MORRIS COUNTY — Acting Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll and Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker announce the promotion of Nicole Mercuro to the position of Special State Investigator/Detective in the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
Special State Investigator/Detective Mercuro will be assigned to the Domestic Violence Unit within the Special Crimes Division.
She joined the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in 2018 as a Support Staff, assisting the Domestic Violence Unit, Expungement Unit, and Record Room.
Prior to joining the MCPO, she interned for the Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness and Florham Park Police Department.
Special State Investigator/Detective Mercuro earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University.
Acting Prosecutor Carroll stated, “Nicole Mercuro has demonstrated the qualities necessary to serve at the next level in the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. I am confident she will serve with distinction in her new role.”
PARSIPPANY — Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany President Laura Wohland welcomed new member Olga Tsiavos at its annual installation dinner held at Elmas Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine.
Wohland 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 Olga to our club. We welcome Olga to our global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.”
Olga is an expert in both buying and selling real estate. She is a licensed broker with over 16 years of experience and always provides a wealth of essential real estate knowledge for her clients.
Growing up in a family of “entrepreneurs of real estate and earning multiple educational achievements in business. Olga succeeded in working as an operations manager for multiple businesses. This road led Olga to find her passion for helping people find their perfect home. Within 3 years, she became the “Top Agent” in her first Real estate office and held that position for over 13 years. Olga earned significant market recognition earning the NJ Realtors Distinguished Sales Club Award in addition to many NJ Association of Realtors Circle of Excellence Awards.
Olga has extensive experience in relocation, commercial property, leasing, foreclosure/ investment properties, and specializes in wide-ranging comprehensive seller marketing. Olga loves working with first time home buyers since it is one of the most exciting times in people’s lives.
Kiwanis members dedicate more than 6 million volunteer hours and invest more than $100 million in service projects that strengthen communities and serve children every year. Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany ensures that all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, successful lives. They believe that by helping one child, you help the world.
If you are interested in learning about our club, we currently meet weekly on Thursday at 7:15 a.m. at Empire Diner or you can join via Zoom by clicking here). For more information click here.
PARSIPPANY — Pet Valu said Wednesday that it will wind down operations and close all of its 358 stores and warehouses across the U.S., including Parsippany.
Pet Valu, located at 3053 Route 46, Morris Hills Shopping Center.
Total inventory blowout sales begin November 5 at every store with savings up to 20 percent off. Pet Points Plus members can continue to earn points and get 5 percent off until Saturday, November 21.
Meanwhile, the store is offering discounts and encouraging customers to cash in rewards and gift cards by Sunday, December 13. All sales are final.
Pet Valu’s recently appointed chief restructuring officer Jamie Gould said the company’s stores “have been significantly impacted by the protracted COVID-19-related restrictions.”
To find a complete listing of Pet Valu stores, click here.
PARSIPPANY — Taco Bell, located at 1560 Route 46, Parsippany is temporarily closed.
Visitors to the location found a note on the door stating “We’re sorry, but this location is temporarily closed. Check out our app or get Taco Bell delivered straight to your door by ordering online.”
There was no reason posted as to the temporary closing.
Moe’s Denville remains open and welcomes all Parsippany customers. They are located at 16 West Main Street.
Moe’s Southwest Grill, referred to informally as Moe’s, was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, in December 2000, by Raving Brands. In August 2007, the brand was purchased by FOCUS Brands. As of July 14, 2014 the number of Moe’s locations increased to over 550 in the US after signing 120 new franchises in six months.
Moe’s Parsippany opened in August 2016.
There was another Moe’s, located in the Morris Hills Shopping Center, that closed in 2015, and was replaced with Chipotle Mexican Grill.
TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy signed S864, which prohibits the use of single-use plastic and paper bags in all stores and foodservice businesses statewide. This bill is a significant step to reduce the harm and pollution that these products cause to our environment.
“Plastic bags are one of the most problematic forms of garbage, leading to millions of discarded bags that stream annually into our landfills, rivers, and oceans,” said Governor Murphy. “With today’s historic bill signing, we are addressing the problem of plastic pollution head-on with solutions that will help mitigate climate change and strengthen our environment for future generations.”
Starting May 2022, both plastic and paper single-use bags, as well as disposable food containers and cups made out of polystyrene foam, will be banned. Paper bags require resources and energy to produce, contributing to pollution. Moving forward, the focus throughout the state will be on using reusable bags. The following products will be exempt for an additional two years after May 2022:
Disposable, long-handled polystyrene foam soda spoons when required and used for thick drinks;
Portion cups of two ounces or less, if used for hot foods or foods requiring lids;
Meat and fish trays for raw or butchered meat, including poultry, or fish that is sold from a refrigerator or similar retail appliance;
Any food product pre-packaged by the manufacturer with a polystyrene foam foodservice product; and
Any other polystyrene foam foodservice product as determined necessary by the Department of Environmental Protection.
Under the new law, food service businesses will be allowed to provide single-use plastic straws only upon request starting November 2021.
“From our cities to our shores, single-use plastic bags unnecessarily litter New Jersey’s most treasured spaces and pollute our ecosystems,” said New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe. “By banning single-use plastic bags, Governor Murphy and our legislature continue to make a New Jersey a national leader in environmental protection and the DEP stands ready to implement these new measures and educate the public.”
“Environmental activists and supporters of this bill have been waiting years for this moment. Plastic pollution has caused untold damage to the environment and to our public health,” said Senator Bob Smith, chair of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee. “Taking action to fight plastic pollution now is key to moving towards a plastic-free future. I want to thank the Governor for being a strong partner on this legislation.”
“If you go to the shore, you see plastic buried in the sand and floating in the ocean. There are an estimated 150 million metric tons of plastics currently in our oceans and about eight million metric tons are added each year,” said Senator Linda Greenstein, vice-chair of the Senate Environment and Energy Committee. “We have heard from countless activists and residents around the state, and they have made it clear that they are sick of plastics polluting our ecosystem. Now that this bill is signed by the Governor, New Jersey is closer than ever to a cleaner, greener future.”
“The health and safety of future generations depend on the choices we make today. Single-use plastic products are one of the single greatest threats to our oceans, environment, and health,” said Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin. “Many of our municipalities have already taken steps to limit the use of carryout bags and containers; now, it’s time for the State to act. This is the strongest law implemented in the nation to curb the use of these products and maintains New Jersey’s stance as a leader in environmental protection.”
“Single-use carryout products fill up landfills and find their way into our oceans,” said Assemblyman James Kennedy. “There are more sustainable, environmentally-friendly alternatives that many are already using in place of these products. This new law aims to encourage all of us to act together to protect New Jersey’s environmental future.”
“Nearly 40 towns in New Jersey have banned plastic bags, and many others have passed ordinances addressing their use,” said Assemblyman John McKeon. “This new law supports community efforts to reduce litter and protect their environments. The reality is: disposable plastics are causing damage to our environment. Anything we can do to curb its effects will help us better protect our oceans, our communities, our health, and to fight climate change.”
“This is an environmental victory that’s been years in the making,” said Amy Goldsmith, NJ State Director, Clean Water Action. “Thank you, Governor Murphy, not once but twice – first for vetoing the 2018 bill that would set back efforts to prevent plastic waste, and now for signing the nation’s strongest waste reduction law. It was well worth the wait. New Jersey is now leading the paradigm shift away from single-use disposables to reusables.”
“Today is a historic day for New Jersey’s waterways, 130-mile coastline, and open spaces. This nation-leading single-use plastics and paper reduction policy will do exactly what we need it to—reduce the 4.4 billion single-use plastic and 1,300 football fields of trees worth of paper bags that New Jerseyans use every year,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey LCV. “As the political voice for the environment in New Jersey, we have even more to celebrate – this is the third of our five bold Common Agenda for the Environment legislative priorities signed into law this session. We are thankful to Governor Murphy, bill sponsors Senator Bob Smith and Assemblywoman Nancy Pinkin, and our partners at ANJEC, the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed, and New Jersey Audubon who have helped us lead the charge for this nation-leading legislation.”
“It’s a good day for marine critters and the power of the people,” said Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action. “For over 35 years, thousands of COA’s Beach Sweep volunteers have collected over 7.2 million pieces of trash, mostly plastic, off NJ’s beaches. Thanks to Governor Murphy and the NJ Legislature, we’ve successfully drawn a line in the sand and made NJ a world leader in reducing the plastic plague on this marvel of a planet.”
“Kudos to Governor Murphy and Senator Smith for having the guts to do something big to help clean-up our waterways. Barnegat Bay and our beaches will be cleaner for people to enjoy and wildlife to thrive. We are grateful for your leadership especially during these challenging times,” said Britta Forsberg-Wenzel, Executive Director, Save Barnegat Bay.
“The Surfrider Foundation applauds the Governor’s decision to sign this bill. New Jersey regains some leadership on environmental issues by taking on single-use bags, foamed plastic, and plastic straws all at once with this legislation,” said John Weber, Mid Atlantic Regional Manager for the Surfrider Foundation.
“This is a great day. New Jersey has now become a national leader in going after plastics and protecting our environment. This statewide plastic ban will help protect our rivers and streams from plastic that has been known to kill whales, get into our environment, and into us. This comprehensive plastic ban not only bans plastic bags but also polystyrene and the offering of plastic straws. This is a critical step forward when it comes to protecting our environment from plastics,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “There were those who wanted legislation that only put a fee on plastic and fought for a weak bill 2 years ago. We want to thank the Governor for all he did signing this bill and vetoing the weaker bill. Now we have the strongest plastic ban in the nation.”
“Governor Murphy signed the strongest single-use ban on plastics in the country to prioritize our wildlife and our communities over endless plastic waste polluting our waterways,” said Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey. “Plastic and polystyrene items we use for 15 minutes should not end up in our environment and communities for endless generations. Polystyrene cannot be cost-effectively recycled on a mass scale and we need to transition to reusable bags. We are deeply thankful for Governor Murphy’s leadership vetoing a half-measure plastics bill two years ago and his support for a more comprehensive ban and we are thrilled that New Jersey can be a national leader in reducing single-use waste.”
“Hats off to Governor Murphy for signing this sweeping plastic reduction law. This is exactly the type of law we need to reverse the projection that in the next decade, there will be one pound of plastic in the ocean for every three pounds of fish. This never would have happened without broad public support and local governments first adopting their own plastic reduction laws. Now is a good time for all residents of New Jersey to start using reusable bags and avoid polystyrene and not even wait for the new law to kick in,” said Judith Enck, President of Beyond Plastics and former EPA Region 2 Regional Administrator.
“This is a historic day for New Jersey,” said Jennifer Coffey, Executive Director of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions (ANJEC). “This law marks a monumental step forward in the fight against the fossil fuel industry and their production of disposable plastics, and a win for wildlife, clean rivers, and our ocean. After years of local officials taking steady, incremental steps towards banning single-use plastic bypassing 130 local ordinances, we are finally doing away with polluting plastic bags and polystyrene food containers for good. This law is a product of many stakeholders and legislators working together to ensure all voices are heard, and we thank Governor Murphy for signing this bill into law.”
MORRIS COUNTY — For the fourth consecutive year, County College of Morris (CCM) has been ranked number one in New Jersey by PayScale for associate degree holders who earn the highest salaries.
PayScale’s 2020-21 “Best Community Colleges in New Jersey by Salary Potential” placed CCM first among 24 institutions of higher education in New Jersey who award associate degrees. The 2020-21 report noted that CCM alumni by mid-career, who have more than 10 years of work experience, earn an average of $71,500. The PayScale report looked only at those who possess an associate and no higher degree. PayScale’s 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2019-20 reports also placed CCM first in the state based on the earnings of its associate degree graduates.
The 2020-21 report also showed that CCM associate degree holders, with five years of work experience or less, earn an average early career salary of $46,700, which is comparable to the salaries earned by graduates with a bachelor’s degree from mid-level colleges in New Jersey.
“We’re proud to once again earn this recognition of the value of a CCM education,” remarked Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. “Ranking number one for four years in a row is additional confirmation that CCM offers students high-quality programs and services to achieve their dreams, earn good salaries, and impact the world.”
MORRIS COUNTY — The polls are closed and the ballots are being tallied and soon Morris County residents will know who will represent them on the Board of Freeholders. As of Tuesday, November 3, 2020, 9:55:31 p.m. the following results for the Morris County Board of Freeholder candidates. 26.41% of the votes in Morris County were counted.
Editor’s Note: This coverage is made possible throughVotebeat, a nonpartisan reporting project covering local election integrity and voting access. The article is available for reprint under the terms ofVotebeat’s republishing policy. By Colleen O’Dea, SENIOR WRITER, NJ Spotlight. Colleen O’Dea has spent her entire career reporting New Jersey news and won numerous state and national journalism awards and fellowships. She joined NJ Spotlight News in 2011 and now serves as its data reporter, as well as covering general assignment topics that include elections, politics, criminal justice, social issues, and affordable housing.
With the early mail-in ballot tally approaching the total number of votes in the 2016 presidential election, no one was sure how many people might come out to vote in person on Tuesday.
But voters did come out. And in some cases, the New Jersey voters who chose not to mail in their votes faced problems at the polls on Election Day, from locations that did not open on time to poll workers providing incorrect guidance.
The delayed opening of at least three polling locations in Newark led to long lines and reports of at least some people leaving without voting because they had to go to work, according to tips from ProPublica’s Electionland project, of which NJ Spotlight News is a member. Voters also reported delayed openings at polling locations in Trenton, New Brunswick, and Paterson.
Henal Patel, director of democracy and justice at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, said the “most egregious” problems reported to the election protection coalition of legal and advocacy groups were the delayed openings of polls in Newark, which also had only two drop boxes in the center of the city where voters could deposit mail-in ballots early despite having the largest number of registrants in the state.
“This is a major issue; it’s unacceptable,” she said. “I don’t think we have a clear reason for what happened. We heard some reports that the county did not have printed ballots.”
Essex County Board of Elections Clerk Linda Von Nessi did not respond to a request for comment.
While 3.75 million people in New Jersey had submitted mail-in ballots as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, it was clear that thousands more decided to vote in person, using paper provisional ballots.
Problems at some polls
There were reports that no signs were visible to indicate that typical polling locations were closed or to clearly say where to vote at open sites. At Rafael Hernandez Elementary School in Newark, one of the polling places where voters lined up around the block Tuesday morning due to the delayed opening, a handwritten sign on one door said voting would occur in the gymnasium but there were no signs directing voters to that location, which was around the block, through a chain-link fence and partially hidden by a dumpster.
“Where is the sign?” asked Julia Cabrera, a Newark resident who chose to vote in-person to ensure her vote would count. “They’re just making it difficult for minorities because they know our votes count.”
The polling place at Rafael Hernandez Elementary School, Newark is behind the dumpster.
Reports claimed disabled voters were unable to use a machine to vote and others that said poll workers were providing incorrect information — in one case, telling a woman who had brought her husband’s mail-in ballot to a polling place to sign in for him and in another of a woman being told to take a provisional ballot and drop it in the mail because the polling place would not be opening.
“We are seeing issues of poll workers giving out incorrect information, which creates confusion,” Patel said. “We seem to be getting more of this than we usually do.”
The process of a mostly mail-in ballot election for New Jersey had already been confusing for those who chose to vote early, with many unsure about how to fill out the ballots and others distrustful of using mail-in ballots based on statements made by President Donald Trump and some New Jersey Republican leaders.
Because all active registered voters received a mail-in ballot and most people were expected to vote early that way, counties consolidated polling locations — at least half the typical sites had to be open. While counties were to have sent voters a mailer listing their in-person voting place, people were also being encouraged to use the state’s polling place locator to find their voting spot. But that, and the state’s ballot tracker, were both down for a time late Tuesday morning, though they were back up by early afternoon.
The area highlighted in red shows the message on the New Jersey Division of Elections’ website, alerting users to a problem with the site; the problem, which occurred Tuesday morning, was resolved.
Alicia D’Allesandro, a spokeswoman for the state Division of Elections, said that some voters may have found the state tracking site slow because of volume, but stressed that county offices were having “no issues” downloading votes to the state system.
“Nothing at this point is slowing the vote,” she said.
Secretary of State Tahesha Way, who oversees elections, downplayed Election Day problems during a visit to the multi-district voting site at the Prudential Center in Newark.
“It is going as well as expected,” she said. “The small hiccups happen in every election.”
Complaints of electioneering violations
A number of voters also complained of violations of state law on electioneering, specifically the rule that no one can advocate for a candidate within 100 feet of a polling location. There is no legal bar to electioneering at a dropbox, only at polling locations.
Close by the polling place in High Bridge, Hunterdon County on Election Day.
Gov. Phil Murphy had said Monday that state officials were ready for any potential acts of mischief or intimidation at the polls and would not tolerate any actions like the pro-Trump caravan of vehicles that blocked traffic on the Garden State Parkway on Sunday.
“I believe we’re going to have a safe and successful day, but we’re gonna take nothing for granted,” he said. “And I would just say to folks, any amount of intimidation is categorically, flat out, one hundred percent, black-and-white illegal. And that will be enforced strenuously.”
The number of New Jerseyans who wind up voting on Election Day may not be known for some time since officials will not start counting provisional ballots until after all mail-in votes are tallied.
Because of the election schedule, the counting of ballots will continue for another two weeks or longer and none of the election night results will be certain for a while.
Most congressional races probably will be called
That won’t stop most of the congressional races from being called, as one party or the other has a substantial voter registration majority in most districts. But the closest races, expected to be Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s 2nd District seat, Democratic Rep. Andy Kim’s 3rd District seat, and Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski 7th District seat, could well remain undecided until all provisional ballots cast in person at the polls on Tuesday are counted. The results of the election won’t be certified until Nov. 20.
“There will be a lot of pressure on the county clerks to get the vote count right,” said Matthew Hale, a political science professor at Seton Hall University. “That could take time … But I think overall New Jersey seems to be in better shape than most places.”
During a virtual rally last night, Democrats warned patience would be needed, as the count would take more than a week.
Some Republican strategists said more GOP voters than Democrats are likely to vote in person and because of the delay in counting provisional ballots, close races with mail-in-only results that appear to favor Democrats could swing red once provisional ballots are counted. If that happens, it would be the opposite of a national trend called the “blue shift” in which later ballot counts tend to favor Democrats because they tend to cast more provisional ballots that are tallied later.
A Fairleigh Dickinson University poll last month found Republicans more likely to distrust mail-in balloting. According to the poll, three-quarters of Republicans said mail-in voting is susceptible to fraud, while almost the same number of Democrats trust the safety and security of ballots cast by mail.
With every active registered voter in New Jersey automatically sent a mail-in ballot to minimize the spread of COVID-19, the pre-Election Day turnout was substantial: The number of ballots cast as of noon on Nov. 2 had reached 90% of the 2016 presidential turnout of 3.98 million people, which represented 68% of those registered. Gov. Phil Murphy was predicting the state’s rate would exceed that this year.
Republican resistance to election changes
Republicans initially resisted the change. Many called for Murphy to allow for machine voting at polling places. The state Republican Party joined with the Trump campaign in a suit challenging the change — originally put in place as an executive order, then ultimately voted by lawmakers — in federal court, but a judge dismissed the suit. Some GOP leaders included Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick of Union County, falsely stated that polling places would not be open. Ultimately the state Republican Party and candidates sent out mailers calling mail-in balloting safe and urging voters to place their votes in one of the 329 drop boxes placed around the state.
Akin to the national trend, Democrats initially returned ballots at greater rates than Republicans, but that changed over the last weekend. An NJ Spotlight News analysis of mail-in balloting through Nov. 1 found that 66.2% of Republicans who got a ballot had returned it, compared with 64.1% of Democrats. But Democrats dominate both Republicans and unaffiliated voters in the state and 43.6% of all ballots submitted were from Democrats, compared to 25.9% from Republicans.
The change, enacted by Murphy at the end of August, left county officials scrambling to get 6 million ballots printed and mailed, drop boxes with cameras installed, large open spaces to process and scan ballots while still socially distancing, and armies of temporary staff hired to deal with the tight timeline to completely transform the way they have conducted balloting for decades.
Mail-in ballots take much longer to count than machine tallies, but with a federal election deadline looming due to the presidential election the law Democrats passed and Murphy signed allowed counties to begin scanning ballots into counting machines 10 days before Election Day. That has enabled many counties to keep up with the steady stream of ballots, with the help of extra workers; Bergen County, for instance, has brought on about 100 temporary staff to help with the work. Other counties, including Camden, have been relying on workers loaned from other county departments and the National Guard to assist them.
Rich Ambrosino, a member of the Camden Board of Elections, said that as of last Friday, seven days into the early counting, Camden County had only opened and processed “a little over half” of nearly 200,000 ballots it had received. Once the ballots were out and flattened, the county had seven high-speed counters that would work quickly.
‘Laborious’ counting of ballots
Board of elections members has been working overtime, as a majority of members in each county is required to oversee ballot processing and scanning, and the boards — split evenly between Democrats and Republicans — have also been meeting four times a week to consider whether to question ballots due to a signature mismatch or other issues.
Eileen Kean, a board member in Monmouth County, said the work has been “laborious” but all the early votes should mean relatively few people showing up in person at polling locations.
“The publicity about this was so good that people know they will not be able to vote on a machine” and decided to vote early using a mail-in ballot, she said.
But this being New Jersey’s first statewide mail-in ballot election, it has been fraught with glitches and voter confusion. As a member of Pro Publica’s Electionland project, NJ Spotlight News has received dozens of tips from voters, ranging from people who never got a mail-in ballot despite trying repeatedly to those who received duplicate ballots or ballots for people who had not lived at their address for many years.
Still, Murphy said Monday that he thinks the election process has worked well overall and that the early counting will provide a good picture of what the ultimate results will be.
“I believe we will know a fair amount” on election night, he said.
No mystery in some races
Democrat Joe Biden is well ahead in the polls in New Jersey and expected to win the state’s presidential contest easily. Similarly, U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, finishing his first full term, is expected to beat Republican Rikin Mehta, who had raised less than $600,000 through Oct. 14, not quite 5% of Booker’s $14.4 million campaign account.
Nationally, though, it is unclear when the race for president and control of Congress will be known, given that states are conducting their elections according to different rules, including whether voting in person or by mail, when votes would begin to be counted and how long the counting can last.
In an email message Monday, Audrey Kline, national policy director of the National Vote at Home Institute, said Americans need to understand that, despite assertions that Trump has made, there is nothing nefarious about a vote count that continues beyond Election Day.
“Regardless of whether we have fast or slow results on election night, neither one is an indication of fraud,” she said.
— John Mooney and Jeff Pillets contributed to this story.
Henal Patel, director of democracy and justice at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice, said the “most egregious” problems reported to the election protection coalition of legal and advocacy groups were the delayed openings of polls in 
