PARSIPPANY — Parsippany resident Mary Luz Londono Amaya died after a year-long cancer battle at St. Clare’s Hospital in Denville on Friday, March 18. She was 37.
Born in Medellin, Colombia, Mary immigrated to South Carolina in 2000 before settling in Lake Hiawatha last year, her obituary says.
Mary worked as a housekeeper at Sussex County Community College.
Survivors include her loving mother, Luz Marina Amaya Flores of Lake Hiawatha; and a dear brother, Jorge Ivan Londono Amaya of Colombia. She was preceded in death by a brother, Claudio Patrice Londono Amaya.
PARSIPPANY — Once again, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the operation of Catering/Banquet, Restaurant, and Tee House Facilities and Provision of Related Services at the Knoll Country Club.
The bids were taken and opened on March 23, 2022.
The winning bid was awarded to Katina Caterers by Andreas Rotsides.
The Council voted 5-0 to approve an agreement awarding the contract.
Operations will begin as soon as proper licenses are obtained.
PARSIPPANY — The Township Council of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will hold an Agenda Meeting on Tuesday, April 5.
Regular Township Council Meetings will commence at 7:00 p.m. All meetings will be held on Tuesday evenings. All meetings will be held in the Municipal Building, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard, Parsippany. Formal action may or may not be taken at all scheduled meetings.
Any individual who is a qualified disabled person under the Americans with Disabilities Act may request auxiliary aids such as a sign interpreter or a tape recorder to be used for a meeting. Auxiliary aids must be requested at least 72 hours prior to the meeting date. Please call (973) 263-4351 to make a request for an auxiliary aid.
PARSIPPANY — Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi joined the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany. Grossi was sponsored by Lt. Governor Frank Cahill.
Lt. Governor Frank Cahill said “Kiwanis is something so good that each of us loves to share it. What better way to show our love for our club and our community than to welcome a new member to our club? Today we’re very pleased to welcome Ann to our club. We welcome Ann to our global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.”
Grossi, is a former Freeholder and Parsippany councilwoman and has brought the clerk’s office into the modern technological age and has worked to make the office and its service more available, efficient, and visible to the citizens of Morris County. Also, she has created Operation Giveback which provides veterans with a centralized discount directory of more than 300 Morris County merchants.
NJ Kiwanis Lt. Governor Division 9 Frank Cahill places the official membership pin on Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi
After attending the County College of Morris, Ann went on to receive her Bachelor of Arts and Master’s Degree from William Paterson College, and subsequently, attended law school at Seton Hall University, School of Law. After earning her Juris Doctorate, Ann was admitted into the New Jersey Bar, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, and the New Jersey Supreme Court. In 2013, Ann was selected by the voters as Morris County Clerk. This is a constitutional office, along with the Sheriff and Surrogate. As County Clerk, she oversees five diverse departments and ensures the proper recording of all land records, such as maps, mortgages, deeds, discharges, liens, trade names, judgments, and other related legal documents, processing of U.S. Passport applications, issuing of Veteran, Adult, and Gold Star Parent I.D. Cards, and maintenance of Veterans’ Military Discharge Papers (DD214). She also swears in Notary Publics, oversees all elections and certifies election results, and performs marriage ceremonies.
Ann has a long history of public service and considers herself to be a public servant, not a politician. From 2006 to 2010, she served as a council member in the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and was selected by her colleagues to serve as their Vice President and President. From 2011to 2013, she served on the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders as Chair of the Budget Sub-Committee and as Alternate Commissioner of the Insurance Commission as well as liaison to many other departments and agencies. Ann was also instrumental in developing the County’s Flood Mitigation Program.
The New Jersey District of Kiwanis International currently has 68 active Kiwanis Clubs, with a total of 1395 members. Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany has a total of 72 active members.
During the pandemic, Kiwanis ‘Feeding our Neighbors” has distributed over 478,400 pounds of food, to 12,000 families, and over 23,000 children with a retail value of over $800,000. The next food distribution is scheduled for Saturday, April 30. Any resident that needs food can register at kiwanishelps.org. The registration is 100% confidential and is used to make sure we have enough food at each location. Other locations include Rockaway, Livingston, South Orange, and Maplewood.
“Kiwanis Feeding our Neighbors” was started in December 2019 by Kiwanis Club of Greater Roxbury President Cain Pope and has spread to many Morris County Kiwanis Club and other clubs in New Jersey as far away as Asbury Park, South Orange, Maplewood, Clifton, and Bridgewater.
Kiwanis does not ask for proof of income. The only thing we ask for is name, email address, the town of residence, and the number of children. The information is 100% confidential and is used to make sure we have a sufficient supply of food at each location and for informing the public of future food distributions. We are always looking for donations to support this operation. Click here to make a donation.
“Kiwanis club members believe in service,” said Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany President Connie Keller. “They care about children. They’re interested in the community around them because the community matters to them. They’re people like you. Friends. Neighbors. Volunteers who want to make a difference.”
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. It is not religious-based or partisan in any way.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany supports ten K-Kids clubs, Lake Parsippany Elementary School, Eastlake Elementary School, Intervale School, Mt. Tabor Elementary School, Littleton Elementary School, Lake Hiawatha Elementary School, Troy Hills Elementary School, Northvail Elementary School, Knollwood School, and Rockaway Meadow Elementary School, two builders clubs, Central Middle School and Brooklawn Middle School; two Key Clubs, Parsippany Hills High School and Parsippany High School and one Aktion Club.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Hills High School graduate Czar Sepe is participating in his first-ever race (let alone a 5k) in support of Special Olympics Massachusetts! Sepe is a resident of Lake Parsippany. He graduated from Parsippany Hills High School in 2017.
Since graduating from Boston College last year, Czar has been trying to find ways to stay involved with things he’s passionate about. What better way to do so this April than when he’ll be running in the B.A.A. 5k the Saturday before the Boston Marathon! Czar would like to thank all those who are supporting this cause–ensuring that there are inclusive spaces for those with intellectual disabilities to become flourishing athletes and leaders. Any donation is greatly appreciated!
Czar said “I’m fundraising for Special Olympics Massachusetts because we believe that sports are the gateway to building confidence, lifelong friendships, and becoming leaders in the community. I’m asking for your donation because it will fund inclusive experiences for more than 14,000 Special Olympics athletes and the 10,000+ volunteers in Massachusetts.”
If you’d like to do more than donate — join his team! Help him raise awareness and funds so that Special Olympics Massachusetts can deliver more inclusive opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities this year and beyond!
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Police Department was advised of a suspicious incident that occurred on March 30, 2022, at approximately 7:00 a.m. involving an unidentified male at one of the bus stops in the Tabor Road area.
The male drove up to a juvenile female waiting for her school bus and asked her if she needed a ride. The male approached the juvenile in a newer style gray minivan (unknown license plate). He is described as being tan in complexion, possibly in his twenties, wearing a black baseball cap and face mask with stars printed on it. He then drove away after she boarded the school bus.
This incident remains under investigation by the Parsippany Police Department’s Investigative Division. If you have any information regarding this incident, we ask that you contact our Communications Center at 973-263-4300 extension 0.
Below is an important reminder from Superintendent of Schools, Barbara Sargent:
“Keeping our children safe is always of paramount importance. We urge you to be vigilant in making your children wary of strangers. Please let them know to tell an adult immediately if an incident occurs and to try to get a license number if at all possible. Any incident needs to be reported immediately to a responsible adult and the police should always be notified.”
MORRIS COUNTY — On Monday, March 21, officers of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Morristown man with Unlawful Possession of a Handgun, a crime of the third degree, and Certain Persons Not to Possess a Firearm, a crime of the second degree at the Morris County Courthouse Complex. (Click here to read the previous post in Parsippany Focus)
At approximately 10:43 a.m., William Cole, 53, entered through the security checkpoint at the entrance to the Morris County Administration & Records Building located at 10 Court Street for an appointment with his probation officer. After placing his belongings in an assigned container to be X-rayed, Morris County Sheriff’s Officer Frank Pirog screened the items through the machine.
He discovered that Cole was in possession of a modified pistol concealed in Cole’s backpack. Further investigation determined it to be a BB gun, which Cole surrendered to Officer Pirog.
Cole was charged on a complaint warrant and remains lodged in the Morris County Correctional Facility.
Entrances to the Morris County Courthouse Complex are heavily monitored by surveillance cameras and uniformed Morris County Sheriff’s Officers, who are trained to operate metal detectors and X-Ray machines that expose weapons, real and imitation. Signs are clearly posted at all entrances that weapons are not permitted in the Courthouse Complex buildings.
“The Morris County Sheriff’s Office continues to uphold the safety and security in and around the Morris County Courthouse Complex with aggressive, proactive security safeguards. People who bring illegal weapons to the area will be caught and charged,” said Sheriff James M. Gannon.
Editors Note: A complaint or a charge is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
PARSIPPANY — In a video on Former Mayor James Dodd’s Facebook Page, he states Former Mayor Michael Soriano was hired as the “Town Administrator in the Town of Dover.” Here is a copy of the video posted on Facebook.
Parsippany Focus reached out to Former Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano and he said “Believing in rumors and spreading them is harmful to everyone involved, including the person spreading them. It’s an interesting coincidence that this was posted on April 1st. I don’t know where Mayor Dodd got his misinformation from, but it looks like he fell for an April Fool’s Joke. Well, the joke is on him. I already have a job, and it is outside of Morris County. Dover is a great town, however, I am not now, nor will I ever work in Dover Townhall.”
PARSIPPANY — The Godfather recently held their ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new Parsippany location. They are located in the Troy Hills Shopping Center, 1125 Route 46.
Frank Cahill, Chairman, Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Advisory Committee presented the owners with a plaque thanking them for choosing Parsippany
Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio, Economic Development Advisory Committee Chairman Frank Cahill, and Vice-Chairman Dr. Bhagirath Maheta joined owners, James, Jason, and Jerry Forte.
Also joining in the celebration were Councilman Justin Musella, Councilman Paul Carifi, Jr., and Councilman Frank Neglia, Morris County Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen, Commissioner Stephen Shaw, Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce President Robert Peluso, Board Members Ildiko Peluso, and Nicolas Limanov.
The Godfather was originally founded in 1975 by Jerry Forte in East Hanover.
Jason Forte proudly displaying a fresh cheese pizza
He brought all of the “old world” values, traditions, and recipes over from Bisaccia, Italy with him.
Since then, The Godfather has been bringing all of Northern NJ’s authentic Italian food and pizza to the delight of the masses for over 47 years. They have since opened a second location in Morristown back in 2014, and now proudly present their third location here in lovely Parsippany.
They are thrilled to serve this community our restaurant-quality pasta, seafood, and pizza for takeout and delivery for years and years to come. We thank everyone for all the kind words, wishes, and support we’ve received through these rough post-pandemic times that sadly took a toll on the entire restaurant industry.
“We thank the town of Parsippany for welcoming us with open arms. Our sincerest gratitude to all of you,” said James Forte.
The Godfather has a wide selection of pizza
The Godfather Parsippany is located at 1125 Route 46. (973) 794-4200. Click here to view the website.
The Godfather East Hanover is located at 200 Route 10. (973) 887-4830. Click here to view the website.
The Godfather Morristown is located at 10 Lafayette Avenue. (862) 260-9500. Click here to view the website.
Roast Beef and American Cheese with the worksMediterranean Salad
MORRIS COUNTY — Spring brings more than April flowers and May Day, as the Morris County Chamber of Commerce is welcoming in the warmer weather with several signature events open to both members and the general public.
The chamber will host the 29th Annual Partners in Economic Development Awards Tuesday, April 19, at the Hyatt Regency Morristown. The theme of the event is ESG IMPACT: environmental, social, and governance. ESG criteria are an increasingly popular way for investors to evaluate companies and addressing ESG requires tremendous coordination to align on issues from climate change to human rights to transparent accounting. The chamber has invited corporate leaders who are succeeding in this space to share their best ideas when it comes to the environment, sustainability and governance. The keynote speaker will be Angela Ortiz, director of ESG & Sustainability at Public Service Enterprise Group, who leads the development and implementation of the sustainability, ESG, and climate strategies at a corporate level. The luncheon also will feature a panel discussion and the 2022 awards for the largest real estate transactions of 2020 and 2021. For more information or to register click here.
The chamber will host 16th Annual Not for Profit Conference on Thursday, April 28, at the Hilton Parsippany. The event, this year titled “Reconnecting and Rebuilding: Lessons Learned,” will feature keynote speaker Jonathan R. Pearson, director of corporate social responsibility and executive director of The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey. There also will be a panel discussion with local nonprofit leaders and a 2022 Not For Profit Excellence Awards presentation. For more information or to register click here.
Then the chamber’s Annual Golf Classic will be held on Monday, June 6, at Spring Brook Country Club in Morristown, from 10:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The day of networking and golf includes lunch, golf, a cocktail reception, a dinner buffet, the Business and Community Service Award ceremony, and a silent auction. Non-golfers are welcome to join just the evening festivities. For more information or to register click here.
Also planned are the Legislative Luncheon on April 29, with the presentation of the Alex DeCroce Public Service and Leadership Award to Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, and a Women in Business luncheon on May 18. To learn more about any of these events and/or to register, please visit the chamber’s website click here, and go to Events.
“These signature events of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce are excellent opportunities for both members and guests to gather, network, and learn,” said Meghan Hunscher, chamber president. “They also give guests a wonderful feel for what the chamber has to offer businesses and nonprofits of all sizes. Please join us.”
The Morris County Chamber of Commerce has more than 700 member organizations that range from entrepreneurs and small businesses to large corporations and Fortune 500 companies. The chamber’s mission is to collaboratively advance the interests of its members to champion a thriving business and community environment. The chamber’s many events, meetings, and seminars provide a platform for its members to connect, collaborate, learn and succeed. The chamber is dedicated to the advancement of Morris County’s businesses and community by providing services, information, and advocacy to support the success of its member organizations. They are headquartered in Florham Park.
