PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) released the following statement:

“From the minute I entered Congress, I’ve taken every possible opportunity to push our government to address the threat posed by Russia’s malign activities. I’ve formed a bipartisan working group, I’ve worked with my colleagues on the Armed Services Committee, and I’ve taken my case to the White House Situation Room, all with the goal of confronting Russian aggression. Time and again, I’ve been met with political stonewalling from this administration. We have asked for answers, begged for action, and plainly told administration officials that Russia was trying to infiltrate our government.

“When I was in the Navy, I worked with the Commander of Naval Forces in Europe to address Russia’s threats. I’ve partnered with our allies in Europe and liaised with the Russian military. One thing is extremely clear to me: this administration has not taken this threat seriously, with disastrous results. This most recent cyberattack by hackers with alleged ties to the Russian government shows that while the Trump administration is busy courting Putin’s approval, the Russian intelligence community is busy attacking our most sensitive networks. Put simply — this President’s permissiveness and willful lack of action are serious national security threats that have left us vulnerable to one of the most pervasive cyber attacks in our country’s history.”

MORRIS COUNTY — The Mental Health Association of Essex & Morris has scheduled a Zoom meeting next week to inform parents of school-age children of the warning signs of suicide, after launching a school-based prevention program that sparked wide community interest.

Morris County SealThe Zoom meeting, set for 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 30, follows a collaborative effort by the Morris County Board of Freeholders and the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris to introduce a universal, school-based suicide prevention program for middle and high school-aged students who may be feeling stress and isolation during the current COVID-19 restrictions. News of school districts being invited to learn more about the school-based program earlier this month prompted many residents to request that parents also be provided information on understanding signs of suicide.

To join the  Zoom meeting, “Suicide Prevention: Presentation for Parents of School-Age Children,” parents are being asked to RSVP by email to [email protected].

The session follows a series of presentations made to the school Logo for Mental Health Association of Essex and Morrispersonnel earlier this month. Freeholder Kathryn DeFillippo, the board liaison to Human Services agencies and programs, sent a letter to school superintendents throughout Morris County inviting them to assign three key school district personnel, ranging from counselors and teachers to administrative staff, to learn more about the program through virtual presentations that began on December 1.

“When the COVID-19 pandemic began in New Jersey, stay at home orders, self-quarantines, social distancing, and virtual learning were implemented to combat the virus. While these practices helped reduce the spread of COVID-19, they also induced anxiety, depression, fear, and loneliness among members of the community including school-aged young adults,” DeFillippo wrote in the letter.

Following a June 2020 survey of 5,412 people, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in August that one in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 said they had considered suicide because of the pandemic. The survey indicated a general spike in anxiety and substance abuse among the respondents, with more than 40 percent saying they experienced a mental or behavioral health condition connected to the COVID-19 emergency.

PARSIPPANY — Representative Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) voted today for a bipartisan COVID relief and appropriations package to send urgently needed relief to North Jersey residents and fund the federal government through the Fiscal Year 2021.

“Americans have had a difficult nine months, and now face an incredibly tough winter. This legislation will deliver urgently needed relief over the next few months,” said Rep. Sherrill. “It ensures that families can stay in their homes and unemployed workers will continue to receive additional support. It also provides a second round of PPP, funding for vaccine distribution, and direct cash payments.

“Congress must continue its efforts once this legislation is signed into law — there is so much left to do. We will need to extend relief measures again and send direct aid to state and local governments that are facing revenue shortages resulting in layoffs and budget cuts while working on the ground to provide food assistance, testing sites, and small businesses grants. I will keep working to provide support to North Jersey residents so we can get to the other side of this crisis.”

H.R. 133, the Omnibus Appropriations and Emergency Coronavirus Relief package, includes the following key provisions:

Support for Families:

• Provides direct payments of $600 for individuals making up to $75,000, $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000, and $600 for each dependent child.
• Extends Unemployment Insurance benefits through March 14, 2021, with an additional $300 per week.
• Extends the CDC eviction moratorium through January 31, 2021.
• Creates the first-ever emergency federal rental assistance program to be distributed by state and local governments.
• $13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits.

Support for Small Businesses:

• $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans.
• $20 billion in new EIDL grants for businesses in low-income communities.
• $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions.
• Expands PPP eligibility for 501(c)(6) nonprofits.
• Extends and improves the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help keep workers in their jobs and provides a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave.

Support to Address the Public Health Crisis:

• $20 billion for vaccine procurement and therapeutics.
• $9 billion to the CDC and states for vaccine distribution.
• $22 billion to states for testing, tracing, and mitigation programs.
• $3 billion for the Strategic National Stockpile.
• Ends surprise medical billing for emergency and scheduled care, establishing a fair process for health care providers and health plans to sort out the out-of-network costs between themselves, without the patient stuck in the middle.

Support for Communities:

• $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms.
• $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open.
• $45 billion for transit, including $1 billion for Amtrak.
• $7 billion to increase access to broadband, including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families, and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic.
• Extends the eligibility of state and local expenses under the CARES Act Coronavirus Relief Fund until December 31, 2021, so state and local governments can continue to provide services to residents during the pandemic with the funding they received from the CARES Act.

MORRIS COUNTY — Investment Challenge conducted by the Department of Business at County College of Morris (CCM) provides students with real-world experience in investing and life skills that are valuable to gain even during the best of times. This year’s challenge, however, was especially educational as participants learned about investing during a pandemic with turbulent markets.

Winning this year’s Investment Challenge were Austyn Zaug, of Florham Park, in First Place; Henry Velasco, of Randolph, in Second Place; and Michael Feger, of Morristown, in Third Place. This is the second year CCM has conducted the challenge. About 250 students took part in this year’s competition. All students from the college are eligible to participate.

Students taking part in the Investment Challenge, each receive $100,000 in pretend money to invest in the stock market. The winners are determined based on the performance of their stock portfolios.

Professor A. Vinay Ved, who teaches Investment Principles at CCM and oversees the investment competition, says students learn several important life skills through the challenge.

“They learn to be analyzers and not reactors and how to distinguish between news and noise,” says Ved. “Equally important, they discover that losing is a great opportunity to develop persistence. As Morgan Wootten stated, ‘You learn more from losing than winning. You learn to keep going.’”

The Business department held a virtual award ceremony on Zoom for the participants to celebrate their work and the winners, who will be sharing $500 in prize money.

At CCM, students can earn either an associate degree in Business Administration to transfer to a four-year institution to earn a bachelor’s degree or a Business Professional associate degree for immediate entry into the job market upon graduation. The college also offers certificate programs in Finance, Foundations in Business, and Small Business Management. To learn more click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — POWER® in partnership with Cherubs and Angels will be giving away FREE Clothing Kits to those in need. Reservations are required, and appointments will be on a first-come-first-served basis through Eventbrite only. Appointments will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on the following days until all inventory is taken:

• Tuesday, December 29
• Wednesday, December 30
• Thursday, December 31
• Tuesday, January 5
• Wednesday, January 6
• Thursday, January 7

Click here to reserve a date.

After a FREE order has been placed, you will be contacted within 24 hours providing the date and time for your appointment. WALK-INS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Once all kits have been claimed, the Eventbrite site will be closed.

Each clothing kit includes (new and nearly new): winter coat, shirts, pants, and socks.

DONORS: We welcome your monetary donations to help us with initiatives to help underserved communities. Direct donations can be made through Click here to donate by PayPal®. To learn more about how you can partner with Power® to help those in underserved communities, email: [email protected] or call (973) 866-5531.

POWER (People Organized Working Evolving Reaching) is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established to improve the lives of people with a specialized focus on minority disparities in health, education, aging, food insecurity, health, social justice, and reform, and housing and the homeless. To learn more about Power® click here.