Coastal flooding and strong rip currents are expected along the Jersey Shore Saturday, but those inland can expect a cool and breezy weekend. Much of the Garden State will be dry, cloudy and breezy on Saturday with temperatures in the low to mid 70s, according to the National Weather Service. RELATED: Weekend weather in N.J. looks…
Sunday will be last chance to see a Super Blood Moon until 2033
For the first time in more than 30 years, you can witness a supermoon in combination with a lunar eclipse. Late on Sept. 27, 2015, in the U.S. and much of the world, a total lunar eclipse will mask the moon’s larger-than-life face.
Watch NASA’s live stream from 8:00 p.m. until at least 11:30 p.m. EDT broadcast from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., with a live feed from the Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles, Calif. Mitzi Adams, a NASA solar physicist at Marshall will discuss the eclipse and answer questions from Twitter. To ask a question, use #askNASA.
Throughout human history, lunar eclipses have been viewed with awe and sometimes fear. Today, we know that a total lunar eclipse happens when the full moon passes through the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, the umbra.
Sunday’s supermoon eclipse will last 1 hour and 11 minutes, and will be visible to North and South America, Europe, Africa, and parts of West Asia and the eastern Pacific. Weather permitting, you can see the supermoon after nightfall, and the eclipse will cast it into shadow beginning at 8:11 p.m. EDT. The total eclipse starts at 10:11 p.m. EDT, peaking at 10:47 p.m. EDT.
The moon does not make its own light; it reflects light it receives from the sun. During a lunar eclipse, the moon appears less and less bright as sunlight is blocked by the Earth’s shadow. As totality approaches, sunlight reaches the moon indirectly and is refracted around the “edges” of Earth, through Earth’s atmosphere. Because of this, almost all colors except red are “filtered” out, and the eclipsed moon appears reddish or dark brown. This filtering is caused by particulates in our atmosphere; when there have been a lot of fires and/or volcanic eruptions, lunar eclipses will appear darker and redder. This eerie — but harmless — effect has earned the phenomenon the nickname “blood moon.”
The live feed from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center will offer views of the eclipse from not only the Griffith Observatory, but the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, Fernbank Observatory in Atlanta and other locations across the United States. The live feed is an alternative for those experiencing less-than-optimal weather or light-polluted night skies.
If you miss this event, you’ll have to wait a while — the next supermoon eclipse won’t occur until 2033.
Weekend weather in Parsippany looks mainly dry, but breezy
The first weekend of fall in New Jersey is shaping up to be mostly dry with seasonable temperatures. Expect a partly sunny Friday with temperatures in the low to mid 70s, according to the National Weather Service. This evening should be partly cloudy with lows dipping into the 50s. It remains rain-free Saturday, though conditions are…
LivWell Pharmacy opens in Parsippany
PARSIPPANY — LivWell Pharmacy, located at 1110 Route 46 West, held a ribbon cutting grand opening on Friday, September 25.
Attending the festivities were Mayor James Barberio, Council Vice President Robert Peluso, Councilman Louis Valori, Parsippany Economic Development Advisory Committee Chairman Frank Cahill, Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce Board members Ildiko Peluso and Nicolas Limanov, Pharmacy Manager Amit Patel and Amit Khandhar. Family and friends also joined in during the festivities.
Frank Cahill, Chairman, Parsippany-Troy Hills Economic Development Advisory Committee presented Mr. Amit Patel with a plaque welcoming the new business to Parsippany.
Visit LivWell Pharmacy for all your healthcare needs, Whether you need a prescription filled, or medical supplies for your home, you need a trusted pharmacy to help you handle your medical needs. When you need to contact your local pharmacy, choose LivWell Pharmacy.
They can be reached by calling (973) 794-4991 or click here to visit their website. Their store hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Middle Schools new student schedules should go in effect Monday: VIDEO
PARSIPPANY —Dr. Nancy Gigante, Acting Superintendent of Schools, announced at the Board of Education meeting on Thursday, September 24 the middle schools student schedules have been completed and should go in effect on Monday, September 28.
At the close of school on Friday, September 25, they will move the new schedules from Genesis’ test server to the live server. They will be instructing Genesis to make that switch. They will spend the majority of the weekend running the appropriate tests before reopening Genesis, hopefully, some time on Sunday.
Dr. Nancy Gigante’s read the following to a crowded room at the Dr. Frank Calabria Education Center:
“It was my hope that I would be in a position tonight to offer a firmer timeline for the implementation of the new middle school schedule, which returns us to the familiar 9-period 40-minutes per period schedule we have always been accustomed to prior to this school year. Luckily I am able to do that.
![IMG_1429](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2015/09/IMG_1429-1024x681.jpg?resize=475%2C316&ssl=1)
Today we informed the middle school teachers of their teaching assignments for the new schedule. Further, I explained in an email to the middle school staff that it is my goal to make tomorrow, the fourteenth day of school, the last day in the current schedule. If I can accomplish that goal, it would mean that we will have our new schedule on Monday, September 28, before October even begins. It would also mean that the first full week of school—because we haven’t had one yet—will be in the new schedule. Finally, it would also mean that the movement of the new schedule from Genesis’ test server to our live server would be successful, something I can only be sure of by actually instructing Genesis to make that switch from the test server to the live server. We will do that tomorrow at the close of school and spend the majority of the weekend running the appropriate tests before reopening Genesis, hopefully, some time on Sunday.
If, in fact, we are successful, it would mean that our team of middle school counselors, content area supervisors, building administrators, and academic technology staff put together two master schedules for two different schools in nine school days, a feat that could never have been accomplished without a lot of hands on deck and a lot of support from this entire district. What had traditionally took—and under the right circumstances should take—five weeks to complete, we will have completed in these nine days. I know for many of you it feels nine days too long…but I assure you we have kept your frustrations in mind as we’ve moved to get this new schedule in place as soon as, like I said at the last meeting, “humanly possible.”
I want to spend some time now going through what needs to be explained so that parents, students, and teachers can begin the new schedule with clarity and understanding.
- Although we are looking at the year now in trimesters—that is three distinct parts—we must label them in Genesis as Q2, Q3, and Q4. We were not able to rename the periods of time. The year is still divided into three parts. As explained at the last Board of Education meeting, students and parents will receive narrative comments from the teachers they have had for these fourteen days, indicating their levels of progress in those courses.
6TH GRADE | 7TH GRADE | 8TH GRADE |
Language Arts | Language Arts | Language Arts |
Reading and Writing | Reading and Writing | Reading and Writing |
Mathematics | Mathematics | Mathematics |
Social Studies | Social Studies | Social Studies |
Science | Science | Science |
Physical Education and Health | Physical Education and Health | Physical Education and Health |
Lunch | Lunch | Lunch |
Elective / Elective / Elective | Elective / Elective / Elective | Elective / Elective / Elective |
Current & Emerging
Technologies / World Cultures / Elective |
World Language | World Language |
- All grade levels will have our five core courses—Language Arts, Reading and Writing, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science—along with Physical Education and Health five days a week, thus covering six of the nine periods. All students will also have a five-day a week, 40-minute lunch, thereby accounting for seven periods out of the daily nine. In grades seven and eight, an eighth assignment will be a five-day a week language, and finishing their ninth slot, three different electives to cover the three trimesters. For sixth grade, they will have the five core courses, Physical Education and Health, lunch, and then two periods divided into trimesters for a total of six other courses. All sixth graders will have Current and Emerging Technologies, World Cultures, and four other elective periods.
- Having returned all classes to five days a week and having reinstated the third full team at Central Middle School, we have subsequently hired and continue to hire for some positions. Teachers who are expected to begin teaching in our district soon will be designated by the school mascot and a number for a teacher who has not yet been hired—for example “Knight 1 TBD”—or the school mascot and a last name for the teacher who is expected to begin in our district soon—for example “Cougar-Smith.”
- Keeping a world language course in the sixth grade proved very, very difficult to staff. Language specialists are not easy to find, and this would keep our students in classes with temporary substitutes longer than we were comfortable with. Therefore, the decision was made to run World Cultures, taught by a world language teacher, and have that teacher infuse a beginning exposure into one of our languages—French, Italian, or Spanish.
- Current and Emerging Technologies was previously a seventh grade course, but has been moved to a trimester in sixth grade, in order to ensure that all three grade levels have had this computer experience. Our current seventh graders had computers last year, and our eighth graders also when they were in sixth. Content supervisors and the Director of Secondary Education will be working with these teachers to make any necessary adjustments to the curriculum.
- In scheduling electives for students, we used the prioritization they had provided to their counselors last school year when we were taking course requests. As much as possible, the counselors endeavored to schedule students for electives that they had given high priority.
- For music students in particular, we asked the music teachers what would programmatically be the best way to schedule students who wanted one semester of music. They determined that two trimesters would be appropriate and asked that we divide students by instrumentation and choral categories, which we did. In addition, sixth grade full year music students, for the first time, were also able to receive another elective in addition to music.
That is a basic overview of what to expect to see in the new schedule. In these nine days we have been able to restore five-day a week classes at all grade levels in Reading and Writing and Physical Education and Health, we have been able to return students to a 40-minute lunch period, and we have been able reinstate a third full team at Central Middle School.
Before I conclude, I need to thank the hard work of a lot of people. In particular, the middle school counselors and middle school teaching staff for their professionalism and dedication to making these first days of school meaningful and engaging for students. To all of our administrative team, from the content area supervisors to building administrators, to my fellow Senior Cabinet members, thank you for exhibiting the hard work and stamina that has come to characterize our district. To several staff members outside of these people who have also given of their time and provided us with an extra set of eyes to double-check our work as we tried to move so quickly throughout this process—Eric Berkowitz, Tricia Morsillo, Lou Miller, and Casey Maass. And to all of the students and parents who have been patient with us throughout a trying situation…thank you.
Again, it is with great hope that I announce we plan to shut down Genesis at the end of the school day tomorrow and instruct Genesis to move our work from their test server to our live server, thus enabling us to perform necessary tests to make sure everything got transferred correctly before opening school on Monday with the new schedule in place. Parents and staff members will receive School Messenger notices throughout the process.”
![IMG_1421](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2015/09/IMG_1421.jpg?resize=696%2C463&ssl=1)
Parsippany Schools Superintendent Scott Rixford resigns
![Superintendent of Schools Scott Rixford](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2014/03/scott-rixford.jpg?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1)
PARSIPPANY — At the Board of Education meeting held on Thursday, September 24, 2015, the members of the Board of Education passed a resolution accepting the resignation of Scott Rixford, effective January 26, 2016. The resolution states that it “Further approves the related agreement with Mr. Rixford in accordance with the terms and conditions therein, which the Board President is authorized on behalf of the Board.”
Rixford who was hired by the Board effective July 1, 2014 and the term of the contract was through June 20, 2019.
He was hired at a salary of $175,000 per year, for each of the five years of his contract.
For a complete copy of Mr. Rixford’s employment agreement, click here.
The next board of education meeting is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, October 8, starting at 7:00 p.m. at the Board Office, 292 Parsippany Boulevard.
Parsippany Soccer Club celebrates 42nd Opening Day
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Soccer Club celebrated its 42nd Opening Day on Saturday, September 12 at Veterans Memorial Park.
The 2015 Fall Intramural Teams consists of approximately 1,600 Parsippany children from ages 4 to 18.
The president of Parsippany Soccer Club is Al Zalewski and Mr. Kevin Wall is Vice President Instramural.
The objective of the Parsippany Soccer Club (PSC) is to develop, promote, and govern the game of youth soccer within the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey.
The Parsippany Soccer Club was established in 1973. Thanks to the Township, the Parsippany Park & Recreation Department and the Parsippany Board of Education for maintenance and use of the fields.
Throughout the existence of the club we have been an active partner with the Town in providing equipment and volunteers. Among the items that the club has purchased/donated are:
- Soccer Goals at Smith, Veterans, Jannarone, Lake Parsippany Park, Volunteers Park, Parsippany High and Hill Varsity Soccer Fields, Central and Brooklawn Middle School Varsity Fields, Central Middle School Lower Field, Rockaway Middle School, and Littleton School. Virtually every goal, corner flag and netting system was purchased by the club for use by both the children in our program and by township residents when they use the fields.
- Netting systems at Veterans and Jannarone Parks
- Cleanup/maintenance program at all fields that the club uses. At a minimum of three times annually a full cleanup is done on all fields picking up waste on the fields. Weekly, the club’s volunteer parents/coaches perform the same function after their practices and games.
- Parsippany Pride Invitational held Columbus Weekend generates a great deal of increased revenue through sold out hotels, restaurants, deli’s, gas stations and other merchants. The tournament annual brings well over 25,000 players/parents/relatives to Town over the three day period which translates into added income for the Town and the Township Merchants.
- Annually the club provides six $1,000 scholarships to Parsippany Soccer Club graduating seniors to be used to assist in their pursuit of College Degrees.
For more information on the Parsippany Soccer Club, click here.
Jean Marsicovete to Appear with Kutztown University Marching Unit in Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade
PARSIPPANY — Jean Marsicovete of Lake Hiawatha, will appear with the Kutztown University Marching Unit (KUMU) as one of 17 bands in the 2015 Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, November 26, beginning at 8:30 a.m.
With 150 members, KUMU is one of two bands from Pennsylvania and the only collegiate band in the parade.
Jean is a 2013 Graduate of Parsippany High School.
Now in its 96th year, the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade is the oldest Thanksgiving parade in the nation. The 1.4-mile parade route ends at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The parade is sponsored by Dunkin Donuts and 6 ABC, Philadelphia.
The parade will be telecast by stations across the nation and locally by 6 ABC, Philadelphia. It can also be viewed at www.6abc.com as a live webcast.
Founded in 1866, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania is a proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education located on 289 acres nestled in the beautiful East Penn Valley in Berks County, between Reading and Allentown, Pennsylvania. KU is just two hours from New York City; 90 minutes from Philadelphia. As the region’s center for excellence in academics, culture and public engagement, KU’s programs and reputation for quality offer students the opportunity to discover lifelong avenues of learning and discovery. KU students select from more than 100 areas of study within four colleges in a diverse liberal arts academic environment. To complement their studies, KU’s NCAA Division II athletics program with 21 varsity sports joins the more than 160 student clubs and organizations providing students with a variety of activities for learning and discovery. For more information, please visit us at www.kutztown.edu.
Zinburger announces grand opening date
PARSIPPANY — The long-awaited day has come when Zinburger will open its doors to the public, Tuesday, October 6 at 11:00 a.m.
Zinburger will be opening in the former Chevy’s Fresh Mex on the corner of Littleton Road (Route 202) and 1900 Route 10, Parsippany. The building has been vacant since a fire destroyed the inside of the Chevy’s Fresh Mex.
As first announced in April 24, 2014 in Parsippany Focus, (click here for article), Zinburger offers a mouth-watering selection of gourmet burgers, salads and sides, decadent shakes and desserts, and a carefully crafted selection of wine. To view their website, click here.
The setting is sleek, contemporary, upbeat and playful featuring rich wood and earth tones and stylish, comfortable seating.
Zinburger (East) is operated by the Briad Group, 78 Okner Parkway, Livingston. Briad Group also operates other franchises such as Cups Frozen Yogurt, Wendy’s and T.G.I. Friday’s. The Briad Group is also a licensed franchisee for Marriott and Hilton branded hotels.
On May 11, 2011, a motorist reported he saw flames shooting through the Chevy’s roof at about 8:45 a.m. The general alarm fire caused total damage to the interior of the building. On a Youtube video, you can hear the evacuation horns blowing, notifying all of the firemen in the building to get out that the roof was about to collapse. (click here to see the video).
Zinburger currently has three other New Jersey locations: Clifton, Cherry Hill and Paramus. Other locations include Florida, Georgia, New York, North Carolina, Virginia and Arizona.
Parsippany looking for substitute crossing guards
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department is looking for a substitute crossing guard.
Looking for a part-time job and want to help others at the same time?
Now’s your chance to do just that in Parsippany.
Applicants must be available for morning and afternoon shifts, with a maximum of three hours per shift, Monday through Friday during school days.
- Anyone interested can obtain an application by clicking here.
Applicants will be contacted by the Parsippany Police Traffic Section to begin the hiring process.
Anyone with questions can contact Hank Sunyak, Director of Personnel, at (973) 263-4294.
Unique Fundraiser Unites Women with a Passion for Purses
MORRISTOWN — The Jersey Battered Women’s Service is gearing up for its third annual Old Bags® Luncheon fundraiser to be held on Tuesday, October 6, at Spring Brook Country Club in Morristown. Event doors open at 11:00 a.m. and lunch will be served at 12:15. Individual tickets cost $100.00.
“Despite the name ‘Old Bags®,’ there is nothing frumpy about it,” says Joen Ferrari of Morris Township, Honorary Chair for the event. “Guests will have the opportunity to bid on 250 diverse and interesting collections of new and like-new vintage and brand-name bags that they will love to claim as their own or give to someone special.”
Bags, such as the beautiful, new Kate Spade New York Cedar Street Maise donated by Kate Spade New York in North Bergen will be included in the silent and live auctions.
“It is exciting to see the diverse spectrum of donations, hundreds of gorgeous high-end handbags resurrected from closets as auction items,” remarks Old Bags® founder Eileen Cornacchia. “The logistics are amazingly simple. That is why the Old Bags® fundraiser concept has been phenomenally successful for many of the nation’s most prominent charities.”
“We are grateful to the volunteer committee, led by Linda Horn of Randolph, who has worked so hard over the past year to find the finest bags,” says JBWS executive director Patricia Sly of Chester. “This unique fundraiser is a win-win for everyone. Women in the community feel good about donating a bag for a good cause; the luncheon guests feel good about going home with a new bag at a great price; and most of all, everyone feels good about raising funds to help victims of domestic violence become safe and self-sufficient.”
Jersey Battered Women’s Service’s goal is to raise $50,000 to support its many services to assist families hurting from domestic violence, including a 24-hour helpline, crisis counseling, emergency safe house, legal assistance, transitional living, vocational counseling, and more.
“Freeing oneself from an abusive and controlling partnering is just one challenge our clients face, explains Sly. “Becoming financially independent and living on one’s own is another.”
At JBWS, the journey toward self-sufficiency is eased significantly through the help of specialized counselors who address the emotional and financial control from an ex-partner.
The research-based curriculum used by JBWS shows that at the end of the course, 90% of participants were able to create a budget, 86% could set financial goals, and 71 % knew how to invest in savings, bonds, stocks and mutual funds – as opposed to 17% prior to the course.
“In other words,” explains Patricia Sly, “we want to be sure that, in the words of Susan B. Anthony, every woman has a purse of her own.”
For additional information about the Old Bags Luncheon® and to purchase tickets online, click here. For more information, contact jbws.obl@gmail.com. For help for yourself or someone you know, please call the confidential helpline (973) 267-4763.
About Jersey Battered Women’s Service
From its grass-roots beginnings, Jersey Battered Women’s Service Inc. (JBWS) in Morris County opened its shelter doors to the New Jersey communities in late December 1978. Now, JBWS has more than 65 paid staff and 120 volunteers who work together with the help of the community to fulfill the agency mission. The mission of JBWS is the prevention of domestic violence through the protection and empowerment of the victim, the rehabilitation of family members, the advocacy of social reform to prevent partner violence, and the education of the public about domestic violence and its consequences. JBWS services include a 24-hour hotline, counseling, safe house, transitional living, children’s services, life skills education, vocational counseling, batterer’s intervention, legal assistance, teen dating violence services, and professional training, education and youth prevention programs. JBWS’s vision is to create a community-wide culture that refuses to tolerate the presence of any form of family or partner violence. For more information, please click here.
![Parsippany Focus](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2015/09/Committee-Chairs-Joen-Ferrari-and-Linda-Horn.jpg?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1)
U.S. Army All-American Marching Band honored Brianna Kelley
PARSIPPANY — The 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl Selection Tour honored Brianna Kelley during a special recognition ceremony before her fellow band members, classmates, fans, family, Dr. Denis L. Mulroony, Mayor James Barberio and Councilman Michael dePierro. The ceremony was held at Parsippany High School, on Tuesday, September 22.
In addition, Band Director Mr. Greg Dalakian received a special plaque to display at Parsippany High School for Brianna’s accomplishments.
The U.S. Army All-American Marching Band performs at halftime of the nationally broadcasted U.S. Army All-American Bowl. By becoming a U.S. Army All-American Marching Band Member, these students join an elite group. Only 125 high school band members among the millions in the United States are selected each year. Band members are chosen not just because they excel in music, but because they possess some of the same skills as our Army Soldiers – skills such as versatility and agility.
Brianna Kelley, Color Guard, was recognized as a member of the U.S. Army All-American Marching Band and receivedher honorary jacket during the ceremony.
Army recruiters were present to demonstrate GoArmy EDGE, a free app that provides football coaches and players with an interactive virtual training experience designed to improve team performance through safer, more effective and efficient player practice capabilities that help reduce potential player injuries. GoArmy EDGE is a product of the Army’s leading STEM innovation, designed to bring football plays to life through unprecedented detail and customization, real-time 3D play mapping, precision player movements and sharable content. The app is available on iTunes App Store, Google Play and GoArmyEDGE.com.
The 2016 U.S. Army All-American Bowl will be televised live on NBC from the Alamodome on Saturday, January 9, 2015, at 1:00 p.m.
For the past 16 years, the U.S. Army All-American Bowl has been the nation’s premier high school football game, serving as the preeminent launching pad for America’s future college and NFL stars. Andrew Luck, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jamaal Charles made their national debuts as U.S. Army All-Americans. The 2015 U.S. Army All-American Bowl drew a crowd of 35,687 to the Alamodome, and was the most-watched sporting event on television over the weekend, excluding the NFL playoffs. All American Games is the owner and producer of the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and its related events.
Fall begins in Parsippany with delightful weather
The first day of autumn will be dry and pleasant across New Jersey. Fall arrived at 4:21 a.m. Wednesday with temperatures in the mid 50s, but it will warm to the mid to upper 70s later, according to the National Weather Service. That’s slightly above normal highs for late September, according to the state climatologist’s office.…
Jersey City mayor blocks release of calendar
JERSEY CITY — Mayor Steve Fulop is blocking release of his meetings calendar, with his spokesman arguing that Fulop has an expectation of privacy and shouldn’t have to document “every minute” of his time. The Jersey Journal in May requested a copy of Fulop’s meetings calendar — which lists all of his public appearances, meetings, even…
Woman’s Club Participates in Prevent Child Abuse NJ Campaign
PARSIPPANY — Members and friends of the Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills recently participated in the “Click for Babies” campaign. They clicked their knitting needles and flicked their crochet hooks to produce 75 caps for newborn babies.
“Click for Babies” is a program of Prevent Child Abuse NJ that aims to reduce or eliminate Shaken Baby Syndrome in infants who are delivered at hospitals across the state. The program educates parents of newborns about their babies’ period of purple crying and sends each baby home with a purple cap as a reminder to the parent NOT to shake the baby as a response to the crying. For more information click here. For information on the Woman’s Club involvement with Click for Babies call Cathy Haney at (973) 335-9769.
The Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills is a member of the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs of GFWC (NJSFWC), which is the largest volunteer women’s service organization in the state, providing opportunities for education, leadership training, and community service.
For more information call Cathy at (973) 984-0758, e-mail the club at or click here to visit their website.
10th Annual Operation Take-Back Day
![Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2015/02/Fredric_Knapp.jpg?resize=225%2C247&ssl=1)
MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County residents are being asked to join in a nationwide initiative this Saturday, September 26, to turn in unused or expired medications, controlled substances, and over-the-counter medications for safe disposal during the tenth annual “Operation Take-Back program, which is being held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at locations around the county.
Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and his Chief of Investigations John R. Speirs, plus Morris Plains Police Chief Jason Kohn, Randolph Police Chief David Stokoe and Mountain Lakes Police Chief Shawn Bennett have announced that their agencies will jointly participate in the event this weekend, with disposal sites to be set up in Morris Plains, Randolph and Mountain Lakes.
There also will be disposal locations set up in Boonton, Butler, Chatham Borough, Florham Park, Harding, Lincoln Park and Roxbury, in Morris County, and in nearby Hopatcong, Livingston and Peapack at this time.
To find out if your town is participating in Operation Take-Back, visit www.dea.gov and click on the “more information’’ button, or contact your local Police Department.
Operation Take-Back is a national initiative that provides residents with an easy way to properly dispose of unused medications or drugs to law enforcement officials without releasing personal information. After the event, the medications will be collected in an environmentally safe manner.
The Prosecutor’s Operation Take-Back sites will be located at the following three locations:
- Stop and Shop Supermarket, 245 Littleton Road, Morris Plains
- Randolph Municipal Building, 502 Millbrook Road, Randolph
- Mountain Lakes Fire Department, 400 Boulevard, Mountain Lakes
In addition to helping individuals dispose of unused prescription drugs, Operation Take-Back promotes awareness of juvenile prescription drug prevention efforts.
If you are unable to make it to a drop off location on Saturday, click here for a list of permanent drop box locations.
For more information on Saturday’s event contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at (973) 285-6268 or (973) 285-6200 or Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Deputy Chief of Investigations Denise H. Arseneault at (973) 285-6262 or darseneault@co.morris.nj.us.
County Clerk Takes Passport Office On The Road For Public Convenience
![Ann Grossi, Morris County Clerk](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2015/09/Ann-Grossi-White-Background-192x300.jpg?resize=192%2C300&ssl=1)
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Clerk’s Passport Division is taking its passport operation “on the road” starting on Thursday, October 8 in Jefferson to make it more convenient for people to obtain passports, especially for those who may not be able to come to the County Clerk’s passport office in Morristown or to get to any passport office due to their working hours.
“We think this service will be of great help to many Morris County residents whose busy schedules make it difficult to make the time to obtain passports, which are more vital than ever for travel and also for identification purposes,’’ said Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi. “We hope to offer convenient passport service at various locations across Morris County in the future.
The “Passport Outreach Program’’ will benefit anyone in need of a new or renewed passport, said Grossi. The passport session in Jefferson will be held on Thursday, October 8, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Camp Jefferson, which is located at 81 Weldon Road, Lake Hopatcong.
Appointments are required for the Passport Outreach Program, and can be made by calling (973) 285-6161.
Grossi urges anyone interested in using the service to carefully review what they must bring to the passport center, and to call her office if they have any questions.
“We certainly want this process to go smoothly for applicants, so it’s important they understand what is required to obtain or renew a passport,’’ Grossi said.
Here is what you need:
- Citizenship evidence: A certified birth certificate (not a photocopy) listing both parents’ names, or a current passport, or a naturalization certificate, or a consular report of birth abroad.
- Photograph: One color 2 x 2 photo with white or light background (photos can be obtained on site for a $10 fee)
- Proof of Identification: A driver’s license, previously issued passport, government or military ID, or a naturalization certificate.
Payment can be made only by personal check, money order or bank check. Not by credit or debit cards. Cash will NOT be accepted.
There will be two separate payments to be made. Please bring adequate blank checks.
If you must expedite the passport process, an expedited process fee is $60.00 per application and $14.85 for overnight express mail.
Minors must appear with both parents, properly identified. The child’s birth certificate issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics or the Department of Health and stating both of the parent’s names also must be submitted.
All persons participating in the passport on the road process must arrive 15-to-20 minutes ahead of your appointment time to fill out the required application, using black ink only.
Grossi advised applicants to allow at least several weeks to receive their passports before traveling.
In addition to the “Passport Outreach Program” program, the county clerk’s passport office is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday with Tuesday and Wednesday evening hours until 8:00 p.m. (but walk-ins must arrive by 7:30 p.m.).
The county clerk’s office is on the first floor of the Morris County Administration and Records Building on Court Street in Morristown.
More passport information, including costs, may be obtained by calling the Morris County Passport Office at (973) 285-6161 or by clicking here.
National passport information can be obtained by calling 1-877-487-2778 or by clicking here.
The Rockettes are coming to Parsippany Public Library
PARSIPPANY — The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is an experience that’s meant to be shared, so before they start rehearsals for the 2015 production, they are coming to Parsippany to kick off the holiday season with all of you!
They will be stopping by the Parsippany-Troy Hills Public Library, 449 Halsey Road, on Tuesday, September 29 from 2:00 p.m.to 2:45 p.m., where they will meet community members and take photos!
For any questions please call the Children’s Desk at (973) 887-5150 ext 233.
Please bring the whole family and stop by to say hello! When you post your photo with the Rockettes, be sure to tag @Rockettes on Facebook and Twitter, and @theRockettes on Instagram – they’ll be looking out for your pics and sharing their favorites!
Bobby Edwards made 5 saves at St. Joseph’s Men Soccer
![jeffedwards](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2014/02/jeffedwards.jpg?resize=696%2C485&ssl=1)
PARSIPPANY — The Saint Joseph’s men’s soccer squad (1-6-1) battled to a 0-0 draw in Philadelphia Soccer Six action with Drexel (1-6-1) on Tuesday evening at Vidas Field. With the draw, the Hawks now own a 0-0-1 Soccer Six record.
Sophomore goalkeeper Bobby Edwards, Parsippany, (1-3-1) made five saves in the full 110:00, including overtime stops in the 97th minute and 109th minute to earn his first clean sheet of the season and fifth career shutout.
Saint Joseph’s returns to action this Friday, September 25 vs. Howard. Start time is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Sweeney Field. Sweeney Field is located at 5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia.