A charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact is pending against Councilman Matthew Conlon May 5 before Judge Barbara Buono Stanton in Superior Court in Passaic County Conlon was arrested last year after an investigation by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit and the West Milford Police Department “The charges carry a maximum penalty of 18 months in New Jersey State Prison,” said Jennifer Fetterman chief assistant prosecutor in the Special Victims Unit police received a report that Conlon touched the intimate part of an adult victim in an unwelcome and inappropriate manner in a home in West Milford He was elected to the Township Council in 2022 He did not file to run for re-election this year pitching four innings while allowing just two hits and one unearned run Raffaela Porporino pitched the final three innings allowing three runs while striking out five Passaic Tech (10-1) broke open a scoreless game with a six-run fifth inning erasing a 3-0 deficit and taking control of the contest The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the seventh to secure their spot in the semifinals against top-seeded Passaic Valley on Tuesday West Milford (4-8) jumped ahead in the third inning scoring three runs to take the early advantage Emma Carson drove in all three runs for the Highlanders with a double The Bulldogs’ offense was led by Tabitha Salerno and Kaitlyn Reilly who each went 2-for-4 with Reilly driving in two runs Amaya Preston also contributed with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate Isabella Salerno added an RBI in the winning effort West Milford’s Ally Gruber had a strong game The N.J. 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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 A tanker truck hauling 7,000 gallons of septic waste overturned in a collision with a car Tuesday evening at Oak Ridge Road and Route 23 in West Milford prompting a multi-agency emergency response The truck driver sustained minor injuries in the crash the West Milford Fire Marshal's Office said Emergency crews contained a small spill of septic waste along with oil and other vehicle fluids that leaked from the wreckage Multiple fire companies and hazardous materials teams responded to the scene where crews worked for hours to offload the tanker before it was uprighted and removed Responding agencies included West Milford Fire Companies 1 Office of Emergency Management and First Aid Squad Additional support came from the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Haz-Mat team New Jersey Department of Transportation Incident Management Officials said the crash remains under investigation one kill and one ace and Johnson Limos added 10 assists six digs and one ace to pace the 21st-seeded West Milford High School boys volleyball team to its first victory of the season: a 18-25 25-21 decision over 12th-seeded College Achieve Paterson in the preliminary round of the Passaic County Tournament there Saturday afternoon The Highlanders (1-12) advanced to the first round of the PCT against fifth-seeded Paterson Eastside there Tuesday Other catalysts for West Milford included Ognjen Ljusic (seven blocks Here’s how other West Milford teams fared last week: scored three times and also pitched a five-inning four-hitter with nine strikeouts and two walks; Kyle Schwarzlow singled drove in two runs and scored; and Christian Martinez doubled walked and drove in a run to power West Milford to an 11-1 victory over 13th-seeded Hawthorne Christian in the first round of the PCT at home May 3 will play at fourth-seeded Wayne Hills in the quarterfinal round there Saturday West Milford (11-6) also received a single a walk and two RBI from Chris Timmins and two singles Emma Carson doubled in three runs; Ally Gruber was 2-for-4 with a double and a run; and Alyssa Kral singled twice but fourth-seeded West Milford bowed to fifth-seeded Passaic Tech in the quarterfinal round of the PCT at home Thursday The Highlanders (4-9) will play host to Pequannock at 4 p.m West Milford is seeded third for the PCT and os slated to play host to sixth-seeded Pompton Lakes in a quarterfinal contest Monday and the Highlanders would play second-seeded Wayne Hills or seventh-seeded Passaic Tech in the PCT semifinal round Wednesday The championship game is scheduled at 2 p.m bowed to Wayne Valley in each of the past two finals nine assists) lead West Milford (5-7) in scoring The Highlanders are seeded fifth and are scheduled to play at fourth-seeded Wayne Hills in a PCT quarterfinal at 6:30 p.m West Milford (1-10) is looking to snap a nine-game losing streak The team is led offensively by Sarah Benowitz (19 goals seven assists) and Adison Arciniega (16 goals Tyler Buck (102) and Braden Amundson (112) as West Milford placed sixth at the Big North Conference Tournament on May 1 at Preakness Valley Golf Course in Wayne Caroline Gabel (123) and Mia Church (125) led West Milford at the Big North Conference Championships on April 24 at Valley Brook Golf Course in River Vale allowing just one run on four hits while walking two in a complete game effort The pitcher also went 1-for-2 at the plate with two RBI The Highlanders (11-6) jumped out to a commanding 5-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back against the Defenders (5-9) West Milford’s offense was efficient throughout the game adding a run in the second inning before scoring three more in the fourth and two in the fifth Kyle Schwarzlow and Chris Timmins each drove in two runs for the Highlanders Sean Conklin had a perfect day at the plate Jonas Paulino contributed to West Milford’s aggressive baserunning attack with two stolen bases while scoring twice and driving in a run while Jonmarcus Rodriguez doubled and scored the Defenders’ lone run in the fifth inning West Milford will next face fourth-seeded Wayne Hills in the quarterfinals of the Passaic County Tournament Phil Murphy signed a bill Tuesday that sets aside nearly $29 million for 17 dam restoration and repair projects across New Jersey The bill (S-2594/A-3951) allocates funding for several key dam project loans Among them are a $4.7 million loan to the Lake Winona Civic Association in Jefferson Township and multiple loans for dam projects in West Milford: $3 million to the Mount Glen Lakes Association $350,000 to the Farm Crest Acres Association and $1.75 million to High Crest Lake Lodge Inc. The bill is also set to fund a $3 million loan to Mountain Creek Resort for the Mountain Creek Lake Dam in Vernon Township and a $100,000 loan for the Lake Swannanoa Dam in Jefferson who represents residents in West Milford and parts of Morris County said he was pleased that the projects would be moving forward "These critical dam repairs will preserve and protect our local environment which is critical to our quality of life,” he said “This funding will also protect the flow of clean drinking water to communities throughout the state support recreational activities and provide habitats for fish and wildlife.” State news: Roche plans $50B expansion in US, including NJ, as drugmakers grapple with Trump tariffs approved by members of the state Assembly in March taps into funding generated from two bond acts: $22.4 million from the 2003 Dam Water Resources and Wastewater Treatment Project Bond Act and $6.2 million from the 1992 Green Acres Farmland and Historic Preservation Bond Act the bill was approved by members of the state Senate in May 2024 another of the bill's primary sponsors from the state's northwest said Tuesday that the legislation should have been moved through the Statehouse much more quickly with major storms like Tropical Storm Irene in 2011 demonstrating that dam safety can pose serious challenges in New Jersey “Sussex County is home to the most dams in New Jersey We also have a large portion of dams that would cause significant destruction and economic losses if they were to fail,” Fantasia said “Although New Jersey has been largely fortunate to be spared from catastrophic dam failures even small failures can cause damage that come with hefty cleanup costs.” The Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Dam Safety reports that the state is home to 1,730 regulated dams many by lake associations that often rely on partnerships with local governments to secure loans for dam repairs New Jersey has about 11,300 bodies of water are at least 1 meter deep and are classified as lakes by the state for monitoring purposes The vast majority of those lakes are artificial created for anything from irrigation and recreation to milling and mining It is estimated that the number of naturally occurring lakes in the state is 60 to 70 where glaciers last shaped the landscape around 21,000 years ago The funds from the 2003 bond act support 13 projects Lake Winona Dam and several others across the state The 1992 bond act will provide funding for four additional projects: Mountain Creek Lake Dam .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Reed Becker | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comSean Conklin’s three RBIs led West Milford to a 12-2 victory over Mahwah in West Milford Chase Tyburczy and Kyle Schwarzlow each added two RBIs for West Milford allowing just two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out seven and walking just one West Milford (10-6) extends its winning streak to three games and will host Hawthorne Christian in the first round of the Passaic County Tournament on Saturday while Mahwah (10-8) will travel to face Lyndhurst in the first round of the Bergan County Tournament on Saturday Reed Becker can be reached at rbecker@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. 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Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) council members and local activists wants to gauge public interest in restoring the town's government to a nonpartisan calling itself the West Milford First coalition at the township library to discuss the initiative with residents The effort comes amid lingering controversy over the Township Council’s decision last year to expand the mayor’s role to a full-time position with a $130,000 salary That decision led to a lawsuit filed by former Councilman Robert Nolan Nolan and others have argued that the council acted beyond its authority under the Faulkner Act which defines the township's form of government At the heart of the legal challenge is an ordinance granting the council the ability to switch the mayor’s position between part time and full time with the latter adding administrative responsibilities to the role A second ordinance established a salary range of $90,000 to $135,000 for the full-time position the council approved a $130,000 salary for Mayor Michele Dale who was by then no longer working at TD Bank The new salary was a sharp increase from the $15,348 she was paid in the part-time role Nolan’s complaint alleges that the changes gave the council too much control over the mayor’s livelihood and compromised the independence of the position It also argued that the mayor’s new administrative duties undermined the authority of the township administrator The suit further claims the process violated the Local Government Ethics Law Township attorneys have argued that the lawsuit was untimely that state law allows the council to set the mayor's salary and that a referendum — not a lawsuit — was the proper way to challenge the decision without bypassing statutory deadlines Local opposition to the council’s decision has persisted as the case continues The push for a referendum in a way began when concerned residents gathered outside Town Hall after the salary changes were approved Many involved in the coalition spoke out at the time saying they saw the move as an overreach and a fundamental shift in government structure that should have required voter approval West Milford First’s leadership includes Nolan former Mayors Glenn Wenzel and Carl Richko and former Board of Education Vice President Wayne Gottlieb The coalition also includes former Democratic Township Council candidates Karen Phelan and Melissa Brown Blaeuer who launched a petition against the changes last year that gathered more than 800 signatures but none from current members of the governing body who was heavily involved in the push to change the township’s form of government in 2002 The meeting is expected to include a discussion of the history of government change approved by voters in 2002 its perceived disadvantages and some possible alternatives The meeting will take place in the library’s large upstairs meeting room Allessio said all residents are invited to attend and share their views as the organizers want resident feedback before moving forward with their referendum effort The township operates under the Faulkner Act’s rare Mayor-Council-Administrator plan The system introduced in 1981 features an elected mayor and a six‑member council with staggered three‑year terms handles ordinances within a 10‑day window and appoints key officials That last responsibility includes appointing the township administrator who oversees up to six municipal departments levies taxes and makes various appointments the town operated under the older council-manager form of government The framework is bolstered by a professional executive in the form of a town manager and includes various options for representation nonpartisan elections and allowing the mayor to be elected by voters or selected from the council Correction: A previous version of this story referred to a dismissal in the lawsuit While there has been a notice of dismissal according to records in the state court database Mike Colaiacovo (6) of Montville looks to get past Tristan Caminiti (17) of Mendham during the boys lacrosse game between Mendham and Montville at West Morris Mendham High School in Mendham 2023.Mile Djordjiovski | For NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jack McKenna | For NJ Advance MediaMike Colaiacovo assisted on eight Montville goals while scoring one of his own in the team’s 17-7 victory over West Milford in Montville Montville found the back of the net early and often scoring 11 goals in the first half to build an 11-3 halftime lead before scoring an additional five unanswered in the third quarter Ryan Conlon and Doug Larsen combined for over half of Montville’s scoring Anthony Frank and Evan VanderWekke each scored twice for Montville (7-6) Cole Riley recorded hat trick and Dean Lombardo had a two-goal Jack McKenna can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com West Milford (5-6) overcame a strong start by Wayne Valley (2-8) to secure the victory The Highlanders trailed 3-1 after the first quarter but dominated the second period with six goals to take a 7-5 lead into halftime Wayne Valley battled back in the fourth quarter scoring three goals to tie the game at 8-8 and force overtime Tyler Acanfrio was outstanding in goal for West Milford making 23 saves against 34 shots on goal from Wayne Valley His performance was crucial in keeping the Highlanders in the game Jake Kelshaw contributed two goals and an assist for West Milford Brendan Coscia collected a team-high nine ground balls Michael Burke and Brayden Rude led the offensive effort with two goals and two assists each Brayden Dunne also scored twice for the Indians Wayne Valley goalkeeper Dylan Belot recorded nine saves West Milford’s balanced attack proved to be the difference with five different players finding the back of the net The N.J. 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Volunteers are needed for the West Milford Beautification Day roadside cleanup from 8:30 a.m A picnic for the volunteers will be held from noon to 3 p.m a candidate for governor in the Republican primary June 10 He spoke for about 40 minutes and answered questions from residents at Dino’s Deli on Cahill Cross Road provided free food during the lunchtime visit last year after severe storms that left debris and other problems,” Spadea said after his talk “We saw how the state had been neglecting the area and other towns I was incensed and further determined to run for governor and to stand up and make good on all things that should be delivered to the residents of these areas and all of New Jersey “Small towns make up (the) fabric of New Jersey I’m here today to reassure the residents of West Milford and other towns that they will get the support and attention they deserve with me as governor.” Spadea and three others - Jack Ciattarelli Jon Bramnick and Mario Kranjac - are competing in the primary Six candidates are running in the Democratic primary .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Reed Becker | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comChase Tyburczy pitched six strong innings for West Milford which held on for a 5-3 win over Passaic Valley in Little Falls Colby Scott scored two runs for West Milford while Kyle Schwarzlow went 2-for-3 with a run scored Dante Benvenuti led the Passaic Valley offense West Milford (8-6) will travel to face Passaic Valley (10-4) again on Wednesday West Milford officials are looking for proposals for the nearly 6.4-acre site at Marshall Hill Road and Greenwood Lake Turnpike “Partially surrounded by permanently preserved open space the location would be perfect for your fast-casual restaurant or coffee shop class A medical office facility or commercial convenience location,” according to a request for proposals posted on the township’s website at westmilford.org/Bids/Marshall%20Hill%20Rd%20-%20RFP%20-%20Final%2011_8_24.pdf Those interested should submit their designs and concept plans for the site and how much they would pay for the property by noon Jan ”The township will consider proposals that include financial incentives but the township does not guarantee that such financial incentives will be awarded,” according to the request for proposals The Township Council accepted the Planning Board’s resolution designating the property at 299-301 Marshall Hill Road as a non-condemnation redevelopment area at its Aug The site was used for the Greenwood Lake Sports Center and ABC Paintball Supplies since the late 1980s or early 1990s From the early 1960s and until the late 1980s an A&W Root Beer drive-in restaurant was located there There are no known contaminated sites on the property; there are 1.85 acres of wetlands in the northern area The site is surrounded by wetlands and about two acres contain severely constrained slopes The Hewitt Brook tributary runs across the length of the property The West Milford Township School District’s 11th annual All-District Arts Festival will be held from 6 to 9 p.m the event included displays of artwork by students in grades K-12 as well as performances by students in choir students will offer “Empty Bowls,” part of an international project to fight hunger Soup will be served in ceramic bowls for guests to take home as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world There’s one North Jersey athletic director who still plays West Milford athletic director Joe Trentacosta is a successful leader of the Highlanders sports programs while maintaining an active devotion to all types of music The Joe Trent Band's style can be described as a mix of classic rock he’s done some music with a country vibe including the latest single "Dusty Flowers" − and what comes through every note is his passion for writing and performing music “I operate in two different worlds,” Trentacosta said “One that is competitive in the world of athletics and the other is music We try to make songs and shows that bring positive energy to this world Beauty and positivity is what keeps me going.” Trentacosta’s connection to music started with piano lessons when he was young but he learned the ability to read music and switched to a piano teacher who taught by ear Trentacosta could hear the cords and he taught himself to play the guitar Sports have always been a big part of Trentacosta’s life He was a football player and baseball player growing up - a self-described typical jock then-Lakeland Regional High School chorus director Ed Dalton knew about Trentacosta's musical background and encouraged him to go out for chorus to sing Trentacosta wasn’t sure whether his teammates would support him “I feel like that’s a real lesson that applies even to today’s kids a musician and an athlete,” Trentacosta said softball and baseball before moving up to AD I am writing a lot more now,” Trentacosta said while the songs I am doing now are more collaborative I’m listening to other styles and incorporating them into the product.” “The bands are good,” West Milford baseball coach Joe Jordan said duos and his longtime band ‘My Buddy Paul’ into many side projects and collaborations.” Trentacosta recently did an open mic show at the 76 House in Tappan He went to Nashville and did some work in a studio there Dusty Flowers has a Chris Stapleton feel to it Trentacosta has played at the hallowed Bitter End in New York City and Just Jakes in Montclair He’s part of another band called “After Party” in which he plays keyboard and does harmony They’ve done events at the Crystal Springs resort His next performance is with After Party at Shawn’s Crazy Saloon in North Arlington on Jan The Joe Trent Band has a gig lined up at the Blue Arrow Farms at the Barns in Warwick on April 11 He’s very appreciative of the support of the West Milford school community “Anyone who knows anything about an ADs job knows the amount of long days hours and weekends they have to put in,” Jordan said “I think any of us that have an interest or passion outside of school find some time to make it work I think with grown children at this point it probably gives him a little more time and opportunity than in the past.” And while Trentacosta doesn’t have dreams of playing the Super Bowl halftime show He’d love to write for singers and work with them Teamwork makes the dream work on the football field and in the music studio too this year will be 10 years since I started recording and putting out product,” Trentacosta said “I’m hoping the second part of my life will be music.” all 911 calls from West Milford residents will be routed through the Passaic County Sheriff's Department rather than the West Milford Police Department Township officials said the move should streamline emergency response and reduce costs county dispatchers will answer all 911 calls collect necessary information and notify West Milford's local dispatch to deploy officers as needed The revised protocol adds another step in a process where seconds matter it retains local dispatchers familiar with West Milford’s 80 square miles and aims to reduce the operational challenges caused by duplicate calls or calls reporting incidents already in progress dispatchers answered 7,014 emergency calls With local dispatch handling multiple calls about the same incident valuable time and resources are often tied up By transferring duplicate calls to the county level local dispatchers can focus on coordinating first responders while ensuring all 911 calls are answered without delay The move is expected to make local 911 response more efficient according to West Milford Police Chief Shannon Sommerville Township officials said shifting the initial dispatch services to the county also eliminates the need for the township to upgrade its aging 911 system That would have cost between $200,000 and $250,000 every five years The change comes as Passaic County continues to invest in public safety Recent improvements include new bomb detection tools for the Sheriff’s Office mobile cameras and traffic sign boards for public spaces and expanded crisis negotiation training for officers Sheriff Thomas Adamo said in a statement last month that the recent initiatives and investments aim to enhance response capabilities improve communication in crisis situations and strengthen security across the county .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comChristian Martinez went 3-for-4 with a RBI for West Milford in its 9-3 win over Jefferson in West Milford Kyle Schwarzlow drove in two runs for West Milford (6-4) which scored seven runs in the first inning to take control of the game Cole Czerepak allowed three earned runs on eight hits with eight strikeouts and no walks in a complete game to earn the win on the mound Noah Mednick drove in two runs for Jefferson (6-4) 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 The annual Holiday Tree Lighting will be held Monday children may visit with Santa Claus and take photos in the council chambers Members of the West Milford High School Band West Milford Girl Scouts will sing familiar Christmas songs There will be ice carving and if conditions permit s’mores by the fire Members of the West Milford High School Interact Club along with the township Rotary Club will provide hot chocolate Food will be available for purchase from the Brew Crew and the Brownie Bar Food Truck call the Recreation Department at 973-728-2860 Timmy Riche of West Milford-Pequannock-Pompton Lakes (19) unleashes a slap shot against Lakeland-Hawthorne-Waldwick in the Big North Silver Cup high school boys ice hockey final on Thursday night in Wayne 02/13/2025Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jack McKenna | For NJ Advance MediaWest Milford-Pequannock-Pompton Lakes' Cinderella story will continue into the sectional final Clashing with 15th-seeded Lakeland-Hawthorne-Waldwick for a fifth time in the 2024-25 season the 11th-seeded West Milford tri-op was as familiar as any team can be with its opponent in the North Jersey The previous four meetings between West Milford and Lakeland saw the teams combine for 45 goals but a pair of second-period tallies from Timmy Riche was all the offense the West Milford tri-op needed to earn a 2-1 victory over the Lakeland tri-op at the Ice Vault in Wayne on Monday Goaltender Matt Montena made 28 saves for the West Milford tri-op which will clash with eighth-seeded KJS United with the sectional title on the line at Mennen Arena in Morristown on Thursday High-octane offense has been the West Milford tri-op’s go-to winning formula down the stretch of the season The team entered the sectional semis on a seven-game winning streak featuring five games scoring six or more goals including a 12-5 victory over 14th-seeded Nutley-Columbia-Bloomfield in the sectional quarterfinals Head coach Christoper Scarpa preached the need for his players to be versatile as the state tournament progressed Some games are going to be wide-open affairs full of offensive fireworks and others are going to take more of a tight-checking approach where one mistake in either direction could determine a game “I told the boys when the state tournament began that every game was going to be different,” Scarpa said Coming into this one you would have figured it was going to be a lot of offense but it ended up being really tight I’ve been working with them this past week on defensive play and hockey IQ and I told them the team that does those two things better will win this game and they did a phenomenal job of executing.” A scoreless first period where the West Milford tri-op only ceded three shots on goal set the tone for what would become the unlikeliest of defensive battles Timmy Riche’s ice-breaking goal came at the 8:57 mark of the middle period and his second with 2:02 left in the period gave his team an insurance goal ahead of a potential third-period push from Lakeland That push came to the tune of a 16-9 third-period shot advantage for Lakeland and a 6-on-5 goal from Ryan Giordano with 1:29 remaining in regulation but Riche had all the confidence in the world that Montena would make that two-goal lead stand up as time wound down “We’ve got an absolute rock in the net that stops everything that comes his way and gives us a chance to win every night,” Riche said of Montena Montena returned the credit to Riche and the rest of his teammates for turning what was once a 6-12-1 season at its low point into a sectional final berth “We have a lot of perseverance as a team,” Montena said “We get down and dirty and everyone does their part I make some saves but I couldn’t do it without these guys We’re on an eight-game winning streak now and we just have to carry this momentum against KJS and hopefully take it all the way home.” When the West Milford tri-op takes the ice against KJS United on Thursday it will do so looking to avenge a 7-0 defeat it suffered on December 22nd The 2024-25 season has been one of overcoming the odds and finding ways to win for the West Milford tri-op and both head coach and players alike are ready to tackle their toughest challenge yet with the North Jersey “Different teams bring different challenges so it’ll be interesting,” Scarpa said of the upcoming rematch with KJS United The biggest thing for us is going to be being mindful of our defensive play Defensive hockey wins championships and that’s what I’ve been preaching to the players They’ve been picking it up and it’s been working for us at the right time of the year.” While Scarpa offered a more stylistic approach for his players in his answer on what his team needs to do to be crowned sectional champions Montena and Riche detailed some of what West Milford can do to combat the strengths KJS United brings to the ice “I think if we can isolate some of their guys and while we play as a group that’ll be to our advantage,” Montena said a really strong team and we’ve got some momentum now so hopefully we can ride that into the state championship citing KJS United’s skill and speed as attributes West Milford will need to have answers for “We’ll need to stop them before they can pick up speed and capitalize on our offensive chances,” Riche said Lakeland-Hawthorne-Waldwick concludes its season with a record of 11-16-1 After falling in the first round of the state tournament last season the Lakeland tri-op experienced its share of memorable moments en route to its semifinal round appearance this year Larry Mahurter returned for a second stint as Lakeland’s bench boss following ten seasons as the head coach at St Joseph of Montvale and a year away in 2023-24 Lakeland made a run to the Big North Silver Cup title game prior to the state playoffs and pulled off impressive wins over second-seeded Ramsey-Indian Hills and reigning state Co-Op champions Morris Knolls-Hills in the state tournament Jack McKenna can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com or via direct message here. 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) West Milford will have a new company collecting garbage and recycling starting in January Mayor Michele Dale said at the Township Council meeting Dec B&B Disposal of Hillside was chosen in a competitive bidding process after its bid was a total of about $1.5 million less for the five-year contract than that of the only other bidder Kayaks will be available for rent at Belcher Creek in Greenwood Lake this year ”We’re looking for a second option if this one goes well.” A new kayak launch at the end of Lambert Road will meet the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act Part of a $1 million grant from the state to the Greenwood Lake Commission was used to remove aquatic plants clogging the creek The council approved ordinances setting compensation for special police officers and raising the cost of liquor licenses It also approved a resolution authorizing the transfer of a liquor license from MEP Ventures to Avighna Dale urged residents to contact state legislators about supporting an effort to persuade Gov Phil Murphy to restore $150 million for the Municipal Relief Fund in the 2025 state budget that will have a major impact on our budgets going forward It literally puts a hole in our budget,” she said coordinator of the West Milford Municipal Alliance reported on the results of a survey of those who live and/or work in West Milford about how the township should spend the money it has received from the settlement of opioid litigation West Milford has received about $100,000 from the settlement so far More is expected in the next several years About 57 percent of the 284 people who responded to the survey said it was most important to spend the money on community prevention projects; 41 percent favored treatment services; 38 percent said services should be the priority; and 32 percent chose training materials and support for law enforcement and first-responders O’Brien pointed out that the DARE program in schools ended a few years ago and has been replaced by Law Enforcement Against Drugs (LEAD) ”Our Police Department has done a fabulous job of working with our schools in its implementation as well as collaboration within the district.” The Municipal Alliance is funded by the state and its budget has been flat for the past four years “Thankfully due to several grants that the alliance applied for and has received we were able to provide additional programs and services to our community.” WEST MILFORD — Aydin Deane unleashed four years of frustration on the pile of bodies in front of him plowing into the end zone for the winning touchdown The West Milford quarterback scored from two yards out with five seconds left in Saturday’s Super Football Conference Patriot Red game against Lakeland That provided the winning margin in the Highlanders’ 20-13 victory at McCormack Field It means so much to all of us," Deane said as he cradled the Suburban Trends Cup Quarterback Collin Sabric threw a 24-yard touchdown to Cameron Chapman with 5:01 to play to tie the game 70-yard drive to chew up virtually the rest of the game "That was the plan," Highlanders coach Steve Maslanek said get it down the field and put ourselves in that situation "We were kind of setting up for a field goal there 'I'm not losing this football game.' And he made sure it happened." marking its best start since the 2003 team opened with 10 straight wins It also tied Sparta for first place in the Patriot Red Division at 3-0 – those teams square off Oct Lakeland fell to 3-3 overall and 2-2 in the division Although the Lancers trail the all-time series with the Highlanders the Wanaque side actually has scored more points head-to-head (948-849) since the series began in 1962 Key playDeane indirectly accounted for all three West Milford touchdowns He threw for the first one in the second quarter who made a one-handed grab and dragged a defender into the end zone The senior signal-caller cramped up on the second play of the third quarter and had to come off the field for one snap and weaved through the defense for an 89-yard touchdown run on his only touch of the game "He [Foley] tells me that I don't get him the ball enough," Deane said with a slight chuckle ► Deane completed 8-of-15 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown and rushed 20 times for 51 yards (after having just 9 carries for 4 in the first half) ► Sabric also found success throwing (14-of-21 while Cameron was his favorite target with 5 catches for 52 yards and a score ► Kelshaw made 5 receptions for 51 yards for West Milford while Marcus Morgan (3 for 53) made a key fourth-down catch to keep the winning drive alive WEST MILFORD — Former township Councilman Robert Nolan has filed a lawsuit seeking to reverse the council's recent decision to give Mayor Michele Dale a full-time role and a salary to match Filed last week in Passaic County Superior Court the complaint seeks to overturn ordinances and resolutions adopted this year that led to the expansion of the mayor’s responsibilities and a salary increase to $130,000 The complaint alleges the expansion came in violation of the Local Government Ethics Act and the Faulkner Act the Township Council voted in June to make the mayor’s role full time effective July 8 Residents packed the council meeting to voice concerns with some criticizing the decision as unethical and potentially illegal Nolan and others argued that the changes effectively created a new form of government without voter approval “I initiated this suit because of how the council went about circumventing the law and ignoring the voice of the residents," Nolan said "Changes like these need to be put to a public vote.” At the heart of Nolan’s complaint is an ordinance that gives a council majority the authority to switch the mayor’s role between part time and full time with additional administrative duties A second set a salary range of $90,000 to $135,000 for the full-time position The latter resulted in the council approving an annual salary for Dale of $130,000 a significant increase from her previous part-time salary of $15,348 12 claims the council's power over the mayor's livelihood and earnings compromises the mayor's "independence of judgment." It also alleges the mayor's new administrative duties compromise the administrator's ability to effectively serve The council early this year began preparations for Dale's move from part time to full time the council adopted the code amendments that allowed them to appoint the mayor as a full-time salaried employee Council members said they had also been considering hiring a deputy administrator but found Dale more suited to help the town administrator run the local government Local Democratic leader Melissa Brown Blaeuer launched a petition against the changes Opponents argued the move would lead to unnecessary costs potential political patronage and diminished transparency said that additional leadership was needed to handle complex administrative tasks brought expertise in finance and township operations and her appointment represented a cost-effective solution While full-time mayors are not uncommon in larger municipalities Passaic and Paterson are the only other municipalities in Passaic County with full-time mayors a full-time mayor was only allowed in the absence of a full-time administrator a bipartisan group of residents that includes Nolan formed a political action committee called West Milford First The group is supporting Nolan’s legal challenge and aims to raise funds to cover legal costs through donations It is also advocating for a referendum to revert the township's government back to a non-partisan could lead to a reversal of Dale’s appointment and the return of her salary increase No official statements have yet been made by Dale or the Township Council in response to the complaint Cosmo’s Fresh Market has said it will close Sunday The supermarket opened in November 2022 at 1926 Union Valley Road The site previously was occupied by Highlands Market for less than two years and before that by A&P Fresh Market The store is less than 3 miles from ShopRite of West Milford Mayor Michele Dale said in a Facebook post that Cosmo’s chose not to continue operating the landlord has been proactive in offering support to Cosmo’s as the sales have not been enough to sustain remaining in business,” she said Dale pointed out that the township introduced a pilot program for that shopping complex “designed to reduce taxes and attract new businesses to our area.” Supermarket profit margins are typically low and the industry has been consolidating in recent years In July, Stop & Shop said it will close 32 underperforming grocery stores in the Northeast which owns the Fieldstone Park Shopping Center where that Stop & Shop is located recently said it is negotiating with another occupant who will take over the space when Stop & Shop closes in November “While the lease agreement is not entirely finalized there is a fully executed letter of intent,” it said in a press release Azarian plans to begin a renovation of the rest of the shopping center once the new occupant arrives “The new occupant for the Stop & Shop space and the renovations to follow will create a more modern enjoyable shopping experience for the community,” said John Azarian The West Milford Township School District was closed Friday 22 because of “the continuing winter storm and worsening road conditions,” according to an alert on the district’s website The first snowfall of the season brought 3.4 inches to the southern end of the township while 7.5 inches was reported near the border of Sussex County at an elevation of 1,178 feet Snowfall amounts in the region varied widely Twenty inches of snow was reported at the High Point Monument in Montague at the elevation of 1,800 feet Jesse Araujo captured the 132-pound championship to lead three place-winners for West Milford High School in the Passaic County Coaches Tournament on Saturday afternoon Araujo earned a 13-6 decision over Christopher Ahlborn of Pompton Lakes in the 132-pound final Nick Triverio also reached the finals but bowed to James Conklin of Passaic Tech The other place-winner for the Highlanders was Tyler Martinez West Milford finished eighth of 15 competing schools with 74.5 points Wayne Valley won the event with 183.5 points The Highlanders (4-13) will wrestle at New Milford at 6 p.m 31 before wrestling at North Warren at 10 a.m Ciara Clinton won the 3,200-meter run in 12:26.81 and was second in the 1,600-meter run in 5:39.54 to pace the Highlanders at the Passaic County Indoor Championships on Monday 20 at the Ocean Breeze facility in Staten Island Emma Carson was ninth in the shot put with a throw of 28-4.75 and Bridget Henkel finished 11th with an effort of 26-6 Kyle Gloria was second in the pole vault with an effort of 11-6 Teammate Massimo Balestrieri was third in the event with an effort of 10-6 and also 12th in the 800-meter run in 2:16.97 Tyler Meier was third in the high jump with a leap of 5-10 fifth in the triple jump with a leap of 41-4 and 14th in the long jump with a leap of 18-1 Julian Pierre was sixth in the high jump with a leap of 5-6 and seventh in the 400-meter dash in 53.54 Colby Scott was eighth in the triple jump with an effort of 40-7 10th in the 200-meter dash in 24.18 and 12th in the long jump in 18-8.25 Evan Lynch was fifth in the 800-meter run in 2:08.69 and ninth in the 1,600-meter run in 4:50.64 Szymon Krempaski was eighth in the 55-meter hurdles in 9.25 four steals and three assists; Adison Arciniega totaled 12 points three rebounds and two assists; and Amanda O’Brien added 10 points 13 rebounds and two blocks to power West Milford to its eighth straight victory: a 52-27 decision at Pompton Lakes on Jan The Highlanders are 11-2 this season and 4-0 in the Independence Division of the Big North Conference Space is averaging 11 points per game and 8.9 rebounds with O’Brien averaging 8.4 points and 9.6 rebounds and Sarah Benowitz averaging 9.9 points West Milford was set to play at Ramapo at 4:15 p.m Tyler Liguori added 10 points and Cole Stillman dropped in none points to lead West Milford to a 55-39 victory over Kinnelon there Jan The Highlanders have won three straight games and five of the past six games West Milford will play at Paramus at 4:15 p.m Joe Barroquerio scored twice and Matt Montena made 25 saves but the Highlanders dropped a 6-2 decision to Wayne Hills on Sunday night Barroquerio leads the team in goals with 15 along with 13 assists West Milford (6-11-1) will conclude its regular season with two games at the Ice Vault Arena against Passaic Tech at 7 p.m Colton Hardison had a high series of 556 and a high game of 193 to lead West Milford to a 4-3 victory over Hackensack on Friday afternoon Other bowlers for the Highlanders included Jaden Foster (526 series) Kyle Frommelt (470 series) and Glenn Dawson (456 series) West Milford will meet Wayne Hills at 3:30 p.m continued her illustrious career with a 15-strikeout performance.Ed Murray| For NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaCiara Murray threw a complete game one-hitter and recorded the 500th strikeout of her career as Northern Highlands secured a home victory a two-run first inning from Northern Highlands (7-5) was enough to secure the victory who is committed to continue her softball career at Johnson and Wales next year struck out 15 hitters and only allowed three batters to reach base Emme Kossar led Northern Highlands on offense with Northern Highlands facing Hackensack and West Milford (4-4) hosting Fair Lawn Dylan McCoy can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaErin Hennion scored four goals and registered two assists as Kittatinny clinched its first home victory of the 2025 season Kittatinny (2-4) held a 10-3 lead at the halftime break West Milford (1-7) outscored Kittatinny in the third quarter but could not complete a comeback Adrianna Defabritis recorded a hat trick for Kittatinny and led all players with six draw controls Kittatinny looks to be finding its footing with two straight victories It will travel on the road for a Thursday matchup with West Orange .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comChase De Oliveira tallied two goals for Lenape Valley in its 6-5 win over West Milford in Stanhope Tyler Brennan added a goal and three assists for Lenape Valley (2-4) which scored four goals in the third period after trailing 3-1 at halftime Tyler Acanfrio kept West Milford in the game with 17 saves .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Bove | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comCole Riley and Max Gorny scored three goals each for West Milford in its 12-4 win over Kittatinny in West Milford Jake Kelshaw added two goals and four assists for West Milford (4-5) Tyler Acanfrio made 11 saves in the victory Greg Roycroft tallied three goals for Kittatinny (4-6) After a single-car crash killed her 19-year-old son a West Milford woman is lobbying state legislators to ensure stronger accountability for young drivers who disregard probationary license restrictions as a passenger in a car driven by a probationary driver under the age of 21 the driver faces probation and license revocation “Daniel was killed by a probationary driver who knowingly violated the restrictions of their probationary license,” Castellano said the current laws do not hold such reckless behavior adequately accountable."  local state Assemblyman Christian Barranco introduced "Daniel Kearney’s Law." The bill now under review by the Assembly Transportation and Independent Authorities Committee would establish criminal penalties for probationary drivers who violate license restrictions and cause accidents resulting in death or injury Assembly Bill 5066 would ensure that drivers responsible for crashes that result in death face vehicular homicide charges Those involved in accidents causing serious injuries would face criminal charges of assault and less severe injuries would lead to charges of misdemeanor-level offenses Castellano said her goal is to prevent other families from suffering similar tragedies "Probationary licenses exist to protect young drivers and the public these safeguards lose their impact," she said Kearney's crash came in a BMW driven by a 19-year-old who was transporting Kearney and another passenger in violation of probationary license restrictions The crash took the car over an embankment along Lincoln Avenue and onto a front lawn Kearney was taken to Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains Joseph University Medical Center in Paterson and treated for serious injuries Kearney was enrolled at Passaic County Community College and pursuing a business degree while working at Greenwood Small Craft Marina He was expected to graduate in December 2022 which supports students in the West Milford High School theater arts program which helps young artists pursue their creative ambitions Current restrictions on probationary drivers under age 21 include bans on driving with more than one passenger unless accompanied by a parent or guardian and on driving between 11:01 p.m 2024 at 10:23 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The Jennings Creek Wildfire is burning near Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road in West Milford West Milford Mayor Michele Dale said on Monday morning (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection)WAYNE NJ — Residents in the northern part of Wayne Township may continue to see smoke from a fire burning in West Milford The blaze, which has become known as the Jennings Creek Wildfire stretches the New York-New Jersey border and has reached 3,000 acres and officials said an 18-year-old member of the New York State Parks Wildland Fire Crew was killed during the response "Operations will continue throughout the day and are expected to last for the entire week," she said The fire is burning near Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road in West Milford The multi-jurisdictional fire has seen the involvement of 43 municipalities in the area from Passaic and Bergen counties for the structure protection of all buildings and roadways the wildfire is threatening two homes and eight structures in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District in West Milford and we urge everyone to please avoid the area for your safety and the safety of the emergency personnel," Mayor Dale said East Shore Road is closed from Awosting Road to Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road will be restricted to residents only as today's operations will be heavily concentrated in this area," Dale said Monday's Veterans Day ceremony will also be rescheduled to Sunday said the Commander of West Milford VFW Post 7198 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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Editor's note: A newer version of this story can be found here: "NJ wildfire update: Jennings Creek grows to 3,000 acres but Pompton Lakes blaze contained" The West Milford wildfire that crossed over into Orange County spreading to 2,000 acres of wooded properties with 0% containment reported by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service officials said the fire was burning about 1,800 acres The fire continues to threaten two residential structures and eight within the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District East Shore Road remains closed from Awosting Road to Greenwood Lake Turnpike Beech Road also remains closed along with all trails in Long Pond Ironworks State Park and Tranquility Ridge Local fire departments remain on scene along with the state Forest Fire Service and its equipment which includes two helicopters capable of transporting 230 gallons of water each to the scene Earlier in the day, the Forest Fire Service posed it was on the scene of a wildfire burning in the area of Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road in West Milford. That location is about 12 miles from another wildfire still burning in Pompton Lakes Ten structures continue to be under threat within what is being called the "Jennings Creek Wildfire," which was "0% contained," the Forest Fire Service advised Covering 2,000 acres, this latest wildfire is the largest of nine currently burning in New Jersey as drought conditions continue A Red Flag warning has been issued for today throughout New Jersey and bordering states The cause of the fire is still under investigation 'Brush fire' escalatesInitial reports of the fire from the West Milford Office of Emergency Management on Friday afternoon stated that East Shore Road was closed from Route 511 to Awosting Road "due to a large brush fire near Jennings Creek." "Please avoid the area," a West Milford OEM social media post advised "There are no threats to any structures at this time." the department updated residents with another post advising that "Smoke will continue to blanket our area today due to several large brush fires that continue to burn," adding that the fire still was not threatening any structures The New Jersey Forest Fire Service post at 2:15 p.m indicated the fire and structure threats had escalated and that structure protection was being provided by local fire companies "Red flag conditions continue today and Stage 3 fire restrictions remain in effect," West Milford OEM posted These regulations are being strictly enforced