Our mobile recovery access vehicle offers critical support for persons struggling with addiction with the goals of preventing drug overdoses and deaths HOPE ONE travels twice a week to locations throughout Morris County and a certified peer recovery specialist – who understand the needs of those suffering with addiction — staff the vehicle. They help people access services and Narcan training Newsletter sign-up and archive Andy’s Roadside Dive, a hot dog spot known for its quirky décor and loyal following, is closing its doors. The owners announced the closure in a Facebook post confirming the last day of operations will be Sunday will serve customers for eight more shifts over the next two weeks Remaining hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m Fans of the dive have expressed their disappointment online sharing memories and praising the spot’s signature hot dogs “It’s the end of an era,” one commenter wrote Others wished the business luck for their future endeavors “You will be leaving a GIANT culinary void in this area and will be missed!,” another wrote Emergency responders practicing ice rescues on Lake Hopatcong got more than they expected on Wednesday when their training was interrupted by a real-life emergency: an iceboater in need of help Several agencies were participating in the practice when the report came in that an 82-year-old man had fallen through the ice near the Lake Hopatcong Yacht Club a sailing craft equipped with runners to glide over the ice the victim was back on shore — after officers made their way to him across broken ice shelves and then pulled him to safety on a tethered rescue sled the Sheriff's Office recounted in a statement Thursday that makes it all worth it," Morris County Sheriff James Gannon said in the news release He praised the rescuers for "responding in a time of need and applying our training to help an individual who is in dire consequences Mayor was eyewitnessThe drama unfolded near the home of Mount Arlington Mayor Michael Stanzilis He witnessed it as he was leaving the house about 11:30 a.m "I'm going out to my car and I see three of my police officers come flying down the street," the mayor said in an interview Thursday "They get out of their cars and run down to the lake And then a fire truck comes up behind them and same thing." Advised in advance of the ice-rescue drills taking place Stanzilis at first wondered if he was watching a training exercise and the sergeant at the desk said somebody fell in." Gannon's office was conducting the training along with the New Jersey State Police the Hopatcong and Mount Arlington police departments and the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Conservation Police The release said they were at Lee’s County Park Marina when they were notified about the incident near the club which is on the Bertrand Island peninsula in Mount Arlington by which time three Mount Arlington Fire Department members were already making their way to the victim who could be seen lying on a sheet of ice near his partially submerged boat "These guys were not kidding around," Stanzilis said Especially when the firemen are volunteers The boater was "safely placed onto the rescue sled and the rescuers on the shoreline were signaled to start pulling them in," the Sheriff's Office said [responders] assisted with carrying the patient from the ice shelf Clare’s EMS unit for further medical evaluation New Jersey state troopers and Mount Arlington firefighters later went back onto the ice and recovered the iceboat "Saving lives is the purpose of our mission and the reason why we train together and ensure seamless performance," Gannon said How is the boater?The victim's name was not released he's pulling his iceboat out of the water and he's putting it on a trailer He actually refused medical attention at the scene More: NJ DOT finds 90 potential void locations under Route 80. Is it a sinkhole ‘Whack-a-Mole?’ Lake Hopatcong is New Jersey's largest lake and a popular year-round site for recreation, including swimming in the summer at Hopatcong State Park. The state police staff a marine station on the lake, where several boat and watercraft drownings have occurred over the years Stanzilis identified the on-duty firefighters he saw respond to the scene He also said Firefighter Arthur Scofield worked on the tether reel that pulled the victim to safety Chief Mario Marcano and Assistant Chief Wesley Martin also arrived to command the operation Participants in the ice training session who responded to the scene included Sgts Ivan Bajceski and Officer Ryan Wood of the Sheriff's Office State Troopers Thomas Gilroy and Shane McClafferty and Officer Matthew Kaiteris of the Mount Arlington Police Department were also involved Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates Lorenzo Kuryla, a Roxbury native, was killed in a motorcycle crash in Florida last week, according to a fundraiser set up to support his family "Many of us know Joe from his iconic black hat and perpetual smile that one is always greeted with upon entering the Shipping Grounds," Andrew Allen "Joe is always there to help with whatever you need everything from a postage stamp to sending a delicate vintage piece of furniture to a family member in another country." Kuryla competed in several powerlifting competitions, with a personal best raw deadlift of 628.3 lbs. As of Thursday more than $6,716 has been raised through the fundraiser A funeral mass for Kuryla will be held on Monday, May 12 at Holy Name of Jesus in Indialantic. Florida.  To view the fundraiser, click here. One person was killed and another taken to the hospital following a single-vehicle crash in Morris County Monday morning Police responded to the intersection of Howard Boulevard and Mount Arlington Road in Roxbury at about 5:30 a.m where a 2003 Chevy Express van had crashed into a tree according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office A passenger in the van was declared dead immediately following the crash while the driver was taken to Morristown Medical Center for treatment The prosecutor's office did not release the identity of either occupant The crash remains under investigation by the county prosecutor's office and sheriff's office along with the Roxbury Police Department All lanes of Route 80 were closed in Morris County on Tuesday The NJDOT site shows the highway was closed in both directions at Exit 30 in Mount Arlington as of 4:20 p.m Route 80 commuters cannot seem to catch a break in Morris County While a second sinkhole on the busy interstate continues to shut down all eastbound lanes near Exit 34 in Wharton the New Jersey Department of Transportation has scheduled daytime closures − just a few miles west of that site − of two westbound lanes on Tuesday and Wednesday for "priority pothole repair" work related to another road project a few miles to the west The NJDOT is advising drivers of the two-lane closures Should the weather-dependent work not be completed in time another closure will be scheduled for the same time on Thursday Motorists can find updates and other information on the NJDOT traffic information website www.511nj.org or by following @NewJerseyDOT on X (Twitter) Eastbound lanes of the interstate have been closed since Feb. 10. As repairs continue at the site, NJDOT testing has "identified 90 locations to be assessed and mitigate potential instability or possible voids." the testing has required periodic NJDOT closures of westbound lanes as well The current sinkhole is located 75 feet to the west of another sinkhole that closed the highway for four days in December The necessary pothole repairs are the result of "normal wear and tear as well as the harsh winter that has had frequent precipitation and significant freeze/thaw cycles," the NJDOT advisory reads The lane striping is part of a $65 million project to replace two bridge overpasses a few miles to the west of the sinkhole site at Exit 30 near the Mount Arlington Train Station That project will include raising the vertical clearance of each bridge lengthening acceleration and deceleration lanes on Route 80 and widening the ramps to and from Howard Boulevard The Howard Boulevard intersection will be reconfigured to improve operational performance The project will also include upgraded traffic signals and lighting and ADA-compliant sidewalks and crosswalks Sidewalks will be extended to the Mount Arlington Train Station for improved pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2027 Police charged an East Rutherford man after he was involved in a single-vehicle crash in Roxbury Township on Monday that left another person dead the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said was the driver of a 2003 Chevy Express van that crashed into a tree on Howard Boulevard where it intersects with Ledgewood and Mount Arlington roads Authorities responded to the area at 5:30 a.m Serrano allegedly showed signs of being under the influence at the scene He was taken to Morristown Medical Center for treatment and then to the Morris County Correctional Facility He was charged with one count of second-degree vehicular homicide Authorities have identified the victim killed in a Morris County passenger van crash as a 30-year-old Bergen County woman and charged the 33-year-old driver was driving the 2003 Chevy Express van when it struck a tree around 5:30 a.m at the intersection of Howard Boulevard and Ledgewood Road/Mt according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office "exhibited signs of being under the influence at the scene," and was taken to Morristown Medical Center for treatment before being transported to the Morris County Correctional Facility He was later charged with second-degree vehicular homicide Under New Jersey’s Criminal Justice Reform Act Serrano was released with non-monetary bail conditions These include Level III Pretrial Monitoring surrendering his driver’s license and passport His next court appearance is a Pre-Indictment Conference on June 9 The investigation was conducted by the Roxbury Police Department Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office CSI Unit MOUNT ARLINGTON — One hundred years after Clarence and Thomas Lee first opened their historic lakeside pavilion on Lake Hopatcong the new pavilion at Lee’s County Park Marina in Mount Arlington is a mirror image of its predecessor the old pavilion was a cornerstone of Lake Hopatcong’s vibrant recreational culture in the 20th century The new one is about 90% complete as of early December the director of recreation and visitor services for the Morris County Park Commission the pavilion is expected to be available to rent for weddings baby showers and family gatherings and as a venue for meetings and group gatherings "Our vision for the pavilion was to create a versatile space," Biase said Originally founded by brothers Clarence and Thomas Lee in 1919 the marina on Van Every Cove became a thriving summer destination at a time when North Jersey's lakes were the place to be on hot summer days Work started in September 1923 on the square pavilion to draw even more swimmers according to a report from HMR Architects of Princeton when county officials decided to rebuild the pavilion from the ground up citing the costs and challenges of rehabilitating the deteriorating historic building to meet modern safety codes Initially a modest structure offering refreshments and shade and serving as an administrative hub the pavilion was the central feature of the park Lee's park was born in the immediate aftermath of Clarence Lee's return from World War I in 1919 It captured tourists seeking respite from the sweltering city summers and became a thriving public beach and marina packed with families eager to escape the heat The Lee family managed the marina until the mid-1990s he donated the 14-acre park to the Morris County Park Commission in 1994 the pavilion stood little used for nearly 30 years and fell into disrepair Preservationists and local historians grew increasingly concerned the deteriorating pavilion landed on Preservation New Jersey’s list of the 10 most endangered historic sites expressed frustration with the county’s inaction despite available funds.“We have tons of lake communities in New Jersey but very few of these original structures left,” Mercer said in 2019 A feasibility study funded by the Lake Hopatcong Foundation in 2014 determined the pavilion was structurally viable and suggested repurposing it for food service or event rentals progress stalled as community debates over its future continued Several weeks after a $2.8 million contract was awarded to ZN Construction of Elmwood Park for its reconstruction in September 2023 county officials said the high cost of bringing the structure up to modern safety codes made a complete rebuild was the most practical option Initially slated for completion by late 2024 unforeseen subsurface drainage issues delayed the project pushing the anticipated completion date to January 2 Biase said it may be a few weeks later as "there may be slight delays due to some construction setbacks." This year's presidential election is the first in which New Jersey residents can cast an early vote since the state approved the voting option in 2021 Residents can vote early in person on a voting machine for nine days before the general election on Nov Hours will be Monday through Saturday 10 a.m more than 545,000 votes were cast before polls opened — 124,197 from early in-person voting and 421,573 from vote-by-mail ballots according to the state's Division of Elections There are 6,659,963 voters registered in the state, or about 71% of the population 15 to register to vote for the general election More: Here are all the North Jersey county-level races for November elections There will be a winter weather advisory overnight into Friday morning for parts of North Jersey The National Weather Service warns that freezing rain could make roads and sidewalks very slippery and could impact the Friday morning commute "Roads could be slippery and there may be patches of black ice tomorrow morning, January 31. Plan extra travel time and use caution while driving on your morning commute," the NJ DOT posted on X. The NWS advisory has caused some schools to call for delayed openings on Friday "This decision has been made to ensure the safety of our students and staff," Mount Olive Township School District posted on social media Here are the schools that have announced changes for Friday (check back for updates to this list): A multi-vehicle crash caused by a tractor-trailer on Route 80 earlier this week left multiple people injured on Monday evening New Jersey State Police responded to the eastbound lanes near milepost 32.2 at 6:10 p.m and Mazda had slowed for traffic when the Volvo rear-ended all three vehicles before veering off the road and striking the guardrail The crash left a 62-year-old man from Mahwah with moderate injuries A 48-year-old man from New York City sustained minor injuries while the 49-year-old truck driver from Charlotte and no further details were immediately available Discounted prices will go into effect on Monday for select stations in areas impacted by the emergency repair work on Route 80 in Morris County caused by sinkholes Lake Hopatcong and Mount Arlington stations will offer a 50% discount for roundtrip travel during the duration of the repairs the voids on both the westbound and eastbound sides of the highway were created by abandoned mines ― many of which dot the landscape in Wharton A sinkhole first appeared on Feb. 10. Since then, a "significant void" has been found under the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 in Wharton, extending the time it will take for repairs to be completed The eastbound side of Route 80 in Wharton will remain closed for another six to eight weeks for sinkhole repairs The westbound side may reopen more quickly with a goal of having two lanes open in a week or so “While we work around-the-clock to repair the roadway we are providing every possible travel alternative including on NJ Transit trains,” Murphy said during a tour of the repairs “By offering these discounts on the trains we will get vehicles off the road and provide residents another option to get to work or school and back home at the end of the day.” Lake Hopatcong and Mount Arlington will not need to purchase a fare when boarding Customers at these stations should inform the train crew if they are transferring at Newark Broad Street Station or Summit Station to continue their trip to Penn Station New York They will receive a transfer ticket to present to the crew on the connecting train customers will only need to purchase a one-way ticket back to one of these five stations providing a 50% discount on roundtrip travel “The NJ Transit fare discounts are a welcomed help as we work to address the crisis on I-80,” said Congressman Tom Kean Jr “I publicly called for this alternative during my last visit here and now residents in this area will have a small measure of relief while we work to permanently fix this highway.” A tractor trailer overturned on Route 80 in Morris County on Tuesday on Route 80 westbound near Exit 30 at Howard Boulevard in Mount Arlington the New Jersey Department of Transportation said A growing coalition of New Jersey towns — 25 and counting — have joined forces for a lawsuit against the state that could bring the current court-enforced wave of affordable housing construction to a halt The towns are scheduled to be in a Mercer County courtroom on Dec 20 seeking to block a state housing mandate that could require the construction of 85,000 more units over the next decade along with the renovation of 65,000 existing residences A series of landmark New Jersey court decisions known as the Mount Laurel doctrine requires municipalities to provide their "fair share" of housing for low- and moderate-income families Phil Murphy and state legislators enshrined that goal in a law passed earlier this year that seeks to smooth enforcement of those obligations the towns say the mandate threatens to overwhelm communities with development and the traffic and other burdens that come with it "The law imposes new affirmative obligations upon municipalities that exceed any remedy ever imposed under the Mount Laurel doctrine," reads their amended complaint filed last week in state Superior Court in Mercer County It "exceeds the requirements" of the New Jersey Constitution which borrows a line from a "Mount Laurel II" decision in 1983: "Development merely for development's sake is not the constitutional goal." Who benefits from affordable housing push?The coalition wants a judge to invalidate the state's current strategy and bar its enforcement The state's fourth round of mandated building is scheduled to start in July "Since Mount Laurel in 1975, who's made out on this?" Mount Arlington Mayor Michael Stanzilis asked during a town hall on the topic in June But it's mostly a cottage industry perpetuating the litigation of this thing forever." a nonprofit tasked by courts with overseeing the Mount Laurel mandate More: NJ unveils new affordable housing obligations. How much does your town have to build? New Jersey currently faces a shortage of more than 214,000 housing units affordable for extremely low-income renters, says the National Low Income Housing Coalition Co-plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in September include Montvale Hillsdale and Old Tappan in Bergen County; Denville Florham Park and Montville in Morris County; Totowa in Passaic County; Millburn in Essex County; and Mannington in Salem County "We know we have a problem with affordability," Stanzilis acknowledged "The solution isn't adding up to the problem." His town would have to zone for the creation or renovation of 98 affordable units under the state's latest calculations But because courts usually let builders construct affordable housing as a part of larger local officials say the amount of development they would have to allow would be much higher The original Mount Laurel decision was upheld in 1983 in a New Jersey Supreme Court decision known as Mount Laurel II the state Legislature passed the Fair Housing Act which moved enforcement away from the courts and to a state agency called the Council on Affordable Housing failed to successfully enforce the mandate which continued to meet resistance in many towns That led to another Supreme Court decision in 2015 that shifted oversight back to the court system and the Fair Share Housing Center The ruling opened a legal door for developers to design big residential projects knowing they could gain favor as long as they included a negotiated percentage of affordable housing — typically 15% to 20% of the total units Last month, the state Department of Community Affairs released each town's estimated affordable housing requirements for 2025 to 2035 It called for 65,000 "present need" units — renovations of existing substandard housing — and 85,000 "prospective need" residences to be built in the future Using a complicated formula that weighs existing housing the state determined that most of the development needs to be built in already densely populated North Jersey Passaic County town may join lawsuitUnder pressure from local residents worried about development additional towns are expected to join the suit They include Little Falls in Passaic County where Mayor James Damiano and members of the Township Council expressed strong support for legal action The state says Little Falls needs to add 285 affordable units over the next 10 years that's "simply unattainable" for an already densely populated municipality covering just 2.8 miles He noted that most affordable housing in New Jersey is presently built as part of multi-story multi-unit complexes in which 15% of the projects are set aside for qualified applicants that means Little Falls would have to approve 1,900 units to complete the 285 quota Then he noted the complaints about the town's Singac Redevelopment Project where 287 units are already approved for a new complex "This council and I are well aware of some of the comments and concerns that residents have about how tall it is how dense it is," the mayor said during a recent council meeting "We would have to do that seven more times to reach the [additional] 285 units." Council members expressed broad agreement at their meeting last week but they did not introduce the discussed resolution to join the municipal coalition The crux of the plaintiffs' argument in the suit prepared by Red Bank attorney Michael Collins is that the state's calculations are based on the 1983 Mount Laurel II decision "Assumptions used in devising a remedy in 1983 do not necessarily have the same validity today," the lawsuit says Those formulas reflected the circumstances at the time when urban municipalities were experiencing population declines and only suburban communities were growing The state formula thus exempted urban municipalities that were deemed economically unable to produce the needed housing State population growth is now evenly split between urban and non-urban areas yet the onus of the Mount Laurel mandate remains focused on suburban towns "While some of the underlying conditions that affected many of these exempt municipalities persist and exempt municipalities now comprise half of the state's growth in households," the towns said While suburban areas would be responsible for most new housing construction under the state's plans The Community Affairs Department calculations call for Newark Jersey City and Trenton to provide for the renovation of more than 13,000 current units the Fair Share Housing Center noted the lack of urban towns joining the lawsuit "This lawsuit is nothing new — it’s a thinly veiled smokescreen supported by many of the same wealthy towns who have fought affordable housing for decades  "New Jersey's law gives towns a wide variety of tools to create affordable housing in the way they prefer cooperate with the process — and get to be in the driver’s seat in deciding on the housing plan that works best for their communities." Judge Robert Lougy has granted the Fair Share Housing Center intervenor status to participate in a case review conference scheduled for Dec 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 A state of emergency was declared in Morris County on Saturday by Gov Phil Murphy to access federal funding to fix the nagging sinkhole on Route 80 The sinkhole first appeared on Feb. 10. Since then, a "significant void" has been found under the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 in Wharton, extending the time it will take for repairs to be completed Murphy visited the portion of the highway Saturday morning with Patrick Callahan as well as New Jersey of Department of Transportation Commissioner Fran O’Connor The sinkhole was caused by a collapsed mine under the highway’s eastbound shoulder near Exit 34 New Jersey Department of Transportation crews have been performing around-the-clock emergency repairs and stabilization work to address the hazards The state of emergency could expedite the repair and allow the state to apply for federal funding through the Federal Highway Administration which can be granted if a road has suffered serious damage from a natural disaster or another external cause the residents of Wharton and commuters all across New Jersey have endured major delays and disruptions as a result of the sinkholes that have opened up here on I-80,” Murphy said “By declaring a State of Emergency in Morris County we can take the first step toward accessing federal funding to help us to repair this damage "While there is no immediate danger to the public we will continue to do everything we can to help New Jersey commuters and families to get their lives back on track,” Murphy said said he will also be advocating daily for federal resources to get the highway restored He also encouraged NJ Transit to offer residents in these towns some temporary incentives to use transit as an alternative while the highway repairs are continuing Mount Arlington Mayor Michael Stanzilis thanked the department of transportation for the ongoing work and Murphy for declaring a state of emergency "The residents of Mount Arlington have shown tremendous patience in dealing with the additional traffic and I know this situation has become incredibly frustrating for them The polls opened at designated early-voting locations at 10 a.m Polls will be open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m Voting takes place at specific early locations in each county that are likely different from the local polling place used on Election Day 2025 at 4:34 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Juan Pio Toto will remain in the Cook County Jail until his next court date on March 24 (Mount Prospect Police Department )MOUNT PROSPECT IL — An ex-boyfriend of a Mount Prospect woman whose body was found last November in the Busse Woods Forest Preserve has been charged with felony first-degree murder of the 1400 block of South Brownstone Court who was originally charged with concealment of her death was found in the Busse Woods Forest Preserve on Nov Pio Toto was charged with concealment of a death two days later with any additional charges pending the official ruling from the CCMEO on the cause and manner of Pucheta Martinez's death With this ruling and additional evidence recovered by Mount Prospect detectives during the investigation the Cook County State's Attorney Office approved the felony charge Pio Toto will remain in the Cook County Jail until his next court date on March 24 RELATED: Ex-Boyfriend Charged With Concealing Death Of Woman Found In Busse Woods A motorist had noticed a person lying in Busse Woods near Higgins Road about one mile west of Arlington Heights Road The police departments of the Cook County Sheriff's Office and the Cook County Forest Preserve headed the initial investigation According to the Mount Prospect Police Department officers responded to 1400 block of Brownstone Court at 1:51 p.m for the report of a missing 23-year-old woman officers were able to confirm with the other police agencies that the missing person was the same as the person found dead in Busse Woods Both Pucheta Martinez and Pio Toto lived in the 1400 block of Brownstone Court RELATED: Body Found In Busse Woods ID'd As Missing Woman After Pucheta Martinez was identified Mount Prospect police began conducting a death investigation He told detectives that in the early morning hours of Saturday he and Pucheta Martinez had an altercation in the parking lot outside their apartment He said Pucheta Martinez fell to the ground during the altercation and hit her head.During the investigation Mount Prospect Police Detectives interviewed Pucheta Martinez’s ex-boyfriend Pio Toto said he placed Pucheta Martinez in the backseat of his vehicle and drove her to a wooded area removed her from the vehicle and placed her body in a wooded area Pio Toto said he left her in the wooded area and drove away in his vehicle as the felony charge of concealment of a death is not a detainable offense Pio Toto was eventually released and placed on electronic monitoring Pio Toto was also ordered by the judge to surrender his passport and to have no contact with Pucheta Martinez's family Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. An ice training exercise became a real life rescue mission in Morris County on Wednesday An 82-year-old man was rescued after falling through the ice in Morris County The Morris County Sheriff's Office said they were conducting a joint ice rescue training with other law enforcement departments at Lee’s County Park Marina at Lake Hopatcong in Mount Arlington when they were notified about a report of a male who fell through the ice Multiple officers joined the New Jersey State Police Marine Unit responded to assist with the rescue operations The 82-year-old victim was  seen lying down on the ice from the shoreline and his iceboat was partially submerged and under the ice and the Mount Arlington Fire Department secured a sling around him He was safely placed onto the rescue sled and the rescuers on the pulled him in from the water to the shoreline Clare’s EMS for further medical evaluation Jack Black and Jon Hamm have been announced as the next three hosts of "Saturday Night Live." Jack Black and Jon Hamm are hosting "Saturday Night Live." Madison, who recently won Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her role as a stripper in "Anora", will be hosting for the first time on Saturday, March 29. While this is her first time on "SNL", Heidi Gardner impersonated her Anora character in a skit last year. Madison will be joined by Morgan Wallen as the musical guest Black will be hosting for the fourth time on Saturday, April 5, but the first time in 20 years. Black is in the upcoming "A Minecraft Movie." The last episode he hosted featured the famed Lazy Sunday sketch. Black will be joined by Elton John and Brandi Carlile as the musical guest Hamm will be hosting for the fourth time on Saturday, April 12, the first time he's hosted in 15 years. An "SNL" fan favorite, shows hosted by Hamm have achieved legendary status. Hamm has also cameoed on the show 14 times and participated in "SNL's" 50th anniversary celebrations Hamm will be joined by Lizzo as the musical guest Snowfall totals are adding up across part of North Jersey as the first winter weather of the season takes effect Snow inch counts in NJInch counts according to Bob Ziff of the North Jersey Weather Observers and the National Weather Service: The National Weather Service issued winter weather advisories for Morris “Plan on slippery road conditions,“ the weather service warned in its snow alert ”The hazardous conditions will impact the Friday morning commute.” Drivers across the region are advised to exercise caution as temperatures remain near freezing and roadways may become slick Hartz Mountain Industries hopes to build 2.5 million square feet of warehouse space on the north end of the 909-acre tract believed to be the largest parcel of commercially developable land left in Morris County The Secaucus company is under contract to purchase the land pending approvals from the town to start building But during a Roxbury Planning Board meeting on Wednesday with attorneys arguing over fine points of the township's zoning laws and master plan that might trip up the project Mount Arlington Mayor Michael Stanzilis attended the meeting to raise concerns about the traffic impact on his neighboring borough which shares Howard Boulevard as a thoroughfare connecting it to routes 80 and 46 Senior residents in a nearby age-restricted development are worried about trucks from the warehouse Howard Boulevard also is the primary route for Mount Arlington students to reach Roxbury High School "You put a 17-year-old behind the wheel next to an 18-wheeler and it's not a good idea." Hartz attorney Steven Mlenak and Thomas Germinario had tense exchanges throughout the three-hour meeting With Hartz having completed its presentation at previous meetings Mlenak aggressively cross-examined a township engineer and two board planners who noted that existing zoning laws do not permit warehouse space to occupy more than 60% of the property suggested the "magnitude" of the project required approvals that would amount to effectively zoning the area which he said was the purview of the township council The plans faces "critical issues," he said including the ordinance limiting the amount of warehouse space allowed Burgis said the Hartz proposal constitutes "nearly 100% warehouse space" and the township's master plan reflects the desires of the governing body that Roxbury "not become a warehouse town." site of an explosives-maker that closed in 1996 represents about 8% of the total land area in Roxbury there are approximately 80 municipalities in the state of New Jersey that are smaller than this one piece of property," he said Mlenak focused on details of the master plan and local zoning suggesting some restrictions went too far and were inconsistent with other New Jersey towns Mlenak told the Daily Record his company had concerns about whether it was receiving "due process" from the board and suggested an independent investigation of the plan might be called for He declined to comment on whether Hartz Mountain would take legal action against the board if it denies the application Mlenak objected to several points of testimony by Burgis planning consultant Russell Stern and Township Engineer Paul Ferriero as "hearsay" or not relevant to the application He also objected to Germinaro's interruptions of his cross-examinations "Are you acting as his attorney or the board's attorney?" Mlenak asked Germinario More: When will Route 15 reopen? Here's the latest as Morris, Sussex drivers battle huge delays Stern's observations included concerns that some of the property that would be preserved as open space under the Hartz proposal, with public walking trails, had not yet been fully cleared of pollution. TNT and nitroglycerine are among the contaminants identified in the soil of the former munitions complex which opened in 1871 and closed almost 30 years ago is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of chemical manufacturer Ashland Global Ashland is still responsible for remediating the remainder of the tract for possible future redevelopment the warehouses would serve as a "cap" over a portion of the remediated land said his main concern was the safety of his residents "This is right on the border of Mount Arlington, maybe 50 feet in," he said, referring to the area off Howard Boulevard near the Mount Arlington Train Station. The locations also includes a large, busy interchange with Route 80, where the Department of Transportation is currently constructing a new $24 million overpass "this probably impacts Mount Arlington more than Roxbury," Stanzlis said "It's already nuts," Stanzilis said of driving on Howard Boulevard. "There was just a fatal accident there last week We have a lot of seniors in age-restricted housing right around there and they are very concerned about their safety mixing in the trucks coming out of this site." The board will resume hearing the application at its meeting on July 17 which will include a full public-comment period Six years after it was first proposed, work has finally begun on a three-year, $65.4 million effort to replace two Route 80 overpasses at the border between Roxbury and Mount Arlington in western Morris County the price tag for the federally funded project has almost tripled The project is necessary because the bridge spans "are in poor condition," said Stephen Schapiro a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Transportation The initial lane closures allowed the department to complete a traffic shift and create a median work zone from which road crews will build a temporary bridge between the existing eastbound and westbound bridges That will allow motorists to continue to use three lanes of traffic in each direction throughout construction The project is expected to be finished in the summer of 2027, the Transportation Department said. The precise timing is subject to change due to weather "or other factors," the department said in a statement last month State officials estimated that the overpass replacement would cost $24 million when they announced its initial design phase in 2017 More: Massive BASF complex on Route 80 falls to the wrecking ball. Here’s what will replace it Why costs climbedIn addition to the impact of COVID delays and inflation costs increased due to the project's expanding scope The original concept called for closing and detouring a nearby exit ramp But the temporary bridge will now permit "all lanes and ramps to remain open during construction with only short-term ramp closures," he said the final design increases the height of the highway over Howard Boulevard and adds five stormwater basins It calls for thicker asphalt for the Howard Boulevard pavement box Other aspects of the project will include: Motorists can check the Transportation Department's traffic information website, 511nj.org, for construction updates and real-time travel information. Advisories also will be posted on the department's Facebook page and its X (formerly Twitter) account Email: wwesthoven@dailyrecord.com  Twitter: @wwesthoven PARSIPPANY — Five Morris County mayors who say their towns are being overwhelmed by state affordable housing quotas vowed Monday to fight what one of them dismissed as New Jersey's "fugazi" regulations "Brace yourselves," Hanover Mayor Thomas "Ace" Gallagher said during a roundtable discussion held at the Sheraton Parsippany hotel moderated by conservative NJ101.5 radio host Bill Spadea The mayoral panel included five Republicans who have seen hundreds of housing units built or proposed in their towns in recent years: In addition to Gallagher speakers included Parsippany's James Barberio Michael Stanzilis of Mount Arlington and Joseph Pannullo of East Hanover At least one Democratic mayor was in the audience who agreed "we all have to work together" to solve the problem The forum was billed as a chance to discuss "redevelopment challenges," which for many local towns include replacing vacant office properties with homes or commercial space that can fill in tax revenues the office parks once provided The mayors also dwelled on two related topics: the pressure to fulfill state mandates for more low-income housing and how to incentivize developers to build in their towns NJ's decades-long affordable housing fightThe mayors were particularly angry about the state's requirements to build more homes that qualify as affordable under a formula administered by the nonprofit Fair Share Housing Center The FSHC has loomed large over New Jersey towns since a 2015 state Supreme Court decision that municipalities had failed for decades to keep up with their constitutional affordable housing obligations The Supreme Court ruled the state had failed to enforce the mandate of the Mount Laurel Doctrine a series of court orders dating back to 1975 which found the New Jersey constitution requires municipalities to provide their "fair share" of low and moderate-income housing Shifting oversight to the FSHC and the court system the 2015 ruling opened a legal door for developers to design large new residential projects knowing they could gain favor for their projects as long as they included a negotiated percentage of affordable housing typically 15% for rental properties and 20% for sales Since then, many towns have reluctantly approved large residential projects - some in densely populated areas - where the owners can sell enough market-rate units to make up for losses on low-income units. Three projects currently under construction in Parsippany alone total 1,400 new dwellings The five mayors at the roundtable said they were joining other mayors to fight Trenton for control of their towns "This doctrine was commandeered by developers and special-interest groups," Pannullo said "They only care about more development and more profit single-minded and care little about the real ramifications that come about by overdeveloping an area." "We have been living this for a long time," Stanzilis added We know we have a problem with affordability But there's a legal term they teach here in New Jersey: It's called 'fugazi.' The solution isn't adding up to the problem We need to look at it with a more holistic or regional view." which is going to mean legal coasts," Gallagher said "Because if we're going to stand up to Trenton we're going to have to spend money to fight for you Housing advocates say they're removing barriersAdvocates of the Mount Laurel decisions have long said they're fighting to remove barriers towns erected to low- and moderate-income housing, often with the effect of keeping out racial minorities. New Jersey lacks more than 210,000 units that low income families can afford, and is the seventh-most expensive state  for a modest one-bedroom rental D.C.,-based National Low Income Housing Coalition In March, Gov. Phil Murphy and the Democratic majority in the state Legislature approved an overhaul to the affordable housing system that they said will afford towns more protections from developers lawsuits − if municipalities agree to building affordable units based on a court-derived formula “This legislation will enable us to build new, affordable housing where it is needed with far fewer hurdles, and creating more affordable housing will also help close the racial wealth gap and help more families escape generational poverty,” Murphy said when he signed the bill, AR4/S50 More: Phil Murphy signs NJ affordable housing overhaul bill. Here's what it does all five Morris mayors on Monday's panel said they are not against the goal of more affordable housing But they referred to what they see as "high-density housing" going up in areas that do not have the infrastructure to absorb so many new residents Taylor and Barberio both said their towns have had to add municipal wells to provide for new residences under construction The mayors also blamed the development boom for increased flooding in the area They complained that while the state was forcing them to build they were ignoring the rivers that flow through many North Jersey towns Passaic and other waterways have shrunk from 4 to 6 feet deep to 9 inches with trees falling into the rivers blocking the flow of water the water has to go somewhere," Taylor added "We are experiencing major flooding issues." He managed to reduce one construction project from 100 feet high to 50 feet but said his fire department still doesn't have a ladder truck to reach top floors even at the lower height Some towns, including Parsippany, have made increased use of tax breaks known as PILOTs − or payments in lieu of taxes − to incentivize developers to help them reach their affordable housing quotas and replace vacant properties Pending tax appeals on some of those shuttered operations in Parsippany represent more than $1 billion worth of property PILOTs are necessary to lure developers who may build elsewhere without a tax break, Barberio has said. But he's also faced criticism for the practice, including 800 angry Parsippany residents who packed a December council meeting where four PILOTs were approved Members of the Parsippany school board have complained the arrangements cut them out of the direct property tax revenue stream and force them to await funding approval from the council Barberio has repeatedly said the school district will get its full share of funding but Parsippany Board of Education leaders continue to push back Some joined a small protest outside the hotel before the event and handed out printouts of district website data and arguments against the PILOTs Barberio said he has had "productive discussions" in recent weeks with school board President Andy Choffo We're looking at ways to collectively solve those problems together." More: Parsippany council passes four more PILOTs as 800 angry residents pack 7-hour meeting Pannullo is happy that East Hanover has not needed them Mount Arlington's Stanzilis defended their use "It is a complete misnomer that a PILOT program damages the schools," he said "People make up all these crazy things and it's just nonsense It is a damn good tool if used the right way Knapp announces that the Honorable Mary Gibbons Whipple to 40 years in State Prison in connection with the felony murder of his neighbor defendant pled guilty to First Degree Felony Murder Second Degree Burglary and Fourth Degree Obstruction of a Governmental Function Arlington Police Department found the body of Barbara Wilson inside her home at 421 Howard Boulevard in Mount Arlington The victim suffered trauma to her head and face She was bound with duct tape around her ankles Portions of her residence were in disarray an autopsy was conducted by Morris County Deputy Medical Examiner Dr He certified the manner of death as homicide and the cause of death to be blunt force trauma Fonseca opined that Barbara Wilson's time of death was somewhere between 12 and 24 hours before her body was found The discovery of the victim led to an investigation into her death This investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies including the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit (MCU) Roxbury Police Department and Morris County Sheriff's Office Detective Thomas Laird of the MCU served as lead detective for the investigation DNA collected from the duct tape that was left at the crime scene During the investigation law enforcement officers matched a blue garbage pail lid in Ms Wilson's home to a container found in the defendant's home along with at least two tote-like bins which were missing from the spare bedroom the victim was found in 2011 these bins were recovered in defendant's apartment along with a television set that was missing from the victim's master bedroom sentenced the defendant to 40 years in State Prison on the guilty plea to Felony Murder pursuant to the No Early Release Act The Burglary conviction merged as a matter of law He was also sentenced to 18 months in State Prison on the guilty plea to Obstructing a Governmental Function Assistant Prosecutor/SDAG Tracy Dannis and Senior Trial Counsel/SDAG John K Acting Morris County Prosecutor Knapp stated The senseless and tragic death of Barbara Wilson compelled this sentence Her extended family and friends grieve this loss of their mother We hope that this sentence in some way helps them through this difficult time Acting Prosecutor Knapp thanks the New Jersey State Police Chief David Wieland and the Morris County Park Police Chief James Simonetti and the Roxbury Police Department Chief Kevin Craig and the Jefferson Police Department the Morris County Office of Emergency Management the Morris County Medical Examiner and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit who assisted in the investigation and resolution of this matter Any inquiries can be directed to First Assistant Morris County Prosecutor/SDAG Thomas Zelante at 973-285-6252 or tzelante@co.morris.nj.us Gannon joined Mount Arlington Police Chief Keith Licata in educating residents of Nolan's Ridge adult community on how to keep their money and personal information safe from scams Mount Arlington Police Chief Keith Licata Gannon gave a presentation to residents of Nolan's Ridge in Mount Arlington on how to avoid financial scams One of the most common scams against senior citizens continues to be that of a person posing as a grandchild in trouble and persuading a grandparent over the telephone to send money via MoneyPak teamed April 17 with Mount Arlington Police Chief Keith Licata on a talk to residents of Nolan's Ridge community about keeping finances safe from fraud Their talk April 17 in the clubhouse of the Mount Arlington community for people 55 years of age and older covered multiple other topics including the Morris County Sheriff's Project Lifesaver Program and the borough's prescription pill drop-off box But how to keep finances safe was a focal point of the talk Mount Arlington Councilman Stephen Sadow said half the borough's population of 5,300 people are 50 years of age and older and the borough is home to three age-restricted communities and one assisted-living facility Always beware of solicitations for money made over the telephone including from people purporting to collect for law enforcement agencies as criminals can spoof the number to make it appear they are calling from a local bank Gannon at Nolan's Ridge clubhouse before a talk to senior citizens about keeping finances safe from scammers Always lock home and car doors and never let a stranger into the house even if they say they are there to check the gas meter or want to talk about a great price on repaving the driveway Some of these things can be stopped at the door, Sheriff Gannon said He noted that scammers may work in pairs so that one person keeps the homeowner occupied while the second person steals belongings from rooms Be particularly cautious of solicitations for money or personal information sought through emails Individuals should call their bank or credit card company to see if the email or communication is valid Indications that emails are fraudulent include misspellings and inflated tones of urgency Don't pay for products and services in advance and beware of free gifts that come with the caveat that taxes must be paid before the free gift is available involves fraudsters monitoring obituaries and then calling the widow widower or relatives to claim the deceased owed them money Chief Licata advised collecting as much information as possible during suspected fraudulent calls including any phone numbers provided and personal identifiers about the caller and financial frauds can increase over holidays They're trying to get your heartstrings around the holidays, Sheriff Gannon said The Morris County Chamber of Commerce has named Michael Stanzilis of Mount Arlington its new vice president of membership engagement and business development Stanzilis is responsible for membership sales developing and overseeing a membership strategy for chamber growth throughout North-Central New Jersey Stanzilis most recently was general manager at security services entity G4S Secure Solutions (USA) Inc. where he led the company's Northeast Region in bottom-line growth for two consecutive years and advanced the New Jersey portfolio from the third-largest in the region to the largest Stanzilis worked for Securitas Security Services USA He also serves as mayor of Mount Arlington We are thrilled to have Michael join the Morris County Chamber of Commerce Chamber of Commerce President Meghan Hunscher said His long track record as a successful business development professional providing exceptional customer service his success in growing an organization and his experience in government and volunteering make him ideally suited for this position." Stanzilis said his business background and government experience position him well to support chambers members The chamber is the perfect intersection of my business and government experience and my passion for economic growth in my previous position I was a chamber member so I understand the perspectives and needs of businesses The member experience is extremely important to me It starts by listening to the members to learn their needs and expectations and understanding that those needs and expectations are different for each business My goal is to align those needs and expectations with our programs and help them succeed and grow I also want to show prospective members the benefits of membership including the opportunities to network with other businesses of all sizes and interact with government officials Stanzilis is an active volunteer in Morris County including the Morris County League of Municipalities as an executive board member and Habitat for Humanity He attended Berklee College of Music (MA) and holds a certificate of security management from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice (NY) Open Space & Nine Miles of Trails Developed With Nearly $700,000 in Morris County Grants Arlington Mayor Michael Stanzilis at a weekend ribbon-cutting to dedicate the official opening of the Lake Rogerene Trails a project that protects environmentally sensitive lands as well as providing more than nine miles of public hiking trails (JPG, 154KB) Freeholders John Krickus and Stephen H Arlington Mayor Michael Stanzilis (right) at Rogerene Trails dedication we've awarded just over $2.7 million in trail grants creating just over 14 miles of trails the board's planning and preservation liaison He and Freeholder Krickus noted Morris County taxpayers voted in 2013 to authorize the use of Open Space Trust Fund dollars toward preserving and creating trails four-and-a half years almost in pulling things together said Mayor Stanzilis in a brief ceremony at the trailhead on Saturday He thanked the Freeholders for approving nearly $400,000 in grants to purchase about 16 acres of land for the project and another $297,000 to build the trails Freeholder Shaw said the project was one of the largest trail program grants issued by the county Mount Arlington's 9.2 miles of Lake Rogerene Trails connects with (JPG, 863KB) Lake Rogerene Trails Roxbury Township's 1.3-mile Ice Age Trail at Roxbury's Orben Park with the trailhead to Lake Rogerene Trails located just off Orben Drive in Mt there seems nothing odd about the campaign literature Mount Arlington Councilman Lee Loughridge and his running-mates successfully used two years ago Candidates always say they'll "fight" to lower taxes The "merger" referenced in the literature is a proposal to combine relatively tiny Mount Arlington (population 5,000) with much larger Roxbury (population 23,000) with an eye to saving money A commission representing both municipalities has been meeting for more than three years to explore the idea The notion of a study commission member with a history of opposing precisely what that panel is charged with objectively reviewing rankles Craig Heard the Roxbury businessman who chairs the group Heard spoke of "daggers" being thrown (figuratively) in the panel's direction Heard probably gets more of it than he wants public interest groups and countless newspaper editorials have commented negatively about a state that has 565 distinct municipalities and even more school districts than that Why not combine some towns and school districts and maybe - just maybe - significantly reduce the highest property tax burden in the nation Chris Christie talked about it when he get elected has appointed two former mayors from each party to figure out how to do it They'd be well advised to visit the Roxbury-Mount Arlington study commission to see how hard the process is Keep in mind that the towns border each other and are similar demographically And Mount Arlington kids already attend Roxbury High School Heard was in Trenton where he successfully secured the state's approval to extend the commission's study period until next July the commission will come up with a merger proposal Approval from voters in both towns would be needed to implement the plan Heard said the state gave the panel extra time over the objection of Mount Arlington Loughridge suggested after the meeting that he's merely representing the views of the public in his borough He said that when he and his running-mates campaigned door-to-door many residents quickly volunteered that they didn't want a merger the late mayor Art Ondish proposed abolishing the Mount Arlington police department and contracting with another town for service The idea was quickly condemned by those who said they liked the "feel" and identity of their own police force This refrain is heard often - a traditional belief that public services are delivered more efficiently if a police car or DPW truck carries the town seal The most perplexing thing here is that many residents who worship home rule seem oblivious to the need to reduce property taxes A preliminary estimate is that a merger would save about $3 million Meetings among the commission and various departments in both municipalities and school districts have been ongoing But here's where Heard got some push back from his own town That would be from Roxbury Councilman and commission member Bob DeFillippo DeFillippo said it may be ill-advised to talk about the projected savings of a merger because the figures are still being explored He said touting millions of dollars in savings may be just as premature as reflexively saying "no merger." He noted that the commission must discuss issues publicly "There are millions of dollars to be saved," Heard said DeFillippo said afterwards that he has an open mind on the merger and wants to see the commission's final report Now the commission has another year to produce that report A public vote would still need to take place The consolidation commission has been around for three years but the movement to bring it about started three years before that Why is it so hard for some people to realize New Jersey just has too much local government And that is a main reason why property taxes are so high Six years and counting seems like such a long time to prove the obvious We are tired of hearing your nasty comments Arlington are great towns to live and grow up in They are great towns to raise our children in (as a "lifer" I can say this) Stop stirring a pot that is no where near your stove I would like to receive emails from Insider NJ