MENDHAM — Chandler, pictured, and his brother, Glen, are 2-year-old male tabbies at the Randolph Regional Animal Shelter. Both are described as playful and affectionate and like to be around people. Chandler and Glen can be adopted together or separately both are litterbox-trained, neutered and up-to-date on shots. To meet Chandler, Glen and other adoptable pets, visit the Randolph...

Chandler 

MENDHAM -- Chandler, pictured, and his brother, Glen, are 2-year-old male tabbies at the Randolph Regional Animal Shelter.

Both are described as playful and affectionate and like to be around people.

Chandler and Glen can be adopted together or separately both are litterbox-trained, neutered and up-to-date on shots.

To meet Chandler, Glen and other adoptable pets, visit the Randolph Regional Animal Shelter at 97 Ironia Road in Mendham. Shelter hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, call 973-543-9333 or go to randolphregionalanimalshelter.org.

The shelter is currently caring for 50 cats and 13 dogs.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email morris@starledger.com.

Contractor renovates cooking areas for his mother-in-law.

N.J. Home Makeover is a new feature on NJ.com. To submit your renovation for consideration, email home@starledger.com with your full name, email address, phone number and town/city.

For a contractor and husband, it might have been the ultimate challenge: renovate two kitchens for your mother-in-law who happens to live in the same neighborhood.

Frank DiPasquale was asked to not only update the main kitchen, but to save the cabinetry so it could be retrofitted into a second kitchen in the basement of the East Hanover home of his in-laws, Mina and Frank Vasilopoulos.

"It's just as never-racking, maybe even more so, because of the level of perfection required," DiPasquale said, comparing the project to those of regular clients. "If you do something wrong, you'll never hear the end of it because you can't get away."

The renovation

Mina Vasilopoulos, cooks in her basement kitchen every day, but felt the upstairs kitchen of their 1978 center-hall Colonial needed a makeover "to look pretty." It's the gathering space reserved for holidays and other special-occasions.

Her and her husband, who own investment real estate, have lived in the 4,000-square-foot house with two kitchens for nearly 25 years, and they have been updating the 4-bedroom, 3 1/2-bathroom house room by room.

For the main kitchen, they splurged on granite for the counters and center island. They selected GE Profile appliances and KraftMaid cabinetry. DiPasquale, had previously replaced the kitchen floor, so the new cabinets and other elements were selected to complement it.

"Now I'm finished," Mina Vasilopoulos said. "My house is what I wanted. I love my kitchens."

She selected the main kitchen's features with her daughter Antonia (Frank's wife), and decided to move the old cabinets and appliances to the basement kitchen for an economical update.

The decision had an eco-friendly benefit; old cabinets are usually demolished and discarded when a kitchen is renovated, contributing their bulk to ever-growing landfills. Increasingly, however, homeowners are opting to have old cabinetry disassembled rather than demolished when it's in good shape.

Cabinets can be reused to increase storage space in a garage, basement workshop or other areas, DiPasquale says. Sometimes they can be donated to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity's ReStore locations, which sell higher-quality used building materials to help fund home-building programs. Renovation Angel in Fairfield specializes in recycling luxury fixtures from home renovations. The company will remove, pack and take away donated kitchen cabinetry that passes inspection free of charge.

In the Vasilopoulos home, DiPasquale's crew carefully disassembled the old cabinetry and worked on it in the garage, cutting and rebuilding it to fit the basement kitchen. "We marked out dimensions and made up a mock kitchen in the garage," he said.

"It's a little more of a challenge to make cabinets fit in another place, but you can do it," he says. 

The Vasilopoulos home had a basement kitchen when they bought it. Such kitchens are known as "summer kitchens" because they kept excess heat and cooking odors out of a house in the days before high-powered exhaust fans.

Recycling cabinetry from the main kitchen added about $5,000 to a $55,000 job, DiPasquale said. Asked about a discounted family rate, he said he was able to give his in-laws a better price on materials, but not labor costs.

"It is what I would charge everybody," he said. "I have too many guys helping me, and they make the same rate regardless."

Who did the work

FDP Builders

How long it took

Six weeks, starting in June 2014

How much it cost

$55,000

How they saved

The existing floor was in good shape, so they kept it.

What they'd have done differently

Nothing

Kimberly L. Jackson may be reached at home@starledger.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Vietnam vet was aiding fellow vet and was not paid

MORRISTOWN -- A Netcong man who was disbarred more than 30 years ago was sentenced to a year's probation for serving as a lawyer in a landlord-client dispute in May, the Daily Record reported.

 

Norus Achmetov, 69, had previously pleaded guilty to a count of unauthorized practice of law. Achmetov, who served in the Vietnam War and is active with an organization that aids veterans, was asked to appear in court on behalf of a fellow veteran solely to request an adjournment but instead found himself taking part in the trial. Achmetov was not paid for the court appearance.

His attorney, Louis Esposito, said Achmetov let his zealousness on behalf of his fellow veterans get the better of him.

"Mistake. Stupidity. Maybe just a knee-jerk reaction. He led with his heart not his head and now we're here," Esposito reportedly said.

In addition to probation, a judge fined Achmetov $155 and also thanked him for his service in Vietnam.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

MaryAnn Baenninger, who joined the university in July 2014, will serve as the school's 13th president.

MADISON -- Drew University inaugurated MaryAnn Baenninger as its first full-term woman president on Friday, Oct. 2 before hundreds of onlookers.

Baenninger, who will serve as the school's 13th president, told the crowd she became convinced that she "desperately" wanted the job after taking "a stealth drive" with her husband through the campus -- known by students as "The Forest" because of its abundance of oak trees -- and because of the school's proximity to Morristown, Newark and New York City.

"There is no better location in the country for a liberal arts university," said Baenninger, who previously served as the president of the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota. "Do you hear that Drewids [nickname for Drew students]? There is no better location in the country for a liberal arts university."

As recounted by associate dean Debra Liebowitz, Baenninger is known as "a tireless champion" for the school due in part to her willingness to engage with faculty and students. In one instance, Baenninger instructed freshman students in the art of eating chicken's feet with chopsticks during an excursion in New York City, she said.

This excursion, which features a day-long trip to New York City for students and their professors,  was a new first-year experience enacted during Baenninger's presidency. The aim of the trip is to spark a desire for real-world internships and semesters on Wall Street, at the United Nations and in communications and media, according to the university.

Since Baenninger joined the university in July 2014, enrollment has grown by 23 percent, according to the university.

Vivian A. Bull preceded Baenninger as president, serving for an interim term from 2012 to 2014.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

From pumpkin shows to book festivals, discover some delightful fall events across the Garden State.

Here are some of Jersey's best bets for fun during October and November.

• Be thrilled by day and frightened at night during Fright Fest at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson. The high jinks happen every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 1, plus Oct. 12 (Columbus Day). Family-friendly fun, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., includes the Spooktacular Street Party dance party and the Trick-or-Treat Trail. As darkness descends, zombies fill the midways while visitors navigate terror trails and scare zones. Admission and Fright Fest ticket prices vary. Visit sixflags.com/greatadventure.

Alicia Bessette 

• Best-selling authors George Anastasia and Matthew Quick, pictured, will be among writers taking part in the 13th annual Collingswood Book Festival on Oct. 3. The event, held along six blocks of Haddon Avenue from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will include author presentations, poetry readings and workshops. Visit collingswoodbookfestival.com.

• A wide range of cuisine will be available at the 12th annual Gloucester County Italian Heritage Festival on Oct. 4 at the RiverWinds Community Center in West Deptford. There also will be music, dancing and a street fair. Visit facebook.com/GCItalian.

• The 12th annual South Jersey Pumpkin Show will be held Oct. 9 to 11 at the Salem County Fairgrounds, 735 Harding Highway, Woodstown. Cash prizes will be awarded for the biggest pumpkin and there also will be a pumpkin dessert contest. Visit sjpumpkinshow.com.

• Ocean City's Indian Summer Weekend features a fall block party Oct. 10 along Asbury Avenue, from 5th to 14th streets. There will be boardwalk and downtown table sales, starting at 6th Street, and seafood vendors on the boardwalk at the Music Pier Oct. 10 to 12. Call (800) BEACH-NJ.

Patti Sapone 

• Find more than 400 exotic orchids Oct. 11 at the annual Orchid Auction, sponsored by the Deep Cut Orchid Society. The auction begins at noon, with previews at 11 a.m., at Monmouth Reform Temple, 332 Hance Ave., Tinton Falls. Admission and parking are free. Food and drinks will be available. Call (732) 787-4460 or visit deepcutorchids.com/events.

• Take the Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey. On Oct. 17 and 18, tour several local lighthouses, select museums and two life-saving stations from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to help raise funds to preserve these beacons of light; some lighthouses also will have night climbs. Participants can purchase a tri-fold souvenir pamphlet ($1) that can be stamped at each lighthouse as proof of visit. Entrance fees and hours of operation for lighthouses can be found at lighthousechallengenj.org.

• "Strangers in the Night: Poets on Music, Musicians on Poetry" brings poets and musicians together Oct. 18 for an afternoon of song and verse at the Hoboken Historical Museum. The free event, from 3 to 5 p.m., is being hosted by Danny Shot, the museum's poet in residence, and coincides with its Sinatra Centennial exhibit. The museum is located at 1301 Hudson St. Call (201) 656-2240 or visit hobokenmuseum.org.

 

• Attend Madame Parmentier's Psychic Tea in Cape May on Oct. 24 and you may encounter fortune tellers, palm readers or a phrenologist. Participants could discover what the future holds for them (all in good fun, of course) at the 2:30 p.m. event, being held at the Carriage House Cafe & Tearoom, 1048 Washington St. Cost is $25 per person and reservations are required. Call (800) 275-4278 or visit capemaymac.org.

• Oh, the horror! "Something Wicked This Way Comes: Dracula" is being staged by the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. The chilling story of Count Dracula's quest for blood comes to life in a staged reading Oct. 26 at 7:30 p.m. in the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, 36 Madison Ave. at Lancaster Road, Madison (on the campus of Drew University). Tickets are $38. Call (973) 408-5600 or visit ShakespeareNJ.org.

• Hungry for some fine art photography? Visit Off the Plate -- an exhibition of "painterly" photographs of food and flowers by photographer Jim Smith -- at the Hat Tavern, in the Grand Summit Hotel, through Nov. 8. The exhibit is sponsored by Reeves-Reed Arboretum (to which Smith will donate 30 percent of art sales) and the hotel, located at 570 Springfield Ave., Summit. Visit reeves-reedarboretum.org.

MORE FROM INSIDE JERSEY MAGAZINE

Follow Inside Jersey on Twitter. Find Inside Jersey on Facebook and Google+

The men demanded money they believed the teen owed them and became increasingly aggressive, telling the teen they'd kill him and his family if he didn't pay, police said.

Four men have been accused of robbing a 17-year-old boy and threatening to kill him and his family, police said.File photo 

PEQUANNOCK -- Four men have been accused of robbing a 17-year-old boy and threatening to kill him and his family, police said.

The teen told police on Wednesday afternoon that he was walking home from school when he was approached by two of the men, whom he knew, Pequannock police Capt. Chris DePuyt said in a news release.

The men demanded money they believed the teen owed them and became increasingly aggressive, telling the teen they'd kill him and his family if he didn't pay, DePuyt said.

The men then forced the teen into a vehicle, which had two other occupants inside, and continued to threaten him, he said. After driving the teen to his home, they removed him from the car and took him inside while the teen's mother slept inside, DePuyt said.

One of the men allegedly told the teen if he woke his mother he would be killed. After escorting the teen to his bedroom, the men made him open his safe and took his iPad mini and his high school class ring, DePuyt said.

The men allegedly told the teen that if wanted his belongings back he'd have to pay them. The men then stole a pair of sunglasses from another bedroom and left the residence after telling the teen they'd come back and kill him and his family if he called the police, DePuyt said.

One of the men -- later identified as Gabriel Santana, 21, of Pequannock -- then motioned to his ankle, where the teen saw a bulge similar to that of a firearm, DePuyt said. After the men left, the teen woke up his mother and they called the police, he said.

Over the next few hours, police identified and arrested the four men involved in the incident including Santana, who was described as the primary aggressor and responsible for a majority of the threats.

According to police, Santana and John Chiuchiolo, 20, of Pompton Plains, were the men who entered the teen's residence, DePuyt said.

Santana and Chiuchiolo were each charged with robbery, burglary, theft, terroristic threats, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to commit theft. They were remanded to Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of $150,000 bail each.

This past June, Chiuchiolo was arrested in Pequannock for allegedly selling drugs in the park while pushing his infant son in a stroller.

In addition to Santana and Chiuchiolo, Robert Gallipoli, Jr., 18, of Pompton Plains, and John Bugge, 20, of Pompton Plains, were also arrested in connection with the robbery.

Gallipoli, the driver of the vehicle, was found to be in possession of drugs after consenting to a search of his vehicle, DePuyt said. He was charged with drug possession and distribution, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to commit theft. Gallipolli was released from county jail on $75,000 bail after a bail reduction hearing.

Bugge was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to commit theft. He was remanded to county jail in lieu of $50,000 bail.

A fifth township resident was also charged in connection with the incident for allegedly hiding items stolen from the teen.

Parke H. Middleswarth, 19, of Pompton Plains, was arrested on Friday for his role in the incident, DePuyt said. Santana, Chiuchiolo, Gallipoli and Bugge went to Middleswarth's house before the robbery and two of them returned after the robbery, he said.

According to police, Middleswarth had knowledge of the incident and also helped Santana hide and store the stolen items. Police later recovered the stolen sunglasses from Middleswarth's home after executing a search warrant.

Middleswarth was charged with receiving stolen property, conspiracy to receive stolen property, hindering apprehension, possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released on his own recognizance and has a pending court appearance.

A second search warrant was executed on Santana's home due to the allegation of a firearm possibly being involved in the robbery, DePuyt said. At his house, police recovered an imitation firearm in a holster, he said.

Additional charges are expected and this investigation remains open, DePuyt said.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

A ramp to Route 287 was expected to be closed for several days after a section of the roadway collapsed Saturday, police said.

RIVERDALE -- A ramp to Route 287 was expected to be closed for several days after a section of the roadway collapsed Saturday, police said.

Borough police received calls of the collapse around 1 p.m. at Ramp D from Route 23 south to Route 287 south, according to Lt. James MacIntosh.

"A large sinkhole had opened in the roadway causing a large piece of the pavement to collapse," MacIntosh said in an email. "The hole was over 12 feet deep."

Workers with the state Department of Transportation set up barricades and detours in the area, he added. The ramp would be closed while officials assessed the damage and made repairs.

MacIntosh said motorists should expect delays and plan alternate routes.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

At least one person was injured in the motorcycle crash.

Traffic is slow on Route 80 east in Wharton after a crash involving at least one injury. (511nj.org)Brian Amaral | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

WHARTON -- A motorcyclist was inured in a crash on Route 80 that significantly delayed traffic Sunday. 

Traffic cameras showed that two lanes were back open just after 5:30 p.m., a half-hour after the accident was first reported. Twenty-minute delays lingered even after the lanes opened back up in Wharton. 

The motorcyclist's injuries are not considered life threatening, according to Sgt. 1st Class Gregory Williams of the State Police.

He was taken to Morristown Medical Center, Williams said. 

Westbound traffic has also slowed as a result of the crash. 

Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Valley View Elementary School students participate in Exercise US event.

Valley View Elementary School fifth-graders Niklas Restrepo and Jake DaCosta, center, were among the Valley View students who participated in Exercise US at the school. <

MONTVILLE -- When Valley View Elementary School fifth-graders Sarina Dang and Elijah Dor led 60 of their peers through a high-energy workout before the start of school on Sept. 30, they started a wave of physical fitness activities among students across the country.

The Valley View students were among those who were participating in a 10-hour coast-to-coast exercise event called Exercise US, which was developed by Montville physical education teacher Leonard Saunders to help battle childhood obesity. The event is held in September during National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

"During the program's 10 hours of participation, continuous physical movement, shared by thousands of students in many schools, breaks across the nation's time zones like a wave of exercise," said Saunders. "When it's six o'clock on the East Coast, it's three o'clock on the West Coast. When Valley View kids complete their 15-minutes of exercising, other kids in other schools will be beginning their 15-minute slots, and so on throughout the day."

"It was really fun," Sarina said after leading the group through 15 minutes of exercise. "It's important to encourage kids to exercise and stay in shape."

"It was really exciting," Elijah added. "I was nervous, but I did it."

To submit school news send an email to morris@starledger.com.

The stores owned by the bankrupt Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company are all up for grabs, including the nearly 90 locations in New Jersey.

The stores owned by the bankrupt Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company are all up for grabs, including the nearly 90 locations in New Jersey.

A&P opted to close nine New Jersey stores immediately, while selling more than 40 stores to Acme, Stop & Shop and Key Foods.

The remainder are up for auction. The most recent round on Thursday saw successful bids placed on the Fair Lawn and Navesink stores. It's not clear what's going to happen to stores that don't receive bids.

It's a fast-moving process, but you can keep track of what's happening with your store with this map, which will be updated as more sales are finalized.

The points indicate whether a store has sold (green), closed (red), or is up for auction (grey). The yellow points indicate stores that don't fall in any of the prior categories, but where A&P plans to make layoffs. Click the points for details on buyers or bidders.

The Hanover Park Regional High School District inducted athletes and coaches into their Athletic Hall of Fame.

HANOVER -- On Oct. 8 the Hanover Park Regional High School District welcomed 12 former athletes and coaches into the school's Athletic Hall of Fame during a ceremony held at the Hanover Manor.

The inductees included athletes and coaches from Hanover Park High School and Whippany Park High School, which are part of the Hanover Park Regional High School District.

Honored for their contributions to the district's sports program were Patty Bacha, Doug Engel, Archie Moore, Brian O'Connor, Frank Sowinski and Jerry Brocail from Hanover Park High School and James Bello, Elysa Calderone, Glen Dwyer, Roxann Polo, Kevin Walsh and Dick Keenan from Whippany Park High School.

"It is our goal to continue to honor the amazing achievements of our students, both past and present, and the Hall of Fame provides us with another avenue to do so," said Tom Callanan, Hanover Park High School principal.

To submit school news send an email to morris@starledger.com.

The County College of Morris will begin its lecture series, "The Legacy Project," with a program recognizing the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Josh Neufeld, an award-winning cartoonist and writer of "A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge, " will be the first speaker of CCM's "The Legacy Project" lecture series. 

RANDOLPH -- The County College of Morris will begin its lecture series, "The Legacy Project," with a program recognizing the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

Josh Neufeld, an award-winning cartoonist and writer/artist of "A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge," will present his lecture at 12:30 p.m. Oct. 15 in the Student Community Center's Davidson rooms.

Neufeld's book, a New York Times bestseller, documents how Hurricane Katrina influenced the lives of people who still deal with the storm's aftermath.

CCM is located at 214 Center Grove Road. For more information on the lecture series, call 973-328-5469.

If you would like to submit news pertaining to your college, please send an email to morris@starledger.com.

The children of a Rockaway, N.J. woman have filed suit against a New York hospital the company running its kitchens for allegedly filthy conditions that led to their mother's Listeria infection and death, the New York Daily News reported.

A New Jersey family is suing a New York hospital for allegedly causing their mother's Listeria infection. (File Photo) 

NEW YORK -- The children of a Rockaway, N.J. woman have filed suit against a New York hospital and the company running its kitchens for allegedly filthy conditions that led to their mother's Listeria infection and death, the New York Daily News reported.

Joan Cieciuch, 75, was admitted to Mount Sinai Hospital on Sept. 20 while getting her Crohn's disease under control, her daughter Joann Mayor, of Succasunna, said.

Cieciuch returned home to a retirement community in Rockaway eight days later, but fell ill days later, Mayor said. She was diagnosed with a Listeria infection that led to her death.

James McCarthy, the family lawyer, said Cieciuch was one of six Listeria cases resulting from Mount Sinai's kitchens, then run by Sodexo.

The total value of the vehicles stolen is about $25,500, police said.

Pequannock Police Department 

PEQUANNOCK -- Police are investigating the theft of five all-terrain vehicles from a township residence last week.

At about 2:30 p.m. on Friday, police responded to a Garrow Avenue residence where the victims reported the theft of five ATVs from a carport behind the home, police said in a news release.

Theft was believed to have occurred sometime during the previous night and the total value of the stolen ATVs is about $25,500, police said.

The theft remains under investigation.

Anyone with more information about this incident can contact the Pequannock Detective Bureau at 973-835-1700, ext. 159.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

New Jersey tree experts agree this is not a banner year for autumn color.

Tree experts agree it's not a banner season for fall foliage here in New Jersey. The drought conditions that started this summer and persisted into fall caused many trees to drop leaves early. So what's a Garden State leaf-peeper got to do to get a foliage fix?

Don't despair. According to Tom Sheppard, Chief Park Naturalist at the Hunterdon County Department of Parks and Recreation, there are still good opportunities to find good fall color.

"If you're going out to see seasonal changes, try to get into the river systems. This is where the trees have been able to tap into a more established water table."

Sheppard thinks it will be these trees that may display colors for a longer period of time. Some suggestions by Sheppard include a drive down River Road along the South Branch of the Raritan River from Califon into the Ken Lockwood Gorge in Lebanon Township.

"New Jersey Conservation Foundation's Wickecheoke Creek Preserve is another good option," according to Sheppard. It's a Delaware River tributary in the Western Piedmont region of Hunterdon County whose headwaters begin on the Croton Plateau and descend down to the Delaware River at Stockton.

Farther to the north, you might also consider a ride along the Delaware River. Sheppard mentions a stretch from Phillipsburg in Warren County south through Riegelsville to Milford as another possibility.

As for the trees, well, maples do pretty well in drier conditions. Trees like the sugar and red maple typically have a larger moisture reservoir which help them get through a longer dry spell. Look for these trees to still put on a good show of orange and red colors.

A sugar maple tree in Hunterson County begins to show autumn color Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

Wondering how those colors happen? It's all about the chlorophyll a tree produces throughout the spring and summer. Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color. As the nights get longer during early fall, trees get ready for winter by blocking the chlorophyll from getting to the leaves.

The lack of chlorophyll in the leaf allows the yellow (xanthophylls) and orange (carotenoids) pigments in the leaf to become visible. Red and purple pigments (anthocyanins) are created from sugars that are trapped in the leaf. The pigments are responsible for the stunning color changes.

So get out there and find some color. And don't forget to take a look through the gallery above to help you identify those autumn leaves.

Andre Malok may be reached at amalok@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndreMalok. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Burglar stole about $4,500 in cash from an unlocked safe, police said.

Police say a man stole about $4,500 from Tiff's Casual Grill in Pequannock early Sunday morning.Pequannock Police Department

PEQUANNOCK -- Police are investigating a break-in at Tiff's Casual Grill on Route 23 over the weekend in which a burglar made off with about $4,500 in cash from an unlocked safe early Sunday morning.

At about 4 a.m., an individual broke a kitchen window and climbed inside where he proceeded directly to the office, Pequannock police said in a news release.

Hours later, employees called police when they opened the restaurant and found a broken window, police said.

Surveillance video shows a man wearing a light jacket, dark pants with a light stripe, white shoes and a white baseball hat, police said.

Anyone with more information about this incident can contact the Pequannock Detective Bureau at 973-835-1700, ext. 159, or Detective Steven Cicchetti at 973-870-0282.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Miss November 1965 says Playboy has gotten too coarse in recent years: 'Today's Playboy was just nasty'

Taking the starch out of its signature bunny ears, Playboy will no longer publish photos of fully naked women in the very pages that propelled pornography into the mainstream 62 years ago.

But former Playboy Playmate Helena Antonaccio, Miss June 1969 ("Turn-ons: Long hair and sideburns"), says there's still a market for the tasteful nudes that Playboy once pioneered. And she should know: At 66, she still poses for "artistic depictions of nudity" for subscribers to her eponymous website.

"I'm on Facebook, and people are just bombarding me now with emails," says Antonacci, a Morristown native. "Baby boomers are saying, 'Oh, it's so great, back then it wasn't so trashy. It was classy.' I think people are still looking for that."

Of the pictures themselves, she says: "It's PG. I'm nude, but there's no sexually explicit pictures. It's pin-up pictures."

It's just topless then?

"And my ass. But it's very tasteful."

The magazine is following its digital strategy, which banished nudity from the non-subscription portion of its website last year, and saw the average age of its online readers drop and web traffic quadruple.

The omnipresence of Internet porn has made nudity in Playboy "just passe at this juncture," said the company's chief executive Scott Flanders in an interview with The New York Times. 

The March 2016 issue will be the first without nudity since Hugh Hefner founded the magazine in 1953. 

Antonacci ended up in Playboy after a model booker rejected her from a wig assignment, saying she looked "too virginal." ("I"ll show them," she laughs, remembering her outrage. "I went to the Playboy Club and applied for a job, and a photographer asked me if I wanted to be the centerfold.) She reacted to the news of Playboy's new no-nude policy with something of a shrug: "I think change is always good." 

The reaction on the Internet -- you know, the forum that rendered Playboy's jiggle essentially irrelevant -- was somewhere between righteous indignation and "Is Playboy still being published?" 

Yet Pat Adamo (nee Russo), another Morristown native and Miss November 1965 ("Turn-offs: Dirty fingernails, pseudo-intellectuals, pick-up lines, loud people"), was glad to hear of Playboy's decision. 

Pat Adamo, a former Playboy Playmate, is happy to see nudes leave pages of Playboy.Facebook courtesy of Pat Adamo 

"Today's Playboy was just nasty, women sitting with their crotches open to the camera," says Adamo, now 74. "That's totally disgusting. You can't call it anything but pornography. It's not artistic. Today it reveals a whole different way of looking at women that is not particularly flattering."

Adamo, a former assistant at Women's Day magazine, had moved with her parents and young daughter to Florida but had trouble finding a decent-paying job. One day, she say an ad in the newspaper for a job that paid $200 a week. "I go to this place called the Playboy Club. The interviewer says, 'I'd like you to try this costume on. Some fellas came in, managers or hirers, they hired me. I had no idea what I was being hired for."

But Adamo never mastered the "Bunny Dip" for which its cocktail waitresses were famed, so she became a "Door Bunny," collecting keys from members, and that's where she met a staff photographer who asked her if she would pose for the magazine. "But I don't have boobs," she recalls telling him.

She eventually drifted away from modeling, focusing on singing and acting, and working as a teacher and a mental health counselor. Now retired, she lives in Titusville, Fla., and acts in local theater production and performs concerts (she'll be at the Cocoa Village Playhouse with the Space Coast Singers on Nov. 2) -- and still autographs her Playboy photos that a middleman sells on eBay. 

Playboy finally moving away from being pornographic trash. Thank you, I don't need to be embarrassed by my photos anymore! Thanks :)

-- Pat (Russo) Adamo (@padamo510) October 13, 2015

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

Supporters say without an ID, individuals often cannot open a bank account or access government services. Detractors argue it will "incentivize lawbreaking."

A growing number of New Jersey municipalities are issuing identification cards to unauthorized immigrants. NJ.com users posted more than 400 comments debating in favor and against the practice. 

Union County's Roselle is about to become the latest town to offer municipal ID cards. Newark recently adopted the cards, while Perth Amboy, Highland Park and other New Jersey communities are in various stages of consideration.  Asbury Park, Trenton, Freehold and Mercer and Morris counties are among other places in the state that have endorsed or issue the cards. 

We solicited full responses from readers with opposing views. Here's what two NJ.com users had to say (edited for clarity): 

molly2.0

The strongest argument for issuing ID cards is the benefit that foreign undocumented workers bring to the local economy.  They need housing, groceries, cars, public transportation and all the other services that people need.  According to the US Treasury, immigrants are far more likely to start new businesses and create jobs for others.  Often times, undocumented immigrants will perform jobs that Americans don't want -- so-called "stoop labor." That benefits farmers. This country was built by immigrants. 

scienceforsale

Enrique Lavin may be reached at elavin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @enriquelavin or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

The Randolph township schools superintendent was hospitalized after a fire at his Wyckoff home Tuesday afternoon, officials said.

A detached garage at the Wyckoff residence of Randolph schools superintendent David M. Browne caught fire Tuesday afternoon, injuring Browne, according to police. Noah Cohen | NJ Advance Media

WYCKOFF -- The Randolph Township schools superintendent was hospitalized after a fire broke at his Wyckoff home Tuesday afternoon, according to police and state records.

David M. Browne, 55, suffered burns and was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, Wyckoff police Chief Benjamin Fox said in a news release. Browne's injuries were not considered to be life-threatening, Fox said.

Records with the Department of Education show Browne, who is also a board member of the Morris-Union Jointure Commission, resides at the Wyckoff Avenue residence where the fire broke out Tuesday.

RELATED: Randolph schools superintendent takes leave of absence

Officers responded to the Wyckoff Avenue home around 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday and found a detached garage engulfed in flames, Fox said in a news release.

Browne, identified by police as the homeowner, was lying outside the garage, the chief said. Fire crews from Wyckoff and several nearby towns extinguished the blaze.

"The garage and its contents were destroyed," Fox added. "There was no damage to the main living quarters of the home."

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Arson Squad was investigating what sparked the fire, Fox said. Officials with the prosecutor's office have not yet responded to a message placed Tuesday afternoon seeking more information.

Browne took a leave from his position with the Randolph school district this year for what school officials described as a "family medical leave." They have declined to provide further details of the leave, citing personnel reasons.

Police said additional details were not immediately available. A spokesperson for the Randolph school district declined comment.

Ben Horowitz and Justin Zaremba contributed to this report.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

One man resisted arrest, police said

PARSIPPANY -- Two men were arrested on drug charges Oct. 3 after they were found at an unoccupied home, police said.

= 

Police were sent to 146 River Road around 8:20 p.m. after receiving a report of suspicious people at the address. When they arrived, they found Waleed Tillawi, 35, of Lake Hiawatha, behind the wheel of a Hyundai Elantra along with a passenger, Frederick Trautvetter, also 35, from Boonton.

MORE: Drugs seized in May bust enough to get NYC high, cops say 

Trautvetter gave a false name and birth dates before officers learned he was wanted on an outstanding Newark warrant, police said. Trautvetter physically struggled with officers before he was placed under arrest, police also said. Tillawi was also arrested after officers determined he was under the influence of drugs.

Tillawi was allegedly found in possession of 13 wax folds of heroin while he was being processed at police headquarters. Trautvetter had three Oxycodone pills, crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia, police also said.

Tillawi was charged with possession and use of narcotics. Trautvetter was charged with two counts of possession, resisting arrest, hindering apprehension and possession of paraphernalia.   

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook