East Hanover_December 2024 by My Life Publications..Maljon LLC

EAST HANOVER FLORHAM PARK

BY EVAN WECHMAN STAFF WRITER

WHIPPANY - Whippany’s

Lisa Hodorovych knew when she was telling her family stories as a child, that she wanted to be an author as an adult. She loved entertaining them with wonderful characters and clever plots. Fast forward several years later, Hodorovych was pursuing her bachelor’s degree in creative writing at Fairleigh Dickinson University which required a thesis involving a creative fictional piece. Though she received an A grade on the 80-page assignment, she was not fully satisfied with her work.

“After a while, for whatever reason, something clicked in my mind to work on it, to develop it, to expand on it more, and create this novel. And it took me, I graduated 2009 so over, over 10 years, 13 years, I guess, to do it. But I did,” Hodorovych says.

The result was the publication of her first novel in 2022 titled The Disappearance which converted her thesis to a 200page novel which both thrilled and frightened adult readers.

Hodorovych’s writing cuts across several genres.

“I’m technically in suspense, thriller, horror. paranormal, supernatural, with comedy and romance and a little bit of action mixed in. And the reason why I got into it is because it’s something I grew up with. I watched all different types of movies when I was little. I watched Predator, I watched The Lost Boys. I watched Ace Ventura at the time. I watched all those type of movies and that damsel in distress but can kick your butt type of character I’ve always loved. I always loved that type of story where there is the damsel in distress

and somebody comes to rescue her, but putting I guess you can say a modern twist on it, that damsel can protect herself. She does get scared, and she may be a little weak, a little defenseless, but she can still protect and defend herself. That’s something I’ve always been fascinated with,” she says. Hodorovych recently came out with a sequel to her first novel, titled He’s Here! which was a big hit with the readers of her first novel. Due to the overwhelming success, she is

Brooklake Elementary Third Graders Get

New Dictionaries From Florham Park Rotary Volunteers

FLORHAM PARK - There were two “Words of the Day” for Brooklake Elementary Third Graders when the Florham Park Rotary volunteers conducted their annual visit. In timing with the borough’s 125 Anniversary year, “Anniversary” and “Volunteer” were the words students searched for in their new dictionaries.

Rotarian Bob Feid, a past-president, helped establish this annual gifting and distribution of dictionaries to each of the Third Grade students more than 20 years ago and current president Damion Bernard continues this popular program. Students are encouraged to write their names in their dictionaries at the start of each 20 minute class, and are assigned to find the words of the day. Students learned to search alphabetically, and raising their hands to volunteer, students read the definition. Then students were asked to use the word in a sentence.

To reinforce the learning, Rotarian Kristen Jankowski suggests upon reading this article that parents and grandparents of Brooklake Elementary School students ask their student to find the words “anniversary” and “volunteer” again and read those definitions. Be sure to note that

“volunteer” is both a noun and a verb!”

The Table of Contents was also reviewed where students found the Constitution, Sign Language, a list of the United States Presidents and their bios, the States, the latest list of planets (no Pluto!). Since the dictionaries belong to the students now, each was encouraged to explore in their own time.

One student pointed out that the longest English word was listed in their dictionary. It was 1,909 letters! One joked that was even longer

Winner from November’s “Find Hank the Hornet Mascot” Contest

East Hanover, Claire Bogan; Florham Park, Jack Howarth; East Hanover and Giuseppe Di Popolo; Florham Park. The ads that “Hank the Hornet” were in: Amish Mike, Rainbow Travel, Window Works, Jackson Eye Care, Kids World Pediatri Dentist and East Hanover Community Partnership. Thanks to everyone who enter and congratulations to our winners!

than “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”

The Rotarians stressed the importance of having a dictionary and referring to it to help build vocabulary and of improving and in leading successful lives.

“As you continue your education at different levels of schooling, building a good vocabulary will be the foundation of leading successful lives,” advised Peter Nicolas, Rotary Sergeant-at-Arms. “Your teachers, in the Third Grade now will work with you” continued Rotarian George Gregor. The 3rd Grade Teacher Team: Mrs. Jill Acluri, Mrs. Colleen O’Brien, Mrs. Kathleen Pasculli, Mrs. Kathleen Cogan, Ms. Amy Volker, Ms. Stacy Marchesano and Ms. Wendy Rufolo.

Exclaimed Principal Robert Foster, “We are very grateful for the Florham Park Rotary Club’s generous donation of dictionaries and time to Brooklake’s 3rd grade class. The Rotarians provided a meaningful lesson to our 3rd graders, teaching students how to properly use their dictionaries. This annual event

at Brooklake School demonstrates the value of community support and educational enrichment. The Rotary Club’s contribution not only provided our students with an academic lesson but also strengthens a strong community bond between our students and the greater Florham Park community. We are grateful for their partnership in shaping the academic futures of our students.”

As the students also learned, the Rotary is an organization of business and professional persons united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and strive to build good will and peace in the world. A group of nice people who meet once a week to make the world a little better place to live.

To learn more about the Florham Park Rotary, visit www.florhamparkrotary.org, check Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ groups/428768947164657or perhaps attend a breakfast meeting at the Florham Park Diner, held every Friday, from 7:47am-8:47am.

Whippany Author Fulﬁlls Dream by Thrilling Readers

Candy for the Troops

Free ‘Holidays In Hanover’ Concert

WHIPPANY - Mid-December is the perfect time to get into the holiday spirit, and a free concert will certainly make the yuletide bright!

The Hanover Wind Symphony will present a free “Holidays in Hanover” concert on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 3 p.m., at Memorial Junior School, 61 Highland Ave., in Whippany. This concert is part of the 40th anniversary season of the renowned 85-member wind band.

Joining the HWS musicians

will be the Morris Music Men, under the direction of Nate Barrett.

Speaking about the upcoming holiday concert, Matthew Paterno of Parsippany, musical director and conductor of the Hanover Wind Symphony, says, “Our annual ‘Holidays in Hanover’ concert has been an integral part of the holiday season for our entire HWS family. We look forward to again sharing the concert with the won-

This Halloween candy was collected for treats for troops and goes directly to the soldiers. Specifically this candy is being shipped to Texas, Fort Bliss. We have collected right under 1000 pounds. Donated by community members, nonprofits, and patients from Helix Dental.

Brooklake Pajama Day photo with students, Rotarians George and Judy Gregor, Peter Nicolas, Damion Bernard and Principal Foster. Photo credit David L. Kramer for the photos.

In the Holiday Spirit: (from left) Ayden Khan, HWS assistant musical director and guest conductor; Ester Musilli of Montville, trumpeter and guest conductor; and Matthew Paterno of Parsippany, HWS musical director and conductor.

Building Alliances through Disaster Recovery

FLORHAM PARK - This year

three major hurricanes caused major destruction as Beryl and Milton were Category 5 Hurricanes, closely followed by Category 4, Helene.

On July 3, 2024, Hurricane Beryl made landfall in Jamaica. The storm had been a Category 5 with maximum sustained winds of 165 mph — making it the strongest July hurricane ever recorded, beating Emily in 2005, according to the National Hurricane Center. By Tuesday night when it hit Jamaica, it was a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds and heavy and persistent rainfall that brought flooding. That led to devastation and destruction of communities.

As the government of Jamaica issued disaster warnings and launched planned disaster management, Rex Lyon, a 50year member with the Florham Park Rotary, recommended the club consider assisting efforts underway in Jamaica to aid restoration and recovery. Florham Park Rotary club president

Damion Bernard approved the action, leading to open dialogue and inquiry into existing activities by Rotary Clubs in Jamaica.

Florham Park Rotarian Karol Williams contacted President Paul Brisset of Downtown Kingston Club in Jamaica. She learned that their local club had initiated efforts to do partial restoration work at the Mountainside Primary School in the Parish of St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, teaming with other Rotary Clubs in Jamaica’s District 7020.

The school has been an agent of change in the community. The Florham Park Rotary and the Rotary Club of The Caldwells joined on this restoration project to uplift the community and enhance education.

Restoration work to be done included but was not limited to:

Repainting classrooms

Redesign ceiling fans

Restoring electricity and power.

Simone Campbell, Florham Park Rotarian and a Past Club

President, had already been planning on going to Jamaica. She was then able to personally deliver a check from the two New Jersey Rotary clubs to help Mountainside Primary School. She also exchanged Rotary banners. (See photo).

Rotary International is a nonpolitical and nonsectarian organization open to all people regardless of race, color, creed, religion, gender, or political preference. There are 46,000 clubs in 200 countries worldwide dedicated to bringing together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and to advance goodwill and peace around the world.

To learn more about the local Florham Park Rotary, guests are welcome to attend a weekly Rotary breakfast meeting at the Florham Park Diner at 182 Ridgedale Ave. Those meetings are also held via Zoom to provide the option for members who can’t physically

Stuff Those Stockings with Skin Care Solutions

AREA - Even if you have the perfect gifts picked out for your nearest and dearest, there’s still time to add some stocking stuffers that are sure to please all the favorite ladies in your life.

The holidays are the perfect time for gifting special skin care solutions they will love.

Formulated for all ages and skin types, these curated formulas address multiple skin challenges for a wonderfully healthy glow. Ideal for slipping into a stocking at the last moment, thoughtful skin care products can show just how much you care.

To find solutions for your loved ones this holiday season, visit herbacinusa.com

7 Skin Care Solutions

Women of all ages and skin types can find a formula that fits their lifestyles from Herbacin’s Skin Solutions Series, which includes seven products formulated with 100% natural, vegan ingredients to combat and alleviate any number of skin issues. Designed to integrate into a daily skin care regimen, they address various challenges

Photo courtesy of Adobe such as dry and cracked skin, acne, psoriasis or pigmentation marks. Skin issues that affect external appearance can also lead to mental stress, making it important to address them with dermatologically tested solutions.

Specialty Products to Tackle Skin Issues

Some skin problems are triggered by stress and genetic predisposition while others are caused by an unbalanced lifestyle and diet, hormonal

Whippany Author...

FROM FRONT PAGE

working on a new vampire trilogy with the first installment coming out later in 2025. She credits her love of reading for her success and growth as a writer. She reads a little bit of everything from horror novels to self-help books to give her writing the depth she is looking for.

“Every author that I do read helps me in some way to move a story along with dialogue, and all other aspects. Every single author I ever read does help me in some way understand the writing process,” she says.

This understanding has enabled her small business, Quoth the Writer to coach other aspiring authors develop their manuscripts into published books. Hodorovych loves practicing the art of writing and passing it on to others, when she is not busy focusing on her own projects. She believes both her books as well as her pupils should be a temporary departure from reality for the reader. Her goal for her own writing is to make a unique connection with her reader during the limited time the book is in their

imbalances or environmental influences. It’s important to meet your skin issues head on with products formulated for the challenge like Herbacin Creamy Face Wash, a plantbased cream that provides deep cleansing for the face, neck and decollete for a clean feeling without drying skin. Designed for women who enjoy the sun, Age Spot Primer reduces pigmentation spots with a langsat tree extract.

attend frequently in the Diner. Meetings are 7:47 a.m. to 8:50 a.m. every Friday. More ways to learn more about the Florham Park Rota-

ry are to visit www.FlorhamParkRotary.org, check Florham Park Community TV (Channels 21 for Cablevision and 35 for Verizon), or call or write Mem-

bership Chair George Gregor at ggregor@florhamparkrotary. org or 917-848-0982.

hands.

“My writing is definitely more for an adult crowd, people who love horror, people who love the supernatural, or cryptic especially, may get a kick out of it. I also want people to understand the way I write; I try to include you(reader) in the story. I try to draw you in so much that you feel like you’re sitting there with the main character listening to her tell her story.”

Readers can order her books on her website at Books | Lisa Hodorovych - Author

Holiday Concert...

derful and energetic Morris

Music Men. The concert finale is a combined work for both the Hanover Wind Symphony and the Music Music Men, titled ‘A Little Christmas Carol.’ This piece was compiled by Elaine Schlatter of Hackettstown, who grew up in Whippany, and features the voice of the HWS, Dr. James Sodt of Sparta, and longtime trumpeter Paul Berman.” Schlatter is vice chairman of the HWS board, the HWS archivist, and a founder of the wind band.

Among the pieces to be performed at the “Holidays in Hanover” concert are the following:

“A Christmas Overture” by Nigel Hess

“As All the Angels Sing” by Rob Romeyn

“White Christmas” by Irving Berlin/arranged by Robert R. Bennett

“Silent Night in Gotham” by Julie Giroux, with Ayden Khan as guest conductor

“Winterscape” by Gavin Lendt, with Ester Musilli as guest conductor

“Home Alone” by John Williams/arranged by Paul Lavender

“Chanukah Is Here,” a traditional melody/arranged by Cal-

vin Custer

“A Little Christmas Carol” by Elaine Schlatter

Guest conductor for “Winterscape” Ester Musilli of Montville built a career around playing and teaching music, and embraced the opportunity to join the Hanover Wind Symphony as a trumpet player in 2021. Her formal training includes studying trumpet with Dr. Craig Davis from William Paterson University as well as with Scott Natzke from the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki. The HWS guest conductor has been a middle school band director in the Parsippany-Troy Hills school system for over 30 years and has also worked as a marching band brass consultant within the Morris County area.

Guest conductor for “Silent Night in Gotham” Ayden Khan is currently the director of bands at Soehl Middle School in Linden. He was previously director of bands at Neptune High School since 2017. He received his master’s in percussion performance, as well as his bachelor’s in music education, from Montclair State University. He regularly performs in New Jersey, New York City, and Philadelphia. Additionally, Khan has taught master classes

and coached percussion ensembles and drum lines in several different schools in New Jersey. He was the first recipient of the merit-based Centanni Percussion Scholarship for showing excellence in artistic performance, advanced methods, and demonstrating high academic achievement. Among his numerous accomplishments, the guest conductor was honored with the opportunity to perform as the principal timpanist at Carnegie Hall, and on tour in Spain and Argentina with the Grammy Award-winning New York youth symphony.

The Hanover Wind Symphony is a unique extension of the great American tradition of adult music performance. One of only a handful of outstanding community-based adult wind bands in New Jersey, the Hanover Wind Symphony delights audiences of all ages by giving a contemporary twist to traditional favorites. The large orchestra, made up exclusively of woodwind, brass and percussion instruments, embraces as its mission bringing “music to people and people to music.”

For 40 years, the Hanover Wind Symphony has played to enthusiastic audiences. HWS members are volunteers who share a love for music and a

passion for enriching the cultural fabric of the community with the thrill of live wind band performances. By day, HWS members are accountants, engineers, teachers and executives. They come together to connect musically with others, share the enjoyment of music with live audiences, and help mentor the next generation of wind musicians.

The Morris Music Men have been treating northern New Jer-

sey audiences to the uniquely American form of vocal music known as barbershop harmony since the late 1950s. They are a chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the world’s largest men’s a cappella singing society. Their director, Nate Barrett, is a professionally trained musician. The Morris Music Men sing for civic and charitable organizations, private groups, local festivals and fairs, houses of worship, community events, and fundraisers. Their wide-ranging repertoire features America’s most popular music, from pop standards and Broadway show tunes, to country and rock. For further information about the Hanover Wind Symphony, visit www.hanoverwinds.org. And to learn more about the Morris Music Men, visit https://www.morrismusicmen.org/

New Jersey Ballet School Introduces New Programs for Dancers of All Skill Levels

BY MEGAN ROCHE STAFF WRITER

AREA - After revitalizing the New Jersey Ballet Company, Maria Kowroski and Martin Harvey are now restructuring the New Jersey Ballet School.

The new structured programs offer opportunities for dancers who are working towards a professional career (Student Division) and those dancers who participate in dance for fun (Open Division).

The Student Division has been crafted to prepare dancers from ages 9-18 to realize their potential and graduate into the Pre-Professional Program. Both programs have a rigorous structure, reflecting the level of dedication required to make the leap from beginner to student and from student to professional.

“The students in our Student Division will have a regular ballet technique class, they have pointe class, a pas de deux class, they have pilates, they have contemporary, they have

jazz, stagecraft class. There are also some new faculty teachers, so they are getting exposed to some really wonderful teachers that will help keep them on that professional track. Ballet is like any sport where there are so few that actually make it to the professional level, we want to give them the opportunity to do whatever they can to achieve their dreams,” Kowroski said.

However, the School’s commitment to fostering a welcoming environment remains strong, with accessible programs for younger students and recreational dancers still at the forefront. The Children’s Division will introduce young dancers, ages 4-10, to the joy of ballet, while the Open Division, ages 10 and older, offers flexible schedules and diverse classes in addition to ballet, such as Pilates, Tap, Hip-Hop, and Ballroom.

“We have some classes offered to the younger students

that are kind of set up like prep classes. They have the ability to see if ballet is something they want to do. The classes aren’t as demanding and offer more flexibility,” Kowroski said.

Harvey, who trained with the Royal Ballet in London and Kowroski, who trained with the School of American Ballet in New York City, are working in tandem to change the culture of the school.

“Today’s students face a culture filled with infinite options and external pressures,” Harvey said. “While strong training, discipline, and a healthy work ethic are critical, students also need authentic inspiration and genuine encouragement.”

When Kowroski took over the company in November 2021, she had a vision for what the organization would look like.

“It’s hard to reshape a company that’s existed for 65 years but I think Carolyn Clark, who

Did You Know?

AREA - According to the Zillow Home Value Index, the median value of homes in the United States increased dramatically between 2019 and 2024. Data from the online real estate listing service indicates the median value of a home in the U.S. in August 2019 was $243,386. Just half a decade later, that value had risen to $361,282, marking a 67 percent increase in median home value over that time. Housing prices have experienced an even greater uptick in Canada, where data from the Canadian Real Estate Association indicates that the average selling price

of homes sold in August 2024 was $717,800 CAD ($529,427.75 USD), a roughly 73 percent increase since August 2019, when the average homes sold in Canada went for $522,700 ($385,527.84 USD). The spike in housing costs has greatly outpaced inflation. In fact, according to a 2024 report from the real estate data firm Clever, if home prices had increased at the same rate as inflation since 1963, the median price of a home in the U.S. would be $177,511, which is less than half the median value reported by Zillow in August 2024.

Martin Harvey, New Jersey Ballet School Director, instructs students of all levels

founded the company, she wasn’t well the last years of her life and she wasn’t in the studio and there was no director. Coming in and having a direction and a vision for the company has helped reshape it and get it back on the map,” Kowroski said. Ultimately, Kowroski hopes to continue to add more opportunities for youth to be exposed to the world of ballet.

“We would love to see a lot more students attending classes here. I’d like to see all the student division classes really full and thriving. The younger the students that come in, the more ability we have to nurture them and take them on this journey. We really want to be the leading ballet school in New Jersey.

I love New York City, I spent 26 years of my life there and I love the city so much, but I think a lot of people have left the city and are now living in New Jersey, and I want the community to know that they have a school that is an elite program just like you would get in New York City right here in New Jersey,” Kowroski said. For more information on the New Jersey Ballet Company and School, visit www.njballet. org

In the Holiday Spirit: Preparing for the upcoming “Holidays in Hanover” concert are HWS performers Phil Hughes of Whippany, a tubist and former HWS president; Gail Lalk of Morristown, who plays the French horn; and bassoon player Marissa Raczynski of Stockholm.

A Fond Remembrance of the Christmas of 1963

BY RICHARD MABEY, JR. GUEST WRITER

AREA - The Christmas of 1963 holds a most endearing place in my heart. For it was a time when I took on a very special project and completed it all by myself. I was 10 years old at the time and in the fifth grade. I was now in the Webelos Cub Scouts. It was now mid November, and I was about to face a most challenging pursuit.

Dad had bought me a fullsized piece of plywood at the Circle Lumber on Route 23. The reason Dad bought me this wonderful gift, is that I wanted to create a little village for under the Christmas Tree. Using Dad’s old Plasticville stores and houses, I was going to create my masterpiece by painting roads and sidewalks and green grass onto this big piece of plywood. It was a project that was going to fulfill one of the requirements for community living for my Arrow of Light Award, the highest rank that a Cub Scout can earn. In mid November, Dad would leave for Maine or New Hampshire to bring New York

BY RICHARD MABEY, JR. GUEST WRITER

AREA - As most of you now, I have a heart disease known as Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It is a genetic disease caused by a mutation in the MY-H7 Gene. In Apical HCM, the smooth muscles in the walls of the heart ventricles become thick and hard. It causes early death, because the heart can no longer effectively pump blood to the body. Please know that this is a most basic and simplified explanation of Apical HCM. I can feel myself going downhill. A year ago, I could walk a mile around my neighborhood, without too much difficulty. Now, when I just walk around the block (about a quarter of a mile in length)

City its Christmas Tree. Dad made this annual journey for well over 25 years. It would mean that my father would be away from us, for a good week or so. As a child, I knew how much it meant to Dad to have such an honorable responsibility. But then, on the other hand, after a day or two, I would find myself missing his presence.

I was determined to create my little village from the large sheet of plywood, a few little cans of paint, and the array of Plasticville stores and homes, that Dad had from his days as a teenager. I set up Dad’s workbench, in the basement of the old Mabey Homestead, as my very own Central Command. I attacked this project with a certain amount of confidence, mixed with a pinch of self doubts and anxieties. I worked alone, while Dad was working all so hard, to bring New York City’s its tall and towering Christmas Tree.

It was a Saturday morning and I turned on Dad’s radio,

that he had on his workbench, and listened to my father’s favorite radio station, WOR-710. I found a certain comfort in listening to “Rambling With Gambling,” with the show’s host John Gambling.

I remember that it took me the greater part of that Saturday, to complete the fun-filled project. I was immensely proud of myself. I had set up the finished product on two saw horses. It was a sight to see, the little Plasticville homes and stores, neatly arranged on the big piece of plywood, with all the painted roads and painted grass abounding. I had completed the entire project, all by myself, from soup to nuts.

I remember the Christmas of 1963 with great fondness. My little village brought a certain joy and festive feeling to our Christmas Tree that year. I was all so proud of that little underthe-tree village.

There is a time for synergy, and working together with people, and holding to the old, one

for all and all for one outlook. However, there is something to be said for working alone to paint a landscape, to write a poem, to compose a song, to plan out a marketing strategy, or to build a little village from a big piece of plywood, a few little cans of paint and some Plasticville buildings. Sometimes, we underestimate a child’s ability to reach new heights and accomplish

wonderful things. As a parent, a grandparent, an aunt, an uncle, a teacher, or another adult role in a child’s life, there is a tendency to want to jump in, to help the child with a project that they are working on. Perhaps one of the greatest gifts that we could ever give a child, is the trust and encouragement to take on a project, completely on his or her own.

Love is the single most powerful force in the universe. And, sometimes a great love we can give to someone, is to step back and allow them to accomplish a tough task, all by themselves. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He has had two books published. He hosts a YouTube Channel titled, “Richard Mabey Presents.” He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@ gmail.com.

God’s Gentle, Whispering Call To Home

I get very winded. Sometimes I feel chest pains and get very dizzy, even after just walking around the block. Please do not feel sorry for me, I know I am saved by Christ’s love. I know I am going to Heaven. In the past couple of weeks, I have felt the presence of my late Shetland Sheepdog, Foxy, lying at my feet, as a I prepare for sleep. Sometimes, I awaken in the middle of night, I can feel Foxy’s paw hitting my legs. When she was alive, she would often sleep at the foot of my bed. When she needed to go out, she would awaken me by hitting my legs with her paws. Lately, I have been having a most realistic dream of Dad and I hiking the Appalachian Trail,

with the scouts of Boy Scout Troop 170. Dad and I walked week-long portions of the AT, over the course of eight different summers. While we are hiking, in my realistic dream, Dad talks to me about Heaven. In these dreams, Dad has told me many times that death is nothing to fear. That Heaven is a most beautiful place. Friends, to those of you who are faced with a terminal illness, and to those of you who are elderly, I share these words most sincerely and earnestly with you. God loves you more than you will ever know. Heaven is a real place. It is as real as the living room in your home. Death is not to be feared. Angels and departed loved ones,

will guide you Home to Heaven’s Gate. This is no joke. This is very serious.

If you are terminally ill or elderly, do not fear death for even one millisecond. Pray to God to bring comfort to your heart. Read the Holy Scriptures of your given faith. Love one another. Tell your loved ones that you love them. Forgive those whom have done you wrong. Love God with all your heart, mind and soul.

Know that this universe was created by an Infinite Intelligence, that is far beyond our comprehension. God loves you more than you will ever know. Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He has had two books published. He hosts a

truly with my dear, late Foxy.

YouTube Channel titled, “Richard Mabey Presents.” He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@ gmail.com.

Yours truly at 10 years old, during the Christmas of 1963, kneeing before my little Plasticville Village.

Yours

The Wizard of Menlo Park Lights Up the World

BY HENRY M. HOLDEN

AREA - Thomas Alva Edison

(February 11, 1847 – October 18, 1931) was born in Milan, Ohio. He grew up in Port Huron, Michigan, when his family moved there in 1854.

He was an American businessman and inventor who developed many devices including mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventions were a life-long driving force also include the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and an early version of the electric light bulb.

Edison struggled in traditional schooling and was labeled a troublemaker. Modern speculation is that Edison could have suffered from ADHD which coupled with hearing loss would have made traditional schooling challenging.

His mother, a former schoolteacher, taught Edison reading, writing, and arithmetic. He attended school but for only a few months in 1859. As a child, he became fascinated with technology and spent hours working on his experiments at home.

With 1,093 US patents in his name or jointly, (many with assistance of a dedicated staff) as well as patents in other countries, Edison is regarded as the most prolific inventor in American history. He also filed about 550-600 applications which were unsuccessful.

He was one of the first inventors to apply the principles of organized science and teamwork to the process of invention and collaborated with other researchers.

Early in his career he worked as a telegraph operator, which inspired some of his first inventions. In 1876, he established his first industrial laboratory in Menlo Park, where many of his early inventions were developed. He later established a botanical laboratory in Fort Myers, Florida, in collaboration with several businessmen, and a laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey, that featured the world’s first film studio. Called the Black Maria was used by Edison for more than 40 years.

He was the last of seven children born to Samuel Edison, Jr. and Nancy Edison.

In 1871, at the age of 24, Edison married 16-year-old Mary Stilwell. Mary died in February 1886. The marriage had produced three children. In February 1888 at the age of 39, Edson married 20-yearold Mina Miller. This union produced three children. Mina outlived Edison, passing on August 24, 1947.

Edison suffered from lifelong hearing loss, probably due to an inflammation of the mastoid bone, according to

doctors of the time. However, Edison reported that he had sustained a head injury during his work on the railroad.

His deafness was due to a bout of scarlet fever and recurring untreated middle-ear infections. He later created sophisticated stories about the cause of his deafness. He was completely deaf in one ear and barely hearing in the other. As he got older, Edison believed his hearing loss allowed him to avoid distraction and concentrate more easily on his work.

Edison began his career selling newspapers, candy, and vegetables on trains running from Port Huron to Detroit. He made a $50-a-week profit by age 13, most of which went to buying equipment for electrical and chemical experiments. At age 15, he saved 3-year-old Jimmie MacKenzie from being struck by a runaway train. Jimmie’s father, station agent J. U. MacKenzie was so grateful that he trained Edison as a telegraph operator. Edison’s first telegraphy job away from Port Huron was at Stratford Junction, Ontario, on the Grand Trunk Railway. He also conducted chemical experiments until he resigned rather than be fired after being held responsible for a near collision of two trains.

Edison obtained the exclusive right to sell newspapers on the road, and, with the aid of several assistants, he set type and printed the Grand Trunk Herald, which he sold with his other papers. This began Edison’s long streak of entrepreneurial ventures, as he discovered his talents as a businessman. Eventually, his entrepreneurship created some 14 companies, including General Electric, formerly one of the largest publicly traded companies in the world at the time.

In 1866, Edison moved to Louisville, Kentucky, where, as an employee of Western Union, he worked the Associated Press bureau news wire. Edison requested the night shift, which allowed him time to spend tine at his two favorite pastimes— reading and experimenting. Eventually, experimenting cost him his job. One night, in 1867, he was working with a lead–acid battery when he accidently spilt it onto the floor. It ran between the floorboards and onto his boss’s desk below. The next morning Edison was fired.

His first patent was for the electric vote recorder, which was granted on June 1, 1869. Finding little demand for the machine, Edison moved to New York City. One of his mentors during those early years was a fellow telegrapher and inventor named Franklin Leonard Pope. Pope who allowed the impoverished youth to live in the basement of his Elizabeth,

New Jersey, home, while Edison worked for Samuel Laws at the Gold and Stock Telegraph Company. The company paid Edison $40,000 for the rights to the Universal Stock Printer. Edison quit his job.

Soon Pope and Edison founded their own company in October 1869, working as electrical engineers and inventors. Edison began developing a multiplex telegraphic system, which could send two messages simultaneously, in 1874.

After his demonstration of the telegraph, Edison was not sure that his original plan to sell it for $4,000 to $5,000 was right, so he asked Western Union to make a bid. He was astonished to hear them offer $10,000 which he gratefully accepted. The quadruplex telegraph was Edison’s first big financial success, and Menlo Park became the first institution set up with the specific purpose of producing constant technological innovation and improvement. Edison was legally credited with most of the inventions produced there, though many employees carried out research and development under his direction.

William Hammer, a consulting electrical engineer, started working for Edison as a laboratory assistant in December 1879. He assisted in experiments on the telephone, phonograph, electric railway, iron ore separator, electric lighting, and other developing inventions. However, Hammer worked primarily on the incandescent electric lamp and was put in charge of tests and records on that device.

In 1880, he was appointed chief engineer of the Edison Lamp Works. In his first year, the plant, under general manager Francis Robbins Upton produced 50,000 lamps. According to Edison, Hammer was “a pioneer of incandescent electric lighting.

Frank J. Sprague, a competent mathematician and former naval officer, joined the Edison organization in 1883. One of Sprague’s contributions to

the Edison Laboratory was to expand Edison’s mathematical methods. Despite the common belief that Edison did not use mathematics, analysis of his notebooks reveal that he was a perceptive user of mathematical analysis conducted by his assistants, for example, determining the critical parameters of his electric lighting system including lamp resistance by an analysis of Ohm’s Law, Joule’s Law and economics.

Nearly all of Edison’s patents were utility patents, which were protected for 17 years and included inventions or processes that are electrical, mechanical, or chemical in nature. About a dozen were design patents, which protect an ornamental design for up to 14 years. As in most patents, the inventions he described were improvements over prior versions. The phonograph patent, in contrast, was unprecedented in describing the first device to record and reproduce sounds.

In 1878, Edison began working on a system of electrical illumination, something he hoped could compete with gas and oil-based lighting. He began by tackling the problem of creating a long-lasting incandescent lamp, something that would be necessary for indoor use. However, Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb.

In 1840, British scientist Warren de la Rue developed an efficient light bulb using a coiled platinum filament, but the prohibitive cost of platinum kept the bulb from becoming a commercial success.

These early bulbs were short-lived and required a high electric current to operate which made them difficult to apply on a large scale commercially. In his first attempts to solve these problems, Edison tried using a filament made of cardboard, carbonized with compressed lampblack. This burnt out too quickly to provide lasting light. He then experimented with dif-

ferent grasses and canes such as hemp, and palmetto, before settling on bamboo as the best filament. Edison continued trying to improve this design and on January 27, 1880, he was granted a patent for an electric lamp using “a carbon filament or strip coiled and connected to platina contact wires” The patent described several ways of creating the carbon filament including “cotton and linen thread, wood splints, and paper coiled in various ways”. It was not until several months after the patent was granted that Edison and his team discovered that a carbonized bamboo filament could last over 1,200 hours. In 1911, all of Edison’s businesses were incorporated into Thomas Edison, Inc.

Edison then began spending more time a home with his family and his good friend Henry Ford. He passed away October 18. 1931. He was 84.

Edison listening to an early sound recording.

BY STEVE SEARS

Remembering Singer\songwriter Bobby Caldwell

AREA - The late singer\songwriter Bobby Caldwell, the writer of the 1978 smash single “What You Won’t Do For Love,” would have been 73 this past August 15.

And even though is no longer with us, his spirit was very much felt that late summer day when his wife of 19 years, Mary, held a birthday celebration for him at their Great Meadows home.

Caldwell said, “A lot of folks who loved him were here. A lot of musicians. And, you know, it was a full-blown concert, with all songs written by Bobby.”

Bobby Caldwell died in March 2023 after suffering long-term side-effects from a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, which was an FDA black box warning labeled drug. Preparing to head to Japan, he sought medical advice for a

BY STEPHANIE SEARS STAFF WRITER

AREA - It is that time of year again. Stormy weather, cackling witches, and ghostly figures all rear their spooky heads.

Yes, Halloween has now passed, but William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is also now playing at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey in Madison from October 16 through November 17.

The play, directed by STNJ’s own Artistic Director Brian B. Crowe, pushes the envelop a little bit more in terms of how dark this production is willing to approach the story, the likes of which should not be revealed here for fear

runny nose and head cold, and a week later could not get out of bed.

His wife added, “It ruptured both of his Achilles tendons, literally while he slept. But worst of all, it caused peripheral neuropathy, which meant endless nagging, nonstop pain. It just really wore him down for six years and two months, and he died here at home in my arms. And that was on March 14, 2023.”

Caldwell met her future husband in Las Vegas. She said, “David Cassidy and a producer by the name of Don Reo launched a show called “The Rat Pack is Back!” It was at the Desert Inn (in Las Vegas), and David called Bobby and asked him to play Frank Sinatra because Bobby had released a few big band albums - kind of just for fun, really. He loved that genre, and

so Bobby was playing Frank in in Vegas, and I just happened to go to that show as a Sinatra fan, and he blew me away. He was fantastic.”

Bobby Caldwell’s initial album that bore his name went Double Platinum in the United States, and Platinum in Japan – and in 2024, “What You Won’t Do For Love” revisited Billboard in a huge way, going #1 on the Billboard TikTok charts.

Caldwell explained. “In the beginning of this year, some young lady, I do not know where she is from, had a bowl of fresh strawberries with chocolate drizzles on it, and it was sitting on what looked like her bed spread, and she used the song and filmed the bowl of strawberries. Well, it went viral, and it got something like half a billion views and millions of likes. It spun

Bobby Caldwell (credit: Mary Caldwell)

this whole food thing where people all over the place were filming food to the song, the same way it was with the horn riff in the beginning.”

Caldwell also wrote many songs for other artists, includ-

Play Review: Macbeth

(no pun intended) of spoilers. These aspects of the show should be freshly seen without any preconceived notions.

“With Macbeth, Shakespeare takes a deep dive into the psychology of a man who ‘chooses evil as his good,’” says Crowe. “At the beginning of the play, Macbeth is referred to as ‘worthy’ and ‘noble.’ The superlatives abound and he is established as a man to look up to, but even then the character speaks of unsettling thoughts such as ‘my murder which is yet fantastical.’ Even the most noble can have dark thoughts, and I think it’s important to explore these darker

recesses. Shakespeare shows us what can happen when we choose self-advancement over our connection with our fellow humans. Shakespeare does not shy away from it in his text, and we didn’t either in the production.”

The story is already one of Shakespeare’s darkest well known tragedies. It follows a man named Macbeth, played by Ray Fisher (who actually played the character before with the theatre’s touring company Shakespeare LIVE! back in 2009 as well), the Thane of Glamis who begins the play hailed as a battle hero. But when Three Witch-

es merely suggest that he has the potential to achieve even greater power, he, along with encouragement and influence from his ambitious wife and co-conspirator Lady Macbeth, played beautifully by Erin Partin (who later, through Lady Macbeth, portrays another character - something that is not commonly done and is one of the coolest moments and highlights of the show), goes through great lengths to make the Witches’ premonitions realities. Their consciences eventually suffer, leading to mental anguish and the lack of ability to decipher what is real and what is not.

The Three Witches, played by Ellie Gossage, Aurea Tomeski, and Felix Mayes, who all double as other characters as well throughout the performance, are clearly the best parts of the show. Yes, both Fisher and Partin have a central presence, arguably even more presence than other Macbeths and Lady Macbeths before them, but the Witches carry the show. The production’s creativity, especially with them, deserves much recognition. Before the play even begins as audience members enter the house and take their seats, thunder and lightning fills upstage. This is the

ing a co-writing credit for the 1986 #1 smash single, “The Next Time I Fall”, by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant.

Mary Caldwell said, “I sure wish he were still here. And he ought to be. I could not have

dreamt him up in my wildest dreams. He was just so right, and we had a great, wonderful marriage, and I am grateful. But it should have been longer.”

Witches’ domain. Their creepy figures and tones then remain lurking in the shadows, particularly when the characters are faced with decisions, or worse, the consequences of their actions.

Concluding The Shakespeare Theatre of New

Jer-

sey’s 62nd Season following Macbeth is Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, directed by Paul Mullins and playing December 4 through 29. Another seasonal supernatural tale, if it is anything like this year’s Macbeth, it will be interesting to see what it will deliver.

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

the Paris Summer Olympic Games, she knew it would be her last competition, and the hoped for goal was a gold medal.

Dubrovich said, “It is in its case right now. It has made its rounds, and it is now safely in its box, and hopefully will be in there for a little while longer.”

For Dubrovich, it is her lone Olympics gold medal, and it is also the first gold for USA Team Fencing since it first started competing in the sport in 1904.

First up was the individual competition, and Dubrovich lost a close bout to Hungary’s Flora Pasztor. She said, “There were feeling of just like immense sadness, knowing that was the last time that I would fence as an individual in the Olympics. And it took time - not too much time, because I had three days in between the individual and team events - so I kind of had to pick myself up and know that this was going to truly be my last competition. To give it my absolute all, and to leave it all out there.”

When Dubrovich and teammates Lee Kiefer, Lauren Scruggs, and Maia Weintraub had clinched their semifinal final match against Canada, they did just that. There was joy, but also immense focus as Italy stood between them and history.

“We knew that we could do it,” Dubrovich said, and they did, defeating Italy, 45 – 39.

“When we scored the final touch,” Dubrovich recalled, “I just remember just indescribable joy and relief that I was able to share with my teammates, our

national coach, and then also my coach, Brian Kaneshige, who is also my fiancé. It was just amazing.”

Celebrity Extra Couch Theater ENTERTAINMENT

fort in this strange bond with her own self. Available now to stream. (Amazon Prime Video)

“Olivia Rodrigo: GUTS World Tour” (TV-MA) -- Pop star Olivia Rodrigo kicked off her very first world tour earlier this year, with 97 shows spanning across North America, Europe, Asia and more. The Guts World Tour, aptly named to support her second studio album, Guts (2023), features a setlist with songs from the aforementioned album, as well as some major hits from her first album, which launched her singing career back in 2021. This film encapsulating Rodrigo’s latest tour was shot during the two dates she performed at Intuit Dome in Inglewood,

Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes and Michelle Williams became huge stars practically overnight when the teen drama series “Dawson’s Creek” began airing in 1998. All four have been acting steadily with varying degrees of fame and awards for their work.

In recent years, Van Der Beek starred in the Ryan Murphy series “Pose” and the animated series “Vampirina.” Next up for him is the Tubi original film “Sidelined: The QB and Me,” which is based on the hugely popular young adult novel “The QB Bad Boy and Me” by Tay Marley.

Van Der Beek, who is 47, recently shared that he’s been privately battling colorectal cancer but remains optimistic about his prognosis. In December, he’ll appear in the two-hour live special on Fox “The Real Full Monty,”

California, and is now available for all the “Livvies” to sing their hearts out to! (Netflix)

“Poolman” (R) -- Veteran actor Chris Pine (“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves”) decided to make his directorial debut with a comedy-mystery film, which is available now to stream. Pine also stars as the main character, Darren Barrenman, who is a pool cleaner for his apartment complex, The Tahitian Tiki. In his free time, Darren is an advocate and activist for several causes, which has gotten him on the bad side of city councilor Toronkowski. But when the councilor’s assistant, June, secretly divulges Toronkowski’s corruption to Darren, he agrees

with Taye Diggs, to help raise awareness of prostate, testicular and colorectal cancers.

*** Q: When is the new season of “Big Little Lies” coming back to HBO? Will all of the original stars be in it? -- L.L.

A:The prospect of a third season of “Big Little Lies” is very promising, but it’s still in the very early stages. Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon have both confirmed that the series is moving “fast and forward” once author Liane Moriarty delivers another novel on which the third season will be based.

Laura Dern, Zo√´ Kravitz and Shailene Woodley have all contacted Witherspoon about the status of the project, so it’s assumed that they’re eager to reprise their roles once a script is in place.

Send me your questions at

to set aside his pool pole to be-

come an amateur detective. Unfortunately, most of the reviews sounded off about the film’s shortcomings, so Pine will have to go back to the drawing board if he plans to continue directing. (Hulu)

“Music by John Williams” (PG) -- There’s no question that a movie isn’t complete without its score and soundtrack, and this is definitely the case for many of the projects that composer John Williams has worked on over his seven-decades-long career. Williams is a five-time Academy Award winner, having won Best Score for “Fiddler on the Roof,” “Jaws,” “Star Wars,” “E.T.” and “Schindler’s List,” and has been nom-

inated a whopping 54 times! (second only to Walt Disney.) This documentary highlights some of Williams’ greatest works and also features interviews from frequent collaborator Stephen Spielberg; actors

Pete Davidson (“Saturday Night Live”). Photo Credit: Courtesy of Peacock

Chris Pine, left, and Danny DeVito star in “Poolman.” Photo Credit: Courtesy of MovieStillDB

The History of Christmas

AREA - Christmas, celebrated annually on December 25, is one of the most widely observed holidays in the world, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. While its origins lie in Christian theology, the holiday’s history is a blend of religious tradition, pagan customs, and cultural evolution. Early Christian Roots

The celebration of Christmas as a Christian holiday began in the 4th century CE. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke in the New Testament describe the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, heralded by angels and marked by the visit of shepherds and wise men. However, the Bible does not specify a date for Jesus’ birth, and early Christians did not celebrate it.

December 25 was chosen for Christmas in 336 CE during the reign of Emperor Constantine, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. Scholars believe this date was selected to coincide with existing pagan festivals, particularly the Roman Saturnalia and the celebration of Sol Invictus (“The Unconquered Sun”), which marked the winter solstice. By align-

ing Christmas with these festivities, the Church sought to facilitate the acceptance of Christianity within the Roman Empire.

Pagan Influences

Many Christmas traditions have roots in pre-Christian winter festivals. Saturnalia, celebrated from December 17 to 23, was a time of feasting, gift-giving, and social reversal. Similarly, Yule, a Germanic pagan festival, honored the winter solstice with bonfires, feasts, and the use of evergreens, which symbolized life during the darkest days of the year. The Yule log, later adapted into Christmas customs, originates from this tradition.

The incorporation of these pagan elements helped Christmas evolve into a more inclusive holiday. Practices such as decorating trees, exchanging gifts, and caroling all have links to pre-Christian customs.

The Medieval Celebration of Christmas

During the Middle Ages, Christmas became a major feast day in Europe, combining religious observance with festive merriment. Churches held nativity plays and mid-

night masses, while communities celebrated with feasts, music, and dancing. The season of Christmastide, which lasted from December 25 to January 6 (Epiphany), was marked by various festivities, including “The Lord of Misrule,” where societal roles were temporarily inverted.

However, Christmas was not universally celebrated. In Puritan England and colonial America, it was banned in the 17th century for being too indulgent and pagan. It wasn’t until the 19th century that Christmas began to take on its modern form.

The Modern Christmas

The Victorian era redefined Christmas, emphasizing family, generosity, and goodwill.

Writers like Charles Dickens, whose novella A Christmas Carol (1843) popularized themes of compassion and redemption, played a key role in this transformation.

The introduction of Christmas trees, inspired by German traditions, became widespread after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert popularized them in the 1840s. Gift-giving, once associated with St.

Nicholas, also became central to Christmas.

Santa Claus, derived from St. Nicholas, evolved into a cheerful, red-suited figure through 19th and 20th-century advertising and literature. His modern image was cemented by companies like Coca-Cola in the 1930s.

Christmas Today Today, Christmas is celebrated worldwide, blending religious and secular traditions. For Christians, it remains a sacred holiday honoring the birth of Jesus. For others, it is a cultural event centered on family, generosity, and joy.

The history of Christmas reflects a dynamic interplay of faith, culture, and adaptation, making it a uniquely universal celebration.

The History of Hanukkah

AREA - Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Its origins lie in the events surrounding the Maccabean Revolt (167–160 BCE) and the Jewish fight for religious freedom. Celebrated on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar, Hanukkah holds significant historical and cultural meaning for Jews worldwide.

The Historical Context

ly violated Jewish religious laws and provoked widespread outrage. This led to the Maccabean Revolt, spearheaded by the Hasmonean family, particularly Judah Maccabee and his brothers.

The Maccabean Revolt

day.

The Miracle of the Oil

According to Jewish tradition, the small amount of oil miraculously lasted for eight days, giving the Maccabees enough time to prepare more consecrated oil. This event was seen as a divine sign of support for their struggle and became central to the Hanukkah story.

The Maccabees, a small band of Jewish rebels, waged a guerrilla war against the Seleucid forces. Despite being vastly outnumbered and outmatched in weaponry, their determination and tactical ingenuity led to a series of victories. By 164 BCE, the Maccabees successfully recaptured Jerusalem and reclaimed the desecrated Temple.

The Evolution of Hanukkah

toms include playing dreidel, eating foods fried in oil (like latkes and sufganiyot), and giving gifts.

In the 2nd century BCE, the region of Judea was under the control of the Seleucid Empire, led by King Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Antiochus sought to unify his empire by imposing Hellenistic culture and religion upon the diverse peoples he ruled. For the Jews of Judea, this meant prohibitions against practicing Judaism, desecration of the holy Temple, and forced participation in pagan rituals.

In 167 BCE, Antiochus ordered the erection of a statue of Zeus in the Jewish Temple and the sacrifice of pigs on its altar. These actions profound-

Upon entering the Temple, they found it in ruins, with the sacred menorah extinguished and the oil supplies contaminated. They sought to rededicate the Temple and relight the menorah, which symbolized God’s presence. However, only a small jar of pure oil was found—enough to keep the menorah burning for just one

The celebration of Hanukkah was established to commemorate both the military victory and the miracle of the oil. Unlike major Jewish holidays rooted in the Torah, Hanukkah’s origins are recorded in later texts, such as the Books of Maccabees and the Talmud.

Over the centuries, Hanukkah has evolved into a joyous festival marked by specific traditions. Lighting the hanukkiah, a nine-branched candelabrum, is the holiday’s most iconic ritual, symbolizing the miracle of the oil. Other cus-

Hanukkah’s Modern Significance Hanukkah represents themes of religious freedom, perseverance, and hope. While it is a relatively minor holiday in terms of religious observance, its proximity to Christmas in Western cultures has amplified its cultural visibility. Today, Hanukkah serves as a time for Jewish families to come together, celebrate their heritage, and reflect on the enduring struggle for faith and identity in the face of adversity.

Wishing Everyone A Safe, Happy and Healthy Holiday Season

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