PARSIPPANY — The Associated Press called the race early, and U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill responded gratefully, but challenger Rosemary Becchi is not conceding defeat in the 11th District Congressional race.

In Morris County, a total of 287,000 votes were cast.  So far 150,000 were counted. (Approximately 52%) The remaining votes still need to be counted. The below results are as of Friday, November 6, 2020, at 3:07 p.m. The ballots are being counted at a rate of approximately 25,000 per day. They don’t work on Sunday. This means results most likely won’t be finalized until later this week.

According to a statement by Morris County Republican Committee  “over 11,900 more Republicans have returned their ballots than the Democrats.”

In Passaic County and Essex County, the below results are the final unofficial results.

At last count, Sherrill held a 156,220 vote count over Becchi’s 113,694 tallies.

MORRIS COUNTY — Gov. Murphy’s added restrictions for restaurants statewide is an unwise shotgun approach that will add to the burden of an important business sector that contributes tremendously to the state economy, said Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce (R- Morris, Essex Passaic).

Murphy’s latest edict in reaction to an uptick in Covid-19 cases requires virtually all restaurants to erect plexiglass barriers around dining tables that are less than six feet apart – and greater restrictions on bar areas. DeCroce says the cost of those barriers is prohibitive for many small restaurants that are barely making ends meet now.

“Another blanket and costly regulation for restaurant owners is not the appropriate response to the Covid-19 virus; especially with the cold winter months approaching. The governor needs to use a scalpel, not a shotgun,” said DeCroce.

DeCroce said the state should use some of the federal Cares Act money to help restaurants pay the costs of the barriers and new regulations. ‘With the capacity limits already in place on bars and restaurants, the burden placed on business owners to finance more state-imposed regulations is prohibitive.”

CONCENTRATE ON HOT SPOTS
The assemblywoman noted that the vast majority of coronavirus cases are concentrated in six-counties. She said the governor’s new order should be implemented where the virus cases are the highest and see if the order succeeds in lowering the rate of infection.

DeCroce noted that Essex, Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, Passaic, and Union counties all have in excess of 20,000 cases. Morris County has had half that number of cases, while Sussex County and other western counties along with the state’s most southern county — Cape May – have fewer than 2,000 Covid-19 cases.

“We need to work with all the facts and with the emerging science and consider the economic impacts of what the state is proposing,” said the Assemblywoman. The restaurant industry affects more than 348,000 jobs in New Jersey, according to the National Restaurant Association.

DeCroce noted that Dr. Anthony Fauci told the American Medical Association today that SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and various new treatments for COVID-19 may be on their way even before 2020 ends. Stocks hit all-time highs Monday after Pfizer and BioNTech announced that a vaccine candidate has a more than 90% effectiveness rate preventing COVID-19. “The governor’s office should take note of these developments,” said DeCroce

SEND BUSINESS A LIFELINE
DeCroce added that the governor should immediately release $450 million of federal CARES Act funds to support small businesses in New Jersey and not use the money to prop up the state budget.

“Through no fault of their own, many small businesses were forced to close their doors or curtail their business. If there is federal money to help those businesses that are hanging on, the state has an obligation to help them,” said DeCroce.

“The governor should be throwing small businesses a lifeline, not an anchor,” she added.
“State officials need to start thinking about what our community landscape is going to look like, and what our state economy is going to look like when we pull out of the pandemic. We don’t want to leave behind a barren wasteland of closed businesses and broken dreams,” said DeCroce.

MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Brian Bergen questioned Gov. Phil Murphy’s order Monday for restaurants to stop indoor dining by 10:00 p.m.

“What makes it any more dangerous to eat indoors at 10:00 p.m. than at 7:00 p.m.?” asked Bergen (R-Morris). “I would pay to see the data.”

At a Monday briefing on the virus, Murphy said that restaurants, bars, clubs, lounges, and casinos will no longer be able to serve food or alcohol indoors between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.

Bergen said that Murphy should not be the sole arbiter of statewide decisions.

“I put a bill up months ago that would require Governor Murphy to involve the legislature in his decision making,” said Bergen. “The majority party refused to hear it and now here we are again with the governor unilaterally picking and choosing which industries to target.”

On May 11, Bergen introduced legislation (A4147) that would require the governor to seek legislative approval for executive orders that would last beyond 14 days. Democrats voted it down when Republicans motioned for its passage at an Assembly session in June.

“Mark my words, this is the governor’s shot across the bow of shutting us down again,” predicted Bergen. “How long can we live under complete autonomous rule by one man? It is time the legislature restores checks and balances on the governor.”

MORRIS COUNTY — Table of Hope, with the support of local officials, businesses, agencies, and volunteers, will be holding a Thanksgiving food distribution, including turkeys, fresh produce, can goods, and dairy for a holiday meal, at County College of Morris (CCM) on Saturday, November 21.

The food distribution, open to Morris County residents, takes place from 10:30 a.m. to noon in Parking Lot 1 on the CCM campus. Visitors are asked to use CCM’s Center Grove Road entrance. The distribution will operate as a no-questions-asked, contactless drive-through event with cars stopping at different food stations categorized by food type. Visitors only need to open the trunk of their car to have boxes of food placed there by volunteers. Also to be distributed are hats and gloves for the colder months.

This is the third food distribution event Table of Hope is holding at CCM in partnership with the Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Supporting organizations include Alstede Farm and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce. Serving as volunteers will be about 60 CCM faculty, staff, and students, along with college administrators.

Those who would like to make a contribution to meet the goal of providing 600 turkeys for distribution can mail a check to Alstede Farms, LLC, Post Office Box 278, Chester, New Jersey 07930 and write “TOH Turkey” in the Memo field.

A holiday toy drive also is being held in conjunction with the Thanksgiving food distribution. New, unopened toys can be brought to CCM’s Department of Public Safety near Parking Lot 10 on the college campus. Toy donations are being accepted through November 20.

The previous Table of Hope event at CCM, held in August, provided backpacks with school supplies for children to help them start their school year strong, along with food. The first event, held in June, had New Jersey First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy, Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, State Senator Anthony M. Bucco, and Freeholders John Krickus and Steve Shaw serving as volunteers.

Shortly after COVID-19 struck, Rev. Dr. Sidney Williams, pastor of Bethel Church of Morristown, converted the Table of Hope bus that was used to pick up food for its pantry and soup kitchen so it could be utilized for mobile food distribution. Williams is the founder of the Spring Street Community Development Corporation that operates Table of Hope and other programs to improve the lives of individuals and families in Morris County.

“We are delighted to partner once again with CCM so families throughout Morris County can enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner,” said Williams.

“We’re delighted to host this event to help those in need during a very difficult and challenging time so they can have a true Thanksgiving,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, CCM president. “We’re proud to partner once again with Table of Hope and Morris County’s Freeholders, Chamber of Commerce, Sheriff’s Office, Alstede Farms, and others to ensure people can put food on their tables. It makes us proud to be part of a community that truly cares for its own.”

In March, Table of Hope began operating weekly mobile food distribution programs in Morristown, Parsippany, and Dover, along with additional grocery supply events in other Morris County communities. Prior to COVID-19, its pantry in Morristown served about 65 people weekly. The number now being served each week at each mobile distribution event averages 1,000 to 1,500 individuals, reports Teresa Williams, executive director of the Spring Street Community Development Center. To date, more than 18,500 individuals and families have been helped and over 899,300 pounds of food has been distributed.

The Table of Hope soup kitchen has continued to provide dinners but as a take-out service during the pandemic. Table of Hope receives food from the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside, local farms, and foodservice companies. To volunteer or make a donation, visit the Spring Street CDC website by clicking here.

Along with Table of Hope, numerous other services are available to assist residents in Morris County’s 39 municipalities who are in need of food. A list of available food services, including food pantries, volunteer shopper organizations, meal delivery services, and take-out meal services, can be found by clicking here.