MORRIS COUNTY — The United Way of Northern New Jersey and the United Way of Hunterdon County have jointly launched the ALICE Recovery Fund (#ALICErecovery) to help support working families who are have lost their jobs, businesses, or had a loss of income due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ALICE stands for Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed, and focuses on employed people earning more than the federal poverty level, but who are struggling financially and maybe living paycheck to paycheck and unable to save for emergencies.

The newly created fund is strictly limited to assisting residents of Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Suburban Essex, Sussex, and Warren counties. (Suburban Essex includes the Caldwells, Cedar Grove, Essex Fells, Fairfield, Glen Ridge, Livingston, Millburn-Short Hills, Montclair, Roseland, and Verona.).

Eligible households will receive a minimum financial award of $500.00. Applicants must provide documentation that their household income qualifies as falling below the ALICE Threshold prior to the pandemic. In addition, applicants must show a loss of income due to the pandemic, beginning February 1, 2020.

The income guidelines are as follows:

• Single adults must have had an annual income below $35,560 without dependents or no more than $88,128 with two or more dependents.
• Two adult households must have had an annual income below $52,444 without dependents or no more than $103,836 with two or more dependents.
• Complete the application online on the United Way website. Also, check our Frequently Asked Questions about the ALICE Recovery Fund.

Please check this out for frequently asked questions around the ALICE Recovery Fund. For more information click here.

As the need is great, United Way asks that anyone who can afford to donate, please consider making a tax-deductible gift to the ALICE Recovery Fund. Donations can be made to the ALICE Recovery Fund online by clicking here.

MORRIS COUNTY — Community Hope will hold its 19th Annual Flag Day 5K Run and Fun Walk again this year, but it has been nicknamed the Social Distance Run and Walk.  This year, the 5K and Walk will be held virtually, challenging walkers and runners from all corners of the world to come together in support of homeless veterans.  Participants are asked to complete their 5K run or 1-mile walk on or before June 11, and track their results using the Strava app.  Results, including time and distance, will then be uploaded to Community Hope, and prizes will be awarded in various age groups.

Details and registration can be found through the Community Hope website by clicking here.

All participants will receive a free t-shirt.  The fee to participate is $30.00 for each runner and $20.00 for each walker.  All proceeds from the event will go directly towards Community Hope’s Hope for Veterans Program serving homeless veterans and at-risk veteran families.

Sponsorship opportunities are also available and all sponsorship packages include free registration for teams ranging from three to twenty participants.

“This is a great event for a great cause,” says Carmine V. Deo, Community Hope Executive Director. “It is our only event of the year, completely supporting our Hope for Veterans program.  We at Community Hope believe that no veterans should ever be homeless and we work every day to give the gift of hope to veterans who need it because when someone has hope, anything is possible!”

 Community Hope, a non-profit organization since 1985, employs a team of over 150 and helps hundreds of people annually, including veterans and their families, overcome mental illness, substance use, and homelessness.  The organization provides clinical case management and support, transitional housing, affordable housing, and homeless prevention services.

MORRIS COUNTY —  Morris County has risen to 4455 an increase of 128 cases since last reported on Tuesday, April 21. A total of 309 deaths have been reported in Morris County. In New Jersey a total of 95,865 with a total of 5,063 deaths.

The County of Morris, in partnership with Atlantic Health, is offering drive-thru COVID-19 testing at the County College of Morris, Dover Chester Road, Randolph, NJ 07869, in parking lot 1. Testing is scheduled beginning at 9:00 a.m. and is for Morris County residents only. There is no fee for the test.

To sign up for an appointment online click here for details.

The figures reflect COVID-19 positive cases as of the date and time indicated, some cases which may be pending, or have yet to be entered into the system.

Please note the following limitations and provisos related to the data above:

• COVID-19-related deaths are not included in this data. Visit the State of NJ COVID-19 Dashboard for a summary of death totals.
• Pursuant to HIPAA, specific identifying health information of persons testing positive or who have passed due to the virus will not be released.
• Data reflects COVID-19 positive cases on dates and times indicated; some cases may be pending and are not yet entered.
• Data may not include cases with incomplete or incorrect street addresses or PO boxes. Such cases require additional investigation by local health officials.
• Figures do not include persons under quarantine/isolation due to exposure and who have not tested positive.
• The numbers, especially higher numbers, do not necessarily reflect community spread in a specific town. Various factors may be related to high numbers, such as increased testing and facilities with high-risk populations.
• This data should not be used to gauge if heightened precautions are needed in specific towns. Social distancing, hand hygiene, and preventive steps must be followed at all times regardless of the number of cases in a municipality.

MORRIS COUNTY — Assemblyman Brian Bergen says for Murphy to continue protecting the health of state residents, he must have an equal focus on the state’s economy.

“He’s right in one sense,” said Bergen (R-Morris). “If the health care system fails, there will be severe, long-term economic consequences. However, if the economy fails, there will be severe, long-term health consequences. That is the part missing right now. You can’t have one without the other.”

Murphy has insisted that efforts to deal with the economic consequences of shutting down the economy have to wait until the state fully recovers from the coronavirus pandemic. He has said multiple times that “then, and only then, do we position ourselves to fully ignite our economy and get the residents of our state back to work.”

Nothing precludes Murphy from focusing on both simultaneously however, says Bergen.

“We can help people protect themselves without creating another widespread depression mentally and financially,” continued Bergen.

Bergen also noted that one out of every six workers in New Jersey are now unemployed while only one in 26 were unemployed just a month ago.

He urged Murphy on Monday to include an economic adviser at his daily briefings on the state’s response to the coronavirus crisis.

MORRIS COUNTY — On this 50th anniversary of Earth Day, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Acting Chief of Investigations Christoph Kimker would like to remind residents to think globally by acting locally. Earth Day is celebrated on Wednesday, April 22.

Many of us are spending our time at home by visiting nearby open spaces. Morris County citizens can do their part during their walks by keeping a lookout for potential violations that impact our air, rivers, lakes, wooded areas and wetlands.

Working in conjunction with local, state and federal law enforcement, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Environmental Crimes Unit is made up of specially-trained investigators and assistant prosecutors who are prepared to hold polluters accountable.

Prosecutor Knapp thanks residents for their vigilance while they stay healthy and enjoy the outdoors.

To report suspicious activity, contact your local police department or the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Arson/Environmental Crimes Unit at (973) 285-6200.

MORRIS COUNTY — MPAC launched its Friday Facebook Live series on Friday, April 10. MPAC plans to air a new live concert every Friday for the next four to six weeks. Concerts are recorded and can be viewed at later dates. The concert will take place on April 24 at 12:30 p.m., featuring country duo October Rose. The concert can be viewed on MPAC’s Facebook page by clicking here.

Passion. Drive. Determination. That’s what Leanne Weiss and Derek Allan bring to country music. You won’t find them sitting still, nor can you try to stop them.

Long before their formation as country duo October Rose, these two were separately chasing similar dreams with the same level of ambition, but in different states.

Growing up in the suburbs of Northern New Jersey, Leanne idolized vocalists like Celine Dion and Barbra Streisand, writing songs through her teenage years and performing wherever she could in whatever genre she could. After about divine inspiration, Weiss took a chance and recorded her first country EP. “I saw Carrie Underwood in concert, and couldn’t sleep that night. My desire to pursue my dreams was so strong.” Weiss quickly garnered opening slots for Kenny Rogers, Dierks Bentley, Michael Ray, Russell Dickerson, and Kristian Bush of Sugarland, plus shows at classic venues like Nashville’s The Bluebird. Despite her success, she considered throwing in the towel and putting her music career on hold. “I was feeling frustrated,” says Leanne. “I didn’t know what my next move would be after three years of recording and performing.”

Three hundred and sixty-five miles away in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Derek was on a musical journey that began at age 11, when his mom gave him a gift that would change his life—his first guitar. “She bought my dad, my brother, and me guitars for my dad’s birthday,” Derek recalls. “I started taking lessons.” He actively honed his skills as a musician, songwriter, singer—and bodybuilder. Though growing up partial to 80’s hair metal bands like Warrant and Def Leppard, it was undeniable that country music was in his blood. Before long, Derek was performing his original songs and quickly establishing himself in the Pittsburgh music scene. Opening slots for prominent bands like The Stickers were paving the way for him to make his mark in his home city.

Then in early 2016, a job change brought Derek to New Jersey, unaware of the story that fate had in store for both he and Leanne. After stumbling across Leanne’s music video, Derek contacted her via Facebook, wanting to make some new friends in country music. The two chatted and Derek came out to one of her shows. “I wound up sitting next to her mom, who talked her daughter up,” says Derek. When Leanne took the stage with her band, Derek knew mom was right. The two met after the show and became fast friends, hanging out and writing music together. “When we started harmonizing together, it was like the world stopped,” says Leanne. “We knew we had something incredible.” Suffice it to say, she wasn’t about to give up on music anytime soon, and fate was moving her into a new direction. Derek knew then his move to New Jersey was his destiny.

Since their formation, October Rose’s momentum grows stronger by the day. “Heartbreak Song,” the emotional song that started it all, gained critical acclaim and traction on the country music charts. And with a rigorous schedule of performing all over the country, this duo continues to win audiences over with their energetic stage performances.

Their debut EP, “All In” features six songs, including the motivational title track. “All In” is our follow-up to ‘Heartbreak Song,” in that it epitomizes the strength of our partnership as a duo and our desire to go ‘all in’ with our dreams,” says Derek.

October Rose’s latest track, “Different Kind of High” was released on March 13, 2020.

MORRIS COUNTY — New Jersey’s citizens remain locked down while the economy suffers, and the administration continues to deny doctors the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat their patients.

“New Jersey is behind the curve and we’ve got to catch up,” said Senator Pennacchio (R-1). “Doctors must be unshackled so they can follow the lead of their colleagues around the globe who are using HCQ responsibly and safely. Lives depend on it, and the re-opening of our economy depends on it.”

Recent statements by Turkey’s health minister and a retrospective analysis of coronavirus date from nations around the world have yielded more evidence that hydroxychloroquine can prevent the onset of potentially fatal pneumonia in virus victims and notes a clear disparity in the spread of the disease between countries using the anti-malarial drug and those that are not.

Most of the patients who moved to intensive care or placed on ventilators are there because they have developed pneumonia.

“Many countries prescribe this drug to intubated patients. However, our science board suggested that the drug is really beneficial in the early stages to prevent the spread of the virus in the body,” Turkish health minister Fahrettin Koca explained in a published report. “We believe beginning early treatment [with this drug] played a big role in reducing the rate of lung infection among the patients.”

Koca told Middle East Eye, a London-based news outlet, that the drug was effective against pneumonia, which is seen as one of the leading causes of death from the virus.

Statistics released by the Turkish health ministry showed that since beginning the treatment, new cases of lung disease among coronavirus patients significantly, down by 20 percent.

“We believe beginning early treatment [with this drug] played a big role in reducing the rate of lung infection among the patients,” Koca noted.

In an analysis titled “Countries Which Primarily use Antimalarial Drugs as COVID-19 Treatment See Slower Dynamic of Daily Deaths,” published on Elsevier’s health research portal SSRN and authored by Maxime Izoule compared daily COVID-19 deaths in 16 countries. The research compared those countries that used HCQ in treatment against those who did not.

“We find major differences in death rates, with countries using antimalarial drugs faring better than those which do not,” the report stated in its conclusion. “The difference in dynamics is so striking that we believe that the urgency context commands presenting this analysis before delving into further analysis.”

“The political and medical debates will continue, but there is growing proof HCQ can help control coronavirus in our communities and keep people alive while scientists scramble to find a cure,” said Senator Pennacchio. “New Jersey is a hotbed for coronavirus, and time is not on our side. “Unshackle doctors and allow them to tools to treat their patients.”

MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of Freeholders will meet on Wednesday evening, April 22, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the meeting will be held via a telephone conference call that is open to all county residents.

The Freeholder Board’s work session that had been scheduled for April 22 at 4:30 p.m. in Morristown has been canceled. Instead, there just will be one public meeting via phone at 7:00 p.m.

The Freeholder Board held similar phone-in sessions for its meeting on March 25 and April 6.

“County government still has a vital obligation to continue operating, to be sure we serve our residents in this time of need. But we also have to be aware of the need for public distancing and to avoid large gatherings,” said Freeholder Director Deborah Smith. “We invite you to listen in to our meeting and to participate in the comment portion of the meeting, and I look forward to meeting you in person at our future meetings.”

Residents are invited to call into the April 22 meeting:

Call: 1-201-546-5293

Guest Passcode: 439862

Residents are asked to mute their phones as they listen, and to speak only during the public comment period. Please try to “line up” politely with other callers during the comment period. It would be much appreciated.