Wednesday, June 5, 2013
The members of Modernize Bergen County need 2,500 signatures by the end of September in order to get their initiative in front of voters.
A group seeking to repeal Bergen County's Blue Laws has collected about 1,200 signatures of the needed 2,500 to get a referendum on the ballot in November. Westwood resident Rosemary Shashoua, who founded the group, said their petition was aided by a particularly strong response at Teaneck's Memorial Day festival, where they collected about 400 signatures. "It was fishing in a stocked pond," Shashoua said. The group, called Modernize Bergen County, is setting their sights next on Fair Lawn's upcoming street fair and craft show. The event takes place on Fair Lawn Avenue and Plaza Road from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. "I'm hoping we'll do as well as we did in Teaneck," Shashoua said. The group's efforts have sparked debate around the county. …
Monday, May 20, 2013
Group founded by Westwood woman to collect signatures at Teaneck festival.
A group working to have Bergen County's Blue Laws eliminated through a voter referendum will collect signatures at Teaneck's Memorial Day festival on Cedar Lane. Westwood resident Rosemary Shashoua, the group's founder, said they have collected 575 signatures as of Sunday, NJ.com reported. It will take 2,500 signatures from registered Bergen County voters to get on the November ballot. According to the group's Facebook page, they hope to collect as many as 500 signatures at the Teaneck event. Group volunteers plan to setup outside 446 Cedar Lane. The petition can be downloaded here. The push to repeal Bergen's Sunday shopping restrictions picked up after Gov. Chris Christie temporarily suspended the regulations in the wake of Hurricane …
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Take the poll or sound-off in the comment section below.
The anti-Blue Law group "Modernize Bergen County" is getting its petition ready to seek out 2,500 signatures to try to get their initiative presented to voters by referendum in November. See full story here. Since this group first began publicizing its argument there has been a lot of back and forth discussion on this hot button issue as many support the Blue Laws in favor of some peace one day a week. This argument has been especially strong in Paramus. If you were approached with a petition against the Blue Laws would you sign? Take the poll or sound off in the comments.
Friday, January 25, 2013
A Westwood woman's movement to have the Bergen Blue Laws repealed has sparked a hefty debate across the county especially in Paramus. How does Hasbrouck Heights weigh-in on the issue of proposed Blue Law repeal for Bergen County? Take our poll.
Paramus Mayor Richard LaBarbiera is calling Westwood resident Rosemary Shashoua's argument to repeal county Blue Laws "ridiculous." During Tuesday's council meeting, the mayor defended the Blue Laws and the Paramus residents who have been criticized for wanting to keep peace and quiet in this town on Sundays. "Don't worry about Paramus and we won't worry about what you do in your town," said LaBarbiera. "I won't stop whining as some outsiders have challenged us," said the mayor referring to the hefty debates that have been going on in the comment sections of recent articles and on Facebook pages Shashoua's group "Modernize Bergen County" has the goal of repealing Bergen County's blue laws via a voter referendum on the premise that allowing…
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Rosemary Shashoua of Westwood has started the group "Modernize Bergen County" to allow stores to open on Sundays.
One Westwood resident is fed up with Bergen County's "blue laws" and is working to have the "old fashioned" rules appealed. "All I want is more revenue for the state and more jobs," Rosemary Shashoua said. Shashoua has found some like-minded county residents and started a new group called "Modernize Bergen County" with the goal of repealing the blue laws, the rules which prohibit the sale of items like clothing, furniture and appliances on Sundays. Shashoua said she was inspired to start the group after Hurricane Sandy, when Gov. Chris Christie temporarily suspended county blue laws to aid recovery from the storm. "Nobody had any clothing and nobody had anything to fix up their houses," Shashoua said, referring to residents displaced by …
Friday, November 9, 2012
Paramus Mayor Richard LaBarbiera states that although he and borough residents disagree with the ruling the borough will abide it and hopes this will be the final weekend for Blue Law suspension.
A Bergen County Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of suspending Blue Laws —meaning Paramus stores will be open Sunday —despite the mayor's efforts to protect the law, claiming it favors the quality of life of borough residents. Mayor Richard LaBarbiera stated Friday that "although the residents of Paramus and I strongly disagree with this ruling we will of course abide it." "The County Executive says that this will be the last Sunday without the Blue Laws and I intend to hold her to that," said LaBarbiera in a statement. "The Blue Laws are absolutely essential to keeping Paramus livable and I will never stop fighting to make sure they are always here to protect our quality of life. I thank the many Paramus residents who expressed their …
Debbie
11:00 am on Monday, June 17, 2013
Touche!!!! more ›