PHS to induct 2018 Hall of Fame Class

Frank L. Cahill
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PHS to induct 2018 Hall of Fame Class

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany High School will be inducting their 2018 Hall of Fame Class on Tuesday, February 13, at 5:00 p.m. in the Media Center. PHS would like to invite community members, alumni, parents and students to celebrate with us at this year’s induction ceremony. This year’s induction class consists of two impressive members.

 Andrew Ladas (1994)

Andrew Ladas

Andy Ladas graduated from PHS in 1994.  A strong student in addition to a being a tough wrestler and an outstanding soccer player, Andy was super-involved while at PHS and was loved by his classmates and teachers for his sense of humor, kindness and competitiveness. He was one of five Ladas children to attend Par High including (in order) his twin brother Stephen and his sisters Vanessa, Cindy and Christina (also a Par High Hall of Famer).

Andy attended Central Connecticut College with his brother Stephen where they played soccer for four years. After college Andy began his extensive commitment to community service. He is a Board Member of the Parsippany Education Foundation which provides educational grants that benefit Parsippany students and teachers. In honor of his father, Tom, he also awards two scholarships each year (one to each high school) through the Tom Ladas Memorial Scholarship Fund.

A lover of sports, Andy is also a Board Member of the Parsippany Soccer Club where he volunteers countless hours as a coach and serves as Treasurer and Co-Director of the Parsippany Pride Soccer Tournament.

Andy has also been heavily involved in Christian Youth programs in the community. He currently runs the middle school youth group for Christ the King Church and opens up his own home twice a month for meetings, fun activities and to plan service projects. Andy has also led three high school mission trips to Cap Haitien, Haiti, delivering supplies and providing meals for the local impoverished families. He even organizes soccer clinics for the children.

Michael Yesunas (1969)

Michael Yesunas

Mike Yesunas was a mainstay at Parsippany High School for over 30 years as a student, an athlete, an educator, a coach and a mentor. As a student, Mike excelled in the classroom and on the athletic fields, participating in Football and Track & Field. After graduating from PHS, Mike attended East Stroudsburg University where he majored in Physical Education and Health. Upon his graduation, he returned to his alma mater and started his career as a Health and Physical Education teacher at Par High.

As a teacher, Mr. Yesunas was positive, encouraging, organized and caring. He worked hard every day to make sure his students were getting the most out of themselves and developing a life-long love of fitness. Mike served as the Head Football Coach from 1984-1989 after serving as an Assistant Coach for many years prior.  He was also an Assistant Coach for Wrestling and a Throwing Coach for Track & Field.

After finishing up his coaching career, Mike served as the Athletic Site Coordinator at PHS where he quickly became a steadying presence in our Athletic Department. From readying fields, to coordinating officials, to organizing equipment, Mike was an asset to administrators, coaches and athletes and served as a great ambassador for Parsippany High School.

 

 

 

 

Mount Tabor Fire Department Receives Donation of Pet Oxygen Masks

Frank L. Cahill
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Mount Tabor Fire Department Receives Donation of Pet Oxygen Masks

PARSIPPANY — The Mount Tabor Volunteer Fire Department has received a donation of three sets of specially designed pet oxygen mask kits from at-home pet services provider Canine Company.  One kit is being deployed to each of the department’s three stations, so firefighters can deliver oxygen to pets in need on the scene of house fires and other emergencies.

“We cover one-third of the Township of Parsippany, which means a lot of people and a ton of pets,” said Chief Bryan Crawford. “Our service to protect life and property doesn’t just stop at humans. Most pets are treated like family and a loss can be devastating. This oxygen mask kit gives firefighters an opportunity to save our four-legged friends .”

Family pets are at special risk of smoke inhalation during a home fire because they are unable to leave the house without help.  The cone-shaped pet masks are designed for a pet’s snout, which human masks do not fit. Each donated set includes masks in three sizes to fit a wide range of pets – from small mammals to giant breed dogs.

To ensure rescuers know there are pets in a home, Canine Company is offering free “Pets Inside” decals to local pet parents.  Decals are available from the fire department or by completing the Request a Decal form on the company’s website, by clicking here.

Canine Company is on a mission to get the pet oxygen masks into the hands of first responders in all the communities where its clients live. Last year, Canine Company donated more than 170 mask kits to fire departments and first aid squads in 60 communities across New Jersey, New York and the New England states.

 “Our company was founded by a family of pet lovers and our mission is to help other families keep their pets healthy, safe and happy,” said Renee Coughlin of Canine Company.

“Our goal is to get these in to the hands of first responders wherever our clients live so they are ready to handle an emergency involving family pets,” she added. 

Canine Company provides at-home pet care products and services including the Invisible Fence® brand pet containment systems and Manners obedience training to pet parents across New Jersey, New York and New England.  Through its Canine Love campaign, the company supports pet rescue and provides pet oxygen masks to first responders. For information click here or call (800) 818-3647.

The Mount Tabor Volunteer Fire Department Parsippany-Troy Hills Fire District #1 has been serving the citizens of Parsippany since 1910. The Department has 49 active firefighters operating five apparatus from three stations to protect life and property. For information click here. 

CNO Financial Announces Two Bankers Life Appointments

Frank L. Cahill
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CNO Financial Announces Two Bankers Life Appointments

PARSIPPANY — CNO Financial Group announced that Nathan Richardson has been promoted to senior vice president of sales and distribution, and Brian Wilson has been appointed vice president of field development, both at its Bankers Life business segment.

As senior vice president of sales and distribution, Richardson is responsible for leading the segment’s nationwide sales organization, comprising more than 4,500 agents and 250 branch offices. A 26-year veteran of Bankers Life, he joined the company in 1992, holding a variety of sales leadership positions throughout his tenure, most recently as South Central territory vice president since 2013.

As vice president of field development, Wilson is responsible for field manager and agent training, support and development. He joins Bankers Life after 16 years at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance in Milwaukee, where he served in several sales and business development capacities and most recently held the position of vice president of national sales. Wilson has held previous roles at Royal Bank of Canada and U.S. Bancorp, and has a Master’s of Business Administration in international studies from Marquette University and a bachelor’s in business administration and marketing from University of North Dakota.

Wilson replaces Peter Wilkins, who will retire from Bankers Life after a 15-year tenure with the company as of March 1, 2018. Wilkins joined Bankers Life in 2003 as expansion vice president and subsequently held a variety of leadership roles including territory vice president for both the Central and South Central territories, and finally as vice president of field development, focusing on field training innovation.

“Nate has consistently proven himself to be a leader in our organization, with a deep understanding of the middle-income insurance market and a commitment to helping our customers plan for retirement,” said Scott Goldberg, president of Bankers Life. “Brian brings a wealth of industry knowledge and valuable insight to his new role, and we look forward to welcoming him to the leadership team.”  Regarding the retirement of Peter Wilkins, Goldberg said, “We celebrate Peter’s many accomplishments over the past 15 years with Bankers Life and throughout his career. We are grateful for his innumerable contributions to the business, and wish him the very best in his retirement.”

CNO Financial Group, Inc.  is a holding company.  The insurance subsidiaries – principally Bankers Life and Casualty Company, Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company and Washington National Insurance Company – primarily serve middle-income pre-retiree and retired Americans by helping them protect against financial adversity and provide for a more secure retirement.  For more information, visit CNO by clicking here.

 

Wyndham Hotels to buy La Quinta Hotels

Frank L. Cahill
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Wyndham Hotels to buy La Quinta Hotels

PARSIPPANY — Wyndham Worldwide Corporation and La Quinta Holdings Inc. announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Wyndham Worldwide will acquire La Quinta’s hotel franchise and hotel management businesses for $1.95 billion in cash.  The acquisition is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018. Currently LaQuinta corporate headquarters are located in Irving, Texas.

Wyndham Worldwide headquarters is located at 22 Sylvan Way. Local area La Quinta Inn & Suites are located in Fairfield, Clifton and Secaucus.

Under the terms of the agreement, stockholders of La Quinta will receive $8.40 per share in cash (approximately $1.0 billion in aggregate), and Wyndham Worldwide will repay approximately $715 million of La Quinta debt net of cash and set aside a reserve of $240 million for estimated taxes expected to be incurred in connection with the taxable spin-off of La Quinta’s owned real estate assets into CorePoint Lodging Inc.  Immediately prior to the sale of La Quinta to Wyndham Worldwide, La Quinta will spin off its owned real estate assets into a publicly-traded real estate investment trust, CorePoint Lodging.

Wyndham’s Hotel Group is the world’s largest and most diverse hotel business based on number of properties.  With the acquisition of La Quinta’s asset-light, fee-for-service business consisting of nearly 900 managed and franchised hotels, Wyndham Hotel Group will span 21 brands and over 9,000 hotels across more than 75 countries.

The addition of La Quinta, one of the largest midscale brands in the industry, will build upon Wyndham Hotel Group’s strong midscale presence, expand its reach further into the fast-growing upper-midscale segment, and position Wyndham Hotel Group to be the preferred partner and accommodations provider of developers and guests.  The La Quinta Returns® loyalty program, with its 13 million enrolled members, will be combined with the award-winning Wyndham Rewards® program, with its 53 million enrolled members.

Stephen P. Holmes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Wyndham Worldwide, said, “This transaction builds on Wyndham Worldwide’s proven track record of acquiring companies that are a strong strategic and cultural fit, add highly-regarded brands to our portfolio and offer clear opportunities to drive shareholder value through growth, shared best practices and sharp execution.”

“La Quinta will immediately become one of our flagship brands,” said Geoff Ballotti, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wyndham Hotel Group. “It is an exceptionally strong brand that is led by service-minded associates who deliver some of the highest customer engagement levels in our industry.  We expect that La Quinta guests and franchisees will benefit from our intense focus on product quality and our best-in-class technology, digital, loyalty and distribution platforms.  This acquisition also significantly expands our hotel management business and provides us with substantial new opportunities to drive increased growth in our business.”

Keith Cline, President and Chief Executive Officer of La Quinta, added, “As we anticipated, the separation of our businesses is enabling greater strategic clarity and allowing our company to take advantage of growth opportunities that naturally flow from each business model.  To that end, we are excited to announce the addition of the La Quinta franchise and management businesses to Wyndham Hotel Group’s portfolio.  We believe that, under the management of Wyndham’s seasoned team of executives, the La Quinta portfolio will grow and thrive, yielding long-term benefits to the stakeholders of both companies.”

The transaction, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies, is expected to close upon the completion of the planned spin-off of La Quinta’s owned real estate assets into the separate entity.  Closing is subject to approval by La Quinta stockholders, regulatory and government approval and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. Additional information about the transaction will be available on the companies’ investor relations websites, investor.wyndhamworldwide.com and ir.lq.com.

La Quinta also announced that Keith A. Cline has been appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of CorePoint Lodging effective upon completion of the planned spin-off.

Wyndham Worldwide’s planned spin-off of Wyndham Hotel Group remains on track for an expected distribution in the second quarter of 2018.

Pennacchio Highlights Growing Concerns About Marijuana Legalization

Frank L. Cahill
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Pennacchio Highlights Growing Concerns About Marijuana Legalization

NEW JERSEY — Senator Joe Pennacchio (R-26) urged Governor Phil Murphy to slow his rush to legalize marijuana in New Jersey citing growing concerns about the impact of such a drastic move on young people and already struggling communities.

Senator Joseph Pennacchio

Senator Joe Pennacchio urged Governor Phil Murphy to slow his rush to legalize marijuana in New Jersey citing growing concerns about potential negative impacts.

“A few months ago it seemed inevitable that legalized marijuana would be approved in New Jersey,” said Pennacchio. “Today, however, a growing number of legislators and policymakers, including at least one member of Governor Murphy’s transition team, are expressing opposition to marijuana legalization. It’s no longer clear that legalization has the support needed to clear the Legislature.”

Pennacchio said that as possible votes on legalization appeared more likely with the new administration taking office, many have started to seriously consider the real potential impacts for the first time.

“It’s clear that once people look in earnest at the negative consequences of marijuana legalization in places like Colorado, it becomes impossible to not imagine those harmful impacts in our own communities in New Jersey,” Pennacchio said. “It’s not all high times as supporters of legalization would have you think.”

Pennacchio pointed in particular to the strong opposition expressed by Bishop Jethro C. James, Jr., a member of the governor’s transition committee for “Law and Justice.”

“As a member of the gubernatorial transition team, it must have been difficult for Bishop James to take such a strong stance against marijuana legalization,” added Pennacchio. “I applaud the Bishop for so clearly articulating the dangers of marijuana to young people and communities that already face difficult challenges. I can only hope that Governor Murphy will heed his advice and slow his rush to legalization.”

Among the concerns expressed by Bishop James was a substantial increase in marijuana arrests of African-American (+58%) and Hispanic (+29%) children, and a decrease in arrests of White (-8%) children, reported by the Colorado Department of Public Safety following legalization.

Overall, the report shows that arrests of African-Americans for marijuana-related offenses in Colorado were nearly triple those of Whites in 2014.

Use of marijuana by children aged 12 to 17 in Colorado was found to be 74% higher

Governor Phil Murphy

than the national average in the two years after legalization.

“For those who claim a ‘social justice’ benefit will accrue to minority communities as a result of legalization, the data from Colorado seems to indicate otherwise,” added Pennacchio. “If Governor Murphy and other legislators rush continue to rush forward based on anecdotes rather than facts, they’ll likely be surprised by the unexpected harm that results.”

Two Parsippany residents on Dean’s List at Roger Williams University

Frank L. Cahill
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Two Parsippany residents on Dean’s List at Roger Williams University

PARSIPPANY — Two Parsippany residents have been named to the Spring 2017 Dean’s List at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I. Full-time students who complete twelve or more credits per semester and earn a GPA of 3.4 or higher are placed on the Dean’s List that semester.

Lauren Calabrese

Lauren Calabrese, is a graduate of Parsippany High School, Class of 2015, currently majoring in Creative Writing.

Nick Gaudio

Nicholas Gaudio, a graduate of Parsippany Hills High School, Class of 2014, currently majoring in Engineering.

About RWU: With campuses on the coast of Bristol and in the heart of Providence, R.I., Roger Williams University is a forward-thinking private university committed to strengthening society through engaged teaching and learning.

At RWU, small classes, direct access to faculty and guaranteed opportunity for real-world projects ensure that its nearly 4,000 undergraduates – along with hundreds of law students, graduate students and adult learners – graduate with the ability to think critically along with the practical skills that today’s employers demand. Roger Williams is leading the way in American higher education, confronting the most pressing issues facing students and families – increasing costs, rising debt and job readiness.

First Energy Donates to Morris Habitat for Humanity ReStore

Frank L. Cahill
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First Energy Donates to Morris Habitat for Humanity ReStore

First Energy is pleased to partner with Morris Habitat for Humanity to provide a grant to support Operator Safety Training for the ReStore staff and volunteers. A check for $2,500 from First Energy Foundation was presented to Morris Habitat and the ReStore on January 16.  Pictured are Mel Oppenheimer, ReStore Advisory Committee; Blair Schleicher Bravo, CEO Morris Habitat; Michael Obremski, Area Manager, First Energy; Liz DeCoursey, COO Morris Habitat; Ben Roberts, ReStore Director.

For more information on Morris Habitat and its activities, click here or call (973) 891-1934.

Charity Basketball Game for Hannah Cerullo

Frank L. Cahill
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Charity Basketball Game for Hannah Cerullo

PARSIPPANY — The Brooklawn Middle School Teachers and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting a Charity Basketball Game on Wednesday, January 24 at the Parsippany Hills High School Gymnasium, 20 Rita Drive, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Come out and cheer for the Morris County Sheriff’s Officers vs. the Brooklawn Middle School / Parsippany Hills High School Teachers.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to help the family Hannah Cerullo, who is battling cancer.

Hannah, a sixth grade student at Brooklawn Middle School, is the 11 year old daughter of Michael Cerullo of the Morris County Sheriff’s Office is battling cancer.

Winter Weather Advisory Now In Effect

Frank L. Cahill
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Winter Weather Advisory Now In Effect

PARSIPPANY — A winter weather advisory is now in effect from 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 16 to 12:00 Noon, Wednesday, January 17.

  • WHAT…Snow expected. Plan on slippery road conditions, including during the morning commute on Wednesday. Snow accumulations of two to five inches are expected with locally higher amounts to six inches possible at higher elevations near Interstate 80.

  • WHERE…Morris, Hunterdon and Somerset counties.

  • WHEN…Through Wednesday morning. Light snow will overspread the area this evening. The snow will become moderate or briefly heavy beginning either late this evening or just after midnight and continue into the Wednesday morning rush. Snowfall rates up to one inch per hour are possible during peak intensity. The snow will taper off from west to east during the late morning.

  • ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Be prepared for reduced visibilities at times, especially late tonight and Wednesday morning. Significant travel delays are possible for the Wednesday morning commute with roads being snow covered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will cause primarily travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow covered roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

John Stahr named to Dean’s List at Grove City College

Frank L. Cahill
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John Stahr named to Dean’s List at Grove City College

PARSIPPANY — John Stahr, a senior major at Grove City College, has been named to the Dean’s List for the Fall 2017 semester. John is a 2014 graduate of Homeschool and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Stahr Sr. (Sandra).

Students eligible for the Dean’s List have a GPA of 3.40 to 3.59; for the Dean’s List with Distinction a GPA of 3.60 to 3.84 and for the Dean’s List with High Distinction a GPA of 3.85 to 4.0.

Grove City College (www.gcc.edu) is a highly ranked, nationally recognized private liberal arts and sciences college that equips students to pursue their unique callings through an academically excellent and Christ-centered learning and living experience distinguished by a commitment to affordability and promotion of the Christian worldview, the foundations of a free society and the love of neighbor. Established in 1876, the College is a pioneer in independent private education and accepts no federal funds. It offers students degrees in 60 majors on a picturesque 180-acre campus north of Pittsburgh, Pa. Accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Grove City College is routinely ranked as one of the country’s top colleges by U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and others based on academic quality and superior outcomes.

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