DENVILLE – A Hillside man has been charged with driving while intoxicated after police conducted a motor vehicle stop in the early morning hours of Tuesday, September 2.

At approximately 2:15 a.m., officers from the Denville Police Department stopped a vehicle traveling eastbound on Route 10 after observing it failing to maintain its lane.

The driver, identified as Cain Morales-Galicia, 43, of Hillside, was determined to be under the influence and placed under arrest. He was transported to Denville Police Headquarters, where he was processed on multiple charges.

Morales-Galicia faces charges of driving while intoxicated, failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, and careless driving. He was later released pending a mandatory appearance in Denville Municipal Court

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Voters will be asked on the November 4, 2025 General Election ballot whether dollars from the county’s Open Space, Farmland, Floodplain Protection and Historic Preservation Trust Fund may be used for stewardship of properties already permanently preserved.

If approved, Morris County would be able to establish a program to support habitat restoration, invasive species reduction, reforestation and green infrastructure improvements on publicly preserved lands, but not general maintenance. No tax increase will result if voters approve the ballot question. The program would utilize funds previously collected and unexpended through the voter-approved Preservation Trust Fund.

The proposal was outlined in an April 23, 2025 report issued to the Commissioners by the Preservation Trust Fund Review Committee, which the Commissioners established in January 2024 to explore potential modifications of the trust fund program. The committee met six times, consulted technical experts and, after robust discussion and deliberation, concluded in its report that establishing a stewardship program for preserved lands is a fitting and responsible use of the Preservation Trust Fund.

“This is a natural next step in our preservation efforts. For more than 30 years, our residents have overwhelmingly supported preservation in Morris County. Adding this program builds upon a long list of successful, voter-approved initiatives, including open space, historic preservation, farmland preservation and trail development. The committee’s recommendation reflects months of evaluation regarding the merits if such a program. Stewardship allows us to care for the lands we’ve protected, ensuring they remain healthy and accessible for future generations,” said Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, who chaired the review committee.

The ballot question, formally authorized by county commissioners, will read as follows:

Public Question:

Shall the County of Morris amend the Morris County Open Space, Farmland, Floodplain Protection,  and Historic Preservation Trust Fund to include the purpose of stewardship of permanently preserved land acquired for recreation and conservation purposes that are designed to restore or enhance its utilization for those purposes and allow the use of previously collected funds for those purposes? 

Interpretive Statement:

A “YES” vote will permit the County of Morris to include natural resource management, habitat restoration and wildlife stewardship as eligible activities on permanently preserved land acquired for recreation and conservation purposes.  These include projects that are designed to enhance or restore the land’s utilization for those purposes as eligible activities funded as part of the Morris County Open Space, Farmland,  Floodplain Protection,  and Historic Preservation Trust Fund.  A “YES” vote will not increase the tax.

A resolution to authorize printing the public question was adopted in June 2025, with the final ballot language submitted to the Morris County Clerk last month in accordance with state law. The county will provide additional outreach and education about the ballot question on its website and social media platforms.

LINK TO THE PRESERVATION TRUST FUND COMMITTEE REPORT

The proposed program would initially be limited to municipal applicants and properties, with the potential to expand and include nonprofit-owned lands in the future. The committee reviewed various categories of stewardship activities to be considered under the program, including natural resources management and planning, meadow and forest restoration, invasive species (plant) removal, wildlife and habitat restoration, pollinator gardens and butterfly habitats and Green infrastructure (e.g., bioswales, rain gardens).

Ineligible activities under the proposed program include routine maintenance, legal fees, land acquisition, recreational infrastructure such as playgrounds or sports fields, and any work on unpreserved land.

The proposed stewardship initiative is modeled after prior Trust Fund expansions, such as the 2014 voter-approved ballot question that successfully enabled funding for trail development. As with the Trail Construction Grant Program, the stewardship program would operate on a matching grant basis, with municipalities contributing a portion of project costs. The committee also suggested the possibility of tiered matching requirements, similar to those used in the county’s Historic Preservation and Flood Mitigation programs.

A full copy of the Preservation Trust Fund Review Committee’s report and information about the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund are available on the county website. 

MORRIS COUNTY — The Board of Trustees of The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, the early 20th-century home of designer Gustav Stickley, announced the appointment of Dr. Jonathan Clancy as Executive Director. Dr. Clancy, currently the Museum’s Director of Collections and Preservation, will succeed Vonda K. Givens, who is stepping down after 17 years of leadership.

“Jonathan is an inspiring leader of exceptional vision, creativity, and commitment,” said Barbara Weiskittel, President of the Board of Trustees. “He is one of the foremost experts on Gustav Stickley and the Arts & Crafts Movement, and over the past five years has worked closely with Vonda to expand and enhance the Museum’s collections and programs. We are thrilled to have him lead us into the future.”

The Museum will recognize Dr. Clancy’s appointment and celebrate Ms. Givens’s many accomplishments at its annual autumn Harvest Party fundraiser on Saturday, October 4, 2025. Ms. Givens will remain in her role through the fall and will work closely with Dr. Clancy, the Board, and staff to ensure a smooth and seamless transition.

Dr. Clancy joined The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms in 2020 as Director of Collections and Preservation. His scholarship has appeared in American Art, Journal of Design History, and Journal of Modern Craft, among others. He is also the co-author or contributor to several volumes, including Beauty in Common Things: American Arts and Crafts Pottery from the Two Red Roses Foundation, Frans Wildenhain 1950–75: Creative and Commercial American Ceramics at Mid-Century, Art and Authenticity, and The First Metal—Arts & Crafts Copper.

Dr. Clancy earned his Ph.D. in Art History from The City University of New York’s Graduate Center in 2008 and his B.A. in History and Art History from Rutgers University. From 2009 to 2017, he served as Director of the American Fine and Decorative Art Program at Sotheby’s Institute of Art in New York and has taught at Parsons, FIT, Rutgers, and The City College of New York. He is currently contributing an essay on French ceramics for an exhibition on Taxile Doat, opening at the Wadsworth Atheneum in 2027.

The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms, Inc. (SMCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1989. Craftsman Farms, Stickley’s former home, is owned by the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and operated by SMCF. Restoration of this National Historic Landmark has been supported by the Save America’s Treasures Grant, the Morris County Historic Preservation Trust, the New Jersey Historic Trust, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and generous individual donors. SMCF also receives funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission, the New Jersey Arts & Culture Recovery Fund, and the Arts & Crafts Research Fund. Click here for more information.