MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker, and Pequannock Township Police Chief Brian C. Spring confirm an active investigation into a bank robbery that occurred this morning in Pequannock.

At approximately 10:43 a.m., law enforcement received a report of a bank robbery that occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank, 523 Route 23, in Pequannock.

The subsequent investigation has revealed that a male entered the bank branch and demanded money. The investigation has revealed that the suspect appears to be an older white male with a black beard, which is possibly fake. He was last seen wearing dark colored pants, a dark colored hooded Adidas sweatshirt with white stripes on the arms, a dark colored ball cap, and glasses.

Numerous law enforcement agencies have responded and are currently investigating this incident, including the Pequannock Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Anyone with information about this incident, including the identity of this male, is urged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office – Major Crimes Unit at (973) 285-6200 or the Pequannock Police Department at (973) 835-1700.

MORRIS COUNTY — Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) and Senator Steven Oroho (R-24) joined Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-3) for a boat tour of Lake Hopatcong today to gain a first-hand understanding of the blue-green algae blooms that caused the lake and others across New Jersey to be closed for recreation for much of the summer.

After the tour, Pennacchio and Oroho issued the following statement:

“We were glad to have the opportunity to join local officials and the Senate President for today’s tour of Lake Hopatcong. Before his untimely death, our dear colleague Senator Bucco was scheduled to join us. We are sure Tony was there in spirit.

“We received a commitment from the Senate President that Lake Hopatcong, Greenwood Lake, and all impacted New Jersey lakes would get much-needed help.

“Further, we will be meeting with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to get badly needed answers to some important questions.

“We are committed to working together to ensure these lakes are never closed again.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker, and Florham Park Chief of Police Joseph J. Orlando announce the arrest of Robert Luis Benitez, 46, Union, on charges stemming from the improper disposal of construction debris in an area off Route 24, in Florham Park.

It is alleged that Benitez, the owner of RLB Construction & Investments, improperly disposed of a variety of materials including exterior siding, paint cans, tile, boxes, flooring and other related materials.

The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Fire/Environmental Unit, along with the Florham Park Department of Public Works, coordinated and executed the cleanup, which resulted in over 10 cubic yards and two tons of waste.

The investigation revealed that the area is a Wetland Transition Zone within the Freshwater Wetlands Protection Act, as well as a Riparian Zone within the Flood Hazard Area Control Act.

Benitez is charged with one count of Unlawful Disposal or Transportation of Solid Waste, one count of Violation of the Freshwater Protection Act, and one count of Improper Discharge in Violation of the Flood Hazard Area Control Act; all crimes of the third degree. He was released pending a first appearance in court.

Prosecutor Knapp thanks the Florham Park Police Department, the Florham Park Department of Public Works, the Morris County Office of Health Management, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the Union Township Police Department, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Fire/Environmental Unit, all of whom participated 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.

MORRIS COUNTY — As the 2019-20 school year kicks off, Mount St. Dominic Academy, the independent, Catholic college preparatory school for young women, has announced their Fall Open House schedule. Students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades along with their families are invited to visit the tree-lined campus located in the heart of Caldwell on Wednesday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 27 at 12:00 p.m. Visiting families will have an opportunity to meet members of the faculty, staff and current student body, and discover everything the Mount has to offer, including the school’s latest curriculum innovations.

Working to blend traditional liberal arts coursework with innovative, real-world educational opportunities, the Mount focuses on preparing young women for college and beyond. Leadership skills and career-readiness are at the forefront of the complementary elements of the curriculum, and enhance the school’s long-standing focus on educating and empowering young women to think critically, act compassionately, and discover their passions.

Advancing those principals, the MSDA course offerings for juniors and seniors for the 2019-20 school year include two new programs: the LEO Program (I & II) and the Health Sciences and Social Justice Endorsements. The LEO program is a two-year intensive, taught by MSDA faculty, business experts and professional entrepreneurs, encompassing the full lifecycle of creating a business or product from ideation to launch, with the focus on “leadership, entrepreneurship and opportunities.” The Endorsement programs, which incorporate a two-year sequence of courses, enable students interested in careers in health sciences and social justice fields to pursue in-depth explorations of those areas of study, similar to a major in college. Each of these new programs, along with the MSDA Senior Capstone in Directed Research currently in its third year, combine classroom studies with authentic, real world applications including mentor partnerships, site visits, and hands-on experience.

“With so many fine schools in our area to choose from, students and families go through a rigorous decision-making process when deciding on the school that is just right for them,” noted Dr. Marissa Muoio, Ed. D., MSDA dean of academics and member of the MSDA Class of 2008. “Mount families make sacrifices to invest in their daughter’s education and our students are striving for excellence. We are constantly endeavoring to modernize and innovate while embracing our legacy and traditions to deliver long-term and tangible value our students will benefit from as undergrads, in pursuit of advanced degrees and in their professional lives.”

Entering its 128th year, Mount St. Dominic Academy recently welcomed 77 young women to the school’s freshman class. The new students representing the Class of 2023, come from more than 30 towns across New Jersey, with more than half of them joining from public schools. To learn more about becoming a member of the MSDA Class of 2024, 2025 or 2026, students and families can register to attend one of the upcoming Open Houses taking place on October 2 and 27 by visiting www.msdacademy.org, or calling the MSDA Admissions Office at (973) 226-0660, ext. 1122.

Mount St. Dominic Academy, established by the Sisters of St. Dominic, is an independent, Catholic college preparatory school dedicated to the education of young women from a variety of ethnic, religious and economic backgrounds. Located in the heart of bucolic Caldwell, New Jersey, the Mount has been empowering young women in the Dominican tradition since 1892. Mount St. Dominic Academy is a proud member of the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, the National Coalition of Girls Schools, the Dominican Association of Secondary Schools, the National Catholic Educational Association and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. Click here for more information.