NJ Foundation Seeks Unsung Heroes

Nominations for the Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference due by Feb. 15.

Do you know of an unsung hero in Morristown, Morris Township, Morris Plains or another New Jersey town? The Russell Berrie Foundation, which works to foster continuity and enrichment of Jewish communal life in hopes of improving public health and strengthening local communities, is asking for nominees for the 2013 Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference. The group says New Jerseyans who have made a significant difference in their communities through a heroic effort or a lifetime of service are eligible for cash awards of up to $50,000. Members of the community are invited to nominate state residents whose deeds make them worthy of recognition. Nominations will be accepted through Feb. 15.   Established in 1996 by the late Russell Berrie…

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'Special Needs Registry' Signup Encouraged for Emergencies

Service offered statewide.

Morris Township officials are encouraging those with, and those with family members that have special needs to register on the "Special Needs Registry." "We have learned from the past two years of hurricanes, snowstorms and flooding issues that preparation is the key to a successful weathering of an emergency," according to a press release. "In an effort to assist and support the special needs residents of Morris Township, the Morris Township Committee in conjunction with the Board of Health is encouraging residents who require special or extra assistance to register on the Special Needs Registry." Examples of special needs included, according to the release, whether a person uses oxygen continuously or only once in a while, requires …

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Lecture to Discuss Garden State's Changing Weather

Rutgers Center for Environmental Prediction professor to discuss why New Jersey's weather is changing at 1 p.m. at Morris Plains Community Center.

Hurricane Sandy left an indelible imprint on the state. While some were able to get power restored within a week—a feat that many at the time thought was terrible in and of itself—over two weeks later some remain out of their homes and in the thick of the storm's fury. This has prompted some to ask, "why is New Jersey's weather changing," whichi s the title of a Morris School District Community School lecture scheduled for 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Morris Plains Community Center on Jim Fear Drive.   Anthony Broccoli, director of the Rutgers Center for Environmental Prediction will discuss what to expect of the changing weather in our state, and its profound effects on our environment and society. "If you’ve worried about weather over the …

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Weisenbeck, Scagnelli Receive Service Medals

Local Vets Honored.

Navy veteran John Scagnelli of Morris Plains and Court Assignment Judge Thomas L. Weisenbeck of Morris Township were honored for their service to country Wednesday. They were among ten veterans presented with military service medals by the Morris County Freeholders. The presentation took place prior to the freeholders' meeting in Morristown.  This tradition started in 1999 when the freeholders presented medals to veterans who had participated in the D-Day invasion or the liberation of France during WWII. More than 9,000 medals have been awarded to date, honoring military service from WWII to the present. The most recent recipients were: Army  Robert Pilkington of Long Valley Ben Suntag of Rockaway Francis Nardi of Rockaway Terrance Cozza …

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Just Your Ordinary Vegan

The Office: Working Toward Being Vegan-Friendly

The menu looks promising, but the salad leaves you craving more.

The Office has been one of my favorite Morristown bars for a long time. Whether for Happy Hour or Wednesday-night Trivia, it's just one of those local joints where my friends and I love to have a couple of pints. Before last Wednesday, I'd never actually looked at the menu. As I sat down with friends, I was immediately at ease: the waitress brought over a bowl of fresh vegetables, rather than the traditional bread basket. What a nice way to start a meal. I munched on the carrot sticks, avoiding the cup of ranch dressing meant for dipping, as I started to browse the menu. At first glance, it looked incredibly promising: build-your-own burritos, large salads, a veggie burger, a hummus and pita appetizer. "This is going to be so easy," I …

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Protesters Call on Frelinghuysen to be Constituent Voice

Attendees demanded congressman vote to raise debt ceiling before default.

Though he likes to consider himself a moderate Republican, protestors in front of 25th District Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen's Schuyler Place office on Tuesday said the 16-year veteran of the U.S. House of Representatives has been anything but. And, protestors said, the politician needs to be a voice for the people he represents, not for his party. On this day, that voice was telling the congressman to vote to raise the country's debt ceiling before Aug. 2, the date the U.S. has been said could default on a $14.3 trillion deficit. "We need to bring attention to Frelinghuysen for people who don't agree with the way he votes," said Susan Niculescu, one of the lead organizers for the rally, which was assembled by the Morris Council for …

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42 NYC Kids Arrive Via Fresh Air Fund

Host families met at Unitarian Fellowship in Morris Township.

A bus-load of New York City children arrived in Morris Township Friday–courtesy of the Fresh Air Fund–and their New Jersey host families were there to greet them.  The Fresh Air Fund, an independent, not-for-profit agency, has provided free summer experiences to more than 1.7 million children since 1877.

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A Car Buff Cruises Into the Sunset

Joe Mazzone, 82, of Morris Plains.

One of the most interesting folks we've met in the ten months since Morris Township-Morris Plains Patch launched was Joe Mazzone, 83, of Morris Plains, who passed away last week. We met Joe at Community Park in Morris Plains, where he was showing off his prized 1956 Ford Fairlane at a car show to help raise funds for the Borough School eighth grade class trip to Washington, D.C. He told us about his lifelong interest in cars and pointed out the handmade sign he kept taped to the Fairlane's window, "82+ and still cruising."  In a fitting tribute, his funeral procession proceeded around the Morristown Green, led by fellow car buffs in a beautiful collection of vintage vehicles. Kevin Coughlin of Morristown Green captured some of it on video…

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