DeCroce Says Murphy’s Blanket Orders for All Restaurants are the Incorrect Response to COVID-19

Frank L. Cahill
-
0
DeCroce Says Murphy’s Blanket Orders for All Restaurants are the Incorrect Response to COVID-19

MORRIS COUNTY — Gov. Murphy’s added restrictions for restaurants statewide is an unwise shotgun approach that will add to the burden of an important business sector that contributes tremendously to the state economy, said Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R- Morris, Essex Passaic).

Murphy’s latest edict in reaction to an uptick in Covid-19 cases requires virtually all restaurants to erect plexiglass barriers around dining tables that are less than six feet apart – and greater restrictions on bar areas. DeCroce says the cost of those barriers is prohibitive for many small restaurants that are barely making ends meet now.

“Another blanket and costly regulation for restaurant owners is not the appropriate response to the Covid-19 virus; especially with the cold winter months approaching. The governor needs to use a scalpel, not a shotgun,” said DeCroce.

DeCroce said the state should use some of the federal Cares Act money to help restaurants pay the costs of the barriers and new regulations. ‘With the capacity limits already in place on bars and restaurants, the burden placed on business owners to finance more state-imposed regulations is prohibitive.”

CONCENTRATE ON HOT SPOTS
The assemblywoman noted that the vast majority of coronavirus cases are concentrated in six-counties. She said the governor’s new order should be implemented where the virus cases are the highest and see if the order succeeds in lowering the rate of infection.

DeCroce noted that Essex, Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, and Union counties all have in excess of 20,000 cases. Morris County has had half that number of cases, while Sussex County and other western counties along with the state’s most southern county — Cape May – have fewer than 2,000 Covid-19 cases.

“We need to work with all the facts and with the emerging science and consider the economic impacts of what the state is proposing,” said the Assemblywoman. The restaurant industry affects more than 348,000 jobs in New Jersey, according to the National Restaurant Association.

DeCroce noted that Dr. Anthony Fauci told the American Medical Association today that SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and various new treatments for COVID-19 may be on their way even before 2020 ends. Stocks hit all-time highs Monday after Pfizer and BioNTech announced that a vaccine candidate has a more than 90% effectiveness rate preventing COVID-19. “The governor’s office should take note of these developments,” said DeCroce

SEND BUSINESS A LIFELINE
DeCroce added that the governor should immediately release $450 million of federal CARES Act funds to support small businesses in New Jersey and not use the money to prop up the state budget.

“Through no fault of their own, many small businesses were forced to close their doors or curtail their business. If there is federal money to help those businesses that are hanging on, the state has an obligation to help them,” said DeCroce.

“The governor should be throwing small businesses a lifeline, not an anchor,” she added.
“State officials need to start thinking about what our community landscape is going to look like, and what our state economy is going to look like when we pull out of the pandemic. We don’t want to leave behind a barren wasteland of closed businesses and broken dreams,” said DeCroce.

Murphy’s Latest Restaurant Lockdown Seems Arbitrary, says Bergen

Frank L. Cahill
-
0
Murphy’s Latest Restaurant Lockdown Seems Arbitrary, says Bergen

MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Brian Bergen questioned Gov. Phil Murphy’s order Monday for restaurants to stop indoor dining by 10:00 p.m.

“What makes it any more dangerous to eat indoors at 10:00 p.m. than at 7:00 p.m.?” asked Bergen (R-Morris). “I would pay to see the data.”

At a Monday briefing on the virus, Murphy said that restaurants, bars, clubs, lounges, and casinos will no longer be able to serve food or alcohol indoors between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

Bergen said that Murphy should not be the sole arbiter of statewide decisions.

“I put a bill up months ago that would require Governor Murphy to involve the legislature in his decision making,” said Bergen. “The majority party refused to hear it and now here we are again with the governor unilaterally picking and choosing which industries to target.”

On May 11, Bergen introduced legislation (A4147) that would require the governor to seek legislative approval for executive orders that would last beyond 14 days. Democrats voted it down when Republicans motioned for its passage at an Assembly session in June.

“Mark my words, this is the governor’s shot across the bow of shutting us down again,” predicted Bergen. “How long can we live under complete autonomous rule by one man? It is time the legislature restores checks and balances on the governor.”

Sarah Lepre, Parsippany High School Senior, Finalist in Broadway World Competition

Frank L. Cahill
-
0
Sarah Lepre, Parsippany High School Senior, Finalist in Broadway World Competition

PARSIPPANY — Sarah Lepre, Parsippany High School senior, is a finalist in the BroadwayWorld Next on Stage High School competition. It is an online musical theatre singing competition for student performers sponsored by Broadway Records.

BroadwayWorld.com invited high school students to submit videos of themselves performing a song from the musical theatre canon to enter the competition. Each week, live shows on Facebook with Broadway judges provided feedback and out of several thousand applicants, Sarah has made it to the top three finalists.

Sarah needs your votes!  Inspired by your favorite network TV singing contests, the winner is chosen through popular vote. Voting begins on Monday, November 9 at 11:00 a.m., and ends Thursday, November 12 at midnight.  The finals will be live-streamed on Facebook on Friday, November 13 at 8:00 p.m.!  Click here, watch Sarah’s new video, scroll down to the bottom and enter your email address to vote.

Sarah has been involved in theatre and singing since she was 9 years old.  She plans on pursuing a career in musical theatre in college next year. “Musical theatre is artistic freedom through music, acting, and dance that makes me and many others feel powerful, even at its darkest moments.”

The winner will receive a Broadway prize pack with merchandise from the BroadwayWorld Theatre Shop, CDs from Broadway Records, and $1000 to a charity of their choosing, and the first-place winner will also have the opportunity to record a single, to be released by Broadway Records, with the profits from the recording being donated to The Actors Fund.

Parsippany High School Closed Due to COVID-19; All Students Will Learn Remotely

Frank L. Cahill
-
0
Parsippany High School Closed Due to COVID-19; All Students Will Learn Remotely

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Township School District has been informed that multiple individuals at Parsippany High School have tested positive for COVID-19.

Given the NJ Department of Health guidance, and in coordination with local health officials, the district will enact distance learning for all students and staff at Parsippany High School only, effective Monday, November 9.

All other schools in the district will operate in their current status. Parsippany High school will be closed for on-site instruction for fourteen days and we will follow our remote learning plan from Monday, November 9 through Friday, November 20. Parsippany High School will reopen for in-person learning for staff and students on Monday, November 23.

The following will be enacted immediately:

All self-contained programs at Parsippany High School will be fully remote until Monday, November 23.

Students will have NO access to the building during this time.

All extracurricular and athletic programs are canceled during the two-week closure. There will be no practices or games held. Students should NOT gather indoors with friends. The custodial staff will thoroughly clean and sanitize all classrooms.

The PHS virtual schedule will be as follows:
Class 1 7:40 – 8:23 43 minutes
Class 2 8:27 – 9:08 41 minutes
Class 3 9:12 – 9:53 41 minutes
Class 4 9:57 – 10:38 41 minutes
LUNCH – NO LABS 10:38 – 11:28 50 minutes
Class 5 11:32 – 12:13 41 minutes
Class 6 12:17 – 12:58 41 minutes
Class 7 1:02 – 1:43 41 minutes
Class 8 1:47 – 2:28 41 minutes

Friday, November 13, and Friday, November 20 will still be “Virtual Fridays” set aside for tutorials, Teacher Office Hours, and other meetings at the teachers’ discretion.

We regret the disruption this presents to our students and staff; however, it is imperative that we adhere to the NJ Department of Health and local health guidelines for the safety of our school community. Please continue to assist us by remaining vigilant and sensible in your approach to dealing with this health crisis.

Sincerely,
Dr. Barbara Sargent
Superintendent of Schools

Individual at Knollwood School Tested Positive for COVID-19

Focus contributor
-
0
Individual at Knollwood School Tested Positive for COVID-19

PARSIPPANY — A letter from Dr. Barbara Sargent

Dear Knollwood School Community,

This letter is to inform you that an individual at Knollwood School has tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The District is coordinating closely with public health officials and following CDC, state, and local health department guidance in order to assure the health and safety of our community. If you were in close contact with the individual you will receive a separate notification from your local Health Department.

Cleaning and disinfecting of all exposed areas have been completed.

We understand the level of concern regarding COVID-19. We encourage all community members to continue following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promoted safeguards, such as:

•      Staying home when you are sick;
•      Washing hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds;
•      Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues;
•      Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drinks, and utensils;
•      Practicing social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart);
•      Wearing a face covering while in school; and
Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms.

As always, we appreciate our community’s support and cooperation. You can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern. Should you have any questions about this situation, please feel free to contact Mrs. Merisa Rosa – (973) 263-7060. Below are some resources that might be helpful.

RESOURCES

a. NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public: (click here)

b. Get the Facts about Coronavirus: (click here)

c. Symptoms of COVID-19: (click here)

d. Testing: (click here)

e. How to Protect Yourself: (click here)

f. What to Do if You Are Sick: (click here)

Sincerely,
Barbara Sargent, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Updated Results: Becchi vs. Sherrill

Frank L. Cahill
-
0
Updated Results: Becchi vs. Sherrill

PARSIPPANY — The Associated Press called the race early, and U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill responded gratefully, but challenger Rosemary Becchi is not conceding defeat in the 11th District Congressional race.

In Morris County, a total of 287,000 votes were cast.  So far 150,000 were counted. (Approximately 52%) The remaining votes still need to be counted. The below results are as of Friday, November 6, 2020, at 3:07 p.m. The ballots are being counted at a rate of approximately 25,000 per day. They don’t work on Sunday. This means results most likely won’t be finalized until later this week.

According to a statement by Morris County Republican Committee  “over 11,900 more Republicans have returned their ballots than the Democrats.”

In Passaic County and Essex County, the below results are the final unofficial results.

At last count, Sherrill held a 156,220 vote count over Becchi’s 113,694 tallies.

 

 

Lightbridge Academy Makes Donation to Parsippany PAL

Frank L. Cahill
-
0
Lightbridge Academy Makes Donation to Parsippany PAL

PARSIPPANY — Lightbridge Academy, 24 South Jefferson Road, Whippany, made a $500.00 donation to Parsippany PAL to purchase PPE supplies.

Pictured above is Sam Yodice, PAL Executive Director; Sandy Zazzera, Director Lightbridge Academy of Whippany; Manisha Miles, Lightbridge Academy of Whippany; and James Garrick, PAL President.

Lightbridge Academy offers a unique Circle of Care, in which the needs of parents are as important as the care and education of their children. For more information click here.

Table of Hope to Conduct Thanksgiving Food Distribution at CCM

Frank L. Cahill
-
0
Table of Hope to Conduct Thanksgiving Food Distribution at CCM

MORRIS COUNTY — Table of Hope, with the support of local officials, businesses, agencies, and volunteers, will be holding a Thanksgiving food distribution, including turkeys, fresh produce, can goods, and dairy for a holiday meal, at County College of Morris (CCM) on Saturday, November 21.

The food distribution, open to Morris County residents, takes place from 10:30 a.m. to noon in Parking Lot 1 on the CCM campus. Visitors are asked to use CCM’s Center Grove Road entrance. The distribution will operate as a no-questions-asked, contactless drive-through event with cars stopping at different food stations categorized by food type. Visitors only need to open the trunk of their car to have boxes of food placed there by volunteers. Also to be distributed are hats and gloves for the colder months.

This is the third food distribution event Table of Hope is holding at CCM in partnership with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Supporting organizations include Alstede Farm and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. Serving as volunteers will be about 60 CCM faculty, staff, and students, along with college administrators.

Those who would like to make a contribution to meet the goal of providing 600 turkeys for distribution can mail a check to Alstede Farms, LLC, Post Office Box 278, Chester, New Jersey 07930 and write “TOH Turkey” in the Memo field.

A holiday toy drive also is being held in conjunction with the Thanksgiving food distribution. New, unopened toys can be brought to CCM’s Department of Public Safety near Parking Lot 10 on the college campus. Toy donations are being accepted through November 20.

The previous Table of Hope event at CCM, held in August, provided backpacks with school supplies for children to help them start their school year strong, along with food. The first event, held in June, had New Jersey First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, State Senator Anthony M. Bucco, and Freeholders John Krickus and Steve Shaw serving as volunteers.

Shortly after COVID-19 struck, Rev. Dr. Sidney Williams, pastor of Bethel Church of Morristown, converted the Table of Hope bus that was used to pick up food for its pantry and soup kitchen so it could be utilized for mobile food distribution. Williams is the founder of the Spring Street Community Development Corporation that operates Table of Hope and other programs to improve the lives of individuals and families in Morris County.

“We are delighted to partner once again with CCM so families throughout Morris County can enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner,” said Williams.

“We’re delighted to host this event to help those in need during a very difficult and challenging time so they can have a true Thanksgiving,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, CCM president. “We’re proud to partner once again with Table of Hope and Morris County’s Freeholders, Chamber of Commerce, Sheriff’s Office, Alstede Farms, and others to ensure people can put food on their tables. It makes us proud to be part of a community that truly cares for its own.”

In March, Table of Hope began operating weekly mobile food distribution programs in Morristown, Parsippany, and Dover, along with additional grocery supply events in other Morris County communities. Prior to COVID-19, its pantry in Morristown served about 65 people weekly. The number now being served each week at each mobile distribution event averages 1,000 to 1,500 individuals, reports Teresa Williams, executive director of the Spring Street Community Development Center. To date, more than 18,500 individuals and families have been helped and over 899,300 pounds of food has been distributed.

The Table of Hope soup kitchen has continued to provide dinners but as a take-out service during the pandemic. Table of Hope receives food from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside, local farms, and foodservice companies. To volunteer or make a donation, visit the Spring Street CDC website by clicking here.

Along with Table of Hope, numerous other services are available to assist residents in Morris County’s 39 municipalities who are in need of food. A list of available food services, including food pantries, volunteer shopper organizations, meal delivery services, and take-out meal services, can be found by clicking here.

Individual at Lake Hiawatha School Tested Positive for COVID-19

Focus contributor
-
0
Individual at Lake Hiawatha School Tested Positive for COVID-19

PARSIPPANY — A message from Dr. Barbara Sargent to Lake Hiawatha School Community:

This letter is to inform you that an individual at Lake Hiawatha School has tested positive for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The District is coordinating closely with public health officials and following CDC, state, and local health department guidance in order to assure the health and safety of our community. If you were in close contact with the individual you will receive a separate notification from your local Health Department.

Cleaning and disinfecting of all exposed areas have been completed.

We understand the level of concern regarding COVID-19. We encourage all community members to continue following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promoted safeguards, such as:

•      Staying home when you are sick;
•      Washing hands often with soap for at least 20 seconds;
•      Covering coughs and sneezes and properly disposing of tissues;
•      Limiting close contact with people who are sick and not sharing food, drinks, and utensils;
•      Practicing social distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart);
•      Wearing a face covering while in school; and
•      Continuing to monitor your health for symptoms.

As always, we appreciate our community’s support and cooperation. You can assist us by remaining vigilant but sensible in your approach to dealing with this health concern. Should you have any questions about this situation, please feel free to contact Mr. Steve Figurelli – 973-263-4344. Below are some resources that might be helpful.

RESOURCES

a. NJDOH COVID-19 Information for Communities and the General Public: (click here)

b. Get the Facts about Coronavirus: (click here)

c. Symptoms of COVID-19: (click here)

d. Testing: (click here)

e. How to Protect Yourself: (click here)

f. What to Do if You Are Sick: (click here)

Sincerely,
Barbara Sargent, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

Construction and Building Departments at Town Hall Closed

Frank L. Cahill
-
0
Construction and Building Departments at Town Hall Closed

PARSIPPANY — A close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has occurred at the first-floor level of the Municipal Building.

The Construction and Building departments at Town Hall are closed until November 16, 2020.

If you have any questions related to Building & Construction, please email PTHConstruction@parsippany.net.

For questions related to zoning, please email jvealey@parsippany.net.

Due to HIPAA laws, the Township is unable to provide further details on the positive case.

1...327328329...1,167Page 328 of 1,167