Friday, August 14, 2026
Home Blog Page 18

Morris County 9/11 Memorial to Temporarily Close for Sidewalk Improvements

By
Frank Cahill
-
0

PARSIPPANY — The Morris County 9/11 Memorial, located at 460 West Hanover Avenue in Parsippany-Troy Hills, will be temporarily closed to the public from Tuesday, July 7, through Friday, July 10, for work necessary to replace a section of sidewalk leading from the parking lot to the top of the memorial circle.

The improvements are intended to enhance safety and accessibility for visitors. The memorial is expected to reopen by the end of the day Friday, July 10, weather permitting and provided construction is completed as scheduled.

During construction, the memorial will be closed to foot traffic, and access to the parking lot will be limited. Visitors are encouraged to plan accordingly during the temporary closure.

Morris County appreciates the public’s patience as these necessary improvements are completed.

Whippany Park High School Honor Roll — Fourth Marking Period, 2025-2026

By
Frank Cahill
-
0

HANOVER — Whippany Park High School has released its honor roll for the fourth marking period of the 2025-2026 school year.

Grade 12

Honors: Jack Farrell, Kevin Ostorga Ramos

High Honors: Eashan Abraham, Giovanni Bruno, Michael D’Addario, Katelyn Dorcent, Nina McLaughlin, Mia Milano, Nicholas Rocco, Rebekah Rodriguez, Carmen Salerno

Distinguished Honors: Dylan Aker, Nimisha Anand, Chloe Austin, Claire Bang, Mia Bellomo, Arianna Bergamasco, Michael Bimonte, Sadie Boudreau, Alexa Bowe, Michael Buono, Brendan Burt, Ciara Caroff, Alana Cassidy, Roderick Chu, Ava Colatruglio, Natalie Cusmano, Emily deRonde, Ella DiCostanzo, Anthony DiMontova, Sofia DiMuzio, Carmina Facchino, Michaela Falduto, Samantha Fehir, James Fico, Christian Giangrande, Samuel Giraldo, Lyndsay Gnardellis, Briana Gomez, Jason Griffin, Evelyn Hare, Madelyn Kaser, Oleksandr Kulyk, Nicolette Liloia, Angela Liu, Milan Lopez-Tassan, Riley Marcus, Colin McSorley, Erin McSorley, Thomas Mullen, Olivia Organowski, Angela Papayianis, Aaima Razzaq, Derek Rider, Rocco Rizzitello, Bethany Rizzo, Kathryn Schlesier, Reese Scott, Nicholas Shatynski, Demiana Sierchio, Andrew Steinberg, Kiera Swartz, Matthew Szewczyk, Lily Trexler, Katie Vatoci, Lorraina Ventura, Kyleigh Weber, Alyson Wong, Amelia Yin, Krystina Zhao, Grant Zou

Grade 11

Honors: Jadelyn Feliz, Victoria Leach, Giovanni Palumbo, Mackenzie Sorresse

High Honors: Reilly Burkhard, Adrian Casini, Stephanie Chan, Tyler Cohen, Conrad Geraghty, Cobey Goldbach, Madison Harris, Mason Hawkins, Daniela Iellimo, Hayley Kitchell, Gavin Krus, Brandon Leone, Chloe Makowski, Alexa Marucci, Sofika Mazurets, Grace Morris, Raquel Rios, Even Ruggero, Gabriel Saliani, Jaylene Serra, Carissa Thomas, Jessly Varela De Leon, Adam Verchinsi, Janelle Weigel, Vitor Xavier, Chris Younan, Richard Yu, John Zuber

Distinguished Honors: Jaeden Antonelli, Nina Balassone, Devon Bimonte, Eddi Chen, Alexander Chiou, Claire Cho, Samuel Collas, Evan Conklin, Riley Cortright, Justin Crivella, Megan Cusmano, Ethan Dill, Kayla Dougherty, Ciara Geary, Marian Gibbs, Nikita Girijavallabhan, Andrew Grosso, Max Guerard, Tanishi Gupta, Gerard Hemmer, Leah Hubbard, Stellina Hyland, Gabriela Iellimo, Francesca Intili, Victoria Jimenez, Christopher Kapas, Anna Koch, Audrey Lee, Kenneth Lin, Maleah May Anderson, Rebecca McClain, Stephanie Meier, Peyton Morales, Marina Orfanakos, Katherine Paige, Sebastian Pallitto, Angela Perrello, Nicholas Petty, Nicholas Rafaniello, Leah Rouillard, Amelia Savastano, Marcello Savoia, Owen Scholl, Anthony Selitto, Margot Steeg, Samantha Tajar, Matthew Turnbull, Jack VanSeggern, Brady Vasilik, Joseph Vitale, Alyssa Wang, Rick Wang, Amanda Wickenheisser, Ken Wongsantisakul, Ava Woroch, Allen Wu, Lucas Wu, Avery Yanovak

Grade 10

Honors: Liam Cobane, Eric Cote, Joel Dagogo-Brown, Joseph Grippi, Amanda Vargas

High Honors: Emily Abdou, Marissa Adamo, Ariana Alvarez, Julia Beers, Lily Benanti, Christian Bono, Thomas Brulato, Daniel Carroll, Valentina Casini, Liam Cassidy, Oriana Cela, Taylor Cooper, Olivia Cruz, Matthew Facchino, Alexander Fischer, Dylan Gnardellis, Liv Jorgensen, Ethan Lam, Yun-Zi Lo, Ella Marcantonio, Ryan Millichap, Anabel Monaco, Michael Monks, Alexander Mosiyash, Sondor Munkh-Orgil, Savannah Paine, Dominic Palmieri, Naman Patel, Valeria Piedrahita, Samantha Ponte, Savannah Stewart, Marco Tortorello, Evelie Tupper, Nataly Younan

Distinguished Honors: Naveen Abraham, Sariah Anderson, Anne Awad, Reilly Baske, Ava Bianchino, Michelle Bono, Reagan Burt, Mateo Casano, Jason Chan, Olivia Ciottone, Leeya Cohen, Benjamin Cortes, Nicholas Couden, Marissa DiCosmo, Gia DiGangi, Anya Dostie, Caitlin Eng, Alice Falduto, Thomas Ferrugio, Reagan Ghedina, Eliana Gold, Ryan Heiart, Landon Hesse, Christi Hine, Aayush Karlekar, Leah Kelly, Nathaniel Kotlyar, Danielle Krowiak, Eva Lo, Rebekah Macatangay, Austin Marion, Jonathan Meng, Arianna Meza, Colin Miney, Madison Monks, Olivia Moy, Juliana Paye, Angelo Pecoraro, Andrea Plechy, Mia Polo Reasor, Dylan Reddy, Isabella Rich, Giovanna Rizzitello, Benjamin Rodriguez, Avrina Sadek, Camille Schabacker, Aashi Shah, Tristan Shrivprasod, Declan Slattery-Mauss, Jillian Slattery-Mauss, Sawyer Smith, Matthew Spagnuolo, William Stockert, Jane Sun, Luca Torretti, Vernica Van Slyck, Daniel Ventura, Jackson Williams, Erin Young

Grade 9

Honors: Hanah Blum, Joseph Megna, Brianna Noonan-Grasso, Jayden Ortiz, Luke Stewart, Troy Verano

High Honors: Laila Anderson, Adrianna Angelica, Gabriella Barsanti, Alexia Bernardo, Nathanael Brown, Santino Bruno, Giovani Cholula, Dante Cicitta, Connor Clarke, Thomas Cooper, Jason Crivella, Audrina Cronkite, Isabella D’Alterio, Emmanuel Dagogo-Brown, Michael DiMuzio, Annina Furey, Bryanna Hernandez, Brielle Ippolito, Robert Krimmel, Keri Landers, Brandon Lin, Elena Loeuis, Lily Lopez-Tassan, Mia Marques, Jessica Mikhail, Gabriella Moctezuma, Cole Monaco, Ryan Moreira, Christian Mulligan, Matthew Napolitano, John Puchnowski, Hannah Rocco, Ava Rothacker, Angelica Salamaha, Lucas Sapio, Sofia Siri, Hudson Trexler, Krystian Vreeland, Dean Whitman, Tanner Yoo

Distinguished Honors: Abigail Abdou, Nathan Angelica, Gianna Bellomo, Paige Boudreau, Gabriella Brown, Olivia Caro, Victoria Chan, Ryan Chen, Tyler Eaton, Sophia Fehir, Daniel Frey, Ryan Fu, Larissa Ghedina, Briana Gibbons, Hailey Gibbons, Sahadev Girijavallabhan, Daniel Hare, Maeve Hechavarria, Anna Hendricks, Evelyn Kelly, Andrew Koong, Zoe Li, Emily Lin, Matthew Mulligan, Anjali Narine, Leana Nivelo, Gabriella Orfanakos, Gabriela Organowski, Alexa Papayianis, Harrison Papayianis, Kateryna Pawluk, Addison Propfe, Gabreanna Prundl, Katherine Rossi, Vanessa Sarno, Allison Schabacker, Henry Scholl, Samuel Shostack, Lukrecja Skarzynski, Ryan Soroker, Alice Susilo, Amelia Thomas, Devon Weigel, Nicholas Zinckgraf

KubieCon Returns this Summer! 

By
Frank Cahill
-
0

MORRIS COUNTY — Comic fans, artists, collectors, and aspiring creators, be sure to mark your calendars now! KubieCon returns this summer, on Saturday, July 18, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at its new location at County College of Morris in Randolph, New Jersey!

Presented by the Joe Kubert School, Pug Productions and County College of Morris, this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever! Attendees will be able to explore an exciting show floor with comic vendors, comic artists, and celebrate all things comics and pop culture!

In addition to KubieCon, the Joe Kubert School will be hosting a special Portfolio Day on-site throughout the event. Prospective students will have the opportunity to have their portfolios reviewed and apply for the upcoming 50th school year, which will kick off this fall. All application fees will be waived during the event.

For more information on the Joe Kubert School, or to apply for the 50th year, please visit www.kubertschool.edu.

KubieCon will take place in the Davidson Rooms located in the Student Community Center at County College of Morris, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph, NJ. Parking is available in Lot 6. Admission is $5 each, with a portion of all proceeds going to a special scholarship for a student attending the Joe Kubert School for the 2026/27 school year. 

Whether you’re a lifelong comic fan, a collector searching for original art, or an aspiring artist, KubieCon 2026 is an event you won’t want to miss!

Brendan Waivada Named to Hamilton College Spring 2026 Dean’s List

By
Frank Cahill
-
0
Brendan Waivada

HANOVER TOWNSHIP — Brendan Waivada has been named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2026 semester.

To be named to the Dean’s List, a student must be a current member of the Class of 2026 or 2027, have carried a course load of four or more graded credits throughout the semester, and earned an average GPA of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale.

Waivada, a rising senior majoring in economics and mathematics, is a graduate of Seton Hall Preparatory School.

Hamilton College, a leading liberal arts institution located in Clinton, New York, is where exceptional students explore passions through an open curriculum and robust research, internship, and off-campus study opportunities. Students graduate ready to lead purposeful lives thanks to highly regarded faculty mentors, generous resources that support each student’s interests, and a loyal alumni network. The College’s need-blind admission policy ensures access for talented students with limited financial means. Learn more at www.hamilton.edu.

Jefferson Man Charged With DWI After Route 15 Traffic Stop

By
Frank Cahill
-
0
Jefferson Township Police

JEFFERSON — A Jefferson Township man was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated following a motor vehicle stop on Route 15 South early on the morning of May 12.

According to Jefferson Township Police, an officer conducting a radar detail at Sebring Automotive observed a black pickup truck make a left turn onto Route 15 South without its rear lights illuminated. The officer also observed the driver having difficulty maintaining his lane and initiated a motor vehicle stop in the Fuel 15 parking lot. The stop was conducted by PO Matthew Johnson of the Jefferson Township Police Department.

The driver was identified as George DeTorres, 49, of Jefferson Township. Police said the officer detected an odor of alcohol and observed DeTorres’ movements to be clumsy while searching for his documentation. DeTorres told the officer he had not consumed alcohol since the day before.

DeTorres was administered standardized field sobriety tests, including the horizontal gaze nystagmus test, walk-and-turn test and one-leg stand test. Police said he showed multiple indicators of impairment across the tests. Based on the totality of the circumstances, the officer determined DeTorres was under the influence of alcohol.

DeTorres was placed under arrest and transported to Jefferson Township Police Headquarters for breath testing. After initially declining, he later agreed to provide breath samples, which registered a .14% blood alcohol concentration, according to police.

DeTorres was issued summonses for:

  • Driving while intoxicated (39:4-50)
  • Reckless driving (39:4-96)

Editor’s Note: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and/or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

PBA Local 151 Hosting Clam Bake Fundraiser to Support Sheriff’s Officer Battling ALS

By
Frank Cahill
-
0
Detective Murarik of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Bureau of Law Enforcement, PBA Local 151, is receiving an outpouring of support from fellow law enforcement officers and community members following his diagnosis with ALS. PBA Local 298 and other organizations are encouraging the public to stand with him and his family as they face the challenges ahead.

MORRIS COUNTY — PBA Local 151 is hosting a clam bake fundraiser in support of Christopher Murarik, a Morris County Sheriff’s K-9 officer fighting ALS.

The event will be held Thursday, July 23, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Pub 199, 199 Howard Boulevard in Mount Arlington.

Tickets are $85.00 per person and include food, beverages, and more.

Those wishing to contribute can pay via Venmo at @PBA-LocalMorris-SherrifLE or by check payable to PBA151, with “ALS Fundraiser” and the payer’s name included in the payment notes.

For more information, contact Rosie at (973) 477-1569.

Jefferson Township Woman Charged With DWI After Denville Traffic Stop

By
Frank Cahill
-
0
File Photo

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — A Jefferson Township woman was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated following a motor vehicle stop Monday night, according to the Denville Police Department.

Officers conducted a motor vehicle stop on Franklin Road near Route 46 at approximately 10:35 p.m. on June 29 after observing a vehicle speeding and failing to stop at a stop sign. The driver was identified as Carolyn Vanlenten, 22, of Jefferson Township.

While speaking with Vanlenten, officers observed signs of possible impairment. Standardized field sobriety tests indicated she was operating the vehicle while intoxicated, and she was placed under arrest.

Vanlenten was transported to Denville Police Headquarters for processing and was issued motor vehicle summonses for operating under the influence of liquor or drugs (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50), reckless driving (N.J.S.A. 39:4-96), careless driving (N.J.S.A. 39:4-97), speeding (N.J.S.A. 39:4-98), and disregard of a stop sign (N.J.S.A. 39:4-144).

She was released pending a future court appearance in Denville Municipal Court.

Editor’s Note: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and/or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Morristown Man Charged With DWI After Denville Traffic Stop

By
Frank Cahill
-
0
File Photo


DENVILLE — A Morristown man was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated following a motor vehicle stop early Sunday morning, according to the Denville Police Department.

Officers conducted a motor vehicle stop on Openaki Road at approximately 12:02 a.m. on June 28 after observing a vehicle failing to maintain its lane of travel. The driver was identified as Carlos Garcia Aguilar, 26, of Morristown.

During the stop, officers determined Aguilar was operating the vehicle with a suspended driver’s license and exhibited signs of impairment. After conducting standardized field sobriety tests, officers placed Aguilar under arrest for driving while intoxicated.

Aguilar was transported to Denville Police Headquarters for processing and was issued motor vehicle summonses for driving while license suspended (N.J.S.A. 39:3-40), failure to maintain lane (N.J.S.A. 39:4-88), careless driving (N.J.S.A. 39:4-97), reckless driving (N.J.S.A. 39:4-96), and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of liquor or drugs (N.J.S.A. 39:4-50).

He was released pending a future court appearance in Denville Municipal Court.

Editor’s Note: The charges outlined in this publication are merely accusations, and the defendant and/or defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Alexandra Pallozzi of Oak Ridge Graduates From Shenandoah University

By
Frank Cahill
-
0
Alexandra Pallozzi

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — Alexandra Pallozzi, of Oak Ridge, was among 1,180 graduates who earned degrees and/or certificates from Shenandoah University during the 2025-26 academic year, a total that includes graduates from August 2025, December 2025, and May 2026.

Pallozzi earned a Master of Science in Athletic Training.

Shenandoah’s 2026 University Commencement took place May 9 in the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center.

Shenandoah University was established in 1875 and is headquartered in Winchester, Virginia, with additional educational sites in Clarke and Loudoun counties, and online offerings. The private university enrolls more than 4,400 students across more than 200 areas of study in six schools.

Want me to format this for you to paste into morrisfocus.com, or do you want to reconnect that site’s MCP first?

Jefferson Township to Undergo First Property Revaluation Since 2001

By
Frank Cahill
-
0

JEFFERSON TOWNSHIP — By order of the Morris County Board of Taxation and with approval from the New Jersey Division of Taxation, Jefferson Township will conduct its first full property revaluation since 2001, with new assessments set to take effect for the 2027 tax year.

The revaluation was originally scheduled for completion in 2026, but delays in obtaining state tax map approvals pushed the timeline back. The process is now expected to be completed by December 2026 for implementation in 2027.

Letters were mailed to all property owners on June 8, 2026.

The revaluation is intended to establish new assessments on all Township properties reflecting fair market value as of October 1, 2026. Property values across Jefferson Township have shifted significantly since the last revaluation was implemented more than two decades ago. The township had conducted rolling reassessments until 2020, but a comprehensive revaluation is now required by both the state and Morris County.

“This process will help ensure that all property owners receive an accurate valuation for their property, and pay their fair share of the local, school, and county tax burden,” township officials stated. “The Township is doing its best to make this process run as efficiently as possible without undue hardships to Jefferson residents.”

The revaluation will be conducted by Appraisal Systems, Inc. (ASI), a state-approved firm specializing in New Jersey revaluations since 1981. ASI appraisers will conduct preliminary valuations in the fall of 2026, which will then be submitted to Jefferson’s Tax Assessor for review and approval. Once new value notices are mailed, property owners will have an opportunity to meet with an ASI representative to discuss their valuation before it is certified.

Property owners with questions about the inspection procedure or revaluation process may contact ASI at (201) 493-8530. Additional information, including an online presentation and frequently asked questions, is available at asinj.com.

1...171819...697Page 18 of 697

RECENT POSTS

BUSINESS BRIEFS

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

ABOUT US

Morris Focus was founded in 2017 and is published in print and online formats. Its mission is to provide timely and accurate news coverage to Morris County residents and promote community engagement and involvement. The newspaper covers various topics, including local government, education, business, and sports. We can be reached by calling (973) 559-6000—a member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.

Contact us: [email protected]

FOLLOW US

© 2024 Zoomus Marketing, LLC.

Translate »