This split-level home at 900 Sioux Avenue in Lake Hiawatha sold for $687,111, roughly 6% over its $649,900 asking price.
PARSIPPANY — Thirty-five homes recently sold across Parsippany-Troy Hills, spanning the township’s Lake Hiawatha, Mount Tabor and central Parsippany sections, as well as neighborhoods that carry Denville and Morris Plains mailing addresses despite lying within township boundaries. Sale prices ranged from $250,000 to $1,460,000.
A four-bedroom, two-bathroom home at 900 Sioux Avenue sold for $687,111 on Friday, July 10, more than $37,000 above its original asking price.
The split-level home sits behind a manicured lawn shaded by a mature tree, with foundation plantings, trimmed shrubs, and a mulched flower bed lining a brick walkway to the front entrance.
The house has 1,944 square feet of living space, a one-car garage, and sits on a 6,186-square-foot lot. Built in 1983, it had been listed for $649,900 since Sunday, April 26.
Evangelina Espiritu of C-21 Gemini represented the seller. Sophie E. Marshall of Addison Real Estate represented the buyer.
PARSIPPANY — The Township Council of Parsippany-Troy Hills voted unanimously Tuesday, September 1 to approve a $75,000 contract for a partial roof replacement at Town Hall, continuing a project that began with an earlier phase of repairs.
Resolution R2026-201 awards the contract to Northeast Roof Maintenance, Inc., of Perth Amboy, for what is described as “Phase II” of the partial roof replacement at Town Hall. The contract was awarded through the Bergen County Cooperative Purchasing System, a cooperative purchasing program that allows municipalities to acquire goods and services without a separate public bidding process, under state law governing local public contracts.
According to the resolution, Northeast Roof Maintenance submitted a proposal in the amount of $75,000 for the work. Because the cost exceeds the township’s bid threshold of $53,000, state regulations required the council to formally approve the award.
The township’s Chief Financial Officer certified that sufficient funds are available in the current budget to cover the cost, which will be charged to a designated capital account.
The resolution authorizes the mayor, township administrator, chief financial officer, township attorney, township clerk, purchasing agent, and other necessary officials to execute the documents needed to finalize the contract.
A ribbon cutting ceremony officially opened the Pompton Valley Rail Trail in May 2025. From left, Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, who is also secretary of the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, Passaic County Commissioner John Bartlett, Morris County Commissioner and liaison to the Morris County Park Commission Doug Cabana, Pequannock Council members Melissa Florance-Lynch and David Kohle, Morris County Park Commissioner Betty Cass-Schmidt, Pequannock Mayor John Driesse, Morris County Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen, and Chris Vitz, Morris County Engineer and Director of the Department of Public Works.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County residents and trail users are being asked to help identify gaps and barriers in the region’s trail network through an online survey by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, known as NJTPA.
The online survey seeks input from people who walk, bike, or roll in Morris, Passaic, and Union counties, including feedback on where connections between trails and nearby destinations could be made safer, easier, and more comfortable.
Responses will help inform recommendations being developed through NJTPA studies of the Pompton Valley Rail Trail and the Traction Line Recreation Trail.
“Whether you walk or bike these trails regularly or just enjoy them from time to time, we want to hear from you. Your knowledge and experience of our trails helps us identify opportunities to improve safety and make our trail network even better,” said Morris County Commissioner Stephen H. Shaw, Third Vice Chair of the NJTPA Board of Trustees. “We encourage everyone to take a few minutes to complete the survey and share your ideas.”
The NJTPA is also seeking input from residents who would like to walk or bike more but encounter barriers that make those trips difficult. Survey responses can help identify locations where missing connections, crossings, or other conditions prevent people from comfortably continuing their trips.
Improving connections between existing trails can make them more useful for both recreation and everyday travel, providing better access to neighborhoods, parks, open spaces, transit, and other destinations.
The survey is part of two NJTPA studies exploring potential improvements to the Pompton Valley Rail Trail and the Traction Line Recreation Trail. The Pompton Valley Rail Trail Extension Study is exploring ways to connect the northern end of the trail in Pequannock Township and the southern end of the Highlands Rail Trail in Wanaque Borough, as well as connecting the trail to the Mountain View Train Station in Wayne. The Traction Line Recreation Trail Extension Study is exploring options for connecting the Traction Line to Patriot’s Path and the Rahway Valley Rail Trail.
The studies are being conducted in partnership with the North Jersey Trail Network initiative, led by the New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition and Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
Residents can take the survey online. The survey will remain open through Monday, September 7. More information about the trail studies is available on NJTPA’s website.
PARSIPPANY — Burtons Grill & Bar will open its first New Jersey restaurant this October at District 15Fifteen in Parsippany, located at 1525 Route 10.
The restaurant will offer an all-day menu of American dishes prepared from scratch, including appetizers, salads, seafood, steaks and classic entrées, along with options for food allergies and dietary preferences, including an extensive gluten-free menu.
The Parsippany location will span 7,400 square feet with seating for 243 guests. The restaurant will include a 30-seat bar, a private dining room with audiovisual capabilities that seats up to 46 guests, and a 64-seat outdoor patio with ceiling fans, lighting, overhead heaters and lounge seating. The company said the interior will feature Audubon-inspired murals and greenery.
Menu items expected to be offered include crab-crusted haddock, a lobster roll, a burger made with Allen Brothers Angus beef, and a seven-layer chocolate cake. The beverage program will include wine, craft beer, cocktails and mocktails.
“Bringing Burtons Grill & Bar to New Jersey is a milestone moment for our team, and there’s no better fit for this debut than at District 15Fifteen in Parsippany — the energy and sense of community is tailor-made for what Burtons offers,” said John Haggai, chief executive officer of Burtons Grill & Bar. “We can’t wait to introduce guests to the Burtons experience and become the go-to restaurant for couples, colleagues, friends, and families alike.”
The company said the new restaurant is expected to bring 125 jobs to the community and that it is seeking additional locations for expansion in New Jersey.
Additional details on the opening date and menu are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, click here.
TRENTON — Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the Garden State Balcony Solar Act, a law designed to give New Jersey residents easier access to affordable, clean energy by removing regulatory obstacles for portable, plug-in solar panels.
The legislation, S2368/A4836, allows New Jersey residents to purchase and use plug-in solar devices to generate their own electricity and lower their utility bills.
Balcony solar devices connect to a standard 120-volt outlet, typically with a microinverter and adapter, and deliver electricity directly into a home’s existing electrical system, offsetting energy use and reducing costs. The devices and related equipment are widely available for purchase online and at local home improvement stores.
The new law exempts qualifying plug-in solar devices of up to 1,200 watts, roughly equivalent to the power used by a microwave oven, from utility interconnection and metering requirements, including certain fees, approvals and equipment mandates. It also prohibits landlords, homeowner associations and similar entities from broadly banning the devices, and bars municipalities from prohibiting their use or requiring permits.
The signing builds on Sherrill’s broader energy agenda aimed at lowering costs for New Jersey residents. During her inaugural address, Sherrill signed executive orders freezing rate hikes and accelerating new energy generation, particularly affordable, clean energy that can be deployed quickly. Since then, the administration has approved 18 new solar and battery storage projects, expanded community solar to 3,000 megawatts, signed legislation holding data centers and utility companies accountable and fast-tracked advanced grid technologies intended to cut costs. Officials estimate the combined actions will save New Jersey ratepayers $1 billion annually.
“From day one, I’ve been laser-focused on driving down energy costs through an all-of-the-above approach, and that includes putting clean, affordable solar power that you can simply plug in directly into the hands of New Jerseyans,” Sherrill said. “Balcony solar is a practical, easy-to-use tool that can help families save money while allowing more people to participate in our clean energy future. This bill cuts unnecessary red tape, expands access to affordable solar power, and proves that affordability and sustainability can go hand in hand.”
Senator John McKeon said the new law expands access to plug-in solar, particularly for renters and households without access to a private rooftop.
“With its signing today, we are greatly expanding access to plug-in solar, especially for renters and households without access to a private rooftop,” McKeon said. “By embracing innovative solutions like balcony solar, we can help households save on their utility bills and ensure the benefits of clean energy are accessible to all.”
Democratic Assemblyman Robert Karabinchak of Middlesex County said the law will make it easier for households, including renters, to access affordable solar energy without installing rooftop systems.
“This new law will make it easier for households, including renters, to access affordable solar energy without having to install rooftop solar systems,” Karabinchak said. “This is another step we are taking to help our residents save on their electricity costs.”
Doug O’Malley, director of Environment New Jersey, called the law a major step for renters and apartment dwellers who could not otherwise go solar.
“Plug-in solar is a simple concept, solar small enough to plug in but big enough to provide real environmental and bill benefits for residents who couldn’t go solar otherwise,” O’Malley said.
Jesse Sutherland, political and policy director for New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, said the act will help make the state’s clean energy transition more affordable, accessible and equitable.
Elowyn Corby, senior regional director for the Mid-Atlantic at Vote Solar Action Fund, said the measure builds toward a fairer energy system where more residents can share in the benefits of clean power.
Hannah Birnbaum, co-founder and chief of advocacy at Permit Power, said plug-in solar can save a family hundreds of dollars a year at no cost to ratepayers, adding that roughly 40 percent of New Jersey residents rent or live in apartments and have never had a way to lower their own power bill.
Top Row (L-R): Nicole DellaFave, Wendy Wright, Ph.D., Tim Berrios, Matt DeVitto, Dhaval Shah, Sheethal Abraham, Judy Mayer Bottom Row (L-R): Karen Chase, Ed.D. (Superintendent), Alison Cogan (President), Michelle Shappell (Vice-President), Dr. Steven E. McHugh, Sr. (Business Administrator)
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills students return to class on Wednesday, September 2, as the school district continues to track enrollment changes tied to new housing developments across the township.
At a recent Board of Education meeting, officials said student enrollment from new housing developments has grown by 51 since June, bringing the total number of students requiring busing from those developments to 129.
At the same time, overall district enrollment is down about 321 students compared with last year, according to figures presented at the meeting.
Board member Tim Berrios asked how many students would be bused specifically from 1515 Route 10. Board President Alison Cogan said 12 students, based on the latest update provided by Mrs. Tiffany Pizza.
Board members also pointed to the Lexica and PARQ developments as continuing sources of enrollment growth, noting that anticipated increases from new housing are already factored into the district’s planning.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education will meet next at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 10, at the Calabria Education Center.
RANDOLPH — County College of Morris, in partnership with Table of Hope, a program of the Spring Street Community Development Corporation, hosted a backpack giveaway to help Morris County families in need prepare for the school year.
With the help of state and local officials, generous sponsors and a large team of volunteers, including County College of Morris employees and student athletes, backpacks filled with school supplies and produce donated by Alstede Farms were provided to hundreds of Morris County families.
Elected officials on hand included Assemblyman Michael Inganamort, Morris County Sheriff John Ambrose, Morris County Surrogate Heather Darling, Chester Borough Mayor Janet Hoven, Randolph Township Councilman Joe Hathaway, Morristown Councilman Chris Russo and former Dover Mayor Carolyn Blackman.
Also participating were County College of Morris Board of Trustees Chair Paul Licitra, Vice Chair Lauren Inganamort, and Trustees Justin Lash and Hector Mislavsky.
Organizers also thanked the Parsippany-Troy Hills Office of Emergency Management, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and the Morris County Council of Education Associations for their support of the event.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany President Bonnie Sturm, NJ District Kiwanis International Governor Frank Cahill and Parsippany Mayor Pulkit Desai join Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany members for the club's annual school supplies collection. The donated supplies are available at the Parsippany Food Pantry.
PARSIPPANY — The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany held its annual school supplies collection, gathering backpacks, notebooks, folders and other classroom essentials for local students in need.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany President Bonnie Sturm, NJ District Kiwanis International Governor Frank Cahill and Parsippany Mayor Pulkit Desai joined club members for the collection effort.
The donated supplies are now available to families at the Parsippany Food Pantry, which distributes food and household items to residents facing hardship.
The school supplies drive is one of several community service projects the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany runs throughout the year in support of Parsippany-Troy Hills families and students.
Kiwanis International is a global service organization founded in 1915 and dedicated to improving the lives of children and families in communities around the world. Locally, the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany carries out that mission through projects such as the school supplies drive, food pantry support and its affiliated Key Club, Builders Club, K-Kids, and Aktion Club, a Kiwanis-sponsored service club for adults with disabilities.
Club members meet regularly to plan service projects and fundraising events benefiting Parsippany-Troy Hills youth and families, and the club welcomes new members throughout the year.
Residents interested in joining the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany or volunteering for its community service projects can contact Frank Cahill at (973) 559-6000 or [email protected].
Sheriff’s Officer Cpl. Chelsea Whiting, Hope One coordinator; Sheriff James Gannon; Commissioner Christine Myers; Human Services Director Kasey Errico; Chloe Finnerty; Amy Archer, director of the Division of Community and Behavioral Health and county mental health administrator; Senator Anthony Bucco; Carmine Pizzo; Timothy Gulick; Maria Stoker; and Pastor Chuck Corradino.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County officials joined families who lost loved ones to overdose, people in recovery, and community service providers outside the Morris County Human Services Complex in Parsippany Township to observe the twenty-fifth International Overdose Awareness Day.
Morris County Commissioner Christine Myers speaks at the county’s 25th International Overdose Awareness Day ceremony, honoring advocate Carol Egan and renewing the county’s commitment to preventing future overdose deaths.
The ceremony, organized by the Morris County Division of Community and Behavioral Health Services, marked the seventh consecutive year the county has held the observance at the Human Services Complex. Surrounded by photos of those who died, attendees renewed the county’s commitment to preventing future overdose deaths while paying tribute to longtime advocate Carol Egan, who died earlier this year.
Maria Stoker, recalls the day she lost her son, Thomas, to overdose on July 12, 2023.
“Carol was here from the beginning, and she stood on this very spot to lead the remembrance of those that we have lost,” said Morris County Commissioner Christine Myers. “She gave families remarkable hope and the courage to grieve together. The best way we can honor her memory is to continue what she started, to show up, to serve, to never stop believing that recovery is possible for every person.”
State Senator Anthony Bucco, who sponsored the legislation designating August 31 as Overdose Awareness Day in New Jersey, emceed the ceremony and led a tribute to Egan. He noted that Egan worked alongside Kathleen Hyland for more than three decades, together helping establish New Jersey’s first Municipal Alliance in 1990 and developing substance prevention programs in Morris Township and Morristown.
State Senator Anthony Bucco emcees Morris County’s 25th International Overdose Awareness Day ceremony, leading a tribute to longtime advocate Carol Egan and honoring families affected by the overdose crisis.
Chloe Finnerty, now seventeen, spoke at the ceremony. She was seven years old when her brother, Justin, died of an overdose in 2016, and stood beside her mother at the county’s first Overdose Awareness Day ceremony in 2020. “Addiction doesn’t define who you are,” Finnerty said. “There’s so much more to people than their struggles.”
A Decline in Overdose Deaths, But Continued Concern
New Jersey continues to see a significant decline in fatal drug overdoses. The state recorded 1,312 suspected overdose deaths in 2025, a 27 percent decrease from 2024 and more than a 50 percent decrease from the pandemic-era peak of 3,047 in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Fatal drug overdoses in Morris County are declining. This is worth celebrating,” said Morris County Sheriff James Gannon. “It tells us that our collective efforts, education, outreach, treatment and support are making a difference. But it also reminds us that our work is far from over, and every single loss is one too many.”
Morris County Sheriff James Gannon joins Hope One team members and community partners at the county’s Overdose Awareness Day ceremony, highlighting the mobile outreach program’s role in connecting residents to treatment and lifesaving naloxone training.
The county has responded to the crisis through programs including Hope One, Hope Hub, Community Connections, the Hope Wing at the Morris County Correctional Facility, and Navigating Hope, a mobile outreach partnership between the county’s Department of Human Services and Family Promise of Morris County. Since launching in 2017, Hope One has made approximately 77,000 community contacts and provided nearly 15,000 trainings on the emergency use of naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses. Gannon said the program has recorded 196 lives saved through those trainings and generated more than 2,300 referrals to services, and has since been replicated in nine other New Jersey counties.
Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Kelly, representing the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, described the office’s two-pronged approach of connecting people struggling with addiction to treatment while pursuing those who distribute dangerous narcotics, including through the Morris County Recovery Court program.
Personal Stories of Loss and Recovery
The ceremony included memorial banners displaying the names and photographs of Morris County residents who died from overdose, drawn from the Drug Epidemic Memorial, a virtual international wall whose creation was spearheaded by Egan.
Maria Stoker, whose son Thomas died from an overdose in 2023, shared her experience of losing a child to addiction. Carmine Pizzo, a recovering addict who now works with Market Street Mission, spoke about his path from addiction and homelessness to recovery. Timothy Gulick, a certified peer recovery specialist with Prevention Is Key, spoke about the effects of stigma on those struggling with addiction, recalling a line from another speaker at a past ceremony: “My brother did not die from an overdose; he died from shame.”
The program opened with a prayer from Rabbi Inna Serebro-Litvak of Temple Shalom in Roxbury Township and closed with a prayer from Pastor Chuck Corradino of Butler Church of the Nazarene.
The first Morris County Overdose Awareness Day ceremony was held in 2020, when the county planted a weeping cherry tree at the site in honor of lives lost to addiction and overdose. “Each year, as the cherry tree blossoms and grows, it reminds us that renewal is possible,” Myers said. “There is life after loss, and the work we do together matters.”
Morris County Sheriff’s Office Plaque Presentation, Sheriff James M. Gannon (left) & Chief McNally.
MORRIS COUNTY — Chief of Detectives Robert “Bob” McNally of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office is retiring after more than 30 years in law enforcement, marked Friday with a walkout ceremony at the Morris County Administration and Records Building.
The ceremony was attended by Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, members of the Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s Office, the Morris County Police Chiefs Association, local police departments and other colleagues. Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw presented McNally with a framed Resolution of Honor on behalf of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners, recognizing his law enforcement career and his service to the United States as a Marine.
Presentation of Retirement Credentials. From left, Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief Bob McNally & First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood.
“Since being appointed Chief of Detectives in 2023, Chief McNally has led the entire investigative division, keeping our county safe while managing state and federal partnerships,” Shaw said, also noting McNally’s role with the Police Pipes and Drums of Morris County. “On behalf of the Board of County Commissioners and a deeply grateful community, we thank him for his extraordinary lifetime of service.”
Carroll called McNally’s career one of “achievement, dedication and integrity,” saying his knowledge of violent crime investigations and complex cases earned him recognition as a leader respected across law enforcement.
A Career Spanning Federal and County Law Enforcement
McNally began his law enforcement career in 1996 with the United States Customs Service in Newark following his honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps, where he served as a sniper team leader and completed three deployments. As a federal officer, he made numerous arrests and seizures involving narcotics and currency violations, including a $1 million currency seizure tied to narcotics smuggling.
Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw (left) presents the framed Resolution of Honor to Chief Bob McNally.
He joined the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in 2003 as a detective, serving in the Intelligence and Professional Standards and Internal Affairs units before transferring to the Major Crimes Unit. Over roughly 12 years there, he investigated homicides, bank robberies, suspicious deaths, fatal fires and police-involved shootings. In 2007, he was named Morris County Detective of the Year by the Morris County Detectives Association for his work as lead detective on a homicide investigation involving human remains discovered in a remote part of the county.
McNally rose through the ranks as sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief of investigations before Carroll appointed him chief of detectives in February 2023. In that role, he led the office’s investigative division and served as a point of contact for Morris County’s 37 police departments, the Sheriff’s Office, the New Jersey State Police and federal partners.
“Bob has always been a talented, dedicated detective whose work made the Morris County community safer and brought closure to countless victims of crime and their families,” said Calderwood, who worked alongside McNally for 23 years.
Throughout his career, McNally served as a firearms instructor, hostage and crisis negotiator, and a member of the Tactical Narcotics Team. He completed the West Point Command and Leadership Program, FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association courses, and Crisis Mental Health Intervention Training, among other programs.
Sheriff Gannon praised McNally’s professionalism and integrity, saying his expertise in major crime investigations “set a benchmark for excellence.”
A longtime member of the Morris County Police Pipes and Drums, McNally has regularly performed at the county’s Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies. He is married to Sarah, a longtime employee of the Prosecutor’s Office, and they have three sons.
Councilmen Matthew Kavanugh, Paul Carfi, Jr., Matthew McGraft (standing), President Judy Hernandez and Vice President Diya Patel
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council will consider a range of items at its agenda meeting Tuesday, September 1, including a large bond anticipation note, a new road safety initiative and a redevelopment agreement tied to a Gatehall Drive project. The meeting will start at 7:00 p.m. at Parsippany Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard, Parsippany.
The council will consider combining several outstanding note issues into a single bond anticipation note totaling $55,225,000 in principal, along with a companion measure setting the terms and details of that note’s sale.
Vision Zero Initiative
The council will also consider adopting a “Vision Zero” initiative and creating a task force to draft an action plan aimed at improving road safety in the township.
Redevelopment and Property Items
Also on the consent agenda is a redevelopers agreement between the township and Toll NJ I, LLC for a property at 4 Gatehall Drive, along with a related sanitary sewer easement agreement for the same site. The council will also consider releasing performance guarantees for the Lexica development and for B10 Hilton Court Owner, LLC.
Equipment and Services
Other consent agenda items include authorizing the purchase of a Bobcat compact track loader, five Leach rear-load packer bodies, and a Ravo street sweeper, as well as an agreement with the Police Athletic League of Parsippany-Troy Hills for recreation services and an extension of the township’s agreement with Knoll Tennis Club to operate the indoor tennis facility at the Parsippany Community Center.
Other Business
The council will hear a presentation from Steve Mariconda of DarkSky NJ, and the mayor will issue a proclamation recognizing September as Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.
Five non-consent resolutions are also on the agenda, including contracts for a partial roof replacement at Town Hall, emergency repairs to a sewage pump, embankment stabilization at the Rainbow Lake Dike, and a liquor license renewal for Wine Amphorae.
The council will also hold a second reading and public hearing on an ordinance amending vehicle stopping and standing restrictions on certain streets, and will introduce five new ordinances on first reading covering dog licensing, fire prevention, and construction code fees.
The council’s next regular meeting is set for September 15, followed by an agenda meeting on October 6.
PARSIPPANY — Brooklawn Middle School has established a new community pantry to provide food and hygiene items to students and families experiencing hardship, with the program run entirely by students in the school’s Multiple Disabilities self-contained classes.
The BMS Community Pantry, coordinated by Special Education teachers Greg Espinosa and Angela Zinnes, gives students hands-on vocational experience as part of their job readiness and life skills curriculum. Under staff guidance, students organize inventory, stock shelves, prepare food bags and track supplies, gaining real-world work experience in the process.
According to Espinosa and Zinnes, the pantry serves the Brooklawn Middle School community by providing students with food and hygiene items whenever a need arises during the school day, and by preparing Friday Food Bags for selected students to help provide meals over weekends and school breaks.
Principal Carly Stout confirmed in a letter to the community that the BMS Community Pantry is an officially approved initiative of the Parsippany-Troy Hills School District, operating with her full support.
The school is asking for community support to sustain the program. Donations accepted include monetary contributions, gift cards to retailers such as ShopRite, Stop and Shop, Costco, Whole Foods, Walmart, Wegmans, Target, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sam’s Club and Amazon, as well as non-perishable food items and personal hygiene products. Checks can be made payable to Brooklawn Middle School – BMS Community Pantry.
School officials said sponsors will be recognized on the school’s Instagram account, and they are hoping to build ongoing partnerships with organizations willing to make an annual commitment to the pantry.
Those interested in donating or becoming a community partner can contact Espinosa at [email protected] or Zinnes at [email protected], or reach Brooklawn Middle School at 250 Beechwood Road, Parsippany, at (973) 428-7551.
MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblywoman Aura Dunn is the only New Jersey lawmaker elected to serve on the executive board of the Women’s Legislative Network of the National Conference of State Legislatures, a professional development organization for women state legislators from across the fifty states, territories and the District of Columbia.
Dunn will be one of two lawmakers representing the eastern United States as a regional member of the twenty-member executive board.
“It is an honor to be selected to elevate the voices and experiences of women legislators from the region in this national forum,” said Dunn, a Republican representing the Twenty-Fifth District, which includes parts of Morris County. “I look forward to bringing the New Jersey perspective to the Women’s Legislative Network executive board, learning from my colleagues, and empowering the future women leaders of state government.”
Board members serve one-year terms and are elected by the network’s membership at its annual meeting. Dunn has been an active member of the National Conference of State Legislatures since 2019.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Library will host a traveling exhibit and companion talk this month exploring the life and legacy of Alexander Hamilton.
“Alexander Hamilton: Immigrant, Patriot, Visionary” opens at the library on Tuesday, September 1. The traveling exhibit explores the founding era through Hamilton, who played a central role in shaping the economic, constitutional, social, journalistic, political and foreign policy templates of modern America. Organizers note that Hamilton, an immigrant, statesman and innovative thinker, helped shape the country Americans live in more than two hundred years later.
A companion presentation, “The Schuyler Sisters & the Hamilton Musical,” follows on September 15 at the library. The talk examines the story of the four daughters of General Philip Schuyler, three of whom ran away to elope with wealthy men, while Elizabeth Schuyler instead married Alexander Hamilton, a penniless orphan immigrant, for love. The presentation explores whether that story is more complicated than it first appears.
PARSIPPANY — Tim Berrios and Jack Raia have entered the race for two seats on the Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education, building their campaign around board leadership experience, financial expertise and public service at a time when the district faces financial and enrollment pressures.
Berrios, a current board member who has served since 2014 and previously served as board president, and Raia, a certified public accountant who served on the board from 2023 to 2025 and brings 24 years of senior financial leadership experience, say their campaign will focus on four commitments: putting students first, protecting taxpayers, planning for the future and working together.
Tim Berrios
The candidates say rising costs, limitations in New Jersey’s school funding system, the 2 percent property tax levy cap, changing enrollment and continued residential redevelopment will require experienced leadership and long-term planning.
“These are challenging times for public education, but they are also an opportunity to lead,” Berrios said. “Our responsibility is to continue providing an outstanding education for every child while respecting the taxpayers who make it possible. That will take experience, sound judgment and people willing to work together.”
Berrios and Raia say fiscal responsibility must support the district’s core mission of giving every Parsippany student the opportunity to succeed. They said strong schools must adapt to the changing needs of students, including academics, effective teachers and programs, modern technology, career and college preparation, and additional support for students who need it. As enrollment changes, they said, the district must also make responsible decisions about class sizes, staffing, programs and school facilities.
Jack Raia
“Great schools and fiscal responsibility aren’t competing goals,” Raia said. “We have to provide students with the resources they need while planning responsibly for the families and taxpayers who ultimately pay the bills. The decisions we make today will shape this district for years to come.”
Berrios and Raia say Parsippany’s continued residential redevelopment, particularly projects receiving Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreements, will be among the district’s most significant financial challenges in the years ahead. Residential developments can bring additional students into the school system while the district does not receive a direct share of Payment in Lieu of Taxes revenue, they said, though the district remains responsible for educating every student who enters regardless of how a development is financed.
“The children who move into these developments are our students, period,” Berrios said. “They deserve the same excellent education as every other child in Parsippany. The challenge is making sure the district has the resources to educate them without unfairly shifting additional costs onto existing taxpayers.”
Berrios and Raia have publicly advocated for the school district to have a voice in Payment in Lieu of Taxes negotiations and for the township to provide the district with funding based on the actual number of students generated by those developments, including through letters to the editor addressing the impact of the agreements on the school district and taxpayers. In 2025, Raia represented the board in presenting recommendations for reforms to New Jersey’s school funding formula.
Berrios has lived in Parsippany since 1990. His wife, Kathleen, is a retired teacher and graduate of Parsippany schools, and their three daughters attended Parsippany schools from kindergarten through graduation; two became educators, and the eldest serves as a director at Ramapo College of New Jersey. Berrios has served on the board since October 2014, including as board president, and since 2021 has also worked as a school bus driver. He is the longtime owner of On Call Computer Services and this year received the Cecilia “Cissy” Laureys Senior Volunteer Award for his community service.
Raia is a graduate of the Parsippany school system and a certified public accountant with a Master of Business Administration in finance. He has served as an adjunct professor of corporate finance at Seton Hall University and Caldwell University and attended Harvard Business School’s Executive Education program, Driving Corporate Performance. Raia and his wife, Darlene, have two sons: Kyle, a graduate of the University of Alabama, and JC, who attended Brooklawn Middle School and Parsippany Hills High School before graduating from New York University. Raia served on the board from 2023 to 2025, chairing both the finance and communications committees.
Both candidates said experience must be paired with a willingness to work with people who hold different views.
“Good ideas don’t belong to one political party or one group,” Raia said. “Tim and I are willing to sit down with anyone, listen to different perspectives and work toward practical solutions when they are good for our children and fair to our taxpayers. That’s how good governance should work.”
“We believe in these schools, we believe in this community, and we believe our best days are still ahead of us,” Berrios said. “If we keep our students and schools at the core of our decisions, plan responsibly and work together, we’ll get there together.”
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Hills High School opened its 2026 football season with a narrow road victory Friday, August 28, defeating Paramus, 23-21.
The Vikings came away with the two-point win in Paramus to begin the season 1-0. The victory also marked a strong opening result for a Parsippany Hills program coming off a 2-8 season in 2025.
Dante Gutierrez provided one of the biggest plays of the game, breaking free for a 51-yard rushing touchdown.
Will Maass also found the end zone for the Vikings, scoring on a 26-yard touchdown reception. The extra point following the score was converted. Maass, a returning member of the Parsippany Hills program, was also among the seniors recognized during the school’s preseason Motorcade earlier in the week.
Ben Ferrante contributed on special teams, connecting on a 26-yard field goal as Parsippany Hills ultimately held on for the 23-21 victory.
The close finish gave the Vikings an early-season road win before they return to Parsippany for their home opener against West Morris Mendham on Friday, September 4, at 7:00 p.m.
Parsippany Hills will then travel across town for the annual matchup against Parsippany High School on Thursday, September 10, at 7:00 p.m.
Author’s Note:Special thanks to Aarnav Sinha for his on-the-ground reporting and for providing information and details from the game.
MHA ARRIVE Director Deanna Ackerman clinicians Kimberly Blewett, , Giulia Licitra. Andrea Hammerle
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners marked the first anniversary of the countywide expansion of the ARRIVE Together program during a special presentation by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the Mental Health Association.
ARRIVE stands for “Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence and Escalation.” Supported by the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, the Morris County program was established in November 2023 through a partnership between the Prosecutor’s Office and the Mental Health Association.
The program pairs law enforcement officers with licensed Mental Health Association clinicians to help de-escalate situations when police respond to emergency calls involving people experiencing mental or behavioral health crises. Clinicians respond alongside or shortly after officers to assess the situation and connect individuals and their families with appropriate services. Follow-up outreach is also coordinated when an on-scene response isn’t possible.
As of August 5, more than 20,000 ARRIVE interactions have been recorded statewide, with Morris County accounting for 3,669 of them, the most of any county in New Jersey.
“ARRIVE Together has become an important partnership between law enforcement and mental health professionals, helping residents experiencing mental and behavioral health crises connect with appropriate care and services,” said Morris County Commissioner Director Stephen Shaw.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll said the partnership allows police responses to draw on clinicians who can offer counseling or mental health support as an alternative to relying solely on criminal justice measures. He credited Chief Assistant Prosecutor Meg Rodriguez and Mental Health Association ARRIVE Director Deanna Ackerman for leading the program locally, along with Mental Health Association CEO Bob Davison, Nadine Venezia and the organization’s clinicians. He also thanked Morris County Sheriff James Gannon and Morris County Police Chiefs Association President and Madison Police Chief John Miscia for welcoming the program into local departments.
From Pilot to Countywide
The program began in March 2024 with pilot efforts in eight municipalities: Morristown, Morris Plains, Morris Township, Madison, Montville, Denville, Parsippany-Troy Hills and Roxbury. Hanover and Randolph were added later that year, and the program expanded to most of Morris County by July 2025.
Rodriguez described one recent incident in which a clinician and two officers responded to a call involving a person threatening self-harm from a parking garage ledge, and were able to talk the individual down safely. In another case, a clinician helped a police stop involving an autistic driver end peacefully by helping the driver process the situation, avoiding the need for officers to forcibly remove him from his vehicle. Clinicians have also provided support following traumatic incidents, including counseling for a group of young lifeguards who were unable to save a swimmer, and have assisted with cases involving substance use, family issues, domestic violence, grief counseling and connecting residents with community resources.
Miscia said use of force during mental health calls has declined significantly since the program’s implementation, and thanked the clinicians and participating agencies for their collaboration.
Davison said the Mental Health Association and law enforcement partners respond together and evaluate each case individually to connect people with the services and support they need. Gannon called the program an example of effective public-private partnership, noting that officers and emergency room staff once had few resources to draw on when responding to people affected by mental health crises.
The Prosecutor’s Office and Mental Health Association also support the ARRIVE Critical Incident Model, which provides access to a qualified mental health professional around the clock for certain high-risk incidents requiring medical or mental health intervention.
Following the presentation, Director Shaw presented two framed Resolutions of Honor to members of the Prosecutor’s Office and Mental Health Association on behalf of the Board of County Commissioners in recognition of the program’s first year of countywide operation.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris Choral Society is calling for singers to join the ensemble ahead of its upcoming holiday program.
The group performs all forms of choral music, including works by composers such as Handel, Orff, Verdi, Poulenc, Brahms and Vaughan Williams. Its next program, titled “Home for the Holidays Goes to the Movies,” will be held at two locations over a weekend in December: 7:00 p.m. on Friday, December 11, at Assumption Church in Morristown, and 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 13, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Morris Plains.
The group is open by audition and attracts members of all ages and backgrounds. Interested singers should attend a rehearsal on September 14, 21, or 28, at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 131 Mountain Way in Morris Plains. For questions or to arrange an audition, call (973) 723-6424.
MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Mikie Sherrill signed legislation requiring data centers to disclose their water and energy use during an event Thursday morning at the South Brunswick Public Library auditorium, completing a four-part data center plan she first outlined in May.
The event, framed around a theme of giving power back to communities, brought the statewide debate over rapidly expanding data center development directly to South Brunswick, a township where the issue is not theoretical. Mayor Charlie Carley said during the event that two data centers have operated in the township for decades, while a newer data center development reflects the changing landscape facing municipalities across the state.
“Decisions about the future of our communities should be made here, not in boardrooms or backrooms in Silicon Valley,” Sherrill said. “We don’t have to choose between innovation and accountability, and we won’t.”
Four Guardrails Now in Place
Sherrill first announced the state’s data center strategy on May 27, describing four priorities: requiring data centers to pay their fair share of energy and infrastructure costs, increasing transparency, helping municipalities secure community benefits, and creating good-paying jobs. Two of those priorities have now been enacted through legislation.
The first, the Data Center Fair Share law, was signed July 7. It establishes a separate electricity rate structure for large data centers so that residential and other utility customers are not left subsidizing the power and grid infrastructure needed to serve them. Utilities must develop rules assigning data-center-related costs directly to those customers, with financial protections in place in case a project ultimately uses less electricity than expected.
The second measure, signed Thursday, requires data center owners and operators in New Jersey to report their water and energy usage to the state Board of Public Utilities every six months. The reports must detail total energy consumption, electricity used by information technology equipment, on-site power supplies, total water use, and where that water comes from. The reporting requirement runs for three years initially, after which the board can decide whether to make it permanent.
Sherrill said residents deserve that information before large developments move forward. Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz, a sponsor of the legislation, said municipalities have too often had to evaluate major projects using information supplied mainly by the developers themselves. Assemblyman Michael Venezia, an Assembly sponsor, said the consistent reporting will give state and local government a clearer picture of the industry’s demands.
Community Benefits and Labor Standards
The third piece of the plan centers on Community Benefits Agreements, which allow municipalities to negotiate legally binding terms with developers to address local impacts and secure benefits for their communities. Rather than new legislation, the state implemented this piece through guidance from the Department of Community Affairs and a new Data Center Municipal Resource Hub launched by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, which offers municipalities technical assistance on grid and interconnection filings, water use projections, tax impact estimates, and benefits agreement terms.
The fourth priority addresses labor standards. The administration has issued guidance calling for prevailing wages on qualifying data center construction projects and encouraging project labor agreements on larger developments.
No Statewide Moratorium
Much of the question-and-answer portion of the event focused on whether New Jersey should go further and pause large data center development statewide, an approach New York has taken with a one-year moratorium on certain projects. Sherrill rejected that idea, saying municipalities already have the authority to make their own decisions and, if they choose, impose their own local restrictions. She said some towns with large industrial areas may see data centers as a good fit, while others may not.
Sherrill said there is no single statewide threshold for acceptable water or electricity use, since conditions vary by community, and that those questions need to be worked out during project review and negotiation, followed by state oversight to ensure developers follow through on their commitments.
Allison McLeod, interim executive director of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, said transparency is essential for officials to understand the industry’s effect on electricity, water, and the environment, and that families and small businesses should not have to absorb higher energy costs created by some of the world’s largest electricity consumers.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Clerk’s Office is continuing to process vote-by-mail ballots in accordance with New Jersey state law, according to county officials. Ballots will begin mailing on September 19.
The state remains involved in litigation with the federal government concerning vote-by-mail procedures, and the outcome of that litigation remains pending.
Morris County voters who do not wish to receive a vote-by-mail ballot at this time may opt out by completing the Vote-by-Mail Voter Opt-Out Form, available on the Morris County Clerk’s website. Opt-out requests must be submitted no later than Monday, August 31.
In-Person Voting
Once an opt-out request has been received and processed, voters may cast ballots during the state’s early voting period, at one of eight early voting locations, or at their assigned polling location on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.
Morris County’s eight early voting locations will be open from October 24 through November 1, with hours of 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday:
Central Park of Morris County — 2 Executive Drive, Morris Plains
Denville — 1 Saint Mary’s Place, Denville
Hanover — 15 North Jefferson Road, Whippany
Madison — 50 Kings Road, Madison
Morristown — 200 South Street, Morristown
Mount Arlington — 18 North Glen Avenue, Mount Arlington
Mount Olive — 204 Flanders-Drakestown Road, Mount Olive
Voters who opt out of receiving a vote-by-mail ballot may resume receiving ballots in future elections by submitting a new vote-by-mail application through the Morris County Clerk’s website.
Voters who continue to receive vote-by-mail ballots are strongly encouraged to return their completed ballots by mail at least seven days before Election Day, or deposit them in a secure ballot drop box, such as the one located at Parsippany Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard.
For more information or assistance, contact the Morris County Clerk’s Elections Division at [email protected] or (973) 285-6066.
