MORRIS COUNTY —Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker, and Rockaway Borough Police Chief Conrad Pepperman announce the arrest of Ronald V. Castellano, 55, Chester, on charges stemming from an illegal drug distribution investigation.
During the month of August 2019, members of the Rockaway Borough Police Department received information concerning the belief that Catnip Cocktail was being distributed from within the Nutrition Zone, located at 350 Route 46, Rockaway Borough.
Catnip Cocktail, also known as Lucky 7 and Yohoo Cleaner, is a Schedule I CDS identified as 1, 4-Butanediol, which mimics the date-rape drug Gamma-Hydroxybutyric Acid (commonly known as GHB) once ingested.
The investigation resulted in the September 3 seizure of sixty-eight (68) bottles of this Controlled Dangerous Substance from within the store, over one-thousand dollars ($1,000) and a 2017 Bentley Continental GT.
Castellano is charged with Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, a crime of the third degree in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a(1); Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance, a crime of the third degree in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1)b(13); and Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Dangerous Substance, a crime of the third degree in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-2a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1)b(13). He is currently in custody at the Morris County Correctional Facility awaiting his First Appearance.
Prosecutor Knapp stated, “This is a very harmful substance and unfortunately its abuse is on the rise. The Morris County Narcotics Task Force will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute its illegal sale and possession”.
Prosecutor Knapp wishes to thank the Rockaway Borough Police Department and Detectives from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Special Operations Division for their dedication and commitment during this investigation.
The investigation and prosecution is being conducted by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Special Operations Division. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury and Assistant Prosecutor Noelle Fiorentino are representing the State in this matter.
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.
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes a new business, Jashan by Dhaba” to Parsippany by participating in the official ribbon cutting ceremony.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano cuts the ribbon at Jashan by Dhaba
Joining in the celebration with owner Ankush Punhani, was Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano, Councilman Michael dePierro, Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani, Freeholder Heather Darling, Former Mayor James Barberio, Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce President Robert Peluso, and Executive Board Member Frank Cahill, Board Members Ildiko Peluso and Nicolas Limanov. Also in attendance was numerous Chamber members, as well as friends and family.
Jashan by Dhaba is located at 252 Route 46, Parsippany.
Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce President and Chairman of Parsippany Economic Development Advisory Committee Robert Peluso and Freeholder Heather DarlingJashan by Dhaba owner Ankush Punhani, Mayor Michael Soriano and Parsippany resident Al GoldbergParsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Advisor Committee Chairman Robert Peluso and Mayor Michael Soriano presents Ankush Punhani with a certificate of appreciation for locating the new business in Parsippany-Troy Hills. Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Vice Chairman Frank Cahill looks on.Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce President Robert Peluso presents Ankush Punhani with a membership certificate
Jashan by Dhaba is an Indian and Indo Chinese Cuisine Fine Indian Restaurant and Party Hall.
Fine Indian Dining Group presents its latest and largest restaurant venture to date, Jashan By Dhaba.
Jashan means celebration, and Jashan By Dhaba is a celebration of Indian Food. Featuring the best from the restaurant Dhaba in NYC which has been featured in respectable media outlets including Food Network, ABC, NY Times, Eater NY, among many others.
Showcasing some of the best featured dishes from Dhaba, NYC as well as Chote Nawab, Sahib, Malai Marke, Dhaba Express. Specializing in Authentic North Indian Cuisine along with Featured Indo Chinese dishes. Party Rooms for parties of all occasions and sizes. Catering available across NJ, NY, CT.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Fire District 5 and 6, Parsippany Elks and Sons of Italy is sponsoring a “Pasta Meatball Fundraiser Dinner” to benefit the Chmura Family and to support them in their time of need.
The event will be held at Fire House District 5, Station 2, 200 South Beverwyck Road
on Saturday, September 7 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Adults $15.00; Seniors $10.00; Children $5.00 Bring your own wine and beer. Cigars Welcome. For additional information please call Dave Cavaliere (973) 390-0982
PARSIPPANY — IHOP Parsippany Manager Nicolas Lopez attended a breakfast meeting of Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany and presented a donation to Touch-A-Touch Chairman Nicolas Limanov.
IHOP is a Mission Partner of Kiwanis Club and is a generous local business supporting the club. IHOP also participated in Touch-A-Truck and donated breakfast to all the volunteers and participants that made the event. IHOP is located at 792 Route 46, Parsippany and 102 East Hanover Avenue, Cedar Knolls.
Touch-A-Truck was voted in as the #1 service project by New Jersey District of Kiwanis International.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany High School is partnering with “The Outreach Program” on Sunday, November 17. The goal of the event is to package 80,000 meals to donate to Community FoodBank of New Jersey.
The event is perfect to spend time with family and friends participating in an unforgettable table experience. An Outreach Program event is festive, hands-on opportunity to roll up your sleeves and feed those that are food insecure. The meals are packaged, sealed and distributed to food insecure people locally and internationally. Participants are deeply changed by spending just a few hours to help feed hunger and food insecure people.
Funds are needed to pay for the ingredients and packaging supplies. The fundraising goal to support the packaging of 80,000 meals is $20,000.00. If you can provide financial assistance, please take a moment to consider a sponsorship opportunity or a donation of your choice. Online donations can be made by clicking here.
You can also become a fundraiser and create your own team.
The outreach Program is a non-profit 501(c)(3) based in Des Moines, Iowa, whose mission is to provide safe water, food, medical care and education to children and those in need at home and abroad.
For more information contact Melissa Carucci at mvcarucci@pthsd.net.
PARSIPPANY — During the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council Meeting on Tuesday, September 3, the standing room only crowd cheered for Former Captain James Carifi as the Township Council approved Resolution R2019-177, “Authorizing the payment to James Carifi Unused Accrued Leave with Interest.”
Councilman Michael dePierro, who introduced a similar version of the resolution at the Tuesday, August 20 meeting, re-introduced the revised version. Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani then seconded the motion. Council Vice President Janice McCarthy also voted in favor of the resolution. Councilwoman Emily Peterson abstained and Council President Paul Carifi recused himself. The resolution called to payout $368,482.02 plus accrued interest at the rate of 2.25% from his retirement date of April 1, 2013.
Attorney Christopher Deininger with retired Parsippany Police Capt. James Carifi
Councilwoman Peterson stated “I believe, and I have always believed since my first day in this chair and I have argued behind closed doors that Mr. Carifi is owed this money. (The crowd cheered at this point) Let me finish. However, with the potentially access to the declassified documents… However with the absence of knowing the impact on our insurance pursuant to this case, I’m going to continue to abstain from this.”
Councilman dePierro said, “The money owed to James Carifi is punitive. The township owes him his pay and sick time and the money has been put aside. Also, at no time did legal ever recommend we give Carifi the money we owe him. I’m doing this because it’s the right thing to do. I haven’t spoken to James Carifi in six and a half years”.
“The motion pays Mr. Carifi the earn contractual obligated compensation when he retired in good standing. And I can’t speak to anyone’s motivation in this matter, but for me, after reviewing the information, in my opinion, it’s the right thing to do. I vote yes.” stated Council Vice President Janice McCarthy.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Attorney James Lott voiced his objections to the resolution.
The prepared agenda included an Executive Session to discuss the resolution, but motion failed to pass with a 2-2 vote with Gragnani and dePierro voting against and McCarthy and Peterson voting in favor. Attorney James Lott said “Just advice for the Council Vice President acting as presiding officer. I’ll note for the record, the Council was advised that we have Mr. Parikh here as well as Mr. Renaut. Mr. Parikh, our special mitigation counsel in Carifi matters. Mr. Renaut currently represents the Township on Carifi 3 and Carifi 4. It’s my advice that, it would be imprudent for the Council to take action on Resolution 2019-177 without hearing from Township Attorneys in closed session. I would respectfully request that we move into closed session and to have the Council reconsider its vote.”
Mayor Michael Soriano stated after the vote “The Friday after your introduction, the ham-handed introduction of this motion, which was against protocol. The attorney released a 50 page memo to Council and to myself detailing all the aspects of that. Since we cannot do this in a closed session, because we have a deadlock in a closed session, I would ask the Council to waive it and release this privilege document to the public. So the public can know exactly what the Township Attorney has been advising everyone and what the council needs to discuss related to this issue. I would ask you to do that now. Second. Yeah, we could settle this now. We could settle this tonight. We have our attorney here for this. We have the attorney for the Carifi case. We could go and take care of this right now.”
Pursuant to the Township’s practices governing the payment of accrued leave due eligible employees, any payment to Captain Carifi shall not exceed his annual base salary when he retired in any given year. The first payment is to be made within seven days of the approval of the resolution, in accordance with the schedule of regular salary payment made to Township employees.
MORRIS COUNTY — Come spend a late summer evening enjoying a popular classic rock music concert, “Songs at Sunset,” at County College of Morris (CCM) featuring two student and alumni bands and Morris County’s own Heart of Gold band led by CCM Music Professor Joe Bilotti.
The free concert takes place Friday, September 20, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the outdoor amphitheater located in front of the Edward J. Yaw Music Technology Center on the CCM campus, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph.
Opening the concert will be two bands featuring CCM students and alumni: Junkanoo and Friar Fritzl’s Funtime Monastery. Junkanoo consists of CCM student Naomi Smith and alumni Ailed Hernandez, Rebecca Alleman, Nicole Santana and Samuel Fallas-LoManto. Friar Fritzl’s Funtime Monastery includes CCM students Jayce Winant and Kenny Schweighardt.
The Heart of Gold band then will play favorites by Steely Dan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, David Bowie, Peter Frampton, Joan Baez and more. Along with Bilotti, the Heart of Gold Band consists of tristate music legends Joan Bujacich, Joe Howell, John Hummel and Kathy Knittel.
Bring your own chair and park in Lots 5 or 6. In the event of rain, the concert will take place in the Dragonetti Auditorium in the Student Community Center.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon announces the promotions of nine Officers who all excelled at their previous ranks, including new Chief Sheriff’s Officer Kelley Zienowicz.
“The Officers who are being promoted have all had a part, through their vision and leadership, in making the Morris County Sheriff’s Office a stellar agency. Their positive and proactive work will continue elevating this agency to greater heights,” said Sheriff Gannon.
The Sheriff administered the oath of office to the nine Officers who officially were promoted during an afternoon ceremony Tuesday, September 3, in the Historic Courtroom of the Morris County Courthouse. Along with bagpipers, the Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard was present to pay respect to their fellow Officers.
Sheriff Gannon commended the Officers for helping to shape the agency into one that is at the forefront of addressing societal problems, including opioid addiction and threats of violence in schools and at public events.
Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Detective Sergeant Thomas Reilly, Detective Lieutenant Walter Rawa, Detective Lieutenant Laura Flynn, Detective Captain Denise Thornton, Chief Sheriff’s Officer Kelley Zienowicz, Detective Captain Mark Chiarolanza, Detective Lieutenant Aaron Tomasini, Detective Lieutenant Michael Turkot, Detective Sergeant Jamie Rae, and Bureau of Law Enforcement Undersheriff Mark Spitzer
“I want to thank all the tremendous people in the Sheriff’s Office, sworn officers and civilians, who have made it a preeminent law enforcement agency that is a model of discipline, courage, efficiency and compassion,” Sheriff Gannon said.
Chief Zienowicz, an FBI National Academy graduate and crime scene investigation expert, was promoted from the rank of Detective Lieutenant to Chief Sheriff’s Officer. She now is the highest-ranking Sheriff’s Officer in the Bureau of Law Enforcement and is responsible for daily oversight over 120 sworn officers in the bureau’s newly restructured three divisions: Protective Services, Specialty Services, and Criminal Investigations.
Collectively, the divisions encompass security in the Morris County Courthouse, Sheriff’s sales and foreclosures, warrants, professional standards, Community Outreach and Planning, the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team, the Crime Lab and Crime Scene Investigation Unit, K-9 and Bomb Sections, and Evidence, among other areas. The Sheriff’s Office has two bureaus, the Bureau of Law Enforcement and the Bureau of Corrections.
“Throughout my career, I have had an opportunity to work with most of you, either as a peer or as a supervisor, and I have learned from each and every one of you along the way,” Chief Zienowicz said at the ceremony.
“I know this agency is successful because there are dedicated members in every rank and assignment who make us successful. I am honored to be a part of this great agency, and to have this chance to help guide us into a new and exciting chapter with this freshly minted and very capable group of supervisors. I hope that every member knows our mission is to help everyone find their own successes, striving to be the best people they can be, while providing the best services to the citizens of Morris County,” Chief Zienowicz said.
THE PROMOTIONS: CHIEF Kelley Zienowicz. She began her sworn officer career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2001, and spent nearly a dozen years in the Crime Scene Investigation Unit. A fingerprint expert in Superior Court, she also testified at trial about evidence in major homicide cases, including State v. Jose Feliciano, State v. Anthony Novellino, and State v. Carlos Rojas.
Chief Zienowicz is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy, is experienced in the work performed by all divisions, and has risen through the ranks from Officer to Detective Lieutenant before being selected as Chief.
CAPTAIN Mark Chiarolanza. His right leg was amputated below the knee after a motorcycle crash in 1992 but Captain Chiarolanza persevered, took the Law Enforcement Exam, and was hired by the Sheriff’s Office in 1996 and completed the Morris County Police Academy and all fitness requirements with a prosthetic leg.
Captain Chiarolanza has a master’s degree in public administration, is a certified tactical EMT who is a founding member of the Morris County Rapid Deployment Team that went to New Orleans in 2005 on a relief mission to assist after Hurricane Katrina. In 2016, he was promoted to Detective Lieutenant and was assigned as Division Commander of the Legal Services Division and all aspects of the K-9 Section.
CAPTAIN Denise Thornton. She started her career with the Sheriff’s Office in 2002 and worked in the Protective Services Division at the Morris County Courthouse until 2012. Captain Thornton has been responsible for maintaining accreditation for the Sheriff’s Office, and she assisted with security when the 2014 Super Bowl game was played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. Promoted to Detective Lieutenant in 2016, her duties have included overseeing professional standards in the Bureau of Law Enforcement and community outreach efforts such as the Explorers Post 140, and meetings with area clergy.
b A decorated U.S. Army National Guard Captain who has twice been deployed, he supervises the Sheriff’s Office K-9 Section and is a certified Bomb Squad technician. Lieutenant Tomasini is pursuing his doctorate in organizational leadership. He is a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team, and has been commissioned as an Infantry Officer in the National Guard.
LIEUTENANT Laura Flynn. She joined the agency in 2001 and soon after was assigned to the Crime Scene Investigation Unit and promoted to Sergeant of the Unit in 2015. Lieutenant Flynn has worked on thousands of investigations that include murders, robberies, sexual assaults and other felonies. She testified as a fingerprint expert in several cases, including the 2014 trial of Anthony Novellino, who was convicted of killing his former wife, Judith Novellino, and the trial of Shakur Carasquillo, who was convicted of assaulting and robbing a man in his home in Harding Township.
LIEUTENANT Michael Turkot. A lifelong swimmer and swim coach, Lieutenant Turkot joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2006. He has worked in the Protective Services Division, Marine Unit, and Process Unit. He was promoted to Sergeant in June 2015, and has served in the Legal Services Division since April 2016, where he conducts Sheriff’s sales as the final step in the foreclosure process. He has reorganized and streamlined the Legal Services Division to better address the needs of the foreclosure crisis, and helped design a class for civilian employees to enhance their knowledge of the complexities of foreclosures, writs, wage garnishments and civil complaints.
LIEUTENANT Walter Rawa. He joined the Sheriff’s Office in 2002, worked in the Warrants Section, Protective Services Division, and in 2006 helped start the Sheriff’s Office traffic support unit. Lieutenant Rawa previously was a detective for the Emergency Services/K-9 Unit, where he trained, handled and certified multiple canines in explosives, search and rescue, patrol, narcotics and arson. He is one of the Morris County-wide instructors for the Sheriff’s Office’s Responsible School Violence Prevention, Preparation and Protection (RSVP-3) program.
SERGEANT Thomas Reilly. Sergeant Reilly was a New Jersey Corrections Officer before joining the Sheriff’s Office in January 2003. He worked in the Protective Services Division, and in 2007, was transferred to the Emergency Services Unit where he was assigned a K-9 partner Koby. Sergeant Reilly is a New Jersey Army National Guardsman who was deployed in 2008 to Baghdad, Iraq, and currently is again deployed. During his career, Sergeant Reilly became a certified Bomb Technician.
SERGEANT James Rae. Sergeant Rae worked for the Morris County Juvenile Detention Center for one year before he was hired by the Sheriff’s Office in 2003. He worked in the Protective Services Division and was reassigned in 2004 to be a detective in the Crime Scene Investigation Unit. Sergeant Rae worked extensively on major crimes, including the 2005 murder of 16-year-old Jennifer Parks by two neighbor brothers, and the 2011 murder of Nazish Noorani in Boonton by her husband and his lover. In 2017, Sergeant Rae left CSI for a full-time assignment to the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team. This highly-trained tactical unit responds to emergencies and patrols Morris County daily to ensure critical infrastructure sites and sensitive facilities are secure.
MORRIS COUNTY —Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp and Acting Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker announce that on September 3, Aldophus Mims, 42, of Charlotte, North Carolina was sentenced to forty years in New Jersey State Prison.
Mr. Mims must serve forty years before he is eligible for parole. Mr. Mims will also be subject to registration pursuant to Megan’s Law and Parole Supervision for Life. Mr. Mims was sentenced by the Honorable Donald G. Collester, J.S.C., retired and acting on recall.
On June 12, 2019, a Morris County jury found Mr. Mims guilty of four counts of first degree Human Trafficking, three counts of first degree Promoting Prostitution, two counts of second degree Sexual Assault, one count of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and two counts of third degree Distribution of Heroin.
The crimes themselves occurred over a one week span in June of 2015, when Mr. Mims provided heroin to two juvenile females, then aged 15 and 17, and enticed them to engage in acts of prostitution at a Rockaway Township hotel. At the hotel the victims met with several male clients. Mr. Mims would then collect the money received after the sexual acts were completed. The 15-year old victim also disclosed that Mr. Mims engaged in sexual acts with her. Mims then transported the victims to a different hotel in Parsippany to have them continue to engage in acts of prostitution.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Rockaway Borough Police Department, the Rockaway Township Police Department, the Town of Boonton Police Department, the Hackettstown Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit for their involvement in this investigation and prosecution. Prosecutor Knapp would specifically like to thank and recognize the prosecution team of Assistant Prosecutor Laura Magnone, Assistant Prosecutor Elizabeth Beaman, Sergeant Marshall Wang and Detective Craig May of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office for their efforts in this case.,
Prosecutor Knapp stated, “Assistant Prosecutors Magnone and Beaman did an outstanding job trying a very complex case. Additionally, the investigation by Sgt. Wang and Det. May was exemplary”. “All are to be commended”, he said. Prosecutor Knapp added, “AP Magnone and Sgt. Wang have been specially trained to investigate and prosecute the heinous crime of human trafficking and are leaders in statewide efforts to do so”.
PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills is holding an informational session regarding the 2020 Census.
The Township has partnered with the Census Bureau and local non-profit organizations, to speak to our community about what to expect in the coming months. Your partnership is vital to making sure the 2020 Census reflects an accurate population count for Parsippany. This session will cover topics such as outreach, too Hard to Count Populations, data collection, and education.
We ask for your participation Thursday, September 5, at 7:00 p.m.
The meeting will take place at Parsippany Hills High School, located at 20 Rita Drive.
If you have any questions call the Mayor’s Office at (973) 263-4262.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany High School Redhawks named their Senior Captains: Nick Santangelo, Anthony Colasuonno, Nana Agyemang and Joe Stull! Good luck to all the coaches and players this season.
The Parsippany varsity football team has a home conference game vs. Kinnelon on Friday, September 6 at 7:00 p.m.
In support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, the Redhawks has joined high school football teams across the country in Touchdowns Against Cancer 2019!
Pledge for every touchdown they score this Friday, September 6 to September 29 to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and help the 16,000 children and adolescents that will be diagnosed with cancer this year.
PARSIPPANY — Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, a life-long supporter of improving education and maintaining quality teachers in Garden State schools, was endorsed by the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) in her re-election to the 26th District covering Morris, Essex and Passaic counties.
“I’m honored to be among the state legislators supported by the NJEA this year. Even before I came into the Legislature in 2012 and landed on the Assembly education committee, I had always been supportive of our hard working teachers and deeply interested in how we are supporting our education system,” said Assemblywoman DeCroce.
“Our teachers deserve our strong support, and that requires the state maintaining public confidence in how we spend more than $13 Billion each year on education services. We must continue to demand transparency and accountability on how the state is spending those tax dollars, most of which are allocated in direct aid to our local school districts,” she added.
Assemblywoman DeCroce serves on the state Joint Committee on the Public Schools, which provides an ongoing review of public schools, school financing, administration and operations, often resulting in the committee making recommendations for legislative action. She also has served on the Assembly Education Committee, Assembly Higher Education Committee and Assembly Women and Children Committee. Assemblywoman DeCroce has championed transparency and accountability for all education expenditures, including the Schools Development Authority, where recent investigations uncovered the unethical hiring, at exorbitant salaries, of more than 30 people connected to the now-former director.
“I have always taken a bipartisan approach to resolving issues that come before the Legislature, particularly when it involves our public education system, our students and our teaches. We are at our best when we work to reach consensus to solve problems in this state,” she said.
MORRIS COUNTY — Mark your calendars to come to this one-of-a kind Halloween outdoor festival, Morris County Park Palooza, on Saturday, October 5, at Lewis Morris County Park in Morris Township. Park Palooza will feature 20+ food trucks, a biergarten, live music, and Halloween activities for adults and children, carnival games, face painting, and so much more. It is set to run from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Come in costume and grab a bite to eat from a variety of 20+ popular food trucks, or throw back a few of the hand-crafted brews, wine and sangria from the biergarten, all while listening to one of the two live featured bands! Pack a blanket and chairs, and enjoy live pop to rock music from Jazmyn Adelle & Company and Guy Smiley Band.
Enjoy Halloween lawn games for adults and kids, moon bouncer, magician, face painter, and much more.
Tickets can be purchased online beginning on September 4 at discounted rates of $5.00 per adult and $2.00 per child by clicking here. Day of the event for $10.00 per adult and $5.00 per child.
There will be FREE parking, and admission allows for re-entrance throughout the day. All foods and beverages are sold separately.
For more information and directions to Lewis Morris County Park click here.
Proceeds from this event, hosted by Garden State Food Truck Festival, will benefit the Morris County Park Commission.
The Morris County Park Commission features one of the region’s best park systems in the state of New Jersey. It currently protects and maintains 20,197 acres at 38 distinct sites plus offers a year-round calendar of events and activities for all to enjoy!
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano will host another town hall meeting as part of his Town Hall series for the Hills of Troy neighborhood on Monday, September 23. The meeting will take place at Brooklawn Middle School, 250 Beachwood Road.
The doors to the Cafeteria at Brooklawn Middle School will open at 6:30 p.m. and the Mayor and his panel will begin at 7:00 p.m.
If you have any questions, please call the Mayor’s Action Center at (973) 263-4262.
MORRIS COUNTY — On Monday, August 26, a seminar focusing on house of worship safety and security, and active shooter response was held at the Chabad Center of Northwest New Jersey Early Learning Center.
Director Owens
The seminar was presented by Morris County Prosecutor’s Office First Assistant Prosecutor Tom Zelante, Morris County Director of Critical Infrastructure Patrick Owens, Training Coordinator from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness Ed Moore, and Lieutenants Peter Reilly and Michael Dachisen of the Rockaway Township Police Department. Rabbi Mordechai Baumgarten, numerous teachers, and office staff from the center were in attendance.
Following First Assistant Prosecutor Zelante’s opening remarks, Director Owens and Training Coordinator Moore provided information concerning important security practices to ensure the safety of their houses of worship, including specific warning signs to be aware of. They also covered the federal and State of New Jersey grants available to houses of worship to help fund new security measures, as well as the security assessments that are available through the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. After the informational session of the program, a question and answer session was held for those in attendance.
Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp stated, “Education is the important first step in ensuring that all houses of worship and schools throughout Morris County are properly secured. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office will continue providing these trainings and security assessments to ensure that all facilities are as safe as possible”, he said.
The trustees of the Rainbow Lakes Community Club in Parsippany, a voluntary membership club for over 90 years, unilaterally decided in 2017 to require all Rainbow Lake residents to join their club.
They sent invoices for dues to all 300 property owners in Rainbow Lakes regardless of whether the owners had chosen to join the club.
For a year they threatened to file liens on the properties of those who did not pay the “mandatory dues”. In December of 2018 they filed liens on the properties of the owners who did not choose to join their club. They did not file lawsuits and obtain judgments against those owners first as required by law, but instead they told the County Clerk’s office that they had the right to file liens automatically as if they were a condominium association.
Several homeowners dug out their title insurance policies, contacted their title companies, searched their full chains of title and determined that there are no documents recorded anywhere that give any notice to a purchaser in Rainbow about the existence of the club or membership in it. There is no master deed or declaration of covenants or restrictions in the chains of title. The trustees of the RLCC say that they have bylaws but those bylaws are not recorded in any public records anywhere.
In 2017 the RLCC trustees told the property owners that they had amended their bylaws to take advantage of the Chapter 106 amendment to PREDFDA. That 2017 amendment to their bylaws is not recorded anywhere.
The RLCC was trying to apply PREDFDA (Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act) to the residents of Rainbow Lakes. PREDFDA has nothing to do with association fees and dues for lake maintenance. PREDFDA is the law in NJ that controls creation and management of condominium and homeowner associations. The Chapter 106 amendment to PREDFDA in 2017 was solely intended to provide transparency and access to voting rights for all residents within legally established, validly-created condominium and homeowner associations. It was never intended to create a right to demand membership in clubs that were previously voluntary.
Our NJ legislators saw the need and took swift action to correct the obvious misuse and misinterpretation of PREDFDA. Residents in several lake communities were suddenly being bullied. Our legislators stepped in and stopped it. Six different legislative districts played a part in sponsoring these bills. 111 out of 120 legislators voted to approve. It was a pleasure to see that politics played no part in the bills. This was a completely bipartisan action to remedy a series abuse of the law.
S3661/A5043 only releases the obligations and removes the illegal liens for those who were previously non-members. It does not take away any membership status or dues from those people who voluntarily join the club. It is intended to ensure that a voluntary club remains voluntary and that people are not forced to join.
Rainbow Lakes Community Club has been a Voluntary lake club for 95 years . . . .
MORRIS COUNTY — Washington Monthly has placed County College of Morris (CCM) 12th in the nation in its 2019 ranking of community colleges that best serve adult learners. This is the third year in a row Washington Monthly has ranked CCM as one of “America’s Best Colleges for Adult Learners.”
The publication notes that adult learners “are students who make big sacrifices of their time and resources to pursue their goals. They deserve a different kind of college: the kind that designs programs and services to ensure that returning adults succeed.” Adult students are defined as those over the age of 25.
Metrics considered in the ranking included the ease of enrollment and transfer, program flexibility, services for adult students, the percentage of adult learners at the college, the graduation rate of part-time students, and the median earnings of adult students 10 years after entering the college.
Earlier this year, PayScale ranked CCM number one in New Jersey for the third consecutive year for associate degree holders who earn the highest salaries in the state. That report noted that CCM alumni by mid-career, with more than 10 years of work experience, earn an average of $70,700. PayScale provides the largest on-demand salary database in the world. In yet another ranking, CCM is rated a top community college in New Jersey by Best Colleges.
MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco, the Republican Conference Leader, called out the Democrats today for not addressing property taxes. The Assembly met to expand a vote-by-mail law and didn’t consider any other bills.
Bucco said that if the legislature spent time on the number one issue for voters, turnout wouldn’t be a problem. A Monmouth University poll found that property taxes were far and away the most important issue to voters. That was followed by a Rutgers-NJBIA poll, where eighty percent of respondents said they pay too much in property taxes for the services they receive, and that state government isn’t doing enough to address cost of living and affordability.
Assemblyman Anthony M. Bucco, the Republican Conference Leader, called out the Democrats today for not addressing property taxes. The Assembly met to expand a vote-by-mail law and didn’t consider any other bills.
PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill met with local officials and organizations yesterday as part of a swing through the 11th Congressional District focused on the opioid epidemic. In 2018, more than 3,000 people died in New Jersey of an overdose, higher than the national average. Throughout the 11th District, healthcare providers, non-profits, local governments, and law enforcement are working together to combat the high rate of overdose in our communities.
“Today I saw the scope and scale of the community partnerships among local healthcare providers, non-profits, and members of law enforcement to fight this disease as the public health crisis it is,” said Representative Sherrill. “Addiction can take over someone’s life, and our solutions to this challenge need to be equally as comprehensive. As a member of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction, I have worked to secure grant funding for our local providers, combat the importation of fentanyl, and promote scientific research on the epidemic.”
Representative Sherrill discussed the need for grant funding with staff from the Center for Prevention and Counseling in Newton, which serves residents across Sussex County, including the five towns in the 11th District. Along with staff, Representative Sherrill spoke to the Sussex County Prosecutor and the Sparta and Newton Police Chiefs.
The Center for Prevention and Counseling is a state opioid response grant recipient. One of the first bills Representative Sherrill authored in Congress was the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act, which would fund a five-year authorization to provide additional treatment beds, expand treatment and recovery options, bridge gaps identified in systems of care, support robust prevention campaigns, and other actions taken by the states to address the opioid epidemic. Sherrill and her fellow sponsors secured $1.5 billion to the State Opioid Response Grant program for the next fiscal year in the House-passed Appropriations bill, a $500 million increase from the previous year.
Representative Sherrill visited with the opioid response unit at St. Clare’s Hospital in Boonton, and she and her staff completed NARCAN training with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris. She also met with Donna Andelora, founder of Lost Angels Bereavement Group, ahead of the Wayne Alliance’s 2nd Annual Overdose Awareness Day Vigil on August 31. Donna lost her son Joey at the age of 22 to a heroin overdose, and started the Lost Angels Bereavement Group to help local families cope with loved ones struggling with opioid addiction or overdose.
Representative Sherrill is a member of the bipartisan Freshmen Working Group on Addiction and leading on the issue of opioid addiction in the House of Representatives. In addition to the SOR Grant Authorization Act, Representative Sherrill co-sponsored the EFFORT Act to direct the National Science Foundation to conduct research into the opioid epidemic, which passed in the House last month with bipartisan support. To combat the flow of fentanyl from overseas, she co-sponsored the Fentanyl Sanctions Act, and voted for its passage as part of the House defense authorization bill. Sherrill also voted in May to appropriate $159 million for the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP), which provided grant money to launch Morris County’s Hope One mobile resource vehicle.
Dear Editor:
