Clean Communities: Keeping Parsippany Clean
PARSIPPANY — The Department of Environmental Protection is awarding $19.4 million in annual Clean Communities grants to help municipalities and counties remove litter to beautify neighborhoods, improve water quality and enhance the quality of life, Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe announced. This year, Parsippany-Troy Hills will receive $104,355.00.
In total, the DEP is awarding $17.3 million to eligible municipalities and $2.1 million to the state’s 21 counties. The program is funded by a legislated user-fee on manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors that produce litter-generating products.
“Clean Communities grants help municipalities and counties with the important task of removing unsightly litter, often from roadways and around stormwater collection systems, to enhance the quality of life,” Commissioner McCabe said. “Beautifying our communities through these types of cleanups help improve water quality and natural resources while also protecting wildlife and their habitats.”
The nonprofit New Jersey Clean Communities Council oversees the reporting requirements for the program. Disbursements are based on housing units and miles of municipally owned roadways.
The young people were an enthusiastic group who seemed truly appreciative of being able to perform duties for the Township; they were paid through the Clean Communities grant, and they were very happy to have summer jobs.
Clean Communities Coordinator Eddie Celardo said, “The program is designed to support municipalities in their effort to educate citizens and abate littered areas. They did a great job assisting the Road Department with the repair of catch basins, picking up garbage along the roadside, helping out the water department, and performing tasks to show how proud Parsippany can be.”
Carmelita J. Massefski Passed Away
PARSIPPANY — Carmelita J. Massefski, passed away on Thursday, June 25, 2020.
She was born in Newark, the daughter of Catherine (La Falce) and Michael Fatigante. At East Side High School she met the love of her life, Walter Massefski. Their love continued through 57 years of marriage, until the passing of Walter, and will endure forever.
Carm was a loving mother to her three sons, Walter and wife Heidi of Massachusetts, devoted sons Michael of Bailey, Colorado, Scott, and his caring wife Imara of Lake Hiawatha, and grandmother of seven.
For the past 34 years, Carm worked in the engineering department in Montville Township until she passed. She valued and took great pride in her work, developing many lasting friendships with her co-workers, who were more like family.
Carm was a wonderful, caring, and intelligent woman. It gave Carm great joy attending her grandchildren’s school, sporting events, and milestones. She would be seen quietly cheering them on, glowing with pride. She always put her heart in everything she did, showing those close to her how special they were. We love you and will miss you so much. We lost a great mother, a beautiful grandmother, and an amazing human being.
Carm was pre-deceased by her late husband Walt, mother Catherine, father Michael, dear brothers Michael and Jim. She is survived by and will be terribly missed by her sons and their wives, grandchildren, especially Andrew, Sophia, Max, and Victoria, dear sister-in-law Janet Marlow and husband Ray, sister-in-law Judy, sister-in-law Eleanor, dear brother-in-law Richard, brother Joseph, and wife Maryann, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends whom she loved dearly.
Parsippany Community Update July 9, 2020
PARSIPPANY — Yesterday, Governor Murphy issued Executive Order 163, which requires wearing a facemask in outdoor settings where social distancing is not feasible. While this doesn’t mean that everyone needs to wear a mask while outdoors alone, it does apply to all outdoor gatherings, large and small.
Two Men Sentenced in Old Bloomfield Avenue Homicide
PARSIPPANY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker, and Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Chief Andrew Miller stated two men have been sentenced in connection with the September 2019 death of Jaime Lopez-Basilio.
On June 3, 2020, Rogelio Laureano-Gonzalez, 26, entered guilty pleas to second-degree Manslaughter and second-degree Hindering Own Apprehension before Judge Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr.
On July 9, 2020, Judge Taylor imposed a sentence of five years in New Jersey State Prison with 85% parole ineligibility pursuant to the No Early Release Act.
Also on June 3, 2020, Cirilo Rojas-Paulino, 25, entered a guilty plea to third-degree Hindering Apprehension of Another before Judge Taylor.
On July 9, 2020, Judge Taylor sentenced Rojas-Paulino to 291 days time-served in the Morris County Jail as a condition of two years probation.
The investigation arose from a September 9, 2019 report of a deceased male inside a home in the area of Old Bloomfield Road, Parsippany-Troy Hills.
The investigation confirmed that a deceased male’s body was located inside a residence in the area. The manner of death was determined to be Homicide. The deceased male was identified as Jaime Lopez-Basilio. Two residents of the home, Rogelio Laureano-Gonzalez, and Cirilo Rojas-Paulino, could not be immediately located during the death investigation.
Subsequent investigation by law enforcement led to the apprehension of both individuals in California. Prosecutor Knapp said: “The collaborative efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies in New Jersey and California brought these defendants to justice. We are very thankful to all involved in this successful prosecution and conviction.”
Business Administrator Keith Kazmark To Resign
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Business Administrator will be resigning to take a position in Woodland Park, where he serves as part-time Mayor.
Kazmark said “My heart and soul have been dedicated to Woodland Park for the past nine years as Mayor and during the previous nine years on the Council. This opportunity to also serve as the Business Administrator during this unique time, in addition to my role as Mayor, is an amazing professional opportunity and one I promise to live up to as we guide our town through this public health crisis and into the future.”
Kazmark was appointed to serve as Parsippany’s Business Administrator on October 1, 2018, at a salary of $165,000 per year.
Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills Special Meeting Notice
PARSIPPANY — Township Council of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills is scheduling a Special Meeting to be held on Thursday, July 9, 2020, at 4:00 p.m.
Due to the 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. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss potential water and sewer rate adjustments and personnel matters related to the finance office. Formal action may or not be taken, and any other action reasonably related thereto may also be taken.
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 access the agenda for this meeting.
- Click this link to access the meeting.
Step-by-Step Guides
- Click this link for a step-by-step guide on registering to attend the meeting.
- Click on this link for a step-by-step guide on joining the meeting through WebEx.
For more information, please contact the Township Clerk’s office at (973) 263-4351 or email pthclerk@parsippany.net.
Kiwanis Club Donates $1,500 ShopRite Gift Cards to Families In Need
PARSIPPANY — Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany President Frank Cahill delivered $1,500 ShopRite Gift Cards to families in need.
Due to COVID19, many of the Kiwanis Club fundraisers have been canceled or postponed. Instead of having our weekly breakfast meetings at Empire Diner, we participate in Zoom Virtual Meetings. Every member was asked to contribute to a “Breakfast Fund” to be used for a special occasion. So far we collected over $1,500 and put the money to good use by purchasing the ShopRite gift cards to be donated to families.
Cahill said “The Parsippany Food Pantry and the Table of Hope Weekly Food Distributions definitely help people in need, but there are items that just aren’t available at those outlets, so the members of Kiwanis decided to donate gift cards so they can purchase those necessary items (such items as paper towels, diapers, or milk).
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany is the largest Kiwanis Club in the State of New Jersey with 78 members. New members are always welcome. (Click here for more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany). Kiwanis members dedicate more than 6 million volunteer hours and invest more than $100 million in service projects that strengthen communities and serve children every year. Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany ensures that all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, successful lives. They believe that by helping one child, you help the world.
If you are interested in learning about our club, we currently meet weekly on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. via Zoom. (Join us by clicking here). For more information click here.
Tobi Matthews joins SCG Advertising + Public Relations
PARSIPPANY — Tobi Matthews has been appointed director of new business development by SCG Advertising + Public Relations, a full-service communications agency based on 26 Eastmans Road. In her new role, Matthews is focused on developing client relationships, with an emphasis on consumer marketing.
Matthews joins SCG with more than two decades of advertising and promotional experience in the consumer packaged goods arena. In supporting a wide array of leading brands, she has been particularly active in branding and shopper marketing initiatives.
“Tobi’s background in cultivating new business relationships is an impressive one, and we’re excited she has joined our team,” says SCG Advertising + Public Relations Vice President / Creative Director Tom Marguccio. “As an agency, we pride ourselves in providing a wealth of different communication service to clients in many sectors, and I’m confident Tobi will help us to further broaden the range of clients we serve.”
A graduate of Post University with an MBA in marketing, Matthews also holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Post.
About SCG Advertising + Public Relations
Founded more than half a century ago, SCG (Success Communications Group) provides 21st-century communication services highlighted by creativity, passion, and innovation. With specific expertise in advertising, marketing, public relations, social media, digital marketing, and recruitment, SCG is headquartered in Parsippany, with regional offices in the metro areas of Philadelphia, Atlanta, San Diego, and Tampa.
Additional information is available by clicking here.
Letter to the Editor: COVID-19 Jeopardizes Voters’ Safety — We Need Vote-by-Mail
Dear Editor:
The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on all of our lives is clear. Even as some states begin to recover or even reopen, many of us are still worried about the health and wellbeing of our families, friends, and colleagues.
But I’m also worried about the impact this crisis will have on our elections. After seeing how it impacted elections already this year in places like Wisconsin and Georgia, I’m scared that this pandemic will jeopardize Americans’ ability to vote in-person in the 2020 election.
While some states are taking steps to help people vote safely, Trump and his administration are going to great lengths to make mail-in voting seem like a voter fraud scheme–even though Trump himself votes by mail. It’s clear that Congress needs to intervene and focus on what’s right for the American people in every state: expanding vote-by-mail and other voting options.
To keep voters safe, we need our representatives in the House and Senate to provide states with emergency funding to ensure that every eligible American can safely cast their ballot through the mail, that they can register to vote online, and that any in-person polling places are safe for voters and poll workers.
For this election, we must protect every eligible voter’s right to have a say in who is in office. The leaders we elect in 2020 can take actions that improve the health and well-being of all Americans, or put us at further risk.
I’m demanding that our representatives in Congress come together and provide economic relief for Americans and also ensure states have the resources they need to safeguard the 2020 election.
Nothing less than our democracy is at stake.
Sharon Lightbody
Denville
Parsippany PAL Saves 150 Lives with Blood Drive
PARSIPPANY — Over 40 blood donors came out to support the Parsippany PAL community blood drive with their lifesaving blood. One unit of blood can help up to 3 different patients so 150 lives will be impacted from this blood drive.
The blood supply is at a dangerously low level due to Covid-19 and New Jersey Blood Services is desperately seeking large venues where blood drives can be held while maintaining social distancing. The blood center is unable to run bus drives so it is imperative these sites are found so donors can find a donation location. New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS) reports that last summer over 1500 units of blood were donated on bus mobile drives that cannot run this summer to safely social distance.
If you would like to help save lives by finding a location and assisting in recruiting blood donors please reach out to SLynch@nybc.org. If you would like to donate blood, sign up by clicking here.
Extra precautions are being taken to help prevent the person-to-person spread of COVID-19. As always, people are not eligible to donate if they’re experiencing a cold, sore throat, respiratory infection, or flu-like symptoms. Additional information on donor eligibility and COVID-19 precautions are available by clicking here.
About New York Blood Center: Founded in 1964, New York Blood Center (NYBC) is a nonprofit organization that is one of the largest independent, community-based blood centers in the world. NYBC, along with its operating divisions Community Blood Center of Kansas City, Missouri (CBC), Innovative Blood Resources (IBR), Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD), and Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC), collect approximately 4,000 units of blood products each day and serve local communities of more than 75 million people in the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT), Mid Atlantic area (PA, DE, MD, VA), Missouri and Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Southern New England. NYBC and its operating divisions also provide a wide array of transfusion-related medical services to over 500 hospitals nationally, including Comprehensive Cell Solutions, the National Center for Blood Group Genomics, the National Cord Blood Program, and the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, which — among other milestones — developed a practical screening method for hepatitis B as well as a safe, effective and affordable vaccine, and a patented solvent detergent plasma process innovating blood-purification technology worldwide.
Iris Goicochea Raised over $47,000 for “Virtual Fight For Air Climb New Jersey”
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany resident Iris Goicochea participated in the American Lung Association’s first-ever Virtual Fight For Air Climb New Jersey, in honor of her mother who passed away from lung cancer. Her efforts helped to raise over $47,000.
The annual event was originally scheduled for late March and regularly attracts over 200 people to walk or run up the 27 flights of stairs, or 504 steps, to the top of One Gateway Center in Newark.
This year, Covid-19 required the event to be moved online, and participants from all over New Jersey joined “The Fight” and stayed active by choosing a challenge such as climbing, running, walking, or cycling from home or near their own neighborhoods.
Funds raised through the event will go to the Lung Association’s mission, to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through advocacy, education, and research of lung diseases, including COVID-19.
Philip Deleasa Arrested by West Caldwell Police for DWI
PARSIPPANY — West Caldwell Police Patrolman Velardi and Patrolman Redmerski initiated a motor vehicle stop of a Jeep on Bloomfield Avenue, due to multiple vehicle equipment violations and striking a curb, at 11:23 p.m. on Sunday, June 21.
While speaking to officers, the operator of the vehicle, Philip Deleasa, 37, Parsippany, appeared to be under the influence. In addition, officers found on scene evidence of recent use of a controlled dangerous substance.
In speaking to the officers, Deleasa reported that he had a handgun with ammunition in a bag under the front passenger seat of his vehicle.
A search of the described area of the vehicle yielded a camouflage bag, containing a Smith and Wesson 1911 .45 ACP handgun, four .45 ACP magazines, and a .40 caliber magazine, 13 hollow point bullets and 12 full metal jacket bullets.
Deleasa was then requested to perform several standardized field sobriety tests, which he was not able to successfully pass.
Deleasa was taken into custody and transported to police headquarters where he was charged with the following:
• Driving While Intoxicated (39:4-50)
• Maintenance of Lamps (39:3-66)
• Lamps and Reflectors Required (39:3-61)
• Unclear Plate (39:3-33)
• Unlawful Possession of Weapon (Handgun Without Permit) (2C:39-5b)
• Unlawful possession of Hollow Point Bullets (2C:29-3f(1))
• Under the Influence of a Controlled Dangerous Substance (2C:35-10b)
Deleasa was released from custody on a Complaint-Summons with a mandatory court date of Thursday, July 23.
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.
NJ Boater Safety Course To Be Held
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Volunteer Fire District 6 will be hosting an NJ boater safety course on Saturday, July 11 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the firehouse located at 60 Littleton Road. Registration is limited to 25 students.
The fee is $75.00 per person. To register please contact Vicent Florio at (732) 279-0562.
Danielle Taylor Named to the University of Rhode Island Spring 2020 Dean’s List
PARSIPPANY — The University of Rhode Island is pleased to announce that Danielle Nicole Taylor was named to the Spring 2020 Dean’s List. The students represent nearly all of Rhode Island’s cities and towns, all six New England states, New York and New Jersey, and many other states and countries.
To be included on the Dean’s List, full-time students must have completed 12 or more credits for letter grades during a semester and achieved at least a 3.30 quality point average. Part-time students qualify with the accumulation of 12 or more credits for letter grades earning at least a 3.30 quality point average.
Danielle Taylor is a graduate of Parsippany Hills High School Class of 2016.
Parsippany Community Update July 8, 2020
PARSIPPANY — For the next several weeks, we’ll be taking you on a tour of Parsippany-Troy Hills Township operations.
Becchi Officially Declared Winner of the Republican Nomination for the 11th Congressional District
PARSIPPANY — Rosemary Becchi was officially declared the winner of the Republican nomination for the 11th Congressional District of New Jersey. Upon receiving the nomination, she released the following statement:
Parsippany Troy Hills Council Agenda Meeting – July 7, 2020
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Troy Hills Council Agenda Meeting – July 7, 2020.
Click here for a copy of the agenda.
Council Meeting Tonight, July 7 – 7:00 p.m.
PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will conduct its regularly scheduled council agenda meeting Tuesday, July 7, 2020, 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 for the council meeting agenda.
Click here to access the meeting.
For more information, please contact the Township Clerk’s office at (973) 263-4351 or email pthclerk@parsippany.net