PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Hills Players of Parsippany Hills High School will be performing their 2018 Spring Musical starting on Thursday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m.
This year’s production is “The Drowsy Chaperone!” The students of PHHS, ranging from Freshmen to Seniors, have been hard at work since January rehearsing nearly every day to bring this hilarious Tony award winning show to life.
The cast consists of Dan Gardner, Nicolette Kelly, Anthony Paterno, Teresa Folan, Jackie Pascale, Mikayla Acree, Brittani Vecchia, Shoumik Vaddi, Ruth Kowalski, Meera Iyer, Jake Hockwitt, Brianna Davies, Brian Davies, Chris Berardo, Mia Maccarella, Abby Lee, Virginia Lanza, Catie O’Neill, Laila Kirsten, Sabrina Vacardipane, Rafaella Espinosa, Alyssa Borino, Abby Marin, Abby Wilson, Jake Murphy, Tinalyn Nguyen, Caroline Berardo, Scarlette Horvath, Janna Belfiore, Rosie Walek, Sarah Fichter, Tara Antonacci, David Sinchi, Jack Reppen, Sam Reppen, Aishling McCarthy, Amanda Yorlano, Carolyn Modin, Davida Padi, Angelina Robie, Bethany Powell, Dhaara Bhatt, Marta Torres, Disharee Dastidar, Vanessa Iradi, Meghan Lalo, Rachel Klemovitch, Will Ferentinos, Amol Srivastava, Olivia Isakssan, Sarah Zigman and Samantha Catalini.
Show dates are Thursday, March 15, Friday, March 16, and Saturday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are sold at the door. $10.00 Adults; $5.00 Senior Citizens and Non District Students; PTHSD Students with school ID free.
Performances are held in the auditorium of Parsippany Hills High School, 20 Rita Drive.
PARSIPPANY — The Friends of the Parsippany Library is asking you to clean out your closets to support their upcoming Prom Dress Sale.
Held Thursday, April 5 through Sunday, April 8 at the Main Library, the event will allow area young women to feel beautiful and confident through access to affordable prom dresses (priced at $15.00 each).
Teens will also benefit by the Friends of the Parsippany Library donating all proceeds to the library’s teen programming and collections to supplement the library’s operating budget.
The Parsippany library provides the town’s diverse population of teenagers with valuable resources through its collections as well as technology-related classes, art sessions, and workshops. The teen room is also a safe haven; Teen Central is often full of students studying or simply spending time with their peers. The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) also offers this age group a leadership opportunity. TAB members help plan teen programming, develop the teen collection and promote teen library use.
Now through March 31, new or gently used formal dresses that are appropriate for the prom are being collected at the Main Library location at 449 Halsey Road. They can be dropped off during the library’s normal hours of operation.
Sponsorships and donations of prom-related goods and services such as florists, beauty salons, and photographers are also being sought.
PARSIPPANY — Sons of Italy Lodge 2561 recently donated to The Valerie Fund. Accepting a check from Sons of Italy President Joseph Jannarone, Jr. is Bella Rocco, Parsippany. The Sons of Italy has been supporting The Valerie Fund for a number of years
The Valerie Fund’s mission is to provide support for the comprehensive health care of children with cancer and blood disorders.
The Valerie Fund is a not-for-profit organization established in 1976 in memory of nine-year-old Valerie Goldstein by her parents, Ed and Sue.
Families turn to The Valerie Fund because of the unique combination of medical care, counseling, and other services it provides. The Valerie Fund Children’s Centers comprise the largest network of healthcare facilities for children with cancer and blood disorders in New Jersey, and one of the largest in the nation. They host over 25,000 patient visits each year.
Bella Rocco with Sons of Italy President Joseph Jannarone Jr. Sons of Italy. Sons of Italy donates to The Valerie Fund on behalf of Bella.
The Valerie Fund Walk and JAG Physical Therapy 5K will be held on Saturday, June 9 starting at 8:00 a.m. at Verona Park, corner of Bloomfield Avenue and Lakeside Avenue, Verona.
You can join Bella Rocco at the 5K by clicking here.
2018 will mark the 10 year Anniversary of Bella’s Bunch. TEN YEARS of family, friends and our community coming together to support this amazing cause. TOGETHER Bella’s Bunch has raised over $50,000 and counting for these warrior kids that continue to fight the fight! Walk for every kid in a green shirt and every parent that is part of the club that we never signed up for. Three surgeries later Bella continues to be monitored on a regular basis never knowing what the next MRI will bring but confident that no matter what, together we will keep pushing forward to get through anything thrown her way. She has always been and always will be in my eyes a Rock Star, a shining example of perseverance, strength, and fearlessness. Walk with us! Run with us! Donate with us!
The MRIs and doctors visits continue but thank god they have remained uneventful, just the way we like it. Her support for The Valerie Fund continues and has become a welcomed tradition with many friends and families that join us year after year.
Bella has set a goal to raise $5,000 this year for The Valerie Fund.
The Valerie Fund relies on the dollars raised to help the children who live in our community. The Walk and 5K Run will support our mission to provide comprehensive health care for children with cancer and blood disorders. Every step you walk or run and every dollar you raise helps at The Valerie Fund Centers. Patients receive far more than treatment for their physical illnesses. Our philosophy is that to truly heal the children with whose care we are entrusted, we must treat them emotionally, socially, and developmentally, as well as medically.
The annual Valerie Run/Walk is an effort to raise money and support for children with cancer
PARSIPPANY – The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany was recognized as a model club by Kiwanis International, for their contributions to The Eliminate Project.
The Eliminate Project is the Kiwanis family’s biggest campaign for children yet. But it’s not the first.
In 1994, Kiwanis joined UNICEF and partners for Kiwanis’ first worldwide service project to virtually eliminate iodine deficiency disorder, the world’s leading cause of preventable mental disability. Kiwanis-family members raised and leveraged nearly $100 million.
The effort spared millions of children the pain of disability and continues to make an impact in more than 103 countries. Thanks to The Eliminate Project, started in 2010, Kiwanis and UNICEF continue to make the world a better place for children.
With a goal of raising $110 million, The Eliminate project strives to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus “MNT”. Tetanus can infect newborns, spreading quickly, causing excruciating pain and killing within days. It’s a terrible disease, preventing even the comfort of a mother’s touch—but it’s highly preventable. MNT is easily prevented by giving women of childbearing age a series of three vaccine doses, which cost roughly $1.80. This cost includes the vaccinations, syringes, safe storage, transportation and more.
In January 2018, Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany fulfilled their pledge, donating a total of $45,000.00, to The Eliminate Project. This donation represents a total of 25,000 lives of mothers and babies saved.
On behalf of Kiwanis International, NJ District Eliminate Chair Michael Mulhall and New Jersey Kiwanis Division 9 Lieutenant Governor Howard Gordon presented club president Frank Cahill the Model Club Patch and Model Club Lapel pins for each member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany.
Frank Cahill said “This wasn’t a project that I started or can take credit for, I just happen to be President when Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany made their final donations. Many thanks to the previous presidents that kept this commitment as part of their fundraising efforts. Bob Keller (2011-2012), signed the pledge during his term as President, and it continued through five presidents, Davey Willans (2012-2013), Carol Tiesi (2013-2014), Mimi Letts (2014-2015), Connie Keller (2015-2016), and Greg Elbin (2016-2017), until our commitment was reached.”
To learn more about the Eliminate Project click here.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. It is not religious based or partisan in any way. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets every Thursday at 7:15 a.m. at the Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46. We are 62 members strong and growing. New members are always welcome. (Click here for more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany).
PARSIPPANY — Morris County Democratic Committee held its Nominating Convention on Tuesday, February 27 at Parsippany PAL Youth Center.
The Nominating Convention determines who will be on the Democratic party line on the ballot in the primary election to be held on Tuesday, June 6. The nominating committee selections are Senator Robert Menendez, Mikie Sherrill for Congress and Richard Corcoran, Mary Dougherty and Rupande Mehta for Morris County Freeholder.
Mary Rupande Mehta, who ran for the Denville council last year, and Richard Corcoran, an accountant from Boonton who ran for the state Assembly.
The nominating committee selections are Mary Dougherty, Richard Corcoran, and Rupande Mehta for Morris County Freeholder; Mikie Sherrill for Congress and Robert Menendez for Senator (not pictured)
Mikie Sherrill said “I am thrilled to have the support of Morris County Democrats for the June primary. Since I announced in May 2017, I have been meeting with people throughout Morris County in their homes, at town halls, and in diners. I am proud to have their endorsement and look forward to working together to flip this district in November.”
Currently, the 11th district Congressional seat is occupied by Rodney Frelinghuysen who recently announced he was retiring at the end of his term.
Frelinghuysen held that seat since 1995. A member of the Republican Party, Frelinghuysen has served as Chair of the House Appropriations Committee since 2017. Frelinghuysen announced on January 29, that he would not seek re-election that year.
Democratic candidates for the US Senate, US House of Representatives and Morris County Freeholder spoke to over 600 people in attendance
There was overwhelming support in the room for Mikie Sherrill to fill his seat. Ms. Sherrill’s applause was only surpassed by a standing ovation for Freeholder candidate from Denville, Rupande Mehta, who shared her touching story of a long-held dream of leaving her home country of India to build a new life in the United States; that dream being fulfilled over a year ago when she became a naturalized US citizen. Ms. Mehta rallied the crowd with her call for “representation” and honored the many women in the room who had taken the lead and fought a battle of representation in their communities.
There was overwhelming support in the room for Mikie Sherrill to fill Rodney Frelinghuysen’s seat
Mary Dougherty said concerns about the quality of care at the Morris View nursing home, where her mother-in-law resides, helped motivate her to run. The freeholders recently privatized the facility. She also has questions about $107 million in renovations and new courtrooms proposedfor the county courthouse in Morristown.
Since moving to Morristown 29 years ago, Dougherty has chaired the town Democratic committee and the town planning board, and served on the Morristown Housing Authority. She is in her 19th year on the Southeast Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority.
The freeholders appointed her a trustee of the county School of Technology, and of the Open Space Trust Fund. She also was a member of the first Morris County Women’s Advisory Council.
Mary Dougherty said “It’s an honor to run for Morris County Freeholder, I strongly feel that in this crucial time we don’t need a ‘One Party Voice and Vision.’ All Morris County residents deserve to be represented, no Democrat has served on the Freeholder Board since the 70’s. I feel it’s imperative that we have a new lens on how we are spending our funds overseeing our social services, our county parks, who we’re appointing to boards and commissions and how the County is running overall. I believe with my 20+ years of serving in many of these areas, I can bring the needed change and experience to serve the county well.”
Freeholder candidate Rupande Mehta said “I am so overwhelmed by the support and the nomination I have received and feel confident that working together we can change the tide of this single party rule in Morris. This election year will be a turning point in our country’s history and I am honored to play a small part in it.”
Noticeably absent in attendance was perennial Freeholder candidate, Dr. Rozella Clyde.
Morris County Chairman Chip Robinson said, “I want to thank the hundreds of people who attended our Morris County Democrats Nominating Convention tonight.”
There were also nominations made for the 7th district at the Nominating Convention.
Parsippany-Troy Hills is part of the 11th Congressional District.
Three, three-year terms on the all-Republican Freeholder board will be contested in November. Incumbent Christine Myers of Mendham Township has taken a federal job; incumbents Deborah Smith and John Cesaro are likely to seek re-election.
For the 113th and successive Congresses (based on redistricting following the 2010 Census), the district contains all or portions of four counties and 54 municipalities.
Essex County:
Bloomfield, Caldwell, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Livingston, Montclair, North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, Verona, West Caldwell, West Orange. (Note: Bloomfield, Montclair and West Orange are also part of District 10).
Morris County:
Boonton Town, Butler, Chatham Township, East Hanover, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson Township, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Mendham Borough, Mendham Township, Montville, Morris Township, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Pequannock<, Randolph Township, Riverdale, Rockaway Borough, Rockaway Township and Victory Garden.
Passaic County:
Bloomingdale, Little Falls, North Haledon, Totowa, Wayne and Woodland Park.
Sussex County:
Byram Township, Hopatcong, Ogdensburg, Sparta Township and Stanhope.
Senate: Senator Robert Menendez: 189 votes. Mitchell Horn: 25 votes. Lisa McCormick: 15 votes. Michael Starr Hopkins: 8 votes.
Congressional District 11: Mikie Sherrill: 142 votes. Tamara Harris: 29 votes. Mark Washburne: 3 votes. Mitchell Cobert: 1 vote.
Congressional District 7: Tom Malinowski: 34 votes. Goutam Jois: 17 votes. Linda Weber: 10 votes. Peter Jacob: 8 votes. David Pringle: 4 votes.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Chief Brian C. Spring of the Pequannock Township Police Department announce the arrest of Sergiu Jitcu, 39, of Saddle Brook, on Computer Theft charges.
On or about November 8, 2017, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office was contacted by Chilton Memorial Hospital/Atlantic Health Systems Director of Security who reported a theft of computer equipment from the facility by the defendant, now a former IT employee at Chilton Memorial Hospital.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division was advised that Chilton Medical Center received information from a resident of Wisconsin that he had purchased a computer hard drive on eBay from the defendant and this computer hard drive contained personal identifying information of individual(s) who may have been treated at Chilton Memorial Hospital.
The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division commenced an investigation into the allegation and, ultimately, executed a Search Warrant on the defendant’s residence and motor vehicles resulting in the seizure of various computer equipment and additional items belonging to Chilton Memorial Hospital.
Subsequent investigation has revealed that at least one computer storage medium, which was sold on eBay by the defendant, contained data/data bases with personal identifying information of patient(s) of Chilton Memorial Hospital.
On or about December 15, 2017, Atlantic Health Systems sent notifications to patients, identified as potentially being affected by the theft, who had been treated at Chilton Medical Center advising of the incident.
The defendant has been charged with the following offenses based on the defendant’s criminal activity on various dates between January 1, 2015 and November 8, 2017:
1 count of Computer Criminal Activity, i.e. computer theft by taking data, data base, computer storage medium or computer equipment without authorization, or in excess of the authorization, which contained personal identifying information, medical diagnosis or other medical information concerning an identifiable person(s), in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-25e, a crime of the Second degree;
1 count of Computer Criminal Activity, i.e. computer theft by accessing data, data base, computer storage medium or computer equipment without authorization or in excess of the authorization, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-25a, a crime of the Third degree;
1 count of Access and Disclosure of data or personal identifying information, i.e. purposely or knowingly accessing data, data base, computer storage medium or computer equipment without authorization, or in excess of the authorization, and recklessly discloses such data, data base or personal identifying information, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-31a, a crime of the Third degree; and
1 count of Theft, i.e. the taking of computer equipment from Chilton Memorial Hospital, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-3a, a crime of the Third degree.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Specialized Crimes Division, Pequannock Township Police Department, Saddle Brook Police Department and Chilton Memorial Hospital/Atlantic Health Systems whose efforts contributed to the investigation of this case
Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
PARSIPPANY — Joyce Gong was named to the dean’s list at Bates College for the fall semester ending in December 2017. This is a distinction earned by students whose cumulative grade point average is 3.71 or higher.
Gong, the daughter of Dr. Baoqing Gong and Ms. Lin Zhang is a 2017 graduate of Parsippany Hills High School.
Located in Lewiston, Maine, Bates is internationally recognized as a leading college of the liberal arts, attracting 2,000 students from across the U.S. and around the world. Since 1855, Bates has been dedicated to educating the whole person through creative and rigorous scholarship in a collaborative residential community.
With a commitment to affordability, Bates has always admitted students without regard to gender, race, religion or national origin. Cultivating intellectual discovery and informed civic action, Bates prepares leaders sustained by a love of learning and zeal for responsible stewardship of the wider world.
PARSIPPANY — On Thursday, March 1, at 9:35 p.m, the Parsippany Police Department’s Communication Center received information that a juvenile reportedly made threats via Snapchat, which appeared to be directed towards certain students who the juvenile attends Parsippany Hills High School with.
Police Administration, along with Director of School Security, Detective Lt. Keith Lefferts were immediately notified.
Patrol Officers, along with School Resource Officers Detective R. Lenahan and P. McCarthy responded to the residence to speak to the 15 year old male Juvenile who attends Parsippany Hills High School.
While speaking to the juvenile and viewing the social media post, it was determined that the post did not directly mention any type of threats towards a specific student.
It also did not mention any time frame, weapons, or means of which the threat would be carried out.
The juvenile was taken into custody and charged accordingly.
He was later released into the custody of his parents.
School officials have been notified of the incident. Due to the recent incidents around the country, our officers will act accordingly to make sure the schools, staff and students are protected and each threat is fully investigated.
During the investigation if the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department need to take action, they will not hesitate. If you see or hear of any type of threat please report it immediately.
PARSIPPANY — Central Middle School conducted its Fourth Annual Spelling Bee on Tuesday, February 27.
Sixty-six classroom spelling bee champions from sixth, seventh and eighth grade eagerly competed for the school championship.
Joanne Hirsch, Spelling Bee Coordinator and teacher of English for 38 years in the Parsippany Troy Hills School District, organized the competition based on the Scripps National Spelling Bee guidelines.
CMS 4th Annual Spelling Bee
1 of 7
CMS 4th Annual Spelling Bee
The eloquent and articulate pronouncer was Mr. Joseph Gillespie, Computer Teacher
Judges: and Mrs. Theresa Mulroony (Guidance Counselor) and Mr. Thomas Curcio, English teacher with Mrs. Hirsch
The Finalists
First Place winner Jason Hao, Mrs. Hirsch, Spelling Bee Coordinator
Mr. Gray
Principal, First Place winner Jason Hao, Mrs. Hirsch, Spelling Bee Coordinator
This year's school champion was a seventh grader, Jason Hao
The eloquent and articulate pronouncer was Mr. Joseph Gillespie, Computer Teacher, and the judges were Mr. Thomas Curcio, English teacher and Mrs. Theresa Mulroony (Guidance Counselor). Students had been enthusiastically studying 300 challenging words in preparation for the competition, and after the initial list was exhausted, random words from prior lists were utilized.
In light of the current focus on Core Content State Standards, this competition provides the opportunity for improvement of spelling and vocabulary skills.
After sixteen arduous and intensive rounds, this year’s school champion was a seventh grader, Jason Hao, who embraced the winning title with the word “humongous.”
He will receive a plaque in his name to be displayed in the school and a free one year subscription to Encyclopaedia Britannica online (courtesy of Scripps National Spelling Bee). Seventh grader Sehaj Munot came in second and Laya Neelisetty came in third.
PARSIPPANY — Two men who allegedly engaged in arms and ammunition sales to an unnamed party in Ukraine were indicted on conspiracy charges Wednesday, February 28, according to federal prosecutors in Pittsburgh.
Prosecutors say Michael Stashchyshyn, 55, of Hanover Township and Michael Cox, 42, of Beverly Hills, Michigan, conspired to export night vision equipment, guns and ammo to Ukraine without a required State Department-issued license.
The items were purchased in the United States by Cox and others, and shipped to Stashchyshyn who owns a freight forwarder business in Parsippany. Stashchyshyn then shipped the items to an individual in Ukraine in violation of U.S. law and regulations. The items shipped are contained on the Federal Munitions List and are controlled by the International Traffic in Arms (ITAR) regulations. They are illegal to ship without a license from the State Department, which the defendants and their co-conspirators did not have.
Both men face potential fines of up to $250,000, up to five years in prison or both, according to prosecutors.
U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady from the Western District of Pennsylvania said Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles A. Eberle and Shardul Desai are prosecuting the case.
Prosecutors say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation leading to the indictment.
A google search shows that Michael Stashchyshyn is President at Roxolana International Trade, 2200 Route 10 West, Suite 104.
Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This year’s production is “The Drowsy Chaperone!” The students of PHHS, ranging from Freshmen to Seniors, have been hard at work since January rehearsing nearly every day to bring this hilarious Tony award winning show to life.
The Eliminate Project is the Kiwanis family’s biggest campaign for children yet. But it’s not the first.
