PARSIPPANY — The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany will be hosting its annual Touch-A-Truck event on Saturday, June 15 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at 1515 Route 10 East,Parsippany (Just before Dryden Way). The price is $5.00 per person or $20.00 maximum per family. In 2018 over 1,100 children attended the event.
Kids had fun putting out the fire using a real hose from a fire truck
Touch-a-Truck is a fundraising event to benefit the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany. Children of all ages can have a hands-on experience with all kinds of vehicles and interact with community support leaders like police officers, firemen, first aid squad volunteers, sanitation workers and many more!
Every child will receive a goody bag full of surprises including a free ice cream cone and much more.
New Jersey State Police Helicopter
Aside from being a great time for the family, this event helps support our major initiatives. Kiwanis International is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time. Our Parsippany based group supports and sponsors many community causes.
Kiwanis Club is looking for additional vendors to participate in this great event, as well as sponsors.
For more information click here, or contact Touch-a-Truck Chairman Nicolas Limanov at Ndlimanov13@gmail.com or (917) 499-7299. Interested in a sponsorships please contact Barbara Freda at (973) 769-5310.
PARSIPPANY — Ladies and Gentlemen we welcome you to come out and support the local adult Soccer team. This team is undergoing some big changes and has cleared its way to start climbing up the American Soccer tiers one day at a time, one training…one game at a time. That’s right, it will pave the way for soccer here in Parsippany by going to the pro’s by climbing out the current amateur level into the semi pros and eventually into to the Pro’s. It will be a long process but it’s in the plans.
How can you be involved and be part of history in the making? Come out and support, come out and join the community with a common goal, something we can all work towards, AS ONE. Bring your kids and the local kids so they can see something that they can aspire to and look up to and work towards. As any other sport it will help instill great values they can use on and off the field, discipline, team work, courage, integrity. Come out and push our players and give them more of a reason to work hard on and off the field to better themselves day in and day out, help give them a platform in which they can use to go to other big established clubs and take with them the Parsippany experience and represent us all the way through. Parsippany Blues isn’t just a team to watch…it’s bigger than that. We will work hard to make you proud for your support and understand that morning Sundays are difficult for many, but we can assure you that you will enjoy every moment of it.
We hope to see you there and a HUGE thank you in advanced.”
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano presented the Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills with a “Proclamation,” proclaiming April 2019 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills.
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) is authorized by State Statute and Federal Law to help the Court and Child Welfare systems make “best interest” decisions on behalf of children removed from home because of abuse or neglect. CASA volunteer advocates in the Township of Parsi pp any Troy-Hills help to ensure that abused and neglected children who are placed in foster care and other out-of-home placements are safe and receive the services they need to achieve well-being.
CASA advocates reduce the number of moves between placements, help shorten the overall time a child remains in placement, and serve as a consistent person in the child’s life until that child achieves permanency in a safe home with a loving family.
Michael A. Soriano, Mayor of the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills proclaimed April 2019 as Child Abuse Prevention Month in the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and Friday, April 5 as CASA Child Advocacy Day 2019; and urge all citizens to support the CASA network across New Jersey, as it strengthens families and helps children learn, grow, and thrive.
PARSIPPANY — Joseph T. Roman of the Glacier Hills section of Parsippany has been nominated by the faculty at New Jersey Institute of Technology for the excellence in teaching award.
Mr. Roman who is an Adjunct Professor at the Martin Tuchman School of Management at NJIT received this nomination in April. When asked about the nomination Joseph said,” I am truly honored and humbled by this nomination because of the high caliber of everyone who teaches at NJIT and works throughout the university. Having the ability to make an impact in students lives and then see them succeed in leadership roles throughout their professional careers is a huge motivator and reward for me personally.”
Mr. Roman in addition to teaching is a globally known enterprise software executive. He works day to day in leading technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Cloud Software, Data Science, Decisioning and Business Process Automation among other areas. He is considered a thought leader in his field. He highly recommends technology and business as a career path for people starting out in their educational journey.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Sheriff’s Office on April 3, announced the launch of the Police Assisted Addiction Recovery Initiative (PAARI), an expansion of Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon’s hallmark Hope One mobile substance abuse recovery and resource vehicle whose two-year anniversary coincides with the start of PAARI.
The launch of PAARI and expansion of Hope One in Morris County is made possible through receipt of a $332,658 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice that was applied for in 2018 by Morris County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Erica Valvano and Sheriff’s Office Trends and Analysis Team Analyst Jane Recktenwald.
Expanding on its commitment to help wrest individuals from the grip of addiction and, for some, stop the cycle of crime associated with substance abuse disorders, the Morris County Sheriff’s Office is the first law enforcement agency in Morris County to launch PAARI and the only Sheriff’s Office in New Jersey to embark on the initiative that draws municipal police departments and non-profit agencies into a partnership to help individuals fight the ravages of addiction.
Under PAARI, individuals who walk into participating police departments and request help for their addiction will be screened, and in most cases connected with a certified peer recovery specialist who will guide the individual to treatment options and resources. Daytop-NJ, a premier substance use facility based in Mendham, is the Sheriff’s Office’s partner in providing the peer recovery specialists.
Individuals who self-initiate the treatment process by going to police headquarters must surrender any drugs or paraphernalia and will not be criminally charged with possessing contraband, under a directive to police prepared by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. As participation is voluntary, the individual can elect not to continue seeking assistance.
Separately, police can use their discretion in approaching individuals they encounter on the street to determine whether they are open to meeting with a peer recovery specialist. However, the PAARI program exclusively applies to people who ask for help and cannot be used in lieu of charges or arrest.
“With opioid and heroin addiction consuming the lives of family members, neighbors, classmates and friends, and often leading them to break the law to finance their addictions, we all have a stake as human beings to try to stop the scourge,” Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon said.
“Police officers who are familiar with vulnerable populations in their communities are well-suited to start the process of helping people connect with treatment services in a compassionate, non-judgmental style,” Sheriff Gannon said.
Daytop-NJ President and CEO Jim Curtin
Daytop-NJ President and CEO Jim Curtin said of the PAARI partnership, which builds upon the non-profit’s relationship with Hope One: “We commend Morris County Sheriff Gannon for implementing the PAARI program, and are honored to provide Daytop’s trained peer counselors as a first line of defense and a choice for people with substance use disorders.”
“The PAARI program recognizes that addiction is a disease, not a character flaw or a crime, and implementing PAARI in police stations throughout Morris County is a critical step in saving the lives of those suffering from this devastating disease,” CEO Curtin said.
Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp noted the array of care programs aimed at ending the disease of addiction.
“The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office looks forward to partnering again with the Sheriff and our municipal law enforcement partners on this life-saving initiative. As with Operation Helping Hand and Narcan 2.0, under the leadership of Attorney General Grewal, we and Morris County law enforcement agencies have sought to stem the tide of the horrific opioid and heroin epidemic. PAARI is another innovative effort by Sheriff Gannon towards preventing the needless loss of lives experienced during this plague which has engulfed many of our residents,” Prosecutor Knapp said.
“Expanding upon the concept of Hope One and the addition of Medically-Assisted Treatment (MAT) at our County Correctional Facility, the innovative work of the Sheriff’s Office has taken the lead in New Jersey towards reducing overdose deaths and we join in this effort today and going forward,” Prosecutor Knapp said.
On April 3, about 50 police chiefs and officers from 20 municipal police departments around Morris County participated in four hours of instruction on their obligations under PAARI, at Morris County’s Public Safety Training Academy in Parsippany. Police chiefs and superior officers from the Butler, Mount Olive, Montville, Dover, and Morristown Police Departments are part of an advisory group that met in February to plan the PAARI launch.
Morris County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Erica Valvano, coordinator the Hope One-PAARI program
“The PAARI program helps local law enforcement tremendously because it delivers certified peer recovery specialists out to meet directly with the person who is suffering from addiction, either on the street or right in our municipal police stations. As a result, we can offer real help,” said Butler Police Chief Ciro Chimento.
Police department participation in PAARI is voluntary and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office hopes to make the program available at all police departments in the future. To activate their police department’s participation in PAARI, governing bodies in the respective municipalities have to pass resolutions.
The Morris County Sheriff’s Office has signed on as a venue to receive walk-in requests for help from individuals battling substance abuse, after the Morris County Board of Freeholders in March 2019 approved a resolution of support.
The freeholder resolution commends the Sheriff’s Office “for taking a leadership role in creating a positive impact on individuals and their families struggling with addiction, thus, providing a clear path to recovery.”
PAARI was launched in 2015 in Massachusetts as a constructive alternative to incarceration for people battling substance abuse and about 430 law enforcement agencies in 33 states have signed on.
PAARI USA Executive Director Allie Hunter McDade was present for the April 3 launch and said of the movement:
“We are delighted to be present as the Morris County Sheriff’s Office joins PAARI and launches the Hope One-PAARI Program. They are joining a growing movement of nearly 500 law enforcement agencies nationwide that are using non-arrest strategies to address the mounting opioid epidemic.”
“As we have seen with other PAARI initiatives across the country, this program will create a pathway to treatment and recovery, which will ultimately prevent overdose deaths and improve community safety and well-being. We are grateful to all the partners involved for the dedication and leadership, and we are thrilled to have the Morris County Sheriff’s Office as partners in this important effort,” Executive Director McDade said.
Hope One, which travels twice a week to communities in Morris County where drug overdoses and narcotics arrests are occurring, has logged more than 6,400 contacts with individuals since April 3, 2017, and 1,636 people as of March 31, 2019, were trained by Hope One staff in how to administer Narcan to a person who is overdosing. Hope One has verified that at least 32 lives have been saved by people administering Narcan provided to them on their visit to Hope One.
PARSIPPANY — On Wednesday, April 3, in the area of Woodhaven Road, an 18 year old female was approached by a well-dressed black male with a short haircut and possibly grey hair who appeared to be in his 40’s.
The unknown male asked her a few questions, which included if she was in high school and if she had an older sister. The female quickly left the area.
If anyone saw the unknown male or can identify who he is, please contact our Investigative Division at (973) 263-4311 or email socialmedia@parpolice.com.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Mayor Michael Soriano proclaimed April Donate Life Month in Parsippany while standing on the front steps of Town Hall flanked by Parsippany members of the Morris County Organ Transplant/Donate Life Group, Boy Scout Troop 72, Venture Crew 890, NJ Sharing Network staff, Team Liberty members and Council Members Paul Carifi, Jr., Janice McCarthy, Emily Peterson, Michael dePierro and Loretta Gragnani.
Immediately following the proclamation presentation, the Boy Scouts and Venture Crew went to work putting green ribbons up on trees on the grounds. They were supported by the Mayor and Council and Transplant Group members. Their next stop was North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha and the town library branches. This is the 22nd year Parsippany Boy Scouts have participated in the green ribbon campaign to bring awareness to the lifesaving gift of organ and tissue donation.
Michele Dabal and Janet Saulter-Hemmer (Team Liberty & NJ Sharing Network Ambassadors) with Mayor Michael Soriano.
Councilwoman Gragnani and Councilman dePierro take their turn at a tree working with a Boy Scout
Parsippany Police Officer assists Boy Scout with ribbon
Mayor Michael Soriano assists Boy Scout with ribbon
Donate Life Month Proclamation Presentation on Municipal Building steps
Michele Dabal, Councilwoman Gragnani, Janet Saluter-Hemmer and Council President Paul Carifi pose with Boy Scout promoting NJ Sharing Network
Members of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany participate in the project as well with four of their members who are recipients and one who is a living donor.
There are currently 25 Parsippany residents waitlisted for transplant, 188 in Morris County and 4,000 in New Jersey according to the NJ Sharing Network. One organ donor can save eight lives and one tissue donor can restore health to over 75 people. Over 115,000 men and women across the country are on the organ donor wait list according to the United Network for Organ Sharing.
Click here to register to be an organ donor
The proclamation is on display at the Main Branch of the Parsippany Library on Halsey Rd, along with NJ Sharing Network and Donate Life Month materials and green ribbons.
The Morris County Transplant/Donate Life Group meets monthly in Parsippany. Members have had kidney, heart, liver, lung, pancreas, cornea and tissue/bone transplants, are on the wait list, living donors, donor families, health care professionals as well as family and friends. New members always welcome.
The group next meets on April 3 with a Donate Life Month celebration. The May meeting is on May 1 and the topic for discussion is the 2020 Transplant Games. For more information on the group call (973) 984-6966 or e-mail mcorgantransplantgroup@gmail.com. Meetings are at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the Parsippany Police Complex. All meetings, as well as other NJ Sharing Network activities, can be found by clicking here.
NJ Sharing Network is the non-profit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organ and tissue for those in need of a life-saving transplant. For more information on the NJ Sharing Network, including upcoming events click here or call (908) 516-5400.
PARSIPPANY — Former Rockaway Township Chief of Police, Joseph Devine, an administrative hearing officer, has adjudicated several cases involving Parsippany Police Officers in the past and according to his contract with the Township he has always been paid for his services.
However, there was one case in 2015 which Chief Devine got stiffed by Parsippany, that is, until an Open Public Records Request was submitted on March 8, 2019 exposing this fact.
The current administration recently paid the three-year old outstanding bill.
In a letter addressed to Parsippany Police Chief Andrew Miller dated October 17, 2018, Chief Devine wrote: “Enclosed is a copy of the Carifi Invoice dated March 29, 2016. Also enclosed is an itemized invoice of the time spent on this matter and a copy of my findings dated October 25, 2015. There was no formal response to this invoice from the Barberio administration and it has not been paid. However, I was advised informally that as Mayor Barberio did not like my decision in this matter that I was not going to be paid.”
Devine was appointed by Parsippany to be the hearing officer in former Parsippany Police Captain James Carifi’s administrative hearing by former Mayor Barberio.
Devine eventually dismissed the administrative charges. Devine went on to write: “It is my understanding that the current administration is honest and professional. I have waited out the political and legal storms surrounding the Carifi matter in the hope that I would eventually get paid. The decision rendered in this matter was objective, logical, and made in good faith…”
In December of 2015, Council members Robert Peluso and Lou Valori voted to accept Chief Devine’s findings.
However, Councilman Michael dePierro did not. Council members Brian Stanton and Paul Carifi abstained from voting.
The vote passed 2-1 to accept Devine’s findings.
Parsippany Focus spoke with Township CFO Ann Cucci. Cucci confirmed that $14,500 was recently paid to Devine on March 17, 2019 and that she had only been given the ancient invoice on March 6, 2019.
A request from former Mayor James Barberio went unanswered.
Township Attorney Jim Lott advised the current Council Members not to answer any questions concerning this matter due to ongoing litigation.
PARSIPPANY — The deadline of Monday, April 1, has passed for filing for November’s election. This year there are three seats for Township Council up for grabs to serve a four year term.
According to Township Clerk Khaled Madin, Republican Incumbents Paul Carifi, Jr, Michael dePierro, Loretta Gragnani and newcomer James Carifi will vie for the three seats in the upcoming June 4 primary. The three winners will face off Democrat candidates Cori Herbig, Rob Kaminski and Judy Hernandez in the November general election.
Other candidates on the June 4 Primary ballot will include:
Morris County Freeholder
Freeholder Incumbents Kathy DeFillippo, Doug Cabana and Thomas Mastrangelo seeking reelection. Republican candidates William Felegi, Catherine Winterfield and Donald Dinsmore also entered the race. They will face off at the June 4 primary. The winner of the primary will compete in November against a slate of Democrats. The Democrat candidates are Cara Parmigiani, Cary Amaro and David Timpanaro.
Morris County Surrogate Morris County Freeholder Heather Darling, Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll and Isabella Alfano of Parsippany will compete in primary for Morris County Surrogate, a five-year post. The winner of the primary will compete in November against Democratic lawyer Michael Thompson.
Morris County Sheriff Republican incumbent James Gannon has filed to run for his second three-year term as Morris County Sheriff. Gannon has no primary challenge but will face Democrat and former Morris County Undersheriff William Schievella, who is also facing no primary challenge.
Assembly – 26th District Republican incumbents BettyLou DeCroce and Jay Weber will face off Democrats Laura Fortgang and Christine Clark in the November general election.
You are eligible to vote if you are a citizen of the United States; are a Morris County resident 30 days before the election; are a resident of the election district in which you expect to vote on Election Day, you will be 18 years of age on or before the next election (Note you can register at 17, but can’t vote until you turn 18) and you are not incarcerated, on parole, or on probation due to a conviction for an indictable offense under any federal or state laws.
During the primary election to be held on June 4, you can only vote for candidates in your party affiliation (such as Democrat or Republican). If you wish to change this affiliation, you may do by April 10 for the primary election. Click here to download a voter registration application to change party affiliation.
You must register to vote 21 days before any election, which is May 14 for the Primary election.
If you moved into Hanover Township click here download a voter registration application.
If you have any questions contact Morris County Board of Elections at (973) 285-6715.
PARSIPPANY — Republican Freeholders and proven conservatives Doug Cabana, Tom Mastrangelo and Kathy DeFillippo received the official endorsement from their colleagues: Morris County Freeholders Deb Smith, John Krickus, Steve Shaw and Heather Darling.
They joined other Republican elected officials across Morris County who announced their support of Cabana, Mastrangelo & DeFillippo. That brings the total endorsement count to over 168 Republican elected officials, county-wide including four Senators, nine Assembly members.
Cabana said “It’s an honor to earn the support of our colleagues whom we work together with to deliver sound and effective government to the people of Morris County.”
Tom Mastrangelo said “I am humbled to have their support and look forward to working with them in the upcoming term. It has been my pleasure to serve with them. I know that our team appreciates their support. We are united in our common efforts to deliver good government to the people of Morris County.”
“I truly appreciate Deb, Steve, John and Heather’s support and look forward to continuing the good work we do together said DeFillippo.
Freeholders Cabana, Mastrangelo and DeFillippo are common sense Republicans who have guided the county to fiscally responsible budgets including multiple ZERO tax increases and reduced the county debt by tens of millions of dollars while continuing to deliver responsive, quality services to all the residents of the county. Morris County has been rated as one of the best run counties in the country by two leading financial rating agencies . Business along with county government are continuing to create an environment that promotes growth and new jobs, with more coming each year making Morris County one of the best places to live, work and raise a family . The primary election is Tuesday, June 4.
PARSIPPANY — Meet Apollo, a three-year-old Husky! This active, young boy was given up due to landlord issues in his previous home. We are so excited to be able to help him find his forever home now!
Apollo
Apollo, typical of his breed, is extremely active and will need a home that understands this and is willing to exercise him both physically and mentally. He is dog-friendly and can live with children 13+.
Apollo’s ideal home would be one with a fully-fenced yard he can play in with a family who is home more often than not as he does not like being left alone for extended periods of time. He is an extremely friendly dog who loves meeting new people and playing with them, especially tug-of-war!
Apply to adopt Apollo if you’re ready for adventure and fun!
If you are interested in adopting Apollo, 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.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of Freeholders has proclaimed April as Donate Life Month 2019 in Morris County to encourage county residents to consider registering as organ and tissue donors, and to celebrate those who have saved lives through the gift of donation through the NJ Sharing Network.
Morris County Freeholders proclaimed April 2019 Donate Life Month in Morris County. From left are Freeholders Stephen Smith, Kathy DeFillippo, NJ Sharing Network representatives Wendy Rothschild, Michele Dabal, Cathy Cerbo and Donald Farrell with Freeholder Director Doug Cabana, Freeholder Deb Smith, Deputy Director Heather Darling and Freeholder John Krickus.
“Just one organ and tissue donor can save as many as eight lives and restore health to 75 others,’’ said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana. “We commend the Morris County Donate Life Group, one of the longest-running groups in the NJ Sharing Network, for their commitment to donors, donor families, recipients and advocates.”
Accepting the proclamation at the Board of Freeholders’ March 27 meeting in Morristown was Donald Farrell, a Sharing Network ambassador and member of a donor family (including his wife Kathy), who accepted the proclamation in memory of his late son, Donald J (Donnie) Farrell III.
Also attending were Cathy Cerbo, a Sharing Network ambassador and member of a recipient family; Michele Dabal, the Sharing Network’s philanthropy and foundation coordinator and a transplant recipient; and Wendy Rothschild of CTBS Funeral Home and medical examiner liaison for the Sharing Network.
NJ Sharing Network is a non-profit organization responsible for the recovery and placement of donated organs and tissue for those in need of life-saving transplants. The organization operates 24-hours a day, year-round, with a team of more than 150 highly trained members on staff.
The group works closely with hospitals and transplant centers, has a state-of-the-art transplant laboratory that runs tests to ensure that donated organs are compatible with recipients, provides emotional care for affected families, and runs public education campaigns.
In Morris County alone, 188 people await the gift of life with the largest numbers of resident on the waiting list living in Lincoln Park and Parsippany. They are among 4,000 people in New Jersey and 115,000 Americans nation-wide awaiting life-saving transplant operations.
In 2018, the NJ Sharing network facilitated 163 organ donations and 537 life-saving transplants. Tissue donors numbered 1,027 resulting in 50,000 health-restoring graphs.
While only 33 percent of New Jersey residents are registered as organ and tissue donors, the need continues to grow. Every day, three state residents join the waiting list, and every three days a New Jersey resident dies waiting for a transplant.
The NJ Sharing Network’s mission is to save lives through organ and tissue donation by educating residents at community health fairs and events, at high schools, as well as participating in the organization’s annual 5K Celebration of Life run/walk events coming up in in May in Long Branch and June in New Providence. Other events include a golf classic and tennis tournament and cycling events.
The Morris County group meets monthly. For more information click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — At 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, Drew University Dorothy Young Center for the Arts, 26 Madison Avenue, will ring with the exciting sound of 4-part barbershop harmony as the Morris Music Men pay tribute to the American musical
“The Impossible Dream” will feature a cavalcade of unforgettable songs from over a dozen of the Great White Way’s most beloved shows, from Gypsy and Guys And Dolls to The Lion King and Rent. The 50-man Morris Music Men barbershop chorus, is directed by Drew University graduate Nate Barrett.
Tickets are $20.00 and are available in advance or at the door. For tickets and more information about the show and chorus, call (973) 723-9611 or visit the chapter’s website by clicking here.
As a part of the Morris Music Men’s community outreach initiative, “The Impossible Dream” will benefit two local non-profit organizations that do extensive work with the disabled.
The mission of the P.G. Chambers School, Cedar Knolls, is to provide the best, most comprehensive education and therapy programs for children with disabilities, from birth through age 22. Employment Horizons of Cedar Knolls assists adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment to achieve their individual vocational objectives and establish self-sufficiency in the community.
The Morris Music Men include men of all ages from across North Jersey. They meet at 7:30 p.m each Tuesday at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 300 Shunpike Road in Chatham, to sing and socialize. New singers are always welcome. Follow the MMM on Facebook and Instagram and visit their YouTube channel.
The chorus is one of 750 chapters of the international 25,000-member Barbershop Harmony Society.
In addition to presenting annual shows, and delivering Singing Valentines each February, The Morris Music Men perform at numerous community festivals and summer concert series. To be notified of upcoming events, visit our website. The chapter’s affiliated quartets are available to perform for private parties and other events.
Made possible by funds from Morris Arts, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
PARSIPPANY — The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, the philanthropic arm of dental benefits provider Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., has renewed its 33-year long commitment to improving and increasing dental care access and education to children, the developmentally disabled, seniors and veterans by awarding nearly $800,000 this year to 32 non-profit organizations in New Jersey and Connecticut.
“The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation is proud to support local non-profit organizations who share in our vision of creating and providing access to much-needed dental care for vulnerable populations in New Jersey and Connecticut,” said Gene Napoliello, D.D.S., chairman of the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation. “Our biggest reward is working with these organizations to put a smile on the faces of those who are in most need of care.” In 2018, more than 16,000 people received dental care and education as a result of the Foundation’s efforts.
Grants, which ranged from $1,000 to $80,000, were awarded for either one-time or multi-year oral health programs that underscore the connection between oral health and overall health and wellbeing. Local organizations receiving grants this year include:
Free Dental Clinic: Connecticut Mission of Mercy (Willimantic, CT), $35,000 to help support this year’s CT MOM, which will be providing free dental care and oral health education to the underserved and working poor on April 13-14 in Willimantic, CT.
Children: Greater Bergen Community Action (Paterson, Jersey City, and Bergen County, NJ), $50,000 to support an Early Head Start dental care and dental education program with the goal of instilling good oral health habits at a young age.
Developmentally Disabled: Special Olympics CT (Hamden, CT), $10,000 to provide dental education and dental screenings to athletes and raise awareness in the professional dental community on the health concerns of those with special needs.
Veterans: Zufall Health (Dover, NJ), $65,143 to support the 3rd Annual Smiles for Our Heroes Event, which will provide no-cost dental care to low-income, underserved veterans and their families over the course of two days this November. The Foundation is also supporting Dental Lifeline Network’s new Will You See One Vet? initiative, with a $13,200 grant that will provide no-cost comprehensive dental care to disabled, elderly or medically fragile veterans in New Jersey.
“Lack of access to quality dental care is one of the biggest oral health challenges New Jersey and Connecticut face,” said Caryl Russo, Ph.D., president of the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation. “According to the New Jersey Department of Health’s latest NJ Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, 29 percent of adult New Jersey residents in 2016 did not visit a dentist in the last year. This is evident of the work that still needs to be done to ensure that seeing the dentist annually is possible for more people.”
Since 1986, the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation has provided more than $18.7 million in grant funding. In 2019, it will continue with its long-standing programs, including: Captain Supertooth, who will educate pre-K through first graders at 36 schools about proper brushing and flossing and visiting the dentist; Children’s Dental Health Awareness Day at Liberty Science Center on February 24; and Prevent Abuse and Neglect through Dental Awareness (PANDA), which educates dental professionals, teachers, school nurses, and social workers on how to recognize and report suspected child abuse.
“At Delta Dental we believe that everyone deserves a healthy smile. This year we celebrate Delta Dental of New Jersey’s 50th anniversary of protecting smiles across the state, and it is ingrained into our mission to also provide access to oral health care to the uninsured and underserved,” said Dennis Wilson, President and CEO of Delta Dental of New Jersey and Delta Dental of Connecticut. “As good oral health is central to maintaining overall wellbeing, we are committed to serving our community and supporting local partners across New Jersey and Connecticut, as we strive to provide oral health education and improve access to dental care for children, seniors, persons with developmental disabilities, and veterans.”
Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc. is New Jersey’s leading dental benefits company, providing or administering coverage to more than 1.7 million people through contracts with groups in New Jersey and Connecticut. In Connecticut, Delta Dental of Connecticut, Inc. is a licensed insurer that writes dental coverage on an insured basis, and Delta Dental of New Jersey administers self-funded dental benefit programs. For more information click here.
PARSIPPANY — Since 1954 Scouts BSA Boy Troop 72, chartered by Saint Peter the Apostle Church, has been proudly serving the boys of Parsippany and the surrounding area. Over these 65 years of scouting they have seen many changes to the scouting movement and they are excited to participate in the latest transformations of the program. They are thrilled to announce the founding and start of Scouts BSA Girl Troop 72.
Rev. Msgr. Herb signs new unit application with Scouts BSA Troop 72 Committee Chair Keith Hawkins. Photo credit Nick Corrente
On March 12, 2019, our institution head Rev. Msgr. Herbert K. Tillyer, PA signed and approved the application for this new unit to be formed with Patriots Path Council. This unit will also be chartered by Saint Peter the Apostle Church and their troop committee will share members with the existing Scouts BSA Boy Troop 72 committee. Scouts BSA Girl Troop 72 will provide the girls of the Parsippany area their first opportunity to participate in the Scouts BSA program which has been very much loved by the boys of the Parsippany area for many years.
Scouts BSA Boy Troop 72 currently has over 50 registered scouts and 40 registered adult leaders. With 92 scouts having earned the rank of Eagle Scout since our founding, we are excited for this opportunity to share the values of scouting with more youth in the Parsippany area.
The new troop is forming now, with some scouts coming from the Cub Scout program. They are pleased to now welcome anyone between the ages of 11 and 17 to join our units. If you would like more information, please email scoutsbsa@parsippanytroop72.org.
PARSIPPANY — Former Parsippany Board of Education member, James Carifi, is proud to announce his candidacy for Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council. Carifi, a graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University with a Master’s in Administrative Science, is a 45 year lifelong resident of Parsippany, with a history of dedicated service to his community and a thorough understanding of the variety of issues that residents must face day to day. “With the current administration proposing increasingly large tax increases with little to no accountability, I believe that the residents of Parsippany deserve a representative that will fight to keep their taxes low without affecting the current level of service provided” said Carifi.
As a former BOE member, Carifi recognizes that decisions made by the current administration can potentially have a major impact on the way our school taxes are used and how our children are affected. Carifi has a proven record of delivering promises with the efficiency and thoughtfulness our hardworking taxpayers deserve, especially when it comes to ensuring the security of our children. In fact, he proposed robust security enhancements within our school district and they were implemented with widespread support. Currently, the township provides three Class 3 Special Police Officers. These three officers are tasked with providing school security for each of our ten elementary schools. “In light of current events, I believe that each school should have a dedicated SRO to provide constant security and full coverage throughout our schools. Through attrition and more effective allocation of manpower, this can be accomplished with minimal expense.”
Also, for far too long Town Hall has been used as a tool to reward political allies at the expense of the taxpayer. The days of Chris Christie style political patronage hires are serious drains on tax revenue. To prevent this in the future, Carifi proposes that all township hires have their qualifications made public in addition to having a cost-benefit analysis prepared for the position being created or filled. He will also call for an explanation on why the current Mayor hired unqualified members of his political campaign for his office at close to/or at the salary cap. For example, Carifi will seek an explanation regarding why Soriano increased the level of staff from 3 to 5 in his office excluding seasonal interns who also participated in his campaign. These additional funds would be better utilized in protecting our children within our schools as opposed to being used for gatekeepers for the Mayor. These steps will bring back accountability to the hiring process and prevent similar political jobs from occurring again.
Local taxes are already too high for taxpayers and have proven to be quite the sore point for the current administration. The past two tax increases proposed by Mayor Soriano are far too high and risk pricing out current residents especially with regards to our senior citizens from our community. If elected, Carifi will fight to bring back reasonable fiscal policy to Town Hall and address the poorly constructed budgets that have been proposed. “With my candidacy for Township Council, I expect to bring a unique focus and perspective to the issues that we all face. I believe that with a collaborative approach, and more of a partnership with the Board of Education, smarter management of personnel, and finally accountability to the hiring process in the future, we can move in a direction that is affordable for EVERY Parsippany resident.”
MORRIS COUNTY — Morristown Medical Center and Overlook Medical Center have been named among the World’s Best Hospitals by Newsweek in its inaugural rating.
The World’s Best Hospitals 2019 ranking is based on responses to an online survey sent to nearly 40,000 doctors, hospital administrators and health care professionals in 11 countries, results from patient surveys, and publicly available hospital performance data.
Atlantic Health System medical centers join hospitals including The Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Massachusetts General on this prestigious list, 226 of which are in the United States.
In the ranking of hospitals in the United States, Morristown was ranked 28 and Overlook was ranked 98. Morristown was the highest ranked hospital in New Jersey.
“Morristown Medical Center has been highly focused on partnering with our medical staff to improve care delivery, enhancing our technology and clinical trial offerings, coordinating patient care, and creating positive patient experiences, and we are pleased to be recognized for our efforts on a global scale,” said Trish O’Keefe, PhD, RN, president, Morristown Medical Center. “We continue to strive for excellence and provide the highest quality medical care for our communities.”
“The Overlook Medical Center staff is committed to providing expert, timely and compassionate care,” said Alan Lieber, president, Atlantic Health System Overlook Medical Center. “We strive to deliver the very best patient care every day. This international recognition validates the team’s dedication and commitment to excellence and innovation. It represents a lot of hard work!”
One thousand hospitals globally made the list of the World’s Best Hospitals.
Newsweek rated the best hospitals in 11 countries: USA, Canada, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Switzerland, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Australia and Israel, selected based on standard of living/life expectancy, population size, number of hospitals and data availability.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce (PACC) Executive Board Member Frank Cahill welcomed Parsippany Blues Football Club Ricardo Junior Barreto to the Chamber of Commerce at a recent “Juice Up Your Morning” Networking Event. Joining in the celebration was Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce Hanover Committee Chair Barbara Freda, Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce Board Member and Ambassador Chairman Dr. Patrick Selimo and Board Member Nicolas Limanov.
Parsippany Blues Football Club is a soccer club that runs and Open Men’s Team (18+ age) and Over 30’s, 40’s and 50’s and they partake in the sport of soccer via NJ Soccer Leagues with the end goal of joining the top tier soccer level as well as contribute to the growth of the future generations of plays while instilling in the positive values that they can carry on and off the field and well as bring the community together as one with no barriers and finally to further contribute to the growth of Parsippany-Troy Hills.
For more information on Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce click here.
Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce is a service organization for businesses, merchants, residents and volunteers that provides education, information and networking opportunities to the Parsippany Area.
PARSIPPANY — The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany is proud to support Prevent Child Abuse NJ in their Pinwheels for Prevention® campaign.
This month the Kiwanis Club kicked off Child Abuse Prevention Month setting up pinwheel gardens and displays, set up at the Parsippany Town Hall, Governor Livingston Park, Empire Diner, Veterans Park, Gazebo at Lake Hiawatha and Cerbo Lumber.
Many pinwheel gardens are set up to bring attention to the importance of ensuring great childhoods for all children because our children are our future. Gourmet Cafe purchased the pinwheels which will be used in the pinwheel gardens and displays. Parsippany and Cedar Knolls IHOP will also have pinwheels throughout the restaurant supporting Prevent Child Abuse. They will also collect donations throughout the month of April for Child Abuse Prevention Month.
All throughout April you will see pinwheels on display around the Parsippany and Lake Hiawatha areas as the symbol of this very thought…that all children deserve a great childhood because they are our future.
And while the pinwheel can do many things — bring smiles, lift spirits, call for healthy starts for all children — the one thing it cannot do is move on its own. Be the force that makes it move, bringing about real change for children in the United States. Protecting our children is everyone’s job…it’s your turn to make a difference!
Prevent Child Abuse America introduced the pinwheel as the new national symbol for child abuse prevention through Pinwheels for Prevention®. What their research showed, and what their experiences since then have borne out, is that people respond to the pinwheel. By its very nature, the pinwheel connotes whimsy and childlike notions. In essence, it has come to serve as the physical embodiment, or reminder, of the great childhoods we want for all children.
Since 1983, April has been a time to acknowledge the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse. As we look upon the faces of the many children in our communities and think about all of the children around the world that suffer at the hands of others, let’s remember that April may be Child Abuse Prevention Month, but unfortunately abuse happens every day. That is why every year, during the month of April, communities across the country come together to focus on this startling issue and on the need for widespread prevention and public awareness campaigns to reduce the number of children who, sadly, are victims of abuse. Close to 700,000 children were victims of child abuse; and almost 1,700 children died as a result of abuse or neglect.
During a recent Kiwanis meeting, Julie Sorano Co-Director of the Kiwanis “Young Children Priority One” program explained, “As an organization that focuses on children, there is one goal that we are looking to achieve…to raise awareness of the many ways people can get involved in the fight against child abuse: First, we can get educated, so you can learn to recognize the signs of child abuse, so you can be that one person with courage to step up for these children and report abuse when you suspect it. Secondly, you can volunteer or support your child advocacy centers (Prevent Child Abuse-NJ ) by calling to determine how you can support them, because every children’s advocacy center can benefit from your support for their programs and services they provide to child victims of abuse and neglect. And lastly, but most importantly we must help break the silence surrounding child abuse by raising awareness and spreading the word. These children deserve a voice, because this problem has been overlooked for far too long and you can open the doors on this crime of secrecy, because we can all make a difference for these children.”
To learn more about what you can do to help prevent child abuse, contact Pamela Stalcup, Director of Development & Communications for Prevent Child Abuse-NJ at (732) 246-8060 or click here.
Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to changing the world one child and one community at a time. It is not religious based or partisan in any way. The Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets every Thursday at 7:15 a.m. at the Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46. New members are always welcome. (Click here for more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany).
Kiwanis Pinwheel Gardens
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Ava Arthurs and Julie Scarano with the Pinwheel display at Governor Livingston Park
Banner promoting Child Abuse Prevention Month on the sign at Cerbo Lumber, Route 46
Bob Young, Debbie Young Carol Tiesi, Karen DeChristopher, Julie Scarano and Ava Arthurs
Karen DeChristopher planting pinwheels
Julie Scarano planting pinwheels at Parsippany-Troy Hills Municipal Building
Debbie Young planting pinwheels at Parsippany-Troy Hills Municipal Building
Carol Tiesi planting pinwheels at Parsippany-Troy Hills Municipal Building
Ava Arthurs planting pinwheels at Parsippany-Troy Hills Municipal Building
Bob and Debbie Young with Ava Arthurs planting pinwheels at Veterans Park
Ava Arthurs at Empire Diner after planting a pinwheel garden
Pinwheels were placed on the Gazebo in Lake Hiawatha
MORRIS COUNTY — Three County College of Morris (CCM) students are the recipients of the 2019 Japanese Language and Culture Study Award granted by the New Jersey Association of Teachers of Japanese.
Katarina A. Notarnicola, of Hackettstown, Preston C. Peoples, of Lafayette, and Yu Sun, of Green Township, were nominated to receive the award by CCM Japanese Professor Ayako Morrell for their commitment to learning the Japanese language and culture. All three students were granted the award for their outstanding achievement in Intermediate Japanese I.
CCM offers courses in Japanese in addition to 11 other languages including American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Latin, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish. To learn more about the language programs at CCM click here.
Also attending were Cathy Cerbo, a Sharing Network ambassador and member of a recipient family; Michele Dabal, the Sharing Network’s philanthropy and foundation coordinator and a transplant recipient; and Wendy Rothschild of CTBS Funeral Home and medical examiner liaison for the Sharing Network.
The mission of the P.G. Chambers School, Cedar Knolls, is to provide the best, most comprehensive education and therapy programs for children with disabilities, from birth through age 22. Employment Horizons of Cedar Knolls assists adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment to achieve their individual vocational objectives and establish self-sufficiency in the community.
