PARSIPPANY — Parsippany High School Environmental Club organized and hosted the annual grounds cleanup: Slam Dunk the Junk-Keep Morris County Litter Free, on April 25.
This is a state-wide campaign and held by the New Jersey Clean Communities Program and sponsored by the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority.
PHS Environmental Club advisors Nancy Lennon and Kelly Garbarino, club President Caitlyn Ford, Vice President Winterlyn Curley, Secretary Hannah Webber, and many PHS students collected trash from the school grounds for over two hours. In the end, many bags of garbage and recyclables were collected and properly disposed of. Refreshments for the effort were supplied by the PHS PTSA and were very much appreciated.
The PHS Environmental Club will be receiving a $500 grant for participating in this campaign and will use the money to buy necessary equipment to further the recycling program at PHS.
PARSIPPANY — Little Vikings Cheerleaders Won First Place in National Competition earlier this year. Parsippany IHOP invited the Cheerleaders for a complimentary breakfast to congratulate them on their win.
MORRIS PLAINS — Chick-fil-A has selected Drew Blind as the local franchise owner of the chain’s Morris Plains restaurant as hiring of up to 125 new Team Members is under way in preparation for the projected June grand opening.
When Blind’s stand-alone Chick-fil-A location opens at 1711 Route 10 East it will be a homecoming for the New Jersey native who is relocating from the chain’s location inside Garden State Plaza in Paramus.
Blind, who grew up in Morris County, is excited to return to his hometown where numerous family members reside and where his Chick-fil-A career began. A Team Member at the chain’s location in Howell, Blind worked at Chick-fil-A as a teen and during breaks while attending college at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania.
After graduating with a degree in business management, Blind and his wife, Colleen, moved to South Carolina where he worked on the leadership team at a Charleston Chick-fil-A restaurant until his wife’s career brought them back to Pennsylvania.
Blind knew early on that Chick-fil-A’s focus of freshly prepared food, genuine hospitality and having a positive impact on the communities it serves matched his entrepreneurial goals. Blind became director of operations at the chain’s location in Nazareth and began his pursuit of owning his own restaurant while also serving on corporate teams helping open new locations around the country. His dream of owning his own restaurant was realized when he was selected to operate Paramus location in 2015.
Drew Blind
The new 4,700-square-foot Chick-fil-A location in Morris Plains will offer indoor seating for 102 and patio seating for 20 as well as a two-story playground for children. The interior will feature the chain’s heritage restaurant interior design that showcases handmade, authentic materials for a vintage-inspired interior, including subway tiles, large windows to let in natural light and a large gathering table made from reclaimed wood. A single drive-thru ordering lane will divide into two lanes for ordering to enhance the chain’s award-winning drive-thru service before merging back into a single lane for pickup. The new restaurant will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Like all Chick-fil-A restaurants, it will be closed on Sunday.
Blind has begun hiring as many as 125 Team Members as he builds his Morris Plains staff. He is filling full-time and part-time positions in all areas of the restaurant, including leadership development, hospitality, catering, training, and marketing. Each position will include benefits such as scholarships for continuing education. In addition, Chick-fil-A restaurant team members appreciate having Sundays off, flexible schedules, and the family atmosphere fostered at the restaurant.
Named one of the “best places to work” by Glassdoor, Chick-fil-A is known for hiring and retaining talent and offering a supportive workplace with opportunities for leadership development, respect for work-life balance and competitive wages.
Chick-fil-A Team Members are eligible for the chain’s initiative, Remarkable Futures. In 2019, more than 6,000 Team Members will be awarded with $15.3 million in scholarships, one of the highest unrestricted per employee scholarship investments in the industry. Team Members, who are beginning or continuing their higher education, are awarded scholarships in the amount of $2,500 or $25,000 which can be applied to any area of study at any accredited institution. In addition, Team Members have access to tuition discounts and other educational benefits at more than 100 colleges and universities nationwide.
Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A, Inc. is a family owned and privately held restaurant company founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. Devoted to serving the local communities in which its franchised restaurants operate, and known for its original chicken sandwich, Chick-fil-A serves freshly prepared food in more than 2,428 restaurants in 47 states and Washington, D.C. Chick-fil-A reported more than $10 billion in revenue in 2018, which marks 51 consecutive years of sales growth. A leader in customer service satisfaction, consumers voted Chick-fil-A, Inc. fourth in Harris Poll’s annual corporate reputation survey, ranking the company fourth out of 100 in 2018. Chick-fil-A was also recognized for customer experience again in the 2018 Temkin Experience Ratings survey, was named “Best Franchise Brand” in 2018 by Airport Revenue News and was named one of the top 100 best places to work by Glassdoor in 2017. Continuing its founder’s legacy of generosity and service, in 2019 Chick-fil-A’s Remarkable Futures initiative awarded $15.3 million in scholarships to restaurant Team Members nationwide. In 2018 the company’s philanthropic Chick-fil-A Foundation awarded $1.23 million to 22 not-for-profit organizations across 18 states through the True Inspiration Awards. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com.
MORRIS COUNTY — Two County College of Morris (CCM) freshmen won top prizes at the 16th Annual New Jersey Undergraduate Mathematics Competition (NJUMC) recently held at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg.
A total of 84 participants from two- and four-year colleges across the state competed individually and as teams. Sofiia Shvaiko, of Livingston, won the highest-ranking individual score overall and the highest-ranking female score. Her teammate, Gabriel Lukijaniuk, of Hackettstown, won third place in the individual competition. Together, they won first place for the highest-ranking team from a two-year institution.
Shvaiko is an international student from Kharkiv, Ukraine and has competed in several math competitions in Eastern Europe. Still, the computer science major was not certain she could win the top spot in the NJUMC. “My family was proud of me that I proved my knowledge outside of my country and had the skill to compete,” she says. When she graduates from CCM, she hopes to complete her bachelor’s degree at Rutgers University and become a software developer.
“Winning at the competition was strange,” Lukijaniuk says. “I wasn’t sure how I compared to other people who majored in math and had the same passion and studying habits as me. So I was actually quite surprised when I had found that I placed that high.”
Like his teammate, he prepared for the competition by going to the NJUMC website and taking tests from past competitions. He says the tips and techniques he learned from his math classes at CCM gave him an edge. He hopes to complete his bachelor’s degree at Rutgers University. His ideal job would be a combination of math professor and math researcher.
“Our thanks go out to the entire mathematics faculty for supporting these students throughout their academic journey, as well as to Don Phelps, director of Campus Life, and the Math Club for funding the competition,” says Associate Professor Kelly Fitzpatrick, advisor to the team. “These wins are truly impressive results.”
Following the competition, students enjoyed the day viewing poster presentations, listening to student talks and hearing from major companies about job opportunities for math majors in actuarial science, analytics and data science.
MORRIS COUNTY — Boys and girls in grades K-4 who are not yet Cub Scouts are invited to the Robert Tunnell Memorial Fishing Tournament at Winnebago Scout Reservation in Rockaway on Saturday, May 11 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Registration fee is $5.00 per youth in grades K-4 and $30.00 for older youth and adults.
Prizes will be awarded. Bagels at 7:30 a.m. and hamburger/hot dog lunch is included. A limited number of camp boats are available or bring your own boat. Only row boats with oars or electric motors are allowed.
Attendees will receive information for joining the Cub Scout pack in their town.
Winnebago Scout Reservation is at 102 Timberbrook Road.
To register, contact Patriots” Path Council, BSA membership executive Al Thomas, al.thomas@scouting.org by noon on May 9.
PARSIPPANY — At approximately 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 2, the Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Department’s Communication Center received a 911 call reporting an officer accidentally shot himself in the leg at the Morris County Public Safety Training Academy Firing Range.
The injured officer from the Department of Human Services Police Department, received immediate medical assistance from fellow officers and academy staff.
Par-Troy EMS arrived on scene and transported the officer to Morristown Medical Center with minor non-life threatening injuries.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Officers who also responded to the incident were advised that the officer was in the process of completing weapons qualifications when his weapon fired causing a minor injury to his thigh. No other injuries were reported.
PARSIPPANY — On Saturday, May 11, Laura Fortgang and Christine Clarke, both mothers (of three and four respectively) and Democratic General Assembly candidates for Legislative District 26, will be hosting a clothing drive for Dress for Success from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon at the IHOP, 792 Route 46.
Dress for Success is a group that helps low-income and economically disadvantaged women by providing professional clothing, skills development, and networking opportunities to empower women to become independent and achieve success.
Donations of new and gently used professional clothes, shoes, new toiletries, and new hosiery will be collected. Donated clothes must be folded neatly in boxes or placed on hangers, garbage bags are not permitted. The donation is also tax deductible, and receipts will be available at the event.
Dress for Success’s model empowers women by helping each other. Applying for jobs is stressful for anyone, but when a mother enters the workforce for the first time or after a long time, the stakes are even higher. Christine and I look forward to working with the community to help support this great organization and these moms.”, says Laura Fortgang.
“It’s critical to see and uplift all members of our community. I’m proud that Laura and I are running campaigns committed to representing all of our constituents. I hope you’ll join us to commemorate the good work so many parents do this Mother’s Day by giving back with us and making a difference.”, says Christine Clarke.
PARSIPPANY — Funnybooks Comics & Stuff — the iconic, red brick comic shop located at 98 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha — will host the annual Free Comic Book Day on Saturday, May 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Everyone who visits will get to choose several comics from this year’s amazing selection of free comics — including Marvel’s Avengers and Spider-Man — produced exclusively for Free Comic Book Day 2019.
Free Comic Book Day collides with Star Wars Event this year, so you may also want to snag the free, all-ages, Star War Adventures Comic — and May the 4 be with you!
DC Comics offers two freebies of their own this year… a Justice League comic aimed at middle grade readers, and a Catwoman comic aimed at a teen audience. Other Best Bets for FCBD2019 include Stranger Things, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Incredibles, Riverdale, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Once again, Funnybooks’ owner, Steve Conte has created and produced his own comic book for Free Comic Book Day. The Funnybooks’ exclusive, Free Comic Book Day 2019 Action Figure Kingdom Activity Comic is filled with fun and games — including “How to Draw” activities — all based on the family-friendly, humorous, superhero Comic Book series, Action Figure Kingdom — which Conte both writes and illustrates — The newest issue — Action Figure Kingdom #11 — just hit the Funnybooks’ shelves this March.
“Free Comic Book Day is always the most exciting day of the year for Funnybooks, and one of the best days of the year for comic book fans.” notes Funnybooks owner, Steve Conte. “We pair Free Comic Book Day with a storewide sale, and it’s always a fun-filled comic book celebration.”
Speaking of celebrations… Funnybooks will celebrate its milestone 27th Birthday this June!
MORRIS COUNTY — The Joey Bella Memorial Fund, Inc. will host their annual fundraisers in early July. The Fund has been in existence for 30 years and has collected over one million dollars in donations which have been used to assist nearly 60 families with children who are affected with catastrophic illness in Denville and surrounding areas including Mt. Tabor, Rainbow Lakes, Boonton Township, Randolph, Morris Plains, Rockaway Boro and Rockaway Township.
The Tricky Tray is on Tuesday, July 2 “under the tent” at Gardner Field, Savage Road and Route 46W in Denville. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and calling begins at 8:00 p.m. $15.00 per person includes one sheet of tickets and light refreshments. No one admitted under 18 years–no infants permitted.
Please contact (973) 768-6487 for more information or to make a donation. Tickets sold at the door only.
Band Beer Beefsteak will be held on Wednesday, July 3 “under the tent” at Gardner Field, Savage Road and Route 46 West, Denville. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $60.00 per person and include an all-you-can-eat Beefsteak Dinner served by Giresi Caterers and 16+ microbrew beers.
Entertainment provided by The Benjamins. Buy your tickets online by clicking here. For more information, email info@joeybella.org.
MORRIS COUNTY — The N.J. Police Community Affairs Officers Association held the Spring 2019 Graduation Ceremony for its Law Enforcement Career Development Course.
This session hosted by the Bergen County Sheriffs & Prosecutors Offices graduated diverse students from more than 30 colleges and universities. These students completed 10 weeks of intense preparation to become law enforcement officers.
This is the 10th year running the program throughout the region. To date they have graduated more than 800 college students who have attended this free training.
Their goal is to prepare an educated, professional, diverse workforce for the future of law enforcement.
Law Enforcement partners of the program include the N.J. State Police, NJ Attorney General, NJ Department of Corrections, National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), NJ Asian American Law Enforcement Officers Association, Hispanic American Law Enforcement Association, Blacks in Law Enforcement Serving the Community (BLESC), Port Authority Police Hispanic Officers Society, Port Authority Police BiState Coalition, Italian American Police Society of N.J., international Council of Women in Law Enforcement along with a number of local, state and county law enforcement agencies.
For more information on N.J. Police Community Affairs Officers Association call (973) 298-0746.
PARSIPPANY — Congresswoman Sherrill jointly introduced a bipartisan bill to provide states funding to fight the opioid epidemic. Alongside Representatives David Trone (D-MD), Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), and Denver Riggleman (R-VA), Sherrill unveiled a proposal to authorize $5 billion to extend the State Opioid Response Grant program. The money distributed through these grants has helped to provide additional treatment beds, expand treatment and recovery options, bridge gaps identified in systems of care, support robust prevention campaigns, among other actions taken by the states to address the opioid epidemic.
“I told New Jerseyans that I would find ways to work for commonsense, bipartisan solutions to some of our greatest challenges,” said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. “New Jersey lost more than 3,000 individuals to overdoses in 2018, and this crisis extends to every corner of our country. I’ve spoken to advocates, patients, healthcare professionals, and law enforcement officers in our community, and the lack of resources constantly comes up as a roadblock to progress in combating the opioid epidemic. Extending the State Opioid Response Grant program will give New Jersey and states across the country resources to address the opioid epidemic over the long term.”
“This crisis affects each and every community across America, and we have to ensure that each state has the resources necessary to combat this tragedy,” said Congressman David Trone (D-MD). “In my first 100 days in office I spoke with health departments, hospitals, first responders, elected officials, police officers, incarcerated individuals, mental health professionals, early childhood organizations, and those suffering from addiction. I heard loud and clear that we need additional and consistent funding to end this crisis. This legislation does just that. I thank Representatives Armstrong, Sherrill, and Riggleman for joining me in this bipartisan effort.”
“As a national leader in opioid reduction and overdose prevention, we applaud the introduction of these grants. The impact of this funding could be far-reaching, saving thousands of lives each year and going a long way to addressing the opioid epidemic,” says Dr. Mark Rosenberg, Chief of Emergency Medicine at St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, NJ and St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center. Dr. Rosenberg developed the Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO) program, a highly successful and unique approach to acute pain management without the use of opioids. St. Joseph’s was the first hospital in the country to launch the innovative ALTO program, reducing opioid prescriptions by over 82% in just 2 years.
“While we are seeing success in treatment and prevention in Sussex County, there is so much more to do to help our residents who struggle with addiction,” said Becky Carlson, Director of the Center for Prevention and Counseling in Sussex County. “There isn’t a single easy answer. This crisis requires sustained and creative solutions, from personalized care to education to support for families. As an SOR grant recipient, the Center for Prevention and Counseling knows the critical importance of this program, and the positive impact it’s had in Sussex. I’m glad Representative Sherrill is working with her colleagues to make this a priority.”
Representatives Sherrill, Trone, Armstrong, and Riggleman are members of the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction. Led by Representative Trone, the Freshmen Working Group on Addiction includes more than 50 Members of the newly-elected freshman class from districts across the entire nation. The purpose of the group is to come together to understand the extent of the impacts of addiction and to jointly promote policies to reduce overdoses and deaths.
To read more about the State Opioid Response Grant Authorization Act, click here.
To watch Congresswoman Sherrill’s full remarks at the press conference this morning, click here.
Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the 2019 Taste will be held Monday, 9-9-19 at the Hilton Hotel, One Hilton Court, Parsippany from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Join us for a one-of-a-kind evening, community wide celebration of food showcasing culinary specialties in the Parsippany Area, a spectacular auction, display tables, entertainment, tarot card and palm readers and so much more.
“This is about supporting the community, giving exposure to businesses, people learning about restaurants,” Peluso said. “Taste of Parsippany Area is about giving a kickstart to the local economy.”
Advance tickets are only $45.00 and are available by clicking here. Tickets at the door will be $55.00.
We are also seeking restaurants and food vendors to display their products.
For more information regarding “Taste of Parsippany Area 2019” contact Ildiko Peluso at ipeluso@valley.com or call the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce at (973) 402-6400. You can also view our website by clicking here.
PARSIPPANY — Kiwanis Club of Greater Parsippany Foundation President Frank Cahill presented, Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Officer Arthur Ohlsen IV with a donation of $500.00 supporting the Police Unity Tour.
The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty.
The secondary purpose is to raise funds for the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum.
Parsippany-Troy Hills Patrolman Arthur Ohlsen IV is riding to Washington in memory of his father, the late Arthur Ohlsen III of the Dover Police Department.
Officer Arthur Ohlsen III was struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit train on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 while responding to reports of a brush fire near the railroad tracks under the South Salem Street overpass.
Officer Ohlsen was directing fire department personnel to the scene when he was struck. He was flown to Morristown Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries 45 minutes later.
Officer Ohlsen had served with the Town of Dover Police Department for 18 years, and is survived by his wife and two sons. At the time of his death he was 44 years old.
Members of various police departments, including Patrolman Arthur Ohlsen IV, come together to pedal in praise of their fallen comrades in the Police Unity Tour. Hundreds of police officers rode their bicycles from New York to Washington, D.C., to remember those whose lives were lost in the line of duty.
In May 1997, the Police Unity Tour was organized, by Officer Patrick P. Montuore of the Florham Park Police Department, with the hope of bringing public awareness of Police Officers who have died in the line of duty and to honor their sacrifices. What started with 18 riders on a four day fundraising bicycle ride from Florham Park, NJ to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. Has grown into nine chapters consisting of nearly 2500 members nationwide who make the trip annually.
This past May we were proud to announce that the Police Unity Tour was able to donate 2.6 million dollars to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund bringing our total donations to almost 23 million dollars.
NEW JERSEY — New Jersey’s program to make community college tuition-free for certain students, which began with a pilot at 13 county colleges, is being expanded to cover eligible students at all 19 county colleges in the current spring semester.
“With this expansion, students in need at all 19 of our community colleges will have access to an education that is within financial reach and allows them to worry about their grades instead of how they will pay for school,” said Governor Murphy. “We know that if our students can obtain a higher education, our communities become more prosperous, their employers become more competitive, and the state economy becomes more innovative and attractive to businesses. I look forward to providing this critical opportunity to students at all 19 community colleges for the upcoming Fall and Spring semester.”
Thirteen county colleges across New Jersey began piloting the Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) program in January 2019, while all 19 county colleges indicated interest through their application for the Community College Innovation Challenge last summer. The expansion will provide qualifying students with the ability to attend county college tuition-free this spring at these six additional schools: Brookdale Community College; County College of Morris; Essex County College; Raritan Valley Community College; Rowan College at Burlington County; and Sussex County Community College.
Students across the state now will be eligible for CCOG if they meet the requirements of enrolling in at least 6 credits this spring, making satisfactory academic progress, coming from families with adjusted gross incomes between $0 and $45,000, and having a completed application for federal and state financial aid. Such students are eligible for CCOG, which is a “last-dollar” grant that covers any gap remaining between their tuition and covered educational fees and all other financial aid grants they receive. Current students who are already enrolled at these six additional institutions will be processed for potential CCOG eligibility over the next few weeks; students do not need to complete any additional application to be considered for eligibility.
“We initially pursued a pilot approach at 13 community colleges to ensure that the program costs did not exceed the funds appropriated. Throughout the pilot, all 19 county colleges have been working to build capacity for the program expansion and to share learnings and best practices during implementation with the goal of expanding in the fall,” said Secretary of Higher Education Zakiya Smith Ellis. “We are delighted to announce that we now have room to expand this opportunity even earlier than anticipated to benefit all eligible students statewide.”
“The 19 county colleges recently provided detailed information about all of the students enrolled this Spring. Our analysis of these data shows that the current Fiscal Year 2019 funding for CCOG will be able to cover eligible students at all 19 county colleges, as a greater share of students are receiving other aid this semester, including Federal Pell grants and State TAG, than was the case in prior years” said David Socolow, Executive Director of the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority. “We are delighted that students at New Jersey’s county colleges are hearing about this initiative to make college more affordable.”
The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) and the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) are jointly administering this funding opportunity. To learn more about the Community College Opportunity Grant click here.
PARSIPPANY — Parsippany Girl Scout troop 97392 is currently working on their bronze award. For this project, the troop has decided to make activity boxes for children who are in St. Clare’s hospital as part of the Jared Box project. These boxes will contain small items like travel size board games, small crafts and books.
Please support by making donations of Small Stuffed Animals, Markers/Crayons/Colored Pencils, Coloring Books, Travel Size Games, Notepads, Books, Sticker Books, Fidget Cubes, Small Toys, Fuzzy Socks, Magazines and Cards.
Donations can be left in the donation box at Parsippany Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Boulevard until Monday, May 20.
For more information, please feel free to contact the troop at troop97392@gmail.com.
PARSIPPANY — Local Grill Master Hector Estrada was recently named one of the top steak masters in the country. The Parsippany LongHorn Steakhouse Grill Master took home the regional win after competing in the Steak Master Series, an epic culinary competition where the restaurant’s grilling experts are put to the test on their relentless execution of grilling quality steaks for each guest. Estrada is one of 60 team members from across the country to achieve this distinction, out of the more than 5,000 who were invited to participate in the competition. Parsippany LongHorn is located at 690 Route 46, and is a member of the Parsippany Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Every LongHorn Steakhouse restaurant in the country has a team of certified Grill Masters who are specially trained in the art of grilling,” said Thomas Hall, executive vice president of operations at LongHorn Steakhouse. “We’re all about quality, and Hector has proved day in and day out that he is passionate about serving great quality steaks to our guests. That passion and expertise really came to life during the competition.”
Estrada, a Hopatcong, resident who has worked at LongHorn for four years, says his favorite parts of the job are the atmosphere, learning new things every day and serving others.
Here are a few top things to know about Estrada:
His No. 1 grilling tip is to stay clean and organized.
He says the Steak Master Series was “challenging, exciting and nerve-wracking.”
He says that the fact that he is “always happy at work” and “looking for things to learn every day” helped him in the competition.
The fourth annual Steak Master Series, which awards cash prizes totaling more than $200,000, celebrates LongHorn’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship on the grill. This year’s competition began at the restaurant level, where grill cooks across more than 510 LongHorn locations competed to move on to the regional round. Estrada will soon grill off at the semi-final rounds for the chance to become one of seven top contenders to battle in the finals at LongHorn’s headquarters in Orlando in May.
For more than three decades, these Grill Masters have perfected their craft of grilling legendary steaks – from selecting the right cut to boldly seasoning with the restaurant’s secret blends and grilling to perfection. For more information about LongHorn Steakhouse, or to find a nearby restaurant click here.
LongHorn Steakhouse is known for fresh, boldly seasoned and expertly grilled steaks – like the signature bone-in Outlaw Ribeye® – all served in a relaxed, warm atmosphere inspired by a rancher’s home. LongHorn has more than 510 restaurants across 41 states and is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of others in the community. As part of this commitment, LongHorn Steakhouse restaurants have donated nearly 19.4 million pounds of food to local non-profit organizations across the country.
PARSIPPANY — Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) plans to trim trees along more than 3,300 miles of power lines in 2019 across JCP&L’s 13-county northern and central New Jersey service areas, which includes Parsippany. This work helps keep power flowing to customers around the clock by preventing tree-related outages.
Conducted by certified forestry contractors under the company’s direction, JCP&L’s tree trimming program includes inspecting vegetation near the lines to ensure trees are pruned in a manner that helps preserve the health of the tree, while also maintaining proper clearances around electrical equipment. Trees that present a danger or are diseased may also be removed. Since the beginning of the year, tree contractors have trimmed more than 1,010 circuit miles of electric lines in the JCP&L service area, with an additional 2,320 miles expected to be completed by year end. The company plans to spend nearly $31 million in 2019 on its tree-trimming program.
“Our foresters and certified tree experts work year-round to properly maintain trees and vegetation, helping reduce both the frequency and duration of power outages,” said Alex Patton, vice president, Operations, JCP&L. “This work is making a positive difference in keeping the lights on for our customers and more quickly restoring service in the wake of severe weather, which can cause tremendous damage to trees that then damage our equipment.”
This year’s tree trimming program has a special focus on identifying and proactively removing deteriorated ash trees near JCP&L electric distribution lines that have been affected by the Emerald Ash Borer, an invasive beetle that originated in Asia and was first confirmed in the U.S. in 2002. The infestation has spread to New Jersey and more than 35 states. As of late March, more than 3,440 dead and dying ash trees have been removed, primarily along distribution lines in JCP&L’s northern service territory.
JCP&L works with municipalities to inform them of vegetation management schedules. In addition, customers living in areas along company rights-of-way are notified prior to work being performed. To further decrease tree-related outages, JCP&L’s foresters also are working to educate residents who live near company equipment about the importance of properly maintaining the trees on their own property.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 electric distribution companies form one of the nation’s largest investor-owned electric systems, serving customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company’s transmission subsidiaries operate more than 24,500 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Visit FirstEnergy online by clicking here.
PARSIPPANY — The Parsippany Rotary Club, dormant for the past year or so, is experiencing a revival. A group of fifteen former members and prospective new members recently met with Rotary District leadership to map out a plan for resurrecting the club.
The next meeting is Wednesday, May 8, 7:30 a.m., at the Parsippany IHOP, 792 Route 46 and costs $12.00 for breakfast. This, and all Rotary meetings, is open to the public to encourage anyone who would like to learn more about Rotary and its value in the community. The meeting will end by 8:45 a.m. for most people to get to work on time.
The Parsippany-Troy Hills Rotary Club was originally founded in 1955. For over 60 years the club was a positive force in the community, providing funding for scholarships to graduating seniors from both Parsippany High Schools, an annual Distinguished Service Award dinner that recognized the community service of various local citizens, equipment for a playground for disabled children, the “Officer Phil – Stranger Danger” program in the elementary schools and many other programs that benefit the community.
For more information, or to reserve your seat at the May 8 breakfast meeting, please contact Bruce Downing at brucehdowning@gmail.com or (973) 713-9344, or Sam Maddali at smaddalirx@yahoo.com or (973) 945-5165.
To learn more about Rotary in your community click here.
MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of Freeholders has proclaimed April as Sarcoidosis (Sar-Coy-Doe-Sis) Awareness Month in Morris County, to help call attention to this lesser-known disease and efforts to foster research that could lead to effective treatment.
Representatives of the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research joined the Board of Freeholders to accept the proclamation at the county government meeting in Morristown on Wednesday, April 24. Included were Mary Morlino of Hanover Township, Mary Cobb of Morris Township, Bridget Hillman of Hanover Township, and Cathy Wick, who is the New Jersey Ambassador for the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research or FSR.
“An estimated 200,000 people in the nation, including residents of Morris County, are affected by this debilitating and deadly multi-organ disease, which has no known cure nor reliable treatment,” said Freeholder Director Doug Cabana. “It can affect people of any age, race, or gender, but is most common among adults between ages of 20 and 40, and the rate of incidence is higher in African Americans.”
“We have asked these residents of our county to come here tonight, to accept this proclamation, so we can help call attention to this disease and their efforts to improve the quality of life and prognosis of those living with this disease, and to encourage more research to find effective treatments.”
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease characterized by the formation of granulomas—tiny clumps of inflammatory cells—in one or more organs of the body. When the immune system goes into overdrive and too many of these clumps form, they can interfere with an organ’s structure and function. When left unchecked, chronic inflammation can lead to fibrosis, which is the permanent scarring of organ tissue.
This disorder affects the lungs in approximately 90% of cases, but it can affect almost any organ in the body. Despite increasing advances in research, sarcoidosis remains difficult to diagnose with limited treatment options and no known cure.
Volunteers, researchers, caregivers, and medical professionals are working to improve the quality of life and prognosis of those living with this disease, and but much more research is needed to find effective treatments.
For a wealth of information on Sarcoidosis, including symptoms, treatments, research and support, click here.
PARSIPPANY — BSA Girl Troop 72 Parsippany, BSA Boy Troop 72 Parsippany, Cub Scout Pack 142 Parsippany, and Cub Scout Pack 215 Parsippany joined together with the township’s Parks and Forestry Department to continue a longstanding tradition.
In 1972, then-Parks Director Joseph Jannarone Sr. introduced an idea: presenting every third grader in town with his or her very own tree seedling. Over the passing decades, many trees in this town—a national Tree City USA since 1975—have grown from the plantings made by local school children.
Arbor Day Seedlings
1 of 8
The scouts packing the seedlings
The scouts packing the seedlings
Matthew Bondarowicz, Troop 72
Michael Zeak, Troop 72
Adam Pokrzywa, Troop 72
Justin Bondarowicz, Troop 72
Charles Dohm, Troop 72
Keith Nguyen, Troop 72, packing the seedlings to give out at Town Hall
For 2019, the tradition continued as the scouts gathered at the Parks and Forestry building on Knoll Road to prepare pine tree seedlings, which were distributed to third graders Friday, Arbor Day. The scouts have assisted in this endeavor for several years, and in that time have committed several hundred hours to this project alone.
Arbor Day (from the Latin arbor, meaning tree) is a holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for trees. Today, many countries observe this holiday. Though usually observed in the spring, the date varies, depending on climate and suitable planting season.
Residents can pick up tree seedlings at Town Hall From 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. through next Friday, May 3. Seedlings, are available on a first come, first served basis, and also come with instructions on how to store, care for, and plant them. Residents should plant the seedlings within two days after pick-up in order to prevent the roots from drying out. Please note only take two (2) seedlings per household.
Parsippany will celebrate Arbor Day on Monday, April 29 at 10:00 a.m. Come Raise the Tree City Flag at Town Hall.
Their goal is to prepare an educated, professional, diverse workforce for the future of law enforcement.
Officer Arthur Ohlsen III was struck and killed by a New Jersey Transit train on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 while responding to reports of a brush fire near the railroad tracks under the South Salem Street overpass.
