PARSIPPANY — American Legion Parsippanong Post 249 will hold their annual St. Patrick’s Day Dinner and Dance on Saturday, March 18, from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

They are serving Corned Beef with all the trimmings, buffet style. Dessert and coffee are included. DJ. Donation $25.00. Advanced ticket sales only.

Tickets are now on sale at the American Legion NJ Post 249 bar. They will also be having a 50/50 cash raffle that night, with tickets going on sale soon, also at the bar.

American Legion Parsippanong Post 249 is at 91 North Beverwyck Road, Lake  Hiawatha.

PARSIPPANY — Republican legislators who represent District 26 helped further the Democrats’ agenda when they supported legislation that allows liberals to use school children to wage their war against conservative media and the free expression of ideas, says BettyLou DeCroce, who is a candidate for the General Assembly for the district covering easter Morris and western Passaic Counties.

DeCroce, who spent nine years in the Assembly until 2021, said Assemblyman Brian Bergen (R-26) voted for a school curriculum bill that will likely steer children away from media outlets that do not preach the liberal orthodoxy.

DeCroce also said that Assemblyman Jay Webber (R-26) abstained from voting on the bill, which DeCroce said is “a politician’s way of not taking a stand when taking a stand is called for.”

The legislation (A4169) – dubbed the “Information Literacy” bill- requires the Department of Education to create media and information literacy guidelines for kindergarten through 12th-grade students. Gov. Phil Murphy has already signed the bill into law.

DeCroce said she would not have voted for the bill. “I do not trust the Democrats with creating new curriculum standards for our children. Their recent history is not good,” said DeCroce, pointing to the controversial sex education standards pushed by the Democrats last year.

“You would think that by now Republicans, especially those who call themselves conservatives, would avoid putting school curriculum changes in the hands of the Democrats and the DOE,” added DeCroce.

DeCroce said the real intent of the media literacy legislation is to censor information from media sources that don’t adopt the liberal point of view on cultural and government policy issues.

“Assemblyman Bergen and Webber should know how much the Democrats hate Fox News, hate the NY Post, hate conservative online websites and radio hosts. They should have known that the media curriculum will smear anything from these sources as disinformation and steer students to liberal media,” said DeCroce.

The former assemblywoman said the legislation will foster biased curriculum teachings that many parents disagree with, as was done with the sex education curriculum. “Parents who watch Fox news or listen to conservative radio will be criticized by their children for embracing disinformation.,” said DeCroce.

COVID CENSORSHIP
DeCroce pointed to how quickly and viciously the Democrats attacked President Trump and others who suggested that the Covid-19 virus emanated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China.

Over the past few days, it has been revealed that the U.S. Department of Energy has joined the FBI in concluding that the deadly global virus originated in a Chinese virology lab. Since the virus began killing people in the United States, liberal media and officials censured any views on Covid-19 that were not part of the liberal orthodoxy on the virus’s origins or the best methods to control it.

“We cannot allow liberals to control what we read and hear across the media spectrum,” said DeCroce. “It is apparent that the message did not get through to Assemblymen Bergen and Webber. There is no excuse for them giving the government more control over what our children learn in the classroom.”

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Rotary collaborated with community leaders to work on projects that have a real, lasting impact on people’s lives.

Parsippany Rotary International’s “Annual Winter Coat Program” was a mega success due to the generous donors. The outpouring of donations from various families, businesses, Rotary’s partnered organizations Gandhian Society, TFASNJ, NRIVA, Vasavi Society, OM Sri Sai Balaji Temple, and individuals enabled to provide 1,000 new blankets and 100 winter coats to homeless adults and supporting five different organizations of Morris County: Table of Hope, HopeOne, Jersey Battered Women’s Service, Saint Ann’s Church, and Saint Peters Church.

This program is made possible because of the great teamwork and thorough planning and organizational efforts of all individuals from Parsippany Rotary International, Gandhian Society, TFASNJ, NRIVA, Vasavi Society, and OM Sri Sai Balaji Temple.

A special thank-you goes to Parsippany Mayor James R. Barberio for allowing the group to use Town Hall for the Winter Coats event on Sunday, February 26.

Sincere gratitude goes to Parsippany Rotary, Gandhian Society, TFASNJ, NRIVA, Vasavi Society, and OM Sri Sai Balaji Temple for Winter Coats, Blankets, and accessories for collecting, organizing, and transporting coats between locations.

The project was a huge effort collectively by all volunteers who donated their time and energy. Teams helped to shop, transported the coats, and spent many hours organizing the coats and event preparations.

Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio, Council President Loretta Gragnani, Vice President Michael dePierro, Councilmen Paul Carifi, and Frank Neglia attended the Winter Coats and Blankets event.  Rotary International of Parsippany President Santosh Peddi, Directors Chandra Mulinti, Ann Grossi, Dr. Ravi Maddali, Nikhil Patel, BettyLou DeCroce, Anil Pulligala, and Ylka Padilla.

Gandhian Society Senior Directors, Rajendar Dichpally. NJTFAS: Madhu Rachakulla, General Secretary, Ravi Annadanam, IT Chair, Naga Mahendar Velishala, NRIVA Board member and Chapter lead: Ravi Peddi, Gangadhar Vuppala, Committee leaders Raj Kothamasu. Vasavi Society, President Subba Rao Sannidhi Om Sri Sai Balaji Temple Founder Surya Narayana Maddual, and Temple CEO TP Srinivas Rao were a great addition to the Winter Project this year. Special acknowledgment to Krypton Warriors Robotics Team NJ-State Champions for helping and donating to the project.

The members continue on Rotary’s mission to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. Rotary International of Parsippany members looks for opportunities to improve our community and invest in the next generation for tomorrow.

PARSIPPANY — New Jersey’s corporate tax surcharge was a bad idea when it was implemented – it’s a bad idea now and it should be eliminated, says former Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce who is campaigning to return to the statehouse in a newly redrawn legislative district that spans Morris and Passaic Counties.

DeCroce, a Republican, said that the liberals think tank New Jersey Policy Perspective is campaigning to maintain the tax surcharge, which dings business for $664 million a year. “One thing I learned about liberal activists while I was in Trenton is that they want more taxes and they want every tax to be permanent and never disappear. That’s bad policy,” said DeCroce.

DeCroce said New Jersey’s economy suffers from a worst-in-the-nation business climate rating by the Tax Foundation and other economic evaluators.  “Anything that the state can do to improve its tax structure and demonstrate to the business community that the state is not anti-business is a desperately needed step in the right direction toward greater economic growth,” said DeCroce, a  small business owner.

In 2018, state lawmakers amended the corporate tax code by adding a 2.5 percent surcharge on profits over $1 million. The state’s top corporate tax rate was 9% for net income over $100,000 but the 2018 surcharge pushed the tax to 11.5% — among the highest in the nation.

“I opposed the tax surcharge in 2018 and I will continue to oppose more taxes on the job creators who are already in New Jersey or want to come to New Jersey,” said DeCroce.

The new District 26 includes the following municipalities: Morris  County: Boonton Denville, East Hanover, Hanover, Florham Park, Lincoln Park, Mountain Lakes, Montville, Morris Plains, Parsippany, Pequannock, and Riverdale. In Passaic County: Bloomingdale, Pompton Lakes, Ringwood, & Wanaque.

PARSIPPANY — The Sons of Italy is a vibrant and strong service organization in Morris County. At the Lodges, February monthly meeting on February 22 eight new members were sworn in, with several more on tap for a future meeting.

With approximately 50 members attending the Knoll West Country Club to witness, welcome, and applaud the new members as they were officially sworn into the Lodge, it was the highlight of the evening’s agenda. Also discussed were several other initiatives and fundraising events planned throughout 2023.

The newest members of the Lodge include Harry Mangiro, David Patracuolla, Russ Quartararo, Nick Grossi, Anthony Spina, Rich Guglielmo, Vincent Schindel, and Alex Yandoli.

Morris County’s Lodge, one of 29 Lodges in N.J., is a non-profit organization that proudly contributes thousands of dollars to worthwhile local charities and families in need. Among the causes that Lodge 2561 supports are The Parsippany Food Pantry, St. Peter’s Church, St. Ann’s Church, Battered Woman’s Shelter of Morris County, High School Scholarships, The Valerie Fund, Parsippany Day Care Center, Cooley’s Anemia, and St. Jude’s, among others. The Lodge regularly purchases and dispenses gift cards from locations such as ShopRite and Walmart to assist needy families. The group, with some great Italian Chefs, is also known to generously prepare several delicious Italian-style dinners each year to assist local causes.

Lodge 2561 currently boasts approximately 100 community-minded members and meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month at a local restaurant, where lodge business and upcoming charitable endeavors and community needs are addressed.