Inserra Supermarkets recently marked its 61st anniversary by honoring more than 600 of its ShopRite associates at an award celebration. The honorees were recognized for their milestone anniversaries, ranging from 5 to 55 years of service at the Mahwah based company’s 22 stores located throughout communities in New Jersey and New York.
Among them are Morris County residents:
Parsippany: Julio C. Trivelli, 5 years
Boonton: Donna L. Hemner, 25 years; Charles J. Paglino, 20 years; Saul E. Figueroa, 10 years
Ledgewood: Slavko E. Profaca, 20 years
Wharton: Madeline Barone, 10 years
“Our distinguished honorees tonight have a collective – and tremendously impressive – 3,650 years of service,” said Ron Onorato, president and COO of Inserra Supermarkets. “On a daily basis, these honorees bring Inserra’s mission of customer service and quality excellence to life and serve as the foundation for our company’s continued success and growth.”
Established in 1954 by Patsy Inserra as a privately-held family business, Inserra Supermarkets remains true to its roots as a family-owned grocery chain. In 1980, under the entrepreneurial guidance of the late Lawrence Inserra, Sr., the company grew to eight stores and experienced a banner year in 1981, growing to 14 stores. Today, the company owns and operates ShopRite supermarkets in Bayonne, Emerson, Fair Lawn, Hackensack, Hillsdale, Hoboken, Jersey City, Lodi, Lyndhurst, New Milford, Northvale, North Bergen, Palisades Park, Ramsey, Wayne and West Milford in New Jersey and in Rockland County, N.Y., in Garnerville, New City, Stony Point, Tallman and West Nyack, as well as a PriceRite store in Garfield.
As one of the region’s largest employers, Inserra Supermarkets provides full- and part-time positions to more than 4,000 associates. The company is also widely acknowledged as a good corporate citizen dedicated to improving the lives of local residents, and supports numerous non-profits, including Community Food Bank of New Jersey and Table to Table, the first food rescue program serving Northern New Jersey.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education announces the ground breaking for turf fields at Parsippany High School and Parsippany Hills High School.
The Board of Education has been working toward this goal for many years. The new fields will have an immediate, positive impact on the district’s students, sports teams, and community!
The groundbreaking for Parsippany High School Redhawk Football Field, 309 Baldwin Road, will be held on Tuesday, May 12 at 5:30 p.m.
The groundbreaking for Parsippany Hills High School Viking Football Field, 20 Rita Drive, will be held on Thursday, May 14 at 5:30 p.m.
Chief Justice Stuart Rabner has announced that Superior Court Judge Stuart A. Minkowitz will lead the Morris/Sussex Vicinage, effective May 28. He will succeed Assignment Judge Thomas L. Weisenbeck, who is retiring after 10 years on the bench, four as assignment judge.
“The Morris/Sussex Vicinage has flourished under Judge Weisenbeck’s leadership. He has excelled as a judge and a leader, and we wish him the best as he reaches his mandatory retirement date,” said Chief Justice Stuart Rabner.
“Judge Minkowitz is a gifted jurist, a strong manager, and a dedicated public servant. I am confident that his skill and wisdom will enable him to lead the vicinage with distinction.”
A graduate of the State University of New York at Albany and Brooklyn Law School, Judge Minkowitz began his career in public service in the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office in 1992. In 1996, he joined the Hackensack firm of Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard as an associate. He returned to public service in the U. S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, working as a civil health care fraud coordinator. He remained in that position until his appointment to the bench by Gov. Jon Corzine. He took the oath of judicial office on Jan. 10, 2008.
From 1999 until his appointment to the bench, Judge Minkowitz served as a captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, first in the United States Army Reserve, and then in the New Jersey Army National Guard. In that role, he conducted legal reviews of administrative actions and policies, acted as legal advisor to administrative hearing boards, and provided legal assistance to soldiers and their families.
While on the bench, Judge Minkowitz served first in the family division, then moved to the criminal division in 2011. He was named presiding judge of the criminal division in December 2012. Since December 2014, he has served as the statewide Megan’s Law coordinator. He also has been a member of the Criminal Division Visitation Team, which reviews and reports on the implementation of criminal division standards and best practices statewide. Other committee service includes the Conference of Criminal Presiding Judges, the Conference of Drug Court Judges, and a working group to explore technology solutions for judicial work. He has served on the faculty of the annual Judicial College as well as on other judicial education panels.
“I am delighted to accept the chief’s appointment, and I look forward to working with the judges and staff of the Morris/Sussex vicinage to serve the public in this new role,” said Judge Minkowitz.
As a Parsippany resident who was elected to and served on the Board of Education and as a Republican who has run for his Party’s nomination for the Town Council, I have had the occasion to meet with and talk to many Parsippany voters over the years. Without exception those conversations have focused on the need to elect candidates who will put Parsippany first and who will have the courage to stand up for what is right even when it means having to stand alone to make sure that all good ideas are considered and that all possible options are explored.
Recently, I have been asked by a number of friends and neighbors whom I plan to vote for in the Republican primary in June and I must admit that I have had some difficulty making that decision. After considerable thought I have concluded that blocking Mayor Barberio’s badly flawed agenda is absolutely critical to protect Parsippany’s future. For that reason I plan to split my ballot and cast my vote for Paul Carifi, John Beehler and Loretta Gragnani. I do so, not because I believe that Mr. dePierro and Mr. Ferrara are bad people but because these two gentleman have repeatedly failed to stand up to Mayor Barberio who (with their support) has consistently chosen to put his personal and political self interests ahead of what is best for Parsippany. I will vote for Mrs. Gragnani (even though she is on the dePierro/Ferrara slate) with the hope that she will have the courage to stand on her own and use her past experience serving Parsippany to make independent decisions that will keep Parsippany’s best interests in mind. My vote for Mr. Carifi takes into account that, though he and I may disagree on some issues, he has consistently demonstrated a willingness to listen to matters that concern residents and to vote in their best interests. My vote for Mr. Beeler is not a vote against Ms. Visakay but rather a bet that this political newcomer will bring a fresh and much needed new perspective to Parsippany’s Republican party.
I close by saying that I know that sharing these thoughts may be viewed by some as being a highly presumptuous act and I stand guilty as charged. Having said that I invite other Parsippany Republicans to share their thoughts before the election and more importantly to exercise their right to vote in the June 2 Primary.
Insurance goliath John Graham and his son, Ryan are no stranger to local politics. In March, the elder Graham was honored and inducted into the 2015 Essex County Democratic Committee Hall of Fame. In addition to being heavily involved in Essex County politics, Graham has also previously served as national finance co-chair for Hillary Clinton when she ran for president in 2008, and also as state director for John Kerry, when he ran for president.
Fairview Insurance, the agency Graham started in 1970 also happens to be the broker of record for the Township of Parsippany. As the largest municipality in Morris County, Parsippany provides Fairview with hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in commission for directing the township into self-funding it’s own employee health and dental plan.
While it’s not unusual for insurance brokers to earn hefty commissions, Fairview and the Graham family have built a reputation for making hefty political donations to candidates, committees, and PAC’s in the same municipalities and counties they do business in.
In January 2010, in one of his first acts after becoming mayor of Parsippany, Mayor James Barberio, along with Council members Mike dePierro, John Fox, Ann Grossi, John Cesaro, and Brian Stanton, amended Parsippany’s Pay-To-Play Ordinance to allow professionals who contracted with the township to donate unlimited amounts to the Morris County Republican and Democratic Committees. The prior ordinance allowed township professionals only $500 each year to be donated to the County Committees.
One of the Council members who originally voted to confirm Fairview as Parsippany’s insurance broker was John Cesaro. In 2012, Cesaro announced his candidacy for Morris County Freeholder. Ryan Graham and his wife promptly donated $5100 to Cesaro’s freeholder campaign.
Even though Cesaro was a candidate for a county position, the townships pay-to-play ordinance prohibits professionals from donating more than $300 each year to office holders. Township attorney John Inglesino recently told Parsippany Focus that as township attorney he investigated whether Graham’s $5100 contribution was a campaign violation (which if guilty would bar Fairview from working for Parsippany for four years) but determined that since Ryan Graham and his wife did not own more than a 10% equity stake in Fairview, the contribution was legal.
*editor’s note. It is also a pay-to-play violation to knowingly circumvent Parsippany’s ordinance. If proven that Mr. Graham donated the money to Mr. Cesaro on his father’s behalf, that would trigger a violation…something that is very difficult to prove.
On or around September 18, 2013, Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette authored a letter to contributors which in part said that “Parsippany has an ordinance that makes it practically impossible to raise campaign contributions…Checks should be made out to ‘Friends of Jamie Barberio’ and mailed to me at MCRC, 26 Schuyler Place Morristown, NJ 07960.”
On September 27, 2013, one week after Mr. Sette’s letter was mailed, Mr. Graham promptly donated $7200 to the Morris County Republican Committee, money specifically earmarked for Mayor Barberio’s reelection campaign. This was the first and only donation ever reported to having been made to the Morris County Republicans by anyone from Fairview Insurance.
Democratic PAC enters Par-Troy GOP Council Race
Last month, New York Observer owned news website, Politickrnj.com reported that a Super PAC with Democratic ties had injected itself into the 2015 Parsippany Republican Council primary. The PAC, NJ’s Future First, it was reported, was being financed by Fairview Insurance Agency’s Ryan Graham in order to pay longtime Barberio campaign strategist, Alan Zakin. Although the NJ’s Future First mission statement declares that it does not endorse individual candidates, The PAC has made a large presence in Parsippany by hiring campaign workers and printing literature in support of Councilman dePierro, Vincent Ferrara, and Loretta Gragnani. dePierro and Ferrera, while previously on the township council, voted to reappoint Fairview as the Township’s broker, while their opponent Councilman Paul Carifi and his running mates Aida Visakay and John Beehler, have been openingly critical of Fairview’s contract with Parsippany.
Several residents have told Parsippany Focus that workers for NJ’s Future First have appeared on their doorstep urging voters to vote for dePierro’s council slate and John Cesaro’s freeholder slate….both teams being longtime Fairview Insurance supporters.
In March, Mr. Graham also emailed people to support Freeholder Cesaro at a fundraiser being held in Essex County.
Just this week, Jeff Brindle, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission authored an opt-ed in which he blasted the Super PAC for injecting itself into a local Parsippany GOP primary race.
Mayor Barberio’s closest childhood friend on Fairview payroll
In 2013 and 2014 Parsippany Council members publicly asked Mayor Barberio and Mr. Graham if any of Mayor Barberio’s family or close friends worked for, or had any business relationship with Fairview insurance. Mr. Graham and Mr. Barberio both answered no. Parsippany Focus has recently learned that life-long Barberio friend and supporter, actor, Daniel Margotta, has received at least $87,878 in compensation from Fairview and possibly as much as $324,529 beginning in 2011. Mr. Margotta’s Linkedin page makes no mention of being in the insurance industry.
Emails to Mr. Graham and Fairview Insurance have been unanswered as of the time of publication.
PARSIPPANY — Mr. Massimili Carpinteri, 38, Orange, was traveling North on New Road, when Mr. Richard Olenick, 42, Montville, was exiting the driveway of 181 New Road and entered the roadway stricking the trailer that was being pulled by the 2014 Ford F55.
Mr. Olenick’s vehicle was towed from the scene by Eagle Towing.
The investigation revealed that Mr. Olenick was at fault because of inattention and failed to yield right of way to the 2014 Ford F55.
Patrolman Jimmy Michel was the officer investigating the accident.
The weather the next four days isn’t going to change much. It will be sunny during the day with highs mainly in the 70s. The evenings will be dry with temperatures in the upper 50s and low 60s, the National Weather Forecast says. Today’s highs are expected to be 73 in Woodbridge, 76 in Hackettstown, 66…
PARSIPPANY — In the past 30 days Troop 72 has done 376 man-hours of service project work, for the community of Parsippany-Troy Hills, Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation, and Liberty State Park.
Troop 72 is always looking to help our community, and we would like to ask the community to come out to help us.
On Mother’s Day, Troop 72 will be having its annual Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser. Scouts and Leaders will be serving breakfast between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. at the Applebee’s on Route 46.
Proceeds from the fundraiser help to sponsor scouts to attend National Youth Leadership Training, provide new equipment for the growing troop, and keep scouting affordable by helping pay for financially challenged families summer camp experience.
Please join Troop 72 on Mother’s Day for breakfast, it’s a great day, and a great cause.
Here are the details of some of their Service Projects they completed in the past month:
Beaver Day – Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation. 16 Scouts and Adults spent 6 hours helping with the demolition of a large cabin. This cabin is being rebuilt and modernized, it will feature bunks for 38 people, propane heat and air conditioning. Camp Somers at MASR is our annual home for Summer Camp.
United Methodist Church Roast Beef Dinner. 12 Scouts and Adults spent 3½ hours serving drinks and cleaning tables. Troop 72 is happy to help with this annual tradition.
Pack 142 April Pack Meeting. 10 Scouts and Adults taught basic scout required knots to the members of Pack 142. After knots they were asked to stay and help with tents, and helped with performance in a campfire program. Initially scheduled for only ½ hour the troop spent 2 ½ hours helping the pack.
Scouts from Troop 72 and other local units participated in a cleanup day at Liberty State Park. In October Troop 72 will join an estimated 5000 scouts at Liberty State Park for the Liberty Jamboree.
Troop 72 has been serving youth ages 11-18 of the Parsippany area since 1954, to join or for meeting information email by clicking here.
PARSIPPANY — James J. Stefel, 66, passed away on Sunday, May 3, at Morton Plant Mease Hospital in Clearwater, Florida.
Jimmy was born in Newark and grew up in Irvington. He lived in West Orange before moving to Parsippany in 1990.
Jimmy worked for the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills as a Senior Maintenance Repairman. After working for the town Jimmy was a past chief and life member of Parsippany Rescue & Recovery.
He was predeceased by his son, Charles Pizzi and his daughter, Deborah Decker.
Survivors include his wife, Ruthann (nee-Frandsen); his son, J.R. Stefel; his sister, April M. Stefel; his daughter-in-law, Lisa Pizzi; his son-in-law, Dwain Decker; his six grandchildren: Jennifer, Nicole, and Christopher Decker; Anthony, Tiffany, and Juliana Pizzi; and his two great-grandchildren: Gabby and Brody Semple.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral service at 10:00 am on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at Par-Troy Funeral Home. Interment: Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.
Visiting hours are on Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers please make donations in his memory to United Methodist Church, 903 South Beverwyck Road, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 or Parsippany Rescue & Recovery, Post Office Box 45, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034.
PARSIPPANY − The Parsippany High School Redhawks Baseball Team defeated Parsippany Hills Vikings on Friday, May 1 in the Mayors Trophy Game with a score of 2-1.
The winners each year:
2006 – PHHS 6 – PHS 0
2007 – PHHS 11 – PHS 1
2008 – PHHS 4 – PHS 1
2009 – PHHS 9 – PHS 6
2010 – PHHS 11 – PHS 0
2012 – PHHS 6 – PHS 2
2013 – PHS 8 – PHHS 4
2014 – PHHS 2 – PHS 1
2015 – PHS 2 – PHHS 1
The Parsippany Redhawks record so far is 8-9 and the Vikings are 0 – 19.
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Girls Lacrosse team played their first home game of the season,on Tuesday, April 21. The U13 team, consisting of Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Graders, played against Pequannock. The final score was 9-8 with Pequannock winning.
The Parsippany Lacrosse program is going into it’s Third Season with 185 boys and girls, on top of that they have over 30 volunteer coaches and are always looking to train more. The teams range from K-8th Grade.
Currently the team is preparing for the girls and boys to play at the high school level in Spring 2016.
Parsippany Lacrosse Club received a First Stick Grant from US Lacrosse.
Parsippany Lacrosse Club will be hosting “The 1st Annual Parsippany Lacrosse Day” on Saturday, May 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Jannarone Field.
There will be food, fun, music and lacrosse. The community can learn more about the game, equipment, how it is played and if interested, can learn how to join for next season.
For more information visit Parsippany Lacrosse Club by clicking here and on Facebook.
In May and June, both boys and girls teams participate in lacrosse tournaments and festivals.
EAST HANOVER — Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter will be working in cooperation with Petsmart Charities for Petsmart’s National Adoption during the weekend of May 15 to May 17. Please visit the Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17 from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 p.m. Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter will be having a large adoption event in their parking lot and hope to place at least 50 dogs and cats into good homes over the course of three days.
It’s a lofty goal but we know with your support we can achieve it!
Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter is located at 194 Route 10 West, East Hanover (behind Petsmart)
If you’re thinking about adding a pet to your family, come on by! Even if you’re not looking for a new pet you can still help – simply share this post with your friends to spread the word.
For more information: please call Suzanne at 973-386-0068 or email suzanne@njshelter.org
PARSIPPANY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Chief Paul Philipps announce the arrest of Andry Mroz, 27, Northfield Road, on charges related to an arson that occurred during an early morning fire at 365 Lake Shore Drive, Lake Parsippany.
During the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 6, police and fire officials were dispatched to 365 Lakeshore Drive on a report of a house fire. Upon arrival, it became apparent that a couch located outside of the residence had been set on fire, which caused damage to the home. First responders were able to successfully extinguish the fire. One of the residents of the home sustained minor injuries during attempts to extinguish the fire. None of the other occupants of the home sustained injuries.
Andry Mroz was arrested on scene and taken into custody. Parsippany-Troy Hills Municipal Court Judge Anthony J. Frese, J.M.C. subsequently authorized charges against Mroz for two (2) counts of Aggravated Arson, crimes of the second degree, as well as one count of Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, a crime of the third degree, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, a crime of the fourth degree. Bail was set at $75,000 cash, bond or property, with various conditions.
Prosecutor Knapp thanked numerous agencies which responded to this incident, including the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department, the Arson-Environmental Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office – Criminal Investigation Section, and Lake Parsippany Volunteer Fire Department District 3.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department at (973) 263-4300, the Arson-Environmental Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200, or Morris County Crimestoppers at 973-COP-CALL (973-267-2255).
Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
PARSIPPANY – The Parsippany Hills High School Basketball Booster Club will be sponsoring a Beefsteak Dinner on Thursday, May 21. The event will be held at Parsippany Elk’s Lodge, 230 Parsippany Road.
The event starts at 6:00 p.m. and dinner is promptly served starting at 6:30 p.m. The All-You-Can-Eat Beefsteak includes bread, salad, potato wedges, water and soda. Cookes and brownies are available to purchase.
Checks are to be made payable to PHHS Boys Basketball Booster Club and sent to 27 Whitewood Drive, Morris Plains, New Jersey 07950.
PARSIPPANY – As part of St. Andrew’s 50th Anniversary, they have initiated “50 ways to share our blessings”. Each month the church sponsors a drive to collect 50 or more items to donate to a local cause. In April, over 200 cans and multiple bags of cat and kitten food were donated to the Parsippany Animal Control and Shelter just in time for the spring kitten boom.
In continuation of the program, on May 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. St. Andrew’s will be hosting a blood drive in Friendship Hall located at 335 Reynolds Avenue.
As part of the anniversary celebration they look to meet or exceed their goal of 50 pints donated. All who donates will have the opportunity to receive 1 of 4 VISA gift cards.”
TRENTON — America Leads, the Super PAC aimed at helping Gov. Chris Christie raise the tens of millions required to run for president, is holding its first New Jersey fundraiser later this month. The event will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Short Hills on May 28, with tickets ranging from $10,000 to $25,000. The…
A West Orange woman is suing an airline because she says it failed to properly inform passengers that live television and Internet service aren’t available on all flights. Cary M. David filed a $5 million class action suit in federal court in Newark alleging United Airlines failed to notify passengers that WiFi and DirecTV are inoperable…
PARSIPPANY — Free Comic Book Day was back at Funnybooks, this past Saturday, May 2. The annual comic book celebration, now in its 15th year at Comic Book Shops across the world, and once again, Funnybooks Comics & Stuff in Lake Hiawatha was the local hot spot for this year’s free comics.
Both Marvel and DC are in the process of “re-launching” their superhero universes this summer, and Free Comic Book Day gave both publishers a chance to give fans a look at what they’re up to. Marvel Comics offered the free Secret Wars #0, which threatens the destruction of the Marvel Universe, while rival DC Comics gave readers a glimpse of the new Batman costume with their Free Divergence title.
This year’s Pop Culture choices included comics featuring “Doctor Who” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “Transformers,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “Attack On Titan,” and even “Fight Club,” while the all-ages choices include: “Spongebob,” “The Simpsons,” “Sonic The Hedgehog,” “Avatar The Last Airbender,” “Teen Titans Go” and “Pokemon.”
Funnybooks Comics & Stuff, which will celebrate 23 years in June, is located at 98 North Beverwyck Road in Lake Hiawatha.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce members gathered at Valley National Bank, 800 Route 46 on Tuesday, May 5 for another successful “Business before Business” Networking Event.
The Business Before Business Breakfast Meetings are the perfect way to start your day! Join Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce for some early morning networking and learn ways to address the day-to-day challenges that businesses face. You’re sure to pick up a valuable tip or two that you can take back with you to the office to improve your bottom line.
Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce members enjoyed this FREE networking event, courtesy of Valley National Bank. Members had the opportunity to introduce themselves and their businesses and an opportunity to talk to other small business owners.
To learn more about Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce, click here, or call Executive Board Member Frank Cahill at (973) 402-6400.