MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Retirees Education Association Philanthropic Fund, Inc. (MCREAPF) is offering six scholarships to Morris County residents who are attending and will be graduated from a public high school. This scholarship is for students who plan to pursue a career in education and who will be attending an approved four-year accredited college or university offering a Bachelor’s Degree with an education major.
The scholarships are for $2,000. The recipients will be sent $2,000. after the chairperson receives a copy of the first-semester transcript which indicates enrollment in the field of education and a successful academic record.
The deadline for the receipt of applications is Friday, April 30, 2021. Scholarship applications are available at your high school guidance office or click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris Habitat for Humanity announces its first-ever virtual Hearts & Hammers Gala on Thursday, February 25, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., in lieu of an in-person event. The fun-filled evening will raise funds for the organization’s largest project to date — a 25-unit condominium complex planned for Randolph. Registration is free and open to the public.
Tune in to the live-streaming event to learn more about Morris Habitat’s mission to provide affordable housing as well as its impact on local communities. Attendees will hear directly from Habitat homeowner families who will share their stories, as well as honorees, volunteers, and sponsors who have helped make Morris Habitat’s life-changing work possible. The 16th annual celebration, hosted by Toni Yates of WABC-TV, will also feature new construction projects, plans for the future, prize giveaways, and ways people can get involved–even during the pandemic.
“This has been a very challenging year, and the pandemic has put a spotlight on just how important safe, decent and affordable housing really is,” said Morris Habitat for Humanity CEO, Blair Schleicher Wilson. “While we would rather be gathering in person, the virtual gala will allow people to help build homes without ever leaving home.”
Corporate sponsors are stepping up to lend support to Morris Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Major corporate sponsors to date include GAF, Bayer, Valley Bank, Lakeland Bank, and Schindler.
To learn more, register, or sponsor the virtual gala, click here or contact Stephanie Buonarota at (973) 349-7612.
Morris Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization committed to building homes, communities, and hope. Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Morris Habitat builds new homes and provides home repair services to income-eligible families in Morris and Middlesex Counties as well as Fanwood, Plainfield, Scotch Plains, Green Brook, North Plainfield, and Watchung. Since 1985, Morris Habitat has served more than 650 households through homeownership opportunities, home preservation, and international home building programs. Proceeds from the ReStore have helped to fund construction while diverting almost 5,800 tons of useable material from local landfills. For more information click here or call (973) 891-1934.
MORRIS COUNTY — Superior Court Judge Berdote Byrne has ruled in favor of the Morris County Republican Committee (MCRC).
In her decision, Judge Berdote Byrne denied the plaintiff’s claims, calling them “recklessly misleading” and “not supported by the factual evidence”. In this admonishment, she also ordered the plaintiffs to reimburse MCRC for all legal costs.
“We are pleased that the Judge affirmed what we already knew and are looking forward to our meeting on Saturday where the County Committee will finally have their voices heard”, said Chairwoman Laura Ali.
On Saturday, February 6, MCRC members will vote on a bylaw modification to adopt a county line in Morris. The proposed adoption will give Morris County Committee members the power to endorse candidates in a primary – a role that nearly every duly elected committee person in the state already holds.
HANOVER — Looking for a burger that is simply good enough, you will certainly have no problem finding one among the numerous fast-food, chain style, cookie-cutter burger places that dot Parsippany’s highways and byways. Likewise, if your preference leans towards a more creative, gourmet-style burger, Parsippany offers a diverse choice of gastro pubs and fine restaurants that would certainly meet your needs. For me, I do not think you can do much better than finding that often elusive, tasty, fresh off the grill, crispy, juicy, savory, classic American burger. Not surprisingly, where better to find that classic American favorite than at a true, iconic, neighborhood American dive bar, often just referred to by its regulars as Z’s.
On Mount Pleasant Avenue in Whippany, right off Route 10 and basically a couple of miles from the border of Parsippany, you will find Zagursky’s Bar & Grill. A simple, non-descript looking white house, family-owned and operated, long time, neighborhood watering hole and sports bar, Zagursky’s is a true throwback type bar and restaurant, with friendly and welcoming service, delicious food, cold beer, and a nice pour. One of those “where everyone knows your name” places. Originally opened in 1945 by Anna and John Zagursky, and currently run by grandsons, Bobby “Stitch” Yannotta and Kevin “KP” Yannotta, this family tradition continues. The moment you walk in you can feel the high energy of this sports-style bar scene, filled with lots of laughter, good friends, and lively conversation. After three generations of providing their most loyal and regular customers with great bar food you can be confident, they are doing something special.
I must admit, I have an affection for these no-frills, non-pretentious places that come with a great backstory. They are getting harder and harder to find so it is a treat to visit them while you still can. Zagursky’s, for me, is reminiscent of a little shot and beer joint I owned in the late 70’s, but Z’s is so much better. A lot of comforts sometimes, just to take a step back in time and smile; and it was a pleasure to meet and talk with the very personable, cordial, and amusing Yannotta brothers.
Zagursky’s burger with fresh toppings of lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles, all firmly held together with a sesame seed bun
I know I started this review highlighting the Zagursky’s burger since I think that is where Zargusky’s stands out from the pack, and I will get back to that later, but Z’s does have much more to offer than burgers on their menu. Stitch’s reputation for creating delicious personal-sized bar pies was something we could not resist, so as a starter we decided to kick off this meal-sharing both sausage and a pepperoni-onion pie. Delicious, crispy, thin-crust, and slightly well done, with a perfect little bit of char on the bottom and edges of the crust. The sauce was tangy and tasty with just the right amount of cheese and toppings.
Mozzarella Sticks
Excellent, properly prepared pies and we were off to a good start. Next, out came the onion rings, mozzarella sticks, and hot and spicy chicken wings. Ample and satisfying bar food just as you would expect it. The onion rings were perfectly fried, crunchy, and tender, the mozzarella sticks were firm to the touch and filled with the nice chewy cheese, and the 12 wings, ordered hot and spicy, were surprisingly large and meaty, with just the right amount of heat and bite to awaken your taste buds.
Zagursky’s half-pound, bacon, cheeseburger had been rated among the best in New Jersey just a few years back, so I was anxiously looking forward to enjoying this savory treat, and it did not disappoint.
Crispy and crunchy on the outside, moist, and juicy inside, cooked to medium with fresh toppings of lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles, all firmly held together with a sesame seed bun. While the others were deciding on their orders Stitch happened to mention that he had just made fresh Kielbasa that day, so by special request he came up with his first time ever, creative Kielbasa and sauerkraut slider. Well, that slider is a keeper, moist, tender, and perfectly seasoned Kielbasa offset with the slightly sour, tangy bite of the sauerkraut. After all this great food, accompanied by a very cold and fresh tasting tap beer, I could not eat another bite. We all left with our stomachs full, a smile on our faces, and a promise to return very soon.
Delicious, crispy, thin crust and slightly well done, with a perfect little bit of char on the bottom and edges of the crust
If you have not been to Zagursky’s Bar & Grill I would recommend you give it a shot. Great food, exceptionally clean, friendly atmosphere, and you are not going to break the bank here as the prices are very reasonable. If you are looking for a good spot to just relax and catch a game, Zargusky’s has seven large-screen televisions conveniently located around their good-sized wooden bar; and if you are looking for something a little quieter, a family-friendly atmosphere, Zargusky’s does have a separate dining room detached from the bar area which will meet your needs.
And, as always, please come out and support all our small, independent local businesses in any way you can.
Take out, Delivery, Ample Parking
All COVID-19 Health Requirements Strictly Enforced
Zagursky’s Bar & Grill is located at43 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Whippany, N.J. 07981. For more information call (973) 386-1412.
MORRIS COUNTY — During National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation (A883) amending the “Human Trafficking Prevention, Protection, and Treatment Act” to direct the Commission on Human Trafficking to broaden its current mission of developing public awareness of human trafficking to also include awareness of victim remedies and services and trafficking prevention, including the creation of a public awareness sign. The Commission would develop and determine the language for the public awareness sign, which must contain the national, 24-hour toll-free hotline telephone service on human trafficking operated pursuant to federal law.
“It is essential that we shine a light on the devastation of human trafficking and I am proud to enact legislation that will strengthen our mission to raise public awareness surrounding this pervasive issue,” said Governor Murphy. “We must remember that our battle against human trafficking extends far beyond this month as we commit to continuing the fight for fundamental human rights and freedoms.”
The bill also requires the sign to be posted, to the extent practicable, in places that are clearly conspicuous and visible to employees, as well as members of the public, in such establishments as strip clubs or sexually-oriented businesses; places of business of employers of massage or bodywork therapists; bars, hotels, motels, and similar places of public accommodation; and in airports, rail and bus stations, truck stops, and service and safety rest areas located along interstate highways, as well as on all forms of public transportation, including railroad and passenger cars. A business or establishment that does not comply with the bill’s requirement for posting signs would be liable for a civil penalty of $300 for a first offense and $1000 for each subsequent offense.
Primary sponsors of the bill include Assemblymembers Thomas Giblin, Britnee Timberlake, Annette Quijano, and Senators Tom Kean and Nicholas Scutari.
“The true prevalence of human trafficking cannot be confirmed by incomplete data,” said Assemblyman Tom Giblin. “As a result, we have to remain vigilant through public policy and committed to raising the level of public awareness.”
“Equipping people with the information to safely connect and refer a potential trafficking victim to the appropriate resources is crucial,” said Assemblywoman Britnee Timberlake. “We also have to do better to ensure there is no room for willful ignorance or complicity.”
“The trafficking hotline is one of the safest and most effective tools for victims to access emergency assistance,” said Assemblywoman Quijano. “Putting signage clearly displaying the hotline number all throughout our public spaces is, therefore, an incredibly important strategy to get those in crisis the help they need.”
“I am proud that this legislation will be enacted today, especially during Human Trafficking Awareness Month,” said Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean. “The more we raise awareness of human trafficking, including what it looks like, where it happens, and how to get help, the harder it will be for traffickers to get away with their despicable crimes.”
“Human trafficking is, unfortunately, more prevalent than people realize,” said Senator Nicholas Scutari. “Raising awareness about human trafficking is imperative and empowering the public to know the signs of someone in this scenario and how to report potential incidents will strengthen our efforts to combat this horrid practice.”
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Regional COVID-19 Vaccination Center in Rockaway Township and the Morris County COVID-19 Testing Center at the County College of Morris (CCM) will both be closed tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2, due to inclement weather.
All vaccination appointments scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2, at the Regional COVID-19 Vaccination Center at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall are rescheduled for Thursday, February 4, and individuals will be able to receive their vaccinations at the same time as their original Tuesday appointment.
All vaccination appointments that were canceled for today, Monday, February 1, have been rescheduled for Wednesday, February 3, at the same time as their original Monday appointment.
Everyone who had an appointment for a COVID-19 test that was canceled today, Monday, and tomorrow, Tuesday, at the testing center at CCM is urged to reschedule an appointment by clicking here.
PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will conduct its regularly scheduled council meeting Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held via a web conferencing program named WebEx. This program will allow the public to listen in to the meeting and to participate during the public portion session only. This program uses a “raise hand” button in the software to address those who wish to speak during the public portion.
Please be advised that in order for a member of the public to speak during the public portion, they will need to provide their first name, last name, email address, address and city accurately. Anyone not using their real name and address will not be allowed to speak during the public portion.
PARSIPPANY — Due to the winter weather, and out of an abundance of caution, Town Hall and municipal operations will be suspended Tuesday, February 2, 2021.
*Tomorrow’s Township Council Meeting will continue, as it is a virtual meeting*
Closures include but are not limited to:
All Town Hall operations. Zoning and Construction appointments are canceled and will have to be rescheduled. We apologize for this inconvenience.
Garbage, Recycling & Sanitation routes. Please take garbage and recycling away from curbs and streets so that crews can plow roadways.
Recycling Center.
Community Shuttle/Bus.
Community Center.
Food Pantry.
Health Department.
COVID-19 Testing Facility.
Municipal Court.
Remember parking on the road is not allowed, and will be subject to tickets and/or towing.
Please be safe and keep transportation to a minimum. To report power outages call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877), go to www.firstenergycorp.com and click the “Report Outage” link, or text OUT to 544487.
PARSIPPANY — Dear Parsippany-Troy Hills School Community,
Thanks so much for a very smooth reopening last week. It was great having everyone back and seeing the buildings back to life again. It was evident that everyone was glad to see friends and colleagues, and the many students that bring meaning to our work.
With schools re-opened, we’ve focused again on keeping our students and staff safe. COVID-19 didn’t go away while we were in Fully Remote status and it is an unfortunate reality that positive cases will continue to occur over the next several months. All of the protocols that were established in our Return to School Plan are still in place and we continually revise procedures as new NJ Department of Health guidelines are released.
With the winter season in full swing, the schools’ HVAC systems continue to play an important part in maintaining fresh air exchange in classrooms. All schools have adequate ventilation, including operational heating and fresh air exchange. Filter changes have been increased to quarterly which is more frequent than the manufacturer recommendations. Temperatures are set to maintain inside air temperatures at 70-72 degrees. Our normal range as specified by State guideline A4097 would be 68-79 degrees for acceptable occupancy temperatures. We never manually shut off any boilers or heating systems during the winter months. Several of our larger schools have automatic temperature setback capabilities, but this only reduces the indoor temperatures by 3-4 degrees and it would occur after normal building occupancy hours. Many staff members choose to open a window to increase fresh airflow in the classroom and this is certainly acceptable.
For those in our school community interested in health data, I encourage you to follow the data posted on the NJ Department of Health website by clicking here. This is updated weekly and breaks out data by region. We will not post a district data table. With more than 40% of our students attending as Fully Remote and health information for these students inconsistently reported, this puts us in the position of presenting incomplete data right from the start. We have reported cases of COVID at each impacted school since September and will continue to do so, as required by Governor Murphy’s Executive Order #192.
Here are a few additional informational points:
Friday, February 5 will be a ½ Afternoon Inservice Day. Principals will communicate schedules next week.
An Open Letter to the Community from our Board of Education – “Impact Housing Developments will have on our Schools” – is also posted on the district website and can be viewed here.
We’re excited that all of our schools have opened their school libraries for book exchange. Many schools are also hosting special literacy activities during the winter months to keep our readers connected to terrific stories.
Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility. We are learning and adapting more and more as the weeks go by. There are great things happening in our schools. I am immensely proud of the teaching and learning occurring in this school community each day.
Sincerely,
Barbara Sargent, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
PARSIPPANY — New York Institute of Technology congratulates more than 1,300 students who were named to the Fall 2020 Presidential Honor List. To qualify for the Presidential Honor List, a student must achieve a minimum semester GPA of 3.7 and complete at least 12 credit hours without any incomplete grades. Local students named include:
New York Institute of Technology offers 90 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs in more than 50 fields of study, including computer science, data, and cybersecurity; biology and biomedical studies; architecture and design; engineering; health professions and medicine; IT and digital technologies; management; communications and marketing; education and counseling; and energy and sustainability. A nonprofit, independent, private, and nonsectarian institute of higher education, the New York Institute of Technology welcomes more than 9,000 students worldwide. The university has campuses in New York City (Manhattan) and Long Island (Old Westbury), New York; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as programs around the world.
New York Institute of Technology embraces its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, give all qualified students access to opportunity, and support research and scholarship that benefit the larger world. More than 107,000 alumni comprise an engaged network of doers, makers, and innovators prepared to change the world, solve 21st-century challenges, and reinvent the future. For more information click here.
On Mount Pleasant Avenue in Whippany, right off Route 10 and basically a couple of miles from the border of Parsippany, you will find Zagursky’s Bar & Grill. A simple, non-descript looking white house, family-owned and operated, long time, neighborhood watering hole and sports bar, Zagursky’s is a true throwback type bar and restaurant, with friendly and welcoming service, delicious food, cold beer, and a nice pour. One of those “where everyone knows your name” places. Originally opened in 1945 by Anna and John Zagursky, and currently run by grandsons, Bobby “Stitch” Yannotta and Kevin “KP” Yannotta, this family tradition continues. The moment you walk in you can feel the high energy of this sports-style bar scene, filled with lots of laughter, good friends, and lively conversation. After three generations of providing their most loyal and regular customers with great bar food you can be confident, they are doing something special.
Crispy and crunchy on the outside, moist, and juicy inside, cooked to medium with fresh toppings of lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles, all firmly held together with a sesame seed bun. While the others were deciding on their orders Stitch happened to mention that he had just made fresh Kielbasa that day, so by special request he came up with his first time ever, creative Kielbasa and sauerkraut slider. Well, that slider is a keeper, moist, tender, and perfectly seasoned Kielbasa offset with the slightly sour, tangy bite of the sauerkraut. After all this great food, accompanied by a very cold and fresh tasting tap beer, I could not eat another bite. We all left with our stomachs full, a smile on our faces, and a promise to return very soon.
