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 A Morris County wildfire that residents say may have been caused by fireworks set off on Halloween night had spread to nearly 140 acres as of Friday A fire burns in the area of Notch Road in Rockaway Twp Halloween wildfire burns on Friday morning The Craigmeur Lookout near Notch Road in Rockaway Township had been 30% contained as of 8 p.m. Friday, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said The blaze threatened 13 structures and eight structures on Green Pond Road were evacuated A homeowner tells Daily Voice that residents heard what sounded like gunshots and then saw fire in the woods they realized that it must've been fireworks that sparked the flames Several farms are located up in the area, and owners say this is the second time they've had to evacuate their animals since the Microwave Wildfire last month.  one homeowner evacuated a dozen of their horses by trailer The NJFFS has not yet released a cause of this fire No one has been evacuated and no structures are under threat The US National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for Sussex Middlesex and Mercer counties through 7 p.m A Red Flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly due to a combination of strong winds Any fires that develop may quickly get out of control and become difficult to contain The cause of the fire is under investigation This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — White Meadow Lake will turn its parking lots and clubhouse lawn into a three-day party with rides games and food as it continues its more than 50-year tradition.  “This has become an event for people It’s more than a festival,” said Ilene Horowitz who organizes the event with Phyllis Auerbach.  Things start simply with carnival rides across from the clubhouse 6 p.m with a heavy focus on serving the tween crowd There will be a sandcastle-building contest at noon Saturday on Beach 1 Those who prefer a more leisurely sport can opt for the family corn hole tournament at 3 p.m on the lawn by the gazebo across from the carnival rides because we want to have more interaction and activities,” Horowitz said.  She said the event draws 3,000 to 4,000 people to the lake community each summer.  The Chippery: Fried Fish-n-Chips and JerseyRollz: Egg Rolls Other food vendors on the clubhouse lawn will include barbecue joint Smoke and Steer; Yummy Acai and Yummy Ice Cream will have acai bowls Potbelly’s will be present with a variety from what owner Rob Grow calls its “eclectic American” menu Local pizzeria Domenicos has rebuilt since the fire and will also be on hand Other attractions include a mechanical bull and the Mr the John Oaks Band and Country Comfort starts at 6:45 p.m 5K race at the clubhouse or a canoe and kayak race at 9:30 a.m.  The parade starts at 11 a.m., and anyone can participate when children showed up with homemade floats and hoped to win trophies The gazebo is also the best place to view the Ski Hawks water-ski team show Anyone looking to scarf down more food — and do it quickly — can compete in the watermelon-eating contest at 2:30 p.m., a pie-eating contest at 4 p.m. and a hot-dog-eating contest at 6 p.m open to all with free admission and parking will conclude with fireworks over White Meadow Lake at 9:15 p.m who helped organize the event in the past and died in March .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Ben Horowitz | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP -- The 27-year-old canoeist whose body was found in White Meadow Lake on Tuesday died from drowning the Morris County medical examiner's office has determined The medical examiner's conclusions were released Wednesday in a joint statement updating the investigation that was issued by Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp and Rockaway Township Police Chief Martin McParland The deceased canoeist was pulled from the river on Tuesday during the third day of a search by numerous law enforcement agencies His 26-year-old companion was found shortly after the canoe was reported capsized at 3 a.m on  Sunday and was rescued by Rockaway Township Police Officer Jason Tozzi Both men were residents of Rockaway Township Deferring to the wishes of the deceased man's family authorities have not released the names of the two men Sources familiar with the investigation have confirmed to NJ Advance Media that the deceased man was Alex Rudolph and the man who was rescued as A.J FIOS1 also reported those names on Tuesday although it later removed the deceased man's name from its website Lichtenberg was treated and released at St The deceased man's body was located at 9:30 a.m Tuesday with the help of sonar equipment monitored by the State Police Morris County Medical Examiner Ronald Suarez pronounced the man dead at the scene Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices \n m_gallery = \"massive_search_underway_for_man_in_morris_county_lake\";\n m_gallery_id = \"19251194\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Massive search underway for man in Morris County lake\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"8001122\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Sunday 11:37 AM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.nj.com/8001122/gallery/massive_search_underway_for_man_in_morris_county_lake/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.nj.com/photogallery/8001122/19251194.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n Gallery: Massive search underway for man in Morris County lake Lifeguards from North Jersey converged on Lake Mohawk in Sparta on Monday night 14 for the annual Sussex County Lifeguard Competition White Meadow Lake and Green Pond competed in speed White Meadow Lake in Rockaway Township was the host this year; the competition was moved to Lake Mohawk because White Meadow was closed because of algae Twenty-eight lifeguards competed in five events: a 400-yard Open Water Swim a Ring Buoy Relay and a Submerged Victim Team Scenario Lifeguards at Culver Lake in Frankford won the overall competition while Lake Mohawk lifeguards Lifeguards at Green Pond in Rockaway were third by one point behind Lake Mohawk White Meadow Lake lifeguards placed fourth with Tara Wiarda first and Indyia Weinmann third in the 400-yard Open Water Swim John Postma of Culver Lake placed first in the men’s division with Jack Elsevier of Green Pond a close second All four teams led in at least one leg of the Run/Swim/Paddle/Kayak event Heidi Van den Heuval of Culver Lake was the single female in the first leg Catherine Gaines of Lake Mohawk pulled it out in kayak at the finish again this year to win the event Lake Mohawk and Green Pond lifeguards were close on the Rescue Tube Relay with Green Pond taking first in the Ring Buoy Relay The final event was the Submerged Victim Scenario While one entered the water and recovered a submerged manikin the awaiting team was ready with backboard bag valve masks and an automated external defibrillator to perform 10 minutes of high-performance team cardiopulmonary resuscitation Culver Lake placed first with 19 of 20 points; Lake Mohawk was second with 18; Green Pond had 16; and White Meadow Lake had 15 Chris Young and Rich Carlson of the American Red Cross were judges for the competition ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — All White Meadow Lake clubhouse bathrooms have been searched and given the all clear after a bartender was charged with hiding video cameras in bathrooms to record women as they used the toilets said all bathrooms were searched for cameras and recording devices after the arrest of John P Daley worked for the clubhouse for 20 years before he was arrested on Sunday and charged with invasion of privacy after police recovered a video recorder disguised as a key fob in one bathroom and a camera hidden in a heating system next to a toilet in another A woman called police after she saw one of the cameras “We can assure you the Rockaway Township Police Department has searched the bathrooms in this building and informed us that as far as their visual inspection is concerned nothing suspicious was found,” association board attorney Robert Rossmeissl said.   The housing association will hire a private company to do its own “more expansive search of the building,” said Rossmeissl.  Local residents expressed concern with the lack of information released by the association Most said they learned about it at a council meeting or in the newspaper Residents said the clubhouse is used for family events including fairs and mommy-and-me play dates Parents said they want to know if their children were recorded as they used the bathrooms.  Entertainment: MPAC 25th anniversary: still growing as it eyes future expansion Crime: Man's body found in Parsippany home, investigation underway Local: Rockaway Township council member resigns 'effective immediately' Officers found a camera hidden in the heating system next to the toilets and “a small black video camera that resembles a key fob” on top of a toilet bowl tank during the first search on Sunday who at first denied any involvement and later said he had placed "recording devices in both bathrooms to view unknown females' private area,” the affidavit reads Agent Paul Merkler of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office said authorities have only released information about “one specific incident” and would not comment on a broader scope.  Neither the prosecutor’s office nor Rossmeissl would say how long the cameras had been in the women's bathrooms who released information to residents on Wednesday apologized for the delay in getting information to the public They said they were following the advice of legal representation and the authorities “We have been following the community conversation closely,” said Rossmeissl He said the board is in contact with local police and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office a computer tablet and a Dell desktop computer from Daley's home Daley was also charged with hindering the investigation and hiding evidence for throwing one of the cameras into White Meadow Lake Daley has been released from the Morris County Correctional Facility and is scheduled to be in Superior Court on Oct Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Michael Rossi of the Rockaway Township Police Department at 973-625-4000 .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Kathleen O'Brien | For Inside Jersey(Photo courtesy of Rutgers Law School.) Yes, Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts senator now mentioned as a possible Democratic vice-presidential candidate, spent eight pivotal years of her life in New Jersey the Oklahoma native lived in a winterized summer home in the White Meadow Lake section of Rockaway Township steering a series of changes that would foretell her future She arrived here the new bride of her hometown sweetheart with a degree in speech pathology and little in the way of plans beyond teaching a bit before starting a family When she left eight years later, she was a lawyer with two small children and the belief that her time at Rutgers Law School had "opened a thousand doors for me." The law school at the time was mostly a commuter school with little in the way of on-campus housing for its students but typically didn't spend much time together outside class the retired Appellate Court judge from Glen Ridge who was also in the school's Class of '76 Payne remembers "Liz" as wickedly smart in classroom discussions Warren obviously knew how to pinch a penny: She sold offshoots from her spider plant to classmates contributed a casserole of chicken gizzards "She was clearly an academic star when she was in law school And I can't say her personality was any different," Payne recalled "The only real difference was at the time I don't know what her financial circumstance was at the time Warren told classmates all she really wanted was a dishwasher "And she didn't get it," Payne said For one summer Warren commuted into Manhattan to work at a fancy law firm; the money paid for a second car and braces for herself At the time, according to Warren's autobiography, she and her husband were living on his salary as an engineer at IBM, while she had college loans from the University of Houston to pay off. (She had originally attended George Washington University on a full scholarship for debate but dropped out after two years to get married.) The main reason she chose to attend Rutgers instead of Columbia Law School - where she was also admitted - was she couldn't afford Columbia when she joined the faculty of Harvard Law School she stood out as the only one to have attended a state law school instead of a private one.) Rutgers Law School in the 1970s time was a cauldron of activism; students nicknamed it the "People's Electric Law School." While other schools in that era may have admitted women and minority applicants reluctantly, Payne and others said, Rutgers enthusiastically flung open its doors. As a result, nearly half of Warren's class was female. Many of those women were slightly older jumping at the chance to embark on a career in law once society had changed and their children were of school age That meant Warren wasn't all that unusual for having to juggle her roles of law student and mother recalls hitting it off with Warren on their first day of class in 1973 when they discovered they'd both been teachers Warren had taught speech at Riverdale elementary school for one year before becoming pregnant - at a time when it was usually assumed she'd quit working once the baby arrived Nachtigal remembers inquiring where her classmate was from and hanging out at school during the rare moments of free time She was a lot of fun - except she always had to go right back to White Meadow Lake," she said When the sitter called in sick - this was in the era before day-care centers were common - Warren would bring her preschool daughter where her friends would happily babysit her Warren was eight months pregnant with her second child at graduation and years later wrote that she was despondent to think her law career would end before it even started While her classmates were interviewing for jobs "A Fighting Chance." She felt no law firm would hire a pregnant woman She was probably trying to figure out how she would have a legal career." Warren's solution was to hang out a shingle - literally - on the lamppost outside her Rockaway home setting up a fledgling private practice while caring for her new baby who told her they had a last-minute opening for an instructor for class in legal writing Would she be interested in a bit of teaching "I interviewed her and was very impressed," Simmons said recently And very smart - her academic work at the school was exemplary." That fortuitous phone call from Simmons launched Warren on what would become a lifelong career as a law professor She left New Jersey when her husband got a job in Texas she was hired by the University of Houston Law School on the basis of her Rutgers teaching experience She's a loyal alumna of both institutions: When Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently accused her on Twitter of using her Cherokee heritage to get into Harvard I didn't even go to Harvard - I'm a graduate of @UHouston and @RutgersU." (She's also called the accusation a lie.) Warren returned to Rutgers Law School in 2011 to receive an honorary degree. By that time she had a national reputation for her role on the newly created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Although she called herself "Liz" or "Lizzie" when she was a student there 40 years ago retired Dean Simmons said when he asked her before the ceremony how she wanted to be introduced she recalled arriving there as "a young mother from Oklahoma who had never met a lawyer," and urged the graduates to use their degrees to "open doors for others." Nachtigal said that over the years she and her friend stayed in touch initially through Christmas cards and the like the senator sent the baby's mother a copy of the children's classic book With the vice-presidential speculation getting hotter every day the barrage of news makes Nachtigal consider the trajectory of Warren's life that has carried her old friend into a presidential race "I sometimes smile and remember sitting in her living room in White Meadow Lake Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly described current housing options for students at Newark Law School A renovated building on Washington Street now offers housing for law students Kathleen O'Brien may be reached at kobrien@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBrienLedger. Find NJ.com on Facebook \n m_gallery = \"elizabeth_warrens_jersey_years\";\n m_gallery_id = \"20637043\";\n m_gallery_title = \"Elizabeth Warren\\'s Jersey Years\";\n m_gallery_blog_id = \"8001122\";\n m_gallery_creation_date = \"Thursday 9:26 PM\";\n m_gallery_permalink = \"http://photos.nj.com/8001122/gallery/elizabeth_warrens_jersey_years/index.html\";\n m_gallery_json = \"https://blog.nj.com/photogallery/8001122/20637043.json\";\n m_gallery_pagetype = \"embed\";\n m_gallery_type = \"photo\";\n <\/script>\n This story is part of Loved and Lost, a statewide media collaboration working to celebrate the life of every New Jersey resident who died of COVID-19. To learn more and submit a loved one's name to be profiled, visit lovedandlostnj.com Louis Sarrel was the unofficial mayor of White Meadow Lake Sarrel made lifelong friends in West Orange but added many more when he moved west 26 years ago to the tight-knit lake community in Rockaway He would tell people he couldn’t find his way out Sarrel had the type of personality you wanted to know and the type of brain you wanted to pick “If anyone ever needed to know something “It’s amazing how many people say he was their best friend He would have done anything for anyone.” Sarrel took a roundabout road to his dual careers as a Rockaway-based Realtor associate and a Wayne-based property manager the field in which he earned his bachelor's degree at William Paterson University He settled on real estate when Marla encouraged him to find his calling before they started a family.  ‘Now is the time to figure it out,’ ” she said Sarrel used his flexible work hours effectively Even after his sons — now 21 and 25 — aged out of local youth recreation leagues Sarrel stayed around to help other young athletes gain skills and grow confidence.  and he was always rooting for the underdog,” Marla said Louis Sarrel died on April 21 at Hackensack University Medical Center the same hospital where the 58-year-old had been undergoing treatment for lymphoma He was halfway through his course of treatment when the pandemic hit He had a trip to Atlantic City planned for July to celebrate his son’s 21st birthday but he never got the chance to retire and move south “He wanted to move to Florida or the Carolinas,” she said “He loved the beach and he loved life --  A family that has lived at 121 White Meadow Road for the past 15 years escaped an early morning blaze Monday by running out through their basement 16 and a student at Morris Hills High School Loretta said her mother awoke around 3 a.m and saw flames on the front porch and roused everyone Neighbors at 90 White Meadow Road opened their home to the family which was being assisted by the American Red Cross as of 9 am Clares Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation and would be kept overnight She said that she and her aunt have established a GoFundMe Fundraiser; http://gofundme.com/azbu9t2s "We don't know whether the cat Ginger got out," Loretta said Rockaway Township Police Chief Martin McParland was at the scene and said the cause and origin are being investigated but the fire was accidental Dozens of firefighters were at the scene as of about 3 am and the destroyed two-story home was visibly still smoking as of 9 am The Morris County Prosecutor's Office is at the scene McParland said he is grateful that the family got out safely He was on his way to White Meadow Lake a mile away for the continuation of a search for a canoeist who disappeared in the water around 3 a.m One of the boaters managed to swim to shore but a second adult male in the canoe has not yet been found called the Turners "a beautiful family" and said Freeman Turner had spent years as a volunteer coach for the youth football team Authorities said they expect the house to be torn down in the next day or two Staff Writer Peggy Wright: Pwright@GannettNJ.com; 973-267-1142 ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — A bartender at the White Meadow Lake clubhouse was arrested for allegedly recording women as they used the bathroom with cameras hidden in the heating system next to the toilets who worked as a bartender in the Clubhouse Bar was also charged with “placing a small black video camera that resembles a key fob on top of the tank toilet bowl to view female patrons using the restrooms,” according to the affidavit of probable cause.  searched the bathroom and found a camera in it who denied responsibility or knowledge of the recording equipment but “later admitted placing recording devices in both bathrooms to view unknown females private area,” the affidavit states The clubhouse is used for community meetings and social gatherings Its bar and lounge serve alcoholic beverages Property owners association employees were told not to give out information on Tuesday but the organization posted a statement on its Facebook page on Wednesday "The White Meadow Lake Property Owners Association Board of Directors is aware of the incident involving a White Meadow Lake employee This is a legal matter and there is an ongoing investigation We are not aware of the details of the investigation but the POA Board intends to continue to cooperate fully with the Rockaway Township Police Department We will inform residents as official information becomes available and as legal counsel advises,” reads the statement Success story: From clerk-typist to county's top cop: Morris sheriff names new chief Resident Dana Taboadela said she is upset with the lack of information released by the association especially with so many families using the clubhouse on a constant basis.  typically a notification is sent by end of day alerting the community The same should have happened in these instances," she said a computer tablet and a Dell desktop computer from Daley's home.  Daley was charged with invasion of privacy hindering the investigation and hiding evidence for throwing one of his cameras into White Meadow Lake – Firefighters responded to a fire Saturday afternoon in the White Meadow Lake section of the township and the first units to arrive at the fire on North Lake Shore Drive found a fully involved structure fire No further details were available Monday morning A former bartender will serve three years of probation for secretly recording women as they used a bathroom at a Rockway Township country club John P. Daley, 51, pleaded guilty last month to invading the privacy of three women at the White Meadow Lake clubhouse by placing hidden cameras in the women’s bathroom one on top of a toilet bowl and others in the heating system The Mount Olive man apologized to his victims and “anyone I betrayed” during his online sentencing Thursday He listened stoically as two of the victims spoke of the trauma they suffered I hesitated to use any other public restroom I would examine every bit of restroom that I could wondering if there were cameras behind that ceiling tile or behind that crack in the wall,” said one woman “No one should ever have to worry that they could be potentially recorded while being in such a vulnerable position.” Court: NJ man who sped past police barricades toward Trump's plane sentenced to year in jail Crime: Jefferson police charge man with possession of Mac-10 assault pistol, heroin, Xanax Daley developed a close relationship with many of the clubhouse’s patrons and was frequently asked to bartend at their private events “You took advantage of hundreds of people who considered you to be a friend,” the woman said disgusting and disrespectful to our community and we will never forget this.” Daley is barred from contacting the victims and entering the club under the sentence He will also serve 30 days of community service and undergo psychotherapy A court-ordered psychosexual report described Daley in December as an isolated loner who was bullied as a child and grew up fearful of others But Judge Stephen Taylor disputed those findings on Thursday “I’m not saying he’s a sexual predator but this conduct is highly distributing and it's repetitive,” Taylor said He’s been viewing pornography for a number of years but these actions went well beyond that and there has to be some further explanation for it.” Daley admitted to secretly recording people for years He told police he placed cameras at the clubhouse because he heard people were performing sex acts in the bathroom and he wanted to watch Police seized a trove of evidence from Daley’s home Only three of the women captured in Daley’s footage could be identified Taylor said Thursday that it is likely children were recorded as well Svetlana Shkolnikova covers local news and Superior Court in Morris County for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from criminal trials to local lawsuits and insightful analysis, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.  Email: shkolnikova@northjersey.com Twitter: @svetashko  A White Meadow Lake playground was defaced earlier this month with hateful words and symbols being drawn on equipment at one of the beaches owned by the property owner’s association 13 to a gated beach in the White Meadow Lake community The beach had been locked between 10:30 p.m when a guard reopened it and found several swastikas drawn in blue chalk on playground equipment in the sand White Meadow Lake maintenance cleared the offending symbols but a few days later several more swastikas were found drawn on a playground slide in pen The n-word was also found etched into the playground equipment The word and symbols have since been removed – sanded and painted over – and the township has upped patrols of the area Rockaway Township Mayor Michael Dachisen said “We don’t tolerate stuff like that in Rockaway Township.” The incidents do not appear to be targeted but detectives are investigating the matter and have reached out to community organizations for additional information White Meadow Lake resident Louise Rozik was “saddened” and “deeply concerned” when she heard the property had been defaced and planned to issue a statement at Tuesday night’s township council meeting With everything going on today you just can’t be silent about it,” Rozik said “It’s critical to not treat this as a simple prank People should speak up and do something about it.” Rozik said the country is facing challenges protecting vulnerable populations following the presidential election and called the defacing or the White Meadow Lake property a hate crime adding that it was originally a Jewish community “We must not ‘normalize’ this incident with our silence,” Rozik said “This is a teachable moment for our community and children and others to make clear that this hate crime will not be tolerated The Rockaway Township Council must speak out publicly and forcefully against it and public response by Rockaway Township law enforcement can reinforce the message that hate crimes will be investigated aggressively Guidance on how communities and schools can prevent and respond to these incidents would add to the strength of such statements.” Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com MORRISTOWN — The bartender charged with placing hidden cameras in a women’s bathroom at a Rockaway Township clubhouse made his first court appearance Monday afternoon.  of Flanders was arrested last month for allegedly recording women as they used the bathroom at the White Meadow Lake clubhouse in Rockway Township During his arraignment hearing, Judge Stephen Taylor reviewed the charges which include one count of invasion of privacy and one count of hindering the investigation and evidence.  your honor" when asked if he understood the charges.  According to the affidavit and police report, a woman using the bathroom on Sept The names of the victims have not been disclosed but three of the women who were allegedly videotaped were present at the arraignment According to the affidavit of probable cause Daley "placed a small black video camera on top of the tank toilet bowl to view female patrons using the restrooms."  The Morris County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the case and has seized numerous items from Daley's home The Prosecutor's Office is in the process of reviewing the images captured by Daley and will disclose them to the defendant's lawyer.  One year later: Dover fire: Families and businesses still rebuilding Vote: Elections 2019: Morris County school boards list of candidates Local elections: Elections 2019: Morris County municipal candidates Porfido said his client is also looking to apply for Pretrial Intervention, a program for first-time which would place him under court supervision for a specified period Porfido said he will consider a plea deal presented by the prosecutor that calls for his client to plead guilty to one count of invasion of privacy in the third degree and have no return to his previous place of employment as well as prohibited contact with his victims Last month, White Meadow Lake Property Owners Association President Michael Ilardi issued a statement via the organization's Facebook page on the incident "Regarding the ongoing police investigation the Board of Directors wishes to express its serious concern for members and guests that may have been affected and to assure you that we will fully cooperate and do everything in our power to prevent anything that would jeopardize any visitor to our facilities," Ilardi wrote.  before Taylor at the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown.  Jessie Gomez is a local reporter for DailyRecord.com and NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today Email: jgomez@gannettnj.com Twitter: @jessiereport  - The 27-year-old township man whose body was recovered Tuesday morning from White Meadow Lake died by drowning in what the Morris County Medical Examiner deemed to be an accident The cause and manner of the death of the man -- whose identity is not being released by authorities at the request of his family -- was announced Wednesday in a  news release from Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M Knapp and township Police Chief Martin McParland Authorities have not said if the deceased was intoxicated or impaired at the time of his death A search and investigation started around 3 a.m Sunday when multiple 911 calls alerted police to an emergency on White Meadow Lake which is about 10-12 feet deep at its deepest point Police learned that two men were on the lake in a canoe used an available canoe to reach the only visible person in distress  The officer brought that canoeist to shore A recovery operation for the second man that involved State Police divers and boats with sonar equipment took place Sunday and Monday  and the drowning victim's body was recovered around 9:30 a.m Knapp has credited multiple agencies for their work including the Prosecutor's Office major crimes unit Morris County Office of Emergency Management and divers from multiple agencies    Staff Writer Peggy Wright: 973-267-1142; pwright@GannettNJ.com ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — Following a four-month investigation police arrested a township man and a juvenile at a home in the White Meadow Lake area where they recovered weapons and drugs were arrested March 5 by local detectives.     “Officers conducting a search of the residence discovered 6.2 pounds of marijuana two large daggers and assorted drug paraphernalia,” reads a police statement.  The drugs and weapons were found in the home but police did not release if the suspects lived in the home or the nature of the relationship between the suspects. The two were selling drugs out of the home Canceled: Morristown cancels St. Patrick's Day parade over coronavirus concerns Signal: Morristown deactivates HAWK traffic signal installed six months ago Development: Parsippany plan calls for 1,718 residential units to replace corporate office parks Stevenson was charged with possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and processed and released pending an appearance in municipal court.  The juvenile was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance weapons offenses and possessing drug paraphernalia Gene Myers is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.  Email: myers@northjersey.com Twitter: @myersgene   ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — Festival Days returns to White Meadow Lake this weekend who organizes the event with Phyllis Auerbach Joy Weinreich and about seven other volunteers said she tries to add something new to the event each year.  A number of things have been added this year including an adaption of the game show Family Feud on Saturday and a performance by the Wild West City Rangers at 4 p.m “We try to add something new every year for the community It’s something to look forward to,” said Horowitz “Many people plan their vacations around it.”  originally just Festival Day as it’s still referred to on its banner grew from essentially just fireworks held one night into a three-day extravaganza held across from the main beach in White Meadow Lake.  Saturday was planned as a “family team day” this year A sandcastle building contest starts at 1 p.m There will also be adult coed volleyball at 1 p.m and a scavenger hunt at 3 p.m. Family Feud will start at 4 p.m “It's a way to bring everybody together in the community,” Horowitz said.  The annual battle of the bands will lose its competitive edge and become White Meadow Lake-Palooza this year The John Oakes Band and three other bands will perform There will also be a new mechanical bull.  Previous festivals and local sponsors help bring festival costs down said Horowitz adding that she begins planning the next festival almost as soon as she is done wrapping up the current one.  Local businesses including Potbelly's Riverside Cafe Ava's Cupcakes and Domenico's Pizza Place will be set up in the grass.  ROCKAWAY SCHOOL BUSES: Rockaway considers adding cameras to school buses DEADLY MARTIAL ARTIST: 'Deadliest martial artist' visits Rockaway dojo DISABLED CAR? STAY PUT: Vehicle disabled on the highway? Don't get out! “I always enjoyed the lake community In high school we were always at one party or another,” said Rob Grow “After high school we even hung out at the clubhouse bar (18 years old to drink back then) I see so many old friends and Neighbors while at the festival Rides are being brought in by Dreamland Amusements The Lake Mohawk Ski Hawks will perform water ski tricks on the lake at 1:30 p.m The finale fireworks will start around 9:15 p.m ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — Republican incumbent Mayor Michael Puzio’s 3,830 votes were enough for him to hang on to his seat and beat out challenger Democrat Jonathan Sackett “I think the Rockaway First team delivered a solid message based on our experience as individuals in the town,” Puzio said referring to his campaign team's name Puzio became the town’s fifth mayor in a span of several months in 2018 following a chaotic political scene that followed former Mayor Michael Dachisen’s death in August of that year Sackett will continue as council president He stepped into the role in September after the Township Council voted to remove Councilman Tucker Kelley from the position (Kelley took over as council president after council member Jeremy Jedynak stepped down halfway through his two-year term.)  It wasn’t lost on Puzio that Republicans were able to keep their seats regardless of this turmoil even though fellow Republicans were at the helm during this choppy time "Rockaway residents saw that this was not a party issue and they just wanted folks who they felt were going to deliver who are going to do the right thing for Rockaway Township and calm the waters and bring civility back," said Puzio Puzio said he thought he was going to win around 9:30 p.m when his running mates started to text him "I was getting texts about how far we were ahead," he said Puzio and his wife have served as couriers for Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi on election night.  There are poll workers and there are couriers I do East Hanover and my wife does Rockaway Borough so I have to have people send me the results because I am working and don’t have a pulse on things,” he said Dover: Blackman takes lead over Dodd in Dover mayor's race still too close to call Grand opening: Controversy fades as Whole Foods opens long-debated Parsippany store State: Democrats still in control of the Assembly doesn't mean life gets easier for Phil Murphy The victory wasn’t about campaign promises Township schools now have officers on patrol.  “I got a school security initiative in I got LEAD put in the school system (Law Enforcement Against Drugs) and I hired police officers,” said Puzio “I think people see in me the ability to actually get work done.” The three Council at-large seats will go to Republican incumbent Joseph Jackson (3,467 votes) Republican Adam Salberg (3,387 votes) and Republican Howard Kritz (3,342 votes).  Republican Councilwoman Mary Noon garnered 444 votes beating out Democrat Susan Fahrman Royek’s 415 votes.  The rainy weather in Rockaway will cancel some events Friday tonight But Festival Days will still kickoff at 6 p.m The rock climbing wall and a few other Friday attractions have been canceled All will be back tomorrow except for the rock wall which is scheduled to be somewhere else on Saturday MORE ON FESTIVAL: Festival Days return to Rockaway this weekend “We are cancelling the rock wall and obstacle course and the vendors and the tattoo artist,” said organizer Ilene Horowitz which will conclude with fireworks starting around 9:15 p.m ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — Michele Di Sanza did a double take as she walked past her front door Tuesday night Was there really a large black bear just standing there “I saw something big and black in my lawn and I was like: what the hell is that?” Di Sanza said Since photographing bears has become a hobby for the White Meadow Lake resident taking photos as it roamed the neighborhood.  “I followed him for probably about an hour as he went in and out of yards,” she said.  when the bear and his admirer wove through the streets in the vicinity of Stony Brook Elementary School In some shots the bear can be seen picking through garbage and in others it is walking down a home's front steps Bears: NJ DEP doesn't want you to know where the bears are Beaches open: Six Lake Hopatcong beaches cleared to reopen She called the bear a “patriotic bugger” when she posted photos of it under an American flag on her Facebook page.  maybe 2 or 3 years old,” Di Sanza said The Lake Telemark neighborhood is rallying to help a grandmother, her daughter and her granddaughter after they lost their home and possessions in a raging fire Saturday night in Rockaway Township But a family puppy did not survive the blaze despite a response from firefighters in several towns Two other dogs escaped what the Rockaway Township Fire Department described as a kitchen fire her daughter and a 2-year-old granddaughter are staying in temporary housing after the fire consumed their home and belongings according to neighbor and former township councilman Tucker Kelley but at least one adult was staying there at the time and was able to escape "Jen and I have been friends for a while," Kelley said "We're doing the best we can under the circumstances," Gares told the Daily Record on Monday Township responders to the two-alarm call included companies from White Meadow Lake Other departments assisting came from Boonton Township Kelley quickly took to social media, creating a Gofundme page for the family that exceeded its $10,000 goal by Monday morning A local collection point for donations also was set up in the lobby of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church at 508 Green Pond Road the daughter and Mother are both XL for shirts and leggings Undergarments and socks also are needed (new preferred) Gares said she was moved by "the love and generosity" of the greater Rockaway community where she has lived for seven years Her daughter is a graduate of Morris Knolls High School "It's been so amazing what they've done for us," she said "We have had devastating tragedies in our community over the years and when the request for help was circulated Jennifer Gares always donated in many ways," Kelley said "Now it's our turn to help Jenn and her family." The Lake Telemark community suffered another tragedy last April when 98-year-old Oddfrid Tokle died in a fire at her home Tokle had escaped her native Norway ahead of Nazi occupation in 1939 to become a pillar of a growing group of Norwegian immigrants who built homes together around the lake 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: @wwesthoven About 30 Lifeguards from Lake Mohawk Country Club Culver Lake and the Lake Mohawk Pool had spirited and close races in five different events; a 500-yard Open Water Swim a Paddle/Run/Swim/Kayak Relay and a Team Scenario All races were designed to test the Lifeguards’ skills and teamwork Teams consist of four Lifeguards and must be coed Lake Mohawk Country Club squeaked by White Meadow Lake for the team trophy The Lake Mohawk Pool came in third with 71 points but definitely had one of the loudest cheering sections It was a repeat contest between Will Englehardt from Lake Mohawk Country Club in the 500-Yard Swim who took first last year and Ben Sorrentino from White Meadow Lake Ben barely beat out Will for first place this year Tim Holovacs took third for the Lake Mohawk Pool Olivia Maute took first place in girls/women for White Meadow Heidi Van Denheove came in second for Culver Lake and Mikayla Flynz took third for the Pool Mikayla Flynz and Riley Maldonado beat out Lake Mohawk for first place in the Rescue Tube Relay with White Meadow Lake taking third in this fast paced event Jonathan Myers and Madison O’Hare edged out Culver Lake in a great finish in the Paddleboard Relay White Meadow Lake dominated the Paddle/Run/Swim/Kayak event with Ben Sorrentino doing the swim and finally Taylor Quakenbush finished up in the kayak to take first LM Pool was followed close behind by LMCC for 2nd and 3rd respectively The Team Scenario is designed to gauge the Lifeguards’ coordination and teamwork in a rescue situation This year’s scenario was a submerged “victim” (a manikin) where the primary Lifeguard had to swim to the victim retrieve the victim and tow the victim back to shore where the other team members are ready to assist in removing the victim performing team CPR with a bag valve mask and AED Each team began with 20 points and points were deducted by the judges for standard criteria Culver Lake’s team of Maverick and Devon Liebl Heide van den Heovel and Brandon Crouch took top honors here followed by White Meadow Lake and the LM Pool Regional Aquatics Representative from the American Red Cross came from Philadelphia for the third year in a row to help judge and officiate the event watermelon and cake were available and the grill was manned by volunteers from the Lake Mohawk Marine Patrol “This was probably the best competition we’ve had so far,” said Rich Carlson Director of Marine Services for Lake Mohawk and the event coordinator “The crowd cheering from the boardwalk really inspired the guards All of the teams seemed evenly matched with each team taking a first in at least one event.” This is the sixth year that Lake Mohawk has hosted the event The competition is designed in the spirit to build teamwork motivation and skills required of lifeguards to make their job both rewarding and fun “The competition is great experience in bringing guards from different facilities to not only showcase their skills but to learn from each other and share experiences,” said Carlson “Winning it doesn’t mean you have the best lifeguards It’s a great opportunity for everyone here to get better and become more enthusiastic about their job The competition does bring out some bragging rights though.” Carlson said that LMCC guards practice and drill daily during open beach hours so that members and people can see them Some of the drills are so realistic that some members passing by a beach call 9-1-1 “We make sure that we advise Sparta Police whenever we have a lakewide drill,” said Derek Pivko “But it’s nice to see that people are watching out for our guards as well.”- ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — A fire caused "substantial damage" to Domenico's Pizza Place “The damage was mainly in the kitchen area,” said Fire Chief Michael Heath But the rest of the restaurant did not sustain too much fire damage just some water damage and smoke damage.”   said Heath. It started off as a smoke alarm then upgraded to a structure fire following a call from a witness “This building has been a landmark in White Meadow Lake for many years ever since I could remember something great has been there,” said Mayor Michael Dachisen of the Upper Mountain Avenue building.  but a social page post indicated the eatery would be closed for a while.  When the call came in the roads “were completely covered” with snow and “in bad condition,” Heath said The emergency dispatcher called the Department of Public Works which plowed the roads and cleared the fire hydrants for first responders.  Schools: Rockaway Township making school security 'number one priority' Digging Out: Quick tips for clearing out after the snow Business: Toys R Us could be saved by the father of Bratz dolls and his crowd-funding campaign there were no issues with responding apparatus Nobody went off the road and nobody slipped and fell on ice,” Heath said “They went down there and plowed the roads for us real quick and cleared the hydrants out.”      Rockaway Borough and Picatinny Arsenal responded as did EMS units from Denville and Rockaway Township Heath said there was no fire or water damage to the connecting Hair Shop But owner Ron Trisuzzi said there’s a smell of smoke and the floors have blackened.  But I am trying to brave through it.”  ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — Refusing to be felled by grief three months after her 12-year-old daughter died by suicide Dianne Grossman has found a reason to get out of bed: she's raised an army.  Mallory's Army — a foundation launched in July — aims  to spotlight bullying and cyber-bullying which Grossman said led to her daughter's June 14 death at the family's home Battling bullying through Mallory's Army which Grossman said she founded with her friend has given her a place to "park" her pain.  “It allows me to keep Mallory’s story and her memory alive,” she said To keep the foundation alive and do good and help all children is my way to honor her.”  THE LAWSUIT: Mallory Grossman's parents say the school district didn't do enough to save their daughter SCHOOL DISTRICT RESPONDS: Rockaway Township district denies ignoring bullying linked to girl's suicide SPIKE IN BULLYING: Bullying in Rockaway Township spiked as parents sought help before daughter's suicide The foundation will hold a candlelight vigil beginning at 8 p.m on Thursday at the White Meadow Lake Country Club clubhouse Mallory’s favorite place for summer fun The date and time were specifically chosen to coincide with the three-month anniversary of the middle school student's death "Eight o'clock is around the time that I arrived at the hospital to learn that Mallory had passed," said Grossman "Eight o'clock is a very painful moment in time for me."  The trouble began October 2016 when Grossman said classmates at Copeland Middle School started "harassing" Mallory through social media posts and text messages "She talked about how horrible it was to be at school,” Grossman said The cold shoulder — the exclusion — I think played an important role.”  The bullying eventually "became too much" for Mallory and she died by suicide Grossman said during an August press conference in which she and husband Seth announced their intent to sue the Rockaway Township school district for its failure to adequately handle complaints their daughter was bullied on social media and at school The Grossmans implored school officials to protect their daughter in the months leading to her suicide the couple's lawyer said at the press conference Grossman said she is trying to figure out how to go on living without her daughter is playing a big part in what she called her new life Grossman said other parents are very interested in Mallory's life and her death because of their rising concerns about bullying in the age of social media A review of local school board records shows bullying incidents tripled during the last school year in Rockaway Township There were 33 bullying investigations during the 2016-17 school year there were 13 reported investigations with three confirmed bullying incidents Mallory's Army's fight against bullying is in its “infant stage” and Grossman said she is watching to see where there is need.   “Our goal is to fill in the gaps and what is missing in the anti-bullying platform and not duplicate it I think there are a lot of great foundations out there like the Tyler Clementi foundation,” she said “We don't want to duplicate what they have already done.” During the first week of school earlier this month Mallory’s Army encouraged students and families to stand together against bullying by wearing blue Grossman said she's planning to hold a question-and-answer event in October which is National Bullying Prevention Month She said the event will be held at Christ Church in Rockaway Township where her foundation will reach out to other children then you can actually make a difference,” Grossman said “If children can tell us why they are in Mallory's Army then we will be slowly winning the ground war.”  whose daughter was Mallory’s best friend Mallory’s gymnastics coach and “a legal team.” Grossman said she hopes the legal team will help develop legislation that holds parents of bullies "financially accountable" for not taking action when bullying starts Grossman spoke briefly about the time she had a phone conversation with the mother of one of her daughter's bullies one of Mallory’s classmates.  Grossman said she told the mother her daughter was bullying Mallory through text messages and asked her to intervene “If they don't do something they will find themselves in court,” Grossman said of parents whose children bully their peers “The goal is to create dialogue and conversation It is about giving people permission to talk about this very uncomfortable topic,” Grossman said.  She said, based on what she has learned this summer, embarrassment is a major roadblock when it comes to tackling bullying.  There is the perspective of the parent of the child being bullied "They don't want to admit that their child is not the popular child,” Grossman said “No parent wants to admit that their child is socially awkward or is having a difficult time We don't want to make life uncomfortable for our children.”  Then there is the embarrassment of the parents of the bully.  “I have yet to hear from somebody who raises their hand to say my child is the mean child at school I would like to hear from parents to know that their child is participating in inappropriate behavior,” said Grossman.  Grossman said that her daughter’s tragedy can serve as an example of a different kind of victim a girl who was bullied in spite of fitting in as opposed to the stereotypical bullying victim who is depicted as socially awkward.  “What Mallory has done has said even someone who appears to have it together on the outside is also susceptible to bullying at school,” Grossman said.  did well in school and enjoyed extracurricular activities including gymnastics and cheerleading.  “I think people are realizing that if it can happen to Mallory it can happen to their child,” Grossman said Grossman would not speak about the lawsuit against the Rockaway Township School District the Rockaway Township School District posted a message on its website denying it had ignored signs Mallory Grossman was bullied and urging restraint against accusations "The allegation that the Rockaway Township School District ignored the Grossman family and failed to address bullying in general is categorically false," reads the message The district's message also reads: “The public has heard only one side of the story” and that it cannot respond to accusations because it was asked not to do so by its legal counsel and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office which is still investigating the death.  News 12 New YorkDownload the AppWhere to WatchRebuilding The BronxPolice: Bartender took pictures recorded woman using bathroomPolice in Rockaway Township have charged a bartender accused of taking pictures and videos of a woman using the bathroom.News 12 Staff ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — Hundreds gathered in the rain on the White Meadow Lake Clubhouse lawn Thursday to honor Mallory Grossman the 12-year-old Copeland Middle School student who died by suicide on June 14 after being cyber-bullied for months Dianne Grossman said the idea of "bringing everybody together" led to the vigil They huddled together trying to keep their candles lit in the rain taking turns standing on a rock in the center of the crowd telling stories of Mallory is a gymnast who competed with Mallory through the years.  “Mallory was sweet and sometimes quiet and when she wanted to be creative she was super creative then we are all a better person because of it,” she said.  Dianne said she believed the night’s rain was “the angels crying” as the Grossmans stepped up onto the rock “My daughter brought us all together and she will continue to unite us,” Dianne Grossman said “This is about deciding as a generation that if it’s not kind you won’t 'like' it You won’t 'heart' it and you won’t 'smiley face' it Grossman intends to tackle bullying —  a mission she said keeps her daughter’s memory alive Some students helped with the vigil by handing out glow sticks and selling Mallory’s Army T-shirts and bracelets but we had to share the pillow and that night I accidentally slept on her.”  We were doing gymnastics in my house and she was pretending to be a coach and she screamed at me,” Carolyn said Attendees wore blue — the color picked by anti-bullying advocates.  Signs prohibiting parking along the streets surrounding the clubhouse showed that authorities expected a crowd Blue signs reading “Hate has no home here” planted in laws around the neighborhood showed that concerns about bullying have permeated the community.  “It is very touching to see so many people come out and honor the memory of Mallory This has increased people’s awareness of bullying and they want to be involved,” said Denise Jacobus of Denville Grossman said she has gotten a lot of attention in the wake of her personal tragedy but it has not been “an uncomfortable level." Most people just want to help or offer condolences She is using money from the sales of Mallory’s Army bracelets and T-shirts to build the foundation’s website to keep the conversation going.  Grossman said she would not discuss details of the bullying because of the lawsuit the family has filed against the school district alleging that it didn’t do enough to stop ongoing bullying.  stating that it cannot respond to accusations because of the ongoing investigation by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office “My daughter went to Copeland last year,” said Darlene LaFalce My daughter went through a lot of the same things a lot of the same things were happening to her so this is really close to home.”  Grossman could be found in private reflection among a crowd of people.  Her goal for the evening to “light up the night and bring the community together” was illustrated as her candle flickered in a sea of candles.  “White Meadow Lake is the place where Mallory spent a good amount of her summer with her best friend “She loved the outdoors and the lake.” ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — A couple and their three young children lost their Lake Telemark home to a fire Monday afternoon The family was not home at the time 40 to 50 firefighters fought to save the home. No one was injured and no surrounding homes were damaged The call went out to local and surrounding companies that smoke was coming from a home on Winding Brook Way at 2:41 p.m Rockaway Township Fire Chief Mike Heath said firefighters respond forcefully whenever there’s a fire in that section of town because of its lack of hydrants “We have no hydrants up in that area so when we have a structure fire we call for a tender task force,” said Heath.  It was the home of Marie and Ryan Reedell that went up in smoke Water tanker trucks arrived from Boonton Township as well as local firefighters from Hybernia Co “I was first on scene and we had the fire under control in 15 minutes,” said Heath 1 made a very aggressive attack and stopped the fire in its place.”   Heath said that “significant damage” was done to the house.  “I contacted the (American) Red Cross for them and I know the Lake Telemark community club is doing a clothes drive for them,” Heath said. The family is “in dire need of clothes That drive is being spearheaded by the family’s neighbor who said he already has bags of clothes for the family but will accept gift cards and checks on their behalf “They just moved in a little over a year ago They are always walking around our lake community with their kids,” said Kelley “They are great people.”  Kelley said he heard the firetrucks and by the time he got up the block to Reedell's house it was already engulfed in flames New Jersey Realtors Names 2019 Leadership Team the largest trade association in the state serving more than 54,000 members as its 2019 president during the annual President's Installation and Gala at the Triple Play Realtor Convention and Trade Expo in Atlantic City Also installed were president-elect Angela Sicoli (pictured above) of Fairfield; first vice president Jeffrey Jones who will serve as immediate past president “I am honored and humbled to serve as 2019 New Jersey Realtors President,” said Horowitz the Realtor is the necessary center for every transaction.” a Realtor with Coldwell Banker in Mountain Lakes An outstanding member of the Realtor community and national committees and has held several leadership positions for each including President of the North Central Jersey Association of Realtors from 2012-2014 and the 2016 NJ Realtors Realtor of the Year She has been an NJ Realtors Circle of Excellence Award recipient from 1999-2017 She has served her community on the White Meadow Lake Property Owners Association Past Board of Directors as well as the White Meadow Lake Festival Day Committee and White Meadow Lake Blood Drive Sicoli became a Realtor in 1983 has been the broker/owner of Century 21 Award Agency in Nutley since 1986 She served as NJ Realtors First Vice President 2018 and is a former Division Officer of Association Operations A Past President of the United Association of Realtors Sicoli is a current trustee for the North Central Jersey Association of Realtors She has been a National Association of Realtors director since 2014 and also serves as a Federal Political Coordinator In 2015 she was inducted into the NAR RPAC Hall of Fame and currently serves as a NJ Realtors Political Action Committee trustee Jones is the broker/owner of Amerisource Realty Network a commercial real estate firm specializing in office Jeff has served on the NJ Realtors Board of Directors 2015 Association Operations Division Officer and 2014 Professional Conduct Division Officer He has also chaired and served on numerous committees Jones has been a member of the North Central Jersey Association of Realtors Board of Trustees for several years and has served as past secretary and currently as treasurer of NCJAR and Regulatory Committee as well as a special Presidential Advisory Group on commercial real estate in 2018 He has been an RPAC major donor since 2013 Jeff also authored a commercial course for North Central Jersey Association of Realtors continuing education classes Jones is an instructor at the North Central Jersey School of Business He has also served as a member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Ethics Committee Manis has held roles such as 2018 NJ Realtors Treasurer has been a member of the Executive Committee since 2014 Manis continues to be a member of several committees dating back from 2009 he served on the board of directors for the Hunterdon/Somerset Association of Realtors in 2010 Manis was awarded with the National Association of Realtors Good Neighbor Award in 2013 the New Jersey Realtors Good Neighbor Award in 2012 Manis enjoys traveling and volunteering for several nonprofit organizations with his wife Schlueter has been a licensed Realtor since 1985 and is an associate broker with RE/MAX at Barnegat Bay in Toms River He served as NJ Realtors First Vice President in 2016 President in 2018 and has also been a member of numerous committees over the years Schlueter was the 2008 president of the Ocean County Board of Realtors and has remained active in numerous committees He was named the 2003 Realtor of the Year for both OCBOR and NJ Realtors he serves as a director for the National Association of Realtors and is on the Risk Management Committee He has previously served on the national Professional Standards and Insurance Committees He volunteers his time teaching Realtor safety courses locally and around the state Schlueter helps to run events that support the Children’s Miracle Network and resides in Lanoka Harbor with his wife the voice of real estate for New Jersey for more than 100 years is a non-profit organization serving the professional needs of more than 54,000 Realtor and Realtor-Associate members engaged in all facets of the real estate business In addition to serving the professional needs of its members NJ Realtors is dedicated to enhancing the ability of its members to conduct their business successfully while maintaining the preservation of private property rights Realtor is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who subscribe to the Realtor organization's strict Code of Ethics and are members of the national I would like to receive emails from Insider NJ ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP — Dianne Grossman will take time from grieving on Thursday to attend a vigil to call attention to bullying and honor her daughter Mallory who died by suicide on June 14 at the age of 12 The vigil is scheduled on the three-month anniversary of Mallory's death and will be held at the White Meadow Lake Clubhouse.  a student at  Copeland Middle School took her life due to the unrelenting bullying.   through their lawyer last month they intent to sue for what they allege was a failure by the district to adequately handle complaints that their daughter was bullied on social media and at school said they implored education officials to protect their daughter in the months leading to her suicide The district posted a message on its website late last month responding to the allegations.  The district's message also urges restraint "with regard to public accusations and misinformation pertaining to this case for none of it will ease tragic loss of life." Dianne Grossman and her friend Katee Reddin Petro formed Mallory's Army Foundation to address according to the group's Facebook page Grossman said the harassment and name calling started last school year in October and made being at school "horrible" for her daughter But the harassment didn’t stop at the end of the school day She said bullying via social sites and cellphone continued after school.  During the first week of school Mallory's Army encouraged students to wear light blue as a show of solidarity against bullying Vigil participants are asked to meet on the clubhouse lawn together we stand for her and all of our children," according to Mallory's Army's Facebook page Dianne Grossman said the group chose the clubhouse because it held lots of great memories for Mallory She said her daughter spent her summers there with her best friend Bianca at the club at 100 White Meadow Road.  Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP— Channeling Winnie the Pooh with its head stuck in a honey pot a large black bear with an apparent sweet tooth smashed a car window to get to the two dozen cupcakes inside vanilla and strawberry cupcakes except for some smeared icing and a paw print left the cupcakes inside her Honda SUV parked in the White Meadow Lake area on Wednesday night.   a paw print on the back seat headrest and lots of smeared icing "He ate every single one," she said.   Christine Allen said she baked the cupcakes for her shop in Denville She said she was being industrious and getting ahead of a large order when she loaded her car with cupcakes Wednesday night “Around 2 o’clock this morning the dog started barking and I started hearing a crunch The bear was no stranger to the Allens as he's been hanging around the neighborhood for a few weeks Peter Reilly of the Rockaway Township Police Department said the bear "looks like it's done some other damage in the area" as well Reilly said it raises the concern to "another level." SCHOOL SECURITY: Rockaway Township making school security 'number one priority' BLACK BEARS 101: What you need to know about springtime and bears in New Jersey Follow-up on cupcake-eating bear: Cupcake-eating bear celebrated with bear-shaped cupcakes by bakery "He is doing damage," Reilly said.   The first time this bear was seen by the Allens was on April 21 at about 8 a.m “He came one day and broke down the back fence to get in and he broke it again to get out,” said Allen “Then he came back the next day and he was just relaxing in our backyard."   Neighbors who have seen the bear say it is a large one and its size indicates that it’s a male When the bear came back on April 22 the Allens said he broke the basement door to get to their garbage. “Then he went into the backyard and had a feast,” said Christine Allen “He was just lazing in the sun.”  Adrian Allen said the bear also broke down another section of fence to get back to the woods The couple's West Lake Shore home backs up to a wooded area that connects to Wildcat Ridge He loves our house,” said Christine Allen.  The Allens are animal lovers and their cupcake shop “We don’t want him to destroy our property so we don’t want the bear to be killed Animal cruelty is not what we do,” said Christine Allen.  She added that police might have to euthanize the animal “They said because he was showing aggressive behavior they may get the OK to put him down,” she said.  in accordance with New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection guidelines The NJDEP uses a 1-3 system to rate a bear’s interactions with people and property.  A category 2 means the bear is becoming a nuisance but it’s not a threat to life and property damage is less than $1,000 Category 1 is reserved for a bear that breaks into a home or does more substantial damage to property So the only thing police can do is notify the Fish and Wildlife Division of the NJDEP "It's in the report also that it looks like it's done some other damage in the area," Reilly said Rockaway Township Police carry “bear conditioning kits” in the trunks of patrol cars that contain rubber buckshot and pyrotechnics to scare bears away But Reilly doesn't recomment that "because you don't want to scare them into an area where there are more people." FAST FACTS: 5 things to know if you come face to face with a black bear FIGHTING SUICIDE: Former Gov. Richard Codey unveils plan to combat teen suicide 'epidemic' He added that bear activity has been lower this year than last year Police have received fewer than 10 bear calls since the start of spring and this was the first notification of a problem bear.  "But we now have a record that this guy is a little more aggressive so when we get calls to the area we will have a different level of response This guy has done some bad stuff," Reilly said "Somebody could leave their kid sitting in a child seat sleeping and they have a cupcake on the seat next to them You don't want a bear thinking that's OK." Last week hundreds of people gathered on the lawn of the White Meadow Lake Clubhouse in Rockaway Township to recall Mallory Grossman the 12-year-old Copeland Middle School student who died by suicide on June 14 after reportedly being cyberbullied for months Mallory was repeatedly told by a group of girls that she was a loser without friends It says something about the deep feelings for Mallory and about the urgency of the crisis of bullying any light that attempts to cut through the darkness that is cyberbullying is an act of compassion and she will continue to unite us,” said Dianne Grossman “This is about deciding as a generation that if it’s not kind you won’t ‘like’ it You won’t ‘heart’ it and you won’t ‘smiley face’ it you won’t ‘LOL’ it.” Grossman: Hundreds attend vigil to remember Mallory Grossman, who died by suicide after bullying Parents: Mallory Grossman's parents say the school district didn't do enough to save their daughter the national suicide rate has doubled for children between the ages of 10 and 14 The problem of bullying among young people is not new and the proliferation of cellphones and all sorts of digital expression over any number of electronic devices a Rutgers University freshman from Ridgewood jumped off the George Washington Bridge shortly after being videotaped by his roommate during a romantic encounter with another man Tyler’s family established the Tyler Clementi Foundation in an effort to bring greater awareness to bullying Mallory’s family is also setting up a foundation “to fill in the gaps and what is missing in the anti-bullying platform and not duplicate it.” a review of school board records show bullying incidents tripled during the last school year in Rockaway Township There were 33 bullying investigations during the 2016-17 school year; 14 were confirmed to be bullying The Legislature has tried hard to make school districts more accountable for the bullying acts by students yet the social media whirlwind in which we live makes it difficult not only by better monitoring what their children post and tweet online but also by teaching them to respect peers and to show common decency and civility toward fellow students In these still-early weeks of a new academic year as well as students and parents – indeed all adults – to understand the basics of the state’s anti-bullying law which is one of the toughest in the country Under the so-called “Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights,” school districts must be vigilant against all forms of harassment whether in daily physical experience or in the cyber world The lines between those worlds have been blurred for some time No matter; all our children deserve to be able to attend school and to do their best in and out of the classroom without feeling threatened Information about the team can also be found on their Facebook page.The president of the Ski Hawks “We are the official water ski show team of New Jersey This is not stuff people should be trying at home We have certain safety equipment and members that are CPR certified You don't just come out here and get on the team It is really unique in that parents can compete along with their child instead of just cheering from the sideline.”People who may want to join the Ski Hawks as a performer or as part of the support staff have to be a Lake Mohawk Country Club member.The Lake Mohawk Ski Hawks Water Ski Show Team is available for hire to perform for private functions such as weddings birthday parties and corporate events that take place at the Lake Mohawk Country Club Bookings for the team are handled by the Lake Mohawk Country Club.The Lake Mohawk Country Club website address is <URL destination="http://lakemohawkcc.com/ ">lakemohawkcc.com/Below is a partial list of Ski Hawks members:• Chris Evie and Lincoln Andres • Jack and Mary Kate Armstrong Sue Wasserman of Bakersville is the 2022 Steve Kemp Writer-in-Residence which means she will be living near and working in Great Smoky Mountains National Park for six weeks creating photography and offering public programs both on the Tennessee and North Carolina sides of the park Wasserman was chosen for this role in 2019 by a panel of board members and Smokies authors assembled by Great Smoky Mountains Association But the pandemic prevented GSMA from hosting her until now Spreading her stay in the Smokies over several time periods that began in April Wasserman is being mentored by the program’s namesake who was the director of interpretive products and services with GSMA for 30 years magazines and other materials that still help to preserve the park “Having a walk and dinner with Steve to kick things off was truly awesome — especially given our shared love of nature and writing,” Wasserman said “After waiting for more than two years to come to the Smokies for this residency I am tremendously excited to start on this work and also to be an ambassador for GSMA.” Wasserman’s articles have appeared in the New York Times Smokies Life and the Atlanta Journal Constitution among others She has published and promoted two books — “A Moment’s Notice” and “Walk with Me: Exploring Nature’s Wisdom” — both pairing nature photography with reflective writing ► Word From the Smokies: Award-winning writer makes Great Smokies her park Wasserman’s immersion in the Smokies represents a return to the natural world of her childhood in White Meadow Lake “The lake was literally in our front yard,” she said “I can't tell you how many hours I spent hanging out on the dock or this one stretch of grass at the shoreline just watching the ripples We had a tree on the lakefront that had this huge opening My sister and I made up countless adventures in that space.” Wasserman explained that White Meadow was essentially a Jewish community that formed due to antisemitism that prevented families from living elsewhere “That's how my parents got there in the mid 1960s,” she said “One of my mom's best friends from the Bronx lived there and when my folks discovered they weren't welcome in Mountain Lakes Wasserman went to Ohio State on a fencing scholarship — she laughs about how far she is now from fencing — and from there she embarked on a marketing career based in large cities like Atlanta that the flowers started calling her to return to life amid the natural world ► Word from the Smokies: Park scientists, nature writers reflect on the meaning of ‘habitat’ ► Word from the Smokies: Saving our Smokies, 1 piece of litter at a time “It took a lot of years of unlearning to come back to the person I think I was always meant to be,” she told me it's all the experiences in my corporate life that allow me to do what I do now.” Wasserman is passionate about nature and teaching others about it She loves working with both adults and children using language and nature to evoke each other’s nuances “I can't believe I've been living in Western North Carolina for the past 10 years without getting to know the Smokies,” she said “I feel like every trail has a story it wants to tell through the landscape I want to understand those stories better.” that what makes the Smokies so special are the stories of the people who lived on the land before it became a national park — both the settlers and the Indigenous people before them “I want to learn more about those stories and give thanks to those who let go of such a magical place to allow people from around the world to feel the magic of the landscape that was part of their heritage,” said Wasserman Based on her experiences in the park over six weeks Wasserman will create essays and images to be shared in GSMA’s Smokies Life journal and its Smokies Live blog One project will have the theme “Hike-Ooh,” about which Wasserman said “I find immense joy in writing Haiku a form of poetry whose influence is often nature These simple poems also pair well with nature photography My goal is to compile a series of these poems and images inspired by my experiences in the park with the possibility of culminating in a book.” ► Word from the Smokies: Plant life makes a comeback after 2016 wildfires ► Word from the Smokies: Photographer and parks shine a light on the magic of fireflies Another planned project is the Perspectives Quilt an interactive creation that will begin with Wasserman asking questions like: How do others view nature Do some perspectives stem from cultural bias It will ultimately involve park visitors discovering their own perspectives on how to find inspiration in nature — and sharing in the collaborative creation of the quilt “There is a concept in Judaism — tikkun olam — that means ‘to repair the world,’ and that each of us is responsible for doing something toward that end,” she said adding that much of who she is and what she does is steeped in that concept offers so many life lessons if we're paying attention if I'm paying attention,” Wasserman concluded “Through my meanderings in the Smokies I become clearer about how I can give back to those around me I'm not sure I can think of a greater gift than that.” If you would like to participate in some way in Sue Wasserman’s residency projects she would love to hear from you at walkwithme62@gmail.com Frances Figart is the editor of the biannual journal “Smokies Life” and the Creative Services Director for the 29,000-member Great Smoky Mountains Association an educational nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park Reach her at frances@gsmassoc.org and learn more at SmokiesInformation.org.