MORRIS COUNTY — Two-year-old Tofu came to us with a broken back. His family had let him suffer for weeks or longer before we were finally able to convince them to relinquish him to the rescue. Tofu has been seen by a specialist, gotten his wheels, and is ready for adoption!!!

Tofu is a Shih Tzu and will need to be in his wheelchair for the rest of his life. We are looking for a special family with similar special needs dog experience to adopt him. Tofu LOVES other dogs and also really enjoys going for walks! He’s still a playful pup despite his life-changing injury.

Tofu needs to go to aqua therapy and will need to be seen by a neurologist regularly for check-ups. He is so sweet, affectionate, and funny we know he is worth the extra care!

Due to his injury, Tofu needs to be expressed 3 times a day to urinate. When he is left alone, he is put in a small area to make sure he is still comfortable but also safe. He loves treats, getting snuggles from his foster dads, and loving on his doggy foster siblings.

If you’re looking to open your home to a very special, sweet boy, apply to adopt Tofu!

If you are interested in adopting Tofu, please fill out an application by clicking here.

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MORRIS COUNTY —New Jersey Blood Services (NJBS), which provides blood for local patients, is looking for a few good volunteers.

The blood drive volunteer is an integral member of our team whose tasks include assisting donors with registration and/or at the refreshment area. No medical background necessary. Volunteers should be outgoing to provide friendly customer service and be able to perform tasks as needed. Must have transportation.

All training is provided including additional precautions for the safety of our team and blood donors.  For additional information call or text Sharon Zetts, Manager, NJBS Volunteer Services at (732) 850-8906, Monday to Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

To apply online as a blood drive volunteer click here.

PARSIPPANY — Morris County authorities are reporting a moderate increase in the rate of COVID-19 cases, consistent with a statewide uptick, citing a correlation with increased indoor gatherings prompted by cooler outdoor temperatures.

“New Jersey is seeing moderate increases in community spread of COVID-19 and the New Jersey Department of Health has indicated that it is anticipating a second wave. There has been an increase in a transmission associated with gatherings, especially gatherings held indoors,” said Morris County Health Officer Carlos Perez.

Below is the revised new COVID-19 cases in Morris County from November 17 through November 23:

The County Office of Health Management and local health departments continue to perform essential duties to prevent the spread of infections, including enhanced surveillance and contact tracing, which is the process of identifying and notifying people who may have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19 to prevent further spread of the disease.

“It is important that persons instructed to quarantine and isolate by their local health department and/or healthcare provider do so to prevent the spread of infection,” said Perez.

Contact tracers, he said, will not ask for social security numbers, bank or credit card information, health insurance information, immigration status, or criminal history.
“They are only following up about potential exposure to COVID-19 cases, to determine if a person has symptoms and needs to self-isolate. Report any calls from persons identifying themselves as contact tracers and requesting such information to your local police department,” Perez said.

Health professionals emphasize that COVID-19 is preventable if individuals:
1. Wear a cloth face covering when in public (both indoors and outdoors).
2. Practice social distancing (maintain a 6-foot space between you and others).
3. Follow good respiratory hygiene recommendations.
4. Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, not your hands.
5. Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or eyes with unclean hands.
6. Get a flu shot.
7. Stay home if you are sick and avoid sick people.
8. If you become ill, call your healthcare provider before going to a doctor’s office or the emergency department of a hospital.

PARSIPPANY — Rosemary Becchi, the Republican candidate in New Jersey’s 11th congressional district, concedes the election to Mikie Sherrill.

“I’m very proud of the campaign we’ve run,” Becchi said. “I want to thank, wholeheartedly, everyone who supported me throughout this process– from my family, campaign staff, volunteers, to the voters themselves. It was a hard-fought campaign and over 206,000 voters supported our platform but unfortunately, we came up a little short and ultimately lost by 6%.

Throughout this campaign, it was clear to me that the people of this district want a representative to focus on the people and the issues that matter most to the district. Our country will face many challenges in the coming months and years and never has it been more important to put people over politics. We must continue to advocate for policies that will help us restart our economy, support our law enforcement, protect those that are most vulnerable, including those that are disabled as well as our children, and advocate for those who fought for us, our veterans. I will continue to fight for these values as I know others in the district will. I wish Mikie Sherrill well and hope that she has heard the voices of all of the people of the eleventh district and will work to unite our district, state and country” Becchi concluded.

It has been 22 years since Scotland last appeared at a major tournament, going out in the group stages on World Cup 98 after a humiliating defeat at the hands of Morocco. Since then, six different managers have tried to qualify for 10 major tournaments, without success.

They even went into the tie with Serbia as underdogs as their opponents have been at three of the last four World Cup finals. Leading until the 90th minute, Scotland looked likely to break the heartache, only for a last-minute equalizer to seemingly shatter their dreams.

They held firm through extra time and finally won in the penalty shoot-out, 5-4. That has ensured them their place at the Euro 2020 tournament, which will now be held in 2021 across several different European countries. Euro 2020 was scheduled to take place this summer but as Bwin explain, it was lost along with a host of other sporting events as restrictions were placed on travel and large gatherings. The hopes are that restrictions will now be lifted to allow fans to attend, especially as Scotland have been drawn in a group with their old enemy, England. The two first met in 1872 in the first-ever international game, but have only met once in a major tournament since 1996.

The question now for Scotland, is what happens next? Manager Steve Clarke will surely be immortalized for his role in pushing them to the finals next year, and with a squad packed with promising young players, there must be a strong hope they can kick on and once again become a regular fixture on the international scene. Indeed, between 1974 and 1998 they only failed to qualify for a single tournament – that being the one held here in the United States in 1994 – a tournament England also missed out on.

The qualification will give the Scottish FA plenty to focus on and work with, as does the presence of captain Andy Robertson, the Champions League-winning left-back from Liverpool’s dominant team of the last couple of years. Ties between Liverpool and Scotland have helped both to success over the years, with names such as Dalglish and Hansen classed as legends at Anfield and Hampden Park. Robertson is the only Scot at Anfield now, but he is joined in the international ranks by Manchester United’s promising midfielder Scott McTominay and Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney.

The rivalry between Celtic and Rangers is well-known and has been thought to disrupt international camps at times, but there was little chance of domestic disagreements derailing last night’s result; only three of the starting XI appear for the Old Firm. In fact, Motherwell provided more starters than Celtic, who have won nine consecutive domestic titles. By having a pool of players that is wider than the big two, Scotland appears to have found some domestic harmony.

There is also hope that a new talisman can be found upfront. Lyndon Dykes spent much of his youth in Australia but has already bagged goals for Queens Park Rangers in the Championship. He is one player the Scots will look to turn to for inspiration next summer, and if Lawrence Shankland continues his domestic form, he will surely be in the reckoning too. Shankland is something of a phenomenon, hitting 92 goals in 115 domestic appearances for Ayr and Dundee United, amongst others. He has just three caps, but having played all his football in Scotland but outside of Glasgow, he is a role model for up and coming young Scots everywhere.

The team now has all the ingredients for some sustained success. On the international scene, success is seen as a qualification for tournaments, and with exciting young players, and key figures established not only in their top-flight but in England too, the future is beginning to look brighter for the national team.

MORRIS COUNTY — Acting on a commitment to further promote transparency in policing and build trust between police officers and the communities they serve, Governor Phil Murphy signed two pieces of legislation (S1163 and A4312), which concern the use of body-worn cameras by members of law enforcement.

The Governor also signed executive Order No. 201, which establishes a 14-member Interagency Working Group to provide recommendations to the Governor’s Office and Attorney General regarding technology solutions to facilitate the statewide implementation of body-worn cameras in law enforcement agencies. The Working Group will work to identify barriers to adopting body-worn cameras and recommend technology solutions to facilitate their implementation.

“We’ve made it clear that New Jersey will be second-to-none in enacting vital reforms to promote transparency and boost public confidence in law enforcement,” said Governor Murphy. “Body-worn cameras are a wise all-around investment in public safety that not only redouble our commitment to transparency and accountability but also ensure that members of law enforcement are equipped with an important tool to help them carry out their sworn duties. Today represents another step down what we know is a long road to a full understanding and lasting trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.”