MORRIS COUNTY — In a heartfelt, emotional showing of support, several members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office PBA Local 327 participated in a parade on May 7 to recognize Nurses Week. The event was organized by the Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Committee, Finance Chairman Ryan Dawson, and Grand Marshall Mary Waller. The Parade of Our Heroes proceeded from Morristown Town Hall parking lot to Morristown Medical Center. Many nurses and other healthcare workers watched as a caravan of Police, Fire and Emergency Services vehicles saluted them with flashing lights, sirens and honking horns. Several bagpipers also accompanied the caravan of vehicles.

Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker applauded the agency’s role in the festive event: “The nurses and other healthcare workers have put their lives on the line for our protection. We are proud to salute their service on this special day.”

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Rite Aid Store, 480 North Beverwyck Road, will begin testing for COVID-19 starting Monday, May 11.

Testing will be done through the pharmacy’s drive-through only. Rite Aid nationally is working with the White House Coronavirus Task Force and is standing up mobile COVID-19 testing sites around the country, with the approval of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

Other key points below MUST be followed for the health and safety of others:

• Testing will begin on Monday, May 11.
• Testing is by appointment only by clicking here. The appointments will begin on Sunday morning.
• You must be in a car to be tested; at this time, no walk-ups are being accepted.
• If you’re coming to Rite Aid to be tested, you will not be permitted inside the store itself. You must stay in your vehicle.
• Rite Aid recently expanded its testing criteria. Testing is now open to anyone over the 18+ even if they’re asymptomatic.
• An Rx from a doctor or health care provider will not be required.
• Testing is free of charge to patients. Patients will not be asked to enter insurance information.
• Patients will arrive and come through the pharmacy drive-through, where they will receive a test through the drive-through drawer. Testing will be completed in the confines of the patient’s car, sealed by the patient, and then handed back to the Rite Aid pharmacists through the drawer.
• Rite Aid will still be utilizing the self-swab nasal tests.
• At present, each site will have the ability to conduct 50 tests per day.

There is no direct ask of Parsippany, and everything is done at no cost to the municipality, county, and the State of New Jersey.

For more information, please call (973) 334-4343, and press option #3 to be directed to the Pharmacy Department.

PARSIPPANY — Memorial Day is one of our nation’s most important commemorations, as we honor those brave men and women who have fallen in the service of our armed forces. In light of current circumstances, we will not be holding our usual Memorial Day services this year.

Instead, Parsippany-Troy Hills will be recording a Memorial Day ceremony to be broadcast to the public on the morning of Monday, May 25. With safety and social distancing a top priority of production, we are planning a beautiful ceremony that will match the in-person observances we’ve held for years.

PARSIPPANY — Members of the Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire Company (Parsippany District 2), delivered care packages to front line workers at St. Clare’s Hospital-Denville; Morristown Memorial Medical Center; RWJ/St. Barnabas Medical Center and The NJ Fireman’s Home.

Firefighters thanked the healthcare heroes and the hospital staff for their service and dedication. Company President Frank DeRienzo said the idea came out of a suggestion made at the company’s May meeting by Kathi Condurso.

This was the first time in the fire companies history the monthly meeting was conducted virtually via Zoom and teleconference.

Chief Joe Reeber thanked the Commissioners and all the members of the company who supported the project which included 1,300 snack packages.

MORRIS COUNTY — Rutgers’ RUCDR Infinite Biologics received an amended emergency use authorization from the FDA late Thursday for the first SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus test that will allow people to collect their own saliva at home and send to a lab for results.

The decision follows the FDA’s recent emergency approval to RUCDR Infinite Biologics for the first saliva-based test, which involves health care workers collecting saliva from individuals at testing sites.

The new at-home saliva self-collection assay, developed by RUCDR in partnership with Spectrum Solutions and Accurate Diagnostic Labs, allows for broader screening than through the standard method using nose and throat swabs at a healthcare facility or testing location that requires a physical interaction with a healthcare professional.

“The impact of this approval means that not only do we no longer have to put healthcare professionals at risk for infection by performing nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal collections, we can now preserve precious PPE for use in patient care instead of testing and can significantly increase the number of people collected each and every day in places other than a healthcare setting,” said Andrew Brooks, chief operating officer and director of technology development at RUCDR, who also is a professor in the School of Arts and Sciences Department of Genetics at Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

“This will enable testing for people that do not have the means to get to a collection center and/or are at home because they are sick, quarantined, at increased risk for infection, or simply concerned about exposing themselves by traveling to a collection site. This approach will have a significant impact on helping people in New Jersey and across the United States get back to work as we will be able to monitor large numbers of people in a variety of locations.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Senator Joe Pennacchio has obtained a letter sent by the New Jersey Department of Health dated March 31 directing hospitals and nursing care facilities not to inhibit the transfer of hospital patients with COVID-19 entering post-acute care settings such as long-term nursing and rehabilitation facilities.

The letter also states “post-acute care facilities are prohibited from requiring a hospitalized patient/resident who is determined medically stable to be tested for COVID-19 prior to admission or readmission. (Click here for letter)

“New Jersey has continually cited testing as a way to identify and respond to COVID-19.  Therefore, it doesn’t make sense that we would specifically not want to test patients who would enter isolated nursing homes containing our most vulnerable population,” said Pennacchio (R-Morris, Essex, Passaic).

Senator Pennacchio criticized the administration for taking extra care of prisoners before they became COVID-infected by releasing them from prisons yet forcing nursing facilities to accept patients with COVID, then locking the doors.

The Senator pointed to initial warnings that the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. started with an outbreak and multiple deaths in a Washington State nursing facility.

“Applying science and reason, one would surmise that releasing a highly contagious pathogen in an isolated and vulnerable location, like a nursing home, could have devastating effects, and it did,” added Pennacchio.

The Department of Health cites Executive Order No. 103 signed by Governor Murphy on March 3.  New Jersey is the number one state in the union with 50% of its COVID-19 deaths occurring in long term nursing facilities. (Click here for Executive Order 103)

“The State of New Jersey has direct regulatory oversight over these nursing facilities.  Although the population of nursing homes makes up less than 0.7% of the Garden State’s population, the 4,151 deaths in these facilities account for half of all New Jersey’s COVID-19 deaths,” concluded Senator Pennacchio.

MOUNTAIN LAKES — The Lakeland Hills Family YMCA is partnering with The Mansion at Mountain Lakes to help individuals and families in need of prepared food during the COVID-19 crisis.

U.S. Foods has donated various foods to be prepared by the chefs at The Mansion at Mountain Lakes to be distributed or given out to those in need.

If you or someone you know is in need of food due to financial hardship please contact The Mansion by calling (973) 794-3900 or emailing Jim@themansionML.com.

The Mansion at Mountain Lakes is located at 90 Route 46 East, Mountain Lakes. Food trays will be prepared for individuals, couples, or families. Please do not hesitate to reach out for help! We are all in this together.

Additionally, if you or someone you know needs help with grocery shopping, running errands, or in need of something in particular the Y has a volunteer team ready to help! Email Robb at Robbe@Lhymca.com.

As with the food trays, feel free to reach out at any time; that’s what community is all about. Be well.

HANOVER TOWNSHIP — New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials announced the ramp from Route 10 westbound to I-287 northbound, and one lane in each direction on Route 10, will be closed this weekend as a roadway improvement project advances in Hanover, Morris County.

Beginning at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, May 8, until 7:00 a.m. Monday, May 11, NJDOT’s contractor, Crisdel Construction Group, Inc., is scheduled to close the ramp from Route 10 westbound to I-287 northbound, as well as one lane on Route 10 in each direction in the vicinity of the I-287 interchange in Hanover.  This closure will allow the contractor to complete a full-box reconstruction of the roadway. One lane of traffic will be maintained at all times during the weekend closures. Additional lane closures on Route 10 westbound are scheduled for next weekend as the roadway reconstruction continues.  The following signed detour will be in place this weekend:

Route 10 westbound to I-287 northbound detour:

• Motorists traveling on Route 10 westbound wishing to take the ramp to I-287 northbound will be directed to continue on Route 10 westbound
• Take Ridgedale Avenue South U-turn (Dryden Way/Ridgedale Avenue/Cedar Knolls exit)
• Stay left for Ridgedale Avenue/Cedar Knolls
• Keep right and take the ramp to Route 10 eastbound
• Take the ramp to I-287 northbound

The $4.5 million state-funded project will reconstruct a half-mile portion of Route 10 westbound, which is in poor condition.  The project also includes the installation of improved overhead signage and guiderail replacement, which will be completed during the week following the completion of weekend closures.

Advance warning and variable messaging signs are being utilized to provide advance notification to the motoring public of all traffic pattern changes associated with the work.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.  Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info or on the NJDOT Facebook page.

PARSIPPANY — Co-Chairs Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) and Pete King (NY-02) today led a meeting of the Regional Recovery Task Force with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont to discuss the region’s plans to reopen the economy.

The Members of Congress and the Governors underscored the need for cooperation and communication at the state and federal level to help the Northeast. They also addressed specific areas where officials could work together, including contact tracing and testing, infrastructure investment, support for small businesses, and support for state and local governments.

“Our task force is built upon the simple fact that it is going to take all of us working together to address the needs of our region as we look to reopening the economy,” said Rep. Sherrill. “That means not only working with members across the aisle, but also working closely with our state partners. I thank Governor Murphy and Governor Lamont for speaking with the Regional Recovery Task Force and emphasizing key areas where more coordination between the states and Congress can help our region move forward.”

“I truly thank Gov. Murphy and Gov. Lamont for the cooperation they have given New York and the entire Northeast region,” said Rep. King. “I made it a point to assure both Governors that our Task Force addresses this terrible pandemic not as blue states or red states but as Americans.”

“Staying in contact with state officials in our region is paramount to successfully reopening our country,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “If one state or locality in our region doesn’t safely open, it puts us all in jeopardy. I am grateful that this Task Force has continued to organize these discussions, and I look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues at the local, state, and federal levels as we work to safely open up our country.”

“States and municipalities are going to need to do an enormous amount of testing and contact tracing to get us to the point where we can safely reopen,” said Rep. Watson Coleman. “As the Task Force’s only member of the Appropriations Committee I’m committed to ensuring that we have the resources necessary to keep our residents safe.”

“We need to ensure a regional response to the COVID-19 pandemic and leverage the full resources of the federal government during this unprecedented time,” said Governor Murphy. “I’m proud to work with the Congressional COVID-19 Regional Recovery Task Force, especially Co-Chairs Representative Sherill and Representative King, to guarantee the tri-state region receives its fair share of direct federal assistance.”

“Communication and coordination among states and between states and the federal government has never been more important than it is now,” said Governor Lamont. “Connecticut shares a border with three other states, but is part of a much larger and interconnected regional economy. And we know that this virus doesn’t care at all about our borders. So I applaud Representatives Sherrill, King, Himes, and all the other members of this bipartisan Task Force for banding together on a regional basis to consider what more Congress and the federal government can do to support our state and local governments. Their leadership is commendable. And I was pleased to participate in their meeting along with my friend and colleague, Gov. Murphy.”

Rep. Sherrill and Rep. King formed the Regional Recovery Task Force with Representatives Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Jim Himes (D-CT), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY), Dan Meuser (R-PA), Elise Stefanik (R-NY), and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ). The task force is working with leading experts across key fields to put forth bipartisan recommendations and policy proposals for near- and medium-term efforts to get Americans back to work, and address critical questions facing the United States in the coming weeks and months, particularly in the Northeast.

Click here to download The Regional Recovery Task Force’s first report.