County to Refurbish Courthouse Flagpole

For the next two weeks, there will not be the usual flag flying in front of the county courthouse.

For the next two weeks, don't be alarmed if you don't see the usual flags flying in front of the county courthouse.  The flagpole on the front lawn of the Morris County Courthouse on Washington Street in Morristown will be painted this weekend and will need about two weeks to cure. Morris County officials want the public to know that flags will not be flying from the flagpole during that time. In the interim, however, an American flag will be placed outside of the front entrance to the courthouse during regular business hours. Flags will again be flown as soon as the flagpole is ready.

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Murderer Making 'Mockery' of Victims, Legislator Says

New Jersey assembly members sponsor bill to amend Crime Victims' Bill of Rights, requiring convicted to be in court for sentencing.

Slingshot-Firing Morris Man Gets Probation for Shooting at Cars

Lawrence Ball, a former county worker, must submit to mental health treatment.

A former Morris County employee will be on probation for five years after he used a slingshot to fire at passing cars. Lawrence Ball, 55, of Randolph was sentenced Friday to five years probation by Judge Robert J. Gilson. Ball, a 19-year Morris employee, had pleaded guilty March 12 to third-degree unlawful possession of a weapon (a BB gun) and third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose (a slingshot). Ball was arrested on Sept. 13, 2010, after authorities reported he had been firing the weapons at passing cars, acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said in a release. The Randolph man will have to submit to mental health treatment as a condition of his probation. Ball also must forfeit public employment, any weapons …

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Accused Picatinny Arsenal Child Abusers Make Bail

Carolyn and John Jackson accused of breaking adopted kids' bones, force-feeding them hot sauce and depriving them of water. Family friends say the charges are untrue.

A couple accused of torturing and abusing their children on the Picatinny Arsenal military base were freed Thursday on $250,000 bail each. Carolyn and John Jackson appeared before the Hon. Judge Falk in Newark on a 17-count indictment. They were ordered not to have contact with the children. On Tuesday, Carolyn Jackson, 35, and John Jackson, 37, both of Mount Holly, were indicted by federal authorities for years alleged abuse. The abuse included breaking two of their adopted children's bones, withholding water from them, force-feeding them hot sauce and denying them medical attention, authorities allege. The couple had fostered and then adopted three children, one of whom died in 2008, and also had three biological children living in their…

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'Jersey Proud' Ad Highlights Christie Re-election Campaign

The $1.2 million ad buy shows road to New Jerseyans' optimism in their state.

In Gov. Chris Christie's first television ad of his 2013 re-election campaign, the governor's leadership style is credited for renewing New Jersey residents' pride in their state after years of overtaxation and too much government spending. "Jersey Proud" shows how bipartisan reforms have helped "to strengthen New Jersey's future," according to the Christie campaign.

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Candidate's Military Service Continues to Fuel County Clerk Race

Parsippany's James Vigilante again accuses fellow township resident Ann Grossi of publicly disrespecting his Air Force service.

Morris County Clerk Republican Party candidate James Vigilante says his U.S. Air Force service was attacked again by fellow candidate Ann Grossi. Vigilante, a nine-time decorated Air Force veteran and current Air Force reservist from Parsippany, appeared at a candidates' debate held at the Montville Senior House late last week. He claimed Grossi’s campaign manager, Steve Roman, sat among the audience and fired questions at Vigilante regarding his military service. According to the candidate, Roman asked Vigilante about the $125 per day he earns as a reservist first sergeant and then criticized him for accepting pay from the military while also trying to run for a government position. Vigilante recently announced that if he wins the clerk's…

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Madison's Open Space Tax Rate Adjusted

Ordinance approved with a 4-1 vote, with some wording changes suggested by the Madison Athletic Foundation.

Madison's governing body voted 4-1 on Monday to amend the borough's open space tax rate, lowering the rate to partially offset an automatic "stealth" tax hike. While the rate was lowered, the open space tax bill for the average Madison homeowner still will increase by around $38—to $120—for homeowners with property assessed at the borough average of $667,000, officials have said. The amount of taxes collected for the Open Space, Recreation and Historic Preservation Trust Fund is tied to the assessed value of Madison's tax base, which increased by around 60 percent with the borough-wide revaluation this year. Without any Borough Council action, an even larger tax hike was poised to take hold automatically. The larger tax base and new rate …

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Aladdin Sarsippius Sulemenagic Jackson III

12:14 pm on Thursday, April 25, 2013

Mr. Lee - if you were only paying $7K a year before, admit it, you had a great deal. Which means the rest of us were subsidizing your great deal. How long did you really expect that to last?   more ›