VICTORY GARDENS — nourish.NJ recently celebrated the inauguration of its latest facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 347 South Salem Street in Victory Gardens.

The new facility is an 8,000-square-foot facility aimed at addressing food insecurity by providing fresh food, stable housing, and critical mental health support. A community hub offering a variety of services to assist with case management, financial stability, mental and physical health, and more, in one of the most densely populated and impoverished municipalities in New Jersey.

For nearly 40 years, nourish.NJ has constantly adapted to create dynamic, lasting solutions to the problems of hunger, homelessness, and poverty in Morris County. Formerly known as the Community Soup Kitchen, the Morristown-native organization operates 365 days a year, offering supportive services and carrying out its mission with the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion at the heart of its work. Their unique approach to fostering and maintaining an environment that is accepting, affirming, and empowering to all who engage with their organization sets them apart and enables their ability to offer maximum assistance.

The last three years in particular have served as a time of dramatic growth and transformation for nourish.NJ. Consequently, their geographic and programmatic reach, as well as their community impact, have increased significantly, culminating with the grand opening of their new Community Hub on South Salem Street in Victory Gardens.

This additional location features a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, which will help the organization serve thousands more healthy, freshly prepared meals. Additionally, new office spaces for their Outreach Team will enable the offering of free, easily accessible case-management services for housing, mental and physical health, and financial stability support.

MORRIS COUNTY — When an event garners an unexpectedly large turnout in support of a candidate, the situation at The Westin – Governor Morris Hotel’s ballroom is a prime example. It was bustling with attendees, prompting the hotel personnel to continually set up additional tables and chairs to seat the growing number of supporters.

The turnout for Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi’s 10th Annual “Get Out To Vote” campaign was a testament to its far-reaching support. Distinguished guests included Senators, Assembly members, Commissioners, Mayors, Council members, Republican Committee Chairs and members, Republican Committee Club chairs and members, and candidates for various offices. The event drew not just a host of supporters but also representatives from all 39 municipalities of Morris County and even beyond, demonstrating a strong show of support for the County Clerk’s initiative.

Morris County Clerk Ann Grossi, a Parsippany native, is campaigning for re-election, having already devoted ten years to the role. Her tenure as a Morris County freeholder and a councilwoman for Parsippany-Troy Hills has fortified her experience. Facing competition from Caroline O’Brien of Towaco in the November 7 general election, Grossi has expressed her unwavering commitment to the Clerk’s office and the citizens it serves. Grossi’s re-election campaign hinges on her dedication and her extensive legal and administrative background, which she believes are crucial to capably managing the County Clerk’s Office functions. She vows to tackle upcoming challenges with the same efficacy that has marked her past decade in office.

Grossi said she was also proud of the quality of services that her office provides.

“I receive compliments from the public all of the time, which reinforces my vision for the Clerk’s Office since it is a direct service provider to the public.

During her tenure, Ann Grossi has overseen the introduction of several programs and services aimed at enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of the Morris County Clerk’s Office.

Key initiatives include:

1. The launch of a free mobile app designed to streamline services for residents.
2. A property fraud alert system that offers free protection for property owners against fraudulent activities.
3. The establishment of free email subscription alerts to keep the community informed.
4. The maintenance of active social media platforms to engage with residents and provide timely updates.
5. Operation Give Back, a discount book for veterans with more than 300 local merchants participating. or Veteran.

Furthermore, Grossi’s office has modernized the process for handling passport applications by:

1. Passport department allows walk-ins, or to help with better planning, appointments are available
2. Creating a comprehensive passport acceptance division, which also offers passport and visa photo services.
3. Providing specialized county identification cards, catering to military veterans, Gold Star Families, and seniors.
4. Offering Notary Public services to residents.

In addition to these services, her office has developed an election night reporting website, providing real-time updates and enhancing transparency around election results. These advancements reflect Grossi’s commitment to leveraging technology and innovative solutions to serve the residents of Morris County more effectively.

MORRIS COUNTY — Sergeant Julio Torres, Jr. has announced his retirement from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, First Assistant Prosecutor Maggie Calderwood, and Chief of Detectives Robert McNally honored Sergeant Torres for his outstanding service and expressed their gratitude of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office on his last day.

Sergeant Julio Torres was hired by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in June 2002, when he was hired as a Detective. He was later promoted to Detective Supervisor in the Fugitive Unit within the Special Operations Division in July 2018. He was later promoted to the rank of Sergeant of the Fugitive Unit in July 2019.

Sergeant Torres has worked in various units in the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office including General Investigations, Sex Crimes/Child Endangerment, Megan’s Law, Intelligence/Narcotics, and Major Crimes Units. He is a certified Polygraph Examiner, a Crisis Negotiator, and a 5th-degree black belt instructor in Jujutsu.

Before joining the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Sergeant Torres worked as a support employee of the FBI Newark Division while he was attending college at Essex County College and Rutgers University-Newark.

He was then hired as a Detective with the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office where he worked for four years.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Chief of Detectives Robert McNally, Sheriff James Gannon, and Montville Police Chief Andrew Caggiano confirmed that Luis Martinez, 35, formerly of Newark, has been sentenced to 11 years in New Jersey State Prison for the theft and possession of numerous firearms.

On January 6, 2023, Martinez and others burglarized the FSS Armory store in the Pine Brook section of Montville and stole approximately 20 guns from the business. Martinez was identified as a suspect through a combination of law enforcement efforts, which included electronic surveillance, DNA, and other technological capabilities.

During Martinez’s guilty plea on October 13, presided over by the Honorable Claudia Jones, J.S.C., Martinez admitted to arriving at FSS Armory in a stolen motor vehicle during the early morning hours of January 6. Martinez admitted that he and others broke into the gun store, stole the guns, and then loaded the guns into the trunk of the stolen vehicle and fled the area.

On October 27, the Honorable Claudia Jones, J.S.C., sentenced Martinez to 11 years in prison, 5 1/2 years of which he must serve before becoming eligible for parole.

Senior Assistant Prosecutor Erin Callahan represented the State at sentencing.

On September 14, Leila Acevedo was identified and charged as part of the investigation. Acevedo was charged with conspiracy, burglary, and gun possession charges. The investigation remains ongoing to identify three other co-conspirators who were present but who have yet to be identified.

Prosecutor Carroll thanks the tireless efforts of law enforcement, which continues to this day, and specifically acknowledges the efforts of Montville Detective Keith Donnelly, detectives from the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office’s Intelligence Unit, special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office’s Crime Scene Investigation Unit who all contributed to the successful investigation and prosecution of this incident.

Prosecutor Carroll said, “I am joined by Chief McNally, Chief Caggiano, and Sheriff Gannon in stating that the burglary of a firearms store is a priority for all law enforcement as preventing firearms from falling into the hands of criminals is an absolute necessity for protecting our citizens from the later use of stolen deadly weapons to commit other crimes. This investigation was tenaciously pursued by the involved Local, County, and Federal law enforcement, and we will continue our coordinated efforts to locate all of the involved subjects.”

MORRIS COUNTY — The in-demand field of data science continues to expand, offering numerous rewarding, well-paying career options for those with knowledge and training.

County College of Morris (CCM) invites you to “Data Science Night: Data Under the Stars” to learn about the wide range of academic and career opportunities.

This free, interactive event, for students ages 15 and up through adult learners, will introduce data science and artificial intelligence. An overview of the Data Analytics Certificate of Achievement, a “stackable” program that can be applied toward an associate degree at CCM, will also be discussed. No prior experience in data science is needed to attend this fun evening.

It takes place on Thursday, November 16, from 6:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in Sheffield Hall Room 200, on CCM’s campus, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph. Refreshments will also be served.

“Data science is an exciting field that helps to answer society’s important questions,” notes Professor Nancy Binowski, Information Technologies. “The employment opportunities in data science and artificial intelligence are immense with projected job growth much higher than average growth rates.”

Professor Kelly Fitzpatrick, Mathematics and a Tableau Desktop Specialist who developed CCM’s Data Analytics Certificate Program adds, “Students in the Data Analytics Certificate Program are landing data science internships at Cranium AI, Gain Theory, Fiserv, Atlantic Health and UPS. Come join us for a journey in data science.”

Participants will hear from CCM Data Analytics faculty, students, the college’s industry and educational partners. Short, interactive workshops on AI-generated artwork, natural language processing and more will be offered as well.

The schedule of events is:

• 5:30 – 6:00 p.m., Check-in
• 6:00 – 6:30 p.m., Welcome to Data Science Night, What is Data Science? Job Market and Internship Opportunities
• 6:00 – 9:30 p.m., CCM Workforce Development Data Offerings, Ramapo College Transfer Partner
• 6:40 – 7:15 p.m., Workshops: Concurrent Session I (Choose between Data Visualization with Tableau, Natural Language Processing, Python Programming, Data Analysis with R)
• 7:25 – 8 p.m., Moody’s: Industry Presentations and Refreshments
• 8:10 – 8:40 p.m., Workshops: Concurrent Session II (Choose between Data Visualization with Tableau, Natural Language Processing, Python Programming, Data Analysis with R)
• 8:45 – 9:30 p.m., Student Presentations/Q&A and Dessert

Registration is required to take part in Data Science Night. To register click here.

For questions email Kelly Fitzpatrick at [email protected] or call (973) 328-5765.

The program, sponsored by the Data Analytics Certificate Program at CCM, is supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation and funding from the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, New Jersey Pathways Center for Workforce Innovation in Data Science.

MORRIS COUNTY — County College of Morris (CCM), in collaboration with local, state and federal organizations, has announced two events on campus this month to celebrate veterans.

The first, a Veterans Resource Event, is scheduled for Wednesday, November 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and includes 20 organizations providing services and programs available for veterans.

This informal, educational opportunity provides a venue for discussion with Atlantic Health, Community Hope, the Department of Aging, the Mental Health Association, Morris County Veterans Services Office, New Jersey Department of Labor & Work Force Development, New Jersey Department of Military Affairs, New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Welcome Vets of New Jersey and many more.

A Program in Tribute to our Veterans will be held on Thursday, November 9, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., to honor their veterans’ service.

This presentation features a historical perspective given by Geroge A. Roth, FC, SO-AS/CS/IS, FSO-AS/CS/DV/IS/NS/PB/PE Division 15, Flotilla 10, 5NR U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and keynote speaker Lt. Col. Alexander D. Burgos, Commander, U.S. Army Garrison Picatinny Arsenal, plus a video montage and musical tributes to all military branches by the CCM Chamber Choir

The Veterans Resource Event on November 8 will be held in the Student Community Center, Davidson Rooms, and the Program in Tribute to our Veterans on November 9 will be held in Dragonetti Auditorium, on CCM’s campus at 214 Center Grove Road, in Randolph Township. Parking is in Lot #6.

Pre-registration is not required. For more information, call (973) 328-5054 or email [email protected].

CCM currently offers free training for veterans and their families in advanced manufacturing. To learn more about the college’s non-credit and for-credit, certificate and associate degree programs, along with funding opportunities for veterans and their families click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Office of Aging, Disabilities, and Community Programming and Norwescap held the 2023 Morris County Seniors and Persons with Disabilities Art Show and Awards Ceremony earlier this week at the Marion E. Sally Building on Clyde Potts Drive in Morristown, showcasing artwork from many local talents.

The 16th annual event, and the first one in person since the pandemic, received 21 submissions representing a vast array of creativity from within five different art categories: Acrylic Painting, Photography, Mixed Media, Watercolor, and Drawing.

In each category, winners selected for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place awards were presented satin ribbons and generous gift bundles of art supplies. Everyone who participated received public acknowledgment with a certificate of recognition for their artwork.

“During October, the County Commissioners observed and celebrated Arts & Humanities Month and National Disability Employment Awareness Month by publicly presenting framed proclamations to several local organizations. This art show was another way to continue these community celebrations as we recognize the contributions and talents of our senior and special needs neighbors,” said Morris County Commissioner Deb Smith.

The judges for the event were Dr. Edward Ramirez, Chief Program Officer of Norwescap, Rochelle Ostenfeld, Norwescap’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Manager, and Xavier Powell, owner of operations and curation for Gallery X in West Palm Beach, Florida.

During the Awards Ceremony, Mark Valli, CEO of Norwescap, took the stage to express his gratitude and appreciation, emphasizing the importance of displaying the “untapped talent of Morris County.” He highlighted Norwescap’s extensive services, which include early childhood programs, employment services, nutrition and food security initiatives, housing and community development, and volunteer and civic engagement programs, such as the Norwescap RSVP program.

“We’re all born artists. We’re all born to express ourselves. We all have it in us, and art is a way to draw that out… There is a ton of talent in our senior population and those with disabilities. Art is a way to bring us together,” said Valli.

“We at Norwescap hope that with today’s program, we might be reaching individuals that we are serving in our other programs in a way that is expressive, a way that is beautiful and that builds strong community,” he added. “That is why art is important. That is why Norwescap is doing this work with the county, and we are grateful to be a part of this community.”

The winners in each category included:

• In Acrylic Painting, Ismael Villavvubla won 1st place for his piece entitled “Campout.” Holly Hunter came in 2nd place for “Reflections Past” and Elizabeth Bain earned 3rd place for “Isolation.”
• In Photography, Tom Cassidy was the 1st place winner for “Sole Pole with Clouds,” Patricia Anderson came in 2nd place for “Ocean Breeze” and Wilma S. Pickell in 3rd place for “Low Tide Cape Cod.”
• In the Mixed Media category, 1st place went to Barbra Elliot for “Butterflies,” 2nd place to Ian Crowe for “Ladybugs in Flowers Spring,” and 3rd place to J.R. Schomp for “Sea Life.”
• In Watercolor, MaryAnn Tunstead won 1st place with her artwork titled “A River Runs Through It.”
• In the Drawing category, Dee DeJulio claimed 1st place for her piece, “Best Buddies.”

After the awards ceremony, everyone gathered for a luncheon provided by The Fruited Plain, a local caterer in Parsippany-Troy Hills.

The event was a true celebration of art, community, and the incredible talent of Morris County’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. Each year, the County Commissioners approve roughly $5,000 through a grant in aid to fund the art program.

Morris County congratulates all the participants and thanks the dedicated team from Norwescap who worked behind the scenes tirelessly to make this event a reality.