MORRIS COUNTY — The Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the New York Football Giants, William J. Heller, Esq. will be the guest speaker at the kickoff meeting of Explorer Post 22.  Young men and women, ages 14-20, who are interested in careers in Law are invited to attend.  We will meet on Saturday, October 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at Patriots’ Path Council, 1 Saddle Road, Cedar Knolls.

Mr. Heller will speak on legal issues such as contract negotiations for players and coaches; licensing, sponsorship and vendor agreements; human resources, workers compensation and privacy issues; legal issues related to operation of Met Life Stadium and Quest Diagnostics Training Center (the Giants’ Training Facility).

This meeting is free but space is limited.  Click here to register.

Law Explorer Post 22 is chartered to the Morris County Bar Foundation.  Post advisors Andrew Jacobs, Esq. and Linda Mainenti-Walsh, Esq. lead monthly meetings and invite guest speakers including judges, prosecutors, and attorneys practicing in fields such as criminal, family, environmental, immigration, and intellectual property.

Exploring is Learning for Life’s career education program for young men and women who are 14 to 20 years old.  Exploring’s purpose is to provide real world experiences to help young people decide what field, or area within a field, they will pursue as their career.

For further information please contact Al Thomas, District Executive at (973) 765-9322 x229,al.thomas@scouting.org.

MORRIS COUNTY — Tuesday is the final day Morris County residents can register to vote in this year’s general elections, happening on Tuesday, November 6.

Although there are no local Parsippany elections (Mayor or Township Council) you will be voting for Morris County Clerk, three positions on the Morris County Freeholder Board, United States Senator, Member of the House of Representatives  (11th Congressional District) and four board of education members.

You are eligible to vote if you are a citizen of the United States; You are a Morris County resident 30 days before the election; You are a resident of the election district in which you expect to vote on Election Day; You will be 18 years of age on or before the next election; and you are not incarcerated, on parole, or on probation due to a conviction for an indictable offense under any federal or state laws. Note: you can register at 17, but can’t vote until you turn 18.

Complete a registration application form at the Morris County Board of Elections’ office or by mail. Click here to download an application.

To find your polling location in Parsippany, click here. If you have any questions regarding your polling location please contact Khaled Madin, Esq., RMC, Clerk at (973) 263-4357.

Forms are also available at the Township Clerk’s office, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard, through the League of Women Voters, or other public agencies.

You can also register to vote at your local Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) office while applying for/renewing a driver’s license or non-driver ID card.

If you have moved, changed your name, or want to change political party affiliation, you need to fill out the appropriate form and submit it to the Board of Elections.

If you’ve legally changed your name, you must complete the Name Change section of the Voter Registration form and submit it 21 days before an election which is also on Tuesday, October 16.

The mailing address is Morris County Board of Elections, PO Box 900, Morristown, NJ 07963-0900, or Morris County Board of Elections, 10 Court St, Second Floor, Morristown, NJ 07960.

PARSIPPANY — The Morris County Sons of Italy Lodge 2561, in conjunction with the Pine Brook Volunteer Fire Department, is proud to be co-sponsors for a fundraiser to support Kyle Gauweiler.

Kyle is the 14 year old brother, son, and grandson of the Pine Brook volunteer firefighters family. Kyle recently underwent surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor. Proceeds will go directly to Kyle to assist with the expenses of treatment to fight his cancer.

The pasta and meatballs fundraiser will be held at the Pine Brook Volunteer Fire Dept, Station 1, 47 Bloomfield Avenue in Pine Brook on Saturday, October 13, from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The cost is $15.00 per adult, $10.00 per child (5-12 yrs) and free for children 4 and under.

The menu of Sons of Italy cooked pasta and meatballs, will be sure to please all pallets attending. If you have any questions or would like to send a donation, or donate an item for the silent auction that will take place, please contact Chief Jim Schmitt at (973) 809-4324, or email chief371@optonline.net.  Donations can also be mailed to the Pine Brook Fire Dept, PO Box 204, Pine Brook, NJ 07058

There is also a GoFundMe donation page set up. Click here for more information.

PARSIPPANY — Based on a recent article in NewJerseyGlobe.com, it was reported that “Grossi Rejects High Rate of Vote-By-Mail (VBM) Applications of Asian Indian Parsippany Voters.”

Based upon a number of inquiries concerning the processing of Vote by Mail (“VBM”) applications, the following procedure required by NJ State Law are explained and stringently followed by the Morris County Clerk’s Election Office.

Vote-By-Mail applications and ballots are governed by N.J.S.A. 19:63-1 et al., commonly known as the Absentee Voter Act (“ACT”).  The purpose of the ACT is to “facilitate exercise of franchise of voters, while preventing fraud and preserving secrecy and integrity of voting process.” Barrett v. Monmouth County Bd. of Elections, 307 N.J. Super. 403, 403 (1997).

In compliance with the ACT, the Morris County Clerk’s Election Office is responsible for processing all VBM Applications, reviewing the application to ensure that it meets certain criteria, if not, the VBM Application must be rejected and, if verified, the Vote-By-Mail Ballot is mailed to the voter.  Once these steps are completed, the County Clerk’s Office is no longer involved with processing the actual VBM ballot.  That is the responsibility of the County Board of Elections, which is a separate entity from the County Clerk’s Office. All completed VBM Ballots, by law, should be returned to the County Board of Elections and not the County Clerk’s Office.

Concerning the Vote-By-Mail Applications, the County Clerk’s Election Office is required to input every VBM Ballot application it receives into the New Jersey State Voter Registration System (“SVRS”) and is required to compare the “signature block against” what appears in the “SVRS”. N.J.S.A.19:63-8.

The SVRS contains a list of enumerated reasons why an application shall be rejected.  Those reasons are as follows:  not registered in the county, name does not match the registration files, no “X” on application, no witness on application, not at address given on application, application received after deadline, changed party after 55 day deadline (refers to primary elections), county address required, criminal conviction, damaged application, incomplete assistor portion, moved out of county, signature does not match, other, voter status – deleted, power of attorney not allowed, and over 3 voters per messenger (refers to vote by mail ballot received by the Board of Elections).

By way of example, in the 2017 Parsippany election cycle, VBM Applications were rejected for the following reasons: signature on application does not compare with the signature of record, birth dates did not match, assistor portion not filled out or not completed properly, application not signed, registered at a different address, application received after deadline, signature missing, on the criminal disqualification list, registered under a name other than one listed on their application, etc.

In the event that a Vote-By-Mail Application is rejected, the voter is notified in writing and provided with an explanation of the reason for the rejection. 

This way the voter is given the opportunity, if possible, to cure the defect and resubmit a corrected VBM Application.  However, even if the voter does not cure the defect and provided that they are a registered voter, they are always permitted to vote at their local polling location.

The most important thing to note is that no one is ever disenfranchised or denied the right to vote.

PARSIPPANY — Living Waters Church in partnership with the Atlantic Health System will hold a lecture and discussion about Spiritual Decisions on Saturday, November 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Joseph F. Fennelly, MD will be Keynote Speaker.

Registration is Free. Guest Speakers. Light Refreshments.  To Register click here or contact Mary Rich at (973) 626-1072. Walk-ins are welcome.

For over 60 years, Dr. Joseph Fennelly has contributed to advancements in the field of bioethics at state, national and international levels.  Dr. Fennelly earned an undergraduate degree from Seton Hall University in 1952 and an MD degree from New York College in 1956.  He has served on the staff of Morristown Medical Center since 1962.  Dr Fennelly established the first Ethics Committee at Morristown Medical Center in 1983 as well as several other nursing homes and chronic care facilities.

Dr. Fennelly has been practicing internal medicine for over six decades with involvement in the landmark 1977 New Jersey Supreme Court End-of-Life case of Karen Ann Quinlan, as well as the Nancy Ellen Jobes feeding tube case.  While chair of the Morris County Medical Society Humanities Committee, Dr. Fennelly was asked by the Quinlan family to care for Karen after the New Jersey Supreme Court allowed her father to make healthcare decisions.

Dr. Fennelly is a founding member and vice chair of the New Jersey Citizens Committee on Bioethics.  He chaired or co-chaired the Bioethics Committee of the Medical Society of New Jersey for over three decades and remains Chair Emeritus of this committee.  He also served for seven years on the Governors’ Bioethics Commission in New Jersey and currently serves on the Governor’s Council on End-of- Life care.

Dr. Fennelly has lectured extensively throughout the country and abroad on issues of death and dying and related medical ethics issues in a variety of distinguished and diverse venues.  He has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book reviews, and op-eds as well as serving as the guest editor of a special issue on Biomedical Ethics in New Jersey Medicine.

Dr. Fennelly has been recognized with numerous awards and most recently was the recipient of two Lifetime Achievement Awards from both Morristown Medical Center and the Medical Society of New Jersey for leadership in the field of biomedical ethics.  In 1999, he also received the Academy of Medicine of New Jersey, Dr. Edward Ill Award for “Physician of the Year” in  honor of his contributions to society and to medicine, particularly in the area of medical ethics.

Dr. Fennelly is a leading advocate and lecturer on end-of-life care and the right to die movement.  He possesses a rare perspective and knowledge of the care and treatment of patients at the end-of-life and strongly supports the Conversation Project and the importance of “telling your story” about what matters most in life.

RANDOLPH — Family Promise will honoring the volunteers who are the driving force of the organization and make what they do possible. The evening will be held on Thursday, November 8 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at Meadow Wood Manor, 461 Route 10 East.

The event features a cocktail reception, elegant dinner and tricky tray, the highlights of the evening are inspiring speeches from honorees, sponsors and past program graduates. The Community Impact Award is sponsored by Greenberg Traurig.

Please RSVP by October 30, 2018 to (973) 998-082, rsvp@familypromisemorris.org or Click here to register.

Family Promise of Morris County partners with more than 75 congregations of different faiths and 1600 of their congregants to provide shelter, overnight staffing, breakfast, lunch and dinner to our families. The dedication and commitment of all these partners makes Family Promise of Morris County the most cost-effective shelter program in the community. This cost efficiency allows to direct the majority of funding to the needs of our families and the operating model provides an opportunity for community participation that is not available in a traditional shelter setting. The volunteers and their families open their congregations, schedules, wallets and their hearts to the families we serve.

At Family Promise of Morris County, they allow our families to stay for as long as they need to get back on their feet. For some that may be a couple of weeks; for others, six months or a year. Many traditional shelters have time limits that can force families to find other temporary shelter before accumulating enough resources or completing the necessary education and training to obtain gainful employment and independent housing. They want to ensure that families are well prepared and in a position to secure a permanent place in the community.

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany IHOP, 792 Route 46, will be holding their First Annual “Trunk or Treat” on Friday, October 26 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Register and get a chance to win the grand price of a $100.00 gift certificate. The best vehicle decorations will be the winner.

You will need to register at Parsippany IHOP. Your vehicle will be decorated. Must have candy for all children. Be punctual by 5:30 p.m. Registration will end on October 19.

Kids eat free with purchase of an adult entree, Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

For additional information call (973) 396-8629.

PARSIPPANY — American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk will be held on Sunday, October 21. The event will be held at the Century Office Campus, 4 Century Drive.

The American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks raise awareness and funds to save lives from breast cancer. Each event is a noncompetitive five mile walk that brings people together to make a difference for everyone who has been touched by breast cancer. The events raise money to fund innovative research, provide free information and support, and to help people reduce their breast cancer risk or find it early when it’s most treatable.

From the opening ceremony to the post-walk entertainment, a Making Strides event is a celebration of survivors and opportunity to remember loved-ones lost. It’s a day that shouldn’t be missed and won’t be forgotten.

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library is accepting children costumes. Do you have children’s costumes you no longer need? Are you looking for a costume for your child? Participate in the Libraries Costume Swap.

If you have costumes for children that are in good condition, drop them off at the Parsippany Public Library Children’s Department during regular library hours. Costumes my be brought in until Monday, October 15.

If you need a costume for children, register to pick them up on Wednesday, October 17 from 7:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. or from 7:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The library cannot guarantee specific sizes or styles will be available. Each family may register for one session to select costumes. There is no free for this program. Please note that if there are not enough costumes collected, sessions may be canceled.

The Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library is located at 449 Halsey Road. For more information call (973) 887-5150, ext. 233.