PARSIPPANY — A story of survival during wartime – not from cannons and bullets – but of life itself. The women who are left at home without adequate means of support and must provide the basic necessities of food and shelter and still impart their values to their children.
New Jersey’s own Cornelia Hancock, rejected as a nurse by Dorothea Dix because she is too pretty, defies her, and goes to Gettysburg to assist the wounded soldiers and stays throughout the Civil War. Mary Ann Bickerdyke, who defies army red tape to care for <em>her boys, </em>the wounded, setting up hospitals and kitchens, even following Gen. Sherman through the mountains of Georgia on the way to Atlanta. Sara Pryor, living through the privation and destruction of the south, still has the courage to defy military authorities and demand rations for the starving women and children in her community.
Rich Rosenthal, a Parsippany resident, is the president of the North Jersey Civil War Round Table and has lectured on numerous historical subjects.
This event will be held on Thursday, March 21 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Parsippany Library, 449 Halsey Road, Parsippany. Reservation required. Email: <a href=”mailto:NJCivilWarRT@aol.com”>NJCivilWarRT@aol.com</a>.
For more information on North Jersey Civil War Round Table <a href=”https://www.njhistoryroundtables.org” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>click here</a>.
TRENTON — Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today joined California and 14 other states in suing over President Trump’s decision to fund a border wall by declaring a national emergency and annexing billions of federal dollars earmarked for military construction projects and law enforcement drug interdiction efforts.
“The real national emergency is a President who refuses to adhere to the rule of law,” said Attorney General Grewal. “In its effort to cater to a select few on the right, this Administration is trampling on our Constitution and circumventing the will of Congress. As the chief law enforcement officer for New Jersey, I have a duty to stand up for New Jersey’s residents – including our immigrant community – and so I’m joining states across the country in challenging this emergency declaration in court.”
“I am very concerned with President Trump’s decision to declare an emergency to build his ineffective and unnecessary wall. His decision to circumvent Congress is not only fiscally reckless, but constitutionally dubious,” said Governor Phil Murphy.
Claiming that an influx of immigrants from Central America created a national security threat, President Trump Friday declared an emergency at the U.S. border with Mexico. In doing so, the President said he would forge ahead with plans for construction of a massive, multi-billion-dollar border wall that Congress refused to support.
As the Complaint lays out, the Administration will rely on its declaring of a national emergency to divert up to $3.6 billion budgeted for military construction projects to the border wall effort. As the Complaint further describes, the Administration also plans to annex up to $2.5 billion from counter-narcotics programs and to draw another $601 million from a Treasury Department asset forfeiture fund.
As the Complaint explains, the Administration’s actions violate the U.S. Constitution by funding a border wall for which Congress has refused to appropriate funding, and by using money that Congress specifically appropriated for other purposes.
At the same time, the Administration’s actions are ultra vires because the Administration failed to satisfy the strict criteria laid out in the National Emergencies Act for declaring an emergency and diverting funding.
Indeed, while past Presidents have invoked a national emergency declaration to expend money without Congressional approval, those actions have typically involved shifting military funds in the service of military goals – such as in 2001, when President George W. Bush declared an emergency in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
“President Trump admitted Friday that he didn’t have to issue this declaration, which is proof enough that this crisis is manufactured,” added Attorney General Grewal. “And the Administration is diverting billions of dollars away from projects where it really is sorely needed – including to improve military installations and support state and local anti-narcotics law enforcement efforts. Worst of all, the Administration is doing this in an effort to serve an ideological agenda and keep immigrants and asylum seekers out. New Jersey deserves better.”
Carmine and Lauri Fusco, East Hanover, each pleaded guilty to third-degree theft by deception
EAST HANOVER — New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a Morris County couple pleaded guilty to stealing $152,820 by filing fraudulent applications for federal relief funds related to Superstorm Sandy.
Carmine Fusco, 50, and Lauri Fusco, 50, of East Hanover, each pleaded guilty to third-degree theft by deception before Superior Court Judge Linda G. Baxter in Ocean County. Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Carmine Fusco be sentenced to 180 days in the county jail and a term of probation, and that Lauri Fusco be sentenced to a term of probation. The couple must pay full restitution. Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for both defendants for April 17.
Deputy Attorney General William N. Conlow prosecuted the defendants and took the guilty pleas for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau. They were charged in a joint investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-Office of Inspector General.
In pleading guilty, the Fuscos admitted that they filed fraudulent applications following Superstorm Sandy for FEMA assistance and a state grant under the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program. As a result, the couple received a total of $152,820 in relief funds to which they were not entitled.
The couple falsely claimed in their applications that a home they own on West End Drive in Point Pleasant, which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, was their primary residence at the time Sandy struck. It is alleged that, in fact, their primary residence at the time of the storm was in East Hanover, and the house in Point Pleasant was a vacation/weekend home. As a result of the alleged fraudulent applications, the Fuscos received $2,280 from FEMA and $150,000 in RREM grant funds.
“We have charged over 125 defendants and recovered more than $4 million through our collaborative efforts to investigate and prosecute thefts of federal relief funds after Superstorm Sandy,” said Attorney General Grewal. “These prosecutions send a clear message that we will not tolerate those who selfishly divert relief funds intended for those whose primary homes were destroyed or damaged.”
“The success of our cooperative state and federal anti-fraud program in the wake of Superstorm Sandy should deter this conduct in future disasters, so funding is preserved for those who need it most and relief administrators can focus on recovery, not policing fraud,” said Director Veronica Allende of the Division of Criminal Justice. “These efforts exemplify effective law enforcement collaboration.”
This case was investigated jointly by members of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and the HUD-Office of Inspector General. It was investigated and prosecuted for the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau by Deputy Attorney General Conlow and former Special Civil Investigator Ronald Rauer, under the supervision of Sgt. Fred Weidman, former Lt. David Nolan, Deputy Bureau Chief Mark Kurzawa, and Bureau Chief Julia S. Glass.
The Attorney General’s Office has charged over 125 defendants with fraud related to Sandy relief programs. Most of the cases involve “primary residence fraud” of the type committed by Carmine and Lauri Fusco. The 125-plus defendants allegedly were responsible for diverting more than $8 million in relief funds. The office is continuing its aggressive efforts to investigate fraud in Sandy relief programs, working jointly with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), and the Offices of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Also assisting the taskforce is the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller, New Jersey Department of the Treasury Office of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the non-profit National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
NORTH JERSEY — New Jersey Transit Engineer Anthony Fuzuman saw a dog on the tracks eastbound near Newark. The engineer stopped the train, picked up the dog and brought the dog to Secaucus station where he is safe and warm with station management. The dog was then safely delivered to Secaucus Animal Shelter (which is a no-kill shelter). The shelter requires proof of ownership before they release the dog.
UPDATE: The dog was microchipped and the Secaucus Animal Shelter was able to make contact with the family based on the information from the chip.
The dog, identified as a nine year old Shih Tzu named Daisie, was reunited with the owner, Celeste Zayas, Newark.
The dog was chipped and the shelter contacted the family via the personal info they found.
While at the Secaucus Animal Shelter, the dog had an injury when they found it; The shelter took dog to the vet had it patched up.
MORRIS COUNTY — The New Jersey Department of Human Services awarded NewBridge Services $75,000 to teach older adults about alternatives to using opioids for pain management. The money is part of $1.4 million in grants announced yesterday to stem the opioid epidemic.
NewBridge Services will conduct free group workshops and one-on-one sessions for Morris County residents age 60 and over, and expects to reach 500 people over 12 months. Participants will learn about the risks of prescription painkillers and the array of evidence-based pain management options that don’t involve addictive opioids.
“This initiative is a great fit for us,” NewBridge Chief Operating Officer Michelle Borden said.
NewBridge has been helping seniors maximize their independence since 1987 through NewBridge Senior Assistance for Independent Living (SAIL). NewBridge@Home provides in-home counseling for homebound seniors and respite for caregivers. And NewBridge has a decades-long track record of educating the community about various health and wellness topics.
NewBridge’s goal is to educate 500 seniors, caregivers, and staff from organizations that serve seniors by June 30, 2020, Borden said. The nonprofit will make use of its longstanding partnerships with other senior service providers and Morris County, she noted.
The county has 110,500 residents age 60 and over — 22 percent of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. NewBridge’s clients mirror that statistic.
A higher percentage of older adults fill opioid prescriptions than other age groups. About 17 percent of opioid overdose deaths in New Jersey in 2017 were people age 55 and over, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
NewBridge will provide group workshops at nutrition and senior centers, senior housing, assisted living residences, churches, libraries, and its service center in Parsippany.
There is growing evidence that exercise, acupuncture, yoga, meditation, physical therapy, biofeedback and chiropractic care can help manage pain, often in combination with medications like acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
NewBridge was one of five nonprofits to receive funding to provide programming on alternatives to opioids for pain management. “These contracts will go a long way in helping us reach the people who need help the most, enabling them to get the type of help they need,” Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services Assistant Commissioner Valerie Mielke said.
BOONTON — Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Wayne Police Chief James Clarke announce that based upon an investigation by the Wayne Police Department, in conjunction with the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, Jason Vanderee, 29, from Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday evening in relation to a fatal motor vehicle crash that took place on Tuesday, February 19 in the area of 1220 Route 23 North, Wayne.
Jason Vanderee, 29, Glenwood, was arrested Tuesday evening for the death of three individuals, including a 17-year old Boonton High School student
Mr. Vanderee is charged with three counts of Aggravated Manslaughter, First Degree; three counts of Death by Auto While Driving Intoxicated Within 1000 Feet of School Property, First Degree; three counts of Death by Auto, Second Degree; Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Third Degree; Possession of Hypodermic Needles, a Disorderly Persons Offense; and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, a Disorderly Persons Offense.
Sources say Vanderee was administered Narcan and was rushed to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Paterson. He is expected to survive.
According to media sources Vanderee had his license suspended in early 2017, stemming from a November 2016 motor vehicle stop on Interstate 80 in Fairfield during which he was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failure to turn over drugs to police, operating a motor vehicle in possession of narcotics, possession of a hypodermic syringe and careless driving.
His license was suspended for seven months and then fully reinstated, meaning Vanderee was driving with a valid license at the time of the crash.
On Tuesday February 19, at approximately 8:46 a.m., Wayne Police responded to Route 23 Northbound in the area of the Delta Gas Station, in response to a serious motor vehicle crash involving multiple vehicles.
A 2004 Honda Pilot, a 2011 Nissan Rogue, a 2016 Ford Transit T-250 Van, and a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro were all involved in the crash.
Upon police and medical personnel arrival, three individuals were pronounced dead at the scene; the two occupants of the Chevrolet Camaro, and a gas station attendant.
The occupants of the Chevrolet Camaro were later identified as Jon Warbeck, 50, Fair Lawn, and his son, a 17 year old passenger, Luke Warbeck, Lincoln Park. Luke was a student at Boonton High School.
Boonton Alderman Michael Cardillo said “The Cardillo family sends our deepest thoughts and prayers to the Warbeck family from Lincoln Park who lost a son, Luke, Boonton High School student and father/husband, Jon.”
The Boonton school district is providing both the support and spaces for students and staff to come together to help one another. Only together we will get through the next heart-breaking days and innumerable sad days to follow.
The gas station attendant was later identified as Lovedeep Fatra, 22, Pequannock. The occupants of the Ford Transit Van and Nissan Rogue all received medical treatment for minor injuries.
The preliminary investigation has revealed that Jason Vanderee was driving at an excessive speed at the time of the crash. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
TRENTON — Acting on his commitment to support and uplift New Jersey’s middle class, Governor Phil Murphy today signed into law a sweeping expansion to the state’s paid family leave program. New Jersey enacted a paid family leave program in 2008 and today’s law significantly expands that program to provide additional job protections for those who miss work due to caring for a newborn child or a sick loved one.
“No one should ever be forced to choose between caring for a family member and earning a paycheck,” said Governor Murphy. “By providing the most expansive paid family leave time and benefits in the nation, we are ensuring that New Jerseyans no longer have to face such a decision and that working families are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve. This comprehensive paid family leave program, coupled with the newly passed earned sick leave and minimum wage increase, are fundamental elements in building a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all working families.”
A3975 changes New Jersey’s paid family leave program in a number of ways, including the following:
Doubling the number of weeks for Family Leave Insurance (FLI) and Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI): Employees can take up to 12 consecutive weeks of paid family leave or temporary disability insurance during any 12-month period, beginning in July 2020. Currently, employees are only able to take up to 6 weeks of FLI or TDI in a 12-month period.
Increasing the weekly benefit: Individuals can now receive 85 percent of their weekly wage, with the maximum possible benefit going up to 70 percent of the statewide average weekly wage. Using data from this year, the maximum possible benefit would go up from $650 a week to $860 a week under this law.
Increasing intermittent leave from 42 days to 56 days: Workers will be able to take up to 56 days of intermittent leave within a 12-month period, beginning in July 2020.
Anti-retaliation provisions: Employers with over 30 employees will be barred from retaliating or discriminating against an employee because they took family leave.
Expanding individuals eligible to take paid family leave: The newly signed legislation expands paid family leave to include caring for siblings, in-laws, grandparents, grandchildren, other blood relatives, and any other individuals who can be shown to have the equivalent of a family relationship.
Including domestic and sexual violence: The bill explicitly allows family temporary disability leave to be taken for medical attention, counseling, or legal assistance or proceedings arising out of domestic violence or sexual violence. An individual can take family leave under this provision if they themselves were the victim of domestic or sexual violence, or if they need to care for a family member who was such a victim
“Expanding family leave means people can take needed time off to care for each other without the worry of losing their paycheck, or even worse, their job,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, who also serves as Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs. “Taking care of family members is a fact of life that we will all have to face at some point and by signing this bill today, we are making it possible for working people to take care of each other without risking their livelihood.”
“We applaud the persistence of Governor Murphy, the Legislature and advocates who came together to expand Family Leave Insurance,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “Now, New Jersey workers can better afford to take time to bond with a newborn child or care for a family member in need. Our staff are ready to help workers access these benefits to make their families and communities healthier and stronger.”
Primary sponsors of the bill include Senate President Steve Sweeney; Senators Patrick J. Diegnan and M. Teresa Ruiz; and Assembly members Annette Quijano, Thomas P. Giblin, Joann Downey, and Paul D. Moriarty.
“This will put New Jersey in the forefront of the nation with a paid leave program that serves the needs of families and is good for businesses. Paid leave can ease financial burdens and provide peace of mind for working families at critical times in their lives. Caring for a newborn child or a loved one with a serious illness can be a real challenge for those who can’t afford to lose their paychecks for an extended amount of time.” Senate President Sweeney, who authored the law creating the leave program in 2009
Too many people must choose between their family responsibilities and their paychecks,” said Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin. “The expansion of paid family leave will provide families and individuals across our state with a better quality of life and the time and resources necessary to care for others. As we move to make New Jersey more affordable and resources more accessible, paid family leave will play an instrumental role in improving the lives of workers and building a future for themselves and for their kids.”
“Many workers can’t afford to take family leave because of its low wage replacement rates, or choose not to out of fear of being retaliated against if they do. In some cases, they are unaware that this is even an option,” said Assemblywoman Quijano. “The law will now help working families who need to take time off work to bond and care for a new child, or to care for a family member who is sick or is recovering from a violent ordeal to do so without jeopardizing their financial security.”
“Taking care of a newborn or serving as a caretaker for a loved one is very stressful, and one thing that New Jersey workers should not have to worry about during such a time is whether they will have the income necessary to support themselves and their families,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy. “By ensuring that working family members under difficult circumstances will not have to choose between their jobs and their commitments as mothers, fathers, or other supportive family members, expanding paid family leave and temporary disability insurance will have a direct impact on New Jersey’s maternal and infant mortality crisis.”
Paid family leave is an economic and moral imperative that New Jersey’s working families need to survive and thrive. The changes adopted today make our program more open and accessible to many previously left behind. With these changes, New Jersey has become a national leader on paid family leave, and a model for the nation, said Dena Mottola Jaborska, Associate Director at New Jersey Citizen Action and co-covener of the New Jersey Time to Care Coalition.
Governor Murphy signed the bill at JFK Library in Piscataway.
MORRIS COUNTY —The Georgia Institute of Technology presented degrees to approximately 3,600 undergraduate and graduate students during the Institute’s 256th Commencement exercises on December 14-15, 2018, at the McCamish Pavilion.
Matthew Abate of Mountain Lakes earning Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree and Christie Choi of Boonton earning a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering were among the graduates.
One of the nation’s leading research universities, the Georgia Institute of Technology is in the business of creating the next – the next idea, the next technology, and the next legion of agile minds well equipped to imagine and engineer our future.
More than 25,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled, and Georgia Tech is ranked in the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News and World Report. For more information click here.
EAST HANOVER — About 600 students earned their undergraduate, graduate, or law degrees at Hofstra University’s midyear commencement ceremony on December 19, 2018 at the David S. Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex. East Hanover resident Dominique Calabro earned a Master of Science in Human Resources Management.
Hofstra University is a nationally ranked and recognized private university in Hempstead, N.Y. that is the only school to ever host three consecutive presidential debates (2008, 2012 and 2016). Our campus is a leafy oasis just a quick train ride away from New York City and all its cultural, recreational and professional opportunities.
They offer small classes and personal attention, with the resources, technology and facilities of a large university. Students can choose from more than 160 undergraduate program options and 165 graduate program options in the liberal arts and sciences, education, health professions and human services, the Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs, the Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science, the Frank G. Zarb School of Business, the Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, the Maurice A. Deane School of Law, the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, and the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
Hofstra University is a dynamic community of more than 11,000 students from around the world who are dedicated to civic engagement, academic excellence and becoming leaders in their communities and their careers.
MORRIS COUNTY — Two vice presidents at County College of Morris (CCM) have been selected for the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award in recognition of their leadership skills and commitment to the mission of community colleges.
Recognized for their excellence are Dr. Bette Simmons, of Morristown, vice president of Student Development and Enrollment Management; and Karen VanDerhoof, of Hackettstown, vice president of Business and Finance.
“Bette and Karen are outstanding leaders who have been instrumental in the ongoing success of CCM and its students, and in shaping how community colleges can best meet their mission,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. “CCM has benefited greatly from the talent and contributions of these two vice presidents and it gives us great pride to have them recognized in this manner.”
Dr. Bette Simmons
Simmons joined CCM in 1980 when she became the assistant to the dean of students. From there, she steadily advanced professionally holding such positions as assistant to the president and dean of student development. Simmons was appointed vice president of Student Development and Enrollment Management in 2006. Currently, she also is serving as interim vice president of Academic Affairs.
Active in the Morris County community, Simmons is involved with Preschool Advantage, the Morris County Human Relations Commission, the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey, the Alliance for Morris County Parks, Leadership Morris and the Morris County Sexual Assault Advisory Board.
She has sat on the board – nationally and regionally – of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) for more than 20 years and currently serves as chair of the NASPA Foundation Board. Simmons also is a member of the National Council for Student Development, the National Council of Black American Affairs and the New Jersey Student Affairs Affinity Group. She also serves as a college evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Simmons is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the 2018 Woman of the Year from the Zonta Club of Morristown Area, Morristown Neighborhood House Distinguished Volunteer Award, Morris County Phenomenal Woman of the Year Award, the Patricia C. Donohue Leadership Award from the Mercer County Community College Chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges, the Thiel College Distinguished Alumni Award and is a NASPA Pillar of the Profession.
Simmons earned her Doctorate in Higher Education Administration from Seton Hall University, her Master’s in Counseling from Montclair State University and her Bachelor’s in Spanish and French from Thiel College.
VanDerhoof was appointed vice president of Business and Finance at CCM in 2005. She first joined the college in 1992 as director of Budget and Business Services and then served as controller.
Karen VanDerhoof
Under her leadership, the Accounting department at CCM for the past 16 years has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report. The certificate is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.
VanDerhoof actively serves on the board of TransOptions. She is a past board member and treasurer for the Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers. Currently, she is a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers, Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers and the New Jersey Community College Business Officers Association. She also serves as a college evaluator for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Included among her recognitions, VanDerhoof is the recipient of the Patricia C. Donohue Leadership Award from the Mercer County Community College Chapter of the American Association for Women in Community Colleges and the Distinguished Business Officer Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers.
A CPA, she holds a Master of Taxation degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Centenary College.
Simmons and VanDerhoof will be recognized during NISOD’s annual International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, May 25-28, in Austin, Texas.
NISOD is dedicated to the professional development of faculty, administrators and staff and to the continued improvement of teaching and learning. More than 700 community colleges around the world are NISOD members.
