![](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2018/04/Mount-Olive-Mayor-Rob-Greenbaum.png?resize=210%2C229&ssl=1)
RANDOLPH — The Morris County Young Republicans is excited to host the first Republican Primary Debate for Congressional District 11 on April 19 starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Randolph Diner, 517 Route 10 West, Randolph.
RANDOLPH — The Morris County Young Republicans is excited to host the first Republican Primary Debate for Congressional District 11 on April 19 starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Randolph Diner, 517 Route 10 West, Randolph.
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon’s groundbreaking Hope One program that offers critical in-the-field support for persons struggling with addiction, celebrated its first birthday on Tuesday, April 3, on the rain-soaked Morristown Green with the unveiling by Morris County of its new “Navigating Hope’’ mobile human services operation.
Navigating Hope will work in concert with the Sheriff’s Hope One unit, with both fully staffed mobile vehicles traveling together across Morris County to deliver vital services to residents most in need of assistance.
“Hope One’s impact on the addiction and mental health communities in Morris County has been tremendous,’’ said Morris County Human Services Director Jennifer Carpinteri. “Now, the county is going to expand upon the great work being done by the Sheriff and his Hope One team.’’
Hope One travels twice a week to locations throughout Morris County, bringing services to persons in need. A sheriff’s officer, licensed clinician, and a certified peer recovery specialist – who understand the needs of those suffering with addiction — staff the vehicle.
Their goal is to prevent drug overdoses and deaths by reaching out to those in need, rather than wait for them to show up in a hospital emergency room.
In the first year of operation, Hope One has compiled some amazing statistics, with nearly 3,000 residents in need visiting the Hope One mobile unit and nearly 850 county residents receiving life-saving Narcan training to be employed in emergencies.
Hope One’s many stops have included supermarket shopping centers from Chatham to Kinnelon, libraries from Rockaway to Whippany, the Morristown Green, a Dover church, and even the Rockaway Townsquare mall, among many locations.
“Sheriff Gannon and his team have searched out those in need, aggressively pursuing and helping people who are most in danger of succumbing to the scourge that has taken far too many lives and destroyed far too many Morris County families,’’ said Morris County Freeholder Kathy DeFillippo.
“Hope One, and now our new Navigating Hope, embraces the county’s Stigma-Free initiative that fosters treatment persons in need, no questions asked,’’ she added.
Once the Navigating Hope vehicle is ready to roll, in late spring or early summer, the two vehicles will travel in tandem.
The Navigating Hope mobile community assistance outreach program will offer a broad range of county services for people it encounters in the field, in areas such as homelessness, affordable housing, employment, aging, veterans’ services, Medicaid, Food stamps, child support, and transportation needs.
It also will link those residents to other key social services offered in the county by hospitals and nonprofit partners through technology onboard the mobile unit.
Sheriff Gannon chose the Morristown Green for today’s event because that was where he launched it on April 3, 2017. He was joined by a crowd of partners in the endeavor, including Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp; Bob Davison, Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris Counties; members of the Sheriff’s Community Services Unit, representatives of the county Department of Human Services, and Morris County Prevention is Key and their Center for Addiction Recovery Education and Success (CARES), run by Alton Robinson.
Hope One is able to provide clients immediate access to services and treatment facilities, putting them on the road to recovery and wellness.
In addition, Narcan training and kits are provided to family members and friends of individuals with opiate addiction.
To allow for more interaction and the ability to connect with individuals with addiction disorders, Hope One travels to different communities within Morris County.
The vehicle parks and sets up refreshments in an effort to encourage individuals in need of services to approach the vehicle.
Providing a comfortable, stigma free setting has allowed this program to effectively make contact with and provide services to individuals who have had difficulty navigating and accessing services.
The program’s success has drawn the interest of other communities, with Monmouth and Atlantic counties, and the city of Newark planning to launch similar efforts, the Sheriff said.
For more information on Hope One click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — Former Vice President Joe Biden announced his endorsement of U.S. Navy veteran and former federal prosecutor Mikie Sherrill for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District.
“From the U.S. Navy to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Mikie Sherrill has always stood up for our country and our values,” said Vice President Joe Biden. “At a time when so many in our country feel left behind by Washington, we need to send leaders like Mikie to Washington who have proven records of service to others and of getting things done. I know that Mikie Sherrill will fight hard for the interests of the middle class in New Jersey, and will make sure that their voices are heard in the halls of Congress. I am proud to endorse her today.”
“Vice President Biden knows exactly what it means to put the interests of our country over partisan politics,” noted Mikie Sherrill. “Throughout his career, he has worked as an advocate for all Americans. Here in New Jersey, we need representatives with that same sort of dedication to public service focused on moving our country forward. I am ready to serve my country again and the people of New Jersey, and I am honored to have the Vice President’s endorsement.”
Mikie Sherrill is a former Navy helicopter pilot, a former federal prosecutor, and a mother of four. After spending nearly 10 years on active duty flying missions throughout Europe and the Middle East, she earned her law degree. She eventually joined the U.S Attorney’s Office in New Jersey and worked to help prevent crime and develop trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.
MORRIS COUNTY — NJ Blood Services, which supplies blood to 60 hospitals throughout the state, is in need of volunteers, to work blood drives.
The bloodmobile volunteer is an integral member of the blood collection team whose task it is assist donors with registration, perform canteen duties and make appointments for their next donation.
Volunteers should have the ability to relate to the public, be able to perform different jobs as needed and have the willingness to follow the rules.
For additional information contact, Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Manager of Community Relations & Volunteer Services Jan Zepka at (732) 616-8741.
Founded in 1964, the New York Blood Center Network (NYBC) is a nonprofit organization that is one of the largest independent, community-based blood centers in the world. NYBC, along with its partner organizations Community Blood Center of Kansas City, Missouri (CBC), Innovative Blood Resources (IBR), Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD), and Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC), collect approximately 4,000 units of blood products each day and serve local communities of more than 45 million people in the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT), Mid Atlantic area (PA, DE, MD), the Kansas City metropolitan area, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Southern New England. NYBC and its partners also provide a wide array of transfusion-related medical services, including Comprehensive Cell Solutions, the National Center for Blood Group Genomics, the National Cord Blood Program, and the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, which—among other milestones—developed the Hepatitis B vaccine and a patented solvent detergent plasma process innovating blood-purification technology worldwide.
RANDOLPH — County College of Morris (CCM) offers an affordable way to earn credits, fast-track a college education, tackle a challenging class and lighten a course load through its Summer Sessions program.
Courses offered cover a range of general education requirements and disciplines such as the arts, humanities, science, business, engineering, health and more. Summer Sessions courses also are offered in a variety of formats – traditional in-classroom courses, online or as hybrid courses with instruction provided both in-class and online – to make it easier to fit summer courses into your schedule.
CCM is offering four Summer Sessions programs for 2018:
To view courses being offered this summer, click here, and then “Search for Sections.”
Individuals not currently enrolled at CCM first need to apply as a “Visiting Student” before registering for Summer Sessions courses. For more information, click here or call the Admissions office at (973) 328-5100.
PARSIPPANY — The Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation awarded nearly $1 million this year to 34 non-profit organizations based in New Jersey and Connecticut, enabling them to increase access, provide education or expand the dental health care they currently provide to children, developmentally disabled persons and senior citizens, as well as to support various community events and programs that promote the importance of good oral health and its vital role in overall wellbeing.
Founded in 1986, the Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation, the philanthropic arm of dental benefits provider Delta Dental of New Jersey, Inc., has awarded more than $17 million in grants used to support dental education programs for children, funded scholarships for students pursuing a career in the dental field and created access to dental care for underserved and uninsured populations. In March 2018, Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation was recognized by the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) with a Companies that Care Award, demonstrating their commitment to corporate philanthropy.
Grants, which ranged from $1,500 to $100,000, were awarded for one-time projects, as well as multi-year projects. Some of the local organizations receiving grants this year include:
According to the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, 15 percent of low-income adults in New Jersey say their mouth and teeth are in poor condition. What’s more, the state received a failing grade from Pew’s Charitable Trusts’ “States Stalled on Dental Sealant Program” report in 2015.
“Delta Dental is doing our part to help change the dialogue in New Jersey and Connecticut, with a focus on supporting early childhood preventive programs – instilling good oral health habits early with the goal of that leading to a lifetime of healthy smiles,” said Dennis Wilson, president and CEO of Delta Dental New Jersey. “There is massive opportunity to improve access to dental care in our state and we are 100 percent committed to bridging this gap. Working alongside these critical organizations, we’re helping reverse the trend for children and create access to dental care for people of all ages in both New Jersey and Connecticut.”
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 newly 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 — On April 26 and 27, The Township of Parsippany Health and Human Services Department will host Free Mental Health First Aid Training at the Parsippany Community Center, 1130 Knoll Road, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The program is free and includes light refreshments.
The training is an eight-hour course that teaches a five-step action plan to offer initial help to people developing a mental health problem or substance abuse disorder, and connect them with appropriate care.
Please register by April 17, 2018 by calling (973) 263-7160. Space is limited.
PARSIPPANY — At the Council meeting of Tuesday, April 3, the Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Council voted unanimously to approve Mayor Michael Soriano’s appointment of Captain Jay Wieners as Director of the Office of Emergency Management, effective immediately.
OEM’s mission is to protect the community from large scale emergencies and disasters and
The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program helps train people to be better prepared to respond to emergency situations in their communities. When emergencies happen, CERT members can give critical support to first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at a disaster site. CERT members can also help with non-emergency projects that help improve the safety of the community. CERT training includes disaster preparedness, disaster fire suppression, basic disaster medical operations, and light search and rescue operations. Training consists of 20 hours of instruction and a final exercise.
If you are interested in becoming a CERT volunteer, click here for additional information.
PARSIPPANY — Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany welcomed new member Neeta Dhopeshwarkar at a recent meeting. Club President Frank Cahill presented Ms. Dhopeshwarkar with her membership plaque and Sponsoring Member Casey Parikh placed the official Kiwanis membership on Neeta, as club Secretary Karen Gajewski looks on.
Frank Cahill said “We welcome Ms. Dhopeshwarkar to this global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world one child and one community at a time.”
Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets every Thursday at 7:15 a.m. at Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46. For more information on Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany click here.
PARSIPPANY — Former Parsippany Council Vice President Robert Peluso announced his candidacy for Morris County Freeholder. Mr. Peluso filed his petitions to seek office for the open seat to be vacated by Freeholder Christine Meyers.
“I look forward to pursuing this opportunity to continue in public service. We need someone who is in touch with working families and who offers solutions. During my term on the Parsippany Council we held the line on property taxes, improved infrastructure and expanded services offered to the community. I have over three decades of experience in the financial sector and have worked to create opportunities for residents in Morris County. As an Advisory Board Member for Morris County Economic Development, Chairperson of the Parsippany Economic Development Advisory Committee, and President of the Chamber of Commerce I have worked with communities throughout Morris County to provide proposals and solutions to help residents, businesses, and non-profit organizations,” said Peluso.
Peluso, a Parsippany resident for nearly fifty years, earned his Masters of Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s campus in Madison and earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Montclair State University along with the completion of the Leadership Morris and Morris County Sheriff Citizen Police Academy. He is employed as a Government Banking Officer and has risen to the level of Vice President. He is also currently on the Advisory Board for the Morris County School of Technology. Peluso resides in Parsippany with his wife Ildiko, and son Robert.
For more information, contact Robert@Pelusoforfreeholder.com or (973) 747-5617.
PARSIPPANY — Morris County Freeholder John Cesaro announced he will kick off his re-election campaign at a fundraiser on Tuesday, April 3, at the Zeris Inn from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
“I am thankful to those who are supportive of my re-election campaign and happy they have agreed to show that support by serving on the host committee for my re-election kickoff,” Freeholder John Cesaro said. “I am looking forward to serving another three years as a freeholder and committed to working hard to keep Morris County one of the best places to live, work and raise a family.”
GOP mayors supportive of Cesaro’s re-election include:
Mayor Robert W. Alviene – Borough of Butler
Mayor Ronald F. Francioli – Township of Hanover
Mayor Russell W. Felter – Township of Jefferson
Mayor Robert W. Collins – Borough of Kinnelon
Mayor Dr. David A. Runfeldt – Borough of Lincoln Park
Mayor Guy Piserchia – Township of Long Hill
Mayor Neil J. Henry, Jr. – Borough of Mendham
Mayor Sam Morris – Township of Mine Hill
Mayor Richard D. Conklin – Township of Montville
Mayor Frank J. Druetzler – Borough of Morris Plains
Mayor Peter V. Mancuso – Township of Morris
Mayor Michael Stanzilis – Borough of Mount Arlington
Mayor Joseph Nametko – Borough of Netcong
Mayor James R. Barberio – Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills (Former)
Mayor Catherine Winterfield – Township of Pequannock
Mayor Paul M. Carelli – Borough of Riverdale
Mayor Michael Dachisen – Township of Rockaway
Mayor William J. Chegwidden – Borough of Wharton
PARSIPPANY — The Easter Bunny made a surprise visit at International House of Pancakes on Easter Sunday.
People of all ages had the opportunity to take pictures with the Easter Bunny, and then the Easter Bunny gave out Easter Eggs filled with goodies: Candies, money and other surprises.
The IHOP is located at 792 Route 46, Arlington Shopping Plaza.
MOUNTAIN LAKES — Mountain Lakes Police Department is reporting Route 46 East closed at Boulevard. Overturned vehicle under train trestle. Plan alternate routes.
The truck overturned under the train tracks near Boulevard, on the Mountain Lakes border. Route 46 east is closed, and drivers should take an alternate route. Route 46 west remains open. Police did not say when the road would reopen.
The snow storm has made roads messy, police said, and they’re urging residents to drive carefully.
Please note: Route 46 East is open in Parsippany (from TGIF Friday’s East). Some news outlets reporting that Route 46 East is closed in Parsippany, which is incorrect.
PARSIPPANY — Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that it’s Spring. It’s April. Easter has past. Baseball season opens.
Parsippany residents on Monday woke up to much more snow than expected just a day after we experienced 60-degree temperatures.
What was predicted to be 3 to 5 inches of snow by 2:00 p.m., forecasters said, has now ballooned to nearly half a foot of snow already in parts of the area. The fast snowfall is expected to continue, causing hazardous driving conditions.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Focus has received word that the Easter Bunny will be visiting Parsippany on Sunday to make sure all the children receive their baskets. Did you know in 2015, the Easter Bunny delivered over two billion Easter baskets?
How does the Easter Bunny travel around the world? A question on the mind of many children is how the Easter Bunny travels around the world. Like Santa’s remarkable sleigh, some things just can’t be explained by science. Despite extensive studies and research, researchers have not been able to pin down how the Easter Bunny travels around the world in 24 hours.
What is known is that the Easter Bunny is a hare and not a rabbit.
Hares are generally faster and larger than rabbits and have very long and strong hind legs. The physical characteristics give the Easter Bunny an advantage and allow the Easter Bunny to hop fast and far.
After the Easter bunny makes its travel to your home, he will stop at International House of Pancakes, 792 Route 46 on Saturday, April 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. You can enjoy breakfast with the Easter Bunny.
Bring the camera and take pictures with the Easter Bunny. He will also be handing out goodies.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Rescue and Recovery held their Annual Installation Dinner on Saturday, March 24 at Zeris Inn, Mountain Lakes.
President Bill Sanford, Chief Louis Yuliano, Captain Jake Beg, Lieutenant Paul Anderson, Lieutenant Andrew Ludwig, Lieutenant John Bota, and Treasurer Jack Giannetti were sworn in by Mayor Michael Soriano as part of the 2018 Executive Board and Officers.
During the Installation Diner President Bill Sanford presented Jake Beg with a “Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation” for completing five years of dedicated service.
Sandford also congratulated Richard “Lee” Keimel for completing 45 years of dedicated service.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Rescue and Recovery Chief Louis Yuliano presents Jack Giannetti a certificate for “Going Above and Beyond the call of Duty.”
Parsippany Rescue and Recovery is a 100% volunteer rescue department with an active membership of 25 fully trained first responders and heavy rescue. They operate out of two stations that are strategically placed in town which allows for the quickest response time.
The Unit has been serving the town since 1960 and provides heavy rescue, vehicle extrication, dive rescue/recovery, confined space rescue, elevator entrapment, downed tree and limb removal, board ups, pump outs, emergency power generation, lighting and special services to its residents.
Parsippany Rescue and Recovery provides mutual aid to six fire departments, two ambulance squads and one EMS in our town. In addition, the Unit assists the fire departments and rescue squads of Denville, Mountain Lakes, Randolph, Morris Township, Morris Plains, Morristown, Hanover, East Hanover, Boonton, Montville, Fairfield, as well as any other requests from any other municipalities in the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania area.
For more information on Parsippany Rescue and Recovery, click here. If you would like to volunteer, click here for membership application.
PARSIPPANY — Saint Gregory’s Episcopal Church and Parsippany United Methodist Church continued their Annual Crosswalk. This Good Friday tradition starts with service at Saint Gregory’s and then proceeded down South Beverwyck Road with participants carrying the 6-foot wooden cross to Parsippany United Methodist Church for another service.
Saint Gregory’s Episcopal Church and Parsippany United Methodist Church invited the entire community to participate in the Good Friday tradition.
RANDOLPH — These sweet siblings were adopted to the same furever home when they were puppies. Abby and Lilly had a wonderful home for years until their owner passed away unexpectedly. Lucky for them, their owner’s elderly father moved into their home to take care of them. Now years laters their owner is in Hospice care so now Abby and Lily need a new furever home.
PARSIPPANY — Layups 4 Life is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is founded on the principles of making a difference in the fight against cancer.
Layups 4 Life will hold their 4th annual 3-on-3 charity basketball tournament on Saturday, April 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Parsippany PAL Youth Center, 33 Baldwin Road. Team check in is at 10:00 a.m.
It is L4L’s mission to help raise vital funds for cancer research and clinical trials. Since 2014, Layups 4 Life has made contributions to leukemia, pediatric and bone marrow research departments and supported clinical trials within Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).
The event is open to Men/Women, Boys/Girls of all skill levels-starting at ages 13+
(Teams will be organized according to age & skill level).
To register, click here. Cost is $32.00 per person. (Each team member must sign up individually). The cost will increase to $40.00 per person starting April 9.
Be a part of a fun filled day of basketball, food, music, contests, prizes and fun.
Registration ends on Tuesday, April 24. Spectators are welcome.
Proceeds benefit Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Interested in sponsorship and donations opportunities? Contact Dan Exter at layups4life@gmail.com or call (973) 219-1893.
For those that can not attend the event but want to contribute and help with fundraising efforts, they can do so clicking here. Our goal is to raise $30k in total by June/July 2018
This event for the entire family to come out and spend the day. There will be a raffle and silent auction with items from local Parsippany businesses, signed sports memorabilia from the NY Giants and NY Knicks and tickets to Yankee, NYC FC, Brooklyn Nets games and much more, all up for grabs! They will also be selling concessions and having a DJ providing music all day long.
In 2013, after Dan Exter visited a lung specialist to address the shortness of breath he had been experiencing for the previous few months, he found out he had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (A.L.L) and at the young age of 27 was staring at a diagnosis that would change his life forever.
That experience in a nutshell was the impetus for the launch of Layups 4 Life, a 501(c)(3) organization that raises vital funds for cancer research and clinical trials, founded by cancer survivor Dan Exter. While recovering and laying in his hospital bed, Dan made a promise to himself. That promise was that if he was fortunate enough to make a full recovery that he would be an advocate in the fight against cancer. It was during his recovery that Dan wrote on a piece of paper the idea of creating Layups 4 Life.
“Ten years ago the transplant procedure that I had received to combat my cancer was once a clinical trial and due to generous funding and continued research it is now a proven procedure to treat cancers such as A.L.L.”, says Exter a four year survivor.
Dan received a treatment plan that consisted of full body radiation, chemotherapy and a T-Cell depleted Stem Cell transplant. Dan’s younger and only brother, Jason, beat the 25% chance odds and tested as a perfect match and became Dan’s donor.
“My mission now is to make sure that everyone who is struck down with a cancer diagnosis, not only A.L.L (although that form of cancer remains a funding priority) has the same access to treatment and trials that provide the best chance for remission”, says Exter.
Dan is married to his wife Dana who is also the co-founder of Layup4Life. The couple were dating a year and a half when Exter was diagnosed. He works as a Digital Media Strategist in Chatham at Theorem and they reside in Jersey City.
PARSIPPANY — Wise Animal Rescue is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing dogs who need it most.
They strive to create a world where no dog is neglected, abused, or homeless. Wise Animal Rescue (W.A.R.) advocates and educates for the misrepresentation of bully breeds, the dangers of backyard breeding and puppy mills, and the inhumane practice of dog baiting or fighting. We accept and support all dogs, regardless of breed, size, or past, and encourage others to do the same.
Wise Animal Rescue (W.A.R.) needs foster homes! As a shelterless rescue, we don’t have a building where our dogs are housed until they get adopted. We are lucky enough to have loving foster families who open their hearts and homes to our dogs until they are placed. However, we need more foster homes so we can save more dogs! You can try it once and see how rewarding it can be, you even get to pick the puppy or dog you want to foster!
Fosters open their homes (usually a month or two on average) to foster a dog until they are adopted to their furever homes. Fostering is a rewarding experience and you will help save a dogs life. There are puppies, young dogs, adult dogs and special needs dogs of different breeds that need foster homes, and our foster families choose the type of pup they want to foster.
Every month Wise Animal Rescue save dozens of wonderful dogs from kill shelters and place them in safe, nurturing homes. Please consider joining us in the effort to help even more of these wonderful dogs get a second chance, we would love to have you!
With your help, they can save more dogs from being euthanized simply because there is a lack of space at the shelter. If you would like to be a part of our rescue efforts and are interested in short term fostering, please email
W.A.R is a volunteer-based and rely on amazing supporters to assist in reaching the goal of saving the lives of homeless, mistreated dogs.
All of the dogs are in foster homes prior to adoption as they do not have a shelter facility. W.A.R. serves the Greater New Jersey Area and is based in Parsippany.
To adopt, volunteer, or foster click here and fill out an application.
Follow Wise Animal Rescue on Instagram by clicking here.
Like Wise Animal Rescue on Facebook by clicking here.