PASSAIC COUNTY — Bill Spadea, a host of the top-rated morning drive show on New Jersey 101.5, was a recent guest at a fundraiser held in support of Paul DeGroot, for election to the U.S. House to represent New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District.
Paul DeGroot and Donald Dinsmore
The event held at the famous The Brownstone was a standing room only. While listening to Spadea, guests were served jumbo shrimp, and lamb chops among other favorites, and the bartenders were serving up delicious cocktails.
Paul DeGroot decided to run for Congress out of deep concern about the future of America under President Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi — and Congress-people like Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who enable them and their agenda.
“I am running for Congress because I want to help our country. America is heading in the wrong direction. The progressive’s attack on our values and institutions is unrelenting; they want to change our history, economy, and how our children think about America,” said DeGroot.
Sharon DeGroot with Bill Spadea
“Sharon and I are concerned about the kind of America our children and yours will inherit. We don’t want our children and grandchildren growing up hating America. I don’t want them growing up in a world where their rights are confiscated by the government and where hope for a better life is an unreachable dream.”
“Throughout my career, I worked to improve people’s lives; to make neighborhoods safer, to protect taxpayers, and prevent the abuse of government power. Now the government is abusing its power, destroying people’s lives — closing businesses, parks, and schools, demanding that you wear masks … or else. That’s an abuse of government power that must be stopped.
Election day is Tuesday, June 7.
Dover resident Ilmi Bojkovic with Sharon DeGroot
The 11th Congressional District covers parts of Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties. The Essex municipalities are Belleville, Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Maplewood, Millburn, North Caldwell, Nutley, Roseland, South Orange, West Caldwell, and part of Montclair. The Morris communities are Boonton town and township, Butler, Chatham borough and township, Denville, Dover, East Hanover, Florham Park, Hanover, Harding, Jefferson, Kinnelon, Lincoln Park, Madison, Montville, Morristown, Morris Township, Morris Plains, Mountain Lakes, Parsippany, Pequannock, Randolph, Riverdale, Rockaway borough and township, Victory Gardens and part of Mendham Township. The Passaic municipalities are Little Falls, Totowa, Woodland Park, and part of Wayne.
Douglas Anton, Esq., Raj Dichpally, Bill Spadea, Paul DeGroot and Ilmi Bojkovic
PARSIPPANY — Make sure you lock your cars. Don’t leave valuables in your car. Make sure you remove your key pods.
Parsippany Focus was informed by a resident residing in the area of Everett Road and Singac Court that a number of cars were vandalized in the morning hours of May 29.
If you see any suspicious vehicles, notify Parsippany Police Department at (973) 263-4300.
Actual photo captured from a Ring camera off Everett Court, Lake Parsippany. In the photo across the street, you can also see that someone is also checking out the red vehicle.
PARSIPPANY — Marotta Controls, a rapidly growing aerospace and defense supplier, announces the opening of a second facility located at 20 Waterview Boulevard. The company will retain its Montville buildings, using the freed-up space to expand its production capacity, development labs, and testing facilities.
Joining in the ribbon-cutting ceremony were Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio, Council President Michael dePierro, Vice President Loretta Gragnani, Councilmen Justin Musellaand Frank Neglia, Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Chairman Frank Cahill and Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce President Robert Peluso.
Patrick Marotta, President & CEO, Mayor James Barberio and Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11)
The move is driven by significant growth across Marotta Controls, which has operated solely out of its Montville location for more than seven decades. Hiring efforts over the last few years introduced more than 200 staff members to its employee base. In parallel, the company’s solutions in markets outside its legacy valve offerings are shifting from the development phase to volume production, creating the need for exponentially more manufacturing and assembling capacity on site.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Committee Chairman Frank Cahill presented Patrick Marotta, President & CEO with a plaque welcoming Marotta Controls to Parsippany. Councilman Frank Neglia and Mayor James Barberio looks on.
“Demand for our advanced solutions is shifting from custom orders to large volume orders in several areas,” said Patrick Marotta, President & CEO, of Marotta Controls. “Notably, we needed to increase production capacity for our Control Actuation Systems and Power Systems as our expertise and innovations in these areas draw more attention from our customers. We are far from where we started nearly eighty years ago when we focused on a valve-only portfolio. Our building resources simply needed to accommodate that evolution. It was an exciting problem to have.”
Tommy Marotta and Mayor James Barberio
The company’s executive and main business functions—including engineering, human resources, program management, marketing, and finance—will relocate to the Parsippany address. Spanning 50,000 square feet, the new office is structured as a modern, open workspace. The interior design intends to foster stronger employee collaboration and physical flexibility as Marotta Controls implements a formalized, hybrid work environment.
The Parsippany space will also house a new development lab for Marotta’s power and control actuation technologies. Production of those solutions will still occur at the Montville location, which is now at 130,000 square feet.
“Marotta Controls is unique. We are a New Jersey-born, privately-owned business serving our industry’s leading defense contractors. We offer enterprise-class capabilities with the nimbleness of a small business. Our success is built solely on organic growth and the strategic introduction of new capabilities. These traits have all resulted in us being one of the only long-standing aerospace and defense suppliers covering the breadth of verticals we do today. We intend to continue investing in our company, our people, and our community to maintain that trajectory for decades to come,” added Patrick.
PARSIPPANY — GAF, North America’s largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, hosted a Habitat for Humanity building site on GAF’s Parsippany-Troy Hills campus. On May 25 and May 26, GAF employees, Habitat volunteers, and a Habitat homeowner, retired U.S. Army sergeant Sam Gonzalez, built the framing of two two-story Habitat houses that will be deconstructed and moved to a local residential location in Perth Amboy for assembly.
GAF, North America’s largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, hosted a Habitat for Humanity building site on GAF’s Parsippany-Troy Hills campus. On May 25 and May 26, GAF employees, Habitat volunteers, and a Habitat homeowner, retired U.S. Army sergeant Sam Gonzalez, built the framing of two two-story Habitat houses that will be deconstructed and moved to a local residential location in Perth Amboy for assemblyGAF, North America’s largest roofing and waterproofing manufacturer, hosted a Habitat for Humanity building site on GAF’s Parsippany-Troy Hills campus. On May 25 and May 26, GAF employees, Habitat volunteers, and a Habitat homeowner, retired U.S. Army sergeant Sam Gonzalez, built the framing of two two-story Habitat houses that will be deconstructed and moved to a local residential location in Perth Amboy for assemblyParsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio, Council President Michael dePierro, Council Vice President Loretta Gragnani, and Councilman Justin Musella visited the Habitat for Humanity building site on GAF’s Parsippany-Troy Hills campus and thanked the GAF employees for their hard work an effort assembling the framesParsippany-Troy Hills Mayor James Barberio writes on the frame a message for the homeownerParsippany-Troy Hills Councilwoman Loretta Gragnani writes on the frame a message for the homeownerParsippany-Troy Hills Council President Michael dePierro writes on the frame a message for the homeownerParsippany-Troy Hills Councilman Justin Musella writes on the frame a message for the homeowner
Habitat for Humanity is a partnership, not a giveaway program—Habitat’s homeowner families buy the houses that Habitat builds and renovates. Habitat homeowners also invest hundreds of hours of their own labor working alongside volunteers. As a result, Habitat for Humanity houses are affordable to low-income families around the world.
In the fiscal year 2021, Habitat directly helped 4.2 million people secure decent, affordable housing, and an additional 8.5 million people now have the potential to improve their housing conditions through a range of indirect services.
A rendering of one of the houses to be constructedA rendering of one of the houses to be constructed
PARSIPPANY — A Memorial Day ceremony was held in Lake Hiawatha Park. The ceremony honored the two servicemen who lost their lives in Vietnam. The services were held by VFW Post 10184.
The group honored our Lake Hiawatha sons who made the supreme sacrifice in Vietnam.
The two servicemen are CWO John Peter Koob, United States Army, and PFC Donald Lee Wickline, Jr., United States Army.
Chief Warrant Officer John Peter Koob was part of the 295TH ORD CO, ARMY SPT CMD DANANG, 1ST LOG CMD, USARV, Army of the United States. He was born on March 30, 1931, and killed in action on December 17, 1968. He started his tour of duty on September 25, 1968, and was 37 at the time of his death. His death occurred in Quang Tin Province, South Vietnam.
Private First Class Donald Lee Wickline, Jr., was part of the C CO, 1ST BN, 502ND INFANTRY, 101ST ABN DIV, USARV, Army of the United States. He was born on June 6, 1946, and was killed in action on June 15, 1969. He started his tour of duty on March 31, 1969, and was 23 at the time of his death. His death occurred in Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam.
National Anthem: Michelle Musolino, Parsippany Resident
National Anthem: Michelle Musolino, Parsippany Resident
Pledge of Allegiance: Girl Scout Troop 95089
Pledge of Allegiance: Girl Scout Troop 95089
Taps: Sydney Spinder, Parsippany Hills High SchoolWelcome Address: Mayor James Barberio
Welcome Address: Mayor James Barberio
Laying of the Wreaths: Led by Rich Kunze, VFW Post 10184
Laying of the Wreaths: Led by Rich Kunze, VFW Post 10184
Salute: VFW Rifle Squad: John Flavin, Bernie McElwie, Andy Dachile, Bob Hughes, and Gary Erdman, VFW Post 10184
Taps: Sydney Spinder, Parsippany Hills High School
Keynote Speaker: Siobhan Fuller McConnell, American Gold Star Mother, Mother of Derek McConnell, Parsippany War Hero
Keynote Speaker: Siobhan Fuller McConnell, American Gold Star Mother, Mother of Derek McConnell, Parsippany War Hero
Just a Common Soldier: Council President Michael dePierro
Benediction: Reverend Donald A. Bragg, Parsippany Presbyterian Church
God Bless America: Allison Paterno, Bella Brisson, Jade Schaffer, Charlie Love, Dylan Franz, and Jayden Cohen, Parsippany Hills High School
Retirement of Colors: Color Guards of American Legion Post 249 & VFW Command Post 10184.
Councilman Frank Neglia, Council President Michael dePierro, Mayor James Barberio, and Siobhan Fuller McConnell, American Gold Star Mother, Mother of Derek McConnell, Parsippany War Hero
PARSIPPANY — Jessica Reich, Microbiology major in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been named to the dean’s list for the spring 2022 semester at the University of Vermont.
To be named to the dean’s list, students must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or better and rank in the top 20 percent of their class in their respective college or school.
About UVM
Since 1791, the University of Vermont has worked to move humankind forward. UVM’s strengths align with the most pressing needs of our time: the health of our societies and the health of our environment. Our size-large enough to offer a breadth of ideas, resources, and opportunities, yet intimate enough to enable close faculty-student mentorship across all levels of study allows us to pursue these interconnected issues through cross-disciplinary research and collaboration. Providing an unparalleled educational experience for our students, and ensuring their success, are at the core of what we do. As one of the nation’s first land grant universities, UVM advances Vermont and the broader society by discovering and applying new knowledge.
UVM is derived from the Latin Universitas Viridis Montis (in English, University of the Green Mountains).
PARSIPPANY — Kyra Reich was named to the University of Mississippi’s Spring 2022 Honor Roll lists. Reich is a 2018 graduate of Parsippany High School.
Reich, majoring in General Business, was named to the Dean’s Honor Roll, which is reserved for students who earn a semester GPA of 3.50-3.74.
In order to be eligible for honor roll designation, a student must have completed at least 12 graded hours for the semester and may not be on academic probation during the semester.
The University of Mississippi, affectionately known as Ole Miss, is the state’s flagship university. Included in the elite group of R1: Doctoral Universities – Highest Research Activity by the Carnegie Classification, it has a long history of producing leaders in public service, academics, and business. Its 16 academic divisions include a major medical school, nationally recognized schools of accountancy, law, and pharmacy, and an Honors College acclaimed for a blend of academic rigor, experiential learning, and opportunities for community action. Recognized among the nation’s most beautiful, Ole Miss’ main campus is in Oxford, which is routinely acknowledged as one of the country’s best college towns.
PARSIPPANY — The ongoing pandemic has put a spotlight on inequities in the healthcare system, especially among the most marginalized members of the community. Those who suffer most are new immigrants, the elderly, and people from lower incomes who lack access to medical care, technology, and health information that is necessary to make informed choices about their health.
They are confronted with barriers to health equity, such as finding health information in a language or reading level that they can understand to ask their medical provider the right questions. Other barriers, such as the high cost of medical insurance or the need to work irregular shift hours, exclude some people from seeing a doctor during normal office hours. Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library System is playing a role in leveling the playing field through NJHealthConnect@Your Library so that everyone has an equal chance to live the healthiest life possible.
Launched in April 2022, NJHealthConnect@Your Library addresses health inequities in the community by providing iPads that are preloaded with apps and links to telemedicine sites for doctor appointments, multilingual health information, low literacy health resources, places for mental health support for adults and teens, the latest COVID updates, and crisis hotlines in New Jersey.
While not free, telemedicine is a more affordable, portable, and convenient lifeline for people with or without medical insurance to connect with a doctor. Telehealth is a skyrocketing trend that grew out of the pandemic and is here to stay with its proven patient satisfaction. It allows people, especially those most vulnerable, to obtain an early-stage diagnosis, prevent illness, seek early treatment intervention, and obtain and renew medications so that health equity is within the grasp of everyone.
To reserve an iPad, contact the library by phone at (973) 887-5150 or online by clicking here.
The New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University, is administering this program. The project is supported by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
“We are thankful for the availability of ARPA funds, which will allow us to support the state’s mission to help people get timely, high-quality health care services. The ongoing pandemic has emphasized a need for health literacy, especially among vulnerable populations, and we’re proud to have public libraries bridge the digital divide by offering telehealth resources to their communities,” said Jen Nelson, New Jersey State Librarian.
Additional information about this state program can be found online by clicking here.
Roman Sanchez, holding his son Diego Sanchez, Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Committee Chairman Frank Cahill, and Cinthya Hilario
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Troy-Hills Economic Development Committee welcomed Mexican Antojitos with a grand opening ribbon-cutting celebration.
Mexican Antojitos is located at 122 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha. Phone: (973) 588-4047.
Parsippany Troy-Hills Economic Development Committee Chairman Frank Cahill presented a welcome plaque to the owners, Roman Sanchez and his wife Cinthya Hilario.
RANDOLPH — Maureen Elizabeth Rauchberg (née Raimist), a social media specialist in Randolph, died on May 26, 2022, after complications from an 11-year battle with metastatic non-smoking small cell lung cancer.
Born in Yonkers, NY, on October 20, 1964, Maureen was raised in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and graduated from Gaithersburg High School. She attended the Merrill School of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park, and was a proud Terrapin.
During her senior year at Maryland, Maureen met her husband, Dr. Alan Rauchberg, whom she later married in 1993. Though she lived in New Jersey for over 25 years, Maureen kept her beloved home state close to her heart. Maureen’s magnetic personality and ability to connect with the people around her led her to pursue communications, marketing, and outreach work. She worked as a social media specialist for Rauchberg Dental Group, her husband’s multi-specialty dental practice in Parsippany.
In addition, Maureen formerly served as the social media officer for the American Academy of Dental Practice. A gifted chef and baker, Maureen wrote her food blog, Spatula, and Wisk, where she shared her latest recipes, family treats, and the stories behind them. She was a dedicated advocate for lung cancer survivors.
Maureen shared her story to support others with lung cancer, including fellow patients at the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. She was an invited contributor to the Foundation for Lung Cancer’s Survivor Spotlight. Maureen was a devoted mother to her three children.
She was often found on a soccer field sideline cheering on her sons or helping her daughter prepare for speech tournaments. She loved hosting dinners for her friends and family, interior design, and traveling the world.
She is survived by her husband, Alan, a dentist, also of Randolph, and her three children: Jess, of Hamilton, Ontario, Jake, of Atlanta, and Cameron, of Randolph.
She is also remembered by her sister, Pearl Rathman, of Royersford, Pennsylvania, aunt Judi Lichtine, of Voorhees, New Jersey, and cousin Elysia Lichtine of Philadelphia. She is preceded by her parents, Anne Armstrong and Lewis Raimist, and her beloved uncle, Saul Lichtine.
A shiva for friends and family will be held at the family’s home on Sunday and Monday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the John Theurer Cancer Center’s Brain and Spine Research Institute (care of Dr. Samuel Goldlust) or Thoracic Oncology Division (care of Dr. Harry Harper) (https://hackensackmeridianhealth.org) and José Andrés’s World Central Kitchen (https://wck.org).
The funeral service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at S.J. Priola Parsippany Funeral Service, 60 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha.
PARSIPPANY — The vacant office buildings at 1515 Route 10 are finally being demolished to make room for new housing development.
In December 2020 revisions to the proposed District at 1515 project and a related financial agreement were advanced by Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council which includes nearly 500 housing units.
The project began with a proposed 250 residential units and was approved at 441 before the requested revisions.
The District at 1515 also would eliminate two vacant buildings from Parsippany’s glut of vacant office space.
Under the revisions approved in December 2020, of the 57 units added, 49 would be age-restricted and would not add to any additional burden on the school system.
They are planning a summer 2023 opening of Phase I.
The project is estimated to bring in only $18.6 million through a PILOT program, $11.5 million of which would be generated by the housing-dominated Phase I residential building.
Phase II of this program is on hold due to COVID-19. Moving the retail portion, reduced from 100,000 to 60,000 square feet in the revision, to Phase II would “buy time” for the market to stabilize and produce new tenant partners.
The two office buildings at 1515 Route 10 are in the process of being demolished to make room for housing development. Photo by Brendon Diaz.The two office buildings at 1515 Route 10 are in the process of being demolished to make room for housing development. Photo by Brendon Diaz.The two office buildings at 1515 Route 10 are in the process of being demolished to make room for housing development. Photo by Brendon Diaz.
PARSIPPANY — A local Parsippany business, Ajaco Towing gives back to Parsippany.
AJACO provided vehicles and their facilities to Parsippany District 5 Fire Department to perform vehicle extrication training as they always extended a hand to emergency services.
Volunteers from Parsippany District 5 Fire Department perform vehicle extrication training at Ajaco TowingVolunteers from Parsippany District 5 Fire Department perform vehicle extrication training at Ajaco Towing
They work closely side-by-side during major incidents and continue to train together to learn each other’s jobs to work as one unit.
Ajaco Towing has the highest experience in emergency recovery in the industry. Their onsite technicians inspect are available 24/7 and are prepared to immediately handle every Emergency Recovery Job.
Their competitive rates enable us to provide you with the quickest and most efficient customer service.
AJACO is located at 1029 Edwards Road; They are also located at 305 Manor Avenue, Harrison, and 1052 Route 10, Randolph.
If you are interested in joining Parsippany District 5 Fire Department, click here.
Volunteers from Parsippany District 5 Fire Department perform vehicle extrication training at Ajaco TowingVolunteers from Parsippany District 5 Fire Department perform vehicle extrication training at Ajaco TowingVolunteers from Parsippany District 5 Fire Department perform vehicle extrication training at Ajaco TowingVolunteers from Parsippany District 5 Fire Department perform vehicle extrication training at Ajaco Towing
PARSIPPANY — Monday, May 30, at 12:000 Noon the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will be holding their Memorial Day Parade on North Beverwyck Road. At approximately 10:30 a.m., numerous roads will be blocked off to maintain a safe and secure parade route. Those roadways will be reopened at approximately 3:00 p.m. Please see the diagram below of the parade route, road closures, and limited access areas.
•Residents of Knoll Gardens and Knoll Manor will be able to access and leave their homes by utilizing the blue route. All entry and exits from Knoll Gardens and Knoll Manor will be limited to the driveway at the very top of Van Wyk Road. Due to the staging of the parade vehicles and marching bands along Knoll Road, the very top driveway will be the only driveway from which vehicles will be allowed to enter or exit.
Please advise any guest that you may be expecting of this limited access as well. All traffic exiting Knoll Gardens onto Knoll Road must make a left turn while the Parade vehicles/Marching Bands are staged on Knoll Road.
Additionally, there will be a police officer and barricades located at the Knoll Road intersection with Lake Shore Drive/Greenbank Road. Kindly inform the officer that you are going to Knoll Gardens/Knoll Manor and not traveling through the closed parade area.
Also, advise any visitors that you may be expecting that they need to enter Knoll Gardens/Knoll Manor from Knoll Road and that they too must inform the officer stationed at Lake Shore Road/Greenbank Road that they are just visiting Knoll Gardens/Knoll Manor. If you are unfamiliar with the Top Exit/Entrance on Van Wyk Road, there will be signs/arrows posted to assist drivers in finding the exit.
Finally, we apologize for the temporary inconvenience that this may cause. We hope that you have the opportunity to watch and enjoy the Parade.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners presented their Distinguished Military Service Medals to ten veterans today at the Morris County Annual Memorial Day Observance ceremony outside the Morris County Courthouse in Morristown, where honors also were delivered by state legislators and Congressional representatives.
U.S. Reps. Mikie Sherrill and Thomas Malinowski, Sen. Anthony Bucco, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, and Assemblyman Christian Barranco also presented honors to the veterans, whose service ranged from the Korean War to Operation Enduring in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen
“These medals are unique to Morris County, and they have been awarded for well over 20 years to veterans or their family members to honor their service to our country. And we are proud to continue our tradition today,” said Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen.
“These medals began when we wanted to honor our Greatest Generation – those who fought inWorld War II. But we expanded the program to cover other times of service by our men and women, including the Korean War, Vietnam, and other conflicts when our armed forces put their lives on the line. Once again, we are officially expanding our program. This year, we will include medals specifically designed to recognize service in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan,” said Selen.
The Guest Speaker was Emerson Crooks of the VFW Post 7333 in Randolph, which is hosting the Vietnam Memorial “Moving Wall” – a half-sized replica of the Washington, D.C. monument – at the County College of Morris from July 7 through July 11. Mr. Emerson spoke of the need to continue to honor veterans, noting that the WWI Memorial and WWII Memorials in Washington, D.C. are getting fewer visitors each year and that he fears the monument to his generation’s service in Vietnam will suffer the same fate.
Father Stepan Bilyk of St. John’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Whippany provided the invocation for the event, beginning with some remarks about Ukraine’s resilience and hope in the face of the ongoing invasion by Russian forces.
Recipients of the Morris County Distinguished Service Medals
Ketankuma “Ketan” A. Shah, Parsippany Served in the United States Marine Corps in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Living in North Bergen when he joined the Marine Corps, Mr. Shah served beginning in March 2002 after the terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C. the previous fall. He continued to serve through August 2010, being trained as a machine gunner and receiving commendations that included the Combat Action Ribbon, Overseas Deployment Ribbon, a Marksman Rifle Badge, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device, and a Presidential Citation.
Mr. Shah now has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Accounting, and Finance, and he is currently employed as a corporate tax analyst. He volunteers his time organizing Toys for Tots charity campaigns.
Joseph Bryan Barbato, Boonton Township Served in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom during nearly 15-years of service with the New Jersey Army National Guard.
Mr. Barbato, who grew up in Haskell, began his service in 2008, which included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and within the continental United States in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He is still finishing his service with the military’s COVID-19 response, which he has been attached to since December 2020.
Mr. Barbato, who has lived in Boonton Township in recent years, is a recipient of the Combat Infantry Badge, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” Device and 10-Year Bronze Hourglass, the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army Good Conduct Medal and the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal.
Mr. Barbato received a Masters of Social Work degree from Ramapo College, and he works part-time as a social worker and in private security. He enjoys working out at the gym and football.
Robert Kent Shaw, Boonton Township (posthumous) Served in the Korean War after being inducted into the U.S. Army on April 11, 1951, and, upon returning from Korea on April 17, 1953, Mr. Shaw was transferred to the Army Reserves and honorably discharged on May 6, 1957.
Born in Yeadon PA on July 20, 1929, Mr. Shaw graduated as a machinist from The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in Media, PA before entering the military. He served in Korea as a Private First Class with the 7th Infantry Division, also known as the Bayonet Division.
The 7th Infantry Division defended the line from Mundung-ni to the rim of “Punchbowl,” from October 1951 through March 1952. The 7th Infantry also assaulted and captured “Triangle,” “Sandy” and “Jane Russell” hills in October of 1952. Mr. Shaw was a small arms repairman who put his machinist skills to work when the parts for weapons were in short supply. He convinced his commanding officer to set up a machine shop so he could fabricate the needed parts.
Mr. Shaw received the Korean Service Ribbon with three campaign stars and the United Nations Service Ribbon.
After his honorable discharge, he met and married his wife, Anita, and settled in New Jersey, moving in 1967 to Mountain Lakes, where Bob liked to say that they were on vacation 365 days a year. The couple had a daughter and two sons during their 60-year marriage, and four grandchildren.
Initially, Mr. Shaw worked in the field of industrial pollution control where he became a recognized authority in paper mill wastewater treatment and an officer of the Whippany Paper Board Company. In 1973 he founded Shaw Built Homes and became a leader in the home building industry. He served as president of the Builders Association of Somerset and Morris, and he was inducted into the New Jersey Builders Hall of Fame.
In 2000 he was honored as a distinguished alumnus of the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades. Mr. Shaw inherited a lifelong love of fishing, hunting, boating, and the outdoors. He shared this and his enthusiasm for flying, antique cars, and photography with his family.
David Ernest Brady, Morristown
Served as a U.S Army Medical Corpsman in his term of service, from November 1964 through October 1970 during the Vietnam War.
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William Everett Brady, Morristown Served in the U.S. Army, stationed in Korea during the Vietnam War from June 1962 through June 1965.
Arthur Charles Schumm, Rockaway Borough
Served with the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War from May 2, 1968, through March 30, 1972.
Carl “Mike” Cabañas, Morristown Served in both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom with the U.S. Army from Oct. 1, 2000, through July 21, 2013.
John P. Wagener, Montville Served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, from June 1957 through May 1969.
Thomas Philip Infusino, III, Montville Served in the New Jersey Army National Guard, including a tour in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2013.
Nancy M. Jones, Wharton Served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War from August 1967 through September 1968.
Richard Alan Elfenbein, Flanders (posthumous) Served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War from 1966 through 1968.
“Look Back On A Fallen Morris County Hero”
The Morris County Commissioners also continued a tradition of including in the annual ceremony a “We do not forget our heroes in Morris County, especially those who fall in combat or during military service. It is traditional to remember at least one by name at our Memorial Day Observance, and this year we look back on one who suffered through one of the most brutal conflicts of our nation: The Civil War,” said Deputy Commissioner John Krickus. “Charles Spencer’s life and service to our nation were short, and a story of the sadness and human tragedy found in every war.”
MORRIS COUNTY — Join Morris County Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals Committee for this casual networking event to kick off the program for the year! A cash bar will be available.
This event is free and open for all Chamber members under 40, and no registration is required.
This event will be held on Wednesday, May 25 from 5:30 p.m.to 7:30 p.m. at Homestead Bar and Kitchen, 10 Dehart Street, Morristown.
MORRIS COUNTY — County College of Morris (CCM) recently celebrated the latest graduates from its Culinary Opportunity (COP) and Horticultural Opportunity (HOP) programs, as it also has begun recruiting for the next class for the training sessions for adults with developmental disabilities.
COP prepares students for entry-level food production or packaging positions in a grocery, supermarket, convenience store, or food market. Students in the program also obtain Serv-Safe certification and are provided with resume preparation and interviewing skills, along with the opportunity to meet potential employers.
Students in HOP gain hands-on experience in horticultural practices ranging from greenhouse production to landscape maintenance, to floriculture. Students learn about the safe use of tools, soil preparation, and seeding, transplanting techniques, caring for houseplants, etc. As with the COP program, students learn how to put together a resume and interviewing skills and have the opportunity to meet with potential employers.
On May 19, the college held a ceremony to honor the graduates from this semester’s COP and HOP programs, several of whom have already obtained employment in their respective fields.
COP graduates from this Spring Semester are Joshua Carter, of Flanders; Brendan Criscione, of Bernardsville; Darian Dadgari of Ledgewood; Veeral Dave, of Parsippany; Bryant Espaillat, of Morris Plains, Cade Herman of Oak Ridge, Alexis Reynolds, of Denville; and Kenneth Vellon, of Newark. This is the sixth class that has graduated from COP.
HOP graduates from the Spring Semester, which was the program’s second set of graduates, are Louis DeVito, of Long Valley; Kevin Hasenbein, of Morristown; Ryan May, of Morristown; Avi Saunders, of Livingston; and Jordan Walther, of Great Meadows.
Speaking to the graduates, Irena Kaler, director of Workforce Development & Community Partnerships, commended them for their hard work, determination, and cheerful attitudes, saying, “The sun shines brighter when you are around.”
Both programs are limited to eight students to provide individualized and extensive hands-on training. For more information on COP click here and for HOP click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Are you looking for a fun way to celebrate the Fourth of July this year? Join the Market Street Mission for our annual 5K Race for Recovery! This year, we are offering both in-person and virtual event options. Click here to learn more and register.
The in-person race will be held on Monday, July 4, at the Central Park of Morris County. We are planning an exciting morning for all our runners and walkers who attend! Participants can choose to run our 5K Race, complete our 1–2-mile Freedom Walk, or bring your kids to join our Kids Fun Run and activities.
If you are more comfortable participating from home, we also have a virtual event planned for the 4th of July weekend (July 1st to 4th). You can register for the race and run from anywhere in the world!
A big part of the work we do at the Mission is our addiction recovery Life Change Program for men. Each year around the 4th of July, while we celebrate our country’s freedom, we also host this race to celebrate freedom from addiction. It is a powerful time for people to gather together to support the Mission and honor loved ones who have fought the battle against substance use.
If you are looking for a fun way to celebrate the Fourth of July weekend while also supporting the work of the Mission, come run with us! Click here to watch a recap of last year’s race to see the fun we have in store.
Established in 1889, the Market Street Mission is an experienced organization with a proven method of helping to fight alcoholism, substance abuse, hunger, and homelessness in northern and central New Jersey. As a private non-profit, they rely on the charitable support of compassionate donors to provide more than 110,000 meals and 30,000 nights of shelter per year across our three locations. For more information on their emergency services, free addiction recovery program, community counseling services, and thrift store click here.
PARSIPPANY — Kenneth L. Purzycki passed away on May 21 due to complications from Lewy Body Dementia. March 16, 1942 – May 21, 2022.
He was born in Passaic on March 16, 1942, and grew up in the Lakeview section of Clifton.
He was a very hard-working person all of his life. He put himself through night school while working for Givaudan, earning his BS in Chemistry from Farleigh Dickinson University and his Masters in Organic Chemistry from Stevens Institute of Technology.
In 1961 he met the love of his life, Mary Kuchta. They married in 1963 and had two children. They moved to Lake Parsippany in 1970.
Kenneth quickly became actively involved in the town. For over 20 years he served in various positions as President, Vice-President, and trustee of the Lake Parsippany Property Owners Association. Additionally, he served on the Parsippany Board of Adjustments and the Planning Board.
He was involved with the Republican County Committee. Up until two years ago, he was a highly active member of the Parsippany Historical and Preservation Society.
For 40 years Kenneth worked for Givaudan-Roure as a fragrance chemist. As a fragrance chemist, he traveled the world collecting scents from plants and trees found in rainforests, mountains, and various other locations. He was awarded eight patents. Many of the scents he created are still used in various products, perfumes, and colognes.
He was a passionate traveler, fisherman, and birder. He spent his time flying model airplanes, woodworking, building robots, and collecting items that interested him.
Kenneth’s greatest love was spending time with his family. He leaves behind his wife of 59 years, Mary, his two children Mary Sue (Matthew) Firpo and Kenneth W. (Marianne) Purzycki, his sister Diane (Stu) Creson, and four grandchildren Michael, Katie, James, and Cecilia.
Relatives and Friends are invited to attend his Funeral on Friday, May 27 at 9:45 a.m. from the Par-Troy Funeral Home. 95 Parsippany Road. (973)887-3235 or visit www.partroyfuneralhome.com.
His Liturgy of Christian Burial is to be offered at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy R.C. Church, 90 Whippany Road, Whippany, NJ 07981. Cremation: Private. Visiting hours are on Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers please make donations in his memory to the Lewy Body Dementia Association Donate – Lewy Body Dementia Association (Ibda.org) or Lewy Body Dementia Association, Inc 912 Killian Hill Road S.W., Liburn, GA 30047
PARSIPPANY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, Chief of Detectives Christoph Kimker, and Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department Acting Chief Richard Pantina are seeking the public’s assistance in locating a 52-year-old male from Parsippany.
Christopher Kaliszuk, who resides at 8 Mountain Meadow Circle, was last seen at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 22, 2022, as he left for a walk, possibly to a nearby gazebo.
Christopher Kaliszuk is a 52-year-old white male with blue eyes. He has messy, sandy blonde hair and facial stubble. He weighs approximately 175 lbs. and is 6 feet in height. He was last seen wearing a light blue and white striped shirt, jeans, and sneakers.
He may be wearing headphones or carrying an old-style Walkman radio player.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts or this investigation is encouraged to contact the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department at (973) 263-4300 ext. 0, or the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Missing Persons Unit On-Call Detective through the Morris County Communications Center at (973)285-2900.
Anyone with information who may be seeking to remain anonymous can contact Morris County Crimestoppers at 1-800-743-7433.
The Guest Speaker was Emerson Crooks of the VFW Post 7333 in Randolph, which is hosting the Vietnam Memorial “Moving Wall” – a half-sized replica of the Washington, D.C. monument – at the County College of Morris from July 7 through July 11. Mr. Emerson spoke of the need to continue to honor veterans, noting that the WWI Memorial and WWII Memorials in Washington, D.C. are getting fewer visitors each year and that he fears the monument to his generation’s service in Vietnam will suffer the same fate.
