PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Education announces the ground breaking for turf fields at Parsippany High School and Parsippany Hills High School.
The Board of Education has been working toward this goal for many years. The new fields will have an immediate, positive impact on the district’s students, sports teams, and community!
The groundbreaking for Parsippany High School Redhawk Football Field, 309 Baldwin Road, will be held on Tuesday, May 12 at 5:30 p.m.
The groundbreaking for Parsippany Hills High School Viking Football Field, 20 Rita Drive, will be held on Thursday, May 14 at 5:30 p.m.
Chief Justice Stuart Rabner has announced that Superior Court Judge Stuart A. Minkowitz will lead the Morris/Sussex Vicinage, effective May 28. He will succeed Assignment Judge Thomas L. Weisenbeck, who is retiring after 10 years on the bench, four as assignment judge.
“The Morris/Sussex Vicinage has flourished under Judge Weisenbeck’s leadership. He has excelled as a judge and a leader, and we wish him the best as he reaches his mandatory retirement date,” said Chief Justice Stuart Rabner.
“Judge Minkowitz is a gifted jurist, a strong manager, and a dedicated public servant. I am confident that his skill and wisdom will enable him to lead the vicinage with distinction.”
A graduate of the State University of New York at Albany and Brooklyn Law School, Judge Minkowitz began his career in public service in the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office in 1992. In 1996, he joined the Hackensack firm of Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard as an associate. He returned to public service in the U. S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, working as a civil health care fraud coordinator. He remained in that position until his appointment to the bench by Gov. Jon Corzine. He took the oath of judicial office on Jan. 10, 2008.
From 1999 until his appointment to the bench, Judge Minkowitz served as a captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps, first in the United States Army Reserve, and then in the New Jersey Army National Guard. In that role, he conducted legal reviews of administrative actions and policies, acted as legal advisor to administrative hearing boards, and provided legal assistance to soldiers and their families.
While on the bench, Judge Minkowitz served first in the family division, then moved to the criminal division in 2011. He was named presiding judge of the criminal division in December 2012. Since December 2014, he has served as the statewide Megan’s Law coordinator. He also has been a member of the Criminal Division Visitation Team, which reviews and reports on the implementation of criminal division standards and best practices statewide. Other committee service includes the Conference of Criminal Presiding Judges, the Conference of Drug Court Judges, and a working group to explore technology solutions for judicial work. He has served on the faculty of the annual Judicial College as well as on other judicial education panels.
“I am delighted to accept the chief’s appointment, and I look forward to working with the judges and staff of the Morris/Sussex vicinage to serve the public in this new role,” said Judge Minkowitz.
As a Parsippany resident who was elected to and served on the Board of Education and as a Republican who has run for his Party’s nomination for the Town Council, I have had the occasion to meet with and talk to many Parsippany voters over the years. Without exception those conversations have focused on the need to elect candidates who will put Parsippany first and who will have the courage to stand up for what is right even when it means having to stand alone to make sure that all good ideas are considered and that all possible options are explored.
Recently, I have been asked by a number of friends and neighbors whom I plan to vote for in the Republican primary in June and I must admit that I have had some difficulty making that decision. After considerable thought I have concluded that blocking Mayor Barberio’s badly flawed agenda is absolutely critical to protect Parsippany’s future. For that reason I plan to split my ballot and cast my vote for Paul Carifi, John Beehler and Loretta Gragnani. I do so, not because I believe that Mr. dePierro and Mr. Ferrara are bad people but because these two gentleman have repeatedly failed to stand up to Mayor Barberio who (with their support) has consistently chosen to put his personal and political self interests ahead of what is best for Parsippany. I will vote for Mrs. Gragnani (even though she is on the dePierro/Ferrara slate) with the hope that she will have the courage to stand on her own and use her past experience serving Parsippany to make independent decisions that will keep Parsippany’s best interests in mind. My vote for Mr. Carifi takes into account that, though he and I may disagree on some issues, he has consistently demonstrated a willingness to listen to matters that concern residents and to vote in their best interests. My vote for Mr. Beeler is not a vote against Ms. Visakay but rather a bet that this political newcomer will bring a fresh and much needed new perspective to Parsippany’s Republican party.
I close by saying that I know that sharing these thoughts may be viewed by some as being a highly presumptuous act and I stand guilty as charged. Having said that I invite other Parsippany Republicans to share their thoughts before the election and more importantly to exercise their right to vote in the June 2 Primary.
Insurance goliath John Graham and his son, Ryan are no stranger to local politics. In March, the elder Graham was honored and inducted into the 2015 Essex County Democratic Committee Hall of Fame. In addition to being heavily involved in Essex County politics, Graham has also previously served as national finance co-chair for Hillary Clinton when she ran for president in 2008, and also as state director for John Kerry, when he ran for president.
Ryan Graham
Fairview Insurance, the agency Graham started in 1970 also happens to be the broker of record for the Township of Parsippany. As the largest municipality in Morris County, Parsippany provides Fairview with hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in commission for directing the township into self-funding it’s own employee health and dental plan.
While it’s not unusual for insurance brokers to earn hefty commissions, Fairview and the Graham family have built a reputation for making hefty political donations to candidates, committees, and PAC’s in the same municipalities and counties they do business in.
In January 2010, in one of his first acts after becoming mayor of Parsippany, Mayor James Barberio, along with Council members Mike dePierro, John Fox, Ann Grossi, John Cesaro, and Brian Stanton, amended Parsippany’s Pay-To-Play Ordinance to allow professionals who contracted with the township to donate unlimited amounts to the Morris County Republican and Democratic Committees. The prior ordinance allowed township professionals only $500 each year to be donated to the County Committees.
One of the Council members who originally voted to confirm Fairview as Parsippany’s insurance broker was John Cesaro. In 2012, Cesaro announced his candidacy for Morris County Freeholder. Ryan Graham and his wife promptly donated $5100 to Cesaro’s freeholder campaign.
John Cesaro
Even though Cesaro was a candidate for a county position, the townships pay-to-play ordinance prohibits professionals from donating more than $300 each year to office holders. Township attorney John Inglesino recently told Parsippany Focus that as township attorney he investigated whether Graham’s $5100 contribution was a campaign violation (which if guilty would bar Fairview from working for Parsippany for four years) but determined that since Ryan Graham and his wife did not own more than a 10% equity stake in Fairview, the contribution was legal.
*editor’s note. It is also a pay-to-play violation to knowingly circumvent Parsippany’s ordinance. If proven that Mr. Graham donated the money to Mr. Cesaro on his father’s behalf, that would trigger a violation…something that is very difficult to prove.
On or around September 18, 2013, Morris County Republican Chairman John Sette authored a letter to contributors which in part said that “Parsippany has an ordinance that makes it practically impossible to raise campaign contributions…Checks should be made out to ‘Friends of Jamie Barberio’ and mailed to me at MCRC, 26 Schuyler Place Morristown, NJ 07960.”
On September 27, 2013, one week after Mr. Sette’s letter was mailed, Mr. Graham promptly donated $7200 to the Morris County Republican Committee, money specifically earmarked for Mayor Barberio’s reelection campaign. This was the first and only donation ever reported to having been made to the Morris County Republicans by anyone from Fairview Insurance.
Democratic PAC enters Par-Troy GOP Council Race
Alan Zakin
Last month, New York Observer owned news website, Politickrnj.com reported that a Super PAC with Democratic ties had injected itself into the 2015 Parsippany Republican Council primary. The PAC, NJ’s Future First, it was reported, was being financed by Fairview Insurance Agency’s Ryan Graham in order to pay longtime Barberio campaign strategist, Alan Zakin. Although the NJ’s Future First mission statement declares that it does not endorse individual candidates, The PAC has made a large presence in Parsippany by hiring campaign workers and printing literature in support of Councilman dePierro, Vincent Ferrara, and Loretta Gragnani. dePierro and Ferrera, while previously on the township council, voted to reappoint Fairview as the Township’s broker, while their opponent Councilman Paul Carifi and his running mates Aida Visakay and John Beehler, have been openingly critical of Fairview’s contract with Parsippany.
Several residents have told Parsippany Focus that workers for NJ’s Future First have appeared on their doorstep urging voters to vote for dePierro’s council slate and John Cesaro’s freeholder slate….both teams being longtime Fairview Insurance supporters.
In March, Mr. Graham also emailed people to support Freeholder Cesaro at a fundraiser being held in Essex County.
Just this week, Jeff Brindle, the Executive Director of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission authored an opt-ed in which he blasted the Super PAC for injecting itself into a local Parsippany GOP primary race.
Mayor Barberio’s closest childhood friend on Fairview payroll
Daniel Margotta
In 2013 and 2014 Parsippany Council members publicly asked Mayor Barberio and Mr. Graham if any of Mayor Barberio’s family or close friends worked for, or had any business relationship with Fairview insurance. Mr. Graham and Mr. Barberio both answered no. Parsippany Focus has recently learned that life-long Barberio friend and supporter, actor, Daniel Margotta, has received at least $87,878 in compensation from Fairview and possibly as much as $324,529 beginning in 2011. Mr. Margotta’s Linkedin page makes no mention of being in the insurance industry.
Emails to Mr. Graham and Fairview Insurance have been unanswered as of the time of publication.
The officers were discussing the details of the accident.
Damage was done to the 2014 Dodge Durango
The officer assessing the damage to the 2014 Dodge Durango
There was debris from the vehicle on New Road
The trailer was carrying construction equipment
PARSIPPANY — Mr. Massimili Carpinteri, 38, Orange, was traveling North on New Road, when Mr. Richard Olenick, 42, Montville, was exiting the driveway of 181 New Road and entered the roadway stricking the trailer that was being pulled by the 2014 Ford F55.
Mr. Olenick’s vehicle was towed from the scene by Eagle Towing.
The investigation revealed that Mr. Olenick was at fault because of inattention and failed to yield right of way to the 2014 Ford F55.
Patrolman Jimmy Michel was the officer investigating the accident.
The weather the next four days isn’t going to change much. It will be sunny during the day with highs mainly in the 70s. The evenings will be dry with temperatures in the upper 50s and low 60s, the National Weather Forecast says. Today’s highs are expected to be 73 in Woodbridge, 76 in Hackettstown, 66…
PARSIPPANY — In the past 30 days Troop 72 has done 376 man-hours of service project work, for the community of Parsippany-Troy Hills, Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation, and Liberty State Park.
Troop 72 is always looking to help our community, and we would like to ask the community to come out to help us.
On Mother’s Day, Troop 72 will be having its annual Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser. Scouts and Leaders will be serving breakfast between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. at the Applebee’s on Route 46.
Proceeds from the fundraiser help to sponsor scouts to attend National Youth Leadership Training, provide new equipment for the growing troop, and keep scouting affordable by helping pay for financially challenged families summer camp experience.
Please join Troop 72 on Mother’s Day for breakfast, it’s a great day, and a great cause.
Here are the details of some of their Service Projects they completed in the past month:
Beaver Day – Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation. 16 Scouts and Adults spent 6 hours helping with the demolition of a large cabin. This cabin is being rebuilt and modernized, it will feature bunks for 38 people, propane heat and air conditioning. Camp Somers at MASR is our annual home for Summer Camp.
United Methodist Church Roast Beef Dinner. 12 Scouts and Adults spent 3½ hours serving drinks and cleaning tables. Troop 72 is happy to help with this annual tradition.
Pack 142 April Pack Meeting. 10 Scouts and Adults taught basic scout required knots to the members of Pack 142. After knots they were asked to stay and help with tents, and helped with performance in a campfire program. Initially scheduled for only ½ hour the troop spent 2 ½ hours helping the pack.
Scouts from Troop 72 and other local units participated in a cleanup day at Liberty State Park. In October Troop 72 will join an estimated 5000 scouts at Liberty State Park for the Liberty Jamboree.
Troop 72 has been serving youth ages 11-18 of the Parsippany area since 1954, to join or for meeting information email by clicking here.
PARSIPPANY — James J. Stefel, 66, passed away on Sunday, May 3, at Morton Plant Mease Hospital in Clearwater, Florida.
Jimmy was born in Newark and grew up in Irvington. He lived in West Orange before moving to Parsippany in 1990.
Jimmy worked for the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills as a Senior Maintenance Repairman. After working for the town Jimmy was a past chief and life member of Parsippany Rescue & Recovery.
He was predeceased by his son, Charles Pizzi and his daughter, Deborah Decker.
Survivors include his wife, Ruthann (nee-Frandsen); his son, J.R. Stefel; his sister, April M. Stefel; his daughter-in-law, Lisa Pizzi; his son-in-law, Dwain Decker; his six grandchildren: Jennifer, Nicole, and Christopher Decker; Anthony, Tiffany, and Juliana Pizzi; and his two great-grandchildren: Gabby and Brody Semple.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend his funeral service at 10:00 am on Saturday, May 9, 2015 at Par-Troy Funeral Home. Interment: Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Hanover.
Visiting hours are on Thursday from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Friday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers please make donations in his memory to United Methodist Church, 903 South Beverwyck Road, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 or Parsippany Rescue & Recovery, Post Office Box 45, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034.
PARSIPPANY − The Parsippany High School Redhawks Baseball Team defeated Parsippany Hills Vikings on Friday, May 1 in the Mayors Trophy Game with a score of 2-1.
The winners each year:
2006 – PHHS 6 – PHS 0
2007 – PHHS 11 – PHS 1
2008 – PHHS 4 – PHS 1
2009 – PHHS 9 – PHS 6
2010 – PHHS 11 – PHS 0
2012 – PHHS 6 – PHS 2
2013 – PHS 8 – PHHS 4
2014 – PHHS 2 – PHS 1
2015 – PHS 2 – PHHS 1
The Parsippany Redhawks record so far is 8-9 and the Vikings are 0 – 19.
The Parsippany Hills Vikings and Parsippany High Redhawks
The Parsippany Redhawks won the 2015 Mayors Trophy
The Parsippany Redhawks won the 2015 Mayors Trophy
Mayor James Barberio presents the trophy to the Redhawks
Parsippany Hills Vikings Ali Walek, Krissy Daxter, Justin Jasiecki, Carly Carroll, Kelsie Taylor and Ryan Hill came out to support their team
1965 PHS Baseball Dennis Wood pitches the ball
Parsippany Redhawks shake hands with the Vikings after the game
Councilmen Brian Stanton and Michael dePierro and Mayor James Barberio watching the game
The coach discuss the inning with the players
Ryan Ziobro at bat for the Vikings
Giancarlo Colasuonno about to pitch the ball
J.D. Keyes at bat for the Vikings
Mayor James Barberio throwing out one of the first balls
Coach Ray Santana, Councilman Brian Stanton and Council President Paul Carifi, Jr.
Senior Timur Uygun with his parents at PHS Senior Night
Senior Giancarlo Colasuonno with his parents at PHS Senior Night
Hayden Cerrato with his dad Philip
Senior John Buciarelli with his parents on Senior Night
Nicholas Neglia, with his parents Frank and Sandy
James Keyes with his parents
Asst. Coach Mike Sifonias and Parsippany-Troy Hills Council President Paul Carifi, Jr.,
Dear Editor:
On Mother’s Day, Troop 72 will be having its annual Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser. Scouts and Leaders will be serving breakfast between 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. at the Applebee’s on Route 46. 
PARSIPPANY — James J. Stefel, 66, passed away on Sunday, May 3, at Morton Plant Mease Hospital in Clearwater, Florida.
