PARSIPPANY — The County of Morris has identified an additional 14 Parsippany residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19, since it was last reported on Tuesday, May 5.
The number of presumptive positive cases in Parsippany-Troy Hills stands at 643 individuals. (This data is as of 3:13 p.m., Wednesday, May 6).
Morris County has risen to 5651 an increase of 48 cases since last reported on Tuesday, May 5. A total of 491 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 131,890 presumptively tested positive cases with a total of 8,549 deaths.
The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ, in parking lot 1. Testing is scheduled beginning at 9:00 a.m. and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.
To sign up for an appointment online click here for details.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.covid19.nj.gov or call 211.
For a complete breakdown of Morris County total presumptively tested positive cases, click here.
New Jersey COVID-19 Deaths by RaceNew Jersey COVID-19 Deaths by Age
PARSIPPANY — Property taxes due May 1, which fund the township, the Board of Education, the County of Morris, and your local fire district, can now be paid up until Friday, May 29 with no late penalty. The prior grace period extended only until May 11.
I have never posted anything personal on FB. This is as personal as it gets for me.
My cousin Felix Jr., who is like my little brother, though he was more like my big brother. Felix Jr. needs our help once again. Please let’s be there for Felix like he has been there for those who know him all their lives.
Felix has been battling colon cancer for the last six years, which is now STAGE 4 colon cancer. He has braved this battle head-on and fought every step of the way. Felix has a loving wife, Meghan, who has been there every step of the way but also suffers from her own medical conditions. Felix also has 5 loving children (Ryan, Ilana, Angelica, Matthew, and Rachel) who adore him dearly as does everyone who has ever met Felix.
Last week Felix was hospitalized with complications due to cancer. He was told that there was nothing more that they could for him and was sending him home with no more plans for treatment. As they feel that anything they try at this point will be more harmful than good.
Felix was told to go home and contact HOSPICE.
Those that know Felix, know how much of a great guy he is and is always there to help. How much Felix is loved and needed by his family and friends. They know Felix is a ray of light that is always there with a joke, a song to cheer you up, or that infectious smile of his.
Felix and his family need a little bit of our help! The same way he was there for us, PLEASE let’s be there for him and his family.
PLEASE IF YOU KNOW FELIX, SEND A LITTLE HELP. PLEASE HELP ME HELP HIM A LITTLE.
Council Vice President Loretta Gragnani, Council President Michael dePierro, Councilwoman Emily Peterson, Councilman Paul Carifi, Jr., Councilwoman Janice McCarthy
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council passed a resolution to Instituting a grace period Until May 29, 2020 for the Payment of Second Quarter 2020 Property Tax Payments.
Many taxpayers might be confused with the new directives and the Tax Office knows how to answer the questions best. All tax or utility billing and payment questions should go to the Tax Office at (973) 263-4252.
PARSIPPANY — For those interested in keeping up with the numbers, the Morris County website is the most up-to-date source of information. It is updated on a town-by-town basis everyday weekday. You can find these daily updates by clicking here.
We are reopening the tennis courts at both high schools for singles, 1-on-1 play starting today. Permits are required for use of the tennis courts, and requests must be emailed to [email protected]. As in all other forms of recreation, social distancing must be practiced.
Editors Note: Parsippany Focus also supplies updates daily on our website.
PARSIPPANY — Rainbow Lakes and Fox Hill Neighbors United to hold a food collection drive for Parsippany Food Pantry on Wednesday, May 6 from 12:00 Noon to 2:30 p.m.
Many people in Parsippany need our help. Due to the coronavirus many local people are out of work, have had their hours cut, and thus are having difficulty putting food on their families’ table.
Troy Rhodes of the Hub Lakes Church has volunteered his truck to help transport donated items to the pantry to the collection site at the Rainbow Lakes Club House Parking Lot at 20 Rainbow Trail. A special thank you to Charlie Damian for allowing the use of the Club House Parking Lot. The need is for canned goods, cereals, pasta, beans, tuna fish, peanut butter which is important at this time.
Just walk up or drive by and place the items in the truck or our van in a plastic bag. Please do not donate outdated or dented goods; The volunteers will keep their distance and wear a mask. Thank you for your assistance and the goal is to fill the van and the pickup from the Rainbow Lakes and Fox Hill Community.
If you would like to make a monetary donation please make checks payable to Parsippany Food Pantry and drop it off at the clubhouse or mail to Parsippany-Troy Hills, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard, Parsippany, NJ 07054, Attn: Ann Cucci.
MORRIS COUNTY — Wells Fargo & Company announced that its most recent Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rating for the New York multistate metropolitan statistical area (MMSA) is “Outstanding.” Wells Fargo also received a national rating of “Outstanding” from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) as a result of the company’s strong performance on the exam’s components and the company’s proven commitment to serving low- to moderate-income communities. The bank’s strong performance on the exam’s components reflected positive results in the New York MMSA and other markets the bank serves.
“While we’re incredibly proud that our national CRA rating reflects the work Wells Fargo has been doing to serve low- and moderate-income communities, we’re also honored that our work in New York City and the surrounding region has been recognized as ‘Outstanding’,” said Wells Fargo Northeast Lead Region President David Miree. “This result reflects our ongoing commitment to lending to, investing in and providing service to communities throughout the city. We will continue to promote economic growth, sustainable homeownership, and neighborhood stability in low- and moderate-income communities in the greater New York City metropolitan region and everywhere else we do business.”
Wells Fargo’s most recent CRA rating covers the years 2012 to 2018, and a copy of the OCC’s entire report can be found on Wells Fargo’s website (New York MMSA results available beginning on page 122). Specifically, in the New York MMSA, Wells Fargo received an “Outstanding” rating on the Lending Test, an “Outstanding” rating on the Investment Test, and a “High Satisfactory” rating on the Service Test.
Wells Fargo maintains a strong commitment to each community it serves. For example, the Wells Fargo Diverse Community Capital program – a five-year, $175 million commitment to empower diverse small businesses in collaboration with Opportunity Finance Network – has delivered more than 322,000 hours of technical assistance and $781 million in financing to minority-owned small businesses, enabling over 103,000 jobs across the U.S. In March, the company announced that it plans to invest up to $50 million in African American Minority Depository Institutions (MDIs) in order to support economic growth in African American communities.
Additionally, since the close of the most recent exam period, Wells Fargo has deepened its commitment to philanthropy in low- to moderate-income communities. In 2019, the company invested over $21 million in grants to organizations and nonprofits in New York City that address local needs. In March, the company announced that in response to the impact of COVID-19, it would distribute $175 million in donations to help address food, shelter, small business and housing stability, as well as to provide help to public health organizations. In New York City, the company donated $1 million to the NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund to support New York City-based social services and arts and cultural organizations that have been affected by the current coronavirus public health crisis. Wells Fargo also donated $500,000 to non-profit World Central Kitchen, which has been matched by Related Companies and will generate 100,000 meals for New York City COVID-19 first responders.
Established by Congress in 1977, the CRA encourages banks to meet the credit needs of all segments of the communities where and with whom they do business, including low- and moderate-income (LMI) populations and individuals. In 2017, Wells Fargo received an exam rating of “Outstanding,” but its final rating was downgraded to “Needs to Improve” due to past legal issues.
PARSIPPANY — Regional Recovery Task Force Co-Chairs Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Pete King (NY-02) led the first session of the bipartisan group last week to hear from former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb, who is currently advising the governments of Maryland and Massachusetts on their COVID-19 responses. Sherrill and King, alongside members from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, are leading an effort to address recovery efforts, including reopening the Northeast in a safe and responsible way.
“Dr. Gottlieb is a leading expert on how the nation should respond to and recover from COVID-19,” said Rep. Sherrill. “He provided members of the task force with crucial information, from science-based predictions regarding the course of the virus to recommendations for actions our states and Congress can take to get the country back on its feet as safely as possible.”
“Dr. Gottlieb has an extraordinary record of achievement,” said Rep. King. “The insight and analysis he provided regarding the Coronavirus pandemic was exceptional and much appreciated.”
“It was great to hear from former Commissioner Gottlieb on what has been working in Maryland and Massachusetts as they continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “It is critical that we learn from the successes and failures of other parts of the country, to have every option on the table. Our efforts to safely reopen the country need to be coordinated at the local, state, and federal levels. I look forward to continuing to work with this Task Force as we prepare for the eventual reopening of our country.”
“Dr. Gottlieb, who I had opportunities to meet with personally in early March, has been an influential voice since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Rep. Meuser. “His analysis was helpful in determining how to get America back to work while ensuring our workers and families stay safe.”
“It was valuable for the Northeast Regional Task Force to hear directly from Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a leading expert in medical policy and public health,” said Rep. Stefanik. “His recommendations for how Congress can work to respond to COVID-19 from a public health perspective while getting people back to work on a regional basis were extremely helpful in this time of uncertainty. I’m looking forward to continuing to work with my bipartisan colleagues on solutions based on the experts we hear from.”
Members of the task force bring a wide array of experience based on their backgrounds, on their work on the ground in their districts, and from their committees of jurisdiction in Congress. Based on this experience and their conversation with Dr. Gottlieb, the task force highlighted key opportunities for federal action:
Supporting state and local investments in mobile testing capabilities to reach high-risk communities and employees in work settings. Additionally, encouraging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to draft and release guidelines that will allow businesses to safely remain operational if a positive case is identified;
Federal investment to ensure the creation of a more robust contact tracing infrastructure and isolation facilities;
Supporting alternatives to mass transit where possible and having mass transit authorities enforce social distancing and regularly clean surfaces with disinfectants.
Rep. Sherrill and Rep. King formed the Regional Recovery Task Force with Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jim Himes (D-CT), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Dan Meuser (R-PA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ). The task force is working with leading experts across key fields to put forth bipartisan recommendations and policy proposals for near- and medium-term efforts to get Americans back to work, and address critical questions facing the United States in the coming weeks and months, particularly in the Northeast.
The Regional Recovery Task Force’s first report can be found by clicking here.
PARSIPPANY — Support the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany on Friday, May 15 at their Best of Broadway Fundraiser with Award-Winning Actress, Singer, and Model Grace Field. Come enjoy an evening of singing and dancing along to some of the best hits. The virtual show starts at 6:00 p.m.; admission to Zoom starts at 5:45 p.m.
Admission is only $10.00 and 100% of the proceeds will support the activities of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany. To purchase a ticket click here. Upon purchase of ticket you will receive access to the Zoom Virtual show!
With these difficult times most of our fundraising events have either been canceled or postponed. This event will help support our service projects that help local communities especially the needs of children.
Award-winning Grace Field is a True Star. Seen performing on NBC’s The Today Show with Hugh Jackman, and Tony Award-Winning member of Broadway Inspirational Voices, Broadway performer Grace Field has had international acclaim and has performed across the globe. Ms. Field has sung at theatres including Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre, Broadway’s New Victory Theatre, the Barclay Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and Off Broadway’s New World Stages to name a few.
Recently, Grace was featured on ABC’s Celebrating 25 Years of Disney on Broadway with Whoopi Goldberg filmed at Broadway’s New Amsterdam Theatre. She has had the privilege to work with Broadway’s Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, Rebecca Luker, Seth Rudetsky, Anthony Rapp, and others. Ms. Field has also sung with Multi Tony Award Winner Audra McDonald, Cynthia Elviro, Shoshana Bean, and Hollywood walk of fame’s Billy Porter. She has an impressive resume of performances including Oklahoma, Les Miserables, South Pacific, Carousel, and more! She is also a solo artist at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.
Also seen in Broadway Hamilton’s home The Public Theatre’s production of Disney’s Hercules! The event will feature some of Grace’s best performances from your Broadway favorites including Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera) Popular (Wicked) I Got the World on a String (Sinatra) Part of your World (The Little Mermaid) Someone to Watch over me and more!
Not only does Grace perform professionally on the stage, but she also is a professional pianist, artist, and model. Field has a huge heart for charity and helping the world through the arts, and has founded Dare to Dream Art Charity which encourages people to donate to local or global charities through the gift of art. She recently released a Christmas CD, “Christmas with Grace” where 100 percent of the sales go to Operation Christmas Child which aids third world country children. She is currently on tour as the lead female singer and keyboardist in Queen’s Freddie Mercury Band “Mercury World Tour”, and also is currently touring with platinum recording artist Geoff Sewell in his London based company Incognito artists and Bravo Amici.
You can support Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany by attending our first virtual concert with Grace Field. Admission is only a $10.00 donation.
PARSIPPANY — It only took Liquid Church, one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing churches, two weeks to distribute 26,000 pounds of relief supplies to more than 900 local families in need this April. Now, to meet a surge in demand for aid, Liquid has expanded its commitment to serve the community, partnering with Feed The Children, an organization dedicated to fighting hunger. In May, Liquid will triple its distribution of emergency food supplies, toiletries, and cleaners, making 75,000 pounds in relief supplies available to meet the growing needs of families in crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re living in the epicenter of the pandemic here in New Jersey, and the demand for emergency supplies is even higher than we anticipated,” said Tim Lucas, lead pastor and founder of Liquid Church. “On top of those battling illness, there are thousands of people suffering financially because of lost jobs and closed businesses. Our church has the heart to help families who are hard-hit as well as people who are high-risk and can’t leave their homes. We anticipate the need will only increase in May, as families burn through emergency savings and supplies, and those who’ve hesitated to ask for help, won’t be able to hold out any longer.”
Any member of the community impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and in need of an Emergency Relief Kit is welcome to receive free emergency supplies as part of Liquid’s community outreach. The first step is to click here where individuals can submit an “Emergency Relief Request.” Each family will receive one box with 25 pounds of non-perishable food, plus one box with 15 pounds of hygiene items and cleaning supplies, and one box of feminine care products.
“Our food boxes can feed a family of four with meals for up to a week, which is vital as food insecurity grows. Before this crisis, a 2019 USDA report estimated that 1 in 9 Americans were already food insecure. That was before this pandemic created a tidal wave of job losses and wage reductions which is pushing millions of Americans, who otherwise never experienced food insecurity, to search for help. We’re also concerned that children who depend on their schools for daily breakfast and lunch, no longer have that safety net. As people of faith, we believe God is calling us to step up in this crisis to love, feed, and serve our neighbors-in-need,” added Lucas.
Volunteers at Liquid Church
Food boxes will contain non-perishable items such as canned fruit and vegetables, cereal, pasta, and peanut butter. Hygiene boxes will contain items such as toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, and toothpaste. Each feminine dignity box contains miscellaneous Avon products. Liquid will offer both free delivery and pick-up options for families in need of Emergency Relief Kits. The partnership with Feed The Children has supplies arriving throughout the month of May, enabling the church to serve more than 200 families per week.
“We consider it a privilege to serve our neighbors-in-need, and plan on being here for the long haul. This crisis can seem overwhelming, but we believe that even when the world feels uncertain, God is still in control,” said Lucas.
To learn more about Liquid’s Emergency Relief Kits click here. To view Liquid Church’s services online click here.
Liquid Church is one of New Jersey’s fastest-growing Christian churches. Officially launched in 2007 by Lead Pastor Tim Lucas, the church’s vision is to “Saturate the State with the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” with seven campuses in Essex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Somerset, and Union Counties. Each week, over 8,000 people experience Liquid Church’s worship services in New Jersey and around the globe through Church Online. As part of its global outreach, Liquid provides clean drinking water to those in need, with hundreds of completed wells in Africa and Central America. Liquid Church’s innovative approaches to outreach and ministry have been spotlighted by CNN, FOX News, and TIME magazine. For more information click here.
Volunteers sorting the food to distribute in the Emergency Relief Kit
MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy signed A1104, also known as the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights Act. The bill seeks to prevent school districts from taking adverse action, such as a denial of meals or public identification measures, known as “lunch shaming,” against students who have school meal bills that are in arrears.
The bill also requires districts to annually provide all parents and/or guardians with the information and forms necessary to maximize participation in programs. Additionally, the bill requires a district’s liaison for homeless students to ensure that homeless students receive free meals.
“We have an obligation to ensure that our schools are safe, nurturing environments for our students and maximize the reach of beneficial programs” said Governor Murphy. “No child deserves to be shamed over school lunch debt. I commend the Legislature for taking decisive action to protect New Jersey’s students from the stigma and punishment of lunch shaming.”
“This bill tackles two very important parts of our school meal issue here in New Jersey,” said Assemblywoman Carol Murphy. “First, by eliminating policies employed in schools to punish and effectively stigmatize students whose families cannot pay off school meal debt. And second, by establishing guidelines for schools to improve the identification and participation of eligible students in free and reduced-price meal programs.”
“I find it totally unacceptable that children, whose families may be struggling to pay for any number of reasons, are being singled out,” said Assemblywoman Angela McKnight. “Taking a meal away from a child, forcing them to sit at a particular table or stand at the back of the lunch line, withholding grades and barring them from school trips or even prom hinders productive learning. It’s bullying and in no way appropriate.”
“We need to be getting a better picture of why families can’t pay and then developing action around that, not making assumptions,” said Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle. “The solution could be as simple as connecting parents with school meal program applications and qualification requirements, but until we ensure school districts are doing that we won’t know.”
“For many children around the state, the meals they receive in school may be their only reliable source of food each day,” said Senator Teresa Ruiz. “Unfortunately, the cost can be financially straining for families struggling to make ends meet and we have seen one too many instances in our state of students being shamed for their school lunch debt. Last year, through legislation I sponsored, we were able to eliminate the cost associated with reduced price meals. As we continue to address food insecurity and school nutrition, the Hunger-Free Students Bill of Rights Act will ensure no one is ostracized for their inability to pay for a meal.”
“In the wake of the current public health crisis, many families across the state will be struggling financially,” said Senator James Beach. “Once schools reopen, this law will ensure all districts are handling school lunch debt respectfully and in a manner that does not punish the students.”
Sen. Anthony Bucco has introduced a pair of bills to help front line healthcare workers and first responders who are suffering from the stresses of responding to COVID-19
MORRIS COUNTY — Senator Anthony M. Bucco has introduced a pair of bills to help front line healthcare workers and first responders who are suffering from the stresses of responding to COVID-19. The first bill creates a toll-free hotline they can call for support, while a resolution calls on the federal government to provide additional resources to combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
“While the overall number of COVID cases throughout New Jersey is dropping, the psychological toll experienced by healthcare workers through constant exposure to sickness, fatalities, and the tragedy of it all remains,” said Bucco (R-25). “Those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder deserve quick and proper assistance to help them better cope with all they have experienced. I am proud to team with Rutgers University to create a 24/7 helpline that will provide an outlet for our healthcare and first responder heroes to safely share their thoughts and connect with peer support and counseling services.”
Bucco’s first bill, in coordination with the Department of Health and Rutgers University Behavioral HealthCare, would create a toll-free helpline for first responders, health care workers, and other frontline workers experiencing PTSD.
The legislation requires the operators of the helpline to be familiar with post-traumatic stress disorder and the emotional and psychological anxieties unique to first responders, health care workers, and their families. They may also be trained to provide counseling services involving marriage and family life, substance abuse, personal stress management, and other emotional or psychological conditions that may adversely affect the well-being of front line workers.
Bucco’s second piece of legislation urges the federal government to provide aid to New Jersey to combat PTSD due to COVID-19.
New Jersey has more than 120,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and nearly 8,000 deaths attributable to the disease.
“While the federal government has donated many resources to help New Jersey in the war against COVID-19, more help is necessary to best combat post-traumatic stress disorder,” added Bucco. “We must ensure that our hospital workers, first responders, and their families have access to the mental health services they need to cope with the trauma and stress they have endured as a result of this pandemic.”
Both bills have bipartisan support in the New Jersey Legislature. Additional legislation to help those on the front lines is forthcoming, Bucco said.
Council Vice President Loretta Gragnani, Council President Michael dePierro, Councilwoman Emily Peterson, Councilman Paul Carifi, Jr., Councilwoman Janice McCarthy
PARSIPPANY — Due to the recent Executive Order issued by the Governor as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Township Council of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills determined that all regularly scheduled council meetings will be held remotely as the building is closed to the public; therefore, the public will not be able to physically attend any Township Council meetings until further notice.
However, the public will be able to email any questions or comments to [email protected] and the questions and comments will be read into the record by the municipal clerk. This ensures that the public retains the right to provide public comment at these public meetings.
We appreciate your understanding and anticipated cooperation during these times.
Parsippany Focus will publish the recording of all Township Council meetings.
MORRIS COUNTY — Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital has reported to New Jersey Department of Health that 107 staff members have tested positive for COVID-19. In addition there were 45 patients testing positive; as well as five deaths.
Currently there are a total of 338 patients at Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital.
Statewide Psychiatric Hospitals have a total of 1,247 patients, of that 167 patients tested positive as well as 428 staff members testing positive. There have been a total of ten patient deaths and five staff deaths related to COVID-19. The other hospitals include Ancora Psychiatric Center, Ann Klein Forensic Center, and Trenton Psychiatric Hospital.
Greystone has 450 beds in its state-of-the-art psychiatric hospital, plus another 60 beds in cottages on the grounds. Located in North Central New Jersey straddling the two townships of Morris Plains and Parsippany.
PARSIPPANY — The County of Morris has identified an additional 14 Parsippany residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19, since it was last reported on Friday, May 1. As of last Monday there were a total of 52 deaths.
The number of presumptive positive cases in Parsippany-Troy Hills stands at 626 individuals. (This data is as of 3:40 p.m., Monday, May 4).
Morris County has risen to 5547 an increase of 177 cases since last reported on Friday, May 1. A total of 449 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 128,269 presumptively tested positive cases with a total of 7,910 deaths.
The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ, in parking lot 1. Testing is scheduled beginning at 9:00 a.m. and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.
To sign up for an appointment online click here for details.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.covid19.nj.gov or call 211.
For a complete breakdown of Morris County total presumptively tested positive cases, click here.
New Jersey: COVID-19 Deaths by RaceNew Jersey: COVID-19 Deaths by Age
MORRIS COUNTY — All New Jersey public schools will remain closed to in-person instruction for the rest of the school year, Governor Phil Murphy announced.
Private schools with longer school years will remain closed until at least June 30, the governor said. The announcements effectively extend an existing instruction by the governor to keep schools closed indefinitely — one he’d previously said would be revisited by May 15.
Scholastic sports are called off for the rest of the year as well.
Citing the need to protect the health of New Jersey’s 1.6 million public and private school students as well as thousands of educators and support staff, Governor Phil Murphy today announced that statewide school closures will be extended through the end of the 2019-2020 academic year. Private schools with longer academic years will remain closed until at least June 30.
While the prohibition of in-person instruction will be maintained through the end of the school year, public schools will continue to provide remote learning for students to allow districts to meet the state-required minimum of 180 instruction days.
“This is a difficult decision and I know that many students, parents, and staff would like to be able to return to school,” said Governor Murphy. “However, I have been unwavering on the message that we need to make decisions based on science, not emotion. And while New Jersey is making great strides in mitigating the spread of COVID-19, science tells us that at this point, we can’t safely re-open our schools.”
“I commend Governor Murphy’s thoughtful, deliberative approach that takes into account the concerns of school administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders in the education community,” said Education Commissioner Lamont O. Repollet. “However, the most compelling factor guiding today’s decision is the health of New Jersey’s students and educators and their families.”
The Administration will create a steering committee consisting of a diverse group of stakeholders in the education community to explore summer learning opportunities for all students, including school-sponsored summer programming and Extended School Year for students with disabilities. The committee will provide recommendations to the Administration as to which services need to continue to be provided remotely should the public health emergency extend past the conclusion of the 2019-2020 school year.
The committee will also explore approaches for the safest and most efficient re-opening of schools for the 2020-2021 school year.
In addition, the Department of Education will work with school officials to share ideas on safe and innovative ways to recognize 2020 high school graduates and other end-of-year milestones for students.
Federal Stimulus Funding The Administration plans to tap federal funds that will help schools improve continuity of learning, assist with sanitizing and deep cleaning of school buildings, and address the emotional needs of students.
New Jersey recently applied for $310 million in federal funding through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, which is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Districts will have substantial local discretion in the use of these funds; the CARES Act lists a number of allowable uses, including:
Purchase of educational technology, including hardware, software, and connectivity
Purchase of sanitization and cleaning supplies
Mental health supports
Plan and implement activities related to summer learning and supplemental after-school programs, including providing online learning during the summer months to address the needs of student subgroups
Planning and coordinating the distribution of meals to eligible students
Provide principals and other school leaders with the resources necessary to address the needs of their individual schools
Activities to address the unique needs of student subgroups
Federal officials have signaled that states can anticipate a rapid approval of applications for this stimulus funding.
PARSIPPANY — Throughout this COVID-19 pandemic, Community Hope has worked tirelessly to stay faithful to its mission and keep those they serve healthy and safe. The challenge they faced was steep, how to keep homeless veterans and adults suffering from mental illness, who live together in communal living spaces, healthy and free from the virus. They did what any family would do; they put an action plan in place, explained the situation to their residents and their employees, and made sure to follow the plan. However, one challenge was left; what happens if someone in the residential homes contracts the virus…how could they prevent the virus from spreading to the rest of the residents in the home when baths, kitchens, and, sometimes, bedrooms are shared?
The answer came when the County of Morris called and offered a vacant home to the organization. “Just as we were trying to figure out how to keep our consumers safe in case someone contracted the virus, Morris County presented us with an option that evolved into an idea for an isolation home. We decided to act swiftly and turn this vacant house made available to us by the County into a home where we could move someone who became ill and provide them with a comfortable and safe place to recuperate,” said Carmine Deo, Community Hope Executive Director. “Our housing team met and toured the home and we quickly realized that this was the answer.”
The home is spacious with five bedrooms and three full baths and recently renovated. However, one challenge remained. Community Hope needed to have the home furnished and ready for residents in a very short time. Deo made a phone call to Morris Habitat for Humanity Chief Executive Officer, Blair Schleicher Wilson. Once Ms. Wilson heard the plan, she offered to help by donating whatever was necessary from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. “On behalf of our ReStore team, I am so happy we could help our partner and colleague, Community Hope with household furnishings for their clients. Having a safe, decent, and affordable place to live is important now more than ever and by working together we will fill the world with hope and homes.,” said Wilson.
The result is a quaint home ready and waiting for anyone who should need it. “The best part of the story is that we have not had to utilize the home at this point for a sick resident. We have been able to manage the virus and keep our residents healthy. The home is there if we need it, but, at this point, we are looking for other opportunities to utilize the space,” commented Deo.
Community Hope is deeply grateful to the County of Morris and Habitat for Humanity for their swift action to help those who Community Hope serves daily with offering solutions to help them continue their mission of serving individuals, including veterans and their families, overcome mental illness, addiction, homelessness, and poverty by providing housing and support services.
“I am so proud of our employees, as well as our veterans and consumers for keeping themselves and others healthy and safe throughout this crisis. We are truly working together,” Deo added.
Community Hope, a non-profit organization since 1985, employs a team of over 150 and helps hundreds of people annually, including veterans and their families, overcome mental illness, substance use, and homelessness. The organization provides clinical case management and support, transitional housing, affordable housing, and homeless prevention services.
In the last March Parsippany Council Meeting before the quarantine Mr. Manning made a statement in opposition to the Local Plastic Bag Ban; stating that paper bag production is more pollution and impactful on the environment. Does Mr. Manning realize that, there are trees grown specifically for paper products? Most trees used for paper come from the forest called managed timberlands; the average growth time before harvest is 35 years. Let’s face it, Man’s History is organically connected to wood and stone; that would be a basic.
Another thing to consider and a shortcoming of our wasteful society is the paper products we simply toss in the trash, instead of recycling, as this lost resource of recycled paper products would increase dramatically. We can blame it on our overall lack of encouragement and enforcements in sanitation and material source separation.
So more emphasis on recycling paper products; not more instant waste plastic products is the solution.
Chlorine, Mercury, and Plastic ProductionHow many know/realize plastic productions require mercury and chlorine; most plastics/Styrofoam if burned incorrectly produce dioxin? Plastic a petroleum product which accelerated in production after world war 2, as part of the chemistry makes for better life craze; as technology through industrial chemistry was somehow to replace nature, with no real foresight as to the impacts to be incurred on nature itself; the age of synthetic detergents, pesticides, and plastics took off like a rocket.
Chlorine became the main ingredient in detergent and plastic production. Mercury is necessary for the production of chlorine. (Detergents replaced soap). This is why eating fish became a health risk concerning mercury; and wastewater treatment became complicated, expensive, and perhaps ineffective; stormwater runoff added to the water pollution crisis. These new man-made chemicals were not biodegradable, and are now evident as a hazard in all places.
Extended Producer Responsibility
The problem is there is too much of everything; much of which is not necessary; most of which is plastic convenience instant waste products. People who love their country would surely be disturbed by the present plastic pollution. It can only be dealt with on a massive level, not an individual one. Ask why isn’t our legislatures advocating for “extended producer responsibility”? In the meantime, the plastic plague mounts and infects the future.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library, A Grow with Google Partner, would like to invite all small business owners and entrepreneurs for a special live stream for small businesses “Manage Your Business Remotely in Times of Uncertainty.”
Google will be hosting this event on Wednesday, May 6, at 12:00 p.m.
Discover tools, tips, and resources to help you manage your business remotely during the COVID-19 crisis. Learn how to update critical business information online to keep customers informed, and how to host virtual meetings and events.
You can ask questions live during the event on Twitter by using #smallbizlivestream.
Links will be sent to registrants only when they are released. Click here to register.
Dear Editor: