MORRIS COUNTY — Jockey Hollow will come to life on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7 as re-enactors from across the Northeast arrive for the park’s Grand Encampment.

The special event focuses on the life and times of soldiers and civilians during the Revolutionary War. It’s an event full of activities for the whole family.

Highlights for the weekend include demonstrations in the camp of cooking, sewing, and other camp chores, military maneuvers, and musket firing, and a special “children’s muster,” where children can learn to drill and march like Revolutionary soldiers.

The event opens at 10:00 a.m. each morning and concludes at 4:00 p.m. each afternoon.

The schedule is as follows:

Saturday, April 6

• 10:30 a.m. Inspection of the Troops
• 11:00 a.m. Firing Demonstration and Drill
• 1:00 p.m. Firing Demonstration and Drill
• 1:30 p.m. Children’s Drill
• 3:00 p.m. Firing Demonstration and Drill
• 3:30 p.m. Children’s Drill
• 4:00 p.m. Camp Competition– Musket Speed Loading and Cannonball Toss

Sunday, April 7

• 10:30 a.m. Children’s Drill
• 12:30 p.m. Inspection of the Troops
• 1:00 p.m. Firing Demonstration and Drill
• 1:30 p.m. Children’s Drill
• 2:00 p.m. Camp Competition – Trap Ball and Three Men’s Morris
• 3:00 p.m. Firing Demonstration and Drill
• 4:00 p.m. Regimental Assembly Retreat for the Evening

Note: At 2:00 p.m., Sunday, April 7, the park will host folk singer/songwriter Gordon Thomas Ward. This special concert of New Jersey and history related songs will take place in Morristown NHP’s Washington’s Headquarters Museum, 30 Washington Place, Morristown. Admission is free.

All activities are free and take place at Jockey Hollow.  For more information call (973) 539-2016 ext. 210 or click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Business owners looking for new strategies to grow their companies will have an opportunity to hear from leading experts in such areas as branding, peak performance, sales and more at Morris Growth Con 2019 at County College of Morris.

Morris Growth Con 2019 will bring together eight nationally recognized motivational speakers on Monday, April 15. The event, running from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., takes place in the Student Community Center at CCM, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph.

Organized by Jacobi Enterprises, together with CCM and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, the event will offer business owners the opportunity to learn how to stay on track with their growth plans, better meet the needs of the marketplace, keep their teams motivated and inspired, and stay ahead of their competition.

“CCM is highly regarded for the quality of its academic programs, but the other part of our responsibility is to support businesses,” said CCM President Anthony Iacono.“As I like to say, our business is to make your business work even better and Morris Growth Con is designed to help accomplish that.”

“We’re bringing together world-class experts to equip business owners to grow their companies,” said James Jacobi, owner of Jacobi Enterprises. “Top-down leadership is the key ingredient to the success of business and this is an excellent venue to obtain new ideas and strategies to grow your business.”

Speakers at the event will include Tricia Benn, executive vice president of the C-Suite Network; Coach Burt, coach for aggressive-minded companies and individuals; Roddy Chong, world-premiere violinist and business motivational speaker; Danelle Delgado, international speaker and business strategist; David Meltzer, CEO of Sports 1 Marketing; Hank Norman, brand builder and media mogul; Jason Sisneros, public speaker, entrepreneur and philanthropist; and Lee Smith, CEO of Sales Fuel, one of the top leading sales consultants of 2018.

“Entrepreneurship is on the rise and Morris County is the home of innovation, determination and potential,” said Jacobi. “Morris Growth Con is designed to help business owners to take advantage of the opportunities to grow in our thriving community.”

“The synergy that will be there will be absolutely explosive and exciting,” added President Iacono. “I think that we’re going to see a lot of partnering, a lot of great ideas being exchanged, and a lot of businesses coming together for our future on that day.”

The cost of the event ranges from $97.00 for live stream, to $197.00 for general admission. To register click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Park Police Department will be cracking down on distracted drivers during the month of April as part of New Jersey’s UDrive. UText. UPay. enforcement campaign.

Beginning on Monday, April 1, and through April 21, the high visibility law enforcement initiative will target motorists who engage in dangerous distracted driving behaviors, such as talking on hand-held cell phones and sending text messages while driving.

“My Officers are encouraged to be on the look-out for these violations year-round, but we will be especially vigilant during the month of April. Drivers can consider this their warning,” said Morris County Park Police Chief Gabe DiPietro.

Eric Heitmann, Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, said that New Jersey is one of only four states nationally (also Maine, Connecticut, and Oregon) to qualify for and receive dedicated federal grant funding to combat distracted driving.

“This is clearly one of the most critical traffic safety issues that we face today,” Heitmann said. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2016 alone, 3,450 people were killed in distracted driving crashes and an estimated 391,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver.”

In New Jersey, driver inattention was listed as a contributing circumstance in 53 percent of the state’s crashes in 2016. Driver inattention was in fact listed as a contributing factor in crashes at a rate nine times higher than that of the next highest contributing factor, which is speed.

The campaign is being carried out during the month of April, which the National Safety Council has designated as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The New Jersey campaign is modeled after similar successful high visibility enforcement programs such as Click It or Ticket and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

MORRIS COUNTY — Integrity House, one of the largest nonprofit providers of substance use disorder treatment in the state of New Jersey, with locations in Morris Plains, Newark, Secaucus, Jersey City, and Toms River, will host its annual Golf Classic at Essex County Country Club on Monday, May 20. Proceeds from the event will support the important recovery programs and services provided by Integrity House.

“The annual Golf Classic is one of the key fundraisers Integrity House holds to support our mission of providing treatment and services for individuals suffering from substance use disorders. Each year, we are grateful for the opportunity to educate the public on the disease of addiction as well as encourage those struggling with this disease to seek out available resources,” said Robert J. Budsock, President and CEO of Integrity House. “We’re privileged to have corporate and individual support as their generous contributions allow us to continue to serve and provide life-saving treatment to those who need help.”

Expected to attend are members of the Newark corporate community and individual donors of Integrity House. The event will commence at 10:30 a.m. with registration, followed by lunch. The shotgun start is at 12:30 p.m. and guests are invited to stay for cocktails and dinner, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The hole-in-one prize for this year’s outing is a two-year lease on a Mercedes-Benz C-Class car, courtesy of Morristown Mercedes-Benz. In addition, there will be a raffle for a fabulous Donald Ross Pinehurst golf experience trip for two to one of golf’s most prestigious and desirable locations, with breakfast/dinner, accommodations and three rounds of golf on exclusive courses included.

Founded in 1887, Essex County Country Club has sustained their reputation as being the oldest in New Jersey and the sixth oldest in the country. The club has a long and distinguished list of members. The club counts a former US Secretary of State, a former US Secretary of Navy, two former US Senators and three former NJ State Governors as well as many luminaries of business and the arts. Known for its long and challenging golf course, Essex County Country Club one of the premier courses in the Tri-State area. Through the Integrity House Golf Classic, golfers will have the opportunity to play on the premium courses.

Groups and individuals are invited to register for the Golf Classic by contacting Cristina Dios at (973) 642-5893 or by emailing events@integrityhouse.org. If you are not able to attend the Golf Classic but would still like to show your support, sponsorship opportunities are available and donations of prizes and merchandise for the raffle are welcome.
For more information on Integrity House and the full continuum of care it provides, click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Morris County Prosecutor’s Office in partnership with the Randolph Township Board of Education, held their first 21-21 Community Policing Project of 2019 with the theme of “Juvenile Justice” and a focus on Computer and Internet Safety. The 21-21 Community Policing Project is a community outreach and education program implemented by New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal in 2018. This two hour event was held at the Randolph Township Middle School.

Morris County First Assistant Prosecutor Tom Zelante and Shongum Elementary School Principal Dr. Clifford Burns delivered welcoming remarks prior to the presentation. Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Dan Gallagher discussed the dangers of the internet for children and teenagers, as well as techniques to monitor and protect children while they are using the internet. Following the presentation, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Samantha DeNegri, Detective Supervisor Patrick LaGuerre and Detective Gallagher held a question and answer session for the approximately 100 parents in attendance.

Following the question and answer session, Executive Director of Deirdre’s House Maria Vinci-Savettiere and Clinician Mirella Suarez discussed the services that Deirdre’s House provides for child victims of abuse and/or neglect in Morris County. The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office works closely with Deirdre’s House, and it was beneficial for both agencies to provide the parents with helpful information.

Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said, “I would like to thank the Randolph Township Board of Education for partnering with our office in hosting this important program. Technology’s role in society continues to grow and as it becomes more integrated into our lives and our children’s lives, we need to ensure that our children are using it safely”.

MORRIS COUNTY — Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11) toured Jersey Battered Women’s Services (JBWS) in Morris County, and alongside JBWS President Diane Williams announced her support for the bipartisan Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (VAWA). First signed into law in 1994, the 2019 reauthorization enhances judicial, law enforcement, and healthcare tools to better serve survivors of violence, and expands housing protections for survivors.

“The programs, protections and funding provided under VAWA help groups like Jersey Battered Women’s Services get women in our state the care and support they need,” said Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill. “When one out of three women in the United States experiences domestic violence, there is no question that Congress must once again come together and reauthorize VAWA with broad bipartisan support. Gaps in the current law were identified by survivors as well as advocates like JBWS, and I’m particularly proud to support the effort to strengthen VAWA.”

“We are so pleased that Congresswoman Sherrill has made the issue of domestic violence a priority and is co-sponsoring the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA),” said JBWS President and CEO Diane Williams. “It was wonderful to host a tour of our emergency safe house so that she and her staff could get a first-hand look at the tremendous need for the many services in place for the families fleeing the most dangerous domestic violence situations. JBWS answers 6,000 helpline calls each year; shelters up to 12 families at a time in the safe house; delivers safety planning, counseling, case management and children’s services; and provides a full-service transitional living program with 11 fully furnished apartments. These services are only made possible with the more than $400,000 we receive from VAWA annually. Clearly, we can’t afford to lose this money and still do the full array of critical work we do.”

Jersey Battered Women’s Services is a non-profit domestic violence agency in Morris County. Since 1978, the shelter has provided protection, empowerment, and rehabilitation for victims of domestic violence as well as advocacy and public education about domestic violence.

MORRIS COUNTY — The 2019 American Cancer Society Relay for Life will take place on Saturday, May 18, at the Parsippany Hills High School, 20 Rita Drive, Parsippany, from 4:30 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Registration will begin at 3:00 p.m.

This year’s event is being dedicated to Sean Ries, Hannah Cerullo, and Emma Wyman. All three of these superheroes have battled a form of pediatric cancer and are our inspirations for this year’s Relay For Life event! A portion of proceeds from this year’s event is being directly fed into pediatric cancer research.

Anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers are encouraged to join the celebration. As the survivors walk, other participants touched by cancer in some way, will cheer them on in a demonstration of support and celebration. All survivors and their caregiver are invited to attend a very special dinner given in their honor at 5:30 p.m.

The Relay For Life is a community event where teams and individuals come together to honor, celebrate, and raise funds and awareness in an effort to free the world from the pain and suffering of cancer. There are three points to every Relay for Life Event, Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back. The celebration portion includes a special dinner for any cancer Survivor and their Caregiver. The remembrance portion includes a moving Luminaria Ceremony in which friends and loved-ones lost to cancer are remembered. The entire event is a way of fighting back against cancer by raising the much needed funds. 93% of the money raised will help the American Cancer Society provide free information and support for people facing the disease today, and fund continuous cancer research that will help protect future generations from all types of cancer.

We invite everyone to attend this Relay For Life event, the theme for this year’s Relay will be “Superheroes” There will be inspiring speakers that have been touched by cancer, special music, themed laps, a Frozen T-shirt contest, face-painting for children, games and other fun activities, entertainment throughout the course of the event, as well as food, beverages, goodies and so much more.

By supporting Relay For Life, you help the American Cancer Society save lives, and that helps us move closer to our ultimate goal of a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

Thanks to our sponsors: Garden State Elite Volleyball Club, Western Pest Services, South Street Yoga & Nutrition and Parsippany Applebee’s.

If you are a cancer survivor, caregiver or have been touch by cancer in some way and would like to be part of the Relay For Life event click here, or call Cori Mastropolo at Cori.Mastropolo@cancer.org or call (973) 285-8043.

PARSIPPANY — Insurance options for New Jersey consumers remain limited and costly. Assemblywoman BettyLou DeCroce wants to allow residents to purchase policies from any other state in the country.

“Trenton tells us to shop around for the right coverage, but the choices are few and far between and policies can be unaffordable,” said DeCroce (R-Morris). “We should be able to travel out-of-state to save some money.”

Residents and employers under the bill (A5274) may purchase any insurance policy sold in another state, including health, auto, and worker’s comps provided they meet state requirements.

“More alternatives create competition within the marketplace. Buyers benefit from better coverage and cheaper premiums,” DeCroce said. “It’s a global economy today. People shop online, buying clothes, tools and shoes from anywhere in the country. Insurance shouldn’t be any different.

“A handful of powerful corporations control insurance in our state. That’s not the best situation for the little guys, the families, small business people, and retirees. This will give residents an opportunity to cut expenses on some of the most costly items in their annual budgets,” DeCroce concluded.