DOVER — New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) proudly honors the remarkable achievements of the Class of 2024. Mateo Nieto, a Dover High School alumnus, was among the graduates who have demonstrated exceptional perseverance, innovation, and academic excellence, enriching our campus and setting a high standard for future students.
Nieto earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at NJIT. He graduated from Dover High School, Class of 2020.
He graduated Magna Cum Laude from the New Jersey Institute of Technology · May 2024.
He also received the Professor Aaron Deutschman Design Innovation Award Issued by Dr. Rajpal Sodhi · May 2024.
He was an intern at MICRO from August 2023 to December 2023.
Photo for illustration purposes only. The actual incident may not reflect the photo.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Morristown Police Chief Darnell Richardson confirmed that John Dowd, 56, of Morristown, has been charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. The charges relate to an alleged assault on May 9. Dowd, who is homeless, is known to frequent the Morristown area.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office was notified on May 15 of an incident that had taken place on May 9 at George Gramby Memorial Park, located in Morristown. The four-year-old juvenile male victim reported that he was sexually assaulted by an unknown man while in the park. The man was later identified as John Dowd. Dowd was located, taken into custody, and formally charged on May 15.
The incident remains under investigation, and no further information will be released.
As a result of the investigation, the defendant has been charged with first degree Aggravated Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2(a)(1), and third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4(a)(1). Under the Criminal Justice Reform Act, Dowd has been detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.
Multiple law enforcement agencies have participated in this investigation, including members of the Morristown Police Department and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit at (973) 285-6200 or the Morristown Police Department at (973) 538-2200.
Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, Boonton Mayor James Lynch, and Senator Anthony Bucco congratulate Kathy Hardin.
BOONTON — We are delighted to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Kathy Hardin for her remarkable achievement of 50 years of dedicated and honorable service with the Boonton First Aid Squad. Kathy is an exceptional and fabulous lady whose commitment and contributions have significantly impacted our community.
“In recognition of your 50 years of outstanding service and unwavering dedication to the citizens of the Town of Boonton, Boonton Township, and Mountain Lakes, I wish you continued success in all your future endeavors,” said Morris County Sheriff James Gannon.
Morris County Sheriff James Gannon honored Kathy Hardin with a plaque.
Kathy, 50 years later, continues to remain an active member. She has also served as our Quartermaster for over 20 years and sits on our Good and Welfare Committee and our Kitchen and Supplies Committee. Kathy is a master at organizing and knows exactly what is needed for large-scale events and medical equipment re-stocking.
Founded in 1938 by the Boonton Kiwanis Club, the Squad was started to eliminate the wait time for an ambulance from one of the closest area hospitals, Morristown and Dover. At that time, the wait time for an ambulance would be close to an hour. Today, the wait time is seconds from placing that call for help!
Kathy Hardin
As Senator Bucco stated, “Volunteers make up this community.”
Kathy is a shining example of heart, commitment, dedication, and selflessness. We are proud to honor such a profound individual who has been a positive role model to our past, present, and future leaders.
The Kiwanis Ambulance Service of Boonton, Inc., commonly called the Boonton Kiwanis First Aid Squad, currently provides emergency medical services to the Town of Boonton. Services were also provided to the Township of Montville until 1964, when the Township founded its own Ambulance Service and Boonton Township until 2019, and the Borough of Mountain Lakes until Officials decided to pursue another EMS service that better fit their budgetary and political needs.
Today, it is called the Boonton Volunteer Emergency Medical Service. Boonton Volunteer EMS is located at 150 Lathrop Avenue, Boonton. For more information on volunteering, click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and Morris County Sheriff’s Office are advising the community to be aware of an ongoing scam targeting Morris County residents. Criminals posing as law enforcement are aggressively seeking fines for alleged non-appearances for jury duty.
Morris County officials have received two reports of similar scams in the last two weeks. In these scams, fraudsters call victims, claiming a warrant has been issued for their arrest after failing to appear for jury duty. The scammers may impersonate police officers, providing titles and badge numbers.
Criminals may use actual Morris County officers’ names and manipulate the victim’s caller I.D. to appear to be coming from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office, or the Morris County Courthouse. They will often ask the victim not to contact anyone and indicate the matter needs to be confidential or else they will be arrested.
To report any suspicious calls you receive regarding alleged non-appearance for jury duty, contact the Morris County Sheriff’s Office at 973-285-6600 during the day and 973-285-2900 after hours to verify agency personnel.
Prevention Tips to Help Avoid Falling Victim to this Scam:
• Legitimate law enforcement agencies will not tell you to provide money card information wire money, or ask for cryptocurrency to avoid arrest.
• Be suspicious of callers or texts who demand immediate payment and/or “fines” for any reason.
Lehigh University is a private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The university was established in 1865 by businessman Asa Packer and was originally affiliated with the Episcopal Church.
MORRIS COUNTY — Students at Lehigh University attained Dean’s List in Spring 2024. This status is granted to students who earned a scholastic average of 3.6 or better while carrying at least 12 hours of regularly graded courses. Local area students include:
Daniel Batrachenko of Florham Park; William Geiger of Morris Plains Ava Lorette of Florham Park Jr Perez of Boonton Charlie Petro of Florham Park Peyton Sward of Florham Park Kleon Voliotis of Madison Jack Wentworth of Mount Tabor Jack Wilt of Madison Meghan Young of Morris Plains Andrea Zeien of Florham Park
For over 150 years, Lehigh University (lehigh.edu) has combined outstanding academic and learning opportunities with leadership in fostering innovative research. The institution is among the most selective, highly-ranked private research universities. Lehigh’s five colleges—the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the College of Education, the College of Health, and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science—provide opportunities for 7,000+ students to discover and grow in an academically rigorous environment along with a supportive, engaged campus community.
Mayor Dodd, Christian Fuentes, and Captain William Newton at Swearing-In Ceremony
DOVER — On Tuesday, May 14, Dover Mayor James Dodd administered Christian Fuentes’s oath of office.
The Dover Police Department hired Christian as a Class II Special Law Enforcement Officer in May 2023. In July 2023, Christian enrolled in the 101st Basic Police Class at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy. He graduated from the academy in November and began his duties as SLEO II in the Town of Dover shortly after.
New Dover Police Officer Christian Fuentes Takes Oath with Parents by His Side
While completing his Field Training Program, Christian was offered a full-time position with the Dover Police Department, which he officially accepted on January 13, 2024. He was released from the FTO program on March 19.
Christian graduated from Morris Knolls High School in 2015. There, he played varsity baseball for three years, serving as the school’s starting shortstop and team captain during his senior year. He then continued his studies at Monmouth University, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science with a concentration in Legal Studies and a minor in Homeland Security.
In his free time, Christian stays active by working out and playing team-based sports. He enjoys spending Sundays playing baseball and has aspirations to coach Little League or high school baseball in the future. Christian also engages in various sports, including snowboarding, hockey, basketball, football, and softball. Additionally, he has an interest in military history and international relations.
Christian is excited to bring his passion for team-oriented activities and learning to his role at the Dover Police Department, where he looks forward to serving the citizens of Dover.
DOVER — On May 6, Kristen Bell underwent a routine hernia operation that initially went well. However, the next day, she began feeling unwell. By May 8, her health had rapidly declined, and she was taken by ambulance to St. Clare’s Emergency Department in Denville. There, she was admitted to the ICU and diagnosed with renal failure. Kristen was placed on a ventilator, and that evening, her family was told she might not survive the night.
Fortunately, Kristen fought through the night and continues to defy the odds. As of today, Kristen is making small incremental improvements. Though still on a ventilator, she and her family face a long road to recovery. Her husband, Allen, and their two daughters, Aubree, 8, and Makayla, 12, have been by her daily during this uncertain time. The support from friends and family has been overwhelming, providing meals, transportation, and care.
Despite the ongoing help from Kristen’s immediate support network, she will need long-term rehabilitation. We ask for your support in any financial capacity you can offer to assist with medical expenses, travel costs, and the indirect losses the family has endured. We deeply appreciate your consideration in raising funds to ease the Bell family’s burden during these trying times.
Mayor Dodd Administers Oath to Fireman Jason Diehl, Supported by Wife Jen
DOVER — Mayor James Dodd administered the Oath of Office to Fireman Jason Diehl on May 14. Jason Diehl, appointed in August 2023, lives in Randolph with his wife, Jen, and their two sons, Colin and Charlie.
He previously worked as an Environmental Health Lead Technician and Account Manager at Specialty Disposal Service in Mountain Lakes.
Diehl served in the U.S. Army for six years as an Infantryman, Team Leader, and Platoon Sergeant, with three deployments to Afghanistan and Kuwait. During his second deployment, he received the Bronze Star and other commendations.
He serves as a Senior Instructor in the New Jersey National Guard at Headquarters in Sea Girt.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll and Chief of Detectives Robert McNally are pleased to announce the hiring of Jocelyn Allen and Jazmin Munoz-Felder as Detectives for the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. A swearing-in ceremony was held on May 6.
Detective Jocelyn Allen
Detective Allen will be joining the Domestic Violence Unit within the Family Division. She brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as a Police Detective with the Newark Police Department, where she was assigned to the department’s legal affairs unit. In this role, she assisted partner agencies with evidence collection for legal proceedings. Detective Allen also has experience as a first responder while on patrol, where she earned recognition for her courageous actions, including saving the life of a man attempting suicide. Her diverse background includes roles as a medical receptionist at Clara Maass Hospital and an Arbitration/Billing Clerk for a private company. Detective Allen is a graduate of the Essex County Police Academy and has completed several certifications.
Detective Jazmin Munoz-Felder
Detective Munoz-Felder will be assigned to the Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit within the Tactical Division. She previously served in the same unit with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office from 2013 to 2020, where she conducted interviews related to child endangerment and sexual assault, participated in human trafficking operations, and assisted multiple law enforcement agencies. Most recently, she served in the Special Victims Unit of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, where she was responsible for preparing search warrants, executing operations plans, and investigating allegations of child endangerment and sexual assault. Detective Munoz-Felder also served as a liaison for human trafficking and Internet Crimes Against Children. Her earlier roles include serving as a Police Officer for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) Police and the Middlesex County College Police Departments. She holds an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Union County College/Ocean County College and has completed various professional training courses.
Statement from Prosecutor Carroll
“I welcome, and welcome back, our two incoming Detectives. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment and Domestic Violence Units perform critical work serving the most vulnerable victims in our community, and I am glad to strengthen our dedicated team of investigators,” said Prosecutor Carroll.
BOONTON — At approximately 9:46 a.m. on Monday, May 20, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office received a tip through the RSVP-3 system alleging the presence of an explosive device at Boonton High School. In response, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, and Boonton Police Department were dispatched to the scene.
As a precaution, the school was placed under a shelter-in-place order. All bags were methodically searched, and once the search concluded without finding any suspicious devices, the shelter-in-place order was lifted.
Later, at around 11:18 a.m., the Boonton Police received a report of an alleged active shooter at John Hill School. Officers from Boonton Police, Mountain Lakes Police, and Montville Police responded and cleared the building. The report was found to be not credible, and the building was declared safe by 11:40 a.m. It was determined that the report at John Hill School resulted from a misunderstanding related to the initial shelter-in-place situation.
The investigation at both locations lasted about two hours and involved the Morris County Sheriff’s K9 Section.
