Public Awareness for Halloween; Use of Marijuana Candy rising

Frank L. Cahill
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Public Awareness for Halloween; Use of Marijuana Candy rising

MORRIS COUNTY — The use of marijuana candy is rising in New Jersey, prompting the Morris County prosecutor and Parsippany-Troy Hills Police to issue a Halloween alert.

This poses serious health risks to users, especially children during Halloween. It is possible that children could accidentally receive marijuana candy. Adults should check for strange odors in candy received by children. Currently there is no information indicating that anyone would intentionally give out marijuana candy.

THC level in these products may be as high as 90% compared to 10 to 20% found in marijuana cigarettes. Marijuana candy is made with oil from marijuana plants. This oil is added to the candies during production. Marijuana chocolate is made by mixing marijuana oil with melted chocolate. Some marijuana products have different levels of THC, and the levels of products sold on the black market may be unknown.

There has been an increase in the variety of edible marijuana products available, including candy.The higher levels of THC in these products presents increased risk if ingested by children.

    Fact Sheet:

  • Indications & Physical Effects
  • Dizziness
  • Shallow low breathing
  • Red eyes/dilated pupils
  • Dry mouth
  • Increased appetite
  • Slow reaction time
  • Paranoia
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Short term memory loss
  • Distorted sense of time

Identification

  • Packaging may resemble popular brands
  • Emits an odor of marijuana when opened

Long Term Health Risks

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  • Breathing problems
  • Cognitive impairment
  • PsychosisRecommendations
  • Wear vinyl or non-latex gloves when handling possible marijuana candy and throw the gloves away after use
  • Thoroughly wash hands after removing gloves and before eating, drinking, or smoking to prevent potential ingestion of drug particles
  • Contact Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department when you observe possible illegal drug-related activityIt should be noted that the Compassionate Use of Medical Marijuana Act (CUMMA) was signed into law in New Jersey to protect those who are authorized to use or produce marijuana for medical purposes from criminal proceedings. For more information, click here.

The Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (GCADA) has launched a statewide awareness campaign, “Addiction Does Not Discriminate” to help fight drug abuse by showing that no one is immune to the deadly drug problem. This program provides New Jersey residents with information on preventing abuse, recognizing those at risk, and finding treatment. Click here.

Senator Joe Pennacchio Honored by Chamber of Commerce

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Senator Joe Pennacchio Honored by Chamber of Commerce

Senator Joe Pennacchio`MORRIS COUNTY – The Morris County Chamber of Commerce today recognized New Jersey State Senator Joe Pennacchio for his legislative efforts by awarding him the “Alex DeCroce Public Leadership Award” at the chamber’s 2015 Annual Economic Outlook Luncheon in Florham Park.   

“Assemblyman DeCroce was a tireless advocate for small business and entrepreneurship not only in Morris County but throughout New Jersey.  I am especially honored that this recognition carries his name,” said Pennacchio. 

The Morris County Chamber of Commerce recognized the Senator’s efforts as a taxpayer champion and a strong advocate for the business community.  Pennacchio was recently honored by the New Jersey Taxpayers Association for his legislative efforts for Transparency and Open Government where he received the “Advocate for Open Government Award.”  He was also the recipient of the “Taxpayer Champion” award by the New Jersey Taxpayer Alliance where he received a perfect score and he received the “Guardian of Small Business Award” from the New Jersey Federation of Independent Business from 2008-2014.

Senator Pennacchio previously served in the New Jersey State Assembly, as well as on the Morris County Freeholder Board where he helped to bolster the Morris County economy by establishing a $75 million economic growth fund for Morris County and worked to secure funding for the Master Plan for the Picatinny Technology Transfer Program.  Senator Pennacchio is a former member of Governor DiFrancesco’s New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the Montville Economic Development Council. 

 “I am humbled that I am being recognized by the Morris County Chamber, a community of people who know me and my legislative work best,” concluded Senator Pennacchio.

 

Winner #1 – Ishita – Littleton Elementary School; 3rd Grade, 8 years old

Frank L. Cahill
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Winner #1 – Ishita – Littleton Elementary School; 3rd Grade, 8 years old

PARSIPPANY — The staff at Parsippany Focus has chosen three winners in our “Halloween Story Contest” for young readers.

The first winner is a student at Littleton Elementary School; 3rd Grade, 8 years old: Ishita Bandyopadhyay.

littleton_winner
Eight year old Ishita Bandyopadhyay

Ishita’s story was titled

“Monster Ville”

Are you scared of monsters? If you’re brave enough then come with me, come on, it’ll be fun. I am going on a trip to a village where all those monsters roam around. I take the “106 Monster Express”. I have some friends who live there_, wait train, wait I have to go to the village of monsters! Wait, wait, wait!_ Oh, sorry, I was talking to you so much that I almost forgot about my train! Now where was I? Oh yes, there’s Achoo, I know that’s a funny name, but it’s true, she sneezes all the time! There’s also Smelly and Slimy, they are the stinkiest and the slimiest monsters you’ll ever see. Oh, and another thing about Stinky and Slimy. _ Here we are at our first stop, the village of monsters, also known as Monster Ville. _ Oh no, no, no, no. It’s Slimy! He likes_; he got me, didn’t he? As I was saying, he and Smelly like to hug a lot. Their mom couldn’t choose their names over Hugsome and Huggy, or Smelly and Slimy! The mayor, my friend is Sleepy. I think you know what she does all day. I’ll give you a hint, it rhymes with peep. Yes, that’s right, sleep! Let me give you this warning, if you try and wake her up, she’ll use you as a teddy bear, sometimes even as a pillow! Last, but not least, Scarific, he likes to scare people out of their wits! If you act brave and don’t scream, then Scarific will keep on scaring you, so you better scream! And that my friend, all my monster friends are at Monster Ville! I hope you’ll come with me one day to the village of monsters! 

Congratulations Ishita.  Two other winners will be announced shortly.

Here’s how the contested worked: Our contest was open to students throughout Parsippany in kindergarten through grade 12. Young authors will provide their own original halloween story. Students are encouraged to include an illustration for their stories.

A team of Focus editors had a hard time in selecting the winners.  Winning writers will receive a $25.00 gift card, have their stories printed in Parsippany Focus and have the opportunity to read their story for a video on parsippanyfocus.com and receive a lunch for you the winner and his/her parents at a local Parsippany restaurant.

Halloween contest official rules

1. The contest is open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

2. All entries must be the original work of the student and no longer than 300 words.

4. Students are encouraged to submit illustrations with their stories. While the artwork will not be judged, some drawings will appear in an online gallery. Illustrations should be submitted on a separate piece of paper.

5. All entries and pictures should include the student’s name, age, school and grade.

6. Deadline for entries is 5:00 p.m. Saturday, October 23.

7. All stories must be submitted typed with photos attached including Name, email address and phone number and sent to news@parsippanyfocus.com. Include“Halloween Story” in the subject line. If drawing can’t be attached they can be mailed separately to Parsippany Focus, Post Office Box 6245, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054.

8. Stories or artwork cannot be returned.

9. Winners will be selected at the sole discretion of the Parsippany Focus staff.

Woman’s Club visited Parsippany Child Day Care Center

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Woman’s Club visited Parsippany Child Day Care Center

PARSIPPANY — Members of the Woman’s Club of Parsippany-Troy Hills along with Parsippany Police Officer Brian Conover recently visited the Parsippany Child Day Care Center to speak to the children about safety.

October is National Crime Prevention Month.  McGruff, the “crime prevention dog” made a brief appearance.

He is a beloved and trusted crime-fighter for small children. There were several handouts and goodies for the children, including McGruff “Take a Bite out of Crime” Halloween bags, police badges and coloring books.  Everyone had a great time!

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 womansclubofpth@gmail.com or check us out on the web by clicking here.

Burglaries to vehicles at Park and Ride

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Burglaries to vehicles at Park and Ride

PARSIPPANY — On Wednesday, October 28 Parsippany Police Department received a call reporting a burglary to their vehicle. Patrol Officer P. Parisi and P. Kolln responded to the scene and spoke to the victim.

The victim advised the Officers that an unknown actor(s) smashed her driver’s side rear passenger window on her 2015 Toyota Highlander between 6:00 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. on Wednesday.

During their investigation, officers also discovered that the unknown actor(s) attempted to steal the vehicle. The victim stated only a small amount of cash was removed from the vehicle.

While investigating the above incident Patrol Officer Parisi and P. Kolln checked the rest of the parking lot for other possible burglaries to automobiles. The Officers located a 2011 Mazda CX9 with a smashed driver’s side rear window.

The Officers also observed that the driver’s side front door was stolen.

This incident is still under investigation and anyone with information is asked to call the Investigative Division at (973) 263-4313.

PTSA and Parents Thanks Brooklawn Middle School Staff

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PTSA and Parents Thanks Brooklawn Middle School Staff

PARSIPPANY — Brooklawn Middle School families and their Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) joined efforts on Thursday to honor the entire Brooklawn staff for their professional efforts during the scheduling snafu during the month of September.

At last week’s Back to School Night on October 20, the PTSA collected cash donations that nearly topped $400 to provide a special luncheon over three lunch periods for the entire staff at Brooklawn on Thursday, October 29.

“The parents’ support was overwhelming!” said Anya Sheiffele, PTSA President at Brooklawn Middle School.  “We couldn’t be more proud of the BMS staff and this certainly shows how much parental support there is for our special group here at Brooklawn!”

The delicious luncheon was catered by John DiMaggio, owner of Denville Pizzeria, who provided three sets of lunch buffets. Desserts were donated by Brooklawn families and other extras were covered by the Brooklawn Middle School PTSA.

“It was wonderful to see the staff so touched by our efforts.  The thanks truly go to them.  Our kids are in great hands!”

The menu consisted of Penne Vodka, Eggplant Parmesan, Salad, Italian and Turkey subs, Crudités, Chips and for dessert: Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brownies

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Homeless Solutions speaks at Kiwanis breakfast

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Homeless Solutions speaks at Kiwanis breakfast

PARSIPPANY — Ms. Tamala Reynolds, Volunteer Coordinator, Homeless Solutions, was the guest speaking at a breakfast meeting of Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany, on Thursday, October 29 at the Empire Diner.

Ms. Reynolds updated the Kiwanis members about Homeless Solutions operation, and their retail store, Finishing Solutions.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany members have been volunteering for over 10 years cooking meals and serving the guests temporary staying with Homeless Solutions.

Homeless Solutions provides shelter for 25 homeless men, 10 homeless women, 10 families and 20 Safe Haven guests.  The  guests receive services including case management, transportation to work and necessary appointments, money management and employment assistance, housing search assistance and daily living skills training. Referral services for counseling, substance abuse intervention, and prevention are also provided.

Homeless Solutions employs 49 staff, 36 full time and 13 part time. Homeless Solutions, Inc. is governed by a Board of Trustees and is incorporated as a non-profit organization in the State of New Jersey.

Current volunteer opportunities can be found by clicking here.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany ensures that all children have the opportunity to lead healthy, successful lives. We believe that by helping one child, you help the world.

Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany meets every Thursday morning at 7:15 a.m. at Empire Diner, 1315 Route 46. For more information, click here.

Parsippany High School presents “Halloween at the High”

Frank L. Cahill
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Parsippany High School presents “Halloween at the High”

PARSIPPANY — Parsippany High School held its annual “Halloween at the High” on Wednesday, October 28.

Students from various clubs, including, Key Club and Interact, were dressed for Halloween and supervised the games, face painting, or just handed out candy to the children.

Elementary aged children from all over the school district enjoyed a night of face painting, games, food, and a spooky haunted house in the auxiliary gym.

Visitors were asked to make a donation to Trick-or-Treat Unicef.

CERT Team trains at Veterans Park

Frank L. Cahill
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CERT Team trains at Veterans Park

PARSIPPANY — The final day of the Community Emergency Response Team Training (CERT) took place at Veterans Park on Sunday, October 24 where approximately a dozen local residents graduated from the three-day, 20-hour course.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

The final training included a stimulated emergency scene where current members of the team served as victims while the students worked on using the appropriate method and procedure to treat the victims injury.

The newest members treated a victim with an electric shock due to a powerline that fell on them and tornado winds overturned a picnic table pinning a senior citizen. The members had to use all the first aid skills they were taught over the course of the class.

Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Eric Hubner and a team of four leaders controlled the emergency response, assigned and coordinated teams as they would do in a real emergency.

Will you be ready when another disaster hits Parsippany? Hurricanes Sandy and Irene along with Snowtober 2011 are prime examples of the need for certified volunteers trained to assist first responders in our township.

In the event of another natural disaster, pandemic outbreak, large-scale fire, terrorist attack or long-term electrical outage, the Parsippany Citizen Emergency Response Team is all about readiness and people helping people.

This was Parsippany’s 9th Community Emergency Response Team training class.

The Parsippany-Troy Hills Citizen Emergency Response Team is made up of adult residents who had no background in first response before attending this FREE training.

Our team members are trained to provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people while learning to help themselves and their neighbors during emergency situations.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Using the training learned in the classroom and during exercises, CERT members can assist others in their neighborhood or workplace following an event when professional responders are not immediately available to help. CERT members also are encouraged to support emergency response agencies by taking a more active role in emergency preparedness projects in their community.

To sign up for a future class or for more information email cert@parsippany.net.

Parsippany, be Ready, be Prepared.

Update: Parsippany Focus readers help dogs find foster homes

Frank L. Cahill
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Update: Parsippany Focus readers help dogs find foster homes

MORRIS COUNTY — YOU DID IT!! YOU SAVED THEM ALL! Because so many of you stepped up to foster Eleventh Hour Rescue committed to taking them all so no one dies tomorrow.

The dogs will be totally vetted and ready to go into their foster homes by Saturday, October 31. Eleventh Hour Rescue still has a ton of other dogs and cute puppies that would love foster homes as well. Thanks for helping us save so many precious lives.

They were all scheduled to die today, Wednesday, October 28. Kaden, Shadow, Lee, Spencer, Cooper, Turner and Lennie will be placed in a foster home.

Parsippany Focus published the article yesterday pleading for foster parents and by Midnight last night, the article was read over 9,000 times on our website. The article was liked on Facebook over 2,300 times and it was tweeted 21 times.  Our Facebook page had over 11,000 views by our readers, another 348 shares and combined total of 100 comments. Parsippany Focus would like to thank its readers and supporters for stepping up in saving these precious lives.

I was saved. I will be moving into my foster home on Saturday. Woof Woof
I was saved. I will be moving into my foster home on Saturday. Woof Woof

 

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