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Upcoming Gun Buyback – Guns for Cash Events May 14 – 15

By
Frank Cahill
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MORRIS COUNTY — Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, Chief of Detectives Christoph K. Kimker, Mount Olive Police Chief Stephen Beecher, Parsippany-Troy Hills Police Chief Richard Pantina, the Morris County Board of Commissioners, and Morris County Crimestoppers announce two Gun Buy Back events are scheduled to be held in Morris County.

The County and locally-run “Guns for Cash” events will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on:

Saturday, May 14, 2022
Budd Lake Fire Department
378 Route 46
Budd Lake, NJ 07828

Sunday, May 15, 2022
Parsippany Police Athletic League (PAL) Building
33 Baldwin Road
Parsippany, NJ 07054

New Jersey residents are invited to turn in firearms with “no questions asked,” and will receive as much as $300 per weapon for up to three guns. Payouts will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis. This program will accept firearms from all persons including juveniles without requiring the disclosure of names or other personal information.

Those looking to surrender firearms are asked to bring them to the above locations wrapped in plastic or contained in a box. Police officers will be stationed at each buyback location to collect and secure the guns.

The Morris County Gun Buy Back Amnesty Program will be funded with a total of $60,000.00.  Below is a table detailing the funding sources and the total amount of each contribution.

FUNDING SOURCE TOTAL CONTRIBUTION
Morris County Commissioners (County ARPA Funds) $20,000.00
Morris County Crimestoppers Commission $10,000.00
Morris County Prosecutor’s Office (CLETA) $20,000.00
New Jersey Office of the Attorney General $10,000.00
   
TOTAL $60,000.00

Acting Attorney General Platkin said, “Reducing gun violence in our communities is paramount, and gun buybacks are vital for removing firearms from circulation before they can be used to take a life. We proudly support counties and local law enforcement in buyback efforts that advance our shared goal of bringing an end to gun violence and restoring peace to communities across New Jersey.”

Prosecutor Carroll said, “I would personally like to thank our funding partners – Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, Morris County Crimestoppers, and the Morris County Board of Commissioners – for their leadership and support of the program.  The Buy Back program is ‘no questions asked,’ and a great way for law enforcement and New Jersey residents to work together to reduce the number of unsecured guns circulating in the community.”

Sheriff Gannon said, “Reducing gun violence necessitates a cooperative response. Every gun we will collect represents a gun taken off the streets. This is all about Safety in our communities. Many times, people pass away and the family is left with firearms in the home that can be turned in to us with no questions asked. I applaud our partners at the state, county, and local levels for helping ensure a successful Program.”

Morris County Commissioner Douglas Cabana, the board liaison to Law and Public Safety, said “This program is designed to prevent unwanted firearms in Morris County households from landing on the street. The aim is public safety, and it is a suitable use of American Rescue Plan Act funding obtained by the county.”

Mount Olive Police Chief Beecher said, “The Mount Olive Police Department is pleased to partner with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office and the Morris County Sheriff’s Department to offer our community a no-hassle and if wanted, anonymous way to get rid of unwanted guns.”

The last Gun Buy Back program in Morris County, held in March 2013, resulted in the surrender of 600 weapons and paid out a total of $49,550.





Man Charged, Possession and Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material

By
Frank Cahill
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File Photo

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Christoph Kimker, and Jefferson Township Police Department Chief Paul Castimore, announce the arrest of William Mickel, 68, of Lake Hopatcong.

The defendant has been charged with one count of Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(a)(i), a crime of the Second Degree; and one count of   Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:24-4b(5)(b)(iii), a Third Degree crime. It is alleged that on or about January 25, Defendant was in possession of numerous videos and material depicting children in various prohibited sexual acts, constituting possession of child sexual abuse material.

In addition, it is alleged that Mickel was in possession of the above materials and that he distributed the same.  The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office was first notified and alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Mickel was arrested on the above charges on April 22, and after his arrest, he was transported to the Morris County Correctional Facility.  Upon being formally advised of the charges against him, he was released pursuant to Criminal Justice Reform and is pending a Pre-Indictment Conference on May 31.

Prosecutor Carroll would like to thank the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, the Jefferson Police Department, the Chester Township Police Department, and members of the New Jersey State Police Task Force on Child Sexual Abuse for their efforts in the investigation and arrest of this defendant.

Editor’s Note: An arrest or the signing of a criminal complaint is merely an accusation.  Despite this accusation, the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until he or she has been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.





NJ Blood Services Celebrates Mother’s Day with Free Planters

By
Frank Cahill
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MORRIS COUNTY — Celebrate your favorite mom by donating blood and as a thank you, New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS) will be giving out free planters to all presenting donors Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend.

Mothers lose about one pint of blood when giving birth and NJBS donors ensure that blood is available for new mothers and their babies. NJBS is encouraging folks to donate in honor of mothers over the holiday weekend. The blood supply has suffered over the last month as schools went on spring break and families took vacations. Currently, NJBS is low on blood types O-, B- and B+.

“Mothers deserve a thank you every day and this week we’re proud to celebrate them with planters that will grow to be beautiful flowers,” said Andrea Cefarelli, Senior Executive Director at New Jersey Blood Services. “Whether it is your actual mom or even your neighbor, teacher or co-worker, donate blood in honor of all moms and help us to replenish the region’s blood supply.”

Participating in blood drives include on Saturday, May at Morris Plains Community Center, 51 Jim Fear Drive, Morris Plains from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Folks can also stop by their local donor center to donate blood and receive a planter over the holiday weekend at the following locations:

It only takes one hour to donate, and a single donation can save multiple lives. Roughly one in seven hospital admissions requires a blood transfusion. Those in need include cancer patients, accident, burn, or trauma victims, transplant recipients, surgery patients, chronically transfused patients suffering from sickle cell disease or thalassemia, and many more.

To make an appointment at this blood drive, donors can call 1-800-933-2566 or click here.

Founded in 1964, New York Blood Center (NYBC) is a nonprofit organization that is one of the world’s largest independent, community-based blood centers. NYBC, along with its operating divisions Community Blood Center of Kansas City, Missouri (CBC), Innovative Blood Resources (IBR), Blood Bank of Delmarva (BBD), and Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC), collect approximately 4,000 units of blood products each day and serve local communities of more than 75 million people in the Tri-State area (NY, NJ, CT), Mid Atlantic area (PA, DE, MD, VA), Missouri and Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Southern New England. NYBC and its operating divisions also provide a wide array of transfusion-related medical services to over 500 hospitals nationally, including Comprehensive Cell Solutions, the National Center for Blood Group Genomics, the National Cord Blood Program, and the Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, which — among other milestones — developed a practical screening method for hepatitis B as well as a safe, effective and affordable vaccine, and a patented solvent detergent plasma process innovating blood-purification technology worldwide.





American Cancer Society’s 2022 Relay for Life of Morris County

By
Frank Cahill
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Karen DeChristopher, Parsippany-Troy Hills Council Vice President Loretta Gragnani, Adam Gragnani, Dee dePierro, Parsippany-Troy Hills Council President Michael dePierro and Senator Anthony Bucco

MORRIS COUNTY — The American Cancer Society of Morris County’s Relay for Life will take place on Saturday, May 21 at Parsippany Hills High School at 20 Rita Drive in Parsippany. The event will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Registration starts at 3:00 p.m.

Western’s Angel’s For Hope 2021

The Relay for Life is a noncompetitive walk event to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s fight against cancer. The Theme for this year’s Relay is Star Wars. Attendees can come dressed in Star Wars attire and bring Star Wars games and accessories.

The day and night will be filled with music courtesy of a DJ and guest entertainers.  There are many activities including Contests, Corn Hole, and Flag Football. There will also be themed laps from start to finish to help keep Relayers going through the event because “cancer does not sleep.”

There are three central themes to every Relay for Life Event – Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back. The celebration portion includes a dinner for cancer Survivors and their CareGivers.  The remembrance portion includes a moving Luminaria Ceremony in which friends and loved ones lost to cancer are remembered. The entire event is a way of fighting back against cancer by raising funds for Research.  The American Cancer Society funds research for all types of cancer. 93% of all money raised goes to continuing research efforts.

By supporting Relay For Life, you help the American Cancer Society save lives, and that helps us move closer to our ultimate goal of a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

For more information and to register please click here or click here.





Rockaway Valley Garden Club to Meet

By
Frank Cahill
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BOONTON TOWNSHIP — The Rockaway Valley Garden Club will meet on Tuesday, May 10.

Meetings begin at 10: 00 a.m. and are held at the Boonton Township Municipal Building, 155 Powerville Road.

Guest are always welcome, and they encourage you to come to join us to see what they are all about.

Visit their website by clicking here or on their Facebook page.

Any questions can be sent to their email address: info@rockawayvalleygardenclub.org





East Hanover 2022 Summer Playground

By
Frank Cahill
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0
Registration opens Tuesday, May 3 at 9:00 a.m.
EAST HANOVER — Registration will soon begin for the Recreation Department’s 2022 Summer Playground program at Lurker Park, which will run from June 27 through August 5.
Students currently in kindergarten through 7th grade are invited to spend the summer at Lurker Park for fun outdoor activities, arts and crafts, and all summer classics.

Registration opens Tuesday, May 3 at 9:00 a.m., and registration forms are available on the website or at the Recreation Department. Cost is $225.00 per registrant and $215.00 for each additional.

The program runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Participants must bring their own lunch.





Vote for Your Favorite Madison Employee

By
Frank Cahill
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MADISON — The Madison Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for their annual Extra Mile Award. This award recognizes Madison employees who provide exceptional customer service. These individuals are rewarded for their extra special friendly and knowledgeable service, which truly makes a difference in a customer’s shopping experience.

Nominations from the general public will be accepted until Friday, June 3. The winner will be invited to the Chamber’s Annual Awards Night on June 14.

“We encourage customers to take a moment to fill out a ballot in order to recognize, support, and celebrate their favorite, best retailers and service providers,” said Karen Giambra, the Chamber’s executive director.

Have someone to nominate? Please provide your nominee’s name, place of business, contact information, and the reason for your nomination.

Please email all nominations to Karen Giambra at MadisonChamber@gmail.com, or mail them to Madison Area Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 152, Madison, NJ 07940.

Businesses are also encouraged to place nomination ballots out on their counters.
All nominations must be postmarked by Tuesday, June 3, 2022.





Seven County College of Morris Students Awarded a Free Field Trip to Yellowstone

By
Frank Cahill
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he Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River is one of the sights students and professors will enjoy on this CCM trip. Credit: John Soltes

MORRIS COUNTY — The Parks Program, an interdisciplinary institute at County College of Morris (CCM), is venturing to Yellowstone National Park with its first-ever student group this month.

Seven CCM students were competitively selected for this once-in-a-lifetime, free opportunity to visit the national park from May 14 through May 19. They are sharing the experience with three CCM professors who are collaborating onsite to teach art history, biology, and storytelling in the amazing outdoor classroom.

“We’re very excited for this interdisciplinary trip to Yellowstone National Park that will serve as our learning laboratory,” says Dr. Brian Sahotsky, professor in the Art & Design department and one of the program organizers. “This trip in itself is not a program completion requirement but rather a capstone for students to investigate several disparate aspects of what makes the conservation of natural lands so great.”

The four-day journey begins with seeing the incredible magnitude of Yellowstone and learning the history of artists, naturalists, and explorers. Sahotsky will lead the group through Artists Point, Yellowstone Falls, and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone providing opportunities for students to journal and sketch to capture the beautiful scenery.

Later that week, Professor John Soltes, an award-wining journalist teaching in the Communication department at CCM, will provide an overview of the cultural histories and discuss the major issues facing Yellowstone in the 21st Century. “We will also meet Dr. Shane Doyle, a member of the Crow Nation, and visit one of the tribe’s ancestral spots,” says Soltes.

The itinerary also includes looking for wildlife, such as bears, wolves, bison, elk, and moose, in Yellowstone’s Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley. CCM Biology Professor Samantha Gigliotti will use her many years of experience conducting educational sessions about wildlife conservation to delve into this topic in Wonderland.

“Yellowstone National Park is one of the few places left in the United States where you can still see large mammals that once roamed the majority of our country,” says Gigliotti. “Our students will be presented with this amazing opportunity to learn about these incredible animals’ biology and life history and immerse themselves in the landscapes that support them.”

This unique adventure wraps up with seeing the Yellowstone Caldera, the supervolcano that last erupted about 640,000 years ago creating a 30 x 45-mile landform, and also visiting a variety of geyser basins including Old Faithful.

“Ever since I was a child, I’ve always been an advocate for protecting the Earth’s diverse ecosystems,” says Peter Balluffi-Fry, an International Studies major from Mountain Lakes, who will be going on the trip. “Being able to explore and learn about the national park that inspired Americans to begin protecting our country’s natural environment is what ultimately motivated me to apply. “I’m looking forward to witnessing all of Yellowstone’s natural, majestic beauty first-hand, from the Grand Prismatic to the bison and bears that call Yellowstone home.

CCM students interested in going on the trip submitted an application with an essay explaining why they wanted to travel to Yellowstone. According to Sahotsky, “It was competitive with many more applicants than slots we had available.”

CCM is currently ranked #1 in New Jersey for best associate degrees and in the top 1.8 percent of the best community colleges nationwide by Intelligent. The college continues to maintain its #1 position in the state in PayScale’s “Best Community Colleges in New Jersey by Salary Potential,” a distinction it has held for five years in a row.

To learn more about CCM click here.





Cinco de Madison

By
Frank Cahill
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MADISON — The Madison Area Chamber of Commerce businesses will be celebrating Cinco de Madison on Thursday, May 5 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Shop and dine around the downtown business district and enjoy special discounts and incentives at participating shops and happy hour drink specials at participating restaurants.

Stop by the festive tent Chamber located in front of The Pink Pear, 42 Main Street where the first 100 people will have a chance to win prizes on the “Spin to Win” wheel. Prizes include Madison Gift Checks, products and gift cards from the local business, and other surprises.





Mountain Lakes Day Vendors and Volunteers Wanted

By
Frank Cahill
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0
MOUNTAIN LAKES — Mountain Lakes Day will be held on July 2 (the rain date of July 3). We are seeking vendors and volunteers to participate. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old.
Please contact Margaret Ng at margkng@gmail.com or (973) 476-5782 for more information.




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