PARSIPPANY — A group of fifteen Parsippany High School students, four teachers and two administrators met for a summer book club.
The students and staff involved all read the young adult novel We Were Liars by E. Lockhart. After having some snacks and drinks, the group discussed and analyzed the novel, sharing their insight and questions.
The best part of the day was when the group took out their phones and did some live tweeting with the author. The author answered their questions for forty-five minutes using the hashtag #phsreads.
Some of the topics included her inspiration for the book; a potential film based on the book; her use of fairy tales as a plot device; and the themes of family, friendship, grief and race. It was a great day for all involved.
HANOVER — Morris County’s newest Wegmans Food Market should be open by the first half of 2017, according Jeanne Colleluori, a Wegmans spokeswoman.
Construction is underway on a long-awaited Wegmans Food Market in Hanover. According to Ms. Colleluori, the company is working on designing plans for the interior. She stated all the products and services offered at other Wegmans locations in the Garden State, should be offered in the new store.
Most stores have pizzerias and buffets with sit-down areas to enjoy food.
Colleluori has previously said shoppers can look forward to “consistent low prices and incredible service” at the store, which will have “a focus on restaurant quality foods” and “organic options in every department.”
There are seven other New Jersey locations: Bridgewater, Cherry Hill, Manalapan, Mount Laurel, Ocean, Princeton, and Woodbridge Township.
Trees were cleared from the 38.5 acre site — for the Wegmans Food Store and other retail stores, including possibly a bank — located close to the intersection of Ridgedale Avenue and Sylvan Way, in the Mack-Cali Business Campus off of Route 10 in Parsippany.
The site work is visible to Route 287 south, past the Entin Road exit and before the Route 10 exit.
In 2013, Hanover Planning Board approved a 140,000 square-foot Wegmans supermarket along with three restaurant buildings, a bank building and parking for 1,178 cars at Sylvan Way and Ridgedale Avenue located on the northern side of Route 10 across from Ridgedale on what is now vacant wooded land.
The entrance exit would entail a jug handle on Route 10 at an extension of Ridgedale Avenue across Route 10.
Wegmans would be one of the largest supermarkets in Morris County and, at 120,000 square feet, larger even than the gargantuan 80,000-square foot ShopRite of Morristown on East Hanover Avenue that opened November 2013.
The site will use water and sewer from Parsippany-Troy Hills for the property, under an agreement that dates back some 25 years, and was renewed by the Township Council in 2013.
Making way for a new Wegmans Food Store
The heavy equipment is clearing the site
More heavy equipment
Drainage pipes ready to be installed
Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. is a privately held U.S. regional supermarket chain headquartered in Gates, New York, near Rochester. Wegmans has 85 stores in the mid-Atlantic and New England regions, in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Virginia. Founded in 1916 in Rochester, Wegmans has appeared on Fortune’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list since the list first appeared in 1998, and has ranked among the top 10 for eight consecutive years. Food Network recognized it with its award for Best Grocery Store in 2007, and Consumer Reports ranked it the top large U.S. grocery chain in 2012 and in 2014. It was also profiled as part of “Here Are The Jobs” segment on Politics Nation on July 6, 2012.
Danny Wegman is CEO. His daughter, Colleen Wegman, is president; his other daughter, Nicole Wegman, is vice-president of restaurant operations. His father, Robert, who died in 2006, was chairman. Robert was the son of co-founder Walter. During his life, Robert Wegman distinguished himself as a pioneer in the retail food business, as well as a generous donor to educational institutions and other charities.
The owner of the property is Hanover 3201, stands for the tax lot number of the site, is a subsidiary of Mack-Cali Realty LP.
The site is approximately 4.5 miles from the failed Whole Foods site on Waterview Boulevard.
Water use in New Jersey has increased, which environmentalists say could cause problems during the next drought. The total amount of water used by families, businesses, and two nuclear power plants rose by 110 million gallons per day between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. That amounts to an increase of…
PARSIPPANY — A Video Game Con, a video game convention dedicated to both retro and modern gaming, will take place Saturday, September 19, at the Parsippany PAL Youth Center, 33 Baldwin Road.
The convention will start at 10:00 a.m. and continue until 11:45 p.m.
The event in celebration of all things video gaming and will offer many game-related activities including free to play arcade and gaming consoles, indie developer showcases, gaming tournaments, musical performances, special guests and cosplay.
It will also bring together some of the best video game vendors in the tri-state area for buying, selling, and trading games as well as vendors selling customized apparel and unique artwork.
The convention is organized by ButtonSmasher, LLC, a company founded by Paul Solomine, a local video game enthusiast and collector.
Special guests scheduled to attend AVGC include:
• Billy Mitchell: video game arcade record holder and legend
• Richie Knucklez: arcade owner, classic arcade restorer, and Arcade Culture Webshow host
• Brain Nelson aka DJ Wheels: Asteroids arcade world record holder
• Lua Suicide: alternative model, cosplayer, and SuicideGirl
• Elena Blueskies: NYC-based cosplayer
• Toni X Temptress: local cosplayer
• Clown Queen: local cosplayer
• Jules Starn: local cosplayer
• Shock: video game tournament guru, Mortal Kombat legend, and owner of KombatNetwork
The convention will feature a musical performance showcase, including the following acts:
• Chipocrite: Mixing the sounds of a Nintendo GameBoy and contemporary influences, the legendary chiptune artist, Chipocrite (Paul Weinstein), has composed music for live performances such as Vans Warp Tour, MAGFest, AnimeNext and various video games such as Beard Wars and EarthNight.
• Kris Keyser: Using retro technology, another chiptune veteran, Kris Keyser, composes low-bit songs and soundtracks. Kris has performed at notable shows such as Blip Festival, PAX East and MAGFest. His music has been featured in the 8bitpeoples label, and several indie games such as Armillo: The Parallel Universe Mystery and Chip Beat Blaster.
• Montclair Gamer Symphony Orchestra: Formed by a local ensemble of gamers with musical talents, the Montclair Gamer Symphony Orchestra performs live orchestral music from fan favorite games such as The Legend of Zelda, Super Mario, Halo and Pokemon.
• The Schwam: This multi-genre group consists of members Brandon Bachrach, Jason Basner, Jon Rosario, Mike Marguccio and Bryan George. They cover a variety of music from the funky tunes of the 70’s to the trumpet pumping sounds of ska from the 90’s, including their own unique video game covers.
• 10th Dimension & Parallax: This dynamic EDM proudcer/DJ duo consist of Nima Moayer and Armin Papp, two musicians who are looking to bring their creative twist by changing up conventional beats and blending the genres of house, electro, breakbeat, dubstep, trap, hip-hop, and drum n bass in a single set.
What’s there to do at AVGC?
Cosplay Contests
Meet Special Guests
Musical Performances by chiptune DJs and rock bands
Panels about video game history, culture & more.
Pro & Casual Video Game Tournaments
Auctions/Raffles/Giveaways
Indie Video Game Developers
Video Game themed Burlesque show
Food to satisfy your caloric intake needs
Console Freeplay
and so much more.
The convention will also feature a special video game burlesque performance by Lily Stiches and the Ink & Paint Burlesque troupe.
Ticket prices range from $15.00 to $50.00 and can be purchased in advance. For tickets click here. For more information on the event, or other events, click here.
PARSIPPANY – A doctor with practices in Nassau County, New York, was charged with accepting bribes in exchange for test referrals as part of a long-running and elaborate scheme operated by Biodiagnostic Laboratory Services LLC (BLS), 181 New Road, its president and numerous associates, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Bret Ostrager, 50, of Woodbury, New York, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with one count of conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and the Federal Travel Act, three substantive violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute, and four substantive violations of the Federal Travel Act. Ostrager is scheduled to be arraigned before Judge Stanley Chesler on August 19, 2015.
Ostrager is the first defendant to be indicted in connection with the BLS bribery scheme. To date, 38 people – 26 of them doctors – have pleaded guilty in connection with the bribery scheme, which its organizers have admitted involved millions of dollars in bribes and resulted in more than $100 million in payments to BLS from Medicare and various private insurance companies. It is believed to be the largest number of medical professionals ever prosecuted in a bribery case. The investigation has to date recovered more than $11.5 million through forfeiture.
According to the indictment:
Between February 2011 and April 2013, Ostrager received monthly cash bribes of approximately $3,300.00 from BLS employees and associates. He periodically solicited and received from the BLS employees and associates tickets and meals that cost thousands of dollars. These additional bribes in response to specific requests from Ostrager included tickets to a New York Mets baseball game, a New York Knicks basketball game, a Katy Perry concert, a Justin Bieber concert, and the Broadway show “Newsies.” In exchange, Ostrager referred patient blood samples to BLS. Ostrager’s referrals generated approximately $909,000.00 in lab business for BLS.
If convicted, Ostrager faces a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison on each of the counts on which he is charged. Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert; IRS–Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen; and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Maria L. Kelokates, with the ongoing investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph N. Minish and Danielle Alfonzo Walsman, Senior Litigation Counsel Andrew Leven, and Jacob T. Elberg, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit in Newark, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward, Acting Chief of the office’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman reorganized the health care fraud practice at the New Jersey U.S. Attorney’s Office shortly after taking office, including creating a stand-alone Health Care and Government Fraud Unit to handle both criminal and civil investigations and prosecutions of health care fraud offenses. Since 2010, the office has recovered more than $635 million in health care fraud and government fraud settlements, judgments, fines, restitution and forfeiture under the False Claims Act, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and other statutes.
Thursday will be much like Wednesday weather-wise in New Jersey. So will Friday, Saturday and Sunday for that matter. It means several days of sunny skies, seasonable temperatures and next to no threat of rain, according to the National Weather Service. Highs will reach the mid 80s this afternoon as well as on Friday. Saturday and…
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Focus confirmed today with the Internal Revenue Service that the controversial Super PAC, America’s Future First (AFF), has still not filed any 2015 quarterly reports per federal law. In what residents are colloquially calling “Parsippany PAC-Gate” or just “PAC-gate”, this paper previously reported that virtually all donors to the Super PAC had contracts or ties to the Township of Parsippany Troy-Hills.
One of the smaller donors to the Super PACwas the law firm of Archer & Greiner of Haddonfield, NJ; a firm the Star Ledger reported as being one of the largest legal clients of New Jersey under Governor Christie. When Parsippany Focus originally noted that Archer & Greiner was an AFF donor, there was no apparent connection between the law firm and the Township.
It has since been revealed that Archer & Greiner has been retained by computer forensic expert Matthew Ferrante and his firm Aurora Information and Security Risk, a company which has billed the Township nearly $1,000,000 for imaging the computer hard drive of former Parsippany Police Captain James Carifi. Aurora has since negotiated their bill down to approximately $220,000.
Ferrante and his computer firm have been named as one of the defendants in a lawsuit Captain Carifi filed against the Township, Mayor James Barberio, and Township Attorney John Inglesino.
The Super PAC that Ferrante’s attorney donated money to is the same organization which supported Councilman Michael dePierro and his running mates this past spring. The Super PAC spent nearly $200,000 in trying to oust Carifi’s brother, Councilman Paul Carifi, Jr. in the June primary. Paul Carifi, Jr. ultimately won the most votes in the hotly contested GOP primary.
A long stretch of sunny, dry weather in New Jersey lies ahead. Following a Tuesday with periods of heavy rain, Wednesday looks ideal. It’s in the 60s as of 7 a.m. and will warm into the mid 80s this afternoon under sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service. Along the shore temperatures will be a…
Keep that umbrella handy, there’s more rain on the way Tuesday if it’s not already pouring in your area. Strong rain and winds are expected to continue throughout the night, possibly making the evening commute a difficult one, according to forecasters. As of 3 p.m., a line of scattered thunderstorms with torrential rainfall is bearing down…
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Washington Township Police Chief Michael Bailey announce the conclusion of the criminal investigation into the Saturday, April 18 motor vehicle accident that resulted in the death of a sixty eight year old male on West Mill Road in Washington Township.
On April 18, 2015 at 5:28 p.m., Washington Township Police received a 911 call of a motor vehicle crash in the area of 338 West Mill Road. A 1961 Chevrolet Corvette was struck by a 2013 Lexus SUV. The sole occupant of the Corvette, a 68 years old male, was injured and died as a result of his injuries.
The investigation revealed that the 1961 Corvette was travelling West on West Mill Road. Also during this time a 2013 Lexus RX was traveling East on West Mill Road. The Lexus crossed over the center double line for unknown reasons striking the Corvette head-on, causing the fatal injuries to the sole occupant of the Corvette.
After a thorough investigation by law enforcement, and in coordination with the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the New Jersey State Police Forensics Laboratory, no evidence of criminal conduct was found on the part of the driver of the Lexus. Analysis of the driver’s blood did not reveal the presence of any substance that would have impaired one’s ability to operate a motor vehicle. As such, no criminal charges are forthcoming arising out of this incident.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank Police Chief Michael Bailey and the Washington Township Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Section, the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office, for their collective assistance in this matter.
