The Ridgewood Maroon Vol. 4… No. 25
Thursday, March 21, 2024
“Bringing us all to a place we don't want to lose."
Observer: RPS Preliminary Budget 2024-2025
Macky’s New York: Double Take And The Empire State
William Peay: Tales From The Wood…
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame: Made For & Inspired By RHS Alumni
RHS Alumni Association: Homecoming Weekend 2024
Mark Porro: A Cup Of Tea On The Commode
M + A NYC: Mighty Are We As One
In Memory Of Our Classmates: The Archive
Jim Schoneman: Rock Hound
Siobhan Crann Winograd: Around The Village
Ridgewood Board Of Education: 2024-2025 Prelimnary Budget & Enrollment
Kathy & Ross Petras: You’re Saying It Wrong
Ridgewood Library Bolger Heritage Center: Ridgewood “Paid” Fire Company
Observer
RPS Preliminary Budget 2024-2025
Bravo to Ridgewood Public Schools (RPS) Board Of Education & Superintendent Mark Schwarz! This week they charted a course which RPS students will benefit from for decades to come.
The new programs proposed include, for the high school: Cybersecurity, AP African American Studies, Real Estate Economics and Politics, American Sign Language (ASL), and Fashion Design. They offer students concrete career paths that don’t necessitate going immediately into Student Loan purgatory. For example:
Teaching American Sign Language: Studies show that ASL improves visual-spatial skills, memory, and multitasking. ASL offers students a unique opportunity to expand their communication skills which foster friendships and understanding.
Teaching Real Estate Economics & Politics : What better village than Ridgewood to study Real Estate first hand? There will be no shortage of guest speakers for this class among the parents.
Studying Fashion: This is a derivative of the old Sewing Classes. It speaks to students who want to fuel their creativity. At the same time a Fashion education hones their communication, marketing, and business acumen, applicable in a great many fields.
Teaching Cybersecurity: This will generate tremendous interest among students, parents & alumni, near & far. There are many Cybersecurity professionals among RHS Alumni. The class could have a Zoom speaker a week and not put a dent in the available number or diversity of speakers.
Scroll down for the 2024-2025 RPS Prelimnary Budget and enrollment numbers.
Macky’s New York
Matthew Cortellesi Photography
March 20, 2024 - Murray Hill
Double Take And The Empire State
I woke up early this morning and just started walking - yes I have been called the Gotham Gump - anyway...I ended up here and as the sun rose and the clouds blew fast over head...I took this - it's a good thing I got up early cause by the time I walked to 6th avenue...the sky was covered in clouds - mama always said...early to bed early to rise makes a man...makes a man...now what was it that mama always said...?
Shot against the glass of a building on 34th street just east of 3rd Avenue looking west with Empire State Building.
Time 745am
William Peay
Tales From The Wood…
Saw this a few weeks ago and I had to stop and laugh. I hate to sound like an "old fogey" as if using that term isn't suspect enough. But there is no way you'd see COCAINE BEAR on Ridgewood Avenue when I was kid. lol
RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame
2024 RHS Athletic Hall Of Fame Inductees Banquet
October 26, 2024
The Class of 2024 are:
Lynne Collazo Class of 1989 CC & Track
Tyler Rhoten Class of 2002 Basketball
Kelci Smesko Class of 2012. Lacrosse
Brett Sowers Class of 1994 Lacrosse
Patricia (Putnoky) Piotrowski Class of 1996
Gymnastics as Athlete and Head Coach.
Chuck Johnson Class of 1970. Head Football Coach.
Visit the RHS Athletic Hall of Fame
Digital Printing for the RHS Hall of Fame provided by Tim Boucher, RHS 1988
RHS Alumni Association
Homecoming Weekend 2024
Mark Porro
A Cup Of Tea On The Commode
An intimate, funny and heartwarming memoir of how eldercare can be done"
At 55, I gave up my carefree bachelor life to become a first-time parent to a ninety-year-old, sharp-tongued, guilt-tripping, stubborn as all get out, and yet funny lady who could barely remember my name. My mother. It’s rare for a son to take on 24/7 caregiving, but I jumped in with gusto to fill Mom’s last years with love, laughter, and joy. Not always successful, but I came pretty damn close. “A Cup of Tea on the Commode” chronicles my multi-tasking adventures. My hope is to not only entertain as there are a lot of fun stories in it, but to inspire others, especially men, to find the joy in caregiving. I did, and I’m a better man for it. For more information, visit
https://acupofteaonthecommode.org
M + A NYC
Mighty Are We As One
M + A is a Lifestyle brand known for handcrafted, ethically made, modern home decor and wearable accessories. Artisanal | Small Batch | Designed in NY
Shop home décor and wearable accessories at www.mplusanyc.com
In Memory Of Our Classmates
The Archive
Jim Schoneman
Rock Hound
Extremely low water levels below the Alexander Hydro at Council Grounds State Park right now. I was able to get some practice fly casting in while wading around, but even with felt soled wading boots, the rocks were tricky to walk on; and the water was colder than it looked, so the wading didn't last long.
We need the Rainmaker to come through town.
Siobhan Crann Winograd
Around The Village
Happy Spring Ridgewood!!! So happy to see our late fall daffodil planting (aided by our RHS & Lafayette College student interns as well as some of our park lovers) come into bloom on the East Side of our historical train station. Beautification2024.
Ridgewood Board Of Education
2024-2025 Prelimnary Budget
This week the (RPS) preliminary budget for 2024-25 was up for discussion. Enrollment was 5,781 back in 2018-2019, the district said. it's fallen slightly since then, to 5,532, although enrollment has remained relatively steady in the youngest grades. The $138.5 million budget, as proposed, will increase taxes on the average Ridgewood home, valued at $710,000, by $215.96 per year, officials said.
Kathy & Ross Petras
You’re Saying It Wrong
Ross & Kathy’s podcast: You're Saying It Wrong is a podcast that looks at what we get wrong—and what we sometimes get right—when it comes to this English language.
Hot off the presses ... or, rather, radio waves! This week's newest espisode -- words that SOUND like they're related to other words, but might not be. We're talking words like shamefaced, checkmate and, everyone's fave vomitorium! Where'd they come from anyway, huh?!? (AND ... if you've got the time and/or wherewithal, ask your local public radio station to add You're Saying It Wrong to their lineup! The more stations, the merrier!)
Ridgewood Library Bolger Heritage Center
Ridgewood “Paid” Fire Company
Thank you, Lodi Library, which found this 1937 photo of the Ridgewood "Paid" Fire Department among its belongings and gave it to us! Sure appreciate your sending this to an appropriate home.
Of course, we were curious about these fine-looking fire fellows and what they were doing in 1937. Did some searching on the digitized Ridgewood papers on Newspapers.com -- That year there were reports of a lot of brush fires and not-so-awful house fires. The department marched in a July 5th parade in Ramsey and an October parade in town for Fire Prevention Week. And fireman Ernest Ferrari, standing second from the right, rescued a little fox terrier named Mickey from an island in Graydon Pool where he had gotten himself stranded one cold December day. Fireman Ferrari got to the dog, tucked him under his arm and began to swim back to the bank of the pool. But it was December, the waters were icy, and the dog slipped through his arms. But, happy ending! Both Mickey and Fireman Ferrari were able to swim to safety -- and to the 250 people who had gathered to watch the drama play out.