Depty Chief Matthew Palmieri and Fireman Andres Felipe Giraldo on the roof of the building
PARSIPPANY – Approximately 11:00 a.m. Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department received a call regarding heavy smoke coming from the roof of 222 New Road. Earlier reports stated there were workers on top of the roof, but what type or work they were performing or who hired them were unknown.
Rainbow Lakes Fire Department 2, Lake Parsippany Fire District 3, Lake Hiawatha Volunteer Fire District 4, Parsippany Volunteer Fire Department 5 and Parsippany Volunteer Fire District 6, along with Boonton RIC, Montville and Cedar Knolls were on the scene shortly after 11:00 a.m.
Parsippany Volunteer Ambulance Squad and Par-Troy Emergency Services were on the scene. Parsippany Rescue and Recovery is on the scene.
According to the sign posted at the building contains the companies Catbridge, Veggie Land, Inssinc and Paraflex is a 80,000 square foot industrial building. According to employees at the scene, all the employees inside the building were safe and left the building immediately.
Currently Parsippany Arson Investigation and Morris County Sheriff’s Crime Investigative Scene (CIS) were called to the scene and the Construction official and Health Department were also requested to the scene.
Parsippany Office of Emergency Management (OEM) was requested to the scene to help with traffic.
Report from the scene indicate owners or managers from Veggie Land were present. The property owner arrived at the scene approximately 1:15 p.m.
At 1:45 p.m. it was announced that the fire has been knocked down, and they were in the process of ventilating the building.
Parsippany Focus will update article as official information is released.
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The firemen on the roof of the building
T-6 in the air
T-6 in the air
Smoke coming from the front of the building
Smoke coming from the side of the building
Firetrucks at the scene
Running hoses down New Road
Depty Chief Matthew Palmieri and Fireman Andres Felipe Giraldo on the roof of the building
PARSIPPANY — Matty Rzucidlo was honored on Thursday, April 21 at the Par-Troy West Little League Opening Night.
Matty Rzucidlo, Mayor James Barberio and Frank Neglia. Mayor Barberio gave Matty a Proclamation
Matt Rzucidlo was born in Hoboken, the birthplace of baseball. It was during his early childhood that he first found his passion for the game, playing with the Hoboken Little League. Some of his earliest memories go back to when he would play ball on the streets of the city with the other neighborhood kids. The Yankees shaped his childhood, going to Yankee Stadium with his uncles to watch players like Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra. He grew up in a family of baseball players. He was inspired by his uncles who he always looked up to.
In 1959, his family moved to Parsippany and began his playing career with the Par-Troy West Little League, Kiwanis Club, as a pitcher and infielder. He continued playing through middle school where he was a proud Central Cougar.
For Matt, high school is where “it all started.” Not only was he on the baseball team, but he also played football all 4 years, 3 of which he was the varsity quarterback.
Baseball though, was his ultimate passion. And the man who fostered and mentored his talents was the late Jack Mott. A man who Matt respects and honors to this day.
For his freshman year, Matt went straight to JV. At JV he played short stop and also practiced with the varsity team who saw great potential in the young but extremely talented rookie.
Sophomore year Matt made varsity debut and was the starting left fielder. By the 7th game, he was moved over to short stop.
That season was off to a great start for Rzucidlo, until he unfortunately had his first knee injury. This injury had him out for the rest of the season. Despite his cast, he was still sitting on the sideline of every game, supporting and cheering on his team. Matt’s dedication and devotion to the game never waive red. The Red Skins suffered a devastating loss to the team. That year Parsippany High School varsity baseball team went on to play in the Greater Newark tournament, which they unfortunately lost.
He recalls the team pitching in and buying him a brand new glove as a gift. Junior year Matt started as the Varsity second baseman and as a relief pitcher – letting the teammate who took over his position the previous year finish his senior year as short stop.
That year, the Parsippany High School team finished second in the Jersey Hills Conference. Parsippany High School baseball knew next year was going to be an impactful year – especially for Rzucidlo.
Matt’s senior year was his best of his high school career. He was the captain of the varsity baseball team and played as short stop for the whole season. Rzucidlo pitched four games (which he was 3-1), had three homeruns, and received the “Daily Advance All-Area Baseball” recognition.
Major league scouts where looking at Rzucidlo during this exciting time including the Atlanta Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
After high school, Matt attended Miami Dade County College where he continued to play ball that fall.
The transition from baseball to fast pitch softball came from his mentor and high school coach, Jack Mott. Matt Rzucidlo was far from done with his playing career.
Rzucidlo’s first softball team was with the Parsippany Athletic club sponsored by Dean Gallo. During that time, he also played with the Hub Lakes League (from ’69-’70).
From there, he played for Mario’s and in 1969 he won a softball championship with the team. In addition he played for the Parsippany slow pitch league with the Tally-Ho team who also won a championship.
Rzucidlo then continued on to play with DeMaio’s who won three straight championships for the Parsippany slow pitch league. He followed that with playing for Hilltop who won an additional two championships. From there Matt played with Primos in the Parsippany league which went on to win four more championships.
Within all those years, Rzucidlo won 12 championships in the Parsippany slow pitch league. During his time with Primo’s, Rzucidlo also played for Mt. Hope. Sponsored by Jerry Smith and coached by Tim Wyatt. Gaining the nickname ‘the captain’, Rzucidlo began an amazing eig year career with an amazing team.
Rzucidlo played with Mt. Hope from ’77-’85 and during this time the Mount Hope Inn made it’s name well known. The team went to nationals in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 1983, 1984, and 1985. In 1983 they were 4th in nationals and in 1985 the team took 2nd in the nationals.
During the Mount Hope era, Rzucidlo was named first team All-American utility infielder in 1982 and 1985. He recalls a lot of talented players from the area who where on that team and how it was an amazing time in his life he’ll never forget. In 1986, Matt retired from playing modified fast pitch. In 1985, Rzucidlo got married and in ’88 and ’89 welcomed 2 daughters and focused his time on raising his family. That never fully stopped him still playing ball and remembers “dragging my kids to the fields” for a Sunday morning league.
His daughters fondly remember watching him play at Smithfield, the same place he started his career in 1959.
Rzucidlo went on to play in the Parsippany senior league and won two more championships
To this day Matt continues to love the game. He can call every pitch before it leaves the glove, every error before it happens on the field and could go head to head with anyone in baseball trivia.
For someone who has had a playing career full of championships and praise, he has always remained a humble man. Never making it about himself, but always about the team. He exemplifies good sportsmanship. In addition to being a great baseball player, he is a wonderful father, husband, brother, uncle, son, friend and teammate.
PARSIPPANY — Solix, Inc., a best-in-class provider of program and process management, regulatory compliance and customer care services for businesses and government agencies throughout the United States, announced Eric Storey has been appointed senior vice president and chief sales officer reporting to Solix CEO Jack Miller. Solix is located at 30 Lanidex Plaza West.
Storey, who has an extensive sales and business development background, including experience serving several Fortune ranked organizations; will lead sales initiatives that support business growth in established markets where Solix has a record of success and in industries where the company is an emerging leader.
“We are excited to welcome Eric to the team as we look to build upon our success and expand our services and market presence,” said Miller. “His client-centric approach aligns well with our business philosophy and our strong customer relationships as well as quality of personalized service we provide are points of pride for us that we believe Eric can cultivate into even greater success for Solix.”
Prior to joining Solix, Storey served as Cognizant Technology Solutions’ Head of Sales, Americas Business Process Outsourcing. In addition, he has held executive sales, operations and consulting roles at Xerox, Deloitte Consulting, Booz Allen Hamilton and Accenture.
“Solix has a long history as a successful business process outsourcing firm that has commanded a specific space in supporting government programs with intense regulatory and compliance demands,” Storey said. “It is uniquely positioned to bring this experience, in addition to a powerful new proprietary platform and highly effective omni channel customer care, to other markets including the healthcare, financial services, life sciences and utility spaces.” He added, “Solix is innovative, nimble and flexible to meet evolving client needs and I am excited to be a part of its future.”
Founded in 2001, Solix helps customers run more efficient programs, qualify applicants faster with greater accuracy, and enable more responsive customer communications for an enhanced experience. For more information, please visit the resources section of our website to learn how we help our customers achieve success.
MORRIS COUNTY — Freeholder candidate Heather Darling hosted her first fundraiser at Zeris Inn, Mountain Lakes on Monday, April 17.
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Parsippany resident Jigar Shah and Freeholder Candidate Heather Darling
Heather Darling "Better with Heather"
Steve and Eileen Albanese, Roxbury
Parsippany Police Chief Paul Philipps and Parsippany resident Patrick Minutillo
Parsippany residents Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani and Jigar Shah
Lainie Sleppin, Heather Darling and Jolene Imperial
Parsippany resident Nicolas Limanov and Freeholder Candidate Heather Darling
Parsippany Focus publisher Frank Cahill and Freeholder Candidate Heather Darling
Parsippany residents Nicolas Limanov and Patrick Minutillo
The well attended function included a mix of local Republican Party leadership and members of the community supporting Darling. Darling’s message was that unchecked spending, the current practice of rewarding special interests and lack of sustainable ratables are the issues plaguing Morris County. Darling, who operates a law firm she built herself and an unrelated business she took over from her father, said she knows about building and operating a business on a shoestring budget, building relationships with customers, and hiring and managing employees who count on their jobs to provide food and shelter for their families. Darling said that her daily routine is analyzing information and making critical decisions which affect her business, her employees and her client’s futures.
Heather Darling referenced the outflow of businesses from Morris County beginning in the 1990’s and the need to utilize Morris County’s transportation system and natural resources to attract businesses that promote a healthier lifestyle for their employees including outdoor recreation. Darling spoke of Economic Development Committee summits wherein she noticed apparent and untapped opportunities for mutual economic growth among certain towns in Morris County with the existing infrastructure to support such growth. Darling raised the idea of creating alliances between businesses and the County College of Morris to develop a labor pool prepared to fill managerial and professional job openings as well as similar alliances between businesses and Morris County Vo-Tech to prepare students for jobs. She contrasted training students for jobs in a free enterprise system with the current Freeholder Board’s plan to limit bidding to union shops with apprenticeship programs which she believes stem from promises by members of the Board to organized labor in exchange for campaign funding.
Darling went on to address spending, stating her belief that special interest groups are profiting, at the expense of the taxpayers, from those in county government interested in campaign contributions for self-perpetuation. Citing statistics, Darling referenced Morris County as only one of nine counties in the nation posting average annual property taxes over $10,000, then contrasted that to Morris County’s deteriorating infrastructure, poor road conditions, and cutbacks in human services needed by seniors and veterans including consideration by the current Freeholder Board of the privatization of the County’s nursing facility, Morris View. Heather Darling projected that the heroin epidemic, sanctuary city issues, bail reform and the need to protect citizens from random acts of terrorism will create a massive financial burden on Morris County as the Sheriff’s Office adapts to respond to these needs and stated that Morris County tax payers need Freeholders who will look at the tax payers’ bottom line.
Darling referred to herself as a conservative businesswoman and not a politician. She stated that her volunteer efforts in Morris County have been rendered without any expectation of compensation including the many evenings she has spent over the last couple of years visiting Republican clubs throughout the county and getting to know the concerns of the members and their communities, indicating that she has visited each town with an organized club and attended reorganization meetings to meet the leaders in the other towns without clubs meeting regularly.
Darling closed with the indication that she intends to fight for the citizens of Morris County because it is “our home.”
PARSIPPANY — As reported in Parsippany Focus on April 7, Democratic activist and candidate for governor Bill Brennan filed a citizen’s complaint against Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio and Business Administrator Ellen Sandman in Parsippany Municipal Court on Friday, April 7, a move that could result in fourth degree criminal charges against the duo. (Click here to read full story: Criminal Complaints filed against Barberio).
According to the complaint, both defendants were to appear in Morris County Superior Court on Wednesday, April 19 at 11:30 a.m.
Before a complaint is sent to Morris County Superior Court, a probable cause hearing must be heard by a judge. Parsippany Municipal Court determined that they were in conflict and sent the case for probable cause to Morristown Municipal Court.
Bill Brennan stated “My criminal charge in Parsippany has resulted in odd behavior by the municipal court system. Before sending the case to Morristown Municipal Court for a probable cause determination, the Parsippany Municipal Court set a first appearance for the defendants in Superior Court for April 19. This caused media inquiries to the Superior Court regarding status. In response the Superior Court was perplexed because no paperwork had been received from either Parsippany or Morristown.”
Mr. Brennan then asked Parsippany Municipal Court what happened and was told that on April 7 the case was sent to Morristown Municipal Court for a Probable Cause determination.
Morristown Municipal Court is hopelessly conflicted because:
Morristown Planning Board Attorney is John Inglesino;
Morristown Township Attorney, Vij Pawar, represents Barberio (in Carifi vs. Barberio);
Morristown Prosecutor, Robert J. Rudy, III, is partnered with Barberio’s attorney,Vij Pawar (in Carifi vs. Barberio). Mr. Rudy currently serves as the Municipal Prosecutor for the Town of Morristown.
Parsippany Focus called Mr. Pawar on Wednesday, April 19, asking for comment as to why the Probable Cause hearing was scheduled for Morristown Municipal Court on Thursday, April 20, when it is clearly a conflict of interest. Mr. Pawar did not return our call.
Parsippany Focuscalled the Morristown Court Clerk on Thursday, April 20, and was advised the case has been sent back to Parsippany Municipal Clerk for further determination.
Despite these conflicts, the Morristown Municipal Court held onto the charge from April 10 until April 20 when they “discovered” these conflicts.
Mr. Brennan stated “This delay appears to be a calculated maneuver to buy time for the Mayor and Council. Both Morristown judges violated the Judicial Code of Conduct by delaying a case on behalf of the defendants under the misguided notion that somehow modifying a salary ordinance after the hiring and payment of employees would mean a crime did not occur. Under Inglesino’s reasoning two employees could be hired as Keyboarding Clerk 1 on New Year’s eve and each receive $48,000 in salary for that day – they could then work on January 2 and each receive another $48,000 in salary for that day and then be laid off. This nonsense is what passes for legal advice in Parsippany – so far the system is failing us again when it comes to Christie’s cronies.”
“On “Planet Inglesino” two keyboarding clerks can legally collect a total of $192,000 by working two days each and the salary range would not be violated. This is absurd.
We are about to see what kind of corrupt judge goes along with such an obvious fallacy,” stated Mr. Brennan in a press release.
Parsippany Focuscontacted Parsippany Municipal Court Administrator Alvaro Leal, who confirmed the case was sent to Morristown Municipal Court for probable cause and was being returned to Parsippany Municipal Court, to be reassigned to yet another Municipal Court Judge for Probable Cause. At this time it was not determined when and where this will happen.
In the meantime, Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council scheduled an “special” meeting, on April 11, to pass an ordinance to change the White Color Salary Ordinance (Click here to read story: Cover Up Of A Crime? Salary Ordinance Revised; 3-2 Vote on First Reading). Council President Louis Valori, Councilman Michael dePierro and Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani approved the Ordinance on First Reading. Council Vice President Robert Peluso and Councilman Paul Carifi, Jr. voted no.
The Ordinance is on the agenda for the Regular Council meeting to be held on Tuesday, April 25 for final reading and approval.
The Ordinance, #2017:05, shall be retroactive to January 1, 2017 for all employees active on the date of introduction of this ordinance. The salary in this ordinance for Keyboarding Clerk 1 will have a minimum starting salary of $17,000 annually to $55,000 annually. (Note: A copy of the Ordinance was not available to the public during the special meeting, Parsippany Focus obtained a copy through Open Public Records Act (OPRA). Click here to see the complete White Collar Salary ranges.
“I find it kind-of comical that we had to have this special meeting, at the last second, right after this gentlemen who you claim files this bogus claim,” Councilman Paul Carifi told Parsippany Focus. “Again, the mayor hired these people at a higher rate than what the salary ordinance allows. That is a fact. This is a knee-jerk reaction, as usual, by the mayor.”
“I’m voting with my conscience, no,” Council Vice President Robert Peluso said.
Bill Brennan told the Daily Record, “I am beginning a legal campaign against these lawless abusers. Inglesino is my ultimate target. I investigated the perpetrators and started with Inglesino’s cronies, and am working my way up.”
PARSIPPANY — On Thursday, April 20, a recording device was located inside an adult designated faculty bathroom at Littleton School by a school employee.
The device was removed and the Parsippany Police Department was immediately contacted.
After a brief investigation by Detective Marcin Czajka, it was determined that the recording device was capturing footage of the toilet area and was placed there for an undetermined amount of time.
Through the initial investigation, Detective Czajka was able to determine that the recording device was placed there by Christopher Esnes, 40, Gillette, who is employed as a teacher in the school, and was released on his own recognizance pending his court date.
He was placed under arrest by Detective Lieutenant Brian Dowd and Detective Marcin Czajka and processed at Parsippany Police Headquarters. He was charged on a Complaint-Summons with Invasion of Privacy, a third degree crime, and released on his own recognizance pending his court date. At the current time, no footage involving a juvenile has been found. This incident is still under investigation by Detective Marcin Czajka.
A Parsippany-Troy Hills School district spokesperson said Esnes has been suspended and has been barred from Littleton and all district properties. Esnes was receiving a salary of $77,914 at the time of his suspension, according to public records.
Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Attending the Parsippany Library Pizza celebration:
( Back)Adam Ye, Will Chen, Rohan Khajuria
(Front) Andrew Lie, Nicholas Lim, Hugh Kwong
PARSIPPANY — Congratulations to the Parsippany High School Academic Decathlon (AcDec) Team for 1st Place in the NJ State Competition! To celebrate the team’s achievements the Friends of the Parsippany Library hosted a pizza party in Teen Central on April 13. The staff and Friends of the Parsippany Library would like to wish the team the best of luck in Madison, Wisconsin to compete in the National Competition April 20-22. This is their 5th state championship. Overall, the Parsippany High School team took home more than 70 awards and honors for the regional competition.
Academic Decathalon President, Rohan Khajuria thanked the library “It means a lot to all of us when people recognize all of the hard work we put into the club. We’re also very grateful to the library for providing us with so many resources to study.”
PARSIPPANY — Members of the Morris County Multi-Organ Transplant Group held a special meeting on March 8 with guest speaker Joe Roth, New Jersey Sharing Network CEO. Mr. Roth spoke about the organization’s 2016 accomplishments.
Organ transplantation is a vital lifesaving tool. Over 118,000 men and women across the country are on the organ donor wait list according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.
Mr. Roth spoke about advancements in organ transplantation and statistics on donation, transplants performed. 2016 was a record breaking year for NJ Sharing Network as NJSN celebrates its 30th anniversary. During 2016, NJSN helped make 613 organ transplants possible, broken down into 138 liver, 24 pancreas, 299 kidney, 70 heart and 82 lung transplants. This represents a 15% increase from 2015 figures.
Members of the MCMOTG have had kidney, heart, liver, lung, pancreas and tissue/bone transplants, are on the wait list, have donated as well as family. Members live in Parsippany, Morristown, Morris Township, Boonton, Denville, Chatham and Lake Hopatcong.
The group’s next meeting is Wednesday, May 3 in the Community Room in the Parsippany Police Complex.
MORRIS COUNTY — Fairy Day is a day for fairies, magic, and wishes to come true. On this magical day, the young and young-at-heart embrace the possibilities of the unknown, and believe in fairies. For centuries, fairies have been an important part of culture and legend, and in all of the ancient legends, these mythological creatures are described as intelligent, mischievous, and magical. Mortals don’t often see fairies because of the division between our world and their world, but it is believed that by creating special fairies houses, we can draw them into our world.
On Sunday, June 25, at 1:00 p.m., The Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township hosts its annual Fairy Day for fairy believers to design and build their own fairy houses to welcome these wee folks into the garden. After all, these tiny spirits need shelter during their stay!
Upon arrival, you are escorted by a winged helper to a reserved site along the garden paths where you can craft a unique and personalized mini-fairy home. While you are expressing your creativity building a unique fairy-home, take a break and enjoy a free lemonade and a tasty snack, or make a fairy-themed craft to take home. You can also decorate your own tiny fairy boat to float on the water, play games on the lawn, and hunt for hidden fairy doors in the gardens to win a prize. Join in the fun as traditional maypole dancers lead you through this age-old ritual.
All building supplies, including bark, branches, lichens, mosses, feathers, stones, and leaves are provided. If you prefer, bring your own building supplies, as long as they are allnatural. Fairies shun manmade materials.
At 3:00 p.m., when all the houses are completed, join in a colorful, musical procession around the gardens to marvel at the finished projects. Wear your own fairy finery, if you like!
If you would like to see the finished creations, but are unable to attend Fairy Day, don’t worry! All the houses will be on display for the month of July for you to enjoy. Visit the Haggerty Education Center for a map of the sites.
A limited number of fairy house sites are available for Fairy Day, and there is a fee of $30.00 per fairy house, which includes all materials, activities, and refreshments. Preregistration is required. To see photos of previous fairy houses or to get ideas for your own house, or for more information or register, visit arboretumfriends.org.
Looking for more fairy-themed fun? Participate in a special Family Photo Scavenger Hunt during the month of July and search the gardens for hidden fairy doors. Take photos of all the doors with your camera or phone, and return to the center to claim your prize. These hunts take place every Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for $10.00 per family. No registration is needed for Family Photo Scavenger Hunt.
RANDOLPH — The County College of Morris (CCM) Art and Design Gallery once again will be hosting “The Best of the Best Student Exhibition” in May.
The annual exhibition provides an opportunity for the community to view artwork produced by CCM students during the course of an academic year. About 30 student pieces will be on display, representing each area of the CCM Department of Art and Design: design, fine art, graphic design and photography.
The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, runs May 5 to May 26. The Art and Design Gallery hours are Mondays and Wednesdays from noon to 5:00 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 8:00 p.m., Fridays noon to 4:00 p.m., and the first Saturday of the month from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Armed robbery that occurred March 26 at Krauszer’s Food Store
LONG VALLEY — Authorities have arrested two men in connection with a February armed robbery of a convenience store in Long Hill Township, according to Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Long Hill Township Police Chief Michael Mazzeo.
The arrest of suspects, Frank E. Kline, 52, and David B. Domanski, 53, both of Washington Township, Warren County, was announced by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. The men are also suspected of an armed robbery that occurred March 26 at Krauszer’s Food Store on Stirling Road in Warren Township, Somerset County.
The robbery in Long Hill occurred at about 8:20 p.m. on February 25 at the Country Farms convenience store on Division Avenue in the Millington section of the township. An investigation revealed that a white male entered the store, pointed a handgun towards the clerk, demanded money, and discharged one round in the direction of the clerk. The clerk turned over a sum of money and the suspect immediately fled on foot. There were no injuries reported.
During the course of the investigation, detectives from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the prosecutor’s Major Crime Unit, the Long Hill Police Department, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, the Warren Township Police Department and the Washington Township (Warren) Police Department worked together to identify Kline and Domanski as suspects in the armed robberies.
Both men were arrested and charged with one count of first degree Robbery and one count of Conspiracy. Kline also faces two additional counts for second degree Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purposes. Both defendants were lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a detention hearing.
Despite these accusations, the defendants are presumed innocent unless. or until, proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at (973) 285-6200 or the Long Hill Township Police Department at (908) 647-1800.
PARSIPPANY — Mr. Raoul Selikson, 58, was driving a 1999 Green Toyota Camry, traveling North on Baldwin Road in the right turn lane.
He had a green signal and continued North through the intersection of Baldwin Road and Vail Road and failed to make a right turn, traveling through the intersection and striking the curb in front of 540 Vail Road. The vehicle continued over curb leaving the roadway into a landscaped area of property at 540 Vail Road, crashing over a small shrub, and striking a tree where it came to uncontrolled rest.
Mr. Selikson stated he was distracted looking at his radio changing the channel and did not realize he was traveling off the road till he struck the tree. Two witnesses observed the vehicle traveling north on Baldwin Road enter the intersection at a green light and drive through the intersection, failing to turn right, run off the roadway onto the property of 540 Vail Road and crash into a tree.
Both witnesses stated the driver appeared disoriented when they first approached.
Parsippany Patrolman Arthur Ohlsenn determined the crash was caused by Selikson not paying attention, distracted driving, and use of Controlled Dangerous Substance.
The vehicle was towed from the scene by C & L Towing.
He was issued a summons for 39:4-50 and 39:4-50(G)(1).
New Jersey Statue defines 39:4-50: Driving while intoxicated. (a) Except as provided in subsection (g) of this section, a person who operates a motor vehicle while under the influence of intoxicating liquor, narcotic, hallucinogenic or habit-producing drug, or operates a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more by weight of alcohol in the defendant’s blood or permits another person who is under the influence of intoxicating liquor, narcotic, hallucinogenic or habit-producing drug to operate a motor vehicle owned by him or in his custody or control or permits another to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more by weight of alcohol in the defendant’s blood.
39:4-50(G)(1) Driving with intoxicated on any school property used for school purposes which is owned by or leased to any elementary or secondary school or school board, or within 1,000 feet of such school property;
A court date to appear in Parsippany Municipal Court was set.
Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This picture of Lake Parsippany was the feature photo used in "Discover Greater Parsippany" published by the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce
This article was submitted by resident Gordon Meth.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills is situated in one of the most enviable counties in the Country – Morris County. Morris County has the 8th highest median household income of the 3,144 counties and equivalents in the United States.
Violent crime in Morris County is in the bottom 15th percentile of the Country, and is among the lowest in the New York City Metropolitan Area. In terms of educational attainment, approximately 51% of the County population aged 25 or older has a bachelor’s degree or higher, and this is the 40th highest for a county in the United States.
Sixteen (16) of the top 100 New Jersey public high schools according to Niche.com are located in Morris County (Parsippany High School is ranked 61 in the state and ninth in Morris County. Parsippany Hills High School is ranked 69 in the state and tenth in Morris County. Both schools are in the top 5% of public high schools nationwide). Median home value for Morris County is the second highest in New Jersey, and 36th in the Country. In exchange for this, Morris County has the eighth highest median property taxes in the Country.
With a population of nearly 54,000 people, Parsippany-Troy Hills is the largest municipality in Morris County by a factor of nearly two. Parsippany-Troy Hills contains nearly 11% of Morris County’s population. Money Magazine ranks Parsippany-Troy Hills the fifth best small city in the United States to live in (although given the criteria of having a population of 50,000-300,000, Parsippany-Troy Hills is the only Morris County municipality given consideration, and is one of only 35 New Jersey municipalities that are given consideration). In terms of educational attainment, approximately 53% of Parsippany-Troy Hills population aged 25 or older has a bachelor’s degree or higher, with 22% having graduate or professional degrees. This is slightly higher than the overall for Morris County. Median family income is nearly $90,000 per year, which is less than the $100,000 per year median family income for Morris County.
Parsippany-Troy Hills has only six elected officials (an elected mayor and five council persons), whereas every other Morris County municipality has 5-12 elected officials. In total, there are 259 municipal elected officials in Morris County. Parsippany-Troy Hills has the lowest number of elected officials per capita by a factor of 2-39. Two-thirds of Morris County municipalities have elected mayors, and Parsippany-Troy Hills has the only full time mayor. Six Morris County municipalities have ward systems. The opposite extreme of Parsippany-Troy Hills is Rockaway Township, which has and elected mayor, an 11 member council, a ward system, and a population slightly less than 25,000.
A total of nearly 19,000 Parsippany-Troy Hills residents, or 35%, are foreign born (including myself, as I was born in Canada). Nearly 11,000 of these residents are naturalized citizens, and over 10,500 of these residents can vote. This ratio of foreign-born population is approximately the same as New York City. In Morris County, only Dover has a higher proportion of foreign-born population, with nearly 50% being foreign-born. Parsippany-Troy Hills has approximately 20% of Morris County’s foreign-born population. Parsippany-Troy Hills has the 19th highest number of foreign born persons by municipality in New Jersey. One of the key factors of the high ranking of our high schools is an A- rating for diversity. The ethnic makeup of Parsippany-Troy Hills foreign born population is 45% Asian Indian, 17% white alone, non-Hispanic, 13% Chinese, 11% Hispanic or Latino, 5% other Asian, and 10% other or multi-race. A total of 62% of the foreign-born population 25 and over in Parsippany-Troy Hills have bachelor degrees or higher, versus 46% for natural born residents of Parsippany-Troy Hills 25 and over. Nearly half of these foreign born persons have graduate or professional degrees, versus only about a third of the natural born residents. The foreign-born population has median earnings approximately $6,000 more per year than natural born residents. The unemployment rate of foreign-born population in Parsippany-Troy Hills is 3.7%, versus 5.0% for natural born residents. Consequently, foreign-born residents of Parsippany-Troy Hills raise our overall development as a community.
Make-A-Wish New Jersey President and CEO Tom Weatherall, Franchise Owner Chris Rigassio, and Jersey Mike's Subs CMO Rich Hope
PARSIPPANY — Make-A-Wish® New Jersey and 52 Jersey Mike’s Subs locations in North and Central New Jersey joined forces this March during the 7th Annual “Month of Giving”. The month-long campaign raised an astounding $263,749 for Make-A-Wish New Jersey, whose mission is to grant the wishes of local children diagnosed with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Jersey Mike’s has a location at 317 Smith Road.
Make-A-Wish New Jersey Staff Visits Jersey Mikes Locations During Month of Giving Campaign
Additional funds were raised for other Make-A-Wish chapters at 95 Jersey Mike’s locations around the country, resulting in a $434,610 contribution to Make-A-Wish nationwide. Overall, Jersey Mike’s raised over $5.5 million during the month for nearly 150 charities from coast-to-coast.
“I would like to thank our extraordinary customers, franchise owners, team members and charity partners who helped us raise the most ever during Jersey Mike’s 7th Annual Month of Giving in March,” said Peter Cancro, Jersey Mike’s Founder and CEO. “Our mission statement has always been focused on making a difference in people’s lives.”
Make-A-Wish New Jersey kicked off the “Month of Giving” on March 1st by lighting up its magical and whimsical wish-granting facility, the Samuel & Josephine Plumeri Wishing Place, home of Make-A-Wish New Jersey, in red and blue – Jersey Mike’s official colors. Jersey Mike’s Subs customers were encouraged to make a donation at their local restaurants throughout the month, culminating with a special event on March 29 – Jersey Mike’s “Day of Giving” – when 52 local Jersey Mike’s restaurants donated 100 percent of the day’s sales to Make-A-Wish New Jersey.
“Now in our fourth decade in New Jersey, we have long known that a wish experience is nothing short of life-changing for a child with a life-threatening medical condition,” commented Tom Weatherall, President & Chief Executive Officer of Make-A-Wish New Jersey. “We pick up where science and medicine leave off, and can be just as important as their treatment protocols. We’ve witnessed – thousands upon thousands of times – the hope, strength and joy a wish gives a child, and the difference it can make in their lives and their family’s lives. The entire team at Jersey Mike’s Subs, and their loyal patrons, have shown us that they, too, believe in the power of a wish, and we are deeply humbled by the success of the 2017 “Month – and Day of – Giving. On behalf of our team, but mostly the children we serve all across New Jersey, thank you Jersey Mike’s Subs!”
Make-A-Wish New Jersey has granted over 9,000 wishes in its 34-year-history – 483 last year alone. With a goal of granting well over 500 wishes this year, the generous support of corporations like Jersey Mike’s is critical to the organization’s continued success. Through their $263,000 donation, approximately 25 more New Jersey children with life-threatening medical conditions will experience a wish-come-true in the coming months.
On May 11, Make-A-Wish New Jersey will host a “Day of Gratitude” at the Samuel & Josephine Plumeri Wishing Place, inviting Jersey Mike’s leadership and local wish kids alike, to celebrate the success of the “Month of Giving” and to honor and thank Jersey Mike’s for their support.
For more information about Make-A-Wish New Jersey, click here.
PARSIPPANY — Kaitlyn Partington of Mount Tabor, was inducted into Phi Alpha Epsilon, the College’s honor society celebrating academic achievement and volunteer service. Partington, a 2013 graduate of Parsippany Hills High School, is pursuing a bachelor of science in business administration and digital communications.
Phi Alpha Epsilon, the College’s honor society that recognizes academic achievement and service to others, inducts its new members each spring.
To be eligible for this award, students must achieve a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.6, complete at least 24 credits of Constellation LVC coursework, and achieve the “bronze” level of service hours (as determined by the Office of Spiritual Life) at the conclusion of the fall semester prior to graduation.
Lebanon Valley College is a private, coeducational college founded in 1866 and dedicated to the liberal arts. The College offers 40 undergraduate majors plus self-designed majors and a range of minors, concentrations, and pre-professional options, as well as graduate degree programs in athletic training, business administration, music education, physical therapy, science in STEM education, and speech-language pathology.
The College has 1,608 full-time undergraduate students and 108 full-time faculty. Students can choose from more than 90 clubs and organizations, and 12 study abroad programs. LVC awards generous academic scholarships to those whose high school records demonstrate a commitment to challenge and achievement. Learn more by clicking here.
Annville is 15 minutes east of Hershey and 35 minutes east of Harrisburg; Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore are within two hours.
A group photo of most of the participating chefs from the evening
CEDAR KNOLLS — Libations Sponsor Solix, Inc. and Culinary Sponsors Birds Eye, Crystal Plaza, FirstEnergy Foundation, and Mandelbaum Salsburg, P.C. partnered with chefs from area restaurants and businesses for a “Taste of Spring” to raise money for Employment Horizons’ Culinary Arts Training Program on April 5.
The event was again held at the Smoke Rise Village Inn, Kinnelon, and featured small plates from restaurants including Morris Tap & Grill, Ava’s Cupcakes, Birds Eye, Dolce Basking Ridge, Ninety Acres, Piattino, Pig & Prince, Smoke Rise Village Inn, and south+pine. My Limo of East Hanover served as the Transportation Sponsor for the evening, providing a bus to and from the event. In addition to delicious food, the evening included a silent auction, 50/50 raffle, giveaways, and music provided by Entertainment Sponsor WMTR Radio.
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Attendees from Libations Sponsor, Solix Inc
One of the dishes from Morris Tap & Grill
Board Member Howard Gogel and his wife, Rosa (pink jacket), entertaining guests
Cupcake display from Ava’s Cupcakes
Chef Eric LeVine of Morris Tap & Grill and Paragon Tap & Table – our lead chef for the event
A group photo of most of the participating chefs from the evening
A sheet cake provided by Palermo’s Bakery recognized Employment Horizons’ Diamond Jubilee and 60 years of service.
Employment Horizons is the premier not-for-profit agency providing comprehensive employment, training, and job placement services to persons with disabilities and other disadvantages in the greater Morris County, NJ area.
To obtain more information about Employment Horizons and the Culinary Arts Training Program, click here or contact Maria Verducci-Florio at (973) 538-8822 ext. 240 or mariaflorio@ehorizons.org. Photos by courtesy of Good Night Productions.
Coffee House event committee members (l-r) Diane Gangemi of Randolph, Mary Gangemi of Randolph, Dawn Gabriel of Morris Plains, and Mindy Turner of Randolph, review the terrific inventory of donated auction items, including a 32” Vizio television
MORRIS COUNTY — The Friends of JBWS Fundraising Committee is gearing up to host its 9th annual Coffee House and tricky tray to benefit Jersey Battered Women’s Service (JBWS) in Morris County. The fun-filled event takes place Saturday, April 22, 6:30 p.m., at the Ukrainian American Cultural Center in Whippany. Tickets can be purchased for $35.00 in advance by clicking here or $40.00 at the door.
Guests will enjoy the wonderful acoustic music of Cast of Strangers, while bidding on tricky tray baskets valued at more than $3,000. A bonus this year is a chance to win the Disney Raffle Grand Prize of two nights at any Wyndham Rewards Properties, four Disney one-day hopper passes, luggage and designer Sunglasses. Additional raffles and a 50/50 drawing will add to the excitement.
A buffet, desserts, tea and coffee are included in the ticket price; Beer and wine are available for purchase. Guests must be 21 or over to attend.
All proceeds from the event benefit JBWS, a nonprofit domestic violence prevention agency serving more than 27,000 people last year through its’ 24-hour helpline (973-267-4763), counseling, safe house, transitional living, children’s services, life skills education, vocational counseling, batterer’s intervention, legal assistance, teen dating violence services, professional training, and education programs for youth and adults. Our dedicated volunteers provided 10,000 hours of service.
For more information about JBWS and this and all of our events, call (973) 267-7520 or click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Find treasures, great bargains, unique antiques, sought-after collectibles, and gifts to share. Don’t miss your opportunity to uncover something exceptional and wonderful. It is a one-day shopper’s paradise.
The All-County Garage Sale returns by popular demand to Mennen Sports Arena on Saturday, April 29, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., 161 Hanover Avenue, Morris Township.
“Last year, thousands traveled from near and far to hunt personal treasures,” said Mark Sutherland, Manager of Historic Sites for the Morris County Park Commission.
“Customers purchased mint-condition baseball cards, a wide variety of musical records, classic jewelry, kitchen appliances, vintage postcards and artwork, novelties, and so much more. You never know what you’re going to find.”
All proceeds from the All-County Garage Sale benefit the educational programming and historic preservation projects of Morristown’s Historic Speedwell.
Known as the ‘Birthplace of the Telegraph,’ Historic Speedwell’s Factory Building, is a National Historic Landmark that features a brand new, hands-on, interactive exhibit on the telegraph and the development of modern communications.
Admission to the All County Garage Sale is $3.00 per adult, $2.00 per senior and student. Children 12 and under are admitted FREE. For more information, call (973) 285-6550 or click here for more information.
FLORHAM PARK — Cornerstone Family Programs’ gathers over 300 of our community’s most philanthropic individuals to raise funds at its annual spring gala.
This year’s event, themed Smoke & Mirrors, was held on Saturday, April 1, at Park Avenue Club. Community members arrived in style, dressed in black and white, to celebrate the continued success of the non-profit organization.
The Gala, which is Cornerstone Family Programs’ largest fundraising event of the year, honored former Mayor of Harding Township, Nic Platt, MACRO Consulting Group of Parsippany, and Marjorie and Ivory Herbert as Cornerstone of the Community Honorees.
Marjorie Herbert, a thirty-year employee of Morristown Neighborhood House, Cornerstone Family Programs’ subsidiary, expressed her gratitude for the organization’s strong support at the event in a heartfelt speech.
“I invite you to come to the Neighborhood House and see what our kids do every day, and would be more than happy to show you around,” Herbert stated as she described the growth of the organization over the past three decades of working there, emphasizing that the children of the Neighborhood House thrive as competitive students thanks to the funds that help its programming.
Patrice Picard, CEO of Cornerstone Family Programs, emphasized the importance of programs at Morristown Neighborhood House. “It’s through our programs and dedication to our children that they grow into our community’s leaders, and it all begins with giving them a chance.”
Encouraging active philanthropy and service, Cornerstone Family Programs’ President of the Board, Hector Mislavsky, noted that 100 percent of Cornerstone’s Board of Directors was in attendance Saturday night. Full board participation contributed greatly to the event’s success, which garnered a nearly $300,000 profit, which will help fund Morristown Neighborhood House’s summer camp and STEM Lab Center programs.
Morristown Neighborhood House’s summer camp provides subsidized care costs for families, and a safe haven for children in the community during the summer months. The program provides activities, healthy meals, and opportunities for trips that ensure positive educational, character, and social development over the summer. A camp for children of all ages, Morristown Neighborhood House encourages active adolescent participation, as its Teen Tutors and Mentors serve as paid camp counselors during the summer, introducing a workforce preparedness aspect to the program.
Each of Morristown Neighborhood House’s classrooms features a STEM Lab Center, encouraging exploration and education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Accompanied with new curriculum for teachers at Morristown Neighborhood House, the STEM Lab Centers were designed with a goal to increase interest and improve performance in these areas of education.
Cornerstone Family Programs and Morristown Neighborhood House joined forces in 2013 to strengthen communities by helping people build better lives. Cornerstone Family Programs helps nearly 10,000 including children, adults, families, seniors and veterans. Cornerstone Family Programs is a private, non-profit organization. For more information about Cornerstone Family Programs, call (973) 538-5260 or click here.
PARSIPPANY — The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA is pleased to announce the 2017 winners of the annual YMCA Citizen of the Year Awards from their ten service area towns: Karen DeChristopher, Parsippany; Carolyn Micheletti Dobies, Boonton; Ron Quade, Boonton Township; Thomas Dean, Denville; Scott Akin, Kinnelon-Butler; Lauren Curiotto, Lincoln Park; Mark and Anna Landgrebe, Montville; Thomas “Mac” McElduff, Mountain Lakes; Russ Hall, Pequannock and Sgt. Greg Bogert, Riverdale.
Karen DeChristopher is the Division Marketing and Customer Relations Administrator for Western Pest Services.
Diane Rudolph and Karen DeChristopher. Karen is also Vice President of Family Promise
Among many other volunteer organizations, Karen DeChristopher is Vice President of Family Promise, is Vice President of Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany and Co-Director and Committee Chair of Kiwanis Club’s Young Children Priority One (YCPO) service projects. In January, Karen was given one of the highest honors in the Kiwanis Club, the George F. Hixon Fellowship Award. George F. Hixon Fellowship Awards are given to Kiwanians who have contributed to the betterment of the club. The club is eligible to award a Hixon for each donation of $1,000 to the Kiwanis International Foundation. The Hixon award is named in honor of the first Kiwanis International president.
Frank Cahill presenting Karen DeChristopher with the Hixon award
These individuals have demonstrated outstanding community service and volunteerism. “The selflessness exhibited by these volunteers is consistent with social responsibility, which is one of the key underpinnings of our YMCA mission and we are looking forward to honoring them,”says Lakeland Hills YMCA Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Viktor Joganow.
The winners will be recognized at the Y’s Annual Dinner that will take place on Wednesday, May 17 at the Knoll Country Club West. Tickets for the dinner (at $50.00 each) are available through May 10 and everyone is welcome to attend, so come out and meet the people who have made a difference in your community! For tickets, call Nancy Dunham at the Y, (973) 334-2820, or email: nancyd@lhymca.com