PARSIPPANY — Join Mayor Soriano as he continues his Parsippany Town Hall series in the Hills of Troy neighborhood on Monday, March 25. Doors to the cafeteria at Brooklawn Middle School, 250 Beachwood Road, will open at 6:30 p.m. and the Mayor and his panel will begin at 7:00 p.m.
If you have any questions, please call the Mayor’s Action Center at (973) 263-4262.
HANOVER TOWNSHIP — Morris County Freeholder and Republican candidate for Surrogate, Heather Darling, visited Employment Horizons in Cedar Knolls last week.
Employment Horizons, originally founded by a group of parents who wanted to expand work and personal growth opportunities for their children with disabilities employs adults with disabilities both on-site and in the community at locations across Morris County and beyond.
“It was a treat for me to meet Bobby, Sean, and many of the other employees working at Employment Horizons.
“Employment Horizons serves many citizens of Morris County by providing jobs, training, referrals and more. I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to visit and learn about this resource,” said Heather.
Dear Editor:
A few weeks ago I attended a Town Hall meeting to listen to the first reading of the 2019 Budget Proposal, it was an outrage! The new Mayor has made a decision that rather than lay off anyone, even adding more people to his personal staff then the two previous mayors had, he would crush the township residents with an almost 5% tax increase. To my amazement there was only ONE person who stood up to challenge the mayor and his henchman, the Business Administrator, this person did make many points, but when he sat down not one person stood to address this miscarriage being perpetrated on our town. The entire town council – including the new democrat members sat like the five stone monkeys, Hear no Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil, and stare at the spectators and making not one comment Evil…
When I left that meeting I was so discouraged it is obvious that our mayor puts Union Loyalties before the good and welfare of the community, and it is also obvious that our town attorney is collecting a huge salary and he too does apparently nothing as is obvious by his lack of courage on the 1515 Pilot project.
So why I am writing, well there is a saying I have read about people who live in a democratic Republic where the voters choose who will govern them, it is written in our constitution “Of the People, By the People and For the People shall not perish from this earth” Unfortunately when the founding fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence I guess people who lived in the original 13 colonies had more Fire in their Bellies then our current residents have..Where is the participation by the civilian population of Parsippany? Where are the crowds who SHOULD be turning out to protest the insanity of this mayor and his attempts to tax the town to death, and destroy our community with this fair housing crapola that neither he or his town attorney seem to have the guts to challenge…
Where are the residents who should be attending the meetings of the local political clubs? The democratic club, the republican club and any other group where they express their feelings to the current and future office holders…I attended a political club meeting last week, and if there were fewer people there it would have been a negative number…When citizens do not come to these meetings the office holders or candidates get the ideas that what they are thinking is what the citizenry wants, but in fact the idea that came out of this meeting was 100% off base, but there were no comments from the floor and no recommendations were made and none were considered.
As has been said by Jefferson and Tocqueville, people get the government they deserve. What worries me though is the following quotation penned by Shakespeare in Julius Caesar: “Cassius suggests that the people get the government they deserve…”. This can be a good thing, if (and it’s a big “if”) the people do their homework and vote based on facts, not on rumor or innuendo. Unfortunately our local news media is so bent in one direction it is impossible to get accurate and true information, unless you get out and actually talk to people who hold public office, or those who will seek those public offices…We ARE the citizens, We ARE the ones who control who governs US…
My purpose for writing is to vent at the disgrace we have now as our mayor and business administrator, and their egregious actions and comments regarding our current tax obligations and destruction of our community..If you do not get involved, I suggest you start to consider selling your home and moving to a place where the governing people care more for you then others whose best interest comes before yours…
Vito Sacco
Parsippany, New Jersey
PARSIPPANY — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill spent the morning today with students, faculty, and County College of Morris (CCM) President, Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, to learn more about the collaborative efforts taking place between local institutions and businesses. While at CCM, Congresswoman Sherrill learned about how the school’s curriculum provides its students with the education and preparation required in today’s rapidly changing workplace.
Following her visit to CCM, Congresswoman Sherrill headed to Evonik and Metem, a GE Power business, where she toured both company’s facilities, hearing from workers and managers about their respective cutting-edge work in research and development, as well as the need for a workforce versed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
“New Jersey produces world-class talent, and my visits to the County College of Morris, Metem, and Evonik today confirmed that fact,” said Congresswoman Sherrill. “We need to ensure that after our students receive a quality education, there is a path to a good job waiting for them here at home. As a member of the House Science Committee, I will take the lessons learned about education and career development with me back to Congress, and keep advocating for greater opportunities for workforce development.”
Residents of Parsippany:
When I made the decision to run for Mayor in 2017, my overriding motivation was to stop the financial mismanagement and budget gimmicks that had been tolerated by our previous Councils for far too long. You don’t need a degree in finance to know that basing decisions around elections is not only a drain on the community, but creates compounding problems that take years to untangle. Eliminating important jobs, from emergency services to parks and forestry, will result in service cuts to residents. I want to get Parsippany to the point where our taxes are stable and our financial house is able to respond to the unique and difficult challenges of the 21st century. That is not something we can achieve if our current Council continues to base decisions around their own re-election.
Kicking the can down the road is a well-practiced technique in government. It’s the reason that we in Parsippany were the last police department in Morris County to issue our police officers life-saving Narcan. It’s the reason that we have not created a new Master Plan since the Gerald Ford administration. And it’s the reason that our budget is dependent on water and sewer surplus and one-shot solutions to stay above water. The Council does not get to rubber-stamp budgets for the better part of eight years, ignore the consequences of those decisions, and come back in 2019 saying, “What happened?”
There have been questions raised about when, and I quote, I will stop blaming the prior administration for our township’s fiscal problems. The answer is when this Council stops perpetuating the mistakes of the past. In our form of government, I do not have the final say on the budget. That power rests with the Council. The Council has, and has always had, the final say on election-year budget gimmicks. The Council has, and has always had, the final say on spending increases without new sources of revenue. The Council has, and has always had, the final say on the irresponsible use of water and sewer surplus. Each and every time, the Council has signed onto the policies that led us down this path. And now, when the chickens are home to roost, they refuse responsibility for the actions they applauded when their party was in charge.
Kick the can down the road, blame, twist the truth, claim ignorance, and work for short-term electoral prospects over the long-term needs of this community. I don’t know if they realize it, but our Council has brought Washington-style politics here to Parsippany.
The GOP press release of March 12 was the perfect example of those sort of tactics. When Councilwoman Gragnani suggested that the use of any level of water and sewer surplus in this budget, despite her past votes for over $8 million worth of surplus use in prior budgets, was a non-starter, did she realize that she was suggesting a 9% tax increase on the residents of this township? My suspicion is no. I believe that suggestion, and that quote, came from the high-priced Ocean County political consultant that the Republican campaign has hired to issue press releases and, apparently, craft budget policy. I, for one, don’t believe that Parsippany needs someone from South Jersey to determine our budgets.
It’s time to get serious about finances here in Parsippany. It’s time to stop thinking around election years and start thinking about multi-year plans toward fiscal stability. Cutting Police Officers and EMTs fails that test. My formal role in this year’s budget process has largely ended. What I presented is a budget that begins the difficult work of stabilization and fiscal health. If the Council chooses to ignore that, that is their right as the governing body. I began my term as Mayor optimistic that we could craft fiscal policies in a bipartisan way that protects Parsippany’s long-term future. Today, I am doubtful that any Councilmember can see past the next trip to the ballot box.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Soriano
Mayor
Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Freeholder and Republican candidate for Surrogate, Heather Darling, attended the STAR (Successful Transition and Re-entry) simulation, where she addressed the audience and then took part in the simulation. The STAR program, administered by the Morris County Sheriff’s office, is designed to get newly released prisoners on a path to success, so they are less like likely to reoffend.
In her remarks, Darling thanked Sheriff Gannon and others for the work they did to make the program a success and confirmed the Freeholders commitment and support of the STAR program moving forward.
Following her remarks, Darling participated in the simulation, where she took the identity of someone who had recently served several years in prison for internet crime, had no money to their name and whose only two sources of immediate funds were to pawn a camera in their possession or sell their blood, a various array of fines to pay and other bounds that most of us do not live within.
“Attending the STAR program was an eye-opening experience, where I had the opportunity to understand the issues facing prisoner re-entry in a simulated first hand situation. While we must continue to punish those who commit crimes and endanger the public, it is also imperative to allow for rehabilitation and ensure programs are in place to lower the recidivism rate, giving those who have committed crimes for which they have paid the price a second chance at a productive life.”
PARSIPPANY — A second Assembly panel advanced legislation by Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce that caps out-of-pocket expenses for prescription drugs. The Appropriations Committee approved the bill by a 9-0 vote. The bill (A2431) caps a patient’s share to $150 or $250 a month depending on the health benefit plan level.
“Many people with high cost-sharing plans don’t take vital medications prescribed by their doctors because they can’t afford their co-pays,” said DeCroce (R-Morris). “The result is poor health outcomes and increased long term costs for chronically ill patients. Capping out-of-pocket payments will reduce health care costs in the long run.”
According to a study commissioned by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, high-cost sharing plans have been shown to lower medication utilization and adherence, leading to poor health outcomes and an increase in longer-term costs.
Delaware, Maryland, Louisiana, California and the District of Columbia have passed similar legislation. Maine and Vermont have limits on the annual out-of-pocket costs to consumers, and Virginia and five other states require insurance companies to provide notice to consumers of cost-sharing tiers and all changes to the plans.
The provisions of the measure apply to the state’s individual and small employer plans, the state health benefits program and the school employees’ health benefits program.
PARSIPPANY — Pastor Jeffrey Edwards, Parsippany United Methodist Church, filed in Morris County Superior Court on Thursday, March 14 a Civil Action Complaint against Wells Fargo & Company, Wells Fargo, N.A. and John Does 1-10 and John Doe Entity 1-10. (Docket No. MRS-L-000568-19).
Edwards has served the community for 29 years and both the Church and Edwards has been a customer of Wells Fargo for more than a decade.
On April 28, 2018, New Jersey State Police and Detective William Condron commenced an investigation concerning fraudulent checks deposited into the Wells Fargo Bank account of a Neptune, woman named Tyler Mathis. There were four checks issued by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and payable to various state entities and utility companies, including PSE&G, the Treasurer of the State of New Jersey, the South Jersey Energy Company and the Rockland Electric Company.
Sometime after the original checks were issued by New Jersey Turnpike Authority, an individual created four fraudulent checks, using the same check numbers and account numbers. The checks were made payable to Tyler Mathis as follows:
Wells Fargo notified the State Police that each of the fraudulent checks were deposited at the Wells Fargo branch located at 1077 Route 46, Parsippany on April 16, 2018.
Shortly after the investigation commenced, the State Police learned that a fifth fraudulent check was deposited at the Wells Fargo branch located in Glen Ridge, in the same Mathis bank account. The fifth fraudulent check was also payable to Mathis. The check was issued from Sun Wellness, LLC., drawn on Chase Bank, dated April 14, 2018 in the amount of $1250.00.
On May 9, 2018, the State Police served Wells Fargo, Parsippany, with a subpoena requesting any and all records of associated account numbers, all account name holders, date of birth, social security numbers, transaction history, phone numbers, driver license numbers, still pictures and/or digital video from Wells Fargo ATM associated with Check #142485, #142487, #142489, #142491.
On June 18, 2018, in response to the subpoena, Wells Fargo, intentionally, recklessly, and erroneously identified Edwards as the person who deposited the fraudulent checks and provided State Police with still photographs of a white-male: Rev. Edwards. Wells Fargo knew or should have known that its response to the subpoena would result in the arrest and prosecution of Rev. Edwards. Rather than correctly identify the individual depositing the fraudulent checks, Wells Fargo identified Rev. Edwards, a customer of the bank, who had made a Legitimate deposit of four legitimate checks on the date in questions.
On July 9, 2018, three months after the investigation commenced, State Police Detectives Condron and Miguel Guarda interview Mathis about the fraudulent checks and Mathis confessed. Mathis identified her co-conspirator as a “dark skinned black male” allegedly known to her only as “Cousin Swing.”
Mathis also admitted that “Cousin Swing” told her, he would deposit the checks into her account and once they clear, they would split the money.
Mathis admitted she gave “Cousin Swing” her bank card to facilitate the deposits.
Rather than charge and prosecute Mathis for her role in the crime, the State Police told Mathis she was a “Victim of a check fraud scam.”
On the same date, July 8, 2018, knowing that Mathis and “Cousin Swing” were the actual perpetrators, the State Police publically, recklessly or intentionally, and with malice, uploaded to Facebook the photos of Rev. Edwards that were provided by Wells Fargo. In the Facebook post on the New Jersey State Police page, the headline read “State Police Seeking Public’s Assistance with Identifying Man Depositing Fraudulent Checks…” The post continued to state “The New Jersey State Police is seeking the public’s assistance with identifying a man suspected of depositing fraudulent checks at an ATM. On Monday, April 16 (2018), the man pictured below attempted to deposit fraudulent checks into an account at Wells Fargo Branch ATM on Route 46, Parsippany, N.J. The account has a mailing address in Neptune Township and has also recently been used in Bergen, Essex and Monmouth Counties. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective William Condron of the Troop “D” Criminal Investigation Office at 732-441-4500 Ext. 7417 or email [email protected]. Anonymous tips are welcome. Please like and share! (Editor’s Note: A bank supplied photograph of Rev. Edwards appeared on the post). In less than 24 hours the post has been shared 466 times.
Two days later, Rev. Edwards contacted Detective Condron via email after one of his parishioners saw the posting. Rev. Edwards indicated there must have been some mistake. Rev. Edwards told Condron how distressed he felt. Rev. Edwards attached to the email his bank records, which showed no fraudulent conduct of any kind. Rather, the records demonstrated that Rev. Edwards made a legitimate deposit of four legitimate checks to his personal account on the date in question. Edwards attached copies of the four legitimate checks that he deposited and a copy of his bank statement.
On July 11, 2018, Det. Condron contacted Wells Fargo Subpoena Compliance Unit and spoke with associate, Rashonda Neeley. Condron “requested the information she provided be checked to assure its accuracy.”
On July 12, 2018, Neeley contacted Det. Condron and advised that Wells Fargo team reviewed the case and the pictures provided of Rev. Edwards were associated with the deposited fraudulent checks. Condron “questioned Neeley about the pictures and asked her if she would be able to provide information on how the photos were associated to the fraudulent checks.” Neely called Condron back to say that Wells Fargo does not release that information typically and he would have to have a meeting about the release of the check numbers.
As it turns out, this particular ATM machine only keeps video and time stamps of deposits for two weeks, so when the State Police re-subpoena Wells Fargo to verify their initial determination that Edwards pictures show the culprit, they no longer have anything to re-evaluate. Nor can they check whether Cousin Swing – who clearly shows up on the video at the April 17 ATM deposit – made an appearance at the Wells Fargo Parsippany ATM.
On or about July 18, 2018, Wells Fargo again provided the State Police with ATM photographs of Rev. Edwards, knowing that the photographs that were provided to law enforcement would result in the arrest and prosecution of the person identified. This time, Wells Fargo, falsely and randomly hand wrote on the ATM photographs of Rev. Edwards the numbers of the fraudulently deposited checks. Wells Fargo admitted that it could not confirm that Rev. Edwards deposited fraudulent check number 142487.
On August 2, 2018, Det. Condron received from Wells Fargo an ATM photograph of the individual who deposited the fifth fraudulent check at the Wells Fargo Glen Ridge branch the day after the fraudulent transaction in Parsippany. The man in that ATM photograph was not Rev. Edwards and appeared to be an African American male. The forged signature on the Glen Ridge check appeared to be the same as the forged signature on the Parsippany branch checks. Once again, Det. Condron served Wells Fargo with a subpoena that was returnable on August 17, 2018 requesting, all retained ATM video surveillance and photograph(s) from the ATM #0460D located at the Wells Fargo Branch on Route 46, Parsippany for the following checks deposited into Jeffrey Edwards, Well Fargo account on April 16, 2018: Check #5331 in the amount of $2716.22, Check #2559382, in the amount of $240.00, Check #5953 in the amount of $200.00 and Check # 210713 in the amount of $23.65.
Upon information and belief, Wells Fargo refused to comply with this subpoena or the State Police refused to turn over this evidence in the criminal prosecution of Rev. Edwards.
On August 23, 2018, Rev. Edwards asked for an apology from Wells Fargo. None was forthcoming. Edwards stated “Finally, on September 4 I get a casual sounding phone call from the State Police asking me to come down to the station so they “can wrap this up.” Irritated, I agree hoping to get some answers to how this all happened. Confident that I has nothing to hide I go to see the State Police. It didn’t occur to me to bring a lawyer. I am taken into an interrogation room, told that Wells Fargo’s pictures of me prove I am guilty and pressure me to confess. I am dumbfounded. I insist that Wells Fargo has made some kind of technology error. The State Police say, “suppose this goes to trial and we get the Wells Fargo technology expert on the stand and he says you did it, who do you think they’ll believe?” I say if that is what is necessary, bring it on; I have nothing to confess. They announce they are arresting me for third degree forgery. I ask them, “How do my legitimate check deposits line up timewise with the fraudulent check deposits?” They answer, “We don’t know.” I ask them again to “do the right thing” and get the posts removed from the three websites and they say, “That’s not our problem.”
State Police recklessly or intentionally, and with malice, arrested Rev. Edwards and charged him with third degree forgery in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:21-1a(2), “by depositing fraudulent checks into a Wells Fargo account while utilizing an ATM located at the Wells Fargo located on Route 46, Parsippany on April 16, 2018. The State Police did so despite the fact that they were in possession of overwhelming evidence of Rev. Edwards’ innocence. They fingerprint Edwards, take his mug shots and gave him a court date. Edwards had to hire a lawyer to go to court. He appeared in court three times because for the first two the State Police failed to provide the information they’ve gathered. Finally on the third trip on January 16, 2019 the judge dismisses the charges.
According to the lawsuit, Edwards is seeking damages from Wells Fargo and the State Police for an inexcusable false arrest, malicious prosecution and humiliation of an innocent man, Rev. Edwards.
“I still have not received apologies from either Wells Fargo or the State Police. The postings with my pictures are still out there online. I am suing both Wells Fargo and the State Police. As a pastor, my work is all based upon my being viewed as trustworthy, and their reckless charges threatened my hard-earned reputation as somebody worthy of peoples’ trust,” continued Edwards.
“The carelessness of both Wells Fargo and the State Police is kind of appalling, and I wonder what happens to somebody who might not have the resources to defend themselves,” the pastor said. “I told them yes that was my picture and yes I was in the bank that day. That’s all they needed to arrest me.”
BOONTON — Local political leaders today announced the formation of the Alliance Party of New Jersey (APNJ), one of 22 state affiliates of the new, fast-growing Alliance Party, to impact 2020 elections as a viable moderate option for voters whose views, values and futures are no longer represented by existing parties.
“We are at a crossroads in American history,” said New Jersey Chair Nick Kumburis. “The two major parties were formed from an archaic power dynamic before women or people of color could vote, and today those parties fail to represent the majority of America. The Alliance Party of New Jersey is bringing everyone to the table from the start, and we believe it is the true future of New Jersey politics.”
APNJ is organizing county-level affiliates as well as recruiting potential candidates for 2019 and 2020 elections. Individuals interested in joining the party and getting involved can click here to volunteer and sign up to run for office under the Alliance banner.
“I am a proud American immigrant,” said George Tannous, New Jersey vice-chair. “I came to this country for opportunities that would not ever have been possible, including running for office as both a Democrat and Republican. I learned the hard way that neither party represented my core values. The Alliance allows me to be true to my beliefs.”
The result of a merger in October 2018 of like-minded political parties across the country, the national Alliance Party is committed to restore a functioning government to solve problems, work together and move the country forward for all citizens.
“The Alliance is growing fast because of the magnitude of the problems facing our nation and the destructive way our current two-party system leads,” said Kumburis. “We are in a unique place in our history where the majority of American voters believe a new party is needed to fix the broken two-party system. Through civil discourse, open and transparent government and collaborative problem solving, we will propel New Jersey and the nation to be better now and for future generations.”
To review the Alliance Tenets click here. More information about the APNJ is available by clicking here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Legislation sponsored by Senators Joe Pennacchio and Anthony Bucco to pay tribute to former Morris Plains Mayor and Morris County Freeholder Frank Druetzler for his 38 years of laudable public service, by ceremoniously renaming a local rail station in his honor, has passed the Senate Transportation Committee.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Frank for more than 20 years,” Pennacchio said. “Frank is a pillar of the community, and his numerous accomplishments in Morris Plains are a testament to his hard work. He always put people before politics. Renaming the train station in Frank’s honor is a fitting way to pay tribute to his legacy.”
Pennacchio and Bucco’s bill, S-3449, would ceremoniously designate the Morris Plains rail station as the “Frank J. Druetzler Station – Morris Plains, New Jersey.”
Druetzler, a Morris County native, began his distinguished career in civil service as a member of the Morris Plains Borough Council. In 1986, Druetzler was elected Mayor of Morris Plains and later to the Morris County Freeholder Board.
Druetzler also served as councilman for six years, freeholder for 15 years, and mayor for 32 years.
His achievements include initiating a Memorial Day parade, “Family Day,” the town bonfire, and “Uncle Frank’s Fishing Contest.” Under his leadership, Morris Plains opened a Community Center, a borough museum, and erected the Morris Plains September 11, 2001 memorial. As Freeholder, he pushed and succeeded in preserving open space, building a new county library as well as a new county jail.
“Frank always puts everyone else before himself – he is the epitome of a selfless community servant,” Bucco said. “His success and popularity throughout Morris Plains and Morris County speak volumes. Renaming the station is a meaningful way to recognize the wonderful and historical impact he made on behalf of our residents.”
MORRIS COUNTY — Former Riverdale Councilman Gary Mastrangelo has endorsed Veteran, Educator, and Republican Leader William Felegi of Lake Hopatcong in the Republican primary for Morris County Freeholder. Prior to moving to the Lake Hopatcong section of Jefferson Township in 2016, Felegi lived in Riverdale, where he served on the Republican County Committee and as a member of the Riverdale Public Library Board of Trustees.
“I am proud to support my good friend William Felegi for Morris County Freeholder because I know he’s a principled, hard-working, and honest leader who will put Morris County first. During his seven years as a resident of Riverdale, Will brought energy and enthusiasm to our local Republican Party and served our community as a member of the Riverdale Public Library Board of Trustees,” Mastrangelo stated.
Mastrangelo also praised Felegi’s commitment to public service.
“Whether it was as a Sergeant in the National Guard or spending countless hours volunteering to support Riverdale’s library, Will has demonstrated a true commitment to service above self. It’s that belief in service to others that will make him an extraordinary Freeholder,” he declared.
Felegi thanked Mastrangelo for his endorsement and said he looks forward to earning the support of Morris County voters.
“I am extraordinarily honored and grateful to receive the endorsement of my friend Gary Mastrangelo. I also thank Gary for his years of service on the Riverdale Borough Council. I look forward to earning the support of residents in all of Morris County’s thirty-nine municipalities,” he said.
BOONTON —When the federal government capped state and local tax deductions at $10,000, small business owners, whose revenue is passed through as personal income, took a huge hit. In response, Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco helped propose a new plan that would allow small business owners to deduct their income from federal taxes, protecting them from the SALT cap’s blow to their bottom-line.
“The federal $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions took a toll on property-tax payers,” said Bucco (R-Morris). “And it also took a toll on many small business owners that file under the state income tax. New Jersey is already the most expensive and unforgiving place to own a business. We need to do all we can to help.”
The bill (S3246), which cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee today, helps S corps and limited liability companies with a tax credit to shift tax obligations from the owners of the business to the business itself.Owners would calculate their share of profit and multiply it by the tax rate they would pay on that profit; 5.25 percent between $1 and $250,000, 6.37 percent between $250,000 and $1 million, 8.97 percent between $1 million and $3 million, and 10.75 percent on income over $3 million. The credit would equal 100 percent of each owner’s taxed share of revenue.
“We should be making every effort to make New Jersey small-business friendly, and this change will provide much needed relief for many of New Jersey’s job creators,” said Bucco.
The tax change is retroactive to January 1, 2018. It passed the Appropriations committee today 9-0.
MORRIS COUNTY — Each year, Morris Arts offers two scholarship opportunities for graduating high school seniors who have exhibited artistic excellence in dance, drama, music, or visual arts and plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program. The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $5,000, and The Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship, in the amount of $1,500, were created to recognize artistic excellence, encourage the artists of the future, and to celebrate the value of the arts to the human experience.
Morris County high school seniors graduating in June 2019 who are currently attending public, private, or parochial school or who are home schooled in New Jersey were eligible. Applicants must also (a) be Morris County residents, (b) plan to pursue post-secondary studies at an accredited institution or acknowledged arts school or fine arts program, and (c) have demonstrated artistic excellence in any one of four arts disciplines: dance, drama, music, or visual arts.
The Elaine Ehlers Arts Scholarship was established in 2002 in memory of Elaine Ehlers (1953-2001), a health-care administrator by profession, who had a voracious appetite for all things artistic and musical. She derived intellectual and emotional sustenance from the arts and supported programs at many museums and musical institutions. By establishing this scholarship, an enduring legacy has been created to reward those who possess artistic talent and who plan to further their arts education.
This year’s Ehlers Scholarship winner, dancer Leah Suskind , is a graduating senior at the Morris County School of Technology/ Academy for Visual and Performing Arts and, next fall, will pursue a Bachelors of Fine Arts as a Dance Major at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. A Finalist Winner for the National Dance Education Organization Artistic Merit, Leadership, and Academic Achievement Award, a three-time winner at the Teen Arts Festival (County College of Morris) and winner of numerous scholarships, overall awards and judges’ awards for competition dance, Leah received scholarships from Rutgers Pre-College Dance Conservatory, Ballet Forté, and the New Jersey Dance Theatre Ensemble. Additionally, she has pursued training at the highly competitive Summer Intensives / Programs at Juilliard, NYU Tisch Summer High School Dance Program, Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company, RIOULT, the Rockettes, Bailar Al Sol Dance Festival, West Side Dance Center, NextStep Dance Company and has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. One recommendation cited Leah’s “command of multiple genres” and her “creativity and technical skill in dance” while another stated, “As a dance professional for over 30 years, there have only been a few students whom I would highly recommend for seeking a dance career and Leah is one of them.” For her application, she performed both “competition” style work and her original work, Illuminate. She choreographed Illuminate “in honor of one of my younger brothers who was recently a victim of an anti-Semitic hate crime at our synagogue’s Holocaust Remembrance Service late April.” The work eloquently communicated Leah’s “sadness for the past and hope for the future” and the panel found her performance deeply moving, technically demanding, artistically mature and exquisitely executed.
The Eugenie Coladarci Arts Scholarship was first awarded in 1999 in memory of Eugenie R. Coladarci, who was Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations at Chase Manhattan Bank and an active member of Morris Arts for eleven years. She was completing her first term as Board Chair when she passed away in 1997. As a statewide champion of the arts, Genie encouraged the development of young artists and believed in the value of the arts to the quality of life. The idea of a scholarship to assist talented young people wishing to continue their study in the arts was very important to her.
This year’s Coladarci Scholarship winner is soprano Sophia Grace Donelan, a graduating senior at Villa Walsh Academy, who hopes to pursue a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at a major conservatory and, eventually, to become a professional opera singer With extensive training in voice, acting and dance, Sophia qualified for the 2018 summer Boston University’s Tanglewood Institute Young Artists Vocal Program where she studied voice, music theory, music history, diction, movement/bodywork and art song recitals, sang the role of Frasquita in the “Card Trio” from Carmen, soloed in the West Side Story Medley, sang for the Master Class with Mezzo Kelly O’Connor and performed with the BSO Chorus under John Williams. A National Semi-Finalist in the High School Division/Classical Singer Music Vocal Competition, she was also a National Finalist in the New York Lyric Opera Vocal Competition (High School Division). One recommender stated “I believe this lovely young lady has the beautiful instrument, musical intelligence and emotional fortitude to become a great singing actor.” Another states, “In my forty plus years of teaching and conducting, I can say without reservation that Sophia is truly exceptional!”…The panel felt Sophia was far more advanced and well trained than most singers her age. Impressed by her refined and skilled performance of challenging repertoire in three languages, panelists noted her beautiful tone quality, accurate intonation, clear diction, breath control, well-shaped phrasing, wide dynamic range as well as her understanding of and ability to expressively convey the meaning of the texts she sang.
The panel also felt strongly about awarding an Honorable Mention to acknowledge the accomplishments of multi-instrumentalist, prize-winning composer and outstanding bassoonist, Matt Wisotsky, who is a graduating senior at West Morris Mendham High School. According to one recommendation, “he has proven to be one of the finest young musicians I have encountered in over forty-five years of teaching.”
The winners were introduced at the Thursday, March 14 opening reception for the new exhibit, seeing the unseen, featuring works by ten outstanding artists and guest curated by Greg Leshé, in the Gallery.
Morris Arts, located in Morristown, is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1973 dedicated to building community through the arts. Using the arts to inspire, connect and engage, Morris Arts serves as a resource for Morris County with a special focus on arts programming in the schools and in the community, arts advocacy, creative placemaking and support of the Morris Area community of artists and arts organizations.
TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy, Senate President Steve Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, Senator Scutari, and Assemblywoman Quijano announced an agreement on the broad outlines of legislation to legalize adult-use marijuana in New Jersey.
“Legalizing adult-use marijuana is a monumental step to reducing disparities in our criminal justice system,” said Governor Murphy. “After months of hard work and thoughtful negotiations, I’m thrilled to announce an agreement with my partners in the Legislature on the broad outlines of adult-use marijuana legislation. I believe that this legislation will establish an industry that brings fairness and economic opportunity to all of our communities, while promoting public safety by ensuring a safe product and allowing law enforcement to focus their resources on serious crimes.
“This plan will allow for the adult use of cannabis in a responsible way,” said Senate President Sweeney. “It will create a strictly regulated system that permits adults to purchase limited amounts of marijuana for personal use. It will bring marijuana out of the underground market so that it can be controlled, regulated and taxed, just as alcohol has been since the end of Prohibition. This plan will also advance important social justice reforms to help reverse the discriminatory impact that drug laws have had on diverse communities.”
“The agreement reached to legalize adult-use cannabis is the result of incredibly hard work by many people over many months,” said Speaker Coughlin. “Getting to this point wasn’t easy. We talked and we negotiated in good faith, but most importantly, we listened. I want to thank Governor Murphy and Senate President Sweeney for their tireless efforts and willingness to compromise so we could put forth the most responsible legislation possible. I believe this new, regulated industry will help boost our economy, but I’m particularly proud of the critical social justice components included in the bill.”
“The prohibition on marijuana has long been a failed policy,” said Senator Nicholas Scutari. “This plan will bring an end to the adverse effects our outdated drug laws have had on the residents of our state. As a regulated product legalized marijuana will be safe and controlled. It is time to legalize adult use marijuana in New Jersey and this is a well crafted legal reform that will advance social policy in a fair and effective way.”
“After months of discussions and debate, I am proud that we have come to an agreement on a bill to legalize adult-use cannabis,” said Assemblywoman Annette Quijano. “We learned from stakeholders and listened to opponents. The final product is fair, responsible and focused on social justice. I want to thank Speaker Coughlin for his leadership in the Assembly and express my gratitude to Governor Murphy and Senate President Sweeney for partnering with us in this daunting endeavor.”
Under the terms of the agreement, adult-use marijuana will be subject to an excise tax of $42 per ounce, which will be imposed when marijuana is cultivated. In addition, municipalities that are home to a cultivator or manufacturer will receive the revenue from a 2% tax on the product within their jurisdiction. Municipalities that are home to a wholesaler will receive the revenue from a 1% tax on the product within their jurisdiction, while municipalities that are home to a retailer will receive the revenue from a 3% tax on the product within their jurisdiction.
Adult-use marijuana will be governed by a Cannabis Regulatory Commission, composed of five members. Three members will be appointed by the Governor, with the Governor’s initial appointments to serve terms of at least four years and not be subject to Senate confirmation. Two other members will be appointed by the Governor, upon the recommendations of the Speaker and Senate President. The Commission will promulgate all regulations to govern the industry and will oversee the applications for licensing of adult-use marijuana dispensaries.
Provisions in the bill establish an expedited expungement process for individuals convicted of low-level marijuana offenses, and a virtual expungement process that will automatically prevent certain marijuana offenses from being taken into account in certain areas such as education, housing, and occupational licensing. Additionally, there are a number of provisions that aim to ensure broad-based participation in the industry for Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs), low- and middle-income individuals, and disadvantaged communities across the state.
Final text of the legislation will be released in the coming days, subject to pending technical edits.
PARSIPPANY — Meet Charlie and Max, six-year-old Golden Doodles! These giant lovebugs can’t wait to find their forever home together!
Charlie and Max have a bit of extra “fluff” right now and weigh 120 and 128 lbs each. Their size matches the size of their hearts though as these guys are full of love to give!
They were born into the same litter and purchased together by their previous owner who could no longer care for them. We are so happy they are with W.A.R. now so they can find their real forever home!
They are both potty trained and know some basic commands.
They are very strong on the leash and will need someone who can work with them on this.
They have lived with dogs of all sizes and are suitable in a home with children 13 and up due to their size.
Charlie and Max love running around playing, as well as snoozing on top of you on the couch!
If you’re looking for double the love, apply to adopt Max and Charlie today!
If you are interested in adopting Charlie and Max, please fill out an application by clicking here.
Follow Wise Animal Rescue on Instagram by clicking here.
Follow Wise Animal Rescue on Facebook by clicking here.
MORRIS COUNTY — The maker movement in the United States isn’t just a hobby; it’s having a significant impact on school curriculum development and growing local economies. To celebrate making and maker culture, residents throughout New Jersey will come together on Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23, in libraries, schools, museums, colleges, makerspaces, businesses, and other community locations.
NJ Makers Day is designed to be a statewide event that celebrates, promotes, and in many cases may introduce maker culture, as well as the values associated with making, tinkering and STEM-based learning. In 2017, NJ Makers Day drew over 85,000 individual attendees to more than 300 participating sites across all 21 counties in the state. Participating locations included schools, colleges and universities, libraries, museums, and other educational organizations.
Makerspaces across the state are having a significant impact on education and job skills development by providing access to people, information, resources, and tools that facilitate making to a wide variety of skill levels. NJ Makers Day allows communities to share hands-on programming opportunities, demonstrations and displays, and the expertise of the individuals and organizations that make, create, and develop right in their own backyards.
“We are ecstatic to be able to bring this type of programming to the Morris County community,” said Mark Sutherland, Manager of Morris County Park Commission Historic Sites. “We are committed to finding ways to help people learn new skills and to work collaboratively on exciting hands-on projects.” Cooper Gristmill in Chester Township and Historic Speedwell in Morristown are proud to be participating sites for New Jersey Makers Day on March 22 at the Cooper Gristmill, and March 23, 2019 at Historic Speedwell! Community members of all ages are invited to attend for two exciting days filled with activities focusing on maker culture.
At both sites, visitors will have the opportunity to use their critical thinking and decision making skills to bring their bright idea to the real world. At Historic Speedwell, participants will be given startup (fake) money to buy resources to make their invention, as well as create marketing for it.
At Cooper Gristmill, participants will have a similar experience, however, instead of marketing, they will complete a patent for their invention based on the current US Patent Office application requirements. Using Legos, Lincoln Logs, K’nex, pipe cleaners, and other building supplies, participants can form whatever idea they wish to bring to life!
For more information, please contact Maressa McFarlane at (973) 285-6537 or visit www.morrisparks.net. Cooper Gristmill is located at 66 Route 24, Chester. Historic Speedwell is located at 333 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown.
MORRIS COUNTY — Rainbows For All Children is a peer support program for children who have experienced grief through a death or divorce in the family. Spring registration is now being accepted.
Sessions are being offered and continue every Tuesday through April 30.
The meetings are held at Saint Francis Residential Community Center from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m, 122 Diamond Spring Road, Denville.
Small groups are formed for children ages four years and up. There are no fees to parents.
Call Diane Thormann at (973) 627-2134 or Wendy Spector (973) 625-3352 for registration information or click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Mike Wolfe, Frank Fritz, and their team are excited to return to New Jersey! They plan to film episodes of the hit series American Pickers throughout your area in May 2019.
AMERICAN PICKERS is a documentary series that explores the fascinating world of antique “picking” on History.
The hit show follows Mike and Frank, two of the most skilled pickers in the business, as they hunt for America’s most valuable antiques. They are always excited to find sizeable, unique collections and learn the interesting stories behind them. As they hit the back roads from coast to coast, Mike and Frank are on a mission to recycle and rescue forgotten relics. Along the way, the Pickers want to meet characters with remarkable and exceptional items. The pair hopes to give historically significant objects a new lease on life, while learning a thing or two about America’s past along the way.
Mike and Frank have seen a lot of rusty gold over the years and are always looking to discover something they’ve never seen before. They are ready to find extraordinary items and hear fascinating tales about them.
AMERICAN PICKERS is looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the Pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send us your name, phone number, location and description of the collection with photos to: [email protected] or call 855-OLD-RUST. facebook: @GotAPick
PARSIPPANY — Without a winner for Saturday’s Powerball drawing, the jackpot has climbed to $550 million ($335 million cash value), the 8th largest in Powerball history. There was one New Jersey Lottery ticket sold that matched five of the five white balls drawn for the Saturday, March 16 drawing winning the $1,000,000 second-tier prize. If that ticket had been purchased with Power Play, it would have multiplied the prize to $2,000,000. The winning ticket from Saturday night’s drawing was sold at Baldwin News & Food Store, 138 Baldwin Road.
In addition to the second-tier prize winning ticket sold, there were four New Jersey Lottery tickets sold that matched four of the five white balls and the Powerball drawn winning the $50,000 third-tier prize. One of those tickets was purchased with the Power Play Multiplier option, multiplying the prize to $100,000. The winning ticket from Saturday night’s drawing was sold at the following locations:
The winning numbers for the Saturday, March 16 drawing were: 30, 34, 39, 53 and 67. The Red Power Ball number was 11. The Multiplier number was 02. The Powerball jackpot rolls to $550,000,000 for the next drawing to be held Wednesday, March 20 at 10:59 pm.
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library will be holding classes on U.S. Citizenship from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Classes will be held on Monday, March 18; Monday, March 25; Monday, April 8, Monday, April 15 and Monday, April 29.
You are encouraged to attend these sessions if you have applied or are in the process of applying for US Citizenship; you are committed to attend all five sessions, and have a current library card.
Please register at www.parsippanylibrary.org or call (973) 887-5150 ext. 209.
This program is offered in partnership with Literacy Volunteers of Morris County.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Main Public Library is located at 449 Halsey Road.
Parsippany Focus is a digital news organization that provides news coverage of Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey. The organization was founded in 1989 by Frank Cahill, who currently owns and operates the organization. Parsippany Focus covers local news, events, and community issues, and their content is primarily distributed through their website and social media channels. The organization has been serving as a trusted source of news and information for the Parsippany-Troy Hills community for over 37 years.
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