House fire on Lake Shore Drive

PARSIPPANY — At approximately 3:00 a.m. Saturday morning, October 14, Parsippany-Troy Hills Volunteer Fire District 6, Lake Parsippany Volunteer Fire District 3 and Mt. Tabor Volunteer Fire District 1 Rapid Intervention Team responded to a fire at the corner of Lake Shore Drive and Califon Road, Lake Parsippany.

The fire was contained to the bedroom, because the resident shut the door and the rapid response from the fire department, damage was minimal.

Parsippany Rescue and Recovery was called to the scene to board up the home. In addition to the fire, the home sustained moderate smoke damage.

Morris County Office of Emergency Management air truck was requested to the scene, as well as Morris County Sheriff Crime Scene.

According to witnesses at the scene, no one was hurt and everyone in the home got out safely.

fire lake shore drive
Rescue and Recovery boarded up the home on Lake Shore Drive
fire lake parsippany
Flames from the windows at a residence on Lake Shore Drive
Heavy smoke

Editors correction: We mistakenly identified District 1 as Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire District 1 Rapid Intervention Team. Sorry for the inconvenience. 

T-mobile store robbed in broad daylight

PARSIPPANY — At 2:20 p.m. on Monday, October 2 Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Officers responded to the T-Mobile Store, 376 Route 46 West, for a reported Robbery. The store is located near the ramp for Route 80 west.

Upon arrival of responding officers, they were advised that four black males entered the store wearing hooded sweatshirts and began to steal phones from various displays.

One male suspect advised the employee not to follow them as the exited because a person with a firearm is outside the store.

The suspects fled the area in a motor vehicle.

Parsippany Detective Jeramine Pledger, along with the Morris County Sheriff’s Department CIS responded to the scene to assist in the investigation.

It was determined that approximately $3500.00 worth of cellphones were stolen.

This incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact the Parsippany Police Department’s Investigative Division at (973) 263-4311.

Driver arrested for CDS and DWI at Wawa

PARSIPPANY — On Sunday, October 8 at 10:52 p.m. Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Patrol Officers Andy Van Orden and Jeffrey Williams stopped at Wawa, 350 New Road, to purchase a drink, when they observed a male exit a 2003 Saturn, stumble as he walked to the trash can and then return back to the running vehicle.

After a brief time observing the male in the vehicle, the officers made contact with Jader Ferris, 28, from Reading, PA.

After a brief investigation, the officers located five glassine folds of suspected heroin, drug paraphernalia, and a stun gun inside the vehicle he was operating. Mr. Ferris was placed under arrest and transported to police headquarters for processing.

While at Police Headquarters he was charged with one count of Third Degree; Possession of CDS (Heroin) one count of Fourth Degree; Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (Stun Gun);
Failure to Turn CDS over to Law Enforcement, a Disorderly Person Offense;
Possession of a Hypodermic Needle, a Disorderly Person Offense;  Under the Influence of CDS without a Prescription, a Disorderly Person Offense; Driving While Intoxicated; Possession of CDS in a Motor Vehicle; and Reckless Driving.

He was transported to the Morris County Correctional Facility pending his initial court date.

Help support the PHHS Competition Cheerleading

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Hills High School Competition Cheerleading team is working hard to achieve the ultimate goal of being the first team in PHHS history to compete at the UCA National High School Cheerleading Championships in Orlando Florida. The competition is held from February 11 to February 18.

The team will first compete to qualify is the UCA Northeast Regionals in Toms River in November 11. Then if the team qualifies they continue to the National Championship.

Your support will help each girl obtain this goal and achieve this once in a lifetime cheer experience. Any amount is greatly appreciated and you will receive a receipt for your generous gift. They are hoping to raise over $15,000 to cover registration costs, qualifier costs, airfare, transportation, lodging, and meals for the team.

The National High School Cheerleading Championship (NHSCC) is the most prestigious cheerleading championship in the country. The NHSCC is held at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, Florida, and nationally televised on ESPN and ESPN2 to over 100 million homes and 32 countries nationwide each year. The Championship is also streamed live on Varsity TV on Varsity.com.

Please support the Parsippany Hills High School Competition Cheerleading team.

Click here to donate.

 

YMCA renews membership in Parsippany Chamber

PARSIPPANY — The Lakeland Hills YMCA recently renewed their membership with the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce. Presenting their plaque was Dr. Patrick Selimo to YMCA’s Chief Executive Officer, Viktor J. Joganow.

The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA is a non-profit community service organization serving eleven municipalities throughout Morris County. It has been in continuous operation at 100 Fanny Road since 1972 catering to more than 10,000 families in the communities of Boonton, Boonton Township, Butler, Denville, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Montville, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany, Pequannock, and Riverdale.

The Y is a complete health, fitness and recreational facility that includes: a six-lane heated Pool, Regulation-size Gymnasium, Health & Fitness Training Center, Fitness Studio, Kids Zone, Locker Rooms (also Long-term Locker Rooms for ‘adults only’ that include Saunas and Steam Room), Marion Mann Roberts Early Childhood Learning Center, Summer Day Camp, Outdoor Pavilion and Picnic Area with restrooms, and a colorful children’s playground. Off site, the Y operates five “Kids Club” After School Programs throughout the service area.

The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA is a community charity with a mission based on Christian principles encouraging members, individuals, and families to grow in spirit, mind and body through programs and services that promote Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility for all. It is also the desire of this association to meet the necessities of the community by providing services to those in need regardless of their ability to pay the full cost of membership and/or programs. A large part of providing those services comes from the Annual Giving Campaign, Give a Kid the Y. This yearly event helps those (particularly children) who are less fortunate and without the financial means, a chance to participate in life enriching programs and skill development, both physical and social. Last year the Y helped more than 500 individuals and families with more than $300,000 in contributions, including Give a Kid the Y.

The Y exists to fulfill community needs and to create greater access to opportunities that promote health and wellness for everyone – a purpose that will continue for many more years to come.

For more information on Lakeland Hills YMCA, click here.

PACC is a service organization for businesses, merchants, residents, and volunteers that provides education, information, and networking opportunities to the Parsippany Area. We work with our local and county governments and stand ready to pursue any matter that can make our community a better place in which to live, conduct business, and make a living. We promote a healthy and more prosperous economic climate.

For information on Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce, call (973) 402-6400.

 

Letter to the Editor: Reader objects to Mayor’s newsletter

parsippany focusDear Editor:

I agree that the mayor’s sending Parsippany’s last newsletter was timed to coincide with Mr. Soriano’s first mailing.

I object to using an semi-official document for political gain.

Patricia Scott

Upgraded Littleton Medical and Professional Center

PARSIPPANY — On Monday, September 25, Punia Company, announced the opening of the new patient, family-friendly, and employee Grab ‘N’ Go café and employee cardio studio located at Littleton Medical and Executive Center, 300 Littleton Road. The Grab ‘N’ Go is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and features salads, sandwiches, beverages, and snacks stocked regularly by Canteen.

Situated on the third floor directly opposite the building elevator core, the Grab ‘N’ Go was one of several improvements management completed in the building. Approximately $500,000 went into constructing a cardio studio, including two treadmills, and universal weight machine. In addition, they renovated the two-story lobby and upgraded common area bathrooms and hallways. All common areas now have LED lighting. They added a tenant pylon sign at the corner of Littleton and Parsippany Roads for instant property recognition. The project was spearheaded by Punia Company’s Leasing Manager Ryan Tiger.

“We were eager to create a medical environment at 300 Littleton Road where our tenants and staff are excited to go to work each day,” Tiger said. “Moreover, we understand one of the challenges facing hospitals today is the difficulty in attracting new, young medical staff to a suburban office market. We are confident the completed renovations, especially the cardio room and Grab N’ Go, will enhance employers’ ability to attract talent.”

Littleton Medical and Executive Center is located on the corner of Littleton Road and Parsippany Road. The building is 50,000 square feet with 25,000 square feet currently available for lease, divisible to 1,000 square feeet.

The managing agent, Punia Company, is a family of private real estate investment, development, property management, construction, and design companies with offices in Livingston, New Jersey and New York City. It specializes in redeveloping medical buildings of interest and delivering unique and architecturally creative medical facilities to meet the needs of today’s professionals. While embracing the past, it puts value in the environment with the implementation of the highest quality green materials and systems.

Punia Company, LLC continues its 75+ year family legacy of excellence, as it crafts elegant spaces that exist in complete harmony with contemporary lifestyles. To learn more, click here or call (973) 699-7714

 

 

Letter to the editor: Who Can honestly Believe Barberio’s Need for Publication?

Dear Editor:

Having received the publication Pride in Parsippany Fall 2017, and after examining its contents I see no actual need to rehash what is already being printed or distributed in the mayor’s private source, “Plug into Parsippany” or the other local news sources Parsippany Focus, Patch or what is available on the official Parsippany Website. The concoction statement of “approached by residents who continued to request that the written newsletter be reinstated”, is bunk. 

Certain statements of contention are simply stated as fact when they are opinions and promotions; for example our community has changed and all the services continue to remain excellent; or I am proud to report that there is NO increases in this year in your municipal taxes!

The community has changed. Waterview marketplace for example after a council No rezone Vote. The change will bring more traffic, trash, noise and degradation of a once unique neighborhood and environmentally sensitive remaining landscape important in groundwater recharge, and trees for carbon sinks, and scenic beauty. Taxpayers are surrendering $3.5 million dollars of the local open space funds for what a rude and uncaring developer forced on Parsippany residents, with the blessings and feelings of accomplishment by the mayor and town attorney who betrayed their own master plan and community. A look at a Interactive Map shows we are paying the money for a riparian zone along the Troy Brook which under a legitimate NJDEP would be considered a buffer zone.    

As far as taxes I can vouch that my taxes went up $202 dollars, as they have increased every year since living here. The wonder is the mayor and council seem not to see that tax retables gained by allowing corporate development do not reduce municipal homeowners taxes. If they did Parsippany would not suffer any increases as they do. We must also remember the “fields of dreams” scam, where the BOE found over $2.5 millions dollars of our tax money and used it not for education but for artificial turf. Mayor Barberio had attempted in the past to sanction open space funding for this, but was turned down by the voters; so he made a end run, alleging the BOE was somehow a separate entity beholding to the taxpayers. 

It is a Constitutional Right that citizens of the republic everywhere have the right to know where, how their tax dollars are spent, to be transparent. 16th Amendment argument is the contention that the IRS has an affirmative duty to respond to taxpayer demands for an answer as to why taxpayers must pay.

This is not so in Parsippany citizens such as others and myself have been denied OPRA requests concerning various and numerous lawsuits incurred on Parsippany by developers who wish to change our master plan to suit them. Parsippany under Barberio/Inglesino and the present council deny Parsippany taxpayers the right to belong to a regional master plan, under the NJ Highlands water protection and Planning Act. This prevents developer’s lawsuits and maintains home rule.  Rather than look into this great opportunity, which also includes lower affordable housing numbers and gives immunity from developers lawsuits, it is taboo, because it is of their opinions without objective fact finding or due diligence that we the people of Parsippany may not participate in such an advancement. How can deals be made with developers or the lawyers make money? If one thinks for a moment the simple fact of Parsippany being in a planning zone, would not the best possible planning benefit us all? 

This administration has failed us in many ways, from taking too long on Forge Pond a landscape of which the 124 acres instead of 135 original offer is 109 acres of wetlands that cannot be developed anyway.  The Captain Carifi ongoing scam involving Aurora securities with more wasted tax dollars in scams to maintain the power of Barberio/Inglesino and the large corporate developers who rule Parsippany leaving wasted empty developments and escaping tax burdens while the citizens pay for a quality of life degraded and with unavoidable future costs scenarios. The most obvious being our water supply being depleted and contaminated by poor land use, unnecessary and unjust developments.

Mayor Barberio need be more concerned with his municipal work force and defending Parsippany’s ordinances and master plan, that is his job. In this he has failed. 

Nick Homyak
Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034

Pride Tournament was a huge success

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PARSIPPANY — The Pride Tournament was held in Parsippany between Friday, October 6 and Sunday, October 8. There were a total of 554 teams who attended the 2017 Parsippany Pride Invitational Tournament sponsored by Adidas at fields (including 15 Turf and Natural Grass) in Parsippany and throughout Morris County.

The Parsippany Pride Tournament the largest fall soccer tournament in the Northeast.

The 2007 Girls Blue Team (pictured above) won the Championship at the Parsippany Pride Invitational Tournament XXIX. 

Parsippany Express Cross Country October 8, 2017 Race Results

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PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Express Cross Country (PECC) awoke to a wet, rainy week 5 during Lakeland Junior Cross Country League’s Sunday races at Morris County’s Central Park.

Thirty-six PECC team members participated in the event; of those, 23 runners beat their own personal best records. Five members of the running group placed in the Top 20 for their age groups.

The results below include: Runner, Mile Pace (provided when available), Final Time

Boys and Girls 13/14 3970 Meter Run

Amanda Hoffman 17:02.86

Justin Hoffman 17:21.95

Sneha Kondru 22:40.97

Boys and Girls 11/12 2977 Meter Run

4th Albin Mullan 11:28.15 Best time by 19 seconds!

William Lanza 14:34.21 Best time by 15 seconds!

Tommy Allen 15:22.46 (15:10 week 1)

Zach Leander 15:26.80 Best time by 8 seconds!

Nate Varughese 15:33.60 Best time by 26 seconds!

Anish Chidella 15:36.66 Best time by 48 seconds!

Dom DeMarco 16:25.30 (15:51 week 4)

Frankie Tracey 18:43.75 (18:01 week 1)

Larry Lui 20:24.28 (18:28 week 2)

Tanish Parlapall 24:13.99 (20:19 week 1)

Rebekah Marsh 24:34.03 (23:09 week 4)

Girls 9/10 2027 Meter Run

9 Chebishev, Kira 8:47.20 (8:42 week 2)

38 Metz, Meghan 9:54.80 Best time by 2 seconds!

41 Voto, Elaina 10:08.78 Best time by 24 seconds!

44 Sisco, Callie 10:15.96 Best time by 3 seconds!

50 Liu, Shyanne 10:27.76 Best time by 9 seconds!

68 Chithambaranathan, Harita 11:34.63 (11:15 week 4)

Boys 9/10 2027 Meter Run

26 Metz, Brian 9:06.66 (8:53 week 4)

27 Becher, Christopher 9:07.44 (8:43 week 3)

42 Kosovich, Mason 9:54.96 Best time by 2 seconds!

61 Parlapall, Pranav 11:19.54 Best time by 2 seconds!

73 Naik, Ishaan 12:58.46 Best time by 33 seconds!

Boys and Girls 7/8 1561 Meter Run (0.97 miles)

Kosovich, Chase 6:45.50 Best time by 14 seconds!

Vavilala, Eesha 7:36.07 Best time by 9 seconds!

Kaplan, Tyler 7:37.80 (7:32 week 2)

Whelan, Desmond 7:40.42 Best time by 10 seconds!

Kondru, Sohan 7:43.07 Best time by 9 seconds!

Thormann, Kaylee 7:48.52 (7:42 week 3)

Mullan, Anina 8:19.31 Best time by 20 seconds!

Duff, Ciera 8:35.76 (8:16 week 4)

Novitskie, Frankie 8:46.57 Best time by 3 seconds!

Gaviria, Clara 8:57.46 Best time by 51 seconds!

Kulkami, Vihaan 9:31.92 Best time by 17 seconds!