MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners announced the appointment of two new members to the County College of Morris (CCM) Board of Trustees and the reappointment of a trustee to the ten-member board.

The new members include Devanshu L. Modi of Harding Township, who will begin his four-year term this month, and Cathleen Paugh of Randolph, who will serve out the two years remaining in s seat left vacant by the passing in April of Trustee Thomas Pepe.

The Commissioners reappointed George J. Milonas of Wharton to a four-year term. His initial appointment was in 2018.

“We are pleased Dev and Cathy are willing to serve as trustees, and we are thankful to have George willing to take on another term.  Their background and knowledge will help ensure CCM continues to lead the state in the salaries graduates can expect to earn as they launch their careers,” said Commissioner John Krickus, a board liaison to CCM.

“Cathleen and Dev will bring fresh ideas and vision to this board, which has always had an esteemed membership and served Morris County well over the decades. It also is comforting to know that George is willing to dedicate another term of service to the County College of Morris and to Morris County. I want to thank them all for taking on the role of trustee,” said Deputy Commissioner Deborah Smith, who also is a CCM liaison.

Mr. Modi is a founding member of the Florham Park law firm of Lyon, Glassman, Leites & Modi, L.L.C., and a former Deputy Attorney General in New Jersey. He served on the Harding Township Board of Education and, subsequently, on the Harding Township Committee until his term expired last December.

Ms. Paugh is a CCM graduate, who credits the college with putting her on a path to success 34 years ago and getting her MBA at Columbia University. She retired last year from Prudential Financial as head of Global Reinsurance Strategy and had prior roles in the company as Chief Financial Officer of its group insurance, Assistant Treasurer, and VP of Corporate Finance.

Mr. Milonas also is a CCM graduate, as well as a former detective with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and adjunct professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

He is now an enterprise-risk and compliance expert who helps multi-national corporations identify and prevent financial crimes. His resume includes being Vice-President and Head of Anti-Financial Crime Compliance at MetLife, Director of Corporate Security and Investigations for Avis Budget Group, and Vice President with JP Morgan Chase’s global anti-money laundering compliance department.

“I will continue my unwavering commitment to helping enable the dreams for all persons who come to CCM for their educational aspirations and help ensure that CCM is best positioned to support all students, employees and the community for the long-term through responsible and careful governance,” Mr. Milonas wrote in a letter to the Commissioners thanking them for his re-appointment.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Detectives Christoph Kimker, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, and Morristown Police Acting Chief Darnell Richardson announce the arrest of Chancelle Ibin Young, 29, Morristown, on charges related to a Domestic Violence incident that occurred overnight between October 25, and October 26.

On October 25, law enforcement was called to the area of Franklin Street, Morristown on a report of a domestic dispute.  The investigation revealed that Young had allegedly engaged in an assault upon his partner, in which he inflicted bodily injury upon her in the presence of their young child.

Upon the arrival of law enforcement, Young was observed on the street in possession of and brandishing a suspected firearm. He was also observed to engage in threatening behavior and actively vandalized a vehicle by setting it on fire.  The initial Morristown Patrol Units later joined by responding officers from the Prosecutors Office, Sheriff’s Office, and additional Morristown Police Department officers secured the scene and commenced de-escalation techniques including hostage negotiation. Despite the suspects escalating threatening conduct, the officers, after several tense hours succeeded in safely taking Young into custody. Several street closures were necessary due to this incident.  A firearm was ultimately recovered.

Prosecutor Carroll, Sheriff Gannon, Chief Kimker, and Acting Chief Richardson all commended the law enforcement officers who responded and professionally handled a difficult and dangerous situation with courage, patience, and skillful use of police de-escalation techniques to eventually arrest a subject who exhibited major threatening behavior.

Young was charged with Aggravated Arson, Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose (firearm); Unlawful Possession of a Weapon (firearm), Terroristic Threats, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, all crimes of the second degree.  He was also charged with Aggravated Assault on a Domestic Violence Victim, Pointing a Firearm at Law Enforcement, and Criminal Mischief, all crimes of the third degree.

In accordance with the Criminal Justice Reform Act, Young will be remanded to the Morris County Correctional Facility pending future court proceedings.

If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200 or the Morristown Bureau of Police at (973) 538-2200.

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 — On October 23, 2021, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office participated in Operation Take Back, in partnership with four local police departments. Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Deputy Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Hanover Township Chief of Police Michael Loock, Morris Plains Borough Chief of Police Mike Koroski, Morris Township Chief of Police Mark DiCarlo, and Randolph Township Chief of Police Will Harzula all aided in the coordination of the event.

Operation Take Back is a semi-annual event coordinated nationally by the United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in which law enforcement agencies at the state, county, and municipal level work collectively to host Operation Take Back across the nation. The goal is to encourage the public to anonymously turn over unused, unwanted, or expired prescription medications for proper disposal.

Residents of Morris County were able to bring unused or expired prescription drugs to three designated locations – Shoprite of Greater Morristown in Hanover Township, the ACME Supermarket in Randolph, and the Stop and Shop Supermarket in Morris Plains. All drugs collected at the sites were weighed and properly destroyed under controlled and supervised conditions by law enforcement officials.

The total weight in drugs collected from each location are as follows:
-Shoprite of Greater Morristown: 185 pounds
-Stop and Shop of Morris Plains: 25 pounds
-ACME of Randolph: 198 pounds
Total: 408 pounds

In April 2021, the Operation Take Back collection held October in Morris County locations yielded a combined 631 pounds.

If you were unable to drop off your medication during Operation Take Back, you can still utilize any other permanent drop box locations nearest you, which are listed by clicking here.

Prosecutor Carroll and Sheriff Gannon jointly stated, “These bi-annual collections prove to be a much-needed community service. Participants are taking an active role in combatting prescription drug misuse and abuse. Thanks to our law enforcement and commercial partners for making this such a productive collection.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Brian Bergen’s bill helping first-time entrepreneurs gain the capital needed to open medical marijuana dispensaries became law today.

“It’s not a marijuana bill, it’s a business bill,” Bergen (R-Morris) told the Assembly Health Committee in May. “Starting a business is near impossible nowadays. With this law, entrepreneurs are going to get a shot to enter into a fresh new industry and grow the economy.”

The legislation (A5179/S2875) incentivizes investors to cover the start-up costs for dispensary businesses owned by minorities, women, and disabled veterans. The investor, investment fund, or group providing financial or technical assistance is now allowed to hold up to a 35% interest in up to seven medical marijuana businesses. Prior to the law, investors could not simultaneously hold more than one medical marijuana cultivator, manufacturer, or dispensary permit.

Bergen added that the new law was thoughtful enough to put protections in place and ensures investors aren’t predatory by restricting them to only a certain portion of ownership.

Depending on the value of the assistance, medical marijuana businesses have at least five, seven or 10 years to pay back the full amount with interest. The investor can maintain ownership interests after the full value of the assistance is repaid; however, they cannot have a controlling interest in the business. In the event of a default, controlling interest can only be transferred to another certified minority, women’s, or disabled veterans business.

TRENTON — Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation (S-1654) which requires the New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) to provide electronic push notifications for New Jersey E-ZPass customers. The notifications will inform customers who download the New Jersey E-ZPass mobile application of tolls incurred after passing through toll plazas operated by the NJTA or SJTA within 24 hours of the charge posting to the customer’s account.

“E-ZPass customers deserve fast and timely notifications of charges incurred while traveling on our toll roads,” said Governor Murphy. “Much like push notifications for other day-to-day transactions that we all receive, this legislation will promote financial transparency and keep New Jerseyans informed of their commuting costs.”

“The benefit of this new law is to provide timely information to E-Z Pass customers regarding the use of their accounts,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, who serves as Chair of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

Using the E-Z Pass mobile app, a push notification can be provided to customers keeping them informed of each time a toll is charged to their account, providing better security and management.”

Primary sponsors of S-1654 include Senators Linda Greenstein and Nellie Pou, and Assemblymembers Roy Freiman, Daniel Benson, and Britnee Timberlake.

“Up until now, E-ZPass account holders must rely on a monthly statement to confirm that tolls have proceeded correctly,” said Senator Greenstein. “With this new law, customers will have the option to know within 24 hours whether or not the toll was processed. By expanding customers’ options to include electronic notifications, users will be able to more immediately know that a toll was processed correctly, making paying tolls a more seamless process.”

“Under current law, E-ZPass is not required to notify their customers electronically, which can make it difficult to keep track of tolls,” said Senator Pou. “We live in a world where more and more people have become accustomed to seeing immediate billing notification on their electronic devices. This new law will provide that immediate confirmation when passing through a toll plaza, and allow customers to stay up to speed on their toll usage.”

“It is a reasonable expectation that when a consumer is charged with something, they immediately receive a receipt,” said Assemblyman Freiman. “This already happens with all other transactions. Now, under this new law, our electronic toll system will also provide a receipt to help customers better track their E-ZPass use.”

“An E-ZPass customer should know immediately if their account is being charged,” said Assemblyman Benson. “With this new law, customers will be notified or able to check in real-time to prevent an excessive bill at the end of the month.”

“E-ZPass transactions are made instantaneously,” said Assemblywoman Timberlake. “Customers will now be able to keep up with their daily E-ZPass use and clear up any charge disputes sooner rather than later.”

S-1654 will require push notifications to be delivered within 24 hours of the charge posting to the customer’s account, except when accounts are not recognized at the time of the transaction. Push notifications will be available for all toll plazas operated by NJTA or SJTA, meaning those on the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway, Atlantic City Expressway. It will also be available on toll plazas operated by the Cape May County Bridge Commission.

For a copy of the signing statement, please click here.