MORRIS COUNTY — Stephen M. Somers, owner and president of Vigon International, a leading manufacturer within the flavor and fragrance industry, delivered the keynote address at Centenary University’s 144th commencement on Saturday, May 11. The ceremony was held under a large tent on Anderson Field on the University’s Hackettstown campus.

Somers, who was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters at the event, has been recognized as the E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year in manufacturing for the greater Philadelphia area, and his firm recently earned its third consecutive spot on the “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” list compiled by the National Association for Business Resources. A part owner of the New York Yankees Triple A team, Somers and his wife, Sharon, are the lead donors of Centenary’s new baseball complex dubbed “Our Diamond of Dreams.” He holds a master’s degree in analytical chemistry from St. John’s University and a bachelor’s degree in organic chemistry from St. Joseph’s College.

During the ceremony, 505 graduates received associate, bachelor’s and graduate degrees. A hooding ceremony for students earning graduate degrees, including the University’s first doctoral class, was held on Wednesday, May 8, in the Sitnik Theatre. The Class of 2019 included graduates from Centenary’s main campus in Hackettstown, as well as the School of Professional Studies in Parsippany and Edison.

River Vale resident Milissa Plescia was valedictorian of the Class of 2019. She is the first non-traditional, adult student to earn this distinction in University history. The business administration major this year celebrates 30 years of working at BASF, where she is currently an administrative associate to the senior vice president of human resources North America. The mother of three attended classes at Centenary’s School of Professional Studies and graduated summa cum laude.

During the ceremony, the University also recognized Caitlin C. Wigger of Clifton Park, N.Y., and Christine DeLuca of Netcong with the Welsh Prize for academic excellence. A double major in equine studies: pre-vet and biology, Wigger was recognized with the Welsh Prize for traditional students and delivered a graduate reflection on behalf of undergraduates. She is a summa cum laude graduate. DeLuca received the Welsh Prize for non-traditional students. She earned her degree in business administration summa cum laude, attending classes at Centenary’s School of Professional Studies. In addition, Melissa Coleman of Hardwick, N.J., presented a graduate reflection on behalf of master’s candidates, while Rev. Najee S. Evans of Hillside, another member of the Class of 2019, delivered the benediction.

The Centenary University Distinguished Teaching Award was presented to Kris Gunawan, Ph.D., of Hackettstown, assistant professor of psychology. Dr. Gunawan has taught at Centenary for three years, and has earned the respect of his colleagues and students at the University. He received his doctorate from the University of Nevada, master’s and undergraduate degrees from California State University, and an associate degree from Mt. San Antonio College in California.

The Joel A. Kobert Award for Teaching, which recognizes an adjunct professor for teaching excellence, was awarded to James Stone, an adjunct professor in the Centenary University Department of Business. A resident of Randolph, he is a certified public accountant who earned undergraduate degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University and Biscayne College/St. Thomas University in Florida. He is a vice president for BASF Americas.

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary University’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix provides an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world. The University’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, with its equestrian facility in Washington Township. The Centenary University School of Professional Studies offers degree programs at two locations, Parsippany and Edison, as well as online and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey.

NORTH JERSEY — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested thirteen immigration violators in New Jersey during a four-day surge effort that targeted aliens who have been issued a final order of removal in the past five years, have failed to depart the United States, and have received criminal convictions or have pending criminal charges.

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“As this operation clearly demonstrates, ICE continues to focus its efforts first on public safety threats,” said ERO Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris. “The vast majority of the individuals targeted in this effort have criminal offenses in addition to their immigration violations, making them among the highest priority for enforcement.”

On Monday, May 13, ICE arrested an unlawfully present citizen of El Salvador, with prior convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon/bodily injury.

On Tuesday, May 14, ICE arrested an unlawfully present citizen of Ecuador, who has a pending assault / domestic violence charge.

On Wednesday, May 15, ICE arrested an unlawfully present citizen of Jamaica, who has a prior firearms-related offense.

On Thursday, May 16, ICE arrested an unlawfully present citizen of Mexico who has a pending simple assault/domestic violence charge and two DUI convictions.

All four individuals have been ordered removed by a federal immigration judge.

Some of the individuals arrested during this operation will face federal criminal prosecution for illegal reentry after removal. The arrestees who are not being federally prosecuted will be processed administratively for removal from the United States. Those who have outstanding orders of removal, or who returned to the United States illegally after being removed, are generally subject to immediate removal from the country. The remaining individuals are in ICE custody awaiting a hearing before an immigration judge or pending travel arrangements for removal.

In FY2018, ERO arrested 158,581 aliens, 90% of whom had criminal convictions (66%), pending criminal charges (21%), or previously issued final orders of removal (3%). The overall arrest figure represents an 11% increase over FY2017. In FY2018, ERO removed 256,086 illegal aliens, reflecting an increase of 13% over FY2017. The majority of removals (57%) were convicted criminals. Additionally, 5,914 of the removed illegal aliens were classified as either known or suspected gang members or terrorists, which is a 9% increase over FY2017.

Editor’s Note: The arrest statistics provided represent preliminary data that has been manually reported by an ICE Field Office and may vary from official agency metrics contained in ICE’s system of record. Because ICE’s official metrics are reported by Area of Responsibility (AOR), they may differ in content and level of detail from data that has been manually reported by a Field Office.

DENVILLE — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker and Chief Frank Perna of the Denville Township Police Department announce that Paul Iantosca, 52, of Randolph, has been charged with one count of Luring in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:13-6(a), a crime of the second degree, one count of Attempted Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1(a)(1)/2C:14-2(c(3)(b), a crime of the second degree; and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C: 24-4(a)1, a crime of the third degree. Iantosca is the Principal at Valleyview Middle School in Denville.

These charges relate to actions Mr. Iantosca is alleged to have engaged in with a 16 year old former student.  The defendant was charged and is currently lodged at the Morris County Correctional Facility in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.  No further information will be released at this time.

Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Denville Township Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit, whose efforts contributed to the investigation of the matter.

Anyone with information relating to these or any related incident is asked to call Detective Lydia Negron at the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6213 or Det. Scot Tobin at the Denville Police Department at (973) 627-4900 ext. 9.

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 — The arts are alive in Morris County! County College of Morris (CCM) hosted the 39th annual Morris County Teen Arts Festival on Friday, May 17.  Over  1,500 students and a staff of 40 professional artists participated in performances, critiquing seminars and workshops in every discipline.  The festival disciplines included art, dance, design, drama, graphic design, music, music recording, musical theater, photography, video and writing.

The focus of the Teen Arts Festival is not on competition but on celebration. The goals of the activities is to help students: develop perceptual, intellectual, social and technical skills; gain cultural awareness and understanding; develop personal cultural and aesthetic values; and learn self-discipline, critical thinking and problem solving through analyzing, interpreting and making assessments.

Funding of the event was made possible in part by grands from Morris Arts through the  New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Department of State, Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, a gift from the Mayo Performing Arts Center and further support was made possible due to a generous contribution from Home Depot.

PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) voted in favor of H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to extend the anti-discrimination protections under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to LGBTQ Americans in housing, education, employment, credit, public accommodation, federal funding, and federal jury service. Representative Sherrill is an original co-sponsor of H.R. 5.

“New Jersey recognized the gaps in current federal law and took steps to ensure equal treatment for our LGBTQ community,” said Representative Mikie Sherrill. “But in more than 30 states across the country, LGBTQ individuals can still be fired from their jobs, or evicted from their homes, because of who they are. The Equality Act brings federal law into alignment with what we’ve done in New Jersey, and is an important reflection of our American values. I am proud to see the bipartisan support for this measure in the House.”

“While LGBTQ New Jerseyans enjoy commonsense legal protections against discrimination, 44% of LGBTQ Americans still live in states where it is legal to fire, deny housing, or refuse service to someone simply because of who they are or who they love,” said Christian Fuscarino, executive director of Garden State Equality. “Today’s passage of The Equality Act in the House is a historic step forward to ensuring equality under the law truly means equality for all, and I am proud that New Jersey’s congressional delegation is leading the way in championing civil rights for LGBTQ Americans across the nation.”

MORRIS COUNTY — The County College of Morris (CCM) Women’s Softball Team won the Divisional Championship Tournament on Saturday, May 11, beating Mercyhurst College in the final two games of the tournament. As a result, the Lady Titans now will travel to Mississippi to compete in the National Junior College World Series Tournament.

The tournament will be held in Clinton, MS, from May 22 to May 25. This will be the first time since 1991 that the Lady Titans Softball Team has participated in a national tournament. The team is also the Region XIX Champions for 2019.

“Coach Greg Wardlow and his team have worked very hard with our students and our Lady Titans have shown tremendous dedication to excellence throughout the year,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. “I am very proud of each of them and how they have represented CCM. Watching our students excel on and off the field always makes me CCM proud as I am sure it does for the entire CCM family.”

During this season, the Lady Titans helped celebrate Wardlow’s 400th win since joining the team in 2005. His coaching background includes 25 years as player/manager for the Kings Athletic Club of Central Jersey, a highly successful men’s softball team. Wardlow also served as head coach of the 18U Old Bridge Knights, winning two Central Jersey championships in the New York /New Jersey travel league.

CCM participates in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIX. For the Spring 2019 season, the current record for the Lady Titans is 42-10. The team also won the Garden State Athletic Conference championship for 2019.

To learn more about the CCM softball program click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey banks are partnering with senior-focused community groups throughout the state to educate older Americans on how to bank more securely. Bankers are sharing information on how to: choose the right financial caregiver, detect financial abuse, and avoid scams targeting older adults as part of this campaign.

Established by the American Bankers Association Foundation, Safe Banking for Seniors is an educational outreach program that provides bankers with tools and turn-key resources to educate their customers on how to protect themselves from financial exploitation as they age.

“NJBankers President and CEO John E. McWeeney, Jr. noted that “New Jersey’s banking community is committed to protecting senior citizens because they should be able to live free of abuse. Bankers are trained to look for signs of financial abuse and take this very seriously. Bankers also reach out directly to the elderly in the communities they serve with guidance for recognizing if their finances are being compromised.”

As a champion of the Safe Banking for Seniors program the New Jersey Bankers Association highlights the following red flags of elder financial exploitation:

1. Unusual activity in an older person’s bank accounts, including large, frequent or unexplained withdrawals
2. Changing from a basic account to one that offers more complicated services the customer does not fully understand or need
3. Withdrawals from bank accounts or transfers between accounts the customer cannot explain
4. A new “best friend” accompanying an older person to the bank
5. Sudden non-sufficient fund activity or unpaid bills
6. Closing CDs or accounts without regard to penalties
7. Uncharacteristic attempts to wire large sums of money
8. Suspicious signatures on checks or outright forgery
9. Confusion, fear or lack of awareness on the part of an older customer
10. Checks written as “loans” or “gifts”
11. Bank statements that no longer go to the customer’s home
12. New powers of attorney the older person does not understand
13. A caretaker, relative, or friend who suddenly begins conducting financial transactions on behalf of the an older person without proper documentation
14. Altered will and trusts

Organizations, coalitions, ministries, senior centers and the like can request a free banker presentation on Safe Banking for Seniors using the ABA Foundation FinEdLink portal. Click here to connect with a bank in your community and join the national effort to empower seniors in protecting their finances.

The ABA Foundation provides financial education initiatives and resources to help bankers further strengthen their communities.  The Foundation’s signature initiatives, Safe Banking for Seniors, Get Smart About Credit, Lights, Camera, Save! and Teach Children to Save, bring bankers and individuals of all ages together to improve financial knowledge.

To view the list of participating banks in New Jersey click here.

PARSIPPANY — A measure permitting public-private partnerships for energy-related projects cleared a legislative committee today creating an opportunity for more savings say Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce and  Assemblyman Christopher DePhillips.

“Everyone will see savings as a result of this legislation,” said DePhillips (R-Bergen). “We won’t burden our taxpayers for energy upgrades in our public schools and municipal buildings.  Public entities can get a more energy efficient infrastructure and the private companies can use the utility savings.”

The bill A4535 would permit government entities to enter into a contract with a private company to take over projects like replacing old heating and cooling systems or updating lighting to make them more energy efficient. The private company would be permitted to keep the difference in utility costs.

“It is a win-win,” said DeCroce (R-Morris). “This legislation will allow long-overdue projects to be undertaken without incurring the expense of millions of dollars in public funds. We will receive more reliable power in our government facilities.”

State law has allowed state and local governments as well as public school districts to form similar types of partnerships, commonly referred to as P3 agreements, for transportation and building projects.

The legislation would also create an Energy P3 unit in the Economic Development Authority to review and approve proposed projects.

MORRIS COUNTY — County College of Morris (CCM) is launching the Culinary Opportunity Program (COP) for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, starting on May 20, as an eight-week term leading to a certificate of completion.

COP is designed to provide adults with developmental disabilities with the training and qualifications to work in a range of food production environments, including restaurants, cafeterias and specialty shops such as ice cream stores. COP courses take place Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The total cost is $1,998, payable over two sessions at $999 each. CCM will offer the program every eight weeks. The first group starts May 20 and runs through July 22. Each COP session is limited to eight students.  Registration is now taking place for the first program.

The Department of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts at CCM developed the program in response to a growing need to provide adults with developmental disabilities with greater opportunities, notes Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM.

“As a community college, our mission is to serve the entire community,” says Iacono. “This program will provide critical training for adults with developmental disabilities, who have aged out of the K-12 system, with a pathway for continued success.”

Students in the program will take four courses: Serv-Safe Food Handling, Cooking Traditions, Modern Cooking and Hospitality Work Experience. When possible, students also will take part in a 40-hour work opportunity.

Those accepted into the program will need to purchase a uniform and meet certain requirements, such as possessing a willingness to learn about and use commercial kitchen equipment, including mixers, gas stoves, convection ovens and dishwashers.

COP is being offered through the Center for Workforce Development at CCM. For more information and to apply click here.