Latest news with #MorrisCounty
CBS News
4 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
I-80 in Wharton, N.J. set to reopen two westbound lanes tonight
Slowly but surely, progress is being made to reopen I-80 in Wharton, New Jersey. Two westbound lanes are set to return Friday night. The major highway in Morris County has been shut down ever since a sinkhole opened up back in February. It followed another massive sinkhole last December. Drivers in the Wharton area have grown all too familiar with the daily gridlock after thousands of cars and trucks were diverted off the interstate, flooding local roadways. "Crazy, I'm telling you," said Wharton resident Carlos Ramseyer. "You've got to change up your schedule, go to the supermarket at 1 o'clock in the morning. I mean, it's been a headache." Nearly four months after the shutdown, locals still aren't used to all the extra traffic. "Pretty much every day of the week, your local trips to the grocery store, the coffee shop, have become a traffic jam," Randolph resident Anthony Rotolo said. "I'll be cleaning the soot off my house on Sussex Turnpike when this is all over." I-80 in N.J. scheduled to fully reopen next month Last week, there was finally some relief as two eastbound lanes reopened -- easing traffic along some of the detours. Business at Pop's Bagel Shop on North Main Street took a major hit for months as many customers were unwilling to brave the traffic and steered clear. But now, business is back. "There's customers that we haven't seen in four months. And they're like, 'Hey Yaz. What's going on? We miss you.' So it's good to see everybody starting to come back," worker Yazan Muheisen said Friday. Drivers say they're glad to hear the two westbound lanes are also reopening, but they remain cautiously optimistic. "We have to see it first," said Ramseyer. "They've promised that for the last month, or so, but they keep extending it." Crews will continue working around the clock, with the hope of having all lanes reopen in both directions by the end of June.
CBS News
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Optimism reigns after I-80 eastbound lanes in New Jersey reopened. Here's when more lanes could be accessible.
Reopening of eastbound lanes on I-80 in New Jersey a cause for optimism Reopening of eastbound lanes on I-80 in New Jersey a cause for optimism Reopening of eastbound lanes on I-80 in New Jersey a cause for optimism The closure of lanes on Interstate 80 in New Jersey has caused major problems for drivers, Morris County residents and business owners. But there has been some positives of late. The state Department of Transportation reopened two eastbound lanes of the highway on Wednesday night, just in time for the Thursday morning commute. Timeline for other lanes to be reopened The two westbound lanes of I-80 are scheduled to reopen by the end of next week, but that, of course, will depend on the weather. Transportation officials say all of the lanes will be fully operational by the end of June. In the interim, the DOT is telling drivers to follow posted speed limits because the highway is still a work zone. Crews have been working around the clock on both sides of the highway repairing three sinkholes and a void, which transportation officials say were caused by an abandoned mineshaft under the highway. Wharton's mayor confirmed the abandoned mine shaft is also under the Avalon Apartments, but insisted the building is safe. "Once I saw what we saw we decided we wanted to get out of here," Wharton resident Anthony Colonna said. "A lot of us have moved out. We're moving out in about three weeks from now." CBS News New York hasn't been told who exactly is responsible for monitoring the mineshafts. but state Department of Environmental Protection maps show hundreds of them abandoned across New Jersey. "I don't doubt the safety of our roadways in the state of New Jersey, if you are asking me. I am familiar with abandoned mines in our state parks and we are able to keep them safe," DEP Commissioner Shawn Latourette said. Signs of renewed life at local businesses The locals say the lane closures have been a nightmare. "It was a very bad inconvenience. It was just too much traffic. It was very congested and it was just longer commute times," Wharton resident Matthew Sutherland said. "How much of an inconvenience has it been? Well, it has affected me because I work in Parsippany and Rockaway, so it does take me 40 minutes to get to my job," Wharton resident Janet Montes said. But optimism is on the upswing. Take Pop's Bagel Shop in Wharton, where they are back to flipping more pancakes. "We're starting to see faces that we haven't seen in months," co-owner Yazan Muheisen said. Faces like that of Pennsylvania resident Ron Dickert, who hadn't been to the shop in months. "This is our favorite stop out of New York," Dickert said. Muheisen says business has been down by 40% overall since the first giant sinkhole on I-80 in December. "Nothing was coming in profit-wise, but we kept the lights on and kept the business going," Muheisen said. "The commute coming in this morning was amazing. We're back to my usual 20-minute commute. With all the traffic and sinkholes, it took me an hour and sometimes an hour and a half."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP rivals Barberio, Musella tackle development, tax breaks in Parsippany mayoral debate
Bitter rivals since they took office together almost four years ago, Parsippany Mayor James Barberio and Councilman Justin Musella rarely see eye to eye on the issues. But facing each other on May 15 in a much-anticipated online debate — just weeks before Republican voters decide which one to nominate for mayor in the general election — the candidates found common ground on several points during the hourlong event. Parsippany's building boom and tax deals for developers continued to divide Musella, 33, and Barberio, 64, who is seeking a fourth term leading Morris County's largest community. But topics of agreement included the state of disrepair at the Lake Hiawatha Branch of the Parsippany Library. With a current estimate of more than $9 million to renovate the building, neither candidate predicted an affordable solution to save it. Barberio said the town was looking into a lease to occupy the Lake Hiawatha Rite Aid store, which closed last year. Musella suggested they look into shared services with neighboring Montville. The forum was hosted by the League of Women Voters Morris Area, the Daily Record and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Morristown Alumnae Chapter. Both men agreed the town had to do a better job at granting building permits in a timely manner, a common complaint in town from both contractors and residents. Barberio defended the existing staff but pointed to a problem recruiting construction code officials to come on board. "We're involved with a lot of new construction," Barberio said. Musella said building permits were "a top priority" for him, including adding staff and digitizing the process. Both also admitted that towns have little control over the affordable housing mandate that has fueled a wave of construction throughout the state, particularly in Parsippany, where more than 2,300 residential units are currently under construction. Barberio blamed the "Trenton Democrats" in control of state policy. Musella said it was essential for New Jersey to elect a Republican governor in November "to shut down the mandate." Both of them also insisted they would negotiate development deals for the town, not the developers. More: Parsippany demolished 2 million square feet of office space. Here's what will replace it One thing they did not agree on was the omnipresence of former township municipal attorney John Inglesino in many of those Parsippany development deals, including several that included the sometimes controversial practice of awarding tax discounts known as PILOTs, or "payment in lieu of taxes." Inglesino is now a private attorney who has represented several developers in negotiations with the township. PILOT supporters include Barberio — "they are absolutely necessary" he said during the debate. Backers say the tax deals give builders incentives to knock down vacant office buildings in town and replace them with revenue-generating properties. Musella said PILOTs can be a useful tool in certain negotiations, but he blasted the flurry of agreements granted by the Barberio administration as "corporate welfare for the mayor's top fundraiser and our former town attorney, John Inglesino." Barberio defended Inglesino and his administration's PILOTs. "We had certain projects that if they didn't get PILOTs, they were going to leave," Barberio said. "They would have left, they would have demolished the buildings, and who would subsidize the taxes? The taxpayer. We can't allow that to happen." "We have to end the culture of cronyism in town hall," Musella said later. "It is a serious problem that [Inglesino] does the majority of the development in town and receives all the PILOT contracts." "You got to let John Inglesino stop living rent-free in your head," Barberio shot back, adding that Musella voted in favor of the Inglesino development proposals, if not the PILOTs that followed. "If the guy was that evil, I wouldn't have invited him to my wedding," Barbero added. "But that's beside the point. John does not push development forward here in Parsippany." "In Parsippany, having good relations with John Inglesino is essential to getting anything done," Musella countered. "Developers know that. Residents know that. Anybody on the outside looking in knows that. I want things being done fairly, equitably, and transparently, where one person in particular doesn't just cut the line to get whatever they want." Musella questioned why, in addition to housing construction, that PILOTs had been granted to two warehouse projects and a new Lifetime Fitness gym along Sylvan Way. "The mayor is incentivizing the very things that are in extreme demand right now," he said. "Everybody is knocking down our door to build an apartment building or a warehouse. And to put us into business with a gym for 30 years I thought was completely the wrong thing. Because it's Parsippay taxpayers that assume the risk." The debate ended on a more civil note as each candidate was asked to say something nice about the other. Musella said Barberio was "a nice person" who cared about the town." "Our issues are not personal," he added. "Justin's absolutely correct, I don't take it personal, and I hope he doesn't take it personal after I read my closing statement," the mayor joked. "What I do really like about Justin, like myself, he cares about the town, he cares about the residents. One thing that touches my heart, when he had his baby. I had no problem congratulating him and his wife, Courtney, There's no greater gift in the world." Finally, both agreed to support the primary winner in the general election. Barberio and Musella ran together four years ago but have clashed in public practically since they took office. Now, they'll vie in the June 10 GOP primary for the right to lead the town of 56,000 people, which has Morris County's only full-time mayor's office. Barberio is seeking a fourth term after being elected in 2009 and 2013, losing in 2017 and then reclaiming the post in 2021. He is running on a ticket with two town council candidates: current Council Vice President Frank Neglia and Jigar Shah, who the mayor appointed during his first term as his liaison to the large Indian American community in town. Musella was elected with Barberio and Neglia, but has broken with his fellow Republicans, becoming a vocal critics of the town's deals with developers. He has also criticized the township's adoption of project labor agreements that favor larger unions for big municipal projects. Musella is running with former Planning Board Chairman Casey Parikh and John Bielen, a business development professional. The GOP council candidates will not debate. Parikh and Bielen agreed to take part in a League of Women Voters forum but Neglia and Shah declined. Democrats have endorsed Pulkit Desai, president of the Lake Parsippany Property Owner's Association, for mayor and Matt Kavanagh and Diya Patel for council. Unopposed in the primary, they will meet the winners of the Republican race in the November general election. A second mayoral debate proposed by the Puddingstone Community Club that would have included Desai was postponed last week after conflicting reports about the event posted on local websites created public confusion. This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: In Parsippany, GOP rivals Barberio, Musella clash in mayoral debate
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Parsippany's rival Republican mayoral candidates to debate in online forum May 15
Parsippany's rival Republican mayoral candidates — incumbent James Barberio and Councilman Justin Musella — will take their tense primary fight to a debate this week. Barberio and Musella ran together four years ago but have clashed in public practically since they took office. Now, they're vying in the June GOP primary for the right to lead the town of 56,000 people, Morris County's largest. But first, they'll meet in a virtual debate to be conducted May 15 by the League of Women Voters' Morris Area chapter and cosponsored by the Daily Record. The candidates will meet on Zoom starting at 7 p.m. on the LWV Morris YouTube channel. The debate will also be sponsored by the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Morristown Alumnae Chapter. "League-sponsored events are strictly nonpartisan," the debate announcement states. "The League does not support or oppose any political candidate or party." The Daily Record is covering the election but will not make any municipal or county candidate endorsements. Barberio, 64, is seeking a fourth term in office, after being elected in 2009 and 2013, losing in 2017 and then reclaiming the post in 2021. He is running on a ticket with two town council candidates: current Council Vice President Frank Neglia and Jigar Shah, who the mayor appointed during his first term as his liaison to the large Indian American community in town. Musella, 33, was elected with Barberio and Neglia, but has broken with his fellow Republicans in the council majority over the developer tax breaks known as PILOTs, or payments in lieu of taxes. He has also criticized the township's adoption of project labor agreements that favor larger unions for big municipal projects. The Republicans' latest showdown, in March, involved a failed attempt by Barberio and his council allies to censure Musella for presenting his credentials to a township police officer during a 2023 traffic stop for speeding. Following a public outcry at a council meeting — which had to be rescheduled due to an overflow crowd — the censure resolution was voted down. Barberio picked up a surprise supporter earlier this year in Morris County Republican Chair Laura Ali, who previously had supported Musella. She dismissed Barberio last year as "the highest-paid and least-qualified mayor in Morris County." But in January, Ali called for Musella to abandon his run for mayor and accept a council nomination. "The 2025 election cycle poses significant challenges, and I strongly believe a united front is essential for ensuring Republican success in the general election," she wrote in a letter to the candidates at the time. Musella declined Ali's offer, saying, "Our campaign to end the cycle of corruption, over-taxation and taxpayer-funded overdevelopment in Parsippany, once and for all, cannot be intimidated." Musella went on to name two council candidates as part of his own ticket, Casey Parikh and John Bielen. The GOP council candidates currently have no plans to debate. Parikh and Bielen agreed to take part in a League of Women Voters forum but Neglia and Shah declined. More: Parsippany Democrats promise less drama, more focus on governing in mayor, council races "Mayor Barberio, Jigar, and myself work together as a team and we all share the same vision for our great town," Neglia said. "Together, we agreed it would be best to have Mayor Barberio represent all of us and believe that my record and Jigar's business acumen will inspire Parsippany residents to support our ticket." Democrats have endorsed Pulkit Desai, president of the Lake Parsippany Property Owner's Association, for mayor and Matt Kavanagh and Diya Patel for council. Unopposed in the primary, they will meet the winners of the Republican race in the November general election. A second debate proposed by the Puddingstone Community Club was postponed last week after conflicting reports about the event posted on local websites created public confusion. "At this time, we feel that our board will need more time to make sure that we are organizing a peaceful, professional, and respectful debate," the organizers stated. Democrats have historically struggled to win and hold council seats in the county's largest municipality. But Barberio is the only Parsippany Republican to win the mayor's office in more than 30 years, and only one of two GOP candidates elected to the office in nearly half a century Republican Frank Priore was removed from office after 12 years following his conviction on mail fraud, bribery and other charges in 1994. Priore served a five-year sentence. He died in 2022. Democrat Mimi Letts then served from 1994 to 2005, when she declined to run for another term. Letts died in 2019. Priore was preceded by Democrat Jack Fahy, who served from 1974 to 1982, when Priore unseated him. Fahy succeeded Democrat Henry Luther, who was in office from 1966 to 1974. Luther declined to run for re-election in 1973. Luther's son, Michael Luther, also a Democrat, succeeded Letts before losing his re-election bid to Barberio in 2009. Barberio won re-election in 2013, but lost his bid for a third term to Soriano in 2017. Barberio returned the favor in 2021, beating Soriano in their rematch. This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Parsippany NJ mayor race: Barberio, Musella to hold GOP primary debate
CNET
09-05-2025
- CNET
Dangerous TikTok Chromebook Challenge: Avoid Sparking a Fire in Your Laptop
TikTok is full of entertaining cat videos, humorous dances and yes, even challenges -- the famed ice-bucket challenge has returned and is promoting mental-health support. But now a dangerous TikTok challenge is spreading through the short-form video app, and through schools across the US. The Chromebook Challenge, named for Google's line of laptops, encourages students to insert metal items into the USB port on their school-issued computers, intending to create sparks, smoke and possibly a fire. Read more: Best laptops of 2025 Searching TikTok will bring up videos showing kids attempting the dangerous and damaging challenge. Schools, as you might expect, are not happy. David Winston, principal of Lincoln Park Middle School in Morris County, New Jersey, sent a letter home to parents about the dangers of the act, as reported by Read more: The 75 Hard and 75 Soft TikTok Fitness Challenges Explained "We expect our students to make responsible choices and refrain from any behavior that could result in injury, property damage, disciplinary action, or the loss of privileges," Winston said in his letter. "This type of act is considered a form of vandalism and, if a fire results, could be treated as arson." And kids might not be laughing when their parents get the bill for a damaged or ruined laptop. "We're asking for your help in talking to your child about the importance of taking care of their school devices and thinking twice before participating in online challenges like this," reads a letter sent to parents of kids in Virginia's Prince George's County Public Schools, as reported by FOX5. "As a reminder, families are responsible for the cost of any deliberate damage done to school-issued Chromebooks."
