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Quick Police Work Leads To Arrest Car Thief and Other Burglaries

By
Frank Cahill
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File Photo

HANOVER TOWNSHIP — Hanover Township Police Patrols and detectives responded to the Hanover Marriott on a report of a stolen 2020 Jaguar parked at that location on Tuesday, August 4.

Police were alerted to the stolen vehicle through Sirius XM who had located the vehicle via GPS when it was reported stolen by the owner.

Sgt. John Schauder was able to locate a witness who observed the Jaguar being parked in the Marriott lot and observed a tall thin black male exit the stolen Jaguar and lock it with the keys.

Shortly thereafter, the male was seen by the witness walking east down Route 10. Sgt. Schauder and Officer Josh Williams responded to the Red Carpet Inn where they reviewed the video and observed a suspect matching the witness description.

The suspect was seen wearing clothing matching that of a suspect captured on video on North Belair Avenue and Cross Road.

This suspect was then seen on video entering the Scottish Inn building on Route 10. Hotel staff recognized the male and indicated he was occupying room 250.

Officer Williams and Sgt. Schauder made contact with the suspect in room 250 and found him in possession of the Jaguar keys.

When Officer Williams and Sgt. Schauder attempted to place him under arrest he resisted and attempted to fight and flee.

Officer Williams and Sgt. Schauder were able to subdue the suspect, Mr. Nasir A. Usher, 21, Montclair.

He was subsequently charged with receiving stolen property for the Jaguar and aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and three counts of resisting arrest. A search warrant was executed on his hotel room and items stolen from Gristmill Road in Cedar Knolls as well as the matching clothing the suspect was wearing on video on North Belair and Cross Road was seized.

Additional warrants were prepared to charge Mr. Usher with two additional counts of receiving stolen property for Gristmill Road and one count of an attempted burglary on North Belair Avenue.

Mr. Usher was transported to the Morris County Detention Center pending his court date. Mr. Usher is also a suspect in a series of armed robberies in Essex County.

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.

 

Parsippany Resident Charged After Leaving Children in Hot Car While Shopping

By
Frank Cahill
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Wegmans

HANOVER TOWNSHIP — Mr. Paul Michel, 34, Lake Hiawatha, was charged with abandonment and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident, Hanover Police Chief Mark D. Roddy said today.

He was also issued township ordinances for leaving a child unattended in a vehicle and was issued a motor vehicle summons for failing to secure his children in a child restraint seat.

Temperatures were hovering around 90 degrees July 5, when a 4-year-old girl and 6-year-old boy were found profusely sweating and crying locked inside a car at Wegmans on Sylvan Way around 6:30 p.m.

Officers brought the kids into their patrol cars as store employees made announcements seeking their father. Michel came outside after twenty minutes, authorities said. The children were turned over to their mother.

Hanover Rotary Kicks-Off “Quack Attack” Event

By
Frank Cahill
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From left are Rocco Sino, Hanover Rotary event chairman, Nancy Leone, Rotarian, and David King, Hanover Rotary president. The Rotary will host "Quack Attack," a different, socially distancing take on the annual Rotary Duck Race fundraiser.

HANOVER — This year Hanover Rotary Club will replace its’ annual duck race with a Quack Attack event. This charitable fundraiser may have you finding a flock of Rotary Ducks on your front lawn – all in good fun. Hanover Rotary hopes you will play along.

The event starts when Hanover Rotarians receive your name from another Quack Attacked family. The ducks on your lawn will shortly be removed to another neighbor that you designate for the price of a donation. Just play along. Following the secured donation message printed on the back of the lawn sign accompanying the duck display and the flock will disappear.

Chairman of the event, Rotarian Rocco Sino says, “ Fundraising is the lifeblood of many service organizations. This year we found an alternative and safe way to raise funds. Hanover Rotary’s motto is “service above self” and your support at this time is greatly appreciated.”

For more information on the Quack Attack or to make a secured donation visit the Hanover Rotary web site by clicking here, or email to [email protected].

All proceeds support the many community service projects of the Hanover Rotary Club.

For further information on this release contact: Rocco Sino, [email protected], (973) 919-4021.

Eric S. Westenberger, 47; Passed; Senior In-house Litigation Counsel at PBF Energy

By
Frank Cahill
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BOONTON TOWNSHIP — Eric S. Westenberger, 47, of Boonton Township, died Saturday, August 8, 2020, at St. Clare’s Hospital in Denville, where he was born.

Eric S. Westenberger, 47

Eric was the son of the late George and Lois Westenberger, Jr. He was married to the love of his life Cindy A. (Mac Neal) Westenberger and together they raised their three boys in Boonton Township.

Eric graduated with a BA from NYU and a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School. Following law school, he clerked in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of NY.

Eric was an accomplished litigator with a legal practice focused on mass torts, product liability, and complex litigation. He first rose to the level of partner at Patton Boggs LLP and was subsequently a partner at other well-respected area law firms including Sills, Cummis & Gross P.C., and Locke Lorde LLP. Previously he was associated with Latham & Watkins. He recently transitioned to the role of senior in-house litigation counsel at PBF Energy in Parsippany.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Cindy, devoted sons; Will, Jake, and Luke Westenberger, loving sisters; Susan Bonanni, Karen Westenberger, Kristine Westenberger, and Michelle Errante; dear brothers, George, III, Robert, and John Westenberger; also many nieces and nephews.

Eric S. Westenberger

A walkthrough visitation will be held at the Codey & Mackey Funeral Home, 107 Essex Avenue, Boonton, on Thursday, August 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please wear a mask. A Graveside Service will be held on Friday, August 14 at 10:00 am in Rockaway Valley Cemetery, Valley Road, Boonton Township.

In lieu of flowers, Eric’s friends have established a fund to help provide for his children. For all desiring to do click here to make a donation.

As Eric would say, “See ya at JT’s!”

Message from Morris County Freeholder Tayfun Selen

By
Frank Cahill
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Tayfun Selen

MORRIS COUNTY — Message from Morris County Freeholder Tayfun Selen:

I am Freeholder Tayfun Selen – and I’m as fed up with JCP&L as you are. On Tuesday, a tropical storm impacted 150,000 Morris County customers. Five days later, there are still 31,000 customers in Morris County without power.

Yes, it was a bad storm.  But this is unacceptable and people must be held accountable.

As we speak, 64% of Harding customers without power, 34% of Boonton, 28% of Chatham Township, 33% of Denville, 30% of Lincoln Park, 51% of Mendham Borough, half the town, 23% of Morris Township, 22% of Randolph Township, 21% of Montville, also are without power.

People who need electricity for their medical equipment were put at risk. Untold amounts of milk and groceries have gone bad.

A real hardship for seniors on a fixed income or a single mom working multiple minimum wage jobs to make ends meet.

These are real consequences of JCP&Ls failure.

Folks, a utility company that made over $380 million in profit as of June 30 needs to step up and make this right and the BPU should demand it if they don’t.

CEO Charles Jones, who lives in Ohio, by the way, needs to answer for why more of those profits haven’t been invested back into infrastructure improvements in Morris County and other parts of New Jersey. If he can’t answer that question to the satisfaction of his customers – like you and me – he should resign and JCP&L should put someone in charge who is accountable.

Enough is enough. Every time there is a storm, Morris County residents lose power for days.

JCPL its time to get your act together. New leadership. New strategy.

I am not only asking for the resignation of your CEO, but I am also asking for a refund of the utility bills of Morris County residents for July and August. Morris County residents are going thru this nonsense far too long.

If you would like to reach out to me, my cell phone number is (973) 222-0484.

Thank you!
Tayfun Selen
Morris County Freeholder

Morris County Has Cleared 14 Major County Roads Blocked by Isaias Debris

By
Frank Cahill
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MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Office of Emergency Management announced the re-opening of 14 major county roads that were still closed or partially closed this morning due to debris and power wires downed by Tropical Storm Isaias on Tuesday.

Storm Damage in hard-hit Harding Township
Work continues on seven other county roads that remain completely closed and two additional county streets that are partially blocked. The streets were impacted by both downed trees or limbs and fallen power lines, requiring county crews to work closely with JCP&L and other utility companies to be certain the power lines were not live before beginning any clearance of the debris.

“At this time we are down to seven full closures and two partial closures. JCP&L and the other utilities have been making good progress today. A transformer fire caused some major damage to the pavement on Center Grove Road, Randolph, north of Route 10. JCP&L is still working to repair the utility damage,” said Jeff Paul, Director of the Morris County Office of Emergency Management

When work began this morning, 15 roads were completely shut down and another 8 were partially closed. OEM anticipated some of the remaining streets may be cleared by the end of the day.

The county roads that remain impacted include:

Closed Roads
· Harding Twp: Long Hill Road at Lees Hill and Pleasantville Road
· Long Hill Twp: Long Hill Road Myersville and Broadview Road
· Long Hill Twp: Lees Hill Road at Longhill at Youngs Road
· Long Hill Twp: Spring Valley Road at Loantaka Lane and Village Road
· Mendham Boro: Tempe Wyck Road at Leddell Road and Jocky Hollow Road
· Randolph Twp: Center Grove and Quaker Church
· Rockaway Boro: Academy Street

Partially Closed Roads (One Lane Open)
· Montville Twp: Main Road #243
· Roxbury Twp: Center Street at JCP&L substation

Murphy Announces Emergency Grant Funding Program to Assist Small Landlords and Tenants

By
Frank Cahill
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Governor Phil Murphy. Photo by Rich Hundley III, Trentonian

MORRIS COUNTY — As part of the Administration’s coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver today announced the creation of the Small Landlord Emergency Grant Program. The program, administered by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, will provide emergency grant funding to small property owners for COVID-19 related decreases in rent revenue for a four-month period between April and July 2020.

Funded through the CARES Act, grant amounts will be generated based on the total amount of missed rental payments and the number of COVID-impacted rental units that serve low- and moderate-income tenants.

Landlords who receive assistance will be required to pass along benefits to their tenants by forgiving back rent and late fees accumulated by COVID-19 impacted units.

“To emerge stronger from this crisis, we need to make direct investments in our hardest-hit neighborhoods and communities,” said Governor Murphy. “Ensuring that responsible landlords can continue to maintain their properties and provide quality housing to our tenants is essential to our recovery. Through this program, we can also provide direct support to COVID-impacted renters by forgiving back-rent.”

We know that many of New Jersey’s landlords are not companies or corporations. Rather, they are families and individuals. And like the families they rent to, they are struggling because they are often locked out of access to capital and federal resources,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves at Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Chair of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) Board. “The number one priority of this program is to offer much-needed relief to small landlords, who will in turn pass along the benefits to their tenants who are also fighting to stay afloat in the midst of this ongoing public health and economic crisis.”

“No family should be without a home, especially in a national pandemic. Approximately 30% of all New Jersey renters and 27% of low- and moderate-income renters live in 3-10 unit buildings. We have designed this grant program to ensure that our most vulnerable renters and landlords get the help that they need,” said Charles A. Richman, Executive Director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. “At NJHMFA, our mission to ensure safe and equitable housing for every resident of New Jersey has never been more critical than during this crisis. These dollars will have an increased impact on securing financial sustainability for New Jersey’s families. HMFA is enormously proud to provide this assistance to landlords and tenants and thankful for Governor Murphy and Lt. Governor Oliver’s championing of this program.”

“No one should lose the roof over their head or their business because we failed to act during this crisis,” said Congressman Andy Kim. “I voted to pass the CARES Act because we needed bold action to help get our communities through this pandemic, and I’m proud to see programs like this being set up that will help our neighbors stay on their feet during these tough times.”

“This funding from the CARES Act will ensure that small landlords are able to maintain their livelihoods and support their families and that tenants do not lose their homes during a pandemic,” said Congressman Tom Malinowski. “I will continue to fight in Congress to bring federal resources home to help struggling New Jerseyans get through this crisis.”

One-third of program funds will be reserved for applicants who are registered in DCA’s RIMS database as individual or family owners. Qualified applicants must meet the following specifications:

  • Owners with properties that have at least 3 but no more than 10 total housing units;
  • Owners with properties that are not seasonal or vacation rentals;
  • Properties must have current fire inspection certificates as of March 9, 2020;
  • Owners of properties with at least one non-vacant rental unit impacted by COVID-19 between April and July 2020; and
  • Owners with properties that have low- to moderate-income rent levels or rent based on up to 80% of the median area income.

Applications must be submitted between August 19 at 9:00 a.m. and August 26 at 1:00 p.m. to be considered. Grant funding will be allocated on a case by case basis, based on the number of COVID-impacted units, and the amount of missed rent. Applicants must be the Primary Property Owner of residential rental property in New Jersey and be registered with DCA’s Bureau of Housing Inspection as of July 17, 2020. Applicants can check here to see if their property is registered.

For more information on the Small Landlord Emergency Grant Program click here.

Live Streaming of Ballot Positions

By
Frank Cahill
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Morris County Clerk Ann F. Grossi, Esq.

MORRIS COUNTY — On Monday, August 10, 2020, Morris County Clerk Ann F. Grossi, Esq. will merge the old with the new through the use of innovation and modern technology by live-streaming the drawing of ballot positions to comply with the statutory requirement of a public “witnessing”.

“Due to the Covid-19 restrictions inviting the public into the building to witness the drawing is prohibited. To comply with the statutory requirement and offer a very real-time view of the workings of election law, the use of innovation and modern technology allowed us to create a new pathway for compliance and permitted accessibility to a broader public audience,” said Morris County Clerk Ann F. Grossi, Esq.

The Morris County Clerk’s Office invites all who are interested in witnessing the drawing for ballot positions to visit their Facebook page for the live stream at 3:00 p.m. on Monday, August 10. Please stay safe and healthy. We will get through this together.

Meet Carmelo! Gorgeous Caramel Coat and Bright Brown Eyes Waiting for You

By
Frank Cahill
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0

MORRIS COUNTY — Meet Carmelo! He is a 10-year-old Pit Bull Lab mix. He has a gorgeous caramel coat and bright brown eyes that add to his gentle soul.

He is laid-back and calm. He prefers to sleep in a comfy, cool spot during the day, or go explore the backyard and lay in the shade with a nice breeze.

He has had a rough start to life. He was abandoned at a garbage site eating scraps until animal control found him. He is very frightened which has to do with his neglect and abuse from his previous owner. Despite this, he is becoming trusting towards people.

Melo comes out of his shell whenever another dog is around. His tail wags immediately and he tries to give his new doggy friend kisses! He would greatly benefit from having a confident friend who will show him the ropes in his new home.

He is mostly house trained and doesn’t mind being left in a crate. He walks nicely on a leash and loves to smell new scents on his walks! Melo would do best in a quiet home with kids above the age of 16.

With time and patience, Melo will warm up to you and show how much of a sweet boy he is. He will always accept the love you have to offer. He will gently rest his head in your lap and drift to sleep, followed by his soft snores!

Since he is an older gentleman, he is looking for a home that will keep him in comfort for the rest of his golden years. His spine is unfortunately arthritic and causes him pain so his activity is low. He has been through so much and needs a place where he can relax and receive unconditional love.

Carmelo’s name comes from his beautiful coat and mellow disposition. He is also as sweet as a Caramel treat! He is eager to find a family that will show him the good things life has to offer!

If you are interested in adopting or fostering, please fill out an application by clicking here.

Follow on Instagram: Click here.
Like on Facebook: Click here.

 

Morris Plains Power Outage Status as of August 6

By
Frank Cahill
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0

MORRIS PLAINS — The Community Center will be open again today from 10:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. for cooling and device charging. This will continue until power is restored. Please remember to practice social distancing and bring masks if possible, if not one will be provided. Temperatures will also be taken prior to entering the Community Center.

For NON-EMERGENCY police assistance call (973) 538-3993 between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
Mayor Jason Karr has been in contact with Mikie Sherrill’s office, Governor Murphy’s office, Assemblyman Weber’s office, JCP&L representatives and local leaders regarding the lack of response. After many conversations with these state and local leaders, there is now a JCP&L representative assessing damage in the Borough with repairs hopefully soon.
To register a complaint with the BPU (Board of Public Utilities) you can call their Customer Assistance helpline at (800) 624-0241 or (609) 341-9188.
For updated information on current outages, FirstEnergy’s storm restoration process, and tips for staying safe, visit the 24/7 Power Center by clicking here.
You can also contact JCP&L at the following phone numbers:
Customer Service: 1-800-662-3115
Outage Reporting: 1-800 544-4877
Up to date information from FireEnergy’s website:
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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.

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