Compiled by Kevin Coughlin From Francis Albert (Sinatra) to Pope Francis, from Art Walks to AIDS Walks, from Beach Parties to 5Ks, Greater Morristown has plenty to offer this weekend. Looking for Great Conversations? You can find them, too. Scroll down for all this and more. And if you crave even more activity, see our handy…
Freeholders Celebrate Month of May as Older Americans Month
MORRISTOWN —The Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders will be celebrating the month of May as Older Americans Month. “May is set aside each year to honor and recognize older Americans for the contributions they make to our families, communities and society,” said Theresa Davis, Director of the Division of Aging, Disabilities, and Veterans.”
“Our senior citizens have contributed so much to our community that its important we remember to salute their achievements,” added Morris County Freeholder Director Kathy DeFillippo.
In anticipation of Older Americans Month, Morris County Freeholder Hank Lyon, liaison to the Department of Human Services, took time at the Freeholder’s April 22 meeting to highlight some of the county’s ongoing initiatives for senior citizens.
“The county has made a concerted effort over the past year to increase the operational and financial efficiencies at the Morris View Healthcare Center,” commented Freeholder Lyons. “As a result, Morris View continues to be a home for a number of our most vulnerable senior residents. In addition, the Morris County Office of Temporary Assistance is one of the leaders on reducing the backlog of Food Stamp and Medicaid cases.”
Statewide, counties are experiencing backlogs after the State’s expansion of Medicaid. These backlogs place a burden on the community, with seniors representing a large number of those affected. In his remarks, Freeholder Lyons applauded the State for exploring the hiring of the Xerox Company to help process the Affordable Care Act application backlogs throughout New Jersey. Morris County maintains a high standard of efficiency with regard to Food Stamp and Medicaid eligibility processing in the State, at times beating State averages and surpassing Federal standards and the County will continuously strive to achieve a standard of excellence in this area.
Morris County also continues to provide hundreds of thousands of meals annually to seniors through the Meals on Wheels program. These meals are served at both nutrition sites across the county and at home to homebound seniors. The County will be holding a number of special events during May to celebrate the occasion. More details will be made available shortly and can be found on the County website at http://www.co.morris.nj.us/.
Want to be a Little Vikings Cheerleader? Registration will be held in May
PARSIPPANY — Registration will be held for Little Vikings Cheerleaders at Parsippany Hills High School, 20 Rita Drive, Room D-36 on Wednesday, May 13 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and on Saturday, May 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Open to all girls in the PHHS sending district for grades 1 though 8 in September 2015.
Cheerleader (must be present for uniform fitting)
- Completed registration form (download from website by clicking here)
- Registration check for $150.00
- Work bond check for $100.00 dated for November 1, 2015.
- Proof of residency and copy of birth certificate for all new cheerleaders
Please make all checks payable to LVF Cheerleading
Please take note that if your child cheers, this should be their only fall sport.
For additional information or questions contact Maureen by clicking here.
Mission Statement
Little Vikings Football Cheerleading program is dedicated toinstilling firmly in the children of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and respect of authority. This program will give all children the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of cheerleading, regardless of ability, sex, race or religion. Little Vikings organization as a whole provides continuity of teaching, strategies, and code of conduct for their football players and cheerleaders that prepares them for their high school career.
Valley National Bank to host Identity Theft Awareness Event
PARSIPPANY — Valley National Bank announced that it will host an Identity Theft Awareness Event on Saturday, May 9, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Parsippany branch, located at 800 Route 46 West, in the Arlington Shopping Plaza. This event is partnered with USA SHRED, which will provide an on-site truck to shred personal and confidential documents, at no cost, to help customers avoid becoming victims of identity theft.
Residents from the community are encouraged to bring documents such as old bank statements, checks, income tax returns, credit card statements, etc., that can be shredded on-site, for free. Staff members will discuss effective measures that can be used to reduce the risk of fraud and identity theft.
The event is also hosted by the Parsippany-Troy Hills Volunteer Fire Department District 5. Children will get a free tour of the firetruck and receive a hat. Parents will also learn about fire safety tips.
For more information about this event, contact Branch Service Manager at (973) 263-0600. For information about similar events, click here.
Valley National Bancorp is a regional bank holding company headquartered in Wayne, New Jersey with $18 billion in assets. Valley National Bank is one of the largest commercial banks headquartered in New Jersey and is committed to providing the most convenient service, the latest in product innovations and an experienced and knowledgeable staff with a high priority on friendly customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For more information about Valley National Bank and its products and services, click here or call Customer Service, 24/7 at 800-522-4100.
Christie pal to plead guilty, report says
David Wildstein, the former ally and classmate of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will plead guilty on Thursday, according to a report this afternoon in Bloomberg.
The report says Wildstein may be cooperating with prosecutors investigating the traffic jams he ordered near the George Washington Bridge.
For the full report, go here.
Talk of impending indictments have been occurring for weeks. One Parsippany Focus source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said charges would be made public as early as tomorrow .
Increased law enforcement leads to quiet night in Baltimore the day after riots
National Guard members, state troopers and Baltimore Police patrolled Baltimore’s Inner Harbor Tuesday.
Dozens of Guard members and police were stationed outside of the National Aquarium, the Cheesecake Factory and Ripley’s Believe it or Not! museum. Crowds along the promenade were lighter than normal, but several people walked, pushed strollers and ran along the scenic route.
A city-wide curfew went into effect at 10 p.m. on Tuesday; the curfew is schedule to last one week.
The relatively quiet night spurred business owners to launch a petition asking Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to lift the curfew.
According to the petition: “With National Guard, we feel safe. With a curfew, you will do more damage financially to our bars & restaurants than rioters will do. In this month, we have to deal taxes, license renewals, and more. Now you are cutting businesses, employees ability to recover. We have insurance for vandalism, not loss of revenue. Please lift the Curfew for at least Over 21. We are adults and can make our own choices.”
Wednesday’s Orioles vs. White Sox game is being played in a nearly empty ballpark; the game was closed to fans.
According to a team announcement: Due to circumstances involving riots and protests in the city of Baltimore, today’s Orioles-White Sox game will begin at 2:05 p.m. ET and be closed to the public. In addition, this weekend’s games against the Rays, originally scheduled to be played at Camden Yards, have been moved to Tampa Bay.
Orioles pitcher Zach Britton told Focus that the decision was correct and that pulling law enforcement resources away from the important task of protecting the city would not have made sense. Britton currently has 4 saves and 12 strikeouts for the last place Orioles.
Four Parsippany Schools Join In With Acclaimed Composer, Musician Mark Miller
![Mark Miller](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2015/04/Mark-Miller.jpg?resize=208%2C300&ssl=1)
PARSIPPANY — Thanks to a grant by the Parsippany Education Foundation, Central Middle School Choral teacher Adam Aguanno has made arrangements to bring renowned composer and musician and Drew and Yale Universities Choral professor Mark Miller to Parsippany to work with and inspire all chorus students from Central Middle School, Brooklawn Middle School, Parsippany High School and Parsippany Hills High School, on Friday, May 1.
Approximaely 350 students and their choir teachers will come together at Parsippany Hills High School to spend the afternoon participating in workshops and rehearsing with Mr. Miller and his group of musicians.
Mr. Mark Miller believes passionately that music can change the world. He also believes in Cornell West’s quote that ‘Justice is what love looks like in public.’ His dream is that the music he composes, performs, teaches and leads will inspire and empower people to create the beloved community.
Support from the Parsippany Education Foundation has also allowed the commissioning of a new song written by Mr. Miller specifically for the PTHSD students. Lyrics for this newly commissioned piece were developed using poems and essays written by select student participants across the district. The song will be premiered and performed by these 350+ PTHSD students under the direction of Mr. Miller and his musicians in a culminating concert that will take place on Friday, May 1 at 7:00 p.m., at the Parsippany Hills High School Auditorium.
The concert will also include performances from each of the four schools. All parents and community members are welcomed to attend the concert.
This is an exciting opportunity for the district’s choral students and their teachers to join in this music collaboration, benefit from the expertise of and be inspired by Mr. Mark Miller and his musicians, and celebrate the talent and gifts of the PTHSD students.
For more information on Parsippany Education Foundation, click here.
Morris County Young Republicans hosting State Convention
![stateconvention](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2015/04/stateconvention.jpg?resize=300%2C284&ssl=1)
Tickets for the event are $125.00 which includes the open bar and welcome dinner at Pazzo Pazzo on Friday, May 1 as well as breakfast and lunch during the convention on Saturday, May 2.
If you can’t join us for the convention, you can purchase a ticket for the event at Pazzo Pazzo for $50.00.
After the convention you can join the group for the annual MCYR Spring Stroll starting at 6:00 p.m., just in time for the Kentucky Derby!
Tickets for all events can be purchased by clicking here.
You can find more information about the convention by clicking here.
The MCYRs is planning to send out weekly “Volunteer Call” emails throughout the rest of the primary election season. Any local, county or state candidate who is seeking volunteers should send an email to morrisyr@gmail.com.
All emails should include: candidate, meeting place, task, contact person and contact email or phone number. The Morris County Young Republicans DOES NOT endorse candidates in primaries.
Emails will include any Republican candidate who submits a request and will be organized by office and listed in the order in which they were received.
Sincerely,
Sections of Smith Road temporarily closed this week
PARSIPPANY — Smith Road will be closed between East Halsey Road and Westminster Drive on Wednesday, April 29 and Thursday, April 30 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Detours signs will be in place and the routes are listed below:
- Vehicles driving south on Smith Road will have to make a right onto East Halsey Road and take the second left onto Westminster Drive, which brings you back to Smith Road.
- Vehicles driving north on Smith Road will have to make a left onto Westminster Drive, which will bring you to East Halsey Road. Once there you will make a right turn which brings you back to Smith Road.
- Vehicles traveling eastbound on East Halsey from the Jefferson Road area that need to take Smith Road southbound will need to take Westminster Drive to the end and turn right onto Smith Road.
As a reminder Westminster Drive has a 25 mph speed limit and East Halsey Road has a 30 mph speed limit.
Anisha Shah was inducted into Rho Chi, the Academic Honor Society in Pharmacy
![Anisha Shah](https://i0.wp.com/parsippanyfocus.com/uploadedmedia/2015/04/Anisha-Shah.jpg?resize=300%2C663&ssl=1)
PARSIPPANY —Anisha Shah, a 2011 graduate of Parsippany Hills High School, was among the newest members in 2015 from University of the Sciences inducted into the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy Alpha Tau Chapter of Rho Chi, the Academic Honor Society in Pharmacy. The Rho Chi Honor Society recognizes and encourages academic excellence.
Shah is doctor of pharmacy student.
To be nominated for membership in Rho Chi, a student must rank among the top 20 percent of his or her class and have completed at least the fall semester of their fourth year.
The society also accepts membership for graduate students, faculty, alumni, as well as an honorary membership. New members are inducted into Rho Chi during the spring semester of each year.
University of the Sciences has prepared students to be leaders and practitioners in the healthcare and science fields for nearly 200 years. Key to our distinctive education is a tradition of hands-on research and experiential learning that is evident in every graduate who has walked its campus.
Since its founding in 1821 as Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first college of pharmacy in North America, USciences has grown to more than 30 degree-granting programs from bachelor’s through doctoral degrees in the health sciences, bench sciences, and healthcare business and policy fields. Discover how USciences students are proven everywhere they go at usciences.edu.