MORRIS COUNTY — Guitarist Anthony Krizan presents a night of rock and blues at Mayo Performing Arts Center on Friday, November 13 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $25.00 to $50.00. Livestream is available for $20.00.

Krizan calls his music “blues-infused rock & roll with soulful swampy undertones.” One of the premier songwriters and producers in the New York area, Krizan has penned music as the lead guitarist of the popular jam band The Spin Doctors as well as for artists including Lenny Kravitz (“Stand By My Woman”), John Waite, and Gretchen Wilson. Scheduled to perform with him are Rob Clores (The Black Crowes), John Hummel, Muddy Shews, Bill Kelly, Tony Perruso, and more.

Based on current rules, MPAC can seat a maximum of 150 patrons for indoor events. All attendees must wear face coverings during the event. More information about MPAC’s health and Safety guidelines is available by clicking here.

Anthony Krizan first rose to fame in 1994 as lead guitarist for the commercially successful jam band, The Spin Doctors.  Once he took to the stage in his new role with the Spin Doctors, Krizan got right to work-bringing his electrifying guitar prowess and solid backing vocals to the group. He also wasted no time in lending his superb songwriting skills to the cause, co-writing the band’s third album, which included the theme song for Michael J. Fox’s hit TV show “Spin City”. In fact, five of Krizan’s songs made the Spin Doctors’ “Greatest Hits” collection, including “Miss America”, which was adapted for Howard Stern’s book that was released under the same title.

Anthony followed up on these initial successes with two major songs-including the Lenny Kravitz classic “Stand By My Woman” from Kravitz’s CD “Mama Said” (Virgin Records), which sold 5 million copies. “Stand By My Woman” was also selected for Lenny Kravitz’s “Greatest Hits” (Virgin), which attained the impressive sales mark of 10 million copies. Krizan also penned the title track for John Waite’s “When You Were Mine” (Pure Records)-which was also included on Waite’s “Greatest Hits” album.

Krizan’s rock roots run deep-having performed as a guitarist with Noel Redding, bassist of The Jimi Hendrix Experience for 10 years. Noel Redding and Anthony became great friends, as well as musical partners. The years to follow included a long list of songwriting credits on numerous albums, movie sound tracks, and television show themes. This includes Krizan co-writing “Dust and Bone” for Gretchen Wilson’s “Right On Time”-with the song also being recorded by blues/rock legend Pat Travers. “Dust and Bone” was additionally picked for the second track on Universal country artist TIM HICKS’ album, which opened at #1 on the SoundScan Country Album Charts. These industry endorsements contributed to making “Dust and Bone” the obvious choice for the title track for Anthony’s debut album.

Krizan is the 2013 recipient of the ASCAP Foundation Jay Gorney Award for the song he co-wrote with Cheryl Daveiga, “Home Don’t Feel Like Home”. He is the owner of Sonic Boom Studios in Raritan.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Surrogate Heather Darling called for all Morris County residents to join her in a moment of silence to pay respect to America’s veterans and their families, as we honor them this Veterans Day, November 11.
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“I am grateful to our veterans for their service and sacrifices on behalf of our nation. These brave men and women have served us without hesitation,” Darling said. “It is unfortunate, that due to COVID, we are not coming together, as we have in the past, in ceremonies that honor our Veterans. Although there will be virtual recognition, I am asking that we take a moment in thought and prayer for these selfless individuals.”

God Bless America and God Bless our Veterans.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County’s Open Space Trust Fund Committee recommended the award of $1.49 million in county preservation grants for six 2020 open space projects, totaling 69 acres located in five Morris County towns.

The projects were presented to the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders at a virtual public hearing.  Included are projects in Kinnelon, Mendham Borough, Morris Plains, Parsippany-Troy Hills, and Washington Township.  They range from a 1.6-acre tract in Mendham Borough, which adjoins borough parkland, to a 36-acre forested tract in Washington Township that abuts farmland preserved through a project sponsored by the nonprofit Trust for Public Land.

The freeholders will make a formal decision on the grant recommendations at the board’s Monday, November 23, virtual meeting. Public phone and web access will be posted before the meeting.

Funding for the projects will come from the voter-approved Morris County Open Space & Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, which is generated by a special county tax. The funding source also is used for farmland and historic preservation, county parkland acquisition, trail construction, and the purchase of residential properties prone to flooding.

Jay Thomson, who chairs the 15-member Morris County Trust Fund Committee, presented the recommendations to the freeholder board, noting the recommended awards range from $84,825 to $659,000.

“We would like to thank you, the Freeholders of Morris County, for your continued support of the Open Space & Farmland Preservation program,’’ said Thomson.  “These projects have made a lasting impact on the quality of life of the residents of Morris County.”

“Morris County’s careful and strategic practice of preserving open space for the public is why our County is consistently rated one of the best places in the nation to live, work and raise a family. This ongoing effort is one of the most important government functions the Freeholder Board oversees, and we are dedicated to continuing this program to the benefit of our residents and future generations,” said Freeholder Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, the board liaison to the committee.

A portion of the county’s Open Space Tax, which this year is 3/4ths of 1 cent per $100 of assessed property value, is used to fund open space preservation. Any of the 39 municipalities in the county and qualified charitable conservancies are eligible to apply for project funding.

The Open Space grant program has helped preserve 12,706 acres in 36 of the county’s 39 towns since the awarding of grants started in 1994. Morris County voters approved the program in November 1992.

For details on each project click here.

The following is a look at the 2020 Open Space Recommendations:

1. Boonton Avenue Recreational Facility, Kinnelon

• Applicant – Borough of Kinnelon
• 17 acres
• Recommended Award – $150,000
• Description – This property is located on Boonton Avenue at the intersection with Fayson Lake Road. The Borough of Kinnelon has utilized this property for recreational use since 1974, and had a lease agreement with the Town of Boonton, the owner from 1974 to 2019.  The Borough is interested in purchasing rather than entering into another lease with the Town of Boonton.  This would enable Kinnelon to be the owner of the facility that they invested in, and will ensure that the facility is available for the residents of Kinnelon in perpetuity.  The Town of Boonton is a willing seller and the Borough is currently in negotiations with the Town to acquire the property.

2. United Methodist Church Property Acquisition, Borough of Mendham

• Applicant – Borough of Mendham
• 6 acres
• Recommended Award – $220,000
• Description – The project site covers 1.60 wooded acres behind the United Methodist Church in Mendham Borough, located at 10 East Main Street. The property is surrounded by existing parkland owned by Mendham Borough on Park Avenue (Mendham Borough Park).  The project site is forested with mature trees.  The Borough envisions maintaining the forested nature of the site and features a walking trail that connects to the active recreational uses in the surrounding Borough Park.  The project site is important for the Borough because it represents the only area where the Borough Park can expand.

3. Watnong Brook Greenway, Morris Plains.

• Applicant – Borough of Morris Plains
• 29 acres
• Recommended Award – $204,000
• Description – The acquisition of this parcel is uniquely important to the Borough for two reasons: (1) preservation of natural habitat, prevention of stream encroachment, and flood mitigation, and (2) preservation of an existing path connecting multiple neighborhoods. The portion of the proposed preserved property to the north of the Watnong Brook is heavily wooded with mature trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and native flowers.  The acquisition of this parcel will ensure that the existing path that connects multiple neighborhoods in the Borough will be preserved in perpetuity.

4. Kosut Property Acquisition – Parsippany

Applicant – Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills

• 44 acres
• Recommended Award – $659,000
• Description – The Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills is applying to the Morris County Open Space Trust Fund for the acquisition of the Kosut Tract for the future development of a park and recreational facility. The Kosut tract is located on Knoll Road across from the Boonton Reservoir (also known as the Jersey City Reservoir).  The property surrounding the Kosut Tract is already owned by the Township and makes up the 11.1-acre Fieldfair Property.  The Kosut Tract is the final parcel of land required to complete the Fieldfair Property.  The acquisition of the Kosut Tract has been a long-time goal of the Township.

5. Linking Open Space in Washington Township – Central, Washington

• Applicant – Washington Township
• 5 acres
• Recommended Award – $84,825
• Description – The Township of Washington is applying for the preservation of this 14.5-acre tract. This heavily wooded property contains some existing trails and one of the highest points in the township. The project will create connectivity with a 63-acre tract preserved for open space by Washington Township.

6. Linking Open Space in Washington Township – North, Washington

Applicant – New Jersey Conservation Foundation

• 06 acres
• Recommended Award – $180,000
• Description –The New Jersey Conservation Foundation is applying for the preservation of this 36.06-acre tract. This property is heavily wooded. This property’s direct access and gravel parking area off King’s Highway makes it an ideal location for a trailhead into future preserved properties.  The existing unimproved woods road on the property is an excellent foundation for a future trail network.

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.”