MORRIS COUNTY — The following people recently were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.
Noreen Rocco Mahoney of Boonton at The University of Oklahoma.
Jessica Murray of Madison at the University of Massachusetts.
They are among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10 percent of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.
Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines. Today, the Society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States, its territories and the Philippines. Its mission is “To recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.”
More About Phi Kappa Phi
Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi. Some of the organization’s notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards $1.3 million to outstanding students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, funding for post-baccalaureate development, and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit www.phikappaphi.org.
Town of Dover former Business Administrator, BettyLou DeCroce
DOVER — Three months after resuming office, Dover Mayor James Dodd remains committed to implementing substantial changes in a town plagued by fiscal mismanagement under the previous administration. In his latest move, Dodd took action on Thursday, April 4th, to temporarily suspend and ultimately dismiss the Town Administrator BettyLou DeCroce.
Ms. DeCroce was hired by the Town of Dover on December 29, 2022, during the Blackman Administration.
The Mayor and Council introduced Resolution 112-2024, “Resolution of the Mayor and Town Council of the Town of Dover placing the Town Administrator on Leave and appointing the Municipal Clerk as Interim Town Administrator.” (Click here to read resolution).
The resolution passed by a vote of 7-0, with council members Karol Ruiz and Sandra Wittner abstaining. File Photo
The resolution passed by a vote of 7-0, with council members Karol Ruiz and Sandra Wittner abstaining. The final vote on termination will require a two-thirds majority of the eight-member council, town labor attorney Jonathan Cohen said.
According to Ms. DeCroce’s contract with the Town of Dover, Section 3, “DeCroce shall be given at least thirty days written notice of any meeting to be held concerning her performance in the position as relates to continued employment with the Town and will be allowed to be heard.”
A full house at the Dover Council chambers as residents voice their concerns.
“Despite being provided notice to terminate Administrator DeCroce, we have not been provided any written statement explaining the cause of termination. We call upon the Mayor to give Administrator DeCroce a basis for the termination, sufficiently before the next meeting, so the Council can decide whether the action is legitimate or retaliation for not taking the requested adverse action against Police Chief Delaney. We would also hope to be provided with more than 3 minutes to rebut the pretext for termination,” said Oleg Nekritin, Esq., the attorney representing Ms. DeCroce.
Oleg Nekritin, Esq., the attorney representing Ms. DeCroce.
Ms. DeCroce will be paid her full salary during the thirty days, and Ms. Tara Pettoni, Township Clker, was appointed as Interim Town Administrator. She will receive a stipend of $5,000 a month for performing the duties of Interim Town Administrator.
“We’re here tonight to discuss the process and move it forward,” Dodd said. “We are doing everything by the book. After the 30-day notice, we will discuss why we are giving her notice.”
When I look at what has happened to this town in the past couple of years from a fiscal responsibility standpoint, it will blow your socks off how badly this town has been managed financially,” said Mayor Dodd. “And things need to change.”
Dodd said when he took office he gave DeCroce “an opportunity to prove herself.”
“We had multiple conversations,” said Mayor Dodd. “Her comment to me was simple: ‘Mayor, if this doesn’t work out, just let me know because I don’t want this to be public humiliation.’ All of this is going to be discussed when we come back in 30 days. And I promise you, when we sit down and talk about why we’re here today, you’ll understand.”
Daniella Mendez said “Somewhere in the last 90 days, we have lost the real issues facing our town. We should be focusing on the future, Fiscal Responsibility, and Quality of Life to name a few. We have chosen a path of division. Instead, we have chosen to battle each other at every term. Mayor and Council, I ask you to lead by example and I ask you to address the real issues as a team remembering there is no I in team. Thank you.”
The possibility of discussing her employment status is high at the first council meeting succeeding her 30-day notice, which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 15.
Dover Focus reached out to Councilmember Karol Ruiz, who was very vocal during the meeting, but she chose not to comment. Ruiz abstained from voting for the Resolution, along with Councilmember Sandra Wittner.
Photo for illustration purposes only. The actual incident may not reflect the photo.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Criminal Practice Committee of the Morris County Bar Association is running a free expungement clinic from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 2 at Calvary Baptist Church, 10 Martin Luther King Avenue, Morristown.
Volunteer attorneys through the Morris County Bar Association will meet with members of the public who seek to have their records expunged. Assistant Prosecutors will volunteer as well to assist in the legal process. The Morris County Bar Foundation will provide free lunch to members of the public who come to the clinic. Staff from the Sheriff’s Office will provide information on various social service programs.
The Morris County Correctional Facility, located at 43 John Street in Morris Township, serves as the primary detention center operated by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.
HANOVER — Brian J. Cariddi, 39, of Whippany, has been charged in connection with multiple online communications allegedly made with a child located in North Carolina between December 11, 2022, and January 10, 2023, confirmed by Morris County Prosecutor Robert Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, and Hanover Township Police Chief Michael Loock.
According to authorities, Cariddi is alleged to have engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the male child victim (age 9), to have exposed his intimate parts during online conversations, and asked the child victim to send images of the child’s intimate parts.
As a result of the investigation, Cariddi was arrested on March 8, 2024, and charged with one count of second-degree Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a Child – Production of CSAM in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1a(3)/2C:24-4b(3), one count of third-degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child – Sexual Conduct in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a, and one count of fourth-degree Lewdness in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-4b(1).
The incident remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time.
The name and identity of the victim will not be released. Under the Criminal Justice Reform Act, the Defendant has been detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility pending future court proceedings.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Sex Crimes / Child Endangerment Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Government offices will remain closed today, Friday, April 5, 2024, as a result of this morning’s earthquake.
The County of Morris Administration and Records Building on Court Street in Morristown was evacuated immediately after the earthquake because of a report of a possible gas leak. No leak was found and the facility was eventually deemed safe; however, a precautionary step was taken to close all county offices to allow Engineering and Buildings and Grounds staff to conduct safety inspections of all county facilities.
Those inspections are still ongoing.
Currently, the Morris County Office of Emergency Management (OEM) has not received any reports of significant widespread damage or injuries. The Red Cross has set up resources should the county find that anyone is in need of housing and shelter.
Local emergency authorities have been asked by OEM to check on senior communities, nursing homes, hospitals, and other critical facilities to determine whether any emergency resources are required.
File Photo. Photo for illustration purposes only. The actual incident may not reflect the photo.
DOVER — In the late hours of Monday, April 1, 2024, Lyndhurst Police Officer Michael Clifford flagged down a vehicle for operating without an inspection sticker or a front license plate, following an improper turn near Schuyler and Page Avenues.
Approaching the vehicle, Clifford noticed a rear passenger hastily concealing something under her jacket. The driver, later identified as Yoshua Villafuerte-Cordova, 21, Dover, greeted Clifford upon his arrival. Two additional passengers, Cristian Pumarojas, 25, Kearny, and Diana Oliva-Gutierrez, 25, Paterson, claimed a language barrier.
During the investigation, Clifford spotted designer purses and clothing strewn across the back seat and floorboard, still tagged with prices. The absence of receipts led Clifford to ascertain the items had been stolen from local stores, alongside a device for removing security tags.
Totaling $5,673, the stolen goods prompted charges of receiving stolen property and possession of theft tools against Villafuerte-Cordova, Pumarojas, and Oliva-Gutierrez. Pumarojas, also facing an outstanding warrant from Newark, was incarcerated at Bergen County Jail.
Villafuerte-Cordova and Oliva-Gutierrez were released pending court appearances. Clifford received support from Sgt. Philip Reina, Officers Edward Montoya, and Nicollette Villani during the operation.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MORRIS COUNTY — The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake at 10:23 a.m. had a magnitude of 4.8 and was centered about 7 kilometers, or 4.3 miles, north of the Whitehouse Station section of Readington Township in Hunterdon County.
Morris County Sheriff James Gannon said no injuries were reported at the county courthouse. The Morristown structure, which dates to 1827, was being evaluated for damage, he said.
The quake could be felt up and down the East Coast, including wide areas of New Jersey, New York City and Long Island, and parts of Delaware, Maryland and Connecticut. U.S.G.S. figures indicated the quake might have been felt by more than 42 million people.
“Our region just experienced an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 4.7, with an epicenter near Readington in Hunterdon County. We have activated our State Emergency Operations Center. Please do not call 911 unless you have an actual emergency,” Gov. Phil Murphy said on social media.
DOVER — During a traffic stop on Route 46 on March 25 around 10:00 p.m., Dover Police Officer Christopher Caraig arrested Ruben Dominquez-Portillo, 51, of Dover, for Driving under the influence of liquor or drugs (39:4-50), Careless Driving (39:4-97), Operating at a slow speed blocking traffic (39:4-97.1), Failure to possess an insurance card (39:3-29C), Traffic on marked lanes (39:4-88), and Failure to use lights when required.
His vehicle, a 2010 Nissan Murano Wagon, was towed from the scene by Bunky’s Towing.
Mr. Dominquez-Portillo was released to a responsible adult.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Photo for illustration purposes only. The actual incident may not reflect the photo.
DOVER — On Sunday, March 31, around 2:45 p.m., Dover Police Officer German R. Liranzo arrested Mr. Steven Hernandez-Holguin, 31, of Hopatcong, on charges of Driving Under the Influence of Liquor or Drugs (39-4:50), Failure to Observe Traffic Control Device (39:4-81), Traffic on Marked Lanes (39-4:88), and DWI on school property or within 1000 feet of school (39:4-50(G)(1)).
Mr. Hernandez-Holguin was operating a 2021 Mercedes GLB class vehicle on Mt. Prospect Avenue near Pops Place. The vehicle was subsequently towed from the scene by Bunky’s Towing.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, this Defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This meeting is being held in accordance with the Open Public Meetings Act, also known as the Sunshine Law, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6. Notice of the meeting was sent to the Daily Record and Star-Ledger on April 1, 2024. Notice was also posted on the Bulletin Board of the Municipal Building on April 1, 2024. These notices were sent within 48 hours prior to this meeting and were sent in sufficient time for the publications to publish them. A copy of said notice is on file with the Municipal Clerk.
The Town of Dover highly values the input of residents in making important decisions that affect the residents of our community. We also believe in the rights of residents to observe Governing Body Meetings. To ensure that all of our residents have the opportunity to offer comments, each statement/comment shall be held to a time of five minutes.
Mayor James Dodd (December 31, 2027)
Claudia P. Toro Council Member – First Ward (December 31, 2025)
Sandra Wittner Council Member – First Ward (December 31, 2024)
Sergio Rodriguez Council Member – Second Ward (December 31, 2025)
Geovani Estacio Council Member – Second Ward (December 31, 2024)
Michael Scarneo Council Member – Third Ward (December 31, 2025)
Karol Ruiz Council Member – Third Ward (December 31, 2024)
