MORRIS COUNTY —  Morris County has risen to 3169 and increase of 487 cases since last report from Friday, April 10.

The figures reflect open COVID-19 positive cases as of the date and time indicated, not cases which have been closed, some cases which may be pending, or have yet to be entered into the system.

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 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 — The Legislature voted to approve a measure (S2342/A3915) sponsored by Assemblywomen Aura Dunn and Yvonne Lopez and Assemblyman Brian Bergen to allow nonprofit corporations to hold meetings in part, or solely, by means of remote communication during a state of emergency.

Dunn, who has extensive experience in the nonprofit sector working for Sesame Workshop (the nonprofit board for Sesame Street), Jump Start: Children First (an early education organization), and Morris Habitat for Humanity, said she was made aware of a law that treated for-profit and nonprofit corporations differently. For-profit corporations had already been afforded the ability to meet virtually, but there was no law extending that right to nonprofits.

“When the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey brought this lack of parity to my attention, I immediately authored this legislation to level the playing field,” said Dunn (R-Morris). “The truth of the matter is, nonprofits are doing the work of the people 24/7 during this crisis. My bill now prevents any unnecessary interruptions in the delivery of their services.”

The bill amends the New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation Act to remove the requirements that meetings be held in a physical location during a state of emergency. Under current law, meetings of members must be held in-person and there is no provision to allow members to participate remotely.

“Non-profit organizations are often times the backbone of our communities, whose collective efforts make a difference in the everyday lives of our residents,” said Lopez (D-Middlesex). “Every one of us, including these organizations, must find ways to continue to do work from a safe place, practicing social distancing and helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This small technical change in the law will aid organizations who continue to do their best to help those in need.”

During states of emergency, nonprofit corporation members participating remotely would be deemed present and allowed to vote.

“With the technology we have today, remote meetings are not only possible, but very practical,” said Bergen (R-Morris), a member of the VFW and American Legion. “It allows nonprofits to save money and time on reserving physical space and increases accessibility to these meetings. We have to keep up with the times and evolve under the current circumstances.”

If signed by the governor, the act would take effect immediately.

MORRIS COUNTY — County College of Morris (CCM) has received a $235,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support the launch of a Data Science Certificate program.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there is a high demand for data scientists, whose work involves managing, analyzing and interpreting large sets of data. The BLS 2018 projections indicated that data science analytic jobs will grow by 34 percent by 2026, much faster than the average for most other industries.

The CCM Data Analytics Certificate will consist of five courses for a total of 15 credits that could be completed over the course of two semesters. Students in the program will learn R, Tableau, Python and SQL. The first course Introduction to Data Science will be offered this fall. One of the chief goals of the new program is to increase the number of women and other underrepresented students studying data analytics.

Kelly Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of mathematics at the college, has been spearheading the initiative to provide a pathway to data science careers for Morris County residents and beyond. Prior to joining the CCM faculty, Fitzpatrick worked in hedge fund management as an execution trader with Trigon Investment Advisors. Her other experience includes derivatives and equity strategy at MLC International and credit and global risk management at Lehman Brothers.

“Businesses across all industry sectors, both small and large, are increasingly looking for ways to leverage the era of big-data to make strategic, marketing, sales and other operational decisions,” notes Fitzpatrick. “This grant is a fantastic opportunity to offer students cutting-edge courses for in-demand careers and for the college to be recognized at the national level for advancement in data science education.”

The NSF grant includes funding to support the Women in STEM club at the college, networking and supplemental learning activities for students in the program, and professional development opportunities for faculty.

Individuals interested in the program, first need to apply to the college. Applications can be submitted online by clicking here.

The Admissions office also can be reached at [email protected] or (973) 328-5100.

MORRIS COUNTY — Governor Phil Murphy has signed Executive Order No. 123, extending grace periods during which certain insurance companies, including health insurers, life insurers, and property and casualty insurers, will not be able to cancel policies for nonpayment of premiums during the COVID-19 crisis. (Click here to read Executive Order 123)

“We know the stringent measures we’ve put in place to combat COVID-19 have resulted in a loss of income and financial hardship for many,” said Governor Murphy. “However, no New Jerseyan deserves to lose their insurance during this emergency, and we cannot leave people in a weaker position once it ends.”

Governor Murphy’s Executive Order makes the following changes:

Extends minimum grace periods

• A minimum 60-day grace period is required for health and dental insurance policies.
• A minimum 90-day grace period will be required for life insurance, insurance premium-financing arrangements, and property and casualty insurance, which includes auto, homeowners, and renters insurance.
• Insurance companies must notify policyholders of this emergency grace period and to waive certain late fees, interest, or other charges associated with delays in premium payments as directed by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.
• Insurers are required to provide each policyholder with an easily readable written description of the terms of the extended grace period.
• The extended grace periods does not apply to employer-funded health plans, which under federal law, are regulated exclusively by the federal government.

Requires insurance companies to pay claims during the grace period

• Insurance companies are required to pay any claim incurred during the emergency grace period that would be covered under the policy.
• The Order further prohibits insurance companies from seeking to recoup any claims paid during the emergency grace period based on non-payment of premiums.

Ensures that unpaid premiums are made payable over a lengthy period

To ensure that policyholders are not required to make a lump sum payment on unpaid premiums at the end of the grace period, any unpaid premium will be amortized over the remainder of the policy term or a period of up to 12 months, as appropriate and as directed by the Commissioner of Banking and Insurance.

MORRIS COUNTY — As a result of anticipated weather for Monday, April 13, the Morris County drive-thru testing site located at the County College of Morris will be closed.

Anyone who had an appointment scheduled on Monday can reschedule for Tuesday, April 14. Morris County Office of Emergency Management staff is working to contact all of the persons Monday appointments to assist with rescheduling.

Appointments now can be scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, April 14 and 15. For information and to make an appointment visit click here.

IMPORTANT: To be tested, you must be in a vehicle, must have identification, must have an appointment and must have a prescription from a medical provider.

The Morris County COVID-19 drive-thru testing site is located at CCM, Center Grove Road, Randolph, NJ 07869. Residents with appointments must use the Center Grove Road entrance (see map) to access the site.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook, including a high winds watch, which is in effect tomorrow April 13 from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The current forecast also calls for rain from about 4:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m., with totals of 1½ to 2 inches.

Some thunderstorms — with a risk of strong-to-severe storms — are forecast between about 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m.

The severe storm chance is 30 percent with wind gusts of 50-to-65 mph possible. Background winds will be strong from 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and strongest between about 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Sustained winds: 15-30 mph; frequent gusts: 40-50 mph; peak gusts: 55-60 mph.

MORRIS COUNTY —  Morris Catholic High School Visual and Graphic Arts teacher, Arlene Sullivan has joined the grassroots team effort to use her 3D printer technology, to work with NJ high school robotics teams and collaborate with private and public sectors to use 3D printing technology to help ease face shield shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Jersey currently has the second largest number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States.

“Fate has brought us all together, says Sullivan, a 15 year veteran at MC. I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend a 3D printing workshop sponsored by MakerBot and hosted by Picatinny  a few years ago, where I met Shahram Dabri and received a 3D printer.  We have been in contact ever since for ongoing workshops.”

Shahram Dabri, STEM Manager of the Education Office at the U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, is reaching out to his contacts at over 400 New Jersey schools to enlist their support. Last month Picatinny Arsenal sponsored a two-day workshop for more than a dozen NJ teachers with advanced training on 3D printing and CAD, or computer-aided-design. The workshop and a MakerBot 3D printer for their students to use in school were gratis to the teachers.

Upon receiving a request for help from Shah this past Thursday, Sullivan immediately sought help to upgrade her home computer for the 3D printing task looking for help through former MC tech person, Richard Heywood, Technology Services Manager for the Somerset County Educational Services Commission and, Senior Consultant for PeggNet Computers, and her son, Jonathan Sullivan, a graduate of NJIT, EIT. Both jumped through hoops to help Sullivan make this happen, with Rich lending one of his updated laptops and Jonathan manning the installation.  Each print takes a minimum of two hours and thirty minutes.

The 3D programs for the medical mask pieces came from Jim Hoffman, STEM teacher at Newton, High School, and the coach of the Varsity Robotics Team for the past eleven years.

Jim received a request from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School student Rohan Sawhney to help make Personal Protective Equipment – specifically face shields for healthcare.

All understand the urgent need.  Sullivan’s younger brother, a doctor in Sparta and his wife both tested positive for the virus and were hospitalized. It was pretty dicey for awhile. Hofmann’s son Justin, a graduate of Newton High School and 2017 graduate of Rutgers NJMS, is currently a third year resident working on the front lines at University Hospital in Newark.

The effort, named “PPE Made in America,” has a goal of making 1,000 face shields locally using 3D printers to make the headband portion.

Hofmann leveraged his network of STEM partners and sent an email describing the project with what materials were needed and the associated costs.

The first to respond was Alex Cable, CEO of Thorlabs, Inc., a Newton-based optical equipment company. Cable said currently their priority project is UV Sterilization Chambers for possible N95 mask reuse. Cable committed his engineering staff to prototype headband samples, and then output on his company’s 3D printers, as well as assist in sourcing PETG .02 (polyethylene terephthalate glycol), a sheet of tough plastic material that completes the face shields. Thomas Sinner’s engineering team at Thorlabs will cut the large PETG sheets into smaller, more manageable sizes.

Mark Maruska and Adam Zuedima of Gravity DesignWorks in Newton volunteered to cut the smaller PETG sheets into finished face shields.

New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program CEO John Kennedy, Ph.D., also answered the call. NJMEP, a not-for-profit that works with New Jersey’s small to mid-sized manufacturers, is helping with supply chain and sourcing PETG.

David Romano of RoNetco Supermarkets, Inc., owner of eight local ShopRite grocery stores, has pledged financial support, as has Kristin Prigmore of the Prigmore Science Foundation.

Shahram Dabri, STEM Manager of the Education Office at the U.S. Army Picatinny Arsenal in Dover, NJ, is reaching out to his contacts at over 400 New Jersey schools to enlist their support. Last month Picatinny Arsenal sponsored a two-day workshop for more than a dozen NJ teachers with advanced training on 3D printing and CAD, or computer-aided-design. The workshop and a MakerBot 3D printer for their students to use in school were gratis to the teachers.

Several neighboring high schools with robotics teams and 3D printers who are normally competitors are also pitching in to help, including those from Lenape Valley, Mount Olive, Vernon and now Morris Catholic.

“I am honored to be a part of this, to be able to make a positive difference during this uncertain time,” says Sullivan

“In this crisis, it’s all hands on deck, and great to see everyone come together in the effort” Hofmann said. He added “If any business or school has spare 3D printing capacity, we could sure use your help.”

MORRIS COUNTY — “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” with items donated from Stop & Shop (Morris Plains) were able to prepare and distribute 37 Easter baskets.

The baskets were made by the Kraus family and Finaldi family. The baskets were delivered by the team at Kraus Marketing: Justine Roche, Sam Codd, Michelle Kraus and Nicholas Kraus.

Thirty-three baskets were distributed to the children of Jersey Battered Women’s Service and another four for the children of St Peters Village Orphanage in Denville!

In just three weeks, “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” supplied over 2,100 meals to various groups, first responders, hospital employees and more. The group received $38,000 in donations, purchased $1,500 PPE for Parsippany Police and Parsippany EMS. They have 3,981 members of their FaceBook group (Click here). In addition they paid out over $23,000 to local businesses by purchasing meals.

Northpointe Bank sent $3,400 directly to the Jersey Women’s Battered Shelter; Donations from Stop and Shop for Easter baskets for 37 kids in Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter and St. Peters Village Orphanage.

“And a great feeling of community and as much positive that could be out there in this tough time,” said Chris Mazzarella, one of the groups organizers.

To request a meal, volunteer or to donate click here.

MORRIS COUNTY — “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” supplied 60 home-cooked meals to the clients of Homeless Solutions.

The meals were prepared by Jeremiah’s Catering and Cooking School, 84 North Beverwyck Road, Lake Hiawatha.

Chris Mazzarella said “The food looked so good I almost couldn’t help from eating the meals.” In addition to the meals, the group supplied some “stress balls” which were donated by an anonymous Parsippany resident.

Homeless Solutions, “Providing a Hand UP, Not a HandOUT.” They offer shelter, services, and supportive housing to the homeless and working poor in Morris County.

In two short weeks, “Parsippany Supporting Our Town” supplied over 2,100 meals to various groups, first responders, hospital employees and more. The group received $38,000 in donations, purchased $1,500 PPE for Parsippany Police and Parsippany EMS. They have 3,981 members of their FaceBook group (Click here). In addition they paid out over $23,000 to local businesses by purchasing meals.

Northpointe Bank sent $3,400 directly to the Jersey Women’s Battered Shelter;  Donations from Stop and Shop for Easter baskets for 37 kids in Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter and St. Peters Village Orphanage.

“And a great feeling of community and as much positive that could be out there in this tough time,” said Chris.

To request a meal, volunteer or to donate click here.