PARSIPPANY — Rain is actually on the smaller size coming in at just 25 pounds. (We expect her to be full grown at only 35 pounds). She is super sweet and loves the company of other dogs. Rain is very smart and knows ALL her commands! She is also potty trained and crate trained!!! As she is just a baby, she will need a family dedicated to continuing her training. Rain also will require exercise and lots of kisses!
Rain’s ideal home would be one with a yard to play in and a family to love on. She can live with children 10+ and other dogs!
Rain loves playing fetch, going for hikes, meeting new people, and giving a ton of hugs and kisses–she’s super affectionate! She’s fun and always happy and will bring so much joy into your life.
If you’re looking for a young, happy girl to be your new dog-child, apply to adopt Rain today!
If you are interested in adopting Rain, please fill out an application by clicking here.
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PARSIPPANY — With the annual, winter blood shortage looming, the non-profit, blood collection organization Vitalant is keeping its Parsippany blood center open for donations during Thanksgiving morning. Appointments are recommended, but walks-in are certainly welcome.
Specifically, Vitalant’s location at 1259 Route 46 East, Building #4E, Suite 410, will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon on Thanksgiving Day. All those who donate blood will receive $20.00 Walmart gift cards. Those who donate platelets will receive $25.00 Walmart gift cards.
In addition, Vitalant will also hold a Thanksgiving donation event in Wayne, at the Stop & Shop, 1220 Hamburg Turnpike. As with the blood center, hours for this event will be from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon. Those who donate will receive a $10.00 Target gift card and a $10.00 Stop & Shop gift card. Platelet donors will receive a $10.00 Target gift card and a $15.00 Stop & Shop gift card.
Healthy individuals age 16 or older, who weigh at least 110 pounds, may donate blood; 16- and 17-year-olds must have proof of birth date and signed consent forms, either in English (click here) or Spanish (click here). Donors should eat a moderate meal prior to donating, and also bring identification featuring their signature. Additional information about donating blood is also available by clicking here.
Vitalant in New Jersey is a not-for-profit organization that supplies blood and blood products to hospitals in the NJ/NY region, Bergen County-based Vitalant (previously Community Blood Services) has been devoted to serving the community’s transfusion medicine needs since 1953. Donations of blood and blood products, umbilical cord blood, stem cells, and bone marrow help to join individuals, organizations, businesses, and entire communities together in partnership to help save lives.
PARSIPPANY — Beth Robin Furman recently passed away. Beth’s passing was sudden and unexpected. She was surrounded by friends and family when she was taken from us.
Beth was born on June 2, 1971 and lived her life to the fullest every single day!
Growing up in Parsippany and going to school and doing her Residency in New York and finally finding her home in Arizona. She always loved being part of her friends and family’s lives.
She touched many people with her generosity and caring nature. Everyone that met Beth fell in love with her immediately. Her heart was so big and loved everyone she knew so much!!
She is survived by her wife and Best Friend Shawna. Her four legged children Sophi and JJ. Her parents Susan and Jacob (Cookie and Jake), sister Mindy and husband Mike, brother Sam and wife Laura, twin brother Robbie, nephews Eric and Randy and nieces Kacie and Hannah. And Her second family Todd, Kate, Libby and Charlie Baldwin.
A celebration of life will be at her sister Mindy’s home in Tobyhana, Pennsylvania at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Kingsmark Kennels, 7155 East Kavanagh Way, Flagstaff, AZ 86004 for the Beth Furman Memorial Wing. Or call (928) 526-2222 for more information.
Tracey Peng, Lieutenant Governor of Division 20 at New Jersey District of Key Club International, Carol Tiesi, Lieutenant Governor District 9, and Frank Cahill, President Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany
PARSIPPANY — The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany with the assistance from Mountain Lakes High School Key Club, Parsippany High School Key Club, and Parsippany Hills High School Key Club teamed up and conducted a food drive at ShopRite, Parsippany on Sunday, November 24.
The team gathered eight overflowing shopping carts full of food for the Parsippany Food Pantry. That translates into about 2,200 pounds of food, worth approximately $3,600. In addition there was $340 in cash donations and $100 in gift cards.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany President Frank Cahill said “When I was sworn in as President in October, one of my initiatives is to work with the Key Club on their goal of collecting food for the needy. We started in Parsippany and will continue throughout next year and collect as much food as needed.” The Key Club is comprised of passionate, hard working high schoolers dedicated to serving their homes, schools, and communities. We strive to make the world a better place through service and caring.
New Jersey District Key Club 2019-2020 teamed up to galvanize awareness for hunger and poverty that are affecting our neighbors right here in New Jersey. You may not know it, but 1 in 8 people in New Jersey struggle with hunger – put that in the perspective of whichever school you attend, town in which you live, or activities in which you engage. Hunger is a very real problem, but often overlooked, so we are giving Key Clubbers opportunities to engage with their communities to make a difference.
The Parsippany Emergency Food Pantry is located at Parsippany Community Center, 1130 Knoll Road, Lake Hiawatha. For more information call (973) 263-7163. Their hours are Monday to Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany currently has 71 members. New members are always welcome. (Click here for more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany). Kiwanis members dedicate more than 6 million volunteer hours and invest more than $100 million in service projects that strengthen communities and serve children every year. Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany ensures that all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, successful lives. They believe that by helping one child, you help the world.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets every Thursday at 7:15 a.m. at Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46. For more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany click here.
Anyone interested in joining the new Kiwanis Club in Boonton, Boonton Township and Mountain Lakes, please contact Frank Cahill at (862) 213-2200.
PARSIPPANY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, and Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Chief Andrew Miller announce an investigation into a fatal crash that occurred Tuesday evening.
On November 26, at 6:46 p.m., Parsippany Police responded to the intersection of Route 46 and Baldwin Road on a report of a motor vehicle crash with injuries. The investigation revealed a Chevrolet Cruze and a Nissan Altima collided.
The driver of the Cruze was transported to Morristown Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries, and the driver of the Altima was transported to St. Clare’s Hospital in Denville. The Altima driver, a 60-year old Carlstadt man, was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
The crash is under investigation by the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department Traffic Bureau, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.
Parsippany Focus will update this article when additional details are released.
PARSIPPANY — Route 46 West is closed at Baldwin Road ue to a traffic crash under investigation. Traffic is being diverted North on Baldwin Road and then West on Vail Road.
Try to avoid the area.
Parsippany Focus will update this story as details become available.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Acting Chief of Investigations Chris Kimker, and Chief Mark DiCarlo of the Morris Township Police Department announce an investigation into a deceased person found in Morris Township.
On November 26, law enforcement received information regarding a deceased male in a wooded area near 25 Lindsley Drive, Morris Township. Investigation confirmed that a deceased male’s body was located in the woods. The cause and manner of death are pending and the investigation remains ongoing. The identity of the individual will not be released at this time.
If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to call the Major Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200, or the Morris Township Police Department at (973) 539-0777.
It does not appear at this time that there is any risk to the general public.
PARSIPPANY — The students at Mathnasium work very hard learning new or misunderstood concepts and solve problems through our curriculum to master their comprehension.
Dominick Badia (donated 49 Cards = 147 meals)
Through their hard work, they earn stars on their punch cards. After they earn one card, they can start cashing in for their rewards. Some students cash in right away for small rewards, while others hold on to their cards and save for the “bigger ticket items”.
Brother and sister Manali Desai (donated 63 cards), Ridham Desai (donated 45 cards). Total of 108 cards = 324 meals
They asked the students what they want to see in the reward cabinets and Mathnasium stocks accordingly so they feel like they are really working towards something special. This is what made Giving Week so beautiful.
Sarvesh Patham (donated 150 cards = 450 meals)
Students that have saved up their cards for these special rewards (some for years) decided to forego the reward for themselves and pass it on to those in need. Some of the students donated all the cards they had. It was extremely heartwarming to see. They are very proud of their students for being so thoughtful and generous. They essentially are feeding our hungry neighbors, at the Community Food Bank, through solving Math Problems.
Carina Maroldi (donated 27 cards = 81 meals)
On the first day alone the students collected 598 Cards. Mathnasium matched the first 600 Cards and in total collected 926 cards! The students were told that each card would be translated into giving $1.00 to the Food Bank.
The first 600 cards that were matched, Mathnasium gave $2 for each card. They were also told that every $1 they donated meant they were providing three meals to someone that needed it. The students and instructors were having fun using their mathematical skills to see how many meals they personally were giving! The total amount that will be donated to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey is $1,526 which means we are able to provide 4,578 meals from Mathnasium of NE Parsippany.
What an awesome accomplishment for our very kind-hearted students.
Mathnasium is located at 450 North Beverwyck Road.
Sen. Tony Bucco said a new commercial rental assistance program announced yesterday using CARES Act money wouldn’t help Morris County, showing that Gov. Phil Murphy continues to play favorites through his coronavirus response
MORRIS COUNTY — Senator Joe Pennacchio welcomed word that changes would be made to legislation that had threatened to devastate the State’s thriving gig economy and the workers who rely on it.
Proposed legislation (S4204) threatened to reclassify independent workers as employees. After statewide reaction to possible devastating consequences, the Senate President announced his intention to amend the legislation to limit the impact on freelancers.
“A lot of hard-working people dodged a bullet here. I commend the Senate President for listening to the pleas of service providers, ranging from delivery drivers to highly skilled professionals, who enjoy the freedom, autonomy, and opportunity of working when they want, where they want.
“It’s not the American Way, or the role of the New Jersey Legislature, to interfere with the people’s rights to determine what type of career or work they can pursue. The astounding growth in jobs is proof the gig economy is working, and in a State known for mistreating business, it’s best that Trenton keeps its hands off.
“We have the least business friendly state in the nation, and things like this are why we are ranked 50th out of 50, and why so many people are moving out of the New Jersey.
“As this measure evolves and moves through the Legislature, we must remain vigilant to ensure independent contractors are protected.
PARSIPPANY — Michael Dennis Begley passed away at Morristown Medical Center on November 18, 2019.
Born in Denville, Michael resided in Rockaway before moving to Parsippany 25 years ago.
Michael graduated from Morris Knolls High School in 1981. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force during Peace time.
Michael worked as an IT Manager for FIS for 33 years. Michael was also a member of the Cedar Grove Elks Lodge 2237. In his spare time, Michael enjoyed reading, watching soccer, listening to music, travelling, and playing with his dog, Jake. He also had a talent for singing and playing the keyboards, and was a member of a band for many years.
Michael is survived by his loving wife, Carol Begley and his adored daughter, Kimberly Begley, both of Parsippany. He is also survived by his dear siblings, Kathy and Rob Laufhutte of Rockaway; Terry and Linda Begley of West Milford, Eileen and Didier Guiffan of Rognes, France; James and Allison Begley of Jacksonville, FL; and his cherished nieces and nephews, Brian, Kristen, Sean, Colleen, Danny, Jen, Jim, Kate, Brandon, James, Jennie, Jenn, Andy, Amy, Keith, Andrew and Chris. Michael was predeceased by his beloved parents, James and Eileen (Voss) Begley; and his brother, Patrick Begley.
A Celebration of Life for Michael open to all his friends and family will be held on Saturday, December 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Lake Parsippany Clubhouse, 701 Lakeshore Drive, Parsippany. Interment of ashes for the immediate family only will take place at Restland Memorial Park on December 14 at 9:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in his memory be made to his GoFundMe page entitled “In memory of Michael Begley”. Arrangements were under the care of Dangler Funeral Home, Morris Plains.
MORRIS COUNTY — Get started on your college education, finish the degree you started years ago or stay on track to graduate by registering for the Winterim and Spring 2020 semesters at County College of Morris (CCM).
By registering early, students are presented with the best opportunity to enroll in classes that take place on the days and times that best fit their schedules.
Enrolling in Winterim classes is a great way to earn some college credits quickly. Two Winterim sessions are offered, a four-week session that begins on Thursday, December 19, and a two-week session that begins on Monday, January 6, 2020.
The Spring 2020 Semester begins on Wednesday, January 22, 2020. Several mini-term sessions are also offered during that semester.
At CCM, students are able to select from 50 associate degrees and a wide range of certificate programs taught by a faculty of experts in their fields. In addition, the college holds more than 150 transfer agreements to make it easy to go on and earn a bachelor’s degree. Many associate degrees also prepare students for immediate entry into rewarding careers, such as in engineering, information technology and radiography.
To get started, review CCM’s degree and certificate programs click here. To view what courses are being offered on what days and times, click here, select the semester you would like to review.
To apply to the college click here or visit the Admissions office in the Student Community Center, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph. Once your application is completed, you will be notified by email on how to register for classes.
MORRIS COUNTY — The County College of Morris’ (CCM) Art Gallery is pleased to announce the latest exhibition, “Fragile Attachments and the Space for Repair,” featuring the works of two New Jersey artists, Alaine Becker and Gail Winbury.
The exhibition runs from November 25, through January 27, 2020. The CCM Art Gallery is located in the Sherman H. Masten Learning Resource Center on CCM’s Randolph campus, 214 Center Grove Road. A reception, free and open to the public, will be held Thursday, December 12, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The CCM Art Gallery is open Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Alaine Becker: Don’t Say That, 2017, 60″x 43″; soft pastel and white oil pastel on paper.
“Fragile Attachments and the Space for Repair,” examines and dissects the artists’ personal stories and traumas. Becker and Winbury create a new world in which bodies and emotions, spaces and memories are fragmented, chopped up, and reassembled into a new milieu that exists between real experiences and imagined scenarios. The world they portray is the world of women, their wrestling with aging and death, as well as discrimination, stereotype, body image and sexuality.
Most of the pieces in “Fragile Attachments and the Space for Repair” are works on and with paper, unframed and fragile. Either executed in human scale or as intimate deconstructed and flattened dioramas, the works are pinned to the wall and left to hang. These delicate pieces are contrasted with large, bold canvases. This formal duality bleeds into the conceptual complexity of the works. The pieces effortlessly shift between figurative images and pure abstractions that resemble organic forms. Whichever technique the artists decide to utilize, Becker and Winbury use it with appropriate combination of scientific precision and intuitive gesture.
Becker holds a BFA from The State University College at Purchase. She has been awarded The New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship and a Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Fellowship. She attended a residency in the Vermont Studio Center and the Virginia Center for Creative Arts. Among other venues, Becker exhibited in Ben Shahn Gallery at William Paterson University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Sussex County Art Gallery, the Pierro Gallery in South Orange, The Drawing Rooms in Jersey City, The Paul Robeson Galleries at Rutgers University, The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in Summit and Seton Hall University Law School in Newark.
Gail Winbury: They Took Her Sweater Away, 2019, 60″x48″; oil, cold wax and charcoal on canvas
Winbury holds a Psy.D. from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology and studied painting at the School of Visual Arts. She attended a residency at the School of Visual Arts, Manhattan and a Visual Art Fellowship at the Bau Foundation in Otranto, Italy. Winbury received an Artist Residency in Arad, Israel from the Jewish Federation and a Castle Hill Center for the Arts residency in Truro, Massachusetts. Her work has been seen in both the Jersey City and Trenton City Museums. She also has exhibited at the Village West Gallery, Drawing Rooms, Bethune Center and St. Peters University, The College of St. Elizabeth, William James College in Newton, Massachusetts and OTA Contemporary in Santa Fe, New Mexico and other venues. Her work is collected in the United States and Europe.
For information on the academic programs offered through the Art and Design department at CCM click here.
A $15,000 Major Grant from The Provident Bank Foundation was presented to NewBridge Services to support NewBridge Jobs Plus’ technology initiative. Amy Sheppard, NewBridge Jobs Plus Program Supervisor; Jonna Marie Cappuccio, NewBridge Jobs Plus student; Robert L. Parker, NewBridge CEO; Jane A. Kurek, Executive Director of The Provident Bank Foundation; Mercedes Covert-Muzio, AVP Banking Center Manager, Provident Bank; and Victoria Hess-Lower, NewBridge Director of Development
PARSIPPANY — NewBridge Services today announced it received a Major Grant of $15,000 from The Provident Bank Foundation to support the technology initiative at NewBridge Jobs Plus, the longest-serving alternative education and jobs program in Morris County.
The grant will be used to upgrade the computer lab at NewBridge Jobs Plus, which since 1983 has helped young adults who dropout of high school get a second chance at success. NewBridge Jobs Plus participants will use new computers and related equipment to complete assessments, prepare for testing to earn their high school diplomas, build skills, and conduct job and career research.
“We are grateful to The Provident Bank Foundation for investing in the NewBridge Jobs Plus technology initiative,” said NewBridge CEO Robert L. Parker. “With that support, young people can change their lives and become contributing members of their communities.”
Provident Bank Foundation Executive Director Jane A. Kurek presented NewBridge with a check at NewBridge Jobs Plus in Parsippany.
“The Provident Bank Foundation is honored to help further initiatives that are making a difference in the lives of residents in our local area,” Kurek said. “We are pleased to support organizations that contribute to a sense of community and offer a diverse set of programs that make people healthier, happier and safer.”
The goal of the Major Grant is to support organizations that have identified an immediate need in the community and for the individuals they serve. The Provident Bank Foundation’s funding directly supports efforts to enhance the quality of life in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania communities served by Provident Bank through three Funding Priority Areas: Community Enrichment, Education, and Health, Youth & Families.
For more information about NewBridge Services click here.
Red, white, pink, burgundy and assorted bi-colored poinsettias are available from the LHT annual sale. Photo by Brian Oleksak
MORRIS COUNTY — The Landscape and Horticultural Technology (LHT) Program at County College of Morris (CCM) will be holding its annual Holiday Poinsettia Sale in early December.
Red, white, pink, burgundy and assorted bi-colored poinsettia, both large and small, will be available in 4.5 inch to 7.5 inch pots, along with various hanging basket arrangements. Prices range from $3.00 to $16.00 and bundles are available for multiple purchases. Proceeds from the plant sale benefit the educational activities of the CCM Landscape Club.
The sale takes place Monday, December 2, and Tuesday, December 3, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the LHT greenhouses. The greenhouses are located near Parking Lot 1 on CCM’s Randolph campus, 214 Center Grove Road.
For more information, contact (973) 328-5363 or [email protected]. To learn more about the LHT degree and certificate programs at CCM click here.
Business Supervisor Kelly Curtis, PHHS 2018 Graduate and Economics major at Rutgers University, Adam Giovanelli, Business Education Teacher Ahmed Kandil, PHHS 2010 Graduate and UPenn and Wharton College of Business Graduate Sunny Shah, Current PHHS Senior and FBLA State President, Harvey Wang
PARSIPPANY — On Friday, November 15, the Junior Achievement of New Jersey held its Centennial Taste of the Decades event at their Headquarters, located in Edison, commemorating JA’s 100 years of service and celebrating their New Jersey Educator of the Year, Ahmed Kandil.
In attendance were Corporate Executives, Sponsors and Volunteers, Junior Achievement Board Members, Executives, Management and Personnel, and Student Ambassadors. Also in attendance were Business Education Supervisor, Kelly Curtis, and three of Mr. Kandil’s past and present students: 2010 PHHS Graduate and UPenn and Wharton College of Business Graduate, Sunny Shah; 2018 PHHS Graduate, former FBLA Northern Region Vice President who’s currently pursuing an Finance major with an Economics minor at Rutgers University, Adam Giovanelli, and Current PHHS Senior and FBLA State President, Harvey Wang.
Ahmed Kandil, Business Education teacher at Parsippany Hills High School was recognized on Friday night as the Junior Achievement of New Jersey Educator of the Year. Kandil was the only High School teacher represented on a committee developing the curriculum at KPMG’s Innovation Lab in New York City. Kandil facilitates his students’ involvement and participation in various JA enrichment activities, such as High School Heroes, Career and Job Shadowing, the Women’s Leadership Forum and the JA Titan Virtual Business competition, which students find to be priceless experiences. At Parsippany Hills High School, Personal Finance students partake in Junior Achievement Finance Park and find the field trip to be extremely beneficial.
Junior Achievement is an organization developed to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. They are the nation’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. Junior Achievement’s programs—in the core content areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy—ignite the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st century.
Ahmed has taught just about every facet of business education, including Business Computer Applications, Business Organization & Management, Personal Finance, Pathways to Business and Careers, College Prep Honors Accounting, Marketing, Advertising, and Sales Promotion. He holds a B.S. in Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an MBA with specialization in International Business.
Earlier this year, Mr. Kandil was awarded the New Jersey FBLA Advisor of the Year and represented New Jersey at the National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. He was also the 2018 Lakeland Hills YMCA Educator of the Year.
Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Senator Anthony M. Bucco, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, and Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Senator Anthony M. Bucco, Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon, Lakeland Hills YMCA CEO Dr. Vik Joganow, and Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury, presented on how the heroin and opioid epidemic is affecting New Jersey residents.
The program was held at the Lakeland Hills YMCA in Mountain Lakes on November 19. Representatives from Morris County Sheriff’s Office’s Hope One, Saint Clare’s Behavioral Health and other substance abuse recovery providers were onsite providing information and education. About 30 audience members attended the presentation, including local high school students.
Prosecutor Knapp stressed that this epidemic does not escape any community, and insight imparted to attendees is intended to start community conversations in their households and upcoming Thanksgiving tables. The epidemic touches everyone, according to the Prosecutor.
Senator Bucco discussed the need for additional state funding to fight addiction and to secure more treatment facilities.
Sheriff Gannon discussed his Office’s Hope One program, a mobile recovery access vehicle which offers support for persons struggling with addiction, and medically-assisted treatment programs available at the Morris County Correctional Facility. Twice a week, Hope One travels to locations throughout Morris County with a Sheriff’s officer, a licensed clinician, and a peer recovery specialist to recovery services.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seabury noted that since 2014, at least 342 people in Morris County have lost their lives to heroin or prescription drug overdoses. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Seabury discussed the Overdose Prevention Act and Drug Court program, criminal justice measures to treat and not just incarcerated individuals suffering from substance abuse disorders.
Kate Garrity provided the audience with a heartfelt, firsthand story of how the Epidemic has affected her life. She shared the tragic story of her son who passed away in 2016 from an overdose, as a way to both keep his memory alive and to help inform the community that it can happen to their children whether they believe it will or not.
Prosecutor Knapp said “The heroin and opioid epidemic continues to be a scourge on the citizens of New Jersey. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, in partnership with other stakeholders, will continue to combat this epidemic through our various initiatives and our strong focus on educating the public.”
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Sheriff’s Office received a staggering 398 suggestions of names for Belgian Malinois and Labrador Retriever puppies that were donated to the K-9 section.
Names that will carry them with dignity and fidelity throughout their careers as police dogs have been chosen for two endearing puppies donated to the Morris County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Section.
10-week-old male Labrador Retriever. The Labrador Retriever will answer to Odie, which was Officer Arthur J. Ohlsen’s nickname on the Dover police force.
One suggestion in particular stood out when the Sheriff’s Office solicited potential names for the 5-month-old female Belgian Malinois and 10-week-old male Labrador Retriever on its Facebook page.
From the submissions, two entrants suggested the dogs be named in memory of Dover Town Police Officer Arthur J. Ohlsen, III, and Mount Arlington Police Officer Joseph S. Wargo, who both died in the line of duty.
In honor of the two Officers, the Belgian Malinois has been named JoJo, after Officer Wargo. The Labrador Retriever will answer to Odie, which was Officer Ohlsen’s nickname on the police force.
“Officers Ohlsen and Wargo are still remembered and very much missed. Naming these beautiful dogs who are partnered with Morris County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Detectives for them keeps their spirits alive within the law enforcement community,” Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon said.
END OF WATCH FOR OFFICER OHLSEN: Tuesday, December 30, 2003.
Officer Ohlsen, an 18-year veteran of the Dover Police Department, was struck by a New Jersey Transit train under the Salem Street overpass in Dover as he directed fire apparatus to the scene of a blaze on the tracks and tried to ensure that people known to congregate by the tracks were not in danger.
END OF WATCH FOR OFFICER WARGO: Sunday, October 16, 2011.
Officer Wargo was struck in his patrol vehicle on Route 80 in Roxbury Township by a driver who admittedly was impaired on drugs. Despite efforts by police and emergency medical technicians to save him, Officer Wargo died. The driver pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and in 2013 was sentenced to 20 years in state prison.
Officer Ohlsen’s son, Trevor Ohlsen, is a Morris County Sheriff’s Officer. A second son, Arthur Ohlsen IV, is a former Morris County Sheriff’s Officer who now is a Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Officer.
“I think this is an amazing tribute to my father. Both my family and myself want to thank the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and everyone that voted for naming of the new K-9 puppies after him,” said Officer Trevor Ohlsen.
Officer Wargo’s widow, Amy Wargo, said she was deeply touched by the gesture and that she still has two pugs she shared with her husband before his death eight years ago.
“This is really special. It shows that Joe has not been forgotten. He would be over the moon about it,” said Amy Wargo.
Two people suggested during the Sheriff’s Office Facebook contest that the dogs be named after Officers Ohlsen and Wargo. They are now-retired Dover Police Officer Tim Thiel and resident Eric Budinger.
The hundreds of submissions showed a great sense of fun, wit, thoughtfulness, and even scholarship. There were some duplications – Lola and Titan were suggested more than a dozen times – and many people wanted the Retriever to grow up with a human name, like Walter, Sherman, Steve or Jack.
Prince and King also were favorites. Other submissions called upon mythology with the names Thor, Zeus, Artemis and Apollo. Other proposed monikers were a bit long: Captain McPuppyface Good Boy and Commander Floppy Eared Booper Nose.
Some suggested names associated with law enforcement: Justice, Badge, and Honor.
Both puppies made their first visit on November 6 to the Hodes Veterinary Group in Mine Hill Township to have their weight, eyes, teeth, fur and overall health checked.
The male Labrador weighed in at 13.1 pounds. His handler is Morris County Sheriff’s Office K9 Section Detective John Granato, who already has begun training the Labrador in explosives detection through odor recognition exercises.
Belgian Malinois has been named JoJo, after Officer Wargo
The Belgian Malinois weighed in at 36 pounds. She is handled by Morris County Sheriff’s Office K9 Section Detective Marc Adamsky, who will train her in search and rescue and accelerant detection.
The specialized training will take up to six months before certification occurs. But both dogs will likely not start their official working careers until they are a year old and more mature.
The Labrador was donated to the Sheriff’s Office by Walter Quense, founder and trainer of on POINT-K9 in Bernards Township. The Belgian Malinois was donated by Jeff Riccio, founder and trainer at Riptide K9 in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Both donors have a professional relationship with K-9 Section Detective Corporal Michael McMahon. The donations will save Morris County about $12,000 that otherwise would have been spent on new dogs for the K9 Section.
The K9 Section, which provides services to all 39 municipalities in Morris County, responds to more than 1,000 calls annually that include patrols, searches for missing people, fires, narcotics investigations and sweeps of public areas, festivals, concerts and large gatherings for explosive devices.
PARSIPPANY — In an effort to connect domestic violence survivors with resources to improve their lives, a legislative committee today cleared a joint resolution (AJR35), sponsored by Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce, designating the third week of March as “Domestic Violence Services Awareness Week.”
“During some point in their lives, one of out every three women and one out of every four men will have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner,” said DeCroce (R-Morris). “This is why it is vital we create an awareness week highlighting the help out there for survivors of domestic violence.”
There are approximately 39 organizations in the state that offer advocacy, services, and assistance to domestic violence victims and their families; however, not all victims are aware of these resources.
“Survivors of domestic violence need to know they are not alone,” said DeCroce. “There are several services and support systems put into place to help them during one of the most trying times of their lives. I want to help the survivors of domestic violence and creating a week of awareness highlighting services for the survivors is a much-needed step in the right direction.”
PARSIPPANY — The Assembly Women and Children Committee today advanced two measures sponsored by Assemblyman Jay Webber that would support breast cancer research, mammograms for uninsured women and families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss.
The first bill (A921) would require the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to design a breast cancer awareness license plate with a breast cancer organization selected by the governor. It would include the words “Early Detection Can Save Lives” and raise funds for breast cancer research and mammograms for uninsured women in New Jersey.
“I am pleased to be a sponsor of this bill and commend my colleagues for advancing it today. Giving people an option at the MVC to support the health of uninsured women is the right thing to do,” said Webber (R-Morris).
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer detected in the early-localized stage is 99 percent. Mammograms are one of the best tools doctors have to help detect breast cancer early.
Webber also sponsors AJR84 designating October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.
“Whether you lose a child in the first trimester, through preterm birth, or to sudden infant death syndrome, a baby’s death turns what parents expect to be a life-affirming, joyful experience into a painful tragedy. My wife Johanna and I know the bitter sting of that pain firsthand, and we are honored and humbled to help remember New Jersey’s lost babies and the parents who grieve for them,” said Webber (R-Morris). “This resolution will shed light on an important topic many are too scared to discuss.”
Although improved access to health care, advances in neonatal medicine, and public health education campaigns have helped improve mortality rates in the country, one in four women will still lose a baby during pregnancy, delivery or infancy.
Under Webber’s resolution, the governor would annually issue a proclamation calling upon public officials and New Jerseyans to observe the month with appropriate activities and programs.
Both measures have passed the Senate and now await the Speaker’s consideration for a full vote in the Assembly.
In attendance were Corporate Executives, Sponsors and Volunteers, Junior Achievement Board Members, Executives, Management and Personnel, and Student Ambassadors. Also in attendance were Business Education Supervisor, Kelly Curtis, and three of Mr. Kandil’s past and present students: 2010 PHHS Graduate and UPenn and Wharton College of Business Graduate, Sunny Shah; 2018 PHHS Graduate, former FBLA Northern Region Vice President who’s currently pursuing an Finance major with an Economics minor at Rutgers University, Adam Giovanelli, and Current PHHS Senior and FBLA State President, Harvey Wang.
Officer Ohlsen, an 18-year veteran of the Dover Police Department, was struck by a New Jersey Transit train under the Salem Street overpass in Dover as he directed fire apparatus to the scene of a blaze on the tracks and tried to ensure that people known to congregate by the tracks were not in danger.
Officer Wargo was struck in his patrol vehicle on Route 80 in Roxbury Township by a driver who admittedly was impaired on drugs. Despite efforts by police and emergency medical technicians to save him, Officer Wargo died. The driver pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and in 2013 was sentenced to 20 years in state prison.
