PARSIPPANY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Chief Jason A. Kohn of the Morris Plains Police Department, and Chief of Investigations Stephen F. Wilson, Jr. announce that Stephen Corcoran, 51, with a last known address in Morris Plains, was sentenced to 10 years in New Jersey State Prison. The defendant is subject to Megan’s Law and Community Supervision of Life.

In August 2018, Corcoran pled guilty to four separate counts of Sexual Assault, all crimes of the second degree.

These charges represent separate acts of sexual penetration committed upon the three individual victims between 1997 and 1999 in the Borough of Morris Plains. As part of the plea, the Defendant acknowledged that he was in a supervisory position as a result of his Assistant Scoutmaster status.

The case came to light in November 2011, when a former boy scout came forward and disclosed to law enforcement that he had been sexually assaulted by his former Assistant Scoutmaster, later identified as the Defendant, while the victim was a juvenile.

Subsequent investigation revealed two additional former boy scouts who also disclosed that they had been sexually assaulted by the Defendant in the 1990s, when each of these victims were juveniles. One of the victims disclosed a course of abuse that occurred over several years.

Sentence was imposed by the Hon. Thomas J. Critchley, J.S.C. The State was represented by Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Schellhorn and Assistant Prosecutor Catherine LaQuaglia in this matter.

The Defendant is currently serving a seven year State Prison sentence related to his 2017 convictions for Exhibition of Child Pornography, a crime of the second degree, and 11 counts of Possession of Child Pornography, crimes of the fourth degree. The sentence imposed for the Sexual Assault convictions will run concurrent to the Child Pornography convictions.

The efforts of numerous law enforcement agencies contributed to these convictions, including the Parsippany Police Department, the Morris Plains Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit. Prosecutor Knapp said, “The Defendant held a trusted leadership role in his community and chose to abuse his power by hurting innocent children. The past cannot be changed, however we hope that this sentence brings some closure to the victims.”

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany IHOP donated a 1999 Ford Box Truck to Wise Animal Rescue. Wise Animal Rescue plans to refurbishing the truck for mobile adoption events and well as transportation for animal rescue.

“The amount of gratitude we, the volunteers of Wise Animal Rescue, feel for IHOP’s continuous support and generosity can’t be expressed in words. Their partnering with us has helped us aid so many of our sick, homeless, abandoned animals and allowed us to provide the veterinary care and supplies they need to lead them on their path to a new life,” said Tiziana Bartelli, President Wise Animal Rescue.

Wise Animal Rescue (W.A.R.) is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the well-being of dogs of all breeds. They are comprised of a network of caring people with a grassroots approach working towards a world where no dog is neglected, abused, or homeless.

W.A.R. rescues dogs of all ages and breeds from unsafe environments as well as those who are abandoned or surrendered. Partnering with veterinary practices that support our work, we are able to save dogs’ lives and restore them back to health. Central to the mission is to ensure that all dogs are spayed/neutered, up to date on shots, and microchipped. Dogs are placed into responsible loving foster homes to be socialized and trained until they can be placed in a safe, permanent home.

W.A.R. invests time and energy into the raising of awareness, education, and advocacy on behalf of neglected, surrendered, and abandoned dogs. Included in their mission is to make the public aware of the myriad of problems resulting from backyard breeding, puppy mills, and the cruel and inhumane practice of dog baiting and dog fighting. Specifically, they are committed to advocating for and educating about dogs categorized as bully breed mixes that suffer an undeserved negative image which results in them facing unwarranted and unjust prejudice.

The truck was towed by Corigliano Towing, located in Boonton.

For more information on Wise Animal Rescue click here.

PARSIPPANY — Meet Brandi! Brandi unfortunately came into rescue when her dad’s dementia progressed and he could no longer care for her.

Brandi is an 8½-year-old Pug/Beagle mix (often referred to as a puggle). Her family describes her as very affectionate and that she gets along well with everyone. Her favorite activities include playing with her toys, having her belly rubbed, and snuggling up on the couch. Brandi knows basic commands, is potty-trained, and gets along well with other pets!

Brandi has diabetes which is well-controlled by just two insulin shots a day. This doesn’t slow her down one bit though! She loves going for walks around the neighborhood and running around in her backyard.

Brandi likes her special treats a lot and doesn’t like to give them away so it’d be best if she lived with children 16+. Other than her fondness of her bones and food, Brandi is a sweet, sweet girl who would make any house a home!

If you are interested in adopting Brandi, please fill out an application by clicking here.

Follow Wise Animal Rescue on Instagram by clicking here.
Like Wise Animal Rescue on Facebook by clicking here.

MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today issued a Winter Weather Congestion Alert and are implementing the Department’s Business Day Protocol based on the forecast for expected snow and freezing rain overnight tonight and into the morning commute tomorrow, Friday, January 18, which may result in difficult driving conditions.

NJDOT will be deploying the necessary resources in advance of the storm and is coordinating its response with NJ Transit and the toll road authorities to ensure the best response for New Jerseyans.

In order for NJDOT and our regional and local transportation partners to safely and efficiently clear roadways of snow and ice, motorists need to Clear the Roads so We Can Clear the Roads.

The Department and our transportation and law enforcement partners are recommending motorists:

• Avoid Unnecessary Travel during the storm
• Consider Telecommuting, if possible
• If you are driving, plan extra travel time
• During the morning commute it may be best to leave later to give crews more time to clear roads and to spread traffic out over a longer period of time
• If you are driving and road conditions deteriorate, PULL OFF somewhere safe and wait it out
• Always STAY CLEAR of plowing and spreading trucks.  If they are behind you, let them pass
• DO NOT pass between trucks that are in a plow formation
• Be patient and use caution

NJDOT will be using Variable Message Signs throughout the storm to provide updates. Once conditions improve, NJDOT will lift the Winter Weather Congestion Alert.

Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website by clicking here for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news and updates follow us on the NJDOT Facebook page or on Twitter @NJDOT_info.

PARSIPPANY — Award-Winning Sports Journalist & Author, Hank Gola, will be signing copies of his newly-released and highly acclaimed book, City of Champions, the story of Garfield High School’s 1939 national championship football team. The signing will take place on Saturday, January 19 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Book Barn, 18 Pocono Road, Denville. The Book Barn will offer three books free with the purchase of one of his books.

Hank Gola has spent over four decades as a journalist, primarily covering professional football and golf for the New York Daily News and New York Post after starting his career at The Herald-News of Passaic, and the Daily Record, where he covered the Cosmos of the North American Soccer League and the New York Giants of the National Football League.

In City of Champions, Hank Gola, a veteran and award-winning football writer, unveils a long-forgotten game through research spanning newspaper accounts, over 75 personal interviews, letters, oral histories, game films, recordings and photos.

Gola mines stories of the towns and the lives of the players and coaches–detailing the grit (and wild strokes of luck and fortune) that led up the Christmas night game. In a larger context, these two teams and the landmark 1939 season mirror interwar America, offering new perspectives on some of the pressing cultural, economic and socio-political issues of the era. Above all, City of Champions is a story of everyday heroes and lives well-lived.

PARSIPPANY — Automated external defibrillators will be required at all college athletic facilities under Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce’s legislation advanced today by the Higher Education Committee.

“Defibrillators save lives,” said DeCroce. “If a person suffers a sudden cardiac attack the chance of survival increases exponentially when an automated shock is administered. Automatic defibrillators are easy for any untrained bystander to use. By following the simple instructions, they can save a life.”

Sudden cardiac attacks are rare in young athletes, but they are often fatal. When an automatic defibrillator is used, the survival rate for student athletes is 64 percent, and as high as 90 percent when aid is rendered within the first minute.

DeCroce’s bill (A1368) requires two staff members trained in CPR and the use of automatic defibrillators in athletic facilities or student centers during operating hours.

“A college student who survives a brush with death due to a previously undiagnosed heart problem can go on to live a long, productive life with the appropriate medical care,” said DeCroce. “A defibrillator on the wall in a college gym can be the key to the future for any of the young people competing on the floor, or watching in the stands.”

For every minute that passes without defibrillation after a sudden cardiac attack, the chance of survival decreases by 10 percent.

State law requires automatic defibrillators at state buildings and K-12 schools, health clubs, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.