Jimmy Murphy (33) passes the ball to Connor Boyle (19) of Roxbury against Jefferson during the boys lacrosse game at Jefferson Township High School in Oak Ridge .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comJimmy Murphy recorded a hat trick with two assists for 15th-seeded Roxbury in its 12-6 victory against 18th-seeded Boonton in the preliminary round of the Morris County Tournament in Roxbury Vineet Varghese also had a hat trick for Roxbury (3-8) Colton Curtiss tallied a pair of goals and a pair of assists while Trevor Klapmuts scored two goals Dunavan Krause had a goal with two assists for Rixbury and Vito Martinelli netted one goal in the first round of the Morris County Tournament on Tuesday Anthony Gabbianelli can be reached at agabbianellli@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Police in Boonton and surrounding towns found themselves wrangling a convoy of hundreds of cars early Sunday morning that descended on the parking lot at the Boonton Plaza Shopping Center some "recklessly" speeding in what appears to be a nationwide trend of "street takeovers." Before it was over on a frigid night that saw temperatures drop into the single digits, one of many vehicles — a Dodge Charger showing suspected stolen license plates — fled the scene before being stopped on Route 287 by a tire-deflation device deployed by police the officer in charge of the Boonton Police Department said the incident did not include violence gun-waving and other alarming aspects witnessed in other "street takeovers" reported around the nation He said his officers were successful in breaking up the gathering with minimal resistance from the drivers with the exceptions of those riding without license plates stolen tags attempting to hide their identity," Petonak said "Some vehicles had no registration tags displayed." when Boonton Police learned of "an influx of traffic" exiting off Route 287 that "converged and assembled" at Boonton Plaza Petonak said he believed the group "sought to race on the interstates after they organized." "Apparently there is a racing group that goes through different states and causes a lot of traffic disruptions almost like a pop-up party" organized through social media Advance "intel" obtained by police about the Boonton event allowed the responding officers — with assistance from Boonton Township and Mountain Lakes police — "to prevent their access and disrupt their goal," Petonak said The intel indicated the group headed into town was from out of state "Our agency traveled through the parking lot and many vehicles filed out of the parking lot orderly "Some vehicles passed the orderly group and recklessly increased their speeds in an attempt to provoke the police officers to give chase." Using automated license plate readers they identified some cars with outstanding warrants and conducted motor-vehicle stops as the others were directed out of the area The ALPR technology identified one vehicle with Virginia license plates stolen from a 2016 Honda. police deployed a tire-deflation spike strip that eventually forced the Dodge to stop on southbound Route 287 in Parsippany Three occupants of the car remained at the scene and were arrested while the driver and another passenger fled on foot was apprehended after a foot chase with two officers and was cited for obstruction and resisting arrest who fled to the area around the nearby Jersey City Reservoir "Simultaneous" car chases involving police from all three towns took place during the response," Petonak said NEW PROVIDENCE — The New Providence High School football team wasn’t perfect on Saturday The Pioneers scored on all seven of their full possessions – the exception a one-play series just before halftime -- did not punt or turn the ball over and were whistled for just two penalties -- both late in the third quarter New Providence ran 29 times for 332 yards and six touchdowns and completed both of its passes for a seventh score in blasting Boonton 49-24 in the opening round of the North 2 Group 3 playoffs The second-seeded Pioneers (8-2) will play host to third-seeded Hasbrouck Heights in next weekend’s semifinals but it will be hard to replicate Saturday’s performance we’re fortunate that we have a great offensive line,” New Providence coach Chet Parlavecchio stated “They’re physical and they’re tough and we like how it’s going right now.” More: Football playoff results: Big Central Conference and area sectional quarterfinals roundup More: Cranford football rallies with last-minute score to edge Summit in NJSIAA playoffs Quarterback TJ Munn led New Providence by running 11 times for 205 yards and touchdown runs of 24 He also completed both of his pass attempts including a 30-yard scoring strike to Mike Petses “The blocking was great and we barely threw the ball,” Munn said “When we have AJ running like that there’s no need to throw the ball We were able to just go through the open holes and get touchdowns.” AJ Whitehead contributed 109 yards on 15 carries to the rushing total finishing the Pioneers’ first drive of each half with scoring runs of 11 and six yards which entered the contest having attempted just 20 passes all season was able to contain the potent New Providence attack by sustaining it’s two first-half possessions The first ended with a 25-yard field goal by Metin Ahmedi the second with a six-yard touchdown run by Colin Bostrom that reduced the deficit to 14-10 just before halftime Neither team was able to stop the other in the first half and whichever team could assert itself on defense would have a huge advantage “It was going to come down to who made the first stop,” said Parlavecchio who earned his 50th victory at the school with the victory “That drive coming out of the second half was a massive drive We were able to make it a two-score game and then we kept it at that reach We wanted to get them playing from behind.” Boonton received the second-half kick and fumbled the ball away five plays into the drive The Bombers six second-half possessions consisted of two touchdowns and four turnovers including a pair of fumble recoveries by New Prov linebacker Gui May The combination of New Providence’s unstoppable offense and opportunistic defense proved too much for Boonton to overcome .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By N.J. High School Sports DeskMatt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comColin Bostrom scored seven goals and Christian Fokas added six as Boonton defeated High Point The Bombers (9-3) jumped out to a commanding 6-2 lead in the first quarter and never looked back maintaining control throughout the contest against the Wildcats (2-8) Bostrom finished with a game-high 10 points while also collecting eight ground balls in a dominant all-around performance Fokas was equally impressive with nine total points contributing three assists alongside his six goals and gathering seven ground balls Boonton continued to build its advantage with three goals in the second quarter and six more in the third establishing a 15-6 lead heading into the final period Brian Gruber led the offensive effort with four goals while winning eight of 11 face-offs Ryder Gervald added three goals and collected four ground balls while Alex Sonvico contributed two goals and an assist Gabriel Perrotto-Wald was effective in the face-off circle for High Point helping the Wildcats secure possession despite trailing on the scoreboard Boonton’s Cody Larsen recorded 17 saves while also collecting six ground balls High Point’s Neeko Basanyi stopped 10 shots in the losing effort The Bombers dominated the ground ball battle which helped them maintain possession and create scoring opportunities throughout the game Jeffrey Schmucker and Connor Striegel each added two goals for Boonton while Matt Sulpy contributed two assists in the victory The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff A Morris County warehouse manager is facing numerous charges after allegedly setting fire to the building to conceal the theft of more than $200,000 of materials last year in Boonton has been charged with two counts of aggravated arson and conspiracy to commit aggravated arson and three counts of burglary and criminal mischief in connection with the Nov the Morris County Prosecutor's Office announced in a press release Monday afternoon attempting to hinder and possession of burglary tools The Boonton Police and Fire departments responded to a commercial warehouse fire on Fulton Street at 8:13 p.m with mutual aid from surrounding municipalities extinguished the two-alarm blaze that affected the warehouse and a separate area leased by a pharmaceutical supply company An investigation identified several signs that the fire was intentionally set a heavy odor of petroleum and a canister nozzle recovered at the scene Video surveillance footage showed two masked individuals entering the warehouse shortly before the fire started Law enforcement officials learned that approximately $233,000 worth of copper materials had gone missing from equipment belonging to another company using the warehouse The investigation placed Fields in the area of the warehouse late on the night of Nov and he allegedly sold "significant quantities of copper" at a scrapyard each of the two nights before the fire Fields has been detained in the Morris County Correctional Facility since his arrest Jan Agencies participating in the investigation include the Boonton Police Department and the prosecutor's office arson and environmental crimes unit with assistance from the special operations division BOONTON TOWNSHIP — An $11 million renovation of town hall is fueling a contested race here for the township committee Republican incumbent Thomas SanFilippo Jr. a detective with the Jersey City police department a retired union president and stage director for the New York City Opera At stake is a seat on the five-member governing board in the town of 4,400 people Menard is seeking to become the first Democrat in memory to win a spot on the currently all-Republican committee He said he'd bring fresh thinking and years of administrative experience to a panel that let the town hall project get too big SanFilippo touts four straight years of flat municipal tax rates and upgrades to town parks and facilities during his three years in office Here's a look at the two contenders ahead of the Nov. 5 election he began his law enforcement career with the Morris County Sheriff's Office in 2003 He joined the Jersey City force in 2008 as a patrol officer before being promoted to detective in 2017 He's also served on the Boonton Township Planning Board "My whole career has always been about public service," he said is "keeping the character and the history of the town not having overdevelopment like a lot of these towns .. and making acquisitions of land to preserve that Half our town is preserved farmland and that's what gives it its character." His resume includes nine years as stage director and artistic administrator for the New York City Opera and almost 35 years as production stage manager at New York's Metropolitan Opera He is also past president and treasurer of the American Guild of Musical Artists He cited his work helping the union and opera navigate pandemic lockdowns "I'm accustomed to pulling large groups of people together toward a common goal and developing and realizing an artistic vision which is not that different from realizing a commercial vision or any other kind of vision." Menard also serves on the board of the Morris County School of Technology in Denville Menard said the management of the municipal building expansion helped convince him to enter the race The committee approved the project earlier this year saying renovations were desperately needed to the building on Powerville Road Menard said the committee should have gotten more public input and questioned why the town needs a new building that will be 6,000 square feet larger and more expensive than the recently renovated town hall in neighboring Mountain Lakes SanFilippo said the repairs and upgrades were needed at a building that hadn't been renovated since the 1950s was cramped and didn't have the space to meet modern standards for securing evidence The building will expand in part to accommodate a bigger municipal courtroom which will bring in revenue for the town by serving other municipalities in the area he said construction costs have gone up significantly since Mountain Lakes began its project four years ago Boonton Township will issue a $9.5 million bond to cover the project. But it's not expected to raise taxpayers' bills because borrowing costs will be covered by tax revenues from the TerrAscend cannabis farm off Old Denville Road Menard said that assumes the farm will maintain the same level of revenues the TerrAscend project was advertised to local residents as a way to lower taxes not as a "piggy bank for capital projects." In addition to the township's stable tax rate SanFilippo said he's proud of a record that also includes new basketball and pickleball courts at Leonard Park and improved parking at the town's RVA Fields "We're spending just enough to maintain what we have and upgrade what needs to be upgraded But Menard said the town hall project was emblematic of a leadership that could use a fresh voice. He faulted the committee for failing to coordinate with the township school board, which proposed a $15 million bond referendum for repairs at the Rockaway Valley School at the same time Voters rejected the referendum in the spring "It's a place where we do it the way we've always done it and I think that there's no innovation when there's no other point of view." .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jake Tiger | For NJ Advance MediaPosting multiple season highs Brett Giordano did it all in Boonton’s 12-4 win over Elmwood Park in Elmwood Park Giordano stuffed the stat sheet in the win while also pitching two scoreless innings for Boonton (7-7) Lucas Graber totaled nine strikeouts in the other five innings for Boonton Boonton bounced back from a two-game losing streak Jake Tiger can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) The school year began on a somber note at Boonton High School following the sudden death of a popular vice principal on Tuesday two days before the first morning of classes Superintendent Thomas Valle informed the school community with a letter that Vice Principal Edward Forman "We learned shortly after our staff had come together [Tuesday] to begin the school year," Valle wrote "We are shaken by this terrible and sudden loss and we understand our community and especially our high school students will be but the district began classes on Thursday as scheduled Valle said the district was partnering with the Traumatic Loss Coalition to provide counseling support for students and staff was "one of those special educators who brought out the best in others and was the most wonderful advocate for students." "His outgoing personality reflected his love for life and was a source of joy and comfort for his students and for all of us who had the privilege of being his colleagues," Valle told the Daily Record Forman’s daily interactions were always about building others up and ultimately brightening the futures of the students he so passionately served His impact within our community is lasting even as we are experiencing deep loss at the start of this school year." Forman had held a variety of positions in the Boonton district since 2011 including dean of programs and students at the high school and John Hill School "We pride ourselves on being a close-knit community Forman played a significant role in establishing our quality of togetherness," Valle said "Our quality of togetherness will be most helpful in this time of sorrow."    More: Bergen County librarian opens her own bookstore in Boonton. Why she's bullish on books Born in the Bronx, Forman later moved with his family to Staten Island, according to an obituary posted online He went on to play football and study economics at Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania He started working in finance as a trader at Bank of America before shifting to a career in teaching with the New York City school system Golf and exercise were two of his passions transforming the outdoor space at his Montclair home every spring much to his mother-in-law Barbara Epting’s delight," the obituary explained Services scheduledServices will begin with a visitation from 5 to 7 p.m Carolyn; daughters Danielle and Katelyn; a sister "At Alice’s funeral service just two weeks ago Ed urged those in attendance to use the passing of loved ones as an opportunity to hold close those who remain," it said William Westhoven is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com  Twitter/X: @wwesthoven .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comChristian Fokas recorded a hat trick for Boontonm in its 9-8 win against pompton Lakes in Boonton broke the all-time assists record with 132 for Boonton on an assist to Fokas in the fourth quarter The previous record was held by Mickey Norton Pompton Lakes (5-3) led 6-2 at halftime when Boonton (8-3) outscored Pompton Lakes in the second half to take the lead and win Matt Sulpy had two goals and an assist for Boonton Sean Tracy and Jeffrey Schmucker each had a goal and combined for three assists TV and film veteran Peter Onorati never needs an excuse to visit his beloved hometown he gets to chill in Boonton courtesy of the Chiller Theatre Toy just one town over at the Hilton Parsippany A familiar face especially on network television — from starring turns in "Cop Rock" and "Civil Wars" to more recent feature roles on "S.W.A.T." and the Emmy-winning "This is Us" — Onorati has never appeared at the Chiller Expo a popular annual meet-and-greet event that unites scores of celebrities with thousands of their fans for handshakes "I've been asked for the last five years or so nobody wants my autograph," Onorati said while sipping an espresso on Tuesday at Boonton Coffee He's back in town after a brief stay in Cape May and plans to hit his usual local haunts over the next week and he said you can make a lot of money," he said "So I figured it would at least pay for my trip home the three-day event has mostly narrowed its focus to the celebrity exposition although there will be a Halloween costume contest and model art contest on Saturday The big lure is the expansive list of notable guests which range from film legends to one-hit wonders and bit players from big shows This year's lineup includes Oscar winner Mira Sorvino and "Brat Pack" actresses Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy Playboy centerfold model Kendra Wilkinson and Notre Dame football legend Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger The expo in the past has also featured cast "reunions" from classic TV shows such as "The Brady Bunch" and "I Dream of Jeannie." Onorati was lured to the expo in part for a reunion with "Civil Wars" costar Mariel Hemingway so I guess that won't happen," Onorati said he's looking forward to meeting up with Eric Roberts his costar in the film "West End," a 2012 mob drama filmed on the Jersey Shore Wife encouraged improv which kickstarted his careerOnorati's acting career A star wide receiver at Boonton High School he also played football at Lycoming College He later earned an MBA while working for the Ford Motor Company in Newark as a marketing research executive He quickly moved up the corporate ladder to a similar position at the McCall's magazine publishing empire in New York and began to do improv comedy at her urging "I left McCall's in 1984 and within six months I was making more money doing commercials than I was as a Park Avenue executive." A recurring role in the hit TV series "Kate and Allie" was an early success as was a brief but memorable role in the movie "Goodfellas," in which his now-famous mug was beaten to a bloody pulp He snagged that role by suggesting to director Martin Scorsese that they might be related His improvised story — which name-checked Onorati's grandfather Donate Scorese — did the trick nailing him the part of an ill-fated Florida bookie Onorati credits Stephen Bochco with breakthroughBut he credits his big breakthrough in the business to legendary TV producer Stephen Bochco best known for creating "Hill Street Blues," "L.A Law" and "NYPD Blue." "Cop Rock," a first-of-its kind weekly musical drama with original music and choreography "Bochco made me a leading man in 'Cop Rock,' " Onorati said "My character was supposed to do just four episodes sing a song to his gun and blow his head off But it turned out the character tested so well that ABC told Bochco 'You have to keep this guy.' " Bochco and Onorati were more successful with their next pairing "Civil Wars," a legal drama featuring Onorati and Hemingway as divorce attorneys Onorati has had steady work in Hollywood ever since he was a regular on the first season of the CBS action series "S.W.A.T" in 2017 His character was retired but was brought back several times over the series run He refers to another recent recurring role — Stanley the abusive father of Jack on the award-winning ABC series "This is Us" — as one of the most challenging of his career "One of the most difficult characters to play," Onorati said "Some of the other bad guys I played were off-the-chart bad guys But somehow I thought there was something redeeming about Stanley." He appreciated one final flashback scene in which Stanley turns down a drink from his own father and Onorati regrets he didn't get to explore "the opportunity to figure out why Stanley drank." that this guy was not as bad all the time as he was most of the time when you see him on the show," he said 'I can't stay away' from BoontonWhile on an extended break in Boonton where he will mingle with family and old friends Onorati will head into New York to attend sessions at the Actors Studio in New York Having earned his Actor's Equity card in the premiere stage production of "Talk Radio" at the Public Theater in New York Onorati says he would love to get back onstage and would even accept a small role on Broadway Meanwhile, it's time to relax and enjoy his hometown, hitting familiar haunts like Chili Willie's Mexican restaurant on Main Street and sampling his favorite Italian dishes at Matte Donna and the Reservoir Tavern He also still owns properties in town with his brother "I miss it here terribly," Onorati said of Boonton I feel different physiologically when I am here Go to Chiller Theatre Toy, Model and Film ExpoChiller Theatre Toy, Model and Film Expo: October 25 to 27 at the Parsippany Hilton. Daily admission $40 ($50 pre-admission one hour early). Additional charges for celebrity autographs and selfies. More details at the event website (Correction: A prior version of this story inaccurately stated the position Peter Onorati played in high school football and the location of the stage production of "Talk Radio" in which he performed.) Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com Twitter/X: @wwesthoven .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Will Harrigan | For NJ Advance MediaArianna Carrino scored six goals powering Wayne Hills to a 15-5 victory over Boonton in Wayne and her performance in this one has the Patriots holding a 5-1 record on the season Ava Cuccinello added a hat-trick for the winners in this one Wayne Hills jumped out to a commanding 9-1 lead at the half The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here extending political career that began in 1980 A recount in Boonton gives Republican incumbent Cyril Wekilsky a one-vote victory in a race for a Ward 1 Town Council seat Wekilsky and Democrat Melissa Di Salvo were tied Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi certified that only the vote-by-mail tally changed; there were no changes in the Early Voting It will now be up to Di Salvo to either challenge the election results or concede her narrow loss Wekilsky has held local office in Boonton on-and-off since 1988 when he first won a seat on the Board of Aldermen when he lost to Matthew DiLauri by twenty percentage points He was a school board member from 1980 to 1988 Police approach their job with the goal "to protect and serve." Boonton Township Police did not score a goal but were credited with a save when two officers rescued an owl that got itself trapped in a soccer net The timely assist took place Wednesday afternoon at Rockaway Valley Aerodrome Fields a township park off Powerville Road that includes multiple soccer pitches Christopher Chicoris and Patrolman Colin Yuill found the owl tangled in the net They donned gloves to safely secure the owl then used clippers to cut the strings of the goal while preventing injuries to the bird "Not even a thank-you," one of the officers - seen in a video of the rescue - jokes when the owl quickly flies away as soon as it is set free Becker said Chicoris is specially trained as a Humane Law Enforcement Officer a certification that allows the department to handle calls for service involving the safety and protection of animals and other wildlife Boonton Township residents regularly encounter a wide variety of wildlife ranging from bears, bobcats and eagles to aquatic life in and along the Rockaway River, which flows through the rural community, where many million-dollar homes were built on former farmland. A former commercial farm is now a cannabis grow facility The Boonton Township Police Department is a smaller force currently consisting of 13 officers with a 14th in training at the Morris County Police Academy our law enforcement officers certainly wear a lot of different hats," Chief Thomas Cacciabeve said of the owl rescue "It is imperative that our officers are trained to deal with any scenario they may encounter in the field The Boonton Township Police Department is dedicated to ensuring that our officers are trained in numerous disciplines and equipped to handle any situation that they may encounter throughout their shift." Bridge in Grace Lord Park Restored with Morris County Preservation Trust Funds Morris County Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw joined Mayor James Lynch Sheriff James Gannon and residents yesterday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the reopening of the historic Stone Arch Bridge in Boonton originally served as a viaduct providing fire protection for the Boonton Ironworks It now serves as a pedestrian bridge and overlook for the Boonton waterfalls and it is the only connection across the Rockaway River from Grace Lord Park to the old ironworks The restoration of the Stone Arch Bridge was completed through efforts of the Board of County Commissioners “The Stone Arch Bridge is the only intact portion of the ironworks remaining,” said Shaw who also presented a Morris County Historic Preservation plaque that will be affixed to the bridge “This bridge not only connects us physically but also symbolizes our connection to the past Its restoration ensures future generations can continue to enjoy its scenic views and appreciate its significance as a landmark on both the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places.” Since the inception of the county Historic Preservation program in 2003, the Commissioners have awarded 533 grants totaling nearly $49 Million to aid in the preservation protection and restoration of 123 historical properties in 34 towns throughout the county The Stone Arch Bridge was supported with $368,160 in Historic Preservation Trust Fund Grants including: The Grace Lord Park trail providing access to the bridge received $32,000 through the Morris County Trail Construction Grant program in 2021 which will make the area more accessible to residents and visitors when the project is complete “I’d like to thank the commissioners for supporting the Historic Preservation and Trail Construction programs,” said Mayor Lynch “The trail development at Grace Lord Park will offer more opportunities for hiking and enjoying the views of the Boonton waterfalls and the Rockaway River These trails not only serve recreational purposes but also highlight the historical importance of the Stone Arch Bridge and its role in connecting different parts of the park.” “Today is a wonderful day for Boonton as we reopen this historic bridge,” said Sheriff Gannon “It's not just a bridge — it's a piece of our history that connects us to the beauty of Grace Lord Park and the Boonton waterfalls.” Photo 1: (l-r) Town of Boonton Mayor James Lynch is presented a Morris County Historic Preservation Trust Fund plaque from Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw Boonton Mayor James Lynch and Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw Newsletter sign-up and archive In a world where technology seems to be making books obsolete, opening a brick-and-mortar bookstore might seem an intimidating task But that hasn't stopped Brianne Colombo from making her dream a reality. Colombo, director of the Glen Rock Public Library in Bergen County recently opened Gingerbread Bookshop on Main Street in Boonton Painted in a deep blue-gray hue in an early-Colonial style building the Gingerbread bills itself as a "secondhand bookshop for all ages." Open on weekends Bring in five books and you get a gingerbread cookie Colombo described the inspiration behind her new venture how she created the Gingerbread's "old-world fairytale feel" and why she's bullish on books and bookstores in a digital age "What I see — both in the library and in the bookshop — is more engagement and excitement about the physical book and physical spaces than any time I can recall in my recent memory," she said Answers have been edited for length and clarity. The Gingerbread Bookshop is open Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m I picture that first summer working in the library through a series of book jackets stacked high on my nightstand: Nicole Krauss’ "The History of Love," Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy Jhumpa Lahiri’s "The Namesake," "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls and Ishmael Beah’s "A Long Way Gone" and "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro And a book that brings me right back to 17: Hilary Thayer Hamann’s "Anthropology of an American Girl."  I’ve always been fascinated by the collection and curation of books and I have a genuine curiosity about human behavior I suppose that’s how I’ve managed to spend half of my life working in public libraries It started when I was hired for a job at the circulation desk at my hometown library Aside from checking books in and out and registering kindergartners and those new to town for their library cards I spent a lot of my time talking to people about what they were reading sociology and gender studies in college and graduate school and when an opportunity arose for me to take on a children’s librarian position I got another degree in library and information science and I quickly learned that my new role wasn’t as exciting as reading stories to toddlers and managing the children’s collection it was a position that was wrapped up in local politics and one that was (understandably) administrative the most exciting part of my days in the library still revolve around talking to people about what they’re reading and curating the library’s collections I’ve been dreaming up a bookshop that’s inspired by many of the core values of librarianship (e.g I imagined a third place where the community could access a highly curated secondhand book collection; a shop where people could browse freely and interact with neighbors and strangers feel genuinely welcomed into a space alive with story I walked into an antique shop on the vibrant historic Main Street of Boonton at the end of December last year I felt a strong connection to the physical space that was coincidentally listed for rent only the day before After a few weeks of daydreaming and doing my best impersonation of Julie Andrews singing “I Have Confidence” in the shower and I decided that my idea for a bookshop was ready to be pulled up from a deep well of thought and brought merrily into the sunlight What makes your vision different from other bookstores?Creating the bookshop started with a pencil and the back pages of an unfinished journal I started in my early 20s I flipped through my old musings tucked away in unlined pages I drew the outline of the 800-square-foot shop The original wood floors from 1890 are creaky and an old stove at the back of the shop serves as the main heat I knew I wanted to feature the height and age of the building into the design I imagined the flow of shelves and collections I worked to create it using secondhand items Most of the bookshelves are from the 1960s; I was lucky to pull them out of a local public library right before they demoed their interior for necessary renovations Many of the fixtures in the shop were found on neighborhood curbs — pieces that lit up like gold in the glow of my headlights after my long drive home from the library after a 9 p.m I spent months foraging for books out in the wild thoughtfully selecting titles that I wanted to feature on the shelves I was overwhelmed by the incredible generosity and support I received from residents in my own neighborhood (thank you and notably from the many library workers and patrons that I’ve had the privilege of knowing throughout my evolving career The response made me realize how much everyone else was excited for a secondhand bookshop My vision for Gingerbread Bookshop is rooted in the advocacy for every person’s freedom to read and the desire for community belonging and embracing sharing economies I wanted the space itself to have an old-world fairytale feel — a place that could recall the comfort and warmth of my grandmother’s living room I will also be offering storytime and some small community events My mission is deeply dedicated to sustainability and inclusivity More: Morris County OKs $3.6M to preserve local history, from old church to train stations On my nightstand this summer is Rachel Cusk’s "Parade." I’m only 50 or so pages in but I’m eager to read a few pages each night before bed; I loved her "Outline"trilogy I just finished Craig Foster’s naturalist memoir "Amphibious Soul" (the author is the creator of the documentary "My Octopus Teacher") I am currently listening to Madeleine L'Engle’s "Wrinkle in Time" series — books I last read in the seventh grade I often read fairy tales from various collections (one of my go-tos is the Jack Zipes-edited "Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm") and any books I can get my hands on that are connected to my grandmother’s Danube Swabian ancestry My recommendation is just to read more books as long as what you’re reading speaks to your wants and needs Do you see less interest in physical books thanks to technology?What I see — both in the library and in the bookshop — is more engagement and excitement about the physical book and physical spaces than any time I can recall in my recent memory I believe that we are all naturally drawn to and most moved by the tangible I can recall it in palpable moments: taking up a knife to peel and slice an apple squeezing the juice from an orange for a few sips to swallow an oversized vitamin the wet grass under my bare feet as I pick some prickly cucumbers from the garden the shears in my hand as I cut happy zinnia blooms and set them in a vase and the joy of the work it takes to walk our three dogs — leashes in both hands performing a great balancing act of continuous untangling I make a conscious effort to disconnect from my computer and phone when my “work” is done clearing away the yet-to-be folded laundry and holding Mike (my partner and number one supporter) close I’ll read through a few pages of whatever’s on the nightstand before reaching out into a full body stretch I feel that there’s a general societal yearning for what once was — a dreamy wish for a taste of that time and space before obsessive digital connection Although I post occasionally to Instagram (@gingerbread_bookshop) and has no Wi-Fi (and terrible cell service) Stop in anytime you want to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with a community of readers who still enjoy the drama and awe of turning the page A Newark man has been charged in connection with a fire at a Boonton warehouse and the theft of copper materials worth over $230,000, according to information released by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.Davon Fields The charges stem from an incident on November 3 when Boonton Police and Fire Departments responded to a two-alarm blaze at a commercial warehouse on Fulton Street Firefighters extinguished flames in both the main warehouse area and a separately secured section leased by a pharmaceutical supply company Investigators later determined the fire had been intentionally set Surveillance footage captured two masked individuals entering the warehouse shortly before the fire authorities discovered that $233,000 worth of copper materials had been removed from equipment owned by another company operating within the warehouse Further inquiries revealed Fields had visited the warehouse late at night on November 1 and again on the night of the fire Fields was seen at a scrapyard on November 1 and 2 where he allegedly sold large amounts of copper On January 13, 2025, Fields was charged with a series of offenses, including two counts of aggravated arson, conspiracy to commit aggravated arson, burglary, theft, criminal mischief, fencing, and tampering with evidence.He has been detained at the Morris County Correctional Facility under the Criminal Justice Reform Act and is awaiting further court proceedings.  A woman died after being struck by a New Jersey Transit train near the Route 23 Transit Center in Wayne on Friday afternoon a Montclair-Boonton line train hit the woman a spokesperson for NJ Transit said in an email The train had departed Hoboken at 1:58 p.m and was scheduled to arrive in Dover at 3:30 p.m None of the approximately 27 customers and crew on board was injured Montclair-Boonton Line rail service was suspended on Friday in both directions between Montclair State University to Denville New Jersey Transit Police are investigating the crash No other information was released by officials from NJ Transit BOONTON — The ironworks are long gone but a final remnant of the 18th-century industry that built this Morris County town has been restored and repurposed as a portion of a planned nature trail construction and obtaining almost $700,000 in grants to pay for it all a ribbon-cutting was held Monday at the Arch Bridge a stone structure that spans a Rockaway River gorge not far from the wide waterfall at the entrance of Grace Lord Park Mayor James Lynch called upon the family of former Councilmember Edina Renfro-Michel Renfro-Michael died last year from breast cancer at age 53 "It's been a long time coming," said her husband the stone arch span is the last physical remnant of Boonton's thriving iron manufacturing industry which continued into the early 20th century the bridge and park trails are a popular destination for hiking and respite from the busy world just steps away In the late 1870’s the Boonton ironworks site was donated to the town as a public park in memory of John Couper Lord’s daughter forcing its closure and dividing one end of the park from the other More: What’s a Cornish pasty? The secret to this Morris family business' 100-year legacy History of the Boonton Stone Arch Bridge"The bridge was constructed as an aqueduct to carry piped water from a pond to the Boonton Ironworks to ensure fire protection," the New Jersey Historic Trust explains on a webpage devoted to the Ironworks "It is the single remaining intact portion of the industrial complex that evolved in Boonton in the years after the opening of the Morris Canal but adds a sturdy steel frame and concrete walkway on top that reconnects the park trail Michel took a moment to compose himself after the bridge was opened thinking of when his family moved to Boonton 20 years ago and "instantly fell in love with it." "It's such an eclectic little town," Michel said and the Rockaway River is one of the best-kept secrets in this town If they could do to the rest of the park what they did with this bridge it would be something where people would come specifically for this." The mayor added that future plans include connecting the trail downriver to the nearby Boonton Reservoir where plans are being finalized to build a walking trail around the 700-acre water source for Jersey City .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Craig Epstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comCJ Tedesco was a single away from the cycle with four RBI and two runs to power 11th-seeded Montville past 22nd-seeded Boonton 11-1 in the Morris County Tournament preliminary round in Montville Nico Companion added a two-run triple for Montville (4-6) while Mike Vito went 2-for-3 with an RBI and one run Montville will face sixth-seeded Madison in the first round next Friday at 4 p.m Craig Epstein may be reached at cepstein@njadvancemedia.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comDaniela Melito starred for Boonton with five goals in its 9-7 win over Hoboken in Boonton Ashley Suplicki added four goals for Boonton (2-2) Hoboken (2-1) tied the game at halftime following a 5-2 second quarter Boonton closed out the win with a 3-1 second half Skylar Kowalski posted three goals and three assists for Hoboken The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription Matt Bove can be reached at mbove@njadvancemedia.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comDaniela Melito exploded for Boonton with six goals in its 15-11 win over Paramus Catholic in Paramus Sierra Medina added three goals for Boonton (4-2) Kaydence Larsen made 12 saves in the victory Madison Kata netted a game-high seven goals for Paramus Catholic (3-2) Boonton has now won four games in a row after dropping the first two games of the season .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comElla Watson finished 3-for-4 with a home run triple and two RBI for 10th-seeded Morristown in its 13-2 win over Boonton in Morristown Samantha Klein was 2-for-2 with three RBI for Morristown Morristown (6-3) will play at seventh-seeded Montville in the first round .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaMadi Mirz struck out 16 hitters on the mound pitching a complete game as Mountain Lakes claimed an 11-6 road victory over Boonton Vivian Adams drove in two RBIs for Mountain Lakes (1-4) Jordan Hicinbothem swiped three bags for Boonton (1-4) Kaelynn Wines added two more steals and scored two runs In its fifth consecutive road game to begin the season Mountain Lakes was able to enter the win column It will play its home opener on Friday against Lenape Valley Dylan McCoy can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com Through this particular plate glass window on Cornelia Street you're liable to see — at any odd hour — a deejay "Occasionally I get people who bang on the window," said Jerry Balderson, one of the 30-plus hosts at homegrownradionj.com — a unique online "radio" station that is celebrating its 20th year of reinventing classic radio for the digital age "The other day an old friend of mine came by," he said is "The Paleface Parabola." "I like the idea of the shortest distance between two points," he said We start from one place and go to different places while I'm on the air." "Carrot Time Music with 'Dizzy' Jim Demaio" (9 a.m "Estacion Terrapin" (in Spanish) with Oscar Ruiz (11 a.m "Railroad Earth Happy Hour with Johnny Major" (9 p.m and "Mozart to Motorhead with John Hammel" (9 p.m rebroadcast Thursday 8 to 11 a.m.) are some of the equally offbeat programming blocks Deejays are all over the worldThere are deejays who broadcast from the studio and some who do their shows from as far away as Arizona There are deejays whose preference is for The Beatles or N.R.B.Q. or talk (Record staffer Bill Westhoven has a show "Wake Up with Weekend Willie," Sunday mornings from 8 to 10) because it's not a public airwave," Mills said We don't do things that are out-of-control or obscene the station will host its own 20th-anniversary party at the Boonton Elks Lodge free-form college radio station — the kind that has almost disappeared in the age of algorithm-generated playlists and Spotify downloads Homegrownradionj.com is a throwback to an earlier Most of the deejays are of a certain age — 50 or older — and grew up with such stations and we let them play their music and let them share their vibe," said Mills "The Monday Night Slog," co-hosted by his friend Rick Wilmarth until a change in format left him high and dry One that would use digital technology to broadcast analog-style shows "Our intention was to treat it like [FM] radio," he said "It's definitely closer to that than podcasting he set up shop — literally — in Blairstown "It was a storefront on Route 94," he said they moved to Boonton — briefly to the Darress Theatre an old pile of a 1919 vaudeville house on Main Street that was not in the best repair (plans are now underway to transform it into an arts center) "That's one of the scariest places I've ever worked in," Balderson said they had a new storefront studio on Cornelia Street They've become a part of the revitalized Boonton which has been slowly shedding its old mill-town image and becoming a boutique and restaurant destination and the management doesn't interfere," said Kate Sobolewski Her own preferences tend towards world music A new way to payIn order to invent a whole new kind of radio station Mills had to invent a whole new kind of business model that support homegrownradionj.com (though it holds fundraisers from time to time) It's the deejays themselves who pay a $50 monthly fee to do their thing at the mic "The word that comes to mind is 'miraculous,'" Balderson said "We're doing this through all these years on our own money with this pool of talented people on staff That we've survived so long has so much to do with Todd and his wife and frankly not wanting to let the original vision go." An art in which the deejay was a conductor a guide — leading listeners on a magical mystery tour of their own devising "There's a lot of people here who will present you with things you've never heard before," Mills said That's not so common in this self-curated age when people tend to download more of the stuff they already know about which ordinary radio seldom does these days "You're listening to some else's preferences and concepts," he said "If somebody shares that with me and gets me in the mood to hear more Or just walk up to the window on Cornelia Street and rap on the pane "It's like being a deejay under glass," Mills said Homegrownradionj.com 20th-anniversary party featuring singer songwriter Geoff Doubleday .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jake Tiger | For NJ Advance MediaBehind Avery Neuer’s efforts at the plate and on the hill Morristown-Beard earned a 10-6 win over Boonton in Boonton Neuer was perfect at the plate for Morristown-Beard scattering seven hits while totaling 11 strikeouts and four walks Marilee Vartanian and Caroline Powers each brought in three runs and Maya Weinmann totaled two RBIs on two hits Morristown-Beard (3-2) next faces Morris Tech .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaMegan Kohut almost outscored the opposing team with her 20 point performance pushing Boonton to a 36-22 home victory over Cedar Grove Boonton (6-15) took control almost immediately holding a seven point lead at the end of the first quarter It would win every quarter and only allowed two points in the third to extend the lead Sierra Medina made her presence known on defense for Boonton She added three assists while Jordan Hicinbothem grabbed six rebounds Cedar Grove (8-17) was led on offense by Olivia Willis Six different players contributed to the scoring column in the losing effort While Boonton’s season comes to an end after a victory in its regular season finale Cedar Grove will look to bounce back next Wednesday against Secaucus in the first round of the NJSIAA North Jersey Whippany Park QB Brandon Giangeruso (1) heaves the ball deep against Wallkill Valley in Friday night's rainy high school football matchup in Whippany 09/29/2023 Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance MediaSteve Hockstein | For NJ Advance .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | For NJ Advance MediaWhippany Park got out ahead quickly with a 20-point first quarter and was able to hang on for a 30-15 win over Boonton in Boonton Brandon Giangeruso was involved in all three early scores He ran it in from one yard out before throwing touchdown passes to Sal Palmisano (21 yards) and Dylan Morgenroth (11 yards) Whippany Park took a 22-0 lead into halftime before Boonton made things interesting Consecutive touchdowns runs of 24 and 42 yards by Sylas White and a subsequent two-point conversion cut the Boonton deficit to a one-score game Jaden Marques put the finishing touch on the victory with a four-yard touchdown run The N.J. 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