Female Body Pulled from Jersey City Reservoir

Frank L. Cahill
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Female Body Pulled from Jersey City Reservoir

PARSIPPANY — The body of a 35-year female who police said jumped into the Jersey City Reservoir was recovered by dive teams and a state police chopper Sunday evening. The dive team was lead by Parsippany Rescue and Recovery.

The female allegedly jumped into the water near Washington Street — which runs over the water near Reservoir Drive.

A search of the area by dive teams and a state police thermal imaging camera helped to locate and remove their body from the water near Knollwood School, where emergency vehicles were staged. The body was recovered approximately 9:45 p.m.

Emergency Vehicles were lined up near Reservoir Tavern

Morris County Sheriff’s Crime Scene, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Parsippany-Troy Hills Police, Morris County Sheriff’s K9 Unit, Morris County Office of Emergency Management (with a drone), Town of Boonton Police, Boonton Township Police, Parsippany Volunteer Ambulance, Rockaway Neck Volunteer Ambulance, Saint Claire Paramedics, Lake Hiawatha Volunteer Fire Department District 4, Bergen County Scuba Regional Task Force, Lincoln Park Fire Department, Montville Fire Department, Boonton Township Fire Department all responded to the scene.

The person was pronounced dead at the scene. The Jersey City Reservoir is a 700-acre reservoir located between Boonton and Parsippany-Troy Hills. The reservoir provides water for Jersey City. On September 28, 2018, officials from Jersey City and the Morris County Park Commission announced a plan to create a nature preserve and 7.7-mile (12.4 km) educational-hiking trail around the reservoir that will allow for passive recreation while protecting the water supply with additional security measures. Phase 1 of the trail is expected to be completed by 2021.

In March 2019, a body was found floating in the reservoir, eventually identified as Boonton resident Sean Stohl who had been reported missing since November 2018.

 

Freeholder Selen Continues to Fight for Reimbursement of JCP&L Customers

Frank L. Cahill
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Freeholder Selen Continues to Fight for Reimbursement of JCP&L Customers

PARSIPPANY — Morris County Freeholder, Tayfun Selen demands that JCP&L reimburse their Morris County Ratepayers.

“First and foremost, thank you for your kind words and encouragement last week regarding my strong criticism of JCPL and their incompetent response to recent storms.

“It’s 15 days post-storm now, and I am not done fighting.

In other parts of New Jersey, utility company PSE&G has started to reimburse ratepayers for food and medicine that went bad during the power outage.

“CONED, a utility company in NY has been doing the same.

“What has JCPL done? Nothing!

“Frankly, I’ve received countless calls and emails from seniors, single moms, and small business owners across the county who suffered a real hardship due to these unacceptably long power outages. JCPL must be held accountable.

“JCPL made over $380 million in profit in the first six months of the year and the CEO made $9 million last year. It’s time for JCPL to put people before profits and do the right thing by their customers in Morris County.

“If JCPL won’t do it voluntarily, then the Board of Public Utilities needs to do their job and protect ratepayers.

“Enough is enough. If you have your own story about getting screwed by JCPL, call my cell phone at (973) 222-0484.”

A message from Dr. Barbara Sergent

Frank L. Cahill
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A message from Dr. Barbara Sergent

Good afternoon, Parsippany Families.

As you have seen in the news and heard through friends and family in other NJ communities, many school districts are revising their plans for September with several choosing to begin the year fully remote as they address challenges in different areas.

Our district plan addresses the guidelines set forth by the NJ Department of Education. In response to a few concerns raised by parents and staff over the past weeks, however, I presented an updated Return to School plan at last night’s Board of Education meeting which contains the following adjustments:

For September 2 through October 2, students attending in-person will follow a half-day schedule. Remote learning will continue in the afternoon for all students.

Elementary SKIP will be offered before school and after school until 5:00 p.m. for students who are attending in-person during their assigned cohort week.

The district will continue to follow the Week A/Week B with Virtual Friday model.
Special education students in elementary self-contained classes will follow an AM/PM split day every week Monday through Friday. Special education students in middle and high school self-contained classes (MD, BD, Autism, and Transition) will follow a ½ day schedule every week Monday through Thursday through October 2 with Friday being virtual.

Full day and Transitional Preschool students will attend split AM/PM sessions Monday through Friday every week.
Half-day Preschool will be held with students following the Week A/Week B model.

A half-day allows students and staff to adjust to wearing masks for longer periods of time, gives teachers a chance to become comfortable with hybrid instruction, and allows everyone the opportunity to understand and follow new rules and behaviors that will keep us safe. Age-appropriate snack breaks will occur – outside, when possible. I will monitor health data over the next several weeks and, if appropriate, recommend a transition to full-day Week A/Week B with Virtual Friday model for October 5.

School principals are working with their teacher leaders and Pandemic Response Teams to finalize and communicate details about the instructional day. Parents may expect information from principals next week about picking up textbooks and materials for fully remote learners, Free and Reduced Meal access, transportation, and more.

Parents, I know this decision complicates your lives even further and I am truly sorry for that. This is a challenging time for us all and I believe that a half-day start to the school year will help to allay concerns about the length of the day, student lunches, and the hybrid instructional model. Please direct your frustrations to me and be kind to your principals and teachers who are working incredibly hard to create a safe and welcoming start to the school year.

Respectfully,

Dr. Barbara Sargent
Superintendent of Schools

Morris County Announces Grants for Local Businesses

Frank L. Cahill
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Morris County Announces Grants for Local Businesses

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Freeholders are pleased to announce that small businesses in the county will share in the $15.3 million in Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Emergency Security (CARES) Act funding the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has made available to select businesses in 12 counties that did not receive direct aid from the federal government.

The limited grant program is earmarked for business owners in Morris and 11 other counties – Atlantic, Burlington, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren – that did not get any direct federal CARES Act funding because it was predicated on counties meeting specific population requirements.

Grants are to be provided to businesses that had already applied as of the July deadline for aid through the NJEDA’s Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program.

“We are pleased to announce, along with our chamber partners, small business assistance for Morris County. We urge the EDA to increase funding for this program, as has been done for Passaic and Essex counties. While the EDA’s effort to boost our small businesses is a good start, we need to do more for businesses and employees in New Jersey,” said Freeholder John Krickus.

From small retail outlets to service providers and restaurants, Morris County entrepreneurs continue to struggle to stay in business under the state’s COVID19 restrictions.

“I applaud this first step by the NJEDA as one of many that must be taken to help Morris County’s family-owned stores, small businesses, and our overall economy during this crisis. As the board’s liaison to economic development, I will continue to fight, along with my colleagues on the freeholder board, to ensure there is a fair distribution of this federal and state aid to the people of Morris County,” said Freeholder Tom Mastrangelo.

The Morris County Chamber of Commerce and the Morris County Hispanic-American Chamber of Commerce (MCHACC) also expressed gratitude that Morris County businesses are receiving grants.

“Latinos are playing a critical role in driving our economy through outsized new business growth in Morris County. Helping the small Latino businesses and their employees will tolerate the effects of the economic impact of COVID-19,” said Esperanza Porras-Field, President Emeritus & Founder of the MCHACC.

“The Cares Act Funding for grants will be a big relief for small business owners that are struggling. The Latino community is opening more small businesses than anyone else in the United States and become the fastest-growing business owners across the country, she added.”

Hispanic-owned businesses employ more than 3 million people, according to the 2019 State of Latino Entrepreneurship report by the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative (SLEI), and account for about 4% of U.S. business revenues and 5.5% of U.S.

“Small businesses are vital to the economy of Morris County which overall produces over $50 billion in GRP and thousands of jobs, tax revenue, and desired goods and services, and these businesses have been disproportionately affected during this health and economic crisis,” said Meghan Hunscher, President of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce and Morris County Economic Development Corporation.

“We are grateful that the NJEDA will allow businesses in Morris County to access the CARES Act funds. Since continued cash flow is a concern, we also strongly encourage the Governor to consider reopening businesses in portions of the state where the virus is clearly under control and in a way that can keep customers safe to make sure businesses survive this pandemic,” she added.

The NJEDA created its Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program in March to provide financial assistance to certain small and medium-sized businesses and non-profits that needed payroll and working capital support because of the adverse impacts they suffered under restrictions imposed due to the COVID19 pandemic. The program focused initially on certain targeted industries that were the most adversely impacted and offered reimbursement for lost revenue as a result of business interruption.

The NJEDA has a newly created Small Business Dedicated Team. More information on that team can be found by clicking here.

For information on the State’s COVID-19 resources for businesses click here.

To learn more about the NJEDA click here.

Morris Prosecutor: Santander Bank ATMs Theft Investigation

Frank L. Cahill
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Morris Prosecutor: Santander Bank ATMs Theft Investigation

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker have announced that the Prosecutor’s Office has joined the investigation into a series of thefts from Santander Bank ATMs located within Morris County.

The Prosecutor’s Office is investigating in conjunction with several other agencies, including the FBI, State Police, Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Park Police Department, and municipal police departments in Parsippany, Boonton, East Hanover, Long Hill, Rockaway Borough, Denville, Montville, Randolph, and Wharton.

At this time, there is no reason to believe customer accounts were compromised and that only the financial institution was victimized.

Numerous defendants have been charged in Morris County in connection to this investigation, which is ongoing.

Inquiries should be directed to Public Information Officer Meghan Knab at mknab@co.morris.nj.us or by phone at (973) 829-8159.

Morris County to Replace Intervale Road Bridge — Detour Required

Frank L. Cahill
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Morris County to Replace Intervale Road Bridge — Detour Required

PARSIPPANY — Morris County is set to start work during the week of Monday, August 31 on replacement of the Intervale Road bridge in Parsippany, a span that crosses a tributary of Troy Brook.

The tiny county-owned span will be closed to traffic for about four months, with motorists facing a one-mile detour. Signs will be installed to guide traffic on alternate routes in both directions, employing Intervale Road and Lake Drive.

This is one of a series of bridge projects currently being undertaken by county government across Morris County.

“This may be a small bridge but it is very important to county residents who use it every day, and we must maintain it,’’ said Freeholder Stephen Shaw. “It is part of the county’s continuing effort to ensure that we provide safe and first-rate infrastructure for county residents and businesses.’’

The $726,360 Intervale Road bridge project will include replacement of the existing structure and both roadway approaches. Sparwick Contracting of Lafayette Township in Sussex County, the lowest responsible bidder, will be the contractor on the project, which is being financed by the Morris County government.

Intervale Road bridge carries as many as 600 vehicles daily. The original stone masonry arch bridge was built about 120 years ago, estimated at 1900, and then widened and reinforced in 1940.

The bridge, bordered by guide rails on both sides, is just six-feet long and 31-feet wide. It carries two lanes of traffic in eastbound and westbound directions. While a bridge evaluation report lists the bridge in overall “fair” condition, the original stone arch has been deteriorating. It will be more cost-effective to replace the bridge rather than continue increasingly costly maintenance.

Morris County is moving ahead on many bridge projects this summer, taking advantage of lighter traffic during the COVID-19 crisis to get work done with less impact to the motoring public.

Ongoing Morris County Bridge Projects:

  • Jefferson Township: Russia Road bridge replacement
  • Dover: East Blackwell Street bridge replacement
  • Mt. Olive/Netcong: Waterloo Road bridge replacement
  • Rockaway Township: Valley Road bridge replacement

Completed 2020 Morris County Bridge Projects:

  • Washington Township: Schooley’s Mountain Road bridge
  • Rockaway Township: Chestnut Terrace Bridge
  • Morris Township: Mill Road bridge in Morris Township

Morris County Secures More Than $7 Million in Aid for COVID-19 Response

Frank L. Cahill
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Morris County Secures More Than $7 Million in Aid for COVID-19 Response

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Freeholders are pleased to announce that more than $7 million in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) funding has been directed by Governor Phil Murphy to assist Morris County with continued COVID-19 testing and reimburse it for costs already incurred in its diligent response to the pandemic.

The funding includes $3,819,380 in reimbursement dollars for expenses Morris County incurred as of June 30 and which were not covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) dollars, insurance, or other funding. An additional $357,500 is earmarked to continue testing operations until December and $2,915,033 to support the testing of vulnerable and priority populations moving forward.

Gov. Phil Murphy speaks with Morris County freeholder director Deborah Smith, left, and deputy director Stephen Shaw

“This funding it critical to Morris County’s ability to continue combating this devastating pandemic with the same responsible, direct, and forceful effort we mobilized when the virus first hit us,” said Freeholder Director Deborah Smith.

“Morris County went from being one of the most seriously impacted areas in the state to having one of the lowest virus-spread rates in the state because of our rigorous, organized response, which included proactive budgeting and spending adjustments so we did not dig the county into a financial hole,” Freeholder Smith added.

Morris County’s extensive response included, among other actions, opening a testing center, monitoring the virus spread, direct aid to food pantries, partnering with health providers, and providing infrared thermometers to community and faith-based groups.

“In early March we were planning for a prolonged health emergency. We bolstered our health and human services, focused our county resources on fighting the pandemic, and worked closely with our local health officials and medical providers. Our efforts included retaining additional public health staff, boosting our stockpile of personal protection equipment, and launching a testing site without state aid. We have now pivoted to assist in recovery with the formation of a COVID-19 Recovery Task Force,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Stephen Shaw.

“The task force continues to address the needs of community organizations, businesses, and help with the mental health effects of the pandemic. This grant dovetails with some of those initiatives, and we look forward to offering more testing support to our towns, businesses and communities as we pull through this crisis together,” added Freeholder Shaw.

Morris County, along with 11 other counties, received no direct CARES Act funding from the federal government this past spring because direct aid was predicated on a requirement a county have a population of at least 500,000 residents. Morris County missed that threshold by a mere 8,000 residents, while nine other counties, two of which barely met the population requirement, shared in $1.05 billion in direct aid.

Morris County freeholders flagged the population requirement as arbitrary and urged the Governor in April to provide Morris County with a share of $2.4 billion the State of New Jersey received from the CARES Act.

The freeholders’ request was supported in a joint letter by Republican State Sen. Anthony Bucco, Democratic State Sen. Dick Codey, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill. They argued it is unfair to deny aid to some counties and give millions to others, particularly when the counties have virtually the same populations.

They also noted the pandemic’s impact on Morris County residents last spring was much higher than in other counties that each received nearly $90 million or more indirect aid.

“We want to thank the state and Governor Murphy for this grant. We also need to acknowledge that we were very fortunate to have had the support of Senator Bucco, Congresswoman Sherrill, and Senator Codey advocating the Governor’s Office to secure this funding,” said Morris County Administrator John Bonanni.

“Without question, their joint efforts helped the Governor to recognize how inequitable a rigid population requirement was in determining the distribution of financial aid in New Jersey, which has been hardest hit, second only to New York, by the pandemic,” added Administrator John Bonanni.

The new funding provides opportunities for the county to conduct at-home testing programs and work with municipal health officials to establish scheduled mobile testing sites. A more detailed plan is already in development and will be available in the near future.

The freeholders and administrator joined Governor Murphy earlier today in announcing the new grant at an event at Vasa Park in Mount Olive.

For more information on the initiatives taken by Morris County to address COVID-19 since February and other significant announcements about the virus in New Jersey click here.

Parsippany’s Best Pizza has Reopened

Frank L. Cahill
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Parsippany’s Best Pizza has Reopened

PARSIPPANY — After many hours of the electricians working hard, Parsippany’s Best Pizza has reopened.

Quick thinking employees called 911 and the quick response time from Parsippany-Troy Hills Volunteer Fire District 5 and Lake Hiawatha Volunteer Fire Department District 4 the smell of burning electrical wires was contained to the electrical box which was easy to replace.

Parsippany’s Best Pizza is located at 756 Route 46, Arlington Shopping Plaza.

Sherrill Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Black Small Business Owners

Frank L. Cahill
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Sherrill Hosts Roundtable Discussion with Black Small Business Owners

PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) hosted a virtual roundtable discussion this week with Black small business owners in the community to hear about the challenges facing small businesses during COVID-19, their experiences with the PPP and EIDL programs, and issues business owners anticipate as we move to the fall and winter months. This August is the 14th Annual National Black Business Month, and the business owners on the call highlighted the strength of the Black-owned small business community in North Jersey across different sectors.

“The Black small business owners in our community that I heard from this week have had to pivot their business models during COVID, and some have even launched entirely new businesses during this unprecedented time,” said Rep. Sherrill. “While some were able to access PPP, EIDL, and state grants, it’s clear we need to do more to support our small business community here in North Jersey, including Black-owned businesses. These business owners are already anticipating what the fall and winter will look like, and the resources necessary to adapt once again. The next round of coronavirus legislation must include additional resources and extended deadlines for the PPP. I also want to see us pass legislation like the Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program Act that will help small businesses with steep declines to their revenue and prioritize underserved businesses in the Black community.”

“I am very appreciative that Mikie Sherrill organized this round table,” said Denise Ford Sawadogo, Montclair Brewery. “It was great to share a few of the frustrations with the federal and state funding and grants that were earmarked for small businesses due to Covid-19. At the same time, I thought it was important to mention some of the supportive measures that the Governor has put into place to help microbreweries in the state. I hope that some of these temporary measures will become laws on a permanent basis which should help modernize NJ’s antiquated brewery laws. It was also great to meet some other small black-owned businesses in the state, the majority of whom I was not familiar with.”

“The pandemic was quite a paradigm shift for all of us,” said Isaiah Findley-Pinnock, Co-Founder of ESO Artisanal Pasta. “AJ lost his job and I was furloughed but for the first time in years we, along with Joel, were able to take a serious look at ourselves in the mirror and ask ourselves what we want to do and be, and where we see ourselves in the future.” The answer was written in their brotherhood, passion, and optimism. “Sometimes you have to make opportunity for yourself,” Isaiah continued to say. “Starting a business was always a dream for us. Once the pandemic brought us closer together by pulling us from our jobs, our optimism helped us pivot our ideal business model to fit the changing social climate. Now we sell an experience that is important to us and our brotherhood; that is a nice family-oriented, communal, culinary dining experience.”

“The pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for our event management company,” said Lori Montague, Wood Legacy Productions. “We’ve had to reinvent our structure to stay afloat. It’s reassuring to have Congresswoman Sherrill take a hands-on approach to help us navigate through this season.

“Small businesses need support as they collectively keep the spirits of towns and cities alive, as well as give back to their respective communities and neighboring businesses,” said Eugene Lennon-Wynn and Brandon Baskerville, Empyre9. “Especially in Black communities, the small Black-owned businesses surviving the pandemic continue to provide for and inspire the townspeople. Not every business has the room to remodel their business in accordance with COVID-19 so any and all support will be appreciated.”

“I’m tremendously grateful that Mikie Sherrill offered this Roundtable,” said Casey Carpenter, Speak & Own It Communications. “As a solopreneur marketing service and not a product sold from a brick and mortar, I often feel overlooked. With a business that’s too small to qualify for much of the relief already offered, I felt that Sherrill really listened to my concerns about equity and viability. She gave me hope. I feel honored that she is rolling up her sleeves on our behalf.”

“Speaking directly with Sherrill I felt heard, and that her office can help me navigate the bureaucracy of Covid-19 relief programs to get results,” said Leslie Allen, Win4Life Enterprises, and West End Residential. “The empowering side benefit of her round table was to meet fellow black business owners that I can support; two right here in my town! Together we are stronger.”

“Sherrill has a passion to help local black small business owners and I am thankful for the support she is offering,” said Hakika DuBose Wise, Kika Stretch Studios.

Representative Sherrill was joined by the following business owners:

Denise Ford Sawadogo, Montclair Brewery
Hakika DuBose Wise, Kika Stretch Studios, Montclair
Leslie Allen, Win4Life Enterprises and West End Residential
Casey Carpenter, Speak & Own It Communications
Isaiah Findley-Pinnock, Eso Artisanal Pasta, Morristown
Eugene Lennon-Wynn and Brandon Baskerville, Empyre9, Totowa
Lori Montague, Wood Legacy Productions

Rep. Sherrill has continued her advocacy for the NJ-11 small business community throughout the pandemic. This week, she co-sponsored the Prioritized Paycheck Protection Program (P4) Act (H.R. 7241). This legislation will allow small businesses with under 100 employees who have seen revenue declines of at least 50% to apply for a 2nd PPP loan and would extend the decline to apply for an initial PPP loan to the end of this year. It would require the SBA to issue guidance to lenders instructing them to prioritize lending to underserved businesses — given that Black-owned small businesses were greatly underserved by the initial round of PPP loans, this will directly allow them to receive priority this round. The P4 also requires the Small Business Administration to collect demographic information about PPP recipients.

Camilo Rodriguez Charged with Disorderly Conduct/Criminal Trespass

Frank L. Cahill
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Camilo Rodriguez Charged with Disorderly Conduct/Criminal Trespass

HACKETTSTOWN — The Hackettstown Police responded to River’s Edge Gardens Apartments, 211 Mountain Avenue, in reference to a male attempting to break into vehicles on Tuesday, August 18 at 3:41 p.m.

When the victim went to confront the suspect, the suspect took off running down Mountain Avenue.

The victim caught up to the suspect on Route 57 and attempted to confront him until officers arrived.

The suspect was identified as Camilo A. Rodriguez, 39, Parsippany, and it was determined that he did enter one vehicle but didn’t take anything.

Camilo was charged with criminal trespass and two counts of disorderly conduct. Camilo was released pending a court appearance. Assisting at the scene was the Mansfield Township Police.

Editor’s Note: An arrest or the signing of a criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  Despite this accusation, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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