Death of Morris County Correctional Facility Inmate

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon confirm the death of a Morris County Correctional Facility inmate on Tuesday, January 30, at the Morristown Medical Center.

The inmate who has been identified as Alhakeem Pray, had been an inmate at the Correctional Facility since August 15, 2017. On the morning of Tuesday, January 30, Pray was found to be experiencing a medical issue. Medical aid was rendered and Pray was transported to the Morristown Medical Center for further treatment. He later succumbed to his medical issues while at the hospital.

The investigation into this incident is being conducted by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Section, and the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office.

This investigation is ongoing, however the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office has determined the Manner of Death to be Natural. The Cause of Death is Pulmonary Thromboembolism due to deep leg vein thrombosis.

Erica Ruja on James Madison University dean’s list

PARSIPPANY —  James Madison University is pleased to announce Erica Ruja, a Parsippany Hills High School Graduate of 2014, majoring in psychology, made the dean’s list for the fall 2017 semester:

Students who earn dean’s list honors must carry at least 12 graded credit hours and earn a GPA of between 3.5 and 3.899.

James Madison University offers each student a future of significance — not an education of mere prestige, but an extraordinary education of exceptional scholarship, inventive thinking, unparalleled attention to the world community, a university-wide enthusiasm for teaching, and a commitment to student success.

Township holds successful fundraiser for the Anderson Family

PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills held a fundraiser to support a Parsippany family who tragically lost their home in a fire on Christmas Day. On Saturday, January 27 over $1,000 was raised for the Anderson Family.

Applebee’s, located at 1057 Route 46 hosted the fundraiser and donated the food, kitchen staff and premises to raise the funds. The breakfast includes flapjacks, scrambled eggs, sausage, coffee, tea, milk or orange juice.

Parsippany High School Key Club members Eileen Zhang, Janani Rao, Yukta Nyati, Anjala Shah, Sahaj Patel, Sanjana Sure, Amanda Cen and Neil Khare joined Parsippany Hills High School Key Club members Andrea Potesta, Ana Durante, Cindy Lam, Irene Hsieh, Wasay Noor and seated the guests, served the food and cleaned the tables.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany members Carol Tiesi, Karen DeChristopher, Mayor Michael Soriano, Greg Elbin, Susan Elbin, Silvia Cooper, Nicolas Limanov, and President Frank Cahill brought the orders from the kitchen for the students to serve the guests.

Frank Cahill issued a “Certificate of Appreciation” to all the Key Club members stating, “On behalf of the members of Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany we thank you for being part of the Key Club and making a difference in our community.”

Another fundraiser is planned for Saturday, February 3 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at IHOP, 792 Route 46. (click here to download flyer to present to server). A percentage of the meal proceeds during that time will go to the family.

Prosecutor Knapp and Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury Educate Community on Opioid Epidemic

MORRIS COUNTY — On Sunday, January 28, Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury, and Chief Peer Recovery Specialist Alton Robinson of Morris CARES, joined the members of the Temple Shalom of Succasunna for a Brotherhood Breakfast presentation on the ongoing opioid epidemic. The Brotherhood meets monthly to discuss issues that affect the local community.

As expressed by Prosecutor Knapp, in order to truly make progress against the opioid epidemic, it is necessary for the residents of Morris County to understand the enormity of this crisis. To that goal, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office has conducted numerous educational presentations by Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seabury since 2015. As the stigma surrounding opioid use and the disease of substance abuse disorder is continuously erased, progress in this battle will continue to be made.

The presentation covered multiple aspects of the opioid epidemic, including how it impacts the community, what law enforcement is doing to combat the crisis, and the success of the current programs in Morris County.

Even though the majority of people in our community have been affected by the opioid epidemic in some way, there has been a general lack of knowledge about how street opiates have changed over the years. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seabury provided a basic understanding of pharmaceutical opioid drug abuse, how this problem can lead to addiction, how heroin is used, distributed, and priced in Morris County, as well as how Fentanyl has become a major killer of drug users.

The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office along with the Morris Center for Addiction Recovery Education & Success (CARES), are seeking to make Morris County stigma-free, while offering the best possible opportunities for those suffering from substance abuse disorder to change their lives.

 

Statement from Representative Rodney P. Frelinghuysen

Statement of Representative Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (NJ-11)

Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen

Today as I announce my retirement at the end of this session of Congress, I want to use the opportunity to strongly encourage the many young people I meet to consider public service.  Public service is an incredible way to turn your convictions into something that serves the greater good and to do it alongside people from every walk of life and background.  That has certainly been my experience here in this House, and during my Army service in Vietnam.  I thank my friends and colleagues with whom I have served.  My years in public service have allowed me to represent my home county of Morris for over 40 years, and also Essex, Passaic, Sussex Counties, and earlier on, Somerset!  That would not have been possible without the love and support of my wife, Virginia, our two girls and my late father and mentor, Peter.  The unsung heroes of my time in Congress are my staff, both in Morristown and Washington, who tend every day to the needs of 730,000 constituents!

During my time serving here there have been times of great tragedy including the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the ravages of Hurricane Sandy on my home state.   In my role on the House Appropriations Committee, I made sure that New Jersey’s needs were met in both the immediate aftermath as well as over time in the wake of these events.  I have proudly been able to secure key federal investments for New Jersey to strengthen our economy, our institutions of higher education, our hospitals and public transportation systems, to preserve open space and protect the environment and to better serve our veterans and our fellow citizens with mental illness and disabilities.

As Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, this past year I have had a singular focus on “getting our work done”.  We completed 12 appropriations bill left over from 2017, we passed all 2018 bills in record time through regular order, and three Disaster Supplementals historic in scope and the expediency with which we acted to help our fellow citizens.  In my remaining year as chairman, I am determined to finish the FY18 bills and pass our FY19 bills through regular order.   Every member, Republican and Democrat, will continue to have ample opportunity to directly impact the Congressional power of the purse and decide the best and highest use of limited taxpayer money.  This will require — and I will happily devote — all my energies to this task.

Throughout my service in this House, my deepest devotion has been to supporting our Armed Forces, all volunteers, and their families, here and abroad, and those warfighters who have returned home with injuries and who depend on a functioning veterans’ health care system.  To those of you I have met while you served us overseas and to those of you that I have sat by your bedside, I hope and trust I have served you well.

I have worked in a bipartisan manner, not just in times of crisis but always, because I believe it best serves my constituents, my state and our country. My father reminded me often that we are temporary stewards of the public trust.  I have sincerely endeavored to earn that trust every day and I thank my constituents and my home state of New Jersey for the honor to serve and I will continue to do so to the best of my abilities through the end of my term.

Cruz Named to Fall 2017 Dean’s List at Saint Rose

PARSIPPANY — The College of Saint Rose in Albany, N.Y., is pleased to announce that Emily Cruz of Parsippany has been named to the Dean’s List for Fall 2017.

The College of Saint Rose is a dynamic, progressive college in the heart of New York’s capital city where teaching is the first priority. The Saint Rose experience empowers students to improve themselves and the world around them. For more information click here.

Donate to Students of the Year campaign under Alivia’s Alliance

PARSIPPANY — Hello! My name is Alivia Mercuro and I am a student of Parsippany High School and an advocate for the Students of the Year campaign under Alivia’s Alliance.

I have always been a lover of community service and helping others, and this time I am taking it to a whole other level. I am reaching out to YOU to be a part of the change in the world of blood cancers and blood cancer awareness through donations. Click here to donate.

The goal of this campaign is to raise as much money as possible in seven weeks to go directly towards Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and bettering the lives of patients of all ages with blood cancer. Blood cancer related illness the number one cause of cancer related death in children. As a supporter of my campaign, you will be a part in the end of suffering for the end of suffering for the hundreds of end of suffering for the hundreds of thousands of people diagnosed with blood related cancer.

Donating towards Alivia’s Alliance will ensure important research funded by LLS and will, without doubt, SAVE A LIFE!

If any local business is interested in buying an advertisement in the Finale Program (a lot of the candidates and families are from the North Jersey area) Click here for the commitment form, they can also donate directly to Alivia’s page.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services. 

Hating Tom Brady? Who Will Be Able To Argue?  

Millions of Americans will be glued to the television Sunday, February 4 to watch the 52 Super Bowl. Millions of Americans will not be watching for various reasons. Some are not interested in football. Some will have something else better to do. Others are sick and tired of the National Football League. Others are disappointed in multi-million dollar players kneeling during the National Anthem.

Millions will be watching to see if Tom Brady can win his sixth Super Bowl ring. Millions more will be watching hoping with every play that the Philadelphia Eagles will eke out a win against Brady and the New England Patriots.

It seems that the majority of American football fans are weary of Brady and the Patriots winning Super Bowls and are more than ready to see someone else walk out with the victory. However with Brady and the Patriots, you can never count them out of the game until the game is over. Brady knows how to lead a team out of a hole and back to victory.

Last year I was cruising through Super Bowl 51 thinking the Atlanta Falcons had the game won. At one point the Falcons had a 25-point lead! Midway through the third quarter Brady and the Patriots trailed 28 – 3 and looked defeated, but came back and won the game 34 – 28 stunning the sport’s world.

Typically Americans root for the underdogs.  We love to see the mighty fall. We often resent and even hate successful people. Thus, the Patriots and Brady won’t have the majority of Americans rooting for them Sunday and Brady will probably be the most hated player on the field.

But why would any of us hate Tom Brady? What do we want from this guy? Do we want him to be a loser? He’s not a loser. The idea behind playing sports is to do your best and help your team win the game. Tom Brady does his best and leads his team to championships. New England fans love him.  Brady is a 40-year-old sports super hero.  After all these years he has seemingly escaped major injuries or brain trauma.   It is remarkable that he has kept his brain intact.  Although with football, traumatic injuries are sometimes revealed years down the road.  Brady is a good-looking guy, with a model wife and beautiful little girl.  Do we hate this about Brady? Why would we? Often we hate people because they are in a stage or state of life that we can’t obtain. Or, at one time we might have envisioned ourselves in such a role or dream-like life and it didn’t work out for us.

Brady showed the kind of guy he is with his response on a routine WEEI radio interview on Boston radio to announcer Alex Reiner calling Brady’s 5-year-old daughter an “annoying little pissant.”  Brady responded by saying, “I’ve tried to come on this show for many years and showed you guys a lot of respect. I’ve always tried to come on and do a good job for you guys, so it’s very disappointing when you hear that, certainly – with my daughter or any child, they certainly don’t deserve that.”  Brady ended the interview saying, “I’ll obviously evaluate whether I want to come on this show again, so I really don’t have much to say this morning.  So maybe I’ll speak with you guys some other time.”  Reimer and his radio co-host were discussing “Tom vs. Time” the documentary series about Brady that premiered on Facebook last week.  Reimer said, “All right, I thought the first scene was so staged, where Brady’s like in the kitchen, this kid’s being an annoying little pissant…”

Reimer has been suspended indefinitely and Brady taking the high road said that he hoped the radio personality would not be fired.

Tom Brady has seven Super Bowl starts. His record is five wins and two loses.

His two-year $41 million dollar contract is an annual average of $20.5 million, which makes him the 12th highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. He has thrown for 66,159 yards and 488 touchdowns.  He is already considered one of the best to ever play in the National Football League.  Winning Sunday will solidify Brady as the best to ever play the game putting him in the ranks of sports super star legends such as Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, Mohammed Ali, Jack Nicklaus and others.

Winning will probably gain Brady a few more haters but history won’t care much about the stats of how many people rooted against Brady. If Brady wins his sixth Lombardi Trophy, history will be all about the greatest who ever played the game and who will be able to argue?

Sources: Recent Television Reports, Google: Tom Brady’s Stats, SBNation.com, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post<

Dr. Glenn Mollette is the author of 12 books. His syndicated column is read in all 50 states.

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Friends of the Library Mid-Winter Bag Sale

PARSIPPANY — Stock up on winter reading and more at the Friends of the Parsippany Library’s Mid-Winter Bag Sale running Saturday, February 3 through Friday, February 24 during library hours.   The bag sale will be held at the Main Library, 449 Halsey Road.

Choose from an extensive collection of both fiction and non-fiction books in excellent condition, many in hardcover.  Among the pre-sorted categories are:  history, cooking, graphic novels, children’s books, reference, travel, and more.  DVDs, CDs, and mixed media are also available for purchase. 

 Dealers are welcome and there are no buyer restrictions.  Stock is replenished daily so be sure to visit again for new selections.  At just $6.00 per bag (provided) and with proceeds going to benefit the library’s purchase of new materials for collections, it’s guilt-free shopping at its best.  

While you’re in the area, be sure to visit the Friends’ Book Nook, open Tuesday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the lower level of the Parsippany Community Center at 1130 Knoll Road. 

Baadal Vachhani recognized on Muhlenberg College Dean’s List

PARSIPPANY — Baadal Vachhani, a 2015 Graduate of Parsippany Hills High School, was recognized on Muhlenberg College Dean’s List for Fall 2017.

Muhlenberg College students with a term GPA of 3.50 or higher were recognized for their academic achievement.

Founded in 1848, Muhlenberg is a highly selective, private, four-year residential, liberal arts college located in Allentown, Pa., approximately 90 miles west of New York City. With an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 2200 students, Muhlenberg College is dedicated to shaping creative, compassionate, collaborative leaders through rigorous academic programs in the arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences as well as selected pre-professional programs, including accounting, business, education and public health. A member of the Centennial Conference, Muhlenberg competes in 22 varsity sports.