Morris County

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Slow to act on a long list of appointments, departing Gov. Jon Corzine has effectively handed Gov.-elect Chris Christie a chance to reshape the membership and even the direction of the Highlands Council, which controls development in the water-rich region spanning seven northern New Jersey counties. A dozen of the 15 council seats are either vacant or being retained by... Full story »

CHATHAM TWP. – Chatham Township is well known for its green efforts and now the whole state knows it too. It was announced this week that Chatham Township is among the first 34 municipalities in the state to achieve the Sustainable Jersey Certification and the township earned a special sustainability award with Chatham Borough. “We are proud to be joining... Full story »

SAYREVILLE --The pedestrian who died last week after being hit by a car while crossing Route 35 in Sayreville has been identified as a 23-year-old Morris County woman, Detective Sgt. David Lasko said today. Lorena Di Bello, of Dover, was struck Nov. 8 by a 1990 Lexis 400 driven by James Haaf, 43, of Edison, authorities said. She was flown... Full story »

PARSIPPANY - Two men accused of swiping $15 from a grocery store yesterday were later cleared, but not before store management called the police, police said today. The two men were shopping at the Shop Rite grocery store on Route 46 around 8 p.m., Sgt. Yvonne Christiano said. At that point, police received a report that a robbery was in... Full story »

MORRISTOWN -- A former, longtime town mechanic was sentenced today to three years of probation for using a municipal account to purchase $684 worth of auto supplies for his business during a nearly four-year period. Mark Gerardi, 49, also was sentenced in Superior Court in Morristown to pay $684 in restitution and $260 in fines and penalites, and perform 100... Full story »

Thanksgiving weekend isn't just a time for families to get together. It's also prime season for high school reunions. Graduates from high schools or other institutions around the Garden State will have an opportunity to reconnect with former friends and classmates. Among the upcoming reunions are these: Arthur L. Johnson Regional High School of Clark Class of 1989, 20-year... Full story »

Two overturned tractor-trailers and another accident slowed traffic on Route 80 this morning, according to a report on the New Jersey Department of Transportation website. An overturned tractor trailer on Route 80 eastbound near Exit 25 in Mount Olive Township closed the right lane. And a crash on Route 80 eastbound near Exit 2 in Hardwick Township blocked the left... Full story »

MONTVILLE--A renowned Maryland coin dealer said today that authorities have recovered most of the million-dollar stockpile of rare coins and currency that was stolen from his minivan last month at a Montville restaurant. Arrests in the theft, however, have not been made, said Julian Leidman, the reigning dealer of the year for the American Numismatic Association. Thieves raided Leidman’s locked... Full story »

HARDING--Municipal budget woes don’t come as a shock to most New Jersey towns. But Harding Township, a town where estates come with their own names and the average household income tops $200,000, isn’t like most towns. Still, municipal leaders have discovered the monied township is not immune to recession as they have started to balance a surprisingly unwieldy budget for... Full story »

ROCKAWAY TWP. -- The Mt. Hope Biomass Power Plant, a 30-megawatt generating facility proposed for Rockaway Township, suffered a regulatory setback today when the state ruled the project was inconsistent with New Jersey’s water quality management rules. The New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club, which claims the plant would increase air and water pollution, said the Department of Environmental... Full story »

MOUNT OLIVE -- Two homes lost power on River Road today after a tractor-trailer clipped a low hanging guide wire that connected two utility poles. River Road is closed at the intersection of Bartley Road and Tinc Road as crews work to repair the lines and poles, according to Mount Olive police officer Carl Mase, who said other residences could... Full story »

JERSEY CITY -- A senior accountant for a Jersey City firm that manufactured telecommunications equipment pleaded guilty today in federal court in Trenton to embezzling roughly $1 million in cash and stock from the company, authorities said. Daniel Chiu, 60, of Rockaway Township, said he drained more than 30,000 shares of stock and $500,000 from the retirement, stock-option and profit-sharing... Full story »

JEFFERSON -- A township man has been accused of impersonating a police officer and pointing a handgun at three young people at a park, police said. Mohammed Hilimi Jafar, 24, was arrested Monday after the incident at 5:30 p.m. at Longwood Lake Park, police said. The park, off Longwood Lake Road, is known as a local youth hangout. Jafar allegedly... Full story »

CHATHAM TWP. – With plans for the Shunpike Field Complex set to go out for bid, the Chatham Athletic Foundation (CAF) is looking for residents help to fully fund the project that is expected to exceed the funds already set aside. “Shunpike is a much larger project than out first Lum Field project and will benefit significantly more people,” said... Full story »

For six years, Ed Alstrom has performed regularly for 50,000-plus as organist in one of the nation’s highest-profile venues — Yankee Stadium, during weekend baseball games. Now, he’s got a second gig where the crowds usually top out at about 200: the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Morristown. New Jersey native and accomplished jazz musician, Alstrom, of Pine Brook,... Full story »