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Wirths blasts legislation as an affront to law-abiding citizens

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MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Hal Wirths said legislation granting parolees and probationers the right to vote (A5823) and providing student financial aid to prisoners (A3772) is an insult to New Jerseyans who follow the laws and get stuck picking up the tab. Wirths also criticized a bill that would appropriate money to Planned Parenthood (A5802) calling it immoral and fiscally irresponsible to grant money to an organization that turned down federal funding.

“We should be so ashamed of ourselves that we weren’t worried about the victims at all today and now we’re not worried about the unborn. All the bills for the convicted criminals, who didn’t get there by being boy scouts and girl scouts, they got there by doing bad things. Everything today was benefiting them and now we’re going to fund this. It’s really a sad day in Trenton today and I will be a strong no,” said Wirths (R-Sussex).

Rep. Sherrill’s Bipartisan Election Security Bill Approved by the House Science Committee

PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Chairwoman of the House Science Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight, applauded the committee passage of her Election Technology Research Act of 2019 (H.R. 4990). This bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Representatives Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), and Frank Lucas (R-OK), will give the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) new resources to conduct research to promote the security and modernization of U.S. voting systems.

“Election security is a bipartisan concern, and our committee is working together to address vulnerabilities with our voting systems,” said Representative Sherrill. “Our democracy only works if all eligible citizens can participate in elections and be confident that their ballots have been accurately cast and counted. The Election Technology Research Act of 2019 will help to ensure that the technical underpinnings of our election architecture are solid.”

 The Election Technology Research Act of 2019 will authorize new research and standards activities to strengthen the technology supporting elections systems. Specifically, this bill will:

  • Authorize research activities at NIST on cybersecurity, privacy, auditing, and other important areas of research related to the security and integrity of elections;
  • Establish an Elections Systems Center of Excellence at NIST to foster collaborations between NIST, universities, state and local governments, and private stakeholders;
  • Authorize new research grants for elections systems research and education at NSF;
  • Direct NIST to carry out specific tasks supporting secure elections, including providing technical assistance to state and local election officials on implementation of cybersecurity and privacy standards;
  • Require a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report to assess the impact of NIST’s activities; and
  • Amend the Help America Vote Act definition of “voting systems” to include not just the voting machines but also electronic poll books and voter registration systems.

On June 26, 2019, House Science Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairwoman Mikie Sherrill held a hearing with voting technology and election administration experts to discuss U.S. election system technologies and research recommendations made in the 2018 National Academies report Securing the Vote: Protecting American Democracy. The report and the expert testimony from that hearing helped informed the development of the Election Technology Research Act of 2019.

Representative Mikie Sherrill is a former federal prosecutor and a U.S. Navy veteran. On her last tour, she served as a Russia policy officer, and handled interactions between the United States Navy and the Russian Federation Navy. In June, Representative Sherrill announced her endorsement of a series of bipartisan bills in the House and Senate to address foreign interference and election security.

Parsippany-Troy Hills Council Agenda Meeting – November 12, 2019

Parsippany-Troy Hills Council Agenda Meeting – November 12, 2019

St. Gregory’s Church all set for “Cookies & Crèches 2019”

PARSIPPANY — For one day only, Cookies & Crèches, the exhibit of nativities and crèches f will once again take place at the historic Smith-Baldwin House next to St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Parsippany, on Saturday, December 14 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Admission is free. Parking is available at St. Gregory’s Church.

Caption: cookies for sale at “Cookies & Crèches” event Credit: D Sica Cookies & Crèches

In what has become an annual tradition in our area, visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the enchanting display set up throughout the Smith-Baldwin House. The personal collection of hundreds Nativities or “crèches” belonging to the Rev. Susan Sica, come from around the world.  As different cultures interpret the timeless story of Jesus’ birth in their own way, different perspectives of the story come to the forefront, be it in the materials used, the characters or animals included, or the scenery provided.  A scavenger hunt for children encourages them to learn more about each piece, as they must find the different materials used in the making of the set, a particular animal featured, or the country where the set was made.  At the conclusion, participants get special holiday treat!

The Smith-Baldwin House will be fully decorated for Christmas, adding a touch of nostalgia to the Christmas tradition of displaying a nativity set in a home. A “Christmas Shop” featuring vintage ornaments and decorations will also be open for business. The Smith-Historic Baldwin House, part of Parsippany’s Historic District. The House was purchased by the Township of Parsippany in 2013 for the purposes of education and preservation. (Please note: The Smith-Baldwin House is not handicap accessible).

Christmas “cookie walks” grow in popularity every year, providing visitors with an enjoyable way to get a head start on their holiday baking. The home-baked cookies will be available for purchase at the price of $12.00 per pound. The proceeds are to benefit the ministries of the Church.

Senator Pennacchio Speaks Out Regarding Impeachment Testimony

Statement following first day of public impeachment testimony.

After hearing testimony based on second and third party hearsay it is vital that the Congressional Committee hear directly from the Whistleblower. Complicating his ability to testify is that The Chairman of the that Committee, Adam Schiff, claims he has no knowledge of who the Whistleblower is??? Seriously??? That the American public is suppose believe that Schiff does not know who the Whistleblower is but a direct Statement from the Ukrainian President that our President did not pressure him in anyway is discounted by the very same Adam Schiff. Schiff feels a need to keep the supposed Whistleblower shielded for protection, yet the same supposed Whistleblower has no problem going public to create a GoFundMe Page with over a quarter of a million dollars in that account. Americans are paying attention and they don’t like what they see.

Senator Joseph Pennacchio
New Jersey’s 26th Legislative District

Morris County Sheriff Gannon and Hope One Team Honored at National Event

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon and founding partners in the Hope One mobile substance use recovery program this week received an award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Morris County Sheriff Gannon and Hope One Team Honored at National EventOn behalf of Hope One, Sheriff Gannon accepted the 2019 IACP/Security Industry Association Michael Shanahan Leadership in Public/Private Cooperation Award on October 29, at the IACP’s Annual Banquet in Chicago.

“Hope One was based on a simple concept of treatment providers and specialists bringing critical recovery and resource services directly to people who may be too exhausted, frightened or overwhelmed by addiction to seek help on their own,’’ Sheriff Gannon said in accepting the award. “Hope One, with its steadfast, compassionate team, has saved lives and is committed to keep doing so,” he added.

The Sheriff’s Office and its Hope One partners – Rockaway-based Center for Addiction Recovery Education and Success (CARES), Daytop New Jersey, Prevention is Key and the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris – are the collective recipients of the award named in honor of retired University of Washington Police Department Chief Michael Shanahan.

Family Promise of Morris County, which specializes in finding emergency and permanent housing for homeless individuals and families, came aboard Hope One after its launch to make sure clients had essential toiletries and assistance in finding housing.

Sheriff Gannon was joined at the awards event by Undersheriff Mark Spitzer; Corporal Erica Valvano, who is the coordinator of Hope One; and Madine Despeine-Udoh, the Director of Self Help, Advocacy and Education for the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris. Hope One is a mobile substance use recovery and resource outreach vehicle. It travels to locations in Morris County that are known for opioid overdoses, homeless encampments, community soup kitchens, and areas where at-risk populations are known to congregate.

As of Oct. 28, Hope One has logged 1,629 hours on the road in 356 stops. The staff has made nearly 10,000 contacts with individuals, trained 2,075 people in how to reverse an opioid overdose with Narcan, assisted 154 people in getting into rehab and recovery programs, and linked another 118 people with mental health services.

With a stigma-free approach and toiletries, snacks and beverages to put visitors at ease, the Hope One staff from the start has made a new contact every 10.8 minutes.

For more information on Hope One click here.

 

Dwipi Patel Named to Summer 2019 Dean’s List at University of the Sciences

PARSIPPANY — Dwipi Patel has been named to the Summer 2019 Dean’s List at University of the Sciences. Selection for this award is based on completing and passing all assigned courses with no grade below a “C” and attaining an academic average of at least 3.4 for courses taken in the summer of 2019.

Patel is a Doctor of Pharmacy student. She is a graduate of Parsippany Hills High School, Class of 2014.

University of the Sciences has prepared students to be leaders and practitioners in the healthcare and science fields for nearly 200 years. Key to its distinctive education is a tradition of hands-on research and experiential learning that is evident in every graduate who has walked its campus. Since its founding in 1821 as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first college of pharmacy in North America, USciences has grown to more than 30 degree-granting programs from bachelor’s through doctoral degrees in the health sciences, bench sciences, and healthcare business and policy fields. Discover how USciences students are proven everywhere they go at usciences.edu.

Parsippany hiring Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department is currently accepting applications for the position of Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer. The Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer shall conduct School Safety and Security duties within Parsippany-Troy Hills School District.

Minimum Qualifications:
• The applicant must be a retired law enforcement officer less than 65 years of age, who served as a duly qualified, fully-trained, full-time officer in any municipality or county of this State or as a member of the State Police and was separated from that prior service in good standing, within three years of appointment to this position. “Good standing” shall exclude a retirement resulting from injury or incapacity.
• Provide a Letter of Good Standing issued by the Chief of the Department you retired from listing the date and type of retirement applicant received.
• Possess a NJ Police Training Commission Basic Police Officer Certification of NJ State Police Academy Certification.
• Be a resident of the State of New Jersey during his or her term of appointment to this position.
• Be of good moral character and must not have been convicted of any offense involving dishonesty as would make the applicant unfit to perform his or her duties.
• The applicant must possess a valid New Jersey Driver’s License.
• The applicant must successfully pass a background investigation.
• Any applicant offered a conditional offer of employment will be required to pass a medical examination, psychological evaluation, and drug screening.

Starting Salary for the Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer shall be $25.00 per hour and he/she shall work a schedule of up to 40 hours weekly, to be determined upon hiring. The Class III Special Law Enforcement Officer shall only work when school is in session. Successful candidates will begin employment immediately for the current school year.
For a complete list of minimum qualifications required by law, please refer to N.J.S.A. 40A:14-146.10.

Applications can be obtained at the Parsippany-Troy Hills Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard, Parsippany, NJ 07054

Please contact Captain Brian Dowd at (973) 263-4328 with any questions.

Letter to the Editor: Thank you from dePierro, Carifi Jr., and Gragnani

parsippany focusDear Editor:

On behalf of my running mates and I, Thank you all … for your support during a very unusual campaign. Thank you for your votes, your phone calls, your emails, and your financial support. And thank you for visiting our facebook pages and entering comments of encouragement. And lastly, thank you for all of your congratulatory comments.

Making a difference is what public service is all about. A significant portion of our lives has been dedicated to serving the Parsippany Community. We have supported efforts to improve our quality of life at the lowest possible cost. Working together, we have accomplished much. Thanks to our combined efforts, Parsippany is a great place to live and work. We look forward to continuing our efforts to prepare Parsippany for future challenges.

As the Holiday season approaches, we would like to offer our best wishes to you and your family for health and happiness.

Michael J. dePierro
Councilman
Parsippany-Troy Hills Township

Morris Dems Celebrate Successful 2019 Election Cycle

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Democratic Committee announced their many successes at the local level. In what is typically a bad year for Democrats in New Jersey, the Morris County Democrats picked up nine local seats, including two mayoral seats in the Town of Boonton and Chatham Borough, while protecting most of our previously held Democratic seats.

“We could not be more proud of our accomplishments this year,” stated Morris County Democratic Chairman Chip Robinson, “By knocking on tens of thousands of doors and engaging voters, we brought many of these local candidates over the finish line and flipped towns that have not been in Democratic control for decades, if ever.”

Morris Democrats picked up seats in Boonton, Chatham Borough, Chatham Township, Madison, Morris Plains, and Morristown, gaining control in Chatham Borough and Chatham Township.

In addition to flipping these seats from red to blue, the Morris County Democrats also flipped the town of Dover from an entirely oppositional government to a truly Democratic and representative slate. In an astonishing victory, all five organization-backed candidates in Dover defeated Mayor James Dodd and his team of Alderman candidates. “In the span of two election cycles, we brought strong Democratic leadership to the town of Dover and defeated Dodd’s Democrats in Name Only. Dover residents will finally have a local government that truly represents them and will work with other Democrats at all levels of government,” said Chairman Chip Robinson.

The Democratic Chairman also gave a nod to other candidates who ran on the Democratic ticket this November, stating, “I would also like to thank the many candidates who ran for office and didn’t quite get over the line this November. In many of these towns and districts, this year was the first time we had Democrats running serious races. We are so proud of the work they did moving the needle.”

More Apartments For Parsippany?

PARSIPPANY — Forge Pond Developers has filed an application with the Zoning Board of Adjustment, seeking permission to convert lands and premises known as Powder Mill Plaza West to a multi-story residential apartment building containing 180 rental units, including 27 affordable housing units.  Currently the property is in the O-T Zoning District. The building and land is assessed at $8,325,800.

The plans indicate 144 one bedroom apartments, 30 two bedroom apartments and 6 three bedroom apartments.

The property located at 2900 Route 10 West is known as Powder Mill Plaza West. Currently the location consists of Bruno’s Italian Bistro, Cinnamon Indian Restaurant, Minado Restaurant, Planet Fitness, and other retail businesses.

According to New Jersey Tax Records the property is owned by Pineview Homes, Inc., located at 51 Gibraltar Drive, Suite 2D, Morris Plains.

Applicant is seeking the following approvals, variances and waivers: Use Variance for the residential units which are not permitted in the zone under Zoning Ordinance; Variance for building height of 47.17 feet where 35 feet is allowed under Zoning Ordinance; “c” Variances as follows: (a) Building lot coverage of 18.6% where 15% is allowed; (b) Building height of 3-4 stories where 2½ stories is allowed; (c) Lot coverage of 64.1% where 60% is allowed; (d) From requirements of Section 225-61 for retaining walls greater than six feet.

The application was first presented on Wednesday, September 4.

The next hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, February 5 starting at 7:30 p.m. at Parsippany-Troy Hills Municipal Building, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard.

According to the State of New Jersey, Forge Pond Developers was formed on June 20, 1997 and the current registered agent is Edward Mosberg, 51 Gibraltar Drive, Suite 2D, Morris Plains.

Freeholders Mastrangelo, Cabana and DeFillippo thank voters: Mastrangelo calls for new party leadership

PARSIPPANY — Election Day has passed and the voters of Morris County have chosen to maintain a Republican Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Tom Mastrangelo said “On behalf of my running mates, thank you for your continued confidence. Our success can be attributed to the hard work of the candidates who have agreed to serve and stood for election this November. I consider public office a noble calling, as do many of my colleagues. We sacrifice time with our families, our privacy and quality of life to serve our community. Unfortunately, the leadership of our Morris County Republican Party is less interested in recruiting good, solid public servants with the best intentions. Rather, the Morris County Republican Committee has chosen to support the ambitions of opportunists looking for power and title. Much to others’ disappointment, I do not follow the party leaders’ orders but rather embrace good ideas regardless of whose idea it is and encourage spirited debate on the merits. So many logical, smart and innovative ideas die on the vine as a result of our Morris Republican Leadership’s abject failure.”

“Rather than run campaigns based on the shared values of our party: tax fairness, robust economy and support to keep our communities livable and attractive for our families, county GOP leadership would rather push inferior candidates and risk losing elections to others with questionable interests. So flawed and incompetent are these leaders that the primary election cost exceeded our general election campaign by a factor of five. These funds, contributed by our many supporters and friends to promote solid leadership, could have been put to better use such as cultivating future candidates. Despite the obstacles erected by our own party leaders, the incumbent Republican candidates prevailed. This is particularly vexing when the Morris County Republican Committee failed to raise funds or provide meaningful support to the Republican candidates in the general election. In the past, we could count on the Chairman and the Committee to provide funding as well as volunteers to support the Republican cause in November. This year the support was minimal and left most people wondering what had happened to our Grand Old Party. We need true party leaders: consensus builders and those that can effectively and efficiently articulate an intelligent platform based on our shared values. In today’s negatively-charged political environment, voters are tired of nastiness and petty character assassinations too prevalent in our seemingly endless campaign seasons.”

“So today, I am calling for the resignation of our party leadership. As the Morris County Republican Party will meet to select officials to serve in positions left vacant in this past election, the time is right and the need to replace misguided and ineffective leadership is even more necessary. It is time to rebuild our caucus from the ground up, lest we continue to lose positions on the national and local stage,” continued Mastrangelo.

From Prescription Drugs to Addiction

MOUNTAIN LAKES — Lakeland Hills YMCA is hosting “A Night of Conversation”, from prescription drugs to addiction.

This free community program is open to all and will be presented on Tuesday, November 19 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Lakeland Hills Family YMCA, 100 Fanny Road, Mountain Lakes.

Senator Anthony M. Bucco will deliver the opening remarks. The presentation will be presented by Morris County Assistant Prosecutor Brad Seabury. Resources offered by Saint Clare’s Behavioral Health and other organizations. Guest Speaker James Gannon.

Learn how to openly discuss drug and alcohol abuse with your children, your parents, your family. You will be shocked to discover how prescription drug use can escalate from a few pain pills to addiction. Find out what’s new in the fight against the opioid crisis, explore other options for acute or chronic pain, and what you can do for someone who truly needs help.

Morris County’s Hope One mobile van will be on site for information and education.

For more information contact Rosemary Linder Day at (973) 334-2820.

Casey Parikh Appointed to Zoning Board of Adjustment

PARSIPPANY — Casey (Kaushik) Parikh was appointed to the Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment by the Township Council on Tuesday, November 12.

Casey has over thirty years of experience in the field of computers communication and management; Demonstrated abilities in Public Relations, Community Service and Negotiations and he is founding member of Parsippany Indian Association.

He received his Master of Business Administration (MBA) – Florida Institute Of Tech., Melbourne, FL; Master of Science in Computer Science (MSCS) – Florida Institute of Tech., Melbourne, FL and Bachelor of Engineering (BSEE) – University of Bombay, Bombay, India.

Casey was employed at ADT / Tyco Security Services from June 1982 to July 2013.
At Tyco he was responsible for design and development of computer communication software, training users, supporting field offices, interviewing prospective employees and management of technical staff.  Responsible for interacting with the vendors. Responsibilities also included evaluating and recommending hardware and software for making buying decisions.

He is a member of the Morris County Open Space Committee; Current Treasurer at Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany; Past president of Forge Pond Homeowners Association.

Casey also was the Chairman of Parsippany Troy-Hills Planning Board from 1993 to 2017. He volunteers as an interpreter for the Parsippany Police Department.

Casey is married and the proud parent of two children. He has been a resident of Parsippany-Troy Hills for over thirty years.

He will officially be sworn in at an upcoming meeting of the Parsippany-Troy Hills Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Community Options Appoints Tracy Mendola to Lead Its Northern NJ Operations

MORRIS COUNTY — Community Options, Inc promoted Tracy Mendola to Regional State Director in Northern NJ.

Community Options owns and manages housing for persons with developmental disabilities. In this role, she will oversee Morris, Sussex, Essex, Somerset, Bergen, Passaic, Middlesex, and Monmouth Counties. Tracy, resides in Rockaway, has been with Community Options in the role of Executive Director for over six years.

Her over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, include developmental disabilities, mental health and geriatric services. Robert Stack, President and CEO said:  “I am confident that Tracy will emulate stable leadership in her new role.

She strives to provide a meaningful quality of life to the individuals she supports, improve staff development and retention, and develop multiple residential programs throughout the region by working with local government agencies.” Community Options is a national nonprofit  based in Princeton. Founded in 1989 it is one of the largest nonprofits in New Jersey.

Meet Cooper, a 2-year-old Labrador Retriever!

PARSIPPANY — This cutie unfortunately needed to find a new home when his family moved away into an apartment that did not allow dogs his size. We are very excited to find him his forever home though!

Cooper is a bit overweight right now at 90-100 lbs. but he is ready to run around your yard and burn that weight right off! Cooper is still working on his leash skills so he will need someone ready to train him. He is potty-trained and crate trained but also needs to learn his basic commands. He does know his name and “come” though and will happily run to you for pets!

Cooper is good with other dogs and children 10+ due to his size. Upon first meeting him, he is a bit anxious but he quickly warms up. Cooper loves people, playing in the yard, and getting pet!

If you’re looking for a sweet dog who would love to snuggle and go for walks with you, apply to adopt Cooper today!

If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application by clicking here.

Follow Wise Animal Rescue on Instagram by clicking here.
Follow Wise Animal Rescue on Facebook by clicking here.

PHS AP Physics Students Build A Trebuchet

PARSIPPANY — Ms. Chowtavi’s AP Physics student entered the Picatinny Arsenal Pumpkin Slinging Contest in October, competing against seven other schools from Morris and Sussex Counties. Applying skills and concepts they studied in Physics class and adhering to stringent competition rules and regulations, multiple students volunteered to help design, construct and operate a 10 foot trebuchet which they used to sling pumpkins for maximum distance.

Students demonstrated excellent creativity, ingenuity, perseverance and collaborative skills as they continuously tweaked their design throughout the trial-and-error process which culminated in the competition at the Picatinny Arsenal Base.

Special thanks to Mr. Lazzari for helping with the construction, our Maintenance Dept. for transporting the trebuchet, the two engineers from Picatinny Arsenal for coaching our students, and Love Like Ashley and the Cistaro Family for purchasing the supplies.

It was very rewarding and a valuable hands-on learning experience for our students! Huge congrats to Ms. Chowtavi and our students Bethany Brodock, Connor Devens, Jillian Goveas, Aneesh Kakirde, Neil Khare, Abinav Nayini, Pamela Paguntalan, Jay Patel, Sahaj Patel, Anjali Shah, Sri Hari Shankar, Tobey Tan, Dylan Tran, Nate Walker, Tyler Wyka,
and Lawrence Yu.

Parsippany Honored Those Who Served

PARSIPPANY — A Veterans Day ceremony was held Veterans Memorial Park in Parsippany on Monday, November 11.

Mayor Michael Soriano said “244 years ago, the greatest military force the world would ever know was formed.  Since that first Continental Army was founded, millions of Americans have dedicated themselves to the protection of this nation and preservation of the values we hold dear.  The men and women of the United States Armed Forces represent the best of this country, and every American owes our veterans a great and sacred debt.  While we gather on this day every year to honor those sacrifices, caring for our veterans must be a priority we take seriously each and every day.”

The ceremony began with the Presentation of the Colors, by the Color Guards of American Legion Post 249 and VFW Post 10184, followed by Innovation by Rev. David Pickens, Pastor, Saint Peter the Apostle Church.

The National Anthem was song by Parsippany resident Aimee Wolosin and the Pledge of Allegiance was by Dr. Barbara Sargent, Parsippany-Troy Hills School Superintendent. Introductory remarks was by Parsippany-Troy Hills Councilman Michael dePierro and welcoming remarks was by Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano.

Mayor Michael Soriano read a “Congressional Proclamation” from Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill.

Emily Smith read the poem “The Noble and the Brave” A Veterans Day Tribute.

When America had an urgent need,
These brave ones raised a hand;
No hesitation held them back;
They were proud to take a stand.
They left their friends and family;
They gave up normal life;
To serve their country and their God,
They plowed into the strife.
They fought for freedom and for peace
On strange and foreign shores;
Some lost new friends; some lost their lives
In long and brutal wars.
Other veterans answered a call
To support the ones who fought;
Their country had requirements for
The essential skills they brought.
We salute every one of them,
The noble and the brave,
The ones still with us here today,
And those who rest in a grave.
So here’s to our country’s heroes;
They’re a cut above the rest;
Let’s give the honor that is due
To our country’s very best.
Prayer of Remembrance by Rabbi Moshe Rudin, Adath Shalom Synagogue then Laying of the Wreaths led by Gary Erdman, VFW and Matt Adamcyk, American Legion Post 249.
Guest Speaker was Eileen DeGraw, U.S. Navy Veteran. Michael dePierro read “Just a Common Soldier,” then the Parsippany High School Choir Students led by Christine Wilson sang “America the Beautiful.”
The Benediction was by Rev. Donald A. Bragg, Paster, Parsippany Presbyterian Church and the conclusion ended with Councilman Michael dePierro.

Thomas Nast artwork featured on Christmas ornaments

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Tourism Bureau creates a holiday ornament annually and this year’s version features the artwork of Thomas Nast, an important 19th century political cartoonist and longtime Morristown resident.

This ornament is not sold in stores, only through the Morris County Tourism Bureau.

This year’s edition is based on Nast’s drawing called “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow, so say we all of us.” This glass ornament features Santa Claus at the piano singing “for He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” This image appeared in Harper’s Bazaar Magazine – predecessor to Harper’s Bazaar in January 1886 and in other books featuring Nast’s art.

The ornaments are manufactured in the U.S.A. using only American-made materials. Each ornament is $10.00.

To reserve one in time for the holidays, call (973) 631-5151, email the Tourism Bureau at canton@morristourism.org, or visit their website by clicking here.

Because the ornaments are fragile, we request that they be picked up from the Morris County Tourism Bureau, 6 Court Street, during regular office hours.

Parsippany High School Marching Band Ends a stellar competition

PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany High School Marching Band concluded their award winning season with a finish of third place out of 10 bands at the US Bands Statewide division 3A competition at Somerville High School this past Saturday.

The Marching Redhawks scored 92.68 just behind Lenape High School from Stanhope (score of 92.825) and Seneca High School from Tabernacle (score of 93.36). This concluded their stellar season where they earned second place at US Bands Yamaha Cup at MetLife Stadium, and two first place wins at Mount Olive where they won Best Overall Music, and North Warren where they also were awarded Best in Show of all divisions.

This season’s show “Bollywood” was a fun romp that the band executed with precision and spirit.   Director Greg Dalakian summed up the season as such  “I am so proud of all the hard work put in by each and every member this year. They always represent PHS with Pride, Honor, and Spirit, and were truly able to bring our show [BOLLYWOOD] to life! I am so thankful for the help of our parent volunteers and band staff. Their assistance directly contributes to the success of our program. This will be a season to remember!”

The band is lead by Senior Drum Majors Matt Gonzalez and Tyler Wyka with Junior Drum Major Eileen Zhang, and Color Guard Senior Captain Tabitha Gessling and Junior Captain Joelle Spirock.  Graduating Seniors include Drumline Captain Bon Jean Koo, Soloist and sax leader Anish Kakirde, Tyler Becker, Alex Cerasiello, Kyle Lepore, Riya Sawant, Pam Paguntalan, Jason Punskovsky, and Kristine Yang.

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