Morristown Beard’s Julie Jasaitis Returns from Injury to Notch Her 100^th Career Hockey Point
By Steve Sears
On December 11, 2024, Morristown Beard School girl’s hockey senior captain, Julie Jasaitis – after a stellar junior year during which she amassed 20 goals and 25 assists for 45 points – was playing in her team‘s third game of the season against Immaculate Heart of Mary
Jasaitis said, “It was my senior year. I was peaking at that point, the best player I had been, and I was ready to play every single game and try and make it to the state final.”
And then it happened.
Jasaitis explained. “I was taking the puck end to end, and there was about 30 seconds left in the third period before overtime, so I was rushing the puck, trying to score. A girl came out from behind me, and I could not see her, and a girl came in front of me. Two people cornered me into the wall mid ice, and her knee hit my knee, and the pressure just snapped my leg. The second I fell, I knew something was wrong,”
When a doctor displayed the X-ray of her leg on a screen, he confirmed that it was broken.
“And at that point,” Jasaitis said, “I just could not hold back the tears anymore. I was totally broken”
Jasaitis would miss seven weeks for Morristown-Beard, but in her first game back against Oak Knoll, she scored two goals and had two assists in an 8 – 0 victory, and then two days later in a 2 – 2 tie against Trinity Hall, she recorded the 100th point of her fine career.
That was pretty special.
Jasaitis, who is also Student Government Association President for her school, described the moment. “I got a pass from one of my line mates, and it was the shot that tied the game up against Trinity Hall. Everyone was excited – and I did not even remember it was my 100th point at that moment because I was just so wrapped up in the game. But afterwards, one of my best friends said, ‘It was your hundredth point!’ And I said to her, ‘Oh my gosh – that’s crazy.”
When the final buzzer sounded, her friends unveiled a #100^th point poster, and Morristown Beard Crimson head coach Bruce Driver handed her the milestone puck.
Driver lauded Jasaitis’ involvement with the club during her injury.
Driver said, “Through it all when she was out, she was on the bench with us every single game, and she was at every single practice. There were times that we would have lengthy time between periods, and I would really just turn the bench over to her, and she kind of became an assistant coach. And we do have assistant coaches that have input as well, but they respect Julie so much and listen to what she has to say, because she is very bright and she is a learner. I would not be surprised at some point if she ends up being a coach down the road. It was great opportunity for her to kind of see that side of it and work with the girls in that aspect – and they really appreciated it.”
Driver paused briefly, then said, “And I will tell you, when she scored her first goal in her first game back, our bench erupted. We were so happy for her.”
Jasaitis, whose parents are James and Paige Jasaitis, will be attending Waterville, Maine’s Colby College in the fall. She finished her high school career with 44 goals and 69 assists for 113 total points.

Delbarton Green Wave Hockey Wins 14^th State Title
By Steve Sears
The beauty of often attaining success is a wonderful thing. It never gets old.
Consider head coach Bruce Shatel’s 2025 Delbarton School Green Wave hockey team, which defeated rival Christian Brothers Academy (CBA), 5 – 1, at the Prudential Center on March 10 to win the Non-Public state title, the 14th in the history of the program. Also, the team this year finished with a 22 – 1 – 1 record, also winning the Gordon – American Division and the Gordon Cup, where they also defeated CBA.
Senior forward, Jack Gerne, who had 19 goals and 17 assists for 36 points on the season, said of this year’s team, “Those accomplishments to me explain how dominant our team was this year. Obviously, Delbarton has a winning culture, but our team this year had a mentality of doing whatever it takes to win. Being an older guy and a leader on a team like this became very easy. Everyone showed up every day with one goal in mind – winning – and we were able to accomplish it. For the guys who are returning next year they will have to accomplish something even greater, because they will have to do it all over again.”
Delbarton defeated a very talented CBA four times during the 2024 – 25 campaign, which is obviously not an easy feat.
Shatel said, “It is a very tough thing to do. To beat a good team three times is really hard to do, and then to do it a fourth time, that is really challenging.”
Gerne had a goal against CBA in the final, as did sophomore defenseman Sean O’Gwen (who also scored the overtime goal against St. Joseph’s of Montvale in the semifinal round to secure the title game trip), and Dante Rodriguez, who added two goals on his way to team leading 20 for the year.
Shatel added, “The 5 – 1 final score was not indicative of how close the game was. They had some really good chances. Our senior goalie was locked in. He made a couple sparklers in that game, but more importantly, he was soft with the puck, not a lot of rebounds. We were able to slow down their offense quite a bit with which stoppages, and we won a lot of face offs in the D zone.”
Goalie George Cote made 29 saves for the Green Wave.
Cote said, “In the final against CBA I focused on staying composed and relying on my fundamentals. I was calm and collected, and every save felt natural to me. The 29 saves were definitely a team effort; our defense played an amazing game and forced CBA to only take difficult shots. We were dialed in as a unit, and that kind of trust in each other made my job a lot easier.”
When the final buzzer sounded, for the Green Wave it was, in Cote’s words, “pure emotion.”
“As a team we worked so hard last year in the off season in the weight room, and it was so amazing to see all of our work pay off. I do not think I will ever forget going back to the locker room after the game and just getting to be with my guys. I hope we have set a standard for leadership, work ethic, and heart—things that cannot be measured on a stat sheet but define a winning culture. I am confident the younger guys will carry that forward and keep building on the tradition.”

New Branding Could Bring Tourists to
This Gem of An Are
By Jaimie Julia Winters
Photo courtesy of HIGHLANDS COALITION OF NEW JERSEY
Results of a survey conducted by North Star Place Branding and Marketing concluded that the Highlands region of New Jersey is often overlooked as a tourism destination but offers a “delightful surprise” for the nature and history lover away from the crowds, contrasting with New Jersey’s typical reputation.
The Highlands Branding Committee hopes to market the New Jersey Highlands Region – consisting of seven counties and 88 municipalities – to those seeking a peaceful getaway filled with nature and history, less than 3 hours away from the Philadelphia and New York areas.
The New Jersey Highlands Council began the branding effort initiative in spring of last year by awarding a contract to North Star to develop a unique brand and marketing plan for the region.
Those who live there already appreciate the area’s assets – its watersheds supply 70% of New Jerseyans with clean drinking water, is also a hub for agriculture and rich with historic sites and recreational opportunities. But the region’s historical, cultural and natural resources are often overlooked by outsiders. The Highlands offers a diverse landscape with both rural and densely developed areas, Highlands Council Planning Manager Maryjude Haddock-Weiler, who is leading the effort on staff, said.
In a press release announcing the initiative last summer, the council noted some enticing reasons to visit – the vistas from Wyanokie High Point in Norvin Green State Forest, the Columbia Trail spanning Morris and Hunterdon counties, shopping downtown Chester and Clinton and the myriad of farms offering delicious fresh local produce, and corn mazes and haunted hayrides.
Rich in assets, the Highlands is also missing a clear identity.
“A regional approach to tourism enriches rural and urban communities by pooling resources and expertise. It allows for cohesive strategies to develop a compelling tourism offer, sustainable growth and local economies,” according to a presentation given in January to the Highlands Council by North Star. “Regional collaboration maximizes potential, making rural areas more attractive and viable for residents and visitors.”
Other assets include Morristown National Park where Washington and the continental army spent the winter of 1779, Flemington Historic Walking Trail giving the history of the area spanning four centuries, Beneduce Wineries and Beer Trail Passport highlighting the wines and beers brewed in New Jersey, and Phillips Farm offering pick your own produce and famer’s market.
Branding and a designated tourism board will promote history, nature, agritourism, culinary destinations, festivals, and events of the area, North Star suggests.
Highlands Council Executive Director Ben Spinelli said the council wants people, both inside and outside of the region, to know “this vital part of New Jersey.” He points to the Highlands Act, passed 20 years ago, as acknowledging the importance of the region. In 2021, the New Jersey Highlands Economic Sustainability Plan was created citing the need to develop a Highlands brand that could be used to support region-wide growth across a variety of industries.
Last summer, members of the North Star team held focus groups and conducted one-on-one interviews gathering information and opinions from key populations including residents, farmers, business owners, local officials, and more, so that the final branding product  captures the essence of what makes the Highlands so unique.
A survey conducted by North Star closed in November with 253 individuals completing it.
Key points of the survey:
Residents highly value the nature and overall peaceful environment that the Highlands offers, but that the area could benefit from more tourism.                                              
Most of the people surveyed (70%) were familiar with the region and its boundaries. Fewer people were familiar with the Highlands Act.
Critics of the act primarily cited stunted economic opportunities and a perceived lack of state support / compensation for Highlands communities.
Most of the respondents were from the Philadelphia area and Gloucester and Camden counties in New Jersey. The others were from New York City and Hudson County in New Jersey.
In the report, North Star stated visitors to the region most often come to see friends or family. To further tourism, “local advocates [that are] good hosts and highlight the peaceful setting of the Highlands and its benefits to food production and outdoor recreation are paramount.”
North Star recommended the creation of the NJ Highlands Tourism Alliance (NJHTA) with representatives from tourism agencies across the seven Highlands counties to promote lodging, attractions, restaurants, historic sites, and outdoor recreation. It also recommends a paid tourism coordinator funded by either the council’s general budget or from contributions by NJHTA members.
A final plan with implementation will be the next step and is due to be released this summer.
Highlands Council Chairman Carl Richko said his hope is that a wider audience will begin to discover what makes the region “so special and why it deserves thoughtful planning and enhanced protections to safeguard its future.”
The Highlands Council is a regional planning agency established in 2004 with the passage of the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act and charged with implementation of the Act. More information is available at  www.nj.gov/njhighlands. 

Memorial Motor Madness in Hackettstown
by Elsie Walker

With 21 classes of cars, music, food vendors, craft and other vendors, a raffle, and the smiling faces of the M&Ms gang looking down, the 29^th annual Memorial Motor Madness car show offers a day of fun while benefiting 44 local charities. The show is put on by Hackettstown Rotary, and the sponsors of the show are John Johnson Auto Group, Mars Wrigley, Warren Community College, WRNJ and Edward Jones Financial Advisors.  The event is being held rain or shine on Sunday, May 25^th from 9am to 3pm (gates open to cars at 7:30am) on the grounds of Mars Wrigley, 800 High Street, Hackettstown.  Spectator admission is $5, but children under 12 are free.  No alcohol or pets are allowed.  Recently, Jill DeMonti, Hackettstown Rotary Secretary and co-chair of the show and volunteer coordinator, and Norman Worth, long-time Hackettstown Rotary member, talked about the upcoming event.
“Forty-four local charities benefit from Memorial Motor Madness, such as Abilities, ARC of Warren County, seven local food pantries, Centenary Stage Company and Entrepreneurship, Family Promise, Hackettstown sports teams and scholarships, Operation Chill-Out, HMC Foundation, Alina Lodge, DASACC,” shared DeMonti. Worth added  “Every penny raised goes back to the community.  There are no administrative costs. “
Worth noted that the show appeals to a wide variety of people.  “Motor heads, car enthusiasts, young people and families, and those who like to look at a flash from the past. So many young people and families come…kids love it,” said Worth.  He added, “Just a great family day and affordable.”
Twenty-one classes of cars will be on display and judged.  Among them are antique cars, mustangs, corvettes, muscle cars, street rods, VW Beetles, Camaros, Firebirds and antique trucks. Trophies are given in every class.  The show’s “founding fathers’ are Ed Hagaman and Larry Middleton, who ran it for the first few years; then, about 25 years ago, the Hackettstown Rotary took on the show.  The Best In Show award is named for Hagaman: the Ed Hagaman Memorial Trophy for Best in Show. Advance Vehicle Registration (ends 5/18/25) is $20 and the day of the show, it is $25. There are dash plates for the first 400 entries.
Besides the cars, there are food vendors, vendors selling such items as car care products, jewelry, crafts, etc.,  a 50-50, and music.  Music is provided by S.C.3. entertainment run by Chris Schmidt who will be there throughout the day. Worth also noted, “Every year there are a few surprises.”
Also, the significance of the holiday weekend is not forgotten.  “It is just a really fabulous patriotic day,” shared DeMonti.  She noted that people come wearing red, white, and blue.
The star-spangled banner is played at noon and there’s a moment of silence.  Then, that is followed by a “rev-up”, the cars’ loud tribute to our fallen soldiers.
Worth noted the contribution of Mars Wrigley to the event and Jennifer Bongiovanni of Mars Wrigley has been coordinating that.   “Mars Wrigley provides us with tremendous support including space, maintenance, and tremendous product (candy is given out at the show).  But for them, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” said Worth.
For more information about Memorial Motor Madness including car registration and being a vendor or sponsor, visit Hackettstown Rotary’s website at https://www.hackettstownrotary.org

Interns Explore Science and Life Challenges Through
Hands-On Lab Research
By Cheryl Conway
Student interns are learning lab skills and are conducting research on various projects including how to use sea water to make concrete and more effective nail polish remover.
For the past eight years, R&D Lab in East Hanover has been welcoming three to four local high school students to work as interns to prepare them as future scientists.
“Our focus is to teach them lab skills and mainly generate interest in research,” explains Hemant Joshi, founder and CEO of Tara Innovations, LLC, a pharmaceutical research and development lab in East Hanover. “We do this to give back to society.
“This year, we had two pairs,” he explains. “One pair worked on cement and how we can use sea water to make concrete out of cement. This will help our environment. 
“The other pair worked on a nail polish remover and have developed a formula which is more effective than the currently marketed products,” he adds.
Joshi started the company in 2008, has been operating out of his lab space since January 2013 and launched the high school internship program in 2016.
He got the idea to start the internship from his son and neighbor’s experience.
When his son attended The Academy for Math, Science, and Engineering in Rockaway from 2009 to 2013, each student was required to complete a senior-year internship.
“He gained a great deal from his internship experiences at BASF and Novartis,” says Joshi.
“Around the same time, my neighbor Paul Winslow started an innovative organization—Students 2 Science—which brings students from various schools into real lab environments, allowing them to conduct hands-on scientific experiments,” he adds.
“My son’s positive experience and Paul’s impactful work inspired me to start an internship program at my company, Tara Innovations,” he explains. “I believe in giving back to society—especially to the next generation—and this program is one way I can do that.”
Joshi works with the interns to decide on the projects that work best for them.
“The goal of the internships at Tara is to teach students how products are developed, so we typically select the projects for them,” says Joshi. “However, we do try to tailor projects to students’ interests when possible. For example, last year one student was passionate about environmental science, which led us to develop a project focused on cement. A student interning next year has expressed interest in food science, so I’m planning to design a project in that area for him.”
Besides the projects, interns are learning basic lab skills.
“Most students are learning lab skills for the first time when they join Tara,” explains Joshi. “Their initial projects focus on basic experiments such as weighing substances from milligrams to grams, measuring solvent density, understanding processes like mixing, and—most importantly—learning how to work safely in a lab environment.
“Once they’ve developed foundational skills, we guide them through creating formulations like soaps, solutions, suspensions, creams, ointments, pastes and more,” he adds. “Some interns have made gummies and gels; others have worked on charcoal toothpaste, or explored how different oils affect chocolate. We also introduce them to complex processes like perfume-making to show the nuances of formulation science.
“One interesting project involved determining the water content in leaves and fruits,” he adds. “Most of these have over 85 to 90% water content.”
Meet the 2025 Interns
Vrishank Malik, 17, of Mt. Olive, is a senior at The Academy for Mathematics, Science & Engineering program at Morris Hills High School in Rockaway.
While calculus is his favorite subject, science is moving up on his list especially after his internship at Tara Innovations.
“I originally got involved in this internship due to the 100-hour internship requirement that my school mandates,” explains Malik. “I had heard about Tara Innovations from a senior last year who had interned there last year and had a great experience. Dr. Joshi has a close connection with the internship program at my school and has taken countless interns in the past years from my school.”
He and his lab partner, Raj Shah, have been working on two projects since the summer of 2024. The first one involves developing a novel solution for colonoscopy preparation and athlete electrolyte supplementation.
“During a colonoscopy, patients must drink four liters of liquid to prepare the patient for colonoscopy,” explains Malik. “Similarly, after games, athletes can lose up to 1,500-2,000 mg of sodium through sweat and must drink sugar-filled electrolyte drinks to regain it back.
“To address this issue, we conducted 40 experiments to develop flavorless and tasteless gummies that effectively deliver the necessary sodium and potassium contents in both scenarios,” he says.
Their other project revolved around designing a more environmentally sustainable process for cement.
Current cement production requires 500-800 gallons of water per ton of cement produced, explains Malik. Additional water is also needed during the curing process, which typically lasts seven to 14 days.
“To address this issue, we developed a new process of making concrete from cement,” explains Malik. “We also modified the cement formulation by adding various surfactants and salts. We tried different mixtures of sea water and distilled water and checked the hardness of concrete formed. This not only decreases the curing time of cement by several days, but also decreases the overall water usage. Addition of magnesium chloride seemed to have helped too. To present our findings to the research community, we have documented their results in a comprehensive research paper.”
Malik and Shah worked under the guidance of Joshi and his employees Lavanya Kundurthy and Neelam Sharma on these projects.
“The cement project continues to this day as we are working on getting our research published,” adds Malik.
They met at the lab twice weekly but “Most of the work is now being conducted at home as we have already completed our experiments and are now working on presenting our findings in the paper,” he adds.
They both have been enjoying their experience.
“Personally, the most rewarding part of this internship was the invaluable experience I gained,” says Malik, who plans to major in environmental engineering at Cornell University.
“Before last summer, I had never worked in a real laboratory or conducted hands-on research,” he adds. “This internship not only provided me with that opportunity, but also transformed my curiosity of research into a passion—one that has the potential to impact millions of lives. That, to me, is the most rewarding part.”

Raj Shah, 18, of Parsippany, adds “I’ve most enjoyed the hands-on experience and lab skills I’ve developed through this internship. From learning how to use new lab devices to helping solve real-world problems (sustainable cement production and colonoscopy preparation), I’ve learned a great deal about the research process and its impact on millions of people.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with Vrishank, Dr. Joshi, Mrs. Kundurthy, and Mrs. Sharma, and will undoubtedly continue working on new research projects in college,” continues Shah, a senior in the Magnet program for Math and Science at Morris Hills High School.
Shah got involved in the internship through Joshi, who lives in his community.
“I was interested in working in a chemical laboratory for the first time and had many friends who were previous interns under Dr. Joshi,” adds Joshi. “I knew I wanted hands-on research experience, so this internship was the perfect opportunity for me.”
Shah explains his role a bit deeper.
“In the gummy experiment, Vrishank and I developed 40 formulations of gummies to improve colonoscopy preparation,” describes Shah.
“For the cement project, Vrishank and I studied the process of converting cement to concrete, using water as the solvent,” he continues.
Shah, who plans to major in neuroscience or biomedical engineering on the pre-medical track, explains why this experiment is important.
“If we can replace even some portions of fresh water with sea water,  we can help conserve fresh water on our planet,” says Shah. “We found that replacing 40% fresh water with sea water and adding magnesium chloride in the formulation retained concrete quality. This finding will help in sustainable cement production.”
Two other interns, Sucheta Pansare and Sanjana Medapati, both 17 of Parsippany, worked on electrolyte gummies for athletes and nail polish remover.
Pansare, a senior at the Morris County School of Technology in Denville, enjoys chemistry the most so the internship was perfect match.
“I like to explore and experiment with different chemical reactions,” she shares. “I have always found chemistry highly interesting and love the spontaneity of it as well as the “surprises” that come with it.”
During her junior year, while looking for a chemistry/healthcare related internship, she heard about Tara Innovations from her school, family friends and previous biotechnology senior interns.
The first project she and her partner, Medapati, worked on was centered around formulating electrolyte gummies.
“We experimented with various formulations of gelatin, water, salt (electrolytes), sweeteners, and flavors to create a gummy with the perfect consistency that also provided the necessary electrolyte amounts needed for athletes who tend to lose a lot of electrolytes through vigorous exercise,” explains Pansare. “After many trials, we were finally able to determine the formula that provided a good amount of electrolytes without a compromise on taste and texture.”

The other project the worked on was formulating a new and more effective type of nail polish remover that is not currently in the market or patented.
“Though there are many nail polish removers currently, we noticed that many of them have negative aspects to them, whether it be them taking too long to remove the polish, subtly harming the nails, or not being able to remove all aspects of nail polish (such as gel polishes, glitters, many layers),” she explains.
“We were trying to find a new nail polish remover that could tackle all of the previously mentioned issues, while still keeping it inexpensive, easy to ship, and unique,” continues Pansare. “We experimented with different formulations of ethyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, surfactants, and water. Our final nail polish remover was able to remove multiple layers of nail polish with ease (within one to two quick swipes), and proved to be more efficient and less harsh on the nails that other removers on the market.”
They started their projects at the end of June 2024 and continue to work on these projects. They visited the lab one to three times a week, and since February continue to work from home to complete their research paper and any additional post-experimentation work.
“These projects will be used to hopefully help create more efficient experiences for the populations pinpointed with these experiments: Athletes and nail polish wearers,” says Pansare.
“These two experiments have allowed for us to experiment with finding solutions to real life problems; in the case of the electrolyte gummies, our research could help to find a suitable method that allows for runners and other athletes to get the electrolytes needed in a simple and easy to use manner,” realizes Pansare. “For our nail polish removers, we were able to try to experiment with different compounds to create an efficient, yet safe and non-harmful end product that could assist nail polish wearers with having a much better experience removing their nail polish.”
They, too, are enjoying their time as interns.
“I really enjoyed the experience that I gained from this internship,” says Pansare, who plans to study biochemistry at NJIT as well as statistics and business.  “I was able to gain so many hard and soft-skills that will prove invaluable to me in the future, whether it be in the medical/pharmaceutical/research field, or even in my daily life. I also came out of this internship with a better understanding of problem-solving, critical thinking skills, and teamwork skills.
“Being able to perform the experiments that we were allowed to is something that I have never experienced before, and allowed for me to be even more inspired to pursue other opportunities like this in the future; before coming into this internship I had never thought that I would enjoy working in a lab, but I now know that this is an experience I definitely want to continue,” she adds.
Medapati, a senior at The Academy for Mathematics, Science & Engineering, has enjoyed her time working in the lab and writing research papers on her work.
“I learned to keep repeating until I get results, and I enjoyed actually learning about what I do,” says Medapati. “I really enjoyed working on the nail polish remover formulation. I tried it out to remove nail polish from my own nails.”
The other project she is working on involves the ear: Drug Delivery Systems Through the Ear: Exploring Novel Routes of Administration for Upper Respiratory Infections, she shares.
“My main responsibilities included reviewing scientific literature, taking detailed notes on current methods of ear drug delivery, analyzing novel patents, and contributing to writing the research paper that summarized our findings,” explains Medapati.
Her project began in January and finished towards the end of March 7. She visited the lab about two times a week, two hours each day.
“This research provides a comprehensive overview of ear drug delivery systems that can inform pharmaceutical development,” she shares. “It highlights the potential of the otic route of administration, particularly the recent patent showing how oil-based formulations containing eucalyptus oil can permeate the tympanic membrane to reach the throat via the eustachian tube. This approach could be used to treat upper respiratory infections such as SARS-COV2 and may generate further interest in the otic route of administration for various conditions.
“While delivering medicines to the throat through the ears is not standard practice due to the tympanic membrane’s low permeability, our research shows it’s possible under certain conditions,” she explains. “The novel patent we studied demonstrates that formulations with eucalyptus oil in jojoba oil can effectively reach the throat area through the ear.”
Her skills and advanced knowledge will only help her as she plans to major in biology on a Pre-med track at Nova Southeastern University.
“I want to become a doctor and such knowledge of drug delivery system will be helpful,” says Medapati.  
More on Tara and Internships
Tara Innovations, LLC is primarily a contract research organization (CRO) that specializes in developing pharmaceutical formulations for clients, with a focus on liquid products—such as water-based and oil-based solutions, as well as suspensions.
Interns are from all over Morris County and in the past have been from Parsippany High School, Parsippany Hills High School, the Academy for Health Care Sciences and The Academy for Math, Science, and Engineering.
To be an intern at Tara Innovations, students must have a genuine interest in chemistry and a sincere willingness to learn.
“We’re committed to ensuring that every intern gains valuable knowledge and experience during their time with us,” says Joshi.
Interns are unpaid but their lessons learned are priceless.
“The program with The Academy is very structured—high school career counselors regularly visit our lab to ensure that students are safe and actively learning,” he says.
“One intern recently told me that he could get research assistantship in the college because of working experience at Tara and mainly, he published an article,” he adds. “For all these students, this is the first article they write, and they get to know the procedure of publishing their work. Since 2021, we encourage students to write papers on a topic and we publish them in the “American Pharmaceutical Review” magazine.”

New Jersey, First in Flight
By Henry M. Holden
Today, in the jet age, people barely give balloon flight a passing nod. But back in the eighteenth century lighter-than-air flight was a giant step for humans. Humans could leave the surface of the planet and fly over church steeples raging rivers and tall hills.
French balloonist, Monsieur Jean Pierre Blanchard arrived in Philadelphia on December 9, 1792. He was excited to bring his pioneering balloon flights to America. Blanchard made all the arrangements for the flight and staged his first one on January 9, 1793. This attracted the attention of President George Washington. Washington would be among the crowd to witness the first flight in America.
Aerial ballons were invented by the Montgolfier brothers 0f France in the early 1780s. The first flights were met with excitement, and astonishment. When one balloon came down a French villager thought the moon had fallen from the sky.
Montgolfier brothers were prosperous paper manufacturers (a high-tech industry at the time), experimenting with lighter-than-air devices after observing that heated air directed into a paper or fabric bag made the bag rise. After several successful tests, the brothers decided to publicly demonstrate their invention. It took some time before people did send  a human into the air since it was doubtful that anyone could breathe at that height.
Doctors wanted to be sure ballooning was safe so they asked Blanchard if he would help with the experiment’s He agreed. In Europe, it was considered a bold experiment. when a balloon was launched in Paris with a duck, sheep, and a rooster on board. Speculators were delighted when they found that when the balloon came down all the animals had survived.
After 44 successful balloon flights in France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland, Blanchard set his sights on the American continent. He had arrived in Philadelphia in December 1792, to begin promoting his first flight in America.
Any 18th century adult, even the most worldly would have called themselves lucky to have witnessed such a sight.
On January 9, 1793, Jean Pierre Blanchard traveled from Philadelphia over the swiftly running Delaware River to New Jersey, accompanied by a small dog. What made this trip worth remembering was Blanchard flew a balloon to an altitude of 5,852 feet (more than a mile) and landed safely in Gloucester County initially scaring a farmer upon landing. He made this flight 110 years before the Wright brothers first powered flight in 1903.
Even the majestic eagles that glided over the countryside of New Jersey were dwarfed by this apparition that skimmed the treetops and gently settled down into a pasture.
To cover the cost of his trip Blanchard began charging five dollars apiece, an astronomical sum of money in those days. However, on the day of his trip, speculators crowded into the nearby space to watch the event unfold.
As this huge round ball with a wicker basket hanging below the balloon approached the Earth the farmer below must have been shacking in his boots at the shear terror he was feeling. He dropped his tools and rushed across the field through thickets and brambles toward the landing spot.
Blanchard was no stranger to balloons.  His best-known accomplishment to date was t0 be the first ever to fly across the English Channel in 1785. The quest to conquer the channel continued through the early days of flight. When powered flight became popular several men attempted to cross the English Channel and lost their lives. French man Louis Bleriot was the first human to survive such a flight in 1909. He was followed by Harriet Quimby, the first woman to fly the Channel, in 1912.
In the morning right after a typical American breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, corn bread and black coffee Blanchard headed for the takeoff point, he was ready to fly.
Blanchard began preparation for his hot air balloon ascension. Throughout the morning cannons were fired. As they approach the takeoff hour a band began to play.
A large crowd had gathered in the yard of the Walnut Street prison, in Philadelphia. Since Philadelphia was at the time the capital of the newly formed states, and President George Washington was present.
One of the reasons to hold the ascension inside the prison walls was to give the paying customers a front row seat and keep the unpaid people away from this event. The French ambassador was also present for the historic event. Washington wrote a note and handed it to Blanchard in the prison yard. The crowd was excited to see not only Blanchard but the President as well to watch a great event. The letter the American said was a note to whom ever Blanchard first came across upon landing.
As his balloon rose, Blanchard could see the swiftly running Delaware river below him and he must have both wondered and concerned that below him was either fame or a bad outcome. He also wondered at the beauty of the countryside below him.
Washington’s letter of guarantee of safe passage seems to have vanished. Too bad. The first air mail in American history would have been worth a fortune to collectors.
As the balloon rose, he began the tasks that the scientist had requested. The scientist wanted samples of air, the use magnets for testing and capturing air in the bottle, and recording his pulse. Less than an hour later (41 minutes) the balloon, encouraged by friendly breezes landed in a pasture in Deptford County, New Jersey.
It was a moment that even this uneducated farmer could recognize as history-making. As he watched the huge covering atop the basket began settling to the ground. While Blanchard tugged on the guy wires, his little black dog ran around barking in excitement.
The farmer was later to confirm that the event actually did happen. The daring young Blanchard the French balloonist who had just completed the first manned flight in the western hemisphere.
It was a delicate moment.  The balloonist shouted a welcome in a foreign language. The farmer did not understand, and Blanchard showed him a letter which he might just as well not have seen in any language because the farmer could not understand.
No such event could have gone unnoticed in this tiny community of Deptford, where he landed. Within minutes the two were joined by neighbors. The people were curious, and more neighbors rushed to the scene. Suddenly a man showed up waving a pistol.
But there was no violence. Fortunately. the armed man had the ability to read and write and he triumphantly announce that the letter was from none other than President George Washington.
In Blanchard’s handwriting in his journal, he wrote a description of the moment.
“‘In the midst of profound silence, it was read with a loud and audible voice.  How dear the name of Washington is to these people. With such eagerness they gave me all possible assistance in consequence of his recommendation”.
The welcome party learned that the balloonist had traveled from Philadelphia, more than 15 miles away, and in less than an hour. The dangerous trip would have taken three or four hours by carriage or horse back through to the rushing Delaware river.
After his record-setting flight the diminutive Frenchman was able to support himself and his family using his fleet of balloons for the next eight years. Blanchard had triumphed in America with his first ever flight to New Jersey, but frustration followed. He was never able to raise enough money to support another flight in America and he decided to go back the France.
While on a flight over Paris, tragedy struck, in 1808. Blanchard suffered a heart attack in flight and fell unconscious in his gondola. His balloon landed roughly on its own and amazingly, Blanchard was uninjured in the fall. But his health declined rapidly after the attack, and he died in Paris on March 7, 1808.
The place where Jean Pierre Blanchard landed near Bib Tinder Creek in Deptford Township, is marked by a bronze plaque which proclaims that his epic aerial voyage in 1793 brought the age of flight to America and the Garden State.

A Warrior’s Story:
The Life and Legacy of Jamie Smith
By Megan Roche
In A Warrior’s Story, you’ll meet and learn about all the sides of Jamie Smith. Smith was a West Morris Central (WMC) High School graduate who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving as a US Army Ranger during the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. You’ll hear from Jamie’s former teachers, his Army Ranger battle buddies, and how his legacy still lives on to this day in the halls of WMC. This series will be an on-going feature in the month’s ahead.
West Morris Central, 1990.
A young man is with his graduating class, walking the halls for one of the last times as a student. But before he leaves the halls of West Morris, he must pass all his classes, including a law class taught by history teacher Dennis O’Connell.
“Jamie was a spirited fellow. He played three sports. The thing about Jamie that was contagious was that he had this great grin and a really good sense of humor. He always had questions in my law class,” O’Connell recalls.
In that law class, Smith struggled with the required readings and was easily falling behind. O’Connell had a conversation with Smith about his struggles, highlighting other sources and easier readings.
“It became obvious that he just wasn’t getting it that way and I knew he was taking the Computer Aided Design (CAD) program. I came up with the idea of him designing a police station for Washington Township,” O’Connell said.
Smith bought into the project and ultimately created a design for a police station. O’Connell even took the project a step further and had Smith present the concepts to the township.
As a senior, Smith was also considering his post-high school options. College? Not for Jamie Smith. Smith, whose father served in the military and lost his leg in Vietnam, had his eyes set on becoming an Army Ranger.
“There was this expectation in the Smith family that you would serve your country. He was a very good athlete, he played football, wrestled, and played lacrosse, but I think his mindset was always ‘I’m going into the Army,’” O’Connell says.
O’Connell, who taught history at West Morris Central until 2005, kept his eye on military conflicts throughout the years. After a visit from Smith before his deployment in 1993, O’Connell knew where Jamie was ultimately headed.
After war lords began starving the Somali people, a war incited. The Rangers, who were originally in Somalia to help lead the humanitarian effort, immediately switched to a military mindset.
On October 3, 1993, one of the bloodiest battles in U.S. military history began. It was a battle that would ultimately make Jamie Smith a household name on the world stage.
(probably put in italics) A Warrior’s Story: The Life and Legacy of Jamie Smith will continue in the June 2025 issue, where you’ll meet Lt. Larry Perino who was right by Jamie’s side in Mogadishu.

Snap On Dentures

Snap-On-Dentures, properly known as Implant Overdentures, are dentures that connect to dental implants.  Before we get into the details, let’s work our way through definitions.
Dentures and bridges are two different things.  Dentures come in-and-out of your mouth, while bridges are permanent.  When you go to bed at night, dentures are removed and placed back into your mouth in the morning.  Bridges stay put: you cannot remove them.  This article focuses on dentures.
There are two types of dentures: partial dentures, and complete (also known as full) dentures.  Partial dentures require you to retain some of your own natural teeth, while complete / full dentures require you to have none of your own teeth, simply by definition.  This denture focuses on complete / full dentures: not partial dentures.
Note you have two jaws, properly known as “arches.”  You have an upper jaw or arch, and a lower jaw or arch.  You can have a mix of prostheses (teeth):  you can have an upper full denture and a lower partial denture, you can have a full denture in the top and a full denture in the bottom, you can have your own natural teeth in the top and a partial denture in the bottom…. You get the picture.
Common complaints about full dentures include:

• Movement.  Full dentures move around in your mouth.  Lower dentures are worse than uppers.
• Discomfort.  The movement of the denture causes pain or discomfort.
• Lack of taste, or a decrease in the ability to taste food.
• Covering of the roof of the mouth (upper dentures only).
• Decrease chewing power or efficiency.
• The understanding that without implants, dentures will cause more bone loss over time.
• A conscious or unconscious concern that a denture can fall down or move in social situations.
• The need, or perceived need, for denture adhesives (glues).

 Implant overdentures, commonly known as Snap On Dentures, improve most of these concerns.
So what is an implant overdenture?  It is a full denture that snaps onto dental implants.  The implants are anchors that are placed in the jaw bone.  The denture has snaps that click onto the implants.  Two to four implants, and occasionally six, are utilized.  
Implant Overdentures are not always a perfect solution for the issues mentioned above.  Patient satisfaction levels vary.  Patients usually seek an implant overdenture rather than an All-On-Four or Hybrid Denture (see below) due to cost: it is less expensive than these other options, but overdentures have limitations.
As with implants in general, It is also critical to understand your presenting condition (amount of bone, quality of bone, overall health, etc) plays an important role to the success and satisfaction of an overdenture.
So what is the All-On-Four (Hybrid Denture) mentioned above?  It is a set of teeth that are connected to implants in one appointment.  Unlike dentures, nothing is removable.  Patients instantly benefit from a stronger bite and secure teeth as opposed to the overdenture.  Satisfaction levels are extremely high.  One drawback is the financial investment is higher.
So what are the financial investments for these options?  Implant Overdentures are extremely difficult to give estimates for until a patient is examined and a discussion can ensue.  This is because of the great number of variables: the number of extractions, the number of implants, the need for temporary teeth, the final material choices.  So a range is from $6,210 up to $18,000 per arch.  Estimates for All-On-Four are easier to provide: these range from $22,800 to $25,000 per arch.
Do you have questions?  Visit our website at www.MorrisCountyDentist.com or contact us for a free consultation.
About the author:  Dr. Ira Goldberg has been performing implant procedures for 30 years.  He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology / Implant Dentistry, a Diplomate of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry.  He performs all phases of implant dentistry at his office in Succasunna, NJ.  He lectures to dentists in the field of implantology.  For a free consultation, including a free 3-D scan (if necessary), please call his office at (973) 328-1225 or visit his website at www.MorrisCountyDentist.com  Dr. Goldberg is a general dentist, and also a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry.

Spacecraft Crashes in Grovers Mill NJ    
By Henry M. Holden
The central figure in this story is Orson Wells, a celebrated playwright and director. The 28-year-old Wells had participated in programs on CBS Network Radio, titled Mercury Theater on the Air. The broadcast is scheduled on Halloween Eve. However, Wells thought it out and everyone thought it would be fun to do an adaptation of the British H.G. Welles War of the Worlds (no relation).
The last few decades of space exploration have shown that the universe is violent and dangerous, at least with respect to human life. For example: in 1908 an object of unknown nature – probably a comet – hit Siberia with a force equivalent to a hydrogen bomb. Had this impact happened a few hours later, allowing for the Earth’s rotation, this object would have destroyed St. Petersburg, Russia and probably much more.
The station’s regular program was Saturday, October 30, 1938 – Halloween Eve. Preparations are under way for a musical beginning, a guest speaker and a close with some dance music.
“We are fortunate to get Susan Oliver, Ph.D. who specializes in the Moon to come on the show,” says Patrick Stewart program director. “Can you share with us some of the activities in your specialty?”
“Of course, thank you for inviting me. Please let me share some stats to put it in perspective. The distance between the Moon and Earth on average is about 239,800 miles and about two and one half days to get there. But we have no vehicles capable of any kind of space travel.
Now in comparison the big difference between the Earth and Mars is an average 140 million miles away. I could provide a detailed explanation using Orbital Mechanics, but few people understand it . Instead, let’s talk about some of the explanations in the speed of the satellite. If we had such a vehicle it would have an orbital speed of about 17,000 miles per hour. But, even if we had a rocket capable of such speed we don’t have the materials and the will of the people to build one. This will take several decades to create.
“Meanwhile, a foreign vehicle that could land here would have to be a very large spacecraft, however, in general they are large, cylindrical projectiles fired from the Martian surface by some sort of cannon.
There is wide spread talk that the Martians instead would emerge from their craft in the same way, by unscrewing a large, round hatch.
They appear to have no use for humans, however, there is widespread circulation that the invaders would sustain themselves by “feeding” on humans, by fatally transfusing their captives’ blood supply directly into Martian bodies through pipettes.
There is later speculation about the Martians’ eventually using trained human slaves to hunt down all remaining survivors after they conquer. Then a newscaster from another location interrupts the program’
“We just received a report that tonight an unidentified vehicle from outer space crashed in a pasture in Grovers Mill, in Mercer County, NJ.
“We have just been told by someone on the scene, a reporter who happened to be just a few miles away and raced to the scene and he described what he saw.
“This is reporter, Kyle R0te and I’m looking at what may be a crashed space vehicle that is in flames. I’m going to try and get a closer look.
“Good heavens, something is wiggling out of the shadows like a gray snake. There is another one and another. They look like tentacles. I can see what I think are the scales around what maybe a head.  The body is large, larger than a bear and it glistens like wet leather. But that face …ladies and gentlemen, this creature is indescribable. …I have force myself to keep looking at it.  I just don’t have the words for it…”
According to the astronomers observations suggest Mars is becoming unable to support life, leading to the Martians’ decision to try to make Earth their new home. A hatch on the object unscrews and falls away. As three men standing guard attempt to make contact waving a white flag, a heat-ray obliterates them. U.S. Marines later surround the site, as reports pour in of more cylinders, presumably from Mars, landing all over Earth, destroying cities. Three war machines now emerge from the cylinder. A local Pastor attempts contact them but is disintegrated. Marines open fire but are unable to penetrate the invaders’ force field. The aliens counterattack with death ray weaponry, killing most of the Marines and sending the remaining Marines into retreat. The Air Force attacks follow- up, but they are annihilated.
“A Martian bear has no physical resemblance to humans, said  professor Oliver. They are described as bear-sized, roundish creatures with grayish-brown bodies, “merely heads”, with quivering beak-like, V-shaped mouths dripping saliva. They have sixteen whip-like tentacles in two groupings of eight arranged on each side of their mouths and two large “luminous, disk-like eyes. They are reddish-brown creatures with two long, thin arms with three long, thin fingers with suction-cup tips. The Martian head is a broad “face” at the top-front of its broad-shouldered upper torso, the only apparent feature of which is a single, large eye with three distinctly colored lenses of red, blue, and green.”
Another announcer comes on to say that “due to circumstances beyond our control the radio station is having problems with the broadcast. Soothing music comes from a dance band in New York City.
Brigadier General Montgomery Smith, of the New Jersey State Militia, arrives with the announcement that Mercer County and Middlesex Counties are being placed under martial law and homes are being evacuated.  The soldiers are being rushed to the scenes. Listeners quickly learn that the solders have been wiped out and the Martians are in control of Central Jersey.
More details of this attack are quickly followed by an artillery movement in Plainsboro to stop the enemy. Another report says another alien ship has landed in Basking Ridge. Apparently more Martians have crossed the Passaic River in the giant in giant machines. They are at the Pulaski Skyway destroying power stations. The general is warning that the black smoke pouring in from Jersey Meadows is probably poisonous and is close and is drifting close to the Morristown Green. And it is reaching South Street.
A reporter is saying that the local population is trying to get out of town, but road courtesy and manners have disappeared. The law enforcement is trying to move the vehicles to open spaces and use routes 7 and 24 to avoid congestion areas. The heavy black thick smoke is reported over Raymond Boulevard.
Maps are useless as dense smoke fills the air. The radio broadcast is supp0sed to be calming but does not ease the anxiety or fear that infects everyone. Those who have maps find them useless.
The broadcaster warns that all of New Jersey is now under Marshal Law and looters, or anyone mentioned including Morristown the Watchung Mountains, Plainview and Bayonne should expect extreme responses from those who have rifles or handguns. Law Enforcement has issued a warning, that anyone using a weapon will be delt with in the most aggressive way possible. In other words, sh00t on sigh.
The police in New Yok contacted the Peoples Drug Store chain in New Jersey to lock up immediately. Gun dealers have already shut down, but there is serious looting and destruction of property in reports the Newark, Chatham and Dover.
While the broadcast was in progress and 42 minutes into the show, the network interrupted to announce the program had been dramatized.
One of America’s worldwide known announcers began his regular broadcast which came on the air at 9pm right after the dramatic end of the War of the Worlds.
“Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America, and all the ships at sea. This is Walter Winchell. The Mercury Theater on the Air presentation of the War of the Worlds was dramatization which we mentioned, but it seems a lot of people missed the opening.” It seems that the Mercury Theater on the Air had a minor share of the national radio listeners averaging less than 4-percent.
The Martians killed most of the humans they meet, but we also learn they need blood and tissue from humans to fertilize the extraterrestrial plants they are growing on Earth. The supply of humans seems to be abundant, and the Martians are on a ticking clock. If they don’t get the transfusions they need within 72 hours of contact they wither and die quickly. The world stepped aside and with time on the side of the humans the invasion went quietly into the history books.
In the days after the adaptation, there was widespread outrage expressed in the media. The program’s news-bulletin format was described as deceptive by some newspapers and public figures, leading to an outcry against the broadcasters and calls for regulation by the FCC. Wells apologized at a hastily called news conference the next morning, and no punitive action was taken.
Photo Caption – In spite of human evidence indicating that there was never a Martian invasion the locals in Grovers Mill erected a marker commemorating the event that never happened.

What Makes Magic, Magic?
By Henry M. Holden
Bill Wisch is a 52-year-old professional, magician, artist, lecturer, teacher, and inventor, from 1971 to the present.
He practices his art by remembering “Misdirection is true when they believe what you do and then follow you.”
“I was a Navy musician for four years, and one of our tours took us to the Mediterranean for five and a half months at the end of 1969. During a liberty visit to the island of Malta with some fellow sailors, we encountered a street performer engaging in a game of three-card Monte. At the time, I had no idea what the game entailed. I noticed several sailors betting money and some even winning. Intrigued, I watched closely and thought I could identify the card with a slight bend on its edge. Convinced I could win, I decided to join the game.
I placed a 20-pound bet, (about $48.00) confident I had identified the correct card. To my dismay, when he turned it over, it was the wrong one. Just then, the cops appeared, causing everyone to scatter. Much to my surprise, the perpetrators had donned sailor uniforms to blend in with us.
This experience captivated me. After leaving the Navy in 1971, I visited a magic shop in New York City and recounted my tale. The shopkeeper educated me about three-card Monte and sold me a book on the subject. My newfound intrigue led me to the library, where I delved into more books on magic, eventually incorporating these stories into my library presentations.
In 1973, Wisch began studying sleight of hand with Tony Slydini in New York City. Slydini is considered by many magicians to be one of the two finest 20th-century performers, lecturers and creators of artistic sleight-of-hand magic; Dai Vernon is the other.
In 1976, Slydini wrote a personal authorization letter to all magic societies and associations in North America, sponsoring his protégé, Bill Wisch, to represent him and take his place introducing, demonstrating and marketing his long awaited, two-volume, book sets, The Best of Slydini and More and The Magical World of Slydini, both written by Karl Fulves.
“When I give my presentations on “What makes magic, magic?” I emphasize five key elements: Mystery, Action, Gratification, Possibility, and Sound, abbreviated as MAGPS.
“These are the elements I use during presentations to corporate audiences. I would attend meetings and teach people how to incorporate showmanship into their work. When I looked up the word “showman” in the dictionary, it lacked the definition I required. I remember people advising me to add more showmanship, but there wasn’t much information in the library on the topic. The existing world defined showmanship in terms of horses, suggesting one should dress up their horse and make it look good..
One person even adopted the definition Wisch had created for himself. “Nowadays, my definition is used in the dictionary: Showmanship is the quality of performance that creates and sustains dramatic interest. I used to dress up as P.T. Barnum because he was one of the greatest showmen. I read books about Muhammad Ali, P.T. Barnum, and other influential figures to understand their methods of creating showmanship.
“I’ve had many memorable performances over the years, including for the Mets and Yankees in their locker rooms, in 1986.
Wisch lectured on Slydini’s methods and techniques, along with his own, to thousands of magicians across 74 cities in the United States and Canada between 1976 and 1978.
Wisch is the only person Slydini authorized to lecture on his original routines and techniques. Their close relationship has been celebrated and documented extensively within the magic community.
“The Slydini Legacy” is a series of detailed articles by Wisch that not only showcases Slydini’s magic but also highlights Wisch’s unique bond” with his friend, teacher, and mentor.
“From 1997 to 2005, I co-founded The International Conservatory of Magic (ICOM). One of my contributions to the site was “Slydini – The Legacy,” a series of thirty-four monthly articles published from September 1997 to December 2000.”
Slydini was a magician known for close-up artistry. His public performances and lectures to other magicians inspired Doug Henning, Dick Cavett, and Bill Bixb, and other magicians.
Showmanship is the quality of performance that creates and sustains dramatic interest I read books about Muhammad Ali, P.T. Barnum, and other influential figures to understand their methods of creating showmanship.
“I’ve had many memorable performances over the years, including for the Mets and Yankees in their locker rooms in 1986.”
Wisch studied with Slydini for seven years, taking more than 120 lessons during that period.
“After 120 lessons with Tony, I developed a profound love and admiration for him, not only as a magician but also as a person and friend. It is an honor for me to present his lectures and share what I admire most about Tony Slydini.”
Wisch is the only person Slydini allowed to lecture on his original routines and techniques. Their close relationship has been celebrated and documented extensively within the magic community.
“The Slydini Legacy” is a series of detailed articles by Wisch that not only showcases Slydini’s magic but also highlights Wisch’s unique bond with his friend, teacher, and mentor.
From 1997 to 2005, I co-founded The International Conservatory of Magic (ICOM). One of my contributions to the site was “Slydini – The Legacy,” a series of thirty-four monthly articles published from September 1997 to December 2000.
“Now, 22 years later, I am opening them up to the broader magic community. Over the coming months, I will be posting selected installments for you to read. As Slydini’s only officially authorized student to lecture or teach his magic, I am excited and thrilled to bring this to the magic audience. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
​Wisch is a recognized pioneer in the study of showmanship. He spent three years researching the careers of P.T. Barnum, George M. Cohan, Muhammad Ali, and Harry Houdini to discover what made them such great showmen. He developed and applied their common success principles into a one-man show, “The Magic Word is Showmanship,” which he presented throughout the 1980s to sales and marketing divisions of many Fortune 500 companies, including IBM, Pfizer, M&M Mars, Minolta, Minwax, Delta, and Johnson & Johnson.
Wisch has since performed thousands of shows for parties, project graduations and corporations and lectured over 600 times all over the United States and Canada. He performs regularly in the New York
“Approaching a person to do close-up magic is an art. When you are a hired performer (as many who read these blogs currently are and aspire to be) it is your job to approach the spectator.”
Magician-author Karl Fulves wrote that Slydini was the most influential figure in 20th-century Close-Up Magic. His theories, use of psychology, and misdirection created natural magic of the highest order, making his performances akin to real magic. “That sentiment,” said former television talk show host Dick Cavett, “is the one most commonly expressed by anyone having the opportunity to actually see this great magician perform.
​“During my 52-year career, I have had the honor of lecturing more than 600 times for my fellow colleagues in magic. I am always thrilled to share something they might be able to use in their routines, development, or learning.
Wisch is the only person Slydini gave permission to lecture on his original routines and techniques. Slydini’s close relationship with Wisch has been widely written about and lauded within the magic community.
The Slydini Legacy is a series of in-depth articles written by Wisch that highlights the magic of Slydini and his special relationship with the man who was his friend, teacher, and mentor.
“When performing on a stage or platform, one of the biggest challenges is looking confident and feeling comfortable simultaneously. Beginner performers often overlook the importance of effectively using their legs and feet. There is nothing more disheartening than realizing too late during a performance that you haven’t spent enough time considering how to stand and move. This is a sobering experience, and I know because I’ve been there!
Check out Wisch’s detailed explanation of the proper use of leg and foot placement on his website. Magician New Jersey Magician NJ|Bill Wisch Magicians New Jersey Magicians NJ NY

Arthur Raymond Brooks – A Forgotten War Ace
By Henry M. Holden
Arthur Raymond Brooks was born in Framingham, Massachusetts, in 1895 and passed away in 1991 at the age of 95.
In December 1916, he graduated Valedictorian from the Framingham Academy and High School and went on to study at the Massachusetts Institution of Technology (MIT). Brooks was hired by Bell Labs, then part of Western Electric engineering in New York City.
The following June Uncle Sam called, and he soon found himself flying combat missions over France.
Brooks joined the Air Service from December 1916 through 1922. He trained with the Royal Flying Corp. in Canada. When the United States went to war, Brooks was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, with the American Expeditionary Force.
Brooks, a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of technology, did his initial combat training with the 139 Aero  Squadron and shot down his first German Fokker in July 1918.
Brooks barnstormed for a few years after the war and in 1923, Brooks and his wife moved to Washington where he was hired by the Bureau of Aeronautics as an airway extension engineer, responsible for the installation of beacon lights from Boston to Washington.
In an interview later that year Brooks said, “As far as flying, It’s
normal and natural for me to fly. It is as natural as breathing air.”
In December 1929, Brooks piloted the first plane to make radio contact with a ship at sea. SS Leviathan was two hundred miles off the coast when contact was made. On the flight, newsmen spoke to their counterparts on the ground and then were transferred to correspondents in London, England.
On another occasion, Brooks was invited to a MIT reunion but his work schedule did not allow it. So, he made arrangements with the manager at the Massachusetts restaurant where dinner was to be held He broadcast greetings from his airplane over New Jersey to guests below, a miraculous achievement at the time.
The majority of Americans were against the United States entering the war, but the realists knew war was inevitable. “I was an eager beaver to die for this country. Don’t ask me why, that is just the way I felt. I prayed often, daily in fact. I had a spiritual angel and a physical angel named Sister Mary Magdalene. She promised to pray for me while I was overseas. I credit my life to those two angels.”
The day he remembered most vividly was September 14, 1918, when he came under attack by eight Fokker D-7 aircraft, showing the markings of von Richthofen and the German Flying Circus Fighter Squadron.
“It was a hell of a scramble,” he remembered. “We were about 3 miles deep in German territory. We had the sun behind us and a cloud beneath us. Suddenly I detected a formation of German Fokker airplanes  above us and saw that we were going to be jumped. I figured I was a dead bunny. I was plenty scared and yelling for no purpose at the top of my lungs. I figured I’d do as much damage as possible before the inevitable.”
Twice Brooks tried to ram him. “One red nose nightmare came in from my right and I had just time enough to see his features before I sent a few incendiaries his way. I turned to the other and after a short burst, I was satisfied the second one had quit’.
At this point Brooks decided he had pushed his luck “There’s a limit on ammunition so, we turned back toward the friendly skies. There was no tension for 10 miles.” But one of the red Barron’s pilots was persistent and hung onto the American’s tail.
“He began tracking me, and I figured he had me cold. I continued even though my plane had just taken more than one hundred bullets.” A wing spar had been blown away and one of his rudder pedals was shot up. “He was firing bursts at me, and I was side slipping by using the toe of my boot on a severed wire. I was able to dodge his gun bursts this way.
“Eventually he broke off contact and I was able to land on a grass strip within Allied lines. I had escaped death again.”
During the 1990 interview, Brooks recalled being able to see the facial hair of a German pilot with whom he was locked in a dogfight.
“I was trying to ram him,” Brooks said. “He was a splendid young man and he dodged me.”
For his bravery in combat, Brooks earned the Distinguished Service Cross. The citation reads: Authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, the President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Air Service) Arthur Raymond Brooks, United States Army Air Service, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 22d Aero Squadron, 2d Pursuit Group, U.S. Army Air Service., over Mars-la-Tour, France, 14 September 1918. When his patrol was attacked by 12 enemy Fokkers over Mars-la-Tour, 8 miles within the enemy lines, Second Lieutenant Brooks alone fought bravely and relentlessly with eight of them, pursuing the fight from 5, 000 meters to within a few meters of the ground, and though his right rudder control was out and his plane riddled with bullets, he destroyed two Fokkers, one falling out of control and the other bursting into flames.
When asked what the name of his plane stood for he replied, “Well you see I had this girl, Ruth Connery, that I had met while attending MIT, before I joined the Army and started flying in France. I thought because someday I may have to say Ruth got shot in the tail and that wouldn’t be nice. So, I called my planes Smith after the college she attended.
Brooks SPAD XIII biplane Smith IV now resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D. C. Smith one, two and three had been so severely damaged in dogfights that they were scrapped.
In 1928 Bell Telephone Laboratories Brooks moved into Hadley Field with World War I Ace Brooks.  At first he and Phil Lucas had two Fairchild monoplanes to fly and later a 14 passenger Ford Trimotor dubbed the Flying Laboratory was added to the fleet. He was the founder of the company’s aviation department and worked with a team of engineers who tested airborne radio equipment and instruments. Brooks flew the test flights and traveled with the Lab’s marketing staff exhibiting products across the country.
“We set up displays, and spoke of insurance on the equipment,” Brooks explained. “I knew the crowd, there was no way I could not have known them. And they were the people who needed to buy what we had to offer.
Lockheed, Boeing and Douglas installed Bell equipment in their new planes. United, American, and TWA airlines purchased altimeters, radios and directional finding equipment and other electronics..
Brooks’ most memorable adventure that he wrote about was establishing a communication system for the Graf Zeppelin prior to its round-the-world flight in 1929.
The coverage of the historic event was described in the Bell Labs publication: The radio transmitting and receiving apparatus on the airplane was one terminal of a network which extended to press association offices and to broadcasting stations of the Columbia chain. In the plane was A.R. Brooks, pilot and F,S. Berngard, in charge of the radio apparatus and a representative of  Associated Press.
When the word came, that the Graf Zepplin was on the coast, Brooks took off from Hadley Field and flew for some time between Barnegat and Lakehurst and Hadley hoping to find the Zepplin. It finally landed at Barnegat and was escorted to Lakehurst Naval Air Station.
By the late 1930s Bell was phasing out aircraft and Brooks, seeing war clouds on the horizon decided to join the military again. But it wasn’t to be. Brooks had three spinal surgeries that prevented him from serving but not from participating. Brooks, the engineer-pilot had written 18 secret technical manuals, one more than a hundred pages thick and he worked with it.
In his later years Brooks became a national treasure. Sever arthritis limited his mobility and he was technically blind, but he remained alert and active in his 95th year. Regularly attending functions around the nation with his close friend, Ed Lawyer who was a businessman and former B-17 bomber pilot.
Brooks was the last surviving American ace from the war, said retired Army Col. J. Duncan Campbell of Harrisburg, Pa., a World War I aviation expert. “Fine old gentleman,” said Campbell, author of the book “Aviation Badges of the United States Army,” which covered the period from 1913 through 1946. “He was very alert, even in his 90s.”
When Brooks died in July 1991, he was the World War I last survivor of the World War I Flying Aces.
Brooks was inducted into the New Jesey Aviation Hall of Fame in 1980.

Join the Spectrum Circle – A Social Group for High-Functioning Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum
Are you a high-functioning young adult on the autism spectrum living in Morris, Warren, or Sussex County? Looking to meet new people, share laughs, and just be yourself in a fun and welcoming environment? The Spectrum Circle is a brand-new social group for young adults ages 20–35 who are ready to connect, make friends, and enjoy good times together—while supporting each other. Whether we’re playing games, watching movies, going on outings, or just hanging out, this is a safe, positive space where you can be you.
Come and sign up for our very first meeting—we’re so excited to start this group!  First meeting date & location will be determined once we have rsvps.
*A family member is welcome to join you for the first meeting if you’d like.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Grace at 917-716-4813/grace.stampf@gmail.com.

The Four Significant Symptoms

Of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

By Richard Mabey Jr.
There are four basic symptoms of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. It is estimated that 85 percent of the people who have HCM, have not been fully diagnosed with this horrific heart disease. In defense of the Primary Physicians in our nation, HCM is the single most difficult heart disease to fully diagnose. Personally, I was diagnosed with HCM a year and a half ago. It was a long journey of many cardiac tests and procedures for the doctors to diagnose my heart ailment as being HCM.
I am writing this article with the most sincere and earnest effort to educate folks of the signs and symptoms of HCM. Make no mistake about it, HCM is a dreadfully serious heart ailment. It is the silent killer. It is absolutely best that HCM is diagnosed in its early stages. I am in the latter stages of HCM. And as the old saying goes, the cow is out of the barn. So, please, please, please, if you have any or all of these symptoms, make an appointment with a Cardiologist right away.
So, without further ado, here are the four keystone symptoms of HCM.
1. You experience shortness of breath. This may be the result of just walking around the block.
2. You find yourself having a rapid heart beat. Even from the simplest chores, you find your heart racing. You might be sweeping the kitchen floor and all of a sudden, you find your heart beating fast.
3. You find yourself having dizzy spells. You may get up from bed in the morning. When you sit up, it feels like your room is spinning. At times, you may actually experience fainting. On a personal note, three years ago, in a time span of about six months, I had fainted, falling to the floor, three separate and distinct times. This was an essential key for my Cardiologist to look into whether or not I had HCM.
4. You get easily tired, even from the simplest of chores. For example, you may become tired from just taking out the garbage.
Please do not take any of these symptoms for granted. Please do not sweep them under the rug. Remember that it is important to catch HCM in the most earliest stages possible. Also, please remember that HCM is difficult to diagnose because it mimics Atrial Fibrillation.
If this little article helps one person to take any of these four symptoms seriously and go to a Cardiologist, then I have accomplished something worthwhile in my life. Make no mistake about it, HCM is the a silent killer. HCM is no joke.
For the past year and a half, I have read and studied about HCM for two to three hours a day. I am focused, like Spider-Man facing the evil Green Goblin, to learn all I can about HCM. Recently, my Primary Physician gave me a wonderful compliment. She told me that she thought that I knew more about HCM than she did. I thought that was most kind of her to say.
I cannot stress it enough. If you have any of the four symptoms that I wrote about in this article, run (don’t walk) to a Cardiologist’s office. I do not mean to be an alarmist, but I do want people to know more about HCM. It is utmost important to catch HCM in its earliest stages. This is no joke!
Richard Mabey Jr. is a freelance writer. He has had two books published. He hosts a YouTube Channel titled, “Richard Mabey Presents.” He can be reached at richardmabeyjr@gmail.com.

NJ Starz: Chef Anton Testino
Hometown: Butler, NJ 
By Evan Wechman

Chef Anton Testino who currently owns and operates Axton’s restaurant in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, never imagined as a child he would become a major chef in the area.  As a child who grew up poor, watching his family work hard to take care of him, he loved the chaos of the restaurant business, even though the idea of running major kitchens in the tri-state area seemed far away.
When Testino was a child, his mother sometimes had to bring him to work since there was a lack of childcare options. It was here that Testino fell in love with the idea of working in a kitchen.
“When I was a kid, my mother had to bring me to work, and when I went to work, I was only probably about 11 or 12 years old, give or take, something like that. And I used to go into the kitchen sometimes, and I watched all the chaos, and everything was just out of control, with all these orders coming in and people trying to control the uncontrollable, and that’s having so much put into you at one time, trying to perfect it, and the flames and the yelling and screaming, and I just fell in love with it when I was a little kid”, Testino said.
Several years later in 1991, Testino went to Morris County Vocational Tech in Denville for culinary arts and graduated at the top of his class while winning many amateur cooking competitions. Then, in 1992 he was accepted into the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY. He studied there until 1994 when he made plans to open his first restaurant in Edgewater, New Jersey; António’s Pizza, Pasta and More.
Though Testino studied at some great culinary institutes, for him there was no greater education than working in the field.
“Being in the field has probably taught me more about how to be creative
than going to school itself,” he said.
Testino did just that as he worked at many of the finest restaurants in New York City and New Jersey where he built a big following.
However, his big break where he reached national acclaim came in 2010 when the television show “Chopped “was aired featuring Testino. The chef initially didn’t know much about the program, and it was never his intention to be on the show.
“It was an accident. It wasn’t something that was supposed to happen. I worked at this one restaurant, my cousin’s place for about 15 years, and I did all the menu creation and helped them boost that business up. And a lot of the customers would come up to me at the time and they would be like, oh, you should really try out for this TV show “Chopped.” And you know, back then, I was like, I don’t even know what “Chopped” is. The internet wasn’t like it was today, and I was just kind of like, you know what, I’ve had about 20 people say this, so maybe I should just watch the show and see what it’s all about right? So I did, and I said I can do this.  I create something all the time, so I decided, why not? I made a video and sent it in and got myself an interview, which is crazy, from what I understood at the time. A lot of people tried out for the show 10, or 15 times before they get something.  but I got on the first shot,” Testino said.
Testino, still a small restaurant worker, loved competing against chefs from multimillion-dollar restaurants while on the show and was praised by the judges for his wonderful octopus creation. Unfortunately, he was eliminated from the show, but it helped him grow his following.
“It was actually the best thing that ever happened to me ,because it made
people see me completely differently, and that was exciting, and that’s that was actually the reason I got on “Hell’s Kitchen,” Testino said.
In 2012, Testino auditioned for the popular television show “Hell’s Kitchen” which was hosted by legendary chef Gordon Ramsay.
Testino rose again to the level of the competition and thrived. He impressed viewers, but most importantly, Testino received great praise from one of his idols, Wolfgang Puck. The internationally acclaimed chef loved the Italian food Testino made, and said it reminded him of Italy.
“That was probably the greatest culinary moment of my entire life.” My family gained their living making pizza in this country. That’s how they survived. That’s how they became who they are today. And the fact that I took my family’s name and impressed the best pizza man in the world, Wolfgang Puck, was great,” Testino said.
Despite all the attention and praise Testino received because of his television appearances, it was never about becoming famous for him.  Rather for Testino it’s all about giving back to others and the surrounding communities.
Throughout his career, Testino has always donated money to local high school scholarships and other causes that benefit people.
“I’m always giving back to the community.  I lived a very poor life, and it was rough, and the fact that I didn’t have much in life growing up, now that I’m able to give back. Why not? Why not help kids?” he said.
Testino believes that since so many people helped him along his road to success, it makes sense to give back to others. For instance, he helped raise millions of dollars for the patients and families of St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital through their fundraiser “Cooking for Kids.”
According to Testino, the hospital cared for one of his best friend’s children who was born premature and did everything in their power to make sure she fully recovered.  St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital shortly thereafter asked Testino if he would help with their fundraiser and the chef couldn’t have been more excited to help.
“They saved her life. Wow. And she’s 17 or 18 years old today. And because of that, and after doing TV shows, they asked me if I would do a charity event for them. And I was like, absolutely. Like, you saved my friend’s daughter, I’m all about helping out. So I ended up doing” Cooking for Kids” for 10 years.”
Testino’s voluntary endeavors don’t stop just at raising money. One of his most endearing accomplishments is his mentoring of a young man named Nick. Testino has been guiding Nick in the culinary arts since he was 15 years old. He is now 24 and an executive chef at a top restaurant in New York City.
“He’s one of my biggest accomplishments to me. He’s a huge success and I feel I’m important in it because I helped him get there to open up the doors,” Testino said.
For Testino, who has owned and operated “Axton’s” in Pompton Lakes since 2016, finding time to help the community and run a successful restaurant is a delicate balancing act. But he wouldn’t have it any other way. He gives fully of himself to both areas. He is now in his early 50’s but doesn’t foresee slowing down anytime soon.
“It’s kind of crazy that at 52 years old, I still have the love and passion after doing this for 37 years and doing what I do and competing with the young generation, which I actually enjoy, because when I see a new young chef coming into the picture, and I do research and read about them,  that motivates me. I love the challenge”
This passion inspires Testino to keep creating new dishes at Axton’s so people not just in the Pompton Lakes area, but from New York come to his restaurant to savor his wonderful Italian dishes.
But for Testino, spending time running a successful restaurant and helping others in need go hand in hand.
“I’m donating my time every week to build my name up and to give back and show people who I really am.  I’m not just a chef. I’m here to give to the communities which is what a restaurant is supposed to do. It’s supposed to give back,” he said.
Testino believes being a chef is his calling, and he does everything he can to bring honor to his name and the profession.  He fondly remembers his grandparent’s preparing dinner for major holidays in their home at 4am so that the whole family would have a great evening. He is using those great memories to pay it forward.
“At the end of the day, there’s not a situation in the world I can think of where the chef’s not there for you. We are there for everybody on the planet. We sacrifice ourselves for you. That’s part of our job. Like you go on a first date, there’s a chef there for you. Funerals, bar mitzvahs, weddings, everything, there is always a chef there, because food is always involved in one way or another.” 

 NJ Starz: Andy Langberg
Hometown: Englewood, New Jersey
By Evan Wechman
Andy Langberg of Englewood, New Jersey was unsure what path his career would take when he graduated University of Delaware in 1992 with a degree in Exercise Science.
However, over thirty years later, he has developed a book of business with over 6,000 names in his office in Fort Lee.
Some of these people are construction workers, or part-time golfers experiencing a little pain. However, he has also been called upon to treat celebrities such as ex-NFL great Tiki Barber, actress Mariel Hemingway, various members of the New Jersey Devils and countless professional tennis players. Both Hemingway and Barber have openly voiced their love of Langberg’s work which has resulted in him visiting with more famous people throughout the area.
The road to Langberg’s prominence was not easy. When he graduated college, he saw an ad in the help wanted section of the NY Times from a gym in Englewood seeking a personal trainer.
“I took this job, and I ended up working with kind of the rich and famous of New Jersey. I had a lot of really high profile and powerful Doctor, lawyer and CEO type clients, and I was their trainer,” he said.
Langberg loved helping people right away and continued in that role for a few years until he opened his own business training and treating his own clients.  However, there was an issue since Langberg was a good athlete himself but was struggling with pain.
“I was doing triathlons and many marathons, and I was in phenomenal shape, but my whole body hurt,” Langberg said.
This caused him to look for answers even in the most unlikely places to determine how to help himself and his clients in a greater way.  It also led to him to develop the Reactivation method which has helped many of his clients who were initially experiencing some dysfunction in their body, gain greater flexibility and function.
“I started studying different things and I would question things because I proved that everything these people were teaching was invalid, and I didn’t know why. I just could prove it wasn’t working. I just didn’t know why it wasn’t working. And then I met a quantum physicist who taught me how waves work in the universe. And when I figured out how waves worked, it answered all my questions about how bodies work,” Langberg said.
He acknowledges people have trouble understanding the Reactivation method, but it has been working with many people throughout the state for decades now.
“I work with waves. I can transfer waves through my body into someone else’s and make something work,” he said. 
During this process, Langberg assesses the body for any problems and then helps correct them with a gentle focused touch applied to specific points on the body.
Langberg readily admits not everyone is on board with his process, as he has his share of critics who rely solely on conventional health practices.
Langberg does want his holistic approach to reach more people. He even recalled how he was in contact with different universities in the Northeast about his methodology and wanted to help implement his teachings into these colleges’ science departments. Unfortunately, Langberg never heard back from these select universities, but he has not let that discourage him.  He has continued to help the people that trust him with care and compassion and not pay attention to his critics.
According to Langberg, many people have come to him experiencing some dysfunction or pain in their body and initially were skeptical.  However, after he has treated them and they have returned to the golf course or tennis court and have made significant improvements, their skepticism is completely removed.
He has heard the word “wow,” many times from clients who were initially somewhat distrustful of his process and then discovered how much better they felt after seeing him.
This has allowed Langberg to continue to alleviate the pain of both lay people and athletes who were unsure their discomfort would ever dissipate.
“There’s a lot of strong people in horrible pain and I work with a lot of figure skaters, gymnasts, and yoga people. I work with a lot of flexible people who are in a lot of pain. And unfortunately, our western medical model thinks that if we just stretch and strengthen things we will get rid of our problems. And to me, everything is about function or dysfunction. You can be really strong and very flexible, and dysfunctional. If there’s a dysfunction, I have a way to find it and correct it using vibration and energy,” Langberg said.
This process which he discovered approximately in 2001 was initially just used to help his patrons at first, but then word started spreading quickly throughout the area of the great achievements people were making while working with him.
“I was doing this on my clientele first, just locally, before I even brought it out to the masses, and word started to spread. And then one day, I got a call from the New York Giants,” Langberg said. 
The staff of the Giants’ organization told Langberg they heard of the wonderful accomplishments he was helping people make and wanted him to treat co-owner Steven Tisch who was struggling with his feet.
Tisch got much better and before he knew it, Langberg was helping Eli Manning perform at an optimal level.
Soon after, he was helping members of the New Jersey Devils as well as famous tennis players.
Langberg, who admits he doesn’t advertise, said “I’m banking on results for people to come back.  I’ve also treated players from the Devils a long time ago, and now they keep coming back because there are new players and everyone knows each other, and I rely on word of mouth.”
Though Langberg has a book full of celebrities with their phone numbers whom he has treated, full-time athletes only account for about ten to fifteen percent of his customers. He treats everyone from plumbers to mechanics with any dysfunctions they may be having with their bodies.
The former exercise science major believes his success is a testament to his desire to help others.  He has recently developed his own institute from his Fort Lee office where he is teaching his process to eager students who are passionate about helping others.  However, according to Langberg, it all comes down to compassion.
“I am very selective about who my students are. I need to find students who have a love for others. You have to have a passion for healing and a passion for helping others. And I’ve known from a very early age when I was a young kid, I had a bit of a gift of healing people, of wanting to help people. I’ve always been that way. Since I was a little kid, I was the kid that was shoveling everyone’s driveway in the neighborhood just because I enjoyed doing it and helping people in whatever way I could.”
For those interested in booking an appointment with Andy Langberg, please visit his website at https://reactivateme.com/