MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County has risen to 5,837 presumptively tested positive cases an increase of 96 cases since last reported on Friday, May 8. A total of 518 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 139,945 presumptively tested positive cases with a total of 9,310 deaths.

The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869, in parking lot 1. The hours for testings are 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on weekdays and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.

To be tested, residents MUST:

• have a COVID-19 test prescription from a healthcare provider
• read and acknowledge the consent form
• make an appointment

For information and to make an appointment residents should visit the Morris County by clicking here.

Morris County COVID-19 Cases

The figures reflect COVID-19 positive cases as of the date and time indicated, some cases which may be pending, or have yet to be entered into the system.

Please note the following limitations and provisos related to the data above:

• COVID-19-related deaths are not included in this data. Visit the State of NJ COVID-19 Dashboard for a summary of death totals.
• Pursuant to HIPAA, specific identifying health information of persons testing positive or who have passed due to the virus will not be released.
• Data reflects COVID-19 positive cases on dates and times indicated; some cases may be pending and are not yet entered.
• Data may not include cases with incomplete or incorrect street addresses or PO boxes. Such cases require additional investigation by local health officials.
• Figures do not include persons under quarantine/isolation due to exposure and who have not tested positive.
• The numbers, especially higher numbers, do not necessarily reflect community spread in a specific town. Various factors may be related to high numbers, such as increased testing and facilities with high-risk populations.
• This data should not be used to gauge if heightened precautions are needed in specific towns. Social distancing, hand hygiene, and preventive steps must be followed at all times regardless of the number of cases in a municipality.

MORRIS COUNTY —Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Bias Crimes Unit hosted a live webinar on Monday, May 11, 2020. The webinar, part of the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General’s 21/21 Community Policing Project, sought to update law enforcement, school administrators, and the community at large about bias crimes and how to report suspected incidents. The first live webinar of its kind during this emergency, the event was attended by 130 registered participants.

Morris County Prosecutor Knapp began the event by recognizing the unprecedented times we are living in, and how law enforcement is adjusting to the surge in online communication.  He also addressed the importance of teaching our young people the lessons learned from the genocide perpetrated during World War II and thereafter.

Middlesex County Department of Corrections and Youth Services Chief Investigator and President of the New Jersey State Bias Crimes Officers Association, David D’Amico, gave the keynote presentation. During his presentation, Chief D’Amico explained the difference between a bias crime and a bias incident, and outlined what to expect once a bias incident is reported. Chief D’Amico stressed the importance of community partnerships between community and civic organizations, faith-based stakeholders and state, county and local law enforcement to effectively address bias incidents. As the president of the New Jersey State Bias Crimes Officers Association, he introduced the organization and what it does for New Jersey citizens.  On behalf of that Association, Chief D’Amico presented an award to Prosecutor Knapp in recognition of work done by the MCPO to fight Bias Crime.

Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Supervisor Patrick LaGuerre and Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Samantha DeNegri shared their extensive experience with covering bias crimes and offered tips on how to recognize these issues in school systems. Prior to the emergency declaration, Detective Supervisor LaGuerre and SAP DeNegri held numerous presentations at Morris County middle and high schools, educating students on how to properly report incidents of bullying and exercise good judgment when it comes to what you post online or share with friends.

Participants asked questions of the panelists, especially about how bias incidents are handled by school districts and how to report suspected incidents. Detective Supervisor LaGuerre and SAP DeNegri said the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office has trained members of local police departments and school districts on how to process such reports.

Prosecutor Knapp said “I am deeply honored and humbled by the recognition bestowed today by Association President David D’Amico for the work of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in making Bias Crime enforcement and education a priority.  As David said, we have made educating our youth and others in the County a cornerstone of this administration.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Recent reports show that 50 percent of all New Jersey COVID-19 deaths have occurred in the state’s long-term care facilities, which has prompted New Jersey State Senator Joe Pennacchio to once again call for an immediate investigation by a Senate Select Oversight Committee.

“We have learned that 4,800 poor souls lost their lives in New Jersey’s long-term care facilities,” said Senator Pennacchio (R-26).  “These facilities fall under the direct regulatory oversight of the State of New Jersey’s Department of Health.  It makes no sense to order those facilities to accept all patients, regardless of whether they were COVID-19 infected, and impose a ban on virus testing on patients entering those facilities, yet the department did exactly that. Ultimately, it wound up adding to the devastation these long-term nursing homes have experienced.”

The Senator today introduced a resolution that would establish a bipartisan Senate Select Committee on the Executive Branch’s Response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We must do our due diligence as elected state representatives to question and evaluate the Administration’s response, and we must do it immediately,” emphasized Pennacchio.

The bipartisan committee, with six members from the Senate, would investigate the cause and effects of the pandemic on New Jersey’s people and its economy, and the administration’s handling of those events. Committee would develop strategies to improve state response to future outbreaks and other statewide emergencies.

“I stand ready to contribute to a Senate Select Oversight Committee and suggest we begin as soon as possible,” said Pennacchio, citing the United States Senate, and the Governor’s daily briefings as exampled of elected officials be able to meet during the crisis.”

This weekend, NJ.com published a piece citing the state’s COVID-19 dashboard that indicated 4,825 of the State’s fatalities occurred in nursing homes, nearly 50% of the total deaths statewide.

New Jersey’s long-term care facilities are home to 61,000 vulnerable seniors, or 0.67 percent of the state’s 9 million population, yet they account for half of New Jersey’s coronavirus deaths.  The Garden State leads all states in the nation in nursing home fatalities.  Florida with a population of 22 million people has experienced 1/10 the nursing home deaths.

MORRIS COUNTY — The School of Liberal Arts at County College of Morris (CCM) has launched “quar-ART-ine,” a virtual platform featuring the artistic works of professors and students created during or inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The “quar-ART-ine” website, can be found by clicking here, is designed to feature a wide range of creative works, from poetry and painting, to photography and pottery, to dance and music, to design and more.

“The intent of “quar-ART-ine” is to provide people with some enjoyment during this very difficult time, to highlight the creativity that exists at CCM and to show how our faculty guides students in developing their talents,” says Dr. Margaret Ball, dean of the School of Liberal Arts.

Each week, a different academic program in the School of Liberal Arts will be highlighted on the website and featured on CCM’s Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts. Currently on the site are several poetry readings and poems in recognition of national poetry month that took place in April and videos from professors from a number of creative disciplines.

Upcoming are submissions from the departments of Art and Design, Communication, English and Philosophy, and Music, Performing Arts, and Music Technologies. Check back each week to see what is featured.

To learn more about the School of Liberal Arts at CCM click here. To apply to CCM for the Summer and Fall semesters click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — On March 16, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order No. 104 implementing aggressive social distancing measures to mitigate further spread of COVID-19 in New Jersey.

Among other directives, Governor Murphy’s Executive Order indefinitely closed all public, private and parochial preschools and elementary and secondary schools to students beginning on March 18, 2020.

Executive Order No. 107 signed on March 21, 2020, prohibits gatherings of individuals for parties, celebrations, and other social events, which includes all in-person graduation ceremonies (see also letter to the education community and Administrative Order No. 2020-12 from Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, State Director of Emergency Management).

Since the Executive Orders will remain in effect until further notice, only virtual graduation ceremonies can be planned at this time. We recognize that this sudden disruption to the normal operating procedures could be jarring for school communities at all levels. The resilience and adaptivity required to thrive in the face of unprecedented situations are characteristics embodied by the Class of 2020. Recognizing that high school graduation is certainly a milestone for students and families, the Department has compiled tips and suggestions for holding virtual graduation ceremonies and related celebratory activities to honor this year’s graduating class while ensuring the health and safety of the school community during the COVID-19 emergency.

Virtual Celebrations

• Virtual Graduation Ceremonies offer a number of ways to celebrate this year’s graduating class. From airing graduation messages on local network stations to designing virtual graduations on gaming platforms, virtual graduations offer districts an opportunity to involve the community in planning and facilitating a memorable ceremony. Below are some ideas for hosting a virtual ceremony:
• Stream your ceremony on your district website or on another streaming service that includes prerecorded speeches or messages
• Consider reaching out to celebrities or public figures to record speeches or messages for seniors in your school district
• If resources allow, your district may consider developing a virtual reality graduation, where within a virtual graduation environment, student avatars participate in a graduation ceremony
• Schools can also consider asking members of the graduating class to take a leading role in the graduation ceremony. Senior students can be asked in advance to send video messages wearing their cap and gown and/or other regalia. During the virtual ceremony, students and their families will hear prerecorded messages from speakers, edited together in the flow of a traditional graduation ceremony, and students’ names, as well as messages, will be announced with their photo displayed.

Community Recognition

Communities across the country have shown their support by making a special effort to recognize the Class of 2020. Some examples include posting banners with students’ senior pictures around the school community, listing the names of graduates in the local newspaper, and creating yard signs for all students to post.

• Some communities have secured digital billboards to publicize and celebrate the Class of 2020. The digital billboards display the students’ names and personalized messages developed by school staff and students.
• We encourage school districts to coordinate any recognition efforts with various community stakeholders.

We welcome you to share your virtual graduation celebration or related activities by using the hashtag #NJGrad2020 on social media.