PARSIPPANY — The County of Morris has identified an additional 27 Parsippany residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19, since it was last reported on Monday, April 13.
The number of presumptive positive cases in Parsippany-Troy Hills stands at 358 individuals. (This data is as of 4:14 p.m., Tuesday, April 14).
Morris County has a total of 3356 residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19. This is an increase of 187 cases since Monday, April 13.
Please remember to continue the best practices of social distancing, washing your hands as often as possible, disinfecting any surfaces you may touch, and avoid touching your face. If you exhibit any symptoms of illness, please remember to consult your personal doctor immediately.
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. Testing is scheduled beginning 9:00 a.m. and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.
To sign up for an appointment online click here for details.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.covid19.nj.gov or call 211.
For a complete breakdown of Morris County total presumptively tested positive cases, click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Efforts by Assemblyman Jay Webber to reopen state parks and forests is gaining support across party lines and geographic areas.
An online petition that Webber posted on April 7 to rescind Governor Phil Murphy’s executive order to close all state parks had gathered more than 10,000 signatures as of Tuesday.
During an Assembly telephonic session Monday, Webber suggested at that state parks could reopen with reasonable limits that include abiding by social distancing protocols, keeping facilities like bathrooms and picnic shelters closed, banning non-New Jerseyans until the crisis is over or asking people to wear masks.
He noted that some Hudson County and Jersey City officials were also hoping to get Murphy to reverse his decision while neighboring states continue to keep their parks open.
“We are find ourselves as a real outlier in the county,” continued Webber. “The parks and forests remain open in all of our neighboring states.”
He noted that N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo waived all fees for state, local and county parks in March. Pennsylvania, Delaware and Connecticut’s parks also remain open.
“We’re not asking for the parks and the forests in the state to be open without restrictions. What we’re asking for is to help craft a common-sense policy on our parks and forests,” said Webber (R-Morris). “We have 9 million residents in the most densely populated state in the Union and it simply can’t be that the safest number of residents who can use those parks, over a half million acres, is zero. There has to be a number between zero and 9 million that makes sense for the people of New Jersey.”
At the Assembly session, Webber moved to force a vote on his resolution (AR151), which he sponsors with 14 members of the Assembly, asking the governor to reopen all state parks and forests and county parks, but it was tabled by Democrats with a 52-27 vote.
PARSIPPANY — For more information click here on Virtual Programs offered by Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library.
Fort Challenge Contest! April 13 – 18 Are you getting bored at home? Make a fort with items you have at home such as tables, blankets, flashlights, broom sticks, etc. Be creative and make sure you get permission from your grownups. Post your photo to our library FACEBOOK page in messenger. The winner will have their photo in special Facebook post. All those who submit a photo will receive a small prize when library opens. All ages welcome! Watch Miss Karen’s Facebook video for more details.
Bookmark Decorating Challenge– For the week of Monday, April 13 -Friday, April 17, children of all ages can create their own bookmarks using materials they have at home. On Monday at 10:00 a.m. Miss Jen will post a video demonstrating ways to make them unique and fun. Pictures of child’s bookmark should be sent to the library’s FB messenger with parent’s contact info and child’s age. Three winners will be chosen and able to pick up a small prize once the library opens.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Read Aloud – Join Miss Kellyanne every week day at 11:00 a.m. as she reads aloud a chapter from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Monday Maker Challenge @ 1:00 p.m., Animal Architects – choose one building animal (beaver, bird, bee, ant, etc) and research how that animal lives. Go outside and collect natural elements (twigs, sticks, leaves, etc) and build a shelter to protect them! Snap a picture and send through the library’s Facebook Messenger to be posted.
Fantastic Flower Craft with Miss Rose – Tuesday, April 14 at 2:00 p.m. Children will learn how to make colorful flowers using simple craft materials and household items.
Nursery Rhyme Time – Wednesday, April 15 at 10 am. Mrs. O will recite Nursery Rhymes, sing songs, and read a simple story for the youngest listeners.
Fitness Fun with Miss Karen – Wednesday, April 15 at 2:00 p.m. Grab your sneakers, water, and family members to join Miss Karen in this fun fitness workout! You will stretch and then release energy in this short but powerful exercise video. We will act like robots, windshield wipers, and more!
STEAM Thursday @ 12:00 Noon Join Miss Corinne on Thursday, April 16 and learn how to make a special STEAM project with items you may already have at home.
Celebrate National Poetry Month – Thursday, April 16 at 2:00 p.m. – Miss Kristen will read some of her favorite Shel Silverstein poems.
Little Red Riding Hood Storytime with the Big Bad Wolf(AKA Ace the dog) Thursday, April 16 at 7:00 p.m. Mrs. O will read stories about Little Red Riding Hood to her dog Ace.
Whipped Cream STEAM Finger Painting Activity: Friday, April 17 at 11:00 a.m. Want a fun, edible way to teach and practice the sounds and shapes of letters and numbers? Watch Miss Karen’s video on how to be creative using whipped cream, food coloring, and your fingers!
Science Fun Friday–Friday, April 17 at 2:00 p.m. Have fun learning about flowers with Miss Jen through stories, activities and a simple experiment. Children of all ages may attend.
MORRIS COUNTY — MPAC’s next Facebook Live concert will take place on April 17 at 12:30 pm, featuring vocalist Lauren Davidson. Davidson will perform for 20-30 minutes.
The concert can be viewed on MPAC’s facebook page by clicking here.
MPAC launched its Friday Facebook Live series on April 10 with a performance by the jazz duo Acute Inflections. MPAC plans to air a new live concert every Friday for the near future. Concerts are recorded and can be viewed at later dates.
CMA artist Lauren Davidson is an NYC/NJ based urban country singer-songwriter with one powerful voice. Since the age of ten, she has been performing professionally by putting her unique voice on display. Lauren comes from a musical family, singing and performing with her father since childhood and later writing songs together. She continues to co-write with him today in addition to other writers on the music scene.
Lauren is inspired daily by artists of many different genres of music including Contemporary Country, Rock, and Pop. She burst on to the country music scene and has become a popular and loved name where she has carved out a niche as an established singer-songwriter. Lauren frequently travels to Nashville and immerses herself in the music city scene as well as both an artist and a songwriter. She writes and collaborates with many writers in town and continues to play shows and share her music.
The country singer has opened for significant Country Music Acts such as Old Dominion, LOCASH, Carly Pearce and Justin Moore among many others. Lauren’s recent release “Ballads EP” has been exclusively featured on The Boot and she was named Nash FM 94.7’s Nash Next Top 10 finalist. Her single, “I’ll Drink To That,” was named the Digital Journal’s Top 5 Female Country Radio Singles in 2017. Lauren most recently sang the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden for the Sold Out 2019 PBR tour.
PARSIPPANY — The County of Morris has identified 331 Parsippany residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19.
Morris County has a total of 3169 residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19. There have been 162 deaths reported in Morris County.
Please remember to continue the best practices of social distancing, washing your hands as often as possible, disinfecting any surfaces you may touch, and avoid touching your face. If you exhibit any symptoms of illness, please remember to consult your personal doctor immediately.
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. Testing is scheduled beginning 9:00 a.m. and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.
To sign up for an appointment online click here for details.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.covid19.nj.gov or call 211.
For a complete breakdown of Morris County total presumptively tested positive cases, click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Legislature voted to approve a measure (S2342/A3915) sponsored by Assemblywomen Aura Dunn and Yvonne Lopez and Assemblyman Brian Bergen to allow nonprofit corporations to hold meetings in part, or solely, by means of remote communication during a state of emergency.
Dunn, who has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector working for Sesame Workshop (the nonprofit board for Sesame Street), Jump Start: Children First (an early education organization), and Morris Habitat for Humanity, said she was made aware of a law that treated for-profit and nonprofit corporations differently. For-profit corporations had already been afforded the ability to meet virtually, but there was no law extending that right to nonprofits.
“When the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey brought this lack of parity to my attention, I immediately authored this legislation to level the playing field,” said Dunn (R-Morris). “The truth of the matter is, nonprofits are doing the work of the people 24/7 during this crisis. My bill now prevents any unnecessary interruptions in the delivery of their services.”
The bill amends the New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Act to remove the requirements that meetings be held in a physical location during a state of emergency. Under current law, meetings of members must be held in-person and there is no provision to allow members to participate remotely.
“Non-profit organizations are often times the backbone of our communities, whose collective efforts make a difference in the everyday lives of our residents,” said Lopez (D-Middlesex). “Every one of us, including these organizations, must find ways to continue to do work from a safe place, practicing social distancing and helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This small technical change in the law will aid organizations who continue to do their best to help those in need.”
During states of emergency, nonprofit corporation members participating remotely would be deemed present and allowed to vote.
“With the technology we have today, remote meetings are not only possible, but very practical,” said Bergen (R-Morris), a member of the VFW and American Legion. “It allows nonprofits to save money and time on reserving physical space and increases accessibility to these meetings. We have to keep up with the times and evolve under the current circumstances.”
If signed by the governor, the act would take effect immediately.
MORRIS COUNTY — County College of Morris (CCM) has received a $235,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support the launch of a Data Science Certificate program.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there is a high demand for data scientists, whose work involves managing, analyzing and interpreting large sets of data. The BLS 2018 projections indicated that data science analytic jobs will grow by 34 percent by 2026, much faster than the average for most other industries.
The CCM Data Analytics Certificate will consist of five courses for a total of 15 credits that could be completed over the course of two semesters. Students in the program will learn R, Tableau, Python and SQL. The first course Introduction to Data Science will be offered this fall. One of the chief goals of the new program is to increase the number of women and other underrepresented students studying data analytics.
Kelly Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of mathematics at the college, has been spearheading the initiative to provide a pathway to data science careers for Morris County residents and beyond. Prior to joining the CCM faculty, Fitzpatrick worked in hedge fund management as an execution trader with Trigon Investment Advisors. Her other experience includes derivatives and equity strategy at MLC International and credit and global risk management at Lehman Brothers.
“Businesses across all industry sectors, both small and large, are increasingly looking for ways to leverage the era of big-data to make strategic, marketing, sales and other operational decisions,” notes Fitzpatrick. “This grant is a fantastic opportunity to offer students cutting-edge courses for in-demand careers and for the college to be recognized at the national level for advancement in data science education.”
The NSF grant includes funding to support the Women in STEM club at the college, networking and supplemental learning activities for students in the program, and professional development opportunities for faculty.
Individuals interested in the program, first need to apply to the college. Applications can be submitted online by clicking here.
The Admissions office also can be reached at admiss@ccm.edu or (973) 328-5100.
MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy has signed Executive Order No. 123, extending grace periods during which certain insurance companies, including health insurers, life insurers, and property and casualty insurers, will not be able to cancel policies for nonpayment of premiums during the COVID-19 crisis. (Click here to read Executive Order 123)
“We know the stringent measures we’ve put in place to combat COVID-19 have resulted in a loss of income and financial hardship for many,” said Governor Murphy. “However, no New Jerseyan deserves to lose their insurance during this emergency, and we cannot leave people in a weaker position once it ends.”
Governor Murphy’s Executive Order makes the following changes:
Extends minimum grace periods
A minimum 60-day grace period is required for health and dental insurance policies.
A minimum 90-day grace period will be required for life insurance, insurance premium-financing arrangements, and property and casualty insurance, which includes auto, homeowners, and renters insurance.
Insurance companies must notify policyholders of this emergency grace period and to waive certain late fees, interest, or other charges associated with delays in premium payments as directed by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.
Insurers are required to provide each policyholder with an easily readable written description of the terms of the extended grace period.
The extended grace periods does not apply to employer-funded health plans, which under federal law, are regulated exclusively by the federal government.
Requires insurance companies to pay claims during the grace period
Insurance companies are required to pay any claim incurred during the emergency grace period that would be covered under the policy.
The Order further prohibits insurance companies from seeking to recoup any claims paid during the emergency grace period based on non-payment of premiums.
Ensures that unpaid premiums are made payable over a lengthy period
To ensure that policyholders are not required to make a lump sum payment on unpaid premiums at the end of the grace period, any unpaid premium will be amortized over the remainder of the policy term or a period of up to 12 months, as appropriate and as directed by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.
MORRIS COUNTY — As a result of anticipated weather for Monday, April 13, the Morris County drive-thru testing site located at the County College of Morris will be closed.
Anyone who had an appointment scheduled on Monday can reschedule for Tuesday, April 14. Morris County Office of Emergency Management staff is working to contact all of the persons Monday appointments to assist with rescheduling.
Appointments now can be scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14 and 15. For information and to make an appointment visit click here.
IMPORTANT: To be tested, you must be in a vehicle, must have identification, must have an appointment and must have a prescription from a medical provider.
The Morris County COVID-19 drive-thru testing site is located at CCM, Center Grove Road, Randolph, NJ 07869. Residents with appointments must use the Center Grove Road entrance (see map) to access the site.
The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook, including a high winds watch, which is in effect tomorrow April 13 from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The current forecast also calls for rain from about 4:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m., with totals of 1½ to 2 inches.
Some thunderstorms — with a risk of strong-to-severe storms — are forecast between about 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m.
The severe storm chance is 30 percent with wind gusts of 50-to-65 mph possible. Background winds will be strong from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and strongest between about 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sustained winds: 15-30 mph; frequent gusts: 40-50 mph; peak gusts: 55-60 mph.
MORRIS COUNTY —Morris Catholic High School Visual and Graphic Arts teacher, Arlene Sullivan has joined the grassroots team effort to use her 3D printer technology, to work with NJ high school robotics teams and collaborate with private and public sectors to use 3D printing technology to help ease face shield shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Jersey currently has the second largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States.
Deadbands for medical masks
“Fate has brought us all together, says Sullivan, a 15 year veteran at MC. I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend a 3D printing workshop sponsored by MakerBot and hosted by Picatinny a few years ago, where I met Shahram Dabri and received a 3D printer. We have been in contact ever since for ongoing workshops.”
Shahram Dabri, STEM Manager of the Education Office at the U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, is reaching out to his contacts at over 400 New Jersey schools to enlist their support. Last month Picatinny Arsenal sponsored a two-day workshop for more than a dozen NJ teachers with advanced training on 3D printing and CAD, or computer-aided-design. The workshop and a MakerBot 3D printer for their students to use in school were gratis to the teachers.
Upon receiving a request for help from Shah this past Thursday, Sullivan immediately sought help to upgrade her home computer for the 3D printing task looking for help through former MC tech person, Richard Heywood, Technology Services Manager for the Somerset County Educational Services Commission and, Senior Consultant for PeggNet Computers, and her son, Jonathan Sullivan, a graduate of NJIT, EIT. Both jumped through hoops to help Sullivan make this happen, with Rich lending one of his updated laptops and Jonathan manning the installation. Each print takes a minimum of 2hrs and 30 min.
The 3D programs for the medical mask pieces came from Jim Hoffman, STEM teacher at Newton, High School, and the coach of the Varsity Robotics Team for the past eleven years.
Jim received a request from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School student Rohan Sawhney to help make Personal Protective Equipment – specifically face shields for healthcare.
All understand the urgent need. Sullivan’s younger brother, a doctor in Sparta and his wife both tested positive for the virus and were hospitalized. It was pretty dicey for awhile. Hofmann’s son Justin, a graduate of Newton High School and 2017 graduate of Rutgers NJMS, is currently a third year resident working on the front lines at University Hospital in Newark.
The effort, named “PPE Made in America,” has a goal of making 1,000 face shields locally using 3D printers to make the headband portion.
Hofmann leveraged his network of STEM partners and sent an email describing the project with what materials were needed and the associated costs.
The first to respond was Alex Cable, CEO of Thorlabs, Inc., a Newton-based optical equipment company. Cable said currently their priority project is UV Sterilization Chambers for possible N95 mask reuse. Cable committed his engineering staff to prototype headband samples, and then output on his company’s 3D printers, as well as assist in sourcing PETG .02 (polyethylene terephthalate glycol), a sheet of tough plastic material that completes the face shields. Thomas Sinner’s engineering team at Thorlabs will cut the large PETG sheets into smaller, more manageable sizes.
Mark Maruska and Adam Zuedima of Gravity DesignWorks in Newton volunteered to cut the smaller PETG sheets into finished face shields.
New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program CEO John Kennedy, Ph.D., also answered the call. NJMEP, a not-for-profit that works with New Jersey’s small to mid-sized manufacturers, is helping with supply chain and sourcing PETG.
David Romano of RoNetco Supermarkets, Inc., owner of eight local ShopRite grocery stores, has pledged financial support, as has Kristin Prigmore of the Prigmore Science Foundation.
Shahram Dabri, STEM Manager of the Education Office at the U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, NJ, is reaching out to his contacts at over 400 New Jersey schools to enlist their support. Last month Picatinny Arsenal sponsored a two-day workshop for more than a dozen NJ teachers with advanced training on 3D printing and CAD, or computer-aided-design. The workshop and a MakerBot 3D printer for their students to use in school were gratis to the teachers.
Several neighboring high schools with robotics teams and 3D printers who are normally competitors are also pitching in to help, including those from Lenape Valley, Mount Olive, Vernon and now Morris Catholic.
“I am honored to be a part of this, to be able to make a positive difference during this uncertain time,” says Sullivan
“In this crisis, it’s all hands on deck, and great to see everyone come together in the effort” Hofmann said. He added “If any business or school has spare 3D printing capacity, we could sure use your help.”
MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy signed an executive order to implement additional mitigation requirements on Restaurants to Limit the Spread of COVID-19.
“We must continue our commitment to do everything we can to flatten the curve and defeat this virus,” said Governor Murphy.“With these additional requirements, we are aggressively reducing the spread of the virus to protect New Jersey residents.”
Restaurants, cafeterias, food courts, bars, etc. that are still permitted to operate must adopt policies that contain the following provisions:
Limit occupancy at 10% of the stated maximum capacity, wherever feasible, at one time;
Ensure six feet of distance between workers and customers, except at the moment of payment and/or exchange of goods;
Require infection control practices, such as regular hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette, and proper tissue usage and disposal;
Provide employees break time for repeated hand washing throughout the workday;
Arrange for contactless pay, pickup, and/or delivery options wherever feasible;
Provide sanitization materials, such as hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, to staff;
Require frequent sanitization of high-touch areas like credit card machines, keypads, and counters;
Place conspicuous signage at entrances and throughout the food business, if applicable, alerting staff and customers to the required six feet of physical distance;
Require workers to wear cloth face coverings and gloves while on the premises, except where doing so would inhibit that worker’s health, and require workers to wear gloves when in contact with customers or goods. Businesses must provide, at their expense, such face coverings and gloves for their employees. Customers that enter the food business will similarly be required to wear cloth face coverings, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health or where the individual is under the age of two, but will not be required to wear such covering when receiving a delivery or when picking up goods outside of the food business. If a worker or customer refuses to wear a cloth face covering for non-medical reasons and if such covering cannot be provided to the individual by the food business at the point of entry, then the food business must decline entry to the individual. Such food business should, however, arrange for delivery, curbside pick-up or alternative arrangements wherever possible. Nothing in the stated policy should prevent workers or customers from wearing a surgical-grade mask or other more protective face covering if the individual is already in possession of such equipment, or if the business is otherwise required to provide such worker with more protective equipment due to the nature of the work involved. Where an individual declines to wear a face covering inside the afood business due to a medical condition that inhibits such usage, neither the food business nor its staff shall require the individual to produce medical documentation verifying the stated condition.
Click here to download a copy of the Executive Order No. 125.
PARSIPPANY — Joanne Davino, a cafeteria worker at Parsippany High School, has made over one hundred masks for the Parsippany community.
She has been working hard making masks for essential workers. She is a resident of Parsippany and is known as “The Lunch Lady” to the hundreds of students she serves meals to at Parsippany High School.
Masks are also available for purchase to help with the cost. Masks are available for Children, Women or Men at $5.00 each. Pick up only. You can contact Joanne Davino on Facebook by clicking here or email gabriella.davino26@gmail.com.
MORRIS COUNTY — “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” with items donated from Stop & Shop (Morris Plains) were able to prepare and distribute 37 Easter baskets.
The baskets were made by the Kraus family and Finaldi family. The baskets were delivered by the team at Kraus Marketing: Justine Roche, Sam Codd, Michelle Kraus and Nicholas Kraus.
Nicholas Kraus picking up the donations from Stop & Shop
Thirty-three baskets were distributed to the children of Jersey Battered Women’s Service and another four for the children of St Peters Village Orphanage in Denville!
Nicholas Kraus loading his SUV after his family prepared 37 Easter baskets
In just three weeks, “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” supplied over 2,100 meals to various groups, first responders, hospital employees and more. The group received $38,000 in donations, purchased $1,500 PPE for Parsippany Police and Parsippany EMS. They have 3,981 members of their FaceBook group (Click here). In addition they paid out over $23,000 to local businesses by purchasing meals.
Northpointe Bank sent $3,400 directly to the Jersey Women’s Battered Shelter; Donations from Stop and Shop for Easter baskets for 37 kids in Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter and St. Peters Village Orphanage.
“And a great feeling of community and as much positive that could be out there in this tough time,” said Chris Mazzarella, one of the groups organizers.
To request a meal, volunteer or to donate click here.
The baskets were made by the Kraus family and Finaldi family
PARSIPPANY — “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” supplied 60 home-cooked meals to the clients of Homeless Solutions.
The meals were prepared by Jeremiah’s Catering and Cooking School, 84 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha.
Sixty home cooked meals were delivered to Homeless Solutions supplied by “Parsippany Supporting Our Town”
Chris Mazzarella said “The food looked so good I almost couldn’t help from eating the meals.” In addition to the meals, the group supplied some “stress balls” which were donated by an anonymous Parsippany resident.
Sixty meals were prepared by Jeremiah’s Catering and Cooking School, 84 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha
Homeless Solutions, “Providing a Hand UP, Not a HandOUT.” They offer shelter, services, and supportive housing to the homeless and working poor in Morris County.
In just three weeks, “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” supplied over 2,100 meals to various groups, first responders, hospital employees and more. The group received $38,000 in donations, purchased $1,500 PPE for Parsippany Police and Parsippany EMS. They have 3,981 members of their FaceBook group (Click here). In addition they paid out over $23,000 to local businesses by purchasing meals.
Northpointe Bank sent $3,400 directly to the Jersey Women’s Battered Shelter; Donations from Stop and Shop for Easter baskets for 37 kids in Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter and St. Peters Village Orphanage.
“And a great feeling of community and as much positive that could be out there in this tough time,” said Chris.
To request a meal, volunteer or to donate click here.
Tamala Reynolds, Volunteer Coordinator of Homeless Solutions
Voting rights experts agree: Americans must be able to cast a ballot by mail to ensure that they can safely and securely vote this year.
Congress has already passed some funding for states to implement vote-by-mail, but the amount is a fraction of what’s needed to prevent COVID-19 from disrupting the 2020 election. In this election, perhaps more than any other, voters deserve the chance to elect leaders who will protect their health and safety, governing with their interests in mind.
While no voting system is perfect, the fact that multiple states already conduct their elections almost entirely by mail demonstrates vote-by-mail as an option can be successfully adopted around the country. We also know that vote-by-mail increases voter turnout across the board. According to the New York Times, in the 2018 midterms, states that allowed voting by mail had, on average, a 15.5 percentage point higher turnout than states that did not.
We also need other options for registering to vote and casting a ballot, like online voter registration and early voting, in states that don’t already have them. Election experts have calculated that states will need an additional $4 billion to implement these voting reforms to hold a safe and secure election in November.
I commend lawmakers for allocating some funds to expand vote-by-mail and other election assistance, but I am counting on Congress to recognize the magnitude of the threat that COVID-19 poses to our elections and provide the full $4 billion in funding that states need.
PARSIPPANY — Greenhill Liquors installed a walk-up window for the convenience and safety of its customers and employees.
Greenhill Liquors is located at 168 Parsippany Road, Greenhill Shopping Center. They are open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information call (973) 386-9222.
The window was installed by All Class Glass from East Hanover.
Greenhill Liquors installed a walk up window for the convenience and safety of its customers and employeesGreenhill Liquors installed a walk up window for the convenience and safety of its customers and employees
Parsippany parks will remain open, for now.Please help keep everyone in our community safe, and if you see something, say something. To report anybody not practicing social distancing in the parks, please call our Police Department at (973) 263-4300.
MORRIS COUNTY — Since their formation, community colleges have seen their communities through many challenging times, including the training of veterans from World War II and the unemployed during the Great Recession of 2007-09. During this current time of crisis, community colleges, their faculty, students, graduates, staff and administration once again are making significant impacts in their communities.
Sheriff James M. Gannon (center) a CCM graduate, and his team monitoring the Morris County COVID-19 testing site at CCM. On the right is CCM President Anthony J. Iacono
Along with helping students to move forward with their education in an online format, County College of Morris (CCM) is offering assistance to the community to support residents during these challenging times. Since March 30, the campus has been serving as a COVID-19 Testing Center for Morris County in coordination with the Morris County Office of Emergency Management, the Morris County Sheriff’s Department, Morris County Park Police, Randolph Township Police Department and Atlantic Health System. Helping with that effort are staff from CCM’s Departments of Public Safety and Plant and Maintenance, who are serving as traffic directors, site monitors and in other roles as needed.
The college also has donated equipment to Morristown Medical Center, including five ventilators, 325 N95 masks and 3,000 gloves. In addition, at the request of Atlantic Health Systems, the college’s engineering lab coordinator is creating face shields on the college’s 3-D printers for healthcare workers. The shields are being created based on specifications provided by Atlantic Health. The college is able to create about 15 a day.
Meanwhile, CCM graduates are working in healthcare facilities throughout the county and region as nurses, respiratory therapists and radiographers.
Included among them are two recent graduates, Jeremy Friedland ’19, of Parsippany, a graduate of the Nursing Program; and Melanie New ’19, of Vernon, a graduate of the Respiratory Therapy Program, both of whom are on the front line of helping COVID-19 patients at Morristown Medical Center. Another is Cassidy Grady ’19, of Lake Hopatcong, a graduate of the Respiratory Therapy Program, a full-time night respiratory therapist at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. CCM has trained approximately half of the nurses and roughly 90 percent of the respiratory therapists who work in Morris County.
“County College of Morris is proud to support our healthcare providers. Many of these individuals are CCM alumni. For this reason, we often say that today’s graduates are tomorrow’s heroes. The men and women who work in health care are literally putting their lives at risk to help others. We are extremely grateful to all of them and appreciate their service and devotion to helping those in need,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, CCM president.
CCM employees demonstrating social distancing before the start of the Distribution Day the campus held to provide students and employees with laptops and other needed equipment.
With all classes now online at CCM and the college working remotely, several students and employees found they were lacking the technology to make the transition. To assist them, the college on Saturday, April 4, distributed nearly 40 laptops at a special distribution event staffed by several CCM employees. Also distributed at the event was other equipment students require to continue their classwork, such as art and photography supplies and pottery wheels and clay.
Further supporting students, the CCM Foundation has increased its focus on raising funds for the Titan Emergency Fund. That fund provides students with financial support to meet unexpected expenses, from car repairs, to food, housing, medical and other issues, so they can stay on track to graduate.
MORRIS COUNTY — Amid reports that the state’s long-term care facilities are failing to properly notify staff, caregivers and families of COVID-19 outbreaks, Assemblyman Kevin J. Rooney is calling on the Department of Health to force compliance with their updated directives and state law.
Under state law that went into effect in February, nursing homes must have outbreak response plans that include policies regarding notifying residents, staff and families. The law was in response to an adenovirus outbreak at a Wanaque nursing home that killed 11 children.
“It is heartbreaking to see loved ones in despair because the facilities are not answering the phone lines or communicating on how their family member is currently doing,” said Rooney (R-Bergen). “The lack of transparency at many of these facilities has to be fixed immediately to protect the staff, the residents and their family who are suffering in silence.”
Last week, the health department issued directives requiring nursing homes to notify their residents and staff, along with residents’ families, about cases of coronavirus within their facilities. The facilities were to comply with the orders by Monday. It is not clear how many facilities did not meet the deadline.
“Clear communication is critical right now. These are life and death situations. Nearly half of those who died are 80 or older,” explained Rooney.
At the governor’s daily coronavirus briefing Thursday, it was reported that 262 of the state’s 375 long-term care facilities have at least one positive case of COVID-19. There are 3,388 residents in long-term care, assisted living and dementia care facilities testing positive. Twenty of the new 198 coronavirus-related deaths Thursday were residents of these facilities.
The state’s three veteran homes have also been affected by the coronavirus, particularly the facility in Paramus, which reported 40 cases. In total, veteran homes have 58 positive cases and 13 deaths.
“Our veterans, our nursing home residents, health care workers and their loved ones deserve better,” said Rooney. “Family can’t visit their loved ones right now and some facilities are cutting off other forms of contact. It’s unacceptable.”
The health department said residents of nursing homes and staff members must be notified in person and in writing of a coronavirus outbreak. Families or whoever is designated responsible for the resident must be reached by telephone, email or another form of communication within 24 hours and in writing within three days. Notification must happen when a resident or staff member has a confirmed case or is under investigation for coronavirus.
PARSIPPANY — The County of Morris has identified an additional 14 Parsippany residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19, since it was last reported on Wednesday, April 8.
The number of presumptive positive cases in Parsippany-Troy Hills stands at 258 individuals. It is also reported a total of 9 deaths related to COVID-19. (This data is as of 3:42 p.m., Thursday, April 9).
Morris County has a total of 2599 residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19. This is an increase of 150 cases since Wednesday, April 8.
Please remember to continue the best practices of social distancing, washing your hands as often as possible, disinfecting any surfaces you may touch, and avoid touching your face. If you exhibit any symptoms of illness, please remember to consult your personal doctor immediately.
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. Testing is scheduled beginning 9:00 a.m. and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.
To sign up for an appointment online click here for details.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.covid19.nj.gov or call 211.
For a complete breakdown of Morris County total presumptively tested positive cases, click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy has signed Executive Order No. 123, extending grace periods during which certain insurance companies, including health insurers, life insurers, and property and casualty insurers, will not be able to cancel policies for nonpayment of premiums during the COVID-19 crisis. (
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