PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Rescue & Recovery Unit Presents “An Evening of Messages with Medium Catherine McCall.” The event will be held on Saturday, June 29th. Dinner is served at 5:00 p.m., and reading begins at 6:00 p.m. Rescue and Recovery is located at 4 Volunteers Court, Lake Hiawatha.

Catherine McCall is a spiritual medium and intuitive based in Dover. She has been a professional medium since 2007. Catherine discovered her abilities at a young age and has dedicated her life to connecting people with their loved ones who have passed on. She uses her skills in clairvoyance (seeing), clairaudience (hearing), and clairsentience (feeling) to communicate with the spirit world.

Her journey into mediumship began with personal experiences of seeing and hearing spirits, including a life-changing moment in her 30s when she heard the voice of her deceased grandmother. This moment motivated her to pursue a mediumship professionally. Catherine’s sessions often include detailed messages, names, dates, and other specific information that help clarify and comfort her clients. She also extends her mediumship to include communication with pets who have crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

Ticket Information: $55 per person (includes Pasta Dinner) or Reserve a Table of 10 for $500.00. Payment Options Venmo or PayPal.

For Additional Information, please contact Vicki Sanford at (973) 703-4194 or Nicolas Limonav at (917) 499-7299.

Mail Checks to:
PO Box 45, Lake Hiawatha, NJ 07034
Checks must be received by June 24th
Please put your name in the subject and how many tickets you purchased.

MORRIS COUNTY — Impact100 Garden State, an all-women group for collective giving, awarded four organizations grants of $100,000 each when members voted at the group’s annual awards meeting on Wednesday, June 5, at the Birchwood Manor in Hanover Township.

The grants were awarded based on a vote by Impact100 Garden State members.

The recipients are:

Cheshire Home, a provider of short-term rehabilitation for adults with spinal injuries and neurological impairments, for its program “Helping Paralyzed Young Adults Rise&Walk Again.”

Comfort Zone Camp for its program “Free New Jersey Bereavement Camp Where Children Learn to Grieve, Heal and Grow.”

The Institute of Music for Children for its program “Arts Access for High-Need Children.”

Table to Table for its program “Food Rescue Heroes: Bridging the Gap Between Food Waste and Hunger.”

The three remaining finalists each received a $3,000 Merit Grant. They are:

Housing Partnership for Morris County

Passaic County Community College Foundation

Rebuilding Together North Jersey

The all-women, all-volunteer Impact100 Garden State organization pools member contributions to make high-impact grants. Since it began grant-giving in 2013, the group has donated more than $3.5 million to area nonprofits. This year, a record membership of 408 women allowed Impact100 Garden State to give four $100,000 grants for the first time.

“Our collective giving circle empowers each member to give to others in a meaningful way, creating a strong team of female philanthropists,” says Impact100 Garden State President Celeste Campos of Warren. “We work together collaboratively, and in doing so, we have created a true community of women. All women are welcome to join us!”

To learn more, click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Join the session to learn more about navigating the key legal issues facing older adults. Experts will cover topics such as estate planning, advanced directives, government benefit programs, services available, information on long-term care, and payment options. The discussion will also address geriatric care issues at home, including planning and modifications, conducting a home safety assessment, and policy issues facing older adults.

An informational session will be followed by a robust Q-and-A session where experts will answer questions and provide resources.

When: July 16, 2024, 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Where: In person at NJ Law Center, One Constitution Square, New Brunswick, and virtually via Zoom
Free and Open to the Public
Sponsored and Hosted by the New Jersey State Bar Foundation
Presented by the NJSBA Elder and Disability Law Section

Agenda

• 9:30 – 9:45: Registration and Breakfast
• 9:55 – 10:00: Welcome ~ Charlie J. Stoia, NJSBF President, Porzio, Bromberg & Newman
• 10:00 – 10:15: Basics of Estate Planning ~ Mark Friedman, Esq., Friedman Law
• 10:15 – 10:30: Basics of Long-Term Care ~ Ryann Siclari, Esq., LL.M. (Elder Law), CELA, Porzio, Bromberg & Newman
• 10:30 – 10:45: Home Care Program Options ~ Amy Brown, New Jersey Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman
• 10:45 – 11:00: Choosing and Modifying a Home to Age in Place ~ Trish Barbosa, RN-CN, CCM, Certified Geriatric Care Manager, Peace Aging Care Experts, LLC
• 11:00 – 12:00: Questions and Answers

PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills has announced that it has successfully acquired a 5.4-acre property on Knoll Road, the Kosut tract. This significant purchase, completed on June 12th, marks the final property acquisition needed to secure the project area, surrounded by over 11 acres of existing Township open space. The Township plans to implement conservation activities and establish a new passive Township park on the site, further enhancing the community’s green spaces.

The acquisition, valued at $1.9 million, was made possible through the generous support of various funding sources. A New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres matching grant and two grants from the Morris County Municipal and Charitable Conservancy Trust Fund contributed a combined total of $1,450,000. The Township’s Open Space funds covered the remaining balance, showcasing a strong local commitment to land preservation and community improvement.

The Kosut tract is located on Knoll Road across from the Boonton Reservoir (the Jersey City Reservoir). The property surrounding the Kosut Tract is already owned by the Township and makes up the 11.1-acre Fieldfair Property. The Kosut Tract is the final parcel of land required to complete the Fieldfair Property. The acquisition of the Kosut Tract has been a long-time goal of the Township.

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Library launched a partnership with coLAB Arts to produce oral histories and photo essays documenting the local and immigrant experiences of the Asian community. With the support of a Morris County Heritage Commission re-grant award, oral histories, and photos were created and will be displayed at a public exhibition hosted by the library. The library will host a reception for this project on Wednesday, July 10th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The photographer for this project is Shravya Kag. Shravya is a queer, brown photo and video documentarian based in Brooklyn, New York. Born and raised in Vijayawada, India, she moved to Brooklyn in 2015 and received a Master’s in Photography from the School of Visual Arts. Captivated by oral histories and how they can shape a culture, her work is an exploration of home, identity, and personal space, mainly focusing on the intimate and interpersonal stories of people of color and queer people. Shravya’s work has been internationally commended and exhibited at locations such as Somerset House London, Photoville, and Art Space NYC and featured in publications like Vogue India and NY Times.

All oral histories will be annotated by coLAB Arts’ research team with support from Professor Karen Pechilis, Professor of Religious Studies and NEH Distinguished Professor of Humanities at Drew University. Annotation research is intended to provide historical and social context for the oral history collection through sourcing policy, legislation, and journalism. The finished project will serve as an open-source archive for researchers, policymakers, and storytellers who wish to understand Parsippany’s immigrant experience better.
This project is meant to directly benefit the community reflected in its stories, to provide an increased sense of place and identity, and to facilitate conversations around what makes Parsippany a resilient and safe space for immigrants to create a home.
 
Photos can be viewed by clicking here.

MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey’s youth suicide rate is lower than the nation’s, but it has unfortunately trended up over the last decade, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn said.

A new report required under legislation sponsored by Assemblywoman Aura Dunn and cleared by an Assembly committee this week focuses on the causes contributing to the increase.

“To significantly reduce and hopefully eliminate youth suicides in New Jersey, legislators need to understand better why it is happening,” Dunn (R-Morris) said. “Do we need more mental health support in schools? Should pediatricians screen teens for suicide risk? How many children had increased suicidal thoughts while taking antidepressants? These are questions that I am hopeful this report will help answer so that we can reach kids sooner, get them the right help, and save lives.”

The bill (A3198) directs the state’s health commissioner to work with the Department of Children and Families, the Department of Human Services, and the New Jersey Youth Suicide Prevention Advisory Council to study the causes of youth suicide and associated risk factors like mental illness and substance abuse.

Ninety-four New Jersey youth ages 10 to 24 died by suicide in 2021, making it the second leading cause of death among that age range in the Garden State, Dunn said.

“Every year, thousands of young people end up needing emergency or inpatient care because of a suicide attempt, but oftentimes there are red flags like social isolation or increased anxiety before a person needs a crisis-level intervention,” Dunn said.

Of the youth who died by suicide in the state between 2017 and 2019, 70% were known to be struggling with mental health issues, problems at school, suicidal ideation, and more. Eleven percent disclosed their suicide intent to another person before acting, Dunn said.

Dunn said that after the study, the health commissioner will issue a report that includes recommendations for legislation or regulatory changes to address the causes.

“Recognizing who is at increased risk, the reason why, and the contributing causes will help create successful safety nets and prevention plans,” Dunn added. “Making sure parents are aware of the warning signs and all the available treatments, as well as their benefits and risks, is important, too.”

Dunn noted how the FDA started requiring a black box warning on the class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in 2004 to alert doctors that children and teens taking that type of drug might be prone to thoughts of suicide.

According to a mental health industry watchdog organization, 15,840 New Jersey children and teens between the ages of 0 and 17 in 2023 were prescribed antidepressants under Medicaid.

“New Jersey needs a bigger picture, which will be provided through this comprehensive report, to ensure the right programs and information are offered in the right places at the right times,” Dunn said.

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the suicide rate among young people ages 10 to 24 increased 62% from 2007 through 2021.

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, June 25, at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will occur in the Council Chambers at 1001 Parsippany Boulevard within the Parsippany Municipal Building.

Formal action may or may not be taken.

Any individual who is a qualified disabled person under the Americans with Disabilities Act may request auxiliary aids such as a sign interpreter or a tape recorder to be used for the meeting. Auxiliary aids must be requested at least 72 hours before the meeting date. Please call (973) 263-4351 to request an auxiliary aid.

Click here to download the agenda.

Click here for the 2024 calendar.

Mayor James Barberio
Council President Paul Carifi, Jr.
Council Vice President Frank Neglia
Councilman Justin Musella
Councilman Matt McGrath
Councilwoman Judy Hernandez