PARSIPPANY — Parsippany resident Lionel Chambers found a creative way to deliver birthday gifts. Coronavirus isn’t getting in the way of his gift-giving!
Morris County Chiropractor Charged After String of Robberies and Assaults
MORRIS COUNTY — Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Erick Macias, 35, of Wharton, on charges of Robbery, Assault, and Theft offenses in a number of robberies and assaults in Parsippany, Garfield, Lyndhurst, Paterson, and Wharton.
The arrest is the result of a two-month investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti.
During the beginning of June, several communities in northern New Jersey experienced a series of strong-arm robberies that appeared to have been committed by the same individual. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad conducted an investigation and identified Erick Macias as the primary suspect in the robberies. On Tuesday, July 14, detectives from the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office along with numerous municipal detectives executed a search warrant at a residence in Wharton and subsequently arrested Erick Macias.
On July 14, Erick Macias was charged with one count of Robbery, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a, a 1st-degree crime; five counts of Robbery, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a, a 2nd-degree crime; two counts of Theft, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3, a 3rd-degree crime; two counts of Aggravated Assault, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(1), a 3rd-degree crime; one count of Theft, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, a 4th-degree crime; three counts of Theft, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, a disorderly person offense; and three counts of Simple Assault, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1a, a disorderly person offense. MACIAS was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack pending a detention hearing scheduled for Monday, July 20, at 9:00 a.m.
Prosecutor Musella would also like to thank the Garfield Police Department, Lyndhurst Police Department, Wood-Ridge Police Department, Paterson Police Department, Parsippany Police Department, and Wharton Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.
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.
A letter from Dr. Barbara Sargent
Dear Families,
We continue to be deeply involved in planning for a Return to School in September. A full plan will be presented to our Board of Education at the July 29 meeting and communicated to our school community by July 31. While there are still many decisions to be made, I want to share with you some additional elements to assist you in your decision-making. Please bear in mind that our district plan is subject to additional input and approval from the local Department of Health and the NJ Department of Education.
The most important elements of our plan for you to be aware of at this time include:
- The district will follow a Week A/Week B model with Fridays reserved for virtual instruction for most students. We are working to place students into cohorts, placing a high priority on keeping families on the same schedule.
- Full day Preschool students will attend split AM/PM sessions Monday through Friday every week.
- Half-day Preschool will be held, and we are monitoring class sizes to understand whether these students will meet daily or follow a Week A/Week B model.
- Additional information for parents of special education students and English Language Learners will be forthcoming. Currently, we are planning for elementary Language/Learning Disabled and Multiply Disabled classes to be held as AM/PM split sessions Monday through Friday every week, and for middle and high school self-contained special education classes to meet for a full day Monday through Friday every week. These schedules are still being discussed.
- Kindergarten students will begin classes with the Week A/Week B model beginning September 14. Individual orientation meetings (one parent, child, and Kindergarten teacher) will be scheduled for the week of September 8.
We will implement physical spacing measures in classrooms, hallways, and other common spaces. Additionally, we will build in time during the day for handwashing, age-appropriate mask ‘breaks’ and snack times, and other measures. Although we will strive to create 3-6 feet of social distancing space whenever possible, unless a student has a documented medical condition that precludes the use of face coverings, all students and staff are required wear masks in the buildings or on a bus at all times.
Soon, we will ask parents to identify whether their child will be attending school, learning entirely remotely, and utilizing a school bus so that school principals can prepare their classrooms and buildings. Here are some additional steps you can take now to prepare your family and your child for a return to school.
- Purchase a thermometer. We are required to develop a policy regarding daily health screenings for all students. We are working through the particulars of this, and it will likely involve parents confirming each morning that their child is free from all symptoms of illness – including fever.
- Purchase or make several well fitted, comfortable, washable cloth face masks. Your child will need a clean face mask daily.
- Work on building mask stamina with your children. Our Saturday morning cartoon super-heroes wear masks, and so will our staff and students. This is one of the most important steps we can take for everyone’s safety. The more you and your child wear their masks, the more comfortable they will be wearing them for extended periods.
- Continue to be positive and reinforce healthy habits with your family. Our children take their cues on how to handle challenging situations from the adults in their lives. If you are pragmatic and calm about this, so will your children be.
You will hear from me next week with additional information. In the meantime, have a wonderful weekend and keep up the terrific parenting!
Sincerely,
Dr. Barbara Sargent
Superintendent of Schools
Parsippany Teenager and Two Juveniles Arrested for CDS in Hanover
PARSIPPANY — Hanover Township Patrol Officer Rich Camasta arrested Mr. Suraj Garah, 19, Parsippany, for possession of CDS on Wednesday, July 15.
Officer Camasta stopped Mr. Garah for a motor vehicle violation and located CDS inside the vehicle. Mr. Garah and two juvenile passengers were all arrested.
They were all charged with possession of CDS, hashish, and drug paraphernalia. Mr. Garah was also issued motor vehicle summonses for speeding and CDS in a motor vehicle.
All parties were released pending court dates.
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.
Pennacchio: We Cannot Hand Murphy a $10 Billion Slush Fund
MORRIS COUNTY — Senator Joe Pennacchio slammed the Democrat-sponsored $10 billion borrowing scheme that could cost New Jersey taxpayers tens of billions of dollars throughout the next four decades:
“It is the definition of insanity to blindly approve borrowing $10 billion when the executive branch has not even proposed a budget yet for next year and we have no clue how much we will actually need. We also shouldn’t forget that Governor Murphy has been sitting on $2 billion of unspent federal funds from the CARES Act for months.
“The governor’s borrowing scheme includes $2.7 billion to fund shortfalls that he says exists in the current fiscal year. That frankly does not make any sense. He recently signed a balanced budget extension bill that will get our State through the end of the fiscal year in September, claiming we’ll end the year with a $1 billion surplus.
“It’s increasingly clear that this borrowing scheme is not about actual fiscal need, it’s about giving Governor Murphy a $10 billion slush fund that our grandchildren will be stuck repaying for a generation.”
Documenting the invisible, photographers hit the streets to chronicle pandemic
Our photographers and videographers are no strangers to calamity.They ran as the Twin Towers collapsed, waded through flooded streets to capture Hurricane Sandy’s devastation, and documented the emotional tension in numerous courtrooms.But chronicling the coronavirus pandemic has been different.“This one, it’s like an invisible terrorist in a way and it’s ongoing,” said Patti Sapone, who first began working as a photojournalist for The Star-Ledger about 29 years ago. “It’s like day after day after day. You think: When is the healing going to start? When is this going to end?”Sapone is the lead…
Teachers want to go back to school — if it’s safe. But they worry it won’t be.
As school districts prepare to release their reopening plans to parents, some New Jersey teachers are reeling at the thought of reentering classrooms and expressing serious concern for their wellbeing and that of their families and students.A national survey by the country’s second largest teachers’ union, the American Federation of Teachers, indicates that 3 in 4 teachers said they are comfortable returning to schools if certain safety precautions are met. But whether safety and health precautions can be guaranteed is another question.“I think almost all educators want to go back, if it can b…
Empire Diner Opens Outdoor Dining; Updated Listing of Parsippany Restaurants
PARSIPPANY — Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46 East, has officially opened for outdoor dining. They will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week. They also offer curbside pick up service.
Here is the most up-to-date list of restaurants offering outdoor dining in Parsippany. Please support local businesses and continue to use safe health practices. #EatParsippany #PrideInParsippany #ParsippanyChamber #ParsippanyFocusMagazine
Adyar Ananda Bhavan (A2B) South Indian Cuisine
Applebee’s
Bosphorus Restaurant
Bruno’s Italian Bistro
Buffalo Wild Wings
Churrasco Grill
Dhaba Express
Eccola Italian Bistro
Elmas Turkish and Mediterranean Cuisine
Empire Diner
Fuddruckers
Gourmet Café
Honest Restaurant
Hoover’s Tavern
Houlihans
IHOP
Jashan by Dhaba
Kabab Paradise
Lake Hiawatha Dairy
Las Leyendas De Mexico
Marakesh Restaurant
McDonald’s
Outback
Panera Bread
Pasha Mezze Grill
Rayhoon Persian Kabob House
Reservoir Tavern
Sakura Hibachi Steak House
Singas Famous Pizza
Spa Restaurant
Tabor Pizza
Tandoori Flames
Valentino’s Pizza & Restaurant
Verde Ristorante
Village Restaurante
Wendy’s Restaurant
Reprinted from Parsippany Focus Magazine, July 2020. Click here to view.
Parsippany Community Update July 17, 2020; Parsippany Community Bus to Resume
PARSIPPANY — We’re excited to announce that Parsippany’s bus service will be returning to operation on an altered schedule this coming Monday, July 20.
Our Director of Public Works Greg Schneider has worked hard to get this important program restarted. The A and B routes and schedules:
Remember there is no weekend bus. Also, there will not be a stop at the Community Center for the time being. If you have any questions, please call (973) 263-7273.
Click here to download the schedule.
Parsippany Community Update July 16, 2020
PARSIPPANY — This week, our Director of Public Works Greg Schneider will be talking about our Sanitation Division, which includes trash collection, recycling, and yard waste.
230 Graduate from Parsippany High School
PARSIPPANY — Principal Dr. Denis Mulroony announced the graduates of 230 students for the Class of 2020.
Kristine Yang, Shiv D. Patel, Caitlin Crooker, Sydney Reich, Chelsea Aboagye, Nana Agyemang, Christopher Aleksandric, Kenjiro Andrada, Randall Arauz Flores, Rohan Arun, Jaclyn Azarow, Dawson Bacayo, Mario Barrera Cruz, Aniajh Bermudez, Kyle Bifano, Alexandra Bond, Luqmaan Bouzaitoun, Yoosuf Bouzaitoun, Bethany Brodock, Ashley Brown, Haley Brown, Nicholas Bruno, Davin Budich, Alexis Cajas, Katherine Castano-Villar, Jose Manuel Castellano, Domonic Cattani, Alexandra Cerasiello, Lourdes Chacon, Eric Chao, Sophia Chas, Melanie Chimborazo, Mira Chothani, Sabrina Chou, Vincent Colantoni, Anthony Colasuonno, Timothy Coppinger, Ryan Crooker, Lathan Cukrow, Elijah Darby, Andrew Davanzo, Sabreen Dawud, Dominick De Intinis, Matthew DeCrescenzo, Sophia Delli Bovi, Stacy Deristin, Shivani Desai, Rylan DeSalvo, Jenna Wear, Anabelen Delgado, Erica Desanguine, Sean Deuer, Connor Devens, Xavier Diaz, Jordan Dorsey, Oliver Dowling, Nancy Duong, Wiktoria Dzon, Michelle Ebel, Zachary Ellicott, Ahmed Elsaid, Mara Estrict, Daniela Falcone, Nina Falivene,Kaitlyn Fang, John Fania, Maryam Farag, Shari Finchler, Victoria Freire, Kyle Furfaro, Alyssa Gallagher, Suraj Garah,
Gabriella Gennarelli, Tabitha Gessling, Kaitlyn Glodzik, Elizabeth Golderer, Britney Gomez Clavijo, Matthew Gonzalez, Jillian Goveas, Devin Granda, Angelo Grippo, Daniel Guzman, Danielle Haeussler, Alex Hao, Ali Hassan, Evan He, Stephanie Hill, Hannah Hoeler, Mariam Hosseini, Jared Hurta, Shawna Ignacz, Toni Ilic, Aereana Jamna, Jozef Jankovic, Olivia Johnson, Smeet Joshi, Mikaela Kadian, Aneesh Kakirde, Jaic Kattappurath, Christopher Keifer, Neil Khare, Krista Kiwior, Joshua Knowle, Bon Jean Koo, Aaron Kreitman, Yash Kriplani, Daniel Kuo, Imani Labady, Anthony LaPresti, Maryurie Leal Barahona, Brett Leech,
Ian Lenahan, Carolina Leon, Kyle Lepore, Jordana Levine, Kevin Li, Fernando Lopez Ramirez, Daniel Lupo, Joseph Lynch, Tanesha Lyons, Aqif Mahmudi, Eshika Malgari, Yousof Mamoor, Rikki Marlowe, Shahzod Mashrabi, Yasmeen Masoud, Rani Mody, Saif Mohamed, Faith Mostillo, Emma Navarro, Nalani Navarro, Abinav Nayini, Riya Nayini, Joshua Nelson, AnthonyNewman, Maya Ng’oche, Michelle Nguyen, Jia Lin Ni, Dominique Ober, Ryan Olcott, Eduard Orellana, Pamela Marie Paguntalan, Michele Pantaleo, Anuj Patel, Aryan Patel, Dev Patel, Henilkumar Patel, Janki Patel, Jay Patel, Prathi Patel, Riddhi Patel, Rital Patel, Sahaj L. Patel, Sahaj J. Patel, Shiv Patel, Shyam Patel, Vidhi Patel, Yash Patel, Zill Patel, Katricia Penus, Katelyn Phillips, Alex Picinich, Eric Polo, Radhika Pradhan, Shuba Prasadh, Jason Punskovsky, Krishant Putrevu, Katherine Quinn, Joshua Quizon, Ashley Radler, Shayan Rahmatullah, Christopher Rainero, David Ramirez, Wuendis Ramirez-Sandoval, Kimberly Ramos, Emily Rattacasa, Zakariya Rehman, Adrian Reyes, Isabel Reyes, Alexander Rianhard, Joseph Riedinger, Anthony Rillo, Nadia Rodrigues, Muhammad Sadiq, Gabriella Sanchez, Nicholas Santangelo, Amogh Sarangdhar, Saeed Sarkhot, Riya Sawant, Jarrod Schwed, Kershaun Sedefoglu, Anish Shah, Anjali Shah, Sri Hari Shankar, Farah Sheira, Karen Shih, Anindita Singh, Vikramjeet Singh, Julia Sklow, Sarah Smith, Matthew Sonzogni, Matthew Strano, Joseph Stull, Sanjana Sure, Lina Surmeli, Eka Swamy, Kenneth Sze, Tobey Tan, Tyler Thiel, Michaela Tomanelli, Dylan Tran, Hannah Turrisi, Aniela van Es, Jonathan Vargas, Nicholas Vega Fitzpatrick, Lilianna Vidal, Julia Vincent, Abbas Wafa, Nathaniel Walker, Sarah Walsh, Marcus Wan, Hannah Weber, Jacob Weiss, Justin Wellman, Tyler Wyka, Nazeerah Yildirim, Lawrence Yu, Thomas Zarro, Estefani Zuniga Cruz and Noah Lorencovitz.
Reprinted from Parsippany Focus Magazine – July 2020 – Click here to view
280 Graduate from Parsippany Hills High School
PARSIPPANY — Principal Dr. Matthew Thompson announced the graduates of 280 students for the Class of 2020.
Nathan H. Abraham, Alyssa F. Ackerman, Dylan Douglas Acree, Kikiola Jinikun Zoe Adeyanju, Amber Afzal, Jeremy Christopher Aguesseau, Miriam Aguirre, Aminah Ahmed, Briana Alonzo, Brandon Nicholas Amelio, Nirgunkumar Yogendrabhai Amin Cavin Anbuselvam, Jorge Eduardo Andrade, Maria Camila Arenas Toro, Destynee Angeliz Arroyo, Sheethal A. Ayalasomayajula, Sabrina A. Aydin, Ami Babulal Babaria, Sellasy Ama Badasu, Alysha Isabel Bailey, Rohan Balani, Jessica Ann Baldassari, Sara Rose Baldassari, Gabriela Banayotti, Lark G. Bancairen, Devansh Pintukumar Barot, Madhav M. Barot, Jasmine Darshana Basra, Matthew Joseph Batroney, Esha Baxi, Robert Bednarczyk, Christopher R. Bellows, Caroline Elizabeth Berardo, Rajan Bhanderi, Arohi Rajesh Birari, Jaden R. Blanke, Jacob Franklin Borrillo, Mackenzie Grace Bosland, Evan R. Bota, Gerald D. Breslauer, Brian A. Brisson, Anthony P. Bromberg, Sara M. Brotons, Valerie Burke, Christian Angelo V. Camero, Alicia M. Campbell, Javier Alfonso Cardoza-Vasquez, Douglas R. Carter, Aeleen Carvalho, Natalie Castellana, Yacek Castillo, Samantha Catalini, Jami Michelle Cerrato, Jessica Danielle Cerrato, Emily Chan, Vidisha Rajeshkumar Chauhan, Bhavana Chembilli, Angela Chen, Henry Mingrui Chen, Jasmine W. Cheng, Anthony Aiman Ciccotelli, Kaitlin Taylor Cirillo, Angelina Lynn Cofone, Zaria Mikele Coleman, Edward John Comerford, Anthony Josue Contreras, Soliel Audrey Cooper, Alan Patrick Copeland, Ryan M. Cornine, Christian Correa, Jillian Hanna Crain, Janelle Deanna Creo, Samuel James D’Uva, Sai Harshitha Dalli, Ishani H. Davé, Malay Pravin Dave, Devon John Davidek, Brian Alexander Davies, Brianna Alexa Davies, Calder Raymon Frey Davis, Tyler Scott Dean, Aarushi Deo, Isha Desai, Shiv Desai, Keya Shardul Dhruve, Antonina Nicole Di Maggio, William C. Elvin, Rafaella lyana Trimanez Espinosa, Peter A. Fajardo, Maxwell Jayden Falk, Sera Cristin Ferrante, Michael Anthony Fiorentino, Kevin Anthony Floris, Jack Patrick Garbarino, Jose Garcia, Lauren E. Geiger, Abigail Mary George, Disharee Ghosh Dastidar, David Giraldo, Willie Michael Glover, Sandra Jackson Graham, Ruthwick Reddy Guddeti, Danielle Olivia Hardy, Kristopher James Hawkins, Rachel M. Hewitt, Scarlette A. Horvath, Isaac Hu, Meera lyer, Aaryan Dev Jamwal, Saoumyaa Jatkar, Christian Miguel Johnson, Micaela A. Juarez,
Benjamin Max Jurow, Corey David Katzenberger, Rableen Kaur Sabrina Kaur, Ryan Michael Kempf, Arsalan Khawar, Fawad Khuja, Eunice Yeeun Kim, Hyun-Jung Kim, Sobina S. Kim, Aleksandra Kolesnikova, Abigail Aradhna Kunde, Nicholas Y. Kuo, Alina S. Kuriakose, Justin Y. Lai, Meghan GraceLalo, Richard Paul Landy, Kevin B. Le, Ethan Lee, Connor Ross Leming, Divine Lemon, Jason C. Levy, Nicholas Andrew Levytsky, Anton Leyzerov, Angelina Patrice Licor, Danielle Marie Lipuma, Amy Yuxin Liu, Tina Lan Liu, Andrew James Loesch, Kimberly O. Love, John M. Malenchak, Elliot Joseph Mann, Sarah J. Manning, Peri Logan Manoff, Cynthia Elizabeth Marrero, Morgan Elizabeth Marron, Stephanie Nicole Martinez, Christopher Fulgar Matias, Nathaniel R. May, Tanishq Meka, Anthony B. Memoli, Dylan Paul Mendes, Vaishnavi P. Menon, Christopher S. Meumann, Sean Michels, Alexes Orion Miranda, Kavin M. Mistry, Carolyn R. Modin, Kelsey Erin Mogan, Luigi Montanari, Christopher Orlando Montoya, Andrew William Morales, Justin Morales, Emily Elizabeth Moutis, Gianna M. Musto, Devesh R. Naik, Peter Francis Nardi, Gabriel J. Nazziola, Brandon Ng, Steven Nguyen, Wasay Noor Kaitlyn M. Ostolaza, Janet Pan, Mann H. Pandya, William Parente, Aarnav Manish Patel, Bijal Patel Darsh N. Patel, Dhruv A. Patel, Disha Rajesh Patel, Greepan P. Patel, Harsh Dhiraj Patel, Jay K. Patel Jaysheel Himanshu Patel, Kishan Patel, Nilay Bhaveshkumar Patel, Riya D. Patel, Riyank Patel, Rushit A. Patel, Shaili T. Patel, Anthony James Paterno, Hernando Pelaez, Debra Rachel Perlmutter, Brandon D. Perot, Joseph Phan, Stephanie M. Pielak-Van Teyens, Mora Anne Pochettino, Andrea Potesta-Oliva, Neyha M. Ramani, Nirali U. Rana, Christopher J. Rapp, Shoumik Vaddi Reddy, Tuga Adel Ridha, Angel Jose Rodriguez, Elijah Moises Rodriguez, Elysabeth May Rodriguez, Nicholas Roepke, Katherine A. Rogers, Anthony Joseph Rubinetti, Nicholas Joseph Russo, Austin Patrick Ruth, Usman A. Saeed, Carmela A. Sanchez, German Santana, Nicholas Santana, Tamanna Sarkar, Jade Schroeder, Kimberly Anne Scott, Falit Sehgal, John Henry Serino, Samantha Rae Serino, Darshil Shah, Isha Shah, Krish K. Shah, Sharanam Shah, Vidhi Bhoomit Shah, Vraj A. Shah, Hiba Shahid, Aidan Patrick Shanley-Steele, Hunter William Shanley-Steele, Nikita Sharma, Bicky Singh, Jagjit Singh, Preya Singh, Suveer Singh, Aman P. Sinojia, Colin G. Smith, Anna Sostak, Stefani Stojanoska, Jasper Carter Stone, HannahA. Stroh, Shrish Subramanian, Kevin Suh, Alexia Yasmine Symak, Brandon Derkhorm Tashi, Bryan Taylor, Elizabeth Thomas, Matthew J. Timney, Alena Tran, Dylan Tran, Angelo Louis Varcadipane, Krislyn Vaz, Manuela Vega-Correa, Michelle Velasquez, Brandon Verderber, Derek MoyVergel de Dios, Anjali K. Vyas, Kelly Rose Walek, Caroline Walz, Harvey W. Wang, Victor Wang, Hailey Anne Watts, Joseph J. Wentworth, Patrick Thomas Whalen, Benjamin Frankel Widdowson, Dennis Timothy Wilson, Richard Allen Wright, Yiwen Wu, Tharini Yagappan, Amy Yang, Jamie Claire Yenzer, Alex Zhang, Chongen Zheng, Nicole Marie Zinckgraf, Emirhan Ziya, Evagelia Zois, Sidrah Zuberi and Karen Alexandra Zumba Urgiles.
Reprinted from Parsippany Focus Magazine – July 2020 – Click here to view.
Murphy Should Reimburse Towns for Managing MVC Lines, say GOP Lawmakers
MORRIS COUNTY — For over a week, the chaotic reopening of state motor vehicle agencies has required local police to help manage crowds lining up for service overnight after the agency was shut down for almost four months.
“Murphy and the MVC had months to prepare for this, but now towns are forced to take matters into their own hands,” said Assemblywoman Aura Dunn (R-Morris). “They should not have to bear the costs to deal with the problems Governor Murphy and the MVC created.”
Dunn, Assemblyman Kevin Rooney, and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso have introduced bills to mitigate backlogs, and are now calling on the Murphy administration to reimburse towns for having to respond to the large crowds building around the 39 agencies across the state.
Mayors have also chimed in about the lack of preparation by the administration.
“Our police spent the better part of several days directing the traffic that backed up onto Route 10 to help with crowd control and other issues that came up among the hundreds of people waiting in line,” explained Randolph Mayor Christine Carey. “The MVC was not prepared to handle the crowds as they reopened.”
The process has also been particularly hard on residents. Last week, when agencies reopened on July 7, drivers reported lines and waits for multiple hours in the sun and heat. Some had to make multiple trips costing time, vacation days, and time-off from work.
“All of this frustration and anger could have easily been avoided if the administration had just listened to the calls we were getting from our constituents,” said Rooney (R-Bergen). “This is about getting people back to work and providing for their families. We have to take action now if we are going to fix this problem sooner rather than later.”
The three lawmakers also offered several creative alternatives to alleviate the demand, such as allowing private buyers to handle the titling of their vehicles with car dealers for a fee and allowing third-party testing, including driving schools, to relieve the backlog of new drivers waiting for their road test.
“Private businesses, like car dealerships and driving schools, were willing to jump in,” explained DiMaso (R-Monmouth). “Governor Murphy had months to figure this out, but now local police have to manage the crowds and the traffic created by doing nothing.”
The Republicans introduced their ideas as legislation at the end of June as A4326, A4327, and A4306, which are currently in the Assembly Transportation Committee.
Chinese Christian Church begins Meals of Blessings Initiative
PARSIPPANY — In an effort to serve our Parsippany community during this pandemic crisis, the Chinese Christian Church of New Jersey (CCCNJ) distributed free surgical masks at our local supermarkets in April. (Click here to read the story)
Recognizing that there are many families who visit the Parsippany Food Pantry for non-perishable food items, CCCNJ wanted to provide these families with hot meals at least once a week. Based on donations from their church members, they have purchased hot meals from local restaurants who could also use the additional business.
86 hot meals were distributed to 28 families recently at the Chinese Christian Church of New Jersey (CCCNJ). Parsippany High School ’19 graduate, Andrew Lie, organized this program to help local restaurants and families adversely impacted by the Covid19 pandemic.
Every Wednesday in July at 6:00 p.m, up to four hot meals per family will be distributed at 232 S. Beverwyck Road.
While the meals are free (they are funded by the members of CCCNJ), patrons must reserve their meals in advance each week by calling (973) 335-0183 ext. 17 to leave their name and number of meals requested, or by clicking here and entering the information.
Letter to the Editor: Response to Mayor Soriano’s Water Message
Dear Editor:
It is unfortunate that anyone who reads “A Message from Mayor Michael Soriano Regarding Parsippany’s Water Quality” may come away with a false sense of security about the water they are now drinking. The state’s problem with Parsippany’s water supply was never the levels of lead and copper present in the various sources of our water. The violation had to do with an unacceptable acidic pH of the water being distributed.
In itself, acidic water is not harmful. However, as it travels in pipes to and in your home, lead and copper can be dissolved into the acidic water, so that the final product that you drink can have unacceptable levels of these elements. There is a reason why the letter that we received in the mail this week advised us to “Run water for 15-30 seconds to flush out lead and/or copper”.
As the mayor correctly pointed out, Parsippany’s water is in compliance with N.J. State Secondary Drinking Water Standards. But at the same time, our water failed the pH standards set by the Optimal Water Quality Parameter monitoring program, i.e. our water was unacceptably acidic, which could result in lead and/or copper corrosion and release into our drinking water. Maybe this isn’t an emergency, but it is certainly something to be concerned about.
The mayor’s message also gives overly optimistic hope that the water problem has been solved as indicated by the statement, “Once the sampling methods were corrected our pH readings returned to optimal levels”. I can unequivocally tell you that my water is still acidic. This afternoon (July 14), I tested a sample of brand-named bottled water and a sample of my tap water using a pH meter. The former registered at a neutral 7.0, while my Parsippany water registered 6.5 (acidic). Clearly, I still have a problem. I would advise every resident to check the pH of their own water. A pH meter is easy to use, cheap and can be obtained at any Home Depot or garden store.
Bob Venezia
Morris Plains (Parsippany)
DeCroce Says NJ Must Hold In-Person Voting In November
PARSIPPANY — New Jersey cannot allow an all-mail-in General Election in November and has to begin preparing now to recreate the infrastructure that supports in-person voting, said Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce.
She joins other Republicans including Sen. Mike Testa in calling for in-person voting but says the GOP has to go further and lay out a blueprint for in-person voting, focusing on recruiting new people to work the polls on Election Day.
“We have seen that mail-in balloting is ripe for abuse, mistakes, voter fraud and corruption in New Jersey,” said DeCroce, citing corruption allegations by the state Attorney General in Paterson’s May 12 city council election and disputed and uncounted mail-in ballots in the July 7 Primary Election.
“New Jersey cannot conduct a proper Presidential Election that will have the confidence of the voters if the state insists on banning voters from the polling booth,” added DeCroce. “Once we lose the trust of the people in our democratic election process, we lose democracy.”
NEW POLL WORKERS
But rather than pushing ahead blindly to allow individuals to vote at their regular polling district, the state is going to have to prepare poll workers, said DeCroce, who served as an Election Officer in a large municipality for 21years.
“The nuts and bolts of the election process include the poll workers who spend a lot of time at polling stations informing voters and checking on their voting eligibility,” said DeCroce.
Traditionally, most of the poll workers in the state have been elderly people who are retired and have time to spend at the polling stations on Election Day. In the wake of the coronavirus, DeCroce says, many of those older poll workers will not want to volunteer, so the state needs to begin now to attract and train new, younger poll workers.
The assemblywoman said the state should begin reaching out to college students throughout the state to recruit them to work the polls on November 3. Poll workers are paid $200 a day for their work. Younger people are much less susceptible to coronavirus’s most virulent effects.
“With colleges re-opening for the fall semester with a combination of in-person and virtual study programs, the state has an opportunity to reach out to students and recruit them to be poll workers,” said DeCroce.
The students, she said, can be taught the mechanics of being a poll worker either in-person on college campuses or by virtual instruction over the internet and become certified to work the polls. Training will take about two hours.
With proper safety safeguards in place at a polling station in place as they are at supermarkets, liquor stores and restaurants in-person voting can be as safe or safer than many activities people engage in currently, said the Assemblywoman.
“I don’t see how waiting on a relatively short line at a polling booth is more dangerous than waiting on a long line at a motor vehicle center or the supermarket,” said DeCroce.
“The important thing about the November election is to make sure we get it right and not use the coronavirus as an excuse to open up the voting process to the corruption and abuse that we have suffered from the universal mail-in process,” said DeCroce.
Victory For Randolph Tennis Center
MORRIS COUNTY — The Randolph Township prosecutor dropped charges against Jennifer Rogers, owner of the Randolph Tennis Center, who had been unfairly targeted under Gov. Murphy’s shutdown order for holding a peaceful “Re-Open Business and Restore Livelihoods” outdoor rally in May. (See related article by clicking here)
Despite the constitutionally protected right of all Americans to peaceably assemble, Murphy had authorized local prosecutors to charge New Jersey residents who were exercising their rights. On June 1, Rogers was issued two summonses that carried up to $2,000 in fines along with up to one year in jail for holding the rally.
“For 111 days, my business—and countless other businesses across New Jersey—were forced to shut down by Gov. Murphy’s orders,” Rogers stated. “Not only did he force us to close our doors, but he also tried to silence our voices. He did not succeed. I’m grateful these baseless charges were dropped, but it’s outrageous that Gov. Murphy tried to suspend New Jerseyans’ constitutional right to peaceably assembly, to begin with and that the prosecutor refused to drop charges immediately when Gov. Murphy backed down.”
The prosecutor had been prepared to drop charges last week following updated guidance from Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal noting all outdoor political and religious activities are permitted and directing prosecutors to dismiss previously filed charges against organizers of outdoor political or religious activities. Yet the prosecutor in Rogers’ case wanted her first to stipulate to probable cause, which she was unwilling to do as she was well within her rights.
Attorney for Jennifer Rogers John Mccann made it very clear to the court that these charges should have been dismissed one month ago. McCann said, “this order was issued on June 17. This should have been taken care of then.”
“I will never agree with Governor Murphy that exercising my constitutional rights merited these charges,” Rogers continued. “Let’s not forget that two days after my rally, more than 800 Black Lives Matter protestors exercised this same constitutional right and received zero summonses. Similarly, Gov. Murphy—while he was targeting me—also joined a protest and received zero summonses.”
At her first court appearance last week, the prosecutor asked for two weeks to decide his next steps after Rogers refused to agree that the charges against her were merited. Today, the prosecutor dropped all charges.
“Hardworking New Jerseyans who are fighting to survive during Gov. Murphy’s shutdown should not have to face the added battle of fighting a governor who believes our rights exist at his pleasure or prosecutors that wield the legal system to threaten law-abiding citizens,” Rogers added. “I’m grateful to all who joined me at our rally in May and for the outpouring of support I’ve received from friends, neighbors, and strangers—they are the true fabric of New Jersey. While I’m thankful I no longer have to fight these outrageous charges in court, It’s important. to remember the only true violation that occurred here is a violation of our constitutional rights by those who took an oath to uphold them. I will continue to fight for these rights on behalf of all New Jerseyans.”
Rep. Sherrill Releases Second Small Business Survey
PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) launched a second survey for small businesses in the 11th District to collect feedback on the challenges continuing to face the small business community due to COVID-19 and as they reopen.
“New Jersey has made significant strides in our work to flatten the curve and stem the spread of COVID-19 in our state, but our small businesses are still suffering under the weight of this pandemic,” said Representative Sherrill. “I fought hard for specific, important changes to the PPP and EIDL program after hearing directly from small businesses about their experiences, and I know there is more work to be done. These surveys help me advocate for the critical needs of our New Jersey small business community during this crisis.”
On April 29, 2020, Representative Sherrill released her first small business survey for the 11th Congressional District to gather data on small business programs. More than 340 small business owners from 50 towns in the 11th District responded to the survey and shared their experiences with the PPP and EIDL programs, including the status of their applications, unanswered questions, recommended changes, and challenges they face in preparing to reopen.
Representative Sherrill outlined actions to improve the PPP and EIDL programs for the Treasury Department and the Small Business Administration built upon the concerns and recommendations from New Jersey small business owners. Many of the proposals were included in the bipartisan Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act that Representative Sherrill co-sponsored and the President signed into law.
A link to the survey can be found by clicking here.
Interested in Becoming a School Board Member?
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education has three members whose term expires on December 31. They are Mr. Timothy Berrios, Mr. Matthew DeVitto, and Mrs. Deborah Orme.
The current board members are Mr. Frank Neglia, President (2021); Mrs. Alison Cogan, Vice-President (2022); Mr. Timothy Berrios (2020); Mr. Andrew Choffo (2022); Mr. Matthew DeVitto (2020); Mrs. Susy Golderer (2021); Mrs. Judy Mayer (2021); Mrs. Deborah Orme (2020) and Mrs. Kendra Von Achen (2022).
If you are interested in running for the Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education candidates must have the following requirements:
To Become a member of a local board of education in New Jersey, you must:
- Be able to read and write
- Hold citizenship and one year’s residency in the school district
- Have no interest in any contract with, or claim against the board
- Not hold office as mayor or member of the municipal governing body
- Be registered to vote in the district and not be disqualified as a voter under N.J.S.A. 19:4-1
Serving on a School Board (From NJSBA)
As one member of the school board team, you will be expected to cooperate with administrators, educators, and the community in order to fulfill certain basic responsibilities:
- Providing responsible citizen leadership in determining community goals for public education.
- Developing a philosophy of education that will become the basis for sound educational decisions on a wide range of issues.
- Developing written operation policies to serve as guidelines for action and decision making.
- Developing a community understanding of educational issues and school policies through the maintenance of effective communications systems.
- Providing adequate financing for the present needs and future plans of the district.
- Establishing conditions for the recruitment and evaluation of excellent professional staff.
- Evaluating the educational program of the schools in order to better meet the needs of the students.
- Ensuring a quality education for all students by providing adequate facilities and equipment.
- Providing the student services necessary for all the pupils of the district.
- Engaging in self-improvement and in-service training programs for the purpose of providing intelligent, well-informed leadership.
If you are considering serving on your school board, take advantage of NJSBA’s online briefings that provide details about the responsibilities of serving on a local board of education. NJSBA’s online briefings include three videos that address leadership, legal issues, and the role of a board member. Candidates can also listen to a recorded online radio broadcast, “What Board Members Need to Know When They’re Elected.” (Click here to listen)
“The work of a school board has become increasingly complex, but rest assured, if you’re elected or appointed to your school board, you won’t ‘go it alone.’ As New Jersey’s only service organization whose sole mission is to train, assist and represent the state’s local boards of education, the New Jersey School Boards Association will be with you every step of the way,” said Michael R. McClure, President, New Jersey School Boards Association.
NOMINATING PETITIONS – Filing Deadline, Monday, July 27, 2020
UPDATE ON ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES AND SUBMISSION OF CANDIDATE PETITIONS – On July 1, 2020, Governor Murphy signed into law A-4037 that would require an electronic process for the collection of petition signatures and their submission for the duration of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Click here to download “Individual Nominating Petition For Annual School Elections”
The deadline for submission of the 2020 November election nominating petitions to the county clerk–for both individual and joint filings is 4:00 p.m. July 27, 2020. The address for the Morris County Clerk is Administration & Records Building, 2nd Floor – Board of Elections, 10 Court Street, P.O. Box 900, Morristown, NJ 07963-0900.
A Message from Mayor Michael Soriano Regarding Parsippany’s Water Quality
PARSIPPANY — “This week, you will be receiving a letter regarding water quality testing at our water utility. I want to be very clear and transparent about what this notification means and why it has been issued.
There are three important things to note. First, this is not and never was an emergency. Second, there is no indication of elevated levels of lead or copper in our water system. Finally, this notice concerns connection points between our water system and both the Jersey City Reservoir and Southeast Morris County water utility, not our directly managed Parsippany water wells.
Parsippany’s water utility is required to monitor pH levels of our water to comply with New Jersey’s Optimal Water Quality Parameters. The keyword here is optimal. During two sampling periods at the very end of 2019 and the very beginning of 2020, the pH of our samples dipped slightly below the optimal pH value.
These low readings were due to a misunderstanding of sampling methods between the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and our water utility. Once the sampling methods were corrected, our pH readings returned to optimal levels.
Low pH readings are one of many potential signs of lead or copper contamination, and regardless of the reasons, result in an automatic public notice. Subsequent testing has confirmed that there are no levels of lead or copper in Parsippany’s water even close to unsafe levels. The monitoring of water quality continues on a regular basis.
Water quality is an issue that we should all take very seriously. Unfortunately, bad practices in other communities around the country have given us justifiable worry about the water we drink and use every day. If you are skeptical about the quality of our water after reading the public notice, I understand your concern. I invite you to read our most recent water quality report and to follow these reports as they are posted. (Click here to view water quality report)
I am upset about the mistakes in testing methodology that resulted in low pH readings. Unfortunately, mistakes and misunderstandings happen, and I am relieved that our water continues to be safe. If you would like to learn more about Parsippany’s water, and the stringent requirements we are happy to meet every day, you can contact our water department at (973) 263-7099.”