PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome new member, Venture X.
With coworking spaces replacing traditional office environments, what sets Venture X apart from the growing number of flexible workspace options cropping up all over the globe? Unlike other flexible workspaces with their whimsical fusion of networking and uncharted possibilities, Venture X is geared towards the established business professional looking for upscale surroundings at locations that are dressed for success.
Their contemporary, design-forward spaces offer a motivating place to not only launch your business but to grow your business and expand your brand. At Venture X, they focus on creating engaging, motivating work environments for professionals and entrepreneurs that inspire our diverse membership to collaborate.
Venture X is also unique in that their spaces are owned and operated by local entrepreneurs, just like you. They understand your market and are here to provide an environment that will gear you for success.
Owner, Mahender Gorrai is a resident of New Jersey for over 28 years and has worked in IT across various industries. Mahender has a master’s in computer science from NJIT. He has identified a transformational need in how we work and collaborate both as individuals and corporations and hence started a flexible, comfortable office space business located at 8 Campus Drive, Parsippany. Call (973) 969-3850. www.venturex.com
Greater Parsippany Rewards members receive a free day pass, by clicking here.
Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce is a service organization for businesses, merchants, residents, and volunteers that provides education, information and networking opportunities to the Parsippany area. For more information call (973) 402-6400 or click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — County College of Morris (CCM) has released its COVID-19 Return to Campus Fall 2020 Plan, (Click here) which is designed to minimize risk and maximize safety for students, faculty, and staff while continuing high-quality educational offerings.
“Our plan is to return thoughtfully, incrementally and with full consideration to the health and well-being of our students, employees, and campus visitors,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, CCM president. “The Return to Campus Plan has been carefully designed to keep the college safe as we continue to provide an exceptional educational experience for our students.”
The plan calls for no more than 25 percent of instruction to take place in person, while the majority of the college’s classes and all support services will continue to be offered virtually.
The reopening is designed to support programs that require hands-on learning, such as those in engineering and health care while placing a priority on protecting the health and well-being of the campus community.
The plan adheres to all federal, state and local guidelines; implements guidance from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local health departments, and professional organizations; and incorporates recommendations from the campus community.
To ensure the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty, CCM has taken several measures as it aims to continue its high-quality learning environment for the more than 10,000 college credit and workforce students it serves annually.
These measures include disinfecting the campus continuously, optimizing HVAC systems to protect against the spread of the virus, and providing for social distancing through the removal or blocking off of seats and one-way signage in hallways similar to what is being used in grocery stores to direct foot traffic. An additional 1,632 square feet of acrylic shielding is being installed throughout campus.
CCM has also purchased 18,000 disposable face masks for those who may require one. More than 170 wall-mounted hand sanitizer stations are located throughout campus and tabletop hand sanitizers will be readily available.
Anyone who comes to campus will be required to wear a face-covering and display a college-issued identification card, engage in proper social distancing, and participate in a contactless temperature check before entering any building. Faculty, staff, and students must complete a virtual orientation before coming back to campus.
Those who wish to visit the campus will be asked to check-in with CCM’s Department of Public Safety in building 675 Route 10 East upon their arrival. Visitors seeking greater clarification and assistance prior to entering the campus can also call (973) 328-5550.
To further maximize campus safety, all instruction in person will take place with smaller than normal class sizes.
To provide all students with as much flexibility and support as possible, fall classes will be offered in three formats, including remotely with video conferencing and regularly scheduled class meetings. This format is similar to live classes. CCM will also offer traditional online courses that do not require attendance at a specific time and allow the greatest amount of flexibility. Students in programs requiring hands-on learning can enroll in hybrid courses where courses meet on campus and online. The college’s student support services will operate largely online.
The CCM library will continue to provide online services as well as curbside pickup and delivery of materials to students, staff, and faculty. The library will continue to offer limited online and telephonic services to county residents. When deemed safe, the CCM library will allow limited visits by CCM students, staff, and faculty on appointment.
CCM is committed to serving its students and ensuring employers continue to enjoy hiring graduates of skill and talent, especially in critical areas including manufacturing, health care, technology, business, and more. The use of advanced technologies, an exceptionally talented faculty and dedicated support staff make it possible for individuals to achieve their educational and career goals without having to take a gap year.
CCM annually awards more than $12 million in financial aid for tuition and has more than $1 million in federal CARES funds to support students experiencing financial hardships beyond tuition.
“Quite simply, there has never been a better time to enroll, said Dr. Bette Simmons, vice president of Student Development and Enrollment Management.
Spencer Savings Bank was pleased to continue its scholarship program this year and award almost $25,000 in scholarships
PARSIPPANY — Spencer Savings Bank was pleased to continue its scholarship program this year and award almost $25,000 in scholarships to both high school and middle school students throughout New Jersey. The scholarships will help families in New Jersey pay for their child’s education. Students were selected, by their school, for high academic achievement and community service participation.
Robert Bednarczyk, Parsippany Hills High School, and Ryan Aemisegeo, Central Middle School were local recipients.
“We are very proud to continue our annual scholarship program this year,” stated Jose B. Guerrero, Spencer’s Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. “Now more than ever, families and communities need as much support as possible. Education is very important to us here at Spencer, and we are pleased to help alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with it. Congratulations to the class of 2020! We are counting on you to do great work towards a bright and hopeful future!”
Each high school student received a $1,000 check and each middle school student received a tax-advantaged Coverdell Education Savings Account (CESA) with $500 deposited to encourage future savings.
Spencer Savings Bank, a leading New Jersey-based community bank, has been serving its local communities with integrity and pride for more than 75 years. The bank has over $3 billion in total assets and operates 20 financial centers throughout New Jersey. Spencer specializes in delivering premier banking products and services for consumers and businesses. Visit SpencerSavings.com for more information.
PARSIPPANY — Dannah Kaplan of Lake Hiawatha, an Accounting major, has received the 2020 John L. Philip Memorial American Sign Language Award from College of the Holy Cross.
The John L. Philip Memorial American Sign Language Award is given to a graduating student who has demonstrated an interest in, and motivation to learn, American Sign Language (ASL) and to bring that learning to life. This student has integrated his/her classroom knowledge of ASL and Deaf culture with respect for, and interaction with, members of the Deaf Community.
The College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Mass., is among the nation’s leading liberal arts institutions. A highly selective, four-year, exclusively undergraduate college of 3,100 students, Holy Cross is renowned for offering a rigorous, personalized education in the Jesuit, Catholic tradition. Since its founding in 1843, Holy Cross has made a positive impact in society by graduating students who distinguish themselves as thoughtful leaders in business, professional, and civic life.
PARSIPPANY — In a letter dated August 11, 2020, to Charles E. Jones, Chief Executive Officer, First Energy Corp. demanding that they make
Food reimbursements
Medicine reimbursements
Infrastructure upgrades
Actionable state legislation
“About 70% of Parsippany residents lost power as a result of Tropical Storm Isaias. Over half of our township was out of power for at least two days, and thousands of residences and businesses did not see their power restored for four, five, or even six days,” Soriano said.
“This occurred during the course of a global pandemic that has left many residents dependent on household power to work, conduct business, educate their children, and care for their loved ones. Our society has never been more dependent on stable, reliable electricity than in the year 2020. This outage, more than any other in recent memory, has brought into focus the need to change the way we think about utility operations and infrastructure moving forward.”
“Earlier this week, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco called on PSE&G, which serves his region, to reimburse customers for the cost of food, medication, and other perishables for both residences and businesses which lost power for 48 hours or more during last week’s storm. He further called on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to make this a requirement in the case of future outages,” he continued.
As one of the few electricians serving as a Mayor in New Jersey, I would also like to offer my constructive thoughts on improvements to our power grid. This is not a comprehensive plan, but a few key suggestions to start mitigating the number of outages we experience and the length of time before restoration.
• Accelerate the installation of “TripSaver” smart reset devices. TripSavers can save time, equipment costs, and labor costs. After the initial investment, labor and repair costs will decrease substantially, as will the time it takes for customers to be restored to power.
• Make our substations more resilient to extreme weather conditions. My understanding for the first few days of the outage was that extensive damage to substations delayed the response to neighborhood outages. As hubs of power generation, a more resistant class of substations will leave more customers with power following major storms, and accelerate restoration times for those who do lose power.
• Installation of smart utility poles: Samuel Morse installed the first utility poles in the 1840s. Other than weather treatment, this system has seen little change since that time. Smart utility poles will both accelerate the trouble-shooting process and vastly improve monitoring capabilities over the grid.
NEW JERSEY — Governor Phil Murphy advised individuals traveling to New Jersey from states or territories with significant community spread of COVID-19 to quarantine for a 14-day period from the time of the last contact within the identified state or territory. In addition to the Virgin Islands, the updated advisory includes two additional states Hawaii and South Dakota – with Alaska, New Mexico, Ohio, and Rhode Island removed from the list, bringing the total to 33 states and territories. The travel advisory applies to any person arriving from a state or territory with a positive test rate higher than 10 per 100,000 residents or a state with a 10 percent or higher positivity rate over a 7-day rolling average.
As of Tuesday, August 11, there are currently 33 states and territories that meet the criteria stated above: Alabama; Arkansas; Arizona; California; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Iowa; Idaho; Indiana; Illinois; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maryland; Minnesota; Missouri; Mississippi; Montana; North Carolina; North Dakota; Nebraska; Nevada; Oklahoma; Puerto Rico; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Virginia; Virgin Islands; and Wisconsin.
“To protect the steady progress we’ve made on our road back, we need everyone who has traveled to one of these impacted states or territories to practice self-responsibility,” said Governor Murphy. “I strongly encourage all individuals arriving from a hotspot to proactively get a COVID-19 test and self-quarantine to reduce transmission across our state.”
Travelers and those residents who are returning from impacted states should self-quarantine at their home, hotel, or other temporary lodgings. Individuals should leave the place of self-quarantine only to seek medical care/treatment or to obtain food and other essential items.
It is expected that individuals will follow the public health advisory to self-quarantine. The list of states will be updated on a rolling basis and is accessible by clicking here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker, and Deputy Chief Jonathan Delaney of the Dover Police Department announce the arrest of Michael A. Holdnak, 30, Dover.
Holdnak has been charged with Attempted Sexual Assault in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1a/2C:14-2c, a crime of the second degree; and Endangering the Welfare of a Child in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4a (1), a crime of the third degree.
It is alleged that between July 12 and July 28 this defendant engaged the 15-year-old male victim in sexual conversations via telephone and social media. It is alleged that on two occasions, the defendant engaged in these conversations while he was outside of the victim’s residence. The defendant was charged by warrant-complaint on August 10 and is currently lodged at the Morris County Correctional Facility in accordance with Criminal Justice Reform.
Prosecutor Knapp would like to thank the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office’s Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment Unit and the Dover Police Department, whose efforts contributed to the investigation and charges filed in this matter.
Anyone with information relating to these incidents is asked to call Detective Lydia Negron of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6213 or Det. Raziel Aragon of the Dover Police Department at (973) 366-2200 ext. 4203.
Editor’s Note: An arrest or the signing of a criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
MORRIS COUNTY — Rosemary Becchi, the Republican challenger in the 11th Congressional District in New Jersey, issued a letter challenging Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill to three debates to be held across the district, beginning in September and ending in mid-October.
“With record unemployment and an economy destroyed by the pandemic, too many people are staying awake at night worrying about how they are going to pay their bills and put food on the table.,” said Becchi. “This election might be the most important election of our lifetime and I believe the voters deserve to hear directly from the candidates on what they plan to do to responsibly reopen and get Jersey back to work.
In a letter sent directly to Representative Sherrill, Rosemary Becchi shared the urgency of live debates, citing “There are unprecedented challenges facing New Jersey right now and the next Congresswoman from Congressional District 11 will be required to make tough decisions.”
Becchi expanded on this point, “In this district, we have a history of elected officials standing before the voters, sharing their opinions, and challenging each other on the issues. Given the pandemic, it may be necessary to adjust the format and hold tv-only debates or even zoom debates. Now more than ever, I believe it is our duty to continue the important tradition to uphold the integrity of the democratic process.”
The debates should give both candidates the opportunity to share their platforms, expand on their stance on issues, and describe their vision for the future. They should cover a variety of topics, be spread out across the district, and provide an opportunity for voters to ask questions. The debates should be moderated by third parties without a political agenda or platform.
Rosemary Becchi went on to explain that she has been talking to voters throughout the district who are tired of politics and just want to know where the candidates stand on the issues. They want elected officials who will put people ahead of politics. Becchi shared that she hopes the Congresswoman will respond quickly to her invitation to debate.
PARSIPPANY — Morris County’s response to the 2020 Census count has been one of the strongest in the state, with Morris second only to Hunterdon County.
However, there are pockets of the population across the county where Census response has been underwhelming, especially in sections of Florham Park, Boonton, Harding, and Parsippany.
Council Vice President Loretta Gragnani, Council President Michael dePierro, Councilwoman Emily Peterson, Councilman Paul Carifi, Jr., Councilwoman Janice McCarthy
PARSIPPANY — The Township Council of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills rescheduled the Council Meeting of Tuesday, August 4 to Tuesday, August 11. The meeting will be held virtually via WebEx. The Agenda meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. Formal action may or not be taken.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting will be held via a web conferencing program named WebEx. This program will allow the public to listen in to the meeting and to participate during the public portion session only. This program uses a “raise hand” button in the software to address those who wish to speak during the public portion.
Please be advised that in order for a member of the public to speak during the public portion, they will need to provide their first name, last name, email address, address, and city accurately. Anyone not using their real name and address will not be allowed to speak during the public portion.
HANOVER TOWNSHIP — Mr. Paul Michel, 34, Lake Hiawatha, was charged with abandonment and disorderly conduct in connection with the incident, Hanover Police Chief Mark D. Roddy said today.
He was also issued township ordinances for leaving a child unattended in a vehicle and was issued a motor vehicle summons for failing to secure his children in a child restraint seat.
Temperatures were hovering around 90 degrees July 5, when a 4-year-old girl and 6-year-old boy were found profusely sweating and crying locked inside a car at Wegmans on Sylvan Way around 6:30 p.m.
Officers brought the kids into their patrol cars as store employees made announcements seeking their father. Michel came outside after twenty minutes, authorities said. The children were turned over to their mother.
Editor’s Note: An arrest or the signing of a criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
BOONTON TOWNSHIP — Eric S. Westenberger, 47, of Boonton Township, died Saturday, August 8, 2020, at St. Clare’s Hospital in Denville, where he was born.
Eric S. Westenberger, 47
Eric was the son of the late George and Lois Westenberger, Jr. He was married to the love of his life Cindy A. (Mac Neal) Westenberger and together they raised their three boys in Boonton Township.
Eric graduated with a BA from NYU and a Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School. Following law school, he clerked in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of NY.
Eric was an accomplished litigator with a legal practice focused on mass torts, product liability, and complex litigation. He first rose to the level of partner at Patton Boggs LLP and was subsequently a partner at other well-respected area law firms including Sills, Cummis & Gross P.C., and Locke Lorde LLP. Previously he was associated with Latham & Watkins. He recently transitioned to the role of senior in-house litigation counsel at PBF Energy in Parsippany.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Cindy, devoted sons; Will, Jake, and Luke Westenberger, loving sisters; Susan Bonanni, Karen Westenberger, Kristine Westenberger, and Michelle Errante; dear brothers, George, III, Robert, and John Westenberger; also many nieces and nephews.
Eric S. Westenberger
A walkthrough visitation will be held at the Codey & Mackey Funeral Home, 107 Essex Avenue, Boonton, on Thursday, August 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Please wear a mask. A Graveside Service will be held on Friday, August 14 at 10:00 am in Rockaway Valley Cemetery, Valley Road, Boonton Township.
In lieu of flowers, Eric’s friends have established a fund to help provide for his children. For all desiring to do click here to make a donation.
MORRIS COUNTY — Message from Morris County Freeholder Tayfun Selen:
I am Freeholder Tayfun Selen – and I’m as fed up with JCP&L as you are. On Tuesday, a tropical storm impacted 150,000 Morris County customers. Five days later, there are still 31,000 customers in Morris County without power.
Yes, it was a bad storm. But this is unacceptable and people must be held accountable.
As we speak, 64% of Harding customers without power, 34% of Boonton, 28% of Chatham Township, 33% of Denville, 30% of Lincoln Park, 51% of Mendham Borough, half the town, 23% of Morris Township, 22% of Randolph Township, 21% of Montville, also are without power.
People who need electricity for their medical equipment were put at risk. Untold amounts of milk and groceries have gone bad.
A real hardship for seniors on a fixed income or a single mom working multiple minimum wage jobs to make ends meet.
These are real consequences of JCP&Ls failure.
Folks, a utility company that made over $380 million in profit as of June 30 needs to step up and make this right and the BPU should demand it if they don’t.
CEO Charles Jones, who lives in Ohio, by the way, needs to answer for why more of those profits haven’t been invested back into infrastructure improvements in Morris County and other parts of New Jersey. If he can’t answer that question to the satisfaction of his customers – like you and me – he should resign and JCP&L should put someone in charge who is accountable.
Enough is enough. Every time there is a storm, Morris County residents lose power for days.
JCPL its time to get your act together. New leadership. New strategy.
I am not only asking for the resignation of your CEO, but I am also asking for a refund of utility bills of Morris County residents for July and August. Morris County residents are going thru this nonsense far too long.
If you would like to reach out to me, my cell phone number is (973) 222-0484.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Office of Emergency Management announced the re-opening of 14 major county roads that were still closed or partially closed this morning due to debris and power wires downed by Tropical Storm Isaias on Tuesday.
Storm Damage in hard-hit Harding Township
Work continues on seven other county roads that remain completely closed and two additional county streets that are partially blocked. The streets were impacted by both downed trees or limbs and fallen power lines, requiring county crews to work closely with JCP&L and other utility companies to be certain the power lines were not live before beginning any clearance of the debris.
“At this time we are down to seven full closures and two partial closures. JCP&L and the other utilities have been making good progress today. A transformer fire caused some major damage to the pavement on Center Grove Road, Randolph, north of Route 10. JCP&L is still working to repair the utility damage,” said Jeff Paul, Director of the Morris County Office of Emergency Management
When work began this morning, 15 roads were completely shut down and another 8 were partially closed. OEM anticipated some of the remaining streets may be cleared by the end of the day.
The county roads that remain impacted include:
Closed Roads
· Harding Twp: Long Hill Road at Lees Hill and Pleasantville Road
· Long Hill Twp: Long Hill Road Myersville and Broadview Road
· Long Hill Twp: Lees Hill Road at Longhill at Youngs Road
· Long Hill Twp: Spring Valley Road at Loantaka Lane and Village Road
· Mendham Boro: Tempe Wyck Road at Leddell Road and Jocky Hollow Road
· Randolph Twp: Center Grove and Quaker Church
· Rockaway Boro: Academy Street
Partially Closed Roads (One Lane Open)
· Montville Twp: Main Road #243
· Roxbury Twp: Center Street at JCP&L substation
Governor Phil Murphy. Photo by Rich Hundley III, Trentonian
MORRIS COUNTY — As part of the Administration’s coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver today announced the creation of the Small Landlord Emergency Grant Program. The program, administered by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, will provide emergency grant funding to small property owners for COVID-19 related decreases in rent revenue for a four-month period between April and July 2020.
Funded through the CARES Act, grant amounts will be generated based on the total amount of missed rental payments and the number of COVID-impacted rental units that serve low- and moderate-income tenants.
Landlords who receive assistance will be required to pass along benefits to their tenants by forgiving back rent and late fees accumulated by COVID-19 impacted units.
“To emerge stronger from this crisis, we need to make direct investments in our hardest-hit neighborhoods and communities,” said Governor Murphy. “Ensuring that responsible landlords can continue to maintain their properties and provide quality housing to our tenants is essential to our recovery. Through this program, we can also provide direct support to COVID-impacted renters by forgiving back-rent.”
We know that many of New Jersey’s landlords are not companies or corporations. Rather, they are families and individuals. And like the families they rent to, they are struggling because they are often locked out of access to capital and federal resources,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Oliver, who serves at Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Chair of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) Board. “The number one priority of this program is to offer much-needed relief to small landlords, who will in turn pass along the benefits to their tenants who are also fighting to stay afloat in the midst of this ongoing public health and economic crisis.”
“No family should be without a home, especially in a national pandemic. Approximately 30% of all New Jersey renters and 27% of low- and moderate-income renters live in 3-10 unit buildings. We have designed this grant program to ensure that our most vulnerable renters and landlords get the help that they need,” said Charles A. Richman, Executive Director of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. “At NJHMFA, our mission to ensure safe and equitable housing for every resident of New Jersey has never been more critical than during this crisis. These dollars will have an increased impact on securing financial sustainability for New Jersey’s families. HMFA is enormously proud to provide this assistance to landlords and tenants and thankful for Governor Murphy and Lt. Governor Oliver’s championing of this program.”
“No one should lose the roof over their head or their business because we failed to act during this crisis,” said Congressman Andy Kim. “I voted to pass the CARES Act because we needed bold action to help get our communities through this pandemic, and I’m proud to see programs like this being set up that will help our neighbors stay on their feet during these tough times.”
“This funding from the CARES Act will ensure that small landlords are able to maintain their livelihoods and support their families and that tenants do not lose their homes during a pandemic,” said Congressman Tom Malinowski. “I will continue to fight in Congress to bring federal resources home to help struggling New Jerseyans get through this crisis.”
One-third of program funds will be reserved for applicants who are registered in DCA’s RIMS database as individual or family owners. Qualified applicants must meet the following specifications:
Owners with properties that have at least 3 but no more than 10 total housing units;
Owners with properties that are not seasonal or vacation rentals;
Properties must have current fire inspection certificates as of March 9, 2020;
Owners of properties with at least one non-vacant rental unit impacted by COVID-19 between April and July 2020; and
Owners with properties that have low- to moderate-income rent levels or rent based on up to 80% of the median area income.
Applications must be submitted between August 19 at 9:00 a.m. and August 26 at 1:00 p.m. to be considered. Grant funding will be allocated on a case by case basis, based on the number of COVID-impacted units, and the amount of missed rent. Applicants must be the Primary Property Owner of residential rental property in New Jersey and be registered with DCA’s Bureau of Housing Inspection as of July 17, 2020. Applicants can check here to see if their property is registered.
For more information on the Small Landlord Emergency Grant Program click here.
Boy, it has been a tough few days here in Parsippany…On Tuesday a Tropical Storm went through our town and it really left its mark. Trees down everywhere and not tiny, scrawny trees.
But sixty – seventy-year-old Oaks that have stood against all previous weather battles. Where I live in Glacier Hills the number of trees down and wires down, poles broken matched or exceeded Hurricane Sandy and the Ice Storm of a few Octobers ago.
On Tuesday so many power lines were down that we were afraid to walk outside, one of the things that happened to me was while I was talking to neighbors to see how they did, we all heard a “POP” sound and saw a white ball of smoke coming from what appeared to be my home. A neighbor called the power company but could not get through, she then called our Fire Department. Within minutes a truck from the Mt. Tabor Fire Department was in front of my home, three young men walked up to me – lead by a Lieutenant. They asked me what the problem was, could I show them where it occurred. They were in full uniform on that hot, humid afternoon. Using some kind of electronic gear they methodically went over the whole outside of the house where the smoke was. They then went into my basement, and finally, they crawled into the attic.
Thank GOD they found nothing. I have never had the need for the fire department in my over 50 years living in Parsippany. Let me tell you that although they found nothing that I felt proud of just watching these young, highly trained men do their jobs. How lucky are we to live in a town where such men still volunteer to help the rest of the community and do it for free, they are after all volunteers. As the Mayor said in his daily report that the Ambulance Squads were busy all day, running all over town – doing yeoman’s work…
As I started to write this letter I realized that we live in a town where those “Unseen-Essential Workers” go on about their daily chores, the trash is picked up, the yard waste disappears, the water comes out of the taps and the wastewater disappears down the toilet, when it snows – before the last flake hits the ground the snowplows are clearing our streets…We just take for granted, our town is one of the safest in New Jersey – Thanks to our excellent Police Department, and finally, those people who work in the various departments in Town Hall – each trying their best to help a citizen when they call or come into the building…
I realize why so many people STAY in Parsippany…My wife passed on five years ago, I could have gone to Florida or Pennsylvania, paid 25% of the property taxes we pay here, but as I have learned – I never hear people complain about our town services when we get together, taxes yes, but services never. Just talk to people who pay high taxes and still have to pay some contractors to take their garbage and other charges that we just take for granted. A good friend lives in an upscale community, garbage is a private contractor, she has well water that MUST be tested twice a month, she has a septic system that she pays to have emptied twice a year, and she complains that it often is the day after a snowstorm when her street is plowed and cleaned. How lucky are we??
In closing let me say this – Our town does NOT run JCP&L, so down power lines – the blame goes there, but when I needed help the fire department sent three of their best men, who did their job and did it well…To Mt. Tabor Fire Company – Thank You! To the Town of Parsippany Employees, just keep doing what you have been doing for the over 50 years that I have lived here…Be safe and God Bless you all!
Front Row: Krrish Thakker, Riya Dadheech, Aarush Khanna and Prisha Khanna; Back Row: Nehal Singhal, Vanshika Pahilwani, Prathamesh Trivedi and Anika Arora
PARSIPPANY — In March/April when COVID-19 started to impact our community, a lot of people started to mobilize help. Riya Dadheech, an Eighth grader, came up with a unique idea “Classes 4 A Cause” to help our community.
Around the middle of April, Riya called up her friends Nehal Singhal, Anika Arora, Prisha Khanna, Malvika Chainani, Krrish Thakker, and Ria Jain.
The entire team immediately agreed to volunteer their time and conduct online classes. Students between the ages of 6-13 would enroll and pay a nominal fee to learn or brush up skills such as Bollywood Dance, Taekwondo, Hindi, Coding/Programming, Indian Culture, Prayers, Spanish and Art.
The volunteers worked hard and designed 6-week courses. Classes began on May 24. During this first batch of classes, C4C team raised about $1000. 100% of the proceeds went to deliver food at Parsippany Food Pantry and Interfaith Food Pantry, Morris Plains.
The second batch of classes (started on June 5), more volunteers Milap Mistry, Aarnav Unadkat, Aarush Khanna, Prathmesh Trivedi, and Vanshika Pahilwani joined C4C team. Newer courses such as Chess, Math, Algebra, Rubik Cube were also added.
Encouraged by the success of two batches of six-week courses, C4C launched “Virtual Summer Camp” on July 15. Summer camp runs through August 21. During the summer camp enrollment, students pick two skills they want to learn/polish. Classes take place every weekday or Monday, Wednesday, and Friday depending on the week the students sign-up for. Please visit https://Classes4ACause.PurplePaint.org to learn more and to enroll.
Riya Dadheech, founder of Classes 4 A Cause and Purple Paint says, “It is really a win-win-win situation. Parents will be able to focus on their work as they work from home, children will spend a summer vacation in a constructive way learning new skills and above all 100% proceeds go to support our community.”
Riya Dadheech, 14, Morris County Vocational Technology School; Taught the Coding/programming class
Riya said “I had a great time teaching the students. It was very rewarding being able to see the students learn new subjects. What was even more rewarding was being able to help our community, especially during these difficult times. When we delivered the food and discovered how many people we were able to impact it was a very satisfying feeling.”
“Working with the Classes 4 A Cause team was a great experience. Everyone worked very hard and spent their own time to help others. On behalf of the Soup Kitchens, Food Pantries, and people we were able to impact I wanted to say a HUGE thank you to the entire team for helping out during these difficult times,” continued Riya.
Krrish Thakker, 14, Morris County School of Technology; Taught was beginner, intermediate, and advanced Spanish
Thakker said “Overall, my experience was really fun and unique. I was able to improve my Spanish and teaching ability, while sharing my knowledge, and was able to do all of this for a good cause. I just would like to thank PurplePaint, Riya, and her parents for giving me this wonderful opportunity.”
Anika Arora, 13, Brooklawn Middle School; Taught Art classes and Indian Culture
Anika said “I found myself very lucky to be able to be a part of Classes for a Cause and for gaining such a great experience from this initiative. I loved going to set up for my classes every Saturday morning, preparing to teach someone something new while making a difference for someone heavily impacted by Covid-19. It was so rewarding to start the session with a blank slate, and then see my students grow so much more knowledgeable in their subjects. I got to spend my time not only making a difference for my students and my community but also got to teach topics I loved. I had a great time being a part of the Classes for a Cause team and for being able to do something meaningful during this time.”
Vanshika Pahilwani, 14, Morris Hills High School; Taught Bollywood dance classes – one advanced and one beginner class
“I loved the experience! In the past, I have taught a few dance classes to kids in person. After teaching online dance classes, I became even more confident in my teaching and choreography skills. Online teaching was a completely new experience for me. Something that intrigued me was that you can teach anyone around the globe right from your own computer. I had so much fun getting to know my students and teaching them each choreography. They were focused, enthusiastic, and eager to learn. I could tell that they love dancing and music and I am so glad I was able to share that passion with them! Thanks to Riya for this opportunity to help my community during these COVID-19 times,” said Vanshika.
“I am a rising eighth-grader. Teaching this class was an amazing experience! It was fun sharing my interests with other kids who were also interested in the same. At the end of the session, it felt good to see that the kids learned something new and could now share it with others. Overall, I was really happy knowing that my students learned self-defense,” said Prisha.
Aarush Khanna, 15, Morris Hills High School; Taught mathematics, for grades Kindergarten to 6th Grade
Aarush said ‘I am a rising sophomore at Morris Hills High School. I had a great time teaching with Classes 4 a Cause, not only was I able to help out others during this time of crisis all over the world (through the direct tutoring and the money that goes to charity) I also gained some valuable experience about mentoring.”
Nehal Singhal, 14, Morris Hills High School. Taught both Beginner and Advanced Hindi language, class
“Overall, it was a truly fulfilling experience and I am really grateful for the opportunity to help my community. I was not only able to help people in our community who were being impacted by the coronavirus but also was able to share my knowledge with other children and help them utilize their time during the lockdown in a productive manner while enabling them to connect with their Indian roots by learning Hindi,” said Nehal.
Prathamesh Trivedi, 14, Morris Hills High School; Taught Chess
“My overall experience went well, and I was happy to have students that wanted to learn from me and excited to learn chess,” said Prathamesh.
Milap Mistry, 17, Cumberland Valley High School; Taught Algebra
Milap said “This was my first time teaching. It was good.”
Ria Jain, 14, Taught dance classes.
Ria said “I had a great experience. It was fun to teach the kids and I also learned a lot. I learned how to keep engaged and focused. Over-all I had a great time working with Classes 4 A Cause.”
Aarnav Unadkat, 16, Taught Rubik’s Cube
“Through Classes 4 a Cause, I gained some great experiences in teaching online. From the first day, there were so many extra challenges that I had to sort out because I was teaching remotely. It was a great experience overall, and I was able to achieve great satisfaction when I would see him make progress,” said Aarnav.
Malvika Chainani, 14, Brooklawn Middle School
Malvika said, “Was amazing to be part of Classes 4 A Cause and contribute to the community in a small way.”
With coworking spaces replacing traditional office environments, what sets Venture X apart from the growing number of flexible workspace options cropping up all over the globe? Unlike other flexible workspaces with their whimsical fusion of networking and uncharted possibilities, Venture X is geared towards the established business professional looking for upscale surroundings at locations that are dressed for success.
Dear Editor:
