PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Board of Adjustment held its reorganization meeting on Wednesday, January 12.
Parsippany resident Chris Mazzarella was appointed to the Board of Adjustment for a two-year term expiring December 31, 2024. He will serve as Alternate #2.
Parsippany resident Casey Parikh was reappointed to the Board of Adjustment for a two-year term expiring December 31, 2024. He will serve as Alternate #1. Board Attorney Peter King, Esq. administered the “Oath of Office” to Parikh.
Parsippany resident Casey Parikh was reappointed to the Board of Adjustment for a two-year term expiring December 31, 2024. He will serve as Alternate #1.
Scott Joskowitz, who was previously Alternate #1, was sworn in as a regular member, with a term expiring December 31, 2025. Board Attorney Peter King, Esq. administered the “Oath of Office” to Joskowitz.
Scott Joskowitz, who was previously Alternate #1, was sworn in as a regular member, with a term expiring December 31, 2025.
Board Attorney Peter King, Esq. administered the “Oath of Office” to Mazzarella, Parikh, and Joskowitz.
Robert Iracane was elected Chairman and David Kaplan was elected Vice-Chairman.
Board Attorney Peter King, Jr., was re-elected to serve as Board Attorney with the majority of votes, although Board Chairman nominated Bill Johnson, from Johnson & Johnson, to replace King.
Other re-appointments included John Chadwick as Planner and Chas Holloway as Engineer.
Other members of the board include Bernard Berkowitz, Dave Kaplan, Robert Iracane, Sridath Reddy, Nancy Snyder, Davey Willans.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Planning Board held its reorganization meeting on Monday, January 10.
John Von Achen Vice-Chairman of Parsippany-Troy Hills Planning Board
Tom Dinsmore was elected to serve as Chairman and John Von Achen was elected to serve as Vice Chairman.
Nora O. Jolie was reaffirmed as Planning Board Secretary.
Daniel R. Lagana, Partner Cleary Giacobbe Alfieri Jacobs administered the Oath of Office to new incoming members Gordon Meth and Ted Stanziale.
In addition, Tom Dinsmore and Jennifer Vealey took the Oath of Office.
Jennifer Vealey was re-appointed by Mayor Barberio to serve as a Class II member for a term ending December 31, 2022.
Tom Dinsmore taking the oath of office
Tom Dinsmore was re-appointed by Mayor Barberio to serve as a Class IV member for a term ending December 31, 2025.
Gordon Meth taking the oath of office
Gordon Meth was appointed by Mayor Barberio as a Class IV member for a term ending December 31, 2025.
Ted Staniziale taking the oath of office
Ted Stanziale was appointed by Mayor Barberio as an Alternate Number 1 of the Planning Board for a term ending December 31, 2023.
In addition, John Von Achen was appointed Chairman of the Minor Site Plan and Subdivision Committee. Gordon Meth, Jennifer Vealey, Dominic Mele, and Anil Dadheeh were appointed to serve on the Committee.
PARSIPPANY — Andrea Martone, a top New Jersey Realtor® and the owner of Realty Executives Platinum Agents, has an unquenchable passion for real estate combined with compassion for her community… and both of those qualities are evident through her dedication to both her clients and community service.
Martone was raised in Parsippany, as was her partner, Paul Cristelli. She has called Rockaway home in the past and currently resides in Denville. Today, she proudly boasts that she has been a Morris County resident for over 45 years. To Martone, real estate is more than helping clients buy and sell homes – it is about cultivating thriving communities and forming relationships with thousands of neighbors that call these communities home.
Martone began her real estate career 21 years ago and immediately began sponsoring charity events to promote her new business and expand her contacts. Her participation in Morris County events quickly led to invites to food drives, fundraisers for animal shelters, and more. She discovered that charity events were a great way to authentically connect with various members of the community and saying ‘no’ was not an option. The deep ties Martone developed with the community helped her become a true neighborhood expert and advocate.
“I believe that when you put out positive, positive things come back. These communities have been so supportive of me, my family, and my business over the years; the communities trust us. I want to do anything and everything I can to reciprocate that,” says Martone.
While Martone’s career has evolved over the years from agent to top producer to brokerage owner, her commitment to growing the community has not waivered. She is a longtime active member of the Elks Club in Parsippany, participating in the Ladies Auxiliary. The auxiliary hosts fish fry dinners, garage sales, raffles, and social events to raise money for initiatives such as Camp Moore, a vacation away from home for children with special needs.
Recently, both Martone and Cristelli joined the Kiwanis Club of Denville. Their work with the club helps raise money for various children’s initiatives through awards dinners, pancake breakfasts, paper shreds, and more. They also participate in the Denville library’s trunk or treat, safe and fun activity for local children.
But Martone and Cristelli cannot stop with one or two clubs when there are more communities to serve. The team sponsors trick-or-treat trails in Boonton and Rockaway and volunteer in the Parsippany Food Truck Festival supporting Parsippany Kiwanis. They participate in the Denville Fall Festival benefitting the fire department, and Parsippany’s trunk or treat. They have become the local go-to Realtors® when it comes to service, filling nearly all their non-business hours with events to benefit the neighborhoods they love. “We have so much fun that time truly flies by at each of these outings. We love catching up with everyone, seeing their kids grow, and having a great time together,” says Martone.
The project nearest and dearest to Martone is the Pink Witches Night Out. This Denville-based fundraiser occurs annually in October and supports breast cancer awareness. Deemed “New Jersey’s best girls’ night out for a great cause,” this year’s event benefited a 29-year-old local woman with stage three breast cancer. Attendees don witch hats with pink ribbons to honor cancer survivors, current warriors, and family members.
“The importance of giving back to the communities where you live, work, and play cannot be understated,” says Patrick van den Bossche, president of Realty Executives International. “Our Executives are attracted to real estate because it provides a tremendous opportunity to serve others, especially beyond a transaction. The Martone Team recognizes and understands that charitable service strengthens the community from the inside out, making a lasting impact.”
Stay tuned for Martone’s upcoming community activities, including Platinum Agents’ fundraiser for a local food pantry, complete with pictures with Santa. To learn more, visit MartoneTeam.com or connect with her on Facebook.
A Note About Andrea Martone
Andrea Martone is a top-quality real estate professional who possesses a high level of integrity and knowledge of the community to serve all your real estate needs. Her market awareness, coupled with marketing savvy, effective negotiation skills, and personal guidance, are exactly what is needed to navigate the real estate market. Andrea provides top-quality customer service by putting her clients first. She keeps herself accessible, response to her client’s needs, is an effective communicator and is an excellent listener. She also provides real estate information and listings on her Twitter page and her Facebook page.
This “client first” philosophy has always been Andrea’s approach and requires her to continually improve her skills and ways of doing business. Additionally, she has found that the latest technologies enable her to provide efficient service to buyers and sellers.
Martone has earned the Circle of Excellence Award each year for the past 20 years and has achieved the Platinum Circle of Excellence Award, the pinnacle accolade for Realtors® in New Jersey, for the past four years. She has been in the top one percent of New Jersey Realtors® since 2005. For more information, visit martoneteam.com.
Reprinted from Parsippany Focus Magazine, January 2022. Click here to view the article.
PARSIPPANY – Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Christoph Kimker, and Parsippany Police Department Acting Chief Richard Pantina, announce the arrest of Earl L. Kelly, 36, of Hamilton.
Kelly has been charged with four counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a(3) and N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2a(4), crimes of the First Degree; two counts of Sexual Assault, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2c(1) crimes of the Second Degree; two counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Contact, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-3a, crimes of the Third Degree; one count of Criminal Sexual Contact, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-3b, a crime of the Fourth Degree; one count of Robbery, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:15-1a(2), a crime of the First Degree; one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-5b, a crime of the Second Degree; Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4a, a crime of the Second Degree; Aggravated Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(4), a crime of the Fourth Degree; and Criminal Restraint in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:13-2a, a crime of the Third Degree.
It is alleged that on December 24, 2021, the defendant sexually assaulted and robbed a 19-year-old victim while armed with a handgun at the Holiday Inn in Parsippany. Following an investigation, the defendant was apprehended by members of the Edison Police Department on January 7, 2022.
After the defendant’s arrest, he was transported to the Morris County Correctional Facility, and is pending a court appearance scheduled for January 8, 2022.
Anyone with information relating to this case or any related incident is asked to call Detective Thomas Laird of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6245.
Prosecutor Carroll would like to thank the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office’s Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit, the Parsippany Police Department, the Hamilton Township Police Division, and the Edison Police Department for their efforts in the investigation and arrest of this defendant.
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 — Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen, a former mayor of Chatham Township, was sworn in tonight as Director of the Board of County Commissioners after fellow board members Deborah Smith of Denville, John Krickus of Washington Township, and Stephen H. Shaw of Mountain Lakes were sworn in to new, three-year terms as Commissioners.
“I stand here as an American who appreciates everything this nation allowed me to achieve, and I want to continue paying America back through public service,” said Commissioner Director Selen, a Turkish immigrant who spoke tonight of moving to this nation 25-years ago.
Tayfun Selen of Chatham Township is sworn in by Sheriff James Gannon with Selen’s wife, Tulin
He came with no money, unable to speak English and his first job was pumping gas at a service station in Madison, less than five miles from where he was being sworn in. By 2008, when he took the oath as an American citizen, he was leading the new branch development program for a major financial institution and later became mayor of Chatham Township.
“I am thankful to be living in Morris County – the best community anywhere – and with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic again at our doorstep, I will continue to work with this board to protect our residents and our business owners,” Selen said.
The annual Morris County Reorganization Meeting was held virtually this year due to a spike in the COVID-19 pandemic. Three Commissioners tuned in remotely via Webex, four others separately made their remarks before cameras in the Commissioners’ public meeting room in Morristown and the public watched remotely via Webex.
“Under trying circumstances, Morris County has stayed calm and carried on,” said Commissioner Krickus, as he was sworn into a new three-year term as Commissioner and separately as Deputy Director.
“We have enhanced our quality of life by funding open space, trails, and our park system, which really came in handy during the pandemic. We have the financial and organizational strength to respond to every twist and turn in this pandemic. All accomplished while not increasing taxes, one of the few zero-percent inflation services you will find,” Krickus added.
Commissioner Shaw, the past-Director, was sworn into his second three-year term on the board by Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce as his wife, Cindy, held the bible. He congratulated Director Selen and, in place of his remarks, deferred to the video encapsulating serious highlights of the past year and a bit of levity.
“While our jobs are very serious, we cannot take ourselves too seriously,” said Commissioner Shaw. “I am a firm believer that, especially during these trying times, we must pause from time to time and take a moment to laugh. I tried to do that throughout the year.”
The video included the launch of the Morris County COVID-19 Regional Vaccination Center as well as the launch of new programs and expansion of existing programs by Morris County, despite the pandemic.
Deborah Smith, who had served as Director and Deputy Director in 2020 and 2021, respectively, looked back at the ability of Morris County to continue providing services and expand programs while tackling the pandemic.
“We have been able to address the pandemic these past two years while still meeting our annual goals for bridge replacements, road repaving, infrastructure improvements, preserving historic sites, creating new trails, and saving more open space,” Smith said. “We have continued to assist our most vulnerable citizens, helping seniors and maintaining all of our Human Services programs. We also have maintained our Triple-A financial rating.”
Commissioner Director Selen was accompanied by his wife, Tulin, as he was sworn in as Director by Sheriff James Gannon. The Sheriff also swore Commissioner Smith to her new term, as her husband, Stephen, stood with her.
John Krickus is sworn in as Deputy Director by Sen. Anthony M. Bucco with his wife, Carolyn; daughter, Kelly, and son-in-law, Garrett Lare
Commissioner Krickus was sworn to his new term by Assemblywoman Aura Dunn while accompanied by his wife, Carolyn; daughter, Kelly, and son-in-law, Garrett Lare. He was sworn in as Deputy Director by Sen. Anthony M. Bucco.
Participating in the swearing-in, in person, was Former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli. The invocation was provided, virtually, by The Reverend Rod Perez-Vega of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Dover.
Singing the National Anthem, virtually, was Sara Lepre, a member of MAYO Performing Arts Centre’s Performing Arts Company.
The Morris County Board of County Commissioners will hold their next work session and regular meeting on January 12, 2022. The work session begins at 4:30 p.m. and the regular meeting at 7:00 p.m. The meetings will be held virtually until further notice.
PARSIPPANY — Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire Company (RLVFC) would like to thank Joe Reeber, Sr., and Doug Reighard for serving as Chief and Deputy Chief respectfully this past year.
Doug served our community in fire company leadership roles for seven years, five as Chief and two as Deputy Chief. Doug got involved right after moving into our community.
Joe who grew up in the Rainbow Lakes Community has held many fire officer positions and has served as our Chief for a second time and held leadership roles in the Parsippany Joint Chiefs.
Under their leadership RLVFC obtained praise and respect from neighboring fire companies, residents, earned numerous awards at local fairs and competitions, and attracted new members. Both promised to remain active as firefighters.
For the 2022 calendar year the following people will serve as officers:
Chief – Russell Greuter
Captain – Jeff Pikor and Keith Lefferts
Lieutenant – Greg Robinson, Josh Lefferts, and Nolan Keena
The business officers:
President – Frank DeRienzo
Vice President – Jeff Pikor
Treasurer – George Appel
Secretary – Mark Rabson
Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire Company is located in Parsippany–Troy Hills and are located in Parsippany Fire District Two which is governed by an elected Board of Commissioners which includes Commissioners Donald Denise, James Murphy, George Appel, Chuck Iantosca, and Pete Deegan.
If you would like to help serve our community as a first responder please stop at the firehouse the first Friday evening of each month, most Monday evenings, or contact any member of the fire company.
MORRIS PLAINS — Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace in Morris Plains will open on January 14 at 11:00 a.m.
On that day, a grand opening will be held with live music, ribbon cutting, food samples, and more.
Whether you’re around the corner or across the country, you can now enjoy Uncle Giuseppe’s fresh Ravioli with your family any day of the year. Prepared fresh daily in their Marketplaces, our Fresh Pasta has so many cuts, shapes, and sizes, there’s no limit to your next delicious meal!
This is the market’s second location in New Jersey and it’s first in Morris County. The 42,000-square-foot space is occupying the former ShopRite, in Briarcliff Commons.
“We are thrilled to be opening our second New Jersey location in prestigious Briarcliff Commons,” said Philip DelPrete, Co-founder and President of Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace. “This property puts us at a premier location in Morris Plains where we will be able to introduce the community to our unique gourmet offerings and shopping experience.”
Uncle Giuseppe’s, a full-service supermarket featuring a gourmet Italian theme, will occupy more than 42,000 square feet. It will be the grocer’s second store in New Jersey, following the enormous success of its first New Jersey location in Ramsey. The new Uncle Giuseppe’s store brings this beloved brand to Morris County, offering key essentials as well as its unique selection of specialty items in a convenient location with ample parking.
Urban Edge Properties, the real estate trust that owns Briarcliff Commons, announced that Uncle Giuseppe had signed a lease with the property in the summer of 2020.
The location will showcase all Uncle Giuseppe’s favorites such as a full-service deli, specialty butcher, scratch-made bakery, as well as its famous viewing rooms where pasta and mozzarella are made fresh daily. In addition, the store includes a full grocery, dairy, and frozen food complement to ensure a complete shopping experience.
For added convenience, Uncle Giuseppe’s will also offer home delivery and curbside pickup for everyday grocery essentials.
“Briarcliff Commons is already the most visited shopping center in its market for everyday needs, and we expect the addition of Uncle Giuseppe’s will increase visits further while introducing a one-of-a-kind, specialty grocery experience unmatched in this market,” said Chris Weilminster, EVP and COO of Urban Edge Properties. “We are very pleased that our recent investment to renovate and redevelop this property, including the new retail lineup, has enhanced the offering for the community. It’s a win-win, and we look forward to welcoming Uncle Giuseppe’s.”
For more information about Uncle Giuseppe’s Marketplace click here.
Briarcliff Commons is located at 1711 State Route 10 east is at the intersection of Route 10 and Route 202. Other shops include Skechers, Wells Fargo, Terry’s Pet Depot, Massage Envy, Chiptole Mexican Grill, First Watch, Kohls, and Chick-fil-A.
Two other stores will be opening soon in the Briarcliff Commons: Chopt Creative Salad Company and Crumbl Cookies. (Click here to read the story).
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County’s Board of County Commissioners announced the county will resume no-cost, COVID-19 testing inside the Student Center at the County College of Morris (CCM) on Monday, January 10 to help meet soaring demand.
Testing is available by appointment only.No one will be permitted to walk into the facility without an appointment, and appointments must be scheduled online by clicking here.
The center will be open seven days per week and appointments will be available between 7:00 a.m. and 6:45 p.m., except for a half-hour between 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.
“We are meeting the increased demand of our residents for more testing facilities, and we want to take a tremendous burden off local hospitals where emergency room personnel have been overwhelmed by people walking in hoping to find tests,” said Commissioner Director Stephen H. Shaw.
Saint Clare’s Health and Morristown Medical Center/Atlantic Health System have noted that a Morris County testing center at CCM will relieve emergency department pressures.
“Our strategic planning committee had discussed the need for testing recently, and despite tight supplies and limited resources, we are pleased the county was able to launch this initiative. Hopefully, the sharp increases in cases are plateauing, and we will have as sharp a decline,” said Commissioner John Krickus, referring to the board’s COVID-19 Strategic Planning Advisory Committee, of which he is a member.
Testing Center Morris County and the County College of Morris will again collaborate with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office to operate the testing facility in the same Student Center location where the county-operated its testing center last year. Instead of a saliva test, the center will employ the LabQ Diagnostics nasal-swab PCR tests.
HQ Health, which is the new LabQ brand name for the company’s suite of comprehensive and complete healthcare services, opened a new, 100,000 square foot center in Mount Olive last May. Among other operations, the center will manage four other national data centers for LabQ and employ more than 1,000 people locally.
Because of the massive demand on testing throughout the nation, people looking to be tested are being advised that receiving results may take considerably longer than the usually advertised timetable of 24 hours to 48 hours.
People who schedule a test will not be charged for the service but will be asked to provide information about whether they have health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, or no healthcare coverage. Individuals with symptoms or who have a known exposure to COVID-19 should follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for isolation or quarantine until they receive their test results.
Please monitor the COVID-19 information page on the Morris County website to learn of any changes in the testing schedule at CCM or updates on other testing programs and the pandemic.
“We’ve met the pandemic head-on since it began. Last year we set up the most successful vaccination center in the state at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall, as well as a testing center. With this recent rise in cases, we are launching the testing center again with the same vigor and level of tenacity as before,” said Commissioner Thomas Mastrangelo, a liaison to the county Department of Law & Public Safety.
“The County College of Morris is always ready to support the county in any way, and we are willing and proud to assist with this endeavor,” said CCM President Anthony J. Iacono.
Directions and Precautions Parking at CCM for people with appointments will be reserved in Lot 6, where individuals using public transportation to and from CCM also may board or disembark from a bus. To find directions to CCM and learn more about public transportation options to and from the campus, please go to the CCM website.
Everyone arriving at the campus is required to wear a protective face covering or mask from the time of arrival in the parking lot to the moment of departure.
PARSIPPANY — Son’s of Italy 2561 gave out approximately $3,000 of ShopRite and Walmart gift cards to local families, Parsippany Day Care Center, Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter, Interfaith, and Parsippany food pantries.
The Morris County of the Order of Sons of Italy Lodge 2561 is an affiliated member of the Order of the Sons of Italy In America Association, the largest and longest established Italian-American organization in the United States.
Morris County Lodge was founded as a non-profit organization, which contributes thousands of dollars to worthwhile local charities and families. The lodge is proud to be able to serve a small portion of needs to our local communities. Donations include, but are not limited to, The Parsippany Food Pantry, High School Scholarships, Gift cards to families in need, The Valerie Fund, Alzheimer’s, and many more.
For more information on how to join, please email John Ionero, President, at MorrisSOI2561@gmail.com.
