Hurricane Harvey – We Are The United States of America

Focus contributor
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Hurricane Harvey – We Are The United States of America

Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast are devastated. Never has an area been so blasted by so much rainfall in such a short amount of time. Houston has received more rainfall than other city across the United States received in one entire year. So far over 51 inches of rain has fallen with more rainfall to come. Everyone in America and much of the world with a Television or computer knows about the suffering of Houston. Our prayers go out to them as well as our financial support, our manpower and anything we can do to help the millions of people who are homeless and suffering.

Experts are predicting Hurricane Harvey will cost the economy 25 – 30 billion dollars because of the rain. Most of Houston is closed down due to the storm. The oil and gas industry and thousands of jobs tied to other manufacturing such as the food service giant Sysco are closed. The Port of Houston, several hospitals and both major airports are closed.

Essentially the fifth largest economy in the United States is at a dead stop.

The infrastructure damage to Houston will be in the billions. Reports have come from all the national media outlets on the significant number of people in Houston who do not have flood insurance. Thousands of homes will either be impossible to salvage or will cost upwards of 12-15 billions of dollars to repair according to reports.

Oil refineries on the Gulf of Mexico make up nearly half of the nation’s refining capacity. If these refineries are flooded they will be difficult to repair and there will be extensive gasoline shortages in our country. We are already seeing prices go up at the pump and thus our entire economy will be impacted.

Most of us will know of someone directly impacted by Hurricane Harvey. At this moment my wife’s aunt and husband are still in their house in Houston and they are not flooded which is a miracle I think. Several times a day we have text messaged or called to see how they are doing. Once her aunt face timed their neighborhood to prove to us that water had not gotten to them yet.

Most likely the number of dead bodies will not be really known until days and maybe even weeks after Houstonians are into their cleanup.

While the devastation of Houston is like a very scary movie it’s nothing like what we would face if one nuclear bomb fell on an American City similar to Houston. The loss of life, housing, industry and infrastructure would be far greater. Houston will be repaired and houses will be rebuilt. Rebuilding after a nuclear bomb would be a different story. Such a horrific act would create suffering across our nation like we have never felt before.

Houston is hurting and Americans are pulling together from non-profits, churches and helping hands from across America.

Once again it will be proven that the heart of America is helping each other. Americans do care about each other and want the best for our towns and our country. Media lately has been highlighting all the tension between a few groups of people and hatred displayed by these groups. The vast majority of Americans may disagree and argue quite a bit. However, while Hurricane Harvey Hurts our country, it will demonstrate once again that the majority of Americans want the very best for each other. We will pull together for Houston and the other neighboring towns. This is one reason why we are still The United States of America and the greatest country of all.

Glenn Mollette is a syndicated columnist and author of twelve books. He is read in all fifty states. READ HIS NEW BOOK – UNCOMMON SENSE. Listen to his surreal song titled GET US OUT OF AFGHANISTAN FOUND AT ITUNES, AMAZON.COM AND ALL MUSICAL OUTLETS

Contact him at GMollette@aol.com. Learn more by clicking here. Like his Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/glennmollette

Local Teenager Earns Award on Eve of Army Reserve Deployment

Frank L. Cahill
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Local Teenager Earns Award on Eve of Army Reserve Deployment

MORRIS COUNTY —  On August 21, 2017, Curtiss Bailey, who recently enlisted in the United States Army Reserves, received a Wright Brothers Achievement Award from the Civil Air Patrol recognizing his leadership skills and accompanying his promotion to Cadet Second Lieutenant.

Bailey’s achievement marks a special milestone for the young man as it was the last activity for him as a member of the Picatinny Squadron of CAP before he departs for basic training as part of his Army Reserve commitment.  CAP Cadet 2dLt Bailey, who will be Private Bailey in the Army, intends to study at Seton Hall University after basic training ends and will remain active in the reserves.

Private Bailey follows in the footsteps of his father, a West Point graduate, who recently retired as a Colonel in the United States Army recently assigned to the Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway.

The Picatinny Composite Squadron NJ-093 of the New Jersey Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, the nation’s official United States Air Force Auxiliary, celebrates 45 years of service this year.  During the past 45 years the New Jersey Squadron has helped locate lost hikers, tracked down and recovered missing planes, ferried sick children for specialized hospital treatment, and trained hundreds of young men and women in military customs and courtesies, powered and glider flight, aerospace history and the basics of flight, emergency services, and search and rescue.

The national organization of Civil Air Patrol is a congressionally chartered, federally supported non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force. CAP has 58,000 adult and youth members nationwide, and maintains more than 500 aircraft throughout the country. In 2014, Congress awarded CAP members who served during World War II with a Congressional Gold Medal recognizing their contributions towards the war effort stateside.

The Picatinny Composite Squadron is part of the CAP Northeast Region, New Jersey Wing. Its members are comprised of adults as well as teens from 13-17 from Morris, Warren and Sussex Counties. The group meets every Tuesday night from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

For more information click here or www.gocivilairpatrol.com.

 

 

 

Letter to the editor: A Special Thanks to Parsippany Animal Control and Police Department

Frank L. Cahill
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Letter to the editor: A Special Thanks to Parsippany Animal Control and Police Department

Dear Editor:

On August 10, 2017 our family pet, Nerina went missing. Nerina is a very friendly black cat who was wearing two collars with a Pod attach to one of them. Before the Pod’s battery died, it indicated that Nerina was in a community off Reynolds Avenue. However, the residents in the community claimed they have not seen her in a couple days, so my daughter posted her on PawBoost.com.

Through PawBoost, Parsippany Animal Control contacted my daughter and told her they saw a Facebook post about a black cat that was found.

Apparently, an employee at a nursing home was “fostering” her. Turns out the employee gave her away to her cousin who was very reluctant to return Nerina home.

Animal Control reached out to the parties that had Nerina, but they were not willing to cooperate at first. So I had no other choice to get the police involved.

With the help from Heidi (an employee at Parsippany Animal Control) and Officer Ohlsen, Miller and Seegar, I was reunited with Nerina on Friday August 25, 2017.

We feel blessed that she is back home with her family safe and sound.

Thank You
Lisa Gangala

Former Employee of Five Guys arrested in armed robbery

Frank L. Cahill
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Former Employee of Five Guys arrested in armed robbery

EAST HANOVER — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and East Hanover Township Chief of Police Christopher F. Cannizzo announce the arrest of Alteriek F. Scott, 38, of Irvington, on criminal charges stemming from an Armed Robbery.

On August 12, 2017, the East Hanover Police Department investigated an Armed Robbery at The Five Guys Burgers, located at 240 Route 10 in East Hanover, that happened just after closing. The suspect entered the business and allegedly threatened the employees with a knife. He then fled the scene with cash in excess of $500.00.

As a result of the investigation, the suspect was identified as Alteriek F. Scott. The East Hanover Police Department, in cooperation with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the Newark Police Department and Irvington Police Department arrested Scott on August 25, 2017 in Irvington, without incident.

Scott is charged with Robbery, in violation of N.J.S. 2C:15-1, a crime of the first degree; Aggravated Assault, in violation of N.J.S. 2C: 12-1b(2), a crime of the third degree; Theft, in violation of N.J.S. 2C:20-3a, a crime of the third degree; Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, in violation of N.J.S. 2C: 39-5d, a crime of the fourth degree; Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose, in violation of N.J.S. 2C: 39-4d, a crime of the third degree; and Certain Persons Not to Have Weapons, in violation of N.J.S. 2C: 39-7a, a crime of the third degree. He was remanded to the Morris County Correctional Facility.

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.

Sunny is looking for her fur-ever home

Frank L. Cahill
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Sunny is looking for her fur-ever home

PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS — Sunny was found as a stray at a local Parsippany Sunoco gas station.

We have no clue why no one came looking for her as she is an amazing dog! Sunny is friendly, playful, good with people, dogs, and cats, and will make a great addition to any home. Sunny is spayed and up to date on vaccines, although she does have an ear infection which is being treated. Sunny is black and brown (chocolate) and has short hair.

Sunny is house trained, spayed/neutered and is current on vaccinations.

If you are interested in Sunny, call or come visit her. If you have a dog, we will require a dog-dog meeting before adoption.

The Parsippany Animal Shelter is located at 1069 Parsippany Boulevard and is open
Monday to Friday 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon. For additional information call the Parsippany Animal Shelter, during these hours, at (973) 263-7083.

Lake Parsippany resident struck on Lake Shore Drive

Frank L. Cahill
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Lake Parsippany resident struck on Lake Shore Drive

PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS — Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department, Morris County Prosecutors Office and the Morris County Crime scene units remained on the scene of a pedestrian struck and killed on Lake Shore Drive in the vicinity of Hamilton Road.

Police were conducting investigations on one of the vehicles at the scene

Police activity started approximately 8:15 p.m. on Sunday, August 27 and ended just after 11:30 p.m.

Unofficial reports indicate a elderly man in his 70s was crossing Lake Shore Drive and was struck. At this time reports indicate two vehicles were involved and remained at the scene during the investigation.  One of the vehicles was towed at approximately 11:30 p.m. by Powdermill Towing and placed in police inpound.

Morris County Crime Scene Investigation vehicles were at the scene

Parsippany Rescue and Recovery was called to the scene to provide lighting for the investigation.

As official details are released Parsippany Focus will update this story.

The entire area was taped off with Crime Scene Tape

“All of us at Parsippany Focus are keeping all concerned in our thoughts and prayers and extend our heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends during this difficult time.”

Sheriff Announces Opening of “Hope Wing’’ at Morris County Jail

Frank L. Cahill
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Sheriff Announces Opening of “Hope Wing’’ at Morris County Jail

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, in partnership with Morris County Department of Human Services and CARES (Center for Addiction Recovery Education & Success), is announcing the opening of the Hope Wing, a drug/alcohol addiction recovery unit for inmates incarcerated within the Morris County Correctional Facility.

The new Hope Wing is designed to help inmates address their addiction through daily programs such as relapse prevention, anger management, education, spirituality, relationship development, and peer to peer counseling, among others.

This inmate program compliments Sheriff Gannon’s Hope One program, which employs a team of support personnel who travel the county in a mobile recovery access vehicle to offer critical support for persons struggling with addiction, with goals of preventing drug overdoses and deaths.

“With opioid abuse reaching an alarming level in Morris County, I am proud to announce the opening of the Hope Wing within the Morris County Correctional Facility,’’ said Sheriff Gannon. “The new unit will serve as one of the many components in place designed to reduce the rate of recidivism in Morris County.

“The old idiom of ‘Lock Them Up and Throw Away the Key’ has not worked in the past and will certainly not work in our future.

If we can get the inmates the help they need to combat their opioid and other drug/alcohol addictions during their incarceration, we will greatly reduce dependency related crimes being committed post incarceration.”

Joining Sheriff Gannon at today’s event were Morris County freeholders Kathy DeFillippo and Tom Mastrangelo, Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Superior Court Judge James M. DeMarzo, and Warden Chris Klein.

In the Hope Wing program, Sheriff Gannon is placing emphasis on four specific components he believes are necessary to increase an individual’s likelihood of post-incarceration: housing, employment, education and aftercare support services. Professionals at the county correctional facility will work closely with community outreach programs to assist inmates on those key issues.

Participating inmates must voluntarily enter into the Hope Wing unit and must agree to comply with a regimented weekly schedule determined by certified alcohol and drug counselors on staff at the jail. Daily sessions conducted by the counselors serve as one of many mechanisms employed to assist inmates combat their addiction.

The correctional facility also has a full-time spiritual leader and full-time educator committed to the program. The spiritual leader will assist with rebuilding familial relations and the use of faith in the fight against addiction, while the educator will assist in the development of skills necessary to seek and maintain employment once released from the facility.

In addition, inmates will be get regular visits from community volunteers who specialize in addiction services.

“The Freeholder Board strongly supports Sheriff Gannon’s effort to take a positive and constructive approach to dealing with addictions and our growing opioid problem,’’ said Morris County Freeholder Kathy DeFillippo. “Morris County has adopted a Stigma-Free approach when it comes to encouraging residents with addiction and mental health problems to seek help – no questions asked. The Hope Wing fits right in with that philosophy.’’

“The Sheriff is adding another needed tool in our arsenal to fight the addiction epidemic facing our county, state and nation,’’ added Melody Runyon, Associate Director of Morris County Prevention is Key.

$50,000 Lottery Ticket Sold at Quick Stop Food Market

Frank L. Cahill
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$50,000 Lottery Ticket Sold at Quick Stop Food Market

PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS —  New Jersey Lottery Executive Director Carole Hedinger announced that a $50,000 winning ticket was sold at Quick Stop Food Market, 1446 Route 46, as part of the Powerball jackpot from the Wednesday, August 23 drawing. The winning numbers for the Wednesday, August 23 drawing were: 06, 07, 16, 23 and 26. The Red Power Ball number was 04. The Multiplier number was 04.

Two New Jersey Lottery tickets were sold that matched the five white balls, winning the $1,000,000 second prize. Twenty-six New Jersey Lottery tickets were sold that matched the four white balls and the Powerball drawn, winning the $50,000 third prize. Two of those tickets were purchased with Power Play, multiplying the prize to $200,000.

In addition to the second and third-tier prize winning tickets sold, there were 482,343 New Jersey players who took home an estimated $2,670,609 in prizes ranging from $4.00 to $400.00, according to Lottery Executive Director Carole Hedinger.

Powerball Jackpot was won in Massachusetts. The Powerball jackpot resets to $40,000,000 for the next drawing to be held Saturday, August 26 at 10:59 p.m.

Parsippany Kmart to close before end of 2017

Frank L. Cahill
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Parsippany Kmart to close before end of 2017

PARSIPPANY — After announcing the closing of over 200 Sears and Kmart locations earlier this year, Sears Holdings has plans to close 28 more Kmart stores by the end of 2017, and Kmart, 808 Route 46 is on the list.

The news came after a disappointing earnings report that stated the company lost $251 million in their second quarter — a decline that is likely the result of growing competition from online shopping stops like Amazon. The corporation is hoping to cut $1 billion in cost this year, primarily through selling real estate.

In 2014 the Kmart in Randolph on Route 10 closed.

The Kmart of Parsippany opened in 1998 and was a flagship Big Kmart store for the company. It was one of the company’s first Big Kmart stores, and the store was featured on the commercial which launched the Big Kmart concept nationwide.

In the commercial, a blue tarp is being removed from the sign as the Big Kmart jingle is played “There’s a new old friend in the same old place, with a brand new name and a brand new face”. A mock parade was even staged in nearby Boonton with Kathy Ireland jogging down the main street and Martha Stewart driving an 18-wheeler. Scenes of Bob Hope eating breakfast were filmed at the local Boonton Diner.

The 120,000 square foot Big Kmart store replaced a former Kmart one mile up the highway, which had originally been a J.M. Fields. In 2005, the store was re-bannered as Sears Essentials. New Sears carpeting, separate dressing rooms for men and women, and better-quality Sears fixtures were installed as part of the conversion. Unfortunately, many departments were poorly merchandised and shoppers encountered lots of empty shelf space in the huge store. To top it off, Eddie Lampert and his crew raised prices. The previously proud and busy Kmart quickly became a place people avoided and the store was often deserted.

In 2010, the company admitted defeat on the concept and after a 2-day liquidation, the store reverted back to Kmart. Most of the Sears fixtures were left in place but the store did receive a very seldom seen and short-lived Kmart interior package with red and white department signage featuring pictures of people.

According to the company the store will close in November. Eligible employees impacted by these store closures will receive severance and will have the opportunity to apply for open positions at area Kmart or Sears stores, according to the company.

Project Help Hosts an Open House in Parsippany to Reward Supporters

Frank L. Cahill
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Project Help Hosts an Open House in Parsippany to Reward Supporters

PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS — Project Help, Inc., a 501(c)3 Charity, is incorporated in Sussex.  Their mission is to  help Veterans and their families during difficult times.  They cover the seven northern counties in assisting Vets get their lives back together. 

The Open House was held at Allied Wealth Partners in Parsippany, complete with food and beverages, some of which was donated by Applebees in Newton. Allied Wealth Partners has been very generous in donating a wonderful space for Project Help to hold meetings and events. 

Many people and companies have come together to support Project Help with donations and service. In particular, the Mobile Closet project which is well on the way to completion. The purpose of this project is to convert an old school bus, donated by George’s Salvage located in Newton, into a unit to take clothing, especially professional attire, to veterans housing units and provide those articles of clothing to vets at no charge.  Additionally, a tailor, hair cutters and makeup artists will provide those types of services as needed. 

The day will also consist of a job readiness fair.  Veterans will get help preparing resumes, printing them and then Project Help will submit the resumes to employers for interviews and offers.  “This project is a major initiative for Project Help.  We still need a good bit of help paying for things like insurance, maintenance and a driver,” says Sandy Mitchell, founder and Executive Director.

The materials for the bus conversion have all been acquired, thanks to many who helped.  Hollister Construction in Parsippany, donated and delivered all of the materials needed for the interior and ramp for the project.  Not only did they do that, but they did it all in less than a week. 

Morris County VoTech is doing the conversion under the direction of shop teacher Lou Rosso and the design of the exterior of the bus was done by the art department under the direction of teacher Rubin Rosado. 

Dover Brake and Clutch donated an alternator and three batteries for the bus which saved at least $1000; Moove In Self Storage in Hampton is currently donating a large storage unit for Project Help to store the donated clothing saving at least $2000 a year.

Extreme Energy Solutions of Sparta became a sponsor for the “Visions in Black and White” art show and auction in November.  They were also instrumental in supporting the startup of Project Help as the organization was being founded and the 501c3 being applied for.

All of these and many others were presented with Certificates of Appreciation for their service, financial and in-kind support of the mission to help veterans and their families during the hard times.  Things like homelessness, financial hardships, PTSD, TBI and many other issues that our vets are plagued with is where Project Help can help make a difference in outcomes.

At total of about forty five attended the event and they all seemed to have a great time and leaned a lot about the mission of Project Help.

“With the rapid growth of Project Help, we are opening up two more board seats in June 2017.  We have many committee positions and volunteer positions for folks who want to help our vets and we have just launched our new membership program this month” said Mitchell.  As a member you receive many benefits and become an ambassador for Project Help, thus furthering the cause.

For more information, please contact Sandy Mitchell, (973) 875-2068, email Sandy@mitchellclan.com, visit the website by clicking here.

Photoshop rendering of new design for the bus
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