Friday, August 30, 2024
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COVID-19: Cyber Criminals Pose as CDC with “Alert” about Facility Closing

Frank L. Cahill
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COVID-19: Cyber Criminals Pose as CDC with “Alert” about Facility Closing

MORRIS COUNTY — Cyber scammers are trying to take advantage of the COVID pandemic by getting Morris County residents to click on an internet link with “information” supposedly sent by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warns the Morris County Office of Information Technology.

The scammers are using the COVID-19 pandemic to find creative ways to weaken your defenses.

In this instance, a supposed CDC email includes the following intense subject line: “NOTICE OF CLOSING YOUR FACILITY AND DISINFECTING THE AREA – BY NCDC WH 20982 COV-19 Due To Recent Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic.”

You are instructed to download an attachment that is supposedly a letter from the CDC claiming they will close your workplace. If you download the file, however, you will find that it is actually a malicious program designed to gain access to your organization’s sensitive information.

How to beat the bad guys:

  • Think before you click. These malicious actors are playing with your emotions and this threat relies on panicked clicking.
  • Never click a link or download an attachment from an email you weren’t expecting. Remember, even if the sender appears to be from a legitimate organization, the email address could be spoofed.
  • If you receive a suspicious email that claims to be from an official organization, such as the CDC or World Health Organization (WHO), report the email to the official organization through their website.

Stop Look Think – Don’t be fooled!

Get more information on COVID-19 scams from the Federal Trade Commission by clicking here.

Township Council Agenda Meeting for Tuesday, August 18

Frank L. Cahill
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Township Council Agenda Meeting for Tuesday, August 18

PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will conduct its regularly scheduled council meeting Tuesday, August 18 at 7:00 p.m.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held via a web conferencing program named WebEx. This program will allow the public to listen in to the meeting and to participate during the public portion session only. This program uses a “raise hand” button in the software to address those who wish to speak during the public portion.

Please be advised that in order for a member of the public to speak during the public portion, they will need to provide their first name, last name, email address, address, and city accurately. Anyone not using their real name and address will not be allowed to speak during the public portion.

  • Click here to download the council meeting agenda.
  • A WebEx link to access the meeting will be available shortly.

For more information, please contact the Township Clerk’s office at (973) 263-4351 or email pthclerk@parsippany.net.

An Update from Dr. Barbara Sargent: iPad or Chromebook for Seventh Grade Students

Frank L. Cahill
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An Update from Dr. Barbara Sargent: iPad or Chromebook for Seventh Grade Students

PARSIPPANY — An open letter from Dr. Barbara Sargent.

Dear Parsippany-Troy Hills Seventh Grade Families,

For the past several years, the district has piloted a 1:1 device initiative at our high schools that have provided students the opportunity to have either an iPad or Chromebook to use at school and at home for their academic studies.

The goals of the 1:1 program include:

  • Provide equity to all students through common technological device access;
  • Facilitate students’ confidence and proficiency in using technology as a tool to enhance learning;
  • Promote opportunities for students to demonstrate the ethics and etiquette necessary with technology use;
  • Offer access to all information anytime, anywhere.

All high school students are provided with Chromebooks for use at school and home for their academic studies.  As we expand our initiative into lower grades, we are excited to provide a Chromebook to 7th-grade students.  Students in Grades 6 and 8 will still have access to devices separate from this 1:1 initiative, and Grade 6 students are scheduled to receive their own Chromebooks later in the school year.

Mr. Gray and Ms. Stout will communicate separately about the procedures for getting Chromebooks to the 7th-grade students.  Please look for messages from Central and Brooklawn Middle Schools for further information.

Sincerely,
Dr. Barbara Sargent
Superintendent of Schools

Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill adds Second Zoom Meeting

Frank L. Cahill
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Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill adds Second Zoom Meeting

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Councilmembers Janice McCarthy and Emily Peterson hosted a successful town hall Zoom call with Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill last week. The call was not without some unexpected technical issues as hundreds of people attempted to join the call but were told that they were overcapacity.

According to an email sent out to attendees of the event by Mikie Sherrill’s Political Director, Ben Silva, the attendee capacity was exceeded following a surge of enthusiasm around the event, with sources indicating that there was an excess of 300 people who attempted to join the meeting.  As a result, there will be a second Sherrill Zoom call on Tuesday, August 18.  To register, visit mobilize.us/sherrillforcongress or pardems.org.

Safety, Assurance and Enrichment Found in the Y’s After School Program

Frank L. Cahill
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Safety, Assurance and Enrichment Found in the Y’s After School Program

MOUNTAIN LAKES — While the new school year may look different than before, one thing remains the same: the Lakeland Hills Family YMCA’s afterschool program continues to be a place where children can remain active, learning and engaged during their time out of school – a critical time for all school-age children, especially as they continue to adjust to the many changes related to COVID-19. Each year, the Y works to provide engaging activities in a caring and safe environment after school, and this year will be no different.

“The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA has served the local community for more than 45 years, during which we have made it through many challenging times together, none perhaps as impactful as COVID-19,” said Rosemary Linder Day, Director of Marketing. “As an organization dedicated to youth development, we know how important it is that our children have a safe and enriching environment for learning, both in and out of school. We are pleased to be able to provide this space to the children in our community, allowing their invaluable social, emotional, physical, and academic growth to continue long after the school day ends.

The Y’s afterschool program provides care for hundreds of children during the school year. Through a balanced approach to youth development, the program offers activities, mentorship, and academic support, nurturing the potential of all participants throughout the school year. Financial assistance is available to ensure every child and teen has the opportunity to learn and grow at the Y. As many school districts are planning to use a rotating on-site/virtual schedule, the Y is also modifying its afterschool schedule to better support families when their children are learning virtually. Participants in the afterschool program will be able to come to the Y on-site when not in school. Parents should call Shannon Bujoreanu at (973) 507-7037 for more information, or email
Shannonb@Lhymca.com.

In order to help keep kids and staff healthy and safe throughout the school year, the Lakeland Hills Family YMCA, following CDC, state and local requirements and guidelines, has adopted several changes to its day-to-day operations, including:

• Mask requirements for staff and children
• Daily health screenings for children and staff
• Reduced capacity in group activities
• Participants will be grouped into “neighborhoods”

All information on the Y’s children’s programs is online by clicking here.

About the Y
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships, and opportunities for all to learn, grow, and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. Click here for more information.

Letter to the Editor: Where is “our Attorney General and the Voice of the Supreme Court, Third Branch of Government?

Letters to the Editor
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parsippany focusDear Editor:

I am outraged that President Trump is aware that the U.S. Postal Service will need additional funding to handle the mail-in election ballots, but he refuses to provide any additional assistance.  In my opinion, this is a blatant attempt to cry foul if Joe Biden wins this election.  I believe Donald Trump will manipulate the mail-in ballot system to his advantage.  This is another example of our self-serving president, who runs the county like his former game show “The Apprentice”.

The country is in crisis.  We need solid leadership, not some politician that puts his personal interests before the interests of the country.  The economy is important, but more important are the lives of the American people.  This pandemic has shown the true colors of this politician.  Send kids back to school before getting a handle on the numbers for the state’s rate of transmission, cut back on the additional unemployment benefits but attempt to earmark funds for a new FBI building, force mother’s back to work who are caring for young children whose daycares have closed, neglect to put the proper emphasis on the serious nature of the pandemic. SHAME ON YOU.

What America needs right now is enough food to feed the hungry, financial support so that people can keep their homes and apartments, stricter penalties for people who refuse to wear a mask in retail stores,  faster turnaround time for COVID-19 testing and follow-up contact tracing, support for small businesses to keep them from having to close their doors, and other support to keep the American people afloat until the crisis has passed.

We are not political pawns.  We are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, and uncles trying to protect our families from the horrors of this pandemic.  Our lives are hard. Many people are juggling jobs, childcare, and family responsibilities while barely having enough to eat and pay their bills.  Oh yeah, I know that to President Trump this sounds like we are bleeding heart liberals or socialists but on the contrary, we are all just trying to survive.

I am asking politicians to think of us as people, not pawns on a chessboard.  Stop earmarking funds for your own political gains in bills that are supposed to assist the “common” people through this crisis.  Republicans and Democrats have to stop blackmailing each other at the expense of their constituents before they can reach a decision on a bill that will assist the American people during this pandemic.  While you debate, a mother is wondering how she will feed her children next week, a father is wondering if he will have a job tomorrow, an aunt does not know if she will be able to make her rent payment and an uncle does not know if he will have enough money to keep his utilities running or make his car payment.  The reality is salaries barely cover rent (mortgages), utilities, health insurance, and phone service even when times are good.

The government should represent us, remember “we the people”.  We should not be carrying the government on our backs.  It’s time for politicians to step-up and put personal needs aside and concentrate on the needs of the people and disregard race, creed, political affiliation, and more importantly their own personal agendas.

Diane Kerns
Friend of Parsippany Resident
Forked River, NJ 08731

28-Year-Old Man Charged with Human Trafficking, Sexual Assault, Promoting Prostitution, Criminal Coercion & Terroristic Threats

Frank L. Cahill
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28-Year-Old Man Charged with Human Trafficking, Sexual Assault, Promoting Prostitution, Criminal Coercion & Terroristic Threats

PARSIPPANY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker and Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department Chief Andrew Miller, announce the arrest of Mcquacy Goodridge, 28, West Orange.

Goodridge has been charged with four counts of Human Trafficking, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:13-8(a), crimes of the first degree; Sexual Assault, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2c(1), a crime of the second degree; Promoting Prostitution, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:34-1(b)(2), a crime of the third degree; Criminal Coercion, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:13-5a(1), a crime of the third degree; and Terroristic Threats, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-3(a), a crime of the third degree.

It is alleged that between March 2019 and August 15, 2020, this defendant forced the 31-year-old female victim to engage in acts of prostitution.

The defendant is alleged to have transported the victim to different locations within Morris County to have her engage in acts of prostitution, and he collected the money received after the sexual acts were completed.

The victim stated that over the course of the past year, the defendant emotionally and verbally abused her, and threatened physical harm.

The victim also disclosed that on August 15, 2020, at a Parsippany-Troy Hills Township hotel, the defendant threatened to harm her and her family if she did not get additional clients, and forcibly engaged in an act of sexual penetration with her.

The scene at Ramada Inn on Saturday night

The defendant has been charged by warrant-complaint and is currently lodged at the Morris County Correctional Facility in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.

Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment and Major Crimes Units, the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit and Emergency Response Team, whose efforts contributed to the investigation of the matter.

Anyone with information relating to this incident is encouraged to call Det. Martyna Ruminska of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6303 or the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department at (973) 263-4300.

Editor’s Note: An arrest or the signing of a criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  Despite this accusation, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

 

Letter to the Editor: Proposed Utility Rate Increases for Parsippany

Frank L. Cahill
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parsippany focusDear Editor:

The town council held a special meeting on July 9 to discuss monetary shortfalls in our water and sewer budgets. The focus of the meeting was a presentation by a consultant having expertise in utility rates, who first identified rising expenses and transfers to the general budget as the main causes of the problems that exist in the water and sewer budgets. Then, he proposed a solution that would

  • Raise utility rates by 39% for 2020; and then
  • Raise utility rates by 5-8% for each of the following four years.

Clearly rate increases of this magnitude will add significant revenue to the utility budgets. In fact, if adopted, our water and sewer bills will almost double in five years. However, this solution, which simply brings in more revenue without addressing the underlying problems in the utility budgets, should be rejected by the administration and the council.

Using the water budget as an example, in the last three years expenses have risen by an average of 7.3% per year. However, in the prior ten years before that, the average increase in expenses was only 2.4%. In the short term, the consultant’s solution makes it easier to pay for these rising expenses. But missing from his solution is a feasible plan to reduce out-of-control expenses. If expenses were increasing by 6-8% per year in the general budget, Parsippany would be forced to reduce them to stay within the 2% cap. The same fiscal discipline should be applied to the utility budgets.

During the council meeting, the business administrator stated that he has been cautioning the township about moving money from the utility budgets to the general budget since he arrived here. Why then would the township ignore this advice and adopt a utility rate hike plan that continues making these transfers? These annual $2.5 million withdrawals from the utilities will just continue to be a drain on future budgets and a scapegoat for future utility rate mega-increases.

There is no denying that Parsippany currently has problems within its water and sewer budgets and that the solution will involve some pain. But it is the general budget, not the utility budgets, where the administration and the council should first direct their attention. Increasing revenues and reducing expenses in the general budget by a sufficient amount to eliminate the transfers will repair that budget once and for all, and at the same time will strengthen the utility budgets by allowing them to retain an extra $2.5 million of their own money each year. If you take care of business on the general budget side first, a utility rate increase may not even be necessary.

Bob Venezia
Parsippany

A Message from Dr. Barbara Sargent

Frank L. Cahill
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A Message from Dr. Barbara Sargent

Dear Families,

I hope you are well and that your children are enjoying a healthy summer vacation. The schools posted Summer Assignments at the beginning of the summer, so now would be a good time to ask your kids how they’re doing with this work so that you’re not nagging, pleading, cajoling, and all those other parenting behaviors we love so much.

Governor Murphy’s daily briefing on Wednesday of this week communicated his firm stance that schools should re-open in September. This was followed up with Executive Order #175 which clearly outlines the steps districts must take if they are unable to address the minimum standards outlined in The Road Back. Our Return to School Plan addresses the standards and our work now is devoted to assigning students to classes, refining school procedures, and strengthening our instructional practices for remote and in-person learning.

I am recommending adjustments to our school calendar which includes:

Wednesday, September 2 will be a ½ day of school for Cohort A students.
Thursday, September 3 will be a ½ day of school for Cohort B students.
Friday, September 4 will be a Virtual Friday Day for all students.
November 3 (Election Day) will be a full Virtual Day for Cohorts A and B.
November 5-6 (NJEA Convention) will be school days and those days off will be applied to extend the December winter break.

We feel that these changes will provide for a smoother beginning to the school year for our staff and students. Recapturing the November days allows for consistent instructional weeks and offers a lengthier break in December.

As you prepare for your children to return to school, please remember that you will need a reliable thermometer for daily temperature checks. While we will have masks for students who forget to wear one, I am certain your children will feel more comfortable with a mask that they have chosen themselves and have worn before. Masks with valves are not allowed. A face mask with an exhalation valve doesn’t help protect others. The valve makes it easier for you to exhale, but it also lets germs out into the air. When it comes to protecting others, a mask with an exhalation valve is like not wearing one at all. “Gator” masks are also not acceptable. Children with a medical condition that prohibits them from wearing a mask must provide a physician’s note to the school nurse.

Information from the health experts and our state government is changing regularly. I will continue to communicate weekly with you to keep you apprised of our situation and plans for re-opening school.

With best wishes for your safety and good health,

Barbara Sargent, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

119,366-Square-Foot Industrial Lease on Lackawanna Avenue

Frank L. Cahill
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119,366-Square-Foot Industrial Lease on Lackawanna Avenue

PARSIPPANY — NAI James E. Hanson announces it has negotiated a lease for 119,366 square feet of industrial space at 75 Lackawanna Avenue. NAI James E. Hanson’s Scott Perkins, SIOR, represented the owner, Bee DIC Realty, in the transaction with the tenant, Commercial Furniture Transport, who was represented by Howard Weinberg of JLL.

75 Lackawanna Avenue

Commercial Furniture Transport is the region’s leader in office furniture installation and delivery, providing efficient and reliable service for businesses throughout New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. With a large client base in New York City, the growing company sought out a large warehouse space that would allow them to continue to efficiently service the New York City market while also promising easy access to customers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Situated in between Interstate 80 and Route 46, 75 Lackawanna Avenue provides the ideal balance between ease of access to New York City as well as to markets to the west and south. The building’s 200,000 square feet of adaptable industrial space ensures that it can accommodate a wide variety of industrial users. In their search for space, Commercial Furniture Transport recognized that 75 Lackawanna Avenue’s location, along with the 24’ ceilings and 18 tailgates present throughout the 119,366-square-foot space provided the ideal home for their business.

“While the Morris County industrial market is one of the region’s smaller markets, it does present companies looking for centrally-located industrial space with an irresistible value proposition,” said Perkins, SIOR, NAI James E. Hanson and Regional Director for NAI Global Logistics. “Through a deep understanding of the benefits of the market and my 30 years of experience in the industrial field, I recognized the unique opportunity this space presented and was able to help my client capitalize on this market and secure a high-quality tenant.”

The transaction at 75 Lackawanna Avenue showcases how Perkins has grown to become one of the northeast’s most-trusted industrial brokers. He stands out as a result of his consistent ability to close industrial deals in the competitive and complex northern New Jersey market, even as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt.

New Jersey Lake Associations Hailing Governor Murphy’s Second Conditional Veto

Frank L. Cahill
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New Jersey Lake Associations Hailing Governor Murphy’s Second Conditional Veto

NEW JERSEY — New Jersey lake associations are hailing Governor Murphy’s second conditional veto of legislation which would have undermined some lake associations’ ability to assess their residents for the maintenance of lakes in a private lake community.

The Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act was amended in 2017, establishing that residents in private communities are members of the association. Attempts to modify PREDFDA to exclude lake associations from its provisions were introduced in 2019 in a bill sponsored by District 24 representatives Oroho, Wirths, and Space, which was conditionally vetoed by Governor Murphy.

The amendments failed to pass in 2019 and were re-introduced in 2020 as S908/A2480, which passed nearly unanimously, with Assemblyman Brian Bergen, an avid supporter of lake associations from District 25, the sole dissenting vote.

The Governor vetoed the legislation recognizing the attempt to shield certain property owners who objected to contributing, but noting that “the interests of these property owners must be carefully balanced against the interests of all other parties, including those property owners who have previously been contributing to their associations.” The Governor emphasized the need to “safeguard the ability of lake associations to collect funds necessary to comply with critical environmental, health, and safety requirements…”

Ernest Hofer, President of the New Jersey Coalition of Lake Associations, praised the Governor’s conditional veto, stating “our lake communities face many challenges in their efforts to maintain their natural resources, and the proposed legislation would have had a potentially devastating effect on some lake communities. It is more important than ever, particularly with the threat of Harmful Algae Blooms, that lake associations can rely on the equitable pro-rata contribution of all of the residents to maintain the lake community in which they live.”

Eight Things Learned About Restaurant Reopenings with Industry Leaders

Frank L. Cahill
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Eight Things Learned About Restaurant Reopenings with Industry Leaders

NEW JERSEY — Three New Jersey industry leaders spoke with Assemblyman Brian Bergen Thursday about what is and isn’t working for restaurants during the coronavirus pandemic. The conversation took place through a Facebook Live event that streamed on the NJ Assembly GOP’s Facebook page.

Gov. Phil Murphy initially closed all New Jersey bars and restaurants for eat-in service on March 16 limiting service for takeout and delivery orders only.  On June 15, he allowed restaurants to offer outdoor dining but rolled back plans for indoor dining at 25 percent in early July.

Here are some of the highlights of the discussion with Marilou Halvorsen, president of the New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association; Mike Perro, director of operations of P.J Whelihan’s Restaurant Group; and Bob Wagner, managing partner of Ott’s Restaurant Group.

1. Roughly 80 percent of restaurant workers are still unemployed – even after outdoor dining.

Only 23 percent of the almost 300,000 restaurant workers laid off in March has returned to work following the opening of outdoor dining said Halverson.  “So that is a huge number of people who are still unemployed and probably contributing to the unemployment numbers right now.  And they don’t have the extra $600 still coming in.”

2. Curbside pickup almost bankrupted most in the industry.

“We were teetering; we were on the brink,” explained Perro.  “Thank God, outdoor dining came along when it did or we probably wouldn’t be sitting here right now having this discussion.”

Wagner said that there were still dozens of restaurants in his area of Burlington County that operate only with curbside pickup.  “I don’t know how they do it; I really don’t,” he said.  “It’s sad.”

3. Bad weather complicates outdoor dining.

While everyone agreed that outdoor dining has been a lifesaver, operating in the weather-dependent outdoors presents new challenges for restaurant owners struggling to make ends meet.

Frequent thunderstorms over the last few weeks have made many owners give away as much as fifty percent of the meals prepared said Wagner.  “So it’s a lose, lose again,” he said.  “Because of the thunder and lightning, they can’t sit underneath a metal frame tent.”

Also detracting many customers, July was the hottest month on record in New Jersey in 125 years of record keeping.  But worrying restaurants for the future is the upcoming colder weather in the fall or winter.

“I can’t imagine what is going to happen if we can’t have indoor dining over the fall and winter period,” said Perro.  “It is going to a disaster for the industry.”

4. Unfriendly landlords prevent some restaurants from expanding outdoors.

Wagner said bad landlords are hurting many owners he knows.  “Some of these people who are stuck with these landlords and these leases that won’t let them use parts of the parking lot call me up for help and I don’t know what to tell them,” he said, “And these stories are every day that you hear this stuff.”

5. Murphy’s reversal on indoor dining had a catastrophic effect on many restaurateurs.

“It was catastrophic,” explained Halverson.  “They spent tens of thousands of dollars bringing in all their supplies, sanitizing their restaurants, training staff for new protocols and taking people off unemployment – it just created havoc for both employers and employees.”

She hopes that Murphy will sign a bill working its way through the legislature, sponsored by Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick and Senate President Steve Sweeney, that would reimburse restaurants for money spent on food and supplies in the days before restaurants were supposed to be able to open for indoor dining.

6. Neighboring states have reopened indoors safely.

Halverson said that states, such as Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Pennsylvania did not experience an uptick of cases after moving to indoor dining at 25 or 50 percent.  “There is no science to say that restaurants are dangerous,” she said.  “A majority of people know how to do it and do it safely.  And that is real science.”

“There is a precision to how we operate our restaurants under these circumstances,” added Perro who also operates a restaurant in Horsham, Pennsylvania.

7.  Restaurants have some of the toughest safety and cleaning protocols already in place.

Halverson said her industry has safety standards as high as in health care – and certainly higher than retail outlets.  “One of the things we do better than really anybody is the cleanliness,” she said.

8.  Governor Murphy has not met directly with industry experts to discuss options.

Halverson said that her organization talks with his staff on a regular basis but that numerous attempts to meet with the governor have not worked out.

“Maybe if he actually spoke with people like Mike and Bob and other people to really understand and walk him through what we do every day, he would be more comfortable,” said Halverson.  “Unfortunately we were told that he would not meet with us.”

Murphy Signs Executive Order to Mail Every Active Registered Voter a Vote-By-Mail Ballot

Frank L. Cahill
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Murphy Signs Executive Order to Mail Every Active Registered Voter a Vote-By-Mail Ballot

NEW JERSEY — Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order to create modified vote-by-mail (VBM) election for the Tuesday, November 3 General Election. The order suspends the sending of sample ballots and requires that each county’s elections officials send VBM ballots with pre-paid postage to all active registered voters for the General Election. Additionally, every voter will have the option to either return their ballot through a secure dropbox or turn in their ballot at a polling location on Election Day. The Administration is working with the Department of State to implement a new online voter registration system where New Jersey residents will have the opportunity to register to vote. The online system will launch on September 4, 2020.

“COVID-19 has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives, from our health and safety to how we participate in our democracy,” said Governor Murphy. “This virus continues to threaten public health, and with today’s announcement, we are ensuring that New Jersey voters do not have to make a decision between exercising their right to vote and protecting their well-being.”

“Every voter deserves to participate in free, fair, and safe elections,” said Secretary of State Tahesha Way.  “By sending every New Jersey voter their ballot in the mail, we are protecting the health of voters, elections workers, and our democracy.”

In order to address the influx of VBM ballots, the executive order will extend the deadline to allow ballots being returned through the United States Postal Service (USPS) with a postmark on or before November 3rd to be counted as a valid ballot by the County Clerk, if received by 8:00 p.m. on November 10th. Ballots without a postmark that are received by the county boards of elections within 48 hours of the closing of polls on November 3rd shall be considered valid.

The executive order will also require a minimum of at least one polling place in each municipality and a minimum of 50 percent of polling places in each county to provide New Jersey voters with access to in-person voting opportunities, including accommodations for voters with disabilities.

All public schools will close for in-person instruction on Tuesday, November 3 to allow counties to use their buildings as polling locations, if necessary. Polling locations will be required to follow public health standards, including ensuring six feet of distance, requiring poll workers to wear face coverings and gloves, frequent sanitization of high-touch areas, and providing sanitization materials to all individuals at a polling place.

Click here to view Executive Order 177.

Census Taker Week Continues

Press Release
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Census Taker Week Continues

PARSIPPANY — As part of the final Get Out The Count effort to ensure that every Parsippany-Troy Hills resident is counted, Census employees will begin knocking on doors of households around the Township that have not yet completed the Census.

Who are Census takers? They are you!

  • Census Takers are members of your community, your neighbors, working to make sure everyone is counted so your community can get its fair share of federal funding and be properly represented.
  • They will offer to help you complete the Census, using an electronic device.
  • If the Census taker who visits your home does not speak your language, you can request a return visit from a Census taker who does speak your language.
  • If no one is home when the Census taker visits, they will leave a notice of their visit with information about how to respond online, by phone or by mail.

Census takers will follow COVID-19 safety protocols:

  • Census takers will wear masks and follow local public health guidelines when they visit your home.
  • All Census takers completed a virtual COVID-19 training on social distancing and other health and safety protocols before beginning their work in neighborhoods.

Don’t want an in-person visit? Complete the Census by phone or online!

  • If you’d rather not have your door knocked on just Complete the Census (Click here) or over the phone at 844-330-2020 (English), 844-468-2020 (Spanish), or (Click here) for any of the other languages.

Parsippany Community Update August 14, 2020

Frank L. Cahill
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Parsippany Community Update August 14, 2020

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Food Pantry, located at our community center at 1130 Knoll Road, has been helping residents in need for decades. There has never been a greater need for this service than we’re seeing right now. Our Human Services staff is on hand to explain the food and non-food items we’re currently in need of.

For a more detailed list of needed items click here.

For more information, please call (973) 263-7163.

Parsippany Celebrates Indian Independence Day

Frank L. Cahill
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Parsippany Celebrates Indian Independence Day

PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will honor the 74th Indian Independence with a virtual video celebration, featuring speeches from the civic and religious community, along with many public figures from throughout New Jersey,on Saturday, August 15 at 10:00 a.m.

To mark the beginning of the 74th year of the world’s largest democracy gaining its independence, we will also be raising the Indian flag at Town Hall for all Parsippany residents to see.

This day reminds us that democracy and independence are alive with so many who manifest them, and who seek to spread the message of freedom to the oppressed, vulnerable, and restricted around the world.

A link for the video celebration will be provided here on the day of the celebration, which will be premiered by Video-On-The-Go, on the Township website, and featured on Public Access Channel 21.

Murphy Administration to Open New Jersey’s Schools For In-Person Instruction

Frank L. Cahill
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Murphy Administration to Open New Jersey’s Schools For In-Person Instruction

MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy and Department of Education Interim Commissioner Kevin Dehmer announced that New Jersey’s public and private school districts will be open for in-person instruction for the start of the school year. Public school districts can begin the school year via remote-only instruction if they cannot adequately meet critical health and safety protocols outlined in the state’s school reopening guidance, “The Road Back,” which was released in late June. Districts who need to delay the implementation of in-person instruction will be required to submit information to the Department of Education (DOE) describing the health and safety standards that they are currently unable to adequately meet, how they will address outstanding issues in a timely fashion, and a proposed timeline for reopening physical school spaces to students and staff for in-person instruction.

“Our top priority is the health and safety of our students and educators, and we must ensure that schools reopen their doors only when it is safe for them to do so,” said Governor Murphy. “Since releasing our guidance on reopening, we have continued to have frequent discussions with stakeholders and educators across the state. Many districts have expressed that meeting critical health and safety criteria by the first day of school are proving to be a challenge. While we continue to believe that there is no substitute for being in the classroom, allowing districts to delay the implementation of in-person instruction will give them the time and flexibility they need to ensure buildings are ready and welcoming when they do open.”

Governor Murphy signed Executive Order 175, which directed the following for school districts:

  • Districts are required to certify to DOE that they can meet the health and safety protocols outlined in the Order, and further detailed in the “Road Back,” before resuming in-person instruction.  Private school districts will also be required to submit this certification;
  • Districts that can meet the health and safety protocols shall open to students for in-person instruction in the fall;
  • Even if school buildings are open for in-person instruction on the first day of the 2020-2021 school year, districts must provide a remote learning option for parents or guardians who request it for their children;
  • Districts unable to adequately meet health and safety reopening protocols must provide remote instruction to all students. These districts are required to submit documentation to DOE detailing which standard(s) the district is unable to satisfy, the anticipated efforts that will be taken to satisfy the standard(s), and a date by which the school anticipates resuming in-person instruction;
  • All schools required to participate in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Program and those that voluntarily opt-in to those programs must offer required meals to all children on remote-learning days.

The Order also waives the use of student growth data from standardized assessments for this year’s educator evaluations.

“This action reflects our responsiveness to the varying needs and challenges that each district faces as they prepare for the new school year,” said Kevin Dehmer, Interim Commissioner of Education. “We’re providing the flexibility that some school districts may need to ensure that reopening of schools and in-person instruction is done in as safe a manner as possible.”

“We are pleased to say that in East Brunswick we will be able to meet the health and safety standards outlined in the Department of Education guidance and return to our classrooms in the fall, all while keeping our students and staff safe,” said Dr. Victor Valeski, Superintendent of East Brunswick Schools. “While a return to full-time in-person instruction is not possible for East Brunswick Public Schools, we are confident that the hybrid plan we are offering our students will ensure that all students, regardless of where they will be during the school day, receive a high-quality education.”

“While our goal remains to achieve in-person learning, our district determined that there is still much work to be done to ensure the health and safety of students and staff before we reopen our doors for in-person instruction,” said Dr. Neely Hackett, Superintendent of Willingboro Public Schools. “As a community committed to providing Willingboro students with an education grounded in 21st-century thinking and learning, we remain committed and will work toward taking every necessary step to prepare our buildings, students, staff, and parents for in-person learning for the start of the second marking period.”

Executive Order 175 further permits institutions of higher education to resume in-person instruction not previously permitted under Executive Order 155, provided they can meet previously outlined health and safety protocols from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, effective immediately.

“We know how effective in-person learning is as it provides students academic and social supports that cannot be offered as efficiently in remote settings. As colleges and universities restart operations this fall, students will have a wider array of instructional options including in-person, remote, and hybrid learning,” said Interim Secretary of Higher Education Diana Gonzalez. “Regardless of the mode of instruction, our priority is to offer students the best college experience while prioritizing health and safety for all.”

Click here to view Executive Order 175.

Pennacchio Decries Murphy Decision Blocking In-Person Voting

Frank L. Cahill
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Pennacchio Decries Murphy Decision Blocking In-Person Voting

MORRIS COUNTY — Senator Joe Pennacchio called in-person voting a fundamental precept of American freedom and criticized Governor Murphy’s decision to limit the November election to vote-by-mail.

“We’ve gone through the Civil War, two world wars, natural disasters, and depressions and we’ve always managed to vote in person,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “More than anything else, this is political.

“You can stand in line at the MVC and Home Depot with no problem at all, but we’re going to prohibit in-person voting,” Pennacchio continued. “Even Dr. Fauci is on-record saying there is no reason people can’t vote in person.

Governor Murphy delayed the June primary election to July and ordered that it be conducted by mail.

Due to confusion with the mail-in ballot process and well-documented problems with the handling of ballots by the United States Postal Service, many residents have expressed concerns that their votes in the July primary were not counted.

“This is a unilateral decision by the Governor,” cautioned Pennacchio. “Our freedoms are being erased by executive decision, with no rationale, no discussion with the Legislature, and no regard to individual preferences. This is too much power for one person.”

Murphy declared a State of Emergency and Public Health Emergency on March 9, when he signed Executive Order 103. It gives him unbridled authority, according to EO 103, “until such time as it is determined by me that an emergency no longer exists.”

Legislation, SCR-117, introduced by Pennacchio in July, would limit the duration of emergency orders and other rules issued by a governor to 14 days if approved by voters. Extending the declarations would require legislative action.

Montclair State Announces Spring 2020 Dean’s List

Frank L. Cahill
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Montclair State Announces Spring 2020 Dean’s List

MORRIS COUNTY — Montclair State University congratulates Red Hawks named to the Spring 2020 Dean’s List who excelled during an unprecedented semester–including a transition to online learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Dean’s List, issued after the close of the Fall and Spring semesters by the academic deans, gives recognition to students with a 3.500 or higher semester GPA if a minimum of 12 credits is earned in courses that contribute to the GPA and if there are no IN (incomplete) grades for that semester.

There are 137 students residing in towns served by Focus. They are:

Nick Verducci, Parsippany
Megan Leitner, Lake Hiawatha
Pavlo Busko, Parsippany
Kenneth Hamel, Morris Plains
Giovanna Di Lauri, East Hanover
Amy Albin,  Morris Plains
Meaghan Debenedette, Parsippany
Roqaya Wafa,  Parsippany
Mario Mejia,  Morris Plains
Sunah Choudhry, Boonton
Genevieve Cece,  East Hanover
Alyssa Marino,  Lake Hiawatha
Nabil Mamoor,  Parsippany
Arti Patel,  Parsippany
Margarita Dedes,  Parsippany
John Lee,  Parsippany
Shirley Li,  Parsippany
Goutham Prakash,  Lake Hiawatha
Ruby Murad,  Madison
Joseph Pepe,  East Hanover
Emma Wilcox,  Cedar Knolls
Jeffrey Wear,  Lake Hiawatha
Denise Codner,  Lake Hiawatha
CarolAnn Melia,  East Hanover
Cassidy McCarthy,  Madison
Ally D’Addezio,  East Hanover
Edwin Aguirre-Rosas,  Parsippany
Samantha Sanchez,  Parsippany
Aesha Patel,  Parsippany
Federico Perez-Trasante,  Morris Plains
Fatima Yaqoobi,  Lake Hiawatha
Ashley Rosato,  Florham Park
Brenda Wilson,  Cedar Knolls
Houda Sabeh,  East Hanover
Bridget Murphy,  Florham Park
Nicholas Ezzi,  Boonton
Rachel Klemovitch,  Parsippany
Alfonse Napolitano,  Morris Plains
Manuela Murillo,  Madison
Megan Canzonieri,  East Hanover
Morgan Villopoto,  Parsippany
Iman Shamsudin,  Boonton
Nikki-James Soto,  Parsippany
Lydia Parker,  Parsippany
Bobby Ezzi,  Boonton
Kevin Nikiel,  Morris Plains
Jack Keane,  Morris Plains
Zoe Nolz,  Parsippany
Alyssa Feola,  Lake Hiawatha
Talia Wynzel,  Lake Hiawatha
Emily Maute,  Mountain Lakes
Samantha Sheila Cannen,  Parsippany
Lamis Ahmed,  Parsippany
Jamie Bazaral,  Parsippany
Alexis Bellardino,  Parsippany
Connor Preston,  Lake Hiawatha
Kathrina Ramirez,  Parsippany
Ashley Johnson,  Morris Plains
Kelly Coombs,  Parsippany
Kenny Slaman,  Lake Hiawatha
Michael Papaianni,  East Hanover
Lauren Solano,  Florham Park
Denise Rodrigues,  Mountain Lakes
Marco Arredondo,  Madison
Tom Prokop,  Florham Park
Vraj Patel,  Parsippany
Cassie Bodendorf,  Boonton
Tori Launzinger,  Boonton
James Jacob,  Parsippany
Shalin Patel,  Lake Hiawatha
Mychal Villanueva,  Parsippany
Juliana Barnhill,  Morris Plains
Tatiana Rodriguez,  Parsippany
Kathy Lopez,  East Hanover
Patricia Vanderpool,  Parsippany
Alex Angulo,  Parsippany
Zinab Yaqoobi,  Lake Hiawatha
Lexi Becker,  Boonton
Matthew Moran,  Florham Park
Mariam Wali,  Parsippany
Ajanee McConnell,  Morris Plains
Hamzah Turan,  Parsippany
Larissa Salmeri,  East Hanover
Vidhi Patel,  Morris Plains
Juan Quijano,  Parsippany
Ben Earl,  Lake Hiawatha
Mateo Stephenson,  Florham Park
Gina Decroce,  East Hanover
Yasmine Ashour,  Parsippany
Robert Gillo,  Morris Plains
Timothy Rabel,  Madison
Melinda Cazimoski,  Morris Plains
Allison Hofmann,  East Hanover
Gulsah Akyol,  Boonton
Jared Bazaral,  Parsippany
Gabriella Iacono,  East Hanover
Sarah DiPippa,  Parsippany
Kira Welenc,  Morris Plains
Juan Gomez,  Parsippany
Louis Henderson,  Florham Park
Jenna Pontrelli,  East Hanover
Jaydon Lynch,  Boonton
Michael Rigillo,  East Hanover
Megha Patel,  Parsippany
Kelsie Taylor,  Parsippany
Abigail Fletcher,  East Hanover
Courtney Calabrese,  Parsippany
Suraj Makadia,  Parsippany
Gary Lombardi,  East Hanover
Chris Santucci,  Parsippany
Nadya Almganhi,  Parsippany
Justin Green,  Boonton
David Fleitas-Guillen,  Lake Hiawatha
Bhoomika Vachhani,  Parsippany
Patrick Ferreira,  Florham Park
Mirna Kotb,  Parsippany
Jenna Kalynovych,  Cedar Knolls
Sherilyn Ostlin,  Morris Plains
Matt Chan,  Parsippany
Anna Gomez,  Madison
Juliana DeAngelis,  Morris Plains
Michael Primamore,  East Hanover
Sakae Handerson,  Boonton Township
Neel Patel,  Parsippany
Phillip Metta,  Lake Hiawatha
Daniel Rodriguez,  Parsippany
Joyce David,  Parsippany
Jake Fabyanski,  Madison
Alex Olimpio,  Boonton
Nicole Davino,  East Hanover
Manny Gonsalves,  East Hanover
Tony Piccininni,  Parsippany
Julia Krevis,  Boonton
Audrey Huang,  Morris Plains
Cecilia Blanco,  Parsippany
Nina DaCosta,  East Hanover
Kayla Bush,  Morris Plains

Montclair State University is a research doctoral institution ranked in the top tier of national universities. Building on a distinguished history dating back to 1908, the University today has 11 colleges and schools that serve 21,000 undergraduate and graduate students with more than 300 doctoral, masters and baccalaureate programs. Situated on a beautiful, 252-acre suburban campus just 12 miles from New York City, Montclair State delivers the instructional and research resources of a large public university in a supportive, sophisticated, and diverse academic environment.

Five More People in Morristown-Based ‘Straw Donor’ Probe

Frank L. Cahill
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Five More People in Morristown-Based ‘Straw Donor’ Probe

MORRIS COUNTY — Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced charges against five new defendants in the investigation of an alleged straw donor scheme that previously resulted in charges against an attorney, Elizabeth Valandingham. The charges stem from a corruption investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) that led in December 2019 to five former public officials and political candidates being charged with taking bribes.

Valandingham, 47, of Morristown, was charged on June 17, 2020, with false representation for government contracts and misconduct by a corporate official, both second-degree offenses. The charges relate to alleged conduct between 2012 and 2017 at the law firm where she worked.

It is alleged that Valandingham and an unnamed co-conspirator recruited straw donors in a scheme to make illicit campaign contributions on behalf of the law firm, often in excess of the contribution limits, and to avoid disclosure of those contributions. Straw donors are individuals who contribute to a candidate but are unlawfully reimbursed by another person or entity, in this case, the law firm.  Under New Jersey Election Law, it is illegal for a person to reimburse another person for a political contribution or to give or lend another person money to make a contribution to a specific candidate.

The straw donors recruited in the scheme involving Valandingham – including the five individuals charged yesterday – allegedly would routinely write checks on their personal checking accounts and in their own names to various candidates and political committees, while being contemporaneously reimbursed with cash deposits directly into their checking and/or savings accounts.During the course of the scheme, the straw donors collectively contributed and were reimbursed in cash for approximately $239,000 worth of donations.

“New Jersey’s campaign finance and pay-to-play laws are designed to ensure that law firms and other contractors cannot purchase an unfair advantage in the competition for public contracts by making undisclosed or overly large campaign contributions,” said Attorney General Grewal.“We are determined to hold individuals accountable if they seek to distort the political process and public contracting by making illegal contributions through the type of straw donor scheme alleged here.”

Each of the following straw donors allegedly made tens of thousands of dollars in contributions to various candidates and party committees only to be reimbursed by the law firm with cash deposits into one or more of his or her bank or financial accounts. Each was charged yesterday by complaint-summons with fourth-degree concealment or misrepresentation of contributions.

  1. Vanessa Brown, 40, of West Caldwell.
  2. Christopher Brown, 37, of West Caldwell.
  3. Ricardo Balanzateguimaldo, 40, of Bogota.
  4. Erin O’Reilly, aka Erin DeMauro, 41, of Lincoln Park.
  5. Suzanne P. Gayet, 63, of Boonton.

Valandingham was previously charged in connection with her role in preparing and submitting annual proposals to municipalities for the law firm to be awarded public contracts for legal services. In submitting proposals through which the firm successfully secured such contracts, she allegedly deliberately failed to disclose local political contributions the firm made during the prior year. The municipalities required that such contributions be disclosed as part of the public contracting process, but Valandingham allegedly failed to disclose the contributions made by the straw donors and instead indicated the firm made no reportable political contributions. Valandingham was charged specifically in connection with proposals for contracts in Bloomfield and Mount Arlington.

The defendants initially charged in the OPIA investigation – former Jersey City School Board President Sudhan Thomas, former State Assemblyman and Bayonne mayoral candidate Jason O’Donnell, former Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro, former Mount Arlington Councilman John Windish, and former Morris County freeholder candidate Mary Dougherty – face charges of second-degree bribery in official and political matters for allegedly taking thousands of dollars in bribes from a cooperating witness in the form of campaign contributions. In return, they allegedly promised the cooperating witness – a tax attorney – that they would vote or use their official authority or influence to hire or continue to hire his law firm for lucrative government legal work.

Valandingham and the defendants charged as straw donors are charged in connection with conduct that is not directly related to the bribery allegations against those other five defendants.

The investigation is being conducted by the OPIA Corruption Bureau, under the leadership of OPIA Director Thomas Eicher. Deputy Attorneys General John A. Nicodemo and Anthony Robinson are prosecuting the cases, under the supervision of Corruption Bureau Chief Peter Lee and Counsel to the Director Anthony Picione. Deputy Attorney General Pearl Minato, Acting OPIA Chief of Staff, previously served as lead attorney on the investigation.

Fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Attorney General Grewal created the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability in September 2018 to combat corruption and strengthen public confidence in government institutions. In December 2019, the Attorney General issued a directive codifying OPIA and making it a permanent part of the Attorney General’s Office. That directive established the OPIA Corruption Bureau as the lead office within the Department of Law & Public Safety for the investigation and prosecution of state criminal violations involving corruption and abuse of public trust.

OPIA has a toll-free Tipline 1-844-OPIA-TIPS for the public to report corruption. The AG’s Office has an Anti-Corruption Reward Program that offers a reward of up to $25,000 for tips leading to a conviction for a crime involving public corruption. Information is posted by clicking here.

Editor’s Note: An arrest or the signing of a criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  Despite this accusation, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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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 30 years.

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