PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library Magic Show
Parsippany Child Day Care Center celebrates 50th Anniversary
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Child Day Care Center celebrated its 50th Anniversary on Saturday, August 4.
Children, Township Officials, Board Members all gathered for a celebration which included fun and games, food, Kona Ice and presentations by local officials.
The Parsippany Child Day Care Center was incorporated as a non-profit organization in 1968. They opened with twenty children and expanded to meet the growing need for quality child care in our community. In 1980, they moved into a new building specifically designed for child care and owned by the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills. During the 1990s, they renovated with two additions to the building, which made room for infants and young toddlers. Parsippany Child Day Care Center is governed by a Board of Trustees, who are volunteers from our community.
The facility was designed specifically for the care of children, and was built with HUD funding. Our center has a total of seven classrooms, a large multipurpose room, a full service kitchen, offices, adult and children’s lavatories. We are in the process of updating our playgrounds to be in compliance with public playground standards for 2014.
The center is comprised of a diverse population of families and staff. Students come from a variety of backgrounds and speak multiple languages from all over the globe.
A very unique relationship exists between our center and Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills. Parsippany built the original building and owns it. A self-renewing contract allows for joint responsibility for repairs and building upkeep. Primarily the center maintains the building and the town maintains the property. They also have strong ties with civic organizations within Parsippany, including but not limited to the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, Rotary and the Sons of Italy Chapter 2561. They have fostered relationships with businesses, including Novartis.
They maintain a strong connection to the United Way of Northern New Jersey through a variety of programs. The center is recipients of funds to support training and education through Child Development Associate certification, tuition assistance for families, and in previous years the Commercial Real Estate grant.
Parsippany Child Day Care Center is licensed to serve 131 children, but based on teacher ratios and best practices, our goal is to operate at 105 children.
They continue to improve our services through self-evaluation, self-reflection, technical assistance, continuing education and best practices. They maintain connections within the community through activities at the Parsippany High School, Baldwin Oaks Senior Center and other local community based organizations. They participate in civic events such as Parsippany Day. They support families through a number of avenues, family breakfasts and lunches several times a year.
Update: Route 46 between Vail Road and Smith Road
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Police is reporting that one lane is now open in both directions on Route 46 between Vail Road and Smith Road.
Friends of the Library holding book sale
PARSIPPANY — Friends of the Library is holding an ongoing lobby sale featuring children’s books at the Parsippany-Troy Hills Main Library located at 449 Halsey Road.
All young readers, teachers or adults interested in building your own collection or library are encouraged to come by. Most books are priced at $1.00 each and are gently used.
New selections are being added weekly of children’s, teens, non-fiction, fiction, and much more!
Friends of the Library seeks “friends” and “volunteers”
PARSIPPANY — The Friends of the Parsippany Library is a volunteer group that was established in 1984 to fundraise for Parsippany’s libraries and advocate for legislation and services for the libraries.
This year, the Friends have conducted several book sales in the libraries; a prom gown sale; and a Bollywood movie night and art sale to raise money for the Library. The Friends admire how the library works to make their public funding go a long way. However, they realize that without the proceeds from the fundraising conducted by the Friends, a 501(C)3 organization, the Library would be unable to offer special STEM programs for children; host performers, Sunday concerts and programming for all age groups; offer early literacy kits; maker space equipment; travel collections; book clubs in a bag; summer reading programs; and summer reading books so that students can complete their assigned summer reading.
The Friends have also purchased Playaway launch pads – preloaded tablets with special apps- for both children and adults. Adults may borrow these items so that they can improve their English skills; learn a new language or listen to a book. The children’s playaways are educational devices that the children can use to read a book or play an educational game.
The Friends have also donated funding for furniture as well as equipment, including science and math equipment and a teaching screen for use in the Library’s tech lab.
The Friends also provide a community service by offering a used book store, called “The Book Nook” at 1180 Knoll Road, which provides an opportunity for residents to recycle their old books and purchase gently used books.
The Friends are part of a national organization called United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association composed of Library trustees, advocates, Friends groups and foundations. The Friends were recently publicized in the United for Libraries newsletter for their successful prom gown sale.
How can you help this group of volunteers and show your support of the Library? First you can join the Friends for as little as $15.00.
Membership dollars go far to support the endeavors of the Friends. Membership applications can be found by clicking here. Or you can pick up an application during your next library visit.
The other action that you can take is to get involved. The Friends have individual projects as well as long term projects, so you can get involved as little or as much as you like. The Friends group is comprised of a fun group of citizens representing all age groups who are looking for a way to serve their community. If you are interested in volunteering click here. or come into the Library to complete an application. On September 22, the Friends will hold a story time breakfast for children and their families and they are looking for volunteers to assist with this program.
Besides help with their upcoming projects, the Friends are interested in finding a volunteer intern, college student or college graduate who will design flyers, and promote through social media postings their upcoming activities. This would be a great experience and a resume builder for someone who wants to pursue public relations or marketing as a future career. If you are interested in volunteering please contact the Friends by clicking here.
Petey is lookin for his furever home
RANDOLPH — Petey is about 14-16 weeks old, about 15-18 pounds, and he is an Anguillian island dog. Anguilla is a beautiful island but it can be a hard life for dogs. Petey was wondering the streets looking for food, water, shelter and love but found none. He survived on mere scraps and on anything that smelled even slightly of food. One day Petey met a lovely person who took pity on him and took him to the shelter.
The nice volunteers there fed him and gave him affection. When Forever Home Dog Rescue (FHDR) heard about Petey they flew him to New Jersey to live in a nice foster home.
As you can see, Petey is one handsome fellow! He has a shinny short black coat with white on the tips of his paws and white on his chest and face. And just look at those ears!! Simply adorable!
“If I can only describe Petey in one word it would be Awesome!!! He is a happy, playful puppy and when he plays he bounces! It’s so cute! Petey loves everyone including children and other dogs and he will settle in your arms and give everyone puppy kisses. This easy going puppy enjoys playing in the yard, playing with toys, running around the yard with my dog and going for walks on a leash. It is so funny to see him run, he runs really fast and hops! Cute, Cute, Cute! Petey sleeps through the night without accidents and he is learning house training. And, Petey knows to sit before he gets feed.”
Everybody that meets Petey say they’d take him home if they could! We know when you meet Petey he will steal your heart!
Please note, the breeds on the island are different than in the US. So we can’t tell for sure what breed the puppy is but what we do know is the puppy is 100% sweetness.
If you are interested in adoption Petey, please email FHDR@att.net. To see more photos of Petey or a video clip please go to FHDR.petfinder.com
Rainbow Lakes Community Club installed lights and scary balls to deter Geese
PARSIPPANY — After many geese choose the Rainbow Lakes Community Club in Parsippany as a safe place to sleep The Rainbow Lakes Community Club installed non lethal methods of geese control at swim area. The club is using lights and scary balls which have been effective and are removed when the beach is open. 
Grewal Fights Against Proposed Title X Rule Restricting Access to Women’s Reproductive Healthcare
TRENTON — Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal has joined a multi-state coalition of Attorneys General in opposing the Trump Administration’s proposal to restrict access to healthcare by imposing unconstitutional restrictions on the Title X program. The Title X program provides critical preventive and life-saving care, including reproductive healthcare, to four million women nationally. (Click here for letter)
Acting Governor Sheila Oliver welcomed the Attorney General’s action.
“All patients in New Jersey and across the nation deserve access to quality medical care, including access to reproductive health care and family planning services,” said Acting Governor Oliver. “The Trump Administration’s gag rule will undermine medical professionals and their ability to provide the best care possible and intrudes upon the relationship between patient and provider. Governor Murphy and I are proud to stand with Attorney General Grewal, the New Jersey Department of Health, Planned Parenthood, medical professionals, and other governors to demand the federal government rescind this harmful policy. The Trump Administration’s irresponsible decision to jeopardize women’s health care by restricting services and information available to Title X clients, many of whom are low-income and uninsured, has given our Administration no choice but to explore all avenues and legal options to prevent this disastrous rule from taking effect.”
“If the federal government won’t stand up for low-income women and families, then we will,” said Attorney General Grewal. “Title X provides women with basic primary and preventative healthcare services, and it’s sickening that the Trump Administration is once again attempting to weaponize federal dollars to advance an ideological agenda.”
On May 22, 2018, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a proposed rule that would place several harmful restrictions on the Title X program.
Specifically, the new Rule seeks to create barriers to women’s healthcare by:
- Prohibiting doctors from discussing comprehensive healthcare options, including abortion, with patients;
- Requiring physical and financial separation between any Title X program and any facility that provides abortion: the provider must have, at a minimum, separate examination and waiting rooms, office entrances and exits, phone numbers, email addresses, educational services, websites, personnel, electronic or paper-based health care records, and workstations;
- Undermining the standard of care by allowing Title X providers to refuse medically-approved contraceptive methods in favor of less effective methods like abstinence-only.
In a multi-state comments letter joined by Attorney General Grewal, the participating Attorneys General argue that the proposed rule does not take into account costs to women, healthcare providers, and States. The rule’s restrictions would likely cause the closure of federally-funded family planning clinics and limit healthcare options for women. And the financial costs of care would be shifted from the federal government to states as they fill in the gaps left by the reduction in Title X providers.
New Jersey received a total of $8.8 million in Title X funding in 2017. Nine Title X sub-grantees operate a total of 48 clinics in New Jersey, and in 2017 provided treatment and services to 89,975 women. Seventy-two percent of those women received services at clinics that provide abortions outside of the Title X program. If the proposed rule forced those clinics to close, more than 65,000 women would be harmed.
Attorney General Grewal and the other Attorneys General argue that the proposed Rule is unconstitutional because it censors speech and violates a women’s constitutional right to make her own reproductive health decisions.
Joining Attorney General Grewal in the comment letter opposing the Administration’s proposed rule on Monday were Attorneys General for lead state California, as well as Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina and the District of Columbia.
Parsippany Elks is seeking donations for a new Fire Safety Trailer
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks are raising funds to replace the existing Fire Safety Trailer to continue the education of children, families, and businesses in the Township of Parsippany for fire safety.
The Fire Safety Trailer program was started in the mid-1980s by the Lake Parsippany Volunteer Fire Department, District #3.
In 1997, the Township of Parsippany entered into a joint effort with all Township Fire Districts and purchased a new Fire Safety Trailer which, over the 21 years of service has been able to help educate over 50,000 children and families.
The Fire Safety Trailer consists of a full-size replica kitchen, living room, and bedroom with props in order to educate the specific dangers within that area. As the threat of fires continue the increase in participant numbers continues to rise, rising 31% over the past 16 years. The trailer has been used every year at 13 schools throughout the town, serving approximately 3,886 participants, as well as public outreach programs.
Currently, the Township of Parsippany is unable to utilize the fire safety trailer that has served for 21 years, due to safety concerns from the wear and tear over its lifetime.
The funds that are raised will help support the purchase of a new trailer and needed accessories to be able to continue this program.
In addition, the new trailer will serve in numerous different areas introducing specific tools for business and industrial education.
The new trailer would consist of many different hands on applications, reinforcing the “Prevention through Education” model of the Parsippany Division of Fire Prevention.
If you are interested in providing a donation for the Fire Safety Trailer, please make the check payable to Parsippany-Troy Hills Elks Lodge #2078 and mail to 230 Parsippany Road, Parsippany NJ 07054 and enclose a note stating that the donation is for the “Fire Safety Trailer”.
If you have any questions please call Joe Serrecchia at (973) 332-3480.
Susan G. Komen North Jersey is Moving to Parsippany
PARSIPPANY — Susan G. Komen North Jersey announced last week that they will be moving their headquarters to Parsippany. Since its founding in 1997, the Affiliate has called Summit its home; they started in the basement of their founder and grew so fast that a move to a small office in downtown Summit followed quickly. Not very long afterwards, they moved into the famous gray-and-pink-shuttered Komen House on Springfield Avenue. In 2012, the North Jersey Affiliate moved to their current location at 44 Middle Avenue. This September, they will make their home at 4 Campus Drive.
“We are deeply grateful for all the support and friendship that everyone in Summit—town officials, retailers and individuals—has given us over the years,” says Kelly E. Nagle, Executive Director of Komen North Jersey. “We couldn’t have achieved what we did without their help. But since our lease here was ending, we began to explore how and where we could continue to best meet the needs of the nine North Jersey counties that we serve. We started searching for a location that would be more centrally located, and then a wonderful thing happened. Mack-Cali learned of our quest and offered to help us by providing office space at their Parsippany campus. This incredible gesture of generosity will reduce our annual operating costs and allow us to ultimately direct more money to mission-related initiatives that will benefit our communities.”
Photo Courtesy of Mack-Cali
Susan G. Komen North Jersey’s mission is to save lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer. Through the annual Race for the Cure®, Pink Tie Party and other events and activities, Komen North Jersey raises funds to support local community non-profit organizations that provide screening and diagnostic services, breast health/breast cancer education, treatment support, and survivorship programs for underserved women and men in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties. Since its founding, Komen North Jersey has awarded nearly $19 million in local community grants and has directed more than $7 million to national research programs in pursuit of new breast cancer screening techniques, better and more effective treatment options, and ultimately, the causes and cures to eradicate breast cancer forever.
Phone number (908) 277-2904 and email (cure@komennorthjersey.org) will stay the same. For more information click here.