PARSIPPANY — On the evening of Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 7:43 p.m., Parsippany-Troy Hills Police were called to the scene of an ongoing auto burglary at the Morris Hills Shopping Center, situated at 3035-3189 Route 46.

The car owner reported catching a suspect inside his 2006 Ford Mustang, exploring the glove compartment while it was parked at the shopping center lot. Upon being confronted, the intruder fled on foot towards the Tivoli Gardens apartments located just behind the shopping complex. The suspect was described by the victim as a male between 5’10” and 6’00” tall, with a dark complexion and distinctive tattoos on his face and neck, wearing a maroon hooded sweatshirt and red sweatpants.

Shortly after the incident, Patrol Sergeant J. Magahan spotted an individual matching the suspect’s description running into the woods behind the Whole Foods Plaza on Waterview Boulevard. Officers quickly set up a perimeter and initiated a search of the area.

Patrol Officer D. Spadavecchia discovered the suspect, later identified as 28-year-old Avery C. Murch from Parsippany, hiding behind a tree in the wooded strip between 45 Waterview Boulevard and Route 46.

Murch was apprehended and taken to Police Headquarters for processing, where he was charged with one count of third-degree burglary. Following the charges, he was released on a summons complaint and is currently awaiting his court appearance.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

MORRIS COUNTY — Starting Monday, March 25, New Jersey will join the State-to-State (S2S) Verification Service to further strengthen the security of driver licenses and IDs issued in the Garden State.

By joining the program, New Jersey will finalize its compliance with the federal REAL ID Act.

“Ensuring one driver has one license is the goal of the State-to-State service,” said Latrecia Littles-Floyd, Acting Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (NJMVC). “With New Jersey signing on to the program, the Motor Vehicle Commission will enhance the integrity of the licensing process here and in other states, leading to safer roads and better identity theft protections that benefit everyone.”

For additional information about S2S, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) website. New Jersey will be the 40th state to join the S2S service.

To bring the S2S service online, required NJMVC system maintenance and updates will take place from Saturday, March 23, through Sunday, March 24.

This will result in the following NJMVC service impacts that weekend:

• All NJMVC agencies (Licensing and Vehicle Centers) will be closed on Saturday, March 23. Appointments will not be scheduled, and no customers will be serviced at agencies that day.
• State inspection stations will remain open and on normal operations Saturday, March 23.
• From March 23 to 24, limited online services will be available at the Commission’s website, NJMVC.gov. Online license/ID transactions and changes of address will not be accessible. Some online vehicle transactions that do not require a change of address will be accessible.
• State and law enforcement access to NJMVC systems will not be affected during the system upgrade.

All NJMVC online services will resume normal functionality by 8:00 p.m. Sunday, March 24, and all NJMVC agencies and facilities will resume normal operations on Monday, March 25.

For motor vehicle services, appointment scheduling, and more NJMVC information, visit NJMVC.gov.

PARSIPPANY — The cold and inclement weather may have pushed the ceremony inside, but Mayor Barberio was happy to welcome Parsippany’s Muslim Community to TownHall to mark the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan on Sunday, March 10th.

Ramadan is a holy month that is dedicated to fasting, prayer, quality time, reflection, and charity. Ramadan is the most important month in the Islamic calendar. It’s the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims around the world fast from sunrise to sunset.

Also joining in the inspiring gathering were many of Morris County’s elected officials, such as Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, Morris County Commissioners Deborah Smith and Tayfun Selen, Surrogate Heather Darling, Kellie Doucette from Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill’s office, Parsippany-Troy Hills Council Vice President Frank Neglia and Parsippany Councilmen Matt McGrath and Justin Musella. Also, former Council President Michael dePierro was in attendance.

“This was such a joyful and motivational event,” said Mayor James Barberio. “We can all reflect on the message of doing good, doing for others, and striving to be a better person. I wish Ramadan Kareem, or blessed Ramadan, to all my Muslim friends and neighbors.”

The event was organized by The Islamic Culture Community Center (ICCC), the Muslim Professional Group (MPG), and the Muslim Community of Parsippany