Mount Olive April 2022

M t . O l i v e’s H o m e t o w n N e w s p a p e r

MOUNT OLIVE LIFE Vo l . 1 7 • I s s u e 3

Ap r i l 2 0 2 2

Member of Mid-Atlantic Community Papers • Association of Community Publichers • Mt. Olive Chamber of Commerce AUDITED BY CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL (CVC), ST. LOUIS, MO.

Republican Ticket for 2023 Mount Olive Council Announced

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - Mount Olive Township Council President and 2023 Republican Mayoral candidate, Joe Nicastro, has announced his ticket for 2023. Council members Alex Roman and Colleen Labow are running for reelection, and Mary Lalama is running for the first time.

“Having served with Joe for the last decade, I think he definitely has the right temperament,” Roman says of Nicastro’s quest for mayor. “He and I have the same shared values and same shared vision for Mount Olive, and just by working and seeing his leadership as council president, I can see it easily translating to being a good mayor.”

Labow also speaks praise of Nicastro. “I have been very fortunate to know Joe Nicastro and to have him as my friend

and colleague on the Mount Olive Township Council,” she says. “Joe has served as a ‘hands on’ councilman since day one when he came on board in 2011. In my opinion, Joe shows a sincere interest in every aspect of our community.

He works well with everyone, listens to everyone, and is proactive in finding the best way to improve and resolve any situation.”

“I am excited for this opportunity for Joe,” Lalama says. “Joe brings with him a lot of experience and is very qualified to be mayor. He has been on council for 11 years now and has spearheaded many improvements and changes in town, such as online payments for sewer and water and taxes, American flag deposit boxes, seminars for the citizens of town highlighting the different

departments in town, just to name a few. He has many more accomplishments and more great ideas which will help make and keep Mount Olive a great community to live in.”

Roman, who was first elected to the Mount Olive Township Council in 2007, has served on the Zoning Board of Adjustment, the Recreation Advisory Board, and currently serves on the County College of Morris (CCM) Business Advisory Committee. “My perspective as a very small business owner is definitely different than some of the larger corporations and has been positively received, because some of the people that are actually attending CCM classes are businesses just like mine.

They’re not the UPSs; they are the mom and pops trying to learn how to do and conduct

Alex Roman

business, and they’re going to CCM to get some more education and training, and my perspective of having done this for 20 years.”

Labow, who is Chair of the Board of Health and has served on the Open Space and Stigma Free committees and several other boards in her 18 years on

Colleen Labow

the council, says about her run for reelection, “I enjoy learning all that can be learned about the town I live in, and to be available to share what I have learned. I love how in the past decade we have not had an increase in the municipal budget which is due to ‘thinking out of the box,’ working together and

Mary Lalama

finding the best ways to efficiently run the town. I am also very happy that so many folks in our town know they can call me and count on me to help them understand or resolve a situation. If I don’t know the answer to a question, I always PLEASE SEE REPUBLICAN TICKET, PAGE 2

Youth Inspired to Keep Mount Olive Resident Who Tutored Mount Olive Clean Refugees is Recognized by President Joe Biden

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - Roslyn Daloisio, 8, is a student at Sandshore Elementary School and she’s taken it upon herself to help keep Mount Olive clean. Daloisio does the entire project on her own time, never taking direction from adults that this is what she should be doing. She often picks up

trash, bottles, cans, and paper at the two parks near her home. Daloisio’s grandmother, Marcia, says; “I am extremely proud of my granddaughter for caring about her environment and caring enough about a small local park to do her part in keeping clean.”

MOUNT OLIVE - For 16-yearold Mount Olive resident, Ragav Balusamy, it started as a personal service project during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Currently a junior at the Morris County Vocational and Technical School in Denville, Balusamy during his sophomore year tutored refugee children online through the Forging Opportunities for Refugees in America (FORA) program.

“Obviously, immigrant children and their parents might not have the best access to education,” he explains. “A lot of them are behind in terms of school and studies. So, that program was setting out to help them catch up, essentially help them recover what they lost, or help them catch up to their friends and peers at school. There are different subjects and proficiencies that they have, so I was teaching them math and a little bit of English.”

Balusamy, who taught for 102 hours, was recognized by President Joe Biden and the White House, receiving in De-

Your Chance to Win Enzo’s Gift Cards with the “Find Moe Life Mascot” Contest

MOUNT OLIVE - Check out our new mascot...Mr. Moe Life.

Look for him in the ads in this issue and enter (no purchase necessary) to win a $25.00 Enzo’s Pizzeria gift card. It is easy to enter. 4 Winners will be selected. Look through the paper and

read the ads and look for Mr. Life in the ad. He will be located throughout the paper in 6 random ads. Then go to www.mtolivelife. com scroll down and fill out the form to be entered. Winners will be notified and printed in the next issue.

Winners From March’s “Find Moe Life Mascot” Contest

MOUNT OLIVE - The winners from March’s “Find Moe Life Mascot” are Jeri L Johannessen Budd Lake, Mary Backer Flanders, Elizabeth Canzoneri

Budd Lake, Diane Yaeger Netcong. The ads that Mr. Life was in were Remax Sharon, Das Creamery, Ridge Co, HTV Media, CM Productions, and Pan-

ther Valley. Thanks to everyone who enter and congratulations to our winners!

Ragav Balusamy (second from right) with his family. Photo courtesy of Ragav Balusamy.

cember 2021 both a gold medal and letter of recognition for his service.

Balusamy had reached out to Michael O’Conner, FORA Co-founder, Board Member, and volunteer, seeking to make an impact. “I was looking to help people who need it, rather than just like an ordinary tutoring program,” he says. “To help and volunteer for a good cause.”

O’Conner responded to Balusamy and both discussed it, and O’Conner set Balusamy up with a first student, and he started his tutoring.

When he completed his 102 hours of service, Balusamy didn’t rest, instead hopping back in and starting computer science tutoring, this time using a program called ALUNNOR, which led to him birthing a new initiative. “ALUNNOR is more of a locally based program that past students in my high school had created,” he says. “It’s kind of specialized based on the academy that I’m in. Before I joined, I don’t think there was a position to teach coding, but I reached out and I talked to some of the people who created it, and we made an agreement where you could teach coding as one of the subjects.” He again started with

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a lone elementary school student. “I taught her different subjects, different languages, such as Java, C++, HTML, CSS, JavaScript - really fundamental languages and just the basics in them, nothing too complex.”

Balusamy then realized he could potentially be doing the same thing more often with bigger groups. “I could reach out to more people, impact more people. That’s actually the inspiration for where my Koding For Kids initiative started.”

For Balusamy, who is looking into technical schools like the University of Washington, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon, and Stanford (“They are my dream colleges,” he says), right now his focus is on his school work at MCVTS and Koding for Kids. “In terms of my future plans for my organization, there are other kids in my school who are looking to do similar things who might not have the initiative to start an entire program,” Balusamy says. “They might just be looking for a program to join, so I reached out to them through my teacher, Mr. (Steven) Hendricks, and we sent out something in order to get more people to join our organi-

zation. And so far, I’ve gotten a couple of people asking to join, and I’ve gotten friends that aren’t from my school wanting to join as well.” Balusamy’s next step is to extend his reach.

“Maybe in one or two months, we’re going to start reaching out to schools - like public high schools, middle schools, elementary schools - just talking to them and talking to kids about how easy it is to get into computer science, the capabilities of computer science, what you can do with computer science, and really demonstrate to them that it’s really easy to get started in computer science at a young age. It’s not this complex notion that you have to do it at a later age. We want to break the stigma or the difficulty of computer science, because when you think about it, everything in the future is completely revolving around computer science as of right now.”

For more information about Koding For Kids, visit their website at www.koding4kids. com. Also, if any institutions or students want to get involved with the program, Balusamy can be contacted at ragav.balusamy@mcvts.org.

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Page 2 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Smile Makeovers General & Cosmetic Dentistry • Sedation Dentistry

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STANHOPE - American Legion #278 of Stanhope is sponsoring an event with psychic Catherine McCall. The event

will take place on May 15 at noon. A light lunch will be served. Tickets are $25 and only 50 tickets will be sold. For

information, call Joyce Chaudruc at 973-945-2992 or Joyce Ike at 973-271-9961.

MOUNT OLIVE - On Saturday, April 30, 2022, 8:00am ‘till 11:00am, the KOC will be hosting a shred event. Arrive early as this event will end prior to 11:00 am if the shredding truck reaches capacity.

The event will be held at KofC Blessed Mother Seton Council 5410 3 Schmidt Lane, Flanders (off Main St. adjacent to Flanders Fire Department). Take advantage of this safe and secure method of destroying confidential documents and proper electronic recycling while helping your lo-

cal K of C organization! Paper will be shred by ABSOLUTE SHREDDING, LLC. Please bring your documents in either paper bags or cardboard boxes. Shredding is limited to confidential and sensitive materials only, please recycle all other paper. No binders or magazines. Electronics will be accepted loose only no boxes needed.

Shredding Donations: $5.00 per bag (brown grocery bag size) or $10.00 per box (copy paper box size; for every 5 boxes 1 free).

Electronic Donations: $10.00 for each TOWER or LAPTOP (NOTE: HARD DRIVES MUST BE REMOVED FROM TOWER OR LAPTOP --- WE CAN HELP YOU REMOVE THEM) which includes the mouse, keyboard, speakers and wires.

We also destroy hard drives @ $20 each. and cell phones @ $10.00 each (remove lithium battery). CD’S @ $0.50 each.

For more information call 973-584-2960 or 973647-4532. All proceeds are used for council needs.

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American Legion of Stanhope Event Coming Soon

Keep Mount Olive Green

Knights of Columbus Hosting Shred Event

Republican Ticket...

MOUNT OLIVE - On March 17, Shift Manager Eileen Lindsley, Council President Joe Nicastro and John Geiger Mount Olive Foreman, have ar-

ranged to have Weis Markets of Flanders be another location to continue KEEPING MOUNT OLIVE GREEN, by dropping off plastic bags in designated

bins for the recycling program .

Together we will make a difference. Thank you Weis Markets of Flanders.

FROM FRONT PAGE

know where to go to find out the information.”

Lalama is running for office for the first time for a few reasons. “I have decided to run for council so I could do more for my community,” she says. “I would like to focus on community outreach projects. Also, it’s time for another woman on council.”

Labow is happy that Lalama has joined the Republican ticket. “I am very happy that Mary is joining our ticket. I know for sure I will be voting for her, and I do encourage everyone to vote for her as well! Mary is very intelligent and does everything she can to help everyone who needs help. While there are many attributes that I love and respect about Mary, one of the most awesome programs that she has been running for years now is holding a Thanksgiving Dinner at the Senior Center, so no one has to be alone on such an important holiday. She loves our town and loves being here to help when and where she

can.”

“I think the short answer to that is because my work is not done,” Roman says about his run for a fourth term. “Every time you look around there’s always another issue that comes up, and one of the things that is different from my service now versus when I initially came in, is now I have what I would say is institutional knowledge. The history and experience that I’ve gained on council is definitely beneficial in moving forward and taking on the challenges that are currently going on, and the ones that I expect to come on in the near future.”

“I am honored and delighted that I can run with such amazing council members,” Lalama adds about Roman and Labow. “Alex and Colleen have done and continue to do a great job for our town. They are very approachable and knowledgeable when it comes to town related matters, and I consider them both friends.”

What’s happening in your school or organization?

Celebrating a special birthday, anniversary, graduation?

Have a human interest story or something you would like to share?

Email us at editor@mylifepublications.com

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 3

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Mount Olive Native Aiming at Republican Nomination in 7th Congressional District

BY ALEXANDER RIVERO STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - Contractor Kevin Dorlon, who built his very first house in his native town of Mount Olive before moving to Long Valley nine years ago, will be running for the Republican ticket for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district. Dorlon, who has been in Morris County for 48 years, will be looking for a chance to go toe-to-toe agains Rep. Tom Malinowski (D-Ringoes) in a race that may determine which of the two major political parties controls the U.S. House of Representatives at the halfway mark of Joe Biden’s presidency.

First, however, he has to beat out the competitors from his own party, which include: John P. Flora, John Isemann, Senate Minority Leader Thomas Kean, Jr. of Westfield, former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official Rick Mehta, District 23 Assemblyman Erik Peterson, and Philip Rizzo.

After discussing his upbringing in Mount Olive, and his years spent at Mount Olive High School and at California University of Pennsylvania earning a B.A. in political science, one wonders what inspired him to run for office.

“I cannot stomach to see the insanity that’s taking place in our government today,” he says in a calm, steady voice.

“There’s a very clear divide between the people ruling and the people being ruled. And many

of the people ruling are people who park themselves in power for 20 years and pretend to somehow still be in touch with the people they represent. It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

Dorlon continues, “Back when the Constitution was written, in the early years of the Republic overall, the way things operated was that you, a farmer, would take the day and head over to Capitol Hill to present your grievances.

Then, you’d come back to the farm and continue plowing.

The system was never meant to have people holding onto public office for decades, and for clear reasons. You can’t claim to have a connection to the people you’re elected to serve if you’ve forgotten what it’s like to be one of them.”

Among the things that irk Dorlon the most, as well as many of the residents supporting him, are what he refers to as a lack of rationality in policy-making decisions from those currently in charge.

“I’m a builder, not a rocket scientist,” says Dorlon, “and I need simple common sense.

Not too long ago, this country was fully energy independent, and now we are not. How did we allow that to happen? How could we have allowed that to happen? Even if you fabricated it, for a novel, it wouldn’t seem real. It would be unrealistic and yet, here we are.”

Another big problem for

NETCONG - The Netcong Community Marketplace/ Farmers Market, hosted by The Netcong Community Partnership (NCP) will reopen May 7, 2022. The Marketplace will run every Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm thru November 26, 2022.

The marketplace will be held rain or shine at the NJ Transit Netcong Train Station located at Rt. 46 & Main Street in Netcong.

The marketplace will include a variety of vendors selling fresh locally grown produce, eggs, syrup, plants, cheeses, dried fruits & nuts, pickles, olives, Italian bread, fresh mozzarella, baked goods, jams, sauces, dressings, beverages, jellies, pies, empanadas, prepared Italian meals, ravioli’s, and a wide variety of Gluten Free foods. Other vendors include handmade crafts, local small businesses and non-profit organizations.

“We are excited about our second season. With many new residents in our community, we encourage folks to shop for fresh, locally grown or produced products while taking advantage of shopping in downtown Netcong businesses”, said Maria Patamia, Marketplace Manager.

“The marketplace is whats happening in Netcong”, Patamia said. “Special events, entertainment and family fun days, which were curtailed last season due to the pandemic, have been added.”

The monthly special events include: Opening Day Kid

Zone (May 7), a Classic Car Show (June 25), Christmas in July (July 16), “It’s a Rainy Day Kids” (August 6), “Touch a Truck” (September 10) and our second annual “Show & Shine” Autofest (October 8).

“The Netcong Community Marketplace is one of the many reasons to visit and live in Netcong. Netcong, in its one square mile radius, offers many recreational opportunities, such as a lake, parks, holiday parades, outdoor movies, outdoor exercise classes, and much more. Our residents also enjoy the walking access to public transportation, restaurants, small businesses, and other services near the marketplace location,” Patamia said.

Patrons will be introduced to our “Marketplace Money” program when shopping at the marketplace. According to Patamia, “shoppers will receive a $5 coupon for every $25 spent at the marketplace. The coupons may be redeemed for purchases at most participating Netcong businesses.”

“We look forward to making many new friends as they choose to spend part of their Saturday enjoying this great community event,” said Patamia.

Anyone interested in vending or sponsorship opportunities for the marketplace or for more information, contact us at: netcongmarketplace@ gmail.com or at 973.296.7638 or visit our website https:/ www.gonetcong.com.

Farmers Market Returns to Netcong

M t . O l i v e’s H o m e t o w n N e w s p a p e r

MOUNT OLIVE LIFE Vo l . 1 7 • I s s u e 1

Dorlon is the manner in which the state of New Jersey lists the names of each candidate in its ballot box sheet for elections. Every other state in the union, says Dorlon, presents the names of the candidates running in a single box for the voter to select from.

In New Jersey, says Dorlon, “a line appears dividing certain candidates from others, giving the impression that the candidates who are on the farther side of the ballot sheet are secondary candidates, because they’re listed in a secondary fashion.”

Asked about his platform, Dorlon again kept it crisp: “Common sense. I sincerely believe that we need accurate representation by the people, not some set-up where you have professional bureaucrats insulating themselves for decades from the problems the real people are facing day in, day out.”

As for what he would do first if elected to serve New Jersey’s 7th congressional district, Dorlon says he would start by having the separating line removed from New Jersey ballots to give each candidate on the ballot sheet equal representation in the voters eyes.

He would continue by making it a point to stand up to a corporate media industry he feels is bent on stoking divisions within the ranks of American society to keep people

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from coming together. “There are certainly bad apples in this and every country, but what the media has done in recent years is to actively aim to keep people divided, to keep them too angry to ever consider that the things that unite us as Americans outnumber the things that divide us by a lot.”

As for his would-be approach to representing his constituents in Washington, Dorlon says that he first has to “make friends before ever smacking the beehive.” The same philosophy extends to

the way he has been dealing with his current opponents. “I refuse to run a smear campaign against anyone,” he says. “I have my beliefs, I can speak to them, and I relish the chance to debate anyone, anywhere. But I’m certainly not in the business of starting up or feeding rumors about anyone just because they’re running against me.”

Dorlon counts his wife as his greatest influence and the person he most looks up to, citing not only her role as wife and mother to their children,

but as the most organized person he’s ever known, running all administrative matters for his contracting business.

In the weeks just prior to this interview, Dorlon’s campaign had raised (and spent) $10,000 very quickly. “Every little donation helps more than you might think,” he says.

To visit Kevin Dorlon’s webpage, and to make a donation to his campaign, please check out the following link: www.dorlonforcongress.com.

★ Publishers: Joe Nicastro & Mary Lalama ★ Graphics: Mary Lalama, Terri Armswood ★ Editor: Megan Roche

Member of Mid-Atlantic Community Papers • Association of Community Publichers • Mt. Olive Chamber of Commerce AUDITED BY CIRCULATION VERIFICATION COUNCIL (CVC), ST. LOUIS, MO.

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GiGi Parisi and Her Family are Grateful for Mount Olive High School and the Community

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 5

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - Soon-to-be 21-year-old Gabriella “GiGi” Parisi considers Mount Olive High School a second home.

“When I walk in there all the teachers, coaches, administrators and staff are like second parents to me,” Parisi says.

“The kids I go to school with are the coolest kids ever! In all the years that I have been in district there has never been anyone mean to me. I was never bullied for being differently-abled. All the students look out for me and welcome me when I join their friend circles and activities. I take my lunch at the “athlete table” and I have a huge friend group. Even the kids that I don’t know well, respect me and always say hi to me when I see them around town. MOHS is my happy place for sure, when I am not in school, I miss it so much!”

Parisi, who has Down Syndrome, and who was named Homecoming Queen in 2019, says every day for her is the best day at MOHS. “Winning homecoming queen gave me something to be super proud of.

Now, my nickname is QUEEN. My friends and teachers call me that and it makes me so happy. I am still in contact with my Homecoming King, even though he graduated, and I think we will be lifelong friends.”

GiGi’s mom, Rosemary, is both delighted and scared as her daughter prepares to depart MOHS. “I have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship with

the Mount Olive School District since my daughter was three years old,” she says. “She began with the Handicapped Pre-K program, and is ending her education with Mount Olive, in the Marauders Believe program. This is a structured program that prepares students 18-21 to transition into adulthood. Gabriella has done various job samplings and has learned many valuable skills which will allow her to adapt to numerous future work settings.”

During her Middle and MOHS years, Parisi, who has been working on Tuesdays at Morris Sussex Sports located at County College of Morris, has been a proud member of the Best Buddies Club in MOHS. “I enjoy this club so much because it combines all of my friends; those from my special ed classes and my other friends from Gen Ed. We all work together and have a common goal. We had many fun online activities during the Pandemic that kept me in touch with everyone. These friendships were a lifeline for us since we were all lonely at home.”

Per her mom, GiGi has encountered many amazing teachers who have worked tirelessly to maximize her academic potential. “There have been many personal and classroom aides that we had the pleasure to have on our team,” she says.

“These individuals are the backbone of the classroom and they worked seamlessly with

the teachers to propel GiGi toward gains. We are grateful for each and every aide and teacher we have had the pleasure to work with. Each one of them took the time to understand GiGi, on a personal level, and guide her as she navigated learning, friendships and challenges. They worked together, as facilitators of all facets of learning, and made certain GiGi would succeed throughout the school day.”

GiGi, who has enjoyed art and doing painting projects, has really enjoyed creating things.

She has been making hats, scarves, pot holders and various designs, which have been sold in the Marauders Believe program. She has also benefitted from the fantastic speech, physical, and occupational therapists that have worked on her deficits and elevated her abilities. “We have met and worked with school counselors whom have ensured GiGi’s positive mental state and well-being; especially during the isolation of the Global Pandemic,” says Rosemary. “The nursing staff in Mount Olive is beyond reproach and they have watched GiGi grow into adulthood and have provided us with medical guidance throughout the years.”

And then there’s athletics.

Soon-to-be 21-year-old Gigi was all set to begin the spring softball season. “I am so excited to reconnect with my girls and get back outdoors,” says the young women who has

MOUNT OLIVE - When Jim Daggon, husband of longtime Recreation Director Jill Daggon from Mt. Olive Township in 2008, attended the NJRPA conference, he soon was VOLUNTOLD from said wife to help unload boxes behind the conference registration desk.

A task that only a few people regularly gather to help the Saturday of the conference.

Who knew Jim soon had all the answers to all things technology? This and that happened, and soon Jim was the answer to our technology issues. Printer this, the computer that we soon never feared cause Jim was on it! Jim found sales on a laptops and printers and over the years, Jim found ways to save the Association 100’s of dollars and keep the office running. He embarked on an adventure with NJRPA he never knew existed!!! The NJRPA Tech Adventure! With the Association’s old

and antiquated equipment Jim helped us survive many more conferences keeping those those old and antiquated laptops and computers alive. He even had parts sitting home in a box that now I think Jill was thrilled found another home!

Almost immediately, Jim became our conference tech for our speakers and all of our session rooms; he added a few volunteers and, in Jim’s fashion, mentored them, gave them the tools to help make our conference a great success each year. Jim is a positive person with a great sense of humor and more patience than a saint.

Tonight, we honor Jim with the Fay S Mathewson Award for the countless hours spent with Kathleen working on computers, for always answering the phone, for responding quickly, and yes, for the many times he traveled to the Princeton office to see what he could do. For

several years of volunteering at our annual conference, consulting over the phone whenever we needed recommendations to replace or not replace our equipment.

Every year his work coordinating with our speakers and tech set up session rooms and being ready for the “Jim, the printer won’t Print” at the registration desk cry!!!

Though Jim is not a recreation warrior by degree, he has undoubtedly volunteered the time to become a warrior by extension and a friend of recreation. During Jim’s retirement, I have faith he will continue to volunteer at our conference.

This year he has added our conference committee zoom planning meetings to the list of NJRPA tasks. He continues to be a loyal volunteer and dedicated to our Association and our “Farside joke teller.”

served as a pinch runner and scored a run.

The spring sports season follows on the tail of Parisi capping off her six-year, 150-point Mount Olive basketball career. She was both excited and sad at the same time. “I cannot believe that I won’t be able to take the court again as a Mount Olive Student, but I was so proud of all that I accomplished and I love my teammates who all help and inspire me daily.” Parisi, who lettered in Field Hockey (for whom she scored a goal and played in two full Rookie games), Basketball, Softball, and Unified Track, also participated in Unified (Gen Ed & Spec Ed comprised teams) Soccer, Basketball, and Track and Field. Parisi also has won numerous medals in Special Olympic Athletic events throughout the years.

“GiGi,” says her mom, “has been involved in athletics since High School and each and every coach has welcomed her to their team, identified her strong suit, and put her in the game.

She never was solely an onlooker. These coaches crafted positions in which GiGi could excel and showcase her talents.

All of this, would not have been possible without the administrators within the Mount Olive School District, especially those overseeing Special Education. From day one, they promoted a collaborative effort between parents and staff. GiGi’s many Child Study Teams, were always there overseeing

Gabriella GiGi Parisi’s graduation photo. Photo courtesy of Rosemary Parisi.

all of my daughter’s accommodations and ensuring her the least restrictive environment to learn academically and thrive socially.”

Each and every day for Parisi began and ended with the Mount Olive Special Ed Transportation team. “These bus drivers and bus aides welcomed her aboard and brought her home safely with concern and compassion,” says Rosemary. “Mount Olive School District excels due to its blended approach to learning. There is a connection and thread that runs effortlessly during the school day culminating in an optimal learning environment.”

According to Ms. Sharon

Staszak, Director of Special Services Grades 6-12, GiGi’s openness to the High School community and her glowing spirit, coupled with her school involvement, has taught other students to highly regard those with different abilities. GiGi has helped showcase special needs students in a positive light within the Mount Olive School community which fostered understanding and appreciation of those differently abled, thus, enriching the lives of the entire student body.

“Having a disabled child is different,” Rosemary says, “but she (GiGi) led the way. The light shone through.”

NJRPA Fay S Mathewson Award 2022 Goes to Jim Daggon

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Left to right: David Guida, chairperson of the NJRPA Awards Committee. Recipient Jim Daggon, Romayne Eaker-Kelly, Past President of NJRPA, Lenny Celluro Jr,, current President of NJRPA.

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Page 6 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

2022

with Saint Clare’s

Let’s Talk Lower Back Pain and What It Could Mean

BY MARK J. BONAMO GUEST WRITER DENVILLE - Lower back pain may be one of the most common ailments, but its regular occurrence does not mean that it is any less painful or challenging to manage. An understanding of the factors that contribute to lower back pain may help in prevention or treatment it once it occurs.

Dr. Rachid Assina, Chief of Neurosurgery at Saint Clare’s Health, diligently works with his patients as they manage every aspect of lower back pain, from prevention to treatment through recovery.

One important way to understand lower back pain is to being by understanding the vocabulary surrounding it.

“Lower back pain is described as any activity intolerance due to back symptoms, which can include pain from the truncal area all the way to the low back or buttocks area, and even down from the back to the leg area.” Dr. Assina said. “Lumbago, a non-medical term, describes back pain in the truncal area. Sciatica is pain generating from the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in the body, which travels from the lumbar spine down the back of

your leg. Either way, the pain you experience comes from the interaction of the muscles, ligaments, bones, discs, joints and nerves in the area.”

There are several varieties of lower back pain. Acute pain can come from a sudden injury that could be a result of a sports injury, a car accident, or even from picking up a pen the wrong way from the ground, for example. “Acute pain also can be a result of any sudden phenomenon with no precipitating event,” Dr. Assina said.

“Sixty to ninety percent of adults will experience some level of back pain during their lifetime, and generally they are between the ages of 35 to 55 years old. Fortunately, about 90 percent who experience acute pain from injury and who are treated conservatively, will only take about four to six weeks for the pain to subside.

Approximately twenty percent of adults who experience lower back pain will result in chronic pain and last a lifetime,” explains Dr. Assina “The best treatment for many people, initially, should be conservative and based on common sense. This includes

bed rest for a few days and taking some over-the-counter medications, such as Ibuprofen or Aleve. Soon after, people can usually resume their daily activities as the pain subsides,” Dr. Assina said. “If the pain does not subside within eight to twelve weeks, then people can consider seeking additional help from their primary care physicians- then they can begin a more advanced pharmacological treatment regimen, such as a muscle relaxants or stronger non-steroidal inflammatory medications. Physical therapy can then also be considered as an additional treatment.”

Before following this type of treatment plan, Dr. Assina warns that there are certain “red flags” people should be aware that indicate health issues that go beyond lower back pain.

“There are certain signs of illnesses when treating lower back pain that could reveal infections, cancer and other serious illnesses, for example,” Dr. Assina said. “Treatment must carefully consider if the patient is already immunocompromised. Patients could be immunocompromised for a range of reasons, including having a

Warning Signs That You’re Working Out Too Much

Routine exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Significant exercise benefits all parts of the body, including the heart. In fact, the American Heart Association urges individuals to heed exercise recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Those guidelines indicate that adults should get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity) and pair it with moderate- to high-intensity strength training activities at least twice per week.

Many individuals have no problem taking that advice to heart, and some even go above and beyond. While exceeding exercise guidelines isn’t necessarily detrimental to individu-

als’ overall health, that doesn’t mean it’s not important to be careful and incorporate routine days of rest into a workout regimen. Devoted athletes may find it hard to know when to step back and take a breather.

In such instances, learning the warning signs for fitness fatigue can be invaluable. Routine breaks give muscles time to heal, which can improve performance and reduce injury risk. The National Library of Medicine notes that these are some common signs of fitness fatigue.

• An inability to perform at the same level • Needing longer periods of rest • Feeling tired • Depression, which can include feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness, or hopelessness

• Mood swings or irritability • Difficulty sleeping • Muscle soreness or a feeling that limbs are heavy • The presence of overuse injuries, which include shoulder impingement, tennis elbow and stress fractures • Loss of motivation • More frequent colds • Unexplained weight loss • Anxiety Individuals who want to keep going in the face of fitness fatigue should remind themselves of why they exercise.

Various factors motivate people to exercise regularly, but that motivation is often rooted in a desire to be as healthy as possible. Overdoing it compromises individuals’ physical and mental health, which underscores the importance of rest and how it’s vital to a successful workout regimen.

transplant, long-term medical steroid use, or HIV. Common infections, incontinence, loss of power or a foot drop, sudden weight loss, significant pain during the night, and muscle weakness are other factors that need to be considered as signs of more serious illnesses when proceeding with lower back treatment. These patients need to seek immediate assistance from their physicians,” stated Dr. Assina After taking the conservative approach, such as pharmacological treatment and physical therapy, and there are no ‘red flags,’ the next steps to take if the pain continues or worsens is for the primary care physician to initiate diagnostic imaging tests for further diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the most effective modality to examine the physical sources of persistent lower back pain- it shows muscles, nerves that can be compressed, and other soft tissue.

X-rays are effective in showing dislocations or fractures of the bone. For example, “One common source of lower back pain is having a herniated disc, which pushes on the nerves.

Dr. Rachid Assina, Chief of Neurosurgery at Saint Clare’s Health.

This causes local back pain, but also causes a lot of pain by putting pressure on nerve endings. This leads to numbness, weakness, and the wasting of muscles,” Dr. Assina said. “An MRI is very effective to see the source of the problem, such as a herniated disc, and then begin to effectively address it.”

There are certain preventive measures that can help avoid or minimize lower back pain. Exercise is critically important to strengthen core muscles and reduce back injury and pain. Cessation of smoking and weight loss are also very important.

“Posture is very important,” Dr. Assina said. “The curvature of your back when you are sitting or standing, whether you are working or not, affects your spine. Good posture, along with regular stretching and massages, can help the overall health of your spine and keep back pain at bay.”

“Saint Clare’s Health’s point of pride is its focus on providing individualized and compassionate care that patients have come to know and trust. When patients are experiencing lower

back pain, whether acute or related to more serious long-term illnesses, they want the convenience of receiving exceptional care- all close to home,” Dr. Assina shares. “Additionally, Saint Clare’s Health has all of the advanced technology as the other larger medical institutions do, so patients can be assured that they are receiving the state-of-the-art care.” This makes Saint Clare’s Health a unique place; a hospital that is around the corner, and ahead of the curve.

“I don’t consider Saint Clare’s Health to be a small community hospital when it comes to spinal issues. In fact, the hospital is very unique in that it provides any type of lower back pain treatments and operations necessary, whether it’s for deformities, tumors, acute pain, chronic pain, or anything else,” Dr. Assina said.

“Our patients do well here. The doctors and staff give our patients not just a chance to survive lower back pain. It gives them a chance to thrive.”

For more information, please call 973-625-6000 or visit www.saintclares.com.

FOR YOUR HEALTH

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 7

2022

MOUNT OLIVE - Almost everyone has experienced a headache, at some point in their life, to varying degrees.

In fact, roughly 45 million Americans suffer from Headaches each year. In today’s world, most people reach into the medicine cabinet for one of the various pain relievers

Not All Headaches are Created Equal

to alleviate their head pain.

But what happens when that doesn’t work? Or, the headaches become more frequent and more painful? Some get headaches so often and so painful, they even take prescription drugs with side effects and no avail. But have you ever stopped to think,

“What is causing my headache?” Headaches and more severe headaches, known as Migraines, can be caused by various triggers including foods, chemicals or preservatives in foods, allergens in the environment, chemicals in cleaning products or herbicides/pesticides, sinus con-

gestion, tension in the neck or jaw, lack of sleep, dehydration, stress, and the list goes on… Sometimes the cause is completely unknown and with no relief the patient can be left hopeless, debilitated and in pain. An assessment by an Acupuncturist can often identify and treat imbalances (that are causing the headaches) that are unknown to the patient previously.

In Chinese Medicine not all headaches are created equally.

Rather, during an assessment, we evaluate the individual patient on many levels to determine their exact symptoms (i.e Is the headache frontal?

One sided? Behind the eyes?

Is there nausea? Frequency and intensity of pain?....) and if there are any triggers. We take a whole body approach and assess the patient’s physical condition as well as their constitution, emotional health, diet and lifestyle. Unlike the blanket treatment western medicine offers which is typically some type of pain re-

liever, Chinese Medicine finds a specific treatment for each patient based on their individual symptoms. Five patients suffering “headaches” may receive five completely different treatments. By addressing the root cause, Acupuncture can be a safe way to prevent and treat various types of headaches, without the unwanted side effects of medications.

Based on the individual assessment and diagnosis, tiny needles are inserted into various points on the body.

Depending on the case, small electrodes can be attached to specific needles that elicit a small electrical current. The feeling of the electric stimulation on the needles is a comfortable sensation that generally elicits a feeling of tingling, tapping or heaviness.

The electric stimulation enhances the release of specific neurochemicals which aids in the treatment of headaches.

The needles are typically retained for 20-30 minutes, during which the patient is left

to relax and take a nap.

Acupuncture is known to be effective and can offer long standing results, but it is not always a quick fix. Especially if the headaches are chronic, several treatments may be required to achieve the full result. Again, this is because it is addressing the root cause and not just covering up symptoms like other treatments.

If you suffer from headaches or migraines start getting relief today! Use the following tips to achieve longlasting results for a healthy life: Be aware, track food and environmental triggers to see if there are any patterns, get adequate sleep, eat a healthy diet rich in vegetables and fruits (limiting sugars and processed foods), drink plenty of water, manage stress with things like meditation and try Acupuncture!

For more information about Acupuncture and Headaches contact Mount Olive Acupuncture & Wellness 973-5277978.

Individuals suffering from pain in many areas of the body, having difficulties with sleep and experiencing routine fatigue may be suffering from fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is more widespread than health care professionals may have originally thought. Here are some facts and statistics about the condition.

• Fibromyalgia first was mentioned in the 1970s. Medical experts are not sure if fibromyalgia should be classified as a disease since its causes are relatively unknown.

• Approximately one in 50

Americans are estimated to have fibromyalgia, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

• Fibromyalgia primarily affects women over age 30. Such women are twice as likely to develop fibromyalgia as men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Fibromyalgia first got its name and official definition by the American College of Rheumatology in 1990. Its defining characteristic is widespread pain.

• Sleep disorders are especially common with fibromyal-

gia, including insomnia, restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.

• Women who have a family member with fibromyalgia are more likely to develop fibromyalgia themselves, according to the American College of Rheumatology.

• One of the most common areas where fibromyalgia patients feel pain is the jaw and face.

• People with fibromyalgia can have difficulty performing routine daily activities, and the CDC says they may need to be hospitalized about once every three years.

Fibromyalgia Fast Facts

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Page 8 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Mount Olive Man Grows in the Voice Over Field

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

Photo courtesy of Michael McEntee

MOUNT OLIVE - Mount Olive High School and Rowan University graduate, Michael McEntee, has been acting for well over a decade, was heavily involved in the drama club program in high school, and received a Bachelors of music in vocal performance with a theater minor in college. “Basically, I was trained as an opera singer for four years,” he says.

“I chose not to go that route, and decided to mainly perform on stage in musicals and plays, and I’ve been doing that in New Jersey for the better part of 10 years.”

However, in 2015, he decided to combine all of his above-mentioned talent and venture briefly into the voice over world. After falling away from it for a few years, McEntee strolled back into the realm due to the pandemic. “I was lucky enough that I was able to keep my job during the pandemic, which combined with the sudden influx of not having to pay for gas to commute to Red Bank every day, I had some extra funds,” McEntee explains. “While I was sitting

at home, contemplating the world event that we were living through, I was watching YouTube documentaries about voice actors and also streaming programs on Twitch with voice actors playing, ironically, Dungeons and Dragons. As I was watching these people do their craft and exploring it in a new way, I thought to myself, ‘You know what? I can do this. I can definitely do this.’ And I kind of leapt over the mental roadblock that’s always been in my way.”

McEntee, who is 31 and was born in Morristown and lives in Mount Olive, took over a closet in his parents house. After turning it into a sound booth by filling it with audio foam, he then moved his desk and computer in, invested in equipment and microphones and a membership on a pay-to-play site (voices. com) where auditions are listed, while he also sourced auditions through Twitter. “I started taking classes, and the other ironic plus that has come out of this whole event for the past two years is that a lot of VO classes have gone remote, so I can take a class with some of the

best voice actors in Los Angeles here in New Jersey via online.

I’ve been getting tons of great training on that, and I’m starting to see some positive effects from that as well.”

McEntee is enjoying fruits of his early labors. “I’ve booked a couple of jobs, mainly for corporate gigs like explainer videos and videos for conferences,” he says. “I also got a commercial booking, and I’ve been working heavily on a commercial as well - and that’s a little bit different, it’s a whole different technique - and I also booked my very first contracted animated series role.” And his study to make himself better at the craft continues. “And I’ve also been taking video game classes and doing that whole technique as well. Because that’s the thing about voice acting that a lot of people don’t realize from the get go. A lot of people just say, ‘I have a couple of funny voices. All I need is a microphone and it’ll be fine.’ There’s a very specific technique for the very specific different genres of the industry, and it takes a lot of contemplating and a lot of ex-

amining scripts and seeing what the client wants that differentiates what can get you booked or not.”

The excitement he is currently living is definitely based on his love of performing as a whole. “Tracing all the way back to even high school, I always loved entertaining people, and I always loved using my voice to entertain people,” McEntee says. “In VO, I’m feeling something in this right now, so I’m going to try to truly make my way through here. Theater acting will always be there, so I can always come back to it. But I decided to take a break from that and just focus on this, because I was starting to feel the most joy actually working with professionals who want to see me succeed and who care about my progress.”

For more information about McEntee and his voice over work, follow him on Instagram and Twitter at @mcenteetalksvo. McEntee can also be contacted via email at mcenteetalksvo@gmail.com.

Council has agreed to purchase approximately 2 acres at 67 Crease Road for open space and conservation purposes.

The Mount Olive Community also came together in support of a humanitarian effort for the people of Ukraine by collecting over 50 boxes of supplies which was donated to a local Ukrainian charity.

Employee Recognition Lisa Brett - Mayor’s Assistant/Special Events Coordinator Lisa has been employed with the Township since 2012 and is the glue that keeps the Administration together. Her responsibilities include coordinating the Mayor’s schedule, facilitating Township events, soliciting donations and sponsorships and staying connected with the business and residential community. Lisa’s latest accomplishments range from securing over $70,000 in sponsorship for recreation events and was instrumental in obtaining thousands of dollars worth of PPE during the pandemic. Lisa will be assisting with the new outdoor fitness gym at Flanders Park, maintaining the Township’s Bronze Level Certification for Sustainable Jersey and keeping our residents informed through Social Media.

Public Meeting Videos Available on our website are archived videos of Planning Board and Township Council meetings along with a series of informative videos on the following topics: Snow Removal, Where Do My Taxes Go?, Township Parks & Future Developments, Recycling and Cannabis Legalization. Please take some time and watch the educational videos.

Department Highlight Health Department The Mount Olive Health Department continues to provide public health services for Mount Olive, Mt. Arligton, Netcong, Wharton and Mine Hill which generates over $300,000 in revenue through shared services.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, over 6,200 COVID19 cases have been investigated in our Township. In addition to disease prevention, other responsibilities include promoting healthy behaviors, assuring

accessibility of health services, senior transportation, vital statistics, public health nursing and environmental health. The Health Department has also conducted a Township Health Assessment in order to develop a comprehensive plan on health concerns of our residents. The full report can be found on our website.

Please note, that a new contract has been awarded for Veterinarian/Impoundment Services of lost animals with Common Sense for Animals lo-

cated in Stewartsville, NJ. This is a temporary solution as we search for a closer provider.

Dates to remeber •April 23 - Community Yard Sale •April 30 - Seedling Pick up •May 14 - Fairy & Pirates Festival •May 15 - Property Taxes Due •June 18 - Bubble Palooza & Color Run •June 24 - Block Party Chipper Service and Yard Waste Collection starts in April

Welcome to the Olive Connection

Andrew Tatarenko

MOUNT OLIVE - Welcome to the Olive Connection!! This is the first issue of a quarterly newsletter which will be released by the Business Administrator.

The newsletter will feature updates on official Township business, provide information of upcoming events and dates to remember, highlight Department services and provide relevant information about what’s happening around Mount Olive. I hope you find this newsletter beneficial, engaging and an effective means of strengthening our great community. If you have suggestions on how to improve the newsletter or ideas on what information you would like to read about, please contact me at atatarenko@mtolivetwp.org.

Official Township Business On January 4, 2022, the Township held its Re-organization Meeting and Mayor Greenbaum provided the 2022 State of the Township Address.

Many exciting updates were given, most notably, the continued development of Valley Brook Park, the Budd Lake Beach Redevelopment project and the anticipated acquisition of 5 Pondview Lane. Also emphasized was the importance of tax stability and the announcement that there will be no municipal tax increase for the tenth year in a row.

Over the past several months, Departments have been working hard and focusing on developing the 2022 budget which was formally adopted on March 22, 2022. The Township has budgeted over $10 million in capital spending to include over $1 million toward road resurfacing, embarking on a sidewalk replacement project in the Cloverhill development, refurbishing tennis and basketball courts, adding a pavilion at the Turkey Brook Park Event Field, installing a new soccer turf field by partnering with the Mount Olive Soccer Club and purchasing a new Budd Lake Fire Truck, Flanders Fire Brush Truck and Public Works Sweeper.

The Township is also soliciting proposals for Architectural Services for a potential Senior Center expansion project to provide the Health Department a dedicated space in order to best serve the community and to create additional space at the Municipal Building for the Police Department as the Township’s

Lisa Brett

needs continue to grow.

Ordinances & Resolutions The Township Council has amended several ordinances to reflect the current environment. Salary and wages were established for Township employees, the towing ordinance was updated to meet State guidelines, and the service charge for insufficient funds through ACH transactions was lowered in accordance with State statute. The Council also approved a resolution to help support and improve water quality throughout the State, approved the Mount Olive Township Employee Union contract, and applied for over $600,000 in grant funding to continue work on the Seward House.

Other Developments A grant was received in the amount of $75,000 to construct an outdoor fitness area at Flanders Park, Altice has been running new fiber optic cable throughout the Township to improve reliability and public WiFi is being installed at Turkey Brook Park. In addition, a new commercial real estate company has purchased ITC South with plans on re-vitalizing the development with a new facade, over $80,000 was secured from the DEP to continue HAB treatment at Budd Lake and the

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Endel Uiga Turns 104, and His Art is a Realm of Beauty and Perspective

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 9

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

HACKETTSTOWN - Endel Uiga points to a painting hanging on his Bentley Commons at Paragon Village apartment wall, and asks a visitor, “What do you think that is a painting of?”

After viewing Uiga’s ab-

stract artwork of primarily blues and some red, the visitor says, “It looks like something trying to break through into something else.”

Uiga smiles, and says, “You’re close. It’s called, ‘Glimpse Into the Future.’”

“So, that’s what you painted – that’s what you saw?” the visitor asks.

Uiga responds with a smile, “It doesn’t matter what I see.

What do you see?”

A fair enough response from a wonderful man who

Navigating Hope Visits Mount Olive

Endel Uiga at his computer.

MOUNT OLIVE - On March 9, Antonella McGee from Navigating Hope, Office of Temporary Assistance visited the Senior Center to assist many

of Mount Olive residents. They were able to provide help to 15 families. We will be scheduling them again in the very near future.

Pictured are Council President and Mayoral Candidate Joe Nicastro and Antonella McGee, Office of Temporary Assistance, Navigating Hope.

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one, and I was born at the same time Estonia claimed independence, but that didn’t last more than a few days. Then the Germans came in again and took the country over.”

Uiga when 26 was awarded a Diploma in engineering from Tallinn University of Technology of Estonia, and he also served in World War II. “I was in military service. I was trained as an Estonian officer,” he says. He left Estonia during the war with his wife, Elise, and their daughter, fleeing to Germany. He received his doctorate at that country’s University of Stuttgart, and headed for America in the late 1940s, first living in Saratoga, New York prior to the Garden State. He knew no English, but learned it.

Uiga, who when first in New Jersey resided in Rockaway, worked as an electronic engineer, and used the tools of his trade as a County College of Morris professor of Electronic Engineering Technology. When he left the school in 1988, he embraced photography and art, and also did a lot of iron work in a home he designed, built, and lived in in Hope. He is the co-author with

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Meredith Betz of his memoir, Where the Light Comes From: One Hundred Years Looking Back, and also has published a book of his artwork titled, Mindscapes. Finally, as a recognized expert in his field, after age 70 he wrote an electronic engineering textbook, Optoelectronics, its popularity garnering a second printing.

Uiga’s wife, Elise, to whom he was married for 68 years, died 10 years ago at age 95. A tapestry she made hangs above his bed, and pictures of her by herself and with her husband are in different spots in Uiga’s apartment. In one picture, she smiles while looking down over his shoulder at the computer he creates with.

When asked if he envisions living to age 105, Uiga says with a chuckle, “Not much.

Just living day by day.” He then adds, “I’m really happy.

I like this country so much. I have relations here which I wouldn’t have had in Europe.

I have a good family, I have no problems with my children, they are all educated. I have five children, six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. I am a happy guy.”

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on March 3rd celebrated his 104th birthday. Uiga, who is quite technologically inclined and talented, creates his artwork, which he labels “Mindscapes,” on a computer. He first takes a photograph, and then Photoshops the image.

He has created abut 500 pictures. “When I see something that I find interesting, I’ll take a photo of it and try to manipulate it,” he says.

A variety of his works are displayed both in his living space and in the Paragon Village lobby.

“We (he and Paragon Village) had a big celebration,” he says of his recent birthday.

“I was surprised. They served a very good dinner, filet mignon, and had some decorations. You can see here some of the decorations,” he says, pointing around the café area.

“I was surprised and pleased.”

For his 100th birthday in 2018, Uiga was in his home of Estonia in northern Europe, both he and his country of origin hitting the century mark.

“They had a big celebration,” Uiga says. “It was very moving. I was born in Estonia in 1918. That was just a very, very difficult time for every-

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Page 10 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

Berk’s Furniture & Mattress Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary and Unveils New Outlet

HACKETTSTOWN - Hackettstown’s Berk’s Furniture & Mattress on January 15th unveiled a new, additional location at Main Street.

“We were just in an expansion stage and, realizing we only have so much space here, we have a whole demographic of clientele that we’d like to be able to offer all different prices to and all different styles to,” says Amy Berkowitz, third generation and co-owner of Berks Furniture & Mattress with her brother, Justin. “We just didn’t have the space to do it here.

So, when (the location of) Old Home Town Hardware became available, we jumped on it to be able to offer an outlet to have some lower priced, all in-stock goods available for immediate delivery.”

“I think we’re all still in the COVID challenge right now as an industry,” Berkowitz says, who also states that Berk’s changed their entire business

model due to the pandemic.

“That’s another reason we needed more space, we’re stocking everything. So basically, everything that we show in the main store on Mountain Avenue and the outlet is stocked for immediate delivery. We still are special ordering, and that’s still available for customers, and we’re actually stocking our special-order furniture, believe it or not, because of the quality. You can’t really find that in readily available furniture, but it’s still able to be special ordered.”

The new outlet is 15,000 square feet, and the Mountain Avenue store is 18,000 square feet. “We are independent business owners that are growing, and we’re committed to Hackettstown and are committed to growing within Hackettstown,” Berkowitz affirms. “We have tons of furniture in stock for immediate delivery, and now with a second location, we’re able to provide all different prices and

all different styles to suit everyone’s needs.”

Clients have followed the Berkowitz family for over half a century. Berkowitz’s grandfather had a store in Washington which he started in the 1930’s, and her dad, uncle, and cousin owned the Hackettstown Trading Post that was afterwards on Main Street for 53 years. The outlet store is a return to Main Street. “There’s always planning, and we’re always talking about the chance of expansion further, but we’re really happy with having two stores in Hackettstown and being able to still be present in them,” Berkowitz says. “One of us (her or Justin) is always here. We’re always on the floor. We’re happy to work with customers and see them, and it’s a great thing.”

They key to the Berk’s Furniture & Mattress success is reliability. “What we really try to do is do the best possible job that we can do within our op-

AREA - The Third Annual Walk for Thought and 5K race is June 4, 2022 at 9:00 am at Duke Island Park in Bridgewater. Sure to be a great early warm-up to summer, the event is hosted by Kiwimbi International, a U.S.-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing educational opportunities to underprivileged children

and their families in Sub- Saharan Africa.

It is both a virtual and in-person event. Prizes for in-person age group winners and special Kiwimbi 10th Anniversary categories will be awarded. Registration is available at https://raceroster.com/events/2022/57495/ kiwimbi-5k-and-walk-for-

thought or https://kiwimbi.org Students in rural Kenya typically walk 45 minutes one way to school each day, so the Walk for Thought invites you to do the same, while the 5K offers a more competitive opportunity.

To sponsor/partner with Kiwimbi or learn more about the event, please click info@ kiwimbi.org.

Kiwimbi Annual 5K Coming in June

erations,” Berkowitz confirms.

“Our customer service is great, our delivery is all in house, and we own our own trucks, so our delivery team works for us di-

rectly so we can make sure that everything runs smooth.”

Berk’s Furniture & Mattress is located at 320 Mountain Avenue, and the Berk’s Furniture &

Mattress Outlet is at 232 Main Street, both in Hackettstown.

Call (908) 269-8725 or visit www.berksfurnituremattress. com.

MOUNT OLIVE - On March 10, Mount Olive Township received a generous donation from Anthony Moreno, Gen-

eral Manager of Walmart, 461 Route 10, Ledgewood for the Ukrainian people. Pictured are from L-R are Dawn Fox, An-

thony Moreno, General Manager and Cassandra Judkins.

Missing in photo is Heather Beeh.

Walmart of Ledgewood Donates to the Ukrainian People

Knights of Columbus Recognize Special Olympians

MOUNT OLIVE - The Knights of Columbus, Council 5410, Flanders, recently recognized the children of their members for their long term participation in Special Olympics.

Recognized were Thomas Schoch and Patricia Discher.

They were presented plaques

on February 9, 2022 by Rob Holl, Grand Knight and Jerry Abondolo, Council member.

Michael Schoch and George Discher, both council members were present for the presentations. The picture details the recipients and from left to right, Recipient Thomas Schoch,

Michael Schoch (Thomas’ dad) Jerry Abondolo Council 5410 co-ordinator, Recipient Patricia Discher, Rob Holl Grand Knight of Council 5410 and George Discher (Patricia’s dad). Both Thomas and Patricia live in Flanders.

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Statewide Distracted Driving Enforcement and Awareness Campaign

MOUNT OLIVE - UDrive.

UText. UPay. to be carried out locally from The Mount Olive Township Police Department will be cracking down on distracted drivers during April as part of New Jersey’s UDrive.

UText. UPay. enforcement campaign.

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

The national effort is designed to raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, to offer deterrence through visible enforcement, and to issue summonses for relevant motor vehicle violations.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that in 2018 alone, 2,841 people were killed in distracted driving crashes on our nation’s roads and an estimated 400,000 people were injured. In New Jersey, driver inattention was listed as a contributing circumstance in 50

percent of the state’s crashes in 2018. Driver inattention was in fact listed as a contributing factor in crashes at a rate seven times higher than that of the next highest contributing factor (speed).

Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system — anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving. Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.

New Jersey is one of eight states nationally to receive dedicated federal funds this year to tackle the issue of driver distraction. This federal funding will be used for police overtime enforcement grants at the local level as well as a statewide multimedia public awareness campaign on this important issue.

AREA - Northwestern New Jersey’s premier culinary fundraising event, A Taste of Talent, will be held at Perona Farms on behalf of local non-profit agency Project Self-Sufficiency on Monday, May 2nd, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Patrons are invited to mingle with chefs from approximately 50 celebrated

area restaurants while feasting on appetizers, entrees, and desserts. The epicurean event raises funds for the non-profit agency which specializes in services for low-income families in Sussex, Morris, Hunterdon and Warren. Sponsorships for A Taste of Talent range from $500 - $25,000.

The event will take place in-

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 11

Theater Dance Center’s Annual Fundraiser Helps Those with Cancer

BY MEGAN ROCHE EDITOR

Presentation of the fundraising money TDC collected for Fighting Children’s Cancer Foundation. In photo from L-R are Andrea Inauen, Amanda Figurelli, FCCF Board members. The check was presented by graduating senior Emma Kenny of Mount Olive in the amount of $10,693.00.

MOUNT OLIVE - The Fighting Children’s Cancer Foundation gets help each year from Theater Dance Center and this year is no different! They recently hosted their annual gala and were successful in raising

money for FCCF. “The Gala is a performance where our competitive dancers debut their new pieces for family, friends and the community, to raise awareness and funds to help support FCCF,” Millene

Michel, owner of TDC said.

Over the years, the fundraising gala has raised over $100,000 for various charities, including Stand Up to Cancer and NJ Veterans. The Stand Up to Cancer donation was made

in honor of both Michel and the schools ballet mistress both being survivors of breast cancer.

Dancers represent the towns of Mount Olive, Long Valley, and Stanhope.

Celebrated Chefs Support Project Self-Sufficiency doors and outside at the venue.

Volunteer musicians will perform throughout the facility.

Some of the many fine restaurants which have participated in the past, and many of which are expected to return, include 403 Broad, Andre’s Lakeside Dining, Black Forest Inn, Bobolink Dairy & Bakehouse, Café Pierrot, Caffe

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Chefs from approximately 50 restaurants are expected to participate in A Taste of Talent at Perona Farms on behalf of Project Self-Sufficiency.

NaVona, Chocolate Goat Gift Shoppe, The Circle, Clay Oven, Cliff’s Ice Cream, Fossil Farms, Front Porch Organics, George’s Wine & Gourmet Gallery/Fran’s Farmhouse Kitchen, Gourmet Gallery, Green Cart Catering, Hayek’s Market, il Porto, Chef Jesse James, Krave Café + Caterer, L’Amico NYC, Lorraine’s Cake Shop & Tea Room, Mama’s Café Baci, North Shore House, Pattycakes Bake Shop, Perona Farms, Portofino Ristorante, Ryland Inn, Chef Tim Schafer, Slamwich Scratch Kitchen, Springhouse Creamery, St. Moritz Bar & Grill,

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Stone Water, Tanti Baci Caffe, White Birch, and Windy Brow Farms.

“A Taste of Talent is our signature fundraising event and the cornerstone of our annual campaign,” noted Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency. “Funds raised by A Taste of Talent make it possible for Project Self-Sufficiency to provide the programs and services necessary for families in northwestern New Jersey to attain economic self-sufficiency. We continue to be humbled by the support we are receiving from the restaurateurs

in our area, and we are looking forward to a delightful event.”

Select donation categories are available for A Taste of Talent, ranging from $500 - $25,000. A limited number of tickets for individual donations are available at a cost of $300. Perona Farms is located at 350 Andover-Sparta Road, Andover. To make a contribution to Project Self-Sufficiency, to obtain tickets to A Taste of Talent, or to find out more information about the programs and services available at the agency, visit www. projectselfsufficiency.org or call 973-940-3500.

What’s happening in your school or organization?

Celebrating a special birthday, anniversary, graduation?

Email us at editor@mylifepublications.com

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Former Host Family Holds Fond Memories of the Tarn

Page 12 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - Glenn Trippett and her son, Danny, are looking at a map of the current Bartley-Flanders Road in Mount Olive.

“There wasn’t another house next to us, and the little store was there,” Trippett says.

“I don’t know if the little store is still there down a ways.”

“Across the street is a railroad track,” Danny says.

Trippett starts to cry over the memories. “Oh my God, it just makes me sad. I don’t want to look at it.”

“Mom remembers all the good times,” her son says. “The memories are very bittersweet for Mom. It’s really hard for her to see all the changes that are happening.”

“It really is,” Trippett says.

Trippett’s family were owners of the Tarn, which was located right off of Route 206 on Bartley-Flanders Road. “It was only about a mile and down that road, and you came to the long driveway which drove right into the Tarn,” Trippett says. “My folks bought that place, I think it was the year I turned 13 years old.”

Trippett, now almost 90, explains a bit about her recall about the property. “The (Bartley) foundry was closed down a few years before. There was not much happening there, and my folks bought that property.

It was more than 80 acres of land with the lake on it, and the old foundry building. So, in the 1940’s, W.P. Taggart (her father) purchased the property,

BY RICHARD MABEY JR. GUEST WRITER AREA - In the midst of the cold winds of January of 1984, I found myself fighting a sore throat that led to a strep throat.

And, sadly, the strep throat led to my second bout of Rheumatic Fever. And at the age of 30, the fate that had called me to fight the deadly strep infection at 12, had rebounded and gnarled itself to the inner chambers and valves of my heart. It was a year-long battle with two long-stay hospital visits. But, I came out of it with a greater inner strength and a furious determination to leave my mark upon the world.

It was in the Spring of 1985, that I landed a writing job at a big daily newspaper.

I wrote engagement notices, wedding announcements, obituaries, scout news, church news, and news of various non-profit organizations. By the Summer of 1986, I was worn, weary, and feeling that my wheels were just spinning in sand, going nowhere. And, to top it all off, I had a boss who was anything but kind. In all honesty, she was a bit of a heartless tyrant.

I was frayed, my inner self was torn, I lived on Pepto-Bismal tablets. The unrealistic deadlines, the long hours, the harsh voice of my boss, was taking a toll on me. And, as if that wasn’t enough, my girlfriend at the time, was insistent that I leave the comfort and warmth of the little Reformed Church that I grew up in, to take classes to become a Catholic. And, Anna’s parents were putting the pressure on me, to the nth degree. I have no conflict with the Catholic faith. But, I do have a problem with being pressured to do anything, just to please someone else. It wasn’t so much that Anna was a devoted Catholic, rather it was that her father had given me the ultimatum to convert to being a Catholic.

I felt such inner turmoil.

Sadly, Anna gave in to her father’s dislike of me and broke up with me. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, my boss was be-

A teenage Robert Taggart in his family’s boat on the “Tarn” shore. . Photos courtesy of Glenn Trippett.

A view of the property renovated by W.P. Taggart.

which had gotten into a rather bad state during years of disuse.”

The first thing the Taggarts did was renovate the foundry building and made an apartment for themselves to live in.

“They just wanted to have a nice little quiet home there by this beautiful lake,” Trippett says. “And so, they did a lot of work on the foundry, made a very nice apartment on the upper level that overlooks the lake, and then got talking about establishing the Tarn and having a nice swim club for people - very much a family type thing.”

The Tarn, which eventually

turned into a business retreat called Pondview, which has been abandoned. The Township of Mount Olive has purchased and plans to renovate the foundry building, which is located a 5 Pondview Lane.

“My folks had completely kind of renovated it,” Trippett says, “turned into a beautiful clubhouse with a big fireplace, it had big changing rooms and everything. We’ve heard that all has gotten destroyed.”

“Grandpa did a lot of work,” says Danny. “He put in a snack bar. He put in golf carts that he took around in the 1950s, and he built a huge room downstairs we called ‘the big room,’ and it

was a massive stone room with a big fireplace with shuffleboard. He turned it into a real nice swim club, aka a family fun center. I talked to one of my cousins last night coincidentally, and we were probably the last generation where my cousins were like immediate family. He said he would hang out there on a daily basis. We all knew each other as if we were all brothers and sisters, and the family unit was so close at that time, and I think that’s some of our fondest memories, and mom’s as well.” Danny’s mom and dad also purchased a little tiny acre from Taggart, and the Trippetts built a childhood

home a half mile away from the Tarn. “And then there’s a path that connected that house to the swim club,” Danny says. That path is now barely visible on the map.

When asked if he ever does go back and look at the property, Danny says, “I did a long time ago when I first moved back. I was in California and Las Vegas for like 20 years, and then, when I first came back, I found myself driving down Bartley-Flanders Road and I kind of drove into the driveway of the Tarn.”

He pauses for a moment.

“And the memories really did flood back.”

take the bold step to start my own small-town weekly newspaper.

Encouragement is one of the single most precious gifts that a parent can give to their child. Encouragement holds

a greater value than silver or gold. For it can be the seed upon which the great tree of success springs forth. Please, never underestimate the positive power of encouragement.

The result of encouragement

knows no limitations, no bounds, no walls.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail. com. Please put on the subject line: I Remember Mom.

became the Tarn Swim Club, was open in 1952 on a very select membership basis. It operated successfully until the early 1970’s, when it became a challenge to run it. “It got to be too much for them,” Trippett says.

“They started having problems.

They had to start controlling the water that came into the lake, and there got to be a big algae problem up in Budd Lake which is where the water came from. And those big power lines went in and took a big chunk of their property. My folks just could not deal with that.”

When the Taggarts eventually sold the property, it was

I Remember Mom: The Cross Road

142 Main Street Chester, NJ 07930 Cell: 908-914-7944 Office: 908-879-7010 etattersall@weichert.com www.ericatattersall.com

OSTR E JFUSTAELD LIS

coming meaner and meaner with the passing of each and every day. I felt like I was holding onto the end of a rope, at a cliff’s edge, and the rope I was clinging to was rapidly fraying.

A thousand and one times my mom, Janet Kemmerer Mabey, encouraged me to start my own newspaper, a smalltown weekly. I was filled with self doubts. I didn’t have all that much money in my savings account. And, a certain fear and insecurity was clinging to the core of my inner self. But, Mom would not give up on me. She wouldn’t let me give into my inner fears and insecurities.

Mom continually told me that I had the right stuff, the fortitude, the dedication, the intelligence, and the deep drive to start my own smalltown weekly newspaper. But, I still doubted my abilities.

Finally, Mom told me to pray about it.

It was about a week before Thanksgiving Day, of 1986, that the good Lord had the hammer fall upon me and awaken me to the fact that I needed to leave that big daily newspaper and step out on my own. It was a Monday morning. I remember it all so well.

It was just before lunch time.

My boss came over to my cubicle and just ripped and tore me apart, for not having met a most unrealistic writing dead-

line. I was overwhelmed with little articles to write about engagement notices, wedding announcements, and events of non-profit organizations.

High noon came. Lunch break. I remember going out to my car to eat my lunch.

I had always brought a bag lunch to work. Once inside my care, the tears flowed down my cheeks like Niagara Falls.

I knew I couldn’t take much more of it all. The shadow of Anna haunted me. The pain of losing her love, the mean-spirited shouting of my boss, it all had taken a toll on me. There in my car, eating my peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I took the time to earnestly pray.

Mom was right. I needed to pray about it all.

Somehow and someway, I got the courage to type up my resignation that very afternoon. At the end of the day, I gave my official two-weeks’ notice to my boss. At that moment in time, it was like a big, heavy, anchor was lifted from my heart.

By early 1987, I began publishing the Lincoln Park Journal weekly newspaper. My dear mother was a constant source of encouragement to me. A new dawn was rising in my life. A new chapter of my life had begun. If it were not for the encouragement of my beloved mother, I would have never found the courage to leave the big daily paper and

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71 Goodwin Terrace Westwood List Price $950,000

This magnificent Dutch colonial revival home located in the sought-after Goodwin Park section of Westwood is not to be missed. Stunning architectural detail throughout including family room and sunroom additions. Kitchen with Beautiful maple cabinets, open design, breakfast bar as well as separate breakfast area, recessed lighting, and intricate design details. Tall windows in kitchen flow through Family room addition. Family room addition, great for gatherings, features crown and tall baseboard moldings, custom built ins, hardwood floors and brick surround wood-burning fireplace. Dining room with hardwood floors, detailed moldings and built-ins. Open foyer off dining room leads to spacious living room with two-sided fireplace. Enjoy your morning coffee in your screened porch located off living room. Step to the second side of your living room fireplace and find an amazing sunroom addition with tall windows, built-in bookshelves, recessed lighting and hardwood floors. Spacious master bedroom with two closets and remodeled master bathroom. Second bedroom with additional sitting room features gas fireplace. Updated guest bathroom. Walk up attic finished great for office or playroom.

Finished basement with half bath, laundry and tons of storage. Two car detached garage and beautiful brick patio to enjoy outdoor barbecues. Whole house generator. Beautiful lot.

119 Goldfinch Ct., Allamuchy Twp List Price $375,000

ER T 3 bedroom, 2 and one half bathroom town home with finished basement. Great floor plan Beautiful ND RAC Uwith T open living space and tons of natural light. Kitchen features 42” maple cabinets, stainless steel N O granite counters, tile backsplash, recessed lighting, and breakfast bar. Brazilian hardwood Cappliances,

Bald Rdthe home floors on main level. Family room with gas fireplace with custom96 mantle and Eagle surround give warmth and elegance. Laundry conveniently located on main floor.Allamuchy The master bedroom has two walk Twp in closets with custom storage systems and a gorgeous bathroom with dual sinks and huge walk-in shower with multiple shower heads. All bathrooms have beenList fully Price renovated.$539,900 Two additional large bedrooms also have very generous closet space. Newer windows. Property is level to the rear and has a patio with gas hook-up for grill. 360 virtual tour available.

Beautiful 4 bedroom, 2.5 half bath contemporary colonial with tons of natural light. Follow exquisite slate walkway to welcoming open porch great to enjoy your morning coffee. Gourmet designer kitchen completely remodeled in 2011 w granite counters, ceramic tile floors, cherry wood cabinets, under cabinet lighting, tile backsplash, center island, wet bar, large walk in pantry, recessed lighting, and stainless steel appliances. HWF throughout. Sunroom w private wooded views and French doors leading to slate patio great for entertaining. Cedar plank siding freshly stained and all exterior doors and trim freshly painted. Spacious living room w stone surround wood burning fireplace. Dining room, w picture window, offers great natural light. Charming pocket doors to kitchen and dining room. Generous sized bedrooms w lots of closet space. Media room is wired for surround sound and features built in book shelves and tons of closets and storage space. Bathrooms updated w Corian counters and wood cabinetry. Primary bathroom with jetted tub. Primary bedroom w walk in closet, second closet, and ceiling fan. Professionally landscaped low maintenance yard. New gutters, alarm system, and water softener. 360 virtual tour available.

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R DE CT UN TRA N O C

815 Rockport 815 Rockport Road, Mansfield TwpRoad Mansfield Twp List Price $450,000 List Price $450,000 Immaculate four bedroom, two and one half bathroom colonial on picturesque property. Profession-

ally landscaped w beautiful paver walkways. Custom kitchen w Thomasville cherry cabinets, granite counters, stainless steel appliances (features double oven), recessed lighting, tile backsplash and slate floors. Kitchen breakfast area features large bay window with bump out sitting area. Family room Immaculate four bedroom, two and one half bathroom colonial on picturesque property. Professionally landscaped w beautiful with brick surround wood burning fireplace and sliders to three season room with wall of window and paver walkways.

Custom kitchenSliders w Thomasville cherryseason cabinets,room granitelead counters, stainless appliances stunning views of nature. off three to large decksteel with tons of (features privacy.double Hardoven), tilefamily, backsplash slaterooms. floors. Kitchen areabeautiful features large bay great windowfor withgatherings. bump out woodrecessed floors inlighting, dining, andand living Livingbreakfast room with views sitting area. Family room with brickwith surround burning and fireplace and sliders to three with and wall ofupgraded window Spacious primary bedroom walkwood in closet ceiling fan; full bathseason with room shower and stunning views of nature.

Sliders off three season room lead to large deck with tons of privacy.

Hardwood floors in dining, vanity. Laundry conveniently located on first floor. Updated main bathroom with double sink, Corian family, and living Living roomBasement with beautiful views great for gatherings. primary withor walk in closet counters, androoms. new fixtures. with French Drain great Spacious for storage or bedroom workshop potentially and ceiling fan; full bath withcar shower and upgraded vanity. Laundry conveniently located gas. on firstAir floor.

Updated main bathroom finish.

Oversized two garage with additional loft storage.

Natural condition added 2004. with sink, Corian counters, and and new fixtures. with New Frenchattic Drainstairs. great for360 storage or workshop or potentially Roofdouble 2014.

Generator hook up portableBasement generator. virtual tour available. finish. Oversized two car garage with additional loft storage.

R FDOERRALCET UNSTA N O C

68 Canada Goose Dr Allamuchy Twp List Price $589,900

Where to begin? This home shows like a model. Stunning four bedroom, two and one half bath colonial, situated in picturesque Panther Valley; is a must see. From your Stone front entrance to your beautifully private backyard this house has it all. Designer gourmet kitchen with custom cabinetry, granite counters, tile backsplash, recessed lighting, center island with breakfast bar, and top-of-the-line stainless appliances including Subzero refrigerator, Wolf range and oven, instant H2O, and wine refrigerator. Main level with beautiful hardwood floors. Kitchen opens into two-story familycontemporary room with wall of colonial windows and of natural light. light.

Family Follow room offers gas fireplace private Beautiful 4 bedroom, 2.5 half bath withtons tons of natural exquisite slateand walkway views.

Work fromopen home?porch No problem! floor offers office! Laundry on main floor.completely Primary bedroom with sittingin to welcoming great Main to enjoy your an morning coffee.conveniently Gourmet located designer kitchen remodeled room and two largecounters, walk-in closets.

Primary offers double with granite counters and soaking tubtile as well as walk in shower.

2011 w granite ceramic tilebathroom floors, cherry woodsink cabinets, under cabinet lighting, backsplash, center Spaciouswet bedrooms with lots of closet space. Home offerslighting, one of the and best yards in Panther Situated onHWF cornerthroughout. lot at the endSunroom of cul-deisland, bar, large walk in pantry, recessed stainless steelValley. appliances. this yardwooded offers tons of privacy. withleading gas line for great for gatherings.

Guest bathroom remodeled double sink wsacprivate views and Double Frenchdeck doors to grilling slate patio great for entertaining.

Cedar plankwith siding freshly and granite counters.

Entertaindoors in yourand basement bar and separateSpacious game room.living 360 virtual stained and all exterior trim with freshly painted. roomtour w available. stone surround wood burning

96 Bald Eagle Rd., Allamuchy Twp List Price $539,000

fireplace. Dining room, w picture window, offers great natural light. Charming pocket doors to kitchen and dining room.ERGenerous sized bedrooms w lots of closet space. Media room is wired for surround sound and features built D CT in Nbook U TRAshelves and tons of closets and storage space. Bathrooms updated w Corian counters and wood cabinetry.

Primary ON bathroom with jetted tub. Primary bedroom w walk in closet, second closet, and ceiling fan. Professionally C landscaped low maintenance yard. New gutters, alarm system, and water softener. 360 virtual tour available.

300 Washington St Hackettstown List Price $419,000

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Charming three bedroom one and one half bathroom colonial built in 1850. Enjoy summer days on your lemonade porch or stroll into town for one of the many great restaurants and shops. Light and airy with high ceilings, large rooms, and tall windows this home is sure to welcome you. Beautiful kitchen with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, stylish white cabinets, recessed lighting and redwood hardwood floors. Enjoy wonderful dinner parties in your spacious dining room with hardwood floors and tons of natural light. Living room features hardwood floors and 6 inch baseboard molding. Enjoy chilly nights with your wood-burning fireplace featuring brick and wood surround. Dual stair cases from main floor to second floor. Basement currently used as crafting room and offers walk out great for storage.Spacious bedrooms with high ceilings and plush carpeting. Walk up attic. One car oversize garage. Public water, public sewer and natural gas. Close to Centenary performing arts theater! 360 virtual tour available.

300 Washington St., Hackettstown

List Price $419,000 T Charming US LD three bedroom one and one half bathroom colonial built in 1850. Enjoy summer days on your Jlemonade SO porch or stroll into town for one of the many great restaurants and shops. Light and airy with high ceilings, large rooms, and tall windows this home is sure to welcome you. Beautiful kitchen 207 Park with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, stylish white cabinets, recessedAvenue lighting and redwood hardwood floors. Enjoy wonderful dinner parties in your spaciousHackettstown dining room with hardwood floors and tons of natural light. Living room features hardwood floors and 6 inch baseboard molding. Enjoy Price $236,000 chilly nights with your wood-burning fireplace featuring brickSale and wood surround.

Dual stair cases from main floor to second floor. Basement currently used as crafting room and offers walk out great for storage.Spacious bedrooms with high ceilings and plush carpeting. Walk up attic. One car oversize garage. water, public cape sewer and gas. Close to Centenary artsDining theater!

360 Charming Public 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom home on natural level lot. Kitchen with white cabinets andperforming tons of storage. room with virtual tour available.

Hardwood floors.

Living room spacious with great natural light. Large deck to enjoy meals. Bedrooms with tons of closet space. Close to town with tons of restaurants, shopping and Centenary Stage Theater Company.

ST JU OLD S

9 Locust Court Allamuchy Twp Sale Price $590,000

Stunning four bedroom, two and one half bathroom colonial situated on very desirable cul-de-sac corner lot. Eat in kitchen features granite, custom white cabinets, recessed lighting, stainless steel appliances (including double wall ovens!!), stone backsplash, center island, and pantry. LED lighting and many USB ports throughout. Gleaming hardwood floors main level. Two story foyer with open floor plan. Living room features gas fireplace with stylish tile surround and mountain views. Dining room with mountain view, butlers pantry, chair and lighted crown molding. Primary bedroom offers two walk in closets and recessed lighting. Primary bath features double sink, granite counters, tile surround soaking tub, & glass enclosed stall shower with stunning tile surround. Guest bath with granite counters and tile surround tub/shower. Finished basement with workout and family area. Garage finished with epoxy floors. Stunning landscaping, 7 car driveway, and Ring door and flood cameras.

Erica Tattersall Erica Tattersall

Weichert Realtors Weichert Realtors Broker-Sales Person, SFR Broker-Sales Person,GRI, GRI, SFR Weichert Chairman the Board Club 2020 Weichert Chairmanofof the Board Club 2020-21 (Top 1% of Weichert Realtors) (Top 1% of Weichert Realtors) NJAR Circle of Excellence NJAR Circle of Excellence 2020 Platinum, 2016-19 Gold, 2013-2015 Silver, 2020-21 Platinum, 2016-19 Gold, 2013-2015 2011-12 Bronze Silver, 2011-12 Bronze

Want to know what your house is worth in today’s market?

R ORLE FOALE F Visit my website: www.ericatattersall.com for a S SA 68 Canada Goose Dr FREE Comparative Market Analysis.

Allamuchy Twp List Price $589,900

Lose Yourself at the Mount Olive Public Library

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 13

BY JILLIAN RISBERG STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - With cozy places to sit and reflect, and remote and (now) in-person resources, fans of Mount Olive Public Library love their home away from home.

But it’s been a strange time for libraries.

“Prior to COVID we were in a place where we told everyone ‘please come, hang out, use our facilities’ and for two years we had to tell everyone ‘don’t come,’” says Mt. Olive Library Director Mauro Magarelli.

“Then the past year we’ve been saying, ‘come, but don’t come as much.’ I think we’re over the hump and on our way back.”

Magarelli credits his patrons.

“The best January we’ve had in eight years, according to the stats I have,” the library director says books, DVDs, e-books and digital assets go out. “Even with all the crazy restrictions from the past two years people are coming here and checking out materials; they never stopped.”

He says one of the things unique to MOPL is people are not necessarily looking for an activity, event or program, they just want to use the space to study.

“I don’t blame them. People have been stuffed in their homes for two years,” says Magarelli. “They want a nice, comfortable space to work.

We’ve been able to afford that.”

And the library wants to continue such an initiative.

The library is set up with twin sections — right side is adult services (typically called the reference area) where you’ll find the heritage room, a quiet study space, which the library director is hoping to revamp in 2022.

The Career room was set up pre-COVID with a Wi-Fi connection and white board; there’s a conference room where people can sit and read

magazines… tables and computers throughout.

“It’s the traditional, quiet side of the library and people love it,” Magarelli says anything there is more of the same but better. “Better seating, better lighting, better Wi-Fi connection.”

Every year they have a summer reading program and this year’s theme is: ‘ocean of possibilities,’ with prizes, workshops/programs and fun.

NJ Maker’s Day is back and on March 26 they were excited to show everyone their new maker-space (on the children’s side of the library), where people could use Ellison® die-cutting machines, the 3D printer, lamination machines, dry erase tables and check out the craft closet.

According to the library director, when the building was built 15 years ago the idea was to have a space in which people could craft and create, although at that time maker’s spaces were a novel idea.

“Tools and machines they might not have at home. Every month one of our librarians does a STEM-based project.

During COVID we were doing it virtually,” he says they want to do that in person now. “We also have a green screen if the kids are doing their own newscasting. Sometimes we do historical backgrounds and places around the world.”

They were inspired by Diane Lapsley, a former board member, librarian and assistant director of the Sparta Library who passed away in April 2020.

“She was a great proponent for the (MOPL) and always wanted to get a 3D printer and start a craft room. Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to see it but we’re doing it now in her honor,” says Magarelli.

And they have a LEGO Club. Not just playtime, it’s guided learning.

“We want kids to read on their own and what they want to read; teach yourself without a grading system or pressure of a curriculum.”

The Maker’s Space Room is going to be an extension.

In his position, the library director says one has to evolve and adapt.

“Ideas and thought processes I might have had when I first came here are drastically different,” Magarelli says, acknowledging anytime someone has a suggestion or question about how they want to use this building. “Everyone’s opinion is valid.”

He says it can be as simple as ‘why don’t you have more of this type of book or this kind of movie.’ Or complicated like ‘we need more specific programming.’

You can’t jump to the next great idea, instead the library director says to sit back and think about what the great idea is and if it’s going to help the residents.

Libraries are unique places — everyone is welcome, there’s no cost or membership, while also some limits to what they can do (if someone wants a $500 book).

He says one out of every fifth thing checked is a digital asset. Libraries not on board miss out.

The library director frequently hears: ‘I like paper books and don’t want to do (digital).’

“Not true; it’s also not true that older people don’t like e-books or audio books; they’re some of my strongest users,” Magarelli says it’s a matter of exposing patrons to it and making sure they have the best platform.

It’s often used by people who commute.

The library director does during his 50-minute commute.

You can listen to thousands of e-audio books for free with

Monica Powers and Lexi Radjewski looking at the shelving.

your library card.

MOPL is part of MAIN, a consortium of 49 public libraries in Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset and Warren Counties, allowing them to share resources.

In his free moments,

Magarelli likes to walk the perimeter of the library’s beautiful campus and the avid bird watcher has seen 80+ avian species right on the property.

“The building is sacred ground for book lovers look-

ing to expand their knowledge on anything,” says the library director, who is happiest in the stacks scanning the bookshelves.

To learn more, visit www. mopl.org.

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Sister Cities: Mount Olive, New Jersey, Meet Mount Olive, Illinois

Page 14 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER MOUNT OLIVE - There are a few distinct similarities between Mount Olive, Illinois and Mount Olive, New Jersey, and one with the Garden State itself.

Both communities have celebrated 150-year anniversaries and have a farming history.

And, coincidently, the numbered highways that are relative to the Illinois location are mirrored in New Jersey. Route 55 runs through Cumberland and Gloucester counties, Route 66 is in Asbury Park and Neptune City, and 138 runs east to west from Wall to Spring Lake.

Mount Olive, Illinois, “The Little City With a Big Welcome,” is a small town of about 2,300 people located about 44 miles from Saint Louis, Missouri, and it is right off of Route 55.

Roger Kratochvil, whose family immigrated from Czechoslovakia in 1904, is the unofficial historian of Mount Olive, Illinois. He was born in neighboring White City and taught history and social studies at Mount Olive High School for 34 years. He also served for 10 years as the school’s Principal. Prior to his 1995 retirement and after it, he has sung

the praises of the area he grew up in. “The town was founded in 1865, right at the end of the Civil War by the German community,” he says. “And for many years, the newspaper, it was in German. If you couldn’t speak German, you couldn’t read the paper.” Zion Lutheran Church, where Kratochvil attends services, was the first church in town, and it was founded by John C. Niemann.

“He was the first everything in town: the first postmaster, he had the first church, etc.,” says Kratochvil.

Mount Olive, Illinois was originally called “Oleburg.”

“That was a German name that meant, ‘Mount of Olives,” says Kratochvil. “The town, although not extremely mountainous, is about 40’ higher than neighboring Litchfield and Staunton. “Then they shortened it to Mount Olive. We were also known at one time by Drummond Station because of the railroad. We had five railroads go through this town.”

Mount Olive, Illinois is very unique because it has two national historic sites. One is the Mary “Mother” Jones Monument in the Union Miner’s Cemetery, the eight ton, 22’

granite work of art dedicated to the community and labor organizer who lived to the age of 100. The other is Soulsby’s (Shell) Route 66 Gas Station, which was the first filling station on the famed highway which runs right through the heart of the town. “There’s not a day that goes by in the year that there aren’t people from all over the world who’ve stopped here,” says Kratochvil.

There are distinct differences between Mount Olive, New Jersey and its midwestern “sister.” Mount Olive, New Jersey is a growing community of about 28,000 people, and it is over 31 square miles, while Mount Olive, Illinois, which is located in Macoupin County, is a little over one square mile.

Route 138 and Old Route 66 run through the latter, while Routes 46, 80, and 206 cut through the Morris County township.

“The town is mostly a commuting town now,” Kratochvil says of his Mount Olive. “In the area, our businesses used to be number 60 to 70 businesses.

Now we probably have 20 or 25.”

There is no lodging in Mount Olive, Illinois – vacationers or

AREA - As New Jersey’s Covid-19 cases continue to drop, the nonprofit Raritan Headwaters Association (RHA) is bringing back its massive Stream Cleanup event without restrictions on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to noon.

“This year we’re essentially returning to normal,” said Zak Kircher, RHA’s Stream Cleanup coordinator and land steward.

“This is our 32nd annual cleanup, and we are hoping to get a

lot of local volunteers signed up to improve the health of the watershed.”

In recent years, over 1,600 volunteers have signed up for the Stream Cleanup, which is timed to coincide with Earth Week. Volunteers included individuals, families, scout troops, churches, businesses, civic groups, schools, and environmental commissions.

“The Stream Cleanup honors the spirit of Earth Day, bringing

people together to help the environment,” said Cindy Ehrenclou, RHA’s executive director.

“Not only does it beautify local stream corridors, but it also protects drinking water supplies and prevents litter from washing downstream to the Raritan Bay and Atlantic Ocean, where it becomes a hazard to marine life.”

In 2020, as New Jersey went into coronavirus lockdown, the Stream Cleanup was cancelled – although some local residents

Roger Kratochvil

visitors just passing through will have to look in neighboring communities to rest after sightseeing - but there are a variety of nice spots to dine at.

Kratochvil says, “We’ve got a bakery in this town – we’ve always had bakeries because these old German communities were bakers – and we’ve got a bakery, B & K Bakery, that is second to none. I guarantee you that their danishes are about 6” across. They’re like a coffee cake. We have Tilley’s Tavern, which is another nice place here in town, which is more of a sports bar for the young people, and we have a couple of other places in town that are small like Little Italy, which is a pizza place.” Another popular stop is Sam Holtz’s Route 138

Café, which is located right at the Route 66 and 138 intersections.

Mount Olive Illinois, which has a coal mining as well as farming history, is surrounded by farmland. Travelers no doubt will see a great share of

rabbits and squirrels traversing the area as they drive through.

For more information about Mount Olive, Illinois and its history, visit the Macoupin County website at www.macoupincountyil.gov/mtolive.

individually cleaned up areas in their neighborhoods. The Stream Cleanup resumed last year, but with a limited number of volunteers at each site and masking requirements.

This year, RHA is looking for volunteers to pick up trash and recyclables at over 40 stream sites in the upper Raritan River watershed, which covers 470 square miles in Hunterdon, Somerset, and Morris counties.

Masks are not required for this

fun, important, outdoor event.

Already, Kircher has been contacted by many longtime cleanup volunteers who are eager to come back. “We’ve heard from a lot of local Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups, and some church groups,” he said. “There are some site leaders who have been coming for over 20 years and they’re very dedicated.”

To register, go to www. raritanheadwaters.org/ stream-cleanup/ and choose

from a list of available stream sites. All volunteers will receive gloves, trash and recycling bags, hand sanitizer, and data information sheets.

The cleanup will be held rain or shine. While advance registration is required at most sites, walk-ins will be allowed at two sites with large parking areas, the Spruce Run and Round Valley reservoirs. For more information, contact Zak Kircher at zkircher@ raritanheadwaters.org.

Labor organizer Mary “Mother” Jones, who is buried in Mount Olive, Illinois. Photos courtesy of Roger Kratochvil.

RHA’s Giant Stream Cleanup Event Returns on April 23

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 15

DTA Automotive: Home for All Your Foreign Car Repairs

BY STEVE SEARS STAFF WRITER

MOUNT OLIVE - Alex Roman has owned Budd Lake’s DTA Automotive since 2002.

“It’s coming up on 20 years,” Roman says proudly.

“Half of what we do is BMW, so it’s 50% BMW and then the other 20 - 25% is Volkswagen, Audi, and then Mercedes. We work on everything, but unfortunately in this day and age, you need a lot of specialized equipment. Early on, about 10 years ago, I slowly started working on more and more BMWs, started going out to take more BMW centric classes. I wanted not necessarily to specialize, but at least have a complete understanding of particular brands.”

Roman attended Rutgers University for Mechanical Engineering, and needed a way to pay for his education. “I started working at the local repair shop. One thing led to another.

When I left school, I worked at a local repair shop full time, and as my family started growing, we moved out to Mount Olive and I started looking for employment closer to home.”

There was that first internship, however. “My first internship as a mechanical engineer,” Roman recalls, “I kind of just looked around and I was like, ‘I don’t think I want this to be the rest of my life - sitting behind a computer.’ No offense to those engineers who love to

sit behind a computer. That’s just not me. I’d rather be in the lab testing the equipment, see where things would break and putting things back together, that sort of thing. It probably goes back to childhood when I used to love taking things apart to see how they work. I’m sure that has something to do with it.”

Roman in his words “hopped around from one job to another” and eventually ended up at an automotive shop in Byram.

“The owner there took me under his wing and just showed me all aspects of the business, not only just fixing cars,” Roman remembers. “Eventually I was running his shop, and I always had the entrepreneurial bug.” Then came a key conversation that would mean leaps and bounds for Roman. “I went to him and I said, ‘Look, my family is starting to get bigger.

I need to make more money. Is there anything else I can do?’

And he basically said, ‘Yeah, you need to open up your own place.’”

His DTA Automotive purchase was next, and that RU education has been utilized. “I am extremely grateful and beneficial of my college education, because I use that to this day not only fixing cars, but now as I get new techs, explaining to them the physics behind diagnosing a car. If there’s one thing

I love about my job is that what I’m working on now is definitely not the same thing we were working on 5 - 10 years ago.

It’s always something new, and it definitely keeps the brain active.”

And Roman and his team are always learning. He and his crew headed south to Florida in March for five days of training. “In the beginning it was just mostly me taking training and then bringing back what I learned and disseminating my tips, but in the last several years, I’ve been taking the whole staff with me,” Roman says. “I can only take so many classes, so I’ll do one area, one of my others guys will do another area, because there’s multiple classes going on at the same time. So that helps when we come back with a lot more shared knowledge.”

DTA Automotive is very tech-oriented. More than half of their communication with customers is done digitally or via text. When a customer drops off a car, instead of calling them, DTA first sends an inspection report link including pictures and videos that have been taken of their vehicle.

“That way they have visual references to go by,” Roman says.

He then adds, “Because of COVID, we instituted a touchless payment system. I would say 70% of our payments are

What’s happening in your school or organization?

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Have a human interest story or something you would like to share?

Email us at editor@mylifepublications.com

Photos courtesy of Alex Roman

done online. Customers can even pick up their car after hours. We have secure lockers outside. I actually have several customers who drop their car off before we open, and they pick it up after we close.”

As far as giving back to the community, DTA Automotive techs put their skills to work in volunteer time to rebuild and donate cars. “We would take cars that needed a lot of work, or our customers didn’t nec-

essarily want to put any more money into them,” Roman says. “Sometimes we’ll either put the car in our rotation for our loaner cars, but other times where the car doesn’t suit the qualifications for our loaners, we fix it up, make sure it that it’s safe to drive, and then donate it to somebody. The last folks we partnered with were Mountaintop Church. They found a needy family to donate a vehicle to and we fixed it up,

made it safe. We’re hoping to do more and more of that. Also, what’s great about it is my staff winds up donating their time.

One of the things that I wanted to make sure of is that my staff isn’t just doing the work so that the shop ends up donating vehicle, but that they are also part of the donation process.”

DTA Automotive is located at 360 Route 46 West in Budd Lake. For more information, visit www.dta-auto.com.

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On March 15, Council President, and Council Vice President were invited to the Senior Citizen St. Patrick’s Luncheon. Fun was had by all.

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Honoring Late Daughter, Wayne Mom Channels Pain into Passion

Page 16 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

BY JILLIAN RISBERG STAFF WRITER AREA - The visual impact of seeing 500+ children’s faces of loved ones lost gazing out from the trailer to scare the heck out of the youth is a powerful wake-up call: ‘this could happen to me’ — Stay Away From Drugs.

It was Angels Across America’s first Event in Kissimmee, Florida — the camper will travel from state to state to create awareness, vital to save lives— and it meant everything.

“We were excited for our first rollout. Moms who lost their children wanted to see the picture of their child ‘cause that’s the only memory we have now,” says Susan Schmidt.

For Schmidt, the loss of her daughter is crushing torture, as though her soul has been ripped from her body. Alyssa is forever with her heart and always on her mind.

It was May 28, 2016, when her world imploded.

“I live with the heartache of losing my daughter every single day. She was 20 years old and I found her in her bed, she made a choice by snorting heroin and it killed her,” Schmidt says after a year she got on Facebook and learned other moms experienced the same loss. That’s when she knew she needed to do something.

“I had to learn about all this because I had no clue and there are a lot of naive families out there,” she says at first she was ashamed, ‘I raised her well, she went to Catholic school, came from a good family,’ how could this happen.

Because addiction doesn’t discriminate, and will take the best of anyone.

“You just grow with the pain and out of that becomes compassion to help others and keep our loved ones’ memories alive,” says Schmidt.

She has precious recollec-

tions of her beautiful, caring, charismatic, loving, smart, funny daughter.

“Everything changes when you lose a child,” she says you miss all those little things you experienced together.

And a heartbreaking new normal sets in.

They’re educating the parents, the public, especially the youth because they’re buying drugs off Snapchat and social media.

“Every drug (crack, cocaine, heroin, Xanax, methadone) is riddled with Fentanyl and these 10, 11, 12, 13-yearold kids are dying,” Schmidt says their life matters. That’s the ‘One Pill Can Kill’ campaign.

“They want to get high but they die. Their sudden death is like a traumatic shock to all of us.”

According to the CDC, there were an estimated 100,306 drug overdose deaths from opioids in the United States during the 12-month period ending in April 2021.

Schmidt noticed slight behavior changes (‘she was a little more angry’) in her daughter but didn’t think much of it.

Alyssa assured her it was nothing, ‘mom, just leave me alone.’

“I thought it was growing pains,” says Schmidt. “Never expected to go upstairs and find her gone, never in a million years.”

Her pain became passion and Alyssa’s mom dove into Angels Across America, to support every family as much as she can.

“I miss her dearly and love comes from what I’m doing now,” Schmidt says it’s for all those moms who found their child dead or got a phone call saying their child is dead.

And she has company in

her grief, having met MaryBeth Moore Zocco, who started Ryan’s Ride in 2019 after the loss of her 25-year-old son Ryan Moore from fentanyl poisoning on 12/17/2018.

Shortly after the first ride, the Orlando mom began The FRoM Project (Forever Ryan’s Mom) to keep his memory alive by sending handmade personalized cards to grieving parents all over the world.

They honor and remember loved ones taken too soon by substance use disorder overdose or fentanyl poisoning.

“Alyssa was my whole world, my best friend, we loved to cook together, shop together, did everything together, she’d come home from work, we’d talk for hours… and she’d tell me about her day.”

How do you pick up the pieces and move forward — according to Schmidt; honor them ‘and talk about our children as much as we can to whoever will listen.’

She held ‘Celebration of Life for Alyssa’ and joined the Wayne Alliance. This year will be her fifth annual candle-lighting on International Overdose Awareness Day. Angels Across America supports all the grieving families and their loved ones, who are deeply loved and missed.

They educate the public and youth on the dangers of illicit drugs, every street drug is extremely addictive and using can have dire consequences.

Leslie (Billy) Smith owns Angel’s trailer. Smith lost his son, Jeremy, 30, a construction worker who fell off a building.

He was put on Oxycodone for the pain. When the prescriptions ceased — he turned to street drugs and it’s what killed him.

Schmidt says tell your kids

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“The heartache is unbearable some days but we keep pushing forward to honor and love all the angels we lost,” she says. “When I do their pictures, graphics — make a video talking to their moms, I feel like I know each one of them.”

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“Alyssa’s dreams were shattered because she made a mistake,” Schmidt says she blamed herself. “How did I not know, what if I did this, what if I said that; I beat myself up to this day and friends say stop, she made the choice.”

Recalling all their amazing milestones and accomplishments you boasted and bragged about, while also thinking: ’G-d knows what they’re getting into.’

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“I’ll do these events, then it hits you. Becomes so overwhelming where I’m quiet and within myself for days,” she says she can’t function. “Then go, go, go and break down again; it’s horrible. Or go upstairs and lay in my daughter’s bed and just cry.”

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New Jersey’s Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum Celebrating 50 Years of Flight

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 17

BY HENRY M. HOLDEN STAFF WRITER

AREA - In the first decades of aviation, Teterboro Airport, in Bergen County, was the center of development and record setting flights. Teterboro Airport is the oldest operating airport in the Tri-State Region.

In the 1920s and 1930s, record-setting flights became a national obsession, and many of the flights originated or terminated at Teterboro Airport.

Many famous pilots flew out of Teterboro including Charles and Ann Morrow Lindbergh, Jimmy Doolittle, and Clarence Chamberlain, the second man to fly non-stop across the Atlantic were early users of the airport.

Later, they were followed by former navy pilot Arthur Godfrey, and astronauts Buzz Aldrin (the second man to walk on the Moon), Walter Schirra, and Kathryn Sullivan, the first woman to walk in space, and Janis Blackburn, the first woman in the world to be a flying crew member on the Airbus A-300, along with others became the modern-day aviation pioneers.

The museum displays historic aircraft, space equipment, artifacts, photographs, fine art and an aircraft model collection. The library has more than 4,000 volumes and a collection of aviation videos.

A party held on August 14, 1970, commemorated the 50th anniversary of the first landing at Teterboro Airport. Donald Borg, publisher of New Jersey’s largest evening newspaper, The Bergen Evening Record, and others nostalgically discussed events that had taken place at the airport. It was soon evident that the airport held exclusive historical importance.

The group agreed to preserve the history, and the seeds of the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum (AHOF) were planted.

Ten New Jersey aviators

The author’s grandchildren in Bell AH-1S ‘Cobra’ attack helicopter during an Open Cockpit Day. (Credit Henry M. Holden)

The late Pat Reilly surrounded by inductee’s plaques. Reilly was a key figure in the formation and creation of the AHOF. (Credit Henry M. Holden)

were selected to be the first inductees with H. V. “Pat” Reilly becoming the executive vice president and director. By Laws, restricted inductee selections to be limited to four per year. This has been waived only occasionally.

The first induction dinner saw 600 guests attending. Television personality Arthur Godfrey was the guest speaker.

In 1939, the Goodyear blimp Mayflower made daily sightseeing flights over the New York City World’s Fair. In 1952, Arthur Godfrey buzzed the control tower while taking off in his DC-3. As a result, his pilot’s license was suspended for a time.

The museum contains a number of unique exhibits including the rocket engine that propelled the X-15 to a blistering speed of Mach 6.7 (4,520 mph), a record that still stands for winged aircraft. An X-15 also topped the altitude goal of 250,000 feet by nearly 19 miles.

“The airplanes on display include a Martin 2-0-2 airliner, which is open to the public, a Bell-47, and the only known Lockheed 402-2 Bushmaster in existence, which stands at the entrance to the museum,” said

appearance. We also have the first American hovercraft invented by Charles Fletcher on display. The Sikorsky HH-52 Coast Guard 1455 rescue helicopter which was instrumental in the Marial Cuban boatlift, now stands at the entrance to the museum. One of our most popular exhibits among the children and parents is the ‘Little Cut Up.’ We took parts from several airplanes and put them together for the youngsters to operate the manual controls.”

When the new Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum opened in 1983, there was room for the museum’s collection, but it was soon overloaded with memorabilia, and artifacts.

Plans were made for a building extension. However, the extension was delayed by the Department of Environmental Protection for three years until they determined the extension would not do damage to nearby wetlands.

“The focus of the AHOF is on events and people who contributed to New Jersey’s aviation heritage,” said Villecca.

“Today, there are 192 men and women inductees in the hall of

Ralph Villecca, Executive Director of the museum.

“We also have a Bell AH1S ‘Cobra’ attack helicopter, a Coast Guard CH-53 helicopter, and a number of other aircraft.”

The Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum was originally located in the first control tower that opened in 1948. When the tower was retired in 1975, it became the first home of the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum in New Jersey. It was the first state aviation museum in the country, and it was incorporated as a nonprofit educational organization on April 6, 1972.

There were one hundred steps from the field level to the top of the tower. The hall of fame occupied the top three floors. This author remembers the climb to the top. For those who wanted to go slowly, there were aviation photos on the walls that visitors could enjoy during their hike to the top. Some of the electronics were disabled and left in place for the youngsters to simulate a controller. The radio exchanges between pilots and controllers remained active and broadcast for the visitors.

The first museum reached capacity when it held about

1,000 artifacts. “People came to give me all kinds of aviation memorabilia,” said the late Pat Reilly. “But I had no place left to put them. I ran out of room.”

The museum has been cited as One of the 10 Best Museums in the state of New Jersey,” and there are several one-of-a kind or last of a kind aircraft.

“We have the last Martin 2-02, in world, and the cockpit and one row of first class seats of a TWA 880,” said Villecca.

“We have flight simulators, and relics of ill-fated flights such as the Hindenburg dirigible that was destroyed by fire in Lakehurst in 1937.”

Artifacts of the Hindenburg, can be found on display.

The newsreel film does not do justice to the size of the Hindenburg. The display documents the tragedy, and illustrations show that this massive airship was almost the size of the Queen Mary ocean liner.

“Many adults are fascinated by the piece of airframe we have on display,” said Villecca “People go up to it and touch it.”

“We have the cockpit of an F-111 fighter jet and many people are fascinated by its

fame, including six New Jersey-born astronauts, and fifteen war aces.”

Air Force Colonel Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin Jr., a resident of Montclair, and AHOF inductee was a Korean War fighter pilot, and Lunar Module Pilot for Apollo XI. He followed Neil Armstrong onto the surface of the moon in 1969.

Navy Captain Walter M. Schirra, Jr, of Hackensack, was one of the nation’s original seven astronauts, and the only person to have flown in each of the three generations of U.S. spacecraft – Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.

To qualify for induction, the candidate must be from New Jersey or must have significant aviation ties to New Jersey.

The achievements of the candidate must be followed by an ongoing commitment to advance aviation.

The museum has been designated as an educational center so there is probably something for everyone to enjoy and learn about. For more information see www.njahof.org or phone 201-288-6344.

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MORRIS COUNTY NEWS

Page 18 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Morris County Hope Hub Celebrates First Anniversary

MORRIS COUNTY - Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon’s Hope Hub program hit its First Anniversary, marking over 150 situations in the program’s first year that critical services were brought to individuals or families identified as being at an acutely elevated risk of needing assistance.

The anniversary was marked with a breakfast celebration and review of Hope Hub accomplishments over the past year at the Morris County Office of Emergency Management offices in Parsippany Township.

Hope Hub, the second program of its type in the nation, is a multidisciplinary panel made up of law enforcement, social services, mental health services, healthcare providers, treatment providers and recovery specialists. When representatives of various agencies identify struggling individuals and families, Hope Hub’s panel of professionals tries to connect with them and link them to life-changing services.

Hope Hub is an expansion of the Sheriff’s Hope One project. Hope One is a mobile recovery access vehicle that has been entering communities for nearly five years to offer critical support to persons struggling with addiction. The goal is preventing drug overdoses and deaths, as well as offering mental health services.

Spearheaded by Hope Hub Coordinator Officer Chelsea Whiting, the Hope Hub panel meets each week to determine if an individual or family, identified as at-risk by law enforcement, the courts or services agencies and nonprofits, would benefit from various service sectors. Those applicable agencies then work together as a team to do a door knock or intervention.

It was on March 5, 2021, Sheriff Gannon and Officer Chelsea Whiting successfully launched Hope Hub. Because Hope Hub assisted in over 150 situations in just its first year, a Hope Hub Social Case Worker, Kim Cacciabeve, was added to

the team. We are working together to help individuals and families struggling in Morris County.

The Morris County Sheriff’s Office is proud to work with partners such as the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, the Mental Health Association, the Center for Addiction, Recovery, Education & Success (CARES), the Morris County Chiefs of Police Association, Interfaith Food Pantry, Nourish NJ, Acenda Integrated Health, Family Promise of Morris, Child and Family Resources, the Morris County Department of Human Services, and more.

Sheriff Gannon believes these public and private partnerships in Morris County, New Jersey truly make a difference.

Are you working with someone at an acutely elevated risk, in need of various services? Refer them to the Hope Hub! www.morriscountynj.gov/ Departments/Sheriff/Community-Programs/Hope-Hub

Morris County’s Hope Hub team (l-r) Al Shurdom, a Clinician with the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris; Morris County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Erica Valvano, Sheriff James Gannon, Hope Hub Coordinator Officer Chelsea Whiting and CARES Peer Recovery Specialist Carrie Bailey.

MORRIS COUNTY - Morris County has launched a “Veteran and Family Support Program” under contract with the Mental Health Association to assist veterans in re-establishing themselves with their families and in the community after returning home from duty.

The Veteran and Family Support Program is designed to provide free psychotherapy services to veterans, as well as group counseling and support to their families and friends. MHA describes it as a holistic approach to help veterans reunify with family as the returning service members simultaneously deal with post traumatic stress disorder and other psychological barriers to readjusting to civilian life.

There also will be referral components that link veterans to employment, finance and other services necessary to their readjustment. The program is one of three launched by the Morris County Board of County Commissioners through the Morris County Department of Human Services to assist returning veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. However, the programs are open to all veterans.

“We began these programs

out of respect for our returning service members and the difficulties they and their families face after they come back from a conflict to pick up their lives again. Sometimes they need to talk to other veterans who faced the same difficulties re-entering our society. Some may find they need professional counseling, and their families may realize they too need some guidance in how to interact with a loved-one returning home from combat. As we said, Morris County wants to be here for our veterans, not only on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but always,” said Commissioner Deputy Director John Krickus, a Marine Corps veteran.

“MHA is proud to stand with Morris County’s veterans; they are the best of us. Trauma is real and impacts all of us, and veterans despite their bravery are still human. And we all need help from time to time. The veterans were there for us and we will be there for them,” said MHA CEO Robert Davison.

The initiative was unanimously approved by the County Commissioners late last year and is being supported funds made available through the American Rescue Plan Act. The other programs

launched include “Peer to Peer Support Counseling” to facilitate veterans being counseled by fellow veterans who shared similar experiences, and “Veteran Roundtables & Events”de-

signed to bring veterans together in social settings.

The programs are being overseen by Morris County’s Veterans Services Office.

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MORRIS COUNTY NEWS

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 19

CCM President Iacono Named a 2022 ROI-NJ Influencer

MORRIS COUNTY - County College of Morris (CCM) President Anthony J. Iacono ranks amongst highly esteemed leaders in New Jersey as recognized by ROI-NJ on its 2022 ROI Influencers Power List in Higher Education. This is the fourth time Iacono has been selected as a leader and influencer in higher education by ROI-NJ. Iacono was credited for CCM’s investment in being a comprehensive college serving both degree seekers and workforce development students, as well as being the top community college in New Jersey for graduates who earn the best salaries as reported by PayScale for five consecutive years.

“Being named by ROI-NJ as an influencer in higher education is an honor, especially when considering the exceptional depth of the many leaders across the State of New Jersey,” said Iacono. “CCM continues to grow because of the support from the local communities within Morris County, including students and parents, as well as our industry, community, business and educational partners throughout the state and nation. One of the greatest rewards of leading a community college is cultivating relationships that create impact and change lives.”

Over the past year, CCM has been ranked as Best for Transfer Students and the #1 Community College for Asso-

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ciate Degrees in New Jersey, positioning itself as a frontrunner for preparing students for a four-year degree at a university or college. In addition to offering degrees, CCM has become one of New Jersey’s economic engines producing a highly educated and skilled workforce for regional employment.

CCM’s Center for Workforce Development has launched apprenticeship programs resulting in a 90 percent employment rate for students in advanced manufacturing. CCM is making it clear that its commitment to providing a robust education means that anyone in the community seeking an education has an opportunity to build an educational path meant specifically for them.

“Growing and expanding opportunities for our students and members of the communities we serve demonstrates the college’s commitment to truly being the community’s college, focused on positive impact and growth for Morris County,” said Iacono.

County College of Morris President Anthony J. Iacono with students at one of the college’s Welcome Back Bash celebrations.

“Through the vision and support of our Board of Trustees, faculty, staff and administration and with the extraordinary sup-

port of state and national legislators, county commissioners and local officials, we continue to strive to make CCM a col-

lege and partner of choice for area residents and businesses.”

ray, the Morris County open space program coordinator.

The deadline for submitting open space applications and appraisals for 2022 funding isThursday, June 9, 2022.

Last year, the Morris County Board of County Commissioners approved recommendations by the county›s Open Space Trust Fund Committee to award $1.3 million in preservation grants for four open space projects, totaling 43 acres located in four Morris County towns.

The Open Space Trust Fund, which is part of the county’s Preservation Trust Fund, has helped to preserve 17,682 acres throughout the county since 1994, using $293,220,418 generated by a preservation tax Morris County voters approved in November 1992.

In addition to open space projects, the county’s Preser-

vation Trust Fund also helps finance farmland and historic preservation, county parkland acquisition, recreational trails project, and the purchase of residential properties prone to flooding.

“The story goes back nearly three decades ago when the then-Freeholders recognized that sound planning requires a balance of economic growth and the protection of natural resources. Our efforts to preserve open space in Morris County has always been supported by the taxpayers and goes to the heart of why people love to live and raise their families here, and why major corporations make Morris County their home,” said Morris County Commissioner Stephen Shaw, who is the county governing board’s liaison to the Department of Planning and Preservation.

“With an established park

system that is second-to-none in New Jersey and our continued expansion of a network of county hiking trails, we have preserved much more than just our surroundings.

We have improved upon an already high quality of life here that includes one of the lowest county taxes in the state, well maintained public infrastructure, top-rated schools, and safe neighborhoods, and we will continue to nurture it,” he added.

The review process for grant applications is handled by the Open Space Trust Fund Committee, which visits the proposed sites and makes final recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners by fall.

Additional information maybe be obtained by contacting the Office of Planning and Preservation at 973-829-8120.

Morris County 2022 Open Space Grant Applications Now Available

MORRIS COUNTY The Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation has announced that the 2022 grant application for funding of open space projects under the Morris County Preservation Trust Fund are now available online on the Open Space Preservation website.

“Any of Morris County’s 39 municipalities and qualified charitable conservancies are eligible to apply for grant funding,” said Barbara Mur-

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 1

Celebrity Extra

BY DANA JACKSON Q: Did Adele ever reschedule her concerts in Las Vegas after she suddenly canceled them? I’m glad I didn’t buy tickets. -- B.D. A: The “Weekends With Adele” residency in Las Vegas was originally scheduled for Jan. 21 through April 16, 2022.

Unfortunately, she canceled the shows at the last minute, stating that, due to COVID and late shipments, the show wasn’t up to the standards she felt her fans deserved. She was widely criticized, though, as many had already made travel arrangements with expensive flights and hotel accommodations.

As far as a tour, Adele has two upcoming performances at London’s Hyde Park in July and has promised that the Vegas shows will “absolutely happen” sometime in 2022. Perhaps she’ll plan a multi-city tour in 2023.

In the meantime, if you have the Peacock streaming service,

you can watch “An Audience With Adele,” a two-hour special of her concert that aired in the U.K. this past November. *** Q: When is “Better Call Saul” returning? I hope it wasn’t canceled. -- W.J. A: The “Breaking Bad” spin-off “Better Call Saul” started with a slow burn when it premiered in 2015. It focused on the origin story of Jimmy McGill, who would later become the fast-talking, crooked lawyer Saul Goodman. The compelling series is returning for its sixth and final season April 18 on AMC. Bob Odenkirk has been nominated four times for the lead actor Emmy but has yet to win for his performances on “Breaking Bad” or “Better Call Saul.” He has, however, taken home the trophy as a comedy writer for “Saturday Night Live” and “The Ben Stiller Show.”

Odenkirk almost wasn’t here to wrap up Saul’s tale, having suffered a heart attack on the set last July. He credits the 12 minutes of CPR and repeated use of a defibrillator for saving his life.

While anxiously waiting for the upcoming season, be sure to check out Odenkirk’s recently published memoir, “Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama.”

He talks about his career as a comedy writer in the 1990s, his troubled relationship with his father, and how he became an action star in his 50s with the film “Nobody.” *** Q: Who is the actor who played the British chemist in “The Dropout” on Hulu? He seems familiar to me. He was so good in the role and should certainly get nominated for an Emmy. -- E.C. A: He’s the multitalented Stephen Fry, a British actor, writer, author, etc. He began

as part of the comedy duo Fry & Laurie, as in Hugh Laurie (“House”), and kept audiences in stitches in British comedies like “Jeeves & Wooster” and “Blackadder.” His film career is equally impressive, winning accolades in “Wilde,” based on the life of Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde, and then later as an inspector in Robert Altman’s “Gosford Park.”

Fry’s most recent role of chemist with a conscience Ian Gibbons in “The Dropout” is certainly worthy of an Emmy nomination. His co-stars Amanda Seyfried and Naveen Andrews also likely will hear their names called when the nominees are announced July 12.

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail. com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

“The Oscars” (NR) -- If you missed the 94th Academy Awards live premiere on ABC, it’s now available to stream.

This year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had a much larger film collection to select nominations from than the previous year, due to a smaller number of films being released because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Power of the Dog” leads with 12 nominations, followed by “Dune,” “West Side Story” and “Belfast.” In the Best Picture category, 10 films were nominated, but only five of the directors of those 10 films were nominated for Best Director.

With beautiful movies to celebrate and the first performance of the hit song “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from “Encanto,” the highly esteemed award

show finally makes its way back to its normal state (much like the rest of us). (Hulu) “Thermae Romae Novae” (NR) -- Now available for streaming, “Thermae Romae Novae” is an anime based on the Japanese manga series by Mari Yamazaki. Lucius, an architect from ancient Rome, gets tasked with building a bathhouse, yet he’s unable to think of any worthwhile ideas. Suddenly, Lucius gets sucked into a time-traveling tunnel that leads him into a bathhouse in modern Japan.

Overwhelmed with all the new inventions that have appeared over centuries and centuries of time, Lucius gets inspired to return to his home and build a bathhouse the ancient Romans never could have imagined in their wildest dreams. (Netflix)

“driving home 2 u” (NR) -Pop superstar Olivia Rodrigo got her start on Disney+ with a main role on “High School Musical: The Series,” and she’s back on the streaming platform -- this time in a documentary film showcasing her experience creating her very first album, “SOUR.” Rodrigo owned the charts last year as a force in pop music that hasn’t been seen in a while, and “SOUR” was an incredible success, with her first three singles dominating radio stations and music streaming platforms. Get to know a different, more humanized side of this young songwriter in “driving home 2 u.”

(Disney+) “The Fairly Oddparents: Fairly Odder” (TV-Y7) -- As the second longest-running television show on Nickel-

odeon, “The Fairly Oddparents” became a true staple for millennials and Gen Z. While the original animated show wrapped in 2017, a live-action series was put into the works; thus, “The Fairly Oddparents: Fairly Odder” was born.

“Fairly Odder” follows Vivian “Viv” Turner, Timmy Turner’s cousin, who begins a new life after her family becomes blended in with her father’s new wife and her new stepbrother, Roy. From the now older Timmy, she receives a gift to help her navigate her new life: our favorite, very odd, fairy godparents, Cosmo and Wanda! Premieres March 31. (Paramount+) (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

1951-1978 (when she died at 56; he died in 1990 at 72).

In 1976, the word was “out” about his sexuality because of his affair with a radio station manager. Carey Mulligan plays Felicia, and Matt Bomer (of “White Collar” and “Magic Mike”) plays a clarinet player, one of Bernstein’s lovers. Bernstein underwent psychoanalysis to cure his gay inversion,

but when that failed, he finally “came out” publicly as part of the cure. Can’t wait to see how they handle that! *** Sandra Bullock and Brad Pitt share the same hairdresser, Janice Thompson, and she convinced Brad to do Sandra’s film “The Lost City” and suggested he do Sandra’s film “Bullet Train” (out July

15). Sandra admitted, “He was our first choice, but we didn’t go after him.” Did their hairdresser get a commission from either? *** Is this the beginning of the end of The Golden Age of Hollywood? It all began in 1989 when Sony bought Columbia Pictures for $3.4 billion and then MGM’s famous Culver City sound stages in 1990. In 2019, Disney bought 20th Century Fox for a mere $71 billion, which included their Century City studio. At least they were studios gobbling each other up, but now Amazon is acquiring MGM for $8.5 billion. MGM was founded in 1924 by Marcus Lowe (of Metro Pictures), Samuel Goldwyn and Louis B. Mayer, and they ruled Hollywood film making.

As Mike Hopkins, senior VP of Prime Video and Amazon Studios, points out, “The real financial value behind this deal is the treasure trove of MGM’s catalog, which we plan to reimagine and develop with MGM’s talented team.”

MGM owns EPIX and produces “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Fargo,” etc. It produced the James Bond franchise with United Artists, which gener-

BY TONY RIZZO At eight years old, Bradley Cooper dreamed not of acting, but of being an orchestra conductor. Now he’s playing one of the best in “Maestro,” a biopic about Leonard Bernstein (currently represented by the music in “West Side Story”).

The “Maestro” had three children in a “marriage of convenience” to Costa Rican-American Felicia Montealegre from

Couch Theater

Bob Odenkirk in “Breaking Bad” Photo credit: AMC

Olivia Rodrigo in “driving home 2 u”. Photo Credit: Disney+

Hollywood

Bradley Cooper Photo Credit: Depositphotos

ated $16.8 billion, and claims MGM’s catalog has more than 4,000 films, including “Moonstruck,” “Legally Blonde,” “Silence of the Lambs” and “Poltergeist,” as well as 17,000 TV shows. But what it doesn’t contain is movies you see on TCM, such as “The Wizard of Oz, “Singin’

in the Rain” and “Gone With the Wind,” which were sold to Ted Turner in a 1986 package that he in turn sold to Warner Brothers (in a co-ownership deal). Can’t believe MGM’s Leo the Lion now roars for Jeff Bezos. (c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

Did You Know?

A comprehensive review of research published between 1990 and 2020 studying the link between physical activity and mental health outcomes determined that nearly 90 percent of all peer-reviewed, published research reported a positive, statistically significant relationship between exercise/physical activity and mental health. Conducted by the John W. Brick Mental Health Foundation, the review found that 1,029 of the 1,158 experimental studies examined reported significant positive relationships between

physical activity and mental health outcomes.

General physical activity, a broad descriptor referring to the amount of daily or weekly physical activity people engage in irrespective of type, had the greatest number of positive studies of any type of physical activity, followed by cardiovascular and aerobic activity and yoga. Authors of the review concluded that their findings illustrate that exercise and movement can now be considered mainstream elements of mental health care.

GAME TIME

Page 2 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Have You Thought Of Going Back To Church Lately?

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NJ HALL OF FAME

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 3

LARRY DOBY Sports | Paterson (1923-2003) Larry Doby grew up in New Jersey and became the pride of Paterson. A star high school athlete, Larry joined the Newark Eagles in the Negro Leagues at only 17. After two years of military service during World War II, he signed with the Cleveland

Indians just 11 weeks after Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color barrier with the Brooklyn Dodgers. As the American League’s first black player, Larry Doby endured bigotry and prejudice with class, becoming a seven-time All-Star, leading the Indians to a World Series title and finishing second MVP sec-

ond black manager in the Major Leagues. Widely respected as a talented athlete and manger, he had a profound influence on the game and was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.

Today’s induction into the New Jersey Hall of Fame shines as a well deserved spotlight on a role model for the ages: Larry Doby.

JACK NICHOLSON Arts & Entertainment | Neptune (1937- ) Jack Nicholson was raised in Neptune and graduates from Manasquan High School before heading to California to pursue an acting career. He found initial success as a writer and di-

rector. A break landed him a part in “Easy Rider” and he never looked back, becoming a hugely successful actor, director, and producer. One of the most honored actors of all time; he has earned more Oscar nominations with six Awards, a long list of critics groups’ awards and Life-

time Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. He is the only person to be in two State Halls of Fame, the California Hall of Fame and now the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

We are proud to remind the world that Jack Nicholson was nurtured here in New Jersey.

JUDY BLUME General | Elizabeth (1938- ) With more than 80 million books sold and translated into 31 languages, Judy Blume is one of the most influential and best known authors of books for young readers. Growing up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Judy spent her childhood making up stories, a talent she turned into

a remarkable career. Not only is she beloved by readers young and old, she is applauded by the critics who have bestowed many honors on her including the Library of Congress Living Legends Award, the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, and the American Library Association’s Lifetime

achievement Award. Judy also is a longtime advocate of intellectual freedom and works tirelessly to protect the freedom to read.

She serves on many boards and foundations, including the National Coalition against Censorship. Now, 28 books and many years later, the shy student from Elizabeth is now a member of the New Jersey hall of Fame.

N

ALICE PAUL Historical | Mt. Laurel/ Moorestown (1885-1977) Alice Stokes Paul was the architect of some of the most outstanding political achievements on behalf of women in the 20th century. Born on January 11, 1885 to Quaker parents in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey, Alice Paul dedicated her life to the single cause of securing equal rights for all women. She founded the National Woman’s Party in 1914 and led the first

picketers to the White House gates in the name of women’s suffrage. When women won the right to vote in 1920, Paul turned her focus to the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) which she authored in 1923.

She worked for women’s rights internationally and founded the World Woman’s Party in 1938 with its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Paul then succeeded in getting a sexual discrimination clause written into Title VII of the 1964 Civil

Rights Act. She lobbied Representatives to pass the ERA from her wheelchair in a nursing home in Moorestown, until her death in 1977. Though the ERA has yet to be ratified, her legacy lives on through the work of the Alice Paul Institute. Based at her childhood home, Paulsdale in Mount Laurel, NJ, API’s educational programs, tours and events fulfill its mission to preserve Alice Paul’s legacy to develop future leaders.

WALLY SCHIRRA Enterprise | Oradell (19232007) Wally Schirra was born in Hackensack and raised in Oradell, graduating from Dwight Morrow High School and attending the New Jersey institute of Technology. He finished his BS in aeronautical engineering at the US Naval Academy. A trained fighter pilot, he flew more than 90 combat missions in the Korean War and was awarded the Distinguished

Flying Cross and the Air Medal for his service. Schirra was chosen as one of the original seven American astronauts and in 1962 became the fifth American in space. He is the only person to fly in all of America’s first three space programs – Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo.

He logged almost 300 hours in space and was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal posthumously. His wit and engaging personality manifested itself to the world when

he played “Jingle Bells” on his harmonica while on a Gemini mission in space. After retiring from the service, he became a popular CBS News Consultant and he was co-anchor with Walter Cronkite and Arthur C. Clarke in covering the first Apollo landing on the moon. In later years, Wally co-authored “The Real Space Cowboys” with Ed Buckbee and contributed to the bestselling book “In the Shadow of the Moon.” He died on May 3, 2007.

Check them out at https://njhalloffame.org/ and donate at https://njhalloffame.org/donate/.

ICASTRO

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H

HC O U N C I L M A N H

What I Stand For

4 Stable Taxes 4 Fiscal Responsibility 4 Energy Efficient Green Community

4 Safe Communities 4 Transparency 4 Sustainable Energy

4 Senior Citizens 4 Responsible Growth 4 Open Space

Who is Joe Nicastro?

I moved to Mount Olive in 2004 with my wife Mary Lalama and our family of 5 children.

Along with my wife we publish Mt Olive Life Newspapers as well as other newspapers in areas of North Jersey.

In 2011 I ran for council to serve the residents of Mt Olive. I am currently the Town Council President and have that privilege of serving for the past 7 years.

When you serve in a local community it is about keeping residents safe, providing the services as well as representing all residents that live in our great township.

I want to keep Mt Olive the great community it is by working on bringing green and renewable energy programs to the community as well as keeping and improving on our open space and parks for our residents to continue to enjoy.

Questions or concerns?

Contact me at 973-809-4784 Cell • jnicastro@mtolivetwp.org

Join us on Zoom for our council meetings in 2022 • 7PM Apr. 6, 20 • May 4, 18 • June 1, 15, & 29 (June 8th Primary Election) July 6 & 20 • Aug. 3, 17 & 31 • Sept. 14, 28 Oct. 12, 26 • Nov. 9, 23 (2nd General Election, 16 NJLM) • Dec. 7 & 21

Visit www.mountolivetwpnj.org/ to register or Register by using this link

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Gk2pdBp0RoeRHAjcHd8vPQ

Together We Can Make A Difference Paid for by Friends for Nicastro

John Floretine Treasurer

MORRIS COUNTY NEWS

Page 4 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Morris County Chamber Honors Local Community and Business Leaders at Annual Meeting

MORRIS COUNTY - The Morris County Chamber of Commerce honored local community and business leaders Margaret Nordstrom and Jane Kurek at its 101st Annual Meeting Luncheon March held March 3 at the Parsippany Hilton.

Nordstrom was honored with the Alex DeCroce Public Leadership Award. She is administrator of Borough of Chester and immediate past-executive director of the New Jersey Highlands Council. She also served as a Morris County commissioner from 1999 to 2012, including as Commission director 20062008. Nordstrom has received numerous awards for her activities in environmental protection, citizenry and government leadership and sits on a number of councils and commissions.

She noted she tried to retire was drawn back to work after a few months of not being busy enough for her liking.

“This is a life-time achievement award but I’m still working,” she joked. “And I will continue working for as long as

God allows it.”

Kurek was honored with the Saint Clare’s William P. Huber Award for Outstanding Community Leadership. She is the former exective director of The Provident Bank Foundation, where she was responsible for implementing the foundation’s vision and strategies. Throughout her career Kurek focused on providing leadership to nonprofits to help them achieve their missions and continues her involvement in retirement.

She is a trustee of CASA of Morris and Sussex Counties, board treasurer of The Compassionate Friends Foundation, an advisory board member of First Night Morris County and serves on numerous other nonprofit councils and committees.

She looked back fondly on her time as executive director of The Provident Bank Foundation, with its mission of enhancing the quality of life in the communities The Provident Bank serves, including nonprofit, which she said hold a special place in her heart.

“Together we can truly make changes in the years

ahead,” she said.

The meeting also featured keynote speaker Kevin Nepveux, vice president, launch excellence, at Pfizer, Inc., who discussed the unprecedented effort of the pharmaceutical industry to jointly work to find a vaccine for COVID-19, accomplishing what usually takes five to 10 years in just over 12 months.

He said the company achieved this by: Taking steps in parallel instead of sequentially.

Selecting a formula quickly.

Streamlining the government review process.

Accelerating the manufacturing process, including expanding from three sites to 20.

Innovating, such as building an electric substation for power, making their own dry ice and attaching GPS devises to every shipping package.

“We took a normal business paradigm and smashed it,” Nepveux said. “We bet everything on this. We believed we had the vaccine.”

Chamber president and CEO Meghan Hunscher shared

highlights from the organization’s centennial year, 2021, and discussed the chamber’s vision for the future.

“The pandemic brought us closer together in many ways and the lessons we have learned will endure as we continue to fulfill our mission to connect, convene, facilitate, inform, collaborate and advocate for our members,” she said. “At the chamber we are committed to providing the opportunities for members to raise their visibility.”

In addition, Tayfun Selen, director of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners, spoke of the county’s Small Business Grant Program, which is providing $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to county small businesses negatively impacted by the pandemic.

“It is all of our responsibility to spread the word about this grant program,” he said.

Selen encouraged small businesses in need of COVID-relief funds to visit morrisocuntysmallbusinessgrant.com.

Margaret Nordstrom (left) and Jane Kurek were the award winners at the 101st Annual Meeting Luncheon of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.(Credit MC Ward)

MORRIS COUNTY - County College of Morris (CCM) is excited to announce it will be holding its first in-person Open House since 2019 and it’s going all out to make this one as informative and engaging as ever.

Several academic programs will be holding special showcases to provide students with deeper insight into different

courses of study. Participants also will be able to tour the college’s state-of-the-art facilities, labs and studios. And new this year for some fun and to obtain a solid understanding of the lay of the campus – the Land of the Titans – there will be a scavenger hunt and a raffle for those who take part. The winner will receive an Oculus Quest 2 virtual real-

ity headset.

The Open House will take place on Saturday, April 23, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with two starting sessions at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Registration is required and is now taking place. To register, go to www. ccm.edu/admissions/visiting-us/.

As always, the Open House will provide high school stu-

dents, their families and adult learners with the opportunity to learn about the highly ranked education CCM provides to meet educational and career goals.

Those attending the Open House will be able to talk with faculty and explore the more than 100 degree, certificate and professional development programs CCM offers. They

also can learn about the support services and co-curricular programs CCM provides to ensure the success of its students, and discuss the admissions and registration process.

Included among its many distinctions, CCM is ranked #1 in New Jersey for best associate degrees and in the top 1.8 percent of the best community colleges nationwide by

CCM to Hold In-Person Spring Open House

Town & Valley

HACKETTSTOWN OFFICE Office: 908-852-1333 1585 Rt 517 (Panther Valley Mall) Hackettstown, NJ 07840

HOPE OFFICE Office: 908-459-9888 329 High Street Hope, NJ 07844

Blairstown Twp

$280,000

This property has excellent visibility & location- currently rented as a single family home- this home, barn and property are being sold strictly as is-all need tlc- first floor has several exterior doors offering private office suites- unlimited potential with high visibility easy route 94 & 80 accessliving room, mud room, office, laundry, pantry, 2 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths, potential of private offices with outside and inside entrances-high visibility-corner location with a babbling brook across from walnut valley ball field and next to races farm stand- commercial

Blairstown Twp

$459,900

This is the home you have been searching for! Located in a quiet country setting, meticulously maintained in a cul-de-sac on 3 private acres. Enjoy resort style living in your own backyard with an in ground saltwater pool and hot tub. If you prefer the shade, you can sit back and relax under the retractable electric awning on your trek deck. 1st floor features, family room with wood burning insert fireplace, sliders to back deck, formal living, dining room and eat-in kitchen. 2nd floor has 5 bedrooms which includes master suite with walk in closet and full bath. Lots of amenities such as hardwood flooring, silestone counters, generator hook up, central vacuum and solar panels that are owned and not leased. Recent updates/renovations include roof, siding, windows, garage doors, interior doors, 2 oil tanks and hot water heater. For additional living space, full walk out basement is waiting to be finished and includes a separate workshop area. Enjoy the surrounding area, mins. to Rt. 80, Delaware Water Gap, hiking trails, wineries, restaurants,recreational parks and quaint downtown main street shops.

ROCKAWAY OFFICE Office: 973-537-7000 321 Mount Hope Ave Rockaway, NJ 07866

“Dream with your eyes open”

Each Office Independently Owned & Operated.

Now licensed in both New Jersey & Pennyslvania

Intelligent. The college also continues to maintain its #1 position in the state in PayScale’s “Best Community Colleges in New Jersey by Salary Potential,” a distinction it has held for five years in a row.

To apply today, go to https://www.ccm.edu/admissions/.

www.TownAndValley.com Bloomfield Twp

$369,900

Beautiful Single Family Home, Located in the Heart Of Bloomfield. Easy Commute To NYC & Waking Distances To Parks, Restaurants & Market. This Amazing home offers a Fully Renovated Kitchen, Laundry Area, Dining Area, Half-Bath & a Large living Area With Plenty of Natural Light. Second Level Offers 2 Bedrooms, Full Bath & an Amazing Sunroom or Bedroom. Finish Attic With Plenty of Space to leave it to your imagination. Basement Full Walk Out. This property Offers a Shared Driveway with a Large Backyard.

Historic River with beautiful Wild Natural Flowers.

Denville Twp

Margarita Greer

Nuris Meek

Christy Doyle

973-277-3834

973-222-7764

917-561-5156

973-270-8030

Realtor/Sales Associate

Hackettstown

$385,900

MOVE RIGHT IN! A special find, this is a great opportunity to move into the College View Section of Hackettstown, perfectly located close to Centenary University. A MUST-SEE! This charming Bi-Level will instantly make you feel at home. PRICE TO SELL-Well-kept, meticulously maintained 4 bedroom 1 1/2 bath, 2-car garage, central air, this wonderful home is set on 75’ x 135’ (0.232 Acres) level private fenced-in backyard with an inground pool. The upper-level features an open concept, 3 bedrooms, a spacious open living room, a fireplace, and an expansive dining room. It also includes a spacious eat-in kitchen with beautiful Oak cabinetry and all appliances, it has hardwood floors all throughout, and distinctive double Hung Anderson Windows overlooking the backyard to let in natural light and the panoramic mountain view. Ground-level comprises the 4th Bedroom Family, Family room, a Powder room, laundry/Utility room, a Brand-New Washer, and a Dryer. A French sliding door takes you on a stamped concrete patio and a great view of a lovely inground pool and entertaining backyard.Ideally located within proximity to all amenities, schools, hospitals, recreational facilities, supermarkets, Banks, NYC train Station, Restaurants.

Harmony Twp

Realtor/Sales Associate

$275,000

Ready to make your farmhouse dreams become reality? This is the one you’ve been waiting for! Built in the 1700’s, this three-bedroom home is waiting for its next owners to restore it back to its original charm.

First time ever on market and completely surrounded by farmlands! If you want to get away from it all and live in the beautiful countryside of Warren County - THIS IS IT! Enjoy country living at its best with endless amounts of peace and privacy. With some TLC, this property can become a tucked away oasis for years to come! Come take a look today!

Hopatcong Boro

Realtor/Sales Associate

$275,000

Don’t miss this cozy move in ready home...if you want one floor living...this home fits the bill...with 2 additional rooms on the second level.First floor offers living room...dining room..kitchen...2 bedrooms & full bath.Upstairs 3d bedroom & den. Woodburning fireplace in living room..Laundry room on first floor for easy access.Low maintenance yard...not too much to mow! Patio off kitchen offers a space to enjoy the outdoors.Located in Hopatcong with quick access to the lake... shopping..schools & Rts 206 & 80.

Jefferson Twp

Nicole Magretto

Joan O’Brien

Joan O’Brien

908-642-0625

732-407-4770

908-304-4164

908-304-4164

Realtor/Sales Associate

Mansfield Twp

$599,900

Beautifully maintained 5 bedroom colonial with three full baths and powder room nestled on 2.29 acrers - this home offers a full in law suite with a 14 x 15 livingroom - full kitchen and 10 x 12 bedroom & full bath on the first floor - the first floor also offers an open floor plan with sliding patio doors to a large patio area and a covered paver patio area for entertaining family room with gas fireplace formal living room and formal dining room - second floor features a master suite with large walk in closet - bath with jetted tub and seperate shower stall - three bedrooms with a full bath - beautiful hardwood floors - this home is a must see.

Oxford Twp

Broker/Sales Associate

$143,000

Great opportunity to own this affordable one bedroom home with LOW taxes and PUBLIC SEWER! Recent upgrades include newer roof, reinforced foundation and a French Drain system! There are plenty of options to customize and add your finishing touches too! Detached workshop/ storage area with water hookup available. Private backyard offers incredible mountain views on top of the deck. Conveniently located close to local highways, state hunting lands, fresh water fishing, Oxford Furnace Lake and The Delaware River Water Gap. Come take a look today!

Roxbury Twp

Broker/Sales Associate

$249,999

Just a couple blocks off the lake, enjoy all that this property has to offer. This cozy 2 bedroom home is in need of some TLC but has great bones. Oversized lot is a bonus. Close to 80, 46 and 10. Home sold as is where is.

Wharton Boro

barbecues & such.

Nicole Magretto

William “Bill” Cogan

Frank Anderson

201-787-2060

732-407-4770

908-619-9245

908-303-5564

Realtor/Sales Associate

Realtor/Sales Associate

$389,900

Wow! “A Special Find” Just minutes to I-80 and in a terrific community. Ideally located 4 bedroom split level on a beautiful level lot.

Efficient layout with country kitchen. Peaceful, Private backyard for

Gina DiMaio

Realtor/Sales Associate

$329,000

Don’t miss this Eden model end unit townhouse in Berkshire Ridge.

There is a desirable first floor master with updated bath & walk in closet.

Open concept living room & dining room features a cozy wood burning fireplace. Spacious kitchen has granite countertops & newer LG stainless appliances. Powder room & laundry area complete the first floor.

Upstairs you will find a versatile space...use as a den...home office...or family room. The generous sized second bedroom has its own full bath.

Lots of storage.There is a large unfinished basement as well..

Joseph Pannia

Realtor/Sales Associate

$218,000

Clean and fresh second floor end unit in Valley Stream. Hardwood floors, well equipped kitchen with refrigerator, gas stove & dishwasher. A/C units included. Large complimentary storage unit in basement of building, as well as coin operated laundry room. Water, Sewer, garbage & natural gas are included in the monthly HOA fee. Just pay the electric & WiFi/cable. Convenience at its finest, close to Denville Center, shops, dining, train station & school. Recreation park across the street, Routes 46 and 80 are easy access.

Maria McDonough Broker/Sales Associate

Call one of the Sales Associates...

Broker/Sales Associate

MORRIS COUNTY NEWS

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 5

Vietnam Veterans Memorial “The Moving Wall” Coming to County College of Morris MORRIS COUNTY - Residents from Morris County and beyond will have the opportunity to experience the poignancy and meaning associated with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial when The Moving Wall, a half-size replica, comes to County College of Morris (CCM) this July at the initiative of VFW Post 7333 of Randolph.

The Moving Wall will be on display July 7 – July 11 at the college, 214 Center Grove Road, Randolph, near Parking Lot 1.

The ceremonies begin on July 8 with proclamations from Randolph Township and Morris County. The Grand Opening will be on July 9 and include a prayer from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney from the Diocese of Paterson and proclamations from the U.S. Congress and New Jersey State Legislature.

There will also be a tribute to Gold Star families and a wreath laying ceremony. July 10 will include a prayer from Rabbi Asher Herson from the Chabad Center of Northwestern New Jersey and the singing of God Bless America. July 8 through July 10 also will feature rifle salutes and then the playing of Taps each evening at 8 p.m.

The closing ceremony will take place the morning of July 11 with a prayer from Reverend

Timothy Clarkson from Union Hill Presbyterian Church in Denville, the Retiring of Colors and the collection of wreaths and any mementos left at the wall.

Visitors who lost someone in the Vietnam War will be invited to make a rubbing of their loved one’s name from the wall throughout the course of each day.

“Thanks to the efforts of State Senator Anthony Bucco and VFW members like Emerson Crooks and Jack Sassaman, we will be able to experience the Vietnam Wall and honor our fallen service members.

Our goal is to help bring healing to veterans, families and friends who suffered through this divisive conflict,” said Bill Menzel from VFW Post 7333, the project coordinator. “The Moving Wall additionally is intended to educate youth about the Vietnam War and its impact on the nation and veterans.”

“We are honored to have been asked to host The Moving Wall at CCM to recognize all veterans, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice, and to teach the next generation about the impact and lessons learned as a result of this time in our nation’s history,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. Also supporting the efforts

Officials at a press conference, March 9, at County College of Morris with proclamations celebrating the plans to bring the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Moving Wall to CCM in July. Pictured are (l-r) Kellie Doucette from Congresswoman Miki Sherrill’s office, Dover Mayor Carolyn Blackman, Randolph Mayor Marie Potter, Willy Tolba from Congresswoman Miki Sherrill’s office, William Menzel and Emerson Crooks from VFW Post 7333, Deputy Director of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners John Krickus, County Commissioner Stephen Shaw, State Senator Anthony M. Bucco, Assemblywoman Aura Dunn.

to bring the wall to the college are the Morris County Board of County Commissioners.

“All Morris County residents should take advantage of this unique opportunity to see the traveling version of the Vietnam wall. I would especially urge parents to bring their children, and high school and college students to come and honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, as well as a

big thank you to our Vietnam veterans,” said Deputy Director John Krickus of the Morris County Board of County Commissioners, a Marine Corps veteran.

When John Devitt, a Vietnam veteran, attended the 1982 dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., he felt its power and vowed to share that experience with those who might not have

the opportunity to visit it. Devitt, Norris Shears, Gerry Haver and other Vietnam veteran volunteers built The Moving Wall. It has now traveled the country for more than 30 years.

This will be the second time The Moving Wall has come to Morris County. The first time was in Jefferson Township in 2004.

The cost to bring the wall to Morris County is estimated at

$30,000 and donations are being sought to help to defray that cost. VFW Post 7333 also is looking for volunteers to assist while the wall is at CCM. To volunteer or to make a donation, go towww.vfwpost7333. org/the-moving-wall/. Sponsorship and program advertising opportunities also are available by emailing menzel10@ aol.com.

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MORRIS COUNTY - Morris County was born 283 years ago – or was it before that?

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It was 1752 when England

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and its colonies, including New Jersey, switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, moving our official birthday to March 15, 1739 from 1738.

Regardless, history records that Morris County was created by an act of the State Legislature on March 15, 1738/39,

separating it from Hunterdon County, one of the state’s largest counties of the period.

Named after Colonel Lewis Morris, then Governor of the Province of New Jersey, it originally included what are now the counties of Morris, Sussex and Warren.

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MORRIS COUNTY NEWS

Page 6 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Help Us Mine the History of Morris County’s Miners

MORRIS COUNTY - Morris County has a deep history of mining still visible today, from the names of locations such as Mine Hill Township and Richard Mine Road, to the pits and sinkholes marking the landscape and the remnants of historic mills that processed the bounty, including the Boonton Ironworks.

History has recorded the names of the mining barons; however, the miners have been largely forgotten.

Lost are the names, faces and stories of the people who migrated here from Europe in the early 1700s to dig the mineral-rich land by hand and those who followed, continuing to work the mines, mills and supportive industries well into the 20th Century.

“Our invitations to the public to assist us in compiling historical information for other projects has worked well, and we would love more information on the miners. The prize for us would be photo-

graphs,” said Jan Williams, a Cultural and Historic Resources Specialist for the County of Morris Office of Planning & Preservation, which is building the online project.

Morris County historians have gathered many names from census data in Morris County, and in some cases, for example, the 1880 Census for Teabo Mine in Rockaway Township even made a distinction between an individual who “Works in Mine” and a “Miner.” An explanation for that distinction is not available, but Morris County has included them all in “Morris County’s Miners.”

“Also included are those who made their living in service to miners: shopkeepers, physicians and contractors,” Williams added.

The Office of Planning & Preservation has been building online historical databases on everything from Morris County’s “Railroaders” and “Street Histories,” to veterans of Unit-

ed States military conflicts.

“Morris County’s Miners” delves into another, rich portion of Morris County history.

Did you know one of the first iron mines in the United States was located, around 1710, in the Mount Hope section of Rockaway Township?

Iron ore was a primary target of diggers back in the day, and Morris County was part of an entire northern New Jersey region whose economy was fueled by local mining for well over two centuries.

Vestiges of mining history, particularly iron mining, remain throughout Morris County.

Rockaway Township’s motto is “Iron Spirit”, and to this day its official seal includes a dark anvil. After breaking away from Randolph Township in 1923, Mine Hill Township took its name from the industry by which is was born, although the community more recently shed its old official seal, bearing mining

implements, to adopt a more family-friendly image.

The Town of Boonton, which owes its very existence to The Boonton Ironworks built in 1830, has undertaken

preservation and study of the former site, and received a Morris County Historic Preservation grant last year to further that effort.

If you have information

you would like to share, including photos, corrections to the online history page or additions to it, please contact Jan Williams at: jwilliams@ morris.co.nj.us.

MORRIS COUNTY - The Morris County Board of County Commissioners unanimously introduced the county government’s 2022 Budget with no increase in the tax rate for a third consecutive year, while boosting funds for public safety and health, infrastructure projects, human services, education and economic development.

“We are pleased for the third year in a row to deliver a budget with no increase in the county property tax rate, while delivering excellent services to our residents,” said Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen.

The proposed $331.1 million spending plan insures the continuation of Morris County’s top AAA Bond rating – maintained for 46 years – with an anticipated $57.9 million fund balance representing a $1.7 million increase over last year. The 2022 Budget additionally prioritizes investments in education and cultural programs, including the $25 million creation of the Morris County Vocational School District’s new Career Training Center at the County College of Morris in Randolph.

“This budget is financially sound and should continue our AAA rating standing, with a strong investment in capital projects including $25 million for the 500 student expansion of the Morris Vocational School District providing skills training that will provide the skilled workers our country needs and bright futures for our residents,” from Commissioner Deputy Director John Krickus, Chair of the Board of Commissioners’ Budget Committee.

The budget dedicates $68.3 million to public safety, with another $36.6 million earmarked for health and human services programs, with a focus on community-based human service initiatives, including Hope Hub, Hope One, Navigating Hope, veterans programs, employment training and senior nutrition programs.

“We have a mission-driven allocation of financial investments towards combatting substance use disorders and overcoming mental health challenges, working with valued nonprofits to address human service needs. A broad range of county government

is involved, including human services, the Sheriff’s Office’s Hope One and Navigating Hope programs, and initiatives by the Prosecutor’s Office,” Commissioner Kathryn DeFillippo, a member of the budget committee.

Critical Community Investments The 2022 Budget contains approximately $34.3 million in educational, cultural and economic development incentives that service all 39 municipalities in Morris County.

Included are: • $18.9 million to support the County College of Morris, Morris County Vocational School District, the Rutgers Cooperative Extension and the Morris County Superintendent of Schools Office • $8.9 million to support the 20,394-acre Morris County Park System • $5.7 million for the Morris County Library and Morris County Heritage Commission • $816,000 for Economic Development and Tourism “Economic Development and Tourism spending is increased over 2021 as we promote Morris County as the best place to live, work and

play, and now work from home, as we emerge from the pandemic,” said Commissioner Deborah Smith, a member of the budget committee.

Critical Infrastructure Investments The 2022 Budget includes a $62.5 million Capital Spending Plan for the calendar year, offset by $30.4 million in grants. It prioritizes $14 million for road resurfacing of 25.6 miles in 15 towns, puts $6.83 million toward bridge and culvert projects, and dedicates $2.8 million for intersection improvements.

Road Resurfacing Projects Include: • 2.2 miles of Fairmount Road in Washington Township • 2.2 miles of Green Pond Road in Rockaway and Jefferson townships • 2.5 miles of Park Avenue from Columbia Turnpike to Route 124 in Madison, Florham Park and Morris Township • 2.5 miles of Village Road in Harding Township Intersection Improvements Include: • Flanders Netcong Road and Main Street Intersection with Route 206, Mount Olive

• Boonton Avenue at Taylortown Road, Montville Township • Guide Rail Upgrades and Installations throughout the County Bridge & Culvert Projects

Include: • Dickson’s Mill Road Bridge in Harding Township • Pleasant Hill Road Bridge in Mount Olive • Hurd Street Bridge in Mine Hill Township

No Tax Rate Increase in Morris County 2022 Budget

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 7

Morristown All-Girls High AcademyOldest of Its Kind in State - Remains a Beacon of Excellence

BY ALEXANDER RIVERO STAFF WRITER

MORRIS COUNTY - Onehundred-sixty-three years ago, the Sisters of Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation founded in Newark by Mother Xavier Mehegan, was commissioned

by Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley to establish a school for young women in the state of New Jersey. Such a school would have been the first ever secondary school for young women in the state’s history.

Formally established in Madison in 1860, the motherhouse of the school was then moved onto a parcel of land that, in a series

of municipal adjustments over the next several decades, fell within the boundaries of what is today Morristown. The College of Saint Elizabeth—renamed Saint Elizabeth University in 2020—was founded in 1899 as a part of this greater complex. It is the oldest women’s college in the state and one of the first ever Catholic colleges in the United States to award degrees to women. Today, it is a state beacon of academic excellence and, under Principal Lynn Burek’s stewardship, looks to remain so.

“I’m always in awe and

humbled by the history of the school,” says Burek, “as well as the amazing women who form the base of our alumnae. I’m extremely proud to be in a position to continue that legacy and to build on it. We certainly nurture the past here as we prepare these girls for the future.”

Burek was the first lay person to ever become principal of the Academy when she did so in 2015. Prior to that, she spent her entire professional life in the public school system as a teacher. The past seven years, she says, have been incredible

for her, not only professionally in stewarding such a historic institution from its peak administrative position, but at a deeper, more personaly level as well.

“Every day here I have a chance to forge relationships with incredible people, whether administrative staff, teachers, parents, the Sisters of Charity, the trustees, and of course the students themselves,” she says. “ A typical workday for Burek includes morning announcements to the student body, where she always makes it a point to offer some inspiration for the day ahead. She then conducts meetings with the administrative team and teachers, and sometimes follows those meetings with several class observations, being present in the hallways and lunch periods, interracting with students, all the while maintaining communication with the Sisters of Charity, the trustees, and the parents.

“Working with the girls has to be my favorite overall part of the job,” says Burek. “It’s inspiring for me to be able to offer inspiration to them every day, to push them to live out the mission that the Sisters of Charity brought forth into the founding of the school so many years ago.” The five core values of that mission are charity,

community, justice, service, and educational excellence.

Overall, says Burek, being able to see the transformation of these women during this critical four-year span of their early lives is perhaps the single most rewarding part of her job for her, as well as to have the chance to play a role in it all.

The school’s campus today covers over 200 acres of land, including the university. Convent Station—a fully functional train station, is but a three-minute walk from the school’s doors, and many of St. Elizabeth students and staff members make use of it to commute to and from their homes.

The Sisters of Charity themselves live on grounds adjacent to the school buildings. They participate in activities with the students frequently and form a vital part of the campus’s daily dynamic. Primary among the sister’s roles is their serving as walking reminders of the institution’s illustrious past, and of the values for which staff and students should always be reaching almost two centuries after the school’s founding.

Over the course of an academic year, St. Elizabeth students organize and conduct several activities, each of which in its own way seeks to bring

its community closer together in common cause. There is, for example, Spirit Week, which coincides with the beginning of school athletics and is meant to bolster support for the school’s sports teams.

There is the Mother-Daughter Tea, which is a chance for mothers and daughters to dress up, as they would for high tea at the Ritz, and spend some time together. The Calendar Party, another activity, is a class competition in which the students are assigned a particular season of the year on which to base competing performative skits, and partake in meals, decorating, and camaraderie. There is also the Christmas Lighting Ceremony, in which the students sing carols, decorate the school, and have a great, festive assembly. All this is to say nothing of the school’s reputation for academic excellence, which has been—and looks to always will be—at the heart of every other initiative.

In an ever-changing world, it is refreshing to be able to see institutions as long-standing and successful as this one continue to uphold the very principles on which it built its sturdy reputation so many years ago. May the Academy of St. Elizabeth thrive on.

A Gift of Hope A talk on boosting your immune system for body and soul

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Page 8 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

Hearty, Wholesome Dishes to Support Immune Systems

If feeding your family wholesome meals is a daily goal, keep in mind you can serve up tasty foods that also feed your immune system by including ingredients like mushrooms. With their earthy flavor, mushrooms – like many other fruits and vegetables – can also play a positive role in supporting a healthy immune system.

Studies at Oregon State University concluded there are a variety of micronutrients important for supporting a healthy immune system.

Consider that three of these nutrients (vitamin D, selenium and B vitamins) can be found in mushrooms, meaning these family-friendly recipes for Roasted Chicken Thighs and Veggies with Mushroom Orzo Risotto; Grilled Portobello Gyros with Yogurt Dill Sauce; Creamy Spinach, Mushroom and Lasagna Soup; and Asian Barbecue Sesame Salmon with Noodles and Veggies can help you add all-important nutrients to your family’s menu.

Find more ways to add mushrooms to family meals at mushroomcouncil.com.

Grilled Portobello Gyros with Yogurt Dill Sauce Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks of “Zen and Spice” Cook time: 15 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4 4 portobello mushrooms 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 2 yellow bell peppers, sliced Yogurt Dill Sauce: 1 English cucumber, grated 1 cup whole-milk Greek yogurt 1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1/2small lemon, juice only 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill 4 pita breads or naan 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 head green lettuce crumbled feta cheese (optional) Remove stems from mushrooms and brush caps with wet towel. Using spoon, carefully scrape out gills. Slice mushrooms into 1/4-inch pieces and place in medium bowl with olive oil, oregano and smoked paprika.

Preheat indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and peppers; grill, tossing occasionally, until tender, 5-7 minutes.

To make yogurt dill sauce: Squeeze grated cucumber in clean towel to remove excess liquid. Add to large bowl with yogurt, sour cream, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and dill. Stir to combine.

To serve, place mushrooms and peppers in middle of pita bread. Top with tomatoes, onion, lettuce, feta, if desired, and big dollop of yogurt dill sauce.

Creamy Spinach, Mushroom and Lasagna Soup Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks of “Zen and Spice” Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 40 minutes Servings: 4 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 medium onion, small diced 8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced 1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 1 tablespoon dried basil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon oregano 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 3 cups vegetable broth 6 lasagna noodles, broken into pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream 5 ounces fresh baby spinach 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, for topping Heat large pot over medium heat.

Add olive oil, garlic, onion and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and mushrooms soften, 4-5 minutes.

Add marinara, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, basil, salt, oregano, pepper, bay leaf and broth. Bring to boil over high heat then reduce heat to low and simmer.

Add lasagna noodles and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.

Stir in heavy cream and spinach until wilted, 2-3 minutes.

Divide between bowls and top with dollop of ricotta and sprinkle of mozzarella.

Roasted Chicken Thighs and Veggies with Mushroom Orzo Risotto Recipe courtesy of Emily Weeks of “Zen and Spice” Cook time: 50 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes Servings: 4 Chicken: 8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs salt & pepper, to taste 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

16 ounces crimini mushrooms, quartered 3 zucchini, sliced in half moons 3 large carrots, thinly sliced 4 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves removed and roughly chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced Orzo: 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 2 garlic cloves, minced 16 ounces crimini mushrooms, finely chopped 1 cup uncooked orzo pasta 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1/3 cup white wine 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

add butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, 3-4 minutes.

Add orzo and black pepper. Stir and cook 2 minutes.

Add white wine and cook until evaporated, about 1 minute.

Add warm broth to orzo 2/3 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth, waiting until last batch is absorbed before adding more. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.

Serve in individual bowls with chicken and roasted vegetables atop mushroom orzo risotto.

To make chicken: Preheat oven to 450 F. Pat chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Sear chicken until browned, 4-5 minutes on each side.

In large bowl, toss mushrooms, zucchini, carrots, garlic and rosemary. On large baking sheet, spread vegetables. Nestle chicken into vegetables.

Drizzle with butter and juices from pan.

Bake 20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.

To make orzo: In small pot over medium-low heat, warm broth.

Using skillet from chicken,

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Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 9

10 Tips to Recognize Ripe Fruits

Keeping fresh fruit around the house provides a healthier alternative when your sweet tooth comes calling. Understanding how and when to buy at the peak of ripeness (or just before, in some cases) can help you avoid food waste while keeping your doctor happy.

Consider these simple tips for recognizing ripe fruits: Strawberries: Check the area at the top of the berry near the stem and leaves. A ripe strawberry is fully red; green or white near the top means the fruit is underripe.

Watermelon: The “field spot,” or the area where the melon sat on the ground, should be yellow, and a tap on the rind should produce a hollow sound.

Cherries: Flesh should appear dark with a crimson color and feel firm.

Blueberries: Similar to cherries, color should deepen to dark blue. A reddish or pink color may be visible in unripe berries.

Blackberries: Look for a smooth texture with-

out any red appearance. Because blackberries don’t ripen after being picked, they tend to spoil quickly.

Cantaloupe: You should detect a sweet smell, and the melon should feel heavy upon lifting.

Peaches: A sweet, fragrant odor should be apparent. Skin should feel tender but not soft.

Pineapple: Smell is again an important factor for pineapple – a sweet scent shows it’s ready, but a vinegary one likely means it’s overripe.

Raspberries: Generally follow the same rules as blackberries. Best eaten within a couple days of purchase, a bright red color represents ripe berries.

Bananas: A ripe banana features a peel lightly spotted without significant bruising. Your best bet may be to purchase bananas still slightly green and allow them to ripen at home.

Find more food tips, tricks, recipes and videos at Culinary.net.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

5 Steps for Mastering Family Meal Planning

As you and your family embark on a mission to create delicious, nutritious meals all while saving money, it’s key to remember meal planning is essential for success. From tracking a list of ingredients you’ll need to noting your loved ones’ favorite foods, there are some easy steps you can take to make dinners at home enjoyable and budget friendly.

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Stick to a schedule. Set a day and time each week your family can meet and plan out dinners.

This also offers an opportunity to bring to light any newfound favorites or fresh ideas while bringing everyone to the same room for quality time together.

Plan time-saving processes.

Think ahead while planning meals and consider the equipment you’ll need. Saving time while cooking can be as easy as sticking to recipes that call for hands-off appliances like a slow cooker or pressure cooker and using a food processor rather than a knife and cutting board.

Schedule a “leftovers night.”

When you prep dinners that call

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for crossover ingredients, it’s easier to turn one meal into two.

For example, buying sweet onions and chicken breast to make Chicken Apple Enchiladas means you’ll have those ingredients on hand for Greek Chicken Bowls later in the week.

Make a list. Once you’ve decided on recipes for the week, create a list of all the ingredients you’ll need. While you’re at the store, stick to your plan and avoid impulse buys to help stay on track while getting in and out quicker.

Find more recipes and meal planning tips by downloading the free e-cookbook at healthyfamilyproject.com/ mission-for-nutrition and join the conversation by following #missionfornutrition on social media.

Chicken Apple Enchiladas Recipe courtesy of Healthy Family Project’s Mission for Nutrition 1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced 1 Envy or Jazz apple, diced 2 cups cooked shredded chicken 8 flour tortillas 6 ounces shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided 1 can red enchilada sauce cilantro (optional) Heat oven to 350 F. In skillet, cook onions until translucent. Add jalapeno and apple; saute 2-3 minutes.

Add cooked chicken and mix well. Remove from heat.

Lay out tortillas and sprinkle cheese on each. Add chicken mixture and roll. Place in baking dish and cover with enchilada sauce.

Bake 20 minutes, or until heated throughout.

Greek Chicken Bowls Recipe courtesy of Healthy Family Project’s Mission for Nutrition 1 cup cooked white or brown rice 1 grilled chicken breast,

sliced 1 RealSweet onion, sliced 1 cup cherry tomatoes 1 cucumber, cut into quarters 1/2 cup black olives 1 tablespoon feta cheese 2 tablespoons tzatziki sauce Place cooked rice and chicken in bowls.

Top each bowl with sweet onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and black olives. Sprinkle each with feta cheese. Drizzle each with tzatziki sauce.

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The History Behind April Fool’s Day

Page 10 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

AREA - Scan your favorite newspaper or news website this April 1, and chances are you will see some headlines that look doubtful. Read further, and you will find that some of those stories are complete hoaxes, because it’s April Fools’ Day. There have been several April Fool’s Day pranks that have caught the public’s eye through the years. One famous prank became known as The Great Spaghetti Harvest. In 1957, a BBC broadcaster announced that Switzerland had a heavy spaghetti crop for the year and even showed footage of people harvesting spaghetti off trees.

At the time, spaghetti was relatively unknown in the UK. Several viewers afterwards contacted the BBC for advice on growing their own spaghetti trees. CNN called this broadcast “the biggest hoax that any reputable news establishment ever pulled.”

But where do we get the strange custom of playing pranks on April 1? Well, nobody knows for sure. All we know is that the custom was known in Renaissance Europe but has roots much older than that.

Traditional theory places the origin of April Fools Day in the Roman Empire and dates it to the reign of Emperor Constantine. According to the story, a group of court jesters convinced Constantine to make one of them “king for a day.” Constantine obliged, and made one king for a day.

He decreed that it would be a day of cheerfulness, and thus created what came April Fools Day. The only problem with that story was it was a hoax. It was an April Fools Day prank, pulled by Boston University professor Joseph Boskin, on Associated Press reporter Fred Bayles, in 1983. Bayles reported the story, and the AP ran it, only to retract it days later. There is a good lesson here: Do not take as fact everything you read about April Fools Day. (But no worries, you can totally trust me!)

Many think the idea of April Fools Day goes back to Roman times, when a joyful festival called Hilaria, originally probably a spring equinox celebration, came to be celebrated on March 25. In Roman terms, March 25 was “the eighth of the Calends of April,” which associates the festival strongly with April 1, the Calends of April. However, there is no hard evidence to connect Hilaria with April

Fools Day, so this is just another speculation by curious people.

People have hypothesized about the origins of this holiday, suggesting that it was part of the Roman Saturnalia, a Druid rite in Britain, with a carnival-like medieval celebration of the Feast of Fools.

But despite attempts to establish an earlier origin for the day, clear references to a tradition of fooling in April do not begin until the late Middle Ages.

It is possible that there is a glimpse of April Fools Day in Chaucer’s “Nun’s Priest’s Tale” (ca. 1390), which shows the rooster being fooled by, and in turn fooling, a fox. This occurs “Syn March bigan, thritty dayes and two,” or 32 days after March began, i.e., April 1. This would be an early, clear reference to the date, but scholars think the word “bigan” is a scribal error, and that the intended date was May 2, thirty-two days after March was over. Even if this is true, the existence of such a scribal error could suggest that medieval scribes expected hoaxes to occur on April 1. But still, this does not qualify as hard evidence of an April Fools custom.

In France, “poisson d’avril,” or “April fish,” is the name for a person duped on April Fools Day. The first reference to “poisson d’avril” is from a 1508 poem by Eloy D’Amerval called Le Livre de la Diablerie, or The Book of Deviltry. However, from the context we can’t be sure if the author was referring to April 1 or to fools in general. The idea of the “April fish” seems to be the fact that fish were plentiful and hungry in the spring, and easy to catch. An “April fish” was more gullible than a fish at other times of the year. Thus, a mere reference to an “April fish” does not itself prove there was a holiday on April 1.

Some sources, such as Charles Panati’s Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, cite another 16th-century French origin: 1564, when the celebration of the New Year officially moved to January 1

by Charles IX’s Edict of Roussillon. According to Panati, the New Year had the celebration on March 25 because of the arrival of spring, with a week-long observance ending on April 1. Panati further claims: “Frenchmen who resisted the change, and others who forgot about it, continued partying and exchanging gifts during the week ending April

A Laughing Fool. Netherlandish oil painting (possibly Jacob Cornelisz. van Oostsanen) ca. 1500. (LoC Public Domain Image.)

1.”

The real history of New Year’s observances in France is more complex, with different regions celebrating at various times. As early as 1507, books printed in France indicated that people were beginning the year on January 1.

Besides, Panati does not provide any concrete evidence of any of his claims in the form of modern-day accounts or surviving invitations–not even for the claim of a week-long

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celebration, which is necessary to involve April 1 in the New Year change. In all, we will have to consider his story to be real, or a hoax on all of us.

The first certain reference to April Fools Day comes from a 1561 Flemish poem

by Eduard De Dene. In the poem, a noble person sends his servant on crazy, fruitless errands. The servant recognizes that he is running on “fool’s errands” because it is April 1.

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • April 2022 • Page 11

NJStarz NJ Starz: Jennifer Jones Hometown: Randolph, NJ Jennifer Jones recalls the night vividly.

“Sue Simmons came on the 11 o’clock news, and she said, ‘Radio City Music Hall has just hired their first African American dancer to be a Rockette.” I said to myself, ‘I wonder who that is?’ And it was me! They didn’t tell me that I was the first one.”

The year was 1987, and Jones was invited to be on field during the Super Bowl XXII halftime show. The game, a Washington Redskins 42 – 10 win over the Denver Broncos, was somewhat forgettable, but Jones taking part in the intermission was news, and it led to, in her words, “15 years with the Rockettes, and then I did Broadway after that, so it was a beautiful 20 year professional dancing experience.”

“I was mostly raised in Randolph,” says Jones, who was born in Newark on August 1, 1967. “I went to sixth grade there, but we moved there a year before, when I attended The Pingry School in Basking Ridge for one year, and then I went to Randolph schools, from where I graduated high school and then eventually attended CCM (County College of Morris).”

Jones was a trailblazer, and she followed in her parents’ footsteps. “I’m biracial; my mother (Linda Lourie, originally from Rockaway) is white, my father (Booker T. Jones, born in Saint Louis, Missouri) is black, and they got together in the 1960s when that wasn’t fondly looked upon, an interracial relationship.” Jones is the middle child of three sisters. Her older sibling is Kara, and the younger is Patricia. “But we call her ‘Peaches,’” Jones says.

Jones enjoyed her time in Randolph. “Of course, it’s a great educational system that they have there, which is one of the reasons why my parents moved there, but there was some racial tension. My sister and I were in the minority group. There were some hard times, but I have a great core friends. We actually just went to St. Augustine last September, just the five of us, after we hadn’t seen each other in over 20 years, and it was like we picked up from yesterday, like we never left off.”

After high school, Jones went to CCM and originally applied to be a business major with the notion that she would open up a dance studio. However, the urge was there to be a dancer, so she changed her major to dance. The love of that art had been instilled in

her at a young age. “My parents started me dancing when I was around five or six,” Jones says. “They had combined dance classes; it was like tap with gymnastics. All I can remember is that I loved the way the sound the tap made against the linoleum floor. There was something about that sound that I loved, so much so that my parents got linoleum flooring in the basement, just a piece of it. My father’s office was down in the basement, and whenever he was down there working from home, I would go down with my tap shoes on and just tap-tap-tap.

He never complained once, if you can imagine that.”

While at CCM, Jones was very busy. In addition to her studies, she was part of a modern dance company called “Beyond the New Jersey Turnpike”, which was eventually shortened years later to just “Beyond”, and she was also trekking to the Broadway Dance Center in New York City, where Frank Hatchett was her mentor. “I was really big into jazz because I was going to be a Broadway star,” she says. Again, it was her parents that opened her and her sisters’ world up to the beauty of performance. “Our parents took us to Broadway all the time, and I saw The Wiz five times. And then we would wait backstage after the show at the stage door and get autographs, and I knew one day I wanted to walk out of that backstage door. I didn’t know how or anything, but all I knew is I wanted to be the one walking out. So my goal was to be on Broadway. And to me, I equated Broadway with jazz dancing, and so I took ballet for the technique, which is the core of any type of dancing, and I took some tap classes. So I was going back and forth between CCM and New York, taking classes, learning the art of auditioning and how to find an audition. I also started making friends in the city, and I had one friend who knew a lot of Broadway people, and I started meeting people.”

Then in 1987, when searching through an industry publication for dance roles, Jones bypassed a printed mention of an open audition for the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes. A friend encouraged her to attend that audition, telling her she’d be a perfect Rockette.

Jones, not envisioning being chosen and a bit hesitant, eventually convinced herself to go. “I wasn’t even going to go to the audition. I was always nervous at auditions.

So I thought I would go and try to clean up some of the cobwebs, get better at auditioning.” When she arrived, the line was wrapped around Radio City Music Hall, and she thought, ‘Maybe I should just go take my Frank Hatchett class.’ Instead she remained, and was taken with a group to a rehearsal hall. “They put us in a line. I was stretching, and it was very intimidating. Everyone was beautiful and had long legs, and I thought, ‘Just let me get through this audition.’” After being measured for the approved Rockette height, she made the cut and headed to the floor for a tap routine – in character shoes.

“When it was over, I was going to the back of the room to get my bag, and the stage manager came up to me, and he said, ‘Jennifer, we’re going to give you a call back. Bring your tap shoes and bring your picture and resume.”

She went to the call back, and sealed the deal. Jones recalls, “I think it was just maybe a few months later that Violet Holmes, the choreographer at the time, called me and she asked me if I wanted to do the Super Bowl halftime show.

That’s when I accepted the her offer.”

And then the NBC News broadcast with Sue Simmons.

“My mother called me and she said, ‘Jennifer is that you?!’ and I said, ‘I don’t know.’ Nobody said anything, only later to find out that it was me.”

Jones was then put through media training, given mock interviews to get used to the real interviews that she would eventually do as the first official African American Radio City Rockette.

Another one of Jones’s proudest Rockette moments is when she performed at the Tony Awards in the Broadway revival of 42nd Street in 2001. The ensemble won the Tony Award that same night for Best Revival of a Musical.

Jones was also the first African American Miss Morris County (1989), owned and operated the Jennifer Jones Dance and Fitness Studio in Rockaway from 1990 – 1993, and was the first to kick off CCM’s “I Got It Right” billboard campaign.

Jones, who retired in 2002 and is a member of the Rockette Alumnae Association as well as the Rockettes of Color Alumnae, is currently married to husband Jeffrey DeBarbieri, and has two children, Zachary and Isabella. She is a happy and grateful woman, and has funneled that gratitude towards awareness in a worth-

Photos courtesy of Jennifer Jones

while initiative that for her hits very close to home. She explains. “I wake up grateful every morning. In 2018 I was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer. I was healthy my entire life: I had a professional dancing career, and I was vegetarian for over 20 years. And when I was diagnosed it was, first of all, a surprise.” Jones went through eight rounds of chemotherapy, and then had surgery the end of 2018. “In 2019 I was deemed cancer free, and I’ve been cancer free ever since. I went to Memorial Sloan Kettering and had an almost all-female team, which makes it very comfortable for me to speak about it, and I do a lot of work with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance. I do speaking engagements about colorectal cancer and awareness, and try to spread the word that the colonoscopy age has lowered to 45 instead of 50. So, I wake up grateful every morning, first of all for my health, for having a roof over my head, for having food on the table, for my family, for my children, for my parents, and for my job.”

Her colorectal cancer battle and survival has redirected how she wants to live her life – a life that continues to be filled with good things. “I have a children’s book coming out the end of the year,” Jones says, “and I have my memoir that will be coming out in 2023, and various other projects that I’m working on. I’m able to shift focus to things that will benefit me and hopefully benefit others.”

For more information about the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, visit www.ccalliance.org. To learn more about Jones, visit www.rockettejenn. com.

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An April Story

Page 12 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

BY RICHARD MABEY JR. GUEST WRITER AREA - What spiritual connections lie dormant between man and beast? What lost communication, from a bygone era, still remains intact deep within the inner fiber of both man and beast? Could it be that we are guided and molded by forces so innately natural, that they gently call to the deepest core of our subconscious minds?

Could it be that in early April, the calling of the majestic buck deer graced the inner fiber of a 13-year-old boy, marking him with a calling that remained fixed in the deepest chambers of his heart?

My grandfather, Watson Mabey, often told the story of the great, glorious, majestic buck deer that walked the woods at the end of Mabey Lane. Grandpa also had told me that the great buck could also be seen, from time to time, walking the path of the old Morris Canal. Grandpa had worked the canal, from his youth, and eventually became the Chief Engineer of Incline Plane Ten East.

My sister Patti, my cousins and I would often sit at the feet of Grandpa Mabey, as he sat upon his chair in the living room of the old Mabey Homestead. Grandpa was a most wonderful and enchanting story teller. He often told the family legends of the majestic buck deer. Grandpa always ended every tale about the magnificent deer, by telling us that whoever looked into the eyes of the majestic buck would be

marked for a special calling for the rest of their life.

In early April of 1967, I was in the eighth grade, 13 years old, and I decided to take a walk down the forest path to the old Morris Canal, all by myself. It was a sunny, Saturday morning. The wild flowers were blooming along the forest path, that began at the end of Mabey Lane. I had no idea that magical morning, that my life was about to change forever.

As I walked the forest path, squirrels scurried about, jumping from tree limb to limb.

Birds sang and chirped melodies to shame even the world’s greatest musical composers.

Thistle stalks abounded between the maple, the oak and the elm. There was a certain peace that filled the air in those magical wooded acres.

As I walked down the wooded path, I could not believe my eyes. There to the right of the narrow forest path, proudly stood the majestic buck. It was a most surreal moment in time, it all seemed like a dream.

Slowly and steadfastly, the old, tall buck came walking toward me. It was as frightening as any horror film I had ever seen at the old State Theater in the nearby town of Boonton. The antlers of the powerful deer seemed to reach out three or four feet from the majestic buck’s skull. As the deer came ever so close to me, I shuttered.

I stood my ground. It was not so much that I was being brave and fearless, it was ac-

tually quite the opposite. I remember being so taken and overcome with fear that my legs would not move an inch.

You read about such moments in time, you dream about such moments in time, but this was a moment that was all so real, as frightening as it was.

My heart began beating like a big bass drum. Sweat filled the crevices of my hands, like little pools of water that clung to my palms. The carotid sinuses in my neck pounded in a fast-paced rhythm. As the deer, ever so slowly, ascended closer to me, I remembered the very words of Grandpa Mabey.

The Great Majestic Buck was the central character of a family legend. It was at least a dozen times that Grandpa told me the legend of the Great Majestic Buck. The Mabey legend was that whoever looked the stately deer in the eye, directly in the eye, was a marked man.

That from that point on, the person who stood steadfast to the great deer and looked him square in the eye would be so marked for a special calling, that his or her life would never, ever be the same.

The deer was now only about 10 feet from me, when the grand beast stopped and threw his head back, as if he was about to attack me. Something kept me from running down the forest path. I felt the presence of my grandfather, standing beside me, saying to me, “stand your ground, Richie, stand your ground.”

And then the Great Majestic Deer lowered his head and slowly, steadfastly began once again to walk toward me. My body shook like the last leaf hanging upon a twig of a maple tree, in the midst of an April breeze. I thought that my heart was going to burst, it was beating so hard and all so fast.

The Great Majestic Deer was now about four feet from me. I was frozen. I could not move. And, with all the courage that I could dig deeply from within the core of my soul, I looked the huge beast deep in its eyes. The grand deer looked back at me and flung its head back in a fury. Then lowered his head, turned around and ran into the thick of the April forest. I felt a deep blessing succumb my heart, mind, and soul.

I had looked the Great Majestic Buck deep into his eyes and he looked deep into mine. From that point on, I would never be the same.

I walked down the forest path. As I stood within eye’s view of the old Morris Canal, l could see the foundation of my great grandfather’s icehouse. William Mabey had built the icehouse with the help of my grandfather and Grandpa’s brother, Earl. Sadly, Earl was killed in battle, in France during World War I. When I came upon the foundation to the old Mabey Ice House, I sat upon the stone foundation and looked at the still, murky waters of the old Morris Canal, that lied just

A photo from 1932 of my grandfather, Watson Mabey, proudly standing in his backyard, of the home he built at the end of Mabey Lane.

a few feet north of the old foundation. The memory of the Great Majestic Buck was engraved upon the deepest chambers of my heart. Perhaps Grandpa’s legend was not a fairy tale, perhaps there was a great depth of truth to the old Mabey Legend.

At the age of 13, in early April of 1967, I felt my grandfather’s gift of story telling fill my heart. I had looked the

Great Majestic Buck Deer in the eye. I was now marked with the gift of a special calling. I knew deep in the chambers of my heart, that the great buck had blessed me with the calling of story telling. There was no doubt in my heart. None at all.

Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@hotmail. com. Please put on the subject line: An April Story.

5 Interviewing Tips to Help You Land a New Job

With so many job openings these days, you may think you’ll have an easy time sliding into a new role. Not so fast. Because of the huge number of options available and plenty of workers contemplating changes, you’re likely to encounter some competition to land the job you want. A solid interview can help you close the deal.

Consider these five tips to help you make a great impression and land the job of your dreams: Prepare, prepare, prepare. Avoid thinking of the interview as your first step toward a new job.

Once you set the appointment, it’s time to take a deeper dive to learn as much as you can about the company and position. Ideally, you did some of this legwork when you created a custom resume and cover letter, but for the interview, you need to know more. After arming yourself with all the information you can, practice answers to questions you expect the interviewer to ask.

Decide what the interviewer should know about you. Using the job description as a guide, create a list of points you want to communicate to show how your experience and knowledge fit the role. During the interview, pay attention to opportunities for sharing these details about your skillset. Most interviewers will give you the opportunity to add information you haven’t cov-

ered; use this time to deliver a succinct summary of how you can succeed in the position.

Create your own list of questions. An interview isn’t just about determining whether you’re a fit for a job; you also need to decide whether the job is a fit for you. Think about what you need to know in order to feel confident accepting an offer. You might organize your thoughts by considering what is essential in a new job and what aspects are “nice to have.”

Present yourself as a winning candidate. Impressions are everything when it comes to interviews. Dress to impress with well-fitted clothing appropriate for the job and practice good grooming habits, including details like trimming your nails and minimizing distractions like pet hair.

Arrive early enough that you’re not rushed or flustered when you check in for your appointment. Use good posture, a firm handshake and a clear, confident voice. Speak authoritatively but respectfully and try to make the interview a comfortable, conversational exchange.

Leave a lasting impression. Before you end the interview, ask for clear insight on the next steps in the process. Within 24 hours, send follow-up messages to each person you met with.

Thank them for their time and include references

Sometimes forgotten amidst the pandemic that upended the world is a global learning crisis that forced more than 1.6 billion children out of school.

This immense loss of learning and development resulted in permanent setbacks for an entire generation – disproportionately affecting girls, according to a joint report between UNICEF, UNESCO and the World Bank. More than 10 million girls who left school temporarily as a result of the COVID-19 lockdowns may never return. Dropping out of school can negatively impact girls for their entire lives. In terms of child marriage, this pandemic could force 10 million more girls to marry by 2030.

Even in times of crisis, girls have an equal right to quality education and learning. You can play a role in ensuring girls all around the world have the opportunity to fulfill their potential. An organization like UNICEF USA has resources to help girls receive a quality education.

Advocate for the Keeping Girls in School Act One way to take action in the fight for girls’ education is by urging members of Congress to co-sponsor and help pass the Keeping Girls in School Act. This bipartisan act would empower girls

around the world by authorizing the U.S. Agency for International Development to enter into innovative and result-based grant programs that reduce barriers adolescent girls face in receiving educations. By investing in girls’ educations, barriers such as child marriage, harassment, violence, care burdens and negative gender norms keeping girls from long-term, quality education can be put to an end. Evidence shows enrolling and keeping girls in school results in a positive impact on their health and economic prosperity as well as the improvement of the security of their communities and countries.

To help streamline the process, UNICEF USA’s Keeping Girls in School Act page allows you to send an email to your representative in one click.

Support Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Programs Accessible WASH programs can help prevent girls from missing school and falling into child labor, adolescent pregnancy and forced marriage. For many girls, schools provide a lifeline, offering vital information and support (on-site or through referral services) for nutrition; menstrual hygiene management; and broader psychosocial, sexual and reproductive health needs.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

specific to your conversation, such as elaborating on a question or reiterating a key point. This shouldn’t be a copy-paste message, but rather a tailored one to each individual. Close by reiter-

ating your interest and how your skills are a fit.

Find more advice for handling personal and professional challenges at eLivingtoday.com.

(Family Features)

Annually, UNICEF invests $1 billion in WASH programs in more than 110 countries.

These funds go toward building solar-powered water pumps for communities; providing education on and products for menstrual hygiene management; equipping schools with private

changing rooms, single-sex bathrooms and handwashing stations; and more.

To learn more about how you can support these programs and help ensure every girl’s right to education is realized, visit unicefusa.org/ WASHforEducation. (Family Features)

Empowering Girls Globally by Supporting Equitable Access to Education

When spring arrives, days of enjoying your outdoor living space aren’t far away. Getting your yard ready for months of outdoor enjoyment will take a little work, but you’ll quickly see and appreciate the results.

These five steps can have you on your way to a lush, healthy lawn and outdoor area in no time.

1. Dethatch Throughout the winter, dead

5 Steps to Prep Your Yard for Spring

grass and other debris accumulate on your lawn. This waste, known as thatch, can be quite a hindrance to your spring lawn.

It promotes fungi, encourages pests and keeps new grass seed from sprouting. You can use a special dethatching rake or any rake with sturdy tines.

2. Aerate Before spreading grass seed, you’ll want to give the new roots room to spread and grow.

Aerating the lawn helps make your soil more welcoming to new growth by allowing moisture, nutrients and air to sink deeper into the soil. Depending on the size of area you need to aerate, two of the easiest options are doing the job by hand or using an attachment on a riding lawn mower.

3. Prune The lawn isn’t the only place debris can pile up. Your flower

beds and any other vegetation can become a holding ground for twigs, branches, leaves and other yard waste. Give your plants, shrubs and trees a close look to find broken, damaged or dead material and remove it to make way for new growth.

4. Weed Even the healthiest lawns are susceptible to weeds, but getting a jump start on weeding early in the season can help you

keep control. You can manage weeds by treating with an herbicide before the sprout or, if you prefer, there are chemical-free alternatives like vinegar, salt or cornmeal. Be aware that many alternative products don’t distinguish between the vegetation you want (like grass) and weeds, so these remedies are best used along borders and within beds to discourage weed growth.

5. Seed

Winter weather and wear can cause uneven patches in the lawn. Seeding in the spring requires more work than the fall (especially if you tend to have hot, dry summers), but with enough nurturing and regular water, you can fill those spots in for a more uniform lawn.

Visit eLivingtoday.com for more advice to make your outdoor living space spectacular.

(Family Features)

Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com • Mt. Olive Life • March April 2022 2022• •Page Page139

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Page 14 • April 2022 • Mt. Olive Life • Like us on facebook www.facebook.com/mypaperonline.com

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation whose mission is to help find missing children, reduce child sexual exploitation, and pre-

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Zeda Swain

Darlene Cross

Mafory Awaline

Makayla Long

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT Morristown Police Department 1-973-538-2200

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT Roselle Police Department 1-908-245-2000

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Missing Since Mar 2, 2022 Missing From Morristown, NJ DOB Apr 20, 2004 Age Now 17 Sex Female Race Biracial Hair Color Brown Eye Color Brown Height 5’3” Weight 110 lbs

Missing Since Feb 21, 2022 Missing From Roselle, NJ DOB Apr 17, 2008 Age Now 13 Sex Female Race Black Hair Color Black Eye Color Brown Height 5’5” Weight 105 lbs

Missing Since Mar 6, 2022 Missing From Plainfield, NJ DOB Apr 4, 2006 Age Now 15 Sex Female Race Black Hair Color Black Eye Color Brown Height 5’5” Weight 110 lbs

Missing Since Feb 3, 2022 Missing From Willingboro, NJ DOB Mar 4, 2004 Age Now 18 Sex Female Race Black Hair Color Brown Eye Color Brown Height 5’6” Weight 180 lbs

ANYONE HAVING INFORMATION SHOULD CONTACT Call 911 OR 1-800-843-5678 (1-800-THE-LOST®) Department (New Jersey) 1-973-748-5400

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