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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
PARSIPPANY — Tanzania Davis has been named Parsippany’s newest Postmaster.
“This has been my first official week and it is a great honor to serve Parsippany as your new Postmaster. In my years with the United States Postal Service, I have seen firsthand the Postal Service’s role in connecting neighbors and our community to the nation. Our Post Offices serve as a lifeline for our small businesses to reach customers no matter where they are,” said Davis.
About a year ago, the United States Postal Service published an ambitious but achievable 10-year strategic plan, Delivering for America. The plan established a route to building a Postal Service that is financially strong and consistently delivers on time for the American public, our top customer.
A year into our 10-year plan, and under the leadership of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, we are taking action on its four key pillars: investing in our most valuable resource – our people, modernizing our network, providing service excellence, and creating financial sustainability.
Our actions are already leading to concrete results. We had an exceptionally positive peak holiday season in 2021, learning from the failures of 2020, and followed that up by successfully delivering more than 350 million COVID-19 Test Kits to the American public this winter. And in the 2021 Fall election, we delivered completed ballots from voters to election officials in an average of 1.4 days. We’ll take that success into delivering this year’s midterm elections. All of this is on top of delivering mail and packages to more than 161 million addresses across our nation every day.
“On behalf of the 650,000 women and men of the U.S. Postal Service, I thank you for continuing to support the Postal Service. Providing reliable mail delivery while strengthening the future of this treasured institution is our commitment to you,” concluded Davis.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll and Chief of Detectives Christoph Kimker announce the hiring of William A. Fox as Agent for the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.
Agent Fox was officially sworn in by Prosecutor Carroll at the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office on May 16, 2022.
Agent Fox began his career in law enforcement as an investigator for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office in 1972, becoming an Assistant Prosecutor at the ECPO in 1979. In 1980, he joined the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice as a Deputy Attorney General, and over the next decade, served in the Environmental Prosecutions Task Force/Organized Crime/Racketeering Bureau, Special Prosecutions and Organized Crime, and Economic Crime Section units.
Between 1990 and up until joining the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, he served in private law firms, including acting as a joint municipal prosecutor for Hillsborough/Montgomery/Manville from 2003 through 2022.
Agent Fox earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Saint Peter’s College and a Juris Doctor from Seton Hall University School of Law. Prosecutor Carroll said, “We are very pleased to have Bill Fox join our Office. As noted above, Bill has a huge amount of professional experience and more specifically, has served as an Essex County Investigator, an Assistant Prosecutor, Deputy Attorney General and Municipal Prosecutor for many years and has a vast knowledge of the criminal justice system. On a personal note, I have known Bill for over 40 years and his character, skills, integrity, and work ethic will be a significant benefit to the MCPO and the citizens of our communities.”
MOUNTAIN LAKES — Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire Company participated Tuesday evening, May 18, in a multi-department coordinated drill at the former Zeris Inn location.
Thank you to the Mountain Lakes Fire Department for arranging this drill which allowed members of several local fire departments, ambulance squads, and rescue companies to work together and practice rescue techniques, fire suppression, forced entry, roof ventilation, and interagency communication.
Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire Company brought a pumper and platform ladder truck to the drill located near our firehouse but in Mountain Lakes.
Thanks, Lt. Josh Lefferts for the excellent pictures.
PARSIPPANY — In coordination with the Parsippany-Troy Hills Health and Human Services Department, the New Jersey Department of Health is investigating three cases of Legionnaires’ disease in guests who stayed at the Hilton/Hampton Inn Parsippany Hotel last year. Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by breathing in Legionella bacteria.
The guests visited the hotel, located at 1 Hilton Court, between July 2021 and October 2021. The individuals range in age from 52 to 77 and have since recovered.
After the second case was identified in February 2022, the Department in coordination with the Parsippany-Troy Hills Health and Human Services Department began an outbreak investigation to determine if the hotel was a possible source of these infections. In February, health officials visited the site and instructed hotel management to collect samples from the building’s water system for Legionella testing. The Department received the water testing results in April which revealed the presence of Legionella bacteria in the building’s water system that is used for purposes such as showering, washing hands, and brushing teeth.
The hotel management is taking action to disinfect the building’s water system; however, the risk of developing Legionnaires’ disease among recent, current, and future guests is ongoing.
The risk of Legionnaires’ disease among healthy individuals is low. Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not develop Legionnaires’ disease. People over the age of 50, former or current smokers, or those with certain medical conditions, including weakened immune systems, chronic lung disease or other chronic health conditions, are at increased risk for the disease.
Guests who have one of the above risk factors are encouraged to find alternative accommodations or to take precautions while visiting the hotel to avoid exposure to water by not showering, limiting the use of sinks, and not using tap water for respiratory equipment.
All guests who recently visited or plan to stay at the hotel should monitor their health for 14 days for symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and headaches. If symptoms develop within two weeks of their check-out date, they should immediately visit their healthcare provider. Guests who stayed at the Hilton/Hampton Parsippany more than two weeks ago and have not developed symptoms are no longer at risk for the disease as a result of their visit.
The symptoms are similar to those seen in cases of COVID-19, so it is important to seek medical care as soon as possible to receive appropriate testing and treatment.
Legionnaires’ disease is treatable with antibiotics but can cause severe illness and even death.
People can get Legionnaires’ disease by breathing in aerosolized water (small droplets of water in the air) containing Legionella bacteria. Aerosolized water can come from showerheads and sink faucets, hot tubs, decorative fountains, and cooling towers (air-conditioning units for large buildings). Less commonly, people can get sick by the aspiration to tap water containing Legionella. This happens when water accidentally goes into the lungs while drinking (“goes down the wrong pipe”). People at increased risk of aspiration water include those with swallowing difficulties.
Please call your Local Health Department if you were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease after visiting the Hilton/Hampton Inn Parsippany Hotel. In February 2022, the Department distributed a request to public health agencies across the state and country to report cases of Legionnaires’ disease with a travel history to Parsippany-Troy Hills. Other states’ Health Departments can report cases among their residents to New Jersey Department of Health’s Communicable Disease Service at (609) 826-5964.
For more information on Legionnaire’s disease, please visit the Department website by clicking here.