PARSIPPANYย โย Congratulations Parsippany High School Marching Bandย for makingย Firstย Place in the States Competition at theย Highpoint Solutions Stadium Rutgers University and for bringing home the prestigious Marines Award!
Parsippany High School RedHawks Marching Band wonย the Group IV A 2015 State Championship. They took firstย place at the NJ State Competition for Best Music, Best Overall Effect. With a score of 92.9.
Senior Drum Major Dev Lad, Jordan Farrar and Brendan Laux holding the trophy
MORRIS COUNTYย โ Daylight Saving Time (DST) will end at exactly at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. The mornings will get lighter and the evenings darker and weย will get an extra hour in bed.
Daylight Savings Time which is the act of setting clocks one hour forward during the spring, and one hour back during the fall.
The good news for the early risers is that sunrise will be about an hour earlier and there will be more light in the mornings, but it also means sunset will be at 4:53 p.m.
Don’t forget to set your clocks when going to bed this evening.
PARSIPPANYย โ Ms. Rosemarie McGregor, 71, Parsippany was traveling westbound on Smith Road when she struck a utility pole. She stated she was reaching for a pair of sunglasses when she struck the utility pole.
Her vehicle was towed from the scene by C & L Towing. ย She was transported by Parsippany Emergency Services to Morristown Medical Center.
There were no summons issued at the scene. ย The accident was investigated by Patrolman Pasquale Parisi.
Ms. McGregor was traveling west bound on Smith Road
Robert Peluso, Jr. receiving candy from Rafael Ortiz and Chris Savanovic
PARSIPPANYย โ The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills hosted a successful Trunk-or-Treat on Friday, October 30. ย The event was held at Veterans Memorial Park, Route 46.
The event attracted hundreds of children and their families. Participants decorated their vehicles and children went to each vehicle toย retrieveย their treats.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
โTrunk or treatingโ โ in which little ghouls and goblins collect candy from the back of cars parked at Veterans Parkย โ is giving the door-to-door tradition a run for its money in Parsippany.
Parents like the idea because events are hosted by trusted people in safe, well-lit areas. Cars can be decorated, music and food is sometimes offered, and thereโs no worry about losing track of little ones.
โThis is a way to share with the community while making sure their holiday is safe and happy,โ Council Vice President Robert Pelusoย said. โEverything is free. Our volunteer organizations also participate. Parsipany-Troy Hills Police Department, Parsippany Rescue and Recovery, Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire District 2, Parsippany Volunteer Ambulance and Rockaway Neck First Aid Squad all participated. Itโs a lot of fun.โ
Marijuana candy can look like a chocolate bar, gummy candy, jelly bean or caramel
MORRIS COUNTY โ The use of marijuana candy is rising in New Jersey,ย prompting the Morris County prosecutor and Parsippany-Troy Hills Policeย to issue a Halloween alert.
This poses serious health risks to users, especially children during Halloween. It is possible that children could accidentally receive marijuana candy. Adults should check for strange odors in candy received by children. Currently there is no information indicating that anyone would intentionally give out marijuana candy.
THC level in these products may be as high as 90% compared to 10 to 20% found in marijuana cigarettes. Marijuana candy is made with oil from marijuana plants. This oil is added to the candies during production. Marijuana chocolate is made byย mixing marijuana oil with melted chocolate. Some marijuana products have different levels of THC, and the levels of products sold on the black market may be unknown.
There has been an increase in the variety of edible marijuana products available, including candy.The higher levels of THC in these products presents increased risk if ingested by children.
Fact Sheet:
Indications & Physical Effects
Dizziness
Shallow low breathing
Red eyes/dilated pupils
Dry mouth
Increased appetite
Slow reaction time
Paranoia
Anxiety
Depression
Short term memory loss
Distorted sense of time
Identification
Packaging may resemble popular brands
Emits an odor of marijuana when opened
Long Term Health Risks
<
ul>
Breathing problems
Cognitive impairment
PsychosisRecommendations
Wear vinyl or non-latex gloves when handling possible marijuana candy and throw the gloves away after use
Thoroughly wash hands after removing gloves and before eating, drinking, or smoking to prevent potential ingestion of drug particles
Contact Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department when you observe possible illegal drug-related activityIt should be noted that the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act (CUMMA) was signed into law in New Jersey to protect those who are authorized to use or produce marijuana for medical purposes from criminal proceedings. For more information, click here.
The Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (GCADA) has launched a statewide awareness campaign, “Addiction Does Not Discriminate” to help fight drug abuse by showing that no one is immune to the deadly drug problem. This program provides New Jersey residents with information on preventing abuse, recognizingย those at risk, and finding treatment. Click here.
MORRIS COUNTYย โ The Morris County Chamber of Commerce today recognized New Jersey State Senator Joe Pennacchio for his legislative efforts by awarding him the โAlex DeCroce Public Leadership Awardโ at the chamberโs 2015 Annual Economic Outlook Luncheon in Florham Park. ย ย
โAssemblyman DeCroce was a tireless advocate for small business and entrepreneurship not only in Morris County but throughout New Jersey.ย I am especially honored that this recognition carries his name,โ said Pennacchio.ย
The Morris County Chamber of Commerce recognized the Senatorโs efforts as a taxpayer champion and a strong advocate for the business community.ย Pennacchio was recently honored by the New Jersey Taxpayers Association for his legislative efforts for Transparency and Open Government where he received the โAdvocate for Open Government Award.โย He was also the recipient of the โTaxpayer Championโ award by the New Jersey Taxpayer Alliance where he received a perfect score and he received the โGuardian of Small Business Awardโ from the New Jersey Federation of Independent Business from 2008-2014.
Senator Pennacchio previously served in the New Jersey State Assembly, as well as on the Morris County Freeholder Board where he helped to bolster the Morris County economy by establishing a $75 million economic growth fund for Morris County and worked to secure funding for the Master Plan for the Picatinny Technology Transfer Program.ย Senator Pennacchio is a former member of Governor DiFrancescoโs New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Montville Economic Development Council.ย
ย โI am humbled that I am being recognized by the Morris County Chamber, a community of people who know me and my legislative work best,โ concluded Senator Pennacchio.
Ms. Tiesi's 3rd Grade Class with Parsippany Focus Publisher Frank Cahill
PARSIPPANY โย The staff at Parsippany Focus has chosen three winners in our “Halloween Story Contest” for young readers.
The first winner is a student atย Littleton Elementary School; 3rd Grade, 8 years old:ย Ishita Bandyopadhyay.
Eight year old Ishita Bandyopadhyay
Ishita’s story was titled
“Monster Ville”
Are you scared of monsters? If you’re brave enough then come with me, come on, it’ll be fun. I am going on a trip to a village where all those monsters roam around. I take the “106 Monster Express”. I have some friends who live there_, wait train, wait I have to go to the village of monsters! Wait, wait, wait!_ Oh, sorry, I was talking to you so much that I almost forgot about my train! Now where was I? Oh yes, there’s Achoo, I know that’s a funny name, but it’s true, she sneezes all the time! There’s also Smelly and Slimy, they are the stinkiest and theslimiest monsters you’ll ever see. Oh, and another thing about Stinky and Slimy. _ Here we are at our first stop, the village of monsters, also known as Monster Ville. _ Oh no, no, no, no. It’s Slimy! He likes_; he got me, didn’t he? As I was saying, he and Smelly like to hug a lot. Their mom couldn’t choose their names over Hugsome and Huggy, or Smelly and Slimy! The mayor, my friend is Sleepy. I think you know what she does all day. I’ll give you a hint, it rhymes with peep. Yes, that’s right, sleep! Let me give you this warning, if you try and wake her up, she’ll use you as a teddy bear, sometimes even as a pillow! Last, but not least, Scarific, he likes to scare people out of their wits! If you act brave and don’t scream, then Scarific will keep on scaring you, so you better scream! And that my friend, all my monster friends are at Monster Ville! I hope you’ll come with me one day to the village of monsters!ย
Congratulations Ishita. ย Two other winners will be announced shortly.
Hereโs how the contestedย worked: Ourย contest wasย open to students throughout Parsippanyย in kindergarten through grade 12. Young authors will provide their own original halloweenย story. Students are encouraged to include an illustration for their stories.
A team of Focusย editors had a hard time in selecting the winners.ย ย Winning writers will receive a $25.00 gift card, have their stories printed in Parsippany Focus and have the opportunityย to read their story for a video onย parsippanyfocus.comย and receive a lunch for you the winner and his/herย parents at a local Parsippany restaurant.
Halloween contest official rules
1. The contest is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
2. All entries must be the original work of the student and no longer than 300 words.
4. Students are encouraged to submit illustrations with their stories. While the artwork will not be judged, some drawings will appear in an online gallery. Illustrations should be submitted on a separate piece of paper.
5. All entries and pictures should include the studentโs name, age, school and grade.
6. Deadline for entries is 5:00 p.m.ย Saturday, October 23.
7. All stories must be submitted typed with photos attached including Name, email address and phone number and sent to [email protected].ย IncludeโHalloween Storyโ in the subject line. If drawing can’t be attached they can be mailed separately to Parsippany Focus, Post Office Box 6245, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054.
8. Stories or artwork cannot be returned.
9. Winners will be selected at the sole discretion of the Parsippany Focusย staff.
WC Club members Betty Bertoldo, Bernadette Cicchino, Joan Garbarino, Parsippany Police Officer Brian Conover, Parsippany Child Day Care Center Director Peggy Rauscher, Club member Stephanie LiCausi, Lorraine Steinberger and Cathy Cerbo
PARSIPPANYย โย Members of the Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills along with Parsippany Police Officer Brian Conover recently visited the Parsippany Child Day Care Center to speak to the children about safety.
October is National Crime Prevention Month.ย McGruff, the “crime prevention dog” made a brief appearance.
He is a beloved and trusted crime-fighter for small children. There were several handouts and goodies for the children, including McGruff “Take a Bite out of Crime” Halloween bags, police badges and coloring books.ย Everyone had a great time!
The Womanโs Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills is a member of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC (NJSFWC), which is the largest volunteer women’s service organization in the state, providing opportunities for education, leadership training, and community service.ย ย ย For more information call Cathy at (973) 984-0758, e-mail the club at [email protected] or check us out on the web by clicking here.
PARSIPPANYย โ On Wednesday, October 28 Parsippany Police Department received a call reporting a burglary to their vehicle. Patrol Officer P. Parisi and P. Kolln responded to the scene and spoke to the victim.
The victim advised the Officers that an unknown actor(s) smashed her driverโs side rear passenger window on her 2015 Toyota Highlander between 6:00 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday.
During their investigation, officers also discovered that the unknown actor(s) attempted to steal the vehicle. The victim stated only a small amount of cash was removed from the vehicle.
While investigating the above incident Patrol Officer Parisi and P. Kolln checked the rest of the parking lot for other possible burglaries to automobiles. The Officers located a 2011 Mazda CX9 with a smashed driverโs side rear window.
The Officers also observed that the driverโs side front door was stolen.
This incident is still under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call the Investigative Division at (973) 263-4313.
PARSIPPANYย โ Brooklawn Middle School families and their Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) joined efforts on Thursday to honor the entire Brooklawn staff for their professional efforts during the scheduling snafu during the month of September.
At last weekโs Back to School Night on October 20, the PTSA collected cash donations that nearly topped $400 to provide a special luncheon over three lunch periods for the entire staff at Brooklawn on Thursday, October 29.
โThe parentsโ support was overwhelming!โ said Anya Sheiffele, PTSA President at Brooklawn Middle School.ย โWe couldnโt be more proud of the BMS staff and this certainly shows how much parental support there is for our special group here at Brooklawn!โ
The delicious luncheon was catered by John DiMaggio, owner of Denville Pizzeria, who provided three sets of lunch buffets. Desserts were donated by Brooklawn families and other extras were covered by the Brooklawn Middle Schoolย PTSA.
โIt was wonderful to see the staff so touched by our efforts.ย The thanks truly go to them. ย Our kids are in great hands!โ
The menu consisted ofย Penne Vodka, Eggplant Parmesan, Salad, Italian and Turkey subs, Cruditรฉs, Chips and for dessert:ย Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies
Kiwanis Club President Connie Keller, Tamala Reynolds and Steve Dickens
PARSIPPANYย โ Ms. Tamala Reynolds, Volunteer Coordinator, Homeless Solutions, was the guest speaking at a breakfast meeting of Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, on Thursday, October 29 at the Empire Diner.
Ms. Reynolds updated the Kiwanis members about Homeless Solutions operation, and their retail store, Finishing Solutions.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany members have been volunteering for over 10 years cooking meals and serving the guestsย temporary staying with Homeless Solutions.
Homeless Solutions provides shelter for 25 homeless men, 10 homeless women, 10 families and 20 Safe Haven guests. ย Theย guests receive services including case management, transportation to work and necessary appointments, money management and employment assistance, housing search assistance and daily living skills training. Referral services for counseling, substance abuse intervention, and prevention are also provided.
Homeless Solutions employs 49 staff, 36 full time and 13 part time. Homeless Solutions, Inc. is governed by a Board of Trustees and is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of New Jersey.
Current volunteer opportunities can be found by clicking here.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany ensures that all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, successful lives. We believe that by helping one child, you help the world.
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets every Thursday morning at 7:15 a.m. at Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46. For more information, click here.
PARSIPPANYย โ Parsippany High School held its annual “Halloween at the High” on Wednesday, October 28.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Students from various clubs, including, Key Clubย andย Interact, were dressed for Halloween andย supervised the games, face painting, or just handed out candy to the children.
Elementary aged children from all over the school district enjoyed a night of face painting, games, food, and a spooky haunted house in the auxiliary gym.
Visitors were asked to make a donation to Trick-or-Treat Unicef.
PARSIPPANY โ The final day of the Community Emergency Response Team Training (CERT) took place at Veterans Park on Sunday, October 24 where approximately aย dozen local residents graduated from the three-day, 20-hour course.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The final training included a stimulated emergency scene where current members of the team served as victims while the students worked on using the appropriate method and procedure to treat the victims injury.
The newest members treated a victim with an electric shock due to a powerline that fell on them and tornado winds overturned a picnic table pinning a senior citizen. The members had to use all the first aid skills they were taught over the course of the class.
Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Eric Hubner and a team of four leaders controlled the emergency response, assigned and coordinated teams as they would do in a real emergency.
Will you be ready when another disaster hits Parsippany? Hurricanes Sandy and Irene along with Snowtober 2011 are prime examples of the need for certified volunteers trained to assist first responders in our township.
In the event of another natural disaster, pandemic outbreak, large-scale fire, terrorist attack or long-term electrical outage, the Parsippany Citizen Emergency Response Team is all about readiness and people helping people.
This was Parsippanyโs 9th Community Emergency Response Team training class.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Citizen Emergency Response Team is made up of adult residents who had no background in first response before attending this FREE training.
Our team members are trained to provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people while learning to help themselves and their neighbors during emergency situations.
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.
To sign up for a future class or for more information emailย [email protected].
I was saved. I will be moving into my foster home on Saturday. Woof Woof
MORRIS COUNTY โ YOU DID IT!! YOU SAVED THEM ALL! Because so many of you stepped up to foster Eleventh Hour Rescue committed to taking them all so no one dies tomorrow.
The dogsย will be totally vetted and ready to go into their foster homes by Saturday, October 31. Eleventh Hour Rescueย still has a ton of other dogs and cute puppies that would love foster homes as well. Thanks for helping us save so many precious lives.
Theyย were all scheduled to die today, Wednesday, October 28. Kaden, Shadow, Lee, Spencer, Cooper, Turner and Lennie will be placed in a foster home.
Parsippany Focus published the article yesterday pleading for foster parents and by Midnight last night, the article was read over 9,000 times on our website. The articleย was liked on Facebook over 2,300 times and it was tweeted 21 times. ย Our Facebook page had over 11,000ย views by our readers, another 348 shares and combined total ofย 100 comments. Parsippany Focus would like to thank its readers and supporters for stepping up in saving these precious lives.
I was saved. I will be moving into my foster home on Saturday. Woof Woof
PARSIPPANYย โย Puddingstone Heights Community hosted a candidates night on Tuesday, October 27.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
All six candidates running for position on the Parsippany-Troy Hills Council attended the question and answer session hosted by Mr. Phil Edenย and Mr. Tom Williams.
Theย democratic ticket consists ofย Janice McCarthy, Nick Kumburis and Greg Elbin. On the Republican ticket areย Council President Paul Carifi, Jr., Councilman Michael J. dePierro and new comer Loretta Gragnani. ย The three will vie for three seats starting on January 1, 2016. ย Councilman Brian Stanton is not running for re-election, but Council President Paul Carfi, Jr., and Councilman Michael dePierro is running for re-election.
Editors Note: Due to technical difficulities, the last portion of the video did not produce.
Photos by JoAnn Rich.
Remember to vote on Tuesday, November 3. Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you are not sure where to vote, you can click here, or you can call Morris County Board of Elections at (973) 285-8350.
Parsippany Focus will be publishing live updates of the results on Election night, starting at 8:00 p.m.
Where to vote in Parsippany:
Ward
District
Location
00
01
Public Safety Training Academy
500 West Hanover Avenue, Morris Plains
Classroom 141
GPS: 40.835486, -74.519031
00
02
Fire House – Powder Mill
60 South Powder Mill Road
Squad Room
GPS: 40.857957, -74.490975
00
03
Intervale School
60 Pitt Road
Gym
GPS: 40.8816981, -74.4225234
PARSIPPANYย โ The Parsippany Police Deparment reported at approximately 9:30 there was an incident at Parsippany Hills High School.
After an investigation by the Parsippany Police Department and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office the threat was deemed false. All students are now returning toย their classes.
PARSIPPANY โ There is a situation being investigated at the Parsippany Hills High School.
Students are being safely as a safety precaution. Officers are on scene and securing the area.
Please refrain from going to the school at this time.
This is to prevent traffic/safety issues as we investigate the incident.
Parsipany Volunteer Ambluance Squad and Parsippany-Troy Hills Fire District 2 have been dispatched to the scene.
When more information is available Parsippany Focus will update story.
PARSIPPANY โ The Provident Bank has named Ricardo Agostinho, Parsippany, banking center manager of its Morris Township branch located at 166 Ridgedale Avenue.
In this position, Agostinho will lead and manage a team of sales and service professionals, as well as oversee daily branch operations.
โAgostinho has the skills and experiences needed to effectively lead the team in Morris Township,โ said Lucio Valerio, Area Manager, Provident Bank. โWe are confident in Ricardo and excited to have him join us.โ
Prior to joining Provident Bank, Agostinho worked at PNC Bank for 14 years in numerous positions spanning from sales to management. He also participated on a nationwide merger and acquisition team while at PNC.
Agostinho holds a business degree from Kean University. In addition, he is also a trained personal and business lender and held a Series 62 and Series 63 license prior to working in banking.
Provident Bank also has a branch located at 401 Smith Road, Parsippany
MORRISTOWNย โย Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp announces that Andrew Pfitzenmayer, 27, Peapack reached a plea agreement with the State.
Pfitzenmayer was arrested on July 29 at approximately 10:00 a.m., when the Morristown Police Department responded to the Headquarterโs Plaza building, located at 19 Speedwell Avenue, Morristown, regarding a male acting suspiciously.ย Pfitzenmayer was placed under arrest on scene for possession of weapons charges.
Pfitzenmayer pled guilty today before the Honorable Salem V. Ahto, J.S.C. to one count ofย secondย degree Unlawful Possession of a Handgun.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, the State has agreed to recommend at the time of sentencing that Pfitzenmayer receive 3 years in New Jersey State Prison, with a oneย year period of parole ineligibility. In order to make this sentence recommendation, the State must make an application to the Honorable Stuart A. Minkowitz, A.J.S.C., the vicinage Assignment Judge.
The Court also received a copy of the psychiatric evaluation that was previously ordered by the Honorable Stephen J. Taylor, P.J. Cr. Pursuant to the previous court order, this was filed under seal and will not be available to the general public.
The sentencing for Pfitzenmayer is scheduled for December 3 before the Honorable Salem V. Ahto, J.S.C.
The Morris County Prosecutorโs Office and Pfitzenmayer, through his attorney Frank Pisano, Esq., agreed that all previous bail conditions will remain in place until the time of sentencing. These conditions include not returning to the Headquarters Plaza in Morristown or having any contact with its tenants.