PARSIPPANY — For over 50 years, the firefighters of the Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire Company have escorted Santa Claus on Christmas Eve to deliver toys and candy to all the children of Parsippany Fire District #2.
Unfortunately, this tradition was canceled this year due to COVID-19.
Instead, the RLVFC used the resources and effort for the Santa Tour to sponsor four local families in need for Christmas.
Gifts consisting of clothes, housewares, toys, and other goodies were delivered to each family earlier this week.
The RLVFC would like to thank the community for their support throughout the year, at events like the Fish & Chips Dinner, Fall Plants Sale, and Fund Drive.
It is your support that allowed us to brighten Christmas for four great families this year.
On behalf of the RLVFC, we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and a happy and healthy 2021!
PARSIPPANY — Senator Joe Pennacchio, Assemblyman Jay Webber & Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce announce their reelection bids for State Senate & General Assembly in legislative district 26.
“I am excited to announce my reelection campaign today. The challenges that face New Jersey are great. As Governor Murphy fumbles the response to COVID-19 – leaving our seniors vulnerable & thousands dead all the while strangling our economy and our small businesses. It is more important than ever to have legislators in Trenton to stand up to the failed Murphy Administration,” said State Senator Joe Pennacchio.
Assemblyman Jay Webber commented, “New Jerseyans deserve a freer, fairer, more prosperous home. Phil Murphy and his Trenton friends won’t and can’t provide that — they are consumed by their high-tax, big-spend, and careless-debt agenda. The antidote to that agenda isn’t necessarily easy, but it is simple. Put taxpayers — not the government — first, protect our most vulnerable, and champion those who are too often forgotten: our constituents who play by the rules and ask only a fair shake from their government.”
“I have never been more energized to continue my work in Trenton. Work to support our small business community. Work to grow our economy. Work to stop the never-ending tax increases and out-of-control government spending. Work to invest in our critical infrastructure. Now more than ever, we need legislators in Trenton that are looking out for New Jersey families,” added Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce.
About Joe Pennacchio
Senator Joe Pennacchio
Senator Pennacchio was elected to represent the 26th District from the New Jersey State Senate on January 8, 2008, and was re-elected in 2011, 2013, and 2017. Prior to serving in the State Senate, Joe Pennacchio was elected to the New Jersey State Assembly from 2000 to 2008. He has currently been assigned to the Senate Economic Growth Committee, as well as the Senate Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Senator Pennacchio is a former member of the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee and the Senate Transportation Committee. Pennacchio has been named to the Senate Republican Leadership Team as the Senate Republican Whip.
Senator Pennacchio has been at the forefront of Transparency in Government with his efforts to bring a comprehensive, inclusive website to New Jersey. Taxpayers would be able to see how each and every dollar is being spent in a timely, user-friendly manner on an easy-to-use website; a useful tool in cutting wasteful, questionable spending. His pending legislation would also bring transparency to all levels of government. Currently, Pennacchio is fighting to protect our children by addressing bullying in our schools, working to create a New Jersey Innocence Study and Review Commission, and on the forefront of fusion technology in the Garden State. Previously, Pennacchio secured 600 acres of the former Greystone tract for Morris County to be used in perpetuity for open space and recreation. The Senator has been an outspoken advocate for his lake communities, both Greenwood Lake and Lake Hopatcong, and his office has also been very engaged in infrastructure projects located in his Essex County communities.
During his initial tenure in Trenton, he worked closely with both the Legislature and Administration in crafting and passing legislation. Much of this legislation was directed at protecting taxpayers and improving the lives of New Jersey’s children. The legislation was signed into law establishing court awarded kinship legal guardianship status, making it easier for family members to become legal guardians of children, which has become a national model, as well as legislation now law that protects orphans and their investments.
State radio station 101.5 recently called Senator Pennacchio “A Republican with principals and courage.” The Senator has been recognized as a “Taxpayer Champion” by the New Jersey Taxpayer Alliance, an “Advocate for Open Government” by the New Jersey Taxpayers Association, and a “Guardian of Small Business” from the New Jersey Federation of Independent Business. He has received an “A” rating from Americans for Prosperity who rate legislators based on their votes to keep New Jersey an affordable, prosperous, and safe place to work and live. The Senator is a retired Dentist. He and his wife Diane live in Montville Township.
About BettyLou DeCroce
Bettylou DeCroce
Assemblywoman DeCroce has extensive governmental experience spanning the local, county, and state levels – Councilwoman in Mine Hill; Municipal Clerk and Deputy Township Manager in Roxbury; First Chairwoman of Morris County Joint Insurance Fund; Deputy Commissioner of the NJ Department of Community Affairs.
In addition to her public sector experience, Assemblywoman DeCroce brings a small business perspective to the Legislature as President and Owner of Gallo & DeCroce Realtors, a real estate firm in Morris County for over forty-six years. She is also President of ABL Holding Company, LLC, a home construction company.
DeCroce was honored as one of the 50 Best Women in Business by NJBIZ and was an NJ Monthly Magazine finalist for Leading Woman Entrepreneur and Business Owner. She was also chosen to participate in The Emerging Leaders Program at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business Administration.
She has received numerous legislative awards, including the NJ Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Legislator of the Year; Defender of the Taxpayer; Guardian of the Family; MC Chamber of Commerce Public Leadership Award; Conservative Achievement Award; Boy Scouts of America Good Scout Award; Displaced Homemakers Network Outstanding Service Award; African American Chamber of Commerce Women Who Empower Award and Guardian of Small Business Award.
About Jay Webber
Assemblyman Jay Webber
Jay Webber is married to Johanna, and together the couple has eight children, ages one to 18. The Webbers live in Morris Plains, where Jay serves as a Trustee at St. Virgil Parish and is a swim dad for his daughters and a baseball coach for his sons. Jay owns and operates his own small business in Whippany, practicing law with Webber McGill.
Jay was raised in Clifton and attended St. Joseph Regional High School in Montvale and later The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School, where, most importantly, he met his classmate and future bride, Johanna.
Assemblyman Webber proudly represents the residents of the 26th District in the New Jersey General Assembly. Assemblyman Webber authored the landmark Safer Schools law to protect our children and stop the problem of child predators getting jobs in schools. Jay also authored a crucial law that supports shelters for women in crisis and the communities that house them. For his legislative service, Assemblyman Webber has earned the Fairfield Police Faith & Honor Award; Outstanding Legislator of the Year Award from the Society for Environmental Economic Development; Guardian of Small Business Award; and Taxpayer Hero Award.
For his strong leadership, Assemblyman Webber has been called “the conservative conscience of the State Legislature” and “the man Democrats least want to see stand on the other side of a floor argument.” One media outlet described Assemblyman Webber’s service during the pandemic as an “inveterate watchdog mode to provide a check to Democrats’ spending.”
Jay serves on the Reagan Ranch Board of Governors, which is dedicated to preserving President Reagan’s former ranch in Santa Barbara, California as a place of learning and inspiration for generations to come. He also was a Fellow of the Aspen Institute’s Rodel Fellowships in Public Leadership, which convenes the nation’s political leaders with reputations for intellect, thoughtfulness, and commitment to civil dialogue.
PARSIPPANY — Diana Palmieri Arvidson started a petition for the town to reject the sale of Foodtown to Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG, a German international discount supermarket chain that operates over 10,000 stores across Europe and the United States.
Sign the petition to let Lidl know some of the area residents don’t want them to replace Foodtown.
“Our community wants to keep Foodtown and the local store owner and pharmacy who know many of us by name. We want a store that has a deli, fresh fish, and meat; not one that sells packaged goods,” said Palmieri.
It is not in the best interest of our community to lose their local grocery store for almost two years for a store with unknown brands and only packaged food.
It’s not what we want!
Sign the petition to Let Lidl know you won’t shop in their store.
PARSIPPANY — Saint Andrew Lutheran Church in Parsippany celebrates 20 years with our talented Minister of Music, Don Ehrmann, as he offers his annual Christmas Concert to you online this year, as we can not offer this wonderful holiday gift in person. Don has carefully selected 11 arrangements from contemporary musicians, and written one arrangement himself, utilizing at least 2 Christmas carols in each medley; never repeating a carol. We hope that you enjoy this Christmas concert, play it many times during the holiday season, and invite your friends to enjoy it too. We rejoice that we have been gifted with Don’s musical talents these past 20 years and look forward to enjoying many more years celebrating the love of God with Us, Emmanuel. You can learn more about at https://www.elcaAndy.org, or follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/St.Andrew.Lu… .
PARSIPPANY — Ryan P. Conklin, AICP, PP, GISP joined H2M architects + engineers as Senior Project Planner at H2M. Beginning on November 23, he started working out of the Parsippany, office. Previously Conklin was Principal at Collaborative Concepts LLC. Long Valley. Conklin currently resides in Long Valley.
About H2M: Celebrating over 85 years, H2M is a full-service consulting and design firm offering the expertise of more than 480 architects, engineers (water supply, civil/site, structural, M/E/P, wastewater and environmental), planners, designers, inspectors, surveyors, and scientists. Our professionals combine their technical experience and specialized market knowledge and respond to our clients’ needs. H2M is proud of its long history of client service and consistent ability to meet architectural, engineering, and environmental challenges head-on. H2M offers a practical approach, with creative results. For more information click here.
PARSIPPANY — Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC) Parsippany Center participated in a food drive by donating 185 pounds of non-perishable food items to Parsippany Emergency Food Pantry.
Parsippany Community Center’s food pantry, located on 1130 Knoll Road, helps meet the needs of the local community by supplying food and essentials to help improve quality of life.
SRLC is an initiative of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur to offer service and bring joy to the lives of the underserved sections of society. Inspired by Shrimad Rajchandraji and guided by Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshbhai, SRLC’s holistic, multi-pronged community support and development programs are powered by genuine empathy, love, and care of highly motivated volunteers.
The year 2020 unfolded challenges that will mark history for coming generations, and yet the world demonstrated unity in diversity in these unprecedented times! This small act of kindness is a reflection of the underlying values SRLC is passionate about. The volunteers and donors were privileged to contribute to the local community’s well being through this food drive.
PARSIPPANY — Local Hino, Fuso, and Lion Electric Truck Dealership chose to salute some of the true heroes of 2020 in a heartfelt Holiday video tribute.
Truck drivers are among those who are risking their personal health and putting in hard work and hours to bring products to stores, hospitals, businesses, etc., so H.K. Truck Center wanted to figure out a way to thank them. Although this year has been difficult for so many, it was brought to light how important truck drivers are – especially during a global pandemic.
The heartfelt holiday video highlights the simple, yet the ebullient tradition of the trucker’s salute – something that put a smile on children and truck driver’s faces, everywhere.
“After a year like 2020, we felt it would be appropriate to show our thanks to the brave, hardworking truckers that have stepped up during these tumultuous times. It just so happened that we had been wondering, ‘Whatever happened to people asking truck drivers to honk their horns?’ We couldn’t help but follow through with this concept.”
In addition to the video, they’ve included a submission form for truck drivers to submit their trucker’s salute stories from their travels throughout their careers to pass on the positive vibes. Their stories will be featured on H.K. Truck Center’s Facebook page, so if you’d like to check out these stories, follow them on Facebook.
About H.K. Truck Center
Located in Parsippany and South Plainfield, H.K. Truck Center offers new and used commercial medium-duty truck sales; commercial medium-duty truck service, repair, and maintenance; a dedicated parts department with a huge inventory of OEM parts; convenient truck rentals; and exceptional truck leasing opportunities through NationaLease. They are committed to excellence and serving their customers as the ultimate one-stop-shop.
H.K. Truck Center is a member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce.
PARSIPPANY — In an effort to improve the distribution process, Table of Hope will now distribute food through a digital registration system in Parsippany starting January 8, 2021.
All food recipients will be required to register a full name with the number of members in their family. You will be sent a confirmation email once registration is complete.
Please bring the email with you when you come to pick up your food. You can either print it or show us a copy on your phone.
This process will help us better understand the appropriate amount of food to supply to the community. Your participation is greatly appreciated.
PARSIPPANY — COVID-19 is not taking the holidays off. In fact, most health experts are warning that the next several weeks will be the most challenging our country has faced during this pandemic, precisely from our traditions of getting together this time of year. It’s on EACH of us…to protect ALL of us.
MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 210. The Order extends the Public Health Emergency that was declared on March 9, through Executive Order No. 103, which was previously extended on April 7, May 6, June 4, July 2, August 1, August 27, September 25, October 24, and November 21. Under the Emergency Health Powers Act, a declared public health emergency expires after 30 days unless renewed.
“While vaccines are beginning to arrive in New Jersey, the COVID-19 pandemic is still enveloping our state,” said Governor Murphy.“As we continue to fight this public health crisis, we require the ability to utilize all resources necessary to keep New Jerseyans safe.”
Executive Order No. 210 extends all Executive Orders issued under the Governor’s authority under the Emergency Health Powers Act. It also extends all actions taken by any Executive Branch departments and agencies in response to the Public Health Emergency presented by the COVID-19 outbreak.
For the full text of Executive Order No. 210, click here.
