PARSIPPANY — The County of Morris has identified an additional three Parsippany residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19, since it was last reported on Monday, May 11.

The number of presumptive positive cases in Parsippany-Troy Hills stands at 668 individuals. (This data is as of 4:05 p.m., Tuesday, May 12). There are also 71 reported deaths.

Morris County has risen to 5,890 presumptively tested positive cases an increase of 53 cases since last reported on Monday, May 11. A total of 523 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 140,743 presumptively tested positive cases with a total of 9,508 deaths.

The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869, in parking lot 1. The hours for testings are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on weekdays and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.

To be tested, residents MUST:

• have a COVID-19 test prescription from a healthcare provider
• read and acknowledge the consent form
• make an appointment

For information and to make an appointment residents should visit the Morris County by clicking here.

Morris County COVID-19 Cases

The figures reflect COVID-19 positive cases as of the date and time indicated, some cases which may be pending, or have yet to be entered into the system.

Please note the following limitations and provisos related to the data above:

• COVID-19-related deaths are not included in this data. Visit the State of NJ COVID-19 Dashboard for a summary of death totals.
• Pursuant to HIPAA, specific identifying health information of persons testing positive or who have passed due to the virus will not be released.
• Data reflects COVID-19 positive cases on dates and times indicated; some cases may be pending and are not yet entered.
• Data may not include cases with incomplete or incorrect street addresses or PO boxes. Such cases require additional investigation by local health officials.
• Figures do not include persons under quarantine/isolation due to exposure and who have not tested positive.
• The numbers, especially higher numbers, do not necessarily reflect community spread in a specific town. Various factors may be related to high numbers, such as increased testing and facilities with high-risk populations.
• This data should not be used to gauge if heightened precautions are needed in specific towns. Social distancing, hand hygiene, and preventive steps must be followed at all times regardless of the number of cases in a municipality.

  

  

PARSIPPANY — Please be advised the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills will hold a Special Meeting on Friday, May 22, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.

The purpose of this meeting is to allow the Open Space Committee to discuss the purchase of Open Space Property, specifically the Kosut Property.

Given the COVID-19 Pandemic this meeting will not be held in person but through the use of a virtual media platform. Please check the Township Website pertaining to information as to how the public may access the meeting. Formal action may or may not be taken.

Members of the Open Space Committee includes Mayor Michael A. Soriano, Chairman; Jennifer Vealey, Administrative Officer; Michael DePierro, Council Liaison; Gabe Yaccorino, Grant Administrator; Dr. Jean Montecuollo; Len Cipkins; Jean Montecuollo; Ruth Palmeri and Dr. Joseph Weisberg.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Clerk Ann F. Grossi, Esq. said that, “Citizens concerned about the current COVID-19 pandemic should utilize the vote-by-mail ballot for this year’s election.”  She continued, “We are currently awaiting direction from Governor Phil Murphy concerning the manner in which the 2020 Primary Election will be conducted.”

“No person should feel they cannot vote out of fear of exposure to COVID-19. Our priority in making this announcement is to ensure that the voting public understands the choices that are available to them and feel comfortable exercising their right to vote,” said Clerk Grossi.

To apply for a vote-by-mail ballot, click here to download an application or call our office at (973) 285-6066 to have an application mailed to you.

Alice W. Gibson, 81, of West Caldwell,  passed away on May 6, 2020. Private services have been entrusted to Shook’s Cedar Grove Funeral Home. Memories and condolences may be shared at shookscedargrove.com.

Born in Glen Ridge, to the late Charles and Ursula Whitney, Alice lived in West Caldwell and spent summers in Point Pleasant Beach. After graduating from Montclair State University, Alice was an Elementary School Teacher in Parsippany. Later she founded Gibson Galleries as an art consultant and then worked as Artistic Advisor for PBD Associates.

Alice was a tireless supporter of the arts and volunteered her time for many causes, most recently as the Development Committee Chair of the Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Association. She was also an active member of the American Association of University Women, the League of Historical Societies, the Victorian Society, and New Jersey PAC.
Alice gave freely of her time to family, friends, and really, anyone she met. She loved people and was truly interested in their lives. Alice could always be counted on to help in any way. She touched so many lives in meaningful ways.
She genuinely lived life to its fullest. She loved flowers, music, and travel and she enjoyed sharing her many experiences.

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister she is survived by her husband, Gordon Gibson, Sr.; her son Dr. Gordon Gibson III and his wife Catherine Norton; her daughter Donna Zimmermann and her husband Bill; her grandchildren, Henry and Anabelle Gibson; and her brother Bruce Whitney and his wife Linda.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Alice Gibson to the Grover Cleveland Birthplace Memorial Association (GCBMA) Visitor Center Account at P.O. Box 183 Caldwell, N.J. 07006, or online at presidentcleveland.org or to the University Women of West Essex c/o Diane Vantuno, Treasurer, 48 Walker Road,  West Orange, NJ 07052.

MORRIS COUNTY — Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson today announced the federal government has approved the Department’s plan to provide $248 million in special food assistance benefits to nearly 600,000 New Jersey children who normally receive free or reduced-price school meals as part of the response to COVID-19 school closures.

“We are doing everything we can to ensure people throughout New Jersey have access to food assistance during this difficult time, especially children,” Commissioner Johnson said. “Children should never go hungry, and approval of our plan is another step forward in our fight against hunger amid COVID-19.”

Under the plan approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New Jersey special Pandemic-EBT benefits will be provided to recipients of the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and non-SNAP households with children who normally receive free or reduced-price school meals.

With federal approval, the Department will begin implementing the plan. The plan will provide each eligible student with $416.10 to help with nutritional support during the time that schools have been closed during the pandemic. No application is necessary to receive this benefit. Human Services is working with schools to identify students who were receiving free or reduced school meals. Eligible students already participating in SNAP will receive the Pandemic-EBT on their household’s existing Families First card. All other Pandemic-EBT eligible households will be mailed a P-EBT card. Human Services expects these benefits to be issued no later than June.

“No child should go hungry, and this program will help ensure New Jersey children will get the nutrition they need,” Human Services Deputy Commissioner Elisa Neira said. “We’ve been working hard to boost access to food assistance during this difficult time. This is a crucial step toward meeting that goal.”

NJ SNAP provides money directly to individuals and families who need help affording groceries. Funds are directly loaded onto an electronic benefits card each month, and SNAP is accepted at most grocery stores and bodegas.

Besides receiving approval of the Pandemic-EBT plan, Human Services has:

• Distributed an extra $106 million in additional benefits to SNAP recipients since the start of the emergency.
• Ensured that everyone whose benefits were up for renewal in March and April, or are due in May or June were extended for six months. This means nobody’s SNAP benefits will be ended during these extensions for not completing the renewal.
• It made it easier to apply for SNAP during this emergency by waiving the normally required interview and the hard copy signature on applications, so as to reduce the need for face-to-face interactions.

“We continue to urge residents to visit njhelps.org to learn more and apply for food assistance and other benefits,” said Human Services Assistant Commissioner Natasha Johnson, who directs the Division of Family Development that oversees NJ SNAP. “We also continue to appreciate the dedicated staff at the County Boards of Social Services who are essential to getting these critical services to New Jersey families.”

PARSIPPANY — The County of Morris has identified an additional 21 Parsippany residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19, since it was last reported on Friday, May 8.

The number of presumptive positive cases in Parsippany-Troy Hills stands at 665 individuals. (This data is as of 4:30 p.m., Monday, May 11).

Morris County has risen to 5,837 presumptively tested positive cases an increase of 96 cases since last reported on Friday, May 8. A total of 518 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 139,945 presumptively tested positive cases with a total of 9,310 deaths.

The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869, in parking lot 1. The hours for testings are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on weekdays and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.

To be tested, residents MUST:

• have a COVID-19 test prescription from a healthcare provider
• read and acknowledge the consent form
• make an appointment

For information and to make an appointment residents should visit the Morris County by clicking here.

Morris County COVID-19 Cases

The figures reflect COVID-19 positive cases as of the date and time indicated, some cases which may be pending, or have yet to be entered into the system.

Please note the following limitations and provisos related to the data above:

• COVID-19-related deaths are not included in this data. Visit the State of NJ COVID-19 Dashboard for a summary of death totals.
• Pursuant to HIPAA, specific identifying health information of persons testing positive or who have passed due to the virus will not be released.
• Data reflects COVID-19 positive cases on dates and times indicated; some cases may be pending and are not yet entered.
• Data may not include cases with incomplete or incorrect street addresses or PO boxes. Such cases require additional investigation by local health officials.
• Figures do not include persons under quarantine/isolation due to exposure and who have not tested positive.
• The numbers, especially higher numbers, do not necessarily reflect community spread in a specific town. Various factors may be related to high numbers, such as increased testing and facilities with high-risk populations.
• This data should not be used to gauge if heightened precautions are needed in specific towns. Social distancing, hand hygiene, and preventive steps must be followed at all times regardless of the number of cases in a municipality.

MORRIS COUNTY —Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Bias Crimes Unit hosted a live webinar on Monday, May 11, 2020. The webinar, part of the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General’s 21/21 Community Policing Project, sought to update law enforcement, school administrators, and the community at large about bias crimes and how to report suspected incidents. The first live webinar of its kind during this emergency, the event was attended by 130 registered participants.

Morris County Prosecutor Knapp began the event by recognizing the unprecedented times we are living in, and how law enforcement is adjusting to the surge in online communication.  He also addressed the importance of teaching our young people the lessons learned from the genocide perpetrated during World War II and thereafter.

Middlesex County Department of Corrections and Youth Services Chief Investigator and President of the New Jersey State Bias Crimes Officers Association, David D’Amico, gave the keynote presentation. During his presentation, Chief D’Amico explained the difference between a bias crime and a bias incident, and outlined what to expect once a bias incident is reported. Chief D’Amico stressed the importance of community partnerships between community and civic organizations, faith-based stakeholders and state, county and local law enforcement to effectively address bias incidents. As the president of the New Jersey State Bias Crimes Officers Association, he introduced the organization and what it does for New Jersey citizens.  On behalf of that Association, Chief D’Amico presented an award to Prosecutor Knapp in recognition of work done by the MCPO to fight Bias Crime.

Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Supervisor Patrick LaGuerre and Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Samantha DeNegri shared their extensive experience with covering bias crimes and offered tips on how to recognize these issues in school systems. Prior to the emergency declaration, Detective Supervisor LaGuerre and SAP DeNegri held numerous presentations at Morris County middle and high schools, educating students on how to properly report incidents of bullying and exercise good judgment when it comes to what you post online or share with friends.

Participants asked questions of the panelists, especially about how bias incidents are handled by school districts and how to report suspected incidents. Detective Supervisor LaGuerre and SAP DeNegri said the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office has trained members of local police departments and school districts on how to process such reports.

Prosecutor Knapp said “I am deeply honored and humbled by the recognition bestowed today by Association President David D’Amico for the work of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in making Bias Crime enforcement and education a priority.  As David said, we have made educating our youth and others in the County a cornerstone of this administration.”

PARSIPPANY — The volunteers of “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” delivered 50 meals to the women and children at Jersey Battered Women’s Service. They also gave them Chocolates and roses. We are sure it made their day a little better.

To request a meal/volunteer/donate click here.

JBWS is a private, nonprofit agency that provides safety, support, and solutions for abuse for anyone who lives or works in primarily Morris County, and faces the issues of intimate partner abuse.

Their mission is the prevention of domestic violence through the protection and empowerment of the victim, the rehabilitation of family members, the advocacy for social reform to prevent partner violence, and the education of the public about domestic violence and its consequences.

In 1976, a small group of women in Morris County began a helpline to aid victims of domestic violence. When two of these callers were murdered by their husbands, the need for a confidential shelter became urgent.

From its grass-roots beginnings, Jersey Battered Women’s Service opened its shelter doors to the community in late December 1978.

Today, the agency has grown into a full-service, private, nonprofit domestic violence agency with programs that provide safety, support, and solutions for all survivors of abuse. The services include 24-hour helpline; safe house; counseling for adults, adolescents and children impacted by abuse; transitional living, including life skills education and vocational counseling; legal advocacy; batterer’s intervention; teen dating violence prevention services; training for professionals; and community awareness and engagement programs.

24-Hour Helpline & Referral: (877) R.U.ABUSED or (877) 782-2873.

MORRIS COUNTY — Recent reports show that 50 percent of all New Jersey COVID-19 deaths have occurred in the state’s long-term care facilities, which has prompted New Jersey State Senator Joe Pennacchio to once again call for an immediate investigation by a Senate Select Oversight Committee.

“We have learned that 4,800 poor souls lost their lives in New Jersey’s long-term care facilities,” said Senator Pennacchio (R-26).  “These facilities fall under the direct regulatory oversight of the State of New Jersey’s Department of Health.  It makes no sense to order those facilities to accept all patients, regardless of whether they were COVID-19 infected, and impose a ban on virus testing on patients entering those facilities, yet the department did exactly that. Ultimately, it wound up adding to the devastation these long-term nursing homes have experienced.”

The Senator today introduced a resolution that would establish a bipartisan Senate Select Committee on the Executive Branch’s Response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We must do our due diligence as elected state representatives to question and evaluate the Administration’s response, and we must do it immediately,” emphasized Pennacchio.

The bipartisan committee, with six members from the Senate, would investigate the cause and effects of the pandemic on New Jersey’s people and its economy, and the administration’s handling of those events. Committee would develop strategies to improve state response to future outbreaks and other statewide emergencies.

“I stand ready to contribute to a Senate Select Oversight Committee and suggest we begin as soon as possible,” said Pennacchio, citing the United States Senate, and the Governor’s daily briefings as exampled of elected officials be able to meet during the crisis.”

This weekend, NJ.com published a piece citing the state’s COVID-19 dashboard that indicated 4,825 of the State’s fatalities occurred in nursing homes, nearly 50% of the total deaths statewide.

New Jersey’s long-term care facilities are home to 61,000 vulnerable seniors, or 0.67 percent of the state’s 9 million population, yet they account for half of New Jersey’s coronavirus deaths.  The Garden State leads all states in the nation in nursing home fatalities.  Florida with a population of 22 million people has experienced 1/10 the nursing home deaths.