DOVER — The League of Women Voters of the Morristown Area, the Morris County branch of the NAACP, and the Daily Record co-host a candidates forum for candidates seeking a seat on the Dover Board of Alderman in 2023.
Candidates are: Ward 1 Claudia P. Toro and Gaile Rodriguez; Ward 2 Sergio Rodriguez and Wendy Huron Carmona; Ward 3 Michael J. Scarneo and William F. Shuler, Jr.; and Ward 4 William R. Inglis and Arturo B. Santana.
This recording is owned and copyrighted by the League of Women Voters and can only be shared in its entirety.
DOVER — The League of Women Voters of the Morristown Area, the Daily Record, and the Morris County Branch of the NAACP hosted a candidates debate for Dover Mayor on September 20, 2023.
The Mayoral candidates are James P. Dodd and Dennis Touhey.
This recording is owned and copyrighted by the League of Women Voters and can only be shared in its entirety.
CHATHAM — A Chatham Township resident narrowly avoided a burglary in the early hours of Wednesday morning, with the home’s security alarm system thwarting the would-be intruders, as reported by local police.
On Wednesday, September 20, approximately at 2:33 a.m., two individuals, concealing their identities with masks, made an attempt to gain unlawful entry into a residence located on Westminster Road via a back window. Thankfully, the activation of the audible burglary alarm deterred the intruders, prompting them to flee the scene.
The assailants made their escape in a compact black SUV, heading in the direction of Fairmount Avenue. Following investigations, the police determined the vehicle had been stolen and was later discovered abandoned within neighboring jurisdiction boundaries.
The suspects have been described as males, cloaked in hoodies, masks, and gloves, with one observed in dark-colored sweatpants, as per the police description.
Authorities are appealing to anyone possessing information related to this incident to contact Detective Mike Bloom of Chatham Township Police at (973) 377-0100, extension 4520.
In light of this event, the police are reminding residents to remain vigilant, advising the routine locking of homes and activation of burglar alarms to bolster security.
MORRIS COUNTY — County College of Morris (CCM) President Anthony J. Iacono has been named to the NJBIZ’s 2023 Education Power 50 list for the fifth consecutive year. He has been instrumental in building partnerships in the community and in the college’s extraordinary advancement, acknowledging that the key to maintaining an edge in our interconnected world is a workforce that continually adds knowledge and expertise.
In its ranking, NJBIZ declares that Iacono is widely recognized as one of the most esteemed leaders in New Jersey higher education. Since his arrival in 2016, to serve as the third president of CCM, he has established and maintained robust relationships to help cultivate career education, including tie-ups with the Morris County Chamber of Commerce and the New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program.
‘A community college graduate himself, Iacono believes the institution has the ability to strengthen lives and communities through affordable programs, as well as create a pipeline of highly educated workers for business and industry.’ — NJBIZ
“It’s an honor to be recognized by NJBIZ alongside my colleagues across New Jersey who have exceptional talent and are making a difference,” said Iacono. “The support CCM receives from our elected officials and communities, including our students, parents, faculty, administration, staff, and Board of Trustees, as well as our local officials and community leaders, county commissioners, state and national legislators, and industry, business and educational partners, we continue to position CCM as a powerhouse in New Jersey for changing lives and strengthening communities.”
In addition to involvement with various local, state, and national associations, both in education and business, Iacono has served as an advisor to the U.S. Department of Education, the Florida Department of Education, and numerous national educational reform organizations.
In its announcement, NJBIZ noted the Education Power 50 list profiles leaders of educational institutions who are “responsible for managing organizations, making policies that directly affect the institutions or are themselves directly responsible for imparting knowledge to students, apprentices and the citizenry at large.” Joining Iacono in recognition were other presidents of institutions, including Princeton, Rutgers, Stevens Institute of Technology, New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Rowan.
CCM continues to be consistently ranked as a Top Best College in New Jersey and is ranked the Best for Transfer Students by Intelligent. Many CCM students receive some form of financial assistance. Through scholarships, grants, financial aid, and generous donors, qualified students may attend CCM for free. According to Payscale, CCM graduates earn the highest salaries among community college alumni in New Jersey.
Amongst other accolades, CCM has also received a Good Neighbor Award from New Jersey Business Magazine for its Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Center, confirming the college as a frontrunner in preparing students for successful careers. Millions in federal and state grants have been awarded for advanced manufacturing programs. Most recently, CCM has become one of New Jersey’s economic engines by offering industry-recognized credentials to provide a highly educated and skilled workforce for regional employment. The Center for Workforce Development also operates a highly successful apprenticeship program in advanced manufacturing with a 92 percent employment rate.
HANOVER — Hanover Township Mayor Thomas “Ace” Gallagher announces a Free Mental Health Symposium to address mental health issues of loneliness, depression, isolation, and addiction. The Symposium is presented as part of the Mayor’s Wellness Campaign in conjunction with the Township of Hanover, the New Jersey Coalition for Education and Positive Choices (NJC4EPC), The Morris County Sherriff’s Office, and Hanover Township Recreation
Scheduled for Tuesday, October 3, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Hanover Township Meeting Room located at 1000 Route 10 in Whippany, the Symposium features an impressive lineup of speakers including mental and public health professionals, elected officials, senior advocates, county and local law enforcement, and recreation administrators. These professionals will provide valuable information about available services to combat addiction and mental health issues as well as guidance on where to find assistance.
Whether you are a long-time coach, a parent of a teenager, or a child of an aging parent, your concerns will be addressed! “All of us know someone who is struggling,” says Mayor Gallagher, “We have gathered together this group of experts to help people find the assistance they need.”
Hosts include Mayor Thomas “Ace” Gallagher, Hanover Township, Mayor Joseph Pannullo, East Hanover Township, Mayor Mark Taylor, Borough of Florham Park, Mayor Jason Karr, Borough of Morris Plains, Mayor Tim Dougherty, Town of Morristown, Mayor James Barberio, Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, Morris County Commissioner, Stephen H. Shaw, Superintendent of Parks & Recreation, Denise Brennan, Public Health Nurse Supervisor, Hanover Township, Katherine Whitehead, Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris, Inc., Tracy Cappiccille, and Retired Senior Citizen Advocate, Morris County Lucy Deutsch.
This symposium will be recorded and available online for all of those that are interested but unable to join us in person.
Hanover Township Announces Grass and Leaf Pick-Up Dates
HANOVER — Mayor Thomas “Ace” Gallagher of Hanover Township has issued a reminder to residents regarding the township’s grass and leaf pick-up schedules. Grass pick-up services will run through Friday, October 6. Following that, leaf collection will commence on Monday, October 16 and continue until Friday, December 15.
Residents are encouraged to take note of these dates to ensure timely disposal of their yard waste.
Six Hanover Park High School Students Honored as Commended Students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program
HANOVER — The principal of Hanover Park High School, Thomas Callanan, proudly announced today the recognition of six students in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. Sonya Anderson, Thomas Callanan, William Howden, Anna Larsen, Alvin Mathew, and David Storch have all been designated as Commended Students for their exceptional academic achievements. They will receive a Letter of Commendation from both the school and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. This accolade highlights their dedication to academic excellence as they approach the end of their high school careers.
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2024 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2024 competition by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented a spokesperson for NMSC. “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments, as well as the key role their schools play in their academic development, is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope that this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue their pursuit of academic success.”
HANOVER — Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco spoke out against the recent actions of the Attorney General’s Office, which filed a motion demanding the Hanover School Board to reinstate a non-mandatory policy and to cover all the State’s attorney fees and expenses.
Earlier this week, the Attorney General clarified in a letter to the court that the adoption of the said policy was not obligatory for schools.
Expressing his dismay, Bucco stated, “It is utterly unreasonable for the Attorney General to pursue attorney’s fees in the lawsuit against Hanover School Board over a policy that wasn’t even obligatory to begin with. Ideally, school boards should have been informed about the policy’s non-compulsory nature before any lawsuit was initiated.”
Bucco further criticized the Murphy administration for backing such lawsuits, especially after significant state aid cuts to numerous school districts across New Jersey. He commented, “Schools are already grappling with challenges and shouldn’t be subjected to such overbearing measures. Rather than safeguarding students, these lawsuits are detrimentally affecting their education.”
If you recognize the vehicle, the driver, or have any pertinent information that might aid in the investigation, you're urged to reach out to the Morris County Sheriff's CrimeStoppers.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Sheriff’s Department, in conjunction with the Denville Township Police Department, is actively seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the driver of a truck involved in a recent theft. On September 11, an unidentified male allegedly stole a Stihl Demolition Saw from a location on Diamond Spring Road.
Witnesses report that the vehicle in question was last spotted on Diamond Spring Road, moving in the direction of Pocono Road around 11:30 a.m. on the same day.
If you recognize the vehicle, or the driver, or have any pertinent information that might aid in the investigation, you’re urged to reach out to the Morris County Sheriff’s CrimeStoppers. Tips can be submitted anonymously through their website at www.copcall.org or by calling 973-COP-CALL. Your information could be crucial in solving this case.
Sheriff Gannon confers with former Gov. McGreevey following a press conference at the Morris County Correctional Facility. In the background is Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon announced today a new partnership between the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and the New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC) to help inmates released from the Morris County Correctional Facility successfully re-enter and assimilate back into the community.
The criminal recidivism rate is at about 47 percent; however, NJRC has demonstrated success at reducing the number of re-offenders who graduate its program to 19 percent of rearrests and under 10 percent reincarcerations, according to former New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, who leads the NJRC.
“This is all about not having this continuous cycle; it’s about correcting the trajectory,” said McGreevey during a press conference at the correctional facility.
Joining in the press conference were (l-r) Chief of Detectives Robert McNally of the Prosecutor’s Office, Correctional Captain Joseph Fucci, Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Sheriff James Gannon, Warden Christopher Klein, Executive Director David Scott of the Market Street Mission, former Gov. James McGreevey, Rob Carter of NJRC and Alex Roth of NJRC.
Under the collaboration and partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, at no cost to the county, NJRC will provide critical services to link former offenders to healthcare and addiction treatment, legal services, employment, skills training, and a means to re-establish identification credentials as they leave the correctional facility. The service will supplement the success of re-entry programs already underway at the correctional facility.
The goals of the collaboration between the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Corrections and NJRC include removing barriers to employment for people leaving incarceration or detainment, and reducing recidivism, which fosters safer communities while assisting the former inmates to find a path of sustainable living.
“The individuals who come into our care and custody at the Morris County Correctional Facility all have unique and different needs. We must be attentive to those needs. Working with NJRC will help us bridge existing gaps that we often see become pitfalls when individuals are released from custody. I am extremely pleased to be able to afford these additional services through this partnership with the NJRC,” said Sheriff James Gannon.
The NJRC, with the social services staff at the correctional facility and the county’s Successful Transition and Re-Entry Program (STAR) program will identify inmates who need assistance and the type of assistance required so that all individuals can be provided professional services that best address their specific needs.
Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll and Chief of Detectives Robert McNally were among a team of law enforcement officers and non-profit workers who also attended the press conference.
“I hope, down the road, people fully understand what everyone is trying to do here,” said Carroll.“Obviously, we care about what happens in the custodial end of this and what happens when the correctional system is done … We generate them back into the communities in a positive way. It’s a win for everybody.”
For a successful re-entry, ex-offenders need housing, food, medical care, clothing, substance abuse treatment, mental health care, employment, and education, according to research cited by the Sheriff’s Office. Re-entry programs that span all three phases of re-entry – preparation, service provision, and long-term support – are most successful. The STAR program helps inmates with all three of these phases.
“Morris County, the Sheriff’s Office, and all our members of law enforcement work hard every day to ensure our communities are safe, such that the quality of life of our residents and visitors remains one of the best in the nation. Supporting inmates being released from custody with these essential services can help improve outcomes with their re-entry and positively shape their influence in our communities,” said Morris County Commissioner Doug Cabana, the board’s liaison to law enforcement.
The NJRC is a non-profit agency with a social mission to remove all barriers to employment for citizens returning from jail or prison. It grew from a pilot program launched in Hudson County supported by the state in 2014 and has been spearheaded by McGreevey, who has expanded the program elsewhere in New Jersey.
