Due to the crisis in the world and the effect on our local businesses and families, the Woman’s Club of Parsippany Troy Hills has regretfully cancelled its’ Annual Golf Classic, Luncheon and Tricky Tray that was scheduled to be held on July 14.
This is our largest fundraiser of the year that supports our many educational endeavors, such as scholarships for graduating seniors, awards to our middle school and elementary school students, as well as support of our local library to name just a few.
We look forward to seeing everyone in 2021.
Marilyn Zarzycki Woman’s Club of Parsippany Troy Hills Golf Classic Chairperson
PARSIPPANY — Two members of the Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills, Bernadette Cicchino and Cathy Haney, sewed nineteen cloth face masks for the Troy Hills Convalescent Center in Parsippany. They also passed along a donation of a box of disposable masks from Mary Li of Parsippany. They thank Barbara Lerner of Parsippany and Leslie Moran of Randolph, who each donated elastic for this project.
To make additional masks to donate, our members need narrow elastic (1/4” or 1/8”) to make the ear pieces for the mask. If you have any elastic to spare please email Cathy at tandchaney@gmail.com.
The Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills is a member of NJSFWC, which is the largest volunteer women’s service organization in the state, providing opportunities for education, leadership training, and community service. General Meetings are held the fourth Monday of each month from September to April at 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Parsippany Rescue & Recovery, 100 Centerton Drive. For more information call Marilyn at (973( 539-3703, e-mail the club at womansclubofpth@gmail.com, click here or follow the club on FACEBOOK.
MORRIS COUNTY — After over twenty years of service to Morris County, Lieutenant Evelyn Tasoulas has announced her retirement. Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker and Captain Robert McNally honored Lt. Tasoulas for her exemplary service and the gratitude of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office on her last day.
As lieutenant of the General Investigations Unit and Pretrial Services Unit, Lt. Tasoulas served in the Court & Administration Division of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. During her tenure, she mentored dozens of county investigators / detectives, primarily in the General Investigations Unit and the Pretrial Services Unit. Prior to joining the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in 1999, Lt. Tasoulas served with the New Jersey Transit Police and as a Corrections Officer.
Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said, “It has been my privilege to have worked with her and to have promoted her twice during my tenure as Morris County Prosecutor. We all wish her well in her retirement and thank her for her steadfast dedication to duty.”
MORRIS COUNTY — Administration officials with the New Jersey Departments of Children and Families (DCF) and Human Services (DHS) yesterday issued guidance for the Emergency Child Care Assistance Program for children of workers designated as ‘essential’ under Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 110.
Through this program, the state will help support child care costs for essential workers. In order to participate, essential employees who wish to utilize emergency care services must complete an online registration form available by clicking here. The State-supported, county-based Child Care Resource and Referral agencies will reach out to those who register to assist with enrollment and placement.
Executive Order 110 directed the closure of all childcare centers except for those on federal property or military bases, family-based centers caring for five or fewer children, and any centers that register to exclusively provide emergency child care services to essential personnel. Following a registration process last week, nearly 600 childcare agencies statewide have been certified by DCF to provide emergency child care services.
“Our essential workers are keeping our state running every day and every night,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “We are establishing this new Emergency Child Care Program to support them and their families as they continue to serve the residents of New Jersey.”
“Safe, dependable and affordable childcare is vital to working families, particularly now, as so many parents are being called to serve their state in critical roles during a pandemic,” said DCF Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer. “These childcare centers are fulfilling a necessary function and giving parents across the state the peace of mind to go to work knowing their child is with licensed, reliable and skilled professionals.”
“Child care providers and staff who care for the children of essential workers are vitally important to our children and to the state’s response during this ongoing emergency,” Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson said. “We thank child care workers for their hard work and commitment, especially during this difficult time. We urge essential workers who need child care click here. ”
For the month of April, under this program, the state will pay the following rates per week. Once final details are available on federal funds available through the CARES Act, this information will be updated for future months.
State Rate for Emergency Care (Full-time weekly rate for one child) INFANT – $450.35 TODDLER – $415.70 PRESCHOOL – $415.70 SCHOOL-AGE – $336.00
Families choosing a childcare center with higher rates will need to pay the balance directly to the provider, but such rates cannot exceed up to a limit of 110 percent of the rate the center charged in February 2020.
Governor Murphy’s Executive Order 110 defines ‘essential’ workers as:
Health care workers, including staff working in health care facilities and in community-based services including home health and behavioral health; Law enforcement personnel, fire and emergency services personnel, and correctional facility staff; Individuals employed at emergency child care centers operating on or after April 1, 2020; Staff working for entities that provide essential social services, including, but not limited to, group home and shelter staff; Essential government employees who are unable to work from home, including child protection services workers, child welfare workers, foster care workers, unemployment compensation processing staff, and public health employees; and,
Certain critical workers, as defined by the Commissioner of DCF, at essential retail businesses, as defined in Executive Order No. 107 (2020) and subsequent Administrative Orders, which includes, for example, grocery store and gas station employees.
More information can be found on the ChildcareNJ website.
PARSIPPANY — Police responded to reports of a local retailer selling water and toilet paper at significantly inflated prices during the State of Emergency.
During the investigation, Police determined that the store was selling 40-packs of Poland Spring and Kirkland bottled water for $11.99 each, and 4-packs of Angel Soft toilet paper for $8.99.
Kirkland, a proprietary brand sold exclusively by Costco, currently sells the same 40-pack of bottled water on sale for $2.99 (suggesting a 400% price markup), while the Poland Spring 40-pack of water sells on their website on sale for $3.99 (a 300% price markup). Walmart currently sells the 4-pack of Angel Soft toilet paper for $3.98 (a 200% price markup).
“Price gouging during a time of health and financial crisis is unconscionable,” said Parsippany Mayor Michael Soriano. “At a time when so many in our community are pooling together resources to help those in need, it is particularly disgusting to jack up the prices of essentials for the sole purpose of massive profits. Price gouging must not continue, and believe me, it will be prosecuted.”
The incident report will be sent to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, which will review the complaint and conduct their own follow-up investigation to determine if the retailer has committed price-gouging during the State of Emergency. Ultimately if complaints are found to be credible, retailers committing price-gouging can be fined up to
$10,000 upon their first offense, and $20,000 for subsequent events.
“I want to thank the Parsippany Police Department for their swift action investigating these complaints,” Mayor Soriano continued. “Now more than ever, we need people to speak up against those taking advantage of ordinary citizens. We will only get through this emergency by working together, caring for each other, and protecting each other.”
According to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, “This Law [Against Price Gouging] prohibits excessive price increases during a declared state of emergency, or for 30 days after the termination of the state of emergency. Excessive price increases are defined as price increases that are more than 10 percent higher than the price at which merchandise was sold during the normal course of business prior to the state of emergency.”
Anyone who thinks they’ve been the target of a scheme related to COVID-19 or who believes that a business has increased prices unfairly can file a complaint online by clicking here or call (973) 504-6240.
MORRIS COUNTY — The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will launch the application for its Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program on Friday, April 3, at 9:00 a.m. A link to the grant program application will be posted on the State’s COVID-19 Business Information Hub. The grant program is part of a package of initiatives announced last week to support businesses and workers facing economic hardship due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.
“The launch of the grant program application marks a critical step in the State’s support of the small and mid-sized businesses that are feeling the impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “The livelihood of business owners and their employees hinges on how successfully businesses can withstand this ongoing challenge. Under Governor Phil Murphy’s leadership, the State is committed to advancing resources that will help businesses recover.”
The NJEDA’s COVID-19 initiatives focus on businesses that have been hit hardest by the novel coronavirus outbreak: local small businesses, mid-size businesses that have had to close or drastically reconfigure operations, and new businesses that were just getting on their feet before the crisis hit. The programs provide a suite of compatible offerings that address these businesses’ varied needs and include mechanisms to provide funding and assistance as quickly as possible.
The NJEDA developed these relief programs using the results of an online survey of small and mid-sized businesses conducted over March 20 and 21.
The survey, which was conducted in both English and Spanish, received more than 2,000 responses. Key findings that informed the NJEDA’s new programs include:
COVID-19 has had a significant impact on New Jersey’s business community, with 73 percent of organizations surveyed reporting a significant loss of revenue and/or contract commitments. The accommodation & food services and arts & entertainment sectors have been hit particularly hard.
Many businesses anticipate needing to lay off workers if support is not available, with 52 percent of respondents suggesting temporary lay-offs may be necessary if they do not receive support within the next three months.
Businesses need financial support, but are not requesting large sums. 96 percent of respondents predicted they would need financial assistance within the next three months, with the average amount of funding needed falling between $50,000 and $75,000.
Applications for other NJEDA COVID-19 programs, including no/low interest loans, entrepreneurship support, and technical assistance for those applying for U.S. Small Business Administration loans will be available in the coming weeks. Businesses and nonprofits can find eligibility requirements for all programs on the COVID-19 Business Information Hub or use the Eligibility Wizard to identify which emergency assistance programs they may want to consider for their business’s specific needs. Comprehensive information about New Jersey’s response to the novel coronavirus outbreak is available by clicking here.
Eligibility Guidelines for Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program
Businesses applying for the Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program must provide:
A contact who is authorized to speak on behalf of the company.
Basic information about the company:
Registered legal name and “Doing Business As” name (available here: https://www.njportal.com/DOR/BusinessNameSearch/Search/BusinessName;
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN);
Year your company was established;
Full-time employees as of December 31, 2019 and Part-Time Employees as of December 31, 2019.
Industry as defined by your NAICS code (Click here).
Answers to the State’s basic debarment questions (Click here for application here).
Certification that the business:
Is not a home-based business;
Is not a prohibited business;
Has been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak;
Has a material financial need that cannot be overcome without the grant funds;
Will make a best effort not to lay off any additional employees and re-hire any whom have already been laid off;
The NJEDA may check your entries against other State sources of data.
NJEDA has developed an online Grant Award Size Estimate Calculator to help eligible businesses understand what their potential grant size might be.
About the New Jersey Economic Development Authority
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) serves as the State’s principal agency for driving economic growth. The NJEDA is committed to making New Jersey a national model for inclusive and sustainable economic development by focusing on key strategies to help build strong and dynamic communities, create good jobs for New Jersey residents, and provide pathways to a stronger and fairer economy. Through partnerships with a diverse range of stakeholders, the NJEDA creates and implements initiatives to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in the State and strengthen New Jersey’s long-term economic competitiveness.
PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) announced today that counties and municipalities in the 11th Congressional District will receive more than $7.9 million in COVID-19 Recovery Grants as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Essex, Morris, and Passaic Counties will receive a combined $7 million dollars in COVID Recovery Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG), and Parsippany, Bloomfield, and Wayne will receive hundreds of thousands in funding from the CDBG Program.
These U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants were funded through the CARES Act, the third piece of coronavirus response legislation, which Sherrill helped pass last week. The CDBG and ESG grants will help states and municipalities build capacity to address the COVID-19 crisis, spur economic development, address homelessness and support transitional housing, and secure housing assistance for low-income individuals.
“Our counties and towns are working around the clock to provide support for our residents as we face the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19,” said Representative Sherrill. “I fought to get increased, direct, and rapid support for New Jersey and our community into the CARES Act. These grants will help our local governments in their ongoing response efforts, and I will continue to work with our local elected officials to respond to their needs.”
PARSIPPANY — Due to the recent Executive Order issued by the Governor as a result of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Township Council of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills determined that all regularly scheduled council meetings will be held remotely as the building is closed to the public; therefore, the public will not be able to physically attend any Township Council meetings until further notice.
However, the public will be able to email any questions or comments to pthclerk@parsippany.net and the questions and comments will be read into the record by the municipal clerk. This ensures that the public retains the right to provide public comment at these public meetings.
We appreciate your understanding and anticipated cooperation during these times.
Parsippany Focus will publish the recording of all Township Council meetings.
HANOVER TOWNSHIP — MetroMSP announced free cybersecurity training and engaging online video-based training program. The robust cybersecurity training program is designed to educate employees on common threats to their organization’s cybersecurity and offers a new way for small to medium-sized businesses to educate their employees on cybersecurity risks and best practices amid the coronavirus pandemic, right from their home.
As many organizations have been forced to begin operating from a remote work environment, more employees than ever before have started working from home. The problem with this is that working remotely poses new cybersecurity risks to organizations that they likely have not dealt with up until now. Cybercriminals are diligently working to take advantage of these changes, hoping that employees will let their guard down or slip up by continuing to practice poor cyber hygiene in an environment that has many risks that are often overlooked.
MetroMSP trained the entire staff of law firm McKirdy, Riskin, Olson, DellaPelle, P.C., Cedar Knolls becomes more aware of the various dangers cybercriminals pose to unsuspecting workers. “The training is excellent … and it opened our eyes to some important dos and don’ts … Our business and personal information is at risk on the Internet and the training helped prepare our employees to mitigate the chances that there will be a successful cyberattack on them or upon our firm.” says Thomas Olson, Managing Partner.
“As many of the businesses in our community have shifted to a work from home environment to keep their doors open, we wanted to ensure that these businesses aren’t putting themselves at greater risk later down the road,” says Bob Michie, President at MetroMSP “Working remotely has its perks, but also comes with distractions and risks. We’re seeing a huge rise in COVID-19 scams which can pose a major risk to the security of our local businesses. That’s why we’re rolling out free cybersecurity training to any organization that wants it. Whether you’re a current customer or not, we want to make sure your employees have some knowledge of how to protect your business. Right now, all that matters to us is coming together to protect our community.”
Features and benefits of the free cybersecurity training include:
Engaging, video-based training program accessible from anywhere
Best practices for avoiding scams and protecting sensitive data
Training quiz to test employee knowledge with a certificate of completion
Complementary dark web scan of your company domain
Complementary phishing test of your employees
Easy-to-manage portal with employee metrics
The cybersecurity training program will be available starting April 1, at no charge.
For more information on the training click here.
About MetroMSP:
MetroMSP, established in 2010, is a Cyber Security and IT network support company headquartered in Morris County. MetroMSP specializes in helping businesses and nonprofit organizations use technology to increase efficiency, reduce costs and mitigate cybersecurity risks. Solutions include cloud computing services, managed IT support plans, business continuity and disaster recovery services, Microsoft Office 365, backup solutions, and technology strategy consulting. MetroMSP can be reached at (973) 404-0190 or click here.
PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills has been informed of nine additional residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19. No details on age or gender were provided.
The number of presumptive positive cases in Parsippany-Troy Hills stands at 91 individuals, two of whom have since died from the virus. (This data is as of 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 1).
Morris County has a total of 944 residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19.
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.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.covid19.nj.gov or call 211.
PARSIPPANY — The Krypton Warriors is a Parsippany-based robotics team participating in an international robotics competition called FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC). FIRST is a nonprofit organization that stands for “For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology”. This is the first year the Krypton Warriors are competing in FTC.
FIRST runs four programs for different grade levels from elementary to high school. Each season follows the school year and every year a new challenge is announced. Teams build robots to complete tasks to gain points and advance till they reach the world championships held every year at Detroit and Houston.
On Sunday, March 8, the Krypton Warriors organized a science and engineering event called “Shaping Young Minds into Warrior Engineers” at the Parsippany Police Athletic League (PAL). The event was a celebration of the success of twelve FIRST teams in Parsippany and nearby towns.
Krypton Warriors
Krypton Warriors reached out far and wide to invite five professionals from industry and academia to inspire the FIRST teams to strive for excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) careers.
After the Robo Rockets team sang the national anthem, Dhriti Singareddy, Captain of the Krypton Warriors, shared with the teams on how they came together as a team. She said, “We started the season with a mission to embody the FIRST Core Values, to link with as many STEM professionals and to get the communities around us excited about FIRST programs.”
She articulated that throughout the season Krypton Warriors incorporated “Gracious Professionalism (GP)” into their daily lives. According to FIRST, GP is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. Dhirti explained that this simple concept can be life-changing and highly rewarding. In fact, the team has had a positive impact on more than 3,000 people through their various outreach events at domestic and international venues.
Aman Patchipulusu, a programmer in the team welcomed the FIRST teams – Genius Pluto, Robo Rockets, Robo Droids, Kreative Crackers, Epic Robotics, Bot Warriors, Human Robotics, Galaxy Bots, Lightning Bots, CyberHox and NanoGurus.
Aarav Mulinti, a robot builder in the team introduced Mr. Prem Pusuloori, the National Director at SEWA International, which is a non-profit philanthropic organization. Mr. Pusuloori highlighted the efforts of Krypton Warriors to introduce Robotics to the underprivileged students in Colombia. This is a successful example of how robotics and science can enable children to succeed in life and escape the violence surrounding them.
Another hallmark of Krypton Warriors’ international outreach was the six-week robotics program at Saint Paul’s High School, India, organized by Varun Kommareddy, a robot builder in the team. Varun designed the curriculum to enrich their learning experience with real-life examples that the children could relate to. According to Varun, the kids were so exhilarated to learn something new every week. By the sixth class the students became proficient in building with LEGOs and were sad to see Varun return back to the USA.
Varun introduced the next speaker, Dr. Omar Alvarez-Pousa, Adjunct Instructor from New York University with 30 years of experience in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Using examples from Krypton Warriors’ business plan, Dr. Alvarez-Pousa highlighted the key components of an effective business plan. He advised the teams to keep in mind the three Cs Change, Creativity and Courage as they go through the season.
The next speaker, Ms. Shweta Thapa, Mechanical Engineer, NJ Ambassador for Women in 3D printing, and a co-founder of 3Ducators was introduced by Muthu Veerappan, a robot builder in the team. She was impressed with the passion for science and engineering exhibited by the students and mentors in the FIRST Teams. Teams were encouraged by Ms. Thapa to utilize the 3D Printing services offered by maker spaces and local libraries.
Krypton Warriors passionately seek and connect with various organizations to learn new skills and increase their knowledge of STEM career opportunities. They have connected with corporations such as Zoetis, an animal healthcare company, Stryker, a medical technology company, and UPS, a popular package delivery service. Rahul Ramakrishnan, a programmer in the team explained that the team raised about $8,000 from corporate and individual donors. This helps the team buy the parts needed for their robot and pay for other operational expenses like traveling and organizing events.
Mr. Bill Lam, a board member of the Livingston Robotics Club in Livingston, New Jersey, encouraged the students to have bidirectional communication with the coaches. It is important that students bring to the attention of coaches and mentors when something is not right. The teams were amazed to hear that Mr. Lam has been to 223 robotics events, coached more than 50 girls and been to various national and world championships in the past 10 years.
Monishwar Sampath, a programmer in the team distributed certificates of celebration to the participating teams and opened the FLL and FTC fields for teams to showcase their robots and projects.
Parents and students enjoyed the event and were happy to see several teams celebrating together their hard work throughout the season. The Krypton Warriors are working to make this an annual celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math in Parsippany.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact the Krypton Warriors’ email: kryptonwarriors@gmail.com.
MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey State Senator Joe Pennacchio once again questioned how the State is dictating how doctors may treat their patients.
“Instead of allowing doctors to prophylactically or immediately treat patients, New Jersey is requiring them to have a full-blown case of coronavirus before action can be taken,” said Pennacchio (R-26). “By that time, in many cases, it is too late.”
The senator has been a vocal advocate for the preventative and therapeutic use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to calm the COVID-19 outbreak. Joining him was almost 70 doctors and a European research doctor.
Pennacchio compared the early utilization of HCQ for the coronavirus to the original use of the drug given to patients prophylactically before travel to malaria-infested areas of malaria.
“It would have made no sense to withhold the treatment until people contracted malaria, and it’s insane to wait for people to show signs of the coronavirus while this pandemic is taking lives and destroying our economy,” Pennacchio said.
Today, in a letter to Pennacchio, New Jersey physician Dr. Theresa Thomas echoed the senator’s position.
Other doctors also weighed in with their support:
Vinod Sanchetti, MD – Internal Medicine
Varinder Singh, MD – Cardiology/Internal Medicine
Mannish Saini, MD – Internal Medicine
Rimmi Sobti, MD – Internal Medicine
Karam Dalal, MD Internal Medicine
Prabhat Sinha, MD Internal Medicine
Puneet Sahgal, MD Internal Medicine
Sakshi Pawa, MD Internal Medicine
Dilip Desai, MD Internal Medicine
Vinod Ghetiya, MD Internal Medicine
Sarvat Takla, MD Internal Medicine
Monnet Tresvalace, MD Internal Medicine
Parhar Avtar, MD pulmonologist
Bikramjeet Singh,MD Nephrologist
Sanjay Kumar, MD Internal Medicine
Mukesh Shah, MD Internal Medicine
Mathew Kandathil, MD Gastroenterology, Internal Medicine
Rimmi Sobti, MD Internal Medicine
Mannish Saini, MD Internal Medicine
Varinder Singh, MD Cardiology/Internal Medicine
Vinod Sanchetti, MD. Internal Medicine
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker, and Washington Township Police Chief Jeffrey Almer announce that Keith O’Connor, 49, Washington Township, has been charged in connection with a shots fired incident that occurred on Rock Road in Washington Township on Monday, March 30.
On March 30, at approximately 7:10 p.m., officers of the Washington Township Police Department responded to a residence located on Rock Road in Washington Township to perform a welfare check into a report of a suicidal male. It is alleged that while the officers were on scene, O’Connor fired a shotgun at or in their direction. The subsequent investigation revealed additional weapons, including an assault firearm and large capacity ammunition magazines, as well as a suspected controlled dangerous substance, were found within O’Connor’s residence.
No shots were fired by the Washington Township Police Department officers.
As a result of the investigation into this incident, O’Connor has been charged with Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose, a crime of the second degree; Aggravated Assault, a crime of the third degree; Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, a crime of the second degree; Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, a crime of the fourth degree; and Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, a crime of the third degree. He remains in custody and is pending a first appearance in court.
Members of the Washington Township Police Department, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office -Crime Scene Investigations, and the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit all took part in this investigation.
If anyone has any information related to this investigation, they are encouraged to call the Major Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6200, or the Washington Township Police Department at (908) 876-8300.
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 — Ethan Chen, second grader student in Hilldale Elementary School, Montville, drew a picture of his whole class. He wanted to share with all the kids and teachers in our state, to cheer up!
Ethan said “My dad and mom told me lots of news about COVID-19 in our state and I feel very sad. I can’t go to school for two weeks and I miss my lovely Miss Monks (she is my class teacher) and my friends so much! I really hope NO ONE get sick in my class and I really hope we can meet again soon.”
MORRIS COUNTY — During this unprecedented health care crisis, law enforcement officer members of the Italian American Police Society of New Jersey are on the front lines of danger on the street, behind bars, guarding transportation systems and in many other locations. The amazing heroes in this battle are the men and women working as nurses, doctors and medical personnel in hospitals.
The Italian American Police Society of New Jersey is working to support these brave caretakers. They are providing cooked hot meals for hospital personnel to give them strength and comfort. This endeavor also helps to support in a small way local businesses that are struggling to survive.
They invite you to visit click here to make a financial donation. All of these donations will be used to directly feed hospital personnel in areas needed in New Jersey. As always, they are proud to serve and protect New Jersey in various ways like this.
They have always appreciated the generosity of our friends and supporters and thank you in advance for your help.
They will all get through these challenging times. Please stay safe and use social distancing to end this sooner than later.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County is putting out an emergency call for Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses and medical professionals who are available during this COVID-19 health crisis to sign up for paid openings at healthcare facilities across Morris County that are short of qualified medical personnel and looking to hire people immediately.
The County Office of Emergency Management has created Operation Save-a-Life, which will develop a roster of available medical personnel and provide that list to healthcare facilities, or for home health care providers, that are short-staffed due to the virus and in dire need of employment help.
“Nursing homes, assisted living, long-term care, and rehabilitation facilities across Morris County are working hard to take care of their patients and residents. But many are desperately in need of qualified people and struggling to fill staff shortages that are making it difficult to maintain a quality level of care for patients in need,” said Morris County Emergency Management Director Jeff Paul.
“Now more than ever we need to sound the alarm and do our best to support our healthcare facilities who are working hard to keep their patients safe and to help save their lives,’’ he added.
TO SIGN UP FOR THESE CRITICAL JOBS through Operation Save-a-Life, And help some our most vulnerable people during this pandemic, qualified medical personnel are asked to call the Morris County Office of Emergency Management at (973) 829-8600.
Sheriff James M. Gannon
If you do not speak directly with a call taker and get the OEM voice mail recording, please leave your name, contact number and medical certification (i.e. Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, etc.). One of the Office of Emergency Management staff members will return your phone call within 24-48 hours.
“We are talking about protecting some of our most vulnerable people, our senior citizens and disabled residents, many are older veterans or former police and firemen who long ago served on the front lines protecting us; now they need our help,’’ said Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon.
“Please, we need your help right now,’’ said Morris County Freeholder Director Deborah Smith. “On behalf of all Morris County residents, we ask you to consider filling this great need.”
Freeholder Director Deborah Smith
County OEM officials have spoken to healthcare providers across Morris County to identify this need, and are reaching out to RNs, LPNs, and others in the medical field to see if they can match the need with available personnel. Those who are hired would be paid directly by the individual facility.
The New Jersey Firemen’s Home, located in Boonton, is one example of a facility that needs help caring for its 62 patients/firefighters, who are in danger of possibly having to be moved from their safe location due to a lack of staff.
“We love our firemen, and we don’t want them to leave our facility, but at the same time, we need to make sure that they are provided with the same level of exceptional care that they are accustomed to here at the New Jersey Firemen’s Home. We welcome healthcare providers, RN’s, LPN’s, to join our team,” said Donna Russo, Director of Nursing for the New Jersey Firemen’s Home.
Sen. Anthony Bucco
State Senator Anthony Bucco also touted the effort to match medical personnel with facilities that badly need assistance.
“This is exactly the type of outside-the-box thinking that we need during this crisis,” said Sen. Bucco. “Using the county OEM and Sheriff’s Office to match medical workers and resources to facilities such as the Firemen’s Home will save lives and prevent having to relocate people in those homes who are the most vulnerable.”
PARSIPPANY — The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills has been informed of 8 additional residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19. No details on age or gender were provided.
The number of presumptive positive cases in Parsippany-Troy Hills stands at 82 individuals, two of whom have since died from the virus. (This data is as of 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 31).
Morris County has a total of 849 residents presumptively tested positive for COVID-19.
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.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit www.covid19.nj.gov or call 211.
MORRIS COUNTY — Parsippany Focus asked Morris County Surrogate for an update on her first three months in office. Here is her reply:
I am finishing up the first quarter of my first year as Morris County Surrogate. When I ran for this office, I had goals and ideas for myself and the office but I never knew the extent those goals would be impacted by an external source, Covid-19.
Nonetheless, in my first three months, we still accomplished several important goals.
First, we edited, updated and added to the Morris County Surrogate’s Manual, which had been discontinued in 2018. Now, for the first time ever, the book is also available through an online link at MorrisSurrogate.com, as it arrived from the printer just as our office closed to the public due to the virus.
Second, in conjunction with the Morris County Bar Association, we have implemented a low cost attorney program. This will provided low-cost attorney services to the Morris County Probate Court.
Third, we have designed a new website with more access to information, utility of probate forms, links to important services and partners and more. We are simply waiting for things to ease up for our IT department so that they have time to upload the new site.
As far as Covid-19, our office has always been one that dealt with the public face-to face, until the week of March 16, 2020. That week, we had to decide how to move forward in a manner that is safe for all yet still effective. Fortunately, our simple online forms, email, scanners, facsimile, mail and couriers have allowed us to continue to provide services. Although we are getting through this way, we are still coming to the office as an essential services provider that is helping widows and widowers obtain access to funds and assisting those in need of guardianships, particularly medical in nature, during this difficult time. It has also obviated the need for online access to the Surrogate’s Office which I discussed during my campaign for this office as something very necessary. I discussed the need for more online options as we moved to the point where millennials would be managing their parent’s care but the current health crisis seems to have propelled us forward into a more internet based society that is now here to stay.
Three months ago I could not have imagined that we would be living in the state we are today. That being said, I think that we must all remain positive and look forward to the future. I personally look forward to the day that I can resume meeting with groups to continue to discuss the Surrogate’s Office and why it is so important to be prepared for certain moments in life, as we see each day right now.
PARSIPPANY — There’s an urgent and immediate need for blood donations throughout northern New Jersey and New York State, as responses to the nationwide coronavirus outbreak are severely impacting the U.S. blood supply.
Vitalant (a nonprofit, blood collection organization formerly known as Community Blood Services) is responding by offering residents of northern New Jersey and New York State 29 local, open-to-the-public donation events during April to ensure that patients have the lifesaving blood they need. The greatest need is for blood platelets — small cells in the blood that form clots to prevent bleeding, while also helping with anemia and low blood counts – and type O-negative, the universal blood type.
FEMA has specifically identified blood donation as an “essential and integral component of the emergency support function.” Of note, coronavirus cannot be transferred through the blood. And, as always, the blood collection process is safe with no impact on the donor’s immune system. Vitalant staff follows rigorous safety and disinfection protocols at its blood drives and donation centers and have always required individuals to be in good health to donate blood.
For more information on the need for blood donation during the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), click here.
Vitalant also maintains four New Jersey blood centers, with hours and street addresses as follows:
As an added incentive to all who donate from Friday, April 10 through Monday, April 13, Vitalant is providing – at its mobile blood drives and New Jersey donation centers in Lincoln Park, Montvale, Paramus, and Parsippany – a $10.00 dollar Amazon gift card and an aluminum sports bottle. In addition, type A+ and B+ donors who donate platelets for the first time EVER will receive a $25 Amazon gift card in the mail, while all type AB male plasma donors will receive a $5 mystery gift card in the mail for every plasma donation they make during 2020 (counting is done at the end of each month).
Healthy individuals age 16 or older, who weigh at least 110 pounds, may donate blood; 16- and 17-year-olds must have proof of birth date and signed consent forms, either in English (Click here) or Spanish (Click here).
Donors should eat a moderate meal prior to donating, and also bring identification featuring their signature.
On occasion, last-minute changes to scheduling for a donation event will occur. As a result, it is recommended that anyone planning to donate blood at a Vitalant donation event call (201) 251-3703, toll free, to confirm timing and location details. Additional information about donating blood is also available by clicking here.
About Vitalant in New Jersey
A not-for-profit organization that supplies blood and blood products to hospitals in the NJ/NY region, Bergen County-based Vitalant (previously Community Blood Services) has been devoted to serving the community’s transfusion medicine needs since 1953. Donations of blood and blood products, umbilical cord blood, stem cells, and bone marrow help to join individuals, organizations, businesses, and entire communities together in partnership to help save lives.
About Vitalant
Arizona-based Vitalant is among the nation’s oldest and largest transfusion medical organizations in the U.S. Founded in 1943, its blood centers division serves some 700 hospitals across the United States. A founding member of America’s Blood Centers and the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks), Vitalant also operates biological products distribution services, a quality consulting group, and a world-renowned transfusion medicine research institute. It also is a partner in the operation of high-volume donor testing laboratories.
Dear Editor:
