cellphone data to track citizens is being sought by the American Civil Liberties Union, with the group saying it wants to learn if the government provides appropriate protection when the data is accessed.

Open records requests were sent Wednesday to police departments and municipal clerks in the state's 50 largest towns, part of 379 requests made nationwide seeking policies, procedures and practices for cell phone tracking.  (Jordan, Gannett)

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110804/NEWS01/108040347/Cellphone-data-sought-by-ACLU

Senate committee to hold hearing on N.J. Motor Vehicle Commission customer service problems

Senate committee to hold hearing on N.J. Motor Vehicle Commission customer service problems

New Jerseyans who want to complain about the state Motor Vehicle Commission can vent before the state Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee which will hold a public hearing on the operation of the agency on Thursday morning in Lodi.

The hearing is set for 10 a.m. in the Lodi Municipal Complex, 1 Memorial Dr.

The panel wants to hear about what Democratic legislators describe as MVC service reductions, and intends to raise questions about the causes of several system-wide computer failures that left motorists waiting.  (Hester, New Jersey Newsroom)

http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/senate-committee-to-hold-hearing-on-nj-motor-vehicle-commission-customer-service-problems

Christie wants to revamp state computer systems

Christie wants to revamp state computer systems

Governor Christie said Wednesday that he would take the opportunity caused by the resignation of New Jersey’s technology chief to reshape the department that oversees the outdated and often-crashing state computer systems.

Christie also expressed “concern” — while not yet assigning “blame” — to IBM, which under an $840,000 state contract provided the faulty device that locked up the state’s computer mainframe, causing problems at the Motor Vehicle Commission, Department of Labor, state police and elsewhere last month.  (Fletcher, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/state/Christie_wants_to_revamp_state_computer_systems.html

Ridgewood train station renovations to be finished this fall

Ridgewood train station renovations to be finished this fall

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011
BY JOSEPH CRAMER
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

New Jersey Transit (NJT) is wrapping up the last of its major renovations at the Ridgewood train station and putting the finishing touches on the project in anticipation of its expected fall completion date.

The extensive $41 million construction project, which began in early 2009, was undertaken with the intent of making the station accessible to disabled passengers and more convenient for all commuters. Since then, the station has seen a raised platform replace the previously existing one on the station's west side, the installation of 350-foot canopies over the tracks, new stairs, parking improvements and renovations to the station's restrooms and ticket booth.

http://www.northjersey.com/news/126703548_Ridgewood_train_station_renovations_to_be_finished_this_fall.html

Motor Vehicle Accident With Injuries Involving Ridgewood Fire Department Pumper Truck

Photo credit:  Courtesy of Boyd A. Loving
Motor Vehicle Accident With Injuries Involving Ridgewood Fire Department Pumper Truck
by Boyd Loving 

Photo credit:  Courtesy of Boyd A. Loving
At approximately 12:40 PM on Wednesday, August 3rd, a motor vehicle accident involving a Ridgewood Fire Department pumper truck occurred at the intersection of Paramus Road and Linwood Avenue in Ridgewood.  The occupant of one vehicle sustained non-life threatening injuries and was transported to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood by Ridgewood EMS.

Photo credit:  Courtesy of Boyd A. Loving
Unofficial accounts of the accident indicate that the driver who sustained injuries failed to yield to the fire truck, which was responding to an emergency medical service call at the Ridgewood Wild Duck Pond Area.  Ridgewood Police Chief John Ward and Ridgewood Fire Chief James Van Goor were both at the scene supervising their respective personnel.

Photo credit:  Courtesy of Boyd A. Loving

Democratic Committee of Bergen County ordered to pay down debt

Democratic Committee of Bergen County ordered to pay down debt

A state Superior Court judge has ordered the Democratic Committee of Bergen County to pay more than $36,000 to an Illinois-based distressed-debt investor, according to court records and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office.

Paul Kaufman, a lawyer for the county Democratic Committee, said the debt, which is for unpaid copy machine bills, was run up under the party’s former chairman, Michael Kasparian.

Kaufman said Tuesday that the first time he and current Chairman Louis Stellato learned about it was when the court ordered a levy on a party’s bank account.  (Gartland, The Record)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/politics/126649908_Democrats_ordered_to_pay_down_debt.html

Children to Have a Ball with Little Ivy Learning Center at Ridgewood Sidewalk Sale Days

Children to Have a Ball with Little Ivy Learning Center at Ridgewood Sidewalk Sale Days

Children will have a ball when they come to Little Ivy Learning Center’s table at Ridgewood Sidewalk Sale Days this Thursday, Friday and Saturday (Aug. 4, 5 & 6).

We will be on hand from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday (noon-2 p.m. on Saturday) with free beach balls for children up to age 5. . . and to provide each child and their family an opportunity to learn more about Little Ivy’s thoughtfully crafted pre-school, kindergarten and child-care programs. You’ll find us just next to the “Ice Cream Boy” statue in front of Van Neste Park on East Ridgewood Avenue.

“Our students having been having such a ball at Little Ivy this summer that we thought beach balls would be a fun way to introduce young families to our hometown and to Little Ivy,” said Little Ivy Director Stephanie Bassler. “We look forward to meeting you and your child during Ridgewood Sidewalk Sale Days.”

When they’re not having a ball at Sidewalk Sale Days, Little Ivy’s experienced teachers provide thoughtfully crafted child-care, pre-school and kindergarten programs for children ages 12-months through 6 with an emphasis on personalized learning and small classes in bright, cozy classrooms. Little Ivy provides its students and their parents with a range of flexible, full-day, AM or PM programs, including PreschoolPlus and KindergartenPlus (12-month childcare, plus academic preschool, kindergarten and summer camp); Preschool (toddler/junior/senior nursery school and academic pre-K); AM & PM Kindergarten Enrichment (with transportation from select local public schools); Transitional Kindergarten; Kindergarten and Summer Camp.

Little Ivy Learning Center, a private preschool, kindergarten and child-care center, is located in the Education Building on the historic campus of the Old Paramus Reformed Church, 660 East Glen Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. For more information, visit our table during Sidewalk Sale Days, contact us at info@mylittleivy.com, or visit us at www.mylittleivy.com.

In the event of rain, beach balls will be available during scheduled tours of Little Ivy during the month of August, while supplies last.

Ridgewood's Sidewalk Sale Days are coming up soon!

Ridgewood's Sidewalk Sale Days are coming up soon!

Sidewalk Sale Days are August 4, 5, and 6, or next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Come enjoy huge deals from expansive selections of merchandise, including clothing, shoes and more! Participants include:

Allergy Free and More, Anais, Antik Butik, Art of Motion, Arthur Groom, Biltmore Tuxedo, B. Witching Bath & Company, Bookends, Children's Aid and Family Services, CupCakes by Carousel, DoubleTake Consignment Boutique, Duxiana, Eat Your Spinach, Family Chiropractor, Fox's, Framed, From The Top Music Studio, Gardner & Co., Hot Jewelry Box, Huntington School of Learning, Interior Design, Jekyll & Hide, Joaillier Inc., Just Our Shoes/Mephisto, Leapin' Lizards, Learning Express, Little Ivy Learning Center, Namaste Organic Spa, New York Sports Club, Northeast Laser Vein Institute, Panico Salon, Pink Bungalow, Pizza Fusion, Pompanoosuc Mills, Precision Orthodontics, Red Velvet Luxe, Ridgewood Bootery, Ridgewood Coffee Co., Savvy Chic Consignment Boutique, Sherwin Williams, Shoe Inn, Secret Studio, Suburban Momma, Town & Country, Upper Ridgewood Tennis Club, Village Eyewear, Village Tannery, Venture Photography, Virgo, Warehouse Cheap & Chic, Wostbrock Floor/Furniture/Rug Co., Yansi Fugel, and YWCA of Bergen County

*Art of Motion will not have a table displayed, but they are offering the following discounts: a free class with the purchase of a ten class card (a 10% discount), two free classes with the purchase of a frequent class card, as well as 20% discounts on AOM t-shirts, children's leotards, jazz pants, and dance bags. The studio will also waive the $25.00 registration fee for all new students registering for the Fall Semester.

This is some shopping that you won't want to miss!

P.S. Be sure to bring your rewards card. If you don't have one come scoop one up at the Chamber!

New system helps doctors detect lung cancer at early stage

New system helps doctors detect lung cancer at early stage

Physicians in two New Jersey hospitals are using a new tool that helps detect the deadliest form of cancer in its early stages without having to perform invasive procedures. Doctors at The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood and at Hackensack University Medical Center are using the superDimension lung navigation system, which allows them to reach and biopsy lesions buried deep in the lungs.

http://www.healthleadersmedia.com/content/TEC-269280/New-system-helps-doctors-detect-lung-cancer-at-early-stage

Village Council Meetings

Village Council Meetings 

08/03/11 7:30PM Village Council Work Session
08/03/11 7:30PM Village Council Special Public Meeting
08/09/11 7:30PM Board of Adjustment Public Meeting
08/10/11 8:00PM Village Council Public Meeting
08/16/11 7:30PM Planning Board Public Meeting
09/06/11 7:30PM Planning Board Public Meeting
09/07/11 7:30PM Village Council Work Session

 

Linker Responds to Menendez’s Assault on the TEA Party

Linker Responds to Menendez’s Assault on the TEA Party

(Ridgewood, NJ): "It is ironic that Bob Menendez called Tea Party patriots "pirates" and the debt crisis "manufactured" when it's the profligate spenders in Washington, such as Menendez himself, who are responsible for hijacking the American people and our future by running up the debt to an unsustainable $14.3 trillion, which is an increase of almost 50% since Obama took office."

"Menendez pointed to past increases of the debt limit as precedent for why this Congress should have summarily raised the limit again without any spending cuts attached. Menendez's statements are irresponsible and demonstrate that he does not understand America's fiscal crisis, or doesn't want to understand it, and is out of touch with New Jerseyans. Perhaps one reason Menendez's approval ratings are mired in the 30s is because the people of New Jersey realize that Bob Menendez has no interest in solving our nation's fiscal problems. As usual, Bob's answer involves name calling, fear mongering, demagoguery, and class warfare. The American people and the people of New Jersey deserve better."

"If the 2010 midterms showed us anything, it's that the American people are fed up with past practice and they want the government to end its reckless spending, balance the budget, and pay down its dangerously high mountain of debt. The Tea Party deserves a token of gratitude from the American people for so passionately emphasizing the need for Washington to end its spending binge once and for all."

"It's so obvious why politicians like Bob Menendez are reduced to finger pointing and calling Tea Party patriots names. These unprincipled bullies cling to power as long as they can keep government growing. If the debate focuses on the dangers inherent in unlimited government, as the Tea Party has done, these career politicians could lose their power unless they productively join the debate and offer ideas of their own to solve America's problems - something they cannot do. Nothing could be scarier to Bob Menendez than losing his power, so one would think he would join the discussion and offer ideas. Instead, he calls patriots names and plays the blame game in classic Menendez style. In the meantime we have a country to save - and save it we will."

Because he didn't screw thing up enough in NJ : Corzine the next Treasury Secretary?

Because he didn't screw thing up enough in NJ : Corzine the next Treasury Secretary?

The New York Times reported today on an interesting clause tucked into a prospectus for a recent MF Global bond offering that could signal a new role for former Democratic Governor Jon Corzine.  (Isherwood, PolitickerNJ)

http://www.politickernj.com/back_room/corzine-next-treasury-secretary

N.J. must create new sergeant selection process in U.S. Department of Justice settlement

N.J. must create new sergeant selection process in U.S. Department of Justice settlement

New Jersey must create a new process for selecting sergeants in municipal and county police departments after reaching a settlement to revise a system the U.S. Department of Justice said discriminates against black and Hispanic applicants, federal officials announced Monday.

If the settlement is approved by a federal judge, the state will also be required to pay $1 million in back pay to black and Hispanic officers the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division says were harmed by the promotion process. Those officers may also be given priority for the next openings for sergeants.  (Megerian, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/nj_must_create_new_sergeant_se.html

N.J. auto insurance rates on the rise again

N.J. auto insurance rates on the rise again

After years of steady declines, New Jersey’s notoriously high auto insurance rates are on the rise again.

And, to stem the tide, the Christie administration is proposing new rules that would limit the kinds of medical care injured drivers can receive under their auto policies.

The proposed rules could rekindle debate over auto insurance, an issue that dominated New Jersey for decades, when angry motorists regularly revolted against paying rates that were nearly always the most expensive in the nation.  (Rizzo, The Star-Ledger)

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/08/nj_auto_insurance_rates_on_the.html